Despite a growing number of reports about alterations in intrinsic/resting brain activity observed in patients with psychotic disorders, their relevance to well-established cognitive control deficits in this patient group is not well understood. Totally 88 clinically stabilized patients with a psychotic disorder and 50 healthy controls participated in a resting-state magnetic resonance imaging study (rs-MRI) and performed an antisaccade task in the laboratory to assess voluntary inhibitory control ability. Deficits on this task are a well-established biomarker across psychotic disorders as we found in the present patient sample. First, regional cerebral function was evaluated by measuring the amplitude of low frequency fluctuations (ALFF) in rs-MRI BOLD signals. We found reduced ALFF in patients in regions known to be relevant to antisaccade task performance including bilateral frontal eye fields (FEF), supplementary eye fields (SEF) and thalamus. Second, areas with ALFF alterations were used as seed areas in whole-brain functional connectivity (FC) analysis. Altered FC was observed in a fronto-thalamo-parietal network that was associated with inhibition error rate in patients but not in controls. In contrast, faster time to generate a correct antisaccade was associated with FC in FEF and SEF in controls but this effect was not seen in patients. These findings establish a behavioral relevance of resting-state fMRI findings in psychotic disorders, and extend previous reports of alterations in fronto-thalamo-parietal network activation during antisaccade performance seen in task-based fMRI studies.

Sclerosing epithelioid fibrosarcoma (SEF) is a rare but distinct variant of fibrosarcoma. A 43-year-old man presented with a lesion in his back that had been present for three years but had recently increased in size. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a 6-cm sized ovoid mass showing low intensities on T1 and T2 weighted images. Histologically, the tumor was of moderate cellularity, and the cells were relatively uniform in size and shape. The cells were epithelioid, round, oval and polygonal with clear and slightly eosinophilic cytoplasm, forming nests, cords, or sheet-like patterns with a dense collagenous and hyalinized matrix. The tumor was positive for vimentin, but negative for smooth muscle actin, desmin, HMB45, and CD34. Although the tumor showed nuclear overexpression of beta-catenin protein, the CTNNB1 exon3 mutation was not detected. Fluorescent in situ hybridization for FUS using dual color break-apart probes showed rearrangement of the FUS. In accordance with previous studies, our case showed positive findings of FUS rearrangement, reinforcing the notion of a close relationship between low grade fibromyxoid sarcoma and SEF.

OBJECTIVE

To study the clinicopathologic features, immunophenotype and differential diagnosis of sclerosing epithelioid fibrosarcoma (SEF).

METHODS

Eight cases of SEF were investigated by light microscopy and immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

There were five males and three females. Clinically, most patients presented as a slowly growing mass. Six tumors were located in the extremities or limb girdles, and two in the trunk. Grossly, most lesions were relatively well-circumscribed with a nodular or lobulated appearance. They ranged from 2.0 to 10.5 cm in size (mean 6 cm). On sectioning, they had a gray-whitish cut surface and were firm in consistency. Microscopically, the tumors were composed of uniformly round or polygonal epithelioid cells with clear to eosinophilic cytoplasm. The tumor cells were arranged predominantly in single strands or cords and embedded in a heavily hyalinized matrix. In some areas, nests, sheets, acini or alveolar structures were also noted. Nuclei atypia and brisk mitotic activity was not evident. The mitotic count measured less than 1 per 10 high power fields. However in two cases, focal areas exhibited increased cellularity, nuclei atypia and higher mitotic activity, resembling conventional fibrosarcoma. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells showed diffuse and strong positivity for vimentin and focal or weak positivity for EMA. There was no expression for AE1/AE3, S-100 protein, HMB45, alpha-SMA, MSA, desmin, CD34, bcl-2, CD30 and LCA. Follow-up information in six patients revealed local recurrence in 3 cases and lung metastasis in 1 case.

CONCLUSIONS

SEF is a rare variant of fibrosarcoma. Despite the relatively bland appearance and low mitotic activity, the tumor is capable of local recurrence and distant metastasis. Thus, it should be considered and treated as a low to intermediate grade sarcoma. SEF needs to be differentiated from a variety of benign or malignant tumors exhibiting epithelioid features and sclerotic stromal response.

Epidemiologic and animal challenge studies have suggested that SEF may play a critical role in toxic-shock syndrome [1]. However, the pathogenic mechanism of SEF activity is not known. One means by which this toxin could elicit the widespread organ dysfunction observed in toxic-shock syndrome would be by directly promoting PMN production of toxic oxygen species and the resultant secondary endothelial cell damage [2]. To evaluate this possibility, we assayed the effect of SEF on PMN oxidative metabolism. SEF at 0.01-100 ng/ml did not stimulate O2- release or O2 consumption by inactive PMNs. Similarly, incubation of PMNs with 10 ng of SEF/ml for 1 hr neither potentiated nor inhibited cellular O2 consumption stimulated by optimal (10 mg/ml) or suboptimal (0.1 mg/ml) concentrations of opsonized zymosan. Finally, SEF had no effect on O2- release by PMNs stimulated by PMA. PMN viability, as assessed by trypan blue exclusion, was unaffected by SEF. This study did not address the possibility that SEF might indirectly activate PMN oxidative metabolism by promoting leukocytic pyrogen production by monocytes and macrophages [3]. SEF neither directly activated PMN oxidative activity nor potentiated the cellular oxidative response to particulate or soluble stimuli. Consequently, direct stimulation of PMN-derived, O2- mediated damage to endothelial cells is not a tenable hypothesis to explain the mechanism of SEF toxicity.

Sclerosing epithelioid fibrosarcoma (SEF) is a rare sarcoma subtype characterized by monomorphic epithelioid cells embedded in a densely sclerotic collagenous matrix. The overwhelming majority of tumors arise in soft tissues; however, rare cases have been documented to occur primarily in bone. The hallmarks of soft tissue SEF include MUC4 immunoreactivity and the presence of an EWSR1-CREB3L1 fusion. Rare cases with alternative fusions have also been reported such as EWSR1-CREB3L2 and FUS-CREB3L2 transcripts. The molecular alterations of skeletal SEF have not been well-defined, with only rare cases analyzed to date. In this study we investigated the clinicopathologic and molecular features of 7 patients presenting with primary osseous SEF. There were 3 males and 4 females, with a mean age at diagnosis of 38 years. All cases had microscopic features within the histologic spectrum of SEF and showed strong and diffuse MUC4 positivity, while lacking SATB2 expression. However, due to its unusual presentation within bone, 4 cases were initially misinterpreted as either osteosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma or chondroblastoma. Half of the patients with follow-up data developed metastasis. The cases were tested by targeted RNA sequencing, MSK-IMPACT, and/or FISH, showing EWSR1-CREB3L1 in 6 cases and EWSR1-CREB3L2 in one case. The fusion transcripts were composed of EWSR1 exon 11 to either exon 6 of CREB3L1 or CREB3L2. In summary, due to their rarity in the bone, skeletal SEF are often misdiagnosed, resulting in inadequate treatment modalities. Similar to their soft tissue counterpart, bone SEF follow an aggressive clinical behavior and show similar EWSR1-CREB3L1/CREB3L2 fusions. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

A large body of evidence highlights the social cognitive impairment in neurodegenerative diseases such Alzheimer disease (AD). This study investigated the relationship among social and emotional functioning (SEF), awareness of disease, and other clinical aspects in people with AD (PwAD). A consecutive series of 50 people with mild to moderate AD and their 50 family caregivers were assessed. There was a significant difference between self-rated SEF and informant-rated SEF. In 56% of PwAD, self-rated SEF is lower than informant-rated SEF. People with AD mostly presented with mildly impaired awareness of the disease (56%), 20% had moderately impaired awareness of the disease, and 6% were unaware of the disease. The multivariate linear regression showed that informant-rated SEF was related to the social functioning, and relationships, domains of awareness of disease, and the PwAD informant-rated quality of life. The relationship between SEF and awareness of social functioning and relationship domain shows that they are comprised of judgments related to perceptions about oneself, values, and beliefs qualitatively different from awareness of memory or functionality, which can be directly observed.

BACKGROUND

Neural inertia is defined as the tendency of the central nervous system to resist transitions between arousal states. This phenomenon has been observed in mice and Drosophila anaesthetized with volatile anaesthetics: the effect-site concentration required to induce anaesthesia in 50% of the population (C50) was significantly higher than the effect-site concentration for 50% of the population to recover from anaesthesia. We evaluated this phenomenon in humans using propofol or sevoflurane (both with or without remifentanil) as anaesthetic agents.

METHODS

Thirty-six healthy volunteers received four sessions of anaesthesia with different drug combinations in a step-up/step-down design. Propofol or sevoflurane was administered with or without remifentanil. Serum concentrations of propofol and remifentanil were measured from arterial blood samples. Loss and return of responsiveness (LOR-ROR), response to pain (PAIN), Patient State Index (PSI) and spectral edge frequency (SEF) were modeled with NONMEM®.

RESULTS

For propofol, the C50 for induction and recovery of anaesthesia was not significantly different across the different endpoints. For sevoflurane, for all endpoints except SEF, significant differences were found. For some endpoints (LOR and PAIN) the difference was significant only when sevoflurane was combined with remifentanil.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results nuance earlier findings with volatile anaesthetics in mice and Drosophila. Methodological aspects of the study, such as the measured endpoint, influence the detection of neural inertia. A more thorough definition of neural inertia, with a robust methodological framework for clinical studies is required to advance our knowledge of this phenomenon.

BACKGROUND

NCT 02043938.

Wine aroma response to a selected Hanseniaspora uvarum Yun268 strain was investigated using different inoculation strategies with commercial Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast, namely, simultaneous fermentation (SiF), sequential fermentation (SeF), S. cerevisiae fermentation treated with extracellular extract of H. uvarum (EE), and pure S. cerevisiae fermentation (PF). Contributive volatiles in the perception of enhanced aroma traits were uncovered by partial least-squares regression. Results showed that controlled inoculation resulted into different amounts of H. uvarum Yun268, which distinctively affected the chemical and sensory profiles of wines. The concentration of aromatic compounds could be increased by H. uvarum Yun268 yeasts via high levels of β-glucosidase activity and fatty acids. Terpenes, C13-norisoprenoids, acetate esters, ethyl esters, and fatty acids served as the impact volatiles that contributed to the enhanced aroma traits. SiF specifically increased the contents of C13-norisoprenoids, terpenes, and ethyl esters, while EE enhanced varietal volatile content rather than those of fermentative ones. However, excessive H. uvarum Yun268 in sequential inoculation elevated the concentrations of acetate esters and volatile phenols, triggering nail polish odor in Cabernet Sauvignon red wines.

Since its original description in 1995, the concept of sclerosing epithelioid fibrosarcoma (SEF) as a distinctive tumor has evolved in the literature. Subsequent studies suggested that the presence of low grade fibromyxoid sarcoma (LGFMS)-like zones, occasional FUS gene rearrangements, and immunoreactivity for MUC4 all pointed to a close inter-relationship with LGFMS; however, more recent studies showed that SEF is genetically distinct from LGFMS with predominantly EWSR1-CREB3L1 fusion and complex secondary genomic alterations. To better understand the relationship between these tumors, we studied 51 cases of SEF, the largest reported series to date, and directly compared them to a previously published series of LGFMS from the same institution. The male-to-female ratio was 1.4:1 with a median age of 45 years. Tumors occurred primarily in the lower extremity (12), intra-abdominal area/visceral organs (9) and chest wall/paraspinal region (9) with a median size of 8.2 cm. The median follow-up was 49 months in 45 patients: 12 developed local recurrences and 36 developed metastases, mainly to lung and bone. Molecular studies showed EWSR1 gene rearrangement in 13 cases, 3' deletion of EWSR1 in 6, monosomy for EWSR1 in 2; FUS gene rearrangements in 3; EWSR1-CREB3L1 fusion in 7; EWSR1-CREB3L2 fusion in 1; and YAP1-KMT2A fusion in 2. Overall survival of SEF was significantly less compared with LGFMS (P≤0.0001). These results indicate that SEF is a distinct sarcoma that behaves more aggressively than LGFMS with a shorter survival, higher metastatic rate, and greater propensity to involve deep soft tissue and bone.

Selenium (Se) is an essential micronutrient for human health. Deficiency and suboptimality of Se in human populations are a potential health risk. The reduction of such health risk by biofortification of crops, particularly in wheat has drawn much attention, especially for color-grained wheat as it is rich in anthocyanins and can be used as a major source of antioxidants in diet. Herein, a two-year field study on the purple-grained wheat cultivar (202w17) and common wheat cultivar (Shannong 129) was conducted with soil application (SeS) and foliar spray (SeF) of selenium. Results showed that the SeS increased shoot dry weight and grain yield. Both SeS and SeF enhanced the concentration of organic Se, but the higher concentration of organic Se in the grain of two cultivars was observed in SeF in comparison with SeS. The concentration of organic Se in the grain of 202w17 treated with SeF was approximately 1.5-fold of that in Shannong 129 with SeF. The analysis of Se accumulation in different parts of the plant revealed that 202w17 accumulated more Se in shoots and grain than Shannong 129, and 202w17 had also higher levels of total protein, total free amino acids and anthocyanin in grain than Shannong 129. In addition, SeF significantly increased the concentrations of zinc (Zn), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg) in both cultivars, but decreased the concentration of chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pd), which phenomenon was more significant in 202w17. Our results indicate that SeS increases plant growth, leading to higher grain yield in two cultivars tested. The purple-grained wheat (202w17) could accumulate more Se in grain and have a higher concentration of orgainic Se in grain than the common wheat (Shannong 129).

Keywords: anthocyanins; elements; organic selenium; purple-grained wheat; selenium biofortification.

Accurate monitoring of the depth of anesthesia (DoA) is essential for intraoperative and postoperative patient's health. Commercially available electroencephalograph (EEG)-based DoA monitors are recommended only for certain anesthetic drugs and specific age-group patients. This paper presents a machine learning classification processor for accurate DoA estimation irrespective of the patient's age and anesthetic drug. The classification is solely based on six features extracted from EEG signal, i.e., spectral edge frequency (SEF), beta ratio, and four bands of spectral energy (FBSE). A machine learning fine decision tree classifier is adopted to achieve a four-class DoA classification (deep, moderate, and light DoA versus awake state). The feature selection and the classification processor are optimized to achieve the highest classification accuracy for the state of moderate anesthesia required for the surgical operations. The proposed 256-point fast Fourier transform accelerator is implemented to realize SEF, beta ratio, and FBSE that enables minimal latency and high accuracy feature extraction. The proposed DoA processor is implemented using a 65 nm CMOS technology and experimentally verified using field programming gate array (FPGA) based on the EEG recordings of 75 patients undergoing elective surgery with different types of anesthetic agents. The processor achieves an average accuracy of 92.2% for all DoA states, with a latency of 1s The 0.09 mm² DoA processor consumes 140nJ/classification.

Dopamine (DA) is one of catecholamines and related to several neurological diseases. The selective determination for DA against other catecholamines is crucial in clinical diagnoses. In this work, a simple and reliable Tb(III)-based fluorescence sensor was constructed for the highly selective and sensitive detection of DA. Silver nanoprisms (AgNPrs) with suitable localized surface plasmon resonance bands were controllably synthesized to act as optimal platforms for surface enhanced fluorescence (SEF), while acetate was adopted to be a distance adjusting spacer for SEF and a recognizing component for DA. A fluorescence-enhanced Tb(III) composite sensor via the synergistic action of AgNPrs and acetate was finally obtained. The fluorescence signal was in proportion to the dopamine concentration in the range of 0.6-100nM (R2=0.9987) with a detection limit (S/N =3) of 0.22nM. Furthermore, the method exhibited good selectivity to DA among some amino acids, ions, other neurotransmitters, etc.

To estimate the neural generators of magnetoencephalographic (MEG) signals, MEG data have to be co-registered with an anatomical image, typically an MR image. Optically-pumped magnetometers (OPMs) enable the construction of on-scalp MEG systems providing higher sensitivity and spatial resolution than conventional SQUID-based MEG systems. We present a co-registration method that can be applied to on-scalp MEG systems, regardless of the number of sensors. We apply a structured-light scanner to create a surface mesh of the subject's head and the sensor array, which we fit to the MR image. We quantified the reproducibility of the mesh and localised current dipoles with a phantom. Additionally, we measured somatosensory evoked fields (SEFs) to median nerve stimulation and compared the dipole positions between on-scalp and SQUID-based systems. The scanner reproduced the head surface with <1 mm error. Phantom dipoles were localised with 2.1 mm mean error. SEF dipoles corresponding to the P35m response for OPMs were well localised to the somatosensory cortex, while SQUID dipoles for two subjects were erroneously localised to the motor cortex. The developed co-registration method is inexpensive, fast and can easily be applied to on-scalp MEG. It is more convenient than traditional co-registration methods while also being more accurate.

We analyze blinking in surface enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS) and surface enhanced fluorescence (SEF) of rhodamine 6G molecules as intensity and spectral instability by electromagnetic (EM) mechanism. We find that irradiation of intense NIR laser pulses induces blinking in SERRS and SEF. Thanks to the finding, we systematically analyze SERRS and SEF from stable to unstable using single Ag nanoparticle (NP) dimers. The analysis reveals two physical insights into blinking as follows. (1) The intensity instability is inversely proportional to the enhancement factors of decay rate of molecules. The estimation using the proportionality suggests that separation of the molecules from Ag NP surfaces is several angstroms. (2) The spectral instability is induced by blueshifts in EM enhancement factors, which have spectral shapes similar to the plasmon resonance. This analysis provides us with a quantitative picture for intensity and spectral instability in SERRS and SEF within the framework of EM mechanism.

In 2012, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) lifted the experimental label on oocyte preservation, but cautioned against women using it to avoid age-related infertility, known as social egg freezing (SEF). In 2014, Facebook and Apple announced that they would offer SEF as a workplace benefit. Within the context of a rapidly growing market for SEF, we were interested in how these two decisions affected media discussions, given that such discourse can strongly influence public perceptions and behaviors. We used a content analysis methodology to code 138 articles published in U.S. newspapers and magazines between 2012 and 2015. Focusing on a financial concern over the cost of SEF and the lack of insurance for SEF, we found that media portrayals of SEF pivot away from the ethical principle of nonmaleficence centered in the ASRM decision to discourage SEF. Instead, they highlight an issue of justice that can be remedied through the offer of SEF as a workplace benefit. Overall, media portrayals of SEF paint a simplistic and rosy picture that more options, especially more reproductive and economic options, automatically enhance women's autonomy.

Recently, electromagnetic fields around ultra-high voltage transmission lines have received considerable attentions for their potential biological effects. This study aimed to investigate the effects of static electric field (SEF) and power frequency electric field (PFEF) on cognition. Mice were exposed to SEF and PFEF with the same strength (35 kV/m) for 49 days, respectively. Behaviors in Morris water maze test and amino acid neurotransmitter levels in hippocampus were examined during exposure. Results indicated that the exposure of 35 kV/m SEF would not cause significant influences on learning and memory ability in mice, while the exposure of 35 kV/m PFEF would cause significant positive effects on learning and memory ability in mice on day 33. This difference in effects from SEF and PFEF on cognition was possibly induced by the difference in the degree of molecular polarization and ion migration in organisms under exposure of two kinds of electric fields with different frequency.

Colloidal metal nanoparticles present very special optical and electromagnetic properties at the nanoscale range. Such plasmonic properties have derived in a huge research field that encompasses the understanding of nanoparticle formation mechanisms for the ultimate goal of developing novel materials for real-life applications. Plasmonic sensing is experiencing a rapid transition by taking advantage of the characteristic properties of colloidal metal nanoparticles. However, a rational design of novel nanoplasmonic substrates, which gathers as much as the required properties for a substrate to be a 'good' sensor is critical through the development of applications that can be effectively transferred as applied technologies. Also, the chosen sensing technique is a key factor when planning the design of a new plasmonic-based sensor. Several factors such as composition, shape, size, particle interactions or stability among others will define the final quality of the nanomaterial as sensing platform. Herein, we review the latest and most promising state-of-the art of nanoplasmonic-based sensors in four differentiated areas regarding the surface-enhanced spectroscopy detection technique being LSPR-, SERS- and SEIRA-, and SEF based platforms.

OBJECTIVE

We previously reported that endothelin (ET)-1 may be involved in the contraction of hepatic sinusoidal endothelial fenestrae (SEF). Rho has emerged as an important regulator of the actin cytoskeleton and consequently cell morphology. To clarify the role of ET receptors [endothelin A receptor (ETAR) and endothelin B receptor (ETBR)] in ET-1-induced defenestration, we studied the size of hepatic SEF under various experimental conditions.

METHODS

Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) isolated from rat livers by collagenase perfusion were cultured and divided into four groups: control, ET-1 (10(-6) -10(-10) M)-treated, ET-1+selective ETAR antagonist (BQ610)-treated and ET-1+ETBR antagonist (BQ788)-treated groups. SEF morphology was observed by scanning electron microscopy. Protein expressions of ETAR and ETBR, Rho A and phosphorylated myosin light-chain kinase were analyzed by Western blotting. F-actin stress fiber formation was observed by confocal microscopy. Active Rho was measured by Ren's modification. Intracellular free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) was measured by fluorescence digital imaging using fura-2 AM by Aqua cosmos.

RESULTS

ET-1 induced a reduction in the number and size of SEF. ETAR antagonist pretreatment inhibited defenestration induced by low ET-1 concentrations (10(-8) -10(-10) M), whereas ETBR antagonist pretreatment did not block defenestration at low to high ET-1 concentrations (10(-6) -10(-10) M). F-actin stress fibers, Rho A levels and phosphorylated myosin light-chain kinase levels remained the same in various treatments. Active Rho was not detected in control and various treatments. ET-1 did not increase [Ca2+]i. Western blot showed prominent ETBR but scarce ETAR protein expression in LSECs.

CONCLUSIONS

The present findings demonstrated that ETBR- and ETAR-induced contractile mechanisms are not involved in ET-1-induced defenestration, and that Rho is also not activated. Therefore, ET-1 induces hepatic defenestration by mechanisms other than receptor-mediated contraction.

The aim of this study was to investigate how the Surface Enlargement Factor (SEF) and the epithelial keratinization degree of sheep rumen change in response to phytomass production, and to forage fiber and water content during the pasture vegetative cycle. The study used eighteen sheep nourished with dry hay and cereals during the winter season and with fresh hay during the pasture vegetative cycle. We collected samples from rumen indicative regions for two consecutive years characterized by different rainfall and pasture productivity values. We evaluated the densities (D) of rumen papillae to estimate the rumen SEF, and the keratinization percentage of the epithelial lining; these parameters showed differentiated modifications in the four ruminal analyzed compartments in response to pasture seasonal conditions. In addition, we performed Canonical Redundancy Analysis (RDA) on the "keratinization and SEF" matrix constrained by phytomass, water, and crude fiber contents of pasture at different time in the two considered years to highlight how rumen features answer to pasture conditions. Atrium (A) and ventral sac (VS) keratinization showed a strict positive correlation to crude fiber, while SEF of VS was positively related to phytomass and forage water content. The degree of keratinization of the rumen VS epithelium proved to be a useful parameter for evaluating anatomical variations in the short term period related to pasture features; in addition, its monitoring could be carried out through biopsy, thus avoiding the killing of animals. The study also leads to the application of the 3Rs (Replacement; Reduction; and Refinement). Microsc. Res. Tech. 79:738-743, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

OBJECTIVE

In this paper, we investigated the recovery of the lactate level, muscular fatigue, and heart rate recovery (HRR) with respect to whole body vibration (WBV) during the rest stage after a gait exercise.

METHODS

A total of 24 healthy subjects with no medical history of exercise injury participated. The participants were divided into a training group with vibration during rest and a control group with the same conditions but without vibration. The subjects performed a gait exercise with a slope of 15% and velocity of 4 km/h to consume 450 kcal in 30 min. Then, they rested on a vibrating chair or on a chair without vibrations for 30 min. The vibration protocol consists of a frequency of 10 Hz and amplitude of 5 mm. To estimate the recovery effect, we measured the lactate levels in blood, spectral edge frequency (SEF) of MVIC, and HRR before, immediately after exercise, and after rest.

RESULTS

The results showed that the lactate level in the training group decreased more (93.8%) than in the control group (32.8%). Also, HRR showed a similar trend with a recovery of 88.39% in the training group but 64.72% in the control group. We considered that whole-body vibrations during rest would help remove lactic acid by improving the level of lactic acid oxidation with stimulated blood vessels in the muscles and by helping to maintain blood flow. Also, WBV would lead to compensation to actively decrease the fast excess post-exercise oxygen consumption from blood circulation.

CONCLUSIONS

We suggest that whole-body vibrations during rest can provide fast, efficient fatigue recovery as a cool down exercise for women, the elderly, and patients without other activity after intense exercise.

There is currently a lack of knowledge about the feasibility of performing procedures for fertility preservation after chemotherapy treatment has been initiated. In this experimental controlled study using adolescent mice, we aimed to investigate if the chance of rescuing and growing in vitro secondary follicles (SeF) would be affected three days after a single injection of cyclophosphamide (CPA). The main outcomes included were: 1) The number of SeF with good morphologic quality obtained per ovary 3 days after CPA injection, 2) SeF development in culture, 3) small follicle density (SFD) on histology, and 4) apoptosis markers, including terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end-labelling (TUNEL), mRNA expression, and distribution of p 53 upregulated modulator of apoptosis (Puma) and phosphatase and tensin homolog (Pten). We found a 60% reduction of SeF obtained per ovary in all CPA-treated groups vs. controls. However, in vitro survival rates at culture day 12 and antrum formation were similar among all groups. On histology, SFD was only significantly reduced in the high CPA dose group. Apoptotic cells were mainly found in large growing follicles of CPA groups. Our study indicates the feasibility of SeF isolation and in vitro follicle culture 3 days following CPA treatment and a still preserved SFD, particularly following a low-dose CPA treatment.

Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis is one of a few Salmonella enterica serotypes that has SEF14 fimbriae encoded by the sef operon, which consists of 4 cotranscribed genes, sefABCD, regulated by sefR. A parental strain was used to construct a sefD mutant and its complement, and all 3 strains were compared for gene expression, metabolic properties, and virulence characteristics in hens. Transcription of sefD by wild type was suppressed at 42°C and absent for the mutant under conditions where the complemented mutant had 10(3) times higher transcription. Growth of the complemented mutant was restricted in comparison to that of the mutant and wild type. Hens infected with the wild type and mutant showed decreased blood calcium and egg production, but infection with the complemented mutant did not. Thus, the absence of sefD correlated with increased metabolic capacity and enhanced virulence of the pathogen. These results suggest that any contribution that sefD makes to egg contamination is either unknown or would be limited to early transmission from the environment to the host. Absence of sefD, either through mutation or by suppression of transcription at the body temperature of the host, may contribute to the virulence of Salmonella enterica by facilitating growth on a wide range of metabolites.

We recorded somatosensory evoked magnetic field (SEF) to investigate the differentiation in the receptive area for the face, lower part of the posterior scalp (mastoid) and shoulder, which occupy an unique area in the homunculus. We analyzed the location of the equivalent current dipole (ECD) of SEF following electrical stimulation of the skin at the face, mastoid and shoulder in 20 normal subjects. Three deflections (1M, 2M and 3M) were obtained within 50 ms of the stimulation in 16 of 20 subjects. The peak latency of the 1M and 2M was not significantly different at any stimulus sites. The amplitude of the 1M was significantly larger following the face than mastoid stimulation (p<0.05). The 16 subjects were classified according to the locations of the ECD on stimulation of the mastoid: close to that for shoulder stimulation, but significantly (p<0.05) more superior and medial to that following the face stimulation (Type 1, eleven subjects); close to that for face stimulation, but significantly (P<0.05) more inferior and lateral to that following the shoulder stimulation (Type 2, five subjects). The site of the receptive area for the posterior scalp shows interindividual variation, possibly due to anatomical differences.