Superstatistics of Schrödinger equation with pseudo-harmonic potential in external magnetic and Aharanov-Bohm fields.

In this work, the thermodynamic properties of pseudo-harmonic potential in the presence of external magnetic and Aharanov-Bohm fields are investigated. The effective Boltzmann factor in the superstatistics formalism was used to obtain the thermodynamic properties such as Helmholtz free energy, Internal energy, entropy and specific heat capacity of the system. In addition, the thermal properties of some selected diatomic molecules of N 2 , C l 2 , I 2 and C H using their experimental spectroscopic parameters and the effect of varying the deformation parameter of q = 0,0.3 , 0.7 were duly examined.

Neurolysis for the treatment of sciatic nerve palsy associated with total hip arthroplasty.

Sciatic nerve palsy following total hip arthroplasty (THA) is a relatively rare yet potentially devastating complication. The purpose of this case series was to report the results of patients with a sciatic nerve palsy who presented between 2000 and 2010, following primary and revision THA and were treated with neurolysis. A retrospective review was made of 12 patients (eight women and four men), with sciatic nerve palsy following THA. The mean age of the patients was 62.7 years (50 to 72; standard deviation 6.9). They underwent interfascicular neurolysis for sciatic nerve palsy, after failing a trial of non-operative treatment for a minimum of six months. Following surgery, a statistically and clinically significant improvement in motor function was seen in all patients. The mean peroneal nerve score function improved from 0.42 (0 to 3) to 3 (1 to 5) (p < 0.001). The mean tibial nerve motor function score improved from 1.75 (1 to 4) to 3.92 (3 to 5) (p = 0.02).The mean improvement in sensory function was a clinically negligible 1 out of 5 in all patients. In total, 11 patients reported improvement in their pain following surgery. We conclude that neurolysis of the sciatic nerve has a favourable prognosis in patients with a sciatic nerve palsy following THA. Our findings suggest that surgery should not be delayed for > 12 months following injury.

Norton scale scores and 1-year mortality in elderly patients following lower limb amputations.

BACKGROUND: The Norton scale is used for assessing the risk of pressure ulcers. The association between low admission Norton scale scores (ANSS), complications and mortality in elderly patients following lower limb amputations has never been studied until now. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate if low ANSSs are associated with complications the 30-day and 1-year mortality in elderly patients following lower limb amputations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The medical charts of 104 elderly (≥ 65 years) patients following lower limb amputations were studied for the following measurements: ANSS, demographics, comorbidities, complications during hospitalization, 30-day mortality and 1-year mortality. Complications included acute coronary syndrome, major bleeding, stroke, systemic infections, organ failure and thromboembolism. An ANSS ≤ 14 was considered as being low. RESULTS: Overall 54 (51.9%) patients underwent below-knee amputations and 50 (48.1%) patients underwent above-knee amputations. Most (n = 78; 75.0 %) patients were men and the mean age was 78.5 ± 7.9 years. Following the amputation 46 (44.2%) patients had complications other than pressure ulcers, 24 (23.1%) patients died within 30 days and 63 (60.6%) patients died within 1 year. A total of 61 (58.7%) patients had a low ANSS. The incidence of complications other than pressure ulcers, 30-day and 1-year mortality rates were higher in patients with a low ANSS relative to patients with a high ANSS. A regression analysis showed that 1-year mortality was independently negatively associated with ANSS (t = 2.629; p = 0.010). CONCLUSION: The Norton scale can be used for predicting 1-year mortality in elderly patients following lower limb amputations.

Mutations that suppress the thermosensitivity of green fluorescent protein.

BACKGROUND: The green fluorescent protein (GFP) of the jellyfish Aequorea victoria has recently attracted great interest as the first example of a cloned reporter protein that is intrinsically fluorescent. Although successful in some organisms, heterologous expression of GFP has not always been straight forward. In particular, expression of GFP in cells that require incubation temperatures around 37 degrees C has been problematic. RESULTS: We have carried out a screen for mutant forms of GFP that fluoresce more intensely than the wild-type protein when expressed in E. coli at 37 degrees C. We have characterized a bright mutant (GFPA) with reduced sensitivity to temperature in both bacteria and yeast, and have shown that the amino acids substituted in GFPA act by preventing temperature-dependent misfolding of the GFP apoprotein. We have shown that the excitation and emission spectra of GFPA can be manipulated by site-directed mutagenesis without disturbing its improved folding characteristics, and have produced a thermostable folding mutant (GFP5) that can be efficiently excited using either long-wavelength ultraviolet or blue light. Expression of GFP5 results in greatly improved levels of fluorescence in both microbial and mammalian cells cultured at 37 degrees C. CONCLUSIONS: The thermotolerant mutants of GFP greatly improve the sensitivity of the protein as a visible reporter molecule in bacterial, yeast and mammalian cells. The fluorescence spectra of these mutants can be manipulated by further mutagenesis without deleteriously affecting their improved folding characteristics, so it may be possible to engineer a range of spectral variants with improved tolerance to temperature. Such a range of sensitive reporter proteins will greatly improve the prospects for GFP-based applications in cells that require relatively high incubation temperatures.

The c-Mos proto-oncogene product stimulates c-Jun transcriptional activity by a MAP kinase-dependent mechanism.

The AP-1 transcription factor family is subject to sophisticated regulation in response to cell growth and stress stimuli. We show here that the transcriptional activity of c-Jun, a key AP-1 component, is stimulated by overexpression of the c-Mos proto-oncogene product in mammalian cells. This stimulation requires serines 63 and 73 of c-Jun, indicating that it is likely to be mediated by proline-directed kinase(s). Co-transfection of MKP-1, a specific MAP kinase antagonist, blocks the stimulation of c-Jun by c-Mos, while co-transfection of a dominant negative form of c-Raf-1 does not. Conditioned medium from c-Mos transfected cells fails to activate c-Jun in recipient cells, arguing against the involvement of a diffusible mitogen. These data suggest that c-Mos exerts its effect on c-Jun directly through a MAP kinase, acting downstream of c-Raf-1.

Urinary excretion of nitrite and nitrate in experimental glomerulonephritis reflects systemic immune activation and not glomerular synthesis.

In immune-induced glomerulonephritis (gn), glomeruli (gl) synthesize nitric oxide (NO), and urinary nitrite (NO2-) excretion is increased. In mammals on a low nitrate (NO3-) diet, urinary NO3- is a measure of endogenous NO3- synthesis. Excretion is increased after administration of macrophage activators, reflecting induction of NO production. To determine whether increased urinary NO2- gn is due to glomerular synthesis we studied urinary NO2-/NO3- in accelerated nephrotoxic nephritis induced by preimmunization with rabbit immunoglobulin G (IgG), followed by rabbit anti-rat nephrotoxic globulin, and in control rats similarly preimmunized with rabbit IgG, but followed by normal rabbit serum. Both urinary NO2- and NO3- were increased by i.p. preimmunization with rabbit IgG (peak 463 +/- 171 nmol NO2-/60.3 +/- 9.4 nmol NO3-/24 h, P < 0.001 for both NO2- and NO3- compared with preimmunization levels). Repeat immunization with i.v. rabbit anti-rat nephrotoxic globulin (nephritic rats) or normal rabbit globulin (control rats) again increased urinary NO2- and NO3-. There was no statistically significant difference in urinary NO2- and NO3- levels between nephritic rats where globulin had nephrotoxic activity and the control rats injected with normal rabbit globulin, despite increased NO2- synthesis in ex vivo nephritic glomeruli after nephrotoxic globulin (7.9 +/- 1.9 nmol/2000 gl/48 h; controls 3.2 +/- 1.0 nmol/2000 gl/48 h). Thus neither urinary NO2- nor NO3- levels reflect local activation of the NO pathway in glomeruli. As reported for other stimulants, we show here that systemic stimulation with foreign antigen increased NO synthesis.

Serpiginous choroidopathy associated with elevated factor VIII-von Willebrand factor antigen.

Elevated Factor VIII-von Willebrand factor antigen levels are associated with vascular endothelial injury in several disorders, including scleroderma, Raynaud's phenomenon, polymyalgia rheumatica, and temporal arteritis. Eight patients with serpiginous choroidopathy were evaluated with the use of quantitative immunoelectrophoresis for Factor VIII-von Willebrand factor antigen. The serpiginous choroidopathy patients had a mean Factor VIII-von Willebrand factor activity of 226 +/- 47.3%, whereas a disease-free, age- and sex-matched control group had a mean activity of 107 +/- 28%. These findings are statistically significant (P greater than 0.005) and suggest that in some patients, serpiginous choroidopathy represents an occlusive vascular phenomenon that involves the choroidal circulation.

Angioid streaks associated with hereditary spherocytosis.

We examined members of a family in whom hereditary spherocytosis had appeared in three generations. Angioid streaks were confirmed in the second generation and presumed to exist in the first generation. A woman in the third generation with hereditary spherocytosis did not have angioid streaks but these are age-related and may develop later. The one individual in the second generation without hereditary spherocytosis did not have angioid streaks. Angioid streaks associated with hereditary spherocytosis in this family did not appear to be coincidental. Patients with hereditary spherocytosis should be examined for angioid streaks because of the implications for their vision.

Multifocal pigment epithelial detachments by reticulum cell sarcoma. A characteristic funduscopic picture.

Patients with systemic reticulum cell sarcoma often develop evidence of ocular involvement months or several years prior to the onset of neurologic symptoms. This neoplasm appears to have proclivity of arising multicentrically within the subpigment epithelial space, as well as in the vitreous. When this occurs it may produce a peculiar ophthalmoscopic picture of multiple large, solid detachments of the pigment epithelium that is rarely duplicated by any other disease. Three patients illustrating this disease are presented.