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Background:Autoregulatory dysfunction is an important contributor to brain injury in premature infants, particularly intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH). The autoregulatory system acts as a filter that dampens the systemic blood flow to follow a normal cerebral perfusion profile.Methods:Simultaneous arterial blood pressure and cerebral near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) data were collected from infants born before 28?wk estimated gestational age. The resulting data were preprocessed and then divided into nonoverlapping 20-min epochs. The transfer function estimate was calculated to determine dampening ability.Results:Sixty-two infants were prospectively recruited with a mean estimated gestational age of 25.4?±?1.3?wk and birth weight of 832?±?199?g. 67% were male, 24/62 had IVH, 17/62 received dopamine, 47/62 had antenatal steroid exposure, and 22/62 received fentanyl.Advancing estimated gestational age and birth weight z-score predicted stronger dampening while African-American race and IVH of any grade predicted weaker dampening.Conclusion:This preliminary report suggests an impairment in dampening ability associated with immaturity, decreased birth weight z-score, and African-American race. Decreased dampening is also associated with IVH, although these results cannot distinguish between decreased dampening as an antecedent or sequela of IVH. These observations should be studied in a larger sample.

This study has found that dyeability of CDPET fibre increases in presence of polar solvent and above certain level of concentration (1-2%). It has also found that dyes of low molecular weight give higher exhaustion percentage compared with dyes of higher molecular weight. Besides fastness properties of dyed samples in the presence of solvent are good to excellent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An outbreak of fungal infections has been identified in patients who received epidural injections of methylprednisolone acetate that was contaminated with environmental molds. In this report, we present the mycological and histopathological findings in an index case of Exserohilum meningitis and vasculitis in an immunocompetent patient, who received a cervical spine epidural steroid injection for chronic neck pain 1 week before the onset of fulminant meningitis with subsequent multiple brain and spinal cord infarcts. The fungus was recovered from two separate cerebrospinal fluid specimens collected before initiation of antifungal therapy and at autopsy on standard bacterial and fungal culture media. The mold was identified phenotypically as Exserohilum species. DNA sequencing targeting the internal transcribed spacer region and D1/D2 region of 28S ribosomal DNA enabled further speciation as E. rostratum. Gross examination at autopsy revealed moderate brain edema with bilateral uncal herniation and a ventriculostomy tract to the third ventricle. The brainstem, cerebellum, and right orbitofrontal cortex were soft and friable, along with hemorrhages in the cerebellar vermis and thalamus. Microscopic examination demonstrated numerous fungi with septate hyphae invading blood vessel walls and inducing acute necrotizing inflammation. The leptomeninges were diffusely infiltrated by mixed inflammatory cells along with scattered foci of fungal elements. This is the first report of iatrogenic E. rostratum meningitis in humans. This report describes the microbiological procedures and histopathological features for the identification of E. rostratum (a pigmented vascularly invasive fungi), the cause of a current nationwide outbreak of fatal fungal meningitis.

An outbreak of fungal infections has been identified in patients who received epidural injections of methylprednisolone acetate that was contaminated with environmental molds. In this report, we present the mycological and histopathological findings in an index case of Exserohilummeningitis and vasculitis in an immunocompetent patient, who received a cervical spine epidural steroid injection for chronic neck pain 1 week before the onset of fulminant meningitis with subsequent multiple brain and spinal cord infarcts. The fungus was recovered from two separate cerebrospinal fluid specimens collected before initiation of antifungal therapy and at autopsy on standard bacterial and fungal culture media. The mold was identified phenotypically as Exserohilumspecies. DNA sequencing targeting the internal transcribed spacer region and D1/D2 region of 28S ribosomal DNA enabled further speciation as E. rostratum. Gross examination at autopsy revealed moderate brain edema with bilateral uncal herniation and a ventriculostomy tract to the third ventricle. The brainstem, cerebellum, and right orbitofrontal cortex were soft and friable, along with hemorrhages in the cerebellar vermis and thalamus. Microscopic examination demonstrated numerous fungi with septate hyphae invading blood vessel walls and inducing acute necrotizing inflammation. The leptomeninges were diffusely infiltrated by mixed inflammatory cells along with scattered foci of fungal elements. This is the first report of iatrogenic E. rostratummeningitis in humans. This report describes the microbiological procedures and histopathological features for the identification of E. rostratum(a pigmented vascularly invasive fungi), the cause of a current nationwide outbreak of fatal fungal meningitis.

In this paper, development of single crystalline n- and p- type PbTe crystals and PbTe bulk nanocomposites using PbTe nano powders and emerging field assisted sintering technology (FAST) are discussed. Materials requirements for efficient thermoelectric power generation using waste heat at intermediate temperature range (6500 to 8500 K) will be discussed. Recent results on production of n- and p- type PbTe crystals and their thermoelectric characterization will be presented. Relative characteristics and performance of PbTe bulk single crystals and nano composites for thermoelectric power generation will be discussed.

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) has shown great promise for applications in chemical, biological, and explosives (CBE) sensing and has significant potential for real time standoff detection and analysis. We have studied LIBS emissions in the mid-infrared (MIR) spectral region for potential applications in CBE sensing. Detailed MIR-LIBS studies were performed for several energetic materials for the first time. In this study, the IR signature spectral region between 4 - 12 um was mined for the appearance of MIR-LIBS emissions that are directly indicative of oxygenated breakdown products as well as partially dissociated and recombination molecular species.

Current treatments for autoantibody-mediated diseases (i.e., systemic lupus erythematosus) and alloantibodies (in transplant) are minimally effective. Although they deplete naïve B cells, plasmablasts, and transiently reduce antibody concentrations, they are minimally effective against long-lived, antibody-producing plasma cells. In transplantation, plasma cells produce antibodies directed against human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antigens causing poor allograft survival. We report the first clinical experience with a plasma cell depleting therapy, bortezomib, to abrogate anti-HLA antibodies in transplantation (outside of rejection) in an attempt to improve long-term allograft survival.

Patent ductus arteriosus (DA) is the second most common congenital heart defect, the incidence of which is increased in premature infants, although mechanisms responsible are not clear. Our previous studies with genetic or pharmacological inactivation of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in mice, emphasized the importance of this enzyme in normal DA closure. The current study was designed to determine whether reduced COX-2 expression contributes to patent DA in preterm mice. Real-time PCR analysis indicated that COX-2 expression in the fetal mouse DA significantly increased with advancing gestational age. Furthermore, we observed a significant induction in COX-2 expression in the DA at 3 h after birth at full-term gestation. In contrast, COX-2 expression was significantly attenuated in the DA of preterm neonatal mice. DA closure was incomplete in preterm mice at 3 h postpartum, a time-point when the DA of full-term neonates was completely remodeled. Additionally, COX-2 expression was significantly attenuated in the DA of mice deficient in the prostanoid receptor EP4, which also show a patent DA phenotype, suggesting the importance of this receptor for the induction of COX-2 required for DA closure. Overall, these studies suggest that attenuated expression of COX-2 may contribute to increased patent DA at preterm gestation.

We designed a prospective, randomized clinical trial to evaluate the immune response to thymic and peripheral infusions of donor haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) to create tolerance in recipients of cadaver renal allografts.

The melanocortin receptors are involved in many physiological functions, including pigmentation, sexual function, feeding behavior, and energy homeostasis, making them potential targets for drugs to treat obesity, sexual dysfunction, etc. Understanding the conformational basis of the receptor–ligand interactions is crucial to the design of potent and selective ligands for these receptors. The solution structures of the cyclic melanocortin agonists, partial agonist, and antagonists MTII, VJH085, SHU9119, MK5, and MK9 were determined by two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (2D NMR) spectroscopy at pH 4.5 and 25 °C in water (90% H2O/10% D2O). The overall backbone structures of these cyclic α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) analogues around the message sequence (His⁶-D-Phe⁷/D-Nal(2')⁷-Arg⁸-Trp⁹) were similar and reasonably well defined. β-Turns spanning His⁶ and D-Phe⁷/D-Nal(2')⁷ were identified in all analogues, and an amphiphilic molecular surface was obtained for the message sequence residues in most structures within the NMR ensembles. The β-turn, which most closely resembles a type II β-turn, leads to stacking between the aromatic rings of His⁶ and D-Phe⁷ in MTII and VJH085. However, no aromatic stacking between His⁶ and D-Nal(2')⁷ was found in structures of the D-Nal(2')⁷-containing analogues. The difference in the side-chain dispositions of His⁶ and D-Nal(2')⁷ may be responsible for the reduced potency or antagonist activity of the D-Nal(2')⁷-containing analogues. In addition, our results suggest that the side-chain orientations may also modulate the receptor selectivity. The information found in this study will be useful for the further design of ligands for melanocortin receptors. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci), 2003

The melanocortin receptors are involved in many physiological functions, including pigmentation, sexual function, feeding behavior, and energy homeostasis, making them potential targets for drugs to treat obesity, sexual dysfunction, etc. Understanding the conformational basis of the receptor–ligand interactions is crucial to the design of potent and selective ligands for these receptors. The solution structures of the cyclic melanocortin agonists, partial agonist, and antagonists MTII, VJH085, SHU9119, MK5, and MK9 were determined by two‐dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (2D NMR) spectroscopy at pH 4.5 and 25 °C in water (90% H2O/10% D2O). The overall backbone structures of these cyclic α‐melanocyte‐stimulating hormone (α‐MSH) analogues around the message sequence (His6‐D‐Phe7/D‐Nal(2′)7‐Arg8‐Trp9) were similar and reasonably well defined. β‐Turns spanning His6and D‐Phe7/D‐Nal(2′)7were identified in all analogues, and an amphiphilic molecular surface was obtained for the message sequence residues in most structures within the NMR ensembles. The β‐turn, which most closely resembles a type II β‐turn, leads to stacking between the aromatic rings of His6and D‐Phe7in MTII and VJH085. However, no aromatic stacking between His6and D‐Nal(2′)7was found in structures of the D‐Nal(2′)7‐containing analogues. The difference in the side‐chain dispositions of His6and D‐Nal(2′)7may be responsible for the reduced potency or antagonist activity of the D‐Nal(2′)7‐containing analogues. In addition, our results suggest that the side‐chain orientations may also modulate the receptor selectivity. The information found in this study will be useful for the further design of ligands for melanocortin receptors. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci), 2003

Mechanical circulatory support (MCS) is increasingly used after cardiotomy in children when conventional medical treatment fails. Poor overall survival and long-term outcome have been reported. We report our experience of post-cardiotomy MCS using a conventional bypass circuit.

The optimal management of tetralogy of Fallot is still under debate, particularly with respect to surgical approach and the age of operation. In recent times a transatrial-transpulmonary approach and primary repair in younger patients is favoured. The purpose of the present study was to analyze the result of our current surgical management by assessing the perioperative and intermediate term follow up in order to define the optimal strategy and timing of operation for our institution.