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Objective: The aim of the trial was to compare the time parameters for intubation with the use of the Macintosh (MAC) laryngoscope and Pentax AWS-S100 videolaryngoscope (AWS; Pentax Corporation, Tokyo, Japan) with and without chest compression (CC) by paramedics during simulated cardiopulmonary resuscitation in a cadaver model.Methods: This was a randomized crossover cadaver trial. Thirty-five paramedics with no experience in videolaryngoscopy participated in the study. They performed intubation in two emergency scenarios: scenario A, normal airway without CC; scenario B, normal airway with continuous CC.Results: The median time to first ventilation with the use of the AWS and the MAC was similar in scenario A: 25 (IQR, 22-27) seconds vs. 24 (IQR, 22.5-26) seconds (P=.072). A statistically significant difference in TTFV between AWS and MAC was noticed in scenario B (P=.011). In scenario A, the first endotracheal intubation (ETI) attempt success rate was achieved in 97.1% with AWS compared with 94.3% with MAC (P=.43). In scenario B, the success rate after the first ETI attempt with the use of the different intubation methods varied and amounted to 88.6% vs. 77.1% for AWS and MAC, respectively (P=.002).Conclusions: The Pentax AWS offered a superior glottic view as compared with the MAC laryngoscope, which was associated with a higher intubation rate and a shorter intubation time during an uninterrupted CC scenario. However, in the scenario without CC, the results for AWS and MAC were comparable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The Achilles or calcaneal tendon is the structural base for the biomechanical work of the ankle joint. The purpose of this study is to describe the internal structure of the human Achilles tendon. The anatomy of the Achilles tendon has been described in lower mammals in which it has three parts which can be dissected from its beginning to the insertion onto the calcaneus. The partial ruptures of each part suggest that the human Achilles tendon may also be composed of parts. The Achilles tendon is one of the most commonly torn tendons in the human body. Each segment of the Achilles tendon described by us can be ruptured separately, which can cause a partial dysfunction in flexion of the ankle joint as observed in clinical practice. We dissected 20 Achilles tendons previously fixed in 10% formaldehyde and 20 fresh-frozen Achilles tendons, paying particular attention to the relationship between the lateral and medial heads of the gastrocnemius and the soleus muscles. The layer-by-layer method and a microscope were used in our study. We found that the medial group of fibers from the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle constitutes the posterior layer of the tendon. The lateral border of the tendon is composed of the fibers from the lateral part of the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle. The fibers from the lateral head of the gastrocnemius muscle constitute the anterior layer of the Achilles tendon. The fibers from the soleus muscle are located in the anteromedial part of the Achilles tendon. Our findings are supported by clinical descriptions and observations of the partial rupture of the Achilles tendon. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The aim of the presented paper is to examine the temperature drift and its unfolding for an environmental monitor equipped with a LaBr 3 (Ce) detector. It is known that temperature could influence energy, shape, and efficiency calibration. Consequently, when ambient temperature changes, the full energy absorption peak moves in the resulting spectrum. Research consists of experimental and analytical parts. During research in the climatic chamber, the dependence on temperature of energy, shape, and efficiency calibration was completed. The numerical method allows generating gamma spectra for theoretical so-called binary temperature variation. • During radiation monitoring using a gamma-spectrometer equipped with a LaBr 3 (Ce) detector, we observed temperature-related drift in the gamma spectrum. • Energy and shape calibration are disrupted by temperature influences. • While there is some observable temperature influence on photon registration efficiency function, it is not statistically significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] We identified in lupine species of Old and New World 175 flavonoid glycoconjugates. [•] CID MS methods and high resolution analyzer enabled to recognize isomeric and isobaric flavonoids. [•] Utilization of pseudo MS3 experiments permitted unambiguous identification of aglycones. [•] Differentiation of isomeric aglycones allowed to perform chemotaxonomic analysis of lupines. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: MTHFR C677T polymorphism (rs1801133) was associated with numerous psychiatric conditions but no prior study investigated whether it predisposes to completed suicide. We typed rs1801133 in 692 suicide victims and 3257 controls representative of a Polish adult population (the WOBASZ cohort). Although we had a power of 0.8 to detect (at alpha 0.05) an allelic OR=1.19, we did not find significant difference among suicides vs. controls in the prevalence of the MTHFR 677T allele (OR=1.02, p =0.759) or the TT genotype (OR=1.01, p =0.926). Since among controls we found an association between TT and depression defined by Beck Depression Inventory (BDI, OR=1.61, p =0.049) we also compared suicides with controls without signs of depression (BDI≤11) but found no association (OR=1.0, p =0.976). Analyses within suicides showed trends (not significant after Bonferroni correction) for correlations between the dose of the T allele and age at death among males and blood ethanol concentration among females, who committed suicide under the influence of alcohol. We conclude that MTHFR C677T polymorphism is not a risk factor for completed suicide. The sex-specific trends for correlations between rs1801133 and age at death, and blood ethanol concentration should be studied further. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Recently we described an association between psoriasis and KIR2DS1, a gene for a stimulatory natural killer cell receptor, in a Polish population. The association was independently reported among Japanese and confirmed in a U.S. population. Prompted by these findings, we reanalyzed data by a multivariate approach in search of possible effects of KIR genes other than KIR2DS1 (non-KIR2DS1). The methodology was based on a stratified analysis and multiple logistic regression. We found that the non-KIR2DS1 genes had joint effects comparable to or stronger than the effects of KIR2DS1 in both the fraction of explained variance (0.174 vs 0.204, respectively, for KIR2DS1 and non-KIR2DS1) and the statistical significance (p = 0.000008 vs p = 0.000001, respectively). When individual genes were considered, a decrease in KIR2DS5 among patients vs controls (OR = 0.2, p cor = 0.0005) and a decrease in KIR2DS3 restricted to KIR2DS1-positive individuals (OR = 0.2, p cor = 0.005) were evident. We also performed a multivariate analysis of the HLA-Cw genotypes but failed to demonstrate any effects in addition to the known association with HLA-Cw*06. We conclude that the effect of the KIR genes on psoriasis susceptibility is complex, extending beyond the association with KIR2DS1 and involving protective effects and interactions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The cerebral circulation is a common site of vascular lesions and concurrent hemodynamic accidents, which often lead to serious neurological disabilities. Recent advances in understanding pathogenesis, improving diagnostics and developing new treatment methods for these conditions result from an interdisciplinary approach to the problem – linking clinical sciences, basic medical sciences and hemodynamical analyses. Most common techniques used in such studies include computational fluid dynamics, which allows for development of 3D models of cerebral vasculature, basing on radiological studies. However, these methods remain flawed, mainly because of their spatial resolution, which is not high enough to visualize the smallest arterial branches (perforating branches) in the models. That leaves the perforators (<1.0 mm) out of most of the contemporary studies, whilst their clinical importance is widely recognized in clinical practice. Obstruction of these vessels by atherosclerotic plaques, thrombi or implantation of flow diverting stents may result in neurological complications such as paralysis or coma. Our research team has recently developed a new method of creating 3D models of the cerebral arterial system based on anatomical specimens and micro computed tomography (micro-CT). We have infused fresh brainstem vasculature specimens with contrast medium, subsequently scanned them using an industrial-grade micro-CT system and finally, created spatial models, which included branches of diameter less than 0.1 mm. None of the current methods have been able to produce models of detail as high as this, which allows us to presume, that our procedure may open up new opportunities for hemodynamical studies within cerebral circulation and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]