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pubmed_624_4241 | There are numerous reports of a temporal relationship between LH secretion and a subsequent flushing response in menopausal women. We have developed a morphine-dependent animal model to study the mechanisms of the hot flush. Administration of naloxone to these animals results in a surge in LH secretion which precedes the elevation in tail skin temperature (TST). In the present study, we utilized central administration of an LH-RH agonist and antagonist to evaluate the skin temperature response in our animal model. Ovariectomized female rats were fitted with unilateral cannula in the lateral ventricle (LV). One week later these animals were midly restrained to allow for continuous measurement of tail skin temperatures (TST). Central administration of naloxone was without effect in controls but produced a 5-6 degree C rise of TST in the morphine-dependent rat while central administration of 10 microliters of the saline vehicle produced no changes in TST in either group. A similar increased sensitivity to LH-RH was observed in morphine-dependent rats. Administration of 5 or 10 micrograms of the LH-RH agonist (Des-Gly10, [im-Bzl-D-His6]LH-RH ethylamide) into the LV produced a significantly greater elevation in TST (4 degrees C) in the morphine-dependent rats compared to a negligible rise in TST in the control rats; however, administration of a larger dose of 20 micrograms of the LH-RH agonist produced similar TST responses of about 4 degrees C in both groups. Intravenous administration of the LH-RH agonist (10 micrograms) was ineffective in producing any temperature effect in morphine-dependent rats. Thus, it appears that the morphine-dependent rat is more sensitive to the LH-RH agonist and the temperature response is mediated by a central mechanism which is similar to that observed following administration of a dose of naloxone. In a subsequent study central administration of the LH-RH agonist (5 micrograms/10 microliters) resulted in a similar rise in serum LH in both control and morphine-dependent rats, suggesting that the elevation in TST is not closely associated with LH secretion. Further support for a role of LH-RH in our animal model was obtained following central administration of an LH-RH antagonist [( D-Phe2.6, Pro3]LH-RH) which blocked the rise in TST associated with systemic administration of naloxone (1 mg/kg, s.c.) in morphine-dependent rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS) | 10.1016/0006-8993(89)90146-7 |
pubmed_133_14832 | Hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) is an effective mode of therapy in pediatrics for the treatment of both malignant and non-malignant disorders. We compared the course of children transplanted with unrelated umbilical cord blood (UCB) to those transplanted with allogeneic sibling bone marrow (BM) for bone marrow failure syndromes. Thirteen patients with a median age of 6.3 years were transplanted for the following diseases between April 1992 and November 1997: myelodysplastic syndromes, aplastic anemia, Diamond-Blackfan anemia, myelofibrosis, paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, osteopetrosis and dyskeratosis congenita. The stem cell source was BM in ten patients and UCB in three. We retrospectively examined the conditioning regimens, stem cell source and dose, days to engraftment, survival and complication rate to see whether there was a significant advantage in using one source over the other. The median time to an absolute neutrophil count > 500 per microL was 25 days for UCB patients and 16 days for BM patients. The median time to a platelet count > 20,000 per microL was 55 days for UCB patients and 22 days for BM patients. The 100-day mortality was 66% in UCB patients and 20% in BM patients. The overall mortality rates were 66% and 40%, respectively. Three patients died prior to engraftment. Seven patients (54%) were still alive as of May 1999 with a median follow-up of 1574 days post-transplant. The patients transplanted with BM had faster engraftment and lower rates of graft-versus-host disease, 100-day mortality and overall mortality. HLA-matched sibling BM is preferred as a source but transplantation using unrelated UCB is still an option in treating pediatric bone marrow failure syndromes. | 10.1034/j.1399-3046.1999.00062.x |
pubmed_80_452 | The bone is a frequent localization for lung non-small cell cancer metastasis; decalcification is required to permit tissue section. Pre-analytical conditions can influence the detection of immunohistochemical markers. The aim of our work is to evaluate PD-L1 expression in samples with delayed fixation and in decalcified tissue with chelating agent or acid at different time. Tumor-expressing PD-L1 and placental tissue were fixed at different times or decalcified with an acid decalcifier or EDTA for different durations. For 22C3 antibody, when tissues were decalcified with DC3, there was a significant decrease in the percentage of tumor cells or placental villi stained which after 4 h (p = 0.035 at 4 h). When EDTA is used for 22C3 antibody, there was a slight decrease in the percentage of stained tumor cells or villi but although there was a trend (p = 0.058 at 20 h), this was never statistically significant. For E1L3N antibody, when tissues were decalcified either with DC3 or EDTA, there was no significant decrease for the proportion of stained tumor cells or placental villi, neither for staining intensity for the first 24 h. The proportion of placental villi and tumor stained or intensity of staining was not significantly lower for any sample after delayed fixation also at 24 h for both PD-L1 clones. Delayed fixation does not affect the proportion of stained cell and intensity with PD-L1 immunohistochemistry. Decalcification also performed with EDTA lower the proportion and intensity of stained cells with PD-L1 immunohistochemistry. | 10.1007/s00428-019-02613-w |
pubmed_460_14419 | We investigated the bone metabolism of 22 patients (median age 38 years) over 6 years after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Biplanar roentgenograms of the thoracic and lumbar spine were used to diagnose vertebral deformities caused by fractures. The actual bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar spine and the femoral neck were measured. Laboratory tests included calcium, phosphate, parathyroid hormone, a marker of bone resorption (beta-crosslaps, CTX), markers of bone formation (osteocalcin, bone-specific alkaline phosphatase), osteoprotegerin (OPG)--antagonist of the osteoclast differentiation factor RANKL, and sex hormone status. One patient had a vertebral fracture. Seven patients (28%) had osteopenia in the lumbar spine while 12 patients (48%) had osteopenia in the femoral neck. Bone resorption was increased in nine patients (43%) and bone formation was increased in four patients (20%). BMT recipients had significantly increased serum levels of OPG (P=0.029). Three women (75%) and four men (25%) were hypogonadal. The data showed that BMD is reduced and bone metabolism is still disturbed more than 6 years after BMT. The RANKL/osteoprotegerin system appears to play an important role in the pathophysiology of late post transplantation osteoporosis. | 10.1038/sj.bmt.1704618 |
pubmed_2_19265 | The processing characteristics of neurons in the central auditory system are directly shaped by and reflect the statistics of natural acoustic environments, but the principles that govern the relationship between natural sound ensembles and observed responses in neurophysiological studies remain unclear. In particular, accumulating evidence suggests the presence of a code based on sustained neural firing rates, where central auditory neurons exhibit strong, persistent responses to their preferred stimuli. Such a strategy can indicate the presence of ongoing sounds, is involved in parsing complex auditory scenes, and may play a role in matching neural dynamics to varying time scales in acoustic signals. In this paper, we describe a computational framework for exploring the influence of a code based on sustained firing rates on the shape of the spectro-temporal receptive field (STRF), a linear kernel that maps a spectro-temporal acoustic stimulus to the instantaneous firing rate of a central auditory neuron. We demonstrate the emergence of richly structured STRFs that capture the structure of natural sounds over a wide range of timescales, and show how the emergent ensembles resemble those commonly reported in physiological studies. Furthermore, we compare ensembles that optimize a sustained firing code with one that optimizes a sparse code, another widely considered coding strategy, and suggest how the resulting population responses are not mutually exclusive. Finally, we demonstrate how the emergent ensembles contour the high-energy spectro-temporal modulations of natural sounds, forming a discriminative representation that captures the full range of modulation statistics that characterize natural sound ensembles. These findings have direct implications for our understanding of how sensory systems encode the informative components of natural stimuli and potentially facilitate multi-sensory integration. | 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1002982 |
pubmed_113_828 | Globally, young people are at high risk of mental health problems, but have poor engagement with services. Several international models have emerged seeking to address this gap by providing youth-specific care designed in collaboration with young people. In this study, 94 young people in New Zealand participated in collaborative workshops exploring their vision of an ideal mental health service. Participants were aged 16-25. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to identify seven themes. These describe the ideal mental health service for these young people as comfortable, accessible, welcoming, embedded in the community, holistic, adaptable, and youth-focused. In addition to describing how services might better serve the needs of youth, this article outlines a method for adapting international principles for youth-friendly care to the specific needs of a population of young people. This article provides supporting evidence that services should consider how to improve their engagement with youth through collaboration with local populations of young people. | 10.3390/ijerph18199983 |
pubmed_660_6569 | OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the preoperative assessments of primary tumor size, parametrial invasion, and pelvic lymph node metastasis in patients with early-stage cervical cancer.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A cohort of 125 patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage IA2 to IIA cervical cancer who had preoperative MRI and underwent radical hysterectomy were enrolled and analyzed. The accuracy of preoperative MRI scan and pelvic examination in the measurement of tumor size was assessed based on postoperative measurement and pathologic findings. The accuracy of detection of lymph node status and parametrial invasion was also assessed by comparing the MRI and pathologic findings.
RESULTS
The mean diameter of the tumor size measured by postoperative measurement, MRI, and pelvic examination was 2.97 ± 1.39 cm, 2.78 ± 1.24 cm, and 1.97 ± 1.70 cm, respectively. There were significant differences in the mean diameter of the tumor size between pelvic examinations and MRI scan or postoperative measurement (P < 0.0001). Based on postoperative measurement findings, accuracy of tumor size measurement between pelvic examination and MRI was determined by the degree of agreement with a difference of less than 0.5 or 1.0 cm. Pelvic examination and MRI had an accuracy of 24.75% and 39.60%, respectively, with a difference of less than 0.5 cm, and had an accuracy of 43.56% and 61.39%, respectively, with a difference of less than 1.0 cm. Correlation with postoperative measurement in tumor size was higher for MRI (r[s] = 0.481) than that for pelvic examination (r[s] = 0.362). The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of MRI in detecting lymph node metastasis were 27.78%, 85.98%, 77.60%, respectively. The negative predictive value of MRI in detecting parametrial invasion is 100%.
CONCLUSIONS
Magnetic resonance imaging is an accurate noninvasive modality for preoperative evaluation of tumor size and also gives important information to parametrial invasion and lymph node status in patients with early-stage cervical cancer. | 10.1097/IGC.0000000000000169 |
others_133_15132 | Indonesia has a high level of coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) germplasm diversity. However, information about the superiority and genetics of each dwarf coconut accession remains limited. This research aimed to obtain information that is important for choosing the appropriate coconut material for breeding programs and industrial use. Eight coconut cultivars were evaluated at the morphological level on the basis of 12 traits and at the molecular level by using 10 SSR primers were carried out during 2017 and 2018. Morphological observations performed at the Mapanget Experimental Garden, IPCRI, Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Molecular characteristics were studied at the Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The cultivars ‘Sagerat Orange Dwarf’ (SOD) and ‘Waingapu Red Dwarf’ (WRD) showed desirable fruit and yield characters. Genetic structure analysis showed that dwarf coconut cultivars could be divided into two groups, and multivariate analysis revealed the relationship of the individual palms with one another, thus enabling the selection of palms with genetic integrity. Coconut cultivars with large genetic distances and superior characters have a good chance of producing hybrids with heterosis for fruit and yield characters. The cultivars SOD and WRD were identified as the most superior parents for the production of dwarf × dwarf coconut hybrids. © Society for the Advancement of Breeding Research in Asia and Oceania (SABRAO) 2021 | others_133_15132 |
pubmed_487_6652 | Acute exposure to ethanol causes paralysis at high concentrations in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. We set out to elucidate the mechanism of the anesthetic action of ethanol by genetic approaches. We identified nine mutations that conferred reduced sensitivity to ethanol after chemical, irradiation, or transposon insertion mutagenesis. Of these nine, we further characterized five mutations that defined four genes, jud-1-jud-4. Analysis of the phenotypes of the animals heterozygous for two unlinked genes revealed that jud-1 and jud-3 act synergistically in a gene dose-dependent manner. We cloned jud-4 and found that it encodes a protein with limited homology to human Homer proteins. jud-4 was expressed in the hypodermis and vulva muscles, suggesting that this gene acts in tissues directly exposed to the external environment. Characterization of the other mutations identified in this study will facilitate the elucidation of the molecular mechanism for the anesthetic action of ethanol. | 10.1016/j.bbrc.2007.12.133 |
pubmed_819_20961 | In this study, cytological examination of nasal secretions of 17 patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) was combined with quantitative determination of common inflammatory mediators. Results showed a normal cytogram in these patients. However, obvious mucosal inflammation is evidenced by significantly higher concentrations of leukotriene C4 (LTC4) and eosinophil cationic protein (ECP). The activation of other common inflammatory cells such as mast cells (or basophils) and neutrophils could not be demonstrated since their mediators (histamine, tryptase and myeloperoxidase) are not raised. Increased concentrations of LTC4 and ECP indicate the active participation of eosinophils, and can contribute to the new concept of non-infectious inflammatory involvement of the nasal epithelium of patients with CF. | 10.3109/00016489609137875 |
pubmed_875_1059 | Proper use of drugs can be defined as the use of the right product, in a correct dosage, during an adequate length of time, for a given patient and provided he has no serious side effects. It is virtually impossible, with such a number of drugs, such a number of clinical situations to prescribe adequately without using references or guidelines. References may lead to a unique choice, when the diagnosis is certain and the drug to be given is unique. With a good initial and continuous medical education, doctors can take easily this type of decision. The Summary of Products Characteristics (SPC) helps them; by sticking to this fundamental reference, prescription might be more precise and safe. In a lot of clinical situations the choice between a large numbers of therapeutic strategies necessitates use of a guideline based on scientific knowledge. Finally, a given therapeutic strategy can be as effective as and considerably less expensive than another. In such cases, payers can drive doctors to the prescription of the less expensive strategy. Some difficulties are common to all references and guidelines. | pubmed_875_1059 |
pubmed_866_6324 | BACKGROUND
AP outcomes in cirrhotic patients have not yet been studied. We aim to investigate the outcomes of cirrhotics patients with acute pancreatitis.
METHODS
The National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database (2003-2013) was queried for patients with a discharge diagnosis of AP and liver cirrhosis. Cirrhosis was further classified as compensated and decompensated using the validated Baveno IV criteria. Primary outcome was inpatient mortality. The analysis was adjusted for age, gender, race, Charlson comorbidity index (CCI), median income quartile, and hospital characteristics.
RESULTS
Over 2.8 million patients with acute pancreatitis were analyzed. Cirrhosis prevalence was 2.8% (80,093). Both compensated and decompensated cirrhosis subjects had significantly higher mortality. Highest odds ratios (OR) were: inpatient mortality (OR 3.4, P < 0.001), Shock (OR 1.5, P = 0.02), Ileus (OR: 1.3, p = 0.02, ARDS (OR 1.2, p = 0.03), upper endoscopy performed (OR 2.0, p < 0.001), blood transfusions (OR 3.1, p < 0.001), gastrointestinal bleed (OR 5.5, p < 0.001), sepsis (OR 1.3, p = 0.005), portal vein thrombosis (PVT) (OR 7.2, p < 0.001), acute cholecystitis (OR 1.3, p < 0.001). Interestingly, cirrhosis patients had lower hospital length of stay, (OR 0.16, p < 0.001), AKI (OR 0.93, p = 0.06), myocardial infarction (OR 0.31, p < 0.001), SIRS (OR 0.62, p < 0.001), parenteral nutrition requirement (OR 0.84, p = 0.002). Decompensated cirrhosis had higher inflation-adjusted hospital charges (+$3896.60; p < 0.001).
CONCLUSION
AP patients with cirrhosis have higher inpatient mortality, but it is unlikely to be due to AP severity as patients had lower incidence of SIRS and AKI. Higher mortality is possibly related to complications of cirrhosis and portal hypertension itself such as GI bleed, shock, PVT, AC and sepsis. | 10.1016/j.pan.2019.11.002 |
pubmed_996_6200 | Although individual TCRVBV gene segments exhibit limited polymorphism, human T-cell receptor beta (TCRB) haplotypes are characterized by multiple different combinations of allelic markers. This observation suggests that genetic recombination may have played a role in the generation of these haplotypes. Meiotic recombination in a region spanning approximately 250 kilobases (kb) at the 3' end of the TCRB gene complex was investigated by extended family studies and by analysis of single sperm. Segregation patterns of polymorphic TCRB markers in families allowed the assignment of TCRB alleles to parental haplotypes and detection of recombinants among the offspring. Among the 178 informative paternal meioses, four (approximately 2%) were recombinant, whereas no recombinants were found in the 199 maternal meioses. In addition, segregation of two allelic markers was examined in a total of 1101 individual sperm from two heterozygous donors to detect exchange events in this region. The results revealed a similar rate of recombination, approximately 1.3%, which, along with the family data, suggests that at, least in males, meiotic recombination in this 250 kb region may be six times higher than the "average" rate of 1% per 10(6) bases that has been estimated for the human genome. | 10.1007/BF00189230 |
pubmed_931_13307 | This paper discusses the results of pentachlorophenol (PCP) anaerobic biodegradation in a horizontal-flow anaerobic immobilized biomass (HAIB) reactor operated under methanogenic and halophylic conditions. The system was inoculated with autochthonous microorganisms taken from a site in the Santos-São Vicente Estuary (state of São Paulo, Brazil) severely contaminated with PCP, phenolic compounds, polychlorinated biphenyls, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and heavy metals. The inoculum was previously enriched for methanogenesis activity by changing glucose concentrations and under halophylic condition. PCP was added to the HAIB reactor as sodium salt (NaPCP) at an initial concentration of 5 mg l(-1) and increased to 13, 15, and 21 mg l(-1). Organic matter removal efficiency ranged from 77 to 100%. PCP removal efficiency was 100%. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis profile showed changes in the structure of Bacteria domain, which was associated with NaPCP and glucose amendments. The diversity of Archaea remained unaltered during the different phases. Scanning electron microscope examinations showed that cells morphologically resembling Methanosarcina and Methanosaeta predominated in the biofilm. These cells were detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization with the Methanosarcinales (MSMX860) specific probe. The results are of great importance in planning the estuary's restoration by using anaerobic technology and autochthonous microorganisms for bioremediation. | 10.1007/s00253-007-0841-z |
pubmed_796_12253 | Effects of taurine and THIP were studied on the development of cultured cerebellar granule cells with regard to GABA receptor expression and morphological development. Culturing in the presence of taurine or THIP led to the formation of low affinity GABA receptors as revealed from Scatchard analysis of [3H]GABA binding. This formation of receptors was susceptible to inhibition upon culturing in the simultaneous presence of taurine and bicuculline demonstrating the involvement of the high affinity GABA receptors which are present on the cells regardless of the culture condition. Superfusion experiments on cells cultured under the different conditions demonstrated that the low affinity GABA receptors expressed after culturing in the presence of THIP or taurine mediated an inhibition by GABA of evoked transmitter release from the granule cells. Cells cultured in either plain culture media or in the presence of taurine were indistinguishable with respect to the number of neurite extending cells observed after 4 days in culture. In contrast, culturing in the presence of THIP increased the number of neurite extending cells by 8% relative to the controls. | 10.1007/BF00965939 |
pubmed_522_13567 | OBJECTIVE
The proatherogenic effect of IL-18 is shown to be dependent on IFN-gamma production. It is believed that activated T cells play a proatherogenic role through secretion of IFN-gamma. However, recent studies in vitro have shown that macrophages, NK cells, and even vascular smooth muscle cells may also secrete IFN-gamma after stimulation by cytokines like IL-18. We therefore investigated whether cells other than activated T cells can play a proatherogenic role via IFN-gamma secretion under the stimulation of IL-18 in vivo.
METHODS AND RESULTS
SCID/apoE knockout mice were injected intraperitoneally with either IL-18 or phosphate-buffered saline 3 times per week for 7 weeks. Our results show that administration of IL-18 leads to 3-fold larger lesions and 2-fold higher circulating IFN-gamma despite the absence of T cells. In addition, increased IFN-gamma, accompanied by elevation of the scavenger receptor/chemokine CXCL16, was observed in both lesions and spleens. Furthermore, our findings revealed that macrophages, NK cells, and vascular cells were the source of IFN-gamma under the stimulation of IL-18 in the absence of T cells in vivo.
CONCLUSIONS
The current data suggest that the proatherogenic effect of IL-18 can occur in the absence of T cells and that IFN-gamma secreted by macrophages, NK cells, and vascular cells is sufficient for the disease progression. | 10.1161/01.ATV.0000153516.02782.65 |
pubmed_1055_19450 | The results of surgical treatment of 137 patients, suffering obturation jaundice of non-tumoral etiology, were analyzed. In all the patients the cause of obturation jaundice was choledocholithiasis. Roncoleukin was infused intravenously additionally in a complex of therapy. A degree of hepatic dysfunction was determined, taking into account the cholestasis markers. In 23 patients purulent cholangitis have occurred on background of obturation jaundice. Concentration of cytokins TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-1, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10 in sera were determined, using immunoassay analysis. The cytokins dysbalance severity preoperatively and dynamics of its changes have depended upon the hepatic dysbalance degree and presence of purulent cholangitis; a dysbalance is deeper, when the hepatic dysfunction is higher. Application of pathogenetically substantiated purposeful cytokinotherapy, including roncoleukin, have promoted the cytokins dysbalance elimination and improvement of the patients treatment results. | pubmed_1055_19450 |
pubmed_1003_15525 | INTRODUCTION
In order to monitor the common practice regarding the surgical treatment of haemorrhoidal disease in Campania, a region in the South of Italy, a survey amongst one hundred specialists in general surgery and members of the Neapolitan Surgery Association (S.Na.C.) was carried out.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The survey was carried out through a 13-items questionnaire sent to 100 General Surgeons working in Campania. The survey sample was chosen randomly from the S.Na.C. members. Participants were given two weeks to fill in and return the questionnaire.
RESULTS
The survey, was developed to obtain a "picture" of the current situation and revealed some interesting results: the procedure preferred was the Milligan and Morgan Haemorrhoidectomy (MMH) being used in 41% of the cases, whilst stapled haemorrhoidopexy (SH) was carried out only in 19% of the cases and 44.4% of the surgeons never carried even one. With regard to postoperative complications, bleeding was the most common after SH which occurred in 10 out of 260 cases (3.8%), whereas anal pain was the most common after MMH (179%).
DISCUSSION
In keeping with the literature the analysis shows that, although fairly good results with low complication rates are reported with SH, it is still not widely accepted and is performed in only 19% of the patients in our Regional area. | pubmed_1003_15525 |
pubmed_464_6356 | Estrogen levels decline in both sexes with age, but more dramatically in females. Activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is central to the regulation of bone mass accrual and maintenance and in response to mechanical loading. Using the ovariectomized mouse model we examined the effect of estrogen loss on the osteocyte's ability to activate the Wnt/β-catenin pathway following mechanical loading. Female TOPGAL mice underwent ovariectomy (OVX) (n = 10) or sham surgery (n = 10) at 16 weeks of age. Four weeks post-surgery, a single loading session (global strain of 2200 με for 100 cycles at 2 Hz) was performed on the right forearm with the left as a non-loaded control. Mice (n = 5) were sacrificed at 1 or 24 hr post-load. Ulnae were stained for β-catenin activation, femurs were used for μCT and 3-pt bending/biomechanical testing, and tibiae were used for histology analysis and to determine osteocyte lacunar size using SEM and high resolution micro-XCT. A 2.2-fold increase in β-catenin signaling activation was observed 24 hr post-load in the Sham group but did not occur in the OVX group. The OVX group versus control had significant losses (p < 0.05) in trabecular BMD (-8%), BV/TV (-35%) and thickness (-23%), along with cortical thickness (-6%) and periosteal perimeter (-4%). The OVX group had significantly higher trabecular bone osteoclast numbers (63%), OCS/BS (77%) and N.OC/BPm (94%) and a significant decrease in osteoblast number (53%), OBS/BS (37%) and N.OB/BPm (40%) compared to the sham group (p < 0.05). Cortical bone lacunar number/lacunar volume and bone biomechanical properties did not change between groups. Given that the ulna is a cortical bone loading model and the lack of changes in osteocyte lacunar number/volume in cortical bone, which would alter strains experienced by osteocytes, these data suggest the absence of estrogen resulted in intrinsic changes in the ability of the osteocyte to respond to mechanical load, rather than changes in the biomechanical and architectural properties of bone. | 10.1016/j.bonr.2021.101129 |
pubmed_200_5824 | Low-level stochastic vestibular stimulation (SVS) has been associated with improved postural responses in the medio-lateral (ML) direction, but its effect in improving balance function in both the ML and anterior-posterior (AP) directions has not been studied. In this series of studies, the efficacy of applying low amplitude SVS in 0-30 Hz range between the mastoids in the ML direction on improving cross-planar balance function was investigated. Forty-five (45) subjects stood on a compliant surface with their eyes closed and were instructed to maintain a stable upright stance. Measures of stability of the head, trunk, and whole body were quantified in ML, AP and combined APML directions. Results show that binaural bipolar SVS given in the ML direction significantly improved balance performance with the peak of optimal stimulus amplitude predominantly in the range of 100-500 μA for all the three directions, exhibiting stochastic resonance (SR) phenomenon. Objective perceptual and body motion thresholds as estimates of internal noise while subjects sat on a chair with their eyes closed and were given 1 Hz bipolar binaural sinusoidal electrical stimuli were also measured. In general, there was no significant difference between estimates of perceptual and body motion thresholds. The average optimal SVS amplitude that improved balance performance (peak SVS amplitude normalized to perceptual threshold) was estimated to be 46% in ML, 53% in AP, and 50% in APML directions. A miniature patch-type SVS device may be useful to improve balance function in people with disabilities due to aging, Parkinson's disease or in astronauts returning from long-duration space flight. | 10.1371/journal.pone.0136335 |
pubmed_238_8208 | Infections and sepsis represent severe liver cirrhosis (LC) complications and the precipitating factors of hepatic encephalopathy (HE). The early diagnosis and treatment of infections in patients with LC and HE can significantly increase their survival. Presepsin is a serum biomarker evaluated for the early diagnosis of infections and sepsis in the general and cirrhotic populations. This study aimed to evaluate the role of presepsin in the early diagnosis of infections in patients with LC and HE. This prospective observational study included all consecutive cirrhotic patients admitted to our tertiary university center with overt HE. The patients were follow-up until discharge. In this study, we included 365 patients with a median age of 59 years, of whom 61.9% were male. Infections were diagnosed in 134 patients (36.7%). The presepsin level was higher in patients with infections than those without infections (3167 vs. 500, p < 0.001). The ROC analysis results demonstrated that the best cut-off value for presepsin in infections detection was 980 pg/mL with a sensitivity of 80.17%, specificity of 82.5% (AUROC 0.869, CI 95%: 0.819-0.909, p < 0.001, Youden index J of 0.622), a positive predictive value of 40.63%, and a negative predictive value of 96.53%. In conclusion, in patients with LC and overt HE, presepsin levels >980 pg/mL could enhance the suspicion of bacterial infections. Presepsin may be an adequate non-invasive tool for the early diagnosis of infections in patients with LC and overt HE. | 10.3390/diagnostics12092077 |
pubmed_258_2164 | The Calvin-Benson-Bassham (CBB) cycle is arguably the most important pathway on earth, capturing CO2 from the atmosphere and converting it into organic molecules, providing the basis for life on our planet. This cycle has been intensively studied over the 50 yr since it was elucidated, and it is highly conserved across nature, from cyanobacteria to the largest of our land plants. Eight out of the 11 enzymes in this cycle catalyse the regeneration of ribulose-1-5 bisphosphate (RuBP), the CO2 acceptor molecule. The potential to manipulate RuBP regeneration to improve photosynthesis has been demonstrated in a number of plant species, and the development of new technologies, such as omics and synthetic biology provides exciting future opportunities to improve photosynthesis and increase crop yields. | 10.1111/nph.18394 |
pubmed_273_1986 | Polyclonal antibody (PAb) with broad-specificity for O,O-diethyl organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) against a generic hapten, 4-(diethoxyphosphorothioyloxy)benzoic acid, was produced. The obtained PAb showed high sensitivity to seven commonly used O,O-diethyl OPs in a competitive indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ciELISA) using a heterologous coating antigen, 4-(3-(diethoxyphosphorothioyloxy)phenylamino)-4-oxobutanoic acid. The 50% inhibition value (IC50) was 348 ng mL(-1) for parathion, 13 ng mL(-1) for coumaphos, 22 ng mL(-1) for quinalphos, 35 ng mL(-1) for triazophos, 751 ng mL(-1) for phorate, 850 ng mL(-1) for dichlofenthion, and 1301 ng mL(-1) for phoxim. The limit of detection (LOD) met the ideal detection criteria of all the seven OP residues. A quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) model was constructed to study the mechanism of antibody recognition using multiple linear regression analysis. The results indicated that the frontier-orbital energies (energy of the highest occupied molecular orbital, E(HOMO), and energy of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital, E(LUMO)) and hydrophobicity (log of the octanol/water partition coefficient, log P) were mainly responsible for the antibody recognition. The linear equation was log(IC50) = -63.274E(HOMO) + 15.985E(LUMO) + 0.556 log P-25.015, with a determination coefficient (r2) of 0.908. | 10.1016/j.aca.2009.05.025 |
pubmed_830_18119 | BACKGROUND
Understanding preferences for specialties by medical students and the factors driving choices assists policy makers in ensuring optimal spread of personnel across disciplines.
METHODS
This cross-sectional survey using self-administered structured questionnaires was conducted on consenting students of the first medical school in The Gambia, established in 1999. Data collection was in June/July 2011. Questions were on sociodemographic characteristics of students, their parents, factors related to career preferences and opinions about counseling services. Data were analysed using JMP 8.0 software.
RESULTS
Respondents were 52.4% of 202 eligible students. Mean age was 24.1 ± 5.0 years. Females constituted 54.7%. Muslims were 72.7% while Gambians formed 77.0%. Commonest specialties chosen by females were Obstetrics/Gynaecology, Paediatrics and Surgery in that order, while males preferred Internal Medicine, Surgery and Obstetrics/Gynaecology. Commonest factors influencing choices by females were 'focus on urgent care' (65.5%) and 'intellectual content of specialty' (56.9%). For males, these were 'intellectual content of specialty' (60.4%) and 'focus on urgent care' / 'individual's competence' (50.0% each). More females (30.0%) than males (23.0%) had ever received career counseling, but all students desired it.
CONCLUSIONS
Significant gender differences exist in specialty choices and factors influencing these choices amongst these students. All want career counseling. | 10.1186/1472-6920-12-72 |
pubmed_835_6855 | Regulation of synaptic neurotransmitter receptor content is a fundamental mechanism for tuning synaptic efficacy during experience-dependent plasticity and behavioral adaptation. However, experimental approaches to track and modify receptor movements in integrated experimental systems are limited. Exploiting AMPA-type glutamate receptors (AMPARs) as a model, we generated a knock-in mouse expressing the biotin acceptor peptide (AP) tag on the GluA2 extracellular N-terminal. Cell-specific introduction of biotin ligase allows the use of monovalent or tetravalent avidin variants to respectively monitor or manipulate the surface mobility of endogenous AMPAR containing biotinylated AP-GluA2 in neuronal subsets. AMPAR immobilization precluded the expression of long-term potentiation and formation of contextual fear memory, allowing target-specific control of the expression of synaptic plasticity and animal behavior. The AP tag knock-in model offers unprecedented access to resolve and control the spatiotemporal dynamics of endogenous receptors, and opens new avenues to study the molecular mechanisms of synaptic plasticity and learning. | 10.1126/sciadv.abm5298 |
pubmed_179_9729 | Polymeric fibrin displays unique structural and biomechanical properties that contribute to its essential role of generating blood clots that stem bleeds. The aim of this review is to discuss how the fibrin clot is formed, how protofibrils make up individual fibrin fibers, what the relationship is between the molecular structure and fibrin biomechanical properties, and how fibrin biomechanical properties relate to the risk of thromboembolic disease. Fibrin polymerization is driven by different types of bonds, including knob-hole interactions displaying catch-slip characteristics, and covalent crosslinking of fibrin polypeptides by activated factor XIII. Key biophysical properties of fibrin polymer are its visco-elasticity, extensibility and resistance to rupture. The internal packing of protofibrils within fibers changes fibrin biomechanical behavior. There are several methods to analyze fibrin biomechanical properties at different scales, including AFM force spectroscopy, magnetic or optical tweezers and rheometry, amongst others. Clinically, fibrin biomechanical characteristics are key for the prevention of thromboembolic disorders such as pulmonary embolism. Future studies are needed to address unanswered questions regarding internal molecular structure of the fibrin polymer, the structural and molecular basis of its remarkable mechanical properties and the relationship of fibrin biomechanical characteristics with thromboembolism in patients with deep vein thrombosis and ischemic stroke. | 10.1111/jth.15531 |
pubmed_614_10329 | Primary laryngeal non-Hodgkin's lymphomas are very rare constituting 1% of all laryngeal tumors. Of these, the peripheral T-cell lymphomas are extremely rare with <10 case reports in English literature. Laryngeal lymphomas are clinically confused with the more common laryngeal malignancies like squamous cell carcinoma, thus, histopathological examination is mandatory for diagnosing, sub-typing and guiding therapy for these lymphomas. We report a case of rare primary laryngeal peripheral T-cell lymphoma with autopsy findings. | 10.4103/0973-1482.140789 |
pubmed_1010_9545 | OBJECTIVE
Introduction: The article is devoted to the optimization of complex diagnosis of endothelial dysfunction in patients with a combination of chronic pancreatitis and atherosclerosis. The aim: To study the level and effects of kallistatin and ghrelin on the formation of endothelial dysfunction in patients with chronic pancreatitis and atherosclerosis.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
Materials and methods: 54 patients with chronic pancreatitis were examined. The serum kallistatin level was determined by immunoassay using the Human Serpin A4 ELISA Kit from RayBiotech according to the application method. The serum ghrelin level was determined by immunoassay using the Human/Mouse/Rat Ghrelin Enzyme Immunoassay Kit from RayBiotech. Endothelial dysfunction was determined by the method proposed by D.Celermajer.
RESULTS
Results: The study of endothelial-dependent and endothelial-independent vasodilatation is indicative of the presence of a pronounced ndothelial dysfunction in patients with chronic pancreatitis and atherosclerosis, which was manifested by a decrease in their level to 8.7±0.4% and 16.8±0.7%, respectively. The level of kallistatin and ghrelin in patients with chronic pancreatitis and atherosclerosis (15.44 ± 3.97 ng/ml and 276.69 ± 10.06 ng/ml respectively) also confirmed their important role in the formation of еndothelial dysfunction in these patients.
CONCLUSION
Conclusions: The study of ghrelin and kallistatin level in serum can serve as a criterion for determining the severity of chronic pancreatitis and atherosclerosis, the development of endothelial dysfunction, and be a marker for predicting their future course. | pubmed_1010_9545 |
pubmed_664_10774 | The interleukin (IL)-1 cyokine family plays a vital role in inflammatory responses during infection and in autoimmune diseases. The pro-inflammatory cytokines, IL-1β and IL-18 are members of the IL-1 family that require cleavage by caspase-1 in the inflammasome to generate the mature active cytokines. Cells of the innate immune system, including γδ T cells and invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells respond rapidly to invading pathogens by producing inflammatory cytokines, such as IFN-γ and IL-17. IL-1β or IL-18 in combination with IL-23 can induce IL-17 production by γδ T cells without T cell receptor (TCR) engagement. IL-1β and IL-23 can also synergize to induce IL-17 production by iNKT cells. Furthermore, CD4+ αβ effector memory T cells secrete IL-17 in response to IL-23 in combination with either IL-1β or IL-18, in the absence of any TCR stimulation. The early IL-17 produced by innate cells induces recruitment of neutrophils to the site of infection, stimulates local epithelial cells to secrete anti-microbial proteins, such as lipocalins and calgranulins, induces production of structural proteins important in tight junction stability, and promotes production of matrix metalloproteinases. Caspase-1 processed IL-1 family cytokines therefore play a vital role in the innate immune response and induction of IL-17 from innate immune cells which functions to fight infections and promote autoimmunity. | 10.1016/j.cyto.2011.07.007 |
pubmed_1023_1877 | Ascaris lumbricoides var. hominis and Ascaridia galli contain 5-hydroxytryptamine, histamine, dopamine, and norepinephrine. The chick parasite showed lower levels of monoamines compared to human ascaris. Amine concentrations in females were higher than in males. In all specimens, 5-hydroxytryptamine was the highest while norepinephrine was found to be uniformly low. The female reproductive organ contained the maximum amount of dopamine while intestine was rich in histamine. A progressive increase in the concentrations of biogenic amines was noticed during development. | 10.1016/0014-4894(84)90059-6 |
pubmed_118_7549 | Extensive soft x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies are performed on Ba8 Ga16 Ge30 (BGG) and Sr8Ga16Ge30 (SGG) single crystals ranging from Fermi to core levels, at a high-energy facility. Valence band x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) experiments with theoretical calculations revealed that the valence band is mainly constructed by the Ge/Ga 4s and 4p wave functions with little contribution of the Ba/Sr atomic orbitals. Surprisingly, unexpected features evidencing the different shift for the 2a- and 6d- sites between Ba 4d and Sr 3d are observed. The detailed analyses including theoretical support by first-principles band-structure calculations lead to the conclusion that the component distributions of the larger tetrakaidecahedral cage are different depending on the endohedral atoms, which contrasts with the past consensus that BGG and SGG have the same framework structure. This may give thorough reconsiderations on earlier interpretations of experimental data. | 10.1088/1468-6996/9/4/044207 |
pubmed_536_7341 | OBJECTIVE
A simple frequency and severity threshold for categorizing reflux symptoms as troublesome has been suggested, but there is a lack of confirmatory studies for this threshold. The objectives of this study were to examine the characteristics for troublesome symptoms and to compare different ways of categorizing reflux symptoms as troublesome.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Members of a web panel responding to an e-mail invitation (1623/3506, median age interval 40-44 years, 51% female) who reported reflux symptoms during the preceding 4 weeks (n=1284) were linked to the full questionnaire. Associations between self-reported troublesome symptoms (10-graded VAS) and troublesome symptoms (mild symptoms >1 day/week or moderate/severe symptoms > or = 1 day/week) and clinical characteristics were analyzed.
RESULTS
Out of 1284 subjects, 482 (38%) reported reflux symptoms. Agreement on the classification of troublesome symptoms based on frequency and severity and self-reported troublesome symptoms was poor to fair. Using 4 as the cut-off point on the VAS showed the best agreement (kappa = 0.35). Of the 482 symptomatic respondents, 266 (55%) had troublesome symptoms based on frequency and severity and 274 (57%) had self-reported troublesome symptoms. Subjects (n=80) who had self-reported troublesome symptoms, but were not categorized as having troublesome symptoms based on frequency and severity, reported health concerns, work productivity loss and medical treatment significantly more often (p< or =0.03) than subjects (n=194) with troublesome symptoms according to both categorizations.
CONCLUSIONS
Classification of troublesome reflux symptoms based on frequency and severity is too simplistic. Health concerns, disrupted work productivity and night-time symptoms add to the perception of symptoms as troublesome. | 10.1080/00365520802600987 |
pubmed_273_20444 | Symptomatic intervertebral disc degeneration is associated with several spinal diseases, which cause losses of life quality and money. Tissue engineering provides a promising approach to recover the functionality of the degenerative intervertebral disc. Most studies are directed toward nucleus pulposus (NP) tissue engineering because disc degeneration is believed to originate in NP region, and considerable progress has been made in the past decade. Before this important technique is utilized for clinical treatment of disc degeneration, many challenges need to address including in all three principal components of tissue engineering, i.e., seed cells, signals and biomaterial scaffolds. This article briefly gives certain aspects of state of the art in this field, as well as pays a little more attention to our work published in the past 5 years, on growth and differentiation factor-5 (GDF-5), adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) and heparin functionalization of scaffold. We suggest that combinatorial application of ADSCs, GDF-5, heparin functionalization and injectable hydrogels will be advantageous in NP tissue engineering. | 10.1007/s00586-009-1092-8 |
pubmed_874_24198 | PURPOSE
In order to prevent recurrent deformity, overcorrection in Blount's disease has been a common practice by most paediatric orthopaedic surgeons. However, some patients have persistent valgus alignment resulting in awkward deformity. The femoro-tibial angle (FTA) was measured in this series of cases to determine the necessity of such practice.
METHOD
During 1998-2010, patients with Blount's disease stage 2 by Langenskiold, aged from 30 to 40 months who had failed from bracing and underwent valgus osteotomy were included. Seventeen legs had postoperative FTA 7-13° (group 1) and 48 legs had postoperative FTA more than 13° (group 2). ROC curve was used to determine the appropriate FTA that was suitable to prevent recurrence.
RESULTS
Four legs had recurrence (28.6%) in group 1 and six legs (12.5%) had recurrence in group 2. Chi-square test between two groups were not statistically significant in recurrence (p = 0.434). Age and BMI were not statistically significant between recurrent and non-recurrent groups. The ROC curve shows that overcorrection more than 15° did not show benefit to prevent the recurrence in Blount's stage 2.
CONCLUSION
Our study showed that the overcorrection group had non-statistically significant recurrence compared to the non-overcorrection group, and overcorrection more than valgus 15° has no benefit to prevent recurrence. | 10.1007/s00264-014-2365-3 |
pubmed_824_3072 | Adult-onset Still disease (AOSD) is a systemic inflammatory disease characterized by fever, arthritis and rash. Corticosteroids represent a promising therapeutic option for AOSD; however, some resistant cases require immunosuppressants and biologic agents. We herein report the case of a 29-year-old Japanese man with severe AOSD, accompanied by constrictive pericarditis (CP) and pleuritis. Although 2 courses of steroid pulse and subsequent high-dose of prednisolone and cyclosporine A improved the patient's CP and pleuritis, his fever and inflammatory responses persisted. Tocilizumab (TCZ) was added to his treatment, which resulted in a rapid remission. This case suggests the usefulness of TCZ in the treatment of severe AOSD with CP and pleuritis. | 10.2169/internalmedicine.9809-17 |
pubmed_976_12271 | Recent studies have shown that the surface of the brain is deformed by up to 20 mm after the skull is opened during neurosurgery, which could lead to substantial error in commercial image-guided surgery systems. We quantitatively analyze the intraoperative brain deformation of 24 subjects to investigate whether simple rules can describe or predict the deformation. Interventional magnetic resonance images acquired at the start and end of the procedure are registered nonrigidly to obtain deformation values throughout the brain. Deformation patterns are investigated quantitatively with respect to the location and magnitude of deformation, and to the distribution and principal direction of the displacements. We also measure the volume change of the lateral ventricles by manual segmentation. Our study indicates that brain shift occurs predominantly in the hemisphere ipsi-lateral to the craniotomy, and that there is more brain deformation during resection procedures than during biopsy or functional procedures. However, the brain deformation patterns are extremely complex in this group of subjects. This paper quantitatively demonstrates that brain deformation occurs not only at the surface, but also in deeper brain structure, and that the principal direction of displacement does not always correspond with the direction of gravity. Therefore, simple computational algorithms that utilize limited intraoperative information (e.g., brain surface shift) will not always accurately predict brain deformation at the lesion. | 10.1109/TMI.2002.806596 |
pubmed_834_13887 | Maackia amurensis haemagglutinin (MAH) is a leguminous lectin which preferentially binds to a cluster of sialylated O-linked carbohydrate chains (Konami Y, Yamamoto K. Osawa T, Irimura T (1994) FEBS Lett 342:334-38). In the present study a 950 bp cDNA clone encoding MAH was isolated from a cDNA library constructed from germinated Maackia amurensis seeds. From the nucleotide sequence, MAH was predicted to consist of 285 amino acid residues containing a signal peptide of 29 amino acids. The results also confirmed our previous findings from the amino acid sequence analysis, which indicated that two highly conserved amino acid residues in all other well-known leguminous lectins were replaced in MAH. These residues were lysine-105 and aspartic acid-135. The corresponding amino acid residues in other leguminous lectins were glycine and asparagine, respectively. These differences were due to the presence of nucleotides AAA and GAT in place of AAT/C and GGA/T. | 10.1007/BF00731308 |
pubmed_569_14323 | We describe and illustrate two new species of Boletellus section Boletellus, B. aurocontextus sp. nov. and B. areolatus sp. nov., which are generally assumed to be B. emodensis. In this study, we reconstructed separate molecular phylogenetic trees of section Boletellus using the nucleotide sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of nuclear ribosomal DNA, the largest subunit (RPB1) and the second-largest subunit (RPB2) of nuclear RNA polymerase II gene and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 3 (cox3) gene. We also examined the morphologies of B. emodensis sensu lato (s.l.) and other related species for comparison. The molecular phylogenetic tree inferred from the sequences of nuclear DNA (ITS, and combined dataset of RPB1 and RPB2) indicated that three genetically and phylogenetically well-separated lineages were present within B. emodensis s.l. These three lineages were also distinguished on the basis of the molecular phylogenetic tree constructed using the sequences of mitochondrial DNA (cox3), suggesting distinct cytonuclear disequilibria (i.e., evidence of reproductive isolation) among these lineages. Therefore, these three lineages can be treated as independent species: B. aurocontextus, B. areolatus, and B. emodensis. Boletellus aurocontextus and B. areolatus are also distinct from B. emodensis by the macro- and microscopic morphologies. Boletellus aurocontextus is characterized by a pileus with bright yellow to lemon yellow context, which can be observed through a gap in the scales, and basidiospores with relatively large length (mean spore length, 21.4 μm; quotient of spore length and width, 2.51). In contrast, B. areolatus is characterized by a pileus with floccose to appressed thin scaly patches, a stipe with pallid or pale cream color at the upper half, and basidiospores with relatively small length (mean spore length, 16.5 μm; quotient of spore length and width, 1.80). | 10.1371/journal.pone.0128184 |
pubmed_915_18757 | Our study firstly elaborated the underlying mechanism of endogenous CH4-induced abiotic tolerance, along with an alteration of ABA sensitivity by mimicking the endogenous CH4 production in MtMCR transgenic Arabidopsis. Endogenous methane (CH4) production and/or emission have been ubiquitously observed in stressed plants. However, their physiological roles remain unclear. Here, the methyl-coenzyme M reductase gene from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum (MtMCR), encoding the enzyme of methanogenesis, was expressed in Arabidopsis thaliana, to mimic the production of endogenous CH4. In response to salinity and osmotic stress, MtMCR expression was up-regulated in transgenic plants, resulting in significant increase of endogenous CH4 levels. Similar results were observed in abscisic acid (ABA) treatment. The functions of endogenous CH4 were characterized by the changes in plant phenotypes related to stress and ABA sensitivity during the germination and post-germination periods. When challenged with osmotic stress, a reduction in water loss and stomatal closure, were observed. Redox homeostasis was reestablished during osmotic and salinity stress, and ion imbalance was also restored in salinity conditions. The expression of several stress/ABA-responsive genes was up-regulated, and ABA sensitivity, in particularly, was significantly altered in the MtMCR transgenic plants. Together, our genetic study for the first time elaborated the possible mechanism of endogenous CH4-enhanced salinity and osmotic tolerance, along with an alteration of ABA sensitivity. These findings thus provided novel cues for understanding the possible roles of endogenous CH4 in plants. | 10.1007/s11103-019-00914-x |
pubmed_613_10204 | BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY
Pulmonary hypertension frequently complicates mitral stenosis, with a subset of these patients exhibiting pressures well in excess of their mitral valve hemodynamics. The prevalence of this condition and its impact on clinical outcome following percutaneous balloon mitral commissurotomy (PBMC) is unknown.
METHODS
The transpulmonary gradient (TPG) was measured in 317 patients undergoing PBMC; patients were subsequently defined as having either an appropriate or excessive TPG (< or =15 mmHg or >15 mmHg, respectively). Twenty-two patients were excluded due to valvuloplasty-related significant mitral regurgitation. The remaining 295 patients (250 females, 45 males; mean age 52 +/- 13 years) were prospectively followed up, with each patient underwent serial echocardiography.
RESULTS
Among the patients, 214 (73%) had pulmonary hypertension (pulmonary artery pressure >25 mmHg) and 55 (19%) also had an elevated TPG. Females were almost fivefold more likely than males to have an elevated TPG (p = 0.003). Patients with an elevated TPG had a worse mean NYHA functional class than those with a normal TPG (3.0 +/- 0.5 versus 2.7 +/- 0.6, p = 0.01), while the mitral valve area (MVA) was slightly smaller in patients with an elevated TPG (1.0 +/- 0.2 versus 1.1 +/- 0.2 cm2, p = 0.003). All patients demonstrated a significant increase in MVA after commissurotomy (final MVA 1.7 +/- 0.6 cm2, p < 0.001 for elevated TPG; 1.8 +/- 0.4 cm2, p < 0.001 for normal TPG), and the NYHA class at six months was improved for all patients (2.8 +/- 0.6 versus 1.6 +/- 0.7, p < 0.001). The improvements in NYHA class, TPG and MVA were sustained at 36 months.
CONCLUSION
Pulmonary hypertension with elevated TPG occurs in patients with mitral stenosis, and is significantly more common in females. Despite worse symptoms and higher right-sided pressures, PBMC is equally successful in patients with a normal TPG, and provides sustained benefit for up to 36 months after the procedure. | pubmed_613_10204 |
pubmed_1060_6051 | A child with acute myelogenous leukemia is presented. Cytogenetic analysis of her leukemic cells revealed a (4;11)(q12;q23) translocation. The slight difference in the breakpoint on chromosome #4 from previously reported cases of t(4;11) may account for the degree of myeloid differentiation expressed. Acute leukemia associated with t(4;11) is a unique subgroup that originates in an early myeloid stem cell and carries a poor prognosis. | 10.1016/0165-4608(86)90174-3 |
pubmed_64_9756 | OBJECTIVE
This manuscript aims to explore the impact of race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status on in-hospital complication rates after left atrial appendage closure (LAAC).
METHODS
The US National Inpatient Sample was used to identify hospitalisations for LAAC between 1 October 2015 to 31 December 2018. These patients were stratified by race/ethnicity and quartiles of median neighbourhood income. The primary outcome was the occurrence of in-hospital major adverse events, defined as a composite of postprocedural bleeding, cardiac and vascular complications, acute kidney injury and ischaemic stroke.
RESULTS
Of 6478 unweighted hospitalisations for LAAC, 58% were male and patients of black, Hispanic and 'other' race/ethnicity each comprised approximately 5% of the cohort. Adjusted by the older Americans population, the estimated number of LAAC procedures was 69.2/100 000 for white individuals, as compared with 29.5/100 000 for blacks, 47.2/100 000 for Hispanics and 40.7/100 000 for individuals of 'other' race/ethnicity. Black patients were ~5 years younger but had a higher comorbidity burden. The primary outcome occurred in 5% of patients and differed significantly between racial/ethnic groups (p<0.001) but not across neighbourhood income quartiles (p=0.88). After multilevel modelling, the overall rate of in-hospital major adverse events was higher in black patients as compared with whites (OR: 1.60, 95% CI 1.22 to 2.10, p<0.001); however, the incidence of acute kidney injury was higher in Hispanics (OR: 2.19, 95% CI 1.52 to 3.17, p<0.001). No significant differences were found in adjusted overall in-hospital complication rates between income quartiles.
CONCLUSION
In this study assessing racial/ethnic disparities in patients undergoing LAAC, minorities are under-represented, specifically patients of black race/ethnicity. Compared with whites, black patients had higher comorbidity burden and higher rates of in-hospital complications. Lower socioeconomic status was not associated with complication rates. | 10.1136/heartjnl-2020-318650 |
pubmed_1142_20729 | For poultry producers, chronic low-grade intestinal inflammation has a negative impact on productivity by impairing nutrient absorption and allocation of nutrients for growth. Understanding the triggers of chronic intestinal inflammation and developing a non-invasive measurement is crucial to managing gut health in poultry. In this study, we developed two novel models of low-grade chronic intestinal inflammation in broiler chickens: a chemical model using dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) and a dietary model using a high non-starch polysaccharide diet (NSP). Further, we evaluated the potential of several proteins as biomarkers of gut inflammation. For these experiments, the chemical induction of inflammation consisted of two 5-day cycles of oral gavage of either 0.25mg DSS/ml or 0.35mg DSS/ml; whereas the NSP diet (30% rice bran) was fed throughout the experiment. At four times (14, 22, 28 and 36-d post-hatch), necropsies were performed to collect intestinal samples for histology, and feces and serum for biomarkers quantification. Neither DSS nor NSP treatments affected feed intake or livability. NSP-fed birds exhibited intestinal inflammation through 14-d, which stabilized by 36-d. On the other hand, the cyclic DSS-treatment produced inflammation throughout the entire experimental period. Histological examination of the intestine revealed that the inflammation induced by both models exhibited similar spatial and temporal patterns with the duodenum and jejunum affected early (at 14-d) whereas the ileum was compromised by 28-d. Calprotectin (CALP) was the only serum protein found to be increased due to inflammation. However, fecal CALP and Lipocalin-2 (LCN-2) concentrations were significantly greater in the induced inflammation groups at 28-d. This experiment demonstrated for the first time, two in vivo models of chronic gut inflammation in chickens, a DSS and a nutritional NSP protocols. Based on these models we observed that intestinal inflammation begins in the upper segments of small intestine and moved to the lower region over time. In the searching for a fecal biomarker for intestinal inflammation, LCN-2 showed promising results. More importantly, calprotectin has a great potential as a novel biomarker for poultry measured both in serum and feces. | 10.3389/fimmu.2021.676628 |
pubmed_323_5154 | Intrusive memories are highly vivid, emotional and involuntary recollections which cause significant distress across psychological disorders including posttraumatic disorder (PTSD). Recent evidence has potentially extended our understanding of the development of intrusive memories by identifying biological factors which significantly impact on memories for emotionally arousing stimuli. This study investigated the role of stress on the development of intrusions for negative and neutral images, and indexed the potential contributions of sex (estrogen and progesterone) and stress (noradrenaline and cortisol) hormones. Whilst viewing the images, half the participants underwent a cold pressor stress (CPS) procedure to induce stress while the control participants immersed their hands in warm water. Saliva samples were collected to index estrogen, progesterone and noradrenergic and cortisol response. Participants (55 university students, 26 men, 29 women) viewed a series of negatively arousing and neutral images. Participants completed recall and intrusions measures 2 days later. Negative images resulted in greater recall and more intrusions than neutral images. In the cold water condition females recalled fewer neutral memories than males. Cortisol increase predicted decreased recall of negative memories in males, and estrogen predicted increased intrusions of negative images in women. These findings are consistent with evidence that circulating levels of ovarian hormones influence memory for emotionally arousing events, and provides the first evidence of the influence of sex hormones on intrusive memories. These results provide one possible explanation for the higher incidence of anxiety disorders in women. | pubmed_323_5154 |
pubmed_890_9267 | Polymicrobial bacteraemia involving Streptococcus pneumoniae and other bacteria (e.g. Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Haemophilus influenza, viridans streptococci, Salmonella spp.) occurred in 3.4% of our pneumococcal bacteraemia cases. Compared with 308 controls (monomicrobial bacteraemia), the 77 polymicrobial cases included more males (83 vs 62%, p = 0.001), had serious underlying diseases (100 vs 80%, p < 0.001), abdominal infection (18 vs 5%, p < 0.001), nosocomial infection (33 vs 8%, p < 0.001), shock (40 vs 13%, p < 0.001), and higher mortality (52 vs 18%, p < 0.001). Clinicians must be aware that some patients with pneumococcal bacteraemia may have other bacteria in their blood, which would confer higher mortality and may lead to inappropriate or incomplete antibiotic therapy. | 10.1007/s10096-016-2885-4 |
pubmed_536_6048 | OBJECTIVE
To probe into the characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine syndromes and their element distributions in sub-health status.
METHODS
Literatures on sub-health in past 20 years were collected, and a data bank was set up by using EpiData 2.0. The frequencies of syndromes and their elements were analyzed using SPSS 12.0.
RESULTS
Out of the 50 syndromes obtained from the standardization of syndrome nomenclature, and the top three were stagnation of liver-qi, deficiency of both heart and spleen, and deficiency of liver-yin and kidney-yin. Spleen, liver and kidney were the top three of all the 14 disease locations. Qi-deficiency, qi-stagnation and damp pathogen were the top three pathogenicity types.
CONCLUSION
Although the traditional Chinese medicine syndromes in sub-health status are scattered in the distribution, the main syndromes take up a leading proportion and their elements are concise and concentrated in distribution. Therefore, it is necessary to make a standard study on traditional Chinese medicine syndromes in sub-health status from syndrome elements. | 10.3736/jcim20081216 |
pubmed_1_8298 | PURPOSE
Fat randomization and interesterification change triacylglycerol (TAG) structure and its solid fat content profile. It has not been thoroughly investigated whether these changes affect lipid metabolism.
METHODS
Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of TAG structure and solid fat content on feed intake, body weight change, and serum metabolite concentrations in mice. An experiment used two fats rich in 1,2-dipalmitoyl-3-oleoylglycerol (PPO) and 1,3-dipalmitoyl-2-oleoylglycerol (POP) as comparative pair of fats to assess the effect of TAG structure since PPO and POP have the same fatty acid composition and solid fat content at 37 °C. Another experiment used a fat rich in 1-palmitoyl-2,3-dioleoylglycerol (POO) with solid fat content of zero at 37 °C and a mixture of fats that had the same general fatty acid composition and palmitic acid positional distribution, but with solid fat content of 22 % at 37 °C. This pair of fats was used to examine the effect of solid fat content on blood lipid profile.
RESULTS
After 6-week feeding, the pair of fats with different solid fat contents did not significantly affect the concentrations of total serum cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, TAG, non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA), or blood glucose. However, the PPO fat significantly reduced feed intake, body weight, and serum glucose concentration as compared to POP.
CONCLUSION
These results suggest that the presence of solid fat at the level examined does not affect lipid metabolism and lipemia, but PPO diet significantly affects NEFA and glucose concentrations. Palmitic acid at the sn-2 position of the TAG may have significant effect on appetite, which may be mediated via the gut receptors. | 10.1007/s00394-015-0972-4 |
others_304_15294 | The emergence and pupal mortality factors of Anastrepha obliqua (Macq.) (Diptera: Tephritidae) along the fruiting season of the host plant, Spondias dulcis L. (Anarcadiaceae), were studied in Sertãozinho, SP, Brazil, under field and laboratory conditions. Eclosed and uneclosed puparia were recorded in two experimental conditions. The number of emerged flies and parasitoids were determined in the eclosed puparia. The uneclosed puparia were inspected and classified into living (dormant) and dead. The following pupal mortality factors were considered: disease, desiccation, predation and parasitism. Out of the total of 1,204 puparia analyzed, 53% emerged and 47% remained uneclosed. Out of the uneclosed puparia, 25.3% contained dormant pupae and 21.7% showed no signs of emergence. Among the dormant pupae, 17.8% were flies, 0.2% of which emerged; 7.5% were parasitoids, 4.7% of them emerged. The initial parasitism was 8.6%, increasing to 15.3% after the emergence of dormant pupae. Predatory activity (natural condition), especially when time of exposure was long, and desiccation (laboratory condition) were the predominant causes of pupal mortality. Variation in mortality caused by parasites and pathogens (bacteria and fungi) seems to play a minor role. Control by predators on fruit fly population is significant. However, the factors, which regulate induction, maintenance and termination of dormancy, are still to be determined. An estimate of the dormancy and of the biotic and abiotic pupal mortality factors are essential to understand the adaptive strategies of A. obliqua and its parasitoids and to develop effective methods of control in tropical regions | 10.1590/s1519-566x2001000200002 |
pubmed_217_652 | AIM
To report a mixed-methods study of the development of self-confidence in Irish nursing students undertaking the first year of an undergraduate nursing programme.
BACKGROUND
Self-confidence underpins nurses' competence to carry out care effectively, yet there is little empirical evidence of how this attribute is fostered in pre-registration preparation. There is an assumption, however, that self-confidence develops independently and spontaneously.
DESIGN
A sequential, mixed methods three-phase design was used.
METHOD
The design involved pretest and posttest measurements of self-confidence, focus group interviews, a student self-evaluation questionnaire and analysis of the relevant curriculum content. Data were collected between September 2007-April 2008 and sampling was from three cohorts of students at three different Institutes of Technology in Ireland. Data collection matched the nature of the data, including descriptive, non-inferential statistics and qualitative content analysis.
RESULTS
There was considerable variation in the amount and nature of theoretical preparation. Factors in clinical practice exerted the most influence. Self-confidence fluctuated during the first clinical placement and as students' self-confidence developed, simultaneously, motivation towards academic achievement increased. Conversely, self-confidence was quickly eroded by poor preceptor attitudes, lack of communication, and feeling undervalued.
CONCLUSION
The development of self-confidence is complex and multi-factorial. This study offers further understanding of facilitators and barriers that may be relevant elsewhere in promoting student nurses' developing self-confidence. The development of self-confidence must be recognized as a central tenet for the design and delivery of undergraduate programmes. | 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2012.06001.x |
pubmed_733_16568 | AIM
To compare the accuracy of fast magnetic resonance (MR) imaging using the half-Fourier single shot turbo spin echo (HASTE) sequence with helical computed tomography (CT) in diagnosing bowel obstruction.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Prospective evaluation of 44 patients with clinical evidence of bowel obstruction was conducted using various investigations including HASTE MR and helical CT. MR was performed with a Siemens 1.5 Tesla MR Imaging System and CT was performed with one of two Siemens ARHP CT systems using helical technique. MR acquisition allowed data to be gathered in 6-10 minutes and no contrast media were administered. CT imaging consisted of consecutive helical CT through the abdomen and pelvis with oral and intravenous contrast medium used when indicated. Bowel dilation along with the presence and level of obstruction were determined.
RESULTS
Twenty-eight patients had bowel obstruction confirmed at laparotomy or by radiographic assessment. Of these, 25 had small bowel obstruction and three had colonic obstructions. The obstruction was due to fibrous adhesions in nine patients, metastases or primary carcinoma in seven, Crohn's disease in four, hernias in two, and inflammation or abscess in two. Other causes of obstruction included lymphoma, intussusception and anastomotic stricture. The cause of obstruction was correctly diagnosed by CT in 71%, and by MR in 95% of cases. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy for HASTE MR imaging was 95%, 100% and 96% respectively as compared to 71%, 71% and 71% for helical CT.
CONCLUSION
Fast MR imaging using the HASTE sequence is more accurate than helical CT in diagnosing bowel obstruction. | 10.1053/crad.2001.0735 |
others_185_6455 | Platelet-derived growth factors (PDGFs) are critical for development; their over-expression is associated with fibrogenesis. Full-length PDGF-C is secreted as an inactive dimer, requiring cleavage to allow receptor binding. Previous studies indicate that tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) is the specific protease that performs this cleavage; in vivo confirmation is lacking. We demonstrate that primary hepatocytes from tpa KO mice produce less cleaved active PDGF-CC than do wild type hepatocytes, suggesting that tPA is critical for in vitro activation of this growth factor. We developed mice that over-express full-length human PDGF-C in the liver; these mice develop progressive liver fibrosis. To test whether tPA is important for cleavage and activation of PDGF-C in vivo, we intercrossed PDGF-C transgenic (Tg) and tpa knock-out (KO) mice, anticipating that lack of tPA would result in decreased fibrosis due to lack of hPDGF-C cleavage. To measure levels of cleaved, dimerized PDGF-CC in sera, we developed an ELISA that specifically detects cleaved PDGF-CC. We report that the absence of tpa does not affect the phenotype of. PDGF-C Tg mice. PDGF-C Tg mice lacking tPA have high serum levels of cleaved growth factor, significant liver fibrosis, and gene expression alterations similar to those of PDGF-C Tg mice with intact tPA. Furthermore, urokinase plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 expression are increased in PDGF-C Tg; tpa KO mice. Our ELISA data suggest a difference between in vitro and in vivo activation of this growth factor, and our mouse model confirms that multiple proteases cleave and activate PDGF-C in vivo. © 2013 The Authors | 10.1016/j.bbadis.2013.11.013 |
pubmed_1129_18407 | BACKGROUND
The spatial distribution of genetic diversity and structure has important implications for conservation as it reveals a species' strong and weak points with regard to stability and evolutionary capacity. Temporal genetic stability is rarely tested in marine species other than commercially important fishes, but is crucial for the utility of temporal snapshots in conservation management. High and stable diversity can help to mitigate the predicted northward range shift of seaweeds under the impact of climate change. Given the key ecological role of fucoid seaweeds along rocky shores, the positive effect of genetic diversity may reach beyond the species level to stabilize the entire intertidal ecosystem along the temperate North Atlantic. In this study, we estimated the effective population size, as well as temporal changes in genetic structure and diversity of the seaweed F. serratus using 22 microsatellite markers. Samples were taken across latitudes and a range of temperature regimes at seven locations with decadal sampling (2000 and 2010).
RESULTS
Across latitudes, genetic structure and diversity remained stable over 5-10 generations. Stable small-scale structure enhanced regional diversity throughout the species' range. In accordance with its biogeographic history, effective population size and diversity peaked in the species' mid-range in Brittany (France), and declined towards its leading and trailing edge to the north and south. At the species' southern edge, multi-locus-heterozygosity displayed a strong decline from 1999 to 2010.
CONCLUSION
Temporally stable genetic structure over small spatial scales is a potential driver for local adaptation and species radiation in the genus Fucus. Survival and adaptation of the low-diversity leading edge of F. serratus may be enhanced by regional gene flow and 'surfing' of favorable mutations or impaired by the accumulation of deleterious mutations. Our results have clear implications for the conservation of F. serratus at its genetically unique southern edge in Northwest Iberia, where increasing temperatures are likely the major cause for the decline not only of F. serratus, but also other intertidal and subtidal macroalgae. We expect that F. serratus will disappear from Northwest Iberia by 2100 if genetic rescue is not induced by the influx of genetic variation from Brittany. | 10.1186/s12862-018-1213-2 |
pubmed_485_12000 | A short survey is presented of the development of statistical physics of biological macromolecules and its modern state. The main attention is paid to the analysis of the manifestation of scale invariance and fractal properties of biopolymers--DNA and proteins. Phase transitions related to the phase structure of DNA are briefly analysed. A more detailed account is given of phase transitions in globular proteins, denaturation problem, two phases of the melted globule and the theory of heteropolymers included. Some unsolved problems of this field of science and its prospects are discussed. | pubmed_485_12000 |
pubmed_426_8867 | Gut GLI levels were measured in the plasma of normal, totally and subtotally depancreatized geese, using an antiserum specific for avian pancreatic glucagon and another one which crossreacts with intestinal extracts. Gut GLI was determined by difference between "total" GLI and immunoreactive pancreatic glucagon (IRG). Glucose given orally or a meal rich in carbohydrates elicited an elevation in plasma gut GLI. The increment of gut GLI was greater when the pancreas was removed. The over-stimulation of gut GLI was corrected by the administration of insulin. This is the first study which reports a correlation between insulin and gut GLI secretion in birds. | 10.1055/s-2007-1011736 |
pubmed_1042_11394 | BACKGROUND
Accumulation of p25 is thought to be a causative risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). As a cleaved product of p35, p25 binds to cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) and leads to the hyperactivity of Cdk5. Then, Cdk5/p25 phosphorylates many pathological substrates related to neurodegenerative diseases. p25 transgenic (Tg) mouse model recaptures some pathological changes of AD, including tau hyperphosphorylation, neurofibrillary tangles, neuroinflammation, and neuronal death, which can be prevented by transgenic expression of Cdk5 inhibitory peptide (CIP) before the insult of p25.
OBJECTIVE
In the present study, we would like to know whether adeno-associated virus serotype-9 (AAV9)-mediated CIP can protect neurons after insult of p25 in p25Tg mice.
METHODS
Administration of AAV9-CIP or control virus were delivered in the brain of p25Tg mice via intracerebroventricular infusions following the induction of p25. Western blotting, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence assessment, and animal behavioral evaluation were performed.
RESULTS
Brain atrophy, neuronal death, tau phosphorylation and inflammation in the hippocampus, and cognitive decline were observed in p25Tg mice. Administration of CIP but not the control virus in p25Tg mice reduced levels of tau phosphorylation and inflammation in the hippocampus, which is correlated with inhibition of brain atrophy and neuronal apoptosis in the hippocampus, and improvement of cognitive decline.
CONCLUSION
Our results provide further evidence that the neurotoxicity of p25 can be alleviated by CIP. | 10.3233/JAD-191098 |
pubmed_339_16233 | Using the method of graded compression the author examined by ultrasonography a total of 1318 patients with an equivocal clinical finding of acute appendicitis. In patients where finally appendicitis was not verified a wide spectrum of other diseases was detected including gastrointestinal (n = 406), biliary (n = 12), gynaecological (n = 72), urological (n = 12) and other (n = 7) pathological conditions using sonography. Sonography is a useful differential diagnostic modality which makes it possible to visualize diseases which clinically imitate appendicitis. | pubmed_339_16233 |
pubmed_878_25167 | A survey to assess the occurrence of airborne fungal spores in three different industries, dairies, carpentries and greenhouses, was carried out. The results revealed considerable fungal pollution in the environments of the industries sampled. Noteworthy was the occurrence of fungal genera frequently implicated in allergic and non-allergic diseases, or well known for the production of mycotoxins in foods or characterized by a marked degradative activity on different substrata. Penicillium, Candida, Mucor and Geotrichum were the most common genera identified in the dairies; Penicillium, Cladosporium, yeasts, Trichoderma and Rhizopus occurred more frequently in the carpentries; Cladosporium, Alternaria, Penicillium and Stemphilium were prevailing in the greenhouse.The results of our survey support the idea that, due to their high incidence and variety, fungal spores may represent a potential health hazard in working environments, where their concentration can be affected by many operations and handling. | 10.1007/BF00418100 |
pubmed_505_10766 | We have described recently the purification and cloning of PP2A (protein phosphatase 2A) leucine carboxylmethyltransferase. We studied the purification of a PP2A-specific methylesterase that co-purifies with PP2A and found that it is tightly associated with an inactive dimeric or trimeric form of PP2A. These inactive enzyme forms could be reactivated as Ser/Thr phosphatase by PTPA (phosphotyrosyl phosphatase activator of PP2A). PTPA was described previously by our group as a protein that stimulates the in vitro phosphotyrosyl phosphatase activity of PP2A; however, PP2A-specific methyltransferase could not bring about the activation. The PTPA activation could be distinguished from the Mn2+ stimulation observed with some inactive forms of PP2A, also found associated with PME-1 (phosphatase methylesterase 1). We discuss a potential new function for PME-1 as an enzyme that stabilizes an inactivated pool of PP2A. | 10.1042/BJ20031643 |
pubmed_550_2765 | Vitamin E is a fat-soluble nutrient that is extremely important during the early stages of life, from the time of conception to the postnatal development of the infant. The mechanisms involved in its placental and mammary uptake appear to be allowed by the presence of lipoprotein receptors (LDL-receptor, VLDL-receptor, scavenger receptor class B type I) together with lipoprotein lipase at the placental and mammary barriers. In addition, alpha-tocopherol transfer protein has been described as playing an essential role in the selective transfer of RRR-alpha-tocopherol across the placenta. Lower alpha-tocopherol concentrations are found in cord blood as compared to maternal circulation. The ingestion of colostrum which contains very high levels of vitamin E is therefore of utmost importance to supply the newborn with an essential defense against oxygen toxicity. Pregnancy is sometimes associated with complications that may lead to a premature delivery of the baby. Preterm infants are usually facing an oxidative stress that is among others related to a deficiency in alpha-tocopherol, as it accumulates mainly during the third trimester of pregnancy. Despite vitamin E supplementation, preterm infants usually require significantly longer to replenish their serum alpha-tocopherol levels than full-term infants. The use of vitamin E as a therapeutic agent in preeclampsia, which induces high maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality, has been discussed in numerous papers. This disorder is indeed associated with an important oxidative stress in the placenta and maternal circulation. However, the most recent studies did not show a beneficial effect of vitamin E administration in this pathology. | 10.1016/S0083-6729(07)76013-2 |
pubmed_779_2711 | OBJECTIVES
Olfactory bulbectomy (OB) induced behaviors, hypercortisolism, inflammation and neurotrophin dysfunctions are similar to those observed in depressed patients. Omega (n)-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) can effectively treat depression via anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects. However, n-3 PUFA purities, caloric contents, and ratios in different diets often cause contradictive results. This study used Fat-1 mice, which can convert n-6 to n-3 PUFAs in the brain, to study the effect of n-3 PUFAs on OB-induced behaviors and related changes.
METHODS
Fat-1 and wild-type littermates were fed safflower oil for 3 months. Behaviors were tested on day 21 after surgery. Monoamine neurotransmitters were measured by HPLC. Macrophage activity was measured by MTT assay. Astrocyte phenotypes A1 S100β, A2 BDNF and cholesterol level were measured by ELISA and total cholesterol assay kits respectively. PUFA profile and membrane fluidity were detected by GC and DPH fluorescence probe respectively.
RESULTS
OB significantly induced animal hyperactivity and spatial memory impairment, while decreased sucrose consumption and social contact with decreased 5-HT turnover, increased the macrophage activity and S100β/BDNF ratio. Meanwhile, n-3/n-6 PUFAs ratio and total cholesterol level were reduced in OB mice. Whereas, OB-induced behavioral changes were attenuated, which were associated with increasing 5-HT turnover, decrease macrophage activity, restored S100β/BDNF and n-3/n-6 PUFAs ratios, and total cholesterol concentrations in Fat-1 mice.
CONCLUSION
The present study for the first time demonstrated that endogenous n-3 PUFAs attenuated OB-induced depression-like behaviors and spatial memory impairment through modulating serotonergic and immune function, balancing the astrocyte A1/A2 phenotypes, and normalizing PUFAs profile and membrane function. | 10.1016/j.plefa.2021.102313 |
pubmed_1107_20254 | "Do managed care arrangements change the ethical obligations of health professionals? Should stewardship replace advocacy as the ethical "touchstone" of the professions? Is the manipulation of greed the best tool for reforming the health care system? This column, the first of a series, explores the ethical implications inherent in such questions. | 10.1097/00006247-199608000-00005 |
pubmed_898_668 | BACKGROUND
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) can cause osseous deformity in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and may impair mandibular growth. This study aimed to evaluate whether facial asymmetry determined clinically or by morphometric analysis of three-dimensional (3D) photographs in JIA patients is associated with an asymmetric affection of theTMJ.
METHODS
Of 76 consecutive JIA patients with a mean age of 11.7 years (range: 6.3-17.9), facial asymmetry was evaluated clinically (chin asymmetry, gonion asymmetry), and stereophotogrammetrically with 3D photographs. The facial surfaces were demarcated, then mirrored, superimposed using semi-automated landmarks, and quantitatively assessed (chin asymmetry, Hausdorff distances). Clinical and digital measurements were related to the diagnosis of right and left TMJ involvement derived from magnetic resonance images (MRI).
RESULTS
Twenty-seven (34%) patients had an asymmetrical osseous deformity of the TMJ. By clinical evaluation, chin asymmetry was related to asymmetrical osseous destruction (p = 0.02), but gonion asymmetry was not (p = 0.14). In regard to 3D-photograph based morphometric measurements, chin asymmetry was also related to asymmetrical osseous destruction (p = 0.01), but neither the mean (p = 0.06) nor the maximal Hausdorff distance (p = 0.67). Despite the attested significance, none of the chin asymmetry evaluation methods appeared to hold sufficient predictive value (positive predictive values ≤54%; coefficient of determination ≤7%).
CONCLUSIONS
For the assessment of facial asymmetry in JIA patients, morphometric measurements originating from 3D-photographs seem to deliver results comparable to the clinical assessment methods. The asymmetry of the face, especially around the chin, appears to be related to asymmetrical TMJ destruction, but none of the investigated measurement methods of the face were able to reliably predict the TMJ affection. Thus, facial asymmetry assessments, both qualitatively in a clinical setting and quantitatively based on 3D-photographs, have limited diagnostic value for TMJ involvement in JIA patients. | 10.1186/s12969-020-0401-y |
pubmed_694_4134 | Until now, electrophysiological studies of the vertebrate olfactory bulb have tested only 'generalist' cues. These studies suggest that odorants are discriminated by a broadly distributed spatial map. In this study, we tested for the first time in a vertebrate the hypothesis that 'specialist' cues (pheromones) are discriminated by a more restricted component of the olfactory bulb. Our model is the male goldfish, Carassius auratus, for which five sex pheromones with both behavioral and physiological activity have now been identified. Electrical activity (electroencephalography: EEG) was recorded over a 12-point grid from the surface of the olfactory bulb, while fish were exposed to one of ten stimuli including: five sex pheromones, two amino acids, two bile steroids and a control. Evoked activity was evaluated by time series analysis. Power ratios were calculated by dividing the power of the dominant frequency in the power spectrum before stimulation by the power of the dominant frequency during stimulation. Next, the average magnitudes of odorant responses were compared using analysis of variance (ANOVA). The spatial patterning of these responses was also described using cluster analysis, which grouped odorants based on the similarity of their spatial patterns of activity. Although all odorants elicited EEG responses with similar dominant frequencies, odorant-specific differences were evident in the size and distribution of these responses. Sex pheromones and bile steroids elicited relatively small responses that were spatially restricted in distinctive manners, although some overlap was evident. In contrast, amino acids consistently produced large responses at all positions. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that vertebrate pheromones are discriminated by a distinctive subcomponent of the vertebrate olfactory system comprised of a relatively small number of olfactory neurons. | 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1998.tb10619.x |
pubmed_364_15593 | OBJECTIVE
To investigate the influence of MRD status in newly diagnosed MM patients with VGPR and above after treatment on clinical prognosis.
METHODS
Clinical data of 210 newly diagnosed MM patients with VGPR and above after treatment in Fifth People's Hospital of Chendu city. from January 2010 to January 2018 were collected and retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into 2 groups: group A (152 patients with MRD-) and group B (58 patients with MRD+). The influencing factors of progression free survival and overall survival of patients were analyzed, and the correlation between MRD status and high-risk cytogenetic abnormalities, treatment plan and response to treatment were evaluated.
RESULTS
There were no significant difference in clinical characteristics between the patients in 2 groups (P＞0.05). Single factor analysis showed that ASCT and MRD status were related with progression free survival of patients with newly diagnosed MM (P＜0.05). Multivariate analysis by Cox regression model showed that MRD+ persistence was the independent risk factor for progression free survival of patients with newly diagnosed MM (P＜0.05). The cumulative progression free survival rate in 2-year with follow-up of patients in group A was significantly higher than that in B group (P＜0.05). The median progression free survival time and overall survival time of patients with persistent MRD- were significantly longer than those of MRD+ (P＜0.05). The single factor analysis showed that MRD- maintenance time was the influencing factor of PFS and OS time of newly diagnosed MM patients (P＜0.05). The cumulative overall survival rate in 2-year with follow-up of patients with MRD- maintenance for 6 months was significantly higher than that of patients with MRD- maintenance for＜6 months (P＜0.05). The cumulative progression free survival rate and overall survival rate in 2 years with follow-up of patients with MRD- maintenance for ≥12 months were significantly higher than those of MRD-maintenance for ＜12 months（P＜0.05）. The median progression free survival time of patients with MRD- was significantly longer than that of patients with MRD+ who had≥ one kind of high-risk cytogenetic abnormality (P＜0.05). The MRD- rate of patients received ASCT was significantly higher than that of patients without ASCT (P＜0.05). The median progression free survival time of patients with MRD- was significantly longer than that of patients with MRD+ (P＜0.05). The maintenance time of MRD- in patients with bortezomib treatment was significantly longer than that of patients without bortezomib treatment in population with MRD- (P＜0.05). The median progression free survival time of patients with bortezomib treatment was significantly longer than patients without bortezomib treatment (P＜0.05).
CONCLUSION
MRD+ maintenance in newly diagnosed MM patients with VGPR and above after treatment closely relates with poor long-term prognosis, however, the MRD- maintenance time can be used for prognosis evaluation. MRD+ suggests that patients possess the possibility of early recurrence, and dynamic monitoring of MRD status in treatment can be helpful to clinical determination of treatment opportunity for relapsed MM patients. | 10.19746/j.cnki.issn.1009-2137.2020.05.033 |
pubmed_920_2579 | BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE
To report the incidence and clinical features of infectious endophthalmitis after intravitreal (IV) injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors (VEGF) between 2018 and 2020 and to compare to prior rates.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
Retrospective analysis of patients with endophthalmitis after anti-VEGF IV injections treated at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2020.
RESULTS
Between 2018 and 2020, the rate of clinically diagnosed endophthalmitis was 0.014% (10/71,858) and of culture-positive was 0.008% (6/71,858). Clinically diagnosed endophthalmitis rates per injection were: aflibercept (0.022%); ranibizumab (0.019%); bevacizumab (0%); and brolucizumab (0%). Clinically diagnosed endophthalmitis rates were similar in the present study compared to those from 2005 to 2017 (P = .84). Fifteen eyes were diagnosed with endophthalmitis (10 in-house, five external referrals). Of culture-positive eyes, the organisms were coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (8/11), Streptococcus species (2/11), and Abiotrophia defectiva (1/11). A universal face-masking policy in 2020 did not lower infection rates (P = .73).
CONCLUSION
Endophthalmitis rates after IV anti-VEGF remain low and are similar to prior reports. [. | 10.3928/23258160-20210528-04 |
pubmed_328_26067 | OBJECTIVE
Molecular pathogenesis of parathyroid tumors is incompletely understood. Identification of novel molecules and understanding their role in parathyroid tumorigenesis by proteomics approach would be informative with potential clinical implications.
METHOD
Adenomatous (n = 5) and normal (n = 2) parathyroid tissue lysates were analyzed for protein profile by LC-MS/MS method and the proteins were classified using bioinformatics tools such as PANTHER and toppfun functional enrichment tool. Identified proteins were further validated by western blotting and qRT-PCR (n = 20).
RESULT
Comparative proteomics analysis revealed that a total of 206 proteins (74 upregulated and 132 downregulated) were differentially expressed (≥ twofold change) in adenomas. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that 48 proteins were associated with plasma membrane, 49 with macromolecular complex, 39 were cytoplasm, 38 were organelle related, 21 were cell junction and 10 were extracellular proteins. These proteins belonged to a diverse protein family such as enzymes, transcription factors, cell signalling, cell adhesion, cytoskeleton proteins, receptors, and calcium-binding proteins. The major biological processes predicted for the proteins were a cellular, metabolic and developmental process, cellular localization, and biological regulation. The differentially expressed proteins were found to be associated with MAPK, phospholipase C (PLC) and phosphatidylinositol (PI) signalling pathways, and with chromatin organization. Western blot and qRT-PCR analysis of three proteins (DNAJC2, ACO2, and PRDX2) validated the LC-MS/MS findings.
CONCLUSION
This exploratory study demonstrates the feasibility of proteomics approach in finding the dysregulated proteins in benign parathyroid adenomas, and our preliminary results suggest that MAPK, PLC and PI signalling pathways and chromatin organization are involved in parathyroid tumorigenesis. | 10.1007/s40618-018-0958-1 |
pubmed_837_20115 | To study the biology of cold autoimmune hemolytic anemia, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-transformed B-cell clones were established from a patient with splenic lymphoma associated with immune hemolysis due to an anti-Pr2 cold autoantibody. Studies were performed comparing the cold autoantibody present in culture supernatants of these cell lines to the pathogenic cold autoantibodies present in the patient's plasma. Cytogenetic studies of splenic lymphocytes demonstrated an abnormal karyotype (51XX, +3, +9, +12, +13, +18). After EBV transformation, eight clones secreting IgM, kappa anti-Pr were isolated; each clone had the same abnormal karyotype as above. DNA isolated from the clones and spleen was analyzed by Southern blot hybridization with JH, C mu, and C kappa probes; identical gene rearrangements were seen in each case. Anti-Pr antibodies, isolated from culture supernatant and serum were compared by isoelectric focusing (IEF) and demonstrated similar banding patterns. Distinctive binding patterns, however, were observed in 2/8 clones, suggesting structural differences. Adsorption studies with red blood cells further showed that the observed IEF banding patterns were solely due to anti-Pr cold autoantibody. With a thin-layer chromatography method, the biochemical determinants recognized by the cold autoantibodies were defined as glycolipids containing Neu Ac alpha 2-3Gal beta 1-4Glc sequences. The data demonstrate that the autoantibodies of the EBV-transformed B-cell lines were similar to the pathogenic monoclonal serum autoantibody in both structure and specificity. These clonal cell lines may thus serve to further study the biology of human B-cell lymphomas with defined autoantibody specificity. | 10.1016/0003-9861(88)90591-7 |
pubmed_1034_3597 | The human visual system is sensitive in detecting objects that have different luminance level from their background, known as first-order or luminance-modulated (LM) stimuli. We are also able to detect objects that have the same mean luminance as their background, only differing in contrast (or other attributes). Such objects are known as second-order or contrast-modulated (CM), stimuli. CM stimuli are thought to be processed in higher visual areas compared to LM stimuli, and may be more susceptible to ageing. We compared visual acuities (VA) of five healthy older adults (54.0±1.83 years old) and five healthy younger adults (25.4±1.29 years old) with LM and CM letters under monocular and binocular viewing. For monocular viewing, age had no effect on VA [F(1, 8)= 2.50, p> 0.05]. However, there was a significant main effect of age on VA under binocular viewing [F(1, 8)= 5.67, p< 0.05]. Binocular VA with CM letters in younger adults was approximately two lines better than that in older adults. For LM, binocular summation ratios were similar for older (1.16±0.21) and younger (1.15±0.06) adults. For CM, younger adults had higher binocular summation ratio (1.39±0.08) compared to older adults (1.12±0.09). Binocular viewing improved VA with LM letters for both groups similarly. However, in older adults, binocular viewing did not improve VA with CM letters as much as in younger adults. This could reflect a decline of higher visual areas due to ageing process, most likely higher than V1, which may be missed if measured with luminance-based stimuli alone. | 10.12688/f1000research.9410.1 |
others_290_6820 | Ranunculus polyphyllus is a Eurosiberian species of the Eurasian forest-steppe zone, extremely rare in the western part of its distribution range, in Central Europe. In Slovakia, this lowland semiaquatic plant has its westernmost border, where only a few historic locations are known, and which have not been confirmed since 1965: one on the Podunajská nížina Lowland and three on the Východoslovenská nížina Lowland. These records, however, do not include any vegetation data. The species has been recently rediscovered in Slovakia on the Východoslovenská nížina Lowland: one historical site was confirmed in 2020 in the periodically inundated pasture near Strážne settlement, and a second site was found in 2021 near Zemplínske Hradište in a flooded depression in intensively used agricultural land which was formerly used as rice fields. In its European range, this species has been observed only in natural wetlands, and its ability to occupy secondary habitats has not yet been reported. Here we provide new data on the recent occurrence of Ranunculus polyphyllus in Slovakia with regard to its vegetation and habitat conditions. © 2021, Pavol Jozef Safarik University in Kosice. All rights reser | 10.33542/TJB2021-2-04 |
pubmed_650_2108 | In halothane (0.9%)-anesthetized rats, the immersion of the tail in 52.5 degrees C or 60 degrees C water for 15 sec resulted in a short-latencied tail jerk and a subsequent tachycardia and elevation in blood pressure. The i.t. administration of the alpha-2 agonists, dexmedetomidine (DMET), clonidine (CLON) and ST-91, resulted in a dose-dependent increase in the somatomotor reflex latency and a reduction in the magnitude of the increase in the magnitude of the cardiovascular response, with the ordering of activity on all endpoints at all temperatures being: DMET greater than CLON greater than or equal to ST-91. Increasing the stimulus intensity from 52.5 to 60 degrees C resulted in right shifts in the dose-response curves for all agents with the magnitude of shift being: 1) greatest on the blood pressure and least on the tail flick, and 2) greatest for ST-91 and CLON and least for DMET. Thus, the dose ratio (ED50 at 60 degrees C/ED50 at 52.5 degrees C) for these three agents on the tail flick and blood pressure response was, respectively, 1.1 and 1.8 for DMET, 1.1 and 4.3 for CLON and 4.8 and 9.7 for ST-91 (mean +/- S.E.). On resting blood pressure, i.t. DMET and CLON produced a dose-dependent hypotension and bradycardia. ST-91 had no consistent dose-dependent effect.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) | pubmed_650_2108 |
others_274_2372 | rd fancier’s lung (BFL) is a pulmonary disease caused by inhalation of avian proteins. The involvement of the microorganisms of droppings has been assumed in the past and this idea still persists today. Our study aimed to compare by immunoprecipitation assay the detection of antibodies against both droppings and microorganisms in the sera of patients (n=15) and asymptomatic exposed controls (n=18). We found that 14/15 BFL patients had negative serological results for isolated microorganisms of the droppings, only one positive against Enterobacter sakasakii. Serological arguments were in accordance with diagnosis in 87% of cases by testing á la carte antigens from each bird dropping versus 20% using the standard antigenic panel. Otherwise, the microorganisms antigens issued from dropping flora were negative in 93% of cases. Consequently, it’s preferable to use the total extract from the patient’s bird droppings to establish the serodiagnosis of the disease. © 2017 The Authors | 10.1099/jmm.0.000586 |
pubmed_445_13833 | The cytochrome c concentrations of the different types of skeletal muscle of trained and nontrained normal and thyroidectomized rats were measured. Animals were trained by treadmill running 1 mph, at a 15% incline, 1 h/day, 5 days/wk for at least 12 wk. This training program induced an expected 50% increase in cytochrome c in the high-oxidative fast-twitch red (FTR) and slow-twitch red (STR) fibers and only a 25% increase in the low-oxidative fast-twitch white (FTW) fibers of the normal rats. This same training program caused a greater increase (100%) in the FTR and STR fibers of the thyroidectomized runners and a dramatic 243% increase in the FTW fiber. Even though the thyroidectomy procedure caused a reduction in oxidative capacity of all types of skeletal muscle fibers to about one-half normal, the absolute increase in cytochrome c in the muscles of the trained thyroidectomized animals was essentially the same or greater than that of the normal trained animals. These results indicate that the adaptive response to training of an increased oxidative capacity in skeletal muscle occurs in the absence of normal thyroid function. They also suggest that the exercise bouts of the thyroidectomized animals were performed with a relatively greater involvement of the FTW muscle fibers. | 10.1152/ajplegacy.1976.230.5.1194 |
pubmed_904_23308 | BACKGROUND
The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) viral glycoprotein gp350 has been proposed as a candidate antigen for an EBV vaccine. However, the proposed formulations of these vaccines have not taken into account the presence of 2 unique EBV strains (EBV-1 and EBV-2) present in areas of high incidence of the EBV-associated cancer, Burkitt lymphoma.
METHODS
In this study, we analyze the kinetics of EBV-1 and EBV-2 infection in an asymptomatic infant cohort from Kisumu, Kenya. We also analyzed the kinetics of the antibody response against 5 EBV antigens, gp350 (IgG and IgA), VCA (IgG), EBNA-1 (IgG), EAd (IgG), and Zta (IgG).
RESULTS
We observed a high frequency of coinfection with both EBV types over time, with the only observable defect in the antibody response in infants coinfected being a significantly lower level of anti-gp350 IgA at peak response. Gp350 IgA levels were also significantly lower in coinfected infants 2.5 months postinfection and at the time of coinfection.
CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that anti-gp350 IgA antibodies may be important for sterilizing immunity against secondary infection. These findings have implications for the development of an efficacious EBV vaccine to prevent both EBV-1 and EBV-2 infection in a population at high risk for Burkitt lymphoma. | 10.1093/infdis/jiy601 |
pubmed_869_15835 | Current methods to demonstrate zone or country freedom from disease are based on either quantitative analysis of the results of structured representative surveys, or qualitative assessments of multiple sources of evidence (including complex non-representative sources). This paper presents a methodology for objective quantitative analysis of multiple complex data sources to support claims of freedom from disease. Stochastic scenario tree models are used to describe each component of a surveillance system (SSC), and used to estimate the sensitivity of each SSC. The process of building and analysing the models is described, as well as techniques to take into account any lack of independence between units at different levels within a SSC. The combination of sensitivity estimates from multiple SSCs into a single estimate for the entire surveillance system is also considered, again taking into account lack of independence between components. A sensitivity ratio is used to compare different components of a surveillance system. Finally, calculation of the probability of country freedom from the estimated sensitivity of the surveillance system is illustrated, incorporating the use and valuation of historical surveillance evidence. | 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2006.09.008 |
pubmed_892_2620 | Tryptase, a protease produced by all mast cells, was evaluated as a clinical marker of systemic mastocytosis. Two sandwich immunoassays were evaluated, one which used the mAb G5 for capture, the other which used B12 for capture. The B12 capture assay measured both recombinant alpha- and beta-tryptase, whereas the G5 capture assay measured primarily recombinant beta-tryptase. G5 binds with low affinity to both recombinant alpha-tryptase and tryptase in blood from normal and nonacute mastocytosis subjects, and binds with high affinity to recombinant beta-tryptase, tryptase in serum during anaphylaxis, and tryptase stored in mast cell secretory granules. B12 recognizes all of these forms of tryptase with high affinity. As reported previously, during systemic anaphylaxis in patients without known mastocytosis, the ratio of B12- to G5-measured tryptase was always < 5 and approached unity (Schwartz L.B., T.R. Bradford, C. Rouse, A.-M. Irani, G. Rasp, J.K. Van der Zwan and P.-W.G. Van der Linden, J. Clin. Immunol. 14:190-204). In this report, most mastocytosis patients with systemic disease have B12-measured tryptase levels that are elevated (> 20 ng/ml) and are at least 10-fold greater than the corresponding G5-measured tryptase level. Most of those subjects with B12-measured tryptase levels of < 20 ng/ml had only cutaneous manifestations. The B12 assay for alpha-tryptase and beta-tryptase, particularly when performed in conjunction with the G5 assay for beta-tryptase, provides a more precise measure of mast cell involvement than currently available assessments, a promising potential screening test for systemic mastocytosis and may provide an improved means to follow disease progression and response to therapy. | 10.1172/JCI118337 |
pubmed_855_5128 | Gene p53 is a central component of a system that eliminates pathologically damaged cells from an organism. Multiple signal pathways monitor the state of a cell and when damage or a fault is found that could cause heritable changes, p53 protein is activated to either coordinate the repair process or induce cell suicide. Thus, the p53 gene acts as a supreme judge that decides the fate of cells and guarantees their social behavior. Loss of the p53 gene results in uncontrolled accumulation of genetic damage causing failure of control by the organism, malignant cell growth, and death of the organism. | pubmed_855_5128 |
pubmed_616_4840 | Colorectal cancer (CRC) has complex pathological features that defy the linear-additive reasoning prevailing in current biomedicine studies. In pursuing a mechanistic understanding behind such complexity, we constructed a core molecular-cellular interaction network underlying CRC and investigated its nonlinear dynamical properties. The hypothesis and modelling method has been developed previously and tested in various cancer studies. The network dynamics reveal a landscape of several attractive basins corresponding to both normal intestinal phenotype and robust tumour subtypes, identified by their different molecular signatures. Comparison between the modelling results and gene expression profiles from patients collected at the second affiliated hospital of Zhejiang University is presented as validation. The numerical 'driving' experiment suggests that CRC pathogenesis may depend on pathways involved in gastrointestinal track development and molecules associated with mesenchymal lineage differentiation, such as Stat5, BMP, retinoic acid signalling pathways, Runx and Hox transcription families. We show that the multi-faceted response to immune stimulation and therapies, as well as different carcinogenesis and metastasis routes, can be straightforwardly understood and analysed under such a framework. | 10.1098/rsob.170169 |
pubmed_885_22493 | Honeybees (Apis mellifera) have remarkable visual learning and discrimination abilities that extend beyond learning simple colours, shapes or patterns. They can discriminate landscape scenes, types of flowers, and even human faces. This suggests that in spite of their small brain, honeybees have a highly developed capacity for processing complex visual information, comparable in many respects to vertebrates. Here, we investigated whether this capacity extends to complex images that humans distinguish on the basis of artistic style: Impressionist paintings by Monet and Cubist paintings by Picasso. We show that honeybees learned to simultaneously discriminate between five different Monet and Picasso paintings, and that they do not rely on luminance, colour, or spatial frequency information for discrimination. When presented with novel paintings of the same style, the bees even demonstrated some ability to generalize. This suggests that honeybees are able to discriminate Monet paintings from Picasso ones by extracting and learning the characteristic visual information inherent in each painting style. Our study further suggests that discrimination of artistic styles is not a higher cognitive function that is unique to humans, but simply due to the capacity of animals-from insects to humans-to extract and categorize the visual characteristics of complex images. | 10.1007/s00359-012-0767-5 |
pubmed_526_11296 | We describe a stress management intervention intended to reduce the damage and stress impact on the heart physiology and function of a group of caregivers (professional and non-professional) who work with patients with dementia. The intervention consisted in applying heart coherence techniques in a population of 72 caregivers of patients with dementia (42 professional and 29 non-professional caregivers) who had high scores in heart stress and burden tests. Six months after the training they were able to generate appropriate patterns of heart coherence, with a statistically significant decrease in their heart overload. We conclude that training in techniques of heart coherence and positive psychology had effective results on the stress management of the participant caregivers. This was a simple, inexpensive technique with lasting results. To our knowledge this is the first research in Spain studying the application of heart coherence techniques to caregivers of people with dementia. | 10.1007/s10484-015-9276-y |
pubmed_374_15655 | OBJECTIVES
(1) To identify the factors predicting arterial extravasation in pelvic trauma and (2) to assess the efficacy of preperitoneal pelvic packing (PPP) in controlling arterial hemorrhage.
METHODS
Institutional review board approved the retrospective study of 139 consecutive pelvic trauma patients who underwent angiographic intervention with or without prior PPP between January 2011 and December 2016. Patient demographics and presenting characteristics were recorded. Both groups of patients were combined for analysis of predictors for arterial extravasation using univariate logistic regression followed by multivariate logistic regression. Significance level was defined as p < 0.05.
RESULTS
Forty-nine out of 139 patients had PPP prior to pelvic angiogram. Embolization was performed in 85 (61.2%) patients and the technical and clinical success rate was 100%. Sixty-nine (49.7%) patients had unstable Young-Burgess (Y&B) type fractures, of which 58% had arterial hemorrhage compared with 38.6% of those with stable Y&B fractures (p = 0.02). Of the patients who had PPP prior to angiogram, 28(57.1%) continued to have arterial extravasation on subsequent angiography. Unstable Y&B type fractures are independent predictors of arterial hemorrhage (OR 2.3, 95%CI 1.1 to 4.7, p = 0.02).
CONCLUSION
Unstable Y&B type pelvic fractures are predictors of arterial extravasation. PPP alone is not effective for arterial hemorrhage control in pelvic trauma. Angiographic intervention remains a minimally invasive and definitive treatment of arterial hemorrhage from pelvic trauma.
KEY POINTS
• Unstable Young-Burgess pelvic fractures are predictors of arterial hemorrhage in pelvic trauma. • Pelvic angiography and embolization should precede PPP wherever feasible. | 10.1007/s00330-020-06965-9 |
pubmed_868_19068 | There is an increasing interest in the use of polysaccharides and proteins for the production of biodegradable films. Visible and near-infrared (VIS-NIR) spectroscopy is a reliable analytical tool for objective analyses of biological sample attributes. The objective is to investigate the potential of VIS-NIR spectroscopy as a process analytical technology for compositional characterization of biodegradable materials and correlation to their mechanical properties. Biofilms were produced by single-screw extrusion with different combinations of polybutylene adipate-co-terephthalate, whole oat flour, glycerol, magnesium stearate, and citric acid. Spectral data were recorded in the range of 400-2498nm at 2nm intervals. Partial least square regression was used to investigate the correlation between spectral information and mechanical properties. Results show that spectral information is influenced by the major constituent components, as they are clustered according to polybutylene adipate-co-terephthalate content. Results for regression models using the spectral information as predictor of tensile properties achieved satisfactory results, with coefficients of prediction (R(2)C) of 0.83, 0.88 and 0.92 (calibration models) for elongation, tensile strength, and Young's modulus, respectively. Results corroborate the correlation of NIR spectra with tensile properties, showing that NIR spectroscopy has potential as a rapid analytical technology for non-destructive assessment of the mechanical properties of the films. | pubmed_868_19068 |
pubmed_573_14944 | BACKGROUND
Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) was initially discovered as a mitogen for hepatocytes, but it is also known to be related to carcinogenesis in many other organs. However, the role of HGF in lung carcinogenesis is not fully-understood. In this study, we investigated the role of HGF in lung carcinogenesis using HGF transgenic mice.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
To elucidate the role of HGF in lung carcinogenesis, 5 μg/g body weight diethylnitrosamine (DEN) were administered intraperitoneally to HGF transgenic (TG) mice and wild-type (WT) mice at 15 days of age. The incidence and number of lung tumors, the expression of HGF and of its receptor (c-Met) were compared between HGF TG and WT mice.
RESULTS
HGF overexpression accelerated DEN-induced lung carcinogenesis. Seventy-six percent of TG mice (versus 50% of WT mice) developed malignant lung tumors by 48 weeks. The incidence of lung tumors was significantly higher in the TG mice in comparison with WT mice (p<0.05). Furthermore, the mean diameter and number of tumors in each mouse were significantly higher in the TG mice compared to the WT mice (p<0.01). The northern blotting analyses revealed that there was overexpression of the HGF transgene in the lung tumors of TG mice in comparison with the surrounding non-tumorous lesions. The western blotting analyses of the tumor lesions revealed increased phosphorylation of c-Met.
CONCLUSION
Our results suggest that HGF promotes lung carcinogenesis through the autocrine activation of the HGF/c-Met signaling pathway. The HGF/c-Met signaling pathway appears to have vital roles in lung carcinogenesis. | pubmed_573_14944 |
pubmed_1023_3722 | Cytologic features indicative of malignancy were related to the subsequent rate of tumor recurrence in 50 patients with T1 and T2 transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder. All patients with T1 disease in whom frequent recurrences developed had more than 15 per cent malignant-looking (ML) cells in their original biopsy. In patients with less than 15 per cent ML cells recurrences developed infrequently. All patients with T2 disease who had more than 15.5 per cent ML cells subsequently had a poor prognosis, whereas those with less than 15.5 per cent ML cells had a good prognosis. | 10.1016/0090-4295(84)90023-2 |
pubmed_834_17448 | The article describes results of the clinical comparison of determination of the right ventricular volume by the two-volumes method and by the "Simpson rule" according to findings of two-dimensions cineangiocardiography in normality and in hypervolemic and hyperkinetic overload of the right ventricle. The methods are in good correlation. | pubmed_834_17448 |
pubmed_178_495 | Some tumor cells contain mutant ras genes that are capable of transforming NIH 3T3 cells. Those genes that have been analyzed arise from the wild-type, non-transforming ras genes by mutations producing single amino acid substitutions at position 12 or 61 of the encoded protein. We have performed random bisulfite-induced mutagenesis on the cloned wild-type human H-ras gene to find if mutations at other positions can activate the transforming potential of that gene. Most mutations are not activating, but mutations that specify single amino acid substitutions at position 12, 13, 59, or 63 of the encoded protein do activate the transforming potential of the H-ras gene. Some, but not all, mutant ras proteins show an altered electrophoretic mobility in NaDodSO4/polyacrylamide gels. | 10.1073/pnas.81.13.4008 |
pubmed_1041_17263 | BACKGROUND
The expression of the regulatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-12 and IL-18 in patients with both Th1- and Th2-mediated diseases, type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and asthma, is unknown.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the in vivo and in vitro IL-12 and IL-18 secretion patterns in patients with both T1DM and asthma.
METHODS
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were collected from 44 patients. Mean age 19.4 ± 4.7 yr (10.5-28 yr), divided into four paired groups: T1DM and asthma, asthma only, T1DM only, and healthy controls. T-cell proliferative response was assessed. IL-12 and IL-18 serum levels and expression by PBMC following in vitro stimulation by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
RESULTS
Patients with T1DM and asthma had higher serum levels of both IL-12 and IL-18 compared to controls: 146.2 ± 69.2 and 109.7 ± 34.6 pg/mL, p = 0.038 and 436.1 ± 117.9, 320.2 ± 99.1 pg/mL, p = 0.028, respectively. Stimulated IL-12 secretion was significantly lower in these patients compared to those with one disease only: 809 ± 426.4, 2111.6 ± 2214.3, 3188.1 ± 2692.9 pg/mL and after 48 h: 956.3 ± 489.3, 2429.8 ± 2394.6, 3874.5 ± 2820.3 pg/mL, respectively, p < 0.03 for all. The IL-18/IL-12 serum ratio was also significantly higher in patients with both diseases compared to those with asthma only, p = 0.017.
CONCLUSION
Patients with both T1DM and asthma display a different pattern of IL-12 and IL-18 expression compared to patients with one disease only and controls. | 10.1111/j.1399-5448.2010.00751.x |
pubmed_673_3272 | Collembola Bilobella aurantiaca lives in forest biotopes all around the western Mediterranean sea; it shows a great polymorphism of polytene Chromosomes (2n = 14). This polymorphism is founded on differences of band-pattern and overall on alpha-heterochromatic overcharges at certain points. Examples are given for the chromosome VI. The chorology of this species does not permit an explanation of the division of most of the chromosomal types which seem to be closely linked with the ecological components of the biotopes. | pubmed_673_3272 |
pubmed_244_24616 | Platelet-neutrophil interactions are important for innate immunity, but also contribute to the pathogenesis of deep vein thrombosis, myocardial infarction and stroke. Here we report that, under flow, von Willebrand factor/glycoprotein Ibα-dependent platelet 'priming' induces integrin αIIbβ3 activation that, in turn, mediates neutrophil and T-cell binding. Binding of platelet αIIbβ3 to SLC44A2 on neutrophils leads to mechanosensitive-dependent production of highly prothrombotic neutrophil extracellular traps. A polymorphism in SLC44A2 (rs2288904-A) present in 22% of the population causes an R154Q substitution in an extracellular loop of SLC44A2 that is protective against venous thrombosis results in severely impaired binding to both activated αIIbβ3 and VWF-primed platelets. This was confirmed using neutrophils homozygous for the SLC44A2 R154Q polymorphism. Taken together, these data reveal a previously unreported mode of platelet-neutrophil crosstalk, mechanosensitive NET production, and provide mechanistic insight into the protective effect of the SLC44A2 rs2288904-A polymorphism in venous thrombosis. | pubmed_244_24616 |
pubmed_855_15262 | The Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule (NCAM) serves as a temporally and spatially regulated modulator of a variety of cell-cell interactions. This review summarizes recent results of studies aimed at understanding its regulation of expression and biological function, thereby focussing on its polysialylated isoforms (PSA-NCAM). The detailed analysis of the expression of PSA and NCAM in the hippocampal mossy fiber system and the morphological consequences of PSA-NCAM deficiency in mice support the notion that the levels of expression of NCAM are important not only for the regulation and maintenance of structural changes, such as migration, axonal growth and fasciculation, but also for activity-induced plasticity. There is evidence that PSA-NCAM can specifically contribute to a presynaptic form of plasticity, namely long-term potentiation at hippocampal mossy fiber synapses. This is consistent with previous observations that NCAM-deficient mice show deficits in spatial learning and exploratory behavior. Furthermore, our data points to an important role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which is the principle adaptive response of the organism to environmental challenges, in the control of PSA-NCAM expression in the hippocampal formation. In particular, we evidence an inhibitory influence of corticosterone on PSA-NCAM expression. | 10.1016/s0736-5748(99)00090-8 |
pubmed_616_13915 | Abemaciclib (Verzenio™) is an orally administered inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6 that is being developed by Eli Lilly and Company. Abemaciclib has been approved in the USA for the treatment of hormone receptor (HR)-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative advanced or metastatic breast cancer, in combination with fulvestrant in women with disease progression following endocrine therapy, and as monotherapy in adult patients with disease progression following endocrine therapy and prior chemotherapy in the metastatic setting. In addition, abemaciclib is in various stages of development internationally for a variety of cancers. This article summarizes the milestones in the development of abemaciclib leading to its first approval for the treatment of patients with HR-positive, HER2-negative advanced or metastatic breast cancer. | 10.1007/s40265-017-0840-z |
pubmed_4_10490 | OBJECTIVE
The study objective was to describe the results of thoracic endovascular aortic repair with the intentional coverage of the celiac artery and distal supramesenteric landing zone for extent type 1 and type 5 thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms.
METHODS
Inclusion criteria were thoracic endovascular aortic repair with celiac artery coverage to treat elective or urgent extent type 1 and 5 thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms. Primary end points were in-hospital and follow-up survival, freedom from aortic-related mortality, and freedom from reintervention.
RESULTS
Thoracoabdominal disease extent was type 1 in 12 patients (71%) and type 5 in 5 patients (29%). Urgent repair was performed in 4 patients (23.5%). Primary technical success was 100%. Early mortality and visceral ischemia did not occur. Permanent spinal cord ischemia rate was 6% (n = 1). Follow-up ranged from 3 to 120 months (interquartile range, 12-36.5). Survival estimate was 85% ± 9% (95% confidence interval, 67-94) at 1 year and 49% ± 17% (95% confidence interval, 21-78) at 5 years. Cumulative freedom from aortic-related mortality was 94%, and estimated freedom from reintervention at 1 and 5 years was 93% ± 7% (95% confidence interval, 68-99). Neither type 1 endoleaks nor distal stent-graft migration causing superior mesenteric artery occlusion was detected.
CONCLUSIONS
Thoracic endovascular aortic repair with intentional coverage of celiac artery for extent 1 and 5 thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms had satisfactory results in selected patients at high risk for open repair. Visceral ischemia did not occur, but spinal cord ischemia is still high at 6%. At midterm follow-up, neither endoleak development nor aortic reintervention was related to the inadequate distal landing zone. Follow-up survival is satisfactory and comparable to open repair. | 10.1016/j.jtcvs.2017.04.067 |
pubmed_829_2864 | UNLABELLED
What were previously called telangiectatic focal nodular hyperplasias are in fact true adenomas with telangiectatic features (TAs) without overt characterized genetic abnormalities. The aim of our study was to review a surgical series of TAs in order to describe clinical, biological, and radiological findings of these lesions and to evaluate their outcomes. From January 1996 to November 2005, 284 patients with benign hepatocellular nodules underwent surgical resection at Beaujon Hospital. Among them, 32 TAs from 27 patients were diagnosed. Ninety-two percent of the patients were women. Mean age was 38 years (range 17-63). Mean body mass index was 28 (range 18-49), with 16 patients being overweight. Symptoms revealed lesions in 10 patients. In 13 patients, TA was associated with another benign liver lesion. Mean size of the TAs was 5 cm (range 1-17 cm). Histological analysis showed cellular atypias in 6 cases (19%), steatosis in 17 cases (53%), vascular changes in 19 cases (59%), and significant inflammatory infiltrate in 29 cases (91%). In 1 case, the TA had foci of well-differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma. In 18 of the 26 cases (69%), adjacent liver showed significant steatosis. Serum biomarkers of inflammation were increased in 90% of patients (19 of 22). After surgical resection, inflammatory marker levels returned to normal values in all patients tested.
CONCLUSION
This study has shown that TAs occur in a characteristic background of overweight patients and are often associated with a biological inflammatory syndrome. Moreover, a TA may progress to malignancy. | 10.1002/hep.21684 |
pubmed_154_18233 | CCR3 antagonist leads with IC(50) values in the microM range were converted into low nM binding compounds that displayed in vitro inhibition of human eosinophil chemotaxis induced by human eotaxin. In particular, 4-benzylpiperidin-1-yl-n-propylureas and erythro-3-(4-benzyl-2-(alpha-hydroxyalkyl)piperidin-1-yl)-n-propylureas (obtained via Beak reaction of N-BOC-4-benzylpiperidine) exhibited single digit nanomolar IC(50) values for CCR3. | 10.1016/s0960-894x(02)00206-8 |
pubmed_153_7651 | To evaluate the suppressive effect of intravenous dezocine on the incidence and severity of myoclonic movements induced by etomidate, a total of 80 patients, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I-II, were randomized into two equally sized groups (n = 40). These two groups were assigned to give either intravenous dezocine 0.1 mg/kg or a matching placebo (equal volume of 0.9% saline) 30 s before administration of etomidate. For anesthesia induction, 0.3 mg/kg etomidate was injected over a period of 1 min. One minute after etomidate administration, the severity of myoclonus was assessed. Pretreatment with dezocine significantly reduced both the incidence and intensity of myoclonus. These results demonstrate that intravenous dezocine 0.1 mg/kg 30 s prior to induction was effective in suppressing myoclonic movements in our patients. | 10.1007/s00540-014-1842-6 |
pubmed_722_22028 | Phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase alpha (PI3Kα) is an important target in cancer due to the deregulation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in many tumors. In this study, we designed [3,5-d]-7-azaindole analogs as PI3Kα inhibitors through the fragment-growing strategy. By varying groups at the 3,5-positions of azaindole, we developed the SAR (Structure-activity relationship) and identified a series of potent PI3Kα inhibitors. Representative azaindole derivatives showed activity in a cellular proliferation and apoptosis assays. Moreover, B3 exhibited strong antiangiogenic effects on cancer cells. | 10.1016/j.bmcl.2010.10.108 |
pubmed_646_5361 | It is generally accepted that connexin43 (Cx43) is a major constituent of heart and myometrial gap junctions. However, the presence of Cx43 gap junctions in non-pregnant myometrium is still poorly documented. Tissue sections of porcine heart and non-pregnant uterus and myometrial smooth muscle cell cultures were immunostained with monoclonal antibody against Cx43. In the heart, intensive immunostaining was confined to the intercalated discs as previously reported. In the non-pregnant uterus, punctuate immunostaining of Cx43 was seen throughout the myometrium along cell interfaces between myocytes. The expression of Cx43 was sustained in cultured smooth muscle cells isolated from non-pregnant myometrium. Western blotting has detected single isoform of Cx43 in both, cardiac and myometrial tissues. The electrophoretic mobility of porcine heart Cx43 was similar to that of myometrial isoform but different from the pattern of mobility of Cx43 of the rat heart. Hence, porcine myometrium may provide attractive model for studying cellular mechanisms triggering expression of gap junction protein in normal (non-pregnant) uterus. | 10.1054/tice.2000.0096 |
pubmed_556_16190 | Although the mammalian rest-activity cycle is controlled by a "master clock" in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus, it is unclear how firing of individual SCN neurons gates individual features of daily activity. Here, we demonstrate that a specific transcriptomically identified population of mouse VIP+ SCN neurons is active at the "wrong" time of day-nighttime-when most SCN neurons are silent. Using chemogenetic and optogenetic strategies, we show that these neurons and their cellular clocks are necessary and sufficient to gate and time nighttime sleep but have no effect upon daytime sleep. We propose that mouse nighttime sleep, analogous to the human siesta, is a "hard-wired" property gated by specific neurons of the master clock to favor subsequent alertness prior to dawn (a circadian "wake maintenance zone"). Thus, the SCN is not simply a 24-h metronome: specific populations sculpt critical features of the sleep-wake cycle. | 10.1016/j.neuron.2020.08.001 |
pubmed_100_305 | In this paper, Lujing water supply plant in Jiangsu was selected to carry out the investigation in order to understand the constitutes of the membrane fouling, comment on the membrane cleaning methods and obtain the proper cleaning sequences. In the experiments, water quality of the raw water was measured; membrane characteristics of the plant and membrane cleaning methods were thoroughly analyzed. The results indicated that the hydrophobic acids (HOA) and hydrophilic matters (HIM) are the major components in the raw water, 40.34% and 28.48% respectively in mass fraction. EEM's results also demonstrated that aromatic protein II are the main constitutes in the DOMs. In addition, the turbidity can reach around 0.1 NTU and the DOM can be removed partially by the PVC-UF membrane process during the water production. The constitutes of those emulations demonstrated that inorganic ions and NOM were both contributed to the membrane fouling. Ca and Si were the major inorganic contributors; aromatic protein II, SMP and fulvic acid were the major organic ones. According to SEM observation the sequence of the membrane cleaning should be HCl first, then NaOH. | pubmed_100_305 |
pubmed_670_14895 | Rough microsomes were isolated from homogenates of livers of rats bearing hepatomas as well as from homogenates of livers of rats 24 and 48 h after partial hepatectomy. When incubated in the presence of GTP in a cell-free system to assay membrane fusion these membranes were observed to have a greater capacity (1.4 to 5 fold) for GTP-dependent fusion than homologous membranes from control non-proliferating liver tissue. The enhanced GTP-dependent membrane fusion may reflect changes in membrane properties related to cell proliferation. | 10.1016/0006-291x(91)90456-h |
pubmed_900_8472 | Recent scientific advances have expanded our understanding of the immune system and its response to malignant cells. Clinical trials are under way that attempt to translate this knowledge into effective cancer therapies. Vaccine therapy, an innovative approach to cancer treatment, attempts to activate the immune system to recognize cancer cells and eliminate them from the body. Preventive vaccines that already have been approved will have an impact on the incidence of certain cancers, and research is ongoing into treatment vaccines for various cancers. | 10.1097/01.NAN.0000270677.66804.40 |
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