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pubmed_54_15486
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Although pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (PAVMs) are rare, they are important in clinical practice because they are associated with life-threatening complications such as brain abscess, stroke and lung haemorrhage. The aims of the present study were to characterize PAVMs in a Korean population and to examine the incidence and factors associated with cerebral complications, which are a major cause of mortality. METHODS The medical records of patients with PAVMs between 2000 and 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. PAVMs were confirmed by enhanced chest computed tomography or by pulmonary angiography. RESULTS Ninety patients (median age, 47.5 years; 81.8% female) with PAVMs were included. Twelve patients (13.3%) were clinically diagnosed with hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) according to the Curacao criteria. Sixty-three patients underwent transcatheter embolization with no severe adverse events. Three patients required retreatment during a mean follow-up period of 3.3 years. Six and 14 patients suffered brain abscess or stroke, respectively, as a complication of PAVMs. These complications were not associated with the diameter of the arteries feeding the PAVMs (odds ratio, 1.106; 95% confidence interval, 0.895-1.366; P = 0.352) CONCLUSIONS: PAVMs are less associated with HHT in Koreans than in Western populations. Transcatheter embolization of PAVMs is safe and effective, and physicians need to consider treating the small arteries feeding PAVMs to prevent cerebral complications.
10.1111/resp.12411
pubmed_924_13401
In this work, the effects of H(+) and NH(4)(+) on the initial decomposition of HMX were investigated on the basis of the B3P86/6-31G** and B3LYP/6-31G* calculations. Three initial decomposition pathways including the N-NO(2) bond fission, HONO elimination and C-N bond dissociation were considered for the complexes formed by HMX with H(+) (PHMX1 and PHMX2) or with NH(4)(+) (AHMX). We found that H(+) and NH(4)(+) did not evidently induce the HMX to trigger the N-NO(2) heterolysis because the energy barrier of N-NO(2) heterolysis was found to be higher than the bond dissociation energy of N-NO(2) homolytic cleavage. Meanwhile, the transition state barriers of the HONO elimination from the complexes were found to be similar to that from the isolated HMX, which means that the HONO elimination reaction of HMX was not affected by the H(+) and NH(4)(+). As for the ring-opening reaction of HMX due to the C-N bond dissociation, the calculated potential energy profile showed that the energy of the complex (AHMX) went uphill along the C-N bond length and no transition state existed on the curve. However, the transition state energy barriers of C-N bond dissociation were calculated to be only 5.0 kcal/mol and 5.5 kcal/mol for the PHMX1 and PHMX2 complexes, respectively, which were much lower than the C-N bond dissociation energy of isolated HMX. Moreover, among the three initial decomposition reactions, the C-N bond dissociation was also the most energetically favorable pathway for the PHMX1 and PHMX2. Our calculation results showed that the H(+) can significantly promote the initial thermal decomposition of C-N bond of HMX, which, however, is influenced by NH(4)(+) slightly.
10.1016/j.jmgm.2008.06.007
pubmed_1014_22666
The activation and expansion of brown adipose tissue (BAT) has emerged as a promising strategy to counter obesity and the metabolic syndrome by increasing energy expenditure. The subsequent testing and validation of novel agents that augment BAT necessitates accurate pre-clinical measurements in rodents regarding the capacity for BAT-derived thermogenesis. We present a novel method to measure BAT thermogenesis using infrared imaging following β3-adrenoreceptor stimulation in mice. We show that the increased body surface temperature observed using this method is due solely to uncoupling protein-1 (UCP1)-mediated thermogenesis and that this technique is able to discern differences in BAT activity in mice acclimated to 23 °C or thermoneutrality (30 °C). These findings represent the first standardized method utilizing infrared imaging to specifically detect UCP1 activity in vivo.
10.1016/j.molmet.2014.04.007
pubmed_360_5821
The applicability of deterministic models, and in particular the polar co-ordinate model of French, Bryant & Bryant (1976), to the regenerative process has been investigated by performing ipsilateral blastemal rotations of varying angle on the fore and hind limbs of the axolotl. The results show that the frequency of supernumerary production rises with increasing angle to reach a peak at 180 degree and then falls off more rapidly, giving rise to an asymmetric distribution curve. The position of supernumerary outgrowth als suggests a probabilistic event, there being no consistent relationship between this parameter and the angle of rotation. The polar co-ordinate model is incapable of explaining these results and the work suggests that the determinism of current regeneration models may have to be abandoned in favour of a more stochastic theory.
pubmed_360_5821
pubmed_1092_5644
BACKGROUND Non-contiguous spinal fractures are rare and most frequently occur in a fall from a height, or high energy trauma such as a road traffic accident (Reid, J Trauma 27:980-986, 1987). Cervical spine fractures tend to occur at two levels, one-third of injuries occur at the level of C2, and one-half of injuries occur at the level of C6 or at C7 (Wittenberg, Spine 27:254-257, 2002). The most devastating and fatal cervical spine injuries occur in upper cervical levels, either at craniocervical junction C1 or C2. CASE REPORT The case we present is of a young man involved in a road traffic accident in Ireland who had a concomitant non-displaced C2 vertebral body fracture and a C6-C7 fracture dislocation. The patient had no neurological symptoms. CONCLUSION Following concurrent ACDF at C6/7 and peg screw fixation of C2 through the same incision the patient made a full recovery.
10.1007/s11845-016-1438-2
pubmed_832_20885
Individuals with malaria exhibit increased morbidity and mortality when infected with Gram-negative (Gr-) bacteria. To explore this experimentally, we performed co-infection of mice with Plasmodium chabaudi and Citrobacter rodentium, an extracellular Gr- bacterial pathogen that infects the large intestine. While single infections are controlled effectively, co-infection results in enhanced virulence that is characterized by prolonged systemic bacterial persistence and high mortality. Mortality in co-infected mice is associated with disrupted iron metabolism, elevated levels of plasma heme, and increased mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by phagocytes. In addition, iron acquisition by the bacterium plays a key role in pathogenesis because co-infection with a mutant C. rodentium strain lacking a critical iron acquisition pathway does not cause mortality. These results indicate that disrupted iron metabolism may drive mortality during co-infection with C. rodentium and P. chabaudi by both altering host immune responses and facilitating bacterial persistence.
10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108613
pubmed_785_5117
The incidence of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma has risen steadily over the past decade due to the increase in cancers associated with the human papillomavirus (HPV). The prognosis for the treatment of this type of cancer with radiotherapy and chemoradiotherapy is good. However, because these treatments can have detrimental effects on organ function and quality of life, researchers are looking into transoral robotic surgery (TORS) as a possible alternate therapy. TORS might have a positive effect on postoperative function and quality of life for cancer survivors. The aim of this review is to report on the current situation regarding the treatment of oropharyngeal cancer with TORS, with a focus on the long-term oncologic and functional outcomes of this strategy. The articles cited in this review were selected from the PubMed and MEDLINE database. They contain study results pertaining to TORS implementation, complications, oncologic and functional outcomes, and the implications of HPV-associated cancer. We found that while TORS has some clear advantages and strengths and almost certainly a permanent place in future treatment, further research is necessary to correctly evaluate the role it will play in the complete management of oropharyngeal cancer.
10.1177/014556131409300821
pubmed_625_25575
Aging is a ubiquitous relaxation dynamic in disordered materials. It ensues after a rapid quench from an equilibrium "fluid" state into a nonequilibrium, history-dependent jammed state. We propose a physically motivated description that contrasts sharply with a continuous-time random walk (CTRW) with broadly distributed trapping times commonly used to fit aging data. A renewal process such as CTRW proves irreconcilable with the log-Poisson statistic exhibited, for example, by jammed colloids as well as by disordered magnets. A log-Poisson process is characteristic of the intermittent and decelerating dynamics of jammed matter usually activated by record-breaking fluctuations ("quakes"). We show that such a record dynamics provides a universal model for aging, physically grounded in generic features of free-energy landscapes of disordered systems.
10.1103/PhysRevE.98.020602
pubmed_434_16038
Probiotics (bacteria or yeasts) were defined by the Food Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) joint report as live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts (in food or as a dietary supplement) confer a health benefit on the host. The best-demonstrated potential clinical benefits of probiotic agents, specifically in the pediatric population, are in the prevention and management of acute diarrhea, antibiotic associated diarrhea, and evidence is mounting on their potential benefits in atopic disease, inflammatory bowel conditions, and necrotizing enterocolitis. Their beneficial effects seem to be strain specific, thus, pooling data from different strains may result in misleading conclusions. Because there was no international consensus on methodology to assess efficiency and safety of probiotics, in 2001 the FAO/WHO undertook work to compile and evaluate the scientific evidence on functional and safety aspects of probiotics. International criteria have been developed to formulate unequivocal criteria for probiotic bacterial strains and products that contain them. More recently, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) highlighted as critical factors for probiotic health claim submissions genetic typing, internationally recognised naming protocols and evidence of consistency in the final product.
pubmed_434_16038
pubmed_102_4804
In the final notices published June 1, 1979, establishing limits on hospital inpatient general routine operating costs (44 FR 31806) and home health agency per visit costs (44 FR 31814) and the final notice published August 31, 1979, establishing limits on skilled nursing facility inpatient routine service costs (44 FR 51542) under the Medicare program, HCFA adopted the New England County Metropolitan Area definition of urban location classification in New England. Using this definition, four counties, previously classified as urban locations, were classified as non-urban in the notices. This notice is intended to correct the classification of these four counties to urban areas for purposes of application of cost limits to all types of providers of services.
pubmed_102_4804
pubmed_359_16599
Quantity and quality of schooling obtained and the resulting skills and knowledge acquired are important components of human capital. We describe the distribution of selected measures of schooling, educational achievement, and cognitive functioning among individuals who participated as children in a nutrition supplementation trial in Guatemala and were followed up in 2002-04. Among 1,469 respondents (response rate 80%), who were 26-41 years of age in 2003, more than 90% of men and women had attended at least some school; more than half of men and more than one-third of women had completed sixth grade. Schooling attainment of both men and women has increased across birth cohorts but the schooling gap between men and women has increased. Parental socioeconomic status, as measured in 1975, is a strong predictor of schooling attainment. Basic literacy is high among those studied, with more than 80% able to read simple sentences. The gap in educational achievement favoring men narrowed across birth cohorts due to increases among younger women. The greater performance among men on the Raven's Progressive Matrices test persisted despite increased scores in the younger birth cohorts for both men and women. Migrants to Guatemala City have completed more years of school and scored higher on the tests of educational achievement and cognitive functioning than have cohort members who have remained in the study villages.
10.1177/15648265050262S105
pubmed_1067_21649
The studies were conducted on noninfected and Escherichia (E) coli-infected mice treated with orbifloxacin administered orally 10 times at 24-hr intervals at a dose of 2.5 mg/kg. Orbifloxacin did not change the activity of peritoneal macrophages in noninfected mice. Administration of orbifloxacin in E. coli-infected mice modulated the effects of infection on the percentage of phagocyting macrophages, the percentage of NBT-positive cells, and nitric oxide production. Orbifloxacin did not affect the synthesis and release of interleukin-1 by macrophages. Orbifloxacin exerted a modulating effect on the subsets of lymphocytes in thymus, spleen, and mesenteric lymph node cells in noninfected and E. coli-infected mice.
10.1080/08923970500241303
pubmed_556_20934
The separation properties of arsenic species was investigated using HPLC-ICP-MS with several commercially available fluorocarbon stationary phases and no ion-pair reagents in HPLC. One pentafluorophenyl column showed the highest potential for the separation of a larger number of arsenic species when using simple acid-based mobile phases. After modification of the operational parameters in HPLC, the speciation analysis of 13 representative arsenic species: arsenite, arsenate, methylarsonic acid, dimethylarsinic acid, trimethylarsine oxide, tetramethylarsonium, arsenobetaine, arsenocholine, thio-dimethylarsinic acid, oxo-arsenosugar-glycerol, oxo-arsenosugar-phosphate, oxo-arsenosugar-sulfonate, and oxo-arsenosugar-sulfate, was achieved by HPLC-ICP-MS with the column along with a mobile phase of 0.05% heptafluorobutyric acid-methanol (99:1, volume per volume).
10.2116/analsci.20N019
pubmed_285_9972
A pillar[5]arene-crown ether fused bicyclic host 1 was found to be able to recognize an imidazolium ion G1 by its pillar[5]arene subunit and a viologen ion G2 by its crown ether receptor discriminatively. The simultaneous binding of G1 and G2 by 1 resulted in the formation of a three-component host-guest complex G1⊂1⊃G2. Negative heterotropic cooperative effects were displayed by G1 and G2 in their binding to 1 and were investigated by stepwise bindings of G1 and G2 to 1.
10.1021/acs.orglett.5b01209
pubmed_728_9433
In a number of experiments it was demonstrated that in the E-rosette assay for human T-lymphocytes using sheep red blood cells, the ATP-ase activity of the lymphocytes increased in proportion to the number of rosettes being formed. Also, after increasing the number of rosettes by treatment of the sheep red blood cells (SRBC) with neuraminidase and after diminishing the number of rosettes by treatment of the lymphocytes with antilymphocyte globulin (ALG), change in the ATP-ase activity was proportional to alterations in the number of rosettes being formed. ALG itself stimulated the lymphocyte ATP-ase activity, possibly through activation of the same receptor sites as used by SRBC.
10.1111/j.1600-0609.1977.tb02091.x
pubmed_299_1442
Nanoparticles are ubiquitously used for signal enhancement in (bio)sensors, but their true possible performance is typically hampered by non-specific binding. A better understanding of the nature and the prevention of non-specific binding through surface engineering of the particles and sensor surfaces is needed to intelligently design (bio)sensors and potentially avoid bulk blocking methods. Hence, two types of liposomes were used as model for signal-enhancing nanoparticles. Their surface was engineered to bear negative surface charge. One type was synthesized with additional 6 mol% -COOH groups. Their interaction with four typical chemically modified sensor surfaces was then mechanistically characterized by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy. It was shown that the non-specific binding can be described with Langmuir isotherms providing quantitative information of dissociation constants and surface loading with especially high correlation coefficients (>0.97) for all the studied sensor surfaces modified with hydrophilic alkane thiols. By tailoring the sensor surface chemistry, non-specific binding was significantly minimized. Here, carboxyl- or methyl-terminated surfaces performed best. In fact, the pairing of -COOH groups on the sensor surface with -COOH groups on the liposomes almost completely eliminated non-specific binding, resulting in a SPR signal change of only 1 mRIU (refractive index unit) at 100 μM phospholipid concentration. Surprisingly though, -OH groups on the surface, which are also commonly used in sensing applications, did not lead to decreased adsorption, but caused significant signal changes (4 mRIU at 100 μM phospholipid) due to non-specific binding. Overall, the mechanistic studies presented here demonstrate that by careful design of the nanoparticle surface and by choosing sensor surfaces with terminal -CH3 or -COOH groups, improved sensing (micro)systems with very low non-specific adsorption can be obtained.
10.1039/c6an00820h
pubmed_730_385
This paper presents a structural model of the determinants of harsh parenting among Mexican mothers. One hundred five mothers (46 from the community; 59 referred to agencies for child maltreatment) were recruited from Sonora (Northern) Mexico and interviewed. In this model the use of physical punishment was explained by (1) authoritarian parenting style (mothers' beliefs concerning the effective use of physical punishment and mothers' lack of disciplinary skills) and (2) family dysfunction (a latent variable constructed from reports of interspousal violence and the parents' use of alcohol and drugs). In addition, the indirect effects of demographic and historical variables on harsh parenting was included. The findings show that the most important factor influencing the use of physical punishment in these families was authoritarian parenting style, exerting a significant direct effect on the mothers' reports of their use of harsh punishment. Family dysfunction had an indirect effect through parenting style. Some sociodemographic variables also indirectly influenced the use of beliefs maternal punishment It is concluded that cultural beliefs play a major role in parenting within the framework of Mexican family relations.
10.1023/a:1022621922331
pubmed_308_5334
Cancer survivors often experience poor post-treatment musculoskeletal health. This study examined the feasibility of combined aerobic and resistant training (CART) for improving strength, skeletal health and balance. Cancer survivors (n = 24) were identified by convenience sampling in Los Angeles County with 11 survivors consenting to 13 weeks of CART. Pre- and post-intervention assessments of bone mineral density (BMD), strength, flexibility and biomarker analysis were performed. Paired t-test analysis suggested increases in lower and upper body strength. The average T-score for BMD at the femoral neck improved from -1.46 to -1.36 and whole body BMD improved from -1.65 to -1.55. From baseline to follow-up, participants also displayed decreases in sway velocity on the eyes open (7%) and eyes closed (27%) conditions. Improvement in lower body strength was associated with increases in lean body mass (LBM) (r = 0.721) and an inverse association was observed between sway velocity and LBM (r = 0.838). Age and time since last treatment were related with biomarkers of anabolic growth (IGF-1, IGFbp-3) and bone (DPD, BAP). In summary, observed physiological changes were consistent with functional improvements, suggesting that isometric and dynamic exercise prescription may reduce the risk for falls and fall-related fractures among survivors.
10.1111/ecc.12442
pubmed_1041_644
Computing properties of better derivative and derivative-free algorithms were compared both theoretically and practically. Assuming that the log-likelihood function is approximately quadratic, in a t-trait analysis the number of steps to achieve convergence increases as t(2) in 'better' derivative-free algorithms and is independent of that number in 'better' derivative algorithms. The cost of one step increases as t(3) . Consequently, both classes of algorithms have a similar computational cost for single-trait models. In multiple traits, the computing costs increase as t(3) and t(5) , respectively. The derivative-free algorithms have worse numerical properties. Four programs were used to obtain one-, two-, and three-trait REML estimates from field data. Compared to single-trait analyses, the cost of one run for derivative-free algorithms increased by 27-40 times for two traits and 152-686 times for three traits. A similar increase in rounds of iteration for a derivative algorithm reached 5 and 21, and 1.8 and 2.2 in canonical transformation. Convergence and estimates of derivative algorithms were more predictable and, unlike derivative-free algorithms, were much less dependent on the choice of priors. Well-implemented derivative REML algorithms are less expensive and more reliable in multiple traits than derivative-free ones. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG: Vergleich von Rechen (Computing) merkmalen von abgeleiteten und ableitungsfreien Algorithmen zur Varianzkomponentenschätzung mittels REML Rechenmerkmale von verbesserten ableitungsfreien und Algorithmen, die Ableitung benutzen, werden theoretisch und praktisch verglichen. Unter der Annahme einer ungefähr quadratischen log-likelihood Funktion, nimmt in der Analyse von t Merkmalen die Zahl der Rechenschritte bis zu Konvergenz mit t(2) in 'besseren' ableitungsfreien Algorithmen zu und ist davon unabhängig von dieser Zahl in der 'besseren' Ableitung. Die Kosten je Schritt steigen mit t(3) . Daher haben beide Berechnungsarten für Einzelmerkmale ähnliche Rechenkosten. Bei mehreren Merkmalen steigen die Kosten mit t(3) bzw. t(5) und ableitungsfreie Algorithmen haben schlechtere numerische Eigenschagten. Vier Programme haben für ein-, zwei- und drei-Merkmale REML Schätzungen von Felddaten erzeugt. Im Vergleich zu Ein-Merkmal Analysen stiegen Kosten für einen Lauf bei ableitungsfreien Algorithmen um das 27-40 fache bei zwei- und um das 152-686 fache bei drei-Merkmalen. Die Steigerungen je Lauf bei auf Ableitung beruhenden Algorithmen waren 5-21 fach und 1.8 und 2.2 fach bei kanonischer Transformation. Konvergenz und Schätzwerte von Algorithmen mit Ableitung waren besser vorhersagbar und weniger von der Wahl der priors beeinflußt. Gut ausgestattete REML Methoden, die Ableitungen benutzen, sind ökonomischer und verläßlicher bei Mehrmerkmalsproblemen als ableitungsfreie.
10.1111/j.1439-0388.1994.tb00473.x
pubmed_1065_11111
Changes in 24-h profiles of arterial pressure following treatment with zolpidem were studied in 12 patients with essential arterial hypertension and chronic sleep problems on enalapril. One week treatment with zolpidem improved quality of sleep, increased a circadian index of systolic arterial pressure, 3 non-dipper patients recovered circadian rhythm of arterial pressure. The antihypertensive effect at night was higher when enalapril was used in combination with zolpidem than in monotherapy with enalapril.
pubmed_1065_11111
pubmed_305_19151
We demonstrate a scalable method for the separation of the bacterial periplasm from the cytoplasm. This method is used to purify periplasmic protein for the purpose of biophysical characterization, and measure substrate transfer between periplasmic and cytoplasmic compartments. By carefully limiting the time that the periplasm is separated from the cytoplasm, the experimenter can extract the protein of interest and assay each compartment individually for substrate without carry-over contamination between compartments. The extracted protein from fractionation can then be further analyzed for three-dimensional structure determination or substrate-binding profiles. Alternatively, this method can be performed after incubation with a radiotracer to determine total percent uptake, as well as distribution of the tracer (and hence metal transport) across different bacterial compartments. Experimentation with a radiotracer can help differentiate between a physiological substrate and artefactual substrate, such as those caused by mismetallation. X-ray fluorescence can be used to discover the presence or absence of metal incorporation in a sample, as well as measure changes that may occur in metal incorporation as a product of growth conditions, purification conditions, and/or crystallization conditions. X-ray fluorescence also provides a relative measure of abundance for each metal, which can be used to determine the best metal energy absorption peak to use for anomalous X-ray scattering data collection. Radiometal uptake can be used as a method to validate the physiological nature of a substrate detected by X-ray fluorescence, as well as support the discovery of novel substrates.
10.3791/57169
pubmed_135_25425
Extensive macrophage inflammatory responses and osteoclast formation are predominant during inflammatory or infective osteolysis. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-derived small extracellular vesicles (MSC-sEV) have been shown to exert therapeutic effects on bone defects. However, cultured MSCs are typically exposed to normoxia (21% O2) in vitro, which differs largely from the oxygen concentration in vivo under hypoxic conditions. It is largely unknown whether sEV derived from dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) cultured under hypoxic conditions (Hypo-sEV) exert better therapeutic effects on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory osteolysis than those cultured under normoxic conditions (Nor-sEV) by simultaneously inhibiting the macrophage inflammatory response and osteoclastogenesis. In this study, we show that hypoxia significantly induces the release of sEV from DPSCs. Moreover, Hypo-sEV exhibit significantly improved efficacy in promoting M2 macrophage polarization and suppressing osteoclast formation to alleviate LPS-induced inflammatory calvarial bone loss compared with Nor-sEV. Mechanistically, hypoxia preconditioning markedly alters the miRNA profiles of DPSC-sEV. MiR-210-3p is enriched in Hypo-sEV, and can simultaneously induce M2 macrophage generation and inhibit osteoclastogenesis by targeting NF-κB1 p105, which attenuates osteolysis. Our study suggests a promising potential for hypoxia-induced DPSC-sEV to treat inflammatory or infective osteolysis and identifies a novel role of miR-210-3p in concurrently hindering osteoclastogenesis and macrophage inflammatory response by inhibiting NF-kB1 expression.
10.1016/j.bioactmat.2022.10.001
pubmed_403_13883
BACKGROUND There is paucity of data on cardiac rehabilitation (CR) enrollment and outcomes in women with heart failure (HF). METHODS In this retrospective analysis, we compared enrollment, adherence and outcomes between women with HF versus coronary artery disease (CAD)-related indications referred to a university-affiliated CR program from June 2014-July 2018. A multivariate regression analysis was performed to adjust for imbalanced variables at baseline and baseline value of each outcome to compare change in outcomes between HF and CAD groups RESULTS: A total of 538 women (HF=63 vs CAD=475) were included in the study. At baseline, women with HF were younger, had lower attendance to CR intake and worse perceived health, higher AACVPR risk category and lower exercise capacity but had similar enrollment, weight and dieatry habits when compared to women with CAD. Adjusted analyses showed that almost all cardiac rehabilitation outcomes except for positive affect (anxiety, depression symptoms, negative affect, dietary habits, perceived physical and mental health summary scores, exercise duration and capacity) improved significantly from baseline and in a similar fashion in both groups. Weight loss was significantly greater for women with CAD versus those with HF (CAD: Δ -1.12 ± 2.23 kg versus HF: Δ -0.66 ± 2.78 kg, p = 0.03). CONCLUSION Despite a lower attendance to CR intake, lower perceived physical health and higher baseline AACVPR risk in women with HF, they have similar CR enrollment, adherence and completion rates compared to women with CAD. Both groups showed significant but similar improvements from baseline in almost all cardiac rehabilitation outcomes. These findings should alert cardiology providers to help overcome obstacles for women with HF to attend CR intake.
10.1016/j.hrtlng.2020.12.004
pubmed_300_18330
ECRG2 is a novel tumor suppressor gene that shows sequence similarity to KAZAL-type serine protease inhibitor. We have previously demonstrated ECRG2 inhibits migration/invasion of lung cancer PG cells. However, the mechanism by which ECRG2 performs these activities remains unknown. In this study, we found that ECRG2 inhibits proteolysis activity of uPA/plasmin and MMP2, and substantially reduces the ability of HT1080 and HCT-116 cells to invade ECM. Moreover, we demonstrated ECRG2 prevents the cleavage of uPAR, disrupts the association of sD2D3 with FPRL1, and that disruption impairs FPRL1 function. Conversely, depletion of ECRG2 not only markedly increased proteolysis activity of uPA/plasmin and MMP2 but also enhanced the association of uPAR with FPRL1, stimulated cell migration/invasion. Together, our results provide evidence that ECRG2 regulates invasion/migration partly through ECM degradation and uPA/uPAR/FPRL1 pathway, and may represent a novel therapeutic target for cancer.
10.1016/j.canlet.2009.09.001
pubmed_800_10545
We studied structural and functional organization of the bone marrow, production of hemopoietic growth factors by hemopoietic cells, and plasma colony-stimulating and erythropoietic activities in CBA/CaLac mice treated with etoposide. The effects of etoposide on cultured hemopoietic and microenvironmental cells were also evaluated. Our results indicate that hemopoietic growth factors secreted by adherent bone marrow cells play the major role in the normalization of hemopoiesis during etoposide-induced myelosuppression.
10.1023/a:1017959528320
pubmed_72_2796
BACKGROUND Diesel exhaust particles (DEPs) are deposited into the respiratory tract and are thought to be a risk factor for the development of diseases of the respiratory system. In healthy individuals, the timing and mechanisms of respiratory tract injuries caused by chronic exposure to air pollution remain to be clarified. METHODS We evaluated the effects of chronic exposure to DEP at doses below those found in a typical bus corridor in Sao Paulo (150 μg/m3). Male BALB/c mice were divided into mice receiving a nasal instillation: saline (saline; n = 30) and 30 μg/10 μL of DEP (DEP; n = 30). Nasal instillations were performed five days a week, over a period of 90 days. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed, and the concentrations of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-10, IL-13 and interferon-gamma (INF-γ) were determined by ELISA-immunoassay. Assessment of respiratory mechanics was performed. The gene expression of Muc5ac in lung was evaluated by RT-PCR. The presence of IL-13, MAC2+ macrophages, CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ T cells and CD20+ B cells in tissues was analysed by immunohistochemistry. Bronchial thickness and the collagen/elastic fibers density were evaluated by morphometry. We measured the mean linear intercept (Lm), a measure of alveolar distension, and the mean airspace diameter (D0) and statistical distribution (D2). RESULTS DEP decreased IFN-γ levels in BAL (p = 0.03), but did not significantly alter IL-4, IL-10 and IL-13 levels. MAC2+ macrophage, CD4+ T cell and CD20+ B cell numbers were not altered; however, numbers of CD3+ T cells (p ≤ 0.001) and CD8+ T cells (p ≤ 0.001) increased in the parenchyma. Although IL-13 (p = 0.008) expression decreased in the bronchiolar epithelium, Muc5ac gene expression was not altered in the lung of DEP-exposed animals. Although respiratory mechanics, elastic and collagen density were not modified, the mean linear intercept (Lm) was increased in the DEP-exposed animals (p ≤ 0.001), and the index D2 was statistically different (p = 0.038) from the control animals. CONCLUSION Our data suggest that nasal instillation of low doses of DEP over a period of 90 days results in alveolar enlargement in the pulmonary parenchyma of healthy mice.
10.1186/s12931-015-0172-z
pubmed_976_980
Experiments with catalytic oxidation of carbon monoxide on Pt(110) show that chemical turbulence in this system can be suppressed by application of appropriate global delayed feedback. Different spatiotemporal patterns, seen near the transition from turbulence to uniform oscillations, are investigated. Such patterns include intermittent turbulence, oscillatory standing waves, cellular structures, and phase clusters. Using a method based on the Hilbert transform, spatial distributions of local phase and amplitude in these patterns are reconstructed from the experimental data.
10.1103/PhysRevE.67.036208
pubmed_447_15133
From July 1, 1989 to September 5, 1990, 530 serum specimens and 50 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens from 334 HIV-1 infected patients, most of whom had AIDS or ARC, were analysed in a cryptococcal antigen latex agglutination assay, and all were negative. Three cases of meningitis due to Cryptococcus neoformans diagnosed by microscopy and culture in 3 HIV-1 infected patients are presented. Stored specimens of serum and CSF from these patients were assayed for cryptococcal antigen, and in all 3 the onset of meningitis was preceded by the presence of cryptococcal antigen in serum. It is concluded that the low occurrence of cryptococcosis in our patient population does not justify a routine serum screening for cryptococcal antigen.
10.3109/00365549109024296
pubmed_517_2663
We have developed hybrid P450 BM3 enzymes consisting of a Ru(II)-diimine photosensitizer covalently attached to non-native single cysteine residues of P450 BM3 heme domain mutants. These enzymes are capable, upon light activation, of selectively hydroxylating lauric acid with 40 times higher total turnover numbers compared to the peroxide shunt.
10.1039/c1cc15124j
pubmed_405_25562
Canine distemper virus (CDV) is a morbillivirus known to cause morbidity and mortality in a broad range of animals. Giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), especially captive ones, are susceptible to natural infection with CDV. Interleukin-18 (IL-18) is a powerful adjuvant molecule that can enhance the development of antigen-specific immunity and vaccine efficacy. In this study, a giant panda IL-18 gene eukaryotic expression plasmid (pcAmIL-18) was constructed. Female BALB/c mice were muscularly inoculated with the plasmids pcAmIL-18, pcDNA3.1 and PBS, respectively. They were subsequently injected with an attenuated CDV vaccine for dogs, and the induced humoral and cellular responses were evaluated. The results showed that pcAmIL-18 remarkably improved the level of specific antibody, IFN-γ and IL-2 in mice sera, the T lymphocyte proliferation index and the percentage of CD4(+) and CD8(+) cells. These data indicated that pcAmIL-18 is a potential adjuvant that promotes specific immunity.
10.1292/jvms.14-0226
pubmed_144_5184
OBJECTIVE Recent research demonstrates the importance of postural stabilization systems (PSS) in back pain. The purpose of this study was to examine the frequency of PSS disturbances in musicians experiencing playing-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMDs). METHODS Analysis for the presence of impaired PSS (lumbopelvic and scapular stabilizing system dysfunction, upper crossed syndrome) in 84 musicians. RESULTS Analysis of clinical examination data revealed dysfunctions of the PSS to be present in 78 (93%) of these subjects. Eighty-five percent were found to have impairments of scapular, 71% impairments of lumbopelvic stabilization system, and 57% were found to have upper crossed syndrome. Subgroup analysis (upper strings, lower strings, wind and keyboard instruments) showed significantly more impairment of the lumbopelvic stabilization system for upper and lower strings (P = .008), whereas similar rates for disturbances of scapular stabilizers and upper crossed syndrome were seen across subgroups. Furthermore, significant sex differences with a higher frequency of scapular stabilizers (P = .014) and upper crossed syndrome (P < .001) in women were present. CONCLUSION This study suggests that insufficiencies of the postural stabilization systems play an important role in the manifestation of musculoskeletal pain and PRMD in musicians. Although there are no prospective research data concerning PSS in musicians, the present authors' empirical observations and clinical experience support the notion that the clinical course and therapeutic outcomes of PRMD bear relationship to the function of the stabilization systems. We therefore argue for a greater emphasis on the examination and training of the postural systems in the integrated prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of musicians.
10.1016/j.jmpt.2010.08.006
pubmed_824_13871
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the performance of regional oxygen saturation (rSO2) monitoring with near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) during pediatric inter-hospital transports and to optimize processing of the electronically stored data. Cerebral (rSO2-C) and abdominal (rSO2-A) NIRS sensors were used during transport in air ambulance and connecting ground ambulance. Data were electronically stored by the monitor during transport, extracted and analyzed off-line after the transport. After removal of all zero and floor effect values, the Savitzky-Golay algorithm of data smoothing was applied on the NIRS-signal. The second order of smoothing polynomial was used and the optimal number of neighboring points for the smoothing procedure was evaluated. NIRS-data from 38 pediatric patients was examined. Reliability, defined as measurements without values of 0 or 15%, was acceptable during transport (> 90% of all measurements). There were, however, individual patients with < 90% reliable measurements during transport, while no patient was found to have < 90% reliable measurements in hospital. Satisfactory noise reduction of the signal, without distortion of the underlying information, was achieved when 20-50 neighbors ("window-size") were used. The use of NIRS for measuring rSO2 in clinical studies during pediatric transport in ground and air-ambulance is feasible but hampered by unreliable values and signal interference. By applying the Savitzky-Golay algorithm, the signal-to-noise ratio was improved and enabled better post-hoc signal evaluation.
10.1007/s10877-017-0094-z
pubmed_1129_23321
The high diversity of Neotropical fishes has been attributed to major South American palaeogeographic events, such as Andean uplift, rise of the Isthmus of Panama and marine transgressions. However, the unavailability of temporal information about evolution and diversification of some fish groups prevents the establishment of robust hypotheses about correlations between species diversification and proposed palaeogeographical events. One example is the Anablepidae, a family of teleost fishes found mostly in coastal habitats of Central and South America, but also in some inner river basins of South America. Historical aspects of the distribution patterns of the Anablepidae were never analysed and no accurate estimation of time of its origin and diversification is presently available. A multi-gene analysis was performed to estimate Anablepidae phylogenetic position, age and biogeography, comprising seven nuclear genes. The suborder Cyprinodontoidei was recovered in three major clades, one comprising all the Old World Cyprinodontoidei and two comprising New World lineages. Anablepidae was recovered as the sister group of the New World Poeciliidae, with the Amazonian genus Fluviphylax as their sister group. The ages found for the origin and diversification of Cyprinodontiformes were congruent with the pattern recorded for other vertebrate groups, with an origin anterior to the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) transition and diversification during the Paleogene. The age estimated for the split between the Atlantic and Pacific lineages of Anableps was congruent with the rise of Panamanian Isthmus. The results suggest Miocene marine transgressions as determinant to the current distribution of Jenynsia.
10.1371/journal.pone.0199201
pubmed_573_6631
We investigated the effects of tension induced by micropipet aspiration on giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) composed of dioleoylphosphatidylglycerol (DOPG) and dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC). We analyzed the time course of the fraction of intact GUVs among all of the GUVs under constant tension σ and obtained the rate constants of pore formation kp(σ). To determine kp, we developed an approach using the mean first passage time. The fitting of the theoretical curves of kp versus σ to the experimental data determined the line tension of a prepore, Γ. The value of Γ of a DOPG/DOPC bilayer was smaller than that of a DOPC bilayer.
10.1021/la304662p
pubmed_359_18741
A hypothesis about the cause of similarities of changes developing in an organism due to senescence and cancer is presented. The similarity is explained by the common origin of mechanisms of these pathological processes in the evolution. The evolutionary predecessors of destructive processes observed in an organism due to senescence and cancer were the destructions accompanying asexual reproduction in the distant ancestry.
pubmed_359_18741
pubmed_934_1420
OBJECTIVE This study presents a multichannel patient-specific seizure detection method based on the empirical mode decomposition (EMD) and support vector machine (SVM) classifier. MATERIALS AND METHODS The EMD is used to extract features from intracranial electroencephalography (EEG). A machine-learning algorithm is used as a classifier to discriminate between seizure and nonseizure intracranial EEG epochs. A postprocessing algorithm is proposed to reject artifacts and increase the robustness of the method. The proposed method was evaluated using 463 hours of intracranial EEG recordings from 17 patients with a total of 51 seizures in the Freiburg EEG database. RESULTS The proposed method had better performance than most of the existing seizure detection systems, including an average sensitivity of 92%, false detection rate (FDR) of 0.17/hour, and time delay (TD) of 12 sec. Moreover, the FDR could be further reduced by a TD extension. CONCLUSIONS Given its high sensitivity and low FDR, the proposed patient-specific seizure detection method can greatly assist clinical staff with automatically marking seizures in long-term EEG or detecting seizure onset online with high performance. Early and accurate seizure detection using this method may serve as a practical tool for planning epilepsy interventions.
10.1111/ner.12214
pubmed_1011_2280
The increase in aldosterone and plasma renin activity (PRA) observed after stimulation of extrahypothalamic sites within the brain of the rhesus monkey was prevented by the prior administration of the beta-adrenergic blocking agent propranolol. alpha-Adrenergic blockade by phentolamine had no inhibiting effect. Propranolol only partially reduced the response of aldosterone to lateral hypothalamic stimulation in spite of inhibition of PRA; a partial reduction in aldosterone was also obtained from this site after dexamethasone treatment without any effect on PRA. It was concluded that the increase in aldosterone observed after extra-hypothalamic stimulation was mediated mainly through the renin-angiotensin mechanism whereas in the case of the hypothalamus, release of ACTH was also a contributory factor.
10.1677/joe.0.0710393
pubmed_350_2637
Forty-seven infants and children had excretory urography, ultrasound, and computed tomography with the renal and perirenal areas as the primary regions of interest. Ultrasound is an excellent screening procedure and is often diagnostic especially in renal cystic disease. Computed tomography best demonstrated the extent of renal injury and best delineated the geography, character, and extent of solid renal and perirenal neoplasms (screened by ultrasound). Excretory urography in these patients was at times incorrect, often underestimated the extent of the pathologic process, and is often unnecessary.
10.1007/BF00977671
pubmed_92_10374
The Artificial Adaptive Systems (AAS) are theories with which generative algebras are able to create artificial models simulating natural phenomenon. Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) are the more diffused and best-known learning system models in the AAS. This article describes an overview of ANNs, noting its advantages and limitations for analyzing dynamic, complex, non-linear, multidimensional processes. An example of a specific ANN application to alcohol consumption in Spain, as part of the EU AMPHORA-3 project, during 1961-2006 is presented. Study's limitations are noted and future needed research using ANN methodologies are suggested.
10.3109/10826084.2014.933009
pubmed_785_11843
Auditory speech processing is facilitated when the talker's face/head movements are seen. This effect is typically explained in terms of visual speech providing form and/or timing information. We determined the effect of both types of information on a speech/non-speech task (non-speech stimuli were spectrally rotated speech). All stimuli were presented paired with the talker's static or moving face. Two types of moving face stimuli were used: full-face versions (both spoken form and timing information available) and modified face versions (only timing information provided by peri-oral motion available). The results showed that the peri-oral timing information facilitated response time for speech and non-speech stimuli compared to a static face. An additional facilitatory effect was found for full-face versions compared to the timing condition; this effect only occurred for speech stimuli. We propose the timing effect was due to cross-modal phase resetting; the form effect to cross-modal priming.
pubmed_785_11843
pubmed_6_27242
New psychoactive stimulants and psychedelics continue to play an important role on the illicit new psychoactive substance (NPS) market. Designer stimulants and psychedelics both affect monoaminergic systems, although by different mechanisms. Stimulant NPS primarily interact with monoamine transporters, either as inhibitors or as substrates. Psychedelic NPS most potently interact with serotonergic receptors and mediate their mind-altering effects mainly through agonism at serotonin 5-hydroxytryptamine-2A (5-HT2A) receptors. Rarely, designer stimulants and psychedelics are associated with potentially severe adverse effects. However, due to the high number of emerging NPS, it is not possible to investigate the toxicity of each individual substance in detail. The brain is an organ particularly sensitive to substance-induced toxicity due to its high metabolic activity. In fact, stimulant and psychedelic NPS have been linked to neurological and cognitive impairments. Furthermore, studies using in vitro cell models or rodents indicate a variety of mechanisms that could potentially lead to neurotoxic damage in NPS users. Cytotoxicity, mitochondrial dysfunction, and oxidative stress may potentially contribute to neurotoxicity of stimulant NPS in addition to altered neurochemistry. Serotonin 5-HT2A receptor-mediated toxicity, oxidative stress, and activation of mitochondrial apoptosis pathways could contribute to neurotoxicity of some psychedelic NPS. However, it remains unclear how well the current preclinical data of NPS-induced neurotoxicity translate to humans.
10.1016/j.expneurol.2021.113778
pubmed_1005_19251
The aim of the present study was to analyze the efficacy and safety of tenofovir (TDF) treatment for up to 5 years in nucleos(t)ide-naïve chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, particularly those with a high viral load, a in real-life scenario. A total of 144 nucleos(t)ide-naïve CHB patients who received TDF monotherapy for at least 3 months were retrospectively analyzed. The primary endpoint measure was the achievement of virological response (VR; undetectable serum HBV DNA, <100 IU/ml). The secondary endpoints were alanine aminotransferase (ALT) normalization (ALT < upper limit of normal), hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion and safety. The median follow-up period was 120 weeks (range, 12-264 weeks). In total, 144, 130, 114, 78, 67, 40 and 13 patients were followed up for at least 12, 24, 48, 96, 144, 192 and 240 weeks, respectively. An incremental trend was observed in the rate of VR: 73.1, 91.3, 98.1, 100, 100 and 100% of the patients exhibited VR at 24, 48, 96, 144, 192 and 240 weeks, respectively. Furthermore, 29 patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA ≥8 log10 IU/ml at baseline achieved VR during the follow-up period. The proportions of patients achieving normal ALT levels were 72.1, 78.6, 91.2, 95, 96 and 100%, at 24, 48, 96, 144, 192 and 240 weeks, respectively. The rate of HBeAg loss reached 35.6% at week 240. Among the 130 patients, HBV DNA was detectable [partial VR (PVR)] in 35 patients at 24 weeks of follow-up, and 30 of those 35 patients (85.7%) required >24 weeks of further TDF therapy to achieve VR. No serious adverse events were reported. In conclusion, long-term TDF treatment of nucleos(t)ide-naïve chronic hepatitis B patients, regardless of high viral load at baseline, was effective and safe in a real-life scenario. Adjustment of TDF monotherapy may be unnecessary in nucleos(t)ide-naïve patients with PVR at 24 weeks.
10.3892/etm.2019.7547
pubmed_249_2099
A critical challenge of structural genomics is to extract functional information from protein structures. We present an example of how this may be accomplished using the Evolutionary Trace (ET) method in the context of the regulators of G protein signaling (RGS) family. We have previously applied ET to the RGS family and identified a novel, evolutionarily privileged site on the RGS domain as important for regulating RGS activity. Here we confirm through targeted mutagenesis of RGS7 that these ET-identified residues are critical for RGS domain regulation and are likely to function as global determinants of RGS function. We also discuss how the recent structure of the complex of RGS9, Gt/i1alpha-GDP-AlF4- and the effector subunit PDEgamma confirms their contact with the effector-G protein interface, forming a structural pathway that communicates from the effector-contacting surface of the G protein and RGS catalytic core domain to the catalytic interface between Galpha and RGS. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of ET for identifying binding sites and efficiently focusing mutational studies on their key residues, thereby linking raw sequence and structure data to functional information.
10.1038/84974
pubmed_229_3827
Tympanomastoidotomy was performed in 42 patients with exudative otitis media running from 4 to 8 weeks. Large size of the antral cells and high pneumatization of the translabyrinthine tract cells contribute to the onset of latent antritis; large size of the apical cells and hyperpneumatization of the cells of the inferior labyrinthine tract predispose to emergence of isolated apical mastoiditis in patients with exudative otitis media at early stages. Latent mastoiditis and mucoperiostitis in the region of perifacial and perilabyrinthine cells in patients with exudative otitis media are evidenced by early atypical cochleovestibular complaints, mixed hypoacusis and variability of tympanograms.
pubmed_229_3827
pubmed_705_5464
Cysts in the nasal septum are unusual, and the presence of a dental cyst is even rarer. A cyst of dental origin was produced by dental root fracture in the nasal septum. The differential diagnosis and management are discussed.
pubmed_705_5464
pubmed_463_5683
BACKGROUND Nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) signaling is an important link between inflammation and peritoneal carcinomatosis in human ovarian cancer. Our objective was to track NF-kappaB signaling during ovarian cancer progression in a syngeneic mouse model using tumor cells stably expressing an NF-kappaB reporter. METHODS ID8 mouse ovarian cancer cells stably expressing an NF-kappaB-dependent GFP/luciferase (NGL) fusion reporter transgene (ID8-NGL) were generated, and injected intra-peritoneally into C57BL/6 mice. NGL reporter activity in tumors was non-invasively monitored by bioluminescence imaging and measured in luciferase assays in harvested tumors. Ascites fluid or peritoneal lavages were analyzed for inflammatory cell and macrophage content, and for mRNA expression of M1 and M2 macrophage markers by quantitative real-time RT-PCR. 2-tailed Mann-Whitney tests were used for measuring differences between groups in in vivo experiments. RESULTS In ID8-NGL cells, responsiveness of the reporter to NF-kappaB activators and inhibitors was confirmed in vitro and in vivo. ID8-NGL tumors in C57BL/6 mice bore histopathological resemblance to human high-grade serous ovarian cancer and exhibited similar peritoneal disease spread. Tumor NF-kappaB activity, measured by the NGL reporter and by western blot of nuclear p65 expression, was markedly elevated at late stages of ovarian cancer progression. In ascites fluid, macrophages were the predominant inflammatory cell population. There were elevated levels of the M2-like pro-tumor macrophage marker, mannose-receptor, during tumor progression, and reduced levels following NF-kappaB inhibition with thymoquinone. CONCLUSIONS Our ID8-NGL reporter syngeneic model is suitable for investigating changes in tumor NF-kappaB activity during ovarian cancer progression, how NF-kappaB activity influences immune cells in the tumor microenvironment, and effects of NF-kappaB-targeted treatments in future studies.
10.1186/1757-2215-6-63
pubmed_1_24062
OBJECTIVE To preliminarily develop a surfactant-free, polymeric solid dispersion (PSD) of paclitaxel suitable for oral administration. METHODS A co-solvent quench method was applied to screen the proper polymer matrix of the PSD which were prepared in a liquid system using a quasi-emulsion solvent diffusion method (QESDM). Three dissolution experiments and two in vivo tests in rats were used to explain the differences among the formulations. RESULTS The theoretical solubility ratio of amorphous/crystalline PTX was 92.6 (37 °C). Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose acetate succinate (HPMCAS) was chosen as the polymer carrier of the PSD and a porous silicon dioxide [called white carbon black (WCB)] was selectable to be used to further adjust the dissolution rate. The absolute oral bioavailability (AOB, 20 mg/kg) of the three formulas [HPMCAS/paclitaxel/WCB = 4/1/0 (F1), 8/1/0 (F2) and 4/1/4 (F3), w/w/w] were 11.8, 13.6 and 25.6%, respectively. The AOB of F3 is nearly seven times higher than that (3.8%) of paclitaxel material (a control). The advantage of higher HPMCAS/paclitaxel ratio of F2 in a dissolution test was not reflected in the first in vivo test due to the relatively higher dose of polymer which could not be effectively dissolved under the limitation of intestinal environment. This was deduced from the dissolution tests and was finally validated when the oral dose of PTX (and thus polymer) was reduced. The relevant AOBs (10 mg/kg) were 10.4, 20.8 and 19.6%, respectively. CONCLUSION The PSD is a promising formulation strategy and the QESDM is a practical preparation method to implement such formulation design.
10.3109/03639045.2015.1054398
pubmed_407_24842
Palmar fasciitis and polyarthritis syndrome (PFPA) is an uncommon syndrome that affects predominantly elderly women and characterized by symmetrical polyarthritis followed by flexioncontracture of the hands. It is usually associated with a metastatic malignant neoplasm, and therefore implies a poor prognosis. We report a case of a 54-year old woman presented with palmar fasciitis and polyarthritis six months before the diagnosis of a metastatic adenocarcinoma of the ovary. Surgical excision of the tumor and adjuvant chemotherapy caused remission of the polyarthritis.
pubmed_407_24842
pubmed_270_11193
A novel monomeric tetravalent manganese complex with the cross-bridged cyclam ligand 4,11-dimethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazabicyclo[6.6.2]hexadecane (Me2EBC), [Mn(IV)(Me2EBC)(OH)2](PF6)2, was synthesized by oxidation of Mn(II)(Me2EBC)Cl2 with H2O2 in the presence of NH4PF6)in aqueous solution. The X-ray crystal structure determination of this manganese(IV) compound revealed that it contains two rare terminal hydroxo ligands. EPR studies in dry acetonitrile at 77 K show two broad resonances at g = 1.96 and 3.41, indicating that the manganese(IV) exists as a high-spin d3 species. Resonance Raman (rR) spectra of this manganese(IV) species reveal that the dihydroxy moiety, Mn(IV)(OH)2, is also the dominant species in aqueous solution (pH < 7). pH titration provides two pK(a) values, 6.86(4) and 10.0(1), associated with stepwise removal of the last two oxygen-bound protons from [Mn(IV)(Me2EBC)(OH)2](2+). The cyclic voltammetry of this manganese(IV) complex in dry acetonitrile at 298 K demonstrates two reversible redox processes at +0.756 and -0.696 V (versus SHE) for the Mn4+/Mn3+ and Mn3+/Mn2+ couples, respectively. This manganese(IV) complex is relatively stable in weak acidic aqueous solution but easily degrades in basic solution to manganese(III) derivatives with an 88 +/- 1% yield.
10.1021/ic0521123
pubmed_36_17786
Physical properties of active materials built up from small molecules are dictated by their molecular packing in the solid state. Here we demonstrate for the first time the growth of n-channel single-crystal field-effect transistors and organic thin-film transistors by sublimation of 2,6-dichloro-naphthalene diimide in air. Under these conditions, a new polymorph with two-dimensional brick-wall packing mode (β-phase) is obtained that is distinguished from the previously reported herringbone packing motif obtained from solution (α-phase). We are able to fabricate single-crystal field-effect transistors with electron mobilities in air of up to 8.6 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) (α-phase) and up to 3.5 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) (β-phase) on n-octadecyltriethoxysilane-modified substrates. On silicon dioxide, thin-film devices based on β-phase can be manufactured in air giving rise to electron mobilities of 0.37 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1). The simple crystal and thin-film growth procedures by sublimation under ambient conditions avoid elaborate substrate modifications and costly vacuum equipment-based fabrication steps.
10.1038/ncomms6954
pubmed_1034_18934
BACKGROUND The side-step test is commonly used to assess agility. Side-step interval exercise may also be a potential way to improve cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness. However, the acute heart rate and muscle activation response to this type of exercise is not well established. In addition, different tempos can influence these responses. The purpose of this study was to determine the acute heart rate and muscle activation responses of a side-step interval exercise to different exercise tempos. METHODS Ten participants completed a V˙O2 max test and performed a side-step interval exercise for 4 × 1 min intervals separated by 1-min rest intervals at a slow (84 bpm) and fast (112 bpm) tempo. Muscle activation of the vastus lateralis and vastus medialis and heart rate were measured during exercise. RESULTS During the slow tempo, vastus lateralis muscle activation varied from 45% to 48% of maximum muscle activation (EMGmax ) while vastus medialis muscle activation varied from 51% to 54% EMGmax . During the fast tempo, vastus lateralis muscle activation varied from 53% to 65% EMGmax while vastus medialis muscle activation varied from 64% to 76% EMGmax . Heart rates varied from 80-84% HRmax from set 1 to set 4 for the fast tempo and varied from 67% to 72% HRmax from set 1 to set 4 for the slow speeds. CONCLUSION Exercise intensity of a side-step interval exercise reached adequate levels to suggest that it may be possible to use this type of exercise to improve cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness.
10.1111/cpf.12413
pubmed_804_108
In 2016, men aged ≥18 years were more likely than women to be current regular drinkers of alcohol (62.1% versus 47.2%). Non-Hispanic white men (65.5%) were more likely to be current regular drinkers than Hispanic men (57.8%) and non-Hispanic black men (52.9%). Non-Hispanic white women (55.6%) were more likely to be current regular drinkers than non-Hispanic black women (35.9%) and Hispanic women (31.5%).
10.15585/mmwr.mm6710a8
pubmed_484_3825
OBJECTIVES We sought to determine whether residential area deprivation, over and above the effect of life-course socioeconomic status or position (SEP), is associated with coronary heart disease. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 4286 women aged 60 to 79 years from 457 British electoral wards. RESULTS After adjustment for age and 10 indicators of individual life-course SEP, the odds of coronary heart disease was 27% greater among those living in wards with a deprivation score above the median compared with those living in a ward with a deprivation score equal to or below the median (odds ratio=1.27; 95% confidence interval=1.02, 1.57). CONCLUSIONS Adverse area-level socioeconomic characteristics, over and above individual life-course SEP, are associated with increased coronary heart disease.
10.2105/AJPH.2003.035592
pubmed_1057_443
BACKGROUND Individual with internet gaming disorder (IGD) often experience a high level of loneliness, and neuroimaging studies have demonstrated that amygdala function is associated with both IGD and loneliness. However, the neurobiological basis underlying these relationships remains unclear. METHODS In the current study, Granger causal analysis was performed to investigate amygdalar subdivision-based resting-state effective connectivity differences between 111 IGD subjects and 120 matched participants with recreational game use (RGUs). We further correlated neuroimaging findings with clinical measures. Mediation analysis was conducted to explore whether amygdalar subdivision-based effective connectivity mediated the relationship between IGD severity and loneliness. RESULTS Compared with RGUs, IGD subjects showed inhibitory effective connections from the left pregenual anterior cingulate cortex (pACC) to the left laterobasal amygdala (LBA) and from the right medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) to the left LBA, as well as an excitatory effective connection from the left middle prefrontal gyrus (MFG) to the right superficial amygdala. Further analyses demonstrated that the left pACC-left LBA effective connection was negatively correlated with both Internet Addiction Test and UCLA Loneliness scores, and it mediated the relationship between the two. CONCLUSION IGD subjects and RGUs showed different connectivity patterns involving amygdalar subdivisions. These findings support a neurobiological mechanism for the relationship between IGD and loneliness, and suggest targets for therapeutic approaches that could be used to treat IGD.
10.1017/S0033291720002366
pubmed_1072_8960
Robotic spine brace based on parallel-actuated robotic system is a new device for treatment and sensing of scoliosis, however, the strong dynamic coupling and anisotropy problem of parallel manipulators result in accuracy loss of rehabilitation force control, including big error in direction and value of force. A novel active force control strategy named modal space force control is proposed to solve these problems. Considering the electrical driven system and contact environment, the mathematical model of spatial parallel manipulator is built. The strong dynamic coupling problem in force field is described via experiments as well as the anisotropy problem of work space of parallel manipulators. The effects of dynamic coupling on control design and performances are discussed, and the influences of anisotropy on accuracy are also addressed. With mass/inertia matrix and stiffness matrix of parallel manipulators, a modal matrix can be calculated by using eigenvalue decomposition. Making use of the orthogonality of modal matrix with mass matrix of parallel manipulators, the strong coupled dynamic equations expressed in work space or joint space of parallel manipulator may be transformed into decoupled equations formulated in modal space. According to this property, each force control channel is independent of others in the modal space, thus we proposed modal space force control concept which means the force controller is designed in modal space. A modal space active force control is designed and implemented with only a simple PID controller employed as exampled control method to show the differences, uniqueness, and benefits of modal space force control. Simulation and experimental results show that the proposed modal space force control concept can effectively overcome the effects of the strong dynamic coupling and anisotropy problem in the physical space, and modal space force control is thus a very useful control framework, which is better than the current joint space control and work space control.
10.1016/j.isatra.2017.10.006
pubmed_994_15236
Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is a late-onset humoral deficiency characterized by B lymphocyte dysfunction or loss, decreased immunoglobulin production, and recurrent bacterial infections. CVID is the most frequent human primary immunodeficiency but still presents challenges in the understanding of its etiology and treatment. CVID in equine patients manifests with a natural impairment of B lymphocyte differentiation, and is a unique model to identify genetic and epigenetic mechanisms of disease. Bone marrow transcriptome analyses revealed decreased expression of genes indicative of the pro-B cell differentiation stage, importantly PAX5 (p≤0.023). We hypothesized that aberrant epigenetic regulation caused PAX5 gene silencing, resulting in the late-onset and non-familial manifestation of CVID. A significant increase in PAX5 enhancer region methylation was identified in equine CVID patients by genome-wide reduced-representation bisulfite sequencing and bisulfite PCR sequencing (p=0.000). Thus, we demonstrate that integrating transcriptomics and epigenetics in CVID enlightens potential mechanisms of dysfunctional B lymphopoiesis or function.
pubmed_994_15236
pubmed_1020_20533
Robust air-stable cyclometalated π-allyliridium C,O-benzoates modified by (S)-tol-BINAP catalyze the reaction of secondary aliphatic amines with racemic alkyl-substituted allylic acetates to furnish products of allylic amination with high levels of enantioselectivity. Complete branched regioselectivities were observed despite the formation of more highly substituted C-N bonds.
10.1021/acs.orglett.1c04135
pubmed_909_8089
Tributyrin (TBU) is a good dietary source of butyrate and has beneficial effects on the maintenance of normal intestinal morphology. The present study tested the hypothesis that dietary TBU supplementation could alleviate intestinal injury in the acetic acid (ACA)-induced porcine model of colitis. A total of eighteen piglets (25 d old) were randomly allocated to one of three treatment groups (control, ACA and TBU). The control and ACA groups were fed a basal diet and the TBU group was fed the basal diet supplemented with 0·1 % TBU. On day 15 of the trial, under anaesthesia, a soft catheter was inserted into the rectum of piglets (20-25 cm from the anus), followed by administration of either saline (control group) or ACA (10 ml of 10 % ACA solution for ACA and TBU groups). On day 22 of the trial, after venous blood samples were collected, piglets were killed to obtain mid-ileum and mid-colon mucosae. Compared with the control group, the ACA group exhibited an increase (P< 0·05) in lymphocyte counts, creatinine, PGE2, and malondialdehyde concentrations and diamine oxidase and inducible NO synthase activities in the plasma and lymphocyte density in the colon and a decrease in insulin concentrations and glutathione peroxidase activity, ileal villus height:crypt depth ratios and goblet cell numbers in the colon. These adverse effects of ACA were attenuated by TBU supplementation. Moreover, TBU prevented the ACA-induced increase in caspase-3 levels while enhancing claudin-1 protein and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mRNA expression in the colonic mucosa. Collectively, these results indicate that dietary supplementation with 0·1 % TBU alleviates ACA-induced intestinal injury possibly by inhibiting apoptosis, promoting tight-junction formation and activating EGFR signalling.
10.1017/S0007114514000038
pubmed_815_16916
OBJECTIVE To construct and test an instrument for improved communication with the patients. DESIGN Educational illustrations were constructed and used as a supplement during the consultation. After conventional history-taking, physical examination and, in some cases, blood sampling, the patient was shown a series of educational illustrations. This additional instrument, which is described in this paper, was used as an aid to find the main reason for the symptoms of the patients. SETTING A Swedish primary health care centre. PARTICIPANTS 61 women and 39 men, visiting a health centre for dyspeptic symptoms, the majority of whom aged between 20 and 59 years. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION The educational illustrations were useful in trying to give structure for the patient's problems and as a starting point for later beneficial cooperation between doctor and patient.
10.3109/02813439409003680
pubmed_748_21120
We studied the effects of mechanical processing and type of hybrid on the nutritive value of corn silage for lactating cows. Treatments were brown midrib (BMR) corn silage that was unprocessed (U-BMR), BMR corn silage that was processed (P-BMR), and a conventional corn silage that was processed (P-7511). All silages were harvested at a theoretical chop length of 19 mm. The chemical compositions of the silages were similar among treatments except that BMR silages were lower in lignin and higher in protein than P-7511. Brown midrib silages had greater 30-h in situ and in vitro NDF digestion than did P-7511, and processing had no effect on 30-h in situ and in vitro fiber digestion, but it increased in situ starch digestion after 3 and 12 h of incubation. Both processed silages had a smaller proportion of particles >1.91 cm and fewer whole corn kernels compared with unprocessed silage. Lactating cows were fed a total mixed ration (TMR) consisting of 42% of each silage type, 40% concentrate, 10% alfalfa silage, and 8% alfalfa hay (DM basis). Cows fed TMR containing P-BMR ate more DM and produced more milk than cows fed P-7511. At feeding, the TMR containing U-BMR had a larger proportion of particles >1.91 cm when compared with the TMR of cows fed processed silages, and after 24 h the difference was even greater, indicating that cows fed unprocessed corn silage sorted more. Cows fed TMR with P-7511 and P-BMR had greater total tract digestibility of organic matter, crude protein, and starch compared with cows fed U-BMR. In vivo digestibility of neutral detergent fiber was greatest for cows fed P-BMR when compared with the other treatments.
10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(04)73376-7
pubmed_257_7060
Three sesquiterpenoids that are found in the edible mushrooms Lactarius deliciosus, L. deterrimus and L. sanguifluus, have been assayed for biological activity. The compounds tested were a stearic acid ester of a sesquiterpene (I) and a sesquiterpene aldehyde (lactaroviolin, II) and alcohol (deterrol, III). The assays used were for mutagenic activity in the Ames Salmonella assay, for antimicrobial activity against bacterial fungi and algae, for cytotoxicity against Ehrlich ascitic tumour cells and L 1210 cells, and for phytotoxic activity against Lepidium sativum and Seteria italica. All three compounds showed weak mutagenic activity in the Ames assay. Two compounds (II and III) were found to have moderate cytotoxic activity and one (III) exhibited weak antibacterial activity. No compound revealed phytotoxic, algicidal or antifungal activity.
10.1016/0278-6915(89)90145-2
pubmed_605_7343
We introduce a 2D electronic spectroscopy setup in the UV spectral range in the partially collinear pump-probe geometry. The required interferometrically phase-locked few-optical-cycle UV pulse pair is generated by combining a passive birefringent interferometer in the visible and nonlinear phase transfer. This is achieved by sum-frequency generation between the phase-locked visible pulse pair and narrowband infrared pulses. We demonstrate a pair of 16-fs, 330-nm pulses whose delay is interferometrically stable with an accuracy better than λ/450. 2DUV maps of pyrene solution probed in the UV and visible spectral ranges are demonstrated.
10.1364/OE.24.028491
pubmed_144_5484
A 3-year-old Ragdoll cat was referred for investigation of polyuria, polydipsia, vomiting, weight loss and hypercalcaemia. Serum biochemical abnormalities included total and ionised hypercalcaemia and hypophosphataemia. Following clinical investigations a diagnosis of idiopathic hypercalcaemia was made. Because of the severity of the hypercalcaemia and the associated clinical signs, treatment for hypercalcaemia was commenced with pamidronate. Major electrolyte abnormalities were detected but, remarkably, were accompanied by minimal clinical signs. The cat was subsequently treated with oral alendronate and is clinically normal 15 months later. Reports of the use of bisphosphonates in cats are limited and close monitoring of patients is recommended.
10.1016/j.jfms.2010.09.011
pubmed_186_7941
With increasing patient volumes and growing demands for rapid turnaround on many clinical tests, there is a demand for high-throughput technologies. High-Throughput Online Solid-Phase Extraction Tandem Mass Spectrometry is an example of one technology that can achieve these desired results and the RapidFire 365 Mass Spectrometry system from Agilent Technologies is one vendor's solution. The key advantage of the RapidFire system is its speed of analysis and throughput. While the Agilent RapidFire system cannot be utilized for every clinical analyte, it does work well for several classes of medications including immunosuppressants, anticonvulsants and antineoplastic agents where dosage adjustments are made to maximize efficacy and minimize toxicity once results are available. In the end, high throughput tandem mass spectrometry has numerous benefits and limitations which must be weighed for each clinical analyte to determine if it's the right solution for your lab. This article will specifically discuss the Agilent RapidFire system.
pubmed_186_7941
pubmed_232_22033
A striking feature of insulin expression is its almost complete restriction to beta-cells of the pancreatic islet in normal mammals. Here we show that insulin is expressed in and secreted from human ejaculated spermatozoa. Both insulin transcript and protein were detected. In addition, the large differences in insulin secretion, assessed by RIA, between noncapacitated and capacitated sperm suggest a role for insulin in capacitation. Insulin had an oscillatory secretory pattern involving glucose dose-dependent increases and significant decreases during the blockage of an insulin autocrine effect. It appears that the effect of glucose on the fertilizing ability of sperm is mediated by glucose metabolism through the pentose phosphate pathway. Then we evaluated the autocrine effect of sperm insulin on glucose metabolism by studying the activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, the key rate-limiting enzyme in the pentose phosphate pathway. The simultaneous decrease in both insulin release and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity induced by blocking the autocrine insulin effect with three different procedures (blockage of insulin release by nifedipine, immune neutralization of the released insulin by antiinsulin serum, and blockage of an insulin intracellular effector such as phosphotidylinositol 3-kinase by wortmannin) strongly suggests a physiological role of sperm insulin on these two events. Insulin secretion by spermatozoa may provide an autocrine regulation of glucose metabolism based on their energetic needs independent of systemic insulin. In conclusion, these data open a new area of study in male reproduction.
10.1210/en.2004-1252
pubmed_558_6976
Evidence has accumulated that posterior superior temporal sulcus (STS) is critically involved in phonological processing during speech perception, although there are conflicting accounts regarding the degree of lateralization. The current fMRI experiment aimed to identify phonological processing during speech perception through repetition-suppression effects. Repetition-suppression occurs when brain activity decreases from repetitive presentation of stimulus characteristics, in regions of cortex that process those characteristics. We manipulated the degree of phonological repetition among words in short lists to obtain systematic decreases in brain response, indicative of phonological processing. The fMRI experiment presented seventeen participants with recorded wordlists, of low, medium, or high phonological repetition, defined by how many phonemes were shared among words. Bilaterally, middle STS demonstrated activity differences consistent with our prediction of repetition-suppression, as responses decreased systematically with each increase in phonological repetition. Phonological repetition-suppression in bilateral STS converges with neuroimaging evidence for phonological processing, and word deafness resulting from bilateral superior temporal lesions.
10.1016/j.neuroimage.2009.07.063
pubmed_20_3098
BACKGROUND Despite universal healthcare in some countries, lower socioeconomic status (SES) has been associated with worse cancer survival. The influence of SES on head and neck cancer (HNC) survival is of immense interest, since SES is associated with the risk and prognostic factors associated with this disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS Newly diagnosed HNC patients from 2003 to 2010 (n=2124) were identified at Toronto's Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. Principal component analysis was used to calculate a composite score using neighbourhood-level SES variables obtained from the 2006 Canada Census. Associations of SES with overall survival were evaluated in HNC subsets and by p16 status (surrogate for human papillomavirus). RESULTS SES score was higher for oral cavity (n=423) and p16-positive oropharyngeal cancer (OPC, n=404) patients compared with other disease sites. Lower SES was associated with worse survival [HR 1.14 (1.06-1.22), p=0.0002], larger tumor staging (p<0.001), current smoking (p<0.0001), heavier alcohol consumption (p<0.0001), and greater comorbidity (p<0.0002), but not with treatment regimen (p>0.20). After adjusting for age, sex, and stage, the lowest SES quintile was associated with the worst survival only for OPC patients [HR 1.66 (1.09-2.53), n=832], primarily in the p16-negative subset [HR 1.63 (0.96-2.79)]. The predictive ability of the prognostic models improved when smoking/alcohol was added to the model (c-index 0.71 vs. 0.69), but addition of SES did not (c-index 0.69). CONCLUSION SES was associated with survival, but this effect was lost after accounting for other factors (age, sex, TNM stage, smoking/alcohol). Lower SES was associated with greater smoking, alcohol consumption, comorbidity, and stage.
pubmed_20_3098
pubmed_435_4051
Fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) are integral membrane proteins that transmit signals through the plasma membrane. FGFRs signaling needs to be precisely adjusted as aberrant FGFRs function is associated with development of human cancers or severe metabolic diseases. The subcellular localization, trafficking and function of FGFRs rely on the formation of multiprotein complexes. In this study we revealed galectins, lectin family members implicated in cancer development and progression, as novel FGFR1 binding proteins. We demonstrated that galectin-1 and galectin-3 directly bind to the sugar chains of the glycosylated extracellular part of FGFR1. Although both galectins compete for the same binding sites on FGFR1, these proteins elicit different impact on FGFR1 function and cellular trafficking. Galectin-1 mimics fibroblast growth factor as it efficiently activates FGFR1 and receptor-downstream signaling pathways that result in cell proliferation and apoptotic evasion. In contrast, galectin-3 induces extensive clustering of FGFR1 on the cell surface that inhibits constitutive internalization of FGFR1. Our data point on the interplay between extracellular galectins and FGFRs in the regulation of cell fate.
10.1186/s12964-019-0371-1
pubmed_188_10217
High Resolution Microendoscopy (HRME) is a new imaging method which based on high resolution fiber and molecular imaging technology and it is possible to organize real-time imaging. After design and optimization of excitation light conduction part, fluorescent image transfer unit, optical fast switching unit and image capture unit, we constructe a HRME imaging system. We make an imaging observation of animal gastrointestinal tract by using HRME system and the results show that the feasibility of virtual pathology of HRME which lay the foundation for further clinical research. As an instant histopathological imaging method, HRME is expected to become a new immediate diagnosis model.
pubmed_188_10217
pubmed_704_15829
BACKGROUND Fibrinogen-like protein 1 (FGL1)-Lymphocyte activating gene 3 (LAG-3) pathway is a promising immunotherapeutic target and has synergistic effect with programmed death 1 (PD-1)/programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1). However, the prognostic significance of FGL1-LAG-3 pathway and the correlation with PD-L1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unknown. METHODS The levels of LAG-3, FGL1, PD-L1 and cytotoxic T (CD8+T) cells in 143 HCC patients were assessed by multiplex immunofluorescence. Associations between the marker's expression and clinical significances were studied. RESULTS We found FGL1 and LAG-3 densities were elevated while PD-L1 and CD8 were decreased in HCC tissues compared to adjacent normal liver tissues. High levels of FGL1 were strongly associated with high densities of LAG-3+cells but not PD-L1. CD8+ T cells densities had positive correlation with PD-L1 levels and negative association with FGL1 expression. Elevated densities of LAG-3+cells and low levels of CD8+ T cells were correlated with poor disease outcome. Moreover, LAG-3+cells deteriorated patient stratification based on the abundance of CD8+ T cells. Patients with positive PD-L1 expression on tumor cells (PD-L1 TC+) tended to have an improved survival than that with negative PD-L1 expression on tumor cells (PD-L1 TC-). Furthermore, PD-L1 TC- in combination with high densities of LAG-3+cells showed the worst prognosis, and PD-L1 TC+ patients with low densities of LAG-3+cells had the best prognosis. CONCLUSIONS LAG-3, FGL1, PD-L1 and CD8 have distinct tissue distribution and relationships with each other. High levels of LAG-3+cells and CD8+ T cells represent unfavorable and favorable prognostic biomarkers for HCC respectively.
10.1186/s12967-020-02469-8
pubmed_570_25155
Elbow injuries, both acute and chronic sports-related cases, have increased over the last decade. With one in every four members of a household participating in sports, both clinics and radiology departments are seeing more patients with elbow pain. High-resolution ultrasound is well suited for evaluating the elbow. Ultrasound is growing in popularity and fast becoming another modality that the radiologist can use to help diagnose elbow pathology. With advancing transducer technology and accessibility, ultrasound offers focused and real-time high-resolution imaging of tendons, ligaments, and nerve structures. Its advantages include the use of safe nonionizing radiation, accessibility, and cost effectiveness. Another unique advantage is its ability for dynamic assessment of tendon and ligament structures such as in cases of partial tears of the medial ulnar collateral ligament or ulnar nerve dislocation. It is also easy to assess the contralateral side as a control. Ultrasound is also useful in therapeutic guided injections for its multiplanar capability and clear visualization of major vessels and nerves. We discuss the unique application of ultrasound in evaluating common elbow pathology and in advanced ultrasound-guided treatments such as dextrose prolotherapy and platelet-rich plasma.
10.1055/s-0030-1263260
pubmed_1042_17295
BACKGROUND Odontoid fracture is a common injury especially in elderly people. Despite some recent studies arguing in favor of surgery, the best treatment is still being debated. OBJECTIVE We systematically review and analyze the comparative literature between surgical and conservative treatments of odontoid fractures. METHODS We systematically searched Medline and the Cochrane Library for studies reported from January 1990 to May 2019 in English. Comparative studies evaluating the results of surgical and conservative treatments for odontoid fractures were eligible for inclusion. Combined relative risks (RRs) for mortality at last follow-up, union or nonunion rates, and complications were calculated. Methodological quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Influence of age and year of publication on treatment effect was explored using a meta-regression analysis. RESULTS A total of 1438 articles were identified, of which 30 articles with 2463 patients were eligible for inclusion. There was a trend toward lower mortality in the surgical group (RR, 0.80; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.63-1.02). Nonunion rates (RR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.28-0.6) were lower in the surgical group. Union rates were higher in the surgical group (RR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.11-1.45). No significant influence of age or year of publication on treatment effect was found. CONCLUSIONS Based on this meta-analysis of nonrandomized comparative studies, surgical treatment seems not to be inferior to conservative treatments. The conclusions of this study remain limited by the low quality of the evidence available. Randomized controlled studies are required.
10.1016/j.wneu.2020.02.169
pubmed_189_18593
A new bacterium, Rhodococcus sp. S2-17, which could completely degrade an emerging organic pollutant, benzophenone-3 (BP-3), was isolated from contaminated sediment through an enrichment procedure, and its BP-3 catabolic pathway and genes were identified through metabolic intermediate and transcriptomic analyses and biochemical and genetic studies. Metabolic intermediate analysis suggested that strain S2-17 may degrade BP-3 using a catabolic pathway progressing via the intermediates BP-1, 2,4,5-trihydroxy-benzophenone, 3-hydroxy-4-benzoyl-2,4-hexadienedioic acid, 4-benzoyl-3-oxoadipic acid, 3-oxoadipic acid, and benzoic acid. A putative BP-3 catabolic gene cluster including cytochrome P450, flavin-dependent oxidoreductase, hydroxyquinol 1,2-dioxygenase, maleylacetate reductase, and α/β hydrolase genes was identified through genomic and transcriptomic analyses. Genes encoding the cytochrome P450 complex that demethylates BP-3 to BP-1 were functionally verified through protein expression, and the functions of the other genes were also verified through knockout mutant construction and intermediate analysis. This study suggested that strain S2-17 might have acquired the ability to catabolize BP-3 by recruiting the cytochrome P450 complex and α/β hydrolase, which hydrolyzes 4-benzoyl-3-oxoadipic acid to benzoic acid and 3-oxoadipic acid, genes, providing insights into the recruitment of genes of for the catabolism of emerging organic pollutants.
10.1016/j.envpol.2022.118890
pubmed_601_2382
The recA+ lexA+-dependent induction of four Escherichia coli SOS proteins was readily observed by two-dimensional gel analysis. In addition to the 38-kilodalton (kDa) RecA protein, which was induced in the greatest amounts and was readily identified, three other proteins of 115, 62, and 12 kDa were seen. The 115-kDa protein is the product of the uvrA gene, which is required for nucleotide excision repair and has previously been shown to be induced in the SOS response. The 62-kDa protein, which was induced to high intracellular levels, is the product of recN, a gene required for recBC-independent recombination. The recA and recN genes were partially derepressed in a recBC sbcB genetic background, a phenomenon which might account for the recombination proficiency of such strains. The 12-kDa protein has yet to be identified.
10.1128/jb.164.2.653-658.1985
pubmed_362_12502
INTRODUCTION The optimal surgical management of BRCA-mutation carriers remains a subject of debate. To evaluate the appropriateness of breast cancer (BC) treatment, the oncological outcomes of BRCA-mutation carriers treated either with breast-conserving therapy (BCT) or mastectomy were compared. Additionally, the role of bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO) and potential independent predictive factors for BC treatment were analyzed. MATERIALS AND METHODS We retrospectively reviewed all the consecutive patients with a pathogenic germline mutation in the BRCA1/2 genes tested at our Institution between July 2008 and October 2018. Primary end-points were disease-free survival (DFS), distant disease-free survival (DDFS), and overall survival (OS). RESULTS The characteristics and outcomes of 124 BRCA-associated BC patients were analyzed. Overall, 69 (55.7%) and 55 (44.3%) patients underwent BCT and mastectomy, respectively; 72 (58.1%) patients underwent BSO. After a median interval of 13.3 months, 24 patients underwent mastectomy after primary BCT. There was no significant difference in terms of DFS, DDFS, and OS between patients treated with BCT or mastectomy (p = 0.39,p = 0.27,p = 0.265, respectively). Patients treated with BSO had significantly better DDFS and OS compared to ovarian conservation (p = 0.033,p = 0.040, respectively). Three independent predictive factors for BCT were identified: age ≤41 years, genetic testing performed post-operatively, and breast tumors ≤21 mm. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that BRCA-mutation carriers treated with BCT present similar oncological outcomes compared to mastectomy. Ovarian preservation decreases survival. Young BRCA-mutated patients with small BCs may not need up-front mastectomy, and BSO might be performed when ovarian cancer risk epidemiologically rises and potential reproductive desire is fulfilled.
10.1016/j.ejso.2022.04.024
pubmed_578_11147
A new degradant of sultamicillin drug substance was found during the gradient reverse phase HPLC analysis of stability storage samples. The level of this degradant impurity was observed up to 1.0%. The impurity (formaldehyde adduct with 5-oxo-4-phenylimidazolidin-1-yl moiety) was identified by LC/MS and was characterized by ((1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, 2D-NMR ((1)H-(1)H COSY, NOESY, HSQC and HMBC), LC/MS/MS, MS/TOF, elemental analysis and IR. This impurity was prepared by isolation and co-injected into HPLC system to confirm the retention time.
10.1016/j.jpba.2010.09.016
pubmed_198_315
Iodo[14C]antipyrine autoradiography was used to measure gastric mucosal blood flow in anesthetized rats and to study regional distribution. Blood flows of 61 +/- 8 ml.100 g-1.min-1 (means +/- SE) in corpus and 84 +/- 9 ml.100 g-1.min-1 in antral mucosa compared well with previously reported measurements by hydrogen clearance. Blood flow in the crests of corpus mucosal folds was significantly higher than in the valleys between folds, indicating that the greater susceptibility of the former areas to acute injury, documented in several studies, is not associated with a perfusion defect in the resting stomach. Corpus mucosal blood flow was also higher in the side walls of the stomach than in the greater curvature region, and in distal than in proximal locations. No systematic regional variations within antral mucosa were demonstrated.
10.1152/ajpgi.1988.254.4.G566
pubmed_121_25678
OBJECTIVE Pituitary adenomas frequently extend into the suprasellar space. After a suprasellar tumor is removed, the superiorly extended arachnoid becomes redundant and sinks down into the intrasellar space which often hiders visualization and accessibility to the hidden space behind the evaginated arachnoid. We introduced arachnoid remodeling by clipping technique, and evaluated its usefulness and safety during TSS. METHODS Total 223 patients who underwent arachnoid remodeling with our new clipping technique were included. Redundant arachnoid was clipped along the dural edge with multiple 2.6-mm titanium clips until the redundant arachnoid membrane no longer blocked the surgical route. To check for possible deterioration of hormonal function by this technique, we assessed anterior pituitary function of 166 patients who underwent arachnoid remodeling by clipping and compared this with those of other 429 control patients. RESULTS Our technique greatly enhanced the accessibility and visualization of intrasellar and parasellar spaces, both of which are generally hindered by redundant arachnoid during transsphenoidal surgery (TSS). We found no difference in anterior pituitary function between a clip-assisted arachnoid remodeling group and the control group, implying that this technique does not result in hypopituitarism. CONCLUSION During TSS for pituitary adenomas with suprasellar extension, arachnoid remodeling by clipping technique is very useful and convenient for the management of the redundant arachnoid membrane to enhance visualization and surgical accessibility.
10.3340/jkns.2021.0164
pubmed_738_419
PURPOSE This study was aimed to compare the incidence of dentinal microcracks produced by 3 kinds of Ni-Ti instruments during root canal procedures in severely curved canals. METHODS Two hundred and forty extracted human molars with mesial roots of 25° to 40° curvatures were selected and divided into A, B, C group, with 80 teeth in each group according to root curvature of 25°-30°(excluding 25°), 30°-35°,35°-40°. Each of them was prepared with K file to 15#. Then, each group was divided into 4 sub-groups (n=20), one was as control, the others were prepared with WaveOne, ProTaper Next and M3-Pro, respectively. After preparation, all roots were stained with 1% methylene blue for 24 hours. The roots were then sectioned at the most curved plane and 2mm below and above the most curved plane with alow-speed saw under cold water. Stereomicroscope was used to inspect dentinal microcracks and differences between each group were analyzed using Chi-square test with SPSS 20.0 software package. RESULTS Microcracks were observed in the group of WaveOne, ProTaper Next and M3-Pro. WaveOne system induced more dentinal microcracks compared with ProTaper Next and M3-Pro system (P<0.05), and there was no significant difference between ProTaper Next and M3-Pro system (P>0.05). The number of dentinal microcracks in WaveOne, ProTaper Next and M3-Pro group increased with the increase of root curvature. Except Waveone in group A (25°-30°) and group C (35°-40°), the occurrence of dentinal microcracks in two groups had significant difference (P<0.05), there was no significant difference among other groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS Compared to WaveOne, ProTaper Next and M3-Pro are more suitable for severely curved canal preparation.
pubmed_738_419
pubmed_157_2081
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Polycystic liver disease (PCLD) represents a group of genetic disorders that include autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) and isolated polycystic liver disease (iPCLD). There is currently no definitive treatment except for liver transplantation. The aim of this study was to assess the expression level of aquaporin 1 (AQP1) on the PCLD cysts with different sizes and provide the potential therapeutic target. METHODS We collected 3 normal bile ducts, and recruited 8 patients with simple liver cyst disease, 24 patients with ADPKD, and 17 patients with iPCLD. AQP1 expression in different types of cyst walls and in normal bile ducts was detected using real time quantitative PCR, western blot and immunofluorescence staining. We also compared AQP1 expression levels in cysts of different sizes. Besides, ionic concentrations, pH and osmolality of cyst fluid were analyzed. RESULTS The results showed that AQP1 expression in PCLD cysts was significantly higher than that in simple liver cysts and the normal bile ducts. In addition, a comparable increasing trend was found in cysts of smaller sizes to cysts of larger sizes. pH values, the sodium and chloride concentrations were higher in cyst fluid than that in the serum. CONCLUSIONS AQP1 was overexpressed in cystic cholangiocytes. A tendency of increased AQP1 protein expression in correlation with the cyst size was also found. These observations offered a direction into the molecular mechanisms of cyst expansion and maybe provide new treatment strategies to reduce fluid secretion into liver cysts.
10.17235/reed.2015.3960/2015
pubmed_46_13962
Human foamy virus (HFV) is the prototype of the Spumavirus genus of Retroviridae. In all other retroviruses, the pol gene products, including reverse transcriptase, are synthesized as Gag-Pol fusion proteins and are cleaved to functional enzymes during viral budding or release. In contrast, the Pol protein of HFV is translated from a spliced messenger RNA and lacks Gag domains. Infectious HFV particles contain double-stranded DNA similar in size to full-length provirus, suggesting that reverse transcription has taken place in viral particles before new rounds of infection, reminiscent of hepadnaviruses. These data suggest that foamy viruses possess a replication pathway containing features of both retroviruses and hepadnaviruses but distinct from both.
10.1126/science.271.5255.1579
pubmed_405_25495
A new nanocomposite, poly(aniline-co-diphenylamine-4-sulfonic acid)/graphene (PANISP/rGO), was prepared by means of an in situ oxidation copolymerization of aniline (ANI) with diphenylamine-4-sulfonic acid (SP) in the presence of graphene oxide, followed by the chemical reduction of graphene oxide using hydrazine hydrate as a reductant. The morphology and structure of PANISP/rGO were characterized by field-emission (FE) SEM, TEM, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman, FTIR, and UV/Vis spectra. The electrochemical performance was evaluated by cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge-discharge, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The PANISP/rGO nanocomposite showed a nanosized structure, with sulfonic polyaniline nanoarrays coated homogeneously on the surface of graphene nanosheets. This special structure of the nanocomposite also facilitates the enhancement of the electrochemical performance of the electrodes. The PANISP/rGO nanocomposite exhibits a specific supercapacitance up to 1170 F g(-1) at the current density of 0.5 A g(-1) . The as-prepared electrodes show excellent supercapacitive performance because of the synergistic effects between graphene and the sulfonic polyaniline copolymer chains.
10.1002/chem.201404840
pubmed_246_4025
Spontaneous mutants defective in a membrane component of the phosphoenolpyruvate-glucose phosphotransferase system were isolated by plating cells of Streptococcus sanguis 10556, Streptococcus mutans GS5-2 and NCTC 10449 on agar containing lactose and 2-deoxyglucose. Toluenized cells of these mutants were defective in their ability to catalyse the phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent phosphorylation of 2-deoxyglucose. The parental strains were mainly homofermentative when grown in batch culture in the presence of various sugars. Nevertheless, the mutants produced acetate, formate and ethanol when cultured in the presence of glucose but were homofermentative when grown in the presence of lactose or maltose. Analysis of one mutant isolated from Strep. sanguis (mutant GS26) revealed normal levels of glucokinase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, puruvate kinase and lactate dehydrogenase. This last enzyme was dependent on fructose 1,6-diphosphate for catalytic activity. The determination of the intracellular level of fructose 1,6-diphosphate (FDP) during growth of the cells in batch culture showed that the mutant strains contained 2 to 15 times less FDP than the parental strains. Growth experiments performed at pH 6.0 and 7.0 with Strep. sanguis and its PTS-negative mutant GS26 suggested that the regulation of pyruvate metabolism in this bacterium include the intracellular level of FDP and the initial hydrogen concentration of the growth medium. The results also suggested that, in these bacteria, an active PTS is required to maintain the intracellular concentration of FDP high enough to keep the cell homofermentative during growth in batch culture.
10.1016/0003-9969(83)90089-4
pubmed_389_4519
As Shanghai's population increases and currently being boosted by an influx of foreigners, there has been pressure on the subway system and this has led to a great concern for the aged and disabled people (including foreigners) who use the subway during emergency situations. The present study uses an exploratory research approach including a focus group discussion (FGD) and interviews to uncover the experiences, safety concerns, and challenges that the aged and disabled faces when using the subway. A total of 38 participants were involved in the study, which comprises of three FGDs and interviews conducted in the city of Shanghai. The findings reveal that most aged and disabled subway riders have little or no knowledge about emergency safety measures or safety symbols, the administering of first aid and have language barrier concerns. This study recommends that policy makers and sub-way operators should get the aged and disabled people involved in developing more educational programs that will help them to better the concept of safety prevention measures and it also suggests holding more emergency drills involving the aged and disabled. Braille language symbols, sign languages on TV screens, specially designed sub-way maps, low-frequency alarms with flashing lights, and information printed in multiple international languages should also be provided to help foreigners understand the instructions and information in the subways. Additionally, these measures could help all commuters to feel safer when using the subway.
10.5055/jem.2017.0311
pubmed_332_19609
The potential benefits and mechanism of explosive explosion shockwave pretreatment on sludge dewatering treatments were investigated in this study. Water content of sludge cake after centrifugation was used to evaluate sludge dewaterability. Particle size, viscosity, turbidity, and micrograph were determined to explain the observed changes in the pretreatment process. The results indicated that the optimal pretreatment condition, generating the lowest water content of sludge cake, was 25 g explosive and 96.7% original sludge water content. This condition resulted in the reduced particle size and viscosity as well as increased turbidity. Particle size and viscosity significantly contributed to enhance sludge dewaterability. Micrograph investigation indicated that explosive explosion shockwave pretreatment could rupture sludge flocs, release physically bound water, and extracellular substances into the solution, consequently enhancing sludge dewaterability.
10.1016/j.biortech.2012.05.129
pubmed_634_16780
Rett syndrome (RTT) is an early-onset neurodevelopmental disorder that primarily affects females, resulting in severe cognitive and physical disabilities, and is one of the most prevalent causes of intellectual disability in females. More than fifty years after the first publication on Rett syndrome, and almost two decades since the first report linking RTT to the MECP2 gene, the research community's effort is focused on obtaining a better understanding of the genetics and the complex biology of RTT and Rett-like phenotypes without MECP2 mutations. Herein, we review the current molecular genetic studies, which investigate the genetic causes of RTT or Rett-like phenotypes which overlap with other genetic disorders and document the swift evolution of the techniques and methodologies employed. This review also underlines the clinical and genetic heterogeneity of the Rett syndrome spectrum and provides an overview of the RTT-related genes described to date, many of which are involved in epigenetic gene regulation, neurotransmitter action or RNA transcription/translation. Finally, it discusses the importance of including both phenotypic and genetic diagnosis to provide proper genetic counselling from a patient's perspective and the appropriate treatment.
10.3390/ijms20163925
pubmed_886_19323
CONTEXT Ocular manifestations of lymphoma are rare events. Most reports of ocular involvement in lymphoma are case reports or reports of a few patients. AIMS To determine the ophthalmic disorders in adult, African, lymphoma patients. SETTINGS AND DESIGN A prospective study of ocular disorders in adult patients with lymphoma was conducted at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria, between July 2004 and June 2007. MATERIALS AND METHODS The patients were interviewed and examined by the authors and the ocular findings recorded. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS Data was analyzed on computer with the aid of the Instat GraghPad v2.05a statistical package software. The mean, standard deviation, Mann-Whitney U-statistic and P value were calculated. RESULTS A total of 111 patients with hematological malignancies were seen over a period of three years of which 62 (55.85%) had lymphomas. Of these, 51(82.3%) were non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and 11(17.7%) were Hodgkin's lymphoma. Ocular disorders occurred in 16 patients (31.4%) with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and none of the patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma (Mann-Whitney U-statistic is equal to 7.500, U' is equal to161.50, P< 0.0001). The ocular disorders due to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were seen as - proptosis in six patients (11.8%), retinopathies in three (5.9%), conjunctival infiltration in three (5.9%), optic atrophy in two (3.9%), keratoconjunctivitis in one (two per cent), desquamating nodular lid lesions in one (two per cent), papilloedema in one (two per cent), and upper lid mass in one (two per cent). Four patients (6.5%) had monocular blindness. CONCLUSIONS Ophthalmic disorders are relatively common in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Ophthalmic evaluation is needed in these patients for early identification and treatment of potentially blinding conditions.
10.4103/0974-9233.58420
pubmed_669_97
Adolescent female gymnasts are a vulnerable population in terms of their diet, as their nutritional needs are higher due to their growth and high daily training demands. The Mediterranean diet (MD) is a well-known dietary pattern that is associated with a greater nutritional adequacy and a lower prevalence of overweight. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the degree of adherence to the MD among adolescent female athletes who participated in all disciplines of gymnastics in Greece, as well as to explore the potential correlations between MD adherence, body weight, and body mass index (BMI). A total of 269 female gymnasts (between 11-18 years old) completed the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index (KIDMED) and reported their weight and height. Approximately 10% of the participants were underweight and a mere 5.6% were classified as overweight. A high adherence to the MD was reported by 34.9% of the sample and this was correlated with a healthier BMI. Moreover, specific eating habits, such as eating nuts 2-3 times per week and eating fast-food less than once-weekly, were also associated with BMI. Athletes, parents, and coaches of gymnastics should be informed and educated regarding balanced nutrition habits. Future studies could evaluate adherence to MD, as well as the factors that influence the eating behaviors of adolescent female and male athletes in various sports.
10.3390/children8121135
pubmed_9_12320
Based on the tail-flick response to noxious thermal stimuli, we determined in the present study that the minimal effective antinociceptive dose of propofol in adult, male Sprague-Dawley rats, given in an intravenous bolus manner, was 10 mg/kg. Simultaneous power spectral analysis of the electroencephalographic (EEG) and systemic arterial pressure signals further revealed a concomitant transient suppression of the EEG activity, primarily in the theta and sigma bands, alongside minor hypotensive and negative inotropic and chronotropic actions, but with maintained vasomotor tone. These alterations followed a time course that paralleled the plasma concentration of propofol in the arterial blood, as detected by high-performance liquid chromatography.
10.1016/0304-3940(93)90312-9
pubmed_558_11277
This paper is concerned with the detachment of particles from coalescing bubble pairs. Two bubbles were generated at adjacent capillaries and coated with hydrophobic glass particles of mean diameter 66 microm. The bubbles were then positioned next to each other until the thin liquid film between them ruptured. The particles that dropped from the bubble surface during the coalescence process were collected and measured. The coalescence process was very vigorous and observations showed that particles detached from the bubble surfaces as a result of the oscillations caused by coalescence. The attached particles themselves and, to some extent the presence of the surfactant had a damping affect on the bubble oscillation, which played a decisive role on the particle detachment phenomena. The behaviour of particles on the surfaces of the bubbles during coalescence was described, and implications of results for the flotation process were discussed.
10.1016/j.jcis.2009.07.003
pubmed_402_12382
Outsourcing has become increasingly widespread throughout industrialized societies over the past 20 years. Accompanying this has been a renewed growth in home-based work, sometimes using new technologies (telework) but also entailing a re-emergence of old forms, such as clothing outwork, used extensively 100 years ago. A growing body of research indicates that changes to work organization associated with outsourcing adversely affect occupational health and safety (OHS), both for outsourced workers and for those working alongside them. This study assessed the OHS implications of the shift to home-based workers in the Australian clothing industry by systematically comparing the OHS experiences of 100 factory-based workers and 100 outworkers. The level of self-reported injury was over three times higher among outworkers than factory-based workers undertaking similar tasks. The most significant factor explaining this difference was the payment system. All outworkers were paid solely by the piece, whereas factory workers were paid either under a time plus production bonus system or solely on a time basis. While the incidence of injury was far higher among outworkers, factory-based workers paid under an incentive system reported more injuries than those paid solely on a time basis. Increasing injury was correlated with piecework payment systems.
10.2190/71L1-KRFN-P5QJ-XCNX
pubmed_570_11911
Clostridium sordellii is an emerging pathogen associated with highly lethal female reproductive tract infections following childbirth, abortion, or cervical instrumentation. Gaps in our understanding of the pathogenesis of C. sordellii infections present major challenges to the development of better preventive and therapeutic strategies against this problem. We sought to determine the mechanisms whereby uterine decidual macrophages phagocytose this bacterium and tested the hypothesis that human decidual macrophages use class A scavenger receptors to internalize unopsonized C. sordellii. In vitro phagocytosis assays with human decidual macrophages incubated with pharmacological inhibitors of class A scavenger receptors (fucoidan, polyinosinic acid, and dextran sulfate) revealed a role for these receptors in C. sordellii phagocytosis. Soluble macrophage receptor with collagenous structure (MARCO) receptor prevented C. sordellii internalization, suggesting that MARCO is an important class A scavenger receptor in decidual macrophage phagocytosis of this microbe. Peritoneal macrophages from MARCO-deficient mice, but not wild-type or scavenger receptor AI/II-deficient mice, showed impaired C. sordellii phagocytosis. MARCO-null mice were more susceptible to death from C. sordellii uterine infection than wild-type mice and exhibited impaired clearance of this bacterium from the infected uterus. Thus, MARCO is an important phagocytic receptor used by human and mouse macrophages to clear C. sordellii from the infected uterus.
10.4049/jimmunol.1000989
pubmed_1102_10983
BACKGROUND Childhood trauma (CT) increases the risk of adult depression. Buffering effects require an understanding of the underlying persistent risk pathways. This study examined whether daily psychological stress processes - how an individual interprets and affectively responds to minor everyday events - mediate the effect of CT on adult depressive symptoms. METHODS Middle-aged women (N = 183) reported CT at baseline and completed daily diaries of threat appraisals and negative evening affect for 7 days at baseline, 9, and 18 months. Depressive symptoms were measured across the 1.5-year period. Mediation was examined using multilevel structural equation modeling. RESULTS Reported CT predicted greater depressive symptoms over the 1.5-year time period (estimate = 0.27, s.e. = 0.07, 95% CI 0.15-0.38, p < 0.001). Daily threat appraisals and negative affect mediated the effect of reported CT on depressive symptoms (estimate = 0.34, s.e. = 0.08, 95% CI 0.22-0.46, p < 0.001). Daily threat appraisals explained more than half of this effect (estimate = 0.19, s.e. = 0.07, 95% CI 0.08-0.30, p = 0.004). Post hoc analyses in individuals who reported at least moderate severity of CT showed that lower threat appraisals buffered depressive symptoms. A similar pattern was found in individuals who reported no/low severity of CT. CONCLUSIONS A reported history of CT acts as a latent vulnerability, exaggerating threat appraisals of everyday events, which trigger greater negative evening affect - processes that have important mental health consequences and may provide malleable intervention targets.
10.1017/S0033291721000921
pubmed_272_14031
Stromal-derived factor 1 (SDF-1) is a -CXC- chemokine that plays a critical role in embryonic and adult hematopoiesis, and its specific receptor, CXCR4, has been implicated in stem cell homing. In this study, it is shown that the addition of SDF-1 to long-term cultures (LTCs) of normal human marrow can selectively, reversibly, and specifically block the S-phase entry of primitive quiescent erythroid and granulopoietic colony-forming cells (CFCs) present in the adherent layer. Conversely, addition of anti-SDF-1 antibody or SDF-1(G2), a specific CXCR4 antagonist, to preactivated human LTCs prevented both types of primitive CFCs from re-entering a quiescent state, demonstrating that endogenous SDF-1 contributes to the control of primitive CFC proliferation in the LTC system. Interestingly, SDF-1 failed to arrest the proliferation of primitive chronic myeloid leukemia CFCs in the adherent layer of LTCs containing normal marrow stromal cells. In vivo, injection of SDF-1 arrested the cycling of normal human LTC-initiating cells as well as primitive CFCs in the marrow of nonobese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficient mice engrafted with human cord blood cells. Conversely, injection of the antagonist, SDF-1(G2), reactivated the cycling of quiescent primitive human CFCs present in the marrow of mice engrafted with human marrow cells. These studies are the first to demonstrate a potential physiological role of SDF-1 in regulating the cell-cycle status of primitive hematopoietic cells and suggest that the deregulated cycling activity of primitive chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) cells is due to the BCR-ABL-mediated disruption of a pathway shared by multiple chemokine receptors.
10.1182/blood.v99.3.792
pubmed_72_21638
PURPOSE The decision regarding return to activity (RTA) after mild traumatic brain injuries/concussion is one of the most difficult and controversial areas in concussion management, particularly for youth. This study investigated how youth with postconcussion syndrome (PCS) are affected by exertion and whether standardized exertion testing using the McMaster All-Out Progressive Continuous Cycling Test can contribute to clinical decision making for safe RTA. METHODS Fifty-four youth (8.5-18.3 yr) with a previously confirmed concussion participated in the study. Each participant performed exertion testing on a cycle ergometer and completed a Postconcussion Symptom scale at the following time points: before exertion (baseline), 5 and 30 min, and 24 h after exertion. A modified Postconcussion Symptom scale was administered at 2-min intervals during exertion. RESULTS Participants had a mean ± SD symptom duration of 6.3 ± 6.9 months after the most recent concussive injury, with a median of 4.1 months (range, 0.7-35 months). Sixty-three percent of participants had symptoms during exertion testing. Symptom profile (number and severity) significantly affected perception of exertion at 50% peak mechanical power. During acute assessment of symptoms (30-min after exertion), headache (P = 0.39), nausea (P = 0.63), and dizziness (P = 0.35) did not change. However, both the number and severity of symptoms significantly improved over 24 h, with 56.8% of youth showing improvements. The time from the most recent injury had a significant effect on the symptom score at baseline, 30 min after exertion, and 24 h after exertion. CONCLUSIONS Exertion testing has an important role in the evaluation of symptoms and readiness to RTA, particularly in youth who are slow to recover. Overall, controlled exertion seemed to lesson symptoms for most youth.
10.1249/MSS.0000000000000682
pubmed_260_22289
Anaphylaxis is a growing paediatric clinical emergency that is difficult to diagnose because a consensus definition was lacking until recently. Many European countries have no specific guidelines for anaphylaxis. This position paper prepared by the EAACI Taskforce on Anaphylaxis in Children aims to provide practical guidelines for managing anaphylaxis in childhood based on the limited evidence available. Intramuscular adrenaline is the acknowledged first-line therapy for anaphylaxis, in hospital and in the community, and should be given as soon as the condition is recognized. Additional therapies such as volume support, nebulized bronchodilators, antihistamines or corticosteroids are supplementary to adrenaline. There are no absolute contraindications to administering adrenaline in children. Allergy assessment is mandatory in all children with a history of anaphylaxis because it is essential to identify and avoid the allergen to prevent its recurrence. A tailored anaphylaxis management plan is needed, based on an individual risk assessment, which is influenced by the child's previous allergic reactions, other medical conditions and social circumstances. Collaborative partnerships should be established, involving school staff, healthcare professionals and patients' organizations. Absolute indications for prescribing self-injectable adrenaline are prior cardiorespiratory reactions, exercise-induced anaphylaxis, idiopathic anaphylaxis and persistent asthma with food allergy. Relative indications include peanut or tree nut allergy, reactions to small quantities of a given food, food allergy in teenagers and living far away from a medical facility. The creation of national and European databases is expected to generate better-quality data and help develop a stepwise approach for a better management of paediatric anaphylaxis.
10.1111/j.1398-9995.2007.01421.x
pubmed_200_13458
The thermal dimerization of three [n]cumulenes (n = 5, 7, and 9) has been investigated, and a common reactivity pattern is observed that gives radialenes and expanded radialenes through regioselective cycloaddition reactions; all three products are characterized using X-ray crystallography.
10.1039/c5cc05679a
pubmed_908_19614
Bartonella spp. are emerging pathogens that are reported as the cause of blood culture-negative endocarditis ( BCNE). However, echocardiographic features and assessment of this endocarditis remains unclear. Four patients with B. henselae endocarditis were identified. All patients had underlying cardiac conditions: rheumatic heart disease in three, congenital heart disease in one. Evidence of vegetations was found on the aortic valve in all patients with large, highly mobile vegetations and severely destroyed valves demonstrated by the transthoracic echocardiogram leading to severe aortic regurgitation and heart failure. The vegetations were found on both the aortic and the mitral valve in two patients. All patients had negative blood cultures and underwent urgent valves replacement due to heart failure with good clinical outcome. The diagnosis of B. henselae endocarditis is based mainly on clinical suspicion in BCNE, specific serologic testing and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection on excised valve tissue.
10.14740/cr595w
pubmed_50_19346
Purpose Gene rearrangements involving NTRK1/2/3 can generate fusion oncoproteins containing the kinase domains of TRKA/B/C, respectively. These fusions are rare in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with frequency previously estimated to be <1%. Inhibition of TRK signaling has led to dramatic responses across tumor types with NTRK fusions. Despite the potential benefit of identifying these fusions, the clinicopathologic features of NTRK fusion-positive NSCLCs are not well characterized. Methods We compiled a database of NSCLC cases harboring NTRK fusions. We characterized the clinical, molecular, and histologic features of these cases with central review of histology. Results We identified 11 NSCLC cases harboring NTRK gene fusions verified by next-generation sequencing (NGS) and with available clinical and pathologic data, forming the study cohort. Fusions involved NTRK1 (7 cases) and NTRK3 (4 cases), with 5 and 2 distinct fusion partners, respectively. Cohort patients were 55% male, with a median age at diagnosis of 47.6 years (range 25.3-86.0) and a median pack year history of 0 (range 0-58). 73% of patients had metastatic disease at diagnosis. No concurrent alterations in KRAS, EGFR, ALK, ROS1, or other known oncogenic drivers were identified. Nine cases were adenocarcinoma, including 2 invasive mucinous adenocarcinomas and 1 adenocarcinoma with neuroendocrine features; one was squamous cell carcinoma; and one was neuroendocrine carcinoma. By collating data on 4872 consecutively screened NSCLC cases from unique patients, we estimate a frequency of NTRK fusions in NSCLC of 0.23% (95% CI 0.11-0.40). Conclusion NTRK fusions occur in NSCLCs across genders, ages, smoking histories, and histologies. Given the potent clinical activity of TRK inhibitors, we advocate that all NSCLCs be screened for NTRK fusions using a multiplexed NGS-based fusion assay.
10.1200/PO.18.00037
pubmed_385_5138
The Rab family small G proteins regulate discrete steps in vesicular transport pathways. Recent studies indicate that one member of the Rab family, Rab27A, regulates the transport of lysosome-related organelles, such as melanosome distribution in melanocytes, lytic granule release in cytotoxic T cells, and dense granule release in platelets. Here, we have examined the involvement of Rab27A in the exocytic transport of another lysosome-related organelle, the basophilic secretory granule, in basophils. We have found that Rab27A locates on basophilic secretory granules containing histamine in rat basophilic leukemia (RBL) 2H3 cells. In addition, exogenous expression of dominant active Rab27A reduces antigen-induced histamine release from the cells. We have moreover identified Munc13-4 as a Rab27A target using a CytoTrap system and found that exogenous expression of Munc13-4 affects antigen-induced histamine release from RBL-2H3 cells. These results demonstrate that Rab27A plays a crucial role in antigen-induced histamine release from RBL-2H3 cells.
10.1016/j.bbrc.2004.09.050