Search

There is evidence of cooking aboard Roman ships with several solutions for reheating food. Preparing fish, porridge and soups, bringing bread from the mainland and eating preserved food, could ensure that sailors did not starve to death. This article is about preparing food aboard ships in Roman times during the centuries of the Roman Empire from 753 BC to 476 AD. Travel was in the blood of many Romans, so often passengers and soldiers, who were often moved and transported within the great empire, travelled with the sailors. With increasing trade and the development of shipping, the size of the ships also increased, as did the length of the voyages and the size of the crews. The tasks were also increasingly divided. Food preparation became the main daily task for some crew members. The possibilities for preparing food also developed over time. With the growth of ships and crews, more space was needed for food storage and preparation, resulting in larger cooking pots and more space for firewood. This article will address the question of how the sailors and passengers cooked their food on board and what kind of food the sailors prepared. The archaeological evidence from the Late Bronze Age and Archaic period is still circumstantial, but shows us that cooking happened on board and was a fairly widespread phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: Multiple QTLs control unreduced pollen production in potato. Two major-effect QTLs co-locate with mutant alleles of genes with homology to AtJAS, a known regulator of meiotic spindle orientation. In diploid potato the production of unreduced gametes with a diploid (2n) rather than a haploid (n) number of chromosomes has been widely reported. Besides their evolutionary important role in sexual polyploidisation, unreduced gametes also have a practical value for potato breeding as a bridge between diploid and tetraploid germplasm. Although early articles argued for a monogenic recessive inheritance, the genetic basis of unreduced pollen production in potato has remained elusive. Here, three diploid full-sib populations were genotyped with an amplicon sequencing approach and phenotyped for unreduced pollen production across two growing seasons. We identified two minor-effect and three major-effect QTLs regulating this trait. The two QTLs with the largest effect displayed a recessive inheritance and an additive interaction. Both QTLs co-localised with genes encoding for putative AtJAS homologs, a key regulator of meiosis II spindle orientation in Arabidopsis thaliana. The function of these candidate genes is consistent with the cytological phenotype of mis-oriented metaphase II plates observed in the parental clones. The alleles associated with elevated levels of unreduced pollen showed deleterious mutation events: an exonic transposon insert causing a premature stop, and an amino acid change within a highly conserved domain. Taken together, our findings shed light on the natural variation underlying unreduced pollen production in potato and will facilitate interploidy breeding by enabling marker-assisted selection for this trait. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reinvention of potato, from a tetraploid clonal crop into a diploid seed-based hybrid crop, requires insight in the mutational load, recombination landscape, and the genetic basis of fertility. Genomics-based breeding and QTL discovery rely on efficient genotyping strategies such as skim sequencing, to gather genotypic information. The application of skim sequencing to full-sib population of non-inbred parents remains challenging. Here, we report on an R implementation of the OutcrossSeq pipeline for diploids. We applied this pipeline to a large diploid skim sequenced potato population. We used the resulting bin-markers for the construction of high-density parent specific linkage maps, highlighting variation in parental recombination rate and structural variations. We subsequently explored transmission ratio distortion and non-independent assortment of alleles, indicative of large-effect deleterious mutations. Finally, we identified QTLs for seedling tuber yield in pots and pollen shed. This study showcases the range of genetic analyses, from marker inference, identification of transmission ratio distortion, and linkage map construction to QTL mapping, resulting in new insights that contribute to breeding diploid potato. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) are a useful tool to unravel the genetic architecture of complex traits, but the results can be difficult to interpret. Population structure, genetic heterogeneity, and rare alleles easily result in false positive or false negative associations. This paper describes the analysis of a GWAS panel combined with three bi-parental mapping populations to validate GWAS results, using phenotypic data for steroidal glycoalkaloid (SGA) accumulation and the ratio (SGR) between the two major glycoalkaloids α-solanine and α-chaconine in potato tubers. SGAs are secondary metabolites in the Solanaceae family, functional as a defence against various pests and pathogens and in high quantities toxic for humans. With GWAS, we identified five quantitative trait loci (QTL) of which Sga1.1, Sgr8.1, and Sga11.1 were validated, but not Sga3.1 and Sgr7.1. In the bi-parental populations, Sga5.1 and Sga7.1 were mapped, but these were not identified with GWAS. The QTLs Sga1.1, Sga7.1, Sgr7.1, and Sgr8.1 co-localize with genes GAME9, GAME 6/GAME 11, SGT1, and SGT2, respectively. For other genes involved in SGA synthesis, no QTLs were identified. The results of this study illustrate a number of pitfalls in GWAS of which population structure seems the most important. We also show that introgression breeding for disease resistance has introduced new haplotypes to the gene pool involved in higher SGA levels in certain pedigrees. Finally, we show that high SGA levels remain unpredictable in potato but that α-solanine/α-chaconine ratio has a predictable outcome with specific SGT1 and SGT2 haplotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The inclusion of herbal medicinal products and herbal supplements in pharmacovigilance systems is important because a systematic approach of collecting and analyzing adverse drug reactions related to these products will help practitioners, patients, and regulators to gain more knowledge and prevent harm. Objective: We aimed to categorize the adverse drug reaction reports on herbal medicinal products and herbal supplements submitted to the Pharmacovigilance Centre Lareb between 1991 and February 2021 on the basis of their regulatory status, herbs included, and adverse drug reactions involved. Methods: We categorized products on the basis of their registration status and herbal ingredients. The products were then categorized according to the Herbal Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System. We used descriptive statistics in Microsoft Excel 2019. Pivot tables were used for the analysis and presentation of the data. Results: Until February 2021, a total of 789 reports of herbal medicinal products and herbal supplements were received by Lareb. In these reports, a total of 823 herbal products were labeled as suspect. These products caused a total of 1727 adverse drug reactions. Of the 823 products, 229 were registered as a medicine, and 594 were on the market as a herbal supplement. Of the 823 herbal products, 522 reports concerned single-herb products, 256 reports concerned combination products, 27 reports concerned vitamin products containing herbal ingredients, and 18 reports concerned product issues. Approximately 15% of reports concerned serious adverse drug reactions, and adulterated products harbored a high risk of causing serious adverse drug reactions. Conclusions: Analysis of the herbal medicinal products and herbal supplements in the Dutch pharmacovigilance database revealed a variety of suspected herbal ingredients. The reports provide insight into the variety of herbal products used in the Netherlands and the adverse reactions associated with their use. Pharmacovigilance of herbal products is essential to ensure their safe use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We remind that the "ring down" features observed in the LIGO gravitational waves (GW) resulted from trembling of "photon spheres" ( R photon = 3 M , by using units G = c = 1 ) of newly formed compact objects and not from the trembling of their event horizons (EH) R = 2 M (Cardoso et al. 2016). Further, the tentative evidence for late time "echoes" in GWs might be signatures of horizonless compact objects rather than vacuum black holes (BHs) possessing EHs. In general, in the past, many authors have considered the possibility that the so-called BHs might be only BH mimickers (BHMs) having physical surfaces (R ≈ 2 M ). Similarly, even for an ideal BH, the radius of its shadow, which is R shadow = 3 R photon , is actually the gravitationally lensed shadow of its photon sphere. Accordingly, any compact object having R ≤ R photon = 3 M would generate similar shadow. Thus, no observation has ever detected any EH (any exact BH). Also, by definition, it is fundamentally impossible to directly detect any EH (Abramowicz et al. 2002). One notes that all astrophysical compact objects, except exact (chargeless) BHs, possess intrinsic magnetic moment that is dominated by the dipole component. Even rapidly spinning neutron stars (NS) are treated as spinning magnetic dipoles by ignoring the weak additional multipole moments. Hence, since an exact BH has no magnetic moment, a collapsing massive star must radiate away its multipole magnetic moments one by one and left with mostly the dipole moment immediately before becoming a BH (Ginzburg 1964). One also notes that the magnetic field embedded in the accreting plasma close to the compact object is expected to have a radial pattern of B ∼ r − 1 , while the stronger BHM dipole magnetic field should fall off as B ∼ r − 3 . Accordingly, it has been suggested that one may try to infer the true nature of the so-called astrophysical BHs by studying the radial pattern of the magnetic field in their vicinity (Lobanov 2017). But here we highlight that, close to the surface of BHMs, the magnetic field pattern differs significantly from the same for non-relativistic dipoles. In particular, we point out that, for ultra-compact BHMs, the polar field is weaker than the equatorial field by an extremely large factor of ∼ z s ln z s , where z s ≫ 1 is the surface gravitational redshift. We suggest that, by studying the radial variation as well as significant angular asymmetry of magnetic field structure near the compact object, future observations might differentiate a theoretical BH from a astrophysical BHM. This study also shows that even if some BHMs would be hypothesized to possess magnetic fields even stronger than that of magnetars. In certain cases, they may effectively behave as atoll type neutron stars possessing extremely low magnetic fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: Two novel major effect loci (Sen4 and Sen5) and several minor effect QTLs for potato wart disease resistance have been mapped. The importance of minor effect loci to bring full resistance to wart disease was investigated. Using the newly identified and known wart disease resistances, a panel of potato breeding germplasm and Solanum wild species was screened. This provided a state-of-the-art "hitch-hikers-guide" of complementary wart disease resistance sources. Potato wart disease, caused by the obligate biotrophic soil-born fungus Synchytrium endobioticum, is the most important quarantine disease of potato. Because of its huge impact on yield, the lack of chemical control and the formation of resting spores with long viability, breeding for resistant varieties combined with strict quarantine measures are the only way to efficiently and durably manage the disease. In this study, we set out to make an inventory of the different resistance sources. Using a Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) in the potato breeding genepool, we identified Sen4, associated with pathotypes 2, 6 and 18 resistance. Associated SNPs mapped to the south arm of chromosome 12 and were validated to be linked to resistance in one full-sib population. Also, a bulked segregant analysis combined with a Comparative Subsequence Sets Analysis (CoSSA) resulted in the identification of Sen5, associated with pathotypes 2, 6 and 18 resistance, on the south arm of chromosome 5. In addition to these two major effect loci, the GWAS and CoSSA allowed the identification of several quantitative trait loci necessary to bring full resistance to certain pathotypes. Panels of varieties and Solanum accessions were screened for the presence of Sen1, Sen2, Sen3, Sen4 and Sen5. Combined with pedigree analysis, we could trace back some of these genes to the ancestral resistance donors. This analysis revealed complementary resistance sources and allows elimination of redundancy in wart resistance breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-compatible (SC) diploid potatoes allow innovative potato breeding. Therefore, the Sli gene, originally described in S. chacoense, has received much attention. In elite S. tuberosum diploids, spontaneous berry set is occasionally observed. We aimed to map SC from S. tuberosum origin. Two full-sib mapping populations from non-inbred diploids were used. Bulks were composed based on both pollen tube growth and berry set upon selfing. After DNA sequencing of the parents and bulks, we generated k-mer tables. Set algebra and depth filtering were used to identify bulk-specific k-mers. Coupling and repulsion phase k-mers, transmitted from the SC parent, mapped in both populations to the distal end of chromosome 12. Intersection between the k-mers from both populations, in coupling phase with SC, exposed a shared haplotype of approximately 1.5 Mb. Subsequently, we screened read archives of potatoes and wild relatives for k-mers specific to this haplotype. The well-known SC clones US-W4 and RH89-039-16, but surprisingly, also S. chacoense clone M6 were positives. Hence, the S. tuberosum source of SC seems identical to Sli. Furthermore, the candidate region drastically reduced to 333 kb. Haplotype-specific KASP markers were designed and validated on a panel of diploid clones including another renown SC dihaploid G254. Interestingly, k-mers specific to the SC haplotype were common in tetraploid varieties. Pedigree information suggests that the SC haplotype was introduced into tetraploid varieties via the founder "Rough Purple Chili". We show that Sli is surprisingly widespread and indigenous to the cultivated gene pool of potato. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: A Genome-Wide Association Study using 330 commercial potato varieties identified haplotype specific SNP markers associated with pathotype 1(D1) wart disease resistance. Synchytrium endobioticum is a soilborne obligate biotrophic fungus responsible for wart disease. Growing resistant varieties is the most effective way to manage the disease. This paper addresses the challenge to apply molecular markers in potato breeding. Although markers linked to Sen1 were published before, the identification of haplotype-specific single-nucleotide polymorphisms may result in marker assays with high diagnostic value. To identify hs-SNP markers, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in a panel of 330 potato varieties representative of the commercial potato gene pool. SNP markers significantly associated with pathotype 1 resistance were identified on chromosome 11, at the position of the previously identified Sen1 locus. Haplotype specificity of the SNP markers was examined through the analysis of false positives and false negatives and validated in two independent full-sib populations. This paper illustrates why it is not always feasible to design markers without false positives and false negatives for marker-assisted selection. In the case of Sen1, founders could not be traced because of a lack of identity by descent and because of the decay of linkage disequilibrium between Sen1 and flanking SNP markers. Sen1 appeared to be the main source of pathotype 1 resistance in potato varieties, but it does not explain all the resistance observed. Recombination and introgression breeding may have introduced new, albeit rare haplotypes involved in pathotype 1 resistance. The GWAS approach, in such case, is instrumental to identify SNPs with the best possible diagnostic value for marker-assisted breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background A frequent problem in ageing patients, and thus in nursing home residents, is dysphagia, affecting the ability to swallow solid dosage forms. A promising and personalized drug delivery system for this patient group is the orodispersible film. Orodispersible films could be prepared extemporaneously in a (hospital) pharmacy setting or in specialty compounding community pharmacies using the solvent casting method. Little has been done to systematically investigate which medications should be chosen for orodispersible film formulation development. Objective In this study, the medication use of nursing home residents was examined to identify medications that are suitable for orodispersible film formulation development. Setting Nursing homes of three Northern provinces of Netherlands. Method Medication intake data from 427 nursing home residents from nine nursing homes from the three northern provinces of the Netherlands were used to identify candidates for orodispersible film formulation development. A stepwise approach, with exclusion steps, was used. Selection criteria included systemic use with a maximum amount of 100 mg per dose unit, no commercially available suitable dosage forms for administration in dysphagia, indication for diseases associated with dysphagia. Furthermore, the characteristics of the active pharmaceutical ingredient needed for the orodispersible film formulation development, such as water solubility and taste, were reviewed. Main outcome measure Active pharmaceutical ingredients suitable for orodispersible film formulation development. Results The nursing home residents used three hundred forty one different medications. Of those, 34 active pharmaceutical ingredients from six therapeutic groups were considered as candidates for orodispersible film formulation development. Most of these active pharmaceutical ingredients have a bitter taste and poor water solubility, which is a challenge for orodispersible film production. Conclusions The most suitable active pharmaceutical ingredient candidates for manufacturing of orodispersible films for the ageing patient population may be the combination of levodopa and carbidopa used to treat the symptoms of Parkinson's disease, and baclofen used to treat spasticity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We discuss the application of synthetic aperture particle image velocimetry for measuring the flow around human swimmers using small bubbles as tracer. We quantify the two-dimensional projection of the velocity field in planes perpendicular to the viewing direction of an array of six cameras. With help of simulations, modelled after the experiment, we address questions about depth selectivity and occlusion in dense bubble fields. Using vortex rings in the swimming pool, we provide a proof of principle of the method. It is further illustrated by the vorticity field produced by a human swimmer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One-dimensional models of exchange flows driven by horizontal density gradients are well known for performing poorly in situations with weak turbulent mixing. The main issue with these models is that the horizontal density gradient is usually imposed as a constant, leading to non-physically high stratification known as runaway stratification. Here, we propose two new parametrizations of the horizontal density gradient leading to one-dimensional models able to tackle strongly stratified exchange flows at high and low Schmidt number values. The models are extensively tested against results from laminar two-dimensional simulations and are shown to outperform the models using the classical constant parametrization for the horizontal density gradients. Four different flow regimes are found by exploring the parameter space defined by the gravitational Reynolds number Reg, the Schmidt number Sc, and the aspect ratio of the channel Γ. For small values of RegΓ, when diffusion dominates, all models perform well. However, as RegΓ increases, two clearly distinct regimes emerge depending on the Sc value, with an equally clear distinction of the performance of the one-dimensional models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this cohort study was to document the potential of laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) for diagnosing tooth vitality in traumatized teeth in a population of 88 referred patients with dental trauma over a period of 8 years (2011-2018). The main reason to refer was tooth discoloration (26%), and the main trauma cause was a traffic injury (35%). Taking into account that referral for LDF is best given within the week after trauma, 66% of referrals were overdue. In 73% of cases, root canal treatment could be avoided, and in 65%, the presence of a fixed orthodontic retainer showed beneficial for pulp recovery. Data of 394 teeth were collected and submitted to multilevel modelling statistics. As a general conclusion, both LDF perfusion and concentration values proved to be highly reliable in the appreciation of tooth vitality. The difference of variability of standard deviation and range of LDF measurements involving intra-subject control teeth showed statistically significant in discriminating between vital and non-vital pulps. In non-vital teeth, the diagnostic combination of LDF, sensibility tests and peri-apical X-ray is advised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Valorisation of tuber protein is relevant for the potato starch industry to create added-value and reduce impact on the environment. Hence, protein content has emerged as a key quality trait for innovative potato breeders. In this study, we estimated trait heritability, explored the relationship between protein content and tuber under-water weight (UWW), inferred haplotypes underlying quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and pinpointed candidate genes. We used a panel of varieties (N = 277) that was genotyped using the SolSTW 20 K Infinium single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) marker array. Protein content data were collected from multiple environments and years. Our genome-wide association study (GWAS) identified QTLs on chromosomes 3, 5, 7 and 12. Alleles of StCDF1 (maturity) were associated with QTLs found on chromosome 5. The QTLs on chromosomes 7 and 12 are presented here for the first time, whereas those on chromosomes 3 and 5 co-localized with loci reported in earlier studies. The candidate genes underlying the QTLs proposed here are relevant for functional studies. This study provides resources for genomics-enabled breeding for protein content in potato. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought sensitivity of potato leads to a reduction in total tuber yield and marketable yield. An investigation of drought effects on tuber yield attributes will facilitate our understanding of how to reduce such huge yield losses. We have evaluated tuber yield, tuber size distribution and marketable yield of a set of 103 European commercial potato cultivars under irrigated and non-irrigated conditions in the field. The multi-year results from two locations, Connantre, France (2013–2015) and Nieuw-Namen in Zeeland, The Netherlands (2013–2014), were analysed. We used Normal and Gamma Distribution models to describe the tuber size distribution of tuber fresh weight and tuber number, respectively. The interactions among parameters of tuber size distribution and total/marketable tuber yield traits were analysed using correlation matrices and biplots. Finally, we used a 14K Infinium SNP marker array to find associations between the parameters or traits and genetic loci on the potato genome. Late foliage maturity facilitated a wider spread of tuber size distribution in favour of larger-sized tubers. Drought effects on total yield were representative of their impact on marketable yield, however, absolute values of total tuber number may not be indicative of marketable number of tubers. We found significant marker-trait associations between a region on chromosome 3 and the spread of tuber number distribution, size class with maximum tuber number and marketable fractions of tuber number and tuber weight. These findings will contribute to improvement and selection for drought tolerance in potato. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We performed high-resolution numerical simulations of a turbulent flow driven by an oscillating uniform pressure gradient. The purpose was to investigate the influence of a reduced water depth h on the structure and dynamics of the turbulent boundary layer and the transition towards a fully turbulent flow. The study is motivated by applications of oscillatory flows, such as tides, in which h is of the same order of magnitude as the thickness of the turbulent boundary layer δ . It was found that, if h ∼ δ , the turbulent flow is characterized by (1) an increase of the magnitude of the surface velocity, (2) an increase in the magnitude of the wall shear stress and (3) a phase lead of the velocity profiles, all with respect to the reference case for which h ≫ δ . These results are in agreement with analytical solutions for a laminar oscillatory flow. Nevertheless, if the value of the Reynolds number is too small and h ∼ δ , the flow relaminarizes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Management of patients with persisting pain after spine surgery (PPSS) shows significant variability, and there is limited evidence from clinical studies to support treatment choice in daily practice. This study aimed to develop patient-specific recommendations on the management of PPSS.Methods: Using the RAND/UCLA appropriateness method (RUAM), an international panel of 6 neurosurgeons, 6 pain specialists, and 6 orthopaedic surgeons assessed the appropriateness of 4 treatment options (conservative, minimally invasive, neurostimulation, and re-operation) for 210 clinical scenarios. These scenarios were unique combinations of patient characteristics considered relevant to treatment choice. Appropriateness had to be expressed on a 9-point scale (1 = extremely inappropriate, 9 = extremely appropriate). A treatment was considered appropriate if the median score was ≥ 7 in the absence of disagreement (≥ 1/3 of ratings in each of the opposite sections 1-3 and 7-9).Results: Appropriateness outcomes showed clear and specific patterns. In 48% of the scenarios, exclusively one of the 4 treatments was appropriate. Conservative treatment was usually considered appropriate for patients without clear anatomic abnormalities and for those with new pain differing from the original symptoms. Neurostimulation was considered appropriate in the case of (predominant) neuropathic leg pain in the absence of conditions that may require surgical intervention. Re-operation could be considered for patients with recurrent disc, spinal/foraminal stenosis, or spinal instability.Conclusions: Using the RUAM, an international multidisciplinary panel established criteria for appropriate treatment choice in patients with PPSS. These may be helpful to educate physicians and to improve consistency and quality of care. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper a video-based method to automatically track instantaneous velocities of a swimmer is presented. Single cameras were used to follow a marker (LED) attached to the body. The method is inspired by particle tracking techniques, traditionally used in the field of fluid dynamics, to measure local velocities of a fluid flow. During the validation experiment, a white LED was attached to the hip of a swimmer together with a speedometer. A swimmer performed four different stroke types. The velocity profiles using LED tracking were captured and showed less noise than the speedometer measurements. Only at times when the marker disappeared above the water surface due to body role in front crawl and backstroke swimming did the LED tracking fail to capture the athlete's motion. The algorithm was tested in a 2D case with a single LED to illustrate the proof of principle, but should be suitable for implementation in a 3D analysis or multiple LED analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Factor analysis is widely used to evaluate whether questionnaire items can be grouped into clusters representing different dimensions of the construct under study. This review focuses on the appropriate use of factor analysis. The Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (SF-36) is used as an example. Articles were systematically searched and assessed according to a number of criteria for appropriate use and reporting. Twenty-eight studies were identified: exploratory factor analysis was performed in 22 studies, confirmatory factor analysis was performed in five studies and in one study both were performed. Substantial shortcomings were found in the reporting and justification of the methods applied. In 15 of the 23 studies in which exploratory factor analysis was performed, confirmatory factor analysis would have been more appropriate. Cross-validation was rarely performed. Presentation of the results and conclusions was often incomplete. Some of our results are specific for the SF-36, but the finding that both the application and the reporting of factor analysis leaves much room for improvement probably applies to other health status questionnaires as well. Optimal reporting and justification of methods is crucial for correct interpretation of the results and verification of the conclusions. Our list of criteria may be useful for journal editors, reviewers and researchers who have to assess publications in which factor analysis is applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Lateral epicondylitis is a common complaint, with an annual incidence between 1% and 3% in the general population. The Dutch College of General Practitioners in The Netherlands has issued guidelines that recommend a wait-and-see policy. However, these guidelines are not evidence based.Design and Setting: This paper presents the results of an economic evaluation in conjunction with a randomised controlled trial to evaluate the effects of three interventions in primary care for patients with lateral epicondylitis.Patients and Interventions: Patients with pain at the lateral side of the elbow were randomised to one of three interventions: a wait-and-see policy, corticosteroid injections or physiotherapy.Main Outcome Measures and Results: Clinical outcomes included general improvement, pain during the day, elbow disability and QOL. The economic evaluation was conducted from a societal perspective. Direct and indirect costs (in 1999 values) were measured by means of cost diaries over a period of 12 months. Differences in mean costs between groups were evaluated by applying non-parametric bootstrap techniques. The mean total costs per patient for corticosteroid injections were euro430, compared with euro631 for the wait-and-see policy and euro921 for physiotherapy. After 12 months, the success rate in the physiotherapy group (91%) was significantly higher than in the injection group (69%), but only slightly higher than in the wait-and-see group (83%). The differences in costs and effects showed no dominance for any of the three groups. The incremental cost-utility ratios were (approximately): euro7000 per utility gain for the wait-and-see policy versus corticosteroid injections; euro12000 per utility gain for physiotherapy versus corticosteroid injections, and euro34500 for physiotherapy versus the wait-and-see policy.Conclusions: The results of this economic evaluation provided no reason to update or amend the Dutch guidelines for GPs, which recommend a wait-and-see policy for patients with lateral epicondylitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this investigation was (1) to evaluate the reliability of laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) taking into consideration the use of a silicone splint and the inclination of the probe towards the buccal surface of a human tooth and (2) to determine whether diurnal variations of pulpal blood flow can be registered by means of LDF. Forty-one splints were made by one and the same principal investigator for the registration of pulpal blood flow in vivo in a maxillary right central incisor. Thirty dentists, without experience in LDF recording, were then asked to drill a right-angled shaft in a pre-manufactured splint with a referral point at 2 mm from the enamel-cement border central on the buccal surface of the right central upper incisor. The remaining 11 splints were handled by the principal investigator. The shafts in the 30 splints were analysed using Cone Beam CT imaging of the axial and sagittal angles and compared these to the 11 shafts prepared by the trained principal investigator. LDF was recorded for 90 s in each splint and statistically analysed. LDF values without the use of a splint were statistically significantly different (p < 0.05) and the variance was greater, indicating the superiority of splint use. Significant diurnal variations on LDF values were observed, indicating that special attention should be paid to registration during the day, especially when multiple measurements are to be compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oridonin has attracted considerable attention in the last decade because of its anti-cancer pharmacological properties. This ent-kaurane diterpenoid, isolated from the Chinese herb Rabdosia rubescens and some related species, has demonstrated great potential in the treatment profile of many diseases by exerting anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, pro-apoptotic, and neurological effects. Unfortunately, the mechanisms via which oridonin exerts these effects remain poorly understood. This review provides an overview of the multifunctional effects of oridonin as well as the reasons for its potential for investigations in the treatment of many diseases other than cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Total-column nitrogen dioxide (NO) data collected by a ground-based sun-tracking spectrometer system (Pandora) and an photolytic-converter-based in-situ instrument collocated at NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia were analyzed to study the relationship between total-column and surface NO measurements. The measurements span more than a year and cover all seasons. Surface mixing ratios are estimated via application of a planetary boundary-layer (PBL) height correction factor. This PBL correction factor effectively corrects for boundary-layer variability throughout the day, and accounts for up to ≈75 % of the variability between the NO data sets. Previous studies have made monthly and seasonal comparisons of column/surface data, which has shown generally good agreement over these long average times. In the current analysis comparisons of column densities averaged over 90 s and 1 h are made. Applicability of this technique to sulfur dioxide (SO) is briefly explored. The SO correlation is improved by excluding conditions where surface levels are considered background. The analysis is extended to data from the July 2011 DISCOVER-AQ mission over the greater Baltimore, MD area to examine the method's performance in more-polluted urban conditions where NO concentrations are typically much higher. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The manufacture of geometric engravings is generally interpreted as indicative of modern cognition and behaviour. Key questions in the debate on the origin of such behaviour are whether this innovation is restricted to Homo sapiens, and whether it has a uniquely African origin. Here we report on a fossil freshwater shell assemblage from the Hauptknochenschicht ('main bone layer') of Trinil (Java, Indonesia), the type locality of Homo erectus discovered by Eugène Dubois in 1891 (refs 2 and 3). In the Dubois collection (in the Naturalis museum, Leiden, The Netherlands) we found evidence for freshwater shellfish consumption by hominins, one unambiguous shell tool, and a shell with a geometric engraving. We dated sediment contained in the shells with 40Ar/39Ar and luminescence dating methods, obtaining a maximum age of 0.54 ± 0.10 million years and a minimum age of 0.43 ± 0.05 million years. This implies that the Trinil Hauptknochenschicht is younger than previously estimated. Together, our data indicate that the engraving was made by Homo erectus, and that it is considerably older than the oldest geometric engravings described so far. Although it is at present not possible to assess the function or meaning of the engraved shell, this discovery suggests that engraving abstract patterns was in the realm of Asian Homo erectus cognition and neuromotor control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Barrett's esophagus is probably a more common condition than previously recognized. Although the classic radiologic findings of Barrett's esophagus are present in only a small percentage of patients, this condition should be suspected whenever reflux esophagitis or peptic strictures are demonstrated on double-contrast esophagography. Recent literature also suggests that Barrett's carcinomas comprise up to 50% of all esophageal cancers. Because of the increased risk of developing adenocarcinoma in Barrett's esophagus, endoscopic surveillance has been advocated to detect dysplastic or carcinomatous changes at the earliest possible stage. When barium studies are performed on patients with known Barrett's esophagus, the radiographs should be carefully evaluated for signs of early adenocarcinoma, so these patients can be referred for appropriate management prior to the development of advanced, unresectable tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Research examining effects of ostomy use on sexual outcomes is limited. Patients with colorectal cancer were compared on sexual outcomes and body image based on ostomy status (never, past, and current ostomy). Differences in depression were also examined. Methods: Patients were prospectively recruited during clinic visits and by tumor registry mailings. Patients with colorectal cancer ( N = 141; 18 past ostomy; 25 current ostomy; and 98 no ostomy history) completed surveys assessing sexual outcomes (medical impact on sexual function, Female Sexual Function Index, International Index of Erectile Function), body image distress (Body Image Scale), and depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale-Short Form). Clinical information was obtained through patient validated self-report measures and medical records. Results: Most participants reported sexual function in the dysfunctional range using established cut-off scores. In analyses adjusting for demographic and medical covariates and depression, significant group differences were found for ostomy status on impact on sexual function ( p < .001), female sexual function ( p = .01), and body image ( p < .001). The current and past ostomy groups reported worse impact on sexual function than those who never had an ostomy ( p < .001); similar differences were found for female sexual function. The current ostomy group reported worse body image distress than those who never had an ostomy ( p < .001). No differences were found across the groups for depressive symptoms ( p = .33) or male sexual or erectile function ( p values ≥ .59). Conclusions: Colorectal cancer treatment puts patients at risk for sexual difficulties and some difficulties may be more pronounced for patients with ostomies as part of their treatment. Clinical information and support should be offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) originates from the Andes and evolved short-day-dependent tuber formation as a vegetative propagation strategy. Here we describe the identification of a central regulator underlying a major-effect quantitative trait locus for plant maturity and initiation of tuber development. We show that this gene belongs to the family of DOF (DNA-binding with one finger) transcription factors and regulates tuberization and plant life cycle length, by acting as a mediator between the circadian clock and the StSP6A mobile tuberization signal. We also show that natural allelic variants evade post-translational light regulation, allowing cultivation outside the geographical centre of origin of potato. Potato is a member of the Solanaceae family and is one of the world's most important food crops. This annual plant originates from the Andean regions of South America. Potato develops tubers from underground stems called stolons. Its equatorial origin makes potato essentially short-day dependent for tuberization and potato will not make tubers in the long-day conditions of spring and summer in the northern latitudes. When introduced in temperate zones, wild material will form tubers in the course of the autumnal shortening of day-length. Thus, one of the first selected traits in potato leading to a European potato type is likely to have been long-day acclimation for tuberization. Potato breeders can exploit the naturally occurring variation in tuberization onset and life cycle length, allowing varietal breeding for different latitudes, harvest times and markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is great uncertainty about how Ireland attained its current fauna and flora. Long-distance human-mediated colonization from southwestern Europe has been seen as a possible way that Ireland obtained many of its species; however, Britain has (surprisingly) been neglected as a source area for Ireland. The pygmy shrew has long been considered an illustrative model species, such that the uncertainty of the Irish colonization process has been dubbed 'the pygmy shrew syndrome'. Here, we used new genetic data consisting of 218 cytochrome (cyt) b sequences, 153 control region sequences, 17 Y-intron sequences and 335 microsatellite multilocus genotypes to distinguish between four possible hypotheses for the colonization of the British Isles, formulated in the context of previously published data. Cyt b sequences from western Europe were basal to those found in Ireland, but also to those found in the periphery of Britain and several offshore islands. Although the central cyt b haplotype in Ireland was found in northern Spain, we argue that it most likely occurred in Britain also, from where the pygmy shrew colonized Ireland as a human introduction during the Holocene. Y-intron and microsatellite data are consistent with this hypothesis, and the biological traits and distributional data of pygmy shrews argue against long-distance colonization from Spain. The compact starburst of the Irish cyt b expansion and the low genetic diversity across all markers strongly suggests a recent colonization. This detailed molecular study of the pygmy shrew provides a new perspective on an old colonization question. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene mutations have been implicated in familial and sporadic gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. APC mutations are associated with autosomal dominant inheritance of disease in humans. Similarly, mice that contain a single mutant APC gene encoding a protein truncated at residue 716 (ApcΔ716) develop multiple polyps throughout the GI tract as early as 4 weeks after birth. Inactivation of another tumor suppressor gene, Hypermethylated in Cancer 1 (HIC1), often occurs in human colon cancers, among others, via CpG island hypermethylation. Homozygous deletion of Hic1 in mice results in major developmental defects and embryonic lethality. Hic1 heterozygotes have previously been shown to develop tumors of a variety of tissue types. We now report that loss of a single Hic1 allele can promote crypt hyperplasia and neoplasia of the GI tract, and Hic1+/−, Apc+/Δ716 double heterozygotes (DH) develop increased numbers of polyps throughout the GI tract at 60 days. Hic1 expression is absent in polyps from DH mice, with concomitant increased expression of two transcriptional repression targets of Hic1, Sirt1 and Sox9. Together, our data suggest that loss of a gene frequently silenced via epigenetic mechanisms, Hic1, can cooperate with loss of a gene mutated in GI cancer, Apc, to promote tumorigenesis in an in vivo model of multiple intestinal neoplasia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]