C-30 The Relationships Between Phonemic and Semantic Fluency and Sleep Duration in Older Adults

Objective

Sleep deprivation through experimental sleep restriction negatively impacts performance on fluency measures, with stronger effects for phonemic fluency than semantic fluency. However, the relationship between naturalistic short sleep and fluency performance has not yet been examined in older adults. We compared older adults who reported long and short average sleep duration on semantic and phonemic fluency tasks.

Method

83 community-dwelling adults (M = 68.18 years old, SD = 9.08; 71.1% female) participated in a larger study examining sleep quality and cognition. As part of the large battery of sleep, health, and neuropsychological measures, current analyses focused on phonemic fluency (letters C,F,L) and the Semantic Fluency subtest of the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status. Sleep duration was based on self-report of the average number of hours they sleep per night. Covariates included age and self-reported levels of arousal at the time of testing. Short ( < 7 hours of sleep) and long (≥ 7 hours of sleep) sleepers did not differ in gender, p = .069, but did in age, p = .007, with short sleepers being older than long sleepers. Short sleepers also reported higher arousal at time of testing, p = .017.

Results

After controlling for age and current arousal, short sleepers had lower phonemic fluency scores than did long sleepers, p = .012. However, there was no difference between short and long sleepers on semantic fluency after accounting for the same covariates, p = .849.

Conclusion

These results replicate and extend previous findings of sleep deprivation impacting phonemic fluency and not semantic fluency, but for older adults in more naturalistic conditions of sleep deprivation.

Polyamidoxime chain length drives emergent metal-binding phenomena

Emergence is complex behavior arising from the interactions of many simple constituents that do not display such behavior independently. Polyamidoxime (PAO) uranium adsorbents show such phenomena, as recent works articulate that the polymer binds uranium differently than the monomeric constituents. In order to investigate the origins of this emergent uranium-binding behavior, we synthesized a series of amidoxime polymers with low polydispersity and small molecules with lengths ranging from 1 to 125 repeat units. Following immersion in a uranyl-containing solution, the local, intermediate, and macroscopic structures were investigated by X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy, small angle neutron scattering (SANS), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Fits of the extended XAFS (EXAFS) region revealed a progressive change in uranium coordination environment as a function of polymer molecular weight, identifying chain length as a driving force in emergent metal binding and resolving the controversy over how amidoxime adsorbents bind uranium.

Small-angle neutron scattering study of a dense microemulsion system formed with an ionic liquid

Mixtures of water, octane and 1-octanol with 1-tetradecyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (C₁₄MIM·Cl), often referred to as a surface active ionic liquid (SAIL), form water-in-oil microemulsions that have potential application as extraction media for various metal ions. Here, we present a structural study by small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) of dense microemulsions formed by surfactant-rich mixtures of these four compounds to understand how the SAIL can be used to tune the structures and properties of the microemulsions. The SANS experiments revealed that the microemulsions formed are composed of two phases, a water-in-oil microemulsion and a bicontinuous microemulsion, which becomes the dominant phase at high surfactant concentration. In this concentration regime, the surfactant film becomes more rigid, having a higher bending modulus that results from the parallel stacking of the imidazolium ring of the SAIL. At lower surfactant concentrations, the molecular packing of the SAIL does not change with the water content of the microemulsion. The results presented here correlate well with previously observed changes in the interaction between the IL cation and metal ions (Y. Tong, L. Han and Y. Yang, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 2012, 51, 16438-16443), while the capacity of the microemulsion system for water remains high enough for using the system as an extraction medium.

Controlling molecular ordering in solution-state conjugated polymers

Rationally encoding molecular interactions that can control the assembly structure and functional expression in a solution of conjugated polymers hold great potential for enabling optimal organic optoelectronic and sensory materials. In this work, we show that thermally-controlled and surfactant-guided assembly of water-soluble conjugated polymers in aqueous solution is a simple and effective strategy to generate optoelectronic materials with the desired molecular ordering. We have studied a conjugated polymer consisting of a hydrophobic thiophene backbone and hydrophilic, thermo-responsive ethylene oxide side groups, which shows a step-wise, multi-dimensional assembly in water. By incorporating the polymer into phase-segregated domains of an amphiphilic surfactant in solution, we demonstrate that both chain conformation and degree of molecular ordering of the conjugated polymer can be tuned in hexagonal, micellar and lamellar phases of the surfactant solution. The controlled molecular ordering in conjugated polymer assembly is demonstrated as a key factor determining the electronic interaction and optical function.

Correction: Controlling molecular ordering in solution-state conjugated polymers

Correction for 'Controlling molecular ordering in solution-state conjugated polymers' by J. Zhu et al., Nanoscale, 2015, DOI: 10.1039/c5nr02037a.

[Is statin use associated with D'Amico risk groups and biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy?]

OBJECTIVE

To examine the association between statin use and prostate cancer (PC) stratified with D'Amico risk groups and biochemical recurrence (BR) in patients undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

All medical charts of patients managed from 2004 to 2008 for PC with RP were reviewed retrospectively. The use and the type of statin were identified. Patients were split according to the use (S+) or not (S-) of statin. The two groups were compared using the Chi(2) test. A logistic regression was performed for multivariate analysis.

RESULTS

Overall, 377 patients were included. Mean age was 64 (48-76) (median, range). Ninety-seven patients (27.5%) used statin for at least a year. Groups S- and S+ were comparable in terms of age, obesity, diabetes, preoperative PSA, biopsy Gleason score or clinical stage. The use of statin was statistically associated with D'Amico risk groups (P=0.003). The number of high-risk PC was higher in Group S+ (23.7% vs. 10.7%) with an odds ratio of 2.4 (P=0.009). With a mean follow up of 33±10 months, the overall 2-years-BR was 89%. The 2-years-BR was higher in the S+ (93% vs. 88%, P=0.16). After adjustment, this difference was statistically significant with a hazard ratio of 0.46 (P=0.036).

CONCLUSION

The use of statin was associated with high risk PC in this study. Surprisingly, the statin use seem also to be associated with better disease-free survival, independently of other risk factors.

Guidelines of the French society of endocrinology for the management of thyroid nodules

The present document is a follow-up of the clinical practice guidelines of the French Society of Endocrinology, which were established for the use of its members and made available to scientific communities and physicians. Based on a critical analysis of data from the literature, consensuses and guidelines that have already been published internationally, it constitutes an update of the report on the diagnostic management of thyroid nodules that was proposed in France, in 1995, under the auspices of the French National Agency for Medical Evaluation (l'Agence nationale d'évaluation médicale). The current guidelines were deliberated beforehand by a number of physicians that are recognised for their expertise on the subject, coming from the specialities of endocrinology (the French Thyroid Research Group) and surgery (the French Association for Endocrine Surgery), as well as representatives from the fields of biology, ultrasonography, cytology and nuclear medicine. The guidelines were presented and submitted for the opinion of the members of the Society at its annual conference, which was held in Nice from 7-10 October 2009. The amended document was posted on the website of the Society and benefited from additional remarks of its members. The final version that is presented here was not subjected to methodological validation. It does not claim to be universal in its scope and will need to be revised in concert with progress made in technical and developmental concepts. It constitutes a document that the Society deems useful for distribution concerning the management of thyroid nodules, which is current, efficient and cost effective.

[Incidence and characteristics of bronchial colonisation in patient with lung cancer: a retrospective study of 388 cases]

INTRODUCTION

Bronchial colonisation is frequently reported in patients with lung cancer. These colonisations could influence patient therapeutic management and prognosis. The aim of our study is refine incidence and nature of bronchial colonisations in patients presenting with lung cancer.

METHODS

Three hundred and eighty-eight patients with lung cancer underwent a flexible bronchoscopy at the time of diagnosis. Among them, 216 patients had a bacteriological, mycobacteriological and fungal investigation. Type and frequency of these colonisations were analyzed.

RESULTS

Potential pathogens were found in 39.8% of samples, including mainly 39.8% of Gram-negative bacilli (Haemophilus influenzae, Enterobacter sp., Escherichia coli). In addition, we found 0.9% of mycobacteria and 13.9% of Candida albicans. Among these 216 patients where microbiological analysis was performed, patient features and tumor stage were not significantly correlated to microbial colonisation.

CONCLUSIONS

Colonisation of airways is frequently reported when a lung cancer is diagnosed. Our data suggest that bronchial colonisation should be prospectively collected due to its potential interest in the management of lung cancer patients.

A 'DNA replication' signature of progression and negative outcome in colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer is one of the most frequent cancers worldwide. As the tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging classification does not allow to predict the survival of patients in many cases, additional prognostic factors are needed to better forecast their outcome. Genes involved in DNA replication may represent an underexplored source of such prognostic markers. Indeed, accidents during DNA replication can trigger 'replicative stress', one of the main features of cancer from earlier stages onward. In this study, we assessed the expression of 47 'DNA replication' genes in primary tumors and adjacent normal tissues from a homogeneous series of 74 patients. We found that genes coding for translesional (TLS) DNA polymerases, initiation of DNA replication, S-phase signaling and protection of replication forks were significantly deregulated in tumors. We also observed that the overexpression of either the MCM7 helicase or the TLS DNA polymerase POLQ (if also associated with a concomitant overexpression of firing genes) was significantly related to poor patient survival. Our data suggest the existence of a 'DNA replication signature' that might represent a source of new prognostic markers. Such a signature could help in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying tumor progression in colorectal cancer patients.

Preliminary analysis of the pandemic H1N1 influenza on Réunion Island (Indian Ocean): surveillance trends (July to mid-September 2009)

First infections with the 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza virus were identified on Réunion Island in July 2009. By the end of July, sustained community transmission of the virus was established. Pandemic H1N1 influenza activity peaked during week 35 (24 to 30 August), five weeks after the beginning of the epidemic and has been declining since week 36. We report preliminary epidemiological characteristics of the pandemic on Réunion Island in 2009 until week 37 ending September 13.

Enhanced influenza surveillance on Réunion Island (southern hemisphere) in the context of the emergence of influenza A(H1N1)v

With the winter season on the southern hemisphere that starts in Réunion Island in June seasonal influenza activity usually increases shortly afterwards. The new influenza A(H1N1)v virus is rapidly spreading worldwide and may reach the island during the coming winter season. We have therefore enhanced influenza surveillance to detect the introduction of influenza A(H1N1)v, monitor its spread and impact on public health and characterise potential viral changes, particularly if seasonal influenza A(H1N1), resistant to oseltamivir, co-circulates with A(H1N1)v.

An early developmental role for eph-ephrin interaction during vertebrate gastrulation

Eph receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) and their ephrin ligands are involved in the transmission of signals which regulate cytoskeletal organisation and cell migration, and are expressed in spatially restricted patterns at discrete phases during embryogenesis. Loss of function mutants of Eph RTK or ephrin genes result in defects in neuronal pathfinding or cell migration. In this report we show that soluble forms of human EphA3 and ephrin-A5, acting as dominant negative inhibitors, interfere with early events in zebrafish embryogenesis. Exogenous expression of both proteins results in dose-dependent defects in somite development and organisation of the midbrain-hindbrain boundary and hindbrain. The nature of the defects as well as the distribution and timing of expression of endogenous ligands/receptors for both proteins suggest that Eph-ephrin interaction is required for the organisation of embryonic structures by coordinating the cellular movements of convergence during gastrulation.

Salvage radiotherapy for biochemical and clinical failures following radical prostatectomy

PURPOSE

The proportion of prostate cancer patients undergoing radical prostatectomy has increased over the past 10 to 15 years. It is conceivable that a corresponding increase in local tumor recurrences after prostatectomies will be observed. The role of salvage radiotherapy is presently unclear. In this study, the results of salvage radiotherapy for patients with biochemical evidence of local recurrence, as evidenced from rising prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, after radical prostatectomy at UCLA Medical Center and the West Los Angeles Veterans Administration Medical Center are described.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Between 1990 and 1997, 69 patients were diagnosed with presumed local tumor recurrence after radical prostatectomy. Of these patients, 60 patients were referred to radiotherapy for salvage treatments. Tumor recurrence was detected biochemically, with or without a palpable nodule on digital rectal examination, and a metastatic workup revealing no evidence of extrapelvic disease. Biochemical failure after salvage radiotherapy was defined as two consecutive rises in serum PSA level after a PSA nadir or an absence of a PSA nadir after radiation treatments, as was earlier defined at the ASTRO Consensus Panel on PSA Guidelines. Patients referred for adjuvant postoperative radiation treatment and patients with metastatic disease at presentation were excluded from the study. Patients were treated with a four-field approach (anteroposterior/posteroanterior and opposing laterals) to a median dose of 64.8 Gy in 1.8-Gy fractions. Follow-up evaluations included serum PSA level and digital rectal examination every 3 to 6 months.

RESULTS

At last follow-up (mean follow-up, 36 months after salvage radiotherapy), 40 of 60 patients (67%) were biochemically free of disease. Thirty of 60 patients (50%) had undetectable PSA levels, and 55 of 60 (92%) had achieved some initial decrease after salvage radiation treatments. Three-year and 5-year actuarial biochemical disease-free survival was 63% and 55%, respectively. Of the 20 patients with biochemical failure after salvage radiation therapy, 10 patients (50%) developed distant metastases, and two (10%) patients were found to have persistent local disease. The mean time to biochemical relapse after salvage radiotherapy was 10 months, and the mean time to distant metastasis after salvage radiotherapy was 20 months. Evaluation of the remaining eight biochemical failures (43%) revealed no evidence of local disease progression or distant metastasis to date. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that both PSA > 1.0 ng/mL at the time of salvage radiotherapy and perineural invasion significant prognosticators for biochemical relapse after salvage radiotherapy. Likewise, both univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that prognosticators for distant metastasis included seminal vesicle invasion and perineural invasion.

DISCUSSION

Salvage radiation therapy is a viable option for post prostatectomy local tumor recurrences. Of the patients who fail biochemically after salvage radiotherapy, 50% were eventually found to have distant metastases. In addition, biopsy-proven local recurrence after-prostatectomy was found not to confer an adverse outcome after salvage radiotherapy.

Distinct subdomains of the EphA3 receptor mediate ligand binding and receptor dimerization

Eph receptor tyrosine kinases and their ligands (ephrins) are highly conserved protein families implicated in patterning events during development, particularly in the nervous system. In a number of functional studies, strict conservation of structure and function across distantly related vertebrate species has been confirmed. In this study we make use of the observation that soluble human EphA3 (HEK) exerts a dominant negative effect on somite formation and axial organization during zebrafish embryogenesis to probe receptor function. Based on exon structure we have dissected the extracellular region of EphA3 receptor into evolutionarily conserved subdomains and used kinetic BIAcore analysis, mRNA injection into zebrafish embryos, and receptor transphosphorylation analysis to study their function. We show that ligand binding is restricted to the N-terminal region encoded by exon III, and we identify an independent, C-terminal receptor-dimerization domain. Recombinant proteins encoding either region in isolation can function as receptor antagonists in zebrafish. We propose a two-step mechanism of Eph receptor activation with distinct ligand binding and ligand-independent receptor-receptor oligomerization events.

On the spurious endoproteolytic processing of the presenilin proteins in cultured cells and tissues

It has been widely reported that the presenilin proteins PS-1 and PS-2 in extracts derived from a variety of cultured cells and from tissues are fragmented extensively by endoproteolytic processing events. It generally has been presumed that this endoproteolysis is a physiologically normal intracellular event following presenilin expression, which might play an important role in the still unknown functions of these molecules in connection with Alzheimer disease. We demonstrate herein, however, that, if a variety of cultured cells and several mouse tissues are examined under conditions minimizing cell trauma, the presenilin molecules in the extracts are found to be intact but that, if the cells and tissues are prepared under somewhat more stressful conditions, the endoproteolytic fragments are then observed. We conclude that these particular endoproteolytic events are not the result of physiologically normal processing of the presenilins but are rather artifacts occurring during the common procedures of specimen preparation.

Practice revenue and cost distribution for ophthalmology, 1988 to 1993

As opthalmologists need to better manage their practices, information regarding distribution of practice costs becomes more relevant. In this study, we compare revenues and costs from published sources to determine changes over time and across surveys. We also evaluate the reliability and validity of these statistics. Data were obtained from the Health Care Financing Administration (for 1988), the American Medical Association (for 1988, 1990, 1992, and 1993), and the Medical Group Management Association (for 1988, 1990, 1992, and 1993) and were compared across years and surveys. We found large differences among the surveys in both dollar amounts and percentages of total revenue for some of the reported cost categories. Analysis of the data over time showed less of a decline in physician earnings than expected, although there were large increases in the category "other costs." We found considerable divergence among the statistical results. Opthalmologists, public policymakers, and managed care organizations must exercise great caution in interpreting such data and in applying their findings to individual ophthalmic practices and practitioners.

Heat shock factor-1 mediates the transcriptional activation of Alzheimer's beta-amyloid precursor protein gene in response to stress

Stress may be involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. There is a heat shock element located at position -317 bp on the beta-amyloid precursor protein (beta-APP) gene promoter. Recently we demonstrated [4] that stress, in the form of heat shock, ethanol and sodium arsenite treatment, transcriptionally activates the beta-APP gene. In this report we demonstrate that the nuclear factor that mediates this activation is heat shock factor-1.

Transcriptional activation of Alzheimer's beta-amyloid precursor protein gene by stress

A neuropathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the neuritic plaque, composed of an extracellular cluster of degenerating nerve terminals with a central core that is in part composed of deposits of a 4 kDa beta-amyloid peptide. Over-expression of the amyloid precursor protein (beta-APP) gene could be a contributing factor in the aberrant processing of the precursor protein, possibly leading to the formation of beta-amyloid. In AD the brain exhibits several features which indicate that neurons affected by AD exist under conditions of stress. Although the heat shock consensus sequence (CTCGACTTTTCTAG) located at position -317 bp is among the regulatory elements of the beta-APP gene, suggesting that this may act in the regulation of the beta-APP gene in response to stress, an induction of beta-APP as a result of interaction of this element with a heat shock factor has so far not been demonstrated. Moreover, there are conflicting reports in the literature regarding the up-regulation of beta-APP with stress. In this study we have used a fragment of the beta-APP promoter which includes the heat shock element, cloned into a luciferase expression vector pxP2 to transiently transfect cultured human NT2 and HeLa cells. Our findings directly demonstrate that transcription of the beta-APP gene is stimulated by various stresses--increase in temperature, treatment with ethanol and sodium arsenite. Gel mobility shift assays confirm the interaction of the heat shock element with a heat shock factor, induced as a result of stress.

Activation of a distinct subpopulation of pulmonary macrophages following exposure to biological response modifiers

A distinct subpopulation of tissue-associated pulmonary macrophages (TAPM) displayed tumoricidal activity towards syngeneic and xenogeneic targets following in vitro incubation with N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine (MDP). This subpopulation, as well as, the predominant population of freely lavagable alveolar macrophages destroyed allogeneic targets following a similar incubation with either 6-0-stearoyl MDP (S-MDP) or recombinant interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma). IFN-gamma-induced in vivo tumoricidal activation of both populations of pulmonary macrophage was most effective when delivered either intravenously or via osmotic minipump infusion and least effective when administered by direct intratracheal instillation. The separate populations also displayed in vivo activation in response to liposome-encapsulated i.v. administered S-MDP. Under comparable conditions, IFN-alpha was not nearly as effective. Metabolic activation of TAPM, assessed by the release of increased levels of superoxide free radicals during phagocytosis, occurred following 24 hr exposure to S-MDP or lipopolysaccharide. Incorporation of these agents into multilamellar vesicle liposomes further augmented the release of superoxide observed at 24 hrs. Our results collectively demonstrated that a subpopulation of lung macrophage, a tissue-associated pulmonary macrophage, may be activated to a tumoricidal state and to release pronounced levels of oxygen free radicals following either in vitro or in situ treatment with several biological response modifiers.

Preparation of uniform, intact DNA samples from resected tumor tissues for pulsed-field gel electrophoretic analyses

Preparation of high molecular weight DNA from resected tumor tissues suitable for pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) can be complicated by the presence of nonviable cells and lymphocytes. We have developed a simple procedure to reduce the level of degraded DNA in PFGE DNA samples prepared from resected tumor tissues. The procedure employs a single, three component Percoll step gradient centrifugation and can be performed on several tumor samples simultaneously. Analyses of DNAs from 15 tumor specimens (7 solid tumors and 8 aspirated fluids) demonstrate that the technique enriches the integrity of PFGE DNA samples. Morphologic evaluation of 9 specimens suggested that both cellular debris and contaminating normal lymphocytes are removed from starting cell populations during the enrichment procedure. Fractionation of cells also reduced cell clumping, allowing for the formation of more uniform PFGE DNA samples.

Influence of dietary fat and indomethacin on the growth of transplantable mammary tumors in rats

Studies were designed to determine if treatment with indomethacin influenced the growth of a transplantable, metastatic, rat mammary tumor. Female, Wistar-Furth inbred rats were fed either a standard chow diet or a semipurified diet containing 2, 5, 10, or 20% stripped corn oil. Indomethacin was given in drinking water, and rats consumed between 2.5 and 3.0 mg indomethacin/kg body weight/day. Feeding of diets and initiation of treatment with indomethacin were started when rats were weaned (21 days old) and continued until they were killed. Approximately 5 X 10(3) mammary tumor cells (DMBA-4) were injected into the fat pad of the sixth mammary gland which is adjacent to the right inguinal lymph node. Each dietary/treatment group consisted of at least 10 rats. Since indomethacin inhibits prostaglandin synthesis, two other groups of non-tumor-bearing rats were used to determine if dietary fat and treatment with indomethacin either influenced prostaglandin E2 production (in vitro) by mononuclear cells from the spleen or altered serum levels of fatty acids. Results indicated that: (a) the rate of tumor growth in untreated rats was significantly greater when the dietary fat content was either 10 or 20% compared to diets containing either 2 or 5% fat; (b) the tumor growth-promoting effects of 10 and 20% fat diets were completely abrogated in rats treated with indomethacin; (c) treatment with indomethacin also inhibited tumor growth in rats fed diets containing either 2 or 5% fat; (d) synthesis of prostaglandin E2 by mononuclear cells from the spleens of untreated rats increased as the dietary fat content increased; (e) in indomethacin-treated rats, prostaglandin E2 synthesis was inhibited in all dietary groups and was not dependent on dietary fat; and (f) in both untreated and indomethacin-treated rats, the serum concentrations of oleic and linoleic acids were influenced to the same extent by dietary fat.