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Persons with obesity (PwO) represent approximately 50% of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSIs) in the United States (US). There are currently insufficient data in PwO for drugs used for ABSSSIs. We conducted a scoping review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published between 2000 and 2022 to describe how frequently body size measures were reported. Weight and/or body mass index (BMI) were recorded in approximately 50% of the 69 RCTs. The average weights or BMIs were lower than US averages for most RCTs reporting data. None evaluated the impact of body size on outcomes in the original publication. Only 30% of newly approved drugs mention PwO representation in the prescribing information. More representative recruitment of PwO into RCTs is needed to help clinicians evaluate efficacy in these patients. We suggest that the Food and Drug Administration require companies to submit plans to ensure adequate PwO inclusion and that authors of RCTs report subgroup results based on body size.

The combination of aortopulmonary window, interruption of the aortic arch, and anomalous origin of the right pulmonary artery from the ascending aorta is a rare and complex congenital cardiac malformation. Despite good prenatal care in our case, this cardiac anomaly was not detected prior to birth. Untreated infants who do not undergo surgical correction have a mortality rate of 70% in their first year, and 30% will die within the first 3 months of life.

Aim To assess removal versus kill efficacies of antimicrobial treatments against thick biofilms with statistical confidence. Methods and results A photo-activated chlorine dioxide treatment (Photo ClO2) was tested in two independent experiments against thick (>100 μm) Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms. Kill efficacy was assessed by viable plate counts. Removal efficacy was assessed by 3D confocal scanning laser microscope imaging (CSLM). Biovolumes were calculated using an image analysis approach that models the penetration limitation of the laser into thick biofilms using Beer's Law. Error bars are provided that account for the spatial correlation of the biofilm's surface. The responsiveness of the biovolumes and plate counts to the increasing contact time of Photo ClO2 were quite different, with a massive 7 log reduction in viable cells (95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.2, 7.9) but a more moderate 73% reduction in biovolume (95% CI: [60%, 100%]). Results are leveraged to quantitatively assess candidate CSLM experimental designs of thick biofilms. Conclusions Photo ClO2 kills biofilm bacteria but only partially removes the biofilm from the surface. To maximize statistical confidence in assessing removal, imaging experiments should use fewer pixels in each z-slice, and more importantly, at least two independent experiments even if there is only a single field of view in each experiment. Significance and impact of study There is limited penetration depth when collecting 3D confocal images of thick biofilms. Removal can be assessed by optimally fitting Beer's Law to all of the intensities in a 3D image and by accounting for the spatial correlation of the biofilm's surface. For thick biofilms, other image analysis approaches are biased or do not provide error bars. We generate unbiased estimates of removal and assess candidate CSLM experimental designs of thick biofilms with different pixilations, numbers of fields of view and number of experiments using the included design tool.

Interventions to decrease inflammation and improve metabolic function hold promise for the prevention of obesity-related diseases. Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) is a naturally occurring compound that demonstrates antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Improvements in measures of metabolic health have been observed in mouse models of obesity and diabetes following MSM treatment. However, the effects of MSM on obesity-related diseases in humans have not been investigated. Therefore, the purpose of this investigation was to determine whether MSM supplementation improves cardiometabolic health, and markers of inflammation and oxidative status. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled design was utilized with a total of 22 overweight or obese adults completing the study. Participants received either a placebo (white rice flour) or 3 g MSM daily for 16 weeks. Measurements occurred at baseline and after 4, 8, and 16 weeks. Outcome measures included fasting glucose, insulin, blood lipids, blood pressure, body composition, metabolic rate, and markers of inflammation and oxidative status. The primary finding of this work shows that high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was elevated at 8 and 16 weeks of daily MSM consumption compared to baseline, (p = 0.008, p = 0.013). Our findings indicate that MSM supplementation may improve the cholesterol profile by resulting in higher levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

The ability to inhibit two important viruses is described. Two groups of polymers exhibited ability to totally inhibit the Zika virus. These polymers are derived from organotin dihalides and camphoric acid and lamivudine. This is the initial report of complete inhibition of the Zika virus by simple drugs. The ability to inhibit vaccinia virus is also reported. The inhibition of the vaccinia virus is shown by a number of organotin drugs including those also derived from lamivudine and camphoric acid and additional drugs derived from 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole, dicumarol, 4,6-diaminopyridine, alpha-cyano-4-hydroxcinnamic acid, and a variety of organotin polyethers including water soluble polymers derived from poly(ethylene glycol). All the drugs described in these studies are rapidly (

Poly(amine esters) were synthesized from reaction of organotin dichlorides with the dipeptide diglycine. The products were generally high polymers and produced in high yield with yield increasing as the organotin alkyl chain increases in length. Reaction is rapid. Bands characteristic of the formation of the Sn–O–(C=O) and Sn–NH are found in the infrared spectra of the product. MALDI MS and NMR results are consistent with the proposed structure. The products show decent inhibition of all of the tested human solid cancer cell lines including two human pancreatic, two human breast and two human brain cancer cell lines.

The national school breakfast and lunch programs administered by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) are a cornerstone of the nation’s nutrition safety net for children from low-income families [...]

Advancements in antibiotic drug design are often hindered by missing information in how these small molecules interact with living cells. The antibiotic, daptomycin, has found clinical success, and emerging resistance, but a comprehensive picture of its mechanism of action has remained elusive. Using the surface-specific spectroscopy, second harmonic generation, we are able to quantitatively assess the binding of daptomycin to living cell membranes without the addition of exogenous labels. Our results reveal similar binding affinities for both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria studied, including E. coli. More importantly, we show that phosphate ions influence the binding of daptomycin to the gram-positive bacterium E. faecalis. The role of environmental phosphate has not previously been considered in any proposed mechanism and its implications are expected to be important in vivo.

Organotin polyesters were synthesized from d-camphoric acid. Since d-camphoric acid is a natural product, this is part of the green chemistry initiative. Further, synthesis occurred employing commercially available reactants and the interfacial system which is used industrially to synthesize aramids and polycarbonates. Thus, scale-up is straightforward. Polymers were synthesized employing the interfacial reaction between various organotin dihalides and the salt of d-camphoric acid. Reaction was rapid occurring in 30 s and less. Product yield was good except for the product from dioctyltin dichloride. The products are polymeric with chain lengths from 230 to 2200. Structural characterization with infrared spectrometry and MALDI MS are consistent with the formation of organotin polyesters containing the camphoric acid moiety within its backbone. IR shows formation of the Sn–OOC(O) linkage with the polymer having a combination of bridging and non-bridging geometrical arrangements about the tin atom. MALDI MS shows ion fragment to two and three repeat units. The products exhibit good ability to inhibit a battery of cancer cells including those from pancreatic cancer. The effective concentration for inhibition of the cancer cell lines are generally in the same range as those found for cisplatin and in the ng/mL range.

Polyesters were formed from the reaction of the salt of camphoric acid and Group IVB metallocene dichlorides employing the interfacial polycondensation process. The polyesters were formed in good yields with moderate chain lengths. FTIR shows bands characteristic of the presence of both reactants with new bands characteristic of the formation of the M-O and M-O(CO) linkage present. The polymers largely exist in a bridging geometry of the carbonyl-groups about the metal atom. NMR shows the presence of bands derived from both reactants. MALDI MS shows ion fragments to three units for the polymers with isotopic abundances characteristic of the presence of metal atoms in the ion fragment clusters. All of the polymers exhibit good ability to inhibit all of the tested cancer cell lines but the zironocene and hafnocene polymers exhibit especially good inhibition of the tested cancer cell lines that included two pancreatic cancer cell lines. They represent a potential new group of anticancer drugs.Polyest...

Polyesters were rapidly synthesized employing interfacial polymerization from reaction of the salt of camphoric acid with Group VA (Group 15) triphenylmetallic dihalides. Yields range from 25 to 46 percent with chain lengths about 250. Infrared spectroscopy shows the formation of two new bands one assigned to the symmetrical M–O stretching and the second assigned to the asymmetrical M–O stretching. The bridging structure about the metal atom increases as the metal atom size increases. MALDI MS and proton NMR are consistent with the formation of the polyester structure. Ion fragment clusters to four to six units are identified. The polymers show good inhibition of a group of cancer cell lines including two pancreatic human cancer cell lines. In comparison with other metal/camphoric acid polymers, the metallocene polymers exhibit low EC50 to the nanogram/ml range, and CI50 values greater than one thousand for the hafnocene and zirconocene products. If this trend continues, the emphasis should be on the Group IVB metallocenes with respect to efforts to create anticancer drugs.

The initial synthesis of DMSO and water-soluble hafnocene polyethers is described. The polyethers are formed through reaction of the hafnocene dichloride with various poly(ethylene glycols) employing commercially available reactants. Infrared, proton NMR, and MALDI MS results are consistent with the hafnocene-containing polyether structure. The materials are polymeric with chain lengths ranging from 1200 to 8 with moderate product yield. They exhibit good inhibition of a variety of cancer cell lines including two pancreatic cancer cell lines.

This study examined whether Social Networking Sites (SNSs) have a negative moderator effect on the established relationship between perceived social support and depression in psychiatric inpatients. Survey instruments assessing for depression, perceived social support, and SNS use, were filled out by 301 psychiatric inpatients. Additional data on age, gender, and primary psychiatric diagnosis were collected. A step-wise multiple regression analysis was performed to determine significant interactions. There was no significant interaction of SNS use on the relationship between perceived social support and depression when measured by Social Media Use Integration Scale or by hours of SNS use per day. There was a significant negative relationship between perceived social support and depression, and a significant positive relationship between hours of SNS use per day and depression, measured by the Beck Depression Inventory-II. Limitations include a gender discrepancy among participants, generalizability, recall bias, and SNS measurement. This is the first study to look at SNS use and depression in psychiatric inpatients. SNS use did not affect perceived social support or the protective relationship between perceived social support and depression. Hours of SNS use per day were correlated with depression scores. Future studies between SNS use and depression should quantify daily SNS use.

IF 4.743 (2017); International audience; BackgroundRare genetic variants in TNNI3K encoding troponin-I interacting kinase have been linked to a distinct syndrome consisting primarily of supraventricular tachycardias and variably expressed conduction disturbance and dilated cardiomyopathy in 2 families.ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to identify new genetic variants associated with inherited supraventricular tachycardias, cardiac conduction disease, and cardiomyopathy.MethodsWe conducted next generation sequencing in 3 independent multigenerational families with atrial/junctional tachycardia with or without conduction disturbance, dilated cardiomyopathy, and sudden death. We also assessed the effect of identified variant on protein autophosphorylation.ResultsIn this study, we uncovered the same ultra-rare genetic variant in TNNI3K (c.2302G>A, p.Glu768Lys), which co-segregated with disease features in all affected individuals (n = 23) from all 3 families. TNNI3K harboring the TNNI3K-p.Glu768Lys variant displayed enhanced kinase activity, in line with expectations from previous mouse studies that demonstrated increased conduction indices and procardiomyopathic effects with increased levels of Tnni3k.ConclusionThis study corroborates further the causal link between rare genetic variation in TNNI3K and this distinct complex phenotype, and points to enhanced kinase activity of TNNI3K as the underlying pathobiological mechanism.

This short review describes the use of group 4 metallocenes, group 15 organometallics and organotin polymers in the treatment of human cancer tumors and viruses. These metal-containing polymers show good inhibition of all the main group solid tumors including pancreatic, lung, brain, breast, prostate and colon human cell lines. They also show inhibition of a variety of viruses including zika, herpes and vaccinia viruses. Synthesis of the polymers is rapid employing interfacial polymerization and commercially available reactants. They offer physicians a new class of drugs for the treatment of a variety of cancers and viruses.

The interfacial polymerization is employed to produce high polymer poly(ester ethers) from the reaction of the salt of dipicolinic acid and various organotin dihalides. They are rapidly synthesized with yield increasing as the length of the organotin alkyl chain increases. Infrared spectroscopy shows the formation of new bands derived from the Sn–O and Sn–O(CO) linkages. IR also shows that the products exist as a combination of molecular geometries about the tin atom. MALDI MS shows formation of ion fragment clusters to five and six units in length. The products show good inhibition of a variety of cancer cell lines including two pancreatic cancer cell lines.

Poly(ether esters) are rapidly synthesized in moderate yield employing the interfacial polycondensation reaction system from the reaction of alpha-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid and Group IVB metallocenes. The products are high polymers. Infrared spectroscopy shows the formation of new bands derived from the M-O and M-O(CO) linkages. It also shows that the products exist as alternating M-O and M-O(CO) linkages. The products show outstanding inhibition of a variety of cancer cell lines including two pancreatic cancer cell lines. EC50 values for the polymers are in the nanogram/mL range. The ability to inhibit the cancer cell lines is generally Hf>Zr>Ti. Thus, future synthesis and testing might consider using compounds containing hafnocene and zirconocene in addition to the titanocene moiety.

High polymer poly(ester ethers) are rapidly synthesized in good yield employing the interfacial polycondensation reaction system. Infrared spectroscopy shows the formation of new bands derived from the Sn–O and Sn–O(CO) linkages. It also shows that the products exist as alternating Sn–O and Sn–O(CO) linkages. MALDI MS shows formation of ion fragment clusters several units in length. The products show reasonable inhibition of a variety of cancer cell lines including two pancreatic cancer cell lines.

A wide variety of organotin polyethers derived from the interfacial polymerization of dibutyltin dichloride and non-cancer inhibitory diols show decent to good inhibition of two human pancreatic cancer cell lines. In view of the general lack of ability of tested compounds to inhibit pancreatic cancer cell lines, this is significant. These cell lines are the AsPC-1 pancreatic cancer cell line which is an adenocarcinoma pancreatic cell line and the PANC-1 pancreatic cancer cell line which is an epithelioid carcinoma pancreatic cell line. The dibutyltin polyethers generally both exhibit EC50 values in the same range and lower than cisplatin and higher CI50 values than cisplatin. Essentially all of the polymers derived from simple non-aromatic diols showed CI50 values greater than 2.

Bitterness and astringency (dryness) are characteristic sensory attributes of flavanol-rich foods. The degree of polymerization (DP) of flavanols influences their bitter and astringent sensations. Smaller DP compounds can enter the papillae on the tongue, eliciting a bitter response. Larger DP compounds are sterically inhibited from entering papillae and instead interact with oral proteins, cause precipitation, and elicit astringent sensations. Previous research has indicated that bitterness preference is related to health status, density of fungiform papillae on the tongue, and sensitivity to bitter compounds such as 6-n-propyl-thiouracil (PROP). The purpose of this study was to examine trends in liking, bitterness intensity, and astringency intensity of wine-like products with flavanols of different DP using a consumer sensory panel. Participants (n = 102) were segmented by phenotypes: body fat percentage (BF%), body mass index (BMI), PROP sensitivity, and stated bitter food preference. Differences in wine liking, perceived bitterness intensity, and astringency intensity were observed between three model wine samples of varying flavanol mean degrees of polymerization (mDP, i.e. the average size (polymer length) of flavanol compounds in a mixture). Specifically, with increased mDP, overall liking and bitterness liking decreased, with concurrent increased perception of bitterness and astringency intensity. Greater differences between phenotypes were observed when participants were segmented by BF% and BMI classification, than when segmented by PROP sensitivity classification. Reduced ability to detect differences in bitterness and astringency were noted in participants of higher weight status. Overall, these data suggest that weight status in adults is a greater predictor of liking of flavanol-rich foods than bitterness sensitivity (as determined by PROP classification), and that reduced perception of bitterness and astringency associated with weight gain may impact selection and preference for these foods.

Organotin polyamine ethers containing thiamine (Vitamin B1) were synthesized employing the interfacial polymerization of thiamine and organotin dichlorides. Reaction is rapid occurring in less than 15 s in moderate to poor yield with chain length ranging from 86 to 860 units. Infrared spectroscopy shows new bands characteristic of the formation of the Sn–N and Sn–O linkages. Proton NMR shows the presence of both the organotin and thiamine moieties. MALDI MS results shows ion fragment clusters to three units with ion abundance results consistent with the presence of tin atoms within the ion fragment clusters. The polymers all exhibit inhibition of the cancer cell lines including two breast, two pancreatic, prostate, and colon cancer cell lines at levels better than those for the standard cisplatin, one of the most widely employed anticancer drugs.

The efforts described in this article are aimed at designing organotin polymers that control the growth of breast cancer and to identify structure/property relationships that assist in this goal. The growth of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines is inhibited employing a wide range of organotin condensation polymers. The EC50 values are primarily dependent on the nature of the Lewis base but the CI50 is dependent on both the nature of the Lewis base and Lewis acid. A number of products exhibit CI50 values greater than two including a number of organotin polyethers such as those derived from diethylstilbestrol, dienestrol, short-chained dibutyltin polyethers, and hydroquinone derivatives. In most of these cases the MDA-MB-231 cells exhibit greater inhibition compared to the estrogen receptor (ER) MCF-7 cells. The organotin polymers generally exhibit a superior ability to inhibit MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cell growth compared to the standard cisplatin.

This clinical paper focuses on a case vignette for a teenager who stutters to highlight comprehensive assessment and treatment of stuttering. The case emphases the need for assessment and treatment approaches that focus on the multi-dimensional nature of stuttering. Case vignettes may be one way to help clinicians gain a better understanding of stuttering assessment and treatment.

New Findings What is the central question of this study? Does the δ-opioid receptor trigger exercise-induced cardioprotection against ischaemia–reperfusion injury? What is the main finding and its importance? In exercised hearts, the δ-opioid receptor appears to trigger cardioprotection against ischaemia–reperfusion-induced tissue necrosis but not apoptosis. Abstract Endogenous opioids mediate exercise-induced cardioprotection against ischaemia–reperfusion (IR) injury, although the opioid receptor subtype mediating this effect is unknown. We investigated whether the δ-opioid receptor mediates exercise-induced cardioprotection against IR injury. Endogenous opioids are produced in various tissues, including the heart and skeletal muscle; therefore, we also sought to identify the effect of exercise on circulating endogenous opioid as well as transcript, protein and receptor expression in heart and skeletal muscle. Male Sprague–Dawley rats (n = 73) were assigned randomly to treadmill exercise or sedentary treatments. Cardiac tissue and serum were harvested 0, 20 and 120 min following exercise and from sedentary animals (n = 32) to quantify effects on proenkephalin and δ-opioid receptor mRNA and protein levels, as well as serum enkephalin. Skeletal muscle (soleus) was harvested at identical time points for determination of proenkephalin protein and mRNA. A separate group of rats (n = 41) were randomly assigned to sham operation (Sham; surgical control), sedentary (Sed), exercise (Ex) or exercise + δ-opioid receptor antagonist (ExD; naltrindole, 5 mg kg−1 i.p.) and received IR by left anterior descending coronary artery ligation in vivo. After IR, tissues were harvested to quantify treatment effects on necrosis and apoptosis. Cardiac proenkephalin mRNA expression increased following exercise (0 min, P = 0.03; 120 min, P = 0.021), while soleus expression was unaffected. Exercise-induced changes in serum enkephalin were undetectable. After IR, tissue necrosis was elevated in Sed and ExD hearts (P

Water-soluble metallocene and organotin-containing polyethers were synthesized employing interfacial polycondensation. The reaction involved various chain lengths of poly(ethylene glycol), and produced water-soluble polymers in decent yield. Commercially available reactants were used to allow for easy scale up. The polymers exhibited a decent ability to inhibit a range of cancer cell lines, including two pancreatic cancer cell lines. This approach should allow the synthesis of a wide variety of other water-soluble polymers.

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms are common in youth with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and are frequently treated with stimulant medications. Twenty-seven children were randomized to different dose titration schedules, and ADHD symptoms, tolerability, and aberrant behaviors were assessed weekly during a 6-week trial with long-acting liquid methylphenidate (MPH). MPH at low to moderate doses was effective in reducing ADHD symptoms and was well tolerated in young children with ASD and ADHD. Future studies are needed to assess generalization and maintenance of efficacy.

The efforts described in this paper are aimed at designing organotin polymers that control the growth of various cancers; here colorectal cancer and to identify structure/property relationships that will assist in this goal. The growth of colorectal cancer is affected employing a wide range of organotin condensation polymers. The EC50 values are primarily dependent on the nature of the Lewis base but the CI50 value is dependent on both the nature of the Lewis base and Lewis acid. EC50 values down to the nanograms/mL range are found. A number of products exhibit CI50 values greater than 2.

The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say) is a very serious pest of potatoes which is highly mobile and capable of rapid evolution of resistance to chemical control. Insect movement, resulting in gene flow between resistant and susceptible populations, is considered to be an important factor affecting the development and spread of insecticide resistance. We investigated the movement of adult Colorado potato beetles by flight and by walking following the treatment with a sublethal dose of imidacloprid in the laboratory. Imidacloprid had a pronounced negative effect on beetle mobility. The proportion of beetles flying and walking, as well as the number and duration of performed flights, were significantly decreased for the treated beetles. Since local selection followed by long-distance dispersal have been reported to lead to serious area-wide problems with the insecticide-resistant Colorado potato beetle, long-term suppression of flight activity recorded in our study suggests that imidacloprid applications may reduce outflow of resistant alleles.

The current efforts described in this paper are aimed at developing compounds that inhibit the growth of prostate cancer and to identify structure/property relationships that will further assist us towards this goal. The growth of prostate cancer is affected employing a wide range of organotin condensation polymers. The EC50 values are primarily dependant on the nature of the Lewis base but the CI50 is dependent on both the nature of the Lewis base and Lewis acid. EC50 values down to the picogram/mL range are found. A number of products exhibit CI50 values greater than two. For polymers derived from hydroquinone and hydroquinone derivatives ability to inhibit cancer cell growth decreases as the bulk of substituents increases.

Exercise is a potent stimulus against cardiac ischemia reperfusion (IR) injury, although the protective mechanisms are not completely understood. The study purpose was to examine whether the mitochondrial or sarcolemmal ATP-sensitive potassium channel (mito KATPor sarc KATP, respectively) mediates exercise-induced cardioprotection against post-IR cell death and apoptosis. Eighty-six, 4-mo-old male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly assigned to treadmill exercise (Ex; 30 m/min, 3 days, 60 min, ∼70 maximal oxygen uptake) and sedentary (Sed) treatments. Rats were exposed to regional cardiac ischemia (50 min) and reperfusion (120 min) or Sham (170 min; no ligation) surgeries. Exercise subgroups received placebo (saline), 5-hydroxydecanoate (5HD; 10 mg/kg ip), or HMR1098 (10 mg/kg ip) to inhibit mito KATPor sarc KATPchannel. Comprehensive outcome assessments included post-IR ECG arrhythmias, cardiac tissue necrosis, redox perturbations, and autophagy biomarkers. No arrhythmia differences existed between exercised and sedentary hearts following extended-duration IR ( P < 0.05). The sarc KATPchannel was confirmed essential ( P = 0.002) for prevention of antinecrotic tissue death with exercise (percent infarct, Sed = 42%; Ex = 20%; Ex5HD = 16%; ExHMR = 42%), although neither the mito KATP( P = 0.177) nor sarc KATP( P = 0.274) channel provided post-IR protection against apoptosis (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase deoxy UTP-mediated nick-end labeling-positive nuclei/mm2, Sham = 1.8 ± 0.5; Sed = 19.4 ± 6.7; Ex = 7.5 ± 4.6; Ex5HD = 14.0 ± 3.9; ExHMR = 11.1 ± 1.8). Exercise preconditioning also appears to preserve basal autophagy levels, as assessed by Beclin 1 ( P ≤ 0.001), microtubule-associated protein-1 light-chain 3B ratios ( P = 0.020), and P62 ( P ≤ 0.001), in the hours immediately following IR. Further research is needed to better understand these findings and corresponding redox changes in exercised hearts.

Exercise-induced cardioprotection against ischemia–reperfusion (IR) has been well established during the last 10–15 yr (2,12,19,20,30,32,33). Robust protection is elicited by extended-duration exercise regimens (months) as well as short-duration (days) exercise exposure (1,3–5,19,20,25,30,33). Cardioprotective adaptation to short-duration exercise exposure is similarly responsive to both moderate-intensity and high-intensity exercises, suggesting that the threshold for stimulus is relatively low (17). IR injury resistance is established against arrhythmia generation in addition to myocardial stunning and tissue death; although the underlying mechanisms are unique to each level of IR injury (1,3,18,23,26,32). Recent efforts in our laboratory use short-duration exercise and surgically induced IR in a rodent model to elucidate the mechanisms responsible for exercise-induced cardioprotection against IR-mediated ventricular arrhythmias (15,29). The scopes of these laboratory-based studies reveal a mechanistic understanding of the exercised heart in a clinically relevant manner. The clinical relevance of these in vivo animal studies is emphasized when ECG-related outcome measures are used as key dependent study variables (6,9,10,14,15,21,27). In this regard, application of clinically based ECG scoring systems for ventricular arrhythmias has revealed several important considerations for use in exercise-based cardioprotection studies. First, hearts exposed to even 3 d of moderate-intensity treadmill running and the associated habituation period are more resistant to IR-generated arrhythmias compared with sedentary counterparts (11,15,21,27). Second, the magnitude of exercise-mediated protection is most apparent when the major ventricular arrhythmias, including premature ventricular contractions (PVCs), ventricular tachycardia (VT), and ventricular fibrillation (VF), are analyzed collectively rather than individually (15,27). Third, we proposed that the use of continuous parametric scoring equations provides a more robust evaluation of group differences for arrhythmic responses to IR than discontinuous nonparametric scoring systems (9). This notion is because parametric systems score on a continuum and prevent score clustering. Given the established model of exercise as a cardioprotective intervention against IR-induced arrhythmias, the experiments outlined in this article address these latter two points in novel detail. For these experiments, we examined a single data set across seven clinically based ECG scoring systems previously applied to exercise cardioprotection research (Table 1) adapted from Curtis and Walker (9,10,15,27). Each of the seven scoring systems (A–G) assigns a numeric value based upon the severity of arrhythmia, with larger values indicating greater severity (9). Scoring systems A, B, C, D, E, and F are nonparametric, discontinuous systems, and score G is an equation-based parametric system. Quantification of arrhythmia severity is based on the occurrence of PVCs, VT, and VF, listed in order of individual severity (9). Variations between scoring methods include accounting for VT and VF by duration versus number of episodes, the inclusion of spontaneously and/or nonspontaneously converting VT and VF, as well as the numerical scoring scale (i.e., 0–6 vs 0–7) (9). The sensitivity of these ECG scoring systems in the identification of significant group differences in ECG outcomes is established (9). Yet to be determined, however, is the applicability of these various scoring systems to a physiologically meaningful paradigm of exercise-induced cardioprotection. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity of seven established ECG ventricular arrhythmia scoring systems in a model of exercise-induced cardioprotection. TABLE 1 ECG scoring systems (A–G) criteria.

WOS: 000261080700023, PubMed ID: 18757199, In this study, the effects of sludge retention time (SRT) on NH(4)-N oxidation and NO(x)-N accumulation in the nitritation reactors were studied. The gradually decrease of SRT also caused long reaction time to achieve 99% NH(4)-N removal. Although the target NH(4)-N removal was achieved in a short reaction time at 40 days of SRT, decreasing of SRT from 40 to 30, 25, 20 days, increase the reaction time from 168 to 240 and 265 h, respectively. The inlet NH(4)-N was almost oxidized and the concentration of NO(2)-N accumulated to a high level of 177 mg/l, while NO(2)-N/(NO(3)-N + NO(2)-N) ratio was about 0.9 at SRT of 40 days. However, the concentration of NO(3)-N increased slightly and NO(2)-N/(NO(x)-N) ratio dropped to 0.8 when the SRT was lower than 40 days. During the operation in a cycle, free ammonia concentration in the SBR was decreased from 2.8 to 0.7 mg/l which is below the lowest concentration causing inhibition of nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB). It was assumed that combined dissolved oxygen limitation and NH(3)-N inhibition on NOB caused NO(2)-N accumulation under the experimental conditions. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved., Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK); Civil Engineering Department at University of Nebraska Lincoln, USA, This study was supported by the Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK). This study was also conducted as part of the sponsored research activities of the Civil Engineering Department at University of Nebraska Lincoln, USA.

The redox sensitive transcription factor NF-E2–related factor 2 (Nrf2) protects against oxidative stress and its activity is aberrant in type 2 diabetes. . Acute increases in the protein posttransl...

on the following broad categories of emerging contaminants: pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs); endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs), including hormones, surfactants, and plasticizers; and brominated flame retardants (BFRs). Although many of the cited articles refer to multiple types of contaminants (particularly hormones and pharmaceuticals), each article is summarized in only one section. Articles pertaining to specific treatment methods, risk assessments, or biological effects are not included in this review, and articles covering disinfection byproducts (DBPs), fluorinated compounds, and organometallics are not reviewed as in past years. Because of the ever-increasing volume and scope of literature pertaining to emerging contaminants, this review should not be considered to be comprehensive; however, a broad range of literature that is relevant to environmental engineers and scientists is summarized. Acronyms that are used in this review for contaminants and analytical methods are summarized in Tables 1 and 2, respectively. 1017 Water Environment Research, Volume 78, Number 10?Copyright ? 2006 Water Environment Federation