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Background and Aims: Although a possible mechanism for developing type 2 diabetes in relation to calcium intake has been suggested, there is currently little epidemiological evidence on the association between dietary calcium and type 2 diabetes (T2D). This study aimed to evaluate the prospective association between dietary calcium and T2D incidence among adults 40 years of age or over, from the Multi-rural Communities Cohort (MRCohort), South Korea.Methods and Results: In total, 8313 participants (3033 men and 5280 women) who did not have diabetes at baseline were recruited between 2005 and 2013. The incidence rate ratio (IRR) was estimated using a modified Poisson regression model with a robust error estimator. During follow-up (31,570 person-years), 322 T2D cases were newly diagnosed. Dietary calcium (total and vegetable calcium) were inversely associated with the risk of T2D incidence among women (IRR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.43-0.86, P for trend = 0.007 in third tertile of baseline total calcium intake comparing to the first tertile; IRR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.39-0.84, P for trend = 0.006 for baseline vegetable calcium intake), not for men. The tendency of those inverse associations remained in both the normal fasting blood glucose group and the impaired fasting blood glucose group and were independent of obesity, smoking, and magnesium intake.Conclusions: Total and vegetable calcium may be inversely associated with T2D incidence among women, regardless of impaired fasting blood glucose group or normal group. The associations may be potentially dose-responsive. Moderate dietary calcium may be related to lower risk of T2D incidence comparing to low intake group among women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: : In our preliminary study, the modified Marsh (M-Marsh) model caused an inadvertent underdosing of propofol in underweight patients. However, the predictive performance of the M-Marsh and Schnider models incorporated in commercially available target-controlled infusion (TCI) pumps was not evaluated in underweight patients.Methods: : Thirty underweight patients undergoing elective surgery were randomly allocated to receive propofol via TCI using the M-Marsh or Schnider models. The target effect-site concentrations (Ces) of propofol were, in order, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 2 μg ml -1 . Arterial blood samples were obtained at least 7 min after achieving each pseudo-steady-state.Results: A total of 172 plasma samples were used to determine the predictive performance of both models. The pooled median (95% confidence interval) biases and inaccuracies at a target Ce ≤ 3 μg ml -1 were -22.6 (-28.8 to -12.6) and 31.9 (24.8-36.8) for the M-Marsh model and 9.0 (1.7-16.4) and 28.5 (21.7-32.8) for the Schnider model, respectively. These values at Ce ≥ 4 μg ml -1 were -9.6 (-16.0 to -6.0) and 24.7 (21.1-27.9) for the M-Marsh model and 19.8 (12.9-25.7) and 36.2 (31.4-39.7) for the Schnider model, respectively.Conclusions: The pooled biases and inaccuracies of both models were clinically acceptable. However, the M-Marsh and Schnider models consistently produced negatively and positively biased predictions, respectively, in underweight patients. In particular, the M-Marsh model showed greater inaccuracy at target Ce   ≤   3 μg ml -1 and the Schnider model showed greater inaccuracy at target Ce ≥ 4 μg ml -1 . Therefore, it is necessary to develop a new pharmacokinetic model for propofol in underweight patients.Clinical Trial Registration: KCT0001502. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background and aims: Arterial stiffness and increased intima-media wall thickness are two of the main predictors of cardiovascular disease (CVD). We evaluated whether brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and common carotid artery intima-media wall thickness (CCA-IMT) are correlated with alcohol consumption in a cross-sectional study among Korean men and women aged 40 years and over. Methods and results: All 5539 subjects (2121 men and 3418 women) were participants in the Multi-Rural Communities cohort (MRcohort) study, a part of the Korean Genome Epidemiology Study (KoGES). The baPWV was positively correlated with alcohol consumption in men (p for trend <0.0001). Age (middle-aged versus elderly) modified the effect of alcohol consumption on PWV. On the other hand CCA-IMT decreased with alcohol consumption in men. There was no favorable zone of alcohol consumption in terms of baPWV and CCA-IMT. Adjustment for lipid profiles substantially attenuated the relationship between alcohol consumption and CCA-IMT. There was no clear relation between alcohol consumption and baPWV/CCA-IMT in women. Conclusions: Along with a linear harmful relationship between alcohol consumption and arterial stiffness in men there may also be a beneficial relationship between alcohol consumption and carotid intima-wall thickness. The effect of alcohol on arterial stiffness may be slightly stronger in elderly men, and the effect of alcohol on CCA-IMT may be mediated by lipid factors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence, severity, and relationships between xerostomia and its related symptoms in individuals who attended hospital for general health examinations. Participants included 883 men and 618 women aged between 30 and 60 years. History of symptoms during the previous 6 months, current symptoms, and severity of current symptoms were evaluated using a questionnaire that included questions about xerostomia, burning mouth, taste disturbance, and oral malodor. The prevalence of xerostomia and its related symptoms was 60.2%; the prevalence of oral malodor was 52.3%, xerostomia 33.0%, burning mouth 13.6%, and taste disturbance 12.5%. Men in their 30s and women in their 60s showed significantly higher prevalence and greater severity of xerostomia, burning mouth, and taste disturbance compared with their counterparts. The prevalence of xerostomia, burning mouth, and taste disturbance, and the severity of xerostomia increased significantly with age in women. The prevalence and severity of these four symptoms were significantly related and the association was the highest between burning mouth and taste disturbance. In conclusion, xerostomia and its related symptoms were highly prevalent at all ages. The prevalence and severity of these symptoms were closely related. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This study examined CD200 expression in different peripheral nerves and ganglia. Intense CD200 immunoreactivity was consistently localized in unmyelinated nerve fibers as opposed to a faint immunostaining in the myelinated nerve fibers. By light microscopy, structures resembling the node of Ranvier and Schmidt-Lanterman incisures in the myelinated nerve fibers displayed CD200 immunoreactivity. Ultrastructural study revealed CD200 expression on the neurilemma of Schwann cells whose microvilli and paranodal loops at the node of Ranvier were immunoreactive. The CD200 immunoexpression was also localized in the satellite glial cells of sensory and autonomic ganglia and in the enteric glial cells. Double labeling of CD200 with specific antigens of satellite glia or Schwann cells in the primary cultures of dorsal root ganglia had shown a differential expression of CD200 in the peripheral glial cells. The existence of CD200 in glial cells in the peripheral nervous system (PNS) was corroborated by the expression of CD200 mRNA and protein in a rat Schwann cell line RSC96. Using the model of crush or transected sciatic nerve, it was found that CD200 expression was attenuated or diminished at the site of lesion. A remarkable feature, however, was an increase in incidence of CD200-labelled Schmidt-Lanterman incisures proximal to the injured site at 7 days postlesion. Because CD200 has been reported to impart immunosuppressive signal, we suggest that its localization in PNS glial cells may play a novel inhibitory role in immune homeostasis in both normal and pathological conditions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

From 2001 to 2008, a total of 27 isolates of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium were obtained from 930 swine. All 27 isolates were resistant to streptomycin and tetracycline. Seventeen isolates were multidrug resistant to more than three antimicrobial agents. Seven of these multidrug-resistant isolates were pentaresistant to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, streptomycin, tetracycline, and nalidixic acid. Among 27 isolates, 14 isolates (51.8%) were nalidixic acid resistant (MIC, ≥128 µg/ml) and had reduced susceptibility to various quinolones (MIC, 0.125 to 2 µg/ml). When quinolone resistance--determining regions in the gyrA and gyrB genes of these isolates were sequenced, 13 isolates had Asp87→Tyr mutations and 1 isolate had Asp87→Gly mutation in the quinolone resistance--determining region of gyrA, whereas no mutation was found in gyrB. Genes for qnrA, qnrB, and qnrS were not detected by PCR with specific primers. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of genomic DNA digested with Xbal showed two patterns suggesting a clonal spread of Salmonella Typhimurium in swine in Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In order to study elastic stress effects on the surface deformability of BMGs, indentations with a Berkovich diamond pyramid were done on an artificially bent Zr-based metallic glass stripe (Vitreloy-1). Residual indentation marks formed with a peak load of 500 mN were observed with an atomic force microscope for 7 artificial stress steps. Significant pile-ups (or surface upheavals around indents) and shear bands were observed at low stress levels less than 244 MPa and disappeared with an increase of the tensile stress. From a 3D morphological viewpoint, the tensile stress in elastic regime is understood to be beneficial to the surface formability of the Zr-based BMG, because the tensile stress invokes deeper indentations with slight elastic recovery and reduces the irregular pile-ups with shear bands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Pulmonary activation-regulated chemokine (PARC) now designated CC-chemokine ligand 18 (CCL18) has been shown to play a significant role in the pathogenesis of various tissue injuries and diseases in a proinflammatory or immune suppressive way to limit or support the inflammation or disease. While much is known about the roles of CCL18/PARC in non-neural tissues, its expression in the CNS has remained largely unexplored and controversial. Using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and double immunohistochemical staining, we analyzed the expression of CCL18/PARC in the human brain with special reference to traumatic brain injuries and tumors. The RT-PCR analysis revealed the expression of CCL18/PARC mRNA both in the traumatic brain and glioma tissues examined. Immunoexpression of CCL18/PARC protein was consistently detected in all cases of traumatic brain injuries examined by immunohistochemical staining. Double immunofluorescence labeling has extended the study that CCL18/PARC positive cells were macrophages/microglia, astrocytes or neurons. The CCL18/PARC expression was localized in macrophage-like cells in two of eight glioblastoma tissues whose cancer cells were CCL18/PARC negative. Unexpectedly, CCL18/PARC mRNA weakly and constitutively expressed by glioblastoma cell line was upregulated after endotoxin stimulation. The present results indicated a significant production of CCL18/PARC in different CNS traumatic and neoplasm tissues by specific cellular elements expressing the chemokine. An anti-inflammatory mechanism jointly exerted by these cells via CCL18/PARC may be involved in the CNS immunity after traumatic injury and tumorigenesis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A synthetic, peptide-derived, polyclonal antibody-based, immunohistochemical test was developed to detect swine hepatitis E virus (HEV) and was compared with in situ hybridisation for the detection of HEV in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues from experimentally infected pigs. Solid-phase peptide synthesis was used to generate peptides from swine HEV open reading frame 2, and the purified peptides were injected into rabbits to produce polyclonal antibodies. The specificity and sensitivity of the test were both 100%. Liver was most consistently positive for swine HEV antigen and RNA by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridisation, respectively, but both, were detected much less frequently in extrahepatic tissues such as lymph node, tonsil, spleen, and intestine. Swine HEV antigen and RNA showed a similar distribution in virus-infected hepatocytes in serial sections. The novel test developed in this study is suitable for consistently detecting swine HEV antigen in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distribution of intravenously inoculated swine hepatitis E virus (HEV) was assessed by in situ hybridisation for a period of 50 days. Evidence of apparent clinical disease was found in only one pig in the HEV infected group. The only gross lesion observed was mildly enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes at 50 days post infection (dpi). Histopathologically, mild lymphoplasmacytic infiltration and focal hepatocellular necrotic lesions were found in HEV-infected pigs. Swine HEV nucleic acids were detected by RT-PCR in the faeces at 3 dpi in 100% of the 18 pigs infected with the virus. Thereafter, the number of positives declined. The most consistent and intense signal was found in the liver of infected animals using in situ hybridisation. The positive cells were hepatocytes, Kupffer cells, bile epithelial cells and interstitial lymphocytes. Swine HEV RNA was localised in the cytoplasm of the hepatocytes, with a slightly granular pattern of staining, but hybridisation signals were not observed in degenerative or vacuolated hepatocytes. HEV was much less frequently detected in extrahepatic tissues such as lymph nodes, tonsil, spleen and small and large intestine. It was concluded that swine HEV had replicated primarily in the hepatocytes and infection resulted in subclinical infection with minimal histopathological changes in the liver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In order to study nanomechanical deformation property of an amorphous composite, nanoindentation and uniaxial compression tests were carried out on a dendrite containing Zr-based glassy alloy. Indenter penetration of the hard dendrite particle was about 100nm shallower than that of the glassy matrix at the applied load 10mN. Actual hardness, implying the load-supporting pile-up, of the dendrite phase was about eight times higher than that of the glassy matrix. Although this severe strength mismatch caused shear band bypassing and branching behaviors near the dendrite particles, ductility increment during the uniaxial compression test was negligible. The nil strengthening effects of the dendrite particle were discussed from the viewpoints of its small size, low volume fraction, sparse distribution and high cracking susceptibility of interface. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: The expression of interleukin-1 (IL-1), tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and IL-6 were studied over a period of 35 days in the lungs of pigs experimentally infected with Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, by semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), morphometric analysis and in-situ hybridization. Fifteen colostrum-deprived pigs aged 14 days were inoculated intranasally with M. hyopneumoniae. IL-1, TNF-α and IL-6 were detected by RT-PCR in the lungs of the infected pigs from 7 days post-inoculation (dpi) onwards, but not in the uninfected control pigs. Concurrent expression of all three cytokines was always observed, in association with lung lesions. Inflammatory cytokine-positive cells were detected in the lungs at 7 dpi, their number increasing at 21dpi, and decreasing thereafter. The results suggest that such cytokines play a role in mediating and regulating inflammation in M. hyopneumoniae infection. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Although bone marrow transplantation has been used to induce donor-specific tolerance in many allogeneic models, similar effort in xenogeneic transplantation is met with obstacles like more severe graft versus host disease (GVHD). We are currently engaged in developing a GVHD-free hamster-to-rat xenotransplantation model using splenectomy, total body irradiation, and donor bone marrow transplantation. To test donor cell chimerism, particularly in the solid tissues, we developed a semiquantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method using primers specific for hamster β-actin and mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase I and II (MCO I and II) genes and rat sex determination region on the Y chromosome (SRY) gene. Using this method, we estimated the level of hamster cells chimerism in rats subjected to splenectomy, total body irradiation (10 Gy), and hamster bone marrow transplantation (3×108 cell/recipient) and observed high levels of donor cells in all recipient tissues tested. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The interpretation of modern river apatite fission track (AFT) data of Taiwan by Resentini et al. (2020) presents some fundamental inaccuracies that call in question the main conclusions of the paper. The study aims at approximating source rock cooling histories by analysing erosional products, but ignores existing bedrock data in their maps and discussions. The allegedly "new" southern extension of the AFT reset zone is largely unconstrained by the presented data and ignores the local geology and stratigraphy of individual drainage basins. Notably, low grain counts (median=9) and catchment with various geological provinces, including orogenic derived sediments, question the significance of the dataset to characterise "single geological domains" as explained in the paper. Overall, the new data do not provide discriminating evidence for an earlier collision in the north of the island and thus do not support a southwardly propagation of collision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim To evaluate the early success of transarterial embolization (TAE) in patients with traumatic liver haemorrhage and to determine independent factors for its failure. Materials and methods From January 2009 to December 2012, TAE was performed in 48 patients for traumatic liver haemorrhage. Their medical charts were reviewed for demographic information, pre-TAE vital signs and laboratory data, injury grade, type of contrast medium extravasation (CME) at CT, angiography findings, and early failure. “Early failure” was defined as the need for repeated TAE or a laparotomy for hepatic haemorrhage within 4 days after TAE. Variables were compared between the early success and early failure groups. Variables with univariate significance were also analysed using multivariate logistic regression for predictors of early failure. Results Among 48 liver TAE cases, nine (18.8%) were early failures due to liver haemorrhage. Early failure was associated with injury grade ( p = 0.039), major liver injury (grades 4 and 5; p = 0.007), multiple CMEs at angiography ( p = 0.031), incomplete TAE ( p = 0.002), and elevated heart rate ( p = 0.026). Incomplete embolization (OR = 8; p = 0.042), and heart rate >110 beats/min (bpm; OR = 8; p = 0.05) were independent factors for early failure of TAE in the group with major liver injuries. Conclusion Major hepatic injury is an important factor in early failure. Patients with a heart rate >110 bpm and incomplete embolization in the major injury group have an increased rate of early failure. The success rate of proximal TAE was comparable to that of the more time-consuming, superselective, distal TAE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hourly measurements of wave data for 10–14 years from four field stations were analyzed to evaluate wave energy resource characteristics in medium wave power potential coastal waters of northeast Taiwan. Spectral parameters, resource index, and constitutive energy periods were discussed. Time series of water surface displacement in each hour for three consecutive years at two stations were first adopted to obtain period transferring coefficient C ep of 0.86–0.87 for JONSWAP's peak enhancement factor γ of 1.5–1.6. The derived average wave energy scatter maps characterized indices of monthly and seasonal variations and highlighted the effects of typhoon and higher potentials by monsoons with increasing waves from NE. Comparisons with previous numerical simulations on sites offshore northeastern coasts pointed out slightly higher energy potentials at present field stations suggesting field measurements being vital for resource assessment. From energy scatter maps of two representative geographical zones, 15 and 16 top-ranked bin conditions were selected to display concentrations on constitutive energy periods from 6 s to 10 s. Similar selections were applied to foreign energy resources in Pacific and Atlantic coastal waters to show major energy potentials at higher latitudes concentrated on constitutive period ranges by 2 s longer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]