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Background: The most known and commonly studied behavioral obstacle to dental care is dental anxiety. An obstacle that is less studied though no less problematic is excessive gag reflex, which can severely impede dental treatment. Another understudied and possibly related syndrome is emetophobia (a specific phobia of vomiting)., Objective: The aim of this study was to examine possible comorbidity amongst self-reported emetophobia, dental anxiety, and excessive gagging in the dental office., Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted using the following self-report questionnaires: Dental Anxiety Scale, Gagging Problem Assessment, Gagging Assessment Scale (GAS), and Specific Phobia of Vomiting Inventory (SPOVI)., Results: In all, 164 participants fully completed the questionnaires (87.8% female; mean age, 34 ± 11.07 years). Positive correlations were found amongst all variables (P < .001). High gagging (GAS > 6) was associated with a 7.29 times (P < .000) greater risk of positive emetophobia (SPOVI ≥ 10). Linear regression analyses revealed that the intensity of the reflex and the experience of gagging upon encountering odours in the dental office as well as dental anxiety and vomiting phobia significantly predicted participants' gagging scores as evaluated by GAS (R 2 = 0.59; F = 21.16; P < .001)., Conclusions: The study shows that excessive gagging reflex in the dental office is closely related both to dental anxiety and to emetophobia., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest None disclosed., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A new method for multiple laser beams alignment, useful in a wide range of spectroscopies, is proposed and demonstrated. The method, based on the coupling of spatial map imaging (SMI) with velocity map imaging (VMI), aided beams visualization, through interrogation of the ionization signal of different species in a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. This approach is very effective for alignment and for evaluating the spatial overlap of laser beams with a molecular beam. This was demonstrated by monitoring the resonant two-photon ionization spectrum of 2-phenylethylamine (PEA) monomer and its hydrated (PEA-H 2 O) cluster and the ionization-loss stimulated Raman spectrum of the cluster, via VMIs accumulation, as a function of the exciting laser wavelength. The former permitted immediate classification of the features in the spectrum, corresponding to the molecular ion or the cluster. The proposed methodology will be useful in other challenging multiple laser beam experiments for spectroscopic studies and is expected to improve extensively their outcome., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Paragangliomas are rare neuroendocrine tumors derived from extraadrenal autonomic paraganglia, which may secrete catecholamines. They are potentially metastatic and require very long-term follow-up. Esophageal paragangliomas are extremely rare and present a diagnostic challenge. Lack of clinical suspicion and unrecognized catecholamine hypersecretion may lead to hemodynamic instabilities during surgery. Two patients with esophageal paragangliomas were previously reported. We report a 39-year-old man with a giant high-risk esophageal paraganglioma who underwent a hybrid minimally invasive 3-hole esophagectomy., (Copyright © 2019 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Severe aortic valve stenosis (AS) accounts for considerable morbidity and death, especially in older patients. There is increasing evidence to suggest a role for immune modulating cells in aortic valve (AV) degeneration. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) tune down inflammation. We aimed to study the levels of circulating Tregs in patients with AS and to assess their association with disease progression., Method and Results: The number of Tregs (CD4+CD25+Foxp3+) was determined by flow cytometry in 229 patients with AS and a control group of 69 patients. Tregs were significantly higher in patients with AS compared to the control group (1.64± .61% vs 1.13±0.97%, p=0.04). In the logistic regression analysis, adjusted for baseline characteristics, only the hemoglobin level and Treg percent correlated with the presence of AS (OR 0.642 95% CI 0.512-0.805, p<0.001 and OR 1.411, 95% CI 1.080-1.844, p=0.011, respectively). One hundred patients underwent 2 echocardiographic studies during follow-up. The median decrease in AV area (AVA) was 0.1cm(2)/year. A borderline association was observed between Tregs and AVA progression (r=0.19, p=0.054). In a subgroup of 68 patients with severe AS, the association between Tregs and AVA progression was significant (r=0.374, p=0.0017). In addition, a drop in Treg levels was observed 3-6months after AV-intervention (1.86±1.6% vs 1.04±1.8%, p=0.0005)., Conclusions: Circulating Tregs are elevated in patients with AS. The levels of Tregs are higher in patients with severe AS and accelerated progression of valve narrowing. These results may help to identify AS patients with accelerated disease progression and possibly in need for earlier intervention., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The prognostic value of the carcinoembryonic antigen cell adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1) in melanoma was demonstrated more than a decade ago as superior to Breslow score. We have previously shown that intercellular homophilic CEACAM1 interactions protect melanoma cells from lymphocyte-mediated elimination. Here, we study the direct effects of CEACAM1 on melanoma cell biology. By employing tissue microarrays and low-passage primary cultures of metastatic melanoma, we show that CEACAM1 expression gradually increases from nevi to metastatic specimens, with a strong dominance of the CEACAM1-Long tail splice variant. Using experimental systems of CEACAM1 knockdown and overexpression of selective variants or truncation mutants, we prove that only the full-length long tail variant enhances melanoma cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. This effect is not reversed with a CEACAM1-blocking antibody, suggesting that it is not mediated by intercellular homophilic interactions. Downstream, CEACAM1-Long increases the expression of Sox-2, which we show to be responsible for the CEACAM1-mediated enhanced proliferation. Furthermore, analysis of the CEACAM1 promoter reveals two single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that significantly enhance the promoter's activity compared with the consensus nucleotides. Importantly, case-control genetic SNP analysis of 134 patients with melanoma and matched healthy donors show that patients with melanoma do not exhibit the Hardy-Weinberg balance and that homozygous SNP genotype enhances the hazard ratio to develop melanoma by 35%. These observations shed new mechanistic light on the role of CEACAM1 in melanoma, forming the basis for development of novel therapeutic and diagnostic technologies., (Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

The Homez gene encodes a protein with three atypical homeodomains and two leucine zipper motifs of unknown function. Here we show that during neurula stages, Xenopus Homez is broadly expressed throughout the neural plate, the strongest expression being detected in the domains where primary neurons arise. At later stages, Homez is maintained throughout the central nervous system in differentiating progenitors. In accordance with this expression, Homez is positively regulated by neural inducers and by Ngnr1 and negatively by Notch signaling. Interference with Homez function in embryos by injection of an antisense morpholino oligonucleotide results in the specific disruption of the expression of late neuronal markers, without affecting the expression of earlier neuronal and early neurectodermal markers. Consistent with this finding, Homez inhibition also interferes with the expression of late neuronal markers in Ngnr1 overexpressing animal cap explants and in Notch inhibited embryos. In gain of function experiments, Homez inhibits the expression of late neuronal markers but has no effect on earlier ones. These data suggest a role for Homez in neuronal development downstream of proneural/neurogenic genes., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Hemodynamic forces are potential determinants of aortic atherosclerosis. Aortic regurgitation (AR) alters the flow pattern in the aorta. However, the association between AR and aortic atherosclerosis is not well known., Methods: We assessed the presence, extent and distribution of atherosclerotic lesions in the aorta of 42 patients with chronic AR and compared them to 40 patients with similar risk factor profile for atherosclerosis and no valvular disease., Results: There was no difference in the extent of atheroma in the ascending aorta and aortic arch between patients with and without AR. Descending aortic atheroma was evident in 25 patients with AR (60%) and 12 patients without AR (30%, p=0.01). AR was found to be the only predicting factor for the presence of aortic atherosclerosis in the descending aorta (odds ratio 4.1; 95% CI 1.2-14.3, p=0.03)., Conclusions: There is an increased prevalence of descending aortic atherosclerosis in patients with significant AR., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Synovial sarcoma constitutes 8% to 10% of all sarcomas, and most commonly it affects adults in the third to fifth decades of life. This malignancy usually involves the extremities, and although local control by curative resection and adjuvant irradiation has improved, metastases develop in 40% of patients, with lung involvement in the metastatic process in 90% of cases. A single metastasis to the lungs from synovial sarcoma is rare, and a case of a large, single metastasis is even rarer. Herein, we present two cases of patients with an enormous metastatic synovial sarcoma that were successfully removed surgically.

The Y chromosome gene Sry encodes a transcription factor required to initiate testis development. The related autosomal gene Sox9 is up-regulated shortly after the onset of Sry transcription and is thought essential for the differentiation of Sertoli cells. The lineage that gives rise to Sertoli cells has its origins within the coelomic epithelium (CE) of the genital ridge, but from cells also able to give rise to an interstitial cell type. It was not known at what point SRY acts in the derivation of this lineage or how the two genes interact. To investigate the identity of the cells expressing Sry, we designed two transgenes driven by the Sry promoter: one gives expression of a stable reporter, human placental alkaline phosphatase (hPLAP), while the second gives expression of a functional Myc-epitope tagged SRY protein (SRYMYC). Taking advantage of lasting hPLAP activity after transcription of the reporter gene has ceased, we could show that SryhPLAP was expressed exclusively in all cells fated to become Sertoli cells. SRYMYC-single-positive cells were first observed in the gonad and not in the CE. Subsequently, they became SRYMYC/SOX9-double-positive, but only for a few hours before turning into SOX9-single-positive cells. After the coelomic epithelial cells migrate into the gonad, there is first a decision to become interstitial or supporting cells, and then the transient expression of SRY in the latter determines their fate as Sertoli cells by up-regulating Sox9.

The allergic reaction begins with the antigen-induced aggregation of occupied high-affinity IgE receptors expressed on mast cell surface, their activation, and the release of proinflammatory mediators that cause the "early phase" of this process. In addition, mast cell activation induces the onset of a "late phase" reaction characterized by the tissue infiltration of inflammatory cells, mainly eosinophils. We have hypothesized that during the late phase mast cells interact with and are activated by eosinophils. Here we report that highly purified human lung mast cells became responsive to eosinophil major basic protein (MBP) when in coculture with human lung fibroblasts. In addition, cord blood-derived mast cells maintained in coculture with 3T3 fibroblasts released more histamine and prostaglandin D(2) (PGD(2)) compared with cells maintained in suspension. The fibroblast-derived membrane form of stem cell factor (SCF) was found to be involved in the mast cell increased responsiveness to MBP. In fact, cord blood-derived mast cells cocultured with 3T3 in the presence of antisense for SCF or cocultured with fibroblasts that do not express the membrane form of SCF were inhibited in their histamine-releasing activity toward MBP. In addition, this form of SCF induced the expression of a pertussis toxin-sensitive G(i) protein, G(i3) that interacts with MBP to trigger mast cell non-IgE-dependent activation in a manner similar to other cationic compounds such as compound 48/80. Mast cell responsiveness to eosinophil mediators is a potentially novel evidence for an alternative pathway of allergen-independent activation able to contribute to the perpetuation of allergy.

The effects of perioperative administration of magnesium sulfate on myocardial function was studied in patients with unstable angina (grade IV) undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. Myocardial protection consisted of antegrade and retrograde continuous warm blood cardioplegia. Patients were randomly divided into two groups. Group A (50 patients) received intravenous magnesium sulfate (16 mmol) continuously from the time of anesthetic induction to aortic cross-clamping and a second dose (32 mmol) starting after the release of aortic cross-clamp until 24 hours later. Group B (48 patients) did not receive magnesium sulfate and served as control. Left ventricular stroke work index increased in group A from 34 +/- 3 g.m/m2 before operation to 42 +/- 3 g.m/m2, 45 +/- 2 g.m/m2, and 47 +/- 2 g.m/m2, 1, 6, and 12 hours after operation, respectively (p < 0.05 versus preoperative), and in group B from 33 +/- 3 g.m/m2 before operation to 38 +/- 3 g.m/m2, 40 +/- 2 g.m/m2, and 41 +/- 2 g.m/m2, 1, 6, and 12 hours after operation, respectively (p < 0.05). Left ventricular stroke work index was higher in group A 6 (p = 0.06), 12, and 24 hours (p < 0.05) after operation compared with group B. The incidence of ventricular arrhythmias requiring treatment was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in group B: 14 patients versus 1 patient in group A. Postoperative hypertension was more frequent in group B: 16 patients versus 2 patients in group A (p < 0.05). These results indicate that perioperative administration of magnesium sulfate may contribute to better myocardial recovery and fewer ventricular tachyarrhythmias after operation.

Low titer antibodies in plasma are very hard to detect by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) mainly because of high nonspecific binding of various plasma proteins to the plastic substratum. In this report we present a sensitive and quantitative dot-blot assay which overcomes the high nonspecific binding problem and enables the detection of very low antibody titers in plasma. Natural low titer antibodies to Gram negative bacteria's lipopolysaccharide in plasma of healthy donors could not be detected by ELISA. However, by using nitrocellulose membrane as the carrier for the antigen and enhanced chemiluminescence as the detection method, we could detect and quantify low titers of anti-lipopolysaccharide antibodies even in undiluted plasma with no background interference. The dot-blot assay is linear, in semilogarithmic plot, over a broad range of plasma dilutions. This assay will enable the early detection of antigen specific antibodies in immune processes such as in infectious diseases and vaccination.

In the current study a comparative analysis of keratin typing and DNA content was carried out in human lung tumors from transthoracic fine needle aspiration biopsies (TFNAB) (18 patients) or from surgically resected tumor tissues (14 patients). According to the cytologic and histologic features, 2 of the 32 tumors were diagnosed as benign tumors, 11 as squamous cell carcinomas, 12 as adenocarcinomas, and 7 as undifferentiated large cell carcinomas. Two cases in the adenocarcinoma and one in the undifferentiated large cell carcinoma groups were pulmonary metastasis or second primary tumors. Malignant cells of tumors which reacted positively with KK8.60 anticytokeratin polypeptides No. 10 and 11 (and hence contain keratinizing cells) displayed diploid DNA content in a flow cytometric assay regardless of their cytologic or histologic appearance. In contrast, all tumors which lacked such positive cells (most of which were defined as adenocarcinomas and undifferentiated tumors) were hyperdiploid. The close correlation between high DNA content and both malignancy and the absence of advanced squamous differentiation (keratinization) suggests that such combined analysis may provide new tools for the cytologic diagnosis and prognosis of lung cancers.

An osteogenic member, MBA-15 cell line, from marrow stroma compartment, was examined for its ability to regulate mature lymphoma B cell line functions. The effect of MBA-15 cell secreting factor/s on cell proliferation, immunoglobulin secretion and isotype switch of 29M4.1 IgM+ mature B cell line was examined. The factor causes temporal arrest in cell proliferation, augments immunoglobulin secretion and has no effect on isotype switching. The results revealed a direct effect of the MBA-15 factors on the B cell functions. Factors secreted by other osteoblastic cells (ROS 17/2.8 and MC-3T3-E1) possess the same biological activities. In contrast, factors secreted by an endothelial adipocyte stromal cell line 14F1.1 lack these properties.

The enzyme adenosine deaminase (adenosine aminohydrolase EC 3.5.4.4) from calf intestinal mucosa is commercially available at high purity grade yet, at the sensitivity at which fluorescence studies may be undertaken, a nonpeptidic fluorescence is detectable at lambda exmax = 350 nm and lambda emmax = 420 nm. A sevenfold decrease of this nonpeptidic fluorescence was obtained upon irradiation by the third harmonic (355 nm) of a Nd:YAG laser for 16 min, at 5 mJ/pulse, with a pulse width of 6 ns at a repetition rate of 10 Hz. The decline of fluorescence was accompanied by a negligible loss of enzymatic activity. Moreover, the integrity of the protein was ascertained by (i) its fluorescence (lambda exmax = 305 nm, lambda emmax = 335 nm) and lifetime distribution and (ii) its kinetics in the presence of the substrate adenosine and two inhibitors, all of which remained essentially unaltered. Laser photobleaching is a simple way to achieve a fluorescence grade adenosine deaminase.

The crystal structures of three crystalline forms of 4-amino-N-pyridinylbenzenesulfonamide (sulfapyridine) have been determined by X-ray single crystal structure analysis. Form II crystallizes in space group P2(1)/c with four molecules in the unit cell: a = 0.6722(1) nm, b = 2.0593(5) nm, c = 0.8505(1) nm, beta = 101.14(1) degrees; Form III crystallizes in space group C2/c with eight molecules in the unit cell: a = 1.2830(2) nm, b = 1.1714(3) nm, c = 1.5400(3) nm, beta = 94.12(1) degrees; Form V crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pbca with 16 molecules in the unit cell: a = 2.4722(10) nm, b = 1.5710(15) nm, c = 1.2147(7) nm. The three structures were solved by direct methods and refined anisotropically to R factors of 0.045, 0.052, and 0.063, respectively. Bond lengths and bond angles agree well among the molecules in these structures; however, the system exhibits conformational polymorphism since the molecular conformation, as measured by torsion angles, differs significantly among the three forms. Sulfapyridine exhibits the imide configuration in all three structures rather than the amide form present in other sulfonamide compounds. Using the structural data, the powder patterns of the three forms have been computer generated to provide standard diffraction patterns for comparison with the variety of polymorphic forms reported in the literature.