A comparison of necrotising fasciitis in diabetics and non-diabetics

Aims

Diabetes mellitus is the most common co-morbidity associated with necrotising fasciitis. This study aims to compare the clinical presentation, investigations, Laboratory Risk Indicator for Necrotising Fasciitis (LRINEC) score, microbiology and outcome of management of this condition in diabetic and non-diabetic patients.

Patients and Methods

The medical records of all patients with surgically proven necrotising fasciitis treated at our institution between 2005 and 2014 were reviewed. Diagnosis of necrotising fasciitis was made on findings of ‘dishwater’ fluid, presence of greyish necrotic deep fascia and lack of bleeding on muscle dissection found intra-operatively. Information on patients’ demographics, presenting symptoms, clinical signs, investigations, treatment and outcome were recorded and analysed.

Results

A total of 127 patients with surgically proven necrotising fasciitis were included in this study. In all, 78 (61.4%) were diabetic and 49 (38.6%) were non-diabetic. Diabetics tended to have polymicrobial infections (p = 0.03), renal impairment (p < 0.001), end-stage renal disease (p = 0.001) and multiple co-morbidities (p < 0.001). They presented atypically, with less tenderness (p = 0.042) and less hypotension (p = 0.034). This resulted in higher rates of misdiagnosis (p = 0.038) and a longer time to surgery (p = 0.05) leading to longer hospital stays (p = 0.043) and higher rates of amputation (p = 0.045). However, the rate of mortality is comparable (p = 0.525). A LRINEC score of > 8 appears to be more sensitive in diabetic patients (p < 0.001). However, the increased sensitivity in diabetic patients may be related to hyperglycemia and electrolyte abnormalities associated with renal impairment in these patients.

Conclusion

The LRINEC score must be used with caution in diagnosing necrotising fasciitis in diabetic patients. A high index of suspicion is key to the early diagnosis and subsequent management of these patients. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2016;98-B:1563–8.

Comparison of Kinemyography and Electromyography during Spontaneous Recovery from Non-Depolarising Neuromuscular Blockade

This study compared two commercially available quantitative neuromuscular function monitoring techniques, kinemyography (KMG) and electromyography (EMG), to assess whether KMG could be used interchangeably with EMG to exclude residual neuromuscular blockade (RNMB). Train-of-four (TOF) ratios were recorded every 20 seconds using KMG at the adductor pollicis and EMG at the first dorsal interosseous of the same hand during spontaneous recovery from shallow neuromuscular blockade. TOF ratios were compared using Bland–Altman analysis for repeated measurements. The precision of each device was assessed by the repeatability coefficient. Agreement between devices was assessed by the bias and limits of agreement. Clinically acceptable agreement was defined as a bias <0.025 within limits of agreement ±0.05. We recorded 629 sets of TOF ratios from 23 patients. The repeatability coefficient for KMG was 0.05 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.05 to 0.06) and for EMG 0.10 (95% CI 0.10 to 0.11). Overall, the bias of KMG TOF ratios against EMG TOF ratios was 0.11 (95% CI 0.10 to 0.12), with limits of agreement −0.11 to 0.32. In the 0.80 to 0.99 TOF range, the bias was 0.08 (95% CI 0.06 to 0.09) and the limits of agreement were-0.12 to 0.27. Overall, TOF ratios measured by KMG were on average 0.11 higher than EMG. In the 0.80 to 0.99 TOF range, KMG TOF ratios were 0.08 higher. EMG and KMG are not interchangeable because the bias is large and the limits of agreement are wide. Thus a maximum TOF ratio of 1.0 on KMG may not exclude RNMB.

Comparing the value of bioproducts from different stages of anaerobic membrane bioreactors

The anaerobic digestion process in anaerobic membrane bioreactors is an effective way for waste management, energy sustainability and pollution control in the environment. This digestion process basically involves the production of volatile fatty acids and biohydrogen as intermediate products and methane as a final product. This paper compares the value of bioproducts from different stages of anaerobic membrane bioreactors through a thorough assessment. The value was assessed in terms of technical feasibility, economic assessment, environmental impact and impact on society. Even though the current research objective is more inclined to optimize the production of methane, the intermediate products could also be considered as economically attractive and environment friendly options. Hence, this is the first review study to correlate the idea into an anaerobic membrane bioreactor which is expected to guide future research pathways regarding anaerobic process and its bioproducts.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate protects retinal vascular endothelial cells from high glucose stress in vitro via the MAPK/ERK-VEGF pathway

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a frequent microvascular complication of diabetes, and one of the most common causes of legal blindness in the world. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) produces an anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effect against various human diseases. In this study, we determined the effect of EGCG on a human retinal endothelial cell (HREC) line. The cell viability was determined by a standard MTT assay, while the cell cycle and apoptosis rate were analyzed by flow cytometry. Inflammatory marker expression was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Treatment of HRECs with EGCG (20 and 40 mM) led to a significant decrease in the apoptosis rate (2.35 ± 0.56 and 1.24 ± 0.32%). The culture supernatant of cells treated with high glucose concentrations showed significantly higher levels of TNF-α (598.7 ± 89.7 vs 193.2 ± 38.5 pg/mL; P < 0.001), IL-6 (6.16 ± 0.51 vs 1.61 ± 0.21 ng/mL; P < 0.001), and ICAM-1 (31.6 ± 4.4 vs 14.8 ± 2.9 ng/mL; P < 0.001) compared to the cells in the control group. EGCG decreased the expression level of phosphorylated p38-mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) and extracellular regulated kinase (ERK)1/2. Moreover, EGCG was shown to significantly inhibit the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Therefore, EGCG treatment ameliorated the negative effect of high glucose concentrations on the cell viability and apoptotic rate. The protective effects of EGCG under high glucose conditions may be attributed to the regulation of inflammatory cytokines and inhibition of the MAPK/ERK-VEGF pathway.

How to Reduce Head CT Orders in Children with Hydrocephalus Using the Lean Six Sigma Methodology: Experience at a Major Quaternary Care Academic Children's Center

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Lean Six Sigma methodology is increasingly used to drive improvement in patient safety, quality of care, and cost-effectiveness throughout the US health care delivery system. To demonstrate our value as specialists, radiologists can combine lean methodologies along with imaging expertise to optimize imaging elements-of-care pathways. In this article, we describe a Lean Six Sigma project with the goal of reducing the relative use of pediatric head CTs in our population of patients with hydrocephalus by 50% within 6 months.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We applied a Lean Six Sigma methodology using a multidisciplinary team at a quaternary care academic children's center. The existing baseline imaging practice for hydrocephalus was outlined in a Kaizen session, and potential interventions were discussed. An improved radiation-free workflow with ultrafast MR imaging was created. Baseline data were collected for 3 months by using the departmental radiology information system. Data collection continued postintervention and during the control phase (each for 3 months). The percentage of neuroimaging per technique (head CT, head ultrasound, ultrafast brain MR imaging, and routine brain MR imaging) was recorded during each phase.

RESULTS

The improved workflow resulted in a 75% relative reduction in the percentage of hydrocephalus imaging performed by CT between the pre- and postintervention/control phases (Z-test, P = .0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our lean interventions in the pediatric hydrocephalus care pathway resulted in a significant reduction in head CT orders and increased use of ultrafast brain MR imaging.

Reversal of multidrug resistance of gastric cancer cells by down-regulation of ZNRD1 with ZNRD1 siRNA

The over-expression of a new zinc ribbon (ZNRD1) gene has been shown previously to promote a multidrug-resistant phenotype in gastric cancer cells through the up-regulation of permeability-glycoprotein (P-gp). In the present study, siRNA eukaryotic expression vectors of ZNRD1 are constructed and transfected into SGC7901/VCR cells to examine whether or not down-regulation of ZNRD1 increases cell sensitivity towards chemotherapeutic drugs. After transfection, ZNRD1 expression decreased dramatically in ZNRD1 siRNA transfectants compared with that in parental cells and empty vector control cells. Down-regulation of ZNRD1 significantly enhanced the sensitivity of SGC7901/VCR cells to vincristine, adriamycin and etoposide, but not to 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin. Cell capacity to efflux adriamycin decreased markedly in ZNRD1 siRNA transfectants, and correlation between ZNRD1 down-regulation and increased multidrug resistance 1 (MDR1) gene transcriptional activity was observed. These results suggest that the ZNRD1 siRNA constructs down-regulate the expression of ZNRD1 effectively and reverse the resistant phenotype of gastric cancer cells. Furthermore, ZNRD1 might influence transcription of the MDR1 gene and thus play an important role in multidrug resistance in gastric carcinoma.

Annual economic burden of hepatitis B virus-related diseases among hospitalized patients in twelve cities in China

A nationwide survey of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated economic burden has not previously been performed in China. The purpose of this study was to examine the direct, indirect, and intangible costs of HBV-related diseases within the span of one year. A random sample was taken from specialty and general hospitals across 12 cities in six provinces of China. Intangible costs were estimated based on willingness to pay or open-ended answers provided by patients. The results showed that 27 hospitals were enrolled, with a sample population of 4726 patients (77.7% response rate). The average annual costs were $4454.0 (direct), $924.3 (indirect), and $6611.10 (intangible), corresponding to 37.3%, 7.7%, and 55.1% of the total costs, respectively. The direct medical fees were substantially greater than the non-medical fees. Annual indirect costs were divided into outpatient ($112.9) and inpatient ($811.40) loss of income. The intangible costs of chronic HBV were notably higher than either the direct or indirect costs, consistent with the social stigma in China. The comparison amongst individual cities for the average ratio of direct to indirect costs revealed that the sizes of ratios were negatively correlated with the socioeconomic status of the regions. This study suggested that as a whole in China, the HBV-related diseases caused a heavy financial burden which was positively associated with disease severity. Although the intangible costs coincided with a high prevalence of discrimination against CHB patients in Chinese society, our study may serve as future reference for detailed exploration.

Hepatic adenylate cyclase 3 is upregulated by Liraglutide and subsequently plays a protective role in insulin resistance and obesity

OBJECTIVE

Recent studies have demonstrated that adenylate cyclase 3 (AC3) has a protective role in obesity. This gene resides at the pathway with glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1. Liraglutide is a GLP-1 analog and has independent glucose and body weight (BW)-reducing effects. In the present study, we aimed to examine whether hepatic AC3 activity was regulated by Liraglutide and to further understand the effect of AC3 in reduction of BW and insulin resistance.

SUBJECTS

The diabesity and obese mice were induced from db/db and C57BL/6 J mice, respectively, by high-fat diet. Liraglutide (0.1 mg kg(-1) per 12 h) was given to the mice twice daily for 12 weeks. C57BL/6 J mice fed with chow diet and obese or diabesity mice treated with saline were used as the controls. Hepatic AC3 gene expression at mRNA and protein levels was analyzed with real-time reverse transcription-PCR and western blot. Fasting blood glucose and serum insulin levels were measured and followed insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) was evaluated according to the homeostasis model assessment.

RESULTS

After administration of Liraglutide, BW and HOMA-IR in obese and diabesity mice were decreased, whereas hepatic AC3 mRNA and protein expression levels were upregulated. The AC3 gene expression was negatively correlated with BW, HOMA-IR and the area ratio of hepatic fat deposition in the liver.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study thus provides the evidence that hepatic AC3 gene expression is upregulated by Liraglutide. The reduction of BW and improvement of insulin resistance with Liraglutide may be partially explained by AC3 activation.

Administration of Lactobacillus helveticus NS8 improves behavioral, cognitive, and biochemical aberrations caused by chronic restraint stress

Increasing numbers of studies have suggested that the gut microbiota is involved in the pathophysiology of stress-related disorders. Chronic stress can cause behavioral, cognitive, biochemical, and gut microbiota aberrations. Gut bacteria can communicate with the host through the microbiota-gut-brain axis (which mainly includes the immune, neuroendocrine, and neural pathways) to influence brain and behavior. It is hypothesized that administration of probiotics can improve chronic-stress-induced depression. In order to examine this hypothesis, the chronic restraint stress depression model was established in this study. Adult specific pathogen free (SPF) Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to 21 days of restraint stress followed by behavioral testing (including the sucrose preference test (SPT), elevated-plus maze test, open-field test (OFT), object recognition test (ORT), and object placement test (OPT)) and biochemical analysis. Supplemental Lactobacillus helveticus NS8 was provided every day during stress until the end of experiment, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) citalopram (CIT) served as a positive control. Results showed that L. helveticus NS8 improved chronic restraint stress-induced behavioral (anxiety and depression) and cognitive dysfunction, showing an effect similar to and better than that of CIT. L. helveticus NS8 also resulted in lower plasma corticosterone (CORT) and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) levels, higher plasma interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels, restored hippocampal serotonin (5-HT) and norepinephrine (NE) levels, and more hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA expression than in chronic stress rats. Taken together, these results indicate an anti-depressant effect of L. helveticus NS8 in rats subjected to chronic restraint stress depression and that this effect could be due to the microbiota-gut-brain axis. They also suggest the therapeutic potential of L. helveticus NS8 in stress-related and possibly other kinds of depression.

A bone metastases model of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma in athymic nude mice

AIM

Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC), an aggressive form of thyroid cancer, represents less than 2% of all thyroid cancers. The survival of patients with ATC remains low especially when accompanied with bone metastasis. This study aims to establish a reproducible animal model of bone metastasis of ATC which may be useful for further research on novel treatment strategy.

METHODS

Eight 6-8 week old female athymic nude mice were randomly selected. ATC cell line ARO cells were injected into the left ventricular cavity of each mouse respectively. Each mouse was imaged using a dedicated small-animal PET/CT scanner after successful injection of [(18)F]-FDG under deep anesthesia. Pathological examination was carried out to confirm the bone metastases of ATC.

RESULTS

Histopathology established ATC bone metastases in five nude mice's tibia. Similarly, PET image displayed significantly increased radioactivity (P<0.01) in the established bone metastasis compared with the control normal tibia.

CONCLUSIONS

Both micro-PET/CT and histomorphometric measurement confirmed the bone metastases model of ATC in nude mice by left ventricular cavity injection of ARO cell line. The bone metastases model of ATC will thus facilitate the understanding of its pathogenesis and aid in the development of novel therapies.

Sex dimorphism in periodontitis in animal models

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Although surveys in the USA have shown that male subjects are more prone to develop periodontitis, sex as a risk factor in periodontitis, and its mechanism, remain controversial. Animal models are ideal for investigating immunological mechanisms of sex dimorphism in periodontitis because in these models it is possible to exclude the interference of gender-related risk factors, such as smoking and oral hygiene habits. Based on surveys in humans and reports on sex dimorphism in other diseases, our hypothesis is that sex is a risk factor in periodontitis.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Different murine models (oral gavage model and ligature model) for periodontitis have been utilized to determine susceptibility to periodontitis in female and male mice. Periodontal bone levels were measured as the distance from the cemento-enamel junction to the alveolar bone crest (CEJ-ABC) in young female or male mice (8-10 wk of age). Differential expression of inflammatory mediators in the gingivae of female and male mice was determined by quantitative real-time PCR.

RESULTS

In comparison with male mice, female mice displayed significantly (p < 0.05) increased periodontal bone loss, accompanied by elevated expression of proinflammatory cytokines (interleukin-1β, interleukin-6 and interleukin-17A) and higher numbers of oral bacteria.

CONCLUSION

In contrast to the results in humans, in which periodontitis susceptibility is also influenced by confounding gender-related behaviors, in the murine oral gavage model and ligature model, female mice appear to be more susceptible to periodontal bone loss than male mice. In the ligature model, we observed significantly (p < 0.05) higher CEJ-ABC distance, gingival proinflammatory cytokine production and number of oral bacteria in female mice. Furthermore, our results imply that female mice develop periodontitis with a higher progression rate. Our study has therefore established that animal models can be used to dissect the mechanisms underlying genuine gender-based differences in periodontal disease susceptibility and/or progression.

Corticosteroids for the treatment of human infection with influenza virus: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Administration of corticosteroids to patients affected by influenza virus, especially pandemic avian influenza virus, although relatively common, remains controversial. A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to assess the impact of corticosteroid treatment on outcomes of patients with influenza virus infection. The PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science and Cochrane Library databases were searched up to February, 2015. Studies comparing corticosteroid treatment with no corticosteroid treatment in patients with influenza virus infection were included. The primary outcomes assessed were the association of mortality and nosocomial infection with corticosteroid treatment. Two authors independently extracted the data. ORs and weighted mean differences (WMDs) were used to describe dichotomous data and continuous data, respectively. Nineteen studies with 4916 patients were included in this meta-analysis. The results showed that corticosteroid treatment was significantly associated with mortality (OR 1.98, 95% CI 1.62-2.43, p < 0.00001) and nosocomial infection (OR 3.16, 95% CI 2.09-4.78, p < 0.00001). The durations of mechanical ventilation (WMD 3.82, 95% CI 1.49-6.15, p 0.001) and intensive-care unit stay (WMD 4.78, 95% CI 2.27-7.29, p 0.0002) were both markedly longer in the corticosteroid treatment group than in the control group. These findings suggest that routine steroid use may not be ideal for influenza virus infection. However, these results are derived from observational studies, with some important biases. They should be examined in future sufficiently powered randomized trials.

Search for dark matter, extra dimensions, and unparticles in monojet events in proton-proton collisions at [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]

Results are presented from a search for particle dark matter (DM), extra dimensions, and unparticles using events containing a jet and an imbalance in transverse momentum. The data were collected by the CMS detector in proton-proton collisions at the LHC and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 19.7[Formula: see text]at a centre-of-mass energy of 8[Formula: see text]. The number of observed events is found to be consistent with the standard model prediction. Limits are placed on the DM-nucleon scattering cross section as a function of the DM particle mass for spin-dependent and spin-independent interactions. Limits are also placed on the scale parameter [Formula: see text] in the Arkani-Hamed, Dimopoulos, and Dvali (ADD) model of large extra dimensions, and on the unparticle model parameter [Formula: see text]. The constraints on ADD models and unparticles are the most stringent limits in this channel and those on the DM-nucleon scattering cross section are an improvement over previous collider results.

Continuous-wave operation up to 20 °C of deep-ridge npn-InGaAsP/InP multiple quantum well transistor laser emitting at 1.5-μm wavelength

We report continuous-wave (CW) operation up to 20 °C of 1.5-μm wavelength npn-InGaAsP/InP multiple quantum well (MQW) transistor laser (TL) with a deep-ridge structure. With CW laser emission, the common emitter current gain of the device can be over 3.5, which is significantly larger than those of the previously reported long wavelength TLs. It is found that at low base current, the laser operation occurs on the first excited state of the MQWs. At high base current, however, the device shows stimulated emissions on the ground state transition. The trend is contrary to what has been observed in the GaAs based TLs and is explained by the change of carrier flow at different base currents.

Lactobacillus fermentum NS9 restores the antibiotic induced physiological and psychological abnormalities in rats

Gut microbiota play a vital role in maintaining the health of the host. Many factors affect gut microbiota; application of broad range antibiotics disturb microbiota, while probiotic application protects the microbiota. To investigate how probiotics alter the physiological and psychological changes induced by antibiotics, we tested the performance of ampicillin-treated rats in the presence or absence of Lactobacillus fermentum strain NS9, in elevated plus maze and Morris water maze. The results showed that NS9 normalised the composition of gut microbiota and alleviated the ampicillin-induced inflammation in the colon. The levels of the mineralocorticoid and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors were also elevated in the hippocampus of the ampillicin+NS9 treated group. NS9 administration also reduced the anxiety-like behaviour and alleviated the ampicillin-induced impairment in memory retention. These findings suggest that NS9 is beneficial to the host, because it restores the physiological and psychological abnormalities induced by ampicillin. Our results highlight how gut contents regulate the brain, and shed light on the clinical applications of probiotics to treat the side effect of antibiotics and mental disorders.

MicroRNAs of two medically important mosquito species: Aedes aegypti and Anopheles stephensi

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous, single-stranded small RNAs that have important regulatory functions at the post-transcriptional level. In the present study, we characterize miRNAs in two divergent mosquito species, Aedes aegypti and Anopheles stephensi, through deep sequencing of small RNAs spanning all developmental stages. We discovered eight novel miRNAs in Ae. aegypti and 20 novel miRNAs in An. stephensi, which enabled the first systematic analysis of miRNA evolution in mosquitos. We traced the phylogenetic history of all miRNAs in both species and report a rate of 0.055-0.13 miRNA net gain per million years. Most novel miRNAs originate de novo. Duplications that produced miRNA clusters and families are more common in Ae. aegypti than in An. stephensi. We also identified arm-switch as a source of new miRNAs. Expression profile analysis identified mosquito-specific miRNAs that showed strong stage-specific expression in one or both lineages. For example, the aae-miR-2941/2946 family represents the most abundant maternally deposited and zygotically transcribed miRNAs in Ae. aegypti. miR-2943 is a highly expressed zygotic miRNA in both Ae. aegypti and An. stephensi. Such information provides the basis from which to study the function of these miRNAs in biology common to all mosquitos or unique to one particular lineage.

Household transmissibility of avian influenza A (H7N9) virus, China, February to May 2013 and October 2013 to March 2014

To study human-to-human transmissibility of the avian influenza A (H7N9) virus in China, household contact information was collected for 125 index cases during the spring wave (February to May 2013), and for 187 index cases during the winter wave (October 2013 to March 2014). Using a statistical model, we found evidence for human-to-human transmission, but such transmission is not sustainable. Under plausible assumptions about the natural history of disease and the relative transmission frequencies in settings other than household, we estimate the household secondary attack rate (SAR) among humans to be 1.4% (95% CI: 0.8 to 2.3), and the basic reproductive number R0 to be 0.08 (95% CI: 0.05 to 0.13). The estimates range from 1.3% to 2.2% for SAR and from 0.07 to 0.12 for R0 with reasonable changes in the assumptions. There was no significant change in the human-to-human transmissibility of the virus between the two waves, although a minor increase was observed in the winter wave. No sex or age difference in the risk of infection from a human source was found. Human-to-human transmissibility of H7N9 continues to be limited, but it needs to be closely monitored for potential increase via genetic reassortment or mutation.

Measurement of electroweak production of two jets in association with a Z boson in proton-proton collisions at [Formula: see text]

The purely electroweak (EW) cross section for the production of two jets in association with a Z boson, in proton-proton collisions at [Formula: see text], is measured using data recorded by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.7[Formula: see text]. The electroweak cross section for the [Formula: see text] final state (with [Formula: see text] or [Formula: see text] and j representing the quarks produced in the hard interaction) in the kinematic region defined by [Formula: see text][Formula: see text], [Formula: see text][Formula: see text], transverse momentum [Formula: see text][Formula: see text], and pseudorapidity [Formula: see text], is found to be [Formula: see text], in agreement with the standard model prediction. The associated jet activity of the selected events is studied, in particular in a signal-enriched region of phase space, and the measurements are found to be in agreement with QCD predictions.

26 HISTONE DEACETYLASE INHIBITOR SCRIPTAID IMPROVES EPIGENETIC REPROGRAMMING AND CLONING EFFICIENCY IN THE PIG

After somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), the epigenetic state of a differentiated donor cell nucleus must be reversed to the embryonic state. Incomplete epigenetic reprogramming and abnormal gene activation of the donor cell nuclei is thought to be the cause of low cloning efficiency. To improve cloning efficiency, we investigated the effect of scriptaid, a novel histone deacetylase inhibitor, on the in vitro development of porcine SCNT embryos were investigated. Cumulus cells collected from cumulus-oocyte complexes (COC) after 44 h of maturation were used for donor cell, and embryos were cultured in porcine zygote medium (PZM)-5 medium for 7 days. We found that treating SCNT embryos with 300 or 500 nM scriptaid for 20 h after activation increased developmental rate to the blastocyst stage (300 nM, 26.2%; 500 nM, 24.6% v. 100 nM, 18.3%; Ctrl, 15.7%; P < 0.05) and total cell numbers (300 nM, 43.5; 500 nM, 40.8 v. 100 nM, 33.8; Ctrl, 32.3; P < 0.05). Additionally, results of the TUNEL assay indicated that scriptaid decreased apoptosis (300 nM, 6.8% v. Ctrl, 11.4%; P < 0.05) in SCNT blastocysts. After the 300 nM scriptaid treatment, the levels of acetylated histone H3 lysine 9 and 5-hydroxymethylcytosines were increased (P < 0.05), and histone H3 lysine 9 trimethylation and 5-methylcytosine were decreased at the 1-cell stage, which might explain the enhanced (P < 0.05) transcript levels of mir-152, Oct4, Cdx2, and Bcl-xL and reduced (P < 0.05) transcription of Dnmt1, Casp3, and Bax in blastocysts. In conclusion, scriptaid enhances the developmental capacity by preventing apoptosis, and improves nuclear reprogramming in porcine SCNT embryos.This work was supported by the Bio-industry Technology Development Program, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Republic of Korea, and by a grant from the Next-Generation BioGreen 21 Program (No. PJ009601 and PJ009098), Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea.

Measurement of prompt ψ(2S) to J/ψ yield ratios in Pb-Pb and p-p collisions at sqrt[sNN]=2.76 TeV

The ratio between the prompt ψ(2S) and J/ψ yields, reconstructed via their decays into μ+ μ-, is measured in Pb-Pb and p-p collisions at sqrt[sNN]=2.76  TeV. The analysis is based on Pb-Pb and p-p data samples collected by CMS at the Large Hadron Collider, corresponding to integrated luminosities of 150  μb(-1) and 5.4  pb(-1), respectively. The double ratio of measured yields (Nψ(2S)/N(J/ψ))(Pb-Pb)/(Nψ(2S)/N(J/ψ))(p-p) is computed in three Pb-Pb collision centrality bins and two kinematic ranges: one at midrapidity, |y|<1.6, covering the transverse momentum range 6.5<pT<30  GeV/c, and the other at forward rapidity, 1.6<|y|<2.4, extending to lower pT values, 3<pT<30  GeV/c. The centrality-integrated double ratio changes from 0.45±0.13(stat)±0.07(syst) in the first range to 1.67±0.34(stat)±0.27(syst) in the second. This difference is most pronounced in the most central collisions.

Search for heavy neutrinos and [Formula: see text] bosons with right-handed couplings in proton-proton collisions at [Formula: see text]

A search for heavy, right-handed neutrinos, [Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text]), and right-handed [Formula: see text] bosons, which arise in the left-right symmetric extensions of the standard model, has been performed by the CMS experiment. The search was based on a sample of two lepton plus two jet events collected in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 8[Formula: see text] corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 [Formula: see text]. For models with strict left-right symmetry, and assuming only one [Formula: see text] flavor contributes significantly to the [Formula: see text] decay width, the region in the two-dimensional [Formula: see text] mass plane excluded at a 95 % confidence level extends to approximately [Formula: see text] and covers a large range of neutrino masses below the [Formula: see text] boson mass, depending on the value of [Formula: see text]. This search significantly extends the [Formula: see text] exclusion region beyond previous results.

Measurement of differential cross sections for the production of a pair of isolated photons in pp collisions at [Formula: see text]

A measurement of differential cross sections for the production of a pair of isolated photons in proton-proton collisions at [Formula: see text] is presented. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 5.0[Formula: see text] collected with the CMS detector. A data-driven isolation template method is used to extract the prompt diphoton yield. The measured cross section for two isolated photons, with transverse energy above 40 and 25[Formula: see text] respectively, in the pseudorapidity range [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and with an angular separation [Formula: see text], is [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]. Differential cross sections are measured as a function of the diphoton invariant mass, the diphoton transverse momentum, the azimuthal angle difference between the two photons, and the cosine of the polar angle in the Collins-Soper reference frame of the diphoton system. The results are compared to theoretical predictions at leading, next-to-leading, and next-to-next-to-leading order in quantum chromodynamics.

Enhanced thermoelectric performance in CdO by nano-SiO₂ inclusions

We report enhanced thermoelectric (TE) performance in CdO by using thermally insulating nano-particles to mimic nano pores in the composite. Through simply mechanical alloying, we fabricated CdO-SiO2 composites with varying nano-SiO2 concentration from 0.1 to 3 at%. Due to the very low thermal conductivity of nano-SiO2 distributed in the CdO matrix, the thermal conductivity of the composite was substantially reduced by about 80%, which lead to the dimensionless figure of merit (ZT) value increment about 28% (from 0.32 to 0.41) at 1000 K. TEM shows the nano inclusions formed within the CdO matrix and grain boundaries as well, which is thought to contribute to the reduction of thermal conductivity of the composite by additional scattering mechanism for the mid- to long-wavelength phonons. This facile and low-cost approach might be widely adopted and synergized to other TE materials systems to further improve their performance.

Observation of the diphoton decay of the Higgs boson and measurement of its properties

Observation of the diphoton decay mode of the recently discovered Higgs boson and measurement of some of its properties are reported. The analysis uses the entire dataset collected by the CMS experiment in proton-proton collisions during the 2011 and 2012 LHC running periods. The data samples correspond to integrated luminosities of 5.1[Formula: see text]at [Formula: see text] and 19.7[Formula: see text]at 8[Formula: see text] . A clear signal is observed in the diphoton channel at a mass close to 125[Formula: see text] with a local significance of [Formula: see text], where a significance of [Formula: see text] is expected for the standard model Higgs boson. The mass is measured to be [Formula: see text] , and the best-fit signal strength relative to the standard model prediction is [Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text]. Additional measurements include the signal strength modifiers associated with different production mechanisms, and hypothesis tests between spin-0 and spin-2 models.

Modification of agricultural waste/by-products for enhanced phosphate removal and recovery: potential and obstacles

There is a growing trend to employ agricultural waste/by-products (AWBs) as the substrates for the development of phosphate biosorbents. Nevertheless, due to the lack of anion binding sites, natural AWBs are usually inefficient in phosphate decontamination. Consequently, modification plays a vital role in improving phosphate sorption's property of raw AWBs. This review paper evaluates all existing methods of modification. The literatures indicate that modification can significantly improve phosphate removal ability of AWBs by retaining phosphate ion onto modified AWBs principally via ion exchange (electrostatic interaction) and ligand exchange mechanisms. So far, little work has been done on the beneficial use of modified AWBs for the phosphorus recovery from aqueous solutions. The poor recyclability of modified AWBs could be responsible for their limited application. Hence, further study is essential to search for novel, cost-effective, and green methods of modification.

A comparative study on different metal loaded soybean milk by-product 'okara' for biosorption of phosphorus from aqueous solution

Cationization of agricultural by-products using metal salts is widely used to activate their phosphorous capture ability. This study developed three kinds of new metal loaded soybean milk by-product 'okara' for phosphorus biosorption. A comparative study among these biosorbents was carried out with respect to their performances in terms of affinity, stability and reusability. Zirconium loaded okara (ZLO) was found to have the highest affinity towards PO(4)(3-) anions (47.88 mg/g), followed by iron/zirconium loaded okara--IZLO (40.96 mg/g) and iron loaded okara--ILO (16.39 mg/g). ZLO was successfully desorbed with 0.2M NaOH and activated with 0.1 HCl prior to the next cycle. After five consecutive cycles, the efficiency of both adsorption and desorption of ZLO remained about 85% whilst no Zr(IV) leakage was observed. Conversely, IZLO and ILO suffered from vital short comings such as high metal release and/or sharp reduction in PO4(3-) sequestering capability after multi operation cycles.

Searches for electroweak production of charginos, neutralinos, and sleptons decaying to leptons and W, Z, and Higgs bosons in pp collisions at 8 TeV

Searches for the direct electroweak production of supersymmetric charginos, neutralinos, and sleptons in a variety of signatures with leptons and [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and Higgs bosons are presented. Results are based on a sample of proton-proton collision data collected at center-of-mass energy [Formula: see text] with the CMS detector in 2012, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.5 [Formula: see text]. The observed event rates are in agreement with expectations from the standard model. These results probe charginos and neutralinos with masses up to 720 [Formula: see text], and sleptons up to 260 [Formula: see text], depending on the model details.

Evidence of b-jet quenching in PbPb collisions at √(s(NN))=2.76 TeV

The production of jets associated to bottom quarks is measured for the first time in PbPb collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 2.76 TeV per nucleon pair. Jet spectra are reported in the transverse momentum (p(T)) range of 80-250  GeV/c, and within pseudorapidity |η|<2. The nuclear modification factor (R(AA)) calculated from these spectra shows a strong suppression in the b-jet yield in PbPb collisions relative to the yield observed in pp collisions at the same energy. The suppression persists to the largest values of p(T) studied, and is centrality dependent. The R(AA) is about 0.4 in the most central events, similar to previous observations for inclusive jets. This implies that jet quenching does not have a strong dependence on parton mass and flavor in the jet p(T) range studied.

Measurement of top quark-antiquark pair production in association with a W or Z boson in pp collisions at [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]

A measurement of the cross section for the production of top quark-antiquark pairs ([Formula: see text]) in association with a vector boson V (W or Z) in proton-proton collisions at [Formula: see text][Formula: see text] is presented. The results are based on a dataset corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.5 fb[Formula: see text] recorded with the CMS detector at the LHC. The measurement is performed in three leptonic (e and [Formula: see text]) channels: a same-sign dilepton analysis targeting [Formula: see text] events, and trilepton and four-lepton analyses designed for [Formula: see text] events. In the same-sign dilepton channel, the [Formula: see text] cross section is measured as [Formula: see text], corresponding to a significance of 1.6 standard deviations over the background-only hypothesis. Combining the trilepton and four-lepton channels, a direct measurement of the [Formula: see text] cross section, [Formula: see text], is obtained with a significance of 3.1 standard deviations. The measured cross sections are compatible with standard model predictions within their experimental uncertainties. The inclusive [Formula: see text] process is observed with a significance of 3.7 standard deviations from the combination of all three leptonic channels.

Measurement of jet multiplicity distributions in [Formula: see text] production in pp collisions at [Formula: see text]

The normalised differential top quark-antiquark production cross section is measured as a function of the jet multiplicity in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7[Formula: see text] at the LHC with the CMS detector. The measurement is performed in both the dilepton and lepton+jets decay channels using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.0[Formula: see text]. Using a procedure to associate jets to decay products of the top quarks, the differential cross section of the [Formula: see text] production is determined as a function of the additional jet multiplicity in the lepton+jets channel. Furthermore, the fraction of events with no additional jets is measured in the dilepton channel, as a function of the threshold on the jet transverse momentum. The measurements are compared with predictions from perturbative quantum chromodynamics and no significant deviations are observed.

Search for invisible decays of Higgs bosons in the vector boson fusion and associated ZH production modes

A search for invisible decays of Higgs bosons is performed using the vector boson fusion and associated ZH production modes. In the ZH mode, the Z boson is required to decay to a pair of charged leptons or a [Formula: see text] quark pair. The searches use the 8 [Formula: see text] pp collision dataset collected by the CMS detector at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of up to 19.7 [Formula: see text]. Certain channels include data from 7 [Formula: see text] collisions corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.9 [Formula: see text]. The searches are sensitive to non-standard-model invisible decays of the recently observed Higgs boson, as well as additional Higgs bosons with similar production modes and large invisible branching fractions. In all channels, the observed data are consistent with the expected standard model backgrounds. Limits are set on the production cross section times invisible branching fraction, as a function of the Higgs boson mass, for the vector boson fusion and ZH production modes. By combining all channels, and assuming standard model Higgs boson cross sections and acceptances, the observed (expected) upper limit on the invisible branching fraction at [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] is found to be 0.58 (0.44) at 95 % confidence level. We interpret this limit in terms of a Higgs-portal model of dark matter interactions.

Measurement of WZ and ZZ production in pp collisions at [Formula: see text] in final states with b-tagged jets

Measurements are reported of the WZ and ZZ production cross sections in proton-proton collisions at [Formula: see text][Formula: see text] in final states where one Z boson decays to b-tagged jets. The other gauge boson, either W or Z, is detected through its leptonic decay (either [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] or [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], or [Formula: see text]). The results are based on data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 18.9 fb[Formula: see text] collected with the CMS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The measured cross sections, [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], are consistent with next-to-leading order quantum chromodynamics calculations.

Observation of the associated production of a single top quark and a W boson in pp collisions at sqrt[s] = 8 TeV

The first observation of the associated production of a single top quark and a W boson is presented. The analysis is based on a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 12.2 fb(-1) of proton-proton collisions at sqrt[s] = 8 TeV recorded by the CMS experiment at the LHC. Events with two leptons and a jet originating from a b quark are selected. A multivariate analysis based on kinematic and topological properties is used to separate the signal from the dominant tt background. An excess consistent with the signal hypothesis is observed, with a significance which corresponds to 6.1 standard deviations above a background-only hypothesis. The measured production cross section is 23.4 ± 5.4 pb, in agreement with the standard model prediction.

Probing color coherence effects in pp collisions at [Formula: see text]

A study of color coherence effects in pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 7[Formula: see text] is presented. The data used in the analysis were collected in 2010 with the CMS detector at the LHC and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 36 pb[Formula: see text]. Events are selected that contain at least three jets and where the two jets with the largest transverse momentum exhibit a back-to-back topology. The measured angular correlation between the second- and third-leading jet is shown to be sensitive to color coherence effects, and is compared to the predictions of Monte Carlo models with various implementations of color coherence. None of the models describe the data satisfactorily.