In this study, the effect of three oxidants, sodium hypochlorite, potassium permanganate, and ozone, were tested for the removal of 2-MIB with presence of cyanobacteria. Algae in water samples from ...the source water of Feng-Shen waterworks (FSW), Taiwan were cultivated at 30 degrees C with continuous light at an intensity between 2,500 and 3,400 lux. During the cultivating process, water samples were analyzed for nutrients, light absorbance at 665 nm (A665), and 2-MIB concentration. The 2-MIB concentrations within the incubated samples increased to as high as 1,000 ng/L to 2,000 ng/L, although no extra nutrients were added to the raw water. After 2 to 3 days incubation, the intracellular 2-MIB concentration was as high as 70% of the total 2-MIB in the samples. The algae that developed were mainly cyanobateria, and more than 90% belonged to the Genus Oscillatorias. An almost 100% removal of both 2-MIB and geosmin in the raw water was observed after ozonation for 10 minutes at a dosing rate of 0.91 mg/l-min. Chlorine and permanganate were much less effective, both removing only about 11% of the 2-MIB within 60 minutes at oxidant concentration of 10 mg/l. Oxidation of the cultivated samples showed that chlorine and permanganate may damage algae cells causing them to release intracellular 2-MIB. During the 60 minutes of reaction time, the total 2-MIB concentrations (intracellular plus dissolved) varied by no more than 10%, however, the ratios between dissolved and total 2-MIB concentrations increased. Two effects of ozonation on the 2-MIB concentration in the cultivated samples were observed when the algae were young, namely 2-MIB release from damaged cells and 2-MIB oxidization. The rates of 2-MIB release and 2-MIB destruction were similar. However, old algae cells were more easily damaged. As a result, intracellular 2-MIB was released faster, and the soluble 2-MIB was destroyed more quickly by ozonation.
Articulation disorders in young children are due to defects occurring at a certain stage in sensory and motor development. Some children with functional articulation disorders may also have sensory ...integration dysfunction (SID). We hypothesized that speech therapy would be less efficacious in children with SID than in those without SID. Hence, the purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of speech therapy in two groups of children with functional articulation disorders: those without and those with SID.
A total of 30 young children with functional articulation disorders were divided into two groups, the no-SID group (15 children) and the SID group (15 children). The number of pronunciation mistakes was evaluated before and after speech therapy.
There were no statistically significant differences in age, sex, sibling order, education of parents, and pretest number of mistakes in pronunciation between the two groups (P > 0.05). The mean and standard deviation in the pre- and post-test number of mistakes in pronunciation were 10.5 ± 3.2 and 3.3 ± 3.3 in the no-SID group, and 10.1 ± 2.9 and 6.9 ± 3.5 in the SID group, respectively. Results showed great changes after speech therapy treatment (F = 70.393; P < 0.001) and interaction between the pre/post speech therapy treatment and groups (F = 11.119; P = 0.002).
Speech therapy can improve the articulation performance of children who have functional articulation disorders whether or not they have SID, but it results in significantly greater improvement in children without SID. SID may affect the treatment efficiency of speech therapy in young children with articulation disorders.
The hypothalamus appears to be more responsive to ghrelin and growth hormone secretagogues (GHS) in fasting, as reflected by a two‐ to three‐fold increase in the number of cells detected that express ...Fos protein in the arcuate nucleus, in 48‐h fasted rats compared to fed controls. Moreover, this increased hypothalamic responsiveness to GHS in fasting is regulated by the central action of exogenous leptin and insulin, although it is unknown whether these hormones mediate the changes in hypothalamic responsiveness to GHS associated with the fasting/fed state. In the present study, we show that refeeding with normal rat chow for only 2 h at the end of a 48‐h fast reversed the potentiation of the Fos response to GHRP‐6 observed in fasted rats. Circulating leptin and insulin levels remained significantly lower in refed rats compared to ad lib‐fed rats, suggesting that the change in the hypothalamic sensitivity brought about by refeeding was independent of these hormones. By contrast, 2 h of chow refeeding at the end of a fast restored plasma glucose levels to those of the fed state. Refeeding with sugar alone for 2 h at the end of a 48‐h fast also reduced the potentiated Fos response in fasting, indicating that elevated blood glucose can influence the central responsiveness to ghrelin/GHS. By contrast, infusion of the ileal satiety factor, PYY3‐36 (known to increase postprandially) did not alter the central responsiveness to GHRP‐6, although it suppressed feeding and body weight as expected. This study highlights the importance of nutritional status in regulating the action of exogenous GHS (and presumably endogenous ghrelin) on the hypothalamic circuits controlling food intake.
Mycobacteriosis due to infection of
Mycobacterium marinum is a common disease in pond-cultured Chinese soft shell turtles, especially in those surviving beyond their first year. The infected turtles ...independently showed either heterophilic or histiocytic granulomas in various organs such as the spleen, liver, lungs, intestine, kidneys, stomach and pancreas. The heterophilic granuloma contained many acid-fast unbranching bacilli intracellularly in macrophages and extracellularly in the necrotic center. The histiocytic granuloma had only a few bacteria, mainly in the cytoplasm of Langhan's giant cells. The organisms were rarely observed in the advanced lesions of both types. Based on PCR assays for partial
hsp65 gene of
Mycobacterium spp., all of our strains were identified as
M. marinum which can be divided into two groups. The strains of the first group induced heterophilic granulomas and had very high nucleotide sequence identities (99.8%–100%) to the reference strains of
M. marinum (
AF456471) and
M. pseudoshottsii (
AY550226). Those strains of the second group caused histiocytic granulomas and also showed very high identities (99.8%–100%) to the reference strains of
M. marinum ATCC 927 (
AF456470) and
M. shottsii (
AY550225). However, when we compared the partial sequence of the
hsp65 gene from group one and two strains the identities between the two groups range from 98.8% to 99.3%, therefore we can not assert that these two belong to the same species.
To understand the clinical significance and mechanisms of cutaneous denervation in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), we assessed intraepidermal nerve fibre (IENF) density of the distal leg in 45 ...SLE patients (4 males and 41 females, aged 38.4 ± 13.6 years) and analysed its correlations with pathology, lupus activity, sensory thresholds and electrophysiological parameters. Compared with age- and gender-matched control subjects, SLE patients had lower IENF densities (3.08 ± 2.17 versus 11.27 ± 3.96 fibres/mm, P < 0.0001); IENF densities were reduced in 38 patients (82.2%). Pathologically, 11 patients (24.4%) were found to have definite cutaneous vasculitis; the severity and extent of cutaneous vasculitis were correlated with IENF densities. Patients with active lupus had even lower IENF densities than those with quiescent lupus (1.86 ± 1.37 versus 4.15 ± 2.20 fibres/mm, P = 0.0002). By linear regression analysis, IENF densities were negatively correlated with the SLE disease activity index (r = 0.527, P = 0.0002) and cumulative episodes of lupus flare-up within 2 years before the skin biopsy (r = 0.616, P = 0.0014). Clinically, skin denervation was present not only in the patients with sensory neuropathy but also in the patients with neuropsychiatric syndrome involving the CNS. SLE patients had significantly elevated warm threshold temperatures (P = 0.003) and reduced cold threshold temperatures (P = 0.048); elevated warm threshold temperatures were associated with the reduced IENF densities (P = 0.032). In conclusion, cutaneous vasculitis and lupus activities underlie skin denervation with associated elevation of thermal thresholds as a major manifestation of sensory nerve injury in SLE.
Pneumovesical ureteric reimplantation has gained increasing popularity for the treatment of vesicoureteric reflux (VUR) and vesicoureteric junction obstruction (VUJO) in pediatric patients. In this ...study we reviewed our experience at an intermediate term basis.
A retrospective review of all patients with pneumovesical ureteric reimplantation performed in a tertiary referral center between 2005 and 2015 was carried out. Patients' demographics, operative measures, and postoperative outcomes were recorded.
Thirty-one patients were identified during the study period. Twenty-three patients had VUR and 8 patients had VUJO. A total of 42 ureteric reimplantation procedures were carried out. The mean age at operation was 6.1 years old. The mean operative time was 221 minutes. On average the length of hospital stay was 7.4 days. Four patients required conversion to open approach. Four patients had low-grade residual VUR after the operation and all of them were treated conservatively. There was no major complication or mortality.
Pneumovesical ureteric reimplantation is safe and effective for pediatric patients. Intermediate term result confirmed its reliability and low recurrence rate. It has good potential to become the preferred approach of choice in the future.
We have synthesized rod-coil diblock PPQ-
b-PMMA copolymers by using the versatile atom-transfer radical polymerization method and have characterized them by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), ...Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The methyl ketone-terminated rod-coil diblock PMMA copolymer has a higher value of
T
g, because of its syndiotactic-like structure, and a higher decomposition temperature than does the PMMA homopolymer. The presence of the PPQ block tends to retard the early decomposition of the PMMA chain. A regularly porous, honeycomb-structured film was prepared from the dichloromethane solution of the diblock copolymers under a flow of moist air. The diameters of the spherical pores can be controlled in the range from 0.8 to 3
μm by modifying both the rod-coil copolymers' relative molecular weights and the casting conditions. The wall thickness of the film is varied linearly with the relative molecular mass (
M
r).
Lamivudine is a novel 2′,3′‐dideoxy cytosine analogue that has potent inhibitory effects on hepatitis B virus replication in vitro and in vivo. We performed a single‐blind, placebo‐controlled study ...to assess its effectiveness and safety in Chinese hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers. Forty‐two Chinese HBsAg carriers were randomized to receive placebo (6 patients) or lamivudine orally in dosages of 25 mg, 100 mg, or 300 mg daily (12 patients for each dosage). The drug was given for 4 weeks. The patients were closely monitored clinically, biochemically, and serologically up to 4 weeks after drug treatment. All 36 patients receiving lamivudine had a decrease in hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA values of >90% (P < .001 compared with placebo). Although 25 mg of lamivudine was slightly less effective than 100 mg (P = .011) and 300 mg (P = .005), it still induced 94% suppression of HBV DNA after the fourth week of therapy. HBV DNA values returned to pretreatment levels within 4 weeks of cessation of therapy. There was no change in the hepatitis B e antigen status or in aminotransferase levels. No serious adverse events were observed. In conclusion, a 4‐week course of lamivudine was safe and effective in suppression of HBV DNA in Chinese HBsAg carriers. The suppression was >90% but reversible. Studies with long‐term lamivudine administration should be performed to determine if prolonged suppression of HBV DNA can be achieved.
Exact knowledge of biliary anatomy is essential in living donor liver transplantation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of pretransplant magnetic resonance cholangiography (MRC) ...in depicting the biliary anatomy in comparison with intraoperative cholangiography (IOC).
From May 2006 to July 2009, 451 potential living liver donors underwent pretransplant evaluation at the Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Kaohsiung Medical Center. Two hundred thirty-three donors underwent donor hepatectomy. Of these, only 203 donors with both preoperative MRC and IOC were included in this study.
Of the 451 potential donors, 218 (48.3%) were considered unsuitable for liver donation, hence was immediately disqualified after the initial evaluation for various reasons. Six of the 218 unsuitable donors (2.8%) were excluded due to complicated biliary anatomy. The overall accuracy rate of MRC for defining the biliary anatomy was 91.6%, with 84.9% sensitivity, 96% specificity, 88.2% positive predictive value, and 94.7% negative predictive value. There were 14 misidentified cases. The errors in MRC reading was largely attributed to the poor contrast between the biliary ducts and the surrounding tissues and organs. The concurrence between MRC and IOC were commendable (κ=0.9). No significant biliary complications were noted in the mismatch group.
MRC is essential for all pretransplantation evaluation with 91.6% accuracy rate.
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