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Introduction: Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) can be used to assess language and memory function as part of pre-surgical decision making in refractory epilepsy. Although language paradigms are well established, memory paradigms are not widely used in clinical practice due to a lack of evidence for robust and reliable methods. Here, we aim to investigate the clinical utility of the Home Town Walk (HTW) paradigm for personalized treatment decisions in medial temporal lobe epilepsy. Methods: A cohort of 123 consecutive patients having HTW-fMRI as part of routine MRI scans over a 7.5 year period were included in this retrospective study. Of these, 111 patients underwent repeated HTW-fMRI in two scanning sessions one to three days apart. fMRI analysis was performed at the time of the scans using clinically approved software and retrospectively validated using FSL. We assessed the test-retest within subject reliability of activations within the posterior parahippocampal gyri (pPHG) at the individual subject level. Results and discussion: Activations within the pPHG region were observed for 101 patients (91%) in at least one of the fMRI sessions and for 88 patients (79%) in both fMRI sessions, with 82 patients showing overlapping unilateral or bilateral activations and 8 further patients showing overlapping activations in one of the hemispheres but not the other. Reproducibility was evaluated using metrics based on the concordance ratios for size (Rsize) and location (Roverlap) within the pPHG region, as well as the lateralization index (LI) metric to reflect the asymmetry of hemispheric activations, which is of crucial relevance to inform surgery. Test-retest reliability of visuospatial memory LIs, assessed by an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) yielded a value of 0.76, indicating excellent between session stability of memory lateralization. Conclusion: The HTW-fMRI paradigm shows reproducible activations in the medial temporal lobes of individual epilepsy patients sufficient to consistently lateralize visuospatial memory function, demonstrating the clinical utility of HTW memory fMRI and its potential for application in the pre-surgical assessment of people with temporal lobe epilepsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Offshore wind energy deployment in the U.S. is expected to increase in the years to come, with proposed wind farm sites located in regions with high risk for tropical cyclones. Yet, the wind turbine design criteria outlined by the International Electrotechnical Commission for extreme events may not account for wind field characteristics unique to tropical cyclones. To evaluate if current design standards capture the extreme conditions of these storms, we perform idealized large‐eddy simulations of five tropical cyclones (two Category 1, two Category 2 (Cat‐2), and one Category 3 (Cat‐3) storms) using the Weather Research and Forecasting model. Wind conditions near the eyewall of Cat‐1, Cat‐2, and Cat‐3 storms can exceed current design standards for offshore wind turbines. Winds at 90 m can be faster than outlined in the design criteria for Class I and Class T turbines for 50‐year recurrence periods. Wind speed shear across the turbine rotor layer is also larger than assumed in design specifications. Moreover, vertical variations in wind direction across the turbine rotor layer are large for tropical cyclones of all intensity levels, suggesting design standards should include veer, which can amplify loads in wind turbines. The existence of hurricane wind field characteristics that are not represented in design standards does not imply that damage or failure will certainly occur. Engineering safety factors incorporated in the design of the turbine's blades and structural components may prevent damage from occurring. Plain Language Summary: As offshore wind deployment increases, wind turbines will be built in regions where tropical cyclones can occur (e.g., Gulf of Mexico). However, wind turbine design standards for extreme weather events may underestimate the severe wind conditions in tropical cyclones. We perform high‐fidelity numerical simulations of Category 1, Category 2, and Category 3 storms to compare wind conditions in tropical cyclones with wind turbine design criteria. We find wind conditions in high‐intensity storms can be more severe than expected. Wind speed at turbine heights can be faster and more turbulent than as outlined in the wind models used for wind turbine design. Furthermore, tropical storms evidence large wind veer, which is not accounted for in wind turbine design standards. Key Points: Simulations of tropical cyclones illustrate the extreme wind conditions that wind turbines may encounter during extreme stormsWind speed shear, wind veer, and gusts during tropical cyclones have characteristics not included in offshore wind turbine design standardsRotor‐layer wind statistics, extracted from high‐fidelity simulation data, support the need to re‐visit wind turbine design standards [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim was to describe the profile of death due to Respiratory System Diseases (RSD) in Goiás and its health macro-regions, from 2010 to 2019. This is a descriptive cross-sectional study using data from the Mortality Information System to calculate the Specific Death Rate (SDR). The profile was evaluated regarding sex, age group, month, year of death and category of CID10.There were 45,681 deaths in the state (650.88/100,000 pop.), 38.22% in the midwest. The male gender had 53.03% of deaths. Among the causes, 43.49% were due to pneumonia and 43.10% chronic diseases of the lower airways. There was an increase of 19.71% in SDR in the period and the higher rates occurred in the months of april, october and may. The mortality increased with age. In conclusion, incentives for health promotion, prevention and surveillance actions can help in a decrease in SDR in the state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monochromators for synchrotron radiation beamlines typically use perfect crystals for the hard X-ray regime and gratings for soft X-rays. There is an intermediate range, typically 1-3 keV (tender X-rays), which common perfect crystals have difficulties covering and gratings have low efficiency, although some less common crystals with high d-spacing could be suitable. To evaluate the suitability of these crystals for a particular beamline, it is useful to evaluate the crystals' performance using tools such as ray-tracing. However, simulations for double-crystal monochromators are only available for the most used crystals such as Si, Ge or diamond. Here, an upgrade of the SHADOW ray-tracing code and complementary tools in the OASYS suite are presented to simulate high dspacing crystals with arbitrary, and sometimes complex, structures such as beryl, YB66, muscovite, etc. Isotropic and anisotropic temperature factors are also considered. The YB66 crystal with 1936 atomic sites in the unit cell is simulated, and its applicability for tender X-ray monochromators is discussed in the context of new low-emittance storage rings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comprehensive investigation has been carried out into the concentrations of a range of REEs (neodymium Nd, cerium Ce, lanthanum La, yttrium Y, scandium Sc) in soils of vineyards belonging to the protected denomination of origin (PDO) Valdepeñas (Central Spain). The mean concentrations (expressed in mg kg−1) are Ce 70.6, Nd 32.9, La 36.2, Y 21.6, and Sc 13.7 in surface horizons (Ap), while in subsurface horizons (Bt or Bw and some Ck), the values are Ce 67.6, Nd 31.8, La 34.4, Y 19.6, and Sc 13.9. The relative abundance in these soils is Ce > La > Nd > Y > Sc in both the surface and subsurface horizons. These values are close to, or slightly higher than, the regional levels but similar to national and global averages, although relatively high values have been detected at certain sampling points. Another aim was to explain the spatial variations in these elements within the territory under study. It was found that the spatial variations are due to the nature of the parent materials and the pedogenetic processes, although the sparse spatial distribution patterns with prominent anomalies are interpreted arising from anthropogenic sources (fertilization). However, these anomalies did not present any environmental risk in the studied zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the photocatalytic activity of nanocomposites based on θ-phase alumina (Al2O3) with different TiO2 concentrations for heterogeneous photocatalysis and biodestruction of pathogenic microorganisms under action of LED radiation with a wavelength of 405 nm. It is found that all studied nanocomposites have photocatalytic activity. The maximum antibacterial activity (a decrease in the CFU of Staphylococcus aureus 209 P to 86%) is observed for composites with a TiO2 concentration of 8 wt %, which allows us to recommend this nanomaterial as a promising antimicrobial coating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the urgent need for action to reduce the environmental impact of gastrointestinal endoscopy, which is a resource-intensive activity contributing significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and waste production in healthcare. The main objectives are to raise awareness, reduce the ecological footprint, and become a Green-endoscopy organization. The article suggests various methods to achieve these goals, such as waste sorting, reducing paper usage, minimizing plastic and sterile water consumption, and adopting a more selective approach to procedures and accessories. The results of implementing some of these measures, such as reducing plastic consumption and improving referral procedures and colonoscopy preparation, are also highlighted. The article concludes by emphasizing the importance of evidence-based decision-making to avoid unintended consequences. [Extracted from the article]

Molecular motor gliding motility assays based on myosin/actin or kinesin/microtubules are of interest for nanotechnology applications ranging from cargo-trafficking in lab-on-a-chip devices to novel biocomputation strategies. Prototype systems are typically monitored by expensive and bulky fluorescence microscopy systems. The development of integrated, direct electric detection of single filaments would strongly benefit applications and scale-up. We present estimates for the viability of such a detector by calculating the electrostatic potential change generated at a carbon nanotube transistor by a motile actin filament or microtubule under realistic gliding assay conditions. We combine this with detection limits based on previous state-of-the-art experiments using carbon nanotube transistors to detect catalysis by a bound lysozyme molecule and melting of a bound short-strand DNA molecule. Our results show that detection should be possible for both actin and microtubules using existing low ionic strength buffers given good device design, e.g., by raising the transistor slightly above the guiding channel floor. We perform studies as a function of buffer ionic strength, height of the transistor above the guiding channel floor, presence/absence of the casein surface passivation layer for microtubule assays and the linear charge density of the actin filaments/microtubules. We show that detection of microtubules is a more likely prospect given their smaller height of travel above the surface, higher negative charge density and the casein passivation, and may possibly be achieved with the nanoscale transistor sitting directly on the guiding channel floor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Predicting postoperative complications and mortality is important to plan the surgical strategy. Different scores have been proposed before to predict them but none of them have been yet implemented into the routine clinical practice because their difficulties and low accuracy with new surgical strategies and enhanced recovery. The main aim of this study is to identify risk factors for postoperative morbidity and mortality after colonic resection (CR) without protective stomas, in order to develop a comprehensive, up-to-date, simple, reliable, and applicable model for the preoperative assessment of patients with colon cancer. Methods: Multivariable analysis was performed to identify risk factors for 60-day morbidity and mortality. Coefficients derived from the regression model were used in the nomograms to predict morbidity and mortality. Results: Three thousand one hundred ninety-three patients from 52 hospitals were included into the analysis. Sixty-day postoperative complications rate was 28.3% and the mortality rate was 3%. In multivariable analysis the independent risk factors for postoperative complications were age, male gender, liver and pulmonary diseases, obesity, preoperative albumin, anticoagulant treatment, open surgery, intraoperative complications, and urgent surgery. Independent risk factors for mortality were age, preoperative albumin anticoagulant treatment, and intraoperative complications. Conclusions: Risk factors for morbidity and mortality after CR for cancer were identified and two easy predictive tools were developed. Both of them could provide important information for preoperative consultation and surgical planning in the time of enhance recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Advances in intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) measurement have enabled better monitoring and physiological manipulation of patients with intra-abdominal hypertension or abdominal compartment syndrome. This study aimed to determine the correlation between transvesical (TV), transgastric (TG) and direct transperitoneal (TP) IAP monitoring at different IAPs in porcine models. Objectives. To assess the statistical agreement between TV, TG and TP pressure monitoring in a pneumoperitoneum and an intestinal obstruction intra-abdominal hypertension model at different IAPs. Methods. Fifty-nine pigs were divided into six groups: a control group (Cr; n=5), three pneumoperitoneum groups at pressures of 20 mmHg, 30 mmHg, and 40 mmHg (Pn20, Pn30, Pn40; n=40), and two intestinal-occlusion groups at pressures of 20 mmHg and 30 mmHg (Oc20, Oc30; n=14). IAP was simultaneously measured in each pig using the three methods at different times. The control group did not have any intervention to increase the IAP. Intra-class correlation was used to assess agreement between the methods. Results. At pressures >20 mmHg, all three methods showed good correlation with each other (Pn20=0.87; Pn30=0.96; Pn40=0.88; Oc20=0.69; Oc30=0.86). Correlation between TP and TG (Cr=0.0; Pn20=0.85; Pn30=0.94; Pn40=0.90; Oc20=0.78; Oc30=0.78); TP and TV (Cr=0.0; Pn20=0.83; Pn30=0.95; Pn40=0.86; Oc20=0.59; Oc30=0.88); and importantly between TV and TG (Cr=0.0; Pn20=0.95; Pn30=0.98; Pn40=0.88; Oc20=0.69; Oc30=0.91) was good. Conclusion. All three measurement methods showed good correlation at pressures >20 mmHg and were unaffected by the type of IAP model. These results suggest that either transvesical or transgastric pressure measurements can be used for IAP measurement when TP pressures are >20 mmHg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

X-ray imaging crystal spectrometers with high spectral and spatial resolution are currently being used on magnetically confined fusion devices to infer the time history profiles of ion and electron temperatures as well as plasma flow velocities. The absolute measurement of flow velocities is important for optimizing various discharge scenarios and evaluating the radial electric field in tokamak and stellarator plasmas. Recent studies indicate that the crystal temperature must be kept constant to within a fraction of a degree to avoid changes of the interplanar 2d-spacing by thermal expansion that cause changes in the Bragg angle, which could be misinterpreted as Doppler shifts. For the instrumental parameters of the x-ray crystal spectrometer on Alcator C-Mod, where those thermal effects were investigated, a change of the crystal temperature by 1 °C causes a change of the lattice spacing of the order of Δd = 1 × 10−5 Å introducing a fictitious velocity drift of the order of ∼3 km s−1. This effect must be considered for x-ray imaging crystals spectrometers installed on LHD, KSTAR, EAST, J-TEXT, NSTX and, in the future, W7-X and ITER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lipase produced by Burkholderia glumae folds spontaneously into an inactive near-native state and requires a periplasmic chaperone to reach its final active and secretion-competent fold. The B. glumae lipase-specific foldase (Lif) is classified as a member of the steric-chaperone family of which the propeptides of α-lytic protease and subtilisin are the best known representatives. Steric chaperones play a key role in conferring kinetic stability to proteins. However, until present there was no solid experimental evidence that Lif-dependent lipases are kinetically trapped enzymes. By combining thermal denaturation studies with proteolytic resistance experiments and the description of distinct folding intermediates, we demonstrate that the native lipase has a kinetically stable conformation. We show that a newly discovered molten globule-like conformation has distinct properties that clearly differ from those of the near-native intermediate state. The folding fingerprint of Lif-dependent lipases is put in the context of the protease-prodomain system and the comparison reveals clear differences that render the lipase-Lif systems unique. Limited proteolysis unveils structural differences between the near-native intermediate and the native conformation and sets the stage to shed light onto the nature of the kinetic barrier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on the development and characterization of a zirconium Kα imager for high energy density physics research. The imager consists of a spherically bent quartz crystal operating at 15.7 keV photon energy. We compare the performance of the imager in terms of integrated reflectivity (Rint) and temperature dependent collection efficiency (ηTe) to that of the widely used Cu Kα imager. Our collisional-radiative simulations show that the new imager can be reliably used up to 250 eV plasma temperature. Monte Carlo simulations show that for a 25 μm thick tracer layer of zirconium, the contribution to Kα production from photo-pumping is only 2%. We present, for the first time, 2D spatially resolved images of zirconium plasmas generated by a high intensity short pulse laser interacting with Zr solid targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quick thrusts or pushes do appear in a number of engineering situations which are usually modeled by means of delta generalizad functions. Some of these may be properly manipulated with computer algebraic systems such as Mathematica. The aim of this note is showing how this may be carried out in a number of specific examples corresponding to some dynamic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The realization that folding free energy barriers can be small enough to result in significant population of the species at the barrier top has sprouted in several methods to estimate folding barriers from equilibrium experiments. Some of these approaches are based on fitting the experimental thermogram measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to a one-dimensional representation of the folding free-energy surface (FES). Different physical models have been used to represent the FES: (1) a Landau quartic polynomial as a function of the total enthalpy, which acts as an order parameter; (2) the projection onto a structural order parameter (i.e.number of native residues or native contacts) of the free energy of all the conformations generated by Ising-like statistical mechanical models; and (3) mean-field models that define conformational entropy and stabilization energy as functions of a continuous local order parameter. The fundamental question that emerges is how can we obtain robust, model-independent estimates of the thermodynamic folding barrier from the analysis of DSC experiments. Here we address this issue by comparing the performance of various FES models in interpreting the thermogram of a protein with a marginal folding barrier. We chose the small α-helical protein PDD, which folds–unfolds in microseconds crossing a free energy barrier previously estimated as ∼1 RT. The fits of the PDD thermogram to the various models and assumptions produce FES with a consistently small free energy barrier separating the folded and unfolded ensembles. However, the fits vary in quality as well as in the estimated barrier. Applying Bayesian probabilistic analysis we rank the fit performance using a statistically rigorous criterion that leads to a global estimate of the folding barrier and its precision, which for PDD is 1.3 ± 0.4 kJ mol−1. This result confirms that PDD folds over a minor barrier consistent with the downhill folding regime. We have further validated the multi-model Bayesian approach through the analysis of two additional protein systems: gpW, a midsize single-domain with α + β topology that also folds in microseconds and has been previously catalogued as a downhill folder, and α-spectrin SH3, a domain of similar size but with a β-barrel fold, slow-folding kinetics and two-state-like thermodynamics. From a general viewpoint, the Bayesian analysis developed here results in a statistically robust, virtually model-independent, method to estimate the thermodynamic free-energy barriers to protein folding from DSC thermograms. Our method appears to be sufficiently accurate to consistently detect small differences in the barrier height, and thus opens up the possibility of characterizing experimentally the changes in thermodynamic folding barriers induced by single-point mutations on proteins within the downhill regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper shows the combined use of remotely sensed data and hydraulic geometry methods as an alternative to rainfall-runoff models. Hydraulic geometric data and boolean images of water sheets obtained from satellite images after storm events were integrated in a Geographical Information System. Channel cross-sections were extracted from a high resolution Digital Terrain Model (DTM) and superimposed on the image cover to estimate the peak flow using HEC-RAS. The proposed methodology has been tested in ephemeral channels (ramblas) on the coastal zone in south-eastern Spain. These fluvial systems constitute an important natural hazard due to their high discharges and sediment loads. In particular, different areas affected by floods during the period 1997 to 2009 were delimited through HEC-GeoRAs from hydraulic geometry data and Landsat images of these floods (Landsat-TM5 and Landsat-ETM+7). Such an approach has been validated against rainfall-surface runoff models (SCS Dimensionless Unit Hydrograph, SCSD, Témez gamma HU Tγ and the Modified Rational method, MRM) comparing their results with flood hydrographs of the Automatic Hydrologic Information System (AHIS) in several ephemeral channels in the Murcia Region. The results obtained from the method providing a better fit were used to calculate different hydraulic geometry parameters, especially in residual flood areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein physicochemical properties must undergo complex changes during evolution, as a response to modifications in the organism environment, the result of the proteins taking up new roles or because of the need to cope with the evolution of molecular interacting partners. Recent work has emphasized the role of stability and stability–function trade-offs in these protein adaptation processes. In the present study, on the other hand, we report that combinations of a few conservative, high-frequency-of-fixation mutations in the thioredoxin molecule lead to largely independent changes in both stability and the diversity of catalytic mechanisms, as revealed by single-molecule atomic force spectroscopy. Furthermore, the changes found are evolutionarily significant, as they combine typically hyperthermophilic stability enhancements with modulations in function that span the ranges defined by the quite different catalytic patterns of thioredoxins from bacterial and eukaryotic origin. These results suggest that evolutionary protein adaptation may use, in some cases at least, the potential of conservative mutations to originate a multiplicity of evolutionarily allowed mutational paths leading to a variety of protein modulation patterns. In addition the results support the feasibility of using evolutionary information to achieve protein multi-feature optimization, an important biotechnological goal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is now routinely used to map the topographic organization of human visual cortex. Mapping the detailed topography of somatosensory cortex, however, has proven to be more difficult. Here we used the increased blood-oxygen-level-dependent contrast-to-noise ratio at ultra-high field (7 Tesla) to measure the topographic representation of the digits in human somatosensory cortex at 1 mm isotropic resolution in individual subjects. A "traveling wave" paradigm was used to locate regions of cortex responding to periodic tactile stimulation of each distal phalangeal digit. Tactile stimulation was applied sequentially to each digit of the left hand from thumb to little finger (and in the reverse order). In all subjects, we found an orderly map of the digits on the posterior bank of the central sulcus (postcentral gyrus). Additionally, we measured event-related responses to brief stimuli for comparison with the topographic mapping data and related the fMRI responses to anatomical images obtained with an inversion-recovery sequence. Our results have important implications for the study of human somatosensory cortex and underscore the practical utility of ultra-high field functional imaging with 1 mm isotropic resolution for neuroscience experiments. First, topographic mapping of somatosensory cortex can be achieved in 20 min, allowing time for further experiments in the same session. Second, the maps are of sufficiently high resolution to resolve the representations of all five digits and third, the measurements are robust and can be made in an individual subject. These combined advantages will allow somatotopic fMRI to be used to measure the representation of digits in patients undergoing rehabilitation or plastic changes after peripheral nerve damage as well as tracking changes in normal subjects undergoing perceptual learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The calculation for the optics of the synchrotron radiation small and wide angle x-ray scattering beamline, currently under construction at SESAME is described. This beamline is based on a cylindrically bent germanium (111) single crystal with an asymmetric cut of 10.5°, followed by a 1.2 m long rhodium coated plane mirror bent into a cylindrical form. The focusing properties of bent asymmetrically cut crystals have not yet been studied in depth. The present paper is devoted to study of a particular application of a bent asymmetrically cut crystal using ray tracing simulations with the SHADOW code. These simulations show that photon fluxes of order of 1.09×1011 photons/s will be available at the experimental focus at 8.79 keV. The focused beam dimensions will be 2.2 mm horizontal full width at half maximum (FWHM) by 0.12 mm vertical (FWHM). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Résumé  Le phénomène d’érosion des vases sous l’action d’un courant est abordé expérimentalement. Cette étude comporte six séries d’essais d’érosion réalisées en laboratoire sur une vase de Loire pour six concentrations différentes. Pour chaque concentration, trois essais successifs ont été effectués afin de pouvoir analyser les résultats statistiquement. La rigidité initiale et la concentration des vases sont mesurées en suivant un protocole d’essai. Des lois phénoménologiques sont proposées pour relier le taux d’érosion mesuré à la rigidité initiale du sédiment et à la contrainte hydrodynamique. Un piège à sédiments intégré dans le dispositif d’essai, permet d’obtenir un échantillon de matériau érodé. La taille des copeaux de vase érodés et leur densité sont mesurées grâce à une technique expérimentale originale. Une expression mathématique est ainsi avancée pour relier la taille des copeaux à la densité et à la rigidité initiale du dépôt dont ils proviennent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A review of the paper "Reconstructing Glacier-Based Climates of LGM Europe and Russia -- Part 3: Comparison With GCM and Pollen-Based Climate Reconstructions," by R. Allen and colleagues is presented. It is indicated that in order to reliably predict future climatic change, the study tests the ability of GCM models to reconstruct the Last Glacial Maximum temperatures in Europe and Russia. The author thinks that the report deserves publication but only if the researchers consider the problem of the chronology associated with pollen sites and glaciers.

In this paper we investigate the surface spin polarization in a 100 nm Co2Cr0.6Fe0.4Al film grown ex situ epitaxially on MgO(1 0 0) with a 10 nm Fe buffer layer by means of spin-resolved photoemission. We show that a careful in situ preparation of the sample surface leads to values for the room temperature spin polarization up to 45% at the Fermi level. To our knowledge, this is the highest value measured so far at the surface region of a full Heusler alloy at room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on reduction or elimination of alcohol marketing strategies has directed toward children and adolescents should be a major global health priority. Topics include the documented in the literature that the alcohol industry's marketing practices drive the rise in alcohol consumption by minors, and the alcohol advertising exposure increases the likelihood of drinking initiation among adolescents.

Abstract  The soil microbial biomass survives as a largely dormant population for long periods without fresh substrates, depending for growth upon a rapid uptake of substrates when they become available. Currently, little investigation has been made into the mechanisms involved in the transition from dormancy to activity. We found that additions of trace amounts of different simple and complex substrates (glutamic acid, amino acids mixture, glucose, protein hydrolysates, carbohydrates, compost extract), even at very low application rates (5-μg C g−1 soil), caused an immediate and significant activation (measured as increased CO2-C evolved) of the soil microbial biomass. The different substrates caused different intensities of respiration response, which were related to the substrates’ composition, complexity, and degradability. The difference between the CO2-C evolved from the amended soil minus that evolved from a similarly incubated but non-amended soil ranged from 80 to 160% of the humified carbon C added as substrate, with most of the substrates causing a positive priming effect, in agreement with previous findings. The activation ended after 5–70 h, depending on the substrate, but the microbial biomass could be reactivated with further additions. It seems that the microbial biomass first responds to traces of substrate by increasing its metabolic activity in anticipation of a larger ‘food event’. Overall, these results indicate that soil micro-organisms have evolved metabolic and physiological strategies that allow them to survive and growth in the generally poor-substrate soil environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Minor components of virgin olive oil (VOO) may play a key role in the beneficial effects of VOO on atherosclerosis. In the present study we evaluated the influence of the unsaponifiable fraction of VOO on the production of eicosanoids and nitric oxide (NO) by endothelial cells (HUVECs). Triglyceride-rich lipoprotein (TRLs) were isolated from human serum after the intake of meals enriched in 3 high-oleic acid oils, i.e., high-oleic sunflower (HOSO), VOO, or enriched-virgin olive (EVO) oils, the last-mentioned containing 2.4% of unsaponifiable matter. HOSO induced a greater accumulation of triglycerides (TGs) in the postprandial serum than VOO or EVO, as measured by calculating the area under the curve. The incubation with TRLs increased NO release by endothelial cells compared with untreated control cells, but the effects of the various TRLs did not differ. EVO-derived TRLs reduced the production of prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) and thromboxane B(2) (TxB(2)) (the stable metabolite of TxA(2)) compared with VOO- or HOSO-derived TRLs. The release of PGI(2) (as 6-keto PGF(1alpha)) was similarly diminished by all TRLs compared with the control. In conclusion, the unsaponifiable fraction of VOO does not affect postprandial triglyceridemia, but it has favorable effects on endothelial function, mainly by reducing proinflammatory and vasoconstrictor eicosanoid synthesis (PGE(2) and TxB(2)). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of instrumental examinations in headache patients varies widely. In order to evaluate their usefulness, the most common instrumental procedures were evaluated, on the basis of evidence from the literature, by an EFNS Task Force (TF) on neurophysiological tests and imaging procedures in non-acute headache patients. The conclusions of the TF regarding each technique are expressed in the following guidelines for clinical use. Although many of the examinations described are of little or no value in the clinical setting, most of the tools have a vast potential for further exploring the pathophysiology of headaches and the effects of pharmacological treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multicentre phase II trial was undertaken to evaluate the activity and toxicity of docetaxel plus cisplatin as first-line chemotherapy in patients with urothelial cancer. Thirty-eight patients with locally advanced or metastatic transitional-cell carcinoma of the bladder, renal pelvis or ureter received the combination of docetaxel 75 mg m(-2) and cisplatin 75 mg m(-2) on day 1 and repeated every 21 days, to a maximum of six cycles. The median delivered dose-intensity was 98% (range 79-102%) of the planned dose for both drugs. There were seven complete responses and 15 partial responses, for and overall response rate of 58% (95% CI, 41-74%). Responses were even seen in three patients with hepatic metastases. The median time to progression was 6.9 months, and the median overall survival was 10.4 months. Two patients who achieved CR status remain free of disease at 4 and 3 years respectively. Grade 3-4 granulocytopenia occurred in 27 patients, resulting in five episodes of febrile neutropenia. There was one toxic death in a patient with grade 4 granulocytopenia who developed acute abdomen. Grade 3-4 thrombocytopenia was rare (one patient). Other grade 3-4 toxicities observed were anaemia (three patients), vomiting (five patients), diarrhoea (four patients), peripheral neuropathy (two patients) and non-neutropenic infections (seven patients). Docetaxel plus cisplatin is an effective and well-tolerated regimen for the treatment of advanced urothelial cancer, and warrants further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 1996, when the conservative Partido Popular was elected in Spain, it has attempted to weaken and dismantle the national health service. It has focused on three areas: privatization of health facilities and services, increasing patient copayments and decreasing publicly financed benefits, and increasing the role of private insurance in health coverage and care. A major role in this neoliberal strategy has been the creation in one of the regions of "Fundaciones," independent substitutes for NHS facilities and services, which are essentially copies of the "Trusts" developed by the Conservative government in the U.K. The paper describes the development of a broad people's movement which campaigned successfully to combat the "Fundaciones"; these were returned to the regional public sector, and the conservative government in Madrid announced they would abandon their previous principal policy of transforming public hospitals into "Fundaciones." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the structure of an alanine-lacking core tetrasaccharide triphosphate from the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa mutant H4. Isolation and characterization of LPS; Analysis of core tetrasaccharide triphosphate; Use of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.