Universals versus historical contingencies in lexical evolution.

The frequency with which we use different words changes all the time, and every so often, a new lexical item is invented or another one ceases to be used. Beyond a small sample of lexical items whose properties are well studied, little is known about the dynamics of lexical evolution. How do the lexical inventories of languages, viewed as entire systems, evolve? Is the rate of evolution of the lexicon contingent upon historical factors or is it driven by regularities, perhaps to do with universals of cognition and social interaction? We address these questions using the Google Books N-Gram Corpus as a source of data and relative entropy as a measure of changes in the frequency distributions of words. It turns out that there are both universals and historical contingencies at work. Across several languages, we observe similar rates of change, but only at timescales of at least around five decades. At shorter timescales, the rate of change is highly variable and differs between languages. Major societal transformations as well as catastrophic events such as wars lead to increased change in frequency distributions, whereas stability in society has a dampening effect on lexical evolution.

Enalapril and ASS inhibit tumor growth in a transgenic mouse model of islet cell tumors.

Accumulating evidence suggests a role for angiotensin-converting enzymes involving the angiotensin II-receptor 1 (AT1-R) and the cyclooxygenase pathway in carcinogenesis. The effects of ASS and enalapril were assessed in vitro and in a transgenic mouse model of pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (pNENs). The effects of enalapril and ASS on proliferation and expression of the AGTR1A and its target gene vascular endothelial growth factor (Vegfa) were assessed in the neuroendocrine cell line BON1. Rip1-Tag2 mice were treated daily with either 0.6 mg/kg bodyweight of enalapril i.p., 20 mg/kg bodyweight of ASS i.p., or a vehicle in a prevention (weeks 5-12) and a survival group (week 5 till death). Tumor surface, weight of pancreatic glands, immunostaining for AT1-R and nuclear factor kappa beta (NFKB), and mice survival were analyzed. In addition, sections from human specimens of 20 insulinomas, ten gastrinomas, and 12 non-functional pNENs were evaluated for AT1-R and NFKB (NFKB1) expression and grouped according to the current WHO classification. Proliferation was significantly inhibited by enalapril and ASS in BON1 cells, with the combination being the most effective. Treatment with enalapril and ASS led to significant downregulation of known target genes Vegf and Rela at RNA level. Tumor growth was significantly inhibited by enalapril and ASS in the prevention group displayed by a reduction of tumor size (84%/67%) and number (30%/45%). Furthermore, daily treatment with enalapril and ASS prolonged the overall median survival compared with vehicle-treated Rip1-Tag2 (107 days) mice by 9 and 17 days (P=0.016 and P=0.013). The AT1-R and the inflammatory transcription factor NFKB were abolished completely upon enalapril and ASS treatment. AT1-R and NFKB expressions were observed in 80% of human pNENs. Enalapril and ASS may provide an approach for chemoprevention and treatment of pNENs.

Bracing for activity.

A wide variety of braces is available in an ever-changing market for physicians treating athletes who are in rehabilitation and/or returning to competition. Though helpful and important, braces do not ensure against reinjury. To promote compliance and achieve successful rehabilitation, physicians must understand the nature of the patient's activity, how a given brace works, the anatomy and physiology of the joint, and the patient's expectations and concerns.

Athletic Shoes: Finding the Right Fit.

Are sport-specific shoes better than cross trainers? Is price a good indicator of quality? Addressing patients' questions about athletic shoes involves cutting through the marketing hype and taking a look at the unique characteristics of each pair of feet.

Group JK corynebacteria in skin flora of healthy persons and patients.

The presence of group JK corynebacteria in the skin flora of the axilla and inguinal regions was monitored for several months in three groups comprising 45 oncological patients, 49 dialysis patients and 36 healthy staff members. Oncology patients were colonised significantly more often (51%) than dialysis patients and staff members (33% and 36% respectively). The frequency of isolation did not differ between male patients and staff whereas female patients were colonised significantly more often than female staff members. The inguinal region was colonised more often than the axilla. Oncological patients had the highest proportion of antibiotic resistant group JK corynebacteria strains on their skin and staff members the lowest proportion.

Isolation of Corynebacterium group JK from clinical specimens with a semiselective medium.

A semiselective medium for the detection of multiresistant lipophilic corynebacteria is described. The medium consisted of tryptose agar, supplemented with Tween 80, lecithin, histidine, glycerol, sodium thiosulfate, fosfomycin, ticarcillin, and 5-fluorocytosine. The medium was tentatively called lecithin-Tween medium (LT medium). It promoted mainly the growth of Corynebacterium group JK, which has recently been identified as a cause of serious infection in immunocompromised patients. The application of LT medium to 6,859 routine clinical specimens increased the percentage of Corynebacterium group JK isolation from 0.1 to 1.0%. Although a total of 72 isolates were found in 65 patients, on the basis of clinical criteria only 2 patients were regarded as having an infection with these bacteria. Consequently, Corynebacterium group JK infection can only be diagnosed through a combination of clinical and microbiological findings. In high-risk areas, however, the use of LT medium for surveillance may facilitate the early detection of these potentially dangerous organisms.

[Septicemia by Corynebacterium group JK in a polytraumatized patient (author's transl)]. / Corynebakterien der JK-Gruppe als Sepsiserreger.

A case of septicemia by Corynebacterium group JK is reported in a polytraumatized patient. As the significant feature of this recently isolated group of bacteria is its resistance to almost all antibiotics, therapy of infections is very difficult. Infections can occur in immunocompromised hosts in intensive-care and oncological departments. Both sections should be monitored for these germs, because the JK group can be a part of the normal flora of healthy individuals.