Biochemical markers comparison of dynamic hip screw and Gamma nail implants in the treatment of stable intertrochanteric fracture: a prospective study of 60 patients

This prospective study compared the extent of surgical trauma following dynamic hip screw (DHS) or Gamma nail (GN) implantation in 60 patients (≥ 60 years old) with stable intertrochanteric fracture. Levels of the biochemical markers creatinine kinase (CK) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured pre- and postoperatively. CRP levels were statistically significantly lower on postoperative days 1 and 2 in patients in the DHS versus the GN group; no other differences were observed. Surgical procedures for DHS implantation were considered less invasive than those for GN implantation, although the degree of muscle damage was similar in both groups. The degree of bone and bone marrow damage, rather than muscle tissue damage, may be crucial for determining the CRP response during the operative period. It is concluded that DHS implantation may be described as a more 'systemically' minimally invasive procedure than GN implantation.

The potency of allospecific Tregs cells appears to correlate with T cell receptor functional avidity

CD4(+) CD25(+) regulatory T cells (T(reg) cells) are an attractive adoptive cell therapy in mediating transplantation tolerance. T-cell receptor (TcR) activation is critical for T(reg) function, suggesting that the TcR avidity of T(reg) cells used in therapy may affect the therapeutic outcome. To address this, we compared the regulatory capacity of T(reg) lines expressing TcRs derived from two TcR transgenic mice shown to have the same specificity but different functional avidities. T(reg) lines generated from CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells from C57BL/6 mice were transduced with one of either of these TcRs. The antigen specificity of the transduced T(reg) lines was confirmed in vitro. T(reg) lines expressing the TcR with higher functional avidity showed stronger suppressive capacity in a linked suppression model in vitro. Furthermore, the same T(reg) lines demonstrated a stronger proliferation in vivo following antigen exposure. Pretreatment of recipient BL/6 mice with these T(reg) cells, together with anti-CD8 antibody and Rapamycin therapies, prolonged survival of BALB/c skins, as compared with mice that received T(reg) lines with lower TcR avidity. Taken together, these data suggest that the TcR functional avidity may be important for T(reg) function. It highlights the fact that strategies to select T(reg) with higher functional avidity might be beneficial for immunotherapy in transplantation.

Study on gastric cancer blood plasma based on surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy combined with multivariate analysis

A surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) method combined with multivariate analysis was developed for non-invasive gastric cancer detection. SERS measurements were performed on two groups of blood plasma samples: one group from 32 gastric patients and the other group from 33 healthy volunteers. Tentative assignments of the Raman bands in the measured SERS spectra suggest interesting cancer-specific biomolecular changes, including an increase in the relative amounts of nucleic acid, collagen, phospholipids and phenylalanine and a decrease in the percentage of amino acids and saccharide in the blood plasma of gastric cancer patients as compared with those of healthy subjects. Principal components analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) were employed to develop effective diagnostic algorithms for classification of SERS spectra between normal and cancer plasma with high sensitivity (79.5%) and specificity (91%). A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was employed to assess the accuracy of diagnostic algorithms based on PCA-LDA. The results from this exploratory study demonstrate that SERS plasma analysis combined with PCA-LDA has tremendous potential for the non-invasive detection of gastric cancers.

Indications of suppression of excited Υ states in Pb-Pb collisions at √(s(NN))=2.76 TeV

A comparison of the relative yields of Υ resonances in the μ(+)μ(-) decay channel in Pb-Pb and pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of 2.76 TeV is performed with data collected with the CMS detector at the LHC. Using muons of transverse momentum above 4  GeV/c and pseudorapidity below 2.4, the double ratio of the Υ(2S) and Υ(3S) excited states to the Υ(1S) ground state in Pb-Pb and pp collisions, [Υ(2S+3S)/Υ(1S)](Pb-Pb)/[Υ(2S+3S)/Υ(1S)](pp), is found to be 0.31(-0.15)(+0.19)(stat)±0.03(syst). The probability to obtain the measured value, or lower, if the true double ratio is unity, is calculated to be less than 1%.

Structure, morphology and magnetic properties of Mg((x))Zn((1 - x))Fe2O4 ferrites prepared by polyol and aqueous co-precipitation methods: a low-toxicity alternative to Ni((x))Zn((1 - x))Fe2O4 ferrites

The synthesis and properties of Mg((x))Zn((1 - x))Fe(2)O(4) spinel ferrites as a low-toxicity alternative to the technologically significant Ni((x))Zn((1 - x))Fe(2)O(4) ferrites are reported. Ferrite nanoparticles have been formed through both the polyol and aqueous co-precipitation methods that can be readily adapted to industrial scale synthesis to satisfy the demand of a variety of commercial applications. The structure, morphology and magnetic properties of Mg((x))Zn((1 - x))Fe(2)O(4) were studied as a function of composition and particle size. Scanning electron microscopy images show particles synthesised by the aqueous co-precipitation method possess a broad size distribution (i.e. ∼ 80-120 nm) with an average diameter of the order of 100 nm ± 20 nm and could be produced in high process yields of up to 25 g l(-1). In contrast, particles synthesised by the polyol-based co-precipitation method possess a narrower size distribution with an average diameter in the 30 nm ± 5 nm range but are limited to smaller yields of ∼ 6 g l(-1). Furthermore, the polyol synthesis method was shown to control average particle size by varying the length of the glycol surfactant chain. Particles prepared by both methods are compared with respect to their phase purity, crystal structure, morphology, magnetic properties and microwave properties.

Correlation of serum level of high mobility group box 1 with the burden of granulomatous inflammation in granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener's)

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the correlation of serum levels of high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) with the extent of granulomatous inflammation in granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA).

METHODS

From 169 patients with GPA, 17 patients with granulomatous inflammation, without evidence of vasculitis were identified and 36 patients without measurable 'granuloma' formation. HMGB1 serum levels were determined and compared between the two groups, using a Mann-Whitney U test. Serum levels of 26 healthy individuals served as controls. In a further 21 patients with GPA with a pulmonary granulomatous manifestation from the study population, CT volumetry of 'granuloma' was performed. Volumes were compared with serum levels of HMGB1 (Spearman rank order test).

RESULTS

Serum levels of HMGB1 were significantly higher in patients with predominant granulomatous disease than in patients without measurable 'granuloma' manifestations (6.44 ± 4.53 ng/ml vs 3.85 ± 2.88 ng/ml; p=0.0107). In both groups, levels of HMGB1 were significantly higher than in controls (2.34 ± 2.01 ng/ml; p<0.01). A positive correlation of HMGB1 serum levels with volumes of pulmonary 'granuloma' (r=0.761, p<0.0017) was seen.

CONCLUSIONS

HMGB1 serum levels are significantly higher in GPA with predominant granulomatous manifestations and correlate with volumes of pulmonary 'granuloma'. HMGB1 may be used as a marker of the burden of granulomatous inflammation in GPA.

Sequence variation and genetic diversity in the giant panda

About 336-444 bp mitochondrial D-loop region and tRNA gene were sequenced for 40 individuals of the giant panda which were collected from Mabian, Meigu, Yuexi, Baoxing, Pingwu, Qingchuan, Nanping and Baishuijiang, respectively. 9 haplotypes were found in 21 founders. The results showed that the giant panda has low genetic variations, and that there is no notable genetic isolation among geographical populations. The ancestor of the living giant panda population perhaps appeared in the late Pleistocene, and unfortunately, might have suffered bottleneck attacks. Afterwards, its genetic diversity seemed to recover to some extent.

Serological survey of antibodies to influenza A viruses in a group of people without a history of influenza vaccination

A serological survey for antibodies to influenza viruses was performed in China on a group of people without a history of influenza vaccination. Using the haemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay, we found seropositivity rates for seasonal H3N2 to be significantly higher than those for seasonal H1N1. Samples positive for antibodies to the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus increased from 0.6% pre-outbreak to 4.5% (p <0.01) at 1 year post-outbreak. Interestingly, HI and neutralization tests showed that 1.4% of people in the group have antibodies recognizing H9N2 avian influenza viruses, suggesting that infection with this subtype may be more common than previously thought.

Measurement of the polarization of W bosons with large transverse momenta in W + jets events at the LHC

A first measurement of the polarization of W bosons with large transverse momenta in pp collisions is presented. The measurement is based on 36 pb⁻¹ of data recorded at √s = 7 TeV by the CMS detector at the LHC. The left-handed, right-handed, and longitudinal polarization fractions (f(L), f(R), and f₀, respectively) of W bosons with transverse momenta larger than 50 GeV are determined by using decays to both electrons and muons. The muon final state yields the most precise measurement: (f(L) - f(R))⁻ = 0.240 ± 0.036(stat) ± 0.031(syst) and f₀⁻ = 0.183 ± 0.087(stat) ± 0.123(syst) for negatively charged W bosons and (f(L) - f(R))⁺ = 0.310 ± 0.036(stat) ± 0.017(syst) and f₀⁺ = 0.171 ± 0.085(stat) ± 0.099(syst) for positively charged W bosons. This establishes, for the first time, that W bosons produced in pp collisions with large transverse momenta are predominantly left-handed, as expected in the standard model.

Colorectal cancer detection by gold nanoparticle based surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy of blood serum and statistical analysis

The capabilities of using gold nanoparticle based surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) to obtain blood serum biochemical information for non-invasive colorectal cancer detection were presented in this paper. SERS measurements were performed on two groups of blood serum samples: one group from patients (n = 38) with pathologically confirmed colorectal cancer and the other group from healthy volunteers (control subjects, n = 45). Tentative assignments of the Raman bands in the measured SERS spectra suggested interesting cancer specific biomolecular changes, including an increase in the relative amounts of nucleic acid, a decrease in the percentage of saccharide and proteins contents in the blood serum of colorectal cancer patients as compared to that of healthy subjects. Both empirical approach and multivariate statistical techniques, including principal components analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) were employed to develop effective diagnostic algorithms for classification of SERS spectra between normal and colorectal cancer serum. The empirical diagnostic algorithm based on the ratio of the SERS peak intensity at 725 cm(-1) for adenine to the peak intensity at 638 cm(-1) for tyrosine achieved a diagnostic sensitivity of 68.4% and specificity of 95.6%, whereas the diagnostic algorithms based on PCA-LDA yielded a diagnostic sensitivity of 97.4% and specificity of 100% for separating cancerous samples from normal samples. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves further confirmed the effectiveness of the diagnostic algorithm based on PCA-LDA technique. The results from this exploratory study demonstrated that gold nanoparticle based SERS serum analysis combined with PCA-LDA has tremendous potential for the non-invasive detection of colorectal cancers.

A descriptor of amino acids: SVRG and its application to peptide quantitative structure-activity relationship

In this work, a descriptor, SVRG (principal component scores vector of radial distribution function descriptors and geometrical descriptors), was derived from principal component analysis (PCA) of a matrix of two structural variables of coded amino acids, including radial distribution function index (RDF) and geometrical index. SVRG scales were then applied in three panels of peptide quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs) which were modelled by partial least squares regression (PLS). The obtained models with the correlation coefficient (R²(cum)), cross-validation correlation coefficient (Q²(LOO)) were 0.910 and 0.863 for 48 bitter-tasting dipeptides; 0.968 and 0.931 for 21 oxytocin analogues; and 0.992 and 0.954 for 20 thromboplastin inhibitors. Satisfactory results showed that SVRG contained much chemical information relating to bioactivities. The approach may be a useful structural expression methodology for studies on peptide QSAR.

Abnormal visual motion processing in schizophrenia: a review of research progress

Motion processing represents a perceptual domain in which dynamic visual information is encoded to support the perception of movement. Research over the last decade has found a variety of abnormalities in the processing of motion information in schizophrenia. The abnormalities span from discrimination of basic motion features (such as speed) to integration of spatially distributed motion signals (such as coherent motion). Motion processing involves visual signals across space and time and thus presents a special opportunity to examine how spatial and temporal information is integrated in the visual system. This article surveys the behavioral and neuroimaging studies that probe into the spatial integration of motion information in schizophrenia. An emerging theme from these studies points to an imbalanced regulation of spatial interaction processes as a potential mechanism mediating different levels of abnormal motion processing in schizophrenia. The synthesis of these mechanism-driven studies suggests that further investigation of the neural basis and functional consequences of this abnormal motion processing are needed in order to render a basic biomarker for assessment and intervention of cognitive dysfunction in this mental disorder.

Measurement of the B0 production cross section in pp collisions at sqrt[s] = 7 TeV

Measurements of the differential production cross sections dσ/dpTB and dσ/dyB for B0 mesons produced in pp collisions at sqrt[s] = 7 TeV are presented. The data set used was collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 40 pb-1. The production cross section is measured from B0 meson decays reconstructed in the exclusive final state J/ψKS0, with the subsequent decays J/ψ → μ + μ - and KS0 → π+}π-. The total cross section for pTB>5 GeV and |yB|<2.2 is measured to be 33.2 ± 2.5 ± 3.5 μb, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic.

Inspiral-merger-ringdown waveforms for black-hole binaries with nonprecessing spins

We present the first analytical inspiral-merger-ringdown gravitational waveforms from binary black holes (BBHs) with nonprecessing spins, that is based on a description of the late-inspiral, merger and ringdown in full general relativity. By matching a post-Newtonian description of the inspiral to a set of numerical-relativity simulations, we obtain a waveform family with a conveniently small number of physical parameters. These waveforms will allow us to detect a larger parameter space of BBH coalescence, including a considerable fraction of precessing binaries in the comparable-mass regime, thus significantly improving the expected detection rates.

Search for neutral minimal supersymmetric standard model Higgs bosons decaying to tau pairs in pp collisions at √s=7 TeV

A search for neutral minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM) Higgs bosons in pp collisions at the LHC at a center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV is presented. The results are based on a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36  pb(-1) recorded by the CMS experiment. The search uses decays of the Higgs bosons to tau pairs. No excess is observed in the tau-pair invariant-mass spectrum. The resulting upper limits on the Higgs boson production cross section times branching fraction to tau pairs, as a function of the pseudoscalar Higgs boson mass, yield stringent new bounds in the MSSM parameter space.

Cross-species infection of deformed wing virus poses a new threat to pollinator conservation

The Deformed wing virus (family Iflaviridae, genus Iflavirus, DWV), one of the most prevalent and common viruses in honey bees, Apis mellifera L., is present in both laboratory-reared and wild populations of bumble bees, Bombus huntii Greene. Our studies showed that DWV infection spreads throughout the entire body of B. huntii and that the concentration of DWV is higher in workers than in males both collected in the field and reared in the laboratory, implying a possible association between the virus infection and foraging activities. Further results showed that gut tissue of B. huntii can support the replication of DWV, suggesting that B. huntii is a biological host for DWV, as are honey bees. Bumble bees and honey bees sometimes share nectar and pollen resources in the same field. The geographical proximity of two host species probably plays an important role in host range breadth of the virus.