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Background: The diagnostic criteria for Parkinson's disease (PD) remain complex, which is especially problematic for nonmovement disorder experts. A test is required to establish a diagnosis of PD with improved accuracy and reproducibility. Objective: The study aimed to investigate the sensitivity and specificity of tests using sniffer dogs to diagnose PD. Methods: A prospective, diagnostic case‐control study was conducted in four tertiary medical centers in China to evaluate the accuracy of sniffer dogs to distinguish between 109 clinically established medicated patients with PD, 654 subjects without PD, 37 drug‐naïve patients with PD, and 185 non‐PD controls. The primary outcomes were sensitivity and specificity of sniffer dog's identification. Results: In the study with patients who were medicated, when two or all three sniffer dogs yielded positive detection results in a sample tested, the index test sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative likelihood ratios were 91% (95% CI: 84%–96%), 95% (95% CI: 93%–97%), and 19.16 (95% CI: 13.52–27.16) and 0.10 (95% CI: 0.05–0.17), respectively. The corresponding sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative likelihood ratios in patients who were drug‐naïve were 89% (95% CI: 75%–96%), 86% (95% CI: 81%–91%), and 6.6 (95% CI: 4.51–9.66) and 0.13 (95% CI: 0.05–0.32), respectively. Conclusions: Tests using sniffer dogs may be a useful, noninvasive, fast, and cost‐effective method to identify patients with PD in community screening and health prevention checkups as well as in neurological practice. © 2022 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a chiral terpyridylaminoacid ligand, a series of homochiral Co(II) and Ni(II) complexes, namely, [Co(H 2 L)(HL)]·Cl·(PF 6 ) 2 ·2H 2 O ( 1 ), [Ni(H 2 L)(HL)]·Cl·(PF 6 ) 2 ( 2 ), [Co 2 (L) 2 (CH 3 OH)(H 2 O)]·(PF 6 ) 2 ·CH 3 OH ( 3 ), [Ni 2 (L) 2 (CH 3 OH) 2 ]·(PF 6 ) 2 ·2CH 3 OH ( 4 ), [Co 2 (L) 2 (N 3 ) 2 ]·3H 2 O ( 5 ), and [Ni 2 (L) 2 (SCN) 2 ]·4H 2 O ( 6 ) have been successfully synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, TGA, spectroscopic methods (IR, CD and electronic absorption spectra) and single-crystal X-ray diffraction structural analysis (HL = ( S )-2-((4-([2,2':6′,2″-terpyridin]-4′-yl)benzyl)amino)-4-methylpentanoic acid). In the acidic reaction conditions, one protonated (H 2 L) + and one zwitterionic HL only used their terpyridyl groups to chelate one metal ion Co(II) or Ni(II), forming chiral mononuclear cationic complexes 1 or 2 . But in the basic and hydro(solvo)thermal reaction conditions, deprotonated ligands (L) ‒ acting as bridges used their terpyridyl and amino acid groups to link with two Co(II) or Ni(II) ions, fabricating chiral dinuclear metallocyclic complexes 3 – 6 . Those chiral mononuclear and dinuclear complexes whose chirality originates in the homochiral ligand HL further self-assemble into higher-dimensional homochiral supramolecular frameworks through intermolecular hydrogen-bonding and π ··· π interactions. Notably, the coordination mode, hydrogen-bonding site, and existence form of HL ligand can be controlled by the protonation of its amino group, and the architectural diversity of those supramolecular frameworks is adjusted by pH and counter anions. Very interestingly, the 3D porous supramolecular frameworks built up from the huge chiral mononuclear cationic complexes 1 and 2 have novel helical layers only formed through every right-handed helical chain intertwining with two adjacent same helical chains, and the 2D supramolecular helicate 5 consists of two types of left-handed helical chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this study we compared the biological activity of a unique form of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in the brain of the guinea pig (gpGnRH) with mammalian GnRH (mGnRH). In gpGnRH, the highly conserved histidine in position 2 (His2) and leucine in position 7 (Leu7) are substituted by tyrosine and valine, respectively. The gpGnRH was less potent than mGnRH in stimulating the release of luteinizing hormone (LH) in vivo in the guinea pig and displayed only low activity in the rat. The gpGnRH was more rapidly degraded by serum proteolytic enzymes than mGnRH. It is concluded that gpGnRH displays lower biological activity than mGnRH in both rat and guinea pig, which may be due in part to its greater susceptibility to proteolytic degradation besides differences in receptor affinity and/or activation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Robotic mitral valve (MV) repair is a new surgical technique that uses small incisions. Previous studies have demonstrated the importance of intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) for conventional MV surgery with the use of a median sternotomy incision. The aim of the present study was to delineate the utility of intraoperative TEE in robotic MV repair. Methods: Intraoperative TEE was performed in 22 consecutive patients undergoing robotic MV repair for severe degenerative mitral regurgitation (MR) over a period of 2 years. Before cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), TEE was used to define the lesions of degenerative MR and the localization of the prolapsed leaflets, and to evaluate the severity of MR. During establishment of peripheral CPB, TEE was used to guide placement of the cannulae in the inferior vena cava (IVC), superior vena cava (SVC), and ascending aorta (AAO). After weaning from CPB, TEE was used to assess immediately the competency of the surgical repair. Results: Agreement between TEE and surgical findings was excellent: 92.3% (kappa, 0.873) for the lesions of degenerative MR, and 98.5% (kappa, 0.943) for the localization of the prolapsed leaflets. Under TEE guidance, all the cannulae (100%) in the SVC, IVC, and AAO were placed correctly. TEE demonstrated all the patients (100%) had successful robotic MV repairs. Conclusions: Intraoperative TEE is a valuable adjunct in the assessment of robotic MV repair. (Echocardiography 2011;28:85-91) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The parameters of fertilizer-shunted-plate related to uniformity of fertilizing are analyzed. • DEM is used during the study of fertilizing process with EDEM software. • Computer simulation is used in the analysis of the fertilizer particles behavior. • The parameters of fertilizer-shunted-plate are optimized through the DOE. The application of fertilizing machinery is very important especially to the growing of alfalfa. The effect of uniformity is one of the most significant indicators to evaluate the performance of the fertilizing machinery during the fertilizing process. Fertilizer-shunted-plate is the key part, which can achieve the uniformity of fertilizing. The structure parameters optimization of the fertilizer-shunted-plate is a key task for the design of fertilizing machinery. The purpose of this paper is to optimize the structure parameters of fertilizer-shunted-plate through the way of the numerical simulation with EDEM software and orthogonal experiment analysis. The variation coefficient of fertilizing uniformity was regarded as the evaluation index and the single-factor experiments were executed, during which the parameters of the fertilizer-shunted-plate were analyzed according to their performance based on Discrete Element Method with EDEM software, including knob-width, slanting angle, distance from the top side, vertical distance and horizon-distance. Three parameters of them were selected to establish the orthogonal experiments with interaction in order to find their effects to fertilizing uniformity, which were knob-width, slanting angle and horizon-distance. The experiments showed that the parameters of distance from the top side and vertical distance had little effect on the fertilizing uniformity performance. When the parameters of knob-width, slanting angle and horizon-distance were selected as 16 mm, 45° and 27.5 mm respectively, the fertilizing uniformity performance could get a very effective result. The variation coefficients of fertilization uniformity with former fertilizer-shunted-plate and the optimized one were 12.6% and 17.2% respectively. And the field test was carried out with similar result compared to the numerical simulation process. The research shows that Discrete Element Method and EDEM software are powerful tools to analyze the minute particles Kinematic characteristics and orthogonal experiment can be used efficiently to the optimization of the part parameters. The application of modern design methods and computer tools can promote the development of agricultural machinery and reduce the cost of it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In the current study, we compared the in vitro potency of a unique form of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) present in the brain of the guinea pig (gpGnRH) with that of mammalian GnRH (mGnRH) as well as their binding affinities to the GnRH receptor. In gpGnRH, the highly conserved histidine in position 2 (His2) and leucine in position 7 (Leu7) are substituted by tyrosine and valine, respectively. In vivo, gpGnRH was shown to be less potent than mGnRH, possibly in part because of higher susceptibility to enzymatic degradation. In the present in vitro experiments, we observed that gpGnRH was less potent than mGnRH in stimulating the release of luteinizing hormone (LH) from primary pituitary cell cultures of the rat, and at lower concentrations from primary pituitary cell culture of the guinea pig, too. These results were confirmed by radioligand-binding studies. It is concluded that the lower biological activity of gpGnRH in both rat and guinea pig may be explained by the difference in binding to the target cells, although additional factors such as proteolytic degradation may also contribute to the observed phenomenon. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: The incineration and burying of the soiled bedding of laboratory animals, as well as using detergents to treat their feces, is hazardous to the environment. This highlights the need for an alternative, environmentally friendly solution for the treatment of the waste of laboratory animal facilities. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of ozone disinfection of the soiled bedding and feces of laboratory animals. Methods: Two grams of soiled beddings were randomly sampled from the cages of mice and rats. These samples were mixed in a beaker with 40ml saline. Ozone was piped into the beaker at a concentration of 500mg/h. Samples were taken from the beaker at time 0min, 30min, 45min and 60min after ozone treatment for microbiological culturing in an incubator for 48h. Colony form unit of each plate (CFU/plate) at each time point were counted, the mean CFU/plate at each time point after ozone treatment were compared with that present at time zero. Feces of rabbits and dogs were treated and pathogens were counted the similar way as that of bedding of the mice and rats; samples being taken at 0min, 15min, 30min, 45min and 60min. Results: Pathogens were observed in beddings of both mice and rats as well as in feces of rabbits and dogs. Ozone treatment for 30min killed more than 93% of pathogens in the bedding of the two rodent species and 60min of treatment killed over 99% of pathogens. Treatment of rabbit and dog feces for 30min killed over 96% pathogens present, and 60min's treatment killed nearly all the pathogens. Both Gram positive and Gram negative pathogens were sensitive to ozone treatment. Conclusion: Ozone treatment of bedding and feces is an effective and environment friendly way to deal with the waste of animal facilities, saving energy and potentially enabling their reuse as fertilizer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) is a potent pro-inflammatory mediator and its expression is up-regulated in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Tristetraprolin (TTP) is implicated in regulation of TNF-α expression; however, whether TTP is involved in cigarette smoke-induced TNF-α expression has not been determined. Methods: TTP expression was examined by western blot analysis in murine alveolar macrophages and alveolar epithelial cells challenged without or with cigarette smoke extract (CSE). TNF-α mRNA stability, and the decay of TNF-α mRNA, were determined by real-time quantitative RT-PCR. TNF-α protein levels were examined at the same time in these cells. To identify the molecular mechanism involved, a construct expressing the human beta-globin reporter mRNA containing the TNF-α 3’-untranslated region was generated to characterize the TTP targeted site within TNF-α mRNA. Results: CSE induced TTP down-regulation in alveolar macrophages and alveolar epithelial cells. Reduced TTP expression resulted in significantly increased TNF-α mRNA stability. Importantly, increased TNF-α mRNA stability due to impaired TTP function resulted in significantly increased TNF-α levels in these cells. Forced TTP expression abrogated the increased TNF-α mRNA stability and expression induced by CSE. By using the globin reporter construct containing TNF-α mRNA 3’-untranslated region, the data indicate that TTP directly targets the adenine- and uridine-rich region (ARE) of TNF-α mRNA and negatively regulates TNF-α expression at the post-transcriptional level. Conclusion: The data demonstrate that cigarette smoke exposure reduces TTP expression and impairs TTP function, resulting in significantly increased TNF-α mRNA stability and excessive TNF-α expression in alveolar macrophages and epithelial cells. The data suggest that TTP is a novel post-transcriptional regulator and limits excessive TNF-α expression and inflammatory response induced by cigarette smoke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate associations of novel cardiovascular markers with obesity in a general population.Methods: A total of 9361 individuals without diabetes or cardiovascular disease were studied between 2009 and 2012 in China. High-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT), N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), pulse pressure, and central systolic blood pressure (cSBP) were assessed according to body mass index (BMI) levels and different BMI/metabolic syndrome (MetS) combinations.Results: 'Levels of hs-cTnT, baPWV, pulse pressure, and cSBP increased across BMI levels. Obesity was positively associated with these markers in multivariate models (P<0.05 for all). When stratified by MetS, these associations remained significant in the non-MetS group, and compared with normal weight participants, the obese participants had 1.87 (95% confidence interval: 1.48, 2.36), 1.27 (1.02, 1.57), 1.89 (1.39, 2.57), and 2.71 (2.11, 3.47) fold risks for having elevated hs-cTnT, baPWV, pulse pressure, and cSBP, respectively, and had 1.61 (1.26, 2.05), 1.75 (1.27, 2.42), 2.45 (1.46, 4.11), and 3.14 (2.13, 4.62) fold risks for having 1, 2, 3, and 4 elevated cardiovascular markers, respectively; while no relationship was observed between obesity and these novel markers in the MetS group, after multivariate adjustment. These results were unchanged when using a waist-hip ratio, body fat per cent, and visceral adiposity index to redefine obesity.Conclusions: Obesity was positively associated with novel cardiovascular markers (except NT-proBNP) in participants without MetS rather than in participants with MetS. Obese participants without MetS also had higher odds of having more number of elevated cardiovascular markers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An animal laboratory in a teaching hospital is a possible cause of cross infection. We aimed to assess the infection control in our animal laboratory and evaluate the disinfectant effects of a portable pulsed xenon ultraviolet (PX-UV) machine. Samples were taken from the surface of research tables, other high touch places, such as doorknobs, weighing scales, and handles of trolleys, and from air in the barrier system pre- and post-manual cleaning and post-PX-UV disinfection. The bacteria types were identified. We found that routine manual cleaning significantly reduced bacterial colony form unit (CFU)/cm2 (P =.02), and the median of CFU/cm2 reduced from 0.5 pre-cleaning to zero post-cleaning. PX-UV disinfection also significantly reduced residual bacterial counts (P =.002), with the highest counts 10 pre-PX-UV disinfection and 1 afterwards. Without manual cleaning, PX-UV disinfected surfaces significantly (P <.001), median count 6 pre-PX-UV disinfection and zero afterwards. PX-UV significantly reduced bacterial colony counts in the air with the median count falling from 6 to zero (P <.001). Some of the 21 species of pathogens we identified in the current study are pathogenic, resistant to antibiotics, and able to cause nosocomial infections and zoonosis. PX-UV reduced counts of most of the pathogens. PX-UV is an effective agent against these pathogens. • An animal laboratory in a teaching hospital is a possible cause of cross infection. • The disinfectant effect of manual cleaning and portable pulsed xenon ultraviolet (PX-UV) was compared in our laboratory. • Manual cleaning significantly reduced bacterial counts on surfaces and PX-UV significantly reduced residual bacterial counts. • PX-UV, without manual cleaning, significantly reduced bacterial counts on surfaces. • PX-UV significantly reduced bacterial counts in the room air. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Src kinase is known to regulate fibroblast migration. However, the contribution of integrin and Src kinase interaction to lung fibrosis has not been mechanistically investigated. Our data demonstrate that integrin alpha v (αV) recruited Src kinase and that leads to subsequent Src activation in fibroblasts plated on fibrotic matrix, osteopontin. Src interaction with integrin αV is required for integrin αV-mediated Src activation, and the subsequent fibroblast migration. The study identified that β5 and β3 are the major integrins for this effect on osteopontin. In contrast, integrins β1, β6, and β8 did not have a critical role in this phenomenon. Importantly, Src inhibitor significantly reduces fibroblast migration stimulated by PDGF-BB and reduced in vivo lung fibrosis in mice. Src inhibitor reduced Src activation and blocked the signaling transduction by integrin αV, inhibited migration signaling pathways and reduced extracellular matrix protein production, and blocked myofibroblast differentiation in vivo in mouse lung tissues. The present study supports that the interaction of Src Kinase and integrins plays a critical role in the development of lung fibrosis and the signaling involved may present a novel opportunity to target deadly fibrotic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]