Comparing efficacy of charged-particle therapy with brachytherapy in treatment of uveal melanoma

BACKGROUND

Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common primary ocular tumour in adults. The most used eye-preserving treatments are charged-particle therapy (CPT) and brachytherapy. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare efficacies and complications of these two radiotherapies.

METHODS

We searched EMBASE, PubMed, MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Library from January 2012 to December 2022. Two independent reviewers identified controlled studies comparing outcomes of CPT versus brachytherapy. Case series that utilize either treatment modality were also reviewed.

RESULTS

One hundred fifty studies met the eligibility criteria, including 2 randomized control trials, 5 controlled cohort studies, and 143 case series studies. We found significant reduction in local recurrence rate among patients treated with CPT compared to brachytherapy (Odds ratio[OR] 0.38, 95% Confidence interval [CI] 0.24-0.60, p < 0.01). Analysis also showed a trend of increased risks of secondary glaucoma after CPT. No statistically significant differences were found in analyzing risks of mortality, enucleation, and cataract.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study suggested no difference in mortality, enucleation rate and cataract formation rate comparing the two treatments. Lower local recurrence rate and possibly higher secondary glaucoma incidence was noted among patients treated with CPT. Nevertheless, the overall level of evidence is limited, and further high-quality studies are necessary to provide a more definitive conclusion.

Reversible Sensing Technologies Using Upcycled TPEE: Crafting pH and Light Responsive Materials towards Sustainable Monitoring

Multiresponsive materials with reversible and durable characteristics are indispensable because of their promising applications in environmental change detections. To fabricate multiresponsive materials in mass production, however, complex reactions and impractical situations are often involved. Herein, a dual responsive (light and pH) spiropyran-based smart sensor fabricated by a simple layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly process from upcycled thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE) materials derived from recycled polyethylene terephthalate (r-PET) is proposed. Positively charged chitosan solutions and negatively charged merocyanine-COOH (MC-COOH) solutions are employed in the LbL assembly technique, forming the chitosan-spiropyran deposited TPEE (TPEE-CH-SP) film. Upon UV irradiation, the spiropyran-COOH (SP-COOH) molecules on the TPEE-CH-SP film undergo the ring-opening isomerization, along with an apparent color change from colorless to purple, to transform into the MC-COOH molecules. By further exposing the TPEE-CH-MC film to hydrogen chloride (HCl) and nitric acid (HNO3 ) vapors, the MC-COOH molecules can be transformed into protonated merocyanine-COOH (MCH-COOH) with the simultaneous color change from purple to yellow.

Solvent-Tailored Reversible Self-Assembly: Unveiling Ionic Transport Nanochannels in Block Copolymer Composite Electrolytes

Block copolymer composite electrolytes have gained extensive attention for their promising performance in ionic conductivity and mechanical properties, making them valuable for future technologies. The control of the ionic conductivity through the self-assembly of block copolymers, however, remains a great challenge, especially in confined environments. In this study, we prepare block copolymer composite electrolytes using polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene oxide) (PS-b-PEO, SEO) as the polymer matrix and anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) templates as the ceramic skeleton. The self-assembly of SEO creates nanoscale ion transport pathways in the PEO regions through ionic interactions with lithium salts. The nanopores of the AAO templates provide a confined environment for complex phase separation of SEO controlled by selective solvent vapor annealing. Our findings demonstrate that transforming self-assembled SEO structures allows for precise control of ion transport pathways with cylindrical structures exhibiting 20 times higher ionic conductivities than those of helical structures. For AAO templates with pore diameters of 20 nm (SEO-LiTFSI@AAO-20), the ionic conductivities are approximately 410 times higher than those with pore diameters of 200 nm (SEO-LiTFSI@AAO-200), owing to the larger specific surface areas within the smaller nanopores. Utilizing the self-assembly of SEO not only enables the construction of vertically aligned ion transport channels on various scales but also offers a fascinating approach to tailor the conductive capabilities of composite electrolytes, enhancing the ion transport efficiency and allowing for the flexible design of block copolymer composite electrolytes.

Hybrid Learning Models for IMU-Based HAR with Feature Analysis and Data Correction

This paper proposes a novel approach to tackle the human activity recognition (HAR) problem. Four classes of body movement datasets, namely stand-up, sit-down, run, and walk, are applied to perform HAR. Instead of using vision-based solutions, we address the HAR challenge by implementing a real-time HAR system architecture with a wearable inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor, which aims to achieve networked sensing and data sampling of human activity, data pre-processing and feature analysis, data generation and correction, and activity classification using hybrid learning models. Referring to the experimental results, the proposed system selects the pre-trained eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) model and the Convolutional Variational Autoencoder (CVAE) model as the classifier and generator, respectively, with 96.03% classification accuracy.

Cardiopulmonary functional capacity in Taiwanese children with ventricular septal defects

BACKGROUND

Children with ventricular septal defects (VSDs) are considered to have no difference in cardiopulmonary functional capacity with healthy children of the same age; however, studies have shown contradictory findings. The aim of this study was to assess whether Taiwanese children with VSDs exhibited cardiopulmonary deficits.

METHODS

This is a retrospective cohort study with the data collected from January 2010 to December 2021. All patients and controls (age-, sex-, and body mass index -matched) underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) and pulmonary function test.

RESULTS

In total, 157 VSD patients (80 patients with surgically closed VSDs, 77 patients with unrepaired VSDs) and 157 healthy controls were recruited. Pulmonary function test showed significant among-group differences in maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV) (p = 0.015). The surgically closed group had lower MVV compared to the control group. Regarding CPET, we found VSD patients had lower peak oxygen uptake than the controls (surgically closed group: 30.84 ± 6.27 ml/kg/min; unrepaired group: 32.00 ± 5.95 ml/kg/min; control group: 36.76 ± 6.50 ml/kg/min, p < 0.001). There was also significant among-group differences in aerobic capacity (surgically closed group: 21.20 ± 4.39 ml/kg/min; unrepaired group: 21.68 ± 4.47 ml/kg/min; control group: 26.25 ± 4.33 ml/kg/min, p < 0.001). In addition, the surgically closed group had lower heart rate average at anaerobic threshold than the control group (surgically closed group: 138.11 ± 16.42 bpm; control group: 145.78 ± 15.53 bpm, p = 0.002).

CONCLUSION

Taiwanese children with VSD, whether surgically closed or not, have poorer cardiopulmonary performance than age-matched healthy children, and the results of the surgically closed group were even worse.

Area-Selective Atomic Layer Deposition on Metal/Dielectric Patterns: Amphiphobic Coating, Vaporizable Inhibitors, and Regenerative Processing

Area-selective atomic layer deposition (AS-ALD) has drawn significant attention in the past decade because of the potential applications in bottom-up processing, which enables fabricating nanostructures at the atomic level without multiple patterning and lithographic processing that could easily cause alignment issues. Although AS-ALD has been demonstrated using various self-assembled monolayers (SAMs), it is still challenging to develop wet SAM deposition for AS-ALD that is suitable for industrial and semiconductor processes. In this work, we demonstrate highly effective AS-ALD of Al₂O₃ on Co/SiO₂ patterned wafers using fluorinated thiol in both solution and vapor phase. Compared with conventional SAMs using alky-thiols, the fluorinated-thiol SAMs demonstrate greater blocking ability against ALD precursors owing to excellent hydrophobicity. Furthermore, much shorter deposition times can be achieved in vaporizable fluorinated thiol molecules, improving processing throughput and productivity. Most importantly, the SAM regeneration and redosing processes can further enhance the selectivity of AS-ALD, opening a promising avenue to realize the bottom-up approach in practical semiconductor applications.

Abstract 2065: A comprehensive online system for identifying tumor neoantigens

Genetic instability of cancer cells often generates abundant somatic mutations, and these non-synonymous variations can produce mutated tumor-specific antigens (mTSAs), usually referred to as neoantigens. In addition to mutation-derived neoantigens, aberrantly expressed TSAs (aeTSAs), arising from epigenetic changes and cis- or trans-acting genetics, are also prospective materials for cancer immunotherapy. Since these neoantigens are highly immunogenic, they can activate T cells to trigger an immune response. So far, nevertheless, none of current neoantigen identification tools can identify and differentiate mTSAs and aeTSAs. Here, we demonstrated a comprehensive pipeline and online system to discover both mTSAs and aeTSAs from DNA-seq, RNA-seq, and liquid chromatography-MS/MS (LC-MS/MS) data.

To identify potential mTSAs, somatic mutations are discovered and annotated. Afterward, missense mutations and flanking nucleotide bases are further translated into peptides. Quantification of gene expression is conducted to filter out those peptides with low expression levels if RNA-seq reads are provided as well. To identify aeTSAs, most of which originate from allegedly noncoding regions, an alignment-free approach is employed. The RNA-seq reads from tumor and normal tissues are chopped into short k-mer sequences. Those presenting in tumors but not normal tissues are kept, assembled into longer sequences, and translated into peptides then. LC-MS/MS peptides are optionally provided to improve the confidence of the results. Binding affinities between specific major histocompatibility complexes (MHC) and all translated peptides are predicted. Generally, if a tumor-specific peptide can successfully bind with the MHC on the surfaces of tumor cells, it will be defined as a potential neoantigen candidate. The databases associated with cancer proteomics such as Catalogue of Somatic Mutations in Cancer (COSMIC) database are also included in the system, providing information on common cancer variants.

We applied the online system to identify 95 putative aeTSA candidates sharing among 13 patients with colorectal cancer, and on top of that 14 of them could be presented by HLA-A*11:01 & 11:02, which are common alleles in Asians. We also compared 246 putative mTSA candidates with peptides in COSMIC database and found 15 of them were common cancer variants, including KRAS and BRAF mutations, both of which are prognostic and predictive biomarkers in colorectal cancer. More importantly, initial evidence shows that these candidates are immunogenic on primary peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Overall, we propose a user-friendly and practical online system to identify and differentiate mTSAs and aeTSAs with optimized procedures. It integrates analysis results of various inputs, i.e., DNA-seq, RNA-seq, and LC-MS/MS data, which can improve the reliability of identified TSAs and provide valuable information for clinical investigators.

Citation Format: Chia-Yu Sung, Chien-Yueh Lee, Chia-Hsin Wu, Kevin Chih-Yang Huang, Yu-Hsuan Tseng, Mong-Hsun Tsai, Liang-Chuan Lai, Tzu-Pin Lu, Kun-San Clifford Chao, Eric Y. Chuang. A comprehensive online system for identifying tumor neoantigens [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 2065.

Effects of photobiomodulation as an adjunctive treatment in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a narrative review

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a disease characterized by chronic airway inflammation and remodeling and lung parenchymal inflammation and destruction, which result in many pulmonary and extrapulmonary manifestations. The anti-inflammatory effect of photobiomodulation (PBM) has been reported in previous studies. This review was conducted to evaluate the direct effect of PBM on lung inflammation in COPD. The other effects of PBM on modulation of peripheral and respiratory muscle metabolism and angiogenesis in lung tissues were also discussed. The databases of PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar were searched to find the relevant studies. Keywords included PBM and related terms, COPD-related signs, and lung inflammation. A total of 12 articles were selected and reviewed in this study. Based on the present review, PBM is helpful in reducing lung inflammation through decreasing the inflammatory cytokines and chemokines at multiple levels and increasing anti-inflammatory cytokines. In addition, PBM also improves both peripheral and respiratory muscle metabolism and promote angiogenesis. This review demonstrated that PBM is a promising adjunctive treatment modality for COPD management which merits further validation.

Prediction of white-coat hypertension and white-coat uncontrolled hypertension using machine learning algorithm

Aims

The detection of white-coat hypertension/white-coat uncontrolled hypertension (WCH/WUCH) with out-of-office blood pressure (BP) monitoring is time- and resource-consuming. We aim to develop a machine learning (ML)-derived prediction model based on the characteristics of patients from a single outpatient visit.

Methods and results

Data from two cohorts in Taiwan were used. Cohort one (970 patients) was used for development and internal validation, and cohort two (464 patients) was used for external validation. WCH/WUCH was defined as an office BP of ≥140/90 mmHg and daytime ambulatory BP of <135/85 mmHg in treatment-naïve or treated individuals. Logistic regression, random forest (RF), eXtreme Gradient Boosting, and artificial neural network models were trained using 26 patient parameters. We used SHapley Additive exPlanations values to provide explanations for the risk factors. All models achieved great area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC), specificity, and negative predictive value in both validations (AUROC = 0.754-0.891; specificity = 0.682-0.910; negative predictive value = 0.831-0.968). The RF model was the best performing (AUROC = 0.884; sensitivity = 0.619; specificity = 0.887; negative predictive value = 0.872; accuracy = 0.819). The five most influential features of the RF model were office diastolic BP, office systolic BP, current smoker, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and fasting glucose level.

Conclusion

Our prediction models achieved good performance, underlining the feasibility of applying ML models to outpatient populations for the diagnosis of WCH and WUCH. Further validation with other prospective data sets should be considered in the future.

A Novel Deep Neural Network Method for HAR-Based Team Training Using Body-Worn Inertial Sensors

Human activity recognition (HAR) became a challenging issue in recent years. In this paper, we propose a novel approach to tackle indistinguishable activity recognition based on human wearable sensors. Generally speaking, vision-based solutions struggle with low illumination environments and partial occlusion problems. In contrast, wearable inertial sensors can tackle this problem and avoid revealing personal privacy. We address the issue by building a multistage deep neural network framework that interprets accelerometer, gyroscope, and magnetometer data that provide useful information of human activities. Initially, the stage of variational autoencoders (VAE) can extract the crucial information from raw data of inertial measurement units (IMUs). Furthermore, the stage of generative adversarial networks (GANs) can generate more realistic human activities. Finally, the transfer learning method is applied to enhance the performance of the target domain, which builds a robust and effective model to recognize human activities.

Adolescents with Atopic Dermatitis Have Lower Peak Exercise Load Capacity and Exercise Volume Compared with Unaffected Peers

Background: Sweating and increased skin temperature caused by exercise can reduce physical activity and the willingness to exercise in adolescents with atopic dermatitis. This study was conducted to investigate the exercise load capacity of adolescents with atopic dermatitis and analyzed their exercise behavior and motivation. Methods: Adolescents with and without atopic dermatitis were assigned to the atopic dermatitis group and control group (n = 27 each). Both groups completed a cardiopulmonary exercise test and questionnaires to assess their exercise capacity, weekly exercise volume, exercise motivation, and self-efficacy, respectively. Results: The ratio of measured forced vital capacity to the predicted forced vital capacity and the peak oxygen consumption of the atopic dermatitis group were significantly lower than those of the control group. The Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire scores of the atopic dermatitis group were significantly lower than those of the control group. As for the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire 2, the scores for the introjected and identified regulations of the atopic dermatitis group were significantly lower than those of the control group. Regarding the Multidimensional Self-Efficacy for Exercise Scale, the scheduling efficacy and total scores of the atopic dermatitis group were significantly lower than those of the control group. Conclusions: Adolescents with atopic dermatitis had lower peak exercise capacity and lower weekly exercise volume. Furthermore, they lacked the negative feelings toward inactivity and the self-confidence to plan regular exercise independently. The results of this study suggest that adolescents with atopic dermatitis should be encouraged to engage in regular indoor exercise.

Photoswitchable Composite Polymer Electrolytes Using Spiropyran-Immobilized Nanoporous Templates

Composite polymer electrolytes (CPEs) with smart, stimuli-responsive characteristics have gained considerable attention owing to their noninvasive manipulation and applications in future technologies. To address this potential, in this work, we demonstrate photoresponsive composite polymer electrolytes, consisting of gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) and spiropyran-immobilized nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide (SP-AAO) templates. Under UV irradiation, the close SP form isomerizes to the open merocyanine (MC) form, creating extremely polarized AAO surfaces; whereas, under visible light irradiation, the MC form reverts to the SP form, creating neutral surface conditions. The electrostatic interactions between ions and AAO surfaces are investigated by attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. Moreover, the behavior of ionic conductivity of the GPE@SP-AAO is found to be consistent with the kinetics of isomerization tracked by UV-Vis spectroscopy. This work provides a promising platform for developing next-generation photoelectronic smart devices.

High-Ecological Cognitive Intervention to Improve Cognitive Skills and Cognitive-Functional Performance for Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment

IMPORTANCE

Evidence of the effectiveness of cognitive activity and preparatory tasks in improving the cognitive skills and functional performance of people with cognitive decline is limited.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the efficacy of a high-ecological cognitive intervention.

DESIGN

Quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest design with nonequivalent control.

SETTING

Community.

PARTICIPANTS

Older adults with mild cognitive impairment from two senior centers.

INTERVENTION

Twelve 90-min weekly group sessions of a high-ecological cognitive intervention using simulated everyday cognitive tasks (experimental group) and of nutrition education (active control group). Outcomes and Measures: Cognitive skills were measured with the Color Trails Test (CTT), the Contextual Memory Test (CMT; Immediate Recall [CMT-Im] and Delayed Recall [CMT-De] tasks), and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition Digit Span subtest (Digits Forward and Digits Backward). Cognitive-functional performance was measured with the Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test-Third Edition (RBMT-3; Immediate Recall [RBMT-3-Im] and Delayed Recall [RBMT-3-De] tasks) and the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ).

RESULTS

Thirty-seven participants (M age = 70.84 yr; 70.3% women) met the inclusion criteria for analysis (20 participants in the intervention group, 17 participants in the control group). Multivariate linear regression showed that the intervention group improved significantly more than the control group on the CTT, CMT-Im, and RBMT-3-Im but not on the CMT-De, RBMT-3-De, and CFQ.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Twelve 90-min weekly group sessions of a high-ecological cognitive intervention improved attention, executive function, immediate memory, and objective cognitive-functional performance with immediate-memory task demands. What This Article Adds: Carefully designed and structured simulated everyday cognitive tasks can be used as a cognitive training agent to improve both cognitive skills and objective cognitive-functional performance. The effectiveness of group-based cognitive interventions depends on the skills of occupational therapy practitioners in activity analysis and grading.

Neurofeedback training improves episodic and semantic long-term memory performance

Understanding and improving memory are vital to enhance human life. Theta rhythm is associated with memory consolidation and coding, but the trainability and effects on long-term memory of theta rhythm are unknown. This study investigated the ability to improve long-term memory using a neurofeedback (NFB) technique reflecting the theta/low-beta power ratio on an electroencephalogram (EEG). Our study consisted of three stages. First, the long-term memory of participants was measured. In the second stage, the participants in the NFB group received 3 days of theta/low-beta NFB training. In the third stage, the long-term memory was measured again. The NFB group had better episodic and semantic long-term memory than the control group and significant differences in brain activity between episodic and semantic memory during the recall tests were revealed. These findings suggest that it is possible to improve episodic and semantic long-term memory abilities through theta/low-beta NFB training.

Laser-Induced NanoKneading (LINK): Deformation of Patterned Azopolymer Nanopillar Arrays via Photo-Fluidization

Ordered arrays of polymer nanostructures have been widely investigated because of their promising applications such as solar-cell devices, sensors, and supercapacitors. It remains a great challenge, however, to manipulate the shapes of individual nanostructures in arrays for tailoring specific properties. In this study, an effective strategy to prepare anisotropic polymer nanopillar arrays via photo-fluidization is presented. Azobenzene-containing polymers (azopolymers) are first infiltrated into the nanopores of ordered anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) templates. After the removal of the AAO templates using weak bases, azopolymer nanopillar arrays can be prepared. Upon exposure of linearly polarized lights, azobenzene groups in the azopolymers undergo trans-cis-trans photoisomerization, causing mass migration and elongation of the nanopillar along with the polarization directions. As a result, anisotropic nanopillar arrays can be fabricated, of which the deformation degrees are controlled by the illumination times. Furthermore, patterned nanopillar arrays can also be constructed with designed photomasks. This work presents a practical and versatile strategy to fabricate arrays of anisotropic nanostructures for future technical applications.

Use sonoelastography to predict the reparability of large-to-massive rotator cuff tears

INTRODUCTION

Most symptomatic large-to-massive rotator cuff tears (RCTs) should be operated, but the surgical reparability depended on the degree of rotator cuff muscle atrophy or fatty infiltration. The orthopedic surgeons will decide whether the teared stump is reparable during the surgery, but preoperative evaluation can be done by some assessment tools. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used in recent studies to predict the reparability of large-to-massive RCTs, but the clinical availability was not as good as ultrasound. We hypothesize that the ultrasound elastography can predict the reparability of large-to-massive RCTs.

METHODS

This is a prospective observational study and participants with large-to-massive RCTs who are going to have surgeries will be included. Out investigators will evaluate the shoulder passive range of motion (ROM) and strength of all participants. Participants' degree of shoulder pain and activities of daily living (ADLs) will be assessed by American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score. The ultrasound elastography will be used to evaluate the tissue quality of supraspinatus muscle and infraspinatus muscle. To test the reliability of the ultrasound elastography, two physicians will perform the ultrasound elastography independently and twenty participants will be selected for the reliability test. Besides, MRI will be used to evaluate the size of tear, the degree of tendon retraction, fatty infiltration of rotator cuff muscles, and muscle atrophy. Finally, the orthopedic surgeons will perform surgeries and decide whether the teared stump can be completely repaired intraoperatively. The primary analysis is the predictive validity of ultrasound elastography for the reparability of large-to-massive RCTs. Before the predictive validity of ultrasound elastography is measured, our investigators will assess the reliability of ultrasound elastography when administered to cases with large-to-massive RCTs, and we will check the correlations between the findings of ultrasound elastography and MRI.

DISCUSSION

The outcome will provide the evidence of ultrasound elastography for preoperative evaluation of large-to-massive RCTs. The relationships between the findings of ultrasound elastography and MRI will also be examined for further analysis.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinicaltrials.gov NCT03682679. Date of Registration: 25 September 2018, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03682679?cond=rotator+cuff&cntry=TW&draw=2&rank=1.

Correction to: Depressive symptom trajectories in the first 10 years of diabetes diagnosis: antecedent factors and link with future disability in Taiwan

The original article can be found online at.

Reactivity Study of Unsymmetrical β-Diketiminato Copper(I) Complexes: Effect of the Chelating Ring

β-Diketiminato copper(I) complexes play important roles in bioinspired catalytic chemistry and in applications to the materials industry. However, it has been observed that these complexes are very susceptible to disproportionation. Coordinating solvents or Lewis bases are typically used to prevent disproportionation and to block the coordination sites of the copper(I) center from further decomposition. Here, we incorporate this coordination protection directly into the molecule in order to increase the stability and reactivity of these complexes and to discover new copper(I) binding motifs. Here we describe the synthesis, structural characterization, and reactivity of a series of unsymmetrical N-aryl-N'-alkylpyridyl β-diketiminato copper(I) complexes and discuss the structures and reactivity of these complexes with respect to the length of the pyridyl arm. All of the aforementioned unsymmetrical ß-diketiminato copper(I) complexes bind CO reversibly and are stable to disproportionation. The binding ability of CO and the rate of pyridyl ligand decoordination of these copper(I) complexes are directly related to the competition between the degree of puckering of the chelate system and the steric demands of the N-aryl substituent.

SUMOylation of Blimp-1 is critical for plasma cell differentiation

Transcriptional repressor B lymphocyte-induced maturation protein-1 (Blimp-1) is a master regulator of plasma cell differentiation. Here we show that Blimp-1 is covalently modified by SUMO1 at lysine 816, a modification mediated by SUMO E3 ligase PIAS1. Mutation of Blimp-1 lysine 816 reduces transcriptional repression--correlating with a reduced interaction with a histone deacetylase, HDAC2--and impairs differentiation of antibody-secreting cells. Thus, the SUMO pathway critically regulates Blimp-1 function during plasma cell differentiation.

A virally inactivated functional growth factor preparation from human platelet concentrates

BACKGROUND

Human platelet growth factors (HPGF) are essential for tissue regeneration and may replace fetal bovine serum (FBS) in cell therapy. No method for the manufacture of standardized virally inactivated HPGF has been developed yet.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

Platelet concentrates (PC) were subjected to solvent/detergent (S/D) treatment (1% TnBP/1% Triton X-45), oil extraction, hydrophobic interaction chromatography and sterile filtration. Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-AB, -BB and -AA, transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1), epidermal growth factor (EGF), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and vascular endothelium growth factor (VEGF) were measured by ELISA. Composition in proteins and lipids was determined, protein profiles were obtained by SDS-PAGE, and TnBP and Triton X-45 were assessed by gas chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography, respectively. Cell growth promoting activity of HPGF was evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium (MTS) assay using human embryonic kidney (HEK293A) fibroblast and Statens Seruminstitute rabbit corneal (SIRC) epithelial cell lines.

RESULTS

The GF preparation contained a mean of 16.66, 2.04, 1.53, 72.19, 0.33, 48.59 and 0.44 ng/ml of PDGF-AB, -BB, -AA, TGF-beta1, EGF, IGF-1 and VEGF, respectively. The protein profile was typical of platelet releasates and had less than 2 p.p.m. of residual S/D agents. MTS assay of HEK293A and SIRC cultures showed that the GF preparation at 10% and 0.1% (v/v), respectively, could successfully replace 10% FBS for cell proliferation. Cell-stimulating activity of HPGF on HEK293A was over twice that of PC releasates.

CONCLUSION

STANDARDIZED and functional virally inactivated HPGF can be prepared from human PC for possible applications in cell therapy and regenerative medicine.

Phylogenetic and structural analyses of the oxa1 family of protein translocases

Mitochondrial Oxa1p homologs have been shown to function in protein export and membrane insertion in bacteria, mitochondria and chloroplasts, but their mode of action, organismal distribution and evolutionary origins are poorly understood. All sequenced homologs of Oxa1p were retrieved from the databases and multiply aligned. All organisms with a fully sequenced genome possess at least one Oxa1p homolog showing that the family is truly ubiquitous. Most prokaryotes possess just one Oxa1p homolog, but several Gram-positive bacteria and one archaeon possess two, and eukaryotes may have as many as six. Although these proteins vary in length over a 5-fold range, they exhibit a common hydrophobic core region of about 200 residues. Multiple sequence alignments reveal conserved residues and provide the basis for structural and phylogenetic analyses that serve to characterize the Oxa1 family.

Plasmids carrying cloned fragments of RF DNA from the filamentous phage (phi)Lf can be integrated into the host chromosome via site-specific integration and homologous recombination

Different regions of RF DNA from the filamentous bacteriophage phiLf were cloned in Escherichia coli vectors that can not be maintained in Xanthomonas. After introduction into X. campestris pv. campestris 17 (Xc17), most of these constructs were found to integrate into the host chromosome, either by recA-dependent homologous recombination or recA-independent site-specific integration. Mutations in himA, which codes for the alpha-subunit of the Integration Host Factor, does not affect the integration. Integration occurs into a chromosomal region which harbors a copy of a defective phage (4445 bp) that shares a high degree of identity with the phiLf genome. While various parts of the 4445-bp region are susceptible to homologous recombination, site-specific integration requires the attB sequence on the chromosome and the phage attP. The attB shows a high level of sequence identity (22 out of 28 bp) to the dif site required for E. coli Xer site-specific recombination, including the 6-bp central region, and 8/11 identity in both the left XerC-binding arm and the right XerD-binding arm, with the innermost 5 nt of the arms forming a dyad symmetry that is also present in dif. The attP has the same central region and shows 10/11 identity to the dif site in the left arm, but the sequence of the right arm is less conserved than that of attB. The smallest regions still capable of mediating integration are a cloned 72-bp phiLf attP-containing sequence and a 51-bp Xc17 attB-containing sequence, which was reinserted into the Xc17 chromosome after the 4445-bp region had been deleted, indicating that accessory sequences are not necessary and that the integrase required for site-specific integration is neither specified by the 4445-bp Xc17 chromosomal region nor encoded by the phiLf genome.

Sequence, transcriptional analysis and chromosomal location of the Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris uvrB gene

The uvrB gene of Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris, a Gram-negative plant pathogenic bacterium inhabiting soil and infected plants, was cloned and sequenced. This gene has the capacity to encode a polypeptide of 673 amino acid residues with a calculated molecular mass of 75.9 kDa. Its deduced amino acid sequence shows a high degree of similarity and possesses domain conservation to those of bacterial UvrB. The uvrB mutant, isolated by gene replacement, is extremely sensitive to ultraviolet irradiation. Like the situation in the X. campestris pv. campestris recA gene, no SOS box is present upstream of the uvrB gene. Northern blotting and transcriptional fusion assay with lacZ indicated that X. campestris pv. campestris uvrB is expressed constitutively at high levels and cannot be further induced by UV irradiation. These results suggest a regulatory mechanism different from that for the expression of Escherichia coli uvrB. Using a gene-tagging strategy in conjunction with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, the uvrB gene was located near 1 o'clock on the X. campestris pv. campestris 17 chromosome (4.8 Mb) map, which is far apart from the lexA-recA-recX cluster near 5 o'clock.

UDP-glucose dehydrogenase gene of Xanthomonas campestris is required for virulence

Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xc) is the casual agent of black rot in crucifers. The Xc gene (udgH) coding for UDP-glucose dehydrogenase, an enzyme catalyzing the conversion of UDP-glucose to UDP-glucuronic acid, was previously shown to be required for the biosynthesis of xanthan gum, a substance necessary for the bacterium to cause disease. In this study, the transcription start site of the udgH was determined and the promoter activity monitored by the xylE reporter system indicated that expression of the udgH increases following cell growth and that the udgH gene may possess a second promoter that is responsive to stationary-phase change retaining high levels of expression. Results of Southern hybridization suggest that the udgH gene may be ubiquitous in Xanthomonas, coincident with the notion that members of this genus are capable of xanthan gum biosynthesis. Mutation of the udgH gene in Xc and X. campestris pv. vesicatoria, the casual agent of leaf spot in pepper and tomato, was found to cause a loss of virulence.

Characterization of stress-responsive genes, hrcA-grpE-dnaK-dnaJ, from phytopathogenic Xanthomonas campestris

Sequencing of a 6.4-kb DNA fragment, cloned from the plant pathogenic bacterium Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris 17 revealed five ORFs whose deduced amino acid sequences show strong similarities to the bacterial HrcA, GrpE, DnaK, DnaJ, and PdxK. The four heat shock genes are organized in the order hrcA-grpE-dnaK-dnaJ, a genome organization found in many gram-positive bacteria, but only in one gram-negative species (Xylella fastidiosa). These observations suggest that the HrcA-CIRCE system, comprising at least four genes arranged in this order, already existed for the regulation of stress responses before bacteria diverged into gram-negative and gram-positive groups. Primer-extension results suggested the presence of promoters at the regions upstream of grpE and dnaK. In the presence of stress, heat or ethanol (4%), the X. campestris pv. campestris 17 grpE and dnaK promoters were induced two- to three-fold over controls. Since the grpE and dnaK promoters possess E. coli sigma(32) promoter-like sequences, they are functional in E. coli, although at levels much lower than in X. campestris pv. campestris 17. Furthermore, expression of the X. campestris pv. campestris 17 dnaK promoter in E. coli was elevated by the cloned X. campestris sigma(32) gene, indicating that the cognate sigma(32) works more efficiently for the X. campestris promoters.

The early stages of filamentous phage phiLf infection require the host transcription factor, Clp

Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris produces great amounts of an exopolysaccharide (EPS), xanthan gum. Eight eps loci involved in biosynthesis of the EPS were previously located in the chromosome map of strain Xc17. In this study, the eps8 region was cloned, sequenced and found to contain a crp homologue whose deduced amino acid sequence possesses similarity to that of the cyclic AMP receptor protein of bacteria, with the highest identity (97%) being shared with the X. campestris pv. campestris B-1459 clp gene previously shown to be involved in pathogenicity and regulation of the production of xanthan, extracellular enzymes, and pigment (de Crecy-Lagard V., Glaser P., Lejeune P., Sismeiro O., Barber C.E., Daniels M.J., and Danchin A., J. Bacteriol. 172:5877-5883, 1990). Based on sequence identity, pleiotropic effects of the mutation, the ability to complement an Escherichia coli cya crp mutant, and Southern hybridization detecting a single copy in the chromosome, we propose this eps8 gene to be the Xc17 clp. In addition to the previously reported properties, a clp mutant (AU56E) cannot be plaqued with filamentous phage phiLf, although it retains the capability to support phiLf DNA replication and release authentic phage particles upon electroporation of the RF DNA. Infective center assays demonstrated that the frequency of infection is 460- to 7,500-fold lower in AU56E compared to that in the wild-type Xc17. Electron microscopy, which showed no surface appendages other than the monotrichous flagellum, confirmed that AU56E drastically diminishes in the efficiency of phage adsorption. These results suggest Clp to be regulating the biosynthesis of the primary receptor, most likely a type IV pilus. Upstream to clp is a homologue of the E. coli speD gene required for spermidine synthesis. Mutation of the clp flanking regions and transcriptional analyses suggest clp to be monocistronic and the only gene contained at the eps8 locus.

Regulation of growth and tumorigenicity of breast cancer cells by the low molecular weight GTPase Rad and nm23

Rad is the prototypic member of a family of novel Ras-related GTPases that is normally expressed in heart, skeletal muscle, and lung and that has been shown to exhibit a novel form of bi-directional interaction with the nm23 metastasis suppressor. In the present study, we have investigated the expression of Rad in normal and neoplastic breast tissues by Western blot and immunohistochemistry and the functional effect of altered Rad expression in breast cancer cell lines. We found that, although Rad is frequently expressed in normal breast tissue (23/30 Rad+ve), expression is usually lost in adjacent invasive carcinoma (8/30 Rad+ve; P < 0.0001). However, where Rad expression persists in a small proportion of tumors, it is associated with higher grade, larger size, and extensive axillary nodal involvement (n = 48; P = 0.035, P = 0.016, P = 0.022, respectively). Furthermore, Rad is also highly expressed in a breast cancer cell line with high tumorigenic and metastatic potential (MDA-MB231). To further examine the role of Rad in breast cancer, we stably transfected a Rad-ve breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB435). We observed an increase in growth and marked increased colony formation in soft agar in vitro (P < 0.05) and an increase in tumor growth rate in nude mice (P < 0.05). Moreover, coexpression of nm23 with wild-type Rad inhibited the effect of Rad on growth of these cells in culture and markedly inhibited tumor growth in vivo. Additional transfection studies with mutated Rad cDNAs revealed that the growth-promoting effects of Rad appeared to be mediated through its NH2- and COOH-terminal regions, rather than its GTPase domain, and might involve acceleration of cell cycle transition. These findings suggest that Rad may act as an oncogenic protein in breast tissues and demonstrate a potential mechanism by which interaction between Rad and nm23 may regulate growth and tumorigenicity of breast cancer.

Challenges of implementing intervention research in persons with dementia: example of a glider swing intervention

Intervention studies for persons with dementia present many challenges. This article describes challenges encountered in conducting a glider swing intervention study for persons with dementia and the strategies used to manage the problems encountered. The overall purpose of a quasi-experimental study was to explore the effects of a glider swing intervention on emotions, relaxation, and aggressive behaviors in nursing home residents with dementia. Suggestions for investigators conducting intervention studies for persons with dementia are provided.

Characterization of the IncW cryptic plasmid pXV2 from Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria

The gram-negative plant pathogen Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria strain Xv2 harbors an indigenous, cryptic plasmid pXV2 of 14.6 kb. This plasmid can only be maintained in Xanthomonas and is incapable of self-transmission. However, incompatibility testing classified it in IncW, a group containing the smallest number of naturally occurring, broad-host-range, conjugative plasmids. A pXV2 derivative containing only a 5.5-kb PstI fragment is stably maintained. Deletion of a 3.0-kb region from the PstI fragment causes a loss of plasmid stability. Nucleotide sequencing of the 2. 1-kb region essential for autonomous replication revealed a repA gene and a downstream noncoding region containing four iterons, two 17- and two 19-nt direct repeats, and an AT-rich region lying between the two sets of iterons. The sequence of the deduced RepA and the iterons shows homology to the RepA (39% identity) and the iterons, respectively, of the IncW plasmid pSa. Maxicell expression of the repA gene produced a protein of 35 kDa, a size similar to that deduced from the nucleotide sequence. Trans-complementation test confirmed that the repA gene and the iterons are indeed the essential elements for pXV2 replication.

Dominant negative mutants of the yeast splicing factor Prp2 map to a putative cleft region in the helicase domain of DExD/H-box proteins

The Prp2 protein of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is an RNA-dependent ATPase required before the first transesterification reaction in pre-mRNA splicing. Prp2 binds to the spliceosome in the absence of ATP and is released following ATP hydrolysis. We determined what regions in Prp2 are essential for release from the spliceosome by analyzing dominant negative mutants in vivo and in vitro. We made mutations in conserved motif II (DExH) and motif VI (QRxGR) of the helicase (H) domain. Mutations that inactivated PRP2 had a dominant negative phenotype when overexpressed in vivo. To test whether mutations outside of the H domain could confer a dominant negative phenotype, we mutagenized a GAL1-PRP2 construct and screened for mutants unable to grow on galactose-containing media. Five dominant negative mutants were characterized; three mapped within the H domain and two mapped downstream of motif VI, indicating that an extended helicase domain is required for release of Prp2 from the spliceosome. Most mutants stalled in the spliceosome in vitro. However, not all mutants that were dominant negative in vivo were dominant negative in vitro, indicating that multiple mechanisms may cause a dominant negative phenotype. Structural modeling of the H domain of Prp2 suggests that mutants map to a cleft region found in helicases of known structure.

Sequence and molecular analysis of the rpoA cluster genes from Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris

The Xanthomonas campestris rpsM (S13)-rpsK (S11)-rpsD (S4)-rpoA (alpha)-rplQ (L17) cluster, encoding RNA polymerase alpha-subunit and four ribosomal proteins, reside in a 3164-bp DNA region. The N-terminal sequence of the authentic alpha-protein determined chemically matches that predicted from the nucleotide sequence. rplQ is monocistronic, instead of being co-transcribed with the other genes as in Escherichia coli. Antiserum against the His-tagged alpha-protein cross-reacted with the E. coli alpha-protein.

Use of presence in the critical care unit

Nurses have used the intervention of presence for centuries, but only recently has attention been given to defining and describing this intervention that conveys much of the caring aspect of nursing. Presence is more than a nurse's being with a patient physically. Researchers have found that patients recognize and value nurses who are present with their whole beings and are attuned to patients' needs and concerns. When critical care nurses use the intervention of presence, findings have shown that they make a connection with the patient that can lead to earlier identification of patients' problems. Further, critical care nurses can use presence in interactions with patients to avoid the perception by patients and their families that the nurse is emotionally distant or is there just to do a job. By incorporating presence as an integral part of all patient interactions, critical care nurses have the privilege of transforming a technical, potentially impersonal setting into a humane, healing place.

Isolation and characterization of a novel phytase from Penicillium simplicissimum

Eighty-three isolates from different soil samples exhibited the potential for producing active extracellular phytase. The most active fungal isolate with phytase activity was identified as Penicillium simplicissimum. In shaking culture with enrichment medium, the highest extracellular phytase activity of the producing strain was 3.8 U/mL. The crude enzyme filtrate was purified to homogeneity using ultrafiltration. IEC and gel filtration chromatography. The molar mass of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 65 kDa on SDS-PAGE. The saccharide identification with periodic acid-Schiff reagent (PAS) and activity recognition by 1-naphthyl phosphate was all positive. The isoelectric point of the enzyme, as deduced by isoelectric focusing, was pH 5.8, the optimum pH and temperature being pH 4.0 and 55 degrees C, respectively. The purified enzyme revealed broad substrate specificity and was strongly inhibited by Fe2+, Fe3+ and Zn2+; however, no inhibition was found by EDTA and PMSF. Phytase activity was inhibited when 2 mmol/L of dodecasodium phytate was added and the Km for it was determined to be 813 mmol/L.

Interaction of the Ras-related protein associated with diabetes rad and the putative tumor metastasis suppressor NM23 provides a novel mechanism of GTPase regulation

Rad is the prototypic member of a new class of Ras-related GTPases. Purification of the GTPase-activating protein (GAP) for Rad revealed nm23, a putative tumor metastasis suppressor and a development gene in Drosophila. Antibodies against nm23 depleted Rad-GAP activity from human skeletal muscle cytosol, and bacterially expressed nm23 reconstituted the activity. The GAP activity of nm23 was specific for Rad, was absent with the S105N putative dominant negative mutant of Rad, and was reduced with mutations of nm23. In the presence of ATP, GDP.Rad was also reconverted to GTP.Rad by the nucleoside diphosphate (NDP) kinase activity of nm23. Simultaneously, Rad regulated nm23 by enhancing its NDP kinase activity and decreasing its autophosphorylation. Melanoma cells transfected with wild-type Rad, but not the S105N-Rad, showed enhanced DNA synthesis in response to serum; this effect was lost with coexpression of nm23. Thus, the interaction of nm23 and Rad provides a potential novel mechanism for bidirectional, bimolecular regulation in which nm23 stimulates both GTP hydrolysis and GTP loading of Rad whereas Rad regulates activity of nm23. This interaction may play important roles in the effects of Rad on glucose metabolism and the effects of nm23 on tumor metastasis and developmental regulation.

Identification of a novel beta-lactamase produced by Xanthomonas campestris, a phytopathogenic bacterium

The Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris 11 chromosome encodes a periplasmic beta-lactamase of 30 kDa. Gene replacement and complementation confirmed the presence of this enzyme. Its deduced amino acid sequence shows identity and conserved domains between it and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia L2 and other Ambler class A/Bush group 2 beta-lactamases. Southern hybridization detected a single homologous fragment in each of 12 other Xanthomonas strains, indicating that the presence of a beta-lactamase gene is common among xanthomonads.

The adsorption protein genes of Xanthomonas campestris filamentous phages determining host specificity

Gene III (gIII) of phiLf, a filamentous phage specifically infecting Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris, was previously shown to encode a virion-associated protein (pIII) required for phage adsorption. In this study, the transcription start site for the gene and the N-terminal sequence of the protein were determined, resulting in the revision of the translation initiation site from the one previously predicted for this gene. For comparative study, the gIII of phiXv, a filamentous phage specifically infecting X. campestris pv. vesicatoria, was cloned and sequenced. The deduced amino acid sequences of these two pIIIs exhibit a high degree of identity in their C-terminal halves and possess the structural features typical of the adsorption proteins of filamentous phages: a signal sequence in the N terminus, a long glycine-rich region near the center, and a hydrophobic membrane anchorage domain in the C terminus. The regions between gIII and the upstream gVIII, 128 nucleotides in both phages, are larger than those of other filamentous phages. A hybrid phage of phiXv, consisting of the phiLf pIII and all the other components derived from phiXv, was able to infect X. campestris pv. campestris but not X. campestris pv. vesicatoria, indicating that gIII is the gene specifying host specificity and demonstrating the interchangeability of the pIIIs.

Chromosome map of Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris 17 with locations of genes involved in xanthan gum synthesis and yellow pigmentation

No plasmid was detected in Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris 17, a strain of the causative agent of black rot in cruciferous plants isolated in Taiwan. Its chromosome was cut by PacI, PmeI, and SwaI into five, two, and six fragments, respectively, and a size of 4.8 Mb was estimated by summing the fragment lengths in these digests. Based on the data obtained from partial digestion and Southern hybridization using probes common to pairs of the overlapping fragments or prepared from linking fragments, a circular physical map bearing the PacI, PmeI, and SwaI sites was constructed for the X. campestris pv. campestris 17 chromosome. Locations of eight eps loci involved in exopolysaccharide (xanthan gum) synthesis, two rrn operons each possessing an unique I-CeuI site, one pig cluster required for yellow pigmentation, and nine auxotrophic markers were determined, using mutants isolated by mutagenesis with Tn5(pfm)CmKm. This transposon contains a polylinker with sites for several rare-cutting restriction endonucleases located between the chloramphenicol resistance and kanamycin resistance (Kmr) genes, which upon insertion introduced additional sites into the chromosome. The recA and tdh genes, with known sequences, were mapped by tagging with the polylinker-Kmr segment from Tn5(pfm)CmKm. This is the first map for X. campestris and would be useful for genetic studies of this and related Xanthomonas species.

Transcriptional regulation of interleukin-1beta gene by interleukin-1beta itself is mediated in part by Oct-1 in thymic stromal cells

Interleukin (IL)-1 is involved in many processes, including thymic development. However, control of IL-1 expression in thymic-derived stromal cells (TSC) has not been reported. We found that IL-1beta increased steady-state mRNA levels for IL-1alpha and IL-1beta in TSC-936 and TSC-2C4 cells; stability was not a major determinant of this effect. To study transcriptional regulation of IL-1beta, we functionally characterized 4 kilobase pairs of the 5'-flanking region and first intron of the bovine IL-1beta gene. The -470/+14 fragment was sufficient to confer maximal responsiveness to IL-1beta upon transfection into these cell lines. Progressive 5' deletions identified several IL-1beta-responsive regions, including -308 to -226, which we further characterized. Electrophoretic mobility shift and supershift analyses showed that IL-1beta induced the ability to form multiple protein complexes with -261/-226 and that one of these contained nuclear factor Oct-1. A competitor containing a mutated Oct consensus site failed to compete not only for this complex but others as well, suggesting that this sequence regulates binding of other proteins to this region. Functional analysis confirmed that this element was essential for maximal induction of transcription. These findings document a heretofore undescribed mechanism utilized by TSC for regulation of IL-1beta transcription by IL-1beta itself.

Sequence analysis and expression of the filamentous phage phi Lf gene I encoding a 48-kDa protein associated with host cell membrane

One viral strand of phi Lf, a filamentous phage of Xanthomonas campestris pv.campestris, the open reading frame (ORF440) behind gene VI was identified as gene I. This gene codes for pI protein (440 aa, 48 kDa) which was shown to be membrane-bound in the phi Lf-infected host cell by Western blot analysis using the antibody raised against the protein expressed in Escherichia coli. Its predicted amino acid sequence has a nucleotide-binding motif in the N-terminal 97 aa and a membrane-spanning domain (aa 221 to 236). These structural features are characteristic of pIs of several filamentous phages which are transmembrane proteins required for phage assembly. Thus far, nine phi Lf genes have been identified which are organized in the order GII-gX-gV-gVII-gIX-gVIII-gIII-gVI-gI, similar to the genome organization of E. coli filamentous phages.

Isolation and characterization of the Xanthomonas campestris rpoH gene coding for a 32-kDa heat shock sigma factor

Degenerate oligonucleotide primers corresponding to the conserved regions of bacterial heat shock sigma factor RpoH (sigma 32) were used to amplify a 190-bp fragment by PCR on the X. campestris pv. campestris strain 11 chromosome. Using this fragment as a probe, plasmid pXC57 carrying a 4.7-kb insert was isolated from a genomic library of Xc11. Sequence analysis of a stretch of 2,053 bp from the pXC57 insert revealed an ORF encoding a polypeptide of 291 aa (32,854 dal) which displays 59.6% and 57.3% identity to the rpoH gene products of E. coli and P. aeruginosa, respectively. The Xc11 rpoH gene was able to complement the RpoH deficient E. coli strain A7448. Both amino acid and mRNA sequences deduced from the Xc11 rpoH gene show structural features characteristics of the corresponding sequences from those of the gamma subgroup proteobacteria. The RpoH levels in Xc11 were demonstrated to increase transiently in response to heat shock treatment by immunoblot analysis using the polyclonal antibody raised against the purified Xc11 RpoH.

Purification and expression of the gene III protein from filamentous phage phi Lf

The gene III protein (pIII) from phi Lf, a filamentous phage of Xanthomonas campestris pv.campestris, was purified by gel filtration with FPLC. The gIII coding region was amplified by PCR, which was then cloned into pUC18 and expressed in Escherichia coli. The size of both pIII, purified from phage particle and expressed in E. coli, is similar to the value deduced from the nucleotide sequence as shown by Western blot analysis. This is different from the case in Ff phages (f1, fd, and M13), in which the size of pIII observed in SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis is substantially larger than the deduced value. Upon infection of X. c. pv. vesicatoria carrying cloned phi Lf gIII with phi Xv, a filamentous phage of pv. vesicatoria, the progeny particles in supernatant were able to infect both pv. campestris carrying cloned phi Lf gIII and pv. vesicatoria, indicating that a mixture of authentic phi Xv and chimeric phage consisting of phi Xv DNA and phi Lf pIII was produced. These results suggest pIII to be the adsorption protein required for host recognition.

Lacunar infarctions presenting as memory loss and mental changes: four cases report

Impairment of higher cortical functions is usually not considered as a typical presentation of lacunar infarction. However, a small discrete lesion at strategically important locations may produce memory loss and mental changes. We report 4 patients with lacunar infarctions manifested as acute amnesia and mental changes. One patient had left thalamic infarction, one had left capsular genu infarction, one had right capsular genu infarction, and one had left capsular genu infarction extending to the ipsilateral thalamus. The mental and memory impairment was transient in one patient but was persistent in the other 3 patients. Our report reconfirms that a lacunar infarction can cause impairment of higher cortical functions.

Hypovolemic shock induced by laparoscopic cholecystectomy--a case report

Since its introduction and development in the 1960s, laparoscopic cholecystectomy has become widely accepted by the medical community and the public as the treatment of choice for various gallbladder disorders. We present a 46-year-old male who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy, during which inadvertent penetration of the first trocar resulted in injury of the abdominal aorta and then hypovolemic shock ensured. The time from notification of shock by the anesthesiologist to switch of procedure to exploratory laparotomy for stanching hemorrhage was twenty minutes. During the intervention, blood loss was over 3,000 ml and despite rapid infusion of plasma expander, blood pressure could only be maintained between 40/18 to 60/20 mmHg. After the patient became stabilized and blood pressure was elevated to acceptable levels, conventional cholecystectomy was performed instead. Perioperative blood loss of 7,300 ml was estimated. In total, the patient received 24 units of packed red blood cells, 12 units of fresh frozen plasma, and 12 units of platelets. After the operation, the patient was transferred to the surgical ICU for further observation. For 24 h at the ICU, blood pressure remained unstable, urine output decreased gradually, and scrotal and leg edema developed. Forty-four h after admission to the surgical ICU, arrhythmia and profound hypotension were noted and cardiac arrest ensued. After resuscitation for 2 h, the patient could not be revived and succumbed to cardiovascular decompensation secondary to acute renal shutdown and continuous retroperitoneal hemorrhage.