Effects of marital interaction on chronic pain and disability: Examining the down side of social support.

Discusses family systems, social support, operant conditioning, and cognitive-behavioral (CB) perspectives on the role of families in chronic illness and, specifically, chronic pain. A reformulated CB model is advanced that emphasizes patients' appraisals and interpretations of their spouses' responses to communications of pain. Using data from 148 married patients with chronic pain and their spouses, the quality of the marital relationship was specifically documented as a critical mediator. Relationships between spouses' responses to pain and important dimensions of the pain experience generally were present only among maritally satisfied couples. A CB model that integrates patients' appraisals, attributions, and expectancies with actual reinforcement contingencies appears to provide a reasonable way to conceptualize the role of spousal interactions and responses in perpetuation of pain, disability, and extent of suffering. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Early observations on an emerging Great Lakes invader Hemimysis anomala in Lake Ontario

Hemimysis anomala, a Ponto-Caspian littoral mysid, is an emerging Great Lakes invader that was discovered in Lakes Michigan and Ontario in 2006. Similar to the native mysid Mysis diluviana, Hemimysis exhibits a diel vertical migration pattern but generally inhabits shallower and warmer waters than M. diluviana. Because basic information on the distribution, habitat use, and biology of Hemimysis in the Great Lakes is scarce, the potential for food web disruption by Hemimysis cannot easily be predicted. Preliminary observations indicate widespread invasion of Hemimysis in Lake Ontario. In this study, we confirm the presence of Hemimysis at sites spanning the northern and southern shores of Lake Ontario and the presence of the individuals during winter months. In one horizontal tow in November 2007, over 26,000 individuals were collected with a length range of 4.4 to 9.0 mm and an average caloric density of 611 cal/g wet weight. The most effective methods for sampling Hemimysis were horizontal tows with either a zooplankton net in the water column or a benthic sled near the lake bottom. Although more quantitative data on the life history and distribution of this species is necessary, our preliminary observations support the prediction that the potential for Hemimysis to impact the nearshore food web in Lake Ontario appears high.     

Identification by proteome analysis of muscle proteins in sea bream (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Sparus aurata</Emphasis>)

The present paper reported postmortem changes in muscle proteins on sea bream (Sparus aurata), during ice storage. The postmortem evolution of protein patterns in farmed sea bream was monitored by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and two-dimension electrophoresis (2DE). Matrix associated laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) was used for identification of proteins. Results of the bio-informatics analysis demonstrate that: (1) the normalized volume of skeletal alpha-actin and tropomyosin is not affected by the time of storage; (2) the normalized volumes of myosin light chain 3 and of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II beta1 increase; (3) the normalized volumes of Sec 13-like and parvalbumin significantly decrease.     

A comparison of fitting algorithms for diffusion-weighted MRI data analysis using an intravoxel incoherent motion model

Object

The objective of this study is to propose a modified VARiable PROjection (VARPRO) algorithm specifically tailored for fitting the intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) model to diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) data from locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC).

Materials and methods

The proposed algorithm is compared with classical non-linear least squares (NLLS) analysis using the Levenberg-Marquardt (LM) algorithm and with two recently proposed algorithms for ‘segmented’ analysis. These latter two comprise two consecutive steps: first, a subset of parameters is estimated using a portion of data; second, the remaining parameters are estimated using the whole data and the previous estimates. The comparison between the algorithms was based on the \(R^2\) goodness-of-fit measure: performance analysis was carried out on real data obtained by DW-MRI on 40 LARC patients.

Results

The performance of the proposed algorithm was higher than that of LM in 64 % of cases; ‘segmented’ methods were poorer than our algorithm in 100 % of cases.

Conclusion

The proposed modified VARPRO algorithm can lead to better fit of the IVIM model to LARC DW-MRI data compared to other techniques.

     

Long-Term Spinal Ventral Root Reimplantation,but not Bone Marrow Mononuclear Cell Treatment,Positively Influences Ultrastructural Synapse Recovery and Motor Axonal Regrowth

We recently proposed a new surgical approach to treat ventral root avulsion, resulting in motoneuron protection. The present work combined such a surgical approach with bone marrow mononuclear cells (MC) therapy. Therefore, MC were added to the site of reimplantation. Female Lewis rats (seven weeks old) were subjected to unilateral ventral root avulsion (VRA) at L4, L5 and L6 levels and divided into the following groups (n = 5 for each group): Avulsion, sealant reimplanted roots and sealant reimplanted roots plus MC. After four weeks and 12 weeks post-surgery, the lumbar intumescences were processed by transmission electron microscopy, to analyze synaptic inputs to the repaired α motoneurons. Also, the ipsi and contralateral sciatic nerves were processed for axon counting and morphometry. The ultrastructural results indicated a significant preservation of inhibitory pre-synaptic boutons in the groups repaired with sealant alone and associated with MC therapy. Moreover, the average number of axons was higher in treated groups when compared to avulsion only. Complementary to the fiber counting, the morphometric analysis of axonal diameter and “g” ratio demonstrated that root reimplantation improved the motor component recovery. In conclusion, the data herein demonstrate that root reimplantation at the lesion site may be considered a therapeutic approach, following proximal lesions in the interface of central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS), and that MC therapy does not further improve the regenerative recovery, up to 12 weeks post lesion.     

The Association of Il28b Genotype with the Histological Features of Chronic Hepatitis C Is HCV Genotype Dependent

The interleukin 28B (IL28B) rs12979860 polymorphism is associated with treatment outcome in hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 and 4 patients. Its association with the histological features of chronic hepatitis C and disease severity needs further clarifications. To assess the correlation between IL28B genotype, HCV genotype and liver biopsy findings in untreated patients.

Materials and Methods

Pre-treatment liver biopsies from 335 HCV Caucasian patients (59% males, age 50 years) enrolled in the MIST study were staged for fibrosis and inflammation according to the METAVIR and the Ishak scoring systems; steatosis was dichotomized as <5% or ≥5%. IL28B was typed by Taqman Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) genotyping assay. HCV genotype was 1 in 151 (45%), 2 in 99 (30%), 3 in 50 (15%) and 4 in 35 (10%) patients. IL28B genotype was CC in 117 (34%), CT in 166 (49%) and TT in 52 (15%). At univariate analysis, the IL28B CC genotype was associated with severe portal inflammation in HCV-1 patients (CC vs. CT/TT: 86% vs. 63%, p = 0.005), severe lobular inflammation in HCV-2 patients (CC vs. CT/TT: 44% vs. 23%, p = 0.03), and less fatty infiltration in HCV-1 patients (CC vs. CT/TT: 72% vs. 51%, p = 0.02). Despite the lack of any association between IL28B and fibrosis stage, in HCV-3 patients IL28B CC correlated with METAVIR F3–F4 (CC vs. CT/TT: 74% vs. 26%, p = 0.05). At multivariate analysis, the genotype CC remained associated with severe portal inflammation in HCV-1, only (Odds Ratio (OR): 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 3.24 (1.23–8.51)). IL28B genotype is associated with the histological features of chronic hepatitis C in a HCV genotype dependent manner, with CC genotype being independently associated with severe portal inflammation.     

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Papain‐Family Cathepsin L‐Like Cysteine Protease Inhibitors Containing a 1,4‐Benzodiazepine Scaffold as Antiprotozoal Agents

Novel papain‐family cathepsin L‐like cysteine protease inhibitors endowed with antitrypanosomal and antimalarial activity were developed, through an optimization study of previously developed inhibitors. In the present work, we studied the structure–activity relationships of these derivatives, with the aim to develop new analogues with a simplified and more synthetically accessible structure and with improved antiparasitic activity. The structure of the model compounds was significantly simplified by modifying or even eliminating the side chain appended at the C3 atom of the benzodiazepine scaffold. In addition, a simple methylene spacer of appropriate length was inserted between the benzodiazepine ring and the 3‐bromoisoxazoline moiety. Several rhodesain and falcipain‐2 inhibitors displaying single‐digit micromolar or sub‐micromolar antiparasitic activity against one or both parasites were identified, with activities that were one order of magnitude more potent than the model compounds.     

Controlling the Er content of porous silicon using the doping current intensity

The results of an investigation on the Er doping of porous silicon are presented. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, optical reflectivity, and spatially resolved energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) coupled to scanning electron microscopy measurements were used to investigate on the transient during the first stages of constant current Er doping. Depending on the applied current intensity, the voltage transient displays two very different behaviors, signature of two different chemical processes. The measurements show that, for equal transferred charge and identical porous silicon (PSi) layers, the applied current intensity also influences the final Er content. An interpretative model is proposed in order to describe the two distinct chemical processes. The results can be useful for a better control over the doping process.

PACS

81.05.Rm; 82.45.Rr     

Tailoring dialysis and resuming low‐protein diets may favor chronic dialysis discontinuation: Report on three cases

Renal function recovery (RFR), defined as the discontinuation of dialysis after 3 months of replacement therapy, is reported in about 1% of chronic dialysis patients. The role of personalized, intensive dialysis schedules and of resuming low‐protein diets has not been studied to date. This report describes three patients with RFR who were recently treated at a new dialysis unit set up to offer intensive hemodialysis. All three patients were females, aged 73, 75, and 78 years. Kidney disease included vascular‐cholesterol emboli, diabetic nephropathy and vascular and dysmetabolic disease. At time of RFR, the patients had been dialysis‐dependent from 3 months to 1 year. Dialysis was started with different schedules and was progressively discontinued with a “decremental” policy, progressively decreasing number and duration of the sessions. A moderately restricted low‐protein diet (proteins 0.6 g/kg/day) was started immediately after dialysis discontinuation. The most recent update showed that two patients are well off dialysis for 5 and 6 months; the diabetic patient died (sudden death) 3 months after dialysis discontinuation. Within the limits of small numbers, our case series may suggest a role for personalized dialysis treatments and for including low‐protein diets in the therapy, in enhancing long‐term RFR in elderly dialysis patients.