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Fatal intimate partner violence against women in Portugal: a forensic medical national study.
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is an important cause of women's health and socio-familial severe problems, the most extreme being the victims' homicide. This is the first nationwide Portuguese autopsy-based and judicial-proven study about female intimate partner homicide. At least 62 women over 15 years old were killed by current or former men-intimate partners, corresponding to an IPV-related female mortality rate of 0.44/100.000 women; intimate partner violence was the reason of homicide in 60.8% of all autopsied women. The typical Portuguese victim showed to be a young adult woman, employed, killed by a current husband in a long-term relationship, usually with children in common and with a history of previous IPV. The typical Portuguese perpetrator showed to be older than the victim, employed, owning a firearm and without criminal records. At the time of the fatal event 59.7% of the relationships were current. In 57.9% of the former relationships women were killed during the 1st year after its terminus. Near half of the perpetrators attempted or committed suicide afterward. Most women were killed by gunshot wounds (45.2%), especially in the thorax (48.4%), with multiple fatal injuries; 56.5% also presented non-fatal injuries. The detection of prior IPV and the risk evaluation seems to be fundamental to decrease these fatal outcomes, but also, the prevention of perpetrators' alcohol abuse and carrying weapons. This work emphasizes the need to deepen the research on this issue, aiming to contribute to prevent both fatal and non-fatal IPV-related cases. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
The effects of acetate anion on cellulose dissolution and reaction in imidazolium ionic liquids.
Quantum mechanical calculations were carried out to determine the mechanisms for the superiority of the imidazolium acetate-based ionic liquids to the corresponding chloride-based ionic liquids. Our results indicate that the imidazolium cation can react with the acetate anion to generate a carbene, a highly reactive intermediate. The carbene produced then reacts with cellulose to facilitate its dissolution in the ionic liquid solvents in addition to the stronger hydrogen bonds formed between the acetate anion and the hydroxyl groups on cellulose. The mechanisms for the imidazolium cation and acetate anion reactions involve the initial ion pairing of the cation and anion via hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions. The hydrogen bond formed between the C2-H on the imidazolium cation and COO(-) of the anion facilitates the transfer of the H(+) to the anion to form a carbene intermediate. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
A young man with nonhealing venous ulcers.
A 35-year-old man presented with nonhealing ulcers at an atypical location on his left foot, caused by a combination of venous insufficiency (after deep venous thrombosis) and arterial insufficiency. The underlying cause was Buerger's disease. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Assessing Bleeding Risk in Atrial Fibrillation Patients: Comparing a Bleeding Risk Score Based Only on Modifiable Bleeding Risk Factors against the HAS-BLED Score. The AMADEUS Trial.
Background The HAS-BLED (hypertension, abnormal renal/liver function, previous stroke, bleeding history or predisposition, labile international normalized ratio [INR], elderly and drugs/alcohol consumption) score has been validated in several scenarios but the recent European guidelines does not recommend any clinical score to assess bleeding risk in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients and only focus on modifiable clinical factors. Purpose The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that the HAS-BLED score would perform at least similarly to an approach only based on modifiable bleeding risk factors (i.e. a ‘modifiable bleeding risk factors score’) for predicting bleeding events. Methods We performed a comparison between the HAS-BLED score and the new ‘modifiable bleeding risk factors score’ in a post hoc analysis in 4,576 patients included in the AMADEUS trial. Results After 347 (interquartile range, 186–457) days of follow-up, 597 patients (13.0%) experienced any clinically relevant bleeding event and 113 (2.5%) had a major bleeding. Only the HAS-BLED score was significantly associated with the risk of any clinically relevant bleeding (Cox's analysis for HAS-BLED ≥ 3: hazard ratio 1.38; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.10–1.72; p = 0.005). The ‘modifiable bleeding risk factors score’ ≥ 2 were non-significantly associated with any clinical relevant bleeding. The two scores had modest ability in predicting bleeding events. The HAS-BLED score performed best in predicting any clinically relevant bleeding (c-indexes for HAS-BLED, 0.545 [95% CI, 0.530–0.559] vs. the ‘modifiable bleeding risk factors score’, 0.530 [95% CI, 0.515–0.544]; c-index difference 0.015, z-score = 2.063, p = 0.04). The HAS-BLED score with one, two and three modifiable factors performed significantly better than the ‘modifiable bleeding risk factors scores’ with one, two and three modifiable risk factors. Conclusion When compared with an approach only based on modifiable bleeding risk factors proposed by European Society of Cardiology (ESC) AF guidelines, the HAS-BLED score performed significantly better in predicting any clinically relevant bleeding in this clinical trial cohort. While modifiable bleeding risk factors should be addressed in all AF patients, the use of a formal bleeding risk score (HAS-BLED) has better predictive value for bleeding risks, and would help decision-making in identifying ‘high risk’ patients for scheduling reviews and follow-up. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Innovations in Training: Toward Mitigating "Eternal post-docdum" in Stem Cell Research.
The Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE) is an innovative model of large-scale research networks that began in Canada in 1989, and has since been adopted by numerous countries around the globe. The Canadian Stem Cell Network (SCN), an NCE that has fostered stem cell research and innovation in Canada, has supported over 1800 trainees since its inception in 2001. In the present study we assess the impact of such a network on its research trainees professional decision-making and movements. A database populated by the SCN between the years 2001-2013 was utilized to describe trainee professional movement between sectors and geographic regions. Focus groups of SCN trainees (n = 27) were carried out and major themes and subthemes were derived from the discourse using a thematic analysis approach. We found that most SCN trainees remained in Canada and in academic positions after leaving the SCN. Trainees expressed a desire to work in environments where their scientific interests and ideas are nurtured, where funding is stable, and where supervisor mentorship is readily accessible. SCN trainees value the unique opportunities provided by the NCE, including opportunities to network with peers, to attend various workshops and to broaden their knowledge and interest base beyond science and academia. Challenges faced by postdoctoral fellows and recommendations for future NCEs are also discussed. The findings here can be used to form evidence-based recommendations for future research networks and for policy pertaining to the recruitment and retention of highly qualified personnel in stem cell research. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
A laccase associated with lignification in loblolly pine xylem.
Peroxidase has been thought to be the only enzyme that oxidizes monolignol precursors to initiate lignin formation in plants. A laccase was purified from cell walls of differentiating xylem of loblolly pine and shown to coincide in time and place with lignin formation and to oxidize monolignols to dehydrogenation products in vitro. These results suggest that laccase participates in lignin biosynthesis and therefore could be an important target for genetic engineering to modify wood properties or to improve the digestibility of forage crops. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Duloxetine in the prevention of depressive recurrences: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
To assess the efficacy of duloxetine 60-120 mg once daily in the prevention of depressive recurrence in outpatients with recurrent major depressive disorder (MDD). Eligible patients with at least 3 episodes of MDD (DSM-IV diagnosis) in the past 5 years received open-label duloxetine 60-120 mg/day for up to 34 weeks. Patients meeting response criteria were then randomly assigned to either duloxetine or placebo for up to 52 weeks of double-blind maintenance treatment. The primary outcome measure was time to recurrence of a major depressive episode. Safety and tolerability were assessed via analysis of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs), vital signs, weight, and laboratory measures. Patients were recruited from 43 study centers in 5 European countries (France, Germany, Italy, Russia, and Sweden) and the United States. The study was conducted from March 2005 to January 2008. A total of 288 patients were randomly assigned to duloxetine or placebo. Time to a depressive recurrence was significantly longer in duloxetine-treated patients compared with placebo-treated patients (p < .001). During the double-blind maintenance phase, 33.1% of placebo-treated patients experienced a depressive recurrence compared with 14.4% of duloxetine-treated patients (p < .001). There were no significant differences between treatment groups in TEAEs, discontinuations due to adverse events, vital signs, or weight. Treatment with duloxetine was associated with a longer time to depressive recurrence and a significantly lower recurrence rate compared with placebo. (ClinicalTrials.gov) Identifier: NCT00105989. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Characterization of type 12 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, an isoform of type 3 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase responsible for estradiol formation in women.
A novel 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17beta-HSD) chronologically named type 12 17beta-HSD (17beta-HSD12), that transforms estrone (E1) into estradiol (E2) was identified by sequence similarity with type 3 17beta-HSD (17beta-HSD3) that catalyzes the formation of testosterone from androstenedione in the testis. Both are encoded by large genes spanning 11 exons, most of them showing identical size. Using human embryonic kidney-293 cells stably expressing 17beta-HSD12, we have found that the enzyme catalyzes selectively and efficiently the transformation of E1 into E2, thus identifying its role in estrogen formation, in contrast with 17beta-HSD3, the enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of the androgen testosterone in the testis. Using real-time PCR to quantify mRNA in a series of human tissues, the expression levels of 17beta-HSD12 as well as two other enzymes that perform the same transformation of E1 into E2, namely type 1 17beta-HSD and type 7 17beta-HSD, it was found that 17beta-HSD12 mRNA is the most highly expressed in the ovary and mammary gland. To obtain a better understanding of the structural basis of the difference in substrate specificity between 17beta-HSD3 and 17beta-HSD12, we have performed tridimensional structure modelization using the coordinates of type 1 17beta-HSD and site-directed mutagenesis. The results show the potential role of bulky amino acid F234 in 17beta-HSD12 that blocks the entrance of androstenedione. Overall, our results strongly suggest that 17beta-HSD12 is the major estrogenic 17beta-HSD responsible for the conversion of E1 to E2 in women, especially in the ovary, the predominant source of estrogens before menopause. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Modeling tenderness for genetic and quantitative trait loci analyses.
Tenderness is the one of the most important attributes of beef with regards to the intent of consumers to repurchase. Beef tenderness is frequently measured objectively as Warner-Bratzler shear force. However, to better understand the genetics underlying tenderness, better descriptors were derived herein. Two traits, adjusted shear force and aging rate, were calculated to incorporate measures of Warner-Bratzler shear force repeated over aging time of 2 muscles, longissimus dorsi (LD) and semitendinosus (ST). Analysis of these traits indicated that the shear forces of the 2 muscles are lowly correlated and aging rate, as calculated, was not correlated with adjusted shear force. Breed, SNP, and QTL effects were analyzed for the 4 traits (2 traits × 2 muscles). For adjusted shear force, the QTL were located on cattle chromosomes BTA 5, 18, 25, and 29. With the exception of the QTL on BTA 5, the adjusted shear force QTL were observed for either the LD or the ST but not both muscles. The QTL for aging rate were located on BTA 1, 4, 7, 11, 13, 19, and 20. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
[What is the role of FDG-PET in thoracic oncology in 2010?].
18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose-Positron Emission Tomography (FGD-PET) has been considered to have a major impact on the management of lung malignancies since the beginning of this century. Its value has been demonstrated by many publications, meta-analysis and European/American/Japanese recommendations. PET combined with computed tomography has provided useful information regarding the diagnosis and staging of lung cancer and allows for the delivery of adaptive radiotherapy. In its more common uses, PET has been shown to be cost-effective. With the widespread use of new radiotracers, PET will play an increasing role in the evaluation of response to treatment. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Eight-year follow-up of the 90,000-person Haimen City cohort: I. Hepatocellular carcinoma mortality, risk factors, and gender differences.
In an 8-year follow-up of a prospective cohort study in Haimen City, China, we sought to identify hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk factors in addition to hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Two cohorts of adults between ages 25 and 64 years at study entry were followed from 1992-1993 to 2000. The male cohort included 58,545 men, 15.0% of whom were HBV carriers. The female cohort included 25,340 women, 10.7% of whom were HBV carriers. 434,718 person-years of follow-up were accumulated, and 1092 deaths from HCC occurred. The relationship of potential risk factors measured at study entry to HCC mortality was analyzed using Cox proportional hazards models. For males, HCC mortality was significantly associated with HBV infection [relative risk (RR) 18.8; 95% confidence interval (CI), 15.7-22.5], history of acute hepatitis (RR, 2.3; 95% CI, 2.0-2.7), family history of HCC (RR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.9-2.7), and occupation as a peasant (RR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.3-1.8). For females, HCC mortality was significantly associated with HBV infection (RR, 33.5; 95% CI, 17.1-65.5) and acute hepatitis history (RR, 4.7; 95% CI, 3.0-7.5). HCC risk was not significantly associated with alcohol consumption, water source, or staple foods in either sex. There was no association with smoking in males, but there was a positive association for females. Environmental and genetic risk factors besides HBV infection play a significant role in HCC mortality in this extremely high-risk population. Gender differences in HCC mortality and known risk factors are substantial and warrant further study. Identification of risk factors amenable to intervention should be a high priority in the prevention of HCC. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Low-dose neuroleptic therapy for children with childhood-onset pervasive developmental disorder.
An open study of the therapeutic effects of low-dose neuroleptic treatment was performed on 12 consecutively hospitalized children, aged 7-11, who satisfied DSM-III criteria for childhood-onset pervasive developmental disorder. While receiving an average dose of 0.04 mg/kg per day of haloperidol or fluphenazine hydrochloride, the patients exhibited significant reductions in hyperactivity and aggressive symptoms and significant improvement in peer relations. This dose of neuroleptic was associated with minimal side effects. The authors conclude that low doses of potent neuroleptics may be effective treatment for some patients suffering from childhood-onset pervasive developmental disorder. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Testing the monocyte-macrophage system in human cancer.
The participation of the monocyte-macrophages cells in the host immune defence mechanisms against cancer has been recognized since a few years. Testing this component of host homeostasis appears as an additional tool necessary for evaluation of immune deficiency in cancer patient. We review here the most current tests used in the frame of such an evaluation, and also the most interesting results. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Non-structural proteins P17 and P33 are involved in the assembly of the internal membrane-containing virus PRD1.
Bacteriophage PRD1, which has been studied intensively at the structural and functional levels, still has some gene products with unknown functions and certain aspects of the PRD1 assembly process have remained unsolved. In this study, we demonstrate that the phage-encoded non-structural proteins P17 and P33, either individually or together, complement the defect in a temperature-sensitive GroES mutant of Escherichia coli for host growth and PRD1 propagation. Confocal microscopy of fluorescent fusion proteins revealed co-localisation between P33 and P17 as well as between P33 and the host chaperonin GroEL. A fluorescence recovery after photobleaching assay demonstrated that the diffusion of the P33 fluorescent fusion protein was substantially slower in E. coli than theoretically calculated, presumably resulting from intermolecular interactions. Our results indicate that P33 and P17 function in procapsid assembly, possibly in association with the host chaperonin complex GroEL/GroES. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Utility of intraoperative rotational thromboelastometry in thoracolumbar deformity surgery.
OBJECTIVE Blood loss during surgery for thoracolumbar scoliosis often requires blood product transfusion. Rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM) has enabled the more targeted treatment of coagulopathy, but its use in deformity surgery has received limited study. The authors investigated whether the use of ROTEM reduces transfusion requirements in this case-control study of thoracolumbar deformity surgery. METHODS Data were prospectively collected on all patients who received ROTEM-guided blood product management during long-segment (≥ 7 levels) posterior thoracolumbar fusion procedures at a single institution from April 2015 to February 2016. Patients were matched with a group of historical controls who did not receive ROTEM-guided therapy according to age, fusion segments, number of osteotomies, and number of interbody fusion levels. Demographic, intraoperative, and postoperative transfusion requirements were collected on all patients. Univariate analysis of ROTEM status and multiple linear regression analysis of the factors associated with total in-hospital transfusion volume were performed, with p < 0.05 considered to indicate statistical significance. RESULTS Fifteen patients who received ROTEM-guided therapy were identified and matched with 15 non-ROTEM controls. The mean number of fusion levels was 11 among all patients, with no significant differences between groups in terms of fusion levels, osteotomy levels, interbody fusion levels, or other demographic factors. Patients in the non-ROTEM group required significantly more total blood products during their hospitalization than patients in the ROTEM group (8.5 ± 4.2 units vs 3.71 ± 2.8 units; p = 0.001). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the use of ROTEM (p = 0.016) and a lower number of fused levels (p = 0.022) were associated with lower in-hospital transfusion volumes. CONCLUSIONS ROTEM use during thoracolumbar deformity correction is associated with lower transfusion requirements. Further investigation will better define the role of ROTEM in transfusion during deformity surgery. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Orthostatic acute renal failure in a renal transplant.
Complications due to ureteric obstruction are an occasional cause for renal transplant dysfunction. Here we report an unusual case of orthostatic renal failure in a renal transplant recipient. Our patient had the previously reported predisposing risk factors including: female sex, obesity, and lax abdominal musculature. It is important to recognize this unusual complication of renal transplantation early in order to preserve long-term graft function. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
The impact of quality filter for RNA-Seq.
With the emergence of large-scale sequencing platforms since 2005, there has been a great revolution regarding methods for decoding DNA sequences, which have also affected quantitative and qualitative gene expression analyses through the RNA-Sequencing technique. However, issues related to the amount of data required for the analyses have been considered because they affect the reliability of the experiments. Thus, RNA depletion during sample preparation may influence the results. Moreover, because data produced by these platforms show variations in quality, quality filters are often used to remove sequences likely to contain errors to increase the accuracy of the results. However, when reads of quality filters are removed, the expression profile in RNA-Seq experiments may be influenced. The present study aimed to analyze the impact of different quality filter values for Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis (sequenced by SOLiD platform), Microcystis aeruginosa and Kineococcus radiotolerans (sequenced by Illumina platform) RNA-Seq data. Although up to 47.9% of the reads produced by the SOLiD technology were removed after the QV20 quality filter is applied, and 15.85% were removed from K. radiotolerans data set using the QV30 filter, Illumina data showed the largest number of unique differentially expressed genes after applying the most stringent filter (QV30), with 69 genes. In contrast, for SOLiD, the acid stress condition with the QV20 filter yielded only 41 unique differentially expressed genes. Even for the highest quality M. aeruginosa data, the quality filter affected the expression profile. The most stringent quality filter generated a greater number of unique differentially expressed genes: 9 for high molecular weight dissolved organic matter condition and 12 for low P conditions. Even high-accuracy sequencing technologies are subject to the influence of quality filters when evaluating RNA-Seq data using the reference approach. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Mammography of ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast: review of 909 cases with radiographic-pathologic correlations.
We retrospectively analysed mammographies of 909 ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) (1980-1999) and compared our results to those of literature. Microcalcifications were present in 75% of the cases, and soft-tissue abnormalities in 27% cases with association with calcifications in 14% of cases. Palpable masses were found in 12% of the cases and nipple discharge was present in 12% of the cases. The radiographic-pathologic correlation allowed to suspect the DCIS "aggressiveness" on radiologic signs. Granular, linear, branching and/or galactophoric topography of the microcalcifications were correlated with necrosis, grade 3, comedocarcinoma type. A number of microcalcifications higher than 20 was correlated with necrosis and grade 3. Mammographic size was correlated to histologic size. Masses were correlated with grade 1. A diagnosis strategy can be proposed with a multidisciplinar approach. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Immunocytochemical study on endothelial integrity of saphenous vein grafts harvested by minimally invasive surgery with the use of vascular mayo stripers. A randomized controlled trial.
The aim of this study is to compare the endothelial integrity of saphenous vein grafts harvested by minimally invasive surgery and veins harvested conventionally for coronary artery bypass surgery in 200 participants who were assigned to interventions by using random allocation. Randomized controlled trial. Methods. Immunocytochemistry with anti-CD 31 antibodies and anti-nitric oxide synthase (NOS) antibodies were employed to identify the endothelial integrity. The CD 31 immunostaining showed that the endothelial cell integrity of the minimally invasive harvested veins was preserved in 82+/-13% of the circumference of luminal endothelium, while in conventionally harvested grafts it was reduced to 64+/-15% (p=0.05).> This was associated with the lack of CD 31 expression in vasa vasorum (10 and 18%) in both groups, respectively, (p=0.02). The NOS immunostaining revealed that the endothelial integrity of the minimally invasive harvested grafts was preserved in 96+/-4% of the luminal endothelium circumference as compared to 74+/-10% in conventionally harvested grafts (p=0.05). The percentage of cases with the lack of NOS expression in all vasa vasorum was 12 and 21%, in G1 and G2, respectively, (p=0.02). The endothelial integrity of saphenous vein grafts harvested by minimally invasive surgery is better preserved than with the grafts obtained by the conventional manner. This could play an important role in improving vein graft patency rates. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Effect of DNA on the inactivation of O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase by 9-substituted O6-benzylguanine derivatives.
Studies were carried out on the inactivation of pure human O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase by 9-substituted O6-benzylguanine derivatives in the presence and absence of DNA. The addition of DNA increased the rate of inactivation of the alkyltransferase by O6-benzylguanine and its 9-methyl derivative but had little effect on the rate of inactivation by the 9-cyanomethyl derivative. In contrast, when O6-benzylguanine derivatives with larger 9-substituents such as ribose, 2'-deoxyribose, dihydrotestosterone, or 2-hydroxy-3-(isopropoxy)propyl were used, the addition of DNA was strongly inhibitory to the inactivation. In the case of O6-benzylguanine, O6-benzylguanosine, and O6-benzyl-2'-deoxyguanosine, these results were confirmed by directly measuring the rate of formation by the alkyltransferase of guanine, guanosine, or 2'-deoxyguanosine, respectively. The data indicated that the presence of DNA activated the alkyltransferase, rendering it more reactive with O6-benzylguanine or O6-benzyl-9-methylguanine, but that DNA interferes with the binding of inhibitors with larger 9-substituents, presumably by competing for the same binding site. Since these inactivators readily inactivate alkyltransferase in cells, the amount of cellular alkyltransferase bound to DNA must be small or readily exchangeable with the free form. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Comparison of serial qualitative and quantitative assessments of caval index and left ventricular systolic function during early fluid resuscitation of hypotensive emergency department patients.
The objective was to determine whether serial bedside visual estimates of left ventricular systolic function (LVF) and respiratory variation of the inferior vena cava (IVC) diameter would agree with quantitative measurements of LVF and caval index in hypotensive emergency department (ED) patients during fluid challenges. The authors hypothesized that there would be moderate inter-rater agreement on the visual estimates. This prospective observational study was performed at an urban, regional ED. Patients were eligible for enrollment if they were hypotensive in the ED as defined by a systolic blood pressure (sBP) of <100 mm Hg or mean arterial pressure of ≤65 mm Hg, exhibited signs or symptoms of shock, and the treating physician intended to administer intravenous (IV) fluid boluses for resuscitation. Sonologists performed a sequence of echocardiographic assessments at the beginning, during, and toward the end of fluid challenge. Both caval index and LVF were determined by the sonologist in qualitative then quantitative manners. Deidentified digital video clips of two-dimensional IVC and LVF assessments were later presented, in random order, to an ultrasound (US) fellowship-trained emergency physician using a standardized rating system for review. Statistical analysis included both descriptive statistics and correlation analysis. Twenty-four patients were enrolled and yielded 72 caval index and LVF videos that were scored at the bedside prior to any measurements and then reviewed later. Visual estimates of caval index compared to measured caval index yielded a correlation of 0.81 (p < 0.0001). Visual estimates of LVF compared to fractional shortening yielded a correlation of 0.84 (p < 0.0001). Inter-rater agreement of respiratory variation of IVC diameter and LVF scores had simple kappa values of 0.70 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.56 to 0.85) and 0.46 (95% CI = 0.29 to 0.63), respectively. Significant differences in mean values between time 0 and time 2 were found for caval index measurements, the visual scores of IVC diameter variation, and both maximum and minimum IVC diameters. This study showed that serial visual estimations of the respiratory variation of IVC diameter and LVF agreed with bedside measurements of caval index and LVF during early fluid challenges to symptomatic hypotensive ED patients. There was moderate inter-rater agreement in both visual estimates. In addition, acute volume loading was associated with detectable acute changes in IVC measurements. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Long-term follow-up of patients with advanced ovarian carcinoma treated with chemotherapy.
The evolution of the management of advanced ovarian carcinoma over the last fifteen years has resulted from a number of well-designed randomized trials involving large numbers of patients. A critical review of long-term follow-up of patients entered onto eleven major randomized trials of advanced ovarian carcinoma has been performed. In the pre-platinum era no long-term survival benefit was obtained with combination compared with single agent chemotherapy. When adding cisplatin to front-line therapy at least a short-term gain in terms of superior response rate and progression-free intervals is obtained compared with non-cisplatin combination chemotherapy. Survival data are more difficult to assess due to the use of cisplatin-containing salvage therapy. Cisplatin-based combination therapy also offers enhanced patient benefit when compared with cisplatin alone. A slight advantage favouring anthracycline-containing therapy is observed, whereas no advantage is obtained with alternating cisplatin and non-cisplatin regimens or by adding BCG. Platinum-based combination chemotherapy is clearly associated with improved response rates and progression-free survival and, at least in some studies, better overall survival. At least six cycles of therapy should be given. Such approaches should yield long-term survival rates of 10% or better for patients with large-volume disease and 20% or better for small-volume disease. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
[Inhalant-related disorder].
Inhalant abuse and dependence are prevalent in adolescent population because inhalants are inexpensive, legal and accessible substance for youth. In Japan, the prevalence of inhalant abuse and dependence is gradually declining in these days, although inhalants can still become a "gateway drug" to other dependent substances such as cocaine and cannabinoids. Inhalant abuse causes show serious mental and somatic symptoms, and mortality in acute and chronic phases, while the abusers are ignorant about it. This paper reviews recent studies that investigate the symptoms and the treatments of inhalant abuse and dependence. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Epilepsy syndrome, focus location, and treatment choice affect testicular function in men with epilepsy.
To evaluate testicular function in men with epilepsy treated with different antiepileptic drugs (AED) vs no drugs. Two hundred men with epilepsy (mean age 36 years) were investigated. Inclusion criteria included one or no AED, no co-medication, and no endocrine co-morbidity. Findings were compared with those from 105 healthy men (mean age 33.9 years). Luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone (T), free testosterone (free T), and inhibin B were measured. One hundred seventy-eight men had focal epilepsy (117 of these had temporal lobe epilepsy [TLE]) and 22 idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE). Thirty-three men were not on AED; 124 men received enzyme-inducing AED. Free T was lowered in all patient subgroups, and the T/LH ratio was lowered in all groups except patients with IGE and patients receiving valproate (VPA). T was lower in patients with temporal than extratemporal focal epilepsy. Compared with TLE patients on carbamazepine (CBZ), patients treated with VPA had higher total T and lower LH values, resulting in a significantly lower T/LH ratio with CBZ. Epilepsy, especially TLE, adversely affects testicular endocrine function. CBZ may increase the negative effects of epilepsy on serum levels of reproductive hormones. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Potassium loss from skeletal muscle during exercise in man: a radioisotope study.
Muscle potassium (K+) content decreases during exercise. Previous studies, in humans, have used measurements of arteriovenous plasma potassium concentration differences (AV delta[K+]) and/or muscle biopsy to measure the loss of muscle K+ during exercise. In the current study a non-invasive method was developed to measure skeletal muscle K+ before and after exercise, using an isotope of K+, potassium-43 (43K+). Twelve subjects performed single-leg extension exercise for 2 h at 50% of their maximum predicted heart rate. The level of radioactivity from the quadriceps femoris was determined before exercise and during two periods post-exercise. After correction for counts arising outside the exercised muscle, we estimate a decrease in muscle K+ content of 3.2 +/- 1.55% (mean +/- S.E.M.) following exercise. The muscle K+ was not restored following 75 min of recovery. The decrease in muscle K+ following exercise in our study is considerably less than that suggested by previous studies using AV delta[K+] measurements but not so dissimilar from results obtained using muscle biopsy. We conclude that a small but significant loss of K+ occurs following prolonged dynamic exercise, and that complete recovery of muscle K+ is slow. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
On Plesionika persica (Kemp, 1925) and P. reflexa Chace, 1985 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Pandalidae) from India.
The availability of Indian specimens of Plesionika persica (Kemp, 1925) and P. reflexa Chace, 1985 provided more information on the taxonomy around these two species. Moreover, it is the first record of P. persica to India. Although P. taiwanica Chan and Yu, 2000 is superficially rather similar to P. persica, there are many differences between them and probably it is inappropriate to establish a species group for these two species. It is likely that all previous records of P. ensis (A. Milne-Edwards, 1881) from India actually represent P. reflexa Chace, 1985. Nevertheless, the present Indian specimens of P. reflexa have more than 10% COI sequence divergence from the topotypic materials of both P. ensis and P. reflexa, and the epipods at the pereiopods III and IV reduced or absent. This data further highlights the confusing taxonomy in the "P. ensis" group. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Experimental demonstration of Martian soil simulant removal from a surface using a pulsed plasma jet.
A plasma jet produced in a small coaxial plasma gun operated at voltages up to 2 kV and working in pure carbon dioxide (CO2) at a few Torr is used to remove Martian soil simulant from a surface. A capacitor with 0.5 mF is charged up from a high voltage source and supplies the power to the coaxial electrodes. The muzzle of the coaxial plasma gun is placed at a few millimeters near the dusty surface and the jet is fired parallel with the surface. Removal of dust is imaged in real time with a high speed camera. Mars regolith simulant JSC-Mars-1A with particle sizes up to 5 mm is used on different types of surfaces made of aluminium, cotton fabric, polyethylene, cardboard, and phenolic. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Circular RNA expression alterations are involved in OGD/R-induced neuron injury.
Cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is a common clinical pathological process, and it is a key step in causing further ischemic organ damage. The mechanism of cerebral IRI is still not fully understood, leading to a lack of effective treatment. It has been demonstrated that circular RNAs (circRNAs) can act as miRNA sponges and play an important role in regulating gene expression through a circRNA-miRNA-gene pathway. The specific role of circRNAs in the pathogenesis of cerebral IRI, however, is still unclear. Thus, in the present study, we investigated circRNA expression differences in HT22 cells with oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) versus normal controls. The results from circRNA microarrays revealed that 15 circRNAs were significantly altered in the OGD/R model (p < 0.05) compared with the control group. Among them, 3 were significantly up-regulated, and the other 12 were down-regulated. Furthermore, the up-regulated expression of mmu-circRNA-015947 was verified using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Bioinformatics analysis revealed that up-regulated expression of mmu-circRNA-015947 could interact with miRNAs (mmu-miR-188-3p, mmu-miR-329-5p, mmu-miR-3057-3p, mmu-miR-5098 and mmu-miR-683) and thereby enhance target gene expression. KEGG pathway analysis predicted that mmu-circRNA-015947 may participate in apoptosis-related, metabolism-related and immune-related pathways, which are known to be involved in the pathogenesis of IRI. This research suggests that the overlapping expression of mmu-circRNA-015947 might be involved in the process of cerebral IRI and presents a novel molecular target for clinical therapy. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
A novel absolute quantitative imaging strategy of iron, copper and zinc in brain tissues by Isotope Dilution Laser Ablation ICP-MS.
Isotope Dilution Laser Ablation ICP-MS (ID-LA-ICP-MS), because of its impressive spatial resolution capacity and precise means for quantification, is one of the most promising tools for in-situ quantitative imaging of trace elements in biological samples. In the ID-LA-ICP-MS strategy for tissue section, the tissue must be maintained intact during the whole sample preparation process. Therefore, how to homogeneously distribute enriched isotope spike on tissue section and how to confirm isotope equilibration between sample and spike are two important challenges. In this study, we reported a novel quantitative imaging strategy for biological thin section based on ID-LA-ICP-MS. To distribute the enriched isotope spikes on tissue section homogeneously, a "border" was constructed to make spike droplet stay on the tissue for isotope exchange. Laser ablation and isotope exchange parameters were also investigated to obtain optimal ID-LA-ICP-MS conditions. The prepared homogeneous in-house standard was used to validate the ID-LA-ICP-MS approach and good agreement with the bulk analysis was achieved. On this basis, quantitative imaging of Fe, Cu and Zn in real mouse brain of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) were measured by the improved methodology. Assessment of the method for real sample was undertaken by comparison of the LA-ICP-MS data with that obtained by micro-XRF. Moreover, comparative analysis of elements distribution and immunohistochemical markers in AD mouse brain was also carried out. The similar distributional patterns demonstrated that the proposed methodology is potential to investigate the correlation of biomarker heterogeneity and elements distribution, and may be useful to understand such complex brain mechanisms in the future. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
[Urolithiasis in children with cerebral palsy or following surgical treatment of myelomeningocele: preliminary report].
In 20 children with cerebral palsy and following treatment of myelomeningocele sonography of urinary tract was performed. In 7 out of them (3 with meningocele and 4 with cerebral palsy) calcified deposits in urinary tract have been found. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Construct validity of functional status scores of patients with lymphedema.
During treatment of lymphedema, routine use of patient-reported outcomes measures (PROMs) is recommended to monitor patient progress; however, the validity functional status (FS) PROMs in these patients is unknown. Our aims were to examine construct validity of the shoulder computerized adaptive testing (CAT) and the foot-and-ankle CAT, as a measure of FS for patients selecting the shoulder or the foot-and-ankle as their main body part affected by their lymphedema. We assessed the ability of the FS scores to distinguish between patient groups in clinically expected ways at admission and discharge from physical therapy. At admission (n=1600), patients who were younger and had more acute symptoms, less severe lymphedema, less co-morbidities, no relevant surgical history, did not use medications for chronic conditions, and exercised regularly, had higher FS. At discharge (n=611), patients who were younger and had less advanced lymphedema, fewer co-morbidities, no relevant surgical history, did not use medications for chronic conditions, exercised regularly, and had more acute symptoms had higher FS change, after controlling for their baseline FS score. Low participation rates in FS outcomes data collection could have biased results. Overall, the CAT-based FS PROMs used in this study discriminated between patient groups in clinically logical ways both at intake and at discharge from lymphedema treatment. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Resection arthroplasty of the patella.
Resection arthroplasty of the patella has been found to be a satisfactory procedure for the treatment of patellofemoral pain caused by osteoarthritis. In the present series 60% of the operated cases were pain-free on a 31-month average follow-up. The patients found it easier to climb stairs and to kneel and in most cases the radiographic joint space was good. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Collective Prediction of Disease-Associated miRNAs Based on Transduction Learning.
The discovery of human disease-related miRNA is a challenging problem for complex disease biology research. For existing computational methods, it is difficult to achieve excellent performance with sparse known miRNA-disease association verified by biological experiment. Here, we develop CPTL, a Collective Prediction based on Transduction Learning, to systematically prioritize miRNAs related to disease. By combining disease similarity, miRNA similarity with known miRNA-disease association, we construct a miRNA-disease network for predicting miRNA-disease association. Then, CPTL calculates relevance score and updates the network structure iteratively, until a convergence criterion is reached. The relevance score of node including miRNA and disease is calculated by the use of transduction learning based on its neighbors. The network structure is updated using relevance score, which increases the weight of important links. To show the effectiveness of our method, we compared CPTL with existing methods based on HMDD datasets. Experimental results indicate that CPTL outperforms existing approaches in terms of AUC, precision, recall, and F1-score. Moreover, experiments performed with different number of iterations verify that CPTL has good convergence. Besides, it is analyzed that the varying of weighted parameters affect predicted results. Case study on breast cancer has further confirmed the identification ability of CPTL. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
[Clinical thinking and decision making in practice. A young woman with fever, arthralgia and exanthema].
A 19-year-old woman was admitted because of high fever, rash, arthralgia and sore throat. On physical examination a diffuse skin rash was observed, leaving a facial mask unaffected. C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were raised (114 mg/l and 26 mm in the first hour, respectively); white blood cell count was normal (6.2 x 10(9)/l) with an increased count of immature forms. An infective, metabolic or haematological cause was excluded. Serum ferritin turned out to be extremely elevated (4318 micrograms/l), so adult-onset Still's disease was diagnosed. The patient fulfilled the criteria of Cush et al. for adult-onset Still's disease. She was first treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and, at a later stage in the disease, with corticosteroids. All symptoms disappeared and blood test results normalised. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
High-Turnover Aromatic C-H Borylation Catalyzed by POCOP-Type Pincer Complexes of Iridium.
The catalytic C-H borylation of arenes with HBpin (pin = pinacolate) using POCOP-type pincer complexes of Ir has been demonstrated, with turnover numbers exceeding 10 000 in some cases. The selectivity of C-H activation was based on steric preferences and largely mirrored that found in other Ir borylation catalysts. Catalysis in the (POCOP)Ir system depends on the presence of stoichiometric quantities of sacrificial olefin, which is hydrogenated to consume the H2 equivalents generated in the borylation of C-H bonds with HBpin. Smaller olefins such as ethylene or 1-hexene were more advantageous to catalysis than sterically encumbered tert-butylethylene (TBE). Olefin hydroboration is a competing side reaction. The synthesis and isolation of multiple complexes potentially relevant to catalysis permitted examination of several key elementary reactions. These experiments indicate that the C-H activation step in catalysis ostensibly involves oxidative addition of an aromatic C-H bond to the three-coordinate (POCOP)Ir species. The olefin is mechanistically critical to gain access to this 14-electron, monovalent Ir intermediate. C-H activation at Ir(I) here is in contrast to the olefin-free catalysis with state-of-the-art Ir complexes supported by neutral bidentate ligands, where the C-H activating step is understood to involve trivalent Ir-boryl intermediates. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Analysis of the aconitine alkaloids in traditional Chinese medicines by nonaqueous capillary electrophoresis using a new recording mode.
The determination of three aconitine alkaloids (hypaconitine, aconitine, mesaconitine) in five traditional Chinese medicines including two Tibetan medicines, Chuanwu, Caowu, Fuzi, Aconitum Tanguticum Maxim and Aconitum Gymnandrum Maxim by non-aqueous capillary electrophoresis using a new recording mode is described. The dissociation constants of aconitine, mesaconitine and hypaconitine have also been determined by CZE and were 7.71, 6.60 and 6.25, respectively. The separation was achieved by optimizing the applied voltage, the pH and the concentration of the buffer. The electrophoretic medium was 20 mM borax-70% (v/v) methanol (pH 8.5) and an uncoated capillary (50 cm x 75 microm i.d.) was used. Detection was carried out with a UV monitor at 214 nm. The total time for separation and determination was under 13 min. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Selective neointimal gene transfer in an avian model of vascular injury.
Avian models of atherosclerosis helped pioneer the study of vascular biology, and offer economic and technical advantages over mammalian models. As an initial step towards investigating important molecular pathways involved in avian atherogenesis and restenosis, we developed a recombinant adenovirus (Ad) which expresses the reporter gene beta-galactosidase (beta-gal), and applied it to cultured chicken vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and a rooster model of acute vascular injury. In cultured chicken SMCs, recombinant gene expression increased as a function of multiplicity of infection (MOI) and incubation time. Maximal expression occurred at an MOI of 10(4) plaque-forming units (pfu)/cell with approximately 50% of quiescent and non-quiescent chicken SMCs expressing beta-gal. Human aorta SMCs had two- to four-fold increased beta-gal expression compared with chicken SMCs at all MOI and incubation times. In vivo instillation of recombinant Ad into uninjured rooster femoral artery segments revealed low efficiency endothelial cell expression of the reporter gene. In contrast, recombinant Ad infection of rooster femoral artery segments 3-21 days after balloon injury revealed up to 60% of luminal surface beta-gal expression, confined predominantly to the neointimal layer. Peak reporter gene expression efficiencies occurred in arterial segments infected 3 days after balloon injury. Uninfected and control Ad infected arteries had no detectable beta-gal expression. Rooster neointimal cells targeted by the recombinant Ad were identified as alpha-smooth muscle actin containing cells by immunohistochemistry. We conclude that Ad-mediated gene transfer is efficient and selective for the neointima in the rooster acute vascular injury model, and offers the potential to efficiently introduce exogenous genes that may impact on the injury response. This model of acute vascular injury may also be manipulated into more established avian models of atherosclerosis, permitting the investigation of acute injury progression to chronic injury. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
hTERT/re-caspase-3 system induce apoptosis in hTERT-positive cancer cells.
Apoptosis induction is a promising approach for the treatment of human cancer. To achieve this purpose, the design of an expression system capable to induce apoptosis specifically in cancer cells is essential. Telomerase is an attractive target for delivery of apoptotic genes as an overwhelming majority of cancers have telomerase activity whereas most normal cells have low or an absence of telomerase activity. Activation of telomerase is tightly regulated at the transcriptional level of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT). In the present study, we developed a telomerase-specific delivery system of apoptosis-inducible gene re-Caspase-3, through utilizing the promoter of the hTERT gene, and then investigated its antitumor effect on cancer cells and tissues. The reason we used the re-Caspase-3 gene is that it is capable of autocatalytic processing and inducing apoptosis independent of the initiator Caspases. Here, we demonstrated that the hTERT/re-Caspase-3 system induced apoptosis in hTERT-positive cancer cells: CNE1 (nasopharyngeal carcinoma), HRT-18 (colonic carcinoma), MGC (stomath carcinoma), but not in hTERT-low Hacat (human normal keratinize epithelium) cells. In addition, the growth of s.c. tumors in nude mice was suppressed significantly by the treatment with the hTERT/re-Caspase-3 system. Results suggested that the telomerase-specific transfer of there-Caspase-3 gene may be an effective and promising targeting approach for the treatment of cancer. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
[Metastatic basal cell carcinoma].
One day before his death, a 66-year-old man who had been suffering since childhood from a severely itching and repeatedly bleeding skin lesion was examined for the first time by a general practitioner who immediately advised hospitalization. On admission, an extensive rodent ulcer on his back was noted and septic shock diagnosed. Because of the hopeless diagnosis no life-supporting measures were undertaken. Postmortem examination revealed an 18 x 26 cm sized ulcerating basal cell carcinoma on the back with infiltration of the thoracic vertebrae and a fist-sized paravertebral abscess between the left upper and lower lobe of the lung and abscessing pneumonia. Two metastases each were found in the right lung and in both kidneys with the histologically characteristic picture of basal cell carcinoma. This case confirms the observation that this type of carcinoma has the potential for metastasizing, but it usually does not do so because of its biological characteristics and early curative excision. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Exocellular extract of Fusarium oxysporum, fungus free, is able to permeate and act selectively in skin.
The skin is an important gateway for Fusarium infection in humans. Our hypothesis is that metabolites produced by Fusarium oxysporum should change the barrier structure to permeate the skin. Male Wistar rats received a topical application of a solution (0.05 mg/mL) of Fusarium metabolites. The animals were euthanized 3, 6, 12, 24 h after and the skin was processed for immunostaining by laminin and E-cadherin to investigate whether the Fusarium metabolites can break the barrier of healthy skin. Other techniques were employed: H&E to study the morphology; metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), TUNEL, and PCNA immunostaining to evaluate the inflammation, cell death, and proliferation, respectively. There was an inflammatory response mainly centered in the dermis. Qualitatively, the skin of the experimental group showed reduced E-cadherin and laminin immunostaining at 3, 12, and 24 h. Higher intensity staining by TUNEL at 3 h, and PCNA at 6, 12, and 24 h. There was intense MMP-9 activity at 6, 12, and 24 h. None of analyses revealed any changes in the epidermis. It was concluded that the fraction was able to permeate the skin and act selectively in dermis, inducing inflammatory response, increasing MMP-9 immunostaining, inducing apoptosis, and reducing E-cadherin and laminin immunostaining. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Highly sensitive determination of N-acyl dihydrosphingosine using liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Application to human hair lipids.
An analytical method for highly sensitive determination of four N-acyl dihydrosphingosines (NDSs) of all ceramides (CERs) in human hair, such as N-palmitoyl dihydrosphingosine (N16DS18), N-stearoyl dihydrosphingosine (N18DS18), N-lignocerol dihydrosphingosine (N24DS18) and N-nervonoyl dihydrosphingosine (N24:1DS18), has been developed using electrospray ionization (ESI) MS connected to reversed-phase LC with selected ion monitoring (SIM). The selection of negative ESI under optimal conditions of in-source collision-induced dissociation was determined based on the simplicity of molecular-related ions and their intensities. Of all ESI-MS parameters tested, the flow of dry nitrogen gas strongly affected the sensitivity of molecular-related ions, particularly in N24DS18 and N24:1DS18, while the capillary voltage elicited significantly different effects on the signal-to-noise ratio between N16DS18/N18DS18 and N24DS18/N24:1DS18. This newly developed method to determine the NDSs is the most sensitive of all existing methods, as shown in the limits of detection and quantification being in the range of 0.06-0.29 and 0.18-0.98fmol, respectively. The linearity, precision and accuracy were all sufficient to determine the NDSs in ca. 0.1mg of a hair fiber ( approximately 1cm in length). This method has been used to characterize levels of the NDSs from the proximal root end to the distal tip of each of six hair fibers obtained from two different females. Characteristic changes were observed between both females as well as among fibers derived from each female. This method will be useful not only for clarifying the roles of the CERs in human hair but also for investigating the physiology of CERs relevant to signal transduction and cell regulation in human cells/tissues. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Oil quality and sugar content of peanuts (Arachis hypogaea) grown in Argentina: their relationship with climatic variables and seed yield.
The ratio of oleic to linoleic acids (O/L) and the tocopherol content are important features in determining peanut (Arachis hypogaea) seed shelf life. Soluble carbohydrates are known to be important precursors in roasted peanut flavor. The chemical qualities of Argentine grain are different from those of other countries, but no previous studies that associate grain quality and environmental parameters have been performed. Relationships were determined between O/L, tocopherol and sugar contents, and variations in temperature and rainfall during the grain filling period of Florman INTA peanuts. Dry seed yield was used as another explanatory variable. Multiple regression procedure gave mean temperature (positive coefficient) and total precipitation (negative coefficient) as the explanatory variables for variations in O/L. Total precipitation and dry seed yield (both negative coefficients) were found to be predictor variables for tocopherol and sugar contents. Total precipitation was an explanatory variable included in all of the linear regression models obtained in this study. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Ovarian function following immunocontraceptive vaccination of mares using native porcine and recombinant zona pellucida vaccines formulated with a non-Freund's adjuvant and anti-GnRH vaccines.
An important determinant in the selection of any contraceptive agent is the impact on ovarian function, both in the short and longer term. In this study, ovarian activity was monitored in mares immunised with one of the following vaccine formulations; native porcine zona pellucida (pZP), recombinant zona pellucida proteins ZP3 and ZP4 (reZP), pZP and reZP combined or a commercially available anti-GnRH vaccine. The ZP antigens were prepared in an adjuvant formulation consisting of 6% polymeric adjuvant (Montanide™ PetGel A, Seppic, France) and 500 μg polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid - TLR3-agonist (Poly(I:C) HMW VacciGrade™, Invivogen, USA). A vehicle-only control group was administered the adjuvant formulation without antigen. Ovarian activity was monitored using clinical observations (transrectal palpation and ultrasonography of the reproductive tract) in addition to blood sampling for serum progesterone and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) concentrations while employing a low sampling frequency. Treatments and measurements were initiated in December (southern hemisphere summer) and subsequent data collection was performed in January, February, March and May. Both reZP and anti-GnRH vaccination were associated with clinically evident ovarian suppression in the short term. Ovarian activity in mares administered a reZP or anti-GnRH vaccine was significantly different to adjuvant control and pZP treated mares. Serum AMH concentrations were different between pZP and anti-GnRH treated mares 3.5 months after the final vaccination. Serum AMH concentrations were significantly correlated with mare age, serum progesterone and ovarian volume. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Prevalence and characteristics of recurrent headaches in Turkish adolescents.
The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence and characteristics of recurrent headaches and to investigate the sociodemographic differences between high school students with or without recurrent headaches from Izmir, Turkey. Multistep, stratified, cluster sampling method was used in this analytic, school-based cross-sectional study. Twenty-one schools were selected randomly, and 2384 preparatory, first-, second-, and third-grade high school students from 84 different classrooms constituted the study cohort. The prevalence of recurrent headaches was 45.7% (1090/2384). Female students had a significantly higher headache frequency than males (P = 0.000). No significant relationship was evident between age and headache (P = 0.065). Also, there were no significant differences between the adolescents with or without headache for variables such as parental divorce (P = 0.052), existence of a step parent (P = 0.32), people with whom the students live at home (P = 0.186), number of siblings (P = 0.37), and maternal and paternal educational levels (P = 0.62 and P = 0.15, respectively). Headache frequency was higher when the income level of the student's family was lower (P = 0.016). Among the students who had headaches, 53.3% had a medication, 37.3% were referred to a physician, and in 27.2% of them a diagnosis was established. School absenteeism with a ratio of 26.5% was a common problem among the students with headaches. These results indicate that approximately one half of Turkish high school students have recurrent headaches which reduce the quality of their lives. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
A molecule in teleost fish, related with human MHC-encoded G6F, has a cytoplasmic tail with ITAM and marks the surface of thrombocytes and in some fishes also of erythrocytes.
In teleost fish, a novel gene G6F-like was identified, encoding a type I transmembrane molecule with four extracellular Ig-like domains and a cytoplasmic tail with putative tyrosine phosphorylation motifs including YxN and an immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM). G6F-like maps to a teleost genomic region where stretches corresponding to human chromosomes 6p (with the MHC), 12p (with CD4 and LAG-3), and 19q are tightly linked. This genomic organization resembles the ancestral "Ur-MHC" proposed for the jawed vertebrate ancestor. The deduced G6F-like molecule shows sequence similarity with members of the CD4/LAG-3 family and with the human major histocompatibility complex-encoded thrombocyte marker G6F. Despite some differences in molecular organization, teleost G6F-like and tetrapod G6F seem orthologous as they map to similar genomic location, share typical motifs in transmembrane and cytoplasmic regions, and are both expressed by thrombocytes/platelets. In the crucian carps goldfish (Carassius auratus auratus) and ginbuna (Carassius auratus langsdorfii), G6F-like was found expressed not only by thrombocytes but also by erythrocytes, supporting that erythroid and thromboid cells in teleost fish form a hematopoietic lineage like they do in mammals. The ITAM-bearing of G6F-like suggests that the molecule plays an important role in cell activation, and G6F-like expression by erythrocytes suggests that these cells have functional overlap potential with thrombocytes. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Combinations of potent topical steroids, mercury and hydroquinone are common in internationally manufactured skin-lightening products: a spectroscopic study.
The topical steroids betamethasone (BM) and clobetasol propionate (CP) are illegal in cosmetics. Hydroquinone (HQ) and mercury (Hg) are either illegal or allowed only in limited concentrations (2% and 1 ppm, respectively). To investigate active ingredients and countries of origin of popular skin-lightening products available in Cape Town, South Africa. In total, 29 products were examined; of these, 22 products were purchased from informal vendors, and 2 products (out of a total of 29) were purchased over the counter. HQ, Hg(2+) and steroids were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet spectrophotometry, inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, respectively. Of the 29 products, 22 (75.9%), all imported and bought from informal vendors, contained illegal or banned ingredients: 13 (44.8%) contained steroids (9 CP, 4 BM), 12 (41.4%) contained Hg (30-2300 ppm), and 11 (37.9%) contained HQ. Sequentially, the products originated from Italy (27.3%, n = 6), India (22.7%, n = 5), the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) (22.7%, n = 5), Cote d'Ivoire (9.1%, n = 2), USA (9.1%, n = 2), UK (4.5%, n = 1) and France (4.5%, n = 1). Two products, one from India and one from the DRC, contained all four ingredients (HQ, Hg, BM, CP). Of the 12 products containing Hg, 10 also contained HQ and/or a steroid, yet none listed Hg as an ingredient. A significant proportion of the steroid-containing products (76.9%) also contained at least one other skin-lightening agent. Not all internationally available products were tested, which is a limitation of the study. In spite of a European Union ban on skin lighteners, a third of the products tested were from Europe. Combinations of Hg and ultrapotent steroids were prominent. International law enforcement and random testing is needed to encourage industry compliance and help protect consumers. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
ADOPTION LAW, DILEMMAS, ATTITUDES AND BARRIERS TO ADOPTION AMONG INFERTILITY PATIENTS IN ISRAEL.
Israel Adoption Law requires absolute confidentiality. This type of adoption is basically prohibited by Islamic laws and thus creates a conflict between the State's Law and the Qur'an's directives. (1) to study the attitudes and barriers with respect to adoption among Jewish and Muslim couples undergoing fertility treatments. (2) To describe adoption rates of children in Israel's sectors. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in fertility clinics among 204 Muslims and Jews treated for infertility. The participants were asked about their attitudes & knowledge concerning adoption. Additionally, national adoption rates, by sector, were retrieved from the Ministry of Welfare. Adoption rates among Jews were higher than among Muslims'. A prolonged period of fertility treatment was more common among Muslims than among Jews. A quarter of the Muslim couples pointed at the conflict between Quran Law and State law as a potential specific barrier. It is important to deepen the understanding of the barriers against adoption among Muslims who failed fertility treatments, as well as to examine whether the change in State Law will encourage adoption of children among Muslims in Israel. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Epidemiologic features and intervention effect of fall injury among rural school-aged children in southwest China: a short-term cohort study.
Falls are the top one type in all unintentional injuries. In this study, we aim to explore the epidemiological characteristics of falls and assess the intervention effect. Our research had interviewed 2854 rural children in southwest China. Then, we used School-Family-Individual (SFI) comprehensive education model to conduct an intervention among 1506 children and follow up them for one year. The changes in injury knowledge and incidence rate before and after intervention were compared. We found the fall injury was 37.32% (178/477) and ranked top one in the total injuries. After intervention, the children's fall-injuries-related knowledge was significantly increased by 15.29 percent (P < 0.001). While falls incidence significantly decreased after- intervention (6.24% vs. 3.93%; P < 0.001). From the results we concluded that the falls rate was high and was the prior reason of all injuries. SFI intervention model can effectively reduce the incidence of the fall injury. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Oral inflammation, a role for antimicrobial peptide modulation of cytokine and chemokine responses.
Acute and chronic inflammation commonly occurs throughout the oral cavity. The most common causes are physical damage and microbial infections, and less frequently immune reactions and malignant changes. All of these processes result in the induction of antimicrobial peptides, chemokines and cytokines that lead to cellular infiltrates, a vascular response, tissue destruction and cellular proliferation. A fascinating concept developing in the current literature suggests that antimicrobial peptides modulate the production of chemokines, cytokines and other cellular mediators and that this may have a larger ramification as an underlying mechanism mediating inflammation. Here, we propose that the ability of antimicrobial peptides to induce chemokines and anti-inflammatory or proinflammatory cytokines plays an important role in the early events of oral inflammation and may be a target for the prevention or treatment of oral inflammatory conditions. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Treatment of respiratory infections with fosfomycin.
Evaluation was made of the clinical-bacteriological results of treatment with fosfomycin on a group of 27 patients with infectious respiratory pathology. The group is made up of patients with respiratory infections diagnosed as pneumonias, bronchopneumonias, acute bronchitis and chronic bronchopneumopathies. The doses of fosfomycin used varied between 4 and 12 g/day, administered during a period of 1 or 2 weeks. The results of the treatment expressed in clinical and bacteriological parameters have been successful in 15 and 21 cases for their bacteriological response and their clinical response respectively. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
New delay-dependent stability criteria for neural networks with two additive time-varying delay components.
This brief is concerned with delay-dependent stability for neural networks with two additive time-varying delay components. By constructing a new Lyapunov functional and using a convex polyhedron method to estimate the derivative of the Lyapunov functional, some new delay-dependent stability criteria are derived. These stability criteria are less conservative than some existing ones. An example is given to demonstrate the less conservatism of the stability results. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Persistent fifth aortic arch: the "great pretender" in clinical practice.
Persistence of the embryonic "fifth aortic arch" in postnatal life is a rare, enigmatic - and at times controversial - condition, with variable anatomical forms and physiological consequences. First described in humans over 40 years ago by Van Praagh, the condition was labelled the "great pretender" by Gerlis 25 years later, because of its apparent propensity to mimic anatomically similar structures. Despite many subsequent case reports citing the condition, the true developmental origin of these structures remains unresolved, and has been the subject of debate among embryologists for more than a century. A persistent fifth aortic arch has been defined as an extrapericardial structure, arising from the ascending aorta opposite or proximal to the brachiocephalic artery, and terminating in the dorsal aorta or pulmonary arteries via a persistently patent arterial duct. This description may therefore encompass various anatomical forms, such as a unilateral double-lumen aortic arch, an unrestrictive aortopulmonary shunt, or a critical vascular channel for either the systemic or pulmonary circulation. The physiological properties of these vessels, such as their response to prostaglandins, may also be unpredictable. In this article, we demonstrate a number of cases that fulfil the contemporary definition of "persistent fifth aortic arch" while acknowledging the embryological controversies associated with this term. We also outline the key diagnostic features, particularly with respect to the use of new cross-sectional imaging techniques. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Robust albedo estimation from a facial image with cast shadow under general unknown lighting.
Albedo estimation from a facial image is crucial for various computer vision tasks, such as 3-D morphable-model fitting, shape recovery, and illumination-invariant face recognition, but the currently available methods do not give good estimation results. Most methods ignore the influence of cast shadows and require a statistical model to obtain facial albedo. This paper describes a method for albedo estimation that makes combined use of image intensity and facial depth information for an image with cast shadows and general unknown light. In order to estimate the albedo map of a face, we formulate the albedo estimation problem as a linear programming problem that minimizes intensity error under the assumption that the surface of the face has constant albedo. Since the solution thus obtained has significant errors in certain parts of the facial image, the albedo estimate needs to be compensated. We minimize the mean square error of albedo under the assumption that the surface normals, which are calculated from the facial depth information, are corrupted with noise. The proposed method is simple and the experimental results show that this method gives better estimates than other methods. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
The physical characteristics and usage patterns of stone axe and pounding hammers used by long-tailed macaques in the Andaman Sea region of Thailand.
Stone hammering in natural conditions has been extensively investigated in chimpanzees and bearded capuchins. In contrast, knowledge of stone tool use in wild Old World monkeys has been limited to anecdotal reports, despite having known for over 120 years that Macaca fascicularis aurea use stone tools to process shelled foods from intertidal zones on islands in the Andaman Sea. Our report is the first scientific investigation to look at the stone tools used by these macaques. We observed they were skilled tool users and used stone tools daily. They selected tools with differing qualities for differing food items, and appeared to use at least two types of stone tools. Pounding hammers were used to crush shellfish and nuts on anvils and axe hammers were used to pick or chip at oysters attached to boulders or trees. We found significant physical differences between these two tools. Tools at oyster beds were smaller and exhibited scarring patterns focused more often on the points, whereas tools found at anvils were larger and showed more scarring on the broader surfaces. We also observed grip differences between the two tool types. Lastly, macaques struck targets with axe hammers more rapidly and over a wider range of motion than with pounding hammers. Both our behavioral and lithic data support that axe hammers might be used with greater control and precision than pounding hammers. Hand-sized axe hammers were used for controlled chipping to crack attached oysters, and larger pounding hammers were used to crush nuts and unattached shellfish on anvils. In addition to stones, they also used hand-sized auger shells (Turritella attenuata) as picks to axe attached oysters. Pound hammering appears similar to the stone tools used by chimpanzees and capuchins, but axe hammering has not yet been documented in other nonhuman primates in natural conditions. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
The mouse glutathione peroxidase Gpx2 gene maps to chromosome 12; its pseudogene Gpx2-ps maps to chromosome 7.
The GPX2 gene codes for GSHPx-GI, a glutathione peroxidase whose mRNA is readily detectable in the gastrointestinal tract. Although GPX2 is a single gene in humans, there are two genes in the mouse genome with homology to GPX2. By analyzing a panel of mouse interspecies DNA from the Jackson Laboratory's backcross resource, we have chromosomally mapped these two genes. One was mapped to the central region of mouse chromosome 12 between D12Mit4 and D12Mit5, near fos and Tgfb3. This region is homologous to human 14q24.1, where human GPX2 has been mapped, and most likely represents the functional mouse Gpx2 gene. The other Gpx2-like gene was mapped to mouse chromosome 7 between Pcsk3 and Hbb. We have isolated the latter gene from a P1 phage library. Its pseudogene nature is revealed by the sequence analysis: (a) it is intronless; (b) it has a single nucleotide deletion in the coding region; and (c) it has a poly(A) tail at its 3'-untranslated region. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
The impact of haemophilia on the success of total hip arthroplasty.
We present the results of 34 total hip arthroplasties performed, on haemophiliac patients, between 1983 and 2005. The haematological diagnoses and management are discussed, emphasizing their impact on keeping complication levels to a minimum. The orthopaedic diagnoses and treatment methods are also highlighted, discussing the survivorship and reasons for their failures. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Breakdown of the germinal vesicle in pig oocytes in vivo and in vitro.
The breakdown of the pig germinal vesicle (GV) was studied in follicular oocytes matured in vivo and in vitro. For better characterization, the whole process was divided into four well-defined stages, based on the chromatin changes, and on nucleolus and nuclear membrane disappearance. In the intact germinal vesicle (GV I) nuclear membrane and nucleolus are clearly visible and chromatin forms a ring or horseshoe around the nucleolus. In the GV II a fre orceinpositive structures (chromocenters) on the nuclear membrane can be detected. For the GV III slightly stained chromatin clumps, localized especially around the nucleolus, and the beginning of strand formation are typical. In the last stage - GV IV - the nuclear membrane is less distinct and the nucleolus disappears completely. Chromatin is seen as an irregular network or as individual bivalents. According to these criteria GV breakdown in vivo was completed in most oocytes between 20 to 24 hours after HCG injection. In culture a similar stage of development was reached between 16 to 20 hours. This difference in the progress of nuclear changes appeared at the beginning of nuclear maturation and remained unchanged throughout the whole period studied. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Gastroduodenal ulcer incidence in patients with venous thromboembolism.
The presence of peptic ulcer disease implies a high risk of bleeding in patients on heparin therapy. We reviewed our experience with 166 consecutive patients admitted because of venous thromboembolism. Of these 166 patients, 29 were referred for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in order to detect the presence of any lesion that might contraindicate heparin therapy. A gastric ulcer was found in 10 patients, a duodenal ulcer in 11, and gastric erosions with signs of bleeding in 3 patients. Given the unexpectedly high frequency of ulcer in these patients, an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was routinely performed early in the course of admission in 50 consecutive patients with venous thromboembolism. A gastric ulcer was found in 5 patients (10%), a duodenal ulcer in 7 (14%), and erosions in 2. Five of these patients had an unsuspected ulcer. A case can be made for prophylactic antiulcer therapy for all patients placed on anticoagulants for venous thromboembolism. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is indicated in patients with ulcer symptoms, in those with a previous history of peptic ulcer disease, and perhaps, in patients developing occult blood in the stools while on treatment with anticoagulants. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Analysis of trophic responses in lesioned brain: focus on basic fibroblast growth factor mechanisms.
The actions of fibroblast growth factors (FGFs), particularly the basic form (bFGF), have been described on a large number of cells and include mitogenicity, angiogenicity and wound repair. The present review discusses the presence of the bFGF protein and messenger RNA as well as the presence of the FGF receptor messenger RNA in the rodent brain by means of semiquantitative radioactive in situ hybridization in combination with immunohistochemistry. Chemical and mechanical injuries to the brain trigger a reduction in neurotransmitter synthesis and neuronal death which are accompanied by astroglial reaction. The altered synthesis of bFGF following brain lesions or stimulation was analyzed. Lesions of the central nervous system trigger bFGF gene expression by neurons and/or activated astrocytes, depending on the type of lesion and time post-manipulation. The changes in bFGF messenger RNA are frequently accompanied by a subsequent increase of bFGF immunoreactivity in astrocytes in the lesioned pathway. The reactive astrocytes and injured neurons synthesize increased amount of bFGF, which may act as a paracrine/autocrine factor, protecting neurons from death and also stimulating neuronal plasticity and tissue repair. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in patients with psoriasis.
Previous studies suggest that patients hospitalized for psoriasis have an increased frequency of a variety of cardiovascular comorbidities. Limited population-based data exist on this association, and few studies have determined which factors are independently associated with psoriasis. We sought to determine whether the prevalence of the major cardiovascular risk factors was higher in mild and severe psoriasis than in patients without psoriasis. We conducted a population-based study in the United Kingdom using the General Practice Research Database. Patients were classified as having severe psoriasis if they received a code for psoriasis as well as systemic therapy. Patients were defined as having mild psoriasis if they ever received a psoriasis code but no systemic therapy. Control subjects were selected from the same practices and start dates as psoriasis patients. Patients were classified as having risk factors if they received codes for diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, obesity, or smoking. Analyses were performed by using conditional logistic regression, and adjustments were made considering age, gender, person-years, and all cardiovascular risk factors. We identified 127,706 patients with mild psoriasis and 3854 with severe psoriasis. Respective prevalence rates of risk factors in those with severe psoriasis, mild psoriasis, and in controls were as follows: diabetes (7.1%, 4.4%, 3.3%), hypertension (20%, 14.7%, 11.9%), hyperlipidemia (6%, 4.7%, 3.3%), obesity (20.7%, 15.8%, 13.2%), and smoking (30.1%, 28%, 21.3%). Patients with mild psoriasis had a higher adjusted odds of diabetes (odds ratio [OR], 1.13; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08-1.18]), hypertension (OR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.01-1.06), hyperlipidemia (OR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.12-1.21), obesity (OR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.24-1.31), and smoking (OR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.29-1.34) than controls. Patients with severe psoriasis had a higher adjusted odds of diabetes (OR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.3-2.01), obesity (OR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.55-2.05), and smoking (OR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.17-1.47) than controls. Additionally, diabetes (OR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.22-1.58) and obesity (OR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.32-1.63) were more prevalent in those with severe psoriasis than with mild psoriasis. The study was cross-sectional and therefore the directionality of the associations could not be determined. Multiple cardiovascular risk factors are associated with psoriasis. Cardiovascular risk factors that are key components of the metabolic syndrome are more strongly associated with severe psoriasis than with mild psoriasis. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Autoantibodies, neurotoxins and the nervous system.
Myasthenia gravis, the Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome, and acquired neuromyotonia are three disorders of the neuromuscular junction or motor nerve that are caused by autoantibodies to ion channel proteins: acetylcholine receptors, voltage-gated calcium channels and voltage-gated potassium channels, respectively. The antibody titres can be measured using the relevant 125I-neurotoxins to label the extracted channels. Other disorders of the peripheral motor nerve are associated with antibodies to gangliosides. Sera with raised levels of anti-ganglioside antibodies have direct effects on the function of the distal motor nerve and motor nerve terminal. These conditions can be improved by therapies designed to reduce circulating antibodies. Antibodies that bind to neuronal surface antigens are proving to be of great clinical importance and interest in neurological disorders. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Parasitization by pteromalid wasps (Hymenoptera) of freeze-killed house fly (Diptera: Muscidae) puparia at varying depths in media.
Three laboratory experiments were performed to assess parasitization of freeze-killed house fly puparia, buried 0 to 6 cm in media, by Muscidifurax raptor Girault & Saunders, Muscidifurax raptorellus Kogan & Legner, Muscidifurax zaraptor Kogan & Legner, Trichomalopsis sarcophagae (Gahan) and Urolepis rufipes (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae). Virtually no parasitization occurred at depths greater than 1 cm in large arenas (988 cm2) with densities of 0.3 puparia and 0.008 female parasitoids per cm2. Parasitization was observed at depths as great as 4 cm for three of five species in small arenas (3 cm2) with densities of 6.4 puparia and 1.0 female per cm2. Combined across experiments, M. raptor achieved the highest level of parasitization, followed by M. zaraptor, M. raptorellus, U. rufipes, and T. sarcophagae. The greatest number of F1 females was produced by the gregarious species T. sarcophagae (834 female female) and M. raptorellus (708 female female), and then by the solitary species M. raptor (530 female female), M. zaraptor (365 female female) and U. rufipes (163 female female). High parasitization by M. raptor and high production of offspring by T. sarcophagae identify these species as being particularly attractive as biological control agents. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Settlement of Pomatoceros lamarkii (Serpulidae) larvae on biofilmed surfaces and the effect of aerial drying.
The settlement responses of Pomatoceros lamarkii (Polychaeta: Serpulidae) larvae to biofilms of varying age on slate surfaces and to dried biofilms on slate surfaces were investigated in the laboratory. Settlement experiments were performed as multi-treatment, still water assays. Larvae did not settle on clean, non-biofilmed slates but settled on biofilms up to 28 days old. Settlement intensity was closely related to the bacterial density of a biofilm. Drying a biofilmed surface for 1-2 h at 20 degrees C to simulate a single tidal emersion completely negated the former inductive effect of the biofilm. Drying also negated the larval settlement-inducing effect that normally results from the presence of conspecific adults. The settlement inhibition lasted for approximately 5 days following a single drying event. Larvae settled readily on biofilms exposed to formalin and antibiotics. Treating biofilms with formalin or antibiotics before or after drying had no effect upon larval avoidance of dried biofilms. Freeze-drying a biofilm had the same effect as aerial drying. The biofilm drying effect could not be mimicked by exposing biofilms to hyper-saline seawater. The finding that P. lamarkii larvae do not settle on dried biofilms could have significance in explaining the natural distribution of this species in the intertidal. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
A qualitative process evaluation of an oral health promotion program for older migrant adults.
Qualitative process evaluation of a community-based health promotion program conducted to improve the use of oral health services, oral health knowledge, attitudes, and practices of older Greek and Italian adults living in Melbourne, Australia. Fifteen focus groups were conducted with a sample of program participants (n=151) aged 55 and over, drawn from nine Italian and six Greek ethnic clubs. The focus groups sought participants' views about all aspects of the oral health promotion program and delivery, including the use of educational seminars; the preparation of simple language printed material known as the ORHIS (Oral Health Information Seminars/Sheets); and the distribution and demonstration of oral care products relevant to each individual seminar. Participants expressed positive views about the program and delivery approach. Findings indicated the importance of communicating dental information through a culturally relevant approach using easily understandable printed material in the participants' native languages; using the venue of their social clubs for health promotion efforts; and using an interactive and socially supportive approach that combined information giving, skills development and discussion in small groups over time. This process evaluation indicated that the ORHIS approach was perceived by participants as appropriate in assisting them to raise awareness of oral health issues and improving oral health knowledge and behaviours. This approach was highly acceptable to and valued by these communities. Findings suggest that when migrant populations are afforded greater consideration and time to learn about oral health concerns in an accessible and culturally relevant manner, the results may be quite positive. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Prevalence of high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) and invasive cervical cancer in patients with low grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) at cervical pap smear.
To assess the prevalence and factors associated with a histologic diagnosis of high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) and invasive cervical cancer in patients with low grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) cervical pap smear findings. Medical records (including cytology reports, colposcopic impression, and pathologic results from cervical biopsy, endocervical curetting, cervical conization or hysterectomy) of 226 women with LSIL from conventional cervical pap smears during January 2001 to December 2005, who subsequently underwent colposcopic evaluation at our institution, were reviewed. Mean age of the patients was 39.0 years. The incidences of LSIL, HSIL, microinvasive cervical cancer were 58.8%, 15.0%, 1.3% respectively. No associations were found between age, parity, contraception, anti-HIV or menstrual status and the detection of HSIL/invasive cervical cancer. Approximately 16.3 % of LSIL pap smear cases turn out to be HSIL or invasive cervical cancer from histologic diagnosis. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
[Anorectal lesions in Crohn's disease. Our experience].
Nine years experience of anorectal surgery for Crohn-related lesion have been analysed. The series regards only 14 cases with pathology including ragade, abscesses and anocutaneous and retrovaginal fistulas. Treatment was as conservative as possible except for cases in which fistulizations led to sepsis as a result of which some adjustments had to be made and proctectomies in incontinence. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Intra-individual variation of the sperm chromatin structure assay DNA fragmentation index in men from infertile couples.
The sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) is a valuable tool for prediction of fertility in vivo, with DNA fragmentation index (DFI) of 30% as a clinically useful cut-off level. Previous studies on fertile men have shown a high level of repeatability, with an intra-individual variability in DFI of ≈ 10%. However, conflicting data on how much the DFI fluctuates within individuals exist. The aim of the present study was to investigate the intra-individual variation of DFI in order to further evaluate the clinical use of SCSA. Among 2409 consecutive men under infertility investigation, repeated SCSA analyses were performed on 616 samples from men between 18 and 66 years of age. The coefficient of variation (CV) for DFI was calculated. For each patient, we also analyzed whether the DFI value in tests I and II switched the category from <30 to >30%, or vice versa. Mean CV for DFI for men with at least two SCSA analyses within a 30-month period was 30.1% (SD 21.5). Compared with the first test, 85% (95% confidence interval: 82-87%) of the men remained on the same side of the cut-off point of 30%. Despite showing a high intra-individual CV for DFI, 85% of the men from infertile couples did not change category between tests, with respect to the cut-off level of 30%. Thus, using the previously established DFI cut-off value of 30%, a single SCSA analysis has a high predictive value for assessing fertility in vivo. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Comparison of standard (0.02%) and low dose (0.002%) mitomycin C in the prevention of corneal haze following surface ablation for myopia.
To retrospectively compare the safety and efficacy of lower dose mitomycin C (MMC) (0.002%) to that of the standard dose (0.02%) in eyes treated with photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) for myopia. The clinical efficacy of 95 eyes receiving myopic PRK with a standard concentration of MMC (0.02%) is sequentially compared to 126 eyes receiving low dose MMC (0.002%). The topical exposure times for MMC varied between 30 seconds and 2 minutes in both groups, and direct contralateral eye comparison of these two exposure times was analyzed in a prospective subset of 39 patients from among the low dose group. Patients were examined preoperatively and postoperatively at 1, 3, 6-9, and 9-12 months. Haze, visual acuity, and efficacy ratio outcomes were analyzed. The preoperative findings were overall statistically similar, except for higher spherical equivalent refractive error (P = .007) and best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (P = .007) in the standard MMC group. Postoperatively, haze levels ranged from 0 to 4+. With multivariable analysis, significantly less haze was noted among the standard dose MMC eyes for high myopia and higher ablation depth at all postoperative time points. In contrast, the haze levels were statistically similar for moderate myopia and lower ablation depths at the latter postoperative time points. The subset of contralateral eyes randomly receiving low dose MMC (0.002%) at either 30 seconds or 2 minutes exposure showed no significant difference in haze between these exposure times. The standard concentration of topical MMC (0.02%) is more effective than low dose MMC (0.002%) in preventing postoperative haze following surface ablation for myopia > or = -6.00 D and deeper ablation depth > or = 75 microm. However, for moderate myopia and shallow depth, low dosing appears to be equally effective. The duration of MMC exposure appears to be less important than its concentration. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
The therapeutic window for spinal cord decompression in a rat spinal cord injury model.
There are no clinically based guidelines to direct the spine surgeon as to the proper timing to undertake decompression after spinal cord injury (SCI) in patients with concomitant stenosis-induced cord compression. The following three factors affect the prognosis: (1) severity of SCI; (2) degree of extrinsic spinal cord compression; and (3) duration of spinal cord compression. To elucidate further the relationship between varying degrees of spinal stenosis and a mild contusion-induced SCI (6.25 g-cm), a rat SCI/stenosis model was developed in which 1.13- and 1.24-mm-thick spacers were placed at T-10 to create 38 and 43% spinal stenosis, respectively. Spinal cord damage was observed after the stenosis-SCI that was directly proportional to the duration of spinal cord compression. The therapeutic window prior to decompression was 6 and 12 hours in the 43 and 38% stenosis-SCI lesions, respectively, to maintain locomotor activity. A significant difference in total lesion volume was observed between the 2-hour and the delayed time(s) to decompression (38% stenosis-SCI, 12 and 24 hours, p < 0.05; 43% stenosis-SCI, 24 hours, p < 0.05) indicating a more favorable neurological outcome when earlier decompression is undertaken. This finding was further supported by the animal's ability to support weight when decompression was performed by 6 or 12 hours compared with 24 hours after SCI. Analysis of the findings in this study suggests that early decompression in the rat improves locomotor function. Prolongation of the time to decompression may result in irreversible damage that prevents locomotor recovery. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Punches and knocks to the physicians: choosing wisely or self protection?
A case of a normal delivery in which the obstetrician has been beaten and insulted without any reason by the patient’ husband is reported. Patient’ husband followed his personal, wrong, perspectives about the labour and delivery. As patients pretend from physicians unnecessary exams and procures irrespective from physicians’ suggestions, the culprits of our failure in not following the “choosing wisely” are the patients. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Relationship between structural and hemodynamic heterogeneity in microvascular networks.
The relationship between structural and hemodynamic heterogeneity of microvascular networks is examined by analyzing the effects of topological and geometric irregularities on network hemodynamics. Microscopic observations of a network in the rat mesentery provided data on length, diameter, and interconnection of all 913 segments. Two idealized network structures were derived from the observed network. In one, the topological structure was made symmetric; in another a further idealization was made by assigning equal lengths and diameters to all segments with topologically equivalent positions in the network. Blood flow through these three networks was simulated with a mathematical model based on experimental information on blood rheology. Overall network conductance and pressure distribution within the network were found to depend strongly on topological heterogeneity and less on geometric heterogeneity. In contrast, mean capillary hematocrit was sensitive to geometric heterogeneity but not to topological heterogeneity. Geometric and topological heterogeneity contributed equally to the dispersion of arteriovenous transit time. Hemodynamic characteristics of heterogeneous microvascular networks can only be adequately described if both topological and geometric variability in network structure are taken into account. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
[The fractals theory and its significance for dermatology].
Classic mathematical methods are frequently not suitable for the investigation of complex "natural" shapes, that cannot be approximated by geometric structures. A theory developed by Mandelbrot has made it possible to analyse such "fractals". Many biological and medical shapes could be identified as fractal. These results suggest fractal structures for some dermatological lesions. This is particularly true for skin lesions related to the vascular system (e.g., livedo racemosa, spider naevus). Furthermore, computer simulation of pathogenetic mechanisms can demonstrate that the lesions of a skin disease are fractal in nature. This method can be applied to skin tumours with horizontal cell growth (e.g., carcinoma and melanoma in situ) and to the architecture of spider naevus. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Clinicopathological study of lymph-node metastasis in 1,389 patients with early gastric cancer: assessment of indications for endoscopic resection.
The endoscopic resection of early gastric cancers (EGC) is a standard technique in Japan and is increasingly used throughout the world. Further experience in the treatment of EGC and a clearer delineation of the factors related to lymph-node metastasis would permit a more accurate assessment of endoscopic resection. The study group comprised 1,389 patients with EGC who underwent gastrectomy with lymph-node dissection. We evaluated the relations of lymph-node metastasis to clinicopathological factors. Of the 718 patients with intramucosal carcinomas, 14 (1.9%) had lymph-node metastasis. All cases of lymph-node metastasis were associated with ulceration. No lymph-node metastasis was found in patients with intramucosal carcinomas without ulceration, irrespective of tumor size and histological type. Lymph-node metastasis was present in 14 (4.7%) of the 296 patients who had cancer with a submucosal invasion depth of less than 500 microm (sm1). Significantly increased rates of lymph-node metastasis were associated with undifferentiated types, ulcerated lesions and lymphatic invasion. No lymph-node metastasis was found in patients with differentiated sm1 carcinomas 30 mm or less in diameter without ulceration. Lymph-node metastasis occurred in 29% of the patients who had cancer with a submucosal invasion depth of 500 microm or more (sm2). This large series of patients with EGC provides further evidence supporting the expansion of indications for endoscopic treatment, as well as warns against potential risks. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Characterization of nucleotide sequence of hepatitis B surface gene and enhancer element of HBV.
The HBV DNA sequence containing a primary part of pre-S2, the coding sequence of the major S protein and the enhancer sequence in pTWS1 was completely sequenced. A comparison with other previously published HBV sequences indicates that the nucleotide sequence homology in the pre-S2 region is 97%, 98% and 98% for adw, adr and ayw subtypes, respectively, and 76% among different subtypes. The nucleotide sequence homology in the major S protein region is 99% for each adw, adr and ayw subtype, and 90% among different subtypes. The important regulatory enhancer sequence (nucleotides 1036-1204) is identical in all subtypes. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
The negative impact of the repeal of the Arkansas motorcycle helmet law.
On July 1, 1997, Arkansas became the first state in 14 years to repeal their adult helmet law. We examined the clinical and financial impact of this repeal. A 6-year retrospective review was conducted of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences trauma registry including the 3 years before and the 3 years after the repeal of the helmet law. A head and neck Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) score >or= 3 was considered severe. All patients admitted to the hospital or who died in the emergency department were included in the study. The database of the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department was also used to determine the number of crashes and fatalities occurring statewide (1995-1999). Although total and fatal crashes in Arkansas were not significantly different (1995-1996 vs. 1998-1999), nonhelmeted deaths at the scene of a crash significantly increased from 19 of 48 (39.6%) (1995-1996) to 40 of 53 (75.5%) (1998-1999) (p < 0.0001). Before repeal, 25% of nonfatal crash admissions were nonhelmeted (18 of 73). This significantly increased to 54% (52 of 96, p< 0.001) after repeal. Overall, patients who were nonhelmeted had significantly higher AIS scores for head and neck, significantly more severe head injuries (AIS score >or= 3), 47% (33 of 70) versus 20% (20 of 99), and significantly longer length of intensive care unit stay. Financially, patients without helmets had significantly higher unreimbursed charges compared with their helmeted counterparts, resulting in a total of 982,560 dollars of additional potentially lost revenue over the length of the study. Repeal of the mandatory helmet law was associated with an increase in the nonhelmeted crash scene fatality rate. After the repeal, there was a disproportionately higher admission rate for nonhelmeted motorcycle crash survivors. These patients had an increased use of hospital resources and poorer reimbursement of charges compared with their helmeted counterparts. This resulted in significantly higher unreimbursed charges. States considering repeal of their mandatory adult helmet laws should consider the potential negative financial impact on their health care system and the increased morbidity associated with nonhelmeted motorcycle riders involved in a crash. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Statistics in the pathology laboratory: diagnostic test interpretation.
Appropriate interpretation of diagnostic tests is critical in clinical practice. Reference ranges are used most commonly but these can be misleading. The calculation of post-test probability of disease is a useful alternative as it provides an estimate of disease likelihood given a particular test result. The assessment of post-test probability and problems associated with reference ranges are discussed in this review. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Clinical and molecular characteristics of patients with non-amyloid light chain deposition disorders, and outcome following treatment with high-dose melphalan and autologous stem cell transplantation.
Light chain deposition disease (LCDD) is caused by a clonal plasma cell disorder in which fragments of monoclonal immunoglobulin light chains form non-fibrillary deposits in various tissues resulting in organ dysfunction. Crystal storing histiocytosis (CSH) is another light chain deposition disorder in which monoclonal light chains form intracytoplasmic crystals. Both are uncommon diseases for which there is limited treatment experience. Between 2003 and 2005, five patients with LCDD and one with CSH were treated at Boston University Medical Center with high-dose melphalan and autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (HDM/SCT). Five of the six patients had predominantly renal involvement, and one patient with LCDD had biopsy-proven deposits in the myocardium. Molecular characterization revealed that the pathologic light chains were kappa in four of the six patients, and sequence analysis revealed unusual germline donor genes and high rates of amino-acid substitutions. One light chain sequence encoded a new potential N-linked glycosylation site, and another showed evidence of antigen selection. All patients are alive and five of the six patients are in complete hematologic remission at a median follow-up of 12 months (range 4-29 months) after HDM/SCT. In our experience, HDM/SCT is a feasible and effective treatment approach for these disorders. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Serum prohepcidin and other iron metabolism parameters in elderly patients with anemia of chronic disease and with iron deficiency anemia.
The diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in the context of the anemia of chronic disease (ACD) in elderly patients is often difficult due to the existence of many disorders. Recent studies have shown that hepcidin measurement (combined with the existing diagnostic methods) may possibly help in the differential diagnosis of IDA and ACD. The aim of the study was to evaluate the differential diagnostic value of serum prohepcidin in elderly patients with IDA and ACD. The study included 65 individuals aged 65 years or more: 26 patients with ACD, 13 patients with IDA, and 26 age-matched controls. Prohepcidin, ferritin, soluble transferrin receptor, erythropoietin, and interleukin 6 (IL-6) were measured using the commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Complete blood count, total iron-binding capacity (TIBC), and iron, transferrin, and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were assayed using the standard laboratory methods. Prohepcidin concentrations were similar in patients with ACD (196.59 ng/ml) compared with those with IDA (230.16 ng/ml) (P = 0.35). Patients with ACD had significantly lower levels of TIBC compared with those with IDA (P <0.0001). Serum ferritin concentration in patients with ACD was almost 20-fold higher compared with those observed in patients with IDA (P <0.0001). CRP and IL-6 concentrations in patients with ACD were significantly higher compared with those with IDA. The results of the study indicate that serum prohepcidin has limited value in the differential diagnosis of IDA and ACD in elderly patients. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
[[Parent-child residential relationship and migration from the viewpoint of children]].
"Facilitated by our previous macro-models, we analyzed the effects of children's characteristics on the residential relationship with parents using the data of the Second National Survey on Migration in Japan, 1986 conducted by [the] Institute of Population Problems. The characteristics studied here were children's age, birth order, marital status, sex, sib size, number of living parents, education and birth place." Comparisons are made of the age, sex, and marital status of children who leave the parental home and those who continue to reside with their parents. (SUMMARY IN ENG) | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Management training: too often lacking. Virginia facility, community college offer in-house course.
Directors of Nursing are often registered nurses that have worked their way up through the clinical ranks. Being promoted to D.O.N., however, may place them in a role where they lack the proper management training to function effectively. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Adolescent nicotine exposure produces immediate and long-term changes in CNS noradrenergic and dopaminergic function.
Animal studies have only recently begun to address whether nicotine evokes unique or persistent effects on brain structure or function during adolescence, the period in which smokers typically begin their habit. In the current study, we examined the impact of adolescent nicotine treatment on catecholaminergic synaptic function in rats infused with nicotine on postnatal days 30-47.5, using a paradigm that reproduces the plasma levels of nicotine found in smokers. We assessed norepinephrine and dopamine content, turnover (an index of neural activity), and the response to an acute challenge dose of nicotine. In the midbrain, the region most closely associated with addiction, both norepinephrine and dopamine turnover were activated during the infusion period, an effect not seen in any other region for norepinephrine, and only in the striatum for dopamine. In the immediate post-infusion period (PN50-60), there was a decrement in midbrain catecholamine turnover restricted to males, whereas there was a later-emerging (PN80) activation of these pathways. Again, this pattern was not observed in any other region: the cerebral cortex showed post-treatment increases in turnover without gender selectivity, the striatum showed late-emerging deficits in dopamine turnover and the hippocampus displayed a profound deficit in noradrenergic activity that was limited to females. We also assessed the catecholaminergic response to an acute challenge with nicotine (0.3 mg/kg s.c.). The midbrain once more displayed unique properties; there was initial suppression of responses followed by post-treatment rebound elevations that were more prominent in males and eventual deficits that, in the case of dopamine, were selective for males. With the exception of the cerebellum, other regions showed the initial loss of response during the infusion period but no persistent changes in responsiveness. The current results indicate that adolescent nicotine produces immediate and long-term changes in CNS catecholaminergic systems, with regional targeting and gender selectivity corresponding to the changes seen previously in nicotinic receptor upregulation or indices of cell damage. These effects may underlie long-term behavioral changes associated with adolescent nicotine exposure. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Sociology and the nursing curriculum: a defence.
This paper is a response to Keith Sharp's (1994) argument in the Journal of Advanced Nursing that sociology cannot in principle provide a knowledge base for nursing work. The aim here is to reassert the appropriateness of including sociology in the nursing curriculum. Three arguments put forward by Sharp are engaged with. First, he questions nursing's need for any theoretical basis at all. This hypothesis is rejected on the grounds that any occupation that is involved in complex decision-making requires some sort of theoretical guidance. Second, Sharp argues that the multi-paradigmatic nature of sociology makes it inappropriate for nurses who require more certain knowledge as a basis for their actions. Two responses to this argument are made: first, that the fissures within sociology are not as great as Sharp portrays them and, second, that nurses possess adequate criteria to be able to judge between different sociological propositions. Sharp's final argument is that the reflexive approach of sociology is an inappropriate way of thinking for nurses, whose approach is instrumental. In reply, it is noted that Sharp's instrumental model of nursing action does not adequately reflect the manner in which nurses interact with patients, and that 'new nursing' practices require reflexivity on the part of the nurse. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Representation of the fovea in the superior temporal sulcus of the macaque monkey.
The response properties of 633 neurons from striate and prestriate cortex were recorded in 3 hemispheres of two awake cynomolgus monkeys while they fixated or tracked a small spot of light. Of 254 penetrations located at 1 mm intervals, 39% were identifiable from visible electrolytic lesions or electrode tracks and were used to reconstruct the positions of all recording sites. A total of 226 cells were located in the superior temporal sulcus and 81 cells in area V1. The location and visuotopic organization of the foveal portion of the middle temporal (MT) visual area were determined in three hemispheres. MT was defined physiologically on the basis of direction-selectivity, receptive field size, and retinotopic organization. Of 170 MT neurons, most were motion sensitive, and 65% had a directionality index, (best-opposite)/best, of 0.6 or higher. MT was defined anatomically on the basis of myelin staining within the superior temporal sulcus (STS). On the posterior bank of the STS the physiologically defined border corresponded closely to a myelin border visible on our sections. Distinct myelin borders were not consistently identifiable on the anterior bank. The representation of the central fovea (eccentricities of 0-1 deg) was located partly on the floor, but mostly on the posterior bank of the STS at the extreme postero-lateral edge of MT. In all three hemispheres foveal MT extended onto the roof of a cleft formed between the posterior bank and a wide flattened area on the floor of the STS. This region lies 10-12 mm below the brain surface, measuring along a line normal to the surface at a point 2-3 mm antero-lateral to foveal V1. The area of MT was 6-9 mm2 for the central fovea (0-1 deg), 15-24 mm2 for the entire fovea (0-3 deg), and 28-40 mm2 including the fovea and parafovea (0-10 deg). A visuotopic map of central foveal V1 (0-1 deg) was obtained in one animal. The measured area of this representation was 116 mm2. Using published estimates of the total areas of cynomolgus MT and V1 (73 and 1200 mm2 respectively) the ratio of central foveal to total area was calculated to be 0.10 for both MT (7.5/73) and V1 (116/1200), indicating that the relative magnification of the foveal versus the peripheral visual field is preserved in the mapping of V1 onto MT. A separate representation of the central visual field was found immediately adjacent to foveal MT.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS) | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Psychiatric morbidity in spouses of women admitted to a mother and baby unit.
The spouses of 40 women admitted to a psychiatric Mother and Baby Unit were interviewed to detect psychiatric morbidity, and aspects of their social and marital functioning. This group was compared with 25 men whose wives had not shown obvious psychiatric disorder in the puerperium. Psychiatric morbidity, using DSM-III (American Psychiatric Association, 1980) criteria, was present in 42% of the index group, and 4% of the comparison group. The main diagnoses were major depressive episode and generalised anxiety disorder. This was associated with poorer marital and social function in the index group. Male psychopathology after delivery has been studied little but may be significant in the management of postpartum syndromes. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Intracellular microelectrode characterization of the rabbit cortical collecting duct.
Cortical collecting ducts of the rabbit were perfused in vitro and the intracellular potential (Vbl) was measured with KCl-filled microelectrodes. The ratio of apical to basolateral membrane resistance (Ra/Rbl) was estimated from the voltage divider ratio using cable analysis. In control tubules Vbl averaged--84.0 +/- 2.5 mV and Ra/Rbl was 0.83 +/- 0.11. Pretreatment of the rabbits with mineralocorticoid caused Vbl to hyperpolarize to--105.8 +/- 3.1 mV and Ra/Rbl to decrease slightly to 0.62 +/- 0.10. A 10-fold increase of the luminal [K+] caused a 40.6 +/- 3.1 mV depolarization of Vbl in control tubules and a 33.0 +/- 4.2 mV depolarization in tubules from DOCA-pretreated rabbits. Concurrently, Ra/Rbl decreased in both groups, consistent with the existence of a conductive K+ channel at the apical cell membrane. This apical K+ channel was not sensitive to amiloride but was blocked by Ba2+. Conductive movement of Na+ across the apical membrane was also apparent in that Ra/Rbl increased with amiloride from 0.61 +/- 0.10 to 1.45 +/- 0.28. A 10-fold increase in the bath [K+] caused a 28.6 +/- 3.8 and a 49.4 +/- 4.4 mV depolarization of Vbl in tubules obtained from control and DOCA-pretreated rabbits, respectively. In both groups Ra/Rbl increased, suggesting that the basolateral cell membrane also contains a conductive K+ channel. Taken together the results support a model in which the transepithelial reabsorption of Na+ and the transepithelial secretion of K+ are driven by the Na+-K+-ATPase located in the basolateral cell membrane, with passive movement of these ions occurring through separate conductive pathways in the apical cell membrane. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
A strategy for the design of membrane-permeable folypoly-gamma-glutamate synthetase inhibitors: "bay-region"-substituted 2-desamino-2-methyl-5,8-dideazafolate analogs.
Previous attempts to design inhibitors of mammalian folylpolyglutamate synthetase (FPGS) have resulted in three classes of active compounds, all of which have charged moieties in the side chain, but structural alteration of the rest of the folate molecule has not seemed to be an avenue for drug discovery. However, groups in the side chain of folate analogs that bear charge distributions different from that of glutamic acid appear to prevent efficient transport into mammalian cells on the reduced folate carrier system. We now report that substituents at the 7-, 2'-, or 3'-position of 2-desamino-2-methyl-4-hydroxyquinazoline antifolates decrease or prevent the catalysis of diglutamate formation by FPGS but are compatible with efficient binding to the reduced folate carrier system. Thus, 5,8-dideazafolates with a 3'-alkyl group had a lower Vmax for FPGS than did the corresponding unsubstituted quinazolines, by a factor of 4-12, but these compounds inhibited the reaction of control FPGS substrates, indicating that the 3'-groups had much larger effects on catalytic activity than on binding to enzyme. A 7-methyl substituent affected the Vmax of a series of 5,8-dideazafolate compounds by a factor of 2-8, but this decrease in the catalytic rate was also accompanied by an increase in the Km of the substituted compounds by a factor of 10-100. The extent of the effect of a 7-methyl substituent on Vmax appeared to be dependent on the size of the substituent at N10. Different substituents at the 2'-position affected the kinetics of the FPGS reaction with one of three patterns, i.e., 1) a 2'-fluoro substituent both increased Vmax and decreased Km slightly, 2) either -OH or -NH2 decreased the Vmax without affecting the Km, and 3) 2'-Cl-, -CH3, -CF3, or -OCH3 substituents were found to both decrease Vmax and increase Km. Substitutions at the 7-, 2'-, or 3'-position had only minor effects on the ability of 2-desamino-2-methyl-4-oxoquinazolines to interfere with the transport of [3H]methotrexate into L1210 cells. Hence, these classes of compounds are likely to be efficiently transported by the reduced folate carrier system. We conclude that the region of the folate molecule bounded by the 7-, 6-, 9-, 10-, 3'-, and 2'-positions, the "bay region," is of major importance both for the binding of folates and folate analogs to FPGS and for the assumption of a conformation of the enzyme-substrate complex compatible with catalysis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS) | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
The use of split deltoid-flap in the treatment of massive rotator cuff defects: a retrospective study of 61 patients.
Massive and irreparable rotator cuff tears are a challenge for the orthopaedic surgeon. The purpose of this study was to report our experience with the treatment of massive and irreparable defects of the rotator cuff with a modified deltoid split transfer. Between 1996 and 2004, for all patients suffering from full-thickness tears of the rotator cuff (> 5 cm tears in diameter, involving two or more tendons) were operated with a modified deltoid split transfer. A total of 61 patients (39 females and 22 males; age 61.9: range 49-75 years) were operated. Duration of symptoms before surgery averaged 9.6 months (range 3.5-14 months). The patients were followed for an average of 46 months (range 24-64 months). The operation included an arthroscopic evaluation, acromioplasty with resection of the lateral clavicular end, resection of the acromioclavicular joint and where necessary biceps tenodesis. The cuff defect was repaired by transfer of half thickness anterior deltoid-flap (3 cm x 5 cm) into the defect. All patients were evaluated both preoperatively and postoperatively with regard to pain, ability to perform activities of daily life, range of motion, strength and satisfaction. The patients subjectively rated their results--49 (80%) excellent or good outcome, seven moderate and five poor. Preoperatively, the Constant amounted 33.5 +/- 7.74 points. At follow-up, the score significantly increased to 77.57 +/- 19.74 points. The acromiohumeral distance increased from 5.1 +/- 1.4 mm to 9.1 +/- 1.5 mm. Pain free flexion improved from an average 90 degrees to an average 165 degrees (P < 0.01), and abduction improved from an average 110 degrees to an average 160 degrees (P < 0.01). The mean external rotation increased from 40 degrees to 65 degrees (P < 0.01), and internal rotation increased from 50 degrees to 70 degrees (P = 0.06). In the MRI and ultrasound examination, all patients had intact flap, except the three patients with flap necrosis. There were eight complications--three haematomas, two superficial wound infections which did not influence the outcome, and three fibrotic transformation after an early aseptic necrosis of the deltoid flap, which were re-operated. This technique is easy to perform, and it is possible to obtain a satisfactory outcome after repair of massive tears of the rotator cuff. A substantial decrease of pain, increased stability, an increase range of motion and strength can be achieved, with proper rehabilitation. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Facultative adjustment of the offspring sex ratio and male attractiveness: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Females can benefit from mate choice for male traits (e.g. sexual ornaments or body condition) that reliably signal the effect that mating will have on mean offspring fitness. These male-derived benefits can be due to material and/or genetic effects. The latter include an increase in the attractiveness, hence likely mating success, of sons. Females can potentially enhance any sex-biased benefits of mating with certain males by adjusting the offspring sex ratio depending on their mate's phenotype. One hypothesis is that females should produce mainly sons when mating with more attractive or higher quality males. Here we perform a meta-analysis of the empirical literature that has accumulated to test this hypothesis. The mean effect size was small (r = 0.064-0.095; i.e. explaining <1% of variation in offspring sex ratios) but statistically significant in the predicted direction. It was, however, not robust to correction for an apparent publication bias towards significantly positive results. We also examined the strength of the relationship using different indices of male attractiveness/quality that have been invoked by researchers (ornaments, behavioural displays, female preference scores, body condition, male age, body size, and whether a male is a within-pair or extra-pair mate). Only ornamentation and body size significantly predicted the proportion of sons produced. We obtained similar results regardless of whether we ran a standard random-effects meta-analysis, or a multi-level, Bayesian model that included a correction for phylogenetic non-independence. A moderate proportion of the variance in effect sizes (51.6-56.2%) was due to variation that was not attributable to sampling error (i.e. sample size). Much of this non-sampling error variance was not attributable to phylogenetic effects or high repeatability of effect sizes among species. It was approximately equally attributable to differences (occurring for unknown reasons) in effect sizes among and within studies (25.3, 22.9% of the total variance). There were no significant effects of year of publication or two aspects of study design (experimental/observational or field/laboratory) on reported effect sizes. We discuss various practical reasons and theoretical arguments as to why small effect sizes should be expected, and why there might be relatively high variation among studies. Currently, there are no species where replicated, experimental studies show that mothers adjust the offspring sex ratio in response to a generally preferred male phenotype. Ultimately, we need more experimental studies that test directly whether females produce more sons when mated to relatively more attractive males, and that provide the requisite evidence that their sons have higher mean fitness than their daughters. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Complicated access for regional infusion chemotherapy. A consequence of variant hepatic artery anatomy.
Arterial access for regional infusion chemotherapy of primary or metastatic liver cancers may be complicated because of inadequate vessel size or variant hepatic artery anatomy. Recently, an unusual case required that we devise an extemporaneous method of single-catheter access. This approach may, in selected cases, be an acceptable and safe alternative to a more traditional access technique. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
The effects of simulated acid rain on internal nutrient cycling and the ratios of Mg, Al, Ca, N, and P in tea plants of a subtropical plantation.
Acid rain alters nutrient cycling in tea plantations. However, the acquisition of Mg and Ca by plants and their nutrient interactions with Al, N, and P in response to acid rain are poorly understood. Experimental treatments simulating acid rain at various acidities (pH 4.5, 3.5, and 2.5) were performed within a red soil tea plantation in China. The available Mg, Al, Ca, N, and P were analyzed in the rhizosphere and bulk soils. Further, these elements were measured in absorptive, transportive, and storative roots in addition to twigs, tea, and mature leaves. Available soil Mg and Ca exhibited negative and positive rhizosphere effects, respectively, but the levels of both decreased due to acid rain treatment. In addition, average Mg and Ca concentrations generally decreased in plant tissues with increasing acidity. In contrast, average Al concentration increased across all plant tissues with increasing acidity treatment. Meanwhile, the ratios of Al/Mg and Al/Ca increased with increasing acidity but that of N/Al decreased in twigs and roots. Lastly, the ratios of N/Al, P/Ca, and N/P were all altered by acid treatment in tea and/or mature leaves. Taken together, these results indicated that elevated acidity increased the internal cycling of Al in plants but decreased Mg and Ca fluxes between soils and roots. Further, the response of interactions among the five measured elements to different acidities varied with tea plant tissue. Our findings may advance our understanding of plant adaptation to increasing soil acidification and atmospheric acid deposition around the world. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Platinum-iridium subdermal magnetic resonance imaging-compatible needle electrodes are suitable for intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring during image-guided surgery with high-field intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging: an experimental study.
Neurosurgery aims to achieve maximal tumor resection while preserving neurological function. Tools such as neuronavigation, high-field intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (iMRI), and intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IOM) have consistently helped to achieve this goal, but integration has often been difficult. Surgery of eloquent areas requires IOM, which in an operating theater equipped with high-field (1.5-T) iMRI could present several issues. To identify the electrodes types more suitable for IOM in a high-field iMRI operating theater by performing an experimental study on phantoms, to report our experience with platinum-iridium (Pt/Ir) electrodes during surgery, and to prove that integration between IOM with Pt/Ir electrodes and high-field iMRI is safe and reliable. Electrodes of different materials (gold, Pt/Ir, and stainless steel) were tested on jelly phantom and apples to evaluate their safety and compatibility. Subsequently, electrodes were tested on 5 healthy volunteers before being used on patients. None of the different electrodes presented thermal instability, and no damage to the volunteers' skin occurred. Stainless steel electrodes caused severe imaging distortion. Gold electrodes had no distortion, but their high cost makes their use in routine surgery unaffordable. Pt/Ir electrodes are significantly less expensive than gold electrodes and were completely safe, compatible, and suitable for use in an operating theater with high-field iMRI, providing excellent IOM and mild interference that did not affect the quality of intraoperative imaging. We suggest the use of Pt/Ir electrodes for IOM in 1.5-T iMRI suites. DTI, diffusion tensor imagingiMRI, intraoperative magnetic resonance imagingIOM, intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
A demonstration of increased exclusive breastfeeding in Chile.
Exclusive breastfeeding was promoted through the first 6 months of life using prenatal lectures, monthly support and education, peer encouragement, home visits, growth monitoring, and assistance in returning to exclusive breastfeeding. Exclusive breastfeeding increased significantly in the service area after the program started, while morbidity decreased significantly and nutritional status remained about the same among clinic attenders. This result shows that, at least in the study conditions, programs to achieve exclusive breastfeeding can be both feasible and desirable. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Peer victimization and social phobia: a follow-up study among adolescents.
This study examined longitudinal associations between direct and relational peer victimization (DV/RV) and self-reported social phobia (SP) among adolescents from 15 to 17 years of age, controlling for depression and family socioeconomic covariates. A total of 3,278 Finnish adolescents with a mean age of 15.5 years were surveyed at baseline (T1), and followed up 2 years afterwards (T2) their mean age being 17.6 years. In all, 2,070 adolescents were reached for the follow-up. Both types of victimization were assessed with structured questions, SP with the Social Phobia Inventory, and depression with the 13-item Beck Depression Inventory. Socioeconomic covariates were assessed with items from the Life Events Checklist. Frequency of victimization and SP were assessed at T1 and T2, and incidence and persistence from T1 to T2. Longitudinal associations between victimization and SP were examined with three logistic regression analyses with depression and socioeconomic covariates controlled for, with SP, DV, and RV in turn as the dependent endpoint (T2) variables. Among boys a bidirectional association between DV and SP was found with DV both predicting SP [Odds Ratio (OR) 2.6] and being predicted by SP (OR 3.9). Among girls RV predicted SP (OR 2.8), but not vice versa, while depression in turn predicted DV (OR 4.3). Direct victimization and SP have a bidirectional association among boys, while among girls RV increases the risk of subsequent SP. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Correlates of subjective well-being in schizophrenic patients treated with atypical antipsychotics.
Objective A growing body of research indicates that a low subjective well-being (SW) may be predictive of non-adherence and less favourable outcome. This study examined baseline variables and variables in the course of treatment hypothesised to be associated with later SW. Methods Sixty-three inpatients with schizophreniform disorder or schizophrenia were randomly assigned to treatment with various atypical antipsychotics after a wash-out phase of 2 days. Subjects were evaluated with a protocol that examined psychopathology (Positive and Negative Symptom Scale, PANSS), side effects (Scandinavian Society of Pharmacology, UKU), and subjective well-being (Subjective Well-being under Neuroleptic treatment, SWN) at baseline and endpoint (mean duration of treatment 39.9 days). Two-thirds of subjects were multiple episode schizophrenic inpatients pre-treated with antipsychotics. Results Multiple regression analyses revealed that the PANSS negative score, neurological side effects, and SWN at baseline, as well as change of the PANSS positive score between baseline and endpoint, were associated independently with SW at endpoint (R(2)=0.55 after exclusion of two subjects). Conclusions Patients with low SW, severe negative symptoms, and neurological side effects, all at baseline, as well as those without improvement or deterioration of positive symptoms are at risk of low SW later in treatment and, most likely, of non-adherence. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Potentially toxic elements in urban soils: source apportionment and contamination assessment.
Soils play a vital role in the quality of the urban environment and the health of its residents. City soils and street dusts accumulate various contaminants and particularly potentially toxic elements (PTEs) from a variety of human activities. This study investigates the current condition of elemental concentration in the urban soils of Hamedan, the largest and the fastest-growing city in western Iran. Thirty-four composite soil samples were collected from 0 to 10 cm topsoil of various land uses in Hamedan city and were analyzed for total concentration of 63 elements by ICP-MS. The possible sources of elemental loadings were verified using multivariate statistical methods (principal component analysis and cluster analysis) and geochemical indices. The spatial variability of the main PTEs was mapped using geographic information system (GIS) technique. The results revealed a concentration for As, Co, Cr, Mn, Mo, Ni, and V in the soil samples comparable to the background values as well as a range of associations among these elements in a single component suggesting geogenic sources related to geological and pedogenic processes, while the soils mostly presented a moderate to considerable enrichment/contamination of Cd, Zn, Pb, and Sb and moderate enrichment/contamination of Cu, Zn, and Mo. It was found that anthropogenic factors, vehicular traffic in particular, control the concentration of a spectrum of elements that are typical of human activities, i.e., Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, Sb, and Zn. Lead and Sb were both the most enriched elements in soils with no correlation with land use highlighting general urban emissions over time and the impact of transport networks directly on soil quality. The highest concentrations of As were recorded in the southern part of the city reflecting the influence of metamorphic rocks. The effect of the geological substrate on the Co and Ni contents was confirmed by their maximum concentrations in the city's marginal areas. However, high spatial variability of urban elements' contents displayed the contribution of various human activities. In particular, the increased concentration of Cd, Sb, and Pb was found to be consistent with the areas where vehicular traffic is heaviest. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Laser and novel light source treatments for psoriasis.
There are many treatment modalities for psoriasis including topical therapy, ultraviolet light therapy, systemic agents, and more recently the advent of the biologic agents. In addition, selective treatment using lasers and light sources that target the individual psoriatic plaques have also been employed. This article will highlight and review the employment of laser-assisted devices in the treatment of plaque psoriasis. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Glucocorticoid receptor in active pulmonary sarcoidosis.
Glucorticoid receptor (GR) content of open-chest lung biopsies of 8 patients with active non treated pulmonary sarcoidosis was compared to 10 normal lungs. Results showed a higher GR level in sarcoid lungs (86.0 +/- 8.0 fMol/mg protein) than in control ones (8.2 +/- 3.1 fMol/mg protein). Our findings suggest that this increase is due to the accumulation of active cells in the sarcoid granuloma, possibly lymphocytes and or macrophages that may express cytosolic GR. The high level of this receptor in sarcoidosis may represent an indicator of the responsiveness of this disease to corticoids. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Individual short-acting opioids and the risk of opioid-related adverse events in adolescents.
Hydrocodone, codeine, oxycodone, and tramadol are frequently prescribed to adolescents for moderate pain related to minor trauma or dental, surgical, or medical procedures. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic differences between these opioids could affect their relative safety. We aimed to compare occurrence of opioid-related adverse events in adolescents without cancer or other severe conditions taking hydrocodone, codeine, oxycodone, and tramadol. Retrospective cohort study of 201 940 Tennessee Medicaid enrollees 12 to 17 years of age without cancer, other severe conditions, or evidence of substance abuse with 529 731 filled prescriptions for study opioids. Adverse events were defined as an emergency department visit, hospital admission, or death related to opioid use, confirmed by medical record review. Serious events had opioid-related escalation of care, hospitalization, or death. Propensity-score adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated with hydrocodone as the reference category. The incidence of opioid-related adverse events per 10 000 person-years of opioid exposure was 97.5 for hydrocodone (127 events/13 026 person-years), 91.2 for codeine (58/6,359), 229.7 for oxycodone (43/1,872), and 317.7 for tramadol (47/1479). The HRs for tramadol in comparison with hydrocodone for all and serious events were 2.98 (2.03-4.39) and 2.94 (1.81-4.75), respectively. Increased risk for tramadol was consistently present when the adverse events were restricted to those with neurologic-respiratory depression/other symptoms of possible overdose. In adolescents without cancer or other severe conditions prescribed short-acting opioids, the incidence of both all opioid-related adverse events and more serious events with opioid-related escalation of care, hospitalization, or death was consistently greater for tramadol than for hydrocodone. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Federal HIV budget grows while states make big cuts. ADAP faces critical shortage, limits enrollment.
The federal government's FY 2003 budget provides modest increases in HIV prevention and care funding. Meanwhile, budget problems at city and state health departments mean reduction in AIDS programs, including critical services, such as drug treatment, nutrition, and housing assistance. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
The angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, captopril disrupts the motility activation of sperm from the silkworm, Bombyx mori.
Angiotensin I-converting enzyme (also known as peptidyl dicarboxypeptidase A, ACE, and EC 3.4.15.1), which is found in a wide range of organisms, cleaves C-terminal dipeptides from relatively short oligopeptides. Mammalian ACE plays an important role in the regulation of blood pressure. However, the precise physiological functions of insect ACE homologs have not been understood. As part of our effort to elucidate new physiological roles of insect ACE, we herein report a soluble ACE protein in male reproductive secretions from the silkmoth, Bombyx mori. Seminal vesicle sperm are quiescent in vitro, but vigorous motility is activated by treatment with either a glandula (g.) prostatica homogenate or trypsin in vitro. When seminal vesicle sperm were pre-incubated with captopril, a strong and specific inhibitor of mammalian ACE, and then stimulated to initiate motility by the addition of the g. prostatica homogenate or trypsin, the overall level of acquired motility was reduced in an inhibitor-concentration-dependent manner. In the course of this project, we detected ACE-related carboxypeptidase activity that was inhibited by captopril in both the vesicular (v.) seminalis of the noncopulative male reproductive tract and in the spermatophore that forms in the female bursa copulatrix at the time of mating, just as in an earlier report on the tomato moth, Lacanobia oleracea, which belongs to a different lepidopteran species (Ekbote et al., 2003a). Two distinct genes encoding ACE-like proteins were identified by analysis of B. mori cDNA, and were named BmAcer and BmAcer2, respectively [the former was previously reported by Quan et al. (2001) and the latter was first isolated in this paper]. RT-qPCR and Western blot analyses indicated that the BmAcer2 was predominantly produced in v. seminalis and transferred to the spermatophore during copulation, while the BmAcer was not detected in the adult male reproductive organs. A recombinant protein of BmAcer2 (devoid of a signal peptide) that was expressed in Escherichia coli cells exhibited captopril-sensitive carboxypeptidase activities. Our findings show that the BmAcre2 gene encodes a secreted ACE protein included in the Bombyx seminal plasma. In particular, the silkworm ACE protein in the seminal fluid might be involved in the signaling pathway that leads to the activation and regulation of sperm motility. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
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