Critical analysis of polycyclic tetramate macrolactam biosynthetic gene cluster phylogeny and functional diversity.

Polycyclic tetramate macrolactams (PTMs) are bioactive natural products commonly associated with certain actinobacterial and proteobacterial lineages. These molecules have been the subject of numerous structure-activity investigations since the 1970s. New members continue to be pursued in wild and engineered bacterial strains, and advances in PTM biosynthesis suggest their outwardly simplistic biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) belie unexpected product complexity.

Draft Genome Sequences of Two Polycyclic Tetramate Macrolactam Producers, sp. Strains JV180 and SP18CM02.

Here, we report the draft genome sequences of two related sp. strains, JV180 and SP18CM02. Despite their isolation from soils in Connecticut and Missouri (USA), respectively, they are strikingly similar in gene content.

The role of policy in social-ecological interactions of nitrogen management in the Mississippi River basin.

Excess nitrogen (N) loading in the Mississippi River basin is a major water quality issue, encompassing large spatial scales and feedbacks between social and biophysical entities. Effective management depends on reductions in agricultural N loading, mainly from the Corn Belt region in the upper reaches of the basin. In this study, we evaluated the role of federal Nutrient Task Force policy on N management from 2000 to 2015.

Antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. in greywater reuse systems and pond water used for agricultural irrigation in the West Bank, Palestinian Territories.

Treating and reusing greywater for agricultural irrigation is becoming increasingly prevalent in water-scarce regions such as the Middle East. However, the potential for antibiotic-resistant bacteria to be introduced into food systems or the environment via greywater reuse is a potential area of concern. It is known that off-grid treated greywater often has elevated levels of bacteria, however, little is known regarding the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in this water source.

A multi-institutional analysis of intraoperative radiotherapy for early breast cancer: Does age matter?

Background: Single-session intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) minimizes treatment demands associated with traditional whole breast radiation therapy (WBRT) but outcomes on local disease control and morbidity among the elderly is limited.

Methods: A multi-institutional retrospective registry was established from 19 centers utilizing IORT from 2007 to 2013. Patient, tumor, and treatment variables were analyzed for ages <70 and ≥70.

Negative association of pretreatment cigarette use with smoking-induced striatal dopamine release in smokers receiving bupropion treatment.

Background And Objectives: In an effort to help identify factors that maintain heavy smoking, this study tested the association of pretreatment cigarette use (cigarettes per day) with striatal dopamine release during smoking-cessation treatment.

Methods: Thirteen regular smokers (≥10 cigarettes per day) were evaluated on parameters of smoking behavior, and they entered a smoking cessation treatment protocol, including bupropion administration and individual counseling for 2 months. On week 7 of treatment, 10 of the participants underwent brain scans using [(11) C]raclopride with positron emission tomography to assess smoking-induced dopamine release in the caudate nucleus and putamen, inferred from changes in dopamine D2 -type receptor availability.

TARGIT-R (Retrospective): North American Experience with Intraoperative Radiation Using Low-Kilovoltage X-Rays for Breast Cancer.

Background: Single-dose intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) is an emerging treatment for women with early stage breast cancer. The objective of this study was to define the frequency of IORT use, patient selection, and outcomes of patients treated in North America.

Methods: A multi-institutional retrospective registry was created, and 19 institutions using low-kilovoltage IORT for the treatment of breast cancer entered data on patients treated at their institution before July 31, 2013.

Rare breast cancer: 933 adenoid cystic carcinomas from the National Cancer Data Base.

Background: Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a rare subtype of breast malignancy.

Methods: Patients with ACC and infiltrating ductal carcinoma (IDC) reported to the National Cancer Data Base from 1998 to 2008 were reviewed for patient age, ethnicity, tumor size, nodal status, American Joint Committee on Cancer TNM Stage, tumor grade, initial treatment, hormone receptor status (for patients from 2004 to 2008), and survival (for patients from 1998 to 2003).

Results: A total of 933 patients with ACC and 729,938 with IDC were identified.

Continued progression of asbestos-related respiratory disease after more than 15 years of non-exposure.

Background: Most studies on asbestos-related diseases describe the associations between exposure and disease and the factors influencing that association. It is recognized that there is a long latency period between exposure and disease, but the health status of affected individuals after long-term non-exposure is uncertain.

Objectives: To describe the changes in pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and computed tomographic imaging of the thorax over a 15 year period after cessation of exposure to asbestos in a cohort of Israeli power plant workers.

Oxytocin increases recognition of masked emotional faces.

The neuropeptide oxytocin has been shown to improve many aspects of social cognitive functioning, including facial emotion recognition, and to promote social approach behaviour. In the present study, we investigated the modulatory effects of oxytocin on the recognition of briefly presented facial expressions. In order to diversify the degree of visual awareness for the facial stimuli, presentation duration was systematically varied.

Computerized analysis of cytology and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in induced sputum for lung cancer detection.

Background: Lung cancer results from a multistep process, whereby genetic and epigenetic alterations lead to a malignant phenotype. Somatic mutations, deletions, and amplifications can be detected in the tumor itself, but they can also be found in histologically normal bronchial epithelium as a result of field cancerization. The present feasibility study describes a computer-assisted analysis of induced sputum employing morphology and fluorescence in situ hybridization (target-FISH), using 2 biomarkers located at chromosomes 3p22.

Mammographic screening for breast cancer: An invited review of the benefits and costs.

Mammographic screening is a proven method for reducing breast cancer mortality for women 40 years of age and older, but the best method for implementation of mammographic screening, particularly in the age group 40-49, remains controversial. The author, in an invited review, summarizes the data and offers guidance based on the best information available for women at risk for breast cancer, and their care providers, with particular emphasis on costs and benefits.

Attenuation of cue-induced smoking urges and brain reward activity in smokers treated successfully with bupropion.

Twenty-two regular smokers (15+ cigarettes per day) were treated with bupropion and group therapy for 2 months. Subjects underwent positron emission tomography (PET) studies using measures of brain global and regional glucose metabolism (regional cerebral metabolic rates of glucose [rCMRglc]) with [18F]-Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) twice, after watching a videotape showing smoking scenes and after watching a control movie in counter-balanced order. A questionnaire of smoking urges (QSU) was filled in before and after watching both the movies.

Primary liposarcoma of the mediastinum.

Patient. A 62-year-old man presented with effort dyspnea, non-productive cough and weakness of 4 month duration. He had no findings on physical examination.

Curcumin augments gemcitabine cytotoxic effect on pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell lines.

Background And Aim: Gemcitabine, the first-line agent in pancreatic adenocarcinoma, has shown limited clinical benefit. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) represent one of the most promising targets for cancer prevention and treatment. In this study, we investigated whether the phytochemical curcumin, a natural COX-2 inhibitor, can potentiate gemcitabine effect on survival of human pancreatic cancer cells.

Diagnosis of intrathoracic lesions: are sequential fine-needle aspiration (FNA) and core needle biopsy (CNB) combined better than either investigation alone?

Aim: To assess the diagnostic accuracy of sequential computed tomography (CT)-guided percutaneous fine-needle aspiration (FNA) and core-needle biopsy (CNB) in comparison with FNA and CNB performed separately for diagnosing intrathoracic lesions.

Subjects And Methods: Five hundred and eighty-two consecutive patients with thoracic lesions who underwent same-session sequential CT-guided FNA and CNB procedures were studied. The final diagnosis, which was achieved by either agreement of percutaneous procedures with clinical follow-up, bronchoscopy or thoracotomy was available for all cases.

Dextromethorphan premedication reduces midazolam requirement: objective and subjective parameters in peribronchoscopy.

Background: Coughing is increased during bronchoscopy and may last for several hours after the procedure. Also prior to the procedure patients show high levels of anxiety due to fear of the pain and breathing difficulties that they might experience during the procedure.

Objectives: To evaluate the antitussive, anxiolytic and sedative effect of dextromethorphan (DM) premedication on the amount of intravenous midazolam during bronchoscopic procedures.

Inhibition of pancreatic and lung adenocarcinoma cell survival by curcumin is associated with increased apoptosis, down-regulation of COX-2 and EGFR and inhibition of Erk1/2 activity.

Background: Several studies suggested that curcumin inhibits growth of malignant cells via inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) activity. Other studies indicated that epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is also inhibited by curcumin in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, recent investigations revealed an intracellular cross-talk between EGFR signaling and the COX-2 pathway.

Real-time electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy to peripheral lung lesions using overlaid CT images: the first human study.

Study Objectives: To characterize the feasibility, accuracy, and safety of the superDimension/Bronchus system (SDBS) [superDimension, Ltd; Hertzliya, Israel] in navigating to previously unreachable peripheral lung lesions and obtaining biopsy specimens.

Design: Open-label, prospective, controlled clinical study.

Setting: Pulmonary institute of a university-affiliated municipal hospital.

ErbB4 increases the proliferation potential of human lung cancer cells and its blockage can be used as a target for anti-cancer therapy.

Clinical and experimental data suggest that ErbB-4, a member of the epidermal growth factor receptor family, may have a role in cancer progression and response to treatment. We found recently, using a retrospective clinical analysis, that expression of ErbB-4 receptor is correlated with metastatic potential and patient survival in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The purpose of this work was to correlate the expression of the ErbB-4 and lung cancer cells growth in vitro and in vivo and to determine the therapeutic potential of a monoclonal antibody to ErbB-4 against lung cancer.

The frequency-dependent dipole polarizability of the mercury dimer from four-component relativistic density-functional theory.

The frequency-dependent dipole polarizability of Hg(2) is calculated using response theory within four-component relativistic density-functional theory [using the local-density approximation (LDA) and the hybrid functional B3LYP] including corrections for the basis-set superposition error. The anisotropic component of the polarizability tensor agrees well with the values obtained from collision-induced Raman spectroscopy carried out at a wavelength of 488 nm. The values obtained from the two density functionals agree closely with the experimentally derived anisotropy component of the dipole polarizability, despite their rather large differences in the dimer potential-energy curves (LDA is strongly overbinding while B3LYP is purely repulsive).

Transthoracic needle biopsy of lung masses: a survey of techniques.

Aim: In order to assess the range and everyday use of the various techniques for percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy of lung masses in the USA and Canada, we surveyed thoracic radiologists in academic and community practice on their standard approach to the procedure.

Materials And Methods: The 300 questionnaires that were mailed to members of the Society of Thoracic Radiology throughout the USA and Canada contained specific questions on their approach to a transthoracic needle biopsy of a routine case of a 3cm lung mass located in the right lower lobe 1cm from the pleural surface.

Results: A total of 140 (47%) members responded.

Heart rate variability in sarcoidosis: a frequency domain analysis.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about autonomic dysfunction in patients with sarcoidosis. Heart rate variability (HRV) studies provide information regarding sympathetic and vagal tone and are both noninvasive and relatively simple to perform. The objective of this study was to compare HRV in sarcoidosis patients and in healthy controls.

Induced sputum assessment in New York City firefighters exposed to World Trade Center dust.

New York City Firefighters (FDNY-FFs) were exposed to particulate matter and combustion/pyrolysis products during and after the World Trade Center (WTC) collapse. Ten months after the collapse, induced sputum (IS) samples were obtained from 39 highly exposed FDNY-FFs (caught in the dust cloud during the collapse on 11 September 2001) and compared to controls to determine whether a unique pattern of inflammation and particulate matter deposition, compatible with WTC dust, was present. Control subjects were 12 Tel-Aviv, Israel, firefighters (TA-FFs) and 8 Israeli healthcare workers who were not exposed to WTC dust.