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pubmed_134_13468
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The possibilities of the use of carbon implants in cases of any defects of any part of facial skeleton and soft tissues of both inherent and acquired nature were studied. Taking into account X-ray transparency of carbon implants the experiment was carried out to make the material X-ray contrast when using the addition of powdered metallic boron in the range of concentrations 8-12%. It was successful and the samples were visualized. In these cases spiral computed tomography is the optimal tool to make all deformation volume clear, to plan operative interventions and to observe the treatment results.
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pubmed_134_13468
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pubmed_74_4906
|
Electroacupuncture (EA) at ST36 can improve the survival rate in rats after hemorrhagic shock (HS). The current study investigated rats with 60% blood loss. 144 rats were divided into four groups: hemorrhage without fluid resuscitation (HS), EA after hemorrhage without fluid resuscitation (EA), hemorrhage with delayed resuscitation (DFR), and EA after hemorrhage with delayed resuscitation (EA + DFR). The survival rate and biological parameters 0, 3, 12, and 24 h after HS were investigated. The 24 h survival rate of EA + DFR was significantly higher than that of DFR. 12 h after hemorrhage, the level of mean arterial blood pressure of EA + DFR was significantly higher than that of DFR, and the levels of renal blood flow, intestinal mucosal blood flow, and hepatic blood flow of EA + DFR were also significantly higher than those of DFR. Three hours after hemorrhage, the levels of lactate, PaCO2, alanine aminotransferase, and creatinine of groups receiving EA were significantly lower than those of non-EA groups, and the levels of pH, PaO2, and diamine oxidase of groups receiving EA were significantly higher. EA at ST36 can improve the 24 h survival rate and produce the experimental antishock effects on tissue perfusion and organ protection from fatal HS.
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10.1155/2019/8371862
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pubmed_34_7800
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The knowledge of real-time in-vivo cartilage deformation is important for understanding of cartilage function and biomechanical factors that may relate to cartilage degeneration. This study investigated cartilage contact area and peak contact compressive strain of four healthy human ankle joints as a function of time using a combined magnetic resonance (MR) and dual-orthogonal fluoroscopic imaging technique. Each ankle was subjected to a different constant loading (between 700 and 820 N). The cartilage contact deformation was obtained from the first second to 300 s after the load was applied. In all ankle joints studied in this paper, contact strains increased to 24-38% at first 20 s after loading. Beyond 20 s, the change of cartilage contact deformation was relatively small and varied in a rate close to zero beyond 50 s. These data indicated that the cartilage contact areas and contact strain could raise dramatically right after loading and reach a relatively stable condition within 1 min after constant loading. The history of cartilage deformation determined in this study may provide a real-time boundary condition for 3D finite element simulation of in vivo cartilage contact stress in the joint as a function of time.
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10.1016/j.jbiomech.2007.07.006
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pubmed_664_25341
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Following perinatal loss, a type of ambiguous loss, bereaved couples struggle with and experience distress due to various forms of ambiguity. Moreover, the juxtaposition of their grief with society's minimization often disenfranchises them from traditional grieving processes. The purpose of this study was to explore sources of ambiguity and disenfranchised grief related to perinatal loss. Audio-taped interviews with 13 bereaved couples at 2, 6, and 13 months following the death of their fetus or infant were analyzed. Several categories of ambiguity and disenfranchised grief emerged, pertaining to: (a) the viability of the pregnancy; (b) the physical process of pregnancy loss; (c) making arrangements for the remains; and (d) sharing the news. This study uncovers the many sources of ambiguity and disenfranchised grief that bereaved couples face in interactions with family, friends, society, and healthcare professionals. These insights may inform healthcare professionals in their attempts to ease distress related to perinatal loss.
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10.2190/OM.63.2.e
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pubmed_234_11223
|
The investigation of subtypes of violent men could provide invaluable information to researchers and clinicians. In earlier studies, investigators examined whether subtypes of male batterers could be identified based on physiological markers in combination with observational and self-report perspectives. In a sample of batterers and their wives, they found a physiological marker that discriminated between two groups of violent men on several interesting dimensions. To highlight the importance of studying batterer typologies, the present study examined differences in marital interaction patterns across the two groups of batterers. Analyses revealed clinically relevant patterns of interaction in the two groups, and effect sizes indicating the possibility of differences between the two types of batterers. Implications for future research as well as therapy are discussed.
|
10.1111/j.1752-0606.1999.tb00252.x
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pubmed_334_23909
|
Irritable bowel syndrome is one of the most frequent diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Doctors working in different fields deal with this problem in their everyday practice. The frequency of this disorder is 10-20% in the adult population and it is a frequent cause of work absence. Thus, it is not only a general medical problem but also a social one. This syndrome is one of the most typical examples of psychosomatic disorders--somatic disorders conditioned or worsened by psychosocial factors. The process of disturbance development in this syndrome is complex and in most cases, to some degree, associated with depressive symptoms. It may be a result of conversion of anxiety into somatic symptoms. It is frequently a result of the so-called dissociative conversion--a transformation (conversion) of persistent anxiety symptoms into secondary somatic disturbances. The authors suggest two possible mechanisms connecting irritable bowel syndrome and depression. They also distinguish in a novel way several types of this syndrome basing on the accompanying psychopathological symptoms. The paper also suggests possible therapeutic approaches in all the presented subtypes of irritable bowel syndrome.
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pubmed_334_23909
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pubmed_200_5114
|
Context. Fetal sincipital encephalocele is one of the most serious congenital neural tube defects with a high risk of mortality and neonatal morbidity. Prenatal diagnosis of this malformation is important in fetal medicine. Case Report. We report a case of prenatal diagnosis of sincipital encephalocele using ultrasound and MRI imaging. The diagnosis was done at 25 weeks of gestation by identifying an anterior cephalic protrusion through a defect in the skull. Conclusion. Through this case, we discuss the differential diagnosis, management, and prognosis of such lesions.
|
10.1155/2015/613985
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pubmed_49_208
|
The characteristics in the concept, etiology pathogeny and clinic of the cronic descamative gingivitis are reviewed. The differential diagnostic with other similar processes are analyzed. The paper is finished with the therapeutics approach of this entity.
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pubmed_49_208
|
pubmed_892_3432
|
BACKGROUND
We have investigated the geographic distribution of squamous-cell carcinoma of the eye to assess whether solar ultraviolet light is a risk factor for this disease.
METHODS
We used routinely collected population-based cancer incidence data and published measurements of ambient solar ultraviolet light in our analysis.
FINDINGS
The incidence of squamous-cell carcinoma of the eye declined by 49% of each 10 degrees increase in latitude (p < 0.0001), falling from more than 12 cases per million per year in Uganda (latitude 0.3(0)) to less than O.2 per million per year in the UK (latitude > 50(0)). Solar ultraviolet radiation decreases with increasing latitude, and the incidence of squamous-cell carcinoma of the eye decreased by 29% per unit reduction in ultraviolet exposure (p < 0.0001).
INTERPRETATION
Our results are compatible with the hypothesis that exposure to solar ultraviolet light is an important cause of squamous-cell carcinoma of the eye.
|
10.1016/s0140-6736(96)91685-2
|
pubmed_837_10816
|
The isoenzyme composition of lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), pyruvate kinase (PK) and alanine-aminotransferase was determined in the livers of CF-1 mice exposed to 0, 5 or 10 ppm dieldrin in the diet, over a period of 14 months. This study was carried out to evaluate whether the liver tumor promoter dieldrin advances the biological age of CF-1 mouse liver. Oral dieldrin exposure induced a dose-dependent shift towards the fetal types of lactic dehydrogenase and pyruvate kinase, within 1.5 months of initiation of treatment. After the initial shift, no additional dieldrin-dependent changes were found in CF-1 mouse liver throughout the experimental observation period. Thus, the initial shifts in isoenzyme composition of LDH and PK appear to reflect the adaptation of the liver to increased functional demands imposed by dieldrin treatment. The expression of the cytoplasmic A-alanine-aminotransferase isoenzyme decreased with age in untreated control mice. Dieldrin treatment enhanced this process in a dose-dependent manner. These data suggest that dieldrin treatment can accelerate age-dependent changes in gene expression.
|
10.1002/ijc.2910410223
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pubmed_388_4243
|
Erythromelalgia is an extraordinary disease which remains elusive in its pathophysiology and management. Victims suffer intense burning and redness of the hands and feet. In what appears to be the antithesis of Raynaud's disease, the pain is relieved by emersion in cold. A child with erythromelalgia is described whose symptoms began at age 3 years. Pharmacological management trials and thermography are incorporated in the report.
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pubmed_388_4243
|
pubmed_835_4586
|
BACKGROUND
COVID-19 has affected everyday clinical practice, having an impact on the quality of healthcare provided, even in eye clinic departments. The aim of this study is to evaluate the consequences of this worldwide pandemic on cataract surgery in a Greek tertiary university hospital.
METHODS
A total of 805 patients were included in this study. The number of cataract surgeries (CS), the type, the unilateral or bilateral appearance as well as the stage of cataract were recorded for the months between January and June 2019 (pre-COVID period) and compared with the same period in 2021 (during the pandemic outbreak) in the Department of Ophthalmology of Thessaloniki General Hospital G. Papanikolaou.
RESULTS
A significant reduction in the number of CS as well as a significant increase in advanced and/or bilateral cataracts in 2021 compared to the pre-COVID period were observed.
CONCLUSION
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected equally the value of ophthalmic interventions as well as the patients' quality of life, being a powerful reminder of the significant physical and psychological benefits of CS, especially for older adults and patients with comorbidities.
|
10.3390/geriatrics7040077
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pubmed_349_25506
|
Stigma is a crucial structure of female reproductive organ in plants. Stigma color is usually regarded as an important trait in variety identification in some species, but the molecular mechanism of stigma color formation remains elusive. Here, we characterized a tomato mutant, yellow stigma (ys), that shows yellow rather than typical green color in the stigma. Analysis of pigment contents revealed that the level of flavonoid naringenin chalcone was increased in the ys stigma, possibly as a result of higher accumulation of p-coumaric acid, suggesting that naringenin chalcone might play a vital role in yellow color control in tomato stigma. To understand the genes and gene networks that regulate tomato stigma color, RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) analyses were performed to compare the transcriptomes of stigmas between ys mutant and wild-type (WT). We obtained 507 differentially expressed genes, in which, 84 and 423 genes were significantly up-regulated and down-regulated in the ys mutant, respectively. Two cytochrome P450 genes, SlC3H1 and SlC3H2 which encode p-coumarate 3-hydroxylases, and six peroxidase genes were identified to be dramatically inhibited in the yellow stigma. Further bioinformatic and biochemical analyses implied that the repression of the two SlC3Hs and six PODs may indirectly lead to higher naringenin chalcone level through inhibiting lignin biosynthesis, thereby contributing to yellow coloration in tomato stigma. Thus, our data suggest that two SlC3Hs and six PODs are involved in yellow stigma formation. This study provides valuable information for dissecting the molecular mechanism of stigma color control in tomato. Statement: This study reveals that two cytochrome P450s (SlC3H1 and SlC3H2) and six peroxidases potentially regulate the yellow stigma formation by indirectly enhancing biosynthesis of yellow-colored naringenin chalcone in the stigma of tomato.
|
10.3389/fpls.2017.00897
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pubmed_745_2782
|
We studied the effect of a prior unilateral substantia nigra lesion on the recovery of local cerebral glucose utilization (lCMRgl) and blood flow (lCBF), measured autoradiographically, following 30 minutes of forebrain ischemia in rats. On the lesioned side, striatal dopamine (DA) and its metabolites were depleted by more than 95% and did not change after ischemia. In contrast, significant increases in striatal DA metabolites occurred on the nonlesioned side following ischemia. Despite unilateral DA depletion, no side-to-side lCBF differences were observed. However, the normally occurring postischemic restoration of lCMRgl in the dorsolateral striatum at 2 and 4 hours of recirculation was suppressed on the DA-depleted side, and the degree of lCMRgl/lCBF uncoupling diminished. These results suggest that integrity of the DA system accentuates postischemic metabolism/flow uncoupling in the striatum and may therefore contribute to selective ischemic injury of this structure.
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10.1212/wnl.37.11.1712
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pubmed_786_9618
|
A model of an information-and-consultative system (ICS) designed for practitioners and students in the field of pulmonology at the Research Institute for Pulmonology of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences (project director--A.G. Chuchalin) is outlined in the paper. The purpose was to construct an ICS structure that would be adapted to continuously increasing and changing knowledge in the field of pulmonology and that could be used to interpret such knowledge from the standpoint of medical proof.
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pubmed_786_9618
|
pubmed_18_9114
|
BACKGROUND
Oxycodone is a semi-synthetic opioid with a mu-receptor agonist-mediated effect in several pain conditions, including post-operative pain. Oxycodone is metabolized to its active metabolite oxymorphone by O-demethylation via the polymorphic CYP2D6. The aim of this study was to investigate whether CYP2D6 poor metabolizers (PMs) yield the same analgesia post-operatively from intravenous oxycodone as extensive metabolizers (EMs).
METHODS
Two hundred and seventy patients undergoing primarily thyroid surgery or hysterectomy were included and followed for 24 h post-operatively. The CYP2D6 genotype was blinded until study procedures had been completed for all patients. All patients received intravenous oxycodone as pain treatment for 24 h post-operatively and morphine 5 mg was used as escape medication. A responder was characterized as a patient without the need for escape medication and a positive evaluation in a questionnaire 24 h post-operatively.
RESULTS
Twenty-four patients were PM (8.9%) and 246 were EM (91.1%). One PM (4.17%, CI=0.1-21.1) was a non-responder and 42 EM (17.07%, CI=12.6-22.4) were non-responders. The non-responder rate did not differ between the two genotypes (P=0.14). There was no difference in the total consumption of oxycodone between the two genotypes (EM=14.7 mg, CI=13.0-16.4 and PM=13.0 mg, CI=8.9-17.0, P=0.42). The mean oxymorphone/oxycodone ratios were 0.0031 and 0.00081 in the EMs and PMs, respectively (P<0.0001).
CONCLUSION
This study showed for the first time in patients that the oxymorphone formation depends on CYP2D6, but we found no difference in the post-operative analgesic effect of intravenous oxycodone between the two CYP2D6 genotypes.
|
10.1111/j.1399-6576.2009.02104.x
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pubmed_953_14448
|
The toxicity of chromium (Cr) to biota is related to its chemical forms and consequently to the redox conditions of soils. Hexavalent Cr[Cr(VI)] may undergo natural attenuation through reduction processes. In this study, the reduction kinetics of Cr(VI) in seven soils and its relationships with soil properties were investigated with laboratory incubation experiments. The results indicate that the reduction of Cr(VI) can be described by a first-order reaction. The reduction rates of Cr(VI) in the seven soils decreased in the order: Udic Ferrisols > Stagnic Anthrosols > Calcaric Regosols > Mollisol > Typic Haplustalf > Periudic Argosols > Ustic Cambosols. Simple correlation analysis revealed that the reduction of Cr(VI) in soils was positively related to organic matter content, dissolved organic matter content, Fe(II) content, clay fraction, and to the diversity index of the bacterial community but negatively correlated with easily reducible Mn content. Using stepwise regression, the reduction of Cr(VI) in soil could be quantitatively predicted by the measurement of dissolved organic matter content, Fe(II) content, pH, and soil particle size distribution, with a fitting level of 95.5%. The results indicated that the reduction of Cr(VI) in natural soils is not controlled by a single soil property but is the result of the combined effects of dissolved organic matter, Fe(II), pH, and soil particle size distribution.
|
10.2134/jeq2012.0061
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pubmed_363_8928
|
Germ cell nuclear factor (GCNF), an orphan nuclear receptor, is essential for mouse embryogenesis. GCNF specifically binds to a DR0 response element via its DNA binding domain (DBD) in vitro and functions as a repressor of gene transcription. To further study the role of GCNF during embryogenesis, we have employed a Cre/loxP strategy and generated a line of GCNF mutant mice (GCNF(lox/lox)) in which the 243-base pair DBD-encoding exon has been deleted in the germline. However, the ligand binding domain (LBD) of GCNF is still expressed at the mRNA and protein levels in the GCNF(lox/lox) mice. GCNF(lox/lox) mice die at 9.5-10.5 days postcoitum. The tailbuds of these mutant embryos protrude outside the yolk sac. Expression of Oct-4 in the somatic cells of GCNF(lox/lox) embryos at 8.25 days postcoitum was not silenced as in the GCNF(+/+) embryos. Therefore, GCNF(lox/lox) mice phenocopy the GCNF(-/-) mice. Our results indicate that the DBD is essential for the function of GCNF during early mouse embryogenesis, and that the LBD does not mediate any function independent of the DBD at this stage of embryonic development. Our results also suggest that GCNF is indeed a transcriptional factor that represses gene transcription mediated via its DBD.
|
10.1074/jbc.M209586200
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pubmed_266_20206
|
BACKGROUND AND AIMS
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) precore (PC) and dual basal core promoter (BCP) mutations halt and down-regulate hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) production respectively. PC mutation is rarely associated with HBV genotype A. We sought to examine the association of these variants with HBV genotypes, age, and HBeAg status in a racially diverse population in North America. Prospective study included 1,036 (808 adults, 228 children) participants in the Hepatitis B Research Network. PC and BCP variants were determined by Sanger sequencing, and dominant HBV species (>50%) were reported.
APPROACH AND RESULTS
Median age was 36.3 years (range, 2-80), 44.6% HBeAg(+), 74.2% Asians, 13.3% black, and 9.7% white. The dominant PC variant was present in 29.4% participants, including 20 with subgenotype A1 or A2. Seventeen of 20 participants with genotype A and PC had a compensatory C1858T mutation. In the HBeAg(+) cohort, the prevalence of PC and/or BCP variants increased from 14.4% in the first two decades to 51% after 40 years of age. Among those aged 2-18, 52% and 83% with dominant PC and BCP variants were HBeAg(+) compared to 3.8% and 29% in the >40 years age group. HBeAg clearance rates were significantly higher for those with dominant PC or BCP variants: 24.4 and 15.0 per 100 person-years compared to 6.0 in wild-type HBV (P < 0.0001).
CONCLUSIONS
PC variants can be present in HBV genotype A and are usually associated with C1858T, which preserves the pregenome encapsidation sequence. Selection of PC and BCP variants occurred at a young age, with increasing prevalence across age groups. HBeAg(+) participants with dominant PC and BCP variants progressed to the HBeAg(-) phase of chronic HBV infection significantly faster. This finding has potential clinical and therapeutic implications.
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10.1002/hep.31506
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pubmed_372_16580
|
Background: Potentially traumatic stressors can lead to various transdiagnostic outcomes beyond PTSD alone but no brief screening tools exist for measuring posttraumatic responses in a transdiagnostic manner. Objective: Assess the psychometric characteristics of a new 22-item transdiagnostic screening measure, the Global Psychotrauma Screen (GPS). Method: An internet survey was administered with English speaking participants recruited passively via the website of the Global Collaboration on Traumatic Stress (GC-TS) (n = 1,268) and actively via Amazon's MTurk (n = 1,378). Exploratory factor analysis, correlational analysis, sensitivity and specificity analysis, and comparisons in response between the two samples and between male and female respondents were conducted. Results: Exploratory factor analysis revealed a single factor underlying symptom endorsements in both samples, suggesting that such problems may form a unitary transdiagnostic, posttraumatic outcome. Convergent validity of the GPS symptom and risk factors was established with measures of PTSD and dissociative symptoms in the MTurk sample. Gender differences were seen primarily at the item level with women more often endorsing several symptoms and specific risk factors in the MTurk sample, and the GC-TS recruited sample endorsed more symptoms and risk factors than the MTurk sample, suggesting that the GPS may be sensitive to group differences. A GPS symptom cut-off score of 8 identified optimized sensitivity and specificity relative to probable PTSD based on PCL-5 scores. Conclusions: The current results provide preliminary support for the validity of the GPS as a screener for the concurrent measurement of several transdiagnostic outcomes of potentially traumatic stressors and the apparent unifactorial structure of such symptoms is suggestive of a single or unitary posttraumatic outcome. Future research is needed to evaluate whether similarly strong psychometric properties can be yielded in response to completion of the GPS in other languages.
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10.1080/20008198.2021.1881725
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pubmed_636_480
|
INTRODUCTION
Pediatric sleep-disordered breathing is a continuum, with primary snoring at one end, and complete upper airway obstruction, hypoxemia, and obstructive hypoventilation at the other. The latter gives rise to obstructive sleep apnea. An important predisposing factor in the development and progression of pediatric sleep-disordered breathing might be craniofacial disharmony. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to elucidate the association between craniofacial disharmony and pediatric sleep-disordered breathing.
METHODS
Citations to potentially relevant published trials were located by searching PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. The MetaRegister of controlled trials database was also searched to identify potentially relevant unpublished trials. Additionally, hand-searching, Google Scholar searches, and contact with experts in the area were undertaken to identify potentially relevant published and unpublished studies. Inclusion criteria were (1) randomized controlled trials, case-control trials, or cohort studies with controls; (2) studies in nonsyndromic children 0 to 18 years of age with a diagnosis of sleep-disordered breathing or obstructive sleep apnea by either a sleep disorders unit, screening questionnaire, or polysomnography; and (3) principal outcome measures of craniofacial or upper airway dimensions or proportions with various modalities of imaging for the craniofacial and neck regions. The quality of the studies selected was evaluated by assessing their methodologies. Treatment effects were combined by meta-analysis with the random-effects method.
RESULTS
Children with obstructive sleep apnea and primary snoring show increased weighted mean differences in the ANB angle of 1.64° (P <0.0001) and 1.54° (P <0.00001), respectively, compared with the controls. An increased ANB angle was primarily due to a decreased SNB angle in children with primary snoring by 1.4° (P = 0.02). Children with obstructive sleep apnea had a distance from the posterior nasal spine to the nearest adenoid tissue measured along the PNS-basion line reduced by 4.17 mm (weighted mean difference) (P <0.00001) and a distance from the posterior nasal spine to the nearest adenoid tissue measured along the line perpendicular to the sella-basion line reduced by 3.12 mm (weighted mean difference) (P <0.0001) compared with the controls.
CONCLUSIONS
There is statistical support for an association between craniofacial disharmony and pediatric sleep-disordered breathing. However, an increased ANB angle of less than 2° in children with obstructive sleep apnea and primary snoring, compared with the controls, could be regarded as having marginal clinical significance. Therefore, evidence for a direct causal relationship between craniofacial structure and pediatric sleep-disordered breathing is unsupported by this meta-analysis. There is strong support for reduced upper airway width in children with obstructive sleep apnea. Larger well-controlled trials are required to address the relationship of craniofacial and upper airway morphology to pediatric sleep-disordered breathing in all 3 dimensions.
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pubmed_636_480
|
pubmed_867_5942
|
A rapid latex agglutination test for the detection of elevated levels of myoglobin in serum was evaluated in a prospective study of 236 patients consecutively admitted to a Coronary Care Unit on suspicion of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The final diagnosis was made according to the WHO criteria. The prevalence of AMI was 0.45 with a male to female ratio of 2:1. In all patients at least two blood samples were collected with 4 hours interval 4-12 hours after the onset of symptoms. All sera were analysed for myoglobin by a latex agglutination test and by a radioimmunoassay (RIA). The latex test was performed twice, first as an emergency test by the technical assistant on duty and later by another well-trained technical assistant as her daily routine work. If the latex test was carried out each day by the same well-trained technical assistant, the test results agreed well with the RIA test results, and the false-negative fraction for patients with AMI constituted 0.06 and the false-positive fraction for patients without AMI 0.46. However, when the latex test was performed by the occasional technical assistant on duty, a relatively high degree of discrepancy was observed between the latex test results and the RIA test results, thus giving a false-negative fraction of 0.11 and a false-positive one of 0.36. In conclusion, performed under optimal laboratory conditions, the latex test can be used as a reliable method to estimate elevated levels of serum myoglobin. However, used as a bedside emergency examination, the test results correlated rather poorly to the RIA test results, and consequently the latex myoglobin test seems to be of minor clinical importance in the early evaluation of patients with suspected AMI.
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10.1111/j.0954-6820.1987.tb03354.x
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pubmed_241_11380
|
Osteoarthritis (OA), also known as degenerative joint disease, is the most frequent chronic musculoskeletal disease and the leading cause of disability in elderly persons. There are currently at least 27 million persons afflicted with OA in the United States, and the annual cost to society in medical care and wage loss is expected to reach nearly $100 billion dollars by 2020, with consequent increased spending on its diagnosis and treatment, side effect prevention, and loss of productivity. Despite this enormous burden, many aspects of OA are still unknown, with implications not only in terms of diagnosis and assessment but also with regard to therapy. Awareness of this state of affairs has attracted many researchers to this field, making OA one of the most actively studied sectors of rheumatology. Although some clinicians are unaware of recent advances, there is a large body of publications indicating that much has been achieved. Major progress has been made in formulating better definitions of risk factors, in particular in indicating the responsibility of biomechanical and genetic factors, and, with regard to pathogenesis, underlining the role of subchondral bone, cytokines and proteinases. Assessment of OA activity and its progression has been improved with the advent of biomarkers and new imaging procedures, in particular sonography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), but also of better clinical instruments, including more reliable patient questionnaires. Information from ongoing studies may improve the to some extent incomplete definition of OA phenotypes. Finally, promising new horizons have been opened up even with regard to the treatment of OA, which is still for the most part unsatisfactory except for surgical replacement therapy. Numerous new substances have been formulated and the findings of trials studying their effects are encouraging, although much has yet to be done.
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pubmed_241_11380
|
pubmed_923_13565
|
The developmental toxicity of trans-1,2-dichloroethylene (t-DCE), a component of certain Freon cleaning agents, was examined in pregnant rats. t-DCE was administered by inhalation 6 hr daily on Days 7-16 of gestation (the day copulation was confirmed was termed Day 1 of gestation) at exposure levels of 0, 2000, 6000, or 12,000 ppm. The offspring were then examined on Day 22 of gestation. Overt maternal toxicity was expressed as a significant reduction in weight gain at 12,000 ppm and in feed consumption at 6000 and 12,000 ppm. During the exposure period, lacrimation and stained periocular hair, and signs of ocular irritation, were observed in all groups. In addition, increased incidences of alopecia, lethargy, and salivation were observed in the high-dose dams. Significant increases in the mean number of resorptions per litter were seen in the litters of dams exposed to 6000 and 12,000 ppm of t-DCE; however, these values are within the range of historical controls and not considered to be treatment related. The mean combined and female fetal weights were significantly reduced in the litters of dams exposed to the highest concentration (12,000 ppm) of t-DCE. Marginal effects on feed consumption, unaccompanied by other changes and reflective of the pattern seen at higher doses, were seen at 2000 ppm. Thus, marginal maternal toxicity was seen at 2000 ppm and exposures to 6000 ppm t-DCE or higher caused frank maternal toxicity while the fetus was affected only at 12,000 ppm. Therefore, t-DCE is not considered to be uniquely toxic to the rat conceptus.
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10.1006/faat.1993.1030
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pubmed_1017_7588
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We report the light-induced formation of conductive links across nanometer-wide insulating gaps. These are realized by incorporating spacers of molecules or 2D monolayers inside a gold plasmonic nanoparticle-on-mirror (NPoM) geometry. Laser irradiation of individual NPoMs controllably reshapes and tunes the plasmonic system, in some cases forming conductive bridges between particle and substrate, which shorts the nanometer-wide plasmonic gaps geometrically and electronically. Dark-field spectroscopy monitors the bridge formation in situ, revealing strong plasmonic mode mixing dominated by clear anticrossings. Finite difference time domain simulations confirm this spectral evolution, which gives insights into the metal filament formation. A simple analytic cavity model describes the observed plasmonic mode hybridization between tightly confined plasmonic cavity modes and a radiative antenna mode sustained in the NPoM. Our results show how optics can reveal the properties of electrical transport across well-defined metallic nanogaps to study and develop technologies such as resistive memory devices (memristors).
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10.1021/acs.nanolett.6b02164
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pubmed_1036_6809
|
Written in response to an ongoing process of reflexivity, I deconstruct the findings of a recently completed qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological research study which was designed to answer the question: "How is study abroad manifest in the experience of nursing students?" The purpose is to assist and urge other researchers to locate their research, themselves and their research participants more transparently in the social and cultural worlds within which they move and are a part. Following a sketch of the research study upon which the paper is based, the relationships between structure, agency, researched and researcher are explored within a hermeneutic phenomenological framework. In particular, I relate some of the challenges encountered through reflections on specific aspects of the research process. I conclude that research findings might best be understood as being a dynamic and complex, two-way constructed interpretation of phenomena involving both structure and agency. I proceed from the stance that the discursive and the emotional, the artistic and the scientific, need to be balanced partners. Where this relationship is harmonious, intellectual ability increases leading to better meaning making, better decisions and greater understanding.
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10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2008.08.011
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pubmed_298_1633
|
Saponins have shown promise in cancer prevention and therapy; however, little is known about the detailed signaling pathways underlying their anticancer activities. In the present study, we examined the mechanisms of action of dioscin, a glucosides saponin isolated from Polygonatum zanlanscianense pump, in human myeloblast leukemia HL-60 cells. Dioscin suppressed HL-60 cell growth in a dose-dependent manner. This inhibition was due to the induction of apoptosis as revealed by the externalization of phosphatidylserine, and cleavages of lamin A/C and PARP-1. Treatment with dioscin induced apoptosis through activation of caspases 3, 7, 8, 9, and 10. Phosphorylation of p38 MAPK and JNK contributed to dioscin-induced apoptosis upstream of caspase activation. Using various inhibitors and antioxidant agents, we found that mitochondrial derived reactive oxygen species and depletion of mitochondrial transmembrane potential lead to the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK and JNK. Taken together, our results demonstrated that dioscin induces apoptosis by activation of p38 MAPK and JNK through the caspase-dependent mitochondrial death pathway. This work suggests that dioscin may be used as a drug lead for the treatment of myeloblast leukemia.
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pubmed_298_1633
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pubmed_804_16470
|
BACKGROUND
The landscape of smoking cessation may have changed in Europe recently.
OBJECTIVES
To identify changes in use of smoking cessation assistance in the European Union (EU) and factors associated with use of cessation assistance.
METHODS
Data from the 2012 (n=9921) and 2017 (n=9489) waves of the Eurobarometer survey were used. Self-reported use of smoking cessation assistance was assessed among smokers who had ever tried to quit and former smokers. Changes in use of each type of assistance were assessed using logistic regression.
RESULTS
Among current and former smokers, those who had ever attempted to quit without assistance increased from 70.3% (2012) to 74.8% (2017). Current smokers were more likely to have used any assistance compared with former smokers (P<0.001). Use of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation assistance increased (3.7% to 9.7%)%), while use of pharmacotherapy (14.6% to 11.1%)%) and smoking cessation services (7.5% to 5.0%)%) declined. Younger people were more likely to have reported e-cigarette use for smoking cessation but less likely to have used a cessation service. Individuals living in countries with comprehensive smoking cessation policies were more likely to have used any cessation assistance (adjusted OR (aOR)=1.78; 95% CI 1.15 to 2.76), pharmacotherapy (aOR=3.44; 95% CI 1.78 to 6.66) and smoking cessation services (aOR=2.27; 95% CI 1.27 to 4.06) compared with those living in countries with weak smoking cessation policies.
CONCLUSIONS
These findings highlight the need for approaches that ensure that smokers get support to quit smoking across the EU. The question of whether the availability of e-cigarettes will displace other methods, and the impact of such a displacement, should be closely evaluated.
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10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2017-054117
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pubmed_261_9393
|
BACKGROUND
The clinical response to retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) treatment is currently assessed subjectively. This study aims to quantify treatment response objectively by assessing changes in digital images of posterior pole retinal vessel width and tortuosity.
METHODS
Images of 30 right eyes with type 1 ROP obtained at up to three time points were analyzed: before treatment (T = 0) and 1 (T = 1) and/or 2 weeks (T = 2) after treatment. Width and tortuosity of retinal vessels were analyzed from digital images using computer-assisted image analysis software.
RESULTS
Vessel width decreased by 20% (P < 0.004) within the first week and remained stable by the second week after laser treatment. Vessel tortuosity did not significantly change by the first week but decreased 27% (P < 0.01) by second week.
CONCLUSIONS
Vessel width appears to decrease dramatic within the first week, whereas the regression of tortuosity follows a slower course.
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10.1016/j.jaapos.2012.04.002
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pubmed_1092_13505
|
BACKGROUND
Medical waste (MW) can be generated in hospitals, clinics and places where diagnosis and treatment are conducted. The management of these wastes is an issue of great concern and importance in view of potential public health risks associated with such wastes. The study assessed the medical waste management practices in selected hospitals and also determined the impact of Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) intervention programs. A descriptive cross-sectional survey method was used.
METHODS
Data were collected using three instrument (questionnaire, site visitation and in -depth interview). Two public (hospital A, B) and five private (hospital C, D, E, F and G) which provide services for low, middle and high income earners were used. Data analysis was done with SPSS version 20. Chi-squared test was used to determine level of significance at p < 0.05.
RESULTS
The majority 56 (53.3%) of the respondents were females with mean age of 35.46 (±1.66) years. The hospital surveyed, except hospital D, disposes both general and medical waste separately. All the facilities have the same process of managing their waste which is segregation, collection/on-site transportation, on-site storage and off-site transportation. Staff responsible for collecting medical waste uses mainly hand gloves as personal protective equipment. The intervention programs helped to ensure compliance and safety of the processes; all the hospitals employ the services of LAWMA for final waste disposal and treatment. Only hospital B offered on-site treatment of its waste (sharps only) with an incinerator while LAWMA uses hydroclave to treat its wastes. There are no policies or guidelines in all investigated hospitals for managing waste.
CONCLUSIONS
An awareness of proper waste management amongst health workers has been created in most hospitals through the initiative of LAWMA. However, hospital D still mixes municipal and hazardous wastes. The treatment of waste is generally done by LAWMA using hydroclave, to prevent environmental hazards except hospital B that treats its sharp with an incinerator. In order to enhance uniform and appropriate waste management practices in the entire State, there is need for capacity building at all levels and also policies and guidelines formulations.
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10.1186/s12889-016-2916-1
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pubmed_871_17295
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We report here the isolation and characterization of amino acid-requiring mutant strains of Rhizobium etli. We observe that the phenotype of most mutations, even when causing a strict auxotrophy, is overcome by cross-feeding from the host plant Phaseolus vulgaris, thereby allowing bacterial production of Nod factors and, consequently, nodule induction. Conversely, light and electron microscopy analysis reveals that the nodules induced by all mutants, including those with normal external morphology, are halted or strongly altered at intermediate or late stages of development. Moreover, some mutants induce nodules that display novel symbiotic phenotypes, such as specific alterations of the invaded cells or the presence of a reduced number of abnormally shaped uninvaded cells. Other mutants induce nodules showing an early and vast necrosis of the central tissue, a phenotype not previously observed in bean nodules, not even in nodules induced by a Fix- mutant. These observations indicate that amino acid auxotrophs represent a powerful tool to study the development of globose determinate-type nodules and emphasize the importance of establishing their histology and cytology before considerations of metabolic exchange are made.
|
10.1094/MPMI.2002.15.5.501
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pubmed_999_9333
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A series of coumarin-linked 4-anilinomethyl-1,2,3-triazoles (6a-t) was synthesized via a molecular hybridization approach, through carbon C-6 of the coumarin moiety. The synthesized compounds were evaluated for their inhibition of carbonic anhydrase (CA) isoforms I, II, IX and XIII. CAs IX and XIII were selectively inhibited over the off-target isoforms I and II. The best inhibitory profiles against CA IX were shown by compounds 6a, 6e and 6f (Ki < 50 nM), with compound 6e displaying the best inhibition with a Ki value of 36.3 nM. Compounds 6a, 6b, 6j, 6o and 6q exhibited the best inhibitory profiles against CA XIII (Ki < 100 nM). These compounds can be further explored for the discovery of potent and effective CA IX and CA XIII inhibitors.
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10.3390/metabo11040225
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pubmed_639_4798
|
BACKGROUND
The ERICVA score was derived to predict amputation-free survival in patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI). It may be a useful tool to stratify patients in trials of novel interventions to treat CLI but, as yet, it has not been externally validated.
METHODS
A prospective database of CLI patients was developed during prescreening of patients for a phase 1 stem cell therapy clinical trial. The primary outcome was amputation free survival (AFS) at 1 year. Both the full ERICVA scale (11 parameters) and simplified ERICVA scale (5 parameters) were validated. Data analysis was performed by calculation of the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve examining the predictive value of the scores. The Chi-square test was used to examine the association between risk group and one-year AFS and the cumulative survival of the three risk groups was compared using Kaplan Meier survival curves.
RESULTS
A series of 179 CLI patients were included in the analysis. The Chi-square test of independence showed a significant association between the risk group (high, medium and low) and one-year AFS outcome (P = 0.0007). Kaplan-Meier survival curve showed significant difference in one-year AFS between the three risk groups (log-rank P < 0.001). The area under the curve (AUC) was found to be 0.63 and 0.61 for the full and simplified score, respectively. The sensitivity of the full score was 0.44 with specificity of 0.84. The simplified score had a sensitivity of 0.28 and specificity of 0.92.
CONCLUSION
The ERICVA risk score system was found to have a fair validity but cannot be considered reliable as a single predictor of one year AFS of CLI patients. The simplified score had an AUC almost identical to the full score and can accordingly replace the full score.
|
10.1016/j.avsg.2021.02.013
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pubmed_568_10923
|
Desmoid-type fibromatosis (DTF) is a rare locally aggressive soft tissue neoplasm without metastatic potential. Here, we report a very rare sporadic case of an intracranial supratentorial extradural DTF measuring 82 mm in a 1-year-old girl, that recurred twice following surgery over the course of 16 months, requiring two other surgeries. In three surgeries, we resected a huge tumor with the dura which was thought to be tumor origin and removed this tumor infiltrated the frontal skull base by drilling widely. Furthermore, we treated the tumor invading the bone flap using liquid nitrogen for 20 minutes, and subsequently used it to perform a cranioplasty. This tumor has not recurred for past 8 months. DTF invading the skull base is prone to recurrence, and liquid nitrogen treatment is considered to be effective in pediatric patients, who need cranioplasty with tumor-infiltrating autologous bone flaps.
|
10.2176/nmccrj.cr.2020-0006
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pubmed_244_159
|
Particle swarm optimization (PSO) is a stochastic population-based optimization algorithm inspired by the interactions of individuals in a social world. This algorithm is widely applied in different fields of water resources problems. This paper presents a comprehensive overview of the basic PSO algorithm search strategy and PSO's applications and performance analysis in water resources engineering optimization problems. Our literature review revealed 22 different varieties of the PSO algorithm. The characteristics of each PSO variety together with their applications in different fields of water resources engineering (e.g., reservoir operation, rainfall-runoff modeling, water quality modeling, and groundwater modeling) are highlighted. The performances of different PSO variants were compared with other evolutionary algorithms (EAs) and mathematical optimization methods. The review evaluates the capability and comparative performance of PSO variants over conventional EAs (e.g., simulated annealing, differential evolution, genetic algorithm, and shark algorithm) and mathematical methods (e.g., support vector machine and differential dynamic programming) in terms of proper convergence to optimal Pareto fronts, faster convergence rate, and diversity of computed solutions.
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10.1007/s10661-020-8228-z
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pubmed_1104_22630
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Across a diverse spectrum of organisms, the absorption and toxicity of trace elements are usually correlated with the activity of the free metal ion, but reported exceptions to this generalization are increasing. For the first time, we tested the validity of the free-ion activity model (FIAM) in the case of terrestrial plants and organic acids that may be abundant in the soil solution and rhizosphere. Short-term (48-h) root elongation of wheat (Triticum aestitvum L.) in a simple medium (2 mM CaCl2, pH 6.0) was used to probe the toxicity of Cu and Zn in the presence of malonate, malate, and citrate. Precautions were taken to prevent biodegradation of the organic acids, and its absence was confirmed by ion chromatography. Copper speciation was verified using a Cu-selective ion electrode, and published stability constants were modified to improve agreement between measured and calculated Cu2+ activities. With additions of both malonate and malate, Cu toxicity was alleviated but not to the extent predicted by the FIAM; the Cu-ligand complexes seemingly contributed to the toxicity. No such departures were observed with citrate and Cu nor with any of the three ligands in combination with Zn. Thus, exceptions to the FIAM occur with higher plants as well as with aquatic biota but do not seem to occur in a predictable or systematic fashion with respect to metal or organic acid under investigation. Several possible explanations for the observed departures from the FIAM are discussed, including the possibility of accidental cotransport of metal and ligand into the cytoplasm.
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10.1897/1551-5028(2001)020<0899:rtfiam>2.0.co;2
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pubmed_926_26023
|
Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) forms an extensive intracellular membranous network in eukaryotes that dynamically connects and communicates with diverse subcellular compartments such as plasma membrane (PM) through membrane contact sites (MCSs), with the inter-membrane gaps separated by a distance of 10-40 nm. Phosphoinositides (PI) constitute an important class of cell membrane phospholipids shared by many MCSs to regulate a myriad of cellular events, including membrane trafficking, calcium homeostasis and lipid metabolism. By installing photosensitivity into a series of engineered PI-binding domains with minimal sizes, we have created an optogenetic toolkit (designated as 'OptoPB') to enable rapid and reversible control of protein translocation and inter-membrane tethering at MCSs. These genetically-encoded, single-component tools can be used as scaffolds for grafting lipid-binding domains to dissect molecular determinants that govern protein-lipid interactions in living cells. Furthermore, we have demonstrated the use of OptoPB as a versatile fusion tag to photomanipulate protein translocation toward PM for reprogramming of PI metabolism. When tethered to the ER membrane with the insertion of flexible spacers, OptoPB can be applied to reversibly photo-tune the gap distances at nanometer scales between the two organellar membranes at MCSs, and to gauge the distance requirement for the free diffusion of protein complexes into MCSs. Our modular optical tools will find broad applications in non-invasive and remote control of protein subcellular localization and interorganellar contact sites that are critical for cell signaling.
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10.1039/c7sc01115f
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pubmed_160_14833
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Obesity, as in every western country, is currently the most prevalent chronic disease in childhood in Spain. This has led to obesity being one of the most common consultations in general paediatrics and, particularly, in paediatric endocrinology. Furthermore, obesity associated comorbidities are increasing in prevalence in children and adolescents. It is widely accepted that this increase in the prevalence of obesity is derived from an imbalance between energy intake and expenditure, associated to the lifestyle in western countries. However, there is increasing evidence of the role of individual and familial genetic background in the risk of developing obesity. The pathophysiological basis of the mechanisms responsible for the control of appetite and energy expenditure are being discovered on the basis of the increasing known cases of human monogenic, syndromic and endocrine obesity. Thus it is no longer appropriate to talk about obesity but rather about «obesities», as their pathophysiological bases differ and they require different diagnostic and management approaches. In 2011, the paediatrician must be aware of this issue and focus the clinical history and physical examination towards these specific clinical sign and symptoms, to better manage the available diagnostic and therapeutic resources when faced with a child with obesity.
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10.1016/j.anpedi.2011.03.018
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pubmed_929_22558
|
BACKGROUND
The range of products stocked and their promotions in food retail outlets in healthcare settings can affect food choices by staff, patients and visitors. The innovative Scottish Healthcare Retail Standard (HRS) is a national mandatory scheme requiring all hospital food retail outlets to change the balance of food products stocked and their promotion to comply with nutritional criteria and promotional restrictions. The aim is to facilitate healthier food choices in healthcare settings. This study examined the implementation of HRS and the impact on foods stocked and promoted.
METHODS
The study aimed to examine implementation process and changes to the retail environment in relation to food promotions and choice. A sample of hospital retail outlets (n = 17) including shops and trolley services were surveyed using a mixed methods design comprising: (a) structured observational audits of stock, layout and promotions (with a specific focus on chocolate and fruit product lines), and (b) face-to-face, semi-structured interviews with the shop manager or nominated members of staff (n = 32). Data were collected at Wave 1 (2016), at the beginning and during the early stages of HRS implementation; and Wave 2, 12 months later, after the HRS implementation deadline.
RESULTS
All outlets, both commercial and not-for-profit, in the sample successfully implemented HRS. Implementation was reported to be more challenging by independent shop managers compared to chain store staff. Retail managers identified areas where more implementation guidance and support could have been provided. The number of chocolate product lines and promotions reduced substantially between Waves 1 and 2, but with no substantial increase in fruit product lines and promotions. Despite initial negative expectations of HRS's impact, managers identified some opportunities in the scheme and positive changes in the supply chain.
CONCLUSIONS
Positive changes in food retail outlets occurred after hospital shops were required to implement HRS. By creating a consistent approach across hospital shops in Scotland, HRS changed the food retail environment for hospital staff, visitors and patients. HRS provides a regulatory template and implementation learning points for influencing retail environments in other jurisdictions and settings.
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10.1186/s12889-020-8242-7
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pubmed_730_1573
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The carotenoids accumulated by a mutant Rhodospirillum rubrum ST4, containing a single Tn5 lesion in the pathway for carotenoid biosynthesis, were analyzed by HPLC, 1H NMR spectroscopy, and field desorption mass spectrometry. The main carotenoid was identified as 3,4,3',4'-tetrahydrospirilloxanthin, and the four minor carotenoids were identified as rhodopin, 3,4-dihydroanhydrorhodovibrin, 3', 4'-dihydrorhodovibrin, and 1,1'-dihydroxylycopene. The C-3,4 and C-3',4' bonds of all 5 carotenoids are saturated, and they have 11 conjugated double bonds. With the exception of rhodopin, which is a normal intermediate of the wild-type pathway, all of the carotenoids are not naturally occurring. The Tn5 lesion was assigned to rhodopin 3,4-desaturase which is proposed to catalyze dehydrogenation at both ends of the symmetrical spirilloxanthin derivative. An unexpected finding was that the enzymes following rhodopin 3,4-desaturase are still able to end-modify the 3,4-, and 3',4'-saturated precursors and that the order of methylation and hydroxylation is not obligatory. It is proposed that the observed nonnatural carotenoids can be explained by the inclusion of a cryptic branch, unmasked by the absence of rhodopin 3,4-desaturase, in the established linear pathway for spirilloxanthin biosynthesis. This is the first example of latent branching of the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway exhibited by a carotenoid mutant of a phototrophic bacterium.
|
10.1021/bi9730947
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pubmed_270_4452
|
We theoretically analyze the excitation energy transfer between two closely spaced linear molecular J-aggregates, whose excited states are Frenkel excitons. The aggregate with the higher (lower) exciton band edge energy is considered as the donor (acceptor). The celebrated theory of Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET), which relates the transfer rate to the overlap integral of optical spectra, fails in this situation. We point out that, in addition to the well-known fact that the point-dipole approximation breaks down (enabling energy transfer between optically forbidden states), also the perturbative treatment of the electronic interactions between donor and acceptor system, which underlies the Förster approach, in general loses its validity due to overlap of the exciton bands. We therefore propose a nonperturbative method, in which donor and acceptor bands are mixed and the energy transfer is described in terms of a phonon-assisted energy relaxation process between the two new (renormalized) bands. The validity of the conventional perturbative approach is investigated by comparing to the nonperturbative one; in general, this validity improves for lower temperature and larger distances (weaker interactions) between the aggregates. We also demonstrate that the interference between intraband relaxation and energy transfer renders the proper definition of the transfer rate and its evaluation from experiment a complicated issue that involves the initial excitation condition. Our results suggest that the best way of determining this transfer rate between two J-aggregates is to measure the fluorescence kinetics of the acceptor J-band after resonant excitation of the donor J-band.
|
10.1021/jp0569281
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pubmed_433_22525
|
Reducing energy use in soil preparation has become increasingly important since it is a major cost in planting. Experiments were conducted with a combined tillage implement consisting of a subsoiler and a rotary harrow to reduce the cost due to step reduction in soil preparation. Three tillage operations, two forward speeds, and two rotational rotor speeds were determined as input factors in this study. Soil clod size, performance parameters, and the specific energy requirements of a combined tillage implement were investigated. The field experiments were using two different soil conditions. Increasing the rotor speed from 299 to 526 rpm decreased the mean soil clod diameter at a depth of 0-200 mm from 22.98 to 19.83 mm and from 31.77 to 26.57 mm for fields 1 and 2, respectively. The specific energy requirement was affected significantly by rotor speed and tillage operation. The specific energy requirements for the combined tillage implement with an on-frame pivot joint and an on-pivotable-shank joint were less by 10.4 and 21.1% and by 18.4 and 24.7%, for fields 1 and 2, respectively, compared to the total power requirement for the separate use of a subsoiler and a rotary harrow.
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10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e02757
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pubmed_278_4903
|
OBJECTIVE
The authors aimed to assess the attitudes towards psychiatry of all Lebanese medical students, as well as the factors that could have led to these attitudes, whether favorable or not.
METHODS
In this cross-sectional study, the authors ran a questionnaire among a sample of Lebanese medical students from all medical faculties, regions in Lebanon, and years of medical school, using the ATP-30 scale and the WHO-5 well-being index. The answers from the 607 participants were statistically analyzed on SPSS version 23.0.
RESULTS
Among participants, 95.1% had a positive attitude towards psychiatry, reflecting a favorable outlook among Lebanese medical students overall. The average ATP-30 score in our sample was 111.95 out of 150 (SD = 12.55), which is in the range of countries of higher socio-economic level such as Germany and Switzerland. Also, 26.5% of participants reported that they consider psychiatry as a potential career choice. No demographic factor had any influence on the ATP-30 score. In the multivariate analysis, only two factors resulted in favorable attitudes: exposure to a patient with a diagnosed psychiatric illness in the student's surroundings and a lower WHO-5 well-being index.
CONCLUSION
This study's results do not fit into the traditional "developed vs. developing countries" paradigm. However, Lebanon still has a lot of challenges to face in order to provide quality mental healthcare.
|
10.1007/s40596-021-01466-3
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pubmed_659_7182
|
Introduction
The disease trajectory of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) shows a high interindividual variability not sufficiently explained by conventional risk factors. Clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) is a proposed novel cardiovascular risk factor. Increased kidney fibrosis and glomerulosclerosis were described in mouse models of CHIP. Here, we aim to analyze whether CHIP affects the incidence or progression of DKD.
Methods
A total of 1419 eligible participants of the PROVALID Study were the basis for a nested case-control (NCC) design. A total of 64 participants who reached a prespecified composite endpoint within the observation period (initiation of kidney replacement therapy, death from kidney failure, sustained 40% decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate or sustained progression to macroalbuminuria) were identified and matched to 4 controls resulting in an NCC sample of 294 individuals. CHIP was assessed via targeted amplicon sequencing of 46 genes in peripheral blood. Furthermore, inflammatory cytokines were analyzed in plasma via a multiplex assay.
Results
The estimated prevalence of CHIP was 28.91% (95% CI 22.91%-34.91%). In contrast to other known risk factors (albuminuria, hemoglobin A1c, heart failure, and smoking) and elevated microinflammation, CHIP was not associated with incident or progressive DKD (hazard ratio [HR] 1.06 [95% CI 0.57-1.96]).
Conclusions
In this NCC study, common risk factors as well as elevated microinflammation but not CHIP were associated with kidney function decline in type 2 diabetes mellitus.
|
10.1016/j.ekir.2022.01.1064
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pubmed_109_11487
|
Use was made of the direct immunofluorescence method for the demonstration of Brucella suis bacteria in paraffin and frozen histosections following the respective handling. The method was tested on necropsy material from experimentally infected test animals and spontaneously infected swine embryos. Compared with the cultural and serologic methods the histoimmunofluorescence one showed far better diagnostic possibilities. The use of the histoimmunofluorescence method is suggested along with the remaining routinely employed techniques in the laboratory practice. It will raise the effectiveness of the investigations for the demonstration of Brucella suis bacteria.
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pubmed_109_11487
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pubmed_484_17472
|
The combination of mathematics--queen of sciences--and the general utility of computers has been used to make important inroads into insight-providing breast cancer research and clinical aids. These developments are in two broad areas. First, they provide useful prognostic guidelines for individual patients based on historic evidence. Second, by suggesting numeric tumor growth laws that are correlated to clinical parameters, they permit development of biologically relevant theories and comparison with patient data to help us understand complex biologic processes. These latter studies have produced many new ideas that are testable in clinical trials. In this review we discuss these developments from a clinical perspective, and ask whether and how they translate into useful tools for patient treatment.
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10.1186/bcr981
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pubmed_827_3597
|
Canonical transient receptor potential (TRPC) channels are Ca2+-permeable nonselective cation channels that are widely expressed in numerous cell types. Seven different members of TRPC channels have been isolated. The activity of these channels is regulated by the filling state of intracellular Ca2+ stores and/or diacylglycerol and/or Ca2+/calmodulin. However, no evidence is available as to whether TRPC channels are regulated by direct phosphorylation on the channels. In the present study, TRPC isoform 3 (TRPC3) gene was overexpressed in HEK293 cells that were stably transfected with protein kinase G (PKG). We found that the overexpressed TRPC3 mediated store-operated Ca2+ influx and that this type of Ca2+ influx was inhibited by cGMP. The inhibitory effect of cGMP was abolished by KT5823 or H8. Point mutations at two consensus PKG phosphorylation sites (T11A and S263Q) of TRPC3 channel markedly reduced the inhibitory effect of cGMP. In addition, TRPC3 proteins were purified from HEK293 cells that were transfected with either wild-type or mutant TRPC3 constructs, and in vitro PKG phosphorylation assay was carried out. It was found that wild-type TRPC3 could be directly phosphorylated by PKG in vitro and that the phosphorylation was abolished in the presence of KT5823. The phosphorylation signal was greatly reduced in mutant protein T11A or S263Q. Taken together, TRPC3 channels could be directly phosphorylated by PKG at position T11 and S263, and this phosphorylation abolished the store-operated Ca2+ influx mediated by TRPC3 channels in HEK293 cells.
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10.1073/pnas.0304471101
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pubmed_772_438
|
BACKGROUND
Angiotensin-converting enzyme insertion/deletion polymorphism has been shown to be associated with diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery diseases, and diabetic nephropathy. The objective of this study was to investigate whether angiotensin-converting enzyme gene insertion/deletion polymorphism is associated with metabolic syndrome in Iranians with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
METHODS
A total of 170 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and 91 control subjects were studied. The angiotensin-converting enzyme insertion/deletion polymorphism was determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) utilizing specific primers. The definition and criteria of metabolic syndrome used in this study matched that proposed in 1998 World Health Organization classification.
RESULTS
Of 170 patients studied, 119 (70%) fulfilled the criteria for metabolic syndrome. The prevalence of angiotensin-converting enzyme genotype in the control subjects with DD, ID, and II genotype was 13.2%, 47.3%, and 39.5%, respectively. In patients with metabolic syndrome, the prevalence was 26.9%, 56.3%, and 16.8%, respectively; in patients without metabolic syndrome, it was 21.6%, 62.7%, and 15.7%, respectively. The angiotensin-converting enzyme insertion/deletion polymorphism was not significantly associated with presence of metabolic syndrome in patients with type 2 diabetes (P=0.711). The frequency of DD genotype in the metabolic syndrome group (26.9%) was higher than that (21.6%) in those without metabolic syndrome (P=0.447) and the control group (13.2%, P=0.02). The frequency of D allele in metabolic syndrome patients was 55.1% as compared to those patients without metabolic syndrome (52.9%, P=0.72) and the control subjects (36.8%, P<0.001).
CONCLUSION
It seems that the DD genotype and/or D allele of angiotensin-converting enzyme gene may increase the risk for developing type 2 diabetes mellitus, but not metabolic syndrome.
|
08111/AIM.004
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pubmed_556_2279
|
Polymethoxyflavones (PMFs) are special flavonoids in citrus fruits that have been suggested to be beneficial to human health. However, whether PMFs in citrus fruit alter human gut microbiota is not well understood. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of PMF-rich fraction from Ougan (Citrus reticulata cv. Suavissima) on gut microbiota and evaluate the intestinal metabolic profile of PMFs in Institute of Cancer Research mice. The main components of the PMF-rich fraction were nobiletin, tangeretin, and 5-demethylnobiletin. The composition of the gut microbiota was analyzed using 16S ribosomal DNA sequencing. The results showed that after oral administration, the composition of mice gut microbiota was significantly altered. The relative abundance of two probiotics, Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, were found to increase significantly. A total of 21 metabolites of PMFs were detected in mice intestinal content by high performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry, and they were generated through demethylation, demethoxylation, hydroxylation, and glucuronidation. Our results provided evidence that PMFs have potential beneficial regulatory effects on gut microbiota that in turn metabolize PMFs, which warrants further investigation in human clinical trials.
|
10.3390/antiox9090831
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pubmed_821_14101
|
The clinical, electrophysiological and pathological features and prognosis of 9 patients with nonsystemic vasculitic neuropathy are described. Nonsystemic vasculitic neuropathy accounted for 3% of cases of biopsy proven cases of various neuropathies and formed 56% of vasculitic neuropathy. Both clinically and on electrophysiological testing, mononeuritis multiplex was the form of neuropathy in 5 patients and 3 had sensory neuropathy. All the patients had a necrotizing vasculitis on nerve biopsy. Axonal degeneration was seen in teased fibers in all the patients. Eight patients showed good functional recovery one was left with mild bilateral claw hands.
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pubmed_821_14101
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pubmed_582_11386
|
BACKGROUND
Obesity continues to be a global epidemic, and strong evidence exists linking it with gestational complications such as macrosomia, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, gestational diabetes, and cesarean section. Bariatric surgery, a highly effective treatment for obesity, may prevent such complications in subsequent pregnancies.
OBJECTIVE
This review seeks to describe the risks and benefits of post-bariatric procedure pregnancies, in comparison to both community and obese cohorts.
RESULTS
A thorough review of the literature suggests that post-surgery women are not at increased risk for poor perinatal outcomes, and moreover their risks for many obesity-related gestational complications are reduced after bariatric surgery. Data regarding fertility after bariatric surgery are quite ambiguous, however, and studies exist demonstrating both positive and negative associations between weight loss procedures and fertility.
CONCLUSIONS
Clinicians should be aware that data collected on this subject were often gathered from post-op pregnant women provided with good prenatal care and screening for nutritional deficiencies. Although pregnancy after bariatric surgery appears to be safe, providers should take extra care to properly monitor their post-op pregnant patients for appropriate weight gain and nourishment.
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10.1007/s00404-008-0608-5
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pubmed_826_12837
|
Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common childhood brain tumor. Despite improved therapy and management, approximately 30% of patients die of the disease. To search for a more effective therapeutic strategy, the effects of salinomycin were tested on cell proliferation, cell death, and cell cycle progression in human MB cell lines. The results demonstrated that salinomycin inhibits cell proliferation, induces cell death , and disrupts cell cycle progression in MB cells. Salinomycin was also tested on the expression levels of key genes involved in proliferation and survival signaling and revealed that salinomycin down-regulates the expression of PDGFRβ, MYC, p21 and Bcl-2 as well as up-regulates the expression of cyclin A. In addition, the results reveal that salinomycin suppresses the expression of Hes1 and Hes5 in MB cells. Our data shed light on the potential of using salinomycin as a novel therapeutic agent for patients with MB.
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pubmed_826_12837
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pubmed_714_18714
|
SETTING
Hlabisa Tuberculosis Programme, Hlabisa, South Africa.
OBJECTIVE
To determine trends in and risk factors for interruption of tuberculosis treatment.
METHODS
Data were extracted from the control programme database starting in 1991. Temporal trends in treatment interruption are described; independent risk factors for treatment interruption were determined with a multiple logistic regression model, and Kaplan-Meier survival curves for treatment interruption were constructed for patients treated in 1994-1995.
RESULTS
Overall 629 of 3,610 surviving patients (17%) failed to complete treatment; this proportion increased from 11% (n = 79) in 1991/1992 to 22% (n = 201) in 1996. Independent risk factors for treatment interruption were diagnosis between 1994-1996 compared with 1991-1993 (odds ratio [OR] 1.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.6-2.4); human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positivity compared with HIV negativity (OR 1.8, 95%CI 1.4-2.4); supervised by village clinic compared with community health worker (OR 1.9, 95%CI 1.4-2.6); and male versus female sex (OR 1.3, 95%CI 1.1-1.6). Few patients interrupted treatment during the first 2 weeks, and the treatment interruption rate thereafter was constant at 1% per 14 days.
CONCLUSIONS
Frequency of treatment interruption from this programme has increased recently. The strongest risk factor was year of diagnosis, perhaps reflecting the impact of an increased caseload on programme performance. Ensuring adherence to therapy in communities with a high level of migration remains a challenge even within community-based directly observed therapy programmes.
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pubmed_714_18714
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pubmed_259_18184
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A new method for potable water treatment was brought forward and studied in this research. The treatment process was named as counterflow co-flocculation flotation (CC-FF). Pilot experiment was conducted and the operational parameters were presented. The optimized operational conditions are as follows: the detention time is 6-11 min with hydraulic load of 9-16 m3/(m2 h); the recycle ratio should be no less than 8% while the distance between the inlet of source water and recycle water should be greater than 1200 mm. If the source water turbidity was lower than 100 NTU, 0.12-0.35 mmol/L Al dosage is enough to maintain efficient turbidity removal. Since the flocculation and flotation processes were carried out in the same tank, this new technique has some advantages than the conventional flocculation-flotation methods. Firstly, the microbubbles released from recycle water will participate in the flocculation of suspended particles, hence the low-density but high shear-force-resistance flocci could be formed. Secondly, the microflocci or suspended particles will be functioned as 'nucleus' during the bubble formation from air-dissolved recycle water. Thirdly, in the midsection of the tank a blanket of bubble-microfloc aggregates could be formed, which will intercept the downward-flow flocci and upward-flow bubbles efficiently, thus keep the renovation and stability of the blanket.
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10.1081/ese-120018601
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pubmed_637_7811
|
BACKGROUND
The study aims to investigate the clinicopathological features and surgical outcomes of neuroendocrine tumors of ampulla of Vater (NETAoVs) patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy.
METHODS
From January 2007 to December 2014, 45 patients underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy for malignant disease of the ampulla of Vater in our institution. Of those, 5 patients were diagnosed as neuroendocrine tumors. The data included age, sex, presenting symptoms, preoperative imaging, preoperative type of biopsy results, type of operation, pathologic findings and survival status.
RESULTS
The patient's mean age was 55.2 ± 9.7 years. Endoscopic ultrasound guided biopsy was performed in 4 patients and gastroduodenoscopic biopsy was performed in one patient. All showed neuroendocrine tumor without mitosis. Mean tumor size was 1.9 ± 0.56 cm (range, 1.2-2.0 cm). Lymph node metastases were detected in two patients. All patients were synaptophysin-positive. Median periods of follow-up were 45 months (range, 43-78 months). Recurrence after operation occurred in two patients. 4 patients were alive at the last follow-up.
CONCLUSIONS
Radical resection for NETAoVs can provide the information of status of lymph node metastasis after surgery. However, correlation between lymph node metastasis and overall survival is uncertain to date.
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10.1186/s12876-017-0630-9
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pubmed_320_9197
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The observed linear correlation of surface heat flux in continental regions with the radioactive heat release in the surface rocks is consistent with an exponential depth dependence of the concentration of the heat sources. We suggest that this depth dependence can be explained as an equilibrium distribution of the heat-producing elements in a gravitational field. The eflective mean mass range of the elemental assemblies being differentiated is predicted, and it appears that potassium, uranium, and thorium diffuse upward in ionic complexes with other elements. Similar considerations should apply to the distribution of other elements in the crust and mantle.
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10.1126/science.176.4038.1021
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pubmed_1077_3244
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Transfer of donor immunity after allo-HSCT is limited, requiring re-vaccination after HSCT. The CDC 2009 guidelines introduced earlier vaccination post-HSCT with a uniform vaccination strategy. This study objective was to describe predictors of immune recovery and initial response to tetanus after DTaP vaccination post-HSCT. We conducted a retrospective chart review of pediatric allo-HSCT patients transplanted between July 1, 2007-June 30, 2012 who survived >1 yr without relapse (N = 27). Response to tetanus one month after the initial dose of DTaP was defined as a ≥4 fold increase in tetanus titers ≥1 month after vaccination. Wilcoxon rank-sum exact test and Kruskall-Wallis tests were used to analyze CD4, CD8, and CD19 counts. Exact conditional logistic regression was utilized to analyze initial tetanus vaccination response. A statistically significant increase in median CD4, CD8, and CD19 counts occurred from six to 12 months post-HSCT (p ≤ 0.0001, 0.005, 0.004). Only 36% of patients had initial tetanus vaccination response at first attempt post-HSCT. None of the variables tested were statistically significant in predicting initial tetanus response to vaccination. There was no association between predictors of immune recovery or transplant variables and initial tetanus response. A uniform vaccination strategy is unlikely to provide protective antibodies for many post-HSCT patients and should be evaluated in larger studies.
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10.1111/petr.12361
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pubmed_1037_258
|
Looking to supplement common economic indicators, politicians and policymakers are increasingly interested in how to measure and improve the subjective well-being of communities. Theories about nonprofit organizations suggest that they represent a potential policy-amenable lever to increase community subjective well-being. Using longitudinal cross-lagged panel models with IRS and Twitter data, this study explores whether communities with higher numbers of nonprofits per capita exhibit greater subjective well-being in the form of more expressions of positive emotion, engagement, and relationships. We find associations, robust to sample bias concerns, between most types of nonprofit organizations and decreases in negative emotions, negative sentiments about relationships, and disengagement. We also find an association between nonprofit presence and the proportion of words tweeted in a county that indicate engagement. These findings contribute to our theoretical understanding of why nonprofit organizations matter for community-level outcomes and how they should be considered an important public policy lever.
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10.1093/jopart/muab010
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pubmed_752_22215
|
Splanchnic vein thrombosis (SVT) is a broad term that includes Budd-Chiari syndrome and occlusion of veins that constitute the portal venous system. Due to the common risk factors involved in the pathogenesis of these clinically distinct disorders, concurrent involvement of two different regions is quite common. In acute and subacute SVT, the symptoms may overlap with a variety of other abdominal emergencies while in chronic SVT, the extent of portal hypertension and its attendant complications determine the clinical course. As a result, clinical diagnosis is often difficult and is frequently reliant on imaging. Tremendous improvements in vascular imaging in recent years have ensured that this once rare entity is being increasingly detected. Treatment of acute SVT requires immediate anticoagulation. Transcatheter thrombolysis or transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt is used in the event of clinical deterioration. In cases with peritonitis, immediate laparotomy and bowel resection may be required for irreversible bowel ischemia. In chronic SVT, the underlying cause should be identified and treated. The imaging manifestations of the clinical syndromes resulting from SVT are comprehensively discussed here along with a brief review of the relevant clinical features and therapeutic approach.
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10.1155/2015/101029
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pubmed_279_487
|
Natural radioactivity in building materials has been measured to determine the external dose equivalent rate due to walls, floor and ceiling. Indoor radon has been measured to estimate the internal dose rate. Occupancy factor was estimated to be 0.3. It is found that the external dose equivalent rate to lungs is less than or equal to the internal dose equivalent rate. Both the external and internal dose equivalent rates in the houses under consideration are less than the background dose equivalent rate value given by UNSCEAR.
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10.1016/0048-9697(94)90325-5
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pubmed_911_15990
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This exploratory study examines a subset of mobile phone use, the compulsive use of short message service (SMS) text messaging. A measure of SMS use, the SMS Problem Use Diagnostic Questionnaire (SMS-PUDQ), was developed and found to possess acceptable reliability and validity when compared to other measures such as self-reports of time spent using SMS and scores on a survey of problem mobile phone use. Implications for the field of addiction research, technological and behavioral addictions in particular, are discussed, and directions for future research are suggested.
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10.1089/cpb.2007.9943
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pubmed_871_1001
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The objective of this study is to investigate whether or not the controlled release of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is effective in promoting the hair follicle growth of mice in second anagen of hair cycle. VEGF was incorporated into a biodegradable collagen hydrogel for its controlled release. Following implantation of the collagen hydrogel incorporating 0 or 2 microg of VEGF and injection of 0 or 2 microg of VEGF in the solution form into the back subcutis of mice, the hair follicle growth was evaluated photometrically and histologically in terms of the skin color of reverse side of the implanted or injected site, the skin thickness, and the area occupied by hair follicle tissue. Ten days later, the skin color of mice implanted with the collagen hydrogel incorporating 2 microg of VEGF was significantly darker than that injected with 2 pg of VEGF. The collagen hydrogel incorporating VEGF increased the hair follicle area at the implanted site to a significantly greater extent than other agents while significant angiogenetic effect in the skin tissue was observed. VEGF-free, empty collagen hydrogels did not affect the skin darkness, hair follicle growth, and the angiogenesis. Moreover, the hair shaft length was significantly elongated by the collagen hydrogel incorporating VEGF, in marked contrast to other agents. Immunohistolchemicalstaining with proliferating cell nuclear antigen revealed that the collagen hydrogel incorporating VEGF promoted the proliferation of cells around the hair follicle more frequently than free VEGF. We concluded that the controlled release of VEGF more positively acted on the hair growth cycle of mice for hair growth than the injection of free VEGF.
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10.1016/s0142-9612(01)00372-6
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pubmed_291_12404
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ABA plays important roles in many aspects of seed development, including accumulation of storage compounds, acquisition of desiccation tolerance, induction of seed dormancy and suppression of precocious germination. Quantification of ABA in the F(1) and F(2) populations originated from crosses between the wild type and an ABA-deficient mutant aba2-2 demonstrated that ABA was synthesized in both maternal and zygotic tissues during seed development. In the absence of zygotic ABA, ABA synthesized in maternal tissues was translocated into the embryos and partially induced seed dormancy. We also analyzed the levels of ABA metabolites, gibberellins, IAA, cytokinins, jasmonates and salicylic acid (SA) in the developing seeds of the wild type and aba2-2. ABA metabolites accumulated differentially in the silique and seed tissues during development. Endogenous levels of SA were elevated in aba2-2 in the later developmental stages, whereas that of IAA was reduced compared with the wild type. These data suggest that ABA metabolism depends on developmental stages and tissues, and that ABA interacts with other hormones to regulate seed developmental processes.
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10.1093/pcp/pcq158
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pubmed_794_18094
|
Longitudinal magnetic tweezers (L-MT) have seen wide-scale adoption as the tool of choice for stretching and twisting a single DNA molecule. They are also used to probe topological changes in DNA as a result of protein binding and enzymatic activity. However, in the longitudinal configuration, the DNA molecule is extended perpendicular to the imaging plane. As a result, it is only possible to infer biological activity from the motion of the tethered paramagnetic microsphere. Described here is a "transverse" magnetic tweezers (T-MT) geometry featuring simultaneous control of DNA extension and spatially coincident video-rate epi-fluorescence imaging. Unlike in L-MT, DNA tethers in T-MT are extended parallel to the imaging plane between two micron-sized spheres, and importantly protein targets on the DNA can be localized using fluorescent nanoparticles. The T-MT can manipulate a long DNA construct at molecular extensions approaching the contour length defined by B-DNA helical geometry, and the measured entropic elasticity agrees with the wormlike chain model (force <35 pN). By incorporating a torsionally constrained DNA tether, the T-MT would allow both the relative extension and twist of the tether to be manipulated, while viewing far-red emitting fluorophore-labeled targets. This T-MT design has the potential to enable the study of DNA binding and remodeling processes under conditions of constant force and defined torsional stress.
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10.1007/978-1-0716-2221-6_7
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pubmed_930_5409
|
The literature was reviewed that addressed the differences between microwave/radiofrequency radiation (RFR) and conventional burns. It was concluded that RFR may involve deeper tissue without immediate observable skin injury or pain. Since RFR is not uniformly absorbed in tissue, "hot spots" of focal necrosis may occur such as at tissue interfaces and in tissue with poor blood supply. A followup physical examination is advisable because there may be a latent period before burns are observed.
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10.1080/16070658.1985.11720274
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pubmed_421_8287
|
BACKGROUND
This study was to determine the analgesic effect of ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block (ESPB) and paravertebral block (PVB) as well as the combination of PVB and ESPB (P + E) after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS).
PATIENTS AND METHODS
Patients were randomly assigned to receive ESPB, PVB or PVB combined with ESPB with 0.5% ropivacaine (20 ml). The primary outcomes were cumulative hydromorphone consumption and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores at rest and while coughing at 0 h, 12 h, 24 h, 48 h and 72 h postoperatively. The secondary outcomes were effective PCA usage count and rescue analgesia requirement at the same time points.
RESULTS
The median (interquartile range) hydromorphone consumption, including converted oxycodone, was significantly different at 48 h postoperatively among the three groups (ESPB, 10.24 [9.53-11.71] mg; PVB, 9.94 [9.19-10.75] mg; P + E, 9.44 [8.96-9.97] mg; P = 0.011). Hydromorphone consumption in P + E group was lower compared with that in ESPB group at 12 h, 24 h and 48 h (P < 0.001, P = 0.004 and P = 0.003, respectively). VAS scores at rest were significantly higher for ESPB group compared to P + E group at 0 h postoperatively (P = 0.009). VAS scores while coughing were significantly higher for ESPB group compared to P + E group at 0 h and 12 h postoperatively (P = 0.015 and P < 0.001) and to the PVB group at 12 h postoperatively (P = 0.002). The effective PCA usage count in P + E group was lower than in ESPB group in 0-12 h (P < 0.001). More patients needed rescue analgesia in ESPB group compared to those in P + E group in 0-12 h, 0-24 h and 0-48 h (P = 0.022, 0.035 and 0.035, respectively).
CONCLUSIONS
Ultrasound-guided PVB combined with ESPB provided superior analgesia to ESPB for VATS. The combination of PVB and ESPB had a similar analgesic effect compared with PVB alone.
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10.4103/jmas.JMAS_277_20
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pubmed_465_10744
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Using dynamic computed tomographic (CT) scanning and an iodinated contrast material, changes in cerebral hemodynamics in cerebrovascular occlusive disease were studied before and after anastomosis of the superficial temporal artery and the middle cerebral artery. Because the iodinated contrast material is a nondiffusable indicator, it does not pass through the bloodbrain barrier. Thus, this method is capable of measuring the relative tissue blood flow (intravascular blood flow) but incapable of measuring the absolute cerebral blood flow. However, it does allow the three-dimensional measurement of cerebral hemodynamics by a simple procedure, and when the primarily clear brain structure seen with CT is considered, it is a very useful diagnostic method.
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pubmed_465_10744
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pubmed_1112_1121
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We have previously demonstrated that the neural stem-cell marker nestin is expressed in hair follicle stem cells. Nestin-expressing cells were initially identified in the hair follicle bulge area (BA) using a transgenic mouse model in which the nestin promoter drives the green fluorescent protein (ND-GFP). The hair-follicle ND-GFP-expressing cells are keratin 15-negative and CD34-positive and could differentiate to neurons, glia, keratinocytes, smooth muscle cells and melanocytes in vitro. Subsequently, we showed that the nestin-expressing stem cells could affect nerve and spinal cord regeneration after injection in mouse models. In the present study, we separated the mouse vibrissa hair follicle into three parts (upper, middle and lower). Each part of the follicle was cultured separately in DMEM-F12 containing B-27 and 1% methylcellulose supplemented with basic FGF. After 2 mo, the nestin-expressing cells from each of the separated parts of the hair follicle proliferated and formed spheres. Upon transfer of the spheres to RPMI 1640 medium containing 10% FBS, the nestin-expressing cells in the spheres differentiated to neurons, as well as glia, keratinocytes, smooth muscle cells and melanocytes. The differentiated cells were produced by spheres which formed from nestin-expressing cells from all segments of the hair follicle. However, the differentiation potential is greatest in the upper part of the follicle. This result is consistent with trafficking of nestin-expressing cells throughout the hair follicle from the bulge area to the dermal papilla that we previously observed. The nestin-expressing cells from the upper part of the follicle produced spheres in very large amounts, which in turn differentiated to neurons and other cell types. The results of the present study demonstrate that multipotent, nestin-expressing stem cells are present throughout the hair follicle and that the upper part of the follicle can produce the stem cells in large amounts that could be used for nerve and spinal cord repair.
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10.4161/cc.21803
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pubmed_975_6585
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PHAS-I levels increased 8-fold as 3T3-L1 fibroblasts differentiated into adipocytes and acquired sensitivity to insulin. Insulin increased PHAS-I protein (3.3-fold after 2 days), the rate of PHAS-I synthesis (3-fold after 1 h), and the half-life of the protein (from 1.5 to 2.5 days). Insulin also increased the phosphorylation of PHAS-I and promoted dissociation of the PHAS-I eukaryotic initiation factor-4E (eIF-4E) complex, effects that were maximal within 10 min. With recombinant [H6]PHAS-I as substrate, mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase was the only insulin-stimulated PHAS-I kinase detected after fractionation of extracts by Mono Q chromatography; however, MAP kinase did not readily phosphorylate [H6]PHAS-I when the [H6]PHAS-I.eIF-4E complex was the substrate. Thus, while MAP kinase may phosphorylate free PHAS-I, it is not sufficient to dissociate the complex. Moreover, rapamycin attenuated the stimulation of PHAS-I phosphorylation by insulin and markedly inhibited dissociation of PHAS-I.eIF-4E, without decreasing MAP kinase activity. Rapamycin abolished the effects of insulin on increasing phosphorylation of ribosomal protein S6 and on activating p70S6K. The MAP kinase kinase inhibitor, PD 098059, markedly decreased MAP kinase activation by insulin, but it did not change PHAS-I phosphorylation or the association of PHAS-I with eIF-4E. In summary, insulin increases the expression of PHAS-I and promotes phosphorylation of multiple sites in the protein via multiple transduction pathways, one of which is rapamycin-sensitive and independent of MAP kinase. Rapamycin may inhibit translation initiation by increasing PHAS-I binding to eIF-4E.
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10.1074/jbc.270.31.18531
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pubmed_868_4893
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Emphysema, one of the major components of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), is characterized by the progressive and irreversible loss of alveolar lung tissue. Even though >80% of COPD cases are associated with cigarette smoking, only a relatively small proportion of smokers develop emphysema, suggesting a potential role for genetic factors in determining individual susceptibility to emphysema. Although strain-dependent effects have been shown in animal models of emphysema, the molecular basis underlying this intrinsic susceptibility is not fully understood. In this present study, we investigated emphysema development using the elastase-induced experimental emphysema model in two commonly used mouse strains, C57BL/6J and BALB/cJ. The results demonstrate that mice with different genetic backgrounds show disparate susceptibility to the development of emphysema. BALB/cJ mice were found to be much more sensitive than C57BL/6J to elastase injury in both a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner, as measured by significantly higher mortality, greater body weight loss, greater decline in lung function, and a greater loss of alveolar tissue. The more susceptible BALB/cJ strain also showed the persistence of inflammatory cells in the lung, especially macrophages and lymphocytes. A comparative gene expression analysis following elastase-induced injury showed BALB/cJ mice had elevated levels of il17A mRNA and a number of classically (M1) and alternatively (M2) activated macrophage genes, whereas the C57BL/6J mice demonstrated augmented levels of interferon-γ. These findings suggest a possible role for these cellular and molecular mediators in modulating the severity of emphysema and highlight the possibility that they might contribute to the heterogeneity observed in clinical emphysema outcomes.
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10.1152/ajplung.00214.2015
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pubmed_851_24196
|
Among individuals living with HIV disease, approximately 60% experience problems with everyday functioning. The present study investigated the utility of the UCSD Performance-based Skills Assessment-Brief Version (UPSA-B) as a measure of functional capacity in HIV. We utilized a cross-sectional three-group design comparing individuals with HIV- associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) (HIV + HAND+; n = 27), HIV+ neurocognitively normal individuals (HIV + HAND-; n = 51), and an HIV- comparison group (HIV-; n = 28) with broadly comparable demographics and non-HIV comorbidities. Participants were administered the UPSA-B, the Medication Management Test-Revised (MMT-R), and were assessed for manifest everyday functioning and quality of life, as part of a standardized clinical neurocognitive research battery. Results indicated that the HIV + HAND+ group had significantly lower UPSA-B scores than the HIV + HAND-group, but did not differ from the HIV- group. Among HIV+ individuals, UPSA-B scores were significantly related to MMT-R scores, all neurocognitive domains assessed, and education, but the UPSA-B was not related to manifest everyday functioning (e.g., unemployment), health-related quality of life, or HIV disease variables. Findings provide mixed support for the construct validity of the UPSA-B in HIV. Individuals impaired on the UPSA-B may be at increased risk for HAND, but the extent to which it detects general manifest everyday functioning problems is uncertain.
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10.1080/23279095.2017.1341888
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pubmed_969_17296
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Twelve restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) were detected in common chimpanzee using two restriction enzymes (HindIII and MspI) and four DNA probes to the coding regions of the human glycophorin A (GPA) and glycophorin B (GPB) genes and their 3'-untranslated regions. Seven RFLPs correlated with red cell expression of the Vc determinant of the MN blood group-related V-A-B-D system and five RFLPs correlated with nonexpression of this antigen. Animals heterozygous for the V allele that encodes the Vc determinant had all 12 polymorphic restriction fragments and appeared to show reduced intensity of probe hybridization to these fragments, consistent with the presence of a V and a non-V allele. No RFLPs were detected with EcoRI, SstI, or BamHI, in spite of the relatively large segment of DNA (at least 20 kb) involved in the polymorphisms. The RFLPs were chimpanzee specific and were not found in man, gorilla, orangutan, or gibbon. Multiple RFLPs distinguishing primate species are rare and may be useful markers for molecular evolution.
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10.1007/BF00561339
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pubmed_249_10929
|
The completion of the human genome will greatly accelerate the development of a new branch of science--evolutionary genomics. We can now directly address important questions about the evolutionary history of human genes and their regulatory sequences. Computational analyses of the human genome will reveal the number of genes and repetitive elements, the extent of gene duplication and compositional heterogeneity in the human genome, and the extent of domain shuffling and domain sharing among proteins. Here we present some first glimpses of these features.
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10.1038/35057039
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pubmed_68_7128
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Injury to the acetabular triradiate physeal cartilage is a rare but potentially serious injury. When it occurs in young children acetabular growth may be delayed, leading to incongruency of the hip and subsequent subluxation. This series reviews 5 patients who sustained injury to the triradiate cartilage and subsequently developed acetabular dysplasia. The radiographic appearance of post-traumatic dysplasia is distinctly different than that of developmental dysplasia. In post-traumatic dysplasia the acetabular teardrop width and inner wall of the acetabulum is significantly increased with the femoral head being lateralized. Four patients have undergone acetabular reconstruction, with 3 patients having a periacetabular osteotomy and 1 having a Chiari osteotomy. The remaining patient with posttraumatic dysplasia has severe and symptomatic osteoarthritis and awaits a total hip replacement.
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pubmed_68_7128
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pubmed_957_10599
|
Walking is known to be beneficial for chronic low back pain (LBP) patients and fast walking recruits more trunk muscles. Abdominal bracing has also been shown to improve LBP and facilitate several trunk muscles. We aimed to investigate the effects of walking velocity and abdominal bracing on the activation of trunk muscles in chronic LBP patients during walking. Forty-six volunteers with chronic LBP underwent walking exercise on the treadmill without ("non-braced walking") and with abdominal bracing ("braced walking") at speeds of 4, 5, and 6 km/h, with the surface electrodes placed on their trunk muscles to measure muscle activity. The root mean square values of the surface electromyography amplitude data were obtained at the multifidus of lower (ML) and upper lumbar (MU), erector spinae of lower lumbar (EL) and thoracic (ET), rectus abdominis (RA), and external oblique (EO). All muscles activated significantly more at faster walking. The "braced walking" facilitated the ET and RA significantly more than the "non-braced walking". The interaction between the walking speed and abdominal bracing was significant at ML, MU, and RA. The increase in muscle activation observed at lower speed diminished as speed increased. Since "braced walking" seems to additionally facilitate the trunk muscles especially at slower gait speeds, patients who cannot walk fast may still be able to train their muscles by "braced walking."
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10.1016/j.jbiomech.2022.111299
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pubmed_402_491
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The aim of this study was to determine the mechanisms implicated in the gastrointestinal inhibition induced by ovoalbumin hydrolysate infused intraluminally. We studied the site of action, the possible implication of GLP-1, and the nervous mechanisms involved. We prepared anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats with strain gauges in the antrum, duodenum, and proximal jejunum and a catheter in the duodenum or ileum for peptone infusion. Both intraduodenal (N = 6) and intraileal (N = 5) infusion of ovoalbumin hydrolysate induced inhibition of spontaneous motor activity in the antrum, duodenum, and proximal jejunum. Duodenal inhibition induced by intraduodenal (N = 6) or intraileal (N = 6) infusion of ovoalbumin hydrolysate was reversed by intraarterial infusion of GLP-1 receptor antagonist, exendin (9-39) (3 x 10(-8) mol/kg/40 min). Finally, a combination of the adrenergic blockers phentolamine and propranolol (1 mg/kg, each; N = 7) completely blocked inhibitory gastrointestinal motor actions caused by intraduodenal infusion of ovoalbumin hydrolysate. This study demonstrates that peptone, intraluminally infused, participates in the regulation of gastrointestinal motility through stimulation of adrenergic pathways in anaesthetized rats. Moreover, these effects are partly mediated by GLP-1 secretion. The ileum seems to be the site of action, indicating a role of GLP-1 on the ileal break mechanism.
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10.1023/a:1026654417697
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pubmed_82_15630
|
A wound-generated steady electric current was measured by a two-dimensional vibrating probe system in the metatarsal bones of 22 adult frogs (Xenopus laevis) placed in amphibian Ringer. Inward currents were recorded entering a micrometric hole drilled through the cortex at middiaphyseal level. These steady state currents (mean +/- SD 8.50 +/- 2.77 microA/cm2) last approximately 2 hours, were dependent on the presence of sodium in the incubation medium, were no more detectable after fixation, and were reduced to background level when the cell membranes were solubilized. These results agree with previous recordings of metatarsal bones of weanling mice, under identical conditions. Both results suggest that the measured ionic currents have a cellular origin. Metatarsal bones of adult amphibian were purposely selected for this study because, unlike mammalian bones, their shafts are avascular and only contain an osteocyte-bone lining cell system, as documented by scanning and transmission electron observations. Thus, unlike the data from previous investigations on mammals, the results succeeded in giving the first convincing evidence that the osteocyte-bone lining cell system is the origin of damage-generated ionic currents. As damage exposes bone ionic compartment to plasma, damage-generated ionic currents are representative of ion fluxes at bone plasma interface, and cells at the origin of the current generate the driving force of such fluxes. By demonstrating that osteocytes and bone lining cells are at the origin of the current, this study suggests that the osteocyte-bone lining cell system, though operating as a cellular membrane partition, regulates ionic flow between bone and plasma. Since strain-related adaptive remodeling could also depend on ionic characteristics and flow of the bone fluid through the osteocyte lacuno-canalicular network, the results reported here support the view that osteocyte and bone lining cells may constitute a functional syncytium involved in mineral homeostasis as well as in bone adaptation to mechanical loading.
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10.1007/s002239900536
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pubmed_352_8111
|
To characterize the diabetogenic effects of growth hormone, we simultaneously measured glucose turnover with 2-3H- and 6-3H-glucose in six acromegalic patients with normal fasting blood glucose and oral glucose tolerance tests. Eight healthy volunteers served as controls. All subjects were studied under both basal conditions and during glucose infusion (2 mg X kg-1 X min-1). We determined true glucose production and irreversible glucose uptake using 6-3H-glucose and glucose cycling (difference between 2-3H- and 6-3H-glucose). After an overnight fast, glucose production was higher than normal in the acromegalic patients (2.18 +/- 0.15 vs 1.85 +/- 0.03 mg X kg-1 X min-1, p less than 0.05) despite hyperinsulinaemia. The metabolic clearance rate was normal. During the glucose infusion, glucose production was not suppressed as effectively in the acromegalic patients as in controls nor was glucose uptake augmented, while metabolic clearance rate was decreased. In acromegaly, basal glucose cycling was increased (0.44 +/- 0.08 vs 0.25 +/- 0.07 mg X kg-1 X min-1, p less than 0.05). Furthermore cycling of endogenous glucose measured during glucose infusion was also augmented (0.41 +/- 0.05 vs 0.24 +/- 0.05 mg X kg-1 X min-1, p less than 0.05). Hence the increase of glucose cycling (70%) was much more pronounced than that of glucose production (17%). In conclusion, small defects in glucose metabolism in acromegaly can be detected with sensitive tracer methods. These derangements are confined to the liver under fasting conditions, but are of both hepatic and extrahepatic origin during glucose loading.
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10.1007/BF00873216
|
pubmed_702_20935
|
Salmonella Typhimurium, a foodborne pathogen, is the cause of new outbreaks every year. The virulence of new pathogens is determined by their virulence genes, many of them carried on transferable elements, such as prophages. In bacteria harboring multiple prophages such as Salmonella, the reassortment of these genes plays a major role in the emergence of new pathogens and consequently new epidemics. This gene transfer depends on prophage induction and the initiation of the phage lytic cycle. In the present study we have tested the effects of bacterial extracytoplasmic stress on prophage induction. We developed a quantitative real-time PCR assay to quantify variations in phage genes copy number, representative of phage DNA replication associated with the initiation of the lytic cycle. The induction of the four Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium LT2 prophages (Fels-1, Fels-2, Gifsy-1 and Gifsy-2) was measured during exponential growth, stationary phase, starvation, as well as after treatment with Mitomycin C, Ampicillin or heat. Our results show that the four prophages respond differently to each treatment. Gifsy-2 showed constant low level of induction independently of the extracytoplasmic stress, Fels-1 was strongly induced after DNA damage, Fels-2 showed spontaneous induction only during optimal bacterial growth, and Gifsy-1 was repressed in all conditions. These findings show that the transfer of virulence genes can respond to and depend on variations of the bacterial surrounding conditions, and help to explain the appearance of new Salmonella outbreaks.
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10.1016/j.meegid.2009.05.017
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pubmed_631_3867
|
Based on the advances in research on the clinicopathophysiology of adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma (ATL), Japanese researchers collected and evaluated cases of smoldering ATL exhibiting primary cutaneous manifestation but showing poor prognosis. Macroscopic findings of skin eruptions were categorized into the patch, plaque, multipapular, nodulotumoral, erythrodermic and purpuric types, as previously reported. Pathological findings were divided into low or high grade based on epidermotropism, tumor cell size and perivascular infiltration. Eight eligible cases were evaluated among 14 collected cases. Macroscopic findings were nodulotumoral in six cases, a subcutaneous tumor in one case and plaque in one case, and the number and size were heterogeneous in each case. Pathological findings of all eight cases were T-cell lymphoma, high-grade type (pleomorphic, medium or large size), with prominent perivascular infiltration and scant epidermotropism. To diagnose such cases as the "lymphoma type of ATL, extranodal primary cutaneous variant", it is essential to examine each case carefully, including cutaneous lesions at onset, lymph nodes and other organ involvement using computed tomography (CT) and/or positron emission tomography/CT, as well as the percentage of abnormal lymphocytes in peripheral blood. Based on the results of an ongoing nationwide survey on ATL, ATL with cutaneous lesions will be analyzed to investigate the incidence and prognosis of the so-called "lymphoma type of ATL, extranodal primary cutaneous variant".
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10.1111/1346-8138.12374
|
pubmed_60_16238
|
BACKGROUND
Most studies have investigated the diagnostic accuracy of 64-slice multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) to detect coronary artery stent patency by using conventional coronary angiography (CCA) as the reference standard. In this study, we compared the diagnostic accuracy of MDCT and CCA by using intravascular ultrasonography (IVUS) as the reference standard.
METHODS
Forty-six patients with previously implanted coronary artery stents (n=87) underwent MDCT followed by CCA and IVUS within 24h. Sensitivities, specificities, positive predictive values (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV) of MDCT and CCA for detecting or excluding in-stent diameter restenosis (ISDR) by using in-stent area restenosis (ISAR) and minimal luminal area (MLA) ≤4.0 mm(2) of IVUS as the reference standard were determined.
RESULTS
Eight stents (9%) were judged non-evaluable using MDCT for the detection of ISDR. ISDR was detected in 28% (22/79) of the evaluable stents using CCA. When ISAR was detected using IVUS, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV for ISDR detection by using MDCT were 71%, 96%, 91% and 86%, and the corresponding values for CCA were 64%, 96%, 90% and 83%. When MLA ≤4.0mm(2) was detected using IVUS, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV for ISDR detection by using MDCT were 87%, 96%, 91% and 95%, and for CCA were 78%, 96%, 90% and 92%.
CONCLUSIONS
When ISAR with MLA ≤4.0 mm(2)was detected on IVUS, CCA and MDCT had similar diagnostic accuracies for ISDR detection. High specificity and NPV make 64-slice MDCT a reliable non-invasive method for excluding ISDR.
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pubmed_60_16238
|
pubmed_302_14762
|
In the period 1998-2000 almost all new cases of childhood spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) in addition to those from our database were studied for possible deletion of SMN gene (exons 7 a 8) and NAIP (exons 5 a 6). We correlated the size of deletion with the type, course and the onset of disease. The most informative for diagnosis was deletion of SMN. NAIP was deleted only in 18% of all cases, usually in SMA1 (in only 2 cases of SMA2). The molecular genetics permits to come back to previously posed question about the extremely frequent intrafamilial variability in SMA families. The problem became more clear due to our knowledge on telomeric and centromeric copies, as well as various genes and paragenes involved in SMA region. In the premolecular era we postulated the gender influence on course of the disease, which is particularly evident in mild SMA form 3b. Interestingly, presently we and some others detected deletion similar to those in the patients among the clinically healthy siblings. Those siblings are mostly females. The other problem, byproduct of molecular genetic, is the occurrence of SMN deletion in some disorders till now considered entirely different from SMA, e.g., arthrogryposis, congenital hypomyelinating neuropathies of newborn.
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pubmed_302_14762
|
pubmed_984_13944
|
BACKGROUND
The internal thoracic artery (ITA) remodels its diameter in response to flow requirements. The objective of this study was to elucidate the remodeling capacity of the reconstructed coronary artery using the ITA.
METHODS
We evaluated coronary angiograms in 63 patients who had left anterior descending artery (LAD) segmental reconstruction with or without endarterectomy after off-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery. The diameters of the ITA and reconstructed coronary artery were measured early and at 1 year after surgery.
RESULTS
The mean diameter of the reconstructed LAD was significantly larger than that of the ITA, but significantly decreased 1 year after surgery (2.69 +/- 0.53 mm versus 1.87 +/- 0.39 mm; p > 0.0001). The proximal ratio, the ratio of the ITA to proximal reconstructed coronary artery, and the distal ratio, the ratio of the distal LAD to distal reconstructed coronary artery, increased to a value of almost 1.0 (0.77 +/- 0.11 versus 1.05 +/- 0.18, p < 0.0001, and 0.77 +/- 0.14 versus 0.92 +/- 0.12, p < 0.0001, respectively). Based on the mean diameter of the reconstructed coronary artery, there were no relationships between the use of endarterectomy and the degree of native coronary stenosis. The proximal ratio in the group with severe stenosis was significantly greater than that in the group with mild stenosis (1.08 +/- 0.18 versus 0.95 +/- 0.16; p = 0.036), although the distal ratio was not different between the two groups.
CONCLUSIONS
Vascular remodeling of the coronary artery reconstructed with the ITA is observed within 1 year after surgery.
|
10.1016/j.athoracsur.2009.03.019
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pubmed_261_16322
|
Increasing crop productivity to meet burgeoning human food demand is challenging under changing environmental conditions. Since industrial revolution atmospheric CO(2) levels have linearly increased. Developing crop varieties with increased utilization of CO(2) for photosynthesis is an urgent requirement to cope with the irreversible rise of atmospheric CO(2) and achieve higher food production. The primary effects of elevated CO(2) levels in most crop plants, particularly C(3) plants, include increased biomass accumulation, although initial stimulation of net photosynthesis rate is only temporal and plants fail to sustain the maximal stimulation, a phenomenon known as photosynthesis acclimation. Despite this acclimation, grain yield is known to marginally increase under elevated CO(2). The yield potential of C(3) crops is limited by their capacity to exploit sufficient carbon. The "C fertilization" through elevated CO(2) levels could potentially be used for substantial yield increase. Rubisco is the rate-limiting enzyme in photosynthesis and its activity is largely affected by atmospheric CO(2) and nitrogen availability. In addition, maintenance of the C/N ratio is pivotal for various growth and development processes in plants governing yield and seed quality. For maximizing the benefits of elevated CO(2), raising plant nitrogen pools will be necessary as part of maintaining an optimal C/N balance. In this review, we discuss potential causes for the stagnation in yield increases under elevated CO(2) levels and explore possibilities to overcome this limitation by improved photosynthetic capacity and enhanced nitrogen use efficiency. Opportunities of engineering nitrogen uptake, assimilatory, and responsive genes are also discussed that could ensure optimal nitrogen allocation toward expanding source and sink tissues. This might avert photosynthetic acclimation partially or completely and drive for improved crop production under elevated CO(2) levels.
|
10.3389/fpls.2012.00162
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pubmed_714_5826
|
AIM
The aim of our paper was to observe the physical and chemical changes in the aqueous humor, lens, gelatous and fluid part of the vitreous body after the sulfurhexafluoride injection into the vitreous body.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
The New Zealand rabbits were randomized into the control and experimental group which were injected the gas into the vitreous body. The interesting samples were investigated during the 2nd, 7th and 14th day of the experiment. We estimated the volume of the fluid part of the vitreous body, its electrical resistance, the whole protein concentration (in the aqueous humor, lens and vitreous), and electrolite concentration (in the aqueous humor and fluid part of the vitreous body).
RESULTS
We observed the increase of the fluid fraction in the vitreous body with the increasing of the whole protein concentration, changes in the K+ concentration and decrease of the electrical resistance in the vitreous fluid fraction.
CONCLUSION
On the basis of our experimental results we can assume that expanding sulfurhexafluoride gas could mechanically disrupt the vitreous structure. Moreover, the rapid intrabulbar pressure increase after the injection can cause the cilliary body ischaemia and the eye barrier collapse.
|
pubmed_714_5826
|
pubmed_481_18104
|
Fluorescence quenching has been used to measure quantitatively the effects of sucrose and triethylene glycol on the interaction between the Escherichia coli regulatory protein TyrR and a 30-basepair oligonucleotide containing the strong TyrR box of the TyrR operon. It was observed that the apparent binding constant increased in the presence of co-solutes, the dependence of the logarithm of the apparent binding constant on molar concentration being indistinguishable and essentially linear for both co-solutes. This activation of the TyrR-oligonucleotide interaction is attributed to thermodynamic nonideality arising from molecular crowding, an interpretation which is supported by the reasonable agreement observed between the experimental extent of reaction enhancement and that predicted on the statistical-mechanical basis of excluded volume.
|
10.1016/S0006-3495(97)78350-4
|
pubmed_635_12329
|
BACKGROUND
Simple and reliable methods to evaluate muscle mass in older people are lacking.
AIM
To evaluate ultrasound as a measure of RF muscle mass and quality in healthy subjects of different ages and gender, assessing its concordance with dual energy X-ray densitometry (DEXA) and association with muscle strength and walking capacity.
METHODS
We selected 54 adults of both genders, aged 20-55 years and 51 adults older than 60 years. Ultrasound images of the RF were obtained at the mid-thigh to measure its thickness and ultrasonographic density using a GE Logiq e equipment. Body composition was assessed by DEXA. Quadriceps isometric strength and 12 minutes' walk were also measured and gender specific t scores for older adults were calculated using the values obtained in adults.
RESULTS
RF ultrasound measurements correlated significantly with lean body mass assessed by DEXA (Double energy X-ray absorptiometry). The concordance between both measures was also adequate. Older people had lower muscle mass and worse ultrasound parameters than adults. Older males with a t score for quadriceps strength of -2 or less, had a significantly higher RF grayscale density. Older males with a 12 minutes' walk t score of -2 or less and old males and females with a walking speed of 1m/s or less had a lower RF thickness.
DISCUSSION
There is a good concordance between RF ultrasound and DEXA.
CONCLUSIONS
Assessment of RF using ultrasound appears to be a reliable and accurate method to evaluate muscle mass in older people.
|
pubmed_635_12329
|
pubmed_224_6788
|
Previous reports have indicated that 17 beta-estradiol is unable to stimulate DNA synthesis in the neonatal rat uterus. Possible causes for this unresponsiveness that have been suggested include the ontogenic acquisition of late responses to estrogen and the sequestering of injected estradiol by the higher concentration of serum alpha-fetoprotein. To test these hypotheses we have examined the mitogenic potency of diethylstilbestrol (DES), a nonsteroidal estrogen which has a lower affinity for alpha-fetoprotein. Our results reveal that 1.0 microgram DES administered in a single injection can stimulate DNA synthesis 24 h later in 5-day-old rats, the youngest tested. By comparison, a single injection of 1.0 microgram estradiol did not stimulate DNA synthesis until rats reached an age of 10-15 days. Higher doses of estradiol administered in a single injection stimulated DNA synthesis in neonates but to a lesser extent than DES. The potency of estradiol relative to DES increased with age up to 28 days, at which time they were equipotent. The magnitude of the stimulation of DNA synthesis increased with age even with DES because control levels of DNA synthesis are high in young rats and decreased as the rats matured. These results indicate that uterine cells of neonatal rats have no inherent inability to synthesize DNA in response to estrogen and are consistent with the hypothesis that serum alpha-fetoprotein is responsible for the decreased potency of estradiol.
|
10.1210/endo-112-6-2142
|
pubmed_795_18488
|
Screening programs for hemoglobinopathies target different population groups such as neonates, students, pregnant women, military personnel, recruits, and blood donors. The feasibility and efficiency of these programs basically depend on the population's receptivity, which in turn is related to highly complex economic, psychological, and sociocultural factors. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the population of Bragança Paulista, São Paulo, based on results from the blood donors' group and to compare these results with those previously obtained in a group of students from the same city. The sample consisted of 1,846 donors who had given blood at the São Francisco University Hematology Center, Bragança Paulista, São Paulo, from October 1998 to April 1999. Analysis of the 1,846 donors identified 31 individuals who were hemoglobinopathy carriers (1.68%). The result was quite similar to that obtained in the group of students and demonstrated that the two methods are similar in relation to detection of hemoglobinopathies; however, the blood donor approach is more practical.
|
10.1590/s0102-311x2002000600036
|
pubmed_877_18816
|
BACKGROUND
There is no information on the clinical effectiveness of Maraviroc (MVC) amongst People Living with HIV (PLHIV) in India infected with HIV-1 Subtype C viruses.
METHODS
We conducted a retrospective chart review of adult PLHIV on MVC based Antiretroviral (ARV) regimens for at least 6 months. Maraviroc was initiated amongst PLHIV with documented R5 tropic viruses (determined by in-house population sequencing of the V3 loop in triplicate and interpreted using the Geno2Pheno algorithm) in combination with an Optimized Background regimen (designed using genotypic resistance testing and past ARV history). Plasma viral loads (PVL) are performed 6 months post-initiation and annually thereafter. Primary outcome d. Median duration on MVC treatment was 1.8 years (range 1-2.9 years) while median duration of ART prior to switching to MVC was 13 years. Maraviroc was combined with Darunavir/ritonavir (DRV/r) (n=10), Atazanavir/r (ATV/r) (n=2) and Lopinavir/r (LPV/r) (n=1). All PLHIV were infected with HIV-1 Subtype C. Only 23.3% PLHIV achieved virologic suppression at 6 months and sustained it for 2.3 years. Median CD4 count change from baseline was +117 (n=13), +228 (n=10), +253 (n=9), and +331 (n=4) at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months respectively. Repeat tropism among patients with virologic failure demonstrated R5 virus.
CONCLUSIONS
High rates of virologic failure was seen when MVC was used amongst treatment experienced PLHIV infected with HIV-1 Subtype C in India. was the proportion of PLHIV with virologic success (PVL<50 copies/ml) at last follow up visit.
RESULTS
Data on 13 PLHIV were analyze.
|
10.1177/2325958218759211
|
pubmed_970_18530
|
The correct subcellular distribution of proteins establishes the complex morphology and function of neurons. Fluorescence microscopy techniques are invaluable to investigate subcellular protein distribution, but they suffer from the limited ability to efficiently and reliably label endogenous proteins with fluorescent probes. We developed ORANGE: Open Resource for the Application of Neuronal Genome Editing, which mediates targeted genomic integration of epitope tags in rodent dissociated neuronal culture, in organotypic slices, and in vivo. ORANGE includes a knock-in library for in-depth investigation of endogenous protein distribution, viral vectors, and a detailed two-step cloning protocol to develop knock-ins for novel targets. Using ORANGE with (live-cell) superresolution microscopy, we revealed the dynamic nanoscale organization of endogenous neurotransmitter receptors and synaptic scaffolding proteins, as well as previously uncharacterized proteins. Finally, we developed a mechanism to create multiple knock-ins in neurons, mediating multiplex imaging of endogenous proteins. Thus, ORANGE enables quantification of expression, distribution, and dynamics for virtually any protein in neurons at nanoscale resolution.
|
10.1371/journal.pbio.3000665
|
pubmed_962_22999
|
Increased oxidative stress has been implicated in the mechanisms of delayed neuronal cell death following cerebral ischemic insult. In this study, we investigated whether safranal, an active constituent of Crocus sativus L. stigmas, may ameliorate ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI)-induced oxidative damage in rat hippocampus. Male NMRI rats were divided into six groups, namely, sham, control, ischemia and ischemia treated with safranal (four groups). The transient global cerebral ischemia was induced using four-vessel-occlusion method for 20 min. Safranal was injected intraperitoneally (727.5 mg/kg, 363.75 mg/kg, 145.5 mg/kg, and 72.75 mg/kg body weight) 5 min. prior to reperfusion and the administration was continued every 24 hours for 72 hours after induction of ischemia. The markers of oxidative stress including thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), total sulfhydryl (SH) groups and antioxidant capacity of hippocampus (using FRAP assay) were measured. The transient global cerebral ischemia induced a significant increase in TBARS levels (p<0.001), decrement in both antioxidant power (FRAP value) (p<0.05) and total sulfhydryl (SH) concentrations (p<0.001) in comparison with sham-operated animals. Following safranal administration the total SH contents (3.2 vs. 0.7micromol/g, p<0.001, safranal 727.5 mg/kg) and antioxidant capacity (4.12 vs. 1.16 micromol/g, p<0.001; 727.5 mg/kg) were elevated in hippocampus in comparison with ischemic group. The MDA level was declined significantly in hippocampus (52.31 vs. 159.70 nmol/g, p<0.001; 727.5 mg/kg). It is concluded that safranal have some protective effects on different markers of oxidative damage in hippocampal tissue from ischemic rats.
|
pubmed_962_22999
|
pubmed_656_1772
|
In this study, we monitored 470 university students' smartphone usage continuously over 2 years to assess the relationship between in-class smartphone use and academic performance. We used a novel data set in which smartphone use and grades were recorded across multiple courses, allowing us to examine this relationship at the student level and the student-in-course level. In accordance with the existing literature, our results showed that students' in-class smartphone use was negatively associated with their grades, even when we controlled for a broad range of observed student characteristics. However, the magnitude of the association decreased substantially in a fixed-effects model, which leveraged the panel structure of the data to control for all stable student and course characteristics, including those not observed by researchers. This suggests that the size of the effect of smartphone usage on academic performance has been overestimated in studies that controlled for only observed student characteristics.
|
10.1177/0956797620956613
|
pubmed_371_8055
|
A three-dimensional cavity design was used to test the bond strength between restorative materials and tooth structure. Results indicated that bonding agents that rely on mechanical retention to the dentinal smear layer produced relatively low bond strengths. Bonding agents that require smear layer modification yielded mixed results, possibly because of differences in chemical formulation. The three-dimensional cavity design employed in this study is a replicable one, allowing the creation of standardized, clinically relevant preparations.
|
pubmed_371_8055
|
pubmed_444_15279
|
Sable (Martes zibellina), a member of family Mustelidae, order Carnivora, is primarily distributed in the cold northern zone of Eurasia. The purpose of this study was to explore the intestinal flora of the sable by metagenomic library-based techniques. Libraries were sequenced on an Illumina HiSeq 4000 instrument. The effective sequencing data of each sample was above 6000 M, and the ratio of clean reads to raw reads was over 98%. The total ORF length was approximately 603,031, equivalent to 347.36 Mbp. We investigated gene functions with the KEGG database and identified 7140 KEGG ortholog (KO) groups comprising 129,788 genes across all of the samples. We selected a subset of genes with the highest abundances to construct cluster heat maps. From the results of the KEGG metabolic pathway annotations, we acquired information on gene functions, as represented by the categories of metabolism, environmental information processing, genetic information processing, cellular processes and organismal systems. We then investigated gene function with the CAZy database and identified functional carbohydrate hydrolases corresponding to genes in the intestinal microorganisms of sable. This finding is consistent with the fact that the sable is adapted to cold environments and requires a large amount of energy to maintain its metabolic activity. We also investigated gene functions with the eggNOG database; the main functions of genes included gene duplication, recombination and repair, transport and metabolism of amino acids, and transport and metabolism of carbohydrates. In this study, we attempted to identify the complex structure of the microbial population of sable based on metagenomic sequencing methods, which use whole metagenomic data, and to map the obtained sequences to known genes or pathways in existing databases, such as CAZy, KEGG, and eggNOG. We then explored the genetic composition and functional diversity of the microbial community based on the mapped functional categories.
|
10.1186/s13568-020-01103-6
|
pubmed_707_20739
|
BACKGROUND
To date, immunotherapy has improved the 5-year survival rate of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) from 4% to 15%. However, only 30%-50% of the NSCLC patients respond to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) immunotherapy. Therefore, screening patients for potential benefit with precise biomarkers may be of great value.
METHODS
First, an immunotherapy NSCLC cohort was analyzed to identify the gene mutations associated with the prognosis of ICI treatment. Further analyses were conducted using NSCLC cohort in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) project to validate the correlations between the specific gene mutations and tumor immunogenicity, antitumor immunity, and alterations in the tumor-related pathways using Cell-type Identification By Estimating Relative Subsets Of RNA Transcripts (CIBERSORT) and Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA).
RESULTS
In the immunotherapy NSCLC cohort (n = 266), significantly longer overall survival (OS) rates were observed in the PAK7-mutant type (PAK7-MT) group (n = 13) than the PAK7-wild type (PAK7-WT) group (n = 253) (P = 0.049, HR = 0.43, 95%CI = 0.23-0.79). In the TCGA cohort, PAK7 mutations were correlated with the higher tumor mutation burden (TMB) (14.18 vs. 7.13, P <0.001), increased neoantigen load (NAL) (7.52 vs. 4.30, P <0.001), lower copy number variation (CNV), and higher mutation rate in the DNA damage response (DDR)-related pathways. In addition, PAK7 mutations were also positively correlated with immune-related genes expressions and infiltrating CD8+ T cells (0.079 vs. 0.054, P = 0.005). GSEA results showed that several tumor-related pathways varied in the PAK7-MT group, suggesting the potential mechanisms that regulate the tumor immune-microenvironment.
CONCLUSIONS
This study suggested that the PAK7 mutations might be a potential biomarker to predict the efficacy of immunotherapy for NSCLC patients. Considering the heterogeneity among the patients and other confounding factors, a prospective clinical trial is proposed to further validate the impact of PAK7 mutation on the immunotherapy outcomes in NSCLC.
|
10.3389/fimmu.2022.834142
|
pubmed_106_19990
|
In 1961, Stauffer first described a syndrome characterized by nonmetastatic intrahepatic cholestasis associated with undifferentiated renal adenocarcinoma. Since that time, this syndrome has been associated with other tumor diseases. We describe here a patient with lung adenocarcinoma which led to paraneoplastic cholestasis. We discuss the diagnosis and review the literature, emphasizing the pathophysiology of Stauffer's syndrome.
|
pubmed_106_19990
|
pubmed_415_12737
|
The synthesis of a supramolecular double hydrophilic block copolymer (DHBC) held together by cucurbit[8]uril (CB[8]) ternary complexation and its subsequent self-assembly into micelles is described. This system is responsive to multiple external triggers including temperature, pH and the addition of a competitive guest. The supramolecular block copolymer assembly consists of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) as a thermoresponsive block and poly(dimethylaminoethylmethacrylate) (PDMAEMA) as a pH-responsive block. Moreover, encapsulation and controlled drug release was demonstrated with this system using the chemotherapeutic drug doxorubicin (DOX). This triple stimuli-responsive DHBC micelle system represents an evolution over conventional double stimuli-responsive covalent diblock copolymer systems and displayed a significant reduction in the viability of HeLa cells upon triggered release of DOX from the supramolecular micellar nanocontainers.
|
10.1021/bm201588m
|
pubmed_1141_5602
|
The intradural myolipoma is a very rare tumor, consisting of fully differentiated striated muscle fibers mingled with fat. Only four previous cases have been identified. The authors present a case in which this tumor was associated with a symptomatic tethered spinal cord in an 18-year-old man.
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pubmed_1141_5602
|
pubmed_663_9989
|
The present study deals with the ecological impacts of the introduction of two alien species of piscivorous fish in several lakes of the Middle Rio Doce lake district in Minas Gerais, Brazil. It was demonstrated that these effects were not restricted only to the fish community. The introduction of the predatory red piranha Pygocentrus nattereri and the tucunaré Cichla cf. ocellaris caused not only a sharp decrease in the number of native fish species, but also major shifts in other trophic levels. Just after the fish were introduced, most lakes began to show conspicuous changes in phytoplankton species composition, in which Cyanophyceae gradually came to dominate. The zooplankton community lost several species, and in some cases, such as Lake Carioca, all the cladoceran species disappeared. On the other hand, invertebrate predators, represented by the dipteran Chaoboridae, boomed in the lake, with higher densities of exotic species, probably as a result of the 'ecological release' by reduction of the original fish fauna. There was a general trend of species loss in different trophic levels. All these changes are apparently associated with decreases in water quality. The present situation in these lakes demands new approaches to the management and conservation of these ecosystems.
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pubmed_663_9989
|
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