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pubmed_979_14957
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Apprehension and lack of knowledge characterize laboratorians' impressions of unionization. While some remain adamantly opposed, others reluctantly say unions might cure current ills.
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pubmed_979_14957
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pubmed_628_15688
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Gene therapy may provide a long-term approach to the treatment of mucopolysaccharidoses. As a first step toward the development of an effective gene therapy for mucopolysaccharidosis type IVA (Morquio syndrome), a recombinant retroviral vector, LGSN, derived from the LXSN vector, containing a full-length human wildtype N-acetylgalactosamine-6-sulfate sulfatase (GALNS) cDNA, was produced. Severe Morquio and normal donor fibroblasts were transduced by LGSN. GALNS activity in both Morquio and normal transduced cells was several fold higher than normal values. To measure the variability of GALNS expression among different transduced cells, we transduced normal and Morquio lymphoblastoid B cells and PBLs, human keratinocytes, murine myoblasts C2C12, and rabbit synoviocytes HIG-82 with LGSN. In all cases, an increase of GALNS activity after transduction was measured. In Morquio cells co-cultivated with enzyme-deficient transduced cells, we demonstrated enzyme uptake and persistence of GALNS activity above normal levels for up to 6 days. The uptake was mannose-6-phosphate dependent. Furthermore, we achieved clear evidence that LGSN transduction of Morquio fibroblasts led to correction of the metabolic defect. These results provide the first evidence that GALNS may be delivered either locally or systematically by various cells in an ex vivo gene therapy of MPS IVA.
|
10.1089/104303401753204571
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pubmed_920_23608
|
Multifunctional biomass is able to provide more than one valuable product, and thus, it is attractive in the field of microbial biotechnology due to its economic feasibility. Carotenogenic yeasts are effective microbial factories for the biosynthesis of a broad spectrum of biomolecules that can be used in the food and feed industry and the pharmaceutical industry, as well as a source of biofuels. In the study, we examined the effect of different nitrogen sources, carbon sources and CN ratios on the co-production of intracellular lipids, carotenoids, β-glucans and extracellular glycolipids. Yeast strain R. kratochvilovae CCY 20-2-26 was identified as the best co-producer of lipids (66.7 ± 1.5% of DCW), exoglycolipids (2.42 ± 0.08 g/L), β-glucan (11.33 ± 1.34% of DCW) and carotenoids (1.35 ± 0.11 mg/g), with a biomass content of 15.2 ± 0.8 g/L, by using the synthetic medium with potassium nitrate and mannose as a carbon source. It was shown that an increased C/N ratio positively affected the biomass yield and production of lipids and β-glucans.
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10.3390/microorganisms9061280
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pubmed_364_6439
|
We report the first preparation of a supramolecular polysulfide polymer, which is a polyrotaxane containing sulfur-styrene copolymer and methylated α-cyclodextrins (TMαCDs) as linear and cyclic molecules, respectively (SPRx). Compared to the sulfur-styrene copolymer prepared by a copolymerization method typically used to synthesize polysulfide polymers, the environmental and thermal stabilities of SPRx are significantly improved because the polysulfide polymer is covered with TMαCD.
|
10.1039/d0cc06571d
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pubmed_560_21717
|
PURPOSE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcome and differences in anterior–posterior laxity of ACL reconstruction using a bioabsorbable interference screw for femoral graft fixation when compared to femoral bioabsorbable cross pin fixation.
METHODS
Clinical outcome was evaluated among 59 patients 1 year after arthroscopic ACL reconstruction with hamstrings graft in a prospective, non-randomised study. In 31 cases, femoral fixation of the graft was performed using a bioabsorbable interference screw. In 28 cases, two bioabsorbable cross pins were used for femoral fixation. Patients were evaluated using Tegner, Lysholm and Marshall scores, the visual analogue scale for pain and KT-1000 arthrometer measurement.
RESULTS
No significant difference (P ≥ 0.05) was observed at follow-up for the knee scores. The average Tegner score was 5.83 points (±2.00) for the interference screw fixation and 5.83 points (±1.24) for the cross pin fixation; the average Lysholm score was 93.58 (±5.79) to 92.72 (±6.34) points; and the average Marshall score 46.72 (±2.4) to 47.30 (±2.35) points. No significant difference was found for the visual analogue scale for pain. KT-1000 arthrometer measurement revealed a significant (P < 0.05) difference in the mean side-to-side anterior translation at all applied forces. At 67 N, the mean difference was 1.53 mm (±1.24) in the interference screw group and 0.47 mm (±1.18) in the cross pin group (P < 0.05). At 89 N, the mean differences were 1.85 mm (±1.29) versus 0.59 mm (±1.59), respectively, (P < 0.05), and maximum manual displacements were 2.02 mm (±1.26) versus 1.22 mm (1.18; P < 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
In ACL reconstruction with hamstrings graft, similar clinical results are obtained for the use of bioabsorbable cross pins when compared to bioabsorbable interference screws for femoral fixation. Cross pin fixation was superior with regard to the anteroposterior laxity as measured with KT-1000.
|
10.1007/s00167-011-1875-4
|
pubmed_699_11466
|
Hearing is mainly dependent on the function of hair cells (HCs) and spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs) which damage or loss of them leads to irreversible hearing loss. Olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) are specialized glia that forms the fascicles of the olfactory nerve by surrounding the olfactory sensory axons. The OECs, as a regenerating part of the nervous system, play a supporting function in axonal regeneration and express a wide range of growth factors. In addition, retinoic acid (RA) enhances the proliferation and differentiation of these cells into the nerve. In the present study, we co-cultured human OECs (hOECs) with cochlear SGNs in order to determine whether hOECs and RA co-treatment can protect the repair process in gentamycin-induced SGNs damage in vitro. For this purpose, cochlear cultures were prepared from P4 Wistar rats, which were randomly appointed to four groups: normal cultivated SGNs (Control), gentamicin-lesioned SGNs culture (Gent), gentamicin-lesioned SGNs culture treated with OECs (Gent + OECs) and gentamicin-lesioned SGNs culture co-treated with OECs and RA (Gent + OEC& RA). The expression of a specific protein in SGNs was examined using immunohistochemical and Western blotting technique. TUNEl staining was used to detect cell apoptosis. Here, we revealed that combined treatment of OECs and RA protect synapsin and Tuj-1 expression in the lesioned SGNs and attenuate cell apoptosis. These findings suggest that RA co-treatment can enhance efficiency of OECs in repair of SGNs damage induced by ototoxic drug.
|
10.1016/j.mcn.2022.103752
|
pubmed_18_4530
|
Reflection properties of resonant optical cavities are examined under steady-state and transient conditions. For suitably selected cavity mirrors, the effective cavity reflectivity exhibits a transient zero-crossing behavior. Several practical applications are described, including an optical ac/dc filter-intracavity laser smoother, a sensitive AM/FM/PM detector, optical pulse shaping, and an interferometrically modulated laser.
|
10.1364/ol.7.000532
|
pubmed_32_7788
|
Ligand-stimulated phosphoinositide hydrolysis activates a bifurcating second messenger system, releasing inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) and diacylglycerol (DG), which activates protein kinase C (PKC). Yet, in developing cat visual cortex and hippocampus, high levels of [3H]PDBu binding (labelling PKC) appear much earlier than do [3H]IP3 labelled sites. Binding distributions for the two ligands also appear to be complimentary in both brain regions. Moreover, early surgical removal of input to the visual cortex increases [3H]PDBu binding without affecting that of [3H]IP3. Our results suggest that, (1) at certain developmental stages, IP3 and PKC may act individually or complimentarily rather than synergistically in the visual cortex and hippocampus; (2) in neonatal cortex, IP3 metabolites rather than IP3 itself may act as second messengers; (3) although both IP3 receptors and PKC are localized in intracortical cells, their expression is regulated by different mechanisms during development.
|
10.1016/0165-3806(94)00181-x
|
pubmed_265_12098
|
OBJECTIVE
We describe a case of sickle cell anemia and multiple intracranial aneurysms and review the English-language-reported cases of sickle cell disease associated with intracranial aneurysms proven angiographically or by autopsy, to assess whether there are associations with aneurysm multiplicity and sites of aneurysm occurrence.
CLINICAL PRESENTATION
A 28-year-old woman with sickle cell disease and a subarachnoid hemorrhage underwent successful clipping of three intracranial aneurysms.
RESULTS
Among 44 reviewed cases, 57% of patients demonstrated multiple aneurysms, and aneurysms from patients with multiple aneurysms comprised nearly 80% of the total number of aneurysms. There were, on average, three aneurysms per patient for patients with multiple aneurysms. There was a predominance of female patients (female/male ratio, 1.6:1), although there existed no significant differences in age or gender for patients with single or multiple aneurysms. None of the patients with multiple aneurysms was older than 40 years of age at the time of presentation. Patients with multiple aneurysms and sickle cell disease showed a significant difference in the distribution of the aneurysm sites, with a significantly large number occurring in the vertebrobasilar axis. Multiple aneurysms associated with sickle cell disease showed a higher rate of simultaneous occurrence in the posterior and anterior circulation, compared with multiple aneurysms in the general population.
CONCLUSION
There are strong statistical associations for aneurysm multiplicity and sites of aneurysm occurrence among reported patients with sickle cell disease. Patients with sickle cell anemia and neurological symptoms should undergo magnetic resonance angiography or four-vessel angiography to detect potentially harmful, but neurosurgically treatable, pathological conditions.
|
10.1097/00006123-199805000-00007
|
pubmed_165_2815
|
Hyphomonas spp. reproduce by budding from the tip of the prosthecum, distal to the main body of the reproductive cell; thus, the chromosome must travel through the prosthecum to enter the progeny, the swarm cell. When viewed by electron microscopy, negatively stained whole cells, ultrathin-sectioned cells, and freeze-etched and frozen hydrated cells all had marked swellings of the cytoplasmic membrane (CM) in the prosthecum which are termed pseudovesicles (PV). PV were separated by constrictions in the contiguous CM. In replicating cells, PV housed ribosomes and DNA, which was identified by its fibrillar appearance and by lactoferrin-gold labeling. The micrographs also revealed that the CM bifurcates at the origin of the prosthecum so that one branch partitions the main body of the reproductive cell from the prosthecum and swarm cell. The results of this fine-structure analysis suggest models explaining DNA segregation and the marked asymmetric polarity of the budding reproductive cell.
|
10.1128/jb.179.1.148-156.1997
|
pubmed_497_1144
|
The management of superficial bladder cancer has not changed much during the last years. Transurethral resections with adjuvant intravesical instillation to risk groups have been standard therapy. Cystoscopy and cytology have been used for follow-up. Recently combinations of drugs for instillation and new urinary markers for diagnosis and follow-up have been tested. The role of these new modalities has not been easily judged. Thus the timely advent of guidelines with policy recommendations will play an important part in improving the care of patients in the future.
|
10.1097/00042307-200009000-00014
|
pubmed_642_2785
|
The paper addresses genetic causes of stroke: MELAS, antiphospholipid syndrome, CADASIL, Fabry disease. The etiology and pathogenesis, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment methods of these diseases are described.
|
10.17116/jnevro2019119011102
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pubmed_754_14300
|
In a consecutive series of 102 patients with no jaundice and with symptoms of cholecystolithiasis, the predictions from both ultrasonography and cholecystography were compared with the final diagnosis. The accuracy of both examinations was high. However, in 38 per cent, single dose oral cholecystography failed to visualize the gallbladder whereas ultrasonography was conclusive in all patients. Judged by a simple scoring system, ultrasonography obtained a significantly better score than cholecystography (p less than 0.01) and an insignificantly better score than combined oral and intravenous cholecystography (0.05 less than p less than 0.1). Ultrasonography is recommended as the primary investigation in suspected instances of cholecystolithiasis.
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pubmed_754_14300
|
pubmed_232_2448
|
Numerical simulations of the approach to the singularity in vacuum spacetimes are presented here. The spacetimes examined have no symmetries and can be regarded as representing the general behavior of singularities. It is found that the singularity is spacelike and that, as it is approached, the spacetime dynamics becomes local and oscillatory.
|
10.1103/PhysRevLett.93.161101
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pubmed_944_7326
|
UNLABELLED
Study Type--Therapy (symptom prevalence). Level of Evidence 2a. What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? In several population-based studies the prevalence of hesitancy has varied from 20% to 52%. Studies concern mostly older men ≥50-years-old. Knowledge of troublesomeness that hesitancy causes is very scarce. This is a large population-based study on hesitancy in men with a wide age range. This study reports the prevalence of hesitancy from 30-year-old men to 80-year-old men. The bother of hesitancy is reported and this is also presented in different age groups.
OBJECTIVE
• To estimate the prevalence and bother of hesitancy by age group.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
• In this population-based study, the target population was 30- to 80-year-old men from Pirkanmaa County, Finland. • Information was collected by means of a mailed self-administered questionnaire in 2004. The overall participation proportion was 58.7% (4384 men out of 7470). • The Danish Prostatic Symptom Score (DAN-PSS-1) questionnaire was used to evaluate urinary symptoms, particularly hesitancy. Logistic regression was used for multivariate analysis.
RESULTS
• Almost half of the men (46.8%, 95% CI 45.3-48.3%) reported hesitancy at least occasionally, but only 0.5% (95% CI 0.3-0.7%) had hesitancy every time they urinated. The prevalence of any hesitancy was 42.3% at 30 years and 50.5% at 80 years of age (trend P < 0.001). Only a few men reported hesitancy often or always, prevalence increasing with age from 2.6% to 11.4% (trend P < 0.001). • Hesitancy caused a small problem for 18.3% of the men and a moderate or major problem for 0.9-5.3%. Only 3% of the men with infrequent hesitancy reported more than a small problem, whereas 59% of the men with hesitancy often or always reported a small problem and 32% reported a moderate or major problem. • Two other voiding symptoms, straining and weak stream, were strongly associated with hesitancy (with odds ratios exceeding 80).
CONCLUSIONS
• Mild hesitancy is very common in men of all ages. • Severe cases are rare, but the prevalence increases with age. • Hesitancy is a well-tolerated urinary symptom.
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10.1111/j.1464-410X.2011.10443.x
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pubmed_840_15140
|
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. Despite proven screening strategies, less than 40% of eligible Americans undergo appropriate screening for colorectal cancer. Research evaluating the underlying defects responsible for hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer and familial adenomatous polyposis has provided insight into some of the molecular mechanisms responsible for familial and sporadic colorectal cancer. The signaling pathways involved in the development of colorectal cancer may provide effective targets for prevention and treatment. These targets include cyclooxygenase-2, peroxisome proliferator activated receptor- delta, peroxisome proliferator activated receptor- gamma, transforming growth factor- beta receptors, and the inducible-nitric oxide synthase.
|
10.1097/00001574-200101000-00013
|
pubmed_433_16340
|
OBJECTIVE
This study was undertaken to identify pathological conditions within the population living at Atalla (1000-500 BCE), an important early village site and ritual center located in Huancavelica, Peru.
MATERIALS
Articulated burials (N = 3) and commingled human remains excavated during the 2015 and 2016 field seasons.
METHODS
Osteological remains were analyzed for macroscopic evidence of pathological changes.
RESULTS
A case of bilateral proximal radioulnar fusion was observed in an Early Horizon (ca. 800 BCE) subadult skeleton (Individual 1). A differential diagnosis of this pathology supports congenital radioulnar synostosis (CRUS), a rare developmental condition. Enamel hypoplasia was also identified in the same individual.
CONCLUSIONS
Burial treatment of Individual 1 does not provide any indication that CRUS was afforded an exceptional social significance.
CONTRIBUTION TO PALEOPATHOLOGY
This example of CRUS is notable as it represents the second published archaeological case of CRUS from Peru and the earliest reported case globally.
LIMITATIONS OF THIS STUDY
The osteological sample currently available from this site is limited.
SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH
Increased fieldwork in this region is recommended to further clarify the distribution and social significance of CRUS in the prehistoric Andes.
|
10.1016/j.ijpp.2019.11.004
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pubmed_1061_15627
|
Present-day African ecosystems serve as referential models for conceptualizing the environmental context of early hominin evolution, but the degree to which modern ecosystems are representative of those in the past is unclear. A growing body of evidence from eastern Africa's rich and well-dated late Cenozoic fossil record documents communities of large-bodied mammalian herbivores with ecological structures differing dramatically from those of the present day, implying that modern communities may not be suitable analogs for the ancient ecosystems of hominin evolution. To determine when and why the ecological structure of eastern Africa's herbivore faunas came to resemble those of the present, here we analyze functional trait changes in a comprehensive dataset of 305 modern and fossil herbivore communities spanning the last ∼7 Myr. We show that nearly all communities prior to ∼700 ka were functionally non-analog, largely due to a greater richness of non-ruminants and megaherbivores (species >1,000 kg). The emergence of functionally modern communities precedes that of taxonomically modern communities by 100,000s of years, and can be attributed to the combined influence of Plio-Pleistocene C4 grassland expansion and pulses of aridity after ∼1 Ma. Given the disproportionate ecological impacts of large-bodied herbivores on factors such as vegetation structure, hydrology, and fire regimes, it follows that the vast majority of early hominin evolution transpired in the context of ecosystems that functioned unlike any today. Identifying how past ecosystems differed compositionally and functionally from those today is key to conceptualizing ancient African environments and testing ecological hypotheses of hominin evolution.
|
10.1073/pnas.1909284116
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pubmed_28_17821
|
Non-medical prescribing was introduced into the United Kingdom to improve patient care, but early research indicated a third of Allied Health Professionals may not use their prescribing qualification. A previous literature review, highlighting factors influencing prescribing, identified only papers with nursing and pharmacy participants. This investigation explored consensus on factors affecting physiotherapist and pharmacist non-medical prescribers. A three round Delphi study was conducted with pharmacist and physiotherapist prescribers. Round One comprised information gathering on facilitators and barriers to prescribing participants had experienced, and underwent content analysis. This was followed by two sequential consensus seeking rounds with participants asked to rate the importance of statements to themselves. Consensus criteria were determined a priori, including median, interquartile range, percentage agreement and Kendall's Coefficient of Concordance (W). Statements reaching consensus were ranked for importance in Round Three and analysed to produce top ten ranks for all participants and for each professional group. Participants, recruited October 2018, comprised 24 pharmacists and 18 physiotherapists. In Round One, content analysis of 172 statements regarding prescribing influences revealed 24 themes. 127 statements were included in Round Two for importance rating (barriers = 68, facilitators = 59). After Round Two, 29 statements reached consensus (barriers = 1, facilitators = 28), with no further statements reaching consensus following Round Three. The highest ranked statement in Round Three overall was: "Being able to prescribe to patients is more effective and really useful working [in my area]". Medical support and improved patient care factors appeared the most important. Differences were noted between physiotherapist and pharmacist prescribers regarding the top ten ranked statements, for example team working which pharmacists ranked higher than physiotherapists. Differences may be explained by the variety of practice areas and relative newness of physiotherapy prescribing. Barriers appear to be post or person specific, whereas facilitators appear universal.
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10.1371/journal.pone.0246273
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pubmed_798_9028
|
In addition to their role in chronic rhinosinusitis and nasal congestion, sinonasal polyps are associated with significant nasal obstruction. Effective long-term treatments remain difficult to pinpoint. Management of these polyps is a difficult challenge for the contemporary otolaryngologist. Medical options vary and include topical and oral steroids; macrolide antibiotics; diuretic nasal washes; and intrapolyp steroid injection. Surgical options include polypectomy and functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS). In addition, novel treatments for polyps are introduced with some frequency. This article presents an overview of management options for sinonasal polyps, focusing on the indications, efficacy, and complications of the more common interventions.
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10.1016/j.otc.2009.01.002
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pubmed_97_14235
|
The frontal facial moire photographs of 50 male and 50 female young adults with esthetic face strictly selected from Chinese population on the basis of the standard were taken and analysed three-dimensionally. It was found that not only significant correlation but also a statistical linear regressive equation existed between nose, lip and chin, between lip and chin, and between the width and the height of the face. So it is possible, on the basis of a known variable, to calculate another variable by means of the mathematical equation, which will provide quantitative variables for the orthognathic and the plastic surgery creating the esthetic face.
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pubmed_97_14235
|
pubmed_405_3269
|
PURPOSE
To report eight cases of long-term successful treatment of choroidal neovascularization because of ocular histoplasmosis syndrome with intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents.
METHODS
Retrospective case series. This article reviewed the course of eight eyes in seven patients who underwent intravitreal injection of bevacizumab and/or ranibizumab for treatment of choroidal neovascularization secondary to ocular histoplasmosis syndrome. Outcomes were assessed using pre- and post-anti-vascular endothelial growth factor visual acuities.
RESULTS
Eight eyes in seven patients were found to have new ocular histoplasmosis syndrome-associated subfoveal choroidal neovascularization lesions, as evidenced on clinical examination, fluorescein angiography, and optical coherence tomography. Intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injections were used as initial or early treatment with successful resolution of the choroidal neovascularization lesions in most cases. Mean visual acuity improved from 20/60 to 20/47 over an average of 121.4 weeks. Either bevacizumab or ranibizumab was administered with an average of 2.6 injections per year of follow-up. Three eyes (37.5%) experienced a gain in visual acuity with a mean increase of 7.7 lines, 1 eye (12.5%) experienced no change, and 2 eyes (25%) experienced a loss of visual acuity of 2 or more lines. Six eyes (75%) were able to avoid mild visual loss (2 lines or less).
CONCLUSIONS
Intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents may successfully treat or at least stabilize neovascular complications of ocular histoplasmosis syndrome when used as a first-line treatment.
|
10.1097/ICB.0b013e3182a48bcc
|
pubmed_156_9562
|
The asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR) is abundantly expressed on the sinusoidal surfaces of hepatocytes. We aimed to clarify the clinical significance of the regional distribution of ASGPRs in the human liver, especially in chronic viral hepatitis. Eighteen volunteers, 34 patients with chronic hepatitis, and 33 patients with cirrhosis (11/Child-Pugh A, 11/Child-Pugh B, 11/Child-Pugh C) were studied using a newly developed, conventional technetium-99m-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid-galactosyl human serum albumin ((99m)Tc-GSA), single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) method. Using Cantlie's line as a guide, ASGPR dynamics were analyzed separately in the right and left lobes, as well as in the whole liver, using novel indices (the liver uptake ratio [LUR] and the liver uptake density [LUD], which reflect the amount and density of ASGPRs in the liver, respectively). Mean LUR and LUD values for the whole liver and the right and left lobes decreased with increasing progression of chronic viral hepatitis. The LUR for the whole liver correlated well with parameters measuring the hepatic functional reserve and the platelet count. The right LUR correlated particularly well with conventional liver function tests, and comparison of the right LUD with histologic findings showed that it was a good indicator of periportal and/or bridging necrosis and fibrosis. In conclusion, our (99m)Tc-GSA SPECT method was clinically useful in evaluating regional hepatic function and the progression of chronic viral hepatitis using dynamic changes in ASGPRs.
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10.1016/j.hep.2003.09.031
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pubmed_1025_7283
|
PURPOSE
The objective of this study was to evaluate, using three-dimensional finite element analysis (3D FEA), the stress distribution in peri-implant bone tissue, implants, and prosthetic components of implant-supported single crowns with the use of the platform-switching concept.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Three 3D finite element models were created to replicate an external-hexagonal implant system with peri-implant bone tissue in which three different implant-abutment configurations were represented. In the regular platform (RP) group, a regular 4.1-mm-diameter abutment (UCLA) was connected to regular 4.1-mm-diameter implant. The platform-switching (PS) group was simulated by the connection of a wide implant (5.0 mm diameter) to a regular 4.1-mm-diameter UCLA abutment. In the wide-platform (WP) group, a 5.0-mm-diameter UCLA abutment was connected to a 5.0-mm-diameter implant. An occlusal load of 100 N was applied either axially or obliquely on the models using ANSYS software.
RESULTS
Both the increase in implant diameter and the use of platform switching played roles in stress reduction. The PS group presented lower stress values than the RP and WP groups for bone and implant. In the peri-implant area, cortical bone exhibited a higher stress concentration than the trabecular bone in all models and both loading situations. Under oblique loading, higher intensity and greater distribution of stress were observed than under axial loading. Platform switching reduced von Mises (17.5% and 9.3% for axial and oblique loads, respectively), minimum (compressive) (19.4% for axial load and 21.9% for oblique load), and maximum (tensile) principal stress values (46.6% for axial load and 26.7% for oblique load) in the peri-implant bone tissue.
CONCLUSION
Platform switching led to improved biomechanical stress distribution in peri-implant bone tissue. Oblique loads resulted in higher stress concentrations than axial loads for all models. Wide-diameter implants had a large influence in reducing stress values in the implant system.
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pubmed_1025_7283
|
pubmed_807_7644
|
BACKGROUND
Leukemia in infants is rare and has not been well studied apart from leukemia in older children. Differences in survival and the molecular characteristics of leukemia in infants versus older children suggest a distinct etiology, likely involving prenatal factors.
PROCEDURE
We examined the association between eight categories of maternally reported congenital abnormalities (CAs) (cleft lip or palate, spina bifida or other spinal defect, large or multiple birthmarks, other chromosomal abnormalities, small head or microcephaly, rib abnormalities, urogenital abnormalities, and other) and infant leukemia in a case-control study. The study included 443 cases diagnosed at <1 year of age at a Children's Oncology Group Institution in the United States or Canada from 1996 to 2006 and 324 controls. Controls were recruited from the cases' geographic area either by random digit dialing (1999-2002) or through birth certificates (2003-2008) and were frequency-matched to cases on birth year. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by unconditional logistic regression after adjustment for birth year and a measure of follow-up time to account for differences in the CA observation period.
RESULTS
No statistically significant associations were observed between infant leukemia and any CA (OR = 1.2; 95% CI: 0.8-1.9), birthmarks (OR = 1.4; 95% CI: 0.7-2.5), urogenital abnormalities (OR = 0.7; 95% CI: 0.2-2.0), or other CA (OR = 1.4; 95% CI: 0.7-2.8). Results were similar for acute lymphoblastic and myeloid leukemia cases. Fewer than five subjects were in the remaining CA categories precluding analysis.
CONCLUSIONS
Overall, we did not find evidence to support an association between CAs and infant leukemia.
|
10.1002/pbc.22495
|
pubmed_528_19707
|
BACKGROUND
Glenoid labral tears provide a diagnostic challenge.
HYPOTHESIS
Combinations of items in the patient history and physical examination will provide stronger diagnostic accuracy to suggest the presence or absence of glenoid labral tear than will individual items.
STUDY DESIGN
Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 1.
METHODS
History and examination findings in patients with shoulder pain (N = 55) were compared with arthroscopic findings to determine diagnostic accuracy and intertester reliability.
RESULTS
The intertester reliability of the crank, anterior slide, and active compression tests was 0.20 to 0.24. A combined history of popping or catching and positive crank or anterior slide results yielded specificities of 0.91 and 1.00 and positive likelihood ratios of 3.0 and infinity, respectively. A positive anterior slide result combined with either a positive active compression or crank result yielded specificities of 0.91 and positive likelihood ratio of 2.75 and 3.75, respectively. Requiring only a single positive finding in the combination of popping or catching and the anterior slide or crank yielded sensitivities of 0.82 and 0.89 and negative likelihood ratios of 0.31 and 0.33, respectively.
CONCLUSION
The diagnostic accuracy of individual tests in previous studies is quite variable, which may be explained in part by the modest reliability of these tests. The combination of popping or catching with a positive crank or anterior slide result or a positive anterior slide result with a positive active compression or crank test result suggests the presence of a labral tear. The combined absence of popping or catching and a negative anterior slide or crank result suggests the absence of a labral tear.
|
10.1177/0363546507307508
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pubmed_157_18674
|
Borderline ovarian tumors are benign but relatively large tumors that are often initially mistaken as ovarian cancers. We report three cases of stage I borderline ovarian tumors having massive ascites that we (preoperatively) suspected of being advanced ovarian cancer. The three patients (35, 47, and 73 years old) reported feeling fullness of the abdomen before consulting their gynecologist. By CT scan, they were diagnosed with a pelvic tumor accompanied by massive ascites, the diameters of which were 11, 20, and 11 cm, respectively. Postsurgical pathology showed all were stage I borderline ovarian tumors without dissemination; two were mucinous and one was serous. The amount of ascites was 6,300, 2,600, and 3,600 mL, respectively, and was serous in all. Cytodiagnosis of the ascites found that one was positive for tumor cells and two were negative. After resection of the mass, the ascites disappeared in all three cases. No pleural effusion was present at any time. The literature is reviewed concerning ascites and pleural effusions linked to ovarian tumors, and a supposition is forwarded of why pleural effusion presents sporadically in these cases.
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10.1155/2015/414019
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pubmed_601_3625
|
Three sisters with male pseudohermaphroditism due to 17 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase deficiency are described. On the basis of a 46 XY karyotype and female phenotype all subjects were thought to have the testicular feminization syndrome. At puberty the two older patients developed signs of virilization and gynaecomastia. In these patients the plasma androstenedione level was 4-5 times higher than normal, whilst the plasma testosterone level was low compared to the normal range and, under basal conditions, their plasma androstenedione to testosterone ratio was 20-25 times higher than normal. Interestingly, in the third, prepubertal case, the basal androstenedione to testosterone ratio was normal but became six times higher than normal after hCG stimulation. These data support the diagnosis of male pseudohermaphroditism due to 17 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase deficiency and underline the diagnostic value of the hCG stimulation test prepubertally.
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10.1111/j.1365-2265.1985.tb01102.x
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pubmed_1131_12341
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BACKGROUND
Variability exists in the approach to cervical spine (c-spine) clearance after significant trauma. Using concurrently gathered data on more than 9,000 such patients, the current study develops an evidence-based and readily adoptable algorithm for c-spine clearance aimed at timely removal of collar, optimal use of imaging, and appropriate spine consultations.
METHODS
Prospective study of adult blunt trauma team alert (TTA) patients presenting at a Level I trauma center who underwent screening computed tomography (CT) to diagnose/rule out c-spine injury (January 2008 to May 2014). Regression analysis comparing patients with and without c-spine injury-fracture and/or ligament-was used to identify significant predictors of injury. The predictors with the highest odds ratio were used to develop the algorithm.
RESULTS
Among 9,227 patients meeting inclusion criteria, c-spine injury was identified in 553 patients (5.99%). All 553 patients had a c-spine fracture, and of these, 57 patients (0.6% of entire population and 10.31% of patients with injury) also had a ligamentous injury. No patient with a normal CT result was found to have an injury. The five greatest predictors of ligament injury that follow were used to develop the algorithm: (1) CT evidence of ligament injury; (2) fracture pattern "not" isolated transverse/spinous process; (3) neurologic symptoms; (4) midline tenderness; and (5) Glasgow Coma Scale score <15.
CONCLUSION
TTA patients should undergo screening c-spine CT to rule out injury. Most patients will have a negative CT and can have their collars removed. A select group of patients will require collars and spine consultation and a smaller subset of magnetic resonance imaging to rule out ligament injury.
LEVEL OF EVEDINCE
Therapeutic study, level III.
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10.1097/TA.0000000000001151
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pubmed_189_730
|
STUDY OBJECTIVE
Postoperative pain management in opioid users remains challenging. The perioperative administration of ketamine might lead to favourable pain outcomes in these patients.
STUDY DESIGN
A systematic review of randomised controlled trials (RCT) with meta-analysis and assessment of the quality of evidence by GRADE was performed.
SETTING
Perioperative pain treatment.
PATIENTS
Adult opioid users undergoing surgery.
INTERVENTIONS
Perioperative administration of ketamine.
MEASUREMENTS
Primary outcomes were postoperative acute pain at rest/during movement after 24 h and number of patients with ketamine-related adverse events.
MAIN RESULTS
Nine RCTs (802 patients with at least two weeks opioid-intake) were included. There is low-quality evidence that ketamine may slightly reduce postoperative pain during movement after 24 h (mean difference: -0.79; 95% confidence interval (CI): -1.22 to -0.36). Based on a very low-quality of evidence, we are uncertain on any effect of ketamine on pain at rest after 24 h and incidences of adverse events like hallucinations and confusion within 48 h. However, perioperative ketamine reduced cumulative mean opioid consumption by 97.3 mg (95%CI: -164.8 to -29.7) after 24 h and 186.4 mg (95%CI: -347.6 to -25.2) after 48 h. The relative risks (RR) for opioid-related adverse events were significantly different for sedation within 24 h (RR: 0.54; 95%CI 0.37 to 0.78).
CONCLUSIONS
There is currently limited evidence for a reduced postoperative pain intensity using perioperative ketamine in preoperative opioid-consuming patients. However, a clinically relevant opioid-sparing effect was evident associated with a reduced risk for postoperative sedation and without increased harm. Therefore, ketamine might be a useful anti-hyperalgesic adjuvant in these patients. Nevertheless, with clinical heterogeneity being considerable, it's too premature to suggest any specific ketamine protocol. Furthermore, many questions (like ideal dosing, treatment duration and more favourable patient-related outcome measures including long-term effects) remain open and need to be addressed in future studies.
PROTOCOL REGISTRATION
Prospero CRD42020185497.
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10.1016/j.jclinane.2022.110652
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pubmed_1092_8621
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Although outbreaks of Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD) in young children have long been recognized worldwide, the occurrence of rare and life-threatening neurological, respiratory, and cardiac complications has propelled this common condition into the spotlight as a major public health problem in the affected countries. Various enteroviruses cause HFMD, but the severe complications have been mostly associated with enterovirus 71 (EV71). Medical treatment is supportive and measures to interrupt transmission have been challenging to implement. Preventive vaccines could have an important clinical impact, especially among children younger than 3 years old who are most susceptible to the neurological complications. Several groups in the highly affected Asia-Pacific region are working towards vaccines against EV71 and some candidates have progressed to late-stage clinical trials with two vaccines recently reported to have been approved by the regulatory authorities in China. This report summarizes current issues and progress in the development of vaccines against EV71.
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10.1016/j.vaccine.2016.02.077
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pubmed_351_8581
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CD4+ T cell recognition of the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) surface envelope (env) glycoprotein was examined by using a panel of 10 T cell lines and 4 T cell clones derived from 10 individual macaques immunized with inactivated SIV or recombinant SIV env proteins. The results demonstrated that CD4+ T cells from each animal recognized between 1 and 7 peptides in 4 distinct regions of the protein including both variable and conserved domains. MLR of PBMC from selected macaques together with RFLP analysis by using the HLA DR beta probes suggested that animals of distinct MHC class II haplotypes can recognize identical peptides. These T cell epitopes within conserved regions of the envelope protein, together with identified linear B cell epitopes recognized by neutralizing antibodies, may be relevant in vaccine design.
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pubmed_351_8581
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pubmed_486_23378
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Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid bilayer enclosed particles which present in almost all types of biofluids and contain specific proteins, lipids, and RNA. Increasing evidence has demonstrated the tremendous clinical potential of EVs as diagnostic and therapeutic tools, especially in biofluids, since they can be detected without invasive surgery. With the advanced mass spectrometry (MS), it is possible to decipher the protein content of EVs under different physiological and pathological conditions. Therefore, MS-based EV proteomic studies have grown rapidly in the past decade for biomarker discovery. This review focuses on the studies that isolate EVs from different biofluids and contain MS-based proteomic analysis. Literature published in the past decade (2009.1-2019.7) were selected and summarized with emphasis on isolation methods of EVs and MS analysis strategies, with the aim to give an overview of MS-based EV proteomic studies and provide a reference for future research.
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10.3390/molecules24193516
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pubmed_618_8829
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This article reviews the majority of Congenital Anomalies of the Kidney and Urinary Tract (CAKUT) with emphasis in Pediatric Pathology describing and illustrating lesions as varied as ureteral duplications, ureteropelvic junction obstruction, horseshoe kidney, posterior urethral valve and prune belly syndrome, obstructive renal dysplasia, nonmotile ciliopathies and several syndromes associated with renal malformations (Meckel-Joubert, short rib, Bardet-Biedl, asplenia/polysplenia, hereditary renal adysplasia, Zellweger, trisomies, VACTER-L, Potter, caudal dysplasia, and sirenomelia), as well as ADPK, and ARPK. The purpose of this review is not only to describe the congenital renal anomalies, but also to analyze the more recent therapeutic interventions that may modify the natural history of some of these severe conditions.
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10.3109/15513815.2014.959678
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pubmed_694_7076
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A series of A-ring pyrrole compounds of duocarmycin bearing 4'-methoxy-beta-heteroarylacryloyl groups were synthesized and evaluated for in vitro anticellular activity against HeLa S3 cells and in vivo antitumor activity against murine sarcoma 180 in mice. Most of the 4'-methoxy-beta-heteroarylacrylates displayed in vitro anticellular activity equivalent to that of 4'-methoxycinnamates. Among the 8-O-[(N-methylpiperazinyl)carbonyl] derivatives of 4'-methoxy-beta-heteroarylacrylates, compound 15b having a (4-methoxy-3,5-pyrimidinyl)acryloyl as segment-B (Seg-B) showed remarkably potent in vivo antitumor activity and low peripheral blood toxicity compared with the A-ring pyrrole derivatives having the trimethoxyindole skeleton in Seg-B, which were equal to 8-O-[(N-methylpiperazinyl)carbonyl] derivatives of 4'-methoxycinnamates. Moreover, these 8-O-[(N-methylpiperazinyl)carbonyl] derivatives of 4'-methoxy-beta-heteroarylacrylates had high aqueous solubility.
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10.1021/jm980559y
|
pubmed_467_25087
|
BACKGROUND
Orphan drug development is crucial for children, who are disproportionately affected by rare diseases. Data are lacking on the number, nature, and benefit of recently approved pediatric orphan indications.
METHODS
We classified the 402 orphan indications the US Food and Drug Administration approved between 2010 and 2018 as "pediatric" if they were approved for children only or targeted pediatric diseases. We determined the number of unique diseases targeted by pediatric orphan indications and calculated the proportion that were for (1) novel drugs, (2) non-novel drugs approved to treat ≥1 common disease, and (3) non-novel drugs approved only to treat rare diseases. Among pediatric orphan indications eligible for US Food and Drug Administration breakthrough designation (granted to drugs potentially representing major therapeutic advances), we calculated the proportion receiving this designation.
RESULTS
Of the 402 orphan indications, 136 (33.8%) were pediatric. These 136 indications targeted 87 unique diseases; 21 diseases were targeted by ≥1 indication. Of the 136 pediatric orphan indications, 60 (44.1%) were for novel drugs, 45 (33.1%) were for non-novel drugs approved to treat ≥1 common disease, and 31 (22.8%) were for non-novel drugs approved only to treat rare diseases. Among 97 indications eligible for breakthrough designation, 20 (20.6%) received this designation.
CONCLUSIONS
Recent orphan drug development has increased the availability of treatments for pediatric rare diseases. Most pediatric orphan indications expanded use of existing drugs, and many targeted the same disease. Some indications may represent breakthroughs, but substantial unmet need for treatments remains for most pediatric rare diseases.
|
10.1542/peds.2019-3128
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pubmed_428_374
|
AIM
The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of tissue-engineered periosteum (TEP) in repairing allogenic bone defects in the long term.
MATERIALS & METHODS
TEP was biofabricated with osteoinduced rabbit bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and porcine small intestinal submucosa (SIS). A total of 24 critical sized defects were created bilaterally in radii of 12 New Zealand White rabbits. TEP/SIS was implanted into the defect site. Bone defect repair was evaluated with radiographic and histological examination at 4, 8 and 12 weeks.
RESULTS
Bone defects were structurally reconstructed in the TEP group with mature cortical bone and medullary canals, however this was not observed in the SIS group at 12 weeks.
CONCLUSION
The TEP approach can effectively restore allogenic critical sized defects, and achieve maturity of long-bone structure in 12 weeks in rabbit models.
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10.2217/rme-2016-0157
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pubmed_794_23335
|
Idiopathic male infertility (IMI) refers to the condition where semen quality declines, but exact causatives are not identified. This occurs in almost 30-40% of infertile men. Traditional semen analyses are extensively used for determining semen quality, but these bear critical shortcomings such as poor reproducibility, subjectivity, and reduced prediction of fertility. Oxidative stress (OS) has been identified as the core common mechanism by which various endogenous and exogenous factors may induce IMI. Male oxidative stress infertility (MOSI) is a term used to describe infertile males with abnormal semen parameters and OS. For the treatment of MOSI, antioxidants are mostly used which counteract OS and improve sperm parameters with appropriate combinations, dosage, and duration. Diagnosis and management of male infertility have witnessed a substantial improvement with the advent in the omics technologies that address at genetic, molecular, and cellular levels. Incorporation of oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) can be a useful clinical biomarker for MOSI. Moreover, various modulations of male fertility status can be achieved via stem cell and next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies. However, several challenges must be overcome before the advanced techniques can be utilized to address IMI, including ethical and religious considerations, as well as the possibility of genetic abnormalities. Considering the importance of robust understanding of IMI, its diagnosis, and possible advents in management, the present article reviews and updates the available information in this realm, emphasizes various facets of IMI, role of OS in its pathophysiology, and discusses the novel concept of MOSI with a focus on its diagnostic and therapeutic aspects.
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10.1007/978-3-030-89340-8_9
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pubmed_708_10799
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Tibial hypo-/aplasia with preaxial syn- and polydactyly is a rare autosomal dominant condition. Fewer than 20 cases have so far been described. One is presented here.
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10.1007/BF00453148
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pubmed_898_4953
|
INTRODUCTION
Shear wave elastography ultrasound is a relatively new technique that evaluates the tissue elasticity by applying an acoustic radiation force impulse. It is undetermined how reliable this modality is in assessing rotator cuff tendons. The aim of this study, therefore, was to evaluate the reliability of shear wave elastography ultrasound to assess the stiffness of normal and tendinopathic supraspinatus tendons.
METHODS
An inter- and intra-rater reliability trial was carried out using shear wave elastography to assess the supraspinatus tendon at its distal insertion, by measuring shear wave velocity and elasticity. Twenty participants with a mean age of 37 (21-69) years old were evaluated. Ten subjects with normal supraspinatus tendon and 10 subjects with tendinopathic tendon were selected. The Virtual Touch Imaging Quantification program was used to generate the acoustic radiation force impulse and to obtain the elastography data. Three raters with different experience in conventional ultrasound were used for the inter-rater trial in normal tendons and the most experienced rater examined all subjects for the intra-rater reliability evaluation. Each rater obtained three readings in three different examinations per subject over a one-week period.
RESULTS
The mean (±SEM) shear wave velocity for the normal supraspinatus tendon was 9.96 ± 0.02 m/s (=297 kPa), while in the tendinopathic supraspinatus tendon was 8.3 ± 0.2 m/s (=207 kPa) (p < 0.001). The intra-rater trial agreement was excellent, with an intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.96. In the inter-rater testing, the mean shear wave velocity in normal tendons was 9.90 ± 0.07 m/s (=294 kPa), with intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.45.
CONCLUSION
Shear wave elastography ultrasound was able to show that tendinopathic tendons were less stiff than normal tendons. It was a reliable imaging technique to assess the supraspinatus tendon, especially when used by a single experienced musculoskeletal sonographer.
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10.1177/1758573218819828
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pubmed_825_2825
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The purpose of this study was to ascertain the effect of nurse high prizing and nurse low prizing during group therapy in changing the self-concept of institutionalized aged persons. The hypothesis tested was that institutionalized aged clients participating in group therapy who receive nurse high prizing will show an increase in self-concept as measured by the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale (TSCS) when compared with those aged clients in the same settings participating in group therapy who receive nurse low prizing or those aged clients constituting the matched control groups. The study used an existing data source generated from the research of Williams and Lindell to conduct a secondary analysis of a variable not previously investigated. Mean difference scores from the posttest total self-concept score and subscales of the TSCS were analyzed in conjunction with the levels of prizing within the experimental and control groups. Using the Scale for Rating Prizing, two nurse raters judged the degree of prizing on 40 randomly extracted video segments. The findings indicated that 47.1% of those subjects who received low prizing decreased in self-concept; 68.4% of those who received high prizing increased in self-concept. No change in self-concept was noted in the control group. Findings were significant at the .0001 level. Investigating the effect of nurse high and low levels of prizing on client self-concept completes the Rogerian trilogy of therapist-offered conditions with this same sample of subjects. Extension of previous studies adds to the ever-growing body of nursing knowledge and increases the certitude, casualty, and generalizability of such investigations.
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10.3109/01612849209006881
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pubmed_438_19753
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Increased knowledge of the pathophysiologic mechanisms of impaired gas exchange during acute respiratory failure during recent years has stimulated many studies that evaluate different treatments to improve oxygenation and outcome. Changes in body position (mainly prone positioning) can significantly improve gas exchange in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome and acute lung failure, with few complications related to the maneuver; however, no survival advantage has yet been detected. A correlation between aerated lung tissue and oxygenation also confirms the importance of recruitment maneuvers in improving gas exchange. Recent suggestions that recruitment of alveoli proceeds during most of the inspired vital capacity and not only around the lower inflection point of the pressure-volume curve raises the question how to best perform recruitment maneuvers. New data support the hypothesis that maintenance of even small amount of spontaneous breathing during mechanical ventilation (with airway pressure release ventilation or biphasic positive airway pressure) can improve gas exchange, whereas other unconventional ventilatory modes have not yet proved advantageous. Some mechanisms responsible for the high percentage of nonresponse to inhaled nitric oxide have recently been proposed, and combinations of inhaled nitric oxide with other therapies have been tested. Increased knowledge in this area may, in the future, make inhaled nitric oxide more attractive in the treatment of adult respiratory failure as well as in neonatal intensive care.
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10.1097/00075198-200202000-00007
|
pubmed_740_20553
|
Objective
We aimed to investigate the prevalence of Turner syndrome (TS) in the Ukrainian population, the frequency of karyotype variants, the age of children at diagnosis, the degree of short stature and phenotypic features in TS girls.
Methods
A retrospective analysis was made in 538 TS girls aged 0.11-18.2 years within the time period of 2005-2015 with detailed examination of 150 patients.
Results
The prevalence of TS in Ukraine is 77.5 in 100.000 live female births. The average age at diagnosis is 9.33±4.93 years. The relative proportions of karyotypic abnormalities found were: 45,X (59.3%); mosaicism 45,X/46,XX (22.9%); and structural abnormalities in chromosome X (17.8%). The most frequently encountered findings were growth delay (98.8%), shortening of the 4th and 5th metacarpal bones (74.6%), abnormal nails (73.3%), broad chest (60.7%), short neck (58.6%), hypertelorism of nipples (51.4%), malformations of the cardiovascular (19.6%) and urinary systems (13.8%) and pathology related to vision (20.1%) and hearing (22.0%).
Conclusion
In the Ukrainian population, the highest proportion of patients with TS had a karyotype 45,X. TS was accompanied by a lower frequency of malformations of internal organs compared to other countries.
|
10.4274/jcrpe.5119
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pubmed_753_7796
|
STUDY DESIGN
All randomized controlled trials, prospective cohort, case-controlled, pre-post studies and case reports that assessed exercise interventions, which influence arterial structure and function after spinal cord injury (SCI), were included.
OBJECTIVE
To review systematically the evidence for exercise as a therapy to alter arterial function in persons with SCI.
SETTING
Literature searches were conducted for appropriate articles using several electronic databases (e.g. MEDLINE, EMBASE).
METHODS
Three independent reviewers evaluated each investigation's quality, using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database Scale for randomized controlled trials and Downs and Black Scale for all other studies. Results were tabulated and levels of evidence assigned.
RESULTS
A total of 283 studies were found through the systematic literature search. Upon review of the articles, 27 were included. The articles were separated into those investigating arterial benefits, resulting from either acute bouts of exercise or long-term exercise interventions. The ability of both acute and long-term exercise interventions to improve arterial structure and function in those with SCI was supported by limited to moderate methodological quality. Upper body wheeling is the most commonly examined exercise therapy for improving arterial function. It appears from the evidence that a variety of exercise interventions, including passive exercise, upper body wheeling, functional electrical stimulation and electrically stimulated resistance exercise, can improve arterial function in those living with SCI.
CONCLUSIONS
Although the quality and volume of evidence is low, the literature supports exercise as a useful intervention technique for improving arterial function in those with SCI.
|
10.1038/sc.2010.193
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pubmed_250_1908
|
OBJECTIVE
To find sequence variants that associate with the risk for ischemic stroke (IS), we performed a genome-wide association study.
METHODS
We genotyped 1,661 Icelandic IS patients and 10,815 control subjects using the Infinium HumanHap300 chip (Illumina, San Diego, CA). A total of 310,881 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were tested for association with IS, and the most significant signals were replicated in two large European IS sample sets (2,224 cases/2,583 control subjects). Two SNPs, rs2200733 and rs10033464, were tested further in additional European IS samples (2,327 patients and 16,760 control subjects).
RESULTS
In the Icelandic samples and the two replication sets combined, rs2200733 associated significantly with cardioembolic stroke (CES) (odds ratio [OR], 1.54; p = 8.05 x 10(-9)). No other variants associated with IS or any of its subtypes. rs2200733 associated significantly with IS in all sample sets combined (OR, 1.26; p = 2.18 x 10(-10)), and both rs2200733 and its neighbour, rs10033464 associated strongly with CES (rs2200733: OR, 1.52; p = 5.8 x 10(-12); rs10033464: OR, 1.27; p = 6.1 x 10(-4)). Interestingly, rs2200733 also showed significant association to IS not classified as CES.
INTERPRETATION
We discovered that variants previously shown to associate with atrial fibrillation (AF), rs2200733 and rs10033464, significantly associated with IS, with the strongest risk for CES. The association with noncardiogenic stroke is intriguing and suggests that atrial fibrillation may be underdiagnosed in patients presenting with stroke. This discovery may have implications for workup and treatment of IS.
|
10.1002/ana.21480
|
pubmed_426_14241
|
We have examined the resolution, on reversed-phase columns, of a series of model synthetic peptides and commercially available synthetic peptide standards under gradient elution conditions, using a water-acetonitrile mobile phase containing hydrophilic (phosphoric acid) or hydrophobic (trifluoroacetic acid, heptafluorobutyric acid) ion-pairing reagents. Increasing hydrophobicity or concentration of the ion-pairing reagents increased peptide retention times. It was clearly shown that these reagents effected changes in peptide retention time solely through interaction with the basic residues in the peptide. In general, each positive charge, whether originating from a lysine, arginine or histidine side-chain, or from an N-terminal alpha-amino group, exerts an equal effect on peptide retention. Different counterions have different effects on the change in peptide retention time per positively charged residue due to their differences in hydrophobicity. However, increasing concentrations of a specific counterion have an essentially equal effect per positively charged residue. These effects are also column dependent (n-alkyl chain length and ligand density). These results, demonstrating a simple relationship between peptide retention in different ion-pairing systems, enabled the determination of rules for prediction of peptide retention times in one ion-pairing system from observed or predicted retention times in another system. The small average deviation of predicted and observed retention times for a series of basic peptides was good evidence for the value of this predictive method. This study provides a clear understanding of the effect of changing counterion hydrophobicity or concentration on peptide retention, and thus can be extremely beneficial in the purification of peptides and for providing proof of peptide homogeneity.
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10.1016/s0021-9673(01)94598-4
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pubmed_448_24580
|
BACKGROUND
Preeclampsia causes striking maternal, fetal, and neonatal mortality and morbidity both in developed and developing countries. However, evidence of risk factors of preeclampsia is limited in the study area.
OBJECTIVE
To identify determinants of preeclampsia among pregnant women attending antenatal care services in Ciro Referral Hospital, Ethiopia, 2020.
METHODS
A facility-based unmatched case-control study was conducted from July 1 to July 30, 2020, in Chiro Referral Hospital on a sample size of 306 (ie, 76 cases and 230 controls; with a 1:3 ratio). Data were coded and entered into Epi Info version 7 and then exported to SPSS version 21 for analysis. The odds ratio was calculated with 95% confidence intervals to show the strength of association and p-value<0.05 was used to declare statistical significance.
RESULTS
A total of 302 (75 cases and 227 controls) pregnant mothers were interviewed with a response rate of 98.7%. Being in the age group ≥35 years (AOR=4.00; 95% CI=1.25-12.80), rural residence (AOR=3.30; 95% CI=1.50-7.26), having a family history of hypertension (AOR=3.25; 95% CI=1.36-7.73), and being primigravida (AOR=3.71; 95% CI=1.49-9.22) were identified as risk factors for preeclampsia. However, consuming fruits more than 2-4 times per a week in their diet (AOR=0.38; 95% CI=0.15-0.98) was a protective predictor of preeclampsia.
CONCLUSION
Maternal age, residence, family history of hypertension, gravida, and frequency of fruit consumption were identified determinants of preeclampsia. Thus, healthcare providers should give emphasis for pregnant mothers in the older age category, primigravida, those who have a history of a family with hypertension, and those from a rural residence to diagnose the diseases as early as possible. Additionally, advising pregnant mothers attending antenatal care to consume fruits as early as possible in their daily diet reduces the risk of preeclampsia.
|
10.2147/IBPC.S336651
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pubmed_397_13255
|
In a case of cephalothoracopagus, the umbilical artery (UA) was observed with color Doppler method, and the findings were compared with the hemodynamics of 46 normal fetuses. The patient was a 25-year-old primigravida who had appeared for routine prenatal visits since her 6th week of pregnancy. At a later time, the patient was examined after an interval of 4 weeks. Although an ultrasonography was also conducted, unfortunately, any findings of cephalothoracopagus were not detected. In the 25th week of gestation, we hospitalized her for marked polyhydramnios (amniotic fluid index: 280 mm), at which time an ultrasound examination revealed cephalothoracopagus. In the UA, the V(max) was 30.3 cm/s (normal fetus at 25-28 weeks: 33.5 +/- 3.9 cm/s). The UA hemodynamics fell below the normal range. At 26 weeks, the UA V(max) was 56.5 cm/sec, a level which significantly exceeded the normal range. The patient underwent a cesarean section at 27 weeks of gestation; the indication was fetal distress. This is caused by the condition in which the fetal heart beats decreases to 90 beats per minute 3 times during a 10-min period as measured on the cardiotocograms. She delivered a 1,392-gram female with an Apgar score of 2 points (respiratory 1 point and heart rate 1 point). The infant was a cephalothoracopagus, with one head, two hearts, four upper limbs, and four lower limbs. The neonate died from circulatory failure 56 min after birth.
|
10.1159/000089049
|
pubmed_499_19586
|
Introduction
Despite the significant number of deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) people living in the U.S., oral health research on DHH people who use American Sign Language (ASL) is virtually nonexistent. This study aims to investigate dental needs among mid-to-older DHH women and identify social determinants of health that may place them at higher risk for unmet dental health needs as the primary outcome.
Methods
This cross-sectional study uses data drawn from Communication Health domain in the PROMIS-DHH Profile and oral health data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Both measures were administered in ASL and English between November 2019 and March 2020. Univariate and bivariate analysis included only complete data, and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted on multiply imputed data.
Results
Out of 197 DHH women (41 to 71+ years old) who answered the dental visit question, 48 had unmet dental needs and 149 had met dental needs. Adjusting for sociodemographic variables, disparity in dental needs was observed across education [OR (95% CI): 0.45(0.15, 1.370)] and communication health [0.95 (0.90, 1.01)].
Discussion
Our study is the first to describe DHH mid-to-older women's access to oral health care. DHH women who do not have a college degree may be impacted. Further research is needed to elucidate the particular risk factors, including cultural, to which DHH individuals from marginalized racial groups are susceptible to unmet oral health needs.
Conclusions
Evidence shows that DHH ASL users who have less years of education or are single experience barriers in accessing dental care.
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10.3389/froh.2022.866537
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pubmed_1140_17495
|
Very low-carbohydrate diets (VLCDs) are popular, but remain controversial. This review summarizes the latest studies that have examined the effects of VLCDs on lipoproteins and related risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Prospective studies indicate that VLCDs improve the lipoprotein profile independently of weight loss. Although not as effective at lowering LDL cholesterol (LDL-C), VLCDs consistently improve postabsorptive and postprandial triacylglycerols (TAGs), HDL cholesterol (HDL-C), and the distribution of LDL-C subfractions to a greater extent than low-fat diets. VLCDs also improve proinflammatory markers when associated with weight loss. Studies usually report mean lipid responses, but individual data indicate a large degree of variability in the magnitude and in some cases the direction (e.g., LDL-C) of lipoprotein responses to both low-fat and VLCDs. Such variability makes it hard to defend a single diet recommendation, especially considering the potential for low-fat/high-carbohydrate diets to exacerbate TAG, HDL-C, and other characteristics of the metabolic syndrome. Considering the effectiveness of VLCDs in promoting fat loss and improving the metabolic syndrome, discounting or condemning their use is unjustified. We encourage a more unbiased, balanced appraisal of VLCDs.
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10.1093/jn/135.6.1339
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pubmed_624_12246
|
After 6 weeks on a lipid-lowering diet, 20 outpatients with type II hyperlipoproteinaemia (18 type IIa) were randomized to treatment with cholestyramine 12 g b.i.d. (5 patients) or simvastatin (a new HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor) 40 mg q.p.m. (15 patients) for 12 weeks. From week 13 to week 20 nine patients in the simvastatin group and all patients in the cholestyramine group were treated with the combination of the two drugs. From week 21 to week 52 all patients were on monotherapy with simvastatin. Simvastatin treatment reduced low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol by 40% after 12 weeks, compared with 33% in the cholestyramine group. This difference was not significant. The total reductions of LDL-cholesterol on combination therapy were respectively 60% and 56% in each group. After 52 weeks LDL-cholesterol was still reduced by 36% (P less than 0.001) on monotherapy with simvastatin. Simvastatin also reduced triglycerides (TG) by 17% (P less than 0.05) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol was increased by 19% (P less than 0.01). No serious side effects were observed, and the new HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors may offer a new approach to the treatment of hypercholesterolaemia.
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10.1111/j.1365-2796.1989.tb01397.x
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pubmed_658_12090
|
In this paper, we describe methods for isolation, purification and solubilization of insect proteins from various tissues, including lipid-rich fat body. An Australian locust, Oedaleus australis, and its associated dipteran parasite, Trichopsidea oestracea, provided the protein samples. Protein samples of locust fat body, haemolymph and body wall as well as parasite whole-body extracts were isolated and purified of lipids and salts using chloroform-methanol extraction. Proteins were solubilized using two types of enhanced solubilizing solutions and arrayed using two-dimensional electrophoresis. We demonstrated substantial differences between the body wall protein spectra of normal locusts and those parasitized by T. oestracea. Proteins more abundant in parasitized locusts include two 70 kDa proteins with an isoelectric point (pI) of about 5.5, one approximately 55 kDa protein cluster with a pI of about 4.7 and three 40 kDa proteins with pI values of around 5.6. Proteins that decreased in parasitized locusts include a group of 45 kDa proteins with pI values between 6 and 6.8, and a cluster of 22 to 23 kDa proteins with pI values of approximately 5.4 and 5.6.
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10.1002/1615-9861(200209)2:9<1347::AID-PROT1347>3.0.CO;2-P
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pubmed_1110_8248
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A phantom study was conducted to determine bias in motion and bias at zero motion of radiostereometric analysis (RSA) for evaluating implant relative displacement in reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA). A Sawbones shoulder phantom was fitted with a RTSA implant set and 13 tantalum markers. The model was fixed to a manual micrometer, providing controlled movements though fifteen known increments in translation and twelve increments in rotation (0.02-5.00 mm and 0.1-6.0°), along each translation and rotation axis. Movement between the glenoid and humerus was assessed using beads vs. beads (B/B), model vs. beads (M/B), and model vs. model (M/M) measurement methods in a model-based RSA environment. Bias in motion and bias at zero motion were defined as the difference between measured and accepted reference values, and the difference between double examinations with a theoretical displacement of zero, respectively. Bias in motion ranged from 0.054 ± 0.010 to 0.129 ± 0.014 mm and 0.076 ± 0.025 to 0.126 ± 0.025° (B/B), 0.023 ± 0.009 to 0.126 ± 0.016 mm and 0.111 ± 0.033 to 0.794 ± 0.251° (M/B), and 0.029 ± 0.010 to 0.135 ± 0.030 mm and 0.243 ± 0.088 to 0.384 ± 0.153° (M/M). Bias at zero motion ranged from 0.120 to 0.156 mm and 0.075 to 0.206° (B/B), 0.074 to 0.149 mm and 0.067 to 1.953° (M/B), and 0.069 to 0.259 mm and 0.284 to 1.273° (M/M). This is the first RSA for RTSA study, with results comparable to those validating the use of RSA for hip and knee arthroplasties (accepted as 0.05-0.50 mm and 0.15-1.15°), justifying the potential use of RSA as a tool for measuring implant displacement in the shoulder.
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10.1016/j.jbiomech.2017.12.027
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pubmed_1069_19714
|
Streptococcal serum opacity factor (OF) is an important type-specific strain marker produced by certain serotypes of group A streptococci (GAS). The accurate determination of OF production and subsequent serotyping of a strain require a reliable method for extracting OF. Traditional OF extraction methods have utilized either culture supernatants or Lancefield HCl extracts. However, these methods do not consistently yield adequate amounts of OF for accurate characterization of all strains. To improve the accuracy of OF utilized and found to be reproducibly sensitive and suitable for routine laboratory use. A total of 3,014 GAS were examined for OF production by each of the three methods. The SDS extraction method accurately detected OF in all 1,302 OF-producing strains, whereas the HCl extraction method correctly identified 1,202 (92%) and the supernatant method identified only 1,141 (88%) of the isolates. When the 1,302 OF-producing strains were further evaluated to determine if sufficient OF had been extracted for reliable OF serotyping, 1,147 (88%) of the SDS extracts were found to be satisfying compared with 1,081 (83%) of the HCl extracts and only 936 (72%) of the culture supernatants. The improved ability to characterize OF-producing strains by using SDS was statistically significant compared with the results obtained by the other two techniques. This technique offers distinct advantages, including enhanced detection of OF production and improved reliability of serotyping OF-producing GAS.
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10.1128/jcm.33.11.2963-2967.1995
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pubmed_1055_17737
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Hematocrits were measured before each of 406 cesarean sections performed on 324 bitches at term and again after crystalloid fluid therapy administered at 35 mL/kg over 1½-2 hours starting from induction. The mean hematocrit was 44.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] 43.8%-44.6%) before cesarean section and 37.8% (95% CI 37.3%-38.2%) after cesarean section and fluid therapy, with a mean decrease of 6.4% points (95% CI 6.1%-6.7%) over all 406 cesarean sections. These results provide the clinician with clear guidelines of the normal expected ranges of hematocrits in bitches before and after cesarean section. Results of this study show that bitches have hematocrits at term that are at the lower end of the normal reference ranges for nonpregnant dogs and that there is no true anemia of pregnancy. It is therefore suggested that if late term bitches present with anemia, other causes besides pregnancy should be considered.
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pubmed_1055_17737
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pubmed_166_20330
|
The ubiquitin ligases CBL and CBL-B are negative regulators of tyrosine kinase signaling with established roles in the immune system. However, their physiological roles in epithelial tissues are unknown. Here, we used MMTV-Cre-mediated Cbl gene deletion on a Cbl-b null background, as well as a tamoxifen-inducible mammary stem cell (MaSC)-specific Cbl and Cbl-b double knockout (Cbl/Cbl-b DKO) using Lgr5-EGFP-IRES-CreERT2, to demonstrate a mammary epithelial cell-autonomous requirement of CBL and CBL-B in the maintenance of MaSCs. Using a newly engineered tamoxifen-inducible Cbl and Cbl-b deletion model with a dual fluorescent reporter (Cbl), we show that Cbl/Cbl-b DKO in mammary organoids leads to hyperactivation of AKT-mTOR signaling with depletion of MaSCs. Chemical inhibition of AKT or mTOR rescued MaSCs from Cbl/Cbl-b DKO-induced depletion. Our studies reveal a novel, cell-autonomous requirement of CBL and CBL-B in epithelial stem cell maintenance during organ development and remodeling through modulation of mTOR signaling.
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10.1242/dev.138164
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pubmed_379_18576
|
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease that can affect many organs of the body. The skin is commonly targeted by the inflammatory process of SLE, and exposure to sunlight is known to be a potential cause of dermatologic as well as systemic manifestations of SLE. Sun protection is a critical part of treating the disease and preventing sequelae. While other manifestations of the disease are important, discussion will be limited to ultraviolet light (UVL) and the resulting abnormal response to light exposure that may occur in lupus. Education about the importance of sun protection is an integral part of the treatment of children with lupus.
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pubmed_379_18576
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pubmed_26_21805
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Two clinical cases in which Portland cement (PC) was applied as a medicament after pulpotomy of mandibular primary molars in children are presented. Pulpotomy using PC was carried out in two mandibular first molars and one mandibular second molar, which were further followed-up. At the 3, 6 and 12-month follow-up appointments, clinical and radiographic examinations of the pulpotomized teeth and their periradicular area revealed that the treatments were successful in maintaining the teeth asymptomatic and preserving pulpal vitality. Additionally, the formation of a dentin bridge immediately below the PC could be observed in the three molars treated. PC may be considered as an effective alternative for primary molar pulpotomies, at least in a short-term period. Randomized clinical trials with human teeth are required in order to determine the suitability of PC before unlimited clinical use can be recommended.
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pubmed_26_21805
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pubmed_469_11727
|
In this study, novel magnetic biochars derived from Alternanthera philoxeroides and modified by different amines (hexanediamine, melamine, and L-glutathione) were successfully prepared by hydrothermal carbonization and employed as an efficient adsorbent for Cr(VI). When pH = 2.0, T = 25 °C, c0 = 100 mg/L, and the dosage of biochars is 0.05 g, the maximum adsorption capacity of Cr(VI) by pristine biochar (BAP) was 42.47 mg/g and modified biochars (MFBAP, MEBAP, LBAP) was 80.58, 62.26, and 55.66 mg/g, respectively. It was found that hexanediamine and melamine could enhance the SBET of biochars, while L-glutathione could reduce its SBET, which could be supported by BET measurement and SEM images. Adsorption kinetics and isotherm studies showed that the Cr(VI) adsorption process of MFBAP followed Elovich kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm, respectively, which means that it was mainly a chemical adsorption process. The characterization results proved that -NH2 derived from amines plays a significant role in removing Cr(VI), which is mainly degraded by complexation reaction, electrostatic interaction, and reduction. In sum, the biochar modified by amines has excellent Cr(VI) adsorption performance, highly enhanced SBET, and excellent recyclability, which is a promising candidate for solving the problem of invasive plants and wastewater treatment.
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10.1007/s11356-022-20987-4
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pubmed_348_20435
|
We demonstrate a novel design for a femtosecond vector field synthesizer. Pulse shaping of all four degrees of freedom of the electric field (amplitude, phase, ellipticity, and orientation angle) is achieved with a single 1D double-layer spatial light modulator in a zero-dispersion compressor by modulating the amplitude and phase of the two transverse polarization components in separate halves of the modulator. Being a common-path arrangement, it is interferometrically stable and therefore usable for long-term measurements. The method can be broadly applied in coherent control and nonlinear spectroscopy.
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10.1364/ol.32.003379
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pubmed_275_12407
|
This study examines the effect of semen-collection rhythm on the sperm maturation process in boar epididymis. Three post-pubertal boars were submitted to a high semen-collection frequency (stressed boars) during 4 days, and three males were kept as a control group (control boars). Semen samples coming from six epididymal regions and from the ejaculate of each male were evaluated for sperm concentration, sperm vitality, sperm motility and sperm morphology. In each epididymal region, either fluid resorption or fluid secretion was determined from the variation in sperm concentration. The pattern of fluid resorption-secretion along the epididymal duct differed significantly between the stressed and control boars. A high semen-collection frequency also affected the development of sperm motility and the sperm cytoplasmic droplet displacement along the epididymal duct. The incidence of some sperm abnormalities was also found to be higher in some epididymal regions and ejaculates of stressed boars. From the results of this study, it can be concluded that a high semen-collection frequency brings about an altered resorption and secretion pattern of the epididymal fluid, which results in defective sperm maturation and abnormal development of sperm motility.
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10.1016/j.theriogenology.2004.10.009
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pubmed_34_21042
|
AIMS
To study the effect of microbial community of the rabbit does as influenced by dietary factors, on the development of the gut microbiota of their litters.
METHODS AND RESULTS
Twenty-four lactating does were given a diet unsupplemented (NAB) or with 100 ppm of bacitracin (BAC) or tiamulin (TIA) to modify their digestive microbiota. Litters were adjusted to six pups. In Trial 1, four does per diet milked their own six pups. In Trial 2, two does per diet nursed three of their pups and three fostered from the doe given the same diet. In Trial 3, two does on each diet nursed three of their pups and three fostered from another doe fed on another diet. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analyses of the litter microbiota showed that the effect of the milking mother was greater than the influence of the biological mother. TIA had a strong effect on the bacterial profile even prevailing over that of the milking mother, in contrast to BAC.
CONCLUSIONS
Nursing mother microbiota plays an important role over that of the litter. Caecal colonization that occurs during the lactation process prevailed over that during the partum.
SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY
Manipulation of the mother's microbiota may help for adaptation of the litter microbial community against pathologic digestive processes.
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10.1111/j.1365-2672.2007.03277.x
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pubmed_448_11986
|
OBJECTIVES
Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) is associated with reduced bone mineral density (BMD). The aim of the study was to evaluate changes in BMD in women who switched from TDF, emtricitabine and a nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (TDF/FTC/NNRTI) to abacavir, lamivudine and dolutegravir (ABC/3TC/DTG).
METHODS
We conducted a randomized controlled trial in which women aged ≥ 40 years were randomized 1:2 to continue TDF/FTC/NNRTI or switch to ABC/3TC/DTG. We analysed changes in BMD at the hip and lumbar spine from baseline to week 96 using linear regression, and markers of bone turnover and kidney function using repeated measures mixed effects models with multiple imputation for missing data. We conducted exploratory analyses of weight, mental health, sleep and symptoms attributed to HIV infection and antiretroviral therapy.
RESULTS
Ninety-one women [mean (standard deviation) age 50.4 (6.6) years] were randomized. Women who switched to ABC/3TC/DTG maintained viral suppression and experienced improvements in BMD at the lumbar spine (but not the neck of the femur or the total hip), bone resorption markers and proteinuria (total protein, albumin and retinol-binding protein) and modest weight gain without changes in body mass index. Although mean anxiety, depression and sleep scores did not differ between the two study arms, anxiety, depression and sleep disturbance at baseline predicted ABC/3TC/DTG discontinuation for neuropsychiatric side effects [odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) 11.9 (2.0-71.6), 16.0 (2.6-97.9) and 10.0 (1.8-56.0), respectively].
CONCLUSIONS
Switching from TDF/FTC/NNRTI to ABC/3TC/DTG improved the BMD of the lumbar spine and kidney function. These benefits need to be balanced against modest weight gain and the need for antiretroviral therapy substitutions in a proportion of participants.
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10.1111/hiv.13215
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pubmed_710_19652
|
OBJECTIVES
To explore the candidates, efficacy and safety of interventional therapies in the treatment of portal vein occlusion (PVO).
METHODS
In our study, 13 patients diagnosed with PVO were included. Of all 13 patients, two received percutaneous portal vein recanalization (PVR), 10 received PVR and transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (PVR-TIPS), and one underwent intrahepatic portal branch-large collateral vessel shunt.
RESULTS
Interventional approaches were completed in all patients, and the technical success rate was 100%. The portal pressure gradient of patients treated with PVR-TIPS fell from 31 ± 4 to 12 ± 3 mmHg. During the procedures, no life-threatening complications occurred. All the clinical symptoms were effectively controlled after the interventional therapies and all the patients survived during the follow-up, with no rebleeding or overt hepatic encephalopathy. But stent thrombosis occurred in one patient, the cumulative rate of stent patency was 92%.
CONCLUSION
Interventional therapy was proved to be a well tolerated and effective strategy for PVO. For PVO patients without high intrahepatic resistance, if the patient is equipped with available portal inflow tract (superior mesenteric vein or splenic vein) and outflow tract (intrahepatic portal branches), PVR is the first choice; if the outflow tract is completely blocked with only available inflow tract, PVR-TIPS can be considered. For PVO patients with high intrahepatic resistance, as long as there is an available portal inflow tract, PVR-TIPS can be adopted.
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10.1097/MEG.0000000000001586
|
pubmed_859_11870
|
Background
The purpose of this survey was to develop a novel and rapid isothermal nucleic acid based detection assay of Vibrio cholerae by polymerase spiral reaction (PSR) in emergency situations.
Methods
The current study was conducted in Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran in 2021. The conserved ctxA gene sequence of V. cholerae was used as a target of designed two pairs of primers. Amplification of nucleic acids performed under isothermal temperature of 65 °C in 55 min by using Bst DNA polymerase. PSR amplified products were real-time visualized under UV transilluminator and also on agarose gel electrophoresis.
Results
Seven non- V. cholerae bacteria were negative for detection, which indicated the specificity of PSR assay was 100%. A 10- fold serial dilution of V. cholerae genomic DNA was subjected to conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and real-time PCR to compare their sensitivities with PSR. The detection limit of PSR was 3 × 10-5 ng/μL within 60 min, which 100-fold higher than that of PCR (3 × 10-3 ng/μL), but the sensitivity of real-time PCR was found as same as it.
Conclusion
The PSR assay developed in this study can provide a simple, cost-effective, rapid, and precise diagnosis technique in endemic cholera outbreaks, especially in low-income with limited access provinces.
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10.18502/ijph.v51i6.9682
|
pubmed_1092_20333
|
The development of anti-angiogenic drugs for cancer therapy has yielded some promising candidates, but novel approaches for interventions to angiogenesis have led to disappointing results. In addition, there is a shortage of biomarkers that are predictive of response to anti-angiogenic treatments. Consequently, the complex biochemical and physiological basis for tumour angiogenesis remains incompletely understood. We have adopted a mathematical approach to address these issues, formulating a spatially averaged multiscale model that couples the dynamics of VEGF, Ang1, Ang2 and PDGF, with those of mature and immature endothelial cells and pericyte cells. The model reproduces qualitative experimental results regarding pericyte coverage of vessels after treatment by anti-Ang2, anti-VEGF and combination anti-VEGF/anti-Ang2 antibodies. We used the steady state behaviours of the model to characterise angiogenic and non-angiogenic vascular phenotypes, and used mechanistic perturbations representing hypothetical anti-angiogenic treatments to generate testable hypotheses regarding transitions to non-angiogenic phenotypes that depend on the pre-treatment vascular phenotype. Additionally, we predicted a synergistic effect between anti-VEGF and anti-Ang2 treatments when applied to an immature pre-treatment vascular phenotype, but not when applied to a normalised angiogenic pre-treatment phenotype. Based on these findings, we conclude that changes in vascular phenotype are predicted to be useful as an experimental biomarker of response to treatment. Further, our analysis illustrates the potential value of non-spatial mathematical models for generating tractable predictions regarding the action of anti-angiogenic therapies.
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pubmed_1092_20333
|
pubmed_1122_13024
|
Image receptors based on the absorption of x rays by phosphor screens have a system resolution described predominantly by the modulation transfer function (MTF) of the phosphor screens utilized. This ideal MTF is modified by the presence of secondary effects within the imaging receptor such as scatter from the receptor cover, visible light crossover (in the case of screen film cassettes) and scatter generated within the phosphor itself, presumed to be almost entirely due to photoelectric interactions. In this paper the MTF characteristics resulting from the absorption of K-characteristic x rays emitted by one screen of a pair in an image receptor and absorbed by the adjacent screen (referred to as cross-fluorescence hereafter) are examined. This effect has been previously modeled [Med. Phys. 23, 1253 (1996)] and recently a computer program has been written to calculate intensity of the radial component of a point spread function (PSF) describing the above process. From this, the MTF of cross-fluorescence under varying conditions can be calculated. The model was applied to a dual screen experiment described in the literature [Med. Phys. 23, 871 (1996)], from which it was possible to show good agreement between calculated results and those derived from the measurement. The effect of screen thickness, screen separation, and phosphor material on the MTF of cross-fluorescence was investigated using simulated x-ray beam spectra in association with phosphor screen parameters. Results showed that the calculated MTF falls to below 0.1 at 1 cy/mm in all cases examined. This MTF was reduced further as the separation between the screens increased from that commonly used in a screen film cassette. Beam energy, phosphor thickness, and phosphor material had a minimal or no effect on MTF. The effect of cross-fluorescence on total image receptor MTF is to reduce the high-frequency components of that function by an amount that is in proportion to the scatter fraction of the effect.
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10.1118/1.598564
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pubmed_1021_15973
|
The experimental infection of A. arviculoides through different routes of penetration of Schistosoma mansoni cercariae (Transcutaneous and subcutaneous) was studied by the kinetics of egg elimination in stools, by the recovery and localization of adult worms (in the portal system and the mesenteric veins) and through the quantitative egg count. It was shown that A. arviculoides infection is similar to the albino mice which served as control in relation to the efficiency of penetration routes, to the adult worms habitat and the egg count. These results suggest that other aspects of the host-parasite relationship should be evaluate so that A. arviculoides may be indicated as an alternative experimental model in schistosomiasis studies.
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pubmed_1021_15973
|
pubmed_973_949
|
The authors have developed a comprehensive radiology quality assurance (QA) program that evaluates radiology interpretations and procedures by comparing them with reference standards. Performance metrics are calculated and then compared with benchmarks or goals on the basis of published multicenter data and meta-analyses. Additional workload for physicians is kept to a minimum by having trained allied health staff members perform the comparisons of radiology reports with the reference standards. The performance metrics tracked by the QA program include the accuracy of CT colonography for detecting polyps, the false-negative rate for mammographic detection of breast cancer, the accuracy of CT angiography detection of coronary artery stenosis, the accuracy of meniscal tear detection on MRI, the accuracy of carotid artery stenosis detection on MR angiography, the accuracy of parathyroid adenoma detection by parathyroid scintigraphy, the success rate for obtaining cortical tissue on ultrasound-guided core biopsies of pelvic renal transplants, and the technical success rate for peripheral arterial angioplasty procedures. In contrast with peer-review programs, this reference standard-based QA program minimizes the possibilities of reviewer bias and erroneous second reviewer interpretations. The more objective assessment of performance afforded by the QA program will provide data that can easily be used for education and management conferences, research projects, and multicenter evaluations. Additionally, such performance data could be used by radiology departments to demonstrate their value over nonradiology competitors to referring clinicians, hospitals, patients, and third-party payers.
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10.1016/j.jacr.2009.08.016
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pubmed_1020_25709
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Atopic diseases are multifactorial chronic disturbances which may evolve one into another and have overlapping pathogenetic mechanisms. Atopic dermatitis is in most cases the first step towards the development of the atopic march and represents a major socio-economic burden in the industrialized countries. The treatment of atopic diseases is often long-lasting and in some cases with lower effectiveness than expected.In order to prevent the development of the atopic march, the links between the atopic diseases have to be understood. The aim of this review is to present some major points outlining the link between atopic dermatitis and asthma, through a research in the medical literature from recent years.Stratifying patient populations according to the clinical phenotype of their disease and according to specific measurable values (biomarkers) can help to establish the main etiopathogenetic mechanisms of the disease in these populations. This will add predictive value for the evolution of the disease, and will allow the use and research of more targeted therapy in order to stop this evolution and comorbidities.
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10.1186/s40733-021-00082-0
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pubmed_637_19534
|
BACKGROUND
Follistatin (FST) is an intrinsic inhibitor of activin, a member of the transforming growth factor-β superfamily of ligands. The prognostic value of FST and its family members, the follistatin-like (FSTL) proteins, have been studied in various cancers. However, these studies, as well as limited functional analyses of the FSTL proteins, have yielded conflicting results on the role of these proteins in disease progression. Furthermore, very few have been focused on FST itself. We assessed whether FST may be a suppressor of tumorigenesis and/or metastatic progression in breast cancer.
METHODS
Using publicly available gene expression data, we examined the expression patterns of FST and INHBA, a subunit of activin, in normal and cancerous breast tissue and the prognostic value of FST in breast cancer metastases, recurrence-free survival, and overall survival. The functional effects of activin and FST on in vitro proliferation, migration, and invasion of breast cancer cells were also examined. FST overexpression in an autochthonous mouse model of breast cancer was then used to assess the in vivo impact of FST on metastatic progression.
RESULTS
Examination of multiple breast cancer datasets revealed that FST expression is reduced in breast cancers compared with normal tissue and that low FST expression predicts increased metastasis and reduced overall survival. FST expression was also reduced in a mouse model of HER2/Neu-induced metastatic breast cancer. We found that FST blocks activin-induced breast epithelial cell migration in vitro, suggesting that its loss may promote breast cancer aggressiveness. To directly determine if FST restoration could inhibit metastatic progression, we transgenically expressed FST in the HER2/Neu model. Although FST had no impact on tumor initiation or growth, it completely blocked the formation of lung metastases.
CONCLUSIONS
These data indicate that FST is a bona fide metastasis suppressor in this mouse model and support future efforts to develop an FST mimetic to suppress metastatic progression.
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10.1186/s13058-017-0857-y
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pubmed_1122_19163
|
PURPOSE
To evaluate the effect of dorzolamide on ocular blood flow in normal and glaucomatous eyes.
METHODS
Twenty-six eyes with documented open-angle glaucoma of 26 patients and 13 normal control eyes of 8 age-matched subjects were included in this study. All eyes underwent color Doppler imaging for measuring peak-systolic velocity, end-diastolic velocity, and resistance index in the ophthalmic and central retinal arteries and the maximal and minimal velocities in the central retinal vein. Eyes were grouped in control and initial and advanced glaucoma categories. Measurements were made in all groups before and after application of topical dorzolamide. Intragroup comparisons between baseline and dorzolamide conditions were made using paired Student's t-test. Intergroup comparisons under baseline conditions between normal and glaucomatous eyes were made by using the one-way ANOVA test. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05.
RESULTS
The peak-systolic velocity of the central retinal artery in glaucomatous eyes and the end-diastolic velocity of the ophthalmic and central retinal arteries in all groups were significantly higher after application of dorzolamide. The minimal velocity of the central retinal vein showed significantly higher values after dorzolamide, whereas the maximal velocity remained unchanged. The peak-systolic velocity of the ophthalmic artery in all groups and the peak-systolic velocity of the central retinal artery in normal eyes also remained unchanged. The resistance index was significantly lower in the ophthalmic and central retinal arteries in all groups after dorzolamide. The intraocular pressure was significantly reduced in all groups after dorzolamide. Under baseline conditions normal control eyes and glaucomatous eyes showed differences in various measurements. Peak-systolic velocity was significantly lower in glaucomatous eyes than in normal control eyes with the exception of the ophthalmic artery in the initial glaucoma group. End-diastolic velocity was lower in glaucomatous eyes than in control eyes in both arteries. Maximal and minimal velocities of the central retinal vein were lower in glaucomatous eyes than in normal control eyes. Resistance index was higher in glaucomatous eyes than in normal control eyes in the ophthalmic artery but not in the central retinal artery.
CONCLUSIONS
Most hemodynamic parameters of intraocular and periocular vessels improve after application of topical dorzolamide in both normal control and glaucomatous eyes. Dorzolamide should be regarded as a useful drug for treatment of glaucoma not only because it reduces intraocular pressure but also because it improves the ocular blood supply.
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pubmed_1122_19163
|
pubmed_652_8179
|
Although neuronal responses in behaving monkeys are typically studied while the monkey fixates straight ahead, it is known that eye position modulates responses of visual neurons. The modulation has been found to enhance neuronal responses when the receptive field is placed in the straight-ahead position for neurons receiving input from the peripheral but not the central retina. We studied the effect of eye position on the responses of V1 complex cells receiving input from the central retina (1.1-5.7° eccentricity) while minimizing the effect of fixational eye movements. Contrast response functions were obtained separately with drifting light and dark bars. Data were fit with the Naka-Rushton equation: r(c)=Rmax×c/(c+c50)+s, where r(c) is mean spike rate at contrast c, Rmax is the maximum response, c50 is the contrast that elicits half of Rmax, and s is the spontaneous activity. Contrast sensitivity as measured by c50 was not affected by eye position. For dark bars, there was a statistically significant decline in the normalized Rmax with increasing deviation from straight ahead. Data for bright bars showed a similar trend with a less rapid decline. Our results indicate that neurons representing the central retina show a bias for the straight-ahead position resulting from modulation of the response gain without an accompanying modulation of contrast sensitivity. The modulation is especially obvious for dark stimuli, which might be useful for directing attention to hazardous situations such as dark holes or shadows concealing important objects (Supplement 1: Video Abstract, Supplemental digital content 1, http://links.lww.com/WNR/A295).
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10.1097/WNR.0000000000000235
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pubmed_885_9265
|
UNLABELLED
INTRODUCTION
Bone marrow necrosis is a clinicopathological condition diagnosed most often at postmortem examination, but it is also seen during the course of malignancy and is not always associated with a poor prognosis. The morphological features of bone marrow necrosis are disruption of the normal marrow architecture and necrosis of myeloid tissue and medullary stroma. Non-malignant conditions associated with bone marrow necrosis are sickle cell anemia, infections, drugs (sulfasalazine, interferon α, all-trans retinoic acid, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and fludarabine), disseminated intravascular coagulation, antiphospholipid antibody syndrome and acute graft versus host diseases. The malignant causes are leukemia, lymphoma and metastatic carcinomas. Herein we report the case of a patient with precursor T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia and bone marrow necrosis at initial presentation.
CASE PRESENTATION
A 10-year-old Kurdish boy was presented with generalized bone pain and fever of 1 month's duration which was associated with sweating, easy fatigability, nose bleeding, breathlessness and severe weight loss. On examination, we observed pallor, tachypnea, tachycardia, low blood pressure, fever, petechial hemorrhage, ecchymoses, tortuous dilated veins over the chest and upper part of abdomen, multiple small cervical lymph node enlargements, mildly enlarged spleen, palpable liver and gross abdominal distention. Blood analysis revealed pancytopenia and elevated lactate dehydrogenase and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Imaging results showed mediastinal widening on a planar chest X-ray and diffuse focal infiltration of the axial bone marrow on magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbosacral vertebrae. Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy examination showed extensive bone marrow necrosis. Immunophenotyping analysis of the bone marrow biopsy confirmed T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, as CD3 and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase markers were positive and CD10, CD20 and CD79a markers were negative.
CONCLUSION
The aggressive initial clinical presentation of our patient with huge mediastinal widening, development of superior vein cava syndrome and extensive bone marrow necrosis as initial signs made the diagnosis of the case difficult. The necrotic hematopoietic cells gave inconclusive results on the initial immunohistochemistry tests. The prognosis of bone marrow necrosis is better secondary to acute lymphoblastic leukemia in the pediatric age group compared with adults and those with underlying solid tumors. Despite the aggressive behavior at initial presentation, the patient responded to chemotherapy and necrosis disappeared at day 28 after the start of the therapeutic regimen.
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10.1186/1752-1947-6-349
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pubmed_11_24192
|
Children and adolescents with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at high risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the possible risk factors for early atherosclerosis in children with CKD. Endothelial dysfunction, a precursor of atherosclerosis, starts early in renal disease, as indicated by increased carotid artery intima media thickness, carotid arterial wall stiffness, impaired flow mediated dilatation, and coronary artery calcification, which are frequently present in children with CKD. Many risk factors for atherosclerosis, such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, renal bone disease, hyperhomocysteinemia, and uremia-related cardiovascular risk factors are associated with CKD. All of these risk factors are modifiable and optimal clinical management can delay or prevent cardiovascular disease. Another strategy to decrease the risk of premature cardiac disease and death in children with CKD is to slow the progression of renal disease.
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10.2174/1871529x14666140401112335
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pubmed_362_13978
|
BACKGROUND
The aim of the present study was to compare repeated applications of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) to open flap debridement (OFD) in the treatment of residual periodontal pockets in non-furcation sites.
METHODS
Forty-six subjects with a diagnosis of Stage III or IV Grade C periodontitis, that had been previously treated, participated in the study. Residual pockets were divided between two groups: (1) aPDT group: received ultrasonic periodontal debridement followed by immediate application of aPDT, and repeated on1st, 2nd, 7th, and 14th days; and (2) OFD group: treated by modified papilla preservation technique, where granulation tissue and visible calculus were removed with hand curettes and an ultrasonic device. Clinical, immunological, and microbiological parameters were evaluated before and after treatment.
RESULTS
Both treatments were effective reducing clinical parameters of disease. OFD resulted in a greater mean probing pocket depths (PPD) reduction in deep pockets (p = 0.001). However, aPDT resulted in a lower occurrence of gingival recession (GR), dentin hypersensitivity (DH) and analgesic intake. Reduction in Porphyromonas gingivalis was observed in both groups. Only the OFD group had a significant reduction in Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. aPDT group had greater increase in interleukin 10 (IL-10) levels and a greater reduction of interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β) at 14 days when compared to the OFD group (p < 0.05).
CONCLUSION
OFD was superior in reducing PPD in deep pockets compared to the aPDT. However, OFD resulted in greater GR. Both treatments lowered P. gingivalis levels but only OFD reduced levels of A. actinomycemtemcomitans.
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10.1002/JPER.22-0059
|
pubmed_948_3428
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By intraperitoneal injection of 1-amino-L-proline, a vitamin B6 antagonist, two unidentified ninhydrin-positive compounds were excreted abnormally in rat urine. One of them was definitely identified as 3-hydroxy-L-kynurenine sulfate by chromatographic and spectroscopic analyses. The other was proved to be ethanolamine. This is the first report on the abnormal excretion of ethanolamine in urine of the vitamin B6-deficient rats.
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pubmed_948_3428
|
pubmed_777_5930
|
Sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 (S1P(1)), a receptor for sphingosine-1-phosphate, has been shown to play an important role in the migration, proliferation, and survival of several types of cell including endothelial cells. Given that S1P(1) signaling could serve as a therapeutic target, we evaluate the expression of S1P(1) in formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded sections from human tissues, using automated immunostainers (Ventana). The specificity of the polyclonal rabbit anti-human S1P(1) antibody used in this study was defined by immunostaining of the vasculature in S1P ( 1 ) ( -/- ) and S1P ( 1 ) ( +/- ) mouse embryos. The antibody stained the newly formed vasculatures ex vivo in a serum-free matrix culture model using rat aortic rings. In human specimens, S1P(1) was strongly expressed on the cell surface membrane of endothelial cells of blood and lymphatic vessels in all tissues examined. The expression of S1P(1) was confirmed by the flow cytometric analysis and real time RT-PCR of an angiosarcoma cell line. This study indicates that S1P(1) can be used as an immunohistochemical marker for human tissue endothelial cells.
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10.1007/s10735-008-9193-y
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pubmed_511_12765
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Unclaimed prize information (i.e., the number of prizes still available to be won) is information commonly provided to scratch card gamblers. However, unless the number of tickets remaining to be purchased is also provided, this information is uninformative. Despite its lack of utility in assisting gamblers in choosing the most favourable type of scratch card to play, we hypothesized that unclaimed prize information would bias participants' judgments within a scratch card gambling context. In Experiment 1 (N = 201), we showed that participants are influenced by this information such that they felt more likely to win, were more excited to play, and preferred to hypothetically purchase more of the scratch card with the greatest number of unclaimed prizes. In Experiment 2 (N = 201), we attempted to ameliorate this bias by providing participants with the number of tickets remaining to be purchased and equating the payback percentages of all three games. The bias, although attenuated, still persisted in these conditions. Finally, in Experiment 3 (N = 200), we manipulated the hypothetical scratch cards such that games with the highest number of unclaimed prizes were the least favourable, and vice versa. As in Experiment 2, participants still favoured cards with greater numbers of unclaimed prizes. Possible mechanisms underlying this bias are discussed. In conclusion, across three experiments, we demonstrate that salient unclaimed prize information is capable of exerting a strong effect over judgments related to scratch card games.
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10.1007/s10899-018-9770-2
|
pubmed_178_964
|
Binding of (3H)-ouabain to cultured cardiac muscle and non muscle cells from chicken embryos and neonatal rats has been characterized and correlated with ouabain-induced inhibition of the sodium pump, as well as with the positive inotropic action of the drug. Cardiac muscle and non muscle cells from 10-12 day-old chicken embryos are characterized by a single class of ouabain binding sites (muscle cells: dissociation constant KD = 1.5 X 10(-7) M; binding capacity B = 2.6 pmoles/mg cell protein). Two classes of ouabain binding sites, however, have been found in cardiac muscle and non muscle cells from 1-3 day-old, neonatal rats (muscle cells: high affinity, low capacity sites: KD = 3.2 X 10(-8) M, B = 0.2 pmoles/mg protein; low affinity, high capacity sites: KD = 1.7 X 10(-6) M, B = 2.6 pmoles/mg protein). Half maximal inhibition of active (86Rb+ + K+)-influx occurs at 5.8 X 10(-7)M ouabain in chicken heart muscle cells and at 1.3 X 10(-5)M in rat heart muscle cells [( K+] = 0,75 mM). Decreases in cell-K+ (EC50 = 6.7 X 10(-7)M and 1.9 X 10(-5)M) and increases in cell-Na+ (7.4 X 10(-7) and 10(-5) - 10(-4)M) parallel ouabain-induced inhibition of the sodium pump. Up to 10(-6)M, ouabain does not affect velocity of cell wall motion in cultured rat heart muscle cells. A concentration-dependent increase in cell wall motion is observed at concentrations between 5 X 10(-6) and 5 X 10(-5)M, being indicative of a positive inotropic effect. At 10(-4)M ouabain, arrhythmias are present. Our data demonstrate the existence of one single class of cardiac glycoside receptors in cultured cardiac muscle cells from chicken embryos.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
|
10.1007/978-3-642-72376-6_6
|
pubmed_830_6239
|
Understanding how brief synaptic events can lead to sustained changes in synaptic structure and strength is a necessary step in solving the rules governing learning and memory. Activation of ERK1/2 (extracellular signal regulated protein kinase 1/2) plays a key role in the control of functional and structural synaptic plasticity. One of the triggering events that activates ERK1/2 cascade is an NMDA receptor (NMDAR)-dependent rise in free intracellular Ca(2+) concentration. However the mechanism by which a short-lasting rise in Ca(2+) concentration is transduced into long-lasting ERK1/2-dependent plasticity remains unknown. Here we demonstrate that although synaptic activation in mouse cultured cortical neurons induces intracellular Ca(2+) elevation via both GluN2A and GluN2B-containing NMDARs, only GluN2B-containing NMDAR activation leads to a long-lasting ERK1/2 phosphorylation. We show that αCaMKII, but not βCaMKII, is critically involved in this GluN2B-dependent activation of ERK1/2 signaling, through a direct interaction between GluN2B and αCaMKII. We then show that interfering with GluN2B/αCaMKII interaction prevents synaptic activity from inducing ERK-dependent increases in synaptic AMPA receptors and spine volume. Thus, in a developing circuit model, the brief activity of synaptic GluN2B-containing receptors and the interaction between GluN2B and αCaMKII have a role in long-term plasticity via the control of ERK1/2 signaling. Our findings suggest that the roles that these major molecular elements have in learning and memory may operate through a common pathway.
|
10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5622-11.2012
|
pubmed_241_6127
|
This study investigated the levels of 4-nonylphenol (4-NP), bisphenol A (BPA) and triclosan (TCS) in bottled water and tap water in Guangzhou and release of these chemicals from baby bottles using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with negative chemical ionization. Results show that 4-NP was present in all the bottled water while 17 out of 21 contained BPA and 18 out of 21 contained TCS. Their concentrations in bottled water ranged from 108 to 298 ng/L, 17.6 to 324 ng/L and 0.6 to 9.7 ng/L, respectively. Five of the tap water samples from six drinking water plants were found to contain 4-NP and BPA both in June and December, while TCS was detected in the same five plants only in June. The highest concentrations in tap water for 4-NP, BPA and TCS were 1987, 317 and 14.5ng/L, respectively. Daily intakes of 4-NP, BPA and TCS of adults by drinking 2L of tap water were estimated to be 1410, 148 and 10 ng/day, respectively. BPA was found to be released within 24h from four brands of baby bottles at room temperature (24 degrees C), 40 degrees C and 100 degrees C. Increased temperature led to higher release of BPA from the baby bottles. Estimated daily intakes of 4-NP, BPA and TCS for infants were 705, 1340 and 5 ng/day, respectively, by drinking 1L of tap water from a baby bottle at 40 degrees C. This study showed that the exposure to the three compounds from drinking water is unlikely to pose a health risk.
|
10.1016/j.envint.2010.04.009
|
pubmed_751_10663
|
To understand better the role of faculty development in training family medicine researchers, the authors examined in a comprehensive literature review the characteristics of productive researchers, their training, and their work environment. Areas reviewed were faculty development and evaluation, career development, professional socialization, organizational development, and faculty vitality in higher education, medicine, and corporate research and development. Findings reveal that, besides prerequisite knowledge and skills in a research area, successful researchers have academic values and attitudes derived from specific socialization experiences. They also receive meaningful support from their organization, mentors, and peers.
|
10.1097/00001888-198601000-00003
|
pubmed_915_2469
|
OBJECTIVES
The aim of this study was to evaluate frequency and characteristics of low back pain and to identify possible risk factors of low back pain and its impact on health-related quality of life in hemodialysis patients.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
A total of 87 hemodialysis patients (41 males, 46 females; mean age: 53.3±15.8 years; range, 21 to 80 years) were included in the study between January 2015 and July 2015. Medical charts and face-to-face interviews were used to collect clinical and demographic data. A comprehensive clinical evaluation of low back pain was implemented. The patients were divided into two groups: those with (n=32) and without (n=55) low back pain. Demographic data, quality of life, pain, and disability were compared between the groups. Pain severity was assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Low back pain-associated disability was measured using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Risk factors of low back pain were identified using multiple logistic regression analysis. The impact of low back pain on health-related quality of life was measured using the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP).
RESULTS
Advanced age, increased body mass index, and smoking were found to be significant independent risk factors of low back pain (p=0.048; p=0.037; p=0.020, respectively). Energy, pain, and physical mobility subscale scores of the NHP were also higher in the hemodialysis patients with low back pain (p=0.008; p<0.001; p<0.001, respectively). Energy, pain, sleep, and physical mobility subscale scores of the NHP showed a significant positive correlation with the ODI scores (r=0.424, p=0.016; r=0.803, p<0.001; r=0.493, p=0.004; r=0.862, p<0.001, respectively). The etiology of low back pain was non-specific in the majority of the patients (71.9%). There were spondylodiscitis in two patients (6.2%), compression fractures in two patients (6.2%), spinal stenosis in one patient (3.1%), and discopathy in four patients (12.5%).
CONCLUSION
Low back pain is a common condition in hemodialysis patients. Advanced age, increased body mass index, and smoking are the main risk factors of low back pain. The presence of low back pain is also related to poor health-related quality of life in hemodialysis patients.
|
10.5606/tftrd.2018.1016
|
pubmed_528_21377
|
This descriptive-correlational study aimed to detect risks for child developmental problems in the first four years of age, to identify the protective resources in the familiar environment, and to verify the best predictive variables of the development at risk. The non-clinical sample was composed by 120 children registered in a Family Health Program. The assessment instruments for global development, expressive language and familiar environment were used. The logistic regression analysis indicated that the lower the father's educational level, the higher the risk for developmental problems. Both the history of low nutritional state at six months of age and the psychosocial risk in the family environment increased the chances of having expressive language problems. It is concluded that screening tests of risk for developmental problems and the analysis of the psychosocial factors in the familiar context should be considered as preventive intervention procedure in the Family Health Programs.
|
10.1590/s0104-11692007000700019
|
pubmed_598_15023
|
The ideal post-allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation recovery is not just the cure of hematologic malignancies but also freedom from ongoing morbidity. Recent studies have revealed that HLA-identical sibling peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) had been providing impaired graft-versus-host disease (GVHD)-free relapse-free survival (GRFS) due to a higher risk of GVHD. Study on GVHD prophylaxis bears clinical reliance when focused on Japanese population because risk of GVHD differs among races. We identified 15 consecutive Japanese patients who received tacrolimus-based GVHD prophylaxis after myeloablative HLA-identical sibling PBSCT. No episode of grade ≥ II acute GVHD and only one episode of grade III toxicity were documented, with the control of mean weekly blood tacrolimus concentrations during the first 4 weeks at 13 to 17 ng/mL. An estimated 46.7% (95% CI: 21.4% to 71.9%) of the patients enjoyed their GRFS at 3 years after transplantation, and failure in the treatment of chronic GVHD was not reported during the median follow-up period of 1059 days (range, 784 to 1778 days) after the development of chronic GVHD. The results suggest that the application of tacrolimus with the optimization of its blood concentrations may effectively prevent ongoing morbidities after HLA-identical sibling PBSCT.
|
10.1016/j.transproceed.2017.11.035
|
pubmed_1006_6628
|
The ability of computed tomography and radiography to detect changes associated with nasal neoplasia was compared in dogs. Eighteen areas or anatomic structures were evaluated in 21 dogs for changes indicative of neoplasia. Computed tomography was superior (P < or = 0.05) to radiography for detecting changes in 14 of 18 areas. Radiography was not superior for detecting changes in any structure or area. Computed tomography reveals vital information not always detected radiographically to assist in providing a prognosis and in planning treatment for nasal neoplasms in dogs.
|
pubmed_1006_6628
|
pubmed_320_441
|
Analysis of several well-documented specimens from each of the three volcanic series on Oahu gives the following mean ratios of Sr(87) to Sr(86): the Waianae series, 0.7030 +/- 0.00010 (sigma); the Koolau series, 0.70385+/- 0.00009 (sigma); and the Honolulu series, 0.7029 ++/- 0.00006 ( sigma). The mean ratio of Sr(87) to Sr(86) of the Koolau series specimens is significantly higher than the means of the other two series. With one exception, significant differences in Sr(87)/ Sr(86) within a series were not found, even though some large compositional differences existed.
|
10.1126/science.153.3741.1239
|
pubmed_480_8152
|
PURPOSE
To determine substrate oxidation responses to saturated fatty acid (SFA)-rich meals before and after a 7-day polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)-rich diet versus control diet.
METHODS
Twenty-six, normal-weight, adults were randomly assigned to either PUFA or control diet. Following a 3-day lead-in diet, participants completed the pre-diet visit where anthropometrics and resting metabolic rate (RMR) were measured, and two SFA-rich HF meals (breakfast and lunch) were consumed. Indirect calorimetry was used to determine fat oxidation (Fox) and energy expenditure (EE) for 4 h after each meal. Participants then consumed a PUFA-rich diet (50 % carbohydrate, 15 % protein, 35 % fat, of which 21 % of total energy was PUFA) or control diet (50 % carbohydrate, 15 % protein, 35 % fat, of which 7 % of total energy was PUFA) for the next 7 days. Following the 7-day diet, participants completed the post-diet visit.
RESULTS
From pre- to post-PUFA-rich diet, there was no change in RMR (16.3 ± 0.8 vs. 16.4 ± 0.8 kcal/20 min) or in incremental area under the curve for EE (118.9 ± 20.6-126.9 ± 14.1 kcal/8h, ns). Fasting respiratory exchange ratio increased from pre- to post-PUFA-rich diet only (0.83 ± 0.1-0.86 ± 0.1, p < 0.05). The postprandial change in Fox increased from pre- to post-visit in PUFA-rich diet (0.03 ± 0.1-0.23 ± 0.1 g/15 min for cumulative Fox; p < 0.05), whereas controls showed no change.
CONCLUSIONS
Adopting a PUFA-rich diet initiates greater fat oxidation after eating occasional high SFA meals compared to a control diet, an effect achieved in 7 days.
|
10.1007/s00394-016-1226-9
|
pubmed_1044_5981
|
INTRODUCTION
Women Veterans experience a broad range of stressors (e.g., family, relationship, and financial) and high rates of mental health and physical health conditions, all of which contribute to high levels of stress. Personalized Support for Progress (PSP), an evidence-based intervention, is well suited to support women Veterans with high stress as it involves a card-sort task to prioritize concerns as well as pragmatic and emotional support to develop and implement a personalized plan addressing those concerns. Our aims were to explore the population and context for delivery and evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and utility of PSP delivered by a peer specialist to complement existing services in a Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Women's Wellness Center.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
This randomized controlled pilot trial compared treatment as usual plus PSP to treatment as usual and used the a priori Go/No-Go criteria to establish success for each outcome. We interviewed staff regarding the population and delivery context at a VHA Women's Wellness Center and analyzed interviews using a rapid qualitative approach. For the rapid qualitative analysis, we created templated summaries of each interview to identify key concepts within each a priori theme, reviewed each theme's content across all interviews, and finally reviewed key concepts across themes. We evaluated feasibility using recruitment and retention rates; acceptability via Veteran satisfaction, working relationship with the peer, and staff satisfaction; and utility based on the proportion of Veterans who experienced a large change in outcomes (e.g., stress, mental health symptoms, and quality of life). The Syracuse VA Human Subjects Institutional Review Board approved all procedures.
RESULTS
Staff interviews highlight that women Veterans have numerous unmet social needs and concerns common among women which increase the complexity of their care; call for a supportive, consistent, trusting relationship with someone on their health care team; and require many resources (e.g., staff such as social workers, services such as legal support, and physical items such as diapers) to support their needs (some of which are available within VHA but may need support for staffing or access, and some of which are unavailable). Feasibility outcomes suggest a need to modify PSP and research methods to enhance intervention and assessment retention before the larger trial; the recruitment rate was acceptable by the end of the trial. Veteran acceptability of PSP was high. Veteran outcomes demonstrate promise for utility to improve stress, mental health symptoms, and quality of life for women Veterans.
CONCLUSIONS
Given the high acceptability and promising outcomes for utility, changes to the design to enhance the feasibility outcomes which failed to meet the a priori Go/No-Go criteria are warranted. These outcomes support future trials of PSP within VHA Women's Wellness Centers.
|
10.1093/milmed/usac164
|
pubmed_538_1974
|
BACKGROUND
There is a growing awareness that there should be a public health perspective to health system governance. Its intrinsic population health orientation provides the ultimate ground for determining the health needs and governing collaborative care arrangements within which these needs can be met. Notwithstanding differences across countries, population health concerns are not central to European health reforms. Governments currently withdraw leaving governance roles to care providers and/or financiers. Thereby, incentives that trigger the uptake of a public health perspective are often ignored.
METHODS
In this study we addressed this issue in the city of Amsterdam. Using a qualitative study design, we explored whether there is a public health perspective to the governance practices of the municipality and the major sickness fund in Amsterdam. And if so, what the scope of this perspective is. And if not, why not.
RESULTS
Findings indicate that the municipality has a public health perspective to local health system governance, but its scope is limited. The municipality facilitates rather than governs health care provision in Amsterdam. Furthermore, the sickness fund runs major financial risks when adapting a public health perspective. It covers an insured population that partly overlaps the Amsterdam population. Returns on investments in population health are therefore uncertain, as competitors would also profit from the sickness fund's investments.
CONCLUSION
The local health system in Amsterdam is not consistently aligned to the health needs of the Amsterdam population. The Amsterdam case is not unique and general consequences for local health system governance are discussed.
|
10.1093/eurpub/ckl010
|
pubmed_931_12990
|
Humans now have a strong influence on almost every major aquatic ecosystem, and our activities have dramatically altered the quality of receiving waters worldwide. Thus, there is a continuous need to develop and apply novel and effective technologies to detect, manage, and correct human-induced degradation of aquatic systems. In the present work, we evaluated the molecular approach using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE) to measure changes in cyanobacterial diversity along a pollution gradient in a river and compared it with that of using microscopic observations of field-fixed and cultured samples. The different 16S rDNA genes present in the cyanobacterial community of each sampling point of the river were separated by TGGE, giving a characteristic pattern of bands for each site. This pattern represents a "fingerprint" of the community, allowing direct comparisons of the different samples. The TGGE results revealed that the structure of the cyanobacterial community differed along the pollution gradient of the river. Microscopic and molecular approaches showed that cyanobacterial diversity decreased in a downstream direction. Similar results were obtained by the two methods, as indicated by the high correlation between them. We suggest PCR-TGGE could be a useful and rapidly applied technique for the routine analysis of changes in cyanobacterial diversity in response to pollution, which would allow us to monitor rivers in surveillance networks of watercourse quality.
|
10.2134/jeq2006.0190SC
|
pubmed_472_8093
|
Six new and 16 known lanostanoids were isolated from the sclerotia of Poria cocos. The structures of the new isolates were elucidated to be 16α-hydroxy-3-oxo-24-methyllanosta-5,7,9(11),24(31)-tetraen-21-oic acid (1), 3β,16α,29-trihydroxy-24-methyllanosta-7,9(11),24(31)-trien-21-oic acid (2), 3β,16α,30-trihydroxy-24-methyllanosta-7,9(11),24(31)-trien-21-oic acid (3), 3β-acetoxy-16α,24β-dihydroxylanosta-7,9(11),25-trien-21-oic acid (4), 3β,16α-dihydroxy-7-oxo-24-methyllanosta-8,24(31)-dien-21-oic acid (5), and 3α,16α-dihydroxy-7-oxo-24-methyllanosta-8,24(31)-dien-21-oic acid (6), based on extensive spectroscopic analyses. The absolute configuration of 4 was determined using Mosher's method. The antiproliferative activity of the isolated compounds (except 3 and 4) was evaluated against four leukemic cell lines (Molt 4, CCRF-CEM, HL 60, and K562). Dehydropachymic acid (9), dehydroeburicoic acid (12), pachymic acid (14), and lanosta-7,9(11),24-trien-21-oic acid (20) exhibited an antiproliferative effect on the CCRF-CEM cancer cell line with IC50 values of 2.7, 6.3, 4.9, and 13.1 μM, respectively. Both dehydropachymic acid (9) and dehydroeburicoic acid (12) showed antiproliferative effects against Molt 4 (IC50 13.8 and 14.3 μM) and HL 60 (IC50 7.3 and 6.0 μM) leukemic cell lines. Primary computational analysis using a chemical global positioning system for natural products (ChemGPS-NP) on the active lanostanoids from P. cocos suggested that targets other than topoisomerases may be involved in the antiproliferative activity.
|
10.1021/acs.jnatprod.6b00575
|
pubmed_361_15496
|
Over a 3-year period (1984-1987), 57 cases of Wilms' tumour (nephroblastoma) were diagnosed and managed at the Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare. Two-thirds of the patients were younger than 4 years of age. The majority of patients presented with advanced disease, most likely the result of delayed and late presentation. In spite of this, and with a multimodal approach to management, results obtained were fairly good and compare favourably with results obtained elsewhere in developed countries. Forty-four of the 57 patients are presently alive and disease free 10 to greater than 36 months after presentation. Overall, 2-year relapse-free survival was 64.9%.
|
10.1080/02724936.1989.11748604
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pubmed_957_11665
|
Lifestyle factors are modifiable behavioral factors that have a significant impact on health and longevity. Diet-induced obesity and physical activity/exercise are two prevalent lifestyle factors that have strong relationships to overall health. The mechanisms linking obesity to negative health outcomes and the mechanisms linking increased participation in physical activity/exercise to positive health outcomes are beginning to be elucidated. Chronic inflammation, due in part to overproduction of myeloid cells from hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in the bone marrow, is an established mechanism responsible for the negative health effects of obesity. Recent work has shown that exercise training can reverse the aberrant myelopoiesis present in obesity in part by restoring the bone marrow microenvironment. Specifically, exercise training reduces marrow adipose tissue, increases HSC retention factor expression, and reduces pro-inflammatory cytokine levels in the bone marrow. Other, novel mechanistic factors responsible for these exercise-induced effects, including intercellular communication using extracellular vesicles (EVs), is beginning to be explored. This review will summarize the recent literature describing the effects of exercise on hematopoiesis in individuals with obesity and introduce the potential contribution of EVs to this process.
|
10.1177/01926233221123523
|
pubmed_765_9933
|
The projector augmented wave (PAW) method is a powerful numerical algorithm that serves as a backend, enabling efficient density functional theory (DFT) calculations through the smoothing of valence electronic descriptions. Although it is mainly used in conjunction with plane-wave basis for solid-state systems, its generality permits the combination with other types of basis functions. In the previous study, we proposed a scheme to incorporate the PAW method into the conventional quantum chemical DFT implementation based on Gauss-type function (GTF) basis (Xiong et al., J. Chem. Theory Comput. 2017, 13, 3236-3249). The potentially high usability of the GTF-based PAW method, referred to as GTF-PAW, was previously shown, while its implementation was limited to the local density approximation (LDA). Here, we present a development of two technical extensions in this method toward practical DFT calculations. The GTF-PAW-based formulation and implementation to raise the level of the functional treatment to the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) is presented for improving reliability. In addition, we attempt to use the uniform mesh grid for DFT's quadrature in place of the conventional Becke grid, which was previously used. With the test calculations performed on illustrative molecules, it is confirmed that the conventional approach to implement GGA within GTF basis code can be straightforwardly integrated into the GTF-PAW method, allowing for the numerically stable treatment of the gradients of density. It is demonstrated that the uniform mesh grid can be used as an efficient numerical quadrature approach, which may be advantageous for handling larger systems.
|
10.1021/acs.jctc.0c00137
|
pubmed_753_18686
|
Environmental cleaning and disinfection is essential for optimizing safe patient care in the OR; however, perioperative staff members have not had an easy-to-use, objective method for determining whether high-touch, potentially contaminated surfaces have been cleaned during terminal room cleaning. To address this issue, members of the Healthcare Environmental Hygiene Study Group used a transparent, removable, environmentally stable disclosing agent and handheld ultraviolet light to determine whether potentially contaminated surfaces had been contacted by a wet disinfection cleaning cloth during terminal cleaning of ORs. Results from the project showed that 237 of 946 targeted surfaces (25%) had the disclosing agent removed (ie, were cleaned). The use of the disclosing agent for staff education and process monitoring has led to significant improvements in the disinfection cleaning process.
|
10.1016/j.aorn.2010.08.022
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pubmed_173_21498
|
We show here that copper can be locally etched by an electron-beam induced reaction in a liquid. Aqueous sulfuric acid (H2SO4) is utilized as the etchant and all experiments are conducted in an environmental scanning electron microscope. The extent of etch increases with liquid thickness and dose, and etch resolution improves with H2SO4 concentration. This approach shows the feasibility of liquid phase etching for material selectivity and has the potential for circuit editing.
|
10.1088/0957-4484/26/49/495301
|
pubmed_793_5919
|
Computed tomography (CT) scan is the most accurate method for diagnosing intracerebral hemorrhage in the high-risk preterm infant. The present study was undertaken to evaluate lumbar puncture (LP) as a reliable means of diagnosing such hemorrhages. Forty eight infants less than 35 weeks gestation, requiring intensive care, were evaluated by CT scan at 48 to 96 hours of life, and serial LPs were performed. The initial LP preceded the CT scan by one to four hours and repeat LPs were done three and five days later if the initial CT scan revealed intracerebral hemorrhage. The initial LP was successfully performed in 28 of 48 infants. Of these 48 infants, 15 had hemorrhage by CT scan. The initial LP was consistent with the diagnosis on scan in eight of these 15. In the other seven infants, initial LP was normal in three, traumatic in one, and unsuccessful in three. The second LP was consistent with hemorrhage in four of the latter seven. Thus, in only eight of 15 infants, in whom CT scans revealed intracerebral hemorrhage, was the initial LP useful in confirming the diagnosis. Furthermore, LPs showed bloody cerebrospinal fluid in 10 of 18 infants whose CT scans were normal. At the present time LP cannot be considered a reliable means of identifying infants with subependymal-intraventricular hemorrhage.
|
pubmed_793_5919
|
pubmed_1089_22171
|
Caenorhabditis elegans has a number of distinct advantages that are useful for understanding the basis for cellular and organismal dysfunction underlying age-associated diseases of protein misfolding. Although protein aggregation, a key feature of human neurodegenerative diseases, has been typically explored in vivo at the single-cell level using cells in culture, there is now increasing evidence that proteotoxicity has a non-cell-autonomous component and is communicated between cells and tissues in a multicellular organism. These discoveries have opened up new avenues for the use of C. elegans as an ideal animal model system to study non-cell-autonomous proteotoxicity, prion-like propagation of aggregation-prone proteins, and the organismal regulation of stress responses and proteostasis. This Review focuses on recent evidence that C. elegans has mechanisms to transmit certain classes of toxic proteins between tissues and a complex stress response that integrates and coordinates signals from single cells and tissues across the organism. These findings emphasize the potential of C. elegans to provide insights into non-cell-autonomous proteotoxic mechanisms underlying age-related protein-misfolding diseases.
|
10.1242/dmm.013011
|
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