Understanding the role of the qualified professional: a comparison of medical and dental students' attitudes.

Unlabelled: The Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Canada developed a competency framework to assist future specialists in responding to challenges as health care providers. The CANMEDs project described 7 essential roles of Specialist Physicians include Health Advocate, Manager, Scholar, Medical Expert, Professional, Communicator and Collaborator (HMSEPC(2)). The object of the current study was to investigate whether medical students and dental students in Ireland recognised these responsibilities as essential to a qualified doctor/dentist.

Persistent lactic acidosis in neonatal hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy correlates with EEG grade and electrographic seizure burden.

Background: Predicting at birth which infants with perinatal hypoxic-ischaemic injury will progress to significant encephalopathy remains a challenge.

Objective: To determine whether lactic acidosis at birth in asphyxiated neonates could predict the grade of EEG encephalopathy by examining the relationship between time taken for the normalisation of lactate, severity of encephalopathy and seizure burden.

Methods: Continuous early video-EEG monitoring was performed in babies at risk for hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy.

Local lymph node assay (LLNA) for detection of sensitization capacity of chemicals.

The local lymph node assay (LLNA) is a murine model developed to evaluate the skin sensitization potential of chemicals. The LLNA is an alternative approach to traditional guinea pig methods and in comparison provides important animal welfare benefits. The assay relies on measurement of events induced during the induction phase of skin sensitization, specifically lymphocyte proliferation in the draining lymph nodes which is a hallmark of a skin sensitization response.

The local lymph node assay in practice: a current regulatory perspective.

Following the formal acceptance of the local lymph node assay (LLNA) as an Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) guideline in April 2002, the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) informed notifiers that this was now the method of choice for the assessment of skin sensitization potential under the EU notification scheme for new industrial chemicals (NONS). This paper summarizes the experience of the HSE for the 2-year period immediately following the issuing of this statement, during which 48 LLNA study reports were assessed for notification purposes. The issues discussed here include adherence to the OECD guideline, interpretation of results, and classification outcomes.

Prediction of seizures in asphyxiated neonates: correlation with continuous video-electroencephalographic monitoring.

Background: After perinatal asphyxia, predicting which infants will develop significant hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and neonatal seizures remains a difficult task. High-risk markers (Apgar score, acidosis, nucleated red blood cells, and resuscitation) have been used to predict neonatal seizures with varying success. The "3 strikes" of Apgar score of <5 at 5 minutes, pH <7.

Early continuous video-EEG in acute near-total intrauterine asphyxia.

The evolution of electroencephalographic changes after acute hypoxic-ischemic injury is poorly understood, as a clear time of insult is often absent and continuous electroencephalographic monitoring in the first 3 days after such injury has not been previously reported. Infants who suffer sudden profound asphyxia, often termed "acute near-total intrauterine asphyxia", have evidence of damage to the deep gray matter. In these infants it is possible to time the onset and duration of cerebral ischemia.

An endogenous peptide signal in Arabidopsis activates components of the innate immune response.

Innate immunity is initiated in animals and plants through the recognition of a variety of pathogen-associated molecules that in animals are called pathogen-associated molecular patterns and in plants are called elicitors. Some plant pathogen-derived elicitors have been identified as peptides, but peptide elicitors derived from the plant itself that activate defensive genes against pathogens have not been previously identified. Here, we report the isolation and characterization of a 23-aa peptide from Arabidopsis, called AtPep1, which activates transcription of the defensive gene defensin (PDF1.

The cell surface leucine-rich repeat receptor for AtPep1, an endogenous peptide elicitor in Arabidopsis, is functional in transgenic tobacco cells.

AtPep1 is a 23-aa endogenous peptide elicitor from Arabidopsis leaves that signals the activation of components of the innate immune response against pathogens. Here, we report the isolation of an AtPep1 receptor from the surface of Arabidopsis suspension-cultured cells. An (125)I-labeled AtPep1 analog interacted with suspension-cultured Arabidopsis with a K(d) of 0.

Benchmarking quantum control methods on a 12-qubit system.

In this Letter, we present an experimental benchmark of operational control methods in quantum information processors extended up to 12 qubits. We implement universal control of this large Hilbert space using two complementary approaches and discuss their accuracy and scalability. Despite decoherence, we were able to reach a 12-coherence state (or a 12-qubit pseudopure cat state) and decode it into an 11 qubit plus one qutrit pseudopure state using liquid state nuclear magnetic resonance quantum information processors.

The local lymph node assay and skin sensitization: a cut-down screen to reduce animal requirements?

The local lymph node assay (LLNA), an alternative approach to skin-sensitizing testing, has made a significant contribution to animal welfare by permitting a reduction and refinement of animal use. Although there is clearly an aspiration to eliminate the use of animals in such tests, it is appropriate also to consider other opportunities for refinement and reduction of animal use. We have therefore explored the use of a modified version of the LLNA for screening purposes when there is a need to evaluate the sensitizing activity of a large number of chemicals, as will be the case under the auspices of registration, evaluation and authorization of chemicals (REACH).

Identification of gene expression changes induced by chemical allergens in dendritic cells: opportunities for skin sensitization testing.

Cellular changes within resident skin dendritic cells (DCs) after allergen uptake and processing are critical events in the acquisition of skin sensitization. Here we describe the development of a set of selection criteria to derive a list of potential target genes from previous microarray analyses of human peripheral blood-derived (peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs)-DCs) treated with dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid for predicting skin-sensitizing chemicals. Based on those criteria, a probing evaluation of the target genes has been conducted using an extended chemical data set, comprising five skin irritants and 11 contact allergens.

Compilation of historical local lymph node data for evaluation of skin sensitization alternative methods.

Background: Within the toxicology community, considerable effort is directed toward the development of alternative methods for skin sensitization testing. The availability of high-quality, relevant, and reliable in vivo data regarding skin sensitization is essential for the effective evaluation of alternative methodologies. Ideally, data derived from humans would be the most appropriate source because the test methods are attempting to predict a toxicologic effect in humans.

Isolation and characterization of isoinhibitors of the potato protease inhibitor I family from the latex of the rubber trees, Hevea brasiliensis.

Three isoinhibitors have been isolated to homogeneity from the C-serum of the latex of the rubber tree, Hevea brasiliensis clone RRIM 600, and named HPI-1, HPI-2a and HPI-2b. The three inhibitors share the same amino acid sequence (69 residues) but the masses of the three forms were determined to be 14,893+/-10, 7757+/-5, and 7565+/-5, respectively, indicating that post-translational modifications of the protein have occurred during latex collection. One adduct could be removed by reducing agents, and was determined to be glutathione, while the other adduct could not be removed by reducing agents and has not been identified.

Normal neurologic and developmental outcome after an accidental intravenous infusion of expressed breast milk in a neonate.

Here we describe a premature male infant who was accidentally given 10 mL of expressed breast milk intravenously over a 3.5-hour period. Having survived this event with supportive care, this boy was attending regular school with no obvious neurologic or learning difficulties at 6 years of age.

Characterization of complex quantum dynamics with a scalable NMR information processor.

We present experimental results on the measurement of fidelity decay under contrasting system dynamics using a nuclear magnetic resonance quantum information processor. The measurements were performed by implementing a scalable circuit in the model of deterministic quantum computation with only one quantum bit. The results show measurable differences between regular and complex behavior and for complex dynamics are faithful to the expected theoretical decay rate.

Experimental implementation of heat-bath algorithmic cooling using solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance.

The counter-intuitive properties of quantum mechanics have the potential to revolutionize information processing by enabling the development of efficient algorithms with no known classical counterparts. Harnessing this power requires the development of a set of building blocks, one of which is a method to initialize the set of quantum bits (qubits) to a known state. Additionally, fresh ancillary qubits must be available during the course of computation to achieve fault tolerance.

Predictive identification of human skin sensitization thresholds.

For years, methods have been available for the predictive identification of chemicals that possess the intrinsic potential to cause skin sensitization. However, many have proven less suitable for the determination of relative sensitizing potency. In this respect, the local lymph node assay (LLNA) has been shown to have a number of important advantages.

The plant cell wall matrix harbors a precursor of defense signaling peptides.

Proteins of plant cell walls serve as structural macromolecules and play important roles in morphogenesis and development but have not been reported to be the origins of peptide signals that activate genes for plant defense. We report here that the mRNA coding the tomato leaf polyprotein precursor of three hydroxyproline-rich glycopeptide defense signals (called LeHypSys I, II, and III) is synthesized in phloem parenchyma cells in response to wounding, systemin, and methyl jasmonate, and the nascent protein is sequestered in the cell wall matrix. These findings indicate that the plant cell wall can play an active role in defense as a source of peptide signals for systemic wound signaling.

Nondiarrheal disorders of the gastrointestinal tract in neonatal foals.

Neonates can have a variety of gastrointestinal disorders, primary and secondary in nature. Important primary disorders include con-genital abnormalities and meconium retention. One of the most important secondary lesions is generalized ileus.

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of pantoprazole in clinically normal neonatal foals.

Reasons For Performing Study: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are a mainstay of treatment for acid-related ulceration in man and horses. Currently, only an oral preparation of omeprazole is approved for use in horses in the USA. Intravenous administration of a PPI would provide a useful therapeutic alternative for those foals in which oral medication is not feasible.

Interactions of contact allergens with dendritic cells: opportunities and challenges for the development of novel approaches to hazard assessment.

The identification of potential skin sensitizing chemicals is a key step in the overall skin safety risk assessment process. Traditionally, predictive testing has been conducted in guinea pigs. More recently, the murine local lymph node assay (LLNA) has become the preferred test method for assessing skin sensitization potential.

Sex work, drug use, HIV infection, and spread of sexually transmitted infections in Moscow, Russian Federation.

Rates of HIV-1 infection are growing rapidly, and the epidemic of sexually transmitted infections is continuing at an alarming rate, in the Russian Federation. We did a cross-sectional study of sexually transmitted infections, HIV infection, and drug use in street youth at a juvenile detention facility, adults at homeless detention centres, and women and men at a remand centre in Moscow. 160 (79%) women at the remand centre were sex workers.

LeRALF, a plant peptide that regulates root growth and development, specifically binds to 25 and 120 kDa cell surface membrane proteins of Lycopersicon peruvianum.

A photoaffinity analog of tomato leaf RALF peptide (LeRALF), (125)I-azido-LeRALF, bound saturably to tomato suspension cultured cells in the dark in a classical receptor binding assay. Classical kinetic analyses revealed that the analog interacted with a single binding site on the surface of the cells with a KD of 0.8x10(-9) M, typical of known peptide hormone-receptor interactions in both plants and animals.

Relationship of CD86 surface marker expression and cytotoxicity on dendritic cells exposed to chemical allergen.

Human peripheral blood-derived dendritic cells (DC) respond to a variety of chemical allergens by up-regulating expression of the co-stimulatory molecule CD86. It has been postulated that this measure might provide the basis for an in vitro alternative approach for the identification of skin sensitizing chemicals. We recently reported that DC, exposed in culture to the highest non-cytotoxic concentrations of various chemical allergens, displayed marginal up-regulation of membrane CD86 expression; the interpretation being that such changes were insufficiently sensitive for the purposes of hazard identification.