Methods: The current study was a follow-up of children who were enrolled in a randomized cluster trial at 7-12 mo of age. Children in 12 intervention clusters (communities) were administered a daily 22-element MNP sachet with their food for 5 mo,

and both intervention and control groups (also 12 clusters) received nutrition, health, and hygiene education. The current study involved the assessment of children at 16-22 mo of age (22-element MNP group: n = 96; control group: n = 82) on 3 subtests of the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development III test to measure cognitive, receptive language, and expressive language development. Results: There was a significant effect of the 22-element MNP on children’s expressive language scores (d = 0.39), and stunting moderated the effect on receptive language scores; there was no effect Selleckchem BEZ235 click here on cognitive development (d = 0.08). Conclusion: An MNP may thus offer one feasible solution to improve language development of LBW-T children in low-resource community settings. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01455636.”
“The purpose

of this study was to investigate characteristics of transungual drug delivery and the feasibility of developing a drug-in-adhesive formulation of terbinafine. The permeation of terbinafine from a PSA matrix across porcine hoof membrane was determined using a plate containing poloxamer gel. The permeation rate of terbinafine across hairless mouse skin was evaluated using a flow-through diffusion cell system. The permeation of terbinafine across the hoof membranes was the highest from the silicone adhesive matrix, followed by PIB, and most of the acrylic adhesives, SIS, and

SBS. The rank order of permeation rate across mice skin was different from the rank order across porcine hooves. The amount of terbinafine permeated across the porcine hoof membranes poorly correlated with the amount of terbinafine remaining inside the hooves after 20 days, however, the ratio between rate of terbinafine partitioning into the hoof membrane and its rate of diffusion across the membrane was relatively constant GSK1120212 within the same type of PSA. For influence of various vehicles in enhancing permeation of terbinafine across the hoof membrane, all vehicles except Labrasol(A (R)) showed tendency to improve permeation rate. However, the enhancement ratio of a given vehicle differed from one adhesive to another with a moderate correlation between them. The infrared spectrum of the hoof treated with NMP, PPG 400 or PEG 200 indicated that the conformation of keratin changed from a non-helical to a helical structure.”
“Introduction: Obesity is an epidemic associated with significant morbidity.

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“Background: The regulatory

buy AZD8055 information encoded in the DNA of promoter regions usually enforces a minimal, non-zero distance between the coding regions of neighboring genes. However, the size of this minimal regulatory space is not generally known. In particular, it is unclear if minimal promoter size differs between species and between uni- and bi-directionally acting regulatory regions.\n\nResults: Analyzing the genomes of 11 yeasts, we show that the lower size limit on promoter-containing regions is species-specific within a relatively narrow range (80-255 bp). This size limit applies equally to regions that initiate transcription on one or both strands, indicating that bi-directional promoters and uni-directional promoters are constrained similarly. We further find that young, species-specific regions are on average much longer than older regions, suggesting either a bias https://www.selleckchem.com/products/stattic.html towards deletions or selection for genome compactness in yeasts. While the length evolution of promoter-less intergenic regions is well described by a simplistic, purely neutral model, regions containing promoters typically show an excess of unusually long regions. Regions

flanked by divergently transcribed genes have a bi-modal length distribution, with short lengths found preferentially among older regions. These old, short regions likely harbor evolutionarily conserved bi-directionally active promoters. Surprisingly, some of the evolutionarily youngest regions in two of the eleven species (S. cerevisiae and K. waltii) are shorter than the lower limit observed in older regions.\n\nConclusions: The minimal chromosomal space required for transcriptional regulation appears to be relatively similar across yeast species, and is the

same for uni-directional and bi-directional promoters. New intergenic Galardin purchase regions created by genome rearrangements tend to evolve towards the more narrow size distribution found among older regions.”
“The rapid diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) and latent tuberculosis infections (LTBI) is a significant problem in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot (ELISPOT) assay measuring interferon-gamma in hepatitis C patients with LTBI. A total of 160 hepatitis C patients at the Jilin University Hospital, Changchun, China, were prospectively enrolled from January 2009 to December 2010; 43 had been positively diagnosed with TB, 38 with non-TB diseases, and 79 with a history of TB. All patients were evaluated by the tuberculin skin test (TST) and ELISPOT assays. Among the 43 diagnosed TB patients, the ELISPOT assay had a sensitivity of 92.1%, compared to a sensitivity of 60.5% for the TST. Among the 79 TB exposure patients, the ELISPOT assay was more sensitive (90%) than the TST (61.5%), the specificity of the ELISPOT assay was 90%, and the specificity of the TST was 61.5% in LTBI.

An extremely halophilic isolate, strain IC10, showing lipase and protease activities and identified as a Salicola strain of potential biotechnological interest, was further RG-7112 clinical trial studied. The optimum growth conditions for this strain were 15-20% (w/v) NaCl, pH 8.0, and 37 degrees C. Zymographic analysis of strain IC10 detected the lipolytic activity in the intracellular fraction, showing the highest activity against p-nitrophenyl-butyrate as a substrate in a colorimetric assay, whereas the proteolytic activity was detected in the extracellular fraction. This protease degraded casein, gelatin, bovine serum albumin and egg albumin.”
“Darier disease (Darier-White disease,

dyskeratosis follicularis) is a rare autosomal dominant genodermatosis with regional differences in prevalence. The responsible mutations have been identified on chromosome 12q23-24.1. The gene encodes a calcium-ATPase type 2 in the sarco-/endoplasmic reticulum (SERCA2), which belongs to the large family of P-type cation pumps. This pump couples ATP hydrolysis to the transport of cations across membranes and thus plays a significant role in intracellular

calcium signaling. Neuropsychiatric disorders are often associated with Darier Entinostat manufacturer disease. However, these diseases are not due to mutations in the gene ATP2A2 but to a susceptibility locus in a 6.5 Mb region near this gene. Currently, the treatment is strictly limited to the relief of symptoms. In severe cases, oral retinoids (acitretin: initial 10-20 mg/Tag and isotretinoin: 0.5-1 mg/kg/day) lead to a response in 90% of cases. However, side effects Selleckchem Torin 2 often prevent long-term use of vitamin A derivatives.”
“Crescentic glomerulonephritis (CRGN) is a major cause of

human kidney failure, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats are uniquely susceptible to CRGN following injection of nephrotoxic serum, whereas Lewis (LEW) rats are resistant. Our previous genetic studies of nephrotoxic nephritis (NTN), a form of CRGN induced by nephrotoxic serum, identified Fcgr3 and Jund as WKY genes underlying the two strongest quantitative trait loci for NTN phenotypes: Crgn1 and Crgn2, respectively. We also showed that introgression of WKY Crgn1 or Crgn2 individually into a LEW background did not lead to the formation of glomerular crescents. We have now generated a bicongenic strain, LEW.WCrgn1,2, in which WKY Crgn1 and Crgn2 are both introgressed into the LEW genetic background. These rats show development of NTN phenotypes, including glomerular crescents. Furthermore, we characterised macrophage function and glomerular cytokine profiles in this new strain. Additionally, we show that LEW.

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“PURPOSE: A previous study showed that a visual analog scale (VAS) that measures quality of life (QOL) in relation to each of the seven items on the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) was found to be significantly more able to identify a patient’s chief complaint. The aim of this study was to assess the two questionnaires with special reference to the symptom that the patient Selleck Taselisib most wants treated via the concomitant use of the IPSS and VAS after permanent brachytherapy (PBT).\n\nMETHODS AND MATERIALS:

A total of 156 men undergoing PBT were enrolled. The IPSS and VAS were evaluated at the preimplantation stage and at 1-3 months, 6-9 months, and 1 year after PBT. The correlations between the IPSS-QOL score and the total for the 14 symptoms questions included in the IPSS and VAS were statistically GSK1120212 MAPK inhibitor calculated.

Multivariate analysis was used to investigate which factors could be used to predict the IPSS-QOL after PBT.\n\nRESULTS: The correlation coefficients between the IPSS-QOL score and the seven questions on the VAS were higher than those between the IPSS-QOL and the seven questions on the IPSS. Multivariate analysis showed that the strongest factor for determining IPSS-QOL at each time point was nocturia on the VAS.\n\nCONCLUSIONS: The VAS scale reflected the change in the patients’ QOL more precisely than the IPSS, which examines the frequency of lower urinary tract symptoms. Nocturia plays a key role in determining QOL. VAS could be a promising tool for assessing satisfaction in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms after PBT. (C) 2012 American Brachytherapy Society. Published

by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.”
“Myocardial blood oxygen level dependent, balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP) imaging is a relatively Transmembrane Transporters inhibitor new technique for evaluating myocardial oxygenation changes in the presence of coronary artery stenosis. However, the dependence of myocardial bSSFP blood oxygen level dependent signal on imaging parameters has not been well studied. In this work, modeling capillaries as cylinders that act as magnetic perturbers, the Monte Carlo method was used to simulate spin relaxation via diffusion in a field variation inside and outside blood vessels. bSSFP signal changes at various levels of capillary blood oxygen saturation, for a range of pulse repetition times, flip angle, capillary blood volume fraction, vessel wall permeability, water diffusion coefficient, vessel angle to static magnetic field, and the impact of bulk frequency shifts were studied.

The main tumorous cystic lesion showed a flattened single-cell tumor cell component in gradual transition to stratified, papillary and truly “invasive” typical desmoplastic areas of a desmoplastic small round-cell tumor (DSRCT). The Ki-67-proliferation index gradually increased within three histologic tumor patterns up to about 70% in the typical desmoplastic (infiltrating) component. Using microdissection techniques, EWS-WT1-gene fusion transcripts were detected in the cystic (single-cell-layered), the papillary and the

solid tumor proliferations (exon 7 of EWS on chromosome 22 with exon 8 of WT1 on chromosome 11). The presented case illustrates a predominant cystic growth pattern of DSRCT, in which a stepwise development in the pathogenesis of DSRCT from cystic (-”mesothelioblastic”)

towards a more papillary proliferation and finally typical “infiltrative” desmoplastic tumor pattern might be discussed. selleckchem The cystic pattern could represent an initial stage in the www.selleckchem.com/products/bmn-673.html development of the neoplasia. The presence of specific EWS-WT1-gene fusion transcripts in all tumor growth patterns in this respect would indicate an early event in t(11;22)(p13;q12) translocation in the pathogenesis of DSRCT.”
“The Luminex xTAG Respiratory Virus Panel (RVP) assay has been shown to offer improved diagnostic sensitivity over traditional viral culture methods and to have a sensitivity comparable to those of individual real-time nucleic acid tests for respiratory viruses. The objective of this retrospective study was to test a new, streamlined version of this assay, the RVP Fast assay, which requires considerably less run time and operator involvement. The study compared the performance of the RVP Fast assay with those of viral culture, a direct fluorescent assay (DFA), and a panel of single and multiplex real-time PCRs in the testing of 286 respiratory specimens submitted to the Edinburgh Specialist Virology Centre for routine diagnosis of viral infection between December 2007 and February selleck kinase inhibitor 2009. At least one respiratory viral infection was detected

in 13.6% of specimens by culture and DFA combined, in 49.7% by real-time PCR, and in 46.2% by the RVP Fast assay. The sensitivity and specificity of the RVP Fast assay compared to the results of real-time PCR as the gold standard were 78.8% and 99.6%, respectively. Real-time PCR-positive specimens missed by the RVP Fast assay generally had low viral loads or were positive for adenovirus. Additionally, a small number of specimens were positive by the RVP Fast assay but were not detected by real-time PCR. For some viral targets, only a small number of positive results were found in our sample set using either method; therefore, the sensitivity of detection of the RVP Fast assay for individual targets could be investigated further with a greater number of virus-positive specimens.

aureus. In this study we show through a number of complementary methods that S. aureus GapA is essential for glycolysis while GapB is essential in gluconeogenesis. These proteins are reciprocally regulated in response to glucose concentrations, and both are influenced by the glycolysis STAT inhibitor regulator protein GapR, which is the first demonstration of the role of this regulator in S. aureus and the first indication that GapR homologues control genes other than those within the glycolytic operon. Furthermore, we show that both GapA and GapB are important in the pathogenesis of S. aureus in a Galleria mellonella model of infection, showing for the

first time in any bacteria that both glycolysis and gluconeogenesis have important roles in virulence.”
“Background/Aims: Liver cirrhosis is a chronic disease by degeneration, regeneration and fibrosis in the liver parenchyma, caused by many diseases. Insulin resistance can be defined as any type of decrease in the effect that may occur at the phases following insulin’s secretion from B-cells of the pancreas, where it is produced, until it has the expected effects in the target cells. Selleckchem LY2606368 The aim

of the present study is to demonstrate the presence of insulin resistance in LC, which is common in our country and region, and investigate the existence of association between insulin resistance occuring in LC and cytokine levels, age, gender, CRP, Hs-CRP, Child-Pugh score and etiology of LC.\n\nMethodology: A total of 79 patients with liver cirrhosis (group 1) were included in the study, and 50 subjects as controls (group 2). Of liver cirrhosis patients, 49 (62%) were male and 30 (38%) were female, with a mean age of 54.71 +/- 14.68. Of the controls, 23 (46%) were male and 27 (54%) were female, with a mean age of 41.9 +/- 11.54. Severity of cirrhosis was assessed by Modified Child-Turcoutte-Pugh score. Seven cases (8.9%) were at the Child-Pugh stage A, 35 selleck kinase inhibitor cases (44.3%) at the Child-Pough stage B, and 37 cases (46.8%) at the Child-Pough stage C. HOMA-IR was calculated and values >2.7 were regarded as presence of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR +).

Serum glucose, albumin, bilirubin values were studied with enzymatic method (Architect C-16000); serum CRP, Hs-CRP values with nephelometric method by Beckman Coulter Image Nephelometer (immunochemistry system); insulin, C-peptide with electrochemiluminance immunological method; prothrombin time with radiation method by ACL-Advance brand device.\n\nResults: In this study, glucose (p=0.004), insulin (p=0.010), C-peptide (p<0.001), HOMA-IR (p<0.001), TNF-alpha (p<0.001), IL-2RES (p<0.001), IL-6 (p=0.002), CRP (p<0.001) and HsCRP (p=0.006) levels are elevated in LC patients, compared to control group.\n\nConsequently, high HOMA-IR in LC supports the fact that insulin resistance develops in LC, as it is reported in similar studies.

The vestibular test battery consisted of

alternating bithermal caloric testing; computerized sinusoidal vertical axis rotation (at frequencies 0.01-0.64) with infrared videonystagmography; and oculomotor and positional testing including bilateral Dix-Hallpike, head center supine, and 30-degree supine head turns right and tell.\n\nResults: Eight of the 56 subjects had caloric weakness. buy MK-2206 Forty-five subjects (80%) had abnormal tilt table test findings. The incidence of coexistent neurocardiogenic and vestibular test abnormalities was 10.7%. There was no significant association between abnormal tilt table test result and caloric weakness (Fisher exact test; P=.64). The degree of compensation seen on vestibule-ocular reflex gain testing did not affect tilt table findings (chi(2); P = .872).\n\nConclusions: There is no difference in the rate of postural orthostatic intolerance in

subjects with evidence of caloric weakness compared with those with normal caloric function. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.”
“The optimization of dielectric properties of barium rare earth titanate was carried out by simultaneous substitution of Sm, La and Bi ions. The effects of substitution of Bi on dielectric and structural characteristics of Ba(4)(La(0.3)Sm(0.7))(9.33)Ti(18)O(54) were investigated. The solid solutions, Ba(4)(La((1-y-z))Sm(y)Bi(z))(9.33)Ti(18)O(54) with y = 0.7 and z = 0.0-0.2, BAY 80-6946 order synthesized by solid state reaction technique were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis. The dielectric properties were measured using a network analyzer in the frequency range ASP2215 nmr 0.3-3.0 GHz. It has been found that Bi substitution not only increases the dielectric constant but also improves the temperature coefficient of resonant frequency. However the tangent loss increases with increase

in Bi substitution. Among the investigated compositions, Ba(4)(La((1-y-z))Sm(y)Bi(z))(9.33)Ti(18)O(54) dielectric ceramic with y = 0.7 and z = 1.0 has got high dielectric constant (82), low tangent loss (3.3 x 10(-3)) at 3 GHz and near zero temperature coefficient of resonant frequency (-5 ppm/degrees C). It could be suitable candidate for applications in wireless communication systems. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd and Techna Group S.r.l. All rights reserved.”
“Background During long-term anticoagulation in atrial fibrillation, temporary interruptions (TIs) of therapy are common, but the relationship between patient outcomes and TIs has not been well studied. We sought to determine reasons for TI, the characteristics of patients undergoing TI, and the relationship between anticoagulant and outcomes among patients with TI.

The aim of this Cell Cycle inhibitor study was to compare the effects of LAGB with those of two consecutive IGB applications in weight loss management of obese patients.\n\nMethods: Thirty-two patients (F/M:24/8) admitted in the study were divided into two groups. In the first group of 16 patients, LAGB was performed, and in the other group two consecutive IGBs were applied. Total weight loss, body mass index (BMI), excess weight

loss percent (EWL %), and excess body mass index loss percent (EBMIL %) were recorded at months 6, 12, and 18 for both groups.\n\nResults: At the end of the 6th month, BMI values of LAGB and IGB groups were 36.0 and 30.6 kg/m(2), EWL % were 32.3% and 39.3%, and EBMIL % were 36.3% and 47.1%, respectively. The results were similar. At the end of 12 months, median BMI was 36.6 kg/m(2) for LAGB and 27.5 kg/m(2) for IGB (P <.05). The EWL % and EBMIL % at the end of the 12th month were 57% and 70%, which

is significant in favor of IGB. The last evaluation was made at the 18th month of applications, and the three parameters for two applications were found to be similar.\n\nConclusions: The achieved weight losses at the 6th month were similar for both groups. However, at the 12th month, two consecutive IGB applications were more effective. At the end of the 18th buy VX-809 month, the results were again similar. Two consecutive IGB applications may be offered to obese patients who do not feel ready for surgery.”
“Our study aimed to find out the association between full-field pattern reversal visual evoked potential (pVEP) transoccipital asymmetries and half-field pVEP transoccipital distributions in children. Over a six-month period, 46 patients (mean age: 9 years 9 months) had both monocular full-field and half-field pVEPs to test checks subtending 50 min of arc in a 35 degree full-field and 0-17.5 degree lateral half-field. Silver-silver chloride electrodes placed at Oz, O1 and O2 were referred to Fz. Monocular full-field data were categorised according to the degree of transoccipital asymmetry. Half-field MAPK inhibitor data were measured and summated to see whether they

explained any full-field asymmetry. In this cohort of 46 patients, eight (17%) patients had symmetrically distributed monocular full-field pVEPs for each eye. Four of these patients had normal half-field pVEP distributions for each eye, but the other four showed a half-field deficit in one or both eyes. Of the 38 patients with asymmetrically distributed full-field pVEPs in at least one eye, 17 (44%) patients showed a half-field deficit, 20 (53%) showed responsive, but symmetrically distributed half-field responses, and one patient (3%) showed typical half-field distributions. Half-field pVEPs can help explain full-field asymmetries and should be attempted in any child able to co-operate with testing and in whom visual pathway dysfunction is suspected.”
“CONVERTINO VA, RICKARDS CA, LURIE KG, RYAN KL.

In order to determine whether behavioral responses to opiates were dependent on the same receptor subtypes, we tested GalR1 and GalR2 knockout mice for morphine conditioned place preference (CPP). Morphine CPP was significantly attenuated in both GalR1 and GalR2 knockout mice. These data suggest that mesolimbic excitatory signaling is significantly modulated by galanin in a GalR1-dependent and GalR2-dependent

manner, and that morphine CPP is dependent on the same receptor subtypes.”
“During gain adaptation, participants must learn to adapt to novel visuo-motor mappings in which the movement amplitudes they produce do not match the visual feedback they receive. selleck chemicals The aim of the present study was to investigate the neural substrates of gain adaptation by examining its possible disruption following left hemisphere learn more stroke. Thirteen chronic left hemisphere stroke patients and five healthy right-handed control subjects completed three experimental phases involving reaching with the left hand,

which was the less-affected hand in patients. First, participants reached without visual feedback to six different target locations (baseline phase). Next, in the adaptation phase, participants executed movements to one target under conditions in which the perceived movement distance was 70% of the produced movement distance. Last, in order to test the generalization of this new visuomotor mapping, participants made movements without visual feedback to untrained target locations (generalization phase). Significant between-patient differences were observed during adaptation. selleck products Lesion analyses indicated that these between-patient differences were predicted by the amount of damage to the supramarginal gyrus (Brodmann area 40). In addition, patients performed

more poorly than controls in the generalization phase, suggesting that different processes are involved in adaptation and generalization periods. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Clinical outcome of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in the rituximab era remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to compare the clinical outcome, treatment response and hepatotoxicity in DLBCL patients who received rituximab containing immunochemotherapy that had HCV infection and those that did not have HCV infection between January 2004 and October 2011. Of the 272 consecutive histopathologically diagnosed DLBCL patients in our department, a total of 248 were retrospectively analyzed in the present study. There were 28 DLBCL patients with HCV infection (the HCV group) and 220 DLBCL patients without HCV infection (the control group). We compared overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), treatment response and hepatotoxicity according to HCV infection. In terms of OS (P=0.

The lingual side of the mandibular corpus has selleck screening library a resorption area found only in this species and one that includes a variable extension in immature and adult individuals. Finally, the mandibular ramus is characterized, among other aspects, by a large resorption field on its buccal surface. Considering the mandible as a whole, the bone remodeling pattern obtained in this work shows that lower facial growth in H. heidelbergensis is dominated mainly by forward growth, illustrated by the strong inward displacement of the ramus, which is in agreement with the Enlow’s “V” growth principle. (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Background

and Purpose Cerebral arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is a vascular disease that disrupts normal blood flow and leads to serious neurological impairment or death. Aberrant functions of AVM-derived brain endothelial cells (AVM-BECs) are a disease hallmark. Our aim was to use microRNA-18a (miR-18a) as a therapeutic agent to improve AVM-BEC function. Methods Human AVM-BECs were tested for growth factor

production and proliferation under different shear flow conditions and evaluated for tubule formation. Thrombospondin-1, inhibitor of DNA-binding protein 1, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) isotype mRNA levels were quantified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Thrombospondin-1, VEGF-A, and VEGF-D protein expression was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Proliferation ABT-737 nmr and tubule formation were evaluated using bromodeoxyuridine

incorporation and growth factor-reduced Matrigel assays, respectively. screening assay Results miR-18a increased thrombospondin-1 production but decreased inhibitor of DNA-binding protein 1, a transcriptional repressor of thrombospondin-1. miR-18a reduced VEGF-A and VEGF-D levels, both overexpressed in untreated AVM-BECs. This is the first study reporting VEGF-D overexpression in AVM. These effects were most prominent under arterial shear flow conditions. miR-18a also reduced AVM-BEC proliferation, improved tubule formation, and was effectively internalized by AVM-BECs in the absence of extraneous transfection reagents. Conclusions We report VEGF-D overexpression in AVM and the capacity of miR-18a to induce AVM-BECs to function more normally. This highlights the clinical potential of microRNA as a treatment for AVM and other vascular diseases.”
“The mitochondrial respiratory chain of plants and some fungi contains multiple rotenone-insensitive NAD(P)H dehydrogenases, of which at least two are located on the outer surface of the inner membrane (i.e., external NADH and external NADPH dehydrogenases). Annotated sequences of the putative alternative NAD(P)H dehydrogenases of the protozoan Acanthamoeba castellanii demonstrated similarity to plant and fungal sequences. We also studied activity of these dehydrogenases in isolated A. castellanii mitochondria.