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A selection of achievements and first physics results are presented of the European Integrated Tokamak Modelling Task Force (EFDA ITM-TF) simulation framework, which aims to provide a standardized platform and an integrated modelling suite of validated numerical codes for the simulation and prediction of a complete plasma discharge of an arbitrary tokamak. The framework developed by the ITM-TF, based on a generic data structure including both simulated and experimental data, allows for the development of sophisticated integrated simulations (workflows) for physics application. The equilibrium reconstruction and linear magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) stability simulation chain was applied, in particular, to the analysis of the edge MHD stability of ASDEX Upgrade type-I ELMy H-mode discharges and ITER hybrid scenario, demonstrating the stabilizing effect of an increased Shafranov shift on edge modes. Interpretive simulations of a JET hybrid discharge were performed with two electromagnetic turbulence codes within ITM infrastructure showing the signature of trapped-electron assisted ITG turbulence. A successful benchmark among five EC beam/ray-tracing codes was performed in the ITM framework for an ITER inductive scenario for different launching conditions from the equatorial and upper launcher, showing good agreement of the computed absorbed power and driven current. Selected achievements and scientific workflow applications targeting key modelling topics and physics problems are also presented, showing the current status of the ITM-TF modelling suite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ‘European Transport Simulator’ (ETS) (Coster et al 2010 IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci.38 2085–92, Kalupin et al 2011 Proc. 38th EPS Conf. on Plasma Physics (Strasbourg, France, 2011) vol 35G (ECA) P. 4.111) is the new modular package for 1D discharge evolution developed within the EFDA Integrated Tokamak Modelling (ITM) Task Force. It consists of precompiled physics modules combined into a workflow through standardized input/output data structures. Ultimately, the ETS will allow for an entire discharge simulation from the start up until the current termination phase, including controllers and sub-systems. The paper presents the current status of the ETS towards this ultimate goal. It discusses the design of the workflow, the validation and verification of its components on the example of impurity solver and demonstrates a proof-of-principles coupling of a local gyrofluid model for turbulent transport to the ETS. It also presents the first results on the application of the ETS to JET tokamak discharges with the ITER like wall. It studies the correlations of the radiation from impurity to the choice of the sources and transport coefficients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study collected ten treated wastewater samples from Vinh Long General Hospital to determine their physicochemical characteristics and antibiotic properties. All treated wastewater samples collected during the monitoring periods complied with national regulations. In addition, these samples did not contain bacteria such as Salmonella, Shigella, and Vibrio cholerae. The investigation yielded a total of 25 Escherichia coli isolates. The E. coli isolates exhibied highest antibiotic resistance rate to ampicillin (100%), followed by ciprofloxacin, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, and cefazolin (96%, 92%, and 92%, respectively). The resistance rate to fosfomycin was 88%, whereas 80% of the isolates were resistant to sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim. The resistance rate to gentamicin was 72%, whereas that to imipenem and tetracycline was 52%. In addition, 44% isolates were resistant to chloramphenicol, and 32% of isolates were colistin-resistant. Among analyzed isolates, three were resistant to 10 of 11 tested antibiotics but only displayed intermediate resistance to imipenems (carbapenems). Surprisingly, 23 out of 25 isolates showed a positive ESBL phenotype. Eleven of them had both the bla TEM and bla CTX-M-1 group structural genes, while twelve only had the bla CTX-M-1 group gene. Furthermore, none of the isolated E. coli isolates exhibited the bla SHV gene. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of colistin exceeded 4 μg/mL in 8 out of 25 (32%) isolates. Seven of eight isolates (87.5%) carried the mcr-1 gene, while one (12.5%) carried the mcr-8 gene. None of the other mcr (mcr-2 to mcr-9) genes were found., Competing Interests: Declarations Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Background: Retroperitoneal ectopic pregnancy (REP) refers to abnormal implantation of the fertilized egg in the retroperitoneal cavity. REP can be divided into pelvic and abdominal positions. Extremely rare, the incidence of REP is less than 1% of ectopic pregnancy (EP). Herein, we report the first case of paraaortic-located REP in association with successful expectant management, thus raising awareness among healthcare providers, particularly in low-resource settings., Case Presentation: A reproductive-age woman presented at our tertiary referral hospital because of amenorrhea and a positive pregnancy test. Based on serial serum β-hCG levels and imaging modalities including transabdominal ultrasound, transvaginal sonography, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a REP of 7-9 weeks of gestational age adherent to abdominal paraaortic region was detected. Since the pregnancy was spontaneously arrested without clinical symptoms, expectant management was first indicated following careful evaluation. After a 1-month follow-up, the ectopic mass naturally degenerated without complications and her β-hCG concentration returned to a negative value. Therefore, the patient recovered completely and avoided unnecessary surgery as well as toxicity of medical treatment when using systemic methotrexate., Conclusions: In addition to transvaginal and transabdominal ultrasound, MRI is necessary for the diagnosis of nonviable REP. Alongside the great vessels in the abdominal cavity should be taken into consideration in all suspected cases relating to this rare entity. Expectant management may be carefully indicated in conditions of nonviable REP and unruptured REP, where applicable., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Uterine arteriovenous malformation (UAVM) is a rare condition and is classified as either congenital or acquired UAVM. Patients with UAVMs usually experience miscarriages or recurrent menorrhagia. Ultrasound is used for the initial estimation of UAVMs. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are noninvasive and valuable methods that provide good compatibility with digital subtraction angiography to support the diagnosis and treatment of UAVM. Timely diagnosis is crucial to provide appropriate treatment for alleviating complications. This article presents a pictorial and literature review of the current evidence of the diagnosis and management of UAVM.

Chitin is the second most abundant organic compound on the planet and thus has been regarded as an alternative resource to petroleum feedstocks. One of the key challenges in the biological conversion of biomass-derived polysaccharides, such as cellulose and chitin, is to close the gap between optimum temperatures for enzymatic saccharification and microbial fermentation and to implement them in a single bioreactor. To address this issue, in the present study, we aimed to perform an in vitro, one-pot bioconversion of chitin to pyruvate, which is a precursor of a wide range of useful metabolites. Twelve thermophilic enzymes, including that for NAD + regeneration, were heterologously produced in Escherichia coli and semi-purified by heat treatment of the crude extract of recombinant cells. When the experimentally decided concentrations of enzymes were incubated with 0.5 mg mL -1 colloidal chitin (equivalent to 2.5 mM N-acetylglucosamine unit) and an adequate set of cofactors at 70°C, 0.62 mM pyruvate was produced in 5 h. Despite the use of a cofactor-balanced pathway, determination of the pool sizes of cofactors showed a rapid decrease in ATP concentration, most probably due to the thermally stable ATP-degrading enzyme(s) derived from the host cell. Integration of an additional enzyme set of thermophilic adenylate kinase and polyphosphate kinase led to the deceleration of ATP degradation, and the final product titer was improved to 2.1 mM., (Copyright © 2017 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In vitro reconstitution of an artificial metabolic pathway is an emerging approach for the biocatalytic production of industrial chemicals. However, several enzymes have to be separately prepared (and purified) for the construction of an in vitro metabolic pathway, thereby limiting the practical applicability of this approach. In this study, genes encoding the nine thermophilic enzymes involved in a non-ATP-forming chimeric glycolytic pathway were assembled in an artificial operon and co-expressed in a single recombinant Escherichia coli strain. Gene expression levels of the thermophilic enzymes were controlled by their sequential order in the artificial operon. The specific activities of the recombinant enzymes in the cell-free extract of the multiple-gene-expression E. coli were 5.0-1,370 times higher than those in an enzyme cocktail prepared from a mixture of single-gene-expression strains, in each of which a single one of the nine thermophilic enzymes was overproduced. Heat treatment of a crude extract of the multiple-gene-expression cells led to the denaturation of indigenous proteins and one-step preparation of an in vitro synthetic pathway comprising only a limited number of thermotolerant enzymes. Coupling this in vitro pathway with other thermophilic enzymes including the H2 O-forming NADH oxidase or the malate/lactate dehydrogenase facilitated one-pot conversion of glucose to pyruvate or lactate, respectively., (© 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

The heat treatment of recombinant mesophilic cells having heterologous thermophilic enzymes results in the denaturation of indigenous mesophilic enzymes and the elimination of undesired side reactions; therefore, highly selective whole-cell catalysts comparable to purified enzymes can be readily prepared. However, the thermolysis of host cells leads to the heat-induced leakage of thermophilic enzymes, which are produced as soluble proteins, limiting the exploitation of their excellent stability in repeated and continuous reactions. In this study, Escherichia coli cells having the thermophilic fumarase from Thermus thermophilus (TtFTA) were treated with glutaraldehyde to prevent the heat-induced leakage of the enzyme, and the resulting cells were used as a whole-cell catalyst in repeated and continuous reactions. Interestingly, although electron microscopic observations revealed that the cellular structure of glutaraldehyde-treated E. coli was not apparently changed by the heat treatment, the membrane permeability of the heated cells to relatively small molecules (up to at least 3 kDa) was significantly improved. By applying the glutaraldehyde-treated E. coli having TtFTA to a continuous reactor equipped with a cell-separation membrane filter, the enzymatic hydration of fumarate to malate could be operated for more than 600 min with a molar conversion yield of 60% or higher.

Objective: The objective of this study was to supplement the current ameloblastoma database by reporting the clinicopathologic features of ameloblastoma from Asia and North America., Materials and Methods: Biopsy records of the participating institutes were reviewed for lesions diagnosed as ameloblastoma during the years 1993 to 2009. Slides were reclassified according to the World Health Organization Classification of Odontogenic Tumors in 2005. Clinical information and radiographic features were collected and analyzed., Results: The mean age of the patients ± SD was 38.27 ± 17.78 years; 662 patients (51.36%) were men. Mandible (84.26%) outnumbered maxilla and other locations combined in all countries. The number of multilocular radiolucencies (43.40%) was comparable with that of unilocular radiolucencies (42.04%). Follicular pattern was the most common histopathologic pattern (27.70%), followed by plexiform (21.10%) and unicystic pattern (20.71%), respectively., Conclusions: The clinicopathologic features of ameloblastomas in the present study show some similarities with previous studies; however, minor differences exist., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The expression of somatostatin receptors (SSTRs) on endocrine tumor (ET) cells forms the basis for somatostatin analog treatment of patients with SSTR-positive, hormonally active ETs. In patients with SSTR-negative ETs, the clinical response is generally absent or suboptimal, while nonfunctioning ETs with SSTR positivity show a variable response to such therapy., Methods: We retrospectively studied SSTR subtype expression in hepatic metastases from 14 adult patients with primary endocrine carcinomas (ECAs) of the small intestine and pancreas and compared SSTR subtype expression among the primary and metastatic ECAs. Polyclonal antibodies against the 5 SSTR subtypes were used on formalin-fixed, paraffin sections from each primary and metastatic ECA. Both qualitative and semiquantitative evaluation of the stained ECA sections was carried out., Results: Eleven (61%) of 18 hepatic metastases from small intestinal and pancreatic ECAs were positive for SSTR-1, 15 (83%) for SSTR-2, 13 (72%) for SSTR-3, 10 (56%) for SSTR-4, and 15 (83%) for SSTR-5. Among 11 hepatic ECA metastases from small intestinal ECAs (carcinoids), 7 (63%) expressed SSTR-1, 9 (81%) expressed SSTR-2, 8 (72%) expressed SSTR-3, 6 (54%) expressed SSTR-4, and 10 (91%) expressed SSTR-5. Of 7 hepatic ECA metastases from pancreatic ECAs, 4 expressed SSTR-1, 6 expressed SSTR-2, and 5 expressed SSTR-3 and SSTR-5 each. We also observed the immunohistochemical evidence of heterogeneity of expression of various SSTR subtypes in the primary enteropancreatic ECAs and their hepatic metastases., Conclusions: SSTR subtype expression needs to be correlated to somatostatin analog therapy. Immunohistochemical profiling of various SSTR subtypes as a part of routine surgical pathologic analysis of enteropancreatic ETs may become a useful predictor of responsiveness of ETs to various SSTR analogs.

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) is a nuclear enzyme involved in the detection of DNA strand termini. Extensive cellular damage can overactivate PARP-1, which rapidly depletes the cellular stores of NAD+ and ATP, resulting in necrotic cell death. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether 6(5H)-phenanthridinone, a potent inhibitor of PARP-1, could attenuate the hepatotoxicity of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). Male ICR mice treated via the intraperitoneal route with CCl4 exhibited severe necrotic centrilobular lesions and significantly elevated serum transaminases. In contrast, the histopathology and serum biochemistry of animals treated concomitantly with CCl4 and 6(5H)-phenanthridinone were not significantly different versus controls. In conclusion, the results of this study demonstrate that the hepatotoxicity of CCl4 can be blocked independently of its metabolism and suggest the predominant role of PARP-1 overactivation in chemical-induced toxicity.

Overactivation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) in response to oxidative stress has been shown to contribute to necrotic cell death by consuming NAD+ and ATP. In the present study, PARP-1 overactivation was determined by identifying the distribution and accumulation of poly(ADP-ribose) following intraperitoneal administration of a hepatotoxic dose of carbon tetrachloride (572 mg/kg). Treated animals exhibited lipid peroxide levels 16.5-fold higher than controls. Serum activities of glutamic pyruvic transaminase and glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase were increased by 6.1-fold and 22.8-fold, respectively. Lactate dehydrogenase activity was significantly increased by 1.2-fold. Histopathological analyses revealed severe necrosis and increased poly(ADP-ribsyl)ation of cells in the centrilobular region of treated animals versus saline controls. These results demonstrate the role of PARP-1 overactivation in chemical-induced pathologies and suggest the potential role of PARP-1 inhibitors at preventing toxicity.

Background: The repair response that follows ischemic necrosis of the immature femoral head and the biological processes that are responsible for the development of femoral head deformity and fragmentation have not been clearly defined. A piglet model was used to study the radiographic and histopathologic changes that occur prior to and during the development of femoral head deformity and fragmentation following ischemic necrosis., Methods: Twenty-five male piglets were studied. A nonabsorbable ligature was placed tightly around the femoral neck to disrupt the blood supply to the capital femoral epiphysis. The animals were killed three days to eight weeks following the induction of ischemia. Radiographs of whole and sectioned femoral heads were made, and the radiographic findings were correlated with the histopathologic changes observed in the specimens., Results: Mild femoral head flattening was observed by four weeks after the induction of ischemia, and severe flattening and fragmentation were observed by eight weeks. The predominant repair response observed following revascularization was osteoclastic bone resorption. Prior to the development of flattening, a large area of osteoclastic bone resorption was observed in the central region of the femoral head. Many osteoclasts were present along the revascularization front, which we believe were responsible for active resorption of the necrotic trabecular bone. Appositional new-bone formation, the hallmark of the repair response in adult ischemic necrosis, was not observed in the area of bone resorption. Instead, the areas of resorbed bone were replaced with a fibrovascular tissue that persisted for up to eight weeks. Appositional new-bone formation was observed, but it was limited to small areas in which revascularization was not followed by osteoclastic bone resorption and in which necrotic trabecular bone was still present. The simultaneous presence of the areas of bone resorption and new-bone formation contributed to the fragmented radiographic appearance of the femoral head., Conclusions: The predominant repair response observed in the piglet model of ischemic necrosis was osteoclastic bone resorption. The early bone loss, the lack of new-bone formation, and the persistence of fibrovascular tissue in the areas of bone resorption compromised the structural integrity of the femoral head and produced progressive femoral head flattening over time. The repair response was different from that observed in femoral heads removed from adult patients with ischemic necrosis and from that observed in the adult rabbit model of ischemic necrosis., Clinical Relevance: The piglet model of ischemic necrosis may be useful for the investigation of the biological processes that lead to the development of femoral head deformity following ischemic necrosis of the immature femoral head.