The Crustacean Zooplankton of Grasmere Before and After a Change in Sewage Effluent Treatment

The limnetic crustaceans of Grasmere, a small lake in the English Lake District, were studied from February 1969 to December 1970 (23 months) and from January to December 1975. These observations were made before and after a change in sewage effluent treatment effected in May 1971. Planktonic species, except for one cladoceran, were more abundant in the second than the first period, while hypolimnetic and profundal forms either became less abundant or modified their life-style in conjunction with a developing hypolimnetic oxygen-deficit.     

Effect of Recovery Medium on the Isolation of Campylobacter Jejuni Before and After Heat Treatment

The effect of various concentrations of polymyxin B and Colistin in Skirrow’s or Butzler’s type media, respectively, on the recovery rate of 13 strains of G. jejuni before and after heat treatment was studied. Prior to heating, a Butz-ler’s type medium containing 40 I.U. per ml Colistin was inhibitory for certain strains of C. jejuni. After heating at 48° G for 30 min, media containing 2.5 I.U. per ml polymyxin B or 10 I.U. per ml Colistin were not inhibitory for heat-injured cells. When the concentrations of polymyxin B were increased to 5.0 I.U. per ml or those of Colistin to 20 or 40 I.U. per ml in the selective media, the means of the differences of log cell counts between non-selective Brucella blood agar and the selective media was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The mean D-value of G. jejuni strains in Brucella broth at 48° G was 18.4±5.4 min.     

Fibrinogen in Obesity Before and After Weight Reduction

Several studies have shown that obesity is associated with atherosclerosis. The reason may be that there is often a gathering together of risk factors for cardiovascular disease in obesity. Recently plasma fibrinogen level has been identified as an important cardiovascular risk factor. The aim of the study was to investigate fibrinogen levels in obesity before and after weight reduction. Obese but otherwise healthy patients with overweight problems were studied. 448 female patients (39.1 ± 13.2 years, body mass index 38.7 kg/m²) and 136 male patients (39.4 ± 12.8 years, body mass index 40.7 kg/m²) were examined after overnight fasting. Sixty patients (44 female, 16 male) were studied after 9.5 ± 6.2 month of dieting (1200 kcal/day: 20% protein, 30% fat and 50% carbohydrates). The weight loss was 16.7 ± 11.0 kg in the female and 16.2 ± 6.7 kg in the male patients, and blood pressure, triglycerides, blood glucose and uric acid had declined. The fibrinogen level correlated with the body mass index, the waist circumference, the hip circumference and the waist to hip ratio. The fibrinogen level also correlated with insulin. A partial correlation of fibrinogen and insulin continued to exist after removing the linear effects of the other variables measured. After weight reduction, the level of fibrinogen was lower. In patients with extreme overweight and high fibrinogen levels, who reduced their BMI by 7.4 ± 1.24 kg/m², the weight loss correlated with the decrease in fibrinogen. The results suggest that fibrinogen is associated with the degree of obesity and with the fasting insulin level. Fibrinogen concentration is lowered by weight reduction. However decrease of fibrinogen was observed only in patients with considerable weight loss.     

Body Composition and Tissue Distributions in Growth Hormone Deficient Adults Before and After Growth Hormone Treatment

This study examines short and long-term effects of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) on body composition and regional tissue distributions by using a multicompartment technique based on computed tomography. Part I includes nine subjects aged 46 ± 9 years with adult onset GH deficiency who were examined before and in the end of 6 months treatment with rhGH (0.4 U. kg^?1. week^?1) in a double-blind crossover trial. Part II is an ongoing open trial including seven of the males in part I. They were treated with rhGH (0.25 U. kg^?1. week^?1) over an additional period of 24 months. Adipose tissue (AT) was reduced by 4.7 kg (p<0.01) while the muscle plus skin compartment (M) and visceral organs (V) were increased by 2.4 (p<0.05) and 0.7 kg (p<0.01), respectively, over 6 months of treatment with a high rhGH dose. A preferential lipid mobilization occurred in the visceral and subcutaneous trunk depots resulting in a changed AT distribution. Muscles of legs and arms increased while the increase of trunk muscles did not reach significance. The body composition changes were maintained over 2 years additional treatment. The preferential loss in visceral AT was further pronounced while other changes in tissue distributions observed during the first 6 months tended to be reversed on the lower rhGH dosage. It is concluded that growth hormone has profound and discordant effects on AT, M and V and with associated changes in tissue distributions. The beneficial effects on body composition seen in short-term treatment is preserved throughout an additional 24 months period of treatment.     

手术前后三维动脉瘤模型的血液动力学模拟对比

本研究目的在于从临床患者的医学影像出发,在手术前后分别对三维动脉瘤模型进行了定常模拟,观察动脉瘤模型内的流场形态以及各血液动力学参数的变化并进行讨论。由于三维的数值模拟比二维的跟接近实际,而且更加直观形象,所以研究结果对于分析动脉瘤的破裂机理具有重要的临床应用价值。     

Simplified HIV Testing and Treatment in China: Analysis of Mortality Rates Before and After a Structural Intervention

BackgroundMultistage stepwise HIV testing and treatment initiation procedures can result in lost opportunities to provide timely antiretroviral therapy (ART). Incomplete patient engagement along the continuum of HIV care translates into high levels of preventable mortality. We aimed to evaluate the ability of a simplified test and treat structural intervention to reduce mortality.ConclusionsOur results demonstrate that the simplified HIV test and treat intervention promoted successful engagement in care and was associated with a 62% reduction in mortality. Our findings support the implementation of integrated HIV testing and immediate access to ART irrespective of CD4 count, in order to optimize the impact of ART.     

安南龟冬眠前后乳酸脱氢酶的比较研究

应用垂直平板聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳技术,对安南龟冬眠前后心、肝、脾、肺、肾、胃、骨骼肌共7种组织器官进行了乳酸脱氢酶同工酶的检测。结果表明,安南龟冬眠前后不同组织器官的乳酸脱氢酶同工酶酶谱均有差异,反映了安南龟冬眠前后代谢过程和代谢水平的不同。     

Hyperuricemia in Pediatric Malignancies Before Treatment

The objective of this study was to clarify the prevalence and characteristics of hyperuricemia in various pediatric malignancies before the initiation of treatment. We conducted a retrospective analysis of 119 children with various newly diagnosed malignancies between April 2000 and March 2010. On the basis of the reference values previously established in our laboratory, hyperuricemia was defined as uric acid (UA) levels above 2 standard deviations (s.d.) over the mean values at each age. Thirty-six patients (30.3%) showed hyperuricemia. Hyperuricemia was more common in male patients (36.8%) than in female patients (21.6%). The prevalence of hyperuricemia was highest in patients with lymphoma followed by those with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). When the study population was divided into hyperuricemia-negative and -positive populations, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and lactate dehydrogenase levels, and white blood cell counts (only in leukemia) were found to be significantly higher in the latter group by a univariate analysis. This study highlights useful information for identifying patients with malignancies at risk for tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) before starting chemotherapy.     

准分子激光原位角膜磨镶术前术后客观验光和主观验光的比较

目的比较准分子激光原位角膜磨镶术前后客观验光和主观验光的准确性和相关性。方法对在我中心接受LASIK手术69例123眼,在术前和术后一个月进行客观验光(NIDEKARK-700)和主观验光(RODENSTOCK综合验光头),对获得的数据进行相关分析。结果LASIK术后,客观验光的准确性较术前下降,客观验光和主观验光测量结果的差值明显增加;术前近视度越高,术后客观验光和主观验光测量结果的差别越大。在测量散光中,术后1月,客观验光和主观验光测量散光的差值明显增加,客观验光不能准确测量散光的量和轴向。结论LASIK术前用自动验光仪进行的客观验光可靠性较高,与主观验光法测量屈光不正的结果接近;术后,客观验光的准确性较术前下降,不能有效评判屈光不正的性质和量。     

Lead and Mercury Levels in Preterm Infants Before and After Blood Transfusions

Biological Trace Element Research - Very low birth weight (VLBW) infants usually receive packed red blood cell unit (pRBC) transfusions. Heavy metal transfer via pRBCs is not widely discussed...     

Calcium Dependence of Synaptic Vesicle Recycling Before and After Synaptogenesis

Abstract: Using an immunocytochemical assay to monitor synaptic vesicle exocytosis/endocytosis independently of neurotransmitter release, we have investigated some aspects of vesicle recycling in hippocampal neurons at different developmental stages. A calcium- and depolarization-dependent exocytotic/endocytotic recycling of synaptic vesicles was found to take place in neurons already before the formation of synaptic contacts. The analysis of synaptic vesicle recycling at different calcium concentrations revealed the presence of two release components: the first one activated by low calcium concentrations and sustaining vesicle recycling before synaptogenesis, and a second one activated by high calcium concentrations, which is specifically turned on after the establishment of synaptic contacts. These data suggest that formation of synapses correlates with the activation of a putative low-affinity calcium sensor, which allows synaptic vesicle exocytosis to be triggered and turned off over extremely short time scales, in response to large increases in the level of intracellular calcium.     

Chlorophyll Chemistry Before and After Crystals of Photosynthetic Reaction Centers

The experimental, theoretical and structural research leading to the identification and characterization of the (bacterio) chlorophyll species that mediate the primary events of solar energy transduction and dynamics is reviewed and examined from the author's perspective.     

Enamel Formation Genes Influence Enamel Microhardness Before and After Cariogenic Challenge

There is evidence for a genetic component in caries susceptibility, and studies in humans have suggested that variation in enamel formation genes may contribute to caries. For the present study, we used DNA samples collected from 1,831 individuals from various population data sets. Single nucleotide polymorphism markers were genotyped in selected genes (ameloblastin, amelogenin, enamelin, tuftelin, and tuftelin interacting protein 11) that influence enamel formation. Allele and genotype frequencies were compared between groups with distinct caries experience. Associations with caries experience can be detected but they are not necessarily replicated in all population groups and the most expressive results was for a marker in AMELX (p = 0.0007). To help interpret these results, we evaluated if enamel microhardness changes under simulated cariogenic challenges are associated with genetic variations in these same genes. After creating an artificial caries lesion, associations could be seen between genetic variation in TUFT1 (p = 0.006) and TUIP11 (p = 0.0006) with enamel microhardness. Our results suggest that the influence of genetic variation of enamel formation genes may influence the dynamic interactions between the enamel surface and the oral cavity.     

Factors Affecting Sperm Quality Before and After Mating of Calopterygid Damselflies

Damselflies (Odonata: Zygoptera) have a more complex sperm transfer system than other internally ejaculating insects. Males translocate sperm from the internal reproductive organs to the specific sperm vesicles, a small cavity on the body surface, and then transfer them into the female. To examine how the additional steps of sperm transfer contribute to decreases in sperm quality, we assessed sperm viability (the proportion of live sperm) at each stage of mating and after different storage times in male and female reproductive organs in two damselfly species, Mnais pruinosa and Calopteryx cornelia. Viability of stored sperm in females was lower than that of male stores even just after copulation. Male sperm vesicles were not equipped to maintain sperm quality for longer periods than the internal reproductive organs. However, the sperm vesicles were only used for short-term storage; therefore, this process appeared unlikely to reduce sperm viability when transferred to the female. Males remove rival sperm prior to transfer of their own ejaculate using a peculiar-shaped aedeagus, but sperm removal by males is not always complete. Thus, dilution occurs between newly received sperm and aged sperm already stored in the female, causing lower viability of sperm inside the female than that of sperm transferred by males. If females do not remate, sperm viability gradually decreases with the duration of storage. Frequent mating of females may therefore contribute to the maintenance of high sperm quality.     

Bioenergetics of the Calf Muscle in Friedreich Ataxia Patients Measured by 31P-MRS Before and After Treatment with Recombinant Human Erythropoietin

Friedreich ataxia (FRDA) is caused by a GAA repeat expansion in the FXN gene leading to reduced expression of the mitochondrial protein frataxin. Recombinant human erythropoietin (rhuEPO) is suggested to increase frataxin levels, alter mitochondrial function and improve clinical scores in FRDA patients. Aim of the present pilot study was to investigate mitochondrial metabolism of skeletal muscle tissue in FRDA patients and examine effects of rhuEPO administration by phosphorus 31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P MRS). Seven genetically confirmed FRDA patients underwent 31P MRS of the calf muscles using a rest-exercise-recovery protocol before and after receiving 3000 IU of rhuEPO for eight weeks. FRDA patients showed more rapid phosphocreatine (PCr) depletion and increased accumulation of inorganic phosphate (Pi) during incremental exercise as compared to controls. After maximal exhaustive exercise prolonged regeneration of PCR and slowed decline in Pi can be seen in FRDA. PCr regeneration as hallmark of mitochondrial ATP production revealed correlation to activity of complex II/III of the respiratory chain and to demographic values. PCr and Pi kinetics were not influenced by rhuEPO administration. Our results confirm mitochondrial dysfunction and exercise intolerance due to impaired oxidative phosphorylation in skeletal muscle tissue of FRDA patients. MRS did not show improved mitochondrial bioenergetics after eight weeks of rhuEPO exposition in skeletal muscle tissue of FRDA patients.

Trial Registration

EU Clinical Trials Register 2008-000040-13