Search

Estuaries include some of the most productive yet anthropogenically impacted marine ecosystems on the planet, and provide critical habitat to many ecologically and economically important marine species. In order to elucidate ecological function in estuaries, we must understand what factors drive community dynamics. Delaware Bay is the third largest estuary in the United States and hosts over 200 species of migrant and resident fishes and invertebrates. The Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife has conducted two long-term trawl surveys at monthly intervals in Delaware Bay since 1966. The two surveys collect data on environmental conditions, species composition, and number of fishes and macroinvertebrates across different size classes and life histories. Using a suite of multivariate approaches including hierarchical cluster analysis, canonical correlation analysis, and permutational multivariate analysis of variance, we characterized the fish and macroinvertebrate community in Delaware Bay and found that community composition and environmental conditions varied across spatial and seasonal scales. We identified four distinct biogeographic regions, based on environmental conditions and community composition, which were consistent across surveys. We found that the community was driven primarily by gradients in temperature and salinity and that abundant, frequently occurring species in the Bay have well-defined environmental associations. Our work represents the first attempt to use an existing historical survey to better understand how environmental parameters influence diversity and distribution of macrofauna within Delaware Bay, providing insight into how abiotic variables, influenced by climate, may impact the Delaware Bay ecosystem and similar estuarine ecosystems worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article, published in the journal Cytopathology, discusses the diagnosis of myelomatous meningitis through cerebrospinal fluid cytology examination. Myelomatous meningitis is a rare complication of multiple myeloma, a neoplastic plasma cell disorder. The article presents a case study of a 72-year-old woman with a history of IgA-lambda multiple myeloma who developed symptoms of headache, disequilibrium, and neurological deficits. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis, combined with immunocytochemistry, confirmed the presence of myeloma cells in the central nervous system, leading to a diagnosis of myelomatous meningitis. The article emphasizes the importance of prompt diagnosis and multidisciplinary approaches in managing this condition. [Extracted from the article]

Dr. Elishevah van Kooten has been awarded the 2024 Meteoritical Society Nier Prize for her exceptional contributions to understanding the composition of outer solar system material, the relationship between chondritic components, and early planetary processes. Her research, published in leading journals in planetary sciences, has had a significant impact on the field of meteoritics. Dr. van Kooten's work includes identifying the isotopic fingerprint of primordial molecular cloud material in meteorites, studying the organic matter in metal-rich chondrites, and investigating the chondrule-matrix complementary observed in chondrites. She has also made important contributions to the field of planetary geochemistry and volatility. Dr. van Kooten's achievements, including securing a Young Investigator grant, make her an outstanding early career scientist and a role model for young female scientists. [Extracted from the article]

(1) Background. In the differential diagnosis between sarcomatoid carcinoma (SC) and sarcomatoid mesothelioma (SM), we aimed to investigate the role of Claudin-4 and BAP1, a panel recently used to distinguish conventional carcinoma from epithelioid mesothelioma. (2) Methods. We collected 41 surgical pleural biopsies of SM, 46 surgical resections of SC from different sites and 49 pleural biopsies of normal/hyperplastic mesothelium. All the cases were tested for Claudin-4 and BAP1 using immunohistochemistry. The statistical calculations of the sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values were performed. (3) Results: Claudin-4 was negative in 41/41 SMs, while it was positive in 18/36 (50.1%) SCs (eight diffusely, 10 focally) within their sarcomatous component. BAP1 was lost in 23/41 SMs, while it was regularly expressed in 46/46 SCs. All the cases of the normal/hyperplastic mesothelium were negative for Claudin-4 and retained the regular expression of BAP1. The Claudin-4 expression was useful for detecting SC (sensitivity, 39.1%; specificity, 100%) and the BAP1 loss was useful for diagnosing SM (sensitivity, 56.1%; specificity, 100%). (4) Conclusions. The staining for Claudin-4 and BAP1 exhibited a low/moderate sensitivity in diagnosing SC and SM (39.1% and 56.1%, respectively), but a very high specificity (100%). Claudin-4 was expressed only in SC and BAP1 loss was noted only in SM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The yellowtail rockfish, Sebastes flavidus, is a widespread and abundant mesopredator in the California Current Large Marine Ecosystem. We utilized stomach content and stable isotope analyses to investigate the trophic ecology of this species at three sites off central California just before (August–October 2013) and during (August and October 2014) a marine heat wave. Sebastes flavidus largely consumed pelagic prey (zooplankton and micronekton). Diets were dominated by tunicates (salps and pyrosomes), pelagic crustaceans (euphausiids, hyperid amphipods, larval decapods), and fishes, with the relative contribution of these prey taxa varying spatially (sample location, longitude, depth) and temporally (year, month), based on complementary multivariate analyses. Prey-specific indices demonstrated that individual S. flavidus diet composition typically was dominated by one of these prey groups, and that prey switching occurred based on the relative availability of prey and their energetic importance. Stable isotope analysis of δ15N indicated that the S. flavidus populations sampled in 2014 had been feeding at an elevated trophic position and more variable prey spectrum relative to 2013, probably as a consequence of greater piscivory and the incorporation of temporal changes in diet composition. Because its opportunistic feeding behavior reflects the dynamism and heterogeneity of the pelagic forage preyscape, S. flavidus may be an important ecosystem indicator species. For example, the novel incorporation of pyrosomes as a large portion of the diet of S. flavidus during 2013–2014 directly related to the massive increase in pyrosome abundance in the California Current during the 2014 marine heat wave. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rare case of synchronous metastatic lung adenocarcinoma to the thyroid gland, diagnosed on routine fine‐needle aspiration cytology, is described. The combined use of morphological features associated with immunocytochemical analysis on smeared specimens as well as on cell‐block material, is a feasible tool to achieve a definitive diagnosis and it also permits determination of the required biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a research on iron isotope evidence for very rapid accretion and differentiation of the proto-Earth. Topics discussed include Nucleosynthetic isotope variability among solar system objects provides insights into the accretion history of terrestrial planets; nucleosynthetic Fe isotope composition of various meteorites and show that the only material matching the terrestrial composition; and gas drag–assisted accretion of millimeter-sized particles onto these bodies.

Wound healing is a dynamic process comprising multiple events, such as inflammation, re‐epithelialization, and tissue remodeling. Re‐epithelialization phase is characterized by the engagement of several cell populations, mainly of keratinocytes that sequentially go through cycles of migration, proliferation, and differentiation to restore skin functions. Troubles can arise during the re‐epithelialization phase of skin wound healing particularly in keratinocyte migration, resulting in chronic non‐healing lesions, which represent a serious clinical problem. Over the last decades, the efforts aimed to find new pharmacological approaches for wound care were made, yet almost all current therapeutic strategies used remain inadequate or even ineffective. As such, it is crucial to identify new drugs that can enable a proper regeneration of the epithelium in wounded skin. Here, we have investigated the effects of the fibrinolytic drug mesoglycan, a glycosaminoglycans mixture derived from porcine intestinal mucosa on HaCaT human keratinocytes that were used as in vitro experimental model of skin re‐epithelialization. We found that mesoglycan induces keratinocyte migration and early differentiation by triggering the syndecan‐4/PKCα pathway and that these effects were at least in part, because of the formation of the annexin A1/S100A11 complex. Our data suggest that mesoglycan may be useful as a new pro‐healing drug for skin wound care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article offers the first comprehensive analysis of the outcomes of third-wave democratic transitions. It charts where democracy broke down, stagnated, advanced, and eroded, and it investigates the initial starting conditions associated with democratic deepening and breakdown. The findings are sobering: Among the 91 new democracies that (by our count) emerged from 1974 to 2012, 34 experienced breakdowns, often in short order. In 28 cases, democracy stagnated after transition, usually at a fairly low level, and in two more it eroded. Democracy advanced relative to the starting point in only 23 cases. Few countries have succeeded in creating robust liberal democracies. Regimes that started off with a higher level of liberal democracy, that were geographically surrounded by democracies, and that experienced better rates of economic growth were less likely to break down. Regimes that started off with a lower per capita GDP and those that experienced lower economic growth, as well as regimes that started off with a higher level of liberal democracy, were less likely to deepen democracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glycosaminoglycans are polysaccharides of the extracellular matrix supporting skin wound closure. Mesoglycan is a mixture of glycosaminoglycans such as chondroitin-, dermatan-, heparan-sulfate and heparin and is the main component of Prisma® Skin, a pharmaceutical device developed by Mediolanum Farmaceutici S.p.a. Here, we show the in vitro effects of this device in the new vessels formation by endothelial cells, since angiogenesis represents a key moment in wound healing. We found a strong increase of migration and invasion rates of these cells treated with mesoglycan and Prisma® Skin which mediate the activation of the pathway triggered by CD44 receptor. Furthermore, endothelial cells form longer capillary-like structures with a great number of branches, in the presence of the same treatments. Thus, the device, thanks to the mesoglycan, leads the cells to the Endothelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition, suggesting the switch to a fibroblast-like phenotype, as shown by immunofluorescence assays. Finally, we found that mesoglycan and Prisma® Skin inhibit inflammatory reactions such as nitric oxide secretion and NF-κB nuclear translocation in endothelial cells and Tumor Necrosis Factorαproduction by macrophages. In conclusion, based on our data, we suggest that Prisma® Skin may be able to accelerate angiogenesis in skin wound healing, and regulate inflammation avoiding chronic, thus pathological, responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim To investigate the effect of basic periodontal therapy ( BPT) with antimicrobials ( AM) on the parameters of metabolic syndrome (MetS) (waist circumference, systolic/diastolic blood pressure [ BP], HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose). Methods One hundred and ten periodontitis patients without known comorbidities and unaware of possible MetS were randomly assigned to BPT ( n = 56) or BPT+ AM ( n = 54) and followed for 12 months post-therapy. Number of patients with undiagnosed MetS was also determined. Results In all patients, the periodontal condition improved; however, the BTP+ AM group showed greater pocket depth reduction than the BPT group. Post-therapy, systolic BP ( p < .05) and triglycerides ( p < .05) reduced significantly during the follow-up period. No significant differences could be assessed between the BPT+ AM and BPT group. Despite the absence of self-reported comorbidities, 27.2% ( n = 30) periodontitis patients fulfilled the criteria of MetS at baseline. After therapy, this proportion changed to 14.5% at 3 months ( p = .007), to 17.3% at 6 months ( p = .017) and to 21.8% at 12-month follow-up ( p = .383). Conclusion Although a reduction in systolic BP and triglycerides and a temporarily improvement in the whole metabolic status were observed, the use of antimicrobials in conjunction with BTP does not yield any additional improvement in the parameters of MetS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although there is a general perception of sharks as large pelagic, apex predators, most sharks are smaller, meso- and upper-trophic level predators that are associated with the seafloor. Among 73 shark species documented in the eastern North Pacific (ENP), less than half reach maximum lengths > 200 cm, and 78% occur in demersal or benthic regions of the continental shelf or slope. Most small (= 200 cm) species (e.g., houndsharks) and demersal, nearshore juveniles of larger species (e.g., requiem sharks) consume small teleosts and decapod crustaceans, whereas large species in pelagic coastal and oceanic environments feed on large teleosts and squids. Several large, pelagic apex predator species occur in the ENP, but the largest species (i.e., Basking Shark, Whale Shark) consume zooplankton or small nekton. Size-based dietary variability is substantial for many species, and segregation of juvenile and adult foraging habitats also is common (e.g., Horn Shark, Shortfin Mako). Temporal dietary differences are most pronounced for temperate, nearshore species with wide size ranges, and least pronounced for smaller species in extreme latitudes and deep-water regions. Sympatric sharks often occupy various trophic positions, with resource overlap differing by space and time and some sharks serving as prey to other species. Most coastal species remain in the same general region over time and feed opportunistically on variable prey inputs (e.g., season migrations, spawning, or recruitment events), whereas pelagic, oceanic species actively seek hot spots of prey abundance that are spatiotemporally variable. The influence of sharks on ecosystem structure and regulation has been downplayed compared to that of large teleosts species with higher per capita consumption rates (e.g., tunas, billfishes). However, sharks also exert indirect influences on prey populations by causing behavioural changes that may result in restricted ranges and reduced fitness. Except for food web modelling efforts in Alaskan waters, the trophic impacts of sharks are poorly incorporated into current ecosystem approaches to fisheries management in the NEP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we present results for Brazil collected by the Varieties of Democracy project. We describe the historical evolution of democracy in Brazil from 1900 to 2012, focusing on its five main components (electoral, liberal, participatory, deliberative, and egalitarian), and on two adjacent dimensions of the regime (corruption and political parties). Lastly, we compare the data for Brazil with similar results for other South American countries. The results suggest that: a. a "spiral" trajectory has characterized Brazilian political regimes, so that new democratic experiences have always been more democratic in all dimensions than previous ones; b. the contemporary democratic experience combines positive results obtained in the electoral, liberal, and deliberative components of democracy, with less positive results observed in the egalitarian and participatory components of democracy, as well as in its adjacent dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determining trophic relationships within and among species can provide insight into the structure and function of an ecosystem, and can inform the development of multi-species monitoring and management plans. The goal of this study was to address the need for dietary and trophic information of two common and abundant skates in Prince William Sound (PWS), the Bering skate, Bathyraja interrupta, and longnose skate, Raja rhina. Based on identification and analysis of stomach content data, both species were found to be generalist predators with diets dominated by crustaceans and supplemented with teleosts. The primary source of dietary variability for each species was total length, with spatial variables (i.e., latitude, longitude, and depth) also explaining a large portion of total dietary variability in the Bering skate. However, only a small proportion of the total intraspecific dietary variation was accounted for among the analyzed variables, suggesting substantial individual-based differences in the feeding habits of each species. Trophic level estimates indicated that the Bering skate and longnose skates <100 cm total length (TL) were secondary consumers, whereas longnose skates ≥100 cm TL were more piscivorous, tertiary consumers. Significant interspecific dietary differences were also evident, suggesting trophic separation, likely as a function of skate size. Given their abundance and generalistic feeding behavior, PWS skates can provide a means of monitoring demersal community health; information about their foraging ecology will be valuable in gaining a better understanding of trophodynamics within the PWS food web. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Platelets from untreated periodontitis patients are hyper-reactive and form more platelet-leukocyte complexes compared to cells from individuals without periodontitis. It is not known whether the improvement of the periodontal condition achievable by therapy has beneficial effects on the platelet function. We aimed to assess the effects of periodontal therapy on platelet reactivity. Methods: Patients with periodontitis (n = 25) but unaffected by any other medical condition or medication were included and donated blood before and after periodontal therapy. Reactivity to ADP or oral bacteria was assessed by flow cytometric analysis of membrane markers (binding of PAC-1, P-selectin, CD63) and platelet-leukocyte complex formation. Reactivity values were expressed as ratio between the stimulated and unstimulated sample. Plasma levels of soluble (s) P-selectin were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: Binding of PAC-1, the expression of P-selectin and CD63 in response to the oral bacterium P. gingivalis were lower at recall (1.4 ± 1.1, 1.5 ± 1.2, and 1.0 ± 0.1) than at baseline (2.7 ± 4.1, P = 0.026, 6.0 ± 12.5, P = 0.045, and 2.7 ± 6.7, P = 0.042, respectively). Formation of platelet-leukocyte complexes in response to P. gingivalis was also reduced at recall compared to baseline (1.2 ± 0.7 vs. 11.4 ± 50.5, P = 0.045). sP-selectin levels were significantly increased post-therapy. Conclusions: In periodontitis patients, the improvement of the periodontal condition is paralleled by a reduction in platelet hyper-reactivity. We suggest that periodontal therapy, as an intervention for improved oral health, can facilitate the management of thrombotic risk, and on the long term can contribute to the prevention of cardiovascular events in patients at risk. Trial registration: Current Controlled Trials identifier ISRCTN36043780. Retrospectively registered 25 September 2013. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective BRAF V 600E represents the most common diagnostic marker in papillary thyroid carcinoma ( PTC). A few papers have demonstrated the correlation between BRAF V 600E and specific morphological findings on PTCs in the adult population. This is the first reported series investigating cytological morphological parameters in paediatric thyroid carcinoma. Methods One hundred and nineteen paediatric samples (56 male and 63 female patients), diagnosed in the period between April 2013 and July 2015, were enrolled in the study. Fifteen patients with inadequate results were excluded. Cytological cases were processed with liquid-based cytology ( LBC). BRAF V 600E and immunocytochemistry for the VE1 antibody were performed on LBC. Results The diagnostic series included 10 mutated and 94 wild-type ( WT) cases. Twenty two percent surgical samples showed 96% cytohistological concordance. The morphological analysis revealed plump cells (abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm and PTC nuclei) in all 10 mutated cases with only four cases showing a focal (less than 20% of the cells) plump component. None of the WT showed plump cells. A sickle nuclear shape was seen only in the mutated cases. VE1 yielded 100% positivity on mutated cases with three cytohistological discrepancies. Conclusions The BRAF V 600E mutation is also seen in paediatric cytology and the morphological features showed a high accuracy as both predictive mutational parameters and a helpful aid in management mainly of the aggressive BRAF V 600E mutated carcinomas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The cytological analysis of peritoneal effusions serves as a diagnostic and prognostic aid for either primary or metastatic diseases. Among the different cytological preparations, liquid based cytology (LBC) represents a feasible and reliable method ensuring also the application of ancillary techniques (i.e immunocytochemistry-ICC and molecular testing). Methods: We recorded 10348 LBC peritoneal effusions between January 2000 and December 2014. They were classified as non-diagnostic (ND), negative for malignancy-NM, atypical-suspicious for malignancy-SM and positive for malignancy-PM. Results: The cytological diagnosis included 218 ND, 9.035 NM, 213 SM and 882 PM. A total of 8048 (7228 NM, 115SM, 705 PM) cases with histological follow-up were included. Our NM included 21 malignant and 7207 benign histological diagnoses. Our 820 SMs+PMs were diagnosed as 107 unknown malignancies (30SM and 77PM), 691 metastatic lesions (81SM and 610PM), 9 lymphomas (2SM and 7PM), 9 mesotheliomas (1SM and 8SM), 4 sarcomas (1SM and 3PM). Primary gynecological cancers contributed with 64% of the cases. We documented 97.4% sensitivity, 99.9% specificity, 98% diagnostic accuracy, 99.7% negative predictive value (NPV) and 99.7% positive predictive value (PPV). Furthermore, the morphological diagnoses were supported by either 173 conclusive ICC results or 50 molecular analyses. Specifically the molecular testing was performed for the EGFR and KRAS mutational analysis based on the previous or contemporary diagnoses of Non Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) and colon carcinomas. We identified 10 EGFR in NSCCL and 7 KRAS mutations on LBC stored material. Conclusions: Peritoneal cytology is an adjunctive tool in the surgical management of tumors mostly gynecological cancers. LBC maximizes the application of ancillary techniques such as ICC and molecular analysis with feasible diagnostic and predictive yields also in controversial cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A model of a giant impact between two planetary bodies is widely accepted to account for the Earth–Moon system. Despite the importance of this event for understanding early Earth evolution and the inventory of Earth's volatiles critical to life, the timing of the impact is poorly constrained. We explore a data-based, two-stage Pb isotope evolution model in which the timing of the loss of volatile Pb relative to refractory U in the aftermath of the giant impact is faithfully recorded in the Pb isotopes of bulk silicate Earth. Constraining the first stage Pb isotopic evolution permits calculating an age range of 4.426–4.417 Ga for the inflection in the U/Pb ratio related to the giant impact. This model is supported by Pb isotope data for angrite meteorites that we use to demonstrate volatility-driven, planetary-scale Pb loss was an efficient process during the early Solar System. The revised age is ∼100 Myr younger than most current estimates for the age of the Moon but fully consistent with recent ages for lunar ferroan anorthosite and the timing of Earth's first crust inferred from the terrestrial zircon record. The estimated loss of ∼98% of terrestrial Pb relative to the Solar System bulk composition by the end of the Moon-forming process implies that the current inventory of Earth's most volatile elements, including water, arrived during post-impact veneering by volatile-rich bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the apolipoprotein E (APOE) chromosomal region in frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD), and in particular in primary progressive aphasia (PPA) and the behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD). To this aim, we selected three single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs2075650 and rs157590 (TOMM40), and rs1064725 (APOC1), representative of the linkage disequilibrium (LD) blocks at the 19q13-q13.2 chromosomal region. The SNPs rs429358 and rs7412 forming the APOE polymorphism were also included in the study. The analysis was made in 282 patients with a clinical diagnosis of sporadic FTLD, namely 207 bvFTD and 75 PPA, and 296 cognitively healthy control subjects. LD (r2 = 0.35) between TOMM40 (rs2075650) and APOC1 (rs1064725) was observed in PPA, but not in controls and in bvFTD. Inside this region of 26.9 kb, LD (r2 ≥ 0.50) between TOMM40 (rs2075650) and APOE (rs429358) was observed in bvFTD and in controls, but not in PPA. Inside this region of 16.3 kb, LD (r2 = 0.14) between TOMM40 (rs157590) and APOE (rs429358) was observed in PPA, but not in bvFTD and in controls. Although the genetics of PPA and bvFTD needs further investigation, our results suggested the presence of a different genetic background underlying PPA and bvFTD at the 19q13-q13.2 chromosomal region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pacific sand lance (Ammodytes personatus) is a small, elongate forage fish that spends much of its life buried in the seafloor. We determined that the Pacific sand lance can burrow in a wide variety of sediments from silt to gravel, but it prefers coarse sand (0.50-1.00 mm grain size). In the absence of coarse sand, the Pacific sand lance chooses larger grain sizes over smaller ones. These preferences are independent of light or the compaction of sediment, and therefore indicate that visual cues and ease of entry are not primary means of choosing burial substrate. Instead, we speculate that the Pacific sand lance is morphologically adapted for rapid mobility in coarse sand and that coarse sand has enough interstitial spaces to enable respiration during protracted immersion. As an obligate burrower in specific sediments, the Pacific sand lance is a good candidate for habitat-based management. Substrate maps of 3 fishing grounds in southeast Alaska where the Pacific sand lance is abundant and where habitat-based management is practiced were used to create potential habitat maps. Different geologic histories have resulted in variable amounts of preferred (sand-gravel), suitable (sand mixed with silt, cobble-boulder, or rock outcrop), and unsuitable (mud, pebble-boulder) habitat for this species among regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim To investigate the clinical and microbiological effects of local disinfection with 0.5% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) with or without systemic antimicrobials (amoxicillin and metronidazole, AM) during basic periodontal therapy (BPT). Material and Methods In a randomized clinical trial (four groups), 110 chronic periodontitis patients received BPT plus local irrigation with saline (BPT + S), local disinfection with NaOCl (BPT + DIS), BPT + DIS + AM or BPT + S + AM. The outcome was analysed at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months. Results There was no difference in clinical attachment level gain at 12 months between the four groups. BPT + DIS showed no additional improvement compared to BPT + S; BPT + DIS + AM showed fewer sites with probing pocket depth (PPD) ≥7 mm versus BPT + S only up to 6 months ( p = 0.037). In factorial analyses, additional clinical reduction for PPD ( p = 0.023) and number of sites with PPD ≥5 ( p = 0.007), ≥6 ( p = 0.002) and ≥7 mm ( p < 0.001) were found when AM was added to BPT, but not when DIS was applied. In all groups, a comparable decrease in targeted bacteria was found. AM caused adverse events in 22% of the patients. Conclusion Local disinfection with NaOCl, also in combination with AM, showed, after 1-year follow-up, no additional clinical and microbiological effects compared to BPT alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The functional His452Tyr polymorphism in the 5HT2A receptor has been described to be associated with verbal memory in healthy adults, with worse episodic memory performances in Tyr452 (T) carriers. The aim of our study was to investigate a possible effect of this polymorphism on memory performances in Alzheimer disease (AD). We enrolled 169 patients affected by probable AD. 5HT2A genotype was determined as previously described. According to their genotype, patients were divided in T carriers ( n= 111) and non-carriers ( n= 69). We evaluated the possible effect of 5HT2A polymorphism on verbal memory tasks. A one-way MANOVA analysis did not show a positive interaction between the two groups ( p> 0.05) at the baseline and at the follow-up. Nevertheless, the analyses of the single-task effect showed lower performances for non-T carriers only in Rey's recognition task. Recent data reported poorer memory performances in healthy subjects carrying the T variant, in age-dependent manner (no differences between T vs. nT carriers were observed for age >50 years). In our AD sample, we did not find significant differences in verbal memory scores in T vs. nT carriers while a significant difference was found only in attentional task.At variance with that in healthy subjects, no correlation has been found between memory profiles of AD patients and His452Tyr polymorphism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective In fine needle aspiration cytology ( FNAC), the category of benign thyroid lesions ( BTL), which constitutes 65-70% of all thyroid FNAC, and can be correctly diagnosed by morphology alone, is an important entity. A diagnosis of BTL denotes a lesion managed with follow-up unless found in conjunction with compressive symptoms. Although this diagnosis can be quite simple, there are cases in which the scant cellular or colloid component may pose diagnostic issues. Herein, we describe the experiences of evaluating BTL at two large academic institutions. We evaluated the clinical importance of a correct diagnosis of BTL to define the exact inherent risk of a false-negative result ( FNR). Methods From January 2008 through to June 2013, 506 (3.6%) out of 15 850 patients with BTL underwent surgery. All nodules were sampled under sonographic guidance ( US) and processed either with liquid-based cytology ( LBC), Diff-Quik® smears or alcohol-Papanicolaou staining methods. Results The histological follow-up of 506 BTL series included 493 benign and 13 malignant lesions. The latter group included four follicular carcinomas ( FC), two classic variants of papillary thyroid carcinoma ( PTC), one macrofollicular PTC and six follicular variants of PTC ( FVPC). The malignancy rate for the BTL category was 2.5%. Conclusions When diagnosed by expert cytopathologists, BTL represents a robust diagnosis and might reduce the number of FNR. Additional diagnostic experience and a large case series could enable cytopathologists to recognise all the morphological entities of BTL. An important additional aid is the extensive sampling of the lesions to reduce issues related to a low cellularity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to evaluate the effect of paradoxical sleep deprivation on the cellular migration during inflammation, the peritoneal macrophage phenotype and the infectious stimulus outcomes. A/J mice were inoculated with thioglycollate and exposed to paradoxical sleep deprivation. Sleep-deprived animals presented decreased cell migration compared to controls. Nitric oxide production was reduced in macrophages from sleep-deprived mice compared to controls. Cell surface analysis showed that sleep deprivation reduced F4/80 + /CD80 low peritoneal cell population induced by thioglycollate injection. Sleep-deprived mice were not more susceptible to infection than control mice. Our findings challenge the general perception that sleep loss always increases infection susceptibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this case report, the authors describe the cytological features of a primary Merkel cell carcinoma of the parotid gland and discuss how the diagnosis was confirmed with immunocytochemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fine needle aspiration Cytology (FNAC) fulfills a reliable role in the evaluation of thyroid lesions. Although the majority of nodules are quite easily diagnosed as benign or malignant, 30% of them represent an indeterminate category whereby the application of ancillary techniques (i.e. immunocytochemistry-ICC and molecular testing) has been encouraged. The search for a specific immunomarker of malignancy sheds light on a huge number of ICC stains although none of them attempt to yield 100% conclusive results. Our aim was to define in a pilot study on thyroid FNAC whether CD56 might be a valid marker also in comparison with HBME-1 and Galectin-3. Materials and Methods: Inasmuch as this is the largest pilot study using only liquid based cytology (LBC), we selected all the cases only in the categories of benign nodules (BN) and positive for malignancy (PM) for validation purposes. Eighty-five consecutive (including 50 PM and 35 BN) out of 950 thyroid FNACs had surgical follow-up. The ICC panel (HBME-1, Galectin-3 and CD56) was carried out on LBC and histology. Results: All BNs and PMs were histological confirmed. CD56 was negative in 96% of the PM while 68.5% of the BNs showed cytoplasmic positivity for this marker, with an overall high sensitivity (96%) but lower specificity (69%). In specific, our 96% of the PMs did not show any follicular cell with CD56 expression. Different ICC combinations were evaluated showing that the panel made up of CD56 plus HBME-1 and Galectin-3 had the highest sensitivity (98%) and specificity (86%). Conclusions: Our pilot study suggests that CD56 may be a good marker for ruling out PTC and its variants. The low specificity suggests that an immunopanel including also HBME-1 and Galectin-3 could obtain the highest diagnostic accuracy in thyroid lesions. Our results suggest that CD56 may be a feasible additional marker for identifying malignancies also in the FNs and SMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, an increased incidence of central diabetes insipidus (CDI) in pregnancy, and less frequently in the post partum period, has been reported, most probably favoured by some conditions occurring in pregnancy. This study was aimed at investigating the influence of pregnancy on a pre-existing potential/subclinical hypothalamic autoimmunity. We studied the longitudinal behaviour of arginine-vasopressin cell antibodies (AVPcAbs) and post-pituitary function in two young women with a positive history of autoimmune disease and presence of AVPcAbs, but without clinical CDI, and who became pregnant 5 and 7 months after our first observation. The behaviour of post-pituitary function and AVPcAbs (by immunofluorescence) was evaluated at baseline, during pregnancy and for 2 years after delivery. AVPcAbs, present at low/middle titres at baseline in both patients, showed a titre increase during pregnancy in one patient and after delivery in the other patient, with development of clinically overt CDI. Therapy with 1-deamino-8-D-arginine vasopressin (DDAVP) caused a prompt clinical remission. After a first unsuccessful attempt of withdrawal, the therapy was definitively stopped at the 6th and the 7th month of post partum period respectively, when AVPcAbs disappeared, accompanied by post-pituitary function recovery, persisting until the end of the follow-up. The determination of AVPcAbs is advisable in patients with autoimmune diseases planning their pregnancy, because they could be considered good predictive markers of gestational or post partum autoimmune CDI. The monitoring of AVPcAb titres and post-pituitary function during pregnancy in these patients may allow for an early diagnosis and an early replacement therapy, which could induce the disappearance of these antibodies with consequent complete remission of CDI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Annexin A1 (ANXA1), a 37 kDa multifunctional protein, is over-expressed in tissues from patients of pancreatic carcinoma (PC) where the protein seems to be associated with malignant transformation and poor prognosis. Methods The expression and localization of ANXA1 in MIA PaCA-2, PANC-1, BxPC-3 and CAPAN-2 cells were detected by Western Blotting and Immunofluorescence assay. Expression and activation of Formyl Peptide Receptors (FPRs) were shown through flow cytometry/PCR and FURA assay, respectively. To investigate the role of ANXA1 in PC cell migration and invasion, we performed in vitro wound-healing and matrigel invasion assays. Results In all the analyzed PC cell lines, a huge expression and a variable localization of ANXA1 in sub-cellular compartments were observed. We confirmed the less aggressive phenotype of BxPC-3 and CAPAN-2 compared with PANC-1 and MIA PaCa-2 cells, through the evaluation of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) markers. Then, we tested MIA PaCa-2 and PANC-1 cell migration and invasiveness rate which was inhibited by specific ANXA1 siRNAs. Both the cell lines expressed FPR-1 and -2. Ac2-26, an ANXA1 mimetic peptide, induced intracellular calcium release, consistent with FPR activation, and significantly increased cell migration/invasion rate. Interestingly, in MIA PaCa-2 cells we found a cleaved form of ANXA1 (33 kDa) that localizes at cellular membranes and is secreted outside the cells, as confirmed by MS analysis. The importance of the secreted form of ANXA1 in cellular motility was confirmed by the administration of ANXA1 blocking antibody that inhibited migration and invasion rate in MIA PaCa-2 but not in PANC-1 cells that lack the 33 kDa ANXA1 form and show a lower degree of invasiveness. Finally, the treatment of PANC-1 cells with MIA PaCa-2 supernatants significantly increased the migration rate of these cells. Conclusion This study provides new insights on the role of ANXA1 protein in PC progression. Our findings suggest that ANXA1 protein could regulate metastasis by favouring cell migration/invasion intracellularly, as cytoskeleton remodelling factor, and extracellularly like FPR ligand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skates (Rajiformes: Rajoidei) are common mesopredators in marine benthic communities. The spatial associations of individual species and the structure of assemblages are of considerable importance for effective monitoring and management of exploited skate populations. This study investigated the spatial associations of eastern North Pacific (ENP) skates in continental shelf and upper continental slope waters of two regions: central California and the western Gulf of Alaska. Long-term survey data were analyzed using GIS/spatial analysis techniques and regression models to determine distribution (by depth, temperature, and latitude/longitude) and relative abundance of the dominant species in each region. Submersible video data were incorporated for California to facilitate habitat association analysis. We addressed three main questions: 1) Are there regions of differential importance to skates?, 2) Are ENP skate assemblages spatially segregated?, and 3) When skates co-occur, do they differ in size? Skate populations were highly clustered in both regions, on scales of 10s of kilometers; however, high-density regions (i.e., hot spots) were segregated among species. Skate densities and frequencies of occurrence were substantially lower in Alaska as compared to California. Although skates are generally found on soft sediment habitats, Raja rhina exhibited the strongest association with mixed substrates, and R. stellulata catches were greatest on rocky reefs. Size segregation was evident in regions where species overlapped substantially in geographic and depth distribution (e.g., R. rhina and Bathyraja kincaidii off California; B. aleutica and B. interrupta in the Gulf of Alaska). Spatial niche differentiation in skates appears to be more pronounced than previously reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective:To reduce exposure to hyperoxia and its associated morbidities in preterm neonates.Study design:A multidisciplinary group was established to evaluate oxygen exposure in our neonatal intensive care unit. Infants were assigned target saturation ranges and signal extraction technology implemented to temporally quantify achievement of these ranges. The outcomes bronchopulmonary dysplasia/death, retinopathy of prematurity (ROP)/death, severe ROP and ROP requiring surgery were compared in a pre- versus post-intervention evaluation using multivariate analyses.Result:A total of 304 very low birth weight pre-initiative infants were compared with 396 post-initiative infants. Multivariate analyses revealed decreased odds of severe ROP (adjusted odds ratio (OR): 0.41; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.24-0.72) and ROP requiring surgery (adjusted OR 0.31; 95% CI: 0.17-0.59) post-initiative. No differences in death were observed.Conclusion:Significant reductions in severe ROP and ROP requiring surgery were observed after staff education and implementation of new technology to quantify success in achieving targeted saturations and reinforce principles and practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To assess the sensitivity and specificity of neutrophil CD64 as a diagnostic marker for clinical sepsis (based on a hematologic score) and as an additional marker with hematologic parameters for culture-proven sepsis in neonates. Study Design Prospective observational cohort over 18 months in a single-center neonatal intensive care unit. Results Hematologic and CD64 data were available on 1,156 sepsis evaluations done in 684 infants, of which 411 (36%) instances of positive clinical sepsis were identified. The CD64 index for clinical sepsis had an overall area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.71. An optimum CD64 cut point value of 2.19 for late-onset clinical sepsis was calculated with a sensitivity of 78%, a specificity of 59%, and a negative predictive value of 81%. The birth weight-specific CD64 cut point for early onset clinical sepsis was 3.13, 2.34, and 2.05 for very low, low, and normal birth weight, respectively. Neutrophil CD64, in combination with the absolute neutrophil count or the absolute band count, had the highest sensitivity (91%) and specificity (93%), respectively, to diagnose culture-proven sepsis. Conclusion We conclude that neutrophil CD64 index can be incorporated with specific hematologic criteria as an additional marker for diagnosis of neonatal sepsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the digital graphic documentation of the inscribed blocks on the Paikuli monument in Iraq. It notes the use of Menci Software's ZScan system to create 3D models of surfaces and mosaics of metrically corrected and measurable orthorectified images for the correct interpretation of the architectural structure of the monument. Digital graphic images of the inscribed and decorated blocks are offered in which verifies the congruity of possible connections to adjoining blocks.

Background Saliva is a key element of interaction between hematophagous mosquitoes and their vertebrate hosts. In addition to allowing a successful blood meal by neutralizing or delaying hemostatic responses, the salivary cocktail is also able to modulate the effector mechanisms of host immune responses facilitating, in turn, the transmission of several types of microorganisms. Understanding how the mosquito uses its salivary components to circumvent host immunity might help to clarify the mechanisms of transmission of such pathogens and disease establishment. Methods Flow cytometry was used to evaluate if increasing concentrations of A. aegypti salivary gland extract (SGE) affects bone marrow-derived DC differentiation and maturation. Lymphocyte proliferation in the presence of SGE was estimated by a colorimetric assay. Western blot and Annexin V staining assays were used to assess apoptosis in these cells. Naïve and memory cells from mosquito-bite exposed mice or OVA-immunized mice and their respective controls were analyzed by flow cytometry. Results Concentration-response curves were employed to evaluate A. aegypti SGE effects on DC and lymphocyte biology. DCs differentiation from bone marrow precursors, their maturation and function were not directly affected by A. aegypti SGE (concentrations ranging from 2.5 to 40 μg/mL). On the other hand, lymphocytes were very sensitive to the salivary components and died in the presence of A. aegypti SGE, even at concentrations as low as 0.1 μg/mL. In addition, A. aegypti SGE was shown to induce apoptosis in all lymphocyte populations evaluated (CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and B cells) through a mechanism involving caspase-3 and caspase-8, but not Bim. By using different approaches to generate memory cells, we were able to verify that these cells are resistant to SGE effects. Conclusion Our results show that lymphocytes, and not DCs, are the primary target of A. aegypti salivary components. In the presence of A. aegypti SGE, naïve lymphocyte populations die by apoptosis in a caspase-3- and caspase-8-dependent pathway, while memory cells are selectively more resistant to its effects. The present work contributes to elucidate the activities of A. aegypti salivary molecules on the antigen presenting cell-lymphocyte axis and in the biology of these cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim To compare the results of two targeted techniques to an open-ended technique in periodontitis patients, differentiated on the basis of smoking habit. Materials & Methods Thirty periodontitis patients (15 smokers and 15 non-smokers) provided subgingival plaque samples for 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, culturing and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Results No differences were found in the composition of the subgingival microbiome between smokers and non-smokers with culture and qPCR. With pyrosequencing, operational taxonomic units (OTUs) classified to genera Fusobacterium, Prevotella and Selenomonas were more abundant in smokers, while OTUs belonging to the genera Peptococcus and Capnocytophaga were more abundant in non-smokers. Principal coordinate analysis identified two clusters; one was composed mainly of smokers (80%) and revealed significantly lower taxonomic diversity, higher attachment loss and higher proportion of the genera Fusobacterium, Paludibacter and Desulfobubus. Conclusion In periodontitis, there is a difference in the composition of the subgingival microbiome between smokers and non-smokers, as revealed by pyrosequencing. This difference was not identified by the targeted techniques. Low taxonomic diversity was associated with higher disease severity, especially in smokers. This supports the hypothesis of the ecological microbial-host interaction in the severity of periodontal disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the apolipoprotein E (APOE) chromosomal region in frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD), and in particular in primary progressive aphasia (PPA) and the behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD). To this aim, we selected three single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs2075650 and rs157590 (TOMM40), and rs1064725 (APOC1), representative of the linkage disequilibrium (LD) blocks at the 19q13-q13.2 chromosomal region. The SNPs rs429358 and rs7412 forming the APOE polymorphism were also included in the study. The analysis was made in 282 patients with a clinical diagnosis of sporadic FTLD, namely 207 bvFTD and 75 PPA, and 296 cognitively healthy control subjects. LD (r2 = 0.35) between TOMM40 (rs2075650) and APOC1 (rs1064725) was observed in PPA, but not in controls and in bvFTD. Inside this region of 26.9 kb, LD (r2 ≥ 0.50) between TOMM40 (rs2075650) and APOE (rs429358) was observed in bvFTD and in controls, but not in PPA. Inside this region of 16.3 kb, LD (r2 = 0.14) between TOMM40 (rs157590) and APOE (rs429358) was observed in PPA, but not in bvFTD and in controls. Although the genetics of PPA and bvFTD needs further investigation, our results suggested the presence of a different genetic background underlying PPA and bvFTD at the 19q13-q13.2 chromosomal region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transient heating events that formed calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions (CAIs) and chondrules are fundamental processes in the evolution of the solar protoplanetary disk, but their chronology is not understood. Using U-corrected Pb-Pb dating, we determined absolute ages of individual CAIs and chondrules from primitive meteorites. CAIs define a brief formation interval corresponding to an age of 4567.30 ± 0.16 million years (My), whereas chondrule ages range from 4567.32 ± 0.42 to 4564.71 ± 0.30 My. These data refute the long-held view of an age gap between CAIs and chondrules and, instead, indicate that chondrule formation started contemporaneously with CAIs and lasted ~3 My. This time scale is similar to disk lifetimes inferred from astronomical observations, suggesting that the formation of CAIs and chondrules reflects a process intrinsically linked to the secular evolution of accretionary disks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Annexin A1 (ANXA1, lipocortin-1) is a glucocorticoid-regulated 37-kDa protein, so called since its main property is to bind (i.e. to annex) to cellular membranes in a Ca2+-dependent manner. Although ANXA1 has predominantly been studied in the context of immune responses and cancer, the protein can affect a larger variety of biological phenomena, including cell proliferation and migration. Our previous results show that endogenous ANXA1 positively modulates myoblast cell differentiation by promoting migration of satellite cells and, consequently, skeletal muscle differentiation. In this work, we have evaluated the hypothesis that ANXA1 is able to exert effects on myoblast cell migration acting through formyl peptide receptors (FPRs) following changes in its subcellular localization as in other cell types and tissues. The analysis of the subcellular localization of ANXA1 in C2C12 myoblasts during myogenic differentiation showed an interesting increase of extracellular ANXA1 starting from the initial phases of skeletal muscle cell differentiation. The investigation of intracellular Ca2+ perturbation following exogenous administration of the ANXA1 N-terminal derived peptide Ac2-26 established the engagement of the FPRs which expression in C2C12 cells was assessed by qualitative PCR. Wound healing assay experiments showed that Ac2-26 peptide is able to increase migration of C2C12 skeletal muscle cells and to induce cell surface translocation and secretion of ANXA1. Our results suggest a role for ANXA1 as a highly versatile component in the signaling chains triggered by the proper calcium perturbation that takes place during active migration and differentiation or membrane repair since the protein is strongly redistributed onto the plasma membranes after an rapid increase of intracellular levels of Ca2+. These properties indicate that ANXA1 may be involved in a novel repair mechanism for skeletal muscle and may have therapeutic implications with respect to the development of ANXA1 mimetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

H2 in a CO2 atmosphere may serve as a potential solution to the early Mars climate paradox, but its unknown sources cast doubts on the proposed mechanism. Impact cratering is an energetic process that may modify the surface redox budget. Here, we investigate the potential influence of impact‐related melt oxidation and serpentinization on global climate conditions. We show that impact melt and the projectile's significant oxidizing potential during basin‐forming impacts (Basin size ≥1,250 km) result in sufficient H2 to raise the global mean temperature to above 273K, which lasts for up to 105 − 106 yr considering rate‐limited regime. Impact‐induced serpentinization has limited consequences on the global climate in comparison. Episodic warming after large impacts may have enabled the presence of liquid water for up to several million years in the Noachian, resulting in the chemical evolution of the planet's surface co‐evolving with the planetary atmosphere in an episodic manner. Plain Language Summary: It remains debated how early Mars maintained a climate allowing for the presence of widespread ancient rivers, lakes, and water‐bearing minerals. Recent work proposed that hydrogen mixed with a CO2 atmosphere has a greenhouse warming effect, but such a model requires a significant amount of these gases. The known sources, for example, volcanic degassing, are insufficient to sustain the required abundance. Alternatively, impact cratering provides enormous energy that mixes the wet sedimentary rock on the surface with a reduced crust and mantle. In this study, we calculate the potential influence of impact‐induced oxidation on changing global climate on early Mars. We show that impact melt oxidation can immediately increase hydrogen abundances in the martian atmosphere and contribute to warming early Mars for several million years. Thus episodic warming may have occurred due to impact oxidation during the formation of large impact basins on early Mars. The impact‐related processes suggest that the warming of early Mars due to reduced gasses remains a valid hypothesis. Our study also indicates that the red planet's oxidized surface may be a by‐product of its early bombardment history. Key Points: Oxidation of melt sheets in large impact basins has a significant effect on the warm early MarsRate‐limiting processes could have extended the timescale of melt oxidationH2–CO2 atmosphere remains a working hypothesis to resolve the early Mars conundrum [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various chemical elements including nickel (Ni) exhibit mass-independent isotope heterogeneity on a bulk meteorite level, which is generally accepted to reflect the heterogeneous distribution of presolar carrier(s) from different nucleosynthetic sources. Thus, understanding the nature of the carriers can help decipher the origin of the observed nucleosynthetic variability, which remains elusive. In this study, we present the first high precision measurements of mass-independent and mass-dependent Ni isotope compositions for step-leaches of the CI chondrite Ivuna and Efremovka CAIs supplemented by bulk chondrite measurements. Step-leaches record highly anomalous Ni isotope signatures that can be attributed to at least four diverse nucleosynthetic sources. The most anomalous leachates show either large deficits (up to 0.1 %) in the neutron-poor 58Ni and 60Ni nuclides (L11, thought to contain mainly s-process derived Ni) or minor enrichments and deficits (∼100 ppm) in 60Ni or 64Ni (L6, L8, L9 and L10, all thought to derive mainly from supernovae). Pristine CAIs record Ni isotope compositions typified by enrichments in 58Ni of up to 400 ppm. Our new data for bulk chondrites agree with earlier work and emphasize the appropriateness of using the 62Ni/61Ni ratio for internal normalization. Based on the compositional relations between the step-leaches data, CAIs, and bulk meteorites, we show that 60Ni variability is consistent with being of nucleosynthetic origin as opposed to reflecting variable Fe/Ni ratios in the presence of live 60Fe. Finally, we infer that the observed Ni nucleosynthetic disk variability is predominantly driven by a combination of processes separating different nucleosynthetic carriers in the disk from each other, including thermal processing and size-based sorting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deficient wound healing in diabetic patients is very frequent, but the cellular and molecular causes are poorly defined. In this study, we have evaluated whether Annexin A1 derived peptide Ac2-26 stimulates fibroblast migration in high glucose conditions. Using normal human skin fibroblasts WS1 in low glucose (LG) or high glucose (HG) we observed the enrichment of Annexin A1 protein at cell movement structures like lamellipodial extrusions and interestingly, a significant decrease in levels of the protein in HG conditions. The analysis of the translocation of Annexin A1 to cell membrane showed lower levels of Annexin A1 in both membrane pool and supernatants of WS1 cells treated with HG. Wound-healing assays using cell line transfected with Annexin A1 siRNAs indicated a slowing down in migration speed of cells suggesting that Annexin A1 has a role in the migration of WS1 cells. In order to analyze the role of extracellular Annexin A1 in cell migration, we have performed wound-healing assays using Ac2-26 showing that peptide was able to increase fibroblast cell migration in HG conditions. Experiments on the mobilization of intracellular calcium and analysis of p-ERK expression confirmed the activity of the FPR1 following stimulation with the peptide Ac2-26. A wound-healing assay on WS1 cells in the presence of the FPR agonist fMLP, of the FPR antagonist CsH and in the presence of Ac2-26 indicated that Annexin A1 influences fibroblast cell migration under HG conditions acting through FPR receptors whose expression was slightly increased in HG. In conclusion, these data demonstrate that (i) Annexin A1 is involved in migration of WS1 cells, through interaction with FPRs; (ii) N- terminal peptide of Annexin A1 Ac2-26 is able to stimulate direct migration of WS1 cells in high glucose treatment possibly due to the increased receptor expression observed in hyperglycemia conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Annexin A1 (ANXA1, lipocortin-1) is the first characterized member of the annexin superfamily of proteins, so called since their main property is to bind (i.e., to annex) to cellular membranes in a Ca2+-dependent manner. ANXA1 has been involved in a broad range of molecular and cellular processes, including anti-inflammatory signalling, kinase activities in signal transduction, maintenance of cytoskeleton and extracellular matrix integrity, tissue growth, apoptosis, and differentiation. New insights show that endogenous ANXA1 positively modulates myoblast cell differentiation by promoting migration of satellite cells and, consequently, skeletal muscle differentiation. This suggests that ANXA1 may contribute to the regeneration of skeletal muscle tissue and may have therapeutic implications with respect to the development of ANXA1 mimetics. J. Cell. Physiol. 227: 3007-3015, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this work we studied the optical and transport properties of hybrid nanocomposites of CdS quantum dots (QDs) and poly(N-vinylcarbazole) (PVK) polymer. The CdS QDs were prepared by thermal decomposition (thermolysis) of a single source precursor, Cd bis-thiolate, in a high boiling solvent, octadecene (ODE). The optical characterization of the QDs has been carried out by UV–vis absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopy while the morphological properties have been investigated atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The analyses have shown that CdS QDs of diameter below 6nm can be synthesized by such route with good light emission in the UV range. The QDs have been dispersed in a poly(N-vinylcarbazole) (PVK) matrix to obtain a PVK:CdS nanocomposite layers. An increase of conductivity and a quenching of the photoluminescence have been observed when the nanocomposite layer was inserted in ITO/PVK:CdS/Al structures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective:The objective of this study was to compare demographic and clinical events in three groups of preterm neonates: those with necrotizing enterocolitis totalis (NEC-T), those with NEC non-totalis (NEC non-T) and in preterm patients without NEC.Study Design:This retrospective case-control study was conducted at Yale New Haven Children's Hospital using patient data from January 1991 to December 2007. Study patients were less than 36 weeks of gestational age (GA) at birth, without gastrointestinal (GI) malformations. Cases (NEC-T) were diagnosed at operation or at autopsy with observation of >80% necrosis of the GI tract. Two control groups were assigned: Group 1 or NEC non-T and Group II or Non-NEC. Two to four controls per case were matched to cases by GA at birth±2 weeks. Demographic and clinical data for the day of diagnosis and retrospectively up to 7 days preceding diagnosis were recorded for those with NEC-T and NEC. Group II controls were matched for date of birth and day of life, in addition to GA at birth.Result:A total of 14 075 patients were admitted to the Newborn Special Care Unit during the study interval. Overall 328 patients (2.3%) developed NECBell's Stage II; 39 patients met inclusion criteria for NEC-T case status; 148 NEC non-T and 110 non-NEC controls were assigned. In the comparison of NEC T and NEC non-T neonates, use of breast milk was associated with decreased risk of NEC-T, adjusted odds ratio (OR)=0.26, 95% confidence interval (CI) of OR=0.08-0.085, P=0.03. When NEC T and non-NEC patients were compared, having reached full-enteral feeds before the date of diagnosis of the matched case (adjusted OR=28.5, 95% CI of OR=2.7-299, P=0.005) and use of breast milk (adjusted OR=0.09, 95% CI of OR=0.02-0.56, P=0.01) were significantly different between the two groups.Conclusion:Breast milk usage was significantly associated with decreased occurrence of NEC-T in our comparison of NEC-T, NEC non-T and non-NEC patients. Although there were some differences, the majority of demographic and clinical variables assessed were not shown to be significantly different between cases and controls. This highlights the need for more biological data in assessing risk of developing NEC-T. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We created physical models based on the morphology of ram suspension-feeding fishes to better understand the roles morphology and swimming speed play in particle retention, size selectivity and filtration efficiency during feeding events. We varied the buccal length, flow speed and architecture of the gills slits, including the number, size, orientation and pore size/permeability, in our models. Models were placed in a recirculating flow tank with slightly negatively buoyant plankton-like particles (∼20-2000 μm) collected at the simulated esophagus and gill rakers to locate the highest density of particle accumulation. Particles were captured through sieve filtration, direct interception and inertial impaction. Changing the number of gill slits resulted in a change in the filtration mechanism of particles from a bimodal filter, with very small (≤50μm) and very large (>1000 μm) particles collected, to a filter that captured medium-sized particles (101-1000 μm). The number of particles collected on the gill rakers increased with flow speed and skewed the size distribution towards smaller particles (51-500 μm). Small pore sizes (105 and 200 μm mesh size) had the highest filtration efficiencies, presumably because sieve filtration played a significant role. We used our model to make predictions about the filtering capacity and efficiency of neonatal whale sharks. These results suggest that the filtration mechanics of suspension feeding are closely linked to an animal's swimming speed and the structural design of the buccal cavity and gill slits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2D6 enzyme is the major responsible for the metabolism of donepezil, an inhibitor of acetyl cholinesterase currently used for the symptomatic treatment of mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD). Functional polymorphisms in the CYP2D6 gene may affect enzyme activity and thus, the metabolism of donepezil. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of 16 functional polymorphisms in the CYP2D6 gene on the clinical response to donepezil treatment in patients with mild-to-moderate AD.In this multicenter prospective cohort study we evaluated 57 unrelated Caucasians clinically diagnosed as AD according to the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke-Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association Work Group criteria. Patients were treated with donepezil (5-10 mg/daily) for 6 months. The response to donepezil treatment was evaluated at 6-month follow-up according to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence requirements. The identification of 16 clinically relevant CYP2D6 gene variants was performed by a high-throughput genetic analysis.Thirty-eight of 57 patients (67%) were responders and 19 patients (33%) were nonresponders to donepezil treatment. A significantly higher frequency of gene variants conferring decreased or absent enzyme activity was observed in responder than in nonresponder patients (73.68% vs. 36.84%; P=0.005). The presence of gene variants conferring decreased or absent activity of the CYP2D6 enzyme was significantly associated with a clinical response to donepezil treatment (odds ratio=6.286; 95% confidence interval=1.828-21.667).Functional polymorphisms in the CYP2D6 gene can influence the clinical efficacy of donepezil. The analysis of CYP2D6 genotypes may be useful in identifying subgroups of AD patients with different clinical response to donepezil treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]