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pubmed_314_16905
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OBJECTIVE
To review the methods and progress of arthroscopic reconstruction of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) with the remnant preservation technique.
METHODS
Recent literature about arthroscopic reconstruction of ACL with the remnant preservation technique was reviewed and analyzed.
RESULTS
The preserved ACL after injuries could be single-bundle or remnant. The preserved remnant provided synovium for the reconstructed ACL, and it could accelerate revascularization of the graft, and it was benefit for the proprioception too, and certain kinds of remnant could contribute to the stability of the joint. The preserved remnant could prevent the washing-effect of the joint fluid, then prevent the enlargement of the tibial tunnel. Cyclops or impingement may occurred in remnant preservation technique.
CONCLUSION
Remnant preservation in ACL reconstruction can provide good clinical result. But remnant preservation is a skill demanded technique. There should be more research and clinical trials about remnant preservation in ACL reconstruction about its necessity and advantage, also disadvantage.
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pubmed_314_16905
|
pubmed_747_7893
|
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the commonest type of leukemia seen in Western countries. It affects an older group of individuals than most other varieties of leukemia, and men more often than women, in a ratio of 2:1. The incidence of CLL is significantly increased in some families. In most instances, CLL is due to the overgrowth or accumulation of immunoglobulin producing B lymphocytes. Hypogammaglobulinemia is a common feature, and anomalous immunoglobulin components occur in 3 to 5% of patients. The early symptoms and signs of CLL include fatigue, reduced exercise tolerance, enlarged lymph nodes, and splenomegaly. Fever, weight loss, and impairment of bone marrow function, with anemia, bleeding and susceptibility to infection are characteristic of severe or advanced disease. In the great majority of patients, the disease can be controlled for 6 to 10 or more years with simple regimens using chlorambucil or cyclophosphamide, often in combination with prednisone. Radiotherapy and splenectomy are useful in some instances. The terminal phase of the disease is characterized by exacerbation or increasing severity of the leukemia and the development of opportunistic infections associated with immunodeficiency.
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10.1002/1097-0142(197808)42:2+<941::aid-cncr2820420717>3.0.co;2-1
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pubmed_396_19641
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Acne is generally considered to be a disease of adolescence. However 20% of newborns have acne neonatorum, which may to be overlooked because it is usually mild and transient. Acne can also be seen in infants and children, where the skin lesions are normally more severe. We describe a case of a ten-month-old boy with severe acne without other underlying diseases. Treatment with systemic erythromycin and local application with isotretinoin gel was moderately successful, but the eruption cleared when treated with isotretinoin 0.5 mg/kg.
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pubmed_396_19641
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pubmed_1006_11310
|
A total of 276 patients with taeniasis alone and taeniasis associated with enterobiasis or lambliasis were involved in the study. The most prevalent features in patients of all the three groups were combinations of the painful, dyspeptic and astheno-vegetative syndromes, the least so--an isolated astheno-vegetative syndrome. Combinations of these syndromes more frequently occur in taeniasis concomitant with enterobiasis (61% vs. 51% in taeniasis alone). Associations of taeniasis with enterobiasis or lambliasis are more frequently diagnosed in children. Combinations of the three syndromes were revealed in the patients with taeniasis coursing against the background of chronic gastritis, duodenal ulcer, cholepathies: in 79% vs. 33.3% in an uncomplicated course. Fenasal therapy for 3 days in a daily dose of 3 g proved fairly effective: 85.7 +/- 6.3% of adults and 82.6 +/- 6.4% of children recovered.
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pubmed_1006_11310
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pubmed_412_4320
|
The reaction of Fe(II) oxalate with hydrogen peroxide and dioxygen was studied for oxalate concentrations up to 20 mM and pH 2-5, under which conditions mono- and bis-oxalate complexes (Fe[II](ox) and Fe[II](ox)2[2-]) and uncomplexed Fe2+ must be considered. The reaction of Fe(II) oxalate with hydrogen peroxide (Fe2+ + H2O2 --> Fe3+ + .OH + OH-) was monitored in continuous flow by ESR with t-butanol as a radical trap. The reaction is much faster than for uncomplexed Fe2+ and a rate constant, k = 1 x 10(4) M(-1) s(-1) is deduced for Fe(II)(ox). The reaction of Fe(II) oxalate with dioxygen is strongly pH dependent in a manner which indicates that the reactive species is Fe(II)(ox)2(2-), for which an apparent second order rate constant, k = 3.6 M(-1) s(-1), is deduced. Taken together, these results provide a mechanism for hydroxyl radical production in aqueous systems containing Fe(II) complexed by oxalate. Further ESR studies with DMPO as spin trap reveal that reaction of Fe(II) oxalate with hydrogen peroxide can also lead to formation of the carboxylate radical anion (CO2-), an assignment confirmed by photolysis of Fe(II) oxalate in the presence of DMPO.
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10.3109/10715769709065785
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pubmed_1111_12685
|
During late stages of spermatogenesis in mammals, most histones bound to DNA are replaced by protamines (PRM), which results in formation of supercondensed and genetically inert sperm chromatin. At fertilization, mature spermatozoon penetrates oocyte and chromatin is remodeled "back" from nucleoprotamine to nucleohistone state. While being crucial for activation of male genome and ultimately for initiation of embryonic development, this process is poorly studied, especially in humans. Data on model animals concerning PRM to histones exchange post fertilization are few and contradictory. As direct experimentation with human embryos is impossible due to ethical, legal and technical reasons, we evaluate the timing and mode of PRM removal in a heterologous ICSI system using hamster ova injected with human sperm. Localization of human PRM 1 and 2 in hybrid zygotes was established using immunofluorescence. We observed a marked zygote to zygote variability in male pronuclei size for any time point post ICSI and demonstrated that PRM removal correlates with the developing pronuclei area rather than time after injection. Overall, the disappearance of protamines from sperm is rather rapid and most likely completed within 1 hr. We propose that the critical characteristic influencing PRM removal after heterologous fertilization is the intrinsic heterogeneity of the human sperm population. The same yet unexplored variance may be one of the reasons for canceled, delayed or aberrant early embryonic development during natural or artificial fertilization in humans.
|
10.2174/092986611795713925
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pubmed_118_16712
|
OBJECTIVE
To discuss the effect of Glycyrrhiza uralensis (G. uralensis) Fisch polysaccharide on growth performance and immunologic function in mice in Ural City, Xinjiang and to provide important data supporting the application of Glycyrrhiza polysaccharide.
METHODS
A total of 100 Kunming mice aged 3 weeks old were randomly divided into 5 groups with 20 mice in each group (10 were females and 10 were males). About 0.5 mL normal saline was given to the mice of control group every day and 0.5 mL G. uralensis Fisch polysaccharide was given to the mice of other groups at the concentration of 1, 20, 50 and 100 mg/mL, respectively. The growth performance (average body weight, average daily feed intake and feed efficiency), immune organ indexes (spleen index and thymus index) and immunologic function (serum IL-2, CD4+/CD8+ and the activity of NK cells) of mice in each group were detected continuously.
RESULTS
The average body weight, feed efficiency, serum IL-2, CD4+/CD8+ and the activity of NK cells of mice were increased with the increase of administrated time after administrating G. uralensis Fisch polysaccharide and were reached up the largest level on Day 28. At the same time, each index was proportional to the given dose and was significantly higher than those of control group and reached up the largest level at the administrated dose of 100 mg/mL. After administrating G. uralensis Fisch polysaccharide, the spleen index and thymus index of mice were increased with the increase of administrated dose and the spleen index and thymus index of mice administrated with the dose of 100 mg/mL were maximum which was more than 1.51 times and 1.43 times of that in control group, respectively and the comparative differences showed statistical significance (P < 0.05). The average daily feed intake of mice in each group was increased with the passage of time and at the same time, the comparison of average daily feed intake of mice in each group was not significantly different (P > 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
G. uralensis Fisch polysaccharide can significantly improve the growth performance and immunologic function of mice and laid a research basis for the clinical application of G. uralensis Fisch polysaccharide.
|
10.1016/j.apjtm.2016.08.004
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pubmed_836_19487
|
Zopiclone, a relatively new nonbenzodiazepine short-acting hypnotic medication is prescribed frequently for insomnia. The authors report a case of zopiclone-induced acute interstitial nephritis in a young, otherwise healthy man. The patient presented with anuric acute renal failure requiring hemodialysis. Kidney biopsy results showed acute interstitial nephritis with a prominent eosinophilic infiltrate in the interstitium. He recovered his renal function after stopping the medication and receiving corticosteroids.
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pubmed_836_19487
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pubmed_192_14603
|
OBJECTIVES
Public health nurses (PHNs) have a significant role in engaging the voice and actions of school communities in promoting the health of children and youth. School nursing was one of the early 20th century public health nursing foci and specialties in Canada, however over several decades, there has been a gap in actualizing PHNs' full potential in schools. At the same time, intersectoral and interdisciplinary comprehensive school health (CSH) models have emerged as exemplars of partnerships between schools and communities to advance health promotion and ultimately chronic disease prevention with school populations (Pan-Canadian Joint Consortium for School Health, ; World Health Organization, ).
DESIGN AND MEASUREMENT
Using a participatory action research methodology we explored the role of PHNs in CSH, drawing on the concept of engagement in intersectoral healthy school teams.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS
The three themes that emerged from the data analysis were: facilitators of public health nursing engagement, barriers to public health nursing engagement, and the influences of community context on engagement. Overall, findings indicate that the PHN role in CSH must be developed and supported so that PHNs remain a vital link between school health communities, programs, and policies in the promotion of health.
|
10.1111/phn.12607
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pubmed_311_16024
|
This article presents current best knowledge to assess the projected outcomes benefit of adding multi-modality surveillance imaging to standard follow-up care for breast cancer patients at high risk (>30%) for developing future metastases. This analysis is motivated by recent preliminary clinical studies that have suggested that augmenting systemic treatment of early-stage metastases with targeted surgery and/or radiosurgery achieves significant overall survival and disease-free survival benefit. Our primary aims are to: (a) describe the clinical motivation and scan parameters needed to identify the early onset of metastatic progression in breast cancer patients for effective surgical or radiosurgical treatment; (b) estimate the anticipated survival benefit for high-risk patients under this recommended protocol; and (c) estimate the radiation risks associated with the repeated body imaging of this protocol.
|
10.1111/tbj.13153
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pubmed_1012_22490
|
For more than a decade, phage displayed combinatorial antibody libraries have been used to generate and select a wide variety of antibodies. We previously reported that the phage coat proteins pVII and pIX could be used to display the heterodimeric structure of the antibody Fv region. Herein, aspects of this technology were invoked and extended to construct a large, human single-chain Fv (scFv) library of 4.5 x 10(9) members displayed on pIX of filamentous bacteriophage. Furthermore, the diversity, quality, and utility of the library were demonstrated by the selection of scFv clones against six different protein antigens. Notably, more than 90% of the selected clones showed positive binding for their respective antigens after as few as three rounds of panning. Analyzed scFvs were also found to be of high affinity. For example, kinetic analysis (BIAcore) revealed that scFvs against staphylococcal enterotoxin B and cholera toxin B subunit had a nanomolar and subnanomolar dissociation constant, respectively, affording affinities comparable to, or exceeding that, of mAbs obtained from immunization. High specificity was also attained, not only between very distinct proteins, but also in the case of the Ricinus communis ("ricin") agglutinins (RCA(60) and RCA(120)), despite >80% sequence homology between the two. The results suggested that the performance of pIX-display libraries can potentially exceed that of the pIII-display format and make it ideally suited for panning a wide variety of target antigens.
|
10.1073/pnas.192467999
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pubmed_542_11804
|
Lawsuits seeking compensation for the suffering caused by tardive dyskinesia are becoming more common. Although most mental health professionals view the problem in the context of malpractice litigation, tardive dyskinesia is an example of a "mass accident," for which there are a number of judicially created remedies. These remedies include placing liability on manufacturers, asking society as a whole to bear the burden, and allowing patients with tardive dyskinesia to continue to carry the costs of their injuries. In attempting to influence policy in this area, psychiatrists should be sensitive to the implications of any policy for patient care.
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10.1176/ajp.142.7.806
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pubmed_226_11014
|
In the field of genome assembly, contig assembly is one of the most important parts. Contig assembly requires the processing of overlapping regions of a large number of DNA sequences and this calculation usually takes a lot of time. The time consumption of contig assembly algorithms is an important indicator to evaluate the degree of algorithm superiority. Existing methods for processing overlapping regions of sequences consume too much in terms of running time. Therefore, we propose a method SLDMS for processing sequence overlapping regions based on suffix array and monotonic stack, which can effectively improve the efficiency of sequence overlapping regions processing. The running time of the SLDMS is much less than that of Canu and Flye in dealing with the sequence overlap interval and in some data with most sequencing errors occur at both the ends of the sequencing data, the running time of the SLDMS is only about one-tenth of the other two methods.
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10.3389/fpls.2021.813036
|
pubmed_1018_8710
|
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) share clinical, neuropathological, and pathogenetic features. To investigate eventual mutual influences, we screened prominently affected neocortex from 110 neuropathologically proven CJD patients for Alzheimer-type pathology with anti-beta/A4, Bielschowsky and anti-tau (immuno)stains. The neuropathological classification of Alzheimer-type pathology was made according to the CERAD criteria. Results were controlled by comparison with Alzheimer-type changes in sections from the same cortical areas in 110 sex- and age-matched non-demented control patients. For comparison, the control patients were also classified according to the CERAD neuropathology criteria as if they had been demented. Alzheimer-type tissue changes as in definite and probable CERAD AD occur in 10.9% of the CJD patients and 19.1% of control patients (P=0.11). The median age of CJD and control patients with CERAD AD is 72 and 68 years, respectively, which differs significantly from the median ages of 64 and 63 years, respectively, in the non-AD/CJD and non-AD control patients. Since CERAD criteria include "presence of other neuropathological lesions likely to cause dementia", an AD diagnosis in CJD patients (all of whom are demented) is solely based on densities of neuritic plaques. Similar Alzheimer-type changes in even higher frequency, however, are also present in elderly non-demented controls. Thus, the coexistence of Alzheimer-type pathology in CJD most likely represents an age-related change. Deposits of prion protein (PrP) frequently accumulate at the periphery of beta/A4 plaques. The presence of beta/A4 amyloid in the brain may influence PrP morphogenesis.
|
10.1007/s004010050870
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pubmed_1027_16648
|
Since its emergence over a decade ago as a distinct theoretical framework, critical medical anthropology (CMA) has engaged in debate and dialogue with various other perspectives within medical anthropology, particularly clinical anthropology, medical ecology, and, to a lesser degree, postmodernism. While at least two genres of CMA have emerged, both of which are involved in a dialogue with each other, proponents of other perspectives often misread or "misconstruct" the agenda of CMA as both a theoretical framework and a strategy for health activism. This essay in particular critiques this process among proponents of the interpretative or cultural constructivist perspective. On a positive note, however, I urge critical medical anthropologists and cultural constructivists within medical anthropology to enter into a dialogue with each other because their two perspectives, despite the presence of obvious epistemological differences, share commonalities.
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10.1016/s0277-9536(96)00388-7
|
pubmed_939_11289
|
BACKGROUND
PromarkerD is a novel proteomics derived blood test for predicting diabetic kidney disease (DKD). The test is based on an algorithm that combines the measurement of three plasma protein biomarkers (CD5L, APOA4, and IBP3) with three clinical variables (age, HDL-cholesterol, and eGFR). The initial format of the assay used immunodepletion of plasma samples followed by targeted mass spectrometry (MRM-LCMS). The aim of this study was to convert the existing assay into an immunoaffinity approach compatible with higher throughput and robust clinical application.
METHODS
A newly optimised immunoaffinity-based assay was developed in a 96 well format with MRM measurements made using a low-flow LCMS method. The stability, reproducibility and precision of the assay was evaluated. A direct comparison between the immunoaffinity method and the original immunodepletion method was conducted on a 100-person cohort. Subsequently, an inter-lab study was performed of the optimised immunoaffinity method in two independent laboratories.
RESULTS
Processing of plasma samples was greatly simplified by switching to an immunoaffinity bead capture method, coupled to a faster and more robust microflow LCMS system. Processing time was reduced from seven to two days and the chromatography reduced from 90 to 8 min. Biomarker stability by temperature and time difference treatments passed acceptance criteria. Intra/Inter-day test reproducibility and precision were within 11% CV for all biomarkers. PromarkerD test results from the new immunoaffinity method demonstrated excellent correlation (R = 0.96) to the original immunodepletion method. The immunoaffinity assay was successfully transferred to a second laboratory (R = 0.98) demonstrating the robustness of the methodology and ease of method transfer.
CONCLUSIONS
An immunoaffinity capture targeted mass spectrometry assay was developed and optimised. It showed statistically comparable results to those obtained from the original immunodepletion method and was also able to provide comparable results when deployed to an independent laboratory. Taking a research grade assay and optimising to a clinical grade workflow provides insights into the future of multiplex biomarker measurement with an immunoaffinity mass spectrometry foundation. In the current format the PromarkerD immunoaffinity assay has the potential to make a significant impact on prediction of diabetic kidney disease with consequent benefit to patients.
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10.1186/s12014-020-09302-w
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pubmed_868_16681
|
In Brief Multiple staff members and departments have a responsibility for various aspects of nutrition therapy for glycemic management in the hospital setting. Implementation is initiated by physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician's assistants and planned and operationalized by registered dietitians. Meals are delivered by food service staff, and nurses monitor and integrate glycemic control components into patients' medical treatment plan. Although nutrition therapy is recognized as an important aspect of care in the hospital setting, it can also be challenging to appropriately coordinate meals with blood glucose monitoring and insulin administration. This article addresses current mealtime practices and recommendations to improve these processes in acute care.
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10.2337/diaspect.27.3.163
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pubmed_917_1012
|
The present article reviews and evaluates 20 studies of susceptibility to visual masking among individuals within the schizophrenia spectrum using a neurophysiological framework provided by a multichannel model of masking. Particular emphasis is placed upon methodological considerations within the context of the current experimental visual masking literature. While there is ample evidence to suggest that individuals within the schizophrenia spectrum frequently exhibit a backward masking deficit, very little can be understood about the specific nature of the deficit. To gain increased understanding of the specific nature of this deficit, researchers need to use some contemporary theory of masking and derive a theoretical design rationale that facilitates a priori predictions in addition to the more typical post hoc theorizing.
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10.1093/schbul/13.4.679
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pubmed_641_2646
|
Four cases of postmortem injuries caused by indoor pets (three by dogs and one by cats) are presented. A pattern which is associated with this phenomenon is described. The important common factors appear to be the presence of free-moving pets inside the house, social isolation of the deceased, and the victim having a predisposing condition causing sudden death.
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10.1097/00000433-199406000-00004
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pubmed_218_2579
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The biochemical mechanisms of anti-inflammatory effect of endocannabinoid congener N-stearoylethanolamine (NSE) was studied on the model of experimental burn in rats. The animals after the thermal burn of the skin received per os during 7 days the water suspension of NSE in a doze 10 mg/kg of body weight. In the other groups of rats the suspension was applied to the wound (the concentration of NSE was 10 mg/ml). It was shown for the first time that NSE accelerated the process of burn wound healing by the inhibition of proinflammatory cytokines (TNFalpha, IL-6) production. NSE caused the normalization of the iNOS and cNOS activity and of nitrite content in plasma, erythrocytes, liver and spleen of rats. NSE also modified the antioxidant enzymes (catalase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase) activity and diminished the level of lipid peroxidation. The discovered anti-inflammatory NSE properties suggest the possibility of its usage for burn treatment.
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pubmed_218_2579
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pubmed_545_17647
|
Acid oils (AO) and fatty acid distillates (FAD) are oil refining by-products rich in free fatty acids. The objective of this study is their characterization and the identification of their sources of variability so that they can be standardized to improve their use as feed ingredients. Samples (n=92) were collected from the Spanish market and the MIU value (sum of moisture, insoluble impurities, and unsaponifiable matter), lipid classes, fatty acid composition, and tocol content were analyzed. Their composition was highly variable even between batches from the same producer. As FAD originated from a distillation step, they showed higher free fatty acid amounts (82.5 vs 57.0 g/100 g, median values), whereas AO maintained higher proportions of moisture, polymers, tri-, di-, and monoacylglycerols. Overall, the MIU value was higher in AO (2.60-18.50 g/100 g in AO vs 0.63-10.44 g/100 g in FAD), with most of the contents of insoluble impurities being higher than those in the guidelines. Tocol and fatty acid composition were influenced by the crude oil's botanical origin. The calculated dietary energy values were, in general, higher for AO and decreased when a MIU correction factor was applied. The analytical control and standardization of these by-products is of the outmost importance to revalorize them as feed ingredients.
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10.3390/ani11010196
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pubmed_1109_19788
|
OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to investigate the effects of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) on the osteo/odontogenic differentiation of inflammatory dental pulp stem cells (iDPSCs).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
inflammatory DPSCs were isolated from the inflammatory pulps of rat incisors and cocultured with MTA-conditioned medium. MTT assay and flow cytometry were performed to evaluate the proliferation of iDPSCs. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, alizarin red staining, real-time RT-PCR, and Western blot assay were used to investigate the differentiation capacity as well as the involvement of NF-κB pathway in iDPSCs.
RESULTS
Mineral trioxide aggregate-treated iDPSCs demonstrated the higher ALP activity and formed more mineralized nodules than the untreated group. The odonto/osteoblastic markers (Alp, Runx2/RUNX2, Osx/OSX, Ocn/OCN, and Dspp/DSP, respectively) in MTA-treated iDPSCs were significantly upregulated as compared with untreated iDPSCs. Mechanistically, cytoplastic phos-P65 and nuclear P65 in MTA-treated iDPSCs were significantly increased in a time-dependent manner. Moreover, the inhibition of NF-κB pathway suppressed the MTA-induced odonto/osteoblastic differentiation of iDPSCs, as indicated by decreased ALP levels, weakened mineralization capacity and downregulated levels of odonto/osteoblastic genes (Osx, Ocn, and Dspp).
CONCLUSIONS
Mineral trioxide aggregate enhances the odonto/osteogenic capacity of DPSCs from inflammatory sites via activating the NF-κB pathway.
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10.1111/odi.12183
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pubmed_332_15660
|
Median age at diagnosis in patients with glioblastoma (GB) is slowly increasing with an aging population in Western countries, and was 64years in 2006. The number of patients age 65 and older with GB will double in 2030 compared with 2000. Survival in this older cohort of patients is significantly less than seen in younger patients. This may in part be related to more aggressive biology of tumor, reduced use of standard management approaches, increased toxicity of available therapies, and increased presence of comorbidities in this older patient population. Limited data do support the use of more extensive resection in these patients. Randomized data support the use of post-operative radiotherapy (RT) versus supportive care, but do not demonstrate a benefit for the use of the standard 6weeks course of RT over hypofractionated RT given over 3weeks. Preliminary data of randomized studies raise the possibility of temozolomide alone as an option for these patients. The use of 6weeks of RT with concurrent and adjuvant temozolomide has been associated with reasonably good survival in several uncontrolled small series of selected older patients; however, this better outcome may be related to the selection of better prognosis patients rather than the specific therapy utilized. The current National Cancer Institute of Canada (NCIC) and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) CE.6/26062/22061 randomized study of short course RT with or without concurrent and adjuvant temozolomide will help determine the optimal therapy for this older cohort with currently available therapies.
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pubmed_332_15660
|
pubmed_906_14702
|
We studied the sensitivity against heavy ion beam and hyperthermia on radioresistant procaryote, Deinococcus radiodurans, for the purpose of cancer therapy. First, we examined the decrease of the survival rate and molecular weight of DNA purified from this cell by acid heat treatment. These decreases were recognized by heating at 55 degrees C below pH 5.0. Then, we assumed that the decrease in survival of D. radiodurans in vivo and damage to its DNA in vitro by acid heating were due to the release of purine rings from the phosphodiester backbone of DNA molecules, i.e., depurination. Second, we investigated the relation between LET (linear energy transfer) and RBE (relative biological effectiveness) on D. radiodurans dry and wet cells using AVF cyclotron at the TIARA facility of JAERI-Takasaki, Japan. These cells were irradiated with carbon (12C5+) ion beam at LET of about 100 keV/microm, neon (20Ne8+) ion beam at LET of about 300 keV/microm and oxygen (16O6+) ion beam at LET of about 400 keV/microm. The peak in the figure of the relation between LET and RBE value was found to increase according to the increase of LET value from 100 keV/microm. Third, we conducted combination treatment with 4.8 kGy of alpha-particles, i.e., boron 10 neutron captured beam induced by Kyoto University Research Nuclear Reactor operated at 5 MW, and hyperthermia at 52 degrees C, which caused the synergistic killing effect on D. radiodurans wet cells. However, being dissimilar to the case of gamma-irradiation, the interval incubation at 30 degrees C in the medium between both treatments could inhibit the recovery of survival.
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pubmed_906_14702
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pubmed_875_22697
|
Two fermented cheese wheys (FCW), FCW1 composed of lactic, acetic and butyric acids in the proportion of 58/16/26 (% CODOrganic Acid (OA)) and FCW2 composed of acetic, propionic, butyric, lactic and valeric acids in the proportion of 58/19/13/6/4 (% CODOA) were used to produce polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) by using a pre-selected mixed microbial culture (MMC). PHA accumulation gave for fermented FCW1 a PHA yield (Ytot) of 0.24±0.02mgCODPHAmgCODSolubleSubstrate(SS)(-1) and a total PHA production, referred to the substrate used, of 60gPHAkgcheesewheyTotalSolids(TS)(-1). For fermented FCW2 results were: PHA yield (Ytot) of 0.42±0.03mgCODPHAmgCODSS(-1) and PHA from a substrate of 70gPHAkgcheesewheyTS(-1). Qualitatively, PHAs from FCW1 was made up exclusively of 3-hydroxybutyrate (HB), while those obtained from FCW2 were composed of 40% of 3-hydroxyvalerate (HV) and 60% of HB.
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pubmed_875_22697
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pubmed_387_10423
|
Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) remains the major problem in allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. GVHD has limited the use of this technique to HLA-matched donor recipient pairs. Thus, only a quarter of patients who ultimately may have benefited from bone marrow transplantation are currently eligible. Even in matched patient recipient pairs, GVHD accounts for approximately 40% of the deaths following allogeneic bone marrow transplants. One of the major challenges for transplantation is to derive better strategies to prevent and treat GVHD while retaining the allogeneic benefit of graft-versus-leukemia. Current pharmacologic approaches have used cyclosporine, usually in combination with other drugs. More experimental approaches have removed lymphocytes from the marrow grafts. With either approach, maintaining the anti-leukemic benefit of an allogeneic transplant (i.e., immunologic attack of the leukemia resulting in a lower relapse rate), will need to be maintained if that approach will ultimately prove to be useful.
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10.1097/00005792-198805000-00003
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pubmed_270_13246
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This cross-sectional study surveyed a random sample of 129 nurse educators teaching in 61 U.S. schools of nursing. After the educators indicated their desire to participate, the survey instrument was e-mailed to them for completion; a 37.6% response rate was obtained. Demographically, the typical respondent was a healthy, 52-year-old, Caucasian female with a PhD in nursing. Outcomes reflected that respondents' mean anticipated age of retirement was 64.4; however, the optimal age of retirement desired by respondents was younger (62.4). The most influential factor affecting the timing of retirement was financial status. Workplace issues, personal and family health, and attitudes about retirement were other factors that affected participants' retirement decisions. The study findings indicate that nurse educators, as a group, do not plan to work beyond age 65.
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10.3928/01484834-20060901-04
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pubmed_1048_8143
|
Toxicology testing in addiction medicine varies across the spectrum, yet remains a powerful tool in monitoring addictive patients. There are many reference laboratories offering toxicology testing, and physicians should have some understanding of laboratory, methodology, testing portfolio, and customer support structure to aid them in selecting the best toxicology laboratory for their patients. Consultation with a clinical pathologist/toxicologist in conjunction with the consideration of monitoring large numbers of illicit and psychoactive drugs in the addictive patient may provide important clinical information for their treatment.
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10.1016/j.cll.2016.07.009
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pubmed_343_2393
|
Microalgae biorefinery systems have been extensively studied from the perspective of resources, energy expenditure, biofuel production potential, and high-added value products. The genus Spirulina (Arthrospira) stands out among the microalgae of commercial importance. It accounts for over 30% of biomass produced globally because of high protein concentration and, carotenoid and phycocyanin content. Spirulina cultivation can be used to reduce greenhouse gases and for effluent treatment. Furthermore, its cellular morphology facilitates biomass recovery, which contributes to the process cost reduction. Spirulina biomass is widely applicable in food, feed, cosmetics, biofertilizers, biofuels, and biomaterials. A feasibility analysis of Spirulina biorefinery would provide specific information for the decision-making for the improvement of the Spirulina production process. In that context, this review aimed to present a parameter assessment to contribute to the economic viability of Spirulina production in a biorefinery system.
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10.1016/j.biortech.2019.121946
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pubmed_373_6552
|
The techniques that improve the overall repeatability of computer interpretation of electrocardiograms (ECGs) that have been recorded several minutes apart from patients in a clinically stable condition are described. Estimates of the normal amounts of variability present in many ECG parameters that are used in the identification of a variety of cardiac abnormalities have been adopted in conjunction with smoothing techniques to form the basis of the new methodology. When applied to the Glasgow ECG analysis program, these new methods improve overall repeatability by about 31% when tested on a set of 263 pairs of ECGs. Randomly generated noise was added to the test set and an additional technique aimed at removing noise from the ECG tracings was used in conjunction with the smoothing methods. The observed improvement over the original repeatability was 63%.
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10.1016/s0022-0736(96)80018-5
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pubmed_439_11300
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Alzheimer's disease is a multifactorial disease that exhibits cognitive deficits, neuronal loss, amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles and neuroinflammation in the brain. Hence, a multi-target drug would improve treatment efficacy. We applied a new multi-scale predictive modeling framework that integrates machine learning with biophysics and systems pharmacology to screen drugs for Alzheimer's disease using patient's tissue samples. Our predictive modeling framework identified ibudilast as a drug with repurposing potential to treat Alzheimer's disease. Ibudilast is a multi-target drug, as it is a phosphodiesterase inhibitor and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) antagonist. In addition, we predict that ibudilast inhibits off-target kinases (e.g. IRAK1 and GSG2). In Japan and other Asian countries, ibudilast is approved for treating asthma and stroke due to its anti-inflammatory potential. Based on these previous studies and on our predictions, we tested for the first time the efficacy of ibudilast in Fisher transgenic 344-AD rats. This transgenic rat model is unique as it exhibits hippocampal-dependent spatial learning and memory deficits, and Alzheimer's disease pathology including hippocampal amyloid plaques, tau paired-helical filaments, neuronal loss and microgliosis, in a progressive age-dependent manner that mimics the pathology observed in Alzheimer's disease patients. Following long-term treatment with ibudilast, transgenic rats were evaluated at 11 months of age for spatial memory performance and Alzheimer's disease pathology. We demonstrate that ibudilast-treatment of transgenic rats mitigated hippocampal-dependent spatial memory deficits, as well as hippocampal (hilar subregion) amyloid plaque and tau paired-helical filament load, and microgliosis compared to untreated transgenic rat. Neuronal density analyzed across all hippocampal regions was similar in ibudilast-treated transgenic compared to untreated transgenic rats. Interestingly, RNA sequencing analysis of hippocampal tissue showed that ibudilast-treatment affects gene expression levels of the TLR and ubiquitin/proteasome pathways differentially in male and female transgenic rats. Based on the TLR4 signaling pathway, our RNAsequencing data suggest that ibudilast-treatment inhibits IRAK1 activity by increasing expression of its negative regulator IRAK3, and/or by altering TRAF6 and other TLR-related ubiquitin ligase and conjugase levels. Our results support that ibudilast can serve as a repurposed drug that targets multiple pathways including TLR signaling and the ubiquitin/proteasome pathway to reduce cognitive deficits and pathology relevant to Alzheimer's disease.
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10.1093/brain/awac136
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pubmed_201_2248
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The study was conducted to evaluate the relationship between the blood lactic acid (BLA) level, serum procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP) and the severity and prognosis of neonatal sepsis. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 90 children with sepsis admitted into the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Hubei Institute for Nationalities Af liated Hospital hospital. Patients were divided into the non-survival group and the survival group. Severity of the 90 patients was evaluated according to Neonatal Critical Illness Score (NCIS). Observations were made on changes of the levels of BLA, PCT and CRP, correlation between BLA, PCT, CRP and NCIS as well as the association of the levels of these proteins with the prognosis of the patients. The 90 sick children were divided into the survival group (61 cases, 67.7%) and the non-survival group (29 cases, 32.2%). They were further stratified into the extremely severe group (n=20), severe group (n=39) and non-severe group (n=31) according to NCIS scoring standard. The BLA and NCIS scores of the non-survival group were significantly greater than those of the survival group. The difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). We found that there was a significant negative correlation between the BLA values and NCIS scores of the two groups. We also demonstrated significant positive correlation between the BLA value, PCT and CR (P<0.05). We observed a significant negative correlation between PCT, CRP and NCIS scores (P<0.05). The PCT level of the non-survival group was significantly higher than that of the survival group (P<0.05), while the NCIS score was significantly lower than that of the survival group (P<0.05). The CRP and PCT protein expression results of the sepsis patients were higher than those of the control group. Therefore, there is a significant correlation between BLA, CRP, PCT and NCIS. The lower the NCIS score is, the more significant the increase of BLA, PCT and CRP. Thus, the combined detection of levels of BLA, PCT and CRP may predict the severity of neonatal sepsis patients and their prognosis.
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10.3892/etm.2017.4713
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pubmed_162_4271
|
Long noncoding RNA HOTTIP plays important roles in the generation and progression of human cancers. Exosomes participate in cellular communication by transmitting moleculars between cells and are regarded as suitable candidates for non-invasive diagnosis. However, the existence of HOTTIP in the circulating exosomes and the potential roles of exosomal HOTTIP in gastric cancer (GC) was poorly understood. This study aims at investigating the clinical roles of exosomal HOTTIP in GC. Serum exosomal HOTTIP from 246 subjects (126 GC patients and 120 healthy people) were detected by reverse transcription real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Our results showed that expression levels of exosomal HOTTIP were typically upregulated in GC than in normal control (P < 0.001). And its expression levels were significantly correlated with invasion depth (P = 0.0298) and TNM stage (P < 0.001). The AUC for exosomal HOTTIP was 0.827, which demonstrated a higher diagnostic capability than CEA, CA 19-9 and CA72-4 (AUC = 0.653, 0.685 and 0.639, respectively) (P < 0.001). The Kaplan-Meier analysis showed a correlation between increased exosomal HOTTIP levels and poor overall survival (OS) (logrank P < 0.001). And univariate and multivariate COX analysis revealed exosomal HOTTIP overexpression was an independent prognostic factor in GC patients (P = 0.027). These findings demonstrated that exosomal HOTTIP may be a potential biomarker for GC in diagnosis and prognosis.
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10.1186/s12943-018-0817-x
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pubmed_930_9996
|
A retrospective evaluation of 500 routine abdominal computed tomography scans revealed 21 cases of ischiorectal fossa disease in 16 patients. Pathologic processes included involvement by primary and secondary neoplasms, usually of gynecologic origin; rectal prolapse; and abscess. These abnormalities can be missed if the ischiorectal fossae are not included in routine abdominal scans. The anatomy of the ischiorectal fossae and their relationship to other pelvic organs are well demonstrated with high-resolution computed tomography scans as well as by magnetic resonance imaging.
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10.1016/0149-936x(85)90028-1
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pubmed_1015_11650
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Intravitreal injection of L-ornithine hydrochloride in physiologic saline solution caused marked edema specifically in the pigment epithelium of Sprague-Dawley strain albino and Evans black hooded rats and rhesus and cynomologus monkeys. Swelling of the pigment epithelial cells, which was most prominent four hours after the injection, disappeared by 24 hours. However, many pigment epithelial cells gradually degenerated resulting in patches of denuded areas. The photoreceptor cells overlying the damaged pigment epithelium degenerated secondarily.
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10.1016/s0161-6420(81)35027-1
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pubmed_6_11444
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Clinical isolates of Candida yeast are the most common cause of opportunistic fungal infections resistant to certain antifungal drugs. Therefore, it is necessary to detect more effective antifungal agents that would be successful in overcoming such infections. Among them are some herbal products and their active constituents.The purpose of this review is to summarize the current state of knowledge onherbal products and their active constituents havingantifungal activity against drug-resistant Candida sp. used alone and in combination with antifungal drugs.The possible mechanisms of their action on drug-resistant Candida sp. including (1) inhibition of budding yeast transformation into hyphae; (2) inhibition of biofilm formation; (3) inhibition of cell wall or cytoplasmic membrane biosynthesis; (4) ROS production; and (5) over-expression of membrane transporters will be also described.
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10.3390/antibiotics10060655
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pubmed_974_20381
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Borrelia burgdorferi, the agent of Lyme disease, is maintained in nature within an enzootic cycle involving a mammalian reservoir and an Ixodes sp. tick vector. The transmission, survival and pathogenic potential of B. burgdorferi depend on the bacterium's ability to modulate its transcriptome as it transits between vector and reservoir host. Herein, we employed an amplification-microarray approach to define the B. burgdorferi transcriptomes in fed larvae, fed nymphs and in mammalian host-adapted organisms cultivated in dialysis membrane chambers. The results show clearly that spirochetes exhibit unique expression profiles during each tick stage and during cultivation within the mammal; importantly, none of these profiles resembles that exhibited by in vitro grown organisms. Profound shifts in transcript levels were observed for genes encoding known or predicted lipoproteins as well as proteins involved in nutrient uptake, carbon utilization and lipid synthesis. Stage-specific expression patterns of chemotaxis-associated genes also were noted, suggesting that the composition and interactivities of the chemotaxis machinery components vary considerably in the feeding tick and mammal. The results as a whole make clear that environmental sensing by B. burgdorferi directly or indirectly drives an extensive and tightly integrated modulation of cell envelope constituents, chemotaxis/motility machinery, intermediary metabolism and cellular physiology. These findings provide the necessary transcriptional framework for delineating B. burgdorferi regulatory pathways throughout the enzootic cycle as well as defining the contribution(s) of individual genes to spirochete survival in nature and virulence in humans.
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10.1111/mmi.12882
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pubmed_213_14869
|
Sizofiran (SPG), antitumor glucan isolated from Shizophyllum commune Fries was examined for its effect on the lymphoid cell functions related to production of cytokines or responses to these cytokines. Lymphoid cells were isolated from mice injected intramuscularly with SPG and then examined for responses to the cytokines, interleukin (IL)-1, IL-2 or IL-3 or the production of these cytokines in response to the stimuli of mitogens, and the following results were obtained. (1) The thymocytes isolated from the SPG-treated mice proliferated in response to stimulation by IL-1 in combination with concanavalin A (ConA) to a much greater degree than was the case with control mice. (2) When the spleen cells isolated from the mice were cultured with IL-2 or IL-3, augmented proliferative response was observed in either case. (3) Peritoneal macrophages, when stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), produced IL-1 to the levels much higher than those of control mice. (4) When the spleen cells were cultured with ConA, augmented production of IL-2 and IL-3 were also observed. (5) In addition, we found that activity stimulating the bone marrow cells in vitro culture was reproducibly detected in the serum of mice 20 h after injection with SPG. Overall, these results indicate that SPG injected into mice has the ability to produce the bone marrow stimulating factor(s) in the serum early after injection and stimulate lymphoid cells to become much more responsive to various stimuli such as lectins or cytokines.
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10.1248/bpb1978.12.616
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pubmed_230_16976
|
The transition from vegetative to reproductive growth is a major phase change in angiosperms. In annual plants such as Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis), this change is irreversible, and as such, the regulation of its timing must be tightly controlled. Plant hormone (phytohormone) signalling is known to regulate suites of morphogenic processes in Arabidopsis a role in flowering-time control is starting to emerge as one key-controlling step. This review focuses on experimental evidence in the Arabidopsis that both classical and newly described phytohormones serve within the signal network leading to a reproductive phase transition, as both positive and repressive elements, depending on the phytohormone and growth conditions. Examples of genetic and pharmacological experiments that implicate phytohormones as components of the floral-timing syndrome will be described. I hope that this review will serve as a primer for future research on the mechanisms of action for each respective phytohormone on the floral transition in Arabidopsis, and lead to further experimentation on the crosstalk that likely bridges between them.
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10.1111/j.1365-3040.2009.01968.x
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pubmed_632_5598
|
Semen evaluation of the male dog is a critical step in any canine infertility work-up. Assessment of total sperm count, sperm viability, and sperm morphology are the mainstay of breeding soundness evaluation. Adjunct tests, such as ultrasonography and serum hormone levels, can aid in diagnosis. Pharmacologic treatments, dietary supplements, and management practices may help improve breeding success in subfertile dogs. This article discusses a clinically practical approach to assessing sperm abnormalities and fertility in male dogs.
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10.1016/j.cvsm.2018.02.003
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pubmed_390_9807
|
Normally, intracarpal stability is due to the carpal ligaments as well as to the "spatial coherence" of the carpal bones. "Destabilization" may be due to ligamentous attenuation when sprains and dislocations occur. This will lead to "dynamic instability" in extreme movements of the wrist or to malalignments in the case of long-standing dislocations. The scapholunar, triquetral or midcarpal ligamentous structures may be involved. The loss of spatial coherence by modifications in the form or in the volume of the carpal bones may lead to "compensatory carpal re- or malalignments".
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10.1016/s0753-9053(84)80006-x
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pubmed_389_21798
|
Nanostructured titanium dioxide (TiO2) has been intensively investigated as a material of choice for solar energy conversion in photocatalytic, photoelectrochemical, photovoltaic, and other photosensitized devices for converting light into chemical feedstocks or electricity. Towards management of light absorption in TiO2, while the nanotubular structure improves light absorption and simultaneous charge transfer to mitigate problems due to the indirect bandgap of the semiconductor, typically dopants are used to improve light absorption of incident solar irradiation in the wide bandgap of TiO2. While these dopants can be critical to the success of these solar energy conversion devices, their effect on photophysical and photoelectrochemical properties and detailed photokinetics are relatively under-studied. Here, we show the effect of deep and shallow metal dopants on the kinetics of photogenerated charged carriers in TiO2 and the resulting effect on photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical processes using these nanotube membranes. We performed a detailed optical, electronic, voltammetry and electrochemical impedance study to understand the effect of shallow and deep metal dopants (using undoped and niobium- and copper-doped TiO2 nanotubes) on light absorption, charge transport and charge transfer processes. Using wireless photocatalytic methylene blue degradation and carbon dioxide reduction, and wired photoelectrochemical device measurements, we elucidate the effect of different dopants on solar-to-fuel conversion efficiency and simultaneously describe the photokinetics using a model, to help design better energy conversion devices.
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10.1039/c7cp00774d
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pubmed_861_2381
|
PURPOSE
To analyze the growth trends in ophthalmic education in Iran since 1979, and to discuss their implications on the profession.
METHODS
This comprehensive national study was performed by the Academy of Medical Sciences of I.R. Iran. The data were gathered from the Specialty Training Council of the Ministry of Health and from the Medical Council of Iran.
RESULTS
Our analysis revealed ten important current growth trends and seven future trends and implications. Between 1979-80 and 2015-16, the number of residents annually admitted to ophthalmology increased from 21 to 84 and related fellowships and from 0 to 34. The number of ophthalmologists graduating in the country increased from 21 (45%) in 1979 to 69 (98%) in 2015. The ratio of ophthalmologists per 100,000 people averaged 1.91 in 1979 and 3.00 in 2016. Considering migrant and retired ophthalmologists, there are approximately 2400 active ophthalmologists in Iran. In 1979, there was one active ophthalmologist per 52,112 people; in 2014, there was one per 33,333 people. This represents a per capita increase of 57%. Since 1979, the number of active ophthalmologists has increased by 234%. The number of active women ophthalmologists has increased by more than 600%, from 65 (9%) in 1979 to 470 (20%) in 2016.
CONCLUSION
Equitable geographic distribution and balanced combination of ophthalmologists (women/men and specialists/fellowships) are necessary to optimize community eye health. We propose further studies on the effects of fellowship training growth and work patterns of female and male ophthalmologists.
|
10.4103/jovr.jovr_24_18
|
pubmed_970_15165
|
BACKGROUND
Maternal HIV coinfection is a key factor for mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HCV. However, data about HCV MTCT in HIV/HCV-coinfected pregnant women on combined antiretroviral treatment (ART) are scarce. This study assessed the HCV MTCT rate in the Madrid Cohort of HIV-infected women.
METHODS
Retrospective study within the Madrid Cohort of HIV-infected pregnant women (2000-2012). Epidemiological, clinical and treatment related variables were analysed for the mother and infant pairs. HCV MTCT rate was determined.
RESULTS
Three hundred thirty-nine HIV/HCV-coinfected women and their exposed infants were recorded. A total of 227 (67%) paired mother-children had available data of HCV follow-up and were included for the analysis. Sixteen children (rate 7.0%, 95%CI 3.7-10.4%) were HCV infected by 18 months of age, none of them coinfected with HIV. HIV/HCV-coinfected pregnant women were mostly of Spanish origin with a background of previous injection drug use. HCV-genotype 1 was predominant. The characteristics of mothers that transmitted HCV were similar to those that did not transmit HCV with respect to sociodemographic and clinical features. A high rate (50%) of preterm deliveries was observed. Infants infected with HCV were similar at birth in weight, length and head circumference than those uninfected.
CONCLUSION
MTCT rates of HCV among HIV/HCV-coinfected women on ART within the Madrid cohort were lower than previously described. However, rates are still significant and strategies to eliminate any HCV transmission from mother to child are needed.
|
10.1371/journal.pone.0230109
|
pubmed_1030_23914
|
BACKGROUND
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), characterized by impaired sensory processing, has a wide range of clinical heterogeneity, which handicaps effective therapeutic interventions. Therefore, it is imperative to develop potential mechanisms for delineating clinically meaningful subgroups, so as to provide individualised medical treatment. In this study, an attempt is being made to differentiate the hyper-responsive subgroup from ASD by analysing the complexity pattern of Visual Evoked Potentials (VEPs), recorded from a group of 30 ASD participants, in the presence of vertical achromatic sinewave gratings at varying contrast conditions of low (5%), medium (50%) and high (90%).
METHOD
This study proposes a new diagnostic framework incorporating a novel signal decomposition method termed as Modified Variational Mode Extraction (MVME) and a multiscale entropy approach. MVME segments the signal into five constituent modes with less spectral overlap in lower frequencies. Refined Composite Multiscale Fluctuation-based Dispersion entropy (RCMFDE) is extracted from these constituent modes, thereby facilitating the identification of hyper-responsive subgroup in ASD.
RESULTS
When tested on both simulated and real VEPs, MVME displays appreciable performance in terms of root mean square error and minimal spectral overlap in the lower frequencies, in comparison with the other state-of-the-art techniques. Relative Complexity analysis with RCMFDE exhibits a rising trend in 43%-50% of ASD in modes 1, 2, 3 and 4.
CONCLUSION
The proposed MVME-RCMFDE approach is efficient in discriminating the hyper-responsive subgroup in ASD in multiple modes namely mode 1, 2, 3 and 4, which correspond to delta, theta, alpha and beta frequency bands of brain signals.
|
10.1016/j.compbiomed.2022.105958
|
pubmed_421_22698
|
BACKGROUND
To investigate how screen time and physical activity behavior were associated with spinal pain in pre-adolescence.
METHODS
This study included 45,555 pre-adolescents who participated in the 11-year follow-up of the Danish National Birth Cohort. The 11-year follow-up included self-reported information on computer and TV behavior, aspects of physical activity, as well as frequency and intensity of spinal pain (neck-, mid back- and low back pain). Data were linked with parental socioeconomic data from Statistics Denmark registers. Associations were estimated using multinomial logistic regression models. To account for sample selection, we applied inverse probability weighting.
RESULTS
Duration of screen time was stepwise associated with the degree of spinal pain. Compared with those spending < 2 h/day in front of a screen, screen time of ≥6 h/day was associated with a substantially increased relative risk ratio (RRR) of severe pain for both girls (RRR: 2.49, 95% CI: 2.13-2.92) and boys (RRR: 1.95, 95% CI: 1.65-2.32). Being physical inactive was likewise associated with higher likelihood of severe spinal pain (RRR: 1.22, 95% CI: 1.10-1.34) relative to those being moderately active. We observed that being physically active was seemingly associated with lower risk of spinal pain among boys with high frequency of screen time.
CONCLUSION
Findings indicate that both duration of screen time and physical inactivity are correlated with spinal pain in pre-adolescents with the strongest associations for screen time. Reducing screen time or increasing physical activity might help preventing spinal pain in pre-adolescents, particularly among high frequent screen users. Future prospective studies investigating the causal relationship are necessary.
|
10.1186/s12891-021-04263-z
|
pubmed_1065_15954
|
An analogue 2 of coenzyme A (CoA) has been prepared in which the geminal methyl groups are replaced with hydrogens. An NMR titration study was conducted and shifts in frequency of protons in the pantetheine portion of the molecule upon titration of the adenine base were observed as has been previously reported with CoA. These studies indicate that the geminal dimethyl groups are not essential for adoption of a partially folded conformation in solution. Based on 1H-1H coupling constants, the distribution of conformations about the carbon-carbon bonds in the region of the methyl deletion were estimated. The results suggest that the conformer distribution is similar to that of CoA, but with small increases in population of the anti conformers. A simple model compound containing the didemethyl pantoamide moiety was prepared and subjected to similar conformational analysis. The coupling constants and predicted conformer distribution were almost identical to that of the CoA analogue, indicating that the conformer distribution is controlled by local interactions and not influenced by interactions between distant parts of the CoA molecule. The acetyl derivative of 2 was a fairly good substrate for the acetyl-CoA utilizing enzymes carnitine acetyltransferase, chloramphenicol acetyltransferase, and citrate synthase, with 1.3- to 10-fold increased Km values and 2.5- to 11-fold decreases in Vmax. The combined results indicate that the geminal dimethyl groups of CoA have modest effects on function and minimal effects on conformation.
|
10.1016/s0968-0896(00)00189-9
|
pubmed_346_11020
|
A total of 27 dyes and related chemicals were tested for mutagenicity in both the Salmonella typhimurium plate-incorporation and FMN-modified assays as well as the mouse lymphoma TK+/- assay. Half of the compounds tested were monoazo dyes (14); the remainder consisted of disazo (3), aminotriphenylmethane derivatives (4), and other miscellaneous (6) color compounds. The results obtained in this study are compared with data from dyes of the same batch tested in other laboratories in the Salmonella plate-incorporation assay and in both in vitro and in vivo/in vitro UDS assays. Agreement of results from the various assays that could be compared (excluding results that were equivocal or indeterminate) ranged from 80 to 91%. Sufficient data were available to provide an overall index of in vitro activity for 15 chemicals; of these, 14 compounds could be compared to and agreed with reports of their carcinogenic potential in the literature.
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10.1016/0165-1218(87)90056-5
|
pubmed_1046_10774
|
BACKGROUND
Despite its high prevalence, migraine remains underdiagnosed and undertreated. ID-Migraine is a short, self-administrated questionnaire, originally developed in English by Lipton et al. and later validated in several languages. Our goal was to validate the Hungarian version of the ID-Migraine Questionnaire.
METHODS
Patients visiting two headache specialty services were enrolled. Diagnoses were made by headache specialists according to the ICHD-3beta diagnostic criteria. There were 309 clinically diagnosed migraineurs among the 380 patients. Among the 309 migraineurs, 190 patients had only migraine, and 119 patients had other headache beside migraine, namely: 111 patients had tension type headache, 3 patients had cluster headache, 4 patients had medication overuse headache and one patient had headache associated with sexual activity also. Among the 380 patients, 257 had only a single type headache whereas 123 patients had multiple types of headache. Test-retest reliability of the ID-Migraine Questionnaire was studied in 40 patients.
RESULTS
The validity features of the Hungarian version of the ID-Migraine questionnaire were the following: sensitivity 0.95 (95% CI, 0.92-0.97), specificity 0.42 (95% CI, 0.31-0.55), positive predictive value 0.88 (95% CI, 0.84-0.91), negative predictive value 0.65 (95% CI, 0.5-0.78), missclassification error 0.15 (95% CI, 0.12-0.19). The kappa coefficient of the questionnaire was 0.77.
CONCLUSION
The Hungarian version of the ID-Migraine Questionnaire had adequate sensitivity, positive predictive value and misclassification error, but a low specificity and somewhat low negative predictive value.
|
10.1186/s10194-018-0938-z
|
pubmed_190_3243
|
Metabolic acidosis has seldom been reported during treatment of asthma with use of beta agonist but not with much clinical consequence. We report two cases of metabolic acidosis with hyperventilation as a direct effect of salbutamol that caused difficulty in assessment and management of their respiratory symptoms which resolved with appropriate tapering of beta agonist.
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10.1016/j.mjafi.2011.10.002
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pubmed_1045_7021
|
We find all the exact eigenstates and eigenvalues of a spin-1/2 model on square lattice: H=16g Sum S(y)(i)S(x)(i + empty set x)S(y)(i + empty set x + empty set y)S(x)(i + empty set y). We show that the ground states for g < 0 and g > 0 have different quantum orders described by Z2A and Z2B projective symmetry groups. The phase transition at g = 0 represents a new kind of phase transition that changes quantum orders but not symmetry. Both the Z2A and Z2B states contain Z2 lattice gauge theories at low energies. They have robust topologically degenerate ground states and gapless edge excitations.
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10.1103/PhysRevLett.90.016803
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pubmed_236_10829
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The in vitro vasorelaxant and in vivo cardiovascular effects of synthetic S-nitrosothiols (RSNOs) were compared to standard nitrovasodilators. S-Nitroso-glutathione (GSNO), S-nitroso-N-acetylcysteine (NACysNO), S-nitroso-galactopyranose (GPSNO), S-nitroso-thioglycerol (TGSNO) and S-nitroso-homocysteine (HCysNO) relaxed phenylephrine (PE) contracted rabbit aorta at 50% effective concentrations (EC50s) of 3-46 nM. While nitroglycerin (GTN) exhibited in vitro tolerance after preincubation, the RSNOs were considerably less cross tolerant to GTN. In conscious dogs, GSNO, NACysNO and GPSNO (1-20 mcg/kg/min i.v.) paralleled nitroprusside (SNP) in reducing mean arterial and central venous pressure (MAP; CVP) with mild tachycardia. GSNO, NACysNO and SNP were more hypotensive and more resistant to isosorbide dinitrate (ISDN) cross tolerance than GTN. NACysNO showed mild self tolerance with low infusion (2.5 mcg/kg/min x 4h x 3 days) and blunted GTN's hypotension. These studies demonstrate that GSNO and NACysNO are SNP-like vasodilators in conscious dogs, which exhibit less cross tolerance to ISDN than GTN. Further, RSNOs relax vascular smooth muscle seemingly independent of nitric oxide (NO) liberation, and nitrate tolerance may involve reduced RSNO formation or NO release rather than desensitized guanylate cyclase (GC).
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pubmed_236_10829
|
pubmed_13_6217
|
Gas permeation through nanoscale pores is ubiquitous in nature and has an important role in many technologies1,2. Because the pore size is typically smaller than the mean free path of gas molecules, the flow of the gas molecules is conventionally described by Knudsen theory, which assumes diffuse reflection (random-angle scattering) at confining walls3-7. This assumption holds surprisingly well in experiments, with only a few cases of partially specular (mirror-like) reflection known5,8-11. Here we report gas transport through ångström-scale channels with atomically flat walls12,13 and show that surface scattering can be either diffuse or specular, depending on the fine details of the atomic landscape of the surface, and that quantum effects contribute to the specularity at room temperature. The channels, made from graphene or boron nitride, allow helium gas flow that is orders of magnitude faster than expected from theory. This is explained by specular surface scattering, which leads to ballistic transport and frictionless gas flow. Similar channels, but with molybdenum disulfide walls, exhibit much slower permeation that remains well described by Knudsen diffusion. We attribute the difference to the larger atomic corrugations at molybdenum disulfide surfaces, which are similar in height to the size of the atoms being transported and their de Broglie wavelength. The importance of this matter-wave contribution is corroborated by the observation of a reversed isotope effect, whereby the mass flow of hydrogen is notably higher than that of deuterium, in contrast to the relation expected for classical flows. Our results provide insights into the atomistic details of molecular permeation, which previously could be accessed only in simulations10,14, and demonstrate the possibility of studying gas transport under controlled confinement comparable in size to the quantum-mechanical size of atoms.
|
10.1038/s41586-018-0203-2
|
pubmed_768_9277
|
BACKGROUND
To evaluate the insulin receptor isoform mRNA expression status in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.
METHODS
RNA-seq data from 614 NSCLC [355 adenocarcinomas (LUAD) and 259 squamous cell carcinomas (LUSC)] and 92 normal lung specimens were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) to evaluate the mRNA expression of insulin receptor isoform A (IR-A) and insulin receptor isoform B (IR-B). The differential expression status of the insulin receptor isoforms in NSCLC patients was confirmed using qRT-PCR assays with lung cancer cDNA arrays and primary tumor samples.
RESULTS
The mRNA expression levels of IR-B were significantly lower in some NSCLC samples compared to normal lung specimens, including both LUAD and LUSC. Notably, no IR-B transcripts were detected - only the IR-A isoform was expressed in 11% of NSCLC patients. This decrease in IR-B expression contributed to an elevated IR-A/IR-B ratio, which was also associated with lower epithelial-mesenchymal transition gene signatures in NSCLC and longer patient survival under standard of care in LUSC. In addition to NSCLC, RNA-seq data from TCGA revealed a similar increase in IR-A/IR-B ratio in many other cancer types, with high prevalence in acute myeloid leukemia, glioblastoma multiforme, and brain lower grade glioma.
CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate a common reduction of the mRNA expression level of IR-B and an increased IR-A/IR-B mRNA ratio in NSCLC and other tumor types. The relationship of altered IR-A/IR-B ratios with cancer progression and patient survival should be prospectively explored in future studies.
|
10.1186/1471-2407-14-131
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pubmed_861_4278
|
Impulsivity is defined as a predisposition toward rapid, unplanned reactions in response to internal or external stimuli, often yielding negative consequences. Accordingly, impulsivity is considered a significant risk factor for developing addictive behaviors. The hippocampus is involved in regulating behavioral adaptability and learned behaviors. Consequently, abnormal hippocampal function has been demonstrated to contribute to impulsive and addictive behaviors. Furthermore, differential reinforcement of low rates of behavior (DRL) has shown that the hippocampus is implicated in reward acquisition and impulsivity in humans and rodent models. We have previously shown that impulsive behavior potentiates hippocampal neuroblast proliferation. However, the fate of these precursor cells produced during impulsive reward seeking remains unknown. Here, we demonstrate that DRL-mediated impulsive reward seeking with the 2-choice reaction time task (2-CRTT) increases the number of BrdU labeled cells in the dentate gyrus region of the hippocampus. Importantly, our results also show a significant increase in BrdU+ and NeuN+ colocalized mature newborn neurons in mice exhibiting impulsivity compared to non-impulsive control mice. These results suggest that operant reward seeking during unpredictable schedules of reinforcement contributes to adult hippocampal neurogenesis.
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10.1016/j.neulet.2019.05.032
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pubmed_434_3692
|
BACKGROUND
Previous studies suggest a link between gut microbiota and the development of ulcerative colitis (UC) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Our aim was to investigate any quantitative differences in faecal bacterial compositions in UC and IBS patients compared to healthy controls, and to identify individual bacterial species that contribute to these differences.
METHODS
Faecal microbiota of 13 UC patients, 11 IBS patients and 22 healthy volunteers were analysed by PCR-Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE) using universal and Bacteroides specific primers. The data obtained were normalized using in-house developed statistical method and interrogated by multivariate approaches. The differentiated bands were excised and identified by sequencing the V3 region of the 16S rRNA genes.
RESULTS
Band profiles revealed that number of predominant faecal bacteria were significantly different between UC, IBS and control group (p < 10-4). By assessing the mean band numbers in UC (37 ± 5) and IBS (39 ± 6), compared to the controls (45 ± 3), a significant decrease in bacterial species is suggested (p = 0.01). There were no significant differences between IBS and UC. Biodiversity of the bacterial species was significantly lower in UC (μ = 2.94, σ = 0.29) and IBS patients (μ = 2.90, σ = 0.38) than controls (μ = 3.25, σ = 0.16; p = 0.01). Moreover, similarity indices revealed greater biological variability of predominant bacteria in UC and IBS compared to the controls (median Dice coefficients 76.1% (IQR 70.9 - 83.1), 73.8% (IQR 67.0 - 77.5) and 82.9% (IQR 79.1 - 86.7) respectively). DNA sequencing of discriminating bands suggest that the presence of Bacteroides vulgatus, B. ovatus, B. uniformis, and Parabacteroides sp. in healthy volunteers distinguishes them from IBS and UC patients. DGGE profiles of Bacteroides species revealed a decrease of Bacteroides community in UC relative to IBS and controls.
CONCLUSION
Molecular profiling of faecal bacteria revealed abnormalities of intestinal microbiota in UC and IBS patients, while different patterns of Bacteroides species loss in particular, were associated with UC and IBS.
|
10.1186/1471-230X-10-134
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pubmed_559_20628
|
PURPOSE
A homologue of the p53 gene, p63 is considered to be essential for the normal development of stratified epithelium, including epithelium of the urinary tract and prostate. To determine the possible roles of p63 in the male human urogenital tract its expression was systematically examined.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Expression of p63 protein was evaluated by immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry in normal male human urogenital tract tissues. Differential expression of p63 mRNA isoforms was assessed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction.
RESULTS
Basal cells in the stratified epithelium of the urinary and reproductive tracts, including the urothelium, prostate, seminal vesicle, ductus deferens and ductus epididymidis, showed intense nuclear immunostaining for p63. In the urinary tract p63 expression disappeared at the epithelium in the mid portion of renal papillae, at which the stratified structure of the epithelium changed to a monolayer structure. In the reproductive tract p63 expression disappeared at the ductuli efferentes. The stratified epithelium of the reproductive tract also changed at this portion. In the testis weak p63 expression was noted in spermatocytes but not in spermatogonia. At the mRNA level DeltaNp63 was predominant in the urothelium, prostate, seminal vesicle, ductus deferens, and cauda and corpus epididymis, while TAp63 was predominant in testicular tissues. In addition, distribution of the TAp63 isoform was clearly distinguishable from c-kit expression, which is a biochemical marker of spermatogonia.
CONCLUSIONS
Differential expression of p63 transcripts seems to characterize the developmental origin and differential biological function in the male human urogenital tract.
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10.1016/j.juro.2006.07.057
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pubmed_371_54
|
In Achlya ambisexualis, hsp85 is one of the characteristic mycelial heat shock proteins induced in response to a rapid elevation in temperature (Silver et al. 1983). This heat shock protein has the same electrophoretic mobility on two-dimensional gels and is antigenically related to an 85 kDa steroid hormone-regulated protein which constitutes a component of the putative Achlya steroid hormone-receptor complex. We report here the isolation of two distinct, yet highly related, hsp85 gene sequences from Achlya genomic libraries. Northern analyses, using these two Achlya genomic sequences as probes, suggest that there are two hsp85 message population in Achlya and that at least one of these is regulated by the steroid hormone antheridiol.
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10.1007/BF00309599
|
pubmed_1065_16610
|
The Swiss Registry for Cystic Fibrosis (SRCF) was designed to collect demographic, clinical and therapeutic data from patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) in Switzerland. It was designed, programmed and implemented for standalone application in Swiss cystic fibrosis centres. It is part of the European Registry for Cystic Fibrosis (ERCF), which has been implemented in Europe to collect data on the use and safety of dornase alpha (Pulmozyme) in the treatment of cystic fibrosis. At the time of first evaluation 245 cystic fibrosis patients are registered, their mean age is 13 years, and 17% are over 18. In larger databases in Germany or North America we observe comparable demographic data, similar degrees of severity and similar therapeutic approaches to those in Swiss cystic fibrosis patients. The aim of the Swiss Registry is to cover the maximum possible number of cystic fibrosis patients from this country.
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pubmed_1065_16610
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pubmed_949_21550
|
Brachytherapy is a radiotherapeutic technique that allows the physician to implant radioactive isotopes into a body cavity or directly into tissue. Different radioisotopes have unique characteristics that the brachytherapist may utilize for a particular situation. The use of brachytherapy is part of standard radiation oncology practice in gynecological and head and neck cancer management. The prostate is approachable for interstitial implantation due to its close proximity to the perineum. Over 20 years ago, primitive methods of brachytherapy were utilized in the treatment of prostate cancer. However, poor results due to inconsistency in achieving adequate coverage of the entire prostate and poor patient selection caused this treatment modality to fall out of favor. Technological advances over the last decade have restored attention to brachytherapy for prostate cancer. Particularly important has been the development of transrectal ultrasound, new radioisotopes such as palladium-103, computer tomography, computerized dosimetry systems, and earlier diagnosis. Modern interstitial implantation utilizing transperineal template and transrectal ultrasound guidance has resulted in improved consistency in radiation dose delivery to the entire prostate. Early results are encouraging in terms of the relatively low morbidity of the procedure, improved local control rates, and biochemical progression free survival. This has resulted in an outpatient treatment that has high patient acceptance.
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10.1002/(sici)1096-9098(199709)66:1<65::aid-jso13>3.0.co;2-n
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pubmed_160_9377
|
UNLABELLED
Safflower seed has the highest concentration of linoleic acid among 80 oilseeds but little information exists on the effective use of SS for lactation cows. It was hypothesised that a diet supplemented with an Iranian SS variety (IL-111) in combination with fish oil (FO) would result in higher concentrations of trans-18:1 (including vaccenic acid) and conjugated linoleic acids in milk fat than feeding an unsupplemented control diet. Our objective was to determine the effects of feeding diets containing: (i)
CONTROL
(C); (ii) 25 g of roasted SS IL-111 (RSS); (iii) 20 g FO and (iv) 25 g RSS + 10 g FO (RSS + FO) per kilogram of dietary DM on feed intake, ruminal fermentation, milk production and fatty acid profile. Eight multiparous Holstein cows were used in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design study. The experiment had four periods of 21 days. Milk Fat percentage was lower (p < 0.01) with FO supplementation and averaged 19.0 and 21.5 g/kg milk with FO and RSS + FO compared with 30.3 and 32.5 g/kg with C and RSS. Feed intake also was lower (p < 0.01) with FO vs. C (23.1 vs. 24.5 kg/day) but feeding RSS resulted in greater feed intake compared with other treatments (26 kg/day). Despite lower feed intake with FO, milk production did not change from controls but feeding RSS + FO resulted in greater milk yield than controls (42.6 vs. 39.3 kg/day). Ruminal pH was greater (p < 0.01) in cows fed FO than other treatments. Supplemental FO alone or in combination with RSS resulted in dramatic increases (p < 0.01) in c9,t11-18:2 in milk fat (12.7 and 13.2 g/day vs. 5.8 and 7.02 with C and RSS). It was surprising to note that 25 g/kg RSS can improve feed intake.
|
10.1111/j.1439-0396.2011.01165.x
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pubmed_880_5334
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Femoral shaft fractures in children represent 1.5% of all fractures in childhood. Up to the age of 4 years, conservative treatment in a hip spica or short-term overhead traction is the therapy of choice. Femoral shaft fractures between the age of 5 and 16 years should be treated surgically. In over 90% of these cases elastic stable intramedullary nailing (ESIN) is the premier treatment option. Additional end caps can be used for unstable fractures and in length discrepancy. The external fixator and the locking plate are reserved for fractures with severe soft tissue injuries, vascular problems and some specific situations mentioned later on. By adhering to these standards good results can be achieved with a low complication rate.
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10.1007/s00113-011-1970-5
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pubmed_414_3090
|
Fluorescence diagnosis of lymph node metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer has not been reported previously. This study was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of fluorescence detection using 5-aminolevulinic acid and mono-L-aspartyl chlorine e6 for lymph node metastasis in a lung cancer mouse model. Human lung cancer cell line Ma44-3, which forms metastatic lymph nodes in the mediastinum, was injected into the left lungs of 6 severe combined immunodeficiency disease mice. Two weeks after implantation, 2 groups of 3 mice received oral administration of 5-aminolevulinic acid (100 mg/kg) or intraperitoneal administration of mono-L-aspartyl chlorine e6 (5 mg/kg). Both lungs and mediastinal organs were removed en-bloc and illuminated with blue light (405 nm) to evaluate the detectability of lung tumors and metastatic lymph nodes in the mediastinum. These organs were evaluated histopathologically. Clear red fluorescence was observed in the lung tumors of all mice. Metastatic lymph nodes had formed in 5 of 6 mice and were detected by fluorescent detection in all 5 mice even though one of the lymph nodes was invisible macroscopically under white light. In conclusion, fluorescence diagnosis of lymph node metastasis is possible in a mouse model. The successful result with small lymph node metastasis suggests the possibility of clinical application.
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10.3892/or_00000400
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pubmed_492_2995
|
Treatment of invasive prolactinoma, which has several characteristics including invasive growth into cavernous sinuses and formation of giant adenomas compressing adjacent neural structures, resulting in neurological dysfunction, has been very challenging. There are relatively few reports available describing long-term treatment outcome. Herein, we document the results of bromocriptine administration as initial treatment during average 44 months follow-up (up to 12 years) period. We retrospectively categorized 36 patients into four groups according to the results of 3 months of bromocriptine treatment: group 1, tumor volume reduction (TVR) >25% with normalized serum prolactin (NP) (n = 24); group 2, TVR >25% without NP (n = 4); group 3, TVR <25% with NP (n = 5); and group 4, TVR <25% without NP (n = 3). During follow-up, 22 patients (91.7%) in group 1 achieved TVR >50% with NP. Three patients (75%) in group 2 achieved TVR >50% with NP after treatment for 8 months. In group 3, four patients (80.0%) continued medication because of improvement of symptoms and achieved additional TVR (18.8-46.4%). Surgery was performed on five patients (one in group 2, one in group 3, and all three in group 4), and complete resection was achieved in four (80.0%). Overall, 25 (69.4%) of the 36 patients treated with bromocriptine had complete response and 6 (16.7%) had partial response but did not require surgery. Thus, the overall response rate was 86%, with only five patients (14%) requiring surgical debulking. NP was not achieved by surgery alone in all cases, even after total resection of tumor. Patients who achieve TVR >25% with NP with 3 months of bromocriptine administration had a high possibility of showing good long-term response (TVR >50% with NP) to bromocriptine. A higher dose of dopamine agonist (DA) or other DA should be considered for patients who achieve TVR >25% without NP.
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10.1007/s11060-010-0459-3
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pubmed_923_22083
|
Primary squamous cell carcinoma of the prostate is so rare that only 6 cases have been reported in the Japanese literature. This type of cancer is independent of androgen, and its prognosis seems to be generally poor. The patient was a 76-year-old male who was admitted to our hospital with a chief complaint of dysuria. Although the markers for prostatic tumor were within normal ranges, findings in digital examination and imaging suggested prostatic cancer. Because of the marked dysuria, transurethral resection of prostate serving as a biopsy was carried out, and histopathological examination led to a diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma. Despite 2 courses of chemotherapy with pepleomycin and cis-platinum (CDDP), followed by radiotherapy, the patient died from cancerous cachexia about 9 months after the initial examination.
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pubmed_923_22083
|
pubmed_279_15737
|
Many colubrid snakes, like the more venomous elapid and viperid snakes, can produce and inject an oral secretion that is toxic and may present a human health risk. However, colubrid oral toxins are produced in a Duvernoy's gland and delivered not through a hollow fang, but instead by long, often grooved teeth under low pressure. The possible role of Duvernoy's secretion in functions other than rapid killing of prey make it important to know how and where this secretion is delivered during a feeding strike. We used ELISA analysis to determine the quantity and proportional distribution of Duvernoy's secretion delivered into the integument compared to the viscera during a feeding strike by the colubrid snake Boiga irregularis. We determined that only about 54% (1-5 mg) of the secretion actually reached the viscera and that the rest remained in the integument. The amount reaching the viscera is about three to eight times the i.p. LD50 for mice, but these snakes depend more on constriction than toxins to kill their prey. Consequently, delivery of Duvernoy's secretion by B. irregularis is hypothesized to be part of a digestive function and its toxic properties a byproduct of this role.
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10.1016/0041-0101(93)90223-6
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pubmed_322_560
|
The wide adoption of Electronic Health Records (EHR) has resulted in large amounts of clinical data becoming available, which promises to support service delivery and advance clinical and informatics research. Deep learning techniques have demonstrated performance in predictive analytic tasks using EHRs yet they typically lack model result transparency or explainability functionalities and require cumbersome pre-processing tasks. Moreover, EHRs contain heterogeneous and multi-modal data points such as text, numbers and time series which further hinder visualisation and interpretability. This paper proposes a deep learning framework to: 1) encode patient pathways from EHRs into images, 2) highlight important events within pathway images, and 3) enable more complex predictions with additional intelligibility. The proposed method relies on a deep attention mechanism for visualisation of the predictions and allows predicting multiple sequential outcomes.
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pubmed_322_560
|
pubmed_788_9743
|
We studied the genomic structure and biochemical properties of Schizosaccharomyces pombe mitochondrial single-stranded DNA binding protein (mtSSB). We first determined the full-length cDNA sequence of mtSSB and clarified the exon/intron structure of the mtSSB gene (rim1), including the transcription initiation and polyadenylation sites. The cDNA of rim1 gene encoded 150 amino acids and the sequence showed homology to eukaryotic mtSSB and Escherichia coli SSB. We overexpressed mtSSB as a His-tag fusion protein in E. coli and obtained an anti-mtSSB antibody. Gel filtration analysis of S. pombe cell extracts clarified that mtSSB has a tetrameric structure. We also immunochemically detected mtSSB in S. pombe cell extract and showed that 15,000 molecules of mtSSB tetramer are present in a single S. pombe cell. Mature mtSSB lacking the presequence was overexpressed in E. coli in tetrameric soluble form. The recombinant mtSSB bound a single-stranded oligonucleotide and phiX174 virion DNA with almost identical binding activity as E. coli SSB.
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10.1080/10425170600857608
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pubmed_458_8401
|
The purpose of this report was to describe an approach to diagnose and effectively treat a pediatric patient with localized aggressive periodontitis. A 6-year-old female presented with clinical and radiographic evidence of severe attachment loss around several primary teeth. She had no history of systemic disease, periodontal disease, or caries prior to the periodontal abscess that prompted her referral. Routine immunological tests did not reveal any functional defects, but DNA testing for periodontal pathogens revealed the presence of all 8 aggressive periodontal pathogens assayed. Treatment consisted of the extraction of 2 severely affected primary teeth, increased frequency of recall appointments, and administration of systemic antibiotics. The patient's periodontal condition was stabilized 18 months post-treatment, and the 8 pathogens were no longer at detectable levels. With a treatment goal of preventing disease progression into the erupting permanent dentition, this treatment regimen provides an effective alternative to more aggressive strategies.
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pubmed_458_8401
|
pubmed_626_2238
|
AIM
The aim of this study was to answer following questions: Does the self-image of male schizophrenics differ from the image their parents have? Do parents judge their sons more negatively or more positively than they themselves do? Are opinions of the mothers and fathers different or consistent?
METHODS
30 unmarried male patients with paranoid schizophrenia (diagnosis based on ICD-10) were included in the study. All subjects lived with their parental families. In all cases, families were complete. Subjects were aged 18-23 (x = 23.23). The mean time of duration of disease was 2.37 (range 0.5-5 years) and the mean hospitalization number was 1.7 (range 1-4). All subjects had completed primary education. 3 subjects graduated from university and the rest of them continued education in vocational or secondary schools as well as universities. The study was carried out during the last week before discharge from the hospital. The Adjective Check List (ACL) of Gough and Heilbrun was used in the study. Subjects filled out the questionnaire in accordance with instructions "I am" and parents in accordance with the instruction "My son is". Three different types of present images of patients were obtained: patient self-image, the image their mother and their fathers have and they were compared using ANOVA.
RESULTS
Comparison of actual self-images of male schizophrenics with present images of schizophrenics their mothers have revealed 26 statistically significant differences, and with present images of schizophrenics their fathers have revealed 23 statistically significant differences. The differences between images of schizophrenics obtained from their mothers and their fathers were statistically significant in 2 cases only.
CONCLUSIONS
Self-opinion of the males diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia is more positive than the opinion their mothers and fathers have of them. Self-images of the males diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and images their mothers have are different. Mothers have a more negative opinion of their sons than their sons have of themselves. Self-images of males diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and images their fathers have are different. Fathers have a more negative opinion of their sons than their sons have of themselves. Generally fathers and mothers perceive their sons in the same way.
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pubmed_626_2238
|
pubmed_835_8948
|
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) screens veterans who deployed in support of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq for traumatic brain injury (TBI) and mental health (MH) disorders. Chronic symptoms after mild TBI overlap with MH symptoms, for which there are already established screens within the VHA. It is unclear whether the TBI screen facilitates treatment for appropriate specialty care over and beyond the MH screens. Our primary objective was to determine whether TBI screening is associated with different types (MH, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation [PM&R], and Neurology) and frequency of specialty services compared with the MH screens. A retrospective cohort design examined veterans receiving VHA care who were screened for both TBI and MH disorders between Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 and FY 2018 (N = 241,136). We calculated service utilization counts in MH, PM&R, and Neurology in the six months after the screens. Zero-inflated negative binomial regression models of encounters (counts) were fit separately by specialty care type and for a total count of specialty services. We found that screening positive for TBI resulted in 2.38 times more specialty service encounters than screening negative for TBI. Compared with screening positive for MH only, screening positive for both MH and TBI resulted in 1.78 times more specialty service encounters and 1.33 times more MH encounters. The TBI screen appears to increase use of MH, PM&R, and Neurology services for veterans with post-deployment health concerns, even in those also identified as having a possible MH disorder.
|
10.1089/neu.2022.0176
|
pubmed_810_3022
|
Highly specific antibodies to phosphoepitopes are valuable tools to study phosphorylation in disease states, but their discovery is largely empirical, and the molecular mechanisms mediating phosphospecific binding are poorly understood. Here, we report the generation and characterization of extremely specific recombinant chicken antibodies to three phosphoepitopes on the Alzheimer disease-associated protein tau. Each antibody shows full specificity for a single phosphopeptide. The chimeric IgG pT231/pS235_1 exhibits a K(D) of 0.35 nm in 1:1 binding to its cognate phosphopeptide. This IgG is murine ortholog-cross-reactive, specifically recognizing the pathological form of tau in brain samples from Alzheimer patients and a mouse model of tauopathy. To better understand the underlying binding mechanisms allowing such remarkable specificity, we determined the structure of pT231/pS235_1 Fab in complex with its cognate phosphopeptide at 1.9 Å resolution. The Fab fragment exhibits novel complementarity determining region (CDR) structures with a "bowl-like" conformation in CDR-H2 that tightly and specifically interacts with the phospho-Thr-231 phosphate group, as well as a long, disulfide-constrained CDR-H3 that mediates peptide recognition. This binding mechanism differs distinctly from either peptide- or hapten-specific antibodies described to date. Surface plasmon resonance analyses showed that pT231/pS235_1 binds a truly compound epitope, as neither phosphorylated Ser-235 nor free peptide shows any measurable binding affinity.
|
10.1074/jbc.M112.415935
|
pubmed_762_16938
|
Computed tomography (CT) and Ultrasonography (USS) are commonly used to ascertain the cause of abdominal symptoms. In a retrospective study of 70 Nigerian patients who had abdominal ultrasonography prior to abdominal CT scans, the most frequent clinical feature was abdominal pain, which was reported in 20.8% of the patients. The prevalent ultrasonographic finding was hepatomegaly (12.2%) while bowel displacement was the most frequently reported CT finding (18.3%). There was no correlation between USS and CT findings in 11 patients (15.7%). There was some agreement in the findings of both tests in 75.7% of cases. Additional findings were noted in 38 (54.3%) of the latter group of patients on CT scans. Hundred percent agreement was reported in both imaging techniques in 5 radiological findings namely: dilated gall bladder, renal cysts, ascites, adrenal mass and utero-cervical mass. These findings suggest a high yield of diagnostic accuracy from abdominal sonography and increased diagnostic details provided by CT imaging. Our overall impression is that the diagnostic information provided by the two techniques are complimentary.
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pubmed_762_16938
|
pubmed_304_9259
|
In Drosophila and mammals, insulin signalling can increase growth, progression through G1/S, cell size and tissue size. Here, we analyse the way insulin affects cell size and cell-cycle progression in two haemocyte-derived Drosophila cell lines. Surprisingly, we find that although insulin increases cell size, it slows the rate at which these cells increase in number. By using BrdU pulse-chase to label S-phase cells and follow their progression through the cell cycle, we show that insulin delays progression through G2/M, thereby slowing cell division. The ability of insulin to slow progression through G2/M is independent of its ability to stimulate progression through G1/S, so is not a consequence of feedback by the cell-cycle machinery to maintain cell-cycle length. Insulin's effects on progression through G2/M are mediated by dTOR/dRaptor signalling. Partially inhibiting dTOR/dRaptor signalling by dsRNAi or mild rapamycin treatment can increase cell number in cultured haemocytes and the Drosophila wing, respectively. Thus, insulin signalling can influence cell number depending on a balance between its ability to accelerate progression through G1/S and delay progression through G2/M.
|
10.1038/sj.emboj.7601487
|
pubmed_707_23991
|
Aging-associated muscle wasting is regulated by multiple molecular processes, whereby aberrant mRNA processing regulation induces muscle wasting. The poly(A)-binding protein nuclear 1 (PABPN1) regulates polyadenylation site (PAS) utilization, in the absence of PABPN1 the alternative polyadenylation (APA) is utilized. Reduced PABPN1 levels induce muscle wasting where the expression of cellular processes regulating protein homeostasis, the ubiquitin-proteasome system, and translation, are robustly dysregulated. Translation is affected by mRNA levels, but PABPN1 impact on translation is not fully understood. Here we show that a persistent reduction in PABPN1 levels led to a significant loss of translation efficiency. RNA-sequencing of rRNA-depleted libraries from polysome traces revealed reduced mRNA abundance across ribosomal fractions, as well as reduced levels of small RNAs. We show that the abundance of translated mRNAs in the polysomes correlated with PAS switches at the 3'-UTR. Those mRNAs are enriched in cellular processes that are essential for proper muscle function. This study suggests that the effect of PABPN1 on translation efficiency impacts protein homeostasis in aging-associated muscle atrophy.
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10.1093/gerona/glac058
|
pubmed_666_14052
|
In recent decades, cancer has been one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Despite advances in understanding the molecular basis of tumorigenesis, diagnosis, and clinical therapies, the discovery and development of effective drugs is an active and vital field in cancer research. Tetrahydrocurcumin is a major curcuminoid metabolite of curcumin, naturally occurring in turmeric. The interest in tetrahydrocurcumin research is increasing because it is superior to curcumin in its solubility in water, chemical stability, bioavailability, and anti-oxidative activity. Many in vitro and in vivo studies have revealed that tetrahydrocurcumin exerts anti-cancer effects through various mechanisms, including modulation of oxidative stress, xenobiotic detoxification, inflammation, proliferation, metastasis, programmed cell death, and immunity. Despite the pharmacological similarities between tetrahydrocurcumin and curcumin, the structure of tetrahydrocurcumin determines its distinct and specific molecular mechanism, thus making it a potential candidate for the prevention and treatment of cancers. However, the utility of tetrahydrocurcumin is yet to be evaluated as only limited pharmacokinetic and oral bioavailability studies have been performed. This review summarizes research on the anti-cancer properties of tetrahydrocurcumin and describes its mechanisms of action.
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10.3390/biom10060831
|
pubmed_341_6418
|
Problems with early season soybean stand establishment, and an increase in incidence of Phytophthora root and stem rot caused by Phytophthora sojae, prompted a reassessment of the pathogen population in Ohio. Earlier studies had indicated a potential for pathogen adaptation to commonly deployed Rps genes in soybeans. Fifty-seven fields, part of an earlier study in 1990 and 1991, along with 29 additional fields were sampled in either 1997 or 1999. Two soybean cultivars, Sloan (rps) and Resnik (Rps1k), were used as bait in a seedling bioassay to isolate P. sojae from the soil samples. P. sojae was recovered from 82 of the 86 fields sampled. Of the 429 isolates recovered from these soils, 325 and 104 were baited with soybean cultivars Sloan and Resnik, respectively. The P. sojae population in Ohio increased in the number of pathotypes (races) as well as in complexity since the earlier surveys. There were 72 and 202 pathotypes identified on 8 and 13 Rps gene differentials, respectively, in the current study. When the data were compared by location, 96, 65, 73, 78, 51, and 52% of the locations had at least one isolate with virulences to Rps1a, Rps1b, Rps1c, Rps1k, Rps3a, and Rps6, respectively. The mean complexity, the number of susceptible interactions on 8 differentials, increased from 3.01 to 4.06 between 1991 and 1997/1999. In addition, the pathogenic diversity as measured by the Shannon index increased from 2.71 to 3.28 for isolates recovered from the 57 fields sampled in both surveys. Producers whose fields were sampled were surveyed to determine if changes in the P. sojae population could be linked with production practices. There was a significant association between (P ≤ 0.05) reduced tillage practices and the presence of isolates that had virulence to Rps1k; reduced tillage fields also had isolates with virulence to a greater number of differentials. Due to the percentage of isolates that have virulence to many of the Rps genes, it is questionable how long a single Rps gene or several stacked Rps genes will remain viable disease management tools for P. sojae, unless a novel Rps gene is identified.
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10.1094/PDIS.2003.87.2.139
|
pubmed_569_10096
|
There is an ever-increasing interest in synthetic methods that not only enable peptide macrocyclization, but also facilitate downstream application of the synthesized molecules. We have found that aziridine amides are stereoelectronically attenuated in a macrocyclic environment such that non-specific interactions with biological nucleophiles are reduced or even shut down. The electrophilic reactivity, revealed at high pH, enables peptide sequencing by mass spectrometry, which will further broaden the utility of aziridine amide-containing libraries of macrocycles.
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10.1039/c5ob01050k
|
pubmed_1105_17607
|
HYPOTHESIS
The increased excretion of lactose in urine will be an accurate predictor of increased breast permeability during inflammation of the breast and therefore could predict whether there is a relationship between the severity and type of symptoms suffered during mastitis and changes in breast permeability.
METHODS
Twenty-six mothers were followed prospectively from Day 5 postpartum to the end of their lactation. Milk from each breast, blood, 24-hour urine samples, and data on breast and systemic pathologies were collected at reference intervals during the first three months postpartum, daily during the occurrence of any breast inflammation and 7 days after resolution of symptoms.
RESULTS
The 24-h excretion of lactose in urine was higher during mastitis (p < 0.001), peaking at the commencement of the mastitis and decreasing over time until there was no significant difference at the time of follow-up when compared to mothers without mastitis (p < 0.25). The changes in lactose in urine were consistent with the changes in sodium, chloride, and lactose in milk, confirming milk expressed for sample analysis was representative of milk from the site of inflammation. Increased severity of breast symptoms experienced during mastitis was a significant predictor for an increased excretion of lactose in urine (p < 0.022).
CONCLUSIONS
The use of 24-h excretion of lactose in urine provided a reliable marker of changes occurring in breast permeability and subsequently has shown that an increasing area of inflammation of the breast was predictive of an increase in breast permeability and associated changes in milk composition.
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10.1080/00016340500324514
|
pubmed_118_6760
|
Inbreeding depression (reduced fitness of individuals with related parents) has long been a major focus of ecology, evolution, and conservation biology. Despite decades of research, we still have a limited understanding of the strength, underlying genetic mechanisms, and demographic consequences of inbreeding depression in the wild. Studying inbreeding depression in natural populations has been hampered by the inability to precisely measure individual inbreeding. Fortunately, the rapidly increasing availability of high-throughput sequencing data means it is now feasible to measure the inbreeding of any individual with high precision. Here, we review how genomic data are advancing our understanding of inbreeding depression in the wild. Recent results show that individual inbreeding and inbreeding depression can be measured more precisely with genomic data than via traditional pedigree analysis. Additionally, the availability of genomic data has made it possible to pinpoint loci with large effects contributing to inbreeding depression in wild populations, although this will continue to be a challenging task in many study systems due to low statistical power. Now that reliably measuring individual inbreeding is no longer a limitation, a major focus of future studies should be to more accurately quantify effects of inbreeding depression on population growth and viability.
|
10.1111/eva.12414
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pubmed_827_14138
|
Multiplexed photoaptamer-based arrays that allow for the simultaneous measurement of multiple proteins of interest in serum samples are described. Since photoaptamers covalently bind to their target analytes before fluorescent signal detection, the arrays can be vigorously washed to remove background proteins, providing the potential for superior signal-to-noise ratios and lower limits of quantification in biological matrices. Data are presented here for a 17-plex photoaptamer array exhibiting limits of detection below 10 fM for several analytes including interleukin-16, vascular endothelial growth factor, and endostatin and able to measure proteins in 10% serum samples. The assays are simple, scalable, and reproducible. Affinity of the capture reagent is shown to be directly correlated to the limit of detection for the analyte on the array.
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10.1002/pmic.200300631
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pubmed_894_18691
|
We present our strategy and progress towards the identification of rare restriction fragment length variants (RFLVs) segregating with the fragile-X syndrome. DNA from a carrier mother and two retarded sons was digested with 7 restriction endonucleases and Southern blots were probed with cloned unique X-chromosomal sequences. Two of 17 cloned segments tested revealed RFLVs between the X-chromosomes of the carrier mother. One of them detected variants using Pvu II and Msp I. The Pvu II and Msp I alleles found on the X-chromosome bearing the fragile-X mutation were not found in 31 and 22 random X-chromosomes, respectively. The other probe detected variants using Pvu II and Taq I. The Taq I allele present on the X-chromosome with the fragile-X mutation was found in 23 out of 25 random X-chromosomes, while the Pvu II allele was not found in 21 random X-chromosomes. One of these probes and two other cloned unique X-chromosome sequences were localized distal to Xq26 by in situ hybridization to prometaphase chromosomes and by probing Southern blots containing DNA from a deleted X-chromosome. These are being used for linkage analysis in an extended family.
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10.1002/ajmg.1320170118
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pubmed_666_8933
|
Germinal vesicle oocytes obtained by ovum pick-up (OPU) on a random day are heterogeneous in terms of chromatin maturity, and those with an intermediate degree of chromatin compaction present higher developmental competence. We previously developed a synchronization protocol combining follicle aspiration and FSH treatment capable of increasing the percentage of oocytes with intermediate chromatin compaction (classified as GV2 oocytes; within progressive stages of chromatin compaction ranging from GV0 to GV3) at the time of OPU. In this study, we tested the capacity of a similar protocol to synchronize oocyte chromatin maturity before OPU, as well as to improve the efficacy of in vitro embryo production (IVP) in Holstein cows. In the first experiment, eight non-lactating Holstein cows were subjected to the D5/4FSH, during which all follicles larger than 2 mm were aspirated and a progesterone intravaginal device was inserted on a random day (day 0). Subsequently, four IM injections of FSH (Folltropin; 40/40/20/20 mg) were administered 12h apart on days 2 and 3, and removal of the progesterone device and OPU were performed on day 5. Of the oocytes recovered by OPU, 83.2% were at the GV2 stage. In a second experiment, eighteen non-lactating Holstein cows (Synchro group) were subjected to the D5/4FSH protocol followed by IVM/IVF, and embryo production was compared with that of other seventeen cows submitted to OPU on a random day followed by IVM/IVF (Control group). Blastocyst rate in relation to total oocytes recovered was higher in the Synchro group (37.9%) compared to the Control group (21%; P < 0.05). The percentage of good quality blastocysts morphologically selected for freezing and later transfer in relation to the total number of oocytes recovered tended to be higher in the Synchro group (27.68%) compared to the Control group (14.34%; P = 0.1). These data suggest that synchronization protocols increasing the percentage of GV2 oocytes in the population subjected to IVM/IVF can improve the efficacy of embryo in vitro production in cattle.
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10.1016/j.theriogenology.2020.05.030
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pubmed_852_12392
|
Common causes of anemia in juvenile idiopathic arthritis are anemia of chronic disease and iron deficiency. We report a 4 year old boy with biopsy proven systemic onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis and severe anemia. Bone marrow aspiration revealed pure red cell aplasia without evidence of hemophagocytosis. This rare, unexplained but well known entity responded to corticosteroids.
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10.1007/s12288-011-0085-z
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pubmed_653_17424
|
Campylobacter jejuni is the major cause of bacterial food-borne illness in the USA and Europe. An important virulence attribute of this bacterial pathogen is its ability to enter and survive within host cells. Here we show through a quantitative proteomic analysis that upon entry into host cells, C. jejuni undergoes a significant metabolic downshift. Furthermore, our results indicate that intracellular C. jejuni reprograms its respiration, favoring the respiration of fumarate. These results explain the poor ability of C. jejuni obtained from infected cells to grow under standard laboratory conditions and provide the bases for the development of novel anti microbial strategies that would target relevant metabolic pathways.
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10.1371/journal.ppat.1002562
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pubmed_646_4006
|
X-ray microtomography was used to study the mineral concentrations in sequential slices of enamel of 5 mandibular incisors which showed an increase from approximately 1.0 to approximately 2.7 g cm(-3) from the apex towards the incisal end. For points at the same distance from the apex, there were differences up to 0.6 g cm(-3) between the teeth. The change of mean concentrations in the slices with distance could be modelled as (different) saturating exponentials. Under the assumption of a uniform growth rate of a mandibular incisor of 0.6 mm per day and a common time origin for the start of maturation (taken as a mineral concentration of 1 g cm(-3)), the distances were transformed to a common time frame to give a pooled data set. A single saturating exponential could be fitted to this pooled transformed data; this was: Cm = 2.84-1.94exp (-0.18d) where Cm is the mean mineral concentration (g cm(-3)) and d the time (days) from the start of maturation. This gives an asymptotic concentration of 2.84 g cm(-3) towards the incisal end, with a time constant of 7.7 days. The mineral concentration distribution functions were found to be more positively skewed closer to the apex, but more negatively skewed towards the incisal end. The difference between the higher mineral concentration in the outer enamel and the enamel near the amelodentinal junction (ADJ) was approximately 3%. The direction of maximum increase in concentration from the outer enamel surface to the ADJ meets the boundary of the ADJ at approximately 80 degrees. Three dimensional surface rendering of isodensity contours showed that the previously described C-shaped pattern of mineralisation is not solely a surface phenomenon, but extends through the depth of the enamel.
|
10.1046/j.1469-7580.2000.19630405.x
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pubmed_180_17015
|
Potency tests, known as quantitative tests, are designed to determine how much of the active drug is in the sample. Stability tests are used to determine a beyond-use date for a preparation. Employing the proper method to determine potency or stability is key to understanding the difference between potency testing and stability testing. Methods of determining potency may or may not be stability-indicating, but stability can be determined only by a stability-indicating method. A stability-indicating method can determine both potency and stability. Quality assurance programs are essential to establishing standards for compounded preparations. It is important that compounding pharmacists understand the differences between potency and stability tests and that these tests are made an integral part of the quality asurance program.
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pubmed_180_17015
|
pubmed_275_9474
|
In this work, the fluorescence of glutamine-binding protein (GlnBP) and its complex with glutamine (GlnBP/Gln) in native and unfolded forms was studied. The experimental data were interpreted on the basis of the results of the analysis of Trp and Tyr microenvironments taking into the account the data for GlnBP mutated forms Trp32Phe(Tyr) and Trp220Phe(Tyr), which have been obtained by Axelsen et al. (Biophys. J. 1991, 60, 650-659). This allowed us to explain the negligible contribution of Tyr residues to the bulk fluorescence of the native protein, the similarity of the fluorescence characteristics of GlnBP and GlnBP/Gln, and the uncommon effect of the excess of the fluorescence intensity at 365 nm (Trp emission) upon excitation at 297 nm respect to the excitation at 280 nm. The last effect is explained by the spectral dependence of the Trp 32 and Trp 220 contributions to the protein absorption. The protein Trp fluorescence dependence on the excitation wavelength must be taken into account for the evaluation of the Tyr residues contribution to the bulk fluorescence of protein, and in principle, it also may be used for the development of an approach for the decomposition of a multicomponent protein fluorescence spectrum.
|
10.1021/pr0498077
|
pubmed_216_23251
|
A technique to synthesize laughter based on time-domain behavior of real instances of human laughter is presented. In the speech synthesis community, interest in improving the expressive quality of synthetic speech has grown considerably. While the focus has been on the linguistic aspects, such as precise control of speech intonation to achieve desired expressiveness, inclusion of nonlinguistic cues could further enhance the expressive quality of synthetic speech. Laughter is one such cue used for communicating, say, a happy or amusing context. It can be generated in many varieties and qualities: from a short exhalation to a long full-blown episode. Laughter is modeled at two levels, the overall episode level and at the local call level. The first attempts to capture the overall temporal behavior in a parametric model based on the equations that govern the simple harmonic motion of a mass-spring system is presented. By changing a set of easily available parameters, the authors are able to synthesize a variety of laughter. At the call level, the authors relied on a standard linear prediction based analysis-synthesis model. Results of subjective tests to assess the acceptability and naturalness of the synthetic laughter relative to real human laughter samples are presented.
|
10.1121/1.2390679
|
pubmed_333_1986
|
Peripheral blood lymphocytes from 20 atopic dermatitis patients, 10 contact dermatitis and 50 healthy subjects were studied by the following methods: E rosettes, active E rosettes anti-HTLA serum (T cells), surface immunoglobulins (B cells), Ea rosettes (Fc-gamma-receptor bearing cells) stimulation by PHA, ConA, PWM. In contact dermatitis the results only indicated significantly low percentages of active E rosettes (whereas E rosette, HTLA, surface immunoglobulins, Ea rosettes are normal) and a poor response to PHA and ConA. In atopic dermatitis the presence of a T cell defect was assessed by low percentages of E rosettes. However normal results obtained with an anti-HTLA serum indicated that this T cell defect was not quantitative but could be due to intrinsic lymphocyte abnormalities or serum factors. Moreover the percentage of B cells was significantly increased. The stimulation index was lower after ConA than after PHA stimulation. This could be in favor of a T suppressor cell impairment. The place of this T cell defect in atopic dermatitis and the possible correlations with the Sczentivanyi's theory are discussed.
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pubmed_333_1986
|
pubmed_317_18321
|
BACKGROUND
Persistent post-acne erythema is one of the most common aesthetic sequelae to arise after active acne resolves. The treatment remains challenging due to lack of effective laser modalities.
OBJECTIVES
To evaluate the safety and efficacy of a low-fluence 585 nm Q-switched Nd:YAG laser for the treatment of post-acne erythema.
MATERIALS & METHODS
Twenty-five patients with post-acne erythema were treated with a low-fluence Q-switched Nd:YAG laser using the 585 nm Gold Toning™ handpiece (5 mm spot size, 5-10 ns, 0.30-0.55 J/cm(2) , 2-4 passes) for three sessions at 2-week intervals. Erythema lesion (macules) count, inflammatory acne (papules, pustules) count, erythema index, degree of post-acne erythema and overall improvement in post-acne erythema and acne scar were assessed at baseline, every 2 weeks and 6 weeks after the last treatment. Subjective degrees of satisfaction were also evaluated. Adverse events were recorded and pain was scored using a visual analog scale (VAS).
RESULTS
At 6 weeks after 3 sessions of laser treatment, all patients demonstrated clinical improvement. Erythema lesion counts decreased by 20.1% (versus baseline) after the first treatment (P = 0.004), by 32.7% after the second treatment, by 46.5% at 2 weeks after the third treatment and by 58.7% at the 6-week follow-up (all P < 0.001). Significant improvements were also noted in erythema indices (22.29 ± 2.4 to 17.51 ± 1.8) and mean post-acne erythema scores after the first treatment (both P < 0.001). The mean scores of independent physician assessments were 4.04 ± 0.9 in term of the improvement of post-acne erythema and 3.44 ± 0.9 in the improvement of scarring. In addition, we could observe a significant decrease in inflammatory acne lesion counts after two laser treatments with a decrease in mean lesion counts by 67% at the 6-week follow-up. Treatment was well-tolerated and adverse effects were limited to transient erythema and edema at treatment sites.
CONCLUSIONS
Low-fluence 585 nm Q-switched Nd:YAG laser treatment is safe and effective for the treatment of post-acne erythema with minimal discomfort and quantifiable improvement in the appearance of early acne scarring and inflammatory acne.
|
10.1002/lsm.22321
|
pubmed_634_23792
|
Purpose: Diabetic foot osteomyelitis (DFO) is the most frequent infection associated with diabetic foot ulcers, occurs in >20% of moderate infections and 50%-60% of severe infections, and is associated with high rates of amputation. DFO represents a challenge in both diagnosis and therapy, and many consequences of its condition are related to late diagnosis, delayed referral, or ill-indicated treatment. This review aimed to analyze the current evidence on DFO management and to discuss advantages and disadvantages of different treatment options. Methods: A narrative review of the evidence was begun by searching Medline and PubMed databases for studies using the keywords "management", "diabetic foot", "osteomyelitis", and "diabetic foot osteomyelitis" from 2008 to 2018. Results: We found a great variety of studies focusing on both medical and surgical therapies showing a similar rate of effectiveness and outcomes; however, the main factors in choosing one over the other seem to be associated with the presence of soft-tissue infection or ischemia and the clinical presentation of DFO. Conclusion: Further randomized controlled trials with large samples and long-term follow-up are necessary to demonstrate secondary outcomes, such as recurrence, recurrent ulceration, and reinfection associated with both medical and surgical options.
|
10.2147/DMSO.S181198
|
pubmed_908_19491
|
Because mastitis is very frequent and unavoidable, adding recovery information into the analysis for genetic evaluation of mastitis is of great interest from economical and animal welfare point of view. Here we have performed genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to identify associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and investigate the genetic background not only for susceptibility to - but also for recoverability from mastitis. Somatic cell count records from 993 Danish Holstein cows genotyped for a total of 39378 autosomal SNP markers were used for the association analysis. Single SNP regression analysis was performed using the statistical software package DMU. Substitution effect of each SNP was tested with a t-test and a genome-wide significance level of P-value < 10-4 was used to declare significant SNP-trait association. A number of significant SNP variants were identified for both traits. Many of the SNP variants associated either with susceptibility to - or recoverability from mastitis were located in or very near to genes that have been reported for their role in the immune system. Genes involved in lymphocyte developments (e.g., MAST3 and STAB2) and genes involved in macrophage recruitment and regulation of inflammations (PDGFD and PTX3) were suggested as possible causal genes for susceptibility to - and recoverability from mastitis, respectively. However, this is the first GWAS study for recoverability from mastitis and our results need to be validated. The findings in the current study are, therefore, a starting point for further investigations in identifying causal genetic variants or chromosomal regions for both susceptibility to - and recoverability from mastitis.
|
10.3389/fgene.2018.00141
|
pubmed_201_3245
|
PURPOSE
To monitor the quality of bladder cancer care, the Swedish National Register of Urinary Bladder Cancer (SNRUBC) was initiated in 1997. During 2015, in order to study trends in incidence, effects of treatment and survival of men and women with bladder cancer, we linked the SNRUBC to other national healthcare and demographic registers and constructed the Bladder Cancer Data Base Sweden (BladderBaSe).
PARTICIPANTS
The SNRUBC is a nationwide register with detailed information on 97% of bladder cancer cases in Sweden as compared with the Swedish Cancer Register. Participants in the SNRUBC have registered data on tumour characteristics at diagnosis, and for 98% of these treatment data have been captured. From 2009, the SNRUBC holds data on 88% of eligible participants for follow-up 5 years after diagnosis of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, and from 2011, data on surgery details and complications for 85% of participants treated with radical cystectomy. The BladderBaSe includes all data in the SNRUBC from 1997 to 2014, and additional covariates and follow-up data from linked national register sources on comorbidity, socioeconomic factors, detailed information on readmissions and treatment side effects, and causes of death.
FINDINGS TO DATE
Studies based on data in the SNRUBC have shown inequalities in survival and treatment indication by gender, regions and hospital volume. The BladderBaSe includes 38 658 participants registered in SNRUBC with bladder cancer diagnosed from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2014. The BladderBaSe initiators are currently in collaboration with researchers from the SNRUBC investigating different aspects of bladder cancer survival.
FUTURE PLANS
The SNRUBC and the BladderBaSe project are open for collaborations with national and international research teams. Collaborators can submit proposals for studies and study files can be uploaded to servers for remote access and analysis. For more information, please contact the corresponding author.
|
10.1136/bmjopen-2017-016606
|
pubmed_673_12862
|
The testes of five monkeys (Macaca radiata) were examined histologically for evidence of damage, following in utero fractionated X-irradiation. Radiation-induced damage was found in the testes of animals beginning at total exposures of 170 r, when compared to controls.
|
10.1159/000459946
|
pubmed_140_19081
|
Diphyllobothriosis is a reemerging zoonotic disease because of global trade and increased popularity of eating raw fish. We present molecular evidence of host switching of a human-infecting broad fish tapeworm, Dibothriocephalus latus, and use of salmonids as intermediate or paratenic hosts and thus a source of human infection in South America.
|
10.3201/eid2511.190792
|
pubmed_416_1945
|
beta-Galactosidase from the fungus Talaromyces thermophilus CBS 236.58 was immobilized by covalent attachment onto the insoluble carrier Eupergit C with a high binding efficiency of 95%. Immobilization increased both activity and stability at higher pH values and temperature when compared with the free enzyme. Especially the effect of immobilization on thermostability is notable. This is expressed by the half-lifetime of the activity at 50 degrees C, which was determined to be 8 and 27 h for the free and immobilized enzymes, respectively. Although immobilization did not significantly change kinetic parameters for the substrate lactose, a considerable decrease in the maximum reaction velocity V(max) was observed for the artificial substrate o-nitrophenyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside (oNPG). The hydrolysis of both oNPG and lactose is competitively inhibited by the end products glucose and galactose. However, this inhibition is only very moderate as judged from kinetic analysis with glucose exerting a more pronounced inhibitory effect. It was evident from bioconversion experiments with 20% lactose as substrate, that the immobilized enzyme showed a strong transgalactosylation reaction, resulting in the formation of galactooligosaccharides (GalOS). The maximum yield of GalOS of 34% was obtained when the degree of lactose conversion was roughly 80%. Hence, this immobilized enzyme can be useful both for the cleavage of lactose at elevated temperatures, and the formation of GalOS, prebiotic sugars that have a number of interesting properties for food applications.
|
10.1385/abab:129:1:215
|
pubmed_368_1007
|
The cis-regulatory effects responsible for cancer development have not been as extensively studied as the perturbations of the protein coding genome in tumorigenesis. To better characterize colorectal cancer (CRC) development we conducted an RNA-sequencing experiment of 103 matched tumour and normal colon mucosa samples from Danish CRC patients, 90 of which were germline-genotyped. By investigating allele-specific expression (ASE) we show that the germline genotypes remain important determinants of allelic gene expression in tumours. Using the changes in ASE in matched pairs of samples we discover 71 genes with excess of somatic cis-regulatory effects in CRC, suggesting a cancer driver role. We correlate genotypes and gene expression to identify expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) and find 1,693 and 948 eQTLs in normal samples and tumours, respectively. We estimate that 36% of the tumour eQTLs are exclusive to CRC and show that this specificity is partially driven by increased expression of specific transcription factors and changes in methylation patterns. We show that tumour-specific eQTLs are more enriched for low CRC genome-wide association study (GWAS) P values than shared eQTLs, which suggests that some of the GWAS variants are tumour specific regulatory variants. Importantly, tumour-specific eQTL genes also accumulate more somatic mutations when compared to the shared eQTL genes, raising the possibility that they constitute germline-derived cancer regulatory drivers. Collectively the integration of genome and the transcriptome reveals a substantial number of putative somatic and germline cis-regulatory cancer changes that may have a role in tumorigenesis.
|
10.1038/nature13602
|
pubmed_720_11653
|
We studied seeds from a set of plant species from the Convolvulaceae family. Seeds collected from natural populations and infested with beetles of genus Megacerus were monitored until the beetle emergence. We analyze the relationship between body weight of beetles and seed weight of host plants, and its connection with between-species differences and sexual dimorphism. The results show that differences in the scaling of body weight of beetles are associated with sexual dimorphism. For the same species of beetle, the females tend to have heavier bodies than the males. Differences between host plants species in the weight of seeds are related to differences in the body weight Megacerus species, resulting in a distinctive pattern of seed infestation across hosts. Small-sized (lighter) species of beetles tended to infest small-sized (lighter) seed species and, correspondingly, heavier beetles species tended to do it in heavier seed species. Mechanisms of female oviposition preferences may be involved to generate that pattern. In general, the beetle weight showed an asymptotic relation with the host seed weight. The greater the weight of the seed, the greater the weight of adult beetle was. However, the proportion in weights reaches an asymptotic value probably because beetles reached the maximum possible weight for their species. We conclude that the process of specialization in the seed-beetle assemblage studied is influenced by intrinsic traits of the species involved in the interaction (beetles and seeds) and by differences between sexes in their sexual-allocation paths.
|
10.1038/s41598-019-44761-8
|
pubmed_421_18022
|
OBJECTIVES
To compare the analgesic efficacy of preoperative intravenous (IV) ketorolac versus tramadol in preventing postoperative pain after mandibular third molar surgery.
METHODOLOGY
Two hundred patients in the age group of 18-40 years with asymptomatic impacted mandibular molars were randomly allocated into one of the two groups (100 in each group) and underwent third molar surgery under local anesthesia. Group I received IV ketorolac 30 mg and Group II received IV tramadol 50 mg preoperatively. The difference in postoperative pain was assessed by five primary end points: pain intensity being measured hourly by Wong-Baker pain assessment scale for 6 h, onset of analgesia, duration of action, total number of analgesics consumed, and patient's global assessment.
RESULTS
Throughout the 6 h investigation period, patients reported significantly lower pain intensity scores, longer duration of action, lesser postoperative analgesic consumption, and better global assessment in ketorolac when compared to tramadol group. Patients in the ketorolac group significantly performed better than the tramadol group in terms of all parameters except onset of analgesia. All the drug-related complications were mild and did not require any investigation.
CONCLUSION
The result of the present study shows that preoperative IV ketorolac 30 mg is more effective than tramadol 50 mg for postoperative pain following third molar surgery.
|
10.4103/njms.NJMS_78_17
|
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