The effect of disgust-related side-effects on symptoms of depression and anxiety in people treated for cancer: a moderated mediation model

As maladaptive disgust responses are linked to mental health problems, and cancer patients may experience heightened disgust as a result of treatments they receive, we explored the associations between disgust-related side-effects and symptoms of depression and anxiety in people treated for cancer. One hundred and thirty two (83 women, M _age = 57.48 years) participants answered questions about their treatments, side-effects, disgust responding, and mental health. Experiencing bowel and/or bladder problems, sickness and/or nausea (referred to here as “core” disgust-related side-effects) was significantly related to greater symptoms of depression and borderline increased anxiety. Further, these links were explained by a moderated mediation model, whereby the effects of core disgust side-effects on depression and anxiety were mediated by (physical and behavioural) self-directed disgust, and disgust propensity moderated the effect of core disgust side-effects on self-disgust. These findings stress the importance of emotional responses, like disgust, in psychological adaptation to the side-effects of cancer treatments.     

An Exploratory Study on Resistance Spot Welding of Titanium Alloy Ti-6Al-4V

Resistance spot welding (RSW) is one of the most effective welding methods for titanium alloys, in particular Ti-6Al-4V. Ti-6Al-4V is one of the most used materials with its good ductility, high strength, weldability, corrosion resistance, and heat resistance. RSW and Ti-6Al-4V materials are often widely used in industrial manufacturing, particularly in automotive and aerospace industries. To understand the phenomenon of resistance spot weld quality, the physical and mechanical properties of Ti-6Al-4V spot weld are essential to be analyzed. In this study, an experiment was conducted using the Taguchi L9 method to find out the optimum level of the weld joint strength. The given optimum level sample was analyzed to study the most significant affecting RSW parameter, the failure mode, the weld nugget microstructure, and hardness values. The high heat input significantly affect the weld nugget temperature to reach and beyond the β-transus temperature. It led to an increase in the weld nugget diameter and the indentation depth. The expulsion appeared in the high heat input and decreased the weld nugget strength. It was caused by the molten material ejection in the fusion zone. The combination of high heat input and rapid air cooling at room temperature generated a martensite microstructure in the fusion zone. It increased the hardness, strength, and brittleness but decreased the ductility.     

Accessory pathway in left inferoposterior diverticulum masquerading as left posterior pathway due to conduction over coronary sinus to left atrium connection

We report the case of an accessory pathway in a left inferoposterior diverticulum. The pathway masqueraded as a true left lateral pathway due to the direction of activation over a coronary sinus to left atrium connection. The patient had undergone four prior failed ablation attempts at other institutions using both a transseptal and retrograde approach.     

Use of a capillary input function with cardiac output for the estimation of lesion pharmacokinetic parameters: preliminary results on a breast cancer patient

The objective of this work was to propose and demonstrate a novel technique for the assessment of tumour pharmacokinetic parameters together with a regionally estimated vascular input function. A breast cancer patient T2*-weighted dynamic contrast enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) dataset acquired at high temporal resolution during the first-pass bolus perfusion was used for testing the technique. Extraction of the lesion volume transfer constant K(trans) together with the intravascular plasma volume fraction v(p) was achieved by optimizing a capillary input function with a measure of cardiac output using the principle of intravascular indicator dilution theory. For a region of interest drawn within the breast lesion a v(p) of 0.16 and a K(trans) of 0.70 min(-1) were estimated. Despite the value of v(p) being higher than expected, estimated K(trans) was in accordance with the literature values. In conclusion, the technique proposed here, has the main advantage of allowing the estimation of breast tumour pharmacokinetic parameters from first-pass perfusion T2*-weighted DCE-MRI data without the need of measuring an arterial input function. The technique may also have applicability to T1-weighted DCE-MRI data.     

Chisomicines A-C, limonoids from Chisocheton ceramicus

Three new limonoids, chisomicines A-C (1-3), have been isolated from the bark of Chisocheton ceramicus. Their structures were determined by 2D NMR, CD spectroscopic methods, and X-ray analysis. Chisomicine A (1) exhibited NO production inhibitory activity in J774.1 cells stimulated by LPS dose-dependently at high cell viability.     

A survey of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in pigs in Indonesia

In August 1994, blood samples were collected from 110 pigs at a slaughter house in Bandar Lampung (Sumatra) and from 98 pigs in a slaughter house in Ujung Pandang (Sulawesi), 208 pigs in total. Anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibody titer in these samples was surveyed using the latex agglutination test. The positivity rate was 3.6% (4/110) in Bandar Lampung, and 9.2% (9/98) in Ujung Pandang. The antibody titer was 1:128 in two and 1:512 in two in Bandar Lampung, and 1:64 in six, 1:128 in two, and 1:256 in one in Ujung Pandang, showing that the titer was higher in Bandar Lampung.     

Distribution and Elimination of the Somatostatin Analogue (111In-DTPA-D-Phe1)-Octreotide (OctreoScan111)

The distribution and elimination characteristics of the ¹¹¹In-labelled somatostatin analogue OctreoScan111 were studied in 23 patients with malignant tumours. The substance exhibited a rapid blood elimination following a bi-phasic pattern. The initial part of the elimination curves showed a t 1/2^a of between 0.27 and 3.6 h. The patients investigated had creatinine clearance rates ranging from 33 to 124 ml/min. However, within this range, no apparent correlation was found between the OctreoScan111 elimination rate and kidney function. Also no correlation was observed between the amount of administered activity and the elimination rate of OctreoScan111. The serum radioactivity of 6 patients was analyzed with respect to molecular size. These experiments showed that OctreoScan111 circulated unbound in serum. About 3% of the radioactivity, most probably representing ¹¹¹In-chloride of DTPA-¹¹¹In-chloride, circulated protein-bound. The elimination of OctreoScan111 radioactivity in urine displayed a bi-phasic pattern. Size separation of the radioactivity appearing in the urine after 24 h showed a higher molecular weight when compared with OctreoScanlll, indicating the existence of a metabolite of the injected substance. The results obtained are discussed in the light of a potential role for the substance in systemic radiotherapy.     

Chlorella vulgaris Ameliorates Oxidative Stress and Improves the Muscle Regenerative Capacity of Young and Old Sprague-Dawley Rats

Muscle atrophy in ageing is a multifactorial degenerative process impacted by cellular ageing biology, which includes oxidative stress. Chlorella vulgaris is a coccoid green eukaryotic microalga rich in antioxidants. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of C. vulgaris in ameliorating oxidative stress, thus elucidating its mechanism in improving muscle mass, strength and function in young and old rats. Fifty-six male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats aged 3 months (young) and 21 months (old) were divided into three groups: Group 1 (control) was given distilled water; Group 2 was treated with 150 mg/kg body weight (BW) of C. vulgaris; and Group 3 was treated with 300 mg/kg BW of C. vulgaris for three months. Grip and muscle strength and muscle integrity were determined on days 0, 30, 60, and 90 of treatment. Urine and blood were collected on days 0 and 90 of treatment for oxidative stress marker determination, while the gastrocnemius muscles were collected for muscle oxidative stress analysis. Increased grip strength of the front and hind paws was observed in young C. vulgaris-treated rats on days 30, 60, and 90 compared to the untreated control on the same days (p < 0.05). There was a significant increase in lean bone mineral content (BMC) in young rats treated with 300 mg/kg BW C. vulgaris compared to untreated rats on days 30 and 60. The fat mass was significantly decreased in young and old C. vulgaris-treated rats on day 90 compared to the untreated control. The total path was significantly increased for old rats treated with 300 mg/kg BW C. vulgaris on days 60 and 90 compared to day 0. Young and old C. vulgaris-treated rats demonstrated a significant decrease in urinary isoprostane F_2t and plasma creatine kinase-MM (CKMM) compared to the control on day 90. A significant decrease in malondialdehyde (MDA) and 4-hydroxyalkenal (HAE) levels were observed in young and old rats treated with C. vulgaris. C. vulgaris improved the muscle mass, strength, and function in young and old rats. This effect could be due to its potency in ameliorating oxidative stress in the skeletal muscle of young and old rats.