Tissue holder for experimental and Demonstration Surgery

Development of device for holding anatomical tissues during operations is discussed. Device consists of plastic dish with hemispherical recess in center to hold excised eyes. Low vacuum applied to underside of recess insures holding of part

Eliminating helper phage from phage display

Phage display technology involves the display of proteins or peptides, as coat protein fusions, on the surface of a phage or phagemid particles. Using standard technology, helper phage are essential for the replication and assembly of phagemid particles, during library production and biopanning. We have eliminated the need to add helper phage by using 'bacterial packaging cell lines' that provide the same functions. These cell lines contain M13-based helper plasmids that express phage packaging proteins which assemble phagemid particles as efficiently as helper phage, but without helper phage contamination. This results in genetically pure phagemid particle preparations. Furthermore, by using constructs differing in the form of gene 3 that they contain, we have shown that the display, from a single library, can be modulated between monovalent (phagemid-like) and multivalent display (phage-like) without any further engineering. These packaging cells eliminate the use of helper phage from phagemid-based selection protocols; reducing the amount of technical preparation, facilitating automation, optimizing selections by matching display levels to diversity, and effectively using the packaged phagemid particles as means to transfer genetic information at an efficiency approaching 100%

Subsequent Ultrasonographic Non-Visualization of the Ovaries Is Hastened in Women with Only One Ovary Visualized Initially

Because the effects of age, menopausal status, weight and body mass index (BMI) on ovarian detectability by transvaginal ultrasound (TVS) have not been established, we determined their contributions to TVS visualization of the ovaries when one or both ovaries are visualized on the first ultrasound exam. A total of 29,877 women that had both ovaries visualized on their first exam were followed over 202,639 prospective TVS exams and 9703 women that had only one ovary visualized on their first exam were followed over 63,702 ultrasonography exams. All images were reviewed by a physician. While non-visualization of both ovaries increased with age in women selected on the basis of the visualization of only one ovary on their first ultrasound exam, one or both ovaries could be visualized in two out of every three women at 80 years of age and more than 50% of women over 80 years of age. At each age, more non-visualizations were associated with women that had only one ovary visualized on their first visit. Having only one ovary visualized on the first exam advanced non-visualizations by an average of ~10 years across all ages and by \u3e20 years in women under 40 years of age. Conclusions: Having only one ovary visualized on an initial ultrasound exam considerably hastens complete non-visualization for this population; however, in these women, ovaries can still be visualized well past menopause, and body habitus is not limiting to TVS ovarian imaging, thus TVS should be considered capable of capturing an ovarian image in two out of every three women at 80 years of age

Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Placental Insufficiency Results in Reduced Neuronal Complexity in the Rat Prefrontal Cortex

Prenatal Alcohol Exposure (PAE) can produce long-term neurodevelopmental deficits and impaired executive function. Alcohol exposure during gestation is associated with impaired fetal development caused by placental insufficiency. The impact following PAE and placental insufficiency (PI) remains unknown. Utilizing a three-dimensional (3D) Sholl analysis, we hypothesized that PAE+PI will result in decreased neuronal complexity within the frontal cortex, a region critical to executive functioning. Pregnant Long-Evans rats voluntarily drank 5% ethanol or saccharin water until embryonic day 18 (E18) to mimic moderate PAE. On E19, a laparotomy was performed to occlude the uterine artery for 60 minutes to induce PI. The pups delivered normally. At postnatal day 100 (P100), brains were extracted and Golgi-Cox stained. Coronal sections were imaged utilizing a Leica TCS SP8 Confocal microscope with z-stacking capabilities. A 3D Sholl analysis was conducted within Imaris software to assess variance in neural complexity between treatment groups. Analysis was completed with a 2-way ANOVA and t-test. Five PAE+PI and 5 control brains were collected. In the medial frontal cortex, 3 neurons were analyzed from each hemisphere. No statistical difference was noted between the two hemispheres, so the data was combined for each animal resulting in 6 neurons being analyzed. The proximal dendritic complexity was similar between groups. PAE+PI resulted in significantly diminished complexity more distal from the soma; at 80 mm the PAE+PI group had an average of 2.4 intersections while the control group had an average of 3.3 (p\u3c0.05). At 90 mm, the PAE+PI group continued to have fewer intersections compared to controls (1.8 vs. 2.6). This is the first study to investigate the dendritic complexity following PAE combined with PI within the frontal cortex. Given the importance of this region to executive function, this may provide insight into the long-term deficits that are observed and provide support for interventions

The importance of ST elevation in V2–4 ECG leads in athletes

Background Early repolarization in the anterior ECG leads (ERV2–4) is considered to be a sign of right ventricular (RV) remodeling, but its etiology and importance are unclear. Methods A total of 243 top-level endurance-trained athletes (ETA; 183 men and 60 women, weekly training hours: 15–20) and 120 leisure-time athletes (LTA; 71 men and 49 women, weekly training hours: 5–6) were investigated. The ERV2–4 sign was evaluated concerning type of sport, gender, transthoracic echocardiographic parameters, and ECG changes, which can indicate elevated RV systolic pressure [left atrium enlargement (LAE), right atrium enlargement (RAE), RV conduction defect (RVcd)]. Results Stroke volume and left ventricular mass were higher in ETAs vs. LTAs in both genders (p < 0.01). Prevalence of the ERV2–4 sign was significantly higher in men than in women [p = 0.000, odds ratio (OR) = 36.4] and in ETAs than in LTAs (p = 0.000). The highest ERV2–4 prevalence appeared in the most highly trained triathlonists and canoe and kayak paddlers (OR = 13.8 and 5.2, respectively). Within the ETA group, the post-exercise LAE, RAE, and RVcd changes developed more frequently in cases with than without ERV2–4 (LAE: men: p < 0.05, females: p < 0.005; RAE: men: p < 0.05, females: p < 0.005; RVcd: N.S.). These post-exercise appearing LAE, RAE, and RVcd are associated with the ERV2–4 sign (OR = 4.0, 3.7, and 3.8, respectively). Conclusions According to these results, ERV2–4 develops mainly in male ETAs due to long-lasting and repeated endurance training. The ERV2–4 sign indicates RV’s adaptation to maintain higher compensatory pulmonary pressure and flow during exercise but its danger regarding malignant arrhythmias is unclear

First identification of Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis sheep strain in Argentina

We here identified for the first time the presence of Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis (MAP) sheep (S) strain in Argentina. IS900 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was positive. The S strain was compared with MAP cattle (C) strains by using IS1311 PCR-restriction endonuclease analysis (PCR-REA), multiplex PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis.Fil: Traveria, Gabriel. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Departamento de Clinica. Centro de Diagnostico E Investigaciones Veterinarias; ArgentinaFil: Zumárraga, Martín José. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias. Centro de Investigación de Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Biotecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Etchechoury, Ignacio. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias. Centro de Investigación de Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Biotecnología; ArgentinaFil: Romano, Maria Isabel. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias. Centro de Investigación de Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Biotecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Cataldi, Angel Adrian. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias. Centro de Investigación de Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Biotecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Alvarado Pinedo, M. F.. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Departamento de Clinica. Centro de Diagnostico E Investigaciones Veterinarias; ArgentinaFil: Pavlik, I.. Veterinary Research Institute; República ChecaFil: Pribylova, R.. Veterinary Research Institute; República ChecaFil: Romero, J. R.. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Departamento de Clinica. Centro de Diagnostico E Investigaciones Veterinarias; Argentin

Probability of Fallopian Tube and Ovarian Detection with Transvaginal Ultrasonography in Normal Women

Objective: Some ovarian malignancies may originate in the fallopian tube. The feasibility of ultrasonographically visualizing the fallopian tube is presented. Methods: In total, 549 normal women participated in the fallopian tube visualization trial, while ovarian visualization was studied in 43,521. Chi-square analysis, t-tests and multivariate analysis determined significance and interactions. Results: Ovaries were observed in 82.7% while fallopian tubes were detected in 77.2% of women and 85.2% of the time when an ovary was detected. Age, BMI or parity was not significantly different when one or both fallopian tubes were visualized. Elevated BMI had slightly greater influence than age in limiting visualization of the fallopian tubes in multivariate analysis. Conclusion: Fallopian tubes can often be identified sonographically. Ovarian visualization provides the strongest indicator favoring fallopian tube detection. Thus, ultrasonographic examinations for adnexal cancer could include evaluation of fallopian tubes even in women \u3e 60 years and in women with BMI ≥ 25

Defining the gap between research and practice in public relations programme evaluation - towards a new research agenda

The current situation in public relations programme evaluation is neatly summarized by McCoy who commented that 'probably the most common buzzwords in public relations in the last ten years have been evaluation and accountability' (McCoy 2005, 3). This paper examines the academic and practitioner-based literature and research on programme evaluation and it detects different priorities and approaches that may partly explain why the debate on acceptable and agreed evaluation methods continues. It analyses those differences and proposes a research agenda to bridge the gap and move the debate forward