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Retriever600 | Photocatalytic degradation of organophosphate and phosphonoglycine pesticides using TiO2 immobilized on silica gel.
The photocatalytic degradation of the three pesticides acephate, dimethoate, and glyphosate in water has been investigated using UV light and TiO2 immobilized on silica gel as photocatalyst. Results show that the pesticides can be efficiently degraded by the UV/TiO2 system used in the study. Complete (100%) decomposition of dimethoate and glyphosate was attained within 60 min of irradiation, while total degradation of acephate occurred after 105 min of photocatalytic treatment. Acephate and dimethoate decomposition followed the Langmuir-Hinshelwood apparent first-order degradation kinetics, suggesting the photocatalytic nature of pesticide disappearance, whereas glyphosate decomposition was governed by both adsorption and photocatalytic reactions. Evolution of heteroatoms at their highest oxidized states such as SO(4)(2-), NO(3)(-), and PO(4)(3-) ions provides evidence that pesticide degradation occurred primarily through photocatalytic oxidation reactions. Non-detection of toxic intermediates such as methamidophos and omethoate that have been reported in other studies demonstrates rapid destruction of the pesticides into harmless byproducts using the system. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever601 | An implicit memory of errors limits human sensorimotor adaptation.
During extended motor adaptation, learning appears to saturate despite persistence of residual errors. This adaptation limit is not fixed but varies with perturbation variance; when variance is high, residual errors become larger. These changes in total adaptation could relate to either implicit or explicit learning systems. Here, we found that when adaptation relied solely on the explicit system, residual errors disappeared and learning was unaltered by perturbation variability. In contrast, when learning depended entirely, or in part, on implicit learning, residual errors reappeared. Total implicit adaptation decreased in the high-variance environment due to changes in error sensitivity, not in forgetting. These observations suggest a model in which the implicit system becomes more sensitive to errors when they occur in a consistent direction. Thus, residual errors in motor adaptation are at least in part caused by an implicit learning system that modulates its error sensitivity in response to the consistency of past errors. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever602 | Sequence selectivity of topoisomerase II DNA cleavage stimulated by mitoxantrone derivatives: relationships to drug DNA binding and cellular effects.
Mitoxantrone, a DNA intercalator, is an effective antitumor drug known to interfere with topoisomerase II function through stimulation of enzyme-mediated DNA cleavage. To clarify the drug structural requirements for stimulation of topoisomerase II DNA cleavage, the cytotoxic activity and molecular effects of mitoxantrone, ametantrone, and a new derivative (BBR2577), bearing a modification on one of the side chains, were examined in relation to their DNA binding affinities and modes of drug-DNA interaction. The results showed a good correlation between cytotoxicity and topoisomerase II DNA cleavage. The modification of one side chain did not influence the cytotoxic potency or the ability of the drug to stimulate DNA cleavage. In contrast, removal of the hydroxyl substituents in the planar aromatic moiety (ametantrone) markedly affected the efficacy of the drug. Ametantrone showed a markedly lower capacity, compared with the other two compounds, to induce cleavable complexes both in intact cells and in SV40 DNA, which suggests a critical role of these substituents in the formation of the ternary topoisomerase II-DNA-drug complex. The poor efficacy of ametantrone is likely due to low stability of the ternary complex. This is possibly related to a different orientation of the drug chromophore intercalated into DNA, compared with those of mitoxantrone and BBR2577. The DNA cleavage efficiencies of the tested drugs at low concentrations correlated with the DNA binding affinity. Identical DNA cleavage patterns were observed with the three compounds, which suggests that all tested drugs share a similar specificity for interaction with sites recognized by the enzyme. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever603 | Factors Associated with Attrition: Analysis of an HIV Clinic in Japan.
This study evaluated the impact of a public medical interpreter on the follow-up clinic attendance rate of foreign-born people with HIV who live in Japan. Participants were patients who visited Nagoya Medical Center from 2009 to 2016. Lost to follow-up was defined as an absence from follow-up visits for more than six months without any notification. A log-rank test was conducted to compare the lost-to-follow-up rates by patients' nation of origin and medical interpreter use. Of the 931 participants, 114 were foreign patients, whose overall attendance rate at 5 years was 75.5%, which was significantly lower than that of Japanese patients (94.1%, p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in regular attendance with respect to medical interpreter use (p = 0.09). Social support in addition to a medical interpreter may be needed to improve attendance rates in the study population. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever604 | Valine uptake in the tap root of sugar beet: a comparative analysis with sucrose uptake.
Given the lack of data on the absorption of amino acids in the tap root of Beta vulgaris, we studied the uptake of valine and compared it with that of sucrose at the same concentration (1 mM). The uptake of both substrates shared some similar characteristics. In particular, the absorption in both cases was controlled by an active process as evidenced by the inhibitory effect of CCCP and inhibitors of ATPases (DES, DCCD, orthovanadate). Both absorptions also involved the thiol and histidyl groups of protein carriers included in the plasmalemma as shown by treatment with specific compounds (PCMBS, mersalyl, NEM) inhibiting the transport of the nutrients in tissues and in purified PMV. However, it was shown that these uptakes present major differences. Firstly, unlike sucrose uptake, valine uptake was very sensitive to transmembrane electrical potential. Indeed, hyperpolarizing treatment with FC increased valine uptake but did not modify sucrose uptake. By contrast, treatment with high concentrations of KCl, which should result in depolarization of the cells, considerably decreased valine uptake and activated sucrose uptake. Secondly, ion mobilizations were different in the two types of transport. Unlike sucrose, application of valine to tissues strongly modified the time course of H+ influx. By contrast, sucrose uptake was controlled by K+ involvement as shown by effects either of modulators of K+ mobilization (LiCl, TEA) or of treatments inducing K+ starvation from the external medium. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever605 | Suppression of the TNF-alpha level is mediated by Gan-Lu-Yin (traditional Chinese medicine) in human oral cancer cells through the NF-kappa B, AKT, and ERK-dependent pathways.
Oral cancer is one of the major causes of deaths in the male population of Taiwan. Gan-Lu-Yin (GLY) is used for an adjuvant treatment of Traditional Chinese Medicine in clinical patients. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms in oral cancer cell lines after exposure to GLY. The cytometric bead-based array (CBA) method was used for the examining and analyzing of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) secretion level. TNF-α mRNA expression was determined by real-time PCR analysis. Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) activity and other relative proteins were determined by NF-κB promoter assay, Western blotting, electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), and immuno-staining analyses. GLY decreased the secretion of TNF-α from the oral cancer CAL 27 cells. Furthermore, 2000 μg/mL of GLY significantly suppressed TNF-α mRNA expression of CAL 27 cells in a time-dependent manner. GLY reduced the levels of proteins, including nuclear NF-κB (p65 and p50), p-IKK (ser176), p-IκB, p-AKT, p-ERK, and nuclear Egr-1 in a time and dose-dependent manner. GLY also suppressed the NF-κB activity and translocation in CAL 27 cells. We suggest that GLY might promote the cure of oral cancer through decreasing the level of TNF-α cytokine, and these actions were mediated partially through the NF-κB, AKT, and ERK-dependent pathways in vitro. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 31: 1196-1205, 2016. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever606 | On the nature of the uncoupling effect of fatty acids.
The effect of palmitic acid on the electrical potential differences delta psi across the inner mitochondrial membrane appears to depend on the medium in which mitochondria are incubated. In medium A (cf. Luvisetto et al. (1987), Biochemistry, 26, 7332-7338) delta psi decreases much more than in medium B (cf. Rottenberg and Hashimoto (1986), Biochemistry, 25, 1747-1755) at concentrations of fatty acid which equally stimulate the rate of respiration in state 4. Valinomycin and NaCl were both present in medium B and absent in medium A. However, in both media the pattern of the P/O ratio as a function of antimycin in the presence of a constant amount of palmitic acid or of FCCP shows similar behaviour. We conclude that in both media palmitic acid increases the membrane conductance to protons, but for unclear reasons the delta psi assay fails to measure the decline of delta psi in medium B. However, the increase in membrane conductance induced by palmitic acid does not quantitatively account for the stimulation of the rate of respiration. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever607 | Genome cartography: charting the apicomplexan genome.
Genes reside in particular genomic contexts that can be mapped at many levels. Historically, 'genetic maps' were used primarily to locate genes. Recent technological advances in the determination of genome sequences have made the analysis and comparison of whole genomes possible and increasingly tractable. What do we see if we shift our focus from gene content (the 'inventory' of genes contained within a genome) to the composition and organization of a genome? This review examines what has been learned about the evolution of the apicomplexan genome as well as the significance and impact of genomic location on our understanding of the eukaryotic genome and parasite biology. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever608 | Response to percutaneous transhepatic portal embolization: new proposed parameters by 99mTc-GSA SPECT and their usefulness in prognostic estimation after hepatectomy.
UNLABELLED
Accumulation of 99mTc-galactosyl human serum albumin (GSA) in the liver correlates well with the parameters of hepatic function tests. We performed 99mTC-GSA SPECT before and after percutaneous transhepatic portal embolization (PTPE) to induce compensatory hypertrophy of the remnant lobe before extensive hepatic resection and analyzed the responses of new proposed parameters in the future remnant lobe that showed hypertrophy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of these parameters in prognostic estimation after hepatectomy.
METHODS
We studied 10 patients with cholangiocarcinoma and 1 patient with metastatic liver tumor from sigmoid colon cancer. 99mTc-GSA SPECT was performed immediately before and 2 wk after PTPE. We analyzed the responses of the liver uptake ratio (LUR), functional volume (FV), and liver uptake density (LUD) in the future remnant lobe and evaluated their relationship with the prognosis after subsequent hepatic resection.
RESULTS
LUR and FV increased slightly but were not associated with the prognosis after hepatic resection. LUD increased significantly after PTPE in the group showing a good outcome after hepatic resection but decreased after PTPE in the group showing a poor outcome (post-PTPE LUD, 0.064+/-0.017%/cm3 versus 0.035+/-0.006%/ cm3, P<0.05; response rate, 22.2%+/-11.9% versus -8.9%+/-17.6%, P<0.01).
CONCLUSION
Responses of LUD to PTPE before hepatic resection in the future remnant lobe represent changes in asialoglycoprotein receptor activity per hepatocyte and predict responses to subsequent hepatic resection. LUD may be an important parameter for determining the outcome after hepatic resection. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever609 | Risk of a new benzodiazepine prescription in relation to recent hospitalization.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if recent hospital admission was associated with new outpatient prescribing of benzodiazepines among community-dwelling older people.
DESIGN
Nested case-control study using administrative data sets of the provincial health insurance board.
SETTING
Province of Quebec.
PARTICIPANTS
Cases were 4127 community-dwelling older people who were newly dispensed a benzodiazepine during an 8-month period in 1990. Controls were 16,486 community-dwelling older people who were dispensed any drug (except a benzodiazepine) on the same day as the case-defining index prescription. EXPOSURE AND OUTCOME MEASURES: Admission to an acute care hospital within a 30-day period before a new dispensing of a benzodiazepine. Other variables measured were patient age, gender, number of ambulatory physician visits, healthcare region, Chronic Disease Score (CDS), and use of drugs for depression and psychosis.
RESULTS
Cases were more than three times as likely as controls to have been hospitalized in the 30-day period before the index date (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 3.09; 95% CI, 2.78-3.45). The use of prescription drugs for physical health problems modified this association in that cases who used more medication were also more likely to receive a new benzodiazepine prescription following a recent hospital admission (adjusted OR 4.09; 95% CI, 3.59-4.65 when the CDS was equal to 5 vs adjusted OR 1.96; 95% CI, 1.66-2.31 when the CDS was equal to 0).
CONCLUSIONS
Recent hospitalization confers an increased risk of a new outpatient benzodiazepine prescription among community-dwelling older people in Quebec. Those who use more medication, and who may be more vulnerable to drug-related adverse events, are more likely to be newly dispensed a benzodiazepine following a recent, acute-care hospital admission. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever610 | Evaluation and uncertainty analysis of Himawari-8 hourly aerosol product version 3.1 and its influence on surface solar radiation before and during the COVID-19 outbreak.
The hourly Himawari-8 version 3.1 (V31) aerosol product has been released and incorporates an updated Level 2 algorithm that uses forecast data as an a priori estimate. However, there has not been a thorough evaluation of V31 data across a full-disk scan, and V31 has yet to be applied in the analysis of its influence on surface solar radiation (SSR). This study firstly investigates the accuracy of V31 aerosol products, which includes three categories of aerosol optical depth (AOD) (AODMean, AODPure, and AODMerged) as well as the corresponding Ångström exponent (AE), using ground-based measurements from the AERONET and SKYNET. Results indicate that V31 AOD products are more consistent with ground-based measurements compared to previous products (V30). The highest correlation and lowest error were seen in the AODMerged, with a correlation coefficient of 0.8335 and minimal root mean square error of 0.1919. In contrast, the AEMerged shows a larger discrepancy with measurements unlike the AEMean and AEPure. Error analysis reveals that V31 AODMerged has generally stable accuracy across various ground types and geometrical observation angles, however, there are higher uncertainties in areas with high aerosol loading, particularly for fine aerosols. The temporal analysis shows that V31 AODMerged performs better compared to V30, particularly in the afternoon. Finally, the impacts of aerosols on SSR based on the V31 AODMerged are investigated through the development of a sophisticated SSR estimation algorithm in the clear sky. Results demonstrate that the estimated SSR is significant consistency with those of well-known CERES products, with preservation of 20 times higher spatial resolution. The spatial analysis reveals a significant reduction of AOD in the North China Plain before and during the COVID-19 outbreak, resulting in an average 24.57 W m-2 variation of the surface shortwave radiative forcing in clear sky daytime. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever611 | Spanish for Veterinarians Part 2: A Survey Gauging Student Perspectives on a Profession-Specific Language Learning Experience.
This article describes the distribution and results of a survey that was disseminated among students enrolled in Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) programs in the United States. It is a critical component to a substantial effort being undertaken at Colorado State University (CSU) to overhaul their current Spanish for Veterinarians offerings (outlined and discussed in Spanish for Veterinarians Part 1: An Approach to Weaving Spanish Language Education into DVM Curricula) into a cohesive Spanish language program that offers consistent synchronous exposure to the language and guided practice over several semesters of instruction. The information obtained in this survey informs on veterinary student interest in and availability to engage in Spanish coursework created specifically for the veterinary field, as well as students' previous Spanish language learning experience. Additionally, it investigates the reasons motivating students' desire to participate in a Spanish for Veterinarians program, and their expectations and perspectives about receiving credit and paying for enrollment. It also includes students' online learning preferences and overall suggestions for optimal engagement in a Spanish language learning experience offered during DVM School. The anonymous results indicated that most respondents had taken Spanish only in high school, followed by those with one or two college-level courses. Interest in learning Spanish for the veterinary field is high and most students are willing to dedicate 2 to 4 hours weekly to language learning. This information guides curricular design decisions for a new Spanish for Veterinarians program that is currently being developed at CSU. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever612 | Lipid Fraction and Intracellular Metabolite Analysis Reveal the Mechanism of Arachidonic Acid-Rich Oil Accumulation in the Aging Process of Mortierella alpina.
The mechanism of arachidonic acid (ARA) content increase during aging of Mortierella alpina was elucidated. Lipid fraction analysis showed that ARA content increased from 46.9% to 66.4% in the triacylglycerol (TAG) molecule, and ARA residue occupation increased in the majority of TAG molecules during the aging process. For the first time, intracellular metabolite analysis was conducted to reveal the pathways closely associated with ARA biosynthesis during aging. The main reason for the increased ARA content was not only at the expense of other fatty acids degradation but also at the expense of further ARA biosynthesis during aging. Furthermore, translocation played a vital role in ARA redistribution among the glycerol moiety, and mycelium did not die immediately with key pathways activated to maintain a relatively stable intracellular environment. This study lays a foundation for further improvement of ARA content in the oil product obtained from M. alpina. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever613 | [Effects of H2 blockers on the spreading of macrophages in vitro].
PURPOSE
To verify if cimetidine, ranitidine, and famotidine, when inoculated by ip route in mice, do enhance macrophage activation and whether or not such activation is altered with prior use of sodium thioglycolate. KIND OF STUDY: Experimental.
ANIMALS
isogenic, Balb/c mice, 19-21 g.
INTERVENTION
The authors used 8 groups of 10 animals. The mice were treated by ip route with cimetidine (100 mg/kg), ranitidine (62.5 mg/kg), and famotidine (50 mg/kg), and were compared to a control group (saline). The method of spreading of macrophages was applied twenty-four hours after the inoculation. The same procedure was repeated on a later stage in groups submitted to a prior treatment with sodium thioglycolate (15 mg/kg).
EVALUATION
Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney's tests were used.
RESULTS
Inoculation of anti-H2 drugs in the peritoneal cavity of mice significantly enhances the spreading of macrophages independently of the presence of a peritoneal irritant. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever614 | Determination of renal blood flow by thermodilution method.
The single bolus thermodilution method for measurement of renal vein blood flow was tested. In model experiments the thermodilution method was compared with graduated cylinder measurements over a flow range from 50 to 1050 ml/min. There was a good correlation between the two methods (r = 0.98) with a mean of differences of 5.2%. In eighteen patients measurements were performed in duplicate in thirty-one renal veins. Comparison was made between the first (x) and second (u) measurement--performed within 3 min. The correlation between the two was very good (r = 0.99; y = 1.03x - 11.48). In twelve patients bilateral renal vein blood flow measurements were performed simultaneous to blood flow measurement by PAH clearance. The correlation between total flow measured by thermodilution (y) and by the clearance method (x) was good (r = 0.98; y = 0.79x + 221). It is concluded that the thermodilution method requires catheterization of the renal veins, but is otherwise simple to perform, is inexpensive and gives reliable results. It is particularly advantageous when repeated measurements in the study of acute changes in renal haemodynamics is desirable. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever615 | Leaf Morphological and Nutrient Traits of Common Woody Plants Change Along the Urban-Rural Gradient in Beijing, China.
An increasing number of studies have found differences in the diversity of plant functional traits between urban and rural sites as a result of urbanization. However, the results remain inconsistent. In this study, we measured morphological and nutrient traits of 11 common woody plants along a continuous urban-rural gradient in Beijing, China. Leaf size (e.g., length, width, and area), specific leaf area, and leaf nitrogen and potassium contents decreased gradually and significantly along the urban-rural gradient, indicating that urbanization can enhance the capacity of plants to acquire resources for growth and production. Furthermore, soil nutrients and air temperature decreased along the urban-rural gradient, while air relative humidity increased. A structural equation model showed that these alterations in physical factors attributable to urbanization contributed directly or indirectly to changes in leaf functional traits, implying that changes in soil nutrients and micro-climate induced by urbanization may affect plant growth and production because of the improvement in resource acquisition capacity. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever616 | The importance of using multiple techniques for detection of platelet antibodies.
In red cell immunology, it has long been known that no one technique will detect all clinically significant antibodies. The same appears to be true for platelet immunology, and we highlight this fact by showing four examples of anti-human platelet antigen-1a that were not detected by the monoclonal antibody-specific immobilization of platelet antigen test, the most commonly used technique. Each antibody was found in a case of fetomaternal alloimmune thrombocytopenia in which the fetus or neonate was severely affected. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever617 | 14N1H and 2H1H cross-relaxation in hydrated proteins.
The frequency dependence of the proton spin-lattice relaxation time T1 of solid hydrated bovine serum albumin and alpha-chymotrypsin has been measured over 4.5 decades in the range 10(4) to 3 X 10(8) Hz mainly by the aid of the field-cycling technique. The comparison between H2O- and D2O-hydrated samples permitted the distinction of exchangeable and unexchangeable protons. In all cases the 14N1H cross-relaxation dips due mainly to the amide groups have been observed. In addition, in the case of the deuterium exchanged proteins a 2H1H quadrupole dip appears. The amide groups act as relaxation sinks due to the coupling of the amide proton to 14N and adjacent protons. Outside of the dip regions the proton-proton coupling dominates. The fluctuations of the 14N1H and 1H1H interactions are of a different type. The unexchangeable protons show a T1 dispersion outside of the quadrupole dip regions given by the exceptional power law T1 approximately v0.75 +/- 0.05. It is shown that apart from structural information of the 14N spectra, 14N1H cross-relaxation spectroscopy permits the determination of correlation times in the range 10(-7) s less than tau less than 10(-4)S. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever618 | Dietary Intake of Salt from Meat Products in Serbian Population.
Salt intake above 5 g/day correlates with prevalence of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases (CVD). CVD, the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in Europe, account for 45% of all deaths, while, in Serbia in 2021, CVD accounted for 47.3%. The objective was to investigate salt content labelled on meat products from the Serbian market and estimate dietary exposure to salt from meat products in the Serbian population using consumption data. Data on salt content were collected from 339 meat products and classified in eight groups. Consumption data were collected using the EFSA EU Menu methodology (2017-2021) from 576 children and 3018 adults (145 pregnant women) in four geographical regions of Serbia. The highest salt content was in dry fermented sausages and dry meat, average 3.78 ± 0.37 g/100 g and 4.40 ± 1.21 g/100 g, respectively. The average intake of meat products is 45.21 ± 39.0 g/day and estimated daily salt intake from meat products per person is 1.192 g, which is 24% of the daily recommended amount. The actual meat product consumption and content of salt in meat products in Serbia present a risk factor for development of CVD and related comorbidities. A targeted strategy, policy and legislation for salt reduction are needed. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever619 | Resveratrol attenuates ovariectomy-induced hypertension and bone loss in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats.
We examined the effect of resveratrol (3,4',5-trihydroxy stilbene), a phenolic compound found in the skins of most grapes, on blood pressure and bone loss in ovariectomized (OVX), stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP). Nineteen-week-old female SHRSP were divided into a sham-ovariectomized (sham) group fed a control diet and two OVX groups fed either a control diet (OVX-Cont) or a diet supplemented with resveratrol (5 mg/kg per d; OVX-Resv). Ovariectomy induced significant increases in systolic blood pressure (SBP). Resveratrol lowered the SBP by 15%) by the third week of administration, and this effect was maintained throughout the study. Resveratrol treatment also significantly enhanced endothelium-dependent vascular relaxation in response to acetylcholine (ACh) in OVX rats. Finally, femur breaking energies measured for the resveratrol-treated (OVX-Resv) group were significantly higher than those of the resveratrol-untreated (OVX-Cont) group. While no significant differences in calcium, magnesium and phosphorus content were found between the femurs of OVX-Cont and OVX-Resv rats, the femur hydroxyproline content in the OVX-Resv group was significantly higher than of the OVX-Cont group. We conclude that, in OVX-SHRSP, resveratrol acts by a similar mechanism to mammalian estrogens, lowering blood pressure by increasing dilatory responses to ACh. The present study also demonstrated that resveratrol was able to prevent ovariectomy-induced decreases in femoral bone strength. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever620 | Impact of drug conjugation on pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of anti-STEAP1 antibody-drug conjugates in rats.
Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are designed to combine the exquisite specificity of antibodies to target tumor antigens with the cytotoxic potency of chemotherapeutic drugs. In addition to the general chemical stability of the linker, a thorough understanding of the relationship between ADC composition and biological disposition is necessary to ensure that the therapeutic window is not compromised by altered pharmacokinetics (PK), tissue distribution, and/or potential organ toxicity. The six-transmembrane epithelial antigen of prostate 1 (STEAP1) is being pursued as a tumor antigen target. To assess the role of ADC composition in PK, we evaluated plasma and tissue PK profiles in rats, following a single dose, of a humanized anti-STEAP1 IgG1 antibody, a thio-anti-STEAP1 (ThioMab) variant, and two corresponding thioether-linked monomethylauristatin E (MMAE) drug conjugates modified through interchain disulfide cysteine residues (ADC) and engineered cysteines (TDC), respectively. Plasma PK of total antibody measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) revealed ∼45% faster clearance for the ADC relative to the parent antibody, but no apparent difference in clearance between the TDC and unconjugated parent ThioMab. Total antibody clearances of the two unconjugated antibodies were similar, suggesting minimal effects on PK from cysteine mutation. An ELISA specific for MMAE-conjugated antibody indicated that the ADC cleared more rapidly than the TDC, but total antibody ELISA showed comparable clearance for the two drug conjugates. Furthermore, consistent with relative drug load, the ADC had a greater magnitude of drug deconjugation than the TDC in terms of free plasma MMAE levels. Antibody conjugation had a noticeable, albeit minor, impact on tissue distribution with a general trend toward increased hepatic uptake and reduced levels in other highly vascularized organs. Liver uptakes of ADC and TDC at 5 days postinjection were 2-fold and 1.3-fold higher, respectively, relative to the unmodified antibodies. Taken together, these results indicate that the degree of overall structural modification in anti-STEAP1-MMAE conjugates has a corresponding level of impact on both PK and tissue distribution. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever621 | Neutralization of the aspartic acid residue Asp-367, but not Asp-454, inhibits binding of Na+ to the glutamate-free form and cycling of the glutamate transporter EAAC1.
Substrate transport by the plasma membrane glutamate transporter EAAC1 is coupled to cotransport of three sodium ions. One of these Na(+) ions binds to the transporter already in the absence of glutamate. Here, we have investigated the possible involvement of two conserved aspartic acid residues in transmembrane segments 7 and 8 of EAAC1, Asp-367 and Asp-454, in Na(+) cotransport. To test the effect of charge neutralization mutations in these positions on Na(+) binding to the glutamate-free transporter, we recorded the Na(+)-induced anion leak current to determine the K(m) of EAAC1 for Na(+). For EAAC1(WT), this K(m) was determined as 120 mm. When the negative charge of Asp-367 was neutralized by mutagenesis to asparagine, Na(+) activated the anion leak current with a K(m) of about 2 m, indicating dramatically impaired Na(+) binding to the mutant transporter. In contrast, the Na(+) affinity of EAAC1(D454N) was virtually unchanged compared with the wild type transporter (K(m) = 90 mm). The reduced occupancy of the Na(+) binding site of EAAC1(D367N) resulted in a dramatic reduction in glutamate affinity (K(m) = 3.6 mm, 140 mm [Na(+)]), which could be partially overcome by increasing extracellular [Na(+)]. In addition to impairing Na(+) binding, the D367N mutation slowed glutamate transport, as shown by pre-steady-state kinetic analysis of transport currents, by strongly decreasing the rate of a reaction step associated with glutamate translocation. Our data are consistent with a model in which Asp-367, but not Asp-454, is involved in coordinating the bound Na(+) in the glutamate-free transporter form. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever622 | Cervicovaginal cytology in the detection of recurrence after cervical cancer treatment.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the utility of liquid-based cytology in detecting recurrent cervical cancer among treated cervical cancer patients.
METHODS
A retrospective multi-institution study identified patients treated for cervical cancer from January 1, 2000, to November 1, 2009, through local cancer registries and patient databases. Patients were excluded if they lacked follow-up or treatment data.
RESULTS
In all, 4,167 cytology results from 929 women were identified. Of these, 626 (15%) Pap test results from 312 (34%) women were abnormal, including 296 atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US; 47%); 179 low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL; 29%), 59 atypical squamous cells, cannot exclude high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (ASC-H; 9%); 55 high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL; 9%); 14 atypical glandular cells (2%), and 23 favor neoplasia (4%). Abnormal Pap test results led to 201 colposcopies in 135 women. Only 45 women had cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 2 or worse, 25 had CIN 3, and 12 had cancer. Only 5 of 475 (1%) women with ASC-US or LSIL had CIN 3. Cancer recurred in 147 women, with 12 (8.1%) detected by Pap test; all but one had Pap test results of ASC-H or worse. One patient with ASC-US and human papillomavirus had a visible lesion on return for assessment 2 months after Pap testing. Colposcopy for cytology less than HSIL without a visible lesion on examination did not detect any recurrence or CIN 3. When stratified by stage and institution, patients treated with radiation had a higher risk of abnormal Pap test results (P<.001).
CONCLUSION
A third of cervical cancer survivors will have abnormal cytology during follow-up, but in the absence of a visible lesion, those with ASC-US or LSIL can be followed without colposcopy unless abnormalities persist. Women with ASC-H, HSIL, and similar abnormalities deserve colposcopy.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE
II. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever623 | Working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, its effects on health, and recommendations: The pandemic and beyond.
PURPOSE
We provide an overview of how to work from home during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and what measures should be taken to minimize the negative effects of working from during this time.
CONCLUSIONS
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced an adaptation process for the whole world and working life. One of the most adaptation measures is working from home. Working from home comes with challenges and concerns but it also has favorable aspects.
PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS
It is crucial to develop and implement best practices for working from home to maintain a good level of productivity, achieve the right level of work and life balance and maintain a good level of physical and mental health. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever624 | The consequences of anxious temperament for disease detection, self-management behavior, and quality of life in Type 2 diabetes mellitus.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study is to examine the consequences of anxious temperament for disease detection, self-management behavior, and quality of life in Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).
METHOD
A sample of 204 individuals newly diagnosed with T2DM completed measures of anxious temperament, self-management behavior, and quality of life; participants also supplied a blood sample for glycated hemoglobin (A1C) analysis at initial diagnosis (baseline) and at 6-month follow-up (as indicators of disease progression at diagnosis and achieved glycemic control, respectively).
RESULTS
Anxious temperament was inversely associated with A1C at both baseline and at 6-month follow-up. However, the association between anxious temperament and A1C at follow-up was mostly accounted for by the association between anxious temperament and baseline A1C and not by the uptake of self-management behaviors after diagnosis. Higher levels of anxious temperament were also associated with an increased likelihood of having been diagnosed with a prediabetic condition but were associated with poorer quality of life at both time points.
CONCLUSION
Anxious temperament appears to be a double-edged sword that may facilitate early detection but not subsequent behavioral or emotional adjustment to T2DM. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever625 | Broadband achromatic metalens for linearly polarized light from 450 to 800 nm.
Metalens is a planar optical component that uses nanostructures with a thickness on the order of the wavelength to manipulate the wavefront of the incident light. A key problem, especially in color imaging and display applications, is the correction of chromatic aberration, which is an inherent effect caused by the dispersion of periodic lattices and resonance modes. However, the current achromatic metalenses either use the PB phase method that is only valid for circularly polarized light or nanostructures with complex cross sections that are difficult to manufacture. Here, we designed a broadband achromatic metalens for linearly polarized light from 450 to 800 nm. Rectangular titanium dioxide nanofins of various lengths and widths were applied to modulate the phase and dispersion of the incident light. The metalens can fulfill three target phases simultaneously by using an optimization method. The designed metalens has a stable focus from 450 to 800 nm with an average focusing efficiency of 64%. It can be potentially applied in microscopes, lithography machines, sensors, and displays. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever626 | Physiologic and molecular aspects of the Na+:HCO3- cotransporter in health and disease processes.
Approximately 80% of the filtered load of HCO3- is reabsorbed in the proximal tubule via a process of active acid secretion by the luminal membrane. The major mechanism for the transport of HCO3- across the basolateral membrane is via the electrogenic Na+:3HCO3- cotransporter (NBC). Recent molecular cloning experiments have identified the existence of three NBC isoforms (NBC-1, NBC-2, and NBC-3).1 Functional and molecular studies indicate the presence of all three NBC isoforms in the kidney. All are presumed to mediate the cotransport of Na+ and HCO3- under normal conditions and may be functionally altered in certain pathophysiologic states. Specifically, NBC-1 may be up-regulated in metabolic acidosis and potassium depletion and in response to glucocorticoid excess and may be down-regulated in response to HCO3- loading or alkalosis. Recent studies provide molecular evidence indicating the expression of NBC-1 in pancreatic duct cells. NBC is activated by cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) and plays an important role in HCO3- secretion in the agonist-stimulated state in pancreatic duct cells. The purpose of this review is to summarize recent functional and molecular studies on the regulation of NBCs in physiologic and pathophysiologic states. Possible signals responsible for the regulation of NBCs in these conditions are examined. Furthermore, the possible role of this transporter in acid-base disorders (such as proximal renal tubular acidosis) is discussed. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever627 | Complexity of ethanolamine phosphate addition in the biosynthesis of glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchors in mammalian cells.
Biosynthetic intermediates for the mammalian glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor have been described. The earliest GPI anchor precursor is N-acetylglucosaminylphosphatidylinositol, which is deacetylated to give glucosaminylphosphatidylinositol. This is followed by fatty acylation of the inositol ring, sequential addition of mannose residues donated by dolichyl mannosyl phosphate, and finally addition of ethanolamine phosphate. Here, we show that the final steps of GPI anchor biosynthesis are more complex than we have previously reported. Six distinct GPI anchor precursors were found to contain at least 1 ethanolamine phosphate residue. The headgroups of these glycolipids were purified and analyzed by a combination of Bio-Gel P4 chromatography and high resolution thin-layer chromatography. The sizes of neutral glycans were determined following HF dephosphorylation. The position of the ethanolamine phosphate residue was inferred from results of alpha-mannosidase treatment. Finally, the number of negative charges on the headgroups were determined by Mono Q chromatography. Our results show that the addition of ethanolamine phosphate is controlled by at least two different genes. Thus, the class F mutant, though unable to add ethanolamine phosphate to the third mannose residue, does incorporate ethanolamine phosphate into the first and second mannose residues. Only the wild type cells are capable of incorporating ethanolamine phosphate into the third mannose residue. Furthermore, the GPI core contains up to 3 ethanolamine phosphate residues. These results should facilitate the elucidation of the biochemical defects in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever628 | Monte Carlo-based energy response studies of diode dosimeters in radiotherapy photon beams.
This study presents Monte Carlo-calculated absolute and normalized (relative to a (60)Co beam) sensitivity values of silicon diode dosimeters for a variety of commercially available silicon diode dosimeters for radiotherapy photon beams in the energy range of (60)Co-24 MV. These values were obtained at 5 cm depth along the central axis of a water-equivalent phantom of 10 cm × 10 cm field size. The Monte Carlo calculations were based on the EGSnrc code system. The diode dosimeters considered in the calculations have different buildup materials such as aluminum, brass, copper, and stainless steel + epoxy. The calculated normalized sensitivity values of the diode dosimeters were then compared to previously published measured values for photon beams at (60)Co-20 MV. The comparison showed reasonable agreement for some diode dosimeters and deviations of 5-17 % (17 % for the 3.4 mm brass buildup case for a 10 MV beam) for some diode dosimeters. Larger deviations of the measurements reflect that these models of the diode dosimeter were too simple. The effect of wall materials on the absorbed dose to the diode was studied and the results are presented. Spencer-Attix and Bragg-Gray stopping power ratios (SPRs) of water-to-diode were calculated at 5 cm depth in water. The Bragg-Gray SPRs of water-to-diode compare well with Spencer-Attix SPRs for ∆ = 100 keV and above at all beam qualities. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever629 | Underwater polypectomy without submucosal injection for colorectal lesions ≤ 20 mm in size-a multicenter retrospective observational study.
BACKGROUND
Underwater polypectomy (UWP) of large (≥ 20 mm) colorectal lesions is well described, but reports of UWP for lesions ≤ 20 mm in size, which account for > 95% of polyps encountered in routine clinical practice, are limited. We assessed the feasibility of UWP in routine practice across various sites for colorectal lesions ≤ 20 mm in size.
METHODS
A multicenter retrospective study was performed on pooled data from nine colonoscopists at 3 U.S., 1 Taiwanese and 2 Italian sites. Outcomes related to UWP on lesions ≤ 20 mm in size were analyzed.
RESULTS
In 117 patients, UWP netted 169 lesions. Polypectomy by hot (HSP, 54%) or cold (CSP, 41%) snare, and cold forceps (CFP, 5%) were performed successfully without endoscopic evidence of residual neoplasia or immediate clinically significant adverse events. The majority (74.6%) were tubular adenomas; 60.9% were from the proximal colon. Histopathologic margins were positive in 4 and unavailable in 26 CSP and 24 HSP specimens. The remainder had negative resection margins on pathologic reports.
CONCLUSION
UWP for colorectal lesions ≤ 20 mm in routine practice across multiple sites confirms the feasibility and acceptability of this technique. Improvement of resection outcomes by UWP in routine practice deserves further evaluation in a randomized controlled trial. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever630 | Inhibition of TBK1 reduces choroidal neovascularization in vitro and in vivo.
choroidal neovascularization (CNV), a characteristic of wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), causes severe vision loss among elderly patients. TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) is a ubiquitously expressed serine-threonine kinase and is found to induce endothelial cells proliferation, represent a novel mediator of tumor angiogenesis and exert pro-inflammatory effect. However, the role of TBK1 in choroidal neovascularization has not been investigated so far. In this study, we found that the expression of TBK1 and VEGF was up-regulated in RF/6 A cells chemical hypoxia model and laser-induced mouse CNV model. Silencing of TBK1 suppressed the proliferation and tube formation activity of RF/6 A cells. Intravitreal injection of anti-TBK1 monoclonal antibody ameliorates CNV formation. Taken together, these findings exhibit a proangiogenic role for TBK1 via upregulating the expression of VEGF, and may suggest that TBK1 inhibition offers a unique and alternative method for prevention and treatment of AMD. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever631 | Cardiovascular Medication Use and Long-Term Outcomes of First Nations and Non-First Nations Patients Following Diagnostic Angiography: A Retrospective Cohort Study.
Background In Canada, First Nations (FN) people are at greater risk of mortality than the general population following index angiography. This disparity has not been investigated while considering guideline-recommended cardiovascular medication use. Methods and Results Retrospective analysis of administrative health data investigated patterns of medication dispensation during the first year after index angiography among patients in Manitoba, Canada. Medication possession ratios (MPRs) reflecting the percentage of days in which medications were supplied were calculated separately for β-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, statins, and antiplatelets (clopidogrel). Patients were assigned to 1 of 4 categories: (1) not dispensed (0% MPR), (2) low (1-39% MPR), (3) intermediate (40-79% MPR), (4) high (≥80% MPR). Cox regression models that adjusted for MPR categories were used to explore the association between FN patients and both 5-year all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality. FN patients were less likely to have an intermediate MPR (odds ratio: 0.75; 95% CI, 0.57-0.99) or a high MPR (odds ratio: 0.64; 95% CI, 0.50-0.81) for statin medications than non-FN patients. FN patients also had higher adjusted risks of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality than non-FN patients (hazard ratio, all-cause: 1.54 [95% CI, 1.25-1.89]; cardiovascular: 1.62 [95% CI, 1.16-2.25]). Conclusions FN status was independently associated with intermediate and high MPRs for statins during the first year following index angiography among patients with known ischemic heart disease. Differences in MPR categories did not explain the disparity in all-cause and cardiovascular mortality between the 2 populations. Reduction of cardiovascular disparities may be best addressed using primary prevention strategies that include decolonizing policies and practices. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever632 | Trait and state anxiety in animal models: Is there correlation?
It is believed that subjects with high trait anxiety levels tend to present state anxiety reactions with greater intensity than individuals with low trait anxiety levels. In order to verify if this premise is valid for animal models of anxiety, the present work investigated the possible correlation between two behavioral tests: the elevated plus-maze, a classic model of state-anxiety, and the free-exploratory paradigm, which has been proposed as a model of trait anxiety. The behavior of 46 drug-naive, adult, Wistar, male rats was measured in these two models on two occasions, 1 week apart. Subsequently, the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated for the parameters "percentage of time in the novel side" (%TNS; free-exploratory paradigm), "percentage of time in the open arms" (%TOA; elevated plus-maze) and "percentage of entries into the open arms" (%EOA; elevated plus-maze). These parameters were also used to classify the animals into groups presenting high, medium or low levels of anxiety in both tests, so that the concordance between the models could be evaluated through the kappa test. The analysis resulted in low ICC (%TNSx%TOA: -0.127; %TNSx%EOA: 0.040) and low kappa index (%TNSx%TOA: -0.017; %TNSx%EOA: -0.044), suggesting a poor correspondence between the free-exploratory paradigm and the elevated plus-maze. In conclusion, the data presented here indicate that the premise of correlation between trait and state anxiety is not necessarily true for animal models of anxiety and, therefore, care must be exercised when using state anxiety models in order to determine animals' anxiety profile. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever633 | Cutaneous Body Image: How the Mental Health Benefits of Treating Dermatologic Disease Support Military Readiness in Service Members.
It is well established that many common skin diseases may result in mild to severe cosmetic disfigurement. Similarly, patients with these conditions have an increased risk for depression, anxiety, feelings of stigmatization, and self-harm ideation. There also is an increased risk for hospitalizations for mental health in patients with acne, rosacea, and hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). Cutaneous body image (CBI) is an individual's mental perception of the condition of their hair, nails, and skin. A positive CBI may be related to increased quality of life, and a negative CBI may be associated with poorer outcomes, such as insomnia, worsened overall morbidity of dermatologic disease, and intentional self-injury. For military service members who face a multitude of operational demands and who must be ready to "fight tonight," a holistic approach that addresses both physical and mental health is critical. Military dermatologists have the tools and expertise available to treat cutaneous disease, which by extension may improve body image, quality of life, and morale in military service members. Herein, we discuss how dermatologic treatments that often are thought of as nonessential cosmetic therapies can positively influence CBI and thus increase military readiness. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever634 | An economic analysis of managed fee-for-service and direct reimbursement.
This economic analysis compares the direct reimbursement approach with the managed fee-for-service approach to the delivery and payment for dental care. Asymmetrical distribution of information between patients and dentists characterizes the market and gives rise to a principal-agent problem. To solve this problem, third-party payers have devised various methods for managing delivery and payment for dental care by monitoring and encouraging providers to assure a certain level of quality at defined costs. Direct reimbursement has been promoted by dental care providers as an alternative to the traditional third-party payer model and has at its core the elimination of many of the currently used managed care control mechanisms. The authors conclude that managed fee-for-service plan concepts deal with current economic issues more realistically than do direct reimbursement arrangements. Furthermore, the authors predict that direct reimbursement prevalence would lead to higher average prices for dental care and a change in the mix of services skewed toward high cost, marginally beneficial treatments. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever635 | Prolonged colonization of mice by Vibrio cholerae El Tor O1 depends on accessory toxins.
Cholera epidemics caused by Vibrio cholerae El Tor O1 strains are typified by a large number of asymptomatic carriers who excrete vibrios but do not develop diarrhea. This carriage state was important for the spread of the seventh cholera pandemic as the bacterium was mobilized geographically, allowing the global dispersion of this less virulent strain. Virulence factors associated with the development of the carriage state have not been previously identified. We have developed an animal model of cholera in adult C57BL/6 mice wherein V. cholerae colonizes the mucus layer and forms microcolonies in the crypts of the distal small bowel. Colonization occurred 1 to 3 h after oral inoculation and peaked at 10 to 12 h, when bacterial loads exceeded the inoculum by 10- to 200-fold, indicating bacterial growth within the small intestine. After a clearance phase, the number of bacteria within the small intestine, but not those in the cecum or colon, stabilized and persisted for at least 72 h. The ability of V. cholerae to prevent clearance and establish this prolonged colonization was associated with the accessory toxins hemolysin, the multifunctional autoprocessing RTX toxin, and hemagglutinin/protease and did not require cholera toxin or toxin-coregulated pili. The defect in colonization attributed to the loss of the accessory toxins may be extracellularly complemented by inoculation of the defective strain with an isogenic colonization-proficient V. cholerae strain. This work thus demonstrates that secreted accessory toxins modify the host environment to enable prolonged colonization of the small intestine in the absence of overt disease symptoms and thereby contribute to disease dissemination via asymptomatic carriers. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever636 | Cloning and expression pattern of EPAS1 in the chicken embryo. Colocalization with tyrosine hydroxylase.
EPAS1 is a hypoxia-inducible transcription factor, highly expressed in vasculature and recently shown to be necessary for catecholamine production during embryogenesis. We report here the cloning and detailed expression pattern of this factor in the chicken embryo. We show that chicken EPAS1 presents an overall identity of 76% with the human sequence and that it is strongly expressed in the blood vessel wall, mostly in endothelial cells, but also in vascular smooth muscle cells. Moreover, we report non-vascular expression sites: liver, kidney, and, quite interestingly, cells of the sympathetic nervous system where EPAS1 is coexpressed with one of its putative target genes, the tyrosine hydroxylase. EPAS1 could therefore represent the link between the vascular system and the sympathetic nervous system, both sensitive to hypoxia. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever637 | Alveolar Macrophage Polarisation in Lung Cancer.
The role of alveolar macrophages in lung cancer is multifaceted and conflicting. Alveolar macrophage secretion of proinflammatory cytokines has been found to enhance antitumour functions, cytostasis (inhibition of tumour growth), and cytotoxicity (macrophage-mediated killing). In contrast, protumour functions of alveolar macrophages in lung cancer have also been indicated. Inhibition of antitumour function via secretion of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 as well as reduced secretion of proinflammatory cytokines and reduction of mannose receptor expression on alveolar macrophages may contribute to lung cancer progression and metastasis. Alveolar macrophages have also been found to contribute to angiogenesis and tumour growth via the secretion of IL-8 and VEGF. This paper reviews the evidence for a dual role of alveolar macrophages in lung cancer progression. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever638 | [Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome].
The reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS) is an under-estimated transient acute cerebrovascular disorder. It has long been mistaken as central nervous system vasculitis whereas it is now believed to result from an acute but prolonged vasospasm of cerebral arteries. This disorder can be precipitated by postpartum or vasoactive drug. However, it occurs spontaneously in a significant number of cases. The characteristic clinico-radiological presentation and disease course of the RCVS has been delineated only recently. Mean age at onset is 40-45 years, with a female predominance. A provocative factor can be identified in 12-60% out of the patients. Clinical presentation is predominantly marked by recurrent thunderclap headaches, but can be complicated with focal neurological deficit or seizures. Brain imaging is normal in most cases, but can reveal hemorrhagic or ischemic complications. Cortical subarachnoid hemorrhage is a suggestive finding. A posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) can be seen occasionally. Cerebral angiography reveals multifocal arterial narrowing with string and bead appearance. Cerebrospinal fluid reveals no or mild abnormalities. The disease resumes spontaneously within several days to weeks, whereas vasoconstriction reverses within 1 to 3 months. This clinico-radiological presentation should be promptly recognized in order to avoid unnecessary investigations and aggressive treatment, and lead to search for a triggering factor. Further studies are required in order to clarify the precipitating role of several drugs, and clinical trials are needed to reduce the occurrence of strokes. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever639 | Non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction in the Netherlands: room for improvement!
AIM
To analyse non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) care in the Netherlands and to identify modifiable factors to improve NSTEMI healthcare.
METHODS
This retrospective cohort study analysed hospital and pharmacy claims data of all NSTEMI patients in the Netherlands in 2015. The effect of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) during hospitalisation on 1‑year mortality was investigated in the subcohort alive 4 days after NSTEMI. The effect of medical treatment on 1‑year mortality was assessed in the subcohort alive 30 days after NSTEMI. The effect of age, gender and co-morbidities was evaluated. PCI during hospitalisation was defined as PCI within 72 h after NSTEMI and optimal medical treatment was defined as the combined use of an aspirin species, P2Y12 inhibitor, statin, beta-blocker and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin II receptor blocker, started within 30 days after NSTEMI.
RESULTS
Data from 17,997 NSTEMI patients (age 69.6 (SD = 12.8) years, 64% male) were analysed. Of the patients alive 4 days after NSTEMI, 43% had a PCI during hospitalisation and 1‑year mortality was 10%. In the subcohort alive 30 days after NSTEMI, 47% of patients were receiving optimal medical treatment at 30 days and 1‑year mortality was 7%. PCI during hospitalisation (odds ratio (OR) 0.42; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.37-0.48) and optimal medical treatment (OR 0.59; 95% CI 0.51-0.67) were associated with a lower 1‑year mortality.
CONCLUSION
In Dutch NSTEMI patients, use of PCI during hospitalisation and prescription of optimal medical treatment are modest. As both are independently associated with a lower 1‑year mortality, this study provides direction on how to improve the quality of NSTEMI healthcare in the Netherlands. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever640 | Encapsulation of chiral Fe(salan) in nanocages with different microenvironments for asymmetric sulfide oxidation.
The solid catalysts for asymmetric oxidation of sulfides were prepared by encapsulating a chiral iron salan complex [Fe(salan)] in the nanocages of mesoporous silicas. The microenvironment of nanocages was finely tuned using silylation reagents with different kinds of organic groups, such as propyl (C3), 1-butyl-3-propyl-4,5-dihydroimidazolium bromide (ILBr), N-propyl-N,N,N-tri-n-butylammonium chloride (TBNCl) and N-propyl-N,N,N-tri-n-butylammonium bromide (TBNBr), and investigated by water and benzene adsorption. Fe(salan) encapsulated in the amphiphilic nanocage shows much higher enantioselectivity and activity than that in hydrophobic or hydrophilic nanocage for the asymmetric oxidation of thioanisole using H(2)O(2) as oxidant. The TOF of Fe(salan) encapsulated in the nanocage modified with TBNBr can reach as high as 220 h(-1), even higher than homogeneous Fe(salan) with a TOF of 112 h(-1). The enhanced catalytic activity is mainly due to the fast diffusion of H(2)O(2) and sulfide in the amphiphilic nanocage. The above results suggest that the microenvironment modification of the nanocage is an efficient method to synthesize highly efficient solid catalysts for asymmetric catalysis. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever641 | Multicentre randomized controlled trial comparing ferric(III)carboxymaltose infusion with oral iron supplementation in the treatment of preoperative anaemia in colorectal cancer patients.
BACKGROUND
At least a third of patients with a colorectal carcinoma who are candidate for surgery, are anaemic preoperatively. Preoperative anaemia is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. In general practice, little attention is paid to these anaemic patients. Some will have oral iron prescribed others not. The waiting period prior to elective colorectal surgery could be used to optimize a patients' physiological status. The aim of this study is to determine the efficacy of preoperative intravenous iron supplementation in comparison with the standard preoperative oral supplementation in anaemic patients with colorectal cancer.
METHODS/DESIGN
In this multicentre randomized controlled trial, patients with an M0-staged colorectal carcinoma who are scheduled for curative resection and with a proven iron deficiency anaemia are eligible for inclusion. Main exclusion criteria are palliative surgery, metastatic disease, neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (5 × 5 Gy = no exclusion) and the use of Recombinant Human Erythropoietin within three months before inclusion or a blood transfusion within a month before inclusion. Primary endpoint is the percentage of patients that achieve normalisation of the haemoglobin level between the start of the treatment and the day of admission for surgery. This study is a superiority trial, hypothesizing a greater proportion of patients achieving the primary endpoint in favour of iron infusion compared to oral supplementation. A total of 198 patients will be randomized to either ferric(III)carboxymaltose infusion in the intervention arm or ferrofumarate in the control arm. This study will be performed in ten centres nationwide and one centre in Ireland.
DISCUSSION
This is the first randomized controlled trial to determine the efficacy of preoperative iron supplementation in exclusively anaemic patients with a colorectal carcinoma. Our trial hypotheses a more profound haemoglobin increase with intravenous iron which may contribute to a superior optimisation of the patient's condition and possibly a decrease in postoperative morbidity.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
ClincalTrials.gov: NCT02243735 . | No pos | No neg |
Retriever642 | Coresidence and Geographic Proximity of Mothers and Adult Children in Stepfamilies.
Children who live with or near a parent provide more care and receive more help from parents than geographically distant children. Stepfamily ties may be weaker than ties between biological kin, but little is known about the geographic proximity of step- versus biological kin. The authors used data from the Health and Retirement Study (N = 13,239 mothers and 45,675 biological and stepchildren) to show that stepchildren and stepmothers are less likely to live together, less likely to live nearby, and less likely to move closer than biological children and mothers. When mothers have only stepchildren, they are less likely to have a coresident child or a child nearby than mothers with both step- and biological children. Coresidence and geographic proximity are lower in stepfamilies formed after divorce than after widowhood. The findings are consistent with a legacy of conflict and strain and the likely competing needs of biological and stepmothers. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever643 | COVID-19 pandemic and personal protective equipment shortage: protective efficacy comparing masks and scientific methods for respirator reuse.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS
The abrupt outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 and its rapid spread over many healthcare systems throughout the world has led to a shortage in personal protective equipment (PPE), which cannot be solved by reducing their use or by increasing production. It is thus necessary to promote PPE rational use, highlighting possible differences in terms of efficacy and promoting an effective technique to reuse them.
METHODS
A literature search was performed on PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane database, and Google Scholar, and from the 25 top cited articles, 15 were selected for relevance and impact.
RESULTS
Most studies on previous respiratory virus epidemics to date suggest surgical masks are not inferior compared with N95 respirators in terms of protective efficacy among healthcare workers. Therefore, the use of N95 respirators should be limited to high-risk situations. Concerning respirator reuse, highly energetic, short-wave, ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) at 254 nm was determined to decontaminate N95 respirators from viral respiratory agents, but UVGI requires careful consideration of the type of respirator and of the biologic target.
CONCLUSIONS
Rational use and successful reuse of respirators can help in the shortage of PPE during a pandemic. Further studies testing UVGI and other decontamination techniques are an unmet need. The definitive answer to pandemic issues can be found in artificial intelligence and deep learning. These groundbreaking modalities could help in identifying high-risk patients and in suggesting appropriate types and use of PPE. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever644 | The influence of tRNA located at the P-site on the turnover of EF-Tu.GTP on ribosomes.
The turnover of EF-Tu.GTP on poly-U programmed ribosomes was measured both in the presence and in the absence of N-acetylated Phe-tRNA(Phe) at the P-site. The reaction was uncoupled from protein synthesis by omitting Phe-tRNA(Phe) at the A-site. In this reaction, the ribosome can be considered as an enzyme catalysing the transition of EF-Tu.GTP to EF-Tu.GTP. A constant EF-Tu.GTP concentration is maintained by regenerating GDP to GTP at the expense of phosphoenolpyruvate by pyruvate kinase. The rate constants are determined using a procedure which corrects for the reduction in specific activity of GTP due to regeneration of the nucleotide. Ribosomes with an occupied P-site are more efficient in stimulating the GTPase of EF-Tu.GTP than ribosomes with an empty P-site. The data suggest that this is mainly caused by an increased affinity of EF-Tu.GTP for ribosomes with a filled P-site rather than by an enhanced reactivity of the GTPase centre. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever645 | Photo-induced adhesive carboxymethyl chitosan-based hydrogels with antibacterial and antioxidant properties for accelerating wound healing.
Designing adhesive hydrogel wound dressings with inherent antibacterial and antioxidant properties is desirable to treat cutaneous full-thickness injuries in clinical care. Herein, a series of photo-induced Schiff base crosslinking-based adhesive hydrogels with promising traits are designed and prepared through Diels-Alder (DA) reactions between functional groups-grafted carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) and a photo-responsive polyethylene glycol (PEG) crosslinker. The quaternary ammonium and phenol groups in modified CMCS endows hydrogels excellent antibacterial and antioxidant properties. Upon UV (365 nm) irradiation, the generated o-nitrosobenzaldehyde from the photo-isomerization of o-nitrobenzyl in PEG derivative can subsequently crosslink with amino groups on tissue interfaces via Schiff base, endowing the hydrogel with well adhesiveness. Additionally, the hydrogel exhibits good BSA adsorption capacity, cytocompatibility and hemostatic property. The in vivo full-thickness skin defect study on mice indicates that the multi-functional hydrogel with considerable collagen deposition and vascularization capacities can be an effective and promising adhesive dressing for improving wound healing. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever646 | Tissue-steroid interactions in canine hormone-dependent tumours.
Mammary tumour tissue from two bitches and an anal adenoma from a dog were investigated for steroid receptor interaction. Both mammary tumours possessed cytoplasmic macromolecules sedimenting with coefficients of 4S and 8S that bound oestradiol-17beta. These receptors had molecular weights of approximately 60,000 and 180,000 respectively. Transfer of the oestrogen to the nucleus was shown and the presence of a 4-5S nuclear protein demonstrated. The anal adenoma had a cytoplasmic receptor, with a sedimentation value in a sucrose density gradient of 4-5S with respect to bovine serum albumin, that bound tritiated 5alpha-androstane-3alpha, 17alpha-diol. No affinity could be demonstrated for other C19-steroids examined. The significance of these findings in terms of the hormone dependence of the tumours investigated and the possible development of these studies to promote rational therapy in such cases is discussed. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever647 | Young men's views toward the barriers and facilitators of Internet-based Chlamydia trachomatis screening: qualitative study.
BACKGROUND
There is a growing number of Internet-based approaches that offer young people screening for sexually transmitted infections.
OBJECTIVE
This paper explores young men's views towards the barriers and facilitators of implementing an Internet-based screening approach. The study sought to consider ways in which the proposed intervention would reach and engage men across ages and socioeconomic backgrounds.
METHODS
This qualitative study included 15 focus groups with 60 heterosexual young men (aged 16-24 years) across central Scotland, drawn across age and socioeconomic backgrounds. Focus groups began by obtaining postcode data to allocate participants to a high/low deprivation category. Focus group discussions involved exploration of men's knowledge of chlamydia, use of technology, and views toward Internet-based screening. Men were shown sample screening invitation letters, test kits, and existing screening websites to facilitate discussions. Transcripts from audio recordings were analyzed with "Framework Analysis".
RESULTS
Men's Internet and technology use was heterogeneous in terms of individual practices, with greater use among older men (aged 20-24 years) than teenagers and some deprivation-related differences in use. We detail three themes related to barriers to successful implementation: acceptability, confidentiality and privacy concerns, and language, style, and content. These themes identify ways Internet-based screening approaches may fail to engage some men, such as by raising anxiety and failing to convey confidentiality. Men wanted screening websites to frame screening as a serious issue, rather than using humorous images and text. Participants were encouraged to reach a consensus within their groups on their broad design and style preferences for a screening website; this led to a set of common preferences that they believed were likely to engage men across age and deprivation groups and lead to greater screening uptake.
CONCLUSIONS
The Internet provides opportunities for re-evaluating how we deliver sexual health promotion and engage young men in screening. Interventions using such technology should focus on uptake by age and socioeconomic background. Young people should be engaged as coproducers of intervention materials and websites to ensure messages and content are framed appropriately within a fast-changing environment. Doing so may go some way to addressing the overall lower levels of testing and screening among men compared with women. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever648 | Complementary addressed modification of double-stranded DNA within a ternary complex.
Double-stranded DNA containing a d(pG)18.d(pC)18 sequence was shown to be selectively alkylated in the vicinity of this fragment using the 5'-p-(N-2-chloroethyl-N-methylamino)benzylamide of deoxyribooligocytidylate, CIRCH2NH(pdC)n (n = 9,15), in conditions favouring triple-stranded complex formation. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever649 | Application of Hollow Fiber Ultrafiltration Technology in the Detection of Total IgE of Hemolytic Blood after Death.
Objective To investigate the treatment effect of hollow fiber ultrafiltration technology on hemolytic samples and the differences between IgE concentration and serum concentration before hemolysis in ultrafiltrate. Methods The 33 postmortem blood samples of non-frozen corpses within 72 hours after death were collected, 4 mL blood was taken from each case, among which 1 mL was centrifuged to get serum, and the remaining 3 mL blood was frozen-thawed 3-5 times to cause complete hemolysis. The 2 mL hemolytic samples were processed by hollow fiber ultrafiltration to obtain ultrafiltrate. The hemoglobin concentration in serum, complete hemolytic sample and ultrafiltrate was determined by Van-Zij solution-cyanated methemoglobin assay method, and the total IgE in serum and ultrafiltrate was determined by electrochemical luminescence method. Results The hemoglobin concentration in ultrafiltrate was significantly lower than that in complete hemolytic samples （P<0.05）. There was a good correlation between the total IgE detection values of ultrafiltrate and serum （r=0.984）. The difference between the serum and the value of IgE in ultrafiltrate after correction had no statistical significance, and the differences between the two in positive rates had no statistical significance （P>0.05）. Conclusion Ultrafiltration technology has a good treatment effect on complete hemolytic samples, and the correction value of ultrafiltrate detection is close to the serum level before hemolysis, and therefore, it can be applied to the detection of total IgE of frozen corpse hemolytic samples. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever650 | Serum and Mucosal CD30 in Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: Useful Biomarker for Diagnosis and Disease Activity Monitoring?
BACKGROUND
Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) frequently manifest in pediatric age, but may have atypical clinical, histological and laboratory features. Their underlying immune pathophysiology is incompletely understood, rendering quick diagnosis followed by tailored therapy difficult. The tumor necrosis factor superfamily receptor CD30 has been proposed as a potential marker of ulcerative colitis (UC) and has also been associated with elevated Th2 helper T cells.
METHODS
A cohort of pediatric patients with UC and Crohn's disease (CD) was evaluated for serum soluble CD30 (sCD30) using ELISA and expression of CD30 and subpopulations of Th1/Th2/Th17 lymphocytes in the gastrointestinal mucosa using flow cytometry (FCM). The dataset is supported by endoscopic and microscopic activity of the disease and basic laboratory markers of inflammation.
RESULTS
The cohort consisted of 102 observations from 94 patients. sCD30 levels did not differ between patients with CD or UC. However, sCD30 levels correlated with levels of CRP, ESR, fecal calprotectin and albumin and also with clinical activity of the disease in patients with both UC and CD. FCM was not helpful in evaluation of mucosal CD30, which was lowly expressed and not associated with the diagnosis or disease activity. We show augmented Th2 and Th1/17 response in terminal ileum and right-sided colon and decreased Th1/17 response in left-sided colon of UC patients. T lymphocyte subsets were also affected by anti-TNF treatment and patients' age.
CONCLUSIONS
Neither sCD30 nor mucosal CD30 expression was helpful in differentiating between UC and CD. sCD30 seems to reflect a degree of systemic inflammation and clinical activity in IBD. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever651 | [Identification of patients at risk of malignant arrhythmia in the 1st year after myocardial infarction].
Two hundred twenty two consecutive patients with acute myocardial infarction were followed for one year. We evaluated the usefulness of late potentials, the spectral analysis, heart rate variability, infarct-related coronary artery, ejection fraction, arrhythmias during Holter monitoring and other clinical variables as risk markers for developing of ventricular arrhythmias and/or sudden death. Twenty four patients (10.8%) had late arrhythmic events: sudden death in 7, sustained ventricular tachycardia in 15 and unexplained syncope in 2. Late potentials had high sensitivity (94%) and negative predictive value (99%), followed by an occluded related-infarct coronary artery (75% sensitivity and 96% negative predictive value). Complex ventricular arrhythmias during Holter monitoring was the test with the highest specificity (92%). A combination of late potentials plus an occluded infarct-related coronary artery or late potentials plus ejection fraction showed 100% sensitivity with 100% negative predictive value. Of the 16 studied variables, 5 had independent and significative value as a predictor of arrhythmic events, these are, according to the relative risk: late potentials (20.2), ejection fraction less than 40% (12.1), complex arrhythmias during Holter monitoring (7.5), the presence of an occluded infarct-related coronary artery (6.4) and anterior myocardial infarction localization (4.5). We consider, that with a combination of simple methods of assessment, we can select a subgroup of survivors of an acute myocardial infarction at high risk of developing ventricular arrhythmias and sudden death, which also identifies patients with low risk for these complications. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever652 | Intracellular targeting and trafficking of thrombin receptors. A novel mechanism for resensitization of a G protein-coupled receptor.
The receptor for the protease thrombin is a member of the G protein-coupled receptor family, but is activated by a unique proteolytic mechanism. The irreversibility of this proteolytic mechanism and the fact that the ligand is tethered to its receptor raise special questions about inactivation of cleaved receptors and recovery of thrombin responsiveness. We compared the intracellular trafficking of the thrombin receptor to that of the beta 2-adrenergic receptor in transfected Rat1 fibroblasts. In unstimulated cells almost all beta 2 receptors were located on the plasma membrane; by contrast, part of a cell's thrombin receptors were found in an intracellular membrane compartment which co-localized with Golgi markers. Stimulation by agonist caused internalization and subsequent recycling of the beta 2-adrenergic receptor, but most activated thrombin receptors were internalized and targeted to lysosomes. The intracellular pool of thrombin receptors found in unstimulated cells was protected from activation by thrombin, but was translocated to the plasma membrane upon activation of cell surface thrombin receptors. Replenishment of plasma membrane thrombin receptors correlated with recovery of thrombin responsiveness. These observations reveal a novel trafficking mechanism for resensitizing the thrombin receptor as opposed to the internalization/recycling pathway of other G protein-coupled receptors. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever653 | BPT for Early-Onset Behavior Disorders: Examining the Link Between Treatment Components and Trajectories of Child Internalizing Symptoms.
Behavioral Parent Training (BPT) is the standard of care for early-onset Behavior Disorders (BDs). Preliminary evidence suggests that BPT may also lead to improvement in comorbid symptomatology, particularly internalizing problems, in children with BDs, yet less is currently known about how BPT produces such cascading effects. To begin to address this gap in the literature, trajectory analyses were used to examine the link between treatment components of one mastery-based BPT program, Helping the Noncompliant Child (HNC), and child internalizing symptoms over the course of treatment. Findings revealed that parental use of the Attends skill (i.e., parental description of child activity with warmth and enthusiasm) over time was significantly associated with decreases in trajectories of child internalizing symptoms across treatment. Further probing of these effects revealed that parent use of average or above-average levels of Attends across treatment sessions led to significant reductions in child internalizing symptoms by Sessions 7 to 10 of treatment. Consistent with the movement toward a modular approach to the treatment of children, findings highlight the importance of identifying particular BPT skills that can be used in treatment to target multiple comorbid child symptom clusters. Clinical implications and future directions are discussed. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever654 | Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for HIV antibody by a glass slide technique.
An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique is described which utilizes a commercially available glass microscope slide coated with hydrophobic teflon in such a pattern as to give 30 small circular wells, each of which has a glass bottom. Each well serves as a solid phase, analogous to a microtiter well for adsorption of purified human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antigens. Since only 5-10 microliter volumes of reagents are used and rinsing processing is simple, the cost per test is much less than most other ELISA technologies. HIV antigen is stable for over 1 year at 37 degrees C when dried on the glass slides. The sensitivity and specificity of the micro slide immunoenzymatic assay (Micro-SIA) was studied by testing randomly selected, known HIV-seropositive and seronegative plasma. Results compare well with microtiter and Western blot assays. A simple vertical-beam colorimeter is described (useful in the Micro-SIA) which can be easily assembled by the user from commonly available components. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever655 | Unleashing potential: transcranial direct current stimulation over the right posterior parietal cortex improves change detection in low-performing individuals.
The limits of human visual short-term memory (VSTM) have been well documented, and recent neuroscientific studies suggest that VSTM performance is associated with activity in the posterior parietal cortex. Here we show that artificially elevating parietal activity via positively charged electric current through the skull can rapidly and effortlessly improve people's VSTM performance. This artificial improvement, however, comes with an interesting twist: it interacts with people's natural VSTM capability such that low performers who tend to remember less information benefitted from the stimulation, whereas high performers did not. This behavioral dichotomy is explained by event-related potentials around the parietal regions: low performers showed increased waveforms in N2pc and contralateral delay activity (CDA), which implies improvement in attention deployment and memory access in the current paradigm, respectively. Interestingly, these components are found during the presentation of the test array instead of the retention interval, from the parietal sites ipsilateral to the target location, thus suggesting that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) was mainly improving one's ability to suppress no-change distractors located on the irrelevant side of the display during the comparison stage. The high performers, however, did not benefit from tDCS as they showed equally large waveforms in N2pc and CDA, or SPCN (sustained parietal contralateral negativity), before and after the stimulation such that electrical stimulation could not help any further, which also accurately accounts for our behavioral observations. Together, these results suggest that there is indeed a fixed upper limit in VSTM, but the low performers can benefit from neurostimulation to reach that maximum via enhanced comparison processes, and such behavioral improvement can be directly quantified and visualized by the magnitude of its associated electrophysiological waveforms. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever656 | Glypican-3 (GPC3) inhibits metastasis development promoting dormancy in breast cancer cells by p38 MAPK pathway activation.
GPC3 is a proteoglycan involved in the control of proliferation and survival, which has been linked to several tumor types. In this respect, we previously demonstrated that normal breast tissues exhibit high levels of GPC3, while its expression is diminished in tumors. However, the role of the GPC3 downregulation in breast cancer progression and its molecular and cellular operational machineries are not fully understood. In this study we showed that GPC3 reverts the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) underwent by mammary tumor cells, blocks metastatic spread and induces dormancy at secondary site. Using genetically modified murine breast cancer cell sublines, we demonstrated that the phospho-Erk/phospho-p38 ratio is lower in GPC3 reexpressing cells, while p21, p27 and SOX2 levels are higher, suggesting a dormant phenotype. In vivo metastasis assays confirmed that GPC3 reexpressing cells reduce their metastatic ability. Interestingly, the presence of dormant cells was evidenced in the lungs of inoculated mice. Dormant cells could reactivate their proliferative capacity, remain viable as well as tumorigenic, but they reentered in dormancy upon reaching secondary site. We also proved that GPC3 inhibits metastasis through p38 pathway activation. The in vivo inhibition of p38 induced an increase in cell invasion of GPC3 reexpressing orthotropic tumors as well as in spontaneous and experimental metastatic dissemination. In conclusion, our study shows that GPC3 returns mesenchymal-like breast cancer cells to an epithelial phenotype, impairs in vivo metastasis and induces tumor dormancy through p38 MAPK signaling activation. These results help to identify genetic determinants of dormancy and suggest the translational potential of research focusing in GPC3. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever657 | Patient and Prehospital Predictors of Hospital Admission for Patients With and Without Histories of Diabetes Treated by Paramedics for Hypoglycemia: A Health Record Review Study.
OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this study were to describe the characteristics, management, and outcomes of patients treated by paramedics for hypoglycemia, and to determine the predictors of hospital admission for these patients within 72 hours of the initial hypoglycemia event.
METHODS
We performed a health record review of paramedic call reports and emergency department records over a 12-month period. We queried prehospital databases to identify cases, which included all patients ⩾18 years with prehospital glucose readings of <72 mg/dl (<4.0 mmol/L) and excluded terminally ill and cardiac arrest patients. We developed and piloted a standardized data collection tool and obtained consensus on all data definitions before initiation of data extraction by trained investigators. Data analyses included descriptive statistics univariate and logistic regression presented as adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI).
RESULTS
There were 791 patients with the following characteristics: mean age 56.2, male 52.3%, type 1 diabetes 11.6%, on insulin 43.3%, median initial glucose 54.0 mg/dl (3.0 mmol/L), from home 56.4%. They were treated by advanced care paramedics 80.1%, received intravenous D50 37.8%, intramuscular glucagon 17.8%, oral complex carbs/protein 25.7%, and accepted transport to hospital 70.2%. Among those transported, 134 (24.3%) were initially admitted and four more were admitted within 72 hours. One patient was admitted, discharged, and admitted again within 72 hours. Patients without documented histories of diabetes (aOR 2.35, CI 1.13-4.86), with cardiovascular disease (aOR 1.81, CI 1.10-3.00), on corticosteroids (aOR 4.63, CI 2.15-9.96), on oral hypoglycemic agent(s) (aOR 1.92, CI 1.02-3.62), or those given glucagon (aOR 1.77, CI 1.07-2.93) on scene were more likely to be admitted to hospital, whereas patients on insulin (aOR 0.49, CI 0.27-0.91), able to tolerate complex oral carbs/protein (aOR 0.22, CI 0.10-0.48), with final GCS scores of 15 (aOR 0.53, CI 0.34-0.83), or from public locations (aOR 0.40, CI 0.21-0.75) were less likely to be admitted.
CONCLUSIONS
There are several patient and prehospital management characteristics which, in combination, could be incorporated into a safe clinical decision tool for patients who present with hypoglycemia. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever658 | Benefits and challenges of Big Data in healthcare: an overview of the European initiatives.
Healthcare systems around the world are facing incredible challenges due to the ageing population and the related disability, and the increasing use of technologies and citizen's expectations. Improving health outcomes while containing costs acts as a stumbling block. In this context, Big Data can help healthcare providers meet these goals in unprecedented ways. The potential of Big Data in healthcare relies on the ability to detect patterns and to turn high volumes of data into actionable knowledge for precision medicine and decision makers. In several contexts, the use of Big Data in healthcare is already offering solutions for the improvement of patient care and the generation of value in healthcare organizations. This approach requires, however, that all the relevant stakeholders collaborate and adapt the design and performance of their systems. They must build the technological infrastructure to house and converge the massive volume of healthcare data, and to invest in the human capital to guide citizens into this new frontier of human health and well-being. The present work reports an overview of best practice initiatives in Europe related to Big Data analytics in public health and oncology sectors, aimed to generate new knowledge, improve clinical care and streamline public health surveillance. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever659 | Solvent-Free Synthesis of Hollow Carbon Nanostructures for Efficient Sodium Storage.
The structural characteristics of hollow carbon nanostructures (HCNs) result in intriguing physicochemical properties and various applications, especially for electrochemical energy storage applications. However, the currently solvent-based template methods to prepare HCNs are still far from meeting the facile, environment-friendly, and scalable demand. Herein, we explored a general and facile solvent-free block copolymer self-assembly approach to prepare various hollow hard carbon nanostructures, including hollow carbon nanofibers, hollow carbon Janus nanotadpoles, hollow carbon spheres, etc. It was found that the obtained HCNs possess abundant active sites, fast pathways for electrons/ions transport, and superior electronic conducting connectivity, which are promising for efficient electrochemical energy storage. Typically, the resultant hollow carbon nanofibers with a thick-walled tube deliver a high reversible capacity (431 mAh g-1) and excellent rate performance (259 mAh g-1 at 800 mA g-1) for sodium ion storage. This intelligent solvent-free block copolymer self-assembly method would inspire the design of hollow hard carbon-based nanostructures for advanced applications in various energy conversion and storage. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever660 | The Youngest Patient with Bilateral Keratoconus Secondary to Chronic Persistent Eye Rubbing.
We present the case of a four-year-old girl with bilateral keratoconus secondary to chronic persistent eye rubbing. She was referred to our clinic with intractable ocular itching and low vision. According to her family, she was generally rubbing her eyes. On slit-lamp biomicroscopic examination, bilateral papillary reactions were seen on the upper tarsal conjunctiva. Clinical examination and corneal topography were compatible with keratoconus. The patient's visual acuity was not evaluated because of cooperation difficulties. Systemic examination was normal. In fact, trauma may be the common underlying factor in eye rubbing and may cause development of keratoconus, even in the early years. To the best of our knowledge, this is the youngest patient with bilateral keratoconus secondary to chronic persistent eye rubbing in the literature. Keratoconus should be kept in mind in patients with severe ocular itching, even in small children. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever661 | Effects of inadequate maternal dietary protein:carbohydrate ratios during pregnancy on offspring immunity in pigs.
BACKGROUND
Inadequate nutrition in utero may retard foetal growth and alter physiological development of offspring. This study investigated the effects of low and high protein diets fed to primiparous German Landrace sows throughout pregnancy on the immune function of their offspring at different ages. Sows were fed diets with adequate (AP, 12.1%; n = 13), low (LP, 6.5%; n = 15), or high (HP, 30%; n = 14) protein content, made isoenergetic by varying carbohydrate levels. Cortisol, total protein and immunoglobulin (IgG, IgM, IgA) concentrations were measured in the blood of sows over the course of pregnancy. Cortisol, total protein, immunoglobulins, lymphocyte proliferation, immune cell counts, and cytokines were assessed in the blood of offspring at baseline and under challenging conditions (weaning; lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration).
RESULTS
In sows, the LP diet increased cortisol (P < 0.05) and decreased protein levels (P < 0.01) at the end of pregnancy. Immunoglobulin concentrations were decreased in LP (IgA) and HP piglets (IgG, IgM and IgA) on the first day of life (P < 0.05), whereas the number of lymphocytes and mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation of the piglets were unaffected by the maternal diet. Mortality during the suckling period was higher in LP piglets compared with AP and HP offspring (P < 0.01). Furthermore, LP piglets showed an elevated cortisol response to weaning, and in HP piglets, the CD4+ cell percentage and the CD4+/CD8+ ratio increased after weaning (P < 0.05). The lipopolysaccharide-induced rise of IL-6 was higher in LP (P = 0.09) and HP (P < 0.01) compared with AP piglets, and LP piglets displayed higher IL-10 levels than AP piglets (P < 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that both low and high protein:carbohydrate ratios in the diet of pregnant sows can induce short-term as well as long-lasting effects on immune competence in piglets that may have serious consequences for host defence against bacterial pathogens. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever662 | Multilevel Influences on New Graduate Nurse Transition: A Literature Review.
New graduate nurses continue to experience difficulty in transitioning into practice. A literature review was conducted to identify factors that influence new graduate nurse transition. Data from 42 articles were extracted, and significant variables were synthesized from a social ecological perspective. Findings suggest that a complex interplay between intrapersonal, interpersonal, and organizational factors influence transition. A nursing professional development specialist plays a crucial role in implementing educational strategies that address factors across all three levels of influence. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever663 | [Late results following treatment of peripheral nerve injuries of the upper extremity].
The authors re-examine cases of complete peripheral nerve injury of the upper extremity. Motor activity and sensibility assessment make use of Highet's scale. Some general principles of surgical treatment of peripheral nerve injuries are presented and individual factors which influence its results are worked out, e.g. moment of diagnosis, kind of nerve suture, moment of operation, age of patient, grade of injury, concomitant injuries, and length of graft. Conclusions are drawn for the concept of treatment. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever664 | Hydrophilicity/Hydrophobicity reversable and redox-sensitive nanogels for anticancer drug delivery.
Long circulation in the blood, efficient cellular internalization, and intracellular drug release in the tumor cells are major challenges in the development of ideal anticancer drug delivery systems. In this paper, hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity reversable and redox-sensitive poly(oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylates-ss-acrylic acid) (P(OEGMAs-ss-AA)) nanogels were constructed as drug carriers for cancer therapy. The nanogels underwent a pH-dependent hydrophilic/hydrophobic change. The nanogels were hydrophilic under physiological conditions (pH 7.4, 37 °C), resulting in fewer opsonization of proteins and less phagocytosis by macrophage RAW264.7 cells, while they were hydrophobic in the tumor tissues (pH 6.5, 37 °C), resulting in strong internalization by Bel7402 cells. The doxorubicin (DOX) release from DOX-loaded nanogels was increased in intracellular reductive and lysosome acidic environments. DOX-loaded nanogels exhibited higher cellular proliferation inhibition to GSH-OEt-pretreated Bel7402 cells at pH 6.5 than to unpretreated cells at pH 7.4. Further studies showed that the loaded DOX and nanogels were internalized into the cells together via both lipid raft/caveolae- and clathrin-mediated endocytic pathways. After internalization, the DOX-loaded nanogels were transported via the specific route in endo/lysosomal system. The loaded DOX was released from the nanogels with the introduction of intracellular GSH and entered the nucleus. This study indicated that the hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity reversable and redox-sensitive nanogels might be used as potential carriers for anticancer drugs, which provided a foundation for designing an effective drug delivery system for cancer therapy. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever665 | Outcome of patients with low-risk and intermediate-1-risk myelodysplastic syndrome after hypomethylating agent failure: a report on behalf of the MDS Clinical Research Consortium.
BACKGROUND
The hypomethylating agents (HMAs) azacitidine and decitabine are most commonly used to treat patients with higher-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). To the authors' knowledge, the prognosis of patients with low-risk and intermediate-1-risk MDS by the International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) after HMA failure has not been explored comprehensively.
METHODS
The clinical characteristics and treatment outcome of 438 patients with low-risk and intermediate-1-risk MDS who were treated with HMAs were retrospectively analyzed.
RESULTS
Using the International Working Group response criteria, the overall objective response to HMA was 35% with a median of 6 cycles of HMA administered, and the median response duration was 7 months. Only 7% of patients had disease that transformed into acute myeloid leukemia while receiving therapy. Of the 290 patients who were evaluable at the time of HMA failure, 77% remained in the lower-risk disease categories. On multivariate analysis, baseline neutropenia, intermediate-risk and poor-risk baseline karyotype, and lack of response to HMA were found to be independently associated with a higher risk of disease progression. With a median follow-up of 16 months, the median transformation-free survival and overall survival (OS) after HMA failure were 15 months and 17 months, respectively. On multivariate analysis, only The University of Texas MD Anderson Global Scoring System was found to be independently predictive of outcome, with patients with higher-risk categories having poor transformation-free survival (hazards ratio [HR], 1.5; P = .003) and OS (HR, 1.8; P = .002). The administration of salvage therapy was independently associated with better OS only (HR, 0.8; P = .01).
CONCLUSIONS
Outcomes of patients with lower-risk MDS after HMA failure are poor and the treatment of these patients remains an unmet medical need. OS is a reasonable primary endpoint for clinical studies targeting this population. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever666 | Radiologic Evaluation of Compressive Osseointegration for the Fixation of Reconstruction Prostheses after Tumor Resection.
OBJECTIVE
In pursuance of thoroughly understanding and facilitating the evaluation of the radiological changes in the preloaded bone by Compliant Pre-Stress osseointegration (Compress Biomet, Warsaw, Indiana) a new staging method was created depicting four stages.
METHODS
Two cohorts (10 and 17 patients resp., not-receiving and receiving chemotherapy) were compared in terms of progression of osseointegration. Based on the changes at the bone-metal interface seen on röntgenorgrams four stages were defined: stage 0: immediate postoperative status, no ingrowth, or noncalcified callus; stage 1: early mineralization, calcified callus; stage 2: mature mineralization; and stage 3: hypertrophy at the level of the pins.
RESULTS
There were no significant differences between the two cohorts. Group 2, which was significantly younger than group 1 (p < 0.001), presented a delayed initial rate of bone formation and reached stage 1 at 6 months instead of 3 months like group 1. The children from the group 2 demonstrated a visible rebound ingrowth.
CONCLUSION
Despite the fact that the staging fails to demonstrate a statistical difference, it is rather simple and can be used for future studies. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever667 | Genetic regulation of life cycle transitions in the brown alga Ectocarpus.
The life cycle of an organism is one of its most elemental features, underpinning a broad range of phenomena including developmental processes, reproductive fitness, mode of dispersal and adaptation to the local environment. Life cycle modification may have played an important role during the evolution of several eukaryotic groups, including the terrestrial plants. Brown algae are potentially interesting models to study life cycle evolution because this group exhibits a broad range of different life cycles. Currently, life cycle studies are focused on the emerging brown algal model Ectocarpus. Two life cycle mutants have been described in this species, both of which cause the sporophyte generation to exhibit gametophyte characteristics. The ouroboros mutation is particularly interesting because it induces complete conversion of the sporophyte generation into a functional, gamete-producing gametophyte, a class of mutation that has not been described so far in other systems. Analysis of Ectocarpus life cycle mutants is providing insights into several life-cycle-related processes including parthenogenesis, symmetric/asymmetric initial cell divisions and sex determination. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever668 | Responses of mesenchymal stem cell to chitosan-coralline composites microstructured using coralline as gas forming agent.
Macroporous composites made of coralline:chitosan with new microstructural features were studied for their scaffolding potential in in vitro bone regeneration. By using different ratios of natural coralline powder, as in situ gas forming agent and reinforcing phase, followed by freeze-drying, scaffolds with controlled porosity and pore structure were prepared and cultured with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Their supportive activity of cellular attachment, proliferation and differentiation were assessed through cell morphology studies, DNA content, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and osteocalcin (OC) release. The coralline scaffolds showed by far the highest evaluation of cell number and ALP activity over all the other chitosan-based scaffolds. They were the only material on which the OC protein was released throughout the study. When used as a component of the chitosan composite scaffolds, these coralline's favourable properties seemed to improve the overall performance of the chitosan. Distinct cell morphology and osteoblastic phenotype expression were observed depending on the coralline-to-chitosan ratios composing the scaffolds. The coralline-chitosan composite scaffolds containing high coralline ratios generally showed higher total cell number, ALP activity and OC protein expression comparing to chitosan scaffolds. The results of this study strongly suggest that coralline:chitosan composite, especially those having a high coralline content, may enhance adhesion, proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of MSCs in comparison with pure chitosan. Coralline:chitosan composites could therefore be used as attractive scaffolds for developing new strategies for in vitro tissue engineering. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever669 | "I had to change so much in my life to live with my new limitations": Multimorbid patients' descriptions of their most bothersome chronic conditions.
Objective To characterize diseases that are described as most bothersome by individuals with multiple chronic conditions and to identify themes that characterize their experiences with their most bothersome condition. Methods In a survey of patients at an academic center and a Veterans Affairs hospital, we asked individuals with multiple chronic conditions to identify their most bothersome chronic condition and describe why it is challenging. Standard content analysis methods were used to code responses and identify themes reflecting characteristics of most bothersome conditions. Results The most commonly cited bothersome conditions were chronic pain (52%), diabetes (43%), post-traumatic stress disorder (25%), heart failure (24%), and lung problems (20%). Conditions were described as most bothersome due to: (a) impact on function and quality of life (e.g. active symptoms, activity limitations), (b) health consequences or sequelae (e.g. risk of complications), and (c) challenges associated with treatment or self-management. Patterns of theme dominance varied for conditions with different characteristics. Discussion The conditions that patients with multiple chronic conditions identify as most bothersome vary depending on individuals' diseases and their health-related preferences and priorities. Ascertaining patients' most bothersome conditions and associated challenges, stress, and frustrations may help ensure that management decisions are aligned with patient preferences and priorities. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever670 | Location of single-stranded and double-stranded regions in rat liver ribosomal 5S RNA and 5.8S RNA.
Rat liver 5S rRNA and 5.8S rRNA were end-labelled with 32P at 5'-end or 3'-end of the polynucleotide chain and partially digested with single-strand specific S1 nuclease and double-strand specific endonuclease from the cobra Naja naja oxiana venom. The parallel use of these two structure-specific enzymes in combination with rapid sequencing technique allowed the exact localization of single-stranded and double-stranded regions in 5S RNA and 5.8 S RNA. The most accessible regions to S1 nuclease in 5S RNA are regions 33-42, 74-78, 102-103 and in 5.8 S RNA 16-20, 26-29, 34-36, 74-80 and a region around 125-130. The cobra venom endonuclease cleaves the following areas in 5S RNA: 7-8, 17-20, 28-30, 49-51, 56-57, 60-64, 69-70, 81-82, 95-97, 106-112. In 5.8S RNA the venom endonuclease cleavage sites are 4-7, 10-13, 21-22, 33-35, 43-45, 51-55, 72-74, 85-87, 98-99, 105-106, 114-115, 132-135. According to these results the tRNA binding sequences proposed by Nishikawa and Takemura [(1974) FEBS Lett. 40, 106-109], in 5S RNA are located in partly single-stranded region, but in 5.8S RNA in double-stranded region. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever671 | Stereotypies in children with a history of early institutional care.
OBJECTIVES
To investigate the prevalence of stereotypies in children with a history of early institutional care, evaluate the efficacy of a foster care intervention compared with institutional care on the course of stereotypies, and describe correlates in language, cognition, and anxiety for children who exhibit stereotypies.
DESIGN
Randomized controlled trial.
SETTING
Institutions in Bucharest, Romania.
PARTICIPANTS
One hundred thirty-six children with a history of early institutional care. Intervention Comparison of a foster care intervention with continued care as usual in an institution.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
The presence of stereotypies as well as outcomes in language, cognition, and anxiety.
RESULTS
At the baseline assessment prior to placement in foster care (average age of 22 months), more than 60% of children in institutional care exhibited stereotypies. Follow-up assessments at 30 months, 42 months, and 54 months indicated that being placed in families significantly reduced stereotypies, and with earlier and longer placements, reductions became larger. For children in the foster care group, but not in the care as usual group, stereotypies were significantly associated with lower outcomes on measures of language and cognition.
CONCLUSIONS
Stereotypies are prevalent in children with a history of institutional care. A foster care intervention appears to have a beneficial/moderating role on reducing stereotypies, underscoring the need for early placement in home-based care for abandoned children. Children who continue to exhibit stereotypies after foster care placement are significantly more impaired on outcomes of language and cognition than children without stereotypies and thus may be a target for further assessments or interventions. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever672 | D-dimer levels and cerebral infarction in critically ill cancer patients.
BACKGROUND
D-dimer levels have been used in the diagnosis of a variety of thrombosis-related diseases. In this study, we evaluated whether measuring D-dimer levels can help to diagnose cerebral infarction (CI) in critically ill cancer patients.
METHODS
We retrospectively evaluated all cancer patients who underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) between March 2010 and February 2014 at the medical oncology intensive care unit (ICU) of Samsung Medical Center. Brain MRI scanning was performed when CI was suspected due to acute neurological deficits. We compared D-dimer levels between patients ultimately diagnosed as having or not having CI and analyzed diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) lesion patterns.
RESULTS
A total of 88 patients underwent brain MRI scanning due to clinical suspicion of CI; altered mental status and unilateral hemiparesis were the most common neurological deficits. CI was ultimately diagnosed in 43 (49%) patients. According to the DWI patterns, multiple arterial infarctions (40%) were more common than single arterial infarctions (9%). Cryptogenic stroke etiologies were more common (63%) than determined etiologies. There was no significant difference in D-dimer levels between patients with and without CI (P = 0.319). Although D-dimer levels were not helpful in diagnosing CI, D-dimer levels were associated with cryptogenic etiologies in critically ill cancer patients; D-dimer levels were higher in the cryptogenic etiology group than in the determined etiology group or the non-infarction group (P = 0.001). In multivariate analysis, elevated D-dimer levels (> 8.89 μg/mL) were only associated with cryptogenic stroke (adjusted OR 5.46; 95% confidence interval, 1.876-15.857).
CONCLUSIONS
Abnormal D-dimer levels may support the diagnosis of cryptogenic stroke in critically ill cancer patients. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever673 | Maximum Loaded Amorphous Azithromycin Produced Using the Wetness Impregnation Method with Fractional Steps for Dermal Prophylaxis Against Lyme Disease.
Azithromycin was loaded onto the μm-sized mesoporous silica Davisil® SP53D-11920 using the wetness impregnation method with fractional steps (WIFS) and further incorporated into a 5 % hydroxypropyl cellulose gel to prevent Lyme disease. Maximum loadings (32.0 % w/w and 33.2 % w/w) were produced by different concentrated loading solutions and determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD). A total of 24 months stability of the amorphous azithromycin state in the silica (33.2 % loading) and 18 months stability in the gel (33.2 % loading) at 4 °C were also confirmed by XRD. The higher kinetic solubility at 40 min (1,300 μg/mL versus 93 μg/mL) and higher porcine ear skin penetration compared to the raw drug powder indicated higher dermal bioavailability of the azithromycin-loaded silica (32.0 % loading), even when compared to the "gold standard" nanocrystals and another clinical effective azithromycin formulation with ethanol. In summary, maximum loaded silicas with azithromycin by WIFS is a promising dermal formulation for prophylaxis against Lyme disease. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever674 | Aetiology, clinical features and treatment outcome of intrauterine adhesion in Ilorin, Central Nigeria.
BACKGROUND
Intrauterine adhesion is a cause of menstrual disorder and reproductive failure. It could be a long term sequelae of unsafe abortion which is a common reproductive health problem in developing countries.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the predisposing factors, mode of presentation and outcome of management of intrauterine adhesion in University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital.
METHODS
The record of patients with intrauterine adhesion newly diagnosed and managed in the Hospital over a five-year period was analyzed for their age, parity, predisposing factors, clinical presentation, methods of diagnosis and treatment outcome.
RESULTS
A total of 136 patients were newly diagnosed and managed for intrauterine adhesion during the period under review. This constituted 1.3% of new gynaecological patients and 4.0% of consultations for infertility. Endometrial curettage on account of pregnancy complications accounted for 92 (67.6%) patients, and this was mostly for induced abortion. Hypomenorrhoea and secondary amenorrhoea were the commonest presenting menstrual abnormalities occurring in 48 (35.3%) and 53 (39.0%) patients respectively. Normal menstruation resumed in 99 (72.8%) patients following treatment.
CONCLUSION
The incidence of intrauterine adhesion among gynaecological patients in this study is lower than those from previous reviews elsewhere in the country. However, dilatation and curettage for induced abortion still remains the commonest cause in our center. Measures to prevent unwanted pregnancy are needed and there should be increased advocacy for the use of manual vacuum aspiration for uterine evacuation procedures. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever675 | [From thrombin hypothesis to inflammation. Is it reality?].
The classical pathophysiologic concept of the acute coronary syndromes is the coronary artery thrombosis as a consequence of rupture or vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques. Actually, it is also been considered that systemic inflammatory phenomenon play a central role in the plaque instability associated to the atherothrombotic activity of the tissue factor (TF). The thrombotic phenomenon is controlled by tissue factor, stimulating the way of the protease's active receptors (PAR) and cause a negative cycle between inflammation and coagulation. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever676 | Tachykinin NK2 receptor antagonists. A patent review (2006 - 2010).
INTRODUCTION
Tachykinins are endogenous peptide neurotransmitters, acting through the NK1, NK2 and NK3 receptors, at central and peripheral level. At peripheral level, they are involved in contraction of smooth muscle, secretion of water and ion from epithelia, as well as modulation of visceral pain sensitivity. Tachykinin NK2 receptor antagonists have the potential to be useful in the treatment of various gastrointestinal, genitourinary and CNS diseases.
AREAS COVERED
In this review, an overview of the patenting activity in the last 5 years is provided. Patents from different companies and research groups are discussed for their novelty and evaluated in relation to proposed indications and clinical studies. Relevant biological data are also presented. Patents claiming new therapeutic indications are included in a dedicated section.
EXPERT OPINION
Although there is still no tachykinin NK2 receptor antagonist approved for use in human therapy, research in the field is still proposing new compounds and possible uses. A number of candidates are being evaluated in Phase II clinical studies, in indications ranging from gastrointestinal disorders to inflammatory diseases. The results of these studies will indicate the role of tachykinin NK2 receptor antagonists in human therapy. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever677 | Bacterial markers vs. clinical markers to predict progression of chronic periodontitis: a 2-yr prospective observational study.
The aim of this study was to identify sites at risk for future progression, during 2 yr of maintenance, in patients with chronic periodontitis (CP), based on longitudinal clinical and microbiological monitoring. At baseline (2003), clinical and microbiological features were recorded in 50 patients with CP. Two microbial samples were obtained from each patient (one from a clinically healthy site and one from a periodontitis site) and these were analyzed using DNA-DNA hybridization involving 25 bacterial species. After non-surgical periodontal therapy, clinical and microbiological re-examinations were performed at the same or similar sites at 2 yr (2006) and 4 yr (2008) of maintenance. Plaque, bleeding on probing (BoP), and the number of sites with periodontitis (≥4 mm) and severe periodontitis (≥6 mm) all showed a significant decrease at 2 and 4 yr of maintenance after non-surgical intervention. Checkerboard analysis revealed that various bacteria with a high colonization score (≥3) corroborated the clinical findings of pathology at 2003, 2006, and 2008. Different clusters of bacteria, not just the 'red complex', were able to predict progression of chronic periodontitis during 2 yr of maintenance (2006-2008). Therefore, quantified bacterial markers (reflecting bacterial load) and the clinical markers BoP and periodontal probing depth show comparable prediction of future disease condition. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever678 | Homocystinuria with congenital/developmental cataract.
The aim of the study is to screen patients for homocystinuria with and without cataract and analyse for homocystine and methionine. Fifty-eight samples from 29 patients, i.e., plasma and urine collected after overnight fasting were analysed by the screening test for homocystine, and paper chromatography for homocystine and methionine. Out of 29 homocystinuric patients, 24 had cataract. Only one had appreciable amounts of methionine in his serum. He also had mental retardation as expected and belongs to Type I. The other types did not have methionine but had only homocystine. There was no mental retardation or ectopia lentis. So they belonged to Types II, III or IV. As there is excess methionine in Type I, with low cystine, cataract may be due to deficiency of cysteine and reduced glutathione and might be averted by suitable therapy, i.e., high cystine-low methionine diet with B6. In other types with low methionine, cataract may be due to decreased availability of amino acids for the synthesis of lens proteins; the treatment of choice should be B12, and folate with methionine. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever679 | Spatial/temporal characteristics of a motor pattern for reaching.
1. Temporal patterns of electromyographic (EMG) activity were related to the direction of fast reaching movements. Reaches were to 20 targets in the sagittal plane of the human arm. 2. The subtraction of EMG levels recorded during very slow movements to each target allowed this study to focus on the phasic aspects of complex EMGs. 3. General features of the phasic spatial/temporal patterns differed across muscles, even across muscles at the same joint. This indicates that future models of cortical to motoneuronal processing must include nonuniform space-time transformations. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever680 | Effects of acute gamma irradiation on physiological traits and flavonoid accumulation of Centella asiatica.
In the present study, two accessions of Centella asiatica (CA03 and CA23) were subjected to gamma radiation to examine the response of these accessions in terms of survival rate, flavonoid contents, leaf gas exchange and leaf mass. Radiation Sensitivity Tests revealed that based on the survival rate, the LD(50) (gamma doses that killed 50% of the plantlets) of the plantlets were achieved at 60 Gy for CA03 and 40 Gy for CA23. The nodal segments were irradiated with gamma rays at does of 30 and 40 Gy for Centella asiatica accession 'CA03' and 20 and 30 Gy for accession 'CA23. The nodal segment response to the radiation was evaluated by recording the flavonoid content, leaf gas exchange and leaf biomass. The experiment was designed as RCBD with five replications. Results demonstrated that the irradiated plantlets exhibited greater total flavonoid contents (in eight weeks) significantly than the control where the control also exhibited the highest total flavonoid contents in the sixth week of growth; 2.64 ± 0.02 mg/g DW in CA03 and 8.94 ± 0.04 mg/g DW in CA23. The total flavonoid content was found to be highest after eight weeks of growth, and this, accordingly, stands as the best time for leaf harvest. Biochemical differentiation based on total flavonoid content revealed that irradiated plantlets in CA23 at 20 and 30 Gy after eight weeks contained the highest total flavonoid concentrations (16.827 ± 0.02; 16.837 ± 0.008 mg/g DW, respectively) whereas in CA03 exposed to 30 and 40 Gy was found to have the lowest total flavonid content (5.83 ± 0.11; 5.75 ± 0.03 mg/g DW). Based on the results gathered in this study, significant differences were found between irradiated accessions and control ones in relation to the leaf gas. The highest PN and gs were detected in CA23 as control followed by CA23 irradiated to 20Gy (CA23G20) and CA23G30 and the lowest PN and gs were observed in CA03 irradiated to 40Gy (CA03G40). Moreover, there were no significant differences in terms of PN and gs among the irradiated plants in each accession. The WUE of both irradiated accessions of Centella asiatica were reduced as compared with the control plants (p < 0.01) while Ci and E were enhanced. There were no significant differences in the gas exchange parameters among radiated plants in each accession. Moreover, malondialdehyde (MDA) of accessions after gamma treatments were significantly higher than the control, however, flavonoids which were higher concentration in irradiated plants can scavenge surplus free radicals. Therefore, the findings of this study have proven an efficient method of in vitro mutagenesis through gamma radiation based on the pharmaceutical demand to create economically superior mutants of C. asiatica. In other words, the results of this study suggest that gamma irradiation on C. asiatica can produce mutants of agricultural and economical importance. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever681 | A minima hopping study of all-atom protein folding and structure prediction.
The minima hopping algorithm (MHOP) to find global minima on potential energy surfaces is used for protein structure prediction. The energy surface of the protein is represented with an all-atom OPLS force field and an implicit free energy solvation term. The system we studied here is the small 10-residue beta-hairpin mini-protein, chignolin. Starting from a completely extended structure, we found minima with <0.5 A rms coordinate deviation from the geometry-optimized native experimental conformation. A few lowest-energy conformations were used for the calculation of NMR-restraint violations and chemical shifts, and the local minima found during each run leading to the global minimum were connected to trace out a search pathway of the folding process. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever682 | Fully digital workflow for implant-supported fixed restorations consisting of a titanium primary structure and a zirconia secondary structure.
PURPOSE
To describe a fully digital workflow for an implant-supported fixed hybrid restoration that involves a double CAD/CAM structure and to highlight the benefits of this type of restoration.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Using a fully digital workflow, starting from intraoral scans, the necessary steps for producing the final hybrid prosthesis are described. The prosthesis consists of a titanium primary structure and a zirconia secondary structure that is cemented onto the primary structure in the laboratory. A clinical case is presented to illustrate the steps required for prosthetic rehabilitation.
RESULTS
This technique enables the fabrication of clinically valid and passive prostheses using a fully digital workflow.
CONCLUSION
In just three clinical sessions, a fully digital workflow makes it possible to produce robust implant-supported fixed hybrid prostheses, comprising a titanium primary structure and an outer secondary structure made of zirconia. This procedure can be applied to a wide range of cases from simple to extended, including full-arch restorations. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever683 | Interventional radiology for hepatocellular carcinoma.
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most frequent primary malignant tumors in the world. Hepatic resection and liver transplantation are considered optimal for potential treatment of HCC. However, only 20% of HCCs can be surgically treated. And most of surgically-noneligible patients have to receive locoregional image-guided interventional managements including intra-arterial and percutaneous ablative therapies. In this paper, we review these interventional approaches. Catheter-based therapies include embolotherapy/chemotherapy-based treatments (such as transarterial chemoembolization, bland embolization, transcatheter arterial chemoinfusion, and chemoembolization with drug-eluting beads), and radiotherapy-based treatments (such as radioembolization with yttrium-90 and injection of iodine-131-labeled lipiodol). Ablative therapeutic approaches include chemical therapies (such as ethanol or acetic acid injection), and thermal therapies (such as radiofrequency ablation, laser induced thermotherapy, microwave ablation, cryoablation, and high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation). Each method has its advantages and drawbacks. As a result of the technical development of locoregional approaches for HCC during the recent decades, the range of combined interventional therapies has been continuously extended. In this article, an evidence-based approach is used to review the current role of interventional radiology in the management of unresectable HCC. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever684 | Evaluation of key parameters for developing a Metarhizium rileyi-based biopesticide against Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in maize: laboratory, greenhouse, and field trials.
BACKGROUND
The entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium rileyi is known to cause natural infections in some caterpillars. In this multiyear study, we carried out laboratory, greenhouse and three field trials with the aim of developing a sustainable option for control of the fall armyworm (FAW) in maize. Association of M. rileyi with Spodoptera frugiperda baculovirus (SfMNPV) and delivery strategies were also investigated.
RESULTS
The selected isolate (CG381) was effective in the laboratory at a low concentration (~ 4 × 103 conidia cm-2 ), killing >95% of FAW larvae within 8 days. In the greenhouse assay, applications of conidia suspended in water or as dry powder in maize whorls (~ 6.3 × 106 conidia per plant) produced similar larval mortalities (88%-96%). In the field trials, conventional spraying of unformulated conidia (0.6 and 1.2 × 1012 conidia ha-1 ) caused low larval mortalities (27-31%). Simultaneous application of either unformulated or oil-based formulations of M. rileyi conidia and S. frugiperda baculovirus (SfMNPV) to plant rows caused larval mortalities comparable with each of the pathogens applied alone. However, when a formulation containing both pathogens was sprayed directly into the whorls, the overall mortality of S. frugiperda larvae due to pathogens (mostly to M. rileyi infections) reached ~ 59%, twofold higher than the other treatments with conventional spraying, whereas in the control, the overall mortality was only 1%.
CONCLUSION
Optimizing exposure of S. frugiperda larvae to an inoculum of virulent entomopathogens through directed applications to maize whorls is critical to produce satisfactory mortality levels and is promising for integrated pest management. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever685 | Sleep walking copepods? Calanus diapausing in hypoxic waters adjust their vertical position during winter.
While hypoxia is generally associated with negative connotations, some animals may also take advantage of reduced oxygen concentrations. However, the dynamics of such processes for zooplankton are poorly understood. We made continuous acoustic studies of Calanus helgolandicus overwintering in hypoxic waters (Oslofjorden, Norway). Their apparent minimum oxygen tolerance was 0.2-0.3 mL O2 L-1 at 8°C. The copepods adjusted their vertical distribution in concert with the upward progression of hypoxia as oxygen contents declined in the course of winter. The hypoxic overwintering habitat largely excluded potential predators and mortality appeared low in early winter. As the copepod distribution shallowed in phase with declining oxygen contents at depth, mortality increased. In contrast to recent predictions, C. helgolandicus had sufficient energy reserves to sustain long-term overwintering. Termination of the overwintering phase in spring was gradual but appeared to accelerate during the development of the spring bloom. Enhanced oceanic deoxygenation with climate change may affect seasonally migrating copepods in unpredictable ways. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever686 | The "Artwork Effect" paradigm: A model for planning and assessing cognitive stimulation for people with dementia through museum visits.
This paper proposes a paradigm ("Artwork Effect" paradigm) to study the impact of museum stimulation programs for people with dementia. The literature concerning viewing and making art is considered. The paradigm, comprising qualitative and quantitative measures, is illustrated. The implementation of a shared paradigm of assessment can contribute to the validation of an assessment model to evaluate museum stimulation programs for people with dementia: a low-cost nonpharmacological intervention useful for the stimulation of cognitive functions and for increasing the well-being of people with dementia and their caregivers. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever687 | [Clinical course of recovery from cognitive dysfunction in a patient with anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis].
Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor encephalitis is an autoimmune disorder, which occurs commonly in young women and is often associated with ovarian teratomas. We report the case of a patient with this disease, who exhibited cognitive deficits, and describe the clinical course of recovery from cognitive dysfunction. A 29-year-old right-handed woman suffered from chills and fever for 7 days prior to admission to hospital, and complained that she could not understand the content of TV programs. Following admission to hospital, she was found to have an ovarian teratoma and underwent oophorectomy. She was diagnosed with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis based on the presence of antibodies in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid. She subsequently experienced phases with disturbance of consciousness and involuntary movement, and then moved into the gradual recovery phase 3 months after onset. Cerebral SPECT revealed a left-dominant decrease of blood flow in the prefrontal regions bilaterally. Neuropsychological examination 3 months after onset revealed frontal lobe syndrome comprising executive dysfunction, decreased spontaneity, and environmental dependency in addition to recent memory deficits. Approximately 6 months after onset, recent memory impairments and environmental dependency were resolved, and a gradual improvement in spontaneity and executive function was seen. One year after onset, the patient had regained independence and ability to self-care, and returned to her workplace. Our observations suggest that patients with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis may recover from frontal lobe syndrome, including executive dysfunction and decreased spontaneity, slower than patients with other cognitive dysfunctions do. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever688 | Safety and Efficacy of Topical Chitogel- Deferiprone-Gallium Protoporphyrin in Sheep Model.
Objectives: Increasing antimicrobial resistance has presented new challenges to the treatment of recalcitrant chronic rhinosinusitis fuelling a continuous search for novel antibiofilm agents. This study aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of Chitogel (Chitogel®, Wellington New Zealand) combined with novel antibiofilm agents Deferiprone and Gallium Protoporphyrin (CG-DG) as a topical treatment against S. aureus biofilms in vivo. Methods: To assess safety, 8 sheep were divided into two groups of 7 day treatments (n = 8 sinuses per treatment); (1) Chitogel (CG) with twice daily saline flush, and (2) CG-DG gel with twice daily saline flush. Tissue morphology was analyzed using histology and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). To assess efficacy we used a S. aureus sheep sinusitis model. Fifteen sheep were divided into three groups of 7 day treatments (n = 10 sinuses per treatment); (1) twice daily saline flush (NT), (2) Chitogel (CG) with twice daily saline flush, and (3) CG-DG gel with twice daily saline flush. Biofilm biomass across all groups was compared using LIVE/DEAD BacLight stain and confocal scanning laser microscopy. Results: Safety study showed no cilia denudation on scanning electron microscopy and no change in sinus mucosa histopathology when comparing CG-DG to CG treated sheep. COMSTAT2 assessment of biofilm biomass showed a significant reduction in CG-DG treated sheep compared to NT controls. Conclusion: Results indicate that CG-DG is safe and effective against S. aureus biofilms in a sheep sinusitis model and could represent a viable treatment option in the clinical setting. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever689 | Late postnatal development and differentiation of the ductus epididymidis in a dasyurid marsupial (Antechinus stuartii).
The general histology and ultrastructural features of the developing ductus epididymidis were examined in the brown marsupial mouse, Antechinus stuartii, from April, when males were sexually immature, until August, when the adult males were involved in mating activities, just prior to the annual male die-off. Samples were also examined 3 and 6 months after the August die-off period in males kept in isolation from conspecifics during the prebreeding and breeding periods. In April, tubule diameter and epithelial height were largest in the caput and least in caudal segments but the reverse was observed thereafter. Epithelial height increased in caput segments in August and remained high in the post die-off samples. However, caput epithelial height and tubule diameters were low compared with the remainder of the duct from July until February. Luminal shape in caudal segments (10, 11 and 12) changed in June from circular to a narrow slit, and the epithelium became variable in height. The epididymal epithelium was undifferentiated with few cytoplasmic organelles in April. Differentiation occurred mostly from May to June in association with an increased abundance of cytoplasmic organelles, increasing prostatic weight and rising plasma androgen levels. Differentiated principal and basal cells were found in caput and corpus regions in May and in caudal segments in June in association with the de novo development of a brush border of microvilli. Few clear cells were seen in caput and corpus regions of the duct in May but they, and mitochondria-rich cells, were common throughout the duct from June. Development of the unusual structural features of the cauda epididymidis preceded the arrival of spermatozoa in June. The presence of degenerating spermatozoa and cytoplasmic droplets in the cauda at this time suggested that it was not yet capable of supporting sperm viability. There was no evidence to suggest that the presence of spermatozoa has a stimulatory effect on the epididymis. Intact sperm were observed throughout the duct from July. Free cytoplasmic droplets, which showed some evidence of degeneration, collected in large masses in the distal corpus/proximal cauda epididymidis of adult males between aggregates of spermatozoa. Epididymal differentiation appeared complete by mid-July; few ultrastructural changes occurred after this time. Recruitment of spermatozoa into the epididymis ceased by August and was associated with a rapid decline in sperm content in the proximal caput segments. In the November and February samples, spermatozoa were present only in distal corpus and proximal cauda segments.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS) | No pos | No neg |
Retriever690 | Chorea.
Two weeks after starting the oral contraceptive pill, a 16-year-old girl developed increasingly violent chorea and an evolving psychosis with prominent hallucinations, ideas of reference, and paranoia. An erythematous skin rash subsequently developed and Sydenham's chorea (SC) was diagnosed. Following neuroleptic medication and steroids, her chorea and psychosis subsided. This case illustrates that severe psychotic features can occur in SC. It is recommended that antistreptolysin O titres and antibasal ganglia antibodies are checked early in patients with evolving movement disorders and prominent neuropsychiatric features, as the window for modifying the course of this immune-mediated disorder may be narrow. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever691 | A novel spectrofluorimetric method based on a reaction with an azoisoxazoles-benzenesulfonamide derivative for determination of uranium (VI) ions in water samples.
Selective fluorometric detection and determination of uranium ions is provided here using a novel fluorescent reagent, namely (E)-4-([4-hydroxynaphthalen-1-yl]diazenyl)-N-(5-methyleisoxazol-3-yl) benzenesulfonamide (UVI reagent). The UVI reagent offers a selective fluorescence enhancement behaviour at emission wavelength = 557 nm. The parameters affecting fluorometric detection of uranium ions, such as the pH, solvent type, ligand concentration, interaction time, and interfering ions, were investigated and adjusted. The proposed UVI reagent can detect and determine uranium ions even at low concentrations, for which the obtained limit of detection was 0.1 ppm. Additionally, this proposed determination protocol was successfully used to detect, monitor, and determine uranium ions in actual water samples. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever692 | Does the lipid environment impact the open-state conductance of an engineered β-barrel protein nanopore?
Using rational membrane protein design, we were recently able to obtain a β-barrel protein nanopore that was robust under an unusually broad range of experimental circumstances. This protein nanopore was based upon the native scaffold of the bacterial ferric hydroxamate uptake component A (FhuA) of Escherichia coli. In this work, we expanded the examinations of the open-state current of this engineered protein nanopore, also called FhuA ΔC/Δ4L, employing an array of lipid bilayer systems that contained charged and uncharged as well as conical and cylindrical lipids. Remarkably, systematical single-channel analysis of FhuA ΔC/Δ4L indicated that most of its biophysical features, such as the unitary conductance and the stability of the open-state current, were not altered under the conditions tested in this work. However, electrical recordings at high transmembrane potentials revealed that the presence of conical phospholipids within the bilayer catalyzes the first, stepwise current transition of the FhuA ΔC/Δ4L protein nanopore to a lower-conductance open state. This study reinforces the stability of the open-state current of the engineered FhuA ΔC/Δ4L protein nanopore under various experimental conditions, paving the way for further critical developments in biosensing and molecular biomedical diagnosis. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever693 | Chemical methods for removing radon and radon daughters from air.
Liquid bromine trifluoride and the solid complexes ClF(2)SbF(6), BrF(2)SbF(6), BrF(4)Sb(2)F(11), IF(4)(SbF(6))(3) and BrF(2)BiF(6) react spontaneously with radon and radon daughters at 25 degrees C, converting the radioelements to nonvolatile ions and compounds. The reagents can be used in gas-scrubbing units to remove radon and radon daughters from air. The halogen fluoride-antimony pentafluoride complexes may be suitable for purifying air in uranium mines and analyzing radon in air, since they have low dissociation pressures at 25 degrees C and are less hazardous to handle than liquid halogen fluorides. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever694 | Decrease in urinary albumin excretion associated with the normalization of nocturnal blood pressure in hypertensive subjects.
Previous results have indicated that valsartan administration at bedtime as opposed to on wakening improves the diurnal/nocturnal ratio of blood pressure without loss in efficacy and therapeutic coverage. We hypothesized that increasing this ratio could reduce microalbuminuria. We conducted a prospective, randomized, open-label, blinded endpoint trial on 200 previously untreated nonproteinuric patients with grade 1 to 2 essential hypertension, assigned to receive valsartan (160 mg/d) as a monotherapy either on awakening or at bedtime. Blood pressure was measured by ambulatory monitoring for 48 consecutive hours before and after 3 months of treatment. Physical activity was simultaneously monitored every minute by wrist actigraphy to accurately calculate the diurnal and nocturnal means of blood pressure on a per-subject basis. The significant blood pressure reduction after 3 months of therapy was similar for both treatment times. The diurnal/nocturnal blood pressure ratio was unchanged after valsartan on awakening, but significantly increased from 7.5 to 12.2 (P<0.001) when valsartan was administered at bedtime. Urinary albumin excretion was significantly reduced by 41% after bedtime treatment. This reduction was independent of the 24-hour blood pressure decrease but highly correlated with the decrease in nocturnal blood pressure and mainly with the increase in diurnal/nocturnal ratio (P<0.001). Bedtime valsartan administration improves the diurnal/nocturnal blood pressure ratio to a more dipper profile. This normalization of the circadian blood pressure pattern is associated with a significant decrease in urinary albumin excretion and plasma fibrinogen, and could thus reduce the increased cardiovascular risk in nondipper hypertensive patients. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever695 | Estimation of the incubation period of COVID-19 using viral load data.
The incubation period, or the time from infection to symptom onset, of COVID-19 has usually been estimated by using data collected through interviews with cases and their contacts. However, this estimation is influenced by uncertainty in the cases' recall of exposure time. We propose a novel method that uses viral load data collected over time since hospitalization, hindcasting the timing of infection with a mathematical model for viral dynamics. As an example, we used reported data on viral load for 30 hospitalized patients from multiple countries (Singapore, China, Germany, and Korea) and estimated the incubation period. The median, 2.5, and 97.5 percentiles of the incubation period were 5.85 days (95 % CI: 5.05, 6.77), 2.65 days (2.04, 3.41), and 12.99 days (9.98, 16.79), respectively, which are comparable to the values estimated in previous studies. Using viral load to estimate the incubation period might be a useful approach, especially when it is impractical to directly observe the infection event. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever696 | DNA polymerases and cancer.
There are 15 different DNA polymerases encoded in mammalian genomes, which are specialized for replication, repair or the tolerance of DNA damage. New evidence is emerging for lesion-specific and tissue-specific functions of DNA polymerases. Many point mutations that occur in cancer cells arise from the error-generating activities of DNA polymerases. However, the ability of some of these enzymes to bypass DNA damage may actually defend against chromosome instability in cells, and at least one DNA polymerase, Pol ζ, is a suppressor of spontaneous tumorigenesis. Because DNA polymerases can help cancer cells tolerate DNA damage, some of these enzymes might be viable targets for therapeutic strategies. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever697 | A negative-capacitance equivalent circuit model for parallel-plate capacitive-gap-transduced micromechanical resonators.
A small-signal equivalent circuit for parallel-plate capacitive-gap-transduced micromechanical resonators is introduced that employs negative capacitance to model the dependence of resonance frequency on electrical stiffness in a way that facilitates circuit analysis, that better elucidates the mechanisms behind certain potentially puzzling measured phenomena, and that inspires circuit topologies that maximize performance in specific applications. For this work, a micromechanical disk resonator serves as the vehicle with which to derive the equivalent circuits for both radial-contour and wine-glass modes, which are then used in circuit simulations (via simulation) to match measurements on actual fabricated devices. The new circuit model not only correctly predicts the dependence of electrical stiffness on the impedances loading the input and output electrodes of parallel-plate capacitive- gap-transduced micromechanical device, but does so in a visually intuitive way that identifies current drive as most appropriate for applications that must be stable against environmental perturbations, such as acceleration or power supply variations. Measurements on fabricated devices confirm predictions by the new model of up to 4× improvement in frequency stability against dc-bias voltage variations for contour- mode disk resonators as the resistance loading their ports increases. By enhancing circuit visualization, this circuit model makes more obvious the circuit design procedures and topologies most beneficial for certain mechanical circuits, e.g., filters and oscillators. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever698 | Radiologist income, receipts, and academic performance: an analysis of many nations.
Background Considerable interest exists in comparison between healthcare systems across multiple countries, especially where cost enters the discussion. Purpose To evaluate the relationship between radiologists' income, receipts for studies, and academic performance across multiple countries. Material and Methods The annual income of radiologists and receipts for computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were obtained based on a survey sent to expert radiologists practicing in 23 countries of varying developmental status. Articles published in generalist radiology journals determined the academic performance of each country. Results Among the developed countries, Canada has the highest estimated annual income for both private ($700,000/year) and university radiologists ($600,000/year) while Spain has the lowest income for private practice ($68,000/year) and Portugal has the lowest income for university practice ($57,300/year). Among the developing countries, Saudi Arabia has the highest incomes for both private ($210,000/year) and university ($140,000/year) radiologists and Vietnam has the lowest incomes for both private ($30,000/year) and university ($6,000/year) radiologists. Total receipts for CT and MRI studies ranged from $80/study (Portugal) to $1000/study (USA) in developed countries, and ranged from $30/study (Egypt) to $700/study (Saudi Arabia) in developing countries. A moderate correlation ( r = 0.482) was seen between radiologist's income and the receipts for combined practice in all countries. The radiology journal academic quotient was highest in The Netherlands among developed countries, and Turkey among developing countries. Conclusion A relatively broad range of radiologists' income is observed among developed and developing countries, which shows correlation with the receipts for advanced imaging studies. Countries with an acceptable compromise between income, receipts, and academic performance, may be the best models for other countries to emulate. | No pos | No neg |
Retriever699 | Long-term quality-of-life after open and laparoscopic sigmoid colectomy.
PURPOSE
Laparoscopic sigmoid colectomy (LSC) is frequently performed for sigmoid diseases with excellent prognosis. We aimed to determine the long-term quality-of-life after open sigmoid colectomy (OSC) compared with LSC.
METHODS
Thirty-nine patients were investigated 40.5+/-2.8 months (mean+/-SEM) after LSC. Each LSC patient was matched to a patient after OSC. Patients were interviewed by telephone and the Eypasch quality-of-life questionnaire was answered by mail.
RESULTS
LSC entailed fewer minor complications (P=0.0003) and 97% of the patients were satisfied with the cosmetic result, which was more compared with 63% after OSC (P=0.001). Patients suffering from recurrent diverticulitis had a similar quality-of-life index after LSC and OSC (P=0.945). A minor trend was observed in patients with early-staged colorectal neoplasia in favor of LSC (113.6+/-3.3 vs. 106.0+/-4.2; P=0.21, mean+/-SEM).
CONCLUSIONS
LSC is superior concerning minor complications and cosmesis, whereas quality-of-life is similar in the long term. | No pos | No neg |
Subsets and Splits