Non-proteinaceous salivary compounds of a predatory bug cause histopathological and cytotoxic effects in prey.

N,N-dimethylaniline and 1,2,5-trithiepane, present in the salivary glands of Podisus nigrispinus Dallas (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae), are toxic compounds which kill prey. The insecticidal activity and midgut cytotoxicity in Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E.

Tip-Enhanced Raman Imaging of Single-Stranded DNA with Single Base Resolution.

Tip-enhanced Raman scattering (TERS) is a promising optical and analytical technique for chemical imaging and sensing at single molecule resolution. In particular, TERS signals generated by a gap-mode configuration where a silver tip is coupled with a gold substrate can resolve a single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) molecule with a spatial resolution below 1 nm. To demonstrate the proof of subnanometer resolution, we show direct nucleic acid sequencing using TERS of a phage ssDNA (M13mp18).

Interventional Treatment of Severe Tricuspid Regurgitation: Early Clinical Experience in a Multicenter, Observational, First-in-Man Study.

Background: Transcatheter caval valve implantation is under evaluation as a treatment option for inoperable patients with severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR). The procedure involves the catheter-based implantation of bioprosthetic valves in the inferior vena cava and superior vena cava to treat symptoms associated with TR. This study is the first to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of this interventional concept.

Resegmentation in the Mexican axolotl, Ambystoma mexicanum.

The segmental series of somites in the vertebrate embryo gives rise to the axial skeleton. In amniote models, single vertebrae are derived from the sclerotome of two adjacent somites. This process, known as resegmentation, is well-studied using the quail-chick chimeric system, but the presumed generality of resegmentation across vertebrates remains poorly evaluated.

Unassisted childbirth or homicide--different appraisals of severe injuries in a newborn.

A case of a 24-year-old woman who gave birth to a mature newborn is reported. Many injuries at the head, neck and shoulders, back, mouth and throat which at least partly indicated unassisted childbirth were observed during autopsy. Some injuries, especially the different scull fractures were discussed controversially on trial.

Molecular mechanisms underlying origin and diversification of the angiosperm flower.

Background: Understanding the mode and mechanisms of the evolution of the angiosperm flower is a long-standing and central problem of evolutionary biology and botany. It has essentially remained unsolved, however. In contrast, considerable progress has recently been made in our understanding of the genetic basis of flower development in some extant model species.

Detection of viral genome in the myocardium: lack of prognostic and functional relevance in patients with acute dilated cardiomyopathy.

Background: The presence of viral genome in the myocardium of patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) has been suggested as causative for the underlying cardiac disease. Nevertheless, the results of present studies are conflicting regarding the natural course of heart diseases associated with detection of viral genome. This study was undertaken to determine if the detection of viral genome in the myocardium of patients with DCM is of functional and prognostic relevance under modern treatment strategies of heart insufficiency.

Legs evolved only at the end!

Talking about legged locomotion often evokes the idea that animals using such devices are perfectly adapted to this kind of motion and should be copied by robotics. The aim of this contribution is to show that the evolution of legs comes late in phylogeny, be it in arthropods or vertebrates. Neural control of legs in vertebrates has to deal with conservative arrangements 'invented' for axial locomotion of metameric organisms.

A novel model of selective lung ventilation to investigate the long-term effects of ventilation-induced lung injury.

Mechanical ventilation (MV) with large tidal volumes (V(T)) causes ventilator induced lung injury. Whereas immediate effects of short-term injurious ventilation are well studied, little is known about its long-term effects. We aimed to establish an animal model of selective injurious MV, permitting assessment of the long-term course of ventilation-induced lung injury.

Immunopathogenesis of dilated cardiomyopathy. Evidence for the role of TH2-type CD4+T lymphocytes and association with myocardial HLA-DR expression.

Background: An immunological pathogenesis underlying dilated cardiomyopathy and myocarditis has been suggested on the basis of the subtype of lymphocyte infiltrates and the degree of HLA expression in cardiac tissue. In the present study, we investigated the relation between the peripheral CD4+T-cell subset and the degree of HLA expression in the heart.

Methods: Fifty-four patients with heart insufficiency included in the study were biopsied after coronary heart disease had been excluded.

Treatment with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor for mobilization of bone marrow cells in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Background: This study was undertaken to evaluate the hypothesis that treatment with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) to mobilize bone marrow cells (BMCs) is feasible and safe and promotes neovascularization and myocardial function in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Methods: Fourteen patients in the treatment group and 9 patients in the control group were enrolled in this prospective, nonrandomized, open-label study. Forty-eight hours after successful recanalization and stent implantation, the patients of the treatment group received 10 microg/kg body weight per day G-CSF subcutaneously for mean treatment duration of 7.

Local sequence-structure motifs in RNA.

Ribonuclic acid (RNA) enjoys increasing interest in molecular biology; despite this interest fundamental algorithms are lacking, e.g. for identifying local motifs.

Lack of regeneration of myocardium by autologous intracoronary mononuclear bone marrow cell transplantation in humans with large anterior myocardial infarctions.

Background: Experimental and preliminary clinical data suggest that transplantation of autologous bone marrow cells (BMC) may contribute to regeneration of the myocardium after acute myocardial infarction. This approach should be tested in patients with large infarctions in whom a positive effect would be most beneficial.

Methods And Results: After successful recanalization within 5.

Efficient prediction of alternative splice forms using protein domain homology.

Alternative splicing can yield manifold different mature mRNAs from one precursor. New findings indicate that alternative splicing occurs much more often than previously assumed. A major goal of functional genomics lies in elucidating and characterizing the entire spectrum of alternative splice forms.

Pretreatment with sufentanil reduces myoclonus after etomidate.

Background: Myoclonic movements are a common problem during the induction of general anesthesia with etomidate. We investigated the influence of pretreatment with the opioid sufentanil on the incidence of etomidate-induced myoclonus.

Methods: Forty female patients (ASA physical status I-III) were randomly assigned to receive double-blinded either 0.