Directional emission of rhodamine 6G on top of a silver grating.

We have observed directional spontaneous emission of rhodamine 6G dye deposited on top of a silver grating and found that its angular distribution patterns were very different in TE and TM polarizations. The latter was related to the dispersion curves determined based on the polarized reflection spectra measured at multiple incidence angles. The most intriguing finding of this Letter was a resonance, which was coupled with TE-polarized light and determined the characteristic double-crescent patterns in the TE-polarized spontaneous emission. This observation, as well as nearly similar resonance observed in TM polarization, was tentatively explained in terms of leaky waveguide modes supported by a film of dye-doped polymer.

ß decay of (38)Ca: sensitive test of isospin symmetry-breaking corrections from mirror superallowed 0+ → 0+ transitions.

We report the first branching-ratio measurement of the superallowed 0+→0+ß transition from Ca38. The result, 0.7728(16), leads to an ft value of 3062.3(68) s with a relative precision of ±0.2%. This makes possible a high-precision comparison of the ft values for the mirror superallowed transitions, Ca38→38mK and K38m→Ar38, which sensitively tests the isospin symmetry-breaking corrections required to extract Vud, the up-down quark-mixing element of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa (CKM) matrix, from superallowed ß decay. The result supports the corrections currently used and points the way to even tighter constraints on CKM unitarity.

Colorectal cancer screening: language is a greater barrier for Latino men than Latino women.

Colorectal cancer screening (CRC) disparities between non-Latino Whites and Latinos remain, and may have increased. The goal of this analysis was to examine the association between Latino race/ethnicity, gender, and English-proficiency and CRC screening. Analysis of the CDC's BRFSS 2008 survey. We estimated crude and adjusted screening rates and odds ratios of respondents' reported CRC test receipt stratified by self-reported Latino ethnicity, gender, and limited English proficiency (LEP) as determined by language of survey response (English vs Spanish). Of 99,883 respondents included in the study populations, LEP Latino men had the lowest adjusted screening rates (48.2%) which were lower that all other Latinos subgroups including Latina women with LEP (56.2%). Compared to non-Latino White men, LEP Latino men were 0.47 times as likely to report receiving CRC screening tests (AOR 0.47; 95% CI 0.35-0.63). Disparities in CRC screening are most dramatic for LEP Latino men.

Current experience and attitudes to biomedical scientist cut-up: results of an online survey of UK consultant histopathologists.

AIMS: To assess the current utilisation of biomedical scientist (BMS) surgical specimen cut-up in the UK and attitudes of consultant histopathologists to the practice. METHODS: Email invitations were sent to all UK consultant histopathologists to participate in an online survey (SurveyMonkey) assessing attitudes to and utilisation of BMS surgical specimen cut-up. RESULTS: 463 individual replies were received (35% response rate) from 1320 invitations to participate, covering 181 UK histopathology departments. A majority of the respondents were either fully in favour of BMS cut-up (52.7%), or in favour but with some reservation (46.2%). Only five respondents (1.1%) were completely opposed to BMS cut-up. 267 (57.7%) respondents reported that their BMS staff loaded biopsies only. 148 (32%) reported BMS cut-up of more complex benign specimens, and 83 (17.9%) reported BMS handling of orientated skin specimens. Only 39 (8.4%) reported that BMS staff in their departments currently cut-up larger cancer resections. CONCLUSIONS: This survey is representative of current BMS cut-up practice in the UK. The majority of UK consultant histopathologists replying to this survey support BMS cut-up to some degree, but utilisation of BMS cut-up is rather limited and patchy at present. Cost, staffing constraints, perceived quality issues and individual consultant preferences are cited as reasons for limited uptake currently. Recognised benefits of promoting BMS cut-up include better use of consultant time, enhanced team working, BMS job satisfaction and career progression, and better adherence to standard operating procedures.

First Report of Embellisia hyacinthi Causing a Leaf Spot and Bulb Skin Spot Disease on Scilla peruviana in California.

The genus Scilla (Hyacinthaceae) includes more than 50 species of perennial, flowering bulbs grown in landscapes worldwide. In December 2000 and May 2009, an unknown leaf spot disease on Scilla peruviana was submitted to the California Department of Food and Agriculture Plant Pest Diagnostic Lab. Samples were collected during routine phytosanitary inspections of production fields in Santa Cruz County in 2000 and Monterey County in 2009. The disease was detected before plants flowered in one field at each location each year and appeared to have a scattered distribution. Foliar spots were large, elliptical to oblong with grayish black centers and brown margins. Yellow halos surrounded many of the spots. Examination of the bulb material revealed small necrotic patches on the outer bulb scales. A rapidly growing fungus was isolated on one-half-strength acidified potato dextrose agar (APDA) from the sporulating leaf spots and necrotic patches on the bulbs. The colonies were greenish gray and became dark olivaceous with age. Dictyospores, which formed on simple to branched, geniculate conidiophores, were oblong, fusiform or obclavate and usually had a triangular apical cell. They were initially hyaline, turning olivaceous brown with age. Conidia measured 14 to 39 × 8 to 13 µm (average 24.6 × 9.9 µm) typically with two to four (but up to seven) thick, transverse septa and one to two longitudinal septa. Morphologically, the fungus matched the description of Embellisia hyacinthi de Hoog & Miller (1,3). To confirm pathogenicity, four leaves of four S. peruviana plants were inoculated by taking colonized mycelial plugs from 2-week-old cultures and placing them in a plastic screw-cap lid filled with sterile water. The water plus mycelial plug suspension in the lid was then clipped to the adaxial side of a pushpin-wounded leaf (4). Plants were placed in a dark dew chamber at 20°C for 48 h and then moved to a growth chamber at 20°C with a 12-h photoperiod. After 48 h, the clips, caps, and plugs were removed. An equal number of control plants were wounded and mock inoculated with noncolonized APDA agar plugs and the experiment was repeated. Leaf lesions were visible 3 days after clip removal and expanded to an average of 26 × 10 mm, 14 days after inoculation. Sporulation was observed in the lesions after 5 to 7 days and the fungus was isolated from all inoculated leaves. No symptoms developed on the control leaves. DNA sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer region of the isolate (GenBank Accession No. HQ425562) using primers ITS1 and ITS4 matched the identity of E. hyacinthi (2,4). E. hyacinthi has been reported as a foliar and bulb pathogen on Hyacinthus, Freesia, and Scilla in Japan and Europe including Great Britain. Bulbs infected with E. hyacinthi are generally less sound and less valuable than noninfected bulbs (1). To our knowledge, this is the first report of the disease on S. peruviana in California. References: (1) G. S. de Hoog and P. J. Muller. Neth. J. Plant Pathol. 79:85, 1973. (2) B. Pryor and D. M. Bigelow. Mycologia 95:1141, 2003. (3) E. Simmons. Mycotaxon 17:216, 1983. (4) L. E. Yakabe et al. Plant Dis. 93:883, 2009.

Stomatal vs. genome size in angiosperms: the somatic tail wagging the genomic dog?

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Genome size is a function, and the product, of cell volume. As such it is contingent on ecological circumstance. The nature of 'this ecological circumstance' is, however, hotly debated. Here, we investigate for angiosperms whether stomatal size may be this 'missing link': the primary determinant of genome size. Stomata are crucial for photosynthesis and their size affects functional efficiency. METHODS: Stomatal and leaf characteristics were measured for 1442 species from Argentina, Iran, Spain and the UK and, using PCA, some emergent ecological and taxonomic patterns identified. Subsequently, an assessment of the relationship between genome-size values obtained from the Plant DNA C-values database and measurements of stomatal size was carried out. KEY RESULTS: Stomatal size is an ecologically important attribute. It varies with life-history (woody species < herbaceous species < vernal geophytes) and contributes to ecologically and physiologically important axes of leaf specialization. Moreover, it is positively correlated with genome size across a wide range of major taxa. CONCLUSIONS: Stomatal size predicts genome size within angiosperms. Correlation is not, however, proof of causality and here our interpretation is hampered by unexpected deficiencies in the scientific literature. Firstly, there are discrepancies between our own observations and established ideas about the ecological significance of stomatal size; very large stomata, theoretically facilitating photosynthesis in deep shade, were, in this study (and in other studies), primarily associated with vernal geophytes of unshaded habitats. Secondly, the lower size limit at which stomata can function efficiently, and the ecological circumstances under which these minute stomata might occur, have not been satisfactorally resolved. Thus, our hypothesis, that the optimization of stomatal size for functional efficiency is a major ecological determinant of genome size, remains unproven.

Use of an isolated joint model to detect early changes induced by intra-articular injection of paclitaxel-impregnated polymeric microspheres.

Paclitaxel is a chemotherapeutic agent that suppresses cellular proliferation and angiogenesis and has been effective in suppressing proliferative synovitis in animal models. Local joint delivery ofpaclitaxel is being pursued as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis in humans, to avoid systematic toxicity of the drug. We used an extracorporeal, isolated metacarpophalangeal joint preparation that uniquely permitted the simultaneous evaluation of codependent hemodynamic, microvascular, and transsynovial flow responses of a joint. Specifically in this study, the isolated joint preparation provided quantitative assessment of vascular flow, transsynovial flow, and morphologic changes in response to intraarticular injection of paclitaxel (50 ng) in poly-(DL)-lactide co-glycolide 50:50 microspheres (50 microm diameter) to assess initial intra-articular biocompatibility. Control joints were isolated but not injected. Serial hemodynamic measurements, transsynovial fluid forces, synovial fluid analysis, synovial and capillary permeability, and oxygen metabolism were measured every 30 min during a subsequent 3-h isolation period. At termination, synovium and cartilage were harvested from bilateral metacarpophalangeal joints for histopathologic assessment. Intra-articular injection of this formulation of paclitaxel did not significantly affect hemodynamic parameters in the joint during this short-term study, and early joint inflammatory reaction was minimal. However, transsynovial fluid forces were significantly greater in treated joints as evidenced by greater synovial fluid flow, intra-articular pressure, transitional microvascular pressure, and permeability to fluid transport. Gross and histologic morphology of synovium and articular cartilage were normal in all isolated joints. In conclusion, this extracorporeal in vivo isolated joint model permitted investigation of the early changes in joint physiology induced by this microsphere formulation and dose ofpaclitaxel in joints and could provide a more physiologic and dynamic model for study of the pharmacokinetics of drug absorption following intra-articular administration. Due to the minimal inflammation and lack of evidence of gross or histologic change in the joint, this formulation of paclitaxel should be adequately biocompatible for use in an in vivo animal model for further study of its feasibility for human use.

Surgical treatment of patients with lumbar spinal stenosis with associated scoliosis.

Spinal stenosis in combination with scoliosis frequently is seen in elderly patients. Patients typically present with a combination of symptoms attributable to neurogenic claudication and radicular pain, and symptoms of lower back pain. For patients in whom conservative treatment is not sufficient, surgical treatment can be done with careful consideration of the overall patient and his or her medical status. Surgical treatment is twofold; one purpose is to decompress the neural elements, the other purpose is to stabilize and realign the spine to as great a degree as possible. Appropriate balance of the spine at the end of the procedure is more important than the absolute amount of correction obtained. Stabilization and correction of the spine is done with pedicle screw-rod instrumentation and fusion, and the procedure must be done in an efficient and timely manner to involve the least amount of morbidity. There are two types of deformity typically seen, one is a degenerative lumbar scoliosis with no or minimal rotational deformity (Type I), and the other is a degenerative scoliosis often superimposed on a preexisting scoliosis with greater rotational deformity and greater loss of lordosis (Type II). Instrumentation and correction techniques differ for these two types of deformities, with shorter instrumentation procedures usually possible for the Type I deformity and longer instrumentation with sagittal plane reconstitution necessary for Type II deformity.

Clay pica has no hematologic or metabolic correlate in chronic hemodialysis patients.

OBJECTIVE: Clay pica is a form of compulsive ingestion of non-nutritive substances frequently practiced by dialysis patients. Its consequences are unknown. In this study, we evaluated the effect of regular consumption of clay on hematologic and metabolic profiles in hemodialysis patients. DESIGN: A prospective, case-control study with use of structured questionnaire. SETTING: Free-standing hemodialysis units. PATIENTS: One hundred thirty-eight patients on hemodialysis for at least 12 months were interviewed. Thirteen of 138 (9.4%) confessed to clay pica. Ten randomly selected patients with no history of pica served as control. INTERVENTION: Average of all laboratory profiles and interdialytic weight gain (IDWG) over a 3-month period were recorded. Assay of the aluminum (Al), silica (Si), and iron (Fe) content of commercially purchased clay was performed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Comparison of laboratory profiles and IDWG between cases and control. Estimation of the daily consumption of Al, Fe, and Si from clay and their relationship to the laboratory profiles. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference in the levels of Al, albumin, calcium, ferritin, hematocrit, iron saturation, phosphorus, and IDWG between pica cases and control. Iron was significantly higher in pica patients (13.0 +/- 7.9 micromol/L v 7.5 +/- 2.5 micromol/L, P =.04), but potassium was higher among control than pica cases (4.9 +/- 0.7 mmol/L v 4.4 +/- 0.6 mmol/L, P =.07). Estimated metal exposure from daily clay consumption per patient were: Al (1-2 mg), Fe (11-23.5 mg), and Si (2-4.5 g). Multivariate logistic regression analysis failed to show any association between clay consumption and nutrition, anemia, or mineral metabolism (R(2) = 0.0, P =.79). CONCLUSION: Clay pica does not appear to be detrimental to the hematologic and metabolic milieu of hemodialysis patients. The practice should, however, be discouraged, because of potential for ingestion of unknown substances, and reported potential for gastrointestinal complications.

An intermittent foreign body in the airway: a case report.

A case is described of a surgical 'stay' suture which apparently disappeared from the tracheostomy site and took an unusual course before it reappeared in the patient's tracheostomy tube. Our report highlights the importance of documentation of the surgical techniques and procedures used in the performance of a tracheostomy and the importance of daily bedside examinations in the critically ill patient.

Rates of in-hospital arrests, deaths and intensive care admissions: the effect of a medical emergency team.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness of a medical emergency team (MET) in reducing the rates of selected adverse events. DESIGN: Cohort comparison study after casemix adjustment. PATIENTS AND SETTING: All adult (> or = 14 years) patients admitted to three Australian public hospitals from 8 July to 31 December 1996. INTERVENTION STUDIED: At Hospital 1, a medical emergency team (MET) could be called for abnormal physiological parameters or staff concern. Hospitals 2 and 3 had conventional cardiac arrest teams. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Casemix-adjusted rates of cardiac arrest, unanticipated admission to intensive care unit (ICU), death, and the subgroup of deaths where there was no pre-existing "do not resuscitate" (DNR) order documented. RESULTS: There were 1510 adverse events identified among 50 942 admissions. The rate of unanticipated ICU admissions was less at the intervention hospital in total (casemix-adjusted odds ratios: Hospital 1, 1.00; Hospital 2, 1.59 [95% CI, 1.24-2.04]; Hospital 3, 1.73 [95% CI, 1.37-2.16]). There was no significant difference in the rates of cardiac arrest or total deaths between the three hospitals. However, one of the hospitals with a conventional cardiac arrest team had a higher death rate among patients without a DNR order. CONCLUSIONS: The MET hospital had fewer unanticipated ICU/HDU admissions, with no increase in in-hospital arrest rate or total death rate. The non-DNR deaths were lower compared with one of the other hospitals; however, we did not adjust for DNR practices. We suggest that the MET concept is worthy of further study.

Reliability and validity of a DSM-IV based ADHD screener.

The Diagnostic Rating Scale (DRS) was completed by the parents and teachers of 82 children referred for clinical evaluations, 73 referred children seen twice, and 218 non-referred children from the community. The DRS, which uses a categorical rather than a dimensional rating approach, was 70% to 90% sensitive to diagnoses of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) made by blind clinical teams. In research and clinical applications, the DRS could improve screening efficiency, especially in situations where it would be desirable to exclude all children who might have ADHD or identify all children with Hyperactive-Impulsive symptoms. Because of its objectivity and consistency with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)-IV criteria, the DRS could facilitate comparison of participant samples across studies.

Effect of long-term administration of an injectable enrofloxacin solution on physical and musculoskeletal variables in adult horses.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate clinical safety of administration of injectable enrofloxacin. DESIGN: Randomized controlled clinical trial. ANIMALS: 24 adult horses. PROCEDURES: Healthy horses were randomly allocated into 4 equal groups that received placebo injections (control) or IV administration of enrofloxacin (5 mg/kg [2.3 mg/lb], 15 mg/kg [6.8 mg/lb], or 25 mg/kg [11.4 mg/lb] of body weight, q 24 h) for 21 days. Joint angles, cross-sectional area of superficial and deep digital flexor and calcaneal tendons, carpal or tarsal osteophytes or lucency, and midcarpal and tarsocrural articular cartilage lesions were measured. Physical and lameness examinations were performed daily. Measurements were repeated after day 21, and articular cartilage and bone biopsy specimens were examined. RESULTS: Enrofloxacin did not induce changes in most variables during administration or for 7 days after administration. One horse (dosage, 15 mg/kg) developed lameness and cellulitis around the tarsal plantar ligament during the last week of administration. One horse (dosage, 15 mg/kg) developed mild superficial digital flexor tendinitis, and 1 horse (dosage, 25 mg/kg) developed tarsal sheath effusion without lameness 3 days after the last administration. High doses of enrofloxacin (15 and 25 mg/kg) administered by bolus injection intermittently induced transient neurologic signs that completely resolved within 10 minutes without long-term effects. Slower injection and dilution of the dose ameliorated the neurologic signs. Adverse reactions were not detected with a 5 mg/kg dose administered IV as a bolus. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Enrofloxacin administered IV once daily at the rate of 5 mg/kg for 3 weeks is safe in adult horses.

Conservative management of a posterior tracheal tear: a case report.

We describe a case of posterior tracheal wall tear managed conservatively with a successful outcome. The presentation of a sudden increase in cuff volume and subcutaneous emphysema presents a challenging management problem requiring careful bronchoscopic and computed tomography delineation and isolation of the injury using a double lumen tube. This case also highlights the vulnerability of the trachea to injury from airway intervention and considers the possible mechanisms of tracheal injuries during the commonly performed intensive care procedure of percutaneous tracheostomy.

Nitric oxide synthase activity in healthy and interleukin 1beta-exposed equine synovial membrane.

OBJECTIVE: To quantitate nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity in healthy and interleukin 1beta (IL-1beta)-exposed equine synovial membrane. ANIMALS: 6 healthy horses, 2 to 8 years old. PROCEDURE: Recombinant human IL-1beta (0.35 ng/kg of body weight) was injected intra-articularly into 1 metacarpophalangeal joint of each horse. The contralateral joint served as an unexposed control. All horses were euthanatized 6 hours after injection of IL-1beta, and synovial membrane specimens were assayed for NOS activity by measuring conversion of arginine to citrulline. Severity of inflammation was semiquantitated by analysis of synovial fluids and histologic examination of synovial membrane. RESULTS: Equine synovial membrane had minimal NOS activity. A significant difference was not detected in NOS activity between control and IL-1beta-exposed specimens. Histologic examination revealed a neutrophilic infiltrate in synovial membrane exposed to IL-1beta. Synovial fluid from IL-1beta-exposed joints had a moderate inflammatory response and significantly greater concentrations of IL-1beta and interleukin-6 than fluid from healthy joints. CONCLUSION: Healthy equine synovial membrane had low NOS activity that was not affected by exposure to IL-1beta.

Instability-induced osteoarthritis in the metacarpophalangeal joint of horses.

OBJECTIVE: To establish an instability model of osteoarthritis (OA) that mimics the early changes of naturally acquired OA. ANIMALS: 6 mature radiographically normal horses. Procedure-The collateral and lateral collateral sesamoidean ligaments were transected in a metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint in each horse. Lameness examinations were performed every 7 days after surgery for 8 weeks. Radiographs were taken immediately before and after desmotomy and 8 weeks after surgery. Eight weeks after surgery, bilateral MCP joints were grossly evaluated, specimens of articular cartilage were harvested for histologic examination and tissue culture, and synovial membrane was harvested for histologic examination. RESULTS: Lameness scores significantly increased over time (mean score of 1.6 for the 8-week study period). Joint circumference was significantly greater and range of motion significantly less in OA joints, compared with contralateral joints. Number and size of osteophytes were significantly greater in OA joints. Amount of newly synthesized proteoglycan (PG) was significantly greater at 18 and 72 hours of cartilage explant culture for OA joints, compared with contralateral joints. Total PG content and PG degradation did not differ between OA and contralateral joints. IMPLICATIONS FOR HUMAN MEDICINE: This instability model in horses may be useful in the study of OA in humans. CONCLUSION: Desmotomy of the lateral collateral and lateral collateral sesamoidean ligaments induced instability similar to that of naturally acquired OA in horses, as documented by lameness, clinical signs of OA, osteophyte formation, and erosions of articular cartilage surfaces and score lines in OA joints.