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pubmed_365_1987
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The histological diagnosis of endovascular papillary angioendothelioma (EPA) (Dabska tumor) is controversial although the tumor is included in the World Health Organization classification. Papillary endothelial proliferation with a central hyaline core is one of the most characteristic features of EPA; however, this type of proliferation has been observed in other vascular tumors, such as angiosarcoma, retiform hemangioendothelioma and glomeruloid hemangioma. Several vascular tumors have EPA-like foci and EPA is not well defined generally. Endovascular papillary angioendothelioma may not be a distinct entity and may well include a heterogeneous group of lesions.
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10.1111/j.1440-1827.1998.tb03847.x
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pubmed_575_26255
|
Finite element analysis was used to compare the effect of different implant lengths on atrophic mandible with full-arch fixed prostheses. Four models were constructed with different implant lengths: 4, 6, 8 and 10 mm. A 100-N occlusal load was applied. The stress at the bone level, implant, and prosthetic components were obtained. Similar behavior was observed for all groups, except for 4 mm, which showed more discrepant values for all prosthetic components. Although longer implants presented better biomechanical behavior, the 4 mm implant seems to be a viable alternative for severely atrophic mandibles, however, further studies need to be carried out.
|
10.1080/10255842.2020.1817406
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pubmed_686_11461
|
The activator protein-2alpha (AP-2) transcription factor plays a key role in regulating expression of genes involved in tumor growth and metastasis of human melanoma. We sought to assess the prognostic significance of AP-2 expression and its role in the transition of nevi to metastatic melanoma. Two cohorts were analyzed. One was a "progression" microarray containing melanoma specimens from M.D. Anderson Cancer Center representing 84 cases and the other was a retrospective cohort from Yale University representing 214 primary melanomas and 293 metastases. Analysis of total AP-2 expression using two quantitative systems [automated quantitative analysis (AQUA) and laser scanning cytometry (LSC)] revealed no correlation with diagnosis group. LSC analysis of the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center array showed that the number of cells expressing nuclear AP-2 was highest in the benign nevi group (11.85%) and significantly decreased in each phase of melanoma progression to 0.39% in the metastatic group. Both LSC and AQUA showed decreased nuclear AP-2 levels and increased cytoplasmic AP-2 that is directly proportional to progression. Neither nuclear nor cytoplasmic expression levels correlated with outcome. Intriguingly, the ratio of cytoplasmic to nuclear AP-2 predicted outcome in the entire population and in the primary tumors alone, demonstrating the power of the ratio to normalize for variations. Furthermore, the AP-2 ratio directly correlated with other clinicopathologic factors, including Breslow depth (R = 0.334, P < 0.001). We show that a high level of AP-2 expression in the cytoplasm relative to the nucleus correlates with poor prognosis and the loss of nuclear AP-2 expression is associated with malignant transformation and progression of melanoma.
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10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-05-2300
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pubmed_443_23294
|
BACKGROUND/PURPOSE
No surgical treatment for total colonic aganglionosis (TCA) clearly has been proven superior. To identify clinical criteria associated with long-term functional outcome, a 28-year retrospective institutional review of this entity from 1969 through 1996 inclusive was undertaken.
METHODS
Total colonic aganglionosis (TCA), defined here as aganglionosis extending from the anus to at least the ileocecal valve but no further than 50 cm proximal to the ileocecal valve, was identified in 29 infants and children. Appropriate leveling ileostomy was performed in 28 of 29 patients, and definitive surgical reconstruction was performed in 26 of 29. Three groups were identified based on the definitive surgical repair performed: group 1, construction lacking or incorporating a short ganglionic-aganglionic common channel (modified Soave or modified Duhamel, n = 8); group II, construction of an extended common channel (Martin-Duhamel, Martin-Soave; n = 6); and group III, all others including an intermediate-length common channel (n = 13).
RESULTS
Functional outcome at extended follow-up (mean, 6.6 +/- 5.6 years; range, 0.7 to 23) was determined based on survival, long-term ostomy requirements, growth, major complications, continence, and enterocolitis and bowel movement frequency. Although long-term functional outcome was deemed satisfactory in six of seven patients in group I, function was satisfactory in none of six group II patients. Group III results were intermediate (satisfactory in 6 of 13).
CONCLUSIONS
Acceptable long-term outcome was most frequent in TCA patients whose definitive repair did not incorporate an extended ganglionic-aganglionic common channel. The use of extensive lengths of aganglionic bowel to maximize fluid absorption is frequently met with substantial morbidity.
|
10.1016/s0022-3468(98)90515-2
|
pubmed_389_20543
|
Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis is sometimes fatal. The standard treatment for sinus thrombosis is anticoagulation, but endovascular intervention must be considered when medical treatment fails. Mechanical thrombectomy is usually required when a large clot burden exits. Unfortunately, in sinus thrombosis attributable to a clot burden larger than that in an intracranial artery, the conventional technique used for intraarterial acute stroke intervention with a stent retriever and/or aspiration is not very effective. The authors describe here their endovascular approach to mechanical thrombectomy for sinus thrombosis using aspiration combined with angioplasty balloon support.
|
10.3171/2017.1.FOCUS16519
|
pubmed_463_12899
|
This study investigates whether 'pencil beam resampling', i.e. iterative selection and weight optimization of randomly placed pencil beams (PBs), reduces optimization time and improves plan quality for multi-criteria optimization in intensity-modulated proton therapy, compared with traditional modes in which PBs are distributed over a regular grid. Resampling consisted of repeatedly performing: (1) random selection of candidate PBs from a very fine grid, (2) inverse multi-criteria optimization, and (3) exclusion of low-weight PBs. The newly selected candidate PBs were added to the PBs in the existing solution, causing the solution to improve with each iteration. Resampling and traditional regular grid planning were implemented into our in-house developed multi-criteria treatment planning system 'Erasmus iCycle'. The system optimizes objectives successively according to their priorities as defined in the so-called 'wish-list'. For five head-and-neck cancer patients and two PB widths (3 and 6 mm sigma at 230 MeV), treatment plans were generated using: (1) resampling, (2) anisotropic regular grids and (3) isotropic regular grids, while using varying sample sizes (resampling) or grid spacings (regular grid). We assessed differences in optimization time (for comparable plan quality) and in plan quality parameters (for comparable optimization time). Resampling reduced optimization time by a factor of 2.8 and 5.6 on average (7.8 and 17.0 at maximum) compared with the use of anisotropic and isotropic grids, respectively. Doses to organs-at-risk were generally reduced when using resampling, with median dose reductions ranging from 0.0 to 3.0 Gy (maximum: 14.3 Gy, relative: 0%-42%) compared with anisotropic grids and from -0.3 to 2.6 Gy (maximum: 11.4 Gy, relative: -4%-19%) compared with isotropic grids. Resampling was especially effective when using thin PBs (3 mm sigma). Resampling plans contained on average fewer PBs, energy layers and protons than anisotropic grid plans and more energy layers and protons than isotropic grid plans. In conclusion, resampling resulted in improved plan quality and in considerable optimization time reduction compared with traditional regular grid planning.
|
10.1088/0031-9155/58/19/6969
|
pubmed_833_9376
|
The NHS's failure to use plain English is a long-standing and widely acknowledged problem. Most people get their information from tabloid newspapers, where sentences have 30 words or fewer. Patients should be involved in the preparation of patient information leaflets. The government's emphasis on involving the public in the NHS, and holding board meetings in public, will be meaningless unless briefing papers can be understood.
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pubmed_833_9376
|
pubmed_277_3716
|
Despite the availability of an increasing number of innovative dressing products, many patients' wounds remain a challenge to dress in practice. However, the creative use of widely available products and other resources can help to address some of the difficulties that are regularly encountered. If different sizes of dressing (to allow for cutting and shaping) or more innovatively shaped products (which may be more expensive per item) are used, this can result in a better dressing fit and therefore increase product wear time which is both clinically effective and cost-effective. When a good solution is found for dealing with certain wound types then great benefit can be gained from publishing the information to prevent others from struggling to overcome the same difficulties.
|
10.12968/bjon.1999.8.12.6570
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pubmed_835_1557
|
Immune evasion is a common reason causing the failure of anticancer immune therapy. Small interfering RNA (siRNA), which can activate the innate and adaptive immune system responses by silencing immune-relevant genes, have been demonstrated to be a powerful tool for preventing or reversing immune evasion. However, siRNAs show poor stability in biological fluids and cannot efficiently cross cell membranes. Nanotechnology has shown great potential for intracellular siRNA delivery in recent years. Nano-immunotherapy can efficiently penetrate the tumor microenvironment (TME) and deliver multiple immunomodulatory agents simultaneously, which appears to be a promising method for combination therapy. Therefore, it provides a new perspective for siRNA delivery in immunomodulation and cancer immunotherapy. The current advances and challenges in nanotechnology-based siRNA delivery strategies for overcoming immune evasion will be discussed in this review. In addition, we also offer insights into therapeutic options, which may expand its applications in clinical cancer treatment.
|
10.3390/pharmaceutics14071344
|
pubmed_911_7988
|
BACKGROUND
Efficient vaccines against hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are urgently needed. Vaccine development has been hampered by the lack of suitable small animal models to reliably test the protective capacity of immmunization.
METHODS
We used recombinant murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV-68) as a novel challenge virus in mice and tested the efficacy of heterologous candidate human vaccines based on modified vaccinia virus Ankara or adenovirus, both delivering HCV non-structural NS3 or core proteins.
RESULTS
Recombinant MHV-68 expressing NS3 (MHV-68-NS3) or core (MHV-68-core) were constructed and characterized in vitro and in vivo. Mice immunized with NS3-specific vector vaccines and challenged with MHV-68-NS3 were infected but showed significantly reduced viral loads in the acute and latent phase of infection. NS3-specific CD8+ T cells were amplified in immunized mice after challenge with MHV-68-NS3. By contrast, we did neither detect a reduction of viral load nor an induction of core-specific CD8+ T cells after core-specific immunization.
CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest that the challenge system using recombinant MHV-68 is a highly suitable model to test the immunogenicity and protective capacity of HCV candidate vaccine antigens. Using this system, we demonstrated the usefulness of NS3-specific immunization. By contrast, our analysis rather discarded core as a vaccine antigen.
|
10.1002/jgm.1144
|
pubmed_291_8915
|
Hip dislocation is a well-described complication of total hip arthroplasty (THA) and dislocation rates are substantially higher following revision hip arthroplasty. Vascular complications following closed reduction of hip dislocations are exceedingly rare, but a high index of suspicion is essential for patients with underlying vascular abnormalities. Popliteal artery aneurysms are the most common peripheral arterial aneurysms with a prevalence of 1% and they should be suspected in patients with prominent popliteal pulses. This article presents a case of an 84-year-old man with a revision total THA who sustained a posterior hip dislocation. The hip was reduced under conscious sedation using the Bigelow technique. The leg was distally neurovascularly intact based on the clinical exam immediately before and after the reduction. Over the next few hours, the foot became progressively ischemic and an urgent computed tomography angiogram revealed bilateral popliteal artery aneurysms with acute thrombosis of the aneurysm on the affected limb. The patient underwent emergent femoral popliteal bypass using a Dacron supported interpositional graft. The majority of the foot was salvaged but the toes eventually became necrotic. Direct compression of the aneurysm during reduction of the hip dislocation in conjunction with transiently decreased blood pressure from conscious sedation likely resulted in a low flow state within the artery leading to thrombosis of the aneurysm. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of such an event. This case emphasizes the need for a high index of suspicion for vascular injuries following manipulation of limbs with underlying arterial aneurysms. Reduction maneuvers for hip dislocations should be modified to minimize compression of the popliteal fossa in limbs with vascular abnormalities. Serial postreduction neurovascular exams are essential for identification and prompt management of vascular complications.
|
10.3928/01477447-20100826-24
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pubmed_1131_8212
|
The design and performance of a mammographically configured, dual-sided, automated breast ultrasound (ABUS) 3-D imaging system are described. Dual-sided imaging (superior and inferior) is compared with single-sided imaging to aid decisions on clinical implementation of the more complex, but potentially higher-quality dual-sided imaging. Marked improvement in image quality and coverage of the breast is obtained in dual-sided ultrasound over single-sided ultrasound. Among hypo-echoic masses imaged, there are increases in the mean contrast-to-noise ratio of 57% and 79%, respectively, for spliced dual-sided versus superior or inferior single-sided imaging. The fractional breast volume coverage, defined as the percentage volume in the transducer field of view that is imaged with clinically acceptable quality, is improved from 59% in both superior and inferior single-sided imaging to 89% in dual-sided imaging. Applying acoustic coupling to the breast requires more effort or sophisticated methods in dual-sided imaging than in single-sided imaging.
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pubmed_1131_8212
|
pubmed_821_10600
|
Bone marrow transplantation (BMT) represents an important therapeutic choice for several kinds of disorders: hematologic, metabolic and neoplastic pathologies can be treated with this strategy. The aim of this article is to describe the main indications for allogeneic BMT in haematologic disorders of childhood and possible problems related to this procedure. We consider only hematologic aspects, paying particular attention to unusual disorders of infancy as myelodysplastic syndromes and aplastic anemia. We also consider quality of life after a BMT in patients with sickle cell anemia and thalassemia major and compare this with quality of life of patients receiving chronic periodic blood transfusions.
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pubmed_821_10600
|
pubmed_190_15917
|
BACKGROUND
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in chronic progressive diseases, like multiple sclerosis (MS), is highly prevalent. Up to now there are no satisfying longitudinal analysis about changes in using of CAM accompanied by influencing parameters like disease duration, stage of impairment or socioeconomic factors. This study captured the using of CAM of MS patients in combination with disease progression.
METHODS
119 Patients with MS were asked about CAM utilization, sociodemographic and disease factors within the context of a semistructured interview at an interval of seven years. The depressive status was ascertained with the Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI). Differences of users and non-users were checked with diverse statistical tests.
RESULTS
Comparing both isolated measurements at second point less patients used CAM accompanied by worse socioeconomic situation and progression of the disease. Patients use CAM in a stage of illness, characterized by the Established Disability Status Scale (EDSS) between 3.5 and 4.0 points, signifying a transition from moderate to severe impairment, and a shorter duration of illness in comparison to non-users. Types of used CAM have been changed over seven years. Relaxation techniques and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) are the favorite therapies at second measurement.
DISCUSSION
As the key result of the study patients use CAM in an early stage of the disease. Their EDSS lies between 3.5 and 4.0 points and they suffer medial two years shorter from MS than non-users. CAM could be an important appliance to cope with the disease.
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pubmed_190_15917
|
pubmed_751_1861
|
Because monoclonal antibodies can recognize and bind to specific groups of atoms such as tumour antigens, they have promise for use in vivo as carriers of radionuclides, drugs or other appended molecules for diagnosis and treatment of disease. Attachment of metal ions to antibodies by means of bifunctional chelating agents can add the diverse nuclear, physical and chemical properties of the metallic elements to these specific binding proteins (ref. 4 and refs therein). With the ultimate aim of engineering probe-binding properties into the antibodies themselves, we have now prepared monoclonal antibodies against the EDTA chelate of indium. These antibodies show a remarkable preference for indium chelates; changing to another metal such as scandium or gallium can decrease the antibody-binding constant by more than three orders of magnitude. These antibodies also introduce a new degree of control over the biological distributions of chelated radionuclides, markedly altering their uptake in tumours and normal organs.
|
10.1038/316265a0
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pubmed_244_17667
|
When listening to natural speech, our brain activity tracks the slow amplitude modulations of speech, also called the speech envelope. Moreover, recent research has demonstrated that this neural envelope tracking can be affected by top-down processes. The present study was designed to examine if neural envelope tracking is modulated by the effort that a person expends during listening. Five measures were included to quantify listening effort: two behavioral measures based on a novel dual-task paradigm, a self-report effort measure and two neural measures related to phase synchronization and alpha power. Electroencephalography responses to sentences, presented at a wide range of subject-specific signal-to-noise ratios, were recorded in thirteen young, normal-hearing adults. A comparison of the five measures revealed different effects of listening effort as a function of speech understanding. Reaction times on the primary task and self-reported effort decreased with increasing speech understanding. In contrast, reaction times on the secondary task and alpha power showed a peak-shaped behavior with highest effort at intermediate speech understanding levels. With regard to neural envelope tracking, we found that the reaction times on the secondary task and self-reported effort explained a small part of the variability in theta-band envelope tracking. Speech understanding was found to strongly modulate neural envelope tracking. More specifically, our results demonstrated a robust increase in envelope tracking with increasing speech understanding. The present study provides new insights in the relations among different effort measures and highlights the potential of neural envelope tracking to objectively measure speech understanding in young, normal-hearing adults.
|
10.1111/ejn.14753
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pubmed_44_1764
|
The Dutch Ministry of Health asked the Health Council for advice on how to prepare for a possible influenza pandemic. In two advisory reports the Committee responsible indicated the measures that it believes would need to be taken if such a pandemic were to reach the Netherlands. During a pandemic, the Committee recommends that every resident of the Netherlands with influenza-like illness should be treated with neuraminidase inhibitors such as antiviral agents. This approach serves to mitigate the course of the disease, to reduce infectivity and to allow patients to build up immunity to the virus. Since up to 30% of the population could become ill, the Committee anticipates that a stock of five million courses of the neuraminidase inhibitor oseltamivir is sufficient. If a pandemic were to occur at a time that the stock does not exceed the present 225,000 courses, the committee advises restricting treatment to three specified groups of patients. If the first few patients are traced shortly after they fall ill, the Committee recommends treatment of the patient and postexposure prophylaxis for his/her close contacts. The Committee does not advocate prophylaxis in general, but it can envisage prophylaxis for particular groups of patients or under particular circumstances. The Committee believes that in order to reduce rapid spread of the virus, schools should be closed and events where large numbers of people gather in a confined space should be cancelled. Because this recommendation would have major social and economic consequences, the Committee understands that its implication will depend on the anticipated severity and extent of the pandemic. The Committee regards vaccination against influenza as the best means of protecting the population. The development of a vaccine should be the absolute priority.
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pubmed_44_1764
|
pubmed_374_24378
|
Fully porous silica microspheres (FPSM) with high specific surface area and hierarchical pore as matrix for HPLC were prepared. First, the porous silica nanospheres with controllable particle size and pore diameter were successfully synthesized using a dual-templating approach, the pore size of nanospheres can be increased to 18.4 nm by changing the molar ratios of octyltrimethylammonium bromide (TOMAB) and cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB), which is suitable for separation and analysis of biomolecules without pore enlargement. Then, the micron FPSM with hierarchical pore were synthesized by polymerization-induced colloid aggregation (PICA) using the porous nanospheres as a silicon source, which has a large mesoporous structure (35.2 nm) and high specific surface area (560 m2 g-1). Subsequently, the FPSM modified with octadecyltrichlorosilane were studied as stationary phase for separation of cytochrome C, lysozyme, ribonuclease A, and ovalbumin, bovine serum albumin, and the baseline separation of five proteins was achieved within 1 min. The prepared column was also applied to the fast separation of digests of ovalbumin, and more chromatographic peaks were obtained compared to a commercial column under the same gradient elution conditions. In addition, the static-binding capacity of the functionalized FPSM for bovine serum albumin (BSA) was measured to be 276 mg g-1, which was nearly twice the static adsorption given in literature. Therefore, these FPSM with high specific surface area and hierarchical pore structure are expected to have great potential for the separation of complex biological samples using HPLC. Graphical abstract A synthetic strategy was provided towards FPSM with hierarchical pores and high specific surface area using porous nanospheres as silicon source. The outstanding performance of the FPSM is that it has a high specific surface area while maintaining a large mesoporous size, which overcomes the disadvantage of sacrificing the specific surface area when increasing the pore size of porous silica microspheres prepared by using the traditional PICA method.
|
10.1007/s00604-020-04327-2
|
pubmed_732_3735
|
BACKGROUND
After initial onset, adequate glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) presents a continuing challenge even with aggressive pharmacologic treatment, and longer disease duration is associated with poorer resolution in response to Roux-en Y gastric bypass (RYGB). Skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity is an important determinant of glycemic control. We investigated whether skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity is predictive of T2DM resolution with RYGB and is in general lower in patients with longer-duration T2DM.
METHODS
Insulin sensitivity (SI) and the acute response to glucose (AIRg) were calculated by MINMOD analysis from glucose and insulin obtained during a modified frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test.
RESULTS
Pre-RYGB SI and duration but not AIRg were predictive of T2DM resolution by RYGB. In addition, HbA1c was greater and SI and AIRg lower in long- (8+ years) compared with short-duration (1- to 7-year) T2DM. Multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that SI explained 32% and AIRg 21% of the variance in HbA1c, respectively.
CONCLUSION
The current results suggest that pre-RYGB SI is predictive of T2DM resolution after RYGB, skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity and β-cell function worsen after the onset of T2DM, and low skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity as well as low β cell function contribute to poor glycemic control in T2DM.
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pubmed_732_3735
|
pubmed_192_13146
|
Ground and excited electronic states of V(NH3)0,±6 complexes, investigated with ab initio electronic structure theory, consist of a V(NH3)62+ core with up to three electrons distributed over its periphery. This result extends the concept of super-atomic, solvated-electron precursors from alkali and alkaline-earth complexes to a transition metal. In the approximately octahedral ground state of V(NH3)6, three unpaired electrons occupy 3dxz, 3dyz and 3dxy (t2g) orbitals of vanadium and two electrons occupy a diffuse 1s outer orbital. The lowest excitations involve promotion of diffuse 1s electrons to 1p or 1d diffuse orbitals, followed by a 3d (t2g → eg) transition. V(NH3)6+ is produced by removing a diffuse 1s electron, whereas the additional electron in V(NH3)6- populates a 1p diffuse orbital. The adiabatic ionization energy and electron affinity of V(NH3)6 equal 3.50 and 0.48 eV, respectively.
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10.1039/c8cp07420h
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pubmed_1003_11353
|
MTBE has only recently being used as an octane enhancer in gasoline in Europe and is considered as a more recent groundwater contaminant on this continent. In this study we examined if during the recent contamination history, European MTBE contaminated aquifers had developed MTBE degrading microbial communities. Different MTBE contaminated and non-contaminated aquifers and soils were tested for their intrinsic biodegradation potential. The role of the oxygen concentration, the availability of nutrients and the influence of the presence of a co-contaminant like benzene on the MTBE biodegradation capabilities of the indigenous microorganisms were examined. All studied soil samples showed degradation of benzene under all tested conditions. On the other hand only one aquifer showed the capacity to degrade MTBE as demonstrated by the disappearance of MTBE and the production of TBA, the main degradation product of MTBE.
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pubmed_1003_11353
|
pubmed_491_14970
|
Prebiotic oceans might have contained abundant amino acids, and were subjected to meteorite impacts, especially during the late heavy bombardment. It is so far unknown how meteorite impacts affected amino acids in the early oceans. Impact experiments were performed under the conditions where glycine was synthesized from carbon, ammonia, and water, using aqueous solutions containing (13)C-labeled glycine and alanine. Selected amino acids and amines in samples were analyzed with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS). In particular, the (13)C-labeled reaction products were analyzed to distinguish between run products and contaminants. The results revealed that both amino acids survived partially in the early ocean through meteorite impacts, that part of glycine changed into alanine, and that large amounts of methylamine and ethylamine were formed. Fast decarboxylation was confirmed to occur during such impact processes. Furthermore, the formation of n-butylamine, detected only in the samples recovered from the solutions with additional nitrogen and carbon sources of ammonia and benzene, suggests that chemical reactions to form new biomolecules can proceed through marine impacts. Methylamine and ethylamine from glycine and alanine increased considerably in the presence of hematite rather than olivine under similar impact conditions. These results also suggest that amino acids present in early oceans can contribute further to impact-induced reactions, implying that impact energy plays a potential role in the prebiotic formation of various biomolecules, although the reactions are complicated and depend upon the chemical environments as well.
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10.1007/s10867-015-9400-5
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pubmed_170_18350
|
Iodine-131 (physical half-life: 8.04 days) was detected in brown algae collected off the Japanese coast. Brown algae have been extensively used as bioindicators for radioiodine because of their ability to accumulate radionuclides in high concentration factors. The maximum measured specific activity of (131)I in brown algae was 0.37 + or - 0.010 Bq/kg-wet. Cesium-137 was also detected in all brown algal samples used in this study. There was no correlation between specific activities of (131)I and (137)Cs in these seaweeds. The specific activity of (137)Cs ranged from 0.0034 + or - 0.00075 to 0.090 + or - 0.014 Bq/kg-wet. Low specific activity and minimal variability of (137)Cs in brown algae indicated that past nuclear weapon tests were the source of (137)Cs. Although nuclear power stations and nuclear fuel reprocessing plants are known to be pollution sources of (131)I, there was no relationship between the sites where (131)I was detected and the locations of nuclear power facilities. Most of the sites where (131)I was detected were near big cities with large populations. Iodine-131 is frequently used in diagnostic and therapeutic nuclear medicine. On the basis of the results, we suggest that the likely pollution source of (131)I, detected in brown seaweeds, is not nuclear power facilities, but nuclear medicine procedures.
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10.1016/j.scitotenv.2010.04.001
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pubmed_196_7620
|
BACKGROUND
Showing how engagement adds value for all stakeholders can be an effective motivator for broader implementation of patient engagement. However, it is unclear what methods can best be used to evaluate patient engagement. This paper is focused on ways to evaluate patient engagement at three decision-making points in the medicines research and development process: research priority setting, clinical trial design and early dialogues with regulators and health technology assessment bodies.
OBJECTIVE
Our aim was to review the literature on monitoring and evaluation of patient engagement, with a focus on indicators and methods.
SEARCH STRATEGY AND INCLUSION CRITERIA
We undertook a scoping literature review using a systematic search, including academic and grey literature with a focus on evaluation approaches or outcomes associated with patient engagement. No date limits were applied other than a cut-off of publications after July 2018.
DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS
Data were extracted from 91 publications, coded and thematically analysed.
MAIN RESULTS
A total of 18 benefits and 5 costs of patient engagement were identified, mapped with 28 possible indicators for their evaluation. Several quantitative and qualitative methods were found for the evaluation of benefits and costs of patient engagement.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS
Currently available indicators and methods are of some use in measuring impact but are not sufficient to understand the pathway to impact, nor whether interaction between researchers and patients leads to change. We suggest that the impacts of patient engagement can best be determined not by applying single indicators, but a coherent set of measures.
|
10.1111/hex.12951
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pubmed_835_7734
|
The invasion of cancer cells into the surrounding tissues is one of the hallmarks of cancer. However, a precise quantitative understanding of the spatiotemporal patterns of cancer cell migration and invasion still remains elusive. A promising approach to investigate these patterns are 3D cell cultures, which provide more realistic models of cancer growth compared to conventional 2D monolayers. Quantifying the spatial distribution of cells in these 3D cultures yields great promise for understanding the spatiotemporal progression of cancer. In the present study, we present an image processing and segmentation pipeline for the detection of 3D GFP-fluorescent triple-negative breast cancer cell nuclei, and we perform quantitative analysis of the formed spatial patterns and their temporal evolution. The performance of the proposed pipeline was evaluated using experimental 3D cell culture data, and was found to be comparable to manual segmentation, outperforming four alternative automated methods. The spatiotemporal statistical analysis of the detected distributions of nuclei revealed transient, non-random spatial distributions that consisted of clustered patterns across a wide range of neighbourhood distances, as well as dispersion for larger distances. Overall, the implementation of the proposed framework revealed the spatial organization of cellular nuclei with improved accuracy, providing insights into the 3 dimensional inter-cellular organization and its progression through time.
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10.1007/s10439-022-03022-y
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pubmed_980_11174
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There is increasing evidence that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) impacts on the development of obesity. We are the first to test the hypothesis that BDNF levels might be associated with neural reactivity to food cues in patients suffering from obesity and healthy controls. We assessed visual food cue-induced neural response in 19 obese patients and 20 matched controls using functional magnetic resonance imaging and analyzed the associations between BDNF levels, food cue-reactivity and food craving. Whole-brain analysis in both groups revealed that food cues elicited higher neural activation in clusters of mesolimbic brain areas including the insula (food > neutral). Patients suffering from obesity showed a significant positive correlation between plasma BDNF levels and visual food cue-reactivity in the bilateral insulae. In addition, patients suffering from obesity with positive food cue-induced insula activation also reported significantly higher food craving than those with low cue-reactivity-an effect that was absent in normal weight participants. The present findings implicate that BDNF levels in patients suffering from obesity might be involved in food craving and obesity in humans. This highlights the importance to consider BDNF pathways when investigating obesity and obesity treatment.
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10.1007/s00406-020-01224-w
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pubmed_339_17957
|
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the association of the 48 bp variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) polymorphism in the dopamine D4 receptor (DRD4) gene exon III with schizophrenia in Chinese Han population.
METHODS
Case-control association study was adopted to analyze the association between the 48 bp VNTR polymorphism of DRD4 gene exon III in 510 DSM-IV schizophrenics and 171 psychiatrically normal controls.
RESULTS
(1) The DRD4 gene 48 bp VNTR polymorphism was manifested as 2-7 repeats, with the 4 repeats the most common (78.6% in schizophrenics and 76.9% in controls respectively). The frequency of 2 repeats was 16.2% and 19.3% in the schizophrenics and controls respectively. (2) The genotypic frequency was statistically significantly different between the schizophrenics and the controls. The genotypic frequency of short tandem repeats (2/2 and 2/3 genotype) was lower in patients (3.3%) than in controls (10.5%) (chi 2 = 14.88, df = 2, P = 0.00). (3) the frequency of the genotype with 4-repeat allele in patients was higher (95.9%) than in controls (88.3%) (chi 2 = 13.00, df = 1, P = 0.000).
CONCLUSION
The most common allele in Chinese schizophrenics was 4 repeats in the 48 bp VNTR polymorphism of DRD4 gene exon III. The repeat number of 48 bp is probably associated with schizophrenia. Lack of 2-3 repeats or excess of genotype with 4-repeat allele may be associated with increased vulnerability to schizophrenia.
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pubmed_339_17957
|
pubmed_436_24638
|
The aim of this review is to critically examine the clinical trial research on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as an intervention in treating heroin addiction in People's Republic of China. This review examines Chinese-language-only publications for the patent medicines: Shenfu Tuodu, Fukang Pian, and Shifu Sheng. Other compound medicines will be reviewed in future publications. A systematic review of the literature was conducted in Western and Chinese databases. Most trials were excluded because they did not declare randomization and had poor methodology or reporting. The majority of clinical evidence in the random controlled trials demonstrates good evidence for TCM patent medicines in heroin addiction treatment. When compared to typical Western medications, TCMs demonstrate fewer side-effects, in addition to equal measures of treatment efficacy and safety.
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10.1142/S0192415X08005886
|
pubmed_54_8759
|
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
Cardiac output (CO) measurement is essential for many therapeutic decisions in anesthesia and critical care. Most available non-invasive CO measuring methods have an invasive component. We investigate "pulse wave transit time" (estimated continuous cardiac output [esCCO]) a method of CO measurement that has no invasive component to its use.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
After institutional ethical committee approval, 14 adult (21-85 years) patients undergoing surgery and requiring pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) for measuring CO, were included. Postoperatively CO readings were taken simultaneously with thermodilution (TD) via PAC and esCCO, whenever a change in CO was expected due to therapeutic interventions. Both monitoring methods were continued until patients' discharge from the Intensive Care Unit and observer recording values using TD method was blinded to values measured by esCCO system.
RESULTS
Three hundred and one readings were obtained simultaneously from both methods. Correlation and concordance between the two methods was derived using Bland-Altman analysis. Measured values showed significant correlation between esCCO and TD ( r = 0.6, P < 0.001, 95% confidence limits of 0.51-0.68). Mean and (standard deviation) for bias and precision were 0.13 (2.27) L/min and 6.56 (2.19) L/min, respectively. The 95% confidence interval for bias was - 4.32 to 4.58 L/min and for precision 2.27 to10.85 L/min.
CONCLUSIONS
Although, esCCO is the only true non-invasive continuous CO monitor available and even though its values change proportionately to TD method (gold standard) with the present degree of error its utility for clinical/therapeutic decision-making is questionable.
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10.4103/0971-9784.142059
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pubmed_213_20421
|
Merbarone has previously been shown to have antitumor activity of unknown mechanism in P388 and L1210 tumor models (A. D. Brewer et al., Biochem. Pharmacol., 34:2047-2050, 1985) and is currently undergoing Phase I clinical trials. Here we report that merbarone is an inhibitor of topoisomerase II. Merbarone inhibited purified mammalian topoisomerase II with a 50% inhibitory concentration of 20 microM, as assessed by ATP-dependent unknotting of P4 phage DNA or relaxation of supercoiled pBR322 plasmid. In contrast to the type II enzyme, inhibition of catalytic activity of topoisomerase I required about 10-fold higher concentrations of merbarone, with a 50% inhibitory concentration of approximately 200 microM. Unlike epipodophyllotoxin analogues and certain DNA intercalative agents which stabilize the topoisomerase II-DNA "cleavable complex," merbarone did not cause detectable topoisomerase II-induced DNA cleavage. Furthermore, merbarone inhibited the production by amsacrine or teniposide of topoisomerase II-associated DNA strand breaks; under identical conditions novobiocin did not decrease these breaks, setting merbarone apart from a novobiocin-like class of topoisomerase II inhibitor. In L1210 cells, merbarone produced only small numbers of protein-associated DNA strand breaks, and only at very high concentrations. Merbarone reduced in a concentration-dependent manner the number of amsacrine- or teniposide-stimulated protein-associated DNA strand breaks in L1210 cells or their isolated nuclei. The data suggest that merbarone represents a novel type of topoisomerase II inhibitor.
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pubmed_213_20421
|
pubmed_132_19865
|
BACKGROUND AND AIMS
One of the priorities in public health policy for the control of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) is to investigate associations between disease distribution, socio-demographical and environmental risk factors, so that rational prevention and control strategies can be developed. Assessment of baseline awareness of the disease amongst the endemic population would be one of the first steps in this direction. This study aims to provide qualitative information on lay perceptions of CL in an endemic area in Saudi Arabia. We also attempted to correlate these perceptions with associated socio-demographical backgrounds.
METHODS
This was a cross-sectional descriptive survey carried out in Al-Hassa, located in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. The study included 1824 participants, age ranging from 15 to 63 years (mean 35.86±9.54 years).
RESULTS
Over 76% of the studied population recognized the infectious nature of CL. There was also good awareness regarding the clinical features of CL, but the awareness regarding the vector, transmission, risk factors and preventive methods were very poor. Our study demonstrated a significantly higher knowledge score correlated with regard to male gender, higher family income, age and a previous history of CL.
CONCLUSION
In our study we found low awareness for important epidemiological aspects like transmission of the disease, risk factors and prevention. Our study provides a baseline to understand and correct deficits in the perceptions and knowledge regarding CL in Saudi Arabia and would provide a template to design interventions.
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10.1111/j.1468-3083.2011.04339.x
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pubmed_46_341
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To assess the usefulness of acetazolamide in weaning a patient from a respirator, we monitored the changes in the respiratory quotient ratio (RQ ratio), the ventilation volume (VE; l/min.), carbon dioxide elimination (VCO2; ml/min.), the oxygen consumption (VO2; ml/min.) and the metabolic energy expenditure (EE; Cal/day) for 6 hours before (baseline) and after the intravenous administration of acetazolamide, 6 mg/kg, in 12 healthy adult volunteers. The RQ ratio decreased significantly from 0.88 to 0.82 after the injection of acetazolamide, 6 mg/kg, and remained below baseline throughout the 6 hours of observation. VCO2 decreased significantly and VE increased significantly after acetazolamide administration. There were no significant changes in VO2 or EE. The RQ ratio increased only slightly, from 0.85 to 0.87, in the control group (no acetazolamide). No significant changes in VCO2 or VE were observed in the control group. Findings suggest that acetazolamide may alter the main pathway of energy metabolism from being carbohydrate-dominant to being fat-dominant, with a resulting fall in CO2 production to maintain the adequate work of ventilation. The inhibition of carbonic anhydrase by acetazolamide may be useful in reducing respiratory work in a patient who is weaned from a respirator.
|
pubmed_46_341
|
pubmed_1059_914
|
Use and abuse of psychotropic drugs start with history, but toxicomania starts much later, with the discovery of morphine, in early XIXth. Century; and increases sharply after the 2nd. World War. The author reviews the general classifications of drug abuse, stressing the many differences among them, as well as the differences in clinical approaches to each one of them, and in criteria for treatment. Abuse of drugs takes many different forms roughly reduced to three: a) "traditional" addicts, with permanent and heavy intake of barbiturates, amphetamines, alcohol and narcotics; b) regular mass consumers of medicines, legally prescripted by doctors on grounds of unwise criteria or sheer complicity; c) members of the "Drug Culture" making of drug abuse a symbol of doctrinary social claims. Addictive drugs are classified, according to Lehmann, into three groups: 1. Expansive drugs: producing intense feeling and elation, according to three classes: a) Thrill drugs, causing an immediate deep pleasure, a jolt in the stomach and warm waves towards the abdomen and genitalia, with orgasmic effects; b) Easiness drugs, increasing energy and self-reliance and decreasing fatigue or ill-feelings; c) self-realization drugs, leading to deep and rich self-awareness, and heighted aesthetic and intellectual potential. 2. Reductive drugs: lowering the intensity of sensations and emotions, in three kinds: a) Releaser drugs, causing removal of inhibitions and production of phantasies; b) Sedation drugs, easing tensions and anxieties; c) Stupefying drugs, blurring all contact with the outer world. The author analyzes the patterns of intake, which include generally two or more different types of drugs, and vary in the same individual according to circumstances. Finally, several factors leading to addiction are considered, among them: biological and genetical endowment or predisposition; psychological conflicts or flaws; and social factors.
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pubmed_1059_914
|
pubmed_343_18275
|
INTRODUCTION
This study compared healing of the scars after cesarean section during the first postpartum year using a single- or double-layer suturing technique. Scarring was assessed by a transvaginal ultrasound. We explored the appearance and localization of uterine scars with regard to the obstetric history. Our aim was to compare the position of the scar or defect, if present, its dimensions, and any residual myometrium with respect to the suturing technique during the cesarean section.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Women with uncomplicated singleton pregnancies indicated for elective or acute cesarean section were randomly allocated to the uterine closure technique group. During the first postpartum year, their lower uterine segment was examined with a transvaginal ultrasound in three consecutive visits at 6 weeks, 6 months and 12 months.
RESULTS
324 women attended the 12-month visit; of these, 149 underwent single-layer closure of the uterine incision and 175 double-layer technique. A higher proportion of the defects is seen in the single-layer closure technique of suturing. Defects in the single-layer group were wider (0.002) and the residual myometrial thickness in the single-layer group were thinner (0.019). Women who underwent cesarean section at the stage of full cervical dilation had scars that were closer to the external cervical os (0.000). The position of the uterus varies greatly between controls (0.000). The combination of uterine position and scar defect presence changed significantly between controls (0.001), and was significantly dependent on the suturing method (0.003). Defects with or without contact with the uterine cavity changed statistically between controls (0.017). Both types of defects were more common in the single-layer closure technique group.
CONCLUSIONS
The findings of this study demonstrate that double-layer technique with the first continuous nonlocking suture followed by a second continuous nonlocking suture is associated with better suture healing and greater residual myometrial thickness. No difference was observed between single- and double-layer closure for the presence of maternal infectious morbidity, wound infection or blood transfusion.
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10.1111/aogs.13714
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pubmed_621_4391
|
Two perspectives from which memories can be retrieved have been distinguished: field resembles the view from the first-person vantage point of original experience, whereas observer resembles the view from the third-person vantage point of a spectator. There is evidence that the incidences of the two types of perspective differ between at least two different cultural groups. It is hypothesised here that this is a special case of a more general relation between memory perspective and cultural individualism, such that field and observer perspectives are more prevalent among people from, respectively, relatively individualist and relatively collectivist societies. Memory perspectives adopted by participants from a range of different countries were recorded, and were found to vary in the predicted manner. Regression analysis showed that the potential effects of three other cultural variables - uncertainty avoidance, masculinity and, to a lesser extent, power distance - were eclipsed by the influence of individualism, and the implications are discussed.
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10.1016/j.concog.2012.04.009
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pubmed_432_5321
|
When the leg buds from chick embryos at stages 17-23 were cultured as organ cultures in F12 medium, which contained chick serum and an extract of chick embryos, leg cartilage structures developed that included pelvic girdle, femur, tibiofibula, and tarsometatarsus. The proportion of explants with definite distal elements increased when the leg buds from later embryos were used. Supplementation with chick serum was essential. These results suggest that the pattern of formation of limbs in chick embryos can be studied in organ culture.
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10.1002/jez.1402440119
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pubmed_805_129
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16-Dehydroprogesterone reductase (16-DHPR) activity was present in cell extracts of Eubacterium sp. strain 144 only when the organism was grown in the presence of steroids containing a delta 16-17 double bond and C-20-ketone. Cells grown with 16-dehydropregnenolone contained 16-DHPR activity but lacked delta 4-5-3-keto steroid reductase activity. Pyruvate or sodium dithionite served as electron donors for 16-DHPR and both reactions required methyl viologen as an electron carrier. Neither NADH nor NADPH, with or without flavin nucleotides, were used by 16-DHPR. Enzyme activity was detected in the cytoplasmic fraction (40%) and membrane fraction (20%) of crude cell extracts, but 40% of the activity was unaccounted for following ultracentrifugation. 16-DHPR activity was unaffected by pH in potassium phosphate buffer over the range 5.0 to 8.5, but was inhibited by Tris-HCl above pH 7.0. 16-DHPR activity was inhibited by sulfhydryl reagents, but inhibitors of electron transport reactions or metal chelators did not affect the enzyme.
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10.1016/0960-0760(91)90134-q
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pubmed_550_6333
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In 1999, we measured the body mass of 101 wild ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) inhabiting the Berenty Reserve, Madagascar. In addition, we counted the number of ticks [Haemaphysalis (Rhipistoma) lemuris Hoogstraal, 1953] infesting their facial skin and external auditory meatuses. For both males and females, the body mass appeared to increase until the age of 3 years. With the apparent exception of infants, there were no sexual differences in body mass. Within a group, higher-ranked adult males tended to be heavier than lower-ranked males. In contrast, there was no consistent correlation between the body mass of females and their ranks. Among the study groups, there was a small difference in body mass and significant difference in the number of ticks infesting the facial skin and external auditory meatuses. In particular, lemurs of a group who inhabited an area of gallery forest in the study area exhibited the smallest values of body mass and were severely infested with ticks. Such group variations were not consistently correlated with the reproductive parameters of the study groups. In three groups moderately infested with ticks, ticks infested adult males and subadults more heavily than adult females, juveniles, and infants.
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10.1007/s10329-007-0051-4
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pubmed_359_15473
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Between July and September 2002 there were outbreaks of bluetongue on three sheep holdings in the communities of San Gregorio Magno (Salerno, Campania), Laviano (Salerno, Campania) and Carpino (Foggia, Puglia), and the involvement of bluetongue virus (btv) was confirmed serologically and virologically. The mortality rate was at least 11 per cent and involved btv serotype 2 (btv-2) and serotype 9 (btv-9). These holdings were also surveyed for the Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) vectors; approximately 10,000 midges belonging to 15 species were captured, but they did not include a single specimen of the classical Afro-Asiatic bluetongue vector, Culicoides imicola. Species belonging to the Obsoletus complex dominated the light-trap collections, and Culicoides obsoletus Meigen, Culicoides scoticus Downes and Kettle and Culicoides dewulfi Goetghebuer constituted 90 per cent of all the Culicoides species captured. Fifty-six pools of the Obsoletus complex (excluding C dewulfi), each containing 100 individual midges and containing only parous and gravid females, were assayed for virus. btv-2 was isolated from three pools from San Gregorio Magno and Carpino, and btv-9 was isolated from one pool from Laviano. These results indicate that a species other than C imicola is involved in the current re-emergence of bluetongue in the Mediterranean Basin, but whether it is C obsoletus sensu stricto or C scoticus, or both, is uncertain.
|
10.1136/vr.157.5.133
|
pubmed_1008_15575
|
Young mice injected with sublethal doses of Toximul MP8, a typical commercial polyoxyethylene ether-based emulsifier, died more frequently when infected with encephalomyocarditis virus than did control mice. Lymphocytes taken from emulsifier-injected mice responded poorly to interferon induction, unlike lymphocytes from control animals. Interferon protected control mice against viral encephalomyocarditis, but such protection was not equally demonstrable in emulsifier-injected mice. These data suggest that the enhanced lethality of encephalomyocarditis virus in emulsifier-injected mice is associated with and perhaps caused by a compromised interferon response in these animals. Since these emulsifiers are commonly found in the environment in areas where forests are sprayed with pesticides, a group of children suffering from Reye's syndrome who lived in such areas was investigated. Blood samples were obtained from five children with influenza B-associated Reye's syndrome during their acute illness and during convalescence. Lymphocytes obtained from these samples and from peripheral blood samples from healthy children (controls) were induced to synthesize interferon by exposure to Newcastle disease virus. The lymphocytes from the convalescent patients and from the controls responded well to induction. However, the lymphocytes obtained from patients and from the controls responded well to induction. However, the lymphocytes obtained from patients during the acute phase of Reye's syndrome responded very poorly and produced significantly less interferon.
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pubmed_1008_15575
|
pubmed_60_2767
|
BACKGROUND
Iron is an essential cofactor in almost all biological systems. The lactic acid bacteria (LAB), frequently employed as probiotics, are unusual in having little or no requirement for iron. Iron in the human body is sequestered by transferrins and lactoferrin, limiting bacterial growth. An increase in the availability of iron in the intestine by bleeding, surgery, or under stress leads to an increase in the growth and virulence of many pathogens. Under these high iron conditions, LAB are rapidly out-competed; for the levels of probiotic bacteria to be maintained under high iron conditions they must be able to respond by increasing growth rate to compete with the normal flora. Despite this, iron-responsive genera are poorly characterised as probiotics.
METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS
Here, we show that a panel of probiotics are not able to respond to increased iron availability, and identify an isolate of Streptococcus thermophilus that can increase growth rate in response to increased iron availability. The isolate of S. thermophilus selected was able to reduce epithelial cell death as well as NF-κB signalling and IL-8 production triggered by pathogens. It was capable of crossing an epithelial cell barrier in conjunction with E. coli and downregulating Th1 and Th17 responses in primary human intestinal leukocytes.
CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE
We propose that an inability to compete with potential pathogens under conditions of high iron availability such as stress and trauma may contribute to the lack of efficacy of many LAB-based probiotics in treating disease. Therefore, we offer an alternative paradigm which considers that probiotics should be able to be competitive during periods of intestinal bleeding, trauma or stress.
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10.1371/journal.pone.0026507
|
pubmed_931_21904
|
The performance of the new VITEK 2 Advanced Colorimetry yeast identification (YST) card for use with the VITEK 2 system (bioMérieux, Inc., Hazelwood, MO) was compared to that of the API 20C AUX (API) system (bioMérieux SA, Marcy-l'Etoile, France) in a multicenter evaluation. A total of 12 quality control, 64 challenge, and 623 clinical yeast isolates were used in the study. Comparisons of species identification, platform reliability, and substrate reproducibility were made between YST and API, with API considered the reference standard. Quality control testing to assess system and substrate reproducibility matched expected results >/=95% of the time. The YST card correctly identified 100% of the challenge strains, which covered the species range of the manufacturer's performance claims. Using clinical isolates, the YST card correctly identified 98.5%, with 1.0% of isolates incorrectly identified and 0.5% unidentified. Among clinical isolates, the YST card generated fewer low-discrimination results (18.9%) than did API (30.0%). The time to identification with YST was 18 h, compared to 48 to 72 h with API. The colorimetric YST card used with the VITEK 2 provides a highly automated, objective yeast identification method with excellent performance and reproducibility. We found this system useful for timely and accurate identification of significant yeast species in the clinical microbiology laboratory.
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10.1128/JCM.01754-06
|
pubmed_305_17903
|
OBJECTIVES
Siblings' psychosocial adjustment to childhood cancer is poorly understood. This systematic review summarizes findings and limitations of the sibling literature since 2008, provides clinical recommendations, and offers future research directions.
METHOD
MEDLINE/Pubmed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and PsycINFO were searched for articles related to siblings, psychosocial functioning, and pediatric cancer. After systematic screening, studies meeting inclusion criteria were rated for scientific merit, and findings were extracted and synthesized. In total, 102 studies were included (63 quantitative, 35 qualitative, 4 mixed-methods).
RESULTS
Methodological limitations are common. Mean levels of anxiety, depression, and general adjustment are similar across siblings and comparisons, but symptoms of cancer-related posttraumatic stress are prevalent. School-aged siblings display poorer academic functioning and more absenteeism but similar peer relationships as peers. Quality of life findings are mixed. Adult siblings engage in higher levels of risky health behaviors and may have poorer health outcomes than comparisons. Risk factors for poor sibling adjustment include lower social support, poorer family functioning, lower income, non-White race, and shorter time since diagnosis, but findings are inconsistent. Qualitative themes include siblings' maturity, compassion, and autonomy, but also strong negative emotions, uncertainty, family disruptions, limited parental support, school problems, altered friendships, and unmet needs.
CONCLUSION
Despite methodological limitations, research indicates a strong need for sibling support. Clinical recommendations include identifying at-risk siblings and developing interventions to facilitate family communication and increase siblings' social support, cancer-related knowledge, and treatment involvement. Future longitudinal studies focusing on mechanisms and moderators of siblings' adjustment would inform timing and targets of psychosocial care.
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10.1002/pon.4669
|
pubmed_949_6383
|
In species with biparental care, communication between the parents may increase the efficiency and decrease the risks of care delivery. In northern cardinals, Cardinalis cardinalisthe female's singing from the nest may provide information that allows her conspicuous mate to target his visits to the nest to times when food is needed, saving energy and flights that may attract nest predators. Thirteen pairs of cardinals were recorded in 25 nestings over six summers in Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.A. When a male with nestlings sang or called within 12 m of the nest, his probability of bringing food to the nest varied with his mate's response. The male was more likely to come to the nest when the female sang than when she did not, unless she responded to the male's song with a matching song type. Most males were least likely to come to the nest when their mates matched their songs.
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10.1006/anbe.1996.0415
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pubmed_270_1852
|
Common prokaryotic motility modes are swimming by means of rotating internal or external flagellar filaments or gliding by means of retracting pili. The archaeabacterial flagellar filament differs significantly from the eubacterial flagellum: (1) Its diameter is 10-14 nm, compared to 18-24 nm for eubacterial flagellar filaments. (2) It has 3.3 subunits/turn of a 1.9 nm pitch left-handed helix compared to 5.5 subunits/turn of a 2.6 nm pitch right-handed helix for plain eubacterial flagellar filaments. (3) The archaeabacterial filament is glycosylated, which is uncommon in eubacterial flagella and is believed to be one of the key elements for stabilizing proteins under extreme conditions. (4) The amino acid composition of archaeabacterial flagellin, although highly conserved within the group, seems unrelated to the highly conserved eubacterial flagellins. On the other hand, the archaeabacterial flagellar filament shares some fundamental properties with type IV pili: (1) The hydrophobic N termini are largely homologous with the oligomerization domain of pilin. (2) The flagellin monomers follow a different mode of transport and assembly. They are synthesized as pre-flagellin and have a cleavable signal peptide, like pre-pilin and unlike eubacterial flagellin. (3) The archaeabacterial flagellin, like pilin, is glycosylated. (4) The filament lacks a central channel, consistent with polymerization occurring at the cell-proximal end. (5) The diameter of type IV pili, 6-9 nm, is closer to that of the archaeabacterial filament, 10-14 nm. A large body of data on the biochemistry and molecular biology of archaeabacterial flagella has accumulated in recent years. However, their structure and symmetry is only beginning to unfold. Here, we review the structure of the archaeabacterial flagellar filament in reference to the structures of type IV pili and eubacterial flagellar filaments, with which it shares structural and functional similarities, correspondingly.
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10.1159/000094055
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pubmed_701_6112
|
The case of a patient with a symptomatic Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome undergoing attempted radiofrequency catheter ablation of a posteroseptal accessory pathway is described. Coronary sinus venography revealed the presence of a diverticulum attaching near the os. The electrogram recorded from a catheter placed in the narrow neck of the diverticulum revealed a short atrioventricular time during sinus rhythm. The pathway was easily ablated using radiofrequency energy applied in the neck of the diverticulum, after multiple failed attempts at catheter ablation from the endocardial surface of the posteroseptal space. Our report emphasizes the importance of searching for a coronary venous diverticulum in all patients with posterior accessory pathways undergoing catheter ablation.
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pubmed_701_6112
|
pubmed_212_3523
|
The urophysis or neurohemal contact site of the caudal neurosecretory system of Mollienesia sphenops, the black molly, was studied in animals adapted to an artificial seawater environment. This species of fish was chosen for these studies because of its known ability to osmoregulate and its adaptability to the laboratory aquarium. The urophysis of freshwater acclimated mollys contained an abundance of neurosecretory granules. However, in fish subjected to a seawater environment for one week the number of neurosecretory granules was significantly decreased. In addition, there was an increase in blood cell infiltration of the urophysis.
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10.1007/BF00239335
|
pubmed_457_12525
|
AIM
Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are two important chronic Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) characterized by prominent intestinal inflammation. Probiotics are the bacteria that promote the host health by its immunomodulatory activity. The present study investigated the correlation between in vitro adhesion and immunomodulatory properties, and to assess the therapeutic potential of Bifidobacterium bifidum 231 (BIF 231), a new strain of probiotic in ulcerative colitis in rats.
METHODS
In vitro adhesion assays and immunomodulatory effect of BIF 231 on interleukins (IL-1β and IL-10) in IEC-6 cell lines were quantified by gram staining, scanning electron microscopy and q-PCR respectively. Colitis was induced by intra-rectal instillation of trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid. Colitis was evaluated by alterations in colon gross morphology, histologically and biochemically. Colonic interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) mRNA and protein expression were assessed by q-PCR, ELISA and western blot.
RESULTS
BIF 231 showed better adhesion and immunomodulation by up-regulating IL-10 levels in IEC-6 cell lines. In vivo studies with treatment of BIF 231 (1.4×1011 CFU/rat/day) revealed anti-inflammatory effects both macroscopically and histologically. BIF 231 lowered TBARS, nitric oxide and augmented GSH levels. BIF 231 treatment to colitic rats down regulated IL-1β levels with concurrent increase in IL-10 levels.
CONCLUSIONS
BIF 231 exerted beneficial in vitro adhesion and immunomodulatory properties which facilitated the recovery of the damaged tissue in TNBS-induced colitis.
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10.1016/j.rvsc.2016.10.010
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pubmed_919_8703
|
The reaction of readily available 1-substituted 2,3-allenols with Br2, NBS, or I2 afforded the not-easily-available but synthetically useful 3-halo-3-alkenals or 2-halo-2-alkenyl ketones in good yields via a sequential electrophilic interaction of X+ with the allene moiety , a 1,2-aryl or proton shift, and a H+-elimination process; the structures of the products were established by X-ray diffraction study.
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10.1039/b508069j
|
pubmed_983_4414
|
The metal-catalyzed asymmetric addition of phosphorus nucleophiles is one of the most efficient and reliable approaches for the construction of new carbon-phosphorus bonds. In recent years, great achievements have been made in this area, and many powerful methods have been developed for these transformations with high efficiency, low ligand loading and excellent selectivity. This tutorial review covers recent efforts in the constructions of P-C bonds through asymmetric additions of phosphorus nucleophiles including dialkyl phosphites, secondary phosphine oxides and secondary phosphines.
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10.1039/c1cs15247e
|
pubmed_199_12976
|
The effect of bacterial endotoxin on the ascorbic acid uptake by 3T6 fibroblasts was studied. Endotoxin inhibited ascorbic acid uptake by fibroblasts in a dose dependent manner. The inhibition by endotoxin takes place only in the presence of unheated serum; decomplementing serum by heat inactivation at 56 degrees C for 30 minutes eliminates endotoxin's inhibitory effect on ascorbic acid uptake. The effect of endotoxin appears to be instantaneous since the inhibition seen in the cells without any preexposure was similar to the cells preexposed to endotoxin for up to 6 hours. Polymyxin B sulfate which is known to bind the lipid A portion of endotoxin did not reverse the inhibition of ascorbic acid uptake caused by endotoxin.
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10.3181/00379727-179-1-rc1
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pubmed_847_18757
|
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have a variety of unique properties, such as stem cell multipotency and immune regulation, making them attractive for use in cell therapy. Before infusion therapy, MSCs are required to undergo tissue separation, purification, and expansion in vitro for a certain duration. During the process of in vitro expansion of MSCs, the influence of culture time and environment can lead to cell senescence, increased heterogeneity, and function attenuation, which limits their clinical applications. We used a cocktail of three small-molecule compounds, ACY (A-83-01, CHIR99021, and Y-27632), to increase the proliferation activity of MSCs in vitro and reduce cell senescence. ACY inhibited the increase in heterogeneity of MSCs and conserved their differentiation potential. Additionally, ACY maintained the phenotype of MSCs and upregulated the expression of immunomodulatory factors. These results suggest that ACY can effectively improve the quantity and quality of MSCs.
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10.3389/fbioe.2022.819148
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pubmed_699_23049
|
In this work, monolithic catalysts with single coating Ce0.75Zr0.25O2, Al2O3 and composite coating Ce0.75Zr0.25O2-Al2O3 were prepared by PMMA hard template-excessive impregnation method with 3DOM La0.7Ce0.3CoO3 as the active component and cordierite as the carrier, and characterized by SEM, XRD, BET, H2-TPR, and XPS, and the catalytic performance for toluene was tested. The results showed that the active components of 3DOM La0.7Ce0.3CoO3/Ce0.75Zr0.25O2-Al2O3/cordierite catalyst were highly dispersed, forming a complete macroporous structure with the largest specific surface area (10.57 m2·g-1), high surface adsorbed oxygen concentration, and good low-temperature reducibility. Its catalytic activity (T50% = 103℃, T90% = 218℃) for toluene was obviously better than the others. According to the comprehensive analysis, the improvement of the performance of the catalyst may benefit from the excellent physicochemical properties and the synergistic effect between Ce0.75Zr0.25O2-Al2O3 composite coating and active components.
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10.1007/s11356-022-21828-0
|
pubmed_728_280
|
The activity of cathepsin D has been determined, as a function of gingival inflammation, in biopsies of human gingivae from 10 patients. The determinations have been performed both in the connective tissue and epithelium after their mechanical separation in cryostat sections. A positive and statistically significant correlation was found between the cathepsin D specific activity (as a function of either dry weight or DNA) and the degree of gingiva inflammation. These results support the hypothesis of a possible participation of lysosomal enzymes in the destruction of periodontal tissues during gingivitis and periodontitis.
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pubmed_728_280
|
pubmed_673_5711
|
Using the 14C carbonate method of McFarlane, the synthesis rates of albumin and fibrinogen were determined in four patients with protein-losing enteropathy, in one patient during the recovery phase after severe protein malabsorption and in nine control patients. The following results were obtained: (1) The synthesis rates of albumin and fibrinogen were significantly increased in all patients studied. (2) All patients had low serum albumin levels. The increase in albumin synthesis rate was remarkably uniform in all patients, the average being 645 mg/kg/day or 2.7 times the mean control value. (3) Plasma fibrinogen levels were normal in all patients. The fibrinogen synthesis rate varied over a wide range from 42.1 to 199.3 mg/kg/day, i.e. 2-8.5 times the control value.
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10.1159/000197709
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pubmed_396_15152
|
1,8-Dihydroxynaphthalene (1,8-DHN) is a fungal polyketide that contributes to virulence when polymerized to 1,8-DHN melanin in the cell walls of Wangiella dermatitidis, an agent of phaeohyphomycosis in humans. To begin a genetic analysis of the initial synthetic steps leading to 1,8-DHN melanin biosynthesis, a 772-bp PCR product was amplified from genomic DNA using primers based on conserved regions of fungal polyketide synthases (Pks) known to produce the first cyclized 1,8-DHN-melanin pathway intermediate, 1,3,6,8-tetrahydroxynaphthalene. The cloned PCR product was then used as a targeting sequence to disrupt the putative polyketide synthase gene, WdPKS1, in W. dermatitidis. The resulting wdpks1Delta disruptants showed no morphological defects other than an albino phenotype and grew at the same rate as their black wild-type parent. Using a marker rescue approach, the intact WdPKS1 gene was then successfully recovered from two plasmids. The WdPKS1 gene was also isolated independently by complementation of the mel3 mutation in an albino mutant of W. dermatitidis using a cosmid library. Sequence analysis substantiated that WdPKS1 encoded a putative polyketide synthase (WdPks1p) in a single open reading frame consisting of three exons separated by two short introns. This conclusion was supported by the identification of highly conserved Pks domains for a beta-ketoacyl synthase, an acetyl-malonyl transferase, two acyl carrier proteins, and a thioesterase in the deduced amino acid sequence. Studies using a neutrophil killing assay and a mouse acute-infection model confirmed that all wdpks1Delta strains were less resistant to killing and less virulent, respectively, than their wild-type parent. Reconstitution of 1,8-DHN melanin biosynthesis in a wdpks1Delta strain reestablished its resistance to killing by neutrophils and its ability to cause fatal mouse infections.
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10.1128/IAI.69.3.1781-1794.2001
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pubmed_638_640
|
Primary effect of hypobaric hypoxia on the circulation is a direct vasodilatory effect on the peripheral circulation, which is normally prevented by a sympathetic-induced vasoconstriction. Most of the clinical methods for testing the baroreflex sensitivity only evaluate the cardiac-vagal branch of the baroreflex, but at altitude it is also of importance to test the vascular effects of the baroreflex. This is possible by directly measuring sympathetic efferent activity (by microneurography) or by directly stimulating the carotid baroreceptors (by the neck suction). By cyclical stimulation of the carotid baroreceptors, neck suction-synchronous reflex oscillations could be observed in a large number of signals, including RR interval, blood pressure, microcirculation, muscle sympathetic nerve activity. An increase in fluctuations at the same frequency of the stimulus was considered an evidence of the ability of the carotid baroreceptors to modulate a given physiological signal. The sinusoidal neck suction was set at 0.10 Hz (low-frequency stimulation), or to a frequency close to- but distinct from- the respiratory signal (0.20 Hz, high frequency stimulation, whereas respiration was fixed to 0.25 Hz). The method is noninvasive, without side effects connected to use of drugs, and evaluates both the response to the heart and to the blood pressure of the baroreflex. The altitude-induced sympathetic activation was evidenced in sea level natives by a decrease in RR interval, an increase in blood pressure and in the 0.1Hz components of cardiac and vascular signals. The arterial baroflex was active on RR interval and also in blood pressure, even during acute exposure to high altitude, thus indicating that it was counteracting and modulating the increase in sympathetic tone. Signs of exaggerated sympathetic activation were evident in subjects with severe acute mountain sickness, while successful therapy was associated with a restoration of autonomic modulation. Conversely, sympathetic activation was reduced( and baroflex enhanced) in himalayan high altitude natives. In conclusion, a comprehensive understanding of the mechanism taking place during the adaptation to high altitude requires a multisignal approach, also integrated with equipment designed to provide specific provocative tests, such as those necessary to measure the cardiorespiratory interactions.
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10.1109/IEMBS.2007.4353892
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pubmed_422_18019
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Improved survival of patients with renal failure has led to the need for complex angioaccess procedures. The use of cryopreserved femoral vein for angioaccess when prosthetic arteriovenous grafts (AVG) could not be placed, owing to infection or the loss of conventional angioaccess sites from multiple AVG failures, was prospectively evaluated. Forty-eight cryopreserved femoral vein AVGs were placed in 44 patients. Thirty-eight (82%) of the cryopreserved femoral vein AVGs were placed for infection, whereas the other 10 (18%) were placed for multiple graft failures with compromised venous outflow. Even with implantation of the cryoveins into infected patients, there were no cryopreserved femoral vein AVG infections. The 1-year primary graft patency rate was 49% and the secondary graft patency rate was 75%. During the same time interval, 68 prosthetic brachial artery-to-axillary vein AVGs were placed. The 1-year primary and secondary patency rates for the prosthetic AVGs were 65 and 78%, respectively. In this study the overall patency rate of the cryopreserved femoral vein AVGs was similar to that for the PTFE AVGs (p = 0.519). In conclusion, the cryopreserved femoral vein proved useful in difficult angioaccess cases. The lack of infection after cryovein implantation around an infected area shows promise for salvaging an angioaccess site that would otherwise have been abandoned.
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10.1007/s100169910009
|
pubmed_148_4772
|
Immunogenic versus tolerogenic capacity of mouse alloantigens from ischaemic liver was tested in two different congenic strain combinations (H-2 compatible, non-H-2 incompatible). The recipients of test skin allografts were pretreated with tissue homogenate or particulate fraction and the survival pattern of the skin allografts was used as the criterion of the induced status. The results showed a difference in the immunogenicity of antigenic extracts from normal (healthy) and ischaemic liver. Following a single dose, alloantigens from ischaemic liver had an increased immunogenicity (which could be reduced through perfusion) as compared to control (extracts from healthy liver). Following three larger doses of ischaemic liver extracts, the effect was tolerogenic. Possible mechanism of the altered immunogenicity of alloantigens due to ischaemization of the liver tissue and the effect of perfusion are discussed.
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pubmed_148_4772
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pubmed_379_19437
|
Dysfunction of sacroiliac joint and tendinosis of erector trunci muscle may cause severe pain after lumbar discectomy. In this paper we discuss pathophysiology, clinical appearance as well as specific diagnostic procedures and therapy. We want to point out that sacroiliac joint dysfunction must be taken into consideration if persistent pain occurs after discectomy.
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pubmed_379_19437
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pubmed_1061_9009
|
PURPOSE
To present our experience of cases of primary pulmonary lymphoma (PPL) found between January 2002 and July 2018, focusing on the radiological features and the differential diagnosis in order to contribute to the difficult role of the radiologist in the disease identification and to help the clinicians to reach the diagnosis.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
CT scans of 30 patients (14 men and 16 women, aged 58-86, mean age 72 years) with PPL were retrospectively reviewed. All patients had a histopathological confirmation of the disease: MALT lymphoma (23 patients, 76.6%); diffuse large B-cell lymphoma-DLBCL (seven patients, 23.4%). All the staging CT scans were evaluated by three experienced radiologists dedicated to thoracic disease in order to radiologically define the predominant pattern of presentation.
RESULTS
The following parenchymal patterns were observed: 11 patients with single/multiple nodules, five with masses/mass-like consolidations, 14 with consolidations with air bronchogram, 16 with ground-glass opacity, ten with angiogram sign, 22 with perilymphatic and/or peribronchovascular spread, 15 with associated lymphadenopathies, and 13 with pleural/chest wall involvement. The main characteristics of PPLs were the presence of consolidations and ground-glass opacities, with perilymphatic and/or bronchovascular spread.
CONCLUSION
All the characteristics of the work should alert the radiologist to consider lymphoma among the possible differential diagnoses, always correlating the results of the CT examination with appropriate clinical laboratory evaluations.
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10.1007/s11547-019-01091-z
|
pubmed_702_14291
|
Obesity is a problem encountered in primary care on a daily basis. The author reviews the literature in the area of adolescent obesity and discusses an approach to managing obesity in the office, including screening for comorbidities and motivating teenagers to make lifestyle changes. Medications used for the treatment of comorbidities are reviewed also.
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pubmed_702_14291
|
pubmed_1098_5562
|
This section reviews the selection criteria and best practices for endoscopic cerebrovascular surgery, focusing on purely endoscopic endonasal approaches. Although these approaches still play a limited role in open vascular neurosurgery, they offer a robust and potentially safer technique for establishing visualization and vascular control of particular, well-selected pathologies, such as aneurysms of the proximal circulation; this requires strong, multidisciplinary experience with endoscopic anatomy and surgical technique, advanced reconstruction techniques, and instruments designed to be maneuvered within this relatively novel corridor and application.
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10.1016/j.nec.2022.06.005
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pubmed_169_1415
|
While both pyruvate and lactate are good substrates for glyceride-glycerol synthesis in isolated adipocytes from fed rats and guinea pigs, neither alanine nor serine appear to support glyceroneogenesis. Fasting increases the proportion of radioactive pyruvate or lactate incorporated into glyceride-glycerol and reciprocally decreases the proportion incorporated into fatty acids. However, the total incorporation of radioactivity into triacylglycerol is considerably lower in isolated adipocytes from fasted than from fed animals. Addition of glucose to the incubation medium promotes the incorporation of radioactive lactate into both fatty acids and glyceride-glycerol by adipocytes from fasted as well as fed animals. The concentration of alpha-glycerolphosphate is considerably higher in adipose tissue of fed than fasted animals. In general, these results support the presence of a glyceroneogenic pathway in rat and guinea pig adipose tissue. However, it would appear that the physiologic significance of this pathway is less important in the fasted than the fed state, where it may play some role in the esterification of intracellular fatty acids.
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10.1016/0026-0495(78)90023-9
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pubmed_218_12405
|
The purpose of this study was to review the incidence of extreme thrombocytosis (ExT) (platelet count 1,000,000/microL or greater) in trauma patients and to examine the role of antiplatelet agents in its treatment. The Los Angeles County Medical Center trauma registry was used to obtain injury demographics, medications, and daily platelet counts for injured patients 16 years of age or older admitted between July 2005 and February 2008. Of 6,985 total trauma patients admitted during the study period, 95 developed ExT (1.4%). Average age was 29 years (range, 16-63 years), 89 per cent were male, 44 per cent had penetrating trauma, and mean Injury Severity Score was 24 (range, 1-57). Of the 95 patients with ExT, 41 were treated with aspirin (43%) and 54 were not (57%). The two groups did not differ with regard to basic demographics, injury patterns, vitals on admission, or splenectomy rate (34 vs 20%, P = 0.13). After adjusting for maximum platelet counts and duration of ExT, there was no difference between the treated and untreated groups in terms of mortality, complications, and intensive care unit or hospital lengths of stay. The incidence of ExT is approximately 1.4 per cent in trauma patients. Antiplatelet therapy does not affect ExT patient outcome. Further prospective studies are warranted.
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pubmed_218_12405
|
pubmed_1057_10182
|
Multiple carpometacarpal dislocations with a simultaneous fracture of the hamate represent less than 1% of all injuries to the hand and wrist regions, with a scarcity of published cases. These injuries usually require a great force, and diagnosis can be missed or delayed because of the high likelihood of other severe concomitant injuries. We report a case of acute closed dislocation of the third through fifth carpometacarpal joints and an associated fracture of the hamate in a military paratrooper. The injury was caused by a wrong landing technique during parachuting. The patient was managed with primary surgical repair, and after a six-month follow-up, he has excellent functional results. The fact that both this clinical entity and the mechanism of injury are very unusual a high index of suspicion is needed, especially for orthopedic surgeons working in military hospitals. Additionally, given that there is a paucity of published cases and optional treatment is controversial, this study corroborates the superiority of surgical repair in a long-term basis.
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10.1155/2020/2861604
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pubmed_242_10644
|
In recent years there has been an increase in the number of laparoscopic surgeries for gastric cancer, with over 8,000 cases reported nationwide in 2012. To date, we have performed 420 total laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (TLDG) procedures. In all cases, the mean operative time was 304 minutes, intraoperative bleeding was at 52 g, 30 lymph nodes were dissected, and the length of postoperative hospital stay was 10.6 days, on average. We experienced 5 intraoperative complications and 13 postoperative complications. Of 4 patients, there were 2 cases of postoperative recurrence in liver metastases, 1 case of metastatic lung tumor, and 1 case of peritoneal metastasis. Based on surgical outcomes, TLDG is a safe and feasible procedure for gastric cancer.
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pubmed_242_10644
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pubmed_648_24142
|
Abrin is one of the most toxic phytotoxins to date, and is a potential biological warfare agent. A bio-barcode triggered isothermal amplification for fluorometric determination of abrin is described. Free abrin competes with abrin-coated magnetic microparticles (MMP) probes to bind to gold nanoparticle (AuNP) probes modified with abrin antibody and bio-barcoded DNA. Abundant barcodes are released from the MMP-AuNP complex via dithiothreitol treatment. This triggers an exponential amplification reaction (EXPAR) that is monitored by real-time fluorometry, at typical excitation/emission wavelengths of 495/520 nm. The EXPAR assay is easily operated, highly sensitive and specific. It was used to quantify abrin in spiked commercial samples. The detection limit (at S/N = 3; for n = 6) is 5.6 pg·mL-1 which is considerably lower than previous reports. This assay provides a universal sensing platform and has great potential for determination of various analytes, including small molecules, proteins, DNA, and cells. Graphical abstract Schematic representation of the bio-barcode triggered exponential amplification reaction (EXPAR) for a fluorometric competitive immunoassay for abrin. The limit of detection is 5.6 pg mL-1 with a large dynamic range from 10 pg mL-1 to 1 µg mL-1.
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10.1007/s00604-019-3961-0
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pubmed_767_2611
|
The following affiliation should be added to the authors Agostino Chiaravalloti and Orazio Schillaci.
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10.1007/s12149-018-1265-9
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pubmed_620_2039
|
This case report presents a rare occurrence of two primary tumors in the same patient: a transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder and an atypical carcinoid of the lung. The time interval between a linear density and tumor growth to 3 cm, determined by chest radiographs, was 9 months. The rapidly growing pulmonary nodule was suspected to be a metastasis from the primary transitional cell carcinoma. Fine-needle aspiration revealed malignant cells. Lobectomy and light and electron microscopy revealed an atypical carcinoid. The definition of "atypical" requires revision to indicate this tumor's true potential.
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pubmed_620_2039
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pubmed_1066_20613
|
The prevalence of chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) is receiving considerable attention due to the serious threat to human health throughout the world. However, the roles of geo-socio-environmental factors in the prevalence of the CKDu endemic areas are still unknown. Sri Lanka is one of the countries most seriously affected by CKDu, where 10 out of 25 districts have been identified as the areas with the high prevalence of CKDu (10-20%). This review summarizes the geographical distribution of CKDu and its probable geochemical, behavioral, sociological, and environmental risk factors based on research related to hydrogeochemical influences on CKDu in Sri Lanka. More than 98% of CKDu patients have consumed groundwater as their primary water source in daily life, indicating the interactions of geogenic contaminants (such as F-, total dissolved solids, Hofmeister ions) in groundwater is responsible for the disease. Apart from the hydrogeochemical factors, mycotoxins, cyanotoxins, use of some herbal medicines, dehydration, and exposure to agrochemicals were alleged as risk factors. Sociological factors, including poverty, living habits and anthropogenic activities, may also provoke the emergence of CKDu. Therefore, the interaction of geo-socio environmental risk factors should be sociologically and scientifically considered to prevent the prevalence of CKDu. Future in-depth studies are required to reveal the individual role of each of the postulated etiological factors, possibly using machine learning and advanced statistics.
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10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148839
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pubmed_149_22625
|
Objectives: Pathological stage III melanoma patients have variable clinical presentation and outcome when divided by substages, and the number of metastatic lymph nodes is the most significant independent factor. We aimed to determine the clinical features and natural course of node positive melanoma, such as first relapse and final outcome, and other factors influencing them. Methods: A total of 362 node positive melanoma patients were included in the study and reviewed retrospectively. Results: Cases were as follows: N1 (56.6%); N2 (27.1%); and N3 (16.3%). Lymphovascular invasion was found significant among node positive subtypes; it was predominant in patients with involvement of two or more nodes (p < .05). The majority of the relapses were locoregional alone (43.4%) and distant alone (31.3%). The lung/pleura was the most frequently metastasized site (32.1%). Time to relapse was the longest for N1 (20.8 months) (p < .05). Five and 10 year relapse-free survival (RFS) rates were 40% and 38%, respectively. Nodular histopathology, ulcerated lesion and higher mitotic rates carried worse RFS for all patients and also for N1. Five- and 10 year overall survival (OS) rates were 49% and 40%, respectively. Older age, nodular histopathology, higher mitotic rates and relapse of disease (p = .001) were the independent variables that were inversely correlated with OS for all patients. Conclusion: Comparative analyses of node positive melanoma suggested that there was not only a remarkable heterogeneity in the recurrence and survival rates but also a distinctive pattern among independent prognostic indicators in accordance with the severity of nodal involvement.
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10.1080/03007995.2019.1628563
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pubmed_181_17230
|
The aim of the study was to determine the effects of abattoir type (conventional abattoir -CA- versus modern abattoir -MA-) on stress parameters and risk factors for high muscle pH in Colombia. A total of 522 Zebu young bulls were studied in two groups: 285 at CA, and 237 at MA. Blood samples were taken to measure cortisol, glucose, lactate, creatine kinase, β-hydroxybutyrate, total protein, albumin, creatinine, urea, haematocrit, leukocytes and N/L ratio. Cattle were monitored during the unloading, lairage, handling and stunning. The logistic regression model showed that stocking density, transport time, abattoir type, and inefficient stunning were variables associated with the prevalence of dark cutting carcasses. This study demonstrated that modern improvements at abattoir level, proper infrastructure, and stunning equipment, do not always guarantee quality in terms of animal welfare. As a first attempt in the Colombian beef industry, this research suggested how handling practices could affect cattle welfare and the prevalence of high muscle pH even at MA.
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10.1016/j.meatsci.2016.10.003
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pubmed_596_11844
|
A flexible approach towards substituted β- and γ-carbolines based on transition metal catalysed [2+2+2] cycloaddition reactions between functionalised yne-ynamides and methylcyanoformate is described. The versatility of this new reaction sequence is demonstrated by its application in the total synthesis of the marine natural product eudistomin U.
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10.1039/c1cc11298h
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pubmed_1123_9992
|
Well-powered genome-wide association studies, now made possible through advances in technology and large-scale collaborative projects, promise to characterize the contribution of rare variants to complex traits and disease. However, while population structure is a known confounder of association studies, it remains unknown whether methods developed to control stratification are equally effective for rare variants. Here, we demonstrate that rare variants can show a stratification that is systematically different from, and typically stronger than, common variants, and this is not necessarily corrected by existing methods. We show that the same process leads to inflation for load-based tests and can obscure signals at truly associated variants. Furthermore, we show that populations can display spatial structure in rare variants, even when Wright's fixation index F(ST) is low, but that allele frequency-dependent metrics of allele sharing can reveal localized stratification. These results underscore the importance of collecting and integrating spatial information in the genetic analysis of complex traits.
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10.1038/ng.1074
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pubmed_91_5536
|
From January 1969-June 1978, 413 children less than 15 years of age underwent lymphography at the National Cancer Institute, Milan. Successful lymphatic cannulation was accomplished in 97.7% (769/787) of the sites where it was attempted. No major or permanent complications were encountered. In those children undergoing biopsy of opacified lymph nodes, lymphographic-histologic correlation was 94.5% (104/110). This study has shown that lymphography in childhood can be as readily performed as in the adult and that its diagnostic accuracy is acceptable. As in adults, it is useful in treatment planning, evaluating results of therapy, and detecting recurrent tumor.
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pubmed_91_5536
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pubmed_210_25875
|
Chemophotothermal combination therapy has emerged as a novel and promising strategy to treat cancer. To improve anticancer effectiveness and reduce systemic toxicity, it is essential to trigger drug release at tumor sites or within tumor cells for maximal drug exposure. Herein, we constructed gas-generating mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) that can load ammonium bicarbonate (ABC) and doxorubicin (DOX) within the pores, encapsulate indocyanine green (ICG) onto the polydopamine (PDA) layer, and modify the RGD peptide on the outer surface [denoted as M(abc)-DOX@PDA-ICG-PEG-RGD] for triggered drug release and targeted chemophotothermal combination therapy. Upon hyperthermia or low pH value, the encapsulated ABC can efficiently generate CO2 gas, thus enhancing the damage to the PDA layer and accelerating DOX release. In vitro experiments showed that the M(abc)-DOX@PDA-ICG-PEG-RGD significantly enhanced cellular uptake and cytotoxicity, and laser irradiation further increased the endocytic and cytotoxic effects. An in vivo study indicated that the nanoparticles can effectively accumulate at the tumor site and significantly inhibited tumor growth with no side-effects to the normal organs. Thus, this gas-generating MSN-based nanocarrier that can trigger drug release in response to laser irradiation or low pH value holds great potential in enhancing cancer chemophotothermal combination therapy.
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10.1039/d0bm01502d
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pubmed_522_15798
|
The association between excessive daytime somnolence (EDS) and idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) is often reported but still debated. The possible role of antiparkinsonian therapy or primarily of PD on excessive diurnal sleepiness is controversial. We describe the case of a 61-year-old patient affected by PD who experienced sleep episodes (SE) occurring during pramipexole plus L-Dopa therapy. Polysomnographic sleep studies and subjective evaluations of daytime sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale) were carried out under administration of pramipexole plus L-Dopa, L-Dopa monotherapy and cabergoline plus L-Dopa. The polysomnography revealed two sleep events during pramipexole plus L-Dopa. Moreover, the polysomnographic data showed an increase of both diurnal and nocturnal sleep under pramipexole plus L-Dopa compared with cabergoline plus L-Dopa and L-Dopa as monotherapy. In addition, while Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) Score showed a mild sleepiness under pramipexole (ESS score=11), ESS scores were normal under both L-Dopa and cabergoline plus L-Dopa. Sleep episodes also disappeared under both L-Dopa and cabergoline plus L-Dopa (2- and 12-month follow-up). We hypothesize that an individual susceptibility to specific antiparkinsonian drug may play a significant role in the genesis of sleepiness in our PD patient.
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10.1016/j.jns.2004.09.035
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pubmed_269_14729
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Peanut (Arachis hypogaea) is a major oilseed crop and is widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical climate zone worldwide. Peanut belongs to the Papilionoid family with an atypical nodule developmental program. In particular, rhizobia enter through developmental cracks and lead to the formation of aeschynomenoid subtype determinate nodules. Peanut nodules are efficient nitrogen-fixers and form swollen bacteroid containing symbiosomes. The allotetraploid genome and recalcitrance to stable transformation used to be the major bottleneck for peanut biologists. Recent genome sequencing of peanut cultivar Tifrunner has opened up a huge opportunity for molecular research. A composite plant contains transformed roots with a non-transformed shoot. The composite plant-based approach has already proven to be a tool of choice for high throughput studies in root biology. The available protocols failed to generate efficient hairy root transformation in the genome sequenced cultivar Tifrunner. Here we describe an efficient hairy root transformation and composite plant generation protocol for the peanut cultivar Tifrunner. Our protocol generated ~92% plant regeneration efficiency with between 21.8% and 58.6% co-transformed root regeneration. We also show that this protocol can be efficiently used for protein localization, promoter GUS analysis, monitoring hormone response, and RNAi mediated knockdown of the genes using genome sequenced cultivar Tifrunner.
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10.1007/978-1-0716-1875-2_20
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pubmed_247_11892
|
The alpha chain of the vitronectin receptor, alpha v, has been found in association with the integrin subunits beta 1, beta 3, or beta 5 on different cell types. We show here that cultured embryonic fibroblasts simultaneously display alpha v beta 3, alpha v beta 1, and alpha v in association with two other beta subunits, one of which is probably beta 5. Polymerase chain reaction analysis of single cells isolated by micromanipulation identified mRNA for alpha v, beta 1, beta 3, and beta 5 in six of eight clones. Immunoprecipitation of iodinated cell surface proteins with a monoclonal antibody to alpha v indicated that the relative proportions of the different beta chains in association with alpha v varied, particularly between two different cell lines. The cytokines platelet-derived growth factor, transforming growth factor beta 1, and tumor necrosis factor alpha did not appear to alter this ratio although tumor necrosis factor alpha increased the surface expression of the alpha v-associated integrins; but overnight culture in basic fibroblast growth factor caused a lower expression of alpha v beta 1 and alpha v beta 5 with no reduction in alpha v beta 3 expression. When the cell cultures were grown to complete confluence, surface expression of beta 3 was abolished, and the expression of an unknown beta chain (beta u) became more prominent. This effect was not overcome by culturing confluent cells with basic fibroblast growth factor. Affinity column chromatography showed that alpha v beta 5 bound to vitronectin but alpha v beta 1 did not, whereas alpha v beta 1 but not alpha v beta 5 bound to fibronectin. These results suggest that, on individual cells, the beta subunits found in association with alpha v may vary according to the proliferative capacity of the cell and that the promiscuous beta 3 subunit is progressively replaced by beta subunits of individual ligand specificity.
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pubmed_247_11892
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pubmed_365_14644
|
A trimethylated amino acid roughly similar in structure to choline, carnitine is a cofactor required for transformation of free long-chain fatty acids into acylcarnitines, and for their subsequent transport into the mitochondrial matrix, where they undergo beta-oxidation for cellular energy production. Mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation is the primary fuel source in heart and skeletal muscle, pointing to the relative importance of this nutrient for proper function in these tissues. Although L-carnitine deficiency is an infrequent problem in a healthy, well-nourished population consuming adequate protein, many individuals within the population appear to be somewhere along a continuum, characterized by mild deficiency at one extreme, and tissue pathology at the other. Conditions which seem to benefit from exogenous supplementation of L-carnitine include anorexia, chronic fatigue, coronary vascular disease, diphtheria, hypoglycemia, male infertility, muscular myopathies, and Rett syndrome. In addition, preterm infants, dialysis patients, and HIV+ individuals seem to be prone to a deficiency of L-carnitine, and benefit from supplementation. Although available data on L-carnitine as an ergogenic aid is not compelling, under some experimental conditions pretreatment has favored aerobic processes and resulted in improved endurance performance.
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pubmed_365_14644
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pubmed_1046_109
|
In this paper, we introduce a liquid core antiresonant reflecting optical waveguide (ARROW) as a novel optofluidic device that can be used to create innovative and highly functional microsensors. Liquid core ARROWs, with their dual ability to guide the light and the fluids in the same microchannel, have shown great potential as an optofluidic tool for quantitative spectroscopic analysis. ARROWs feature a planar architecture and, hence, are particularly attractive for chip scale integrated system. Step by step, several improvements have been made in recent years towards the implementation of these waveguides in a complete on-chip system for highly-sensitive detection down to the single molecule level. We review applications of liquid ARROWs for fluids sensing and discuss recent results and trends in the developments and applications of liquid ARROW in biomedical and biochemical research. The results outlined show that the strong light matter interaction occurring in the optofluidic channel of an ARROW and the versatility offered by the fabrication methods makes these waveguides a very promising building block for optofluidic sensor development.
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10.3390/mi7030047
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pubmed_192_3604
|
In this study, the protective effects of Kuding tea polyphenols (KTPs) on ultraviolet B (UVB)-induced skin injury of SKH1 hairless mice were studied. The ion precipitation method was used for extraction of polyphenols from Kuding tea. High-performance liquid chromatography showed that KTPs contains chlorogenic acid, cryptochlorogenic acid, isochlorogenic acid B, isochlorogenic acid A, and isochlorogenic acid C. SKH1 hairless mice were induced skin aging using 2.0 mW/s intensity of 90 mJ/cm² UV light once a day for seven weeks. The 2.5% and 5% KTPs solution was smeared on 2 cm² of back skin of skin aging mice twice a day. Mouse experiments showed that KTP strongly increased the serum levels of total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) and catalase (CAT) and reduced those of malondialdehyde, interleukin 6 (IL-6), IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in mice with UVB-induced skin damage. KTP also increased the levels of type 1 collagen (Col I), hydroxyproline, and hyaluronic acid and reduced those of Col III and hydrogen peroxide in the damaged skin tissues of mice. Pathological observations of tissues stained with H & E, Masson's trichrome, Verhoeff, and toluidine blue showed that KTPs could protect skin cells, collagen, and elastin and decrease the number of mast cells, thus inhibiting skin damage. Quantitative PCR and western blot assays showed that KTP upregulated the mRNA and protein expression of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1), TIMP-2, copper/zinc-SOD, manganese-SOD, CAT, and glutathione peroxidase and downregulated the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9. In addition, the same concentration of KTP had stronger protective effects than vitamin C. The results of this study demonstrate that KTPs have good skin protective effects, as they are able to inhibit UVB-induced skin damage.
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10.3390/molecules24061016
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pubmed_92_11012
|
The treatment of early-stage vulvar cancer has remained surgical over time. Fortunately, less invasive surgical options have emerged, decreasing the significant morbidity associated with treatment. In the past decade, sentinel lymph node (SLN) dissection alone in select patients with vulvar cancer has been shown to be safe, feasible and has decreased surgical morbidity. In addition, multiple recent studies have reported low groin recurrence rates in women that underwent SLN dissection alone, which are similar to groin recurrence rates seen among women that underwent complete inguinal lymph node dissection. We believe SLN dissection should be the standard of care in select patients at institutions with surgeons experienced in the SLN technique. We feel caution should be used when performing SLN dissections in large vulvar lesions and in midline lesions. Further information is needed regarding the appropriate treatment of positive sentinel lymph nodes and, in particular, on the management of micrometastases.
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10.1586/14737140.2014.940328
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pubmed_469_1413
|
Premature delivery is one of the direct factors that affect the early development and safety of infants. Its direct clinical manifestation is the change of uterine contraction intensity and frequency. Uterine Electrohysterography(EHG) signal collected from the abdomen of pregnant women can accurately and effectively reflect the uterine contraction, which has higher clinical application value than invasive monitoring technology such as intrauterine pressure catheter. Therefore, the research of fetal preterm birth recognition algorithm based on EHG is particularly important for perinatal fetal monitoring. We proposed a convolution neural network(CNN) based on EHG fetal preterm birth recognition algorithm, and a deep CNN model was constructed by combining the Gramian angular difference field(GADF) with the transfer learning technology. The structure of the model was optimized using the clinical measured term-preterm EHG database. The classification accuracy of 94.38% and F1 value of 97.11% were achieved. The experimental results showed that the model constructed in this paper has a certain auxiliary diagnostic value for clinical prediction of premature delivery.
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10.3969/j.issn.1671-7104.2022.03.002
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pubmed_898_14159
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INTRODUCTION
In 2016, UN Member States committed to reduce new HIV infections to fewer than 500,000 annually by 2020, a 75% reduction compared with 2010, reduce AIDS-related deaths to fewer than 500,000 globally as a means of ending AIDS by 2030. The UNAIDS 2020 target is to have 90% of the people living with HIV know their status, 90% of the people living with HIV (who know their HIV status as positive) are already on ART treatment, 90% of people on treatment are virally suppressed. The objective of this study is to determine the current status towards the 2020 90-9-90 UNAIDS target and the factors associated with HIV viral load suppression in Kediri city.
METHODS
The study was a cross-sectional study in Kediri city. The researcher collected secondary data, carried in-depth interviews, then determined the percentage of HIV-positive patients that did a HIV test and received their results as Positive, the percentage of HIV-positive patients that started ART treatment, the percentage of HIV-positive patients that have viral load suppression from the viral load tests done. A simple bivariate logistic and multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the significant factors that determine viral suppression.
RESULTS
The progress towards the 90-90-90 UNAIDS target was at 6.4%, 74.9%, 9.9%. The time taken by the HIV-positive patient to start ART treatment from the time of confirmation of HIV positive (AOR= 83.191, CI: 1.617-4280.115) and decrease in body weight of the patient (AOR=29.636, CI: 1.193-736.167) were found to significantly influence viral load suppression.
CONCLUSION
There is a need to scale up HIV case-detection capacity through creating awareness about HIV, HIV testing and counselling and expand the ART services so as to achieve the 90-0-90 UNAIDS target. Early initiation to ART treatment (Test and Treat) and encouraging body gaining behaviors are needed to achieve viral load suppression.
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10.2147/HIV.S231173
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pubmed_250_16675
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OBJECTIVES
To examine the characteristics of adult patient attendances to emergency departments (EDs) in Perth hospitals by patients' frequency of attendance.
DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS
A linked-data population study of adults (aged > or = 15 years) attending all nine Perth hospital EDs between 1 July 2000 and 31 December 2006.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Proportion of frequent attenders (FAs; those attending five or more times annually); and demographic characteristics, mode of arrival at the ED, disposition (admission, transfer, discharge or death), urgency and clinical conditions by frequency of attendance.
RESULTS
There was a mean of 1.5 attendances per individual per year, resulting in 1 583 924 attendances by 663 309 individuals over the 6.5 years of the study. Most patients (97.6%) attended Perth EDs fewer than five times a year. The more frequently patients attended, the more likely they were to be male, middle-aged and late-middle-aged, have self-referred, have mental and behavioural disorders and alcohol intoxication, to not wait to be assessed, and to arrive by ambulance. The groups of patients attending between 5-9 and 10-19 times per year (97.4% of FAs) had more urgent conditions, more circulatory system disease and higher admission rates than all other patients.
CONCLUSION
Most FAs at Perth EDs present fewer than 20 times a year and have more serious and urgent illness than other patients, more often requiring inpatient services. A very small minority of patients (around 100 patients/year) attends 20 or more times a year, many with mental and behavioural disorders and alcohol intoxication not requiring hospital admission.
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10.5694/j.1326-5377.2008.tb02177.x
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pubmed_848_11175
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Clinical efficiency of course treatment has been assessed for 5 long-acting drugs of theophylline series: retaphylline (Finland), theo-dur (Sweden), durophylline (Yugoslavia), theopek and theobilong (USSR). The drugs were tested in 139 patients with chronic++ bronchial obstruction. It was established that first-line therapy with theophylline should be started with low doses (400 mg/day) and last for 3 days to define individual sensitivity to theophylline drugs followed by increasing doses. On day 7 serum theophylline levels were to be measured for control and dose correction. In cross administration and adequate doses the drugs activity was similar. For patients suffering from nocturnal asthma attacks it was an atypical doze regimen implying administration of two-thirds of the day, dose in the evening that produced the highest effect. The incidence and severity of CNS, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal side effects varied with the dose blood concentration and individual sensitivity to theophylline.
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pubmed_848_11175
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pubmed_839_6450
|
Merrifield resin-supported pyrrolidine-based chiral organocatalysts A-D through A(3)-coupling reaction linkage have been developed and found to be highly effective catalysts for the Michael addition reaction of ketones with nitrostyrenes. The reactions generated the corresponding products in good yields (up to 92%), excellent enantioselectivities (up to 98% ee), and high diastereoselectivities (up to 99:1 dr). In addition, the catalysts can be reused at least five times without a significant loss of catalytic activity and stereoselectivity.
|
10.1002/chir.20759
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pubmed_50_7886
|
With increasing physician and patient awareness, the use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) has been steadily increasing in recent years. Unfortunately, given their recent introduction, the reversal of anticoagulation attained with DOACs is not well studied. Given the diverse mechanisms of action of these newer agents, no universal antidote is available for reversal. Laboratory assays that can accurately quantify the anticoagulation status of patients on DOAC therapy are not readily available, which presents a challenge in situations demanding rapid reversal. Furthermore, the safety and efficacy of reversal agents have not been extensively investigated in the clinical setting.This review briefly summarizes commercially available DOACs, delineates current knowledge related to reversal of DOAC agents in specific clinical settings, and identifies areas of future study.
|
10.3122/jabfm.2018.05.180007
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pubmed_153_5427
|
Antigen-mediated stimulation of the T cell receptor (TCR) triggers activation of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), a key transcriptional regulator of T cell proliferation and effector cell differentiation. TCR signaling to NF-κB requires both the Carma1-Bcl10-Malt1 (CBM) complex and the inhibitor of κB (IκB) kinase (IKK) complex; however, the molecular mechanisms connecting the CBM complex to activation of IKK are incompletely defined. We found that the active IKK complex is a component of a TCR-dependent cytosolic Bcl10-Malt1 signalosome containing the adaptor protein p62, which forms in effector T cells. Phosphorylated IκBα and NF-κB were transiently recruited to this signalosome before NF-κB translocated to the nucleus. Inhibiting the activity of the kinase TAK1 or IKK blocked the phosphorylation of IKK, but not the formation of p62-Bcl10-Malt1 clusters, suggesting that activation of IKK occurs after signalosome assembly. Furthermore, analysis of T cells from p62-deficient mice demonstrated that the p62-dependent clustering of signaling components stimulated activation of NF-κB in effector T cells. Thus, TCR-stimulated activation of NF-κB requires the assembly of cytosolic p62-Bcl10-Malt1-IKK signalosomes, which may ensure highly regulated activation of NF-κB in response to TCR engagement.
|
10.1126/scisignal.2004882
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pubmed_148_3216
|
Three different types of contrast media, monomeric ionic, dimeric ionic and monomeric non-ionic, were tested and compared concerning their toxicity on three experimental models: I. Pulmonary artery and aortic pressure after contrast medium injection into the right atrium in rabbits: II. Ventricular contractile force and heart rate after perfusion of the coronary arteries on the isolated rabbit heart: III. Aortic endothelium of rats. Non-ionic contrast medium was, in all three experiments, less toxic than monomeric ionic; thus it caused less rise in pulmonary artery pressure (I) and caused less reduction in ventricular contractile force and heart rate (II) and caused less damage on aortic endothelium of rats (III). The non-ionic contrast medium also gave less toxic reaction in two (I and II) of the three models compared to the dimericionic contrast medium. In experimental model III there was no difference between these two agents. Also, the dimeric ionic contrast medium caused less toxic reactions in all three models than the monomeric ionic contrast medium.
|
10.1097/00004424-197511000-00003
|
pubmed_912_21233
|
Extraocular sebaceous carcinoma (SC) is an exceptionally rare neoplasm and has been confused in the past with basal cell carcinoma showing sebaceous differentiation. However, in contrast to the latter tumour, SC can be an aggressive cancer. We describe the case of a 55-year-old man with a 3-year history of a 5 × 2 cm lesion on the posterior thoracic wall. It had increased in size during this period but was otherwise asymptomatic. There was no significant past medical history or lymphadenopathy. Nor was there a family history of malignancy. The lesion was totally excised. The histopathological report revealed SC. As this neoplasm may be associated with Muir-Torre syndrome, the patient was screened for underlying internal neoplasia. All haematological, biochemical and tumour markers, imaging and endoscopic examinations were normal. Since SC may appear before the development of internal malignancy, our patient was scheduled for follow-up visits every 3 months.
|
pubmed_912_21233
|
pubmed_734_22963
|
The purpose of this study is to determine the volumes of primary brain regions associated with smell and taste in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's patients and healthy controls using MR imaging and examine volumetric changes in comparison to smell/taste questionnaire and test results and endocannabinoid (EC) levels. The study included 15 AD patients with mild cognitive dysfunction scored as 18 ≤ MMSE ≤ 23, 15 PD patients with scores of 18 < MoCA < 26 and 18 ≤ MMSE ≤ 23, and 15 healthy controls. A taste and smell questionnaire was given to the participants, and their taste and smell statuses were examined using the Sniffin' Sticks smell identification test and Burghart Taste Strips. EC levels were analyzed in the blood serum samples of the participants using the ELISA method. The volumes of the left olfactory bulb (p = 0.001), left amygdala (p = 0.004), left hippocampus (p = 0.008), and bilateral insula (left p = 0.000, right p = 0.000) were significantly smaller in the Alzheimer's patients than the healthy controls. The volumes of the left olfactory bulb (p = 0.001) and left hippocampus (p = 0.009) were significantly smaller in the Parkinson's patients than the healthy controls. A significant correlation was determined between volume reduction in the left Rolandic operculum cortical region and taste dysfunction. EC levels were significantly higher in both AD (p = 0.000) and PD (p = 0.006) in comparison to the controls. Our results showed that volumetric changes occur in the brain regions associated with smell and taste in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's patients. It was observed that ECs played a role in these volumetric changes and the olfactory and taste dysfunctions of the patients.
|
10.1016/j.jocn.2022.03.047
|
pubmed_699_2568
|
Research into harmful sexual behavior (HSB) by children and young people under the age of 18 has grown in recent years. A key concern emerging is the high prevalence of HSB in school settings. Although teachers are increasingly aware of HSB, their provision of effective responses has remained a major challenge. While progress has been made by providing teachers with best practice models and tools, little is known about what facilitates and hinders their application of these in practice. This scoping review sought to address the question: "What are the barriers and enablers for teachers in responding effectively to HSB?" Eight international databases and one search engine were employed to identify relevant academic and gray literature. The inclusion criteria comprised all study types, published in the past two decades, and focused on teachers' knowledge, experiences, and responses to HSB. Twenty-five publications met the inclusion criteria. Thematic analysis identified that minimization of HSB, harmful social norms, and inadequate support from external agencies were major barriers. These barriers could be mitigated by adopting a whole-school approach and establishing proactive partnerships with parents and external agencise, along with offering alternative pathways to safety. The findings of this review highlighted the importance of addressing the full continuum of HSB through early, secondary, or tertiary interventions, and sharpening the focus of respectful relationships education to transform gender relations in classrooms and the workplace. Further research is needed to explore schools' responses to specific populations, including those with disabilities and females.
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10.1177/15248380221111483
|
pubmed_184_8246
|
This paper describes a cannula system for chemical stimulation of the brain which can be easily mass produced in a reliable and inexpensive manner.
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10.1016/0091-3057(79)90151-5
|
pubmed_1035_2029
|
Productivity in radiology is a complex and elusive issue. The fact that radiology is the practice of medicine makes management of it very different from management in traditional "smokestack" industry. Management itself is very young, and more familiar with smokestacks and widgets than with radiology or any other service industry. Before management can hope to affect productivity in radiology, it must first come to understand what it (radiology) is, and how it works.
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pubmed_1035_2029
|
pubmed_189_8403
|
BACKGROUND
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is characterized by accumulation of aberrantly differentiated hematopoietic myeloid progenitor cells. The karyotyping-silent NUP98-NSD1 fusion is a molecular hallmark of pediatric AML and is associated with the activating FLT3-ITD mutation in > 70% of the cases. NUP98-NSD1 fusion protein promotes myeloid progenitor self-renewal in mice via unknown molecular mechanism requiring both the NUP98 and the NSD1 moieties.
METHODS
We used affinity purification coupled to label-free mass spectrometry (AP-MS) to examine the effect of NUP98-NSD1 structural domain deletions on nuclear interactome binding. We determined their functional relevance in NUP98-NSD1 immortalized primary murine hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPC) by inducible knockdown, pharmacological targeting, methylcellulose assay, RT-qPCR analysis and/or proximity ligation assays (PLA). Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching and b-isoxazole assay were performed to examine the phase transition capacity of NUP98-NSD1 in vitro and in vivo.
RESULTS
We show that NUP98-NSD1 core interactome binding is largely dependent on the NUP98 phenylalanine-glycine (FG) repeat domains which mediate formation of liquid-like phase-separated NUP98-NSD1 nuclear condensates. We identified condensate constituents including imitation switch (ISWI) family member SMARCA5 and BPTF (bromodomain PHD finger transcription factor), both members of the nucleosome remodeling factor complex (NURF). We validated the interaction with SMARCA5 in NUP98-NSD1+ patient cells and demonstrated its functional role in NUP98-NSD1/FLT3-ITD immortalized primary murine hematopoietic cells by genetic and pharmacological targeting. Notably, SMARCA5 inhibition did not affect NUP98-NSD1 condensates suggesting that functional activity rather than condensate formation per se is crucial to maintain the transformed phenotype.
CONCLUSIONS
NUP98-NSD1 interacts and colocalizes on the genome with SMARCA5 which is an essential mediator of the NUP98-NSD1 transformation in hematopoietic cells. Formation of NUP98-NSD1 phase-separated nuclear condensates is not sufficient for the maintenance of transformed phenotype, which suggests that selective targeting of condensate constituents might represent a new therapeutic strategy for NUP98-NSD1 driven AML.
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10.1186/s13046-022-02248-x
|
pubmed_761_8297
|
World War 1 ended 100 years ago. The aftermath included the consolidation of significant advances in medical care of casualties. Some of these advances were made in the care of chemical casualties, in particular the mechanisms of toxicity and treatment of phosgene exposure. Phosgene, or carbonyl chloride, is an extremely poisonous vapour that was used to devastating effect during World War 1. Observations made of acutely poisoned casualties formed the basis of much research in the early post-World War 1 era. Some extremely elegant experiments, some at the nascent Porton Down research facility, further evaluated the toxin and defences against it. Researchers drew on knowledge that was later forgotten and has since been relearnt later in the 20th century and made many correct assumptions. Their work is the bedrock of our understanding of phosgene toxicity that survives to this day. The horrors of chemical warfare prompted the Geneva Protocol of 1925, prohibiting the use of chemical agents in warfare, and chemical warfare on this scale has not been repeated. The ease with which phosgene can be synthesised requires healthcare providers to be familiar with its effects.
|
10.1136/jramc-2018-001072
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pubmed_744_4475
|
A complex multiple aquifer system affected by a contaminated site and exposed to tidal effects was investigated to develop the hydrogeological conceptual model of the study case. Two water bodies were identified, from top to down: a surface aquifer unaffected by tidal events, and a semiconfined aquifer partly communicating with the brackish lagoon waters. By using the Cl(-)/SO4(2-) ratio and the DOC (Dissolved Organic Carbon) concentration, as well as by applying the kriking to the piezometric levels results, the groundwater flow directions and the hydraulic gradients within the investigated aquifers were also identified. Based on the overall results, a schematic of the conceptual model for the whole aquifer system was provided which allows to visualize the communication between the different water bodies.
|
10.1002/adic.200490035
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