Regions Important for Hemagglutination Activity and Serotypes of Avibacterium paragallinarum HMTp210 Protein.

Avibacterium paragallinarum is an important respiratory pathogen of domestic chickens. Avibacterium paragallinarum has been subtyped into three serogroups and nine serovars according to the Page and revised Kume schemes. The major hemagglutinin antigen of A. paragallinarum is HMTp210, which is a large protein of about 2000 amino acids (aa), including a 70-aa signal peptide at its N-terminal end. However, the regions important for the hemagglutination (HA) activity and serotypes of HMTp210 remain unclear. In this study we constructed a series of A. paragallinarum strains expressing HMTp210 in-frame deletion mutants and determined their HA titers to identify the regions important for the HA activity and serotypes of HMTp210. Two distinct types of HA activities were found in HMTp210. The type 1 HA activity resided in the region spanning the full-length HA (aa 71-2084), whereas the type 2 resided in the region spanning aa 1003-2084. The putative ligand binding of the type 1 HA activity was located at aa 176-360, which had a structure similar to YadA of Yersinia enterocolitica. The putative ligand binding site of the type 2 HA activity was located at aa 1003-1125, which had a structure similar to UspA1 from Moraxella catarrhalis. The type 1 HA activity appeared to be Page serogroup specific, whereas type 2 appeared to be Kume serovar specific. Finally, sequence analyses of the regions spanning aa 1-400 and aa 1100-1600 of HMTp210 could be useful for the molecular serotyping (the Page and revised Kume schemes) of A. paragallinarum isolates.

Regiones importantes para la actividad de hemaglutinación y serotipos de la proteína HMTp210 de Avibacterium paragallinarum. La bacteria Avibacterium paragallinarum es un patógeno respiratorio importante de los pollos domésticos. Avibacterium paragallinarum se subtipificó en tres serogrupos y nueve serovares de acuerdo con los esquemas revisados de Page y Kume. El principal antígeno de la hemaglutinina de A. paragallinarum es la proteína HMTp210, que es una proteína grande de unos 2000 aminoácidos (aa), que incluye un péptido señal de 70 aminoácidos en su extremo N-terminal. Sin embargo, las regiones importantes para la actividad de hemaglutinación (HA) y de los serotipos de la proteína HMTp210 siguen sin estar determinados. En este estudio, se construyó una serie de cepas de A. paragallinarum que expresaban mutantes de deleción en marco de lectura de HMTp210 y se determinaron sus títulos de hemaglutinación para identificar las regiones importantes para la actividad de hemaglutinación y de los serotipos de HMTp210. Se encontraron dos tipos distintos de actividades hemaglutinación en la proteína HMTp210. La actividad de hemaglutinación de tipo 1 residía en la región que abarcaba la longitud completa (aminoácidos 71­2084), mientras que la de tipo 2 residía en la región que abarcaba entre los aminoácidos 1003­2084. El sitio supuesto de unión al ligando de la actividad de hemaglutinación tipo 1 se ubicó entre los aminoácidos 176­360, que tenía una estructura similar a la proteína YadA de Yersinia enterocolitica. El supuesto sitio de unión del ligando de la actividad de hemaglutinación tipo 2 se ubicó entre los aminoácidos 1003­1125, que tenía una estructura similar a la proteína UspA1 de Moraxella catarrhalis. La actividad de hemaglutinación tipo 1 parecía ser específica del serogrupo Page, mientras que la hemaglutinación tipo 2 parecía ser específica del serovar Kume. Finalmente, los análisis de secuencias de las regiones que abarcan los aminácidos 1­400 y aminoácidos 1100­1600 de HMTp210 podrían ser útiles para la serotipificación molecular (por el esquema revisado de Page y Kume revisado) de aislamientos de A. paragallinarum.

Relationship Between the Serotypes and Hemagglutinin Gene Sequences of Avibacterium paragallinarum.

Avibacterium paragallinarum has been subtyped into three serogroups (A, B, and C) and nine serovars (A-1, A-2, A-3, A-4, B-1, C-1, C-2, C-3, and C-4) according to the Page and Kume schemes. Both schemes use the hemagglutination inhibition test for serotyping. However, the relationship between the hemagglutinin gene (HMTp210) sequences and serotypes of A. paragallinarum is still unclear. This problem is partly due to the lack of information on the complete HMTp210 sequence from the formal reference strain of Page serogroup B (strain 0222 or Spross). In this study, we determined the complete HMTp210 sequence of strain Spross. The sequence of Spross and those of other HMTp210 sequences retrieved from GenBank were used to conduct phylogenetic analyses to investigate the relationship between the serotypes and HMTp210 sequences of A. paragallinarum. Four phylogenetic clusters, designated clusters A-1, A-2, B, and C, were identified. Clustering based on complete HMTp210 sequences correlates with serotyping based on hemagglutination inhibition tests. Serovar A-2 was found to contain a chimeric HMTp210 gene that might have resulted from recombination between serovar A-1 and serovar C-1. In addition, phylogenetic analysis based on partial sequences (approximately nucleotides 1-1200) of HMTp210 was sufficient to discriminate between serogroups A, B, and C. These findings could be valuable for developing a molecular method for serotyping of A. paragallinarum.

Relación entre los serotipos y las secuencias génicas de hemaglutinina de Avibacterium paragallinarum. Avibacterium paragallinarum se ha subtipificado en tres serogrupos (A, B y C) y nueve serovares (A-1, A-2, A-3, A-4, B-1, C-1, C-2, C- 3 y C-4) de acuerdo con los esquemas Page y Kume. Ambos esquemas utilizan la prueba de inhibición de la hemaglutinación para la serotipificación. Sin embargo, la relación entre las secuencias del gene de la hemaglutinina (HMTp210) y los serotipos de A. paragallinarum aún no está clara. Este problema se debe en parte a la falta de información sobre la secuencia completa del gene HMTp210 de la cepa de referencia formal del serogrupo B de Page (cepa 0222 o Spross). En este estudio, se determinó la secuencia completa de HMTp210 de la cepa Spross. La secuencia de Spross y las de otras secuencias del gene HMTp210 obtenidas de GenBank se utilizaron para realizar análisis filogenéticos para investigar la relación entre los serotipos y las secuencias de HMTp210 de A. paragallinarum. Se identificaron cuatro agrupaciones filogenéticas, denominadas grupos A-1, A-2, B y C. La agrupación basada en las secuencias completas del gene HMTp210 se correlaciona con la serotipificación basada en pruebas de inhibición de la hemaglutinación. Se encontró que el serovar A-2 contenía un gene HMTp210 quimérico que podría haber resultado de la recombinación entre el serovar A-1 y el serovar C-1. Además, el análisis filogenético basado en secuencias parciales (aproximadamente nucleótidos 1-1200) del gene HMTp210 fue suficiente para discriminar entre los serogrupos A, B y C. Estos hallazgos podrían ser valiosos para desarrollar un método molecular para la serotipificación de A. paragallinarum.

Degradable RGD-Functionalized 3D-Printed Scaffold Promotes Osteogenesis.

To establish an ideal microenvironment for regenerating maxillofacial defects, recent research interests have concentrated on developing scaffolds with intricate configurations and manipulating the stiffness of extracellular matrix toward osteogenesis. Herein, we propose to infuse a degradable RGD-functionalized alginate matrix (RAM) with osteoid-like stiffness, as an artificial extracellular matrix, to a rigid 3D-printed hydroxyapatite scaffold for maxillofacial regeneration. The 3D-printed hydroxyapatite scaffold was produced by microextrusion technology and showed good dimensional stability with consistent microporous detail. RAM was crosslinked by calcium sulfate to manipulate the stiffness, and its degradation was accelerated by partial oxidation using sodium periodate. The results revealed that viability of bone marrow stem cells was significantly improved on the RAM and was promoted on the oxidized RAM. In addition, the migration and osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow stem cells were promoted on the RAM with osteoid-like stiffness, specifically on the oxidized RAM. The in vivo evidence revealed that nonoxidized RAM with osteoid-like stiffness upregulated osteogenic genes but prevented ingrowth of newly formed bone, leading to limited regeneration. Oxidized RAM with osteoid-like stiffness facilitated collagen synthesis, angiogenesis, and osteogenesis and induced robust bone formation, thereby significantly promoting maxillofacial regeneration. Overall, this study supported that in the stabilized microenvironment, oxidized RAM with osteoid-like stiffness offered requisite mechanical cues for osteogenesis and an appropriate degradation profile to facilitate bone formation. Combining the 3D-printed hydroxyapatite scaffold and oxidized RAM with osteoid-like stiffness may be an advantageous approach for maxillofacial regeneration.

[A comparative study of transperitoneal transmesenteric approach versus paracolic sulci approach laparoscopic adrenal tumorectomy for treatment of primary hyperaldosteronism on left side].

Objective: To compare the therapeutic effect of transperitoneal transmesenteric approach versus paracolic sulci approach laparoscopic adrenal tumorectomy for treatment of left-sided primary hyperaldosteronism. Methods: From January 2017 to July 2019, the clinical data of 70 patients with left-sided primary hyperaldosteronism (PHA) who underwent surgery in the First Hospital of Lanzhou University and five other hospitals in Gansu Province were retrospectively analyzed. There are 43 male and 27 female patients. Among them,28 patients were performed transperitoneal transmesenteric approach laparoscopic adrenal tumorectomy and 42 patients were performed transperitoneal paracolic sulci approach laparoscopic adrenal tumorectomy. The general information and perioperative data of the two groups were compared. Results: All 70 cases of surgery were successfully completed. As compared with the paracolic sulci approach group, the operation time was significantly shorter in the transmesenteric approach group[(26.7±8.8)vs (38.9±7.1)min,P<0.001)], and the estimated blood loss was less in the transmesenteric approach group[45(30,50) vs 50(40,60)ml,P=0.042]. There was no statistically significant difference in the postoperative hospitalization days between the two groups[(4.4±1.0)vs(4.5±1.0)d, P=0.669)]. The electrolytes and aldosterone to renin ratio returned to a healthy level in the postoperative one month, and the blood pressure also returned to a healthy level in 53 (75.7%) patients. Conclusion: Transperitoneal transmesenteric approach laparoscopic adrenal tumorectomy is safe and feasible, with a short operation time and relatively less estimated blood loss.

Serotypes and Hemagglutinin Gene Sequences of Avibacterium paragallinarum Isolated in Taiwan.

Despite routine vaccine use, sporadic outbreaks of infectious coryza in poultry continue to occur in Taiwan. This study was designed to determine the serotypes and the complete nucleotide sequences of a hemagglutinin gene (HMTp210) of Avibacterium paragallinarum isolated in Taiwan between 1994 and 2017. Hemagglutination inhibition tests showed that these isolates belong to serogroups B and C. Sequence analyses of the HMTp210 gene showed that Taiwanese serogroup B isolates are most similar (94.7%-98.2% identity) to strain FARPER-174 isolated in Peru in 2015. In contrast, Taiwanese serogroup C isolates are most similar (96.3%-99.8% identity) to strain H-18 isolated in Japan in 1976. This is the first report showing the presence of A. paragallinarum of serogroup B in Taiwan. In addition, one Taiwanese isolate showed cross-reactivity with serogroup B and C antisera. This isolate contains a chimeric HMTp210 gene that might result from recombination between serogroups B and C. These findings could be valuable for the epidemiologic study and molecular serotyping of A. paragallinarum.

Serotipos y secuencias de genes de hemaglutinina de Avibacterium paragallinarum aislados en Taiwán. A pesar del uso rutinario de vacunas, en Taiwán continúan ocurriendo brotes esporádicos de coriza infecciosa en avicultura. Este estudio fue diseñado para determinar los serotipos y las secuencias de nucleótidos completas de un gene de hemaglutinina (HMTp210) de Avibacterium paragallinarum aislado en Taiwán entre 1994 y 2017. Las pruebas de inhibición de la hemaglutinación mostraron que estos aislamientos pertenecen a los serogrupos B y C. El análisis de secuencias del gene HMTp210 mostró que los aislamientos del serogrupo B taiwaneses son más similares (94.7% ­98.2% de identidad) a la cepa FARPER-174 aislada en Perú en el año 2015. En contraste, los aislamientos del serogrupo C taiwaneses son más similares (96.3% ­99.8% de identidad) a la cepa H -18 aislada en Japón en 1976. Este es el primer reporte que muestra la presencia de A. paragallinarum del serogrupo B en Taiwán. Además, un aislado taiwanés mostró reactividad cruzada con los antisueros del serogrupo B y C. Este aislado contiene un gene HMTp210 quimérico que podría resultar de la recombinación entre los serogrupos B y C. Estos hallazgos podrían ser valiosos para el estudio epidemiológico y la serotipificación molecular de A. paragallinarum.

Construct validity of the Menopause Rating Scale in Indonesia.

Objective: This study assessed the construct validity of the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) in Indonesia. Methods: The study included 240 women aged over 45 years in Indonesia. The MRS measures psychological, somatic-vegetative, and urogenital symptoms using 11 items obtained from participants' daily symptom records. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Cronbach's alpha coefficient were measured to examine the test-retest reliability and internal consistency reliability. The test-retest reliability was evaluated by an extra 30 participants twice at 2-week intervals. For construct validity, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was employed to assess factor structure and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to evaluate the structural model fit of the MRS. Results: The ICC for the test-retest reliability ranged between 0.90 and 0.95. The Cronbach alpha coefficients in the somatic-vegetative, psychological, and urogenital dimensions were 0.92, 0.93, and 0.95, respectively. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin value was 0.96, and the Bartlett's test of sphericity was statistically significant and adequate for EFA. CFA was tested using the second-order model with three first-order factors and yielded an excellent model fit. Conclusion: Results indicated that the brief questionnaire of the MRS possesses acceptable construct validity for evaluating menopause symptoms in Indonesian women.

Contextual Radiology Reporting: A New Approach to Neuroradiology Structured Templates.

Structured reporting has many advantages over conventional narrative reporting and has been advocated for standard usage by radiologic societies and literature. Traditional structured reports though are often not tailored to the appropriate clinical situation, are generic, and can be overly constraining. Contextual reporting is an alternative method of structured reporting that is specifically related to the disease or examination indication. Herein, we create a library of 50 contextual structured reports for neuroradiologists and emphasize their clinical value over noncontextual structured reporting. These templates are located in the On-line Appendix, and a downloadable PowerScribe 360 file may be accessed at https://drive.google.com/open?id=1AlPUmfAXPzjkMFcHf7vGKF4Q-vIdpflT.

The potential of salivary biomarkers for predicting the sensitivity and monitoring the response to nonsurgical periodontal therapy: A preliminary assessment.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The response to nonsurgical periodontal treatment varied among patients. This study assessed the potential of salivary biomarkers for predicting the sensitivity and monitoring the response to nonsurgical periodontal therapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study recruited 34 participants with severe chronic periodontitis (the test group) and 20 participants without periodontal destruction in any teeth (the control group) from September 6, 2013 to August 25, 2017. Participants in the test group received nonsurgical periodontal therapy and were further divided into 2 subgroups of 17 low responders and 17 high responders, based on probing depth reduction. Clinical periodontal parameters were recorded, and saliva samples were harvested before and after nonsurgical periodontal therapy. Salivary biomarkers, including interleukin (IL)-1beta (IL-1ß), IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), IL-6, IL-8, platelet-derived growth factor-BB, vascular endothelial growth factor, MMP-8, MMP-9, C-reactive protein, and lactoferrin were analyzed. RESULTS: Compared with participants in the control group, participants in the test group had significantly greater periodontal pocket depth, clinical attachment level, and salivary IL-1ß and MMP-8 levels, and all of these parameters were significantly reduced after nonsurgical periodontal therapy. The pretreatment levels of IL-1ß, MMP-8, and lactoferrin were significantly higher in participants of the high-responder subgroup than participants of the low-responder subgroup.Based on the analysis from a dichotomous table, MMP-8 and lactoferrin showed odds ratios of 5.76, with 71% sensitivity and 71% specificity, and statistical significance (P = .02) for discriminating between the high- and low-responder subgroups. CONCLUSION: Salivary IL-1ß and MMP-8 might be useful for diagnosing periodontitis and monitoring the recovery of periodontitis following nonsurgical periodontal therapy. MMP-8 and lactoferrin showed potential for predicting the sensitivity to the treatment.

Identifying characteristics of an effective fracture liaison service: systematic literature review.

Fracture liaison services (FLS) have been demonstrated to improve outcomes following osteoporotic fracture. The aim of this systematic literature review (SLR) was to determine the characteristics of an FLS that lead to improved patient outcomes. We conducted a SLR, including articles published between 2000 and February 2017, using global (Medline, EMBASE, PubMed and Cochrane Library) and local databases. Studies including patients aged ≥ 50 years with osteoporotic fractures enrolled in an FLS were assessed. Information extracted from each article included key person coordinating the FLS (physician, nurse or other healthcare professional), setting (hospital vs community), intensity (single vs multiple), duration (long vs short term), fracture type and gender. A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials was conducted based on the key person coordinating the FLS. Out of 7236 articles, 57 were considered to be high quality and identified for further analysis. The SLR identified several components which contributed to FLS success, including multidisciplinary involvement, driven by a dedicated case manager, regular assessment and follow-up, multifaceted interventions and patient education. Meta-analytic data confirm the effectiveness of an FLS following an osteoporotic fracture: approximate 27% increase in the likelihood of BMD testing and up to 21% increase in the likelihood of treatment initiation compared with usual care. The balance of evidence indicates that the multifaceted FLS and dedicated coordination are important success factors that contribute to effective FLS interventions which reduce fracture-related morbidity and mortality.

Modulation of periodontitis progression using pH-responsive nanosphere encapsulating metronidazole or N-phenacylthialzolium bromide.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to develop pH-responsive polylactide-glycolic acid co-polymer and chitosan (PLGA/chitosan) nanosphere as an inflammation-responsive vehicle and evaluate the potential of the nanosphere encapsulating metronidazole, an antibiotic, and N-phenacylthiazolium bromide (PTB), a host modulator, for treating periodontitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: PLGA/chitosan nanospheres were fabricated using oil-in-water emulsion method. Experimental periodontitis was induced on the rat maxillae, and the sites were randomly allocated to four treatment categories, including periodontitis alone (PR), periodontitis with nanospheres alone, nanospheres encapsulating metronidazole (MT) and nanospheres encapsulating PTB (PB). The ligature was retained until the animals were killed, and the treatment outcome was evaluated by the progression of periodontal bone loss (PPBL), inflammatory cell infiltration and collagen deposition. RESULTS: The encapsulated drug was released rapidly from the nanospheres without significant initial burst release at pH 5.5. Compared with group PR, PPBL was significantly reduced in groups MT and PB on day 4 (P<.05). On day 21, PPBL was significantly lower in group PB (P<.05). In groups MT and PB, inflammation was significantly reduced in groups MT and PB relative to groups PR and periodontitis with nanospheres alone (P<.05), and collagen deposition was significantly greater relative to group PR (P<.05). CONCLUSION: PLGA/chitosan nanospheres encapsulating metronidazole or PTB showed potential for modulating periodontitis progression.

Tid1-S regulates the mitochondrial localization of EGFR in non-small cell lung carcinoma.

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is the major driver of non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). Mitochondrial accumulation of EGFR has been shown to promote metastasis in NSCLC, yet little is known about how the mitochondrial localization of EGFR is regulated. In this work, we show that Tid1 (also known as mitochondrial HSP40) is involved in the mitochondrial localization of EGFR, and that the DnaJ domain of Tid1-S is essential for the Tid1-S-mediated transportation of EGFR into mitochondria. Overexpression of Tid1-S increased the migration and invasion of NSCLC cells cultured in vitro. High levels of EGFR and Tid1-S were detected in the mitochondria of cancerous lesions from stage IV NSCLC patients, and high levels of mitochondrial Tid1-S/EGFR were correlated with lymph node metastasis and poor overall survival of NSCLC patients. We thus conclude that Tid1-S critically governs the mitochondrial localization of EGFR through the mtHSP70 transportation pathway, and that the mitochondrial accumulation of EGFR appears to promote metastasis in NSCLC.

Processing two-dimensional X-ray diffraction and small-angle scattering data in DAWN 2.

A software package for the calibration and processing of powder X-ray diffraction and small-angle X-ray scattering data is presented. It provides a multitude of data processing and visualization tools as well as a command-line scripting interface for on-the-fly processing and the incorporation of complex data treatment tasks. Customizable processing chains permit the execution of many data processing steps to convert a single image or a batch of raw two-dimensional data into meaningful data and one-dimensional diffractograms. The processed data files contain the full data provenance of each process applied to the data. The calibration routines can run automatically even for high energies and also for large detector tilt angles. Some of the functionalities are highlighted by specific use cases.

The Fimbrial Protein is a Virulence Factor and Potential Vaccine Antigen of Avibacterium paragallinarum.

Fimbriae are recognized as virulence factors and potential vaccine antigens of several pathogenic bacteria, but the function of the fimbriae from Avibacterium paragallinarum is not well known. In this study, a gene encoding the fimbrial protein FlfA was identified in A. paragallinarum . Sequencing analysis of the putative promoter region of flfA suggests that flfA expression in A. paragallinarum might be controlled by phase variation. The flfA gene from A. paragallinarum was expressed as a recombinant protein (r-FlfA) in Escherichia coli . Immunization with r-FlfA conferred chickens protection against challenge infection with A. paragallinarum . Virulence assays showed that the flfA-deficient mutants of A. paragallinarum were less virulent than their parental wild-type strains. These results indicated that the fimbrial protein FlfA is a virulence factor and potential vaccine antigen from A. paragallinarum .

Investigation of the inhibitors of histone-lysine N-methyltransferase SETD2 for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia from traditional Chinese medicine.

Leukaemia is the leading cause of childhood malignancies. Recent research indicates that the SETD2 gene is associated with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. This study aims to identify potential lead compounds from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) using virtual screening for SET domain containing 2 (SETD2) protein against acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Docking simulation was performed to determine potential candidates which obtain suitable docking poses in the binding domain of the SETD2 protein. We also performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulation to investigate the stability of docking poses of SETD2 protein complexes with the top three TCM candidates and a control. According to the results of docking and MD simulation, coniselin and coniferyl ferulate have high binding affinity and stable interactions with the SETD2 protein. Coniselin is isolated from the alcoholic extract of Comiselinum vaginatum Thell. Coniferyl ferulate can be isolated from Angelica sinensis, Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf, and Notopterygium forbesii. Although S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine has more stable interactions with key residues in the binding domain than coniselin and coniferyl ferulate during MD simulation, the TCM compounds coniselin and coniferyl ferulate are still potential candidates as lead compounds for further study in the drug development process with the SETD2 protein against acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

Inhaled Technosphere Insulin Compared With Injected Prandial Insulin in Type 1 Diabetes: A Randomized 24-Week Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and safety of Technosphere insulin (TI) and insulin aspart in patients with type 1 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This open-label noninferiority trial compared the change in HbA1c from baseline to week 24 of prandial TI (n = 174) with that of subcutaneous aspart (n = 171), both with basal insulin, in patients with type 1 diabetes and HbA1c 7.5-10.0% (56.8-86.0 mmol/mol). RESULTS: Mean change in HbA1c in TI patients (-0.21% [-2.3 mmol/mol]) from baseline (7.94% [63.3 mmol/mol]) was noninferior to that in aspart patients (-0.40% [-4.4 mmol/mol]) from baseline (7.92% [63.1 mmol/mol]). The between-group difference was 0.19% (2.1 mmol/mol) (95% CI 0.02-0.36), satisfying the noninferiority margin of 0.4%. However, more aspart patients achieved HbA1c <7.0% (53.0 mmol/mol) (30.7% vs. 18.3%). TI patients had a small weight loss (-0.4 kg) compared with a gain (+0.9 kg) for aspart patients (P = 0.0102). TI patients had a lower hypoglycemia event rate than aspart patients (9.8 vs. 14.0 events/patient-month, P < 0.0001). Cough (generally mild) was the most frequent adverse event (31.6% with TI, 2.3% with aspart), leading to discontinuation in 5.7% of patients. Treatment group difference for mean change from baseline in forced expiratory volume in 1 s was small (40 mL) and disappeared upon TI discontinuation. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with type 1 diabetes receiving basal insulin, HbA1c reduction with TI was noninferior to that of aspart, with less hypoglycemia and less weight gain but increased incidence of cough.

Construction of an infectious plasmid clone of Muscovy duck parvovirus by TA cloning and creation of a partially attenuated strain.

Muscovy duck parvovirus (MDPV) infection is a highly contagious and fatal disease of Muscovy ducklings. The infectious clone methodology is a valuable tool to study the pathogenic mechanisms of viruses, but no infectious clone of MDPV is yet available. In this study, a plasmid clone containing the full-length genome of MDPV was constructed using the TA cloning methodology. This MDPV clone was found to be infectious after transfection of primary Muscovy duck embryo fibroblast cells and passage in embryonated Muscovy duck eggs. Site-directed mutagenesis showed that the K75N mutation in the VP1 protein of MDPV resulted in the partial attenuation of the virus. The availability of an MDPV infectious clone can facilitate investigation of the pathogenic mechanisms of MDPV and development of vaccines against diseases caused by MDPV.

Resting-sate functional reorganization of the rat limbic system following neuropathic injury.

Human brain imaging studies from various clinical cohorts show that chronic pain is associated with large-scale brain functional and morphological reorganization. However, how the rat whole-brain network is topologically reorganized to support persistent pain-like behavior following neuropathic injury remains unknown. Here we compare resting state fMRI functional connectivity-based whole-brain network properties between rats receiving spared nerve injury (SNI) vs. sham injury, at 5 days (n = 11 SNI; n = 12 sham) and 28 days (n = 11 SNI; n = 12 sham) post-injury. Similar to the human, the rat brain topological properties exhibited small world features and did not differ between SNI and sham. Local neural networks in SNI animals showed minimal disruption at day 5, and more extensive reorganization at day 28 post-injury. Twenty-eight days after SNI, functional connection changes were localized mainly to within the limbic system, as well as between the limbic and nociceptive systems. No connectivity changes were observed within the nociceptive network. Furthermore, these changes were lateralized and in proportion to the tactile allodynia exhibited by SNI animals. The findings establish that SNI is primarily associated with altered information transfer of limbic regions and provides a novel translational framework for understanding brain functional reorganization in response to a persistent neuropathic injury.

Electrical and thermal transport properties of intermetallic RCoGe2 (R = Ce and La) compounds.

To investigate the electronic structure of the intermetallic compound CeCoGe2, we performed electrical resistivity (ρ), Seebeck coefficient (S), and thermal conductivity (κ) measurements in a temperature range of 10-300 K. For comparison, the non-magnetic counterpart LaCoGe2 is also studied. It is found that CeCoGe2 exhibits a broad maximum in the S(T) near 75 K, at which the sudden drop in the ρ(T) is observed. Temperature-dependent electrical resistivity and the Seebeck coefficient of CeCoGe2 can be described well by a two-band model, which reveals the signature of Kondo scattering in CeCoGe2. On the other hand, a typical metallic-like behavior is seen in the non-magnetic LaCoGe2 from the ρ(T) and S(T) studies. Analysis of the thermal conductivity indicates that the electronic contribution dominates thermal transport above 100 K in both CeCoGe2 and LaCoGe2. In addition, it is found that the variation in low-temperature lattice thermal conductivity of CeCoGe2 as compared to that of LaCoGe2 is most likely due to the phonon-point-defect scattering.

Hindering factors and suggestions related to organ donation decisions: perspective of the Taiwan Ali-Shan Tsou aboriginal tribe.

BACKGROUNDS AND AIMS: Ali-San Tsou (AST) is one of leading aboriginal tribes in Taiwan with traditional godly beliefs related to life and death. Lacking related knowledge, health professionals (HPs) often failed to help them reach good dying or organ donation (OD). This study aimed to explore hindering factors and suggestions related to OD for good dying from Taiwan AST's own perspective. METHODS: An explorative qualitative design was employed using a purposive sample of the AST tribes from Taiwan. Data were collected with AST residents by face-to-face interviews and analyzed by content analysis. RESULTS: Thirty AST residents (16 females and 14 males) with ages ranging from 28 to 78 (mean, 54.5) years completed interviews. Of them, 85% reported various diseases. In this study 73% were Catholics and Christians, 17% held traditional godly believes, and 10% had no religious affiliation. Eight hindering factors were reported: (1) limited information about organs and OD; (2) no qualified organs for donation; (3) worry about lack of forgiveness by ancestors; (4) tribe elders who might not accept concept of OD; (5) intact bodies were required at home during spirit-companion rituals; (6) earth burial with intact bodies was preferred; (7) bodies due to accidental and bad death were impermissible for OD; and (8) worry about possession by the donor's spirit. Seven suggestions were also reported for HPs to enhance AST's OD decisions: (1) starting with friendship and a caring relationship; (2) providing spiritual support from reverent religions; (3) stressing good deeds and honoring tribe folks by OD; (4) avoiding accidental/bad death; (5) providing relevant modern medical knowledge of human organs and OD; (6) introducing OD as part of a good-dying care plan; and (7) demonstrating a respectful discussion mindset about OD. CONCLUSIONS: Eight hindering factors and 7 types of suggestions for enhancing AST aboriginal people's OD decisions were first explored in this project. In the future, HPs are encouraged to invite AST to share the concepts of OT and try to clarify the related concerns with respect for their cultural contexts. With mutual respect, the efforts of sharing and integrating OD into good-dying care would be more possible.