Impact of Age and Body Site on Adult Female Skin Surface pH

Background: pH is known as an important parameter in epidermal barrier function and homeostasis. Aim: The impact of age and body site on skin surface pH (pH(SS)) of women was evaluated in vivo. Methods: Time domain dual lifetime referencing with luminescent sensor foils was used for pH(SS) measurements. pH(SS) was measured on the forehead, the temple, and the volar forearm of adult females (n = 97, 52.87 +/- 18.58 years, 20-97 years). Every single measurement contained 2,500 pH values due to the luminescence imaging technique used. Results: pH(SS) slightly increases with age on all three investigated body sites. There are no significant differences in pH(SS) between the three investigated body sites. Conclusion: Adult pH(SS) on the forehead, the temple and the volar forearm increases slightly with age. This knowledge is crucial for adapting medical skin care products. Copyright (C) 2012 S. Karger AG, Base

Jumping without Using Legs: The Jump of the Click-Beetles (Elateridae) Is Morphologically Constrained

To return to their feet, inverted click-beetles (Elateridae) jump without using their legs. When a beetle is resting on its dorsal side, a hinge mechanism is locked to store elastic energy in the body and releases it abruptly to launch the beetle into the air. While the functional morphology of the jumping mechanism is well known, the level of control that the beetle has over this jumping technique and the mechanical constraints governing the jumps are not entirely clear. Here we show that while body rotations in air are highly variable, the jumps are morphologically constrained to a constant “takeoff” angle (79.9°±1.56°, n = 9 beetles) that directs 98% of the jumping force vertically against gravity. A physical-mathematical model of the jumping action, combined with measurements from live beetle, imply that the beetle may control the speed at takeoff but not the jumping angle. In addition, the model shows that very subtle changes in the exact point of contact with the ground can explain the vigorous rotations of the body seen while the beetle is airborne. These findings suggest that the evolution of this unique non-legged jumping mechanism resulted in a jumping technique that is capable of launching the body high into the air but it is too constrained and unstable to allow control of body orientation at landing

Protein trafficking through the endosomal system prepares intracellular parasites for a home invasion

Toxoplasma (toxoplasmosis) and Plasmodium (malaria) use unique secretory organelles for migration, cell invasion, manipulation of host cell functions, and cell egress. In particular, the apical secretory micronemes and rhoptries of apicomplexan parasites are essential for successful host infection. New findings reveal that the contents of these organelles, which are transported through the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and Golgi, also require the parasite endosome-like system to access their respective organelles. In this review, we discuss recent findings that demonstrate that these parasites reduced their endosomal system and modified classical regulators of this pathway for the biogenesis of apical organelles

Microscopic observation of magnon bound states and their dynamics

More than eighty years ago, H. Bethe pointed out the existence of bound states of elementary spin waves in one-dimensional quantum magnets. To date, identifying signatures of such magnon bound states has remained a subject of intense theoretical research while their detection has proved challenging for experiments. Ultracold atoms offer an ideal setting to reveal such bound states by tracking the spin dynamics after a local quantum quench with single-spin and single-site resolution. Here we report on the direct observation of two-magnon bound states using in-situ correlation measurements in a one-dimensional Heisenberg spin chain realized with ultracold bosonic atoms in an optical lattice. We observe the quantum walk of free and bound magnon states through time-resolved measurements of the two spin impurities. The increased effective mass of the compound magnon state results in slower spin dynamics as compared to single magnon excitations. In our measurements, we also determine the decay time of bound magnons, which is most likely limited by scattering on thermal fluctuations in the system. Our results open a new pathway for studying fundamental properties of quantum magnets and, more generally, properties of interacting impurities in quantum many-body systems.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figure

Common Risk Variants in AHI1 Are Associated With Childhood Steroid Sensitive Nephrotic Syndrome

Introduction: Steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome (SSNS) is the most common form of kidney disease in children worldwide. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have demonstrated the association of SSNS with genetic variation at HLA-DQ/DR and have identified several non-HLA loci that aid in further understanding of disease pathophysiology. We sought to identify additional genetic loci associated with SSNS in children of Sri Lankan and European ancestry. Methods: We conducted a GWAS in a cohort of Sri Lankan individuals comprising 420 pediatric patients with SSNS and 2339 genetic ancestry matched controls obtained from the UK Biobank. We then performed a transethnic meta-analysis with a previously reported European cohort of 422 pediatric patients and 5642 controls. Results: Our GWAS confirmed the previously reported association of SSNS with HLA-DR/DQ (rs9271602, P = 1.12 × 10−27, odds ratio [OR] = 2.75). Transethnic meta-analysis replicated these findings and identified a novel association at AHI1 (rs2746432, P = 2.79 × 10−8, OR = 1.37), which was also replicated in an independent South Asian cohort. AHI1 is implicated in ciliary protein transport and immune dysregulation, with rare variation in this gene contributing to Joubert syndrome type 3. Conclusions: Common variation in AHI1 confers risk of the development of SSNS in both Sri Lankan and European populations. The association with common variation in AHI1 further supports the role of immune dysregulation in the pathogenesis of SSNS and demonstrates that variation across the allele frequency spectrum in a gene can contribute to disparate monogenic and polygenic diseases

Numerical instability of the Akhmediev breather and a finite-gap model of it

In this paper we study the numerical instabilities of the NLS Akhmediev breather, the simplest space periodic, one-mode perturbation of the unstable background, limiting our considerations to the simplest case of one unstable mode. In agreement with recent theoretical findings of the authors, in the situation in which the round-off errors are negligible with respect to the perturbations due to the discrete scheme used in the numerical experiments, the split-step Fourier method (SSFM), the numerical output is well-described by a suitable genus 2 finite-gap solution of NLS. This solution can be written in terms of different elementary functions in different time regions and, ultimately, it shows an exact recurrence of rogue waves described, at each appearance, by the Akhmediev breather. We discover a remarkable empirical formula connecting the recurrence time with the number of time steps used in the SSFM and, via our recent theoretical findings, we establish that the SSFM opens up a vertical unstable gap whose length can be computed with high accuracy, and is proportional to the inverse of the square of the number of time steps used in the SSFM. This neat picture essentially changes when the round-off error is sufficiently large. Indeed experiments in standard double precision show serious instabilities in both the periods and phases of the recurrence. In contrast with it, as predicted by the theory, replacing the exact Akhmediev Cauchy datum by its first harmonic approximation, we only slightly modify the numerical output. Let us also remark, that the first rogue wave appearance is completely stable in all experiments and is in perfect agreement with the Akhmediev formula and with the theoretical prediction in terms of the Cauchy data.Comment: 27 pages, 8 figures, Formula (30) at page 11 was corrected, arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1707.0565

Tenosynovial giant cell tumors as accidental findings after episodes of distortion of the ankle: two case reports

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Tenosynovial giant cell tumors are benign tumors of uncertain pathogenesis. They occur in the joints, tendons and synovial bursas. Due to a high recurrence rate of up to 50%, some authors call a giant cell tumor a semimalignant tumor. To date, less than 10 cases of tenosynovial giant cell tumor of the ankle have been published in the international medical literature.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>In this case report, we present two patients with localized tumors that were detected accidentally after the occurrence of ankle sprains with persisting pain in the joint. The tumors were resected by open marginal surgery and regular follow-up examinations were carried out.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We present an unusual occurrence of a tumor along with a possible follow-up strategy, which has not been previously discussed in the international literature.</p

The translation, validity and reliability of the German version of the Fremantle Back Awareness Questionnaire

Background: The Fremantle Back Awareness Questionnaire (FreBAQ) claims to assess disrupted self-perception of the back. The aim of this study was to develop a German version of the Fre-BAQ (FreBAQ-G) and assess its test-retest reliability, its known-groups validity and its convergent validity with another purported measure of back perception. Methods: The FreBaQ-G was translated following international guidelines for the transcultural adaptation of questionnaires. Thirty-five patients with non-specific CLBP and 48 healthy participants were recruited. Assessor one administered the FreBAQ-G to each patient with CLBP on two separate days to quantify intra-observer reliability. Assessor two administered the FreBaQ-G to each patient on day 1. The scores were compared to those obtained by assessor one on day 1 to assess inter-observer reliability. Known-groups validity was quantified by comparing the FreBAQ-G score between patients and healthy controls. To assess convergent validity, patient\u27s FreBAQ-G scores were correlated to their two-point discrimination (TPD) scores. Results: Intra- and Inter-observer reliability were both moderate with ICC3.1 = 0.88 (95%CI: 0.77 to 0.94) and 0.89 (95%CI: 0.79 to 0.94), respectively. Intra- and inter-observer limits of agreement (LoA) were 6.2 (95%CI: 5.0±8.1) and 6.0 (4.8±7.8), respectively. The adjusted mean difference between patients and controls was 5.4 (95%CI: 3.0 to 7.8, p\u3c0.01). Patient\u27s FreBAQ-G scores were not associated with TPD thresholds (Pearson\u27s r = -0.05, p = 0.79). Conclusions: The FreBAQ-G demonstrated a degree of reliability and known-groups validity. Interpretation of patient level data should be performed with caution because the LoA were substantial. It did not demonstrate convergent validity against TPD. Floor effects of some items of the FreBAQ-G may have influenced the validity and reliability results. The clinimetric properties of the FreBAQ-G require further investigation as a simple measure of disrupted self-perception of the back before firm recommendations on its use can be made

In-vivo visualisation of the anatomical structures related to the acupuncture points Dai mai and Shen mai by MRI: A single-case pilot study

BACKGROUND: The concept of acupuncture point localisation in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is based on millenary practical experience. Modern imaging methods such as PET, MRI and SPECT have been used primary for the investigation of the mechanisms of action of acupuncture. In this pilot single-case study we have evaluated the technical possibilities for in-vivo imaging of the anatomical relations of acupuncture points using state of the art MRI. METHODS: Preliminary experiments relating to the quality of acupuncture needles under the setting of MRI were done both with stainless steel and gold needles. In a second step, in-vivo imaging was carried out. A licensed acupuncture practitioner (RM) chose two points belonging to the so-called extraordinary vessels. In 2 sequential, separate procedures, he inserted himself gold acupuncture needles using a neutral technique (known as Ping Bu Ping Xie) into the Dai mai and Shen mai points, i.e. gall bladder 26 and bladder 62. Imaging was done on a Siemens Magnetom Avanto MR scanner using a head array and body coil. Mainly T1-weighted imaging sequences, as routinely used for patient exams, were used to obtain multi-slice images. RESULTS: In the preliminary experiments only acupuncture needles made of gold showed enough stability in order to be used for further imaging procedures. Using an onion and a banana as an object, further studies showed that the gold needles produced a void defect that corresponds to the tip of the inserted needle, while at the same time an artefactually increased diameter was observed. The in-vivo experiments showed that the Dai mai point was in relation to the abdominal internal oblique muscle. The Shen mai point artefact showed up close to the longus and brevis peroneal tendons at the fibular malleolus. Side effects related to heating or burning were not observed. Improved anatomical recognition was obtained using 3D-volume rendering techniques. CONCLUSION: Through an adequate choice of acupuncture material (gold needles) as well as of ideal MRI imaging sequences it has been possible to visualize the anatomical characteristics at the acupuncture points Dai mai and Shen mai in-vivo. At the selected sites the needles showed a relation to tendino-fascial and muscular structures. These anatomical structures fit well into the recently described WOMED concept of lateral tension in which these acupuncture points play a regulatory role

The two-pore channel TPCN2 mediates NAADP-dependent Ca2+-release from lysosomal stores

Second messenger-induced Ca2+-release from intracellular stores plays a key role in a multitude of physiological processes. In addition to 1,4,5-inositol trisphosphate (IP3), Ca2+, and cyclic ADP ribose (cADPR) that trigger Ca2+-release from the endoplasmatic reticulum (ER), nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NAADP) has been identified as a cellular metabolite that mediates Ca2+-release from lysosomal stores. While NAADP-induced Ca2+-release has been found in many tissues and cell types, the molecular identity of the channel(s) conferring this release remained elusive so far. Here, we show that TPCN2, a novel member of the two-pore cation channel family, displays the basic properties of native NAADP-dependent Ca2+-release channels. TPCN2 transcripts are widely expressed in the body and encode a lysosomal protein forming homomers. TPCN2 mediates intracellular Ca2+-release after activation with low-nanomolar concentrations of NAADP while it is desensitized by micromolar concentrations of this second messenger and is insensitive to the NAADP analog nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP). Furthermore, TPCN2-mediated Ca2+-release is almost completely abolished when the capacity of lysosomes for storing Ca2+ is pharmacologically blocked. By contrast, TPCN2-specific Ca2+-release is unaffected by emptying ER-based Ca2+ stores. In conclusion, these findings indicate that TPCN2 is a major component of the long-sought lysosomal NAADP-dependent Ca2+-release channel