[Enteral Feeding and Nutrition for Patients With Critical Illnesses].

Patients with critical illnesses often require nasogastric tube feeding (NG feeding) to support their nutritional and caloric-intake needs because of therapeutic issues and an inability to self-maintain proper nutritional intake. The four primary NG feeding methods include continuous feeding, cyclic feeding, intermittent feeding, and bolus feeding. Each method is unique in terms of timing and relative advantages and disadvantages. In this article, the related literature is reviewed to strengthen the correct concepts of clinical medical staff with regard to NG feeding and nutritional care for patients with critical illnesses with the ultimate goal of improving the quality of care provided to this vulnerable patient population.

Splicing factor Cwc22 is required for the function of Prp2 and for the spliceosome to escape from a futile pathway.

Cwc22 was previously identified to associate with the pre-mRNA splicing factor Cef1/Ntc85, a component of the Prp19-associated complex (nineteen complex [NTC]) involved in spliceosome activation. We show here that Cwc22 is required for pre-mRNA splicing both in vivo and in vitro but is neither tightly associated with the NTC nor required for spliceosome activation. Cwc22 is associated with the spliceosome prior to catalytic steps and remains associated throughout the reaction. The stable association of Cwc22 with the spliceosome requires the presence of the NTC but is independent of Prp2. Although Cwc22 is not required for the recruitment of Prp2 to the spliceosome, it is essential for the function of Prp2 in promoting the release of the U2 components SF3a and SF3b. In the absence of Cwc22, Prp2 can bind to the spliceosome but is dissociated upon ATP hydrolysis without promoting the release of SF3a/b. Thus, Cwc22 represents a novel ATP-dependent step one factor besides Prp2 and Spp2 and has a distinct role from that of Spp2 in mediating the function of Prp2.

Cwc25 is a novel splicing factor required after Prp2 and Yju2 to facilitate the first catalytic reaction.

Cwc25 has previously been identified to associate with pre-mRNA splicing factor Cef1/Ntc85, a component of the Prp19-associated complex (nineteen complex, or NTC) involved in spliceosome activation. We show here that Cwc25 is neither tightly associated with NTC nor required for spliceosome activation but is required for the first catalytic reaction. The affinity-purified spliceosome formed in Cwc25-depleted extracts contained only pre-mRNA and could be chased into splicing intermediates upon the addition of recombinant Cwc25 in an ATP-independent manner, suggesting that Cwc25 functions in the final step of the first catalytic reaction after the action of Prp2. Yju2 and a heat-resistant factor of unknown identity, HP, have previously been shown to be required for the same step of the splicing pathway. Cwc25, although resistant to heat treatment, is not sufficient to replace the function of HP, indicating that another heat-resistant factor, which we named HP-X, is involved. The requirement of Cwc25 and HP-X for the first catalytic reaction could be partially compensated for when the affinity-purified spliceosome was incubated in the presence of low concentrations of Mn(2+). These results have implications for the possible roles of Cwc25 and HP-X in facilitating juxtaposition of the 5' splice site and the branch point during the first catalytic reaction.

Occurrence of azaarenes in sediments of the Danshuei River, Taiwan: the use of azaarenes as indicator of anthropogenic source to the estuarine system.

Azaarenes belong to the newly identified classes of anthropogenic pollutants. To our knowledge, this study presents the first result of pollution history of azaarenes and their controlling factors in estuary. To understand the transport mechanisms, surface sediment samples were collected from 18 sites of the Danshuei River during the summer and the winter of 2005. The highest concentrations of azaarene, 21.9 ng g(-1) for 2-ring, 9.89 ng g(-1) for 3-ring, and 9.17 ng g(-1) for 4-ring, were observed in midstream surface sediments near the Shi-Zi-Tou waste water pumping station. Therefore, this waste water pumping station not only provides a good sediment accumulation environment but also discharges small particle size sediments, which contain mass amounts of azaarenes into the Danshuei River. This research also finds highly significant covariations among 3-ring and 4-ring azaarenes, which suggests similar source strengths and transport mechanisms for these compounds. Additionally, core samples were collected from two sites of the Danshuei River and analyzed to determine the pollution history. Values found in the core sediments correspond to pollution events in recent history. Contaminant inputs via in situ burning of dumping field and wastewater discharge for the periods of 1975-1985 and 2004-2005, respectively, were two major sources of azaarenes to the Danshuei River.