The functional role of the periplasm of nitrogen-fixing bacteroids has not been determined. Proteins were isolated from the periplasm and cytoplasm of Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens bacteroids and ...were analyzed using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry proteomics. Identification of bacteroid periplasmic proteins was aided by periplasm prediction programs. Approximately 40% of all the proteins identified as periplasmic in the B. diazoefficiens genome were found expressed in the bacteroid form of the bacteria, indicating the periplasm is a metabolically active symbiotic space. The bacteroid periplasm possesses many fatty acid metabolic enzymes, which was in contrast to the bacteroid cytoplasm. Amino acid analysis of the periplasm revealed an abundance of phosphoserine, phosphoethanolamine, and glycine, which are metabolites of phospholipid metabolism. These results suggest the periplasm is a unique space and not a continuum with the peribacteroid space. A number of plant proteins were found in the periplasm fraction, which suggested contamination. However, antibodies to two of the identified plant proteins, histone H2A and lipoxygenase, yielded immunogold labeling that demonstrated the plant proteins were specifically targeted to the bacteroids. This suggests that the periplasm is an interkingdom symbiotic space containing proteins from both the bacteroid and the plant.
Staphylococcus bacteremia (SB) in the presence of a cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) is frequently associated with CIED infection. In patients without clear CIED infection but SB, the ...role of empirical CIED removal is unclear.
The purpose of this study was to describe the natural history of SB in the setting of a CIED and the effect of CIED removal on mortality in patients with concurrent SB without evidence of CIED infection.
Three hundred sixty consecutive patients (mean age 61 ± 17 years; 255 (71%) men; 329 (92%) Staphylococcus aureus) with a CIED and concurrent SB were reviewed.
At the initial presentation with SB, 178 patients had no evidence of CIED infection. Of these, 132 (74%) had another identified source of infection. Among the 178 patients without CIED infection, 18 (10%) had empirical CIED removal during the initial bacteremia. Among those who did not undergo CIED removal, SB subsequently relapsed in 19% and relapse rates were not different for those with or without another identifiable source at the initial presentation. Relapse was strongly associated with the duration of SB >1 day (odds ratio 9.99; 95% confidence interval 3.24-30.86). Despite the absence of CIED infection, 1-year mortality was 35% and empirical device removal during the initial presentation was associated with survival benefit (hazard ratio 0.28; 95% confidence interval 0.08-0.95).
For patients with SB without evidence of CIED infection, relapse is predicted by the duration of bacteremia. Empirical CIED removal appears to be associated with a survival benefit, although there are likely clinical situations in which this could be deferred.
Our aim was to develop and validate nomograms that would predict the cumulative incidence of sarcoma-specific death (CISSD) and disease progression (CIDP) in patients with localized high-grade ...primary central and dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma.
The study population consisted of 391 patients from two international sarcoma centres (development cohort) who had undergone definitive surgery for a localized high-grade (histological grade II or III) conventional primary central chondrosarcoma or dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma. Disease progression captured the first event of either metastasis or local recurrence. An independent cohort of 221 patients from three additional hospitals was used for external validation. Two nomograms were internally and externally validated for discrimination (c-index) and calibration plot.
In the development cohort, the CISSD at ten years was 32.9% (95% confidence interval (CI) 19.8% to 38.4%). Age at diagnosis, grade, and surgical margin were found to have significant effects on CISSD and CIDP in multivariate analyses. Maximum tumour diameter was also significantly associated with CISSD. In the development cohort, the c-indices for CISSD and CIDP at five years were 0.743 (95% CI 0.700 to 0.819) and 0.761 (95% CI 0.713 to 0.800), respectively. When applied to the validation cohort, the c-indices for CISSD and CIDP at five years were 0.839 (95% CI 0.763 to 0.916) and 0.749 (95% CI 0.672 to 0.825), respectively. The calibration plots for these two nomograms demonstrated good fit.
Our nomograms performed well on internal and external validation and can be used to predict CISSD and CIDP after resection of localized high-grade conventional primary central and dedifferentiated chondrosarcomas. They provide a new tool with which clinicians can assess and advise individual patients about their prognosis. Cite this article:
2020;102-B(12):1752-1759.
Ionic liquid (IL) has gained industry attention, especially in green chemistry. Researchers have utilized IL for dispersing cellulose, but no report using IL for other polysaccharides. In this study, ...corn, rice, wheat and potato starches were dispersed in hot water (DIHW) or IL, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride and morphology, amylopectin molecular weight (APMw) and thermal properties (TP) were analyzed. For starch DIHW, corn and potato had gelatinized aggregates, whereas rice and wheat had granular clumps. Starch heat-dispersed in IL (HDIIL) had clumps composed of < 1
μm diameter particles. Starch DIHW had little effect on APMw. Cereal starches had APMw greatly reduced by HDIIL (4-6 peaks observed). Potato amylopectin was degraded less by IL (two peaks) probably because charged phosphomonoesters covalently bonded to imidazolium rings or repelled IL chloride ions and large granule size impeded IL penetration, reducing reaction efficiency. TP showed potato starch incompletely gelatinized by HDIIL.
Providing career development services, through career counseling and assessment, is part of vocational rehabilitation programming. However, there is no applied evidence that such career development ...services are feasible or accepted among individuals with psychiatric disorders. We examined feasibility (acceptability, demand, and perceived need) of the Vocational Evaluation Center (VEC), one veterans affairs (VA) hospital’s method of career development services for veterans with psychiatric disorders. Demographics, referral source, and service utilization were analyzed among 90 veterans referred to the VEC. Qualitative analysis identified patterns to veterans’ reasons for seeking VEC services. Veterans referred to the VEC were predominately unemployed and disabled. Veterans tolerated the intervention well, with 16.7% dropping out. Reported needs for VEC services included (a) vocational uncertainty, (b) functional considerations in vocational planning, and (c) finding purpose. Veterans with psychiatric disorders want career development services. The VEC model appears feasible, well-tolerated, and aligned with consumers’ needs.
The form and physiology of
after the decline of symbiotic nitrogen fixation has been characterized. Proteomic analyses showed that post-symbiotic
underwent metabolic remodeling as well-defined groups ...of proteins declined, increased or remained unchanged from 56 to 119 days after planting, suggesting a transition to a hemibiotrophic-like lifestyle. Enzymatic analysis showed distinct patterns in both the cytoplasm and the periplasm. Similar to the bacteroid, the post-symbiotic bacteria rely on a non-citric acid cycle supply of succinate and, although viable, they did not demonstrate the ability to grow within the senescent nodule.
Abstract
Aims
Failure of radiofrequency (RF) ablation of ventricular arrhythmias is often due to inadequate lesion size. Irrigated RF ablation with half-normal saline (HNS) has the potential to ...increase lesion size and reduce sodium delivery to the patient if the same volume of RF irrigant were used for normal saline (NS) and HNS but could increase risks related to steam pops and lesion size. This study aims to assess periprocedural complications and acute ablation outcome of ventricular arrhythmias ablation with HNS.
Methods and results
Prospective assessment of outcomes was performed in 1024 endocardial and/or epicardial RF ablation procedures in 935 consecutive patients (median age 64 years, 71.2% men, 73.4% cardiomyopathy, 47.2% sustained ventricular tachycardia). Half-normal saline was selected at the discretion of the treating physician. Radiofrequency ablation power was generally titrated to a ≤15 Ω impedance fall with intracardiac echocardiography monitoring. Half-normal saline was used in 900 (87.9%) and NS in 124 (12.1%) procedures. Any adverse event within 30 days occurred in 13.0% of patients treated with HNS RF ablation including 4 (0.4%) strokes/transient ischaemic attacks and 34 (3.8%) pericardial effusions requiring treatment (mostly related to epicardial access). Two steam pops with perforation required surgical repair (0.2%). Patients who received NS irrigation had less severe disease and arrhythmias. In multivariable models, adverse events and acute success of the procedure were not related to the type of irrigation.
Conclusion
Half-normal saline irrigation RF ablation with power guided by impedance fall and intracardiac echocardiography has an acceptable rate of complications and acute ablation success while administering half of the saline load expected for NS irrigation.
Graphical Abstract
Graphical Abstract
Fathers are more than social accidents. Research has demonstrated that fathers matter to children's development. Despite noted progress, challenges remain on how best to conceptualize and assess ...fathering and father-child relationships. The current monograph is the result of an SRCD-sponsored meeting of fatherhood scholars brought together to discuss these challenges and make recommendations for best practices for incorporating fathers in studies on parenting and children's development. The first aim of this monograph was to provide a brief update on the current state of research on fathering and to lay out a developmental ecological systems perspective as a conceptual framework for understanding the different spaces fathers inhabit in their children's lives. Because there is wide variability in fathers' roles, the ecological systems perspective situates fathers, mothers, children, and other caregivers within an evolving network of interrelated social relationships in which children and their parents change over time and space (e.g., residence). The second aim was to present examples of empirical studies conducted by members of the international working group that highlighted different methods, data collection, and statistical analyses used to capture the variability in father-child relationships. The monograph ends with a commentary that elaborates on the ecological systems framework with a discussion of the broader macrosystem and social-contextual influences that impinge on fathers and their children. The collection of articles contributes to research on father-child relationships by advancing theory and presenting varied methods and analysis strategies that assist in understanding the father-child relationship and its impact on child development.
Structures and functional properties of fruit starch of six apple cultivars (Gala, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Jerseymac, Jonagold and Royal Gala) were investigated. Apple starches exhibit C
...A-type X-ray diffraction patterns, and granule diameters ranged from 2 to 12
μm. Immature apple fruit had 44–53% starch (dry basis). The apparent amylose content was high (40–48%), but the average branch chain-length of amylopectin was long (DP 27.9–29.6), resulting in the absolute amylose content of 26–29%. The weight-average molecular weight of amylopectin ranged from 4.6 to 11.1×10
8. The proportion of long-branch chains of amylopectin (DP≥37), determined by anion-exchange chromatography with a post-column amyloglucosidase reactor and a pulsed amperometric detector, ranged from 29.7 to 32.4%. The onset gelatinization temperature of the starch ranged 64–66
°C, and the Δ
H of starch gelatinization was 16–18
J/g. The percentage retrogradation of the gelatinized starch, after being stored for 7 d at 4
°C, ranged 42–47%. Most distinctive characteristic of apple starch was that three cultivars had extremely low breakdown (<4 RVU) and high setback (>100 RVU) at 8% (w/w) starch concentration. Peak and final viscosities ranged 99–148 RVU and 144–224 RVU, respectively. Pasting temperature was around 70
°C.
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