Characterization of mechanisms and processes controlling groundwater salinization in coastal semi-arid area using hydrochemical and isotopic investigations (Essaouira basin, Morocco)

Abstract

The aquifer system of Essaouira basin is recognized as one of the most important aquifers in Morocco. The purpose of this study is to highlight the origin and the mechanisms responsible for the salinization of this aquifer system, thus based on the two hydrogeochemical and isotopic approaches. The results indicate that the central and downstream parts are dominated by the facies Cl-Ca-Mg and SO₄-Ca-Mg with the dominance of the first facies, while the facies Cl-Ca-Mg, SO₄-Ca-Mg, and HCO₃-Ca-Mg dominate the upstream part with the dominance of the list facies. Hydrochemical approach shows that the groundwater mineralization in the study area is controlled by (i) the ion exchange phenomenon, under the marine intrusion and (ii) the dissolution of carbonate minerals (calcite, dolomite, and aragonite) and evaporate minerals (halite, gypsum, and anhydrite). High levels of NO₃ would come from domestic pollutants, including livestock waste during water withdrawal. The isotopic method shows (i) aquifers recharge in the study area is provided by Atlantic precipitation without significant evaporation, (ii) the presence of recent water (after nuclear tests) and other (before nuclear tests), and (iii) various recharge altitudes from 300 to 1150 m asl. However, this investigation provides a foundation for effective groundwater management and effective mitigation of aquifer impacts.

https://ift.tt/2yyOyG1

Retinal Endovascular Surgery with Tissue Plasminogen Activator Injection for Central Retinal Artery Occlusion

Purpose: To report 2 cases of central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) who underwent retinal endovascular surgery with injection of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) into the retinal artery and showed a remarkable improvement in visual acuity and retinal circulation. Methods: Standard 25-G vitrectomy was performed under local anesthesia. Simultaneously, tPA (80,000 units/mL) solution was injected into the retinal artery of the optic disc for 2–3 min using a microneedle. Changes in visual acuity, fundus photography, optical coherence tomography (OCT), fluorescein angiography, and laser speckle flowgraphy (LSFG) results were examined. Results: Both cases could be treated within 12 h after the onset of CRAO. Case 1 was a 47-year-old woman. Her visual acuity improved from counting fingers before operation to 0.08 logMAR 1 month after the surgery. However, thinning of the retina at the macula was observed by OCT. Case 2 was a 70-year-old man. His visual acuity improved from counting fingers to 0.1 logMAR 2 months after the surgery. Both fluorescein angiography and LSFG showed improvement in retinal circulation after the surgery in case 2. Conclusions: Retinal endovascular surgery with injection of tPA into the retinal artery was feasible and may be a way to improve visual acuity and retinal circulation when performed in the acute phase of CRAO.
Case Rep Ophthalmol 2018;9:327–332

https://ift.tt/2lsH4Lz

A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinicopathologic factors linked to oncologic outcomes for renal cell carcinoma with tumor thrombus treated by radical nephrectomy with thrombectomy

Publication date: Available online 21 June 2018
Source:Cancer Treatment Reviews
Author(s): Liangyou Gu, Hongzhao Li, Zihuan Wang, Baojun Wang, Qingbo Huang, Xiangjun Lyu, Dan Shen, Yu Gao, Yang Fan, Xintao Li, Yongpeng Xie, Songliang Du, Kan Liu, Lu Tang, Cheng Peng, Xin Ma, Xu Zhang
BackgroundThere remain discrepancies over the factors that influence oncologic outcomes after radical nephrectomy with thrombectomy (RNTE). To assess significant predictors of oncologic outcomes after RNTE from a systematic review and meta-analysis.MethodsA comprehensive search of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and Web of Science was performed to identify eligible studies. The endpoints included cancer-specific survival (CSS), overall survival (OS), and recurrence-free survival (RFS). A formal meta-analysis was performed for studies containing non-metastatic and metastatic tumors. Additionally, a sensitivity analysis including the subgroup of studies containing non-metastatic tumors only was conducted. Cumulative analyses of hazard ratios (HRs) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were conducted.ResultsOverall, 35 retrospective studies of low to moderate risk of bias including 11,929 patients were included. The results indicated that large tumor size, high Fuhrman grade, tumor necrosis, positive lymph node, and metastasis at surgery were adverse significant predictors for both CSS and OS. Also, IVC tumor thrombus, sarcomatoid differentiation, perinephretic fat invasion, and adrenal gland invasion were associated with poor CSS. In the subset of non-metastatic patients, the significant predictors were clinical symptom, thrombus level, Fuhrman grade and adrenal gland invasion for CSS; thrombus consistency, Fuhrman grade and tumor necrosis for OS; tumor size, Fuhrman grade and perinephretic fat invasion for RFS.ConclusionsA meta-analysis of available data identified significant prognostic factors of CSS, OS and RFS that should be systematically evaluated to propose a risk-adapted approach to postoperative patient counseling, risk stratification, and therapy selection.



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Checkpoint Inhibitors as Treatment for Malignant Gliomas: “A Long Way To the Top”

Publication date: Available online 21 June 2018
Source:Cancer Treatment Reviews
Author(s): Matteo Simonelli, Pasquale Persico, Matteo Perrino, Paolo Andrea Zucali, Pierina Navarria, Federico Pessina, Marta Scorsetti, Lorenzo Bello, Armando Santoro
Glioblastoma is the most common and lethal malignant brain tumor in adults, with a very poor prognosis of less than two years despite surgical resection followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy. To date, targeted agents and antiangiogenic therapy have failed to show survival benefits and novel treatment approaches are urgently needed.Immune checkpoint inhibitors have recently revolutionized the landscape of cancer immunotherapy achieving regulatory approvals for a number of other 'historically' resistant cancers. These exciting successes have generated great interest in investigating if these agents could be such effective also in brain tumors field. Moreover, the traditional dogma that considers the central nervous system (CNS) as an immune-privileged site lacking the potential for immunosurveillance has been challenged as it has become clear that the CNS is immunoactive. Critical barriers to an effective antitumor immunity in brain tumor patients are still represented by the peculiar CNS immunological milieu and the numerous systemic and local immunosuppressive forces exhibited by malignant gliomas to avoid immune recognition and cellular death.This review describes the current status of checkpoint modulation as treatment for malignant gliomas. We start illustrating the compelling molecular and immunological rationale, than we show striking preclinical evidence of activity and discuss available data from prospective clinical trials. Furthermore, we explore the role of predictive biomarkers of responsiveness to checkpoint blockade in the context of gliomas, along with the development of combinatorial and potentially synergistic approaches with other established anti-cancer treatments or complementary immunotherapeutic modalities.



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Where in the world? Latitude, longitude and season contribute to the complex co‐ordinates determining cortisol levels

Clinical Endocrinology, EarlyView.


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Self-portrait with goiter: Antonio Ligabue

https://ift.tt/2MeUjec

Deconstructing Adipogenesis Induced by β3-Adrenergic Receptor Activation with Single-Cell Expression Profiling

Publication date: Available online 21 June 2018
Source:Cell Metabolism
Author(s): Rayanne B. Burl, Vanesa D. Ramseyer, Elizabeth A. Rondini, Roger Pique-Regi, Yun-Hee Lee, James G. Granneman
Recruitment of brown/beige adipocytes (BAs) in white adipose tissue (WAT) involves proliferation and differentiation of adipocyte stem cells (ASCs) in concert with close interactions with resident immune cells. To deconvolve stromal cell heterogeneity in a comprehensive and unbiased fashion, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) of >33,000 stromal/vascular cells from epididymal WAT (eWAT) and inguinal WAT (iWAT) under control conditions and during β3-adrenergic receptor (ADRB3) activation. scRNA-seq identified distinct ASC subpopulations in eWAT and iWAT that appeared to be differentially poised to enter the adipogenic pathway. ADRB3 activation triggered the dramatic appearance of proliferating ASCs in eWAT, whose differentiation into BAs could be inferred from a single time point. scRNA-seq identified various immune cell types in eWAT, including a proliferating macrophage subpopulation that occupies adipogenic niches. These results demonstrate the power of scRNA-seq to deconstruct adipogenic niches and suggest novel functional interactions among resident stromal cell subpopulations.

Graphical abstract

Teaser

Burl et al. employ single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) of mouse adipose tissue to identify distinct subpopulations of adipocyte progenitors and immune cells. In a model of in vivo brown adipogenesis, scRNA-seq data are used to deconstruct adipogenic niches, map differentiation trajectories, and suggest novel functional interactions among resident stromal cell subpopulations.


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Evidence for a Non-leptin System that Defends against Weight Gain in Overfeeding

Publication date: Available online 21 June 2018
Source:Cell Metabolism
Author(s): Yann Ravussin, Ethan Edwin, Molly Gallop, Lumei Xu, Alberto Bartolomé, Michael J. Kraakman, Charles A. LeDuc, Anthony W. Ferrante
Weight is defended so that increases or decreases in body mass elicit responses that favor restoration of one's previous weight. While much is known about the signals that respond to weight loss and the central role that leptin plays, the lack of experimental systems studying the overfed state has meant little is known about pathways defending against weight gain. We developed a system to study this physiology and found that overfed mice defend against increased weight gain with graded anorexia but, unlike weight loss, this response is independent of circulating leptin concentration. In overfed mice that are unresponsive to orexigenic stimuli, adipose tissue is transcriptionally and immunologically distinct from fat of ad libitum-fed obese animals. These findings provide evidence that overfeeding-induced obesity alters adipose tissue and central responses in ways that are distinct from ad libitum obesity and activates a non-leptin system to defend against weight gain.

Graphical abstract

Teaser

Following overfeeding, mice decrease food intake and return to their previous weight. The signal or set of signals that underlie this response is not known. Ravussin et al. have developed a model to investigate overfeeding in mice and provide evidence for a leptin-independent system that defends against body weight gain.


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Chlamydia pneumoniae Hijacks a Host Autoregulatory IL-1β Loop to Drive Foam Cell Formation and Accelerate Atherosclerosis

Publication date: Available online 21 June 2018
Source:Cell Metabolism
Author(s): Gantsetseg Tumurkhuu, Jargalsaikhan Dagvadorj, Rebecca A. Porritt, Timothy R. Crother, Kenichi Shimada, Elizabeth J. Tarling, Ebru Erbay, Moshe Arditi, Shuang Chen
Pathogen burden accelerates atherosclerosis, but the mechanisms remain unresolved. Activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome is linked to atherogenesis. Here we investigated whether Chlamydia pneumoniae (C.pn) infection engages NLRP3 in promoting atherosclerosis. C.pn potentiated hyperlipidemia-induced inflammasome activity in cultured macrophages and in foam cells in atherosclerotic lesions of Ldlr^−/− mice. C.pn-induced acceleration of atherosclerosis was significantly dependent on NLRP3 and caspase-1. We discovered that C.pn-induced extracellular IL-1β triggers a negative feedback loop to inhibit GPR109a and ABCA1 expression and cholesterol efflux, leading to accumulation of intracellular cholesterol and foam cell formation. Gpr109a and Abca1 were both upregulated in plaque lesions in Nlrp3^−/− mice in both hyperlipidemic and C.pn infection models. Mature IL-1β and cholesterol may compete for access to the ABCA1 transporter to be exported from macrophages. C.pn exploits this metabolic-immune crosstalk, which can be modulated by NLRP3 inhibitors to alleviate atherosclerosis.

Graphical abstract

Teaser

Infections can accelerate atherosclerosis, but the mechanisms remain unresolved. Tumurkhuu et al. show that C.pn infection-induced IL-1β institutes negative feedback to inhibit Gpr109a, ABCA1 expression, and cholesterol efflux, leading to accumulation of intracellular cholesterol. Mature IL-1β can use ABCA1 for secretion from macrophages to the detriment of cholesterol efflux.


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Mitochondrial Supercomplexes Do Not Enhance Catalysis by Quinone Channeling

Publication date: Available online 21 June 2018
Source:Cell Metabolism
Author(s): Justin G. Fedor, Judy Hirst
Mitochondrial respiratory supercomplexes, comprising complexes I, III, and IV, are the minimal functional units of the electron transport chain. Assembling the individual complexes into supercomplexes may stabilize them, provide greater spatiotemporal control of respiration, or, controversially, confer kinetic advantages through the sequestration of local quinone and cytochrome c pools (substrate channeling). Here, we have incorporated an alternative quinol oxidase (AOX) into mammalian heart mitochondrial membranes to introduce a competing pathway for quinol oxidation and test for channeling. AOX substantially increases the rate of NADH oxidation by O2 without affecting the membrane integrity, the supercomplexes, or NADH-linked oxidative phosphorylation. Therefore, the quinol generated in supercomplexes by complex I is reoxidized more rapidly outside the supercomplex by AOX than inside the supercomplex by complex III. Our results demonstrate that quinone and quinol diffuse freely in and out of supercomplexes: substrate channeling does not occur and is not required to support respiration.

Graphical abstract

Teaser

Mitochondrial respiratory supercomplexes catalyze aerobic respiration. One of the reasons proposed for their supramolecular organization is to facilitate rapid electron transfer between complexes I and III via quinone channeling. Fedor et al. demonstrate that this is not the case, and that quinone functions as a shared, freely exchanging pool in mitochondria.


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The Drosophila Immune Deficiency Pathway Modulates Enteroendocrine Function and Host Metabolism

Publication date: Available online 21 June 2018
Source:Cell Metabolism
Author(s): Layla Kamareddine, William P. Robins, Cristin D. Berkey, John J. Mekalanos, Paula I. Watnick
Enteroendocrine cells (EEs) are interspersed between enterocytes and stem cells in the Drosophila intestinal epithelium. Like enterocytes, EEs express components of the immune deficiency (IMD) innate immune pathway, which activates transcription of genes encoding antimicrobial peptides. The discovery of large lipid droplets in intestines of IMD pathway mutants prompted us to investigate the role of the IMD pathway in the host metabolic response to its intestinal microbiota. Here we provide evidence that the short-chain fatty acid acetate is a microbial metabolic signal that activates signaling through the enteroendocrine IMD pathway in a PGRP-LC-dependent manner. This, in turn, increases transcription of the gene encoding the endocrine peptide Tachykinin (Tk), which is essential for timely larval development and optimal lipid metabolism and insulin signaling. Our findings suggest innate immune pathways not only provide the first line of defense against infection but also afford the intestinal microbiota control over host development and metabolism.

Graphical abstract

Teaser

Here Kamareddine et al. show that an innate immune pathway in enteroendocrine cells of the Drosophila melanogaster intestine is activated by the intestinal microbiota and the microbial metabolite acetate. Activation of this pathway increases expression of the endocrine peptide tachykinin to promote host metabolic homeostasis.


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Acute and Repeated Treatment with 5-PAHSA or 9-PAHSA Isomers Does Not Improve Glucose Control in Mice

Publication date: Available online 21 June 2018
Source:Cell Metabolism
Author(s): Elsa Pflimlin, Maximilian Bielohuby, Marcus Korn, Kristin Breitschopf, Matthias Löhn, Paulus Wohlfart, Anish Konkar, Michael Podeschwa, Felix Bärenz, Anja Pfenninger, Uwe Schwahn, Till Opatz, Marcel Reimann, Stefan Petry, Norbert Tennagels
Fatty acid esters of hydroxylated fatty acids (FAHFAs) were discovered as a novel class of endogenous mammalian lipids whose profound effects on metabolism have been shown. In the current study, in vitro and in vivo the metabolic effects of two of these FAHFAs, namely palmitic acid-5- (or -9) -hydroxy-stearic acid (5- or 9-PAHSA, respectively) were profiled. In DIO mice fed with differentially composed low- or high-fat diets, acute and subchronic treatment with 5-PAHSA and 9-PAHSA alone, or in combination, did not significantly improve the deranged metabolic status. Neither racemic 5- or 9-PAHSA, nor the enantiomers were able to: (1) increase basal or insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in vitro, (2) stimulate GLP-1 release from GLUTag cells, or (3) induce GSIS in rat, mouse, or human islets or in a human pancreatic β cell line. Therefore, our data do not support the further development of PAHSAs or their derivatives for the control of insulin resistance and hyperglycemia.

Graphical abstract

Teaser

PAHSAs were previously recognized as a new class of mammalian lipids. Pflimlin et al. report a novel chemical synthesis for PAHSAs. In contrast to earlier reports, Pflimlin et al. did not observe beneficial effects on glucose metabolism after acute or repeated PAHSA treatment using cellular systems or mouse models of insulin resistance.


https://ift.tt/2M8Xh3C

Editorial Board

Publication date: July 2018
Source:Autoimmunity Reviews, Volume 17, Issue 7





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Response to C‐reactive protein as an individual prognostic marker in oral cancer: practical considerations

Clinical Otolaryngology, EarlyView.


https://ift.tt/2tfcfOL

C‐reactive protein as an individual prognostic marker in oral cancer: Practical considerations

Clinical Otolaryngology, EarlyView.


https://ift.tt/2K6KOgj

Editorial Board

Publication date: July 2018
Source:Autoimmunity Reviews, Volume 17, Issue 7





https://ift.tt/2ls9a9R

Modeling of sediment transport in a saltwater lake with supplemental sandy freshwater

Abstract

Considering the highly complex flow structure of saltwater lakes during freshwater supplementation, a three-dimensional numerical model was developed to simulate suspended sediment transport in saltwater lakes. The model was validated using measurements of the salinity and sediment concentration during a pumping test at Yamdrok Lake. The simulation results were in quantitative agreement with the measured data. The observed and simulated results also indicated that the wind stress and vertical salinity gradient have a significant influence on salinity and sediment transport in a saltwater lake. The validated model was then used to predict and analyze the contributions of wind, the supplement flow rate and salinity stratification to the sediment transport process in Yamdrok Lake during continuous river water supplementation. The simulation results showed that after the sandy river water was continuously discharged into the saltwater lake, the lateral diffusion trends of the sediment exhibited three stages: linear growth in the inflow direction, logarithmic growth in the wind direction, and stabilization. Furthermore, wind was the dominant factor in driving the lake flow pattern and sediment transport. Specifically, wind can effectively reduce the area of the sediment diffusion zone by increasing the lateral sediment carrying and dilution capacities. The effect of inflow on the lake current is negligible, but the extent of the sediment turbidity zone mainly depends on the inflow. Reducing the inflow discharge can decrease the area of the sediment turbidity zone to proportions that far exceed the proportions of inflow discharge reductions. In addition, the high-salinity lake water can support the supplemented freshwater via buoyancy forces, which weaken vertical mixing and sediment settlement and increase lake currents and sediment diffusion near the surface.

https://ift.tt/2ts7IaU

Assessment of trophic status of the northeastern Mediterranean coastal waters: eutrophication classification tools revisited

Abstract

The Eastern Mediterranean and its Cilician Basin offshore waters have oligotrophic features with low nutrient concentrations, low primary production, and high water transparency. However, the wide shelf area of the Cilician Basin is subject to contaminated river inflows with enhanced nutrient loads and direct discharges of urban wastewaters of southern Turkey, leading to develop local eutrophic/mesotrophic conditions in the inner sites of Mersin and Iskenderun Bays on the Cilician Basin. For the assessment of changing trophic status of the coastal and the bay water bodies under anthropogenic pressures since the 1980s, five extensive field studies were performed in summer and winter periods of 2014, 2015, and 2016. Physical and eutrophication-related biochemical parameters (salinity, temperature, Secchi Disk Depth, nutrients, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll-a) were measured at 65 stations in different water bodies occupying the Northeastern (NE) Mediterranean coastal, offshore areas and bays. The collected data sets were used in scaling the trophic status of the visited water bodies of NE Mediterranean coastal, offshore areas and semi-enclosed bays, using novel classification tools of Trophic Index (TRIX), Eutrophication Index (E.I.), chl-a, and HELCOM Eutrophication Assessment Tool (HEAT), developed by different experts for highly productive seas. These tools, which can successfully classify highly productive coastal water masses under human pressures, and their sensitivities have been tested for scaling of the current trophic status of the NE Mediterranean coastal water bodies being subject to human pressures. The scaling results of classical TRIX, E.I., and chl-a indices in the NE Mediterranean water masses are not sensitive enough to differentiate mesotrophic and eutrophic water bodies because these indices principally assume to have higher concentrations of eutrophication-related parameters in the least effected (reference) water bodies. The HEAT tool, which uses a site-specific "reference value" for each eutrophication-indicator, has allowed us to produce more reliable and sensitive scaling of the current trophic status of the NE Mediterranean shelf areas, even though we used only the "reference values" derived from the composite data sets. The results of the indices were compared with the HEAT tool and the actual status was assessed from observations, indicating revision requirements of the multi-metric classification tools. For this goal, scales of natural (oligotrophic) and anthropogenic (eutrophic) levels of eutrophication indicators should be determined at a sub-basin scale using long-term site-specific observations in the NE Mediterranean. The revised scale ranges of TRIX for oligotrophic, mesotrophic, and eutrophic water bodies of Mersin Bay are in line with ranges of TRIX classification tool proposed for Aegean Sea waters, which can be used to assess trophic status of the entire Eastern Mediterranean and Aegean coastal seas (surface salinity > 37.5) having oligotrophic properties in the offshore waters.

https://ift.tt/2MOGP9Z

Epinephrine auto-injector carriage and use practices among US children, adolescents, and adults

Publication date: Available online 21 June 2018
Source:Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
Author(s): Christopher M. Warren, Justin M Zaslavsky, Kristin Kan, Jonathan M Spergel, Ruchi S. Gupta




https://ift.tt/2K0DTJN

PAH and PCB contamination in the sediments of the Venice Lagoon (Italy) before the installation of the MOSE flood defence works

Abstract

Contamination from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the shallow water areas of the Venice Lagoon (415 km²) was investigated in the surface (0–5 cm) and sub-surface (5–10 cm) sediments by collecting cores from 380 sites. The concentrations of 14 PAHs (USEPA priority pollutants) and seven PCB indicator congeners were analysed with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and capillary gas chromatography (GC), respectively. PAH and PCB concentrations ranged from 2.75 to 9980 ng g⁻¹ d.w. and from 0.01 to 60.1 ng g⁻¹ d.w., respectively. Their concentrations never exceeded the probable effect level (PEL) stipulated in the respective quality guidelines. In addition, the average total PAH levels expressed as B[a]P toxicity equivalents (total TEQ) were lower in the sediments of the Venice Lagoon than in other literature-reported zones in the Mediterranean. PAH profiles and ratios showed that they originated not only largely from high-temperature pyrolytic processes attributable primarily to the burning of fossil fuels but also partly from petroleum spillage. Comparison of tetra-to-hepta PCB congeners enabled the PCB profiles observed in the lagoon environment to be characterised as Aroclor 1254 and 1260 (1:1). Compared to other marine coastal areas and harbours in the Mediterranean, the Venice Lagoon sediments showed a low mean value but a wide range of concentrations. The estimation of PAH and PCB inventories indicated the low contribution of atmospheric deposition relative to local sources.

https://ift.tt/2K9vlvW

Characterization and mechanism of copper biosorption by a highly copper-resistant fungal strain isolated from copper-polluted acidic orchard soil

Abstract

In this paper, a highly copper-resistant fungal strain NT-1 was characterized by morphological, physiological, biochemical, and molecular biological techniques. Physiological response to Cu(II) stress, effects of environmental factors on Cu(II) biosorption, as well as mechanisms of Cu(II) biosorption by strain NT-1 were also investigated in this study. The results showed that NT-1 belonged to the genus Gibberella, which exhibited high tolerance to both acidic conditions and Cu(II) contamination in the environment. High concentrations of copper stress inhibited the growth of NT-1 to various degrees, leading to the decreases in mycelial biomass and colony diameter, as well as changes in morphology. Under optimal conditions (initial copper concentration: 200 mg L⁻¹, temperature 28 °C, pH 5.0, and inoculum dose 10%), the maximum copper removal percentage from solution through culture of strain NT-1 within 5 days reached up to 45.5%. The biosorption of Cu(II) by NT-1 conformed to quasi-second-order kinetics and Langmuir isothermal adsorption model and was confirmed to be a monolayer adsorption process dominated by surface adsorption. The binding of NT-1 to Cu(II) was mainly achieved by forming polydentate complexes with carboxylate and amide group through covalent interactions and forming Cu-nitrogen-containing heterocyclic complexes via Cu(II)-π interaction. The results of this study provide a new fungal resource and key parameters influencing growth and copper removal capacity of the strain for developing an effective bioremediation strategy for copper-contaminated acidic orchard soils.

https://ift.tt/2tjlVYy

Editorial Board

Publication date: August 2018
Source:Molecular Immunology, Volume 100





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Editorial

Publication date: August 2018
Source:Molecular Immunology, Volume 100





https://ift.tt/2K1vDZS

Editorial Board

Publication date: August 2018
Source:Molecular Immunology, Volume 100





https://ift.tt/2K7vi3O

Editorial

Publication date: August 2018
Source:Molecular Immunology, Volume 100





https://ift.tt/2K1vDZS

Clinical implication of changes in body composition and weight in patients with early-stage and metastatic breast cancer

Publication date: Available online 21 June 2018
Source:Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology
Author(s): Ilaria Trestini, Luisa Carbognin, Sara Monteverdi, Sara Zanelli, Alessandro De Toma, Clelia Bonaiuto, Rolando Nortilli, Elena Fiorio, Sara Pilotto, Massimo Di Maio, Antonio Gasbarrini, Giovanni Scambia, Giampaolo Tortora, Emilio Bria
Breast cancer represents the most frequent cancer among women in Western countries. Although physicians and patients have witnessed a significant evolution in both treatment strategies and personalized medicine (the identification of featured patients' subsets such as HER2-driven disease), the identification of additional prognostic clinical predictors referring to patients' dietary habits represents a research area aiming to further improve the overall management of this disease. In this regard, body composition (i.e. the relative proportion of fat and muscles) and its changes have recently generated growing interest. A large body of evidence supports the relationship between overweight or weight gain and poor outcome in patients with early-stage breast cancer during adjuvant, and more recently, also neoadjuvant therapy. Nevertheless, available data on post-diagnosis weight variations and mortality report controversial results. Indeed, the limited data produced in the metastatic setting do not indicate an impact of body size on the outcome of these patients. With these perspectives, this review aims to elucidate the complex association between weight, body composition and breast cancer outcome, across the different settings of such disease. The more recent and important findings are highlighted, emphasizing the potential role of body composition assessment to predict individualize chemotherapy dosing, toxicity and efficacy, in order to improve the overall health status and prognosis of such still to date growing patients' population.



https://ift.tt/2KceZmf

A phase I dose-escalation study of IMAB362 (Zolbetuximab) in patients with advanced gastric and gastro-oesophageal junction cancer

Publication date: September 2018
Source:European Journal of Cancer, Volume 100
Author(s): Ugur Sahin, Martin Schuler, Heike Richly, Stefan Bauer, Anna Krilova, Tobias Dechow, Markus Jerling, Magdalena Utsch, Christoph Rohde, Karl Dhaene, Christoph Huber, Özlem Türeci
IntroductionIMAB362 (Zolbetuximab) is a chimeric monoclonal antibody that binds to Claudin-18.2, a target antigen specific to cancer cells. In vitro, IMAB362 mediates cell death through antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and complement-dependent cytotoxicity; thus, IMAB362 may serve as a potent, targeted immunotherapeutic agent.MethodsThis first-in-human phase I study enroled adult patients (N = 15) with advanced gastric or gastro-oesophageal junction cancer into five sequential single dose–escalation cohorts (33, 100, 300, 600, and 1000 mg/m²) following a 3 + 3 design. Safety/tolerability, including determination of maximum tolerated dose and recommended phase II dose, were the primary objectives; secondary objectives included assessment of the IMAB362 pharmacokinetic profile, immunogenicity, and antitumour activity (assessed by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors v1.0).ResultsIMAB362 was generally well tolerated at all doses, with gastrointestinal toxicities being the most commonly observed treatment-related adverse events. As dose-limiting toxicity was not observed within 4 weeks of treatment, a maximum tolerated dose was not established. The pharmacokinetic profile of IMAB362 appeared to be proportional across the dose range; and mean half-life ranged from 13 to 24 d. While most patients showed progressive disease at weeks 4–5 after a single intravenous IMAB362 infusion, one patient in the 600 mg/m² dose group achieved and maintained stable disease for approximately 2 months postinfusion.ConclusionsFindings from this study demonstrate that IMAB362 is generally well tolerated and support further evaluation in patients with gastric/gastro-oesophageal junction cancer.Clinical trial registryClinicalTrials.gov, Identifier NCT00909025.



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Phase I results of a phase I/II study of weekly nab-paclitaxel in paediatric patients with recurrent/refractory solid tumours: A collaboration with innovative therapies for children with cancer

Publication date: September 2018
Source:European Journal of Cancer, Volume 100
Author(s): Lucas Moreno, Michela Casanova, Julia C. Chisholm, Pablo Berlanga, Pascal B. Chastagner, Sylvain Baruchel, Loredana Amoroso, Soledad Gallego Melcón, Nicolas U. Gerber, Gianni Bisogno, Franca Fagioli, Birgit Geoerger, Julia L. Glade Bender, Isabelle Aerts, Christophe Bergeron, Pooja Hingorani, Ileana Elias, Mathew Simcock, Stefano Ferrara, Yvan Le Bruchec, Ruta Slepetis, Nianhang Chen, Gilles Vassal
Backgroundnab-Paclitaxel has demonstrated efficacy in adults with solid tumours and preclinical activity in paediatric solid tumour models. Results from phase I of a phase I/II study in paediatric patients with recurrent/refractory solid tumours treated with nab-paclitaxel are reported.Patients and methodsPatients with recurrent/refractory extracranial solid tumours received nab-paclitaxel on days 1, 8 and 15 every 4 weeks at 120, 150, 180, 210, 240, or 270 mg/m² (rolling-6 dose-escalation) to establish the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and recommended phase II dose (RP2D).ResultsSixty-four patients were treated. Dose-limiting toxicities were grade 3 dizziness at 120 mg/m² and grade 4 neutropenia >7 days at 270 mg/m². The most frequent grade 3/4 adverse events were haematologic, including neutropenia (36%), leukopenia (36%) and lymphopenia (25%). Although the MTD was not reached, 270 mg/m² was declared non-tolerable due to grade 3/4 toxicities during cycles 1–2 (neutropenia, n = 5/7; skin toxicity, n = 2/7; peripheral neuropathy, n = 1/7). Of 58 efficacy-evaluable patients, complete response occurred in one patient (2%; Ewing sarcoma) and partial responses in four patients (7%; rhabdomyosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, renal tumour with pulmonary metastases [high-grade, malignant] and sarcoma not otherwise specified); all responses occurred at ≥210 mg/m². Thirteen patients (22%) had stable disease (5 lasting ≥16 weeks) per RECIST.Conclusionsnab-Paclitaxel 240 mg/m² qw3/4 (nearly double the adult recommended monotherapy dose for this schedule in metastatic breast cancer) was selected as the RP2D based on the tolerability profile, pharmacokinetics and antitumour activity. Phase II is currently enrolling patients with recurrent/refractory neuroblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma.ClinicalTrials.govNCT01962103.EudraCT2013-000144-26.



https://ift.tt/2If4bC9

The EORTC CAT Core—The computer adaptive version of the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire

Publication date: September 2018
Source:European Journal of Cancer, Volume 100
Author(s): Morten Aa. Petersen, Neil K. Aaronson, Juan I. Arraras, Wei-Chu Chie, Thierry Conroy, Anna Costantini, Linda Dirven, Peter Fayers, Eva-Maria Gamper, Johannes M. Giesinger, Esther J.J. Habets, Eva Hammerlid, Jorunn Helbostad, Marianne J. Hjermstad, Bernhard Holzner, Colin Johnson, Georg Kemmler, Madeleine T. King, Stein Kaasa, Jon H. Loge, Jaap C. Reijneveld, Susanne Singer, Martin J.B. Taphoorn, Lise H. Thamsborg, Krzysztof A. Tomaszewski, Galina Velikova, Irma M. Verdonck-de Leeuw, Teresa Young, Mogens Groenvold
BackgroundTo optimise measurement precision, relevance to patients and flexibility, patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) should ideally be adapted to the individual patient/study while retaining direct comparability of scores across patients/studies. This is achievable using item banks and computerised adaptive tests (CATs). The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (QLQ-C30) is one of the most widely used PROMs in cancer research and clinical practice. Here we provide an overview of the research program to develop CAT versions of the QLQ-C30's 14 functional and symptom domains.MethodsThe EORTC Quality of Life Group's strategy for developing CAT item banks consists of: literature search to identify potential candidate items; formulation of new items compatible with the QLQ-C30 item style; expert evaluations and patient interviews; field-testing and psychometric analyses, including factor analysis, item response theory calibration and simulation of measurement properties. In addition, software for setting up, running and scoring CAT has been developed.ResultsAcross eight rounds of data collections, 9782 patients were recruited from 12 countries for the field-testing. The four phases of development resulted in a total of 260 unique items across the 14 domains. Each item bank consists of 7–34 items. Psychometric evaluations indicated higher measurement precision and increased statistical power of the CAT measures compared to the QLQ-C30 scales. Using CAT, sample size requirements may be reduced by approximately 20–35% on average without loss of power.ConclusionsThe EORTC CAT Core represents a more precise, powerful and flexible measurement system than the QLQ-C30. It is currently being validated in a large independent, international sample of cancer patients.



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Evaluation of the bond strength and characteristics of zirconia after different surface treatments

Publication date: Available online 21 June 2018
Source:The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry
Author(s): Virgílio Vilas Boas Fernandes Júnior, Débora Cristina Barbosa Dantas, Eduardo Bresciani, Maria Filomena Rocha Lima Huhtala
Statement of problemNon-thermal plasma treatment could increase the bond strength of resin cements to zirconia, but studies are lacking.PurposeThe purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate zirconia bond strength, surface roughness, and contact angle and to measure the infrared spectrum after different surface treatments.Material and methodsYttria-tetragonal zirconia polycrystal (Y-TZP; n=9) blocks were sectioned into 36 slices (12×11×3 mm) and divided (n=4) into surface treatment groups as follows: 2 control groups, consisting of airborne-particle abrasion plus primer (APP) and 10% hydrofluoric acid etching plus primer (HFP), and 3 experimental groups consisting of a nonthermal plasma (NP) application; a nonthermal plasma plus primer application (NPP); and a 10% hydrofluoric acid etching plus nonthermal plasma plus primer (HFNPP) application. Each zirconia disk was cemented to a prepolymerized resin block. After cementation, the specimens were sectioned for microtensile strength testing and for surface roughness analysis and contact angle analysis. Results were submitted to analysis of variance and Tukey tests (α=.05).ResultsResults showed no statistically significant differences between the APP and HFNPP groups, but these 2 groups showed statistically better bonding than those of HFP, NP, and NPP.ConclusionsAirborne-particle abrasion resulted in a significant increase in surface roughness compared with the other groups. After nonthermal plasma treatment, the contact angle of the zirconia surface decreased within 48 hours. Nonthermal plasma application for surface treatment of zirconia showed no significant difference in bond strength when compared with airborne-particle abrasion.



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Editorial Board and Contents

Publication date: July 2018
Source:Trends in Immunology, Volume 39, Issue 7





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HDAC6 at Crossroads of Infection and Innate Immunity

Publication date: Available online 21 June 2018
Source:Trends in Immunology
Author(s): Olga Moreno-Gonzalo, Federico Mayor, Francisco Sánchez-Madrid
Histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) acts by enzyme-dependent and -independent mechanisms to regulate diverse cellular processes including autophagy, the ubiquitin proteasome system, and cell migration. HDAC6 also has emerging roles in innate immunity, including pathogen sensing and destruction, thus placing this enzyme at the crossroads of infection and innate immunity.



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Caenorhabditis elegans in high-throughput screens for anti-infective compounds

Nicholas D Peterson | Read Pukkila-Worley

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A Meta-Analytic Examination of Attrition in Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy for Anxiety Disorders

Publication date: Available online 21 June 2018
Source:Journal of Anxiety Disorders
Author(s): Amanda A. Benbow, Page L. Anderson
A proposed advantage of virtual reality exposure therapy for anxiety disorders is that people will be less likely to drop out of treatment prematurely if the treatment involves facing one's fear in a virtual world rather than the real world, but this has yet to be empirically tested. The present meta-analyses assess the odds of dropout from virtual reality exposure therapy compared to in vivo exposure therapy, estimate the overall rate of dropout from virtual reality exposure treatment, and test potential moderating variables. The odds ratio meta-analysis indicated that there was no significant difference in the likelihood of attrition from virtual reality exposure therapy relative to in vivo exposure therapy. The overall attrition rate for virtual reality exposure therapy across 46 studies with a combined sample size of 1,057 participants was 16%. This rate is slightly lower than other estimates of dropout from in vivo therapy and from cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety disorders. Incorporation of between-session intervention (i.e., homework) was identified as a moderator; specifically, inclusion of between-session interventions in the treatment was associated with better retention. Overall, the findings of the present study indicate that virtual reality exposure and in vivo exposure therapy show similar rates of attrition.



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A Painful Infraorbital Mass

A man with recurrent sinus infections presented with progressive vertical diplopia, blurry vision, and medial right eye pain; test results revealed a soft-tissue mass expanding the bony margins of the infraorbital nerve canal. What is your diagnosis?

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Formal Idiographic Inference in Medicine

This Viewpoint proposes an alternate framework for evaluating patients that begins with inference from previous patients and ends with an idiographic model formed with data acquired from the current patient.

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Errors in Description of Suction Required by Patients

In the article titled "Association of Standardized Tracheostomy Care Protocol Implementation and Reinforcement With the Prevention of Life-Threatening Respiratory Events," the descriptions of suction in the second and third bullet points under the "Protocol guideline" heading have been corrected. The instances that previously read that patients will be suctioned 2 or 4 times have been corrected to read that the patients will be suctioned every 2 or 4 hours. The article was corrected online.

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Cystatin C and 20-Year Incidence of Hearing Impairment

This longitudinal, population-based study uses data from the Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study to investigate the association between cystatin C, both as an independent biomarker and as a marker of kidney function, and the 20-year incidence of hearing impairment in a cohort of middle-aged and older adults.

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Standardized Margin Assessment Is Needed Before Implementing Negative Margin as a Quality Measure

To the Editor The study by Schoppy et al provides information that furthers the dialogue about how surgical margins are assessed, both intraoperatively and on formalin-fixed specimens, and offers a seemingly attractive and clinically meaningful quality measure in head and neck surgery: a negative margin rate of 90%. The authors appropriately note a major limitation of this study—variation in margin sampling techniques across surgeons. By design, the authors could not define the source of negative margin: was margin status deduced from the actual resection specimen or tumor bed biopsies? How is the adequacy of margin revision determined? This limitation makes the proposed metric of a "90% or higher negative margin" rate a nonactionable one.

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Tobacco Cessation Attempts Among Smokers With Head and Neck Cancer

This cross-sectional study of smokers with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) examines tobacco cessation attempts and symptoms experienced prior to development of HNSCC, as well as the correlation of these symptoms with number of cessation attempts and maximum quit days.

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Hearing Aid Use and Health Care Costs Among Older Adults

A number of studies have attempted to quantify the cost of hearing loss, including ones using the same data source but an earlier time. A systematic review that summarized many of these findings documented the financial results of hearing loss, but also highlighted the variability across studies and lack of standardization of how hearing loss is defined when using large data sets. Fewer data are available, however, on whether the use of hearing aids (HAs) mitigates, attenuates, or contributes to these costs. Given the lack of data, the increasing numbers of older adults who might benefit from the use of HAs and the current lack of health care coverage for hearing health care, Mahmoudi et al is exploring an important topic in this issue of JAMA Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery. Elucidating the outcomes of HA use on health care costs could provide valuable data for those designing health care policy. The findings are interesting, yet raise a number of issues that could inform data interpretation as well as highlight additional research priorities.

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Proactive Swallowing Rehabilitation and Feeding Tube Placement in Pharyngeal Cancer Patients

This cohort study evaluates the initiation of a proactive speech and language pathology rehabilitation program and its association with rates of feeding tube placement and posttreatment oral intake in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

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Increasing Age of Patients With Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

This observational study evaluates the changes in age profile over time in patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

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Association of Behavior With Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Among Attendees of an Outdoor Music Festival

This post hoc secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial assesses which factors are associated with the occurrence of temporary noise-induced hearing loss among adult attendees of an outdoor music festival.

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Treatment of T3 Glottic Cancer

To the Editor We recently read the article "Survival Outcomes for Patients With T3N0M0 Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Glottic Larynx" by Ko et al. We congratulate the authors; however, some potentially misleading details may be found in their article.

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Hearing Aid Use and Health Care Use and Cost Among Older Adults With Hearing Loss

This population-based cohort study of older adults with hearing loss evaluates the association of hearing aid use and health care use and cost.

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June 2018 Issue Highlights

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Response Time to Nurse Triage Phone Calls in a Tertiary Care Pediatric Otolaryngology Practice

This quality-improvement study analyzes a collaborative team approach to determine the optimal time for triage callback to families and attempts to define an optimal process that would allow more rapid response time for calls needed to escalate to the patient's managing surgeon.

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Human Papillomavirus in the Mouth and Throat

In this issue of JAMA Otolaryngology—Head & Neck Surgery, Li et al shows that human papillomavirus–positive squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) may be associated with improved overall survival not only in the oropharynx but also possibly in the upper aerodigestive tract subsites—oral cavity, larynx, and hypopharynx. This finding is persuasive given the large sample size used, which was obtained from the National Cancer Database (NCDB), and the multivariate analysis performed. Previous studies with smaller sample sizes have similarly suggested the favorable prognostic role of HPV in cancer in nonoropharyngeal head and neck sites, although other studies have refuted this possibility.

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Association of Obstructive Sleep Apnea With Calvarial and Skull Base Thinning

This cohort study examines the association of obstructive sleep apnea in adults with intracranial bone (calvaria and skull base) thickness.

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Auricular Swelling After Mild Trauma

A woman in her 50s presented with left auricular pain and malaise after treatment with a series of antibiotics had failed; pain and edema acutely worsened with new onset of drainage and crusting despite ciprofloxacin treatment. What is your diagnosis?

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Association of HPV Status at Head and Neck Carcinoma Subsites With Overall Survival

This cohort study examines the association of human papillomavirus (HPV) in head and neck carcinoma subsites with overall survival in patients with HPV-positive and HPV-negative status.

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Thyroidosis Mistaken for Thyroid Cancer

This is the report of a case of a woman in her 30s who underwent a left thyroid lobectomy and isthmusectomy for a thyroid nodule and presented 16 years later with a neck mass.

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Standardized Tracheostomy Care and Life-Threatening Respiratory Events

This cohort study examines the medical records of adults patients who had a tracheostomy placed before and after implementation of a standardized tracheostomy care protocol and assesses the occurrence of acute life-threatening respiratory events before and after protocol implementation.

https://ift.tt/2se4qro

A quantum theory investigation on atmospheric oxidation mechanisms of acrylic acid by OH radical and its implication for atmospheric chemistry

Abstract

The hydroxyl radical, as the most important oxidant, controls the removal of some volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the atmosphere. In this work, the atmospheric oxidation processes of acrylic acid by OH radical have been investigated by density functional theory (DFT). The energetic routes of the reaction of CH₂CHCOOH with OH radical have been calculated accurately at the CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ//M06-2X/6-311++G(d,p) level. It is implicated that the oxidation has five elementary reaction pathways mostly hinging on how hydroxyl radical approaches to the carbon skeleton of acrylic acid. The atmospheric degradation mechanisms of the CH₂CHCOOH by OH radical are the formation of reactive intermediates IM1 and IM2. Meanwhile, the further oxidation mechanisms of IM1 and IM2 by O₃ and NO are also investigated. The rate coefficients have been computed using tight transition state theory of the variflex code. The calculated rate coefficient is 2.3 × 10⁻¹¹ cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹ at standard pressure and 298 K, which is very close to the laboratory data (1.75 ± 0.47 × 10⁻¹¹ cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹). Moreover, the atmospheric lifetime of acrylic acid is about 6 h at 298 K and 1 atm, implying that the fast sinks of acrylic acid by hydroxyl radical.

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Measuring Nasal Obstruction Outcomes

Methods of measuring nasal obstruction outcomes include both objective anatomic and physiologic measurements, as well as subjective patient-reported measures. Anatomic measurements include acoustic rhinometry, imaging studies, and clinician-derived examination findings. Physiologic measures include rhinomanometry, nasal peak inspiratory flow, and computational fluid dynamics. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are self-reported assessments of disease-specific quality-of-life outcomes. Several studies attempted correlation of these outcome measures; however, few show strong correlation. Expert opinion favors determining successful surgical outcomes using PROMs. This review provides a summary of current nasal obstruction outcome measures.

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Surgical Management of Nonallergic Rhinitis

Nonallergic rhinitis (NAR) describes chronic symptoms of nasal congestion, obstruction, and rhinorrhea unrelated to a specific allergen based on skin or serum testing. Vasomotor rhinitis is the most frequent subtype of NAR. Although medical management is the first-line treatment of NAR, there is a role for surgical therapy when medications fail to improve symptoms. Surgical options for NAR include inferior turbinate reduction and botulinum toxin injection as well as more directed targeting of the autonomic nerve supply to the nasal cavity through vidian neurectomy, posterior nasal neurectomy, and cryoablation of the posterior nerve.

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Exploratory study on cognitive abilities and social responsiveness in children with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS) and children with idiopathic intellectual disability (IID)

Publication date: Available online 21 June 2018
Source:Research in Developmental Disabilities
Author(s): Ellen Van Den Heuvel, Evi Jonkers, Ellen Rombouts, Eric Manders, Inge Zink, Ann Swillen
BackgroundDevelopment of cognitive skills and social responsiveness are areas of concern in children with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS). It remains unclear if the cognitive and social profiles and trajectories are syndrome-specific or similar to those of children with idiopathic intellectual disabilities (IID) with or without comorbid autism spectrum disorder (ASD).Aims and methodsIn this exploratory study, we examined and compared five broad cognitive abilities (BCAs) and the social responsiveness in primary school-aged children with 22q11DS (age 6–13, n = 21) and IQ-matched peers with IID (n = 21). The relative strengths and weaknesses of both groups were re-evaluated after 19 to 30 months.Outcomes and resultsFour different cognitive trajectories (i.e. absolute progress, stability, growing into deficit, and absolute decline) were demonstrated in both groups. Most children showed combined types of trajectories across BCAs resulting in a complex changing cognitive profile. In the 22q11DS group, social responsiveness problems increased, whereas no significant change was observed in the IID group.Conclusions and implicationsResults reflect similar cognitive and social responsiveness profiles and trajectories across groups with children with 22q11DS being more at risk for growing into a social deficit. We recommend repeated monitoring of social skills development to adapt the environmental demands to the child's individual social capacities.



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Introduction to the special issue on quality of single-case experimental research in developmental disabilities

Publication date: Available online 21 June 2018
Source:Research in Developmental Disabilities
Author(s): Jennifer B. Ganz




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The effects of rhenium accumulation on Indian mustard

Abstract

Rhenium (Re) is one of Earth's scarcest and more largely scattered elements, with an estimate concentration of 0.4–0.6 μg kg⁻¹ in the upper crust. Still, considerable concentrations of bioavailable ReO₄⁻ ions are often found, particularly in copper-molybdenum mines, where their uptake by plants of these regions has been reported. Yet, the impact of Re on plants remains a question mark, as the only available knowledge derives from a limited investigation carried out over 60 years ago. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ecophysiological response of Brassica juncea, a species known to endure and accumulate various metals, to a broad range of Re concentrations. B. juncea plants were allowed to grow and on a substrate amended with KReO₄ to attain soil Re levels ranging from 0 to 80 mg kg⁻¹. Plants were collected 45 days after sowing for analysis. The results have shown that greater Re levels reduce growth, photosynthetic activity, soluble carbohydrate mobilization, and protein contents, and increase the plant's oxidative stress (anthocyanins, H₂O₂, lipid peroxidation) and corresponding response (ascorbic acid, superoxide dismutase activity). Nevertheless, B. juncea exhibited a remarkable ability to endure and uptake Re, featuring shoot Re concentrations that ranged from 1615 to 24,987 mg kg⁻¹ among the 5 and 80 mg kg⁻¹ treatments.

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Comparative study of mercury(II) species removal onto naked and modified magnetic chitosan flakes coated ethylenediaminetetraacetic-disodium: kinetic and thermodynamic modeling

Abstract

This comparative study investigates pre-concentration/separation procedure for the magnetic solid phase extraction of Hg(II) species by a new green materials: naked magnetic chitosan flakes coated Fe₃O₄ micro-particles (NMCFs) and magnetic chitosan flakes coated Fe₃O₄ micro-particles embedded ethylenediaminetetraacetic-disodium (MCFs-EDTA-Na₂) in a batch process. The sorption procedure was optimized by using model solutions containing mercury(II) ions in chloride medium. The influence of experimental parameters like pH, time reaction, initial Hg(II) concentration, and ionic strength was investigated. The SEM micrograph indicates a good dispersion of magnetite micro-particles onto chitosan flakes. The FTIR spectrum reveals that EDTA-Na₂ moieties have been successfully cross-linked onto magnetic chitosan flakes. Vibration magneto-metric measurements confirm the paramagnetic (without remanence) behavior of NMCFs and MCFs-EDTA-Na₂. The experimental sorption data show that Hg(II) ions extraction yield decreases in acidic medium in both NMCFs and MCFs-EDTA-Na₂. The found optimum pH values are near 4.5 using NMCFs and 4.7 when the Hg(II) ion sorption occurs onto MCFs-EDTA-Na₂ micro-particles. The results also showed that Hg(II) ion sorption kinetic was very fast at the initial stage of contact time. The maximal sorption capacity was found to be 454 ± 13 mg g⁻¹, under optimum conditions, using NMCFs and 495 ± 14 mg g⁻¹ when MCFs-EDTA-Na₂ was used.

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Effects of exogenous salicylic acid and pH on pathogenicity of biotrophy-associated secreted protein 1 (BAS1)-overexpressing strain, Magnaporthe oryzae

Abstract

Abiotic stress can influence the interactions between a pathogen and its host. In this paper, we analyzed the effects of salicylic acid (SA) and pH on the morphological development and pathogenicity of Magnaporthe oryzae, the pathogen that causes rice (Oryza sativa) blast. A strain of rice blast that overexpresses biotrophy-associated secreted protein 1 (BAS1) and a wild-type (WT) strain were pretreated with different levels of pH and different concentrations of SA to analyze M. oryzae colony growth, sporulation, spore germination, dry weight of hypha, and appressorium formation. Disease incidence and the expression of defense-related genes in infected rice were analyzed after pretreatment with pH 5.00 or pH 8.00 and 200 μM SA. The results showed that both SA and pH had some influence on morphological development, including sporulation and appressorium formation of the BAS1-overexpression strain. In the 200 μM SA pretreatment, there was a lower incidence of disease and higher expression levels of the rice defense-related genes PR1a, PAL, HSP90, and PR5 on leaves inoculated with the BAS1-overexpession strain compared with the WT strain, whereas, LOX2 appeared to be downregulated in the BAS1-overexpession strain compared with the WT. In both pH treatments, disease incidence and expression of HSP90 were higher and the expression of PR1a and PR10a and LOX2 and PAL was lower in leaves inoculated with the BAS1-overexpression strain compared with leaves inoculated with the WT strain. We conclude that SA and pH affect morphological development of the BAS1-overexpression blast strain, but that these factors have little influence on the pathogenicity of the strain, indicating that BAS1-overexpression may have enhanced the tolerance of this rice blast strain to abiotic stressors. This work suggests new molecular mechanisms that exogenous SA and pH affect the interactions between M. oryzae and rice.

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Augmentation and eversion of lips without injections: the lip peel

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The Elite Facial Surgery Practice: Development and Management

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Normal vaginal delivery at term after expectant management of heterotopic caesarean scar pregnancy: a case report

Heterotopic pregnancy with a combination of a caesarean scar pregnancy and an intrauterine pregnancy is rare and has potentially life-threatening complications.

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Pronounced femur malunion after pathological bone fracture due to a simple bone cyst in the shaft of the femur, treated using Ilizarov fixation: a case report

Although a simple bone cyst carries the risk of pathological fractures, it rarely causes severe deformity. Here we report a case of severe femoral deformity after multiple pathological fractures due to simple ...

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A hypothetical method for controlling highly glycolytic cancers and metastases

Publication date: September 2018
Source:Medical Hypotheses, Volume 118
Author(s): Edward H. Mathews, George E. Mathews, Albertus A. Meyer
Most proliferating cancer cells and cancer-associated tumor stroma have an upregulated glucose energy demand in relation to normal cells. Cancer cells are further less metabolically flexible than normal cells. They can therefore not survive metabolic stress as well as normal cells can. Metabolic deprivation thus provides a potential therapeutic window.Unfortunately, current glucose blockers have toxicity problems. An alternative way to reduce a cancer patient's blood glucose (BG), for a short-term period to very low levels, without the concomitant toxicity, is hypothesized in this paper.In vitro tests have shown that short-term BG deprivation to 2 mmol/L for 180 min is an effective cancer treatment. This level of hypoglycaemia can be maintained in vivo with a combination of very low-dose insulin and the suppression of the glucose counter-regulation system. Such suppression can be safely achieved by the infusion of somatostatin and a combination of both α and β-blockers.The proposed short-term in vivo method, was shown to be non-toxic and safe for non-cancer patients. The next step is to test the effect of the proposed method on cancer patients. It is also suggested to incorporate well-known, long-term BG deprivation treatments to achieve maximum effect.



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Should all women with postpartum depression be screened for bipolar disorder?

Publication date: September 2018
Source:Medical Hypotheses, Volume 118
Author(s): Verinder Sharma, Malak Al-Farayedhi, Minakshi Doobay, Christine Baczynski
The term postpartum depression is used generically to denote occurrence of a depressive episode after childbirth. Emerging research suggests that bipolar disorder is common among women with postpartum depression. Due to the lack of awareness of its existence, bipolar postpartum depression is often misdiagnosed as major depressive disorder, causing long delays for women to receive appropriate treatment. We hypothesize that screening all women with postpartum depression for bipolar disorder would help correctly identify subgroups of women based on the underlying psychiatric diagnosis. This suggested approach could improve the outcome of postpartum depression and facilitate timely disorder-specific treatment interventions.



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Phenylalanine hydroxylase: A biomarker of disease susceptibility in Parkinson’s disease and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Publication date: September 2018
Source:Medical Hypotheses, Volume 118
Author(s): Glyn B. Steventon, Stephen C. Mitchell
The S-oxidation of S-carboxymethyl-l-cysteine has been reported previously to be a biomarker of disease susceptibility in Parkinson's disease and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. In this investigation, the original observations have been confirmed with the incidence of the poor metaboliser phenotype (no urinary recovery of S-oxide metabolites) being found to be 3.9% within healthy control population. However, 38.3% of the Parkinson's disease subjects and 39.0% of the Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis group were phenotyped as poor metabolisers. The consequent odds risk ratio of developing Parkinson's disease was calculated to be 15.5 (95% CI 9.5–25.3) and for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis was 15.2 (95% CI 8.8–26.5). Thus, the possible role of the enzyme responsible for the S-oxidation biotransformation reaction, phenylalanine hydroxylase, must be further investigated to elucidate the mechanism(s) of toxicity in susceptible individuals displaying these diseases. A dual role potentially explaining of the role of phenylalanine hydroxylase as a biomarker of disease susceptibility is presented together with the observation that metabolomics is a possible way forward in the identification of potential pro-toxins/toxins in those individuals phenotyped as poor metabolisers (Controls, Parkinson's disease and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis subjects).



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Bone resorption and bone metastasis risk

Publication date: September 2018
Source:Medical Hypotheses, Volume 118
Author(s): Katlynn M. Mathis, Kathleen M. Sturgeon, Renate M. Winkels, Joachim Wiskemann, Mary Jane De Souza, Katherine H. Schmitz
Breast cancer tumors have a tendency to metastasize to the bone. After development of a bone metastasis, the median survival time is 40 months. Currently, little is known about the modifiable risk factors for developing bone metastases in women diagnosed with breast cancer. One possible modifiable risk factor is increased bone resorption. Increased bone resorption is caused by an imbalance between osteoblasts and osteoclasts favoring osteoclast-driven bone resorption. Osteoclast activity results in the release of growth factors from the bony matrix that are requirement for successful breast cancer tumor cell proliferation within the bone. Mice studies have shown that mice that have been genetically engineered to have higher bone mineral density, and thus lower bone resorption, have a decreased incidence of bone metastases. Alternatively, mice genetically engineered to have lower bone mineral density or increased bone resorption have a higher incidence of bone metastases. In human studies, antiosteoporotic drugs have been shown to decrease osteoclast activity and prevent bone metastases. These studies suggest that increased osteoclast activity, which results in low bone mineral density, may be a modifiable risk factor for developing bone metastases in women with breast cancer. Women undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer develop low bone mineral density in response to the direct effects of chemotherapeutic drugs on bone cells—including osteoclasts, osteoblasts, and osteocytes—and through the decrease in circulating estrogen as a result of chemotherapy-induced ovarian dysfunction. Therefore, it is important for future studies to determine the risk of developing bone metastases associated with increasing bone resorption as measured by low or decreasing bone mineral density in women diagnosed with breast cancer, as well as to determine the best intervention(s) to promote a balance between osteoclasts and osteoblasts to favor osteoblast activity during chemotherapy treatment.



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Epinephrine auto-injector carriage and use practices among US children, adolescents, and adults

Daily management of allergies to food, medication, latex, and/or insect stings can adversely impact quality of life (QoL) 1,2 and impose considerable economic burden3 onto affected patients and their caregivers. Studies suggest that such allergies are remarkably common in the US,4,5 with food allergies (FA) in particular having substantially risen in prevalence over recent decades6 to affect an estimated 8% of children7 and 5% of adults.8 Clinically, there is substantial variation in how allergic reactions can present and reactions to the same food can vary in severity.

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Chronic Liver Injury Induces Conversion of Biliary Epithelial Cells into Hepatocytes

Publication date: Available online 21 June 2018
Source:Cell Stem Cell
Author(s): Xing Deng, Xin Zhang, Weiping Li, Ren-Xin Feng, Lu Li, Gui-Rong Yi, Xiao-Nan Zhang, Chuan Yin, Hong-Yu Yu, Jun-Ping Zhang, Bin Lu, Lijian Hui, Wei-Fen Xie
Chronic liver injury can cause cirrhosis and impaired liver regeneration, impairing organ function. Adult livers can regenerate in response to parenchymal insults, and multiple cellular sources have been reported to contribute to this response. In this study, we modeled human chronic liver injuries, in which such responses are blunted, without genetic manipulations, and assessed potential contributions of non-parenchymal cells (NPCs) to hepatocyte regeneration. We show that NPC-derived hepatocytes replenish a large fraction of the liver parenchyma following severe injuries induced by long-term thioacetamide (TAA) or 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine (DDC) treatment. Through lineage tracing of biliary epithelial cells (BECs), we show that BECs are a source of new hepatocytes and gain an Hnf4α⁺CK19⁺ bi-phenotypic state in periportal regions and fibrotic septa. Bi-phenotypic cells were also detected in cirrhotic human livers. Together, these data provide further support for hepatocyte regeneration from BECs without genetic interventions and show their cellular plasticity during severe liver injury.

Graphical abstract

Teaser

Understanding cellular sources of hepatocyte regeneration is critical for developing effective therapies for chronic liver diseases. Xie and colleagues show that severe liver injuries can, without genetic interventions, induce biliary epithelial cells to significantly contribute to hepatocyte regeneration through direct lineage conversion.


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Single-Cell RNA-Seq Reveals Dynamic Early Embryonic-like Programs during Chemical Reprogramming

Publication date: Available online 21 June 2018
Source:Cell Stem Cell
Author(s): Ting Zhao, Yao Fu, Jialiang Zhu, Yifang Liu, Qian Zhang, Zexuan Yi, Shi Chen, Zhonggang Jiao, Xiaochan Xu, Junquan Xu, Shuguang Duo, Yun Bai, Chao Tang, Cheng Li, Hongkui Deng
Chemical reprogramming provides a powerful platform for exploring the molecular dynamics that lead to pluripotency. Although previous studies have uncovered an intermediate extraembryonic endoderm (XEN)-like state during this process, the molecular underpinnings of pluripotency acquisition remain largely undefined. Here, we profile 36,199 single-cell transcriptomes at multiple time points throughout a highly efficient chemical reprogramming system using RNA-sequencing and reconstruct their progression trajectories. Through identifying sequential molecular events, we reveal that the dynamic early embryonic-like programs are key aspects of successful reprogramming from XEN-like state to pluripotency, including the concomitant transcriptomic signatures of two-cell (2C) embryonic-like and early pluripotency programs and the epigenetic signature of notable genome-wide DNA demethylation. Moreover, via enhancing the 2C-like program by fine-tuning chemical treatment, the reprogramming process is remarkably accelerated. Collectively, our findings offer a high-resolution dissection of cell fate dynamics during chemical reprogramming and shed light on mechanistic insights into the nature of induced pluripotency.

Graphical abstract

Teaser

Single-cell RNA sequencing analysis of chemical reprogramming depicts its trajectory and highlights dynamic intermediate cellular programs resembling early embryonic signatures. Zhao et al. apply these insights to develop a faster reprogramming system.


https://ift.tt/2IegCOF

hPSC Modeling Reveals that Fate Selection of Cortical Deep Projection Neurons Occurs in the Subplate

Publication date: Available online 21 June 2018
Source:Cell Stem Cell
Author(s): M. Zeeshan Ozair, Christoph Kirst, Bastiaan L. van den Berg, Albert Ruzo, Tiago Rito, Ali H. Brivanlou
Cortical deep projection neurons (DPNs) are implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders. Although recent findings emphasize post-mitotic programs in projection neuron fate selection, the establishment of primate DPN identity during layer formation is not well understood. The subplate lies underneath the developing cortex and is a post-mitotic compartment that is transiently and disproportionately enlarged in primates in the second trimester. The evolutionary significance of subplate expansion, the molecular identity of its neurons, and its contribution to primate corticogenesis remain open questions. By modeling subplate formation with human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), we show that all classes of cortical DPNs can be specified from subplate neurons (SPNs). Post-mitotic WNT signaling regulates DPN class selection, and DPNs in the caudal fetal cortex appear to exclusively derive from SPNs. Our findings indicate that SPNs have evolved in primates as an important source of DPNs that contribute to cortical lamination prior to their known role in circuit formation.

Graphical abstract

Teaser

Ozair et al. show that major classes of cortical DPNs can be specified from subplate neurons (SPNs) derived from hPSCs by modulating post-mitotic WNT signaling. The findings indicate that SPNs have evolved in primates as an important contributor to cortical lamination. These findings have implications for understanding neurodevelopmental disorders.


https://ift.tt/2JWFpfL

Too Much Carrot and Not Enough Stick in New Stem Cell Oversight Trends

Publication date: Available online 21 June 2018
Source:Cell Stem Cell
Author(s): Paul S. Knoepfler
Regulators are now more often distinguishing between perceived good citizens and "bad actors" in stem cell and regenerative medicine clinical research, resulting in relatively more polar, carrot-and-stick oversight approaches. Here, I discuss why there may be too much carrot and not enough stick by regulators for effective enforcement.

Teaser

Regulators are now more often distinguishing between perceived good citizens and "bad actors" in stem cell and regenerative medicine clinical research, resulting in relatively more polar, carrot-and-stick oversight approaches. Here, I discuss why there may be too much carrot and not enough stick by regulators for effective enforcement.


https://ift.tt/2MerY7P

Direct and indirect photolysis of the antibiotic enoxacin: kinetics of oxidation by reactive photo-induced species and simulations

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the aqueous phase photochemical behavior of enoxacin (ENO), an antibiotic selected as a model pollutant of emerging concern. The second-order reaction rate constants of ENO with hydroxyl radicals (HO^●) and singlet oxygen (¹O₂) were determined at pH 3, 7, and 9. Also, the rate constants of the electron transfer reaction between ENO and triplet states of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (³CDOM*) are reported for the first time, based on anthraquinone-2-sulfonate (AQ2S) as CDOM proxy. The sunlight-driven direct and indirect ENO degradation in the presence of dissolved organic matter (DOM) is also discussed. The results show that direct photolysis, which occurs more rapidly at higher pH, along with the reactions with HO^● and ³AQ2S*, is the key pathway involved in ENO degradation. The ENO zwitterions, prevailing at pH 7, show k_ENO, HO^●, k_ENO,1O2, and k_ENO,3AQ2S* of (14.0 ± 0.8) × 10¹⁰, (3.9 ± 0.2) × 10⁶, and (61.5 ± 0.7) × 10⁸ L mol⁻¹ s⁻¹, respectively, whose differences at pH 3, 7, and 9 are due to ENO pH-dependent speciation and reactivity. These k values, along with the experimental ENO photolysis quantum yield, were used in mathematical simulations for predicting ENO persistence in sunlit natural waters. According to the simulations, dissolved organic matter and water depth are expected to have the highest impacts on ENO half-life, varying from a few hours to days in summertime, depending on the concentrations of relevant waterborne species (organic matter, NO₃⁻, NO₂⁻, HCO₃⁻).

https://ift.tt/2lrnQWL

Up-scaling of tannin-based coagulants for wastewater treatment: performance in a water treatment plant

Abstract

Tannin extracts from the bark of Acacia mearnsii and wood of Schinopsis balansae, commonly known as Quebracho, were employed. These were modified at laboratory sale via the Mannich aminomethylation with formaldehyde and dimethylamine hydrochloride. Some reaction conditions were varied, namely the formaldehyde dosage and reaction time, while keeping the Mannich solution activation time constant, and their influence on the shear viscosity of the created bio-coagulants was evaluated. The effect of the final pH of the products on their shear viscosity was also analyzed. Up-scaling of the Mannich reaction for tannin from South Africa was performed and the procedure developed at 1-L scale was reproducible in upscaled conditions. One example of a modified South Africa tannin and the modified Quebracho tannin was subsequently selected for the treatment of an industrial wastewater and tested for color and turbidity reduction in jar tests. The effluent treatment was carried out in a single and dual system with cationic synthetic flocculation agents of different charge degree. Good turbidity and decoloration results (93 and 89% reduction, respectively) were obtained with the simultaneous introduction of a cationic, 40% charged polyacrylamide, with minimal dosage (5 ppm) of the latter additive. The tannin-based coagulant from Acacia mearnsii was successfully applied in dual system with cationic polyacrylamide flocculant for industrial wastewater treatment at pilot plant scale. It was shown to satisfactorily treat the water and generate less sludge.

https://ift.tt/2ywDFEM

Editorial Board

Publication date: October 2018
Source:Addictive Behaviors, Volume 85





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A longitudinal examination of protective behavioral strategies and alcohol consumption among adult drinkers

Publication date: December 2018
Source:Addictive Behaviors, Volume 87
Author(s): Maria R. Dekker, Michelle I. Jongenelis, Melanie Wakefield, Kypros Kypri, Penelope Hasking, Simone Pettigrew
Previous studies suggest that employing specific behavioral strategies when drinking can prevent excessive alcohol consumption and related harms. However, these studies have typically examined these 'protective behavioral strategies' (PBSs) in combination, limiting understanding of whether individual strategies differ in their effectiveness. Further, most existing research is cross-sectional in design, precluding the determination of causal relationships between PBS use and alcohol consumption. To address these research gaps, the present study sought to longitudinally (i) identify which individual PBSs are significantly related to reduced alcohol consumption over time and (ii) explore the effectiveness of individual PBSs among specific population groups. The sample comprised 1328 Australian adult drinkers (47% male) who completed an online survey assessing engagement in PBSs and alcohol consumption at two time points approximately four weeks apart. Reported enactment of the PBS 'Count your drinks' was associated with a significant reduction in alcohol consumption between T1 and T2. In contrast, enactment of the PBSs 'Ask a friend to let you know when you have had enough to drink', 'Put extra ice in your drink', 'Use a designated driver', and 'Leave drinking venues at a pre-determined time' was associated with an increase in alcohol consumption. The results thus suggest that many PBSs may not be effective in reducing alcohol consumption and that some may be associated with higher levels of intake. The results have implications for the development of harm-minimization campaigns designed to encourage drinkers to reduce their alcohol consumption.



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Peer influence processes as mediators of effects of a middle school substance use prevention program

Publication date: October 2018
Source:Addictive Behaviors, Volume 85
Author(s): Mark J. Van Ryzin, Cary J. Roseth
BackgroundPeer influence processes have been linked to escalation in substance use during the middle school years, particularly among at-risk youth. In this study, we report on an approach to prevention that attempts to counteract peer influence by interrupting the process of deviant peer clustering, in which socially marginalized youth self-aggregate and reinforce delinquent behavior, including substance use. We aimed to interrupt this process by implementing collaborative, group-based learning activities in school (i.e., cooperative learning).MethodsIn a cluster randomized trial in the Pacific Northwest (N = 1460 7th-grade students in 15 schools), we tested whether cooperative learning can reduce alcohol and tobacco use, and whether these effects are mediated by reductions in the amount of alcohol and tobacco use among one's friends. Intervention schools were provided with training in cooperative learning, and data were collected in September/October 2016 (baseline) and March 2017 (follow-up).ResultsResults indicated that cooperative learning significantly lowered rates of growth in alcohol (β = −0.60 [−0.36|−0.84]; p < .001) and tobacco use (β = −0.58 [−0.21|−0.94]; p = .01) between baseline and follow-up in intervention schools as compared to control schools. These effects were mediated by reductions in the prevalence of alcohol and tobacco use, respectively, among self-selected friends.ConclusionsCooperative learning was able to significantly reduce the prevalence of both alcohol and tobacco use in friendship networks during the school year. The lower prevalence of alcohol and tobacco use among friends, in turn, reduced individual use at follow-up.This study was registered as trial NCT03119415 in ClinicalTrials.gov.



https://ift.tt/2MbBd8A

Impulsivity and tobacco product use over time

Publication date: October 2018
Source:Addictive Behaviors, Volume 85
Author(s): Neal Doran, Lyric Tully
Impulsivity has been consistently associated with greater likelihood and intensity of cigarette smoking, but most studies have been cross-sectional. Additionally, while some initial studies are suggestive, less is known about links between impulsivity and use of e-cigarettes or hookah tobacco. The goal of the present study was to test the hypothesis that the urgency and sensation seeking aspects of impulsivity would be prospectively associated with patterns of cigarette, e-cigarette, and hookah tobacco use over time.Young adults (n = 335; 56% male) aged 18–24 who were non- and never-daily cigarette smokers at baseline completed 9 online assessments of tobacco product use over two years. Longitudinal negative binomial regression models were used to evaluate relationships between impulsivity components and product use.Frequency of use of all three products declined over time. Higher levels of positive urgency (cigarette), negative urgency (hookah), and lack of premeditation (e-cigarette, hookah) were associated with smaller reductions in frequency of specific products. Additionally, higher negative urgency predicted greater quantity of cigarettes consumed, and higher sensation seeking was associated with more frequent e-cigarette use.Findings suggest impulsivity components differentially predict tobacco use over time, indicating that motives and/or risk factors for tobacco use may be product-specific.



https://ift.tt/2MLiAtn

The correspondence between transdermal alcohol monitoring and daily self-reported alcohol consumption

Publication date: October 2018
Source:Addictive Behaviors, Volume 85
Author(s): Tara E. Karns-Wright, Donald M. Dougherty, Nathalie Hill-Kapturczak, Charles W. Mathias, John D. Roache
Alcohol consumption is typically assessed via self-report methods, though there are concerns over the accuracy of this information. Transdermal alcohol monitoring can passively and continuously measure alcohol consumption with minimal interference in daily life. The current study examines the correspondence between daily self-reported alcohol consumption and transdermal alcohol monitors. Thirty-two healthy men (n = 16) and women (n = 16) wore a transdermal alcohol monitor for 28 days. Participants were instructed to drink as they usually do and prompted daily with a survey link to report yesterday's drinking. Data analyses focused on the following comparisons: (1) the overall correspondence between self-reported drinking and TAC readings; (2) the sensitivity of various TAC criteria thresholds to detect self-reported drinking (TAC thresholds of none, low, moderate, and heavy); and (3) the risks of false positive TAC findings using self-reported drinking as the Gold Standard. Participants self-reported drinking a total of 324 days, of which, TAC events were detected on 212 days (65.4%). When participants self-reported not drinking (399 days), zero TAC was also found on 366 days (92%). The correspondence between self-reported drinking and transdermal concentrations tended to be good: overall, when self-reported drinking was reported, TAC also detected drinking 65.4% of the time.



https://ift.tt/2MaTjHS

Situational fears: Association with negative affect-related smoking cognition among treatment seeking smokers

Publication date: October 2018
Source:Addictive Behaviors, Volume 85
Author(s): Jafar Bakhshaie, Andrew H. Rogers, Brooke Y. Kauffman, Melissa Fasteau, Julia D. Buckner, Norman B. Schmidt, Michael J. Zvolensky
Despite the consistent clinically-significant relation between smoking and anxiety and its disorders, there is limited understanding of how specific fears relate to smoking processes. To isolate therapeutic targets for smoking-anxiety treatment development, there is a need to identify the underlying situational fears most related to smoking processes. Thus, the present study examined the association between interoceptive, agoraphobic, and social fears in terms of clinically significant negative affect-related smoking cognitions including negative affect reduction expectancies, coping motives, and perceived internal barriers to cessation. Participants were 469 treatment seeking smokers (48.2% female, Mage = 36.59, SD = 13.58) enrolled in a smoking cessation trial and completed baseline measures of smoking cognitions and situational fears. Results indicated that the there was a significant effect for social fears, relative to interoceptive and agoraphobic fears, for each of the studied clinically relevant smoking variables. Overall, this study offers initial empirical evidence that social fears are significantly and consistently related to several clinically-significant types of smoking cognition.



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Trajectories of impulsivity by sex predict substance use and heavy drinking

Publication date: October 2018
Source:Addictive Behaviors, Volume 85
Author(s): Victor Martinez-Loredo, Jose Ramon Fernandez-Hermida, Alejandro De La Torre-Luque, Sergio Fernandez-Artamendi
Although impulsivity and sensation seeking have been consistently associated with substance use, few studies have analyzed the relationship between changes in these variables and substance use in early adolescents. The aim of this study was to identify trajectories of impulsivity and sensation seeking and explore their relationship with substance use and heavy drinking. A total of 1342 non-user adolescents (53.6% males; mean age = 12.98, SD = 0.50) annually completed the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, the Zuckerman's Impulsive Sensation Seeking scale and a delay discounting task, over a total period of three years. Past alcohol, tobacco and cannabis use, drunkenness episodes (DE) and problem drinking were also assessed. Impulsivity trajectories were explored using latent class mixed modelling. To study their predictive power binary logistic regressions were used. Two trajectories of impulsivity were found in males and five were found in females. Males with an increasing impulsivity trajectory were more likely to report tobacco [odds ratio (OR) = 1.84] and cannabis (OR = 3.01) use, DE (OR = 2.44) and problem drinking (OR = 3.12). The early increasing trajectory in females predicted tobacco use (OR = 3.71), cannabis use (OR = 5.87) and DE (OR = 3.64). Lack of premeditation and delay discounting were the most relevant facets in high-risk trajectories. Selective intervention and more intense and tailored treatment might help these adolescents to reduce early increases in impulsivity and prevent escalation of substance use.



https://ift.tt/2K85X9Z

Substance use and use disorders and treatment receipt among adults in families receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), 2003–2014

Publication date: October 2018
Source:Addictive Behaviors, Volume 85
Author(s): Sehun Oh, Diana M. DiNitto, Yeonwoo Kim
Background/purposeLegalization of marijuana for medical and/or recreational use in some U.S. states has increased attention to substance use and related problems. However, little attention has been paid to these phenomena among adults in families receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) whose adverse life experiences may put them at elevated risk of substance use disorders (SUDs).MethodsData from the 2003–2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) were used to test trends in past-month binge drinking and past-year marijuana, other illicit drug, and any illicit drug use and to examine SUD prevalence and treatment correlates among adults in TANF families.ResultsWhile rates of binge drinking and any illicit drug use remained steady, marijuana use increased from 15.8% in 2003/2004 to 21.6% in 2013/2014, a 36.7% increase. Increased marijuana use was strongly related to changes in marijuana risk perception. Among adults in TANF families, 19.5% of men and 10.8% of women had a past-year SUD, but only one in five received treatment. Those aged 18–25, Black or Hispanic women, and those who had children at home when surveyed were less likely to have received treatment.DiscussionPreventive efforts to address substance use, especially marijuana use, among adults in TANF families are needed. Moreover, given greater odds of unmet SUD treatment need among these economically disadvantaged adults, particularly racial/ethnic minority women and those who are in emerging adulthood, uninsured, and have children at home, measures to provide more inclusive services such as integrated behavioral health care are needed.



https://ift.tt/2JXl89Y

Selegiline Nanoformulation in Attenuation of Oxidative Stress and Upregulation of Dopamine in the Brain for the Treatment of Parkinson's Disease

Rejuvenation Research, Ahead of Print.


https://ift.tt/2IbBzKd

Osteoconductive Lattice Microarchitecture for Optimized Bone Regeneration

3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing, Ahead of Print.


https://ift.tt/2MctKGB

Superb removal capacity of hierarchically porous magnesium oxide for phosphate and methyl orange

Abstract

Here, we successfully developed a template-free way to fabricate hierarchically porous magnesium oxide (MgO) and carefully investigated the adsorption behavior for phosphate and methyl orange (MO). The average pore size and the percentage porosity decreased with the increase in the feeding ratio of Mg²⁺/NH₃. Among the three samples, MgO-25 shows the highest surface area of 63 m² g⁻¹ determined by the mercury intrusion method, and MgO-50 exhibits the highest BET surface area of 121 m² g⁻¹. For all the MgO samples, the adsorption process follows the pseudo second-order and Langmuir isotherm for phosphate, while pseudo second-order and the Freundlich isotherm for MO. Among the investigated samples, MgO-25 shows the most maximum removal capacity of 478.5 mg g⁻¹ for phosphate and the highest removal capacity of 4483.9 mg g⁻¹ for MO. This study compromises a low-cost and convenient dual function material for excellent water remediation of multiple industries.

https://ift.tt/2trzKn6

The contribution of wind wave changes on diminishing ice period in Lake Pyhäjärvi during the last half-century

Abstract

To address the contribution of long-term wind wave changes on diminishing ice period in Northern European lakes, an in situ observation of wind waves was conducted to calibrate a wind-wave numerical model for Lake Pyhäjärvi, which is the largest lake in southwest Finland. Using station-measured hydrometeorological data from 1963 to 2013 and model-simulated wind waves, correlation and regression analyses were conducted to assess the changing trend and main influences on ice period. Ice period in Lake Pyhäjärvi decreased significantly over 51 years (r = 0.47, P < 0.01). The analysis of main hydrometeorological factors to ice period showed that the significant air temperature rise is the main contributor for the diminishing of ice period in the lake. Besides air temperature, wind-induced waves can also weaken lake ice by increasing water mixing and lake ice breakage. The regression indicated that mean significant wave height in December and April was negatively related to ice period (r = − 0.48, P < 0.01). These results imply that long-term changes of wind waves related to climate change should be considered to fully understand the reduction of aquatic ice at high latitudes.

https://ift.tt/2lrAqVW

Quantitative EEG and functional outcome following acute ischemic stroke

Publication date: August 2018
Source:Clinical Neurophysiology, Volume 129, Issue 8
Author(s): Carla Bentes, Ana Rita Peralta, Pedro Viana, Hugo Martins, Carlos Morgado, Carlos Casimiro, Ana Catarina Franco, Ana Catarina Fonseca, Ruth Geraldes, Patrícia Canhão, Teresa Pinho e Melo, Teresa Paiva, José M. Ferro
ObjectiveTo identify the most accurate quantitative electroencephalographic (qEEG) predictor(s) of unfavorable post-ischemic stroke outcome, and its discriminative capacity compared to already known demographic, clinical and imaging prognostic markers.MethodsProspective cohort of 151 consecutive anterior circulation ischemic stroke patients followed for 12 months. EEG was recorded within 72 h and at discharge or 7 days post-stroke. QEEG (global band power, symmetry, affected/unaffected hemisphere and time changes) indices were calculated from mean Fast Fourier Transform and analyzed as predictors of unfavorable outcome (mRS ≥ 3), at discharge and 12 months poststroke, before and after adjustment for age, admission NIHSS and ASPECTS.ResultsHigher delta, lower alpha and beta relative powers (RP) predicted outcome. Indices with higher discriminative capacity were delta-theta to alpha-beta ratio (DTABR) and alpha RP. Outcome models including either of these and other clinical/imaging stroke outcome predictors were superior to models without qEEG data. In models with qEEG indices, infarct size was not a significant outcome predictor.ConclusionsDTAABR and alpha RP are the best qEEG indices and superior to ASPECTS in post-stroke outcome prediction. They improve the discriminative capacity of already known clinical and imaging stroke outcome predictors, both at discharge and 12 months after stroke.SignificanceqEEG indices are independent predictors of stroke outcome.



https://ift.tt/2K8YGH9

The HEURECA Method: Tracking Multiple Phase Coupling Dynamics on a Single Trial Basis

Publication date: Available online 21 June 2018
Source:Journal of Neuroscience Methods
Author(s): Katrin Rothmaler, Galina Ivanova
BackgroundAlthough acquisition techniques have improved tremendously, the neuroscientific understanding of complex cognitive phenomena is still incomplete. One of the reasons for this shortcoming may be the lack of sophisticated signal processing methods. Complex cognitive phenomena usually involve various mental subprocesses whose temporal occurrence varies from trial to trial. Mostly, these mental subprocesses require large-scale integration processes between multiple brain areas that are most likely mediated by complex, non-linear phase coupling mechanisms. Consequently, a spatiotemporal analysis of complex, multivariate phase synchronization patterns on a single trial basis is necessary.New MethodThis paper introduces the HEURECA method (How to Evaluate and Uncover Recurring EEG Coupling Arrangements) that enables the dynamic detection of distinguishable multivariate functional connectivity states in the electroencephalogram. HEURECA adaptively divides a trial into segments of quasi-stable phase coupling topographies and assigns similar topographies to the same synchrostate cluster.ResultsHEURECA is evaluated by means of simulated data. The results show that it reliably reconstructs a time series of recurring phase coupling topographies and successfully gathers them into clusters of interpretable neural synchrostates. The advantages and unique features of HEURECA are further illustrated by investigating the popular complex cognitive phenomenon insight.Comparison with existing methodsUnlike existing methods, HEURECA detects complex phase relationships between more than two signals and is applicable to single trials.ConclusionsSince HEURECA is applicable to all kinds of circular data, it not only provides new insights into insight, but also into a variety of other phenomena in neuroscience, physics or other scientific fields.



https://ift.tt/2MMDJmN

Editorial Board

Publication date: 1 August 2018
Source:Journal of Neuroscience Methods, Volume 306





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Algorithm for automatic detection of spontaneous seizures in rats with post-traumatic epilepsy

Publication date: Available online 21 June 2018
Source:Journal of Neuroscience Methods
Author(s): Pedro Andrade, Tomi Paananen, Robert Ciszek, Niina Lapinlampi, Asla Pitkänen
BackgroundLabor intensive electroencephalogram (EEG) analysis is a major bottleneck to identifying anti-epileptogenic treatments in experimental models of post-traumatic epilepsy. We aimed to develop an algorithm for automated seizure detection in experimental post-traumatic epilepsy.New methodContinuous (24/7) 1-month-long video-EEG monitoring with three epidural screw electrodes was started 154 d after lateral fluid-percussion induced traumatic brain injury (TBI; n = 97) or sham-injury (n = 29) in adult male Sprague–Dawley rats. First, an experienced researcher screened a total of 90,720 h of digitized recordings on a computer screen to annotate the occurrence of spontaneous seizures. The same files were then analyzed using an algorithm in Spike2 (ver.9), which searching for temporally linked power peaks (14–42 Hz) in all three EEG channels, and then positive events were marked as a probable seizures. Finally, an experienced researcher confirmed all seizure candidates visually on the computer screen.ResultsVisual analysis identified 197 seizures in 29 rats. Automatic detection identified 4346 seizure candidates in 109 rats, of which 202 in the same 29 rats were true positives, resulting in a false positive rate of 0.046/h or 1.10/d. The algorithm demonstrated 5% specificity and 100% sensitivity. The algorithm analyzed 1-month 3-channel EEG in 7 cohorts in 2 h, whereas analysis by an experienced technician took ~500 h.Comparison with Existing MethodsThe algorithm had 100% sensitivity. It performed slightly better and was substantially faster than investigator-performed visual analysis.ConclusionsWe present a novel seizure detection algorithm for automated detection of seizures in a rat model of post-traumatic epilepsy.



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