Analysis of bone structure in PEROMYSCUS: Effects of burrowing behavior.

We compare the effects of burrowing behavior on appendicular bone structure in two Peromyscus (deer mouse) species. P. polionotus creates complex burrows in their territories, while P.

Infant isoflurane exposure affects social behaviours, but does not impair specific cognitive domains in juvenile non-human primates.

Background: Clinical studies show that children exposed to anaesthetics for short times at young age perform normally on intelligence tests, but display altered social behaviours. In non-human primates (NHPs), infant anaesthesia exposure for several hours causes neurobehavioural impairments, including delayed motor reflex development and increased anxiety-related behaviours assessed by provoked response testing. However, the effects of anaesthesia on spontaneous social behaviours in juvenile NHPs have not been investigated.

Reproducibility and repeatability of optical coherence tomography imaging of the optic nerve head in normal beagle eyes.

Objective: To assess the reproducibility and repeatability of an optical coherence tomography (OCT) device for imaging the optic nerve region of normal canines.

Animals Studied: Twelve clinically healthy beagles.

Procedures: All animals were anesthetized, and an OCT device was used to image the optic disk region.

First molecular phylogeny of the circumtropical bivalve family Pinnidae (Mollusca, Bivalvia): evidence for high levels of cryptic species diversity.

The family Pinnidae Leach, 1819, includes approximately 50 species of large subtidal and coastal marine bivalves. These commercially important species occur in tropical and temperate waters around the world and are most frequently found in seagrass meadows. The taxonomy of the family has been revised a number of times since the early 20th Century, the most recent revision recognizing 55 species distributed in three genera: Pinna, Atrina and Streptopinna, the latter being monotypic.

Multiplexed target detection using DNA-binding dye chemistry in droplet digital PCR.

Two years ago, we described the first droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) system aimed at empowering all researchers with a tool that removes the substantial uncertainties associated with using the analogue standard, quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). This system enabled TaqMan hydrolysis probe-based assays for the absolute quantification of nucleic acids. Due to significant advancements in droplet chemistry and buoyed by the multiple benefits associated with dye-based target detection, we have created a "second generation" ddPCR system compatible with both TaqMan-probe and DNA-binding dye detection chemistries.

Calcium-activated chloride currents prolongs the duration of contractions in pregnant rat myometrial tissue.

We investigated the importance of pharmacologically blocking calcium-activated chloride (I(Cl(Ca))) and L-type calcium currents on isometric contractions of strips of D21 pregnant rat myometrial tissue, while simultaneously measuring the electrical activity of the tissue strips with extracellular contact electrodes. When measured with contact electrodes, the duration of the spiking activity directly reflects the duration of the tissue-level plateau potential. We correlated the number of spikes, durations of spiking activity, and the spiking frequencies with changes of the area under the force curves as a function of exposure to low doses of anthracene-9-carboxylate (9-AC, a non-specific Cl channel blocker), chlorotoxin (a specific I(Cl(Ca)) blocker) and nifedipine (an L-type calcium channel blocker).

Comparative proteomic characterization of articular cartilage tissue from normal donors and patients with osteoarthritis.

Objective: To identify potential molecular mediators and biomarkers for osteoarthritis (OA), through comparative proteomic analysis of articular cartilage tissue obtained from normal donors without OA (n = 7) and patients with OA (n = 7).

Methods: The proteomic analyses comprised extraction of soluble proteins from cartilage, separation of the protein mixtures by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by in-gel digestion, and subsequent nano-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis in conjunction with a database search for protein identification and semiquantitation.

Results: A total of 814 distinct proteins were identified with high confidence from 14 samples; 420 of these proteins were detected with > or = 3 unique peptides in at least 4 samples from the same group.

Comparison of cefazolin, cefamandole, vancomycin, and LY146032 for prophylaxis of experimental Staphylococcus epidermidis endocarditis.

We evaluated antibiotic prophylaxis in the rabbit model of experimental endocarditis with three strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis of differing susceptibility patterns. For the first strain, which was highly susceptible to methicillin and cephalosporins, vegetations grew S. epidermidis for all 15 untreated rabbits compared with 1 of 20 rabbits receiving cefazolin, 3 of 20 receiving cefamandole, none of 20 receiving vancomycin, and none of 20 receiving LY146032.

Solid-phase radioimmunoassay for IgG antibodies to Staphylococcus epidermidis. Use in serious coagulase-negative staphylococcal infections.

A radioimmunoassay (RIA) for human IgG antibodies to Staphylococcus epidermidis was compared with an agar-gel-diffusion assay in patients with a variety of infections. The RIA was sensitive and reproducible and discriminated between endocarditis and uncomplicated bacteremias due to coagulase-negative staphylococci. Anti-S epidermidis antibodies by RIA were elevated in 16 (89%) of 18 patients with coagulase-negative staphylococcal endocarditis but in none of 28 patients with uncomplicated bacteremia (n = 18) or with blood culture contaminated with these organisms (n = 10).

Exercise program for patients after cardiac surgery.

The effects of an exercise program on patients after cardiac surgery were studied. The physical status and length of hospitalization of 44 patients who were not exposed to the program (group I) were compared with those of 43 program participants (group II). All patients were evaluated preoperatively and before hospital discharge.

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of Staphylococcus epidermidis antibody in experimental S. epidermidis endocarditis.

The immune response against Staphylococcus epidermidis, as determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, was evaluated in experimental S. epidermidis infections in rabbits. Antigens from 8 of 10 clinical S.