Hydraulic properties from pumping tests data of aquifers in Azare area, North Eastern Nigeria.

Pumping test data from twelve boreholes in Azare area were analysed to determine the hydraulic properties of the aquifers, and the availability of water to meet the conjugate demands of the increasing population.The values of the aquifer constants obtained from the Cooper-Jacob’s non-equilibrium graphical method were generally low. Yield, Q, values range from 2.24 to 17.46m3/hr (6.22 x 10-4 to 4.85 x 10-3 m/sec), while Transmissivity, T, fell between 7.39 x 10-6 and 3.55 x 10-4m2/sec and hydraulic conductivity, K, from 5.62 x 10-7 to42.54 x 10-5 m/sec. The average specific capacity, Cs, value is 2.10 x 10-4m3/sec/m. The total yield is 98.67m3/hr or 2368.08m3/day, and drawdowns in excess of 20m were recorded. These values indicate that the hydraulic characteristics of the aquifers are poor. The implication is that the available boreholes cannot provide sufficient waterfor domestic and agricultural needs of the area. The Azare area therefore will continue to face severe water supply problems with increasing populations unless more wells are drilled, and supplemented by water impoundment using dams

Lack of Cardiac Nerve Sprouting after Intramyocardial Transplantation of Bone Marrow-Derived Stem Cells in a Swine Model of Chronic Ischemic Myocardium

Previous experimental studies suggested that mesenchymal stem cell transplantation causes cardiac nerve sprouting; however, whether bone marrow (BM)-derived mononuclear cells (MNC) and endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) can also lead to cardiac nerve sprouting and alter gap junction expression remains unclear. We investigated the effect of electroanatomical mapping-guided direct intramyocardial transplantation of BM-MNC (n = 8) and CD31+EPC (n = 8) compared with saline control (n = 8) on cardiac nerve sprouting and gap junction expression in a swine model of chronic ischemic myocardium. At 12 weeks after transplantation, the distribution and density of cardiac nerve sprouting were determined by staining of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and growth associated protein 43(GAP-43) and expression of connexin 43 in the targeted ischemic and remote normal myocardium. After 12 weeks, no animal developed sudden death after the transplantation. There were no significant differences in the number of cells with positive staining of TH and GAP-43 in the ischemic and normal myocardium between three groups. Furthermore, expression of connexin 43 was also similar in the ischemic and normal myocardia in each group of animals (P > 0.05). The results of this study demonstrated that intramyocardial BM-derived MNC or EPC transplantation in a large animal model of chronic myocardial ischemia was not associated with increased cardiac nerve sprouting over the ischemic myocardium

Acute left ventricular dysfunction secondary to right ventricular septal pacing in a woman with initial preserved contractility: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Right ventricular apical pacing-related heart failure is reported in some patients after long-term pacing. The exact mechanism is not yet clear but may be related to left ventricular dyssynchrony induced by right ventricular apical pacing. Right ventricular septal pacing is thought to deteriorate left ventricular function less frequently because of a more normal left ventricular activation pattern.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We report the case of a 55-year-old Tunisian woman with preserved ventricular function, implanted with a dual-chamber pacemaker for complete atrioventricular block. Right ventricular septal pacing induced a major ventricular dyssynchrony, severe left ventricular ejection fraction deterioration and symptoms of congestive heart failure. Upgrading to a biventricular device was associated with a decrease in the symptoms and the ventricular dyssynchrony, and an increase of left ventricular ejection fraction.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Right ventricular septal pacing can induce reversible left ventricular dysfunction and heart failure secondary to left ventricular dyssynchrony. This complication remains an unpredictable complication of right ventricular septal pacing.</p

Molecular Characterization and Phylogenetic Study of Coxsackievirus A24v Causing Outbreaks of Acute Hemorrhagic Conjunctivitis (AHC) in Brazil

Coxsackievirus A24 variant (CA24v) is the most prevalent viral pathogen associated with acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis (AHC) outbreaks. Sixteen years after its first outbreak in Brazil, this agent reemerged in 2003 in Brazil, spread to nearly all states and caused outbreaks until 2005. In 2009, a new outbreak occurred in the northeast region of the country. In this study, we performed a viral isolation in cell culture and characterized clinical samples collected from patients presenting symptoms during the outbreak of 2005 in Vitória, Espírito Santo State (ES) and the outbreak of 2009 in Recife, Pernambuco State (PE). We also performed a phylogenetic analysis of worldwide strains and all meaningful Brazilian isolates since 2003.Sterile cotton swabs were used to collect eye discharges, and all 210 clinical samples were used to inoculate cell cultures. Cytopathic effects in HEp-2 cells were seen in 58 of 180 (32%) samples from Vitória and 3 of 30 (10%) samples from Recife. Phylogenetic analysis based on a fragment of the VP1 and 3C gene revealed that the CA24v causing outbreaks in Brazil during the years 2003, 2004 and 2005 evolved from Asian isolates that had caused the South Korean outbreak of AHC during the summer of 2002. However, the 2009 outbreak of AHC in Pernambuco was originated from the reintroduction of a new CA24v strain that was circulating during 2007 in Asia, where CA24v outbreaks has been continuously reported since 1970.This study is the first phylogenetic analysis of AHC outbreaks caused by CA24v in Brazil. The results showed that Asian strains of CA24v were responsible for the outbreaks since 1987 and were independently introduced to Brazil in 2003 and 2009. Phylogenetic analysis of complete VP1 gene is a useful tool for studying the epidemiology of enteroviruses associated with outbreaks

Target Site Recognition by a Diversity-Generating Retroelement

Diversity-generating retroelements (DGRs) are in vivo sequence diversification machines that are widely distributed in bacterial, phage, and plasmid genomes. They function to introduce vast amounts of targeted diversity into protein-encoding DNA sequences via mutagenic homing. Adenine residues are converted to random nucleotides in a retrotransposition process from a donor template repeat (TR) to a recipient variable repeat (VR). Using the Bordetella bacteriophage BPP-1 element as a prototype, we have characterized requirements for DGR target site function. Although sequences upstream of VR are dispensable, a 24 bp sequence immediately downstream of VR, which contains short inverted repeats, is required for efficient retrohoming. The inverted repeats form a hairpin or cruciform structure and mutational analysis demonstrated that, while the structure of the stem is important, its sequence can vary. In contrast, the loop has a sequence-dependent function. Structure-specific nuclease digestion confirmed the existence of a DNA hairpin/cruciform, and marker coconversion assays demonstrated that it influences the efficiency, but not the site of cDNA integration. Comparisons with other phage DGRs suggested that similar structures are a conserved feature of target sequences. Using a kanamycin resistance determinant as a reporter, we found that transplantation of the IMH and hairpin/cruciform-forming region was sufficient to target the DGR diversification machinery to a heterologous gene. In addition to furthering our understanding of DGR retrohoming, our results suggest that DGRs may provide unique tools for directed protein evolution via in vivo DNA diversification

Cytostatic potential of novel agents that inhibit the regulation of intracellular pH

Cells within the acidic extracellular environment of solid tumours maintain their intracellular pH (pHi) through the activity of membrane-based ion exchange mechanisms including the Na+/H+ antiport and the Na+-dependent Cl−/HCO3− exchanger. Inhibition of these regulatory mechanisms has been proposed as an approach to tumour therapy. Previously available inhibitors of these exchangers were toxic (e.g. 4,4-diisothiocyanstilbene-2,2-disulphonic acid), and/or non-specific (e.g. 5-N-ethyl-N-isopropyl amiloride). Using two human (MCF7, MDA-MB231) and one murine (EMT6) breast cancer cell lines, we evaluated the influence of two new agents, cariporide (an inhibitor of the Na+/H+ antiport) and S3705 (an inhibitor of the Na+-dependent Cl−/HCO3− exchanger) on the regulation of intracellular pH (pHi). The cytotoxicity of the two agents was assessed by using clonogenic assays. Our results suggest that cariporide has similar efficacy and potency to 5-N-ethyl-N-isopropyl amiloride for inhibition of Na+/H+ exchange while S3705 is more potent and efficient than 4,4-diisothiocyanstilbene-2,2-disulphonic acid in inhibiting Na+-dependent Cl−/HCO3− exchange. The agents inhibited the growth of tumour cells when they were incubated at low pHe (7.0–6.8), but were non-toxic to cells grown at doses that inhibited the regulation of pHi. Our results indicate that cariporide and S3705 are selective cytostatic agents under in vitro conditions that reflect the slightly acidic microenvironment found in solid tumours

Stereotactic body radiation therapy with or without transarterial chemoembolization for patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma: preliminary analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The objectives of this retrospective study was to evaluate the efficacy of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for small non-resectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and SBRT combined with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for advanced HCC with portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Thirty one patients with HCC who were treated with SBRT were used for the study. We studied 32 HCC lesions, where 23 lesions (22 patients) were treated targeting small non-resectable primary HCC, and 9 lesions (9 patients) targeting PVTT using the Cyberknife. All the 9 patients targeting PVTT received TACE for the advanced HCC. Tumor volume was 3.6–57.3 cc (median, 25.2 cc) and SBRT dose was 30–39 Gy (median, 36 Gy) in 3 fractions for consecutive days for 70–85% of the planned target volume.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The median follow up was 10.5 months. The overall response rate was 71.9% [small HCC: 82.6% (19/23), advanced HCC with PVTT: 44.4% (4/9)], with the complete and partial response rates of 31.3% [small HCC: 26.1% (6/23), advanced HCC with PVTT: 11.1% (1/9)], and 50.0% [small HCC: 56.5% (13/23), advanced HCC with PVTT: 33.3% (3/9)], respectively. The median survival period of small HCC and advanced HCC with PVTT patients was 12 months and 8 months, respectively. No patient experienced Grade 4 toxicity.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>SBRT for small HCC and SBRT combined with TACE for advanced HCC with PVTT showed feasible treatment modalities with minimal side effects in selected patients with primary HCC.</p

Impact of Visual Repetition Rate on Intrinsic Properties of Low Frequency Fluctuations in the Visual Network

BACKGROUND: Visual processing network is one of the functional networks which have been reliably identified to consistently exist in human resting brains. In our work, we focused on this network and investigated the intrinsic properties of low frequency (0.01-0.08 Hz) fluctuations (LFFs) during changes of visual stimuli. There were two main questions to be discussed in this study: intrinsic properties of LFFs regarding (1) interactions between visual stimuli and resting-state; (2) impact of repetition rate of visual stimuli. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We analyzed scanning sessions that contained rest and visual stimuli in various repetition rates with a novel method. The method included three numerical approaches involving ICA (Independent Component Analyses), fALFF (fractional Amplitude of Low Frequency Fluctuation), and Coherence, to respectively investigate the modulations of visual network pattern, low frequency fluctuation power, and interregional functional connectivity during changes of visual stimuli. We discovered when resting-state was replaced by visual stimuli, more areas were involved in visual processing, and both stronger low frequency fluctuations and higher interregional functional connectivity occurred in visual network. With changes of visual repetition rate, the number of areas which were involved in visual processing, low frequency fluctuation power, and interregional functional connectivity in this network were also modulated. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: To combine the results of prior literatures and our discoveries, intrinsic properties of LFFs in visual network are altered not only by modulations of endogenous factors (eye-open or eye-closed condition; alcohol administration) and disordered behaviors (early blind), but also exogenous sensory stimuli (visual stimuli with various repetition rates). It demonstrates that the intrinsic properties of LFFs are valuable to represent physiological states of human brains