Evaluation for intra-abdominal injury in children after blunt torso trauma: can we reduce unnecessary abdominal computed tomography by utilizing a clinical prediction model?

Background: Blunt trauma is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children. Despite the potential for malignancy, increased cost, limited small bowel injury detection sensitivity, and the low incidence of injury requiring operative intervention, the use of computed tomographic (CT) scan in pediatric blunt trauma evaluation remains common. Previous studies suggest that a clinical model using examination and laboratory data may help predict intra-abdominal injuries (IAIs) and potentially limit unnecessary CT scans in children.

Imaging secondary metabolism of Streptomyces sp. Mg1 during cellular lysis and colony degradation of competing Bacillus subtilis.

Soil streptomycetes are saprotrophic bacteria that secrete numerous secondary metabolites and enzymes for extracellular functions. Many streptomycetes produce antibiotics thought to protect vegetative mycelia from competing organisms. Here we report that an organism isolated from soil, Streptomyces sp.

A facile method to synthesize histones with posttranslational modification mimics.

Using an evolved pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetase-tRNA(Pyl) pair, a Se-alkylselenocysteine was genetically incorporated into histone H3 with a high protein expression yield. Quantitative oxidative elimination of Se-alkylselenocysteine followed by Michael addition reactions with various thiol nucleophiles generated biologically active mimics of H3 with posttranslational modifications including lysine methylation, lysine acetylation, and serine phosphorylation.

Personality disorders in young adult survivors of pediatric burn injury.

Objective: Life experience shapes personality and chronic trauma in childhood has been associated with risk for development of subsequent personality disorder. The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence and character of personality disorders and traits in young adult survivors of severe pediatric burn injury. METHOD.

Care of the patient with an autism spectrum disorder by the general physician.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD), comprising classic autism, Asperger syndrome, Rett syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder and pervasive development disorder-not otherwise specified, represent complex neurodevelopmental conditions characterised by impaired social interactions, difficulties with communication and repetitive, stereotyped behaviours. It is estimated that up to 1% of the general population may be affected by an ASD. Whether due to improved diagnostic techniques or a true rise in incidence, the prevalence of patients with ASD is rising, and these individuals are increasingly encountered in a variety of healthcare settings.

State sovereign standing: often overlooked, but not forgotten.

Critics of Virginia's challenge to the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act have asserted that Virginia lacked standing to even raise the issue. Such criticism is inconsistent with foundational understandings of the role of states in providing a check on federal power and with the modern standing jurisprudence of the Supreme Court, especially as reflected in the Court's decisions regarding a state's sovereign interest in defending its code of laws. This Article demonstrates that, as a matter of constitutional design and history, as well as under relevant precedents, Virginia clearly had and has standing to bring its challenge.

The L-α-lysophosphatidylinositol/GPR55 system and its potential role in human obesity.

GPR55 is a putative cannabinoid receptor, and l-α-lysophosphatidylinositol (LPI) is its only known endogenous ligand. We investigated 1) whether GPR55 is expressed in fat and liver; 2) the correlation of both GPR55 and LPI with several metabolic parameters; and 3) the actions of LPI on human adipocytes. We analyzed CB1, CB2, and GPR55 gene expression and circulating LPI levels in two independent cohorts of obese and lean subjects, with both normal or impaired glucose tolerance and type 2 diabetes.

Neuropeptides of the cotton fleahopper, Pseudatomoscelis seriatus (Reuter).

The cotton fleahopper, Pseudatomoscelis seriatus (Reuter), is an economically important pest of cotton, and increasing concerns over resistance, detrimental effects on beneficial insects and safety issues associated with traditional insecticide applications have led to an interest in research on novel, alternative strategies for control. One such approach requires a more basic understanding of the neurohormonal system that regulates important physiological properties of the fleahopper; e.g.

Esophageal carcinoma advances in treatment results for locally advanced disease: review.

The treatment results of patients with locally advanced esophageal carcinomas have evolved since the publication of the first trial of concurrent mitomycin C and 5-fluorouracil with radiotherapy (RT) in 1983. Subsequent studies refined and improved on the concurrent chemotherapy (chemo) with administration of cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil infusion (PF). Chemo (PF) before surgery improved overall survival (OS) in those patients in most of the randomized trials and in meta-analyses.

Negative ion fragmentation of cysteic acid containing peptides: cysteic acid as a fixed negative charge.

We present here a study of the collision induced dissociation (CID) of deprotonated cysteic acid containing peptides produced by MALDI. The effect of cysteic acid (C(ox)) position is interrogated by considering the positional isomers, C(ox)LVINVLSQG, LVINVLSQGC(ox), and LVINVC(ox)LSQG. Although considerable variation between the CID spectra is observed, the mechanistic picture that emerges involves charge retention at the deprotonated cysteic acid side chain.

Studies of histidine as a suitable isoelectric buffer for tryptic digestion and isoelectric trapping fractionation followed by capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry for proteomic analysis.

The use of histidine as a protein digestion buffer followed by isoelectric trapping separations using "membrane separated wells for isoelectric focusing and trapping" (MSWIFT) and mass spectrometry (MS) analysis is described. Tryptic digestion of bovine serum albumin (BSA) performed in histidine buffered solutions yields similar amino acid sequence coverage values to those obtained using ammonium bicarbonate buffer. Time course studies suggest that histidine buffers provide faster migration of peptides from the loading compartment compared to digestions prepared in ammonium bicarbonate due to differences in conductivities of the two buffers.

Integrative problem-centered metaframeworks therapy II: planning, conversing, and reading feedback.

This is the second of 2 articles presenting Integrative Problem Centered Metaframeworks (IPCM) Therapy, a multisystemic, integrative, empirically informed, and common factor perspective for family, couple, and individual psychotherapy. The first article presented IPCM's foundation concepts and Blueprint for therapy, focusing on the first Blueprint component-Hypothesizing or assessment. This article, focusing on intervention, presents the other 3 Blueprint components-Planning, Conversing, and Feedback.

Integrative problem-centered metaframeworks therapy I: core concepts and hypothesizing.

Over the last 20 years psychotherapy and family therapy have been inundated with a plethora of empirically validated treatments for particular disorders. That trend will increase. Psychotherapists will increasingly be exhorted and ultimately required to integrate empirical data and multicultural competence into their practice.

Proteomic analysis of 3T3-L1 adipocyte mitochondria during differentiation and enlargement.

The increase in adipose tissue mass arises in part from progressive lipid loading and triglyceride accumulation in adipocytes. Enlarged adipocytes produce the highest levels of pro-inflammatory molecules and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Since mitochondria are the site for major metabolic processes (e.

Genomes and characterization of phages Bcep22 and BcepIL02, founders of a novel phage type in Burkholderia cenocepacia.

Within the Burkholderia cepacia complex, B. cenocepacia is the most common species associated with aggressive infections in the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients, causing disease that is often refractive to treatment by antibiotics. Phage therapy may be a potential alternative form of treatment for these infections.

Improving quality of life for older people in the community: findings from a local Partnerships for Older People Project innovation and evaluation.

Background: Partnerships for Older People Projects (POPP) was a national initiative in England aimed at improving health, well-being and quality of life (QoL) for older people by developing local services. This development paper reports the key findings of a local evaluation in relation to quality of life, well-being and health-related QoL to provide practical understanding at the local level about what this means in relation to the schemes delivered.

Objectives: To identify the impact of POPP schemes received by older people in Wigan on their QoL and well-being; and establish their feedback on services using local indicators.

Plant secondary metabolites and gut health: the case for phenolic acids.

Plant-based diets contain a plethora of secondary metabolites that may impact on health and disease prevention. Much attention has been focused on the potential bioactivity and nutritional relevance of several classes of phytochemicals such as flavonoids, carotenoids, phyto-oestrogens and glucosinolates. Less attention has been paid to simple phenolic acids that are widely found in fruit, vegetables, herbs, spices and beverages.

Co-stimulation modulation with abatacept in patients with recent-onset type 1 diabetes: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Background: The immunopathogenesis of type 1 diabetes mellitus is associated with T-cell autoimmunity. To be fully active, immune T cells need a co-stimulatory signal in addition to the main antigen-driven signal. Abatacept modulates co-stimulation and prevents full T-cell activation.

Not just a 'simple stroke'.

A 51-year-old man presenting with left arm weakness and slurred speech was referred to the acute medical team. Admission chest X-ray showed a cavitating lesion, which had not been present 2 weeks earlier. Systemic enquiry elicited a 2 month prodromal illness and back pain.

Effect of cysteic acid position on the negative ion fragmentation of proteolytic derived peptides.

A study on the effect of cysteic acid position on the types of fragment ions formed by collision-induced dissociation (CID) of [M - H](-) ions is presented. Of particular note is the observation of d-type fragment ions for peptides that contain an N-terminal cysteic acid (fixed negative charge) and cleavable amino acid side chains possessing a β-γ carbon-carbon bond. For example, the CID mass spectrum of oxidized cys-kemptide (C(ox)LRRASLG) [M - H + O(3)](-) ions contains abundant series of d-type fragment ions, and similar results are observed for oxidized cysteine-containing ribonuclease A proteolytic peptides.

Efficient electrophoretic method to remove neutral additives from protein solutions followed by mass spectrometry analysis.

A mass spectrometry (MS)-compatible, isoelectric point-based separation method for removal of neutral additives from protein solutions is described. The separation is performed by electrophoretic migration and trapping using a device referred to as membrane separated wells for isoelectric focusing and trapping (MSWIFT). Electrophoretic separation in the MSWIFT device is fast; the entire process can be carried out in a matter of minutes, and it does not require further sample cleanup prior to MS analysis.

High-protein, reduced-carbohydrate weight-loss diets promote metabolite profiles likely to be detrimental to colonic health.

Background: Diets that are high in protein but reduced in carbohydrate contents provide a common approach for achieving weight loss in obese humans. However, the effect of such diets on microbiota-derived metabolites that influence colonic health has not been established.

Objective: We designed this study to assess the effect of diets with reduced carbohydrate and increased protein contents on metabolites considered to influence long-term colonic health, in particular the risk of colorectal disease.