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Di-barium magnesium silicate phosphor doped with Eu2+ and Dy3+ was prepared using a solid-state reaction technique under a reducing atmosphere. The sample underwent impulsive deformation by impact from a piston for mechanoluminescence (ML) investigations. The temporal ML characteristics of the phosphor were observed, which expressed a single sharp peak with a long decaying period. To investigate the luminescence centre responsible for the ML peak, the ML spectrum of the phosphor was also observed. The recorded ML spectrum was similar in shape and peak wavelength to the photoluminescence (PL) spectrum, which verifies the existence of a single emission centre due to the transition of Eu2+ ions, i. e. transitions from any of the sublevels of the 4f65d1 configuration to the 8S7/2 level of the 4f7 configuration. Decay rates for different impact velocities were also calculated using curve-fitting techniques. The time of theML peak and the rate of decay did not change significantly with respect to increasing impact velocity of the load and peak ML intensity varied linearly. The mechanism of the ML emission was also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To analyze the clinical profile and outcome of pediatric patients who had undergone a liver and/or RT at our center over a five yr period, case records of all the patients who had undergone a liver or RT were analyzed retrospectively. One hundred solid organ transplants were performed at our center between January 2007 and January 2012. These included 50 liver, 44 renal, one sequential liver and renal, and two CLKT. BA was the most common indication for an LT (38%). At a median follow-up of two yr three months, the patient survival was 88%. The most common indication for an RT was chronic glomerulonephritis (54.5%). At a median follow-up of three yr, the survival was 91%. The CLKT were performed for hyperoxaluria. Two yr post LT, a sequential RT was performed for ESRD resulting from transplant associated microangiopathy. All patients received a living related graft. The common post-operative complications were infections, vascular complications, and graft dysfunction. Survival rates for liver and RT at our center are comparable to those in the established centers in the West. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article deals with the description and the homologies of the deltoid muscles studied on a comparative basis in twelve Insectivores at the Laboratoire d'Anatomie Comparée, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France. An attempt has been made to suggest the phylogenetic relationships on the basis of the muscle study. Materials used in this study were obtained from collections of the Museum of Natural History, Paris, France. An explanation has been provided for the cleido-humeral articulation found only among the Insectivora. Homologies have been diagrammatically discussed with suggesting phylogenetic possibilities.

The component glycerides of an Indian sheep body fat have been investigated, employing the most recently developed experimental techniques, notably crystallization from solvents at low temperature. The chief components of the fatty acids were palmitic (27.8), stearic (27.7), and oleic (33.0), accompanied by small proportions or traces of myristic (2.9), arachidic (1.5), tetradecenoic (0.4), hexadecenoic (2.7), octadecadienoic (3.4), and unsaturated C acids (0.6) (percentages by weight). The chief constituent glycerides of the fat may be summarized as follows: Fully saturated glycerides form 28% of the whole fat and consist largely of dipalmitostearins (16%) and palmitodisterins (11%); very small proportions of triplamitin and possibly tristearin may also be present. The monounsaturated glycerides (28.6%) consist largely of oleopalmito-stearins; small proportions of oleodipalmitin and perhaps also of hexadeceno-dipalmitins or-palmitostearins are also probably present. Diunsaturated glycerides (40.5%) are the most prominent category of mixed glycerides in the sheep fat, with about 26% of palmitodiunsaturated and 14% of stearodiunsaturated glycerides. Probably nearly two-thirds of these are respectively palmitodiolein and stearodiolein, but in the remainder one of the minor component unsaturated acids takes the place of one (or in rare instances both) of the oleo-groups. Finally, there are present about 3% of triunsaturated glycerides, which are made up of two (or one) oleic groups in association with one (or two) acyl groups of one or the other of the minor component unsaturated acids. The Indian sheep body fat appears to differ some-what from the English sheep body fats examined previously (4) in contaiming (in relation to its total saturated acid content) somewhat more trisaturated glycerides, definitely more of the diunsaturated glyceride group, and considerably less of the monounsaturated glyceride group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fatty acid composition determined by paper, thin layer and gas liquid chromatography revealed the presence of palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids in the weight ratio of 18.5, 9.5, 51.4, 16.8 and 3.8%, respectively, in Clitoria ternatea seed oil. Protein constitutes 38.4% and consists of 18 amino acids. Essential amino acid pattern is (%): lysine (6.55), histidine (2.03), threonine (3.13), phenylalanine+tyrosine (5.5), valine (5.8), methionine+cystine (1.16) and leucine+isoleucine (15.4). The seeds have been found to be rich in calories (500.5 cal/100 g). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abstract of the study "Correlation of Body Mass Index and B Type Natriuretic Peptide in Patients Presenting With Shortness of Breath," by V. Jeevanantham and colleagues is presented.

Objectives/hypothesis: To investigate the association of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and hospital volume with outcomes in pituitary surgery., Study Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study of the 2008-2012 National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample., Methods: Patient demographics, hospital characteristics, postoperative complications, and in-hospital mortality for patients undergoing pituitary surgery were compared between white, black, and Hispanic patients. Hierarchal logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association of patient and hospital variables on complication rates., Results: A total of 8,812 patients met the inclusion criteria, and 5,924 (67.2%) patients were white, 1,590 (18.0%) were black, and 1,296 (14.7%) were Hispanic. Black and Hispanic patients were more likely to live in the poorest income areas, be insured with Medicaid, and be treated at lower-volume pituitary surgery centers. Patients with Medicaid had a higher likelihood of complications compared to Medicare patients, whereas patients with private insurance were significantly less likely to experience any complications. Likelihood of complications was significantly higher for patients treated at lower-volume pituitary surgery centers. When controlled for patient and hospital characteristics, regression analysis showed that the likelihood of postoperative complications was higher in black and Hispanic patients compared to white patients., Conclusions: Racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities exist for outcomes after pituitary surgery. Black and Hispanic patients have worse postoperative outcomes compared to white patients, as well as disproportionate utilization of Medicaid and low-volume pituitary surgery centers. Further investigations are necessary to uncover the sources of these disparities in an effort to provide safer and more affordable care to all patients., Level of Evidence: 2c., (© 2016 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.)

1 A double-blind placebo-controlled study of fluvoxamine and imipramine was performed in a group of depressed patients. Twenty-two patients received fluvoxamine (mean dose 101 mg/day), 25 received imipramine (mean dose 127 mg/day) and 22 received placebo. 2 Apart from an increase in the SGOT and SGPT values of four imipramine patients, no statistically significant changes in haematology or urinalysis were judged to be medically relevant. Fluvoxamine exhibited fewer anticholinergic side effects than imipramine. 3 Both fluvoxamine treated patients and imipramine-treated patients exhibited a statistically significant improvement at the end of the 28-day treatment period with respect to the placebo patients, as measured using the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, and the Clinical Global Impression Scale. Evaluations of the results of the Beck Depression Inventory and the Profile of Mood States revealed a statistically significant improvement for imipramine patients with respect to placebo at week 4, but not for fluvoxamine patients. It is postulated on the basis of quantitative pharmaco-EEG findings, that the slight superiority of imipramine over fluvoxamine was due to underdosing of the latter.

A cell line designated SRT was established from a sheep sinus tumor. Following primary culture, the cells were serially passaged 40 times. SRT cells maintained an epithelioid fibroblast-like appearance and had a population doubling time of approximately 18 hr. Karyotype analysis of 14th passage cells showed the modal 2n chromosome number to be between 46 to 60, due to a large variation in acrocentric chromosome number. The electrophoretic mobilities of enzymes extracted from SRT cells were identical with those from normal sheep sinus cells. It propagated a number of ovine, bovine and canine viruses. Some virus-like particles (80-120 nm) were observed under the electron microscope. The tumor origin, good growth and wide range of virus susceptibility make SRT a highly suitable cell line for in vitro cancer research and for comparative virology studies.