Capillary morphogenesis protein-2 is required for mouse parturition by maintaining uterine collagen homeostasis.

Capillary morphogenesis protein-2 (CMG2) functions as an anthrax toxin receptor that plays an essential role in anthrax pathogenesis. Although mutations in CMG2 have been identified to cause two human autosomal recessive disorders, Juvenile Hyaline Fibromatosis and Infantile Systemic Hyalinosis, both characterized by excess hyaline material deposition in connective tissues, the physiologic function of CMG2 remains elusive. To study the roles of CMG2 in normal physiology, here we performed detailed histological analyses of the CMG2-null mice we generated previously.

Assessment of volar radiocarpal ligaments: MR arthrographic and arthroscopic correlation.

Objective: The purpose of this study, with wrist arthroscopy as the reference standard, was to assess the usefulness of MRI in the detection of tears of the radioscaphocapitate and long radiolunate extrinsic carpal ligaments.

Materials And Methods: The cases of 26 patients consecutively registered from 2003 to 2009 who underwent wrist arthroscopy and wrist MR arthrography at our institution were identified. MR images were read by a musculoskeletal radiologist blinded to the arthroscopic findings.

Increasing incidence of shoulder arthroplasty in the United States.

Background: The number of total shoulder arthroplasties performed in the United States increased slightly between 1990 and 2000. However, the incidence of shoulder arthroplasty in recent years has not been well described. The purpose of the present study was to examine recent trends in shoulder hemiarthroplasty and total shoulder arthroplasty along with the common reasons for these surgical procedures in the United States.

Toxicity of chlorothalonil containing formulation and Cu-sulphate to chicken.

The agrochemicals are being used increasing amounts in plant protection. The plant protection must pay close attention to the decrease or complete elimination of the damage to the environment which affects wildlife, because the cultivated plants provided not only feedstuffs for wild birds but a living and hatching territory as well. The pesticides sprayed during the plant protection activities might have an influence not only on mature birds but also on the embryos in the eggs.

Hip fractures in the United States: 2008 nationwide emergency department sample.

Objective: To evaluate the recent epidemiology of hip fractures in the US.

Methods: We identified hip fracture cases from the 2008 Nationwide Emergency Department Sample, which contains more than 28 million emergency department (ED) records.

Results: In 2008, approximately 341,000 (95% confidence interval 323,000-358,000) patients visited EDs with hip fractures.

Epidemiology of humerus fractures in the United States: nationwide emergency department sample, 2008.

Objective: To evaluate the occurrence of emergency department (ED) visits due to humerus fractures in the US.

Methods: We analyzed the 2008 Nationwide Emergency Department Sample, which contained approximately 28 million ED records. We identified the cases of interest using diagnostic codes for proximal, shaft, and distal humerus fractures.

Suppression of Tumorigenicity-14, encoding matriptase, is a critical suppressor of colitis and colitis-associated colon carcinogenesis.

Colitis-associated colorectal cancers are an etiologically distinct subgroup of colon cancers that occur in individuals suffering from inflammatory bowel disease and arise as a consequence of persistent exposure of hyperproliferative epithelial stem cells to an inflammatory microenvironment. An intrinsic defect in the intestinal epithelial barrier has been proposed to be one of several factors that contribute to the inappropriate immune response to the commensal microbiota that underlies inflammatory bowel disease. Matriptase is a membrane-anchored serine protease encoded by Suppression of Tumorigenicity-14 (ST14) that strengthens the intestinal epithelial barrier by promoting tight junction formation.

Expression and genetic loss of function analysis of the HAT/DESC cluster proteases TMPRSS11A and HAT.

Genome mining at the turn of the millennium uncovered a new family of type II transmembrane serine proteases (TTSPs) that comprises 17 members in humans and 19 in mice. TTSPs phylogenetically belong to one of four subfamilies: matriptase, hepsin/TMPRSS, corin and HAT/DESC. Whereas a wealth of information now has been gathered as to the physiological functions of members of the hepsin/TMPRSS, matriptase, and corin subfamilies of TTSPs, comparatively little is known about the functions of the HAT/DESC subfamily of proteases.

Membrane-anchored serine proteases in vertebrate cell and developmental biology.

Analysis of vertebrate genome sequences at the turn of the millennium revealed that a vastly larger repertoire of enzymes execute proteolytic cleavage reactions within the pericellular and extracellular environments than was anticipated from biochemical and molecular analysis. Most unexpected was the unveiling of an entire new family of structurally unique multidomain serine proteases that are anchored directly to the plasma membrane. Unlike secreted serine proteases, which function primarily in tissue repair, immunity, and nutrient uptake, these membrane-anchored serine proteases regulate fundamental cellular and developmental processes, including tissue morphogenesis, epithelial barrier function, ion and water transport, cellular iron export, and fertilization.

Phototransformation of ibuprofen and ketoprofen in aqueous solutions.

The UV (254 nm) and UV/VUV (254/185 nm) photolysis of two anti-inflammatory drugs, ibuprofen and ketoprofen, have been studied in aqueous solutions as a possible process for the removal of non-biodegradable compounds. We have examined the effects of dissolved oxygen and initial target concentration. Upon irradiation at 254 nm, the decomposition rate of ketoprofen is almost forty times higher as it of ibuprofen whilst VUV irradiation only increased the ibuprofen decomposition rate.

Validation of a prognostic function for renal transplant recipients in Hungary.

Background: Renal transplantation (RTx) is the treatment of choice for end-stage renal failure, but these patients are increasingly older and have additional conditions leading to high mortality after RTx. The aim of our study was to validate a Spanish prognostic function that estimates survival in Hungarian renal transplant recipients.

Methods: We estimated the 5-year survival of 339 patients who received a cadaver kidney between 1 January 1991 and 15 September 2004 at the Center of Transplantation, Medical and Health Science Centre, University of Debrecen, and who were followed up until death or 15 September 2009.

HD 181068: a red giant in a triply eclipsing compact hierarchical triple system.

Hierarchical triple systems comprise a close binary and a more distant component. They are important for testing theories of star formation and of stellar evolution in the presence of nearby companions. We obtained 218 days of Kepler photometry of HD 181068 (magnitude of 7.

Biomechanical properties of volar hybrid and locked plate fixation in distal radius fractures.

Purpose: We compare the biomechanical properties of a volar hybrid construct to an all-locking construct in an osteoporotic and normal comminuted distal radius fracture model.

Methods: Groups of 28 normal, 28 osteoporotic, and 28 over-drilled osteoporotic left distal radius synthetic bones were used. The normal group consisted of synthetic bone with a standard foam core.

Prevalence and significance of fluoroquinolone resistant Escherichia coli in patients undergoing transrectal ultrasound guided prostate needle biopsy.

Purpose: We estimated the prevalence of fluoroquinolone resistant Escherichia coli in patients undergoing repeat transrectal ultrasound guided prostate needle biopsy and identified high risk groups.

Materials And Methods: From January 2009 to March 2010 rectal swabs of 136 men from 3 institutions undergoing transrectal ultrasound guided prostate needle biopsy were obtained. There were 33 men with no previous biopsy who served as the controls.

c-Met-induced epithelial carcinogenesis is initiated by the serine protease matriptase.

The progression and negative outcome of a variety of human carcinomas are intimately associated with aberrant activity of the c-Met oncogene. The underlying cause of this dysregulation, however, remains a subject of discussion, as the majority of cancer patients do not present with activating mutations in c-Met receptor itself. In this study, we show that the oncogenic protease matriptase is ubiquitously co-expressed with the c-Met in human squamous cell carcinomas and amplifies migratory and proliferative responses of primary epithelial cells to the cognate ligand for c-Met, pro-hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (proHGF/SF), through c-Met and Gab1 signaling.

Toxicity of S-metolachlor containing formulation and heavy metals to chicken embryos.

Environmental pollution of metal modelled by copper sulphate, cadmium sulphate and a 960 g/l S-metolachlor containing herbicide formulation (Dual Gold 960 EC) were studied on chicken embryos after administration as a single compounds or in combination. The test materials were injected into the air-chamber in a volume of 0.1 ml/egg on day 0 of incubation.

Allelopathic effects of ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.) on cultivated plants.

During the past years ragweed has been coming to the forefront of interest in Hungary and in other European countries as well because its serious health risk. Results of the 5th National Weed Survey has proven that ragweed is the most important weed species on Hungarian field lands, its coverage shows a rising tendency in cereals moreover it not only occurs in cultivated plants. Allelopathic effects of aqueous extracts derived from different parts of ragweed plants (air dried leafy stems, seeds) on the germination and growth of other cultivated plants [maize (Zea mays L.

Allelopathic effect of Bromus spp. and Lolium spp. shoot extracts on some crops.

Allelopathy is an untapped resource for weed control in crops that could give good possibilities for environmentally sound, integrated crop production. Allelopathy is defined as the direct or indirect harmful or beneficial effects of one plant on another through the production of chemical compounds, called allelochemicals, which escape into the environment. Allelochemicals can be produced by weeds and affect crops, and the reverse is also true.

Daunomycin-polypeptide conjugates with antitumor activity.

We have developed a group of water-soluble drug conjugates in which daunomycin (Dau) is coupled to cationic, amphoteric or anionic branched polypeptides and a new conjugate containing a cationic polypeptide carrier modified with a cell penetrating octaarginine. We investigated in vitro physiological activity of these conjugates in several aspects: in vitro cytotoxicity and cytostatic effect, adhesion and cellular uptake were examined on murine (J774 and L1210) and human (MonoMac6 and HL-60) leukemia cell lines and on murine bone marrow derived macrophages. We found that these processes are dependent on the properties of the carrier, on experimental conditions like concentration and incubation time.

Matriptase initiates activation of epidermal pro-kallikrein and disease onset in a mouse model of Netherton syndrome.

Deficiency in the serine protease inhibitor LEKTI is the etiological origin of Netherton syndrome, which causes detachment of the stratum corneum and chronic inflammation. Here we show that the membrane protease matriptase initiates Netherton syndrome in a LEKTI-deficient mouse model by premature activation of a pro-kallikrein cascade. Auto-activation of pro-inflammatory pro-kallikrein-related peptidases that are associated with stratum corneum detachment was either low or undetectable, but they were efficiently activated by matriptase.

Fast track surgery: a clinical audit.

Background: Fast track surgery is a concept that utilises a variety of techniques to reduce the surgical stress response, allowing a shortened length of stay, improved outcomes and decreased time to full recovery.

Aims: To evaluate a peri-operative Fast Track Surgical Protocol (FTSP) in patients referred for abdominal surgery.

Methods: All patients undergoing a laparotomy over a 12-month period were entered prospectively on a clinical database.

Membrane-anchored serine protease matriptase regulates epithelial barrier formation and permeability in the intestine.

The intestinal epithelium serves as a major protective barrier between the mammalian host and the external environment. Here we show that the transmembrane serine protease matriptase plays a pivotol role in the formation and integrity of the intestinal epithelial barrier. St14 hypomorphic mice, which have a 100-fold reduction in intestinal matriptase mRNA levels, display a 35% reduction in intestinal transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER).

Study of the toxic effects of an insecticide and copper sulphate on chicken embryos.

The toxic effects of the BI 58 EC insecticide (38% dimethoate) applied alone or in combination with copper sulphate were studied on chicken embryo in the early phase of development. The test materials were injected in 0.1-0.