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The IgG2 Isotype of Anti-Transcription Intermediary Factor 1γ Autoantibodies Is a Biomarker of Cancer and Mortality in Adult Dermatomyositis.
Anti-transcription intermediary factor 1γ (anti-TIF1γ) antibodies are the main predictors of cancer in dermatomyositis (DM). Yet, a substantial proportion of anti-TIF1γ-positive DM patients do not develop cancer. This study was undertaken to identify biomarkers to better evaluate the risk of cancer and mortality in DM. This multicenter study was conducted in adult anti-TIF1γ-positive DM patients from August 2013 to August 2017. Anti-TIF1γ autoantibody levels and IgG subclasses were identified using a newly developed quantitative immunoassay. Age, sex, DM signs and activity, malignancy, and creatine kinase (CK) level were recorded. Risk factors were determined by univariate and multivariate analysis according to a Cox proportional hazards regression model. Among the 51 adult patients enrolled (mean ± SD age 61 ± 17 years; ratio of men to women 0.65), 40 (78%) had cancer and 21 (41%) died, with a mean ± SD survival time of 10 ± 6 months. Detection of anti-TIF1γ IgG2 was significantly associated with mortality (P = 0.0011) and occurrence of cancer during follow-up (P < 0.0001), with a 100% positive predictive value for cancer when the mean fluorescence intensity of anti-TIF1γ IgG2 was >385. None of the patients developed cancer after 24 months of follow-up. Univariate survival analyses showed that mortality was also associated with age >60 years (P = 0.0003), active DM (P = 0.0042), cancer (P = 0.0031), male sex (P = 0.011), and CK level >1,084 units/liter (P = 0.005). Multivariate analysis revealed that age >60 years (P = 0.015) and the presence of anti-TIF1γ IgG2 (P = 0.048) were independently associated with mortality. Our findings indicate that anti-TIF1γ IgG2 is a potential new biomarker of cancer that should be helpful in identifying the risk of mortality in anti-TIF1γ-positive DM patients. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Adolescents' response to parental efforts to influence eating habits: when parental warmth matters.
Previous findings have shown both beneficial and adverse effects of parents' attempts to influence adolescents' eating habits. The current study examined the differential effect of parents' persuasion (e.g., encouragement, giving information) and pressure tactics (e.g., guilt induction, ridicule) and the moderating influence of parental warmth on older adolescents' emotional and behavioral responses. An ethnically diverse sample of 336 older adolescents (M age = 18.6; SD = 1.1; 58.0% female) were surveyed. Adolescents who reported higher levels of pressure tactics by parents reported more negative affect and behavioral resistance. Perceived parental warmth moderated the influence of persuasion tactics, but not pressure tactics. For adolescents with low parental warmth, high levels of persuasion were associated with more negative emotional and behavioral responses; persuasion had the opposite associations for adolescents with high parental warmth. These results suggest that parental warmth plays an important role in how older adolescents respond to parents' persuasion tactics. However, when parents use more forceful pressure tactics to influence eating habits, adolescents react negatively regardless of the overall quality of the parent-adolescent relationship. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Development of diagnostic tools for the analysis of 5p deletions using interphase FISH.
Cri-du-chat syndrome is associated with a deletion of the short arm of chromosome 5. Through the phenotypic and molecular analyses of individuals with a subset of the features associated with the syndrome, the genes involved in the syndrome have been mapped to two distinct critical regions. Deletion of a critical region in 5p15.2 results in the distinct facial features associated with the syndrome as well as the severe mental and developmental delay, while a deletion of 5p15.3 is associated only with the characteristic cat-like cry, the key diagnostic feature of the syndrome. Therefore, subtle differences in the extent of the 5p deletion can have a profound affect on the prognosis of the patient. In order to more easily differentiate between deletions that lead to the cri-du-chat syndrome phenotype and deletions that lead only to the isolated cat-like cry, we have constructed YAC contigs that span both critical regions. The YAC clones have been used to isolate cosmids mapping to each critical region and cosmids that lie just within the two critical region boundaries have been identified. We report here on the use of these cosmids as probes for fluorescent in situ hybridization experiments on interphase nuclei as a means of more accurately differentiating between small 5p deletions that coincide with a complete cri-du-chat syndrome phenotype and the severe mental and developmental delay that is associated with it and deletions that only delete the distal critical region that coincide with the isolated cat-like cry and a much improved prognosis. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Acquired (non-Wilsonian) hepatocerebral degeneration: complex management decisions.
Portal systemic encephalopathy, in its many guises, can be reversible after medical management or liver transplantation. It is much less certain whether patients with a longstanding neurodegenerative syndrome (known in the medical vernacular as acquired hepatocerebral degeneration) can improve. Impressive neuroimaging abnormalities have been reported in this entity.(1) However, the combination of a severe disabling neurologic deficit and widespread magnetic resonance abnormalities tempers the enthusiasm of transplant surgeons to proceed with liver transplantation. In our liver transplantation program, we were recently confronted with such a case, and present herein not only the characteristic magnetic resonance imaging findings but also some of the dilemmas of management. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Groin soft tissue tumors--a challenge for local control and reconstruction: a prospective cohort analysis.
Groin soft tissue tumors are associated with high local recurrence rates of 16-48% and postoperative complications in 40-68%. Neoadjuvant chemoradiation and aggressive reconstructive techniques were utilized to improve local control and complication rates in this challenging area. Nine patients in this prospective series were treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiation (30 mg IV doxorubicin x 3d followed by 300 cGy/d x 10d) followed by surgery and two patients received radiation (5,000 cGy with tissue spacer) followed by surgery for tumors with a pelvic/retroperitoneal component. Surgery included resection plus reconstruction of the abdominal wall, myocutaneous flaps for large defects, and vascular reconstruction as necessary. The 11 consecutive patients presented with Stage I (30%), II (40%), or III (30%) disease. Four patients (36%) were operated on for possible incarcerated hernia prior to referral and two (18%) presented with recurrent tumors. Pathology included 10 sarcomas and 1 desmoid tumor; tumor grade was low (30%), moderate (40%), or high (30%). Local control (mean follow-up 55 months; minimum follow-up 36 months) and limb salvage rate was 100%. Minor wound complications not requiring re-operation occurred in three patients, lymphedema in two, and there were no postoperative hernias. Preoperative therapy provides excellent local control of groin soft tissue tumors. Current surgical techniques allow extensive resection with limb salvage, dependable primary wound healing and long-term integrity of the abdominal wall. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Isolation and chromosomal localization of genomic DNA sequences coding for cytoplasmic superoxide dismutase from Drosophila melanogaster.
A synthetic oligodeoxynucleotide 18-mer probe derived from the amino acid sequence of Drosophila melanogaster cytoplasmic superoxide dismutase (cSOD) was used to screen a D. melanogaster genomic library. One of the positive clones maps by in situ hybridization to position 68A8-9 on the left arm of polytene chromosome 3, the region to which cSOD mutants have previously been mapped genetically. Partial sequence analysis verifies the presence of cSOD-coding sequences in this clone and indicates that the intron structure of the Drosophila cSOD gene differs significantly from its human counterpart. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
The patient's view of anaesthesia in an Australian teaching hospital.
One hundred and thirty-nine patients undergoing routine surgical procedures over a five-day period at Royal Brisbane Hospital were interviewed after operation. 66.2% of patients were aware that an anaesthetist needed a medical qualification. 76% expected their anaesthetic to be without complications. 80% were seen pre-operatively by an anaesthetist. 8% volunteered complaints about some aspect of the anaesthetic. On closer questioning, 80% mentioned specific complaints. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
A new algorithm for automatic vascular mapping of DCE-MRI of the breast: Clinical application of a potential new biomarker.
Vascularity evaluation on breast dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) has a potential diagnostic value, but it represents a time consuming procedure, affected by intra- and inter-observer variability. This study tests the application of a recently published method to reproducibly quantify breast vascularity, and evaluates if the vascular volume of cancer-bearing breast, calculated from automatic vascular maps (AVMs), may correlate with pathologic tumor response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). Twenty-four patients with unilateral locally advanced breast cancer underwent DCE-MRI before and after NAC, 8 responders and 16 non-responders. A validated algorithm, based on multiscale 3D Hessian matrix analysis, provided AVMs and allowed the calculation of vessel volume before the initiation and after the last NAC cycle for each breast. For cancer bearing breast, the difference in vascular volume before and after NAC was compared in responders and non-responders using the Wilcoxon two-sample test. A radiologist evaluated the vascularity on the subtracted images (first enhanced minus unenhanced), before and after treatment, assigning a vascular score for each breast, according to the number of vessels with length ≥30mm and maximal transverse diameter ≥2mm. The same evaluation was repeated with the support of the simultaneous visualization of the AVMs. The two evaluations were compared in terms of mean number of vessels and mean vascular score per breast, in responders and non-responders, by use of Wilcoxon two sample test. For all the analysis, the statistical significance level was set at 0.05. For breasts harboring the cancer, evidence of a difference in vascular volume before and after NAC for responders (median=1.71cc) and non-responders (median=0.41cc) was found (p=0.003). A significant difference was also found in the number of vessels (p=0.03) and vascular score (p=0.02) before or after NAC, according to the evaluation supported by the AVMs. The encouraging, although preliminary, results of this study suggest the use of AVMs as new biomarker to evaluate the pathologic response after NAC, but also support their application in other breast DCE-MRI vessel analysis that are waiting for a reliable quantification method. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Health-care market robust.
Construction of health care facilities hit an all-time high in 2002 totalling about $16 billion of work. As baby boomers age health care construction will soar, because seniors are the largest consumers of health care The top five firms--Perkins & Will, HDR, HKS, NBBJ, and Ellerbe Becket--monopolize about 20 percent of the work. H.R. 1 increases Medicare payments to rural hospitals by $25 billion over 10 years--so help is on the way for facilities that are languishing. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Properties of PAF-acether-induced platelet aggregation and secretion. Studies in gel-filtered human platelets.
Human platelets rapidly lose their responsiveness to PAF-acether after blood collection. We collected blood from fasting donors and prepared gel-filtered platelets that remained responsive to PAF-acether for about 6 hours. Log-dose response studies showed biphasic aggregation between 20 and 100 nM PAF-acether with secretion of dense-, alpha- and lysosomal granule contents during the second wave of aggregation. Between 0.2 and 10 nM PAF-acether aggregation was weak and no secretion occurred whereas 300 nM PAF-acether or more induced maximal aggregation and secretion. Secretion, however, was never more than 70, 55, and 30% of maximal secretable amount of 5HT, beta TG and beta N, respectively. Aggregation and secretion were enhanced by fibrinogen (optimal concentration 0.3-0.7 g.1(-1)), required Ca2+ or Mg2+ but were inhibited when Mg2+ or Ca2+ were present at a concentration of 2 mM or more. These data show that human platelets are almost equally sensitive to PAF-acether as rabbit platelets, and respond with incomplete secretion of dense-, alpha- and lysosomal granule contents. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
The experiences of close relatives living with a person with serious chronic illness.
Living with serious chronic illness has a directly threatening effect on the life course of healthy relatives. The aim of this study was to elucidate the meaning of close relatives' experiences of living with a person with serious, chronic illness. Using a narrative approach, the authors interviewed 13 spouses and 1 daughter about the meaning of their experiences. They used a phenomenological hermeneutic method to interpret the interview text. The structural analysis revealed three major themes: A Shrinking Life, Forced to Take Responsibility, and Struggling to Keep Going. Close relatives in this study seemed to be living lives characterized by a reduced sense of individual freedom and an increased sense of responsibility for the care of the ill person. It means struggling to obtain the strength to manage their duty and an inner sense of community and of solidarity. The authors interpret the findings in the light of the works of philosophers who have described ethical demands and natural love between people. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Australia's Gambling Epidemic: The Role of Neighbourhood Ethnic Diversity.
Gambling is a popular leisure activity but also a significant public health issue in Australia. The severity of gambling in Australia is characterised by unprecedented gambling expenditures and losses representing the highest gambling rates in the world, which has led to renewed interests in understanding the factors influencing gambling behaviours. We contribute to the debate on the determinants of gambling by providing the first study that examines the impact of ethnic diversity on gambling. Using data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey, we find that ethnic diversity is positively associated with gambling. This result is robust to alternative estimation approaches, alternative ways of measuring ethnic diversity and irrespective of whether gambling is measured using the Problem Gambling Severity Index, gambling expenditures or number of gambling activities. Our results also suggest stronger effects of ethnic diversity for problem gamblers compared to gamblers in other risk categories. These results support the need for policies that promote social capital in diverse communities to reduce the risks of social isolation, which is an important motivator of gambling behaviour. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
[Production of antibiotic substances by natural variants of the marine bacterium Vibrio Fischeri].
It was shown that under definite conditions there was competition between natural variants of sea bacteria belonging to V. fischeri. Natural variants of V. fischeri, strain 6 differed in their resistance to streptomycin and had different growth rates under conditions of limited aeration. Morphologically all the variants were identical. V. fischeri P-0, V. fischeri P-1 and V. fischeri P-2 were studied. The study revealed that V. fischeri P-0 produced a non-dialysing thermostable trypsin-sensitive substance inhibiting the growth of V. fischeri P-1 and V. fischeri P-2. The maximum activity of the antibacterial substance was observed when V. fischeri P-0 was grown in a liquid medium with peptone and yeast extract without agitation at 26 degrees C. The inhibiting substance was also active against V. fischeri BKM B995 and V. fischeri P-7 isolated as a result of V. fischeri P-0 exposure to ethidium bromide. The substance had no effect on the following bacterial species: Aeromonas liquefaciens 301, Achromobacter liquefaciens, Pseudomonas putida 15, Pseudomonas fluorescence 7, Escherichia coli AH-32 and Staphylococcus aureus. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Effect of heparin on the outcome of IVF treatment: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
The effect of heparin on IVF outcome has been widely debated in the literature. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the published literature was conducted to evaluate the effect of heparin treatment on IVF outcome. Searches were conducted on MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and Web of Science and identified 10 relevant studies (five observational and five randomized) comprising 1217 and 732 IVF cycles, respectively. The randomized studies included small numbers of women and exhibited high methodological heterogeneity. Meta-analysis of the randomized studies showed no difference in the clinical pregnancy rate (RR 1.23, 95% CI 0.97-1.57), live birth rate (RR 1.27, 95% CI 0.89-1.81) implantation rate (RR 1.39, 95% CI 0.96-2.01) and miscarriage rate (RR 0.77, 95% CI 0.24-2.42) in women receiving heparin compared with placebo during IVF treatment. However, meta-analysis of the observational studies showed a significant increase in the clinical pregnancy rate (RR 1.83, 95% CI 1.04-3.23, P=0.04) and live birth rate (RR 2.64, 95% CI 1.84-3.80, P<0.0001). The role of heparin as an adjuvant therapy during IVF treatment requires further evaluation in adequately powered high-quality randomized studies. The effect of heparin on IVF outcome is widely debated. Despite the results of published studies being conflicting, it has been suggested that the use of heparin results in increased pregnancy rates following IVF treatment. We conducted a systematic and comprehensive of the published literature to evaluate the effect of heparin treatment on IVF outcome. Searches were conducted on MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and Web of Science. We identified 10 studies from the literature and extracted the relevant data from the studies. Analyses of the data from randomized trials showed no improvement in the clinical pregnancy rate or the live birth rate in the group that received heparin. However, the studies included had small numbers of women and high methodological heterogeneity. The role of heparin in this context requires further evaluation in adequately powered randomized studies. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Survey of the use of oesophageal and precordial stethoscopes in current paediatric anaesthetic practice.
The aim of the study was to examine the use of oesophageal and precordial stethoscopes for monitoring in current paediatric anaesthetic practice in the UK and Ireland. A postal survey of members of the Association of Paediatric Anaesthetist of Great Britain and Ireland was undertaken. One hundred and forty-five questionnaires were returned with a response rate of 67.4%. Some 35.2% of anaesthetists never use an oesophageal or precordial stethoscope and the majority of the remaining 64.8% use one in less than one-third of their practice. Use of the stethoscope as a continuous monitor has decreased and most anaesthetists feel it has been superseded by other monitoring. However, almost one-third of anaesthetists recorded critical incidents they had been involved with where an oesophageal or precordial stethoscope detected the incident early. Complications of these monitoring devices were rare and the main factors limiting their use was the presence of better monitoring, such as pulse oximetry and capnography, and lack of availability. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
A new model to estimate the appropriate staff for a clinical engineering department.
This study points out that the Clinical Engineering Department (CED) can provide expertise for the improvement of healthcare services if the size of the CED is appropriately determined; that is when the number of engineers, technicians and administrative staff is suitable for the activities that they are intended to carry out and for the amount of equipment they must manage. The paper presents a simple and flexible model where the staff is estimated according to the activities that need to be carried out by the CED and according to the amount of biomedical equipment being managed. Several examples of application and comparisons with the results provided by other models are reported and discussed. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Quality control of Tc-99m DTPA for measurement of glomerular filtration: concise communication.
When technetium-99m DTPA is used to measure glomerular filtration rate (GFR), the accuracy depends on the supplier of the radiopharmaceutical. The error in GFR is due to protein binding, as we have shown by direct measurement. In 19 patients, GFR measured with Tc-DTPA and corrected for protein binding agreed with that measured simultaneously using Yb-169 DTPA (correlation coefficient 0.991). Without correction, Tc-DTPA gave falsely low values in patients having good renal function, in whom unbound activity cleared rapidly while bound activity remained in the circulation. When Tc-DTPA is used to measure GFR, the in vivo protein binding should be measured and used to correct the data. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Antimicrobial susceptibilities of Clostridium difficile isolated in Japan.
Clostridium difficile is a common causative organism of antimicrobial-associated diarrhea and is often responsible for nosocomial infection. C. difficile infection has traditionally been treated with metronidazole (MNZ) or vancomycin (VCM); however, MNZ-resistant strains have reported in some countries. In this study the broth microdilution method was used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 15 drugs against 157 clinical isolates of C. difficile in Japan. All C. difficile isolates tested were susceptible to MNZ; MIC50 was 0.25 μg/ml, MIC90 was 0.5 μg/ml, and MIC range was 0.06-1 μg/ml. C. difficile isolates were also susceptible to VCM; MIC50 was 0.5 μg/ml, MIC90 was 1 μg/ml, and MIC range was 0.12-2 μg/ml. Susceptibility to teicoplanin was also similar: MIC50 was 0.12 μg/ml, MIC90 was 0.12 μg/ml, and MIC range was 0.03-0.25 μg/ml. The susceptibility of C. difficile isolates must be monitored continuously because a strain with reduced susceptibility to MNZ or VCM might emerge in the future. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
The antiarrhythmic effect of verapamil on atrioventricular re-entry in the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome: a computer model study.
Verapamil is supposed to suppress the initiation of circus movement supraventricular tachycardia by affecting the atrioventricular node. In electrophysiological tests, programmed stimulation is usually performed by using the same location for pacing and premature stimulus. Spontaneous ectopic activity starts from a different location than the sinus node and can therefore find altered re-entry conditions. In this study a 3D computer model based on Huygen's principle is used for simulation of the spread of excitation in the human heart in combination with a posterobasal, right or left lateral accessory pathway (AP). The effect of verapamil on properties of the atrioventricular node were modelled by prolonging the effective refractory period and basal conduction time. For each of the three APs, ectopic foci at the atrial base and between sinus node and AP were modelled at various coupling intervals for investigating re-entrant activation. In the control state (without verapamil) only orthodromic echoes were found. The maximum echo zone (EZ) range was found near the AP. If stimuli were selected further away from the AP on the atrial basis, the EZ range decreased until no EZ was found. The EZ range decreased from it's maximum value near the AP, towards the difference of the effective refractory periods between AP and AV-node near the sinus node Verapamil abolished the EZ in case of a posteroseptal AP. For a lateral AP the administration of verapamil resulted in an orthodromic and antidromic EZ depending on the atrial premature activation site. A maximum orthodromic EZ was found for premature stimuli near the AP. As stimulus site moved away from the AP, the EZ range first decreased continuously to zero leading eventually to an antidromic EZ. These findings suggest the important influence of the site of premature stimuli with respect to the accessory pathway and AV-node on the inducibility of atrial re-entry. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Osteoid osteoma: the uniquely innervated bone tumor.
Osteoid osteomas are benign bone-forming tumors that despite their small size (<2.0 cm) characteristically produce severe nocturnal bone pain that is relieved by aspirin. This typical clinical presentation is virtually unique among bone tumors. Histologically, osteoid osteomas are circumscribed nodules of woven bone and osteoid with prominent osteoblastic rimming (the nidus), surrounded by thickened cortical and trabecular bone and loose fibrovascular tissue (the reactive zone). Prostaglandins mediate the pain of osteoid osteomas, but there have been few studies of their innervation. We investigated 34 osteoid osteomas using a streptavidin immunohistochemical technique and a panel of antibodies to neural and neural-associated antigens (phosphorylated neurofilament, neurofilament, and S-100 protein). Whenever possible, sections of the nidus and the reactive zone were stained. As controls, we stained other bone tumors that can be painful, including 10 osteoblastomas, 5 osteosarcomas, 6 giant cell tumors, 4 chondroblastomas, 3 aneurysmal bone cysts, and 6 cases of fibrous dysplasia. Twenty-five osteoid osteomas contained phosphorylated neurofilament-, neurofilament-, and/or S-100-positive nerve fibers in the reactive zone around the nidus and/or in the nidus. The nerve fibers were larger and more abundant in the reactive zone than in the nidus, and they were occasionally visible on hematoxylin- and eosin-stained slides on retrospective review. The smaller nerve fibers within the nidi were never identified, even after extensive review of those slides. In the nine cases in which nerve fibers were not identified, the sampled tissue consisted only of nidus. None of the control "bone tumors" contained detectable nerve fibers within their substance or in the adjacent peripheral bone. The nerve supply of osteoid osteoma seems unique among bone tumors, and it might serve as a marker in diagnostically difficult cases. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
The effects of short-term nicotine administration on behavioral and oxidative stress deficiencies induced in a rat model of Parkinson's disease.
We previously demonstrated that a 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) induced lesion of substantia nigra (SN), which is a very well known animal model of Parkinson's disease, resulted in memory deficits and increased brain oxidative stress. Also, recent reports had suggested that nicotine from smoke may contribute, at least in some parts, to the apparent neuroprotective effect of tobacco use in Parkinson's disease. In this way, in the present study we were interested to examine the effects of low-dose nicotine administration (5 days, 0.3 mg/kg/day) in a rat model of Parkinson's disease, on behavioral parameters from Y-maze or shuttle-box task and also on the oxidative stress markers from the temporal lobe, which is one of the most vulnerable cortical area to oxidative stress effects. The administration of nicotine resulted in significant improvements of short-term memory, as seen in the Y-maze task, as well an increase of conditioned avoidance responses and decreased number of escape failures in the shuttle-box task. Additionally, an increase in the specific activity of glutathione peroxidase and a decrease of the lipid peroxidation processes is reported. Moreover, we found a significant correlation between the behavioral results from the Y-maze and shuttle-box tasks and the levels of oxidative stress markers. Taken together our data suggest that short-term administration of low-dose nicotine facilitates memory processes and improves the oxidative stress status of the brain, after a 6-OHDA induced lesion of the SN. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Posterior sternoclavicular dislocation presenting with upper-extremity deep vein thrombosis.
Posterior sternoclavicular dislocation is an uncommon injury and often remains initially undiagnosed due to variable clinical presentation and inadequate visualization of the joint on plain radiographs. It is frequently associated with serious and life-threatening injuries involving the trachea, esophagus, or great vessels. A 15-year-old boy was knocked to the ground during wrestling and landed on his left shoulder. He presented 6 days after trauma with increasing arm swelling and pain. A Doppler ultrasound revealed deep vein thrombosis involving the left shoulder and arm. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography of the chest confirmed the diagnosis of left posterior sternoclavicular dislocation with the medial end of left clavicle compressing the underlying brachiocephalic vein. Venous duplex scan confirmed acute venous thrombosis of the left jugular and subclavian veins. Open reduction of the left posterior sternoclavicular dislocation was performed under general anesthesia with cardiothoracic surgery backup. The reduced joint was stable, negating the need for internal fixation. Postoperatively, the pain and arm swelling gradually subsided, and patient recovered well with no complications. Deep vein thrombosis has not been reported as a presenting symptom for posterior sternoclavicular dislocation. Orthopedic, trauma, and thoracic surgeons should be aware of this presentation and obtain a chest computed tomography scan with 3-dimensional reconstruction to confirm the diagnosis. In cases of posterior sternoclavicular dislocation with vascular compromise, patients should immediately undergo open reduction with or without internal fixation. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Monozygous twin brothers discordant for photosensitive epilepsy: first report of possible visual priming in humans.
The interaction of genetic predisposition and the environment in the development of epilepsy is often discussed, but, aside from some animal reflex epilepsies, little evidence supports such interaction in the development of reflex epilepsy in humans. We describe the history of a 16-year-old boy in whom photosensitive epilepsy developed after a period of weekly exposures to high-intensity light flashes. Both he and his clinically unaffected monozygotic twin were found to be photosensitive. This case report suggests that some genetic forms of human reflex epilepsy may be elicited by repeated environmental exposure to the appropriate stimulus, similar to some of the stimulus-induced epilepsies seen in animals. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
The prevalence of immunization to Duffy antigens in a population of known racial distribution.
A retrospective study at our hospital determined the race or ethnicity of patients seen in an 8-year period who had formed antibodies to Duffy antigens. During that time, 9876 serologic investigations had been performed as a result of a positive direct or indirect antiglobulin test. Among these samples, sera from 45 previously transfused or pregnant patients contained anti-Fya and two contained anti-Fy3. Twenty-nine of the sera that contained anti-Fya (62%) were from blacks, 12 (25%) were from whites, and 6 (13%) were from Hispanics. Both examples of anti-Fy3 were made by black patients. Red cells (RBCs) from 21 of the black patients were Fy(a-b-), those from 7 were Fy(a-b+), and those from 1 could not be phenotyped. RBCs from 17 of the non-black patients were Fy(a-b+) and those from 1 could not be phenotyped. The population of transfused patients evaluated in this study was 47 percent black, 29 percent white, and 24 percent Hispanic. Calculations based on an expected Fy(a-) frequency of 88 percent in blacks, 33 percent in whites, and 20 percent in Hispanics predict that the racial makeup of the Fy(a-) population at our hospital would be 73 percent black, 18 percent white, and 9 percent Hispanic, which is not significantly different (p = 0.25) from the racial makeup of the patients forming anti-Fya and -Fy3. These data indicate that blacks make antibodies to Duffy antigens as frequently as non-blacks. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
[Modification of the radiosensitizing effect of metronidazole by 5-fluorouracil and caffeine].
A study was made of the combined effect of 5-fluorouracil, metronidazole, caffeine and radiation on radiosensitivity of Pliss lymphosarcoma and protein synthesis rate during the first few hours following irradiation. A complete regression of the tumor was noted in 100% of animals after a 3-fold exposure. Effective postirradiation inhibition of protein synthesis was achieved by injection of metronidazole and caffeine together with 5-fluorouracil. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Integrating standards into practice. Revised standards for home care infusion: what has changed?
In 2006, the latest revision of the Infusion Nursing Standards of Practice was published by the Infusion Nurses Society. The Standards define the scope of practice and educational requirements for nurses who practice in infusion therapy in all healthcare settings. This article provides a description of the Standards, including a discussion of 12 Standards to illustrate their application in home care. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
n-3 fatty acids and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with dysglycemia.
The use of n-3 fatty acids may prevent cardiovascular events in patients with recent myocardial infarction or heart failure. Their effects in patients with (or at risk for) type 2 diabetes mellitus are unknown. In this double-blind study with a 2-by-2 factorial design, we randomly assigned 12,536 patients who were at high risk for cardiovascular events and had impaired fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance, or diabetes to receive a 1-g capsule containing at least 900 mg (90% or more) of ethyl esters of n-3 fatty acids or placebo daily and to receive either insulin glargine or standard care. The primary outcome was death from cardiovascular causes. The results of the comparison between n-3 fatty acids and placebo are reported here. During a median follow up of 6.2 years, the incidence of the primary outcome was not significantly decreased among patients receiving n-3 fatty acids, as compared with those receiving placebo (574 patients [9.1%] vs. 581 patients [9.3%]; hazard ratio, 0.98; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.87 to 1.10; P=0.72). The use of n-3 fatty acids also had no significant effect on the rates of major vascular events (1034 patients [16.5%] vs. 1017 patients [16.3%]; hazard ratio, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.93 to 1.10; P=0.81), death from any cause (951 [15.1%] vs. 964 [15.4%]; hazard ratio, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.89 to 1.07; P=0.63), or death from arrhythmia (288 [4.6%] vs. 259 [4.1%]; hazard ratio, 1.10; 95% CI, 0.93 to 1.30; P=0.26). Triglyceride levels were reduced by 14.5 mg per deciliter (0.16 mmol per liter) more among patients receiving n-3 fatty acids than among those receiving placebo (P<0.001), without a significant effect on other lipids. Adverse effects were similar in the two groups. Daily supplementation with 1 g of n-3 fatty acids did not reduce the rate of cardiovascular events in patients at high risk for cardiovascular events. (Funded by Sanofi; ORIGIN ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00069784.). | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
[Chemotherapeutic aspects of treating tumors in elderly patients].
The importance of the problems of the choice for the treatment of elderly patients with solid tumors is demonstrated in the article. It is clear, that the age must not be reason for refusal in conducting therapy with cytostatics. The analysis of age changes in various organs and systems has been carried out as well as the influence of this changes on pharmacykinetics and pharmcodynamics of cytostatics. Practical recommendations have been given concerning chemotherapy in elderly patients. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Inhibition of octopus glutathione transferase by Meisenheimer complex analog, S-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl) glutathione.
The tight binding of Meisenheimer intermediate with octopus digestive gland glutathione transferase was analyzed with 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene, which forms a trapped Meisenheimer complex with glutathione because there is no leaving group at the ipso carbon. By steady-state enzyme kinetic analysis, an inhibition constant of 1.89 +/- 0.17 microM was found for the transient formed, S-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl) glutathione. The above inhibition constant is 407-fold smaller than the Km value for the substrate (2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene). Thus, S-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl) glutathione is considered to be a transition-state analog. The tight binding of this inhibitor to the enzyme provides an explanation for the involvement of the biological binding effect on the rate enhancement in the glutathione transferase-catalyzed SNAr mechanism. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Precursor of a novel scorpion venom peptide (BmKn1) with no disulfide bridge from Buthus martensii Karsch.
A full-length cDNA sequence encoding the precursor of a novel venom peptide (named BmKn1) with no disulfide bridge was first isolated from the venom gland cDNA library of Chinese scorpion Buthus martensii Karsch. The encoded precursor consisted of 70 amino acid residues including two parts: a signal peptide of 23 residues, and a putative mature venom peptide (BmKn1) of 47 residues. The sequence of BmKn1 showed no similarity to those of other scorpion venom peptides. BmKn1 may be the first member of a new venom peptide family from scorpion. Future research will be interesting to unravel further the pharmacological function of this novel scorpion venom peptide. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Wortmannin inhibits the production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen intermediates and the killing of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae by isolated chicken macrophages.
The direct effects of wortmannin (0 to 1280 nM) on several functions in cultured macrophages isolated from Sephadex-elicited Leghorn chicken peritonea were studied. Under concentrations not affecting cell viability, wortmannin, as low as 5 nM, inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide production (P < 0.01). However, wortmannin (as high as 1280 nM) exposure 5 hours post LPS induction had no effect on nitric oxide production in macrophages, indicating a blockade of LPS-induction of a signaling pathway related to nitric oxide formation. Phorbol myristate acetate (PMA)-induced superoxide production was only inhibited (P < 0.001) by concurrent exposure to 1280 nM wortmannin. Prior exposure to 160 nM and higher of wortmannin for 24 hours reduced the average number of yeast cells ingested by or attached to a single macrophage (P < 0.001) and the ability of the macrophage to kill the baker's yeast (P < 0.05), while wortmannin itself did not affect the yeast. These data provide direct evidence for macrophages being the target cell of wortmannin and further support the notion that impaired macrophage functions are responsible for the immunosuppressive effect of wortmannin previously observed in birds. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Genome sequence characterization of canine parvoviruses prevalent in the Sichuan province of China.
Canine parvovirus 2 (CPV-2) infection is responsible for large numbers of animal deaths worldwide and is one of the most dangerous infectious diseases in young puppies. Twenty-four rectal swabs were collected from dogs with clinical signs of vomiting and haemorrhagic diarrhoea and were initially verified to be infected with CPV-2 using colloidal gold test strips. From the 24 CPV-positive samples, complete genome of 5050-5054 nucleotides was sequenced with a next-generation sequencing platform. Characteristics of the Open Reading Frames from different CPV-2 strains detected in this study were analyzed. Several VP2 point mutations were discovered, and demonstrated the co-circulation of new CPV-2a, new CPV-2b and CPV-2c in Sichuan province of China. The analysis results of the Chinese CPV-2 retrieved from the NCBI nucleotide, showed that new CPV-2a has become the predominant variant in some provinces of China. Phylogenetic analysis of global VP2 and NS1 nucleotide sequences revealed certain correlations among geographical regions, types and circulating time, which lays the foundation for further research concerning the epidemiology, genetic variation, vaccination and molecular evolutionary relationships of the CPV-2 identified at different times and from different regions. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
[Submucosal lipomas of the colon (considerations apropos of 3 clinical cases)].
Submucous colonic lipoma is relatively rare and can be the cause of important diagnostic and consequently therapeutic problems. The AA. reexamine the anatomo pathological and clinical features and the diagnostic and therapeutic problems, and refer 3 cases observed one of which was localized in the ileo-cecal valve. The AA. remark that radiological and endoscopic investigations and laparotomy features also can simulate a malignant tumor and address to the surgical technics of the oncologic surgery. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Incidence rate and management of prostate carcinoma.
The age-standardised incidence of prostate cancer varies more than one hundredfold between the areas with the highest and lowest incidences in the world. In certain areas, in particular the Western countries, the incidence has increased rapidly over the last 20 years. There are several environmental and genetic factors which partly explain these variations, although the incidence probably depends most of all on the extent to which small latent tumours are detected. As the clinical significance of small tumours is uncertain, the value of early diagnosis and early aggressive treatment is controversial. Randomised trials addressing this question have been initiated and will hopefully provide more evidence-based data in a decade from now. Small localised tumours are managed by radical surgery or radiation therapy. In elderly men or men unfit for operation or radiation therapy surveillance is often preferred. For advanced or metastatic prostate cancers androgen deprivation has been the mainstay of treatment since the early 1940s. Recently, several new treatment strategies have evolved but have not yet been introduced into clinical routine. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Can people with Alzheimer's disease improve their day-to-day functioning with a tablet computer?
New technologies, such as tablet computers, present great potential to support the day-to-day living of persons with Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, whether people with AD can learn how to use a tablet properly in daily life remains to be demonstrated. A single case study was conducted with a 65-year-old woman with AD. A specific and structured intervention tailored to her needs was conceptualised for the use of a calendar application on a tablet computer according to the following learning stages: Acquisition, Application and Adaptation. In spite of her severe episodic memory deficit, she showed progressive learning of the tablet application during the intervention phase. Furthermore, data compiled over 12 months post-use show that she used the tablet successfully in her day-to-day life. She was even able to transfer her newly acquired ability to other available applications designed to monitor regular purchases, consult various recipes and play games. Tablet computers thereby offer a promising avenue for cognitive rehabilitation for persons with AD. This success was mainly achieved through a one-on-one individual programme tailored to this person. The limits and constraints of utilising tablet computers for persons with AD are discussed. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with systemic sclerosis spontaneously secrete increased amounts of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) already in the early stage of the disease.
To investigate the capacity of the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) to produce vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and to identify clinical associations of altered production of VEGF by PBMC in SSc. In addition, correlation with another pro-angiogenic cytokine, TNF-related weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK), was evaluated. PBMC were isolated from 25 patients with SSc and 17 healthy controls (HC). VEGF and TWEAK were measured in the supernatants of cultured PBMC using commercially available ELISA kits. PBMC from SSc patients spontaneously released significantly greater amounts of VEGF as compared with HC. Production of VEGF was comparable between patients with early SSc and those with longer disease duration, and in both SSc groups higher than in HC. Patients without active digital ulcers produced significantly greater amounts of VEGF as compared with HC, while there was no significant difference in the production of VEGF between SSc patients with active digital ulcers and HC. VEGF/TWEAK ratio was significantly higher in PBMC from SSc patients than in HC indicating that high production of VEGF is not paralleled by increased release of TWEAK in SSc. PBMC form SSc patients produce increased amounts of VEGF already in the early stage of disease. There is an imbalance in the profile of pro-angiogenic mediators produced by PBMC in SSc which might contribute to the pathogenesis of SSc. Further studies should address clinical significance of our findings. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Click chemistry for the efficient preparation of functionalized [60]fullerene hexakis-adducts.
A Th-symmetrical C60 hexakis-adduct bearing 12 peripheral azide groups has been prepared and used to produce functionalized derivatives by the copper mediated Huisgen 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of azides and alkynes. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Kinanthraquinone, a new anthraquinone carboxamide isolated from Streptomyces reveromyceticus SN-593-44.
A new anthraquinone derivative, kinanthraquinone (1) was isolated from Streptomyces reveromyceticus SN-593-44. Its structure was determined by the combination of spectroscopic methods including NMR and MS. Kinanthraquinone had a characteristic carboxamide group and was a rare class of metabolite as an anthraquinone derivative isolated from microbes. It showed moderate cytotoxocity against HL-60 and srcts-NRK cell with IC50 value of 7.9 and 10 μM, respectively. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Retrospective analysis of sequential dose-finding designs.
The continual reassessment method (CRM) is a dose-finding design using a dynamic sequential updating scheme. In common with other dynamic schemes the method estimates a current dose level corresponding to some target percentile for experimentation. The estimate is based on all included subjects. This continual reevaluation is made possible by the use of a simple model. As it stands, neither the CRM, nor any of the other dynamic schemes, allow for the correct estimation of some target percentile, based on retrospective data apart from the exceptional situation in which the simplified model exactly generates the observations. In this article we focus on the very specific issue of retrospective analysis of data generated by some arbitrary mechanism and subsequently analyzed via the continual reassessment method. We show how this can be done consistently. The proposed methodology is not restricted to that particular design and is applicable to any sequential updating scheme in which dose levels are associated with percentiles via model inversion. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Endoscopic ultrasound-guided pancreatic fiducial placement: how important is ideal fiducial geometry?
Image-guided radiation therapy allows precise tumor targeting using real-time tracking of radiopaque fiducial markers. To enable appropriate tracking, it is recommended to place fiducials with "ideal fiducial geometry" (IFG). Our objectives were to determine the proportion of patients in whom IFG can be achieved when fiducials are placed by endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and surgery and to determine if attaining IFG is necessary for delivering radiation. This single-center retrospective cohort study included 77 patients with biopsy-proven advanced pancreatic cancer who underwent either EUS-guided or laparotomy/laparoscopy-assisted fiducial placement between September 2005 and July 2009. Gold fiducials were implanted by EUS in 39 patients (51%) and by surgery in 38 patients (49%). The proportion of patients with IFG was significantly higher for surgical placement [18/38, 47%; 95% confidence interval (CI), 32%-63%] compared with EUS-guided placement (7/39, 18%; 95% CI, 8%-32%), P = 0.0011. However, fiducial tracking was successfully used for Cyberknife therapy in 35 (90%) of 39 (95% CI, 77%-97%) patients in the EUS group compared with 31 (82%) of 38 (95% CI, 67%-92%) patients in the surgery group. There were 5 procedure-related complications in the EUS group. Achieving IFG appears unnecessary for successful tracking and delivery of radiation. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
The activation of human fibroblast prostaglandin E production by interleukin 1.
We have examined the induction of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) release from fibroblasts by human interleukin 1 (IL-1). A number of fibroblast cell lines appear to respond to IL-1 in a fashion similar to that seen with synovial fibroblast cultures. Using the Gin-1 primary fibroblast cell line, the earliest time where a significant increase in PGE2 release can be detected is 2 hr. Thereafter PGE2 appears to increase dramatically, with levels after 5 hr increased over 50-fold above baseline. IL-1 appears to directly induce the increase in PGE2 since removal of other proteins from culture medium does not affect induction. PGE2 induction by IL-1 also does not require cell proliferation. The induction appears to involve the synthesis of new protein since the enhanced release can be completely blocked by addition of actinomycin D or cycloheximide. Arachidonic acid mobilization in cells does not appear to be altered following IL-1 addition. However, the ability to convert arachidonic acid to PGE2 is increased following 5 hr of culture with IL-1. While increasing the release of PGE2, the addition of phorbol esters, alone or in combination with calcium ionophores, does not mimic the protein synthesis-dependent increase seen with IL-1. Taken together these results suggest that IL-1 induction of fibroblast PGE2 involves the synthesis of new protein or proteins involved in the conversion of free arachidonic acid to PGE2. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Sensitivity to endotoxin is induced by increased membrane fatty-acid unsaturation and oxidant stress.
The mechanisms modulating host susceptibility to endotoxin are unknown. Evidence suggests that endotoxin pathophysiology is mediated in part by oxidative reactions that lead to tissue damage and organ failure. The proposition is that conditions which favour oxidation sensitise the host to endotoxin. Central to this hypothesis is that an increase in the polyunsaturated fatty-acid composition of membrane phospholipids enhances susceptibility because such fatty acids are easily oxidised to produce mediators of the endotoxic crisis. Cytokines, such as tumour-necrosis factor and interferon-gamma, may be ultimately responsible for orchestrating these changes and thereby modify the host response to endotoxin. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Simultaneous assessment of cholesterol absorption and synthesis in humans using on-line gas chromatography/ combustion and gas chromatography/pyrolysis/isotope-ratio mass spectrometry.
A number of dietary components and drugs are known to inhibit the absorption of dietary and biliary cholesterol, but at the same time can compensate by increasing cholesterol synthesis. It is, therefore, necessary to have a convenient and accurate method to assess both parameters simultaneously. Hence, we validated such a method in humans using on-line gas chromatography(GC)/combustion and GC/pyrolysis/isotope-ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS). Cholesterol absorption was measured using the ratio of [(13)C]cholesterol (injected intravenously) to [(18)O]cholesterol (administered orally). Simultaneously, cholesterol synthesis was measured using the deuterium incorporation method. Our methodology was applied to 12 mildly hypercholesterolemic men that were given a diet providing 2685 +/- 178 Kcal/day (mean +/- SD) and 255 +/- 8 mg cholesterol per day. Cholesterol fractional synthesis rates ranged from 5.0 to 10.5% pool/day and averaged 7.36% +/- 1.78% pool/day (668 +/- 133 mg/day). Cholesterol absorption ranged from 36.5-79.9% with an average value of 50.8 +/- 15.4%. These values are in agreement with already known data obtained with mildly hypercholesterolemic Caucasian males placed on a diet similar to the one used for this study. However, our combined IRMS method has the advantage over existing methods that it enables simultaneous measurement of cholesterol absorption and synthesis in humans, and is therefore an important research tool for studying the impact of dietary treatments on cholesterol parameters. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Markers of cardiovascular risk in elderly patients with age-related macular degeneration.
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of irreversible visual impairment and blindness among persons aged 60 years and older and many theories exist and feature mechanisms of oxidative stress, atherosclerotic-like changes, genetic predisposition, and inflammation in development of AMD. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between markers of inflammation and cardiovascular risk with age-related macular degeneration. Case-control study that includes 163 patients with wet AMD (age group of 55-82 years with the mean age of 71 years and 170 age-matched healthy controls in the age group of 55-78 years with the mean age of 71 years. The following parameters were determined: lipidic profile (Total Cholesterol, Triglycerides, HDL-c, LDL-c), CRP (C-Reactive Protein), homocysteine and fibrinogen. We found significant differences between AMD patients and control group in baseline values of homocysteine, CRP and fibrinogen, although we do not observed differences in levels of lipidic profile. Our data support the role of chronic inflammation in the development of AMD, however, further studies are needed to determine which common disease mechanisms of chronic inflammation and atherosclerosis contribute to the pathogenesis of AMD. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Novel Complex ABCA4 Alleles in Brazilian Patients With Stargardt Disease: Genotype-Phenotype Correlation.
To analyze the presence of complex alleles of the ABCA4 gene in Brazilian patients with Stargardt disease and to assess the correlation with clinical features. This was an observational cross-sectional study. Patients with a diagnosis of Stargardt disease who presented three pathogenic variants of the ABCA4 gene or who had variants previously described as complex alleles were included. The relatives of these probands were evaluated in the segregation analysis. The patients were evaluated based on age at symptom onset and visual acuity, and the clinical characteristics were classified according to the findings observed on autofluorescence examination. Among the 47 families analyzed, approximately 30% (14/47) presented complex alleles. The segregation analysis in 14 families with cases of Stargardt disease identified three novel complex alleles and one previously described complex allele. The known complex allele p.[Leu541Pro; Ala1038Val] was identified in two families. The novel complex alleles identified were p.[Leu541Pro; Arg1443His] in five families, p.[Ser1642Arg; Val1682_Val1686del] in seven families, and p.[Pro1761Arg; Arg2106Cys] in one family. Furthermore, four new variants (p.Lys22Asn, p.Asp915Asn, p.Glu1447Val, and p.Pro1761Arg) were identified in the second allele of the ABCA4 gene. Segregation analysis is important in order to confirm the molecular diagnosis of patients with Stargardt disease, given the frequency of complex alleles in the ABCA4 gene. The various pathogenic variation combinations observed in this study were associated with different phenotypes. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Red blood cell antioxidants in human volunteers exposed to ozone.
Indices of red blood cell (RBC) antioxidant capacity can undergo changes upon exposure to oxidants, either acutely or chronically. To investigate whether these changes might provide a biochemical marker for acute environmental ozone exposure, we assessed RBC glutathione (GSH) and catalase (CAT) responses in seven normal volunteers exposed to 0.16 ppm ozone for 7.5 hours compared to the same measurements following sham exposure to clean air. For each subject, an interim period of two weeks separated the two exposure studies. Investigators performing the RBC assays were unaware of the environmental conditions. No changes in either GSH or CAT were observed for any study condition when compared to pre-study values. Our conclusion is that RBC antioxidants do not accurately reflect in vivo exposure to ozone at concentrations readily attainable during periods of heavy urban pollution. Our data dispute the value of these indices as markers of acute environmental photochemical oxidant exposure. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
A chemiluminescence biosensor for lysozyme detection based on aptamers and hemin/G-quadruplex DNAzyme modified sandwich-rod carbon fiber composite.
In our work, aptamers and hemin/G-quadruplex DNAzyme modified sandwich-rod graphene quantum dots @ graphene oxide @ carbon fiber composite (DNAzyme/L-Apt/GQDs@GO@CF) was successfully prepared for sensitive and selective chemiluminescence (CL) detection of lysozyme (LZM). Initially, GQDs@GO@CF was successfully prepared and characterized. Lysozyme aptamers (L-Apt) as a recognition element and hemin/G-quadruplex DNAzyme (DNAzyme) as a catalyst of luminal - H2O2 were modified on the surface of GQDs@GO@CF, sequentially. The immobilization properties of GQDs@GO@CF to L-Apt and the adsorption properties of L-Apt/GQDs@GO@CF to DNAzyme were also researched, respectively. Then, the modified sandwich-rod carbon fiber composite was applied to the construction of CL biosensor for LZM detection. When LZM existed, DNAzyme would be released from the surface of L-Apt/GQDs@GO@CF and catalyzed the reaction of luminal - H2O2. Under optimized conditions, the CL biosensor for LZM detection showed wide linear range of 2.64 × 10-10 to 6.6 × 10-8 g/L and low detection limit of 1.25 × 10-11 g/L (3δ). Finally, the CL biosensor was successfully used for LZM detection in human urine samples and illustrated the potential application in pratical samples. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Changes in serum insulin-like growth factors, not leptin, are associated with postnatal weight gain in preterm neonates.
Serum concentrations of conventional nutrition-related proteins, such as albumin, prealbumin, transferrin, and retinol-binding protein, are usually inconsistent with changes in anthropometric measurements in the postnatal period. The aim of this study was to evaluate how reliable growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factors (IGFs), IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs), and leptin, the proteins known to be involved in the regulation of growth, are in reflecting postnatal growth and nutritional status in preterm neonates. Blood samples and anthropometric measurements were collected from 55 preterm neonates (chronological age 30.4 +/- 2.8 weeks) for 4 continuous weeks (weeks 0 to 3). After adjusting for chronological age, body weights and serum IGF-II concentrations were significantly greater and serum transferrin concentrations were significantly lower in weeks 2 and 3 than in week 0 (repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Bonferroni test, p < .05). Forward stepwise multivariate regression analysis showed that change in total IGF-I (week 0 to week 3) was a positive predictor, and changes in insulin and prealbumin were negative predictors of postnatal weight gain. In addition, daily fat intake was a positive predictor of postnatal length increases, and changes in prealbumin, insulin, and GH were negative predictors of postnatal changes in the ponderal index (weight x length(-3)). Changes in GH and IGFBP-2 were negative predictors of changes in head circumference and triceps skinfold thickness, respectively. Serial measurements of serum IGF-I and IGF-II may be useful adjuncts to anthropometric measurements for monitoring postnatal growth and nutritional status in preterm neonates. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Incidence and endoscopic characteristics of acute laryngeal lesions in children undergoing endotracheal intubation.
Acute laryngeal lesions after intubation appear to be precursors of chronic lesions. To describe the incidence and type of acute laryngeal lesions after extubation in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). A cohort study involving children from birth to <5 years, submitted to intubation for more than 24h in the PICU of an university hospital. In the first eight hours after extubation, a flexible fiberoptic laryngoscopy (FFL) was performed at the bedside. Those with moderate to severe abnormalities underwent a second examination seven to ten days later. 177 patients were included, with a median age of 2.46 months. The mean intubation time was 8.19 days. Seventy-three (41.2%) patients had moderate or severe alterations at the FFL, with the remaining showing only minor alterations or normal results. During follow-up, 16 children from the group with moderate to severe lesions developed subglottic stenosis. One patient from the normal FFL group had subglottic stenosis, resulting in an incidence of 9.6% of chronic lesions. Most children in the study developed mild acute laryngeal lesions caused by endotracheal intubation, which improved in a few days after extubation. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Performance of integrated ferrate-polyaluminum chloride coagulation as a treatment technology for removing freshwater humic substances.
Ferrate-based technologies can play versatile roles in water treatment because of their potential for in situ production and because they do not form any harmful by-products. We compared the oxidative performance of Fe(VI) generated by an electrochemical process, with H2O2-UV irradiation (a standard oxidation process) for removing Suwannee River natural organic matter. It took only 5 min for Fe(VI) (Fe: 1.67 × 10-4 M) to reduce the fluorescence intensity of a humic-like fluorophore by 36% of the original value; in contrast, it took 120 min of irradiation using H2O2-UV ([OH] ∼ 1.8 × 10-13 M) to remove 68% of the original value. In addition to the short reaction time, ferrate can also form aggregates that can remove turbidity and adsorb organics and other contaminants present in water. Simultaneous addition of ferrate and polyaluminum chloride (PACl) to unfiltered natural water displayed the most efficient reduction of UVA254, primarily under acidic conditions. Ferrate pre-oxidation followed by PACl coagulation was the most effective process for reducing turbidity and chromaticity, because of the effects arising from the coagulation of ferrate that resulted in Fe(III)(s) species. Ferrate pre-oxidation generated low-molecular-weight UVA254-absorbing organics, whose dissolved organic matter (DOM) peak at 1250 Da was removed by PACl coagulation. Neither the initial pH nor the process order significantly affected the removal of organic carbon by the integrated ferrate-PACl process. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Functional characterization of hypothetical proteins of Mycobacterium tuberculosis with possible esterase/lipase signature: a cumulative in silico and in vitro approach.
The functional aspect of several mycobacterium proteins annotated as hypothetical are yet to be discovered. In the present investigation, in silico approaches were used to predict the biological function of some of the unknown Mtb proteins, which were further validated by wet lab experiments. After screening thousands of Mtb proteins, functionally unknown hypothetical proteins Rv0421c, Rv0519c, Rv0774c, Rv1191, Rv1592c, and Rv3591c were chosen on the basis of their importance in Mtb life cycle. All these proteins posses the α/β-hydrolase topological fold, characteristic of lipases/esterases, with serine, aspartate, and histidine as the putative members of the catalytic triad. The catalytic serine is located in pentapeptide motif "GXSXG" and oxyanion residue is in dipeptide motif HG. To further support our observation, molecular docking was performed with conventional synthetic lipolytic substrates (pNP-esterss) and specific lipase/esterase inhibitors (tetrahydrolipstatin and phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride (PMSF)). Significant docking score and strong interaction of substrates/inhibitors with these proteins revealed that these could be possible lipases/esterases. To validate the in silico studies, these genes were cloned from Mtb genome and the proteins were over-expressed in pQE-30/Escherichia coli M15 system. The expressed proteins were purified to homogeneity and enzymatic activity was determined using pNP esters as substrate. The enzyme activity of recombinant proteins was inhibited by tetrahydrolipstatin and PMSF pre-treatment. Outcome of the present investigation provided a basic platform to analyze and characterize unknown hypothetical proteins. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Nickel-catalyzed intermolecular codimerization of acrylates and alkynes.
The linear codimerization of acrylates and alkynes to produce 1,3-dienes is successfully demonstrated using a nickel catalyst in association with 2-aminopyridine as an additive. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Finger-tapping ability in male and female pianists and nonmusician controls.
Using fast tapping tasks with each of the four fingers (single-finger tapping) and with two of the fingers used alternately (double-finger tapping), the ability to make rapid tapping movement by the individual fingers was compared between expert pianists and nonmusician controls in both genders. Maximal pinch and grasp forces were also measured to assess strength of individual fingers and whole hand, respectively. Movement of the ring and little fingers was slower than that of the index and middle fingers in both the pianists and controls. The slowness of the ring and little fingers was, however, much less evident in the pianists than the controls in both tapping tasks. The pianists also had smaller intertap interval variability for the index and middle fingers. No pianist-control difference was found for the pinch and grasp forces. Piano training, therefore, effectively changed the ability to move individual fingers rapidly, but not their flexor strength. No gender difference was found in any of the tapping tasks though males had greater strength. Gender thus does not appear to be a factor differentiating the ability to move individual fingers rapidly. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Effects of sound amplification on teachers' speech while teaching.
Voice problems are common among teachers. This is most likely due to the heavy vocal load of their profession. The present study investigated one possible method to decrease the vocal load. The effects of amplification on classroom speech were studied on five Icelandic teachers (three females, two males, mean age 51 years). Classroom speech was recorded with a portable DAT recorder and a head-mounted microphone, first under ordinary conditions and in the next week while using electrical sound amplification. The average fundamental frequency (F0), sound pressure level (SPL) and phonation time were measured. According to the results, amplification significantly lowered both F0 (average 8.6 Hz for the females and 11.3 Hz for the males, p = 0.002 and 0.0001, respectively) and SPL (about 1 dB for both genders, p < 0.05), while phonation time was not significantly affected. The results suggest that electric amplification is likely to reduce vocal load. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: comparison between hand-sewn and mechanical gastrojejunostomy.
The laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) is one of the ideal operations in the treatment of morbid obesity. There are several variations in the operation, especially during the construction of the gastrojejunostomy (GJA). From June 2006 to September 2008, 104 consecutive obese patients underwent LRYGB. The procedure was standardized, with the exception of the construction of the GJA, which was linear-stapled in 51 patients and hand-sewn in 53 other patients. A retrospective analysis was performed to compare the procedures. The series comprised 81 women and 23 men with a median age of 44 years, and a median BMI of 46.7 kg/m(2). There was no significant difference between the two groups of patients with respect to age, gender, BMI, ASA, and previously failed bariatric surgery. There was no significant difference between the two groups with respect to mortality, conversion, early reoperation, surgical complications, GJA leakage or stricture, and bariatric results. The only significant differences between the two groups were in regards to operating time (190 min for stapled GJA vs. 160 min for hand-sewn GJA, p value 0.029) and operating supply cost (100 Euros less for hand-sewn GJA). In our experience, hand-sewn GJA during LRYGB appears to be as safe as linear-stapled GJA and provides the same bariatric results while remaining slightly less expensive. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Expression of G protein alpha subunits in the aging cardiovascular system.
Alterations in responsiveness to stimulation of G protein-coupled receptors in the cardiovascular system have been noted during aging and may be due to changes in the G proteins. The levels of G protein alpha subunits and their mRNAs were examined in the aorta and heart of adult (6-month-old) and senescent (24-month-old) Fischer 344 rats. Western blot analysis using anti-Gs alpha antiserum revealed 4 bands in the aorta (38, 42, 45, and 52 kD). The 42 kD band decreased significantly in 24-month-old rats, whereas the other bands did not change. Western blots using anti-Go alpha and anti-Gi alpha revealed single bands of 39 kD and 41 kD respectively, which decreased significantly in the aortas from 24-month-old rats. There were no significant changes in the levels of G alpha mRNAs in the aorta during aging. In the heart, anti-Gs alpha antiserum detected 3 bands (42, 45, and 52 kD) which did not change with age. Levels of Gi alpha (41 kD) and Go alpha (39 kD) also did not change with age in the heart. The mRNAs for Gi2 alpha and Gi3 alpha were significantly increased in the heart, but there was no change in Go alpha or Gs alpha mRNAs. Reduced expression of Gi alpha may provide the molecular basis for alterations in receptor responsiveness in the aging vasculature. Altered expression of G protein alpha subunits does not appear to account for age-related alterations in cardiac function. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Validation of Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Biomolecules Using NMR Spin Relaxation as Benchmarks: Application to the AMBER99SB Force Field.
Biological function of biomolecules is accompanied by a wide range of motional behavior. Accurate modeling of dynamics by molecular dynamics (MD) computer simulations is therefore a useful approach toward the understanding of biomolecular function. NMR spin relaxation measurements provide rigorous benchmarks for assessing important aspects of MD simulations, such as the amount and time scales of conformational space sampling, which are intimately related to the underlying molecular mechanics force field. Until recently, most simulations produced trajectories that exhibited too much dynamics particularly in flexible loop regions. Recent modifications made to the backbone φ and ψ torsion angle potentials of the AMBER and CHARMM force fields indicate that these changes produce more realistic molecular dynamics behavior. To assess the consequences of these changes, we performed a series of 5-20 ns molecular dynamics trajectories of human ubiquitin using the AMBER99 and AMBER99SB force fields for different conditions and water models and compare the results with NMR experimental backbone N-H S(2) order parameters. A quantitative analysis of the trajectories shows significantly improved agreement with experimental NMR data for the AMBER99SB force field as compared to AMBER99. Because NMR spin relaxation data (T1, T2, NOE) reflect the combined effects of spatial and temporal fluctuations of bond vectors, it is found that comparison of experimental and back-calculated NMR spin-relaxation data provides a more objective way of assessing the quality of the trajectory than order parameters alone. Analysis of a key mobile β-hairpin in ubiquitin demonstrates that the dynamics of mobile sites are not only reduced by the modified force field, but the extent of motional correlations between amino acids is also markedly diminished. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Are blind injections of gleno-humeral joint (GHJ) really less accurate imaging-guided injections? A narrative systematic review considering multiple anatomical approaches.
To perform a systematic review to establish whether blind injections of the gleno-humeral (GHJ) joint may be an accurate alternative to injections performed imaging guidance, considering multiple anatomical approaches. Our search strategy yielded 478 articles for Scopus, 815 articles for MEDLINE, 128 articles for Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and 555 articles for Embase until May 2016. One hundred and sixty-seven abstracts were retrieved after duplicates removal. Two readers independently reviewed all the 1067 abstracts. They selected for the full-text analysis only the abstracts in which the accuracy of intra-articular position of the needle was confirmed on imaging (humans) or by a surgical dissection (cadavers). Thirty-eight studies were eventually selected for the full-text reading and data extraction. The selected studies included a total of 2309 patients (2690 shoulders) and 195 cadavers (299 shoulders). To objectively assess the methodological quality of the present systematic review, "Assessment of Multiple Systematic Review" (AMSTAR) tool was used. The overall accuracy of the intra-articular injection in GHJ varied from 42 to 100% in the 38 selected studies. Imaging guidance was used in 65% of articles and the overall accuracy of guided GHJ injections was higher than blind injection. However, five articles in which blind injection the GHJ was used (159 shoulders) reported accuracy as high as 100%. A comprehensive review of the literature confirms that guided injections of the GHJ have overall accuracy higher compared to blind injection. Nevertheless, in some studies, including a relatively large number of shoulders, blind injections have been proven to be 100% accurate. Hence, blind injections of GHJ could be proposed a cost-effective alternative to imaging-guided injection. A large prospective randomized study is needed to gauge this hypothesis and compare the cost-effectiveness of these two techniques for the most common anatomical approaches. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Substrate-induced covalent assembly of a chemzyme and crystallographic characterization of a chemzyme-substrate complex.
A substrate induced covalent assembly of a highly organized chemzyme known to be effective in both catalytic asymmetric aziridination and aza Diels-Alder reactions is described and the information gained from which led to an efficient one-pot aziridination protocol. The crystal structures of two chemzyme-iminium complexes were elucidated by X-ray diffraction analysis that provides critical insights into the binding of the substrates with the chemzyme. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Role of perinatal adversities on tic severity and symptoms of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents with a tic disorder.
To investigate the role of perinatal adversities with regard to tic severity and comorbid attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in children with a tic disorder. In 75 children and adolescents with a tic disorder, we retrospectively assessed presence of pregnancy, delivery, and postnatal complications and of prenatal exposure to smoking and alcohol. Children with and without these perinatal adversities were compared regarding tic and ADHD symptom severity. Furthermore, through linear regressions, we investigated whether perinatal adversities would interact with presence in first-degree relatives of tic or any mental disorders with the tic or ADHD measure as outcome. Presence of delivery complications was related to tic severity and prenatal smoking exposure to severity of comorbid ADHD symptoms. The relationship between smoking exposure in utero and ADHD symptom severity appeared to be more pronounced in children with a positive family history of mental disorders. This study provides evidence of a role for perinatal adversities in the etiology of tic disorders. Children with perinatal adversities may be vulnerable to develop more severe tics or comorbid ADHD symptoms in the presence of a positive family history of mental disorders, suggesting a role for gene-environment interactions. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Resveratrol protects PC12 cells from high glucose-induced neurotoxicity via PI3K/Akt/FoxO3a pathway.
Diabetes is known to be associated with neurodegenerative diseases. Resveratrol, a plant-derived polyphenolic compound found in red wine, possesses antioxidant properties. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of resveratrol on the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt)/FoxO3a pathway in mediating high glucose (HG)-induced injuries in neuronal PC12 cells. PC12 cells were exposed to HG to establish a model of HG neurotoxicity. Results showed that pre-treating PC12 cells with resveratrol before exposure to HG led to increased cell viability, decreased apoptotic cells, and reactive oxygen species generation. Western blot analysis showed that HG decreased the phosphorylation of Akt and FoxO3a and led to the nuclear localization of FoxO3a. These effects were significantly alleviated by resveratrol co-treatment. Furthermore, the protective effects of resveratrol were abolished by PI3K/Akt inhibitor LY294002. All these results demonstrate that resveratrol protected the PC12 cells from HG-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis via the activation of PI3K/Akt/FoxO3a signaling pathway. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
The effect on intestinal disaccharidase activity of feeding galactose to growing rats.
The effect of supplementation of the diet with galactose on the age-related decline of intestinal lactase activity was investigated in 108 growing rats. Starting from 14 days of age, the rats were divided into two groups and fed with chow, and with fluid either as tap water or 5% galactose solution. At 14 days the specific lactase activity was 112.8 +/- 3.2 mumol min-1 (g protein)-1, which decreased to less than 10% of this value at maturity. Galactose supplementation did not prevent the decline. The increase of maltase, sucrase and trehalase was also unaffected. The result suggests that galactose plays no significant role in the regulation of disaccharidase activities in the rat. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Familial tendency as a determinant of tooth loss during long-term periodontal therapy.
Little evidence exists on how familial tendencies affect the long-term success of periodontal therapy. The aim of this study was to compare outcomes for two generations and their control patients treated in the same private practice. Parents and their children were observed for tooth loss between 1986 and 2017. Matching control groups were identified from the same practice, one for the parent and one for the children group. The control patients had no close family members with a history of periodontal diseases. Both the generations and control groups completed a similar course of periodontal therapy. The matching strategy aimed at making the groups as similar as possible with respect to well-known risk and prognostic factors. The data were analysed by multiple regression where the outcome was the number of teeth lost due to periodontal disease. A total of 435 patients were identified (148 parents, 154 children and 133 controls). 72 parents and 61 children (133) had more than 5 years follow-up (average 15.5 and 12.9 years, respectively). Balancing tests showed that the matching was successful. 65% of tooth loss was attributable to close family history. The regression showed that the parent generation lost 1.02 more teeth than the controls, while the children lost 0.61 more teeth. Having close family members with a history of periodontal diseases is a strong prognostic factor affecting the long-term outcome of periodontal therapy. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Rejecting the demise of vertical-banded gastroplasty: a long-term single-institute experience.
Surgical interventions have proven to be more effective than other measures in the treatment of morbid obesity. The short-term outcomes of the various surgical interventions have been well documented in the literature, with fewer reports on long-term outcomes. The reported long-term outcome of the vertical-banded gastroplasty (VBG) is conflicting. The aim of the present study was to evaluate our long-term experience with VBG. A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database was conducted. Records of patients who underwent VBG five or more years ago were retrieved. An analysis of the long-term weight changes and reported complications was conducted. The study included 150 patients: 43 males (29%) and 107 females (71%). Their mean age was 30 years old (12-53), and the mean body mass index (BMI) was 47 ± 8.4 kg/m2. Patients were followed up for an average of 8 years (5-11). More than 60 % of patients had good long-term weight loss (EWL > 50%). A significant negative correlation was found between the excess weight loss percent (EWL%) and the pre-operative BMI (p < 0.05). The differences in EWL% between males and females were not significant (p = 0.061). Nevertheless, the change in EWL% over time for both males and females was significant (p = 0.004). Revision surgery was required in seven patients (4.7%). Five patients had conversion of VBG to gastric bypass (3.3%), while two patients (1.3%) had reversal of the procedure. Late complications included mesh erosion in three cases, staple line dehiscence in two patients, and stomal stenosis in six patients. VBG could be a long-term effective intervention for the treatment of morbid obesity. Good selection is the cornerstone for long-term success. Late complication rate is acceptable after VBG. VBG is a specifically useful tool under stringent financial circumstances. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Tissue distribution and excretion of myosmine after i.v. administration to Long-Evans rats using quantitative whole-body autoradiography.
Occurrence of the tobacco alkaloid myosmine has been proven in various staple foods, vegetables and fruits. Myosmine can be easily activated by nitrosation yielding 4-hydroxy-1-(3-pyridyl)-butanone (HPB) and the esophageal carcinogen N'-nitrosonornicotine. Most of the reaction products after myosmine peroxidation were also identified as urinary metabolites after oral administration to rats. Whole-body autoradiography with freeze dried or multiple solvent extracted tissue sections was used to trace [2'-(14)C]myosmine (0.1 mCi/kg bw) 0.1, 0.25, 1, 4 and 24 h after i.v. injection in Long-Evans rats. In addition, in vitro binding of radioactivity to esophageal and eye tissue was determined and excretion of radioactivity via urine and feces was quantified. Radioactivity is rapidly eliminated by renal excretion. Approximately 30% of the administered radioactivity was recovered in urine within the first 4 h and excretion with urine (72%) and feces (15%) was nearly complete after 24 h. A rapid concentration of radioactivity can be seen in the stomach and in the salivary and lachrymal glands. Rats killed 1 and 4 h after treatment showed by far the highest labeling in the accessory genital gland. High levels of nonextractable radioactivity were present in esophageal tissue and melanin. The half lives for the disappearance of radioactivity from various tissues are in the order of about 1 h. Eye and esophagus sections both showed nonextractable labeling after in vitro incubation with (14)C-myosmine. In conclusion, the toxicological significance of myosmine accumulation in esophagus and accessory genital gland requires further investigations. Hair analysis might be applicable for myosmine biomonitoring, because of possible enrichment in melanin containing tissues. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Functional diversity increases ecological stability in a grazed grassland.
Understanding the factors governing ecological stability in variable environments is a central focus of ecology. Functional diversity can stabilize ecosystem function over time if one group of species compensates for an environmentally driven decline in another. Although intuitively appealing, evidence for this pattern is mixed. We hypothesized that diverse functional responses to rainfall will increase the stability of vegetation cover and biomass across rainfall conditions, but that this effect depends on land-use legacies that maintain functional diversity. We experimentally manipulated grazing in a California grassland to create land-use legacies of low and moderate grazing, across which we implemented rainout shelters and irrigation to create dry and wet conditions over 3 years. We found that the stability of the vegetation cover was greatly elevated and the stability of the biomass was slightly elevated across rainfall conditions in areas with histories of moderate grazing. Initial functional diversity-both in the seed bank and aboveground-was also greater in areas that had been moderately grazed. Rainfall conditions in conjunction with this grazing legacy led to different functional diversity patterns over time. Wet conditions led to rapid declines in functional diversity and a convergence on resource-acquisitive traits. In contrast, consecutively dry conditions maintained but did not increase functional diversity over time. As a result, grazing practices and environmental conditions that decrease functional diversity may be associated with lasting effects on the response of ecosystem functions to drought. Our results demonstrate that theorized relationships between diversity and stability are applicable and important in the context of working grazed landscapes. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Sulfite oxidation in the purple sulfur bacterium Allochromatium vinosum: identification of SoeABC as a major player and relevance of SoxYZ in the process.
In phototrophic sulfur bacteria, sulfite is a well-established intermediate during reduced sulfur compound oxidation. Sulfite is generated in the cytoplasm by the reverse-acting dissimilatory sulfite reductase DsrAB. Many purple sulfur bacteria can even use externally available sulfite as a photosynthetic electron donor. Nevertheless, the exact mode of sulfite oxidation in these organisms is a long-standing enigma. Indirect oxidation in the cytoplasm via adenosine-5'-phosphosulfate (APS) catalysed by APS reductase and ATP sulfurylase is neither generally present nor essential. The inhibition of sulfite oxidation by tungstate in the model organism Allochromatium vinosum indicated the involvement of a molybdoenzyme, but homologues of the periplasmic molybdopterin-containing SorAB or SorT sulfite dehydrogenases are not encoded in genome-sequenced purple or green sulfur bacteria. However, genes for a membrane-bound polysulfide reductase-like iron-sulfur molybdoprotein (SoeABC) are universally present. The catalytic subunit of the protein is predicted to be oriented towards the cytoplasm. We compared the sulfide- and sulfite-oxidizing capabilities of A. vinosum WT with single mutants deficient in SoeABC or APS reductase and the respective double mutant, and were thus able to prove that SoeABC is the major sulfite-oxidizing enzyme in A. vinosum and probably also in other phototrophic sulfur bacteria. The genes also occur in a large number of chemotrophs, indicating a general importance of SoeABC for sulfite oxidation in the cytoplasm. Furthermore, we showed that the periplasmic sulfur substrate-binding protein SoxYZ is needed in parallel to the cytoplasmic enzymes for effective sulfite oxidation in A. vinosum and provided a model for the interplay between these systems despite their localization in different cellular compartments. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Cutaneous metastasis of primary appendicular osteosarcoma in a dog.
A 6-year-old, neutered male Rottweiler was presented to the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital because of a lytic bone lesion involving the distal portion of the right radius and possible pulmonary metastases on thoracic radiographs. Results of serum biochemical analysis were unremarkable. Aspiration and cytologic examination of the bone lesion indicated likely sarcoma with reactive bone. Cutaneous masses were found on the left thigh, interscapular region, and dorsal lumbar region, 4 weeks after initial presentation. Neoplastic spindle cells were found in aspirates from 2 of the masses. The neoplastic cells stained positive for alkaline phosphatase activity using cytochemistry. Re-evaluation of serum biochemical values at this time revealed a marked increase in alkaline phosphatase activity (413 U/L, reference interval 12-110 U/L) compared with the initial value (26 U/L). Due to progressive disease, the dog was euthanized and a necropsy was performed. Histologic findings included primary osteosarcoma of the distal portion of the right radius, with metastases in the lungs, spleen, left fourth and fifth ribs, soft tissue of the right medial thigh, and T1-T3/interscapular region. Cutaneous metastasis of primary appendicular osteosarcoma has been reported rarely in animals and humans. Increased serum alkaline phosphatase activity may be a potential indicator of poor prognosis for this neoplasm. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Telomerase and cancer.
The past few years have brought a flood of new information to the telomerase field. The identification of multiple components of both the telomere and telomerase, the understanding of the importance of telomere maintenance to the long term viability of cells, and the demonstration of the utility of telomerase inhibition in limiting tumor cell growth all convene to provide great enthusiasm for the prospects of targeting the telomerase enzyme in cancer. However, there is clearly much to be learned. Because tumor cells evolve under powerful selection, the emergence of non-telomerase based mechanisms for telomere maintenance should be examined closely. Additionally, the nature of telomerase regulation is currently only poorly understood. More work on the tumor specific regulation of telomerase activity might provide either more opportunities for telomerase inhibition, or more skepticism, as a tumor cell might possess mechanisms for upregulating telomerase activity in the presence of inhibitors. The potential for such regulation has already been observed in certain cell types (46). Currently, the field is intensively investigating the biology and applications of telomere and telomerase biology. In it are great hopes that these fundamental cellular processes might be manipulated to success in the treatment of cancer. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Biomethanation potential for co-digestion of municipal solid waste and rice straw: A batch study.
Rice straw (RS) contains a high amount of lignocellulosic materials which are difficult to degrade without thermal pretreatment. In the present study, co-digestion of municipal solid waste (MSW) and RS was carried out in three different ratios i.e., 1:1, 2:1, and 3:1 to get the maximum biomethanation potential and methane generation rate constant (k). The biogas and methane (CH4) potential increased by 60% and 57%, respectively for MSW and RS in the ratio 2:1 as compared to other combination. The values of k, biochemical methane potential (µb) and sludge activity were measured as 0.1 d-1, 0.99 CH4-COD/CODfed and 0.50 g CH4-COD/g VSS, respectively. The sludge activity was found to be 100% for 2:1 ratio. Co-digestion of RS with MSW can also optimize the C/N ratio which is an essential parameter in the anaerobic digestion process. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Direct Access to 9-Chloro-1H-benzo[b]furo[3,4-e]azepin-1-ones via Palladium(II)-Catalyzed Intramolecular syn-Oxypalladation/Olefin Insertion/sp2-C-H Bond Activation Cascade.
An efficient Pd(II)-catalyzed cascade approach was established for the synthesis of 9-chloro-1H-benzo[b]furo[3,4-e]azepin-1-ones starting from N-propargyl arylamines having a pendant α,β-unsaturated ester scaffold. The mechanism of this sequential process involved intramolecular syn-oxypalladation followed by olefin insertion and ortho sp2-C-Cl bond formation reactions. This high atom- and step-economical cascade sequence generated two heterocycle rings and three new bonds in a single synthetic operation. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Editor's Choice - Management of Secondary Aorto-enteric and Other Abdominal Arterio-enteric Fistulas: A Review and Pooled Data Analysis.
To compare management strategies for secondary abdominal arterio-enteric fistulas (AEFs). This study is a review and pooled data analysis. Medline and Scopus databases were searched for studies published between 1999 and 2015. Particular emphasis was given to short- and long-term outcomes in relation to AEF repair type. Two hundred and sixteen publications were retrieved, reporting on 823 patients. In-hospital mortality was 30.7%. Open surgery had higher in-hospital mortality (246/725, 33.9%), than endovascular methods (7/98, 7.1%, p < .001, OR 6.7, 95% CI 3-14.7, including staged endovascular to open surgery, 0/13, 0%). In-hospital mortality after graft removal/extra-anatomical bypass grafting was 31.2% (66/226), graft removal/in situ repair 34% (137/403), primary closure of the arterial defect 62.5% (10/16), and for miscellaneous open procedures 41.3% (33/80), p = .019. Among the subgroups of in situ repair, homografts were associated with a higher mortality than impregnated prosthetic grafts (p = .047). There was no difference in recurrent AEF-free rates between open and endovascular procedures. Extra-anatomical bypass/graft removal and in situ repair had a lower AEF recurrence rate than primary closure and homografts. Late sepsis occurred more often after endovascular surgery (2-year rates 42% vs. 19% for open, p = .001). The early survival benefit of endovascular surgery was blunted during follow-up, although it remained significant (p < .001). Within the in situ repair group, impregnated prosthetic grafts were associated with the worst overall and AEF related mortality free rates and vein grafts with the best. No recurrence, sepsis, or mortality was reported following staged endograft placement to open repair after a mean follow-up of 16.8 months (p = .18, p = .22, and p = .006, respectively, compared with patients in other groups). Endovascular surgery, where appropriate, is associated with better early survival than open surgery for secondary AEFs. Most of this benefit is lost during long-term follow-up, implying that a staged approach with early conversion to in situ vein grafting may achieve the best results in selected patients. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Cloning of a chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene of Streptomyces acrimycini and its expression in Streptomyces and Escherichia coli.
A gene (cat) for chloramphenicol (Cm) acetyltransferase (CAT) was cloned from Streptomyces acrimycini into S. lividans 66 on the plasmid vector pIJ61. The cat gene was localized on a 1.7-kb BclI fragment, which probably also carries the cat promoter. This DNA fragment conferred Cm resistance, through CAT activity, on S. lividans, S. coelicolor and S. parvulus, but not on Escherichia coli when inserted in the BamHI site of the tetracycline-resistance(TcR) gene of pBR322. However, when inserted in a particular orientation in this site, spontaneous deletions of 0.7 kb led to CAT activity and Cm resistance. DNA homologous to the 1.7-kb BclI cat fragment was found in most, but not all, of a series of other streptomycetes that have CAT activity. The cat provides a potentially useful screening marker for Streptomyces cloning vectors. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Effect of Hip-Focused Injury Prevention Training for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury Reduction in Female Basketball Players: A 12-Year Prospective Intervention Study.
Programs to prevent anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in female basketball players are scarce. Also, ACL injury prevention training that focuses on hip joint function has not been reported. To determine the effectiveness of a hip-focused ACL injury prevention program in female basketball players. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. A prospective intervention study was conducted for 12 years. Incidence rates of ACL injuries were collected in the first 4 years (observation period) from college female basketball players. After the observation period, a hip-focused ACL injury prevention program was implemented for 8 years (intervention period). A total of 309 players (mean ± SD age, 19.6 ± 1.2 years; height, 163.7 ± 5.6 cm; weight, 59.1 ± 5.1 kg; body mass index, 22.0 ± 1.4) were tracked in the observation period and compared with 448 players (age, 19.6 ± 1.1 years; height, 162.6 ± 5.8 cm; weight, 58.0 ± 5.7 kg; body mass index, 21.9 ± 1.5) who participated in the intervention period. Athlete-exposures (AEs), ACL numbers and mechanisms of injury (MOIs), relative risk (RR), absolute risk reduction (ARR), numbers needed to treat (NNT), and compliance were analyzed. There were 16 ACL injuries (13 noncontact MOIs) in the 4-year observation period, whereas 9 ACL injuries (8 noncontact MOIs) were recorded in the 8-year intervention period. The overall ACL injury incidence was 0.25/1000 AEs in the 4-year observation period compared with 0.10/1000 AEs in the 8-year intervention period, respectively. Compared with the 4-year observation period, significant RR reduction was observed (0.38; 95% CI, 0.17-0.87; P = .017) with ARR and NNT of 0.032 (95% CI, 0.027-0.037) and 31.6 (95% CI, 27.1-37.7), respectively, in the 8-year intervention period. The noncontact ACL injury incidence was 0.21 per 1000 AEs during the 4-year observation period compared with 0.08/1000 AEs in the 8-year intervention period, which also showed significant RR reduction (0.37; 95% CI, 0.15-0.92; P = .026), with ARR and NNT of 0.024 (95% CI, 0.020-0.029) and 41.3 (95% CI, 34.6-51.3), respectively. The mean compliance rate during the intervention periods (8 years) was 89%. A hip-focused injury prevention program demonstrated significant reduction in the incidence of ACL injury in female collegiate basketball players. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
The use of biologic agents in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease.
Therapeutic options and approaches in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) continue to evolve. This review will summarize the recent studies of treatment strategies, efficacy, safety and outcome of biological agents in the treatment of children with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Although there has been little recent change in the number of biologicals easily available for the treatment of children, usage has broadened in pediatric IBD and new treatment strategies have emerged. The use of biologicals in refractory pediatric ulcerative colitis is now accepted, with evidence supporting their potential for maintenance therapy. In pediatric Crohn's disease, scheduled treatment regimens have shown superiority to episodic treatment. Although the 'top-down' approach with early use of biologicals produces superior remission rates in adults, there is still little evidence in children. Concomitant immunosuppression appears to reduce immunogenicity and improve therapeutic control, but there are added risks for infection and malignancy. Biologicals now form an integral part of the treatment algorithm in childhood IBD and their use is likely to increase. Treatment regimens, particularly those involving concomitant immunosuppressants, need to take account of the perceptions of risk. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
The effect of type of relationship on perceived psychological distress in women with breast cancer.
Participants (N = 207) read one of three descriptions of mastectomy patients and then completed the Profile of Mood States (POMS) as they thought the patient would. The three descriptions were identical except for the type of relationship that the participant was asked to imagine having with the patient. A series of one-way ANOVAs indicated that people responded differently to 5 of the 6 POMS factors and the overall Index of Mood Disturbance depending upon the relationship they were asked to imagine that they had with the patient. These differences were significant. Newman-Keuls tests demonstrated the same pattern of results for each factor--those who imagined that the patient was their mother rated her as experiencing less mood disturbance than did those who imagined that she was a woman they worked with or a well-known public figure. These results suggest that people are able to recognize psychological symptoms associated with breast cancer and mastectomy but may have difficulty perceiving these symptoms in their own mothers. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
[Hemangioma: complications].
Hemangioma (HMG) is a benign tumour of the child generally evolving to spontaneous regression. Sometimes this evolution can become complicated in a more or less serious way according to its localization or of its importance. If local complications are, in the most of cases, without gravity, complications of a general nature like thrombopenia or cardiac failure may compromise the vital prognosis. There are in addition serious forms where, according to its localization or its importance, the HMG can compromise the aesthetic, or functional even vital outcome. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
[Multivariate regressive analysis of prognosis of liver metastases from colorectal cancer].
It is not very clear about the factors that affect the prognosis of liver metastases from colorectal cancer. This study was to investigate the clinicopathologic factors related to the prognosis of liver metastases from colorectal cancer. The clinicopathologic factors and follow-up data of 197 patients with liver metastases from colorectal cancer, treated from Jan. 1996 to Dec. 2000, were analyzed retrospectively. The prognostic index (PI) of patients was calculated based on the results of multivariate analysis and patients were classified into different hazard groups accordingly. The overall 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 59.04%, 17.73%, and 11.48%. Univariate analysis revealed that extrahepatic invasion, primary tumor resection, liver metastasis resection, type of primary tumor, serum CEA concentration, number and size of liver metastases, and distribution of liver metastases were associated with prognosis. Multivariate analysis identified that the resection of liver metastases, serum CEA concentration, number and size of liver metastases were prognostic factors. The patients were classified into high risk, moderate risk, and low risk groups according to the PI value, and there was significant difference in survival rates between each two groups. Liver metastasis resection, serum CEA concentration, number and size of liver metastases are important prognostic factors for liver metastases from colorectal cancer. In order to improve the survival rate, liver metastases should be resected for suitable patients. Moreover, PI value could be used to predict the prognosis of patients with liver metastases from colorectal cancer. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Osteogenesis During Early Healing Around Titanium and Roxolid Implants: Evaluation of Bone Markers by Immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR Analysis in Miniature Pigs: A Pilot Study.
A novel approach for the study of early bone formation around dental implants in the miniature pig was evaluated. In addition to the traditional histologic and histomorphometric analysis, the expression of the osteogenic genes was analyzed both at the messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) and protein level. Mandibular premolars and the first molar were extracted in six miniature pigs. After 3 months of healing, 36 specially designed bone chamber implants were placed. Three different implant surface configurations were used: titanium SLA, titanium SLActive, and titanium zirconium SLActive (Roxolid). Each hemi-mandible received three randomly allocated implants (one for each surface type) on both sides of the arch, in a split-mouth design. Three animals were sacrificed after 3 days and another three after 2 weeks of healing post-implant insertion. For each animal the right hemi-mandible underwent qualitative histologic and quantitative histomorphometric analysis. The left hemi-mandible underwent immunohistofluorescence (IHF) analysis. β-catenin, Runx2, osteopontin, and osteocalcin were analyzed by IHF; osterix, and osteocalcin mRNA expression was also evaluated by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). At 3 days after the implantation, all implants were surrounded by blood clot. No provisional matrix or bone was observed inside the chamber. Infection or degenerative lesions were absent. At 2 weeks, the histomorphometric analysis showed no significant difference between the groups concerning the bone area. qRT-PCR showed that Ti SLActive had the highest osteocalcin mRNA expression followed by Ti SLA and Roxolid SLActive. Osterix mRNA expression was higher on Ti SLA and Roxolid SLActive compared to Ti SLActive. The differences were not statistically significant. IHF was only found positive for osteocalcin at 2 weeks. At 3 days, osteocalcin was detected only on native bone. At 2 weeks, osteocalcin was expressed highest by Ti SLActive followed by Roxolid SLActive and TiSLA; however, there was no statistically significant difference between the groups in the osteocalcin expression level. The present methodology allowed evaluation of changes in gene expression during the early phase of osteogenesis that seem to be related to the quality of the surface. Further studies with higher power and more specific antibodies are needed to confirm these preliminary findings. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
[A multicenter study of efficacy and safety of oseltamivir in treatment of naturally acquired influenza].
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of oseltamivir in the treatment of naturally acquired influenza in China. A randomized, double-blinded, placebo controlled trial of oseltamivir was conducted in China. Individuals of 18 to 65 years were enrolled presenting within 36 hours of influenzal symptoms and elevated temperature of 37.8 or higher. They should have at least two of the following symptoms: nasal congestion, sore throat, cough, myalgia, fatigue, headache, chill and sweating) during an influenza outbreak in the community. Individuals were randomized either to oseltamivir group (75 mg twice daily for 5 days) or placebo group. A total of 478 individuals were recruited, 16(3.35%) failed to follow up or refused to continue the trial, 3 (0.6%) were excluded immediately before taking medication because they did not meet the entry criteria and 8 (1.7%) individuals were excluded in the blinding review meeting because of protocol violation. Altogether 451 individuals were analyzed for efficacy as intent-to-treat population (ITT) (216 oseltamivir, 235 placebo) and 273 individuals were identified as influenza-infected through laboratory test; they were defined as intent-to-treat infected population (ITTI) (134 oseltamivir, 139 placebo). For safety analysis, 459 individuals were included. In ITTI population, the cumulative alleviation proportion in oseltamivir group was significantly higher than that of placebo group (P = 0.046 6). The median duration of illness was 91.6 hours [95% confident interval (CI) 80.2 - 101.3 hours] in oseltamivir group and 95.0 hours (95% CI 84.5 - 105.3 hours) in placebo group. The median area under the curve (AUC) of decreased total score was significantly higher in oseltamivir group than in placebo group, being 1 382.9 and 1 236.7 score-hours respectively (P = 0.019 6). The median duration of fever and myalgia were 27.9 and 35.5 hours in oseltamivir group, being significantly shorter than that of 51.5 and 36.0 hours in placebo group (P = 0.000 1 and 0.036 1). The median AUC of decreased score for fever and nasal symptom was 337.9 and 108.5 in oseltamivir group, being significantly higher than that of 311.3 and 43.3 in placebo group (P = 0.011 8 and 0.040 3). The proportion of subjects reporting fever in oseltamivir group were significantly lower than that in placebo group at 36, 60, 72, 96, 120 and 132 hours after the initiation of treatment (P = 0.049, 0.001, 0.001, 0.007, 0.007 and 0.030). The amount of paracetamol taken, incidence of secondary complications and antibiotics usage associated with secondary complications were similar in the two groups (P = 0.085 1, 0.944, 1.000). For ITT population, similar results were seen. Adverse events reported were similar in oseltamivir and placebo group. The main adverse events were gastrointestinal symptoms, headache, vertigo, and rashes. Oseltamivir was effective and well tolerated in the treatment of early naturally acquired influenza. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Conditional Approvals for Autologous Stem Cell-Based Interventions: <i>Conflicting norms and institutional legitimacy</i>.
Demands from patients, health-care professionals, and industry to streamline the market approval process for promising new therapies has prompted the introduction of programs that can provide more rapid access to stem cell-based products before evidence of safety and efficacy has been demonstrated in clinical trials. These products may be approved for marketing under "conditional authorizations," while uncertainty around safety and efficacy is reduced through the collection of clinical data in observational trials or registries. The rationale for conditional approval programs assumes that patients with unmet medical needs will benefit with rapid access to novel stem cell therapies. It also assumes that data gathered in actual clinical contexts is inherently better at reducing uncertainty than conventional clinical trial methods of demonstrating safety and efficacy. These assumptions may be overly optimistic and do not account for the broader societal burdens of prematurely releasing high-cost therapies with uncertain safety risks and benefits on to health-care markets. This essay focuses on the introduction of conditional approval programs for autologous somatic stem cell therapies and argues that these programs may conflict with, and potentially undermine, the normative commitments of regulatory agencies charged with promoting population health and protecting vulnerable groups from harm and exploitation. It concludes with suggestions of how programs designed to accelerate access to potentially helpful but experimental interventions could be reconfigured to be more equitable. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Axial Abdominal Imaging after Partial Nephrectomy for T1 Renal Cell Carcinoma Surveillance.
The overall recurrence rate of T1 renal cell carcinoma is low. We evaluated abdominal imaging after partial nephrectomy based on current guidelines for T1 renal cell carcinoma surveillance. We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients with T1 renal cell carcinoma who underwent partial nephrectomy between 2006 and 2012 followed by abdominal imaging at our institution. Primary and secondary outcomes were the incidence and timing, respectively, of imaging diagnosed abdominal recurrences. A literature review was performed to summarize prior reports of recurrence incidence and timing after partial nephrectomy for T1 disease. A total of 160 patients with stage T1a and 37 with T1b underwent partial nephrectomy. Seven patients had an abdominal recurrence, including 3 with local and distant recurrences, and 4 with a metachronous contralateral kidney recurrence. The incidence of abdominal recurrence detected by imaging was higher in the T1b than in the T1a group (10.8% vs 1.9%, p = 0.024). Although it was not significant, median time to recurrence was earlier in T1b vs T1a cases (13 vs 37 months, p = 0.480). In each group recurrences developed after 3 years of suggested guideline surveillance. In the literature combined with the current study the time to median recurrence for T1b vs T1a was 24 vs 29 months (p = 0.226). Recurrences detected by abdominal imaging developed earlier and more frequently in T1b than in T1a cases. Future recommendations for surveillance strategies after partial nephrectomy should distinguish T1a from T1b with less intense frequency of imaging for T1a. A longer period of surveillance should be considered since recurrences can develop beyond 3 years. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Dialysis as an on-line sample-pretreatment technique for column liquid chromatography: influence of experimental variables upon the determination of benzodiazepines in human plasma.
An evaluation is provided of dialysis, coupled on-line to column liquid chromatography, as a sample pretreatment procedure for macromolecule-containing biological samples. The influence of parameters such as acceptor phase flow rate, temperature, hydrophobicity of the analytes, pH, ionic strength and viscosity of the sample on the recovery and rate of dialysis is studied. In addition, methods to reduce the degree of drug-protein binding and thereby improve the recovery are reported. Diazepam, nitrazepam and oxazepam are used as model compounds. A method is reported for the fully automated determination of these compounds in human plasma using only 100 microliters of sample. Data on repeatability, linearity and detectability are given. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
[Isolation of Flavobacterium odoratum from human matter].
Described the most important taxonomical, bacteriological, clinical and epidemiological aspects of microorganisms of Flavobacterium genus, the author refer about 8 strains of Flavobacterium odoratum isolated from urine (6), sputum (1), surgical exudate (1). In some cases, etiopathogenetic possible correlation between isolates and clinical disease discussed, the author emphasizes the large antibiotic resistance kind of this species of microorganism non fermenter. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Beneficial effects of pancreas transplantation: regeneration of pancreatic islets in the spontaneously diabetic Torii rat.
Type 2 diabetes is characterized by a combination of insulin resistance and pancreatic beta-cell dysfunction. Although pancreas transplantation (PTx) is mainly performed in patients with type 1 disease, both clinical and experimental data have demonstrated that PTx improves insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetic recipients. However, it remains unclear whether PTx has the potential to induce islet neogenesis in a recipient's native pancreas. Nondiabetic 10-week-old and diabetic (defined as blood glucose level >250 mg/dL) 25-week-old (average onset age of diabetes) male spontaneously diabetic Torii (SDT; RT1(a)) rats served as donors and recipients, respectively. In nontreated control SDT rats, beta-cell mass gradually decreased and blood glucose levels progressively increased (>600 mg/dL after 40 weeks of age). In PTx rats, however, the onset of diabetes was significantly delayed (>47.5 +/- 18.2 [graft age] versus 25.2 +/- 3.9 weeks in control rats). On immunohistochemical staining, insulin-secreting islets were observed in the naive pancreata of 40-week-old recipients with PTx (PTx40w), whereas no islets were found in 40-week-old control SDT rats. Moreover, the islets in the native pancreata of PTx40w recipients were located close to ductal structures, and PDX-1 (pancreatic duodenal homeobox-1)-positive cells were more clearly visible. These results indicate the possibility of beta-cell regeneration in the recipient native pancreas by avoiding glucose toxicity under normoglycemic condition achieved by PTx. Pancreas transplantation has beneficial effects on impaired islet, inducing regeneration in the spontaneously diabetic Torii rat. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
MM-MTA for direct pulp capping: a histologic comparison with ProRoot MTA in rat molars.
To compare the histomorphological response of rat dental pulps capped with MM-MTA and ProRoot MTA at 1, 2 and 4 weeks postoperatively. Direct pulp capping with MM-MTA and ProRoot MTA, overlaid with light-cured composite resin, was performed on right and left maxillary first molars of 20 Wistar rats. Animals were killed at 1, 2 and 4 weeks postoperatively. Biopsy samples were stained and viewed by light microscopy to determine dentin bridge formation. Data were statistically evaluated with the Kruskal-Wallis test (p < 0.05). Absence of dentin bridge formation at 1 week, partial dentin bridge formation at 2 weeks and complete dentin bridge formation at 4 weeks are observed with MM-MTA and ProRoot MTA. The results showed no statistically significant difference between both materials at 4 weeks. Both materials produced similar responses in the pulp when used for pulp capping in intact, caries-free molars of rats. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Optimizing strategies in the primary Parrondo paradox.
We calculate analytically the gain for the N-player primary Parrondo paradox and identify the optimal strategy. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
STM imaging, spectroscopy and manipulation of a self-assembled PTCDI monolayer on epitaxial graphene.
Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM), Scanning Tunneling Spectroscopy (STS), and manipulation studies were performed on an ordered self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of N,N'-bis(1-hexylheptyl)perylene-3,4:9,10-bis(dicarboximide) molecules on epitaxial graphene on hexagonal silicon carbide - SiC(0001). Four novel aspects of the molecular SAM on graphene are presented. Molecules adsorb in both armchair and zig-zag configurations, giving rise to six orientations of the molecular layer with respect to the underlying substrate. The interaction between the molecules and the graphene surface shifts the LUMO towards the Fermi level, inducing a charge transfer and the opening of a band gap in the graphene, with the LUMO inside. This decouples the LUMO from the surface rendering it invisible in the dI/dV spectroscopy. The HOMO only becomes visible at short tip-surface distances, as its energy lies within the band gap of the SiC substrate. Finally, the observed molecular defects are very particular, being composed exclusively of molecular dimers. These molecular dimers have a stronger interaction with the graphene than other molecules. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
[Historical cohort study of delivery in women of forty years of age and older].
In a recent study at the Yaounde-Cameroon University Teaching Hospital, we found that delivery at extreme ages of reproductive health was associated with increased foetal and maternal risks. However we were not able to evaluate the impact of advanced age on exposure do different risks observed. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that deliveries of women aged 40 years and above were associated with increased risk. Data collection was retrospective from delivery room registers at the Yaoundé University Teaching Hospital Between 01/01/1991 - 31/12/2000. The deliveries of 180 women in their forties were compared with those of 532 women in their twenties. The software EPI Info 6 and SPSS were used in analysis. At unvaried analysis, the risk of delivery by caesarean section for women in their forties (16.1%) was significantly high compared to women in their twenties (10.0%), (HR: 1.7; 95% CI: 1.1-2.8; p = 0.027). After adjustment for different factors associated with the occurrence of delivery by caesarean section, its risk for women aged 40 and above remained significantly increased (HR: 1.7; 95% CI: 1.0-2.9; p = 0.039). Similar observation was found for stillbirth with 11.7% by women aged 40 and above compared to 5.8% by women in their twenties (HR: 2.1; 95% CI: 1.1-3.9; p = 0.011). After adjustment for different factors associated with mortinatality, its occurrence remained significantly increased at age 40 and above (HR: 1.9; 95% CI: 1.1-3.6; p = 0.032). Women aged 40 years and above had an increased risk of stillbirth and delivery by caesarean section than those in their twenties. Studies are needed to establish the exact causes of these risks and evaluate management options in these women. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
A combination of naso- and oropharyngeal swabs improves the diagnostic yield of respiratory viruses in adult emergency department patients.
Along with the current development of molecular diagnostic methods of respiratory viruses, the bedside patient sampling techniques need to be evaluated. We here asked the question whether the addition of an oropharynx swab to the traditional nasopharynx swab might improve the diagnostic yield of multiplex PCR analysis. Ct values from the two sampling sites were compared as well as patient tolerability. In an emergency department in Malmö, Sweden, 98 adult patients with respiratory disease were sampled both from the nasopharynx and oropharynx for virus diagnostics by PCR. Influenza (AH1, AH3, B), human metapneumovirus (hMPV) or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) were detected by PCR in 58 subjects. The diagnostic yield was improved by combining nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal sampling - a virus was detected in another 6 patients compared to traditional nasopharyngeal sampling (p = .031, McNemar's test). In 38/55 subjects viral load was higher in the nasopharynx than in the oropharynx. Self-reported discomfort was significantly lower from oropharyngeal sampling than from nasopharyngeal sampling. Adding an oropharynx sample to a nasopharynx sample increased the diagnostic yield of respiratory viruses. Oropharyngeal sampling was well tolerated. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
A specialized walking frame for children with cerebral palsy.
To help severely physically handicapped children with cerebral palsy gain some independent mobility, a special walking frame of great stability has been evolved. It incorporates a variable-resistance roller and automatic reversing brake, and can be folded. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Inhibition of differentiation of mouse myeloid leukemia cells by heat-stable calf serum components of very high molecular weight.
Mouse myeloid leukemia cells (Ml) were induced to differentiate into macrophages and granulocytes by various inducers including glucocorticoid. The tumour promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) inhibited the induction of differentiation of Ml cells in medium containing calf serum, but enhanced the induction in medium containing fetal calf serum and several inducers. For elucidation of the factor(s) in serum affecting the response of Ml cells to tumour promoters, calf serum was fractionated by Sephadex G-200 gel filtration. Differentiation of Ml cells induced by dexamethasone was markedly inhibited by TPA and high mol. wt fractions of calf serum eluted in the void volume and low mol. wt fractions that co-migrated with bovine serum albumin. High mol. wt fractions alone inhibited the differentiation of Ml cells induced by dexamethasone, and also acted additively with TPA in inhibiting the differentiation. The inhibition by high mol. wt fractions was not related to cytotoxicity and was reversible. The differentiation of Ml cells induced by proteinous inducer or lipopolysaccharide was also inhibited by high mol. wt fractions. The inhibitory factor was heat stable (70 degrees C for 20 min or 90 degrees C for 10 min). These results suggest that the tumour promoter and calf serum components cooperate in inhibiting differentiation of mouse myeloid leukemia cells induced by various inducers. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Evidence for polyclonal origin of multifocal clear cell renal cell carcinoma.
Renal cell carcinomas are often multifocal. We investigated the genomic signatures of multifocal clear cell renal cell carcinoma to determine whether multiple tumors in the same kidney bear a clonal relationship to one another. A total of 62 tumors from 26 patients who underwent radical nephrectomy were examined. All patients had multiple separate clear cell renal carcinomas. Loss of heterozygosity analyses were done using five microsatellite polymorphic markers that represent putative tumor suppressor genes on chromosome 3p14 (D3S1300), 7q31 (D7S522), 8p22 (D8S261), 9p21 (D9S171), and 17p13 (TP53). X chromosome inactivation analyses were also done on the renal tumors from the 10 female patients. Chromosome 3p deletion status was determined by dual color interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis in all tumors. Nineteen of the 26 (73%) patients with multifocal clear cell renal cell carcinoma showed allelic loss in at least 1 of 5 microsatellite loci in separate tumors analyzed. A disconcordant pattern of allelic loss between coexisting kidney tumors was observed in 7 cases. Six cases showed discordant 3p deletion patterns by dual color interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis. Of the eight informative female cases studied by X chromosome inactivation, one showed a discordant nonrandom pattern of X chromosome inactivation. Overall, evidence of independent origin of the multifocal renal tumors was observed in 12 of 26 cases (46%). Our data suggest that in a significant number of cases of multifocal clear cell renal cell carcinoma, the spatially separate tumors are of different clonal origin and arise independently. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Electrophysiologic studies in nonsustained ventricular tachycardia: relation to underlying heart disease.
Electrophysiologic studies were performed in 83 patients with spontaneous episodes of nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (VT). The clinical arrhythmia was reproduced in 63% (in 42 patients by programmed stimulation and in 10 by isoproterenol infusion). In 15 patients sustained VT could be reproducibly induced by programmed stimulation. Inducibility was related to the associated heart diseases: programmed stimulation induced VT in 25 of 33 patients (75%) with coronary disease, 6 of 18 patients (33%) with cardiomyopathy (dilated in 16, hypertrophic nonobstructive in 2), in 4 of 8 patients (50%) with mitral valve prolapse and in 7 of 24 patients (29%) without structural heart disease. Isoproterenol infusion induced VT in no other patient with coronary artery disease, 1 other patient with mitral valve prolapse, 3 patients with cardiomyopathy, and in 6 of 24 patients without structural heart disease. Sustained VT was induced only in patients with structural heart disease, and correlated with the presence of left ventricular aneurysms: Sustained VT was induced in 9 of 13 patients with left ventricular aneurysms. The study demonstrates that electrophysiologic techniques can reproduce episodes of nonsustained VT in most patients with spontaneous arrhythmias. Some patients who demonstrate only nonsustained VT spontaneously have inducible, sustained VT, most often in the setting of coronary artery disease and left ventricular aneurysms. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
[Ocular toxoplasmosis - seeking a strategy for treatment].
To compare the effectiveness of treatment for ocular toxoplasmosis with pyrimethamine + clindamycin (or sulfadiazine) + a corticoid (Group 1), or azithromycin or a combination of azithromycin with a corticoid or a corticoid alone (Group 2). To determine the relapse rate depending on the treatment approach. A total of 25 patients treated for ocular toxoplasmosis over the last five years (2008-2013) were analyzed. Group 1 comprised 16 patients (3 were excluded) and Group 2 consisted of 6 patients. Visual improvement was more rapid in Group 1 (day 10.7) than in Group 2 (significant improvement on day 29.6). There were 5 cases of relapse in Group 1; in 13 cases, no relapse was noted; all patients in Group 2 relapsed (a total of 13 relapses). Twenty-three patients were positive for specific IgG antibodies. According to our experiences, pyrimethamine + clindamycin (or sulfadiazine) + a corticoid should be the treatment of choice in patients with ocular toxoplasmosis. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Metabolic engineering of Corynebacterium glutamicum for methionine production by removing feedback inhibition and increasing NADPH level.
Relieving the feedback inhibition of key enzymes in a metabolic pathway is frequently the first step of producer-strain construction by genetic engineering. However, the strict feedback regulation exercised by microorganisms in methionine biosynthesis often makes it difficult to produce methionine at a high level. In this study, Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC 13032 was metabolically engineered for methionine production. First, the metD gene encoding the methionine uptake system was deleted to achieve extracellular accumulation of methionine. Then, random mutagenesis was performed to remove feedback inhibition by metabolic end-products. The resulting strain C. glutamicum ENM-16 was further engineered to block or decrease competitive branch pathways by deleting the thrB gene and changing the start codon of the dapA gene, followed by point mutations of lysC (C932T) and pyc (G1A, C1372T) to increase methionine precursor supply. To enrich the NADPH pool, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase in the pentose phosphate pathway were mutated to reduce their sensitivity to inhibition by intracellular metabolites. The resultant strain C. glutamicum LY-5 produced 6.85 ± 0.23 g methionine l(-1) with substrate-specific yield (Y P/S) of 0.08 mol per mol of glucose after 72 h fed-batch fermentation. The strategies described here will be useful for construction of methionine engineering strains. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Genetic overlap between epilepsy and schizophrenia: Evidence from cross phenotype analysis in Hong Kong Chinese population.
Epilepsy and schizophrenia are common and typical neurological or mental illness respectively, and sometimes they comorbid in the same patients, however the underlying genetic relationship between the two brain diseases is still not fully understood. To investigate the possible genetic contribution to their comorbidity, we performed polygenic risk score (PRS) analyses and genetic correlation estimation so as to identify the overall genetic overlap between the two diseases. The global schizophrenia PRS is strongly associated with schizophrenia phenotype in Hong Kong population (odds ratio = 1.7, p = 2.26E-16), and focal epilepsy PRS is moderately associated with epilepsy phenotype in Hong Kong population (odds ratio = 1.14, p = 0.013). However the disease-specific PRS can only predict its own well-matched phenotype but not the other ones (p > 0.05). This pattern is further supported by non-significant pairwise genetic correlation and insufficient statistical power for PRS association from the cross-phenotype analyses. Our study reveals there's limited shared genetic aetiology between schizophrenia and epilepsy, and thus supports a model of shared environmental factors to explain the comorbidity between the two phenotypes. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
The Prevalence of pilA and algD Virulence Genes in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Urinary Tract and Tracheal Isolates.
P. aeruginosa is one of the bacteria opportunistic that played main role in pathogenicity of patient in urinary tract infection (UTI) and respiratory tract infections. So, the aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of virulence genes including algD and pilA among Pseudomonas aeruginosa in urinary tract infection and tracheal isolates. After DNA extraction of clinical isolates, polymerase chain reaction was performed, and the results highlighted algD in all isolates, while pilA was dominant in tracheal isolates. We concluded that pathogenicity of urinary tract infection isolates is more than tracheal isolates, but future studies should confirm this. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Secondary acute myeloblastic leukaemia (AML) (expressing 11q23 mutation) occurring 11 months after chemotherapy/radiotherapy for paediatric non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).
The occurrence of 11q23 cytogenetic abnormalities in drug-induced acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is now well recognized. They are most frequently associated with topoisomerase II inhibitor administration. We here describe the case history of a 15-year-old child who presented with Stage III B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and was treated with anthracyclines, alkylating agents and low-dose mediastinal radiotherapy. She developed an 11q23 mutation-related secondary AML at 11 months after therapy (15 months after her first exposure to drugs; 12 months after the first radiotherapy exposure), possibly the earliest yet reported in a paediatric patient. We discuss this newly recognized early form of refractory, secondary AML and its relationship to chemoradiotherapy. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Immune and inflammatory gene signature in rat cerebrum in subarachnoid hemorrhage with microarray analysis.
Cerebral vasospasm following subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) has been studied in terms of a contraction of the major cerebral arteries, but the effect of cerebrum tissue in SAH is not yet well understood. To gain insight into the biology of SAH-expressing cerebrum, we employed oligonucleotide microarrays to characterize the gene expression profiles of cerebrum tissue at the early stage of SAH. Functional gene expression in the cerebrum was analyzed 2 h following stage 1-hemorrhage in Sprague-Dawley rats. mRNA was investigated by performing microarray and quantitative real-time PCR analyses, and protein expression was determined by Western blot analysis. In this study, 18 upregulated and 18 downregulated genes displayed at least a 1.5-fold change. Five genes were verified by real-time PCR, including three upregulated genes [prostaglandin E synthase (PGES), CD14 antigen, and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP1)] as well as two downregulated genes [KRAB-zinc finger protein-2 (KZF-2) and γ-aminobutyric acid B receptor 1 (GABA B receptor)]. Notably, there were functional implications for the three upregulated genes involved in the inflammatory SAH process. However, the mechanisms leading to decreased KZF-2 and GABA B receptor expression in SAH have never been characterized. We conclude that oligonucleotide microarrays have the potential for use as a method to identify candidate genes associated with SAH and to provide novel investigational targets, including genes involved in the immune and inflammatory response. Furthermore, understanding the regulation of MMP9/TIMP1 during the early stages of SAH may elucidate the pathophysiological mechanisms in SAH rats. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
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