index
stringlengths 11
17
| text
stringlengths 101
5.84k
| doi
stringlengths 4
68
|
|---|---|---|
pubmed_128_15385 | The endochondral bones of the skeleton develop from a cartilage template and grow via a process involving a cascade of chondrocyte differentiation steps culminating in formation of a growth plate and the replacement of cartilage by bone. This process of endochondral ossification, driven by the generation of chondrocytes and their subsequent proliferation, differentiation, and production of extracellular matrix constitute a journey, deviation from which inevitably disrupts bone growth and development, and is the basis of human skeletal dysplasias with a wide range of phenotypic severity, from perinatal lethality to progressively deforming. This highly coordinated journey of chondrocyte specification and fate determination is controlled by a myriad of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. SOX9 is the master transcription factor that, in concert with varying partners along the way, directs the different phases of the journey from mesenchymal condensation, chondrogenesis, differentiation, proliferation, and maturation. Extracellular signals, including bone morphogenetic proteins, wingless-related MMTV integration site (WNT), fibroblast growth factor, Indian hedgehog, and parathyroid hormone-related peptide, are all indispensable for growth plate chondrocytes to align and organize into the appropriate columnar architecture and controls their maturation and transition to hypertrophy. Chondrocyte hypertrophy, marked by dramatic volume increase in phases, is controlled by transcription factors SOX9, Runt-related transcription factor, and FOXA2. Hypertrophic chondrocytes mediate the cartilage to bone transition and concomitantly face a live-or-die situation, a subject of much debate. We review recent insights into the coordination of the phases of the chondrocyte journey, and highlight the need for a systems level understanding of the regulatory networks that will facilitate the development of therapeutic approaches for skeletal dysplasia. | 10.1002/bdrc.21060 |
pubmed_138_6079 | To assess the effect of prophylactic use of antibiotics on the incidence of postoperative wound infection in intraoral orthognathic surgery, a group of 98 patients was classified in antibiotic and nonantibiotic subgroups. Antibiotic prophylaxis was used in 35 cases and was not used in 63 cases. The overall incidence of infection was 11.4% and 11.1%, respectively. The type of surgery performed made apparent but not statistically significant differences in the incidence of infection. Alveolar surgery patients had a 14.2% incidence with antibiotics and 4.7% incidence without antibiotics, while sagittal osteotomy patients had 8.3% and 26.3%, respectively. The infections that occurred were minor, easily treated, and did not result in any compromise in the predicted outcome of the surgical result. On the basis of the data gathered in this study, we conclude that antibiotic prophylaxis is contraindicated in alveolar surgery, and should not be used routinely in sagittal osteotomies. | pubmed_138_6079 |
pubmed_770_5476 | Femurs from 9-day-old chick embryo were cultivated for 6 days by the roller-tube method in the presence of Cd, Cu or Zn. Cd (5.0 microM and above) and Cu (2.5 microM and above) caused a decrease in collagen content of both diaphysis and epiphysis, mainly due to inhibition of collagen synthesis. In addition, Cd and Cu each showed a tendency to inhibit an increase in Ca content of diaphysis, where intraperiosteal ossification could be observed. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity was decreased by Cd (5.0 microM and above) or Cu (10 microM and above) in diaphysis. On the other hand, Zn at 50 microM and above inhibited an increase in Ca content of the diaphysis with a remarkable elevation of ALP activity in the medium. At this time, Zn did not decrease the collagen content of the diaphysis so strongly. Histological observations revealed that Cd and Cu each decreased both calcified and uncalcified osteoid tissue at 2.5 microM, while Zn at 100 microM decreased calcified tissue but increased uncalcified osteoid tissue. As Zn accumulated particularly in diaphysis and deposited at the edge of calcified tissue, it was suggested that Zn inhibited calcification physicochemically. It was concluded that Cd or Cu would induce bone damage represented by osteoporosis, whereas Zn would induce osteomalacia. | 10.1016/0300-483x(88)90046-7 |
pubmed_902_14315 | Nk homeobox genes are important regulators of many different developmental processes including muscle, heart, central nervous system and sensory organ development. They are thought to have arisen as part of the ANTP megacluster, which also gave rise to Hox and ParaHox genes, and at least some NK genes remain tightly linked in all animals examined so far. The protostome-deuterostome ancestor probably contained a cluster of nine Nk genes: (Msx)-(Nk4/tinman)-(Nk3/bagpipe)-(Lbx/ladybird)-(Tlx/c15)-(Nk7)-(Nk6/hgtx)-(Nk1/slouch)-(Nk5/Hmx). Of these genes, only NKX2.6-NKX3.1, LBX1-TLX1 and LBX2-TLX2 remain tightly linked in humans. However, it is currently unclear whether this is unique to the human genome as we do not know which of these Nk genes are clustered in other vertebrates. This makes it difficult to assess whether the remaining linkages are due to selective pressures or because chance rearrangements have "missed" certain genes. In this paper, we identify all of the paralogs of these ancestrally clustered NK genes in several distinct vertebrates. We demonstrate that tight linkages of Lbx1-Tlx1, Lbx2-Tlx2 and Nkx3.1-Nkx2.6 have been widely maintained in both the ray-finned and lobe-finned fish lineages. Moreover, the recently duplicated Hmx2-Hmx3 genes are also tightly linked. Finally, we show that Lbx1-Tlx1 and Hmx2-Hmx3 are flanked by highly conserved noncoding elements, suggesting that shared regulatory regions may have resulted in evolutionary pressure to maintain these linkages. Consistent with this, these pairs of genes have overlapping expression domains. In contrast, Lbx2-Tlx2 and Nkx3.1-Nkx2.6, which do not seem to be coexpressed, are also not associated with conserved noncoding sequences, suggesting that an alternative mechanism may be responsible for the continued clustering of these genes. | 10.1007/s00427-009-0311-y |
pubmed_106_14805 | We synthesized 2,2'-anhydro-pyrimidine nucleosides through a novel and efficient rearrangement with 3',5'-O-sulfinyl xylo nucleosides which were prepared from an inexpensive starting material, D-xylose. A variety of 2'-deoxy and 2'-functional pyrimidine nucleosides can be prepared from 2,2'-anhydro-pyrimidine nucleosides. | 10.1093/nass/2.1.137 |
pubmed_829_14137 | We combine a morphological description with a multigene analysis to assess the phylogenetic placement of a poorly known amoeboid taxon Corallomyxa within the eukaryotic tree of life. A detailed morphological analysis including transmission electron microscopy and light microscopy of Corallomyxa sp. ATCC 50975 demonstrates that this isolate is a new species, herein designated, Corallomyxa tenera sp. nov. This species possesses features of the genus, such as a multinucleate, reticulate plasmodium with localized bidirectional streaming and occasional formation of surface buds, but is differentially characterized from other species by its delicate appearance, short duration of the anastomosing reticulate network and production of round smooth-walled cysts. The new species also lacks some features found in some Corallomyxa species, including cytoplasmic condensation and an electron dense "chromocenter". A Bayesian analysis of four concatenated genes (SSU-rDNA, actin, alpha- and beta-tubulin) from a wide diversity of eukaryotes places the new species together with taxa placed in the putative supergroup 'Rhizaria'. All molecular loci refute the traditional placement of Corallomyxa within the supergroup 'Amoebozoa', which includes other Mycetozoidea and Lobosea. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses of the two well-sampled genes, SSU-rDNA and actin, with increased taxon sampling of 'Rhizaria' show a close affinity of Corallomyxa with Foraminifera, Gromia and, for SSU-rDNA, Haplosporidia. We further identify a novel stem, herein designated E23-13-1, in the predicted SSU-rDNA secondary structure that supports this relationship. A hypothesis is presented for the evolution of morphological and molecular synapomorphies in a clade containing Gromia, Corallomyxa, Foraminifera and Haplosporidia. | 10.1016/j.protis.2007.05.002 |
pubmed_42_21908 | BACKGROUND
To assess the feasibility of intermittent androgen suppression in patients with metastatic prostate cancer and to quantify the improvement in the quality of life.
METHODS
Forty-three patients with M1 b prostate cancer were treated by intermittent hormonal deprivation using luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) analogue alone (n = 11), or associated with an antiandrogen (n = 32). The prospective nonrandomized study required an initial therapy period of 12 months with a stable biological response during 6 months (PSA, testosterone). Treatment was resumed when the serum PSA value recovered to 20 ng/ml, or when local failure or new bone metastasis occurred. The assessment of quality of life was carried out using the EORTC QLQ-C30.
RESULTS
The mean follow-up time was 43.7 months. After the initial 12 months of androgen suppression, one patient with a minimal disease was off-therapy with a follow-up of 18 months. For the 42 other patients, the mean off-therapy period was 6.7 months. In the second therapy period (9-12 months), 7 patients were hormono-independent and died with a mean survival time of 27 months; 35 patients were responders. The mean off-therapy length in the second cycle was short (3.8 months). After this time, androgen suppression therapy was reintroduced permanently, but 10 patients were hormono-independent. No difference was observed in the EORTC QLQ-C30 between therapy and off-therapy periods, only a rapid decrease in adverse events due to the hormonal deprivation was reported in all cases during the off-therapy period.
CONCLUSIONS
Intermittent androgen suppression in patients with M1 b prostate cancer could be associated with a significant period off-therapy in the first cycle (55.8%), and with a chance of second hormone response. But in the second cycle, the off-therapy period length was short and required a careful follow-up. | 10.1159/000020353 |
pubmed_487_10200 | To provide detailed information and insight into the drug-target interaction, structure, solvation, and dynamic and thermodynamic properties, the three known-neuraminidase inhibitors-oseltamivir (OTV), zanamivir (ZNV), and peramivir (PRV)-embedded in the catalytic site of neuraminidase (NA) subtype N1 were studied using molecular dynamics simulations. In terms of ligand conformation, there were major differences in the structures of the guanidinium and the bulky groups. The atoms of the guanidinium group of PRV were observed to form many more hydrogen bonds with the surrounded residues and were much less solvated by water molecules, in comparison with the other two inhibitors. Consequently, D151 lying on the 150-loop (residues 147-152) of group-1 neuraminidase (N1, N4, N5, and N8) was considerably shifted to form direct hydrogen bonds with the --OH group of the PRV, which was located rather far from the 150-loop. For the bulky group, direct hydrogen bonds were detected only between the hydrophilic side chain of ZNV and residues R224, E276, and E277 of N1 with rather weak binding, 20-70% occupation. This is not the case for OTV and PRV, in which flexibility and steric effects due to the hydrophobic side chain lead to the rearrangement of the surrounded residues, that is, the negatively charged side chain of E276 was shifted and rotated to form hydrogen bonds with the positively charged moiety of R224. Taking into account all the ligand-enzyme interaction data, the gas phase MM interaction energy of -282.2 kcal/mol as well as the binding free energy (DeltaG(binding)) of -227.4 kcal/mol for the PRV-N1 are significantly lower than those of the other inhibitors. The ordering of DeltaG(binding) of PRV < ZNV < OTV agrees well with the ordering of experimental IC(50) value. | 10.1002/prot.21897 |
pubmed_1098_7943 | The presence of microplastics (MPs) in marine environments has become increasingly apparent. Owing to the lack of effective solid waste management, Indonesia is the second largest producer of ocean plastic waste after China. Currently, information about pollution of MPs in the sediments of East Surabaya, Indonesia, is not available, and this issue is addressed in this study for the first time. Sediment samples were collected from 16 sampling sites along urban and mangrove coastal areas. MPs were observed in most of the sampling sites, with abundances ranging from ND (not detected) to 598 items/kg. MP shapes constituted fragments (30%), foam (28%), granules (22%), and fibers (20%). The 500-1000 µm fraction was the dominant size of MPs. Polypropylene was the major polymer constituent, followed by high-density polyethylene and polyethylene. Findings from Spearman's correlation coefficients, principal component analysis, and hierarchical cluster analysis reveal that the spatial pattern of MPs is closely related to coastal characteristics and population density. MPs in different coastal regions were assessed by the polymer risk index. Results reveal that coastal areas in the Bulak district exhibit the highest risk. Our results confirm the prevalence of MPs as anthropogenic pollutants in East Surabaya and highlight the importance of management action and education on environmental protection for the mitigation of MP pollution. | 10.3390/ijerph191912348 |
pubmed_638_12529 | Vacuum Assisted Closure brand Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (V.A.C. NPWT) has been shown to be an effective therapeutic option for the treatment of recalcitrant wounds; however, the mechanism of action at the cellular level remains to be elucidated. Here, we examined the effects of negative pressure wound therapy, manifolded with two different dressings, on fibroblast viability, chemotactic signaling, and proliferation in a fibrin clot matrix. Fibroblasts were grown in a three-dimensional fibrin matrix and were treated for 48 hours with either V.A.C. NPWT and GranuFoam Dressing, or with gauze under suction, or as static controls without negative pressure or dressings. Cells treated by gauze under suction showed significantly greater cell death and stimulated less migration and proliferation than static and V.A.C. NPWT-treated cells (p<0.05). Apoptosis was also significantly higher in gauze under suction than in static treatments. These results indicate that the dressing material has a significant effect on cell response following negative pressure wound therapy. The ability to support cell growth, stimulate chemotaxis, and proliferation without increasing apoptosis may provide an insight into the mechanisms of action of V.A.C. NPWT. | 10.1111/j.1524-475X.2007.00287.x |
pubmed_248_8577 | Estradiol (E(2)) is an important risk factor in the development and progression of breast cancer. However, a "direct effect" of E(2) in breast cancerization has not yet been demonstrated. The estrogen receptor complex can mediate the activation of oncogens, proto-oncogens, nuclear proteins and other target genes that can be involved in the transformation of normal to cancerous cells. Breast cancer cells possess all the enzymes (sulfatase, aromatase, 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17beta-HSD)) necessary for the local bioformation of E(2). In the last years, many studies have shown that treatment of breast cancer patients using anti-aromatase agents has beneficial therapeutic effects. The aromatase activity is very low in most breast cancer cells but was significantly increased in a hormone-dependent breast cancer cell line: the MCF-7aro, using the aromatase cDNA transfection and G-418 (neomycin) selection. In the present study, we explore the effect of E(2) on the aromatase activity of this cell line. The MCF-7aro cell line was a gift from Dr. S. Chen (Beckman Research Institute, Duarte, U.S.A.). For experiments the cells were stripped of endogenous steroids and incubated with physiological concentrations of [(3)H]-testosterone (5 x 10(-9)mol/l) alone or in the presence of E(2) (5 x 10(-5), 5 x 10(-7) and 5 x 10(-9)mol/l) for 24h at 37 degrees C. The cellular radioactivity uptake was determined in the ethanolic supernatant and the DNA content in the remaining pellet. [(3)H]-E(2), [(3)H]-estrone ([(3)H]-E(1)) and [(3)H]-testosterone were characterized by thin layer chromatography and quantified using the corresponding standard. It was observed that [(3)H]-testosterone is converted mainly into [(3)H]-E(2) and not to E(1), which suggests very low or absence of oxidative 17beta-HSD (type 2) activity in these experimental conditions. The aromatase activity, corresponding to the conversion of [(3)H]-testosterone to [(3)H]-E(2) after 24h, is relatively high, since the concentration of E(2) was 2.74+/-0.11pmol/mg DNA in the non-treated cells. E(2) inhibits this conversion by 77, 57 and 21%, respectively, at the concentrations of 5 x 10(-5), 5 x 10(-7) and 5 x 10(-9)mol. In previous studies, it was demonstrated that E(2) exerts a potent anti-sulfatase activity in the MCF-7 and T-47D breast cancer cells. The present data show that E(2) can also block the aromatase activity. The dual inhibition of the aromatase and sulfatase activities, two crucial enzymes for the biosynthesis of E(2) by E(2) itself in breast cancer add interesting and attractive information for the use of estrogen therapeutic treatments. | 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2005.10.001 |
pubmed_28_5956 | Plastic pollution control has been on top of the political agenda in China. In January 2020, China announced a phased ban on the production and usage of various types of single-use plastics as a solution to environmental pollution problems. However, the outbreak of COVID-19 seems to be a new obstacle to the ban on single-use plastic products. To basically satisfied the daily necessities and contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2 under the background of the regular epidemic prevention and control in China, online ordering, contactless delivery and wearing mask have become an important and feasible way of daily life. However, the unrestrained use of disposable plastic bags, lunch boxes and masks within the nationwide quarantine leads to hundreds of millions of plastics wastes every day. The potential environmental pollution caused by the use of disposable plastic products during the pandemic should arouse social concern. The Chinese government should manage environmental protection in parallel with anti-pandemic endeavors as the situation of the pandemic evolves. | 10.1007/s00128-021-03121-x |
pubmed_530_15528 | STUDY DESIGN
Retrospective cohort study.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the diagnostic value of prevertebral soft-tissue swelling in the setting of cervical spine trauma.
SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA
In adult patients with trauma, an increase in the thickness of the retropharyngeal soft tissues is commonly used as a potential indicator of occult injury, but no studies have examined this parameter using computed tomography (CT) as a screening modality.
METHODS
A total of 541 patients with trauma with injuries at any level of the spine underwent CT. Patients with cervical injury were divided into those requiring noninvasive (observation or cervical collar, n = 142) management, and those requiring invasive (surgery or halo, n = 61) treatment. A control group of patients with isolated thoracic or lumbar injuries was used for comparison (n = 542). Retropharyngeal soft tissues were measured at the cranial and caudal endplates of all cervical levels on sagittal and axial CT. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated for +1, +2, and +3 standard deviations from mean values.
RESULTS
Sensitivity for detection of injury was found to be universally poor for all measurement groups. This ranged from 14.4% to 21.2% at +1 SD to 5.3% to 8.7% at +2 SD. Positive and negative predictive values for injury were also universally poor, ranging from 38% to 75%. Soft-tissue swelling as a sentinel sign of cervical spine injury demonstrates consistently high specificity and low sensitivity, precisely the opposite of what would be desired in a screening test. This study shows at best a sensitivity of 21.6% when using this parameter for the detection of these injuries in adult patients with trauma.
CONCLUSION
On the basis of the results of this study, we recommend against the routine use of measurement of the prevertebral soft tissues on CT as a screening tool for cervical spine injury in adult patients with trauma.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE
3. | 10.1097/BRS.0b013e31827f0dc3 |
pubmed_1050_2424 | INTRODUCTION
In recent years, there has been an increased focus on developing a coherent obesity policy in the UK, which has led to various national policy initiatives aimed at improving population diet. We sought to determine whether there have been concurrent changes in trends in the nutrient content of take-home food and beverage purchases within this policy environment.
METHODS
We used 2012-2017 data from the UK Kantar Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) panel, a nationally representative panel study of food and beverages bought by British households and brought into the home (n≈32 000 per year). Households used hand-held barcode scanners to report over 225 million product-level purchases of food and beverages, for which nutritional information was obtained. We estimated daily per capita purchases of energy and nutrients from 32 healthier and less healthy food groups defined using the nutrient profiling model used by the UK Department of Health.
RESULTS
From 2012 to 2017, daily purchases of energy from food and beverages taken home decreased by 35.4 kcal (95% CI 25.5 to 45.2) per capita. This is explained by moderate decreases in the purchase of products with high contents in carbohydrate (-13.1 g (-14.4 to -11.8)) and sugar (-4.4 g (-5.1 to -3.7)), despite small increases in protein (1.7 g (1.4 to 2.1)) and saturated fat (0.4 g (0.2 to 0.6)). Food and beverage purchases exceeded daily reference intake values in fat (on average +6%), saturated fat (+43%), sugar (+16%) and protein (+28%) across all years. Although substitutions between individual food groups were large in energy and nutrients purchased, the heterogeneity of these patterns resulted in modest overall changes.
CONCLUSION
There have been small declines in the purchase of less healthy food products, which translated to a small reduction of total energy and sugar purchases taken home. However, the rate of change needs to be accelerated in order to substantially reduce the health risks of poor diets, suggesting that more radical policies may be needed to attain larger population effects. | 10.1136/bmjnph-2019-000036 |
pubmed_804_6332 | Since the first-in-man transcatheter delivery of an aortic valve prosthesis in 2002, the landscape of aortic stenosis therapeutics has shifted dramatically. While initially restricted to non-surgical cases, progressive advances in transcatheter aortic valve replacement and our understanding of its safety and efficacy have expanded its use in intermediate and possibly low surgical risk patients. In this review, we explore the past, present, and future of transcatheter aortic valve replacement. | 10.3904/kjim.2018.015 |
pubmed_601_16866 | Benefits of improved glycemic control and lowered blood lipids continue as patients follow high-fiber, high-carbohydrate diets over time. In our experience, body weight, insulin requirements, glycemic control, and serum lipids are well managed by such diets for up to 10 years of follow-up. Besides minimizing the need for drugs, we found high-fiber, high-carbohydrate diets were well tolerated by diabetic patients. Other family members can consume the diet as well, since it closely approximates the dietary recommendations of the American the dietary recommendations of the American Heart Association and the National Cancer Institute. | pubmed_601_16866 |
pubmed_681_16249 | Diastolic and systolic left ventricular (LV) dysfunction often significantly contribute to disabling symptoms in familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (FHC). This study compares regional LV function (midwall circumferential strain) during systole and diastole in eight FHC patients and six normal volunteers (NVs) using MR tagging. A prospectively-gated fast gradient-echo sequence with an echo-train readout was modified to support complementary spatial modulation of magnetization (CSPAMM) tagging and full cardiac cycle data acquisition using the cardiac phase to order reconstruction (CAPTOR), thus providing tag persistence and data acquisition during the entire cardiac cycle. Total systolic strains in FHC patients were significantly reduced in septal and inferior regions (both P < 0.01). Early-diastolic strain rates were reduced in all regions of the FHC group (all P < 0.03). The combination of CSPAMM and CAPTOR allows regional indices of myocardial function to be quantified throughout the cardiac cycle. This technique reveals regional differences in systolic and diastolic impairment in FHC patients. | 10.1002/mrm.10543 |
pubmed_182_2 | Patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) have difficulty recognising people's faces. We tested whether this could be improved using caricaturing: an image enhancement procedure derived from cortical coding in a perceptual 'face-space'. Caricaturing exaggerates the distinctive ways in which an individual's face shape differs from the average. We tested 19 AMD-affected eyes (from 12 patients; ages 66-93 years) monocularly, selected to cover the full range of vision loss. Patients rated how different in identity people's faces appeared when compared in pairs (e.g., two young men, both Caucasian), at four caricature strengths (0, 20, 40, 60% exaggeration). This task gives data reliable enough to analyse statistically at the individual-eye level. All 9 eyes with mild vision loss (acuity ≥ 6/18) showed significant improvement in identity discrimination (higher dissimilarity ratings) with caricaturing. The size of improvement matched that in normal-vision young adults. The caricature benefit became less stable as visual acuity further decreased, but caricaturing was still effective in half the eyes with moderate and severe vision loss (significant improvement in 5 of 10 eyes; at acuities from 6/24 to poorer than <6/360). We conclude caricaturing has the potential to help many AMD patients recognise faces. | 10.1038/s41598-018-33543-3 |
pubmed_530_17544 | BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE
Bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP) is a distinct clinicopathological entity histologically characterized by intra-alveolar granulation tissue and absence of extensive fibrotic lesions. Effective macrolide treatment of BOOP has been reported anecdotally. This study aimed to investigate whether alveolar macrophages (AMs) produce aberrant proinflammatory cytokines in BOOP and whether this can be inhibited by clarithromycin (CAM) or azithromycin (AZM).
METHODS
AMs collected by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) from 6 BOOP patients and 8 non-ILD controls were cultured for 24h in the presence or absence of CAM, AZM, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), or dexamethasone (DEX). Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), soluble TNF receptor 1 (sTNFR1), sTNFR2, interleukin 1beta (IL-1β), IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, interferon gamma inducible protein 10 (IP-10) and CC chemokine ligand 18 (CCL18) were measured in the culture supernatant by ELISA.
RESULTS
The spontaneous and LPS-stimulated production of all investigated cytokines by AMs was significantly increased in BOOP compared to controls. CAM and AZM induced a dose-dependent suppression of spontaneous TNF-α, sTNFR2, IL-6, IL-8 and CCL18 production (p<0.05). CAM also inhibited the IL-1β production. CAM and AZM significantly and dose-dependently attenuated the LPS-stimulated production of sTNFR1, sTNFR2, IL-8 and CCL18 (p<0.05). CAM also inhibited the LPS-stimulated TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-10 production.
CONCLUSIONS
AMs from BOOP patients produce abundant proinflammatory cytokines which may be pivotal in the disease pathogenesis. Macrolides inhibit this cytokine production, CAM more efficiently than AZM. | pubmed_530_17544 |
pubmed_629_12660 | The clinical histories of 364 patients with heartburn and/or regurgitations, that is, with symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux (GER), were reviewed to determine the frequencies with which these symptoms appeared in isolated form or associated with manifestations of dyspepsia. Only 41 (11.3%) of the patients presented symptoms of GER in isolated form; in the remaining 323 (88.7%), the symptoms appeared associated with manifestations of dyspepsia. In view of these results and various reasons exposed in the present article, we question the decision of the Rome Working Group of separating the GER from the dyspeptic syndrome. | pubmed_629_12660 |
pubmed_433_6030 | Polymeric nanospheres have the ability to encapsulate drugs and are therefore widely used in drug delivery applications. Structural transformations that affect drug release from nanospheres are governed by the surrounding environment. To understand these effects, we investigated the adsorption behavior of three types of nanospheres onto model surfaces using quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) and by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Substrates were prepared from polymers with different degrees of PEGylation (0, 1, and 15%). Nanospheres were prepared via self-assembly of block copolymers. Tyrosine-derived nanospheres are A-B-A triblock copolymers with methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) as the A-blocks and an alternating copolymer of desaminotyrosyl-tyrosine octyl ester and suberic acid oligo(DTO-SA) as the B-block. On non-PEGylated substrates, these nanospheres assembled into a close-packed structure; on PEGylated substrates, the adsorbed nanospheres formed a continuous film, thinner than the size of the nanospheres suggesting unraveling of the PEG corona and disassembly of the nanospheres. Also, the adsorption was concentration-dependent, the final thickness being attained at exponentially longer times at lower concentrations. Such substrate- and concentration-dependent behavior was not observed with Pluronic F-127 and PEG-poly(caprolactone) (PCL) nanospheres. Since the essential difference among the three nanospheres is the composition of the core, we conclude that the core influences the adsorption characteristics of the nanospheres as a consequence of their disassembly upon adsorption. These results are expected to be useful in designing nanospheres for their efficient transport across vascular barriers and for delivering drugs to their targets. | 10.1021/acs.langmuir.9b03042 |
pubmed_915_20206 | The objective of this work was to study the possibilities to manage and recycle dog faeces (DF) using biological processes, using two approaches: composting (C) and anaerobic digestion (AD). Thus, different experiments have been carried out: i) two laboratory/pilot scale experiments (self-heating and composting tests) and one, on a commercial scale; ii) two AD experiments. In both approaches, municipal waste such as the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OMSW) and urban pruning waste (GW) were used as co-substrates. The results obtained regarding the optimization of the composting process indicated that the best strategy was the use of a 1:2 ratio of DF, a 1:4 ratio of OMSW, and a 1:4 ratio of GW, according to the thermal parameters studied (temperature and cumulative quadratic exothermic index (EXI2)), and the quality of the compost obtained. A potentially limiting factor of the process was the high salinity of the DF waste. In addition, AD experiments were performed on DF, OMSW, and GW wastes in controlled anaerobic systems at a laboratory scale. In these experiments, the biogas production obtained was 229 mL biogas/g total solids for the DF residue, 248 mL biogas/g total solids for GW, and 263 mL biogas/g total solids for OMSW. The co-digestion yields a clear improvement in the efficiency of the process against the use of a single residue, increasing the production of biogas by up to 27% with respect to that of the DF waste alone during the first 25 days of AD. The results obtained with these procedures have shown the possibilities to add value to this waste in an urban context where the circular economy represents an increasingly favourable scenario, including the generation of fertilisers and/or energy at a local scale, provided that the collection of dog faeces is optimized. | 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.109437 |
pubmed_1063_8999 | The high-capacity DNA analysis of museum samples opens new opportunities, associated with the investigation of extinct species evolution. Here, the complete mitochondrial genome of the presumably extinct bird species, the slender-billed curlew Numenius tenuirostris (Charadriiformes: Scolopacidae) is presented. Our results showed that mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is 16,705 base pairs (bp) in length and contain 13 protein-coding genes, two rRNA genes, and 22 tRNA genes. The overall base composition of the genome is 30.8% - A, 29.8% - C, 25.4% - T, 14.0% - G, and without a significant GC bias of 43.7%. Phylogenetic analyses based on the cytochrome B (cytB) gene and the whole mtDNA sequences revealed that N. tenuirostris had a close genetic relationship to Eurasian curlew (N. arquata), Far Eastern curlew (N. madagascariensis), and long-billed curlew - N. americanus. Besides, it reveals that Numenius genus is genetically distant from other Scolopacidae taxons. Together, these results provide a clear genetic perspective into the speciation process among the curlew genus members and points to a clear taxonomic position of N. tenuirostris. | 10.1080/24701394.2019.1597862 |
pubmed_728_7865 | Results of histological and histochemical studies of the choroid of the eyes of deceased old people who when alive suffered from glaucoma, hypertensive disease and atherosclerosis, are presented. It was established that hypertensive disease, general atherosclerosis, symptomatic hypertension brought about peculiar changes in the choroid vessels and stroma. There were revealed changes in the venous system of the choroid of the glaucomatous eyes, which testified to the presence of venous congestion in them, this apparently being one of pathogenetic factors in origination of primary glaucoma. | pubmed_728_7865 |
pubmed_931_14483 | We previously demonstrated that 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg(3) (Rg(3)), one of the active components of Panax ginseng, non-competitively inhibits 5-HT(3A) receptor channel activity on extracellular side of the cell. Here, we sought to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying Rg(3)-induced 5-HT(3A) receptor regulation. We used the two-microelectrode voltage-clamp technique to investigate the effect of Rg(3) on 5-HT-mediated ion currents (I(5-HT)) in Xenopus oocytes expressing wild-type or 5-HT(3A) receptors harboring mutations in the gating pore region of transmembrane domain 2 (TM2). In oocytes expressing wild-type 5-HT(3A) receptors, Rg(3) dose-dependently inhibited peak I(5-HT) with an IC(50) of 27.6+/-4.3microM. Mutations V291A, F292A, and I295A in TM2 greatly attenuated or abolished the Rg(3)-induced inhibition of peak I(5-HT). Mutation V291A but not F292A and I295A induced constitutively active ion currents with decrease of current decay rate. Rg(3) accelerated the rate of current decay with dose-dependent manner in the presence of 5-HT. Rg(3) and TMB-8, an open channel blocker, dose-dependently inhibited constitutively active ion currents. The IC(50) values of constitutively active ion currents in V291A mutant receptor were 72.4+/-23.1 and 6.5+/-0.7microM for Rg(3) and TMB-8, respectively. Diltiazem did not prevent Rg(3)-induced inhibition of constitutively active ion currents in occlusion experiments. These results indicate that Rg(3) inhibits 5-HT(3A) receptor channel activity through interactions with residues V291, F292, and I295 in the channel gating region of TM2 and further demonstrate that Rg(3) regulates 5-HT(3A) receptor channel activity in the open state at different site(s) from those of TMB-8 and diltiazem. | 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2006.12.001 |
pubmed_90_521 | The success of any cooperative clinical trial is dependent on assuring that the data collected are of good quality. This requires that an extensive and detailed program be developed for assuring good quality performance of all participating centers. Procedures for monitoring the clinical centers and procedures for monitoring or assuring quality of data handling and processing in the coordinating center, i.e., procedures for monitoring the coordinating center, are discussed. The procedures described are based on experience in the Diabetic Retinopathy Study, which is completing data collection, and a new study, the Early Treatment for Diabetic Retinopathy Study, which is in the planning phase. Some of the principles will apply to any participating unit. As in all aspects of clinical trials, a quality control program requires attention to detail and careful planning and vigilance on the part of all participants. | 10.1016/0197-2456(81)90036-2 |
pubmed_530_12563 | To observe the inhibitory effects of an attenuated S. typhimurium strain carrying IL-2 gene (TPI) on hepatoma cell line (HepG2) and transplanted tumors in mice. TPI, TPG (an attenuated S. typhimurium strain carrying green fluorescent protein gene), and TP (an attenuated S. typhimurium strain) strains were transfected into HepG2 cells. At 48 h after transfecting, the transfection rate was 82.58 ± 1.74%. The expression level of IL-2 was (99.5 ± 12.2) ng/1 × 10(6) cells. Compared with TPG, TP, and normal mouse groups, the proportion of CD4(+) T and CD8(+) T cells in the blood from the TPI group was higher, the levels of IgM and IgG(1) were significantly increased, and the proliferation activity of splenic lymphocyte was significantly stronger. The transplanted tumor weight in the TPI group was significantly smaller than that in the other two groups. The infiltration of lymphocytes increased in the tumor from TPI group mice. TPI was effectively transfected into cancer cells, which expressed the protein of interest. Oral administration of TPI prolonged survival of mice transplanted with hepatoma cell tumours. | 10.1155/2012/946139 |
pubmed_392_4483 | BACKGROUND
The Prex2 protein is a member of the Rac family proteins that belongs to small G proteins with a critical role in cell migration, cell proliferation, and apoptosis through its effects on PI3K cell signaling pathway and phosphatase activity of PTEN protein. The effect of PREX2 gene expression has been shown in some cancer cells. A survey of PREX2 gene expression in gastric antral epithelial cells of gastric cancer patients with Helicobacter pylori various genotypes infection can conduct to better understanding H. pylori infection's carcinogenesis.
METHODS
In a case-control study, PREX2 gene expression was evaluated in gastric antral biopsy samples on four groups of patients referred to Sanandaj hospitals, including gastritis with (n=23) and without (n=27) H. pylori infection and gastric cancer with (n=21) and without (n=32) H. pylori infection. Each gastric biopsy sample's total RNA was extracted and cDNA synthesized by using Kits (Takara Company). The PREX2 gene expression was measured using the relative quantitative real-time RT-PCR method and ΔΔCt formula.
RESULTS
The PREX2 gene expression increased in gastric antral biopsy samples of gastritis and gastric cancer patients with H. pylori infection (case groups) than patients without H. pylori infection (control groups) 2.38 and 2.27 times, respectively. The patients with H. pylori vacA s1m1 and sabB genotypes infection showed a significant increase of PREX2 gene expression in gastric cancer antral epithelial cells.
CONCLUSION
H. pylori vacA s1m1 and sabB genotypes have the positive correlations with PREX2 gene expression in gastric antral epithelial cells of gastritis and gastric cancer patients. | 10.1590/S0004-2803.202100000-59 |
others_46_9231 | Cytogenetic analysis and microsatellite genotyping were conducted on a pair of phenotypically normal dizygotic heterosexual equine twins of the American Bashkir Curly breed. The animals had a mixture of 64,XX and 64,XY cells in blood lymphocytes, with their own cells being predominant. Therefore, the 64,XX cells comprised 81% of the lymphocyte population in the female twin and 64,XY comprised 79% in the male twin. Blood chimerism was confirmed by genotyping 30 microsatellite markers. Of these, 15 microsatellites showed the presence of three alleles and all four parental alleles in the blood lymphocytes for both animals. No chimerism was detected in the genomic deoxyribonucleic acid isolated from hair follicles. These results are in agreement with earlier observations that vascular anastomoses can infrequently occur during equine multiple pregnancies resulting in blood lymphocyte chimerism without significant effect on the phenotype. © 2010 Elsevier I | 10.1016/j.jevs.2010.09.001 |
pubmed_529_14444 | OBJECTIVES
Ultrasound departments in Canada frequently reduce patient bookings to support student training, which impacts not only patient care but also revenue generation. Therefore, physicians and employers are reluctant to host student sonographers, and educational programs struggle to find sufficient clinical placements for their students. Two research questions were investigated: (1) Can a pair scanning technique effectively integrate the student sonographer into the workplace without impacting patient volumes? (2) Does the pair scanning technique prepare the student sonographer for entry-level practice faster than traditional practice?
METHODS
This research project was divided into 2 phases. The first phase used action research to develop the pair scanning protocol at a single site with a single preceptor and student. The second phase used a mixed methods approach to test the transferability of the pair scanning protocol across multiple sites, preceptors, and students.
RESULTS
In phase 1, the student sonographer performed a greater number of total examinations than the rest of her cohort (who were at different placement sites), and the higher performance of independent examinations by the student sonographer under the pair scanning technique was statistically significant [H(4) = 36.297; P < .01]. In phase 2, the pair scanning group and the control group performed equally, with no statistically significant differences.
CONCLUSIONS
The pair scanning protocol is effective at integrating the student sonographer into the work flow without impacting patient care. It prepares the student sonographer for entry-level practice equally with traditional practice and may be most effective with the weak to average student. | 10.1002/jum.14229 |
others_283_2967 | This study aimed to document patterns of opioid use in an emergency department, and determine factors which influenced choice of opioid. A survey of opioid administrations was conducted over a two month period in the Emergency Department at Flinders Medical Centre. Opioids were administered in 476 presentations by 456 different patients, representing 5.7% of total presentations during the survey period. Morphine and pethidine were the most frequently used opioids. Morphine was used more commonly for chest pain not associated with injury and for pulmonary oedema. Pethidine was more frequently used for pain due to injury, abdominal pain, biliary colic or cholecystitis. Morphine was given mainly by the intravenous route whereas pethidine was usually given intramuscularly. The most frequent reason for choosing a particular opioid was familiarity. Patients who expressed a preference for a particular opioid usually preferred pethidine, consistent with anecdotal reports. Patterns of opioid use were affected by real or perceived differences in pharmacological activities within this class of drugs. However, the major influences were tradition and familiarity. 1993 Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australasian Society for Emergency Medicin | 10.1111/j.1442-2026.1993.tb00095.x |
pubmed_415_9113 | Among 97 bacterial isolates, 74 strains of Staphylococcus spp developed from 95 swabs taken from skin lesions in dogs. Twenty-eight staphylococcal strains resistant to methicillin and/or oxacillin were identified and mecA expression was confirmed for 14 of these strains. S. aureus and S. intermedius group (SIG) strains were particularly relevant in our cases due to their antibiotic resistance leading to an increased veterinary and public health risk. We suggest a diagnostic protocol based on cytological examination, bacterial identification to species level, and antibiotic sensitivity testing prior to prescribing antibiotic treatment for canine skin diseases. | pubmed_415_9113 |
others_137_8602 | This study examined the detailed pollen morphological structures of sixteen Hypericum taxa (four endemic, twelve non endemic) including eight sections showing the natural distribution in Turkey: H. sect. Ascyreia (H. calycinum L.), H. sect. Heterophyllum (H. heterophyllum Vent.), H. Sect. Taeniocarpium (Hypericum confertum Choisy subsp. confertum, H. venustum Fenzl, H. linaroides Bosse), H. sect. Drosocarpium (H. montbretii Spach, H. bithynicum Boiss.), H. sect. Crossophyllum (H. adenotrichum Spach, H. orientale L.), H. sect. Olympia (H. olympicum L. subsp. olympicum), H. sect. Origanifolia (H. origanifolium Willd., H. avicularifolium Jaub and Spach subsp. depilatum (Freyn and Bornm.) Robson var. depilatum, H. avicularifolium Jaub. and Spach subsp. byzantinum) and H. sect. Hypericum (H. tetrapterum Fries, H. perforatum L., H. triquetrifolium Tura). These taxa were studied under light microscope and scanning electron microscope for the first time. Of the taxa studied, H. tetrapterum has the smallest pollen grains (on average 15.85-17.20 × 15.45-16.05 μm); and H. olympicum subsp. olympicum the largest grains (on average 22.90-23.10 × 21.40-22.10 μm). The pollen grains of 15 taxa are subprolate and one taxon is prolate-spheroidal. The regular pollen grains of all 16 taxa are 3-zonocolporate. Ornamentation is microreticulate; lumina regularly spaced in eight taxa, tectum perforatum; tectal perforations regularly spaced in seven taxa and tectum perforatum; and tectal perforations grouped together in one taxon. Endoaperture is cruciform porus, with short lateral and meridional extensions in ten taxa, cruciform porus, transversally elongated, with very small lateral extensions in one taxon and lalongate colpus in five taxa. Basic pollen types are ten taxa in type X, five taxa in type IV and one taxon in type II. © 2012 Springer-Verlag W | 10.1007/s00606-012-0728-z |
pubmed_346_6829 | A carcinosarcoma of the larynx was analysed by means of a light microscope and by immunohistological staining technique using antibodies against various intermediate filament proteins. Whereas tumour areas of an epithelial character reacted with antibodies against keratin, the spindle cells demonstrated a positive immunofluorescence with vimentin antibodies. Inside some tumour cells a coexpression of keratin and vimentin (intermediate filaments of mesenchymal cells) could be demonstrated. It is likely that these double stained cells represent the primitive stem cell of the carcinosarcoma, differentiating during further development either into epithelial or mesenchymal tumour cells. | pubmed_346_6829 |
pubmed_421_17117 | BACKGROUND
A Minimal Clinically Meaningful Difference (MCMD) has not been defined for Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Our goal was to define the MCMD for eGFR anchored to kidney graft failure.
METHODS
A systematic review of studies with 12-month eGFR and subsequent renal graft failure was conducted. For observational studies, we calculated hazard ratio (HR) differences between adjacent eGFR intervals weighted by population distribution. Interventional trials yielded therapeutically induced changes in eGFR and failure risk. OPTN data analysis divided 12-month eGFR into bands for Cox regressions comparing adjacent eGFR bands with a death-censored graft survival outcome.
RESULTS
Observational studies indicated that lower eGFR was associated with increased death-censored graft failure risk; each 5 ml/min/1.73 m2 12-month eGFR band associated with a weighted incremental HR = 1.12 to 1.23. Clinical trial data found a 5 ml/min/1.73 m2 difference was associated with incremental HR = 1.16 to 1.35. OPTN analyses showed weighted mean HRs across 10, 7, and 5 ml/min/1.73 m2 bands of 1.47, 1.30, and 1.19.
CONCLUSIONS
A 5 ml/min/1.73 m2 difference in 12-month eGFR was consistently associated with ~20% increase in death-censored graft failure risk. The magnitude of effect has been interpreted as clinically meaningful in other disease states and should be considered the MCMD in renal transplantation clinical trials. | 10.1111/ctr.14326 |
pubmed_894_16556 | In this case we are reporting on a patient suffering from malignant renovascular hypertension and chronic renal failure due to occlusion of both renal arteries. The acute renal insufficiency after Captopril and later on after Enalapril treatment was fully reversible. We believe that the acute reversible renal insufficiency was caused by the blockage of glomerular autoregulation depending on Angiotensin II. | 10.1007/BF01725192 |
pubmed_851_6739 | Physical interactions of four major green tea catechin derivatives with cell membrane models were systemically investigated. Catechins with the galloyl moiety caused the aggregation of small unilamellar vesicles and an increase in the surface pressure of lipid monolayers, while those without did not. Differential scanning calorimetry revealed that, in a low concentration regime (≤10 μM), catechin molecules are not significantly incorporated into the hydrophobic core of lipid membranes as substitutional impurities. Partition coefficient measurements revealed that the galloyl moiety of catechin and the cationic quaternary amine of lipids dominate the catechin-membrane interaction, which can be attributed to the combination of electrostatic and cation-π interactions. Finally, we shed light on the mechanical consequence of catechin-membrane interactions using the Fourier-transformation of the membrane fluctuation. Surprisingly, the incubation of cell-sized vesicles with 1 μM galloyl catechins, which is comparable to the level in human blood plasma after green tea consumption, significantly increased the bending stiffness of the membranes by a factor of more than 60, while those without the galloyl moiety had no detectable influence. Atomic force microscopy and circular dichroism spectroscopy suggest that the membrane stiffening is mainly attributed to the adsorption of galloyl catechin aggregates to the membrane surfaces. These results contribute to our understanding of the physical and thus the generic functions of green tea catechins in therapeutics, such as cancer prevention. | 10.1039/c7cp02771k |
others_314_97564 | In structural biology, most figures of macromolecules are aimed at those well-versed in structure, requiring prior familiarity with scales and commonly used color schemes. Yet, as structural biology becomes democratized with the increasing pace of structure determination, the accessibility of structural data is paramount. Here, we identify three keys, and have written accompanying software plugins, for structural biologists to create figures truer to the hard-won data and clearer across different modes of color vision and to non-expert readers.
O_LIUse perceptually uniform colormaps
C_LIO_LIConsider readers with different modes of color vision
C_LIO_LIBe explicit about scales and color usage
C_LI | 10.1101/2020.09.22.308593 |
pubmed_113_22914 | Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory dermatitis characterized by an inflammatory epidermal hyperproliferation. Growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15), a member of the transforming growth factor-β family, has immune modulatory roles in autoimmune condition of Psoriasis. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between GDF-15 serum levels as well as gene expression with psoriasis and its severity. This case-control study was performed on 45 patients with psoriasis Vulgaris and 45 healthy individuals. The severity of the disease was determined based on the psoriasis area and severity index (PASI score). Serum levels of GDF-15 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and its gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells was quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The mean serum levels of GDF-15 in patients and controls were 1.98±1.57 ng/mL and 0.93±0.48 ng/mL, respectively. GDF-15 gene expression was measured as 9.7±6.6% in the patient group and 7.6±2.5% in the healthy group. The mean of GDF-15 serum levels in mild, moderate, and severe cases of psoriasis were 0.45±0.35, 2.27±0.7, and 3.5±1.6 ng/mL, respectively, indicating that elevated serum levels of GDF-15 correlate significantly with disease severity. The mean of GDF-15 gene expression in the mild, moderate, and severe forms of psoriasis were 5.25±3.2, 7.6±2.8, and 17.8±5.7, respectively which indicate a significant relationship between GDF-15 gene expression and psoriasis severity. Based on this study, in psoriatic patients, GDF-15 serum levels and gene expression are significantly higher than those in healthy controls. Such values were correlated with disease activity, especially in severe cases. Therefore, GDF-15 may be used as a prognostic marker of psoriasis. | 10.18502/ijaai.v20i5.7409 |
pubmed_769_2236 | BACKGROUND
Tobacco use is one of the most important causes of obstetric and perinatal pathologies. Its frequency during pregnancy is high and could be related to various socioeconomic and cultural characteristics of the mothers.
AIM
The aim of this study is to determine the trend and prevalence of smoking in pregnant mothers in our area over the years and the socio-cultural or obstetric factors associated with smoking as well as the repercussions on the newborns related to its consumption.
METHODS
Retrospective study of 18,959 mothers of healthy newborns in the maternity ward of the regional hospital during the years 2002-2019. The variable under study was maternal smoking during pregnancy compared with various maternal, obstetric, and perinatal factors.
RESULTS
A mean percentage of 20.4% of the mothers smoked, with significantly decreasing percentages over the years. There was a significant association between smoking and mothers' age, origin, level of education, the occurrence of previous abortions, parity, type of breastfeeding at discharge, type of delivery, low birth weight, and need for neonatal resuscitation.
CONCLUSIONS
This defines a profile of pregnant smokers on whom it is important to act: young, Spanish, with a low level of education, multiparous, and with previous miscarriages. Its repercussions are also evident with a lower birth weight in newborns. Knowledge of these factors will make it possible to design more effective intervention strategies to reduce smoking during pregnancy.
RELEVANCE FOR PATIENTS
Any effort that reduces smoking habits can improve the health status of mothers and newborns and the first step is to know who are risk pregnants. | pubmed_769_2236 |
pubmed_1_15346 | Currently, there is no standardized approach to the management of complex febrile seizures in children and there are no published practice guidelines for the procurement of neuroimaging. Presented is a 2-year-old female patient who experienced a 3- to 5-minute episode of staring and unilateral mouth twitching associated with high fever. On initial presentation, the patient appeared well and had a normal neurological examination. No focus of infection was identified, and she was diagnosed with complex febrile seizure. The patient was discharged home with close neurology and primary care follow-up but returned the following day with altered mental status, toxic appearance, and right lower extremity weakness. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed left-sided cranial empyema and the patient was managed with antibiotics and surgical drainage. A literature review to answer the question "Do children with complex febrile seizures require emergent neuroimaging?" yielded a small number of retrospective reviews describing the utility of computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and lumbar puncture in the work-up of febrile seizures. Current evidence indicates that neuroimaging is not indicated in an otherwise healthy child who presents with complex febrile seizure if the patient is well appearing and has no evidence of focal neurological deficit on examination. As this case demonstrates, however, serious conditions such as meningitis and brain abscess (though rare) should be considered in the differential diagnosis of complex febrile seizure and physicians should remain aware that the need for neuroimaging and/or lumbar puncture may arise in the appropriate clinical setting. | 10.1097/PEC.0000000000000281 |
pubmed_822_22911 | Nitrogen-based polydentate ligands are of interest owing to their flexible complexation to transition metal atoms. For the title compound, [Ni(C15H17N2)2], a transition metal complex formed by the coordination of two identical N,N'-bidentate mono(imino)pyrrolyl ligands to an Ni(II) centre, an X-ray crystal diffraction study indicates that the two ligands show an inverted arrangement with respect to one another around the Ni(II) centre, which is located on a crystallographic inversion centre. The planes of the aromatic substituents at the imine N atoms of the ligands show dihedral angles of 85.91 (5)° with respect to the NiN4 plane. The Ni-N bond lengths are in the range 1.9072 (15)-1.9330 (15) Å and the Nimino-Ni-Npyrrole bite angles are 83.18 (6)°. The Ni-Npyrrole bond is substantially shorter than the Ni-Nimino bond. Molecules are linked into an extensive network by means of intermolecular C-H...π(arene) hydrogen bonds in which every molecule acts both as hydrogen-bond donor and acceptor. The supramolecular assembly takes the form of an infinite two-dimensional sheet. | 10.1107/S2053229615020781 |
pubmed_1040_4362 | The ultrastructural features of glial cells in the lateral geniculate nucleus of aged rats have been studied. Abundant filaments as well as heterogeneous dense bodies are observed in the majority of astrocytes. They frequently surround both axons and nerve terminals showing signs of degeneration. In addition, some degenerating myelinated axons are seen in phase suggestive of engulfment by astrocyte processes. Oligodendrocytes display broad processes containing an organelle-rich cytoplasm and a continuity between their plasma membrane and the outer myelin lamellae which partially ensheath the adjacent axons. Multivesicular bodies and pleomorphic dense inclusions, composed of amorphous material as well as laminated structures, are also present in oligodendrocytes. The significance of these morphological features is discussed in relation to process of normal ageing. | 10.1016/0047-6374(85)90067-3 |
pubmed_731_22041 | We present a new technique for measuring the critical temperature T_{c} in the high pressure, high T_{c} electron-phonon-driven superconducting hydrides. This technique does not require connecting leads to the sample. In the region of the absorption spectrum above the sum of the optical gap and maximum phonon energy, the reflectance mirrors the temperature variation of the superconducting order parameter. For an appropriately chosen value of fixed photon energy, the temperature dependence of the reflectance varies much more rapidly below T=T_{c} than above. It increases with increasing temperature in the superconducting state while it decreases in the normal state. Examining the temperature dependence of the reflectance at a fixed photon energy, there is a cusp at T=T_{c} which provides a measurement of the critical temperature. We discuss these issues within the context of the recently reported atomic metallic phase of hydrogen, but our proposed technique should prove useful for other hydrides with large coupling to high energy phonons. | 10.1103/PhysRevLett.121.047002 |
pubmed_540_15185 | The present study reports that the ground- and excited-state Re6(23e)/Re6(24e) redox potentials of an octahedral hexanuclear rhenium(III) complex can be controlled by systematically changing the number and type of the N-heteroaromatic ligand (L) and the number of chloride ions at the six terminal positions. Photoirradiation of [Re6(μ3-S)8Cl6]4- with an excess amount of L afforded a mono-L-substituted hexanuclear rhenium(III) complex, [Re6(μ3-S)8Cl5(L)]3- (L = 4-dimethylaminopyridine (dmap), 3,5-lutidine (lut), 4-methylpyridine (mpy), pyridine (py), 4,4'-bipyridine (bpy), 4-cyanopyridine (cpy), and pyrazine (pz)). The bis- and tris-lut-substituted complexes, trans- and cis-[Re6(μ3-S)8Cl4(lut)2]2- and mer-[Re6(μ3-S)8Cl3(lut)3]-, were synthesized by the reaction of [Re6(μ3-S)8Cl6]3- with an excess amount of lut in refluxed N,N-dimethylformamide. The mono-L-substituted complexes showed one-electron redox processes assignable to E 1/2[Re6(23e)/Re6(24e)] = 0.49-0.58 V versus Ag/AgCl. The ground-state oxidation potentials were linearly correlated with the pK a of the N-heteroaromatic ligand [pK a(L)], the 1H NMR chemical shift of the ortho proton on the coordinating ligand, and the Hammett constant (σ) of the pyridyl-ligand substituent. The series of [Re6(μ3-S)8X6- (L) ] complexes (n = 0, X = Cl, Br, I, or NCS; n = 1-3, X = Cl) showed a linear correlation with the sum of the Lever electrochemical parameters at the six terminal ligands (ΣE L). The cyclic voltammograms of the mono-L-substituted complexes (L = bpy, cpy, and pz) showed one-electron redox waves assignable to E 1/2(L0/L-) = -1.28 to -1.48 V versus Ag/AgCl. Two types of photoluminescences were observed for the complexes, originating from the cluster core-centered excited triplet state (3CC) for L = dmap, lut, mpy, and py and from the metal-to-ligand charge-transfer excited triplet state (3MLCT) for L = bpy, cpy, and pz. The complexes with the 3CC character exhibited emission features and photophysical properties similar to those of ordinary hexanuclear rhenium complexes. The emission maximum wavelength of the complexes with 3MLCT shifted to the longer wavelength in the order L = 4-phenylpyridine (ppy), bpy, pz, and cpy, which agreed with the difference between E 1/2[Re6(23e)/Re6(24e)] and E 1/2(L0/L-). The calculated oxidation potential of the excited hexanuclear rhenium complex with the 3CC character was linearly correlated with pK a(L), σ, and ΣE L. The ground- and excited-state oxidation potentials were finely tuned by the combination of halide and L ligands at the terminal positions. | 10.1021/acsomega.2c03834 |
pubmed_893_23675 | The esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) with all its hazards remains the gold standard screening tool for esophageal varices. Noninvasive tools have been proposed and studied to replace the EGD. Platelet count (PC)/spleen diameter (SD) ratio as a noninvasive tool for predicting the presence of esophageal varices was proposed and studied in many previous studies.
HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE
El-Sherbiny W, Elegezy M, Shaltout SW. New Cutoff Point for Platelet Count/ Spleen Diameter Ratio to Predict Esophageal Varices in Patients with Hepatitis C Virus-related Hepatic Cirrhosis. Euroasian J Hepato-Gastroenterol 2015;5(2):136-137. | 10.5005/jp-journals-10018-1154 |
pubmed_634_19054 | Importance
Hand hygiene adherence monitoring and feedback can reduce health care-acquired infections in hospitals. Few low-cost hand hygiene adherence monitoring tools exist in low-resource settings.
Objective
To pilot an open-source application for mobile devices and an interactive analytical dashboard for the collection and visualization of health care workers' hand hygiene adherence data.
Design, Setting, and Participants
This prospective multicenter quality improvement study evaluated preintervention and postintervention adherence with the 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene, as suggested by the World Health Organization, among health care workers from April 23 to May 25, 2018. A novel data collection form, the Hand Hygiene Observation Tool, was developed in open-source software and used to measure adherence with hand hygiene guidelines among health care workers in the inpatient therapeutic feeding center and pediatric ward of Anka General Hospital, Anka, Nigeria, and the postoperative ward of Noma Children's Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria. Qualitative data were analyzed throughout data collection and used for immediate feedback to staff. A more formal analysis of the data was conducted during October 2018.
Exposures
Multimodal hand hygiene improvement strategy with increased availability and accessibility of alcohol-based hand sanitizer, staff training and education, and evaluation and feedback in near real-time.
Main Outcomes and Measures
Hand hygiene adherence before and after the intervention in 3 hospital wards, stratified by health care worker role, ward, and moment of hand hygiene.
Results
A total of 686 preintervention adherence observations and 673 postintervention adherence observations were conducted. After the intervention, overall hand hygiene adherence increased from 32.4% to 57.4%. Adherence increased in both wards in Anka General Hospital (inpatient therapeutic feeding center, 24.3% [54 of 222 moments] to 63.7% [163 of 256 moments]; P < .001; pediatric ward, 50.9% [132 of 259 moments] to 68.8% [135 of 196 moments]; P < .001). Adherence among nurses in Anka General Hospital also increased in both wards (inpatient therapeutic feeding center, 17.7% [28 of 158 moments] to 71.2% [79 of 111 moments]; P < .001; pediatric ward, 45.9% [68 of 148 moments] to 68.4% [78 of 114 moments]; P < .001). In Noma Children's Hospital, the overall adherence increased from 17.6% (36 of 205 moments) to 39.8% (88 of 221 moments) (P < .001). Adherence among nurses in Noma Children's Hospital increased from 11.5% (14 of 122 moments) to 61.4% (78 of 126 moments) (P < .001). Adherence among Noma Children's Hospital physicians decreased from 34.2% (13 of 38 moments) to 8.6% (7 of 81 moments). Lowest overall adherence after the intervention occurred before patient contact (53.1% [85 of 160 moments]), before aseptic procedure (58.3% [21 of 36 moments]), and after touching a patient's surroundings (47.1% [124 of 263 moments]).
Conclusions and Relevance
This study suggests that tools for the collection and rapid visualization of hand hygiene adherence data are feasible in low-resource settings. The novel tool used in this study may contribute to comprehensive infection prevention and control strategies and strengthening of hand hygiene behavior among all health care workers in health care facilities in humanitarian and low-resource settings. | 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.9118 |
pubmed_891_16962 | Obesity prevention interventions generally have either not worked or had effects inadequate to mitigate the problem. They have been predicated on the simple energy balance model, which has been severely questioned by biological scientists. Numerous other etiological mechanisms have been proposed, including the intestinal microbiome, which has been related to childhood obesity in numerous ways. Public health research is needed in regard to diet and the microbiome, which hopefully will lead to effective child obesity prevention. | 10.3390/nu13082730 |
pubmed_300_11099 | Syphilis has been referred to as the great imitator, the great mimic, and the great masquerader. It often presents with clinical and histological findings similar to many other dermatological conditions. We report a patient presenting with nodular plaques, a rare form of secondary syphilis. The histological features revealed a pseudolymphoma mimicking a cutaneous marginal zone B-cell lymphoma. Syphilis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a cutaneous lymphoreticular process. | 10.1097/DAD.0b013e3181ad4f22 |
pubmed_1000_1839 | During development, neurons pass through a critical phase in which survival is dependent on neurotrophin support. In order to dissect the potential role of p75NTR, the common neurotrophin receptor, in neurotrophin dependence, we expressed wild-type and mutant p75NTR in cells that do not express endogenous p75NTR or Trk family members (NIH3T3). Expression of wild-type p75NTR created a state of neurotrophin dependence: cells could be rescued by nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), or neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), but not by a mutant NGF that binds well to Trk A but poorly to p75NTR. Similarly, expression of p75NTR in human prostate cancer cells in culture rendered a metastatic tumor cell line (PC-3) sensitive to the availability of neurotrophins for survival. Moreover, expression of mutant p75NTR's in another neurotrophin-insensitive cell line (HEK293T) showed that a domain within the intracellular domain governs alternate responses to neurotrophins: the carboxy terminus of the intracellular domain of p75NTR including the sixth alpha helix domain is necessary for rescue by BDNF, but not NGF. These results, when considered with previous studies of the timing of p75NTR expression, support the hypothesis that p75NTR is a mediator of neurotrophin dependence during the critical phase of developmental cell death and during the progression of carcinogenesis in prostate cancer. | 10.1038/sj.cdd.4400614 |
pubmed_1051_15363 | OBJECTIVE
Veterans Healthcare Administration (VHA) conducted a large demonstration project of a holistic Whole Health approach to care in 18 medical centers, which included making complementary and integrative health (CIH) therapies more widely available. This evaluation examines patterns of service use among Veterans with chronic pain, comparing those with and without PTSD.
METHODS
We assessed the use of Whole Health services in a cohort of Veterans with co-occurring chronic pain and PTSD (n = 1698; 28.9%), comparing them to Veterans with chronic musculoskeletal pain only (n = 4170; 71.1%). Data was gathered from VA electronic medical records and survey self-report. Whole Health services were divided into Core Whole Health services (e.g., Whole Health coaching) and CIH services (e.g., yoga). Logistic regression was used to determine whether Veterans with co-occurring chronic pain and PTSD utilized more Whole Health services compared to Veterans with chronic pain but without PTSD.
RESULTS
A total of 40.1% of Veterans with chronic pain and PTSD utilized Core Whole Health services and 53.2% utilized CIH therapies, compared to 28.3% and 40.0%, respectively, for Veterans with only chronic pain. Adjusting for demographics and additional comorbidities, Veterans with comorbid chronic pain and PTSD were 1.24 (95% CI: 1.12, 1.35, P ≤ .001) times more likely than Veterans with chronic pain only to use Core Whole Health services, and 1.23 (95% CI: 1.14, 1.31, P ≤ .001) times more likely to use CIH therapies. Survey results also showed high interest levels in Core Whole Health services and CIH therapies among Veterans who were not already using these services.
CONCLUSION
Early implementation efforts in VHA led to high rates of use of Core Whole Health and CIH therapy use among Veterans with co-occurring chronic pain and PTSD. Future assessments should examine how well these additional services are meeting the needs of Veterans in both groups. | 10.1177/21649561211065374 |
pubmed_270_3655 | Phytotherapeutic agents are often prescribed in Europe for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia with lower urinary tract symptoms and are commonly used in the United States in over-the-counter preparations. Saw palmetto berry is the most popular of these agents, and in vitro some studies suggest that liposterolic extract of the plant has antiandrogenic effects that inhibit the type 1 and type 2 isoenzymes of 5alpha-reductase; however there are no clinical studies that show any decrease in serum dihydrotestosterone or prostate-specific antigen. Its efficacy in the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms has not been conclusively proven. Clinical efficacy was suggested by a meta-analysis of Permixon, a formulation of saw palmetto, but the meta-analysis was done on suboptimal studies. One trial supports the equivalency of Permixon to finasteride in treating moderate to severe symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia, with less decrease in sexual function. However, without a control/placebo arm, the actual efficacy of the agents cannot be determined. Other than occasional gastrointestinal upset, no other side effects have been reported. | pubmed_270_3655 |
pubmed_91_2507 | To determine the structure needed for the biologic activity of human placental lactogen (hPL), we have cleaved hPL with the proteolytic enzyme plasmin. Plasmin modified hPL (PL-hPL) was purified by gel chromatography. Analysis by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis before and after reduction showed that cleavage had occurred within the Cys53-Cys165 loop and tryptic peptide maps revealed that a single peptide consisting of residues 135 to 140 had been removed. 5-Dimethylaminonaphthalene-1-sulfonyl end group analysis and digestion with carboxypeptidase B confirmed that cleavage was complete and only the single hexapeptide was removed. In a membrane binding assay for lactogenic activity PL-hPL was 2- to 3-fold more potent than hPL. Using growth hormone receptors from rabbit liver membranes, PL-hPL was also more potent than hPL, but still much less potent than growth hormone. The lactogenic activity of PL-hPL in an in vitro bioassay was 75% above that of unmodified hormone. It is concluded that plasmin cleaves homologous peptides from hPL and growth hormone and that removal of the hexapeptide from hPL results in enhanced biologic activity. | pubmed_91_2507 |
pubmed_970_6880 | A water-soluble cationic dendrimer with a central fluorescent perylenediimide (PDI) chromophore and many peripheral amines can rapidly penetrate into live hemocytes, gut and fat body. By double fluorescence tracing, the dendrimer is demonstrated to have a high gene-transfection capacity. The synthesized dsRNA targeting at serpin-3, a key immune gene, is systemically delivered by the dendrimer to insect fat bodies and hemocytes outside of midgut. Biological assays, including PCR and immunoblotting, show that the expressions of the target gene and its downstream immunity-related genes are largely suppressed. This study demonstrates for the first time that a PDI-cored, cationic, dendrimer-mediated dsRNA systemically interferes with the immune response in insects. This work provides an insect model for immunology research and a novel strategy for potential pest control. | 10.1039/c4tb00411f |
pubmed_1_7751 | Interleukin-8 (IL-8) is a neutrophil chemokine that is encoded on the CXCL8 gene. Normally CXCL8 expression is repressed due to histone deacetylation, octamer-1 binding to the promoter and the inhibitory effect of nuclear factor-κB repressing factor (NRF). However, in response to a suitable stimulus, the human CXCL8 gene undergoes transcription due to its inducible promoter that is regulated by the transcription factors nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), activating protein (AP-1), CAAT/enhancer-binding protein β (C/EBPβ, also known as NF-IL-6), C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) and cAMP response element binding protein (CREB). CXCL8 mRNA is then stabilised by the activity of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK). Cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease is characterised by a neutrophil-dominated airway inflammatory response. A major factor contributing to the large number of neutrophils is the higher than normal levels of IL-8 that are present within the CF lung. Infection and inflammation, together with intrinsic alterations in CF airway cells are responsible for the abnormally high intrapulmonary levels of IL-8. Strategies to inhibit aberrantly high CXCL8 expression hold therapeutic potential for CF lung disease. | 10.3390/biom5031386 |
pubmed_343_11990 | This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation of Weissella cibaria JW15 (WJW15) isolated from traditional Korean fermented vegetable product (kimchi) as a probiotic feed additive on nutrient digestibility, blood profiles, feces noxious gas emission, and feces Escherichia coli and Lactobacillus counts in adult Beagle dogs. In total, 15 Beagle dogs with an average initial body weight of 10.20 ± 0.38 kg were randomly assigned into three dietary treatments in a 14-day feeding trial. Dietary treatments consisted of basal diet (CON); MJW = CON + 50 g of WJW15 (3.0 × 108 cfu/g); and BJW = CON + 50 g WJW15 (3.0 × 109 cfu/g). At the end of the experiment, the serum concentration of triglycerides and feces ammonia emissions were decreased (P < 0.05) with the increasing level of WJW15 supplementation. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol in serum and feces lactic acid bacteria count was improved (P < 0.05) with increasing levels of WJW15. In conclusion, WJW15 isolated from kimchi supplementation in adult Beagle dog diet may have beneficial effects as a probiotic feed additive. | 10.3390/ani9080581 |
pubmed_41_22561 | Fibrosis plays an important role in many different pathologies. It results from tissue injury, chronic inflammation, autoimmune reactions and genetic alterations, and it is characterized by the excessive deposition of extracellular matrix components. Biopsies are routinely employed for fibrosis diagnosis, but they suffer from several drawbacks, including their invasive nature, sampling variability and limited spatial information. To overcome these limitations, multiple different imaging tools and technologies have been evaluated over the years, including X-ray imaging, computed tomography (CT), ultrasound (US), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). These modalities can provide anatomical, functional and molecular imaging information which is useful for fibrosis diagnosis and staging, and they may also hold potential for the longitudinal assessment of therapy responses. Here, we summarize the use of non-invasive imaging techniques for monitoring fibrosis in systemic autoimmune diseases, in parenchymal organs (such as liver, kidney, lung and heart), and in desmoplastic cancers. We also discuss how imaging biomarkers can be integrated in (pre-) clinical research to individualize and improve anti-fibrotic therapies. | 10.1016/j.addr.2017.10.013 |
pubmed_248_4969 | Phospholipid glutathione peroxidase (PhGPx) reduces lipid hydroperoxides generated in biomembranes and also uses a wide range of reducing cofactors in addition to glutathione. PhGPx is synthesized as a mitochondrial PhGPx form (L-form) and as a nonmitochondrial PhGPx form (S-form). Our aims were to determine whether overexpression of PhGPx altered pancreatic tumor cell behavior. Pancreatic cancer cell lines were found by Western blotting to have diminished levels of PhGPx-immunoreactive protein compared with normal human pancreas. To normalize the levels of this protein, PhGPx was overexpressed in MIA PaCa-2 and AsPC-1 human pancreatic cancer cells by infection with an adenovirus-PhGPx L-form construct (AdPhGPx- L-form) (0-200 MOI) or with an adenovirus-PhGPx S-form construct (AdPhGPx-S-form) (0-200 MOI), and cell growth, plating efficiency, and growth in soft agar were determined. Pancreatic cancer cells were also injected subcutaneously into nude mice and tumor volume was calculated. Single direct injections of the adenoviral- PhGPx constructs were made into preestablished tumors. In vitro, AdPhGPx-S-form demonstrated 80% tumor growth inhibition, whereas AdPhGPx-L-form demonstrated 95% tumor growth inhibition. Ad- PhGPx-L-form or AdPhGPx-S-form also decreased plating efficiency and growth in soft agar. AdPhGPx-Lform decreased in vivo tumor growth to a greater extent than did AdPhGPx-S-form. Because of the growthinhibitory effects of PhGPx, lipid hydroperoxides may play an important role in the growth of pancreatic cancer. | 10.1089/hum.2006.17.105 |
pubmed_940_7548 | BACKGROUND
Mood disorder may be a specific complication of stroke. An earlier finding of an association between left anterior lesions and poststroke depression stimulated interest in the significance of stroke lesion characteristics. Subsequent research efforts, however, often failed to replicate this finding.
OBJECTIVE
This paper represents a critical appraisal of hemispheric lesion localization studies by computed tomography (CT) scanning in poststroke depression.
METHOD
Systematic selection of original studies involved a Medline search and a review of the bibliographies of retrieved articles for additional references. Two sets of inclusion criteria were independently applied to the studies by 2 observers blind to authorship, affiliation, and journal name. Studies that satisfied minimum inclusion criteria, as determined by consensus, were included in the review.
RESULTS
Twenty-six original articles were retrieved by the search. Thirteen studies satisfied all or nearly all of the minimum criteria for inclusion. Six of those studies found no difference between right- and left-hemisphere lesions leading to depression. Two studies found right-sided lesions more likely to be associated with depression, while 4 studies found depression to be associated more often with left-sided lesions. One study matched subjects with and without depression for lesion location and size to identify nonlesion risk factors. All studies suffered from methodological limitations, and no studies were completely comparable with respect to sample, timing and analysis of CT scan, and psychiatric evaluation.
CONCLUSION
Based on a systematic review of the present literature, any definitive statements regarding stroke lesion location and risk for depression are not yet substantiated. The authors suggest methodologies for future localization studies of poststroke depression. | 10.1177/070674379804300907 |
pubmed_461_11894 | After intravenous injection of 3H-estradiol in the 12-day old chick embryo, radioactivity is concentrated in nuclei of certain cells in the cloacal area. The nuclear labeling is observed in mesenchymal cells along the different portions of the cloaca, and in an unidentified tissue located laterally to the cloaca. The labeled mesenchymal cells display a definite pattern of distribution along the epithelial wall of the cloaca, identical both in male and in female embryos. In the adjacent bursa of Fabricius, cells do not concentrate labeled hormone in their nuclei. The presence of estrogen receptors in the cloacal area of embryos of either sex adds evidence, at the cellular level, to support the concept of a "neutral", or undifferentiated, sex with estradiol inhibiting this "neutral" male differentiation. | 10.1007/BF00225343 |
pubmed_786_20237 | Mutation in the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) protein associated with renal cell carcinoma causes hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) to stabilize and consequently to induce various HIF-targeting proteins. In this study, we found that proopiomelanocortin (POMC), an adrenocorticotropic hormone precursor, is up-regulated constitutively in VHL-mutated renal cell carcinoma. A critical transcription factor responsible for POMC overproduction was identified as Nur77, a member of the orphan steroid receptor superfamily. Little is known about how VHL mutation leads to activation of Nur77. We report that Nur77 is directly regulated by HIF. We show that HIF-1alpha, but not HIF-2alpha, binds to a putative HIF responsive element in the Nur77 promoter, activating the expression of Nur77. Mutation or deletion of the HIF binding site in the Nur77 promoter abrogates activation of a luciferase reporter gene under the control of Nur77 promoter by HIF-1alpha. The treatment of Nur77 antisense oligonucleotide reduces POMC transcription under hypoxic conditions. We confirmed that Nur77 and POMC are up-regulated in VHL-mutated renal cell carcinoma. In this study, we provide the first molecular evidence that Nur77 activated by HIF under hypoxic conditions regulates production of the peptide hormone precursor POMC. | 10.1158/0008-5472.can-03-0145 |
pubmed_15_2069 | Follicular thyroid cancer with thyroid hormone secreting metastases is an extremely rare condition, with only a few cases reported world-wide. We here present the case of a 64-year-old female patient affected by follicular thyroid cancer with extensive thyroid hormone secreting metastases leading to TSH-suppression. We have also summarized the relevant diagnostic and therapeutic approaches and describe, for the first time, the effects of rhTSH-application in this rare tumor entity. In this patient, we found that rhTSH increased ¹³¹I-uptake into the thyroid hormone secreting metastases and prolonged the effective half-life of ¹³¹I. These effects of rhTSH should be considered when fixed activities of ¹³¹I are prescribed. | 10.1055/s-0031-1299710 |
pubmed_1057_24119 | BACKGROUND/PURPOSE
The aim of the study was to evaluate the postoperative quality of life (QoL) of patients who underwent minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum (MIRPE) with a newly designed bar and bar stabilizers.
METHODS
We conducted a prospective randomized study in which patients were operated either with standard perpendicular stabilizers (control group) or with the newly designed oblique stabilizers (intervention group). All patients were evaluated 6 months after the operation with the Pectus Excavatum Evaluation Questionnaire (PEEQ).
RESULTS
There were 16 patients in the control group and 14 in the intervention group. Mean age was 17 (SD: 3.3, range 14-27) years. There were no demographic differences between groups. Two patients in the control group and one in the intervention group were repaired with two bars instead of one. There was one reoperation in each group. There was a significant difference between the pre- and postoperative scores, in both groups, in the patient body image domain (control group: 9.5 to 3; p < 0.01; intervention group 10 to 3; p < 0.01), as well as in the psychosocial domain (control group: 13.5 to 24, p < 0.01; intervention group: 15 to 24, p < 0.01). With regards to the patients' perception of physical difficulties before and after MIRPE, the difference between pre- and postoperative scores was greater in the intervention group (8 to 12, p < 0.01) than in the control group (10 to 11, p = 0.04). The mean length of stay was 4.5 and 5 days in the intervention group and the control group, respectively.
CONCLUSION
Our study showed that patients who underwent MIRPE with the newly designed bars and stabilizers had non-inferior outcomes than patients reported in the literature who underwent MIRPE with standard bars and stabilizers. We found slightly better outcomes in patients in the intervention group compared to the control group, but larger studies will be needed to confirm if those differences are statistically significant.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE
II. | 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2020.06.036 |
pubmed_524_19570 | BACKGROUND
Edema development of the foot and ankle region should be evaluated by an objective measurement. We hypothesized, that 3D optical scanning of this region can serve as an alternative to clinically established measurement techniques.
METHODS
Two investigators determined the volume by 3D optical scanning and the figure-of-eight method in a random order at 2 separate time points. Plots were created and ICCs were calculated for determination of reliability. The Pearson correlation coefficient served as a measure of the association between both measures.
RESULTS
40 healthy volunteers with mean age of 28.3±9.9 years underwent four sequences of measurements. The inter- and intraobserver reliability of both methods was excellent with high intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC 3,1). A strong correlation (r=0.96, P<0.001) between measured ankle volumes was noted.
CONCLUSION
3D optical scanning turned out to be more reliable than the figure-of-eight method in a preclinical set-up. A clinical use should be aimed at. | 10.1016/j.fas.2021.03.009 |
pubmed_483_10200 | The physiological processes and mechanisms of an arterial system are complex and subtle. Physics-based models have been proven to be a very useful tool to simulate actual physiological behavior of the arteries. The current physics-based models include high-dimensional models (2D and 3D models) and low-dimensional models (0D, 1D and tube-load models). High-dimensional models can describe the local hemodynamic information of arteries in detail. With regard to an exact model of the whole arterial system, a high-dimensional model is computationally impracticable since the complex geometry, viscosity or elastic properties and complex vectorial output need to be provided. For low-dimensional models, the structure, centerline and viscosity or elastic properties only need to be provided. Therefore, low-dimensional modeling with lower computational costs might be a more applicable approach to represent hemodynamic properties of the entire arterial system and these three types of low-dimensional models have been extensively used in the study of cardiovascular dynamics. In recent decades, application of physics-based models to estimate central aortic pressure has attracted increasing interest. However, to our best knowledge, there has been few review paper about reconstruction of central aortic pressure using these physics-based models. In this paper, three types of low-dimensional physical models (0D, 1D and tube-load models) of systemic arteries are reviewed, the application of three types of models on estimation of central aortic pressure is taken as an example to discuss their advantages and disadvantages, and the proper choice of models for specific researches and applications are advised. | 10.1186/s12938-019-0660-3 |
pubmed_934_8452 | Scientific evidence is an increasingly important driver of social and environmental policy concerning child health. This trend began earlier than generally recognized. The child labor reform movement of the Gilded Age and early Progressive Era reflected not only moral and economic forces but also the dramatic advances during the later decades of the 19th century in scientific knowledge concerning children's biological and psychological vulnerability to environmental and psychosocial stressors. The growing importance of scientific information in shaping policy concerning children's health between 1870 and 1900 is illustrated by the events leading up to and following the New York State Child Labor Law of 1886. Child labor reform during this period was a critical step in the development of a science-based as well as a value-driven movement to protect children's environmental health and well-being that continues today. | 10.2105/AJPH.2014.302030 |
pubmed_303_11502 | Enhanced mitotic activity and stimulated DNA synthesis associated with unchanged activity of thymidine and thymidylate kinases were observed in mouse kidneys induced to proliferate by intracardiac injection of lead acetate, and in rat livers following repeated administration of 5-azacytidine. On the other hand, the enhanced thymidine kinase activity evoked by L-tryptophan given by intubation at later stages of liver regeneration was paralleled by the enhanced incorporation of thymidine into DNA only to a very small degree. | 10.1016/0009-2797(76)90003-x |
pubmed_285_5395 | Inflammatory mechanisms are proposed to play a role in L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2) contributes to inflammation pathways in the periphery and is constitutively expressed in the central nervous system. Considering that inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) formation attenuates L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia, this study aimed at investigating if a NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor would change COX2 brain expression in animals with L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia. To this aim, male Wistar rats received unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine microinjection into the medial forebrain bundle were treated daily with L-DOPA (21 days) combined with 7-nitroindazole or vehicle. All hemi-Parkinsonian rats receiving l-DOPA showed dyskinesia. They also presented increased neuronal COX2 immunoreactivity in the dopamine-depleted dorsal striatum that was directly correlated with dyskinesia severity. Striatal COX2 co-localized with choline-acetyltransferase, calbindin and DARPP-32 (dopamine-cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein-32), neuronal markers of GABAergic neurons. NOS inhibition prevented L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia and COX2 increased expression in the dorsal striatum. These results suggest that increased COX2 expression after L-DOPA long-term treatment in Parkinsonian-like rats could contribute to the development of dyskinesia. | pubmed_285_5395 |
pubmed_799_14925 | BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
To assess the relationship between retinal arteriolar emboli and mortality in older people.
METHODS
Pooled data from 2 population-based cohort studies. At baseline, the Beaver Dam Eye Study (BDES) examined 4926 persons 43 to 86 years of age (1988 to 1990), and the Blue Mountains Eye Study (BMES) examined 3654 persons 49 to 97 years of age (1992 to 1994). Retinal arteriolar emboli were assessed by grading retinal photographs using standardized methods. Deaths and causes of death were determined from death certificates or Australian National Death Index. Cox regression models were used to estimate mortality hazard ratios (HRs) associated with emboli, adjusting for age, gender, body mass index, hypertension, diabetes, smoking, serum total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, study site, and past histories of stroke, angina, and acute myocardial infarct.
RESULTS
Of 8580 baseline participants, 8384 (98%) had retinal photographs available, and 111 showed retinal arteriolar emboli (BDES n=61; BMES n=50). Over 10 to 12 years, 2506 participants (30%) died, including 344 (4%) from stroke-related and 1315 (16%) from cardiovascular causes. The cumulative mortality rates were higher in participants with than without emboli (all-cause 56% versus 30%; stroke-related 12% versus 4.0%; cardiovascular 30% versus 16%). The increased mortality risk associated with emboli was independent of age, gender, other vascular risk factors, and past histories of stroke or heart disease for all-cause (multivariate-adjusted HR, 1.3; CI, 1.0 to 1.8) and stroke-related mortality (HR, 2.0; CI, 1.1 to 3.8) but not for cardiovascular mortality (HR, 1.2; CI, 0.8 to 1.7).
CONCLUSIONS
Our pooled data from 2 older populations suggest that retinal emboli predict a modest increase in all-cause and stroke-related mortality independent of cardiovascular risk factors. | 10.1161/01.STR.0000226929.23297.75 |
pubmed_218_14223 | BACKGROUND
Fucoxanthin isolated from edible seaweeds and its metabolite fucoxanthinol have been recently found to have anti-obesity effects, but the mechanism is not fully understood.
AIM OF STUDY
We investigated the effects of these carotenoids on the absorption of triglycerides in conscious rats implanted with cannulae into a lymph duct and the portal or jugular vein.
METHODS
A duodenal infusion of 1 ml of test oil emulsion with or without 2 mg of fucoxanthin or fucoxanthinol was administered in the lymph duct and the portal (Experiment 1) or the jugular vein (Experiment 2) cannulated rats. The test oil contained 10% soybean oil (Experiment 1) and pre-digested 10% soybean oil (Experiment 2). The inhibitory activities of these carotenoids on pancreatic lipase activity were measured in vitro.
RESULTS
Increases in lymphatic and blood triglyceride levels were much lower in the two carotenoid-treated groups than in the carotenoid-free group, indicating that these carotenoids inhibit triglyceride absorption. The total amounts of triglycerides released into the lymph after 4 h in the carotenoid-free, fucoxanthin and fucoxanthinol groups were 113.5, 59.4 and 53.1 micromol, respectively. The inhibitory effects of carotenoids were completely abolished after an infusion of pre-digested soybean oil containing carotenoids. Furthermore, these carotenoids inhibited pancreatic lipase activity in vitro. Regarding absorptive route, we found that fucoxanthinol, but not fucoxanthin, appeared in lymph fluid, whereas neither carotenoid was detected in portal blood.
CONCLUSION
These results show that these two marine carotenoids inhibit lipase activity in the gastrointestinal lumen and suppress triglyceride absorption, and fucoxanthin was converted to fucoxanthinol in the intestine and released into the lymph. | 10.1007/s00394-009-0078-y |
others_201_180 | : Microglia are known to regulate stress and anxiety in both humans and animal models. Psychosocial stress is the most common risk factor for the development of schizophrenia. However, how microglia/brain macrophages contribute to schizophrenia is not well established. We hypothesized that effector molecules expressed in microglia/macrophages were involved in schizophrenia via regulating stress susceptibility. Methods: We recruited a cohort of first episode schizophrenia (FES) patients (n = 51) and age- and sex-paired healthy controls (HCs) (n = 46) with evaluated stress perception. We performed blood RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) and brain magnetic resonance imaging, and measured plasma level of colony stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R). Furthermore, we studied a mouse model of chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) combined with a CSF1R inhibitor (CSF1Ri) (n = 9 ~ 10/group) on anxiety behaviours and microglial biology. Results: FES patients showed higher scores of perceived stress scale (PSS, p < 0.05), lower blood CSF1R mRNA (FDR = 0.003) and protein (p < 0.05) levels, and smaller volumes of the superior frontal gyrus and parahippocampal gyrus (both FDR < 0.05) than HCs. In blood RNA-seq, CSF1R-associated differentially expressed blood genes were related to brain development. Importantly, CSF1R facilitated a negative association of the superior frontal gyrus with PSS (p < 0.01) in HCs but not FES patients. In mouse CUS+CSF1Ri model, similarly as CUS, CSF1Ri enhanced anxiety (both p < 0.001). Genes for brain angiogenesis and intensity of CD31+-blood vessels were dampened after CUS-CSF1Ri treatment. Furthermore, CSF1Ri preferentially diminished juxta-vascular microglia/macrophages and induced microglia/macrophages morphological changes (all p < 0.05). Conclusion: Microglial/macrophagic CSF1R regulated schizophrenia-associated stress and brain angiogenesis. © 2023, BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Natur | 10.1186/s12916-023-02959-8 |
others_270_18658 | rds (433), 7-week-old, of both sexes belonging to Indian native breeds including Aseel, Kadakanath, Naked Neck and Frizzle fowl along with the exotic breeds like Dahlem red, White Leghorn, Synthetic Dam Line (SDL) and Naked Neck broiler were utilized to test the complement response (expressed as CH50 unit/ml) to sheep erythrocytes determined by means of both calcium dependent pathway or classical pathway (CPW) and calcium independent pathway or alternate pathway (APW). The effect of genotype (breed), sex and their interactions on antibody response was also studied. The results revealed the presence of natural CPW and APW antibodies on day of immunization in all groups under study irrespective of sex. The natural APW response was highest in Aseel and lowest in broilers. The highest CPW responses were observed in Dahlem red and Aseel followed by Kadakanath, Naked Neck, White Leghorn, Frizzle, SDL broiler and NN broiler on day 5 p.i. Aseel had the highest level followed by Kadakanath, but Dahlem Red showed much regressed value on day 12 p.i. and also on day 19 p.i. In all the genetic lines peak response was observed on 5th day p.i. and declined thereafter. Aseel, which showed highest response on day 5 p.i. for APW response also had the highest value on day 12 p.i. and 19 p.i. and lowest response was observed in broilers. Males excelled the females for APW response at all days of measurements post immunization in all genetic groups except Dahlem Red and NN broiler on 12th day p.i. Statistical analysis revealed significant variation in CPW and APW response among the various genetic groups and this remained consistent in all days of post immunization i.e. on day 0,5,12,19 p.i. Sex effects were not significant in any days of p.i. for C.P.W response. Sex effects were significant on days 12 and 19 p.i. only. However, interaction between breed and sex were significant on days 5, 12, and 19 p.i. for CPW and for APW, on days 0 and 19 p.i. It is concluded that the chicken populations utilized in this study differed widely with respect to their immunocompetence traits, on different days of post SRBC injection and observed higher antibody than young birds | others_270_18658 |
pubmed_374_21979 | This review surveys soluble Folate Receptors (FOLRs) in humans. FOLR1 and FOLR2 are equipped with cellular glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchors. FOLR1 is secreted from epithelia with or without a micelle-encapsulated GPI-anchor into milk and other body fluids/secretions, e.g. semen where its interaction with spermatozoa indicates a role in male fertility. FOLR1 and FOLR2 serve as serum biomarkers of various diseases. FOLR3 possesses no GPI-anchor and originates from secretory granules of neutrophil granulocytes; its concentration in serum correlates to the FOLR3 content in leukocytes and rises with increased leukocyte counts (infection, malignancy and pregnancy). FOLR3 exerts anti-microbial and anti-tumor effects by depriving bacteria and tumor cells of natural folates. Megalin receptors mediate reabsorption of ultrafiltered folate-bound FOLR into cells of proximal kidney tubules and of folate-bound FOLR uptake in growing embryos. Megalin receptors overexpressed in malignant tumors could be suitable therapeutic targets for folate-conjugated cytotoxic agents utilizing soluble FOLRs as vectors. | 10.1016/j.bbapap.2020.140466 |
pubmed_916_8849 | This paper proposes a new deconvolution method for 3D fluorescence wide-field microscopy. Most previous methods are insufficient in terms of restoring a 3D cell structure, since a point spread function (PSF) is simply assumed as depth-invariant, whereas a PSF of microscopy changes significantly along the optical axis. A few methods that consider a depth-variant PSF have been proposed; however, they are impractical, since they are non-blind approaches that use a known PSF in a pre-measuring condition, whereas an imaging condition of a target image is different from that of the pre-measuring. To solve these problems, this paper proposes a blind approach to estimate depth-variant specimen-dependent PSF and restore 3D cell structure. It is shown by experiments on that the proposed method outperforms the previous ones in terms of suppressing axial blur. The proposed method is composed of the following three steps: First, a non-parametric averaged PSF is estimated by the Richardson Lucy algorithm, whose initial parameter is given by the central depth prediction from intensity analysis. Second, the estimated PSF is fitted to Gibson's parametric PSF model via optimization, and depth-variant PSFs are generated. Third, a 3D cell structure is restored by using a depth-variant version of a generalized expectation-maximization. | 10.1038/srep09894 |
pubmed_987_18984 | Background
The potential of drones to support public health interventions, such as malaria vector control, is beginning to be realised. Although permissions from civil aviation authorities are often needed for drone operations, the communities over which they fly tend to be ignored: How do affected communities perceive drones? Is drone deployment accepted by communities? How should communities be engaged?
Methods
An initiative in Zanzibar, United Republic of Tanzania is using drones to map malarial mosqutio breeding sites for targeting larval source management interventions. A community engagement framework was developed, based on participatory research, across three communities where drones will be deployed, to map local perceptions of drone use. Costs associated with this exercise were collated.
Results
A total of 778 participants took part in the study spanning a range of community and stakeholder groups. Overall there was a high level of acceptance and trust in drone use for public health research purposes. Despite this level of trust for drone operations this support was conditional: There was a strong desire for pre-deployment information across all stakeholder groups and regular updates of this information to be given about drone activities, as well as consent from community level governance. The cost of the perception study and resulting engagement strategy was US$24,411.
Conclusions
Mapping and responding to community perceptions should be a pre-requisite for drone activity in all public health applications and requires funding. The findings made in this study were used to design a community engagement plan providing a simple but effective means of building and maintaining trust and acceptability. We recommend this an essential investment. | 10.1016/j.techsoc.2022.101895 |
pubmed_373_7440 | Glycoforms of recombinant human follicle stimulating hormone (rhFSH) (Org 32489, Puregon) were characterized using concanavalin A lectin affinity chromatography to reveal information about the internal carbohydrate complexity (extent of carbohydrate side-chain branching) of the preparations. The rhFSH glycoforms were measured by radioimmunoassay and a two-site immunoradiometric assay and compared with those in two urinary preparations (Metrodin and Metrodin-HP) used in assisted reproduction programmes and a urinary FSH international standard 70/45 (uFSH IS 70/45). Similar data were obtained with both assays; rhFSH had 6% complex internal carbohydrate structures compared with 22-27% for Metrodin, Metrodin-HP and uFSH. The proportion of simple carbohydrate structures was also different, with rhFSH having 18.5 compared with 4.5-9.3% for Metrodin, Metrodin-HP and uFSH. A linear relationship was observed between the percentage glycoforms with an isoelectric point (pl) < 4 and the log percentage simple forms (logarithmic regression; r = 0.93) indicating a direct relationship between carbohydrate complexity and charge heterogeneity. In summary, rhFSH contains fewer complex forms and an increased proportion of simple carbohydrate structures in comparison with Metrodin, Metrodin-HP and IS 70/45. | 10.1093/molehr/2.10.807 |
pubmed_839_5318 | OBJECTIVE
Are obese subjects characterized by a reduction of attentional cortical responses to the enlargement of food or body images?
METHODS
Electroencephalographic data were recorded in 19 obese and 15 normal-weight adults during an "oddball" paradigm. The subjects were given frequent (70%) and rare (30%) stimuli depicting faces (FACE), food (FOOD), and landscapes (CONTROL), and clicked the mouse after the rare stimuli. These stimuli depicted the same frequent stimuli graphically dilated by 25% along the horizontal axis. Bioelectrical impedance indexed subjects' body fat percentage. Cortical attentional responses were probed by the difference between positive event-related potentials peaking around 400-500ms post-stimulus for the rare minus frequent stimuli (P300). Low resolution electromagnetic source tomography (LORETA) estimated P300 sources.
RESULTS
In the FOOD condition, the amplitude of medial prefrontal P300 sources (Brodmann area 9) was lower in the obese than normal-weight subjects, and there was a negative correlation between the body fat percentage and the amplitude of these sources in all subjects as a single group.
CONCLUSIONS
These results disclose that prefrontal attentional processes to food size are abnormal in obese subjects.
SIGNIFICANCE
The present study motivates future research evaluating the effects of cognitive rehabilitation in obese subjects. | 10.1016/j.clinph.2009.06.012 |
pubmed_1091_10991 | Background The Patient-Specific Functional Scale (PSFS) is among the most commonly used measures to assess physical function. Objectives We aimed to translate and cross-culturally validate the PSFS to Nepali and further assess its psychometric properties. Methods This longitudinal, single-arm cohort study translated and cross-culturally adapted the PSFS to Nepali (PSFS-NP) following recommended guidelines. A sample of 104 Nepalese with musculoskeletal pain was recruited to evaluate the psychometric properties of the PSFS-NP. We assessed the internal consistency (Cronbach alpha), 2-week test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC3,2]), the smallest detectable change at the 90% confidence interval (CI), and construct validity. Concurrent validity was assessed against the Nepali versions of the Oswestry Disability Index, global rating of change, and numeric pain-rating scale. Receiver operating characteristic curves were plotted to measure responsiveness and area under the curve, and the minimum important change (MIC) was estimated. Results The PSFS-NP showed good reliability, with a Cronbach alpha of .75, an ICC of 0.89 (95% CI: 0.78, 0.94), and a smallest detectable change at the 90% CI of 1.46. It demonstrated significant correlations with the Nepali versions of the Oswestry Disability Index (r = -0.47, P = .001), global rating of change (r = 0.71, P<.001), and numeric pain-rating scale (r = -0.32 and -0.55, P<.001). Areas under the curve ranged from 0.72 to 0.99. The MIC was 2.00 in the main analysis. Secondary analyses revealed MICs of 0.50, 0.66, and 2.00 for small, medium, and large improvement, respectively. Conclusion The PSFS-NP is a reliable, valid, and responsive measure. It can be used in clinical practice and research in Nepalese with musculoskeletal pain. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2018;48(8):659-664. Epub 6 Apr 2018. doi:10.2519/jospt.2018.7925. | 10.2519/jospt.2018.7925 |
others_79_12152 | Salmonella is a type of zoonotic bacteria that represents an economic and public health concern worldwide. Difficulties in sample collection from migratory birds mean little is known about their importance as a reservoir of Salmonella. The present study evaluated the prevalence and potential risk of Salmonella enterica in migratory birds. From 2012–2017, 3661 cloacal swabs from migratory birds were collected in South Korea and tested to isolate S. enterica. Strains were tested for antimicrobial resistance and the presence of virulence genes. Thirty-six S. enterica strains, including S. enterica serovar Typhimurium (n = 19), S. Berta (n = 16), and S. Virchow (n = 1), were isolated from 34 birds. Two migratory birds were simultaneously co-infected with two serotypes. S. enterica was isolated from the Mallard duck, Northern pintail, Eurasian wigeon, Spot-billed duck, Eastern great egret, and Intermediate egret. S. Virchow was resistant to ciprofloxacin, with a point mutation (Ser-83-Phe) in the gyrA gene. Ten virulence genes were detected; sixteen strains were positive for all ten virulence genes. Salmonella was isolated from different migratory bird species and geographic locations with up to 100 % similarity of PFGE type. Eight S. Virchow strains taken from migratory birds, poultry farms, and chicken meat showed the same PFGE type. Salmonella was transmitted across species, space, and time in migratory birds. These birds may play a role in the dispersal of pathogenic and antimicrobial-resistant Salmonella and sporadic Salmonella infections in poultry; therefore, they may represent a direct or indirect public health threat. © 2020 Elsevier B.V | 10.1016/j.vetmic.2020.108829 |
pubmed_636_17014 | INTRODUCTION
Postpartum depression (PPD) represents a considerable health problem affecting women and their families. The aims of this study were to: (a) compare female patients with PPD to normal controls with regard to some biopsychosocial variables, (b) correlate between the severity of PPD and some clinical and biological variables, and (c) to predict some risk factors for PPD.
METHOD
Sixty female patients with PPD were compared with 60 healthy postpartum females (control group). Patient and controls were subjected to: (1) a complete psychiatric and obstetric examination, (2) psychometric studies using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, Fahmy and El-Sherbini's Social Classification Scale for Egyptian socioeconomic classification and Horowitz et al's Impact of Event Scale, (3) quantities of thyroid hormone (T3), cortisol hormone, and estrogen were assessed.
RESULTS
There were high statistical differences between PPD females and controls as regard psychosocial stressors, level of (estradiol, thyroxin [T3], and cortisol), marital status, residence, parity, method of delivery, complicated puerperium, positive history of premenstrual tension syndrome and baby variables (eg, unwelcomed, with a negative attitude of parents toward the baby, underweight, female, artificially feeding, unhealthy baby). While there were moderate statistical differences in attitude toward spouse and social support and mild statistical difference in socioeconomic status between them. Severity of depression is positively highly correlated with onset of depression, psychosocial stress, levels of T3 and cortisol. However, severity of depression is negatively high when correlated with socioeconomic status. Stepwise linear regression indicated that PPD was significantly predicted by social support, socioeconomic status, feeding of baby, and prior psychiatric problems.
CONCLUSION
Many factors may lead to development of PPD. These factors include some psychosocial, socioeconomic, obstetric, and hormonal variables. Early detection of these factors could help in prediction of the development of PPD. | 10.2147/NDT.S37156 |
pubmed_1008_14945 | Several methods for HDL-Cholesterol determination have been proposed; the over-floating cholesterol evaluation after non-HDL lipoproteins precipitation by polyanions with bivalent cations or neutral polymers is practical and not expensive, but it's accuracy and precision must be strictly control led. The Authors, after a review and a quality-check of the most used methods, conclude that the best accuracy for HDL-Cholesterol determination is provided by Dextransulphate-Mg-chloride and Phosphotungstate-Mg-chloride at pH 7,5. | pubmed_1008_14945 |
pubmed_928_13732 | To search for evidence of altered neuronal gene expression in response to exposure to the highly addictive drug nicotine, rat brains were examined by immunocytochemistry for the fos protein after the systemic administration of nicotine. The drug was administered as an IV infusion over 1 h At a dose of 2 mg/kg, the most dramatic nicotine-induced fos nuclear immunostaining was seen in central visual pathways, including the superficial superior colliculus and the medial terminal nu. of the accessory optic tract, in the interpeduncular nu. Notably, many regions with high levels of nicotine binding sites, including the medial habenula, thalamus, substantia nigra, and ventral tegmental area, failed to express the c-fos gene with this schedule of nicotine administration. A minimal increase in fos immunostaining was seen after a nicotine dose of 0.5 mg/kg, with a much greater response after 1 or 2 mg/kg. The response was seen as soon as 60 min after the beginning of the infusion, was maximal at 2-3 h, and declined thereafter. c-fos expression was substantially attenuated in the superficial gray layer of superior colliculus, medial terminal nucleus of the accessory optic tract, and the interpeduncular nucleus by pretreatment with the centrally acting nicotine antagonist mecamylamine, 5 mg/kg IP, but not with the peripherally acting antagonist hexamethonium, 4 mg/kg IP. These observations identify a subset of central nervous system neurons that respond to nicotine with altered expression of the immediate early gene c-fos. These neurons presumably undergo long-term changes in gene expression as a result of acute exposure to high doses of nicotine. | 10.1016/0361-9230(92)90127-j |
pubmed_568_17175 | AIM
The purpose of this study was to determine whether using self-video recording of the skill competency assessment would promote deliberate practice of nursing skills, clinical skill proficiency, limit virtual high stakes testing anxiety and facilitate progression of first semester baccalaureate nursing students during the global COVID-19 pandemic.
DESIGN
A cross-sectional study was conducted during the Spring 2020 semester using self-reported student data from an end of course survey.
METHODS
A 16 item instructor-designed survey of student's perceptions of critical thinking, preparation, availability of materials, practice, video recording skill demonstrations, self-reported levels of anxiety related to the virtual testing environment and type of skill assessment exam was provided to all first semester baccalaureate nursing students enrolled in the basic nursing skills course.
RESULTS
Approximately half of the cohort (N = 33) voluntarily responded to the instructor designed survey. The greatest relationship was observed between 'adequate information for each version' of the test and 'adequate time to prepare' (rho (32) = 0.729 p = 0.000). Although 54.6% (n = 18) of the respondents believed performing the demonstration in the home environment caused them to 'think harder' about the tasks, 78.8% (n = 26) reported feeling less anxiety than while performing previous demonstrations in the lab. A Wilcoxon test examined the results of the anxiety for demonstration on campus and anxiety for demonstration at home and a significant difference was found (p = 0.000, 95% CI) indicating anxiety levels were significantly less when demonstrating in the home environment. A moderate positive correlation was identified between opportunity to repeat with less stress at home (rho (32) = 0.61, p = 0.000), while moderate negative correlations were found between opportunity to repeat and anxiety levels related to recording (rho (32) = -0.60, p = 0.000), opportunity to repeat and anxiety related to demonstration at home (rho (32) = -0.53, p = 0.002) and concern about recording and opportunity to repeat (rho (32) = -0.49, p = 0.004).
CONCLUSIONS
Student success using remote assessment strategies during the Spring 2020 semester was similar to the success rate using traditional skill assessment methods in Fall 2019. Although the need for prompt feedback was identified as an area of improvement to promote deliberate practice, student video recording of skill proficiency was a viable solution for comprehensive remote assessment during the COVID-19 pandemic and campus closure. Although further study is recommended, findings have international implications for virtual teaching and learning in nursing education. | 10.1016/j.nepr.2021.103071 |
pubmed_1074_22577 | We report a case of a 48-year-old man who developed metastatic angiosarcoma in her left orbit. A 48-year-old man was first sent to us for a check up of proptosis of the left eye. A left orbital tumor was recognized on orbital computed tomography scans. The open biopsy showed angiosarcoma. Chest X-ray films and thoracic computed tomography showed an abnormal mass in the left inferior lung field. Angiosarcoma was confirmed by transbronchial lung biopsy. In summary, we believed that the orbital tumour was an initial symptom of the metastasis ensuing from the lung angiosarcoma. | 10.3341/kjo.2010.24.6.364 |
pubmed_615_8847 | Global climate change is a major threat to biodiversity. The most common methods for predicting the response of biodiversity to changing climate do not explicitly incorporate fundamental evolutionary and ecological processes that determine species responses to changing climate, such as reproduction, dispersal, and adaptation. We provide an overview of an emerging mechanistic spatial theory of species range shifts under climate change. This theoretical framework explicitly defines the ecological processes that contribute to species range shifts via biologically meaningful dispersal, reproductive, and climate envelope parameters. We present methods for estimating the parameters of the model with widely available species occurrence and abundance data and then apply these methods to empirical data for 12 North American butterfly species to illustrate the potential use of the theory for global change biology. The model predicts species persistence in light of current climate change and habitat loss. On average, we estimate that the climate envelopes of our study species are shifting north at a rate of 3.25 +/- 1.36 km/yr (mean +/- SD) and that our study species produce 3.46 +/- 1.39 (mean +/- SD) viable offspring per individual per year. Based on our parameter estimates, we are able to predict the relative risk of our 12 study species for lagging behind changing climate. This theoretical framework improves predictions of global change outcomes by facilitating the development and testing of hypotheses, providing mechanistic predictions of current and future range dynamics, and encouraging the adaptive integration of theory and data. The theory is ripe for future developments such as the incorporation of biotic interactions and evolution of adaptations to novel climatic conditions, and it has the potential to be a catalyst for the development of more effective conservation strategies to mitigate losses of biodiversity from global climate change. | 10.1890/12-1407.1 |
pubmed_1045_5163 | This study investigates changes in autonomic nervous function through Qi-training. The power spectrum of heart rate variability (HRV) was examined in 20 sedentary healthy subjects and 20 Qi-trainees. It was found that Qi-training in healthy young subjects during controlled respiration increases the high frequency (HF) power and decreases the low frequency/high frequency (LF/HF) power ratio of HRV. These results support the hypothesis that Qi-training increases cardiac parasympathetic tone. In addition, Qi-trainees were found to have higher parasympathetic heart modulation compared with their age-matched, sedentary counterparts. This augmented HRV in Qi-trainees provides further support for long-term Qi-training as a possible non-pharmacological cardio-protective maneuver. In conclusion, Qi-training may stabilize the autonomic nervous system by modulating the parasympathetic nervous system. | 10.1142/S0192415X02000491 |
pubmed_898_7564 | Primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma (pcALCL) is part of a spectrum of cutaneous CD30+ lymphoproliferative disease that also includes lymphomatoid papulosis. It often occurs in elderly patients, presenting at a median age of 60 years, although it may occur at any age. It is a CD30+ T-cell neoplasm composed of large cells with anaplastic, pleomorphic, or immunoblastic morphology, with exclusively cutaneous onset and localization. The clinical course of pcALCL is predominantly indolent. Most elderly patients with lymphoma tend to have a sedentary lifestyle, which has a negative effect on their quality of life (QoL) and survival. Several studies indicate that exercise has a positive impact on QoL because it reduces peak oxygen consumption, improves physical capacity, increases self-esteem, reduces accumulated stress, and promotes relaxation. Therefore, particularly in indolent lymphomas, it is necessary to indicate a program of physical activity to be practiced systematically. Complete surgical excision and local radiotherapy are the first line gold standard in pcALCL with a solitary lesion. | 10.3390/ijerph17030839 |
pubmed_448_7850 | In recent years, the ecological risks of plastics to marine environments and organisms have attracted increasing attention, especially the leachates from plastics. However, a comprehensive knowledge about the leaching characteristics and subsequent toxicological effects of leachates is still sparse. In this study, 15 different plastic products were immersed in simulated seawater and fish digest for 16 h. The leachates were analyzed through non-target and target analyses and their toxicological signatures were assessed by bioassays. In total, 240 additives were identified from the plastic leachates, among which plasticizers represented the most (16.7%), followed by antioxidants (8.7%) and flame retardants (7.1%). Approximately 40% of plastic leachates exhibited significant inhibitory effects on the bioluminescence using a recombinant luminescent assay. In addition, both the hyperactive and hypoactive behaviors were displayed in the larvae of marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma) exposed to some plastic leachates. In general, the number and amount of identified compounds under simulated fish digest were less than those under simulated seawater. However, the simulated fish digest leachates triggered higher toxicity. Redundancy analysis demonstrated that identified additives did not adequately explain the toxicological effects. Future research should focus on the identification of more additives in the plastic leachates and their potential ecological risks. | 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117892 |
pubmed_931_19772 | Guanidinium is a versatile functional group with unique properties. In biological systems, hydrogen-bonding and electrostatic interactions involving the arginine side chains of proteins are critical to stabilise complexes between proteins and nucleic acids, carbohydrates or other proteins. Leading examples of artificial receptors for carboxylates, phosphates and other oxoanions, such as sulfate or nitrate are highlighted in this tutorial review, addressed to readers interested in biology, chemistry and supramolecular chemistry. | 10.1039/b603089k |
pubmed_737_9506 | Uncomplicated type B aortic dissection is managed with anti-impulse therapy since surgery offers no additional long-term survival advantage. In recent years, thoracic endovascular repair (TEVAR) has been forwarded as a treatment strategy that may retard aortic growth, lower rupture risk, and improve clinical outcome compared to medical management in patients with uncomplicated type B aortic dissection. Although aortic remodeling often serves as a surrogate measure of treatment success in trials of aortic dissection, there is, in fact, little evidence to suggest that aortic remodeling confers a clinical advantage in this patient cohort. TEVAR likely will not be widely recommended for the patient with uncomplicated type B aortic dissection until a prospective comparative clinical trial demonstrates a clear clinical advantage of TEVAR over medical management. Measures of aortic remodeling are poor surrogate measures of treatment success in this patient population. | 10.1510/icvts.2011.274241 |
pubmed_117_12787 | The human Anterior GRadient 2 (AGR2) protein is an Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER)-resident protein which belongs to the Protein-Disulfide Isomerase (PDI) superfamily and is involved to productive protein folding in the ER. As such AGR2, often found overexpressed in adenocarcinomas, contributes to tumour development by enhancing ER proteostasis. We previously demonstrated that AGR2 is secreted (extracellular AGR2 (eAGR2)) in the tumour microenvironment and plays extracellular roles independent of its ER functions. Herein, we show that eAGR2 triggers cell proliferation and characterize the underlying molecular mechanisms. We demonstrate that eAGR2 enhances tumour cell growth by repressing the tumour suppressor p21CIP1. Our findings shed light on a novel mechanism through which eAGR2 behaves as a growth factor in the tumour microenvironment, independently of its ER function, thus promoting tumour cell growth through repression of p21CIP1. Our results provide a rationale for targeting eAGR2/p21CIP1-based signalling as a potential therapeutic target to impede tumour growth. | 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2020.118920 |
pubmed_984_20364 | Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of legal blindness among the elderly population in the industrialized world, affecting about 14 million people in the United States alone. Smoking is a major environmental risk factor for AMD, and hydroquinone is a major component in cigarette smoke. Hydroquinone induces the formation of cell membrane blebs in human retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Blebs may accumulate and eventually contribute first to sub-RPE deposits and then drusen formation, which is a prominent histopathologic feature in eyes with AMD. As an attempt to better understand the mechanisms involved in early AMD, we sought to investigate the proteomic profile of RPE blebs. Isolated blebs were subjected to SDS-PAGE fractionation, and in-gel trypsin-digested peptides were analyzed by LC-MS/MS that lead to the identification of a total of 314 proteins. Identified proteins were predominantly involved in oxidative phosphorylation, cell junction, focal adhesion, cytoskeleton regulation, and immunogenic processes. Importantly basigin and matrix metalloproteinase-14, key proteins involved in extracellular matrix remodeling, were identified in RPE blebs and shown to be more prevalent in AMD patients. Altogether our findings suggest, for the first time, the potential involvement of RPE blebs in eye disease and shed light on the implication of cell-derived microvesicles in human pathology. | 10.1074/mcp.M900203-MCP200 |
pubmed_1061_4206 | Tumor-derived lactic acid inhibits T and natural killer (NK) cell function and, thereby, tumor immunosurveillance. Here, we report that melanoma patients with high expression of glycolysis-related genes show a worse progression free survival upon anti-PD1 treatment. The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) diclofenac lowers lactate secretion of tumor cells and improves anti-PD1-induced T cell killing in vitro. Surprisingly, diclofenac, but not other NSAIDs, turns out to be a potent inhibitor of the lactate transporters monocarboxylate transporter 1 and 4 and diminishes lactate efflux. Notably, T cell activation, viability, and effector functions are preserved under diclofenac treatment and in a low glucose environment in vitro. Diclofenac, but not aspirin, delays tumor growth and improves the efficacy of checkpoint therapy in vivo. Moreover, genetic suppression of glycolysis in tumor cells strongly improves checkpoint therapy. These findings support the rationale for targeting glycolysis in patients with high glycolytic tumors together with checkpoint inhibitors in clinical trials. | 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.08.068 |
pubmed_60_13590 | We present a hierarchical principle for object recognition and its application to automatically classify developmental stages of C. elegans animals from a population of mixed stages. The object recognition machine consists of four hierarchical layers, each composed of units upon which evaluation functions output a label score, followed by a grouping mechanism that resolves ambiguities in the score by imposing local consistency constraints. Each layer then outputs groups of units, from which the units of the next layer are derived. Using this hierarchical principle, the machine builds up successively more sophisticated representations of the objects to be classified. The algorithm segments large and small objects, decomposes objects into parts, extracts features from these parts, and classifies them by SVM. We are using this system to analyze phenotypic data from C. elegans high-throughput genetic screens, and our system overcomes a previous bottleneck in image analysis by achieving near real-time scoring of image data. The system is in current use in a functioning C. elegans laboratory and has processed over two hundred thousand images for lab users. | 10.1109/CVPR.2010.5540065 |
pubmed_944_23980 | INTRODUCTION
The exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is most often induced by an infection of bacterial origin in over 50% of the cases (or mixed bacterial and viral infection). This study was aimed at evaluating clinical effects of antibiotics co-amoxiclav. Amoxiicillin with clavulanic acid in the treatment of patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
The investigation included 38 patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation hospitalized at the Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, Sremska Kamenica. The patients were randomly selected for the antibiotic treatment with Amoxiclav twice a day in 12 hour intervals. The clinical effects of the applied treatment were evaluated by analyzing certain laboratory findings, microbiological sputum findings and improvement of subjective symptoms.
RESULTS
Of the examined subjects, 65% were males and 35% were females, their mean age being 66.4 +/- 8.86, and who were mostly smokers (73%). After the completion Of Applied antibiotic treatment, a significant reduction and normalization of all inflammation markers were recorded, as well as a significant improvement of the patients' subjective symptoms. The positive microbiological sputum findings (Haemophilus influenzae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Streptococcus pneumoniae) were recorded in 13.58% of the patients. The bacterial agent was eradicated on the third day of the applied treatment. The mean length of the treatment was 7.07 +/- 0.91 days, with no undesirable treatment side effects observed CONCLUSION The antibiotic therapy is justifiable as the initial treatment regimen of severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation and amoxicillin with clavulanic acid is reported as the first-line antibiotic drug in most pharmacotherapy guidelines. | 10.2298/mpns1104178a |
pubmed_1061_19098 | BACKGROUND
Magnifying endoscopy has demonstrated dramatic morphologic changes in the surface microvasculature of superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) according to the depth of invasion. We investigated the mechanism of angiogenesis in early-stage ESCC by examining the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A and chondromodulin (ChM)-1.
METHODS
Using 41 samples of superficial esophageal cancer (EP and LPM 19 cases, MM or deeper 22 cases) and 7 samples of regenerative squamous epithelium, the expression of VEGF-A and ChM-1 was examined in relation to the histological grade or morphology of the surface microvasculature demonstrated by magnifying endoscopy (types A, B, and C correspond to types A, B1, and B2 and B3 of the magnifying endoscopic classification of the Japan Esophageal Society, respectively). We also investigated the correlation between CD31-positive microvessel density (MVD) and VEGF-A or ChM-1 expression.
RESULTS
In normal squamous epithelium, regenerative squamous epithelium, EP and LPM cancer, and MM or deeper cancer, the positivity rates for VEGF-A and ChM-1 were 0%, 85.7%, 52.6% and 90.9%, respectively, and 48.5%, 71.4%, 73.7% and 23.8%, respectively. The VEGF-A and ChM-1 positivity rates in type B or type C vasculature were 70.0% and 76.2%, respectively, and 75.0% and 19.0%, respectively. The expression of neither VEGF-A nor ChM-1 in cancer cells was correlated with MVD (P = 0.19 and 0.68, respectively), whereas that of VEGF-A in stromal mononuclear cells (SMCs) was significantly correlated with MVD (P = 0.04).
CONCLUSION
Angiogenesis at the early stage of ESCC progression is configured by the balance between accelerator (angiogenic factors from both cancer cells and SMCs) and brake (angiogenic inhibitor) factors. | 10.1007/s10388-019-00695-8 |
pubmed_524_17359 | BACKGROUND
B7 homolog 3 (B7-H3), a member of the immunoregulatory ligand B7 family, is pivotal in T-cell-mediated immune response. It is widely expressed in diverse human tumors and its high expression indicates the poor prognosis of the patients. Nonetheless, B7-H3's role in colorectal cancer (CRC) needs to be further explored.
METHODS
Western blot and immunohistochemistry were employed for detecting B7-H3 protein expression in CRC tissues and cell lines, respectively. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was utilized for detecting B7-H3 mRNA and miR-128 expression levels. CRC cell lines SW620 and HT29 were used to construct B7-H3 overexpression or knockdown cell models, respectively. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU), and scratch wound healing assays were employed for evaluating the effects of B7-H3 on CRC cell multiplication and migration. Besides, the regulatory relationship between miR-128 and B7-H3 was validated through dual-luciferase reporter gene assay, qRT-PCR, and western blotting.
RESULTS
B7-H3 expression level was remarkably elevated in CRC tissues and cell lines, and its high expression level was associated with increased tumor size, positive lymph node metastasis, and increased T stage. In CRC cells, B7-H3 overexpression significantly facilitated the cell multiplication and migration, while B7-H3 knockdown worked oppositely. Moreover, B7-H3 was identified as a target of miR-128, and miR-128 negatively regulated B7-H3 expression in CRC cells.
CONCLUSION
B7-H3 expression is upregulated in CRC tissues and cell lines, and B7-H3 participates in promoting the proliferation and migration of CRC cells. Besides, B7-H3 expression is negatively regulated by miR-128 in CRC. | 10.1007/s12013-021-00975-0 |
pubmed_204_16300 | Most of the clinical experiences discussed in this article arose from monthly Zoom meetings at Rome's Italian Centre of Analytical Psychology (CIPA). We set up a discussion group in April 2020, one month after lockdown began in Italy, and these monthly online meetings continue to this day. All senior analysts and analysts-in-training at Rome's CIPA, whose backgrounds range from child and adolescent psychotherapy to adult psychotherapy and analysis, to sandplay therapy and medicine and psychiatry, have been participating in these meetings. The group discussions focus on the present time and its impact on us, as well as on our relationships with patients. By further developing these reflections during the lockdown in Italy (9 March - 3 May 2020), it is fair to ask whether a sense of unreality, depersonalization, or derealization has occurred, either in the therapist or patient, and if so, whether it is possible that therapists miss the human contact more than clients. We will mainly refer to clinical and personal experiences as our most precious guidelines. | 10.1111/1468-5922.12688 |
pubmed_695_25819 | OBJECTIVES
To assess the association between vitamin D deficiency and increased morbidity/mortality with COVID-19 respiratory dysfunction.
DESIGN
Scoping review.
DATA SOURCES
Ovid MEDLINE (1946 to 24 of April 2020) and PubMed (2020 to 17 of September 2020).
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES
A search using the search terms: [(cholecalciferol or ergocalciferol or vitamin D2 or vitamin D3 or vitamin D or 25OHD) and (SARS-CoV-2 or coronavirus or COVID or betacoronavirus or MERS-CoV or SARS-CoV or respiratory infection or acute respiratory distress syndrome or ARDS)]m.p. was conducted on the 24/04/2020 (Search A) and 17/09/2020 (Search B).
RESULTS
91 studies were identified as being concerned with Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI)/Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) and vitamin D, and 25 publications specifically explored the role of vitamin D deficiency in the development and progression of SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 related ARDS. Search "A" identified three main themes of indirect evidence supporting such an association. Consistent epidemiological evidence exists linking low vitamin D levels to increased risk and severity of respiratory tract infections. We also report on plausible biological processes supporting such an association; and present weaker evidence supporting the benefit of vitamin D supplementation in reducing the risk and severity of ARIs. Uncertainty remains about what constitutes an appropriate dosing regimen in relation to reducing risk/severity of ARI/ARDS. More recent evidence (Search B) provided new insights into some direct links between vitamin D and COVID-19; with a number of cohort and ecological studies supporting an association with PCR-positivity for SARS-CoV-2 and vitamin D deficiency. The exact efficacy of the vitamin D supplementation for prevention of, or as an adjunct treatment for COVID-19 remains to be determined; but a number of randomized control trials (RCTs) currently underway are actively investigating these potential benefits.
CONCLUSION
Our rapid review of literature supports the need for observational studies with COVID-19 infected populations to measure and assess vitamin D levels in relation to risk/severity and outcomes; alongside RCTs designed to evaluate the efficacy of supplementation both in preventive and therapeutic contexts. The overlap in the vitamin D associated biological pathways with the dysregulation reported to drive COVID-19 outcomes warrants further investigation. | 10.3389/fphys.2020.564387 |
pubmed_607_8260 | The in vitro activities of imipenem alone and in combination with teicoplanin, fosfomycin, and rifampin were tested against clinical isolates of enterococci and staphylococci. In both groups of organisms, the three combinations demonstrated high rates of synergism in both checkerboard and time-kill studies. | 10.1128/AAC.30.5.813 |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.