Previous findings suggest that schizophrenia is associated with abnormalities in information integration. The recent Bayesian model of circular inference attempts to characterize the information integration style in schizophrenia . Nat Commun, 8:14218). The model suggests that during information integration of prior beliefs and sensory evidence, patients tend to put too much weight on the sensory evidence and to take it into account multiple times (over-count) compared to healthy individuals. An imbalance in excitatory/inhibitory regulation of hierarchical neural processing has been suggested to cause of this phenomenon . Here, we investigated whether circular inference could be extended to describe the integration of sensory information and socially acquired information and whether the specific information integration style could contribute to the characteristic symptomatology and the social impairments seen in the disorder.Thirty-five patients with schizophrenia or schizo-affective disorder and 40 matched healthy controls performed the task. Participants had to guess the color (red or green) of the next marble to be drawn from a hidden urn based on information from their own sample (eight marbles) and the choices and confidence (high or low) of four other people. We fitted and comparatively assessed four multilevel Bayesian models  describing how patients and controls integrated information. Positive and negative symptom severity and social functioning were also assessed.The circular inference model best described the information integration in both patients and controls (WAIC weight = 1). Patients tended to over-weigh  and over-count  sensory information and under-weigh  and under-count  social information compared to controls. Crucially, this varied with symptomatology: the higher the symptom severity, the more over-counting and the higher the weight on sensory information and the more under-counting and the less weight on social information. More weight on social information was associated with higher level of functioning in the patients .All participants integrated social and sensory information in a non-linear fashion. Patients displayed a distinctive tendency to rely more and less discriminatively on sensory than on social information. This information integration style may contribute to the characteristic symptoms and the social impairments in schizophrenia. Further exploration of this potential causal role is warranted.


Basic neuroscience research on brain plasticity, motor learning and recovery has stimulated new concepts in neurological rehabilitation. Combined with the development of set methodological standards in clinical outcome research, these findings have led to a double-paradigm shift in motor rehabilitation: (a) the move towards evidence-based procedures for the assessment of clinical outcome & the employment of disablement models to anchor outcome parameters, and (b) the introduction of practice-based concepts that are derived from testable models that specify treatment mechanisms. In this context, constraint-induced movement therapy (CIT) has played a catalytic role in taking motor rehabilitation forward into the scientific arena. As a theoretically founded and hypothesis-driven intervention, CIT research focuses on two main issues. The first issue is the assessment of long-term clinical benefits in an increasing range of patient groups, and the second issue is the investigation of neuronal and behavioural treatment mechanisms and their interactive contribution to treatment success. These studies are mainly conducted in the research environment and will eventually lead to increased treatment benefits for patients in standard health care. However, gradual but presumably more immediate benefits for patients may be achieved by introducing and testing derivates of the CIT concept that are more compatible with current clinical practice. Here, we summarize the theoretical and empirical issues related to the translation of research-based CIT work into the clinical context of standard health care.


This data article presents comparisons of energy generation costs from gas-fired turbine and diesel-powered systems of distributed generation type of electrical energy in Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria, a smart university campus driven by Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). Cumulative monthly data of the energy generation costs, for consumption in the institution, from the two modes electric power, which was produced at locations closed to the community consuming the energy, were recorded for the period spanning January to December 2017. By these, energy generation costs from the turbine system proceed from the gas-firing whereas the generation cost data from the diesel-powered generator also include data on maintenance cost for this mode of electrical power generation. These energy generation cost data that were presented in tables and graphs employ descriptive probability distribution and goodness-of-fit tests of statistical significance as the methods for the data detailing and comparisons. Information details from this data of energy generation costs are useful for furthering research developments and aiding energy stakeholders and decision-makers in the formulation of policies on energy generation modes, economic valuation in terms of costing and management for attaining energy-efficient/smart educational environment. Specifications TableValue of the data•Accessibility to datasets of energy generation cost of a distributed generation system of electrical energy production using gas-fired and diesel engine generators that could be used for fostering systems of practical data-driven research in the understanding of energy cost modeling valuations and how this can be improved towards efficient integration of energy generation for a smart university campus •Costs of energy generation data that could be employed for energy generation planning in the development of new energy generation plants as well as in the decision making of how to combine energy generation systems for electricity consumers in a smart university campus •levelised cost of electric energy, society cost of electric energy, returns on investment on energy generating plants, projection of future energy costs for budget purposes, for energy stakeholders and decision-makers of energy production in a smart university campus Availability of energy generation costs that could be used for estimations of energy generation cost parameters and cost concepts, such as •Applicability and/or developmental prospects of Smart Electrical Energy Network (SEEN) for a stronger, more sustainable controls of centralized distributed generation of electric energy system via systems of the electric energy generation costing for a smart university campus 1Although rising energy demand remains a global issue, it is still a well-known fact that a large and increasing portion of the populace in a developing country like Nigeria has no access to the national grid generated electric power Directly proceeding from 2As detailed, the electric energy generation cost data were monitored and cumulated for each month of the year 2017, at Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria, as a part of continuous data sourcing and management in the smart university campus. The generation of the distributed electric energy is required for the maintenance of conducive/comfortable education and working environments that promote the well-being of students and staffs in the fully residential university p-value, i.e. the probability value obtained from the Kolmogorov-Smirnov goodness-of-fit statistical analyses, are presented in The cumulative distribution function analyses of the energy generation cost data necessarily lead to the estimations of the descriptive statistics parameters to which was combined the testing of significance of the compatibility of the electric energy generation cost data to each of the statistical distributions


This work deals with privacy implications and threats that can emerge with the large-scale use of electronic biometric documents, such the recently introduced electronic passport (e-Passport). A brief introduction to privacy and personal data protection is followed by a presentation of the technical characteristics of the e-Passport. The description includes the digital data structure, and the communication and reading mechanisms of the e-Passport, indicating the possible points and methods of attack.


Cerebellum and Ataxias a series of empirical and review articles provide a state of the art overview of non-invasive brain stimulation of the cerebellum.The feasibility to administer magnetic and electric fields in a non-invasive manner to influence brain areas has attracted scientists interested in studying the neural correlates of normal and pathological forms of behaviour. In particular, the possibility of non-invasive brain stimulation techniques to target the cerebellum has led to a notable rise of research dedicated to unravelling the functional contributions of the cerebellum to motor- and non-motor related behavior. In this issue of The study by Ben Taib and Manto  reports Results showed that, similar to the inhibitory effects of low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, the LFSMC-related decrease in corticomotor excitability was counteracted by cDCS to the cerebellum. This study provides evidence that cerebellar cDCS may be a powerful tool to modify responsiveness of corticomotor excitability.If cDCS in animals has similar neurophysiological effects to those of cathodal tDCS in humans, and if the effects are not strictly mediated by changes in excitability at the level of the spinal cord, then this approach may have clinical implications in cerebellar patients. For instance, the administration of cathodal tDCS to the cerebellar hemisphere contralateral to the damaged motor cortex in patients might enhance excitability and potentially improve motor symptoms.In a sham-controlled study by John and colleagues  aimed atAlong this line, Ferrucci and colleagues  reviewedThe review by Tremblay and colleagues  exploredEven though tDCS to the cerebellum is still in its infancy, the currently available empirical evidence underlines the significant potential of this non-invasive brain stimulation technique in studying cerebellar functions. Further technical and methodological development will undoubtedly contribute to further refinement of tDCS, and the development of clinical applications.


In the Funding section, the last sentence is incorrectly included in the statement. The publisher apologizes for the error. The correct funding information is as follows: GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals SA funded this study/research and was involved in all stages of study conduct, including analysis of the data. GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals SA also took in charge all costs associated with the development and publication of this manuscript (GSK study number: GHO-09-3981).


HIV drug resistance has been described in all antiretroviral drug classes and threatens the long-term success of HIV treatment. Here, we describe the first reported case of acquired resistance to the integrase strand transfer inhibitors in South Africa. This case illustrates the dilemma of treatment in the context of inadequate adherence and poor psychosocial support and highlights the potential risk of transmission of multidrug-resistant virus. The development of drug resistance is one of the biggest concerns in the long-term management of HIV-infected patients. An increasing number of confirmed cases of drug resistance to second-line antiretroviral treatment (ART) has prompted the South African national treatment programme to introduce third-line treatment. This is, to the best of our knowledge, the first report of drug resistance to third-line therapy in the South African public sector. The Research Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of Pretoria approved the case study and granted a waiver of consent.The patient tested HIV-positive in 2006 at the age of 8 years. Her exposure to perinatal ART is unknown. She started her first ART regimen consisting of stavudine, lamivudine and efavirenz in the private sector in 2006 after completing a course of treatment for pulmonary tuberculosis. In 2007, she was transferred to the state sector. Here, she was changed to the standard second-line regimen in use at the time – zidovudine (AZT), didanosine and ritonavir-boosted lopinavir – because of virological treatment failure in October 2008. She initially responded well, but her viral load became detectable again in September 2009 and she was referred to an academic ART clinic in March 2010 because of virological failure. Her ART regimens, CD4 counts and HIV viral load results are shown in At the time of the referral, the patient was 12 years old and living in Pretoria with her aunt. Her mother lived in Limpopo and was also using ART. The patient was aware of her HIV status and it was known to all her close adult family members. She reported poor adherence with her ART treatment because it was unpalatable.She had three genotypic drug resistance tests (DRTs) over the next 2 years and the mutations evolved from low-level resistance to ritonavir-boosted lopinavir to extensive three-class resistance during this time . She movHowever, by 2013 the patient was not coping well and had developed urinary and faecal incontinence without a physiological cause. She had nearly been raped, had failed grade 9 and had become socially isolated. By December 2013, her viral load reflected the impact of the psychological problems on her adherence. Her mother passed away in 2015 and with that the patient lost her medical aid benefits and was referred back to the state sector. A fourth DRT  showed tCurrently, neither the patient nor the family seem to have grasped the seriousness of her condition. Despite multiple adherence counselling sessions and even contracting with the family that her pill-taking will be supervised, there is still inadequate supervision. She has poor coping skills, has not entirely accepted her illness and is ambivalent about taking her ART. She is now on a holding regimen consisting of FTC, TDF, AZT and abacavir (ABC). A tropism assay predicted that CCR5-antagonists are likely to be effective.This patient has come to the end of the line in terms of available ART. The virus displays intermediate to high-level resistance to all the available ARVs (either in the second or the third genotype) and even low-level resistance to the new INSTI, dolutegravir (DTG) and the new-generation protease inhibitor (PI), tipranavir. A potential new regimen should therefore preferably include an entry inhibitor (e.g. maraviroc) and tipranavir, together with TDF, FTC and DTG. The cost, however, is prohibitive and apart from TDF/FTC, none of the medications are available in the public sector at this time.2 This case also illustrates the complexity of the long-term management of HIV in the context of poor psychosocial support and suboptimal adherence. It raises concerns about the addition of drug classes in the face of ongoing non-adherence and highlights how management is complicated, and unnecessary costs incurred, when patients move between health sectors without an electronic patient record.This case raises the question about the positioning of DTG in the treatment guidelines once it becomes available in South Africa. A considerable minority of patients develop cross-resistance to DTG after exposure to RAL and elvitegravir, while resistance has only rarely been reported in patients exposed to DTG as the first integrase inhibitor.5 and clinicians have called for INSTI resistance testing for patients with an unexpectedly high number of pre-ART drug resistance mutations and for contacts of heavily treatment-experienced patients.6 This may become a reality in South Africa if efforts to prevent the emergence of resistance are not prioritised.This case also raises the issue of potential transmission of extensively drug-resistant virus in a teenager who is bound to become sexually active in the foreseeable future. Transmitted multiclass (including INSTI) resistance has been reported in the United States,This case of acquired multiclass resistance, including resistance to INSTIs, in a teenager in South Africa illustrates the complexity of the long-term management of HIV in contexts where inadequate adherence and poor psychosocial support abound and highlights the importance of the appropriate positioning of DTG in the national treatment programme.


A 48-year-old woman presented with right ankle pain that began while running two days prior. She noted that the ankle hurt with even light touch and the pain was unrelieved with ibuprofen. She denied a history of trauma. She was seen in the emergency department for this condition the day prior with a negative radiograph, but she returned because of increased ongoing pain. On examination, a five-centimeter (cm) area of erythema was found posterior to the medial malleolus and parallel to the posterior tibial tendon (PTT). The diameter, measured with point-of-care ultrasonography  of the long axis of the tendon in this region, was 4.9 millimeter (mm) The PTT is important for plantar flexion, inversion and supination of the ankle, as well as stabilizing the arch of the foot.6What do we already know about this clinical entity?Posterior tibial tendon tenosynovitis is an inflammatory condition affecting healthy young athletes and can be associated with posterior tibial nerve hyperesthesia.What is the major impact of the image?This image adds to the growing literature describing the use of ultrasound for evaluation of posterior tibial tendon and helps broaden the differential diagnosis related to ankle pain by emergency department providers.How might this improve emergency medicine practice?Ankle pain is a common presentation in EM practice. This image helps to highlight tenosynovitis of the posterior tibial tendon within the differential diagnosis and emphasizes the value of point-of-care ultrasound in establishing the diagnosis.


Schizophrenia is the most debilitating health problem that exists, and its cognitive impairments are the greatest predictor of disability. Since the earliest clinical descriptions of the illness, abnormalities of attention have been at the core of the cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia. Theories of attentional dysfunction in schizophrenia propose that the deficits arise from either an inability to maintain working memory representations that guide attention, or difficulty focusing lower-level visual attention mechanisms. However, these theoretical accounts neglect the role of long-term memory representations in controlling attention.To test competing accounts of the etiology of cognitive deficits in schizophrenia, we devised a cued visual search task that allowed us to examine the integrity of the memory mechanisms that control attention and the lower-level mechanisms for focusing attention on visual inputs in patients with schizophrenia and demographically matched controls. In this task, a target object was cued at the beginning of each trial. The task-relevant cue signaled the identity of the target that could appear in the search array presented a second later. Then the target remained the same for three to seven consecutive trials (length of run randomized) before it was changed to a different object. While patients and controls were repeatedly searching for the same target object, we used electrophysiological measurements of brain activity to directly measure how they were focusing attention on the search targets, as well as how they recruited working memory and long-term memory representations to control attention as they searched for the task-relevant targets. In a second experiment, we used a causal manipulation of brain activity to provide converging evidence for our hypotheses regarding the locus of the attentional deficits in schizophrenia and to determine whether it is possible to improve attention in patients. This experiment was a double-blind, sham-controlled, within-subjects design using transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) and established electroencephalographic (EEG) signatures of working memory, long-term memory, and attention.Here, we show that the control of perceptual attention is impaired in people with schizophrenia, and that this impairment is driven by an inability to shift attentional control from working memory to long-term memory across practice. Contrary to predictions of the dominant models, this attentional impairment is observed in the face of exuberant neural activity indexing working memory and completely normal activity indexing the focusing of visual attention. Next, we provide converging evidence for the locus of attentional impairments in long-term memory by showing that noninvasive electrical stimulation of medial frontal cortex rectifies long-term memory related neural signatures and normalizes the ability of patients to find targets in complex visual scenes.The findings challenge existing views of the locus of dysfunction underlying attentional impairments in schizophrenia. Moreover, the results highlight the crucial importance of long-term memory systems in controlling attention and associated abnormalities in the hippocampus and other brain areas in schizophrenia.


Phenomenological research indicates that disturbance of the basic sense of self may be a core phenotypic marker of schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Basic self-disturbance (SD) refers to a disruption of the sense of first-person perspective and self-presence that is associated with a variety of anomalous subjective experiences. Recent studies including from our group provided first, preliminary support for the notion that SD is related to attenuated psychosis symptoms (APS) and depression among clinical  and non-clinical samples of non-psychotic adolescents. However, very few studies, if any at all, have looked at the ability of SD to predict change in APS and depression over time. The goal of this study was to address this lacuna in the literature by examining the unique and added contribution of SD to the prediction of change over time in APS and depression among community-dwelling adolescents.The 1-year longitudinal relationship between SD and change in APS and depression were explored in a sample of 100 non-help-seeking adolescents (age 13–15) from the community. SD was assessed with the Examination of Anomalous Self-Experience (EASE), prodromal symptoms and syndromes were assessed with the Structured Interview for Prodromal Syndromes (SIPS), present and lifetime diagnoses of schizophrenia-spectrum and depression disorders were assessed with the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (K-SADS), level of distress with the Mood and Anxiety States Questionnaire (MASQ), and psychosocial functioning with the with the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).Seventy-seven (77%) adolescents out of the 100 that had been assessed at baseline were available and agreed to participate in the 1-year follow-up . Except for a diagnosis of an affective disorder, which was slightly less prevalent among those who returned for the follow-up assessment, there were no significant differences between those who were available and those who lost for the follow-up assessment on any of the major socio-demographic or clinical variables at baseline. Consistent with our first hypothesis, SD at baseline predicted a significant amount of variance in APS change over time . However, inconsistent with our second hypothesis, SD at baseline did not have a significant added contribution to the prediction of APS change when APS at baseline was controlled for .These results provide preliminary support for a prospective association between SD and deterioration in prodromal symptoms among adolescents from the community. However, they fail to support an added value of SD over and above baseline APS for the prediction of APS deterioration. Because SD was assessed only at baseline, they leave unanswered the degree to which change in SD is associated with a change in APS and depression.


Stimulator of interferon genes (STING) is an adaptor protein that plays an important role in the activation of type I interferons in response to cytosolic nucleic acid ligands. Recent evidence indicates involvement of the STING pathway in the induction of antitumor immune response. Therefore, STING agonists are now being extensively developed as a new class of cancer therapeutics. However, little is known about the consequences of activated STING-mediated signaling in cancer cells on the efficacy of the antitumor treatment. It has been shown that activation of the STING-dependent pathway in cancer cells can result in tumor infiltration with immune cells and modulation of the anticancer immune response. Understanding the function of STING pathway in cancer cells might provide important insights into the development of effective therapeutic strategies. This review focuses on the role of STING pathway in cancer cells, the largely unknown topic that has recently emerged to be important in the context of STING-mediated antitumor responses. Knockdown of either of following genes: On the other hand activation of STING can also have the immunosuppressive effects through the upregulation of programmed death-1 ligand (PD-L1). Interaction of PD-L1 with PD-1 leads to inhibition of the activation of T cells and therefore has a crucial role in tumor immune escape  was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of melanoma (Grigg et al. +IFN-γ+ T cells. Combination treatment of STING agonist and anti-PD-1 antibody in CT26 and B16 murine tumor models induced regression of tumors that did not respond to the checkpoint inhibition alone (Fu et al. While oncolytic viruses are more effective in cancer cells without STING expression, PD-1 blockade treatment can turn out to be more effective in STING-positive tumors. Tumors from mice treated with a STING agonist show increased levels of PD-L1 and tumor-infiltrating CD8The rationale for combining STING agonists with DNA damaging agents needs to be further verified since it is not known if the increased resistance of cancer cells to genotoxic stress caused by the STING pathway activation (Gaston et al. Extensive studies are being carried out to evaluate the therapeutic potential of STING agonists in combination with the next-generation cancer immunotherapies. Basic studies that will elucidate the influence of such compounds on various cell subsets that are present in tumor microenvironment are of huge importance in this process. The majority of reports indicate that these are mostly tumor stromal cells of the immune system, such as dendritic cells, that are responsible for the majority of STING agonists-mediated antitumor effects. However, it cannot be excluded that also other cells, including cancer cells, are being actively targeted by these compounds and that activation or rather inhibition of the STING pathway in those cells may play a role in achieving their full therapeutics potential. Still the role of STING-mediated signaling in cancer cells remains largely unknown and there are many questions that remain unanswered. It is not known if the downregulation of STING expression and impaired signaling in cancer cells creates survival advantage or if it is just a non-important by-product of carcinogenesis. Little is also known about the functional consequences of STING activation in cancer cells. It needs to be verified if the induction of STING-mediated signaling in cancer cells could lead directly to cancer cell death or as suggested by Gaston et al.  to cytop


The aim of this study is to evaluate the association between rs6280 and rs905568 genetic polymorphism of DRD3 gene and the treatment response of amisulpride.After six weeks treatment of amisulpride, 125 schizophrenia patients were interviewed based on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S). The genotyping for rs6280 and rs905568 was performed using TaqMan single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping assay.There was no significant difference in the frequency of genotype and allele of rs6280 between the responders and non-responders based on the total, positive, and general score of PANSS and CGI-S score. However, there was a significant association between this SNP and treatment response in the negative score of PANSS . There was no significant association between rs905568 and the response in positive, negative, general, and total PANSS score and CGI-S score.This is the first positive association study between DRD3 gene and the treatment response of negative symptoms to amisulpride in Korean schizophrenia patients. A larger scale research on more SNP of the DRD3 gene will make a progress in the study of pharmacogenetics on the treatment response of the amisulpride.


In order to ensure a GMP quality product for cellular therapy, in vitro expansion of ASCs has been undertaken using xeno-free (XF), chemically-defined, and human blood-derived alternatives. These investigations usually include the criteria proposed by the International Society of Cellular Therapy (ISCT) and International Fat Applied Technology Society (IFATS). The majority of studies use these criteria to compare plastic-adherence, morphology, the immunophenotype and the trilineage differentiation of ASCs under the different medium supplemented conditions. Based on these studies, all of the alternatives to FBS seem to be suitable replacements; however, each has its own advantages and drawbacks. Very few studies have investigated the effects of the supplements on the immunomodulation of ASCs; the transcriptome, proteome and secretome; and the ultimate effects in appropriate animal models. The selection of medium supplementation will depend on the downstream application of the ASCs and their efficacy and safety in preclinical studies.Adipose-derived stromal cells (ASCs) are being used extensively in clinical trials. These trials require that ASCs are prepared using good manufacturing practices (GMPs) and are safe for use in humans. The majority of clinical trials in which ASCs are expanded make use of fetal bovine serum (FBS). While FBS is used traditionally in the research setting for  The The unknown and undefined composition of FBS is a major drawback. A preferable alternative would be a chemically-defined medium with a known composition such as commercially available serum-free (SF) or XF media . Platelet poor plasma (PPP), fresh frozen plasma (FFP), and platelet rich plasma  contains platelet GFs which are obtained by lysing platelets concentrated in a small volume of plasma  the MRC's Flagships Awards Project SAMRC-RFA-UFSP-01-2013/STEM CELLS as well as (b) the Extramural Unit for Stem Cell Research and Therapy. The National Research Foundation of South Africa also provided funding.The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.


In this study, silver chloride nanoparticles (AgCl NPs) were prepared using chitosan oligomer (CHI) and chitosan oligomer derivatives (CHI-FITC). The CHI and CHI-FITC were used as markers to confirm the formation of AgCl NPs using their fluorescence properties as well as stabilizers. The fluorescence properties of CHI and CHI-FITC were monitored by a luminescence spectrophotometer, and the morphology of the AgCl NPs was further confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The fluorescence of CHI and CHI-FITC was quenched by the formation of AgCl NPs, and the Stern–Volmer equation was used to compare the two types of stabilizer. The CHI and CHI-FITC stabilizer were linear and nonlinear, respectively, with respect to the Stern–Volmer equation, and considered to be usable as fluorescence indicators to confirm the formation behavior of AgCl NPs through fluorescence quenching. The CHI and CHI-FITC served as stabilizers and as indicators of the formation of NPs. For the CHI/AgCl NPs, a linear static quenching behavior was observed when the decrease in fluorescence intensity according to the formation of AgCl NPs was substituted into the Stern–Volmer equation. On the contrary, nonlinear quenching was observed for CHI-FITC/AgCl NPs. In addition, the quenching occurred more rapidly in the CHI-FITC stabilizer than in the CHI stabilizer because the formation of AgCl NPs was structurally affected by the fluorescence properties of FITC. The AgCl NPs obtained by environmentally friendly CHI and CHI-FITC as stabilizers have a considerable potential for use in fluorescence sensors and bio-imaging probes.


The application of opto-electronics in video-endoscopes improves the accuracy in diagnosis, through image processing and digital technology. Narrow Band Imaging (NBI), consists of using interference filters for the illumination of the target in narrowed blue and green bands of the spectrum. NBI is combined with magnifying endoscopy using an objective macro or an optical zoom. The NBI technique developed by Olympus Medical Systems is now available in the most recent models of video-endoscopes that use the non-sequential system of illumination (Lucera Spectrum) or the sequential R/G/B system of illumination (Exera II). The major contribution of the technique is in the characterization  of the flat and superficial neoplastic areas of the digestive mucosa, with a specific application to the identification of intestinal metaplasia and early neoplastic changes in the Barrett's esophagus. The technique also proves helpful for the assessment of the vascular pattern in chronic inflammatory disorders of the digestive mucosa.


I read the article “Auer Rod-Like Inclusions in Reactive Plasma Cells in a Case of Acute Myeloid Leukemia” by Pradhan when it was first published online . The manuscript is well written with the description of a rare presence of Auer rod-like inclusions in reactive plasma cells in a case of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, it is not the first case of Auer rod-like inclusions in reactive plasma cells in a case of AML in the literature as was claimed by the author in the article. Sharma et al. had already described a case of the presence of this type of plasma cell inclusion in a case of therapy-related AML. Needle-like or Auer rod-like intracytoplasmic inclusions in plasma cells were first described by Steinmann in 1940. A few cases of multiple myeloma with intracytoplasmic plasma cell inclusions are described in the literature . Some poConflict of Interest: The author of this paper has no conflicts of interest, including specific financial interests, relationships, and/or affiliations relevant to the subject matter or materials included.


Most of these findings have confirmed the validity of the original structures. This short article briefly reviews the most important advances on the structure and function of VDAC superfamily members collected during the last decade and summarizes how they enhanced our understanding of the channel.Mitochondria are evolutionarily related to Gram-negative bacteria and both comprise two membrane systems with strongly differing protein composition. The major protein in the outer membrane of mitochondria is the voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC), which mediates signal transmission across the outer membrane but also the exchange of metabolites, most importantly ADP and ATP. More than 30 years after its discovery three identical high-resolution structures were determined in 2008. These structures show a 19-stranded anti-parallel beta-barrel with an N-terminal helix located inside. An odd number of beta-strands is also shared by Tom40, another member of the VDAC superfamily. This indicates that this superfamily is evolutionarily relatively young and that it has emerged in the context of mitochondrial evolution. New structural information obtained during the last decade on Tom40 can be used to cross-validate the structure of VDAC and vice versa. Interpretation of biochemical and biophysical studies on both protein channels now rests on a solid basis of structural data. Over the past 10 years, complementary structural and functional information on proteins of the VDAC superfamily has been collected from  Gram-negative bacteria, mitochondria, and chloroplasts are enveloped by two lipid bilayers, termed the inner and outer membrane. While all inner membrane proteins are alpha-helical, proteins in the outer membrane display beta-barrel structures with a wide variation in the number and tilt of beta-strands as well as the way the strands are interconnected by loops and turns . Early studies by electron microscopy (EM), performed in the laboratories of Frank and Mannella in the 1980s, yielded structural information on semi-crystalline arrays of a pore-forming channel isolated from the MOM  simulations based on the mVDAC1 (PDB-entry: 4C69) structure combined with a Markov state model showed the capacity to pass millions of ATP molecules per second via hundreds of different permeation pathways along a network of basic residues  and drug complexes Structure of VDAC3Structures of VDAC-ANT complexesStructures of VDAC in complex with pro-apoptotic proteins such as tBid, Bax, or Bak.KZ and UZ contributed to conception and design of the manuscript and wrote the manuscript.The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.


Corneal foreign bodies are reported to be the second most common type of ocular injury. Anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) is a valuable tool for the early diagnosis and monitoring the progress of treatment in cases of ocular trauma. Herein we aimed to report on a patient with an intra-corneal foreign body and the role of AS-OCT in management.A 34-year-old male presented with foreign body sensation in his left eye. Slit-lamp biomicroscopic examination revealed a peripherally located intrastromally embedded foreign body with a free anterior edge extending outwards from the cornea. It was not possible to visualize the foreign body’s entire route through the cornea because of localized corneal edema. AS-OCT showed shadowing of the corneal layers corresponding to the location of the corneal foreign body. A hyper-reflective lesion was observed close to the inside edge of the foreign body in the cornea, indicating that the foreign body had not completely penetrated the cornea. The foreign body was removed via the external route, as it had not completely penetrated the cornea. During the postoperative period the patient was asymptomatic, although the left eye’s cornea healed with scar tissue.AS-OCT facilitates non-invasive rapid imaging of ocular tissue at va rious depths, thereby providing accurate assessment of foreign body characteristics.The location of an intracorneal foreign body and the status of the surrounding ocular structure dictate the optimal surgical technique to be employed.AS-OCT in the present case facilitated localization and determination of the size of a corneal foreign body. In addition, AS-OCT findings assisted in selection of the appropriate surgical intervention. Ocular injury is the most common cause for emergency interventions in ophthalmology departments throughout the world, and is the second most common cause of visual loss  is a valuable tool for the early diagnosis and monitoring the progress of treatment in cases of ocular trauma . Recent advances in ocular imaging include high-resolution techniques for visualizing cornea. Intrastromal corneal foreign bodies can be accurately viewed using the Cirrus SD-OCT. The advantages of SD-OCT are that it is a non-contact imaging system associated with minimal discomfort in trauma patients and that it can be used to obtain high-resolution cross sectional images of the anterior segment, including the cornea.AS-OCT facilitates non-invasive rapid imaging of ocular tissue at various depths, thereby providing accurate assessment of foreign body characteristics. Reflectivity varies according to the type of foreign body. Foreign bodies of glass are well delineated on AS-OCT, with no internal reflectivity, whereas those of wood exhibit moderate internal reflectivity and those of metal exhibit high anterior reflectivity with shadowing (Jancevski and Foster Corneal foreign body imaging provides information regarding foreign body location, size and depth. In cases of ocular trauma AS-OCT can also identify unexpected lesions that are invisible or difficult to see via routine slit-lamp biomicroscopic examination (Wylegala et al. The high resolution of AS-OCT is ideal for evaluating the depth of corneal injury due to a foreign body. The location of an intracorneal foreign body and the status of the surrounding ocular structure dictate the optimal surgical technique to be employed (Hersh et al. AS-OCT provides vital details about Descemet’s membrane integrity and the point of entry of a foreign body, which can be utilized to plan surgical removal. When Descemet’s membrane was intact and the scar at the point of foreign body entry was known the foreign body was removed via the anterior route, whereas when Descemet’s membrane was breached and the foreign body point of entry was healed the foreign body was removed via the anterior chamber using an air tamponade. No sutures were required when removing a foreign body via the anterior chamber, which preventing any astigmatic effect. AS-OCT is a non-invasive method for rapid imaging of ocular tissue of various depths, which provides accurate localization of foreign bodies and the status of surrounding ocular structures, facilitating preoperative surgical planning. This can also prevent any intra or postoperative refractive surprises thus providing best possible outcomes (Al-Ghadeer and Al-Assiri In some cases corneal thinning might be suspected after removal of a corneal foreign body. AS-OCT is extremely useful in such cases, as it facilitates quantitative assessment of remnant corneal thickness and indicates the risk of impending perforation. The presented patient was lucky in that that foreign body did not completely penetrate the cornea and there was no loss of tissue. In cases of corneal tissue loss cyanoacrylate glue and a bandage contact lens can be used if the defect is <2 mm (Vote and Elder The use of AS-OCT allowed to verify and even clarify clinical impression of the intra-corneal foreign bodies. This technology also served as a check on verification of depth and localization of foreign bodies. AS-OCT findings can also be used to aid in the selection of the most appropriate surgical intervention and to monitor the effects of treatment. The presented case highlights the benefits of AS-OCT in the management of intra-corneal foreign bodies, including informing the choice of method of foreign body removal.


In D-DSC, network is partitioned into clusters, where the clusterheads communicate their uncompressed samples carrying the side information, and the cluster members send their compressed samples. Sink performs joint decoding of the compressed and uncompressed samples and then reconstructs the event signal using the decoded sensor readings. Based on the observed degree of the correlation among sensor samples, the sink dynamically updates and broadcasts the varying compression rates back to the sensor nodes. Simulation results for the performance evaluation reveal that D-DSC can achieve reliable and energy-efficient event communication and estimation for practical signal detection/estimation applications having massive number of sensors towards the realization of Internet of Sensing Things (IoST).Spatial correlation between densely deployed sensor nodes in a wireless sensor network (WSN) can be exploited to reduce the power consumption through a proper source coding mechanism such as distributed source coding (DSC). In this paper, we propose the Decoding Delay-based Distributed Source Coding (D-DSC) to improve the energy efficiency of the classical DSC by employing the  Internet of Things (IoT), which defines the seamless interconnection and autonomous coordination of massive number of sensing and computing elements and physical entities through the Internet infrastructure, is an emerging research direction towards the long-standing goal of enabling the connected Universe. WSNs have evolved into Internet of Sensing Things (IoST) as part of the Internet of Things (IoT) , and nowDistributed Source Coding (DSC) because it only requires the correlation between the sensors for the compression j are recn times yields n-level tree structure that contains 2n sub-codebooks. Samples of master nodes are encoded simply by finding the closest representation of the data from the 2nu values in the root-codebook . For encoding process of slave nodes, the encoder first finds the closest representation of the data from the 2nu values in the root-codebook and then determines the sub-codebook that samples of slave node belongs to at level-n, where n is the minimum number of bits for encoding slave node data. The path through the root-codebook to this sub-codebook specifies the bits that are transferred to the sink  and a heat source initially located at  is moved with constant velocity over on the x-axis. The maximum velocity of the source is selected as the 10% of the propagation speed of the event signal Click here for additional data file.


We report two cases of failed attempts at closed reduction of high-energy tibial fractures with an associated fibula fracture. The first case was a 39-year-old male involved in high-speed motorbike collision, while the second was a 14-year-old male who injured his leg following a fall of three metres. Emergency medical services at the scenes of the accidents reported a 90-degree valgus deformity of the injured limb and both limbs were realigned on scene and stabilized. Adequate alignment of the tibia could not be achieved by manipulation under sedation or anaesthesia. Open reduction and exposure of the fracture sites revealed that the distal fibula fragment was “transposed” and entrapped in the medulla of the proximal tibial fragment. Reduction required simulation of the mechanism of injury in order to disengage the fragments and allow reduction. Tibiofibula transposition is a rare complication of high-energy lower limb fractures which has not previously been reported and may prevent adequate closed reduction. Impaction of the distal fibula within the tibial medulla occurs as the limb is realigned by paramedic staff before transfer to hospital. We recommend that when this complication is identified the patient is transferred to the operating room for open reduction and stabilization of the fracture. High-energy tibial shaft fractures are challenging injuries to treat. They are often open and comminuted and may be associated with other life-threatening injuries . InitialA 14-year-old healthy male was admitted having fallen from a height of three metres in a derelict building. Paramedics reported a 90-degree deformity of his right leg when they arrived at the scene of injury. The limb was realigned and placed into a “box-splint” for transfer. There was no evidence of neurovascular injury. Plain radiographs revealed a distal tibial metaphyseal fracture with an associated fibula fracture Figures  and thisA 39-year-old healthy male was admitted with multiple injuries following a high-speed cross-country motorcycle (“Motocross”) accident. On-scene emergency medical services reported a severe 90-degree deformity of the injured limb. The limb was realigned and placed into “box-splint” for transfer to the emergency room. Assessment in the resuscitation room indicated a mid-shaft Gustilo-Anderson  Grade IIFailure of adequate closed reduction in high-energy tibial fractures requires operative exposure of the fracture site to achieve anatomical fracture reduction. Where closed reduction is not possible it is likely that periosteum or soft tissue is entrapped within the fracture and this may need to be removed. Interposition of soft tissue is a rare complication but has been reported in the literature –4. GraceThe two cases reported here represent an unusual reason for failure of closed reduction. To our knowledge this has not previously been reported in the literature. In both cases there was a high-energy valgus deforming force applied to the leg. The limbs were realigned by paramedics at the scene of the accident and immobilised in a “box-splint.” We believe that transposition of the distal fibula fragment into the proximal tibia occurred at the time of this realignment prior to transfer to hospital. Realignment of the limb as a first-aid measure remains the correct course of action in order to protect the neurovascular supply and allow safe transfer of the patient to the receiving unit . HoweverThe initial radiographs taken in the emergency room suggest that the distal fibula had been transposed into the tibial medulla. In the first case Figures  and 2 twTibiofibula transposition is a rare complication of high-energy lower limb fractures and may prevent adequate closed reduction. Impaction of the distal fibula within the tibial medulla occurs as the limb is realigned by paramedic staff before transfer to hospital. Two X-ray views of the fracture are required to identify that a transposition has occurred and we recommend that when this is identified the patient is transferred to the operating room for open reduction and stabilization of the fracture.


Although, the role of Botulinum Toxin-A in the treatment of the neurogenic and non-neurogenic neurogenic bladder is becoming more defined, this is the first review article to characterize the emerging role of Botulinum Toxin-A in the pediatric urologic population. Injection of Botulinum Toxin-A at the level of the bladder works by inhibiting uninhibited bladder contractions and, possibly, by blocking some of the sensory nerve fibers. In children with sphincter dyssynergy, injection at the level of the urethral sphincter works by inhibiting the involuntary guarding reflex and blocking dyssynergic voiding.


In April 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO)’s Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) department and Nutrition for Health and Development (NHD) department convened a Guidelines Development Group meeting to review the WHO’s recommendations for the control of soil-transmitted helminths in high-risk groups. Subsequent to this meeting, the WHO will announce whether it will reaffirm its long-standing recommendation of mass drug administration (MDA) in areas with more than 20% prevalence of soil-transmitted helminths . We recently released a new meta-analysis [There is consensus that the relevant drugs are safe and effective. Indeed, they are the standard of care for those known to be infected. Since individual collection and testing of stool samples prior to treatment is prohibitively expensive and logistically impractical in many low-income contexts, the relevant question for policy is whether the expected benefits of MDA exceed its costs, taking into account uncertainty.p = 0.0038) but conclude that there is “substantial evidence” of no impact of mass treatment on weight or other outcomes at community level. This has led some to suggest that the long-term impacts discussed above are logically impossible and that the WHO policy is mistaken [The literature on long-run educational and economic impacts of deworming of children in several high-prevalence settings suggests that this is the case . Howevermistaken .Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions [p values when the standard errors are not reported in the original article and contacting original study authors for clarification when necessary. The updated, full sample in [The new meta-analysis  working ventions , such asample in  includesample in , substanp value <0.001 using the full sample in [We find that the 2015 Cochrane Review analysis  is statiample in  in isolaample in ) also leIn the full sample in , includiThe implied average effect of MDA on infected children in the full sample in  (calculaWhile the WHO decision will be based on health benefits, we believe that it is also worth noting recent research that provides new evidence on the long-run educational and economic benefits of deworming. Baird et al.  estimateIn light of the mounting evidence on both the short-run impacts on child weight and long-run educational and economic effects of deworming, we believe that the expected benefits of deworming are likely to greatly exceed the cost, and that the long-standing support of WHO and other international donors and organizations for mass deworming remains scientifically justified.


To elucidate the mechanism through which internalized stigma reduces the quality of life (QoL) of people with mental illness by exploring the mediating roles of self-esteem and sense of coherence (SOC).A cross-sectional analysis of 229 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia or affective disorders was undertaken to test a sequential mediation model assuming that more severe internalized stigma is related to lower self-esteem, which is associated with weaker SOC, which in turn relates to worse QoL.The proposed model was supported by the data. A sequential indirect effect from internalized stigma to QoL via self-esteem and SOC turned out to be significant . Support was also found for simple mediation models with either self-esteem or SOC as single mediators between internalized stigma and QoL.Self-esteem and SOC are personal resources that should be considered as potential targets of interventions aiming to prevent the harmful consequences of internalized stigma for the QoL of people receiving psychiatric treatment. Also significant were simple mediation paths from internalized stigma to QoL via self-esteem  and from internalized stigma to QoL through SOC . Examination of the pairwise contrasts of the indirect effects . There was a significant sequential indirect effect of internalized stigma on QoL through self-esteem and SOC [path aIn this study, we found evidence for a theoretical model proposing that self-esteem and SOC sequentially mediate the relationship between internalized stigma and QoL among people with mental illness. Our findings are in keeping with previous research which has already convincingly demonstrated a robust association of self-stigma with diminished self-esteem , 4 and dIt should be emphasized that apart from the two-mediator path, two simple mediation paths with either self-esteem or SOC as single mediators between internalized stigma and QoL were also found to be significant and the three indirect effects did not differ in terms of magnitude. This further corroborates the importance of both of these self-related variables for the QoL and highlights the complexity of the ways in which self-stigma acts on people with mental illness.Contrary to self-esteem, SOC is a construct that has not been thus far extensively studied in the context of internalized mental health stigma and the harms it causes. This may be somewhat surprising given the well-described role of SOC in coping with stressors or enhancing health and QoL , 24, 25 Regarding implications for clinical practice, with replication this study may support the need for targeting self-esteem and SOC in therapeutic programs aiming to prevent the harmful impact of internalized stigma on people with mental illness. There is some empirical evidence indicating that these personal resources are modifiable by means of specific group interventions. An example of a method of improving self-esteem may be the “self-esteem module” designed by Lecomte et al. . This isSome limitations of the study are to be mentioned. Most importantly, the cross-sectional design does not allow us to draw any definite conclusions about causality. While there is considerable evidence for the detrimental effect of self-stigma on self-esteem , it has Despite these limitations, this research provides further evidence for the significance of internalized stigma as a barrier to recovery from mental illness and extends the understanding of the mechanism of its impact on service users by showing how it may compromise their QoL through undermining their personal resources (such as self-esteem and SOC).


Annayev et al.  reported We thank Drs. Sookaromdee and Wiwanitkit for their interest and contribution to our article. There is a growing evidence of renal dysfunction in patients with thalassemia. Although the process is multifactorial , oxidative stress seems to be the main mechanism of renal damage. Several studies have shown the beneficial effects of antioxidants  in prevention of chemotherapy-induced nephrotoxicity by decreasing oxidative damage. Considering the significantly increased life expectancy of thalassemia patients with long-term complications, we think the role and effects of antioxidant treatments in routine follow-up of the thalassemia patients should be investigated in prospective studies.


Information is presented on the new scientific line in medicine and biology: bio-liquid morphology. The interdisciplinary character of the given research area is emphasized. The problems and prospects of bio-liquid morphological analysis development both in applied and fundamental aspects are discussed.


Clinical and TranslationalMedicine are issuing an editorial expression of concern to alertreaders that concerns have been raised regarding the ethics of this study [The Editors-in-Chief of is study . Appropr


This study addresses the issue of the existence of whole-word phonological representations of disyllabic and multisyllabic words in the Chinese mental lexicon. A Cantonese brain-injured dyslexic individual with semantic deficits, YKM, was assessed on his abilities to read aloud and to comprehend disyllabic words containing homographic heterophonous characters, the pronunciation of which can only be disambiguated in word context. Superior performance on reading to comprehension was found. YKM could produce the target phonological forms without understanding the words. The dissociation is taken as evidence for whole-word representations for these words at the phonological level. The claim is consistent with previous account for discrepancy of the frequencies of tonal errors between reading aloud and object naming in Cantonese reported of another case study of similar deficits. Theoretical arguments for whole-word form representations for all multisyllabic Chinese words are also discussed.


The original scanned image file of the film contained six lanes, with the wild-type sample run in duplicate at either end of the gel. While the sixth lane was cropped out of the image of the film probed with anti-Dnmt3L antibody, it was accidentally included in the image of the film probed with anti-Ezh2 antibody.The corrected figure is below. The authors regret the error.


The Editors-in-Chief are retracting this article  because The online version of this article contains the full text of the retracted article as electronic supplementary material.


Scientific Reports7: Article number: 4003710.1038/srep40037; published online: 01042017; updated: 05222018The original version of this Article contained an error in Figure 7A, where the immunoblot of flotillin from HeLa was a duplicate of the immunoblot of flotillin from HeLa-LAI.This error has been corrected in the HTML and PDF versions of the Article and the figure has been appropriately delineated. The original images for the immunoblots shown in Figure 7 are now included in the accompanying Supplementary Information file.


Objectives: To assess the sensitivity of patients who suffered a severe closed-head injury to the manipulation of attentional resources and encoding instructions during the execution of prospective memory tasks.Material and Methods: A group of patients with chronic sequelae of severe closed-head injury and a group of matched normal controls were given an experimental procedure for the assessment of time-based and event-based prospective memory. Availability of attentional resources at the time of intention recall and encoding conditions at the time of giving instructions were varied across experimental sessions.Results: The simultaneous execution of a concurrent task was more detrimental to accuracy in the spontaneous recall of the prospective intention in the post-traumatic than in the normal control group. Moreover, the instruction to encode more extensively by rehearsing aloud and mentally imaging the actions to be performed at the time of the study improved recall accuracy more in the post-traumatic than in the normal control group.Conclusions: Based on these data, we suggest that a prospective memory deficit in post-traumatic patients is due, among other things, to reduced availability of attentional resources and to poor encoding of actions to be performed.


Every day we are faced with an overwhelming influx of visual information. Visual attention acts as the filtering mechanism that enables us to focus our limited neural resources, by selectively processing only the most relevant and/or salient aspects of our visual environment. The ability to shift attention to the most behaviorally relevant items enables us to successfully navigate and interact with our surroundings. The dorsal visual stream is important for the rapid and efficient visuospatial orienting of attention. Unfortunately, recent evidence suggests that the dorsal visual stream may be especially vulnerable to age-related decline, with significant deterioration becoming evident quite early in the aging process. Yet, despite the significant age-related declines to the dorsal visual stream, the visuospatial orienting of attention appears relatively well preserved in older adults, at least in the early stages of aging. The maintenance of visuospatial orienting of attention in older adults appears to be facilitated by the engagement of compensatory neural mechanisms. In particular, older adults demonstrate heightened activity in the frontal regions to compensate for the reduced activity in the posterior sensory regions. These findings suggest that older adults are more reliant on control processes mediated by the anterior regions of the frontoparietal attention network to compensate for less efficient sensory processing within the posterior sensory cortices. Everything from playing tennis to simply walking down the street require the successful orienting of attention from one location to the next. This process of shifting attention is referred to as the visuospatial orienting of attention. A process which relies on an interacting network of structures, which include regions of the lateral prefrontal cortex  from surrounding items (distractors). A process which has typically been studied using the visual search paradigm  recordings in order to examine the electrophysiological correlates of attention shifts. These event-related potential (ERP) studies have most commonly focused on the P1 (80–130 ms) and the N1 (140–200 ms) components in relation to processing of target stimuli (Mangun and Hillyard, More recently, researchers have begun to focus on the neural activity elicited during the cue-target interval; much of this work has focused upon examining the modulation of prestimulus alpha activity along the fronto-occipital axis during the cue-target interval (Foxe et al., Recent studies indicate that the level of alpha power lateralization during the cue-target interval is significantly reduced in older adults (Vaden et al., Additionally, while the majority of research into the patterns of age-related cerebral reorganization have centered on intra-hemispheric patterns of reorganization, there is also extensive evidence to support inter-hemispheric patterns of reorganization (Cabeza et al., In summary, these studies suggest that in spite of the early age-related declines of the dorsal visual stream the visuospatial orienting of attention remains relatively well preserved, at least in the earlier stages of aging. This maintenance appears to be facilitated by the engagement of compensatory neural mechanisms; which is consistent with both the compensation-related utilization of neural circuits hypothesis (CRUNCH; Reuter-Lorenz and Cappell, The mini review was written by ETS-L with assistance and feedback from AJL.The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.


Stimulated-echo acquisition mode (STEAM) is one of the key pulse sequences in CMR imaging, as it alleviates rapid magnetization decay with T2 relaxation. Fat suppression is frequently implemented in cardiac imaging to improve visualization and tissue characterization, albeit at the cost of reduced temporal resolution and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), as well as possible increase of specific absorption rate (SAR). The purpose of this work is to develop an efficient fat suppression method ) for STEAM sequences to enable imaging at high temporal-resolution, with high SNR, and no increase in scan time.The developed method is based on saturating the fat magnetization prior to applying the STEAM modulation; therefore, only the water-content of the tissues is modulated by the sequence, resulting in fat-suppressed images without the need to run the fat suppression module during image acquisition Figure . The potThe results from the in vivo experiments showed superior performance of the proposed SPM method compared to the CHESS and SSSP techniques Figure . The SPMAn efficient technique has been presented for suppressing the fat signal in a number of STEAM-based cardiac imaging techniques. The proposed technique improves the temporal resolution of the acquired images without sacrificing SNR, SAR, or scan time, which could result in accurate parameter measurement and improved cardiac image analysis.


Social care-related quality of life is a key outcome indicator used in the evaluation of social care interventions and policy. It is not, however, always possible to collect quality of life data by self-report even with adaptations for people with cognitive or communication impairments.A new proxy-report version of the Adult Social Care Outcomes Toolkit (ASCOT) measure of social care-related quality of life was developed to address the issues of wider inclusion of people with cognitive or communication difficulties who may otherwise be systematically excluded. The development of the proxy-report ASCOT questionnaire was informed by literature review and earlier work that identified the key issues and challenges associated with proxy-reported outcomes.To evaluate the acceptability and content validity of the ASCOT-Proxy, qualitative cognitive interviews were conducted with unpaid carers or care workers of people with cognitive or communication impairments. The proxy respondents were invited to ‘think aloud’ while completing the questionnaire. Follow-up probes were asked to elicit further detail of the respondent’s comprehension of the format, layout and content of each item and also how they weighed up the options to formulate a response.A total of 25 unpaid carers and care workers participated in three iterative rounds of cognitive interviews. The findings indicate that the items were well-understood and the concepts were consistent with the item definitions for the standard self-completion version of ASCOT with minor modifications to the draft ASCOT-Proxy. The ASCOT-Proxy allows respondents to rate the proxy-proxy and proxy-patient perspectives, which improved the acceptability of proxy report.A new proxy-report version of ASCOT was developed with evidence of its qualitative content validity and acceptability. The ASCOT-Proxy is ready for empirical testing of its suitability for data collection as a self-completion and/or interview questionnaire, and also evaluation of its psychometric properties. In the UK, social care refers to long-term care services that aim to maintain the quality of life of adults with long-term health conditions or ageing-related support needs . The increased demand for social care due to ageing populations in Europe combined, in some countries, with the trend to reduce public spending has contributed to an interest in the evaluation of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of social care based on the outcomes of people who use services . The shiTo evaluate the effectiveness of social care based on personal outcomes rather than outputs, it is important to define the objectives of social care and to develop an appropriate instrument that reflects these objectives. Social care may be broadly conceptualised as services that compensate for the effect of impairments on overall wellbeing or quality of life –7. ThereThe construct of social care-related quality of life (SCRQoL) has been proposed as the basis for developing instruments to measure social care outcomes . SCRQoL If individual quality of life is used evaluate the effectiveness of interventions and policy of social care in this way, a key challenge is how to collect quality of life data from people with cognitive or communication difficulties, who are unable to answer on their own behalf even with support, alternative formats or communication aids, so to avoid the issues of sampling bias and systematic exclusion from ‘having a voice’ –21. In tThe aim of the study was to develop a new social care-related quality of life measure based on the ASCOT-SCT4 that could be used in circumstances where the individual is unable to self-report and other methods of eliciting outcomes information are not feasible. This article outlines the second phase of work that sought to apply the findings identified in the first phase of the project  to develThis qualitative study aimed to develop a proxy-report version of the self-completion ASCOT-SCT4 with adequate content validity and acceptability to proxy respondents . ContentControl over daily life; Occupation ; Social participation and involvement; Personal safety; Personal cleanliness and comfort; Food and drink; Accommodation cleanliness and comfort; and Dignity. The instrument has four response options for each item to distinguish between the ideal state, no needs, some needs and high-level needs in relation to each quality of life attribute Based on analysis of the first round of interviews, the modifications outlined in Table Occupation, Social participation, Personal safety and Personal comfort and cleanliness were modified to correspond to the original ASCOT-SCT4 item wording to improve acceptability and comprehension  would improve acceptability of the measure to proxy respondents The first round of interviews explored whether the adaptation of the pondents . InteresPersonal safety and Personal comfort and cleanliness were adapted to correspond to the original ASCOT-SCT4, which refers to feeling rather than being safe or clean and presentable. In subsequent rounds of cognitive interviews, the respondents were able to understand and respond to these two modified items with no evidence of any issues with acceptability.Based on this finding, the Based on advice from the ASCOT development team, the researchers asked respondents in the second round of cognitive interviews to compare two versions of the questionnaire  conceptual framework of proxy response was used to develop proxy questionnaire items that asked: (1) respondents to rate their own view (proxy-proxy perspective); and (2) what they thought the care recipient would say (proxy-patient perspective). This dual response approach was found to be acceptable to care worker and family carer proxies. The format allowed the respondents to express differences between their opinion and their understanding of the care recipient’s perspective. These differences were explained by reference to different personal preferences influenced, for example, by social or cultural norms or health condition-related factors:Food and drink) by ticking multiple boxes in each column or writing yes/no to indicate whether each statement applied or not. They were, however, able to correctly complete the remainder of the questionnaire once they had realised that the format required one tick per column. Based on these findings, the questionnaire for version 3.0 was re-formatted to include ‘please tick one box’ above the response boxes , two family carers were initially confused by the layout. The interviewers had been briefed to allow the respondent to continue the questionnaire without prompts to highlight the questionnaire instructions to tick one box per column. In one of the two cases ([SR_IC_05]), the respondent spontaneously realised that their initial response with multiple ticks had been incorrect and amended their response. There were no issues with the remaining questions. In the other case ([SR_IC_07]), the respondent directly asked the interviewer whether they needed to tick multiple boxes in each column. Once they had seen the instruction, with a prompt from the interviewer, the respondent understood that only one tick per column was required to indicate their rating:“Tick, ‘Please tick one box for each,’ oh, ‘Tick one box for each column.’ Oh I see, so [sigh], so it’s just the top one then isn’t it?” [SR_IC_07]In the third round of interviews  and distinguish this from their view of the care recipient’s own perspective (proxy-patient perspective). The findings of this study indicate that proxy respondents found it acceptable to adopt both proxy-proxy and proxy-patient perspectives and that they were able to understand and respond to the items based on both perspectives.The aim of this research was to develop a proxy-report measure of social care-related quality of life and establish its qualitative content validity through cognitive interviews . This qufeeling safe rather than more objective judgements, such as being safe [being rather than feeling safe) were less acceptable than items framed around the individual’s subjective perspective when proxy respondents were given a questionnaire based on dual proxy-patient and proxy-proxy perspective report. However, some proxy respondents still had difficulty in projecting themselves into the individual’s internal state when adopting the proxy-patient perspective, especially when the proxy respondent had to rely on ambiguous external cues and behaviours to formulate their response.While an earlier phase of work found that care workers were hesitant to provide proxy judgements of individual care recipient quality of life especially when questions related to subjective concepts such as ing safe , this quing safe . FurtherWhile the two proxy perspective methodology has improved the acceptability of proxy report of social care-related quality of life in the eight ASCOT-SCT4 domains , there rproxy-patient perspective) or the proxy’s judgement based on their internal standards, preferences and attitudes (proxy-proxy perspective) [The two proxy perspectives may be conceptualised as two separate sources of information based on the proxy respondent’s mental construct of the care recipient’s likely internal state informed by their knowledge of the individual (pective) . Based opective) , 39. WheThe study has some limitations. First, the first phase of cognitive interviews included only care workers who supported adults with intellectual disabilities in a supported living context. In the subsequent two rounds of interviews, we purposively sampled a mixture of care workers and family carers because of evidence that different types of proxy respondent may respond differently to proxy-report questionnaires , 67. We In conclusion, it was found that the item wording, format and layout of the ASCOT-Proxy questionnaire was understandable and acceptable to care workers and family carers invited to act as proxy respondents. Respondents’ comprehension of items corresponded to the construct definitions captured by the items in the self-report version of ASCOT-SCT4. This was improved by modifications to the ASCOT-Proxy to minimise differences in item wording between the ASCOT-Proxy and ASCOT-SCT4, whilst maintaining the acceptability of the instrument. The next step to evaluate the feasibility and psychometric properties of the new instrument in the context of self-completion surveys is justified.


Although there are many well-known theories of adolescent development in the West, there is a notable lack of theory with empirical support to understand the process and outcome of Chinese adolescent development. This paper attempts to advance a Chinese conception of adolescent development in a migration context. A qualitative study approach was used to explore the experiences and views of 19 Chinese-Canadian adolescents from Hong Kong and ten of their parents. The findings indicate that parents and adolescents co-construct the dominant theme of “covert parental control” in the adolescent development process, and the concept of “self in relational networks” as the adolescent development outcome. Based on the developmental experiences of these Chinese-Canadian adolescents, a culturally sensitive model of Chinese adolescent development is proposed. This model incorporates culture and migration as two essential components of the framework for a theory regarding Chinese adolescent development. It acknowledges the experience of Chinese-Canadian immigrants, takes account of the participants' personal meanings, and incorporates the indigenous Chinese cultural concepts of bao (reciprocity), guan (guidance), and guanxi (relationship).


Globally, approximately two billion people are infected with the Hepatitis B virus with attributable death estimated at about half a million people annually across the globe. Chronic hepatitis B infection is also an important public health problem in Ghana. The main mode of transmission in endemic regions is the perinatal route. Mother-to-child transmission can be reduced by antiviral therapy especially in the last trimester and adherence to the national immunization schedule. The World Health Organization recommends to add the birth dose vaccine to the current expanded program on immunization (EPI) in all countries but especially for endemic regions. The evidence for the efficacy of the birth dose HBV vaccine is overwhelming and there is an urgent need for its introduction into the current EPI schedule in Ghana. The discovery of hepatitis B virus (HBV) by the Nobel Prize winner Baruch S. Blumberg has contributed significantly to the development of viral diagnostics and vaccines . One of The estimated prevalence of hepatitis B infection is high  in sub-Saharan Africa . This puHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) incidence is higher in Africa compared to the rest of the world because of the higher prevalence of chronic viral hepatitis. HCC is also an important cause of cancer related death in Africa and South East Asia . HCC incThere is the need to focus on prevention through education and a special vaccination program for all in Ghana.HBV infection can be transmitted from mother-to-child during the perinatal period. Pregnancy and early childhood are the periods where acquisition of HBV has a high risk of becoming a chronic disease . The natImmunization is globally utilized as a means of preventing infections especially among children. Universal infant immunization for HBV was recommended following the overwhelming success of this approach in Taiwan . The WorHaemophilus influenzae type B, and hepatitis B (DPT/HiB/HepB) 5 in 1 vaccine at 6, 10, and 14 weeks of age. Measles and yellow fever vaccines are given at nine months of age [The EPI schedule for Ghana recommends Bacille Calmette–Guerin (BCG) at-birth; oral polio vaccine (OPV) at birth, 6, 10, and 14 weeks of age ; three doses of diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, s of age .Examining the current schedule shows that there are already some vaccines given at birth and therefore introduction of the birth dose vaccine for HBV will not disrupt the EPI program in Ghana. The hepatitis B monovalent vaccine can be given together with OPV-0 and BCG. However, this needs to be given ideally within 24 h of the baby’s delivery.This modification to the immunization schedule in terms of timing is not problematic as it only introduces another at-birth dose vaccine at an extra cost. The health sector should be pro-active in leading the government towards the introduction of the birth dose vaccine for HBV as it has been proven efficacious in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission in many other countries ,25,26. TThere is an urgent need for the introduction of the at-birth dose vaccine for HBV in our current EPI schedule to help fully fight the menace of HBV infection in Ghana. In parallel with at-birth vaccination, increased surveillance programs should be implemented to facilitate accurate monitoring of HBV sero-prevalence in different regions of Ghana.


Urinoma or para-renal pseudocyst generally occurs as a result of trauma to the pelvi-ureteric system. It consists of an encapsulated collection of extravasated urine and is usually located in the peri-renal space or more uncommonly in the peritoneal, pleural or mediastinal cavities. There is only one previously reported case of urinoma secondary to abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) surgery. We report a case of symptomatic urinoma after infra-renal AAA repair and discuss the etiology, diagnosis and treatment of this unusual condition.


Nanomaterials highlights innovative work from around the world focused on harnessing the physical, chemical and topological properties of nucleic acids. It contains a mixture of articles examining composite materials that combine nucleic acids with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) or metallic nanoparticles, as well as theoretical investigations, and studies directed towards applications in a variety of areas. The latter include nanophotonics, new methods of DNA sequencing, and the development of new antibacterial agents or drug delivery vehicles. Highlights of the publications appearing in this Special Issue are discussed in the following paragraphs.This Special Issue of Kazuo Umemura  has provThe development of a new method for preparing hydrogels composed of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) and two types of DNA is the topic of the study undertaken by Zinchenko and co-workers . A featuE. coli. As a demonstration of the potential application of their discovery, the researchers immobilized the Ag/DNA nanoparticles onto the surfaces of cotton fabrics, which had been previously modified using a cationic polymer in order to facilitate electrostatic binding of the nanoparticles. The resulting materials were shown to exhibit significant bacteriostatic and bactericidal properties in standardized tests.DNA obtained from salmon milt was also used in research led by Tomomi Takeshima . In thisOne of the most exciting areas of nanotechnology research centers on the development of carrier systems for facilitating the delivery of therapeutic agents selectively to specific cells or molecular targets. As part of their efforts in this area, Kocabey and co-workers  have desCervantes-Salguero and co-workers  report tTitration of solutions containing non-covalent DNA/MWNT complexes, with didodecyl-dimethylammonium bromide (DDAB), resulted initially in the formation of sticky precipitates, which re-dissolved when excess cationic surfactant was added. Tardani and La Mesa  have proThe ability to use DNA as a template for the controlled assembly of clusters of sliver atoms is the topic of a detailed review by Gwinn and co-workers . DrawingLi and co-workers  review tThe search for more rapid and reliable methods of DNA sequencing is an important objective as researchers seek to develop new biotechnological devices and products. One method of DNA sequencing that has attracted considerable interest in recent years involves the use of nanopores composed of the protein alpha-hemolysin. Manara and co-workers  describeThe above articles showcase the breadth of nanotechnological research currently being undertaken throughout the world that seeks to take advantage of the many unique features of DNA. We hope that you enjoy reading this Special Issue, and look forward to your contributions to this journal in this fascinating area in the years ahead.


A 57-year-old man was admitted to our hospital for evaluation and management of stroke in the setting of an atrial septal defect. Shortly after receiving gadobenate dimeglumine for magnetic resonance imaging of the pelvic vessels, he experienced cardiac arrest from which he was resuscitated. His course was complicated by profound distributive shock. The presumed cause was a severe anaphylactic or anaphylactoid reaction to the gadolinium-based compound that he received.


Testing for the existence of a threshold sub-section of the Methods.After publication of the original article , it cameTwo formulae originally published in this sub-section were incorrect; the correct expressions are the negatives of the expressions published. The formulae should have appeared as follows:and


Their regioselective installation on polyols generally requires lengthy reactions and the use of high boiling solvents. In the first part of this paper we demonstrate that regioselective silylation of sugar polyols can be conducted in short times with the requisite silyl chloride and a very limited excess of pyridine . Under these conditions, that can be regarded as solvent-free conditions in view of the insolubility of the polyol substrates, the reactions are faster than in most examples reported in the literature, and can even be further accelerated with a catalytic amount of tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB). The strategy proved also useful for either the selective TBDMS protection of secondary alcohols or the fast per-O-trimethylsilylation of saccharide polyols. In the second part of the paper the scope of the silylation approach was significantly extended with the development of unprecedented “one-pot” and “solvent-free” sequences allowing the regioselective silylation/alkylation (or the reverse sequence) of saccharide polyols in short times. The developed methodologies represent a very useful and experimentally simple tool for the straightforward access to saccharide building-blocks useful in organic synthesis. Their bulkiness allows in many cases regioselective silyl protection of primary alcohols. Commonly, O-silylation is performed by exposing the alcohol to a suitably substituted silyl chloride in the presence of a base, a catalyst (often coinciding with the base) and an aprotic solvent [The application of an orthogonal set of protecting groups represents a typical issue in organic synthesis in the elaboration of highly functionalized molecules such as carbohydrates, and lengthy multistep procedures are often needed to this aim –2. Silyl solvent . The use solvent –13.A regioselective silylation of polar saccharide polyols is typically performed with the appropriate silyl chloride in the presence of a high boiling solvent such as DMF or pyridine, often in the presence of a nucleophilic catalyst (more frequently imidazole and DMAP) –21. The The regioselective silylation of secondary saccharide alcohols can also be achieved either taking advantage of the inherent difference of reactivity among the hydroxy functions –32 or exOver the last years, we have addressed our interest towards the development of solvent-free protocols aimed at regioselective protection of highly functionalized saccharide substrates. This effort led to a simple protocol for the selective benzylation of primary saccharide alcohols , the firIn this paper, we wish to report the extension of the scope of the solvent-free strategies to the silylation reaction, and the feasible incorporation of this step into unprecedented one-pot, fully solvent-free sequences yielding orthogonally protected saccharide building-blocks under simple experimental conditions and in short times.1) was selected as the model substrate and exposed to TBDMSCl in the presence of a slight or moderate excess of several bases  was silylated in a good yield (6) required the employment of a higher stoichiometric excess of both pyridine and TBDMSCl  and the allylic (O-3) position, to provide a mixture of products  is beneficial for the achievement of a higher yield while maintaining the use of a minimal excess of the silylating agent .As a matter of fact, upon doubling the stoichiometric amount of TBAB, pyridine and TBDMSCl, the regioselective synthesis of di-20 [22 (as an anomeric mixture) was 3-O-silylated in a good yield, and the anomeric composition of the products revealed the higher reactivity of the α-anomer .Double silylation at primary positions of the disaccharide lactoside 20  also proα-anomer , entry 5ursor 24   in order to establish which order of steps  might be higher yielding. Initial experiments indicated that the silylation step was not apparently effective when performed after the tin-catalyzed 3-O-benzylation of mannoside  occurs in a comparable yield under tin catalysis [O-silylation/3-O-benzylation) was found to be less effective in terms of yields, apparently because of the partial loss of the TBDMS group in the second step where relatively forced thermal conditions are needed . The method can indeed be regarded as a solvent-free approach because of the limited stoichiometric amount of the base that is not sufficient to dissolve the highly polar saccharide substrates. Under these conditions, a catalytic role played by TBAB was also evidenced. Besides the limited amount of the used base, the proposed method is endowed with further practical advantages such as the experimental ease , and high reaction rates, often comparing favourably with literature examples, in spite of the poor solubility of the starting substrates in the reaction medium. The scope of the silylation approach was also extended to secondary alcohols and to the per-In the second part of the paper, we have explored the feasible combination of the silylation methodology here introduced with a previously developed tin-catalyzed methodology for regioselective alkyl protection of carbohydrates. The merging of both methods led to unprecedented one-pot and fully solvent-free synthetic sequences, providing a straightforward and experimentally simple access to saccharide building-blocks orthogonally protected with a silyl at the primary position and a benzyl  group at well defined and predicatable secondary positions.File 1Experimental and analytical data.


Out-of-body experience (OBE) is a rare phenomenon during which one has the feeling of being located outside of the physical boundaries of the body, along with the sensation of perceiving the world from an elevated perspective. OBE is of particular interest for studying self-consciousness, as it involves abnormal forms of self-location and visuo-spatial perspective.OBE has been the subject of extensive investigations in parapsychology, neurology and cognitive neuroscience . She never reported OBE before or after surgery.Bos et al.  report tawake craniotomy since seminal observations by the Canadian neurosurgeon Wilder Penfield  tractography to the study of OBE. DTI revealed that the stimulated brain region was close to fibers running from the posterior thalamus to the occipital lobe (Figure Another novel aspect of the case report by Bos and colleagues is that it is the only case of OBE evoked during electrical stimulation of e Figure . This fie Figure  and the e Figure . A PET se Figure . The exaInterestingly, OBEs are also a common feature of near-death experiences. Studies of disembodied experiences during near-death experiences focusing on changes in cortical anatomy and surface electroencephalography have proven controversial (Blanke and Dieguez, The present case is also the only description of OBE during stimulation of the left TPJ. The left TPJ has been involved in complex bodily illusions, such as the induction of an illusory shadow person (Arzy et al., In conclusion, cases of OBE evoked by intracranial stimulation and focal brain damage should be reported systematically in the literature for a better understanding of the neural bases of embodiment. Future studies combining DTI, resting-state functional connectivity and measures of cortical thickness in neurological patients and neurologically normal individual with OBE will foster significant advances in the neuroscience of OBE, similar to studies of xenomelia, schizophrenia and depersonalization (Simeon et al., All authors listed have made a substantial, direct and intellectual contribution to the work, and approved it for publication.The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.


Collective capability of producing patterned collective behaviors is one important field of research in work psychology  and low  levels of organization have been of particular interest . It is also likely that the coupling linkages do not necessarily need to be reciprocal between the co-agents, so that one-sided co-ordination should provide benefits to the global efficiency and parsimony of the system. It is even more likely that co-agents can face the difficulty of regulating each local coupling by grasping the overall picture at some point in their activity , thus counter-balancing the local couplings hypothesis. Related questions should then be addressed: does structural congruence between members, as achieved through recurrent interactions in team training (Maturana and Varela, JB originated the questioning. JB, MF co-wrote the manuscript.The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.


Chowdhury (July-August 2016). Image Statistics and theFine Lines of Material Perception. A change has been made to this article after its publication on July 14, 2016 issue ofi-Perception. These corrections will be included in all subsequent versions of the articleonline.Author Biographies section, the image for author Kairen Tan was omittedand the biography should read as follows:In the Kairen Tan is a graduate student with a Masters of Information Technology at theUniversity of New South Wales. His research uses image processing and analysis to understandthe perception of surfaces and materials in real-world scenes.


In vitro and in vivo models of experience-dependent plasticity have linked changes in the localization of glutamate receptors at the PSD with a molecular reorganization of the PSD and alterations in spine morphology. Chronic ethanol consumption results in adaptive changes in neuronal function that manifest as tolerance, physical dependence, and addiction. A potential mechanism supporting these adaptive changes that we recently identified is the homeostatic targeting of NR2B-containing NMDA receptors to the synapse. This increase is associated with and dependent on a corresponding increase in the localization of the scaffolding protein PSD-95 at the PSD, and with an actin-dependent increase in the size of dendritic spines. These observations led us to propose a molecular model for ethanol-induced plasticity at excitatory synapses in which increases in NR2B-containing NMDA receptors and PSD-95 at the PSD provide an expanded scaffolding platform for the recruitment and activation of signaling molecules that regulate spine actin dynamics, protein translation, and synaptic plasticity. This model is consistent with accumulating evidence that glutamatergic modulation of spine actin by the PSD plays a role in the aberrant plasticity of addiction.Dendritic spines are morphologically specialized structures that receive the vast majority of central excitatory synaptic inputs. Studies have implicated changes in the size, shape, and number of dendritic spines in activity-dependent plasticity, and have further demonstrated that spine morphology is highly dependent on the dynamic organizational and scaffolding properties of its postsynaptic density (PSD).


The consultation is open until 28 November 2016.On 17 October, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) launched a public consultation on the The aim of the consultation is to harvest input for the ECDC expert opinion which should provide European Union/European Economic Area Member States with scientific opinion and expert opinion to support the decision-making process on the possible introduction and monitoring of routine vaccination against rotavirus-induced gastroenteritis in infants.here on how to submit contributions.Please read more