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OBJECTIVE: To estimate the medical and compensation costs of work-related injuries in insured workplaces in Lebanon and to examine cost distributions by worker and injury characteristics. METHODS: A total of 3748 claims for work injuries processed in 1998 by five major insurance companies in Lebanon were reviewed. Medical costs (related to emergency room fees, physician consultations, tests, and medications) and wage and indemnity compensation costs were identified from the claims. FINDINGS: The median cost per injury was US dollars 83 (mean, US dollars 198; range, US dollars 0-16,401). The overall cost for all 3748 injuries was US dollars 742,100 (76% of this was medical costs). Extrapolated to all injuries within insured workplaces, the overall cost was US dollars 4.5 million a year; this increased to US dollars 10 million-13 million when human value cost (pain and suffering) was accounted for. Fatal injuries (three, 0.1%) and those that caused permanent disabilities (nine, 0.2%) accounted for 10.4% of the overall costs and hospitalized injuries (245, 6.5%) for 45%. Cost per injury was highest among older workers and for injuries that involved falls and vehicle incidents. Medical, but not compensation, costs were higher among female workers. CONCLUSION: The computed costs of work injuries--a fraction of the real burden of occupational injuries in Lebanon--represent a considerable economic loss. This calls for a national policy to prevent work injuries, with a focus on preventing the most serious injuries. Options for intervention and research are discussed. Copyright © 2003 World Health Organization [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Inflammatory bowel diseases are associated with increased adiponectin (APN) levels, which may exert pro-inflammatory effects in these individuals. Since habitual exercise may increase APN, the aim of this study was to determine how exercise training affects mice with acute colitis. Methods Male adiponectin knock out (APNKO) and wild type (WT) mice (C57BL/6) were randomly assigned to 4 different groups: 1) Sedentary (SED); 2) Exercise trained (ET); 3) Sedentary with dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) treatment (SED + DSS); and 4) Exercise trained with DSS (ET + DSS). Exercise-trained mice ran at 18 m/min for 60 min, 5d/wk for 4 weeks. Subsequently, the ET + DSS and the SED + DSS mice received 2% DSS in their drinking water for 5 days (d), followed by 5d of regular water. Results The clinical symptoms of acute colitis (diarrhea, stool haemoccult, and weight loss) were unaffected by exercise and there was no difference between the APNKO and WT mice (p > 0.05) except on day 39. However, the clinical symptoms of the DSS-treated APNKO mice were worse than WT mice treated with DSS and had increased susceptibility to intestinal inflammation due to increased local STAT3 activation, higher IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-10 levels, and as a result had increased intestinal epithelial cell proliferation (p Conclusions Exercise training may contribute in alleviating the symptoms of acute colitis and APN deficiency may exacerbate the intestinal inflammation in DSS-induced colitis.

We propose a simple model to analyze the HCO3- and H+ concentrations in the red blood cell through the blood capillary. Under normal physiological conditions and without taken into account the electrodiffusion of ions HCO3- and Cl- across the cell membrane, we introduce the necessary approximations to obtain a two differential system equations. The addition of electrodiffusion, gives a four differential equations system with a richer dynamics that corroborates the general behavior of the two equations model. The obtained results are compared with previous ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hereby we introduce a cellular automaton able to simulate miniature endplate potentials (MEPP) in the neuromuscular synapses. This automaton includes the diffusion of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) on the postsynaptic terminal, the neurotransmitter binding time to nicotinic receptors (NAChRs) and its hidrolization due to acetylcholinesterase (AChE). By using experimental reported data our model reproduces the time duration, shape and intensities of membrane currents and miniature endplate potentials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chicken fillets, predominantly encased in disposable plastic packaging, represent a common perishable commodity frequently found in the shopping baskets of British consumers, with an annual slaughter exceeding 1.1 billion chickens. The associated environmental implications are of considerable significance. However, a noticeable gap exists concerning the household-level ramifications of chicken meat consumption, which remains a prominent driver (165 kg CO 2e yr -1 per capita) of environmental impacts in the United Kingdom (UK). This study's primary objective is to integrate Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology with insights derived from a spectrum of interventions simulated within the Household Simulation Model (HHSM). The interventions that are simulated are influenced by various consumer behaviours related to the purchase, consumption, storage and disposal of chicken fillets. The overarching aim is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the environmental consequences associated with each intervention. The research encompasses eight distinct household archetypes and the UK average, with a focus on discerning differences in their environmental influence. The introduction of shelf-life extension measures leads to a reduction in the overall environmental impacts (in μPt), with reductions ranging from 1 % to 18 %. Concurrently, waste treatment's environmental burdens can be curtailed by 9 % to 69 % for the UK average. Of the 12 interventions tested, the intervention that combines a one-day extension in the shelf life of open packs and a three-day extension for unopened packs leads to the greatest reduction in environmental impacts, at 18 % for the entire process and 69 % for the waste treatment. This intervention is estimated to yield annual reductions of 130,722 t of CO2 emissions across the entire process and 34,720 t of CO2 emissions from waste treatment, as compared to the default scenario. These findings demonstrate the importance of integrating consumer behaviour, food waste, and packaging considerations within the domain of food LCA research., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The insular cortex, or insula, is a large brain region involved in the detection of thirst and the regulation of water intake. However, our understanding of the topographical, circuit, and molecular mechanisms for controlling water intake within the insula remains parcellated. We found that type-1 cannabinoid (CB 1 ) receptors in the insular cortex cells participate in the regulation of water intake and deconstructed the circuit mechanisms of this control. Topographically, we revealed that the activity of excitatory neurons in both the anterior insula (aIC) and posterior insula (pIC) increases in response to water intake, yet only the specific removal of CB 1 receptors in the pIC decreases water intake. Interestingly, we found that CB 1 receptors are highly expressed in insula projections to the basolateral amygdala (BLA), while undetectable in the neighboring central part of the amygdala. Thus, we recorded the neurons of the aIC or pIC targeting the BLA (aIC-BLA and pIC-BLA) and found that they decreased their activity upon water drinking. Additionally, chemogenetic activation of pIC-BLA projection neurons decreased water intake. Finally, we uncovered CB 1 -dependent short-term synaptic plasticity (depolarization-induced suppression of excitation [DSE]) selectively in pIC-BLA, compared with aIC-BLA synapses. Altogether, our results support a model where CB 1 receptor signaling promotes water intake by inhibiting the pIC-BLA pathway, thereby contributing to the fine top-down control of thirst responses., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Mesoporous γ-alumina is used as an adsorbent in the decontamination of water from heavy metals (e.g., nickel and cobalt) and as a support for heterogeneous catalysts prepared by impregnation. In these cases, alumina extrudates are in contact with aqueous solutions containing precursors of the active metal phase to be deposited. The proton concentration (or pH) in the metal solution in contact with alumina can impact the adsorption efficiency of decontamination processes and the activities of catalysts. Yet, it is difficult to quantify the effect of the pH inside the pores since protons are not detected by classical imaging techniques. In this article, the effect of protons on nickel adsorption on alumina is evaluated using a novel technique coupling liquid analysis (pH, conductivity, and UV/vis) and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (or LIBS) analysis of concentration gradients inside the solid. Both methods are in excellent agreement. The results show a slow diffusion of protons inside alumina pores (diffusion continues even after 940 min), yielding high proton concentration gradients. On the other hand, the nickel species penetrate the extrudates faster but are slowly displaced by protons under certain operating conditions. As a result, different metal concentration profiles are obtained, depending on the initial pH and contact time. These findings are interesting in catalysis since they prove the possibility of controlling the deposition of the active metal on catalysts by regulating the operating conditions of impregnation. For typical industrial impregnation times (a few minutes to 1 to 2 h), protons do not have enough time to deeply penetrate inside extrudates, so the initial pH of the metal solution will have nearly no effect on the metal distribution. Conversely, decontamination processes have much longer contact times; therefore, lower initial pH values should have negative impacts on the adsorption efficiency due to the protons displacing the adsorbed nickel.

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to compare the effects of total cold-water immersion to ice massage on muscle damage, performance, and delayed onset of muscle soreness., Methods: Sixty participants were randomized into two groups where they completed a muscle damage protocol. Afterward, muscle damage, muscle performance, and delayed onset muscle soreness were respectively measured by serum Creatine Kinase (CK) test, one-repetition maximum (1-RM) test, countermovement jump (CMJ) test, and visual analog scale (VAS). The measurements were taken at five different timelines (Baseline, 2 H, 24 H, 48 H, and 72 H)., Results: Data showed that values of all within-group measures of the dependent variables had extremely significant statistical differences (p < 0.001) for both intervention groups. Serum CK values peaked at 24 H for both groups. At 72 H, serum CK values dropped to baseline values in the total cold-water immersion group, while remaining high in the ice massage group. At 72 H, the values of the 1-RM test, CMJ test, and VAS approximated baseline values only in the total cold-water immersion group (p < 0.001)., Conclusions: Total cold-water immersion (TCWI) was more effective when compared to ice massage (IM) on improving values of recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD). Hence, this modality may be considered during athletic recovery to maximize athletic performance., Clinical Trial Registration: This trial was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov under the trial registration number ( NCT04183816 )., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Aryl halides are a fundamental motif in synthetic chemistry, playing a critical role in metal-mediated cross-coupling reactions and serving as important scaffolds in drug discovery. Although thermal decarboxylative functionalization of aryl carboxylic acids has been extensively explored, the scope of existing halodecarboxylation methods remains limited, and there currently exists no unified strategy that provides access to any type of aryl halide from an aryl carboxylic acid precursor. Herein, we report a general catalytic method for direct decarboxylative halogenation of (hetero)aryl carboxylic acids via ligand-to-metal charge transfer. This strategy accommodates an exceptionally broad scope of substrates. We leverage an aryl radical intermediate toward divergent functionalization pathways: (1) atom transfer to access bromo- or iodo(hetero)arenes or (2) radical capture by copper and subsequent reductive elimination to generate chloro- or fluoro(hetero)arenes. The proposed ligand-to-metal charge transfer mechanism is supported through an array of spectroscopic studies.

Showcasing the concept of light-induced homolysis for the generation of radicals, the Cu II -photocatalyzed decarboxylative oxygenation of carboxylic acids with molecular oxygen as the terminal oxidant is described. Two Cu II -carboxylate complexes with different coordination geometries were synthesized and characterized by X-ray analysis, correlating their structure with their ability to initiate light-induced decarboxylations.

Searching for a connection between the two-electron redox behavior of Group-14 elements and their possible use as platforms for the photoreductive elimination of chlorine, we have studied the photochemistry of [(o-(Ph 2 P)C 6 H 4 ) 2 Ge IV Cl 2 ]Pt II Cl 2 and [(o-(Ph 2 P)C 6 H 4 ) 2 ClGe III ]Pt III Cl 3 , two newly isolated isomeric complexes. These studies show that, in the presence of a chlorine trap, both isomers convert cleanly into the platinum germyl complex [(o-(Ph 2 P)C 6 H 4 ) 2 ClGe III ]Pt I Cl with quantum yields of 1.7 % and 3.2 % for the Ge IV -Pt II and Ge III -Pt III isomers, respectively. Conversion of the Ge IV -Pt II isomer into the platinum germyl complex is a rare example of a light-induced transition-metal/main-group-element bond-forming process. Finally, transient-absorption-spectroscopy studies carried out on the Ge III -Pt III isomer point to a ligand arene-Cl . charge-transfer complex as an intermediate., (© 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Cancer is initiated by somatic mutations in oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes. However, additional alterations provide selective advantages to the tumor cells to resist treatment and develop metastases. Their identification is of paramount importance. Reduced expression of EFA6B (Exchange Factor for ARF6, B) is associated with breast cancer of poor prognosis. Here, we report that loss of EFA6B triggers a transcriptional reprogramming of the cell-to-ECM interaction machinery and unleashes CDC42-dependent collective invasion in collagen. In xenograft experiments, MCF10 DCIS.com cells, a DCIS-to-IDC transition model, invades faster when knocked-out for EFA6B. In addition, invasive and metastatic tumors isolated from patients have lower expression of EFA6B and display gene ontology signatures identical to those of EFA6B knock-out cells. Thus, we reveal an EFA6B-regulated molecular mechanism that controls the invasive potential of mammary cells; this finding opens up avenues for the treatment of invasive breast cancer.

Breast cancer is a major disease for women worldwide, where mortality is associated with tumour cell dissemination to distant organs. While the number of efficient anticancer therapies increased in the past 20 years, treatments targeting the invasive properties of metastatic tumour cells are still awaited. Various studies analysing invasive breast cancer cell lines have demonstrated that Arf6 is an important player of the migratory and invasive processes. These observations make Arf6 and its regulators potential therapeutic targets. As of today, no drug effective against Arf6 has been identified, with one explanation being that the activation of Arf6 is dependent on the presence of lipid membranes that are rarely included in drug screening. To overcome this issue we have set up a fluorescence-based high throughput screening that follows overtime the activation of Arf6 at the surface of lipid membranes. Using this unique screening assay, we isolated several compounds that affect Arf6 activation, among which the antibiotic chlortetracycline (CTC) appeared to be the most promising. In this report, we describe CTC in vitro biochemical characterization and show that it blocks both the Arf6-stimulated collective migration and cell invasion in a 3D collagen I gel of the invasive breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231. Thus, CTC appears as a promising hit to target deadly metastatic dissemination and a powerful tool to unravel the molecular mechanisms of Arf6-mediated invasive processes.

Ciliogenesis is a coordinated process initiated by the recruitment and fusion of pre-ciliary vesicles at the distal appendages of the mother centriole through mechanisms that remain unclear. Here, we report that EFA6A (also known as PSD), an exchange factor for the small G protein Arf6, is involved in early stage of ciliogenesis by promoting the fusion of distal appendage vesicles forming the ciliary vesicle. EFA6A is present in the vicinity of the mother centriole before primary cilium assembly and prior to the arrival of Arl13B-containing vesicles. During ciliogenesis, EFA6A initially accumulates at the mother centriole and later colocalizes with Arl13B along the ciliary membrane. EFA6A depletion leads to the inhibition of ciliogenesis, the absence of centrosomal Rab8-positive structures and the accumulation of Arl13B-positive vesicles around the distal appendages. Our results uncover a novel fusion machinery, comprising EFA6A, Arf6 and Arl13B, that controls the coordinated fusion of ciliary vesicles docked at the distal appendages of the mother centriole., Competing Interests: Competing interestsThe authors declare no competing or financial interests., (© 2021. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.)

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine among young orthodontic patients the relation between the spheno-occipital synchondrosis (SOS) fusion and the cervical vertebral maturation (CVM) and to look for an eventual impact of gender, skeletal class and vertical pattern on their association., Material and Methods: CBCT scans and lateral cephalometric radiographs of 117 patients, aged between 8 and 18 years, were selected. SOS fusion was assessed on a mid-sagittal cut of the CBCT scans. CVM was evaluated on the lateral cephalograms as well as ANB and GoGn-SN angles. Spearman correlation test was used to assess the relationship between SOS and CVM. Fisher's exact test was performed at every CVM stage to analyse the association between SOS and other variables (gender, skeletal class, and vertical pattern). Cohen's kappa analysis was used for reliability., Results: A strong correlation was found between SOS maturation and CVM (r=0.852, P<001). Fisher's exact test indicated significant association only between gender and SOS in CVM stage 2 group, and between vertical pattern and SOS in CVM stage 4. Cohen's kappa analysis showed moderate inter and intra-rater reliability for CVM index (k=0.50 and 0.53 respectively, P<.001), strong inter-rater reliability (k=0.80, P<.001) and almost perfect intra-rater reliability (k=0.85, P<.001) for SOS index., Conclusions: SOS fusion correlates well with CVM and might be a reliable tool for skeletal maturation assessment. Girls seem to have an earlier fusion of SOS in relation to their respective CVM compared to boys, and the vertical pattern could influence the association between SOS and CVM stages., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Developments in the field of photoredox catalysis that leveraged the long-lived excited states of Ir(III) and Ru(II) photosensitizers to enable radical coupling processes paved the way for explorations of synthetic transformations that would otherwise remain unrealized. While first row transition metal photocatalysts have not been as extensively investigated, valuable synthetic transformations covering broad scopes of olefin functionalization have been recently reported featuring photoactivated chlorobis(phenanthroline) Cu(II) complexes. In this study, the photochemical processes underpinning the catalytic activity of [Cu(dmp) 2 Cl]Cl (dmp = 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline) were studied. The combined results from static spectroscopic measurements and conventional photochemistry, ultrafast transient absorption, and electron paramagnetic resonance spin trapping experiments strongly support blue light (λ ex = 427 or 470 nm)-induced Cu-Cl homolytic bond cleavage in [Cu(dmp) 2 Cl] + occurring in <100 fs. On the basis of electronic structure calculations, this bond-breaking photochemistry corresponds to the Cl → Cu(II) ligand-to-metal charge transfer transition, unmasking a Cu(I) species [Cu(dmp) 2 ] + and a Cl atom, thereby serving as a departure point for both Cu(I)- or Cu(II)-based photoredox transformations. No net photochemistry was observed through direct excitation of the ligand-field transitions in the red (λ ex = 785 or 800 nm), and all combined experiments indicated no evidence of Cu-Cl bond cleavage under these conditions. The underlying visible light-induced homolysis of a metal-ligand bond yielding a one-electron-reduced photosensitizer and a radical species may form the basis for novel transformations initiated by photoinduced homolysis featuring in situ-formed metal-substrate adducts utilizing first row transition metal complexes.

Recent epidemiological evidence suggests that exposure to antibiotics in early-to-middle adulthood is associated with an increased risk of colorectal adenoma. However, mechanistic studies in established preclinical cancer to examine these claims are extremely limited. Therefore, we investigated the effect of long-term exposure of an antibiotic cocktail composed of Vancomycin, Neomycin, and Streptomycin, on tumor development and progression in the Apc Min/+ mouse, an established genetic model for familial adenomatous polyposis. Clinical pathologies related to tumor development as well as intestinal and colon tissue histopathology were studied at ages 8, 12, and 16 weeks of age, which correspond to the approximate ages of development of neoplasia, gut inflammation with polyposis, and cancer progression, respectively, in this animal model. We show that the antibiotics significantly increase the severity of clinical symptoms, including effects on intestinal histology and goblet cell numbers. In addition, they promote small intestinal polyposis. Finally, metagenomic analysis of fecal samples demonstrated that antibiotic exposure is associated with a significant but nonuniform depletion of the animal's natural gut flora. Overall, these findings support the premise that long-term antibiotic exposure mediates the selected depletion of gut microbial communities and the concomitant thinning of the protective mucus layer, resulting in an increase in tumor development., (© 2018 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

A key step of epithelial morphogenesis is the creation of the lumen. Luminogenesis by hollowing proceeds through the fusion of apical vesicles at cell-cell contacts. The small nascent lumens grow through extension, coalescence and enlargement, coordinated with cell division, to give rise to a single central lumen. Here, by using MDCK cells grown in 3D-culture, we show that EFA6A (also known as PSD) participates in luminogenesis. EFA6A recruits α-actinin 1 (ACTN1) through direct binding. In polarized cells, ACTN1 was found to be enriched at the tight junction where it acts as a primary effector of EFA6A for normal luminogenesis. Both proteins are essential for the lumen extension and enlargement, where they mediate their effect by regulating the cortical acto-myosin contractility. Finally, ACTN1 was also found to act as an effector for the isoform EFA6B (also known as PSD4) in the human mammary tumoral MCF7 cell line. EFA6B restored the glandular morphology of this tumoral cell line in an ACTN1-dependent manner. Thus, we identified new regulators of cyst luminogenesis essential for the proper maturation of a newly-formed lumen into a single central lumen., Competing Interests: Competing interestsThe authors declare no competing or financial interests., (© 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.)

Growth hormone (GH) and insulinlike growth factor (IGF) promote aging and age-related pathologies. Inhibiting this pathway by targeting IGF receptor (IGF-1R) is a promising strategy to extend life span, alleviate age-related diseases, and reduce tumor growth. Although anti-IGF-1R agents are being developed, long-term effects of IGF-1R blockade remain unknown. In this study, we used ubiquitous inducible IGF-1R knockout (UBIKOR) to suppress signaling in all adult tissues and screened health extensively. Surprisingly, UBIKOR mice showed no overt defects and presented with rather inconspicuous health, including normal cognition. Endocrine GH and IGF-1 were strongly upregulated without causing acromegaly. UBIKOR mice were strikingly lean with coordinate changes in body composition and organ size. They were insulin resistant but preserved physiological energy expenditure and displayed enhanced fasting metabolic flexibility. Thus, long-term IGF-1R blockade generated beneficial effects on aging-relevant metabolism, but exposed to high GH. This needs to be considered when targeting IGF-1R to protect from neurodegeneration, retard aging, or fight cancer., (Copyright © 2017 Endocrine Society.)

Selenium (Se) is an essential dietary micronutrient that has been examined for protection against different types of cancers including colon cancer. Despite an established inverse association between Se and chronic inflammation induced colon cancer (CICC), the mechanistic understanding of Se's protective effects requires additional in-vivo studies using preclinical animal models of CICC. Adiponectin (APN) is an adipocytokine that is protective against CICC as well. However, its role in the anti-mutagenic effects of the Se-diet remains unknown. To address this knowledge gap, here we examine the ability of dietary Se in reducing CICC in APN knockout mice (KO) and its wild-type C57BL/6. CICC was induced with the colon cancer agent 1,2 dimethyl hydrazine (DMH) along with dextran sodium sulfate (DSS). Se-enhanced diet increased selenoproteins, Gpx-1 and Gpx-2, in the colon tissues, thereby reducing oxidative stress. Se-mediated reduction of CICC was evident from the histopathological studies in both mouse models. In both mice, reduction in inflammation and tumorigenesis associated well with reduced p65 phosphorylation and elevated 53 phosphorylation. Finally, we show that in both models Se-administration promotes goblet cell differentiation with a concomitant increase in the levels of associated proteins, Muc-2 and Math-1. Our findings suggest that Se's protection against CICC involves both colonic epithelial protection and anti-tumor effects that are independent of APN.

We report a new water soluble and stable thiolate/disulfide redox couple (T(-)/DS) and its use with a new zwitterionic and thiocyanate-free dye (T169) in a 100% aqueous electrolyte system. A DSSC incorporating T169 and the T(-)/DS showed the highest photocurrents (Jsc = 13.30 mA cm(-2)) and IPCE% (84%) values reported to date. In addition, a 2000 h long-term stability measurement was performed, where Jsc and Voc of the above mentioned DSSC stayed somehow the same except for the fill factor (FF) which decreased from 0.62 to 0.48 and consequently lowered the total efficiency (from η = 4.5% on day 1 to η = 3.3% after 2000 h).

Background: The 3 fluoroquinolone (FQ) antibiotics - ciprofoxacin, levofoxacin, and moxifoxacin - are commonly administered to oncology patients. Although these oral antibiotics are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of urinary tract infections, acute bacterial sinusitis, or bacterial infection in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, they are commonly prescribed off-label to neutropenic cancer patients for the prevention and treatment of infections associated with febrile neutropenia. New serious FQ-associated safety concerns have been identified through novel collaborations between FQ-treated persons who have developed long-term neuropsychiatric (NP) toxicity, pharmacovigilance experts, and basic scientists., Objective: To conduct basic science and clinical investigations of a newly identified adverse drug reaction, termed FQ-associated disability., Methods: 5 groups of C57BL/6 mice receiving the antibiotic ciprofoxacin in 10-mg increments (10 mg/kg-50 mg/kg) and 1 group of control mice were evaluated. The Southern Network on Adverse Reactions (SONAR) and a social network of FQ-treated persons with long-term NP toxicity (the Floxed Network) conducted a web-based survey. The clinical toxicity manifestations reported by 94 respondents to the web-based survey of persons who had received 1 or more doses of an FQ prescribed for any indication (generally at FDA-approved dosages) and who subsequently experienced possible adverse drug reactions were compared with adverse event information included on the product label for levofoxacin and with FQ-associated adverse events reported to the FDA's MedWatch program., Results: Mice treated with ciprofoxacin had lower grip strengths, reduced balance, and depressive behavior compared with the controls. For the survey, 93 of 94 respondents reported FQ-associated events including anxiety, depression, insomnia, panic attacks, clouded thinking, depersonalization, suicidal thoughts, psychosis, nightmares, and impaired memory beginning within days of FQ initiation or days to months of FQ discontinuation. The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) included 210,705 adverse events and 2,991 fatalities for FQs. Levofoxacin and ciprofoxacin toxicities were neurologic (30% and 26%, respectively), tendon damage (8% and 6%), and psychiatric (10% and 2%). In 2013, an FDA safety review reported that FQs affect mammalian topoisomerase II, especially in mitochondria. In 2013 and 2014, SONAR fled citizen petitions requesting black box revisions identifying neuropsychiatric toxicities and mitochrondrial toxicity as serious levofoxacin-associated adverse drug reactions. In 2015, FDA advisors recommended that FQ product labels be revised to include information about this newly identified disability syndrome termed "FQ-associated disability" (FQAD)., Limitations: Basic science studies evaluated NP toxicity for only 1 FQ, ciprofoxacin., Conclusion: Pharmacovigilance investigators, a social network, and basic scientists can collaborate on pharmacovigilance investigations. Revised product labels describing a new serious adverse drug reaction, levofoxacin-associated long-term disability, as recommended by an FDA advisory committee, are advised., (©2016 Frontline Medical Communications.)

We investigate the cause of amplification of light-energy conversion when coupling a nc-TiO2 film to a TiO2 inverse opal by comparing it to an inverse TiO2 glass (i-TiO2 -g) fabricated with the exact monodisperse air-hole size as an inverse opal with a stop band at 600 nm (600-i-TiO2 -o). A significant twofold average gain in the photon-to-current conversion efficiency is measured to the red of the stop band at the 600-i-TiO2 -o/nc-TiO2 bilayer under front-wall and back-wall illumination, greater than the gain within the stop band. A smaller amplification is measured under front-wall illumination-and no gain is measured under back-wall illumination-for i-TiO2 -g/nc-TiO2 at these energies. The photonic crystal therefore causes trapping of light through the bilayer, not only within the gap but also to the red, at frequencies within its dielectric band. This light-trapping effect is found to be dependent on structural order, as a highly disordered inverse glass film with the same air-hole size and thickness does not yield the same gain. A drop in the transmission of light is measured within the same frequencies to the red of the stop band upon adding nc-TiO2 to 600-i-TiO2 -o, consistent with light trapping in the bilayer., (© 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)