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Retriever3300
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Non-targeted analysis by LC-MS of major metabolite changes during the oolong tea manufacturing in New Zealand.
Oolong tea is a semi-fermented tea that is partially oxidised during the manufacturing process to create a product unique in composition. In this study, we investigated the potential of non-targeted LC-MS with two complementary chromatographic modes to provide a "comprehensive and unbiased" view of biochemical compositional changes occurring during oolong tea manufacturing in New Zealand. Tea leaf samples from throughout the manufacturing/fermentation process during three different harvest periods (spring, summer and autumn) were analysed by four different LC-MS streams. Principal component analysis revealed the de-greening stage of the manufacturing process was responsible for major changes in the biochemical profile, with the methodology detecting changes in a wide range of metabolites of differing polarities, such as flavonoids, nucleosides and primeverosides. Changes during the fermentation phase of the manufacturing process were less marked, however significant increases in levels of free amino acids, a hydroxyjasmonic acid and related metabolites were observed.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3301
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The effect of UV-C radiation (254 nm) on candidate microbial source tracking phages infecting a human-specific strain of Bacteroides fragilis (GB-124).
The enumeration of phages infecting host-specific strains of Bacteroides has been widely recognised as an effective and low-cost method of microbial source tracking (MST). A recently described human-specific Bacteroides host strain (GB-124) has been shown to detect bacteriophages exclusively in human-impacted waters and is emerging as a useful MST tool. However, a better understanding of the morphology and ecological behaviour of the phages, especially in wastewater disinfection processes, is now required in order to validate their role as MST markers. Bacteriophages infecting Bacteroides fragilis GB-124 (n = 21) were isolated from wastewater effluent and irradiated using laboratory-based UV-C (254 nm) collimated beam experiments. Bacteriophages were found to be both a morphologically and ecologically homogeneous group, with all specimens showing highly similar first order log-linear inactivation profiles (mean fluence required to inactivate phages by 4-log(10) was 36 mJ/cm(2)). These findings present the first evidence that phages infecting GB-124 are inactivated by the levels of UV-C radiation routinely delivered during tertiary wastewater treatment processes. More importantly, comparison with previously published inactivation data suggests that their response to UV-C radiation makes GB-124 phages more suitable surrogates for selected enteric viruses in UV disinfection processes than traditional faecal indicator bacteria or human-specific molecular markers.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3302
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Intrinsic and extrinsic connections of Tet3 dioxygenase with CXXC zinc finger modules.
Tet proteins are emerging as major epigenetic modulators of cell fate and plasticity. However, little is known about how Tet proteins are targeted to selected genomic loci in distinct biological contexts. Previously, a CXXC-type zinc finger domain in Tet1 was shown to bind CpG-rich DNA sequences. Interestingly, in human and mouse the Tet2 and Tet3 genes are adjacent to Cxxc4 and Cxxc10-1, respectively. The CXXC domains encoded by these loci, together with those in Tet1 and Cxxc5, identify a distinct homology group within the CXXC domain family. Here we provide evidence for alternative mouse Tet3 transcripts including the Cxxc10-1 sequence (Tet3(CXXC)) and for an interaction between Tet3 and Cxxc4. In vitro Cxxc4 and the isolated CXXC domains of Tet1 and Tet3(CXXC) bind DNA substrates with similar preference towards the modification state of cytosine at a single CpG site. In vivo Tet1 and Tet3 isoforms with and without CXXC domain hydroxylate genomic 5-methylcytosine with similar activity. Relative transcript levels suggest that distinct ratios of Tet3(CXXC) isoforms and Tet3-Cxxc4 complex may be present in adult tissues. Our data suggest that variable association with CXXC modules may contribute to context specific functions of Tet proteins.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3303
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Dietary carbohydrates affect caecal fermentation and modify nitrogen excretion patterns in rats. I. Studies with protein-free diets.
In a two-factorial experiment on 96 young male rats, the effects of substituting 10% raw potato starch (PS), pectins (PEC), or cellulose (CEL) for corn starch (CS) were studied using an unsupplemented protein-free (PF) diet or a PF diet supplemented either with DL-methionine or urea. The pH and the short chain fatty acids (SCFA) content in caecal digesta, as well as caecal digesta and tissue weights were determined and used as the criteria of caecal fermentation intensity. Blood urea level, amount of N excreted via faeces and urine, DAPA content, and amino acid composition of faecal protein were analyzed as indices of protein metabolism. A 10-day adaptation period to the carbohydrates fed with the casein diet preceded the experimental period of feeding the respective carbohydrates with protein-free diets. Dietary carbohydrates significantly influenced total and individual SCFA content in caecal digesta, as well as other parameters related to the intensity of fermentation. Potato starch and pectins were more intensively fermented than cellulose. Supplementation of the PF diet with methionine and urea affected only caecal isobutyric and valeric acid content in a way dependent on the carbohydrates present in the diet. Carbohydrates significantly altered the routes of N excretion. Faecal excretion was increased by all carbohydrates studied compared to corn starch, pectins had the most marked effect. Urinary excretion was significantly increased by cellulose (as compared with the PEC and PS groups) and decreased by pectins as compared with all other groups. There was an interaction between the effects of carbohydrates and type of protein-free diet on faecal and urinary excretion. The sum of amino acids in faecal protein was the lowest on the PEC diet, but the amino acid composition expressed as a per cent of total amino acid content was similar in all groups. It can be concluded that dietary carbohydrates alter the excretion patterns of endogenous nitrogen in rats in different ways and that this effect is related to the intensity of their fermentation in the hind gut.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3304
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Clinical and metabolic characteristics of males with early-onset androgenetic alopecia.
Background Men with early-onset androgenetic alopecia (AGA) often have an abnormal hormonal milieu. Objective To ascertain the clinico-phenotypic characteristics and the prevalence of hormonal and metabolic changes in men with early-onset AGA. Methods Consecutive male patients less than 30 years of age with a Norwood-Hamilton grade ≥3 AGA were recruited in this comparative cross-sectional study. After endocrine evaluation they were classified into two groups, that is, Group A consisting of subjects with an altered hormonal profile and Group B with normal hormonal profiles. The groups were assessed for differences in disease phenotype and severity (Norwood-Hamilton grade), insulin resistance and parameters of metabolic syndrome (ATP III guidelines). Results Altered hormonal profiles were seen in 34 of the 100 subjects with AGA, while insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome were noted in 44 and 26 respectively. Altered hormonal profiles were significantly associated with insulin resistance and severe alopecia (grade 4 and above Hamilton-Norwood Scale). Insulin resistant Group A patients had a significantly higher prevalence of severe alopecia (>grade 4) (P = 0.0036). The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was similar in both groups. Limitation The cross sectional study design was a drawback of this study. Further, a control arm without AGA was not included and the sample size of 100 was selected arbitrarily. Conclusion An altered hormonal profile and insulin resistance was noted in a third of the males with early-onset AGA. Subjects with altered hormonal profiles had a higher prevalence of insulin resistance and were likely to have severe grades of AGA.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3305
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Environmental impact of a new hazardous waste incinerator in Catalonia, Spain: PCDD/PCDF levels in herbage samples.
In April 1996 and 1998, the concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDF) were determined in 40 herbage samples collected in the neighborhood of a hazardous waste incinerator (HWI) under construction in Constanti (Catalonia, Spain). In April 2000, 20 months after the HWI began operating, herbage samples were again collected at the same sampling points in which samples had been taken in the previous surveys. PCDD/F concentrations ranged between 0.13 and 0.65 ng I-TEQ/kg (dry matter), with a median and mean values of 0.29 and 0.32 ng I-TEQ/kg (dry matter), respectively. The results were compared with those obtained in the 1996 (median, 0.53 ng I-TEQ/kg; mean, 0.61 ng I-TEQ/kg) and the 1998 (median, 0.23 ng I-TEQ/kg; mean, 0.31 ng I-TEQ/kg) surveys. While in the period 1996-1998 a significant decrease (49%, P < 0.001) in the mean PCDD/F levels was noted, in the period 1998-2000 an increase of 3% (P > 0.05) was found in the concentrations of PCDD/Fs. The analysis of the results suggests two potential hypotheses: either the emissions of PCDD/Fs from the HWI are not negligible, or the current PCDD/F emissions from other sources near the HWI remained at similar levels to those reached in 1998. Anyhow, an exhaustive evaluation of the present data shows an absence of notable PCDD/F contamination by the HWI in the area under its direct influence. It seems also probable that the decline in the atmospheric levels of PCDD/Fs due other emission sources of PCDD/Fs in this area is currently stopped.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3306
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General Practitioners' Experiences of Digital Written Patient Dialogues: A Pilot Study Using a Mixed Method.
Background: The path between patients and health care providers has adopted new advanced information technologies. However, opinions vary about the digital care meeting. Physicians have expressed concerns about increased workload, changes in working methods, and information security. Purpose: To explore physicians' experiences and satisfaction of digital primary health care. Method: A convergent mixed method was used. First, participants completed a quantitative questionnaire survey with fixed response options described as index values (IV, 0-1.0), supplemented with a 10-point Likert-type scale, estimating satisfaction. Second, a qualitative interview used critical incident technique (CIT) to offer more complete context. Data were collected during 2 months in 2019; 6 general practitioners (GPs) participated. Results: The GPs described good experiences of the concept (IV 0.65), corresponding to a median satisfaction value of 6.5 (interquartile range 5-9,). CIT emerged into 2 main areas; "Hovering between traditional and digital primary health care" and "Using active strategies to handle the digital care system." GPs experienced that the concept offered a good flow, an asynchronous working approach was used. GPs also stated present chat design was a good complement to traditional forms of primary health care, and the benefits of being able to read patients' self-described history were considered a significant patient safety factor. However, the GPs felt that a predetermined symptom list were not suitable for all patients. Conclusion: Study results suggest the present design using digital written patient dialogues complements traditional primary healthcare. GPs described satisfaction and expressed good experiences of the concept, although further development of the design is needed.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3307
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Modulation of microglial activation state following passive immunization in amyloid depositing transgenic mice.
Alzheimer's disease is a large and growing health problem. Several lines of transgenic mice overexpressing the amyloid precursor protein (APP) develop both diffuse and compacted amyloid deposits which increase in size and number with age. In the vicinity of compacted deposits, these mice develop neuritic dystrophy and activation of glia. Ultimately, these mice also develop memory deficits. Immunotherapy against the Abeta peptide has been effective in both clearing amyloid deposits from the brain, and improving the mnemonic performance of the transgenic mice. Associated with these actions, are changes in the expression of microglial markers. In some cases, the glial activation markers decline, consistent with reduced provocation from amyloid deposits. However, in a time course study, we found that some markers of microglial activation increase transiently once the immunotherapy is initiated. Still another marker continues to rise for up to 3 months of treatment, and remains elevated even after the parenchymal amyloid deposits are largely removed. These changes are consistent with a shift in the microglial phenotype, transitioning from a condition associated with inflammation and ineffective in clearing Abeta deposits to one with reduced inflammation, and capable of clearing deposited amyloid.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3308
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[Three therapeutic processes of inpatients with eating disorders compared with the Core Conflict Relationship Method (CCRT)].
In this article the results of a research with the CCRT-method on the psychotherapies of three in-patients suffering from eating disorders are presented. The CCRT describes recurrent internal and interpersonal relationship patterns in narratives. Each therapy session was recorded on tape and transcribed. The CCRT components were identified from the verbatim transcripts. All three patients clearly showed a negative self-perception and despite a more graded attitude regarding other people they felt rejected by the community throughout the entire therapy. The CCRT of each patient was different: patient 1. had conflicts between dependence and independence with increasing autonomy; patient 2. had great symbiotic desires, which at the beginning of the therapy were warded off with a performance ideal; patient 3. showed self-assertion and an increasing level of openness against the community, despite a high level of fear and self-isolation at the onset of therapy. Despite methodological deficiencies the CCRT method proved to be sensitive enough to show similarities and differences among the individual courses of treatment.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3309
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Surface plasmon coupling in periodic metallic nanoparticle structures: a semi-analytical model.
We report a semi-analytical model for calculating the coupling effects between the dipolar surface plasmon nanoparticles of a periodic structure. This model involves real-valued frequencies only and is therefore applicable to periodic structures with arbitrary dipolar units and environments.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3310
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Inflammatory and Humoral Immune Response during Ebola Virus Infection in Survivor and Fatal Cases Occurred in Sierra Leone during the 2014⁻2016 Outbreak in West Africa.
Ebola virus (EBOV) infection is characterized by an excessive inflammatory response, a loss of lymphocytes and a general paralysis of the immune system, however pathophysiological mechanisms are not fully understood. In a cohort of 23 fatal and 21 survivors of ebola virus disease (EVD) cases admitted to the Emergency Ebola-Treatment-Center in Goderich (Freetown, Sierra Leone) during the 2014 to 2016 EBOV epidemic in Western Africa, we analyzed the pathway-focused gene expression profile of secreted proteins involved in the immune response and the levels of specific anti-EBOV IgM and IgG from the time of admission till discharge or death. We observed a dysregulated inflammatory response in fatal patients as compared to survivors, mainly consisting of the upregulation of inflammatory mediators, whose extent directly correlated with viremia levels. The upregulation persisted and intensified during the late phase of infection. Relevant differences were also found in humoral immunity, as an earlier and more robust EBOV antibody response was observed in survivor patients.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3311
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Antibiotic prophylaxis is not associated with reduced urinary tract infection-related complications after cystectomy and ileal conduit.
OBJECTIVES
Majority of complications after ileal conduit urinary diversion with cystectomy are related to urinary tract infections (UTIs). Controversy exists regarding use of prophylactic antibiotics after surgery. We determined if prophylactic antibiotic use during ureteral stent placement after ileal conduit urinary diversion decreased incidence of UTI-related complications.
METHODS
We retrospectively identified 75 consecutive patients who underwent ileal conduit urinary diversion with cystectomy at our institution from 2010 to 2016. Patients were stratified based on presence or absence of a UTI-related complication in the 90-day postoperative period. Means were compared with independent t-test and proportions with chi-square analysis. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to determine independent predictors of UTI-related complications.
RESULTS
Forty-five patients (60%) were prescribed prophylactic antibiotics after surgery. Mean duration of antibiotic use was 15 d, and mean duration of ureteral stenting was 25 d. Most common antibiotics used included fluoroquinolones (n = 23, 30.7%) followed by sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (n = 14, 18.7%). Rate of 90-day UTI-related complications was 36% (n = 27), and 90-day UTI-related readmission rate was 14.7% (n = 11). On bivariate and multivariate analysis, prophylactic antibiotic use was not associated with reduced 90-day UTI-related complications (P > 0.05). Patients prescribed prophylactic antibiotics had increased incidence of Clostridium difficile infections in the 90-day postoperative period compared to controls (20% vs. 3.3%; P = 0.038).
CONCLUSIONS
Prophylactic antibiotic use after ileal conduit urinary diversion with cystectomy was not associated with reduced UTI-related complications, and rate of Clostridium difficile infections was higher in this patient cohort. The effect of early removal of ureteral stents on UTI risk still has to be elucidated.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3312
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Cardiovascular disease in Chinese Canadians: a case-mix study from an urban tertiary care cardiology clinic.
BACKGROUND
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death in Canada. Non-European ethnic groups such as the Chinese constitute an increasingly significant sector of the Canadian population.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the frequency and risk factors of CVD in Chinese and white Canadians in a cardiology referral clinic that saw a high number of ethnic Chinese patients and provided equal access to advanced diagnostic facilities.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
Clinic charts of patients referred between 1994 and 1999 were reviewed. Patients of Chinese descent were identified by their names. Primary cardiovascular and secondary cardiovascular diagnoses, as well as risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD), were established. The frequency of disease and risk factors were age-standardized.
RESULTS
The sample of patients with CVD consisted of 404 Chinese and 1129 white subjects. Chinese patients were older (median age 65 versus 62 years, P=0.006). CAD, heart failure and peripheral vascular disease were less frequent in Chinese than in white patients. On the other hand, valvular heart disease was more frequent in Chinese patients. Diabetes, smoking and family history of heart disease were less frequent in Chinese subjects, whereas the frequencies of hypertension and hypercholerolemia were similar to those of white patients. In patients who had undergone coronary angiography, the frequency of multivessel CAD was less in Chinese patients (40% versus 56%, P=0.0016). Angina pectoris was a more common manifestation of CAD in Chinese patients, whereas myocardial infarction was more common in people who were white. In patients with heart failure, the median left ventricular ejection fraction was higher in Chinese than in white patients (34% versus 28%, P=0.031).
CONCLUSIONS
In patients referred to a cardiology clinic, the diagnosis of CAD and the majority of other CVDs was less frequent in Chinese Canadians than in white Canadians. However, selected modifiable risk factors for CAD, such as hypertension and hypercholesterolemia, were equally frequent. Further research at the population level is warranted to define the characteristics of CVD in Chinese Canadians, and may be useful to the future design of disease management and prevention programs tailored to the needs of this growing ethnic population.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3313
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Preliminary data on pupal development, lifespan and fertility of Cynomyamortuorum (L., 1761) in Belgium (Diptera: Calliphoridae).
BACKGROUND
The calliphorid Cynomyamortuorum (L., 1761) is a species of forensic interest, present mainly in the Palaearctic Region. Nearly nothing is known about its life history.
NEW INFORMATION
We provide here the first data regarding pupal weight evolution during the pupal stage, female fertility and life expectancy of the species. At 22°C under a variable regime of temperatures, the egg-to-adult development time was an average of 18.05 ± 0.72 and 18.47 ± 0.67 days for females and males, respectively, in the control group. The pupal stage represented 56.7% of the total development. The development time from egg to adult and the duration of the pupal stage were significantly longer for males than for females. The measurement of pupal weight at the start of the pupal period revealed that female pupae were significantly lighter than male pupae by nearly 20%. This difference between the sexes was also observed for the dry weight of adults. An average decrease of 8.75% was observed throughout the first 8 days of the pupal stage, after which most adults started to emerge. The tested females produced an average of 176.13 ± 66.62 eggs throughout the egg-laying period. The average lifespan after emergence was 12.10 ± 4.09 days for females and 12.60 ± 2.95 days for males, with a median of 12.50 days for both sexes.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3314
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Absence of DNA repair deficiency in the confirmed heterozygotes of xeroderma pigmentosum group A.
This study was performed to elucidate whether xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group A (XPA) carrier has DNA repair abnormality against sun-exposure and ultraviolet (UV)-mimetic chemical carcinogen 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4NQO). Here we report three sporadic cases of XP that were defined as group A by genetic complementation test as well as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis to detect the point mutation in the responsible gene for XPA. DNA repair analyses in the skin fibroblasts revealed that the cells from the patients were much more sensitive to UV and 4NQO and had extremely low UV-induced unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) than control cells, whereas the cells from the carriers (heterozygotes of XP) had sensitivity to UV and 4NQO and levels of UV-induced UDS similar to normal cells. These results indicate that the obligate heterozygotes, despite having a mutated allele in XPA complementing gene demonstrated by PCR, have no DNA repair abnormality after UV irradiation and UV-mimetic 4NQO treatment. Our observations imply that XPA heterozygotes do not have higher risk of skin cancers than normal subjects based on their DNA repair abnormality.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3315
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[Fetal diagnosis from the mother's blood--noninvasive screening of chromosomal aberrations].
In Finland, the screening of fetal chromosome aberrations is currently based on combined screening in the first trimester. Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) is a new method enabling a more accurate screening than combined screening of fetal chromosome aberrations from the mother's blood sample by analyzing cell-free fetal DNA (cffDNA). In addition, it is possible to determine the gender of the fetus or assess the number of sex chromosomes. Although NIPT is an accurate screening method, an aberrant result should always be confirmed by an invasive fetal diagnostic test.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3316
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Maternal weight prior and during pregnancy and offspring's BMI and adiposity at 5-6 years in the EDEN mother-child cohort.
BACKGROUND
Beyond pre-pregnancy BMI, maternal weight change before and during pregnancy may also affect offspring adiposity.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between maternal weight history before and during pregnancy with children's adiposity at 5-6 years.
METHODS
In 1069 mother-child dyads from the EDEN Cohort, we examined by linear regression the associations of children's BMI, fat mass and abdominal adiposity at 5-6 years with maternal pre-pregnancy BMI, pre-pregnancy average yearly weight change from age 20 and gestational weight gain. The shapes of relationships were investigated using splines and polynomial functions were tested.
RESULTS
Children's BMI and adiposity parameters were positively associated with maternal pre-pregnancy BMI, but these relationships were mainly seen in thin mothers, with no substantial variation for maternal BMI ranging from 22 to 35 kg/m2 . Gestational weight gain was positively associated with children's BMI Z-score, but again more so in thin mothers. We found no association with pre-pregnancy weight change.
CONCLUSIONS
Before the adiposity rebound, maternal pre-pregnancy thinness explains most of the relationship with children's BMI. The relationship may emerge at older ages in children of overweight and obese mothers, and this latency may be an obstacle to early prevention.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3317
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Differential effects of developmental thermal plasticity across three generations of guppies (Poecilia reticulata): canalization and anticipatory matching.
Developmental plasticity can match offspring phenotypes to environmental conditions experienced by parents. Such epigenetic modifications are advantageous when parental conditions anticipate offspring environments. Here we show firstly, that developmental plasticity manifests differently in males and females. Secondly, that under stable conditions, phenotypic responses (metabolism and locomotion) accumulate across several generations. Metabolic scope in males was greater at warmer test temperatures (26-36 °C) in offspring bred at warm temperatures (29-30 °C) compared to those bred at cooler temperatures (22-23 °C), lending support to the predictive adaptive hypothesis. However, this transgenerational matching was not established until the second (F2) generation. For other responses, e.g. swimming performance in females, phenotypes of offspring bred in different thermal environments were different in the first (F1) generation, but became more similar across three generations, implying canalization. Thirdly, when environments changed across generations, the grandparental environment affected offspring phenotypes. In females, the mode of the swimming thermal performance curve shifted to coincide with the grandparental rather than the parental or offspring developmental environments, and this lag in response may represent a cost of plasticity. These findings show that the effects of developmental plasticity differ between traits, and may be modulated by the different life histories of males and females.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3318
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Galactosylgloboside expression in seminoma. Inverse correlation with metastatic potential.
BACKGROUND
Altered glycosylation is a common phenotype expressed in essentially all types of human cancer and has been found to be correlated closely with the invasive and metastatic properties of a given tumor. Because there was no prognostic information concerning aberrant glycosylation of seminoma, the authors studied this topic.
METHODS
Glycosphingolipid (GSL) composition of orchiectomy samples of seminoma were analyzed systematically. GSL patterns from seminoma samples of the following three groups were compared after a 44-month postoperative period: Stage I disease with no evidence of metastasis during the 44-month postoperative period, Stage I with metastatic relapse during this period, and Stage II with retroperitoneal lymph node metastasis. Unknown GSLs detected were analyzed chemically by 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and mass spectrometry.
RESULTS
All nonmetastatic seminomas (n = 12) contained a GSL band that was identified as galactosylgloboside (Gb5; Gal beta 1-->3GalNAc beta 1-->3Gal alpha 1-->4 Gal beta 1-->4Glc beta 1-->1Cer). All metastatic seminomas (n = 5) lacked this GSL, although the sample sizes were admittedly small.
CONCLUSION
Only the presence or absence of galactosylgloboside (Gb5), but of no other GSL or gangliosides, clearly correlated with metastatic potential in patients with seminoma. This observation is useful in the estimation of prognosis of patients with seminoma, especially those with Stage I disease.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3319
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Impact of statin treatment on patients diagnosed with chronic venous disease. Morphological analysis of the venous wall and clinical implications.
OBJECTIVES
The study evaluates the potential morphological changes that may occur in the venous wall in the case of the patients with chronic venous disease which associates treatment with statins for at least 2 years.
METHODS
Operated patients with chronic venous disease in the CEAP C2-C3 stage were included in the study. 215 venous fragments, collected from 50 patients within the study group and 179 venous fragments collected from 52 patients within the control group were microscopically analysed, evaluating a series of morpho-anatomical parameters.
RESULTS
In the study group, it was found that, venous reflux predominantly affects small veins, and also, a significant increase in collagen deposits in the adventitia and media tunics, proportional to the thickening of the venous wall.
CONCLUSION
Our results indicate possible effects of statins upon the venous morphology. Further studies are needed to determine the impact of these results on daily practice.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3320
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Characterization of a phospholipase Dalpha cDNA from tomato fruit.
Phospholipase D (PLD) initiates phospholipid (PL) catabolism in plant cells and is also involved in signal transduction and retailoring of membrane PL. Total PL declines and phosphatidic acid increases in pericarp tissue during tomato fruit ripening, suggesting that increased PLD activity alters membrane structure. To assess the role of PLD in tomato ripening, we have begun a molecular genetic approach. Using a castor bean PLDalpha cDNA as a probe, a PLDalpha cDNA (LEPLD2) was isolated from our tomato fruit library. It has an open reading frame of 2421 nucleotides, encoding a polypeptide of 807 amino acids with a molecular mass of 92 kDa. The deduced LEPLD2 PLDalpha shares >75% sequence identity with PLDalphas from castor bean, tobacco and tomato. LEPLD2 transcript, detected by RNA gel-blot analysis, was very low in roots, low in stems, moderate in leaves, high in flowers, and increased in fruit during development and ripening. Expression of LEPLD2 in Escherichia coli yielded active enzyme, and a FLAG-PLDalpha fusion protein produced by transformed E. coli migrated close to the calculated 94 kDa on SDS/PAGE.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3321
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Field assessment of B-2 as a new molluscicide for the control of Oncomelania nosophora.
Sodium 2,5-dichloro-4-bromophenol named B-2 was evaluated for application in the field as a molluscicde against Oncomelania nosophora. A dosage of 10 g/m2 as 25% liquid form or 25 g/m2 as 10% granular form of B-2 was suggested as a standard dose for the control of O. nosophora. The residual concentration of B-2 in the soil after application was observed to decrease more rapidly than did that of NaPCP. The residual level of B-2 in the rice grains harvested from the paddy field in which the chemical was applied at most 4 times during the planting season did not exceed 0.03 ppm.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3322
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Intake of key chronic disease-related nutrients among baby boomers.
OBJECTIVES
The dietary habits of baby boomers (people born between 1946 and 1964) undoubtedly will have a substantial impact on their future health; however, dietary information regarding the intake of key chronic disease-related nutrients is lacking for this generation. The objective of this study was to compare the dietary intake of key chronic disease-related nutrients of the baby boomer generation with the previous generation of middle-aged adults.
METHODS
National cross-sectional study comparison analyzing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) including NHANES III (1988-1994) and the NHANES for 2007-2010, focused on adult respondents ages 46 to 64 years who were not institutionalized at the time of each survey. The two cohorts were compared with regard to dietary intake of key nutritional components. The main outcome measures were intake of total calories, sodium, cholesterol, fat, fruits, vegetables, vitamin C, water, and fiber.
RESULTS
The baby boomers' average daily intake of nutrients exceeded that of the previous generation of middle-aged adults for total calories (2118/1999), total fat (82/76 g), sodium (3513/3291 mg), and cholesterol (294/262 g; all P < 0.001). The intake of vitamin C (105/89 g), water (1208/1001 g), and vegetables (199/229 g) was less than that of the previous generation (P < 0.001), and the dietary intake of fruit and fiber was unchanged. In regression analyses, dietary changes remained significant after controlling for age, race, sex, and socioeconomic status (all P < 0.01).
CONCLUSIONS
The study findings document higher dietary intake of key chronic disease-related nutrients along with reduced vegetable intake among baby boomers compared with the previous generation of middle-aged adults. These findings are indicative of a diet that may contribute to increased rates of chronic disease among individuals in this age group.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3323
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Aflatoxins in the soil ecosystem: an overview of its occurrence, fate, effects and future perspectives.
Aflatoxins are secondary metabolites produced by specific strains of fungi, especially Aspergillus spp. These natural toxins are mainly found in soil, decaying vegetation and food storage systems and are particularly abundant during drought stress. Aflatoxin contamination is one of the most important threats to food safety and human health due to its toxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic properties. Therefore, most research focuses on post-harvest contamination of aflatoxins in feed and food commodities but very limited information is available about aflatoxin contamination and its toxicological consequences in the soil ecosystem. Current regulations provide minimal options for the disposal of aflatoxin-contaminated crops, amongst which is the incorporation of residues into the soil for natural degradation. This form of mycotoxin loading into the soil could potentially change its physicochemical characteristics and biotic parameters. Recent studies suggest that as climate conditions change, the occurrence and geographical distribution of aflatoxins might increase, posing significant health risks to the soil ecosystem, food crop production and human health. This review will focus on studies that look at the environmental and toxicological consequences of aflatoxin contamination with the aim of clarifying the risk that aflatoxin contamination poses to soil ecosystems. Many aspects of aflatoxin occurrence, degradation and the effects of its transformation products in the soil environment are still unknown and remain an important area of research for soil health and productivity. A climatic approach, in terms of changes in soil moisture and air temperature, is important for future risk assessments of aflatoxin contamination.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3324
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What does postprandial hyperglycaemia mean?
AIMS
The potential importance of postprandial glucose (PPG) control in the development of complications in Type 2 diabetes is much debated. The recent American Diabetes Association (ADA) consensus statement discussed the role of postprandial hyperglycaemia in the pathogenesis of diabetic complications and concluded that the relationship between PPG excursions and the well-established risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) should be further examined. Using the ADA statement as a starting point and including the more recent American College of Endocrinology guidelines on glycaemic control, a panel of experts in diabetes met to review the role of PPG within the context of the overall metabolic syndrome, in the development of complications in Type 2 diabetes.
RESULTS
Post-prandial hyperglycaemia is a risk indicator for micro- and macrovascular complications, not only in patients with Type 2 diabetes but also in those with impaired glucose tolerance. In addition, the metabolic syndrome confers an increased risk of CVD morbidity and mortality. The debate focused on the relative contributions of postprandial hyperglycaemia, the metabolic syndrome and, in particular, raised triglyceride levels in the postprandial state, to the development of cardiovascular complications of diabetes.
CONCLUSIONS
The panel recommended that in the prevention and management of microvascular complications of Type 2 diabetes, targeting both chronic and acute glucose fluctuations is necessary. Lowering the macrovascular risk also requires control of (postprandial) triglyceride levels and other components of the metabolic syndrome.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3325
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[A reevaluation of the criteria for initiating medical treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis patients].
In Japan some registered tuberculosis (TB) patients have had medical treatment initiated for the purpose of preventing development of inactive TB into active stages, or due to differential diagnosis. A reevaluation of the necessity of commencing medical treatment was performed on 91 TB patients to elucidate the special characteristics of TB patients who do not necessarily need medical treatment. The results are as follows: 1) Among the 91 patients, 67 patients were judged to be 'confirmed cases', while 24 patients were judged to be 'suspect cases', with either inactive TB or possibly without TB. 2) The rates of 'suspect cases' were higher in the tubercle bacillus negative groups as well as the X-ray mild cases compared to the tubercle bacillus positive cases and X-ray severe cases. 3) The patient's self-diagnosed symptoms proved to be useful in evaluating the TB patient's severity. It is thought that this information should be used to judge the necessity of commencing medical treatment in TB patients.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3326
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Evaluating prehospital care of patients with potential traumatic spinal cord injury: scoping review.
PURPOSE
To gain insight into current research regarding prehospital care (PHC) in patients with potential traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) and to disseminate the findings to the research community.
METHODS
In March 2019, we performed a literature search of publications from January 1990 to March 2019 indexed in PubMed, gray literature including professional websites; and reference sections of selected articles for other relevant literature. This review was performed according to Arksey and O'Malley's framework.
RESULTS
There were 42 studies selected based on the inclusion criteria for review; 18 articles regarding immobilization; 12 articles regarding movement, positioning and transport; four for spinal clearance; three for airway protection; and two for the role of PHC providers. There were some articles that covered two topics: one article was regarding movement, positioning and transport and airway protection, and two were regarding spinal clearance and the role of PHC providers.
CONCLUSION
There was no uniform opinion about spinal immobilization of patients with suspected TSCI. The novel lateral trauma position and one of two High Arm IN Endangered Spine (HAINES) methods are preferred methods for unconscious patients. Controlled self-extrication for patients with stable hemodynamic status is recommended. Early and proper identifying of potential TSCI by PHC providers can significantly improve patients' outcomes and can result in avoiding unwanted spinal immobilization. Future prospective studies with a large sample size in real-life settings are needed to provide clear and evidence-based data in PHC of patients with suspected TSCI.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3327
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Association of Total Energy Intake with 29-Year Mortality in the Japanese: NIPPON DATA80.
AIM
In animals, dietary energy restriction is reported to increase longevity, whereas in humans, all cohort studies from Western countries have not shown an association between the low energy intake and longevity. We examined the association between total energy intake and longevity in Japan where dietary pattern is different from that in the West.
METHODS
A total of 7,704 Japanese aged 30-69 years were followed from 1980 to 2009. Participants were divided into the quintiles of total energy (kcal/day) based on data collected from the National Nutrition Survey. Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were derived through the use of Cox proportional hazards models to compare the risk of death across and between the quintiles.
RESULTS
There was a significant association between increased energy intake and all-cause mortality risk in only men (P for linear trend=0.008). In cause-specific analysis, compared with the lowest quintile, there was rise in coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality among men (HR; 2.63, 95%CI; 0.95-7.28, P for linear trend 0.016) and women (HR; 2.91, 95%CI; 1.02-8.29, P for linear trend 0.032) and cancer mortality among men (HR; 1.50, 95%CI; 0.999-2.24, P for linear trend 0.038) in the top quintile.
CONCLUSION
We observed significant associations of high energy intake with all-cause and cancer mortality among men and with CHD mortality among men and women. Further studies are needed to confirm the benefits of caloric restriction.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3328
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[Value of cytological study by flow cytometry or analysis of image as a complement to macroscopic study by cytoscopy. Apropos of therapeutic follow-up of a case of tumor of the bladder].
The case described corresponds to a grade G2 urothelial tumor with stage pTa extension (according to the World Health Organisation classification). After transurethral resection of the tumor and treatment by Bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG), the efficacy of treatment was evaluated by cystoscopy, standard cytology, flow cytometry or image analysis. According to these various methods it has been shown that a normal cystoscopy may or may not be associated with aneuploidy revealed by flow cytometry. Such a case clearly illustrates the value of combining macroscopic examination and a cytologic analysis in particular by flow cytometry in order to increase the accuracy of diagnosis and to evaluate without ambiguity the efficacy of treatment.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3329
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Science and statistical victim: modernizing knowledge in breast implant litigation.
The advent of mass torts in US federal courts in the latter third of the 20th century accelerated a process of modernization in an institution that was unprepared for standardized approaches to dispute resolution. Faced with large-scale technological disasters, in particular, courts struggled to reform both their procedures and their fact-finding approaches in order to deal with multiple claimants in consolidated proceedings. Using silicone gel breast implant litigation as a case study, this paper argues that the attempt to marry judicial concerns for individual justice with administrative concerns for speed, efficiency and economy has produced anomalous results. The testimony of the clinician and the victim has become less relevant as judicial remedies take account of injuries done to classes of plaintiffs. Subjective claims about the body are subordinated to statistical correlations between exposure and grouped complaints. At the same time, the transfer of fact-finding authority from juries to judges under new evidentiary rules has privileged the judiciary's lay knowledge and experience over that of the jury. While these transformations may hasten the processing of cases, the paper questions whether the courts can legitimately take on board the issues of risk and social justice in contemporary industrial societies.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3330
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Long-term follow-up after stent graft placement for access-site and access-related vascular injury during TAVI - The Bonn-Copenhagen experience.
AIMS
Stent graft placement is a safe and effective treatment option for vascular complications in the context of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). This study aimed to provide long-term angiological follow-up of stent grafts used for this indication.
METHODS AND RESULTS
Seventy-one patients (64.8% female, log EuroScore 14.7 ± 6.8%) who had undergone TAVI between March 2010 and October 2015 with implantation of a Viabahn or Fluency stent graft to treat access-site or access-related vascular injury (ASARVI) were analyzed. Implantations were mostly due to access-site bleeding complications (83.1%) in the common femoral artery (97.1%). Follow-up was performed with duplex sonography in all patients after a median of 3.9 years after TAVI (interquartile range [IQR]: 895-1749 days). Ultrasound revealed tri- or biphasic flow patterns in 16.9% and 77.6%, respectively. Stent graft patency was 100% without signs of stent graft stenosis (mean peak velocity ratio 1.0 ± 0.2). Pseudo-aneurysms or endoleaks were diagnosed in 5.6% of patients. Additional fluoroscopic and/or computed tomography (CT)-imaging was available in 36.6% of patients and did not reveal any stent fracture.
CONCLUSION
Self-expanding stent grafts provide excellent long-term function with few complications when implanted in the context of TAVI-related ASARVI.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3331
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Energetics and dynamics of electron transfer and proton transfer in dissociation of metal(III)(salen)-peptide complexes in the gas phase.
Time- and collision energy-resolved surface-induced dissociation (SID) of ternary complexes of Co(III)(salen)+, Fe(III)(salen)+, and Mn(III)(salen)+ with several angiotensin peptide analogues was studied using a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer (FT-ICR MS) specially equipped to perform SID experiments. Time-resolved fragmentation efficiency curves (TFECs) were modeled using an RRKM-based approach developed in our laboratory. The approach utilizes a very flexible analytical expression for the internal energy deposition function that is capable of reproducing both single-collision and multiple-collision activation in the gas phase and excitation by collisions with a surface. The energetics and dynamics of competing dissociation pathways obtained from the modeling provides important insight on the competition between proton transfer, electron transfer, loss of neutral peptide ligand, and other processes that determine gas-phase fragmentation of these model systems. Similar fragmentation behavior was obtained for various Co(III)(salen)-peptide systems of different angiotensin analogues. In contrast, dissociation pathways and relative stabilities of the complexes changed dramatically when cobalt was replaced with trivalent iron or manganese. We demonstrate that the electron-transfer efficiency is correlated with redox properties of the metal(III)(salen) complexes (Co > Fe > Mn), while differences in the types of fragments formed from the complexes reflect differences in the modes of binding between the metal-salen complex and the peptide ligand. RRKM modeling of time- and collision-energy-resolved SID data suggests that the competition between proton transfer and electron transfer during dissociation of Co(III)(salen)-peptide complexes is mainly determined by differences in entropy effects while the energetics of these two pathways are very similar.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3332
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Carotid endarterectomy in Oklahoma Medicare beneficiaries: patient characteristics and outcomes.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
Ischemic stroke represents the third leading cause of death and the most common cause of permanent disability in the United States. Carotid endarterectomy has been widely utilized as a procedure to reduce the risk of stroke and represents the most commonly performed peripheral arterial surgery. This cooperative project was initiated to assess the appropriateness of carotid endarterectomies performed on Medicare beneficiaries and the postoperative outcomes (mortality and stroke) in these patients.
METHODS
Retrospective review was performed on the inpatient medical records of 774 patients who underwent 813 carotid endarterectomy procedures in eight hospitals during calendar years 1993 and 1994. Medicare claims data were also analyzed for all carotid endarterectomies performed in Oklahoma during calendar years 1992 through 1995.
RESULTS
A history of transient ischemic attack or stroke in the distribution of the operated carotid artery was documented in 57% of the cases. The majority of patients had preoperative ultrasound imaging of the carotid arteries and a preoperative angiogram was performed before 96% of the procedures. Accepted indications for the surgery were documented for 98% of the procedures. Stroke or death within 30 days of the date of the carotid endarterectomy occurred after 4.9% (0-8.8% by hospital) of the procedures.
CONCLUSIONS
This project demonstrated considerable variation between hospitals in the outcomes of patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy and the potential for improved care of patients with regard to discharge planning, education, and use of anticoagulant or antiplatelet medications postoperatively.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3333
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Biomonitoring Equivalents (BEs) for tetrabromobisphenol A.
Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) is a flame retardant used in a variety of products, including epoxy and polycarbonate resins. Relevant exposure to TBBPA has been assessed by measuring TBBPA in the blood of humans. Here, we derive Biomonitoring Equivalents (BEs) for TBBPA to interpret these, and future biomonitoring results for TBBPA in humans. The available toxicity risk values (TRVs) for TBBPA were all based on toxicology studies in rats. Several studies have been conducted in which TBBPA in blood of rats were measured following controlled oral doses of TBBPA. These data provide a robust relationship from which to derive BEs. BEs of 5.6 and 13.0 μg total TBBPA/L plasma were calculated for available cancer and non-cancer TRVs, respectively. Several studies have measured TBBPA in serum, with median concentrations less than 0.1 μg/L, indicating considerable margins of safety (MOS) for TBBPA based on the currently available biomonitoring studies.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3334
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Tofacitinib: An Option for Acute Severe Ulcerative Colitis?
Tofacitinib has emerged as a new option for ulcerative colitis. Its rapid absorption, metabolism, and clinical improvement make it an interesting option for rescue therapy in acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC), a situation with limited therapeutic options in patients with a long-term disease course and multiple drug failure. The management of ASUC in this setting becomes challenging, underlying the need for new drugs and data on their efficacy and safety. We describe 2 cases of acute episodes in which tofacitinib was used as a rescue therapy.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3335
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Premotor cortex and conditional motor learning in man.
The role of premotor cortex (PMC) in conditional motor learning tasks in man was investigated. Patients with PMC lesions had to learn to associate 6 different visual, tactile or auditory stimuli with 6 different arm movements which were previously rehearsed (Task A). A comparative task involved an association between the same set of sensory stimuli and 6 spatial locations (Task B). Patients with PMC lesions were only impaired when they had to recall a movement from memory on the basis of a sensory cue (Task A), but not for an association involving spatial location (Task B). This indicates that the PMC plays a role in sensory conditional motor learning.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3336
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Sequential expression of mRNA for proinflammatory cytokines and interleukin-10 in the rat peripheral nervous system: comparison between immune-mediated demyelination and Wallerian degeneration.
This study examined the time course of mRNA levels of the proinflammatory cytokines interferon-gamma (IFNgamma), interleukin-1beta (IL1beta), interleukin-12 (IL12; p40 subunit), and the immunosuppressant interleukin-10 (IL10) by semiquantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in rats with actively induced experimental autoimmune neuritis (EAN) and in distal stumps of crushed sciatic nerves undergoing Wallerian degeneration. In EAN IFNgamma- and IL1beta-mRNA peaked at the onset and acute phase of clinical disease. IL12p40-mRNA was upregulated later than IFNgamma-mRNA in the late acute phase from days 15 to 21. IL10-mRNA appeared concomitantly with the proinflammatory cytokines at day 11, but persisted at high levels into the clinical recovery phase. After nerve crush both IL1beta- and IL10-mRNA were rapidly upregulated in the distal stump at day 1 and slowly declined over the next 2 weeks. Significant levels of mRNA for IFNgamma could be found at days 4 and 7, whereas IL12p40-mRNA showed a biphasic induction. We provide evidence for a concomitant induction of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in EAN. Moreover, the rapid upregulation in Wallerian degeneration suggests a more general role of cytokines in the biology of the peripheral nerve.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3337
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Factors influencing the postpartum length of hospital stay in eclamptic women.
OBJECTIVE
To determine which variables are associated with postpartum length of hospital stay in eclamptic patients.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The study sample comprised 98 eclamptic patients who were admitted to our perinatology unit during the period between January 1998 and May 2003. The study sample was divided into two postpartum length-of-stay groups: the short-stay group (1-3 days) consisted of 33 patients and the long-stay group (4 days and longer) consisted of 65 patients. The groups were compared with respect to the demographic characteristics, clinical and laboratory variables, and complications.
RESULTS
The mean hospitalization periods for the short-stay and long-stay groups were 2.48 +/- 0.79 and 5.60 +/- 2.12 days, respectively ( p = 0.010). The mean prepartum follow-up period after the onset of eclampsia was longer in the long-stay group than in the short-stay group (12.11 +/- 27.63 vs. 5.08 +/- 6.08 hours). The proportion of patients receiving magnesium sulfate therapy longer than 12 hours was higher in the long-stay group ( p = 0.014). The long-stay group had higher diastolic arterial blood pressure than that of the short-stay group ( p = 0.006). The total cesarean delivery rate for the short-stay group was 48.5%, compared with 67.7% in the long-stay group ( p = 0.081).
CONCLUSION
The duration of magnesium therapy, the timing, and the mode of delivery should be individualized to reduce the length of hospital stay in eclamptic patients.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3338
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A review of data on the health sector of the United States January 2002.
This report presents data on the state of U.S. health care at the end of 2001. It provides information on access to health care, inequalities in incomes and medical care, the increasing costs of health care and health insurance, and the role of corporate money in the provision of health care and the development, marketing, and patenting of pharmaceuticals. The author also looks at the state of health maintenance organizations, the results of some recent surveys on physicians' and public opinion on managed care, and news about the nursing professions. Also provided is an update on Congressional activity on health care legislation, the role of health care industry money in politics, and some developments in health care systems elsewhere in the world.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3339
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Measuring, Analyzing, and Presenting Work Productivity Loss in Randomized Controlled Trials: A Scoping Review.
OBJECTIVES
This study aimed to conduct a scoping review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and investigate which work productivity loss outcomes were measured in these RCTs, how each outcome was measured and analyzed, and how the results for each outcome were presented.
METHODS
A systematic search was conducted from January 2010 to April 2020 from 2 databases: PubMed and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Data on country, study population, disease focus, sample size, work productivity loss outcomes measured (absenteeism, presenteeism, employment status changes), and methods used to measure, report, and analyze each work productivity loss outcome were extracted and analyzed.
RESULTS
We found 435 studies measuring absenteeism or presenteeism, of which 155 studies (35.6%) measured both absenteeism and presenteeism and were included in our final review. Only 9 studies also measured employment status changes. The most used questionnaire was the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire. The analysis of absenteeism and presenteeism data was mostly done using regression models (n = 98, n = 98, respectively) for which a normal distribution was assumed (n = 77, n = 89, respectively). Absenteeism results were most often presented in time whereas presenteeism was commonly presented using a percent scale or score.
CONCLUSIONS
There is a lack of consensus on how to measure, analyze, and present work productivity loss outcomes in RCTs published in the past 10 years. The diversity of measurement, analysis, and presentation methods used in RCTs may make comparability challenging. There is a need for guidelines providing recommendations to standardize the comprehensiveness and the appropriateness of methods used to measure, analyze, and report work productivity loss in RCTs.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3340
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Plasma nevirapine levels, adverse events and efficacy of antiretroviral therapy among HIV-infected patients concurrently receiving nevirapine-based antiretroviral therapy and fluconazole.
BACKGROUND
The clinical data of plasma NVP level, safety and efficacy of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for the concurrent use of nevirapine (NVP)-based ART and fluconazole (FLU) is scanty.
METHODS
A retrospective study was conducted in patients who were initiated NVP-based ART between October 2004 and November 2005. The objectives were to compare NVP levels, adverse events, and 36-week efficacy of NVP-based ART between patients who did not receive FLU (group A) and those who received FLU 200 mg/day or 400 mg/day (group B).
RESULTS
There were 122 patients with mean +/- SD age of 36 +/- 9 years; 81 in group A and 41 in group B. Median (IQR) baseline CD4 cell count was 29 (8-79) cell/mm3 in group A and 19 (8-33) cell/mm3 in group B (P = 0.102). Baseline characteristics between the two groups were similar. Mean +/- SD NVP levels were 6.5 +/- 3.0 mg/L in group A and 11.4 +/- 6.1 mg/L in group B(P < 0.001). One (2.4%) patient in group B developed clinical hepatitis (P = 0.336). Six (7.4%) patients in group A developed NVP-related skin rashes (P = 0.096). There were no differences in term of 36-week antiviral efficacy between the two groups (P > 0.05).
CONCLUSION
Co-administration of NVP and daily dosage of FLU (200 mg/day and 400 mg/day) results in markedly increased trough plasma NVP level when compared to the administration of NVP alone. The concurrent use of NVP and FLU in very advanced HIV-infected patients is well-tolerated. The immunological and virological responses are favorable.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3341
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BK potassium channel modulation by leucine-rich repeat-containing proteins.
Molecular diversity of ion channel structure and function underlies variability in electrical signaling in nerve, muscle, and nonexcitable cells. Regulation by variable auxiliary subunits is a major mechanism to generate tissue- or cell-specific diversity of ion channel function. Mammalian large-conductance, voltage- and calcium-activated potassium channels (BK, K(Ca)1.1) are ubiquitously expressed with diverse functions in different tissues or cell types, consisting of the pore-forming, voltage- and Ca(2+)-sensing α-subunits (BKα), either alone or together with the tissue-specific auxiliary β-subunits (β1-β4). We recently identified a leucine-rich repeat (LRR)-containing membrane protein, LRRC26, as a BK channel auxiliary subunit, which causes an unprecedented large negative shift (∼140 mV) in voltage dependence of channel activation. Here we report a group of LRRC26 paralogous proteins, LRRC52, LRRC55, and LRRC38 that potentially function as LRRC26-type auxiliary subunits of BK channels. LRRC52, LRRC55, and LRRC38 produce a marked shift in the BK channel's voltage dependence of activation in the hyperpolarizing direction by ∼100 mV, 50 mV, and 20 mV, respectively, in the absence of calcium. They along with LRRC26 show distinct expression in different human tissues: LRRC26 and LRRC38 mainly in secretory glands, LRRC52 in testis, and LRRC55 in brain. LRRC26 and its paralogs are structurally and functionally distinct from the β-subunits and we designate them as a γ family of the BK channel auxiliary proteins, which potentially regulate the channel's gating properties over a spectrum of different tissues or cell types.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3342
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Clinical results of daily hemofiltration.
Various types of daily hemodialysis (HD) have been developed. However, a water treatment system is essential for HD, which markedly prevents daily home HD. Hemofiltration (HF) can be simply performed only with substitution fluid without a water treatment system. This advantage is applied to daily HF. To perform this procedure at home, a simple system is needed. A system in which a dialyzer was combined with a circuit as one cartridge with bag-type substitution fluid was developed by NxStage Inc. This system facilitates not only HF via a supply of 15 l of bag-type substitution fluid, but also automatic washing/priming of the circuit and returning which can be achieved by applying the current CAPD management system. This daily HF may contribute to routine home HD in the future.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3343
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Periprosthetic Joint Infection Prophylaxis in the Elderly after Hip Hemiarthroplasty in Proximal Femur Fractures: Insights and Challenges.
We review antibiotic and other prophylactic measures to prevent periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) after hip hemiarthroplasty (HHA) surgery in proximal femoral fractures (PFFs). In the absence of specific guidelines, those applied to these individuals are general prophylaxis guidelines. Cefazolin is the most widely used agent and is replaced by clindamycin or a glycopeptide in beta-lactam allergies. A personalized antibiotic scheme may be considered when colonization by a multidrug-resistant microorganism (MDRO) is suspected. Particularly in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization or a high prevalence of MRSA-caused PJIs a glycopeptide with cefazolin is recommended. Strategies such as cutaneous decolonization of MDROs, mainly MRSA, or preoperative asymptomatic bacteriuria treatment have also been addressed with debatable results. Some areas of research are early detection protocols in MDRO colonizations by polymerase-chain-reaction (PCR), the use of alternative antimicrobial prophylaxis, and antibiotic-impregnated bone cement in HHA. Given that published evidence addressing PJI prophylactic strategies in PFFs requiring HHA is scarce, PJIs can be reduced by combining different prevention strategies after identifying individuals who will benefit from personalized prophylaxis.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3344
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Ergonomics and safety of manual bag sealing.
A variety of seals is used to close bags. Each seal has advantages and disadvantages. For shop assistants sealing bags could be a repetitive physically demanding action. Opening and closing the bags again can cause some discomfort or annoyance for consumers. Besides, it is an activity which can endanger safety, i.e., knives being used in opening, children swallowing the systems of sealing. To prevent these problems a new sealing system was developed. In this paper the opinion of shop assistants, consumers and experts on several bag sealing systems was studied. It appeared that for sealing plastic bags, adhesive tape with paper is the best out of 4 systems, closely followed by adhesive tape. It is discussed that for the elderly, there is still room for improvement in opening bag seals.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3345
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Experience-driven remodeling of S1 digit representation in awake monkeys: the challenge of comparing active and passive touch.
Many studies have compared active and passive touch to understand how motor action shapes touch perception. Current views emphasize the difficulties in making such a comparison and promote investigating how motor strategies enable the filtering out of sensory inputs to reshape touch perception. Cybulska-Klosowicz et al. (Cybulska-Klosowicz A, Tremblay F, Jiang W, Bourgeon S, Meftah E-M, Chapman CE. J Neurophysiol 123: 1072-1089, 2020) suggest that primary somatosensory (S1) cortical remodeling of digit representation occurs during active touch. Here, alternative interpretations are proposed, and the relevance of studying multidigit scanning is emphasized.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3346
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Associations of serum haptoglobin in newborn dairy calves with health, growth, and mortality up to 4 months of age.
The objective of this research was to investigate factors associated with serum haptoglobin (Hp) levels in newborn calves. In addition, the associations between serum Hp levels in newborn calves with growth, morbidity, and mortality in calves <4 mo of age were investigated. A total of 1,365 Holstein heifer calves from 15 dairy farms were enrolled in this study from January to December, 2008. Following calving, a birth record was completed, including information on the calving event, colostrum administration, and other details. During weekly farm visits, each calf was assessed at 1 to 8 d, 15 to 21 d, 36 to 42 d, and 90 to 120 d of age. At these sampling times, each calf was assessed using a standardized clinical score for general health, and height and weight were measured. At 1 to 8 d of age, a blood sample was collected to measure serum total protein and Hp concentrations. Treatment events and death loss were recorded throughout the study by the farm staff. Serum Hp concentration in the first week of life was not significantly associated with the degree of calving difficulty. However, serum Hp was higher in calves with a higher rectal temperature and depressed attitude at the first sampling time. Furthermore, the association between serum Hp and the severity of nasal discharge varied by age at first sampling time. Calves with higher Hp in their first week of life had significantly higher total health scores throughout the entire sampling period. Haptoglobin was not significantly associated with average daily gain or treatment for bovine respiratory disease. Yet, for every 1 g/L increase in serum Hp in the first week of life, the odds of being treated for any other disease during the study period increased by 7.6 times. Treatment for bovine respiratory disease, diarrhea, or any other disease resulted in increased odds of calf mortality. In addition, Hp concentration in the first week of life was associated with mortality in calves <4 mo of age. The optimal cut point for Hp was determined to be 0.13 g/L for the prediction of disease and death, although the sensitivity of Hp concentration alone as a diagnostic test for individual calves was low.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3347
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Determination of γ-D-glutamyl-meso-diaminopimelic acid in rumen fluid of dairy cows by pre-column chiral derivatization-HPLC.
High concentrate (HC) diet feeding leads to the lysis of rumen microbes and the release of hazardous metabolites, which can trigger inflammatory responses, thereby impairing dairy cow health and production. γ-D-glutamyl-meso-diaminopimelic acid (iE-DAP), which constitutes the peptidoglycan (PGN) layer of bacteria, is the minimum PGN structure capable of activating inflammatory signaling pathways. This research paper aimed to determine the iE-DAP concentration and investigate the effects of an HC diet on the concentration of iE-DAP in the rumen fluid of dairy cows. However, there are limited studies on the determination of iE-DAP concentration. Hence, we established a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method combined with pre-column chiral derivatization to detect the concentration of iE-DAP in rumen fluid. Moreover, we conducted an animal experiment that included 12 lactating Holstein cows, which were randomly divided into a low-concentrate (LC) group and an HC group. The results showed that the linear range of iE-DAP was 5-500 µg/mL and that the intra- and inter-day RSDs were lower than 7%. Meanwhile, this method was successfully applied to the analysis of iE-DAP in rumen fluid, and the results revealed that long-term feeding with an HC diet elevated the concentration of iE-DAP in rumen fluid of dairy cows.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3348
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Peroxynitrite inhibits amiloride-sensitive Na+ currents in Xenopus oocytes expressing alpha beta gamma-rENaC.
We examined the effect of peroxynitrite (ONOO-) on the cloned rat epithelial Na+ channel (alpha beta gamma-rENaC) expressed in Xenopus oocytes. 3-Morpholinosydnonimine (SIN-1) was used to concurrently generate nitric oxide (.NO) and superoxide (O2-.), which react to form ONOO-, a species known to promote protein nitration and oxidation. Under control conditions, oocytes displayed an amiloride-sensitive whole cell conductance of 7.4 +/- 2.8 (SE) microS. When incubated at 18 degrees C with SIN-1 (1 mM) for 2 h (final ONOO- concentration = 10 microM), the amiloride-sensitive conductance was reduced to 0.8 +/- 0.5 microS. To evaluate whether the observed inhibition was due to ONOO-, as opposed to .NO, we also exposed oocytes to SIN-1 in the presence of urate (500 microM), a scavenger of ONOO- and superoxide dismutase, which scavenges O2-., converting SIN-1 from an ONOO- to an .NO donor. Under these conditions, conductance values remained at control levels following SIN-1 treatment. Tetranitromethane, an agent that oxidizes sulfhydryl groups at pH 6, also inhibited the amiloride-sensitive conductance. These data suggest that oxidation of critical sulfhydryl groups within rENaC by ONOO- directly inhibits channel activity.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3349
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Development of a pyrosequencing assay for the typing of alphaherpesviruses.
Identification of herpesvirus in biological material is usually carried out by real-time PCR. With the aim to classify the strain of virus identified, real-time PCR must be often supported by time-consuming capillary electrophoresis sequencing analysis. Here we provide a protocol for the rapid and reliable identification of 5 closely related herpesviruses by PyroMark Q24 sequencing system. PyroMark performs DNA sequencing analysis using pyrosequencing, a technology based on the detection of released pyrophosphate during DNA elongation [1]. PyroMark is designed to detect changes in specified variable positions of the DNA. It can efficiently detect single nucleotide differences in sequences [2]. In the present paper we describe a protocol to pyrosequence a small polymorphic segment of the US8 gene. On the basis of the differences identified in the nucleotide sequence we could readily classify the herpesvirus as Bovine herpesvirus 1.1, Bovine herpesvirus 1.2, Bovine herpesvirus 5, Bubaline herpesvirus 1 or Caprine herpesvirus. The protocol set up offers several advantages with respect to the techniques commonly used: •it requires less than one working day to be carried;•it gives the possibility to analyze, at reasonable costs, up to 24 samples at a time; and•it allows to detect with great reliability and specificity strongly genetically correlated organisms like the herpesviruses named above. The procedure can be easily applied to other families of viruses, with opportune modifications.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3350
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A Novel Human T-lymphotropic Virus Type 1c Molecular Variant in an Indigenous Individual from New Caledonia, Melanesia.
BACKGROUND
Human T-Lymphotropic Virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is endemic among people of Melanesian descent in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, and in Indigenous populations from Central Australia. Molecular studies revealed that these Australo-Melanesian strains constitute the highly divergent HTLV-1c subtype. New Caledonia is a French overseas territory located in the Southwest Pacific Ocean. HTLV-1 situation is poorly documented in New Caledonia and the molecular epidemiology of HTLV-1 infection remains unknown.
OBJECTIVES
Studying 500 older adults Melanesian natives from New Caledonia, we aim to evaluate the HTLV-1 seroprevalence and to molecularly characterize HTLV-1 proviral strains.
STUDY DESIGN
Plasma from 262 men and 238 females (age range: 60-96 years old, mean age: 70.5) were screened for anti-HTLV-1 antibodies by particle agglutination (PA) and indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA). Serological confirmation was obtained using Western blot assay. DNAs were extracted from peripheral blood buffy coat of HTLV-1 seropositive individuals, and subjected to four series of PCR (LTR-gag; pro-pol; pol-env and tax-LTR). Primers were designed from highly common conserved regions of the major HTLV-1 subtypes to characterize the entire HTLV-1 proviral genome.
RESULTS
Among 500 samples, 3 were PA and IFA positive. The overall seroprevalence was 0.6%. The DNA sample from 1 New Caledonian woman (NCP201) was found positive by PCR and the complete HTLV-1 proviral genome (9,033-bp) was obtained. The full-length HTLV-1 genomic sequence from a native woman from Vanuatu (EM5), obtained in the frame of our previous studies, was also characterized. Both sequences belonged to the HTLV-1c Australo-Melanesian subtype. The NCP201 strain exhibited 0.3% nucleotide divergence with the EM5 strain from Vanuatu. Furthermore, divergence reached 1.1% to 2.9% with the Solomon and Australian sequences respectively. Phylogenetic analyses on a 522-bp-long fragment of the gp21-env gene showed the existence of two major clades. The first is composed of strains from Papua New Guinea; the second includes strains from all neighboring archipelagos (Solomon, Vanuatu, New Caledonia), and Australia. Interestingly, this second clade itself is divided into two sub-clades: strains from Australia on one hand, and strains from Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia on the other hand.
CONCLUSIONS
The HTLV-1 seroprevalence (0.6%) in the studied adult population from New Caledonia appears to be low. This seroprevalence is quite similar to the situation observed in Vanuatu and Solomon Islands. However it is very different to the one encountered in Central Australia. Taken together, these results demonstrated that Australo-Melanesia is endemic for HTLV-1 infection with a high diversity of HTLV-1c strains and a clear geographic clustering according to the island of origin of HTLV-1 infected persons.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3351
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Indomethacin induces apoptosis via a MRP1-dependent mechanism in doxorubicin-resistant small-cell lung cancer cells overexpressing MRP1.
Small-cell lung cancers (SCLCs) initially respond to chemotherapy, but are often resistant at recurrence. The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug indomethacin is an inhibitor of multidrug resistance protein 1 (MRP1) function. The doxorubicin-resistant MRP1-overexpressing human SCLC cell line GLC(4)-Adr was highly sensitive for indomethacin compared with the parental doxorubicin-sensitive line GLC(4). The purpose of this study was to analyse the relationship between hypersensitivity to indomethacin and MRP1 overexpression. The experimental design involved analysis of the effect of MRP1 downregulation on indomethacin-induced cell survival and apoptosis in GLC(4)-Adr and GLC(4), using siRNA. In addition the effect of indomethacin on glutathione levels and mitochondrial membrane potential was investigated. Small interfering RNAs directed against MRP1 reduced MRP1 mRNA levels twofold and reduced efflux pump function of MRP1, which was reflected by a 1.8-fold higher accumulation of MRP1 substrate carboxyfluorescein, in si-MRP1 versus si-Luciferase-transfected GLC(4)-Adr cells. Multidrug resistance protein 1 downregulation decreased initial high apoptosis levels 2-fold in GLC(4)-Adr after indomethacin treatment for 24 h, and increased cell survival (IC(50)) from 22.8+/-2.6 to 30.4+/-5.1 microM following continuous indomethacin exposure. Multidrug resistance protein 1 downregulation had no effect on apoptosis in GLC(4) or on glutathione levels in both lines. Although indomethacin (20 microM) for 2 h decreased glutathione levels by 31.5% in GLC(4)-Adr, complete depletion of cellular glutathione by L-buthionine (S,R)-sulphoximine only resulted in a small increase in indomethacin-induced apoptosis in GLC(4)-Adr, demonstrating that a reduced cellular glutathione level is not the primary cause of indomethacin-induced apoptosis. Indomethacin exposure decreased mitochondrial membrane potential in GLC(4)-Adr cells, suggesting activation of the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway. Indomethacin induces apoptosis in a doxorubicin-resistant SCLC cell line through an MRP1-dependent mechanism. This may have implications for the treatment of patients with MRP1-overexpressing tumours.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3352
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Gracilis myocutaneous free-flap model in the rabbit.
This study was carried out to describe the anatomy and microsurgical free transfer of the gracilis myocutaneous flap in a rabbit model, and to evaluate its usefulness in further reconstructive microsurgical investigations.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3353
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Neuropeptide B induces slow wave sleep in mice.
STUDY OBJECTIVE
Neuropeptide B (NPB) and neuropeptide W (NPW) are two recently identified neuropeptides that act as endogenous ligands to orphan G protein coupled receptors, GPR7 and GPR8. In rodents, the GPR8 ortholog is absent and both NPB and NPW function exclusively through GPR7. Although NPB and NPW are implicated in the regulation of feeding behavior, endocrine function, and pain sensation, their physiological role is incompletely understood.
DESIGN
NPB or saline was administered into the lateral ventricle of mice during both the light and dark periods. In separate experiments, spontaneous locomotor activity or EEG and EMG were recorded after intracerebroventricular (i.c.v). injection. To confirm the involvement of GPR7 in NPB-induced responses, GPR7 knockout mice were also subjected to i.c.v. injections.
MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS
NPB injections reduced locomotor activity during the dark period, but not during the light period. EEG and EMG recordings in freely moving mice revealed that NPB injection decreased the time spent in the waking state and increased the time spent in slow wave sleep (SWS) during the dark period. The time spent in paradoxical sleep was unaffected. The spectral power of NPB-induced SWS was indistinguishable from that of physiological SWS. The NPB-induced increase in SWS was not observed in GPR7 knockout mice.
CONCLUSION
These results suggest that NPB induced physiological SWS through GPR7 and that NPB and GPR7 may have a role in modulating the occurrence of sleep and wakefulness.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3354
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Genetic and Epigenetic Interplay Within a COLGALT2 Enhancer Associated With Osteoarthritis.
OBJECTIVE
The osteoarthritis (OA)-associated single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs11583641 is located in COLGALT2, encoding a posttranslational modifier of collagen. In cartilage, the SNP genotype correlates with DNA methylation in a putative enhancer. This study was undertaken to characterize the mechanistic relationship between rs11583641, the putative enhancer, and COLGALT2 expression using cartilage samples from human patients and a chondrocyte cell model.
METHODS
Nucleic acids were extracted from articular cartilage samples obtained from patients with OA (n = 137). Samples were genotyped, and DNA methylation was quantified at 12 CpGs using pyrosequencing. The putative enhancer was deleted in Tc28a2 chondrocytes using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat/Cas9, and the impact on nearby gene expression was determined using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Targeted modulation of the epigenome using catalytically dead Cas9 (dCas9) constructs fused to DNA methyltransferase 3a or ten-eleven translocase 1 allowed for the investigation of a causal relationship between DNA methylation and enhancer activity.
RESULTS
The genotype at rs11583641 correlated with DNA methylation at 3 CpGs, and the presence of the OA risk allele, C, corresponded to reduced levels of methylation. Deletion of the enhancer resulted in a 2.7-fold reduction in COLGALT2 expression. Targeted methylation and demethylation of the CpGs had antagonistic effects on COLGALT2 expression. An allelic imbalance in the expression of COLGALT2 was identified in the cartilage from patients with OA, with relative overexpression of the OA risk allele. Allelic expression ratios correlated with DNA methylation at 4 CpGs.
CONCLUSION
COLGALT2 is a target of OA genetic risk at this locus. The genotype at rs11583641 impacts DNA methylation in a gene enhancer, which, in turn, modulates COLGALT2 expression. COLGALT2 encodes an enzyme that initiates posttranslational glycosylation of collagens and is therefore a compelling OA susceptibility target.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3355
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Classification complexity in myoelectric pattern recognition.
BACKGROUND
Limb prosthetics, exoskeletons, and neurorehabilitation devices can be intuitively controlled using myoelectric pattern recognition (MPR) to decode the subject's intended movement. In conventional MPR, descriptive electromyography (EMG) features representing the intended movement are fed into a classification algorithm. The separability of the different movements in the feature space significantly affects the classification complexity. Classification complexity estimating algorithms (CCEAs) were studied in this work in order to improve feature selection, predict MPR performance, and inform on faulty data acquisition.
METHODS
CCEAs such as nearest neighbor separability (NNS), purity, repeatability index (RI), and separability index (SI) were evaluated based on their correlation with classification accuracy, as well as on their suitability to produce highly performing EMG feature sets. SI was evaluated using Mahalanobis distance, Bhattacharyya distance, Hellinger distance, Kullback-Leibler divergence, and a modified version of Mahalanobis distance. Three commonly used classifiers in MPR were used to compute classification accuracy (linear discriminant analysis (LDA), multi-layer perceptron (MLP), and support vector machine (SVM)). The algorithms and analytic graphical user interfaces produced in this work are freely available in BioPatRec.
RESULTS
NNS and SI were found to be highly correlated with classification accuracy (correlations up to 0.98 for both algorithms) and capable of yielding highly descriptive feature sets. Additionally, the experiments revealed how the level of correlation between the inputs of the classifiers influences classification accuracy, and emphasizes the classifiers' sensitivity to such redundancy.
CONCLUSIONS
This study deepens the understanding of the classification complexity in prediction of motor volition based on myoelectric information. It also provides researchers with tools to analyze myoelectric recordings in order to improve classification performance.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3356
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Na+ Selective Binding by Beauvericin and Its Mechanism Studied by Mass-Coupled Cold Ion Trap Infrared Spectroscopy.
Beauvericin (Bv) is a cyclic hexadepsipeptide mycotoxin that selectively transports ions across cell membranes. Characterization of its intrinsic ion affinity has been complicated by different previous results in condensed phases and biological membranes. We report the marked specificity between alkali metal ions by Bv using experimental and computational methods. Mass spectrometry shows Bv readily binds all five alkali ions; however, the complex with Na+ is the most abundant species, indicating a strong binding preference. Gas phase infrared spectroscopy and theoretical calculations show that Li+, K+, Rb+, and Cs+ are coordinated by three amide carbonyl oxygens on the N-methylamino-l-phenylalanyl face. Selectivity for Na+ is achieved as Bv sequesters Na+ in the center of its cavity formed by three amide carbonyl and three ester carbonyl groups, a configuration unique among alkali metal ions. This finding provides insight into the correlation between selectivity and conformation of Bv, essential for development of this mycotoxin.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3357
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Vibration Band Gap Characteristics of Two-Dimensional Periodic Double-Wall Grillages.
In this article, the wave finite element method (WFEM) is used to calculate the band gap characteristics of two-dimensional (2D) periodic double-wall grillages (DwGs), which are verified by the grillage model vibration measurement experiment and finite element calculation. To obtain the band gap characteristics of periodic DwGs, the finite element calculation model is established according to the lattice and energy band theory and the characteristic equation of the periodic unit cell under the given wave vector condition is solved based on Bloch theorem. Then, the frequency transfer functions of finite-length manufactured and finite element models are obtained to verify the band gap characteristics of periodic DwGs. Finally, the effects of material parameters and structural forms on band gap characteristics and transfer functions are analyzed, which can provide a reference for engineering structure vibration and noise reduction design.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3358
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Bis(7)-tacrine attenuates beta amyloid-induced neuronal apoptosis by regulating L-type calcium channels.
Beta amyloid protein (Abeta) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) have been shown to be closely implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. In the current study, we investigated the effects of bis(7)-tacrine, a novel dimeric AChE inhibitor, on Abeta-induced neurotoxicity in primary cortical neurons. Bis(7)-tacrine, but not other AChE inhibitors, elicited a marked reduction of both fibrillar and soluble oligomeric forms of Abeta-induced apoptosis as evidenced by chromatin condensation and DNA specific fragmentation. Both nicotinic and muscarinic receptor antagonists failed to block the effects of bis(7)-tacrine. Instead, nimodipine, a blocker of L-type voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels (VDCCs), attenuated Abeta neurotoxicity, whereas N-, P/Q- or R-type VDCCs blockers and ionotropic glutamate receptor antagonists did not. Fluorescence Ca2+ imaging assay revealed that, similar to nimodipine, bis(7)-tacrine reversed Abeta-triggered intracellular Ca2+ increase, which was mainly contributed by the extracellular Ca2+ instead of endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria Ca2+. Concurrently, using whole cell patch-clamping technique, it was found that bis(7)-tacrine significantly reduced the augmentation of high voltage-activated inward calcium currents induced by Abeta. These results suggest that bis(7)-tacrine attenuates Abeta-induced neuronal apoptosis by regulating L-type VDCCs, offers a novel modality as to how the agent exerts neuroprotective effects.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3359
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Movies and juvenile delinquency: an overview.
Film viewing may affect the juvenile delinquent through the processes known as social learning and instigation. Identification with the movie and its characters by the delinquent viewer is common, and studies have consistently demonstrated that films can affect delinquents, although in some cases the effects are small. Numerous examples of how films may serve as either the initiator or the final common pathway of delinquent acts are presented. However, prosocial aspects of films dealing with delinquency may exert a positive influence on the juvenile delinquent. Treatment implications of these observations are discussed from social learning and other perspectives.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3360
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Understanding patient-centered care in the context of total quality management and continuous quality improvement.
BACKGROUND
Implementing patient-centered care (PCC) requires a fundamental shift in thinking-from how to best provide a wide variety of independent services to how to effectively combine individual service components into an integrated health care experience that meets patient needs and preferences.
DISCUSSION
PCC attempts to improve patient care by organizationally and physically moving selected service functions such as basic laboratory, pharmacy, admitting/discharge, medical records, housekeeping, and material support services to patient care areas, thus effecting an organizational restructuring. PCC creates teams composed of multiskilled or cross-trained individuals capable of providing more of the services directly on the patient care unit. Extensive redesign of the basic work processes as proposed by PCC advocates may result in significant changes in employee job scope, task responsibilities, professional autonomy, and reporting relationships. From the employee's perspective such changes may be neither warranted nor welcomed. Therefore, critical PCC implementation issues include obtaining employee buy-in and establishing appropriate incentive structures to facilitate the desired changes. How does PCC fit in with the popular improvement philosophies of total quality management (TQM) and continuous quality improvement (CQI)? Inherent within TQM and CQI is the belief that it is wiser to maximize efforts to design a product or process to be right the first time and to minimize resources devoted to inspection and repair caused by poor processes. PCC builds upon previous TQM/CQI health care efforts by focusing on ways to reduce the white space handoff problem by examining what, if any, changes in underlying structures and processes may be required. In the PCC hospital, TQM/CQI can function as intended, as a methodology for examining and improving the process of care and patient-care outcomes, regardless of internal departmental or profession-based organizational boundaries.
CONCLUSION
For hospitals to remain competitive in today's rapidly changing environment, it is becoming necessary to reevaluate both how they are organized and how their work processes have been designed and controlled. The groundwork already laid by TQM/CQI initiatives will facilitate the more fundamental and long-lasting improvements derived from the redesign of the patient-care unit as prescribed by the goals of PCC.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3361
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Bilateral scrotal urinary extravasation in a transplant recipient mimicking acute filariasis.
Urinary leak following renal transplantation is less common nowadays with better techniques. Bilateral scrotal extravasation following urinary leak is extremely rare. A history of filariasis in an endemic zone could mask and delay the diagnosis. One such case is described wherein ureteroneocystostomy was revised and the patient could be successfully managed following urinary leak.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3362
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Sex differences in adolescents' occupational aspirations: Variations across time and place.
We investigated sex differences in 473,260 adolescents' aspirations to work in things-oriented (e.g., mechanic), people-oriented (e.g., nurse), and STEM (e.g., mathematician) careers across 80 countries and economic regions using the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). We analyzed student career aspirations in combination with student achievement in mathematics, reading, and science, as well as parental occupations and family wealth. In each country and region, more boys than girls aspired to a things-oriented or STEM occupation and more girls than boys to a people-oriented occupation. These sex differences were larger in countries with a higher level of women's empowerment. We explain this counter-intuitive finding through the indirect effect of wealth. Women's empowerment is associated with relatively high levels of national wealth and this wealth allows more students to aspire to occupations they are intrinsically interested in. Implications for better understanding the sources of sex differences in career aspirations and associated policy are discussed.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3363
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Selection of a single chain variable fragment antibody against ivermectin from a phage displayed library.
Single chain variable fragment antibodies (scFvs) have considerable potential in immunological detection of pesticides, veterinary and other residues. In this study, a large human synthetic phage displayed library was used to select scFvs against ivermectin (IVM) by subtractive panning. After four rounds of panning, seven monoclonal phage particles capable of binding with the IVM were obtained. One of the identified novel anti-IVM scFv, hsIVM8, was expressed in Escherichia coli HB2151 and purified with Ni metal ion affinity chromatography. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamine gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) indicated that the relative molecular mass of hsIVM8 was estimated at 28 kDa. The purified hsIVM8 was used to develop a competitive indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ci-ELISA) for IVM. The linear range of detection for standards in this ci-ELISA was approximately 0.1-5 microg/mL and 50% inhibition of control (IC(50)) was 4.11 microg/mL for IVM. These results showed promising applications of hsIVM8 for detecting IVM in agricultural and environmental matrices.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3364
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Genetic diversity and fitness in peripheral and central populations of the European tree frog Hyla arborea.
Genetic diversity is expected to decrease in small and isolated populations as a consequence of founder effects, bottlenecks, inbreeding and genetic drift. In this study we analyse temporal and spatial effects on genetic variation and progeny viability of the European tree frog (Hyla arborea) at two scales. First, the Swedish distribution has been isolated from the continental distribution for more than 8000 thousand years, and secondly, within Sweden, recent habitat alterations that have taken place during this century have increased isolation between local populations. Genetic variation and progeny survival in relation to isolation was studied within the entire Swedish distribution of the tree frog. Allozyme electrophoresis analysis of froglets, sampled across the Swedish distribution, revealed a low overall genetic variation (1.06 alleles/locus) at the protein level in comparison with continental populations (1.54-1.68 alleles/locus). However, egg hatchability (97%) and early larval survival (95%) were not lower than in other parts of the tree frog distribution or in other anuran species. Within the Swedish distribution, early larval survival was lower in isolated breeding ponds than in more central ones. However, no differences in genetic variation were found in relation to isolation. Polymorphism was detected only at a single locus, and was restricted geographically to the eastern part of the Swedish distribution. Bottlenecks due to climatic changes and fragmentation of suitable habitat (primarily natural pastures with ponds) are suggested as possible causes of the low genetic diversity of the Swedish tree frog population.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3365
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Palliative gastrojejunostomy for advanced carcinoma of the stomach.
The outcome of 51 patients who underwent gastrojejunostomy for unresectable gastric cancer with outlet obstruction was studied to evaluate the palliative benefit. The operative mortality and postoperative complication rates were 22% and 55% respectively. The mean duration of postoperative hospital stay was 13 days and median survival period 14 weeks. Delayed gastric emptying occurred in 21%, mostly in patients with extensive tumour involvement of the stomach and was associated with a poor outcome. Among the survivors, 87.5% were able to take a soft diet by the eighth postoperative day and 60% could cope with the progression of the disease at home. We conclude that gastrojejunostomy offers satisfactory palliation in patients with advanced gastric cancer.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3366
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A microcomputer system for the practising cardiac surgeon.
The authors present a computer program designed for the practising cardiac surgeon who wishes to computerize patient data. The program is efficient, versatile and can be adapted to individual needs. It can be used with any IBM PC-compatible machine and requires little knowledge of computer science. More than 250 items on 30 000 patients can be stored and all this information analysed simultaneously. The program can chart a patient's profile and tabulate the information of the entire registry. It can generate lists of patients with their surgeons, cardiologists, diagnoses, operations and dates of intervention. It can also be used for mailing purposes.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3367
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What I was doing versus what I did: verb aspect influences memory and future actions.
This research examined whether describing past actions as ongoing using the imperfective aspect (rather than describing them as completed using the perfective aspect) promotes memory for action-relevant knowledge and reenactment of these actions in a future context. In Experiment 1, participants who used the imperfective aspect to describe their strategy on a prior interpersonal task were more likely to use this strategy on a later task than were participants who used the perfective aspect to describe their prior strategy. Experiment 2 demonstrated that describing behaviors on a task using the imperfective rather than the perfective aspect increased willingness to resume that task by improving memory for task contents. The last two experiments showed that the effects of the imperfective aspect on memory decayed over time and that the imperfective aspect facilitated performance of a future behavior only when the described past behavior was relevant to the future behavior. Thus, the effects of aspect are moderated by memory decay and are behavior-specific.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3368
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[Experimental studies on the quality control of xiaoluo pills].
Microscopic and physico-chemical methods have been used in the qualitative study of Xiaoluo Pills. The contents of peimine, peiminine and calcium carbonate in these pills have been determined. The proposed method can be used to control the quality of Xiaoluo Pills.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3369
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Using chord diagrams to explore article themes in 100 top-cited articles citing Hirsch's h-index since 2005: A bibliometric analysis.
BACKGROUND
The h-index is increasingly being used as a measure of individual research achievement (IRA). More than 4876 citing articles have been published and indexed in Web of Science. The articles citing the h-index that have made the greatest contribution to scientific academics are still unknown. It is also unclear which subject categories (SCs) can be classified based on their keywords.
METHODS
These 4976 citing articles have been collected from the Web of Science since 2005. SCs were classified using chord diagrams to visualize their associations of SCs and documents in 100 top-cited articles (T100hciting). In addition to chord diagrams, 6 visualizations were used to illustrate study results: choropleth maps were used to depict the geographical distribution of publications across countries, network diagrams were created by using coword analysis, box plots were created to complement the network diagrams, Sankey diagrams highlighted the 5 most important elements in each article entity, the dot plot was used for displaying T100hciting, and a radar plot was used to present the top 10 high-IRA elements of countries, institutes, departments, and authors based on category, journal impact factor, authorship, and L-index scores.
RESULTS
A coword cluster analysis indicates that the majority of articles come from the US (918, 18%) and China (603, 12%), the top 2 SCs are h-index and bibliometric analysis, and the top 5 countries account for 55% in T100hciting, such as the US (25%), Spain (10%), Netherlands (9%), China (6%), and Belgium (5%). In T100hciting, 4 SCs are included, namely, the h-index (72%), bibliometric analysis (24%), physics & multidisciplinary (3%), and infectious diseases (1%).
CONCLUSION
A total of 7 visualizations were used to display the results in this study. Chord diagrams are suggested as a tool for future bibliographical studies to classify SCs Future bibliometrics with chord diagrams should not be limited to the topic of h-index-citing articles, as we did in this study.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3370
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Anti-Spike IgG in multiple sclerosis patients after BNT162b2 vaccine: An exploratory case-control study in Italy.
BACKGROUND
Patients with neuroimmunological conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS) often receive disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) or immunosuppressants which may reduce the response to vaccines. BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) is the first COVID-19 vaccine authorized in Italy. Its clinical efficacy and serological response were not evaluated in MS patients receiving DMTs or immunosuppressants. This early multicenter study evaluated serological response to BNT162b2 and safety in these patients.
METHODS
From February 2021 we enrolled consecutive MS patients, treated with at least one DMT and all healthcare workers (HCWs), having received or being scheduled to receive the first dose of BNT162b2. Blood samples were collected after the second vaccine dose and analyzed to quantitatively detect the presence of anti-Spike antibodies. Serological response was compared to the one from a control population of HCWs, with neither neuroimmunological conditions nor receiving immunosuppressants. Patients receiving treatments associated with a possible reduced response (Under-scrutiny treatment group) were also compared to those undergoing other treatments. Anti-Spike levels were described as median and interquartile range (IQR). Comparisons were performed with Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test. Solicited and unsolicited adverse events (AEs) were collected.
RESULTS
39 MS patients and a control population of 273 HCWs were included. One patient, under treatment with ocrelizumab, did not respond to BNT162b2, while all the remaining patients and all controls developed a serological response to the vaccine. Median anti-Spike levels were similar between patients (1471.0 BAU/ml; IQR 779.7 to 2357.0) and controls (1479.0 BAU/ml; IQR 813.1 to 2528.0) (p = 0.53). Patients included in the Under-scrutiny treatments group showed reduced anti-Spike levels (156.4 BAU/ml; IQR 33.4 to 559.1) compared to those receiving other treatments (1582.4 BAU/ml; IQR 1296.5 to 2219.0) (p = 0.001). Solicited AEs were all mild to moderate in severity, generally reported in the first days after vaccination, and resolved in the following days. Two MS patients reported a clinical relapse after the second vaccine dose.
CONCLUSION
BNT162b2 induced a serological response in MS patients treated with DMTs similar to controls not receiving DMTs or immunosuppressants. Some treatments were associated with reduced levels of anti-Spike antibodies in patients. These observations have relevant implications for treated patients receiving BNT162b2 and the community.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3371
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[Protein crystals and tubuli bundles in yeast cells. II. Isolation, biochemical and electron microscopical characterization].
A purified fraction of crystals stabilized with Cd2+ is prepared from Saccharomyces carlsbergensis protoplasts by means of differential centrifugation. As proved by negative staining the crystals are hexagonal with well preserved surface which in its turn also reveals a hexagonal fine structure. Crystals are digestible by pronase (1 mg/m) in phosphate buffer (pH 7.4). The molecular weight of protein subunits is 38000+/-300D. Amino acid composition of the crude crystal protein is similar to that of microtubular protein (MTP) from brain and sperm, except that lysin content is much higher. The crystal protein exhibits more differences, however, after purification by preparative gel electrophoresis. The level of glycine, alamine, and valine is increased, whereas that of glutamic acid is decreased.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3372
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Application of Single-Particle Mass Spectrometer to Obtain Chemical Signatures of Various Combustion Aerosols.
A single-particle mass spectrometer (SPMS) with laser ionization was constructed to determine the chemical composition of single particles in real time. The technique was evaluated using various polystyrene latex particles with different sizes (125 nm, 300 nm, 700 nm, and 1000 nm); NaCl, KCl, MgCO3, CaCO3, and Al2O3 particles with different chemical compositions; an internal mixture of NaCl and KCl; and an internal mixture of NaCl, KCl, and MgCl2 with different mixing states. The results show that the SPMS can be useful for the determination of chemical characteristics and mixing states of single particles in real time. The SPMS was then applied to obtain the chemical signatures of various combustion aerosols (diesel engine exhaust, biomass burning (rice straw), coal burning, and cooking (pork)) based on their single-particle mass spectra. Elemental carbon (EC)-rich and EC-organic carbon (OC) particles were the predominant particle types identified in diesel engine exhaust, while K-rich and EC-OC-K particles were observed among rice straw burning emissions. Only one particle type (ash-rich particles) was detected among coal burning emissions. EC-rich and EC-OC particles were observed among pork burning particles. The single-particle mass spectra of the EC or OC types of particles differed among various combustion sources. The observed chemical signatures could be useful for rapidly identifying sources of atmospheric fine particles. In addition, the detected chemical signatures of the fine particles may be used to estimate their toxicity and to better understand their effects on human health.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3373
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Clinical utility of lipoarabinomannan antibody in pleural fluid for the diagnosis of tuberculous pleurisy.
We studied the clinical utility of the detection of lipoarabinomannan antibody, using MycoDot, in pleural fluid for the diagnosis of tuberculous pleurisy. Nine patients with active tuberculous pleurisy, 1 patient with chronic tuberculous empyema, and 16 patients with nontuberculous pleural effusions were studied. The results were positive in 5 patients with tuberculous pleural disease. Sensitivity was 50% (5 of 10; including the 1 patient with chronic tuberculous empyema) and specificity was 93.8% (15 of 16). Detection of lipoarabinomannan antibody using MycoDot in pleural fluid is a specific diagnostic tool for tuberculous pleurisy; furthermore, this diagnostic method is simple, rapid, and cost-effective.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3374
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Method of error analysis for phase-measuring algorithms applied to photoelasticity.
We present a method of error analysis that can be applied for phase-measuring algorithms applied to photoelasticity. We calculate the contributions to the measurement error of the different elements of a circular polariscope as perturbations of the Jones matrices associated with each element. The Jones matrix of the real polariscope can then be calculated as a sum of the nominal matrix and a series of contributions that depend on the errors associated with each element separately. We apply this method to the analysis of phase-measuring algorithms for the determination of isoclinics and isochromatics, including comparisons with real measurements.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3375
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[Effect of leu-enkephalin on potassium currents in neurons of the respiratory center of rats in vitro].
Action of opioid peptide: leu-enkephalin (10 nM - 1 microM), on K+A-current and inward rectifier in neurons of two divisions of the respiratory center: ventrolateral area of the solitary tract nucleus and the pre-Botzinger complex, was investigated in brainstem slices of Wistar rats by whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings. A-current and inward rectifier were found in all the neurons under study. A-current did not change after the application of leu-enkephalin to the bath solution while the amplitude of inward rectifier did reversibly increase. The data obtained suggest that the inhibitory effect of leu-enkephalin on neurons of the respiratory center, at least in part, can be based on its ability to modulate inward rectifier.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3376
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Morphological and functional features of the sex steroid-responsive posterodorsal medial amygdala of adult rats.
The rat posterodorsal medial amygdala (MePD) expresses receptors for gonadal hormones and integrates sex steroid-sensitive subcortical networks. Male-female differences are found in the morphology, connectivity, and local neuropil structure of MePD. For example, dendritic spine density is sexually-dimorphic and changes with the estrous cycle and following gonadal hormones manipulations. Due to its connectivity, the MePD may affect emotionally-loaded social behaviors, according to a former Newman's seminal proposition. Unilateral fiber-sparing ibotenic acid damage of the MePD does not impair male sexual behavior. However, microinjecting glutamate and histamine into the right MePD facilitates ejaculation. Further, MePD-lesioned rats are not different from normal rats in anxiety-like behavior as evaluated by the elevated plus maze test or innate fear test induced by a live cat. In another study, an adapted model for inducing aggressive behavior in rats by a brief period of restraint prior to the resident-intruder paradigm was used to study Fos-immunoreactivity in the MePD. Following stressful stimulation (restraint) or the restraint and fight condition, but not after aggression alone, Fos-immunoreactivity was detected in the MePD. Microinjecting the inhibitory neuropeptide somatostatin into the right MePD notably reduces fighting behavior without affecting locomotion. Overall, these data indicate that sex steroids and local neurochemical stimulatory/inhibitory transmitters modulate the MePD and reinforce the idea that this area is a node for modulating social behavior neural networks.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3377
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Liquid-assisted tip manipulation: fabrication of twisted bilayer graphene superlattices on HOPG.
We use the tip of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) to manipulate single weakly bound nanometer-sized sheets on a highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) surface through artificially increasing the tip and sample interaction by pretreatment of the surface using a liquid thiol molecule. By this means it is possible to tear apart a graphite sheet against a step and fold this part onto the HOPG surface and thus generate graphene superlattices with hexagonal symmetry. The tip and sample surface interactions, including the van der Waals force, electrostatic force and capillary attraction force originating from the Laplace pressure due to the formation of a highly curved fluid meniscus connecting the tip and sample, are discussed quantitatively to understand the formation mechanism of a graphene superlattice induced by the STM tip. The capillary force plays a key role in manipulating the graphite surface sheet under humid conditions. Our approach provides a simple and feasible route to prepare controllable superlattices and graphene nanoribbons and also to better understand the process of generation of a graphene superlattice on the surface of HOPG with the tip.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3378
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Preincubation with atrial natriuretic peptide protects NG108-15 cells against the toxic/proapoptotic effects of the nitric oxide donor S-nitroso- N-acetylpenicillamine.
The TUNEL method is used to quantify the proapoptotic effects of an NO donor, S-nitroso- N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP), in NG108-15 cells. Unlike sodium nitroprusside used in previous studies, SNAP does not release cyanide along with NO, thus NO toxicity was determined without concurrent cyanide toxicity. The present study also determined if pretreatment with ANP could protect against NO-induced apoptosis in NG108-15 cells. Cell death at 24 h following SNAP treatment was associated with apoptotic DNA fragmentation. SNAP at 0.5, 0.75, 1.0, and 2.0 mM caused significant (P<0.05) increases in the percentage of TUNEL-labeled cells from a control of 0.90% to 6.19%, 6.36%, 7.25%, and 15.1%, respectively. Thus, SNAP caused concentration-dependent induction of apoptosis in NG108-15 cells. SNAP-induced apoptosis was confirmed by morphological changes and increased levels of polynucleosome-sized fragments of DNA assessed by capillary electrophoresis. Preincubation for 24 h with ANP at 0.01, 0.1, and 1.0 microM, before the SNAP, significantly (P<0.05) decreased the percentage of labeled cells from 7.25% to 5.10%, 4.36%, and 3.24% in the presence of SNAP (1 mM) and from 15.1% to 7.91%, 6.64%, and 5.60% in the presence of SNAP (2 mM), respectively, representing protection of 24.0%, 34.0%, and 57.0% against SNAP (1 mM) and 26.0%, 37.0%, and 50.9% against SNAP (2 mM). Thus, prior activation of a cGMP-mediated neuroprotective mechanism induced by ANP appears to counterbalance, at least partially, the proapoptotic effects of excess NO. This neuroprotective mechanism involving cGMP may be especially important in protecting against the development of neurodegenerative diseases in which excess NO is thought to contribute to neuronal apoptosis.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3379
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Deep-sea anthropogenic macrodebris harbours rich and diverse communities of bacteria and archaea.
The deep sea is the largest biome on earth, and microbes dominate in biomass and abundance. Anthropogenic litter is now almost ubiquitous in this biome, and its deposition creates new habitats and environments, including for microbial assemblages. With the ever increasing accumulation of this debris, it is timely to identify and describe the bacterial and archaeal communities that are able to form biofilms on macrodebris in the deep sea. Using 16S rRNA gene high throughput sequencing, we show for the first time the composition of bacteria and archaea on macrodebris collected from the deep sea. Our data suggest differences in the microbial assemblage composition across litter of different materials including metal, rubber, glass, fabric and plastic. These results imply that anthropogenic macrodebris provide diverse habitats for bacterial and archaeal biofilms and each may harbour distinct microbial communities.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3380
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Adsorption and desorption of hydrogen on metal-organic framework materials for storage applications: comparison with other nanoporous materials.
Hydrogen adsorption on porous materials is one of the possible methods proposed for hydrogen storage for transport applications. High pressure experimental studies of a wide range of porous materials have obtained maximum hydrogen excess capacities of 6-8 wt% at 77 K for metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and porous carbon materials. Grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulation studies indicate that higher hydrogen capacities are possible for covalent organic frameworks (COFs). Currently, the maximum isosteric enthalpies of adsorption of approximately 13 kJ mol(-1) at 77 K have been observed experimentally for metal-organic framework materials and this is higher than for COFs, where the maximum predicted from GCMC simulations is approximately 8 kJ mol(-1). Metal-organic framework materials have structural diversity and scope for modification of surface chemistry to enhance hydrogen surface interactions. The synthesis of MOFs with stronger H(2)-surface interactions to give similar hydrogen capacities at much higher temperatures than 77 K is required and eventually, materials that have these high capacities at ambient temperatures with rapid adsorption/desorption characteristics are necessary for applications as hydrogen storage materials for transport applications. The current methods envisaged for increasing adsorption at higher temperatures involve modification of the surface chemistry, in particular, the inclusion of open metal centres to increase hydrogen surface site interactions, and utilisation of the framework flexibility are discussed.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3381
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Sodium removal and plasma tonicity balance are not different in hemodialysis and hemodiafiltration using high-flux membranes.
BACKGROUND
The clinical benefits of on-line hemodiafiltration (HDF) versus high-flux membranes hemodialysis (hf-HD) are still debated. In fact, although a superiority of one treatment over the other, especially in terms of mortality, did not emerge from the analysis of clinical trials, improved intradialytic vascular stability and cardiovascular mortality have been observed in patients undergoing HDF rather than hf-HD; the lower removal of sodium (Na+) during HDF seems to play a major role. The plasma concentration of Na+ is the major determinant of plasma tonicity, which, by determining the flow of water between the intracellular and the extracellular compartment, contributes to the vascular refilling process and the maintenance of blood pressure during the hemodialysis treatment. Plasma tonicity also depends on plasma glucose concentration, especially in patients with diabetes mellitus with hyperglycaemia at the start of hemodialysis treatment.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We evaluated the removal of Na+ and plasma tonicity balance during a 2-week period by performing 2-3 consecutive sessions of hf-HD followed by 2-3 consecutive sessions of HDF, or vice versa, in 47 patients (40% diabetics) on chronic hemodialysis. Identical parameters were used in all dialytic sessions.
RESULTS
Na+ removal per session was - 224 ± 144 mmol and - 219 ± 152 mmol, respectively, in hf-HD and in HDF (p = 0.79). The plasma tonicity balance per session was - 575 ± 310 mOsm and - 563 ± 328 mOsm, respectively, in hf-HD and in HDF (p = 0.75).
CONCLUSIONS
The removal of Na+ and plasma tonicity balance did not differ between hf-HD and HDF. This observation suggests that factors other than those assessed in our study might explain the improved cardiovascular stability reported in HDF.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3382
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Hepatotoxic effects of estradiol-17 beta-D-glucuronide in the rat and monkey.
The steroid D-ring glucuronide conjugate estradiol-17 beta-D-glucuronide (E217G) but not the A-ring conjugate E23-glucuronide (E23G) has been shown to inhibit bile flow in the rat. To determine if primates are also sensitive to E217G-induced cholestasis, a noninvasive approach with the use of indocyanine green (ICG), a dye eliminated primarily by biliary excretion, was first validated in the rat and then applied to the rhesus monkey. ICG (16 mg/kg rat; 4 mg/kg monkey) was administered i.v. 10 min after an i.v. bolus dose of either E217G (5.5 or 11 mumol/kg), E23G (11 mumol/kg) or vehicle alone. In the rat, the elimination T1/2 of ICG was increased by the 11 mumol/kg dose of E217G (P less than .025), whereas E23G produced no significant change from vehicle control values. In the monkey, the 5.5 and 11 mumol/kg doses of E217G increased the T1/2 of ICG in a dose-related manner (P less than .005), whereas E23G was without effect. Plasma levels of total radioactivity demonstrated dose-dependent kinetics after the administration of a tracer dose and 11 mumol/kg of [3H]E217G. A rebound of plasma radioactivity was seen at 11 mumol/kg of [3H] E217G, the time course of which mimicked the time course of E217G-induced cholestasis. High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of rat bile and plasma after the administration of [3H]E217G revealed primarily E217G and estradiol-3-sulfate-17 beta-D-glucuronide together with small amounts of three unidentified metabolites. In the monkey, only E217G and estradiol-3-sulfate-17 beta-D-glucuronide were observed in the plasma after the administration of [3H]E217G. In contrast to E217G, estradiol-3-sulfate-17 beta-D-glucuronide was choleretic in the bile duct-cannulated rat model. These data indicate that E217G is hepatotoxic in both rodents and nonhuman primates.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3383
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IgE sensitization to Anisakis pegreffii in Italy: Comparison of two methods for the diagnosis of allergic anisakiasis.
IgE sensitization to Anisakis pegreffii in Italian subjects suffering from gastro-allergic anisakiasis (GAA) (N=5), or showing chronic urticaria (CU+) after fish consumption (N=100), was investigated. A control group (N=5) was also included. IgE response was analysed by immunoblotting (WB) assay, using both excretory/secretory products (ESPs) and crude extract (CE) of A. pegreffii larvae. The results were compared with those achieved by the conventional immunological method for Anisakis allergy (ie, immunoCAP). Among the 110 subjects, 28 showed IgE positivity with both WB and iCAP methods; 13 proved IgE reactivity, in WB assay, to ESP antigens of A. pegreffii, here provisionally indicated as Ani s 1-like, Ani s 7-like, Ani s 13-like; only 15 sera have shown IgE-WB reaction to Ani s 7-like and Ani s 13-like. iCAP and WB exhibited a high concordance value (κ=1.00) when iCAP value was <0.35 (negative result) and >50.0 (positive result). In the sera samples recorded as positive to Anisakis allergy, Ani s 1-like was responsible for 46.4% of the sensitivity, while Ani s 7-like and Ani s 13-like for 100%. They could be considered as major antigens in the diagnosis of allergic anisakiasis caused by A. pegreffii.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3384
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[24-hour sleep deprivation as a method of activating EEG signs in epilepsy].
In 195 patients with suspected epilepsy 24-hour waking was used as an activation method. Routine EEG tracings were normal in these cases (58%) or showed only non-characteristic changes (21%). In only 21% of cases typical seizure activity was visible. Typical epileptic changes were demonstrated after this activation in 43% of cases, that is twice as frequently. Seizure activity appeared usually at the time of somnolence and during light sleep, and 30-minute EEG recording was sufficient for its demonstration.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3385
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Lantana camara leaf extract ameliorates memory deficit and the neuroinflammation associated with scopolamine-induced Alzheimer's-like cognitive impairment in zebrafish and mice.
CONTEXT
Lantana camara Linn. (Verbenaceae) is used for improving memory in certain African societies.
OBJECTIVE
This study investigated the effect of prophylactic treatment with hydroethanolic leaf extract of Lantana camara (LCE) on short-term memory deficit and neuroinflammation induced with scopolamine in zebrafish and mice.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Zebrafish (AB strain) and mice (ICR) were given donepezil (0.65 mg/kg, oral) and LCE (10, 30, 100 mg/kg, oral) for 7, and 10 days, respectively, before induction of cognitive impairment with scopolamine immersion (200 µM) and intraperitoneal injection (2 mg/kg), respectively. Spatial short-term memory was assessed in zebrafish using both Y- and T-mazes, whereas Y-maze was used in mice. Mice hippocampal and cortical tissues were analyzed for mRNA expression of proinflammatory genes (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, COX-2) using qRT-PCR.
RESULTS
In the zebrafish Y-maze, LCE (10 and 100 mg/kg) increased time spent in the novel arm by 55.89 ± 5.70%, and 68.21 ± 2.75%, respectively, but not at 30 mg/kg. In the zebrafish T-maze, there was an increase in time spent in the food-containing arm at 30 (44.23 ± 2.13) and 100 mg/kg (52.30 ± 1.94). In the mouse Y-maze, spontaneous alternation increased by 52.89 ± 4.98% at only 10 mg/kg. LCE (10, 30, 100 mg/kg) inhibited proinflammatory gene (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, COX-2) mRNA expression, with the highest inhibitory effect on IL-6 in both the hippocampus (83.27 ± 2.49%; 100 mg/kg) and the cortex (98.74 ± 0.11%; 10 mg/kg).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
LCE ameliorated scopolamine-induced AD in both zebrafish and mice.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3386
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Introduction to special section on three-generation studies.
Interest in lifespan research and cross-generational associations in parenting practices and child behaviors has grown rapidly in recent years. The four papers presented in this journal test three key intergenerational research questions regarding intergenerational continuities for externalizing behaviors, using different 3-generational samples.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3387
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[An experimental study of possibility of treatment of hemorrhagic fever Marburg by Remicade].
The effect of Remicade, administered according to different schemes, produced on the course of experimental Marburg hemorrhagic fever was studied. When the drug was used from the first infection day, the treated animals died reliably earlier versus the controls (infected animals). A reliably lower concentration of TNF-alpha in blood serum (versus the controls) was registered on day 3. At the same time, when Remicade was used from day 3 after infection, a 50% survival of animals was registered. It is noteworthy, that the TNF-alpha concentration in blood serum did not differ, on day 3, from that of controls, whereas, beginning from day 5 after infection, the animals displayed a downtrend of TNF-alpha concentration. Hence, it can be an evidence of a dual TNF-alpha role in the immunopathogenesis of Marburg hemorrhagic fever: on day 1 after infection the production of TNF-alpha is needed; whereas, if there is an overproduction of the cytokine, it is necessary to inhibit it. The treatment scheme in hemorrhagic fever must, apparently, comprise both elements of cytokine therapy and drugs affecting other chains of pathogenesis--they must mainly protect the endothelial vascular cells.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3388
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Active breathing control for patients receiving mediastinal radiation therapy for lymphoma: Impact on normal tissue dose.
PURPOSE
Active breathing control (ABC) is emerging as a tool to reduce heart and lung dose for lymphoma patients receiving mediastinal radiation therapy (RT). The objective of this study was to report our early institutional experience with this technique, with emphasis on quantifying the changes in normal tissue dose and exploring factors that could be used to select patients with the greatest benefit.
METHODS AND MATERIALS
Patients receiving mediastinal involved-field RT (IFRT) for lymphoma were eligible. The ABC was performed using a moderate deep-inspiration breath-hold (mDIBH) technique. All patients were replanned with free-breathing (FB) computed tomographic data sets and comparisons of lung, cardiac, and female breast tissue doses were made between mDIBH and FB plans. Logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with improvement in mean lung and heart dose with mDIBH.
RESULTS
Forty-seven patients were analyzed; the majority (87.2%) had Hodgkin lymphoma. Median prescribed dose was 30 Gy (range, 20-36 Gy), with 78.7% of cases being treated with parallel-opposed beams. The use of mDIBH significantly improved average mean lung dose (FB: 11.0 Gy; mDIBH: 9.5 Gy; P < .0001), lung V20 (28% vs 22%; P < .0001), and mean heart dose (14.3 Gy vs 11.8 Gy; P = .003), but increased the mean breast dose (FB: 3.0 Gy; mDIBH 3.6 Gy; P = .0005). The magnitude of diaphragmatic excursion on the inhale scan was significantly associated with dosimetric improvement in both heart and lung dose with mDIBH.
CONCLUSIONS
Mediastinal IFRT for lymphoma delivered with mDIBH can significantly reduce lung and heart dose compared with FB, although not for all patients, and may increase breast dose in females. Its implementation is achievable in both adult and pediatric populations. Further work is necessary to better predict which patients benefit from this technique.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3389
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Does oxidant stress play a role in diabetic retinopathy?
The role of oxidant stress in the causation of chronic tissue damage is being increasingly recognized. Oxidant stress is usually countered by abundant supply of antioxidants. If concomitant antioxidant deficiency occurs, oxidant stress may produce tissue damage. We took up a study on antioxidant status in non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) patients with and without retinopathy and compared them with a control non-diabetic group. The levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) were significantly reduced in all diabetic patients, i.e., those with and without retinopathy. However, the lowest levels were found in the diabetic patients with retinopathy. Vitamin E and vitamin C levels were also markedly lower in the diabetic patients. There was a paradoxical rise in the catalase and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in the diabetic patients with retinopathy. This may be a compensatory mechanism by the body to prevent tissue damage by increasing the levels of the two alternative antioxidant enzymes.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3390
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The antibacterial toxin colicin N binds to the inner core of lipopolysaccharide and close to its translocator protein.
Colicins are a diverse family of large antibacterial protein toxins, secreted by and active against Escherichia coli and must cross their target cell's outer membrane barrier to kill. To achieve this, most colicins require an abundant porin (e.g. OmpF) plus a low-copy-number, high-affinity, outer membrane protein receptor (e.g. BtuB). Recently, genetic screens have suggested that colicin N (ColN), which has no high-affinity receptor, targets highly abundant lipopolysaccharide (LPS) instead. Here we reveal the details of this interaction and demonstrate that the ColN receptor-binding domain (ColN-R) binds to a specific region of LPS close to the membrane surface. Data from in vitro studies using calorimetry and both liquid- and solid-state NMR reveal the interactions behind the in vivo requirement for a defined oligosaccharide region of LPS. Delipidated LPS (LPS(Δ) (LIPID) ) shows weaker binding; and thus full affinity requires the lipid component. The site of LPS binding means that ColN will preferably bind at the interface and thus position itself close to the surface of its translocon component, OmpF. ColN is, currently, unique among colicins in requiring LPS and, combined with previous data, this implies that the ColN translocon is distinct from those of other known colicins.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3391
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Responses of Ia and spindle group II afferents to single motor-unit contractions.
1. The responses of deefferented Ia and spindle group II afferents to electrically activated twitch contractions of randomly selected motor units of the cat tibialis posterior muscle have been studied. Each afferent was paired with from 8 to 20 of the muscle's 60 motor units, and each afferent-motor unit interaction was recorded to two muscle lengths. 2. Cross-correlation histograms were compiled for each afferent-motor unit interaction studied as well as the average twitch tension produced by the motor unit. A numerical "coupling index" was computed for the histogram distributions to quantitate the extent of mechanical coupling between the receptor and the single motor units. 3. Qualitatively, no consistent differences were noted in the responses of Ia and spindle group II afferents to single motor-unit contractions. However, Ia afferents were responsive to a higher percentage of motor units with which they were tested (89%) and, on the average, displayed a significantly larger magnitude of response (mean coupling index, 0.72 +/- 0.04 SE) than the spindle group II afferents (66% of motor units; mean coupling index, 0.51 +/- 0.03). 4. The extent to which a motor-unit contraction altered the discharge pattern of a spindle afferent was not strictly related to the amount of force generated by the unit, nor to its contraction time. 5. Muscle length exerted a strong influence on both the qualitative and quantitative features of many of the motor unit-muscle receptor interactions. 6. These results suggest that the degree of "mechanical coupling" between a receptor and a motor unit is largely dependent on anatomical arrangements and reinforce the possibility that muscle receptors generate a "sensory partitioning" of the motor-unit population within a muscle.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3392
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Effects of omega-3 fatty acids on immune, health and growth variables in veal calves.
Under the present intensive rearing conditions, calves face a series of stressors and multiple pathogens often necessitating antimicrobial use. Multiple feed additives are currently explored for their ability to prevent disease and limit the use of antimicrobials. Supplementation of the polyunsaturated long chain n-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docohexaenoic (DHA) from marine origin has been proposed as a strategy to improve immune function and prevent excessive inflammation reactions. The aim of this randomized clinical trial was to explore the effects of n-3 fatty acids (PUFAs) used as feed supplement on health, production and immune variables in a veal calf setting. One hundred-seventy calves were randomly assigned to 3 treatment groups: microalgae (MA, n = 57, 2.5 g DHA/animal/day), fish oil (FO, n = 57, 2.5 g EPA + DHA/animal/day)] and a control group (CON, n = 56). Average daily gain (ADG), bodyweight at 12 weeks on feed and slaughter weight were determined. Health monitoring consisted of recording of clinical signs and repeated thoracic ultrasonography. After 5, 8 and 11 weeks of supplementation, the function of neutrophils, monocytes and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was evaluated ex vivo by measuring reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by neutrophils and monocytes and proliferation of and cytokine release by PBMCs. Under the field conditions of this study, dietary supplementation of MA and FO showed very limited immunomodulatory effects. Feeding MA led to increased ROS production by neutrophils, Estimate (E) = 0.38, Standard Error (SE) = 0.14; P < 0.05, compared to the control calves after 5 weeks of in-feed supplementation. FO reduced IL-6 secretion E= -0.29, SE= 0.11; P < 0.05 compared to MA treated animals after 11 weeks on feed. Health and production variables were unaffected by treatments. The doses of EPA and DHA used in this study did not cause immunomodulatory changes in highly stressed calves to such an extent that this led to better health or growth of animals.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3393
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Prophylactic anticoagulants in managing embolic stroke.
The primary risk of anticoagulant therapy in cardiac embolic stroke is hemorrhage--particularly cerebral hemorrhage in the elderly. Improving the benefit/risk ratio for indicated anticoagulation involves consideration of the following: hemostatic competence, blood pressure, drug interactions, falls, interval surgery, diet, aspirin and last but not least, the intensity of anticoagulant prophylaxis. For the present it would be prudent to limit heparin administration to a low-dose regimen not exceeding 20,000 units/24 hours and warfarin maintenance to a low-dose prothrombin time ratio of 1.5.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3394
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Molecular basis of beta-thalassemia in Morocco: possible origins of the molecular heterogeneity.
We present the molecular spectrum of beta-thalassemia in the Moroccan population obtained by the identification of molecular defects responsible for this disease, and herewith we show that the Moroccan population is genetically heterogeneous; 18 different mutations have been found in the 158 beta-globin chromosomes studied. Eight mutations [codon 39 (C --> T), FSC-8 (-AA), IVS-II-745 (C --> G), -29 (A --> G), FSC-6 (-A), IVS-I-110 (G --> A), IVS-I-2 (T --> C), and IVS-I-1 (G --> A)] out of 18 beta-thalassemia mutations identified accounted for 76% of the Moroccan beta-thalassemia chromosomes. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) haplotype analysis showed that the observed genetic diversity originated from both new mutational events and gene flow due to migration.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3395
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Application of a very high-throughput digital imaging screen to evolve the enzyme galactose oxidase.
Directed evolution has become an important enabling technology for the development of new enzymes in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Some of the most interesting substrates for these enzymes, such as polymers, have poor solubility or form highly viscous solutions and are therefore refractory to traditional high-throughput screens used in directed evolution. We combined digital imaging spectroscopy and a new solid-phase screening method to screen enzyme variants on problematic substrates highly efficiently and show here that the specific activity of the enzyme galactose oxidase can be improved using this technology. One of the variants we isolated, containing the mutation C383S, showed a 16-fold increase in activity, due in part to a 3-fold improvement in K(m). The present methodology should be applicable to the evolution of numerous other enzymes, including polysaccharide-modifying enzymes that could be used for the large-scale synthesis of modified polymers with novel chemical properties.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3396
|
Circulating Adipokines in Healthy versus Unhealthy Overweight and Obese Subjects.
It is now well established that not all obese subjects are at increased risk of cardiometabolic complications; such patients are termed the metabolically healthy obese. Despite their higher-than-normal body fat mass, they are still insulin sensitive, with a favorable inflammatory and lipid profile and no signs of hypertension. It remains unclear which factors determine an individual's metabolic health. Adipose tissue is known to secrete multiple bioactive substances, called adipokines, that can contribute to the development of obesity-associated complications. The goal of this study was to determine whether the circulating adipokine profiles differs between metabolically healthy and metabolically unhealthy overweight and obese subjects, thereby obtaining data that could help to explain the link between obesity and its related cardiometabolic complications. We defined metabolic health in terms of several metabolic and inflammatory risk factors. The serum adiponectin levels were higher in the healthy group and showed a positive correlation with HDL cholesterol levels in the unhealthy group. There were no differences between the two groups in the levels of serum leptin, chemerin and orosomucoid. Accordingly, adiponectin might play a role in protecting against obesity-associated cardiometabolic derangements. More studies are needed to clarify the role of different chemerin isoforms in this system.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3397
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Transport of deslorelin, an LHRH agonist, is vectorial and exhibits regional variation in excised bovine nasal tissue.
The nasal route is a non-invasive alternative route for the delivery of a number of macromolecules, including peptides, proteins and vaccines. The purpose of this study was to determine the regional variation in excised bovine nasal tissue permeability to deslorelin, a nonapeptide luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist, and to further elucidate its mechanisms of transport. To this end, this study determined the permeability of deslorelin across different regions of freshly excised bovine nasal mucosa, including the medium turbinate anterior (MTA), medium turbinate posterior (MTP) and the inferior turbinate posterior (ITP) regions. At 37 degrees C, mucoal-to-serosal (m-s) transport of deslorelin across excised bovine nasal mucosa exhibited regional variation, with the % cumulative transport in 6 h being in the order: MTA (0.2 +/- 0.06%) < MTP (1.6 +/- 0.1%) < ITP (2.85 +/- 0.3%). In addition, at 37 degrees C, deslorelin transport across all these nasal regions was vectorial and the mucosal-to-serosal:serosal-to-mucosal (m-s:s-m) transport ratios across MTA, MTP and ITP regions were 1.5, 5.4 and 3.7, respectively. At low temperature (4 degrees C) and at 37 degrees C in the presence of 2,4-dinitrophenol, an energy depletor, the m-s deslorelin transport across the MTP region decreased to 0.32 +/- 0.12 and 0.13 +/- 0.05%, respectively, and the directionality was abolished. Sodium fluorescein transport also exhibited regional variation but no directionality. Histology and scanning electron microscopy studies indicated non-ciliated columnar epithelium in the MTA region and ciliated respiratory epithelium in the MTP and ITP regions. The thickness of the various regions, as visualized using histology, was in the order: MTA > MTP > ITP. Thus, deslorelin transport across excised bovine nasal mucosa is vectorial, temperature- and energy-dependent and exhibits regional variation. The regional differences in s-m transport are likely due to differences in the passive transport. Differences in m-s:s-m flux ratios may be due to differential expression of carriers.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3398
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Maternal and neonatal risk factors for neonatal respiratory distress syndrome in term neonates in Cyprus: a prospective case-control study.
BACKGROUND
Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS) is strongly associated with premature birth, but it can also affect term neonates. Unlike the extent of research in preterm neonates, risk factors associated with incidence and severity of NRDS in term neonates are not well studied. In this study, we examined the association of maternal and neonatal risk factors with the incidence and severity of NRDS in term neonates admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in Cyprus.
METHODS
In a prospective, case-control design we recruited term neonates with NRDS and non-NRDS admitted to the NICU of Archbishop Makarios III hospital, the only neonatal tertiary centre in Cyprus, between April 2017-October 2018. Clinical data were obtained from patients' files. We used univariate and multivariate logistic and linear regression models to analyse binary and continuous outcomes respectively.
RESULTS
During the 18-month study period, 134 term neonates admitted to NICU were recruited, 55 (41%) with NRDS diagnosis and 79 with non-NRDS as controls. In multivariate adjusted analysis, male gender (OR: 4.35, 95% CI: 1.03-18.39, p = 0.045) and elective caesarean section (OR: 11.92, 95% CI: 1.80-78.95, p = 0.01) were identified as independent predictors of NRDS. Among neonates with NRDS, early-onset infection tended to be associated with increased administration of surfactant (β:0.75, 95% CI: - 0.02-1.52, p = 0.055). Incidence of pulmonary hypertension or systemic hypotension were associated with longer duration of parenteral nutrition (pulmonary hypertension: 11Vs 5 days, p < 0.001, systemic hypotension: 7 Vs 4 days, p = 0.01) and higher rate of blood transfusion (pulmonary hypertension: 100% Vs 67%, p = 0.045, systemic hypotension: 85% Vs 55%, p = 0.013).
CONCLUSIONS
This study highlights the role of elective caesarean section and male gender as independent risk factors for NRDS in term neonates. Certain therapeutic interventions are associated with complications during the course of disease. These findings can inform the development of evidence-based recommendations for improved perinatal care.
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No pos
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No neg
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Retriever3399
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Pseudoaneurysm following percutaneous balloon angioplasty for aortic arch recoarctation after the Norwood procedure.
We experienced a rare case of 5-month-old male infant presenting with a pseudoaneurysm following percutaneous balloon angioplasty for aortic arch recoarctation after undergoing the Norwood procedure. The pseudoaneurysm, which measured 1 cm in diameter, was located between the left carotid artery and the left subclavian artery. Under deep hypothermic circulatory arrest, resection of the pseudoaneurysm and reconstruction of the neoaortic arch were performed successfully.
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No pos
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No neg
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