Effects of caffeinated coffee consumption on intraocular pressure, ocular perfusion pressure, and ocular pulse amplitude: a randomized controlled trial

PURPOSE

To examine the effects of caffeinated coffee consumption on intraocular pressure (IOP), ocular perfusion pressure (OPP), and ocular pulse amplitude (OPA) in those with or at risk for primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).

METHODS

We conducted a prospective, double-masked, crossover, randomized controlled trial with 106 subjects: 22 with high tension POAG, 18 with normal tension POAG, 20 with ocular hypertension, 21 POAG suspects, and 25 healthy participants. Subjects ingested either 237 ml of caffeinated (182 mg caffeine) or decaffeinated (4 mg caffeine) coffee for the first visit and the alternate beverage for the second visit. Blood pressure (BP) and pascal dynamic contour tonometer measurements of IOP, OPA, and heart rate were measured before and at 60 and 90 min after coffee ingestion per visit. OPP was calculated from BP and IOP measurements. Results were analysed using paired t-tests. Multivariable models assessed determinants of IOP, OPP, and OPA changes.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences in baseline IOP, OPP, and OPA between the caffeinated and decaffeinated visits. After caffeinated as compared with decaffeinated coffee ingestion, mean mm Hg changes (± SD) in IOP, OPP, and OPA were as follows: 0.99 (± 1.52, P<0.0001), 1.57 (± 6.40, P=0.0129), and 0.23 (± 0.52, P<0.0001) at 60 min, respectively; and 1.06 (± 1.67, P<0.0001), 1.26 (± 6.23, P=0.0398), and 0.18 (± 0.52, P=0.0006) at 90 min, respectively. Regression analyses revealed sporadic and inconsistent associations with IOP, OPP, and OPA changes.

CONCLUSION

Consuming one cup of caffeinated coffee (182 mg caffeine) statistically increases, but likely does not clinically impact, IOP and OPP in those with or at risk for POAG.

Suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid, a histone deacetylase inhibitor, protects dopaminergic neurons from neurotoxin-induced damage

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Prevention or disease-modifying therapies are critical for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease. However, no such intervention is currently available. Growing evidence has demonstrated that administration of histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors ameliorates a wide range of neurologic and psychiatric disorders in experimental models. Suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) was the first HDAC inhibitor approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the sole use of cancer therapy. The purpose of this study was to explore the potential new indications of SAHA for therapy of neurodegenerative diseases in in vitro Parkinson's disease models.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

Mesencephalic neuron-glia cultures and reconstituted cultures were used to investigate neurotrophic and neuroprotective effects of SAHA. We measured toxicity in dopaminergic neurons, using dopamine uptake assay and morphological analysis and expression of neurotrophic substances by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and real-time RT PCR.

KEY RESULTS

In mesencephalic neuron-glia cultures, SAHA displayed dose- and time-dependent prolongation of the survival and protection against neurotoxin-induced neuronal death of dopaminergic neurons. Mechanistic studies revealed that the neuroprotective effects of SAHA were mediated in part by promoting release of neurotrophic factors from astroglia through inhibition of histone deacetylation.

CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS

The novel neurotrophic and neuroprotective effects of SAHA demonstrated in this study suggest that further study of this HDAC inhibitor could provide a new therapeutic approach to the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Phytoremediation of pyrene contaminated soils amended with compost and planted with ryegrass and alfalfa

Ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa) were planted in pots to remediate pyrene contaminated quartz sand (as a control group), alluvial and red soils amended with and without compost. The pyrene degradation percentages in quartz sand, alluvial soil, and red soil amended with compost (5%, w/w) and planted with ryegrass and alfalfa for 90 d growth were 98-99% and 97-99%, respectively, while those of pyrene in the corresponding treatments amended without compost but planted with ryegrass and alfalfa were 91-96% and 58-89%, respectively. Further, those of pyrene in the respective treatments amended with and without compost but unplanted were 54-77% and 51-63%, respectively. Pyrene contents in both roots and aboveground parts of ryegrass and alfalfa after 90 d growth in quartz sand and the two soils amended with or without compost were trace amounts. Statistical analyses for the parameters of ryegrass planted in red and alluvial soils including the concentrations of total water-soluble volatile low molecular weight organic acids, microbial population, pyrene degradation percentage, and spiked pyrene concentration show significant correlations at 5% and mostly 1% probability levels, by the analysis of variance. It was thus suggested that the interactions among the consortia of plant root exudates, microorganisms, and amended compost in rhizosphere soils could facilitate bioavailability of pyrene and subsequently enhance its dissipation.

Nonequilibrium evolution of strong-field anisotropic ionized electrons towards a delayed plasma-state

Rigorous quantum calculations of the femtosecond ionization of hydrogen atoms in air lead to highly anisotropic electron and ion angular (momentum) distributions. A quantum Monte-Carlo analysis of the subsequent many-body dynamics reveals two distinct relaxation steps, first to a nearly isotropic hot nonequilibrium and then to a quasi-equilibrium configuration. The collective isotropic plasma state is reached on a picosecond timescale well after the ultrashort ionizing pulse has passed.

Expression and significance of lipin1 and AMPKα in hepatic insulin resistance in diet-induced insulin resistance rats

BACKGROUND

Lipin1, a lately indentified adipokine, may link obesity with insulin resistance and diabetes. The present study aimed to investigate the changes and significance of lipin1 expression and lipin1-AMPK signaling in diet-induced hepatic insulin resistance.

METHODS

24 4-week-old Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 2 groups: (1) control group (CO), (2) high-fat diet group (HF). Insulin sensitivity was evaluated by hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp technique. The mRNA levels of α1 and α2 subunit of AMPKα as well as Lipin1 were measured using Real-time RT-PCR. The activities of AMPKα and Akt were evaluated by detection of p-AMPKα (Thr-172) and p-Akt (ser473) by Western blot.

RESULTS

After treatment of 4 months, HF group showed significantly increased levels of body weight, fasting plasma glucose and insulin levels; Plasma and liver total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG) levels were also markedly elevated; Lipin1 expression at both mRNA and protein levels were significantly deceased. Compared with CO group, the mRNA and protein levels of AMPKα1 and AMPKα2 were not changed, whereas the p-AMPK (Thr-172) and p-AKT (ser473) levels in liver were significantly decreased in HF group.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings indicated that the decrease in lipin1 expression and AMPKα activation may contribute to hepatic insulin resistance in diet-induced obese rats.

High-damage-threshold static laser beam shaping using optically patterned liquid-crystal devices

Beam shaping of coherent laser beams is demonstrated using liquid crystal (LC) cells with optically patterned pixels. The twist angle of a nematic LC is locally set to either 0 or 90° by an alignment layer prepared via exposure to polarized UV light. The two distinct pixel types induce either no polarization rotation or a 90° polarization rotation, respectively, on a linearly polarized optical field. An LC device placed between polarizers functions as a binary transmission beam shaper with a highly improved damage threshold compared to metal beam shapers. Using a coumarin-based photoalignment layer, various devices have been fabricated and tested, with a measured single-shot nanosecond damage threshold higher than 30 J/cm2.

Effect of sunlight irradiation on photocatalytic pyrene degradation in contaminated soils by micro-nano size TiO2

The enhanced catalytic pyrene degradation in quartz sand and alluvial and red soils by micro-nano size TiO(2) in the presence and absence of sunlight was investigated. The results showed that the synergistic effect of sunlight irradiation and TiO(2) was more efficient on pyrene degradation in quartz sand and red and alluvial soils than the corresponding reaction system without sunlight irradiation. In the presence of sunlight irradiation, the photooxidation (without TiO(2)) of pyrene was very pronounced in alluvial and red soils and especially in quartz sand. However, in the absence of sunlight irradiation, the catalytic pyrene degradation by TiO(2) and the photooxidation (without TiO(2)) of pyrene were almost nil. This implicates that ultra-violet (UV) wavelength range of sunlight plays an important role in TiO(2)-enhanced photocatalytic pyrene degradation and in photooxidation (without TiO(2)) of pyrene. The percentages of photocatalytic pyrene degradation by TiO(2) in quartz sand, alluvial and red soils under sunlight irradiation were 78.3, 23.4, and 31.8%, respectively, at 5h reaction period with a 5% (w/w) dose of the amended catalyst. The sequence of TiO(2)-enhanced catalytic pyrene degradation in quartz sand and alluvial and red soils was quartz sand>red soil>alluvial soil, due to different texture and total organic carbon (TOC) contents of the quartz sand and other two soils. The differential Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra of degraded pyrene in alluvial soil corroborate that TiO(2)-enhanced photocatalytic degradation rate of degraded pyrene was much greater than photooxidation (without TiO(2)) rate of degraded pyrene. Based on the data obtained, the importance for the application of TiO(2)-enhanced photocatalytic pyrene degradation and associated organic contaminants in contaminated soils was elucidated.

Oxidative degradation of pyrene in contaminated soils by δ-MnO2 with or without sunlight irradiation

The enhanced oxidative degradation of pyrene in quartz sand and alluvial and red soils by micro-nano size birnessite (δ-MnO(2)) in the presence and absence of sunlight was investigated. The degradation of pyrene by δ-MnO(2) in quartz sand showed very little synergistic effect of sunlight irradiation on δ-MnO(2) oxidizing power. However, pyrene degradation by δ-MnO(2) in alluvial and red soils was greater under solar irradiation than the combination of photooxidation of pyrene and oxidation of pyrene by δ-MnO(2). The oxidative degradation percentages of pyrene by δ-MnO(2) under sunlight irradiation are 94.8, 97.7, and 100% for alluvial soil, red soil, and quartz sand, respectively. Oxidative degradation percentages of pyrene by δ-MnO(2) in alluvial and red soils with irradiation of sunlight almost attained a maximum at 1 h with a 5% (w/w) dose of the amended oxidant. Due to their different total organic carbon (TOC) contents, the sequence of enhanced oxidative degradation of pyrene by δ-MnO(2) in quartz sand and alluvial and red soils was quartz sand>red soil>alluvial soil. Further, this study revealed that δ-MnO(2)-enhanced oxidative degradation of pyrene is very pronounced in contaminated soils in situ even at deep soil layers where irradiation by sunlight is very limited.

Effects of surface roughness and film thickness on the adhesion of a bioinspired nanofilm

Inspired by the gecko's climbing ability, adhesion between an elastic nanofilm with finite length and a rough substrate with sinusoidal roughness is studied in the present paper, considering the effects of substrate roughness and film thickness. It demonstrates that the normal adhesion force of the nanofilm on a rough substrate depends significantly on the geometrical parameters of the substrate. When the film length is larger than the wavelength of the sinusoidal roughness of the substrate, the normal adhesion force decreases with increasing surface roughness, while the normal adhesion force initially decreases then increases if the wavelength of roughness is larger than the film length. This finding is qualitatively consistent with a previously interesting experimental observation in which the adhesion force of the gecko spatula is found to reduce significantly at an intermediate roughness. Furthermore, it is inferred that the gecko may achieve an optimal spatula thickness not only to follow rough surfaces, but also to saturate the adhesion force. The results in this paper may be helpful for understanding how geckos overcome the influence of natural surface roughness and possess such adhesion to support their weights.

Biosorption of Methylene Blue onto spent corncob substrate: kinetics, equilibrium and thermodynamic studies

This study focuses on the possible use of the spent corncob substrate (SCS), an agricultural waste used after the cultivation of white rot fungus Pleurotus ostreatus, to adsorb Methylene Blue (MB) from aqueous solutions. A batch adsorption study was carried out with variable solution pH, adsorption time, temperature and initial MB concentration. It was found that MB uptake was favorable at pH ranging from 4.0 to 12.0 and the equilibrium adsorption capacity can be reached promptly within about 180 min. The biosorption data were also calculated by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm model. Thermodynamic parameters show that the adsorption is a spontaneous and endothermic process. The study highlighted a new pathway to develop potential low-cost biosorbent for the removal of dye pollutants from wastewater.

Sensitive and rapid detection of Paragonimus westermani infection in humans and animals by loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP)

In the present study, a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay was developed and validated for the detection of Paragonimus westermani adults, metacercariae, and eggs in human and animal samples. The LAMP amplification can be finished in 45 min under isothermal condition at 60°C by employing a set of four species-specific primer mixtures and the results can be checked by naked-eye visualization. No amplification products were detected with deoxyribunucleic acid (DNA) of related trematode species including Fasciola hepatica, Fasciola gigantica, Clonorchis sinensis, Opisthorchis viverrini, Schistosoma mansoni, and Schistosoma japonicum. The method was further validated by examining P. westermani DNA in intermediate hosts including freshwater crabs and crayfish, as well as in sputum and pleural fluid samples from patients of paragonimiasis. These results indicated that the LAMP assay was highly specific, sensitive, and rapid, and it was approximately 100 times more sensitive than conventional specific PCR. The LAMP assay established in this study provides a rapid and sensitive tool for the detection of P. westermani DNA in freshwater crabs, crayfish, sputum, and pleural fluid samples, which has important implications for effective control of human paragonimiasis.

Simplified 2-D cubic spline interpolation scheme using direct computation algorithm

It has been shown that the 2-D cubic spline interpolation (CSI) proposed by Truong et al. is one of the best algorithms for image resampling or compression. Such a CSI algorithm together with the image coding standard, e.g., JPEG, can be used to obtain a modified image codec while still maintaining a good quality of the reconstructed image for higher compression ratios. In this paper, a fast direct computation algorithm is developed to improve the computational efficiency of the original FFT-based 2-D CSI methods. In fact, this algorithm computes the 2-D CSI directly without explicitly calculating the complex division usually needed in the FFT or Winograd discrete Fourier transform (WDFT) algorithm. In addition, this paper describes a novel way to derivate the 2-D CSI from the 1-D CSI by using the row-column method. This new fast 2-D CSI provides a regular and simple structure based upon linear correlations. Therefore, it can be implemented by the use of a modification of Kung’s pipeline structure and is naturally suitable for VLSI implementations. Experimental results show that the proposed new fast 2-D CSI algorithm can achieve almost the same CSI performance with much fewer arithmetic operations in comparison with existing efficient algorithms.

Potential clinical role of 18F FDG-PET/CT in detecting hip prosthesis infection: a study in patients undergoing two-stage revision arthroplasty with an interim spacer

AIM

We evaluated the potential role of [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography ([18F]FDG-PET/CT) to identify latent infections at the site of an interim hip spacer after resection arthroplasty for hip prosthesis infection.

METHODS

Twelve patients with an interim hip spacer following resection arthroplasty (Group A) were investigated. Twelve patients with painful primary hip prostheses served as controls (Group B). All underwent PET/CT before surgery. Both non-attenuation-corrected (NAC) and attenuation-corrected (AC) images were analyzed. Serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were measured in 22 patients. Elevated CRP level was defined as >/=10 mg/L. The diagnosis of infection was based on the results of intraoperative tissue cultures, intraoperative pathology, and clinical follow-up.

RESULTS

FDG-PET/CT had 100% sensitivity and 100% negative predictive value for detection of latent infection in both groups. However, there were 4 and 3 false positive cases in Group A and Group B, respectively. Specificity improved from 50% to 62.5% in Group A, and from 62.5% to 87.5% in Group B when using NAC instead of AC. Seventeen patients had CRP values >/=10 mg/L, but only 8 were true positive for infection. FDG-PET/CT ruled out infection in 77.8% (7/9) of false-positive cases identified by CRP levels.

CONCLUSION

FDG-PET/CT is highly sensitive to detect latent infections in prosthetic hips and in interim hip spacers. The high negative predictive value of PET/CT scans is useful to rule out infections in patients with persistently elevated CRP levels. PET/CT might serve as an auxiliary tool to exclude latent infections in patients posing a clinical diagnostic dilemma.

Neutron structure factors of in-vivo deuterated amorphous protein C-phycocyanin

Neutron powder diffraction measurements of fully deuterated protein C-phycocyanin have been made at three temperatures, 295, 200, and 77 K, using dry and partially hydrated samples. The average coherent structure factors and the corresponding radial distribution functions d(r) are determined. The changes in d(r) functions observed in hydrated samples depend strongly on the level of hydration and most of these changes are due to water-protein interactions. At 0.365 gram D(2)O per gram of protein, the water crystallized into hexagonal ice at 200 K and below, but at 0.175 gram D(2)O per gram of protein, no crystallization of water was observed. At the higher hydration a peak appears in the radial distribution function which indicates that the average distance of the water molecule in the first hydration shell from the amino acid residues is 3.5 A.

Sorption of toluene by humic acids derived from lake sediment and mountain soil at different pH

Contamination of soil and groundwater with BTEX compounds (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene) depends on the sorption behavior of these compounds by soil organic matter (SOM) and humic acids (HAs). In this study sorption of toluene by HAs extracted from lake sediment and mountain soil was investigated. HA suspensions were adjusted to pH 4.00, 6.00, or 8.00 and made to the concentration of 200 mg L(-1). Each HA suspension or solution was subjected to particle size analysis using high performance particle sizer (HPPS). The particle size of HA from lake sediment was around 1000-1200 nm while that from mountain soil was 220-320 nm at suspension pH 4.00. Kinetic studies showed that sorption of toluene by the two HAs followed pseudo-first-order and mainly pseudo-zero-order kinetics. At suspension pH 4.00, the sorption of toluene by the two HAs was best described by Langmuir and Temkin adsorption isotherm models. Further, sorption of toluene by the lake sediment HA was significantly greater than that by mountain soil HA. It was thus suggested that the lake sediment HA with larger particle size may develop beneficially chemical conformation for sorption of toluene and related compounds in soil and associated environments.

Evidence of dynamic crossover phenomena in water and other glass-forming liquids: experiments, MD simulations and theory

In a recent quasi-elastic neutron scattering experiment on water confined in a Portland cement paste, we find that this 3D confined water shows a dynamic crossover phenomenon at T(L) = 227 ± 5 K. The DSC heat-flow scan upon cooling and an independent measurement of specific heat at constant pressure of confined water in silica gel show a prominent peak at the same temperature. We show in this paper that this type of behavior is common to many other glassy liquids, which also show the crossover temperature in coincidence with the temperature of a small specific heat peak. We also demonstrate with MD simulations that the dynamic crossover phenomenon in confined water is an intrinsic property of bulk water, and is not due to the confinement effect. Recently, an extended version of the mode coupling theory (MCT) including the hopping effect was developed. This theory shows that, instead of a structural arrest transition at T(C) predicted by the idealized MCT, a fragile-to-strong dynamic crossover phenomenon takes place instead at T(C), confirming both the experimental and the numerical results. The coherent and incoherent α relaxation times can be scaled with the calculated viscosity, showing the same crossover phenomenon. We thus demonstrated with experiments, simulations and theory that a genuine change of dynamical behavior of both water and many glassy liquids happens at the crossover temperature T(L), which is 10-30% higher than the calorimetric glass transition temperature T(g).

Decreased T-cell receptor excision DNA circles in peripheral blood mononuclear cells among benzene-exposed workers

Benzene is a volatile aromatic hydrocarbon solvent which is widely used in many industries. The chronic exposure of humans to benzene in the workplace has been associated with blood disorders, as well as toxicity in lymphopoiesis, including aplastic anaemia and leukaemia. However, the mechanisms of benzene-induced haematotoxicity and leukaemogenesis remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the level of T-cell receptor excision DNA circles (TRECs) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in benzene-exposed workers. This would therefore be considered as a potential marker for estimates of thymic output and an evaluation of the content of naïve T-cells. It is hoped that the data will bring a comprehensive understanding on the influence of benzene exposure in the host T-cell immune function. Quantitative detection of TRECs in DNA of PBMCs from benzene-exposed workers was preformed by real-time polymerase chain reaction using the TaqMan technique. The benzene-exposed workers were divided into four groups, and 27 normal individuals were served as controls. The result indicated that the TRECs levels of all benzene-exposed groups were significantly decreased as compared with those of controls. In conclusion, the recent thymic output function and the T-cell immune function were apparently impaired in workers after benzene exposure.

Using direct nanoimprinting of ferroelectric films to prepare devices exhibiting bi-directionally tunable surface plasmon resonances

In this paper, we describe an imprint method for the fabrication of bi-directionally tunable surface plasmon resonance (SPR) filters. A periodic metal/ferroelectric film stack exhibiting SPR phenomena was directly imprinted using a sharp mold without the need for a polymer-based resist. Both the refractive index of the surrounding lead zirconate titanate (PZT) films and the period of the textured PZT/metal/PZT structure were dependent upon both the absolute value and sign of the applied potential. The SPR wavelength of the PZT/gold/PZT-based tunable filter varied over a range of greater than 100 nm when applying potentials ranging from 0 to -15 V. This imprinting method has great potential for use in the fabrication of tunable optical filters without the need for complicated processes or specific materials.

Methods for cancer gene therapy

First, the testing of therapeutic gene vectors in vitro is described. This is followed by a discussion of the administration of therapeutic vectors in vivo. Two methods for assessing the development of anti-tumor immunity after cytokine gene therapy are provided. In addition, two methods for the generation of murine tumor models in syngeneic hostsone subcutaneous and one orthotopicare also included.

The role of a nuclear protein, histone H1, on signalling pathways for the maturation of dendritic cells

We have demonstrated previously that liver allograft tolerance is associated with the immunosuppressive activity of anti-histone H1 autoreactive antibodies induced in the serum of liver transplantation. Furthermore, we and others have shown that nuclear proteins such as histone H1 and high mobility group box 1 play an important role in maturation of dendritic cells (DCs), although the precise mechanisms are still unknown. In the present study, we focus upon the significance of histone H1 on DCs in terms of the intracellular signalling pathway of DCs. Our immunostaining and immunoblot studies demonstrated that histone H1 was detected in cytoplasm and culture supernatants upon the activation of DCs. Histone H1 blockage by anti-histone H1 antibody down-regulated the intracellular activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) (p38) and IkappaBalpha of DCs, and inhibited DC activity in the proliferation of CD4+ T cells. On the other hand, the addition of histone H1 without endotoxin stimulation up-regulated major histocompatibility complex class II, the CD80 and CD86 surface markers of DCs and the activation of MAPKs (p38 and extracellular-regulated kinase 1/2) and IkappaBalpha. These results suggest that the translocation of histone H1 from nuclei to cytoplasm and the release of their own histone H1 are necessary for the maturation of DCs and the activation for T lymphocytes.

Degradation of DMSO by ozone-based advanced oxidation processes

The present study investigates the oxidation of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) by conventional ozonation and the advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). The major degradation products identified were methanesulfinate, methanesulfonate, formaldehyde, and formic acid in ozonation process. The subsequent degradation of intermediates shows that methanesulfonate is more resistance to ozonation, which reduces the mineralization rate of DMSO. The effect of t-butanol addition and ozone gas flow dosage on the degradation rate was evaluated. The rate constant of the reaction of ozone (k(D)) with DMSO was found to be 0.4162 M(-1)S(-1). In the second part of this study, DMSO degradation and TOC mineralization were investigated using O(3)/UV, O(3)/H(2)O(2) and UV/H(2)O(2) processes. In all theses processes the degradation of target organics is more pronounced than TOC removal. The efficiencies of these processes were evaluated and discussed. The formation of sulfate ion in all AOPs have been identified and compared with other processes. Overall it can be concluded that ozonation and ozone-based AOPs are promising processes for an efficient removal of DMSO in wastewater.

Postpartum urinary retention after cesarean delivery

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the incidence of postpartum urinary retention (PUR) after cesarean delivery and determine which obstetric factors contribute to this problem.

METHOD

A prospective study recruited 605 pregnant women who had a cesarean delivery. Each patient's postvoid residual bladder volume (PVRBV) was estimated with an ultrasound scan after first micturition. The women were divided into 2 groups: PUR (PVRBV > or =150 mL) and normal. Patients' characteristics, obstetric parameters, and prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms at 3 months postpartum were compared.

RESULT

The overall incidence of PUR was 24.1%. The incidence of overt and covert PUR was 7.4% and 16.7%, respectively. Morphine-related postoperative analgesia, multiple pregnancy, and low body mass index were significantly associated with PUR. At 3-month follow-up, 5.0% of patients had obstructive voiding symptoms and 9.1% had irritative voiding symptoms.

CONCLUSION

Our results revealed PUR was a common phenomenon in patients who had a cesarean delivery, and morphine-related postoperative analgesia was the main contributing factor.

Adsorption and absorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to rice roots

Rice roots and surrounding air, soil and water samples were collected for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) analysis. The rice roots were separated into lateral roots and nodal roots, and the PAH concentration in the former was found to be higher than that in the latter. In addition, root physiological characteristics including root biotic mass, root lipid content and specific surface area are also discussed. When normalizing the total, adsorption and absorption PAH fractions on a dry root weight basis to root biomass, root lipid, and surface area bases respectively, the differences between PAHs in the two types of roots diminished by 2 to 3 times on average. Results from sequential extraction indicated that PAHs were more easily absorbed by interior rice roots than adsorbed on the surface. In addition, more than 60% of total PAHs accumulated in root tissue for both lateral and nodal roots. However, the results were highly related to the solvent used, extraction time and methodology. Correlation analysis between bioconcentration factors (root over environment) and K(OA), K(OW) showed water to be more significant for PAH adsorption in rice roots than other environmental media.

Adsorption and absorption of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and metabolites (DDD and DDE) by rice roots

A three-step sequential extraction procedure was applied to measure the concentrations of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) on rice root surface and in root tissues collected from two sites in Tianjin. Bulk and rhizosphere soils were also analyzed. The measured DDXs in the rhizosphere soils were significantly higher than those in the bulk soils. On average, p,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDD, and p,p'-DDE in the soil accounted for 38%, 47% and 15% of the total. For total DDXs, approximately one third remained on the outer surface of the roots. The partition of DDXs between rhizosphere soil and root surface depend on contaminant affinity to soil organic matter, soil organic matter content and root specific area. A case specific equation was developed to quantitatively describe the partition of DDXs between soil and root surface.

Unusual pox lesions found in Chinese jungle mynahs (Acridotheres cristatellus)

Pox lesions involving feathered and unfeathered skin, the oral cavity and the uropygial gland were found in Chinese jungle mynahs. Characteristic intracytoplasmic inclusions were detected in the proliferative cells of all lesions. Ultrastructurally, the virus particles consisted of a convoluted outer membrane enclosing lateral bodies and a biconcave central core, typical for poxvirus. The nucleotide sequences of the amplicon obtained with a set of primers for the 4b core protein of fowl poxvirus revealed that the mynah poxvirus was phylogenetically related to wood pigeon poxvirus. This is the first report of poxvirus infection affecting the uropygial gland.

Rise and fall time behavior of the gyrotron backward-wave oscillator

The rise and fall time behavior of a pulsed microwave oscillator is a problem of academic interest. It is also of importance to radar and other applications because it can lead to phase and frequency jitters or even lock the entire pulse into an undesired mode. Here we present a study of the rise and fall time behavior in the gyrotron backward-wave oscillator (gyro-BWO). Single-mode simulations reveal that, during the rise and fall portions of the electron beam pulse, oscillation frequencies of the axial modes vary in such a way that their transit angles remain at the respective optimum values. Thus, axial mode competition and mode switching can readily take place in these transient stages. Time-dependent simulations demonstrate that, under both the gradual and instant turn-on conditions, the axial modes compete in a pattern governed by the characteristic asymmetry of the mode profiles. Other aspects of physics interest include the analysis and explanation of a resultant hysteresis effect between the rise and fall portions of the beam pulse. These understandings are expected to provide the basis for achieving a stable gyro-BWO operating at a single mode throughout the entire beam pulse.

The fragile-to-strong dynamic crossover transition in confined water: nuclear magnetic resonance results

By means of a nuclear magnetic resonance experiment, we give evidence of the existence of a fragile-to-strong dynamic crossover transition (FST) in confined water at a temperature T(L)=223+/-2 K. We have studied the dynamics of water contained in 1D cylindrical nanoporous matrices (MCM-41-S) in the temperature range 190-280 K, where experiments on bulk water were so far hampered by crystallization. The FST is clearly inferred from the T dependence of the inverse of the self-diffusion coefficient of water (1D) as a crossover point from a non-Arrhenius to an Arrhenius behavior. The combination of the measured self-diffusion coefficient D and the average translational relaxation time tau(T), as measured by neutron scattering, shows the predicted breakdown of Stokes-Einstein relation in deeply supercooled water.

Infusion of human umbilical cord blood cells protect against cerebral ischemia and damage during heatstroke in the rat

Intravenously delivered human umbilical cord blood cells (HUCBC) have been previously shown to improve both morphologic and functional recovery of heat-stroked rats. To extend these findings, we examined both the morphologic and functional alterations in the presence of HUCBC or human peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMC) 24 h before initiation of heatstroke. Anesthetized rats, 1 day before the initiation of heatstroke, were divided into three major groups and given the following: (a) serum-free lymphocyte medium (0.3 ml) intravenously; (b) PBMC (5 x 10(6) in 0.3 ml serum-free lymphocyte medium); or (c) HUCBC (5 x 10(6) in 0.3 ml serum-free lymphocyte medium). Another group of rats were exposed to room temperature (26 degrees C) and used as normothermic controls. In vehicle-treated heatstroke rats, their mean arterial pressure, cerebral blood flow, and brain PO(2) were all lower than in normothermic controls after the onset of heatstroke. However, their body temperatures and striatal levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)-dependent NO, ischemia and damage markers (e.g., glycerol, glutamate, and lactate/pyruvate ratio), and neuronal damage in the striatum were all greater. The heatstroke-induced arterial hypotension, cerebral ischemia and hypoxia, and increased levels of iNOS-dependent NO in the striatum were all significantly reduced by pretreatment with HUCBC, but not with PBMC. Moreover, HUCBC were localized by immunohistochemistry and PCR analysis in the injured brain structures and spleen. These findings indicate that HUCBC transplantation, in addition to having therapeutic values, can be a good choice for preventing heatstroke occurrence.

Accumulation and distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in rice (Oryza sativa)

Various tissues of rice plants were sampled from a PAH contaminated site in Tianjin, China at different growth stages of the ripening period and analyzed for PAHs. PAHs were much higher in roots than in the exposed tissues. Grains and internodes accumulated much smaller amounts of PAHs than leaves, hulls or ear axes. No specific gradient trends along roots, stem, ear axes, and grains were observed, suggesting that systematic translocation among them is unlikely. Over the ripening period, PAH concentrations were increased in rice roots and decreased in most above-ground tissues. Significant correlations between PAH and lipid contents can only be observed during full mature stage. The spectra of individual PAH compounds in rice organs including roots were similar to those in air, rather than those in soil. There was also a significant correlation between bioconcentration factor (BCF, plant over air) and octanol/air partitioning coefficient (Koa).

Uptake of vapor and particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by cabbage

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in cabbage (aerial part), air (gas and particles) and soil samples collected from two sites in Tianjin, China were measured. Although the levels of PAHs in all samples from the heavily contaminated site B were higher than those from the less contaminated site A, the PAH profiles were similar, suggesting the similarity in source type. PAH concentrations in cabbages were positively correlated to either gas or particle-bound PAHs in air. A multivariate linear regression with cabbage PAH as a function of both gas and particle-bound PAHs in air was established to quantitatively characterize the relationship between them. Inclusion of soil PAH concentrations would not improve the model, indicating that the contribution of soil PAHs to cabbage (aerial part) accumulation was insignificant.

Phase Behavior of Poly(9,9-di-n-hexyl-2,7-fluorene)

Here we report the phase behavior of poly(9,9-di-n-hexyl-2,7-fluorene) (PFH), which previously received little attention as compared to its homologues poly(9,9-di-n-octyl-2,7-fluorene) (PFO) and poly(9,9-di-(2'-ethylhexyl)-2,7-fluorene) (PFEH). By means of differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, and electron microscopy, we show that there exist four different phases in PFH. The as-cast film is mainly composed of a mesomorphic beta phase with layer spacing of ca. 1.4 nm. This beta phase is inherently metastable and, upon heating above 175 degrees C, transforms into a crystalline (alpha) form that melts into a nematic (N) liquid above 250 degrees C. Upon stepwise cooling, the nematic melt crystallizes into the alpha phase first, followed by solid-solid transformation into another crystalline (alpha') form. Unit cell structure of the alpha form is monoclinic whereas that of the alpha' form is triclinic, but departures from strict orthogonality are slight (by ca. 6 degrees). These observations not only support our previous assignment of two crystalline forms (both orthorhombic in structure) in PFO but also provide insights to the crystalline nature of the polyfluorene series.

Complex viscosity behavior and cluster formation in attractive colloidal systems

The increase in viscosity that is observed in attractive colloidal systems by varying the temperature or the volume fraction can be related to the formation of structures due to particle aggregation. In particular we have studied the nontrivial dependence of the viscosity from the temperature and the volume fraction in the copolymer-micellar system L64. The comparison of the experimental data with the results of numerical simulations in a simple model for gelation phenomena suggests that this intriguing behavior can be explained in terms of cluster formation and that this picture can be quite generally extended to other attractive colloidal systems.

Improved treatment results for childhood acute myeloid leukemia in Taiwan

To improve treatment results for children with de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML), we introduced a novel protocol, Taiwan Pediatric Oncology Group-AML-97A, for AML other than acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), for which modified conventional protocols were used. From January 1, 1997, to December 31, 2002, 141 children younger than 17 years old with de novo AML were enrolled. In total, 117 patients with non-APL AML were treated with induction therapy of idarubicin and cytarabine (Ara-C), postremission therapy with high-dose Ara-C - containing regimens for four monthly courses, and moderate-dose therapy with idarubicin and Ara-C for four monthly courses. The first 19 patients with APL were treated with all-trans retinoic acid, idarubicin and Ara-C, with the remaining five patients receiving all-trans retinoic acid and idarubicin, followed by maintenance therapy for 2 years. Stem cell transplantation was performed in 29 patients in first remission with a similar outcome as chemotherapy alone. The remission rate in the AML-97A study was 90%, the 5-year survival 51 +/- 5.3% (s.e.) and the 5-year event-free survival 50 +/- 4.8%; for APL, these were 100%, 86 +/- 7.0, and 75 +/- 9.8%. For the whole group, the 5-year survival was 57 +/- 4.7% and the 5-year event-free survival 54 +/- 4.4%. The AML-97A regimen was well tolerated.

Dynamics of mode competition in the gyrotron backward-wave oscillator

The axial modes of the gyrotron backward-wave oscillator (gyro-BWO) each exhibit a distinctive asymmetry in axial field profile. As a result, and in sharp contrast to the behavior of the familiar resonator-based gyrotron oscillator, particle simulations of the gyro-BWO reveal a radically different pattern of mode competition in which a fast-growing and well-established mode is subsequently suppressed by a later-starting mode with a more favorable field profile. This is verified in a Ka-band experiment and the interaction dynamics are elucidated with a time-frequency analysis.

In silico analysis of crustacean hyperglycemic hormone family

Through multiple sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis, the subgrouping of the crustacean hyperglycemic hormone (CHH) family was updated using the most complete, nonredundant sequence data set. All sequences from insects were clustered into a distinct subbranch with characters closer to CHH subfamily I. Several sequences that are controversial in their nomenclature and classification are discussed. The motif configuration of CHHs differs from that of molt-inhibiting hormone or gonad-inhibiting hormone in both N and C termini. These two motifs approach each other in tertiary structure models, and the motif preference reveals the critical roles of these regions in functional specificity. Two types of exon organizations of the CHH family genes were observed. Four-exon Chh genes were found in a wide range of pan-crustacean (crustacean and hexapod) taxa, except for the penaeid species, from which the 3-exon Chh genes were reported. Meanwhile, the 3-exon structure was found in the Mih gene and Moih genes from one brachyuran species. Combining gene scan skill and exon splicing rules found in this study, we define three more novel sequences from two insect genomes. The pattern of the exon-exon junction within the mature peptide segment is preserved in all CHH family members.

Noncrystalline Phases in Poly(9,9-di-n-octyl-2,7-fluorene)

Selective formation of amorphous, nematic (N), and beta phases in poly(9,9-di-n-octyl-2,7-fluorene) (PFO) films was achieved via judicious choice of process parameters. Phase structure and film morphology were carefully examined by means of X-ray diffraction as well as electron microscopy. "Amorphous" thin films were obtained by quick evaporation of solvent. Slow solvent removal during film formation or extended treatment of the amorphous film with solvent vapor resulted in predominantly the beta phase, which corresponds to a frozen (due to decreased segmental mobility upon solvent removal) and intrinsically metastable state of transformation midway between a solvent-induced clathrate phase and the equilibrium crystalline order in the undiluted state. The frozen transformation process is reactivated upon an increase in temperature beyond 100 degrees C. Compared to the amorphous film, extended backbone conjugation in the beta phase is evidenced from the emergence of a characteristic absorption peak around 430 nm near the absorption edge. For films of frozen nematic order (obtained by quenching from the nematic state), the conjugation length is also greater than the amorphous films as revealed by an absorption shoulder around 420 nm. Well-behaved single-chromophore emission with single-mode phonon coupling was observed for the beta phase; in the case of nematic films, dual-mode phonon coupling must exist if single-chromophore emission is assumed. In comparison, the emission spectrum of the amorphous film of generally shorter conjugation lengths exhibited mixed characteristics of nematic and beta phases, implying the presence of minor populations of extended conjugation similar to those in nematic and beta phases, which are of biased weightings in the emission spectra. All these films consist of nanograins (ca. 10 nm in size) of collapsed chains; the films are therefore inherently inhomogeneous in this length scale. In combination with previous observations on the crystalline (alpha and alpha') forms, the phase behavior of PFO is then generally summarized in terms of relative thermodynamic stability.

Inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis potentiates apoptosis in the rabbit corpus luteum

To determine if nitric oxide (NO) plays a role in corpus luteum (CL) physiology by affecting progesterone secretion or luteal apoptosis, an in-vitro pseudopregnant rabbit ovarian perfusion system was used to measure the effects of an inhibitor of NO synthesis, NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), on progesterone secretion and corpus luteal apoptosis as measured by internucleosomal DNA breakdown. Pseudopregnant rabbit ovaries perfused in vitro with L-NAME did not demonstrate any significant differences compared with control ovaries in progesterone secretion. However, apoptosis, as measured by internucleosomal breakdown, was significantly increased in L-NAME-perfused CL compared with controls. While NO does not appear to directly affect progesterone secretion, there does appear to be a role for NO in CL maintenance, or a role for inhibition of NO production in CL regression.

Aging of poly(2-methoxy-5-(2'-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene)/toluene solutions and subsequent effects on luminescence behavior of cast films

Morphological effects in luminescence properties of a representative semiconducting polymer, poly(2-methoxy-5-(2'-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene) (MEH-PPV), has recently attracted much attention. Previous studies indicated that short-term heat treatment of solution-cast MEH-PPV films may result in the formation of mesomorphic order that is responsible for the "red" emission around 640 nm, in contrast to the single-chromophore "yellow" emission near 590 nm from the disordered matrix. On the basis of microscopic and spectroscopic evidence for films cast from freshly prepared and aged solutions, here we show that prolonged storage of MEHyellowPPV solutions at room temperature or lower may result in retardation of the thermally induced mesophase formation in the subsequently cast films. According to small-angle neutron scattering and differential scanning calorimetric observations over aged MEH-PPV/toluene solutions, we propose that the suppressed transformation into mesomorphic order is due to further development of nanocrystalline aggregates that serve as physical cross-links among MEH-PPV chains in the solution state upon long-term storage. These solvent-induced nanocrystalline aggregates, however, do not exhibit new spectroscopic features beyond the suppression of "red" emission at 640 nm from the mesomorphic phase.

Antibody-mediated endothelial cell damage via nitric oxide

Vascular disorders, resulting from endothelial cell dysfunction, may be caused by various stimuli, including infectious pathogens, cytotoxic reagents, and pathophysiological mechanisms mediated by immune responses. Endothelial cell dysfunction characterized by apoptosis and abnormal immune activation is, at least in part, induced by anti-endothelial cell antibody (AECA) in some cases of autoimmune disease. However, the molecular mechanisms of AECA-mediated pathogenetic damage to host vascular system remain unclear. The dual role of nitric oxide (NO) both in endothelial cell apoptosis and survival has been described. In this paper, endothelial cell apoptosis caused by the presence of cross-reactive AECA via a NO-mediated mechanism is demonstrated in dengue virus infection. Endothelial cells undergo apoptosis via the mitochondria-dependent pathway that is regulated by NO production. NO-regulated endothelial cell injury thus may play a role in the disruption of vessel endothelium and contribute to the AECA-induced pathogenesis of vasculopathy. The modulation of NO may provide the therapeutic strategies for autoimmune diseases by preventing the AECA-mediated endothelial cell damage.

Gene sequencing for identification of Paragonimus eggs from a human case

OBJECTIVE

To identify the etiologic agent from a paragonimiasis patient using molecular techniques.

METHODS

The complete nuclear ribosomal DNA second internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) gene sequence of eggs in sputum from a paragonimiasis patient was obtained by directly auto-sequencing its PCR product. ITS2 genes from eggs of Paragonimus westermani and Pagumogonimus skrjabini (both from animal hosts) were also sequenced for comparison. In addition, morphological comparisons were made with the eggs of the two species.

RESULTS

The ITS2 gene from the human case was 100% identical with the sequence from the eggs of P. westermani from an experimentally infected dog but only 92% identical with the sequence from the eggs of P. skrjabini. Morphologically, the eggs from the human case more resembled those from P. westermani infected dog.

CONCLUSION

The patient was diagnosed to be suffered from paragonimiasis westermani by gene sequence analysis.

Primer Design Assistant (PDA): A web-based primer design tool

Primer Design Assistant (PDA) is a web interface primer design service combined with thermodynamic theory to evaluate the fitness of primers. It runs in a Linux-Apache-MySQL-PHP structure on a PC equipped with dual CPU (Intel Pentium III 1.4 GHz) and 512 Mb of RAM. A succinct user interface of PDA is accomplished by built-in parameters setting. Advanced options on 5' GC content, 3' GC content, dimer check and hairpin check are available. The option of covered region constrains the PCR product to cover a user-defined segment. PDA accepts single sequence query or multiple ones in FASTA format. It produces optimal and homogenous primer pairs that meet the need in experimental design with large-scaled PCR amplifications. Considering the system loading, the size of a submitted sequence is limited to 10 kb and the total sequence number in a query is limited to 20. The authors may be contacted regarding other requirements for primer design. The web application can be found at http://dbb.nhri.org.tw/primer/.

Intracerebroventricular injection of a neuropeptide Y-Y1 receptor agonist increases while BIBP3226, a Y1 antagonist, reduces the infarct volume following transient middle cerebral artery occlusion in rats

Recent studies using middle cerebral artery occlusion in the rat have suggested a role of neuropeptide Y in ischemic pathophysiology. In this study, we investigated the effects of an i.c.v. injection of a neuropeptide Y-Y2 receptor agonist, neuropeptide Y 3-36, a Y1 receptor agonist, [Leu(31),Pro(34)]-neuropeptide Y, or a Y1 receptor antagonist, BIBP3226, on infarct volume and hemodynamic parameters following middle cerebral artery occlusion. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to transient middle cerebral artery occlusion for 2 h. A single i.c.v. injection of neuropeptide Y 3-36 (15 microg/kg), [Leu(31),Pro(34)]-neuropeptide Y (30 microg/kg), or BIBP3226 (5, 15, or 45 microg/kg) was given at 30 min of ischemia. Blood pressure, heart rate, and regional cerebral perfusion were monitored during ischemia and reperfusion. The rats were decapitated after 70 h of reperfusion, and their brains were cut into 2-mm-thick coronal slices before reaction with a 2% solution of 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride to reveal the infarct. When compared with an infarct volume of 17.4+/-4.4% of the ipsilateral hemisphere following injection of neuropeptide Y 3-36, administration of the Y1 receptor analogs significantly modified the infarct volume (ordinary one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), P<0.0001). [Leu(31),Pro(34)]-neuropeptide Y increased the infarct volume to 32.0+/-4.1% (Student-Newman-Keuls post-test, P<0.01), whereas BIBP3226 at 15 microg/kg decreased the infarct volume to 6.5+/-1.0% (post-test P<0.05). Although there was no major difference in the hemodynamic parameters among the groups, injection of [Leu(31),Pro(34)]-neuropeptide Y tended to further reduce cerebral perfusion during ischemia, while injection of BIBP3226 at 15 microg/kg appeared to have the opposite effect. In addition to glutamate, calcium ion and nitric oxide, activation of the neuropeptide Y-Y1 receptors may mediate cerebral damage during focal ischemia. Conversely, inhibiting the Y1 receptors may protect the brain against ischemic injury. Further studies are warranted to confirm the neuroprotective potential of neuropeptide Y-Y1 receptor inhibition.

Linear and time-dependent behavior of the gyrotron backward-wave oscillator

Formation of axial modes in the gyrotron backward-wave oscillator is examined in the perspective of optimum conditions for beam-wave interactions. Distinctive linear properties are revealed and interpreted physically. Nonlinear implications of these properties (specifically, the role of high-order axial modes) are investigated with time-dependent simulations. Nonstationary oscillations exhibit self-modulation behavior while displaying no evidence of axial mode competition. Reasons for the erratic frequency tuning are investigated and stable tuning regimes are identified as a remedy.

Observation of a re-entrant kinetic glass transition in a micellar system with temperature-dependent attractive interaction

We detect in a tri-block co-polymer micellar system an ergodic-to-nonergodic-to-ergodic transition, as a function of temperature, in a range of concentrations, by photon correlation measurements. The shear viscosity is also shown to jump two order of magnitude at these transition temperatures. Surprisingly, the structure factor as measured by small angle neutron scattering shows a marked narrowing at the structural arrest state. Rationalization of these results with the existence of an attractive branch in the phase diagram of an attractive colloid system predicted by mode coupling theory is made.