Variant innervation of the mylohyoid muscle by the lingual nerve.

The nerve to mylohyoid muscle supplies the mylohyoid and the anterior belly of the digastric muscles, with terminal sensory branches that might innervate the submental skin and mandibular teeth. The nerve to mylohyoid muscle typically originates from the posterior surface of the inferior alveolar nerve right before entering the mandibular foramen. In rare cases, the nerve to mylohyoid muscle arises from the lingual nerve. The variations of the nerve to mylohyoid muscle might have led to failure of an inferior alveolar nerve blockade. During the routine dissection of a cadaveric head, a rare case was identified where the nerve to mylohyoid muscle had origins from both the inferior alveolar and lingual nerves. This case is reviewed and salient literature reviewed.

Activation of Rod Input in a Model of Retinal Degeneration Reverses Retinal Remodeling and Induces Formation of Functional Synapses and Recovery of Visual Signaling in the Adult Retina.

A major cause of human blindness is the death of rod photoreceptors. As rods degenerate, synaptic structures between rod and rod bipolar cells disappear and the rod bipolar cells extend their dendrites and occasionally make aberrant contacts. Such changes are broadly observed in blinding disorders caused by photoreceptor cell death and are thought to occur in response to deafferentation. How the remodeled retinal circuit affects visual processing following rod rescue is not known. To address this question, we generated male and female transgenic mice wherein a disrupted cGMP-gated channel (CNG) gene can be repaired at the endogenous locus and at different stages of degeneration by tamoxifen-inducible cre-mediated recombination. In normal rods, light-induced closure of CNG channels leads to hyperpolarization of the cell, reducing neurotransmitter release at the synapse. Similarly, rods lacking CNG channels exhibit a resting membrane potential that was ~10 mV hyperpolarized compared to WT rods, indicating diminished glutamate release. Retinas from these mice undergo stereotypic retinal remodeling as a consequence of rod malfunction and degeneration. Upon tamoxifen-induced expression of CNG channels, rods recovered their structure and exhibited normal light responses. Moreover, we show that the adult mouse retina displays a surprising degree of plasticity upon activation of rod input. Wayward bipolar cell dendrites establish contact with rods to support normal synaptic transmission, which is propagated to the retinal ganglion cells. These findings demonstrate remarkable plasticity extending beyond the developmental period and support efforts to repair or replace defective rods in patients blinded by rod degeneration.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Current strategies for treatment of neurodegenerative disorders are focused on the repair of the primary affected cell type. However, the defective neurons function within a complex neural circuitry, which also becomes degraded during disease. It is not known whether rescued neurons and the remodeled circuit will establish communication to regain normal function. We show that the adult mammalian neural retina exhibits a surprising degree of plasticity following rescue of rod photoreceptors. The wayward dendrites of rod bipolar cells re-establish contact with rods to support normal synaptic transmission, which is propagated to the retinal ganglion cells. These findings support efforts to repair or replace defective rods in patients blinded by rod cell loss.

The impact of morphine treatment on bladder cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis: in vitro studies.

AIM: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of morphine on bladder cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis in vitro. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MTT assay was used to measure percentage growth of RT-112 human bladder cancer cells after 72 hours of morphine/morphine + naloxone treatment. Expression of µ-opioid receptors was assessed by Western blot and finally, apoptotic assay with CellEvent Caspase-3/7 Green Detection Reagent was carried out using confocal microscopy. RESULTS: The MTT assays showed that morphine increased RT-112 cell growth. Naloxone inhibited this growth enhancing effect. Western blot analysis regarding µ-opioid receptor expression in RT-112 cells remains inconclusive. Morphine was also found to decrease the rate of apoptosis of RT-112 cells, an effect which naloxone inhibited. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence that morphine, at clinically relevant doses, causes RT-112 bladder cancer cell proliferation, possibly opioid receptor mediated and at least some of this effect might be due to decreased apoptosis. Clinically, this suggests that in patients with bladder cancer, managing pain with morphine might have detrimental consequences on patient outcomes and alternative pain relief should be considered if possible.

The impact of seasonality on the dynamics and control of Ascaris lumbricoides infections.

Intestinal nematode infections affect a huge proportion of the world's population. Increasingly these infections, particularly amongst the poorest communities, are controlled through mass drug treatment programs. Seasonal variations of climate and behaviour in these regions can be significant, but their impact on the dynamics of infection and implications for the effectiveness of any mass drug treatment program (a pulsed reduction in worm burden in hosts) is not clearly understood. Here the effect of seasonality on the dynamics of the soil-based helminth, Ascaris lumbricoides, is investigated using a reformulated version of the Anderson-May model for macro-parasitic infections. Explicit analytical expressions are obtained for the stable oscillatory solution over the annual cycle, which provides a means of relating times of peak numbers of eggs, larvae and mature worms to seasonal variations. Numerical and analytical techniques are then used to consider the impact of seasonality on the optimal timing of drug treatment. Our results show that there is a relatively large window for the timing of optimal treatment, and the impact of repeated annual mass drug treatments can be substantially improved if they are timed to coincide with the months when the number of eggs and larvae are at their lowest - minimising reinfection. In terms of a more measurable quantity, in our example this corresponds to the months when the seasonal temperature is highest. Multiple annual treatments at (or close to) the optimal time each year are predicted to achieve local elimination in the community, whereas treatment at other times has a more limited impact. A key finding is that even for pronounced seasonality, perturbations in mean worm burden, and hence seasonal variation in observed egg output, may be small, potentially explaining why seasonal effects have been overlooked. Taken together these results suggest that seasonality of soil-transmitted helminths requires further experimental, field and mathematical study if the impact for mass drug administration programs is to be exploited.

The descriptive epidemiology of the diurnal profile of bouts and breaks in sedentary time in older English adults.

Background: High sedentary time is associated with adverse metabolic health outcomes and mortality in older adults. It has been suggested that breaking up sedentary time may be beneficial for metabolic health; however, population prevalence data are lacking on the patterns of sedentary behaviour which would identify opportunities for intervention. Methods: We used data of adults aged ≥ 60 years (n = 3705) from the population-based EPIC-Norfolk cohort, to characterize the patterns of total sedentary time, breaks in sedentary time and sedentary bouts across the day and assess their associations with participant characteristics, using multi-level regression. Sedentary time was measured objectively by a hip-mounted accelerometer (ActigraphTM GT1M) worn for 7 days during waking time. Results: More than 50% of every waking hour was spent sedentary, increasing to a peak of 83% in the evening. On average fewer breaks were accrued in the evenings compared with earlier in the day. Marginally more sedentary time was accrued on weekend days compared with weekdays (difference 7.4 min, 95% confidence interval 5.0-9.7). Large proportions of this sedentary time appear to be accrued in short bouts (bouts of < 10 min for 32% of the time). Older age, being male, being retired, not being in paid employment and having a higher body mass index were associated with greater sedentary time and fewer breaks. Conclusion: Sedentary time is common throughout the day but peaks in the evenings with fewer breaks and longer bouts. We identified a number of characteristics associated with sedentary time and additionally inversely associated with sedentary breaks, which should inform the development and targeting of strategies to reduce sedentary time among older adults.

Fruit and vegetable intake and cardiovascular risk factors in people with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The cardiovascular benefit of increasing fruit and vegetable (F&V) intake following diagnosis of diabetes remains unknown. We aimed to describe how quantity and variety of F&V intake, and plasma vitamin C, change after diagnosis of type 2 diabetes and examine whether these changes are associated with improvements in cardiovascular risk factors. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A total of 401 individuals with screen-detected diabetes from the ADDITION-Cambridge study were followed up over 5 years. F&V intake was assessed by food frequency questionnaire and plasma vitamin C at baseline, at 1 year and at 5 years. Linear mixed models were used to estimate associations of changes in quantity and variety of F&V intake, and plasma vitamin C, with cardiovascular risk factors and a clustered cardiometabolic risk score (CCMR), where a higher score indicates higher risk. RESULTS: F&V intake increased in year 1 but decreased by year 5, whereas variety remained unchanged. Plasma vitamin C increased at 1 year and at 5 years. Each s.d. increase (250g between baseline and 1 year and 270g between 1 and 5 years) in F&V intake was associated with lower waist circumference (-0.92 (95% CI: -1.57, -0.27) cm), HbA1c (-0.11 (-0.20, -0.03) %) and CCMR (-0.04 (-0.08, -0.01)) at 1 year and higher high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol (0.04 (0.01, 0.06) mmol/l) at 5 years. Increased plasma vitamin C (per s.d., 22.5 µmol/l) was associated with higher HDL-cholesterol (0.04 (0.01, 0.06) mmol/l) and lower CCMR (-0.07 (-0.12, -0.03)) between 1 and 5 years. CONCLUSIONS: Increases in F&V quantity following diagnosis of diabetes are associated with lower cardiovascular risk factors. Health promotion interventions might highlight the importance of increasing, and maintaining increases in, F&V intake for improved cardiometabolic health in patients with diabetes.

The descriptive epidemiology of accelerometer-measured physical activity in older adults.

BACKGROUND: Objectively measured physical activity between older individuals and between populations has been poorly described. We aimed to describe and compare the variation in accelerometry data in older UK (EPIC-Norfolk) and American (NHANES) adults. METHODS: Physical activity was measured by uniaxial accelerometry in 4,052 UK (49-91 years) and 3459 US older adults (49-85 years). We summarized physical activity as volume (average counts/minute), its underlying intensity distribution, and as time spent <100counts/minute, ≥809counts/minute and ≥2020counts/minute both for total activity and that undertaken in ≥10-min bouts. RESULTS: In EPIC-Norfolk 65% of wear-time was spent at <100 counts/minute and 20% spent in the range 100-500 counts/minute. Only 4.1% of this cohort accumulated more than 30 min/day of activity above 2020 counts/minute in 10-min bouts. If a cut-point of >809 counts/minute is used 18.7% of people reached the 30 min/day threshold. By comparison, 2.5% and 9.5% of American older adults accumulated activity at these levels, respectively. CONCLUSION: As assessed by objectively measured physical activity, the majority of older adults in this UK study did not meet current activity guidelines. Older adults in the UK were more active overall, but also spent more time being sedentary than US adults.

Technical note: Digital quantification of eye pigmentation of cattle with white faces.

Cancer of the eye in cattle with white faces occurs less frequently in cattle with pigmented eyelids. Corneoscleral pigmentation is related to eyelid pigmentation and occurrence of lesions that may precede cancer. Objectives of this study were to assess 1) variation in the proportion of eyelid and corneoscleral pigmentation in Hereford, Bos taurus, and Bos indicus crossbreds and 2) the occurrence of lesions with the presence of pigmentation in those areas. Hereford and Bos indicus crosses (Brahman or Nellore with Angus and Hereford and straightbred Brafords) and Bos taurus crosses (Angus-Hereford) were included in the study (n = 1,083). Eyelid pigmentation proportions were estimated by pixel quantification and were evaluated as total proportions and for upper and lower eyelids distinctly for each eye. Fixed effects included breed type, age categories, and sex of the animal. Lesion presence (1) or absence (0) was obtained by visual appraisal of image and was assumed to be binomially distributed. Eyelid pigmentation proportions (overall, upper, and lower eyelids) for Hereford ranged from 0.65 ± 0.03 to 0.68 ± 0.03 and were significantly lower than Bos indicus (range from 0.93 ± 0.02 to 0.95 ± 0.02) or Bos taurus (ranged from 0.88 ± 0.02 to 0.92 ± 0.02) crosses. Corneoscleral pigmentation in Hereford cows (0.17 ± 0.06) did not differ (P = 0.91) from Hereford calves and yearlings (0.16 ± 0.07). Bos indicus and Bos taurus crossbred cows had larger corneoscleral pigmentation (0.38 ± 0.05 and 0.48 ± 0.04 for left eyes and 0.37 ± 0.05 and 0.53 ± 0.04 for right eyes, respectively) than all calves (P < 0.001), and their corneoscleral pigmentations were greater than that of Hereford cows (P < 0.003). Bos indicus and Bos taurus cows had greater proportions of left eye corneoscleral pigmentation (0.38 ± 0.05 and 0.48 ± 0.04, respectively) than Hereford cows (0.17 ± 0.06) and all young animal breed types (P < 0.05). Right eye proportions differed for all cow groups (P < 0.05; 0.53 ± 0.04, 0.37 ± 0.05, and 0.17 ± 0.06). Among calves and yearlings, Hereford had a lower right eye corneoscleral pigmentation proportion (0.16 ± 0.07) than Bos taurus (P = 0.02). The lesion proportion for Hereford (0.08 ± 0.03) was significantly greater than that of either Bos indicus (0.01 ± 0.005) or Bos taurus (0.01 ± 0.003). Crossbreeding with Bos taurus or Bos indicus animals appears to increase eye pigmentation, which may help reduce the occurrence of cancer in eyes of cattle with white faces.

Frequency of undiagnosed psoriatic arthritis among psoriasis patients in Australian dermatology practice.

BACKGROUND: Psoriatic arthritis commonly develops in psoriasis patients and, if undiagnosed, can lead to potentially avoidable joint damage and an increased risk of comorbidity and mortality. Increased awareness of PsA symptoms among dermatologists provides an opportunity for earlier diagnosis, more timely therapy and prevention of disability. OBJECTIVE: To provide Australian epidemiological data on the frequency of undiagnosed PsA among psoriasis patients in dermatology practice, and to investigate the impact of psoriasis on quality of life and work productivity. METHODS: Nine tertiary centre dermatology practices enrolled patients presenting with plaque psoriasis and no prior rheumatologist-confirmed PsA diagnosis. Patients were screened using the Psoriatic Arthritis Screening and Evaluation (PASE) questionnaire and were referred to a rheumatologist for assessment of PsA status using CASPAR criteria if they had a PASE score ≥44. RESULTS: Based on the composite and sequential application of PASE and CASPAR criteria, undiagnosed PsA among psoriasis patients in this study is 9% [95% CI: 6, 12]. The PPV of PASE in this setting is 26% [95% CI: 19, 34]. Nail involvement and chronic large plaque psoriasis were identified as independent positive predictors of PsA, whereas scalp psoriasis was an independent negative predictor of PsA. Patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis (PASI ≥15) had lower quality of life scores than patients with less severe psoriasis. CONCLUSION: In this study, the frequency of undiagnosed PsA in Australian dermatology practice was 9% among plaque psoriasis patients with no prior PsA diagnosis. Compared with psoriasis alone, the impact of undiagnosed PsA on health-related quality of life of psoriasis patients is substantial.

How to get between the sheets: a review of recent works on the electrochemical exfoliation of graphene materials from bulk graphite.

Since the beginning of the 'graphene era' post-2004, there has been significant interest in developing a high purity, high yield, and scalable fabrication route toward graphene materials for both primary research purposes and industrial production. One suitable approach to graphene production lies in the realm of electrochemical exfoliation, in which a potential difference is applied between a graphite anode/cathode in the presence of an electrolyte-containing medium. Herein we review various works on the electrochemical fabrication of graphene materials specifically through the use of electrochemical intercalation and exfoliation of a graphite source electrode, focusing on the quality and purity of products formed. We categorise the most significant works in terms of anodic and cathodic control, highlighting the merits of the respective approaches, as well as indicating the challenges associated with both procedures.

The association between a biomarker score for fruit and vegetable intake and incident type 2 diabetes: the EPIC-Norfolk study.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Biomarkers for a mixed fruit and vegetable (FV) diet are needed to provide a better understanding of the association between FV intake and type 2 diabetes. We aimed to examine the prospective association between a composite score comprised of three biomarkers of FV intake in free-living populations and incident diabetes. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A total of 318 incident diabetes cases and 926 controls from the EPIC (European Prospective Investigation of Cancer)-Norfolk study aged 40-79 years at baseline (1993-1997), completed 7-day prospective food diary and had plasma vitamin C and carotenoid measures. A composite biomarker score (CB-score) comprising the sum of plasma vitamin C, beta-carotene and lutein was derived. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for incident diabetes were estimated using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: A strong inverse association was found between the CB-score and incident diabetes. The ORs (95% CI) of diabetes comparing quartiles Q2, Q3 and Q4 of the CB-score with Q1 (reference category) were 0.70 (0.49, 1.00), 0.34 (0.23, 0.52) and 0.19 (0.12, 0.32), respectively, and 0.49 (0.40, 0.58) per s.d. change in CB-score in a model adjusted for demographic and lifestyle factors. The association was marginally attenuated after additionally adjusting for body mass index and waist circumference (0.60 (0.49 and 0.74) per s.d. change in CB-score). CONCLUSIONS: A combination of biomarkers representing the intake of a mixed FV diet was strongly inversely associated with incident diabetes. These findings provide further support for measuring dietary biomarkers in studies of diet-disease associations and highlight the importance of consuming FV for the prevention of diabetes.

Do improvements in dietary behaviour contribute to cardiovascular risk factor reduction over and above cardio-protective medication in newly diagnosed diabetes patients?

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: A healthy diet is an integral component of successful diabetes management. However, the comparative importance of adopting a healthy diet for cardiovascular risk factor reduction over and above medication use among newly diagnosed diabetes patients remains unclear. SUBJECTS/METHODS: We computed a dietary score consistent with American Diabetes Association and Diabetes UK recommendations in 574 newly diagnosed diabetes patients by summing standardised values for the intake of total energy, saturated fat, sodium, fibre and plasma vitamin C. In linear regression analyses, stratified by cardio-protective medication use (yes/no), we quantified the comparative longitudinal associations of baseline diet and change in diet over 1 year with change in blood pressure, HbA1c and lipids. RESULTS: Baseline diet was generally not predictive of change in cardiovascular risk factor levels at 1 year. In contrast, dietary change over 1 year among patients prescribed and not prescribed cardio-protective medication after baseline was associated with comparative (p-interaction all ⩾0.95) reductions in diastolic blood pressure (-2.38 vs -2.93 mm Hg, respectively) and triglycerides (-0.31 vs -0.21 mmol/l, respectively), independent of potential confounding factors and change from baseline to follow-up in physical activity and smoking status. CONCLUSIONS: Modest dietary change over the first year following diagnosis of diabetes was associated with reductions in blood pressure and triglycerides, over and above the effects of cardio-protective medication. Our findings support the notion that dietary change should be viewed as an integral component of successful diabetes self-management, irrespective of medication use.

Fruit and vegetable intake and type 2 diabetes: EPIC-InterAct prospective study and meta-analysis.

Fruit and vegetable intake (FVI) may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D), but the epidemiological evidence is inconclusive. The aim of this study is to examine the prospective association of FVI with T2D and conduct an updated meta-analysis. In the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer-InterAct (EPIC-InterAct) prospective case-cohort study nested within eight European countries, a representative sample of 16,154 participants and 12,403 incident cases of T2D were identified from 340,234 individuals with 3.99 million person-years of follow-up. For the meta-analysis we identified prospective studies on FVI and T2D risk by systematic searches of MEDLINE and EMBASE until April 2011. In EPIC-InterAct, estimated FVI by dietary questionnaires varied more than twofold between countries. In adjusted analyses the hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) comparing the highest with lowest quartile of reported intake was 0.90 (0.80-1.01) for FVI; 0.89 (0.76-1.04) for fruit and 0.94 (0.84-1.05) for vegetables. Among FV subtypes, only root vegetables were inversely associated with diabetes 0.87 (0.77-0.99). In meta-analysis using pooled data from five studies including EPIC-InterAct, comparing the highest with lowest category for FVI was associated with a lower relative risk of diabetes (0.93 (0.87-1.00)). Fruit or vegetables separately were not associated with diabetes. Among FV subtypes, only green leafy vegetable (GLV) intake (relative risk: 0.84 (0.74-0.94)) was inversely associated with diabetes. Subtypes of vegetables, such as root vegetables or GLVs may be beneficial for the prevention of diabetes, while total FVI may exert a weaker overall effect.

Molecular analysis of the ß-globin gene cluster haplotypes in a Sudanese population with sickle cell anaemia.

INTRODUCTION: Sudan has a multiethnic population with a high frequency of Hb S, but little is known about the ß(S) haplotypes in this population. METHODS: Blood samples from Sudanese Hb SS individuals were taken at two locations. Family history, age, ethnicity and clinical symptoms were recorded for each subject. Hb S was investigated using cellulose acetate electrophoresis (CAE) and cation exchange-high performance liquid chromatography. Dried blood samples from 93 individuals were used for ß(S) haplotype identification based on restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis for seven restriction sites. RESULTS: Haplotypes could be assigned unequivocally to 143 chromosomes. Four of the five typical ß(S) -globin haplotypes were identified. The most frequent was the Cameroon (35.0%), followed by the Benin (29.4%), the Senegal (18.2%) and the Bantu (2.8%). The Indian-Arab haplotype was not observed. Three atypical haplotypes were identified in 17 patients, occurring at a combined frequency of 14.6%. One of these, found at the high frequency of 11.8%, possibly represented a new Sudan haplotype. CONCLUSION: ß(S) Haplotyes were demonstrated successfully from dried blood samples. A new haplotype is apparent in Sudan, in addition to the four African haplotypes.

Honey promotes angiogeneic activity in the rat aortic ring assay.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate possible effects of honey on angiogenesis, using in vitro analogues of angiogenesis and an endothelial proliferation assay. METHOD: Using an in vitro rat aortic ring assay we compared pseudotubule formation by medicinal honey (Activon), supermarket honey (Rowse) and a honey-based ointment (Mesitran), with that of artificial honey (70% w/w sugar glucose/fructose). Pseudotubules were analysed using TCS Cellworks AngioSys software. The Angiokit sytem was used to validate the results. Using the MTT [3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium. Bromide] assay, toxicity was also assessed on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) directly adherent to plastic. RESULTS: All honey preparations stimulated pseudotubule formation, maximal at around 0.2% honey. Medicinal honeys were more active than Rowse. The effect was not attributable to the sugar content. Among the honeys tested, the Manuka-based Activon preparation reduced residual viable biomass compared with a sugar control at > 0.32% v/v concentration. Rowse had a similar effect only at 2.5%, the highest dose tested. CONCLUSION: The influence of honey constituents on angiogenesis in a wound dressing context is likely to be positive, but would depend on the effective dilution of the honey and the penetration of the active constituents against an osmotic gradient. The extent to which this occurs has yet to be established. CONFLICT OF INTEREST: This work was conceived, designed and executed by the authors. Medical honey preparations were supplied unconditionally but free of charge by the distributors.

Prediction of genetic values for feed intake from individual body weight gain and total feed intake of the pen.

Records of individual feed intake (FI) and BW gain (GN) were obtained from the Germ Plasm Evaluation (GPE) program at US Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC). Animals were randomly assigned to pens. Only pens with 6 to 9 steers (n = 289) were used for this study (data set 1). Variance components and genetic parameters were estimated using data set 1. Estimated genetic values (EGV) for FI were calculated by 5 methods using single and 2-trait analyses: 1) individual FI and individual GN, 2) individual FI alone, 3) 2-trait with individual GN but with FI missing, 4) individual GN and pen total FI, and 5) pen total FI alone. Analyses were repeated but with some of the same records assigned artificially to 36 pens of 5 and 4 paternal half sibs per pen (data sets 2 and 3). Models included year as a fixed factor and birth and weaning weights, age on test, and days fed as covariates. Estimates of heritability were 0.42 +/- 0.16 and 0.34 +/- 0.17 for FI and GN. The estimate of the genetic correlation was 0.57 +/- 0.23. Empirical responses to selection were calculated as the average EGV for the top and bottom 10% based on rank for each method but with EGV from method 1 substituted for the EGV on which ranking was based. With data set 1, rank correlations between EGV from method 1 and EGV from methods 2, 3, 4, and 5 were 0.99, 0.53, 0.32, and 0.15, respectively. Empirical responses relative to method 1 agreed with the rank correlations. Accuracy of EGV for method 4 (0.44) was greater than for method 3 (0.35) and for method 5 (0.29). Accuracies for methods 4 and 5 were greater than indicated by empirical responses and correlations with EGV from method 1. Comparisons of the 5 methods were similar for data sets 2 and 3. With data set 2, rank correlations between EGV from method 1 and EGV from methods 3, 4, and 5 were 0.47, 0.64, and 0.62. Average accuracies of 56, 75, and 75% relative to method 1 (0.67) generally agreed with the empirical responses to selection. As expected, accuracy using pen total FI and GN to obtain EGV for FI was greater than using GN alone. With data set 1, empirical response to selection with method 4 was one-third of that for method 1, although average accuracy was 65% of that for method 1. With assignment of 5 paternal half sibs to artificial pens, using pen total FI and individual GN was about 81% as effective for selection as using individual FI and GN to obtain EGV for FI and was substantially more effective than use of GN alone.

Combining etanercept with traditional agents in the treatment of psoriasis: a review of the clinical evidence.

Psoriasis is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disorder manifesting primarily in skin and potentially in joints, frequently necessitating treatment with conventional systemic therapies, phototherapy or biological agents. Patients with moderate to severe disease suffer a diminished quality of life, experience significant comorbidities and have a higher mortality. Although traditional treatments are effective in the short-term, their use is often limited by concerns over long-term toxicity, including end-organ damage and risk of malignancy. Combination therapy is a commonly used approach and is often more effective than any single agent. Lower doses of two treatments in combination can also minimize potential side effects from a single agent at higher doses. Etanercept is a recombinant human tumour necrosis factor (TNF)α receptor (p75) protein fused with the Fc portion of IgG1 that binds to TNFα. This article reviews the evidence on the efficacy and safety of etanercept in combination with methotrexate, acitretin, narrowband UVB and cyclosporin. The largest body of evidence assesses the combination with methotrexate, although evidence is available for the other combinations. Data suggest that although highly effective as monotherapy, etanercept in combination with a conventional systemic agent can enhance efficacy and allow drug sparing. Potentially, the combination may also result in faster treatment responses and permit safe transitioning from one systemic agent to another. Evidence to date suggests that these benefits can be achieved without significant additional toxicity, although long-term data on the efficacy and safety of the combination in psoriatic populations is limited and further evaluation is warranted.

[Diagnosis and treatment of infectious pharyngeal inflammation].

Symptoms of viral and/or streptococcal infectious pharyngitis are of interest in the context of different therapeutic strategies. This study involved 3 family medicine clinics, one emergency service department, and 694 patients. Streptococcal pharyngitis occurred in 24% of the adult patients and in 29% of all the patients. The remaining ones had acute viral pharyngitis or a mixed viral/bacterial infection. Medicamentous therapy given to 98% of the patients included local antibiotics (42%), systemic antibacterial monotherapy (12%), and combined antibiotic therapy (44%). Lysozime-containing preparations (larypront, dequalar, etc.) recommended for pathogenetic therapy had the active ingredient in the form of a dequalinium complex to deliver lysozime to pharyngeal mucosa. The frequency of streptococcal infection in patients with secondary sore throat receiving the combined treatment was twice lower (12%) than in the general group. The strategy of therapy was the same as in primary sore throat.

Basic compatibility of Albugo candida in Arabidopsis thaliana and Brassica juncea causes broad-spectrum suppression of innate immunity.

A biotrophic parasite often depends on an intrinsic ability to suppress host defenses in a manner that will enable it to infect and successfully colonize a susceptible host. If the suppressed defenses otherwise would have been effective against alternative pathogens, it follows that primary infection by the "suppressive" biotroph potentially could enhance susceptibility of the host to secondary infection by avirulent pathogens. This phenomenon previously has been attributed to true fungi such as rust (basidiomycete) and powdery mildew (ascomycete) pathogens. In our study, we observed broad-spectrum suppression of host defense by the oomycete Albugo candida (white blister rust) in the wild crucifer Arabidopsis thaliana and a domesticated relative, Brassica juncea. A. candida subsp. arabidopsis suppressed the "runaway cell death" phenotype of the lesion mimic mutant lsd1 in Arabidopsis thaliana in a sustained manner even after subsequent inoculation with avirulent Hyaloperonospora arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana downy mildew). In sequential inoculation experiments, we show that preinfection by virulent Albugo candida can suppress disease resistance in cotyledons to several downy mildew pathogens, including contrasting examples of genotype resistance to H. arabidopsis in Arabidopsis thaliana that differ in the R protein and modes of defense signaling used to confer the resistance; genotype specific resistance in B. juncea to H. parasitica (Brassica downy mildew; isolates derived from B. juncea); species level (nonhost) resistance in both crucifers to Bremia lactucae (lettuce downy mildew) and an isolate of the H. parasitica race derived from Brassica oleracea; and nonhost resistance in B. juncea to H. arabidopsis. Broad-spectrum powdery mildew resistance conferred by RPW8 also was suppressed in Arabidopsis thaliana to two morphotypes of Erysiphe spp. following pre-infection with A. candida subsp. arabidopsis.