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pubmed_88_1553 | Cavitation is an effective physical mechanism for concentrating mechanical energy. Accordingly, it has wide applications in such diverse fields as sonochemistry, in which chemical reactions are initiated or accelerated, or in the electronic component cleaning industry in which particles (and other materials) are removed from surfaces. However, devices designed to act as cavitation monitors have had little success, partly because their intrusiveness often affects the cavitation field itself. Presented here is a brief description of a unique cavitation monitor that utilizes the phenomenon of sonoluminescence as an indirect quantifier of cavitation. It appears to work efficiently over a broad range of acoustic field intensities and its application to megasonic cleaning has provided interesting and valuable insights into this technology. | 10.1121/1.1498856 |
pubmed_1036_68 | Electronic fetal heart rate monitoring is a useful monitoring tool to assess intrapartum fetal wellbeing and has been shown to improve perinatal outcomes in at-risk fetuses. This article describes the benefits, criticisms of its use during labour, the pathophysiology and care pathway based on the cardiotocogram features. | 10.12968/hmed.2008.69.7.30414 |
pubmed_13_5583 | In 2012, a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) transitioned from an open plan (OP) to a dual occupancy (DO) NICU. The DO design aimed to provide a developmental appropriate, family-centered environment for neonates and their families. During planning, staff questioned the impact DO would have on staff workflow and activity. To explore the impact of changing from an OP to a DO NICU, a prospective longitudinal study was undertaken from 2011 to 2014, using observational, time and motion, and surveys methods. Main outcome measures included distance walked by staff, minutes of staff activity, and staff perceptions of the DO design. Results highlighted no significant difference in the distances clinical nurses walked nor time spent providing direct clinical care, whereas technical support staff walked further than other staff in both designs. Staff perceived the DO design created a developmentally appropriate, family-centered environment that facilitated communication and collaboration between staff and families. Staff described the main challenges of the DO design such as effective staff communication, gaining educational opportunities, and the isolation of staff and families compared to the OP design. Our study provides new evidence that DO provides an improved developmentally environment and has similar positive benefits to single-family room for neonates and families. Such design may reduce the larger floor plan's impact on staff walking distance and work practices. Challenges of staff transition can be minimized by planning and leadership throughout the development and move to a new design. | 10.1177/1937586718779360 |
pubmed_656_13120 | Preserving genetic material in cryogenic conditions presents a viable alternative for the protection of species' gene variability. However, there is an enormous need to establish and test cryopreservation protocols that are suitable for each diverse cell type to guarantee technical success in the long run. Considering this, fibroblasts from jaguar (Panthera onca), oncilla (Leopardus tigrinus), and pampas cat (Leopardus colocolo) were subjected to cell characterization and then cryopreservation in different cryoprotectant solutions (2.5%, 10% dimethyl sulfoxide [DMSO] or CryoSOfree™). Further testing was conducted to determine each solution's performance in preserving cell viability. In culture, a growth curve to assess cellular growth potential showed that exponential proliferation lasts for about the first 50 hours of in vitro culturing, declining in pace afterward. L. colocolo and L. tigrinus presented no difference in cell viability while using 2.5% DMSO protocols. P. onca cells did not present difference on viability for both concentrations of DMSO. Protocols using CryoSOfree resulted in a decreased viability of P. onca fibroblasts. Morphological differences between fibroblasts among the species were noted under bright field microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. L. colocolo and P. onca cells are fusiform, and L. tigrinus are spherical. All cells presented cytoplasmic projections. Transmission electron microscopy revealed vacuoles and secretion granules, indicating intense cell activity after thawing. Differences found in the efficiency of cryopreservation protocols according to the type of cryoprotectant indicate that species react differently to freezing and thawing processes. This research evaluates key aspects of in vitro protocols for cryopreservation of wild animals, which need to be optimized to guarantee successful cell culturing. More suitable protocols lead to increased efficiency in establishing fibroblast cryobanks and also facilitating the use of wild cats' cells in cloning techniques, contributing directly to preserving wild fauna. | 10.1089/bio.2020.0059 |
pubmed_969_8267 | The viability of non-sporing bacteria in a dry state was examined. The number of viable cells was determined at various time intervals, after inoculation onto cotton lint and a glass plate. Viable cells of Mycobacterium bovis were detected more than 2 months after inoculation, and this was the most resistant species to dry conditions among the bacteria tested. In the case of the Gram-positive cocci tested and one species of Gram-negative rods, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus var. anitratus, the viable cell numbers decreased by only 2 log10 by 25 days after inoculation, indicating that they are highly resistant to dry conditions. In contrast, Gram-negative rods other than A. calcoaceticus lost their viability very rapidly and no viable cells were detected 7 h after inoculation. In the presence of proteins such as bovine serum albumin and horse serum, the viability of bacteria in the dry state increased. This protein effect on bacterial survival was marked for Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium but not for Pseudomonas cepacia and Xanthomonas maltophilia. These results indicate why Gram-positive cocci and A. calocoaceticus are capable of causing airborne infections. It is also suggested that enterobacteria such as E. coli could cause infections when they survive in a dry environment along with proteins derived from body fluids. | 10.1016/0195-6701(91)90223-u |
pubmed_468_22315 | OBJECTIVES
Antimicrobial resistance is a major public health concern, particularly in hospitals and other healthcare settings. For the rational design of disinfection strategies, it is of utmost importance to understand the mechanisms of action of antimicrobials. In this study, the mechanism of action of benzyldimethyldodecylammonium chloride (BDMDAC) was assessed against Pseudomonas fluorescens.
METHODS
The targets of antimicrobial action were studied using different bacterial physiological indices. The MIC, MBC, membrane permeabilization, intracellular potassium release, physico-chemical surface properties, surface charge, outer membrane protein (OMP) expression and morphological changes were assessed after BDMDAC exposure.
RESULTS
The MIC was found to be 20 mg/L and the MBC was 10 mg/L. BDMDAC led to a significant change in cell surface hydrophobicity and induced propidium iodide uptake. Such results suggest cytoplasmic membrane damage, corroborated by the release of intracellular potassium. The results obtained from the zeta potential measurement demonstrate a -31.2 mV value for untreated cells and -21.0 mV for cells at the MIC. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that cells treated with 20 mg/L were less bulky, and their membrane seemed to be rougher, wrinkled and deformed when compared with untreated cells. The overall bactericidal events occurred without detectable changes in OMP expression.
CONCLUSIONS
BDMDAC is an effective biocide against P. fluorescens. It binds by ionic and hydrophobic interactions to the cell membrane, causing changes in membrane properties and function, as manifested by phenomena such as cellular disruption and loss of membrane integrity with consequent leakage of essential intracellular constituents. | 10.1093/jac/dkr028 |
pubmed_870_11710 | Hepatocellular carcinomas were induced by administration of acetylaminofluorene or chlordane to C57BL/6N mice. Lesions which closely resembled the neoplastic nodule described as a putative premalignant lesion in rats were evident. alpha-Fetoprotein elevations were noted only in the presence of the malignant lesions for both carcinogens. In this regard, the responses of these mice were similar to those seen during spontaneous hepatocarcinogenesis. | pubmed_870_11710 |
pubmed_1041_2490 | PURPOSE
The aim of the present prospective study was to assess whether patients' pretreatment facial profile influenced their motives for wanting a change in their appearance. We also assessed whether their post-treatment facial profile influenced their overall satisfaction with surgical-orthodontic treatment, the perceived change in facial profile, and general appearance. Finally, we assessed whether their degree of satisfaction was influenced by the specific change in their facial profile. The gender differences in these variables were also analyzed.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
A total of 66 orthognathic surgery patients were examined. The skeletal facial profile was analyzed on the lateral head films. Using the sagittal relationship between the maxilla and mandible, all patients were classified into 1 of 9 facial profile types before and after treatment. The influence of the patients' appearance on their motives before treatment and their satisfaction after treatment were evaluated using questionnaires.
RESULTS
The preoperative facial profile type had no influence on the strength of the appearance motives; however, men had stronger appearance motives than did women. Treatment was associated with a high degree of satisfaction with both the overall result of the treatment and the perceived change in profile and general appearance. Of those patients who obtained a relative prognathic mandibula after treatment, the men voiced more outspoken satisfaction with their general appearance than did the women. The overall treatment satisfaction was not related to any specific changes in the facial profile.
CONCLUSION
Most of the patients expressed strong appearance motives before treatment and high degrees of satisfaction with the treatment afterward. The facial profile types had little influence on these parameters. | 10.1016/j.joms.2010.11.007 |
pubmed_240_22206 | OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to investigate the frequency and clinical features of suicide attempts in adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs).
METHODS
We enrolled 587 consecutive patients aged 18 or over who attempted suicide and were hospitalized for inpatient treatment. Psychiatric diagnoses, suicide attempt frequency and clinical features were compared between ASD and non-ASD patients.
RESULTS
Forty-three (7.3%) of the 587 subjects who attempted suicide had ASDs. The incidence of patients with mood disorders was significantly lower (Fisher's Exact Test, P=.043) and that of those with an adjustment disorder was significantly higher (Fisher's Exact Test, P<.001) in the ASD group than in the non-ASD group. The average length of stay at both the hospital and intensive care unit in the ASD group was longer than that in the non-ASD group (z=-2.031, P=.042; z=-2.322, P=.020, respectively).
CONCLUSIONS
ASDs should always be a consideration when dealing with suicide attempts in adults at the emergency room. | pubmed_240_22206 |
pubmed_48_21837 | PURPOSE
To evaluate the safety and efficacy of Ahmed glaucoma valve (AGV) implantation in refractory glaucoma in Northern Indian eyes.
BACKGROUND
The success rate of trabeculectomy remains low in cases of refractory glaucoma even with the use of antifibrotics. Glaucoma drainage devices have proven to be more efficacious in reducing intraocular pressure (IOP) in these glaucomas.
METHODS
Retrospective records of 55 consecutive patients who underwent AGV implantation at Dr. Shroff's Charity Eye Hospital, New Delhi, India from January 2003 to December 2012 were reviewed. Pre-operative data included age, gender, eye laterality, specific diagnosis, number of anti-glaucoma medications, number of prior incisional surgeries, visual acuity and IOP on medical treatment. Postoperative data included visual acuity and IOP on day one, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year and yearly thereafter, number of anti-glaucoma medications, any complication or additional surgical intervention required. Success was defined as IOP >5 and <22 mmHg with or without treatment.
RESULTS
Mean IOP decreased from 39.71 ± 8.99 pre-operatively to 17.52 ± 5.72 mmHg at last follow-up (p < 0.001) and number of medications reduced from 3.27 ± 0.84 to 1.25 ± 0.88 (p < 0.001). Visual acuity remained within one Snellen line or improved at last follow-up in 47 cases (85.4%). The cumulative probability of success was 85.45% at 1 year and 79.63% at 3 years. The incidence of post-operative complications was 25.45%.
CONCLUSION
AGV implantation has proven to be safe and is effective in controlling IOP in refractory glaucoma in Northern Indian eyes. | 10.1016/j.sjopt.2014.06.007 |
pubmed_101_10330 | The aim of this study was to identify and explore mediators of psychodynamic-interpersonal psychotherapy (PIT) on treatment outcome in multisomatoform disorders (MSD).
Data from 164 patients with MSD who took part in a randomized control trial of PIT (n = 88) vs. enhanced medical care (EMC; n = 76) were re-analyzed. A parallel mediation analysis was performed to investigate whether the beneficial effect of PIT vs. EMC on physical quality of life (physical component summary (PCS) of the SF-36 Health Survey) nine months post-treatment is mediated by post-treatment scores of stress, depression, and therapeutic alliance. The potential mediators were operationalized with the Helping Alliance Questionnaire (HAQ; therapeutic alliance), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-stress module (perceived stress) and the PHQ-depression module (PHQ-9; depression).
Stress partially mediated the effect of PIT vs. EMC on the follow-up outcome. PIT (as compared to EMC) led to lower post-treatment stress-levels, which in turn led to higher physical quality of life at follow-up. Neither depression nor the alliance had a mediating effect.
Stress mediated the outcome of PIT for MSD. Future studies are needed to extend the scope of research regarding which specific psychotherapeutic mechanisms of change are beneficial in PIT treatment of MSD patients. | 10.1080/10503307.2021.1882711 |
pubmed_1103_7613 | STUDY OBJECTIVES
Previously, IPH patients have been reported to have an average survival of 2.5 years. However, at our institution, many IPH patients have survived longer than that. Therefore, we conducted this study to determine the clinical course and current mortality of pediatric IPH patients treated with immunosuppressants.
DESIGN
Retrospective chart review.
SETTING
Children's hospital.
PARTICIPANTS
Seventeen patients in whom IPH was diagnosed between 1972 and 1998.
MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS
Mean age at diagnosis was 4.5 +/- 3.5 years, and 12 patients were female. At diagnosis, all patients had anemia and pulmonary infiltrates; 85% had hypoxemia, 65% had hemoptysis, and 70% had fever. The diagnosis was made by open lung biopsy in 13 patients (76%), hemosiderin-laden macrophages in BAL fluid in 1 patient (6%), hemosiderin-laden macrophages in gastric aspirate in 2 patients (12%), or by clinical presentation alone in 1 patient (6%). The mean duration of follow-up for all patients was 3.6 +/- 3.4 years (range, 0.7 to 10.2). Initial treatment consisted of prednisone only in 14 patients (82%), and prednisone and hydroxychloroquine in two patients (12%). Thirteen patients (76%) required long-term corticosteroids because of recurrent hemoptysis. Eight patients (47%) required other immunosuppressants (hydroxychloroquine or azathioprine) in addition to prednisone to control their hemoptysis. One patient who was not treated with prednisone remained asymptomatic for 1.8 years. Three patients (17%) died of acute massive pulmonary hemorrhage (4.1 +/- 5.0 years postdiagnosis).
CONCLUSION
Five-year survival for IPH patients in our study was 86% (by Kaplan-Meier method). We conclude that these IPH patients who received long-term treatment had a better outcome than those previously reported who were not treated with extended courses of immunosuppressive therapy. We speculate that long-term immunosuppression therapy may improve the prognosis in IPH. | 10.1378/chest.116.3.721 |
pubmed_968_7338 | Protecting healthcare professionals is crucial in maintaining a functioning healthcare system. The risk of infection and optimal preventive strategies for healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic remain poorly understood. Here we report the results of a cohort study that included pre- and asymptomatic healthcare workers. A weekly testing regime has been performed in this cohort since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic to identify infected healthcare workers. Based on these observations we have developed a mathematical model of SARS-CoV-2 transmission that integrates the sources of infection from inside and outside the hospital. The data were used to study how regular testing and a desynchronisation protocol are effective in preventing transmission of COVID-19 infection at work, and compared both strategies in terms of workforce availability and cost-effectiveness. We showed that case incidence among healthcare workers is higher than would be explained solely by community infection. Furthermore, while testing and desynchronisation protocols are both effective in preventing nosocomial transmission, regular testing maintains work productivity with implementation costs. | 10.1371/journal.pone.0258700 |
pubmed_949_18727 | Coronary perforation caused by percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) occurs rarely and most often leads to communication to the pericardial space. We report a case where PTCA caused a coronary artery rupture and fistulization to the right ventricular outflow tract. | 10.1002/(sici)1097-0304(199709)42:1<34::aid-ccd10>3.0.co;2-m |
pubmed_882_25286 | Baseline optical properties are typically assumed in calculating the differential pathlength factor (DPF) of mouse brains, a value used in the modified Beer-Lambert law to characterize an evoked stimulus response. We used spatial frequency domain imaging to measure in vivo baseline optical properties in 20-month-old control ([Formula: see text]) and triple transgenic APP/PS1/tau (3xTg-AD) ([Formula: see text]) mouse brains. Average [Formula: see text] for control and 3xTg-AD mice was [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], respectively, at 460 nm; and [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], respectively, at 530 nm. Average [Formula: see text] for control and 3xTg-AD mice was [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], respectively, at 460 nm; and [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], respectively, at 530 nm. The calculated DPF for control and 3xTg-AD mice was [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] OD mm, respectively, at 460 nm; and [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] OD mm, respectively, at 530 nm. In hindpaw stimulation experiments, the hemodynamic increase in brain tissue concentration of oxyhemoglobin was threefold larger and two times longer in the control mice compared to 3xTg-AD mice. Furthermore, the washout of deoxyhemoglobin from increased brain perfusion was seven times larger in controls compared to 3xTg-AD mice ([Formula: see text]). | 10.1117/1.NPh.2.4.045001 |
pubmed_201_10646 | OBJECTIVE
The utilisation of medical scribes in the USA has enabled productivity gains for emergency consultants, though their personal experiences have not been widely documented. We aimed to evaluate the consultant experience of working with scribes in an Australian ED.
METHODS
Emergency consultants working with scribes and those who declined to work with scribes were invited to participate in individual interviews (structured and semistructured questions) about scribes, scribe work and the scribe program in October 2016.
RESULTS
Of 16 consultants, 13 participated in interviews, that is, 11 worked with scribes and 2 did not and 3 left Cabrini prior to the interviews. Consultants working with scribes found them most useful for capturing initial patient encounters, for finding information and completing discharge tasks. Scribes captured more details than consultants usually did. Editing was required for omissions, misunderstandings and rearranging information order, but this improved with increasing scribe experience. Consultants described changing their style to give more information to the patient in the room. Consultants felt more productive and able to meet demands. They also described enjoyment, less stress, less cognitive loading, improved ability to multitask, see complex patients and less fatigue.In interviews with the two consultants declining scribes, theme saturation was not achieved. Consultants declining scribes preferred to work independently. They did not like templated notes and felt that consultation nuances were lost. They valued their notes write-up time as time for cognitive processing of the presentation. They thought the scribe and computer impacted negatively on communication with the patient.
CONCLUSION
Medical scribes were seen to improve physician productivity, enjoyment at work, ability to multitask and to lower stress levels. Those who declined scribes were concerned about losing important nuances and cognitive processing time for the case. | 10.1136/emermed-2017-206637 |
pubmed_559_20352 | BACKGROUND
Vasopressors are recommended for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) after cardiac arrest. In order to assess possible benefits regarding neurological recovery, vasopressin versus adrenaline and the combination of both was tested against placebo in a cardiac arrest model in rats.
METHODS
Under anaesthesia with halothane and N2O, cardiac arrest was initiated via transoesophageal electrical fibrillation. After 7 min of global ischaemia, CPR was performed by external chest compression combined with defibrillation. Animals were randomly assigned to three groups receiving adrenaline, vasopressin and a combination of both (n = 15 per group) versus placebo (n = 8). At 1, 3 and 7 days animals were tested according to a neurological deficit score (NDS). After 7 days of reperfusion, coronal brain sections were analysed by Nissl- and TUNEL-staining. Viable as well as TUNEL-positive neurons were counted in the hippocampal CA-1 sector. For statistical analysis, the log rank and the Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA test were used. All data are given as mean+/-S.D.; a p-value <0.05 was considered significant.
RESULTS
Mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) measured in the aorta did not differ between the vasopressor groups, whereas placebo animals had significantly lower levels. Survival to 7 days revealed significant differences between the placebo (n = 0/8) and all vasopressor groups (adrenaline, 10/15; adrenaline/vasopressin, 8/15; vasopressin, 12/15). Histological deficit scoring by quantitative analysis of the Nissl- and TUNEL-staining showed no difference in the amount of viable and apoptotic neurons in the vasopressin group (viable: 33+/-18; apoptotic: 63+/-23) versus the adrenaline group (viable: 21+/-12; apoptotic: 67+/-17) and the adrenaline/vasopressin group (viable: 31+/-26; apoptotic: 61+/-27). Neurological deficit scoring did not show any differences between the vasopressor groups.
CONCLUSION
Administration of arginine-vasopressin during CPR does not improve behavioural and cerebral histopathological outcome, compared to the use of adrenaline or the combination of both vasopressors, after cardiac arrest in rats. | 10.1016/j.resuscitation.2006.05.015 |
pubmed_701_21222 | To investigate the association of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) with various DNA viruses, including hepatitis B virus (HBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein-Barr virus, (EBV), simultaneous detection of HIV p24 antigen, HBV surface antigen and DNA, CMV-DNA and EBV-DNA expression was performed in phytohemagglutinin-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear (PBMC) culture supernatants obtained from 54 individuals at risk for HIV infection. HIV expression in PBMC culture supernatants never occurred alone; expression of other viruses was always detected in the 24 samples expressing HIV antigen in vitro. Furthermore, in 16 patients expression of other viruses was detected without HIV expression, and in 14 patients none of the tested viruses were detected. These results indicate a strong association between the presence of HIV antibody and expression of DNA viruses in vitro (p = 0.0001). The coexpression of these viruses could be related to the evolution of HIV infection and AIDS. | 10.1007/BF01690730 |
pubmed_774_16561 | The spectra of complexes of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) with acetone and diethyl ether (DEE) and their perdeuterated isotopologues were extracted from the spectra of the mixture of the compounds recorded at room temperature. The ν(OH) bands of the complexes with protiated and deuterated acetone notably differ from each other, whereas these ν(OH) bands are practically not affected by the deuteration of DEE. An assumption about the interaction of CH and OH groups in the (CH3)-C═O···HO fragment is made. According to density functional theory calculations, complexes of TFA with both acetone and DEE have a cyclic structure with one strong ═O···HO hydrogen bond and one weak CH···O═ bond. The structural, spectroscopic, and electronic properties indicate an essential role of weak bonds in the total complexation energy of the systems studied. | 10.1021/acs.jpca.8b10215 |
pubmed_592_6670 | An approach is described to monitor directly at the level of individual residues the formation of structure during protein folding. A two-dimensional heteronuclear nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrum was recorded after the rapid initiation of the refolding of a protein labeled with nitrogen-15. The intensities and line shapes of the cross peaks in the spectrum reflected the kinetic time course of the folding events that occurred during the spectral accumulation. The method was used to demonstrate the cooperative nature of the acquisition of the native main chain fold of apo bovine alpha-lactalbumin. The general approach, however, should be applicable to the investigation of a wide range of chemical reactions. | 10.1126/science.274.5290.1161 |
pubmed_1038_5886 | BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Thrombosis is one of the main complications of nephrotic syndrome; however, cerebral infarction associated with nephrotic syndrome has been rarely reported.
SUMMARY OF REPORT
We describe acute cerebral infarction in two young men with nephrotic syndrome. Both had a hypercoagulable state based on hemostatic studies. By retrospectively reviewing the medical records of the past 10 years at our hospital, we found an additional five cases of cerebral infarction with nephrotic syndrome. Two of the patients were found to have nephrotic syndrome during admission for stroke.
CONCLUSIONS
Hypercoagulability may be the major contributing factor of cerebral infarction in patients with nephrotic syndrome. | 10.1161/01.str.23.2.295 |
pubmed_970_12995 | An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper. | 10.1038/s41598-020-62785-3 |
pubmed_630_5058 | Ion homeostasis regulates critical physiological processes in the living cell. Intracellular chloride concentration not only contributes in setting the membrane potential of quiescent cells but it also plays a role in modulating the dynamic voltage changes during network activity. Dynamic chloride imaging demands new tools, allowing faster acquisition rates and correct accounting of concomitant pH changes. Joining a long-Stokes-shift red-fluorescent protein to a GFP variant with high sensitivity to pH and chloride, we obtained LSSmClopHensor, a genetically encoded fluorescent biosensor optimized for the simultaneous chloride and pH imaging and requiring only two excitation wavelengths (458 and 488 nm). LSSmClopHensor allowed us to monitor the dynamic changes of intracellular pH and chloride concentration during seizure like discharges in neocortical brain slices. Only cells with tightly controlled resting potential revealed a narrow distribution of chloride concentration peaking at about 5 and 8 mM, in neocortical neurons and SK-N-SH cells, respectively. We thus showed that LSSmClopHensor represents a new versatile tool for studying the dynamics of chloride and proton concentration in living systems. | 10.1021/acschembio.6b00103 |
pubmed_1030_26105 | First identified as an anorexigenic peptide, in the last decades, several studies have suggested that Nesfatin-1 (Nesf-1) is a pleiotropic hormone implicated in numerous regulatory processes in peripheral organs and tissues. In vertebrates, Nesf-1 is indeed expressed in the central nervous system and peripheral organs. In this study, we characterized the pattern of Nesf-1 distribution within the digestive tract of the common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), composed of three gastric chambers and an intestine without a clear subdivision in the small and large intestine, also lacking a caecum. Our results indicated that Nesf-1 is widely distributed in cells of the mucosal epithelium of the gastric chambers. Most of the immunoreactivity was observed in the second chamber, compared to the first and third chambers. Immunopositivity was also found in nerve fibers and neurons, scattered or/and clustered in ganglion structures along all the examined gastrointestinal tracts. These observations add new data on the highly conserved role of Nesf-1 in the mammalian digestive system. | 10.3390/ani12162148 |
pubmed_449_10223 | We studied an American kinship with sclerosteosis, an autosomal-recessive disorder of bone remodeling and bone overgrowth of the calvaria, skull base, and tubular bones. Unlike osteopetrosis, which is attributed to abnormal immune and osteoclast function as well as bone resorption, sclerosteosis appears to be primarily a disorder of osteoblast (bone formation) hyperactivity. Related to cranial vascular and neural foraminal narrowing and reduced intracranial volume, affected patients with sclerosteosis demonstrate frequent seventh nerve palsy, progressive optic and cranial neuropathies, mixed hearing loss, brainstem compression, intracranial hypertension with increased elastance, and sudden, premature death. Management should involve early childhood identification of homozygotes, monitoring and aggressive treatment of intracranial hypertension, and extensive bone removal from skull, posterior fossa, and cervical spine. | 10.1212/wnl.33.3.267 |
pubmed_1112_18127 | A sensitive and efficient method for simultaneous trace detection of seven triterpene acids was developed and validated for analysis of rat plasma samples. The required micro-sampling of only 20 μL blood reduced the difficulty in blood collection and the injury to animal. The whole pretreatment procedure was more conveniently finished within 26 min through the application of the semi-automated derivatization extraction method to biological samples. Seven analytes were rapidly separated within 30 min on reversed-phase Akasil-C18 column and quantified by fluorescence detector. Online ion trap MS with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) source was used for further identification. The novel application of artificial neural network (ANN) combined with genetic algorithm (GA) to optimization of derivatization was performed and compared with the classical response surface methodology (RSM). Optimal derivatization condition was validated by multi-criteria and nonparametric tests and used successfully to achieve the rather high sensitivity (limit of detection: 0.67-1.08 ng/mL). The limit of reactant concentration (LORC) special for derivatization was studied and the lower values (2.53-4.03 ng/mL) ensured the trace detection. Results of validation demonstrated the advantages for pharmacokinetic study, such as higher sensitivity, better accuracy, easier pretreatment and shorter run-time. Pharmacokinetic study of triterpene acids after oral administration of Salvia miltiorrhiza extract to mice was conducted for the first time. The present method provided more sensitive and efficient alternative for the medical detection of bioactive constituents from herbal extract in the biological liquid. | 10.1016/j.talanta.2012.06.053 |
pubmed_56_1185 | Terlipressin is a vasopressin analogue used for its vasoconstrictor effect in the treatment of variceal bleeding. Despite its good safety profile compared to vasopressin, some adverse reactions may occur during its use - e.g. hyponatremia. We describe a case of a cirrhotic patient with active variceal bleeding treated during two separate hospitalizations with terlipressin. In both drug treatment periods, severe laboratory hyponatremia developed. After terlipressin discontinuation, mineral disbalance corrected rapidly. Positive dechallenge and rechallenge corresponding to the drug administration schedule confirms the causality between terlipressin administration and hyponatremia. Hyponatremia was preceded with substantial fluid retention in both episodes. In this case report we want to highlight the need for fluid balance monitoring immediately after first terlipressin dose, which may individually predict the patient risk for the development of hyponatremia as other risk factors have rather limited predictive value in real clinical settings. | 10.14712/23362936.2016.7 |
pubmed_540_2402 | Er-Zhi-Wan (EZW), a classical traditional Chinese formulation, has attracted more and more attention. This study was carried out to analyze the constituents of EZW absorbed into blood and find out the potential active ingredients for treating osteoporosis (OP) with kidney-yin deficiency (KYD). The rat model of OP with KYD was achieved by ovariectomies and using the mixture of thyroxine and reserpine. Then ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with a quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer (UPLC-Q/TOF-MS) combined with statistical analysis was used to analyze the constituents of EZW absorbed into blood and differential components between the normal and OP with KYD rats. Finally, the components identified in OP with KYD rats were docked with targets of OP with KYD found in online databases. The results of molecular docking were adopted to find the potential active ingredients and further verified in vitro experiment. A total of 21 prototype compounds and 69 metabolites were identified in serum. Among them, 63 components in model rats and 50 components in normal rats were summarized, respectively. Most of the identified metabolites in serum of model rats were produced by hydrolysis, oxidation or glucuronidation, while in serum of normal rats were produced by hydrolysis, oxidation and methylation. According to the results of molecular docking, specnuezhenide, salidroside, tyrosol, echinacoside and verbascoside could be classified as potential active ingredients. The activity of salidroside and a metabolite was verified by pharmacodynamics analysis. In summary, UPLC-Q/TOF-MS system was combined with molecular docking to search the potential active ingredients from model rats of OP with KYD, which provided a new idea for the research on the pharmacodynamic material basis of other traditional medicine. Moreover, the result of this study lays the foundation for further study regarding the mechanism of EZW in treating OP with KYD. | 10.1016/j.jchromb.2022.123397 |
pubmed_806_22893 | The first nickel-catalyzed method for the borylation of carbon-hydrogen bonds in arenes and indoles is described. The use of an N-heterocyclic carbene ligand is essential for an efficient reaction, with an N-cyclohexyl-substituted derivative being optimal. This method is readily applied to the gram scale synthesis of 2-borylindole. | 10.1039/c5cc01378j |
pubmed_554_20582 | The antitumor property of steroids in sweet potato ( Ipomoea batatas L.) remains poorly understood. Herein, we investigated the anticancer effect on breast carcinoma of daucosterol linoleate (DL), a steroid isolated from sweet potato. DL inhibited the cell viability of estrogen receptor (ER)-positive MCF-7 breast cancer cells at an IC50 value of 53.27 ± 9.02 μg/mL, while the effect was modest in ER-negative MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Flow cytometry indicated that the DL-induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cells is dose-dependent. However, DL inhibited tumor growth and tumor weight at 100 mg/kg in MCF-7 xenograft nude mice. DL diminished the expression of Bcl-xl, Bcl-2, and XIAP, while increasing Bax, Bad, and activated caspase-dependent apoptosis in tumor tissues. Furthermore, DL inactivated the upstream Pi3k/Akt/NF-κB pathway. In the 4T1 spontaneous metastasis model, DL blocked metastasis progression, decreased the number of visible metastasis foci and inhibited metastasis size distribution in lung tissue. Further studies showed that DL suppressed VEGF, MMP 2, and MMP 9 expression in both tumor and lung tissues. From these results, we can assume that DL is a potential adjuvant therapy for ER-positive breast cancer patients. | 10.1021/acs.jafc.8b01387 |
pubmed_400_10019 | One of the main functions of the liver is the production of bile and the biliary secretion of endogenous and exogenous substances, including drugs and drug metabolites. Bile formation is a complex sequence of cellular events, which involves uptake of bile constituents and xenobiotics on the basolateral (sinusoidal) plasma membrane of hepatocytes and secretion of cholephilic compounds across the apical (canalicular) membrane. These uptake and efflux processes are maintained by distinct transport systems expressed at the two polar surface domains of liver cells. Any functional disturbance of these canalicular transport systems can lead to cholestatic liver disease, which is associated with intracellular accumulation of toxic bile constituents and consecutive cholestatic liver cell damage. Interaction of drugs with hepatobiliary transport systems is increasingly recognized as cause of acquired cholestatic syndromes. Thereby, genetically determined alterations of hepatobiliary transporter functions are important risk factors for an individual's susceptibility to develop cholestasis. Especially, mutations in canalicular transporter genes can cause certain forms of hereditary cholestatic liver disease, including progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis or intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy. In addition, systematic genetic screenings have discovered numerous single nucleotide polymorphisms in hepatobiliary transporter genes that lead to amino acid exchanges in the encoded proteins. However, the functional consequences and the clinical relevance of most of these polymorphisms remain to be defined. This overview summarizes the physiological function of human hepatobiliary transport systems and discusses the impact of their genetic variations for the pathophysiology of cholestatic syndromes and the pharmacogenetics of drug-induced cholestasis. | 10.1097/00008571-200304000-00003 |
pubmed_436_23375 | Bves is an integral membrane protein with no determined function and no homology to proteins outside of the Popdc family. It is widely expressed throughout development in myriad organisms. Here, we demonstrate an interaction between Bves and guanine nucleotide exchange factor T (GEFT), a GEF for Rho-family GTPases. This interaction represents the first identification of any protein that has a direct physical interaction with any member of the Popdc family. Bves and GEFT are shown to colocalize in adult skeletal muscle. We also demonstrate that exogenous expression of Bves reduces Rac1 and Cdc42 activity levels while not affecting levels of active RhoA. Consistent with a repression of Rac1 and Cdc42 activity, we show changes in speed of cell locomotion and cell roundness also result from exogenous expression of Bves. Modulation of Rho-family GTPase signaling by Bves would be highly consistent with previously described phenotypes occurring upon disruption of Bves function in a wide variety of model systems. Therefore, we propose Bves as a novel regulator of the Rac1 and Cdc42 signaling cascades. | 10.1073/pnas.0802345105 |
pubmed_1127_11765 | This work describes an integrated approach of de novo drug design, chemical synthesis, and bioassay for quick identification of a series of novel small molecule cyclophilin A (CypA) inhibitors (1-3). The activities of the two most potent CypA inhibitors (3h and 3i) are 2.59 and 1.52 nM, respectively, which are about 16 and 27 times more potent than that of cyclosporin A. This study clearly demonstrates the power of our de novo drug design strategy and the related program LigBuilder 2.0 in drug discovery. | 10.1021/jm9008295 |
pubmed_439_24740 | Performing physical exercise during hemodialysis has been debated regarding safety and efficacy for improving life quality for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Thus, we explored the influence of physical exercise during hemodialysis on both autonomic modulation of heart rate and quality of life for patients with CKF in a randomized clinical trial. We randomly allocated participants requiring hemodialysis to an experimental exercise group (EG) and a control no-exercise group (CG) and assessed their quality of life with the Kidney Disease Quality of Life Short Form-KDQOL-SF™ 1.3 and with Polar RS800CX to monitor their heart rate variability (HRV) before and three months after the end of the exercise intervention. EG participants reported a significant increase in their quality of life (p = .05, physical function, physical aspects, pain, emotional well-being, emotional function; p = .03, energy and fatigue) and showed HRV improvement (p = .05, RMSSD, SDNN, and SD2; p = .004, SD1) after three months of exercise. Thus, we recommend supervised physical exercise during hemodialysis for carefully selected patients. | 10.1177/00315125221085811 |
pubmed_882_3144 | We examined relationships between sitting time and obesity or abdominal obesity according to sex and socioeconomic status in elderly people. We analyzed data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2013, and 1565 participants were included in the study. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to examine relationships between sitting time and obesity or abdominal obesity according to sex and socioeconomic status. Sitting time was positively correlated with body mass index in men and women and waist circumference in men. When considering socioeconomic factors, men who sat for 5 hours or longer and fell within the lowest income were more likely to have obesity and abdominal obesity relative to men who sat for 5 hours or shorter and earned higher incomes (odds ratio [95% confidence interval] = 1.80 [1.14-2.84] and 1.63 [1.02-2.61] respectively), and women who sat for 5 hours or longer and fell within the lowest educational level were more likely to have obesity relative to women who sat for 5 hours or less and were educated to a higher level (1.24 [1.01-1.85]). Strategies to reduce sedentary behavior would help to prevent obesity in older men who earn low incomes and women with lower levels of educational attainment. | 10.1080/08964289.2015.1135101 |
pubmed_785_24320 | Acinus-S' is a corepressor for retinoic acid receptor (RAR)-dependent gene transcription and has been suggested to be involved in RNA processing. In this study, the role of Acinus isoforms in regulating pre-mRNA splicing was explored using in vivo splicing assays. Both Acinus-L and Acinus-S', with the activity of Acinus-L higher than that of Acinus-S', increase the splicing of a retinoic acid (RA)-responsive minigene containing a weak 5' splice site but not a RA-responsive minigene containing a strong 5' splice site. RA treatment further enhances the splicing of the weak 5' splice site by Acinus in a dose- and time-dependent manner, suggesting a RA-dependent activity in addition to a RA-independent activity of Acinus. The RA-independent effect of Acinus occurs to varying degrees using minigene constructs containing several different promoters, while the RA-dependent splicing activity of Acinus is specific for transcripts derived from the minigene driven by a RA response element (RARE)-containing promoter. This suggests that the ligand-dependent splicing activity of Acinus is related to the RA-activated RAR bound to the RARE. The RRM domain is necessary for the RA-dependent splicing activity of Acinus and the RA-independent splicing activity of Acinus is repressed by RNPS1. Importantly, measurement of the splicing of endogenous human RARβ and Bcl-x in vivo demonstrates that Acinus stimulates the use of the weaker alternative 5' splice site of these two genes in a RA-dependent manner for RARβ and a RA-independent manner for Bcl-x. Taken together, these studies demonstrate that Acinus functions in both RAR-dependent splicing and RAR-dependent transcription. | 10.1002/jcp.24804 |
pubmed_762_12020 | The key to syndesmosis injuries is early recognition of the injury pattern and appropriate treatment. The clinician must be wary of the ankle sprain that is slow to heal. Radiographic criteria should be examined closely when considering the diagnosis; if surgery is warranted, attention to the health of the soft tissue envelope is key. Late repairs or reconstructions never have as favorable an outcome as the properly repaired acute injury. Postoperative rehabilitation should be monitored closely and care should be taken to avoid early return to activity that could result in reinjury or damage to the surgical repair or reconstruction. | 10.1016/s1083-7515(02)00045-1 |
pubmed_1020_666 | BACKGROUND
Rabies is a lethal, however the disease is preventable through vaccination either before or immediately after an exposure. This study aimed to provide a pre-exposure prophylaxis rabies immunization to village health volunteers (VHV) who provide rabies vaccination for pets and free-roaming dogs in their villages and evaluate the antibody level and adverse effects after vaccination. We also assessed the knowledge related to rabies of these VHVs before field trip for pet vaccination.
METHODS
This study was conducted at Mae Kha sub district, San Pa Tong district, Chiangmai, Thailand between January and March 2020. Consenting participants were interviewed using a questionnaire, received an intradermal two-dose, seven-day pre-exposure rabies vaccination, and sera were tested for anti-rabies antibody levels with the cost effective easy competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (CEE-cELISA) before and after vaccination.
RESULTS
A total of 27 VHVs were recruited from 14 villages in Mae Kha sub district. All of them were male and had a median age of 61.5 years (interquartile range: 55-64). After vaccination, seroconversion rate was 92 % (23/25) with a median of 12.4 EU/mL (interquartile range: 8.9-20.1). Two participants who had rabies vaccination one year previously still had adequate levels before receiving a booster dose. All participants did not show any serious adverse reactions after vaccination.
CONCLUSION
A regimen of two-dose, seven-day vaccination series in high-risk health volunteers using an intradermal administration provides a high seroconversion rate, efficacy and safe for pre-exposure vaccination schedule. In addition, rabies-related knowledge should be provided to village health volunteers before their fieldwork. | 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2021.105555 |
pubmed_11_5675 | 1. Serotonin (5-HT) is a primary regulating neurotransmitter involved in aggressive and impulsive behaviours in mammals. Previous studies have also demonstrated that the function of the serotonergic system in regulating aggression is affected by both genetic and environmental factors. The serotonergic system may display similar functions in chickens. 2. Our objective was to investigate the aggressive and impulsive behavioural response to antagonism of the 5-HT1A and 1B receptors in cocks bred for susceptibility and resistance to Marek's disease (i.e. strain 72 and 63, respectively). 3. Cocks from strain 72 exhibited increased aggressive behaviours and lower brain 5-HT concentrations compared to strain 63 cocks. 4. Antagonism of 5-HT1A receptors increased aggressiveness and reduced serotonin turnover in strain 72, but not strain 63 cocks. 5-HT1B receptor antagonism had no effect on aggression or serotonin turnover in either strain. 5. Levels of the serotonin metabolite 5-HIAA, but not absolute central 5-HT levels, were altered in both strains following 5-HT1B antagonism, but only in strain 72 cocks following 5-HT1A antagonism. 6. The data suggest that 5-HT1A and 1B regulate aggression differently in high and low aggressive strains. | 10.1080/00071668.2013.871383 |
pubmed_726_16074 | The editorial discusses the planned introduction into U.K. patent law of a new exemption from patent infringement for all activities required to secure regulatory approval to market innovative drugs, which brings the UK into line with other major European jurisdictions. It is also planned to exempt studies carried out in relation to reimbursement work. These new exemptions, when set alongside the recent impletion of the Patent Box, offering a reduction in corporation tax on profits earned from patents and Research and Development tax relief, show how the UK Government is trying to make good on its promise to ensure the UK is a leader in Life Sciences Innovation. | 10.1517/13543776.2013.804913 |
pubmed_805_11598 | Kidneys of 64 Afghan pikas (Ochotona rufescens rufescens) were examined histologically. Seven of 21 males and two of 21 females over 6 months of age had a cuboidal epithelium lining of the parietal layer of Bowman's capsule. | 10.1016/s0021-9975(08)80084-9 |
pubmed_666_21849 | Dietary polyphenols are protective for chronic diseases. Their blood transport has not been well investigated. This work examines multiple classes of polyphenols and their interactions with albumin, lipoproteins, and red blood cell (RBC) compartments using four models and determines the % polyphenol in each compartment studied. The RBC alone model showed a dose-response polyphenol association with RBCs. A blood model with flavanones determined the % polyphenol that was inside RBCs and bound to the surface using a new albumin washing procedure. It was shown that RBCs can methylate flavanones. The whole blood model separated the polyphenol into four compartments with the aid of affinity chromatography. More polyphenols were found with albumin and lipoproteins (high-density lipoproteins and low-density lipoproteins) than with RBCs. In the plasma model, the polyphenols associated almost equally between lipoproteins and albumin. RBCs and lipoproteins are shown to be important reservoirs and transporters of polyphenols in blood. | 10.1021/acs.jafc.0c02601 |
pubmed_988_1282 | The problem of long-term assessment of cognitive change in dementia is defined as that of avoiding floor and ceiling effects in testing. Unlike diagnosis, the establishment of norms is viewed as secondary. This perspective allows the formulation of strategic guidlines in devising test batteries for longitudinal studies of cognitive change in dementia. A number of tests complying with these guidelines are described, tapping a wide range of cognitive abilities such as semantic analysis of verbal and visual material, semantic memory, object recognition, visuoconstruction and serial planning. | 10.1159/000110772 |
pubmed_361_21704 | The intraarticular injection of a sterile solution of 25 mg hydrocortisone succinate into rabbit knee joints once a week for 8 weeks reduced the levels of proteoglycans and hyaluronic acid (HA) in articular cartilage. In contrast, the keratan sulfate (KS) peptide levels present in sera of these animals were elevated relative to a saline treated control group. By injecting 25 mg hydrocortisone succinate combined with pentosan polysulfate (Cartrophen) (5 mg) into rabbit joints over the 8 week period, the loss of proteoglycans and HA from articular cartilage was abrogated and serum KS-peptides were restored, with time, to within control levels. These findings suggest that intraarticular administration of high dose hydrocortisone succinate to rabbits has a deleterious effect on articular cartilage HA and proteoglycan metabolism but this effect can be attenuated by co-intraarticular administration of Cartrophen. | pubmed_361_21704 |
pubmed_605_23056 | BACKGROUND
An in-depth exploration of the experience of midlife fathers of developmentally disabled young adults (aged 19-32 years) was motivated by a dearth of research in this area (McKnight, PsyPAG Quarterly, 94, 2015, 10).
METHOD
Five fathers participated in semi-structured interviews which were subjected to interpretative phenomenological analysis (Smith, Flowers and Larkin, 2009, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis: Theory, Method, and Research. London: Sage).
RESULTS
The final thematic structure comprises four inter-related themes. They demonstrate a high degree of concern for children's well-being; the joy adult children confers on their father's lives as well as the difficulties men experience in response to the limited opportunities available to their offspring. Importantly findings also illustrate the way in which men struggle to contend with painful emotions.
CONCLUSIONS
Societal conceptions of masculinity, fatherhood and disability necessarily influence the way fathers experience the world (Yarwood, Fathering, 9, 2011, 150). It is imperative that service providers recognize the particular challenges faced by fathers, seeking ways to better engage and support them. | 10.1111/jar.12313 |
pubmed_932_83 | The effects of zein ratio, concentration of glycerol, liquid-solid ratio, ethanol concentration, pH and heat-treatment temperature on the properties of zein/wheat gluten composite films were researched. The results showed that elongation (E) increased with an increase in glycerol or ethanol concentrations, but it first increased and then decreased with increasing zein/wheat gluten ratio, heat-treatment temperature, pH and the ratio of liquid to solid; Tensile strength (TS) increased with the increase in heat-treatment temperature and pH, and decreased with the increase in glycerol or ethanol concentrations, and it reached a maximum value when the ratio of zein/wheat gluten was 20%, but had a minimum value when the ratio of liquid to solid was 8:1; Water Vapor Permeability (WVP) increased with an increase of glycerol concentration and the ratio of liquid to solid and ethanol concentration, but it decreased with increasing zein/wheat gluten ratio, heat treatment temperature, and pH of the film forming solution. | 10.3390/molecules17043794 |
pubmed_680_15355 | Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a debilitating disease with a high worldwide prevalence. Despite its greater prevalence in women, male animals are used in most preclinical studies of depression even though there are many sex differences in key components of depression, such as stress responses and immune system functions. In the present study, we found that chronic restraint stress-induced depressive-like behaviors are quite similar in male and female mice, with both sexes displaying increased immobility time in the tail suspension test and reduced social interactions, and both sexes exhibited deficits in working and spatial memories. However, in contrast to the similar depressive-like behaviors developed by male and female mice in response to stress, they displayed different patterns of pro-inflammatory cytokine increases in the periphery and the brain, different changes in microglia, and different changes in the expression of Toll-like receptor 4 in response to stress. Treatment with (+)-naloxone, a Toll-like receptor 4 antagonist that previously demonstrated anti-depressant-like effects in male mice, was more efficacious in male than female mice in reducing the deleterious effects of stress, and its effects were not microbiome-mediated. Altogether, these results suggest differential mechanisms to consider in potential sex-specific treatments of depression. | 10.1016/j.bbi.2022.08.017 |
pubmed_71_18868 | OBJECTIVES
Many clinical studies have indicated that obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), the most common chronic sleep disorder, may affect neurocognitive function, and that treatment for continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) has some neurocognitive protective effects against the adverse effects of OSA. However, the effects of CPAP treatment on neurocognitive architecture and function remain unclear. Therefore, this multicentre trial was designed to investigate whether and when neurocognitive architecture and function in patients with OSA can be improved by CPAP treatment and to explore the role of gut microbiota in improving neurocognitive function during treatment.
METHODS/DESIGN
This study will be a multicentre, randomised, controlled trial with allocation concealment and assessor blinding. A total of 148 eligible patients with moderate to severe OSA will be enrolled from five sleep centres and randomised to receive CPAP with best supportive care (BSC) intervention or BSC intervention alone. Cognitive function, structure and function of brain regions, gut microbiota, metabolites, biochemical variables, electrocardiography, echocardiography, pulmonary function and arterial stiffness will be assessed at baseline before randomisation and at 3, 6 and 12 months.
ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION
This study has been approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital (approval number 2015-79). The results from this study will be published in peer-reviewed journals and at relevant conferences.
TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER
NCT02886156; pre-results. | 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-014932 |
pubmed_269_6438 | BACKGROUND
In our recent genome-wide association study, we found that genetic polymorphisms in the complement factor H (CFH) gene and S100A gene region are strongly associated with serum matrix metalloproteinase 8 (MMP-8) concentration and the release of MMP-8 from neutrophils. As MMP-8 is centrally involved in the pathogenesis of periodontitis, we aimed to evaluate the presence of genetic polymorphisms of S100A8/A9/A12, MMP8, and CFH in periodontitis. In addition, we studied whether polymorphisms of these genes affect the concentrations of S100A8, S100A12, MMP-8, or complement activation marker in saliva.
METHODS
We genotyped four single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs, rs1560833 in S100A8/A9/A12, rs11225395 in MMP8, rs800292 in CFH, and rs1061170 in CFH) and measured salivary concentrations of S100A8, S100A12, MMP-8, and terminal complement complex (TCC) in the Parogene cohort (n = 508). The cohort was composed of patients with an indication to coronary angiography and all underwent a clinical and radiographic oral examination.
RESULTS
CFH polymorphisms rs800292 and rs1061170 were associated with periodontal parameters. None of the polymorphisms showed association with salivary proteins. However, salivary concentrations of S100A8, S100A12, MMP-8, and TCC were strongly associated with the number of periodontal pockets and alveolar bone loss.
CONCLUSION
Interestingly, genetic variants of CFH, MMP8, and S100A8/A9/A12 gene regions did not affect salivary levels of measured proteins. However, saliva levels of S100A8, S100A12, MMP-8, and TCC, and CFH polymorphisms were associated with clinical and radiographic signs of periodontitis. Our study further supports the observations that any dysregulation of complement may increase the risk of inflammatory disorders, such as periodontitis. | 10.1002/JPER.22-0005 |
pubmed_125_3240 | As SARS-CoV-2 is spreading rapidly around the globe, adopting proper actions for confronting and protecting against this virus is an essential and unmet task. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) promoting molecules such as peroxides are detrimental to many viruses, including coronaviruses. In this paper, metal decorated single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were evaluated for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) adsorption for potential use for designing viral inactivation surfaces. We employed first-principles methods based on the density functional theory (DFT) to investigate the capture of an individual H2O2 molecule on pristine and metal (Pt, Pd, Ni, Cu, Rh, or Ru) decorated SWCNTs. Although the single H2O2 molecule is weakly physisorbed on pristine SWCNT, a significant improvement on its adsorption energy was found by utilizing metal functionalized SWCNT as the adsorbent. It was revealed that Rh-SWCNT and Ru-SWCNT systems demonstrate outstanding performance for H2O2 adsorption. Furthermore, we discovered through calculations that Pt- and Cu-decorated SWNCT-H2O2 systems show high potential for filters for virus removal and inactivation with a very long shelf-life (2.2 × 1012 and 1.9 × 108 years, respectively). The strong adsorption of metal decorated SWCNTs and the long shelf-life of these nanomaterials suggest they are exceptional candidates for designing personal protection equipment against viruses. | 10.3390/ijms21155211 |
pubmed_827_19915 | BACKGROUND
Although there are many effective treatment modalities for individual actinic keratoses (AKs), widespread lesions on the photoaged face pose a challenge due to inefficient and ineffective therapy resulting in high rates of recurrence after local destruction. Full face laser resurfacing offers an effective and efficient treatment option that successfully reduces the number of AK's on diffusely damaged skin and may show a prophylactic benefit for preventing non-melanoma skin cancers.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the efficacy of full face laser resurfacing in reducing the number of facial AK's by comparing preoperative and postoperative numbers of lesions present and to observe the incidence of non-melanoma skin cancer after full face laser resurfacing.
STUDY DESIGN
A retrospective chart review of 24 patients with widespread facial AK's (greater than 30) treated with full face UPCO(2) and/or Er:Yag laser resurfacing was performed. All patients were a minimum of 1 year post-operative following facial laser resurfacing. The recurrence of AK's and the occurrence of facial non-melanoma skin cancers in these patients was assessed through chart analysis.
RESULTS
Widespread AK's were effectively eliminated in all patients. Twenty-one patients (87%) remained lesion free for at least 1 year. Fourteen of the 24 patients (58.3%) showed no new lesions during a 2-year follow-up. There was an overall 94% reduction in total number of AK's. Adverse effects included transient perioral scarring in one patient, S. aureus infection in two patients, and dyschromia in two patients.
CONCLUSIONS
Full face laser resurfacing provides long-term effective prophylaxis against AKs and may reduce the incidence of AK related squamous cell carcinoma. | 10.1002/lsm.20012 |
pubmed_975_19816 | Reactive arthritis (ReA) develops after an infection elsewhere in the body, generally in the genitourinary or intestinal tract. Chlamydia trachomatis, Yersinia enterocolitica, salmonella, shigella, and campylobacter are frequent triggering agents. Between 60% and 90% of patients are positive for HLA-B27. The arthritis occurs within 4 weeks of the primary infection and is oligoarticular and asymmetric. Extra-articular manifestations include mucocutaneous symptoms, ocular inflammation, and urethritis. The average duration of arthritis is 4 to 5 months but two-thirds of patients have symptoms for more than a year. Bacterial antigens have been found in synovial specimens from patients with ReA, but cultures are sterile. The treatment of ReA comprises non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, intra-articular steroid injections, and physical treatment. Short-term antibiotic treatment has no effect in manifest ReA, whereas a tendency to improvement has been seen with treatment over months, at least after chlamydia infection. | 10.1177/095646249500600302 |
pubmed_234_3350 | Xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group G (XPG) protein is a junction-specific endonuclease which is indispensable for nucleotide excision repair (NER) of DNA in eukaryotes. Recent studies have hinted at a second, essential function for the XPG protein in higher eukaryotes. We undertook a comparison of the amino acid sequences of multiple XPG orthologs to determine if a motif or domain could be identified that is conserved uniquely in higher eukaryotes. A search of current databases allowed us to retrieve complete amino acid sequences for the human, mouse and Xenopus XPG proteins, and for two yeast orthologs. We also identified an incomplete Drosophila open reading frame (ORF) that was a good candidate for the XPG protein. We cloned a complete Drosophila cDNA for this ORF and examination of the primary amino acid sequence suggests that this cDNA encodes the Drosophila ortholog of XPG. A comparison of all six orthologous polypeptides reveals the presence of two previously unidentified conserved domains. One of these is unique to all four higher eukaryotic sequences. Conceivably this domain evolved to support the essential function of XPG protein. | 10.1016/s0378-1119(99)00185-7 |
pubmed_9_5617 | Two patients with Marfan syndrome who presented for labor and delivery are reviewed. The characteristics of Marfan syndrome and their significance in relation to the physiologic changes due to pregnancy and the implications for anesthetic management are discussed. Marfan syndrome can present with musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, ocular, and pulmonary complications believed to be secondary to an inheritable disorder of connective tissue metabolism. These patients must be carefully evaluated, monitored, and managed during the prepartum and peripartum period. The physiology of pregnancy, particularly the hemodynamic changes, can have catastrophic consequences for the parturient with Marfan syndrome. Serial echocardiographic studies evaluating aortic root size and aortic and mitral valve function are essential during pregnancy. Anesthetic management focuses on minimizing aortic root shear forces and wall stress through invasive monitoring, pharmacologic intervention, and pain treatment. | 10.1016/0952-8180(93)90025-a |
pubmed_1058_3213 | Treatment by means of repeated haemodialysis has been accepted as the basic method of renal substitution treatment in our country. Thrombosis has been found as the most frequent local complication in arterio-venous (A-V) fistulas. The purpose of this study has been to analyse the frequency of thrombosis in relation to the type of A-V fistula and occurrence of early thrombosis (within 24 postoperative hours). Studies have been based in 186 patients (31 children) in whom 545 A-V surgical procedures have been performed to create and maintain permanent vascular access for haemodialysis. The mean age of the patients was 37 years. Thrombosis has been detected in 41.5% of fistulas and has been found as the main cause of 49.4% secondary procedures. Most frequently they have been observed in A-V fistulas using PTFE prosthesis. Rare complications have been found in brachio-basilic and brachio-cephalic fistulas. Early thrombosis has been observed in 4.5% of A-V fistulas. The causes of early thrombosis and within 30 postoperative days have been discussed in detail. In these complications thrombectomy (60.5%) and thrombectomy combined with creating new anastomosis (31.9%) have been performed most frequently. It has concluded that the condition of anastomosed vessels is the most important factor influencing early thrombosis. | pubmed_1058_3213 |
pubmed_123_15641 | The absorption of (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg) into the circulation system was studied in rats. EGCg was detected in rat plasma after an oral administration of 50 mg, the concentration of EGCg in the plasma reaching the highest level about an hour after dosing, and then decreasing quickly. | 10.1271/bbb.59.1558 |
pubmed_1095_17457 | OBJECTIVE
We assessed a new estradiol (E2) immunoassay on the Architect-i2000 (Abbott Laboratories) for monitoring ovulation stimulation for IVF-ET and re-establishing clinical cut-off points. The method has been modified to improve E2 measurements especially at normal and low concentrations.
DESIGN AND METHOD
E2 was determined for 552 samples, from 83 women, presenting normal follicular status and undergoing 100 cycles of IVF treatment. We assessed the value of this assay for down-regulation of E2 concentration limit using gonadoliberin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa), and monitoring of the ovarian hyperstimulation, expected range of E2 per mature follicle prior to the administration of exogenous hCG and day 3 concentration limit. We compared results with our routine method (E2-6II Advia-Centaur; Siemens-Diagnostics) for which decision-making values were known.
RESULTS
Considering E2 concentrations obtained with the new Architect-i2000 assay for patients treated with GnRHa for 2 weeks, the cutoff-point for ovarian down-regulation should be set down at 110 pmol/L to maintain 100% of sensitivity. Considering day 3 concentration limit determination, results were not significantly different from those obtained with our routine method. The mean E2 values per mature follicle fell into the range generally expected.
CONCLUSION
E2 determination with the new E2 Architect-i2000 assay could be used to monitor ovulation, in patients undergoing IVF-ET, in combination with transvaginal ultrasound. | 10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2007.09.009 |
pubmed_900_5917 | In Chinese medicine, ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) has long been used as a general tonic or an adaptogen to promote longevity and enhance bodily functions. It has also been claimed to be effective in combating stress, fatigue, oxidants, cancer and diabetes mellitus. Most of the pharmacological actions of ginseng are attributed to one type of its constituents, namely the ginsenosides. In this review, we focus on the recent advances in the study of ginsenosides on angiogenesis which is related to many pathological conditions including tumor progression and cardiovascular dysfunctions. Angiogenesis in the human body is regulated by two sets of counteracting factors, angiogenic stimulators and inhibitors. The 'Yin and Yang' action of ginseng on angiomodulation was paralleled by the experimental data showing angiogenesis was indeed related to the compositional ratio between ginsenosides Rg1 and Rb1. Rg1 was later found to stimulate angiogenesis through augmenting the production of nitric oxide (NO) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Mechanistic studies revealed that such responses were mediated through the PI3K-->Akt pathway. By means of DNA microarray, a group of genes related to cell adhesion, migration and cytoskeleton were found to be up-regulated in endothelial cells. These gene products may interact in a hierarchical cascade pattern to modulate cell architectural dynamics which is concomitant to the observed phenomena in angiogenesis. By contrast, the anti-tumor and anti-angiogenic effects of ginsenosides (e.g. Rg3 and Rh2) have been demonstrated in various models of tumor and endothelial cells, indicating that ginsenosides with opposing activities are present in ginseng. Ginsenosides and Panax ginseng extracts have been shown to exert protective effects on vascular dysfunctions, such as hypertension, atherosclerotic disorders and ischemic injury. Recent work has demonstrates the target molecules of ginsenosides to be a group of nuclear steroid hormone receptors. These lines of evidence support that the interaction between ginsenosides and various nuclear steroid hormone receptors may explain the diverse pharmacological activities of ginseng. These findings may also lead to development of more efficacious ginseng-derived therapeutics for angiogenesis-related diseases. | 10.1186/1749-8546-2-6 |
pubmed_217_13861 | BACKGROUND
Clinical recommendation of weight loss (WL) in older adults remains controversial, partially due to concerns regarding lean mass loss and potential loss of physical function. The purpose of this study is to determine the independent associations between changes in fat and lean mass and changes in physical function in older, overweight, and obese adults undergoing intentional WL.
METHODS
Data from three randomized-controlled trials of intentional WL in older adults with similar functional outcomes (short physical performance battery and Pepper assessment tool for disability) were combined. Analyses of covariance models were used to investigate relationships between changes in weight, fat, and lean mass (acquired using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry) and changes in physical function.
RESULTS
Overall loss of body weight was -7.8 ± 6.1 kg (-5.6 ± 4.1 kg and -2.7 ± 2.4 kg of fat and lean mass, respectively). In all studies combined, after adjustment for age, sex, and height, overall WL was associated with significant improvements in self-reported mobility disability (p < .01) and walking speed (p < .01). Models including change in both fat and lean mass as independent variables found only the change in fat mass to significantly predict change in mobility disability (β[fat] = 0.04; p < .01) and walking speed (β[fat] = -0.01; p < .01).
CONCLUSIONS
Results from this study demonstrate that loss of body weight, following intentional WL, is associated with significant improvement in self-reported mobility disability and walking speed in overweight and obese older adults. Importantly, fat mass loss was found to be a more significant predictor of change in physical function than lean mass loss. | 10.1093/gerona/gls092 |
pubmed_781_20582 | Hemophilia A (HA) is an inherited X-linked bleeding disorder caused by mutations in the factor VIII gene. Prenatal detection in female carriers from families with HA is important to reduce the number of HA patients. The purpose of this study was to detect carriers in families with HA from Sichuan, China, using linkage analysis and a direct genotyping method. A total of 18 HA families were studied. Using a combination of intron 22 inversion, intron 1 inversion, the BclI polymorphic site in intron 18, the HindIII polymorphic site in intron 19, and dinucleotide CA-repeat markers in introns 1, 13, 22, and 24, we were able to detect HA in 88.9% (16/18) of the families studied. HA was detected in the remaining two families by direct genotyping. This study gave the participants a good understanding of their genetic condition and gave us a preliminary understanding of the prevalence of each mutation in Sichuan HA patients. | 10.4238/2015.July.27.10 |
pubmed_217_16003 | Risperidone is associated with hyperprolactinemia and its consequent symptoms such as gynecomastia, galactorrhea and sexual dysfunction in adults, and less so in adolescents. Rarely, serotonin reuptake inhibitors are also associated with such adverse effects. We report a case of gynecomastia and galactorrhea in an adolescent male while on a combination of risperidone and fluvoxamine, although the serum prolactin was within normal range. | pubmed_217_16003 |
pubmed_785_12562 | BACKGROUND
Major lower limb nerve blocks are relatively safe techniques. However, their efficacy for hip hemiarthroplasty is unknown. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of combined femoral, sciatic, obturator and lateral femoral cutaneous (LFC) nerve blocks in providing adequate anesthesia for hip hemiarthroplasty.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A total of 20 patients with fracture neck femur; who underwent hip hemiarthroplasty, participated in this observational study. In the induction room, all patients received ultrasound-guided femoral, proximal obturator, LFC and parasacral sciatic nerve blocks in addition to local infiltration at the proximal site of the skin incision. Anesthesia was considered to be adequate only if the surgery was completed without any requirement for opioid administration.
RESULTS
All patients (100% [95% confidence interval, 86-100%]) had adequate anesthesia. Seventeen patients (85% [95% confidence interval, 63-96%] had mild discomfort during the reduction of the prosthetic femur head back into the hip socket; however, no supplementary analgesics were required.
CONCLUSION
The combined femoral, sciatic, obturator and LFC nerve blocks in addition to local infiltration at the proximal site of skin incision could provide adequate anesthesia for hip hemiarthroplasty. Light sedation before reduction of the prosthetic femur head back into the hip socket is advisable. | 10.4103/1658-354X.136432 |
pubmed_128_23357 | PURPOSE
Persistent severe swallowing dysfunction with aspiration is a common and sometimes overlooked sequelae after treatment for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) and may impact food intake and nutritional status. More knowledge is needed to increase the understanding of severe swallowing dysfunction as a risk factor for persistent nutritional deteriorations in SCCHN survivors. The purpose of the study was to investigate weight loss and body mass index (BMI) in relation to pharyngeal swallowing function in a long-term perspective in patients after SCCHN treatment.
METHODS
Data from 101 patients were available for the analyses. Swallowing function was assessed by videofluoroscopy at a mean of 71.6 months after the start of radiotherapy (RT). Percent weight change (calculated with weight at the start of RT as the reference) and BMI at follow-up were the primary nutritional measures.
RESULTS
Aspiration was present in 48 of 101 patients (48 %). Patients with aspiration had a significantly higher mean weight loss and a lower BMI (-10.9 % and 23.1, respectively) at follow-up compared with patients without aspiration (-2.8 % and 26.0, respectively). Patients with aspiration were unable to gain weight after 23 months. Only ten of 101 patients (10 %) were underweight at follow-up.
CONCLUSIONS
Swallowing dysfunction with aspiration was related to long-term weight loss and reduced BMI. Few patients were underweight despite the high prevalence of swallowing dysfunction. | 10.1007/s00520-014-2211-6 |
pubmed_435_22254 | Natural mineral (thermal) waters have been used for centuries as treatment for various diseases. However, the scientific background of such therapeutic action is mostly empiric and based on knowledge acquired over time. Among the various types of natural mineral waters, sulfurous thermal waters (STWs) are the most common type in the center of Portugal. STWs are characterized by high pH, poor mineralization, and the presence of several ions and salts, such as bicarbonate, sodium, fluoride, silica, and carbonate. Furthermore, these waters are indicated as a good option for the treatment of various illnesses, namely respiratory diseases (e.g., allergic rhinitis, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). From the sulfide species present in these waters, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) stands out due to its abundance. In healthy conditions, H2S-related enzymes (e.g., cystathionine β-synthase and cystathionine γ-lyase) are expressed in human lungs, where they have mucolytic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial roles, thus contributing to airway epithelium homeostasis. These roles occur mainly through S-sulfhydration, a post-translational modification through which H2S is able to change the activity of several targets, such as ion channels, second messengers, proteins, among others. However, in respiratory diseases the metabolism of H2S is altered, which seems to contribute somehow to the respiratory deterioration. Moreover, H2S has been regarded as a good biomarker of airway dysfunction and severity, and can be measured in serum, sputum, and exhaled air. Hence, in this review we will recapitulate the effects of STWs on lung epithelial-immune crosstalk through the action of its main component, H2S. | 10.3389/fpubh.2019.00128 |
pubmed_822_4301 | The photocatalytic degradation of p-aminobenzoic acid was studied using TiO2 nanowires as the catalyst synthesized through a hydrothermal procedure. The as-synthesized TiO2 nanowires were fully characterized by SEM, TEM, XRD and Raman with a very high surface area of 512 m(2) g(-1). The photocatalytic degradation of p-aminobenzoic acid was carried out under 180 min of constant radiation and the results were compared with P25 as commercial catalyst. Optimal experimental conditions were determined for TiO2 nanowires with a catalyst dosage of 1.0 g L(-1) under acidic conditions with a 20 μM p-aminobenzoic acid solution obtaining 95% of degradation. Under similar experimental conditions comparative studies were performed obtaining 98% of degradation when P25 is employed. In both systems, a pseudo first order reaction was found to provide the best correlations, with constant rates of 2.0 × 10(-2) min(-1) and 2.4 × 10(-2) min(-1) for TiO2 nanowires and P25, respectively. | pubmed_822_4301 |
pubmed_620_1411 | The degree of axo-axonal synaptic coupling between nerve cells in the buccal ganglion of Navanax was investigated in relation to intracellular ionic calcium. Increasing intracellular Ca2+ by injection of Ca2+, injection of Na+, or application of ionophore X537A produced uncoupling after at least 90 min, if metabolic inhibitor was present in the medium. Subsequent removal of the metabolic inhibitor reestablished the coupling in less than 30 min. Injected Sr2+ also mimicked the uncoupling action of Ca2+. The presence of a metabolic inhibitor alone had no effect on the coupling. These results lead to the following conclusions: (i) Uncoupling is due to an increased free Ca2+ concentration at the junctions. (ii) The liberation of endogenous sequestered Ca2+ is not sufficient to produce uncoupling except if an excess Ca2+ had been previously sequestered. The electrical synapses in the buccal ganglion of Navanax thus appear to be affected by Ca2+ in a similar way as gap junctions studied in non-neural tissues. | 10.1073/pnas.75.9.4577 |
pubmed_785_25 | AIMS
To present the interim results of a phase I trial on stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) delivered using volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) in patients with primary or metastatic tumours in different extracranial sites.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Patients were enrolled in different arms according to tumour site and clinical stage, and sequentially assigned to a given dose level. Acute toxicity, tumour response and early local control were investigated and reported.
RESULTS
One hundred lesions in 65 consecutive patients (male/female: 30/35, median age: 66 years; range: 40-89) were treated. Of these 100 lesions, 21 were primary or metastatic lung tumours, 24 were liver metastases, 30 were bone metastases, 24 were nodal metastases and one was a primary vulvar melanoma. The prescribed dose ranged from 12 (BED(2Gy,α/β:10) = 26.4 Gy) to 28 Gy (BED(2Gy,α/β:10) = 106.4 Gy) to the planning target volume. Twenty-one patients (32.3%) experienced grade 1-2 acute toxicity, which was grade 2 in only two cases. The overall response rate based on computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging was 52% (95% confidence interval 40.1-63.2%) and based on positron emission tomography scan was 90% (95% confidence interval 76.2-96.4%). As of November 2013, the median duration of follow-up was 11 months (range = 1-38). Recurrence/progression within the SRS-VMAT treated field was observed in nine patients (total lesions = 18): the inside SRS-VMAT field local control expressed on a per lesion basis was 87.8% at 12 months and 71.9% at 24 months.
CONCLUSIONS
The maximum tolerable dose has not yet been reached in any study arm. SRS-VMAT resulted in positive early clinical results in terms of tumour response, local control rate and acute toxicity. | pubmed_785_25 |
pubmed_916_3907 | OBJECTIVE
Evaluation of the commonly used laboratory and clinical parameters of the newborn shortly after birth. Check thresholds acidemia, and in relation to the method of termination of pregnancy.
DESIGN
Retrospective epidemiological study.
SETTING
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, Olomouc.
METHODS
Of the 26,869 children born in the years 2000 to 2013 Inclusion criteria (complete clinical and laboratory findings after birth) fulfill 23,471 (87.4%) neonates. Methods for evaluation of newborns included Apgar score calculation and arterial umbilical cord blood pH and lactate analysis.
RESULTS
A total of 0.7% (157) of the neonates had severe acidosis pH below 7.00 arterial umbilical cord blood, its prevalence varies annually between 0.1 to 1.1%. Cutoff lactate in relation to pH < 7.00 was 6.3 mmol/l (n = 23 471, the sensitivity of 92.99%, specificity 92.15%, AUC = 0.972). For children of low weight < 2500 g the cutoff value is lower, 5.3 mmol/l (n = 2592, 89.66% sensitivity, specificity 91.10% AUC = 0.912). Suprathreshold lactate values was 8.4% (1977) newborns. Correlation of pH and lactate to Apgar evaluation is very low and in the range from 1 to 10 minutes gradually decreases. Worse Apgar evaluation in children of low birth weight do not correspond to laboratory findings acidosis, which is probably related to prematurity and lower energy reserves. Operating cesarean births in particular accounts for more than half of those with worse clinical findings Apgar and pH <7.00, but only 30% supratreshold lactate values. Also worse clinical evaluation after caesarean section is not in accordance with the laboratory findings. Vaginal surgery, especially forceps have a significant share of severe acidosis than cesarean, regardless of their frequency. Risk factor of forceps to pH less 7.00,OR = 9.28 (5.39 -15.77), P = 0.0000000, while caesarean to pH less 7,00 had OR = 1.52 (1.08 to 2.14), P = 0.01408156.
CONCLUSION
The results obtained confirm that acidosis after birth is quite common, although they may not have response on the clinical condition of the newborn after birth. Evaluation of Apgar is little objective for the detection of hypoxia during birth and is influenced by the immaturity of newborn and method of delivery. Lactate levels may contribute to an objective assessment of hypoxia during birth. Values above 6.3 mmol/l can be considered an important indicator of newborn acidosis and birth hypoxia. | pubmed_916_3907 |
pubmed_994_23127 | Heparin is a soluble glycosaminoglycan largely used as an anti-coagulant drug and with well known anti‑inflammatory effects. However, heparin is currently not used as an anti‑inflammatory agent in the clinic due to a risk of bleeding as well as its complex mechanism of action. The underlying mechanism of the anti‑inflammatory action of heparin and its effector targets have remained to be fully elucidated. The present study confirmed the anti‑inflammatory effects of heparin in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‑induced murine peritoneal macrophages through decreasing the levels of the inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF‑α), interleukin 6 (IL‑6), IL‑8 and IL‑1β. Caveolin‑1 participated in the anti‑inflammatory process and it was able to be induced by heparin. Transfection of small interfering RNA of caveolin‑1 into murine peritoneal macrophages attenuated the anti‑inflammatory effects of heparin. Furthermore, following caveolin‑1 silencing, the p38/mitogen‑activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway was still able to be activated by heparin, while the extracellular signal‑regulated kinase and c‑Jun N‑terminal kinase pathways were inhibited. In conclusion, these results suggested that heparin inhibits LPS‑induced inflammation via inducing caveolin‑1 and activating the p38/MAPK pathway in murine peritoneal macrophages. Revealing the anti‑inflammatory mechanisms of heparin will aid in its development for clinical treatment in the future. | 10.3892/mmr.2015.3807 |
pubmed_713_24076 | Within pituitary gonadotropes, the gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor (GnRHR) receives hypothalamic input from GnRH neurons that is critical for reproduction. Previous studies have suggested that androgens may regulate GnRHR, although the mechanisms remain unknown. In this study, we demonstrated that androgens positively regulate Gnrhr mRNA in mice. We then investigated the effects of androgens and androgen receptor (AR) on Gnrhr promoter activity in immortalized mouse LβT2 cells, which represent mature gonadotropes. We found that AR positively regulates the Gnrhr proximal promoter, and that this effect requires a hormone response element (HRE) half site at -159/-153 relative to the transcription start site. We also identified nonconsensus, full-length HREs at -499/-484 and -159/-144, which are both positively regulated by androgens on a heterologous promoter. Furthermore, AR associates with the Gnrhr promoter in ChIP. Altogether, we report that GnRHR is positively regulated by androgens through recruitment of AR to the Gnrhr proximal promoter. | 10.1016/j.mce.2021.111286 |
pubmed_984_15480 | The role of histone deacetylase 1 and 2 (HDAC1 and HDAC2) in regulating cartilage-specific gene expression was explored in primary human chondrocytes. HDAC1 and HDAC2 protein levels were elevated in chondrocytes from osteoarthritic patients, consistent with a down-regulation of some cartilage marker genes. When expressed in these cells, HDAC1 and HDAC2 repressed aggrecan and collagen 2(alpha1) expression but differed in their repression of collagen 9(alpha1), collagen 11(alpha1), dermatopontin, and cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP). To identify the basis of these differences between HDAC1 and HDAC2, their carboxy-terminal domains (CTDs) were deleted, which led to proteins that retained enzymatic activity but were unable to repress cartilage gene expression. Further, exchange of the CTDs between HDAC1 and HDAC2 led to proteins that were enzymatically active but displayed altered target gene specificity, indicating that these CTDs can function independently of HDAC enzymatic activity, to target the HDACs to specific genes. The Snail transcription factor was identified as a mediator of HDAC1 and HDAC2 repression of the collagen 2(alpha1) gene, via its interaction with the HDAC1 and 2 CTDs. The data indicate that the CTD serves a novel function within HDAC1 and HDAC2, to mediate repression of cartilage-specific gene expression in human chondrocytes. | 10.1096/fj.09-133215 |
pubmed_842_8231 | BACKGROUND
We sought to define the influence of ethnicity on associations between novel biomarkers and cardiovascular disease (CVD) events among Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) study participants, a community based population of asymptomatic US adults.
METHODS
Baseline (log transformed) levels of biomarkers namely C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen, interleukin-6 (IL-6), D-dimer, plasmin-antiplasmin complex (PAP) and factor VIII were used to predict the cumulative incidence of all CVD events in an ethnicity stratified study cohort from Cox-proportional hazard analysis where models were adjusted for relevant confounders.
RESULTS
Ethnic cohorts included 2362 Caucasians, 1601 African Americans, 1353 Hispanics, and 751 Chinese. At mean 4.6 years of follow-up, 286 CVD events were identified with cumulative incidence of 11.3% in Caucasians, 9.8% in African Americans, 11.3% in Hispanics and 6.9% in Chinese. Biomarker risk association with CVD events incidence was significantly influenced by ethnicity with positive association (HR, 95% CI, p value) being shown for: CRP among Caucasians only (1.23, 1.04-1.47, <0.01) IL-6 among African Americans only (1.69, 1.15-2.48, <0.01) and fibrinogen among Caucasians (3.05, 1.21-7.69, 0.02), African Americans (3.51, 1.09-11.2, 0.03) and Hispanics (4.16, 1.23-14.1, 0.02) only. None of the biomarkers were able to predict CVD in Chinese. Association between above biomarkers and CVD was bi-directional: cases with CVD events had higher mean levels of biomarkers; cases in higher quartiles of biomarkers had increased cumulative incidence of CVD events.
CONCLUSION
Study results from a vast, ethnically diverse, asymptomatic US adult population suggest that biomarker association with incident CVD events is significantly influenced by ethnicity. | pubmed_842_8231 |
pubmed_1077_22333 | The article deals with is a case report of successful endovascular treatment of a patient with a saccular aneurysm of the infrarenal portion of the abdominal aorta complicated by its rupture into the inferior vena cava with formation of an aortocaval fistula. The patient underwent endoprosthetic repair of the abdominal aorta with the unilateral stent graft Endurant II 32x14-117 mm ("Medtronic") and cross-over femorofemoral bypass. The postoperative period was complicated by acute cardiac insufficiency and pulmonary oedema. After the appropriate intensive therapy lung oedema subsided, the events of cardiac insufficiency disappeared, and haemodynamics stabilized. According to the findings of the control multispiral computed tomography, the fistula does not function, there are no signs of the stent graft's dislocation or endoleak, with the cross-over femorofemoral bypass patent. The patient was discharged in a satisfactory condition. | pubmed_1077_22333 |
pubmed_106_14514 | OBJECTIVE
To compare open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) with total elbow arthroplasty (TEA) for intraarticular distal humerus fractures in women older than 65 years of age.
DESIGN
Retrospective review.
SETTING
Information was obtained from a Level 1 trauma center with fellowship-trained traumatologists and a tertiary care center with fellowship-trained shoulder and elbow surgeons.
PATIENTS
Patients were 24 women older than age 65 who sustained distal humerus fractures that required surgical treatment with clinical follow-up at a minimum of 2 years. All fractures were OTA classification 13.C2 or 13.C3. No patients were lost to follow-up.
INTERVENTION
ORIF or TEA was the treatment method.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS
The Mayo Elbow Performance score and the need for revision surgery were established as the means of patient evaluation.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS
Using the Mayo Elbow Performance score, the outcomes of the 12 patients treated with ORIF were as follows: 4 excellent, 4 good, 1 fair, and 3 poor (cases that required conversion to TEA). Outcomes of the 12 patients treated with TEA were as follows: 11 excellent and 1 good. There were no fair or poor outcomes in the TEA group. No patients treated with TEA required revision surgery. We believe TEA to be a viable treatment option for distal intraarticular humerus fractures in women older than age 65. This is particularly true for women with associated comorbidities, such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, and conditions requiring the use of systemic steroids. | 10.1097/00005131-200308000-00001 |
pubmed_784_8791 | Epidemiologic surveys reveal a positive correlation between serum cholesterol levels and the incidence of coronary artery disease. Intervention trials demonstrated that a reduction of serum cholesterol by 1% results in a decrease of coronary non-fatal events by 2%. Fatal coronary events remain almost uninfluenced. On the other side, several intervention trials showed an excess mortality from non-cardiac causes in the therapy groups (i.e. malignant tumors, suicides, accidents). Thus, until now no prolongation of life expectancy could be verified by cholesterol lowering measures. | pubmed_784_8791 |
pubmed_97_11085 | Urticaria and angioedema are clinical manifestations of various immunologic and inflammatory mechanisms, or they may be idiopathic. The respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts as well as the cardiovascular system may be involved in any combination. Patients with urticaria and/or angioedema can be classified based on pathophysiologic mechanisms into those with IgE-dependent or complement-mediated immunologic disorders, those with nonimmunologic disorders in which there is a direct effect on the mast cell or on arachidonic acid metabolism, and those whose condition is idiopathic. Evaluation of patients should focus on a thorough history. Laboratory tests provide minimal additional information. About one half of patients with urticaria alone and 25% with urticaria and angioedema or angioedema alone are free of lesions within 1 year. With urticaria, angioedema, or both, 20% of patients experience episodes for more than 20 years. | 10.1016/0190-9622(91)70180-a |
pubmed_625_21227 | Whole genome sequencing (WGS) holds the potential to identify pathogenic gene mutations, copy number variation, uniparental disomy and structural rearrangements in a single genetic test. With its high diagnostic yield and decreasing costs, the question arises whether WGS can serve as a single test for all referrals to diagnostic genome laboratories ("one test fits all"). Here, we provide an estimate for the proportion of clinically relevant aberrations identified by light microscopy in postnatal referrals that would go undetected by WGS. To this end, we compiled the clinically relevant abnormal findings for each of the different referral categories in our laboratory during the period 2006-2015. We assumed that WGS would be performed on 300-500 bp DNA fragments with 150-bp paired sequence reads, and that the mean genome coverage is 30x, corresponding to current practice. For the detection of chromosomal mosaicism we set minimum thresholds of 10% for monosomy and 20% for trisomy. Based on the literature we assumed that balanced Robertsonian translocations and ∼9% of other, balanced chromosome rearrangements would not be detectable because of breakpoints in sequences of repetitive DNA. Based on our analysis of all 14,957 referrals, including 1455 abnormal cases, we show that at least 8.1% of these abnormalities would escape detection (corresponding to 0.79% of all referrals). The highest rate occurs in referrals of premature ovarian failure, as 73.3% of abnormalities would not be identified because of the frequent occurrence of low-level sex chromosome mosaicism. Among referrals of recurrent miscarriage, 25.6% of abnormalities would go undetected, mainly because of a high proportion of balanced Robertsonian translocations. In referrals of mental retardation (with or without multiple congenital anomalies) the abnormality would be missed in only 0.35% of referrals. These include cases without imbalances of unique DNA sequences but of clinical relevance, as for example, r(20) epilepsy syndrome. The expected shift to large-scale implementation of WGS ("one test fits most") as initial genetic test will be beneficial to patients and their families, since a cause for the clinical phenotype can be identified in more cases by a single genetic test at an early phase in the diagnostic process. However, a niche for genome analysis by light microscopy will remain. For example, in referrals of newborns with a suspicion of Down syndrome, karyotyping is not only a cost-effective method for providing a quick diagnosis, but also discriminates between trisomy 21 and a Robertsonian translocation involving chromosome 21. Thus, when replacing karyotyping by WGS, one must be aware of the rates and spectra of undetected abnormalities. In addition, it is equally important that requirements for cytogenetic follow-up studies are recognized. | 10.1016/j.ejmg.2018.09.010 |
pubmed_541_12172 | Using immunohistochemistry with the newly available monoclonal antibody MEM-G/1 the reaction patterns on frozen and formaldehyde-fixed paraffin-embedded sections on human placentas, lymph nodes, skeletal muscles, and kidney and liver allografts were compared. HLA-G (a nonclassical major histocompatibility complex class I molecule that is assumed to influence the immune response during pregnancy and some pathological conditions) was found within human extravillous cytotrophoblast but not within villous cytotrophoblast and placental mesenchymal tissue. No HLA-G expression on human lymph nodes, tonsils, and kidney and liver allografts was demonstrated. However, HLA-G expression was observed in all samples of skeletal muscle. The binding capacity of monoclonal antibody MEM-G/1 provides new possibilities to study physiological and pathophysiological roles of HLA-G in humans. | 10.1007/BF02930962 |
pubmed_530_1977 | An experimental validation of a low-cost method for extrapolation and estimation of the maximal electromagnetic-field exposure from long-term evolution (LTE) radio base station installations are presented. No knowledge on downlink band occupation or service characteristics is required for the low-cost method. The method is applicable in situ. It only requires a basic spectrum analyser with appropriate field probes without the need of expensive dedicated LTE decoders. The method is validated both in laboratory and in situ, for a single-input single-output antenna LTE system and a 2×2 multiple-input multiple-output system, with low deviations in comparison with signals measured using dedicated LTE decoders. | 10.1093/rpd/ncs307 |
pubmed_1072_25386 | Although the long working hours of physicians are considered to be a social issue, no effective policies such as duty hour regulations have so far been proposed in Japan. We implemented an overnight call shift (OCS) system for ward rotations to improve the working environment for residents in a pediatric residency program. We later conducted a cross-sectional questionnaire asking the residents to compare this system with the traditional overnight call system. Forty-one pediatric residents participated in this survey. The residents felt that the quality of patient care improved (80.4% agreed). Most felt that there was less emphasis on education (26.8%) and more emphasis on service (31.7%). Overall, the residents reported that the OCS was beneficial (90.2%). In conclusion, the pediatric residents considered the OCS system during ward rotations as beneficial. Alternative solutions are vital to balance improvements in resident work conditions with the requirement for a high quality of education. | 10.1111/ped.13370 |
pubmed_220_11828 | By introducing a mixed population of nitrifiers encapsulated in gel lens beads a more selective nitrification process was found in treatment of settled sewage in lab scale at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of about 30 to 60 minutes. The reaction rates for oxidation of soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD) were found to vary between 25 to 150 mg/L x h while nitrification takes place around 50 mg nitrogen per hour and litre reaction volume. However, based on this SCOD removal in the nitrification step, a consequent post-denitrification process without nitrate recycle and dosage of external carbon sources has been proven to reach substantial nitrate elimination of up to 20 mg nitrogen per litre at COD/N-ratios of approx. 6 in settled sewage. At such COD/N-ratios, suitable nitrogen elimination seems to be possible, because the bioflocs of settled sewage, produced so far by SCOD oxidation and entrapment of particulate COD, are passing through the nitrification process having a substantial contribution to the denitrification rate additionally to the remaining SCOD. | pubmed_220_11828 |
pubmed_431_21581 | We have previously demonstrated the efficacy of therapeutic exercise for osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. This study was performed to examine the additive effects of glucosamine or risedronate on the exercise therapy. In this study, 142 female patients with moderate OA of the knee, who had been recommended to undergo home exercise at the first visit to the hospital, were randomly given glucosamine hydrochloride, risedronate, or no additive. Although improvement after 18 months was observed in all groups using individual scales for evaluation of pain and function of the knee, no significant differences were observed between the groups regarding any of the scales, indicating no significant additive effect of glucosamine or risedronate. One reason for the lack of effect of glucosamine or risedronate on OA of the knee may be that the effect of these agents was occluded by the effect of therapeutic exercise to improve pain and function of the knee. This finding means that even if glucosamine and risedronate were to have an effect on OA of the knee, the effect would not be greater than the effect of knee exercise to improve the symptoms. | 10.1007/s00774-007-0813-5 |
pubmed_333_13381 | Ten animals of the Meuse-Rhine-Yssel breed of cattle, in the thirty-two month to twelve year range, showing cystic ovarian follicles, were treated with intravenous injection of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (Lutal, Hoechst). All animals responded to treatment with increase in the concentration of luteinizing hormone in the peripheral blood within from 120 to 150 minutes after injection. Luteinizations were observed in the ovaries within from seven to fourteen days after treatment, a process emphasized by increased concentration of progesterone in the blood. Of ten treated animals, six became pregnant. This required a total number of nine injections of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone and seven inseminations. The cycle was restored to normal in two animals but unfortunately these were not inseminated or given only a single insemination. The two other animals had recurrences. | pubmed_333_13381 |
pubmed_726_6494 | A 41-year-old male patient with hepatitis B underwent right tri-segmentectomy and total caudate lobectomy for a huge hepatocellular carcinoma associated with complete occlusion of the inferior vena cava with thrombosis of the infrahepatic inferior vena cava due to tumor compression. Five months later, he was readmitted for ascites and hyperbilirubinemia. Venography revealed stenosis and tortuosity of the left hepatic vein and the inferior vena cava, for which balloon angioplasty of the left hepatic vein and the inferior vena cava was performed using an 8-mm and 10-mm balloon, respectively. The left hepatic venous pressure decreased from 65 mmHg to 25 mmHg after dilatation. The patient made a satisfactory recovery thereafter and remains well with normal liver functions and without ascites. Balloon angioplasty may be useful for liver failure due to hepatic vein stenosis after hepatic resection. | 10.9738/INTSURG-D-12-00032.1 |
pubmed_949_2808 | Insulin-like growth factor-1 has been safely administered to humans with chronic renal failure in an attempt to increase glomerular filtration rate. The results of short-term studies have been encouraging. Further studies will be required to better define the role of this or other growth factors in increasing glomerular filtration rate in patients with chronic renal failure. | 10.1097/00041552-199707000-00016 |
pubmed_585_5767 | BACKGROUND
Tobacco withdrawal symptoms may be confounded with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms among smokers with ADHD.
OBJECTIVE
(1) To assess overlap between ADHD symptoms and tobacco/nicotine withdrawal symptoms and craving; (2) to assess the relationship between craving or withdrawal symptoms and the effect of osmotic-release oral system methylphenidate (OROS-MPH) on ADHD symptoms; (3) to assess the association of ADHD symptoms, craving, and withdrawal symptoms with abstinence.
METHODS
Secondary analysis of a randomized, placebo controlled smoking cessation trial assessing the efficacy of OROS-MPH taken in addition to nicotine patch among individuals with ADHD. ADHD symptoms, withdrawal symptoms, and craving were assessed at baseline and 2, 4 and 6 weeks after a target quit day.
RESULTS
Withdrawal symptoms and craving showed limited and modest overlap with ADHD symptoms prior to abstinence but more extensive and stronger correlation after quit day. Compared to placebo, OROS-MPH reduced ADHD symptoms; this effect was attenuated by controlling for withdrawal symptoms, but not by craving. Craving, but not ADHD symptoms and withdrawal symptoms, was associated with abstinence during the trial.
CONCLUSION
When treating smokers with ADHD (1) craving, rather than tobacco withdrawal symptoms or ADHD symptoms may be the more effective therapeutic smoking cessation targets; (2) careful distinction of craving, withdrawal symptoms, and ADHD symptoms when assessing withdrawal phenomena is needed. | 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2012.01.019 |
pubmed_960_8328 | This study further investigates the mechanisms responsible for the effects of acute and severe hypoxia, and subsequent reoxygenation, on the contractility of isolated rat mesenteric arteries. In noradrenaline (NA)-contracted arteries, hypoxia caused a relaxation to near baseline levels. Reoxygenation resulted in an immediate transient contraction before tension returned more slowly to prehypoxia levels. Similar responses to hypoxia were observed in tissues precontracted by addition of KCl (60 mM) or U46619 (10 microM); however, the transient contraction upon reoxygenation was absent (KCl) or reduced (U46619). Responses to hypoxia were independent of changes in intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i), while those to reoxygenation were accompanied by corresponding changes in [Ca2+]i and were completely abolished by ryanodine. In NA-contracted tissues, all responses were unaffected by endothelial removal or by inhibitors of nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase. The K+ channel blockers triethylamine (TEA), glibenclamide, and 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) had no effect on the responses to hypoxia. The transient contractile response to reoxygenation was, however, significantly reduced in the presence of 4-AP. The response to reoxygenation, but not that to hypoxia, was inhibited by the antioxidant dithiothreitol (DTT) and the NAD(P)H-oxidase inhibitor diphenyliodonium (DPI). These data suggest that hypoxic vasodilation occurs independently of reductions in [Ca2+]i. Alternatively, transient contractions on reoxygenation are dependent upon the generation of reactive oxygen species and the release of stored Ca2+. | 10.1016/j.mvr.2004.08.001 |
pubmed_40_12361 | SCOPE
Aberrant activation of the Wingless-type mouse mammary tumor virus integration site family (Wnt)/β-catenin signaling pathway is the most common modification, and often considered, a hallmark of colorectal cancer (CRC). Typically in this pathway the β-catenin translocates from the cytoplasm to the nucleus, where it functions as a transcription regulator of several genes that support tumor formation and progression. Thus, any agent that could attenuate the translocation of β-catenin could be extremely valuable against CRC, especially the tumors that exhibit constitutively active Wnt/β-catenin signaling.
METHODS AND RESULTS
Using human CRC cells that exhibit differential expression of Wnt/β-catenin signaling, we demonstrate that treatment of CRC cells with dietary triterpene lupeol results in a dose-dependent (i) decrease in cell viability, (ii) induction of apoptosis, (iii) decrease in colonogenic potential, (iv) decrease in β-catenin transcriptional activity, and (v) decrease in the expression of Wnt target genes. Most importantly lupeol was observed to inhibit the translocation of β-catenin from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. Importantly, all these effects of lupeol were restricted to cells that harbor constitutively active Wnt/β-catenin signaling while negligible effects were observed in cells that lack constitutively active Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Further, we also demonstrate that inhibition of Wnt signaling in cells with constitutive active Wnt/β-catenin results in loss of lupeol efficacy while inducing Wnt signaling sensitizes the cells to inhibitory effects of lupeol.
CONCLUSION
In summary, our data strongly advocate the efficacy of lupeol against CRC cells that exhibit constitutively active Wnt/β-catenin signaling. | 10.1002/mnfr.201300155 |
pubmed_840_6083 | Atopic dermatitis is under the influence of series of environmental factors. The contact with unsuited cleaning agents and rough textiles can exacerbate pruritus and inflammation. Preventive and adjuvant measures can thus help the care procedures of the disease. Appropriate hygiene measures and the use of emollients are particularly helpful. Clothing measures are also in place. Undergarments and pyjamas made of knitted natural silk are available. Other measures, sometimes corresponding to anecdotal claims--antihistamines, thermal cures, unconventional medicine, probiotics, chinese herbals, essential fatty acids--have not proven their preventive efficacy in atopic dermatitis. | pubmed_840_6083 |
pubmed_383_13248 | BACKGROUND
Commercial fishing is the most hazardous occupation in the United States. While the epidemiology of adult injuries and fatalities are well documented, injuries to children (<18 years old) are not described. The purpose of this report was to describe the characteristics of nonfatal injuries to children involved in commercial fishing.
METHODS
Nonfatal commercial fishing injuries to children were identified in the Alaska Fishermen's Fund. The Alaska Fishermen's Fund is an emergency fund payor of last resort. Data on nonfatal injuries to victims aged 17 or younger were analyzed. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize demographics and injury characteristics.
RESULTS
Forty-four nonfatal child injury claims were made between 2012 and 2016. The mean age at the time of claim was 15.6 years (SD = 1.8) and 84% were male. The most common types of injuries among children were sprains and strains and the most commonly injured body parts were upper extremities and the trunk. Most injuries occurred in salmon fisheries.
CONCLUSIONS
Children are participating in commercial fishing. Based on the results of this analysis, children are also experiencing occupational injuries. The results of this analysis underscore the need for additional safety and health information, guidance for supervisors, and intervention to prevent injuries to children participating in commercial fishing. | 10.1002/ajim.23232 |
pubmed_1036_917 | Transferrin is an iron carrier protein involved in iron uptake and the regulation of cell growth. Although highly proliferative cells express transferrin and its receptor, little is known about the role of transferrin in the cellular response to cytokine production. The non-iron-bound form of transferrin (apo-transferrin) was administered to human chronic myeloid leukemia cell line, K-562 cells to assess whether it could induce interleukin-18 (IL-18). Apo-transferrin enhanced IL-18 mRNA and protein and, moreover, IL-18 secretion was increased by treatment with apo-transferrin. In conclusion, apo-transferrin regulates IL-18 expression and we suggest that it is involved in cytokine production. | 10.1016/j.leukres.2008.08.001 |
pubmed_154_15850 | On November 25, 2001, a beaver exhibited aggressive behavior by charging canoes and kayaks on the Ichetucknee River in Alachua County, Florida. The beaver was captured by park personnel and submitted to a Florida Department of Health (FDoH) laboratory for rabies testing. Park rangers contacted the Alachua County Health Department after they identified five persons who were in the vicinity of the animal before capture. These five persons were interviewed by county health department personnel, who reported that although the beaver had made aggressive actions, the animal had not bitten anyone. This report summarizes the investigation of this case of animal rabies. Mammals that exhibit aggressive or other unusual behavior should be reported promptly to local health officials and should not be approached or handled by the public. | pubmed_154_15850 |
pubmed_327_1135 | In the present paper, we demonstrate that alpha1-antichymotrypsin, a serpin with high inhibitory specificity toward cathepsin G, and kallistatin, a human serpin with high specificity toward tissue kallikrein, are digested by cathepsin D. Alpha1-Antichymotrypsin was hydrolyzed essentially in the reactive center loop at L-S, A-L, or L-V bonds; kallistatin was split into small fragments, but we detected the cleavage at F-F and F-S bonds in its reactive center loop in the first 15 min of digestion. In contrast to alpha1-antichymotrypsin, kallistatin is irreversibly inactivated at pH 4.0. Synthetic internally quenched fluorescent peptides containing sequences similar to the reactive center loops of these serpins were hydrolyzed by cathepsin D. The peptides derived from kallistatin were hydrolyzed more efficiently, and particularly relevant was the high susceptibility of the substrates Abz-AIKFFSAQTNRHILRFNRQ-EDDnp (Km = 0.08 microM, kcat = 2.4 s(-1)) and Abz-AIKFFSAQTNRQ-EDDnp (Km = 0.8 microM, kcat = 17.8 s(-1)), which were hydrolyzed at the F-F bond. Therefore, besides the description of a new class of very efficient internally quenched substrates for cathepsin D, we give evidence for the downregulation role of this proteinase on alpha1-antichymotrypsin and kallistatin. The acidification of extracellular milieu by tumor cells can result in activation of cathepsin D; as a consequence, kinins can be released, improving blood supply and leaving more cathepsin G available for the degradation of extracellular matrix. | 10.1023/a:1026432402259 |
pubmed_534_20002 | Retained surgical gauze and the surrounding foreign body reaction constitute a mass referred to as a textiloma. Textiloma has acute and chronic forms; the acute form is symptomatic in the early postoperative period and the chronic form may be asymptomatic or display mild and nonspecific symptoms. Usually, textiloma after previously infected surgery has acute forms. We report here on a case of a 46-year-old male who had retained surgical gauze for 12 years. The patient had received revision surgery for infected spinal instrumentation 12-years previously and had no specific symptom after surgery. One month prior to the present admission, the patient experienced low back pain and left thigh pain. Based on the prior operative history and present imaging results, the patient was diagnosed with an abscess due to a foreign body reaction. The patient underwent surgery, which discovered retained gauze with granuloma. This case is the third longest reported case after entire spinal surgery and the longest time of textiloma after previously infected spine surgery. | 10.1007/s00590-011-0932-5 |
pubmed_791_20804 | Biology is advanced by producing structural models of biological systems, such as protein complexes. Some systems are recalcitrant to traditional structure determination methods. In such cases, it may still be possible to produce useful models by integrative structure determination that depends on simultaneous use of multiple types of data. An ensemble of models that are sufficiently consistent with the data is produced by a structural sampling method guided by a data-dependent scoring function. The variation in the ensemble of models quantified the uncertainty of the structure, generally resulting from the uncertainty in the input information and actual structural heterogeneity in the samples used to produce the data. Here, we describe how to generate, assess, and interpret ensembles of integrative structural models using our open source Integrative Modeling Platform program (https://integrativemodeling.org). | 10.1002/pro.3995 |
pubmed_182_4946 | The stability and functionality of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are particularly important in considering their potential and/or practical use. Herein we report two novel aldehyde functional group-containing MOFs [Zn2(L)(BDC)2]·2DMF·MeOH·H2O (1) and [Co2(L)(BDC)2]·2DMF·2MeOH·H2O (2) (DMF = N,N-dimethylformamide, MeOH = methanol) achieved by reactions of mixed organic ligands of 2,4-bis[(pyridin-4-yl)methoxy]benzaldehyde (L) and 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid (H2BDC) with the corresponding metal salts under solvothermal conditions. Both 1 and 2 are 2-fold interpenetrated three-dimensional (3D) frameworks. Particularly, 1 exhibits excellent water and wide-range pH stability, and a large Qst value for carbon dioxide (CO2) adsorption. Furthermore, photoluminescence (PL) studies indicate that 1 could be considered as a potential luminescent probe for detection of nitroaromatics. | 10.1039/c8dt03551b |
pubmed_54_19010 | This article reviews the literature concerning attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication misuse, abuse, dependence, diversion, and malingering. The review covers nonmedical use (NMU) of both stimulant (methylphenidate and amphetamine) and nonstimulant (α-adrenergic agonists and atomoxetine) prescription medications, and provides a discussion on the relevance for ADHD treatment today. The neural basis for ADHD medication mechanisms of action (increased norepinephrine and dopamine signaling) and their neurobiochemical relationship to the abuse potential is explored. Regionally-specific, stimulant-induced elevations in brain dopamine appear to be integral to both efficacy in ADHD and potential for abuse. In addition to the prevalence of misuse and diversion, additional topics discussed include the potential safety concerns associated with NMU of prescription ADHD medications and the cost to payers of prescription drug diversion (eg, increased emergency department visits associated with misuse). The evidence describing the difficulty in detecting malingering for the purpose of illicit access to ADHD medications for subsequent misuse or diversion is also summarized. Moreover, the effect of ADHD medications in patients with comorbid substance use disorder and the controversial potential linkage of stimulant prescription use with subsequent substance use disorder are explored. Overall, the data suggest that ADHD medication misuse and diversion are common health care problems for stimulant medications, with the prevalence believed to be approximately 5% to 10% of high school students and 5% to 35% of college students, depending on the study. Stimulant effectiveness and speed of action are deemed desirable to enhance attention and focus performance for activities like studying, but stimulants are also misused recreationally. Conversely, the data suggest a lack of abuse potential and lack of actual medication misuse for the nonstimulant medications. Although they can be efficacious for the treatment of ADHD, the nonstimulants lack a mechanism of action linked to the abuse potential and they lack the desirable effects (speed of action, stimulant feel) that make stimulants susceptible to NMU. In light of these findings, the data suggest a need for close screening and therapeutic monitoring of ADHD medication use. In addition, nonstimulants might be an appropriate alternative for patients with concern about abuse and physicians concerned with general misuse and diversion. | 10.3810/pgm.2014.09.2801 |
pubmed_670_10068 | Adults Rhabdomyoma are benign and rare tumors of skeletal muscle. The bibliography gathers about 60 cases, sitting on the head and the neck (95%), specially on the floor of the mouth, larynx or pharynx. Two exceptional case has been reported, one in the abdominal wall, the other on the retroperitoneal space, the latter being a mixed rhabdomyoma (either foetal and adult). Although the condition shows typical morphological features, the interest of the case reported, rely, apart of its scant presentation, on the possibility of leading to a mistaken clinic-macroscopic diagnosis of malignant mesenchymal tumor, because of its outward appearance. | pubmed_670_10068 |
pubmed_1047_24585 | We have investigated expression of the Xist gene in mouse female adult kidney, embryos and embryonic stem (ES) cells undergoing in vitro differentiation as embryoid bodies. Using the quantitative RT-PCR single nucleotide primer extension (SNuPE) assay, we found that the amount of Xist RNA in adult kidney of three mouse strains was less than approximately 2000 transcripts per cell, with only modest differences between strains carrying different Xce alleles. Female embryos 7.5 days post coitum had the same number of Xist transcripts per cell as isogenic adult tissue. Using quantitative oligonucleotide hybridization assays after RT-PCR, we investigated Xist expression in ES lines heterozygous at the Pgk-1 and Xist loci. We found that, while in most (XX) ES lines Xist RNA levels increased during embryoid body formation, the levels seen were less than 10% those found in adult female kidney. In addition, we found that the allelic ratio of Xist transcripts from reciprocal (XX) ES cell lines differentiating in vitro was identical to that of isogenic 10.5 to 11.5 day female embryos. These latter results suggest that there is no pattern of preferential paternal imprinting during days 1 to 9 of in vitro differentiation of ES cells. However, the influence of the Xce locus on the randomness of X-inactivation in embryos seems to operate also in ES cell lines. Our overall conclusion is that the low levels of Xist RNA in female kidney, embryos and differentiating (XX) ES cells are compatible only with models that do not require Xist RNA to cover the entire inactive X chromosome. | 10.1242/dev.120.12.3529 |
pubmed_1066_2050 | The goal of the present work was to evaluate the additive effects of biochar and chicken manure on maize growth in Pb-contaminated soils. In this study, we conducted a pot experiment to investigate how biochar in soil (20, 40 g·kg-1), chicken manure in soil (20, 40 g·kg-1), or a combination of biochar and chicken manure in soil (each at 20 g·kg-1) effect maize growth, Pb uptake, leaves' antioxidant enzymatic activities, and soil enzyme activities under artificial conditions to simulate moderate soil pollution (800 Pb mg·kg-1). The results showed that all biochar and/or chicken manure treatments significantly (P < 0.05) increased maize plant height, biomass, and superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) activity but decreased the malondialdehyde (MDA) content. These results indicated that amending the soil with biochar and/or chicken manure could alleviate Pb's phytotoxicity. The biochar and/or chicken manure treatments remarkably decreased the Pb concentration in maize roots, stems, leaves, bioconcentration factor (BCF), translocation factor (TF), and available Pb concentration in the soil. Amending the soil with chicken manure alone was more effective at increasing maize growth and antioxidant enzymatic activity; the biochar treatment alone was more effective at inducing soil alkalinization and contributing to Pb immobilization. The combined use of biochar and chicken manure had an additive effect and produced the largest increases in maize growth, leaves' antioxidant enzymatic activity, and soil enzyme activity. Their combined use also led to the most significant decreases in maize tissues Pb and soil available Pb. These results suggest that a combination of biochar and chicken manure was more effective at reducing soil Pb bioavailability and uptake by maize tissues, and increasing maize growth. This combination increased plant height by 43.23% and dry weight by 69.63% compared to the control. | 10.7717/peerj.11754 |
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