The predicted structures and electronic properties of CeO(2) and Ce(2)O(3) have been studied using conventional and hybrid density functional theory. The lattice constant and bulk modulus for CeO(2) from local (LSDA) functionals are in good agreement with experiment, while the lattice parameter from a generalized gradient approximation (GGA) is too long. This situation is reversed for Ce(2)O(3), where the LSDA lattice constant is much too short, while the GGA result is in reasonable agreement with experiment. Significantly, the screened hybrid HSE functional gives excellent agreement with experimental lattice constants for both CeO(2) and Ce(2)O(3). All methods give insulating ground states for CeO(2) with gaps for the 4f band lying between 1.7 eV (LSDA) and 3.3 eV (HSE) and 6-8 eV for the conduction band. For Ce(2)O(3) the local and GGA functionals predict a semimetallic ground state with small (0-0.3 eV) band gap but weak ferromagnetic coupling between the Ce(+3) centers. By contrast, the HSE functional gives an insulating ground state with a band gap of 3.2 eV and antiferromagnetic coupling. Overall, the hybrid HSE functional gives a consistent picture of both the structural and electronic properties of CeO(2) and Ce(2)O(3) while treating the 4f band consistently in both oxides.

Plasticized polylactide (PLA) composite films with multifunctional properties were created by loading bimetallic silver-copper (Ag-Cu) nanoparticles (NPs) and cinnamon essential oil (CEO) into polymer matrix via compression molding technique. Rheological, structural, thermal, barrier, and antimicrobial properties of the produced films, and its utilization in the packaging of chicken meat were investigated. PLA/PEG/Ag-Cu/CEO composites showed a very complex rheological system where both plasticizing and antiplasticizing effects were evident. Thermal properties of plasticized PLA film with polyethylene glycol (PEG) enhanced considerably with the reinforcement of NPs whereas loading of CEO decreased glass transition, melting, and crystallization temperature. The barrier properties of the composite films were reduced with the increase of CEO loading (P < 0.05). Their optical properties were also modified by the addition of both CEO and Ag-Cu NPs. The changes in the molecular organization of PLA composite films were visualized by FTIR spectra. Rough and porous surfaces of the films were evident by scanning electron microscopy. The effectiveness of composite films was tested against Salmonella Typhimurium, Campylobacter jejuni and Listeria monocytogenes inoculated in chicken samples, and it was found that the films loaded with Ag-Cu NPs and 50% CEO showed maximum antibacterial action during 21 days at the refrigerated condition. The produced PLA/Ag-Cu/CEO composite films can be applied to active food packaging.

UNASSIGNED

The nanoparticles and essential oil loaded PLA composite films are capable of exhibiting antimicrobial effects against Gram (+) and (-) bacteria, and extend the shelf-life of chicken meat. The bionanocomposite films showed the potential to be manufactured commercially because of the thermal stability of the active components during the hot-press compression molding process. The developed bionanocomposites could have practical importance and open a new direction for the active food packaging to control the spoilage and the pathogenic bacteria associated with the fresh chicken meat.

CeO(2)/Chitosan (CHIT) composite matrix was firstly developed for the single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) probe immobilization and the fabrication of DNA biosensor related to the colorectal cancer gene. Such matrix combined the advantages of CeO(2) and chitosan, with good biocompatibility, nontoxicity and excellent electronic conductivity, showing the enhanced loading of ssDNA probe on the surface of electrode. The preparation method is quite simple and inexpensive. The hybridization detection was accomplished by using methylene blue (MB), an electroactive lable, as the indicator. The differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) was employed to record the signal response of MB and determine the amount of colorectal cancer target DNA sequence. The experimental conditions were optimized. The established biosensor has high detection sensitivity, a relatively wide linear range from 1.59x10(-11) to 1.16x10(-7)molL(-1) and the ability to discriminate completely complementary target sequence and four-base-mismatched sequence.

In a recent study, several US infectious laryngotracheitis virus (ILTV) strains and field isolates were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) into nine different genotypes. All of the commercial poultry isolates were identified within genotypes IV, V, and VI. Based on the PCR-RFLP, Group IV isolates were characterized as genetically identical to the chicken embryo origin (CEO) vaccines, Group V as genetically closely related to the CEO vaccines, and Group VI as genetically different to the vaccine strains. The objective of this study was to determine the pathogenicity and growth characteristics of six ILTV commercial poultry isolates as compared with the CEO vaccine. Two isolates representative of PCR-RFLP Groups IV, V, and VI were selected. Differences in disease severity, viral tissue distribution in chickens, and plaque formation ability in cell culture were observed among viral genotypes IV, V, and VI, and between V-A and V-B isolates. Mild respiratory clinical signs were produced by IV-A, IV-B and the CEO vaccine, while VI-A and VI-B isolates produced severe respiratory signs and severe depression, and during the peak of clinical signs both isolates were re-isolated from the conjunctiva, sinus, trachea and thymus. Similarly to Group VI isolates, V-A and V-B produced severe respiratory signs, depression, and were re-isolated from conjunctiva, sinus, and trachea; on cell culture, both isolates produced significant larger plaques than any of the other isolates analysed. Overall, differences in pathogenicity and growth characteristics were observed among genetically closely related US ILTV isolates; however, complete genomes will be necessary to identify molecular determinants linked to the pathogenic viral phenotypes.

In this work, we compare the CO oxidation performance of Pt single atom catalysts (SACs) prepared via two methods: (1) conventional wet chemical synthesis (strong electrostatic adsorption-SEA) with calcination at 350 °C in air; and (2) high temperature vapor phase synthesis (atom trapping-AT) with calcination in air at 800 °C leading to ionic Pt being trapped on the CeO₂ in a thermally stable form. As-synthesized, both SACs are inactive for low temperature (<150 °C) CO oxidation. After treatment in CO at 275 °C, both catalysts show enhanced reactivity. Despite similar Pt metal particle size, the AT catalyst is significantly more active, with onset of CO oxidation near room temperature. A combination of near-ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (NAP-XPS) and CO temperature-programmed reduction (CO-TPR) shows that the high reactivity at low temperatures can be related to the improved reducibility of lattice oxygen on the CeO₂ support.

The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility of using 13C NMR spectroscopy to analyze urinary metabolites produced following coadministration of two structurally similar carbon-13-labeled compounds to rodents. Acrylonitrile (AN) and acrylamide (AM) are used in the chemical industry to manufacture plastics and polymers. These compounds are known to produce carcinogenic, reproductive, or neurotoxic effects in laboratory animals. The potential for human exposure to AN and AM occurs in manufacturing facilities and environmentally. Male F344 rats and B6C3F1 mice were coadministered po [1,2,3-13C]AN (16-17 mg/kg) and [1,2,3-13C]AM (21-22 mg/kg) after 0 or 4 days of administration of unlabeled AN or AM. Urine was collected for 24 h following administration of the 13C-labeled compounds and analyzed by 13C NMR spectroscopy. Rats and mice excreted metabolites derived from glutathione (GSH) conjugation with AM or AN or derived from GSH conjugation with the epoxides cyanoethylene oxide (CEO) or glycidamide (GA). GA and its hydrolysis product were also detected in the urine of rats and mice. For mice, an increased urinary excretion of total AN- and total AM-derived metabolites (p < 0.05) on repeated coadministration suggested a possible increase in metabolism via oxidation. In addition, mice had an increased (p < 0.05) percentage of dose excreted as metabolites derived from GSH conjugation with AM, AN, CEO, or GA after five exposures as compared with one exposure that may be related to a significant increase in the synthesis of GSH or an increase in glutathione transferase activity. The only significant (p < 0.05) increase between one and five exposures for the rat was in the percentage of metabolites produced following conversion of AM to GA. The use of 13C NMR spectroscopy has provided a powerful methodology for elucidation of the metabolism of two 13C-labeled chemicals administered simultaneously.

The rare earth elements Nd, La, Ce at proper concentrations had positive effects on the cell growth of Cistanche deserticola and production of phenylethanoid glycosides (PeG). A mixture of rare earth elements (MRE, La(2)O(3):CeO(2):Pr(6)O(11):Sm(2)O(3)=255:175:3:1, mol/mol) showed the most remarkable effects. After 30 day's culture, 0.02 mmoll(-1) MRE gave the highest content (20.8%) and production (1.6 gl(-1)) of PeG, which were 104 and 167% higher than those obtained in control (without rare earth elements).

Surface properties of rare-earth (RE) doped ceria (RE = Sm, Gd, Pr, and Tb) were investigated by UV (325 nm) and visible (514, 633, and 785 nm) Raman spectroscopy, combined with UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectra techniques. It was found that the optical absorption property of samples, the wavelength of detecting laser line, and the inhomogeneous distribution of the dopants significantly affected the obtained surface information, namely, the peak intensity and shape at ca. 460 and 570 cm(-1), as well as the observed oxygen vacancy concentration (A(570)/A(460)). The UV laser line detected the surface information of RE-doped ceria and disclosed the presence of many oxygen vacancies in the samples. The visible laser lines penetrated into the inner layer of the Sm- or Gd-doped CeO(2) and reflected the whole information of samples because of their weak absorptions of the visible laser. However, the Pr- or Tb-doped CeO(2) absorbed visible light strongly; thus, the laser can only determine the outer surface information of the sample.

Peri-implantitis is the most common risk factor for dental implant failure. Nanostructured ceria (nano-CeO₂) has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial functions, and different shapes of ceria enclosed by specific crystal planes could be an effective approach to enhance intrinsic catalysis. In the present study, the authors developed a novel implant surface-modification strategy by coating different shapes of nano-CeO₂ onto titanium (Ti) surfaces to enhance their antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. The objectives of the study were to: (1) develop novel Ti surfaces modified with different shapes of nano-CeO₂ (nanorod, nanocube and nano-octahedron) for peri-implantitis prevention; (2) investigate and compare the inhibition efficacy of different shapes of CeO₂-modified surfaces against biofilms of peri-implantitis-related pathogens; and (3) evaluate the different CeO₂-modified surfaces on cell inflammatory response in vitro and in vivo. The results showed that nanorod CeO₂-modified Ti had more bacteria attachment of Streptococcus sanguinis in the early stage, compared with other CeO₂-modified Ti (p < 0.05). They all exhibited similarly substantial CFU reductions against peri-implantitis-related biofilms (p > 0.1). Nanocube and nano-octahedron CeO₂-modified Ti exerted much better anti-inflammatory effects and ROS-scavenging ability than nanorod CeO₂in vitro (p < 0.05). In vivo, the mean mRNA expression of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β in the tissues around Ti was decreased by the three shapes of nano-CeO₂; nano-octahedron CeO₂ showed the strongest anti-inflammatory effect among all groups (p < 0.05). In conclusion, all three types of CeO₂-modified Ti exerted equally strong antibacterial properties; nano-octahedron CeO₂-modified Ti had the best anti-inflammatory effect. Therefore, CeO₂-modified Ti surfaces are highly promising for enhancing antimicrobial functions for dental implants. Novel nano-octahedron CeO₂ coating on Ti had great therapeutic potential for alleviating and eliminating peri-implantitis. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Peri-implantitis is the most common risk factor for dental implant failure. Nanostructured ceria (nano-CeO₂) has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial functions, and different shapes of ceria enclosed by specific crystal planes could be an effective approach to enhance intrinsic catalysis. In the present study, we developed a novel implant surface-modification strategy by coating different shapes of nano-CeO₂ onto titanium surfaces to enhance their antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties for dental implants. In addition, we found that the nano-octahedron CeO₂ coating on titanium would have great therapeutic potential for alleviating and eliminating peri-implantitis.

A novel antibacterial packaging material was engineered by incorporating cinnamon essential oil/β-cyclodextrin (CEO/β-CD) proteoliposomes into poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) nanofibers by electrospinning technique. Herein, PEO was a stabilizing polymer and used as electrospinning polymeric matrix for the fabrication of CEO/β-CD proteoliposomes nanofibers. The nanoliposomes were inlaid with protein are defined as proteoliposomes. Taking advantage of bacterial protease secreted from Bacillus cereus (B. cereus), the controlled release of CEO from proteoliposomes was achieved via proteolysis of protein in proteoliposomes. The CEO/β-CD inclusion complex was prepared by the aqueous solution method and characterized by Raman and FTIR spectroscopy. After the treatment of CEO/β-CD proteoliposomes nanofibers packaging, the satisfactory antibacterial efficiency against B. cereus on beef was realized without any impact on sensory quality of beef. This study demonstrated that the CEO/β-CD proteoliposomes nanofibers can significantly extend the shelf life of beef and have potential application in active food packaging.

Rational design of potent antioxidative agent with high biocompatibility is urgently needed to treat ischemic reperfusion-induced ROS-mediated cerebrovascular and neural injury during ischemia strokes. Here, we demonstrate an in situ synthetic strategy of bioactive zeolitic imidazolate framework-8-capped ceria nanoparticles (CeO₂@ZIF-8 NPs) to achieve enhanced catalytic and antioxidative activities and improved stroke therapeutic efficacy. This nanosystem exhibits prolonged blood circulation time, reduced clearance rate, improved BBB penetration ability, and enhanced brain accumulation, where it effectively inhibits the lipid peroxidation in brain tissues in middle cerebral artery occlusion mice and reduces the oxidative damage and apoptosis of neurons in brain tissue. CeO₂@ZIF-8 also suppresses inflammation- and immune response-induced injury by suppressing the activation of astrocytes and secretion of proinflammatory cytokines, thus achieving satisfactory prevention and treatment in neuroprotective therapy. This study also sheds light on the neuroprotective action mechanisms of ZIF-8-capped nanomedicine against reperfusion-induced injury in ischemic stroke.

NCCN has developed a series of Evidence Blocks: graphics that provide ratings for each recommended treatment regimen in terms of efficacy, toxicity, quality and consistency of the supporting data, and affordability. The NCCN Evidence Blocks are currently available in 10 tumor types within the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines). At a glance, patients and providers can understand how a given treatment was assessed by the NCCN Guidelines Panel and get a sense of how a given treatment may match individual needs and preferences. Robert W. Carlson, MD, CEO of NCCN, described the reasoning behind this new feature and how the tool is used, and Eric Jonasch, MD, Professor of Genitourinary Medical Oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Vice Chair of the NCCN Kidney Cancer Panel, described its applicability in the management of metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

Abstract The meeting "Commercialization of Your Regenerative Medicine Research: Lessons from Spin Out Successes" was hosted by the Oxbridge Biotech Roundtable (OBR) (Oxford, UK) at the University of Oxford in February, 2013, and attracted a multi-stakeholder audience spanning academia and industry. The event featured case studies from Gregg Sando, CEO, Cell Medica (London, UK), John Sinden, CSO, Reneuron (Guilford, UK), and Paul Kemp, CEO and CSO, Intercytex (Manchester, UK). OBR is a student-led initiative with over 7000 members across eight different UK and US locations with a mission to foster a conversation about the healthcare and life sciences industry. Here we review the main themes of the meeting and the major questions facing the regenerative medicine industry and its rapidly emerging subsets of cellular and gene therapies. Notably, we discuss the compatibility of regenerative therapies to the existing healthcare infrastructure, biomanufacturing challenges (including scalability and comparability), and the amenability of regenerative therapies to existing reimbursement and investment models. Furthermore, we reiterate key words of advice from seasoned industry leaders intended to accelerate the translation path from lab bench to the marketplace.

Faced with changing markets and tougher competition, more and more companies realize that to compete effectively they must transform how they function. But while senior managers understand the necessity of change, they often misunderstand what it takes to bring it about. They assume that corporate renewal is the product of company-wide change programs and that in order to transform employee behavior, they must alter a company's formal structure and systems. Both these assumptions are wrong, say these authors. Using examples drawn from their four-year study of organizational change at six large corporations, they argue that change programs are, in fact, the greatest obstacle to successful revitalization and that formal structures and systems are the last thing a company should change, not the first. The most successful change efforts begin at the periphery of a corporation, in a single plant or division. Such efforts are led by general managers, not the CEO or corporate staff people. And these general managers concentrate not on changing formal structures and systems but on creating ad hoc organizational arrangements to solve concrete business problems. This focuses energy for change on the work itself, not on abstractions such as "participation" or "culture." Once general managers understand the importance of this grass-roots approach to change, they don't have to wait for senior management to start a process of corporate renewal. The authors describe a six-step change process they call the "critical path."

OBJECTIVE

Previous investigations have suggested that initial retinal damage from chloroquine toxicity occurs in ganglion cells, and other ocular tissues are affected only later on. The aim of this study was to evaluate retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness measurements, as assessed by scanning laser polarimetry, in a group of patients under long-term treatment with chloroquine.

METHODS

This case-control study included 34 patients using chloroquine diphosphate and 34 age-matched healthy subjects with no previous history of chloroquine intake. All subjects underwent RNFL assessment using the GDx -- Nerve Fibre Analyser (software v.2.0.01). One eye of each patient was randomly selected for statistical analysis. Peripapillary RNFL measurements were compared between the two groups. For patients using chloroquine, the correlation between RNFL measurements and chloroquine dosage was assessed.

RESULTS

Mean +/- SD RNFL thickness for patients using chloroquine was 60.6 +/- 11.2 microm, 65.6 +/- 13.2 microm, 74.8 +/- 14.8 microm, 36.2 +/- 9.6 microm and 43.8 +/- 7.9 microm for global, superior, inferior, temporal and nasal regions, respectively. In the control group, the corresponding values were 72.1 +/- 12.7 microm, 79.9 +/- 14.8 microm, 88.3 +/- 14.0 microm, 44.2 +/- 12.8 microm and 49.7 +/- 11.9 microm. Mean RNFL thickness measurements from patients using chloroquine were significantly different from those in the control group in all regions (P < 0.05). Thinner RNFL thickness measurements were associated with higher daily dosages of chloroquine.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients under long-term chloroquine treatment had significantly lower RNFL thickness measurements than healthy subjects, and the RNFL loss was correlated to chloroquine daily dosage.

Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) as well as its receptors is found in mammalian ovary and follicular cells and its function in oocyte meiotic maturation has also been reported in Xenopus, hamster and rat. But the results are controversial and the physiological mechanism of ANP on oocyte maturation is not clear, especially the relationship between gonadotrophin and ANP as well as the signal transduction, and these need further study. The present study conducted experiments to examine these questions by using drug treatment and Western blot analysis and focused on pig oocyte meiotic maturation and cumulus expansion in vitro. The results revealed that ANP could inhibited FSH-induced pig oocyte maturation and cumulus expansion and prevent the full phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase in both oocytes and cumulus cells, and that these inhibitory effects could be mimicked by 8-Br-cyclic guanosine 5'-monophosphate (8-Br-cGMP), but blocked by a protein kinase G (PKG) inhibitor KT5823. Zaprinast, a cGMP-specific phosphodiesterase inhibitor, could enhance the inhibitory effect of ANP on oocyte maturation. A specific analogue of ANP, C-ANP-(4-23), which binds to the natriuretic peptide receptor-C (NPRC), had no effect in either FSH-induced or spontaneous oocyte maturation. Treatment with forskolin, a stimulator of adenylate cyclase, had a biphasic effect; 44 h treatment induced cumulus expansion but inhibited oocyte maturation while 2 h treatment induced maturation of cumulus-enclosed oocytes (CEOs). Both ANP and C-ANP-(4-23) could inhibit the effect of forskolin on CEO maturation, and these inhibitory effects of ANP/C-ANP-(4-23) could be blocked by preincubation with pertussis toxin (PT), consistent with mediation by a Gi protein(s) in the cumulus cells. All these results suggest that ANP is a multifunctional regulator of FSH and forskolin on pig CEO maturation by two signalling mechanisms: one is via a cGMP/PKG pathway, the other is via NPRC receptors in cumulus cells and the activation of the PT-sensitive Gi protein(s).

BACKGROUND

Cerium dioxide (CeO(2)) nanoparticles have potential therapeutic applications and are widely used for industrial purposes. However, the effects of these nanoparticles on primary human cells are largely unknown. The ability of nanoparticles to exacerbate pre-existing inflammatory disorders is not well documented for engineered nanoparticles, and is certainly lacking for CeO(2) nanoparticles. We investigated the inflammation-modulating effects of CeO(2) nanoparticles at noncytotoxic concentrations in human peripheral blood monocytes.

METHODS

CD14(+) cells were isolated from peripheral blood samples of human volunteers. Cells were exposed to either 0.5 or 1 μg/mL of CeO(2) nanoparticles over a period of 24 or 48 hours with or without lipopolysaccharide (10 ng/mL) prestimulation. Modulation of the inflammatory response was studied by measuring secreted tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1beta, macrophage chemotactic protein-1, interferon-gamma, and interferon gamma-induced protein 10.

RESULTS

CeO(2) nanoparticle suspensions were thoroughly characterized using dynamic light scattering analysis (194 nm hydrodynamic diameter), zeta potential analysis (-14 mV), and transmission electron microscopy (irregular-shaped particles). Transmission electron microscopy of CD14(+) cells exposed to CeO(2) nanoparticles revealed that these nanoparticles were efficiently internalized by monocytes and were found either in vesicles or free in the cytoplasm. However, no significant differences in secreted cytokine profiles were observed between CeO(2) nanoparticle-treated cells and control cells at noncytotoxic doses. No significant effects of CeO(2) nanoparticle exposure subsequent to lipopolysaccharide priming was observed on cytokine secretion. Moreover, no significant difference in lipopolysaccharide-induced cytokine production was observed after exposure to CeO(2) nanoparticles followed by lipopolysaccharide exposure.

CONCLUSIONS

CeO(2) nanoparticles at noncytotoxic concentrations neither modulate pre-existing inflammation nor prime for subsequent exposure to lipopolysaccharides in human monocytes from healthy subjects.

CeO(2)-TiO(2) (CeTi) catalysts synthesized by an ultrasound-assisted impregnation method were employed to oxidize elemental mercury (Hg(0)) in simulated low-rank (sub-bituminous and lignite) coal combustion flue gas. The CeTi catalysts with a CeO(2)/TiO(2) weight ratio of 1-2 exhibited high Hg(0) oxidation activity from 150 to 250 °C. The high concentrations of surface cerium and oxygen were responsible for their superior performance. Hg(0) oxidation over CeTi catalysts was proposed to follow the Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism whereby reactive species from adsorbed flue gas components react with adjacently adsorbed Hg(0). In the presence of O(2), a promotional effect of HCl, NO, and SO(2) on Hg(0) oxidation was observed. Without O(2), HCl and NO still promoted Hg(0) oxidation due to the surface oxygen, while SO(2) inhibited Hg(0) adsorption and subsequent oxidation. Water vapor also inhibited Hg(0) oxidation. HCl was the most effective flue gas component responsible for Hg(0) oxidation. However, the combination of SO(2) and NO without HCl also resulted in high Hg(0) oxidation efficiency. This superior oxidation capability is advantageous to Hg(0) oxidation in low-rank coal combustion flue gas with low HCl concentration.

We have previously shown that fatty acid oxidation (FAO) is required for AMP-activated protein kinase (PRKA)-induced maturation in vitro. In the present study, we have further investigated the role of this metabolic pathway in hormone-induced meiotic maturation. Incorporating an assay with (3)H-palmitic acid as the substrate, we first examined the effect of PRKA activators on FAO levels. There was a significant stimulation of FAO in cumulus cell-enclosed oocytes (CEO) treated with 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide (AICAR) and RSVA405. In denuded oocytes (DO), AICAR stimulated FAO only in the presence of carnitine, the molecule that facilitates fatty acyl CoA entry into the mitochondria. The carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 activator C75 successfully stimulated FAO in CEO. All three of these activators trigger germinal vesicle breakdown. Meiotic resumption induced by follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) or amphiregulin was completely inhibited by the FAO inhibitors etomoxir, mercaptoacetate, and malonyl CoA. Importantly, FAO was increased in CEO stimulated by FSH and epidermal growth factor, and this increase was blocked by FAO inhibitors. Moreover, compound C, a PRKA inhibitor, prevented the FSH-induced increase in FAO. Both carnitine and palmitic acid augmented hormonal induction of maturation. In a more physiological setting, etomoxir eliminated human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)-induced maturation in follicle-enclosed oocytes. In addition, CEO and DO from hCG-treated mice displayed an etomoxir-sensitive increase in FAO, indicating that this pathway was stimulated during in vivo meiotic resumption. Taken together, our data indicate that hormone-induced maturation in mice requires a PRKA-dependent increase in FAO.

OBJECTIVE

It has previously been reported that lateral epicondylitis may be diagnosed with colour Doppler ultrasonography (US) by detecting hyperaemia inside the common extensor origin (CEO).This study reports on the association between Doppler US findings and the short-term response of US-guided corticosteroid injection in patients with LE.

METHODS

Case-only, blinded intervention study.

METHODS

Secondary care at a government hospital.

METHODS

62 patients with LE verified by colour Doppler US.

METHODS

One US-guided corticosteroid injection was given into the CEO.

METHODS

Patients were evaluated at baseline before the injection and at 2 weeks of follow-up. Outcome measures were changes in pain score and US parameters (resistive index (RI) and the amount of colour within the CEO). Prognosticators for outcome were: use of computer mouse, symptom duration, elbow strain, RI, colour fraction, Likert pain score, pain at rest, pain during activity, age, height, weight, disease in dominant versus nondominant arm.

RESULTS

All but one patient experienced improvement of general elbow pain perception at follow-up at 2 weeks. In parallel, Doppler US showed significant reduction in colour fraction (mean (standard deviation) with 95% confidence limits: baseline 0.14 (0.10), at follow-up 0.02 (0.02), p<0.0001). All but five patients showed a decrease in colour fraction; 74% decreased to 0. No clinical or US parameter could distinguish responders from non-responders.

CONCLUSIONS

Corticosteroid injection has a marked short-term effect on pain and Doppler parameters. The reduction in hyperaemia mediated by an anti-inflammatory drug can be interpreted as evidence of an inflammatory component in LE.

Optic nerve avulsion (ONA) secondary to finger gouging is a rare complication. A case is reported of a 14-year-old boy who had an acute loss of vision after being poked in his left eye during a game of rugby union. He was later diagnosed with ONA, and this was associated with central retinal artery occlusion, which was rarely reported in the literature. His progress was complicated by a delayed onset of neovascular glaucoma. This is the first report of ONA secondary to a rugby injury and highlights the need for clinicians to be aware of the potential for loss of sight from gouging.

Etheno adducts are formed after exposure to a number of carcinogens, including vinyl chloride, as well as endogenously as a result of lipid peroxidation. A sensitive and selective assay for N(2), 3-ethenoguanine (epsilonGua) was developed using immunoaffinity (IA) columns made with polyclonal antibodies to epsilonGua followed by gas chromatography/electron capture negative chemical ionization/high-resolution mass spectrometry (GC/ECNCI/HRMS) analysis of its pentafluorobenzyl derivative. These IA columns were specific for epsilonGua and did not bind guanine, deoxyguanosine, 1, N(6)-ethenoadenine, or 1,N(2)-ethenoguanine. The level of recovery of standards from the IA columns was 107 +/- 7% and throughout the entire method (using nucleoside enzymatic digestion) with or without DNA was 72 +/- 6%. Four different hydrolysis/digestion procedures were compared, nucleoside enzymatic (EZ), neutral thermal hydrolysis (NT), formic acid hydrolysis (FA), and HCl hydrolysis. All hydrolysis methods with subsequent IA chromatography produced linear standard curves with r(2) values of 0.999 or better. The level of epsilonGua in chloroethylene oxide-treated calf thymus DNA (CEO-ctDNA) was 38 +/- 2, 42 +/- 3, and 49 +/- 2 fmol of epsilonGua/microg of DNA using EZ, NT, and FA, respectively. These numbers remained consistent when the amount of DNA processed was doubled or tripled. These numbers were comparable to the previously published value of 55 +/- 8 fmol of epsilonGua/micrograms of DNA for the same DNA using HCl hydrolysis, cation exchange cleanup, and LC/MS analysis [Yen, T. Y., et al. (1996) J. Mass Spectrom. 31, 1271-1276]. Additionally, HCl hydrolysis of rat liver DNA from control and vinyl fluoride-exposed rats gave similar epsilonGua results when compared to those from enzymatic digestion using this method. This method gave a detection limit of 5 epsilonGua adducts/10(8) normal dGuo nucleosides in 150 micrograms of DNA using EZ and somewhat lower detection limits using NT and HCl hydrolysis. The method is more sensitive and selective than previously used methods for the quantitation of this adduct.

Infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT) is a highly contagious respiratory disease of chickens caused by infectious laryngotracheitis virus (ILTV). The disease is mainly controlled through biosecurity and by vaccination with live-attenuated vaccines. The chicken embryo origin (CEO) vaccines, although proven to be effective in experimental settings, have limited efficacy in controlling the disease in dense broiler production sites due to unrestricted use and poor mass vaccination coverage. These factors allowed CEO vaccines to regain virulence, causing long lasting and, consequently, severe outbreaks of the disease. A new generation of viral vector fowl poxvirus (FPV) and herpesvirus of turkey (HVT) vaccines carrying ILTV genes has been developed and such vaccines are commercially available. These vaccines are characterized by their lack of transmission, lack of ILTV-associated latent infections, and no reversion to virulence. HVT-vectored ILTV recombinant vaccines were originally approved for subcutaneous HVT or transcutaneous (pox) delivery. The increased incidence of ILTV outbreaks in broiler production sites encouraged the broiler industry to deliver the FPV-LT and HVT-LT recombinant vaccines in ovo. The objective of this study was to evaluate the protection induced by ILTV viral vector recombinant vaccines after in ovo application in 18-day-old commercial broiler embryos. The protection induced by recombinant ILTV vaccines was assessed by their ability to prevent clinical signs and mortality; to reduce challenge virus replication in the trachea; to prevent an increase in body temperature; and to prevent a decrease in body weight gain after challenge. In this study, both recombinant-vectored ILTV vaccines provided partial protection, thereby mitigating the disease, but did not reduce challenge virus loads in the trachea.

The genetic basis of isoniazid (INH) resistance remains unknown for a significant proportion of clinical isolates. To identify genes which might confer resistance by detoxifying or sequestering INH, we transformed the Escherichia coli oxyR mutant, which is relatively sensitive to INH, with a Mycobacterium tuberculosis plasmid library and selected for INH-resistant clones. Three genes were identified and called ceo for their ability to complement the Escherichia coli oxyR mutant. ceoA was the previously identified M. tuberculosis glf gene, which encodes a 399-amino-acid NAD+- and flavin adenine dinucleotide-requiring enzyme responsible for catalyzing the conversion of UDP-galactopyranose to UDP-galactofuranose. The proteins encoded by the ceoBC pair were homologous with one another and with the N terminus of the potassium uptake regulatory protein TrkA. Each of the three Ceo proteins contains a motif common to NAD+ binding pockets. Overexpression of the M. tuberculosis glf gene by placing it under the control of the hsp60 promoter on a multicopy plasmid in Mycobacterium bovis BCG produced a strain for which the INH MIC was increased 50% compared to that for the control strains, while similar overexpression of the ceoBC pair had no effect on INH susceptibility in BCG. Mycobacterial extracts containing the overexpressed Glf protein did not bind radiolabeled INH directly, suggesting a more complex mechanism than the binding of unmodified INH. Our results support the hypothesis that upregulated mycobacterial proteins such as Glf may contribute to INH resistance in M. tuberculosis by binding a modified form of INH or by sequestering a factor such as NAD+ required for INH activity.