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Retriever1800
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Probing the role of negatively charged amino acid residues in ion permeation of skeletal muscle ryanodine receptor.
Sequence comparison suggests that the ryanodine receptors (RyRs) have pore architecture similar to that of the bacterial K+ channel KcsA. The lumenal loop linking the two most C-terminal transmembrane spanning segments in the RyRs has a predicted pore helix and an amino acid motif (GGGIG) similar to the selectivity filter (TVGYG) of KcsA identified by x-ray analysis. The RyRs have many negatively charged amino acid residues in the two regions linking the GGGIG motif and predicted pore helix with the two most C-terminal transmembrane spanning segments. We tested the role of these residues by generating single-site mutants, focusing on amino acid residues conserved among the mammalian RyRs. Replacement of two acidic residues immediately after the GGGIG motif in skeletal muscle ryanodine receptor (RyR1-D4899 and -E4900) with asparagine and glutamine profoundly affected ion permeation and selectivity. By comparison, mutagenesis of aspartate and glutamate residues in the putative linker regions showed a K+ conductance and selectivity for Ca2+ compared to K+ (P(Ca)/P(K)) close to wild-type. The results show that the negatively charged carboxyl oxygens of D4899 and E4900 side chains are major determinants of RyR ion conductance and selectivity.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1801
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Cardiac outflow and wall motion in hypothermic chick embryos.
Cardiac outflow in the early developmental stage of a chick embryo is known to be highly variable depending on environmental temperature. To investigate the effects of environmental hypothermia on the blood flow in the outflow tract (OFT) of chick embryonic hearts, microscopic flow images were consecutively captured from chick embryos at HH stage 17 (2.5 days of incubation) at room temperature. Instantaneous velocity field information of blood flow in OFT was obtained using a micro-particle image velocimetry technique. The cyclic variations of the OFT vessel diameter and wall thickness were simultaneously measured. The experimental results show that environmental hypothermia causes bradycardia with a decrease in peak velocity during systole and the occurrence of backflow during diastole in the OFT. These abnormal phenomena seem to be attributed to the suppression of myocardial wall motion under hypothermic conditions.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1802
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[Legionella natural biofilms and their role in epidemiology of the infection: methods of study and modelling].
Ability of Legionella species to form biofilms in association with other microorganisms is the key factor of their spreading in potentially dangerous water systems. Ability of different strains of Legionella to form monospecies biofilms as well as biofilms in association with Pseudomonas aeruginosa in constant conditions was analyzed. It was shown that ability of Legionella strains to form monospecies biofilms correlates with their ability to persist in biofilms formed by P. aeruginosa.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1803
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Transcatheter occlusion of a large pulmonary arteriovenous malformation.
We report a patient with a large pulmonary arteriovenous malformation complicated by cerebral abscess. He was successfully treated by transcatheter embolization using bioptome-assisted delivery of multiple coils.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1804
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Pathophysiology of Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.
The physiopathology of fatty liver and metabolic syndrome are influenced by diet, life style and inflammation, which have a major impact on the severity of the clinicopathologic outcome of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. A short comprehensive review is provided on current knowledge of the pathophysiological interplay among major circulating effectors/mediators of fatty liver, such as circulating lipids, mediators released by adipose, muscle and liver tissues and pancreatic and gut hormones in relation to diet, exercise and inflammation.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1805
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Passive Immunity Should and Will Work for COVID-19 for Some Patients.
In the absence of effective antiviral chemotherapy and still in the context of emerging vaccines for severe acute respiratory syndrome-CoV-2 infections, passive immunotherapy remains a key treatment and possible prevention strategy. What might initially be conceived as a simplified donor-recipient process, the intricacies of donor plasma, IV immunoglobulins, and monoclonal antibody modality applications are becoming more apparent. Key targets of such treatment have largely focused on virus neutralization and the specific viral components of the attachment Spike protein and its constituents (e.g., receptor binding domain, N-terminal domain). The cumulative laboratory and clinical experience suggests that beneficial protective and treatment outcomes are possible. Both a dose- and a time-dependency emerge. Lesser understood are the concepts of bioavailability and distribution. Apart from direct antigen binding from protective immunoglobulins, antibody effector functions have potential roles in outcome. In attempting to mimic the natural but variable response to infection or vaccination, a strong functional polyclonal approach attracts the potential benefits of attacking antigen diversity, high antibody avidity, antibody persistence, and protection against escape viral mutation. The availability and ease of administration for any passive immunotherapy product must be considered in the current climate of need. There is never a perfect product, but yet there is considerable room for improving patient outcomes. Given the variability of human genetics, immunity, and disease, and given the nuances of the virus and its potential for change, passive immunotherapy can be developed that will be effective for some but not all patients. An understanding of such patient variability and limitations is just as important as the understanding of the direct interactions between immunotherapy and virus.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1806
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The Traumatic Nasal Deformity.
One of the most challenging aspects of rhinoplasty is correction of the posttraumatic nasal deformity. This special set of cases included challenges in managing the difficult septum, complicated nasal bones, and special considerations such as the septal perforation.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1807
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Novel insights into non-image forming visual processing in the retina.
A small subset of retinal ganglion cells projecting to the suprachiasmatic nucleus and other brain areas, is implicated in non-image forming visual responses to environmental light such as the pupillary light reflex, seasonal adaptations in physiology, photic inhibition of nocturnal melatonin release, and modulation of sleep, alertness and activity. These cells are intrinsically photosensitive (ipRGCs) and express an opsin-like photopigment called melanopsin. Two recent studies utilizing selective genetic ablation of ipRGCs demonstrate the key role of these inner retinal cells in conveying luminance signals to the brain for non-image forming visual processing. These findings advance our understanding of functional organization of a novel photosensory system in the mammalian retina, demonstrating well-defined roles for ipRGCs in circadian timing and other homeostatic functions related to ambient illumination.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1808
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Chaetocochin J exhibits anti-hepatocellular carcinoma effect independent of hypoxia.
The most studied epipolythiodioxopiperazine (ETP) alkaloids, such as chetomin, gliotoxin and chaetocin, were reported to exert their antitumor effects through targeting HIF-1α. Chaetocochin J (CJ) is another ETP alkaloid, of which the effect and mechanism on cancer are not fully elucidated. Considering the high incidence and mortality of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in China, in the present study, using HCC cell lines and tumor-bearing mice as models, we explored the anti-HCC effect and mechanism of CJ. Particularly, we investigated whether HIF-1α is related to the function of CJ. The results showed that, both under normoxic and CoCl2 induced-hypoxic conditions, CJ in low concentrations (<1 µM) inhibits the proliferation, induces G2/M phase arrest, leading to the disorder of metabolism, migration, invasion, and caspase-dependent apoptosis in HepG2 and Hep3B cells. CJ also showed anti-tumor effect on a nude xenograft mice model without significant toxicity. Moreover, we demonstrated that the key to CJ's function is mainly associate with its inhibition of PI3K/Akt/mTOR/p70S6K/4EBP1 pathway independent of hypoxia, and it also could suppress the expression of HIF-1α as well as disrupt the binding of HIF-1α/p300 and subsequently inhibits the expression of its target genes under hypoxic condition. These results demonstrated that CJ possessed a hypoxia-independent anti-HCC effects in vitro and in vivo, which was mainly attributable to its inhibition on the upstream pathways of HIF-1α.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1809
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Effects of Bauhinia forficata Link Tea on Lipid Profile in Diabetic Patients.
Twenty-five type 2 diabetic volunteer patients (mean age 62 years) were recruited in a quasi-experimental study without a control group to evaluate the effects of Bauhinia forficata Link tea on lipid profiles. Participants drank the tea of 0.4% B. forficata in 200 mL of water twice a day for 3 months. The clinical parameters evaluated were cholesterol and triglycerides (mg/dL), total cholesterol (mg/dL), weight (kg), postprandial glycemia (mg/dL), and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c). For the study period, statistically significant decreases in triglycerides and total cholesterol levels of 48 and 17 mg/dL, respectively, were observed. B. forficata tea as a complementary therapy in type 2 diabetic patients may help to reduce the levels of some lipid profile parameters. Further studies are suggested to evaluate the effect of the tea.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1810
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[Interference of chloramphenicol with some cytoplasmatic enzyme systems].
The activity of alkaline phosphatase was determined in a lot of Wistar white rats which had received during 8 days therapeutical doses of chloramphenicol hemisuccinate, the enzyme being investigated in the circulating granulocytes and the liver. In the neutrophil granulocytes evidence was found of a marked decrease in alkaline phosphatase activity (40% presented a positive activity in the injected animals as against 70% in the controls). In the liver the histochemical test used did not allow for a discrimination between the experimental and control animals. The biochemical test, however, showed depression of alkaline phosphatase activity in the liver of rats receiving chloramphenicol (216.72 muM PO4 mean value as against 267.36 muM PO4).
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1811
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Photomechanochemical control over stereoselectivity in the [2 + 2] photodimerization of acenaphthylene.
Tuning solubility and mechanical activation alters the stereoselectivity of the [2 + 2] photochemical cycloaddition of acenaphthylene. Photomechanochemical conditions produce the syn cyclobutane, whereas the solid-state reaction in the absence of mechanical activation provides the anti. When the photochemical dimerization occurs in a solubilizing organic solvent, there is no selectivity. Dimerization in H2O, in which acenaphthylene is insoluble, provides the anti product. DFT calculations reveal that insoluble and solid-state reactions proceed via a covalently bonded excimer, which drives anti selectivity. Alternatively, the noncovalently bound syn conformer is more mechanosusceptible than the anti, meaning it experiences greater destabilization, thereby producing the syn product under photomechanochemical conditions. Cyclobutanes are important components of biologically active natural products and organic materials, and we demonstrate stereoselective methods for obtaining syn or anti cyclobutanes under mild conditions and without organic solvents. With this work, we validate photomechanochemistry as a viable new direction for the preparation of complex organic scaffolds.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1812
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Development of a prognostic score for work disability in Romanian patients with ankylosing spondylitis.
PURPOSE
To develop a prognostic score for predicting work disability (WD) in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) as strong indicator for poor vocational rehabilitation.
METHOD
A cross-sectional study was performed in a group of 170 patients with AS, 120 work disabled and 50 still employed. The variables strongly associated with WD were quantified (scored 0-30) - abnormalities of: anterior-posterior radiograph of pelvis, lateral cervical spine radiograph and lung function tests, certain work factors (occupation, physical strain and microclimate), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Mobility Index and Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index tests.
RESULTS
The eight-item score identifies WD with sensitivity of 91.7% and specificity of 85.7%. The scaling properties were fulfilled: internal consistency - Chronbach's alpha 0.73; reliability - intraclass correlation coefficient 0.73; redundancy weak-moderate, with coefficients ranging from 0.032 to 0.797; the discriminative capacity by the significant variations of the score according to the statute (employed or work disabled) and the degree of WD.
CONCLUSIONS
The score is a reliable method for assessing the WD risk in patients with AS. It allows a complex evaluation by performing minimal investigations and it is easy to perform.
IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION
Work disability is an important outcome in AS, determined by numerous variables but highly dependent on the national characteristics of economy, social security and healthcare system. The prognostic score for work disability in AS not only contains medical but also socio-demographic and work-related factors and is expected to be a useful tool for specialists to guide the tertiary prevention-oriented rehabilitation measures. Our study suggests the prognostic score to be comprehensive, useful and a reliable method to assess the risk of work disability in AS.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1813
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Averaging speckle patterns to improve the robustness of compressive multimode fiber imaging against fiber bend.
Fiber bend is a major challenge of multimode fiber (MMF) imaging. More robustness against fiber bend is demonstrated in compressive MMF imaging using mean speckle patterns captured at multiple potential bending configurations beforehand, rather than sticking to single patterns at initial configuration. Experiments demonstrate an overall quality improvement on recovered images than previous work, which is important for robust endoscopic application.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1814
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[Study of neuromuscular transmission with evoked electromyography--11. Comparison between blocks by magnesium and by pancuronium].
Effects of magnesium (Mg) on muscle compound action potentials (CAPs) which were elicited from gastrocunemius muscle by sciatic nerve stimulation in cats were studied, and the results were compared with those of alpha-bungarotoxin (alpha BuTX) and of non-depolarizing relaxants which had been reported previously. Recovery curves (RCs) of CAPs and train-of-four ratios (TOFR) as parameters of neuromuscular blockade were estimated during blocks by Mg as well as the methods described in the previous reports. The following results were obtained. 1) Neuromuscular blocks which were dependent on serum [Mg2+] were observed in accordance with cumulative dosages of MgSO4 solutions. 2) Recovery curves of CAPs showed a pattern which was characterized by extreme potentiations of test responses at shorter intervals of paired stimuli, followed by a slight depression at longer intervals than 500 msec. This pattern of RC was remarkably different from those after alpha BuTX and relaxants. 3) The mechanisms to produce these differences of RCs were discussed, and it is concluded that the notable depression of RCs derived from muscle relaxants may be caused by inhibitory effect on nerve terminals of relaxants which have different mechanism from that by Mg.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1815
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Nitric oxide metabolities in acute rheumatic fever.
Acute rheumatic fever (ARF), is a systemic inflammatory disease etiologically related to infection with group A beta hemolytic streptococcus, characterized by a broad spectrum of disorders in cellular immunity. To estimate the activity of the immunopathological process in patients with ARF, plasma nitric oxide metabolities (NOx) concentrations, IL-1alpha and IL-2 levels were investigated in 22 patients with ARF at the time on admission, and after 3 months, in children with chronic rheumatic heart disease (CRHD). Plasma NOx concentrations, IL-1alpha and IL/2 levels in patients with ARF on admission were significantly higher than in the same patients 3 months later, and higher than in CRHD, or controls. Increased plasma NO may be a useful index for the quantitative assessment of the activity during immunological challenge. This information may be useful for the prognosis and monitoring of ARF.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1816
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Isolation and characterization of murine monoclonal antibodies specific for gram-negative bacterial lipopolysaccharide: association of cross-genus reactivity with lipid A specificity.
Somatic cell hybrids secreting monoclonal antibodies against the core-glycolipid portion of enterobacterial endotoxin were derived from mice immunized with Escherichia coli J5 or Salmonella minnesota R595 heat-killed organisms or lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Eight antibodies were selected for their ability to cross-react with several members of a panel of gram-negative bacterial antigens in a radioimmunoassay. This panel represented five genera and two families of organisms: E. coli O111:B4, E. coli O55:B5, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella minnesota, and Serratia marcescens. The binding sites for six of the antibodies were unequivocally localized within the lipid A moiety of the endotoxin molecule by using the radioimmunoassay on LPS and free lipid A. The anti-lipid A antibodies were further characterized for their ability to interact with LPS variants by using a sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunostaining procedure. The monoclonal antibodies bound almost exclusively to the low-molecular-weight species of LPS on the polyacrylamide gel. These components corresponded to LPS isolated from rough strains of organisms (strains which lack O-specific carbohydrate). These results suggested that the cross-reactive component of antisera raised against rough mutants of gram-negative bacteria contain antibodies of lipid A specificity. Moreover, the determinant within the lipid A moiety of LPS may have been accessible to the monoclonal antibodies only in those endotoxin molecules on the outer membrane surface which lack the O-specific carbohydrate.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1817
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Impaired emotion perception and categorization in semantic aphasia.
According to a constructionist model of emotion, conceptual knowledge plays a foundational role in emotion perception; reduced availability of relevant conceptual knowledge should therefore impair emotion perception. Conceptual deficits can follow both degradation of semantic knowledge (e.g., semantic 'storage' deficits in semantic dementia) and deregulation of retrieval (e.g., semantic 'access' deficits in semantic aphasia). While emotion recognition deficits are known to accompany degraded conceptual knowledge, less is known about the impact of semantic access deficits. Here, we examined emotion perception and categorization tasks in patients with semantic aphasia, who have difficulty accessing semantic information in a flexible and controlled fashion following left hemisphere stroke. In Study 1, participants were asked to sort faces according to the emotion they portrayed - with numbers, written labels and picture examples each provided as category anchors across tasks. Semantic aphasia patients made more errors and showed a larger benefit from word anchors that reduced the need to internally constrain categorization than comparison participants. They successfully sorted portrayals that differed in valence (positive vs. negative) but had difficulty categorizing different negative emotions. They were unimpaired on a control task that involved sorting faces by identity. In Study 2, participants matched facial emotion portrayals to written labels following vocal emotion prosody cues, miscues, or no cues. Patients presented with overall poorer performance and benefited from cue trials relative to within-valence miscue trials. This same effect was seen in comparison participants, who also showed deleterious effects of within-valence miscue relative to no cue trials. Overall, we found that patients with deregulated semantic retrieval have deficits in emotional perception but that word anchors and cue conditions can facilitate emotion perception by increasing access to relevant emotion concepts and reducing reliance on semantic control. Semantic control may be of particular importance in emotion perception when it is necessary to interpret ambiguous inputs, or when there is interference between conceptually similar emotional states. These findings extend constructionist accounts of emotion to encompass difficulties in controlled semantic retrieval.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1818
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Pharmacokinetics and serum concentrations of antimycobacterial drugs in adult Turkish patients.
OBJECTIVE
To document the pharmacokinetics and serum concentrations of first-line anti-tuberculosis drugs in adult Turkish patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB).
DESIGN
Consenting 21 adult patients (aged 38 ± 4 years, 10 female and 11 male) with newly diagnosed active PTB participated in the study. Blood samples were collected 1, 2, 4, 6 and 24 h after simultaneous isoniazid (INH), rifampicin (RMP), pyrazinamide (PZA) and ethambutol (EMB) ingestion. Serum concentration-time profiles, maximum serum concentrations, time to achieve maximum serum concentrations, the half-life and the areas under the serum concentration-time curve for each of the four drugs were determined.
RESULTS
Wide variations in pharmacokinetic parameters were observed among patients. In respectively 8 (38%), 17 (81%), 3 (14%) and 1 (5%) patients, the maximum INH, RMP, PZA and EMB serum concentrations were below the accepted therapeutic concentrations.
CONCLUSION
Our data show that the serum concentrations of anti-tuberculosis drugs varied considerably in the study patients. Therapeutic drug monitoring is necessary to identify patients with subtherapeutic INH and RMP serum concentrations.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1819
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Spallation processes and nuclear interaction products of cosmic rays.
Most cosmic-ray nuclei heavier than helium have suffered nuclear collisions in the interstellar gas, with transformation of nuclear composition. The isotopic and elemental composition at the sources has to be inferred from the observed composition near the Earth. The source composition permits tests of current ideas on sites of origin, nucleosynthesis in stars, evolution of stars, the mixing and composition of the interstellar medium and injection processes prior to acceleration. The effects of nuclear spallation, production of radioactive nuclides and the time dependence of their decay provide valuable information on the acceleration and propagation of cosmic rays, their nuclear transformations, and their confinement time in the Galaxy. The formation of spallation products that only decay by electron capture and are relatively long-lived permits an investigation of the nature and density fluctuations (like clouds) of the interstellar medium. Since nuclear collisions yield positrons, antiprotons, gamma rays and neutrinos, we shall discuss these topics briefly.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1820
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Effectiveness of an Individualized Exergame-Based Motor-Cognitive Training Concept Targeted to Improve Cognitive Functioning in Older Adults With Mild Neurocognitive Disorder: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.
BACKGROUND
Simultaneous motor-cognitive training is considered promising for preventing the decline in cognitive functioning in older adults with mild neurocognitive disorder (mNCD) and can be highly motivating when applied in the form of exergaming. The literature points to opportunities for improvement in the application of exergames in individuals with mNCD by developing novel exergames and exergame-based training concepts that are specifically tailored to patients with mNCD and ensuring the implementation of effective training components.
OBJECTIVE
This study systematically explores the effectiveness of a newly developed exergame-based motor-cognitive training concept (called "Brain-IT") targeted to improve cognitive functioning in older adults with mNCD.
METHODS
A 2-arm, parallel-group, single-blinded randomized controlled trial with a 1:1 allocation ratio (ie, intervention: control), including 34 to 40 older adults with mNCD will be conducted between May 2022 and December 2023. The control group will proceed with the usual care provided by the (memory) clinics where the patients are recruited. The intervention group will perform a 12-week training intervention according to the "Brain-IT" training concept, in addition to usual care. Global cognitive functioning will be assessed as the primary outcome. As secondary outcomes, domain-specific cognitive functioning, brain structure and function, spatiotemporal parameters of gait, instrumental activities of daily living, psychosocial factors, and resting cardiac vagal modulation will be assessed. Pre- and postintervention measurements will take place within 2 weeks before starting and after completing the intervention. A 2-way analysis of covariance or the Quade nonparametric analysis of covariance will be computed for all primary and secondary outcomes, with the premeasurement value as a covariate for the predicting group factor and the postmeasurement value as the outcome variable. To determine whether the effects are substantive, partial eta-squared (η2p) effect sizes will be calculated for all primary and secondary outcomes.
RESULTS
Upon the initial submission of this study protocol, 13 patients were contacted by the study team. Four patients were included in the study, 2 were excluded because they were not eligible, and 7 were being informed about the study in detail. Of the 4 included patients, 2 already completed all premeasurements and were in week 2 of the intervention period. Data collection is expected to be completed by December 2023. A manuscript of the results will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed open-access journal in 2024.
CONCLUSIONS
This study contributes to the evidence base in the highly relevant area of preventing disability because of cognitive impairment, which has been declared a public health priority by the World Health Organization.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05387057; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05387057.
INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)
DERR1-10.2196/41173.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1821
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Resting-associated vocalization emitted by captive Asian house shrews (Suncus murinus): acoustic structure and variability in an unusual mammalian vocalization.
Shrews have rich vocal repertoires that include vocalizations within the human audible frequency range and ultrasonic vocalizations. Here, we recorded and analyzed in detail the acoustic structure of a vocalization with unclear functional significance that was spontaneously produced by 15 adult, captive Asian house shrews (Suncus murinus) while they were lying motionless and resting in their nests. This vocalization was usually emitted repeatedly in a long series with regular intervals. It showed some structural variability; however, the shrews most frequently emitted a tonal, low-frequency vocalization with minimal frequency modulation and a low, non-vocal click that was clearly noticeable at its beginning. There was no effect of sex, but the acoustic structure of the analyzed vocalizations differed significantly between individual shrews. The encoded individuality was low, but it cannot be excluded that this individuality would allow discrimination of family members, i.e., a male and female with their young, collectively resting in a common nest. The question remains whether the Asian house shrews indeed perceive the presence of their mates, parents or young resting in a common nest via the resting-associated vocalization and whether they use it to discriminate among their family members. Additional studies are needed to explain the possible functional significance of resting-associated vocalizations emitted by captive Asian house shrews. Our study highlights that the acoustic communication of shrews is a relatively understudied topic, particularly considering that they are highly vocal mammals.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1822
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Arsenic distribution and pathway scenarios for sediments and water in a peri-urban Mongolian small-scale coal mining area (Nalaikh District, Ulaanbaatar).
The distribution of arsenic (As) in environmental compartments is investigated in the Nalaikh Depression of N-Mongolia. In Nalaikh, lignite coal is mined by artisanal small-scale mining (ASM) approaches. Because As is often associated with sulfuric minerals in coal, it was hypothesized that enrichment of As is related to coal ASM. A second hypothesis considered coal combustion in power plants, and stoves are a key source of As in the local environment. Three mobilization and distribution scenarios were developed for potential As pathways in this semiarid environment. About 43 soil and 14 water sites were analyzed for As concentrations and meaningful parameters in soil and water. About 28 topsoil samples were analyzed in surface-subsurface pairs in order to identify potential eolian surface enrichment. Additionally, fluvial-alluvial sediments and geogenic and anthropogenic deposits were sampled. Water was sampled as surface water, groundwater, precipitation, and industrial water. Results show that As does not pose a ubiquitous risk in the Nalaikh Depression. However, locally and specifically in water, As concentrations may exceed the WHO guideline value for drinking water by up to a factor of 10. A carefully selected sampling strategy allows the evaluation of the distribution scenarios, which reveals a combination of (a) geogenic As in groundwater and distribution via surface water with (b) anthropogenic As redistribution via eolian pathways. An immediate linkage between As redistribution and coal mining is not evident. However, As distribution in fly ash from coal combustion in the local power plant and yurt settlements is the most likely As pathway. Hence, the results indicate the potential influence of diffuse, low-altitude sources on As emission to the environment. As such, this study provides a good example for As distribution under semiarid climate conditions influenced by geogenic and anthropogenic factors.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1823
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Mental health disorders and adolescent peer relationships.
RATIONALE
Mental health disorders often arise during adolescence, with disruptive behavior disorders and anxiety disorders among the most common. Given the salience of peer relationships during adolescence, and research suggesting that mental health disorders negatively impact social functioning, this study uses novel methodology from social network analysis to uncover the social processes linking disruptive behavior disorders and anxiety disorders with adolescent friendships. In particular, the study focuses on peer withdrawal, peer popularity, and peer homophily in relation to both disorders.
METHODS
Data come from 15-year old students in four Scottish secondary schools (N = 602). Diagnoses of disruptive behavior disorders and anxiety disorders were produced using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children, and peer relationship data were obtained through a friendship nomination survey. Exponential random graph models were used to estimate the probability of peer withdrawal, peer popularity, and peer homophily based on each disorder.
RESULTS
Results demonstrated that adolescents with disruptive behavior disorders were more popular than their peers without disruptive behavior disorders (OR: 1.47, CI: 1.20, 1.87). Friendship was also more likely between two adolescents both with or both without disruptive behavior disorders (OR: 1.26, CI: 1.07, 1.47), demonstrating peer homophily. There was no evidence that anxiety disorders were related to adolescent peer relationships.
CONCLUSIONS
Findings from this study suggest that disruptive behavior disorders may be socially rewarded (e.g., peer popularity) and socially clustered (e.g., homophily), whereas anxiety disorders show no such trends. Thus, intervention efforts must account for the peer social status that may be gained from engaging in disruptive behavior during this developmental period. Further, given that similarity in DBD status is associated with an increased likelihood of friendship, adolescents are likely to be surrounded by peers who reinforce their behaviors.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1824
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Erratum to "Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) and pregnancy may impact the balance of intestinal cytokines and the development of intestinal pathology caused by Toxoplasma gondii infection" [Cytokine: X 2 (2020) 100034].
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.cytox.2020.100034.].
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1825
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[Disease panorama among the " Donald Ducks"].
Disease is a rather rare phenomenon among Donald Duck, his relatives, friends and enemies. However, an unsystematic review of the literature shows that a number of symptoms, signs and injuries have been reported over the 60 years during which these figures have amused the world. The behavioural sciences have obviously a lot to learn from these publications. Persons with an exaggerated interest in health promotion may enjoy the success of anti-smoking campaigns; even the crooks have quit smoking, while sexologists are better advised to read their own literature.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1826
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Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (APL): Comparison Between Children and Adults.
The outcome of adults and children with Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (APL) has dramatically changed since the introduction of all trans retinoic acid (ATRA) therapy. Based on the results of several multicenter trials, the current recommendations for the treatment of patients with APL include ATRA and anthracycline-based chemotherapy for the remission induction and consolidation, and ATRA combined with low-dose chemotherapy for maintenance. This has improved the prognosis of APL by increasing the complete remission (CR) rate, actually > 90%, decreasing the induction deaths and by reducing the relapse rate, leading to cure rates nowadays exceeding 80% considering both adults and children.1-9 More recently the combination of ATRA and arsenic trioxide (ATO) as induction and consolidation therapy has been shown to be at least not inferior and possibly superior to ATRA plus chemotherapy in adult patients with APL conventionally defined as non-high risk (Sanz score).10 Childhood APL has customarily been treated on adult protocols. Data from several trials have shown that the overall outcome in pediatric APL appears similar to that reported for the adult population; however, some clinical and therapeutic aspects differ in the two cohorts which require some important considerations and treatment adjustments.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1827
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Does the calcification of adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma resemble the calcium deposition of osteogenesis/odontogenesis?
AIMS
Calcification in adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma (ACP) is troublesome for surgical intervention. The aim of this study was to examine the osteogenic proteins that play important roles in the calcium deposition of the odontogenic/osteogenic tissues in craniopharyngioma.
METHODS AND RESULTS
Craniopharyngiomas (n = 89) were investigated for the presence and expression pattern of the osteoinductive/odontoinductive factor bone morphogenetic protein-2 (Bmp2) and two osteoblastic differentiation makers, Runt-related transcription factor-2 (Runx2) and Osterix, using immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. Our results showed that Bmp2, Runx2 and Osterix levels increased in cases with high calcification and correlated positively with the degree of calcification in ACP, whereas they showed little or no expression in squamous papillary craniopharyngioma. In ACP, Bmp2 was expressed primarily in the stellate reticulum and whorl-like array cells; Runx2 and Osterix tended to be expressed in calcification-related epithelia, including whorl-like array cells and epithelia in/around wet keratin and calcification lesions.
CONCLUSIONS
Our study indicated, for the first time, that osteogenic factor Bmp2 may play an important role in the calcification of ACP via autocrine or paracrine mechanisms. Given the presence of osteogenic markers (Runx2 and Osterix), craniopharyngioma cells could differentiate into an osteoblast-like lineage, and the process of craniopharyngioma calcification resembles that which occurs in osteogenesis/odontogenesis.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1828
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The prognostic value of uNK cell count and histological dating in the mid-luteal phase of women with reproductive failure.
OBJECTIVE
Histological dating has been used for decades to evaluate the histological maturation of the endometrium. Uterine natural killer cells are thought to play a significant role in pregnancy. While several studies have shown an increased number of uNK cells in women with recurrent reproductive failure, its prognostic value of pregnancy outcome remains uncertain. The aim of this study was to determine whether or not the prognostic value of uNK measurement on pregnancy outcome is improved when it is combined with histological dating of the same endometrial specimen.
STUDY DESIGN
This is a retrospective study. Histological dating and uNK cell count was performed on endometrial biopsies taken from women with either recurrent miscarriage (RM, n=94) or recurrent implantation failure (RIF, n=72). Women who conceived within a year of the biopsy (n=83) were included in a further analysis to examine the prognostic value of uNK cell count and histological dating on the outcome of a subsequent pregnancy.
RESULTS
There was a significant (p=0.01) association between uNK cells and histological dating; retarded endometrium was less likely to have a high uNK cell count (16/58, 28%) than normally developed endometrium (52/108, 48%). Whilst uNK cell count on its own did not have a significant correlation to the pregnancy outcome, a retarded endometrium is significantly (p=0.01) associated with a higher miscarriage rate (68%, 13/19) than normally developed endometrium (35%, 23/64) in women with reproductive failure. Regardless of the result of uNK cell count (normal or abnormal), combining the results of histological dating appeared to have significantly improved the prognostic value.
CONCLUSIONS
We found that the prognostic value of uNK cell count is significantly increased when the result is combined with histological dating, primarily because histological dating is significantly correlated with pregnancy outcome.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1829
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Molecular cloning, expression, mRNA secondary structure and immunological characterization of mussel foot proteins (Mfps) (Mollusca: Bivalvia).
The macroscale production of mussel foot proteins (Mfps) in the expression system has not succeeded to date. The principal reasons for this are low levels of expression and yield of Mfps, lack of post-translational modifications (PTMs), and immunological toxic effects on the host system. Identification of post-translational modification sites, suitable expression hosts, and immunological responses through an experimental approach is very costly and time-consuming. However, in the present study, in silico post-translation modification, antigenicity, allergenicity, and the immunological reaction of all available Mfps were characterized. Furthermore, all Mfps were codon optimized in three different expression systems to determine the best expression host. Finally, we performed the in-silico cloning of all codon-optimized Mfps in a suitable host (E. coli K12, pET28a(+) vector) and analyzed the secondary structure of mRNA and its structural stability. Among the 78 Mfps, six fps are considered potential allergenic proteins, six fps are considered non-allergenic proteins, and all other fps are probably allergenic. High antigenicity was observed in bacterial cells as compared to yeast and tumor cells. Nevertheless, the predicted expression of Mfps in a bacterial host is higher than in other expression hosts. Important to note that all Mfps showed significant immunological activity in the human system, and we concluded that these antigenic, allergenic, and immunological properties are directly correlated with their amino acid composition. The study's major goal is to provide a comprehensive understanding of Mfps and aid in the future genetic engineering and expression of Mfps and its diverse applications in different fields.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Retriever1830
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Treatment of Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma of the Palate and Reconstruction of Defect With Nasoseptal Flap: A Clinical Case and Review of Literature.
Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a malignant tumor arising from the salivary glands. While surgery is the mainstay of treatment for ACC of the palate, adjuvant radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy should be considered in high-risk cases. Oronasal fistula, a complication of palatal surgery, may cause speech disturbance and food regurgitation; the nasoseptal flap is a potential option to repair this defect as it is readily available and reliable. Here, we present a case of locally advanced ACC of the palate in a patient who underwent endoscopic-assisted transoral tumor excision with nasoseptal flap reconstruction postoperative chemoradiotherapy.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1831
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Effect of electro-activated brine solution on the migration of metallic ions from the cans to the product in sterilized canned sweet corn.
Tinplate cans were used to study if electro-activated brine solution (EAS) is more corrosive than conventional one by ICP analysis. The results showed different effects of EAS on cans, alone or filled with product. Acidic EAS (pH 2-3) and Redox +900 to +1200 mV highly reacted with the cans. The concentrations of Zn, Fe, and Cu in the solution were 0.028, 28.81, and 0.022 ppm, respectively. No Sn migration was observed in this case. When neutral or acidic chlorine-free EAS was used, no significant difference was observed in comparison with the corrosivity of standard NaCl brine. Alkaline EAS with pH>10 and negative E (≤-966 mV) did not affect Zn, Fe, and Cu migration. However, it affected tin migration. Nevertheless, it is important to mention that even if some corrosion was observed, it was in the limit of the permitted level of concentration when the cans were filled with a product.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1832
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Nonlinear dynamics of microtubules: biophysical implications.
A recently developed model of nonlinear dynamics for microtubules is further expanded based on the biophysical arguments involving the secondary structure of the constitutive protein tubulin and on the ferroelectric properties of microtubules. It is demonstrated that kink excitations arise due to GTP hydrolysis that causes a dynamical transition in the structure of tubulin. The presence of an intrinsic electric field associated with the structure of a microtubule leads to unidirectional propagation of the kink excitation along the microtubule axis. This mechanism offers an explanation of the dynamic instability phenomenon in terms of the electric field effects. Moreover, a possible elucidation of the unidirectional transport of cargo via motor proteins such as kinesin and dynein is proposed within the model developed in this paper.
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No pos
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Retriever1833
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Gastric cancer progression associated with local humoral immune responses.
BACKGROUND
Although the association between H. pylori and gastric cancer has been well described, the alterations studies are scarce in the humoral immune response in specific anatomical areas of stomach and during the stages of gastric cancer. The aim in this study was to determine the influence of humoral immune responses against H. pylori infection on gastric carcinoma.
METHODS
We selected 16 gastric cancer cases and approximately one matched control per case at the National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition Salvador Zubirán (INCMNSZ); all the cases met the inclusion criteria for the study. We obtained three biopsies from each patient and from each of the predetermined regions of the stomach: antrum, angular portion, corpus, and fundus. From the patients with gastric cancer, additional biopsy specimens were obtained from tumor mid-lesion and tumor margin, and additional specimens were collected at least 2 and 5 cm from the tumor margin. We compared IgA levels against H. pylori in each area of stomach between cases and controls as well as between early and advanced stages of gastric cancer.
RESULTS
IgA values were strikingly elevated in cancer cases compared with control subjects; a value that was even higher in the distant periphery of tumor but was remarkably decreased toward the carcinoma lesion. The advanced stages of gastric cancer demonstrated the relapse of the humoral immune response in the mid-lesion region of the tumor compared with the tumor margins and adjacent non-tumor tissue.
CONCLUSIONS
Gastric cancer is characterized by progressive accumulation of a concentrated, specific IgA response against H. pylori, beginning with an abnormal increase in the entire stomach but particularly in the adjacent non-tumor tissue. Thus, it is possible that this strong immune response also participates in some degree in the damage and in the development of gastric cancer to some extent.
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No pos
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Retriever1834
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Free nonimmobilized ligands as a tool for purification of proteins.
Purification of proteins on a large scale is a complex multistep process, and alternative economic strategies are required. This study presents a novel approach (Affinity Sinking, AS) for purification of native proteins utilizing nonimmobilized modified ligands. The nonimmobilized state of the ligand circumvents the need for immobilizing ligands to polymeric supports. Therefore, purification from large volumes can be accomplished without the use of industrial-scale affinity columns. The mechanism of product capture is formation and precipitation of a specific [target-protein/modified-ligand] complex by using a soluble interconnecting entity that generates an insoluble [target-protein/modified-ligand/interconnecting entity] sediment containing the target protein. Rabbit IgG and two glycoproteins were purified accordingly, utilizing free avidin (as the interconnecting entity) and either desthiobiotinylated-protein A (DB-ProA) or desthiobiotinylated-concanavalin A (DB-ConA) as the modified ligand. The recovery yields for the IgG and the two glycoproteins were 80-86% and 70-75%, respectively. Target proteins are eluted from the generated pellet nearly without disrupting the [modified-ligand/interconnecting entity] macro-complex, thus enabling a practical procedure of recovering target proteins. Leaching of the DB-ProA ligand under eluting conditions (pH 3) was found to be lower than 1%. The two modified ligands, DB-ProA and DB-ConA, were regenerated without any chromatographic procedure in 80% and 85%-89% yield, respectively. The advantage of excluding the polymeric component from the purification process and obtaining highly purified proteins has been demonstrated, and it implies that other contaminants (e.g. endotoxins, prions, host DNA) could be excluded as well, thereby reducing the number of purification steps in a typical downstream process.
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No pos
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Retriever1835
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Automated Assessment of Glottal Dysfunction Through Unified Acoustic Voice Analysis.
This paper uses the recent glottal flow model for iterative adaptive inverse filtering to analyze recordings from dysfunctional speakers, namely those with larynx-related impairment such as laryngectomy. The analytical model allows extraction of the voice source spectrum, described by a compact set of parameters. This single model is used to visualize and better understand speech production characteristics across impaired and nonimpaired voices. The analysis reveals some discriminative aspects of the source model which map to a physiological class description of those impairments. Furthermore, being based on analysis of source parameters only, it is complementary to any existing techniques of vocal-tract or phonetic analysis. The results indicate the potential for future automated speech reconstruction systems that adapt to the method of reconstruction required, as well as being useful for mainstream speech systems, such as ASR, in which front-end analysis can direct back-end models to suit characteristics of impaired speech.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1836
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Impact of the Heartfulness program on loneliness in high schoolers: Randomized survey study.
High levels of loneliness are prominent in teenagers ranging from ages 14-19. The 4-week Self-Care program, offered by the Heartfulness Institute, is designed to develop social-emotional skills and self-observation. This study examined the impact of the Self-Care program on loneliness in high school students in the United States in a randomized, wait-list control trial with baseline and postintervention assessments. High school participants, aged 14-19, were randomized into a control-wait-listed group (n = 54) and a Heartfulness group (n = 54). Both the groups completed the intervention and the presurveys and postsurveys online, assessing their loneliness with the UCLA Loneliness Scale. The initial analysis noted the baseline equivalence of the data. A repeated measures ANOVA found a significant time * group interaction, with a significant decrease in loneliness reported in the Heartfulness Intervention group but no significant pre-post difference in the control group. In summary, the short online intervention program consisting of self-care tools decreased loneliness scores in the participants. This study opens up a new valley of possibilities, apart from existing research, and demonstrates that the online intervention used might be helpful to decrease loneliness levels in teens.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1837
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Renal angiography in potential living related renal donors in Iraq.
Between July 1983 and March 1986, 160 potential living related renal donors underwent renal angiography. One hundred and twenty-eight have (Group 1) and 32 have not (Group 2) become renal donors. The addition of selective renal angiography did not alter the pre-operative arterial prediction made on flush aortography in 102 of 109 renal donors who had both investigations. At surgery, nine of the 13 unexpected arterial findings were in patients who had both forms of angiography. Complications of angiography in 16 patients (11%) included failed groin puncture (two), groin haematoma (eight), haematocoele (one) and loin pain (five). Three patients had renal artery damage detected at surgery, one of which resulted in graft loss. The arterial anatomy demonstrated was similar in 22 of the 23 patients in Group 2 who had flush and selective angiography. One patient (3%) developed a small groin haematoma. Forty-six patients (29%) had multiple renal arteries demonstrated angiographically. This paper highlights the incidence of renal artery damage following selective renal angiography and suggests that flush aortography provides adequate pre-operative information.
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No pos
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Retriever1838
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I will speak up if I feel energetic: Effects of supervisor humor on employee voice.
Extant literature on supervisor humor predominantly documents its beneficial effects on the organization, but its dark side receives little attention. Drawing on ego depletion theory, we proposed a conceptual model to examine the effects of two interpersonal types of supervisor humor (i.e., affiliative humor and aggressive humor) on employee voice. An empirical study with a sample covering 257 employees in China indicated that supervisor aggressive humor was negatively related to voice behaviors via depleting employees' resource. In contrast, supervisor affiliative humor was positively related to voice behaviors owing to less depletion of employees. Contrary to prediction, emotional intelligence enhanced the positive effect of supervisor aggressive humor on employees' depletion. Important theoretical and practical implications were discussed.
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No pos
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Retriever1839
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Ontogenetic changes in the response properties of individual, primary auditory afferents in the vocal plainfin midshipman fish Porichthys notatus Girard.
The auditory system of adult midshipman fish Porichthys notatus Girard is an important sensory receiver system used during intraspecific social communication to encode conspecific vocalizations, but the response properties and function of this system in the pre-adult stages are unknown. Midshipman fish, like other teleosts, use the saccule as the main acoustic end organ of the inner ear. In this study, we examined the discharge properties and the frequency response dynamics of auditory saccular afferent neurons in pre-adult midshipman (approximately 4-12 months of age) to determine whether encoding of auditory information, inclusive of conspecific vocalizations, changes across life history stages. Extracellular single unit recordings were made from saccular afferents while sound was presented via an underwater speaker. Comparisons with adult data show that the resting discharge rate and auditory threshold sensitivity increased with age/size, while temporal encoding of frequency did not show any significant shifts. The results indicate that the saccular afferents of juveniles, like those of non-reproductive adults, are best adapted to temporally encode the low frequency components (<or=100 Hz) of midshipman vocalizations. This report represents the first in vivo investigation of age-related changes in the encoding properties of individual auditory neurons for any fish species.
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No pos
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Retriever1840
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The effects of efficacy framing in news information and health anxiety on coronavirus-disease-2019-related cognitive outcomes and interpretation bias.
Within the coronavirus-disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, disease-related information is omnipresent in the media, whereas information about how to manage the pandemic is less often covered. Under the context where threat is present, this study investigated whether and how the strength of efficacy framing (i.e., the perspective adopted by a communicating text that emphasizes one's possibilities to cope with an external threat) of COVID-19-related news, as well as its interaction with trait health anxiety under the COVID-19 context, related to people's COVID-19-related cognitive outcomes. One hundred and ninety-three participants reported demographics, trait health anxiety, and COVID-19-related behaviors (e.g., precautionary measures, information-seeking behaviors). They then either read high-efficacy (n = 112; e.g., cure rate) or low-efficacy (n = 81; e.g., mortality rate) information about COVID-19. Afterward, their tendency to interpret illness- and COVID-19-related information more negatively, and other COVID-19-related cognitions (e.g., risk perception, behavioral change intentions) were assessed. High-efficacy framing resulted in lower-risk perception and marginally weaker COVID-19-related interpretation bias, compared with low-efficacy framing. There was some evidence of an interaction with health anxiety such that high-efficacy framing, compared with low-efficacy framing, was associated with greater intention to adopt protective behaviors, particularly for individuals with higher levels of health anxiety. Media framing of COVID-19 information affects how people respond to the pandemic; a high-efficacy communication style might more effectively encourage healthy behaviors than a low-efficacy narrative, particularly for people who are already anxious about their health. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).
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Retriever1841
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Characteristic, polymorphism and expression distribution of LCAT gene in a Mongolian gerbil model for hyperlipidemia.
This study aims to evaluate the genetic basis and activity of lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) in a novel Mongolian gerbil model for hyperlipidemia. Gerbils may be susceptible to high fat and cholesterol (HF/HC) diets, which can rapidly lead to the development of hyperlipidemia. Approximately 10-30% of gerbils that are over 8months old and fed controlled diets spontaneously develop hyperlipidemia. Using the HF/HC diet model, we detected triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), HDL (high density lipoprotein)-C, LDL (low density lipoprotein)-C and LCAT in both old (>8months) and young gerbils. The TC and HDL-C levels were two times higher in old gerbils compared with young gerbils (P<0.01). However, in the old group the LCAT activity fell slightly compared with the normal lipidemia group. It is reasonable to hypothesize that this may be associated with single nucleotide polymorphisms of the LCAT gene. We cloned this gene to investigate the sensitivity of the gerbil to the HF/HC diet and spontaneous hyperlipidemia. The entire LCAT gene was cloned by splicing sequences of RACE (rapid amplification of cDNA ends) and nest-PCR products (AN: KC533867.1). The results showed that the 3683base pair gene consists of six exons and five introns. The LCAT protein consists of 444 amino acid (AA) residues, which are analogous to the human LCAT gene, and includes 24 signal peptide AA and 420 mature protein AA. Expression of LCAT was detected in the kidney, spleen and adrenal tissue, apart from the liver, by immunohistochemistry. The abundance of the protein was greater in the older group compared with the control group. Polymorphisms were analyzed by PCR-SSCP (PCR-single-strand conformation polymorphism) but none were found in 444 animals of the ZCLA closed population (a Chinese cultured laboratory gerbil population).
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No pos
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Retriever1842
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C-reactive protein and complement as acute phase reactants in common carp Cyprinus carpio during CyHV-3 infection.
Cyprinid herpesvirus 3 (CyHV-3) is the aetiological agent of a highly virulent and lethal disease of common carp Cyprinus carpio and its ornamental koi varieties. However, specific knowledge about immune mechanisms behind the infection process is very limited. We aimed to evaluate the effect of the CyHV-3 infection on the profile of 2 major components of the common carp immune acute phase response: the C-reactive protein (CRP) and the complement system. Common carp were infected with CyHV-3 by bath immersion. Fish were sampled before the infection and at 6, 12, 24, 72, 120 and 336 h post-infection for serum and head kidney, liver, gill and spleen tissues. CRP levels and complement activity were determined from the serum, whereas CRP- and complement-related genes (crp1, crp2, c1rs, bf/c2, c3, masp2) expression profiles were analysed in the tissues by quantitative PCR. Both CRP levels and complement activity increased significantly up to 10- and 3-fold, respectively, in the serum of infected fish during the challenge. Analysis revealed distinct organ- and time-dependent expression profile patterns for all selected genes. These results suggest that CRP and complement behave as acute phase reactants to CyHV-3 infection in common carp with an organ- and time-dependent response.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1843
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Language modality performance patterns in aphasia.
The purpose of this study was to investigate and describe the performance of 20 aphasic subjects across the four language modalities of auditory comprehension, verbal expression, reading, and writing. Subtests from the Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination and the Porch Index of Communicative Ability were administered to each subject. Results indicated that aphasia differentially affects performance in the four language modalities investigated. In this study, aphasic subjects as a group demonstrated variability in the degree of difficulty experienced in auditory comprehension, verbal expression, reading, and writing for both single words and short connected units. Furthermore, there was a consistent pattern of performance differences across modalities regardless of the length of the stimulus. This modality performance pattern is presented and plausible explanations are discussed.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1844
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A finite-element reciprocity solution for EEG forward modeling with realistic individual head models.
We present a finite element modeling (FEM) implementation for solving the forward problem in electroencephalography (EEG). The solution is based on Helmholtz's principle of reciprocity which allows for dramatically reduced computational time when constructing the leadfield matrix. The approach was validated using a 4-shell spherical model and shown to perform comparably with two current state-of-the-art alternatives (OpenMEEG for boundary element modeling and SimBio for finite element modeling). We applied the method to real human brain MRI data and created a model with five tissue types: white matter, gray matter, cerebrospinal fluid, skull, and scalp. By calculating conductivity tensors from diffusion-weighted MR images, we also demonstrate one of the main benefits of FEM: the ability to include anisotropic conductivities within the head model. Root-mean square deviation between the standard leadfield and the leadfield including white-matter anisotropy showed that ignoring the directional conductivity of white matter fiber tracts leads to orientation-specific errors in the forward model. Realistic head models are necessary for precise source localization in individuals. Our approach is fast, accurate, open-source and freely available online.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1845
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Airflow Obstruction Categorization Methods and Mortality.
RATIONALE
Current guidelines recommend using forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) % predicted to categorize the severity of airflow obstruction. There are limitations to using FEV1 % predicted for this purpose, including bias associated with demographic factors and the inability to correct for "lung size." Other methods for grading the severity of airflow obstruction have been proposed to address these limitations.
OBJECTIVES
Our objectives were to categorize airflow obstruction severity using these methods and then determine which method results in a categorization most closely associated with mortality.
METHODS
Study subjects were patients aged 40-80 years tested in our pulmonary function test laboratories in the period 2002 to 2013 with airflow obstruction based on an FEV1/forced vital capacity (FVC) less than the lower limit of normal. Categorization of airflow obstruction severity was determined using four methods: FEV1 % predicted; FEV1 % predicted adjusted by FVC % predicted; FEV1/FVC confidence interval approach; and FEV1 z-scores. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to determine which categorization method best predicts 5-year survival.
RESULTS
We identified 2,000 patients with airflow obstruction. Important differences in the categorization of airflow obstruction severity were observed using the different methods. More patients were categorized as having severe obstruction using FEV1 % predicted and FEV1 z-scores compared with FEV1 % predicted adjusted by FVC % predicted and FEV1/FVC confidence interval approach. FEV1 % predicted was the best predictor of 5-year survival among the four methods studied.
CONCLUSIONS
In our study, categorizing airflow obstruction severity using FEV1 % predicted best predicted 5-year survival. This validates the current guideline recommendation that FEV1 % predicted be used to categorize the severity of airflow obstruction.
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No pos
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Retriever1846
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Determination of partition coefficient and analysis of nitrophenols by three-phase liquid-phase microextraction coupled with capillary electrophoresis.
A three-phase hollow fiber liquid-phase microextraction method coupled with CE was developed and used for the determination of partition coefficients and analysis of selected nitrophenols in water samples. The selected nitrophenols were extracted from 14 mL of aqueous solution (donor solution) with the pH adjusted to pH 3 into an organic phase (1-octanol) immobilized in the pores of the hollow fiber and finally backextracted into 40.0 microL of the acceptor phase (NaOH) at pH 12.0 located inside the lumen of the hollow fiber. The extractions were carried out under the following optimum conditions: donor solution, 0.05 M H(3)PO(4), pH 3.0; organic solvent, 1-octanol; acceptor solution, 40 microL of 0.1 M NaOH, pH 12.0; agitation rate, 1050 rpm; extraction time, 15 min. Under optimized conditions, the calibration curves for the analytes were linear in the range of 0.05-0.30 mg/L with r(2)>0.9900 and LODs were in the range of 0.01-0.04 mg/L with RSDs of 1.25-2.32%. Excellent enrichment factors of up to 398-folds were obtained. It was found that the partition coefficient (K(a/d)) values were high for 2-nitrophenol, 3-nitrophenol, 4-nitrophenol, 2,4-dinitrophenol and 2,6-dinitrophenol and that the individual partition coefficients (K(org/d) and K(a/org)) promoted efficient simultaneous extraction from the donor through the organic phase and further into the acceptor phase. The developed method was successfully applied for the analysis of water samples.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1847
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Clinical Impact of Residual C-Peptide Secretion in Type 1 Diabetes on Glycemia and Microvascular Complications.
OBJECTIVE
To quantify the relationship of residual C-peptide secretion to glycemic outcomes and microvascular complications in type 1 diabetes.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
C-peptide was measured in an untimed blood sample in the Scottish Diabetes Research Network Type 1 Bioresource (SDRNT1BIO) cohort of 6,076 people with type 1 diabetes monitored for an average of 5.2 years.
RESULTS
In regression models adjusted for age at onset and duration, effect sizes for C-peptide ≥200 vs. <5 pmol/L were as follows: insulin dose at baseline, 27% lower (P = 2 × 10-39); HbA1c during follow-up, 4.9 mmol/mol lower (P = 3 × 10-13); hazard ratio for hospital admission for diabetic ketoacidosis during follow-up, 0.44 (P = 0.0001); odds ratio for incident retinopathy, 0.51 (P = 0.0003). Effects on the risk of serious hypoglycemic episodes were detectable at lower levels of C-peptide, and the form of the relationship was continuous down to the limit of detection (3 pmol/L). In regression models contrasting C-peptide 30 to <200 pmol/L with <5 pmol/L, the odds ratio for self-report of at least one serious hypoglycemic episode in the last year was 0.56 (P = 6 × 10-8), and the hazard ratio for hospital admission for hypoglycemia during follow-up was 0.52 (P = 0.03).
CONCLUSIONS
These results in a large representative cohort suggest that even minimal residual C-peptide secretion could have clinical benefit in type 1 diabetes, in contrast to a follow-up study of the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) intensively treated cohort where an effect on hypoglycemia was seen only at C-peptide levels ≥130 pmol/L. This has obvious implications for the design and evaluation of trials of interventions to preserve or restore pancreatic islet function in type 1 diabetes.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1848
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Solubility in binary solvent systems: 8. Estimation of binary alkane plus p-dioxane solvent nonideality from measured anthracene solubilities.
Experimental solubilities are reported for anthracene in binary solvent mixtures containing p-dioxane with n-hexane, cyclohexane, n-heptane, methylcyclohexane, n-octane, cyclooctane, and isooctane at 25 degrees C. Results of these measurements, used in conjunction with the nearly ideal binary solvent (NIBS) model, enabled excess Gibbs free energies, delta GBCfh, of the seven binary solvent mixtures to be estimated. Estimated values for p-dioxane plus cyclohexane, p-dioxane plus n-heptane, and p-dioxane plus methylcyclohexane mixtures are in reasonable agreement with published values based on vapor pressure measurements.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1849
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[Free cells of the connective tissue in pathological proliferation of the epithelium and in tumor growth].
The article presents a review of literature data and the authors' own investigations dealing with the dynamics of accumulation and distribution of free cells of the connective tissue in various forms of pathological proliferation of the epithelium (inflammatory overgrowth, disharmonal hyperplasia, tumours). Despite the availability of numerous data on morphological characteristics and functional significance of free cells, there are no reliable data on regularities of accumulation and distribution of individual cellular forms depending upon the character of a pathological process, its localization and extent of changes in the parenchymatous elements of the organ. But implementation of a local immunological control and maintenance of structural homeostasis should be linked first of all with reactions of free cells of the stroma. Elucidation of the role of cellular reactions in the stroma of tumour formations is of importance for prognostic evaluation of a possible progression. The authors showed that in experimental reproduction of disharmonal hyperplasia and tumours of the uterus and mammary gland there was a correlation between accumulation and distribution of eosinophilic leucocytes and plasmatic cells and the extent of changes in the epithelium. The presence of the cells of the immunocompetent series may be considered as an evidence of immunological reactions occurring as a responce to changes in antigenic properties of the epithelium in the course of malignization. The authors believe that knowledge of conjugated reactions of the stroma and epithelium in inflammatory, hormonal, and tumour growth may contribute to better understanding of the mechanisms of correlation of tissues in the course of a proliferative process and to ascertaining the causes of impairment of this correlation.
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Retriever1850
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Machine scoring of Her2/neu immunohistochemical stains.
OBJECTIVE
To establish the feasibility of a machine scoring method for her2/neu immunohistochemistry in samples of breast carcinoma.
STUDY DESIGN
A total of 65 consecutive cases of breast carcinoma with immunohistochemical stainingfor her2/neu by the Herceptest (Dako Corp., Carpinteria, California, U.S.A.) method (DAB chromogen with hematoxylin counterstain) were analyzed using an Extended Slide Wizard (Tripath Imaging, Inc., Burlington, North Carolina, U.S.A.) workstation running prototype software. Representative fields of view from the positive control, negative control and up to 10 fields from the stained tumor sample were captured interactively with a phased alternating line 3 CCD color camera. To determine the amount of specific membrane staining, chromogen separation of nuclear counterstain and membrane-positive stain was performed based on their respective absorption coefficients in the three color channels. The amount of specific membrane staining was scored based on a training set covering the rangefrom 0 to 3 + staining scores according to Dako. Manual scores of 2 + were tested for amplification by fluorescence in situ hybridization.
RESULTS
The automated scoring results correlated highly with the manual scores obtained per the Herceptest (Dako) instructions (R2>.92). The results were obtained in real time in the interactive mode.
CONCLUSION
Machine scoring of immunohistochemical stains is practical, rapid and inherently reproducible, especially for samples with 1+ and 2+ manual scores.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1851
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Do consumers' preferences for improved provision of malaria treatment services differ by their socio-economic status and geographic location? A study in southeast Nigeria.
BACKGROUND
Improvement of utilization of malaria treatment services will depend on provision of treatment services that different population groups of consumers prefer and would want to use. Treatment of malaria in Nigeria is still problematic and this contributes to worsening burden of the disease in the country. Therefore this study explores the socio-economic and geographic differences in consumers' preferences for improved treatment of malaria in Southeast Nigeria and how the results can be used to improve the deployment of malaria treatment services.
METHODS
This study was undertaken in Anambra state, Southeast Nigeria in three rural and three urban areas. A total of 2,250 randomly selected householders were interviewed using a pre tested interviewer administered questionnaire. Preferences were elicited using both a rating scale and ranking of different treatment provision sources by the respondents. A socio-economic status (SES) index was used to examine for SES differences, whilst urban-rural comparison was used to examine for geographic differences, in preferences.
RESULTS
The most preferred source of provision of malaria treatment services was public hospitals (30.5%), training of mothers (19%) and treatment in Primary healthcare centres (18.1%). Traditional healers (4.8%) and patent medicine dealers (4.2%) were the least preferred strategies for improving malaria treatment. Some of the preferences differed by SES and by a lesser extent, the geographic location of the respondents.
CONCLUSION
Preferences for provision of improved malaria treatment services were influenced by SES and by geographic location. There should be re-invigoration of public facilities for appropriate diagnosis and treatment of malaria, in addition to improving the financial and geographic accessibility of such facilities. Training of mothers should be encouraged but home management will not work if the quality of services of patent medicine dealers and pharmacy shops where drugs for home management are purchased are not improved. Therefore, there is the need for a holistic improvement of malaria treatment services.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1852
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Environmental isolation and characterisation of Cryptococcus species from living trees in Havana city, Cuba.
Cryptococcus isolates from Cuban patients were identified as C. neoformans var. grubii. Although this species has since long been associated with bird droppings, a recent genotyping study provided strong evidence for additional origins of exposure. We sampled different species of trees in Havana, Cuba to identify other potential sources of exposure to this fungus. A total of 662 samples were collected from 331 trees and cacti from Havana, Cuba. Initial selection of the isolates was carried out by conventional techniques. Isolates were further characterised using a combination of AFLP analysis and DNA sequence analysis. Identification by conventional methods yielded 121 C. neoformans and 61 C. gattii isolates. Molecular analyses showed that none of these isolates was C. gattii and only one isolate proved to be C. neoformans var. grubii. A total of 27 different other species were identified. The most prevalent species was C. heveanensis (33%). Sixty-five unidentifiable isolates segregated into ten potentially novel species. Conventional cultivation methods have a low specificity for C. neoformans complex and molecular analyses need to be applied to confirm identification of isolates from environmental sources. Environmental niches responsible for most of human cryptococcal infections in Cuba remain to be identified.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1853
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Endomyocardial fibrosis of the right ventricle: A case report of successful surgery.
AIMS
The case we report, shows a successful treatment of right ventricle endomyocardial fibrosis.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Surgical therapy by endocardial decortication seems to be beneficial for many patients with advanced disease who are in functional-therapeutic class III or IV. The operative mortality rate is high, but successful surgery has a clear benefit on symptoms and seems to favourably affect survival as well.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1854
|
[Living animal models of the medical shock wave].
This article reviews the methods, notes and evaluation of the living animal models of the medical shock wave, including directly shocked animal models, surgical implantation of stones into animal kidney models, implantation of tumor cells into animal models and animal bone models. The living animal models play an important role in studying the medical shock wave.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1855
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Effects on Vaginal Microbiota Restoration and Cervical Epithelialization in Positive HPV Patients Undergoing Vaginal Treatment with Carboxy-Methyl-Beta-Glucan.
OBJECTIVE
Evaluate the effects of carboxy-methyl-beta-glucan on cervical epithelialization and on the vaginal microbiota in patients with HPV infection or low-grade cervical preneoplastic lesion (CIN 1).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Seven-hundred eighty-four women with positive HPV tests or diagnosed with CIN 1 were enrolled in a retrospective case-control study. All the recruited women performed, at baseline and after 6 months, Pap test, HPV test, evaluation of vaginal health according to the Amsel criteria, colposcopy, and punch biopsy. The study population was then divided into 2 groups in relation to the therapy performed during the follow-up period. Group A performed treatment with vaginal gel based on carboxy-methyl-beta-glucan (1 application/day for 20 days per month for 3 months). Group B was the control group.
RESULTS
The patients of group A had a significant improvement in the ectopia pattern and a greater number of cases with metaplasia in the maturation phase with a significant increase in Lugol uptake. In the experimental group, a significant improvement in the pH indices, a negative Swift test and a resolution of the leucorrhoea were observed. A negative result of the 37.1% Pap test and the 39.9% HPV test (vs. 15.2% and 16.5%, respectively) were demonstrated in the treatment group with respect to the control group. A negativization of the colposcopic pictures was observed with a reduction in the amount of CIN 1 found higher in the treatment group.
CONCLUSIONS
Vaginal therapy based on carboxy-methyl-beta-glucan has been able to improve overall vaginal health; this effect seemed to positively impact the risk of persistence and progression of CIN.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1856
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Enhanced fitness of adult spermatogonial stem cells bearing a paternal age-associated FGFR2 mutation.
Pathogenic de novo mutations increase with fathers' age and could be amplified through competition between genetically distinct subpopulations of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs). Here, we tested the fitness of SSCs bearing wild-type human FGFR2 or an Apert syndrome mutant, FGFR2 (S252W), to provide experimental evidence for SSC competition. The S252W allele conferred enhanced FGFR2-mediated signaling, particularly at very low concentrations of ligand, and also subtle changes in gene expression. Mutant SSCs exhibited improved competitiveness in vitro and increased stem cell activity in vivo upon transplantation. The fitness advantage in vitro only occurred in low concentrations of fibroblast growth factor (FGF), was independent of FGF-driven proliferation, and was accompanied by increased response to glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF). Our studies provide experimental evidence of enhanced stem cell fitness in SSCs bearing a paternal age-associated mutation. Our model will be useful for interrogating other candidate mutations in the future to reveal mechanisms of disease risk.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1857
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Interrelation between α-Cardiac Actin Treadmilling and Myocardin-Related Transcription Factor-A Nuclear Shuttling in Cardiomyocytes.
Myocardin-related transcription factors (MRTFs) play a central role in the regulation of actin expression and cytoskeletal dynamics that are controlled by Rho GTPases. SRF is a ubiquitous transcription factor strongly expressed in muscular tissues. The depletion of SRF in the adult mouse heart leads to severe dilated cardiomyopathy associated with the down-regulation of target genes encoding sarcomeric proteins including α-cardiac actin. The regulatory triad, composed of SRF, its cofactor MRTFA and actin, plays a major role in the coordination of the nuclear transcriptional response to adapt actin filament dynamics associated with changes in cell shape, and contractile and migratory activities. Most of the knowledge on the regulation of the SRF-MRTF-Actin axis has been obtained in non-muscle cells with α-actin and smooth muscle cells with α-smooth actin. Here, we visualized for the first time by a time-lapse video, the nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of MRTFA induced by serum or pro-hypertrophic agonists such as angiotensin II, phenylephrine and endothelin-1, using an MRTFA-GFP adenovirus in cultures of neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. We showed that an inhibitor of the RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway leads to an α-cardiac actin polymerization disruption and inhibition of MRTFA nucleocytoplasmic shuttling. Moreover, inhibition of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway also prevents the entry of MRTFA into the nuclei. Our findings point out a central role of the SRF-MRTFA-actin axis in cardiac remodeling.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1858
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Responses of human clasp and sling fibers to neuromimetics.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS
It has previously been demonstrated that clasp and sling fibers at the human gastroesophageal junction respond differently to acetylcholine (Ach). The present study was undertaken to investigate the differences between the physiological and pharmacological properties of the two types of muscle fiber.
METHODS
Recordings were made of the isometric tension of human sling and clasp fibers in response to Ach, dopamine (DA), phenylephrine (Phe), and isoprenaline (Iso). These specimens were obtained from 18 patients who were operated on for esophageal cancer.
RESULTS
Both Ach and Phe increased the tension of the two types of muscle; the values in the Ach group being 3-4-fold greater than those in the Phe group, while Iso decreased the tension of both types of muscle strip. The tension of the sling fibers was reduced by DA at lower concentration, and then increased gradually as the concentration was increased. In contrast, the tension of the clasp fibers did not obviously change when the concentration of DA was lower, but a slow elevation of tension was seen with the increase in DA concentration.
CONCLUSIONS
The sensitivities and maximum responses to each agent differed between the clasp fibers and sling fibers. This suggests that the two kinds of fiber have different roles in establishing tension in the lower esophageal sphincter, with implications for the medical and surgical treatment of disorders in this region.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1859
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Variations in Long-term Opioid Therapy Definitions: A Systematic Review of Observational Studies Using Routinely Collected Data (2000-2019).
Routinely collected data have been increasingly used to assess long-term opioid therapy (LTOT) patterns, with very little guidance on how to measure LTOT from these data sources. We conducted a systematic review of studies published between January 2000 and July 2019 to catalogue LTOT definitions, the rationale for definitions and LTOT rates in observational research using routinely collected data in nonsurgical settings. We screened 4056 abstracts, 210 full-text manuscripts and included 128 studies, mostly from the United States (81%) and published between 2015 and 2019 (69%). We identified 78 definitions of LTOT, commonly operationalised as 90 days of use within a year (23%). Studies often used multiple criteria to derive definitions (60%), mostly based on measures of duration, such as supply days/days of use (66%), episode length (21%) or prescription fills within specified time periods (12%). Definitions were based on previous publications (63%), clinical judgment (16%) or empirical data (3%); 10% of studies applied more than one definition. LTOT definition was not provided with enough details for replication in 14 studies and 38 studies did not specify the opioids evaluated. Rates of LTOT within study populations ranged from 0.2% to 57% according to study design and definition used. We observed a substantial rise in the last 5 years in studies evaluating LTOT with large variability in the definitions used and poor reporting of the rationale and implementation of definitions. This variation impacts on research reproducibility, comparability of findings and the development of strategies aiming to curb therapy that is not guideline-recommended.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1860
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Spatial attention and the latency of neuronal responses in macaque area V4.
The effects of attention on neuronal responses in visual cortex have been likened to a change in stimulus contrast. Attention and stimulus contrast both modulate the magnitude of neuronal responses. However, changes in stimulus contrast also affect the latency of visual responses. Although many neurophysiological studies have examined how attention affects the strength of neuronal responses, few have considered whether attention affects neuronal latencies. To compare directly the effects of stimulus contrast and attention, we recorded responses from individual neurons in area V4 of macaque monkeys while they performed a task that independently controlled spatial attention and stimulus contrast. As expected, changes in stimulus contrast affected both the magnitude and latency of neuronal responses. Although attention had the expected effects on the magnitudes of neuronal responses, we did not detect statistically reliable changes in neuronal latency. A direct comparison of the effects of contrast and attention revealed a reliable difference. When a shift in spatial attention decreased response magnitude, response latency increased much less than when the same magnitude change was caused by reducing stimulus contrast. Thus, attention is distinct from contrast in the way it affects the relationship between neuronal response magnitude and latency.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1861
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The chemical properties of light- and chemical-curing composites with mineral trioxide aggregate filler.
OBJECTIVE
One of the challenges encountered with composite restorations is their inability to prevent secondary caries. Alternative fillers that initiate remineralization have been proposed but poor mechanical strength limits their use to lining and support materials. Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) is a material with many dental applications including root-end filling and pulp capping. MTA is capable of encouraging remineralization by leaching calcium in solution, and has the ability to form apatite in physiological solution. The aim of this study was to characterize and investigate the chemical properties of MTA-filled composite resins.
METHODS
Composite resins composed of light-cured (Heliobond) and chemical-cured (Superbond) dental resins filled with MTA Plus (MTA-Light, MTA-Chem) respectively, and MTA Plus mixed with water (MTA-W), were investigated. Un-hydrated and set materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy after being stored dry or immersed in Hank's balanced salt solution (HBSS). The chemical properties of the set materials were then investigated.
RESULTS
XRD and FT-IR analyses revealed that MTA powder remains unhydrated within the composite, even after 28 days of immersion in HBSS. Furthermore neither resin appeared to chemically react with the MTA. EDX revealed minimal diffusion of bismuth oxide through the polymer network. Apatite formation on the material surfaces was demonstrated by SEM. Significantly less apatite deposition was exhibited on the composites compared to MTA-W. All materials leached calcium and produced an alkaline pH in physiological solution. The pH at 28 days was: MTA-W 12.7, MTA-Light 11.4, and MTA-Chem 10.8. Calcium ion concentration followed the same trend, with MTA-W>MTA-Light>MTA-Chem.
SIGNIFICANCE
The novel composites exhibited calcium ion release, alkalinizing pH and formation of apatite, although in each case not as strongly as the control (MTA-W). MTA-Chem fared less favorably than MTA-Light in these aspects. Thus they are recommended for applications where bioactivity is desirable but not critical, and only they have a significant advantage over ordinary MTA in some other aspect.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1862
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Production, purification and characterisation of recombinant Fahsin, a novel antistasin-type proteinase inhibitor.
Serine proteinases from inflammatory cells, including polymorphonuclear neutrophils, are involved in various inflammatory disorders, like pulmonary emphysema and rheumatoid arthritis. Inhibitors of these serine proteinases are potential drug candidates for the treatment of these disorders, since they prevent the unrestricted proteolysis. This study describes a novel specific antistasin-type inhibitor of neutrophil serine proteinases, we called Fahsin. This inhibitor was purified from the Nile leech Limnatis nilotica, sequenced and heterologously expressed using a synthetic gene in the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris, yielding 0.5 g(-l) of the protein in the culture medium. Recombinant Fahsin was purified to homogeneity and characterised by N-terminal amino acid sequencing and mass spectrometry. Inhibition-kinetic analysis showed that recombinant Fahsin is a fast, tight-binding inhibitor of human neutrophil elastase with inhibition constant in the nanomolar range. Furthermore, recombinant Fahsin was, in contrast to various other neutrophil elastase inhibitors, insensitive to chemical oxidation and biological oxidation via myeloperoxidase-generated free oxygen radicals. Thus, Fahsin constitutes a novel member of a still expanding family of naturally occurring inhibitors of serine proteinases with potential therapeutic use for treatment of human diseases.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1863
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Treating nocturnal enuresis.
Nocturnal enuresis, commonly known as bedwetting, is described in documents dating from 1550 BC. Derived from the Greek word enourein, meaning "in urine" or "inability to control urination," it occurs in 15 to 20 per cent of five year olds and is twice as common in boys as girls. Indeed, no cure has yet been found and thousands of children and their families live with the distress the condition causes. Among affected children, this often includes behavioral problems and low self-esteem.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1864
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Vinculin gene is non-essential in Drosophila melanogaster.
Vinculin is thought to be an important cytoskeletal protein in the linkage between actin cytoskeleton and integrin transmembrane receptors. We identified Vinculin (Vinc) gene in the X chromosome of D. melanogaster. Drosophila vinculin is highly homologous in its N- and C-terminal domains both to mammalian and nematode vinculins, and contains internal repeats and proline-rich region typical for vinculins. The X chromosome rearrangement In(1LR)pn2a was found to disrupt Vinc so that the coding sequence is interrupted by the (AAGAG)n satellite DNA. Northern analysis revealed that the Vinc transcript is completely absent in the In(1LR)pn2a homozygous flies. Surprisingly, these Vinc flies are viable and fertile. This finding highlights plasticity and adaptive capacity of cellular cytoskeletal and anchorage system.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1865
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Open Reduction With K-Wire Stabilization of Fracture Dislocations of the Mandibular Condyle: A Retrospective Review.
PURPOSE
The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility of direct transcortical stabilization of fracture dislocations of the mandibular condyle (FDMCs) using narrow-diameter non-threaded Kirschner wire (K-wire).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
This retrospective review reports on the treatment outcomes for 12 patients (15 fractures) with FDMCs treated with open reduction using transcortical 0.027-inch K-wire stabilization. Postoperative parameters of relevance included infection, facial nerve function, hardware removal, mandibular range of motion, and radiographic determination of fracture union.
RESULTS
Three patients had bilateral FDMCs and 9 had unilateral FDMCs (age range at time of injury, 14 to 72 yr; mean age, 32 yr). Postoperative follow-up ranged from 6 weeks to 2 years. Four patients required removal of K-wire hardware for different reasons. K-wires were removed because of infection in 1 patient. Another patient required removal because of migration of the pin into the joint space. One pin was removed electively and another was removed for nonspecific postoperative symptoms that resolved after pin removal. Persistent facial nerve deficit was observed in 1 patient.
CONCLUSION
Open reduction with transcortical K-wire stabilization can achieve satisfactory outcomes for the treatment of FDMC. Further investigation is needed in determining the efficacy of this fixation technique in the management of FDMC.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1866
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Nanostars on Nanopipette Tips: A Raman Probe for Quantifying Oxygen Levels in Hypoxic Single Cells and Tumours.
Multiple sharp-edged gold nanostars were efficiently assembled on nanopipette tips through electrostatic interactions for use as a potent intracellular hypoxia-sensing Raman probe. Colloidal stability and surface immobilization were checked using scanning electron microscopy, light scattering, and zeta potential measurements. Site-specific intracellular hypoxia levels can be estimated in vitro and in vivo using Raman lancets (RL). Distinct Raman spectral changes for the nitro-(NO2 ) functional group of the redox marker 4-nitrothiophenol (4NTP) can be quantified according to the intracellular oxygen (O2 ) content, ranging from 1 % to 10 %. Redox potential changes in mitochondrial respiration were also examined through serial injections of inhibitors. 3D-cultured cells and in vivo tests were used to validate our method, and its application in the assessment of the aggressiveness of cancer cells by differentiating spectral changes between malignant and benign cells was demonstrated.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1867
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Long-term prostate-specific antigen velocity in improved classification of prostate cancer risk and mortality.
BACKGROUND
It remains unclear whether adding long-term prostate-specific antigen velocity (PSAV) to baseline PSA values improves classification of prostate cancer (PCa) risk and mortality in the general population.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether long-term PSAV improves classification of PCa risk and mortality in the general population.
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS
We studied 503 men aged 30-80 yr, with and without PCa, who had repeated PSA measurements over 20 yr and up to 28 yr before PCa diagnosis. These were selected from among 7455 men in the Copenhagen City Heart Study, a prospective, general population study with follow-up from 1981 through 2010. Results were subsequently applied to all 1 351 441 men aged 40-80 yr living in Denmark from 1997 through 2006.
OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
PCa risk and mortality were assessed using Cox regression. Improvement in risk classification was assessed using the net reclassification index (NRI).
RESULTS
Age-adjusted hazard ratios for PCa risk and mortality were 2.7-5.3 and 2.3-3.4, respectively, for long-term PSAV when added to models already including baseline PSA values. For PCa risk and mortality, adding long-term PSAV to models already including baseline PSA values and age yielded continuous NRIs of 98-99% and 56-106%, respectively. Used on a nationwide scale (eg, for men aged 60-64 yr), long-term PSAV >0.35 versus ≤ 0.35 ng/ml per year appropriately reclassified 128 of 10 000 men with PCa and 8095 of 10 000 men with no PCa. Correspondingly, inappropriately reclassified were 49 of 10 000 men with PCa and 1658 of 10 000 men with no PCa.
CONCLUSIONS
Long-term PSAV in addition to baseline PSA value improves classification of PCa risk and mortality. Applying long-term PSAV nationwide, the ratio of appropriately to inappropriately classified men would typically be 5:1.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1868
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Large multilocular serous cystadenoma of the pancreatic head.
We present the case of an 88-year-old female, investigated for upper abdominal pain and upper abdominal mass, exhibiting at the computed tomography a large tumour located in the head of the pancreas, compressing the common bile duct and with uncertain preoperative diagnosis (benign/malign). The histopathological findings of the operative specimen (cephalic pancreatoduodenectomy) revealed a large serous multilocular cystadenoma. There are presented the clinical, imaging and pathological correlations in the present case, also analysing the limits of the imaging preoperative diagnosis and indications for surgery in cystic tumours of the pancreas.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1869
|
Legitimating a nuclear critic: John Gofman, radiation safety, and cancer risks.
Whether low-level ionizing radiation has an effect on humans has been a polarizing issue for the last fifty years. The epicenter of this controversy has been the validity of the linear non-threshold dose-response model, according to which any amount of radiation, however small, causes damage to human genes and health. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the nuclear scientist and medical researcher John Gofman (1918-2007) played a pivotal role in the debate. Historical accounts have treated Gofman as a radical antinuclear scientist whose unscientific arguments put enormous political pressure on the nuclear power industry and regulatory agencies. Gofman's bitter struggle with the Atomic Energy Commission, which funded his research at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, partly accounts for this view. However, my analysis of Gofman's involvement in the low-level radiation debate shows how he also helped shift the focus in radiation safety from the risks of genetic damage or leukemia to somatic or cancer risks. His arguments led to the introduction of the linear non-threshold radiation model as a means of numerically estimating cancer risks. This was a watershed event in radiation-safety science and politics. Gofman's case sheds light on the process by which a scientist could secure legitimation even when his technical arguments threatened the government's interests. I conclude that it also points to an open issue in the history of antinuclear scientists, or of other politically active scientists or technology critics: treating them as critics should not preclude historians from treating them as scientists.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1870
|
HIV-1 DNA for the measurement of the HIV reservoir is predictive of disease progression in seroconverters whatever the mode of result expression is.
BACKGROUND
HIV-1 DNA levels, reported as copies/10(6) peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), are very predictive of disease progression in seroconverters, independently of CD4(+)T cell count and HIV-RNA. Previously, HIV-DNA levels have sometimes been reported by other means: copies/10(6) CD4(+)T cells, reflecting the proportion of infected cells; or copies/mL whole blood, reflecting the global blood reservoir size.
OBJECTIVES
We investigated if the predictive value over the natural course of the disease depends on how the results are reported.
STUDY DESIGN
Results reported as HIV-DNA copies/10(6) PBMC were converted to copies/10(6) CD4(+)T cells or to copies/mL whole blood for 422 seroconverters included in the French SEROCO cohort (ANRS).
RESULTS
The three methods for reporting HIV-DNA levels yielded different ranges, but these values were highly correlated. The level of HIV-DNA during the seroconversion period was strongly associated with disease progression in all three reporting methods.
CONCLUSIONS
This reinforces the value of HIV-DNA quantification in physiopathological and therapeutical studies, particularly in an era of research aimed at diminishing the HIV reservoir. Even if blood represents a small part of this reservoir, HIV-DNA in blood is a simple marker that provides an informative picture of the global reservoir and is strongly predictive of disease progression.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1871
|
Interaction between thiopental and fentanyl in mice is different between hypnotic and lethal doses.
Much is known about the interaction of intravenous anesthetics and opioids at the therapeutic level, but less is known regarding their combined lethal effect, leaving some uncertainty regarding the window of safety for their clinical use. We set out to document the type of interaction between thiopental and fentanyl for both the hypnotic effect (loss of righting reflex) and lethal effect in mice. Hypnotic and lethal dose-response curves were constructed for thiopenthal alone and in combination with fentanyl (0.8 microg/kg, each based on five to seven subgroups of six to ten ICR mice. The dose of fentanyl was that needed to double the lag time to tail flick following a noxious stimulus (the equivalent of human analgesia). While fentanyl did not change the median effective hypnotic dose of thiopental (8.9 mg/kg [95% confidence interval {CI} 8.0-9.9 mg/kg] alone versus 7.8 mg/kg [95% CI 6.7-8.7 mg/kg] in combination), it significantly reduced its median lethal dose from 71.8 mg/kg (95% CI 68.3-74.8 mg/kg) to 64.5 mg/kg (95% CI 63.7-65.2 mg/kg). Most remarkably, it increased the slope of the curve from 0.17 (95% CI 0.10-0.36) to 0.61 (95% CI 0.24-1.10), virtually eliminating the difference between the non-lethal and lethal ranges. We conclude that the type of interaction between thiopental and fentanyl is stronger for the lethal effect than for the hypnotic effect. This may become relevant to clinical situations in humans when higher doses of thiopental are used.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1872
|
Clinical characteristics and factors associated with coronary stenosis proximal to a myocardial bridge: a retrospective study.
BACKGROUND
The association of myocardial bridge (MB) with cardiovascular risk and the possible cardiovascular risk factors remain unclear. This study aimed to explore the clinical characteristics and related factors of coronary stenosis proximal to an MB.
METHODS
This was a retrospective study of patients with symptoms of coronary atherosclerotic heart disease admitted between 10/2011 and 12/2014 to the Emergency and Cardiology Department of Bayannur Hospital, who underwent selective coronary angiography (SCAG). The patients were assigned to the non-stenosis and stenosis groups according to whether coronary stenosis was proximal to the MB.
RESULTS
Among 244 patients with MB and cardiovascular symptoms, 91 (37.3%) had stenosis proximal to the MB. Compared with the non-stenosis group, there were more males (80.2% vs. 55.6%, P < 0.001) and smokers (including those who had quit smoking) (P < 0.001) in the stenosis group. There were no significant differences in blood lipid-related indexes (TG, TC, HDL-C, LDL-C, and VLDL-C) between the two groups. Multivariable analysis suggested that MB location in the middle distal or distal segment of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) increased the odds of coronary stenosis proximal to the MB (OR = 0.439, 95% CI: 1.57-7.532, P = 0.002), which was then considered an independent factor associated with coronary stenosis proximal to the MB.
CONCLUSIONS
In patients diagnosed with an MB by SCAG, only MB located in the middle distal or distal segment of the LAD is independently associated with coronary stenosis proximal to the MB.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1873
|
[Spanish scientific production in antimicrobial agents and susceptibility procedures during period 1990-2002].
The aim of this study was to analyze the scientific production of Spanish authors on antimicrobial agents and susceptibility tests during the period 1990-2002. Articles from Spanish scientific institutions of microbiology, bacteriology, mycology and parasitology published and recorded in the MEDLINE database (WEBSPIRS version 4.2) during the period 1990-2002 were selected. Only articles about antimicrobial agents and susceptibility procedures were reviewed. A total of 5,259 documents were analyzed, of which 1,041 (19.8%) were about antimicrobal agents. The annual number of documents increased by two-fold (from 48 in 1990 to 101 in 2002). The journal that published most documents was Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, with 183 (17.1%). The main field of interest of the documents was antimicrobial agents and susceptibility tests (765; 73.5%) and in vitro resistance analyses (265; 25.5%). The highest number of contributions came from hospitals (571; 54.9%), followed by universities (351; 33.7%). The institutions with most documents published were the Ramón y Cajal Hospital (8.6%), and Seville University Faculty of Medicine (6%). The most productive autonomous communities were Madrid (43.4%), Catalonia (16.4%) and Andalusia (4.7%). A total of 787 documents (75.6%) were published in journals with impact factors and the mean expected impact factor was 2.390 +/- 1.546. It was concluded that the scientific production of Spanish researchers in antimicrobial agents had increased during the period 1990-2002, and that hospitals were the most productive institutions in this area of microbiology, with the main areas of interest being antimicrobial agents and susceptibility tests.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1874
|
A novel frameshift mutation (+A) at codon 18 of the beta-globin gene associated with high persistence of fetal hemoglobin phenotype and deltabeta-thalassemia.
We report in this paper a novel thalassemia mutation (insertion of a single A nucleotide within the exon 1, at codon 18, of the beta-globin gene) associated with a deletion of the deltabeta-globin gene region, in a patient exhibiting high persistence of fetal hemoglobin. The novel mutation causes a frameshift with the generation of a UGA stop codon. Analysis of the parent's DNA demonstrates that the A insertion and frameshift mutation are inherited from the father, while the deltabeta-globin gene deletion is inherited from the mother. Gene dosage analysis and deletion-specific PCR demonstrate that the deletion is the (deltabeta)(0) Sicilian deletion, involving a 13.4-kb deltabeta-globin gene region.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1875
|
[Congenital tuberculosis: difficulties in early diagnosis].
BACKGROUND
Neonatal and/or congenital tuberculosis is insufficiently understood.
CASE REPORTS
Case 1. A premature hypotrophic neonate presented at the age of 45 days, without any maternal contact, a bilateral bronchopneumopathy. Whilst the pregnancy and birth had not been affected by any noteworthy problem, the mother died from miliary tuberculosis despite rifampin, isoniazid and pyrazinamide treatment. Her baby also died on day 52 from multivisceral failure. Culture of tracheal secretions confirmed a few weeks later the diagnosis of tuberculosis. Case 2. A premature, hypotrophic neonate presented on day 22 signs of respiratory distress (miliary), icterus and hepatosplenomegaly. Whilst the pregnancy and birth had not been affected by any particular problem, the mother, 18 days after giving birth, presented miliary and pleural tuberculosis. Despite treatment with rifampin, isoniazid and pyrazinamid started on day 22, the baby died on day 27 from multivisceral failure. The post-mortem liver biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of tuberculosis. Case 3. A baby born at term was hospitalized on day 4 for jaundice. Whilst the pregnancy and birth had not presented any problem, the mother developed a pleural tuberculosis on day 10. Breast-feeding was stopped. Due to the presence of opacities at the top of the right lung, the child was given rifampin, isioniazid, and pyrazinamide. The course was marked by the appearance of hepatomegaly and poor weight gain up to day 25, followed by an improvement.
CONCLUSION
The frequency of congenital tuberculosis is probably under-estimated. Its early diagnosis is essential but often difficult as the initial manifestations are delayed. Improved screening of women at risk and sensitization of the medical community are necessary.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1876
|
Pharmacologic cardioversion of recent-onset atrial fibrillation: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.
AIMS
We sought to identify the most effective antidysrhythmic drug for pharmacologic cardioversion of recent-onset atrial fibrillation (AF).
METHODS AND RESULTS
We searched MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science from inception to March 2019, limited to human subjects and English language. We also searched for unpublished data. We limited studies to randomized controlled trials that enrolled adult patients with AF ≤ 48 h and compared antidysrhythmic agents, placebo, or control. We determined these outcomes prior to data extraction: (i) rate of conversion to sinus rhythm within 24 h, (ii) time to cardioversion to sinus rhythm, (iii) rate of significant adverse events, and (iv) rate of thromboembolism within 30 days. We extracted data according to PRISMA-NMA and appraised selected trials using the Cochrane review handbook. The systematic review initially identified 640 studies; 30 met inclusion criteria. Twenty-one trials that randomized 2785 patients provided efficacy data for the conversion rate outcome. Bayesian network meta-analysis using a random-effects model demonstrated that ranolazine + amiodarone intravenous (IV) [odds ratio (OR) 39.8, 95% credible interval (CrI) 8.3-203.1], vernakalant (OR 22.9, 95% CrI 3.7-146.3), flecainide (OR 16.9, 95% CrI 4.1-73.3), amiodarone oral (OR 10.2, 95% CrI 3.1-36.0), ibutilide (OR 7.9, 95% CrI 1.2-52.5), amiodarone IV (OR 5.4, 95% CrI 2.1-14.6), and propafenone (OR 4.1, 95% CrI 1.7-10.5) were associated with significantly increased likelihood of conversion within 24 h when compared to placebo/control. Overall quality was low, and the network exhibited inconsistency. Probabilistic analysis ranked vernakalant and flecainide high and propafenone and amiodarone IV low.
CONCLUSION
For pharmacologic cardioversion of recent-onset AF within 24 h, there is insufficient evidence to determine which treatment is superior. Vernakalant and flecainide may be relatively more efficacious agents. Propafenone and IV amiodarone may be relatively less efficacious. Further high-quality study is necessary.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1877
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Associations of EDNRA and EDN1 polymorphisms with carotid intima media thickness through interactions with gender, regular exercise, and obesity in subjects in Taiwan: Taichung Community Health Study (TCHS).
The aim of this study was to evaluate the interacted association between EDNRA and EDN1 polymorphisms and gender, regular exercise, and obesity status on carotid intima media thickness (IMT) in community- dwelling subjects of the Taichung Community Health Study. Five single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs rs1395821, rs1878406, rs5333, rs1800541, and rs5370) of the EDNRA and EDN1 gene were examined in 480 participants from 160 families. The IMT protocol involves scanning the common carotid arteries (CCAs), the carotid bifurcations (bulb), and the origins (first 1 cm) of the internal carotid arteries (ICAs). Generalized linear models with a generalized estimating equation were employed to consider the dependence among family members. After multivariate adjustment, the effects of interactions between EDNRA and EDN1 gene with gender, obesity, and exercise were observed. For gene-gender interaction on CCA IMT, the adjusted mean for men carrying the GA/GG genotype of EDNRASNP rs1878406 was 1.18 times higher than that for men carrying the AA genotype (95% CI: 1.01, 1.37). As for bulb and ICA IMT, the adjusted mean values for women carrying the AC/AA genotype of EDN1 rs5370 was lower than those carrying the CC genotype: 0.89, [0.82, 0.98]; and 0.90 [0.83, 0.99], respectively. We did observe significant effects of EDNRA SNPs rs1395821 and rs5333 in individuals who regularly exercised. A significantly lower adjusted mean in CCA IMT for non-obese individuals carrying EDNRA SNP rs5333 was observed (0.92 [0.86, 0.99]) compared with non-obese individuals carrying the AA genotype. This study first reported significant interactions of EDNRA and EDN1 polymorphisms with gender, regular exercise, and obesity on carotid IMT in Han Chinese participants.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1878
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Characterization of mutants of Salmonella typhimurium by counter-current distribution in an aqueous two-polymer phase system.
An aqueous, two-polymer phase system was employed in an attempt to separate and characterize a series of R mutants, derived from Salmonella typhimurium 395 MS, with differing lengths of lipopolysaccharide chains on their surfaces. R mutants with varying degrees of virulence and phagocytic resistance were unresolved in this system. However, the smooth MS bacteria were clearly separated from the rough cells and showed a high affinity for the polyethylene glycol-rich top phase. A uridine 5'-diphosphate-gal-4-epimeraseless mutant, phenotypically in R or S form depending on the growth medium, partitioned as the R mutants and S bacteria, respectively. These results demonstrate the great influence of long polysaccharide chains on the physicochemical properties of the cell surface.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1879
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Lipoprotein turnover and possible remnant accumulation in preeclampsia: insights from the Freiburg Preeclampsia H.E.L.P.-apheresis study.
BACKGROUND
Preeclampsia is a life-threatening disease in pregnancy, and its complex pathomechanisms are poorly understood. In preeclampsia, lipid metabolism is substantially altered. In late onset preeclampsia, remnant removal disease like lipoprotein profiles have been observed. Lipid apheresis is currently being explored as a possible therapeutic approach to prolong preeclamptic pregnancies. Here, apheresis-induced changes in serum lipid parameters are analyzed in detail and their implications for preeclamptic lipid metabolism are discussed.
METHODS
In the Freiburg H.E.L.P.-Apheresis Study, 6 early onset preeclamptic patients underwent repeated apheresis treatments. Serum lipids pre- and post-apheresis and during lipid rebound were analyzed in depth via ultracentrifugation to yield lipoprotein subclasses.
RESULTS
The net elimination of Apolipoprotein B and plasma lipids was lower than theoretically expected. Lipids returned to previous pre-apheresis levels before the next apheresis even though apheresis was repeated within 2.9 ± 1.2 days. Apparent fractional catabolic rates and synthetic rates were substantially elevated, with fractional catabolic rates for Apolipoprotein B / LDL-cholesterol being 0.7 ± 0.3 / 0.4 ± 0.2 [day- 1] and synthetic rates being 26 ± 8 / 17 ± 8 [mg*kg- 1*day- 1]. The distribution of LDL-subclasses after apheresis shifted to larger buoyant LDL, while intermediate-density lipoprotein-levels remained unaffected, supporting the notion of an underlying remnant removal disorder in preeclampsia.
CONCLUSION
Lipid metabolism seems to be highly accelerated in preeclampsia, likely outbalancing remnant removal mechanisms. Since cholesterol-rich lipoprotein remnants are able to accumulate in the vessel wall, remnant lipoproteins may contribute to the severe endothelial dysfunction observed in preeclampsia.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
ClinicalTrails.gov, NCT01967355 .
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1880
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COVID-19 and autoimmune bullous diseases: Lessons learned.
Both COVID-19 and autoimmune bullous diseases represent potentially life-threatening conditions. Autoimmunity has been a special focus during the COVID-19 pandemic considering the possible detrimental mutual influence between COVID-19 and autoimmune disorders as well as their supposed induction or triggering by SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. There is a growing need to assess the impact of the current pandemic particularly in patients with autoimmune bullous diseases requiring potent and long-term immunosuppressive treatments. This review provides the relevant state-of-the-art knowledge, including our own research, about immunobullous diseases in relation to COVID-19 and summarizes expert perspectives on their management throughout the pandemic.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1881
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Malignant clear cell hidradenoma.
We report the case of a 77-year-old man with a recurrent malignant clear cell hidradenoma. Establishing histopathological criteria of malignancy for these tumors can be difficult as nuclear anaplasia may be slight to moderate or even absent; however, in contrast to the benign form, malignant clear cell hidradenoma tends to invade the surrounding tissue. As these tumors can show a high rate of local recurrence (50%) and may even metastasize to lymph nodes, bone or visceral organs, wide surgical excision should be performed after the initial diagnosis.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1882
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Role of transmitral blood flow velocity by Doppler echocardiography in the evaluation of coronary artery disease.
To determine the relation between presence and severity of coronary artery disease and diastolic filling abnormalities by Doppler echocardiography, recordings of transmitral inflow velocity were made at rest in 90 patients with coronary artery disease and 28 normals. At the time of the Doppler examination, 81 patients with coronary artery disease (90%) and 10 normals (36%) were treated with antianginal medications. No difference was found in the ratio between early (E) and late (A) diastolic filling velocity (E/A ratio) when comparing patients with greater than 70% obstruction of at least one coronary artery to age-matched normals, regardless of the presence or absence of wall motion abnormalities. The E/A ratio was 1.3 +/- 0.46 in coronary patients with normal wall motion, 1.2 +/- 0.47 in coronary patients with abnormal wall motion, and 1.3 +/- 0.53 in both samples of age-matched normals. Multivariate analysis of the relation between E/A ratio and other variables showed that heart rate (F = 24.46, p less than 0.00001) and age (F = 19.51, p less than 0.00001) were significant independent determinants of the E/A ratio, while the presence or severity of coronary artery disease, the presence of hypertension, the magnitude of wall motion abnormalities, and end-diastolic dimension by echocardiography were not. These data suggest that transmitral inflow velocity recordings by Doppler have limited value for the recognition of coronary artery disease, since the E/A ratio is profoundly influenced by other factors, such as heart rate and age.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1883
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Role of survivin expression in predicting biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy: a multi-institutional study.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the association of survivin expression with clinicopathological features and biochemical recurrence (BCR) after radical prostatectomy (RP) in a large multi-institutional cohort.
METHODS
Survivin expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry on a tissue microarray of RP cores from 3 117 patients. Survivin expression was considered altered when at least 10% of the tumour cells stained positive. The association of altered survivin expression with BCR was evaluated using Cox proportional hazards regression models.
RESULTS
Survivin expression was altered in 1 330 patients (42.6%). Altered expression was associated with higher Gleason score on RP (P = 0.001), extracapsular extension (P = 0.019), seminal vesicle invasion (P < 0.001) and lymph node metastases (P = 0.009). The median (interquartile range) follow-up was 38 (21-66) months. Patients with altered survivin expression had a shorter BCR-free survival time than those with normal expression (5-year BCR-free survival estimates: 74.7 vs 79.0%; P = 0.008). Altered survivin expression did not retain its prognostic value, however, after adjustment for the effect of established clinicopathological factors (P = 0.73). Subgroup analyses also showed no independent prognostic value of survivin.
CONCLUSIONS
Survivin expression is commonly altered in patients undergoing RP. Altered survivin expression is associated with the clinicopathological features of biologically and clinically aggressive PCa. Survivin expression was associated with BCR only in univariable analysis, limiting its value in daily clinical decision-making.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1884
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CAMOIP: a web server for comprehensive analysis on multi-omics of immunotherapy in pan-cancer.
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have completely changed the approach pertaining to tumor diagnostics and treatment. Similarly, immunotherapy has also provided much needed data about mutation, expression and prognosis, affording an unprecedented opportunity for discovering candidate drug targets and screening for immunotherapy-relevant biomarkers. Although existing web tools enable biologists to analyze the expression, mutation and prognostic data of tumors, they are currently unable to facilitate data mining and mechanism analyses specifically related to immunotherapy. Thus, we effectively developed our own web-based tool, called Comprehensive Analysis on Multi-Omics of Immunotherapy in Pan-cancer (CAMOIP), in which we are able to successfully screen various prognostic markers and analyze the mechanisms involved in biomarker expression and function, as well as immunotherapy. The analyses include information relevant to survival analysis, expression analysis, mutational landscape analysis, immune infiltration analysis, immunogenicity analysis and pathway enrichment analysis. This comprehensive analysis of biomarkers for immunotherapy can be carried out by a click of CAMOIP, and the software should greatly encourage the further development of immunotherapy. CAMOIP provides invaluable evidence that bridges the information between the data of cancer genomics based on immunotherapy, providing comprehensive information to users and assisting in making the value of current ICI-treated data available to all users. CAMOIP is available at https://www.camoip.net.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1885
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Genomic imprinting at the WT1 gene involves a novel coding transcript (AWT1) that shows deregulation in Wilms' tumours.
The Wilms' tumour suppressor gene, WT1, is mutated in 10-15% of Wilms' tumours and encodes zinc-finger proteins with diverse cellular functions critical for nephrogenesis, genitourinary development, haematopoiesis and sex determination. Here we report that a novel alternative WT1 transcript, AWT1, is co-expressed with WT1 in renal and haematopoietic cells. AWT1 maintains WT1 exonic structure between exons 2 and 10, but deploys a new 5'-exon located in intron 1 of WT1. The AWT1 gene predicts proteins of approximately 33 kDa, comprising all exon 5 and exon 9 splicing variants previously characterized for WT1. Although WT1 is not genomically imprinted in kidney, we have previously shown monoallelic expression of a WT1 antisense transcript (WT1-AS) that is consistent with genomic imprinting. Here we demonstrate that both WT1-AS and the novel AWT1 transcript are imprinted in normal kidney with expression confined to the paternal allele. Wilms' tumours display biallelic AWT1 expression, indicating relaxation of imprinting of AWT1 in a subset of WTs. Our findings define human chromosome 11p13 as a new imprinted locus, and also suggest a possible molecular basis for the strong bias of paternal allele mutations and variable penetrance observed in syndromes with inherited WT1 mutations.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1886
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Intracerebroventricular injections of the enteric bacterial metabolic product propionic acid impair cognition and sensorimotor ability in the Long-Evans rat: further development of a rodent model of autism.
Propionic acid (PPA) is a dietary short chain fatty acid and a metabolic end-product of enteric bacteria. Intracerebroventricular (ICV) injections of PPA can result in brain and behavioral abnormalities in rats similar to those seen in humans suffering from autism. To evaluate cognition and sensorimotor ability in the PPA model, male Long-Evans hooded rats received ICV injection of PPA or control compounds prior to behavioral testing in water maze and beam tasks. Compared to controls, PPA-treated rats were impaired in the water maze task as indicated by an unusual pattern of mild or no impairment during spatial acquisition training, but marked impairment during spatial reversal training. PPA-treated rats were also impaired on the beam task. Neuropathological analysis from PPA-treated rats revealed an innate neuroinflammatory response. These findings add to evidence that PPA can change the brain and behavior in the laboratory rat consistent with symptoms of human autism.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1887
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Scientometric Review for Research Patterns on Additive Manufacturing of Lattice Structures.
Over the past 15 years, interest in additive manufacturing (AM) on lattice structures has significantly increased in producing 3D/4D objects. The purpose of this study is to gain a thorough grasp of the research pattern and the condition of the field's research today as well as identify obstacles towards future research. To accomplish the purpose, this work undertakes a scientometric analysis of the international research conducted on additive manufacturing for lattice structure materials published from 2002 to 2022. A total of 1290 journal articles from the Web of Science (WoS) database and 1766 journal articles from the Scopus database were found using a search system. This paper applied scientometric science, which is based on bibliometric analysis. The data were subjected to a scientometric study, which looked at the number of publications, authorship, regions by countries, keyword co-occurrence, literature coupling, and scientometric mapping. VOSviewer was used to establish research patterns, visualize maps, and identify transcendental issues. Thus, the quantitative determination of the primary research framework, papers, and themes of this research field was possible. In order to shed light on current developments in additive manufacturing for lattice structures, an extensive systematic study is provided. The scientometric analysis revealed a strong bias towards researching AM on lattice structures but little concentration on technologies that emerge from it. It also outlined its unmet research needs, which can benefit both the industry and academia. This review makes a prediction for the future, with contributions by educating researchers, manufacturers, and other experts on the current state of AM for lattice structures.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1888
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Gallbladder Metastasis From Conjunctival Melanoma.
Malignant conjunctival melanoma is a rare tumor. A 46-year-old woman with a history of locally recurrent left conjunctival melanoma was followed by F-FDG PET/CT. Four years after the local recurrence treated by orbital exenteration, the follow-up PET/CT scan showed an incidental intense FDG uptake mass infiltrating the gallbladder associated with a low uptake of an infracentimetric pulmonary nodule. The patient was completely asymptomatic with no sign of local recurrence. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed, and histopathologic findings were consistent with gallbladder metastasis of melanoma. After almost 2 years of immunotherapy, the patient is still in complete response.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1889
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Platelet Gel in a Non-Regenerating Cryosurgery-Induced Skin Wound in an Old Patient: A Case Report.
OBJECTIVE
To report on the clinical benefits of platelet gel application in a non-regenerating skin wound.
CLINICAL PRESENTATION AND INTERVENTION
An 84-year-old man presented with a severe wound with a regular circumference in the frontal region which resulted in a complete loss of epidermis and dermis. The skin lesion, induced by cryosurgery used to remove a basal-cell carcinoma, had previously been treated with a dermal substitute application (Integra®). After the failure of the skin graft, the patient was treated using a platelet gel therapeutic protocol which achieved the complete healing of the injured area.
CONCLUSION
This case showed the clinical efficacy of using platelet gel in this elderly patient in whom the dermal substitute graft had been ineffective.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1890
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[Production of hyaluronan-binding glycoprotein by human monocytes. Its use as marker in myeloid leukemia].
A hyaluronan-binding protein fraction was isolated by affinity chromatography of peripheral human blood mononuclear cell culture medium through immobilized hyaluronan. The presence of a hyaluronan-binding protein similar to human brain hyaluronectin was demonstrated by (i) the ELISA method on hyaluronan-coated plastic plates using anti-hyaluronectin antibodies, (ii) the lowering of the elution volume of the protein on liquid gel chromatography in the presence of hyaluronan, (iii) the extinction of the reaction to human brain hyaluronectin when antibodies were absorbed out with monocyte hyaluronectin, (iv) western blotting with polyclonal and monoclonal anti-hyaluronectin antibodies. The hyaluronectin-producing cells were adherent (10 min., 37 degrees C) to plastic, esterase (+) and CD 14 (+) cells and had the morphology of monocytes. The protein expression was investigated in leukemic cells by means of the immunocytochemical method. Hyaluronectin expression was restricted to 4/12 of M4 and M5 types of acute myeloid leukemias. Other myeloid leukemia and acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells were negative. The results indicate that hyaluronectin can be produced under free form in the absence of hyaluronan, by human peripheral blood monocytes. It supports the hypothesis that the expression of hyaluronectin in tumour stroma could be due, at least in part, to inflammatory cells of the tumour. The expression of the protein by M4 and M5 acute myeloid leukemia cells suggests that hyaluronectin could be synthesized by immature cells of the monocytic lineage as well as by mature monocytes.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1891
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Progress toward SHAPE Constrained Computational Prediction of Tertiary Interactions in RNA Structure.
As more sequencing data accumulate and novel puzzling genetic regulations are discovered, the need for accurate automated modeling of RNA structure increases. RNA structure modeling from chemical probing experiments has made tremendous progress, however accurately predicting large RNA structures is still challenging for several reasons: RNA are inherently flexible and often adopt many energetically similar structures, which are not reliably distinguished by the available, incomplete thermodynamic model. Moreover, computationally, the problem is aggravated by the relevance of pseudoknots and non-canonical base pairs, which are hardly predicted efficiently. To identify nucleotides involved in pseudoknots and non-canonical interactions, we scrutinized the SHAPE reactivity of each nucleotide of the 188 nt long lariat-capping ribozyme under multiple conditions. Reactivities analyzed in the light of the X-ray structure were shown to report accurately the nucleotide status. Those that seemed paradoxical were rationalized by the nucleotide behavior along molecular dynamic simulations. We show that valuable information on intricate interactions can be deduced from probing with different reagents, and in the presence or absence of Mg2+. Furthermore, probing at increasing temperature was remarkably efficient at pointing to non-canonical interactions and pseudoknot pairings. The possibilities of following such strategies to inform structure modeling software are discussed.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1892
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Airway management in pierre robin sequence: patterns of practice.
Objectives : To report survey results from American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association members on the practice patterns of airway obstruction management in patients with Pierre Robin sequence. Design : A 10-question online survey was sent and the data were reviewed. Setting : Online survey of members of the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association. Patients : Surveys assessed management patterns of patients with Pierre Robin sequence whom a surgeon member of the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association treated for airway obstruction. Interventions : The survey comprised data on management strategies for airway obstruction in Pierre Robin sequence, including tracheostomy, tongue-lip adhesion, mandibular distraction, and treatments that falls in the "other" category. Results : A total of 87 American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association members completed the survey. Respondents' results were analyzed as a whole and by individual subspecialty: plastic surgery (n = 33), oromaxillofacial surgery (n = 21), and otolaryngology (n = 29). Although most of the surgeons were trained to manage airway obstruction in Pierre Robin sequence patients using tracheostomy (47%, n = 39) and tongue-lip adhesion (31%, n = 26), 48% reported a current preference for mandibular distraction (n = 40). Of surgeons who preferred to manage Pierre Robin sequence with tongue-lip adhesion (n = 23), 65% were trained to do so (n = 15). Surgeons preferring mandibular distraction (n = 40) and tracheostomy (n = 14) more often reported they were trained to manage Pierre Robin sequence with tracheostomy. Conclusions : Currently there are various practice patterns for the management of airway obstruction in Pierre Robin sequence. Training habits and subspecialty category may influence a surgeon's preference in patients who fail conservative therapy. Treatment guidelines are lacking and may require significant collaboration among centers and subspecialties to develop a more standardized approach to a challenging clinical entity.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1893
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Grb2 binding to Tyr284 in TbetaR-II is essential for mammary tumor growth and metastasis stimulated by TGF-beta.
We demonstrated previously that growth factor receptor-bound protein 2 (Grb2) associates with the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) type II receptor [TbetaR-II] upon its phosphorylation on Tyr284 by Src. Although this phosphotransferase reaction is critical in mediating TGF-beta stimulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and invasion in mammary epithelial cells (MECs), the necessity of Grb2 in promoting these TGF-beta-dependent events remain purely correlative. Herein, we further evaluated the role of Grb2 in mediating the oncogenic activities of TGF-beta and show that the binding of Grb2 to TbetaR-II paralleled the induction of EMT in MECs stimulated by TGF-beta. Introducing siRNAs against Grb2 or expression of a TbetaR-II mutant that cannot bind Grb2 (i.e. Y284F-TbetaR-II) had no effect on the ability of TGF-beta to activate Smad3, but significantly impaired its stimulation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) in MECs. Importantly, these same cellular conditions also prevented the ability of MECs to undergo EMT in response to TGF-beta, and to invade synthetic basement membranes when stimulated by beta3 integrin and TGF-beta. Finally, we show that the ability of TGF-beta to stimulate breast cancer growth and pulmonary metastasis in mice required TbetaR-II to be phosphorylated on Tyr284, which activated p38 MAPK in developing and progressing mammary tumors. Collectively, our findings have established the necessity of Grb2 in mediating TGF-beta stimulation of EMT and invasion in MECs, as well as demonstrated the essential function of the alphavbeta3 integrin:Src:phospho-Y284-TbetaR-II:Grb2:p38 MAPK signaling axis to promote breast cancer growth and metastasis in vivo.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1894
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Fuzzy Neural Network for Studying Coupling between Drilling Parameters.
The rate of penetration (ROP) is an index used to measure drilling efficiency. However, it is restricted by many factors, and there is a coupling relationship among them. In this study, the random forest algorithm is used to sort influencing factors in order of feature importance. In this way, less influential factors can be removed. A fuzzy neural network (FNN) is applied to the field of drilling engineering for the first time, aiming at the coupling problem to predict the ROP. Fuzzification is an important part of training and realizing FNN, but research on this topic is currently lacking. In this study, K-means are used to divide the data with high similarity into a fuzzy set, which is used as the initialization parameter for the second layer of the FNN. The data of Shunbei No. 1 and 5 fault zones in Xinjiang are collected and trained. The results show that the mean value of the coefficient of determination R 2 is 0.9668 under 10 experiments, which is higher than those obtained from a back propagation neural network and multilayer perceptron particle swarm optimization methods. Therefore, the effectiveness and feasibility of the model are verified. The proposed model can improve drilling efficiency and save drilling costs.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1895
|
Massive Benign Pneumatosis Intestinalis.
Teaching point: CT may help distinguishing benign from life-threatening pneumatosis intestinalis.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1896
|
Application of artificial intelligence in preoperative imaging of hepatocellular carcinoma: Current status and future perspectives.
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary malignant liver tumor in China. Preoperative diagnosis of HCC is challenging because of atypical imaging manifestations and the diversity of focal liver lesions. Artificial intelligence (AI), such as machine learning (ML) and deep learning, has recently gained attention for its capability to reveal quantitative information on images. Currently, AI is used throughout the entire radiomics process and plays a critical role in multiple fields of medicine. This review summarizes the applications of AI in various aspects of preoperative imaging of HCC, including segmentation, differential diagnosis, prediction of histopathology, early detection of recurrence after curative treatment, and evaluation of treatment response. We also review the limitations of previous studies and discuss future directions for diagnostic imaging of HCC.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1897
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The strong dimerization of the transmembrane domain of the fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) is modulated by C-terminal juxtamembrane residues.
The fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) is a member of the FGFR subfamily of the receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) involved in signaling across the plasma membrane. Generally, ligand binding leads to receptor dimerization and activation. Dimerization involves the transmembrane (TM) domain, where mutations can lead to constitutive activation in certain cancer types and also in skeletal malformations. Thus, it has been postulated that FGFR homodimerization must be inherently weak to allow regulation, a feature reminiscent of alpha and beta integrin TM interactions. However, we show herein that in FGFR3-TM, four C-terminal residues, CRLR, have a profound destabilizing effect in an otherwise strongly dimerizing TM peptide. In the absence of these four residues, the dimerizing propensity of FGFR3-TM is comparable to glycophorin, as shown using various detergents. In addition, the expected enhanced dimerization induced by the mutation associated to the Crouzon syndrome A391E, was observed only when these four C-terminal residues were present. In the absence of these four residues, A391E was dimer-destabilizing. Finally, using site specific infrared dichroism and convergence with evolutionary conservation data, we have determined the backbone model of the FGFR3-TM homodimer in model lipid bilayers. This model is consistent with, and correlates with the effects of, most known pathological mutations found in FGFR-TM.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1898
|
Migratory and misleading abscess of oro-facial region.
Acute pericoronitis usually presents with severe localized pain, swelling and sometimes trismus. However, chronic pericoronitis and periodontal abscess produce a dull pain, moderate swelling and are occasionally seen migrating into distant sites producing fistulae intra-orally and/or extra-orally. This may quite often cause diagnostic dilemmas necessitating thorough medical and dental history, careful clinical examination and sometimes special investigations to confirm the etiology and or origin of infection. Here, we present three such cases and their management.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever1899
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Long-term clinical outcomes of patients receiving proton beam therapy for caudate lobe hepatocellular carcinoma.
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) located in the caudate lobe (caudate HCC) is rare; however, patients with this type of tumour have poorer prognoses than those with HCC in other segments. Despite many published reports on the clinical usefulness of proton beam therapy (PBT) for HCC, data on the clinical outcomes of patients undergoing PBT for caudate HCC remain scarce. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the outcomes of this group of patients. Thirty patients with caudate HCC who underwent definitive PBT between February 2002 and February 2014 were retrospectively analysed. The total irradiation doses ranged from 55 to 77 (median 72.6) Gy relative biological dose. The median follow-up period was 37.5 (range, 3.0-152.0) months. The overall survival (OS) rates at one, three and five years were 86.6%, 62.8% and 46.1%, respectively. According to univariate and multivariate analyses, Child-Pugh A (P < 0.01), having a single tumour (P = 0.02) and a low serum alpha-fetoprotein level (AFP; P < 0.01) were significant factors predicting longer survival. The local control (LC) rates at one, three and five years were 100%, 85.9% and 85.9%, respectively, while the corresponding progression-free survival (PFS) rates were 65%, 27.5% and 22%, respectively. No grade 3 or worse adverse events were observed. PBT is effective and safe for the treatment of caudate HCC, and should therefore be considered a feasible option for intervention in patients with this disease.
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No pos
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No neg
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