Stoma formation is a common paediatric surgical procedure and yet, there is no low-cost stoma model for technical skills training We describe a low-cost low-fidelity simulator for stoma formation made from simple easily available materials using porcine bowel and skin The model was introduced at a regional training day for paediatric surgical registrars All the trainees rated it as excellent and life-like We describe an inexpensive stoma model for simulation-based training in technical skills especially in low-middle-income countries LMICs due to the cost benefitBACKGROUND Upper-limb spasticity frequently occurs after stroke and there is a clinical need for more effective therapies The Phase III J-PURE study assessed the efficacy and safety of incobotulinumtoxinA up to 400 U for post-stroke upper-limb spasticity in Japan METHODS In the 12-week main period MP of this double-blind, placebo-controlled study, Japanese subjects with upper-limb spasticity received one injection cycle of incobotulinumtoxinA 400 U, 250 U, or matching placebo Eligible subjects enrolled in an open-label extension OLEX period of three injection cycles of incobotulinumtoxinA 400 U 32-40nbsp;weeks The primary objective was to establish the efficacy of a single incobotulinumtoxinA injection using the Modified Ashworth Scale MAS wrist score Secondary efficacy outcomes and safety were also assessed RESULTS Among 100 treated subjects, AUCs for incobotulinumtoxinA 400 and 250 U were significantly different versus placebo p = 00014 and p = 00031, respectively for change from baseline in MAS wrist score to the end of the MP, with similar results from baseline to week 4 IncobotulinumtoxinA 400 U was superior versus placebo across other spasticity patterns and at most study visits Improvements were maintained throughout the OLEX period Disability Assessment Scale and Investigator's Clinical Global Impression scores improved significantly for incobotulinumtoxinA 400nbsp;U versus placebo from baseline to week 4 p = 00067 and p  less then  00001, respectively IncobotulinumtoxinA was well tolerated up to 52nbsp;weeks, with no unexpected adverse events CONCLUSION IncobotulinumtoxinA reduced pathologically increased muscle tone, improved functionality and was well tolerated in Japanese subjects with post-stroke upper-limb spasticityThe original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistakeThere is mounting evidence regarding the role of impairment in neuromodulatory networks for neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease However, the role of neuromodulatory networks in multiple sclerosis MS has not been assessed  https//wwwselleckchemcom/products/Carboplatinhtml  We applied resting-state functional connectivity and graph theory to investigate the changes in the functional connectivity within neuromodulatory networks including the serotonergic, noradrenergic, cholinergic, and dopaminergic systems in MS Twenty-nine MS patients and twenty-four age- and gender-matched healthy controls performed clinical and cognitive assessments including the expanded disability status score, symbol digit modalities test, and Hamilton Depression rating scale We demonstrated a diffuse reorganization of network topography P  less then  001 in serotonergic, cholinergic, noradrenergic, and dopaminergic networks in patients with MS Serotonergic, noradrenergic, and cholinergic network functional connectivity derangement was associated with disease duration, EDSS, and depressive symptoms P  less then  001 Derangements in serotonergic, noradrenergic, cholinergic, and dopaminergic network impairment were associated with cognitive abilities P  less then  001 Our results indicate that functional connectivity changes within neuromodulatory networks might be a useful tool in predicting disability burden over time, and could serve as a surrogate endpoint to assess efficacy for symptomatic treatmentsIn this study, we investigate the thermodynamic mechanisms by which electron transfer proteins adapt to environmental temperature by directly comparing the redox properties and folding stability of a psychrophilic cytochrome c and a mesophilic homolog Our model system consists of two cytochrome c6 proteins from diatoms one adapted specifically to polar environments, the other adapted generally to surface ocean environments Direct electrochemistry shows that the midpoint potential for the mesophilic homolog is slightly higher at all temperatures measured Cytochrome c6 from the psychrophilic diatom unfolds with a melting temperature 104nbsp;°C lower than the homologous mesophilic cytochrome c6 Changes in free energy upon unfolding are identical, within error, for the psychrophilic and mesophilic protein; however, the chemical unfolding transition of the psychrophilic cytochrome c6 is more cooperative than for the mesophilic cytochrome c6 Substituting alanine residues found in the mesophile with serine found in corresponding positions of the psychrophile demonstrates that burial of the polar serine both decreases the thermal stability and decreases the midpoint potential The mutagenesis data, combined with differences in the m-value of chemical denaturation, suggest that differences in solvent accessibility of the hydrophobic core underlie the adaptation of cytochrome c6 to differing environmental temperatureThe binding interactions of a series of square-planar platinumII-phenanthroline complexes of the type [PtPLAL]2+ [where PL = variously methyl-substituted 1,10-phenanthroline phen and AL = ethane-1,2-diamine en] were assessed with a G-quadruplex DNA 5'-TTG GGG GT-3', G4DNA and a double-stranded DNA 5'-CGC GAA TTC GCG-3', dsDNA sequence by ESI-MS The results indicate a strong correlation between G4DNA affinity and increasing phenanthroline methyl substitution Circular dichroism CD spectroscopy and molecular docking studies also support the finding that increased substitution of the phenanthroline ligand increased selectivity for G4DNA ESI-MS was used to probe the interaction of a range of square-planar PtII-phenanthroline complexes with double-stranded and G-quadruplex DNA