Dissociable Contributions of Basolateral Amygdala and Ventrolateral Orbitofrontal Cortex to Flexible Learning Under Uncertainty

Reversal learning measures the ability to form flexible associations between choice outcomes with stimuli and actions that precede them. This type of learning is thought to rely on several cortical and subcortical areas, including the highly interconnected orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and basolateral amygdala (BLA), and is often impaired in various neuropsychiatric and substance use disorders. However, the unique contributions of these regions to stimulus- and action-based reversal learning have not been systematically compared using a chemogenetic approach particularly before and after the first reversal that introduces new uncertainty. Here, we examined the roles of ventrolateral OFC (vlOFC) and BLA during reversal learning. Male and female rats were prepared with inhibitory designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs targeting projection neurons in these regions and tested on a series of deterministic and probabilistic reversals during which they learned about stimulus identity or side (left or right) associated with different reward probabilities. Using a counterbalanced within-subject design, we inhibited these regions prior to reversal sessions. We assessed initial and pre-/post-reversal changes in performance to measure learning and adjustments to reversals, respectively. We found that inhibition of the ventrolateral orbitofrontal cortex (vlOFC), but not BLA, eliminated adjustments to stimulus-based reversals. Inhibition of BLA, but not vlOFC, selectively impaired action-based probabilistic reversal learning, leaving deterministic reversal learning intact. vlOFC exhibited a sex-dependent role in early adjustment to action-based reversals, but not in overall learning. These results reveal dissociable roles for BLA and vlOFC in flexible learning and highlight a more crucial role for BLA in learning meaningful changes in the reward environment.

Confirmatory factor analysis of the BRIEF2 in a sample of youth with Down syndrome

BACKGROUND

The factor structure of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, second edition (BRIEF2) has been widely examined in both typically developing children and specific clinical samples. Despite the frequent use of the BRIEF2 for measuring executive functioning in individuals with Down syndrome, no study has investigated the factorial validity or dimensionality of the BRIEF2 in this population. This study aimed to address this notable gap in the literature.

METHODS

Parents of 407 children and youth with Down syndrome aged 6-18 years completed the BRIEF2 as part of different studies led by six sites. Three competing models proposed by previous studies were analysed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis: the theoretical structure of the BRIEF2 where the scales were constrained to load on three factors labelled as Cognitive, Behavioral, and Emotional Regulation, a two-factor correlated model with the merged Behavioral and Emotional regulation, and a single-factor model.

RESULTS

The three-factor model provided a better fit than the one- and two-factor models, yet a large correlation was observed between Behavioural and Emotional regulation factors. The results provide meaningful explanatory value for the theoretical structure of the BRIEF2. However, the Behavioral and Emotional regulation factors might be less differentiated and the two-factor structure of the BRIEF2 may also make theoretical and empirical sense.

CONCLUSIONS

Although more studies are needed to further examine the factor structure of the BRIEF2 in youth with Down syndrome, this investigation provides preliminary support for the interpretation of the three executive function index scores provided by the BRIEF2: Cognitive, Behavioral, and Emotional Regulation.

Cephalexin degradation initiated by OH radicals: theoretical prediction of the mechanisms and the toxicity of byproducts

In this work, the density functional theory is used to study the local reactivity of cephalexin (CLX) to radical attack and explain the mechanism of the reaction between CLX and hydroxyl radical attack leading to degradation byproducts. The reaction between •OH and CLX is supposed to lead to either an addition of a hydroxyl radical or an abstraction of a hydrogen. The results showed that the affinity of cephalexin for addition reactions increases as it passes from the gas to the aqueous phase and decreases as it passes from the neutral to the ionized form. Thermodynamic data confirmed that OH addition radicals (R_add) are thermodynamically favored over H abstraction radicals (R_abs). The ecotoxicity assessments of CLX and its byproducts are estimated from the acute toxicities toward green algae, Daphnia, and fish. The formation of byproducts is safe for aquatic organisms, and only one byproduct is harmful to Daphnia.

Technical validation of real-world monitoring of gait: a multicentric observational study

INTRODUCTION

Existing mobility endpoints based on functional performance, physical assessments and patient self-reporting are often affected by lack of sensitivity, limiting their utility in clinical practice. Wearable devices including inertial measurement units (IMUs) can overcome these limitations by quantifying digital mobility outcomes (DMOs) both during supervised structured assessments and in real-world conditions. The validity of IMU-based methods in the real-world, however, is still limited in patient populations. Rigorous validation procedures should cover the device metrological verification, the validation of the algorithms for the DMOs computation specifically for the population of interest and in daily life situations, and the users' perspective on the device.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This protocol was designed to establish the technical validity and patient acceptability of the approach used to quantify digital mobility in the real world by Mobilise-D, a consortium funded by the European Union (EU) as part of the Innovative Medicine Initiative, aiming at fostering regulatory approval and clinical adoption of DMOs.After defining the procedures for the metrological verification of an IMU-based device, the experimental procedures for the validation of algorithms used to calculate the DMOs are presented. These include laboratory and real-world assessment in 120 participants from five groups: healthy older adults; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, proximal femoral fracture and congestive heart failure. DMOs extracted from the monitoring device will be compared with those from different reference systems, chosen according to the contexts of observation. Questionnaires and interviews will evaluate the users' perspective on the deployed technology and relevance of the mobility assessment.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The study has been granted ethics approval by the centre's committees (London-Bloomsbury Research Ethics committee; Helsinki Committee, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Centre; Medical Faculties of The University of Tübingen and of the University of Kiel). Data and algorithms will be made publicly available.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ISRCTN (12246987).

Metabolomic biomarkers of low BMD: a systematic review

Due to the metabolic nature of osteoporosis, this study was conducted to identify metabolomic studies investigating the metabolic profile of low bone mineral density (BMD) and osteoporosis. A comprehensive systematic literature search was conducted through PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Embase databases up to April 08, 2020, to identify observational studies with cross-sectional or case-control designs investigating the metabolic profile of low BMD in adults using biofluid specimen via metabolomic platform. The quality assessment panel specified for the "omics"-based diagnostic research (QUADOMICS) tool was used to estimate the methodologic quality of the included studies. Ten untargeted and one targeted approach metabolomic studies investigating biomarkers in different biofluids through mass spectrometry or nuclear magnetic resonance platforms were included in the systematic review. Some metabolite panels, rather than individual metabolites, showed promising results in differentiating low BMD from normal. Candidate metabolites were of different categories including amino acids, followed by lipids and carbohydrates. Besides, certain pathways were suggested by some of the studies to be involved. This systematic review suggested that metabolic profiling could improve the diagnosis of low BMD. Despite valuable findings attained from each of these studies, there was great heterogeneity regarding the ethnicity and age of participants, samples, and the metabolomic platform. Further longitudinal studies are needed to validate the results and confirm the predictive role of metabolic profile on low BMD and fracture. It is also mandatory to address and minimize the heterogeneity in future studies by using reliable quantitative methods. Summary: Due to the metabolic nature of osteoporosis, researchers have considered metabolomic studies recently. This systematic review showed that metabolic profiling including different categories of metabolites could improve the diagnosis of low BMD. However, great heterogeneity was observed and it is mandatory to address and minimize the heterogeneity in future studies.

Algorithms for Walking Speed Estimation Using a Lower-Back-Worn Inertial Sensor: A Cross-Validation on Speed Ranges

Walking/gait speed is a key measure for daily mobility characterization. To date, various studies have attempted to design algorithms to estimate walking speed using an inertial sensor worn on the lower back, which is considered as a proper location for activity monitoring in daily life. However, these algorithms were rarely compared and validated on the same datasets, including people with different preferred walking speed. This study implemented several original, improved, and new algorithms for estimating cadence, step length and eventually speed. We designed comprehensive cross-validation to compare the algorithms for walking slow, normal, fast, and using walking aids. We used two datasets, including reference data for algorithm validation from an instrumented mat (40 subjects) and shanks-worn inertial sensors (88 subjects), with normal and impaired walking patterns. The results showed up to 50% performance improvements. Training of algorithms on data from people with different preferred speeds led to better performance. For the slow walkers, an average RMSE of 2.5 steps/min, 0.04 m, and 0.10 m/s were respectively achieved for cadence, step length, and speed estimation. For normal walkers, the errors were 3.5 steps/min, 0.08 m, and 0.12 m/s. An average RMSE of 1.3 steps/min, 0.05 m, and 0.10 m/s were also observed on fast walkers. For people using walking aids, the error significantly increased up to an RMSE of 14 steps/min, 0.18 m, and 0.27 m/s. The results demonstrated the robustness of the proposed combined speed estimation approach for different speed ranges. It achieved an RMSE of 0.10, 0.18, 0.15, and 0.32 m/s for slow, normal, fast, and using walking aids, respectively.

Impacts of fire cues on germination of Brassica napus L. seeds with high and low secondary dormancy

Agricultural burning is used in farm management operations; however, information about the impact of fire cues on the release and/or induction of secondary dormancy in crop seeds is scarce. Seeds from two oilseed rape cultivars were induced for high (HD) or low (LD) secondary dormancy using polyethyleneglycol (PEG) pre-treatment, and their germination after exposure to various fire cues was compared to control PEG pre-treated and non-dormant seeds. Non-dormant seed germination was unaffected by various fire cues. Low doses of aerosol smoke released secondary dormancy in HD seeds, while higher doses increased dormancy of LD seeds. Dilute smoke water also released HD seed secondary dormancy, but concentrated smke water enhanced dormancy in both LD and HD seeds. The concentrated aqueous extracts from charred oilseed rape straw only promoted germination of HD seeds, while dilution inhibited LD seed germination. Heat shock (80 °C, 5 min) released secondary dormancy in HD seeds; however, higher temperatures and/or increased exposure time was associated with seed death. GC-MS analyses of smoke water revealed two butenolides and an array of monoaromatic hydroxybenzene compounds with potential germination inhibitor or promoter activity. The extent of secondary dormancy induction in seeds affects their subsequent responses to fire cues. Both aerosol smoke and smoke water have both germination promoter and inhibitor activity. Lacking any butenolides, aqueous extracts of charred straw contain a potential germination stimulating steroid, i.e. ergosterol. The significance of fire-derived cues on behaviour of oilseed rape seeds in the soil seed bank is discussed.

AB0175 INNOVATIVE PREPARATION OF CURCUMIN NANOPARTICLES TO IMPROVE ANTI-INFLAMMATORY EFFECT IN RHEUMATIC DISEASE

Background:

Curcumin (Cur) as a natural compound can be used in the wide spectrum of healthy functions and pharmacological activities [1-4]. It shows great promise for medication of various pro-inflammatory chronic illnesses [5]. In this study, we evaluate the ability of poly(lactide-co-glycolide)(PLGA) and different grads of PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) and lecithin as a drug delivery system for poorly soluble Cur

Objectives:

The goal of this study was to prepare and characterize Cur encapsulated PLGA and different grads of PVA and lecithin as an efficient nanocarrier for improve anti-inflammatory effect in rheumatic disease

Methods:

The PLGA nanospheres were formulated and then characterized for percent yield, encapsulation efficiency, surface morphology, and in vitro drug release profiles. At first, 6 mg of Cur was added to the organic phase including 24 mg of polymer dissolved in 5 mL of dichloromethane to constitute 1:4 (drug-to-polymer) ratios. Then, a mixture of PVA-lecithin (at about 5 cc) was added to maintain the stability of double emulsion droplets. The emulsion was continuously stirred at 300 rpm for 24 hours (at temperature of 37.5 ˚C) to evaporate the solvent, leaving behind the colloidal suspension of the drug-encapsulated nanoparticle in aqueous phase. The encapsulation of Cur into PLGA was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

Results:

Our studies achieved the successful formation of smooth surface and spherical shape Cur encapsulated into PLGA nanoparticles by the TEM image confirmed. The particle size distribution demonstrated a range of 30 nm to 100 nm, with the mean particle size being 45 nm. FTIR study implies successful loading of Cur into the nanoparticles. We show high drug-loading efficiency about 98 ± 0.5% for 6% of Cur weight in total ingredients weight of PLGA (w/w). It was also seen that a slower sustained release of 10% CUR in 48 hours is observed with biocompatible PLGA in phosphate buffered saline (pH = 7.4). The MTT assay of the Cur-PLGA exhibited no cytotoxic effect on Normal mouse fibroblast cells (L-929) cell line. IC50 of Cur -PLGA increased 99.5% against Cur nanoparticles (33.57 ±0.62 µM) (P < 0.05).

Conclusion:

In this study, we constructed a novel preparation of curcumin nanoparticles with PLGA and different grads of PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) and lecithin to improve the bioavailability of CUR and PLGA exhibited no cytotoxic effect on L-929 cell line

References:

In this study, we constructed a novel preparation of curcumin nanoparticles with PLGA and different grads of PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) and lecithin to improve the bioavailability of CUR and PLGA exhibited no cytotoxic effect on L-929 cell line

Disclosure of Interests:

None declared

Characterization of the anisotropic deformation of the right ventricle during open heart surgery

Digital Image Correlation (DIC) was used for studying the anisotropic behavior of the thin walled right ventricle of the human heart. Strains measured with Speckle Tracking Echocardiography (STE) were compared with the DIC data. Both DIC and STE were used to measure longitudinal strains of the right ventricle in the beginning of an open-heart surgery as well as after the cardiopulmonary bypass. Based on the results, the maximum end-systolic strains obtained with the DIC and STE change similarly during the surgery with less than 10% difference. The difference is largely due to the errors in matching the longitudinal direction in the two methods, sensitivity of the measurement to the positioning of the virtual extensometer of in both STE and DIC, and physiological difference of the measurements as the DIC measures the top surface of the heart whereas the STE obtains the data from below. The anisotropy of the RV was measured using full field principal strains acquired from the DIC displacement fields. The full field principal strains cover the entire region of interest instead of just two points as the virtual extensometer approach used by the STE. The principal strains are not direction dependent measures, and therefore are more independent of the anatomy of the patient and the exact positioning of the virtual strain gage or the STE probe. The results show that the longitudinal strains alone are not enough to fully characterize the behavior of the heart, as the deformation of the heart can be very anisotropic, and the anisotropy changes during the surgery, and from patient to patient.

Contributions of anterior cingulate cortex and basolateral amygdala to decision confidence and learning under uncertainty

The subjective sense of certainty, or confidence, in ambiguous sensory cues can alter the interpretation of reward feedback and facilitate learning. We trained rats to report the orientation of ambiguous visual stimuli according to a spatial stimulus-response rule that must be learned. Following choice, rats could wait a self-timed delay for reward or initiate a new trial. Waiting times increase with discrimination accuracy, demonstrating that this measure can be used as a proxy for confidence. Chemogenetic silencing of BLA shortens waiting times overall whereas ACC inhibition renders waiting times insensitive to confidence-modulating attributes of visual stimuli, suggesting contribution of ACC but not BLA to confidence computations. Subsequent reversal learning is enhanced by confidence. Both ACC and BLA inhibition block this enhancement but via differential adjustments in learning strategies and consistent use of learned rules. Altogether, we demonstrate dissociable roles for ACC and BLA in transmitting confidence and learning under uncertainty.

The Fauna and Active Season of Mosquitoes in West of Fars Province, Southwest of Iran

Culicidae are highly important for public health as they can be vectors of diseases and are responsible for a wide spectrum of infections. Five collection sites were selected randomly with regards to existing facilities in Firouzabad County. For collecting larvae and total catch for adult mosquitoes, sampling was carried out by dipping technique for collecting larvae and total catch for adult mosquitoes. A total of 689 adults and 1313 larvae of Culicidae were collected, of which 3 genera and 6 species of Culicidae were recognized, namely, Anopheles superpictus, Anopheles d&amp;rsquo;thali, Culex sinaiticus, Culex theileri, Culex mimeticus, and Culiseta longiareolata. Cx. theileri was the most frequent Culicidae collected at Firouzabad, with a total of 613 and 247 larval and adult specimens, respectively. The highest number of mosquitoes was collected in June (31.1%) and the lowest in May (3.4%). The mean temperatures in June and May were 31.3˚C and 28.2˚C, respectively. We found some vectors that are of medical and veterinary importance; our results could be applied in vector control programs that aim at eradication or control of mosquitoes in this area.

An Optical Method for the In-Vivo Characterization of the Biomechanical Response of the Right Ventricle

The intraoperative in-vivo mechanical function of the left ventricle has been studied thoroughly using echocardiography in the past. However, due to technical and anatomical issues, the ultrasound technology cannot easily be focused on the right side of the heart during open-heart surgery, and the function of the right ventricle during the intervention remains largely unexplored. We used optical imaging and digital image correlation for the characterization of the right ventricle motion and deformation during open-heart surgery. This work is a pilot study focusing on one patient only with the aim of establishing the framework for long term research. These experiments show that optical imaging and the analysis of the images can be used to obtain similar parameters, and partly at higher accuracy, for describing the mechanical functioning of the heart as the ultrasound technology. This work describes the optical imaging based method to characterize the mechanical response of the heart in-vivo, and offers new insight into the mechanical function of the right ventricle.

Saprinus planiusculus (Motschulsky' 1849) (Coleoptera: Histeridae), a beetle species of forensic importance in Khuzetan Province, Iran

Background

Medico legal forensic entomology is the science and study of cadaveric arthropods related to criminal investigations. The study of beetles is particularly important in forensic cases. This can be important in determining the time of death and also obtain qualitative information about the location of the crime. The aim of this study was to introduce the Saprinus planiusculus on a rat carrion as a beetle species of forensic importance in Khuzestan province.

Methods

This study was carried out using a laboratory bred rat (Wistar rat) as a model for human decomposition. The rat was killed by contusion and placed in a location adjacent to the Karun River. Observations and collections of beetles were made daily during May to July 2015.

Results

Decomposition time for rat carrion lasted 38 days and S. planiusculus was seen in the fresh to post decay stages of body decomposition and the largest number of this species caught in the decay stage.

Conclusion

The species of beetle found in this case could be used in forensic investigations, particularly during the warm season in the future.

Interactions between levels of heat-treated soybean meal and prilled fat on growth, rumen fermentation, and blood metabolites of Holstein calves

This study evaluated the interaction of RUP and fat levels on growth, rumen fermentation, and blood metabolites of Holstein calves. Forty 3-d-old calves (20 females and 20 males) with a starting BW of 40.6 ± 2.8 kg were used in a completely randomized design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Within sex treatments were: (1) high RUP and low fat (HRUP-LF); (2) low RUP and high fat (LRUP-HF); (3) high RUP and low fat (HRUP-LF); and high RUP and high fat (HRUP-HF). Low-RUP starter contained 21.5%, whereas high RUP starter contained 34.3% RUP as % of CP, whereas low fat starter contained 2.9% and high starter contained 5.8% crude fat based on DM. Isonitrogenous levels in the starter grain were maintained by replacing solvent soybean meal with heat treated soybean meal while fat levels were increased by the addition of prilled fatty acids. Calves were housed individually and had ad libitum access to water and calf starter throughout the study. All calves were weaned on d 60 of age but remained in the study until d 70 for final measurements. Overall, there was no interaction between RUP and fat levels for measured variables. Starter intake tended ( = 0.09) to be greater for calves fed low fat starter during the postweaning period, although over the whole experiment and during the preweaning period, differences in starter intake were not different. Although there were no differences for most VFA concentrations, the molar proportion of butyrate tended ( < 0.08) to be greater in the rumen of calves fed low-fat starter compared to those fed high-fat starter. Serum total protein was lower ( < 0.05) and serum cholesterol was greater ( < 0.01) for calves fed high-fat starter by d 65 of life. The concentration of alanine aminotransferase was also lower ( < 0.05) for calves fed high-fat starter compared to those fed low-fat starter on d 65, and these levels tended to increase with the addition of RUP ( < 0.07). In conclusion, no effects were attributable to feeding a high-RUP starter. However, feeding a calf starter with over 3% fat appeared to decrease starter intake as growth progressed.

Prospective outcomes in patients with acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease presenting to hospital: a generalisable clinical audit

BACKGROUND AND AIM

To determine predictors of short- and long-term outcomes in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (AECOPD) presenting to hospital.

METHODS

A prospective clinical audit of AECOPD attendances to the only public acute general hospital in Southern Tasmania, Australia. Out of 416 attendances with AECOPD to the emergency department (ED) between November 2006 and July 2008, 150 patients with 218 attendances were followed to March 2009. Predictors of hospital admission from ED, in-hospital death, length of hospital stay, post-discharge mortality and re-attendance rate for AECOPD were the main outcomes.

RESULTS

There were no clear differences between patients admitted to hospital and those sent home from ED. Predictors of in-hospital death were initial physiologic parameters, that is, arterial pH, PaCO2 , oxygen saturation and blood pressure. Longer hospital stay was associated with older age, current smoking, hyperglycaemia, lower blood pressure and lower oxygen saturation. Risk of mortality after discharge was associated with a history of myocardial infarction, nursing home residence and severity of COPD. Re-attendance rate was associated with osteoporosis, younger age and severity of COPD.

CONCLUSIONS

Further investigation into the process of decision making about which AECOPD patients are admitted from the ED is required. Short-term outcomes, in-hospital death and length of hospital stay are mainly predicted by severity of the acute exacerbation and patient demographics. Although severity of COPD was a predictor of long-term outcomes, the main predictors of these were presence of co-morbidities.

Does this patient have pheochromocytoma? A systematic review of clinical signs and symptoms

Context

Pheochromocytoma is a rare disease but with high mortality if it is not being diagnosed early. Several biochemical tests with high accuracy have been obtained, but the clinical threshold for request of these tests is not determined clearly.

Objectives

To determine the Likelihood Ratios of clinical symptoms and signs in diagnosing pheochromocytoma. And also meta-analysis of their sensitivity in this disease.

Data sources

MEDLINE was searched for relevant English-language articles dated 1960 to February 2014. Bibliographies were searched to find additional articles.

Study selection

We included original studies describing the sensitivity and/or likelihood ratios of signs and symptoms in clinical suspicion of pheochromocytoma. Their method of diagnosis should have been based on pathology. We excluded specific subtypes or syndromes related to pheochromocytoma, or specific ages or gender. Also we excluded studies before 1993 (JNC5) which no definition of hypertension was presented. 37 articles were chosen finally.

Data extraction

Two authors reviewed data from articles independently and gave discrepancies to third author for decision. The aim was extraction of raw numbers of patients having defined signs or symptoms, and draw 2 × 2 tables if data available. We meta-analyzed sensitivities by Statsdirect and Likelihood Ratios by Meta-disc soft wares. Because our data was heterogeneous based on I² > 50 % (except negative Likelihood ratio of hypertension), we used random effect model for doing meta-analysis. We checked publication bias by drawing Funnel plot for each sign/symptom, and also Egger test.

Data synthesis

The most prevalent signs and symptoms reported were hypertension (pooled sensitivity of 80.7 %), headache (pooled sensitivity of 60.4 %), palpitation (pooled sensitivity of 59.3 %) and diaphoresis (pooled sensitivity of 52.4 %). The definition of orthostatic hypotension was different among studies. The sensitivity was 23–50 %.

Paroxysmal hypertension, chest pain, flushing, and weakness were the signs/symptoms which had publication bias based on Funnel plot and Egger test (P value < 0.05). Seven of the articles had control group, and could be used for calculating LR of signs/symptoms. Diaphoresis (LR+ 2.2, LR- 0.45), Palpitation (LR+ 1.9, LR- 0.52) and headache (LR+ 1.6, LR- 0.24) were significant symptoms in clinical diagnosis of pheochromocytoma. Other signs and symptoms had been reported in only one study and could not have been meta-analyzed. Classic triad of headache, palpitation and diaphoresis in hypertensive patients had the LR+ 6.312 (95 % CI 0.217–183.217) and LR- 0.139 (95 % CI 0.059–0.331). Surprisingly, hypertension was not important in clinical suspicion of pheochromocytoma, and even normotension increased the probability of the disease.

Conclusions

By available data, there is no single clinical finding that has significant value in diagnosis or excluding pheochromocytoma. Combination of certain symptoms, signs and para-clinical exams is more valuable for physicians. Further studies should be done, to specify the value of clinical findings. Until that time the process of diagnosis will be based on clinical suspicion and lab tests followed by related imaging.

Dissection of Genetic Factors underlying Wheat Kernel Shape and Size in an Elite × Nonadapted Cross using a High Density SNP Linkage Map

Wheat kernel shape and size has been under selection since early domestication. Kernel morphology is a major consideration in wheat breeding, as it impacts grain yield and quality. A population of 160 recombinant inbred lines (RIL), developed using an elite (ND 705) and a nonadapted genotype (PI 414566), was extensively phenotyped in replicated field trials and genotyped using Infinium iSelect 90K assay to gain insight into the genetic architecture of kernel shape and size. A high density genetic map consisting of 10,172 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers, with an average marker density of 0.39 cM/marker, identified a total of 29 genomic regions associated with six grain shape and size traits; ∼80% of these regions were associated with multiple traits. The analyses showed that kernel length (KL) and width (KW) are genetically independent, while a large number (∼59%) of the quantitative trait loci (QTL) for kernel shape traits were in common with genomic regions associated with kernel size traits. The most significant QTL was identified on chromosome 4B, and could be an ortholog of major rice grain size and shape gene or . Major and stable loci also were identified on the homeologous regions of Group 5 chromosomes, and in the regions of (6A) and (7A) genes. Both parental genotypes contributed equivalent positive QTL alleles, suggesting that the nonadapted germplasm has a great potential for enhancing the gene pool for grain shape and size. This study provides new knowledge on the genetic dissection of kernel morphology, with a much higher resolution, which may aid further improvement in wheat yield and quality using genomic tools.

First case of vanA-positive Enterococcus mundtii in human urinary tract infection in Iran

We cultured enterococci from urinary tract infections in Iranian hospitals. Seven different Enterococcus species (E. raffinosus, E. durans, E. hirae, E. avium, E. mundtii, E. faecium and E. faecalis) were found. Seven strains were vancomycin resistant, leading to an overall vancomycin resistance rate of 3.9%. The enterococcal infection rate was high and vancomycin-resistant enterococci incidence low. We report the first vanA-positive E. mundtii urinary tract infections.

Laser sintering of copper nanoparticles on top of silicon substrates

This study examines the sintering of inkjet printed nanoparticle copper ink in a room environment using a laser as a high speed sintering method. Printed patterns were sintered with increasing laser scanning speed up to 400 mm s(-1). The resistivities of the sintered structures were measured and plotted against the scanning speeds. Increased resistivity seems to correlate with increased scanning speed. A selections of analytical methods was used to study the differences in microstructure and composition of the sintered structures. Based on the results, no discernable difference in the microstructure was noticed between the structures sintered using 20 mm s(-1) to 400 mm s(-1) scanning speeds; only the structure scanned using 5 mm s(-1) speed showed a vastly different microstructure and no resistivity was measurable on this structure. Compositional studies revealed that, apart from the structure scanned with 5 mm s(-1) speed which contained the highest oxygen, the rest of the structures showed a steady oxygen increase with increased scanning speed.

Terahertz meets sculptural and architectural art: Evaluation and conservation of stone objects with T-ray technology

Conservation of cultural heritage is an area where novel scientific techniques are having enormous impact. Given the value and uniqueness of art pieces, non-invasive diagnostic methods are highly appreciated by conservators. Terahertz radiation has shown enormous potential as non-contact probe that can be used for the three-dimensional reconstruction of internal structure of stone-made objects. In this article we report the evaluation of the internal damage state of two art pieces, a medallion from the Castle of Celle and a window sill from the St. Peter of Trier Cathedral. We also used terahertz radiation to follow and assess the restoration process of the window sill. We found that terahertz spectroscopy is an excellent non-destructive evaluation method for stone artwork that shows enormous potential as a tool for conservation.

Investigation of optical bistability in a double In(x)Ga(1-x)N/GaN quantum-dot nanostructure via inter-dot tunneling effect

In this paper, our aim is to control optical bistability (OB) and optical multistability (OM) in a five-level system designed in a double quantum dot (QD) nanostructure. In a realistic example, this atomic system is created in two semiconductor QDs (In(x)Ga(1-x)N/GaN), owning transfer of carriers via tunneling effect. OB behavior is controlled not only by the inter-dot tunneling effect but also by variation of probe detuning and intensity of the control field. It is demonstrated that voltage-controlled detuning can significantly affect the behavior of OB and OM; therefore, the OM converts to OB by probe detuning and intensity of the control field.

Electromagnetically induced absorption in detuned stub waveguides: a simple analytical and experimental model

We give an analytical and experimental demonstration of a classical analogue of the electromagnetic induced absorption (EIA) in a simple photonic device consisting of two stubs of lengths d1 and d2 grafted at the same site along a waveguide. By detuning the lengths of the two stubs (i.e. δ = d(2) - d(1)) we show that: (i) the amplitudes of the electromagnetic waves in the two stubs can be written following the two resonators model where each stub plays the role of a radiative resonator with low Q factor. The destructive interference between the waves in the two stubs may give rise to a sharp resonance peak with high Q factor in the transmission as well as in the absorption. (ii) The transmission coefficient around the resonance induced by the stubs can be written following a Fano-like form. In particular, we give an explicit expression of the position, width and Fano parameter of the resonances as a function of δ. (iii) By taking into account the loss in the waveguides, we show that at the transmission resonance, the transmission (reflection) increases (decreases) as a function of δ. Whereas the absorption goes through a maximum around 0.5 for a threshold value δth which depends on the attenuation in the system and then falls to zero. (iv) We give a comparison between the phase of the determinant of the scattering matrix, the so-called Friedel phase and the phase of the transmission amplitude. (v) The effect of the boundary conditions at the end of the resonators on the EIA resonance is also discussed. The analytical results are obtained by means of the Green's function method, whereas the experiments are carried out using coaxial cables in the radio-frequency regime. These results should have important consequences for designing integrated devices such as narrow-frequency optical or microwave filters and high-speed switches.

Field efficacy of expanded polystyrene and shredded waste polystyrene beads for mosquito control in artificial pools and field trials, Islamic Republic of Iran

Concerns about traditional chemical pesticides has led to increasing research into novel mosquito control methods. This study compared the effectiveness of 2 different types of polystyrene beads for control of mosquito larvae in south-east Islamic Republic of Iran. Simulated field trials were done in artificial pools and field trials were carried out in 2 villages in an indigenous malaria area using WHO-recommended methods. Application of expanded polystyrene beads or shredded, waste polystyrene chips to pool surfaces produced a significant difference between pre-treatment and post-treatment density of mosquitoes (86% and 78% reduction respectively 2 weeks after treatment). There was no significant difference between the efficacy of the 2 types of material. The use of polystyrene beads as a component of integrated vector management with other supportive measures could assist in the control of mosquito-borne diseases in the Islamic Republic of Iran and neighbouring countries.

Ground versus steam-rolled barley grain for lactating cows: a clarification into conventional beliefs

Our objective was to compare the effects of grinding versus steam-rolling of barley grain at 30 or 35% of diet dry matter on feed intake, chewing behavior, rumen fermentation, and milk production in high-producing lactating cows. Eight multiparous Holstein cows (85 +/- 9 d in milk) were used in a replicated 4 x 4 Latin square design experiment with four 21-d periods. Each period included 14 d of adaptation and 7 d of sampling. Treatments included grinding (GB) or steam-rolling (SB) of barley grains at either 35 or 30% of dietary dry matter. Diets were prepared as a total mixed ration and delivered twice daily at 0730 and 1600 h. Neither processing method nor dietary barley grain inclusion rate affected dry matter intake, daily eating, ruminating and chewing times, rumen pH and major volatile fatty acid molar percentages, or milk percentages and yields of fat and protein. Energy-corrected milk yield increased for SB compared with GB at 35% but not at 30% barley grain. Feed efficiency was increased by SB, but was unaffected by dietary barley grain level. Results suggest that at 30% dietary barley grain, GB resulted in similar lactation performance as SB and that SB did not affect productivity when dietary barley grain increased from 30 to 35%. Regardless of barley grain level, grinding effectively maintained dry matter intake and rumen pH at 4 h postfeeding, whereas steam-rolling increased feed efficiency. Increasing barley grain from 30 to 35% of diet dry matter did not improve feed intake and milk production.

Amitriptyline pharmacokinetics in experimental spinal cord injury in the rabbit

Previous studies have demonstrated that pharmacokinetic behavior of several drugs such as paracetamol, theophylline, and aminoglycosides are significantly altered in spinal cord injured patients. No pharmacokinetic study of amitriptyline has been performed in patients and experimental models of spinal cord injury. Pharmacokinetic parameters of amitriptyline in orally treated rabbits subjected to laminectomy and spinal cord injury compared with those underwent laminectomy alone. Among twenty four male rabbits were included in this study, nine of them subjected to spinal cord injury at the 8(th) thoracic level by knife severance method and six rabbits underwent laminectomy alone (sham group) and nine rabbits treated as control. All received a single oral dose of amitriptyline (20 mg/kg) 24 h after injury. Blood sampling were done at predetermined times to 36 h after drug administration. Amitriptyline concentration in serum samples was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Pharmacokinetic parameters including maximum concentration (C(max)), time to reach maximum concentration (T(max)), half life, and the area under the curve to last detectable concentration time point (AUC(0-t)) were directly determined from the concentration-time curve. Maximum concentration was observed at 6.5 h after administration in sham group with a concentration of 439.6 ng/ml, whereas in SCI group T(max) was at 2.7 h with a concentration of 2763.9 ng/ml. In control group it was 3.3 h and 396 ng/ml, respectively. In SCI group, AUC was 9465.6 ng.h/ml and half life was 6 h and for control group it was 2817.4 ng.h/ml and 6.4 h, respectively. Statistical analysis of data showed that SCI didn't induce significant changes in amitriptyline pharmacokinetic parameters.

Multilayer PVA adsorption onto hydrophobic drug substrates to engineer drug-rich microparticles

Despite the availability of numerous crystal engineering techniques, generating drug-rich microparticles with a predetermined size, morphology and crystallinity still represents a significant challenge. A microparticle manufacturing method has recently been developed that attempts to 'shield' the physicochemical properties of micronised drugs by the application of a microfine polymer coating. The aims of this study were to investigate the nature of the drug-polymer interactions and determine the effects of this manufacturing strategy upon release of the drug from the microparticles. The adsorption of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) on the micronised hydrophobic drug surface was found to reach equilibrium between 23 and 27 h. The Freundlich isotherm model was shown to give the most accurate fit to the experimental data and thus multilayer adsorption was assumed. The adsorptive capacity (1/n) was specific to the substrate and PVA grade. An increase in the PVA (%) hydrolysis value caused 1/n to increase from 0.76 to 1.05 using budesonide and from 0.31 to 0.79 when betamethasone valerate (BMV) was used. Increasing the molecular weight of the adsorbing polymer caused a reduction in the strength of PVA-adsorbate interaction when budesonide was used as the substrate (from 0.76 to 0.59), whereas a three-fold increase (from 0.31 to 0.86) was achieved when the BMV substrate was employed. A proportion of the adsorbed polymer was shown to remain associated with the substrate during the spray-drying process and the polymer coating resulted in a significantly higher (p<0.05, ANOVA) amount of drug release in 60 min (ca. 100%) compared to budesonide alone.

Epidemiology of hip fracture in Iran: results from the Iranian Multicenter Study on Accidental Injuries

INTRODUCTION

The incidence of hip fracture varies substantially between countries. As a result of improving life expectancy, the number of elderly people susceptible to hip fractures is increasing rapidly in the developing world. Little is known, however, about the epidemiology of hip fractures in the Middle Eastern countries. In this study, our objective was to estimate the incidence of hip fracture in Iran and compare it with other populations.

METHODS

The data used were obtained from the Iranian Multicenter Study on Accidental Injuries, a large-scale population-based study conducted in nine provinces across the country. All of the hospitals in these provinces, which provide services to about 9.5 million people, were prospectively surveyed for any incident injury resulting from accidental events occurring in the study period of 135 days (4.5 months). All patients aged >or=50 with radiographically confirmed proximal femur fractures were included in this study. A total of 555 new cases of hip fracture (284 male, 271 female) were recorded during the study period. The annual incidence of hip fracture per 100,000 person-years was 115.2 (95% CI: 107.2-123.7) in men and 115.6 (95% CI: 107.4-124.3) in women; of these,73.2 and 89.2%, respectively, were fall-related fractures. The female-to-male ratios for fall-induced and total hip fracture rates were 1.2 and 1.0, respectively.

RESULTS

The incidence rates increased exponentially after the age of 60 years in both genders and nearly tripled with each successive decade. When these results are compared to those of other studies, the Iranian age-standardized incidence rates of 127.3 (men) and 164.6 (women) per 100,000 person-years are considerably lower than those of all Western countries when standardized to data on the U.S. population in 2000. When compared with incidence rates reported for other Asian countries, those of Iranian females are the lowest next to China.

CONCLUSION

The low incidence rate of hip fracture for older Iranian women may be the result of several potential factors related to genetic or lifestyle differences between Iranians and people of other countries. Further studies are required to investigate contributing factors in more detail.

Bone mineral density and estimated height loss based on patients' recalls

INTRODUCTION

Height loss has been shown to be an indicator of incident vertebral fractures. However, the relationship between height loss and bone mineral density (BMD) in different skeletal regions, as well as the power of human memory in estimation of height loss across the life span, has not yet been established. Given that the variation in BMD between populations is substantially less than the variation in fracture risk, we studied the relationship between height loss based on patient's recalls and BMD in Iranian men and women of all ages.

METHODS

Randomized clustered sampling from all regions of Tehran was performed to recruit the study population. Participants were asked about their maximum recalled previously measured height, if they were confident. In the 457 participants included, the difference between the participants' maximum recalled and current measured height was calculated.

RESULT

L1-L4 lumbar BMD, femoral neck BMD, and young adjusted T-scores were significantly lower in the group of participants with estimated height reduction of greater than 5 cm. In simple linear regression analysis, height loss was a significant predictor of femoral neck T-score (standardized beta coefficient=-0.15; p0.003) and L1-L4 lumbar T-score (beta=-0.08; p0.048). After adjustment for age, gender, and weight, height loss remained a significant predictor for femoral neck T-score (beta=-0.078; p0 .043). In multivariate models for lumbar T-score, height loss was an independent predictor only in participants equal to or younger than 50 years of age (beta=-0.144; p0.033).

CONCLUSION

Higher estimated height loss according to patients' recalls was an indicator of lower BMD in our sample. Especially in the femoral neck region, this factor might be considered as a substitute case-finding tool for low BMD. Considering relatively young nature of our study group and biological differences between populations, our findings need to be validated in future prospective studies.

Assessment of Bone Structure in Renal Transplant Recipients: Comparison of Phalangeal Qualitative Ultrasound and Dual X-Ray Absorptiometry

According to the WHO criteria many renal transplant patients display osteopenia or osteoporosis. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), the standard method to assess bone mineral density (BMD), is not always available. Quantitative ultrasound (QUS) of the phalanx is an inexpensive, mobile, and radiation-free diagnostic alternative. Few data address the correlation of this method with DXA in renal transplant patients. This study assessed the value of QUS compared with DXA to detect changes in bone structure among renal transplant recipients. This cross-sectional study of 42 patients (22 women), of mean age 40.2 +/- 11.9 years, mean time since transplantation of 2.8 +/- 2.9 years, and mean dialysis time of 8.55 +/- 10.26 months, included. DXA for bone mineral densitometry of the hip (neck and total femur) and spine as well as QUS to measure the amplitude-dependent speed of sound (Ad-SOS) in the phalanx. Using DXA, osteoporosis was observed in 19% of all patients: 9.5% in femoral neck, 9.5% in total region of the femur, and 9.5% in the spinal region. The sensitivity of Ad-SOS for osteoporosis diagnosis in the above regions were 100%, 75%, and 25%, respectively; its specificity was 45%, 43%, and 37%, respectively. There was no significant relation between the two methods for diagnosis of osteoporosis in any region. QUS of phalanx can be recommended for osteoporosis screening in renal transplant patients. Those suspected of osteoporosis should be examined by additional DXA measurements in order to establish the diagnosis.

Artificial neural networks in prediction of bone density among post-menopausal women

Artificial neural networks (ANN) are promising tools in learning complex interplay of factors on a particular outcome. We performed this study to compare the predictive power of ANN and conventional methods in prediction of bone mineral density (BMD) in Iranian post-menopausal women. A database of 10 input variables from 2158 participants was randomly divided into training (1400), validation (150) and test (608) groups. Multivariate linear regression and ANN models were developed and validated on the training, and validation sets and outcomes (femoral neck and lumbar T-scores) were predicted and compared on the test group using different numbers of input variables. Results were evaluated by comparing the mean square of differences between predicted and reference values (non-central chi-square test) and by measuring area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) around cut-off value of -2.5 for T-scores. For models with less than 3 input variables in femoral neck and 4 variables in spinal column, performance of regression and ANN models was almost the same. As more variables imported into models, ANN outperformed linear regression models. AUROC varied in 2 to 10 variable models as follows: for ANN in spine, from 0.709 to 0.774; linear models in spine, from 0.709 to 0.744; ANN in femoral neck, from 0.801 to 0.867; linear models in femoral neck, from 0.799 to 0.834. The ANN model performed better than five established patient selection tools in the test group. Superior performance of neural networks than linear models demonstrate their advantage especially in mass screening applications, when even a slight enhancement in performance results in significant decrease in number of misclassifications.