Population Structure of German Cockroaches (Blattodea: Ectobiidae) in an Urban Environment Based on Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms.

German cockroaches (Blattella germanica L.) harbor and disperse medically important pathogens and are a source of allergens that impact human health and wellbeing. Management of this pest requires an understanding of their distribution and dispersal. In this study, we collected German cockroaches from three apartment buildings in New Jersey, USA. We identified single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from DNA extractions using next generation sequencing. We analyzed the SNPs and characterized cockroach population genetic structure using Fst, principal component, phylogenetic, and STRUCTURE analyses. We found significant differences in German cockroach population structure among the buildings. Within buildings, we found variable population structure that may be evidence for multiple colonization events. This study shows that SNPs derived from next generation sequencing provide a powerful tool for analyzing the genetic population structure of these medically important pests.

Radiographic signs of static carpal instability with distal end radius fractures: is current treatment adequate?

Patients presenting with distal end radius fractures may have concomitant carpal instability due to disruption of the scapholunate ligament. This study examined the incidence of static radiographic signs of carpal instability in patients with distal radial fractures before and after fracture treatment. We performed a retrospective radiographic study of 141 patients presenting to Central Middlesex Hospital, London between January 2002-May 2004 with distal end radius fractures. We used abnormal scapholunate angle as the primary indicator of possible carpal dissociation. Abnormal scapholunate angles were noted in 39% of patients at presentation and 35% of patients after treatment with no statistically significant intra-patient variability. Persistent static radiographic signs of carpal instability are high in this subset of patients. The long-term morbidity of persistent wrist instability may be avoided by early radiological diagnosis with clinical correlation to identify carpal ligament injuries and initiate treatment that addresses both the bony and ligamentous components of the injury.

Rapid identification of structural phases in combinatorial thin-film libraries using x-ray diffraction and non-negative matrix factorization.

In this work we apply a technique called non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) to the problem of analyzing hundreds of x-ray microdiffraction (microXRD) patterns from a combinatorial materials library. An in-house scanning x-ray microdiffractometer is used to obtain microXRD patterns from 273 different compositions on a single composition spread library. NMF is then used to identify the unique microXRD patterns present in the system and quantify the contribution of each of these basis patterns to each experimental diffraction pattern. As a baseline, the results of NMF are compared to the results obtained using principle component analysis. The basis patterns found using NMF are then compared to reference patterns from a database of known structural patterns in order to identify known structures. As an example system, we explore a region of the Fe-Ga-Pd ternary system. The use of NMF in this case reduces the arduous task of analyzing hundreds of microXRD patterns to the much smaller task of identifying only nine microXRD patterns.

Determination of radionuclide exchangeability in freshwater systems.

Two freshwater sediments were spiked with 57Co, 85Sr and 134Cs and left for adsorption times ranging from 1 day to over 60 days. Following adsorption, the 'exchangeable' pool of each radionuclide was measured using ammonium acetate extractions and a sequential leach procedure (Tessier et al., 1979), and the results were compared. Exchangeability was found to depend upon the sediment, radionuclide, sorption time and the identity of extracting agent. All three radionuclides showed a shift with increasing adsorption time from regular exchange sites to sites which are sterically hindered, but a fixation within the sediment was only observed for 57Co and 134Cs, with similar ammonium acetate extraction yields for both radionuclides. Misleading results were obtained during the sequential leach procedure due to redistribution and, therefore, the inclusion of a NH4+ leach after the MgCl2 extraction step was suggested. A mathematical model of element speciation was fairly successful at defining the 'exchangeable' fraction, suggesting that the chemically- and mathematically-defined fractions were similar.

Long-term renal effect of cisplatin in man.

Although the acute nephrotoxicity of cisplatin has been well documented, long-term follow-up studies are scanty. We have evaluated the renal function in 35 patients who have had completed therapy with cisplatin at least 3 months before the study. All patients had normal serum creatinine levels before chemotherapy. Evaluation of renal function included: serum creatinine, glomerular filtration rate (inulin clearance), effective renal plasma flow (p-aminohippurate clearance), urinary beta 2-microglobulin and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase excretion, and renal tomography. The median cumulated dose of cisplatin was 603 +/- 37 mg/m2. The mean serum creatinine level was 78 +/- 21 and 88 +/- 3 mumol/l before and after chemotherapy, respectively (p < 0.05). Mean glomerular filtration rate (92 +/- 4 ml/min) and effective renal plasma flow (362 +/- 21 ml/min) were significantly lower than in controls (110 +/- 3 and 436 +/- 24 ml/min). The mean enzymuria and the renal size remained within the normal range. In 12 patients who were reevaluated 12 and 24 months later, glomerular filtration rate and effective renal plasma flow remained stable. These results suggest that at usual dosages cisplatin is associated with a nonprogressive loss of renal function which is of a moderate degree.

Inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (SIADH) in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE): a case report.

The Syndrome of Inappropriate Secretion of Antidiuretic Hormone (ADH) or SIADH has been reported in a great variety of diseases and disorders of the central nervous system. However, to our knowledge only three cases [Kaplan et al., Decaux et al. 1981, Agus et al. 1983] of SIADH associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have been described in the literature. We report here a new case of SIADH in association with SLE.

Renal tolerance for ioxaglate in patients with chronic renal failure.

The authors sought to evaluate renal tolerance for ioxaglate sodium meglumine used as a contrast agent in patients with chronic renal failure. Eight male patients (mean age, 55 years +/- 5) with chronic renal insufficiency (glomerular filtration rate less than 60 mL/min) who underwent diagnostic cardiac catheterization were enrolled. Renal clearance of inulin and rho-aminohippuric acid and urinary enzyme excretion were studied 1 day before and 1 day after administration of 167 mL +/- 43 of ioxaglate. None of the patients experienced any adverse reactions. All the patients had markedly depressed renal clearance values before angiography. Mean serum creatinine level, glomerular filtration rate, effective renal plasma flow, and urinary beta 2-microglobulin excretion were unaltered by angiography. After the procedure, only one patient had an increase in serum creatinine level of more than 10% (from 115 to 159 mumol/L [1.3 to 1.8 mg/dL]), with a decrease in glomerular filtration rate from 34 to 27 mL/min. In this patient, serum creatinine level and glomerular filtration rate normalized within 72 hours. Using accurate and sensitive renal function tests, the authors have shown that ioxaglate may be used safely in patients with chronic renal failure.

[Can cisplatin renal toxicity be prevented?]. / Peut-on prévenir la toxicité rénale du cisplatine?

Cis diamminedichloroplatinum (CDDP) is a widely used anticancer agent particularly effective in the treatment of solid tumors. Dose limiting toxicity of CDDP was shown to be renal. Numerous methods to reduce this nephrotoxicity have been proposed. Hydration remains the best protection against acute CDDP nephrotoxicity in both the clinical and experimental setting. In man, no controlled studies have demonstrated the efficacy of furosemide and mannitol in the reduction of the CDDP renal toxicity. Studies have shown, however, that sodium thiosulfate offers some nephroprotection. To date, no controlled studies have demonstrated any benefit in the use of calcium channel blockers on CDDP renal toxicity in man. New drugs such as carboplatin have recently been introduced that theoretically have less renal toxicity, but evidence to support these claims are lacking. CDDP nephro protection remains a problem of current clinical interest and has yet not to be totally resolved.

Wound infection with aerogenic Aeromonas strains: a review of twenty-seven cases.

Aeromonas spp. have been implicated in a wide spectrum of human disease including wound infection. A review is made of local experience of 27 wound infections from which aerogenic strains of Aeromonas were recovered; of these, Aeromonas was isolated in pure culture from five infections. Twenty-five infections were related to trauma and were community acquired, while two were probably nosocomial. Of the 25 community acquired infections, 16 were associated with contamination by soil and one with water. Twenty-six cases were surgically debrided or a limb or digit amputated, but in only one case was amputation performed because of uncontrolled infection. Fifteen patients received antibiotics inappropriate for the infection, yet the outcome was uniformly good. This series is discussed with a review of the English language literature. Aeromonas is most likely to be isolated when there is contamination of a wound by soil or water; adequate surgical debridement is probably of primary importance.

Comparison of oral glucose tolerance tests and mixed meals in patients with apparent idiopathic postabsorptive hypoglycemia: absence of hypoglycemia after meals.

The relationship between symptoms of idiopathic postabsorptive hypoglycemia and glucose homeostasis was evaluated by giving oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) and mixed meals to 18 patients and 16 controls. Chemical hypoglycemia after OGTT occurred as often in patients referred because of possible hypoglycemia symptoms, 18 out of 80 (23%), as in controls, 4 out of 16 (25%). After glucose, patients showed both clinical and chemical hypoglycemia (mean +/- SE plasma glucose, 48 +/- 3 mg/dl), but insulin, glucagon, and growth hormone responses were similar to controls. After mixed meals, no chemical hypoglycemia occurred in patients (mean plasma glucose, 79 +/- 3 mg/dl), yet 14 out of 18 (78%) had symptoms and/or signs consistent with hypoglycemia. No abnormality of glucose homeostasis was observed after meals that could account for symptoms or signs experienced by patients with idiopathic postabsorptive hypoglycemia. Since factors other than hypoglycemia appear to be involved, the disorder should be termed the idiopathic postprandial syndrome to avoid the connotation of chemical hypoglycemia.