qMRI relaxometry of mandibular bone marrow: A monomodal distribution in sickle cell disease

Purpose:

To identify and characterize sickle cell disease (SCD)‐related changes in the composition of mandibular bone marrow using qMRI relaxometry histograms.

Materials and Methods:

Thirteen SCD patients and 17 controls underwent brain MR imaging with the mixed turbo spin‐echo (TSE) pulse sequence at 1.5T. The mandible was manually segmented and divided into body, angle, ramus, and condyle. T1 and T2 histograms of each mandible were modeled with Gaussian functions. The relaxation time histogram peaks were calculated, and the number of monomodal versus bimodal curves was compared.

Results:

SCD patients exhibited monomodal distributions on both T1 and T2 histograms, consistent with a composition of predominantly red hematopoietic marrow. Eighty‐eight percent of mandibles in control subjects exhibited a bimodal distribution in T1 and all showed a bimodal distribution in T2, indicating mixed but predominantly yellow marrow composition. The second peak in control subjects was shorter in T1 and longer in T2, consistent with yellow marrow composition.

Conclusion:

Instead of physiological fatty replacement, SCD patients exhibit red marrow persistence in the mandible, likely due to the increased demand for hematopoiesis. This phenomenon can be manifested by a monomodal curve in both T1 and T2 relaxometric histograms. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2013;37:1182–1188. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Bioaccumulation and Distribution of Metals in Sediments and Avicenna marina Tissues in the Hara Biosphere Reserve, Iran

The metal pollution in Sediments and Avicenna marina tissues in the Hara Biosphere Reserve was monitored for Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), and Nickel (Ni) with atomic absorption spectrometer. The results showed that the mean concentration of Pb, Cd, and Ni in the water and sediments were much higher than the recommended threshold limits in the most stations, also the highest means of Pb, Cd, and Ni were observed in Avicenna roots and it were 25.26?±?4.86, 2.17?±?0.74, and 26.72?±?6.17 (μg?g(-1)) respectively. Calculating BCF (bioconcentration factor) index illustrates that A. marina accumulates Pb, Cd, and Ni 1.62, 1.52 and 0.73 times greater than sediment levels respectively, So it can show that A. marina may be employed as a biological indicator exposure of Cd, Pb, and Ni with temporal monitoring, also the factories were main sources of metals contamination in the Hara Biosphere Reserve.     

A facile and efficient route to one-pot synthesis of new cyclophanes using vinamidinium salts

In this study, an efficient method for the synthesis of new cyclophanes (5a–f, 6a–g) through the condensation of 1,4-phenylenedimethanamine (3) or 2,3,5,6-tetramethylbenzene-1,4-diamine (4) with 2-substituted vinamidiniums (2a–g) is described. The cyclophane derivatives are obtained in good to excellent yields in the presence of acetic acid in refluxing acetonitrile after 15 h. The structure of new compounds was validated based on their spectral data (¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, IR) and elemental analysis.

New cyclophane derivatives are synthesized from the reaction of γ-substituted vinamidinium salts with 1,4-phenylenedimethanamine and 2,3,5,6-tetramethylbenzene-1,4-diamine in the presence of acetic acid and acetonitrile as solvent.     

Extensive Methylation of Promoter Sequences Silences Lentiviral Transgene Expression During Stem Cell Differentiation In Vivo

Lentiviral vectors (LV) are widely used to stably transfer genes into target cells investigating or treating gene functions. In addition, gene transfer into early murine embryos may be improved to efficiently generate transgenic mice. We applied lentiviral gene transfer to generate a mouse model transgenic for SET binding protein-1 (Setbp1) and enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP). Neither transgenic founders nor their vector-positive offspring transcribed or expressed the transgenes. Bisulfite sequencing of the internal spleen focus-forming virus (SFFV) promoter demonstrated extensive methylation of all analyzed CpGs in the transgenic mice. To analyze the impact of Setbp1 on epigenetic silencing, embryonic stem cells (ESC) were differentiated into cardiomyocytes (CM) in vitro. In contrast to human promoters in LV, virally derived promoter sequences were strongly methylated during differentiation, independent of the transgene. Moreover, the commonly used SFFV promoter (SFFVp) was highly methylated with remarkable strength and frequency during hematopoietic differentiation in vivo in LV but less in γ-retroviral (γ-RV) backbones. In summary, we conclude that LV using an internal SFFVp are not suitable to generate transgenic mice or perform constitutive expression studies in differentiating cells. Choosing the appropriate promoter is also crucial to allow stable transgene expression in clinical gene therapy.     

The quality of work life of registered nurses in Canada and the United States: a comprehensive literature review

Background: Workplace environment is related to the physical and psychological well-being, and quality of work life (QWL) for nurses.

Objective: The aim of this paper was to perform a comprehensive literature review on nurses’ quality of work life to identify a comprehensive set of QWL predictors for nurses employed in the United States and Canada.

Methods: Using publications from 2004–2014, contributing factors to American and Canadian nurses’ QWL were analyzed. The review was structured using the Work Disability Prevention Framework. Sixty-six articles were selected for analysis.

Results: Literature indicated that changes are required within the workplace and across the health care system to improve nurses' QWL. Areas for improvement to nurses’ quality of work life included treatment of new nursing graduates, opportunities for continuing education, promotion of positive collegial relationships, stress-reduction programs, and increased financial compensation.

Conclusions: This review’s findings support the importance of QWL as an indicator of nurses’ broader work-related experiences. A shift in health care systems across Canada and the United States is warranted where health care delivery and services are improved in conjunction with the health of the nurses working in the system.     

Finite mixture regression model analysis on antipsychotics induced weight gain: Investigation of the role of the serotonergic genes

Antipsychotics-induced weight gain is a complex phenomenon with a relevant underlying genetic basis. Polymorphisms of serotonin receptors and related proteins were genotyped in 139 schizophrenia patients and incorporated as covariates in a mixture regression model of weight gain in combination with clinical covariates. The HTR1D rs6300 polymorphism was showing a slight significance conferring risk for obesity (heavy weight gain group) under additive model. After correcting for multiple testing all the genetic predictors were non-significant, however the clinical predictors were associated with the risk of heavy weight gain. These findings suggest a role of ethnicity and olanzapine in increasing the risk for obesity in the heavy weight gain group and haloperidol protecting against heavy weight gain. The mixture regression model appears to be a useful strategy to highlight different weight gain subgroups that are affected differently by clinical and genetic predictors.     

Workplace support for employees with cancer

Objective

The aim of the present study was to survey human resources personnel about how their northeastern Ontario workplaces assist employees with cancer.

Study Design and Setting

This cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2007 to April 2008. Surveys were sent to 255 workplaces in northeastern Ontario with 25 or more employees, and 101 workplaces responded (39.6% response rate). Logistic regression modelling was used to identify factors associated with more or less workplace support. More or less workplace support was defined by provision of paid time to employees with medical appointments and an offer of a return-to-work meeting and reduced hours for employees with cancer. Factors considered in the model included organization size, geographic location (urban, rural), and workplace type (private sector, public sector).

Results

Most of the human resources staff who completed the surveys were women (67.4%), and respondents ranged in age from 25 to 70 years (mean: 45.30 ± 8.10 years). Respondents reported working for organizations that ranged in size from 25 to more than 9000 employees. In the logistic regression model, large organization size [odds ratio (or): 6.97; 95% confidence interval (ci): 1.34 to 36.2] and public sector (or: 4.98; 95% ci: 1.16 to 21.3) were associated with employer assistance. Public sector employers provided assistance at a rate 5 times that of private sector employers, and large organizations (>50 employees) provided assistance at a rate 7 times that of smaller organizations.

Conclusions

In the population studied, employees with cancer benefit from working in larger and public sector organizations. The data suggest a need for further support for employees with cancer in some other organizations.     

Measurement of melatonin in alcoholic and hot water extracts of Tanacetum parthenium, Tripleurospermum disciforme and Viola odorata

BACKGROUND AND THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: Melatonin has recently been found in several plant tissues. Some reports show that the majority of the herbs containing the high level of melatonin have been used traditionally to treat neurological disorders or diseases associated with the generation of free radicals. Current study was undertaken to screen some medicinal plant species with historical evidence of efficacy in the treatment of neurological and antioxidant deficiency related disorders for their melatonin content. The melatonin content of boiled and alcoholic extracts were also compared. METHODS: In this study, three medicinal herbs, Tanacetum parthenium (L.) Schultz. Bip. (Asteraceae), Tripleurospermum disciforme (C.A.Mey) Schultz. Bip. (Asteraceae) and Viola odorata (L.) (Violaceae) were analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detector (HPLC-UV), enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and thin layer chromatography (TLC). RESULTS: Melatonin content in the dry plant powders differed with different assay methods (p < 0.001). For example, the melatonin content in T. disciforme was determined as 3.073 μg/g and 2.906 μg/g by the HPLC and the ELISA methods, respectively. MAJOR CONCLUSION: The results demonstrated that a hydroalcoholic solution could extract more melatonin from flowers of the herbs than hot water (p < 0.001). The presence of melatonin in these plant tissues may provide some explanation for the anecdotal evidence of their physiological effects in humans.