A mini pig model for visualization of perforator flap by using angiography and MIMICS.

Background: Research performed using animal models has assisted in the understanding of flap anatomy and physiology. Pigs' vasculature in the skin is anatomically and physiologically similar to human, making it an ideal model for research. Until now, most vascular imaging studies are of two-dimensions.

Speciation and mobility of arsenic in agricultural lime.

Agricultural liming materials are used to correct soil acidity and to improve plant growth and microbial functionality. A relatively low-grade agricultural lime was found to contain up to 125 mg kg(-1) arsenic (As), which is above any fertilizing materials code threshold. The color of the milled material is brown due to ample oxide dendrites.

Short-term outcomes of mothers and infants exposed to antenatal amphetamines.

Aim: To determine the short-term outcomes of newborn infants and mothers exposed to antenatal amphetamines in the state of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory during 2004.

Methods: Amphetamine exposure was determined retrospectively using ICD-10 AM morbidity code searches of hospital medical records and from records of local drug and alcohol services. Records were reviewed on site.

Perinatal characteristics and outcome of preterm singleton, twin and triplet infants in NSW and the ACT, Australia (1994-2005).

Objective: To compare the perinatal characteristics, neonatal morbidity and mortality of preterm singletons, twins and triplets born at 22-31 weeks' gestation and admitted to neonatal intensive care units (NICU) in New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory between 1994 and 2005.

Methods: Perinatal characteristics and neonatal outcome data were obtained from the regional NICUS data collection to test for a priori hypothesis. The 10 068 very premature infants studied included 7304 (72.

Histopathological features of Capillaria hepatica infection in laboratory rabbits.

Capillaria hepatica is a nematode parasite of wild rodents and other mammals. Adult worms inhabit the liver. Recently, during the necropsy examination of a group of 160 rabbits from a commercial supplier, firm pale or cystic areas (1-5 mm) were noted on the liver in thirteen animals.

Infectious tolerance via the consumption of essential amino acids and mTOR signaling.

Infectious tolerance describes the process of CD4(+) regulatory T cells (Tregs) converting naïve T cells to become additional Tregs. We show that antigen-specific Tregs induce, within skin grafts and dendritic cells, the expression of enzymes that consume at least 5 different essential amino acids (EAAs). T cells fail to proliferate in response to antigen when any 1, or more, of these EAAs are limiting, which is associated with a reduced mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling.

Identification and characterization of RBEL1 subfamily of GTPases in the Ras superfamily involved in cell growth regulation.

Recently, we reported the identification of a novel gene named RBEL1 (Rab-like protein 1) and characterized its two encoded isoforms, RBEL1A and RBEL1B, that function as novel GTPases of Ras superfamily. Here we report the identification of two additional splice variants of RBEL1 that we have named RBEL1C and -D. All four RBEL1 isoforms (A, B, C, and D) have identical N termini harboring the Rab-like GTPase domains but contain variable C termini.

Short-term outcomes of mothers and newborn infants with comorbid psychiatric disorders and drug dependency.

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to determine the characteristics and short-term outcomes of mother-infant pairs with comorbid drug dependency and psychiatric disorders.

Methods: A population-based retrospective chart review was carried out of 879 drug-dependent mother and infant pairs in New South Wales (NSW) and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) who delivered between 1 January and 31 December 2004.

Results: Psychiatric comorbidity (dual diagnosis, DD) was identified in 396 (45%) of the 879 drug-dependent women.

Cerebral plasticity after subcortical stroke as revealed by cortico-muscular coherence.

The latency estimation of cortico-muscular coherence (CMCoh) could provide valuable information, especially for the pathological study. However, the conduction time from the central cortical rhythm to peripheral oscillations has not been explored for stroke patients. In this study one recently proposed method, maximizing coherence, was applied into the coherence analysis to estimate the latency by which the extensor carpi radialis electromyographic signals lagged behind the electroencephalographic time series with seven subcortical stroke subjects.

Use of oxygen in the resuscitation of preterm infants: current opinion and practice in Australia and New Zealand.

Aim: The aim of this paper was to explore the opinions and practices of tertiary health-care professionals in Australia and New Zealand regarding air and oxygen blending (OB) for the resuscitation of preterm infants.

Methods: Structured questionnaires were sent to the directors of 25 tertiary perinatal units, with instructions to distribute the questionnaires to 15 pertinent clinical staff.

Results: Response rate was 72% (n = 271); medical-staff response was 25%.

Embryonic stem cells: overcoming the immunological barriers to cell replacement therapy.

The appeal of using embryonic stem (ES) cells for regenerative medicine lies in their pluripotency and resulting ability to differentiate into all somatic cell types. While graft rejection remains the greatest hurdle to their use in the clinic, several approaches have been proposed to protect the allogeneic ES cell-derived grafts from host immunity: the creation of nuclear transfer human ES (hES) cell lines; the development of parthenogenic hES cells and iPS cells; the establishment of a bank of clinically-approved lines; the generation of hematopoietic chimerism and the induction of peripheral tolerance in recipients. Here, we discuss how the immune-privileged features of ES cells and tissues derived from them may influence these approaches and review the strategies and mechanisms involved in sustaining antigen-specific tolerance through interplay between dendritic cells (DC) and regulatory T cells (Treg).

HyBloc: Localization in Sensor Networks with Adverse Anchor Placement.

To determine the geographical positions of sensors, numerous localization algorithms have been proposed in recent years. The positions of sensors are inferred from the connectivity between sensors and a set of nodes called anchors which know their precise locations. We investigate the effect of adverse placement and density of anchors on the accuracies of different algorithms.

RanGTPase: A Key Regulator of Nucleocytoplasmic Trafficking.

RanGTPase belongs to the Ras superfamily of small GTPases. It possesses a distinctive acidic C-terminal DEDDDL motif and predominantly localizes to the nucleus. RanGTPase is known to regulate nucleocytoplasmic trafficking as well as mitotic spindle and nuclear envelope formation.

Three-dimensional angiography of the superior gluteal artery and lumbar artery perforator flap.

Background: Three-dimensional angiography was first proposed by Cornelius and advanced by Voigt in 1975. Since then, a variety of improvements have been made. The three-dimensional evaluation of perforator flaps is no longer a clinical curiosity but an absolute necessity.

Aberrant Polo-like kinase 1-Cdc25A pathway in metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma.

Purpose: Most studies on pathogenesis of tumor metastasis focus on cell adhesion and migration. Little is understood of how cell cycle pathways critically affect cell fate of metastatic cells and their sensitivity to anticancer drugs. In this study, we investigated cell cycle checkpoint progression and regulation in the presence of cisplatin in metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells.

Developmental coordination disorder in "apparently normal" schoolchildren born extremely preterm.

Aims: To determine the prevalence of developmental coordination disorder (DCD) in "apparently normal" extremely premature (<29 weeks) or extremely low birthweight (<1000 g) schoolchildren at 8 years of age and whether motor skill assessments at an earlier age could predict DCD.

Method: From a neonatal intensive care unit cohort, 50 of the 53 eligible children (IQ >84 and without disabilities at age 5 and residing in Sydney metropolitan) and full-term classroom controls matched for gender and age were assessed with the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC) at school. Previous Griffith's Scales (1 and 3 years) and Peabody Motor Scales (3 and 5 years) results were evaluated for prediction.

Neonatal infections in Asia.

Objective: To study the epidemiology (including incidence, antibiotic sensitivity and mortality) of neonatal unit infections in countries in Asia.

Methods: One year prospective study of neonatal infections in eight neonatal units in Asia.

Results: There were 453 episodes of sepsis affecting 394 babies.

Mode of delivery and neonatal survival of infants with gastroschisis in Australia and New Zealand.

Objective: The aim of the study was to examine the short-term outcome of infants with gastroschisis by route of delivery, comparing vaginal delivery vs elective and emergency cesarean delivery (CD).

Methods: Six hundred thirty-one infants with gastroschisis (International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision: Q79.3) were admitted to the Australian and New Zealand Neonatal Network during 1997 to 2005.

Study on connectivity between coherent central rhythm and electromyographic activities.

Whether afferent feedback contributes to the generation of cortico-muscular coherence (CMCoh) remains an open question. In the present study, a multivariate autoregressive (MVAR) model and partial directed coherence (PDC) were applied to investigate the causal influences between the central rhythm and electromyographic (EMG) signals in the process of CMCoh. The system modeling included activities from the contralateral and ipsilateral primary sensorimotor cortex (M1/S1), supplementary motor area (SMA) and the time series from extensor carpi radialis (ECR) muscles.

Characterization of the weak estrogen receptor alpha agonistic activity of exemestane.

Third generation aromatase inhibitors (AI) have shown good clinical efficacy in comparison to the anti-estrogen tamoxifen. The steroidal AI, exemestane (EXE) has previously been shown to act as an androgen, but this report demonstrates the estrogen-like activity of EXE. Based on genome-wide microarray analysis, high correlation was seen between EXE-Only (EXE O, hormone-free) and hormone-containing AI-resistant lines.

MCF-7aro/ERE, a novel cell line for rapid screening of aromatase inhibitors, ERalpha ligands and ERRalpha ligands.

We have previously generated a breast cancer cell line, MCF-7aro, which over-expresses aromatase and is also ER positive. Recently, this MCF-7aro cell line was stably transfected with a promoter reporter plasmid, pGL3-Luc, containing three repeats of estrogen responsive element (ERE). Experiments using MCF-7aro/ERE have demonstrated that it is a novel, non-radioactive screening system for aromatase inhibitors (AIs), ERalpha ligands and ERRalpha ligands.

Quantitative evaluation of motor functional recovery process in chronic stroke patients during robot-assisted wrist training.

This study was to investigate the motor functional recovery process in chronic stroke during robot-assisted wrist training. Fifteen subjects with chronic upper extremity paresis after stroke attended a 20-session wrist tracking training using an interactive rehabilitation robot. Electromyographic (EMG) parameters, i.

Estimation of the risk difference under a noncompliance randomized clinical trial with missing outcomes.

In a randomized clinical trial (RCT), we often come across the situations in which there are patients who do not comply with their assigned treatments or whose outcomes are missing due to their refusal or loss to follow-up. Because noncompliance and missing outcomes do not generally occur completely at random, analyzing data as treated or excluding patients with missing outcomes from our analysis can produce a biased estimate of a treatment effect. In this paper, we consider estimation of the risk difference (RD) in the presence of both noncompliance and missing outcomes under a RCT.