Karyotypic changes and diversification time in Epinephelidae groupers (Perciformes). Implications on reproductive isolation.

Groupers (Epinephelidae and Serranidae) have attracted special attention to fish farming, and their species offer good opportunities for successful hybridizations. Cytogenetic data allow a better understanding of the role of karyotypic diversification in the acquisition of post-zygotic reproductive isolation (RI). Thus, chromosomal analyses were performed on E. striatus (Caribbean Sea), E. coioides and E. tauvina (Indo-Pacific Region), using standard procedures and mapping of six repetitive DNA classes by the in situ hybridization. The three species have 2n=48 chromosomes. The karyotypes of E. coioides and E. striatus are composed only of acrocentric chromosomes (FN=48), while E. tauvina has 8 submetacentric chromosomes (FN=56). Heterochromatin has a preferential centromeric distribution, and the microsatellite repeats are dispersed throughout the chromosomes of all species. The 18S and 5S rDNA sites are unique but show a colocalization arrangement in E. tauvina and E. striatus. The chromosomal organization suggests that the three species still maintain a significant amount of syntenic regions. The range of the karyotype divergence and the RI levels showed low, but goes turn proportionally greater in relation to the divergence time between the parental species. The slow acquisition of postzygotic RI is consistent with the high karyotype homogeneity presented by Epinephelidae family.

Current status and ongoing needs for the teaching and assessment of clinical reasoning - an international mixed-methods study from the students` and teachers` perspective.

BACKGROUND: Clinical reasoning (CR) is a crucial ability that can prevent errors in patient care. Despite its important role, CR is often not taught explicitly and, even when it is taught, typically not all aspects of this ability are addressed in health professions education. Recent research has shown the need for explicit teaching of CR for both students and teachers. To further develop the teaching and learning of CR we need to improve the understanding of students' and teachers' needs regarding content as well as teaching and assessment methods for a student and trainer CR curriculum. METHODS: Parallel mixed-methods design that used web-surveys and semi-structured interviews to gather data from both students (nsurvey = 100; ninterviews = 13) and teachers (nsurvey = 112; ninterviews = 28). The interviews and surveys contained similar questions to allow for triangulation of the results. This study was conducted as part of the EU-funded project DID-ACT ( https://did-act.eu ). RESULTS: Both the surveys and interview data emphasized the need for content in a clinical reasoning (CR) curriculum such as "gathering, interpreting and synthesizing patient information", "generating differential diagnoses", "developing a diagnostic and a treatment plan" and "collaborative and interprofessional aspects of CR". There was high agreement that case-based learning and simulations are most useful for teaching CR. Clinical and oral examinations were favored for the assessment of CR. The preferred format for a train-the-trainer (TTT)-course was blended learning. There was also some agreement between the survey and interview participants regarding contents of a TTT-course (e.g. teaching and assessment methods for CR). The interviewees placed special importance on interprofessional aspects also for the TTT-course. CONCLUSIONS: We found some consensus on needed content, teaching and assessment methods for a student and TTT-course in CR. Future research could investigate the effects of CR curricula on desired outcomes, such as patient care.

Under-reporting of forensic findings: craniocervical emergency imaging in cases of survived hanging.

To determine the diagnostic bias between clinical and forensic radiology in cases of nonfatal hanging and determine and describe typical underreported imaging findings. In a retrospective, single-center study, all patients admitted for attempted suicide with near-hanging or fatal hanging between January 2008 and December 2020 who received CT or MRI of head and neck were reviewed and missed findings in the original report were documented. A binary regression with disagreement as dependent variable was fitted for the imaging modality, fatality, age, and sex. A total of 123 hanging incidents were retrospectively analyzed. The vast majority (n = 108; 87.8%) had attempted suicide with a nonfatal outcome. Fatal outcome occurred in 15 (12.0%). The extra- and intracranial injuries documented on CT and MRI scans were laryngeal (n = 8; 6.5%), soft tissue (n = 42; 34.1%), and vascular injuries (n = 1; 0.8%). Intracranial pathology was evident on 18 (14.6%) scans. Disagreement occurred in 36 (29.3%) cases and represented 52 (69.2%) of all cases with a radiological finding. Disagreement was strongly associated with fatality (OR: 2.7-44.9.4, p = 0.0012). In most cases, nonfatal hangings cause no or only minor injuries. Fatal cases are associated with a greater probability of missed minor imaging findings. This suggests that findings deemed clinically irrelevant are probably not reported in such severe emergency cases. This association indicates that minor abnormalities are underreported when major pathologies are evident on imaging in victims of strangulation.

Plasmatic endocannabinoids are decreased in subjects with ultra-high risk of psychosis.

The onset of frank psychosis is usually preceded by a prodromal phase characterized by attenuated psychotic symptoms. Currently, research on schizophrenia prodromal phase (ultra-high risk for psychosis [UHR]) has focused on the risk of developing psychosis, on the transition to full blown psychosis and on its prediction. Neurobiological differences between UHR individuals who fully recover (remitters) versus those who show persistent/progressive prodromal symptoms (nonremitters) have been little explored. The endocannabinoid system constitutes a neuromodulatory system that plays a major role in brain development, synaptic plasticity, emotional behaviours and cognition. It comprises two cannabinoid receptors (CB1/CB2), two endocannabinoid ligands, arachidonylethanolamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2AG) along with their inactivation enzymes. Despite much evidence that the endocannabinoid system is imbalanced during psychosis, very little is known about it in UHR. Therefore, we aimed to quantify the plasma endocannabinoid levels in UHR and healthy controls (HC) and verify if these metabolites could differentiate between remitters and nonremitters. Circulating concentrations of AEA (p = .003) and 2AG (p < .001) were lower in UHR when compared with HC, with no difference between remitters and nonremitters. Regarding clinical evolution, it was observed that out of 91 UHRs initially considered, 16 had psychiatric complaints (3 years of follow-up). Considering those subjects, there were weak correlations between clinical parameters and plasma concentrations of endocannabinoids. Our results suggest that the endocannabinoids are imbalanced before frank psychosis and that changes can be seen in plasma of UHR individuals. These molecules proved to be potential biomarkers to identify individuals in the prodromal phase of psychosis.

Do biometric parameters improve the quality of optic nerve head measurements with spectral domain optical coherence tomography?

BACKGROUND: Spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) is a widely applied non-invasive technique for evaluating optic nerve head parameters. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of biometric parameters such as the spherical equivalent (SE) and the anterior corneal curvature (ACC) on the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL), Bruch's membrane opening (BMO), and the minimum rim width (MRW) measurements performed by spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) in glaucomatous and healthy eyes. METHODS: In this cross-sectional, case-control prospective pilot study, the glaucoma group consisted of 50 patients with previously diagnosed and treated glaucoma and one healthy group of 50 subjects. Two consecutive examinations of pRNFL, BMO, and MRW with SD-OCT for every patient were performed without ACC and objective refraction (imaging 1) and with them (imaging 2). RESULTS: The interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) reflected high agreement between imaging 1 and imaging 2 in both groups. The ICC in the glaucoma and healthy groups for pRNFL (0.99 vs. 0.98), BMO (0.95 vs. 0.97), and MRW (1.0 vs. 1.0) was comparable. CONCLUSIONS: Our preliminary data from a small number of eyes showed that the measurements of pRNFL, MRW, and BMO reflected high agreement between both imaging techniques with ACC and objective refraction and without these parameters in subjects with a refractive error up to ± 6.0 diopters. Further studies with participants with higher refractive error are necessary to evaluate the impact of biometric parameters such as SE and ACC on measurements with SD-OCT.

The relationship between depression symptoms and academic performance among first-year undergraduate students at a South African university: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: South African universities face a challenge of low throughput rates, with most students failing to complete their studies within the minimum regulatory time. Literature has begun to investigate the contribution of well-being, including mental health, with depression among students being one of the most common mental disorders explored. However, locally relevant research exploring associations between depression and academic performance has been limited. This research hypothesizes that the presence of depression symptoms, when controlling for key socio-demographic factors, has an adverse impact on student academic outcomes and contributes to the delay in the academic progression of students. METHODS: The study used a cross-sectional design. Data were collected in 2019 from first-time, first-year undergraduate students using a self-administered online questionnaire. In total, 1,642 students completed the survey. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was used to screen for depression symptoms. Data on students' academic performance were obtained from institutional records. Bivariate and multivariate regression analyses were used to examine associations between depression symptoms and academic performance. RESULTS: Most participants (76%) successfully progressed (meeting the requirements to proceed to the second year of university study). Of the participants, 10% displayed symptoms of severe depression. The likelihood of progression delay (not meeting the academic requirements to proceed to the second year of university study) increased with the severity of depression symptoms. Moderate depression symptoms nearly doubled the adjusted odds of progression delay (aOR = 1.98, 95% CI: 1.30-3.00, p = 0.001). The likelihood of progression delay was nearly tripled by moderate severe depression symptoms (aOR = 2.70, 95% CI:1.70-4.36, p < 0.001) and severe depression symptoms (aOR = 2.59, 95% CI:1.54-4.36, p < 0.001). The model controlled for field of study, financial aid support as well as sex and race. CONCLUSION: Higher levels of depression symptoms among first-year university students are associated with a greater likelihood of progression delay and may contribute to the low throughput rates currently seen in South African universities. It is important for students, universities and government departments to recognize student mental wellness needs and how these can be met.

Antarctic environments as a source of bacterial and fungal therapeutic enzymes.

Microbial therapeutic enzymes are the protagonists in the pharmacological treatment of different human diseases. The intrinsic enzymatic characteristics, such as high affinity and specificity to the corresponding substrate, enable effective therapies, with minimal adverse effects and complete remission. However, immunogenicity, short half-life, low enzymatic yield, and low selectivity regarding available enzyme drugs are currently the main obstacles to their development and the broad adherence to therapeutic protocols. By harboring adapted and still unexplored microbial life, environments of extreme conditions, such as Antarctica, become especially important in the prospecting and development of new enzymatic compounds that present higher yields and the possibility of genetic improvement. Antarctic microorganisms have adaptation mechanisms, such as more fluid cell membranes, production of antifreeze proteins and enzymes with more malleable structures, more robust, stable, selective catalytic sites for their respective substrates, and high antioxidant capacity. In this context, this review aims to explore enzymes synthesized by bacteria and fungi from Antarctica as potential drug producers, capable of providing therapeutic efficacy, less adverse effects, and lower production costs with highlight to L-Asparaginase, collagenase, superoxide dismutase and ribonucleases. In addition, this review highlights the unique biotechnological profile of these Antarctic extremophile microorganisms.

Genetic polymorphisms of the serotonin transporter are not related with depression in temporal lobe epilepsy caused by hippocampal sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Mood disorders are the most frequent psychiatric disorders in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy caused by hippocampal sclerosis (TLE-HS). The pathophysiological mechanisms in common between TLE and mood disorders include abnormalities in the serotonergic pathway. We aimed to evaluate the association between serotonin transporter genetic polymorphisms - 5-HTTLPR and 5-HTTVNTR - and the presence of mood disorders in patients with TLE-HS. METHODS: We evaluated 119 patients with TLE-HS, with and without psychiatric disorder; 146 patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD), and 113 healthy volunteers. Individuals were genotyped for the 5-HTTLPR and 5-HTTVNTR polymorphisms. RESULTS: No difference was observed between the TLE-HS groups, healthy controls, and MDD without epilepsy. There was a correlation between the 12-allele of the 5-HTTVNTR and the family history of patients with epilepsy with TLE-HS (p = 0.013). CONCLUSIONS: In this study conducted in two Brazilian centers, the serotonin transporter polymorphisms evaluated cannot be associated with depressive disorder in patients with TLE-HS. Still, they do have some influence over some clinical characteristics of epilepsy in TLE-HS. These data may not be reproduced in other populations with distinct ethnic characteristics.

Acanthoscurria gomesiana spider-derived synthetic mygalin in the dorsal raphe nucleus modulates acute and chronic pain.

Mygalin, a diacylspermidine that is naturally found in the hemolymph of the spider Acanthoscurria gomesiana, is of interest for development as a potential analgesic. Previous studies have shown that acylpolyamines modulate glutamatergic receptors with the potential to alter pain pathways. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of mygalin on acute and chronic pain in rodents. For evaluation of acute pain, Wistar rats were subjected to tail-flick and hot-plate nociceptive tests. For the evaluation of chronic neuropathic pain, a partial ligation of the sciatic nerve was performed and, 21 days later, animals were examined in hot-plate, tail-flick, acetone, and von Frey tests. Either Mygalin or vehicle was microinjected in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) before the tests. Another group was pretreated with selective antagonists of glutamate receptors (LY 235959, MK-801, CNQX, and NBQX). Mygalin decreases nociceptive thresholds on both acute and chronic neuropathic pain models in all the tests performed. The lowest dose of mygalin yielded the most effective nociception, showing an increase of 63% of the nociceptive threshold of animals with neuropathic chronic pain. In conclusion, mygalin microinjection in the DRN results in antinociceptive effect in models of neuropathic pain, suggesting that acylpolyamines and their derivatives, such as this diacylspermidine, could be pursued for the treatment of neuropathic pain and development of selective analgesics.

Increased PLA2 activity in individuals at ultra-high risk for psychosis.

Phospholipase A2 is the main enzyme in the metabolism of membrane phospholipids. It comprises a family of enzymes divided into iPLA2, cPLA2 and sPLA2. Studies have reported increased PLA2 activity in psychotic patients, which suggests an accelerated breakdown of membrane phospholipids. In the present study we investigated whether increased PLA2 activity is also present in individuals at ultra-high risk (UHR) for psychosis. One-hundred fifty adults were included in this study (85 UHR and 65 controls). UHR was assessed using the "structured interview for prodromal syndromes". PLA2 activity was determined in platelets by a radio-enzymatic assay. We found in UHR individuals increased activities of iPLA2 (p < 0.001) and cPLA2 (p = 0.012) as compared to controls. No correlations were found between socio-demographic and clinical parameters and PLA2 activity. Our findings suggest that increased PLA2 activities may be useful as a biological risk-marker for psychotic disorders.

FUNCTIONAL AND STRUCTURAL EFFECTS OF NONDAMAGING RETINAL LASER THERAPY FOR MACULAR TELANGIECTASIA TYPE 2: A Randomized Sham-Controlled Clinical Trial.

PURPOSE: Macular telangiectasia (MacTel) Type 2 is a progressing neurovascular disease of the macula, currently lacking effective treatment. This study assessed the effect of nondamaging retinal laser therapy (NRT) compared with sham. METHODS: Twelve MacTel patients were enrolled in this double-masked, controlled, randomized clinical trial. For the nine patients with both eyes eligible, one eye was randomized to NRT or sham and the other received alternate treatment. For three patients with only one eye eligible, that eye was randomly assigned either NRT or sham. Ellipsoid zone disruption, best-corrected visual acuity, and macular automated perimetry at 12 months served as structural and functional measures. RESULTS: Eleven eyes were randomized to sham and 10 to NRT. Baseline best-corrected visual acuity was 66 letters (20/50) for sham and 72 letters (20/40) for NRT (P = 0.245). Ellipsoid zone disruption area was 298 µm2 in sham and 368 µm2 in NRT (P = 0.391). At 12 months, ellipsoid zone disruption increased by 24% in sham and decreased by 34% in NRT (P < 0.001). Best-corrected visual acuity measures remained stable during follow-up compared with baseline. At 1 year, the mean macular sensitivity was 28 dB in the NRT group, compared with 26 dB in sham. CONCLUSION: Nondamaging retinal laser therapy was safe and well tolerated in patients with MacTel and resulted in structural and functional improvements, which could represent a protective effect of laser-induced hyperthermia. Longer follow-up and larger number of patients should help corroborate these effects.

Trial of Electrical Direct-Current Therapy versus Escitalopram for Depression.

BACKGROUND: We compared transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) with a selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitor for the treatment of depression. METHODS: In a single-center, double-blind, noninferiority trial involving adults with unipolar depression, we randomly assigned patients to receive tDCS plus oral placebo, sham tDCS plus escitalopram, or sham tDCS plus oral placebo. The tDCS was administered in 30-minute, 2-mA prefrontal stimulation sessions for 15 consecutive weekdays, followed by 7 weekly treatments. Escitalopram was given at a dose of 10 mg per day for 3 weeks and 20 mg per day thereafter. The primary outcome measure was the change in the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS-17) score (range, 0 to 52, with higher scores indicating more depression). Noninferiority of tDCS versus escitalopram was defined by a lower boundary of the confidence interval for the difference in the decreased score that was at least 50% of the difference in the scores with placebo versus escitalopram. RESULTS: A total of 245 patients underwent randomization, with 91 being assigned to escitalopram, 94 to tDCS, and 60 to placebo. In the intention-to-treat analysis, the mean (±SD) decrease in the score from baseline was 11.3±6.5 points in the escitalopram group, 9.0±7.1 points in the tDCS group, and 5.8±7.9 points in the placebo group. The lower boundary of the confidence interval for the difference in the decrease for tDCS versus escitalopram (difference, -2.3 points; 95% confidence interval [CI], -4.3 to -0.4; P=0.69) was lower than the noninferiority margin of -2.75 (50% of placebo minus escitalopram), so noninferiority could not be claimed. Escitalopram and tDCS were both superior to placebo (difference vs. placebo, 5.5 points [95% CI, 3.1 to 7.8; P<0.001] and 3.2 points [95% CI, 0.7 to 5.5; P=0.01], respectively). Patients receiving tDCS had higher rates of skin redness, tinnitus, and nervousness than did those in the other two groups, and new-onset mania developed in 2 patients in the tDCS group. Patients receiving escitalopram had more frequent sleepiness and obstipation than did those in the other two groups. CONCLUSIONS: In a single-center trial, tDCS for the treatment of depression did not show noninferiority to escitalopram over a 10-week period and was associated with more adverse events. (Funded by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo and others; ELECT-TDCS ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01894815 .).

An improved drop casting electrochemical strategy for furosemide quantification in natural waters exploiting chemically reduced graphene oxide on glassy carbon electrodes.

This work exploits the applicability of a chemically reduced graphene oxide (CRGO) modification on the electrochemical response of a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) for the first-time sensitive determination of furosemide in natural waters. The batch injection analysis (BIA) is proposed as an analytical method, where CRGO-GCE is coupled to a BIA cell for amperometric measurements. Acetate buffer (0.1 µmol L-1, pH 5.2) was used as the background electrolyte. The modification provided an increase in sensitivity (0.024 µA/µmol L-1), low limit of detection (0.7 µmol L-1), RSD (< 4%), and broad linear range (1-600 µmol L-1). Recovery tests performed in two different concentration ranges resulted in values between 89 and 99%. Recovery tests were performed and compared with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV-Vis detection using Student's t test at a 95% significance level, and no significant differences were found, confirming the accuracy of the method. The developed method is proven faster (169 h-1) compared with the HPLC analysis (5 h-1), also comparable with other flow procedures hereby described, offering a low-cost strategy suitable to quantify an emerging pharmaceutical pollutant. Graphical abstract.

Ceftriaxone pretreatment confers neuroprotection in rats with acute glaucoma and reduces the score of seizures induced by pentylenotetrazole in mice.

ß-Lactam antibiotics such as ceftriaxone, are potent stimulators of the expression of l-glutamate transporter GLT-1 and may exert neuroprotective effects when chronically used in rats and mice. In this study, we used two animal models to test the neurological effect of subchronic treatment with ceftriaxone: experimental acute glaucoma in Wistar rats and induction of acute seizures with pentylenetetrazole in mice. We also assessed the performance of mice in the rotarod to calculate therapeutic indexes and exploratory activity in the open field. Our results showed that subchronic use of ceftriaxone was neuroprotective in both models, reducing injury in acute ischemia and ischemia/reperfusion in specific layers of retina and leading to a decrease in the seizure severity score. In behavioral experiments, we observed that ceftriaxone increased hyperactivity followed by a decrease in exploratory behavior in the open field, and there was no motor impairment in the rotarod test. We conclude that ceftriaxone may be useful as a tool in the development of new neuroprotective drugs targeting diseases which present a possible dysfunction in the balance of glutamatergic neurotransmission.

Reduced Annexin A3 in schizophrenia.

The cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying onset and development of schizophrenia have not yet been completely elucidated, but the association of disturbed neuroplasticity and inflammation has gained particular relevance recently. These mechanisms are linked to annexins functions. ANXA3, particularly, is associated to inflammation and membrane metabolism cascades. The aim was to determine the ANXA3 levels in first-onset drug-naïve psychotic patients. We investigated by western blot the protein expression of annexin A3 in platelets of first-onset, drug-naïve psychotic patients (diagnoses according to DSM-IV: 28 schizophrenia, 27 bipolar disorder) as compared to 30 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. Annexin A3 level was lower in schizophrenia patients as compared to healthy controls (p < 0.001) and to bipolar patients (p < 0.001). Twenty out of 28 schizophrenic patients had undetectable annexin A3 levels, as compared to none from the bipolar and none from the control subjects. ANXA3 was reduced in drug-naïve patients with schizophrenia. ANXA3 affects neuroplasticity, inflammation and apoptosis, as well as it modulates membrane phospholipid metabolism. All these processes have been discussed in regard to the biology of schizophrenia. In face of these data, we feel that further studies with larger samples are warranted to investigate the possible role of reduced ANXA3 as a possible risk marker for schizophrenia.

Three plasma metabolites in elderly patients differentiate mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease: a pilot study.

The metabolomic profile of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) may suggest potential diagnostic biomarkers and provide information on the pathophysiology of dementia. Our aim was to quantify plasmatic metabolites of AD patients, MCI and controls. We investigated the metabolomic profile-using the AbsoluteIDQ®p180 assay-of 79 older adults with primary cognitive impairment (34 AD and 20 MCI) and 25 healthy elders (controls). A cluster analysis revealed that a combination C12-DC, C12 and PCaaC26:0 could differentiate the patients according to diagnostic. Future studies should combine metabolomic profiles with other biomarkers to identify diagnostic groups.

Molecular Cytogenetic Analysis in Freshwater Prawns of the Genus Macrobrachium (Crustacea: Decapoda: Palaemonidae).

Freshwater prawns of the genus Macrobrachium are one of the important components of circumtropical marine, estuarine, and freshwater environments. They have been extensively exploited for human consumption for many years. More than 250 species reflect the evolutionary success of this highly diversified group, with a complex and challenging taxonomy due to morphological variations and vast geographical distribution. Although genetic approaches have been used to clarify phylogenetic and taxonomic aspects of Macrobrachium species, cytogenetic information is still very scarce and mostly focused on chromosome number and morphology. Here, we present chromosome data for three species from the Neotropical region, M. carcinus, M. acanthurus, and M. amazonicum, and one species from the Oriental region, M. rosenbergii. Using conventional cytogenetic approaches and chromosome mapping of repetitive DNAs by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), we identified numerical diversification of the diploid set, within and between both zoogeographic regions. These included M. acanthurus and M. amazonicum sharing diploid chromosomes of 98, while M. carcinus has 94, and M. rosenbergii has 118 chromosomes. Argentophilic sites are also variable in number, but they occur in a much higher number than 18S rDNA, representing two to 10 sites within the study species. Microsatellites repeat motifs are also abundant in the chromosomes, with a co-localization and uniform distribution along the chromosome arms, but completely absent in the AT-rich centromeric regions. As a whole, our study suggests that the 2n divergence was followed by a considerable rDNA diversification. The abundance of the exceptional amount of microsatellite sequences in the chromosomes also suggests that they are essential components of the Macrobrachium genome and, therefore, maintained as a shared feature by the species, the reason for which is yet unknown.

[ATLS® and TDSC®: how it fits together : A treatment concept for mass casualty and terrorist-related mass casualty situations, life-threatening and special scenarios]. / ATLS® und TDSC®: How it fits together : Ein Behandlungskonzept für MANV und TerrorMANV, lebensbedrohliche oder besondere Lagen.

Terrorist-related mass casualty incidents represent a medical and organizational challenge for all hospitals. The main reasons are the special patterns of injuries, the onset and development of the scenario, the lack of information at the beginning, the overall number of casualties and the number of uninjured but involved patients presenting at the hospital.Due to these circumstances and the high percentage of penetrating injuries with a permanent risk of uncontrollable bleeding and other life-threatening complications, a strategic and tactical initial surgical care is necessary.For these special terrorist-related mass casualty (MasCal) situations, the Terror and Disaster Surgical Care (TDSC®) course was developed and imparts special medical and surgical knowledge as well as a scenario-based training in surgical decision-making. The TDSC® course focusses on the scenario-related provision of surgical care and distribution of the limited resources to enable survival for as many patients as possible.To improve individualized trauma care course formats, such as the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS®) were established and are nowadays widespread in Germany. It could be shown that standardized approaches and algorithm-based treatment could improve the outcome of trauma victims. Faced with the present day permanent risk of a possible terrorist-related MasCal situation, the question arises how and to what extent elements and principles of both course formats (TDSC® and ATLS®) could be used to improve and organize the initial care in a terrorist-linked MasCal incident.For the first time it is shown that the key elements of both courses (primary survey of the ATLS® and the TDSC® principles: categorization, prioritization, disposition and realization) could be established and integratively used to structure the initial intrahospital medical and surgical care.

Micro-Scale Device-An Alternative Route for Studying the Intrinsic Properties of Solid-State Materials: The Case of Semiconducting TaGeIr.

An efficient application of a material is only possible if we know its physical and chemical properties, which is frequently obstructed by the presence of micro- or macroscopic inclusions of secondary phases. While sometimes a sophisticated synthesis route can address this issue, often obtaining pure material is not possible. One example is TaGeIr, which has highly sample-dependent properties resulting from the presence of several impurity phases, which influence electronic transport in the material. The effect of these minority phases was avoided by manufacturing, with the help of focused-ion-beam, a µm-scale device containing only one phase-TaGeIr. This work provides evidence for intrinsic semiconducting behavior of TaGeIr and serves as an example of selective single-domain device manufacturing. This approach gives a unique access to the properties of compounds that cannot be synthesized in single-phase form, sparing costly and time-consuming synthesis efforts.

Paracentric Inversions Differentiate the Conservative Karyotypes in Two Centropomus Species (Teleostei: Centropomidae).

Centropomus is the sole genus of the Centropomidae family (Teleostei), comprising 12 species widely distributed throughout the Western Atlantic and Eastern Pacific, with 6 of them occurring in the Western Atlantic in extensive sympatry. Their life history and phylogenetic relationships are well characterized; however, aspects of chromosomal evolution are still unknown. Here, cytogenetic analyses of 2 Centropomus species of great economic value (C. undecimalis and C. mexicanus) were performed using conventional (Giemsa, Ag-NOR, and fluorochrome staining, C- and replication banding) and molecular (chromosomal mapping of 18S and 5S rDNA, H2A-H2B and H3 hisDNA, and (TTAGGG)n repeats) approaches. The karyotypes of both species were composed of 48 solely acrocentric chromosomes (2n = 48; FN = 48), but the single ribosomal site was located in varying positions in the long arms of the second largest chromosome pair. Replication bands were generally similar, although conspicuous differences were observed in some chromosome regions. In both species, the histone H3 genes were located on 3 apparently homeologous chromosome pairs, but the exact position of these clusters differed slightly. Interspecific hisDNA and rDNA site displacements can indicate the occurrence of multiple paracentric inversions during the evolutionary diversification of the Centropomus genomes. Although the karyotypes remained similar in both species, our data demonstrate an unsuspected microstructural reorganization between them, driven most likely by a series of paracentric inversions.