Natural compounds from soft corals have been increasingly used for their antitumor therapeutic properties. This study examined 11-epi-sinulariolide acetate (11-epi-SA), an active compound isolated from the cultured soft coral Sinularia flexibilis, to determine its potential antitumor effect on four hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines. Cell viability was investigated using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, and the results demonstrated that 11-epi-SA treatment showed more cytotoxic effect toward HA22T cells. Protein profiling of the 11-epi-SA-treated HA22T cells revealed substantial protein alterations associated with stress response and protein synthesis and folding, suggesting that the mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) play roles in 11-epi-SA-initiated apoptosis. Moreover, 11-epi-SA activated caspase-dependent apoptotic cell death, suggesting that mitochondria-related apoptosis genes were involved in programmed cell death. The unfolded protein response signaling pathway-related proteins were also activated on 11-epi-SA treatment, and these changes were accompanied by the upregulated expression of growth arrest and DNA damage-inducible protein (GADD153) and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) homologous protein (CHOP), the genes encoding transcription factors associated with growth arrest and apoptosis under prolonged ER stress. Two inhibitors, namely salubrinal (Sal) and SP600125, partially abrogated 11-epi-SA-related cell death, implying that the protein kinase R (PKR)-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK)-activating transcription factor (ATF) 6-CHOP or the inositol-requiring enzyme 1 alpha (IRE1α)-c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)-cJun signal pathway was activated after 11-epi-SA treatment. In general, these results suggest that 11-epi-SA exerts cytotoxic effects on HA22T cells through mitochondrial dysfunction and ER stress cell death pathways.

Tomato gray mold disease, caused by Botrytis cinerea, is a serious disease in tomato. Clonostachys rosea is an antagonistic microorganism to B. cinerea. To investigate the induced resistance mechanism of C. rosea, we examined the effects of these microorganisms on tomato leaves, along with changes in the activities of three defense enzymes (PAL, PPO, GST), second messengers (NO, H2O2, O2(-)) and phytohormones (IAA, ABA, GA3, ZT, MeJA, SA and C2H4). Compared to the control, all treatments induced higher levels of PAL, PPO and GST activity in tomato leaves and increased NO, SA and GA3 levels. The expression of WRKY and MAPK, two important transcription factors in plant disease resistance, was upregulated in C. rosea- and C. rosea plus B. cinerea-treated samples. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis analysis showed that two abundant proteins were present in the C. rosea plus B. cinerea-treated samples but not in the other samples. These proteins were determined (by mass spectrum analysis) to be LEXYL2 (β-xylosidase) and ATP synthase CF1 alpha subunit. Therefore, C. rosea plus B. cinerea treatment induces gray mold resistance in tomato. This study provides a basis for elucidating the mechanism of C. rosea as a biocontrol agent.

Social phobia is a mental disorder characterized by extreme and consistent fear of meeting new people, scrutiny in a variety of performance and/or interactional situations. The aim of this study was to investigate the level of self-reported social anxiety in a community sample of Turkish adolescents and the relationship between social anxiety and some sociodemographic parameters. This study was a school-based cross-sectional study. Students in grades 6-8 (aged 10-16) from 12 schools in Kocaeli/Turkey were screened by the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A). The correlations of sociodemographic parameters with the SAS-A scores were examined. Data from a sample of 1,713 students (865 boys 50.4% and 848 girls 49.5%) were analyzed. A significant gender difference in the SAS-A points was found. Boys reported higher SAS-A total and subscale scores (except social avoidance and distress-general subscale score) than did girls. A significant negative correlation was found between socioeconomic status and social anxiety level. SAS-A scores were higher in those with a low socioeconomic level, and who were going to rural schools. The result of this study showed that social phobic symptoms among Turkish adolescents were more severe in boys. Some factors such as low socioeconomic level, and going to a rural school had impact on the SAS-A scores. As the impairment in the school-domain was reported to be quite high, professionals and teachers need to recognize social anxiety in adolescents, so that help can be offered to overcome the difficulties social phobia causes.

BACKGROUND

Acculturation has been identified as a determinant of health behavior and outcome among ethnic minorities. The high prevalence of lifestyle-related chronic diseases and risk factors among Korean immigrants calls for a valid short acculturation scale to use in clinical practice and health research settings.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to validate the psychometric properties of a short acculturation scale originally developed for Hispanics after translating the scale to Korean (SAS-K) to determine its suitability for use with Korean immigrants.

METHODS

A self-administered questionnaire was completed by 143 Korean immigrants with Type 2 diabetes aged 30-80 years from a Korean community in Southern California. Confirmatory factor analysis, criterion validity, and internal reliability were utilized to evaluate the psychometric properties of the SAS-K.

RESULTS

Using a second-order confirmatory factor analysis, a 3-factor structure, χ(51) = 121.49, p < .001 (comparative fit index = .950, standardized root mean squared residual = .055, root mean square error of approximation = .099), was confirmed. The SAS-K was associated positively with length of residence, age of arrival, and English proficiency. Reliability for the total SAS-K was .93. Cronbach's alpha coefficients for each subscale of the SAS-K ranged from .80 (Ethnic Social Relations) to .95 (Media).

CONCLUSIONS

The 12-item, easy-to-use SAS-K showed satisfactory reliability and validity and, thus, is an appropriate instrument for measuring acculturation in Korean immigrants. The short nature and ease of administration of the SAS-K make it an ideal choice for healthcare providers and researchers to assess acculturation levels quickly and easily and to further the development and use of more culture-appropriate interventions.

BACKGROUND

Securidaca inappendiculata (SI) is a traditional antirheumatic medicine used in China. The present study was designed to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of dichloromethane fraction of SI (SID) at three different doses on adjuvant induced arthritis (AA) rats.

METHODS

Arthritis severity was evaluated by arthritic score, body weight loss, paw circumference, histological changes and hyperplasia of lymphatic tissues. Serum samples were collected for estimation of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), hydroxy radical (OH·), nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA), N-acetyl glucosaminidase (NAG), sialic acid (SA), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT). The levels of GSH, MDA, NAG and SA in liver were also assessed. The levels of interleukin-1 (IL-1), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were determined using ELISA method. Another portion of blood was used for total and differential leucocyte counts.

RESULTS

Administration with SID (at high dose with 100 mg/kg) significantly ameliorated the AA severity, suggested by the modulatory effects on body weight loss, paw swelling, hyperplasia of lymphatic tissues and synovial membrane, neutrocytosis and lymphocytosis. It also decreased levels of NO, MDA and OH·, restored SOD and GSH levels in serum. The abnormal increased levels of AST, ALT, ALP, NAG and SA significantly were reverted (compared with AA rats, P<0.01). A similar result was observed in livers. Levels of IL-1, TNF-α, MCP-1 and VEGF were reduced dramatically by SID too.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest SID possesses substantial anti-arthritic activity. The therapeutic efficacy may be due to immumodepressive effects, cytokines regulation, increasing membrane stability and antioxidantive activity.

An LC-MS method is described for the determination of urinary sorbic acid (SA), a common food additive, which allows to measure down to 4 microg/L of the compound. The method involves an acidic hydrolysis followed by solid-phase extraction. The method was applied to two volunteers who ingested SA and to 36 individuals with no dietary restriction. The results confirm that a little aliquot of ingested SA is found in urine also in humans. The significant correlation found between urinary levels of SA and trans,trans-muconic acid (MA) seems to indicate that the measurement of SA in urine could allow to estimate the amount of MA excreted following a dietary intake of SA and, consequently, to enhance the specificity of MA as a biomarker of benzene exposure. A point of clarification in future studies will be the actual chemical form of SA excreted, since our results clearly demonstrate that without hydrolysis only a very little amount of SA can be found even in subjects heavily exposed to SA.

Although RhoA plays an important role in cell proliferation and in Ras transformation in fibroblasts and mammary epithelial cells, its role in intestinal epithelial cells (IEC) is unknown. In a previous study (Ray RM, Zimmerman BJ, McCormack SA, Patel TB, and Johnson LR. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 276: C684-C691, 1999), we showed that polyamine depletion [dl-alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) treatment] strongly inhibits the proliferation of IEC. In this report, we examined the effect of RhoA on IEC-6 cell proliferation and whether polyamine depletion inhibits cell proliferation in the presence of constitutively active RhoA. Constitutively active RhoA and vector-transfected IEC-6 cell lines were grown in the presence or absence of DFMO, which causes polyamine depletion by inhibiting ornithine decarboxylase, the first rate-limiting step in polyamine synthesis. Constitutively active RhoA significantly increased the rate of cell proliferation. These cells also lost contact inhibition and formed conspicuous foci when they were fully confluent. Decreased p21Waf1/Cip1 expression and increased cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk2) mRNA levels and activity accompanied the increased proliferation. The inhibition of p21Waf1/Cip1 was independent of p53. There was no activation of the Ras-Raf-MEK-ERK pathway in the RhoA-transfected cell line. Polyamine depletion totally prevented the effect of activated RhoA on IEC-6 cell proliferation, focus formation, and Cdk2 expression. The stability of mRNA and protein for Cdk2 and p21Waf1/Cip1 in V14-RhoA cells was not significantly different from that of vector-transfected cells. In conclusion, RhoA activation decreased p21Waf1/Cip1 expression and increased basal and serum-induced ornithine decarboxylase activity, Cdk2 expression, Cdk2 protein, and Cdk2 activity, leading to the stimulation of IEC proliferation and transformation. Polyamine depletion totally prevented RhoA's effect on proliferation by decreasing Cdk2 expression and activity.

Different pathophysiological mechanisms underlie the morbid associations observed between sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) and cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular responses to apnea can be divided into acute cardiovascular modifications following each nocturnal respiratory event and chronic adaptations of the cardiovascular system. The same stimuli always trigger acute cardiovascular response: hypoxemia, hypercapnea, changes in the intra-thoracic pressure, micro-arousals. Each obstructive or central respiratory event is associated with a peak in blood pressure, changes in the heart rate, generally bradycardia at onset of apnea and tachycardia when respiration is renewed. Oxygen desaturation is the strongest stimulus explaining the observed acute cardiovascular responses. When these stimuli are repeated every night, the cardiovascular system adapts with a higher sympathetic tone and lower parasympathetic tone during the diurnal period. Baroreceptors also become less sensitive in apneic patients. Finally, endothelial function is altered in SAS patients with a desensitization of the alpha and beta-2 adrengeric receptors, altered NO-dependent vasodilatation, and hypersensitivity to vasoconstriction induced, for example, by angiotensin 2. The cardiovascular morbidity associated with SAS is currently thought to concern the development of diurnal hypertension (dose-effect response), left ventricular failure, higher risk of coronary or cerebral events. Very recently, epidemiological studies suggested that continuous positive pressure ventilation in SAS patients can reduce the cardiovascular risk.

BACKGROUND

Hereditary tyrosinemia type 1 (HT1) is an increasingly recognized inborn error of metabolism among Egyptian children. This study was undertaken to define the presenting clinical, biochemical and imaging features and outcome of 2-(2-motrp-4-trifluoromethylbenzoyl)-1, 3-cyclohexanedione (NTBC) therapy and liver transplantation in a cohort of Egyptian children diagnosed with HT1.

METHODS

The study was carried out at the Pediatric Hepatology Unit at Cairo University Children's Hospital. HT1 was diagnosed by quantification of succinylacetone (SA) in dry blood spots.

RESULTS

Twenty-two patients were diagnosed with HT1 in a period of 3 years from August 2006 to July 2009. Infants with focal hepatic lesions and hepatomegaly (n=13) were younger at diagnosis than those with rickets (n=5) (median age: 3.25 vs. 10 months; P=0.05). Alpha fetoprotein was highly elevated in all children. Seven children died within a few weeks of diagnosis before therapy was initiated. Ten children were treated with NTBC. The response to NTBC treatment was apparent by a steep drop in serum alpha fetoprotein (AFP) and undetectable SA in urine within 2 months. Three children underwent living donor liver transplantation after treatment with NTBC for 10, 18 and 22 months respectively, despite adequate response to therapy because of financial issues. The explanted livers were all cirrhotic with no dysplasia or malignant transformation.

CONCLUSIONS

Focal hepatic lesions are the commonest presentation of HT1 patients and they present at an earlier age than rickets. NTBC is effective but very expensive. Liver transplantation is still considered in HT1 patients.

Natural edible waxes mixed with plant oils, containing high levels of unsaturated fatty acids (FAs), are known as oleogels. Oleogels are used for replacing saturated FAs in animal-derived food with unsaturated FAs. However, the health effects of edible waxes are not yet clearly defined. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of FAs and natural waxes on the adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells. The 3T3-L1 cells were differentiated and treated with FAs and waxes. These FAs [Palmitic acid (PA), Stearic acid (SA), Oleic acid (OA), Linoleic acid (LA), and Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)] and waxes [beeswax (BW) and carnauba wax (CW)] were prepared at varying concentrations, and cell toxicity, triglyceride accumulation, lipid droplets size, and distribution inside of cells were determined. Adipogenic gene expression including PPARγ, FASN, C/EBPα, SREBP-1, and CPT-1 was determined. Results showed that increasing the concentration of FAs and waxes led to a decrease in the adipocyte cells viability and metabolic performance. SA showed the highest level of triglyceride accumulation (p<0.05), whereas ALA showed the lowest (p<0.05). Both BW and CW at 3.0 ppm showed significantly higher lipid accumulation than in the control and other groups (p<0.05). ALA had significantly downregulated adipogenic gene expression levels, excluding those of CPT-1, compared to the other treatment groups (p<0.05). Moreover, BW demonstrated similar adipogenic gene expression levels as ALA compared to CW. Consequently, ALA and BW may have health benefits by reducing adipogenesis and can be used in processed meat.

The ascomycin-producer strain Streptomyces ascomycinicus has been proven to be an extracellular poly(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) degrader. The fkbU gene, encoding a PHB depolymerase (PhaZ Sa ), has been cloned in E. coli and Rhodococcus sp. T104 strains for gene expression. Gram-positive host Rhodococcus sp. T104 was able to produce and secrete to the extracellular medium an active protein form. PhaZ Sa was purified by two hydrophobic interaction chromatographic steps, and afterwards was biochemically as well as structurally characterized. The enzyme was found to be a monomer with a molecular mass of 48.4 kDa, and displayed highest activity at 45°C and pH 6, thus being the first PHB depolymerase from a gram-positive bacterium presenting an acidic pH optimum. The PHB depolymerase activity of PhaZ Sa was increased in the presence of divalent cations due to non-essential activation, and also in the presence of methyl-β-cyclodextrin and PEG 3350. Protein structure was analyzed, revealing a globular shape with an alpha-beta hydrolase fold. The amino acids comprising the catalytic triad, Ser(131)-Asp(209)-His(269), were identified by multiple sequence alignment, chemical modification of amino acids and site-directed mutagenesis. These structural results supported the proposal of a three-dimensional model for this depolymerase. PhaZ Sa was able to degrade PHB, but also demonstrated its ability to degrade films made of PHB, PHBV copolymers and a blend of PHB and starch (7∶3 proportion wt/wt). The features shown by PhaZ Sa make it an interesting candidate for industrial applications involving PHB degradation.

Syringic acid (SA), a phenolic acid, has been used in Chinese and Indian medicine for treating diabetes but its role in osteogenesis has not yet been investigated. In the present study, at the molecular and cellular levels, we evaluated the effects of SA on osteoblast differentiation. At the cellular level, there was increased alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and calcium deposition by SA treatment in mouse mesenchymal stem cells (mMSCs). At the molecular level, SA treatment of these cells stimulated expression of Runx2, a bone transcription factor, and of osteoblast differentiation marker genes such as ALP, type I collagen, and osteocalcin. It is known that Smad7 is an antagonist of TGF-β/Smad signaling and is a negative regulator of Runx2. microRNAs (miRNAs) play a key role in the regulation of osteogenesis genes at the post-transcriptional level and studies have reported that Smad7 is one of the target genes of miR-21. We found that there was down regulation of Smad7 and up regulation of miR-21 in SA-treated mMSCs. We further identified that the 3'-untranslated region (UTR) of Smad7 was directly targeted by miR-21 in these cells. Thus, our results suggested that SA promotes osteoblast differentiation via increased expression of Runx2 by miR-21-mediated down regulation of Smad7. Hence, SA may have potential in orthopedic applications.

Fluorescence emission and excitation spectra were measured over a 7-day period for Bacillus subtilis (Bs), a spore-forming, and Staphylococcus aureus (Sa), a nonspore-forming bacteria subjected to conditions of starvation. Initially, the Bs fluorescence was predominantly due to the amino acid tryptophan. Later, a fluorescence band with an emission peak at 410 nm and excitation peak at 345 m, from dipicolinic acid, appeared. Dipicolinic acid is produced during spore formation and serves as a spectral signature for detection of spores. The intensity of the 410-nm band continued to increase over the next 3 days. The Sa fluorescence was predominantly from tryptophan and did not change over time. In 6 of the 17 Bs specimens studied, an additional band appeared with a weak emission peak at 460 cm and excitation peaks at 250, 270, and 400 nm. The addition of beta-hydroxybutyric acid to the Bs or the Sa cultures resulted in a two-order of magnitude increase in the 460-nm emission. The addition of Fe2+ quenched the 460 emission, indicating that a source of the 460-nm emission was a siderophore produced by the bacteria. We demonstrate that optical spectroscopy-based instrumentation can detect bacterial spores in real time.

Background: Hospital equipment made from copper alloys can play an important role in complementing traditional methods of disinfection. Aims of the study: The aim of this study was to assess the dynamics of the antimicrobial properties of selected copper alloys in different simulations of environmental conditions (with organic contamination vs. without organic contamination), and to test alternatives to the currently used testing methods. Materials and Methods: A modification of Japanese standard JIS Z 2801 as well as Staphylococcus aureus (SA) and Escherichia coli (EC) suspended in NaCl vs. tryptic soy broth (TSB) were used in tests performed on seven commonly used copper alloys, copper, and stainless steel. Results: A much faster reduction of the bacterial suspension was observed for the inoculum prepared in NaCl than in TSB. A faster reduction for EC than for SA was observed in the inoculum prepared in NaCl. The opposite results were found for the inoculum based on TSB. A significant correlation between the copper concentration in the copper alloys and the time and degree of bacterial suspension reduction was only observed in the case of EC. Conclusions: This study confirmed the antimicrobial properties of copper alloys, and additionally showed that Staphylococcus aureus was more resistant than Escherichia coli in the variant of the experiment without organic contamination. However, even for SA, a total reduction of the bacterial inoculum's density took no longer than 2 h. Under conditions simulating organic contamination, all of the tested alloys were shown to have bactericidal or bacteriostatic properties, which was contrary to the results from stainless steel.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the urodynamic effects of fesoterodine, a new antimuscarinic agent, alone and combined with doxazosin, in a rat model of partial urethral obstruction (PUO), as 35-83% of men with bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) have overactive bladder (OAB) syndrome, and as the combination of alpha(1)-adrenoceptor- and muscarinic-receptor antagonists has been proposed to be beneficial for these patients.

METHODS

Thirty-seven male Sprague-Dawley rats (250 g) had surgically induced PUO; 2 weeks later they were evaluated by cystometry with no anaesthesia or any restraint. After a 1-h period either 5-hydroxymethyl tolterodine (5-HMT, the active metabolite of fesoterodine, previously known as SPM 7605), doxazosin or a combination of both, was given intravenously (0.1 mg/kg body weight), and cystometry was continued for another 45 min. Fifteen healthy, age-matched rats served as a control.

RESULTS

At 2 weeks after surgery the obstructed rats had an greater bladder weight, threshold pressure (TP) and micturition frequency (MF), and lower bladder capacity (BCap) and micturition volume (MV) than the controls. 5-HMT did not cause urinary retention in obstructed rats, but decreased TP, maximum pressure (MP), spontaneous bladder activity (SA) and, paradoxically, increased MF. Doxazosin alone decreased TP, MP, MF and increased BCap and MV. 5-HMT and doxazosin together did not depress the ability to empty the bladder, and showed decreased TP, MP and SA.

CONCLUSIONS

5-HMT, alone and in combination, did not impair the voiding ability in obstructed rats. Doxazosin counteracted some of the 'negative' effects of 5-HMT in this model (increase of MF) and did not attenuate the 'positive' effects (decrease of bladder SA). In this model, the combination of 5-HMT and doxazosin appeared to be urodynamically safe and well tolerated.

The extensive accessibility to smartphones in the last decade raises the concerns of addictive behavior patterns toward these technologies worldwide and in developing countries, and Arabic ones in particular. In an area of stigmatized behavior such as Internet and smartphone addiction, the hypothesis extends to whether there is a reliable instrument that can assess smartphone addiction. To our knowledge, no scale in Arabic language is available to assess maladaptive behavior associated with smartphone use. This study aims to assess the factorial validity and internal reliability of the Arabic Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS) and Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV) in a Moroccan surveyed population. Participants (N = 440 and N = 310) completed an online survey, including SAS, SAS-SV, and questions about sociodemographic status. Factor analysis results showed six factors with factor loading ranging from 0.25 to 0.99 for SAS. Reliability, based on Cronbach's alpha, was excellent (α = 0.94) for this instrument. The SAS-SV showed one factor (unidimensional construct), and internal reliability was in the good range with an alpha coefficient of (α = 0.87). The prevalence of excessive users was 55.8 percent with highest symptom prevalence reported for tolerance and preoccupation. This study proved factor validity of the Arabic SAS and SAS-SV instruments and confirmed their internal reliability.

Biofilms complicate treatment of Staphylococcus aureus (SA) wound infections. Previously, we determined alpha-toxin (AT)-promoted SA biofilm formation on mucosal tissue. Therefore, we evaluated SA wound isolates for AT production and biofilm formation on epithelium and assessed the role of AT in biofilm formation. Thirty-eight wound isolates were molecularly typed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), multilocus sequence typing (ST), and spa typing. We measured biofilm formation of these SA isolates in vitro and ex vivo and quantified ex vivo AT production. We also investigated the effect of an anti-AT monoclonal antibody (MEDI4893*) on ex vivo biofilm formation by methicillin-resistant SA (USA 300 LAC) and tested whether purified AT rescued the biofilm defect of hla mutant SA strains. The predominant PFGE/ST combinations were USASASA (MRSA, n = 18), and USASA (MSSA, n = 20). Ex vivo AT production correlated significantly with ex vivo SA wound isolate biofilm formation. Anti-alpha-toxin monoclonal antibody (MEDI4893*) prevented ex vivo biofilm formation by MRSA USASA strains. These findings provide evidence that AT plays a role in SA biofilm formation on epithelial surfaces and suggest that neutralization of AT may be useful in preventing and treating SA infections.

BACKGROUND

The Short Health Anxiety Inventory (SHAI) is widely used in English-speaking populations, with good reliability and validity. For further research needs in the Chinese population, it was translated into a Chinese version (CSHAI). Furthermore, the reliability, validity, and cutoff score were examined in a nonclinical population in the People's Republic of China.

METHODS

Three hundred and sixteen undergraduates were evaluated by a set of questionnaires including CSHAI, Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Fifty-eight students completed CSHAI again after 30 days.

RESULTS

The two-factor model had satisfactory fit indices. The correlation coefficients between each item with the CSHAI total and each subscale were between 0.386 and 0.779. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients of CSHAI total and its subscales were 0.742, 0.743, and 0.788, respectively, and the split-half coefficients were 0.757, 0.788, and 0.912. The test-retest correlation coefficients were, respectively, 0.598 (P<0.001), 0.539 (P<0.001), and 0.691 (P<0.001). Convergent validities were respectively 0.389-0.453, 0.389-0.410, and 0.250-0.401, and discriminant validities were -5.689 (P<0.001), -5.614 (P<0.001), and -3.709 (P<0.001). The cutoff score was 15.

CONCLUSIONS

CSHAI showed good factor structure, reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity, and 15 was determined to be the appropriate cutoff score for screening health anxiety.

<strong cl<em>a</em>ss="sub-title"> B<em>a</em>ckground: </strong> COVID-19 w<em>a</em>s recognised <em>a</em>s <em>a</em> glob<em>a</em>l p<em>a</em>ndemic on 11 M<em>a</em>rch 2020. In South Afric<em>a</em> (<em>SA</em>), <em>a</em> n<em>a</em>tionwide lockdown w<em>a</em>s implemented <em>a</em>t midnight on 26 M<em>a</em>rch to prep<em>a</em>re for the predicted surge <em>a</em>nd slow the spre<em>a</em>d of the virus.

<strong cl<em>a</em>ss="sub-title"> Objectives: </strong> To comp<em>a</em>re the volume <em>a</em>nd type of present<em>a</em>tions of tr<em>a</em>um<em>a</em> second<em>a</em>ry to interperson<em>a</em>l violence <em>a</em>nd ro<em>a</em>d tr<em>a</em>ffic collisions (RTCs) during two 5-month periods, from Febru<em>a</em>ry to June 2019 <em>a</em>nd 2020, in the emergency dep<em>a</em>rtment (ED) of <em>a</em>n <em>a</em>c<em>a</em>demic terti<em>a</em>ry hospit<em>a</em>l in G<em>a</em>uteng Province, <em>SA</em>. In 2020, Febru<em>a</em>ry - June included the lockdown period.

<strong cl<em>a</em>ss="sub-title"> Methods: </strong> An observ<em>a</em>tion<em>a</em>l retrospective <em>a</em>udit of the p<em>a</em>tient register <em>a</em>t the Helen Joseph Hospit<em>a</em>l ED w<em>a</em>s conducted, comp<em>a</em>ring the number of tr<em>a</em>um<em>a</em> present<em>a</em>tions second<em>a</em>ry to interperson<em>a</em>l violence (<em>a</em>ss<em>a</em>ults with gunshot wounds, gener<em>a</em>l <em>a</em>ss<em>a</em>ults including mob <em>a</em>ss<em>a</em>ults, <em>a</em>ss<em>a</em>ults with st<em>a</em>b wounds) <em>a</em>nd RTC present<em>a</em>tions between Febru<em>a</em>ry <em>a</em>nd June 2019 <em>a</em>nd 2020.

<strong cl<em>a</em>ss="sub-title"> Results: </strong> A tot<em>a</em>l of 4 300 tr<em>a</em>um<em>a</em> present<em>a</em>tions second<em>a</em>ry to interperson<em>a</em>l violence <em>a</em>nd RTCs were noted in the 5-month period Febru<em>a</em>ry - June 2019, <em>a</em>s opposed to 3 239 present<em>a</em>tions in Febru<em>a</em>ry - June 2020 (25% decline). A 40% decline in the number of RTCs, from 1 704 in Febru<em>a</em>ry - June 2019 to 1 026 in the corresponding period for 2020, w<em>a</em>s noted <em>a</em>nd found to be st<em>a</em>tistic<em>a</em>lly signific<em>a</em>nt (p=0.03). Declines in the volume of tr<em>a</em>um<em>a</em> c<em>a</em>ses second<em>a</em>ry to interperson<em>a</em>l violence <em>a</em>nd of over<em>a</em>ll tr<em>a</em>um<em>a</em> c<em>a</em>ses were only direction<em>a</em>l in f<em>a</em>vour of 2020, but not st<em>a</em>tistic<em>a</em>lly signific<em>a</em>nt.

<strong cl<em>a</em>ss="sub-title"> Conclusions: </strong> The volume of tr<em>a</em>um<em>a</em> present<em>a</em>tions second<em>a</em>ry to interperson<em>a</em>l violence <em>a</em>nd RTCs in the Helen Joseph Hospit<em>a</em>l ED decre<em>a</em>sed during the lockdown period. The decline in the volume of RTCs w<em>a</em>s st<em>a</em>tistic<em>a</em>lly signific<em>a</em>nt, but declines in the volume of tr<em>a</em>um<em>a</em> present<em>a</em>tions second<em>a</em>ry to interperson<em>a</em>l violence <em>a</em>nd in the volume of over<em>a</em>ll tr<em>a</em>um<em>a</em> present<em>a</em>tions were not.

BACKGROUND

In modern agriculture, the call for an alternative crop protection strategy increases because of the desired reduction of fungicide and pesticide use and the continuously evolving resistance of pathogens and pests to agrochemicals. The direct activation of the plant immune system does not provide a promising plant protection measure because of high fitness costs. However, upon treatment with certain natural or synthetic compounds, plant cells can promote to a fitness cost-saving, primed state of enhanced defense. In the primed state, plants respond to biotic and abiotic stress with faster and stronger activation of defense, and this is often associated with immunity and abiotic stress tolerance. Until now, the identification of chemical compounds with priming-inducing activity (so-called plant activators) relied on tedious and invasive approaches, or required the late detection of secreted furanocoumarin phytoalexins in parsley cell cultures. Thus, simple, fast, straightforward, and noninvasive techniques for identifying priming-inducing compounds for plant protection are very welcome.

RESULTS

This report demonstrates that a respiration activity-monitoring system (RAMOS) can identify compounds with defense priming-inducing activity in parsley cell suspension in culture. RAMOS relies on the quasi-continuous, noninvasive online determination of the oxygen transfer rate (OTR). Treatment of parsley culture cells with the known plant activator salicylic acid (SA), a natural plant defense signal, resulted in an OTR increase. Addition of the defense elicitor Pep13, a cell wall peptide of Phythophthora sojae, induced two distinctive OTR peaks that were higher in SA-primed cells than in unprimed cells upon Pep13 challenge. Both, the OTR increase after priming with SA and the Pep13 challenge were dose-dependent. Furthermore, there was a close correlation of a compound's activity to enhance the oxygen consumption in parsley cells and its capacity to prime Pep13-induced furanocoumarin secretion as evaluated by fluorescence spectroscopy.

CONCLUSIONS

RAMOS noninvasively determines the OTR as a measure of the metabolic activity of plant cells. Chemical enhancement of oxygen consumption by salicylic derivatives in parsley cell suspension cultures correlates with the induction of the primed state of enhanced defense that enhances the quantity of Pep13-induced furanocoumarin phytoalexins. Treatment with the priming-active compounds methyl jasmonate and pyraclostrobin also resulted in an enhanced respiration activity. Thus, RAMOS is a novel technology for identifying priming-inducing compounds for agriculture.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to examine the association between the admission neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (N/L ratio) with coronary heart disease (CHD), separately from acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and stable angina (SA). A further aim was to investigate the clinical value of the N/L ratio in predicting in-hospital CHD events and the long-term prognosis of patients with CHD.

METHODS

In all, 942 patients were enrolled and classified into a CHD group (comprising an ACS group and an SA group) and a normal group. Laboratory data including regular blood test results were obtained at baseline. The relationship between the N/L ratio and CHD, ACS, Gensini score, and multivessel lesions was analyzed by logistic regression. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis was used to identify the value of the N/L ratio in the diagnosis of CHD, ACS, and the severity of CHD. We divided the patients into four groups according to the N/L ratio quartiles and compared the differences in major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) that occurred in hospital and in the 4.26 ± 0.57-year follow-up out of hospital.

RESULTS

Patients with an elevated N/L ratio had a significantly increased risk of CHD [odds ratio (OR) = 1.697, 95 % confidence interval (CI) = 1.483-1.942], and an elevated N/L ratio was closely related to a higher risk of ACS (OR = 1.652, 95 % CI = 1.434-1.902). The admission N/L ratio (0.664; 95 % CI = 1.942-1.616) showed a greater ROC area than the WBC and LDL-C values. Patients with a higher N/L ratio in both the SA group and the ACS group had a higher incidence of in-hospital and out-of-hospital MACEs, including long-term mortality and occurrence of new-onset heart failure or re-occurrence of heart failure. An elevated N/L ratio on admission was also found to be a significant indicator of 4.26-year MACEs.

CONCLUSIONS

The admission N/L ratio was significantly associated with CHD and may become a risk predictor in the prognosis of patients with CHD.

The precise accumulation of protein functions on a nanoscale to fabricate advanced biomaterials has become possible by a bottom-up approach based on molecular self-assembly. The avidin-biotin interaction is widely employed in the design of functional protein self-assemblies. Herein we assessed how the spatial arrangement of the avidin-biotin interaction between protein building blocks affects the formation of a protein supramolecular complex (PSC). The enzymatic site-specific internal labeling of a symmetric protein scaffold, bacterial alkaline phosphatase (AP), with specifically designed biotinylation substrates revealed that the precise positioning of the biotinylation sites on AP and the linker flexibility of the substrate are critical factors for the growth of PSCs in the presence of streptavidin (SA). A potential diagnostic application of the PSCs comprised of AP and SA was demonstrated in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the existing literature from 2005 to 2016 reporting on the efficacy of surgical management of patients with femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) secondary to slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE).

METHODS

The electronic databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PubMed were searched and screened in duplicate. Data such as patient demographics, surgical technique, surgical outcomes and complications were retrieved from eligible studies.

RESULTS

Fifteen eligible level IV studies were included in this review comprising 261 patients (266 hips). Treatment groups included arthroscopic osteochondroplasty, surgical hip dislocation, and traditional open osteotomy. The mean alpha angle corrections were 32.14° (standard deviation (sd) 7.02°), 41.45° (sd 10.5°) and 6.0° (sd 5.21°), for arthroscopy, surgical hip dislocation, and open osteotomy groups, respectively (p < 0.05). Each group demonstrated satisfactory clinical outcomes across their respective scoring systems. Major complication rates were 1.6%, 10.7%, and 6.7%, for arthroscopy, surgical dislocation and osteotomy treatments, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

In the context of SCFE-related FAI, surgical hip dislocation demonstrated improved correction of the alpha angle, albeit at higher complication and revision rates than both arthroscopic and open osteotomy treatments. Further investigation, including high-quality trials with standardised radiological and clinical outcome measures for young patients, is warranted to clarify treatment approaches and safety.Cite this article: K. O. Oduwole, D. de Sa, J. Kay, F. Findakli, A. Duong, N. Simunovic, Y. Yi-Meng, O. R. Ayeni. Surgical treatment of femoroacetabular impingement following slipped capital femoral epiphysis: A systematic review. Bone Joint Res 2017;6:472-480. DOI: 10.1302/2046-3758.68.BJR-2017-0018.R1.

Senile osteoporosis (OP) is often concomitant with decreased autophagic activity. OPTN (optineurin), a macroautophagy/autophagy (hereinafter referred to as autophagy) receptor, is found to play a pivotal role in selective autophagy, coupling autophagy with bone metabolism. However, its role in osteogenesis is still mysterious. Herein, we identified Optn as a critical molecule of cell fate decision for bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), whose expression decreased in aged mice. Aged mice revealed osteoporotic bone loss, elevated senescence of MSCs, decreased osteogenesis, and enhanced adipogenesis, as well as optn^{- / -} mice. Importantly, restoring Optn by transplanting wild-type MSCs to optn^{- / -} mice or infecting optn^{- / -} mice with Optn-containing lentivirus rescued bone loss. The introduction of a loss-of-function mutant of Optn^K193R failed to reestablish a bone-fat balance. We further identified FABP3 (fatty acid binding protein 3, muscle and heart) as a novel selective autophagy substrate of OPTN. FABP3 promoted adipogenesis and inhibited osteogenesis of MSCs. Knockdown of FABP3 alleviated bone loss in optn^{- / -} mice and aged mice. Our study revealed that reduced OPTN expression during aging might lead to OP due to a lack of FABP3 degradation via selective autophagy. FABP3 accumulation impaired osteogenesis of MSCs, leading to the occurrence of OP. Thus, reactivating OPTN or inhibiting FABP3 would open a new avenue to treat senile OP. Abbreviations: ADIPOQ: adiponectin, C1Q and collagen domain containing; ALPL: alkaline phosphatase, liver/bone/kidney; BGLAP/OC/osteocalcin: bone gamma carboxyglutamate protein; BFR/BS: bone formation rate/bone surface; CALCOCO2/NDP52: calcium binding and coiled-coil domain 2; CDKN1A/p21: cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1A; CDKN2A/p16: cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor 2A; CDKN2B/p15: cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor 2B; CEBPA: CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP), alpha; COL1A1: collagen, type I, alpha 1; Ct. BV/TV: cortical bone volume fraction; Ct. Th: cortical thickness; Es. Pm: endocortical perimeter; FABP4/Ap2: fatty acid binding protein 4, adipocyte; H2AX: H2A.X variant histone; HE: hematoxylin and eosin; MAP1LC3B: microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 beta; MAR: mineral apposition rate; MSCs: bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells; NBR1: NBR1, autophagy cargo receptor; OP: osteoporosis; OPTN: optineurin; PDB: Paget disease of bone; PPARG: peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma; Ps. Pm: periosteal perimeter; qRT-PCR: quantitative real-time PCR; γH2AX: Phosphorylation of the Serine residue of H2AX; ROS: reactive oxygen species; RUNX2: runt related transcription factor 2; SA-GLB1: senescence-associated (SA)-GLB1 (galactosidase, beta 1); SP7/Osx/Osterix: Sp7 transcription factor 7; SQSTM1/p62: sequestosome 1; TAX1BP1: Tax1 (human T cell leukemia virus type I) binding protein 1; Tb. BV/TV: trabecular bone volume fraction; Tb. N: trabecular number; Tb. Sp: trabecular separation; Tb. Th: trabecular thickness; μCT: micro computed tomography.

Keywords: Adipogenesis; autophagy; bone metabolism; fabp3; mesenchymal stem cell; optineurin; osteogenesis; osteoporosis; senescence.