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The crystal structure of a pentameric a7 ligand-binding domain chimaera with bound a-btx (a-bungarotoxin) showed that of the five conserved aromatic residues in a7, only Tyr184 in loop C of the ligand-binding site was required for high-affinity binding. To determine whether the contribution of Tyr184 depends on local residues, we generated mutations in an a7/5HT3A (5- hydroxytryptamine type 3A) receptor chimaera, individually and in pairs, and measured 125I-labelled a-btx binding. The results show that mutations of individual residues near Tyr184 do not affect a-btx affinity, but pairwise mutations decrease affinity in an energetically coupled manner. Kinetic measurements show that the affinity decreases arise through increases in the a- btx dissociation rate with little change in the association rate. Replacing loop C in a7 with loop C from the a-btx-insensitive a2 or a3 subunits abolishes high-affinity a-btx binding, but preserves acetylcholine-elicited single channel currents. However, in both the a2 and a3 construct, mutating either residue that flanks Tyr184 to its a7 counterpart restores high-affinity a-btx binding. Analogously, in a7, mutating both residues that flank Tyr184 to the a2 or a3 counterparts abolishes high-affinity a-btx binding. Thus interaction between Tyr184 and local residues contributes to high-affinity subtype-selective a-btx binding [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To identify high-affinity interactions between long-chain a- neurotoxins and nicotinic receptors, we determined the crystal structure of the complex between a-btx (a-bungarotoxin) and a pentameric ligand-binding domain constructed from the human a7 AChR (acetylcholine receptor) and AChBP (acetylcholinebinding protein). The complex buries ~2000 Ų (1 Å=0.1 nm) of surface area, within which Arg36 and Phe32 from finger II of a-btx form a p-cation stack that aligns edge-to-face with the conserved Tyr184 from loop-C of a7, while Asp30 of a-btx forms a hydrogen bond with the hydroxy group of Tyr184. These interresidue interactions diverge from those in a 4.2Åstructure of a-ctx (a-cobratoxin) bound to AChBP, but are similar to those in a 1.94 Å structure of a-btx bound to the monomeric a1 extracellular domain, although compared with the monomer-bound complex, the a-btx backbone exhibits a large shift relative to the protein surface. Mutational analyses show that replacing Tyr184 with a threonine residue abolishes high-affinity a-btx binding, whereas replacing with a phenylalanine residue maintains high affinity. Comparison of the a-btx complex with that coupled to the agonist epibatidine reveals structural rearrangements within the binding pocket and throughout each subunit. The overall findings highlight structural principles by which a-neurotoxins interact with nicotinic receptors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study demonstrates a novel method for electrical detection of C-reactive protein (CRP) as a means of identifying an infection in the body, or as a cardiovascular disease risk assay. The method uses a single free-standing, thermally controlled piezoresistive microcantilever biosensor. In a commonly used sensing arrangement of conventional dual cantilevers in the Wheatstone bridge circuit, reference and gold-coated sensing cantilevers that inherently have heterogeneous surface materials and different multilayer structures may yield independent responses to the liquid environmental changes of chemical substances, flow field and temperature, leading to unwanted signal disturbance for biosensing targets. In this study, the single free-standing microcantilever for biosensing applications is employed to resolve the dual-beam problem of individual responses in chemical solutions and, in a thermally controlled system, to maintain its sensor performance due to the sensitive temperature effect. With this type of single temperature-controlled microcantilever sensor, the electrical detection of various CRP concentrations from 1 µ g/mL to 200 µ g/mL was performed, which covers the clinically relevant range. Induced surface stresses were measured at between 0.25 N/m and 3.4 N/m with high reproducibility. Moreover, the binding affinity (KD) of CRP and anti-CRP interaction was found to be 18.83 ± 2.99 µ g/mL, which agreed with results in previous reported studies. This biosensing technique thus proves valuable in detecting inflammation, and in cardiovascular disease risk assays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although traditional medicine (TM) in South Korea is included in the national health care system, it is considered complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), and not mainstream medicine. Therefore, the lack of statistical data regarding the usage and adverse experiences of traditional Korean medicine (TKM) makes difficult to understand the current status of TM. In this study, we aimed to report usage patterns and adverse experiences on TKM targeting consumers in South Korea. Methods: A total of 2000 consumers participated in the survey on usage and adverse experiences in 2008. Among the 2,000 participants, 915 (45.8%) had taken herbal medicine or received traditional medicinal therapies; these individuals were further surveyed on the internet or in an interview. Results: The usage rate was higher among women and among patients in their 30s. Of the total TKM usage, acupuncture accounted for 36.7%, and herbal medicine accounted for 13.4%. Regarding the frequency of use of TKM, 73.8% of patients reported using TM less than 5 times in 1 year. Of the 915 respondents, 8.2% of individuals had some type of adverse experience resulting from TKM. Adverse experiences were primarily caused by acupuncture and herbal medicines, and they primarily involved diseases of the digestive system and skin. The incidence of adverse experiences was less than 3.7% for acupuncture and 3.8% for herbal medicine. Overall, the incidence rate of adverse experiences for TKM for the entire population was 0.04 per 10,000 individuals. Conclusions: The medical usage and occurrence of adverse events on TKM should be surveyed periodically, and the statistical trends should be analysed. The disparity between the survey results for traditional herbal medicines and medical practices, and those for the national pharmacovigilance system or academic reports of adverse experiences should be examined. The national pharmacovigilance system must be improved to compensate for the disparities. Policies and regulations are required to enhance the reporting of adverse experiences not only for herbal medicines but also for traditional medicinal therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study demonstrates a novel cell manipulation microdevice for cell docking, culturing, cell-cell contact and interaction by microfluidic manipulation of heterogeneous cell suspensions. Heterogeneous cell suspensions include disparate blood cells of natural killer cells and leukemia cancer cells for immune cell transplantation therapy. However, cell alloreactivity from different healthy donors present various recovery response levels. Little is still known about the interactions and cytotoxicity effects between donor cells and recipient cancer cells. The cell-based micro device first showed the capability of cell docking, movement, contact and cell-cell interaction with respect to cell cytotoxicity of NK cells against cancer cells. With various flow tests for live cell loading, flow rates of 10 &mgr;L/h were chosen for injection in the central and side flows such that both types of suspension cells could be gently docked at the gap structure in a reaction zone. The trapping number of particles and cells was linearly proportional to the gap length. Finally, the cytotoxicity of around 40% was found to be similar in the case of dilute cells and a large cell population. As a result, the cell manipulation microdevice has been validated for live suspensions of natural killer and cancer cells, and exhibited the capability to measure the cytotoxicity of dilute cell suspensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yukmijihwang-tang (YMJ; Liu wei di huang tang (China), Rokumigan (Japan)) has been used in the treatment of diseases including renal disorder, cognitive vitality, and diabetes mellitus. However, there is very little information regarding the toxicity of YMJ to give an assurance of safety for clinical treatment. To provide safety information for YMJ, we evaluated its acute and sub-chronic toxicity in rats. The single-dose toxicity of YMJ was examined using Sprague-Dawley rats. Rats were treated with YMJ extract orally at 0, 500, 1000, or 2000 mg/kg body weight. After a single administration, clinical signs were observed every day for two weeks, and body weights were measured five times, including an initial measurement on day 1 (the day of administration). In the sub-chronic oral toxicity study, YMJ was administered to rats at 0, 500, 1000, or 2000 mg/kg/day for 13 weeks. Mortalities, clinical signs, body weight changes, food and water consumption, ophthalmologic findings, urinalysis, hematological and biochemical parameters, gross findings, organ weights, and histological examination were monitored during the study period. We found no mortality and no abnormalities in clinical signs, body weights, and necropsy findings for any of the animals in the acute and subchronic studies following oral administration in the rat at up to 2000 mg/kg/day YMJ. YMJ may not have any single-dose toxicity; the LD50 of YMJ was over 2000 mg/kg, and it is safe for rats. The no-observed-adverse-effect-level (NOAEL) was considered to be 2000 mg/kg/day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A quick wireless label-free detection of disease- related C-reactive proteins (CRPs) using a 200-pm-long micro- electromechanical systems (MEMS) microcantilever housed in a 7 × 7 mm2 reaction chamber with a safe reusable feature is reported. The assay time ranges from about 30 mm to 3 h, depending on accuracy. The deflection of the microcantilever due to specific CRP-antiCRP binding is detected using a position-sensitive detector. The converted bio-signal is transmitted by a custom designed wireless amplitude-shift-keying (ASK) transceiver IC fabricated in a 0.18 pm CMOS process. CRP concentrations from 1 μg/mL to 500 μg/mL can be detected. A 0.2-Hz 1-V ac signal instead of traditional bases/acids is applied to the bio- MEMS sensor to unbind the CRP from the microcantilever for reusability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atomic force microscopy has been used to probe the surface nanostructures of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Single crown-like virion was directly visualized and quantitative measurements of the dimensions for the structural proteins were provided. A corona of large, distinctive spikes in the envelope was measured after treatment with hydroxyoctanoic acid. High-resolution images revealed that the surface of each single SARS-CoV was surrounded with at least 15 spherical spikes having a diameter of 7.29 ± 0.73 nm, which is in close agreement with that of S glycoproteins earlier predicted through the genomes of SARS-CoV. This study represents the first direct characterization of the surface ultrastructures of SARS-CoV particles at the nanometre scale and offers new prospects for mapping viral surface properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A smart structure technology for autonomous gain and phase tailoring was adapted to develop a new accelerometer that possesses both an excellent low-frequency response and a high operational bandwidth. The freedom associated with the uncoupling of the gain and phase tailoring to an accelerometer-based structure transfer function can be shown to vastly expand the performance area of traditional accelerometers. We used free-fall detection to demonstrate this newly found capability with its wide applicability to portable devices and which is perceived as extremely difficult to pursue for magnetic disk drives. A micromachined accelerometer was developed to demonstrate the expanded applicability of this innovative concept that integrates smart structure technology to accelerometer design. Both theoretical derivations and experimental verification of this new class of accelerometers are detailed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper reports on the design, fabrication, and performance of a novel MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical-system) fiber-optic switch based on surface-micromachined vertical torsion mirrors. The vertical torsion mirror itself can be used as a 1×2 or an ON-OFF switch. A 2×2 MEMS fiber-optic switch with four vertical torsion mirrors has also been fabricated. The switching voltage is measured to be 80 V for switching angles of 45°. We have achieved a switching time of less than 400 μs (fall time) and an optical insertion loss of 1.25 dB for single-mode fibers. In addition, a bulk-micromachined silicon submount has been developed to package the switch with microball lenses and multimode fibers with passive alignment. With the micromachined switch chip and the hybrid-packaging scheme, the size, weight, and potentially the cost of the fiber-optic switches can be dramatically reduced [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We have developed a rapid extraction method using low salt concentration buffer for the isolation of RNA from Arabidopsis tissues. The method was quick and efficient, and the small scale extraction process took no more than one hour, while yield and RNA quality were comparable with those previously reported. The low-molecular-weight (LMW) RNA isolated using this method was high quality, abundant in small RNA and free of high molecular weight RNA. This method can be used to extract low-molecular-weight RNA for the purpose of small RNA cloning and detection, and library construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, Random Forest Regression (RFR) and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) were employed to predict the optimized processing parameters to achieve the highest densification of a nickel-based superalloy Mar-M247LC fabricated by selective laser melting (SLM). The RFR model considered input processing parameters such as laser power, hatch distance, and scanning speed. A dataset of 223 samples, was used to train the RFR model. As a result, the RFR model exhibited accuracy of 99.57 %, R2 value of 0.976, Mean Square Error (MSE) of 0.402, and Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) of 0.426 % on testing set. In addition to the RFR model, this study also employed Central Composite Design (CCD) and RSM to optimize the processing parameter sets. Subsequently, this study conducted Box-Behnken Design (BBD) to experimentally validate the accuracy of this RFR model. In the end, a set of the optimal processing parameters was tested and resulted a sample densification of 99.959 %, outperformed that in the original database before building the RFR model, which was 99.734 %. In summary, the RFR models was able to predict densification with accuracy, and by coupling with RSM, the optimal processing parameter could be obtained, so better densification of the build could be achieved.

A letter to the editor is presented regarding the 51-year old man with arteriovenous malformations due to the failure of embryonic vascular plexus to differentiate and develop capillary bed.

A letter to the editor is presented regarding the resemblance of thyroid lesion with parathyroid adenoma using fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET).

Background: Retroperitoneal tumors are a rare but diverse group of neoplasms that arise from the retroperitoneum. Local recurrence after surgical resection greatly influenced survival. We aimed to analyze factors affecting outcome after surgery at our institution. Materials and methods: A database was reviewed retrospectively to identify patients who underwent surgery for retroperitoneal tumors from 2007 to 2012. Patient demographics, operative outcomes and tumor variables were recorded. Multivariable analysis was performed to evaluate predictors for overall survival. Results: A total of 41 cases were treated surgically. The median diameter of tumors was 13.7 cm (2.5 cm–39 cm). In 90% of the cases, macroscopic complete resection was achieved. Twenty-one percent of these cases required en bloc multi-organ resection. Fifty percent developed local recurrence and 15% had distant metastasis during 7-years of follow up. Local recurrence was significantly associated with overall survival and macroscopic incomplete resection was a significant predictor of local recurrence. Conclusion: Complete resection of retroperitoneal tumors with oncologically free margins should be the goal at surgery. Microscopic complete resection plays an important role in improving survival.

Postoperative ileus is among the most common complications after surgery. Aging is associated with an increased colonic transit time, and anesthetic disturbance to colonic motility is often aggravated in the elderly. Postoperative ileus increases morbidity, prolongs the length of hospital stay, and constitutes a significant economic burden on the healthcare system. Multimodal enhanced recovery protocols, or fast-track surgeries, have been developed to improve postoperative recovery. Patient education, avoidance of perioperative fluid overload, selective use of nasogastric decompression, early ambulation, adopting a minimally invasive approach, early initiation of clear fluids, and gum chewing are all possible measures to reduce postoperative ileus. Thoracic epidural anesthesia is a well-established technique to hasten recovery, whereas insufficient data are available to ascertain the safety and efficacy of opioid-sparing analgesia in the elderly. The evidence is clear that traditional prokinetic medications are not helpful in the treatment or prevention of postoperative ileus. Early results suggest that alvimopan is a promising agent to reverse opioid-induced ileus. Since postoperative ileus is a multifactorial condition, a concerted effort is therefore necessary to prevent or decrease the duration of postoperative ileus using multimodal strategies.

This study demonstrates a novel method for electrical detection of C-reactive protein (CRP) as a means of identifying an infection in the body, or as a cardiovascular disease risk assay. The method uses a single free-standing, thermally controlled piezoresistive microcantilever biosensor. In a commonly used sensing arrangement of conventional dual cantilevers in the Wheatstone bridge circuit, reference and gold-coated sensing cantilevers that inherently have heterogeneous surface materials and different multilayer structures may yield independent responses to the liquid environmental changes of chemical substances, flow field and temperature, leading to unwanted signal disturbance for biosensing targets. In this study, the single free-standing microcantilever for biosensing applications is employed to resolve the dual-beam problem of individual responses in chemical solutions and, in a thermally controlled system, to maintain its sensor performance due to the sensitive temperature effect. With this type of single temperature-controlled microcantilever sensor, the electrical detection of various CRP concentrations from 1 µg/mL to 200 µg/mL was performed, which covers the clinically relevant range. Induced surface stresses were measured at between 0.25 N/m and 3.4 N/m with high reproducibility. Moreover, the binding affinity (KD) of CRP and anti-CRP interaction was found to be 18.83 ± 2.99 µg/mL, which agreed with results in previous reported studies. This biosensing technique thus proves valuable in detecting inflammation, and in cardiovascular disease risk assays.

This study demonstrates a novel cell manipulation microdevice for cell docking, culturing, cell-cell contact and interaction by microfluidic manipulation of heterogeneous cell suspensions. Heterogeneous cell suspensions include disparate blood cells of natural killer cells and leukemia cancer cells for immune cell transplantation therapy. However, NK cell alloreactivity from different healthy donors present various recovery response levels. Little is still known about the interactions and cytotoxicity effects between donor NK cells and recipient cancer cells. The cell-based micro device first showed the capability of cell docking, movement, contact and cell-cell interaction with respect to cell cytotoxicity of NK cells against cancer cells. With various flow tests for live cell loading, flow rates of 10 μL/h were chosen for injection in the central and side flows such that both types of suspension cells could be gently docked at the gap structure in a reaction zone. The trapping number of particles and cells was linearly proportional to the gap length. Finally, the cytotoxicity of around 40% was found to be similar in the case of dilute cells and a large cell population. As a result, the cell manipulation microdevice has been validated for live suspensions of natural killer and cancer cells, and exhibited the capability to measure the cytotoxicity of dilute cell suspensions.

Objective: This study investigated the association between job burnout and quality of life (QoL) after acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in a Chinese sample., Methods: This was a one-year longitudinal study. Participants included patients with a first episode of ACS who were still employed. The Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) assessed job burnout before discharge, and QoL was assessed using the Medical Outcome Study 8-Items Short Form Health Survey (SF-8) and the Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) before discharge (baseline), at one month, six months and 12 months after discharge. Generalized estimating equations determined the association between job burnout and longitudinal changes of QoL., Results: All participants were assigned to either a "low job burnout" group (n = 70) or a "high job burnout" group (n = 50), based on the upper quartile of job burnout scores. Longitudinally over 1-year follow-up period, the scores of the SF-8 and SAQ among patients with a high level of burnout were lower than those in the low job burnout group. Job burnout was significantly associated with lower physical and mental health (SF-8), as well as greater physical limitation and lower treatment satisfaction (SAQ) over time., Conclusion: Job burnout at baseline predicted slow improvement of QoL after ACS in a Chinese working sample., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared.

Purpose: To assess the incidence, risk factors, and impact on visual outcomes of an opaque bubble layer (OBL) produced by an Intralase femtosecond laser (60 kHz) during laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK)., Setting: Laser Vision Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, Taiwan., Design: Case series., Methods: Patients had femtosecond laser-assisted LASIK surgery. The surgical procedures were videotaped, and the patterns and sizes of the OBLs noted during the operations were analyzed. Preoperative and postoperative data included patient demographics, visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, refractive status, keratometry, and intraoperative data (eg, flap size, flap thickness, and docking times)., Results: The study analyzed 23 patients (40 eyes). Twenty-one eyes (52.5%) developed an OBL, 40.0% with a hard pattern and 12.5% with a soft pattern. The hard OBLs covered a mean area of 28.6% ± 10.1% (SD) and the soft OBLs, of 7.4% ± 5.6% (P = .002). The preoperative central cornea was significantly thicker in eyes that developed an OBL (P = .045). The visual outcomes 1 month postoperatively were comparable between the 2 groups except that eyes with an OBL had slightly decreased contrast sensitivity under scotopic conditions., Conclusions: Thicker corneas tended to develop an OBL during femtosecond laser-assisted LASIK surgery. An OBL did not affect postoperative visual acuity except for a mild decrease in scotopic contrast sensitivity., (Copyright © 2014 ASCRS and ESCRS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In the polymeric title compound, [Co(2)(C(3)H(7)NO)(3)(C(8)H(3)NO(6))(2)]·C(3)H(7)NO, one 5-nitro-isophthalate dianion has its two carboxyl-ate groups chelating to one Co(II) atom while simultaneously coordinating to another metal atom in a μ(4)-bridging mode. The other 5-nitro-isophthalte dianion has one carboxyl-ate group chelating to a metal atom whereas the other bridges two metal atoms in a μ(3)-bridging mode. Both metal atoms show an octa-hedral coordination. The polymer adopts a layer motif, with the lattice dimethyl-formamide mol-ecules occupying the space between adjacent layers.