Microvascular replantation of avulsed tissue after a dog bite of the face

Various authors have described successful microsurgical replantation of totally avulsed facial tissue. In a significant nwnber of cases difficulties were experienced with the venous anastomoses and/or venous drainage of the tissue. Many different methods were used to overcome the problem. Despite these difficulties, good cosmetic and functional results were reported.These injuries are often caused by animal bites. Adequate wound care and the excellent local blood supply make immediate reconstruction after animal bites of the face a safe procedure. Other authors describing similar lesions and immediate repair have not reported the complication of wound infection.We report on a patient who suffered a dog bite with total avulsion of most of the left upper lip, cheek and left alar rim. Venous congestion was overcome by multiple needle punctures to drain blood from the outer surface of the flap and local of application of heparin. A good cosmetic result and the return of sensation and function of the orbicularis oris muscle were obtained

Does Traditional Academic Training in Visual Arts Support a Blending for the Future Artist in Using both New and Traditional Media?

The digital revolution has impacted the entirety of our lives, from how we interact with one another, to how we learn, and what we do in our careers. The world of art and art education specifically have been greatly impacted by digital technologies through the plethora of new art making tools and technologies. Over the course of history, the traditional academic mediums of drawing, painting, sculpture, and printmaking have been ever present in the art curriculum, from apprenticeships, to academies, to art schools. In addition to these academic art mediums, new art tools and technology have been gradually introduced into the curriculum as they have become increasingly present in the world. As new technologies have been introduced into society, education and specifically art education practices and curriculum have been re-evaluated to accomodate for the new media available. The current state of education has left art students yearning for a bigger digital presence, one that holds digital media at an equal level to the traditional media. Currently, the National Core Standards for Art Education have the visual arts and media arts separated. This separation is detrimental to student growth as it fosters a faction between the traditional and media arts. Perhaps, the solution to this problem is to create a new, more inclusive set of standards that allow for students to be exposed to both digital and traditional mediums from a young age in order to foster greater artistic development. Access to both types of media allows for students to expand their creative possibilities and utilize all types of media based on their needs. I demonstrated this idea through the creation and curation of a series of works titled “The Process: Blending Old and New.” This series demonstrates a blending of technology through the use of photos and photo editing applications to create a series of drawings and paintings done in the traditional style

Interaction and Modulation of Two Antagonistic Cell Wall Enzymes of Mycobacteria

Bacterial cell growth and division require coordinated cell wall hydrolysis and synthesis, allowing for the removal and expansion of cell wall material. Without proper coordination, unchecked hydrolysis can result in cell lysis. How these opposing activities are simultaneously regulated is poorly understood. In Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the resuscitation-promoting factor B (RpfB), a lytic transglycosylase, interacts and synergizes with Rpf-interacting protein A (RipA), an endopeptidase, to hydrolyze peptidoglycan. However, it remains unclear what governs this synergy and how it is coordinated with cell wall synthesis. Here we identify the bifunctional peptidoglycan-synthesizing enzyme, penicillin binding protein 1 (PBP1), as a RipA-interacting protein. PBP1, like RipA, localizes both at the poles and septa of dividing cells. Depletion of the ponA1 gene, encoding PBP1 in M. smegmatis, results in a severe growth defect and abnormally shaped cells, indicating that PBP1 is necessary for viability and cell wall stability. Finally, PBP1 inhibits the synergistic hydrolysis of peptidoglycan by the RipA-RpfB complex in vitro. These data reveal a post-translational mechanism for regulating cell wall hydrolysis and synthesis through protein–protein interactions between enzymes with antagonistic functions

The Induction of Meningeal Inflammation by Components of the Pneumococcal Cell Wall

Pneumococcal cell wall induces meningeal inflammation in rabbits injected intracisternally with >105 cell equivalents. Both of the major cell wall components, teichoic acid and peptidoglycan, contribute to this inflammatory activity although responses differ depending on the chemical nature, size, and complexity of these fractions. Challenge with teichoic acid (membrane or wall associated) results in greater inflammation at 5 hr than at 24 hr. Degraded teichoic acid is inactive. In contrast, the inflammation caused by whole cell wall or high-molecular-weight peptidoglycan-containing fractions increases in intensity from 5 to 24 hr. Peptidoglycan fractions lose activity at 24 hr when hydrolyzed to disaccharide-stem peptide moieties. Generation of free cell wall components in cerebrospinal fluid as, for example, during treatment with antibiotics that are bacteriolytic as well as bactericidal, could contribute to increased inflammation in the subarachnoid spac

Le Centre de Compétence en Chimie et Toxicologie Analytiques. The Centre of Competence in Analytic Chemistry and Toxicology (CCCTA)

This article presents concisely activities, goals and members of the Centre of Competence in Analytical Chemistry and Toxicology which was created recently in the Lake Geneva region

Autoantibodies against the N-Methyl-D-Aspartate receptor subunit NR1: Untangling apparent inconsistencies for clinical practice

This viewpoint review provides an integrative picture of seemingly contradictory work published on N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor 1 (NMDAR1) autoantibodies (AB). Based on the present state of knowledge, it gives recommendations for the clinical decision process regarding immunosuppressive treatment. Brain antigen-directed AB in general and NMDAR1-AB in particular belong to a preexisting autoimmune repertoire of mammals including humans. Specific autoimmune reactive B cells may get repeatedly (perhaps transiently) boosted by various potential stimulants (e.g., microbiome, infections, or neoplasms) plus less efficiently suppressed over lifespan (gradual loss of tolerance), likely explaining the increasing seroprevalence upon aging (>20% NMDAR1-AB in 80-year-old humans). Pathophysiological significance emerges (I) when AB-specific plasma cells settle in the brain and produce large amounts of brain antigen-directed AB intrathecally and/or (II) in conditions of compromised blood–brain barrier (BBB), for instance, upon injury, infection, inflammation, or genetic predisposition (APOE4 haplotype), which then allows substantial access of circulating AB to the brain. Regarding NMDAR1-AB, functional effects on neurons in vitro and elicitation of brain symptoms in vivo have been demonstrated for immunoglobulin (Ig) classes, IgM, IgA, and IgG. Under conditions of brain inflammation, intrathecal production and class switch to IgG may provoke high NMDAR1-AB (and other brain antigen-directed AB) levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum, causing the severe syndrome named “anti-NMDAR encephalitis,” which then requires immunosuppressive therapy on top of the causal encephalitis treatment (if available). However, negative CSF NMDAR1-AB results cannot exclude chronic effects of serum NMDAR1-AB on the central nervous system, since the brain acts as “immunoprecipitator,” particularly in situations of compromised BBB. In any case of suspected symptomatic consequences of circulating AB directed against brain antigens, leakiness of the BBB should be evaluated by CSF analysis (albumin quotient as proxy) and magnetic resonance imaging before considering immunosuppression

J Womens Health (Larchmt)

BackgroundWomen younger than 45 years old have lower rates of breast cancer, but higher risk of recurrence and mortality after a cancer diagnosis. African American women are at risk for early onset and increased mortality; Ashkenazi Jewish women are at risk for genetic mutations leading to breast and ovarian cancer. Although younger women are encouraged to talk to doctors about their family history, little is known about these discussions.Materials and MethodsIn 2015, 167 women aged 18\u201344 years participated in 20 focus groups segmented by geographic location, age, race/ethnicity, and family history of breast and ovarian cancer. Transcript data were analyzed using NVivo 10 software.ResultsAlthough the majority of women talked to their doctor about breast and ovarian cancer, these conversations were brief and unsatisfying due to a lack of detail. Topics included family history, breast cancer screening, and breast self-examination. Some women with and without family history reported that healthcare providers offered screening and early detection advice based on their inquiries. However, few women took action or changed lifestyle behaviors with the intent to reduce risk as a result of the conversations.ConclusionsConversations with young women revealed missed opportunities to: enhance patient-provider communication and increase knowledge about breast cancer screening and surveillance for higher risk patients. Physicians, allied health professionals, and the public health community can better assist women in getting accurate and timely information about breast and ovarian cancer, understanding their family history to determine risk, and increasing healthy behaviors.CC999999/Intramural CDC HHS/United States2018-08-03T00:00:00Z28472603PMC6074024vault:3062

Bacterial mechanosensitive channels : progress towards an understanding of their roles in cell physiology

Open Access funded by Wellcome Trust Under a Creative Commons license Thanks to all members of the Aberdeen group, collaborators and friends whose discussions have spurred the development of the MS channel field. Special thanks to Doug Rees, Diane Newman and Rob Phillips for their support and hospitality at Caltech. Unique insights have been provided by members of the Newman and Phillips research groups, particularly, Caj Neubauer, Gargi Kulkarni and Megan Bergkessel, Heun Jin Lee and Maja Bialecka-Fornal. The author's research on MS channels is supported by a grant from The Wellcome Trust (WT092552MA) and the BBSRC (BB/H017917/1). The author is a Leverhulme Emeritus Fellow and this work was supported in part by a CEMI Visiting Faculty Fellowship from Caltech.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Cholesterol Induces Specific Spatial and Orientational Order in Cholesterol/Phospholipid Membranes

In lipid bilayers, cholesterol facilitates the formation of the liquid-ordered phase and enables the formation of laterally ordered structures such as lipid rafts. While these domains have an important role in a variety of cellular processes, the precise atomic-level mechanisms responsible for cholesterol's specific ordering and packing capability have remained unresolved