Iron plaque decreases cadmium accumulation in Oryza sativa L. and serves as a source of iron

Cadmium (Cd) contamination occurs in paddy soils; hence it is necessary to reduce Cd content of rice. Application and mode of action of ferrous sulphate in minimizing Cd in rice was monitored in the present study. Pot culture with Indian rice variety Swarna (MTU 7029) was maintained in Cd-spiked soil containing ferrous sulphates, which is expected to reduce Cd accumulation in rice. Responses in rhizosphere pH, root surface, metal accumulation in plant and molecular physiological processes were monitored. Iron plaque was induced on root surfaces after FeSO4 application and the amount of Fe in plaque reduced with increases in Cd in the soil. Rhizosphere pH decreased during plaque formation and became more acidic due to secretion of organic acids from the roots under Cd treatment. Moreover, iron chelate reductase activity increased with Cd treatment, but in the absence of Cd, activity of this enzyme increased in plaque-induced plants. Cd treatment caused expression of OsYSL18, whereas OsYSL15 was expressed only in roots without iron plaque. Fe content of plants increased during plaque formation, which protected plants from Cd-induced Fe deficiency and metal toxicity. This was corroborated with increased biomass, chlorophyll content and quantum efficiency of photo-synthesis among plaque-induced plants. We conclude that ferrous sulphate-induced iron plaque prevents Cd accumulation and Fe deficiency in rice. Iron released from plaque via organic acid mediated dissolution during Cd stress.

De novo transcriptome assembly facilitates characterisation of fast-evolving gene families, MHC class I in the bank vole (Myodes glareolus)

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) plays a central role in the adaptive immune response and is the most polymorphic gene family in vertebrates. Although high-throughput sequencing has increasingly been used for genotyping families of co-amplifying MHC genes, its potential to facilitate early steps in the characterisation of MHC variation in nonmodel organism has not been fully explored. In this study we evaluated the usefulness of de novo transcriptome assembly in characterisation of MHC sequence diversity. We found that although de novo transcriptome assembly of MHC I genes does not reconstruct sequences of individual alleles, it does allow the identification of conserved regions for PCR primer design. Using the newly designed primers, we characterised MHC I sequences in the bank vole. Phylogenetic analysis of the partial MHC I coding sequence (2-4 exons) of the bank vole revealed a lack of orthology to MHC I of other Cricetidae, consistent with the high gene turnover of this region. The diversity of expressed alleles was characterised using ultra-deep sequencing of the third exon that codes for the peptide-binding region of the MHC molecule. High allelic diversity was demonstrated, with 72 alleles found in 29 individuals. Interindividual variation in the number of expressed loci was found, with the number of alleles per individual ranging from 5 to 14. Strong signatures of positive selection were found for 8 amino acid sites, most of which are inferred to bind antigens in human MHC, indicating conservation of structure despite rapid sequence evolution.

Liver Transplantation in a Patient at Psychosocial Risk

Psychosocial assessment of transplant candidates is a challenging task. Securing adequate information is made more difficult when patients present with fulminant hepatic failure. When the patient cannot be interviewed and the family is reluctant to provide vital information, a comprehensive pretransplant psychosocial evaluation is virtually impossible. However, even the most difficult cases have the potential for a positive result when a good psychosocial profile of the patient is obtained after transplantation, a team treatment plan is developed and carried out which addresses current and anticipated problems, and the patient obtains mental health treatment.

Endogenous event-related potentials in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome without central nervous system involvement

OBJECTIVES

Endogenous cognitive event-related potentials (CERPs) reflect higher-level processing of sensory information and can be used to evaluate cognitive functions. The aim of this paper was to determine whether there are any abnormalities in the electrophysiological parameters of CERPs in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) but without symptoms of central nervous system (CNS) involvement or mental disorder. The analysis of CERP parameters was then correlated with the clinical status of the patients and with some of the immunological parameters in the patient group.

METHOD

Thirty consecutive patients with pSS (29 females, one male) were included in the study. All the patients underwent CERP examination.

RESULTS

There was a significant prolongation of the latency of P300 and N200 potentials in patients with pSS. Abnormalities in electrophysiological parameters of CERPs correlated with the duration of the disease, salivary gland abnormalities, and elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) values. Patients with coexisting chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) had larger P300 amplitudes. There were no statistically significant changes in the electrophysiological parameters of CERPs in patients with pSS dependent on the presence of peripheral nervous system (PNS) lesions, skin changes, arthritis, abnormalities in white blood cells and the immune system or the levels of blood lipids.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of the study suggest the presence of a minor cognitive dysfunction in patients with pSS without symptoms of CNS involvement or mental disorder. Cognitive dysfunction correlated with the disease duration time and the severity of inflammatory changes (salivary gland abnormalities and inflammatory markers in the blood). Further and larger longitudinal studies are necessary for confirmation of this correlation.

Arterialized venous bicarbonate is associated with lower bone mineral density and an increased rate of bone loss in older men and women

CONTEXT

Higher dietary net acid loads have been associated with increased bone resorption, reduced bone mineral density (BMD), and increased fracture risk.

OBJECTIVE

The objective was to compare bicarbonate (HCO3) measured in arterialized venous blood samples to skeletal outcomes.

DESIGN

Arterialized venous samples collected from participants in the Health, Aging and Body Composition (Health ABC) Study were compared to BMD and rate of bone loss.

SETTING

The setting was a community-based observational cohort.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 2287 men and women age 74 ± 3 years participated.

INTERVENTION

Arterialized venous blood was obtained at the year 3 study visit and analyzed for pH and pCO2. HCO3 was determined using the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

BMD was measured at the hip by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry at the year 1 (baseline) and year 3 study visits.

RESULTS

Plasma HCO3 was positively associated with BMD at both year 1 (P = .001) and year 3 (P = .001) in models adjusted for age, race, sex, clinic site, smoking, weight, and estimated glomerular filtration rate. Plasma HCO3 was inversely associated with rate of bone loss at the total hip over the 2.1 ± 0.3 (mean ± SD) years between the two bone density measurements (P < .001). Across quartiles of plasma HCO3, the rate of change in BMD over the 2.1 years ranged from a loss of 0.72%/y in the lowest quartile to a gain of 0.15%/y in the highest quartile of HCO3.

CONCLUSIONS

Arterialized plasma HCO3 was associated positively with cross-sectional BMD and inversely with the rate of bone loss, implying that systemic acid-base status is an important determinant of skeletal health during aging. Ongoing bone loss was linearly related to arterialized HCO3, even after adjustment for age and renal function. Further research in this area may have major public health implications because reducing dietary net acid load is possible through dietary intervention or through supplementation with alkaline potassium compounds.

Established dietary estimates of net acid production do not predict measured net acid excretion in patients with Type 2 diabetes on Paleolithic-Hunter-Gatherer-type diets

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Formulas developed to estimate diet-dependent net acid excretion (NAE) generally agree with measured values for typical Western diets. Whether they can also appropriately predict NAE for 'Paleolithic-type' (Paleo) diets-which contain very high amounts of fruits and vegetables (F&V) and concurrent high amounts of protein is unknown. Here, we compare measured NAEs with established NAE estimates in subjects with Type 2 diabetes (T2D).

SUBJECTS/METHODS

Thirteen subjects with well-controlled T2D were randomized to either a Paleo or American Diabetes Association (ADA) diet for 14 days. Twenty-four hour urine collections were performed at baseline and end of the diet period, and analyzed for titratable acid, bicarbonate and ammonium to calculate measured NAE. Three formulas for estimating NAE from dietary intake were used; two (NAE_diet R or L) that include dietary mineral intake and sulfate- and organic acid (OA) production, and one that is empirically derived (NAE_diet F) only considering potassium and protein intake.

RESULTS

Measured NAE on the Paleo diet was significantly lower than on the ADA-diet (+31±22 vs 112±52 mEq/day, P=0.002). Although all formula estimates showed similar and reasonable correlations (r=0.52-0.76) with measured NAE, each one underestimated measured values. The formula with the best correlation did not contain an estimate of dietary OA production.

CONCLUSIONS

Paleo-diets are lower in NAE than typical Western diets. However, commonly used formulas clearly underestimate NAE, especially for diets with very high F&V (as the Paleo diet), and in subjects with T2D. This may be due to an inappropriate estimation of proton loads stemming from OAs, underlining the necessity for improved measures of OA-related proton sources.

Force modulation for enhanced nanoscale electrical sensing

Scanning probe microscopy employing conductive probes is a powerful tool for the investigation and modification of electrical properties at the nanoscale. Application areas include semiconductor metrology, probe-based data storage and materials research. Conductive probes can also be used to emulate nanoscale electrical contacts. However, unreliable electrical contact and tip wear have severely hampered the widespread usage of conductive probes for these applications. In this paper we introduce a force modulation technique for enhanced nanoscale electrical sensing using conductive probes. This technique results in lower friction, reduced tip wear and enhanced electrical contact quality. Experimental results using phase-change material stacks and platinum silicide conductive probes clearly demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed technique. Furthermore, conductive-mode imaging experiments on specially prepared platinum/carbon samples are presented to demonstrate the widespread applicability of this technique.

An early regional experience with expansion of Milan Criteria for liver transplant recipients

The Milan Criteria (MC) showed that orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) was an effective treatment for patients with nonresectable, nonmetastatic HCC. There is growing evidence that expanding the MC does not adversely affect patient or allograft survival following OLT. The adult OLT programs in UNOS Region 4 reached an agreement allowing lesions outside MC (one lesion <6 cm, ≤3 lesions, none >5 cm and total diameter <9 cm-[R4 T3]) to receive the same exception points as MC lesions. Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests were used to compare survival data. Chi-squared and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to compare patient data. A p-value of <0.05 was considered significant. All statistical analyses were performed on SPSS 15 (SPSS, Chicago, IL). Four hundred and forty-five patients were transplanted for HCC (363-MC and 82-R4 T3). Patient demographics were found to be similar between the two groups. Three year patient, allograft and recurrence free survival between MC and R4 T3 were found to be 72.9% and 77.1%, 71% and 70.2% and 90.5% and 86.9%, respectively (all p > 0.05). We report the first regionalized multicenter, prospective study showing benefit of OLT in patients exceeding MC based on preoperative imaging.

Metabolic and physiologic improvements from consuming a paleolithic, hunter-gatherer type diet

BACKGROUND

The contemporary American diet figures centrally in the pathogenesis of numerous chronic diseases-'diseases of civilization'. We investigated in humans whether a diet similar to that consumed by our preagricultural hunter-gatherer ancestors (that is, a paleolithic type diet) confers health benefits.

METHODS

We performed an outpatient, metabolically controlled study, in nine nonobese sedentary healthy volunteers, ensuring no weight loss by daily weight. We compared the findings when the participants consumed their usual diet with those when they consumed a paleolithic type diet. The participants consumed their usual diet for 3 days, three ramp-up diets of increasing potassium and fiber for 7 days, then a paleolithic type diet comprising lean meat, fruits, vegetables and nuts, and excluding nonpaleolithic type foods, such as cereal grains, dairy or legumes, for 10 days. Outcomes included arterial blood pressure (BP); 24-h urine sodium and potassium excretion; plasma glucose and insulin areas under the curve (AUC) during a 2 h oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT); insulin sensitivity; plasma lipid concentrations; and brachial artery reactivity in response to ischemia.

RESULTS

Compared with the baseline (usual) diet, we observed (a) significant reductions in BP associated with improved arterial distensibility (-3.1+/-2.9, P=0.01 and +0.19+/-0.23, P=0.05);(b) significant reduction in plasma insulin vs time AUC, during the OGTT (P=0.006); and (c) large significant reductions in total cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and triglycerides (-0.8+/-0.6 (P=0.007), -0.7+/-0.5 (P=0.003) and -0.3+/-0.3 (P=0.01) mmol/l respectively). In all these measured variables, either eight or all nine participants had identical directional responses when switched to paleolithic type diet, that is, near consistently improved status of circulatory, carbohydrate and lipid metabolism/physiology.

CONCLUSIONS

Even short-term consumption of a paleolithic type diet improves BP and glucose tolerance, decreases insulin secretion, increases insulin sensitivity and improves lipid profiles without weight loss in healthy sedentary humans.

Is post-Lipiodol CT better than i.v. contrast CT scan for early detection of HCC? A single liver transplant center experience

Hepatocellular carcinoma is a highly vascular neoplasm usually arising from a cirrhotic liver. Delayed, noncontrast, computed tomography (CT) imaging after 7 to 14 days reveals an oil-based contrast agent to be concentrated in the tumor but not in normal hepatic parenchyma. The aim of this study was to retrospectively correlate the post Lipiodol CT scan findings with respect to tumor size in the explanted liver. We retrospectively reviewed adult patients who had undergone orthotopic liver transplantation between November 1995 and December 2004 and also had an hepatic arteriogram with Lipiodol injection as part of their pretransplant workup. We calculated sensitivity, specificity, false-negativity, false-positivity, and accuracy of the test, as well as positive and negative predictive values. Lipiodol CT exam had sensitivity of 1.0; specificity of 0.6 with a calculated positive predictive value of 0.89 and a negative predictive value of 1.0. Overall accuracy of Lipiodol CT scan test was found to be 0.91, which was superior to an intravenous contrast CT alone. In conclusion, because of the higher sensitivity and accuracy values, hepatic arterial Lipiodol injection can be considered during the pretransplantation workup of high-risk cirrhotic patients, since the current model for End-stage Liver Disease scoring system for hepatocellular carcinoma is built on the ultimate bulk of the tumor. Further multicenter, controlled, large-volume prospective studies are warranted to verify this observation.

Metachronous bilateral soft tissue sarcoma of the extremities

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Synchronous and heterochronous multiple soft tissue sarcoma of the extremities is very rare. Out of 1,201 of our patients, 4 patients presented with symmetrical bilateral soft tissue sarcoma of the extremities. The aim of this study was to identify possible reasons for this unusual manifestation of sarcomas.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The patients' data was acquired by review of the patients' charts and follow-up information was gathered by phone calls to the patients or their relatives and their general practitioners.

RESULTS

All tumours were located at the extremities and were diagnosed as leiomyosarcoma in two patients, malignant fibrous histiocytoma and clear cell sarcoma in one patient each. No other individual or family history of cumulation of neoplasms was known in the patients. The median interval between the diagnoses was 3 1/2 years (range: 4 months to 9 1/2 years). In two patients a second primary sarcoma of the same entity was considered the most likely diagnosis, whereas in one patient a contralateral lymph node metastasis and in one other patient an atypical soft tissue metastasis had to be taken into account. A positive family history with a father with malignant fibrous histiocytoma may indicate a hereditary predisposition in one patient. Aside from irradiation effects, exposition to other carcinogenic agents or genetic predisposition, the reasons for the clustering of soft tissue sarcoma in one same patient remain still unclear. Only one patient, although suffering from disseminated metastatic disease was living at follow-up time, the other three patients had already died.

CONCLUSION

The interpretation of the bilateral manifestation of soft tissue sarcoma remains open, but predicts an unfavourable outcome.

The effect of total plasma exchange on fulminant hepatic failure

Total plasma exchange (TPE) corrects coagulopathy in patients with liver disease and removes hepatotoxins/cytokines. This improvement is transient but can be used as a bridge until an organ is identified for liver transplantation (LTx) or the liver itself regenerates. Our aim was to retrospectively assess the efficacy of TPE in fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) and its impact on liver function tests. Between 1995-2001, 39 patients with FHF who had undergone TPE were reviewed. FHF was defined according to the O'Grady criteria based on the duration of encephalopathy as well as jaundice. TPE was performed using the Cobe Spectra TPE (Gambro) in Liver Intensive Care Unit, continued on a daily basis, until either adequate clinical response was achieved, the patient expired, or transplantation occurred. INR, PTT, Fibrinogen, ALT, AST, GGT, BUN, Ammonia, and Total Bilirubin were analyzed before and after TPE. Student's t-test and chi-square test and ANOVA were used for statistical analysis. Thirty-nine patients with FHF (31 females, 8 males with mean age of 32.3, range: 7-64) underwent TPE. Coagulopathy, hyperbilirubinemia, hyperammonemia were significantly improved (P < 0.05). Twenty-one patients survived (54%), 12 required LTx, and 18 patients (including one after LTx) expired. TPE was found to be significantly effective for correction of coagulopathy and improvement of liver tests. This intervention can be considered for temporary liver support until recovery or liver transplantation.