Resumen: Consenso internacional para la nomenclatura y clasificación de la válvula aórtica bicúspide congénita y su aortopatía, con fines clínicos, quirúrgicos, intervencionistas y de investigación / Summary: International consensus statement on nomenclature and classification of the congenital bicuspid aortic valve and its aortopathy, for clinical, surgical, interventional and research purposes

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Abstract This consensus of nomenclature and classification for congenital bicuspid aortic valve and its aortopathy is evidence-based and intended for universal use by physicians (both pediatricians and adults), echocardiographers, advanced cardiovascular imaging specialists, interventional cardiologists, cardiovascular surgeons, pathologists, geneticists, and researchers spanning these areas of clinical and basic research. In addition, as long as new key and reference research is available, this international consensus may be subject to change based on evidence-based data1.

Effects of Charcoal Preservation Methods on the Biochemical Parameters of Three Varieties of Plantain (Musa ssp)

Aims: To contribute to solving plantain post-harvest losses, six preservation methods combining charcoal and polyethylene bags were experimented on three different varieties of plantain (SACI, Big-Ebanga, and Orishele). Place and Duration of Study: This work was carried out at the Biocatalysis and Bioprocesses Laboratory of Nangui Abrogoua University in Abidjan and the Food Technology Laboratory of the National Center for Agronomic Research in Côte d'Ivoire. Methodology: Some Biochemical parameters of these fruits are monitored to know the effects of these preservation methods during storage. Results: The outcomes indicate an average shelf green life extension of up to 30 days for fruits preserved in polyethylene containing charcoal, while fruits preserved in polyethylene without charcoal have only 24 days on average. The control test (fruits stored in the open air) showed an average shelf green life of 12 days. During storage, total carbohydrate levels increase and values range from 92.49% to 70.05%. Those of total sugars also increase and the levels evolve from 0.47 to 30.83 g/100 g DM. On the other hand, there is a decrease in starch levels (42.66 and 64.05 mg/100g DM). Conclusion: Charcoal can extend the shelf green life of plantain bananas for up to a month. These methods can be recommended to actors in the sector to reduce post-harvest losses.

CT Diagnosis of Paradoxical Embolism via a Patent Foramen Ovale in a Patient with a Pulmonary Embolism and Prominent Eustachian Valve

While there is a high prevalence of patent foramen ovale in adults, paradoxical embolism via a patent foramen ovale is rare. Previous echocardiographic studies indicated that paradoxical embolism might only occur in patients with high-risk features of patent foramen ovale (i.e., large defect size, presence of a Eustachian valve, and high right atrial pressure). Here, we present a case of patent foramen ovale with high-risk CT features for paradoxical embolism.

CT Diagnosis of Paradoxical Embolism via a Patent Foramen Ovale in a Patient with a Pulmonary Embolism and Prominent Eustachian Valve

While there is a high prevalence of patent foramen ovale in adults, paradoxical embolism via a patent foramen ovale is rare. Previous echocardiographic studies indicated that paradoxical embolism might only occur in patients with high-risk features of patent foramen ovale (i.e., large defect size, presence of a Eustachian valve, and high right atrial pressure). Here, we present a case of patent foramen ovale with high-risk CT features for paradoxical embolism.

Comparison of two circuit class therapy programs on walking capacity, gait velocity and stair ambulation among patients with chronic stroke: a parallel pretest-posttest pilot study

OBJECTIVE@#Circuit class therapy is a cost-efficient model of treatment that can be beneficial in a setting with limited resources. Current literature has conflicting results regarding which is a more effective approach to stroke rehabilitation: focusing on functional training or on improving impairments. This pilot study provides preliminary information comparing the effects of a task-oriented versus an impairment-focused circuit class therapy on walking ability among patients with chronic stroke.@*METHOD@#Eighteen participants with a single episode of chronic stroke and limited mobility were randomized into task-oriented circuit class (task group) (n=9) and impairment-focused circuit class (impairment group) (n=9). Both groups underwent intervention thrice a week for four weeks. Blind examination was done using the Ten Meter Walk Test for comfortable gait velocity (CGV) and fast gait velocit(FGV), Time Up and Down Stairs (TUDS), and Six Minute Walk Test (6MWT).@*RESULTS@#All participants completed the treatment sessions without adverse effects. After four weeks of treatment, the task group showed statistically significant within-group change in CGV (0.12±0.08, p=0.003) and FGV (0.25±0.22, p=0.007). The impairment group only showed statistically significant improvement in 6MWT (25.80±31.2, p=0.038). There were no statistically significant changes between the groups in all outcome measures.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The preliminary data from this pilot study suggest either program can improve walking-related outcomes and may not be different, although this needs to be confirmed using an appropriately-powered trial.

Prognostic Value of Coronary CT Angiography forPredicting Poor Cardiac Outcome in Stroke Patientswithout Known Cardiac Disease or Chest Pain:The Assessment of Coronary Artery Disease in StrokePatients Study

Objective@#To assess the incremental prognostic value of coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) in comparison toa clinical risk model (Framingham risk score, FRS) and coronary artery calcium score (CACS) for future cardiac events in ischemicstroke patients without chest pain. @*Materials and Methods@#This retrospective study included 1418 patients with acute stroke who had no previous cardiac diseaseand underwent CCTA, including CACS. Stenosis degree and plaque types (high-risk, non-calcified, mixed, or calcified plaques) wereassessed as CCTA variables. High-risk plaque was defined when at least two of the following characteristics were observed:low-density plaque, positive remodeling, spotty calcification, or napkin-ring sign. We compared the incremental prognosticvalue of CCTA for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) over CACS and FRS. @*Results@#The prevalence of any plaque and obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) (stenosis ≥ 50%) were 70.7% and 30.2%,respectively. During the median follow-up period of 48 months, 108 patients (7.6%) experienced MACE. Increasing FRS, CACS,and stenosis degree were positively associated with MACE (all p 0.05). @*Conclusion@#Assessment of stenosis degree and plaque type using CCTA provided additional prognostic value over CACS andFRS to risk stratify stroke patients without prior history of CAD better.

Computed Tomography Diagnosis of Patent Ductus Arteriosus Endarteritis and Septic Pulmonary Embolism

No abstract available.

Autoimmune Diseases and Gastric Cancer Risk: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: Autoimmunity is an alternative etiology of gastric inflammation, the initiating event in the gastric carcinogenic cascade. This mechanism may be an increasingly important cause of gastric cancer with the waning prevalence of its primary etiologic factor, chronic Helicobacter pylori infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PubMed and EMBASE were searched up to September 2018. Autoimmunity and 96 specific manifestations were considered for associations with gastric cancer risk. Random effects analysis was used to calculate pooled relative risk estimates (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: We found a total of 52 observational studies representing 30 different autoimmune diseases. Overall, the presence of an autoimmune condition was associated with a gastric cancer pooled RR of 1.37 (95% CI, 1.24 to 1.52). Among the 24 autoimmune conditions with two or more independent reports, nine were significantly associated with increased gastric cancer risk: dermatomyositis (RR, 3.69; 95% CI, 1.74 to 7.79), pernicious anemia (RR, 2.84; 95% CI, 2.30 to 3.50), Addison disease (RR, 2.11; 95% CI, 1.26 to 3.53), dermatitis herpetiformis (RR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.02 to 2.97; n=3), IgG4-related disease (RR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.00 to 2.87), primary biliary cirrhosis (RR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.13 to 2.37), diabetes mellitus type 1 (RR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.20 to 1.67), systemic lupus erythematosus (RR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.84), and Graves disease (RR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.06 to 1.52). CONCLUSION: Our analysis documents the wide range of autoimmune diseases associated with gastric cancer. These associations may reflect unreported links between these conditions and autoimmune gastritis. Further studies are warranted to investigate potential causal mechanisms.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to assess the effect of an aqueous extract of Triticum aestivum on canine outer ear inflammation / Ensaio clínico, randomizado, duplo cego, para tratamento experimental de otite externa com extrato aquoso de Triticum aestivum

Outer ear otitis is a multifactorial acute or chronic inflammation of the ear canal, and treatment is often hampered by growing antibiotic resistance. Pre-clinical assessments have shown that an aqueous extract of Triticum aestiveum (wheat) can effectively reduce the symptoms associated with the disease. The purpose of this study was to assess, through a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, the use of T. aestivum extract on canine external otitis. Thirty dogs (60 ears) met the criteria to be included in this study, and were randomly assigned a treatment group: placebo, extract, or positive control (C+). Ears were treated every day for seven days, and assessed before treatment (day zero), after treatment (day 7), and again on reassessment (day 14). Clinical assessment included: type of otitis; pinna conformation; presence or absence of itchiness, foul odor, and pain; presence of stenosis, erythema and cerumen. Furthermore, the evaluators assessed the temperature in each ear and the pH of the cerumen, and swabs were collected for bacterial and fungal isolation. All veterinarians treating and assessing the animals were blinded regarding the treatment groups. Results showed little difference in the treatment groups regarding clinical parameters. By day 7 ears treated with the C+ had elevated temperatures, when compared to the others (P<0.05), this was still true on day 14. Bacterial isolation had completely died out by day 7, however, on day fourteen the placebo group had six ears with bacterial infections, unlike the other two groups (P<0.05). The results generated herein show that a 25% wheat extract solution is effective in the reduction of clinical and microbiological parameters of external otitis, with better results when compared to a placebo, and similar results to the traditional, antibiotic/anti-inflammatory treatment.(AU)

A Otite Externa (OE) é uma inflamação aguda ou crônica do conduto auditivo dos cães apresentando várias etiologias e o uso de antimicrobianos vem apresentando resistência por inúmeras causas. O objetivo do presente estudo clínico, randomizado e duplo cego foi avaliar a utilização de Triticum aestivum no tratamento da otite externa em cães. Trinta cães com sintomas de otite externa foram distribuídos aleatoriamente em três grupos para tratamento (grupo placebo, grupo solução teste e grupo controle positivo), sendo tratados uma vez ao dia, durante sete dias e avaliados nos dias 0 (zero), sete, e 14 pós o tratamento, sendo submetidos a exame otológico, coleta de secreção auricular para cultura bacteriana e medição do pH do canal auditivo, sendo também realizada a aferição da temperatura do conduto auditivo. Como resultados foi observado que no dia sete houve um aumento da temperatura auricular do grupo controle positivo e manteve-se com a temperatura maior no dia 14 em relação aos demais grupos. Em relação a cultura bacteriana não houve diferença estatística nos grupos entre os dias zero e sete, porém na avaliação com 14 dias, percebeu-se crescimento bacteriano somente no grupo placebo. A solução com extrato aquoso de trigo 25% é eficaz na redução dos parâmetros clínicos e microbiológicos da otite externa, sendo uma nova opção para o tratamento dessa enfermidade em cães.(AU)

The microbiome of the lung and its extracellular vesicles in nonsmokers, healthy smokers and COPD patients

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic inflammatory disease, and bacterial infection plays a role in its pathogenesis. Bacteria secrete nanometer-sized extracellular vesicles (EVs), which may induce more immune dysfunction and inflammation than the bacteria themselves. We hypothesized that the microbiome of lung EVs might have distinct characteristics depending on the presence of COPD and smoking status. We analyzed and compared the microbiomes of 13 nonsmokers with normal spirometry, 13 smokers with normal spirometry (healthy smokers) and 13 patients with COPD by using 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing of surgical lung tissue and lung EVs. Subjects were matched for age and sex in all groups and for smoking levels in the COPD and healthy smoker groups. Each group included 12 men and 1 woman with the same mean age of 65.5 years. In all groups, EVs consistently showed more operational taxonomic units (OTUs) than lung tissue. In the healthy smoker and COPD groups, EVs had a higher Shannon index and a lower Simpson index than lung tissue and this trend was more prominent in the COPD group. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed clusters based on sample type rather than participants' clinical characteristics. Stenotrophomonas, Propionibacterium and Alicyclobacillus were the most commonly found genera. Firmicutes were highly present in the EVs of the COPD group compared with other samples or groups. Our analysis of the lung microbiome revealed that the bacterial communities present in the EVs and in the COPD group possessed distinct characteristics with differences in the OTUs, diversity indexes and PCA clustering.

Prognostic Factor Analysis of Overall Survival in Gastric Cancer from Two Phase III Studies of Second-line Ramucirumab (REGARD and RAINBOW) Using Pooled Patient Data

PURPOSE: To identify baseline prognostic factors for survival in patients with disease progression, during or after chemotherapy for the treatment of advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We pooled data from patients randomized between 2009 and 2012 in 2 phase III, global double-blind studies of ramucirumab for the treatment of advanced gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma following disease progression on first-line platinum- and/or fluoropyrimidine-containing therapy (REGARD and RAINBOW). Forty-one key baseline clinical and laboratory factors common in both studies were examined. Model building started with covariate screening using univariate Cox models (significance level=0.05). A stepwise multivariable Cox model identified the final prognostic factors (entry+exit significance level=0.01). Cox models were stratified by treatment and geographic region. The process was repeated to identify baseline prognostic quality of life (QoL) parameters. RESULTS: Of 1,020 randomized patients, 953 (93%) patients without any missing covariates were included in the analysis. We identified 12 independent prognostic factors of poor survival: 1) peritoneal metastases; 2) Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance score 1; 3) the presence of a primary tumor; 4) time to progression since prior therapy <6 months; 5) poor/unknown tumor differentiation; abnormally low blood levels of 6) albumin, 7) sodium, and/or 8) lymphocytes; and abnormally high blood levels of 9) neutrophils, 10) aspartate aminotransferase (AST), 11) alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and/or 12) lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Factors were used to devise a 4-tier prognostic index (median overall survival [OS] by risk [months]: high=3.4, moderate=6.4, medium=9.9, and low=14.5; Harrell's C-index=0.66; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.64–0.68). Addition of QoL to the model identified patient-reported appetite loss as an independent prognostic factor. CONCLUSIONS: The identified prognostic factors and the reported prognostic index may help clinical decision-making, patient stratification, and planning of future clinical studies.

Hyptis pectinata gel prevents alveolar bone resorption in experimental periodontitis in rats

Hyptis pectinata (L.) Poit., Lamiaceae, is an aromatic, abundant and broadly used plant species in Sergipe to treat oral and gastrointestinal pain and inflammation. The aim of the present study was to analyze the relation between periodontitis and changes in the corporal mass and alveolar bone structure after induction of experimental periodontal disease in rat treated or not treated with H. pectinata gel at 5% (GS5%) and 10% (GS10%), comparing their effects with doxycycline gel at 10% (D10%, positive control), vehicle gel (negative control) and a group with experimental periodontal disease, but non-treated. The gels were locally applied in the gingival region immediately after the experimental periodontal disease induction by ligature (3×/day, 11 days). Bone destruction was determined through clinical exam, histopathological analysis and cone beam computed tomography of the experimental animals (n = 36). After 11 days of periodontitis induction, all groups that received ligature presented a decrease in the corporal mass, except to the naïve group (without experimental periodontal disease) (p < 0.05). Computed tomography results have shown healthy bone structure in the group I and bone resorption for the test groups. Histopathological analysis confirmed the healthy bone structure for naïve group animals, while the test groups exhibited bone loss in several degrees. In particular, the non-treated group animals had an intense inflammatory process. When the periodontium of the animals treated with GS10% was histopathologically analyzed, insertion periodontium was preserved. The results for these groups were significantly different of the vehicle group (p < 0.05). According to the results, the gel based in the aqueous extract of H. pectinata at 10% can prevent bone loss in experimental periodontal disease similarly to doxycycline 10%.

Properties of the Measures to Assess Oxaliplatin-induced Peripheral Neuropathy: A Literature Review

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to provide a comprehensive overview of the various measures available for assessment of oxaliplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy (OXLIPN) and to evaluate the measurement properties of each assessment tool. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted to identify existing measures for OXLIPN found in the databases of PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, RISS and KoreaMed. The quality of the 24 identified tools was evaluated based on their properties of measurement including content validity, internal consistency, criterion validity, construct validity, reproducibility, responsiveness, floor-ceiling effects and interpretability. RESULTS: Ten (41.7%) of the 24 tools were identified as specific measures for assessing OXLIPN and the most popular type of measures were clinical grading systems by clinicians (58.3%) and only 29.2% of measures were identified as patient reported outcomes. The most frequently used tool was National Cancer Institute-Common Toxicity Criteria (NCI-CTC), but the validity of NCI-CTC has not been reported appropriately. Overall, the Neuropathic Pain Symptom Inventory (NPSI) received the best psychometric scores, and the Chemotherapy-induced Peripheral Neuropathy Assessment Tool (CIPNAT) and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy/Gynaecologic Oncology Group-neurotoxicity-12 (FACT/GOG-Ntx-12) followed NPSI. CONCLUSION: To select appropriate measure, evidences should be accumulated through the clinical use of tools. Therefore, practitioner and researchers are urged to report relevant statistics required for the validation of the currently used measures for assessment of OXLIPN.

Teamwork education improves trauma team performance in undergraduate health professional students / 보건의료교육평가

PURPOSE: Effective trauma resuscitation requires efficient and coordinated care from a team of providers; however, providers are rarely instructed on how to be effective members of trauma teams. Team-based learning using Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety (TeamSTEPPS) has been shown to improve team dynamics among practicing professionals, including physicians and nurses. The impact of TeamSTEPPS on students being trained in trauma management in an undergraduate health professional program is currently unknown. We sought to determine the impact of TeamSTEPPS on team dynamics among undergraduate students being trained in trauma resuscitation. METHODS: We enrolled teams of undergraduate health professional students from four programs: nursing, physician assistant, radiologic science, and respiratory care. After completing an online training on trauma resuscitation principles, the participants completed a trauma resuscitation scenario. The participants then received teamwork training using TeamSTEPPS and completed a second trauma resuscitation scenario identical to the first. All resuscitations were recorded and scored offline by two blinded research assistants using both the Team Emergency Assessment Measure (TEAM) and Trauma Team Performance Observation Tool (TPOT) scoring systems. Pre-test and post-test TEAM and TPOT scores were compared. RESULTS: We enrolled a total of 48 students in 12 teams. Team leadership, situational monitoring, and overall communication improved with TeamSTEPPS training (P= 0.04, P=0.02, and P=0.03, respectively), as assessed by the TPOT scoring system. TeamSTEPPS also improved the team's ability to prioritize tasks and work together to complete tasks in a rapid manner (P<0.01 and P=0.02, respectively) as measured by TEAM. CONCLUSIONS: Incorporating TeamSTEPPS into trauma team education leads to improved TEAM and TPOT scores among undergraduate health professionals.

Evaluation of the toxicity and molluscicidal and larvicidal activities of Schinopsis brasiliensis stem bark extract and its fractions

Dengue fever and schistosomiasis are major public health issues for which vector control using larvicide and molluscicide substances present in plants provides a promising strategy. This study evaluated the potential toxicity of the extract of hydroethanol Schinopsis brasiliensis Engl., Anacardiaceae, stem bark and its chloroform, hexane, ethyl acetate, and hydromethanol fractions against Artemia salina and Aedes Aegypti larvae and snails Biomphalaria glabrata. All of the assays were performed in triplicate and the mean mortality rates were used to determine the LC50 and LC90 values using the probit method. The hydroethanol hydromethanol extract and fraction were free of toxicity towards A. salina (LC50 > 1000 µg/ml), while chloroform fraction was moderately toxic (LC50 313 µg/ml); ethyl acetate and hexane fractions displayed low toxicity, with LC50 557 and 582 µg/ml, respectively. Chloroform, hexane, and ethyl acetate fractions showed larvicidal potential towards A. aegypti (LC50 values of 345, 527 and 583 µg/ml, respectively), while chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions were highly toxic to B. glabrata (LC90 values of 68 and 73 µg/ml, respectively). Based on these findings, ethyl acetate, chloroform, and hexane fractions should be further investigated for their potential use against the vectors of dengue and schistosomiasis.

Phytochemical study and antinociceptive effect of the hexanic extract of leaves from Combretum duarteanum and friedelin, a triterpene isolated from the hexanic extract, in orofacial nociceptive protocols

Combretum duarteanum Cambess, Combretaceae, is a plant widely distributed in Northeastern Brazil and, in folk medicine, stems and leaves are used for pain treatment. We investigated the antinociceptive effects of the hexanic extract of leaves from C. duarteanum and of friedelin, its main compound, in formalin-, glutamate- and capsaicin- induced orofacial nociception models. In order to isolate friedelin from the hexanic extract, flash chromatography technique was used. Male mice (n = 8/group) were pretreated with hexanic extract, friedelin, morphine or vehicle, before the injection of algogen agents into the right upper lip (perinasal area). The test of formalin-induced orofacial nociception showed that hexanic extract and friedelin significantly reduced nociception (p < 0.001) in both phases of testing. In the glutamate and capsaicin-induced orofacial nociception tests, pre-treatment with hexanic extract produced a significant reduction of orofacial nociception (p < 0.001) at all doses tested.The results suggest the hexanic extract and friedelin possess antinociceptive effects in models of orofacial nociception in rodents.

Investigation of protective effects of Erythrina velutina extract against MMS induced damages in the root meristem cells of Allium cepa

Erythrina velutina Willd., Fabaceae, is a medicinal plant that can be found in the tropics and subtropics, including in the semi-arid northeastern Brazil. It is commonly used in folk medicine to treat anxiety, agitation and insomnia. E. velutina has been known to present analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities, however, it is unknown if this plant present a protective effect on DNA. We assessed the antigenotoxic effect of E. velutina against the genotoxic effects induced by MMS in the root meristem cells of Allium cepa. Three concentrations of the aqueous extract (100, 200 and 400 mg/L) of this medicinal plant were used in three different types of treatment (pre-, post- and simultaneous). The effects of the extracts on the root meristem cells of A. cepa were analyzed at both macroscopic and microscopic levels. Protective effects were observed at higher concentrations in pre-treatment and in simultaneous treatment. The results suggest that E. velutina may present antigenotoxic properties and demonstrate its chemopreventive potential.

Life in (and on) the rocks.

Rocks, apart from being ancient records that enlighten us about the geological history of our planet, are dynamic repositories that support life forms central to the sustenance of our biosphere. It is the latter that our discussion will be largely focused on. Life associated with rocks has been documented as early as 1914 (Diels 1914), but it was in the 1960s that Friedmann and colleagues, with their extensive studies on rock-dwellers in hot and cold desert habitats, gave shape to this modern branch of geobiology. The presence of microscopic algae and bacteria was first demonstrated within exposed rocks from hot desert environments such as the Negev and the Sinai (Friedmann and Galun 1974) by electron microscopy and laboratory cultivation methods. Subsequent studies in ortho-quartzite rocks from the Dry Valley area of Antarctica also showed morphologically similar algae (related to the genus Gloeocapsa) to be colonizing areas ~1.5 mm wide parallel to and ~2 mm beneath the rock surface (Friedmann and Ocampo 1976). The results from the latter caught the attention of the scientific community as NASA had been testing their Voyager mission probes on the apparently lifeless cold deserts of Antarctica with the aim of studying a habitat analogous to Mars. In 2005, Walker and colleagues, through the use of culture-independent molecular methods, discovered the microbial colonization of rocks from the extremely acidic (pH~1) Yellowstone geothermal environment. By employing universal PCR primers that targeted 16S rRNA genes from all three domains of life, the authors were able to retrieve sequences phylogenetically related to extant red alga (Cyanidium sp.), bacteria (α-, β-, γ-Proteobacteria; Actinobacteria; Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes) and archaea (Euryarchaeota and Crenarchaeota). The astoundingly high diversity of microbial life forms present in such extreme habitats captured the imaginations of geo(micro)biologists, astrobiologists and microbial ecologists alike. Astrobiologists imagined that if rock interiors could support the major fraction of life in the harshest of environments on earth, then the same could be applicable to other planets such as Mars, and they sensed that there was a need to extend the scope of extraterrestrial life detection missions beyond the mere analysis of top soils. Microbial ecologists wondered if rock-associated life was ubiquitous in the biogeosphere, and geo(micro)biologists hypothesized that the rock micro-habitat offered life (a) protection from intense solar radiations, temperature and desiccation and (b) a supply of nutrients, moisture and growth surfaces. Today, with two dedicated international scientific journals – Geobiology and Geomicrobiology Journal and an ever growing number of papers dealing with rock-associated microbes in microbiological research journals, the concept of ‘life in/on the rocks’ has become as hardened as the rock itself. What is apparently lacking, however, is an understanding among the general public that a ‘dumblooking’ average rock in their gardens (on this planet and perhaps in the gardens of intelligent beings on other planets) could be home to a dynamic assortment of interesting yet diverse living organisms of inevitably microbial nature.

Genotoxicity test of Maytenus rigida and Aristolochia birostris in the radicular meristem of the onion, Allium cepa

Medicinal plants are an important source of treatment for many ailments, although little is known of the potential genotoxic effects of most species. In the present study, two species from diverse and medicinally important genera - Maytenus rigida Mart., Celastraceae, and Aristolochia birostris Ducht, Aristolochiaceae - were analyzed to identify potentially significant secondary metabolites and the possible effects of their aqueous and alcoholic extracts on cell division in the onion root stem (genotoxicity test). The phytochemical testing revealed the presence of a number of potentially important secondary compounds in both species, including phenols, flavonoids, triterpenoids, steroids, and saponins. In the genotoxicity tests, no chromosomal abnormalities of any kind were observed in either species. In the case of M. rigida, a significant increase in mitotic activity was observed at the highest concentration. No significant tendency was recorded in A. birostris, although a considerable increase in the prophase was observed at all concentrations of the alcoholic extract. The triterpenoid content of both species may be especially important from a medicinal viewpoint, although recent findings on the carcinogenic potential of Aristolochia extracts demands caution in the interpretation of the results, and the need for further research.

Pitfalls in Using Electrophysiological Studies to Diagnose Neuromuscular Disorders

Electrodiagnostic testing is used widely for the full characterization of neuromuscular disorders and for providing unique information on the processes underlying the pathology of peripheral nerves and muscles. However, such testing should be considered as an extension of anamnesis and physical examination, not as pathognomonic of a specific disease entity. There are many pitfalls that could lead to erroneous interpretation of electrophysiological study results when the studies are not performed properly or if they are performed in the presence of anatomical aberrations. The diagnostic reliability of electrodiagnostic studies can be improved and the associated pitfalls overcome if the physician is familiar with all of those possible pitfalls. In this article we discuss the most common and important pitfalls associated with electrodiagnostic medicine.