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pubmed_989_13890 | Previous work demonstrates that the hearing loss in Alport mice is caused by defects in the stria vascularis. As the animals age, progressive thickening of strial capillary basement membranes (SCBMs) occurs associated with elevated levels of extracellular matrix expression and hypoxia-related gene and protein expression. These conditions render the animals susceptible to noise-induced hearing loss. In an effort to develop a more comprehensive understanding of how the underlying mutation in the COL4A3 gene influences homeostasis in the stria vascularis, we performed vascular permeability studies combined with RNA-seq analysis using isolated stria vascularis from 7-week old wild-type and Alport mice on the 129 Sv background. Alport SCBMs were found to be less permeable than wild-type littermates. RNA-seq and bioinformatics analysis revealed 68 genes were induced and 61 genes suppressed in the stria from Alport mice relative to wild-type using a cut-off of 2-fold. These included pathways involving transcription factors associated with the regulation of pro-inflammatory responses as well as cytokines, chemokines, and chemokine receptors that are up- or down-regulated. Canonical pathways included modulation of genes associated with glucose and glucose-1-PO4 degradation, NAD biosynthesis, histidine degradation, calcium signaling, and glutamate receptor signaling (among others). In all, the data point to the Alport stria being in an inflammatory state with disruption in numerous metabolic pathways indicative of metabolic stress, a likely cause for the susceptibility of Alport mice to noise-induced hearing loss under conditions that do not cause permanent hearing loss in age/strain-matched wild-type mice. The work lays the foundation for studies aimed at understanding the nature of strial pathology in Alport mice. The modulation of these genes under conditions of therapeutic intervention may provide important pre-clinical data to justify trials in humans afflicted with the disease. | 10.1371/journal.pone.0237907 |
pubmed_729_20251 | BACKGROUND
It has been established that depressed patients manifest a higher risk of committing suicide. The role of delusional experiences accompanying depressive symptomatology as a risk factor for suicidal behaviour has been investigated but the results are inconsistent.
METHOD
In the present study, 40 elderly depressed inpatients with psychotic features (DSM-IV criteria) were compared to 64 elderly depressed patients without such features in terms of suicide attempts.
RESULTS
The results of univariate and multivariate analyses were negative: Psychotic and nonpsychotic depressed patients did not differ with respect to attempted suicide.
CONCLUSION
The results of the present study support the notion that psychotic features do not increase the risk for the elderly depressed patients to attempt suicide. | 10.1016/s0165-0327(00)00322-0 |
pubmed_873_11980 | OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate the malignant potential of endometrial polyps (EP) by assessing the immunoexpressions of both estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR), Ki-67 cell proliferation index, neovascularization network (endoglin - CD105), cellular adhesion molecules (claudins 3 and 4), and extracellular matrix proteins (MMP-2 and -9) in both EP and endometrioid adenocarcinoma (type I) in comparison with the normal endometrium.
STUDY DESIGN
This is a cross-sectional comparative study. Patients were identified from the database of Botucatu Medical School, São Paulo State University (BMS-UNESP) Clinical Pathology Laboratory.
SETTING
The study was conducted using a convenience sample of patients attending the Sectors of Gynecologic Endoscopy and Family Planning and Gynecologic Oncology of the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics of BMS-UNESP, Brazil.
PATIENTS
A total of 90 women were allocated into the following three groups: EP without atypia (EP, n=30), endometrioid endometrial cancer (EC, n=30), and normal endometrium (control, n=30).
METHODS
Epidemiological and clinical data were obtained by reviewing medical records. Adenocarcinoma and control cases were assessed using the tissue microarray technique. The immunoexpressions of ER, PR, Ki-67, CD105, claudins 3 and 4, and MMP-2 and -9 were assessed in paraffin blocks containing sections of the largest polyploid lesion fragment and tissue microarray recipient blocks.
MAJOR RESULTS
Compared to the control group, significant differences in the expression of ER (P<0.001), PR (P<0.05), Ki-67 (P<0.001), CD105 (P<0.001), and claudin 3 (P<0.001) were observed in EP and EC. No significant differences were found between EP and EC (P≥0.05). MMP-2 and -9 expression were nearly absent in all groups.
CONCLUSION
The malignant potential of EP could not be determined through the immunohistochemical parameters used in this study. No MMP-2 or -9 expression was observed in any endometrial tissue sample. Further studies are necessary for a better understanding of the biomolecular mechanisms underlying endometrial carcinogenesis. | 10.2147/OTT.S160014 |
pubmed_374_18630 | The gut-brain hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) has received immense attention over the last couple of decades for its widespread metabolic effects. Notably, intestinal GLP-1 has been recognized as an endogenous satiation signal. Yet, the underlying mechanisms and the pathophysiological relevance of intestinal GLP-1 in obesity remain unclear. This review first recapitulates early findings indicating that intestinal GLP-1 is an endogenous satiation signal, whose eating effects are primarily mediated by vagal afferents. Second, on the basis of recent findings challenging a paracrine action of intestinal GLP-1, a new model for the mediation of GLP-1 effects on eating by two discrete vagal afferent subsets will be proposed. The central mechanisms processing the vagal anorexigenic signals need however to be further delineated. Finally, the idea that intestinal GLP-1 secretion and/or effects on eating are altered in obesity and play a pathophysiological role in the development of obesity will be discussed. In summary, despite the successful therapeutic use of GLP-1 receptor agonists as anti-obesity drugs, the eating effects of intestinal GLP-1 still remain to be elucidated. Specifically, the findings presented here call for a further evaluation of the vago-central neuronal substrates activated by intestinal GLP-1 and for further investigation of its pathophysiological role in obesity. | 10.1016/j.peptides.2020.170342 |
pubmed_974_19183 | The heterotrophic mesophilic component was studied in microbial communities of the samples of frozen regolith collected from the glacier near Lake Untersee collected in 2011 during the joint Russian-American expedition to central Dronning Maud Land (Eastern Antarctica). Cultural techniques revealed high bacterial numbers in the samples. For enumeration of viable cells, the most probable numbers (MPN) method proved more efficient than plating on agar media. Fluorescent in situ hybridization with the relevant oligonucleotide probes revealed members of the groups Eubacteria (Actinobacteria, Firmicutes) and Archaea. Application of the methods of cell resuscitation, such as the use of diluted media and prevention of oxidative stress, did not result in a significant increase in the numbers of viable cells retrieved form subglacial sediment samples. Our previous investigations demonstrated the necessity for special procedures for efficient reactivation of the cells from microbial communities of preserved fossil soil and permafrost samples collected in the Arctic zone. The differences in response to the special resuscitation procedures may reflect the differences in the physiological and morphological state of bacterial cells in microbial communities subject to continuous or periodic low temperatures and dehydration. | pubmed_974_19183 |
pubmed_674_12516 | OBJECTIVE
A channel congestion problem might occur when the traffic density increases because the number of basic safety messages carried on the communication channel also increases in vehicle-to-vehicle communications. A remedy algorithm proposed in SAE J2945/1 is designed to address the channel congestion issue by decreasing transmission frequency and radiated power. This study is to develop potential test procedures for evaluating or validating the congestion control algorithm.
METHODS
Simulations of a reference unit transmitting at a higher frequency are implemented to emulate a number of onboard equipment (OBE) transmitting at the normal interval of 100 ms (10 Hz). When the transmitting interval is reduced to 1.25 ms (800 Hz), the reference unit emulates 80 vehicles transmitting at 10 Hz. By increasing the number of reference units transmitting at 800 Hz in the simulations, the corresponding channel busy percentages are obtained. An algorithm for Global Positioning System (GPS) data generation of virtual vehicles is developed for facilitating the validation of transmission intervals in the congestion control algorithm.
RESULTS
Channel busy percentage is the channel busy time over a specified period of time. Three or 4 reference units are needed to generate channel busy percentages between 50 and 80%, and 5 reference units can generate channel busy percentages above 80%. The proposed test procedures can verify the operation of congestion control algorithm when channel busy percentages are between 50 and 80% and above 80%. By using a GPS data generation algorithm, the test procedures can also verify the transmission intervals when traffic densities are 80 and 200 vehicles in a radius of 100 m. A suite of test tools with functional requirements is also proposed for facilitating the implementation of test procedures.
CONCLUSIONS
The potential test procedures for a congestion control algorithm are developed based on the simulation results of channel busy percentage and the GPS data generation algorithm. The test tools can examine the requirement compliance automatically and objectively. The required number of reference units should be further validated using real OBEs before implementing these potential test procedures. | 10.1080/15389588.2017.1303682 |
pubmed_80_10051 | Analysis of mutational signatures is becoming routine in cancer genomics, with implications for pathogenesis, classification, prognosis, and even treatment decisions. However, the field lacks a consensus on analysis and result interpretation. Using whole-genome sequencing of multiple myeloma (MM), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and acute myeloid leukemia, we compare the performance of public signature analysis tools. We describe caveats and pitfalls of de novo signature extraction and fitting approaches, reporting on common inaccuracies: erroneous signature assignment, identification of localized hyper-mutational processes, overcalling of signatures. We provide reproducible solutions to solve these issues and use orthogonal approaches to validate our results. We show how a comprehensive mutational signature analysis may provide relevant biological insights, reporting evidence of c-AID activity among unmutated CLL cases or the absence of BRCA1/BRCA2-mediated homologous recombination deficiency in a MM cohort. Finally, we propose a general analysis framework to ensure production of accurate and reproducible mutational signature data. | 10.1038/s41467-019-11037-8 |
pubmed_636_8740 | Elastin haploinsufficiency in Williams-Beuren syndrome (WBS) leads to increased vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation and stenoses. Our objective was to generate a human induced pluripotent stem (hiPS) cell model for in vitro assessment of the WBS phenotype and to test the ability of candidate agents to rescue the phenotype. hiPS cells were reprogrammed from skin fibroblasts of a WBS patient with aortic and pulmonary stenosis and healthy control BJ fibroblasts using four-factor retrovirus reprogramming and were differentiated into SMCs. Differentiated SMCs were treated with synthetic elastin-binding protein ligand 2 (EBPL2) (20 μg/ml) or the antiproliferative drug rapamycin (100 nM) for 5 days. We generated four WBS induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell lines that expressed pluripotency genes and differentiated into all three germ layers. Directed differentiation of BJ iPS cells yielded an 85%-92% pure SMC population that expressed differentiated SMC markers, were functionally contractile, and formed tube-like structures on three-dimensional gel assay. Unlike BJ iPS cells, WBS iPS cells generated immature SMCs that were highly proliferative, showed lower expression of differentiated SMC markers, reduced response to the vasoactive agonists, carbachol and endothelin-1, impaired vascular tube formation, and reduced calcium flux. EBPL2 partially rescued and rapamycin fully rescued the abnormal SMC phenotype by decreasing the smooth muscle proliferation rate and enhancing differentiation and tube formation. WBS iPS cell-derived SMCs demonstrate an immature proliferative phenotype with reduced functional and contractile properties, thereby recapitulating the human disease phenotype. The ability of rapamycin to rescue the phenotype provides an attractive therapeutic candidate for patients with WBS and vascular stenoses. | 10.5966/sctm.2012-0054 |
pubmed_363_3471 | The aims of the study were: (1) to replicate findings that patients with Kraepelinian schizophrenia constitute a distinct subgroup and (2) to examine the relationship between season of birth and the Kraepelinian subtype. Thirty-one Kraepelinian patients, defined on the basis of a longitudinal criterion--at least 5 years of continuous and complete dependence on others to maintain the basic necessities of life, including food, clothing and shelter--were compared with 279 non-Kraepelinian schizophrenic patients. All patients met ICD-10 criteria for schizophrenia and were evaluated with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. Kraepelinian schizophrenic patients had more negative symptoms and were more disorganized than non-Kraepelinian patients. Positive and anxious-depressive symptoms did not differ between the two groups. Among Kraepelinian patients, there was an excess number of births in the month of July. These findings are consistent with previous reports that Kraepelinian patients could have a disease with an etiopathophysiology separate from that of other schizophrenic patients. | 10.1016/s0165-1781(02)00148-8 |
pubmed_1118_9374 | OBJECTIVES
High physical work demands are believed to be partly responsible for the high sickness absence among home care workers, but no studies have assessed their physical work demands using precise device-based measurements. Hence, the objective of this observational study was to assess physical work demands in home care, using wearable sensors.
METHODS
From six home care units in a large municipality in Norway, 114 of 195 eligible home care workers filled in a questionnaire, a diary about work hours, and wore five accelerometers, and a heart rate sensor for up to six consecutive workdays.
RESULTS
On average, the homecare workers spent 50% of the working hours sitting, 25.2% standing, 11.4% moving, 8.3% walking fast, 1.9% walking slow, 1.2% stair-climbing, 0.3% cycling, and 0.05% running. We found the following exposures to demanding postures: arm-elevation in an upright body position ≥30° was 36.7%, ≥60° was 4.1%, and ≥90°was 0.5%; forward trunk inclination in an upright body position ≥30° was 9.9%, ≥60° was 4%, and ≥90° was 1%; and for kneeling it was 0.8%. We found the average cardiovascular load (%heart rate reserve) during work to be 28%. There was considerable individual variation in these physical exposures at work.
CONCLUSIONS
This study presents precise information on various physical work demands of home care workers in Norway. Home care workers spent on average half the workday sitting and the remaining time in various occupational physical activities. Presently, few device-based exposure limits have been proposed for acceptable amounts of occupational physical exposures, but the level of arm-elevation, forward trunk inclination, and the considerable variation of physical workloads among home care workers, indicate that preventive measures should be taken. | 10.1093/annweh/wxac052 |
pubmed_947_13124 | There were more than 800,000 confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) deaths in the United States (U.S) by the end of 2021. The health consequences of COVID-19, however, have not affected all residents equally. In this review, we synthesize recent evidence suggesting that high levels of poverty in the U.S. compared to other high-income countries, as well as historic and ongoing racial/ethnic discrimination, have exacerbated the health consequences of COVID-19, particularly for racial/ethnic minorities. We discuss four mechanisms through which poverty and discrimination affect COVID-19-related health consequences: greater pre-existing health challenges, reduced access to healthcare, lower-quality neighbourhood and housing conditions, and unequal exposure to high-risk occupations. Evidence suggests that economic and policy institutions that contributed to higher pre-pandemic poverty rates in the U.S., particularly among racial/ethnic minorities, have been central determinants of unequal health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic. | 10.1016/j.lana.2021.100178 |
pubmed_165_11357 | Prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass requiring femoral arterial cannulation may lead to ipsilateral leg ischemia. A technique described of femoral cannulation via an end-to-side femoral artery graft allows distal femoral perfusion and eliminates the complication of leg ischemia. | 10.1016/s0003-4975(96)00772-2 |
pubmed_661_13798 | L-Aspartate and L-serine were found to undergo amino acid racemization in brain myelin basic protein (MBP) of aging humans. The observed racemization was different in each chromatographically purified MBP isoform. Pepsin digestion of MBP produced three peptides, each of which exhibited different degrees of racemization of the same amino acids. MBP isolated by the same method from rat and guinea pig brain showed little accumulation of D-amino acids. Total MBP isolated from SDS-polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis of total human myelin proteins (delipidated myelin) was racemized to the same extent as purified MBP, indicating that the racemization observed was not an artifact of the isolation procedure. Myelin proteolipid protein from the same gel was racemized approximately half as much as MBP. The age and environment of the aspartates and serines in myelin proteins may strongly affect their observed racemizations. | 10.1016/0006-291x(87)90797-2 |
pubmed_289_22241 | Protein-based pharmacophore models derived from protein binding site atoms without the inclusion of any ligand information have become more popular in virtual screening studies. However, the accuracy of protein-based pharmacophore models for reproducing the critical protein-ligand interactions has never been explicitly assessed. In this study, we used known protein-ligand contacts from a large set of experimentally determined protein-ligand complexes to assess the quality of the protein-based pharmacophores in reproducing these critical contacts. We demonstrate how these contacts can be used to optimize the pharmacophore generation procedure to produce pharmacophore models that optimally cover the known protein-ligand interactions. Finally, we explored the potential of the optimized protein-based pharmacophore models for pose prediction and pose rankings. Our results demonstrate that there are significant variations in the success of protein-based pharmacophore models to reproduce native contacts and consequently native ligand poses dependent on the details of the pharmacophore generation process. We show that the generation of optimized protein-based pharmacophore models is a promising approach for ligand pose prediction and pose rankings. | 10.1021/ci400143r |
pubmed_603_4454 | PURPOSE
To confirm the use of the nodal signal intensity (SI) and the 'chemical shift' artefact as diagnostic criteria for detecting nodal metastases from rectal cancer on gadofosveset contrast-enhanced MRI.
METHODS
Thirty-three patients underwent a non-enhanced and gadofosveset-enhanced 3D-T1W GRE-MRI at 1.5T. For each lymph node, the SI of the middle part of the node (mSI) and white rim of the chemical shift artefact encircling the node (wSI) were measured on the non-enhanced and gadofosveset-enhanced images. Second, the aspect of the chemical shift artefact encircling the nodes was scored using a 4-point scale. Results were compared with histology on a node-by-node basis.
RESULTS
289 nodes (55 N+) were analysed. On gadofosveset-MRI, mSI and wSI were significantly higher for the benign than for the metastatic lymph nodes (p < 0.001). Areas under the ROC curve (AUC) for identification of metastases were 0.74 (mSI) and 0.73 (wSI). The chemical shift criterion rendered an AUC of 0.85. The combination of mSI and the chemical shift criterion resulted in an AUC of 0.88 and the rendered an AUC of 0.86-0.92 when subjectively (visually) assessed by two independent readers.
CONCLUSIONS
Benign lymph nodes show significant contrast enhancement after gadofosveset injection, while metastatic nodes do not. The uptake of gadofosveset in the nodes also affects the chemical shift artefact encircling the nodes. Combined assessment of these two features on gadofosveset-enhanced MRI provides a high diagnostic performance for diagnosing metastatic lymph nodes in patients with rectal cancer. | 10.1007/s00261-012-9957-4 |
pubmed_949_12012 | Retained surgical sponges, euphemistically called 'Gossypibomas', are rare occurrences which are infrequently reported in the literature because of legal implications. Their manifestations and complications are so variable that diagnosis is difficult and patient morbidity is significant. In this note, we discuss the classical ultrasound, computerized tomography (CT) scanning and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features, which, in the presence of a high index of suspicion in a patient who has previously been operated upon, will greatly aid in the pre-operative diagnosis of this unfortunate complication. The gossypiboma masquerading as a perinephric abscess has not been previously reported. | pubmed_949_12012 |
pubmed_726_7605 | OBJECTIVE
To examine whether early menarche is associated with depressive symptoms from adolescence to young adulthood.
METHOD
The study is based on 3,648 girls from a large UK birth cohort (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children) who provided data on age at onset of menarche and at least 1 measure of depressive symptoms assessed using the Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire at ages 13, 14, 16.5, 18, and 19 years. Depressive symptoms were examined as binary outcomes (sum score ≥11) and continuous latent traits (using confirmatory factor analysis). Results were adjusted for socioeconomic disadvantage, paternal absence, and body mass index (BMI).
RESULTS
In early to midadolescence, there was strong evidence for increased odds of depressive symptoms in girls with early compared with late menarche. Differences remained after adjusting for confounders (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 2.07, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.28-3.35 at 13 years; OR = 2.09, 95% CI = 1.41-3.09 at 14 years). At the later time points there was weak evidence for an association between early menarche and depressive symptoms in the unadjusted models. Adjusting for confounders explained a moderate amount of the effect (adjusted OR = 1.26, 95% CI = 0.86-1.85 at 16.5 years; OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 0.91-1.95 at 18 years; and OR = 1.40, 95% CI = 0.93-2.13 at 19 years). Findings were similar when we repeated the analysis using continuous depressive symptom latent traits.
CONCLUSIONS
Girls who experience earlier menarche than their peers have increased levels of depressive symptoms in early to midadolescence, but there is little evidence for an effect of early menarche on depressive symptoms in later adolescence and young adulthood. | pubmed_726_7605 |
pubmed_1095_13053 | A reversed-phase liquid chromatographic method was developed to determine parts-per-million and higher levels of Sudan 1, 1-(phenylazo)-2-naphthalenol, in the disulfo monoazo color additive FD&C Yellow No. 6 and in a related monosulfo monoazo color additive, D&C Orange No. 4. Sudan I, the corresponding unsulfonated monoazo dye, is a known impurity in these color additives. The color additives are dissolved in water and methanol, and the filtered solutions are directly chromatographed, without extraction or concentration, by using gradient elution at 0.25 mL/min. Calibrations from peak areas at 485 nm were linear. At a 99% confidence level, the limits of determination were 0.008 microg Sudan I/mL (0.4 ppm) in FD&C Yellow No. 6 and 0.011 microg Sudan I/mL (0.00011%) in D&C Orange No. 4. The confidence intervals were 0.202 +/- 0.002 microg Sudan I/mL (10.1 +/- 0.1 ppm) near the specification level for Sudan I in FD&C Yellow No. 6 and 20.0 +/- 0.2 microg Sudan I/mL (0.200 +/- 0.002%) near the highest concentration of Sudan I found in D&C Orange No. 4. A survey was conducted to determine Sudan I in 28 samples of FD&C Yellow No. 6 from 17 international manufacturers over 3 years, and in a pharmacology-tested sample. These samples were found to contain undetected levels (16 samples), 0.5-9.7 ppm Sudan I (0.01-0.194 microg Sudan I/mL in analyzed solutions; 11 samples including the pharmacology sample), and > or =10 ppm Sudan I (> or = 0.2 microg Sudan I/mL; 2 samples). Analyses of 21 samples of D&C Orange No. 4 from 8 international manufacturers over 4 years found Sudan I at undetected levels (8 samples), 0.0005 to < 0.005% Sudan I (0.05 to < 0.5 microg Sudan I/mL in analyzed solutions; 3 samples, including a pharmacology batch), 0.005 to <0.05% Sudan I (0.5 to <5 microg Sudan I/mL; 9 samples), and 0.18% Sudan I (18 microg Sudan I/mL; 1 sample). | pubmed_1095_13053 |
pubmed_933_2475 | The present prospective study examined the association between maternal consumption of dairy products, calcium, and vitamin D during pregnancy and the risk of wheeze and eczema in the infants aged 16-24 months. Subjects were 763 Japanese mother-child pairs. Data on maternal intake during pregnancy were assessed with a diet history questionnaire. Symptoms of wheeze and eczema were based on criteria of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood. Higher maternal intake of total dairy products, milk, cheese and calcium during pregnancy was significantly related to a decreased risk of infantile wheeze, but not eczema (adjusted ORs (95% CI) between extreme quartiles were 0.45 (0.25-0.79), 0.50 (0.28-0.87), 0.51 (0.31-0.85), and 0.57 (0.32-0.99), respectively). When maternal vitamin D consumption during pregnancy was categorised into two groups using a cut-off point at the 25th percentile, children whose mothers had consumed > or =4.309 microg x day(-1) had a significantly reduced risk of wheeze and eczema (adjusted ORs (95% CI) were 0.64 (0.43-0.97) and 0.63 (0.41-0.98), respectively). Higher consumption of calcium and dairy foods other than yoghurt during pregnancy may reduce the risk of infantile wheeze. Higher vitamin D intake during pregnancy may be protective against childhood wheeze and eczema. | 10.1183/09031936.00100609 |
pubmed_421_7299 | BACKGROUND
In COPD patients of GOLD groups A and B, a high degree of treatment with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) has been reported, which is regarded as overtreatment according to GOLD recommendations. We investigated which factors predict ICS use and which relationship it has to clinical and functional outcomes, or healthcare costs.
METHODS
We used pooled data from visits 1 and 3 of the COSYCONET cohort (n=2741, n=2053, interval 1.5 years) including patients categorized as GOLD grades 1-4 and GOLD group A or B at both visits (n=1080). Comparisons were performed using ANOVA, and regression analyses using propensity matching and inverse probability weighting to adjust for differences between ICS groups. These were defined as having ICS at both visits (always) vs no ICS at both visits (never). Measures were divided into predictors of ICS treatment and outcomes.
RESULTS
Among 1080 patients, 608 patients were eligible for ICS groups (n=297 never, n=311 always). Prior to matching, patients with ICS showed significantly (p<0.05 each) impaired lung function, symptoms and exacerbation history. After matching, the outcomes generic quality of life and CO diffusing capacity were increased in ICS patients (p<0.05 each). Moreover, costs for respiratory medication, but not total health care costs, were significantly elevated in the ICS group by 780€ per year.
CONCLUSION
ICS therapy in COPD GOLD A/B patients can have small positive and negative effects on clinical outcomes and health care costs, indicating that the clinical evaluation of ICS over-therapy in COPD requires a multi-dimensional approach. | 10.2147/COPD.S304532 |
pubmed_605_22494 | BACKGROUND
To report the first described case of combined haemolytic and acute angle closure glaucoma secondary to spontaneous intraocular haemorrhages in a patient on excessive anticoagulation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case reported in the literature presenting with raised intraocular pressure due to both mechanisms.
CASE DESCRIPTION
A 90-year-old woman presented with acute pain and reduction in vision in the left eye. Her intraocular pressure (IOP) was 55 mm Hg. There were red tinted blood cells in the anterior chamber giving it a reddish hue. The patient was known to have advanced wet macular degeneration. She was taking oral warfarin for atrial fibrillation. Her international normalised ratio (INR) was 7.7. B-scan ultrasound of posterior segment showed vitreous and suprachoroidal haemorrhages. An ultrabiomicroscopic examination confirmed open angles. A diagnosis of haemolytic glaucoma secondary to intraocular haemorrhages was made. The IOP was controlled medically. Warfarin was withdrawn and oral vitamin K therapy was initiated leading to a rapid INR reduction. Three days later, her anterior chamber became progressively shallower causing a secondary acute angle closure which was managed medically. After 2 months, the left IOP was well-controlled without any medications and the eye was not inflamed. Her vision in that eye remained perception of light.
CONCLUSION
Patients with suprachoroidal haemorrhages should be closely monitored as they might subsequently develop acute angle closure despite an initially open angle and well-controlled INR and IOP. Excessive anticoagulation needs to be prevented to minimise the risk of sight-threatening complications. | 10.1159/000452440 |
pubmed_560_13416 | Information about prognosis can be applied to research design and is essential for patient care and counseling. Prognostic study data is only useful if it is valid, transparent, and applicable to your patient. Using a clinical scenario and a relevant study from the urological literature, we outline a method to appraise a prognostic article, understand the results, and manage patients accordingly. | 10.4103/0970-1591.91443 |
pubmed_738_7500 | Arterial blood pressure is a common parameter evaluated in conscious and anesthetized veterinary patients for a variety of reasons. Non-invasive blood pressure measurement techniques, such as Doppler ultrasound and oscillometry, are attractive in certain veterinary patients due to their availability and ease of use. The greatest limitation to non-invasive blood pressure monitoring can be its inaccuracy, particularly in hypotensive or hypertensive patients and in certain species. Part 1 of this 2-part review summarized the current techniques available to non-invasively measure arterial blood pressure in veterinary species and discussed validation of non-invasive devices. Part 2 summarizes the veterinary literature that evaluates the use of non-invasive blood pressure measurement techniques in conscious and anesthetized species and develops general conclusions for proper use and interpretation of non-invasive blood pressure devices. | pubmed_738_7500 |
pubmed_857_10031 | MobA protein, encoded by the broad host-range plasmid R1162, is required for conjugal mobilization of this plasmid. The protein is an essential part of the relaxosome, and is also necessary for the termination of strand transfer. In vitro, MobA is a nuclease specific for one of the two DNA strands of the origin of transfer (oriT). The protein can cleave this strand at the same site that is nicked in the relaxosome, and can also ligate the DNA. We show here that purified MobA protein forms a complex that is specific for this single oriT strand. The complex is unusually stable, with a half-life of approximately 95 min, is not disrupted by hybridization with the complementary strand, and reforms rapidly after boiling. Both the inverted repeat within oriT, and the eight bases between this repeat and the site cleaved by MobA, are required for binding by the protein. Mutations reducing base complementarity between the arms of the inverted repeat also decrease binding. This effect is partially suppressed by second-site mutations restoring complementarity. These results parallel the effects of these mutations on termination. Footprinting experiments with P1 nuclease indicate that the DNA between the inverted repeat and the nick site is protected by MobA, but that pairing between the arms of the repeat, which occurs in the absence of protein, is partially disrupted. Our results suggest that termination of strand transfer during conjugation involves tight binding of the MobA protein to the inverted repeat and adjacent oriT DNA. This complex positions the protein for ligation of the ends of the transferred strand, to reform a circular plasmid molecule. | 10.1093/nar/21.19.4563 |
pubmed_509_11679 | Growing experimental evidence suggests that temporal events are represented on a mental time line, spatially oriented from left to right. Support for the spatial representation of time comes mostly from studies that have used spatially organized responses. Moreover, many of these studies did not avoid possible confounds attributable to target stimuli that simultaneously convey both spatial and temporal dimensions. Here we show that task-irrelevant, lateralized visuospatial primes affect auditory duration judgments. Responses to short durations were faster when the auditory target was paired with left- than with right-sided primes, whereas responses to long durations were faster when paired with right- than with left-sided primes. Thus, when the representations of physical space and time are concurrently activated, physical space may influence time even when a lateralized, spatially encoded response is not required by the task. The time-space interaction reported here cannot be ascribed to any Spatial-Temporal Association of Response Codes effect. It supports the hypothesis that the representation of time is spatially organized, with short durations represented on the left space and longer ones on the right. | 10.1037/a0028346 |
pubmed_709_7678 | Thirty-three neonates with disseminated intravascular coagulation were assigned randomly to one of three treatment groups: (1) exchange transfusion, (2) administration of fresh-frozen plasma and platelets, and (3) control (no therapy directed specifically at the coagulopathy). The three groups were comparable for degree of abnormality in initial coagulation studies and underlying pathologic processes. Shock was a common accompaniment of DIC and occurred in 85% of all infants. In all cases, underlying disease states and shock were treated aggressively. Resolution of DIC and survival were not different in the three treatment groups. Outcome of DIC was dependent on the success of treatment of the underlying pathologic process and aggressive supportive care, including restoration of blood pressure, but was not altered by therapy specifically directed at the coagulopathy. | 10.1016/s0022-3476(82)80457-5 |
pubmed_319_17135 | The Drosophila larval neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is a powerful system for the genetic and molecular analysis of neuronal excitability, synaptic transmission, and synaptic development. However, its use for studying age-dependent processes, such as maintenance of neuronal viability and synaptic stability, are temporally limited by the onset of pupariation and metamorphosis. Here we characterize larval NMJ growth, growth regulation, structure, and function in a developmental variant with an extended third instar (ETI). RNAi-knockdown of the prothoracicotropic hormone receptor, torso, in the ring gland of developing larvae leaves the timing of first and second instar molts largely unchanged, but triples duration of the third instar from 3 to 9.5 d (McBrayer et al., 2007; Rewitz et al., 2009). During this ETI period, NMJs undergo additional growth (adding >50 boutons/NMJ), and this growth remains under the control of the canonical regulators Highwire and the TGFβ/BMP pathway. NMJ growth during the ETI period occurs via addition of new branches, satellite boutons, and interstitial boutons, and continues even after muscle growth levels off. Throughout the ETI, organization of synapses and active zones remains normal, and synaptic transmission is unchanged. These results establish the ETI larval system as a viable model for studying motor neuron diseases and for investigating time-dependent effects of perturbations that impair mechanisms of neuroprotection, synaptic maintenance, and response to neural injury. | 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0508-12.2012 |
pubmed_545_4991 | BACKGROUND
Organs that develop early in life, and are replaced by a larger version as the animal grows, often represent a miniature version of the adult organ. Teeth constituting the first functional dentition in small-sized teleost fish, such as medaka (Oryzias latipes), are examples of such miniature organs. With a dentin cone as small as the size of one human cell, or even smaller, these teeth raise the question how many dentin-producing cells (odontoblasts) are required to build such a tooth, and whether this number can be as little as one.
RESULTS
Based on detailed observations with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and TEM-based 3D-reconstructions, we show that only one mesenchymal cell qualifies as a true odontoblast. A second mesenchymal cell potentially participates in dentin formation, but only at a late stage of tooth development. Moreover, the fate of these cells appears to be specified very early during tooth development.
CONCLUSIONS
Our observations indicate that in this system, one single odontoblast fulfills roles normally exerted by a large and communicating cell population. First-generation teeth in medaka thus provide an exciting model to study integration of multiple functions into a single cell. | 10.1002/dvdy.300 |
pubmed_85_15940 | Controlled generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is widely beneficial to various medical, environmental, and agricultural studies. As inspired by the functional motifs in natural proteins, our group has been engaged in development of catalytically active oligo-peptides as minimum-sized metalloenzymes for generation of superoxide anion, an active member of ROS. In such candidate molecules, catalytically active metal-binding minimal motif was determined to be X-X-H, where X can be most amino acids followed by His. Based on above knowledge, we have designed a series of minimal copper-binding peptides designated as G n H series peptides, which are composed of oligo-glycyl chains ended with C-terminal His residue such as GGGGGH sequence (G5H). In order to further study the role of copper binding to the peptidic catalysts sharing the X-X-H motif such as G5H-conjugated peptides, we should be able to score the occupancy of the peptide population by copper ion in the reaction mixture. Here, model peptides with Cu-binding affinity which show intrinsic fluorescence due to tyrosyl residue (Y) in the UV region (excitation at ca. 230 and 280 nm, and emission at ca. 320 nm) were synthesized to score the effect of copper occupancy. Synthesized peptides include GFP-derived fluorophore sequence, TFSYGVQ (designated as Gfp), and Gfp sequence fused to C-terminal G5H (Gfp-G5H). In addition, two Y-containing tri-peptides derived from natural GFP fluorophores, namely, TYG and SYG were fused to the G5H (TYG-G5H and SYG-G5H). Conjugation of metal-binding G5H sequence to GFP-fluorophore peptide enhanced the action of Cu(2+) on quenching of intrinsic fluorescence due to Y residue. Two other Y-containing peptides, TYG-G5H and SYG-G5H, also showed intrinsic fluorescence which is sensitive to addition of Cu(2+). There was linear relationship between the loading of Cu(2+) and the quenching of fluorescence in these peptide, suggesting that Cu(2+)-dependent quenching of Y-reside-derived fluorescence could be a measure of copper occupancy in the peptides. Lastly, the fate of Y residue in the Cu-loaded peptides under oxidative condition in the presence of H2O2 was discussed based on the Cu/H2O2-dependent changes in fluorescence spectra. | 10.1080/19420889.2016.1156277 |
pubmed_91_13685 | A simple method for the preparation of Toxocara canis antigen for the indirect immunofluorescent test is described: Embryonated Toxocara eggs are treated for 12 hours at room temperature with a 1:1 mixture of 2% NaHO and sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) solution with a concentration of 2% free chlorine in order to remove the outer layers of the egg shells. The larvae which are still enclosed in the lipid membrane are freed by mild ultrasonic treatment. Thereafter, the suspension of larvae is washed and purified in a modified Baermann apparatus. In this way large numbers of larvae in pure suspension were gained and used for the production of frozen sections for the indirect immunofluorescent test. Rabbits and mice experimentally infected with embryonated Toxocara canis eggs showed a positive serological reaction (titers between 1/10 to 1/320) in this test with Toxocara larvae as antigen, while in uninfected control animals no antibodies could be detected. The larval antigen exhibited only a weak cross reaction with sera of animals infected with Ascaris suum eggs. | pubmed_91_13685 |
pubmed_842_19957 | We present an enhancement method based on nonlinear diffusion filter and statistical intensity approaches for smoothing and extracting 3-D vascular system from Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) data. Our method distinguishes and enhances the vessels from the other embedded tissues. The Expectation Maximization (EM) technique is employed with non-linear diffusion in order to find the optimal contrast for enhancing vessels; therefore, smoothing while dimming the embedded tissues around the vessels and brightening the vessels. The non-linear diffusion filter smooths the homogeneous regions while preserving edges. The EM technique finds the optimal statistical parameters based on the probability distribution of the classes to discriminate the tissues in the image. Our enhancement technique has been applied to 4 3-D MRA-TOF datasets consisting of around 300 images and has been compared to the regularized Perona and Malik filter. Our experimental results show that the proposed method enhances the image, keeping only the vessels while eliminating the signal from other tissues. In comparison, the conventional non-linear diffusion filter keeps unwanted tissues in addition to the vessels. | 10.1109/IEMBS.2011.6090975 |
pubmed_866_19659 | Background: Duloxetine hydrochloride (DUL) is an antidepressant included in the pharmacological class of serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors approved for the treatment of major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain, fibromyalgia, and chronic musculoskeletal pain. The aim of this review was to elucidate current evidences on the use of DUL in the treatment of a variety of psychiatric disorders. Methods: This systematic review was conducted according to PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. PubMed database was searched from January 1, 2003, to September 30, 2018, using 11 key terms related to psychiatric disorders ("persistent depressive disorder," "dysthymic disorder," "bipolar disorder," "seasonal affective disorder," "obsessive-compulsive disorder," "social phobia," "panic disorder," "posttraumatic stress disorder," "schizophrenia," "eating disorders," "sexual disorders," "personality disorders") and one key term related to duloxetine ("duloxetine hydrochloride"). Article titles and abstracts were scanned to determine relevance to the topic. For additional studies, the authors also examined the reference lists of several of the included papers. Results: Duloxetine may be an effective treatment for mood spectrum disorders, panic disorder, several symptom clusters of borderline personality, and as add-on drug in schizophrenia. Modest or conflicting results have been found for the efficacy of duloxetine in obsessive-compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, eating, and sexual disorders. Conclusion: Major limitations of the reviewed studies were short trial duration, small sample sizes, and the lack of control groups. Defining the potential role of DUL in the treatment of psychiatric disorders other than major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder needs further randomized, placebo-controlled studies. | 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00772 |
pubmed_750_10177 | BACKGROUND
Incidence of oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTC) is rising among those under age 50 years. The etiology is unknown.
METHODS
A total of 395 cases of OTC diagnosed and/or treated at Vanderbilt University Medical Center between 2000 and 2017 were identified. Of those, 113 (28.6%) were early onset (age < 50 years). Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with early onset OTC. Cox proportional hazards models evaluated survival and recurrence.
RESULTS
Compared to typical onset patients, patients with early onset OTC were more likely to receive multimodality treatment (surgery and radiation; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2-6.3) and report a history of snuff use (aOR, 5.4; 95% CI, 1.8-15.8) and were less likely to report a history of cigarette use (aOR, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.2-0.9). Early onset patients had better overall survival (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.6).
CONCLUSIONS
This is the largest study to evaluate factors associated with early onset OTC and the first to report an association with snuff. | 10.1002/hed.25650 |
pubmed_602_12843 | BACKGROUND
Preconditioning induces the expression of heat shock proteins (HSPs), which can help a cell survive an acute episode of stress. Similar to the induction of HSP expression, the cell protection is independent of the type of stress. The aim of this study was to test in a large, randomized animal model, if skin flap survival may be improved by local heat preconditioning and induction of HSP 70.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Twenty-four hours before surgery, a heating blanket was laid on the buttocks of large white pigs. In the preconditioned group (n = 6), the blanket was warmed up to 43 degrees C for 3 x 30 min, whereas it was kept at room temperature in between the heating episodes as well as in the control animals (n = 6). A random pattern skin flap was raised on both sides of the buttocks. Flap survival was measured clinically. Induction of HSP and apoptosis were assessed quantitatively by immunohistochemistry and TUNEL assay, respectively.
RESULTS
Preconditioning reduced flap necrosis from 40 +/- 8% of the total flap surface to 7 +/- 14% (P < 0.01). Induction of HSP was significantly higher in the experimental group (79 +/- 12% versus 42 +/- 13%, P < 0.01), whereas apoptosis in healthy flap tissue was reduced from 30 +/- 11 to 11 +/- 6 cells/visual field (P < 0.01).
CONCLUSION
In the present study, necrosis and apoptosis rate of skin flaps could be reduced significantly due to local heat preconditioning. Our results suggest that ischemia-related wound healing complications could be diminished with local heat application, a most simple and least invasive method of preconditioning. | 10.1016/j.jss.2003.11.002 |
pubmed_162_9101 | Map-based cloning was used to identify the ns gene, which was involved in the formation of cucumber numerous fruit spines together with other genes under regulation by plant hormone signal transduction. The cucumber (Cucumis sativus) fruit spine density has an important impact on the commercial value. However, little is known about the regulatory mechanism for the fruit spine formation. Here, we identified NUMEROUS SPINES (NS), which regulate fruit spine development by modulating the Auxin signaling pathway. We fine-mapped the ns using a 2513 F2 population derived from NCG122 (numerous fruit spines line) and NCG121 (few fruit spines line), and showed that NS encoded auxin transporter-like protein 3. Genetic diversity analysis of the NS gene in natural populations revealed that one SNP and one InDel in the coding region of ns are co-segregated with the fruit spine density. The NS protein sequence was highly conserved among plants, but its regulation of fruit spine development in cucumber seems to be a novel function. Transcriptome profiling indicated that the plant hormone signal transduction-related genes were highly enriched in the up-regulated genes in NCG122 versus NCG121. Moreover, expression pattern analysis of the auxin signal pathway-related genes in NCG122 versus NCG121 showed that upstream genes of the pathway (like ns candidate gene Csa2M264590) are down-regulated, while the downstream genes are up-regulated. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR confirmed the differential expression during the fruit spine development. Therefore, reduced expression of ns may promote the fruit spine formation. Our findings provide a valuable framework for dissecting the regulatory mechanism for the fruit spine development. | 10.1007/s00122-018-3074-x |
pubmed_351_1434 | Combinations of relatively high concentrations of the four colony-stimulating factors (CSFs) in cultures of normal mouse bone marrow cells stimulated subadditive responses in the number of colonies developing but, with some combinations, superadditive increases in mean cell numbers per colony. This latter effect was due largely to the induced development of small numbers of giant colonies containing macrophages with or without granulocytes. However, in cultures including a combination of granulocyte-macrophage-CSF (GM-CSF) with macrophage-CSF (M-CSF), a selective reduction in the number of pure macrophage colonies was observed together with a change in the morphology of those colonies that did develop. Recloning studies on macrophage colonies showed that the inhibitory action of the GM-CSF plus M-CSF combination was a direct one on the colony cells. The example of inhibition observed suggests that combined stimulation by two positive growth factors can sometimes result in a selective reduction of the production of certain cells, a possibility needing further exploration. | pubmed_351_1434 |
pubmed_460_15998 | This paper aims to provide surveillance information about the extent and consequences of alcohol and other drug (AOD) use by adolescents for three sentinel sites in South Africa (Cape Town, Durban and Gauteng province). From 1997 to 2001, data were gathered from multiple sources, including specialist treatment centres, trauma units, school students, rave party attenders, and arrestees. Since the start of surveillance, an increasing proportion of South African adolescents are using AODs. Surveys point to high levels of alcohol misuse among high school students, with alcohol being the most common substance of abuse. Cannabis is the most frequently reported illicit drug of abuse among adolescents. This is reflected in the large proportion of adolescents receiving treatment for cannabis, cannabis-positive arrestees, and cannabis-positive trauma patients. Cannabis smoked together with methaqualone is the second most common primary drug of abuse in Cape Town. Arrestee data highlights the potentially negative effect of adolescent methaqualone use. Cocaine and heroin are emerging as problem drugs of abuse among adolescents in large metropolitan centres. Ecstasy (MDMA) use occurs mainly among adolescents who attend rave parties and clubs. The study points to the need for AOD intervention programmes that target young people and the need for continued monitoring of adolescent AOD use in the future. | 10.1016/j.adolescence.2003.11.013 |
pubmed_725_13661 | The inhibition of prostaglandin (PG) biosynthesis by clidanac (6-chloro-5-cyclohexyl-1-indancarboxylic acid, TAI-284), its metabolites and some analogues has been examined using various microsomal preparations as enzyme source. Clidanac and some analogues were among the most potent inhibitors. The (+)-isomer of clidanac was shown to be 1000 times more potent than the (-)-isomer in inhibiting PG synthetase activity. The cis-3'-hydroxyl metabolite which retains anti-inflammatory activity comparable to that of clidanac had much less inhibitory activity. Structure-activity studies with clidanac analogues showed that the position of halogen substitution in 1-indancarboxylic acid is of considerable significance for the conformational requirement for binding to the enzyme. | 10.1111/j.2042-7158.1981.tb13696.x |
pubmed_817_10437 | While the effect of ethanol and schistosomiasis mansoni on liver injury has been well-documented, the influence of comorbidity on liver pathology remains unclear. To address this gap, schistosomiasis-infected mice were given one daily dose of 18% ethanol for 28 consecutive days, from day 35 post-infection. Mice were assigned to four groups: A. control; B. uninfected/ethanol gavage; C. infected; and D. infected/ethanol gavage. At day 64 post-infection, mice were euthanized by CO2 asphyxiation, livers were excised, fixed in 10% buffered formalin, paraffin embedded and cut into 5 μm sections. These were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE), Lennert's Giemsa and picrosirius red (for polarization microscopy) to assess histopathological and stereological changes. Group B showed alcoholic liver disease (ALD), including microsteatosis, hepatocyte karyopyknosis, karyorrhexis, karyolysis, increased frequency of Kupffer cells, hydropic degeneration of hepatocyte, thickened plasma membrane and binucleated hepatocytes. Infected mice showed typical exudative and exudative-productive hepatic granulomas, and destruction of the adjacent hepatic parenchyma, resulting in necrotic tissue and periovular leukocyte infiltrate. Group D showed hyperemia (parenchymal panlobular lesions), and liquefactive necrosis in hepatic abscess area. There was also reduced liver collagen deposition (-76%; p = 0.0001) and reduced microsteatosis (-80%, p = 0.0079) compared to group C and group B, respectively. In conclusion, comorbidity exacerbated liver damage. | 10.1016/j.exppara.2022.108388 |
pubmed_374_9834 | Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is accompanied with widespread impairment in social-emotional functioning. Classification of ASD using sensitive morphological features derived from structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain may help us to better understand ASD-related mechanisms and improve related automatic diagnosis. Previous studies using T1 MRI scans in large heterogeneous ABIDE dataset with typical development (TD) controls reported poor classification accuracies (around 60%). This may because they only considered surface-based morphometry (SBM) as scalar estimates (such as cortical thickness and surface area) and ignored the neighboring intrinsic geometry information among features. In recent years, the shape-related SBM achieves great success in discovering the disease burden and progression of other brain diseases. However, when focusing on local geometry information, its high dimensionality requires careful treatment in its application to machine learning. To address the above challenges, we propose a novel pipeline for ASD classification, which mainly includes the generation of surface-based features, patch-based surface sparse coding and dictionary learning, Max-pooling and ensemble classifiers based on adaptive optimizers. The proposed pipeline may leverage the sensitivity of brain surface morphometry statistics and the efficiency of sparse coding and Max-pooling. By introducing only the surface features of bilateral hippocampus that derived from 364 male subjects with ASD and 381 age-matched TD males, this pipeline outperformed five recent MRI-based ASD classification studies with >80% accuracy in discriminating individuals with ASD from TD controls. Our results suggest shape-related SBM features may further boost the classification performance of MRI between ASD and TD. | 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2020.109989 |
pubmed_1010_25061 | Within the framework of macroscopic quantum electrodynamics, we investigate both the radiation force and the potential of Casimir-Polder type acting on an excited cold two-level atom in a cavity made of left-handed materials and topological insulators. As the time-reversal symmetry is broken on the surface of the topological insulators, the spontaneous emission of the atom placed near the focus point(s) exhibits anisotropic properties. While the potential wells are normally shallow for topological trivial dielectric, they may be amplified in the presence of topological magnetoelectric effect. We find that when there exists only one focus point in the cavity, it is possible to boost the forces or the potential wells by up to one order of magnitude. Meanwhile, the lifetime of the atom could be prolonged owing to the focus effect of the left-handed materials, where the emitted photons can trace back to the atom and reabsorbed by itself. Our results indicate the possibility in forming long-lived potential wells, which may have potential applications in trapping and guiding cold atoms far away from the surface. | 10.1364/OE.27.037753 |
pubmed_520_20950 | The Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital has introduced an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) cardiopulmonary resuscitation (E-CPR) service with collaboration between ED and ICU teams for refractory cardiac arrest patients. E-CPR is potentially beneficial to patients who do not gain return of spontaneous circulation after conventional advanced cardiac life support treatments, provided specific demographic and biochemical inclusion criteria are met. A joint ICU and ED decision is reached to commence ECMO flow. We discuss our rationale to use the ED and the emergency physician role in leading the multidisciplinary team, with ICU leading the cannulation team. The development of ED processes and the increased availability of this intervention can significantly impact the survivability of refractory cardiac arrest with good neurological outcomes. | 10.1111/1742-6723.14100 |
pubmed_73_13916 | We realize the flattening and extending of a CW-pumped supercontinuum with a high spectral intensity peak at the pump region. It is achieved by cascading a long zero-dispersion wavelength high-nonlinearity fiber with the output photonic crystal fiber, in order to improve the conversion efficiency of residual pump energy to long-wavelength continuum based on the effect of cascaded stimulated Raman scattering. Compared with the non-flattened continuum of 10.3 W with 3 dB bandwidth of 62 nm and 10 dB bandwidth of 360 nm, a flat continuum of 8 W with 3 dB spectral range of 340 nm and 10 dB spectral range of 420 nm is obtained. The spectral peak at the pump region decreases more than 5 dB, below the level of long-wavelength spectral intensity. Also, the long-wavelength edge has been extended by 60 nm. | 10.1364/OE.18.011046 |
pubmed_271_9139 | BACKGROUND
The United States (U.S.) approved use of federal funds for needle and syringe programs (NSPs) in December 2009. This study compares syringe disposal practices in a U.S. city with NSPs to a U.S. city without NSPs by examining the prevalence of improperly discarded syringes in public places and the self-reported syringe disposal practices of injection drug users (IDUs) in the two cities.
METHODS
We conducted visual inspection walkthroughs in a random sample of the top-quartile of drug-affected neighborhoods in San Francisco, California (a city with NSPs) and Miami, Florida (a city without NSPs). We also conducted quantitative interviews with adult IDUs in San Francisco (N=602) and Miami (N=448).
RESULTS
In the visual inspections, we found 44 syringes/1000 census blocks in San Francisco, and 371 syringes/1000 census blocks in Miami. Survey results showed that in San Francisco 13% of syringes IDUs reported using in the 30 days preceding the study interviews were disposed of improperly versus 95% of syringes by IDUs in Miami. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, IDUs in Miami had over 34 times the adjusted odds of public syringe disposal relative to IDUs in San Francisco (adjusted odds ratio=34.2, 95% CI=21.92, 53.47).
CONCLUSIONS
We found eight-fold more improperly disposed syringes on walkthroughs in the city without NSPs compared to the city with NSPs, which was corroborated by survey data. NSPs may help IDUs dispose of their syringes safely in cities with large numbers of IDUs. | 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2011.12.001 |
pubmed_310_16803 | BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Although intravesical heparin instillation is effective in relieving symptoms in patients with frequency urgency syndrome and interstitial cystitis (IC), its efficacy has not been evaluated by urodynamic study. We used urodynamic studies to evaluate the efficacy of heparin instillation in patients with frequency urgency syndrome and IC.
METHODS
Forty women (mean age, 59.6 yr) with severe frequency, urgency, and suprapubic pain at full bladder were enrolled in this study. Patients underwent videourodynamic study with the potassium chloride (KCl) test. All patients had a positive KCl test and were treated with intravesical heparin 25,000 units twice a week for 3 months. Results of urodynamic study and voiding symptom changes assessed by the International Prostate Symptom Score at the end of treatment were compared with baseline data.
RESULTS
Twenty-nine patients had symptom score improvement of more than 50%, and eight had symptom score improvement of less than 50% but improved nocturia. Significant improvement in symptom score (9.0 +/- 4.0 vs 19.5 +/- 4.6, p < 0.001) and nocturia (2.3 +/- 1.1 vs 5.7 +/- 2.0, p < 0.001) were noted after treatment. Urodynamic study at the end of treatment revealed significant improvements in the first sensation of filling (146 +/- 55.4 vs 96 +/- 46.4 mL, p = 0.001) and cystometric capacity (304 +/- 84.8 vs 262 +/- 89.8 mL, p = 0.002). Posttreatment KCl test was negative in 20 patients, improved in 13, and unchanged in seven. Among the 10 patients with cystoscopically proven IC, eight had symptomatic improvement and four had a negative KCl test after treatment.
CONCLUSIONS
IC and frequency urgency syndrome may be caused by increased urothelial permeability. The results of this study show that intravesical heparin can relieve bladder symptoms in a significant proportion of patients, and this may be associated with the restoration of mucosal integrity. | pubmed_310_16803 |
pubmed_623_9075 | BACKGROUND
Afghanistan has made considerable gains in improving maternal and child health and survival since 2001. However, socioeconomic and regional inequities may pose a threat to reaching universal coverage of health interventions and further health progress. We explored coverage and socioeconomic inequalities in key life-saving reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH) interventions at the national level and by region in Afghanistan. We also assessed gains in child survival through scaling up effective community-based interventions across wealth groups.
METHODS
Using data from the Afghanistan Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2010/11, we explored 11 interventions that spanned all stages of the continuum of care, including indicators of composite coverage. Asset-based wealth quintiles were constructed using standardised methods, and absolute inequalities were explored using wealth quintile (Q) gaps (Q5-Q1) and the slope index of inequality (SII), while relative inequalities were assessed with ratios (Q5/Q1) and the concentration index (CIX). The lives saved tool (LiST) modeling used to estimate neonatal and post-neonatal deaths averted from scaling up essential community-based interventions by 90 % coverage by 2025. Analyses considered the survey design characteristics and were conducted via STATA version 12.0 and SAS version 9.4.
RESULTS
Our results underscore significant pro-rich socioeconomic absolute and relative inequalities, and mass population deprivation across most all RMNCH interventions studied. The most inequitable are antenatal care with a skilled attendant (ANCS), skilled birth attendance (SBA), and 4 or more antenatal care visits (ANC4) where the richest have between 3.0 and 5.6 times higher coverage relative to the poor, and Q5-Q1 gaps range from 32 % - 65 %. Treatment of sick children and breastfeeding interventions are the most equitably distributed. Across regions, inequalities were highest in the more urbanised East, West and Central regions of the country, while they were lowest in the South and Southeast. About 7700 newborns and 26,000 post-neonates could be saved by scaling up coverage of community outreach interventions to 90 %, with the most gains in the poorest quintiles.
CONCLUSIONS
Afghanistan is a pervasively poor and conflict-prone nation that has only recently experienced a decade of relative stability. Though donor investments during this period have been plentiful and have contributed to rebuilding of health infrastructure in the country, glaring inequities remain. A resolution to scaling up health coverage in insecure and isolated regions, and improving accessibility for the poorest and marginalised populations, should be at the forefront of national policy and programming efforts. | 10.1186/s12889-016-3406-1 |
pubmed_444_12052 | OBJECTIVE
The aims of this study were to describe the elastosonographic findings of the patellar ligament in healthy dogs >15 kg in different positions and determine the most appropriate stifle angle to perform elastosonography of the patellar ligament.
STUDY DESIGN
Eighteen clinically healthy dogs, weighing >15 kg, were prospectively recruited. B-mode ultrasound and real-time elastosonography of both patellar ligaments were performed on days 0 and 14. Elastosonography examinations were performed with the stifle in four positions: standing position, lateral recumbency with the stifle positioned at 135 degrees extension and in full passive flexion and extension.
RESULTS
The percentage hardness of the patellar ligament was significantly lower when the elastosonographic examination was performed with the dog standing, compared with the other positions (p < 0.005). The variability in the elastosonography readings for each stifle position was lowest when the dog was standing (89.32%).
CONCLUSION
Elastosonography is a feasible technique for evaluating the elasticity of the normal canine patellar ligament in dogs >15 kg and would be a useful technique for investigating the mechanical changes within the patellar ligament following stifle surgery. Elastosonography of the patellar ligament should be performed with the dog standing to provide the most accurate elastosonograms with lowest variability between readings. | 10.1055/s-0040-1715493 |
pubmed_213_10456 | An open clinical trial was carried out in 57 patients with osteoarthritis of the knee, hip or spine to assess the effectiveness and tolerability of etodolac. Patients received 200 mg etodolac twice daily for a period of 2 weeks. The results of clinical and patient assessments made at baseline and at the end of the study period showed that there was significant improvement in pain at rest and on active and passive movement, local tenderness, pain on climbing stairs, joint swelling and functional status. No significant changes were seen in clinical severity of the condition or, in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee, in the degree of knee flexion. Patients judged the therapeutic results to be good or excellent more often than the investigator (75% vs 50%). Tolerability of etodolac was very good with few, generally mild side-effects and only 2 patients were withdrawn, more as a precautionary measure than of necessity. | 10.1185/03007998909115934 |
pubmed_217_8036 | An efficient and stereocontrolled synthetic strategy towards the synthesis of montanine-like alkaloids was developed. Our results suggest that the structure elucidation for natural montabuphine needs further elaboration. | 10.1039/c2ob25374g |
pubmed_391_7532 | The human adrenal gland secretes large amounts of androgens and androgenic precursors as compared with the adrenal glands of other species. In part, this pattern of secretion is regulated by ACTH, analogous to the control of cortisol. However, in many instances, including adrenarche, puberty, aging, and severe illness, secretion of adrenal androgens and cortisol diverge for reasons which are not clear. Factors endogenous to the adrenal gland may have a role in the modulation of adrenal androgen secretion. These include the centripetal blood supply of the adrenal gland, availability of cofactors of steroidogenic enzymes, and intrinsic properties of adrenal cells or enzymes. However, these mechanisms may, in turn, be modified by factors exogenous to the adrenal gland. Possible evidence for a regulatory role for such known substances as growth hormone, IGF-1, gonadotropins, estrogens, angiotensins, prostaglandins, insulin, EGF, and POMC-related peptides is discussed. Furthermore, pituitary or extrapituitary substances, in addition to known hormones, may have a role in the control of adrenal androgen secretion. Several lines of evidence include the inability of ACTH to maintain a normal adrenal androgen/cortisol ratio in adrenally suppressed patients, or experimentally, in hypophysectomized chimpanzees. Evidence for such factors derived from fetal and adult human pituitary gland is discussed. | pubmed_391_7532 |
pubmed_634_3046 | In a classic and well-cited work, Jacoby (1983) demonstrated an important dissociation in which conceptual processing at study resulted in high performance on a standard memory test but low performance on a perceptual test. Perceptual processing at study resulted in the opposite pattern. I simulated the dissociation in MINERVA2, a classic instance model of memory. I assumed that stimulus representations are composed of perceptual and contextual features and that different study tasks favor the encoding of some features over others. I also assumed that different test tasks utilize some features more than others. The model successfully produced the dissociation. The simulations provide a formal account of a core principle of memory: Performance is determined by the appropriateness of processing at encoding given the demands of retrieval. In conjunction with previous work, I conclude that the result emerged from the same mechanisms that underlie empirical regularities from other areas of memory research (e.g., the production effect) and argue in favor of incorporating converging evidence across multiple modelling frameworks to provide stronger theoretical foundations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved). | 10.1037/cep0000184 |
pubmed_341_5460 | Due to their osteoconductive and inductive properties, a variety of calcium phosphate (CaP) scaffolds are commonly used in orthopaedics as graft material to heal bone defects. In this study, we have used two CaP scaffolds with different hydroxyapatite (HA) and β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) ratios (MBCP®; 60/40 and MBCP+ ®; 20/80) to investigate their intrinsic capacity to favour human bone marrow stem cells (hBMSCs) osteogenic differentiation capacity. We report that MBCP+ ® showed in in vitro culture model a higher rate of calcium ion release in comparison with MBCP®. In two defined coculture systems, the hBMSC seeded onto MBCP+ ® presented an increased amount of VEGF secretion, resulting in an enhanced endothelial cell proliferation and capillary formation compared with hBMSC seeded onto MBCP®. When both ceramics combined with hBMSC were implanted in a nude mouse model, we observed a faster osteogenic differentiation and enhancement mature bone deposition sustained by the presence of a vast host vasculature within the MBCP+ ® ceramics. Bone formation was observed in samples highly positive to the activation of calcium sensing receptor protein (CaSr) on the surface of seeded hBMSC that also shown higher BMP-2 protein expression. With these data we provide valuable insights in the possible mechanisms of ossification and angiogenesis by hBMSC that we believe to be primed by calcium ions released from CaP scaffolds. Evidences could lead to an optimization of ceramic scaffolds to prime bone repair. | 10.1002/term.2848 |
pubmed_892_20818 | Physical capacity and exercise tolerance decrease in the elderly because of derangements of the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems. It is increasingly apparent that many of these alterations are not necessarily connected to ageing but rather to physical inactivity. Rehabilitation programs adapted to the individual capacities of each patient permit prevention and even reversal of organic and functional deficits of the two systems, which are sometimes at the onset of serious invalidity. The recognition of the usefulness of such programs should lead the practitioner to persuade his elderly patients to sustain a physical activity adapted to their state of health. | pubmed_892_20818 |
pubmed_23_17389 | The rat transporter rCNT1 is the archetype of a family of concentrative nucleoside transporters (CNTs) found both in eukaryotes and in prokaryotes. In the present study we have used antibodies to investigate the subcellular distribution and membrane topology of this protein. rCNT1 was found to be expressed predominantly in the brush-border membranes of the polarized epithelial cells of rat jejunum and renal cortical tubules and in the bile canalicular membranes of liver parenchymal cells, consistent with roles in the absorption of dietary nucleosides, of nucleosides in the glomerular filtrate, or of nucleosides arising from the action of extracellular nucleotidases, respectively. The effect of endoglycosidase F treatment on wild-type and mutant rCNT1 expressed in Xenopus oocytes revealed that the recombinant transporter could be glycosylated at either or both of Asn605 and Asn643, indicating that its C terminus is extracellular. In contrast, potential N-glycosylation sites introduced near the N terminus, or between putative transmembrane (TM) helices 4 and 5, were not glycosylated. The deduced orientation of the N terminus in the cytoplasm was confirmed by immunocytochemistry on intact and saponin-permeabilized Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing recombinant rCNT1. These results, in conjunction with extensive analyses of CNT family protein sequences using predictive algorithms, lead us to propose a revised topological model, in which rCNT1 possesses 13 TM helices with the hydrophilic N-terminal and C-terminal domains on the cytoplasmic and extracellular sides of the membrane, respectively. Furthermore, we show that the first three TM helices, which are absent from prokaryote CNTs, are not essential for transporter function; truncated proteins lacking these helices, derived either from rCNT1 or from its human homolog hCNT1, were found to retain significant sodium-dependent uridine transport activity when expressed in oocytes. | 10.1074/jbc.M100518200 |
pubmed_743_22484 | Electron cryo-microscopy (cryo-EM) has made it possible to determine near-atomic structures of τ filaments from human brain. Previous work had shown that the cores of paired helical and straight filaments of Alzheimer's disease are made of two identical, but differently arranged C-shaped protofilaments. In recent years, cryo-EM has shown that the Alzheimer τ fold is 79 amino acids long. Five of the eight β-strands give rise to two antiparallel β-sheets, with the other three forming a β-helix. High-affinity binding sites of positron emission tomography ligand APN-1607 (PM-PBB3) are in the β-helix region. The Alzheimer fold contrasts with the 94 amino acid-long Pick fold, which is J-shaped and comprises nine β-strands that give rise to four antiparallel β-sheets, in the absence of a β-helix. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy τ fold is similar to the Alzheimer fold, but differs in the β-helix region, which is larger and contains a non-proteinaceous density that is probably hydrophobic. These folds are mostly two-layered. By contrast, the 107 amino acid τ fold of the 4R tauopathy corticobasal degeneration is four-layered and comprises 11 β-strands. It contains an internal, probably hydrophilic, density that is surrounded by τ. The τ folds described here share the presence of microtubule-binding repeats 3 and 4, as well as 10-13 amino acids after repeat 4. | 10.1042/EBC20210025 |
pubmed_558_14129 | The combination of high-resolution chemically sensitive soft X-ray microscopy with stereo imaging and processing techniques presented here forms a novel tool for the investigation of aqueous colloidal systems. Information about the spatial distribution within the sample is provided with small calculation effort processing just a pair of stereo micrographs. Thus, the extension towards investigation of dynamical behaviour is possible on the part of the experiment as well as of the processing. The potential of this technique is demonstrated with applications in aqueous soil and clay samples. Within these samples, haematite particles are identified taking advantage of the elemental contrast at the Fe-L edge around E= 707 eV. In combination with stereo microscopy, information about spatial arrangements are revealed and correlated to electrostatic interactions of the different mixtures, addressing to an actual question of soil scientists. The technique allows in-situ sample manipulation, which is demonstrated by a test specimen where particles were added during imaging. | 10.1111/j.1365-2818.2009.03202.x |
pubmed_166_23288 | The aim of the study was to evaluate the patients' quality of life in Brazil's Family Health Strategy and its association with sociodemographic factors, presence of common mental disorders, and use of psychotropic drugs. Were interviewed 442 patients. Tools were: World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment-Bref and Self Reporting Questionnaire. Male and low education were strongly associated with higher quality of life. Use of psychotropic drugs and the presence of CMD were strongly associated with poor quality of life. There is a pressing need for primary health care professionals to invest in tracking, and in holistic interventions that are able to cover the healthcare needs of these vulnerable groups. | 10.1016/j.apnu.2016.08.005 |
pubmed_163_21321 | Women that become mothers face notable physiological adaptations during this life-period. Neuroimaging studies of the last decade have provided grounded evidence that women's brains structurally change across the transition into motherhood. The characterization of this brain remodeling is currently in its early years of research. The current article reviews this scientific field by focusing on our longitudinal (pre-to-post pregnancy) Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) studies in first-time parents and other longitudinal and cross-sectional studies of parents. We present the questions that are currently being answered by the parental brain literature and point out those that have not yet been explored. We also highlight potential confounding variables that need to be considered when analyzing and interpreting brain changes observed during motherhood. | 10.3389/fgwh.2021.742775 |
pubmed_143_10718 | RATIONALE
Occasionally, tubulointerstitial lesions can be found in antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV). However, significantly isolated tubulointerstitial nephritis (TIN) with germinal centers is rare.
PATIENT CONCERNS
A 17-year-old Chinese Han patient showed rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis, anuria, and serum creatinine of 19.4 mg/dL.
DIAGNOSIS
He had positive ANCA targeting myeloperoxidase (55.0 RU/mL). The renal biopsy showed crescent formation in 100% of glomeruli. Of special note, the glomerular crescents were surrounded by granulomatous inflammation, extensive tubular destruction or disappearance, and massive interstitial infiltration. A diagnosis of AAV was thus made with the involved organ restricted to the kidney.
INTERVENTIONS
The patient underwent 7 rounds of plasmapheresis, 3 pulses of methylprednisolone therapy (500 mg per pulse), and oral prednisolone (50 mg/d). Rituximab (500 mg) was used after the plasma exchange treatment.
OUTCOMES
ANCA was negative, while anti-modified C-reactive protein (anti-mCRP) antibodies remained positive. The patient was dependent on hemodialysis. We found anti-mCRP antibody in the serum of the patient, with the major epitope on amino acids 35 to 47 of mCRP.
LESSONS
We proposed that the anti-mCRP antibody might play an important role in this case of acute TIN in AAV. | 10.1097/MD.0000000000018178 |
pubmed_756_5737 | STUDY DESIGN
Review of clinical guidelines.
BACKGROUND
Most national clinical guidelines for the management of childhood obesity in primary care were published since 2003. It is unknown whether there is international consensus concerning the diagnosis and management of childhood obesity.
OBJECTIVE
To present an overview of available guidelines for the management of childhood obesity in primary care
METHODS
Guidelines were included if they met the following criteria: (1) the guideline makes recommendations concerning the management of childhood obesity, (2) the target group consists of primary care health practitioners, (3) the guideline is available in English or Dutch.
RESULTS
Clinical guidelines from six different countries published from 2003 until 2010 met the selection criteria and were included in this review. The recommendations of the guidelines regarding the management of childhood obesity appeared to be quite similar. A consistent feature was the recommended combined intervention, with diet, physical activity and counselling being the three most important elements. There were discrepancies between the guidelines for recommendations regarding diagnostic classification criteria for childhood obesity.
CONCLUSION
The present review shows that there is international consensus regarding the recommendations for management of childhood obesity. There is less international consensus regarding the diagnostic classification of childhood obesity. | pubmed_756_5737 |
pubmed_561_13419 | PURPOSE
Cellular and cytogenetic events in radiation-induced thymic lymphomagenesis were investigated in the p53 heterozygous (+/-) mouse following a single dose of whole-body irradiation.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The loss of the wild-type p53 allele and microsatellite markers of chromosome 11 in thymic lymphomas that developed in the p53 heterozygous (+/-) mouse after irradiation, and the stage at which prelymphoma cells appeared were analysed.
RESULTS
The p53 heterozygous mouse developed thymic lymphomas in a dose-dependent manner. The loss of the wild-type p53 allele (loss of heterozygosity; LOH) occurred in almost all thymic lymphomas induced in the irradiated p53 heterozygous mouse. Cytogenetic analysis for the mechanism of LOH strongly suggested that the loss of the wild-type p53 gene in the lymphomas was caused by duplication of the disrupted allele through either homologous recombination or non-disjunctional chromosome duplication. The assay for prelymphoma cells suggested that a critical event in the development of prelymphoma cells occurred at least 3 weeks after irradiation.
CONCLUSIONS
The loss of the wild-type p53 gene in thymocytes of the p53 heterozygous mouse may precede the development of prelymphoma cells after irradiation and be a valuable marker of radiation-induced leukemogenesis. | 10.1080/09553000110097965 |
pubmed_1076_15006 | The construction of collagen fiber scaffolds, which provide the structural integrity of the extracellular matrix of connective tissues and basement membranes, is initiated by a complex mechanism of protein-folding, whereby pro-collagen alpha-chains are assembled into triple-helical procollagen molecules. This unique assembly of the procollagen molecules is guided by several endoplasmic reticulum resident molecular chaperones, including HSP47, which dissociates from procollagen molecules prior to their transport from the endoplasmic reticulum into the cis-Golgi network. SPARC, an evolutionarily conserved collagen-binding glycoprotein, which is frequently co-expressed with collagen in rapidly remodeling tissues, binds to the triple-helical region of procollagen molecules. Analysis of data from genome projects indicates that specific amino acids and sequences in SPARC that are critical for collagen binding are evolutionarily conserved in organisms ranging from nematodes to mammals. Studies of invertebrates, which do not encode HSP47, indicate that SPARC expression is required for the deposition of collagen IV in basal lamina during embryonic development. In mammals, defects in collagen deposition have been observed in normal and wound-healing tissues in the absence of SPARC expression. Based on these and other observations, we propose that intracellular SPARC acts as a collagen molecular chaperone in the endoplasmic reticulum, and that in higher organisms, SPARC acts in concert with HSP47 to ensure that only correctly folded procollagen molecules exit the endoplasmic reticulum. In contrast to HSP47, SPARC is transported from the endoplasmic reticulum through the Golgi network and into secretory vesicles for exocytosis at the plasma membrane. Hence, SPARC may also play a role in regulating post-endoplasmic reticulum events that promote collagen fibrillogenesis. | 10.1177/154405910708600402 |
pubmed_227_11930 | OBJECTIVES
We analyzed our experience with the laparoscopic approach for treating benign gastric lesions.
METHODS
Between June 1998 and June 2002, we performed 18 gastric resections with the laparoscopic approach for 7 pyloric stenoses, 8 recurrent duodenal ulcers, and 3 chronic gastric ulcers.
RESULTS
In our series, we performed Billroth II laparoscopic distal gastrectomy with no morbidity and mortality.
CONCLUSIONS
Billroth II laparoscopic distal gastrectomy is safe in cases of benign gastric or duodenal lesions. | pubmed_227_11930 |
pubmed_205_1759 | Water virology started around half a century ago, with scientists attempting to detect poliovirus in water samples. Since that time, other enteric viruses responsible for gastroenteritis and hepatitis, among a great variety of virus strains, have replaced enteroviruses as the main target for detection in the water environment. Technical molecular developments, polymerase-chain reaction (PCR) amplification being the method of choice, enable the detection of fastidious health-significant viruses. However, shortcomings of molecular procedures include their potential incompatibility with concentration methods, indispensable to reduce the water sample volume to assay for viruses, the inability to discern between infectious and non infectious material. On the other hand, these procedures are restrained to sophisticated laboratories and detection of alternative indicator organisms has been proposed. Bacterial indicators fail to give a reliable clue of the virological quality of water. Selected bacteriophage groups appear as a better choice for their use as virus indicators. | pubmed_205_1759 |
pubmed_928_8818 | Platelet aggregation and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) secretion in response to arachidonic acid (10 microM) or collagen (5 micrograms/ml) were compared in healthy, adult female Beagles treated with low-dosage aspirin (3.5 mg/kg of body weight, PO, q 12 h for 7 treatments) or with CGS 12970, a specific thromboxane synthetase inhibitor (10 mg/kg, PO, q 8 h for 10 treatments). Platelet aggregation was assessed in whole blood by use of an electrical impedance method. Baseline values obtained prior to treatment served as controls. Addition of arachidonic acid to blood from nontreated dogs resulted in significantly (P less than 0.001) increased impedance, but had no effect in blood from dogs treated with either aspirin or CGS 12970. Treatment with CGS 12970 or aspirin significantly (P less than 0.001) decreased platelet ATP secretion in response to arachidonic acid, compared with baseline values; however ATP secretion in aspirin-treated dogs was significantly (P less than 0.01) less than ATP secretion in CGS 12970-treated dogs. Differences in platelet aggregation were not observed between control dogs and aspirin- or CGS 12970-treated dogs in response to collagen as an aggregant, however, collagen-induced platelet ATP secretion was significantly (P less than 0.001) decreased in dogs treated with aspirin, compared with control values and values from dogs treated with CGS 12970. In dogs treated orally with 0.1, 0.2, 1.0, or 10 mg of CGS 12970/kg, dose-dependent inhibition of arachidonic acid-induced platelet aggregation was observed, with impedance changes not observed at the 10-mg/kg dosage and normal platelet aggregation associated with the 0.1-mg/kg dosage.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) | pubmed_928_8818 |
pubmed_902_11677 | Manufacturers often recommend refrigerated storage of self-etching enamel and dentin adhesives. The purpose of this study was to compare the shear-bond strength of composite resin to dentin using two different self-etching adhesives after extended storage at room or refrigerated temperatures. One- and two-step self-etching bonding agents were stored separately at room (23 degrees C) or refrigerated temperatures (5 degrees C) per manufacturer recommendations for 1, 4, or 18 months before testing. After each time period, composite resin was bonded to the dentinal surface of extracted human third molars using a mold and tested in shear on a universal-testing machine. Data were analyzed with analysis of variance/Tukey's test. No significant difference in bond strengths was found on the basis of storage temperature for either adhesive type. The one-step adhesive had a significant loss in bond strength over the 18 months of storage. However, the two-step self-etch adhesive had no loss in bond strength, regardless of storage temperature. | 10.7205/milmed-d-09-00019 |
pubmed_474_10467 | The aerobic fecal and oropharyngeal bacterial flora was examined in 75 patients hospitalized, but not given antibiotics; in 70 patients given antibiotics during hospitalization and in 25 nonhospitalized controls. In all subjects, when first examined, normal throat flora were predominant. At the end of 21 days, however, a gram-negative bacilli became predominant in 17 (22.7%) of the Hospital Group and 33 (47.1%) of the Antibiotic Group. Newly appearing genera of gram-negative bacilli in the pharynx were almost always represented those present in the fecal flora. The Hospital Group all had recognizable components of the normal oropharyngeal flora present at 21 days, but 12 (17.1%) of the Antibiotic Group had no demonstrable normal oropharyngeal flora at 21 days. The findings suggest that hospitalization alone can be associated with the appearance of gram-negative bacilli in the oropharynx, and that the intestinal tract is their most likely point of origin. | 10.1097/00000441-197905000-00005 |
pubmed_405_13127 | We report a methodology which enables the preparation of dendrimeric contrast agents sensitive to Ca(2+) when starting from the monomeric analogue. The Ca-triggered longitudinal relaxivity response of these agents is not compromised by undertaking synthetic transformations, despite structural changes. The in vivo MRI studies in the rat cerebral cortex indicate that diffusion properties of dendrimeric contrast agents have great advantages as compared to their monomeric equivalents. | 10.1039/c4cc07540d |
pubmed_322_6796 | OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of postoperative radial nerve palsy (PORNP) after the surgical treatment of humeral shaft fractures through a posterior triceps splitting approach by a single surgeon's experience in a consecutive case series from a single trauma center.
METHODS
In this retrospective study, a total of 118 patients (82male, 36 female;mean age = 48 years, age range = 16 - 80 years)who underwent open reduction and plate fixation through posterior triceps splitting approach due to humeral shaft fractures at a level I trauma center were included. Level of the fractures was categorized as the proximal third, middle third, and distal third of the diaphysis, and then all the fractures were classified according to the AO/OTA classification system. The trend of incidence of PORNP was investigated. All the operations were performed by a single surgeon. The recovery time of PORNP was also recorded.
RESULTS
There were 13 cases of proximal third, 67 cases of middle third, and 38 cases of distal third fracture. Based on AO/OTA classification, there were 29 cases of A1-type, 23 cases of A2-type, 42 cases of A3-type, 17 cases of B2-type, 3 cases of B3-type, and 4 cases of C2-type fracture. The overall incidence of PORNP was 11% (13 cases). All the PORNP cases fully recovered within 10.3 ± 10.4 weeks (range = 1 - 44) with conservative treatment. Incidence of PORNP significantly decreased with increase in surgical experience (P = 0.009). The incidence of radial nerve palsy was not significantly related to the level of the fracture (P = 0.199). The incidence of radial nerve palsy was not significantly related with the fracture pattern according to AO/OTA classification (P = 0.659).
CONCLUSION
Evidence from this study has shown that the incidence of PORNP following the posterior triceps splitting approach for the treatment of humeral shaft fractures is significantly associated with the surgeon's experience.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE
Level IV, Therapeutic Study. | 10.5152/j.aott.2021.20415 |
pubmed_643_14509 | Wild barley (Hordeum spontaneum) is the progenitor of cultivated barley (Hordeum vulgare) and provides a rich source of genetic variations for barley improvement. Currently, the genome sequences of wild barley and its differences with cultivated barley remain unclear. In this study, we report a high-quality draft assembly of wild barley accession (AWCS276; henceforth named as WB1), which consists of 4.28 Gb genome and 36 395 high-confidence protein-coding genes. BUSCO analysis revealed that the assembly included full lengths of 95.3% of the 956 single-copy plant genes, illustrating that the gene-containing regions have been well assembled. By comparing with the genome of the cultivated genotype Morex, it is inferred that the WB1 genome contains more genes involved in resistance and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses. The presence of the numerous WB1-specific genes indicates that, in addition to enhance allele diversity for genes already existing in the cultigen, exploiting the wild barley taxon in breeding should also allow the incorporation of novel genes. Furthermore, high levels of genetic variation in the pericentromeric regions were detected in chromosomes 3H and 5H between the wild and cultivated genotypes, which may be the results of domestication. This H. spontaneum draft genome assembly will help to accelerate wild barley research and be an invaluable resource for barley improvement and comparative genomics research. | 10.1111/pbi.13210 |
pubmed_443_18590 | Based on the results of animal studies, round spermatid injection (ROSI) has been introduced into the clinical practice of several in-vitro fertilization (IVF) centres. The efficiency of this procedure in terms of fertilization rates and pregnancy rates, however, remains very poor. An essential aspect which does not receive enough attention is the correct identification of this type of round cell within a heterogeneous population of testicular cells. A Nikon inverted microscope equipped with phase-contrast optics (DLL) provided a clear image which allowed reliable recognition of round spermatids in cell suspensions smeared at the glass bottom of the dish. Fluorescent in-situ hybridization confirmed the haploid status of the selected cells. However, exploration of several biopsies from patients with non-obstructive azoospermia showing no spermatozoa after extensive search did not reveal any round spermatids. This observation questions whether enough effort is spent on searching for mature spermatozoa or late spermatids. Experimental investigations should precede the introduction of ROSI into the clinical practice of any IVF centre. | 10.1093/humrep/13.6.1570 |
pubmed_86_7771 | The [Ca2+]i-activated K+-channel, one of the 3 K+ -channels described in pancreatic beta-cells, is a high conductance, voltage-dependent K+-channel. Quinine, known to block [Ca2+]i-activated K(+)-channels in other cells, has been described to block the silent phase between the bursts of glucose-evoked electrical activity in mouse pancreatic beta-cells, and to inhibit K+ efflux from rat pancreatic islets. We report here that quinine blocks the [Ca2+]i-activated K(+)-channel in rat pancreatic beta-cells from the external side of the membrane. We also show that the blockade is characterized by fast flickering of the K(+)-channel between the open and closed state. Mean open and closed times within bursts were found to be exponentially distributed, suggesting that the blockade by quinine involves obstruction on the K(+) flow through the open to be exponentially distributed, suggesting that the blockade by quinine involves obstruction on the K+ flow through the open channel. | 10.1016/0014-5793(90)80078-w |
pubmed_1023_12110 | In a system for ventriculocisternal perfusion of the choroid plexus, the rate of formation of new cerebrospinal fluid was measured by changes in dilution of an impermeant dye in the perfusate. Norepinephrine added to the perfusate decreased formation of cerebrospinal fluid in rats as was previously demonstrated in rabbits. The dose-response relationship for rats was determined. The formation rate was decreased 42% by 10(-3) M norepinephrine. Acetazolamide, 50 mg/kg i.v., caused a decrease of 46%. Given together, these drugs decreased formation 79%, demonstrating essentially full addition between the regulatory mechanisms involved. Addition of equal magnitude occurred when intraventricular nialamide, an inhibitor of monoamine oxidase, and i.v. acetazolamide were given together. This demonstrates addition between acetazolamide and endogenous norepinephrine (or other catecholamines present) in which metabolic breakdown is prevented by the inhibitor. The degree of reduction in cerebrospinal fluid formation seen in these experiments exceeds that reported for numerous other trials of single drugs. | pubmed_1023_12110 |
pubmed_698_3952 | BACKGROUND/AIMS
Anemia is a common condition that is often missed. We aimed to devise a questionnaire for detection of occult anemia.
METHODOLOGY
A questionnaire survey was done of 442 new gastroenterology outpatients to detect potential symptoms of anemia. Then hematology tests were performed and anemia was defined by World Health Organization criteria. Data were analyzed by the stepwise logistic regression method to determine adjusted odds ratios and extract relevant items. After further selection of variables, the sensitivity and specificity of three potential questionnaires were analyzed using receiver operating characteristic curves.
RESULTS
Seven items were selected and a new questionnaire was devised to detect occult anemia. It showed a sensitivity of 70% and also a specificity of 70% when back-tested on the subjects.
CONCLUSIONS
This new questionnaire may be useful for detecting occult anemia. | pubmed_698_3952 |
pubmed_373_15556 | A statistic survey was made on the clinical results of living and cadaveric renal transplantations performed at our department between October 1980 and June 1996. A total of 38 patients received 6 living and 32 cadaveric renal transplants. The graft and patient survival rates of a living renal transplantation were 83.3% and 100% at 3 years, respectively. The graft survival rate of cadaveric renal transplantation was 66.3% at 3 years and 56.0% at 5 years. In a cadaveric renal transplantation, patients with episodes of acute rejection within 12 months showed a significantly worse graft survival rate. This clinical parameter seems to be a prognostic factor for a long-term graft survival. | pubmed_373_15556 |
pubmed_847_22092 | Hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) is the nether-most toxic environmental pollutants. In this work, g-C3N4/ZnIn2S4 photocatalyst was constructed to investigate their potential application for economical visible-light photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI). Photocatalysts phase and microstructure were analyzed by XRD, SEM and TEM techniques. Elements were confirmed by EDS and XPS techniques. Optical properties were revealed by DRS and emission spectra. The generation and activeness of photogenerated electron-hole pairs were revealed by the emission spectra, photocurrent response and Nyquist plots. The result is perfectly displayed that g-C3N4/ZnIn2S4 has potential application in photocatalysis field and g-C3N4/ZnIn2S4 has higher photocatalytic occupation than that of g-C3N4 and ZnIn2S4. | 10.1016/j.saa.2022.121184 |
pubmed_181_11195 | BACKGROUND
One obstacle to organ donation is the high proportion of relatives who refuse consent in presumed-consent countries. The aim of this study was to survey the features of family approaches and to identify those that may have significant impact on family refusals.
METHODS
A 46-item validated questionnaire was designed and used in 2011 and 2012 to investigate factors around all family communications about brain death and organ donation. The data of 188 cases were collected by telephone calls. We asked for the demographic data of donors; place, timing, duration, type, and result of approach; number, age, gender, and qualification of the staff; affinity, gender, age, education, and religion of the involved relatives; and finally the applied method to treat family refusal if it existed.
RESULTS
Usually 1 physician talked with 2 relatives. Timing had significant impact on objection rate (χ2 = 0.044). Single-discussion meetings (56.38%) were an average 1 hour 13 minutes before the brain death declaration, and they were initiated an average 19 hours 49 minutes before brain death when more than one meeting took place (43.62%). Conversations lasted for 11-22 minutes. Mann-Whitney U test revealed association between duration of donor family communication and occurrence of refusal (P = .021). It was found that the relatives' education level, the number of staff, and the number of family members strongly influenced the occurrence of refusals.
CONCLUSIONS
The careful preparation, organized direction, and support by intensive care unit staff can decrease the number of family refusals. | 10.1016/j.transproceed.2016.07.006 |
pubmed_851_6759 | PURPOSE
The inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF) and uncinate fasciculus (UF) are major fronto-capsular white matter pathways. IFOF connects frontal areas of the brain to parieto-occipital areas. UF connects ventral frontal areas to anterior temporal areas. Both fascicles are thought to subserve higher language and emotion roles. Controversy pertaining to their connectivity and subdivision persists in the literature, however.
METHODS
High-definition fiber tractography (HDFT) is a non-tensor tractographic method using diffusion spectrum imaging data. Its major advantage over tensor-based tractography is its ability to trace crossing fiber pathways. We used HDFT to investigate subdivisions and cortical connectivity of IFOF and UF in 30 single subjects and in an atlas comprising averaged data from 842 individuals. A per-subject aligned, atlas-based approach was employed to seed fiber tracts and to study cortical terminations.
RESULTS
For IFOF, we observed a tripartite arrangement corresponding to ventrolateral, ventromedial, and dorsomedial frontal origins. IFOF volume was not significantly lateralized to either hemisphere. UF fibers arose from ventromedial and ventrolateral frontal areas on the left and from ventromedial frontal areas on the right. UF volume was significantly lateralized to the left hemisphere. The data from the averaged atlas was largely in concordance with subject-specific findings. IFOF connected to parietal, occipital, but not temporal, areas. UF connected predominantly to temporal poles.
CONCLUSION
Both IFOF and UF possess subdivided arrangements according to their frontal origin. Our connectivity results indicate the multifunctional involvement of IFOF and UF in language tasks. We discuss our findings in context of the tractographic literature. | 10.1007/s00234-017-1874-3 |
pubmed_421_15189 | Aluminium (Al) toxicity inhibits soybean root growth, leading to insufficient water and nutrient uptake. Two soybean lines ('Magellan' and PI 567731) were identified differing in Al tolerance, as determined by primary root length ratio, total root length ratio, and root tip number ratio under Al stress. Serious root necrosis was observed in PI 567731, but not in Magellan under Al stress. An F8 recombinant inbred line population derived from a cross between Magellan and PI 567731 was used to map the quantitative trait loci (QTL) for Al tolerance. Three QTL on chromosomes 3, 13, and 20, with tolerant alleles from Magellan, were identified. qAl_Gm13 and qAl_Gm20 explained large phenotypic variations (13-27%) and helped maintain root elongation and initiation under Al stress. In addition, qAl_Gm13 and qAl_Gm20 were confirmed in near-isogenic backgrounds and were identified to epistatically regulate Al tolerance via internal detoxification instead of Al3+ exclusion. Phylogenetic and pedigree analysis identified the tolerant alleles of both loci derived from the US ancestral line, A.K.[FC30761], originally from China. Our results provide novel genetic resources for breeding Al-tolerant soybean and suggest that internal detoxification contributes to soybean tolerance to excessive soil Al. | 10.1093/jxb/erab168 |
pubmed_200_19449 | Although Iran has a large geographic area encompassing 13 ecoregions, its simuliid fauna remains largely unexplored. To begin redressing this faunal gap, we reviewed literature records and coupled morphological and chromosomal identifications of material newly collected from 16 sites in Iran. Twenty-three nominal species are now recognized, including new country records for Simulium crassicaulum (Rubtsov) and Simulium alajense Rubtsov, and the southernmost world record for Simulium transcaspicum Enderlein. Multiple cytoforms of the Simulium aureum group, Simulium bezzii complex, and Simulium ornatum group were found. | 10.11646/zootaxa.3694.1.5 |
pubmed_948_768 | The well know fact that high blood pressure and impaired glucose tolerance are frequently associated with obesity has suggested that hyperinsulinemia could represent one of the possible pathogenetic connections between obesity and systodiastolic hypertension. With the aim of verifying this hypothesis 67 obese subjects (36 hypertensive and 31 normotensive), males, were admitted to our study. All of the subjects underwent standard OGTT in order to measure their glycemic and insulinemic levels. No differences were found between two groups, as regard age and the degree of obesity; blood pressure values were significantly different (p less than 0.01). No significative differences were detected for glycemic and insulinemic levels between normotensive and hypertensive subjects; basal hyperinsulinemia was detected in a similar percentage (16.6 vs 19.3%) in the two groups. Under these circumstances it is not possible to confirm that hyperinsulinemia is the prominent link between obesity and high blood pressure, as previously observed by others. | pubmed_948_768 |
pubmed_67_9337 | BACKGROUND
Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have a disproportionately high burden of chronic diseases, with inequalities in health care access and quality services. This study aimed to assess patients' preferences for healthcare services for chronic disease management among adult patients in Bangladesh.
METHODS
The present analysis was conducted among 10,385 patients suffering from chronic diseases, drawn from the latest Household Income and Expenditure Survey 2016-2017. We used the multinomial logistic regression to investigate the association of chronic comorbid conditions and healthcare service-related factors with patients' preferences for healthcare services.
RESULTS
The top four dimensions of patient preference for healthcare services in order of magnitude were quality of treatment (30.3%), short distance to health facility (27.6%), affordability of health care (21.7%) and availability of doctors (11.0%). Patients with heart disease had a 29% significantly lower preference for healthcare affordability than the quality of healthcare services (relative risk ratio [RRR] = 0.71; 0.56-0.90). Patients who received healthcare services from pharmacies or dispensaries were more likely to prefer a short distance to a health facility (RRR = 6.99; 4.80-9.86) or affordability of healthcare services (RRR = 3.13; 2.25-4.36). Patients with comorbid conditions were more likely to prefer healthcare affordability (RRR = 1.39; 1.15-1.68). In addition, patients who received health care from a public facility had 2.93 times higher preference for the availability of medical doctors (RRR = 2.93; 1.70-5.04) than the quality of treatment in the health facility, when compared with private service providers.
CONCLUSIONS
Patient preferences for healthcare services in chronic disease management were significantly associated with the type of disease and its magnitude and characteristics of healthcare providers. Therefore, to enhance service provision and equitable distribution and uptake of health services, policymakers and public health practitioners should consider patient preferences in designing national strategic frameworks for chronic disease management.
PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION
Our research team includes four researchers (co-authors) with chronic diseases who have experience of living or working with people suffering from chronic conditions or diseases. | 10.1111/hex.13634 |
pubmed_190_5111 | Small vessel cerebrovascular disease (SVCD) is one of the most frequent vessel disorders in the aged brain. Among the spectrum of neurological disturbances related to SVCD, oculomotor dysfunction is a not well understood symptom- in particular, it remains unclear whether vascular lesion load in specific brain regions affects oculomotor function independent of cognitive decline in SVCD patients or whether the effect of higher brain function deficits prevails. In this study, we examined a cohort of 25 SVCD patients and 19 healthy controls using video-oculographic eye movement recording in a laboratory environment, computer-based MRI assessment of white matter lesion load (WMLL), assessment of extrapyramidal motor deficits, and psychometric testing. In comparison to controls, the mean WMLL of patients was significantly larger than in controls. With respect to eye movement control, patients performed significantly worse than controls in almost all aspects of oculomotion. Likewise, patients showed a significantly worse performance in all but one of the neuropsychological tests. Oculomotor deficits in SVCD correlated with the patients' cognitive dysfunctioning while there was only weak evidence for a direct effect of WMLL on eye movement control. In conclusion, oculomotor impairment in SVCD seems to be mainly contingent upon cognitive deterioration in SVCD while WMLL might have only a minor specific effect upon oculomotor pathways. | 10.1007/s00415-014-7275-1 |
pubmed_625_18046 | Pancreatic cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related death. Metastasis, therapy resistance, and immunosuppression are dominant characteristics of pancreatic tumors. Strategies that enhance the efficacy of standard of care and/or immune therapy are likely the most efficient route to improve overall survival in this disease. Areas covered: Axl, a member of the TAM (Tyro3, Axl, MerTK) family of receptor tyrosine kinases, is involved in cell plasticity, chemoresistance, immune suppression, and metastasis in various cancers, including pancreatic cancer. This review provides an overview of Axl and its function in normal conditions, summarizes the regulation and function of Axl in cancer, and highlights the contribution of Axl to pancreatic cancer as well as its potential as a therapeutic target. Expert opinion: Axl is an attractive therapeutic target in pancreatic cancer because it contributes to many of the roadblocks that hamper therapeutic efficacy. Clinical evidence supporting Axl inhibition in pancreatic cancer is currently limited; however, multiple clinical trials have been initiated or are in the planning phase to test the effect of inhibiting Axl in conjunction with standard therapy in pancreatic cancer patients. We anticipate that these studies will provide robust validation of Axl as a therapeutic target in pancreatic cancer. | 10.1080/14728222.2018.1527315 |
pubmed_573_6009 | Reconceptualizing drugs as toxins allowed an important shift in the approach to the treatment of substance abuse, because it ushered in consideration of immunological methods of pharmacotherapy. This paradigm shift represented a dramatic departure from previously considered approaches to pharmacotherapy for substance use disorders (SUDs), which had up until that time focused predominantly on either agonist and/or antagonist medications meant to block drug effects or to decrease reward, reinforcement, or craving. Use of immunological theory in SUD treatment also meant that 1) a potentially addicting medication would not be administered as part of therapy and 2) side effects could be limited, because the individual's immune system would be responsible for delivering treatment. | 10.1176/foc.9.1.foc25 |
pubmed_780_22338 | Carcinogenic and other toxic manifestations of areca/betel nut extracts on the buccal cavity and upper digestive tract are well documented. The present study deals with in vivo and in situ effects of aqueous and alcoholic extracts of areca nut on rat intestinal epithelial cell membrane. In vivo daily oral administration by gastric intubation for 1p w produced significant declines in brush border membrane alkaline phosphatase, Ca2+-Mg2+-ATPase, and the digestive enzyme sucrase. The decline in activities were more prominent after 4-w exposures. Instant short term in situ exposure to aqueous extract produced higher enzyme activities, indicating the initial activation of active sites by areca nut extract constituent(s). Significant declines in brush border membrane constituents (total hexose, sialic acid and cholesterol) were also evident following continuous exposures to areca nut extracts. These findings suggest that prolonged chewing of areca nut causes significant alterations in intestinal epithelial cell lining functions and could lead to malabsorption of nutrients. | pubmed_780_22338 |
pubmed_510_12860 | Conflict management is considered from a psychologic perspective. Therein, a systems approach to managing conflict is described with particular reference to orthopaedic nursing practice. Within that context, conflict management is portrayed as a process that is applied by orthopaedic nurses to particular conflict situations by means of separate, yet interrelated phases: clarification of the conflict situation; design of a conflict resolution plan; implementation of the plan; and evaluation of the extent to which conflict has been resolved. Application of this systems approach by orthopaedic nursing managers or by staff nurses may be valuable in focusing their attention and that of other health care providers on important behaviors, tasks, and accomplishments rather than on personality constructs and other noncontrollable correlates of managing conflict effectively. Directions for empirical inquiry relating to conflict management in orthopaedic nursing are briefly considered. | pubmed_510_12860 |
pubmed_538_3971 | BACKGROUND
Although prolongation of the QT intervals in acute ischemic conditions, such as acute myocardial infarction, intracoronary balloon inflation, and exercise induced ischemia, has been shown, association of rest QT intervals with extent and severity of stable coronary artery disease (CAD) has not been assessed so far. The effects of extent and severity of stable CAD on rest QT interval were analyzed in this study.
METHODS
Rest 12-lead electrocardiograms (ECG) were recorded in 162 clinically stable subjects undergoing coronary angiography before the angiography for measurement of corrected QT dispersion (cQTd) and the QT dispersion ratio (QTdR) defined as QT dispersion divided by cycle length and expressed as a percentage. Angiographic "vessel score,""diffuse score," and "Gensini score" were used to evaluate the extent and severity of coronary atherosclerosis. Subjects were grouped as follows: those with normal angiogram (Group 1), those with insignificant (<50%) coronary stenosis (Group 2), and those with 1- (Group 3), 2- (Group 4), or 3-vessel disease (Group 5).
RESULTS
cQTd and QTdR were higher in Group 3 compared with Group 1 (P < 0.001 and P = 0.001, respectively), in Group 4 compared with Group 1 (P < 0.001 for both) and Group 2 (P = 0.001 and P = 0.003, respectively), and in Group 5 compared with Group 1 (P < 0.001 for both) and Group 2 (P < 0.001 and P = 0.003, respectively). cQTd and QTdR were positively correlated with the vessel score (r = 0.422, P < 0.001; r = 0.358, P < 0.001, respectively), diffuse score (r = 0.401, P < 0.001; r = 0.357, P < 0.001, respectively) and Gensini score (r = 0.378, P < 0.001; r = 0.373, P < 0.001, respectively). In multiple linear regression analyses, cQTd was found to be independently associated only with diffuse score (beta= 0.325, P = 0.038). Also, QTdR was independently associated with diffuse score (beta= 0.416, P = 0.006) and Gensini score (beta= 0.374, P = 0.011).
CONCLUSIONS
Rest cQTd and QTdR are increased, and related to the extent and severity of coronary atherosclerosis in patients with stable CAD. | 10.1111/j.1542-474X.2006.00081.x |
pubmed_837_21777 | HIV is a retrovirus. Infection with HIV results in a progressive loss of immune function, primarily of the T-helper lymphocyte, although other arms of the immune system are secondarily affected. Patients who develop AIDS are amazingly susceptible to the development of opportunistic infections and neoplastic diseases. Common presentations include pneumonia, gastrointestinal infections, and central nervous system infections. Infections are usually due to reactivation of latent infections. These infections have a tendency to relapse and prolonged treatment appears to be necessary. HIV infection is occurring worldwide and medical personnel, especially pulmonary physicians, will be increasingly required to diagnose and treat infections occurring in these patients. The spread of HIV infection is already altering the epidemiology and clinical presentation of major infectious illnesses such as syphilis and tuberculosis. | pubmed_837_21777 |
pubmed_359_1225 | Plasma advanced glycation end product (AGE) free adducts are increased up to 50-fold among patients on dialysis. We examined the ability of hemodialysis (HD) and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) to clear these compounds. The AGE free adducts Nepsilon-carboxymethyl-lysine (CML) and Nepsilon-(1-carboxyethyl)lysine (CEL) and the hydroimidazolones derived from glyoxal (G-H1), methylglyoxal (MG-H1), and 3-deoxyglucosone (3DG-H) were determined by LC-MS/MS and pentosidine by HPLC with fluorimetric detection in ultrafiltrates of plasma, urine, or PD effluent as appropriate from patients on HD (n = 8) or PD (n = 8), and from healthy controls (n = 8). Among patients on HD, all free AGEs predialysis were significantly higher than in controls and were decreased with dialysis. The removal of MG-H1 and 3DG-H was comparable to that of urea, whereas that of CML and pentosidine was some 20% higher; in contrast, the removal of CEL and G-H1 was 25% lower. Among patients on CAPD, free AGEs in PD effluent increased with increasing dwell time. The combined renal and peritoneal 24-h excretion rates of CML (4.7 micromol), CEL (6.5 micromol), 3DG-H (16.6 micromol), and pentosidine (0.08 micromol) were twofold higher than the amount excreted in healthy controls, whereas MG-H1 was ninefold higher (59 micromol); the combined clearances of all free AGEs except pentosidine were lower than in healthy controls. Impaired renal clearance contributes to increased plasma free AGEs in uremia, but the increased excretion rate among patients on PD demonstrates that there was also an increased synthesis of free AGEs. Both HD and PD are able to remove free AGEs. | 10.1196/annals.1333.085 |
pubmed_34_12572 | In this study, a novel series of 2-(4-substituted piperazin-l-ylmethyl)-6-(thien-2-yl)-2H-pyridazin-3-ones (3a-f), 2-(4-substituted piperazin-l-yl carbonylmethyl)-6-(thien-2-yl)-2H-pyridazin-3-ones (4a-c) and 2-[2-(4-substituted piperazin-l-ylcarbonylethyl)]-6-(thien-2-yl)-2H-pyridazin-3-ones (5a,b) were prepared from 6-(thien-2-yl)-2H- pyridazin-3-one (1). In addition, 3-(4-substituted piperazin-l-ylcarbonyl methyl thio)-6-(thien-2-yl) pyridazines (6a-c) and 3-[2-(4-substitutedpiperazin-1-ylcarbonyl ethylthio]-6-(thien-2-yl) pyridazines (7a,b) were synthesized. Furthermore, 5-(4-substituted piperazin-l-ylmethyl)-6-(thien-2-yl)-2H-pyridazin-3-ones (12a,b) were prepared. The structures of the new compounds were confirmed by elemental analysis as well as by 1H-NMR, IR and MS data. Some of the newly prepared compounds were subjected to evaluation for their anti-inflammatory activity against carrageenan-induced paw edema at a dose of 10 mg/kg using indomethacin as the reference standard. | 10.1007/BF02978828 |
pubmed_822_19402 | BACKGROUND
Pooled samples are frequently used in experiments measuring gene expression. In this method, RNA from different individuals sharing the same experimental conditions and explanatory variables is blended and their concentrations are jointly measured. As a matter of principle, individuals are represented in equal shares in each pool. However, some degree of disproportionality may arise from the limits of technical precision. As a consequence a special kind of technical error occurs, which can be modelled by a respective variance component. Previously published theory - allowing for variable pool sizes - has been applied to four microarray gene expression data sets from different species in order to assess the practical relevance of this type of technical error in terms of significance and size of this variance component.
RESULTS
The number of transcripts with a significant variance component due to imperfect blending was found to be 4329 (23 %) in mouse data and 7093 (49 %) in honey bees, but only 6 in rats and none whatsoever in human data. These results correspond to a false discovery rate of 5 % in each data set. The number of transcripts found to be differentially expressed between treatments was always higher when the blending error variance was neglected. Simulations clearly indicated overly-optimistic (anti-conservative) test results in terms of false discovery rates whenever this source of variability was not represented in the model.
CONCLUSIONS
Imperfect equality of shares when blending RNA from different individuals into joint pools of variable size is a source of technical variation with relevance for experimental design, practice at the laboratory bench and data analysis. Its potentially adverse effects, incorrect identification of differentially expressed transcripts and overly-optimistic significance tests, can be fully avoided, however, by the sound application of recently established theory and models for data analysis. | 10.1186/s12864-015-2055-6 |
pubmed_400_6514 | BACKGROUND
We describe a case of central serous chorioretinopathy associated with a large adrenal myelolipoma.
HISTORY AND SIGNS
A 55-year old man was admitted to our clinic complaining for metamorphopsia and blurred vision in his left eye. Standard ophthalmologic examination and fluorescein angiography established the diagnosis of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC). Due to the presence of arterial hypertension, we proceeded to a thorough systemic clinical and laboratory investigation.
THERAPY AND OUTCOME
Clinical and laboratory investigation disclosed a large mass in the right abdominal region. Magnetic resonance imaging showed that this mass was located superior to the right kidney, in the right adrenal gland, compressing the kidney and the liver. Surgical excision of the mass was done one month later. Histological examination revealed an adrenal myelolipoma. Improvement of CSC was recorded one month after surgery with complete remission two months later. Additionally, systemic blood pressure and increased urinary steroids concentration before the operation returned to normal in the late postoperative period.
CONCLUSIONS
CSC pathogenesis is not well understood. Many factors are implicated in this disease. Hypercortisolism and sympathetic activity play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of CSC. This is the first report of CSC in a patient with a benign tumor of the adrenal gland without Cushing's syndrome. | 10.1055/s-2003-38187 |
pubmed_12_3116 | Two calves with unusual malformations of the skull and brain are described. Both calves showed doming of the posterior skull due to enlargement of the posterior fossa and cyst-like dilatation of the fourth ventricle. The cystic dilatation of the fourth ventricle formed a meningocoele in one calf. Aplasia of the cerebellar vermis was present in both calves. One calf showed agenesis of the corpus callosum. These features are consistent with the Dandy-Walker malformation of man. | pubmed_12_3116 |
pubmed_552_16983 | We have compared short axis images of the left ventricle (LV) obtained with transoesophageal echocardiography (TOE) to assess LV size and function with those obtained by radionuclide angiography (RNA). Simultaneous TOE and RNA images were attempted in 14 patients and results obtained in 12 patients undergoing repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms. The area of the LV cavity seen in the short axis images at a mid-papillary muscle level at end-systole (ESA) and end-diastole (EDA) were compared with volumes measured by RNA at end-systole (ESV) and end-diastole (EDV). An area ejection fraction (AEF) calculated from the TOE images (AEF = EDA-ESA/EDA) was compared with the RNA ejection fraction (EF) where EF = EDV-ESV/EDV. Good correlations were found between TOE log EDA and RNA log EDV (r = 0.86), TOE log ESA and RNA log ESV (r = 0.92) and TOE AEF and RNA EF (r = 0.96). This suggests that TOE short axis imaging at a mid-papillary muscle level is generally adequate for monitoring LV function during operation. | 10.1093/bja/64.3.331 |
pubmed_436_20365 | The plankton was examined as an indicator of water quality in 14 shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei farms in Brazil in 2003. The ponds were categorized by high stocking density (>30 PL m(-2)) of phytoplankton, consisting of 51 species with concentrations ranging from 365,218+/-416,615 cells mL(-1) to 1,961,675+/-3,160,172 cells mL(-1). Diatoms contributed to almost 70% of the species number and high densities resulted from Cyanophyta blooms, mainly Pseudanabaena cf limnetica. Forty zooplankton taxa were registered and were essentially composed of typical marine euryhaline species and suspension-feeders. Copepoda dominated (45%) the make-up, followed by Protozoa (18%), Rotifera (12%), and Mollusca (12%) larvae. Zooplankton varied from 972+/-209 ind m(-3) to 4235+/-2877 ind m(-3). Enhanced nutrient input affected plankton density and composition. Diatom and Copepoda dominance was replaced by cyanobacteria, protozoan, and rotifers as nutrient concentrations increased with the cultured period, indicating that plankton structure is affected by eutrophic conditions. | 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2008.02.008 |
pubmed_1040_1667 | The postnatal development of the global volume of the subcommissural organ (SCO) and of the karyometric changes of the ependymocytes in the SCO and the adjacent ventricle is studied in male albino mice aged from 25 to 160 days, and in a hypothyroid group treated with propylthiouracil with and without interruption of the treatment at 35 days. Hypothyroidism produces a decrease of the global volume of the SCO and of the nuclear size of the ependymocytes in the SCO and the adjacent ventricle. | 10.1016/0006-8993(85)91561-6 |
pubmed_590_5882 | Organophosphate esters (OPs) are widely used as flame retardants or plasticizers and are ubiquitously distributed in the environment. In the present study, the occurrence and distribution of 7 widely used OPs were analyzed in sludge samples collected from 19 municipal wastewater treatment plants in the Pearl River Delta, South China. All analytes were detected in these samples, and the total concentration of OPs ranged from 96.7 µg/kg to 1312.9 µg/kg dry weight, with a mean value of 420.1 µg/kg dry weight. In most sludge samples OPs exhibited a similar distribution pattern, for example, tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBEP) and triphenyl phosphate (TPhP) were identified as the dominant compounds. However, the results also indicated significantly higher levels of OPs in specific sludges, such as tri-n-butyl phosphate (804.9 µg/kg), TBEP (783.7 µg/kg), TPhP (656.7 µg/kg), and tritolyl phosphate (265.0 µg/kg), which implied different discharge sources in the studied areas. | 10.1002/etc.2604 |
pubmed_256_3302 | On the surface, United HealthCare Corp.'s purchase of The MetraHealth Cos. two months ago looks like a great deal. But United's grand strategy is fraught with obstacles, and the move seems sure to heat up the competition and consolidation taking place in health care coverage. | pubmed_256_3302 |
pubmed_953_21171 | We have developed an original synthetic pathway for the conversion of a MIL-68(In)-NH(2) metal-organic framework into its corresponding isocyanate (-NCO) derivative. This two-step soft post-modification technique leads to highly porous isostructural materials. | 10.1039/c2dt31977b |
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