The prevention of infectious diseases in the optometric practice: A clinical survey

A survey regarding infectious disease control and awareness was sent to all practicing Hawaiian optometrists. The response rate was 51.45%. The survey addressed issues concerning current practices of infectious disease prevention in the optometric practice, attitudes and opinions .towards specific diseases and therapeutic pharmaceutical agents (TPA) legislation. The state of Hawaii was chosen due to its large immigrant population, and its geographic location

Relation between body condition score and conception rate of Japanese Black cows

Objective This study analyzes interactions of body condition score (BCS) with other factors and the effect of BCS on estimates of genetic paremeters of conception rate (CR) in Japanese Black cows. Methods Factors affecting CR were analyzed through the linear mixed model, and genetic parameters of CR were estimated through the threshold animal model. Results The interactions between BCS and each season and the number of artificial inseminations (AI) was significant (p<0.05), but that between BCS and parity showed no significance for CR. High CR was observed with BCS 3 in autumn (0.56±0.01) and BCS 4 in summer (0.56±0.02). The highest CR with BCS 3 (0.56±0.02) and BCS 4 (0.55 ±0.01) was observed at first AI. With BCS 5, however, the highest CR (0.55±0.08) was observed at second AI. Conclusion The model with BCS was notably conducive to the estimation of genetic parameters because of a low deviance information criterion of heritability that, nevertheless, was slightly lower than the model without BCS

Phytochemical study and evaluation of the antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity of Cuscuta racemosa

Cuscuta racemosa Mart. is a parasitic plant of the Convolvulaceae family, used in popular medicine as an anti-inflammatory and a diuretic, for stomach and hepatic disorders, and for treating fresh wounds. This plant is popularly known as "cipó-chumbo" and "fios-de-ovos". In this study, it was chemically investigated and tested for its antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity. The flavonoid and tannin content of the dried plant were 2.79% and 2.01%, respectively. Furthermore, the 4'-methoxyquercetin flavanoid compound was isolated from the ethanolic fraction. The minimum inhibiting concentration in the antimicrobial test was 2.0 mg/ml for Staphylococcus aureus, and a DL50 of 0.231 mg/mL was obtained in the cytotoxicity experiment. The fraction directed to alkaloids was able to eliminate 100% of the brine shrimp used for the test

Young Women With Acute Myocardial Infarction: Risk Prediction Model for 1-Year Hospital Readmission

Background Although young women ( aged ≤ 55 years) are at higher risk than similarly aged men for hospital readmission within 1 year after an acute myocardial infarction (AMI), no risk prediction models have been developed for them. The present study developed and internally validated a risk prediction model of 1-year post-AMI hospital readmission among young women that considered demographic, clinical, and gender-related variables. Methods We used data from the US Variation in Recovery: Role of Gender on Outcomes of Young AMI Patients (VIRGO) study (n = 2007 women), a prospective observational study of young patients hospitalized with AMI. Bayesian model averaging was used for model selection and bootstrapping for internal validation. Model calibration and discrimination were respectively assessed with calibration plots and area under the curve. Results Within 1-year post-AMI, 684 women (34.1%) were readmitted to the hospital at least once. The final model predictors included: any in-hospital complication, baseline perceived physical health, obstructive coronary artery disease, diabetes, history of congestive heart failure, low income ( &lt; $30,000 US), depressive symptoms, length of hospital stay, and race (White vs Black). Of the 9 retained predictors, 3 were gender-related. The model was well calibrated and exhibited modest discrimination (area under the curve = 0.66). Conclusions Our female-specific risk model was developed and internally validated in a cohort of young female patients hospitalized with AMI and can be used to predict risk of readmission. Whereas clinical factors were the strongest predictors, the model included several gender-related variables (ie, perceived physical health, depression, income level). However, discrimination was modest, indicating that other unmeasured factors contribute to variability in hospital readmission risk among younger women

High prevalence of bronchiectasis is linked to HTLV-1-associated inflammatory disease.

BACKGROUND: Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1), a retrovirus, is the causative agent of HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) and adult T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma (ATLL). The reported association with pulmonary disease such as bronchiectasis is less certain. METHODS: A retrospective case review of a HTLV-1 seropositive cohort attending a national referral centre. The cohort was categorised into HTLV-1 symptomatic patients (SPs) (ATLL, HAM/TSP, Strongyloidiasis and HTLV associated inflammatory disease (HAID)) and HTLV-1 asymptomatic carriers (ACs). The cohort was reviewed for diagnosis of bronchiectasis. RESULT: 34/246 ACs and 30/167 SPs had been investigated for respiratory symptoms by computer tomography (CT) with productive cough +/- recurrent chest infections the predominant indications. Bronchiectasis was diagnosed in one AC (1/246) and 13 SPs (2 HAID, 1 ATLL, 10 HAM/TSP) (13/167, RR 19.2 95 % CI 2.5-14.5, p = 0.004) with high resolution CT. In the multivariate analysis ethnicity (p = 0.02) and disease state (p < 0.001) were independent predictors for bronchiectasis. The relative risk of bronchiectasis in SPs was 19.2 (95 % CI 2.5-14.5, p = 0.004) and in HAM/TSP patients compared with all other categories 8.4 (95 % CI 2.7-26.1, p = 0.0002). Subjects not of African/Afro-Caribbean ethnicity had an increased prevalence of bronchiectasis (RR 3.45 95 % 1.2-9.7, p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Bronchiectasis was common in the cohort (3.4 %). Risk factors were a prior diagnosis of HAM/TSP and ethnicity but not HTLV-1 viral load, age and gender. The spectrum of HTLV-associated disease should now include bronchiectasis and HTLV serology should be considered in patients with unexplained bronchiectasis

Enhanced Tubulation of Liposome Containing Cardiolipin by MamY Protein from Magnetotactic Bacteria

Lipid tubules are of particular interest for many potential applications in nanotechnology. Among various lipid tubule fabrication techniques, the morphological regulation of membrane structure by proteins mimicking biological processes may provide the chances to form lipid tubes with highly tuned structures. Magnetotactic bacteria synthesize magnetosomes (a unique prokaryotic organelle comprising a magnetite crystal within a lipid envelope). MamY protein is previously identified as the magnetosome protein responsible for magnetosome vesicle formation and stabilization. Furthermore, MamY is shown in vitro liposome tubulation activity. In this study, the interaction of MamY and phospholipids is investigated by using a lipids-immobilized membrane strip and a peptide array. Here, the binding of MamY to the anionic phospholipid, cardiolipin, is found and enhanced liposome tubulation efficiency. The authors propose the interaction is responsible for recruiting and locating cardiolipin to elongate liposome in vitro. The authors also suggest a similar mechanism for the invagination site in magnetosomes vesicle formation, where the lipid itself contributes further to increasing the curvature. These findings are highly important to develop an effective biomimetic synthesis technique of lipid tubules and to elucidate the unique prokaryotic organelle formation in magnetotactic bacteria

A New Soldier-Producing Aphid Species, Pseudoregma baenzigeri, sp. nov., from Northern Thailand

Pseudoregma baenzigeri, sp. nov., is described from northern Thailand. This species forms dense, huge colonies on shoots of the bamboo Dendrocalamus sp., and produces many first-instar, pseudoscorpion-like soldiers. Alate sexuparae were found from the end of September to mid October. Two syrphids, Eupeodes sp. A (allied to E. confrater) and Dideoides chrysotoxoides, and the pyralid Dipha aphidivora were recorded as predators of P. baenzigeri. The aphids were also likely to be eaten by some rodents. The apterous adult, nymphs, soldier and alate sexupara of P. baenzigeri can be distinguished from those of the other congeners by the longer, conical ultimate rostral segment. A tentative key to the species of Pseudoregma living on bamboo is provided

Spontaneous hyaline cartilage regeneration can be induced in an osteochondral defect created in the femoral condyle using a novel double-network hydrogel

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Functional repair of articular osteochondral defects remains a major challenge not only in the field of knee surgery but also in tissue regeneration medicine. The purpose is to clarify whether the spontaneous hyaline cartilage regeneration can be induced in a large osteochondral defect created in the femoral condyle by means of implanting a novel double-network (DN) gel at the bottom of the defect.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Twenty-five mature rabbits were used in this study. In the bilateral knees of each animal, we created an osteochondral defect having a diameter of 2.4-mm in the medial condyle. Then, in 21 rabbits, we implanted a DN gel plug into a right knee defect so that a vacant space of 1.5-mm depth (in Group I), 2.5-mm depth (in Group II), or 3.5-mm depth (in Group III) was left. In the left knee, we did not apply any treatment to the defect to obtain the control data. All the rabbits were sacrificed at 4 weeks, and the gross and histological evaluations were performed. The remaining 4 rabbits underwent the same treatment as used in Group II, and real-time PCR analysis was performed at 4 weeks.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The defect in Group II was filled with a sufficient volume of the hyaline cartilage tissue rich in proteoglycan and type-2 collagen. The Wayne's gross appearance and histology scores showed that Group II was significantly greater than Group I, III, and Control (p < 0.012). The relative expression level of type-2 collagen, aggrecan, and SOX9 mRNAs was significantly greater in Group II than in the control group (p < 0.023).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This study demonstrated that spontaneous hyaline cartilage regeneration can be induced <it>in vivo </it>in an osteochondral defect created in the femoral condyle by means of implanting the DN gel plug at the bottom of the defect so that an approximately 2-mm deep vacant space was intentionally left in the defect. This fact has prompted us to propose an innovative strategy without cell culture to repair osteochondral lesions in the femoral condyle.</p