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Retriever5700 | Influence of the trematode Aphalloïdes caelomicola Dollfus, Chabaud & Golvan, 1957 on the fecundity and survival of Pomatoschistus microps (Krøyer, 1838) (Teleostei: Gobiidae).
Monthly data collected during 1993 in the Vaccarès lagoon (Rhône Delta, France) were used to investigate the influence of the trematode Aphalloïdes coelomicola on the survival of the common goby Pomatoschistus microps, which acts both as second intermediate and definitive host. Prevalence of the parasite did not increase with fish size in either sex. Mean abundance and variance to mean abundance ratio gave evidence that the trematode could have an impact on host mortality. Gonad weight of parasitized females was reduced and the parasite seemed to provoke a gonadal regression above a certain parasitic biomass. Fecundity and egg diameters did not differ between parasitized and unparasitized females, we thus hypothesize that the energy content of eggs (composition in lipids and proteins) was probably modified as an adaptation to energy losses. Prevalence of infection in males compared to females and influence of the parasite on host survival and reproductive effort are discussed. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5701 | [New data on individual quantitative features of the human lateral geniculate body].
In 17 human brains of different sex and age it was demonstrated, for the first time, that there exist wide volumentric differences in the dorsal nucleus of the lateral geniculate body (minimal--66.6 mm3, maximal--152 mm3). It was also stated that the extreme variants mentioned above occur more seldom than the average ones and are mainly depended on changes in the grey substance volume. As there are no correlative differences between the volume of the lateral geniculate body and the brain weight, sex and age, it is possible to suggest that the optic center studied possesses some individual functional optic peculiarities to be investigated and clarified in future. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5702 | Readability: an important issue impacting healthcare for women with postpartum depression.
PURPOSE
To evaluate the reading level of depression-screening instruments commonly used in postpartum depression (PPD) and evaluate the reading level of prevalent consumer pamphlets and books on PPD.
DESIGN AND METHODS
Descriptive study evaluating the reading level of four PPD instruments (the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, The Center for Epidemiologic Symptoms of Depression, the Postpartum Depression Screening Scale, and the Beck Depression Inventory-II), five pamphlets from grassroots organizations, and seven consumer books using the Fry Readability Graph.
RESULTS
The readability of the postpartum screening instruments varied, but all were at or below the recommended 6th grade reading level. CES-D had the lowest reading level (grade 2). The readability of the consumer publications also varied, but all had a higher reading level than the recommended 6th grade level, some at the college reading level.
CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS
Readability is an important consideration in the choice of depression-screening instruments and written materials for consumers. Nurses using any of the four postpartum screening instruments studied can feel confident that women who can read will be able to read them. The readability of a book, pamphlet, or instrument should be of concern to nurses who work with women during the postpartum period. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5703 | Scaling of the Quantum Anomalous Hall Effect as an Indicator of Axion Electrodynamics.
We report on the scaling behavior of V-doped (Bi,Sb)_{2}Te_{3} samples in the quantum anomalous Hall regime for samples of various thickness. While previous quantum anomalous Hall measurements showed the same scaling as expected from a two-dimensional integer quantum Hall state, we observe a dimensional crossover to three spatial dimensions as a function of layer thickness. In the limit of a sufficiently thick layer, we find scaling behavior matching the flow diagram of two parallel conducting topological surface states of a three-dimensional topological insulator each featuring a fractional shift of 1/2e^{2}/h in the flow diagram Hall conductivity, while we recover the expected integer quantum Hall behavior for thinner layers. This constitutes the observation of a distinct type of quantum anomalous Hall effect, resulting from 1/2e^{2}/h Hall conductance quantization of three-dimensional topological insulator surface states, in an experiment which does not require decomposition of the signal to separate the contribution of two surfaces. This provides a possible experimental link between quantum Hall physics and axion electrodynamics. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5704 | Computerized system for nuclear emergency response in the ENEA Nuclear Research Center of Frascati.
At the National Committee for Research and Development of Nuclear Energy and Alternate Energy Sources (ENEA) Center of Frascati, there are several radiation-producing machines: two tokamaks and three electron accelerators; moreover, a neutron generator will begin to operate in a short time. A completely automatic monitoring system has been developed. Radiation control is performed by means of classical active and passive detectors. An automatic acquisition system has been developed: Measured quantities are acquired and stored in a specific data base; information regarding radioactivity levels, machines status, personnel dosimetry and meteorological parameters are available in real time. If any of the radiometric quantities exceeds appropriate reference levels, the following operations automatically activate: An automatic switch turns off the machines and an alarm signal is broadcast to the Health Physics group. In addition, the "Nuclear Emergency" software module starts if a radionuclide emission is detected. This module has been implemented to provide response to radiological emergencies in the ENEA nuclear research centers. The modularity of the computer-based system allows its utilization also in other nuclear centers, such as at nuclear power plants. When activated, the "Nuclear Emergency" displays an alarm signal and informs the Health Physics group about the monitor's location and characteristics and the measured data exceeding the reference level. If emission of radionuclides occurs, a preliminary evaluation of their diffusion in the atmosphere and an estimation of the population dose are performed. Statistical analysis of the event is also possible. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5705 | The influence of different thicknesses of dentin porcelain on the color reflected from thin opaque porcelain fused to metal.
Gold and nickel-chromium alloys were used as substrates for one shade of fused porcelain. Chroma characteristics were compared between samples with opaque thicknesses of 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 mm. Thicknesses of 0.1 to 0.5 mm of dentin porcelain fused on each of the thicknesses of opaque porcelain were measured. Perceptible color differences were found for most of the samples, and all nongold alloy samples showed such changes. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5706 | Parenchymal border macrophages regulate the flow dynamics of the cerebrospinal fluid.
Macrophages are important players in the maintenance of tissue homeostasis<sup>1</sup>. Perivascular and leptomeningeal macrophages reside near the central nervous system (CNS) parenchyma<sup>2</sup>, and their role in CNS physiology has not been sufficiently well studied. Given their continuous interaction with the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and strategic positioning, we refer to these cells collectively as parenchymal border macrophages (PBMs). Here we demonstrate that PBMs regulate CSF flow dynamics. We identify a subpopulation of PBMs that express high levels of CD163 and LYVE1 (scavenger receptor proteins), closely associated with the brain arterial tree, and show that LYVE1<sup>+</sup> PBMs regulate arterial motion that drives CSF flow. Pharmacological or genetic depletion of PBMs led to accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins, obstructing CSF access to perivascular spaces and impairing CNS perfusion and clearance. Ageing-associated alterations in PBMs and impairment of CSF dynamics were restored after intracisternal injection of macrophage colony-stimulating factor. Single-nucleus RNA sequencing data obtained from patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and from non-AD individuals point to changes in phagocytosis, endocytosis and interferon-γ signalling on PBMs, pathways that are corroborated in a mouse model of AD. Collectively, our results identify PBMs as new cellular regulators of CSF flow dynamics, which could be targeted pharmacologically to alleviate brain clearance deficits associated with ageing and AD. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5707 | Vital immunostaining of human gastric and colorectal cancers grafted into nude mice: a preclinical assessment of a potential adjunct to videoendoscopy.
Videoendoscopy has not significantly advanced diagnostic accuracy beyond that attainable by conventional fiberscopy, with respect to microcarcinomas of the digestive tract. We suspected that after the labeling of these lesions with an agent detectable by videoendoscope, digital processing of the images could facilitate endoscopic diagnosis of microcarcinomas. We have developed a novel antibody labeled with an indocyanine green (ICG) derivative that is evident by videoendoscope. However, the binding of such an exogenous antibody in vivo to tumor surfaces has not been described. In this preliminary study, after transplanting human gastric cancer or colorectal cancer into nude mice, we successfully bound the tumors in vivo with an anti-MUC1 mucin antibody, as subsequently confirmed by the performing of immunohistochemistry with a secondary antibody. The antibody labeled with an ICG derivative may therefore be clinically useful in detecting gastrointestinal microcarcinoma by videoendoscopy. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5708 | [Sulfazin in the thermoradiotherapy of experimental tumors].
A possibility of radiosensitization of Pliss' lymphosarcoma and tumor RS-1 by using general hyperthermia with sulfazin was studied. Subcutaneous transfusion of sulfazin to rats caused a rise of the body temperature by 2-2.5 degrees C on the 2nd day after injection with the upkeep of hyperthermia for 3 days. A combined effect of sulfazin and irradiation enhanced the retardation of growth rate of tumors and increased their regression. The lifetime of animals increased significantly. A more noticeable postradiation suppression of mitotic activity was observed. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5709 | [Hepatic arterial perfusion scintigraphy with 99mTc-MAA for assessment of the hepatic distribution of drugs given by intrahepatic arterial infusion].
Twenty-six hepatic arterial perfusion studies using 99mTc-MAA were carried out in 21 patients who underwent hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy. Inhomogeneous perfusion of the liver area supplied by the artery in which the catheter was placed was seen in 11 (42%) of 26 studies, which may be caused by poor mixing of drug with blood at infusion site. To evaluate whether pulsed arterial infusion reduces this phenomenon, 99mTc-MAA was injected with pulsatile infusion in studies. Improved RI distribution of the liver was obtained in 2 of 15 with pulsatile infusion. Extrahepatic perfusion was noted in 6 (23%) of 26 studies. Displaced catheter was demonstrated in 3 (12%) of 26 studies. Despite the attempts to correct the arterial abnormalities to ensure homogeneous perfusion of the liver in 4 patients with anatomic variants, inhomogeneous perfusion was seen in 3 of 4 patients. Hepatic arterial perfusion scintigraphy by 99mTc-MAA has advantages for assessing intrahepatic distribution of the chemotherapeutic agents, in addition to helping to avoid clinical complications caused by extrahepatic perfusion. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5710 | [E-health application for home monitoring of neuro-muscular rehabilitation].
In many medical fields the recovery of muscular activity or its improvement up to the level of the optimal parameters is required. Apart from the classical solution for rehabilitation (physical exercises) the use of electrical stimulation has become quite frequent of late. The paper presents an interface that detects the electromyographic (EMG) activity, assesses it, and generates appropriate electrical stimuli, by means of a specific type of fuzzy control system, in order to control the dynamics of the EMG. The proposed interface will detect the motion and muscular activity, it will evaluate and generate the electrical stimulus using a fuzzy system tuned by dynamic of motion. The application will transmit e-Health information to the physician via Internet, synthetic, at request using TCP/IP stack and SMS services for wireless communication. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5711 | Relationship between myocardial blush grades, staining, and severe microvascular damage after primary percutaneous coronary intervention a study performed with contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance in a large consecutive series of patients.
BACKGROUND
Although angiographic perfusion has been traditionally evaluated by myocardial blush grade (MBG), pathophysiologic features underlying different MBG and the persistent blush, traditionally called staining, have been poorly explained. The aim of the study was to evaluate the correlation between MBG and morphologic aspects on cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR).
METHODS
Myocardial blush grade and morphologic aspects on contrast-enhanced CMR, with special reference to staining phenomenon and persistent microvascular damage (PMD), were evaluated in a consecutive series of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) treated by primary percutaneous coronary intervention.
RESULTS
A total number of 294 AMI patients were enrolled and classified into 2 groups, that is, MBG 0/1 (115, 39%) and MBG 2/3 (179, 61%), according to the angiographic profile. By comparing MBG 0/1 versus MBG 2/3 patients, the former exhibited a larger enzymatic infarct size (P < .001) and a greater infarct size index (P < .001) and PMD (P < .001). In the MBG 0/1 group, a subgroup of 51 patients with staining phenomenon (MBG 0 staining) was also identified, with a worse CMR profile as PMD (P < .001). Multivariate analysis confirmed the strong association between MBG 0/1 and mean number of segments with transmural necrosis (odds ratio 1.62, 95% CI 1.17-2.24, P = .003) and PMD index (odds ratio 3.13, 95% CI 1.19-8.29, P = .021).
CONCLUSIONS
In AMI patients treated by primary percutaneous coronary intervention, angiographic parameters of impaired reperfusion correlate with PMD as detected by contrast CMR. Among patients with MBG 0, the presence of the so-called staining phenomenon identifies a subgroup of patients with more severe PMD. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5712 | Lack of increased oxidative stress in catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT)-deficient mice.
The effect of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) deficiency on methamphetamine-induced hydroxyl radical production in the brain was assessed by the salicylate trapping method. Methamphetamine-induced hyperthermia was also studied. Furthermore, the effect of COMT deficiency on the activities of glutathione S-transferase, quinone reductase and liver mono-oxygenases was assessed with and without l-dopa challenge. Finally, two alternative pathways of l-dopa metabolism were evaluated. Methamphetamine increased 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid levels only slightly (n.s.) at the lowest dose level (2.5 mg/kg x 4 i.p.). This was accompanied by a simultaneous increase in salicylate levels so that the 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid/salicylate ratio decreased correspondingly. Most importantly, no COMT genotype-dependent changes were observed. However, hyperthermia was induced even at the lowest methamphetamine dose, the COMT-deficient mice being most sensitive. COMT deficiency did not significantly change the activities of liver glutathione S-transferase, quinone reductase or 7-ethoxyresorufin and 7-pentoxyresorufin O-dealkylation. In COMT-deficient female mice, l-dopa (30-80 mg/kg b.i.d. for 2 days) did not induce any significant changes in liver or brain glutathione S-transferase and quinone reductase activity or liver 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylation activity. The levels of l-dopa conjugates in urine were also negligible in COMT-deficient mice. Skin tyrosinase activity was increased in 7- to 8-day-old hairless COMT-deficient pups. The present results suggest that despite the increased hyperthermic response, COMT deficiency does not increase methamphetamine-induced hydroxyl radical production or change significantly the activity of certain enzymes involved in defense against reactive oxygen species. In conclusion, we found no evidence of increased oxidative stress in the liver or brain of adult mice lacking COMT activity. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5713 | Primary adenocarcinoma of the appendix.
Thirteen cases of primary appendicular adenocarcinoma are reported. This rare tumour usually presents as acute appendicitis. The correct diagnosis is rarely entertained before or during surgery. The main treatment choice lies between appendicectomy alone and appendicectomy followed by right hemicolectomy. There are anatomical reasons for advising the latter and survival figures from the literature tend to support this preference. The cases reported here indicate that in the period 1972-1984, in the North West Region, there was a slight preference for appendicectomy alone. The additional procedure of right hemicolectomy did not confer any clear-cut survival advantage. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5714 | Is there a role for meaningful activity in stroke rehabilitation?
PURPOSE
Stroke survivors report multiple psychosocial issues after discharge and difficulties returning to meaningful roles and activities. This study explored the impact of an occupation-based group program on activity levels, well-being, and self-efficacy after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation.
METHODS
This pilot study recruited participants from two hospital rehabilitation units. Both units provided individual therapy programs. Unit A provided an additional occupation-based group program. Behavioural mapping recorded participants' activity levels in hospital for one weekday and one weekend day. Outcome measures collected at recruitment, discharge, and/or 1 month after discharge included Modified Barthel Index, use of community supports, length of stay, Stroke Impact Scale, and Self- Efficacy Gauge.
RESULTS
Participants from Unit A (n = 8) had a significantly longer length of stay than Unit B (n = 11) and spent significantly more time in occupational therapy (P = .01). Both participant groups were more inactive on the weekday compared to the weekend (P = .03). Participants in Unit A were more likely to report low levels of social participation and stroke recovery (P <.05) on the Stroke Impact Scale.
CONCLUSION
There was no indication from the results of this study that an occupation-based group program had a positive effect on the measured outcomes. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5715 | Strategies to decrease costs associated with GBS prophylaxis in preterm gestations.
Objective: 1) To evaluate the costs associated with a practice of routinely culturing women for Group B beta-Streptococcus (GBS) who are at risk for preterm delivery. 2) To evaluate the charges associated with a policy of empiric antibiotic therapy in women suspected of imminent delivery prior to 37 weeks gestation.Methods: In our hospital, women who present with preterm contractions (PTC), preterm labor (defined as uterine contractions resulting in cervical change, PTL), and preterm rupture of the membranes (PROM) were cultured for GBS. Women with PTL and PROM received parenteral antibiotic therapy pending availability of culture results (48 hours). We reviewed the records of women who participated in a study to determine the sensitivity and specificity of a rapid test for GBS (Am J Obstet Gynecol 1997;176:S35). Results of the Lim broth culture, our gold standard, were used for this analysis. The charges for performing cultures ($32/culture) and administering intravenous ampicillin ($54/dose) were calculated.Results: There were 118 women with PTC, 52 women with PTL, and 64 with PROM. Thirty-four (14.5%) of the cultures were positive. The results are presented below.In women with PTC, the incidence of GBS was 12.7%. The culture results were available and guided care in only the 6 women who delivered between 2 and 7 days. In women with PTL the incidence of positive cultures was 11.5%. All of the women received antibiotics pending results of cultures. The majority of the women had delivery delayed 48 hours until results were available. Care was modified in the 7 women who delivered between 2 and 7 days. In women with PROM the incidence of GBS was 20.3%. The culture results were available and guided therapy in 11 women.Conclusions: Our findings suggest that GBS cultures have limited clinical value in women with PTC. Only 6 women, 5.5%, had their care modified as a result of the cultures, at a cost of $3776. In women with PTL, we over-treated the majority of women with antibiotics, most of whom delivered after culture results were available. Cultures had minimal impact on management. Antibiotics should be reserved for women whose labor is progressing on tocolysis. In women with PROM, most delivered prior to availability of culture results. We would have saved $2048 had no cultures been obtained. These results are probably irrelevant, if routine antibiotic administration is utilized in PROM to prolong latency intervals regardless of GBS status. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5716 | Frequency of Peripheral Arterial Disease in Patients With Chronic Venous Insufficiency.
BACKGROUND
It is estimated that about 15% (10% - 30% in most of the studies) of the total adult population has some aspects of the Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI). Frequency of the Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) in the adult population is 3% - 4%. Studies dealing with etiopathogenesis of leg ulcers show that between 10% and 18% of all ulcers are of mixed, arterial-venous origin.
OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this study was to find out if there is a higher frequency of PAD among CVI patients in comparison with the control group, as well as to discover some common risk factors for CVI and PAD.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at the dermatovenereological clinic, clinical center of Vojvodina, Serbia. A total of 162 examinees were included. All patients were examined for the existence of CVI and staged according to CEAP (Clinical, etiology, anatomy and patophysiology) classification. In this way, 3 groups were formed: Patients with the mild forms of CVI (stage 1 - 4 by CEAP classification), 57 patients; patients with the severe forms of CVI (stage 5 and 6 by CEAP classification), 55 patients; control group (no CVI), 50 patients. Also, the Ankle Brachial Pressure Index (ABPI) was assessed in all subjects, and its value of ≤ 0.9 was set as criteria for diagnosis of PAD. The same sample was divided according to the presence of PAD into two groups. The most important risk factors for CVI and PAD were identified for each patient through complete examination, medical record and appropriate questionnaire.
RESULTS
Our results showed that the risk factors for CVI were high Body Mass Index (BMI), hypertension, predominantly standing position during work and positive family history for CVI. In the same sample it was found that 28 (17.28%) patients had PAD. Relevant risk factors for PAD in the present study were: high BMI, hypertension, diabetes and a positive family history for PAD. Comparison of frequency of PAD among patients with severe forms of CVI and control group showed that this difference was statistically significant (P = 0.0275; OR 3.375; 95% CI 1.125 - 10.12). After multivariate analyses, adjusted odds ratio OR was still statistically significant.
CONCLUSIONS
The peripheral arterial disease is more frequent in patients with the severe form of CVI, than in patients without CVI. Concomitant risk factors for CVI and PAD were high BMI and hypertension. In each patient with severe CVI it is necessary to determine the ABPI, in order to exclude the presence of PAD. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5717 | C3G, through its GEF activity, induces megakaryocytic differentiation and proplatelet formation.
BACKGROUND
Megakaryopoiesis allows platelet formation, which is necessary for coagulation, also playing an important role in different pathologies. However, this process remains to be fully characterized. C3G, an activator of Rap1 GTPases, is involved in platelet activation and regulates several differentiation processes.
METHODS
We evaluated C3G function in megakaryopoiesis using transgenic mouse models where C3G and C3GΔCat (mutant lacking the GEF domain) transgenes are expressed exclusively in megakaryocytes and platelets. In addition, we used different clones of K562, HEL and DAMI cell lines with overexpression or silencing of C3G or GATA-1.
RESULTS
We found that C3G participates in the differentiation of immature hematopoietic cells to megakaryocytes. Accordingly, bone marrow cells from transgenic C3G, but not those from transgenic C3GΔCat mice, showed increased expression of the differentiation markers CD41 and CD61, upon thrombopoietin treatment. Furthermore, C3G overexpression increased the number of CD41+ megakaryocytes with high DNA content. These results are supported by data obtained in the different models of megakaryocytic cell lines. In addition, it was uncovered GATA-1 as a positive regulator of C3G expression. Moreover, C3G transgenic megakaryocytes from fresh bone marrow explants showed increased migration from the osteoblastic to the vascular niche and an enhanced ability to form proplatelets. Although the transgenic expression of C3G in platelets did not alter basal platelet counts, it did increase slightly those induced by TPO injection in vivo. Moreover, platelet C3G induced adipogenesis in the bone marrow under pathological conditions.
CONCLUSIONS
All these data indicate that C3G plays a significant role in different steps of megakaryopoiesis, acting through a mechanism dependent on its GEF activity. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5718 | Current Advancements and Strategies of Biomaterials for Tendon Repair: A Review.
Tendon is a bundle of tissue comprising of a large number of collagen fibers that connects muscle to bone. However, overuse or trauma may cause degeneration and rupture of the tendon tissues, which imposes an enormous health burden on patients. In addition to autogenous and allogeneic transplantation, which is commonly used in the clinic, the current research on tendon repair is focused on developing an appropriate scaffold via biomaterials and fabrication technology. The development of a scaffold that matches the structure and mechanics of the natural tendon is the key to the success of the repair, so the synergistic optimization of the scaffold fabrication technology and biomaterials has always been a concern of researchers. A series of strategies include the preparation of scaffolds by electrospinning and 3D printing, as well as the application of injectable hydrogels and microspheres, which can be used individually or in combination with cells, growth factors for tendon repair. This review introduces the tendon tissue structure, the repair process, the application of scaffolds, and the current challenges facing biomaterials, and gives an outlook on future research directions. With biomaterials and technology continuing to be developed, we envision that the scaffolds could have an important impact on the application of tendon repair. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5719 | Case management: a heritage more than a century old.
The roots of case management are more than a century deep. This innovative approach to managing, coordinating, expediting, and facilitating patient care is neither new nor exclusively limited to nursing practice. A review of the historic literature reveals that the evolution of case management is a byproduct of creative healthcare efforts associated with different disciplines, including nursing, medicine, mental health, public health, and social work. This article presents a historical review of significant milestones in the evolution of the field of case management and its related tools (i.e., clinical pathways). | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5720 | Self-reported cannabis products and other illicit drugs consumption in older school-age children in Northern Lithuania: a comparison between 2006 and 2012.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE
Cannabis use is widespread among young people in Europe. The aim of this study was to analyze and to compare the associations between the self-reported consumption of cannabis products and other illicit drugs among older schoolchildren in 2006 and in 2012.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Two cross-sectional surveys were conducted in 2006 and 2012 in Northern Lithuania. In total 3447 young people aged 17-19 years were investigated (1585 male and 1862 female). For this survey, the ESPAD questionnaire was used.
RESULTS
In Northern Lithuania, the schoolchildren aged 17-19 years self-reported that 16.7% in 2006 and 23.9% in 2012 of them tried cannabis products. The consumption of cannabis products in the age group of 17 years increased from 14.9% in 2006 to 21.5% in 2012. The consumption of cannabis together with alcohol increased from 7.6% to 14.3%. Cannabis consumers more often tried amphetamines, heroin, LSD, cocaine, crack, ecstasy, hallucinogenic mushrooms, and injective drugs. In 2012, cannabis consumers girls less than boys used only crack and injective drugs; all other illicit drugs they used the same often as boys.
CONCLUSIONS
The cannabis products consumption in schoolchildren has increased by 7%. Nearly twofold increase was observed in the consumption of cannabis together with alcohol. Young people who used cannabis products more often tried other illicit drugs. There were no differences by gender in the consumption of illicit drugs among cannabis consumers. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5721 | Direct targeting of the thalamic anteroventral nucleus for deep brain stimulation by T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging at 3 T.
BACKGROUND
The thalamic anteroventral nucleus (AV) is a promising target structure for deep brain stimulation (DBS) in patients suffering from refractory epilepsy. Direct visualization of the AV would improve spatial accuracy in functional stereotactic neurosurgery for treatment of this disease.
METHODS
On 3-tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), acquisition parameters were adjusted for optimal demarcation of the AV in 1 healthy subject. Reliability of AV visualization was then evaluated in 5 healthy individuals and 3 patients with refractory epilepsy.
RESULTS
In all individuals, an adjusted T1-weighted sequence allowed for demarcation of the AV. It was clearly distinguishable from hyperintense myelin-rich lamellae surrounding it ventrally and laterally and appeared hypo-intense compared to the adjacent thalamic nuclei. Image resolution and contrast facilitated direct stereotactic targeting of the AV prior to DBS surgery in all 3 patients.
CONCLUSIONS
Direct targeting of the AV can be achieved, which has immediate implications for the accuracy of MRI-guided DBS in patients with refractory epilepsy. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5722 | The usefulness of performance matrix tests in locomotor system evaluation of girls attending a ballet school - preliminary observation.
[Purpose] Learning ballet is connected with continuous use of the locomotor system while subjecting it to high loads. Therefore, we conducted some research defining the appearance of weak links in the motor system, in order to eliminate the risk of injury. [Methods] Fifty-two female students of a ballet school were examined. To identify weak links, low-threshold Performance Matrix tests were performed. An analysis of weak link occurrence in the locomotor system was carried out, using two way analysis of variance ANOVA Tukey's HSD test, clustering methods and Principal Component Analysis (PCA). [Results] The average age of the subjects was 11.64±0.53 years (mean ± standard deviation), their average body height was 151.1±7.5 cm, their average body weight was 35.92±5.41 kg, and their average time of learning at ballet school was 2.17±0.65 years. We found that there were significant differences in weak links occurrence in the motor system of every girl examined. [Conclusions] Weak links were found in every location of the motor system. Our results show that the influence of weak link location is essentially different from their occurrence, and that learning ballet has a significantly different impact on the number of weak links in different locations. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5723 | Adenosine suppresses excitatory glutamatergic inputs to rat hypoglossal motoneurons in vitro.
Short-latency excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs), evoked by electrical stimulation lateral to the hypoglossal motor nucleus, were recorded from rat hypoglossal motoneurons (HMs) in brainstem slices. EPSPs were markedly suppressed or abolished by kynurenic acid (1 mM), showing that they were glutamatergic. The adenosine receptor agonist 2-chloro-N6-cyclopentyladenosine (CCPA, 100 nM) reduced EPSP amplitude to 42% of control, while the agonist 2-chloroadenosine (2-CA, 0.5-50 microM) caused a dose-dependent reduction of the EPSP. The adenosine receptor antagonist 8-cyclopentyl-1, 3-dipropylxanthine (DPCPX, 0.1-1 microM) increased the EPSP amplitude to 124% of control, and blocked EPSP reduction by CCPA or 2-CA. CCPA, 2-CA and DPCPX did not significantly alter HM input resistance or membrane potential. These data indicate that excitatory glutamatergic inputs to rat HMs are modulated by adenosine A1 receptors, most probably at a presynaptic site. This modulation may be especially significant in hypoxic responses of HMs. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5724 | Cord blood-derived hematopoietic progenitor cells: in vitro response to hematopoietic growth factors and their recruitment into the S-phase of the cell cycle.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
In the recent years many studies on the expansion of cord blood (CB)-derived progenitor cells have been performed, whereas less information is available on their cycling status. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cycling status of CB-derived colony-forming cells (CFC) and long-term culture-initiating cells (LTC-IC), and their recruitment into the S-phase of the cell cycle in response to a combination of cytokines.
DESIGN AND METHODS
CB-derived CFC and LTC-IC were first quantified by standard clonogenic assay and long-term culture, respectively. In a second set of experiments, CB-derived progenitor cells were incubated with interleukin(IL)-3, stem cell factor (SCF) and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and their cell cycle status assessed both by the cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C) suicide approach and by flow cytometric DNA analysis.
RESULTS
We found that only small proportions of both CFC and LTC-IC were in the S-phase of the cell cycle. These estimates were confirmed by flow cytometric DNA analysis, which showed that 96% +/- 2% of CB-derived CD34+ cells were in G0/G1 and only 1.6% +/- 0.4% in the S-phase. Staining of CD34+ cells with an anti-statin monoclonal antibody, a marker of the G0 phase, indicated that among CD34+ cells with a flow cytometric DNA content typical of the G0/G1 phase, 68% +/- 7% of cells were in the G0 phase of the cell cycle. Twenty-four hour incubation with IL-3, SCF and G-CSF significantly increased the proportion of cells in the S-phase for both CFC and LTC-IC without inducing any loss in their number. Flow cytometric DNA analysis also showed an increase of CD34+ cells in the S-phase upon continuous exposure to these cytokines.
INTERPRETATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS
Our findings indicate that: i) a small number of CB-derived CFC and LTC-IC are in the S-phase of the cell cycle; ii) a substantial number of CD34+ cells with a flow cytometric DNA content typical of the G0/G1 fraction are cycling, as they are found in the G1 phase of the cell cycle; iii) 24-hour incubation with IL-3, SCF and G-CSF can drive a proportion of progenitor cells into the S-phase without reducing their number. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5725 | Simultaneous determination of nanomolar nitrite and nitrate in seawater using reverse flow injection analysis coupled with a long path length liquid waveguide capillary cell.
A reverse flow injection analysis (rFIA) method coupled with 1m liquid waveguide capillary cell and spectrophotometric detection for simultaneous determination of nanomolar nitrite and nitrate in seawater was developed. The design of two analytical channels sharing the same detection system in the proposed method allowed the analysis of both nitrite and nitrate with single sample injection. Different strategies of reagent injection were investigated to obtain a higher sensitivity and a better peak shape. A dual-wavelength detection mode was chosen to eliminate the light source shifting and sample matrix interference. Experimental parameters were optimized based on a univariate experimental design and the matrix effect from seawater was preliminarily investigated. The proposed method had high sensitivity with detection limit of 0.6 nmol L(-1) for both nitrite and nitrate. The linearity was 2-500 nmol L(-1) for both analytes, and the upper limit could be extended by choosing a lower sensitivity detection wavelength. The analytical results of 26 surface seawater samples obtained with the proposed method showed good agreement with those using a reference method operated using an automated segmented flow analyzer. The proposed method could greatly minimize the trouble introduced by bubbles in the segmented flow analyzer. It also had the advantages of high precision and high sample throughput (nitrite and nitrate detected in triplicate; 5 h(-1)). Compared to normal flow injection analysis, the rFIA method is superior due to its lower reagent consumption, less dispersion of sample, as well as higher sensitivity. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5726 | Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection in a Woman: Surgical Treatment and Angiographic Follow-Up.
Spontaneous coronary artery dissection constitutes a rare entity that affects mostly women, especially those less than 40 years of age. Treatment of choice is a matter of discussion. It is suggested by many that the therapeutic strategy should be individualized based on each patient's clinical and angiographic manifestations. We present the case of a young woman who underwent surgical revascularization for dissection of the left main stem by using both internal thoracic arteries. Angiographic follow-up revealed resolution of the dissection, obstruction of the right internal thoracic artery graft, and reverse flow in the left internal thoracic artery graft. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5727 | [Thromboembolism complications in ventriculo-atrial drainage of cerebrospinal fluid in childhood].
This report wants to call attention to the possible risks of thromboembolic complications of ventriculo-atrial shunts (Spitz-Holter valve). Among 126 children with ventriculo-atrial shunt we found four patients with severe thromboembolic complications. Two children died. The diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities are mentioned. Prophylaxis (prevention of infection, anticoagulation therapy and frequent followup investigation) is discussed; especially echocardiography is very useful for the early discovery of thrombotic deposits on the atrial catheter. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5728 | A DNA barcode for land plants.
DNA barcoding involves sequencing a standard region of DNA as a tool for species identification. However, there has been no agreement on which region(s) should be used for barcoding land plants. To provide a community recommendation on a standard plant barcode, we have compared the performance of 7 leading candidate plastid DNA regions (atpF-atpH spacer, matK gene, rbcL gene, rpoB gene, rpoC1 gene, psbK-psbI spacer, and trnH-psbA spacer). Based on assessments of recoverability, sequence quality, and levels of species discrimination, we recommend the 2-locus combination of rbcL+matK as the plant barcode. This core 2-locus barcode will provide a universal framework for the routine use of DNA sequence data to identify specimens and contribute toward the discovery of overlooked species of land plants. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5729 | Molecular evidence for sediment nitrogen fixation in a temperate New England estuary.
Primary production in coastal waters is generally nitrogen (N) limited with denitrification outpacing nitrogen fixation (N2-fixation). However, recent work suggests that we have potentially underestimated the importance of heterotrophic sediment N2-fixation in marine ecosystems. We used clone libraries to examine transcript diversity of nifH (a gene associated with N2-fixation) in sediments at three sites in a temperate New England estuary (Waquoit Bay, Massachusetts, USA) and compared our results to net sediment N2 fluxes previously measured at these sites. We observed nifH expression at all sites, including a site heavily impacted by anthropogenic N. At this N impacted site, we also observed mean net sediment N2-fixation, linking the geochemical rate measurement with nifH expression. This same site also had the lowest diversity (non-parametric Shannon = 2.75). At the two other sites, we also detected nifH transcripts, however, the mean N2 flux indicated net denitrification. These results suggest that N2-fixation and denitrification co-occur in these sediments. Of the unique sequences in this study, 67% were most closely related to uncultured bacteria from various marine environments, 17% to Cluster III, 15% to Cluster I, and only 1% to Cluster II. These data add to the growing body of literature that sediment heterotrophic N2-fixation, even under high inorganic nitrogen concentrations, may be an important yet overlooked source of N in coastal systems. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5730 | Gaseous carbon dioxide and methane, as well as dissolved organic carbon losses from a small temperate wetland under a changing climate.
Temperate forests can contain large numbers of wetlands located in areas of low relief and poor drainage. These wetlands can make a large contribution to the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) load of streams and rivers draining the forests, as well as the exchange of methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) with the atmosphere. We studied the carbon budget of a small wetland, located in Kejimkujik National Park, Nova Scotia, Canada. The study wetland was the Pine Marten Brook site, a poor fen draining a mixed hardwood-softwood forest. We studied the loss of DOC from the wetland via the outlet stream from 1990 to 1999 and related this to climatic and hydrologic variables. We added the DOC export information to information from a previously published model describing CH4 and CO2 fluxes from the wetland as a function of precipitation and temperature, and generated a new synthesis of the major C losses from the wetland. We show that current annual C losses from this wetland amount to 0.6% of its total C mass. We then predicted that under climate changes caused by a doubling of atmospheric CO2 expected between 2040 and 2050, total C loss from the wetland will almost double to 1.1% of total biomass. This may convert this wetland from what we assume is currently a passive C storage area to an active source of greenhouse gases. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5731 | Vermiculture as a tool for domestic wastewater management.
Organic waste management is a growing issue due to the unsustainable practices of its disposal. Sewage treatment plants are designed to treat wastewater to produce a safe effluent. However, one of the by-products, the sewage sludge which is disposed off in landfill or used as fertilizer in agricultural operation is high in pathogens. Sustainability can be achieved by Vermicomposting of organic matter which involves accelerated cycling of nutrients though a closed cycle whereby waste products are put to productive end use. Vermicomposting and vermifiltration are natural waste management processes relying on the use of worms to convert organic wastes to stable soil enriching compounds. Domestic wastewater management can be accommodated through these processes in a sustainable manner. A considerable reduction in pathogens has been noticed in the end product to a level that it can be safely applied to land. This paper provides an overview of the system characteristics of management systems utilising vermiculture, to manage wastewater. The process can be used in a small scale for household waste treatment to rural or urban waste management. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5732 | Black-blood T2* mapping with delay alternating with nutation for tailored excitation.
PURPOSE
To develop a black-blood T2* mapping method using a Delay Alternating with Nutation for Tailored Excitation (DANTE) preparation combined with a multi-echo gradient echo (GRE) readout (DANTE-GRE).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Simulations of the Bloch equation for DANTE-GRE were performed to optimize sequence parameters. After optimization, the sequence was applied to a phantom scan and to neck and lower extremity scans conducted on 12 volunteers at 3T using DANTE-GRE, Motion-Sensitized Driven Equilibrium (MSDE)-GRE, and multi-echo GRE. T2* values were measured using an offset model. Statistical analyses were conducted to compare the T2* values between the three sequences.
RESULTS
Simulation results showed that blood suppression can be achieved with various DANTE parameter adjustments. T2* maps acquired by DANTE-GRE were consistent and comparable to those acquired with multi-echo GRE in phantom experiments. In the in vivo experiments, DANTE-GRE was more comparable to multi-echo GRE than MSDE-GRE regarding the measurement of muscle T2* values.
CONCLUSION
Due to its high signal intensity retention and effective blood signal suppression, DANTE-GRE allows for robust and accurate T2* quantification, superior to that of MSDE-GRE, while overcoming blood flow artifacts associated with traditional multi-echo GRE. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5733 | Polyacrylamide gel 10 years experience: with particular reference to complications from filling of the body of the lip.
BACKGROUND
A review of 242 facial treatments, in 86 different patients, with polyacrylamide gel (PAAG) was carried out by the author between 2003 and 2013.
OBJECTIVES
To evaluate by retrospective study the long-term outcomes of PAAG filling for facial contouring. To quantify adverse events and patient comfort in prior mixing 0.3 mL of 2% lidocaine/1 mL PAAG and decanting into a smaller volume syringe.
METHOD
Review of clinical records combined with a patient survey.
RESULTS
COMPLICATIONS
11 of 166 (6.6%) lip body infections; 1 of 202 (0.5%) in other sites. Addition of 2% lidocaine (55 treatments/28 patients) reduced lip body infections (8.7% to 5.7%, P < 0.05%) and mean pain score (8/10 to 2/10). No patients sustained any long-term side effects and all (even those infected) were eventually satisfied. Seven lip asymmetries, after infected PAAG drainage, were corrected with further PAAG, showing adverse events to be contamination rather than immune reaction.
CONCLUSION
Facial usage of PAAG with lidocaine results in high levels of patient satisfaction and low incidence of side effects (0.5%) except in the lip body (6.6%). Potential users, fearful of complications, may more readily use this cost-effective and long-lasting dermal filler if they avoid injection of the lip body. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5734 | Therapeutic effects of glycine in isovaleric acidemia.
The effect of glycine administration on acute leucine loading (125 mg/kg) was tested in a patient with isovaleric acidemia. Serum isovaleric acid at 1-3/4 hr after the leucine loading alone was elevated to 5.60 mg/100 ml and urinary isovaleryglycine excretion was 9.90 mg/mg creatine/24 hr. Whe the same amount of leucine was given with glycine (250 mg/kg) serum isovaleric acid was only 0.93 mg/200 ml. Unfortunately, urine was collected for only 12 hr after the leucine-glycine loading. However, the amount of urinary isovaleryglycine was 26.2 mg/mg creatine in this period. In the following experiments in which a meal containing 80 mg leucine/kg was given, serum isovaleric acid was elevated to 1.14 and 1.01 mg/100 ml at 3 hr and 6 hr after the loading, respectively. How-ever, serum isovaleric acid was only 0.53 and 0.79 mg/100 ml at 3 and 6 hr, respectively, when the identical mean was given with 2 g glycine. The effect of long term glycine administration (250 mg/kg/24 hr) was also tested. It did not prevent two ketotic episodes which were caused by infections. However, the duration of clinical symptoms such as vomiting and a large anion gap in the acute episodes were much shorter with rectal glycine administration. The patient's linear growth and weight gain durin glycine administration was much better than that in the pretreatment period. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5735 | Pregnancy induces complex changes in the the pattern of mRNA expression in knee ligaments of the adolescent rabbit.
Knee laxity has been shown to increase during human pregnancy, and the laxity of the rabbit medial collateral ligament also increases during pregnancy. To determine whether the changes in tissue function could be related to alterations in the regulation of gene expression for a subset of relevant molecules in ligaments, RNA was isolated from the medial collateral(MCL) and anterior cruciate(ACL) ligaments of first time pregnant adolescent rabbits. Levels of mRNA for matrix molecules (collagen types I and III and the proteoglycans biglycan, decorin, versican and lumican), proteinases and inhibitors (collagenase, urokinase, PAI-1 and TIMP-1, -2 and -3), growth factors (bFGF, IGF-I, TGF-beta1 and ET-1), cytokines (IL-1beta and TNF) and enzymes responsible for important tissue mediators (COX-2 and iNOS) were assessed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. In the MCL, levels of transcripts for all of the matrix molecules, growth factors and TIMPs 1 and 2 were significantly depressed at 29 days of pregnancy compared to age-matched non-pregnant controls. In contrast, transcripts for PAI-1 were elevated during pregnancy, while those for collagenase (MMP-1), urokinase, TIMP-3, IL-1beta, TNF, COX-2 and iNOS were not statistically altered. mRNA transcript levels rebounded by 7 days post-partum for most genes studied, indicating that the changes were rapidly reversible. For some molecules, transcript levels were again depressed at 18 days post-partum, indicating that regulatory mechanisms were still not stabilized. Analysis of mRNA from the ACL also revealed changes in the pattern of gene expression, with some similarities and differences from the MCL noted. These results indicate that pregnancy induces reversible changes in mRNA for matrix molecules in ligaments, but differences in responsiveness exist between different ligaments. The complexity of the changes observed indicates that there is probably no simple cause and effect relationship between laxity changes and the molecular alterations during pregnancy. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5736 | SRY mutation and tumor formation on the gonads of XP pure gonadal dysgenesis patients.
We report three patients with XY pure gonadal dysgenesis. Two of these patients developed gonadoblastoma and associated dysgerminoma. Molecular analyses were undertaken to investigate the relationship between the formation of these tumors and Y chromosome aberrations. Deletion analyses were performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of Y chromosome-specific DNA sequences (PABY, SRY, DYS250, DYS254, and DYZ1). A cryptic deletion of the short arm of the Y chromosome that included the PABY, SRY, DYS250, and DYS254 loci was observed in one of the patients (22-years-old) with an associated tumor. In the other two patients who did not demonstrate such a deletion, the sequence of the SRY open reading frame was determined by the dideoxynucleotide method. Two nucleotide substitutions followed by a seven nucleotide deletion were observed in the 3' end of HMG (high mobility group)-box in the other patient (15-years-old) with an associated tumor. The patient (22-years-old) without an associated tumor did not have the cryptic deletion or mutation of SRY. A Y chromosome specific sequence (DYZ1) was demonstrated by PCR amplification of microdissected tumor tissues from these two patients. These results suggest that SRY may play a role in the formation of gonadal tumors, especially dysgerminoma. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5737 | Morphological studies on the effect of L-leucine methyl ester on mouse peritoneal macrophages in vitro.
Mouse peritoneal macrophages (MO) were treated in culture with 5 mM L-leucine methyl ester (L-Leu-OMe), for 5, 10, 20, 40, and 60 min. The treatment resulted in rapid vacuolisation of the cytoplasm due to the dilatation and disruption of lysosomes. Autophagy caused by lysosomal enzymes destroyed most of the cytoplasmic organelles by 40 minutes after L-Leu-OMe treatment, but the cell membrane and nucleus were in many MOs resistant to the damage. 60 min after L-Leu-OMe treatment most of the MOs were killed. It is supposed that the disruption of the lysosomes is caused by formaldehyde produced by the hydrolysis of L-Leu-OMe. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5738 | Functional identification of LZTS1 as a candidate prostate tumor suppressor gene on human chromosome 8p22.
Deletions in the 8p21-22 region of the human genome are among the most common genetic alterations in prostate carcinomas. Several studies in different tumor tissues, including prostate, indicate that there are probably multiple tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) present in this region. To identify candidate TSGs on 8p22 a YAC contig spanning this region was assembled and YAC clones retrofitted with a selectable marker (neo) were transferred into rat prostate AT6.2 cells. Two overlapping YAC clones showed greatly reduced colony-forming efficiency, indicating they may carry a TSG. Two BAC clones encompassing the overlapping region also appeared to exert suppressive effects on the growth of AT6.2 cells. Database searches for genes mapped to the critical region identified a gene known as FEZ1 (LZTS1) as a potential candidate suppressor gene. Subsequent experiments showed that over-expression of LZTS1 cDNA inhibited stable colony-forming efficiencies of AT6.2, HEK-293 and LNCaP cells. In contrast, LZTS1-transfected Rat-1 and RM1 cells were growth-stimulated. Database searches also identified additional isoforms of the LZTS1 mRNA, as well as LZTS1 protein domains reminiscent of those found in transcription factors. Together these data suggest that the LZTS1 gene is involved in the regulation of cell growth and its loss of function may contribute to the development of prostatic carcinomas, as well as other cancers. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5739 | The effects of acoustic orientation cues on instrument flight performance in a flight simulator.
An initial version of an acoustic orientation instrument (AOI), in which airspeed was displayed as sound frequency, vertical velocity as amplitude modulation rate, and bank angle as right-left lateralization, was evaluated in a T-40 (Link GAT-3) motion-based simulator. In this study, 15 pilots and 3 non-pilots were taught to use the AOI and flew simulated flight profiles under conditions of neither visual nor auditory instrumentation (NO INPUT), AOI signals only (AOI), T-40 simulator instrumentation only (VISUAL), and T-40 simulator instrumentation with AOI signals (BOTH). Bank control under AOI conditions was significantly better than under the NO INPUT condition for all flying tasks. Bank control under VISUAL conditions was significantly better than under the AOI condition only during turning and when performing certain complex secondary tasks. The pilots' ability to use the AOI to control vertical velocity and airspeed was less apparent. However, during straight-and-level flight, turns, and descents the AOI provided the pilots with sufficient information to maintain controlled flight. Factors of potential importance in using sound to convey aircraft attitude and motion information are discussed. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5740 | Conversion of xanthine dehydrogenase to xanthine oxidase as a possible marker for hypoxia in tumours and normal tissues.
The enzyme activities of endogenous xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH) and xanthine oxidase (XO) have been measured in 10 different types of mouse tumour and seven normal tissues. The conversion of XDH to XO has been observed in two tumour types upon the prolonged clamping off of the blood supply to the tumours. It is proposed that a similar conversion might also occur naturally in chronically hypoxic cells and that the ratio of the XO activity to the combined XO + XDH activities (%XO activity) could well serve as a marker for tissue hypoxia. A qualitative relationship exists between the %XO activity and literature values of the hypoxic fraction for some tumours measured by radiobiological assays. The influence of tumour size (about 0.2-1.8 g) on %XO activity is presented for all 10 tumours as well as %XO activity determinations for four of the normal tissues. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5741 | Comparison of computed tomography and 3D magnetic resonance imaging in evaluating glenohumeral instability bone loss.
BACKGROUND
To determine whether the addition of 3-dimensional (3D) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to standard MRI sequences is comparable to 3D computed tomographic (CT) scan evaluation of glenoid and humeral bone loss in glenohumeral instability.
METHODS
Eighteen patients who presented with glenohumeral instability were prospectively enrolled and received both MRI and CT within 1 week of each other. The MRI included an additional sequence (volumetric interpolated breath-hold examination [VIBE]) that underwent postprocessing for reformations. The addition of a VIBE protocol, on average, is an additional 4-4.5 minutes in the scanner. CT data also underwent 3D postprocessing, and therefore each patient had 4 imaging modalities (2D CT, 2D MRI, 3D CT reformats, and 3D MRI reformats). Each sequence underwent the following measurements from 2 separate reviewers: glenoid defect, glenoid defect percentage, humeral defect, humeral defect percentage, and evaluation of glenoid track and version. Paired t tests were used to assess differences between imaging modalities and χ2 for glenoid track. Intra- and interobserver reliability were evaluated. Bland-Altman tests were also performed to assess the agreement between CT and MRI. In addition, we determined the cost of each imaging modality at our institution.
RESULTS
3D MRI measurements for glenoid and humeral bone loss measurements were comparable to 3D CT (Table 1). There were no significant differences for glenoid defect size and percentage, or humeral defect size and percentage (P > .05) (Table 2). Bland-Altman analysis demonstrated strong agreement, with small measurement errors for 3D CT and 3D MRI percentage glenoid bone loss. There was also no difference in evaluation for determining on vs. off track between any of the imaging modalities. Inter- and intrarater reliability was good to excellent for all CT and MRI measurements (r ≥ 0.7).
CONCLUSION
3D MRI measurements for bone loss in glenohumeral instability through use of VIBE sequence were equivalent to 3D CT. At our institution, undergoing MRI with 3D reconstruction was 1.67 times cheaper than MRI and CT with 3D reconstructions. 3D MRI may be a useful adjuvant to standard MRI sequences to allow concurrent soft tissue and accurate assessment of glenoid and humeral bone loss in glenohumeral instability. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5742 | Resistance to ErbB2 tyrosine kinase inhibitors in breast cancer is mediated by calcium-dependent activation of RelA.
The widespread clinical use of therapies targeting the ErbB2 receptor tyrosine kinase oncogene represents a significant advance in breast cancer treatment. However, the development of therapeutic resistance represents a dilemma limiting their clinical efficacy, particularly small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors that block ErbB2 autophosphorylation and activation. Here, we show that lapatinib (GW572016), a highly selective, small-molecule inhibitor of the ErbB2 and epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinases, which was recently approved for the treatment of advanced-stage ErbB2(+) breast cancer, unexpectedly triggered a cytoprotective stress response in ErbB2(+) breast cancer cell lines, which was mediated by the calcium-dependent activation of RelA, the prosurvival subunit of NF-kappaB. Abrogation of lapatinib-induced RelA activation using either small interfering RNA constructs or an intracellular calcium chelator enhanced the apoptotic effects of lapatinib in parental ErbB2(+) breast cancer cells and overcame therapeutic resistance to lapatinib in ErbB2(+) breast cancer lines that had been rendered resistant to lapatinib through chronic exposure to the drug, mimicking the clinical setting. In addition, analysis of changes in phospho-RelA expression in sequential clinical biopsies from ErbB2(+) breast cancers treated with lapatinib monotherapy revealed marginally statistically significant differences between responders and nonresponders, which was consistent with our preclinical findings. Elucidating the regulation of RelA by lapatinib in ErbB2(+) breast cancers, and showing its role in the development of therapeutic resistance to lapatinib, identifies another therapeutic target to overcome or prevent the onset of resistance to lapatinib in some women with ErbB2(+) breast cancers. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5743 | Purification and characterization of 33.5 kDa vesicular protein in human bile.
AIM
The present study was undertaken to purify and partially characterize the 33.5-kilodalton (33.5 kDa) vesicular protein in human bile and to explore the possible molecular mechanisms of the initial crystal nucleation process.
METHODS
The 33.5 kDa vesicular protein was isolated by ultracentrifugation and further purified by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) under nonreducing conditions. The purified 33.5 kDa vesicular protein was subjected to N-terminal amino acid sequencing and amino acid analysis. Cholesterol crystallization activity was detected by cholesterol crystal growth assay. The sugar chain of the 33.5 kDa vesicular protein was analyzed by dot-immunobinding assay of lectin coupled to a peroxidase (HRP-DSA, HRP-ConA, HRP-WGA) and was deglycosylated using two different enzymatic approaches (N-deglycosylation and O-deglycosylation) to determine the molecular weight of the protein component, the type of linkage between polypeptide and carbohydrate components.
RESULTS
The 33.5 kDa vesicular protein with complicated glycan was an extensively glycosylated (37.3%) monomer and these sugar chains strongly bound to DSA, but did not bind to ConA. Amino acid sequencing indicated that the protein was unique. The 33.5 kDa vesicular protein exhibited potent cholesterol crystallization promoting activity in vitro with derived crystal growth curve indices It, Ig, Ic presented as 0.57, 1.52, and 1.63 respectively. Both enzymatic proteolysis and N-deglycosylation of the protein removed all activity.
CONCLUSION
These data suggest the 33.5 kDa vesicular protein may be responsible for the pathogenesis of cholesterol gallstone disease, and the sugar chains play an important role in pro-nucleating process. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5744 | Lionfish (Pterois spp.) invade the upper-bathyal zone in the western Atlantic.
Non-native lionfish have been recorded throughout the western Atlantic on both shallow and mesophotic reefs, where they have been linked to declines in reef health. In this study we report the first lionfish observations from the deep sea (>200 m) in Bermuda and Roatan, Honduras, with lionfish observed to a maximum depth of 304 m off the Bermuda platform, and 250 m off West End, Roatan. Placed in the context of other deeper lionfish observations and records, our results imply that lionfish may be present in the 200-300 m depth range of the upper-bathyal zone across many locations in the western Atlantic, but currently are under-sampled compared to shallow habitats. We highlight the need for considering deep-sea lionfish populations in future invasive lionfish management. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5745 | Aortic Valvuloplasty or Rootplasty for Aortic Regurgitation.
At present, aortic valvuloplasty is considered an effective procedure for treatment of aortic regurgitation in pediatric patients. It has encouraging mid- and long-term results. The improved outcome is primarily related to better understanding of the functional anatomy of the normal valve and the different factors that alter it. It is also related to the realization that outcome after valvuloplasty is dependent on comprehensive repair of all of the involved components of the aortic root. Refinement in preoperative diagnosis has helped identify these abnormal components and focus the surgical approach on the needed reconstruction. Although the technical aspects of valvuloplasty are well defined, suboptimal long-term results still occur in some cases because the patch material used for valve repair can become fibrotic or calcified. This review summarizes the surgical approach to and the management of the different abnormal root components in pediatric patients with significant aortic valve regurgitation. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5746 | Subchronic ketamine treatment leads to permanent changes in EEG, cognition and the astrocytic glutamate transporter EAAT2 in mice.
Ketamine is an NMDA receptor antagonist with psychotomimetic, dissociative, amnestic and euphoric effects. When chronically abused, ketamine users display deficits in cognition and information processing, even following long-term abstinence from the drug. While animal studies have shown evidence of behavioral changes and cognitive deficits that mimic those seen in humans within the period immediately following subchronic ketamine, a few animal studies have assessed long-term changes following cessation of ketamine exposure. To this end, the present study assessed event related potentials (ERPs) and EEG oscillations in mice exposed to subchronic ketamine following a 6month period of abstinence from the drug. Ketamine-treated mice showed no change in P20, but did show marked reductions in amplitude of the later N40 and P80 components, consistent with previous studies of acute ketamine exposure. Additionally, ketamine-treated animals showed a significant reduction in stimulus evoked theta oscillations. To assess the functional significance of these changes, mice were also assessed on a series of behavioral and cognitive tests, including progressive ratio (motivation), extinction (behavioral flexibility) and win-shift radial maze (spatial memory). Subchronic ketamine produced marked disruptions in reversal learning and spatial memory. Analysis of brains from ketamine-treated mice failed to show evidence of neuronal degeneration as determined by NueN immunohistochemistry, but did show increased astrocyte proliferation and decreased expression of the glial specific glutamate transporter, GLT-1. These results strongly suggest: 1) that subchronic ketamine induces significant changes in brain function that long exceed exposure to the drug; 2) that ketamine exposure in mice induces lasting cognitive impairments closely resembling those observed in human ketamine abusers; 3) that ERP and EEG measures are highly sensitive to alterations in brain function associated with reduced cognitive function; and 4) that the brain changes induced by chronic ketamine treatment are suggestive of long-term adaptive or plastic, rather than degenerative, changes. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5747 | Challenges and solutions for care of frail older adults.
Frail older adults are at risk for negative outcomes and are the most significant consumers of health resources across both acute and community settings. Both formal systems and families are involved in this care of frail elders. This article reviews health care issues for frail older adults and addresses the impact of frailty on the future health care system. It also presents challenges for future care, creative solutions that are currently being tested and explored, and suggestions for future nursing priorities. Challenges in the care of frail elders include: the organization and sustainability of the continuum of services, resource allocation, and cultural competence in service delivery. Creative solutions include intensive case management programs, targeting at risk older adults, partnerships with families, enhanced use of telemedicine and assistive technology, and promoting healthy aging. Nurses have the potential to improve elder health across settings through clinical practice, education, leadership, and research. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5748 | Recent trends in the immunology of contact sensitivity. I.
The article reviews the recent experimental data that influenced the present concept of contact sensitivity. Particular emphasis is on the mechanism of stimulation of antigen-inexperienced specific lymphocytes, the eliciting phase, and the role of suppressor cells in sensitization and tolerance. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5749 | Validity of the functional independence measure for persons with traumatic brain injury.
OBJECTIVE
Replicate and extend studies of the construct validity of the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) for persons with traumatic brain injury (TBI).
DESIGN
A cross-sectional study of admissions to acute rehabilitation evaluated 6 months to 5 years after discharge.
SETTING
An inpatient brain injury rehabilitation unit in a large, academic medical center.
SUBJECTS
Ninety-five patients with primary diagnosis of TBI stratified by time postdischarge.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Prediction of (1) average daily minutes of assistance and (2) supervision required in comparison to the Sickness Impact Profile (SIP) and SF-36.
RESULTS
The FIM was highly predictive of minutes of assistance (83% accuracy), supervision (82% accuracy), and the need for either type of assistance (78% accuracy). Prediction was only minimally improved by measures of neurobehavioral impairment. The accuracy of the FIM was superior to the SIP and SF-36.
CONCLUSIONS
Results provided substantial support for the validity of the FIM as a measure of functional independence for persons with TBI. The importance of supervision as a type of assistance required after TBI was evident, with the FIM highly predictive of this need, as well. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5750 | Shiga-like toxin-converting phages from Escherichia coli strains that cause hemorrhagic colitis or infantile diarrhea.
Escherichia coli K-12 acquired the ability to produce a high titer of Shiga-like toxin after lysogenization by either of two different bacteriophages isolated from a highly toxinogenic Escherichia coli O157:H7 strain that causes hemorrhagic colitis. One of these phages and another Shiga-like toxin-converting phage from an Escherichia coli O26 isolate associated with infantile diarrhea were closely related in terms of morphology, virion polypeptides, DNA restriction fragments, lysogenic immunity, and heat stability, although a difference in host range was noted. These phages are currently the best-characterized representatives from a broader family of Shiga-like toxin-converting phages. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5751 | Selective differentiation of mammalian bone marrow stromal cells cultured on three-dimensional polymer foams.
Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC) are pluripotent progenitor cells that can regenerate different skeletal tissues in response to environmental signals. In this study, we used highly porous, structurally stable three-dimensional polymer foams in conjunction with specific regulatory molecules to selectively differentiate mammalian BMSC into either cartilaginous or bone-like tissues. Bovine BMSC were expanded in monolayers and cultured on 5-mm-diameter, 2-mm-thick foams made of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) and poly(ethylene glycol). Constructs maintained their original size and shape for up to 4 weeks of culture and supported BMSC growth and production of extracellular matrix (ECM). By proper use of chondrogenic (dexamethasone, insulin, transforming growth factor-beta1) or osteogenic (dexamethasone, beta-glycerophosphate) medium supplements, we could control whether the generated ECM was cartilaginous (containing collagen type II and sulfated glycosaminoglycans) or bone-like (containing osteocalcin, osteonectin, and mineralized foci). After 4 weeks of cultivation, cartilaginous and bone-like ECM were uniformly distributed throughout the construct volume and respectively represented 34.2 +/- 9.3% and 12.6 +/- 3.2% of the total available area. BMSC culture on poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)/poly(ethylene glycol) foams provides a three-dimensional model system to study the development of mesenchymal tissues in vitro and has potential applications in engineering autologous grafts for skeletal tissue repair. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5752 | Reduction expression of thrombomodulin and endothelial cell nitric oxide synthase in dermatomyositis.
Dermatomyositis (DM) is a systemic microvasculitis predominantly involving the capillaries. We investigated the expression of thrombomodulin (TM) and endothelial cell nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in microvessels of DM patients. Twelve patients with acute or subacute onset of proximal muscle weakness and erythematous rash over their faces and shoulders were included in this study. Serum creatine phosphokinase was elevated in almost all patients. Electromyograph showed a myopathic pattern in all patients. Muscle biopsies were performed in all patients and 10 non-DM controls and studied with histological, enzyme histochemical and immunohistochemical staining. von Willebrand factor, TM and eNOS antibodies were used as the primary antibodies. Perifascicular degeneration and inflammatory cell infiltration in the perimysium were noted in almost all patients. Non-special esterase staining was markedly positive in capillary and microvascular endothelium. Marked reduction in TM and eNOS staining was noted in DM patients in perimysium microvessels and perifascicular area capillaries. Vascular lesions in DM were not only limited to capillaries. The low expression of TM and eNOS in microvessels suggests the anticoagulation and vasodilation functions of vascular endothelium is reduced. DM is an inflammatory vascular endothelial disease. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5753 | Practice size, financial sharing and quality of care.
BACKGROUND
Although we are observing a general move towards larger primary care practices, surprisingly little is known about the influence of key components of practice organization on primary care. We aimed to determine the relationships between practice size, and revenue sharing agreements, and quality of care.
METHODS
As part of a large cross sectional study, group practices were randomly selected from different primary care service delivery models in Ontario. Patient surveys and chart reviews were used to assess quality of care. Multilevel regressions controlled for patient, provider and practice characteristics.
RESULTS
Positive statistically significant associations were found between the logarithm of group size and access, comprehensiveness, and disease prevention. Negative significant associations were found between logarithm group size and continuity. No differences were found for chronic disease management and health promotion. Practices that shared revenues were found to deliver superior health promotion compared to those who did not. Interacting group size with the presence of a revenue-sharing arrangement had a negative impact on health promotion.
CONCLUSIONS
Despite the limitations of our study, our findings have provided preliminary evidence of the tradeoffs inherent with increasing practice size. Larger group size is associated with better access and comprehensiveness but worse continuity of care. Revenue sharing in group practices was associated with higher health promotion compared to sharing only common costs. Further work is required to better inform policy makers and practitioners as to whether the pattern revealed in larger practices mitigates any of the previously reported benefits of continuity of primary care. We found few benefits of revenue sharing--even then the effect of revenue sharing on health promotion seemed diminished in larger practices. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5754 | Removal of cholesterol from extrahepatic sources by oxidative mechanisms.
Sterol 27-hydroxylase is an evolutionarily old cytochrome P450 species that is critical for oxidation of the side chain of cholesterol in connection with bile acid biosynthesis in the liver. The wide tissue and organ distribution of the enzyme suggests that it may also have other functions. It was recently shown that some cells (e.g. macrophages) have a high capacity to convert cholesterol into both 27-hydroxycholesterol and cholestenoic acid and that there is a significant flux of these steroids from extrahepatic sources to the liver where they are further oxidized into bile acids. The magnitude of this flux is such that it may be of importance for overall homeostasis of cholesterol. Very recently it was shown that the brain utilizes a similar mechanism for removal of cholesterol. A unique brain-specific 24S-hydroxylase converts cholesterol into 24S-hydroxycholesterol that is transported over the blood-brain barrier much more rapidly than unmetabolized cholestero. When 24S-hydroxycholesterol has reached the circulation it is taken up by the liver and further metabolized, most probably into bile acids. This flux is likely to be of importance for cholesterol homeostasis in the brain. This review summarizes our current knowledge regarding oxidative mechanisms for removal of extrahepatic cholesterol. It is evident that some cells utilize these mechanisms as alternatives or complements to the classical HDL-dependent reverse cholesterol transport. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5755 | Integral Light-Harvesting Complex Expression In Symbiodinium Within The Coral Acropora aspera Under Thermal Stress.
Coral reef success is largely dependent on the symbiosis between coral hosts and dinoflagellate symbionts belonging to the genus Symbiodinium. Elevated temperatures can result in the expulsion of Symbiodinium or loss of their photosynthetic pigments and is known as coral bleaching. It has been postulated that the expression of light-harvesting protein complexes (LHCs), which bind chlorophylls (chl) and carotenoids, are important in photobleaching. This study explored the effect a sixteen-day thermal stress (increasing daily from 25-34 °C) on integral LHC (chlorophyll a-chlorophyll c2-peridinin protein complex (acpPC)) gene expression in Symbiodinium within the coral Acropora aspera. Thermal stress leads to a decrease in Symbiodinium photosynthetic efficiency by day eight, while symbiont density was significantly lower on day sixteen. Over this time period, the gene expression of five Symbiodinium acpPC genes was quantified. Three acpPC genes exhibited up-regulated expression when corals were exposed to temperatures above 31.5 °C (acpPCSym_1:1, day sixteen; acpPCSym_15, day twelve; and (acpPCSym_18), day ten and day sixteen). In contrast, the expression of acpPCSym_5:1 and acpPCSym_10:1 was unchanged throughout the experiment. Interestingly, the three acpPC genes with increased expression cluster together in a phylogenetic analysis of light-harvesting complexes. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5756 | Relationships between operative approaches and outcomes in esophageal cancer.
BACKGROUND
Controversy exists whether patients with esophageal carcinoma are best managed with Ivor-Lewis (IL) or transhiatal (TH) esophagectomy. The TH approach is presumed to be superior with respect to operative time, leak rates, morbidity/mortality, and length of stay (LOS), but may represent an inferior cancer operation compared with formal IL. Accordingly, we reviewed the results of our esophageal resections to compare these outcome parameters for each operative approach.
METHODS
We performed a retrospective review of all esophagectomies performed at Oregon Health Sciences University and Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center between 1987 and 1996. Survival was determined by the Kaplan-Meier method, and comparisons between the IL and TH groups were made with Student's t test, Fisher's exact test, and log-rank analysis.
RESULTS
Seventy-eight patients were identified. Forty patients had IL and 38 had TH. Fifty-eight patients had adenocarcinoma, 19 had squamous cell, and 1 had an unknown histology. Mean operative time was 389 minutes for IL versus 275 minutes for TH (P = 0.0001). Leak rates were 7.5% for IL and 13% for TH (P = 0.21). There were no significant differences between IL and TH with respect to other types of complications, operative deaths, blood loss, need for transfusion, LOS, stricture rates, or need for dilatation. Overall mean survival was 12 months. Mean survival rates were 8 months for IL and 12 for TH (P = NS), and were also equivalent when compared by histology and stage for stage.
CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that IL and TH are comparable operations with equivalent survival rates. The TH approach did not decrease the incidence of complications, transfusions, leaks, strictures, or subsequent dilatations. Although TH requires less operating room time, this does not translate into a decrease in LOS. Either approach appears to be acceptable depending on surgeons' preferences and appropriate patient selection. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5757 | Approach to the Medical Treatment of Epilepsy.
PURPOSE OF REVIEW
This article discusses the use of antiseizure medications in the treatment of focal and generalized epilepsies using an evidence-based approach.
RECENT FINDINGS
In recent years, several new antiseizure medications with differing mechanisms of action have been introduced in clinical practice, and their efficacy and safety has been evaluated in randomized controlled clinical trials. Currently, all antiseizure medications can prevent seizure occurrence, but they have no proven disease-modifying or antiepileptogenic effects in humans. The choice of therapy should integrate the best available evidence of efficacy, tolerability, and effectiveness derived from clinical trials with other pharmacologic considerations, the clinical expertise of the treating physicians, and patient values and preferences. After the failure of a first antiseizure medication, inadequate evidence is available to inform policy. An alternative monotherapy (especially if the failure is because of adverse effects) or a dual therapy (especially if failure is because of inadequate seizure control) can be used.
SUMMARY
Currently, several antiseizure medications are available for the treatment of focal or generalized epilepsies. They differ in mechanisms of action, frequency of administration, and pharmacologic properties, with a consequent risk of pharmacokinetic interactions. Major unmet needs remain in epilepsy treatment. A substantial proportion of patients with epilepsy continue to experience seizures despite two or more antiseizure medications, with a negative impact on quality of life. Therefore, more antiseizure medications that could provide higher seizure control with good tolerability and that could positively affect the underlying disease are needed. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5758 | IVF/ICSI outcome and serum LH concentration on day 1 of ovarian stimulation with recombinant FSH under pituitary suppression.
BACKGROUND
Down-regulation with GnRH agonist has been suggested to result in a profound suppression of LH bioactivity, reduced estradiol synthesis, and thus impaired IVF and pregnancy outcome. The aims of this study were: (i) to assess the usefulness of serum LH measurement on stimulation day 1 as a predictor of ovarian response, conception and pregnancy outcome in patients treated with long-term down-regulation with GnRH agonist and recombinant FSH, and (ii) to define the best threshold LH value, if any, to discriminate between women with different outcomes of IVF.
METHODS
Records of 2625 cycles in 1652 infertile women undergoing IVF (n = 1856) and/or ICSI (n = 769) treatment were reviewed.
RESULTS
The range of LH concentrations on stimulation day 1 overlapped among non-conception cycles, conception cycles, ongoing pregnancies and early pregnancy losses. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis showed that serum LH concentrations on stimulation day 1 were unable to discriminate between conception and non-conception cycles (AUC(ROC) = 0.51; 95% CI: 0.49-0.54) or ongoing pregnancies versus early pregnancy loss groups (AUC(ROC) = 0.52; 95% CI: 0.47-0.57). Stratification for various low serum levels of LH did not reveal significant differences with respect to conception or pregnancy outcome among different LH levels on stimulation day 1.
CONCLUSIONS
Serum LH concentration on stimulation day 1 cannot predict ovarian response, conception and pregnancy outcome in women receiving long-term down-regulation during assisted reproduction treatment. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5759 | A new development in ultrasound-compatible gynecologic brachytherapy simulators.
PURPOSE
Gynecologic brachytherapy is an essential component in the curative treatment of cervical cancer. With the decline in brachytherapy utilization, gynecologic brachytherapy simulators are being used to provide a mechanism to enhance proficiency-based resident training. However, most models that have been used lack procedural fidelity as they are either repurposed from OB/GYN basic models or from physics phantoms. Therefore, we set out to develop a high-fidelity, ultrasound- and CT-compatible gynecologic brachytherapy training simulator.
METHODS AND MATERIALS
Based on prior experience with gynecologic training simulators on the market, we developed a wish list for an ultrasound-compatible brachytherapy training model. A custom simulator was developed based on an existing pelvic ultrasound trainer. Features included a cervical os and endometrial canal as well as a palpable and hypoechoic cervical tumor.
RESULTS
The model took about 3 months from the initial meeting with the developer to completion. The properties of the material were equivalent to water for ultrasound, CT, and also MRI and the model did not show signs of degradation after multiple tandem insertions.
CONCLUSIONS
A high-fidelity ultrasound-compatible simulator was effectively developed and utilized to improve resident training to perform brachytherapy implants with a derivative benefit in the long term of improving survival for women with advanced gynecologic malignancies through having access to more proficient brachytherapists. Future directions include enhancing the model to allow for repetitive needle insertion and suturing for interstitial training as well as creating variations in anatomy (e.g., retroverted uterus, bulky tumors, etc.) for more advanced technical training. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5760 | Treatment of Older Patients With Mantle Cell Lymphoma (MCL): Long-Term Follow-Up of the Randomized European MCL Elderly Trial.
PURPOSE
In an update of the randomized, open-label, phase III European Mantle Cell Lymphoma (MCL) Elderly trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00209209), published in 2012, we aimed to confirm results on long-term outcome focusing on efficacy and safety of long-term use of rituximab maintenance.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
Five hundred sixty patients with newly diagnosed MCL underwent a first random assignment between rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) and rituximab, fludarabine, and cyclophosphamide (R-FC) induction, followed by a second random assignment in 316 responders between rituximab and interferon alfa maintenance, to be continued until progression. We compared progression-free survival from the second randomization and overall survival (OS) from the first or second randomizations.
RESULTS
After a median follow-up time of 7.6 years, the previously described difference in OS between the induction arms persisted (median, 6.4 years after R-CHOP [n = 280] v 3.9 years after R-FC [n = 280]; P = .0054). Patients responding to R-CHOP had median progression-free survival and OS times of 5.4 and 9.8 years, respectively, when randomly assigned to rituximab (n = 87), compared with 1.9 years (P < .001) and 7.1 years (P = .0026), respectively, when randomly assigned to interferon alfa (n = 97). In 58% and 32% of patients treated with R-CHOP, rituximab maintenance was still ongoing 2 and 5 years from start of maintenance, respectively. After R-FC, rituximab maintenance was associated with an unexpectedly high cumulative incidence of death in remission (22% at 5 years). Toxicity of rituximab maintenance was low after R-CHOP (grade 3-4 leukopenia or infection < 5%) but more prominent in patients on rituximab maintenance after R-FC, in whom grade 3-4 leukopenia (up to 40%) and infections were frequent (up to 15%).
CONCLUSION
The excellent results of R-CHOP followed by rituximab maintenance until progression for older patients with MCL persisted in a mature follow-up. Prolongation of rituximab maintenance beyond 2 years is effective and safe. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5761 | Differential regulation of the immune response to SRBC by monoclonal antibodies to interferon-gamma.
Three monoclonal antibodies against different epitopes of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) were used to assess its role as a normal immunomodulatory molecule. Two of these antibodies were able to reduce significantly the primary antibody response to sheep erythrocytes in an in vitro culture system. One of these two antibodies has been reported to suppress both the antiviral and macrophage activation factor activities of IFN-gamma by binding to its carboxyl terminus. These findings indicate that IFN-gamma is an important lymphokine for the maximum expression of the immune response and that it acts via the carboxyl terminus of the molecule. This antibody suppressed the immune response only when added at the initiation of culture, suggesting that the action of IFN-gamma is on an early component of the response. The third monoclonal antibody, which binds to the amino end of IFN-gamma, did not suppress the in vitro response. However, it was able to block the effects exerted by an immunosuppressive dosage of exogenous IFN-gamma on in vitro antibody production. These results indicate that the immunosuppression vitro antibody production. These results indicate that the immunosuppression induced by the addition of IFN-gamma to a primary antibody response and the role that it plays in that response are mediated through different sites on the molecule and, therefore, probably by different mechanisms. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5762 | Risk evaluation and mitigation strategies: assessment of a medical center's policies and procedures.
PURPOSE
The results of a hospital's initiative to evaluate and improve compliance with federally mandated risk evaluation and mitigation strategies (REMS) are presented.
SUMMARY
Food and Drug Administration approved REMS plans are required for more than 145 drugs, but clear guidance on strategies for achieving REMS compliance is lacking. As a first step toward determining the extent of REMS compliance at a large medical center, a systematic assessment was conducted to ascertain existing policies and procedures for the use of drugs subject to REMS requirements applicable in the inpatient setting. About 123 drugs with such "inpatient-applicable" REMS requirements were identified; of those, 10 had been ordered by hospital providers during a specified 18-month time frame and were included in the assessment of policies and procedures. The assessment revealed that the hospital lacked a formal REMS policy and had no REMS-compliant procedures in place for 7 evaluated drugs (ambrisentan, buprenorphine-naloxone, darbepoetin alfa, epoetin alfa, oxycodone controlled-release tablets, prasugrel, and pregabalin). Pursuant to the compliance assessment, new procedures to help ensure the safe use of those 7 drugs were developed, and REMS-focused educational programs, order-entry system enhancements, and drug storage modifications were implemented.
CONCLUSION
Quality-improvement initiatives including staff education, incorporation of REMS requirements into existing policy, development of an electronic resource, and creation of a separate storage section for drugs subject to REMS were implemented at a large academic medical center to help ensure compliance with inpatient-applicable REMS requirements. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5763 | Left ventricle hydatid cyst mimicking acute coronary syndrome.
Cardiac echinococcosis rarely mimics acute coronary syndrome. The diagnosis of cardiac hydatid cyst might be difficult on account of varying clinical presentations and nonspesific symptoms. A 75-year-old female was admitted to our hospital with typical chest pain. The patient had no history of previous cardiac symptoms or any illness leading to heart disease. Her ECG revealed ischemic changes. However, her coronary angiography revealed noncritical plaques in the left anterior descending artery. The diagnosis of cardiac echinococcosis was identified using echocardiography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. The patient was referred to cardiac surgery for resection of the cyst; however, she refused surgery. Albendezol 800 mg/day was prescribed. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5764 | Scapular Winging Secondary to Iatrogenic Spinal Accessory Nerve Lesions.
Motor innervation of trapezius and sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscles is provided solely by the spinal accessory nerve (SAN). SAN palsy most often occurs as a result of iatrogenic injury to the nerve. A patient, who had undergone neck dissection for thyroid cancer, presented with pain and reduced range of motion of the shoulders. Electroneuromyography revealed denervation of the trapezii and SCM muscles secondary to SAN injury. The patient was treated with a course of physical therapy (PT). This case reminds us that a SAN lesion should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a patient presenting with shoulder pain following surgery of the neck. Even though unilateral SAN injury can eventually lead to atrophy of the trapezius, muscle asymmetry may not be obvious, especially in bilateral iatrogenic SAN injuries. In our experience, these patients benefit from PT. However, evidence to support the use of PT in the treatment of shoulder dysfunction secondary to SAN injury is insufficient; the optimum type and timing of PT requires further investigation. Development of best-practice guidelines in terms of management is necessary. Key Words: Spinal accessory nerve, Electroneuromyography, Scapular winging. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5765 | Extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli utilizes the surface-expressed elongation factor Tu to bind and acquire iron from holo-transferrin.
Extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) is a common anthropozoonotic pathogen that causes systemic infections. To establish infection, ExPEC must utilize essential nutrients including iron from the host. Transferrin is an important iron source for multiple bacteria. However, the mechanism by which ExPEC utilizes transferrin remains unclear. In this study, we found that iron-saturated holo-transferrin rather than iron-free apo-transferrin promoted the vitality of ExPEC in heat-inactivated human serum. The multifunctional protein Elongation factor Tu (EFTu) worked as a holo-transferrin binding protein. EFTu not only bound holo-transferrin rather than apo-transferrin but also released transferrin-related iron, with all domains of EFTu involved in holo-transferrin binding and iron release events. We also identified the surface location of EFTu on ExPEC. Overexpression of EFTu on the surface of nonpathogenic E. coli not only promoted the binding of bacteria to holo-transferrin but also facilitated the uptake of transferrin-related iron. More importantly, it significantly enhanced the survival of E. coli in heat-inactivated human serum, which was positively correlated with holo-transferrin but not apo-transferrin. Our research revealed a novel function of EFTu in binding holo-transferrin to promote iron uptake by bacteria, suggesting that EFTu was a potential virulence factor of ExPEC. In addition, our study provided research avenues into the iron acquisition and pathogenicity mechanisms of ExPEC. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5766 | Venlafaxine, paroxetine and milnacipran for major depressive disorder: a pragmatic 24-week study.
Major depressive disorder (MDD), one of the most common psychiatric disorders in the world, is a serious, recurrent and chronic mental disorder, which is associated with significant psychosocial disability and economic burden. Until recently, short-term effectiveness of antidepressants has been measured in terms of patients' response to the medications in significantly reduced depressive symptoms. Remission, a long-term elimination of symptoms and the restoration of normal functioning, has become the primary outcome of therapy. In the current study, the efficacy of three frequently prescribed antidepressants, venlafaxine (75-225 mg/day), paroxetine (20 mg/day) and milnacipran (100 mg/day), used in treating 249 MDD patients with Hamilton Rating Scale of Depression (HRSD₁₇) scores higher than 16 was compared. Each patient was evaluated at week 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 and 24 in a 24-week open-label study. Eighty-two patients took venlafaxine, 97 took paroxetine and 70 patients took milnacipran. No significant differences were found between the three groups in the response condition (HRSD₁₇ scores decreased more than 50%) after 24 weeks of follow-up. For remission, the paroxetine was the least efficacious medication than either the milnacipran (HRSD₁₇ ≤ 7) or the venlafaxine (HRSD₁₇ ≤ 5) by the last observation carried forward (LOCF) analysis. Our results suggest that the absence of depressive symptoms alone may not be an indicator for MDD remission, but the duration of absent depressive symptoms may be a better indicator. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5767 | ACASI Gender-of-Interviewer Voice Effects on Reports to Questions about Sensitive
Behaviors Among Young Adults.
Although previous research indicates that audio computer-assisted self-interviewing (ACASI) yields higher reports of threatening behaviors than interviewer-administered interviews, very few studies have examined the potential effect of the gender of the ACASI voice on survey reports. Because the voice in ACASI necessarily has a gender, it is important to understand whether using a voice that is perceived as male or female might further enhance the validity associated with ACASI. This study examines gender-of-voice effects for a set of questions about sensitive behaviors administered via ACASI to a sample of young adults at high risk for engaging in the behaviors. Results showed higher levels of engagement in the behaviors and more consistent reporting among males when responding to a female voice, indicating that males were potentially more accurate when reporting to the female voice. Reports by females were not influenced by the voice's gender. Our analysis adds to research on gender-of-voice effects in surveys, with important findings on measuring sensitive behaviors among young adults. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5768 | New strategies for drug discovery: activation of silent or weakly expressed microbial gene clusters.
Genome sequencing of Streptomyces, myxobacteria, and fungi showed that although each strain contains genes that encode the enzymes to synthesize a plethora of potential secondary metabolites, only a fraction are expressed during fermentation. Interest has therefore grown in the activation of these cryptic pathways. We review current progress on this topic, describing concepts for activating silent genes, utilization of "natural" mutant-type RNA polymerases and rare earth elements, and the applicability of ribosome engineering to myxobacteria and fungi, the microbial groups known as excellent searching sources, as well as actinomycetes, for secondary metabolites. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5769 | Dental management considerations for the patient with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Vietnam veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder are frequently encountered in the dental office. They are often anxious, hostile, depressed, withdrawn, or resistant to treatment. Their psychological set and relatively high incidence of alcohol and drug-related problems frequently require modification of their dental therapy. An attractive and biologically sound restoration of the orofacial structures may improve long-term rehabilitation by enhancing self-esteem and social interactions. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5770 | [Clinical Characteristics of Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment in Highly Myopic and Phakic Eyes].
PURPOSE
To evaluate clinical characteristics of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment in high myopic and phakic eyes.
SUBJECTS AND METHOD
The subjects were 1174 eyes of phakic rhegmatogenous retinal detachment detected in 1199 eyes that underwent initial vitreoretinal surgery between April 2006 and March 2011. Eyes with macular hole retinal detachment or secondary retinal detachment were excluded. The 486 eyes with high myopia (spherical equivalent ≤ -6.0 D or axial length ≥ 26.5 mm) and the 688 eyes with non-high myopia were compared.
RESULTS
The mean age was significantly younger in the high myopia group (42.7 ± 14.2 years old, p < 0.001) with a single peak of higher incidence in 40 years old. The retinal detachment caused by retinal hole was significantly frequent in the high myopia group (p < 0.001) and that caused by retinal tear was less frequent (p = 0.021). The initial retinal attachment rate and the final attachment rate were not significant. In the fellow eye of the high myopia group, the incidence of retinal detachment and lattice degeneration were more frequent (16.7%, 20.4%, respectively).
CONCLUSIONS
The incidences of the retinal detachment in younger age and those caused by retinal holes were higher in the high myopia group. Higher incidence of retinal detachment and lattice degeneration in the fellow eyes of the high myopia group indicated that careful observation also in the fellow eyes was recommended. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5771 | [Behavior disorders in childhood epilepsy].
OBJECTIVE
To introduce pediatricians to the psychiatric and behavioral disorders that most frequently affect children with epilepsy, qualifying them to diagnose, evaluate risk factors and guide the treatment of these children.
SOURCES OF DATA
MEDLINE (1979 to 2003) and epilepsy clinic at the Neuropediatrics Center, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Brazil.
SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS
Children with epilepsy are at increased risk for behavioral and emotional problems when compared to children in the general population and to children with other chronic illnesses not involving the central nervous system. Among these problems, the following should be emphasized: oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, depression, anxiety and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. The main risk factors include associated neurological impairment, severe or untreatable epilepsy and family, social or environmental problems. Neurobiological factors associated with epilepsy are also implicated. The usual treatments with specific drugs may be used in children with epilepsy.
CONCLUSIONS
Due to the high incidence of neuropsychiatric disorders in epileptic children, the pediatrician should evaluate the risk factors associated with behavioral, emotional and psychiatric problems. The pediatrician is in a position to, and should, solve most of these difficulties, due to his/her close relationship with the family. In several cases, the associated psychiatric disorders are more harmful to the patient's quality of life than the epilepsy itself. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5772 | The lysis effect of bull spermatozoa on gelatin substrate film methodical investigations.
Proteolytic activity in the acrosomes of ejaculated bull spermatozoa was demonstrated using an autoradiographic film as a gelatin substrate. Incubation of the spermgelatin adducts at +37 degrees C and 94% humidity, which was kept constant by ventilating an incubator with water-saturated compressed air, yielded reproducible results. Gelatin depolymerisation started adjacent to the posterior segment of the acrosome within 30 to 60 s after application of individual spermatozoa to the substrate membrane and, finally, increased to a white circular digestion area enveloping the entire sperm head. The observed gelatinolysis seems to be mainly caused by acrosin, the trypsin-like acrosomal proteinase. This conclusion is supported by the positive correlation (r = +0.83, P is less than or equal to 0.01) found between the mean values of the lysis areas of individual spermatozoa on gelatin films and the acrosin activity of the sperm population measured with Bz-Arg-OEt as substrate after acidic extraction of the spermatozoa. In addition, prior saturation of the substrate layers with acrosin inhibitor (SSPI-I, II) from boar seminal plasma prevented the lysis reaction. Extraction of acrosin from the spermatozoa before application to the gelatin membranes resulted in a complete loss of any proteolytic activity. If spermatozoa were stored for 4 to 6 days at +4 degrees C or -20 degrees C in Tris buffer and afterwards applied to the substrate layer, lysis areas of individual spermatozoa differed markedly. Spermatozoa from undiluted ejaculated frozen at -20 degrees C showed no proteolytic effect on gelatin films. In general, there was a high correlation (r = +0.83, P is less than or equal 0.01) between the number of "living cells" characterized by live-dead staining and the percentage of spermatozoa active on the substrate membranes. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5773 | Scale-up of enzymatic production of lactobionic acid using the rotary jet head system.
Enzymatic oxidation of lactose to lactobionic acid (LBA) by a carbohydrate oxidase from Microdochium nivale was studied in a pilot-scale batch reactor of 600 L working volume using a rotary jet head (RJH) for mixing and mass transfer (Nordkvist et al., 2003, Chem Eng Sci 58:3877-3890). Both lactose and whey permeate were used as substrate, air was used as oxygen source, and catalase was added to eliminate the byproduct hydrogen peroxide. More than 98% conversion to LBA was achieved. Neither enzyme deactivation nor enzyme inhibition was observed under the experimental conditions. The dissolved oxygen tension (DOT) was constant throughout the tank for a given set of operating conditions, indicating that liquid mixing was sufficiently good to avoid oxygen gradients in the tank. However, at a given oxygen tension measured in the tank, the specific rate of reaction found in the RJH system was somewhat higher than previously obtained in a 1 L mechanically stirred tank reactor (Nordkvist et al., 2007, in this issue, pp. 694-707). This can be ascribed to a higher pressure in the recirculation loop which is part of the RJH system. Compared to mechanically stirred systems, high values of the volumetric mass transfer coefficient, k(L)a, were obtained when lactose was used as substrate, especially at low values of the specific power input and the superficial gas velocity. k(L)a was lower for experiments with whey permeate than with lactose due to addition of antifoam. The importance of mass transfer and of the saturation concentration of oxygen on the volumetric rate of reaction was demonstrated by simulations. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5774 | Antigenic distance measurements for seasonal influenza vaccine selection.
Influenza vaccination is one of the major options to counteract the effects of influenza diseases. Selection of an effective vaccine strain is the key to the success of an effective vaccination program since vaccine protection can only be achieved when the selected influenza vaccine strain matches the antigenic variants causing future outbreaks. Identification of an antigenic variant is the first step to determine whether vaccine strain needs to be updated. Antigenic distance derived from immunological assays, such as hemagglutination inhibition, is commonly used to measure the antigenic closeness between circulating strains and the current influenza vaccine strain. Thus, consensus on an explicit and robust antigenic distance measurement is critical in influenza surveillance. Based on the current seasonal influenza surveillance procedure, we propose and compare three antigenic distance measurements, including Average antigenic distance (A-distance), Mutual antigenic distance (M-distance), and Largest antigenic distance (L-distance). With the assistance of influenza antigenic cartography, our simulation results demonstrated that M-distance is a robust influenza antigenic distance measurement. Experimental results on both simulation and seasonal influenza surveillance data demonstrate that M-distance can be effectively utilized in influenza vaccine strain selection. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5775 | [Experience with antirabies vaccination of foxes using the oral route coordinated among several European countries and perspectives on the use of recombinant vaccinia-rabies virus].
Campaigns of fox vaccination against rabies were carried out in Belgium, grand-duchy of Luxembourg and France in September 1986, June and September 1987. The SAD B19 attenuated strain of rabies virus, contained in baits (Tübingen baits) was used as vaccine. Baits were distributed at a range density of 11 to 15 baits per km2. First results are very encouraging. A recombinant vaccinia virus harbouring the rabies virus glycoprotein gene has been developed. This recombinant virus can be given to the fox by the oral route and protects it against rabies virus challenge; it is also innocuous for the fox and other non-target European species. A first trial of fox vaccination against rabies using this recombinant vaccinia-rabies virus has been carried out in Belgium, on a military domain, in October 1987. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5776 | The association between price of regular-grade gasoline and injury and mortality rates among occupants involved in motorcycle- and automobile-related motor vehicle collisions.
Motorcyclists have been reported to be more likely to die in a motor vehicle collision (MVC) than automobile occupants. With the recent increase in the pump price of gasoline, it has been reported that people are switching to motorcycles as main modes of transportation. This study evaluated the association between motor vehicle collision-related injury and mortality rates and increases in gasoline prices for occupants of automobiles and riders of motorcycles. There were an estimated 1,270,512 motorcycle MVC and 238,390,853 automobile MVC involved occupants in the U.S. from 1992 to 2007. Higher gasoline prices were associated with increased motorcycle-related injuries and deaths; however, this association no longer remained after accounting for changes in the number of registered vehicles. The current study observed that, while the number of injuries and fatalities in motorcycle-related MVCs increase with increasing gasoline price, rates remained largely unchanged. This suggests that the observed increase in motorcycle-related injuries and fatalities with increasing gasoline price is more a factor of the number of motorcycles on the road rather than operator characteristics. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5777 | Pandemic influenza: a note on international planning to reduce the risk from air transport.
The rapid and intercontinental spread of avian influenza in 2005 and the potential for human pandemic influenza caused preparedness plans for such an event to be highlighted. The World Health Organization (WHO) has developed a global influenza preparedness plan, but this document does not address in detail the contribution necessary by the aviation community. The International Civil Aviation Organization, with assistance from WHO, the Airports Council International, and the International Air Transport Association, and others, has developed preparedness guidelines that are in accord with those of WHO but which are focused on the aviation aspects. Effective communication between stakeholders is the single most important issue that is addressed in the preparedness guidelines. States are recommended to appoint a clear contact point at the national aviation level that has responsibility for ensuring that all stakeholders are adequately consulted in the development of an aviation preparedness plan and that the relevant communication links are established. It is also important that the aviation preparedness plan is incorporated into the State's general preparedness plan, which demands efficient collaboration between the departments of health and transport at the government level. Communication with passengers, and those considering traveling, is important so that individuals are made aware of the risks associated with travel to particular parts of the globe and of the risk-reduction measures they may experience, or can take themselves, at airports and on aircraft. The guidelines will be web-based and will evolve as more knowledge becomes available. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5778 | Prognosis in patients with small hepatocellular carcinoma: a meta-analysis.
BACKGROUND/AIMS
To evaluate the impact of anatomic and non-anatomic liver resection on prognosis of patients with small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using a meta-analysis.
METHODOLOGY
Literature on anatomic versus non-anatomic liver resection for the treatment of small HCC published in public was retrieved.
RESULTS
Four non-randomized controlled trials studies were included in this analysis. These studies included a total of 776 patients: 484 treated with anatomic liver resection and 282 treated with non-anatomic resection. No significant differences were found concerning the 1, 3 and 5-year disease-free survival rate between the two groups. There was no significant difference between the two groups when comparing the 1, 3 and 5-year overall survival rate. We use the sensitivity analysis which found anatomic resection could extend the 3-year disease-free survival rate when compared with non-anatomic resection (odds ratio (OR)=0.72, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.52-0.99, p=0.04).
CONCLUSIONS
Anatomic liver resection can extend the 3-year disease-free survival rate of patients with small hepatocellular carcinoma. Further randomized controlled trials are needed to define the exact value of anatomic resection and non-anatomic resection for small HCC. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5779 | Citrus Huanglongbing Detection Based on Multi-Modal Feature Fusion Learning.
Citrus Huanglongbing (HLB), also named citrus greening disease, occurs worldwide and is known as a citrus cancer without an effective treatment. The symptoms of HLB are similar to those of nutritional deficiency or other disease. The methods based on single-source information, such as RGB images or hyperspectral data, are not able to achieve great detection performance. In this study, a multi-modal feature fusion network, combining a RGB image network and hyperspectral band extraction network, was proposed to recognize HLB from four categories (HLB, suspected HLB, Zn-deficient, and healthy). Three contributions including a dimension-reduction scheme for hyperspectral data based on a soft attention mechanism, a feature fusion proposal based on a bilinear fusion method, and auxiliary classifiers to extract more useful information are introduced in this manuscript. The multi-modal feature fusion network can effectively classify the above four types of citrus leaves and is better than single-modal classifiers. In experiments, the highest accuracy of multi-modal network recognition was 97.89% when the amount of data was not very abundant (1,325 images of the four aforementioned types and 1,325 pieces of hyperspectral data), while the single-modal network with RGB images only achieved 87.98% recognition and the single-modal network using hyperspectral information only 89%. Results show that the proposed multi-modal network implementing the concept of multi-source information fusion provides a better way to detect citrus HLB and citrus deficiency. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5780 | Leisure Satisfaction Changes and Stress-coping during the Pandemic.
Objectives: Leisure engagement has been considered as a salient stress-coping strategy. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, people's leisure engagement has been restricted due to COVID-19- related regulations and policies. Moreover, many Asian immigrants, including Korean immigrants in the US, have been exposed to additional challenges (e.g., discrimination and harassment), which negatively affected their leisure experiences. Methods: in this study, we categorized participants into 3 groups based on their leisure satisfaction changes before and during the pandemic and compared the groups regarding COVID-19 risk perception, stress-coping, and life satisfaction. Results: The Maintained or Increased Group (MIG) scored significantly lower stress than the Highly Decreased group (HDG); the MIG scored significantly higher life satisfaction than both the Slightly Decreased Group (SDG) and the HDG. Conclusion: The research demonstrated the importance of satisfactory leisure experience to cope with stress and be satisfied with their life in a stressful life event. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5781 | Expression of vimentin (VIM) and metastasis-associated 1 (MTA1) protein in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma are associated with prognostic outcome of patients.
PURPOSE
Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC), a common type of head and neck cancer, is associated with high rates of metastasis and recurrence. In this study, we investigated the potential combinatorial prognostic value of NOTCH1, Vimentin (VIM), and Metastasis-associated 1 (MTA1) protein in LSCC, using immunohistochemistry.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Tissue specimens from 69 patients with LSCC were immunohistochemically evaluated for the protein expression of NOTCH1, VIM, and MTA1. Then, biostatistical analysis was performed, in order to assess the prognostic value of the expression of each one of these proteins.
RESULTS
NOTCH1 expression status was not a significant prognosticator in LSCC, as shown in Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. On the contrary, both VIM and MTA1 seem to have an important prognostic potential, independently of TNM staging and histological grade of the tumor. In fact, positive VIM expression was shown to predict patients' relapse and poor outcome regarding patients' overall survival, in contrast with MTA1, the positive expression of which predicts higher disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) rates in LSCC.
CONCLUSIONS
VIM and MTA1 constitute potential tumor biomarkers in LSCC and could be integrated into a multiparametric prognostic model. Undoubtedly, their prognostic value needs further validation in larger cohorts of LSCC patients. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5782 | Exploring antifungal activities of acetone extract of selected Indian medicinal plants against human dermal fungal pathogens.
A broad spectrum of medicinal plants was used as traditional remedies for various infectious diseases. Fungal infectious diseases have a significant impact on public health. Fungi cause more prevalent infections in immunocompromised individuals mainly patients undergoing transplantation related therapies, and malignant cancer treatments. The present study aimed to investigate the in vitro antifungal effects of the traditional medicinal plants used in India against the fungal pathogens associated with dermal infections. Indian medicinal plants (Acalypha indica, Lawsonia inermis Allium sativum and Citrus limon) extract (acetone/crude) were tested for their antifungal effects against five fungal species isolated from skin scrapings of fungal infected patients were identified as including Alternaria spp., Curvularia spp., Fusarium spp., Trichophyton spp. and Geotrichum spp. using well diffusion test and the broth micro dilution method. All plant extracts have shown to have antifungal efficacy against dermal pathogens. Particularly, Allium sativum extract revealed a strong antifungal effect against all fungal isolates with the minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) of 50-100 μg/mL. Strong antifungal activity against Curvularia spp., Trichophyton spp., and Geotrichum spp. was also observed for the extracts of Acalypha indica, and Lawsonia inermis with MFCs of 50-800 μg/mL respectively. The extracts of Citrus limon showed an effective antifungal activity against most of the fungal strains tested with the MFCs of 50-800 μg/mL. Our research demonstrated the strong evidence of conventional plants extracts against clinical fungal pathogens with the most promising option of employing natural-drugs for the treatment of skin infections. Furthermore, in-depth analysis of identifying the compounds responsible for the antifungal activity that could offer alternatives way to develop new natural antifungal therapeutics for combating resistant recurrent infections. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5783 | DNA-synthesis of lymphocytes in hyperthyroid and euthyroid subjects. Effect of 131I therapy on hyperthyroidism.
The DNA-synthesis of human lymphoid cells as estimated by the measurement of thymidine incorporation in vitro was investigated in healthy controls and in patients with various thyroid disorders before and after therapy. Hyperthyroid patients treated with 131I and surgery (euthyroid at initial blood sampling before surgery), patients with atoxic nodular goitre treated by surgery and healthy untreated control individuals comprised the material. The synthesis of DNA in lymphocytes was higher in hyperthyroid patients in comparison with euthyroid individuals, and decreased subsequent to 131I therapy in the hyperthyroid patients. No decrease was recorded in the other groups of patients. No evidence suggesting a change in the lymphocyte reactivity to thyroglobulin was found in any of the patient groups. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5784 | Self-efficacy, knowledge, health beliefs, quality of life, and stigma in relation to osteoprotective behaviors in epilepsy.
It is well reported in the epilepsy literature that use of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) leads to bone loss. Validated instruments were administered to assess knowledge, health behavior, quality of life, and stigma, to determine their effects on self-efficacy for osteoprotective and self-management behaviors. This adult epilepsy population had a mean age of 45, with 20 years of AED exposure. Fifty subjects were Caucasian and 44 were non-Caucasian. By one-way ANOVA, there were significant differences in self-efficacy based on ethnicity, medical assistance, status, and seizure frequency. Differences in knowledge based on ethnicity, education, and income were also noted. Regression analysis revealed that the factors that most predict self-efficacy for calcium, exercise, and self-management do not parallel each other. Age and ethnicity were predictive of self-efficacy for epilepsy self-management only. Medical management factors varied among the models. Overall quality of life was a positive predictor for both calcium and exercise self-efficacy. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5785 | Comparative cost-effectiveness of the HeartWare versus HeartMate II left ventricular assist devices used in the United Kingdom National Health Service bridge-to-transplant program for patients with heart failure.
BACKGROUND
Patients with advanced heart failure may receive a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) as part of a bridge-to-transplant (BTT) strategy. The United Kingdom National Health Service (UK NHS) has financed a BTT program in which the predominant LVADs used have been the HeartMate II (HM II; Thoratec, Pleasanton, CA) and HeartWare (HW; HeartWare International, Inc. Framingham, MA). We aimed to compare the cost-effectiveness of the use of these within the NHS program.
METHODS
Individual patient data from the UK NHS Blood and Transplant Data Base were analyzed with Kaplan-Meier and competing outcomes methodologies. Outcomes were time to death, time to heart transplant (HT), and cumulative incidences of HT, death on LVAD support, and LVAD explantation. A semi-Markov multistate economic model was built to assess cost-effectiveness. The perspective was from the NHS, discount rates were 3.5%. Outcomes were quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) and incremental cost (2011 prices in GB£) per QALY (ICER) for HW vs HM II.
RESULTS
Survival was better with HW support than with HM II. Cumulative incidence of HT was low for both groups (11% at ~2 years). HW patients accrued 4.99 lifetime QALYs costing £258,913 ($410,970), HM II patients accrued 3.84 QALYs costing £231,871 ($368,048); deterministic and probabilistic ICERs for HW vs HM II were £23,530 ($37,349) and £20,799 ($33,014), respectively.
CONCLUSIONS
Patients In the UK BTT program who received the HW LVAD had a better clinical outcome than those who received the HM II, and the HW was more cost-effective. This result needs to be reassessed in a randomized controlled trial comparing the 2 devices. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5786 | Perisomalien A, a new cytotoxic scalarane sesterterpene from the fruits of Periploca somaliensis.
The CHCl3 fraction of MeOH extract of Periploca somaliensis (family Asclepiadaceae) fruits afforded a new scalarane sesterterpene, namely perisomalien A (1), along with lupeol acetate (2), β-amyrin (3), cycloart-23Z-ene-3β,25-diol (4), and β-sitosterol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (5). Their chemical structures were established by various spectroscopic analyses, in addition to comparison with the formerly reported data. Moreover, the cytotoxic activity of these metabolites was assessed towards MCF-7, HepG2, and HCT-116 tumour cell lines using sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay. Compound 4 showed the most potent cytotoxic profile with IC50 9.0 µM towards MCF-7, compared to doxorubicin (IC50 0.18 µM). Also, 1 and 4 possessed the most potent effect towards HepG2 with IC50s 26.7 and 25.9 μM, respectively. In addition, all tested compounds showed cytotoxic effects with IC50 values ranging from 19.9 to 39.3 µM against HCT-116. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5787 | [Intrapulmonary percussion ventilation: operation and settings].
Intrapulmonary Percussion Ventilation (IPV) was designed to promote airway clearance, to recruit areas of lung and to improve pulmonary gas exchange. Its principle is to administer bursts of small tidal volume at high frequency. This article describes IPV devices, especially the Phasitron(®), which provides a dynamic interface between the pneumatic source of gas and the patient. Although not fully understood, the principles of action are also discussed. Finally, available settings of IPV are proposed following two strategies. In patients with obstructive respiratory disease and ventilatory autonomy, the vibrations and percussions are applied with a frequency more than 300 cycles/min and pressure in the proximal airways ranging from 10-20cm. H(2)O. In patients with restrictive pulmonary disease but without ventilatory autonomy, IPV is expected to improve gas exchange. The frequency of percussion will be slower (80-200 cycles/min) but the proximal airway pressure may reach 40cm H(2)O. During the sessions, the frequency may be modified to alternate from a percussive pattern (high frequencies promoting the mobilization of secretions) to a ventilatory pattern (slow frequencies encouraging alveolar ventilation and clearance of secretions). | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5788 | Policy Engagement Framework for Public Health: A Tool to Enhance Maternal and Child Health Workforce Capacity.
PURPOSE
This paper proposes a framework for characterizing policy engagement that expands options available to MCH and other public health professionals. Its aim is to inform workforce capacity building and empower practitioners to better leverage policy for advancing population health and equity.
DESCRIPTION
Policies of all types strongly influence population health and equity. Recognizing this, public health leaders identify policy engagement skills as key for public health professionals generally, and for maternal and child health (MCH) professionals specifically. Practitioners likewise see the importance of these skills and report deficiencies in them. Despite this gap, no literature to-date itemizes the range of policy engagement possibilities for public health professionals.
ASSESSMENT
The Policy Engagement Framework for Public Health addresses this gap by providing a language and organizing structure for the numerous ways engagement may take shape. The possibilities are combinations of a particular target policy source (the what) and jurisdiction (the where), a policy process phase (the when), and an engagement role (the how). Policy source and jurisdiction are broken down to highlight the many types to consider for a given topic and population. Established public health constructs are adapted to enumerate policy phases and public health roles.
CONCLUSIONS FOR PRACTICE
The Policy Engagement Framework can enhance workforce capacity by expanding mindsets about ways public health and MCH practitioners can consider engaging. It can facilitate communication and clarity within an organization regarding what activities are permitted in staff's official capacity. Finally, it can guide the strategic development of workforce education and training. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5789 | Surgical treatment of metastatic germ cell cancer.
Among young men between the ages of 15 and 40 years, germ cell cancer is the most common solid tumor [1]. The worldwide incidence of germ cell cancer is 70 000 cases. Compared to all solid tumors of men, germ cell cancer accounts for 1% of all male tumors. Nevertheless, the mortality of this rare tumor entity is about 13% since 9507 patients died worldwide of germ cell cancer. The improvement in survival of germ cell cancer patients is due to a multimodal treatment of germ cell cancer including cisplatin-based chemotherapy and surgery leading to higher cure-rates even in advanced stages [1], whereas the increasing incidence of germ cell cancers cannot be thoroughly explained. In this article we review the current indications for surgery in metastatic germ cell cancers, highlight the strength and weaknesses of techniques and indications and raise the question how to improve surgical treatment in metastatic germ cell cancer. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5790 | An intracellular study of chemosensory fibers and endings.
1. The carotid body and its nerve, removed from anesthetized cats, were placed in physiological saline flowing under paraffin oil. The nerve, lifted into the oil, was used for either electrical stimulation or recording of the total afferent discharge. Intracellular recordings were obtained from individual nerve fibers and endings within the carotid body. The recording sites were identified by injecting Procion yellow through the intracellular electrodes; the tissues were then prepared for histology and observed with episcopic fluorescence or Nomarski optics. 2. Intracellularly recorded chemosensory fibers conducted at 1.1-30 m/s and usually displayed action potentials of regular amplitude. At times, however, some spikes become partially blocked while others maintained their original amplitude. "Natural" (hypoxia) or chemical (ACh or NaCN) stimulation induced different patterns of frequency changes of the large and small action potentials. This indicated nerve fiber branching at some distance from the recording site. 3. Intra- and extracellularly recorded spikes were blocked in 0 [Na+]0 by tetrodotoxin (TTX) or procaine. 4. During chemical stimulation, a slowly occurring depolarization (receptor or generator potential) was recorded intracellularly from the afferent fibers. It developed concomitantly with the increase in discharge. 5. Impalement of single nerve terminals (histologically identified) showed numerous "spontaneous" depolarizing potentials (SDPs) that had a mean amplitude of 5.6 mV, a mean duration of 46.1 ms, and nearly random distribution. They increased in frequency and summated during chemical stimulation. SDPs originated from either the site of recording or from neighboring areas. When the SDPs attained a certain amplitude, they seemed to give rise to action potentials. Also, relatively well developed or partially blocked spikes (apparently originating elsewhere) were recorded from single nerve terminals. 6. The receptor (generator) potential of chemosensory receptors appears to be an integrated response formed by multiple activity originating in different nerve endings. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5791 | Ocular Surface Disease with BAK preserved Travoprost and Polyquaternium 1(Polyquad) preserved Travoprost.
Introduction. The topical medications containing benzalkonium chloride (BAK) as preservative is known to induce corneal toxicity and ocular surface disease (OSD) in glaucoma patients. Newer preservatives like SofZia or polyquaternium-1 (Polyquad) have been developed to replace BAK in many medications. The present study aimed at comparing the OSD in glaucoma patients receiving BAK preserved travoprost versus travoprost with polyquad as preservative and controls not receiving any medications. Methods. This prospective, controlled, observational study was conducted on patients of primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) on medications for more than 6 months. The first group comprised of 40 patients receiving BAK preserved travoprost, the second group included 40 patients receiving polyquad preserved travoprost and 30 of control group not receiving any medical treatment. Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) scores using Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) Questionnaire were assessed and compared in all subjects. Results. The mean OSDI score was 29.09 ± 13.45 in BAK group, 12.4 ± 5.085 in polyquad group and 10.93 ± 7.36 in controls. The mean difference in OSDI scores between BAK and polyquad group 16.63 (p < 0.05) and between the BAK and control group was 18.96 (p < 0.05). The mean difference in OSDI scores between the polyquad and control group was 1.53 (p > 0.05). The mean IOP in the BAK group was 19.2 ± 3.5 and in polyquad group was 20.1 ± 4.2. The IOP measured at 12 months of treatment was 13.2 ± 2.1 in BAK group and 12.8 ± 3.3 in polyquad group. The IOP measured at baseline and 12 months showed statistically significant difference in both the groups (p <o.oo1, p=o.ooo, respectively). Conclusions. OSDI scores revealed significantly lesser symptoms in polyquad preserved travoprost when compared to BAK preserved travoprost. The OSDI scores in polyquad group were also comparable to the control group. Hence, for long term glaucoma management polyquad containing travoprost should be preferred over the BAK preserved travoprost. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5792 | Markedly reduced pancreatic glucagon levels in broiler chickens with spiking mortality syndrome.
Pancreata from 19 hypoglycemic field broilers with spiking mortality syndrome and 19 clinically normal field broilers with normal blood glucose levels were collected and quick-frozen in liquid nitrogen immediately after the chicks were bled and killed. All chicks were 16 days old and were of the same genetic cross. Pancreata were weighed, and acid-alcohol extractions were made on each specimen. Radioimmunoassays for glucagon levels were made on each extract. Mean pancreatic glucagon content of the hypoglycemic chicks was depressed 14-fold (93.1%) compared with that of the non-hypoglycemic group. There was a close correlation between plasma glucose levels and pancreatic glucagon levels (P = 0.0001). | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5793 | Fit & Strong! Plus Trial Outcomes for Obese Older Adults with Osteoarthritis.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
We compared the effectiveness of standard Fit & Strong! (F&S!; targets physical activity [PA]) to Fit & Strong! Plus (F&S! Plus; targets PA and dietary weight loss) on weight, diet quality, and PA outcomes.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
We randomly assigned 413 overweight older adults with OA to the F&S! or F&S! Plus programs and assessed outcomes at 2 and 6 months.
RESULTS
The F&S! Plus group lost -2.0 ± 0.2 kg (mean ± SE, 2% of starting weight) at 2 months that was maintained at 6 months. Two- and 6-month BMI and waist circumference improved significantly in the F&S! Plus group (p < .001). Diet quality at 2 months showed greater improvement in the F&S! Plus group: 4.6 ± 0.7 versus 2.0 ± 0.7, p = .006, with no significant difference between groups at 6 months. The F&S! Plus group differentially improved on PA engagement at 2 months and at 2 and 6 months in joint pain (6-month mean ± SE: -1.5 ± 0.3 vs -0.6 ± 0.3, p = .02), function (-4.7 ± 0.9 vs -1.5 ± 0.9, p = .01), and 6-min walk test (29.5 ± 5.1 m vs 14.1 ± 5.2 m, p = .04).
DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS
Adding a dietary weight loss component to F&S! achieved weight and waist circumference benefits that were maintained at 6 months. Importantly, the weight loss was accompanied by clinically meaningful improvements in OA symptoms and mobility. Future work should investigate minimum thresholds for weight reduction that improve long-term function in this population. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5794 | Care of urinary catheters and drainage systems.
A question about the reuse of drainable urinary catheter night drainage bags in a patient's home promoted the South East Thames continence advisory group to examine the evidence for the management of urinary catheter drainage systems. The objective of this review was to establish if there is evidence available to support clinical practice and provide recommendations to staff and patients to ensure best practice. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5795 | Effects of age, strain, and illumination intensity on activity and self-selection of light-dark schedules in mice.
Young and senescent albino A/J mice, pigmented C57BL/6J pure inbred mice, and their hybrid F1S were tested under low or high illumination intensities to observe differences in self-selected wheel running, bar pressing, and durations of light and dark over time. The animals (N = 120) were always allowed ad lib access to food, water, running wheel, and bar-press levers. During the pre- and postexperimental phases, the mice were kept under a standard 12:12 hr light/dark cycle; during the experimental phase, however, they were allowed to select their own light and dark schedules by pressing on either of two accessible bars, one light contingent and the other dark contingent. Measures of general running and bar-pressing activities, motivational aspects of illumination change and intensity preferences, time-series analyses of periodicities, power ratios, and significant other multiples were obtained from the subjects during a total of three experimental phases. Age differences were found for most of the measures studied and in general showed declines in activity levels, inccreases in motivation to change illumination conditions, lengthening of activity cycles (slower periods), and decreases in the strengths of the oscillations underlying these behaviors as well as an increase in the number of other periodic components in old mice relative to young. Genetic group and illumination-intensity differences were also found, and the results are discussed in light of theories concerning illumination preference and stimulus change, earlier work involving voluntary light selection behavior, and aging studies. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5796 | [HYPOTENSIVE EFFECT OF AN EXTRACT OF BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS OF OLIVE LEAVES: PRELIMINARY CLINICAL STUDY].
OBJECTIVE
to evaluate the possible hypotensive effect in pre-hypertensive and hypertensive subjects of an olive leaf extract (OLE) standardized to 15% (w/w) in oleoeuropein, and with a 10% (w/w) mean content of triterpenic acids and 1% (w/w) in hydroxytirosol. Moreover, the possible effects on the blood antioxidant status and lipid profile have been also evaluated.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
this interventional study has been performed in human volunteers, to whom 1 600 mg OLE/days, was administered. The analyzed parameters at the beginning and end of the study were diastolic and systolic pressure, delay in the LDL-cholesterol oxidation "lag time" and blood levels of nitric oxide (NO), malonic dialdehyde (MDA), antioxidant capacity (AOC) lipid profile, glucose, transaminases and creatinine.
RESULTS
a decrease in the diastolic and systolic pressure, and an increase in the NO values all statistically significant (CHO) for all volunteers, was found. In volunteers with higher systolic pressure their levels were also significantly diminished after the intervention trial (P = 0,002). The LDL lag time increased significantly (P = 0,047). Additionally, in all volunteers CHO levels were significantly decreased, and those of LDL cholesterol, triglycerides (TG) and the CHO/HDL cholesterol ratio were diminished with a tendency to the significance (P = 0,076; P = 0,059; P = 0,056; respectively).
CONCLUSIONS
this preliminary study reports by the first time the positive influence of the OLE assayed in the regulation of the hypertension, LDL lag time and blood lipid profile. Therefore, further studies are of great interest. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5797 | Elective versus routine postoperative clinic appointments after circumcisions performed under local anesthesia.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate a model of elective postoperative clinic appointments after a minor urological procedure and to compare it to the traditional practice of routine appointments.
METHODS
A total of 104 consecutive patients undergoing adult circumcision under local anesthesia were divided into 2 groups; group A (n = 45) received routine postoperative clinic appointments and group B (n = 59) were given the option to make an appointment on an as-needed basis. Both groups received detailed postoperative instructions on the early signs of symptoms of potential adverse events. The 2 groups were compared regarding demographics, clinical profile, postoperative recovery, and outcome.
RESULTS
Group A patients ("routine appointments") were younger (51 vs 60 years, P <.0001) and included fewer African Americans (57.8% vs 78.0%, P <.03) compared to group B patients ("elective appointments"). Postoperative clinic appointments were categorized as unnecessary in 84.4% (38/45) and 71.1% (42/59) of the patients in groups A and B, respectively. Of the remaining 17 patients in group B who elected to make an appointment, only 1 patient (1.7%) had a true procedure-related issue that justified the visit and required management. Overall, there was no statistical difference between the 2 groups with regard to the number of patients with perceived postoperative issues (P = .36).
CONCLUSION
The traditional practice of routine clinic appointments after uncomplicated adult circumcision is medically unnecessary and provides little value in the majority of cases. The practice of open access elective postoperative evaluation based on clearly defined clinical criteria is efficacious, safe, convenient, and enhances resource utilization. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5798 | The effect of immunotherapy on eosinophil accumulation and production of eosinophil chemotactic activity in the lung of subjects with asthma during natural pollen exposure.
Two groups of birch pollen--allergic patients with seasonal rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma were followed during two consecutive birch-pollen seasons, one group, N = 10, during a season with high pollen load, and one group, N = 15, during a season of low pollen load. Half the patients were treated with immunotherapy (IT) for 3 and 4 years, respectively. The other half of the patients served as control group (non-IT). Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed once before each season and once during the pollen season. Eosinophil (EOS) numbers in BAL were increased (p less than 0.01) during the season with high pollen load but not in the season with a low pollen load, and this increment was absent in the IT-treated group. Also, the EOS cationic protein levels were raised in the non-IT-treated group during the season with a high pollen load. The levels of EOS and neutrophil chemotactic activity were raised in BAL in both seasons in the non-IT-treated group compared with the IT-treated group (p less than 0.02, p less than 0.003, p less than 0.04, and p less than 0.005 in high- and low-load pollen season, respectively). Serum and BAL eosinophil chemotactic activity (ECA) were positively correlated (p less than 0.001). We conclude that there is an influx of active EOSs into the lung of pollen-allergic patients with asthma during a pollen season, which may be abrogated by IT. Furthermore, the generation of ECA appears to be an extremely sensitive marker of antigenic exposure, and the potent inhibition of the generation of ECA by IT may provide a clue as to the mechanism of this treatment. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever5799 | Coamplification of the ZFX and ZFY genes for sex identification in preimplantation embryos.
Knowledge of the sex of an embryo may be particularly useful for couples who have a high risk of producing offspring with inherited genetic disorders. We present a rapid and reliable nested polymerase chain reaction strategy to simultaneously amplify the ZFX and ZFY genes at the single cell level. Forty single blastomeres isolated from six triploid preembryos were subjected to coamplification of ZFX and ZFY genes. The results obtained from the preembryo were consistent with the assigned genotype. The amplification rate was 80% for ZFX and 84% for ZFY. Our strategy can be applied to preimplantation diagnosis of single gene disorders, and is especially useful for preimplantation diagnosis and prevention of X-linked diseases in in vitro fertilization programs. | No pos | No neg |
Subsets and Splits