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The objective of this study was to investigate the expression and relationship of LL-37, plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) and interferon-alpha (IFN-α) in skin in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and their role in SLE pathogenesis. Skin biopsies were taken from nine SLE patients and six healthy volunteers. Expression of LL-37, pDCs and IFN-α in skin specimens and consecutive sections of skin was detected with an immunohistochemical technique (IH); the expression of LL-37 and pDCs in the samples was detected with in situ hybridization (ISH). The expression levels of LL-37, pDCs and IFN-α were significantly higher in SLE skin than in that of healthy controls (p < 0.001) with either the IH or the ISH technique, and the location of positive expression in consecutive sections was similar. Correlation analysis showed that the expression levels of LL-37, pDCs and IFN-α correlated positively with each other. In conclusion, the expression of LL-37, pDCs and IFN-α was increased in the skin of patients with active SLE. It is necessary to study further the role of LL-37 in the pathogenesis of SLE, and the exact relationship among LL-37, pDCs and IFN-α. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyzes multiple variables related to a young child's aggressive behavior. Use of an assessment-based intervention; Impact of the ratio of toys to peers during free-play activities; Occurrence of aggressive behavior when there is an unfavorable ratio of toys to peers.

Focuses on a study which examined the use of functional assessment and children's preferences to improve the behavior of young children with behavioral disorders. Review of related literature; Overview of the study population; Results.

The authors comment on the study by Chan et al that compares the performance of disposable and reusable fibreoptic bronchoscopes (FOB) for elective fibreoptic orotracheal intubation in anesthetised adult patients with normal airway. The authors raised issues on the failure of the study to provide details on fibreoptic intubation. The authors also argued that Chan et al did not provide data on the significant differences in clinical performance of the devices in difficult airway management.

Betalain is a natural plant pigment known to elicit various biological activities. However, studies on the protective effect of betalain against heart failure have not reported yet. The experimental model of heart failure was created in Wistar rats using isoproterenol (ISO). The animals were randomly assigned into four groups such as sham-control, ISO-induced heart failure, betalain pretreated before ISO induction (50 mg/kg/day), and betalain drug control group were maintained for 6 weeks. At the end of the experimental period, anti-oxidant enzymes, inflammatory markers, matrix proteins, cardiac-specific markers, and micro RNAs were elucidated using RT-PCR, and ELISA analysis. The results demonstrated that the rats induced with ISO displayed an abnormality in cardiac functions, increased oxidative stress markers (p < 0.01), inflammatory cytokines (p < 0.01) while abrogated the expression of miR-18a, and increased miR-199a. While betalain pre-treated rats prevented the cardiac failure significantly (p < 0.01) with improved anti-oxidant enzymes, abrogated the inflammatory signals with restored matrix proteins, cardiac biomarker genes, and attenuated miR-423 and miR-27 compared to heart failure rats. The results of the study suggest that the betalain treatment protected the hearts from failing via microRNA mediated activation the anti-inflammatory signaling and restoring the matrix protein modulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glomerular microthrombosis (GMT) is a common vascular change in patients with lupus nephritis (LN). The mechanism underlying GMT is still unknown. In our previous study, we found that the level of IgG anti-β2 glycoprotein I (β2GPI) antibodies was higher in the LN-GMT group than in the LN-non-GMT group, which indicated that anti-β2GPI antibodies may play a role in GMT formation. Many studies have demonstrated that the activation of the classical complement pathway may play a critical role in fetal loss and aPL-induced thrombosis formation. To investigate whether complement activation plays a role in GMT formation and to evaluate its relationship with aPL, we prospectively investigated deposition of C4d in 155 renal biopsy specimens of LN patients. The results revealed a strong relationship between the intensity of glomerular C4d staining and the presence of microthrombi (p<0.001). The detection rate of IgG anti-b2GPI antibodies was higher in the LN-GMT group than in the LN-non-GMT group (p<0.05). Further, the intensity of glomerular C4d staining was significantly related with IgG anti-β2GPI antibodies (p<0.05). The results of our study suggest that anti-β2GPI antibodies may play a role in GMT formation, and this process might involve complement activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prediction and control of the thermal deformation of the work roll is vital for enhancing product quality in hot strip and plate rolling. In this paper, the authors present an online model for the prediction of the work roll thermal profile. The model is developed on the basis of an integrated finite element model for the coupled analysis of heat transfer and deformation occurring at the bite zone and taking into account the effect of various rolling parameters on the thermal behaviour of the work roll. The validity of the model is demonstrated through comparison with measurements made in an industrial hot strip mill. In addition, an emphasis is given to the examination of the effect of some selected rolling parameters in an actual production environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of simulated acid rain (SAR) on corrosion behaviours of Q235 steel in acidic soil were studied using potentiodynamic polarisation, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The results indicated that the SAR heavily increased the corrosion rate of the steel in the acidic soil. The corrosion rate of the steel increased with decreasing SAR pH values. The corrosive characteristics of the soil obviously increased because of leaching of the acid rain. The corrosion products of Q235 steel surface were mainly composed of Fe2O3, Fe3O4 and some soil components such as SiO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amanita exitialis is a lethal mushroom found in China. Knowledge regarding taxonomic characterization, toxin detection, general poisoning conditions, clinical manifestations, laboratory examinations, and clinical treatments for this species is currently lacking. We investigated three A. exitialis mushroom poisoning cohorts in Yunnan Province in 2014 and 2015, involving 10 patients. Mushroom samples were identified by morphological and molecular studies. Ultra performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry was used to detect the peptide toxins in the mushroom samples. Epidemiological information, clinical data, and results of laboratory examinations were collected and analyzed. The mushroom samples were all identified as A. exitialis. The average toxin concentration decreased from the cap to the stipe to the volva, and the average concentration of the peptide toxins decreased in the order of α-amanitin > phallacidin > β-amanitin > γ-amanitin. The latency period between ingestion and the onset of symptoms was 13.9 ± 2.1 h, and the time from ingestion to hospitalization was 49.6 ± 8.5 h. The most common symptoms were nausea and vomiting (100%). Four patients died from fulminant hepatic failure. Laboratory examinations showed that the alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, prothrombin time, and activated partial thromboplastin time levels peaked on the third day post-ingestion. Total bilirubin and direct bilirubin values peaked on day 7. The death group and the survival group had a similar variation trend of serological indexes, but the death group had a greater change. A. exitialis is an extremely dangerous mushroom and there is a need to educate the public to avoid picking and eating wild mushrooms that have not been definitively identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aims to investigate the protective effect of quercetin against the joint toxic action induced by the mixture of four organophosphate pesticides (mixture-OPs) (dimethoate, acephate, dichlorvos, and phorate) at their corresponding no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) using metabonomics. Rats were randomly divided into control, quercetin-treated, mixture-OPs-treated, and quercetin plus mixture-OPstreated groups. Mixture-OPs and quercetin were given to the rats daily through drinking water and intragastric administration, respectively, for 90 days. The metabonomic profiles of rat urine were analyzed using ultraperformance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC/MS). The 14 metabolites significantly changed in the treatment groups compared with the control group, including the biomarkers of OPs exposure (dimethylphosphate, dimethyldithiophosphate, diethylphosphate) and the metabolites of quercetin (quercetin and isorhamnetina). The intensities of gentisic acid, creatinine, suberic acid, hippuric acid, uric acid, and citric acid significantly decreased, whereas the intensities of 7-methylguanine, estrone sulfate, and cholic acid significantly increased, in the mixture-OPs-treated group compared with the control group (p < 0.01). The variation tendency of the aforementioned metabolites was significantly ameliorated in the high-dose quercetin (50 mg/(kg bw day)) plus mixture-OPs-treated group compared with the mixture-OPs-treated group (p < 0.05). However, the intensities of these metabolites in the high-dose quercetin plus mixture-OPs-treated group were still significantly different from those of the control group (p < 0.05). Results indicated that high dose of quercetin elicits a partial protective effect on the toxicity induced by mixture-OPs, including fatty acid and energy metabolism, antioxidant defense system, DNA damage, and liver and kidney function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To analyze the toxic effects of aristolochic acid (AA) on developed kidneys in zebrafish larvae, zebrafish at 3 days postfertilization were treated with various concentrations of AA for 24 h before the status of kidney injury was investigated from several points of view. It was found that 21% of the larvae treated with 10 µmoL/L AA exhibited evident periocular edema. When the concentrations of AA were increased to 20 and 40 µmoL/L, defect in the cardiovascular system characterized by slow heart beat and blood flow was seen coupled with periocular edema. Creatinine in the whole larval tissue determined by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry exhibited dramatic increase in the treated groups in a dose-dependent manner within a certain range of doses. Several evident protein bands were detected by sodium dodecyl sulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in supernatant of the treated larvae, indicating leakage of glomerular filtration barrier. Results of quantitative polymerase chain reaction show that the messenger RNA expression of nephrin in the 20 and 40 µmoL/L AA-treated groups decreased to 0.58 ± 0.062 and 0.37 ± 0.075-folds of the control, respectively. Kidney damage was further confirmed by the histological changes in paraffin sections of treated larvae, for example, cystic glomeruli and disorganized epithelia cells of pronephric tubules. Our results revealed that AA exerted toxic effects on developed kidney of zebrafish larvae in a dose-dependent manner and podocyte dysfunction may be involved in the kidney injury and proteinuria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to assess the metabolomic profile and related histopathological outcomes of rat plasma after chronic low-dose exposure to dichlorvos (DDVP). A total of 120 male Wistar rats were treated with 0, 2.4, 7.2, and 21.6 mg/kg of body weight/day DDVP continuously for 24 weeks by drinking water. Rat plasma samples were collected at different time-points to measure the metabolomic profiles by ultra-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS). Liver tissue analysis was performed to correlate histopathological outcome status to plasma metabolomics. Significant changes in some of the metabolites were found in all the treated groups compared with the control group. LysoPC (15:0/0:0), LysoPC (16:0/0:0), LysoPC (17:0/0:0), LysoPC (0:0/18:0), sphingosine, sphinganine, C16 sphinganine, C17 sphinganine, and arachidonic acid were decreased in the treated groups. LysoPE (16:0/0:0) was increased after dosing with DDVP. Histopathological test outcomes coincided with the plasma metabolomic-profile analysis results obtained by UPLC-MS. The livers were damaged following chronic exposure to DDVP. Abnormal changes in some lipids in the plasma, such as LysoPC (0:0/18:0), were closely related to liver dysfunction. Therefore, metabolomic analysis provides the unique advantages of unveiling the mechanisms of DDVP. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The conventional approach for radiation protection is based on the ICRP's linear, no threshold (LNT) model of radiation carcinogenesis, which implies that ionizing radiation is always harmful, no matter how small the dose. But a different approach can be derived from the observed health effects of the serendipitous contamination of 1700 apartments in Taiwan with cobalt-60 (T1/2 = 5.3 y). This experience indicates that chronic exposure of the whole body to low-dose-rate radiation, even accumulated to a high annual dose, may be beneficial to human health. Approximately 10,000 people occupied these buildings and received an average radiation dose of 0.4 Sv, unknowingly, during a 9-20 year period. They did not suffer a higher incidence of cancer mortality, as the LNT theory would predict. On the contrary, the incidence of cancer deaths in this population was greatly reduced-to about 3 per cent of the incidence of spontaneous cancer death in the general Taiwan public. In addition, the incidence of congenital malformations was also reduced-to about 7 per cent of the incidence in the general public. These observations appear to be compatible with the radiation hormesis model. Information about this Taiwan experience should be communicated to the public worldwide to help allay its fear of radiation and create a positive impression about important radiation applications. Expenditures of many billions of dollars in nuclear reactor operation could be saved and expansion of nuclear electricity generation could be facilitated. In addition, this knowledge would encourage further investigation and implementation of very important applications of total-body, low-dose irradiation to treat and cure many illnesses, including cancer. The findings of this study are such a departure from expectations, based on ICRP criteria, that we believe that they ought to be carefully reviewed by other, independent organizations and that population data not available to the authors be provided, so that a fully qualified epidemiologically-valid analysis can be made. Many of the confounding factors that limit other studies used to date, such as the A-bomb survivors, the Mayak workers and the Chernobyl evacuees, are not present in this population exposure. It should be one of the most important events on which to base radiation protection standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor in response to the article "Evaluation of perioperative predictors of acute kidney injury post orthotopic liver transplantation" by K. H. Wyssusek and colleagues in the previous issue is presented.

A letter to the editor in response to the article "Evaluation of perioperative predictors of acute kidney injury post orthotopic liver transplantation" by K. H. Wyssusek and colleagues in the previous issue is presented.