Intestinal parasites from public and private latrines and the harbour canal in Roman Period Ephesus, Turkey (1st c. BCE to 6th c. CE)

To improve our knowledge of the parasite species affecting the inhabitants of Roman period Asia Minor, we analysed faecal material from Ephesus, Turkey. Mineralised material from the drain from a private house latrine (3rd c. CE), sediment samples from the sewer drain of a public communal latrine (6th c. CE), and sediment from the harbour canal (ca. 1st c. BCE to ca. 6th c. CE) were studied for the presence of intestinal parasites. Samples were viewed by light microscopy for helminth eggs, and commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits were used to test for protozoal parasites that cause dysentery. Eggs of roundworm were found in the public latrine, whipworm in the house latrine, and both whipworm and roundworm in the harbour canal. Sequential sampling of the harbour core suggests that whipworm was by far the most common parasite throughout the Roman period, and there was no clear evidence for change in parasite species over the centuries. Whipworm and roundworm are both spread by the contamination of food and drink by human faeces. Despite the large number of travellers to Ephesus, as the capital of its province and a major port city in the Roman Empire, there was a surprising lack of diversity in parasite species found. This is especially apparent when we consider that ten species of intestinal parasite have been found across the Roman Empire. This is the first Roman site to be directly assessed for differences between infection in individuals using private latrines, public latrines, and mixed town effluent (in the harbour) at the same site.This research was supported by a doctoral award from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada [752-2016-2085] and a Tidmarsh Cambridge Scholarship from the Cambridge Commonwealth, European and International Trust and Trinity Hall Colleg

Dislocation structures and the role of grain boundaries in cyclically deformed Ni micropillars

Transmission electron microscopy and finite element-based dislocation simulations were combined to study the development of dislocation microstructures after cyclic deformation of single crystal and bicrystal Ni micropillars oriented for multi-slip. A direct correlation between large accumulation of plastic strain and the presence of dislocation cell walls in the single crystal micropillars was observed, while the presence of the grain boundary hampered the formation of wall-like structures in agreement with a smaller accumulated plastic strain. Automated crystallographic orientation and nanostrain mapping using transmission electron microscopy revealed the presence of lattice heterogeneities associated to the cell walls including long range elastic strain fields. By combining the nanostrain mapping with an inverse modelling approach, information about dislocation density, line orientation and Burgers vector direction was derived, which is not accessible otherwise in such dense dislocation structures. Simulations showed that the image forces associated with the grain boundary in this specific bicrystal configuration have only a minor influence on dislocation behavior. Thus, the reduced occurrence of “mature” cell walls in the bicrystal can be attributed to the available volume, which is too small to accommodate cell structures

Ga-68-PSMA ligand PET/CT in patients with prostate cancer: How we review and report

Recently, positron emission tomography (PET) imaging using PSMA-ligands has gained high attention as a promising new radiotracer in patients with prostate cancer (PC). Several studies promise accurate staging of primary prostate cancer and restaging after biochemical recurrence with Ga-68-PSMA ligand Positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT). However, prospective trials and clinical guidelines for this new technique are still missing. Therefore, we summarized our experience with Ga-68-PSMA ligand PET/CT examinations in patients with primary PC and biochemical recurrence. It focuses on the technical and logistical aspects of Ga-68-PSMA ligand PET/CT examination as well as on the specific background for image reading discussing also potential pitfalls. Further, it includes relevant issues on free-text as well as structured reporting used in daily clinical routine

Association between cognitive performance and cortical glucose metabolism in patients with mild Alzheimer's disease

Background: Neuronal and synaptic function in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is measured in vivo by glucose metabolism using positron emission tomography (PET). Objective: We hypothesized that neuronal activation as measured by PET is a more sensitive index of neuronal dysfunction than activity during rest. We investigated if the correlations between dementia severity as measured with the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and glucose metabolism are an artifact of brain atrophy. Method: Glucose metabolism was measured using {[}F-18]fluorodeoxyglucose PET during rest and activation due to audiovisual stimulation in 13 mild to moderate AD patients (MMSE score >= 17). PET data were corrected for brain atrophy. Results: In the rest condition, glucose metabolism was correlated with the MMSE score primarily within the posterior cingulate and parietal lobes. For the activation condition, additional correlations were within the primary and association audiovisual areas. Most local maxima remained significant after correcting for brain atrophy. Conclusion: PET activity measured during audiovisual stimulation was more sensitive to functional alterations in glucose metabolism in AD patients compared to the resting PET. The association between glucose metabolism and MMSE score was not dependent on brain atrophy. Copyright (C) 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel

Screening of Vietnamese medicinal plants for NF-κB signaling inhibitors: Assessing the activity of flavonoids from the stem bark of Oroxylum indicum

AbstractEthnopharmacological relevanceSeventeen plants used in Vietnamese traditional medicine for the treatment of inflammatory disorders were screened for NF-κB inhibitory activity. Oroxylum indicum, which exhibited activity, was investigated in detail.Materials and methodsForty plant extracts from 17 species were prepared by maceration using dichloromethane and methanol and were tested (10µg/mL) to evaluate their ability to inhibit NF-κB activation using TNF-α-stimulated HEK-293 cells stably transfected with a NF-κB-driven luciferase reporter. The active extract of Oroxylum indicum was subsequently fractionated by different chromatographic techniques. After isolation, all single compounds were identified by spectroscopic methods and assessed for NF-κB inhibitory effects.ResultsThe dichloromethane extracts obtained from Chromolaena odorata leaves and the stem bark of Oroxylum indicum showed distinct inhibitory effects on NF-κB activation at a concentration of 10µg/mL. The active extract of Oroxylum indicum was subjected to further phytochemical studies resulting in identification of four flavonoid aglyca and six flavonoid glycosides. Pharmacological evaluation of the obtained compounds identified oroxylin A as the most active substance (IC50=3.9µM, 95% CI: 3.5–4.4µM), while chrysin and hispidulin showed lower activity with IC50=7.2µM (95% CI: 6.0–8.8µM) and 9.0µM (95% CI: 7.9–10.2µM), respectively. Interestingly, in this study the activity of baicalein (IC50=28.1µM, 95% CI: 24.6–32.0µM) was weak. The isolated glycosides showed no inhibitory activity when tested at a concentration of 30µM. Quantification of the four active flavonoids in extracts and plant materials suggested that oroxylin A contributes to the NF-κB inhibitory activity of the stem barks of Oroxylum indicum to a greater extent than baicalein which was thought to be responsible for the anti-inflammatory activity of this plant.ConclusionsThe screening presented in this study identified the dichloromethane extracts of Chromolaena odorata and Oroxylum indicum as promising sources for NF-κB inhibitors. Hispidulin, baicalein, chrysin and oroxylin A, isolated from Oroxylum indicum, were identified as inhibitors of NF- κB activation

Nanoglass–Nanocrystal Composite - a Novel Material Class for Enhanced Strength–Plasticity Synergy

The properties of a material can be engineered by manipulating its atomic and chemical architecture. Nanoglasses which have been recently invented and comprise nanosized glassy particles separated by amorphous interfaces, have shown promising properties. A potential way to exploit the structural benefits of nanoglasses and of nanocrystalline materials is to optimize the composition to obtain crystals forming within the glassy particles. Here, a metastable Fe‐10 at% Sc nanoglass is synthesized. A complex hierarchical microstructure is evidenced experimentally at the atomic scale. This bulk material comprises grains of a Fe$_{90}$Sc$_{10}$ amorphous matrix separated by an amorphous interfacial network enriched and likely stabilized by hydrogen, and property‐enhancing pure‐Fe nanocrystals self‐assembled within the matrix. This composite structure leads a yield strength above 2.5 GPa with an exceptional quasi‐homogeneous plastic flow of more than 60% in compression. This work opens new pathways to design materials with even superior properties