title stringlengths 0 901 | abstract stringlengths 3 9.89k | PMID int64 22 25.3M | embedding listlengths 768 768 |
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A new dental insurance scheme--effects on the treatment provided and costs. | The aim of this study was to investigate whether the revenues cover the costs in a pilot capitation plan, a dental insurance scheme, and to compare this capitation plan (CP) with the original fee-for-service system (FFS), in terms of the amount and type of dental care provided. Data was collected longitudinally over a period of three years from 1,650 CP patients in five risk groups at a test clinic, and from 1,609 (from the test clinic) and 3,434 (from a matched control clinic) FFS patients, in Göteborg, Sweden. The care investigated was the number of total treatments provided and the number of examinations by dentists and dental hygienists, together with preventive, restorative and emergency treatments. The economic outcome was positive from the administrator's perspective, in all risk groups for the three-year period. The amount and type of care provided differed between the payment models, as CP patients received more preventive treatments, less restorative treatments, and more examinations by dental hygienists than the FFS patients. Emergency treatment was performed more often on CP patients, and the difference was due to a higher frequency of such treatments among women in the CP group. The difference between clinics concerning certain treatment measures was sometimes greater than the difference between payment models. The results from this study indicate a net positive economic outcome for the pilot CP system over three years. The payment model and the clinic affiliation had impact on what type and amount of dental care the patients received. This might suggest that the risk of skewed selection and its consequences as well as the influence of clinic-specific practice need further investigation, to ensure economic sustainability in a longer perspective. | 25,102,716 | [
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A rare complication of colonic diverticulosis: giant diverticulum. Case report and overview of pathophysiology, diagnosis and therapeutic options. | A rare complication of diverticulosis of the colon is giant colonic diverticulum, an entity first described by Bonvin in 1946. The experience of any surgeon with this problem is at the most still small and reported management in the literature has been varied. We present the case of a 84-year-old woman presenting with a painless abdominal mass and constipation. A 30 x 10 cm gas-filled cyst was discovered on abdominal X-ray and CT examination. Furthermore, we provide an overview of pathophysiology, diagnosis and therapeutic options. | 25,102,712 | [
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[GABAergic mechanism of cerebrovascular effect of the NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801]. | NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 (dizocilpine) increases the local blood flow in the cerebral cortex in rats under transient global ischemia (TGI) conditions to a greater degree than in intact animals. The GABA receptor blocker bicuculline in most experiments eliminates or reduces the MK-801 induced increase in the blood flow after TGI, which is indicative of the participation of GABAergic mechanism of cerebrovascular tone control in the observed MK-801 activity. | 25,102,728 | [
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[Experimental study of the antiarrhythmic properties of zoniporide]. | The antiarrhythmic properties of the Na+/H(+)-exchanger inhibitor zoniporide have been studied in experiments on rats. On the model of 45-min myocardial ischemia followed by 45-min reperfusion, the drug produced a significant (two-fold) decrease in the intensity of post-reperfusion arrhythmias (p < or = 0.05). On the model of 7-min ischemia followed by 5-min reperfusion, zoniporide prevented the development of ventricular fibrillation in 71.43% of cases as compared to control (p < or = 0.05). The drug also increased the threshold of electrical fibrillation by 69.23% and reduced the time to recovery of the heart rhythm by 37.85%. | 25,102,729 | [
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[The influence of cytoflavin and cardioxipin on the indices of lipid peroxidation and antioxidant protection in the blood of rat with dyslipidemia]. | Comparative tests on nonlinear rats of both sex with model violation of lipid metabolism have been performed in order to study the effects of cytoflavin (1.75 ml/kg or 175 mg/kg with respect to succinic acid) and cardioxipin (52.5 mg/kg) on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant protection indices in the blood. It is established that these preparations cause a decrease in the content of malonic dialdehyde (MDA) in erythrocytes that results in increased antioxidant activity and lipid reserves for peroxidation in the blood. | 25,102,732 | [
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[Antiaggregation activity of arachidonic acid conjugates with neurotropic peptides proglyprol and semax]. | The influence two original derivatives of a therapeutically important peptide, bearing arachidonic acid residue with semax and proglyprol, upon platelet aggregation have been studied in vitro. It is established that both derivatives, in contrast to the parent peptide, possess moderate anti-aggregant properties and produce a dose-dependent decrease in the interplatelet interaction induced by ADP, epinephrine, and arachidonic acid within the concentration range of 0.018 - 1.8 mM. This activity was more pronounced for arachidonoylsemax in comparison with arachidonoylproglyprol. | 25,102,733 | [
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[The role of NO-dependent mechanisms in melatonin antioxidant activity during hepatic ischemia-reperfusion in rats]. | The antioxidant effect of melatonin on the blood oxygen transport and prooxidant-antioxidant balance during with hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (HIR) with inhibited NO synthase function has been studied in male Wistar rats. The animals were divided into 4 groups: (1) control; (2) hepatic ischemia (Pringle m., 30 min) and reperfusion for 120 min (HIR, n = 9); (9) HIR with melatonin (10 mg/kg, i.p., 10 min before HIR, n = 9); and (4) same with NO inhibitor (L-NAME, 10 mg/kg) added 5 min before melatonin administration. The indices of blood oxygen transport (p50act, pCO2, pH, pO2, etc.) and prooxidant-antioxidant balance (Schiff bases, conjugated dienes, catalase, retinol, alpha-tocopherol) were measured in blood and liver. HIR in group 1 resulted in higher p50act in mixed venous blood and sever oxidative disturbances: rise of CD and SB, decrease of alpha-T, Ret, and Cat. Melatonin in group 3 significantly improved these changes in p50act and prooxidant-antioxidant balance during HIR, but L-NAME in group 4 partly eliminated this effect. It is concluded that the antioxidant effect of melatonin during HIR is partly associated with NO-depended mechanisms, which can modify blood hemoglobin affinity to oxygen, thus limiting oxygen binding in free-radical processes. | 25,102,734 | [
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[Efficacy of intratympanic steroid treatment for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss after failure of intravenous steroid treatment]. | This study investigated the efficacy of intratympanic steroid (ITS) therapy as a salvage treatment for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss after failure of intravenous steroid (IVS) therapy. Systemic steroid therapy is the only standard drug therapy. However, ethically, we could not simply compare ITS with IVS. Conventionally, we have treated idiopahic sudden sensorineural hearing loss patients after failure of systemic steroid therapy with the double combined therapy IVS and hyperbaric oxygen (HBO), as the salvage modality. We examined the effect of ITS by adding it to the double combined therapy with IVS and HBO. Retrospectively, we clinically examined the effect of double combined therapy with IVS and HBO (A group) for 31 patients (12 men and 19 women) (median age: 54 years) with sudden hearing loss after failure of systemic steroid therapy between June, 2003 and July, 2010. Prospectively, we also examined clinically the effect of triple combined therapy with IVS and HBO, ITS (B group) for 29 patients (17 men and 12 women) (median age: 51 years) with sudden hearing loss after failure of systemic steroid therapy between August, 2010 and April, 2012. In the examination of patients treated within 30 days from the onset, one patient (3.2%) demonstrated remarkable recovery, 6 patients (19.4%) demonstrated mild recovery, while no change was noted in 24 patients (77.4%) in the A group. In the B group, 5 patients (17.2%) demonstrated complete recovery, 3 patients (10.3%) demonstrated remarkable recovery, mild recovery was seen in 14 patients (48.3%), and the remaining 7 patients (24.1%) showed no change. There was a significant difference (p < 0.05) between the A group and the B group. Furthermore, the hearing improvement in group B in five pure tone average was significantly better than in the group A (p < 0.05). We concluded that the B group demonstrated better hearing improvement than the A group. Therefore, ITS could be effective for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss patients after failure of systemic steroid therapy. | 25,102,738 | [
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[A case of squamous cell carcinoma of the hard palate in a patient with basal cell nevus syndrome]. | Basal cell nevus syndrome is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by the developmental malformations and its carcinogenic nature. This syndrome shows various symptoms of multiple cutaneous basal cell carcinoma, ketatocystic odontogenic tumors, and inborn abnormalities in the bone and skin. Although basal cell nevus syndrome itself is a rare disorder, we experienced a very rare case in which squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity developed, and not cutaneous basal cell carcinoma. Only 4 similar cases have been reported in the English literature. The patient was a 33-year-old woman. She was diagnosed as having squamous cell carcinoma of the hard palate, and basal cell nevus syndrome in our hospital. The patient underwent surgery for squamous cell carcinoma of the hard palate, with postoperative chemoradiothetrapy. Since patients with this syndrome tend to form basal cell carcinoma when exposed to X-ray radiation, we perform radiotherapy with care. | 25,102,740 | [
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[Characteristics of coronary artery involvement and probability of appropriate discharges of cardioverter-defibrillator implanted for primary prevention of sudden cardiac death]. | To assess characteristics of involvement of coronary vascular bed in patients with ischemic heart disease and cardioverter defibrillator (CD) implanted for primary prevention of sudden cardiac death (SCD) with and without history of appropriate implantable (I) CD therapies. We examined 64 survivors of myocardial infarction (MI) (60 men, 4 women) with CD implanted for primary prevention of SCD. Mean duration of follow up after CD implantation was 19.0 +/- 2.0 months. Patients were divided into 2 groups: with (n = 26, group 1) and without (n = 38, group 2) appropriate ICD therapies during follow-up. Coronary angiography data (on presence of hemodynamically significant lesions in main stem [MS], anterior interventricular, circumflex branches [CB] of left coronary artery [LCA], and in right coronary artery [RCA]) and data of transthoracic echocardiography (on localization of akinesia and dyskinesia zones) obtained in these groups were compared. Lesions in anterior interventricular branch were found in 25 (96%) and 28 (74%) patients in groups 1 and 2, respectively. Frequencies of involvement of other coronary arteries were not significantly different: MS LCA--7 (27%) vs 5 (13%), p = 0.14; CB--17(65%) vs. 18 (47%), p = 0.24; RCA--16 (62%) vs. 17 (45%), p = 0.29) in groups 1 and 2, respectively. There were no significant differences between groups in frequencies of various localizations of MI as detected by echocardiography. Hemodynamically significant involvement of anterior intraventricular branch of LCA is a predictor of any appropriate ICD therapy. | 25,102,742 | [
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[Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy]. | Keeping in mind an important role of renin-angiotensin aldosterone system (RAS) in developing of cardiac remodeling and fibrosis, genetic polymorphisms coding its components could have influence with clinical variants of the course. Biomarkers could appear predictors of adverse. To examine the contribution of the RAS to developing of different hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) clinical variants of the course we studied 58 patients with HCM and controls comparable by age and gender. All patients were genotyped of gene polymorphisms CMA1 A(-1903)G rs1800875, AGTM235T rs699, AGTR1 A1166C rs5186, CYP11B2-344 T/C rs1799998. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and angiotensin II (AII) levels were measured in 40 patients with HCM and 39 controls. We found out that AII were significantly decreased in patients with HCM than in healthy controls. The positive correlation between AII and left ventricle posterior wall (LVPW) were detected. Severity of heart hypertrophy were associated with pejorative genotype of AGT M235T polymorphism and CMA1 A(-1903) polymorphism. Significant association between the AG genotype of CMA1 A(-1903) polymorphism and angina class II-III and ventricular extrasystole of high gradation was observed. Our data not only support the hypothesis that RAAS polymorphisms may influence phenotype, but also allow for create new approaches to possible predicting adverse outcomes. | 25,102,745 | [
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[Analysis of the effect of antihypertensive drugs on left ventricular hypertrophy regression]. | In a review article reflects the leading role of combined treatment of blockers of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and dihydropyridine calcium antagonists in reducing left ventricular mass. The advantages of fixed combinations in the treatment of hypertensive patients, including those with left ventricular hypertrophy. The advantages of the low risk of side effects and high patient adherence to treatment using antagonists of angiotensin II receptor in comparison with other classes of antihypertensive drugs in selecting initial therapy, patients with hypertension, including the combination of drugs. | 25,102,754 | [
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[Dilated cardiomyopathy caused by p.E446K mutation in SCN5A gene]. | Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is myocardial disorder characterized by progressive heart chambers enlargement and impairment of myocardial contractility. This disorder is the most common cause of advanced heart failure requiring the heart transplantation. The prevalence of the disease is 36.5 per 100 000 in population. About 20-30% of cases are familial. Disease is genetically heterogenous, there more than 100 genes when mutated can give rise a DCM. In 2004, the role of SCN5A gene mutations was shown in origin of DCM with cardiac conduction defects and arrhythmias. In this work we present a clinical case of dilated cardiomyopathy with cardiac arrhythmias and p.E446K mutation in SCN5A gene. We have observed DCM with mild left ventricular hypertrophy, progressive AV block, atrial fibrillation and congenital heart defect (atrium septal defect) in two generations. The congenital heart defect did not co-segregate with SCN5A mutation and DCM. | 25,102,755 | [
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Polymorphisms of endotoxin pathway and endotoxin exposure: in vitro IgE synthesis and replication in a birth cohort. | Genetic variants in endotoxin signaling pathway are important in modulating the effect of environmental endotoxin on asthma and atopic phenotypes. Our objective was to determine the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the endotoxin signaling pathway that may influence in vitro IgE synthesis and to investigate the relationship between these variants and endotoxin exposure in relation to the development of asthma and atopy in a birth cohort. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 45 children with asthma were stimulated with 2 and 200 ng/ml lipopolysaccharide in vitro and IgE was measured in the culture supernatants. Children were genotyped for 121 SNPs from 30 genes in the endotoxin signaling pathway. Variants with a dose-response IgE production in relation to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were selected for replication in a population-based birth cohort, in which we investigated the interaction between these SNPs and endotoxin exposure in relation to airway hyper-responsiveness, wheeze, and atopic sensitization. Twenty-one SNPs in nine genes (CD14, TLR4, IRF3, TRAF-6, TIRAP, TRIF, IKK-1, ST-2, SOCS1) were found to modulate the effect of endotoxin on in vitro IgE synthesis, with six displaying high linkage disequilibrium. Of the remaining 15 SNPs, for seven we found significant relationships between genotype and endotoxin exposure in the genetic association study in relation to symptomatic airway hyper-responsiveness (CD14-rs2915863 and rs2569191, TRIF-rs4807000), current wheeze (ST-2-rs17639215, IKK-1-rs2230804, and TRIF-rs4807000), and atopy (CD14-rs2915863 and rs2569192, TRAF-6-rs5030411, and IKK-1-rs2230804). Variants in the endotoxin signaling pathway are important determinants of asthma and atopy. The genotype effect is a function of the environmental endotoxin exposure. | 25,102,764 | [
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Using response time modeling to distinguish memory and decision processes in recognition and source tasks. | Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) functions are often used to make inferences about memory processes, such as claiming that memory strength is more variable for studied versus nonstudied items. However, decision processes can produce the ROC patterns that are usually attributed to memory, so independent forms of data are needed to support strong conclusions. The present experiments tested ROC-based claims about the variability of memory evidence by modeling response time (RT) data with the diffusion model. To ensure that the model can correctly discriminate equal- and unequal-variance distributions, Experiment 1 used a numerousity discrimination task that had a direct manipulation of evidence variability. Fits of the model produced correct conclusions about evidence variability in all cases. Experiments 2 and 3 explored the effect of repeated learning trials on evidence variability in recognition and source memory tasks, respectively. Fits of the diffusion model supported the same conclusions about variability as the ROC literature. For recognition, evidence variability was higher for targets than for lures, but it did not differ on the basis of the number of learning trials for target items. For source memory, evidence variability was roughly equal for source 1 and source 2 items, and variability increased for items with additional learning attempts. These results demonstrate that RT modeling can help resolve ambiguities regarding the processes that produce different patterns in ROC data. The results strengthen the evidence that memory strength distributions have unequal variability across item types in recognition and source memory tasks. | 25,102,773 | [
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Vaccination strategies for SIR vector-transmitted diseases. | Vector-borne diseases are one of the major public health problems in the world with the fastest spreading rate. Control measures have been focused on vector control, with poor results in most cases. Vaccines should help to reduce the diseases incidence, but vaccination strategies should also be defined. In this work, we propose a vector-transmitted SIR disease model with age-structured population subject to a vaccination program. We find an expression for the age-dependent basic reproductive number R(0), and we show that the disease-free equilibrium is locally stable for R(0) ≤ 1, and a unique endemic equilibrium exists for R(0) > 1. We apply the theoretical results to public data to evaluate vaccination strategies, immunization levels, and optimal age of vaccination for dengue disease. | 25,102,777 | [
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Regional differences in performance of bone marrow transplantation, care-resource use and outcome for adult T-cell leukaemia in Japan. | Japan has a high prevalence of adult T-cell leukaemia (ATL), especially in the Kyushu/Okinawa region. Regional differences in prevalence might cause regional differences in physicians' experiences and the efficiency of care-resource use. This study investigated regional differences in the performance of bone marrow transplantation (BMT), outcome and care-resource use in patients with ATL in Japan. This was a cross-sectional study using a Japanese hospital administrative database in 2010, with a diagnostic-procedure combination/per diem payment system. We examined the association between BMT performance, resource use, outcomes and region. We analysed data for 712 subjects of whom 60.5% were Kyushu/Okinawa residents. Significantly more patients with ATL underwent BMT in Kanto (p = 0.018) and Kansai (p < 0.001) regions compared with the Kyushu/Okinawa regions. The lengths of hospital stay were longer in Kanto (p = 0.002) and Kansai (p = 0.006) regions than in the Kyushu/Okinawa region. Total health-care costs were higher in Kanto (p = 0.001) and Kansai (p = 0.005) regions than the Kyushu/Okinawa region. The risks of in hospital mortality were not significantly different between regions. There were significant regional differences in BMT performance and resource use within Japan. ATL prevalence was not related to the performance of BMTs, resource use or outcomes. Factors related to regional socioeconomics might affect the performance of BMTs and care resource use within Japan. | 25,102,780 | [
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Fish oil supplementation and urinary oxalate excretion in normal subjects on a low-oxalate diet. | To determine if fish oil supplementation reduces endogenous oxalate synthesis in healthy subjects. Fifteen healthy non-stone-forming adults participated in this study. Subjects first abstained from using vitamins, medications, or foods enriched in omega-3 fatty acids for 30 days. Next, they collected two 24-hour urine specimens while consuming a self-selected diet. Subjects consumed an extremely low-oxalate and normal-calcium diet for 5 days and collected 24-hour urine specimens on the last 3 days of this diet. Next, the subjects took 2 fish oil capsules containing 650-mg eicosapentaenoic acid and 450-mg docosahexaenoic acid twice daily for 30 days. They consumed a self-selected diet on days 1-25 and the controlled diet on days 26-30. Twenty-four-hour urine samples were collected on days 28-30. Excretion levels of urinary analytes including oxalate and glycolate were analyzed. Although there was a significant reduction in urinary oxalate, magnesium, and potassium excretions and an increase in uric acid excretion during the controlled dietary phases compared with the self-selected diet, there were no significant differences in their excretion during controlled diet phases with and without fish oil supplementation. These results suggest that fish oil supplementation does not reduce endogenous oxalate synthesis or urinary oxalate excretion in normal adults during periods of extremely low oxalate intake. However, these results do not challenge the previously described reduction in urinary oxalate excretion demonstrated in normal subjects consuming a moderate amount of oxalate in conjunction with fish oil. | 25,102,784 | [
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Reverse detection for spectral width improvements in spatially encoded dimensions of ultrafast two-dimensional NMR spectra. | Recently, the spatially encoded technique has been broadly used in the fast analyses of chemical systems and real-time detections of chemical reactions. In spatially encoded ultrafast 2D spectra, spectral widths and resolution in spatially encoded dimensions are contradictive, leading to the risk of insufficient spectral widths when providing satisfactory resolution values for all resonances. Here, a method named as reverse detection is proposed to improve the spectral width in the spatially encoded dimension. Experimental results show that spectral width improvements are at least twofold with reverse detection solely, and more improvements can be expected along with the gradient-controlled folding method. The proposed method can be applied to almost any spatially encoded scheme with echo planar spectroscopic imaging--like detection module and may promote wide applications of ultrafast 2D spectroscopy techniques in chemical analyses. | 25,102,814 | [
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Bleeding diathesis and gastro-duodenal ulcers in inherited cytosolic phospholipase-A2 alpha deficiency. | Arachidonic acid (AA), when cleaved from phospholipids by cytosolic phospholipase A2 alpha (cPLA2a), generates eicosanoids, with pro-hemostatic, pro-inflammatory, vasoactive and gastro-protective functions. We describe a patient (27-year-old man) and his twin-sister with early-onset bleeding diathesis and recurrent gastro-intestinal (GI) ulcers. Platelet aggregation/δ-granules secretion by collagen was impaired, but normal by AA; serum levels of thromboxane (Tx) B2 and 12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid, and urinary levels of 11-dehydro-TxB2 were extremely low. Patients were homozygous for 1723G>C transition in PLA2G4A gene, which changed the codon for Asp575 to His. GI ulcers affected 5/14 heterozygous (< 40 years) and 1/16 wild-type homozygous (> 60 years) family members; none had bleeding diathesis. The proband, his sister and mother also had mildly reduced factor XI levels. Platelet messenger RNA expression did not differ among subjects with different PLA2G4A genotypes. Conversely, platelet cPLA2a was undetectable by Western Blotting in the proband and his sister, and decreased in 1723G>C heterozygous subjects, suggesting that the variant is transcribed, but not translated or translated into an unstable protein. We described a syndromic form of deficiency of cPLA2a , characterised by recurrent GI ulcers and bleeding diathesis, associated with mild inherited deficiency of factor XI. Unlike other reported patients with cPLA2a deficiency, these patients had extremely low levels of platelet TxA2 biosynthesis. | 25,102,815 | [
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[Focal dystonia in musicians: Phenomenology and musical triggering factors]. | Dystonias are defined as a joint sustained and involuntary contraction of agonist and antagonist muscles, which can cause torsion, repetitive abnormal involuntary movements, and/or abnormal postures. One special group of dystonias are those known as occupational, which include dystonia disorders triggered by a repetitive motor activity associated with a specific professional activity or task. Musicians are a population particularly vulnerable to these types of dystonia, which are presented as a loss of coordination and voluntary motor control movements highly trained in musical interpretation. Our aim is to describe a clinical series of focal dystonias in musicians evaluated and treated in our centre. Data is presented on a clinical series of 12 musicians with occupational dystonia. Their history and phenomenology are described, as well as well as their outcome after therapy. Demographic details: Mean age 34.8 ± 11.8 years, 10 males (83.3%) and 2 females (16.7%). History of trauma in dystonic segment, 6 patients (50%); family history of neurological diseases in first-degree relatives, 6 patients (50%); occupational history according to music category, 8 patients (66.6%) were classical musicians and 4 patients (33.3%) were popular musicians. The dystonia syndrome was characterised by having a mean age of onset of 28.2 ± 11.3 years (range 18-57 years). The segment affected was the hand (91.7%) in 11 patients. Of all the musicians seen in the clinic, 9 of them (75%) received therapy. The majority of patients appeared to have triggering factors specific to musical execution and linked to the requirement of fine motor control. It should be mentioned that 50% of the musicians treated maintained their professional activity or position in the orchestra to which they belonged. The majority of our phenomenological findings are consistent with those reported in the current literature. However, it is worth mentioning the presence of triggering factors attributed to the specific requirements of performing music, linked to the participation of fine motor control. | 25,102,827 | [
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Maternal mortality in adolescents compared with women of other ages: evidence from 144 countries. | Adolescents are often noted to have an increased risk of death during pregnancy or childbirth compared with older women, but the existing evidence is inconsistent and in many cases contradictory. We aimed to quantify the risk of maternal death in adolescents by estimating maternal mortality ratios for women aged 15-19 years by country, region, and worldwide, and to compare these ratios with those for women in other 5-year age groups. We used data from 144 countries and territories (65 with vital registration data and 79 with nationally representative survey data) to calculate the proportion of maternal deaths among deaths of females of reproductive age (PMDF) for each 5-year age group from 15-19 to 45-49 years. We adjusted these estimates to take into account under-reporting of maternal deaths, and deaths during pregnancy from non-maternal causes. We then applied the adjusted PMDFs to the most reliable age-specific estimates of deaths and livebirths to derive age-specific maternal mortality ratios. The aggregated data show a J-shaped curve for the age distribution of maternal mortality, with a slightly increased risk of mortality in adolescents compared with women aged 20-24 years (maternal mortality ratio 260 [uncertainty 100-410] vs 190 [120-260] maternal deaths per 100 000 livebirths for all 144 countries combined), and the highest risk in women older than 30 years. Analysis for individual countries showed substantial heterogeneity; some showed a clear J-shaped curve, whereas in others adolescents had a slightly lower maternal mortality ratio than women in their early 20s. No obvious groupings were apparent in terms of economic development, demographic characteristics, or geographical region for countries with these different age patterns. Our findings suggest that the excess mortality risk to adolescent mothers might be less than previously believed, and in most countries the adolescent maternal mortality ratio is low compared with women older than 30 years. However, these findings should not divert focus away from efforts to reduce adolescent pregnancy, which are central to the promotion of women's educational, social, and economic development. WHO, UN Population Fund. | 25,102,848 | [
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Future risk of labour market marginalization in young suicide attempters--a population-based prospective cohort study. | Research on future labour market marginalization following suicide attempt at young age is scarce. We investigated the effects of suicide attempts on three labour market outcomes: unemployment, sickness absence and disability pension. We conducted a prospective cohort study based on register linkage of 1,613,816 individuals who in 1994 were 16-30 years old and lived in Sweden. Suicide attempters treated in inpatient care during the 3 years preceding study entry, i.e. 1992-94 (N=5649) were compared with the general population of the same age without suicide attempt between 1973 and 2010 (n=1,608,167). Hazard ratios (HRs) for long-term unemployment (>180 days), sickness absence (>90 days) and disability pension in 1995-2010 were calculated by Cox regression models, adjusted for a number of parental and individual risk markers, and stratified for previous psychiatric inpatient care not due to suicide attempt. The risks for unemployment [HR 1.58; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.52-1.64], sickness absence (HR 2.16; 2.08-2.24) and disability pension (HR 4.57; 4.34-4.81) were considerably increased among suicide attempters. There was a dose-response relationship between number of suicide attempts and the risk of disability pension, for individuals both with or without previous psychiatric hospitalizations not due to suicide attempts. No such relationship was present with regard to unemployment. This study highlights the strong association of suicide attempts with future marginalization from the labour market, particularly for outcomes that are based on a medical assessment. Studies that focus only on unemployment may largely underestimate the true detrimental impact of suicide attempt on labour market marginalization. | 25,102,855 | [
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Importance of methotrexate therapy concomitant with tocilizumab treatment in achieving better clinical outcomes for rheumatoid arthritis patients with high disease activity: an observational cohort study. | The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of concomitant use of MTX and baseline characteristics for remission in the treatment of RA with tocilizumab (TCZ) in daily clinical practice. A total of 240 RA patients who received TCZ were selected from the multicentre Tsurumai Biologics Communication Registry. Predictive baseline factors for remission [28-item DAS (DAS28) < 2.6] at 52 weeks were determined by logistic regression analysis. To confirm whether the associations varied by the level of baseline disease activity, we also assessed the model including the interaction term (each baseline variable × DAS28). In total, 49.3% of the study participants used MTX with TCZ. Even after controlling for the baseline DAS28, shorter disease duration (≤3 year) [odds ratio (OR) 3.58 (95% CI 1.81, 7.07)], less structural damage [Steinbroker stage ≤II, OR 2.33 (95% CI 1.32, 4.12)] and concomitant prednisolone use [OR 0.38 (95% CI 0.21, 0.68)] showed significant predictive values for remission. Concomitant MTX use failed to show a significant association with remission, whereas a significant interaction was observed among concomitant MTX use × DAS28 (P = 0.006). In patients with high baseline disease activity (DAS28 > 5.1), concomitant MTX use was associated with increased odds for remission [adjusted OR for all baseline variables 2.54 (95% CI 1.11, 5.83)], while no association was indicated between them in patients with low to moderate baseline disease activity (DAS28 ≤ 5.1). Concomitant MTX use is an important component of TCZ treatment for RA patients with high disease activity. | 25,102,861 | [
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[Effect of Naringin on proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow stromal cells in vitro]. | To investigate the differentiation and osteogenic activity of Naringin-induced bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) in dogs. BMSCs were separated and cultured in vitro and identified by FCM. Then different concentration of Naringin (1×10⁻⁵, 1×10⁻⁶, 1×10⁻⁷, 1×10⁻⁸ and 1×10⁻⁹ mol/L) were added to cell culture media to induce BMSCs. The effect of Naringin on BMSCs was evaluated respectively by CCK-8 method and measuring the activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP). The formation of nodules of calcium was detected by von Kossa staining. The data was analyzed with SPSS20.0 software package. The result of cell-surface marker displayed that the expression of CD34 and CD45 were negative while the expression of CD90 was positive. The values were 0.126%, 0.075% and 95.4%, respectively. Naringin could obviously promote cell proliferation, which exhibited the best effect on proliferation and osteogenic differentiation at concentration of 10-6 mol/L. Calcium nodule (von Kossa) staining was positive. Naringin-induced bone marrow stromal cells can be differentiated into osteoblasts. Naringin at the concentration of 10-6 mol/L can enhance the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs. | 25,102,867 | [
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[Influence of self-ligating and conventional brackets on dental arch width in non-extraction treatment: a meta analysis]. | To evaluate the influence of self-ligating and conventional brackets on dental arch width in non-extraction treatment. Cochrane library, Science Direct, PubMed, CBM, CNKI, VIP, Wanfang Database and Google scholar were searched from the date of their establishment to May 2013, to find clinical trials about dental arch form changes in non-extraction treatment with self-ligating and conventional brackets. The quality of the included studies was assessed by two reviewers independently, and Meta analysis was performed using Sata 10.0 software package. Finally' 8 studies including 364 patients were identified. The results of meta analysis showed there were significant difference between self-ligating and conventional brackets in the upper first premolar width change [WMD=0.724, 95%CI (0.288, 1.160; PU<0.01], lower first molar width change [WMD=0.564, 95% CI(0.219, 0.909); PL<0.01] and upper incisors inclination changes. Current clinical evidence suggests that there is more increment of the dental width in upper first premolars and the lower first molars using self-ligating brackets than conventional brackets, and self-ligating brackets can superiorly control upper incisor inclination. The results need to be verified via larger and higher quality trial. | 25,102,887 | [
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Evaluation of the Luminex xTAG Gastrointestinal Pathogen Panel and the Savyon Diagnostics Gastrointestinal Infection Panel for the detection of enteric pathogens in clinical samples. | Infectious gastrointestinal disease is caused by a diverse array of pathogens, and is a challenging syndrome to correctly diagnose and manage. Conventional laboratory diagnostic methods are often time-consuming and frequently suffer from low detection rates. Two commercial multiplex nucleic acid amplification tests [Luminex xTAG Gastrointestinal Pathogen Panel (GPP) and Savyon Diagnostics Gastrointestinal Infection Panel (GIP)] were applied to 1000 stored diarrhoeal clinical stool samples. The Luminex xTAG GPP and Savyon GIP detected Campylobacter in 42/44 and 44/44 culture-positive samples, Salmonella in 4/4 and 3/4 culture-positive samples, Shigella in 1/1 culture-positive sample, Clostridium difficile toxin in 32/35 ELISA-positive samples, and Giardia in 6/6 wet-preparation-microscopy-positive samples, respectively. When the Luminex GPP assay was used concurrently with conventional methods for 472 clinical samples, it detected Campylobacter in 22/22 culture-positive samples, Salmonella in 1/1 culture-positive sample, Clostridium difficile toxin in 14/14 ELISA-positive samples and Giardia in 4/4 wet-preparation-microscopy-positive samples. The pathogen/toxin detection rate for conventional methods in both sample sets was <10%. The Luminex xTAG GPP detection rate was 24.8% in the stored samples and 32.6% in the concurrently tested samples. The Savyon GIP detection rate was 22.5%. From stored samples, 2.4% of Luminex xTAG GPP detections and 3.1% of Savyon GIP detections could not be confirmed using alternative nucleic acid amplification tests. Enhanced detection rates resulted from increased detection of pathogens routinely sought using conventional methods and were also due to ascertainment of micro-organisms that current testing strategies do not diagnose. Use of multiplex nucleic acid amplification tests will allow clinical laboratories to diagnose infectious gastroenteritis in more patients with diarrhoeal disease by increasing the sensitivity of pathogen detection and by reducing the selective bias of current strategies. The clinical and economic impact of these results warrants further investigation. | 25,102,908 | [
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A particle on a hollow cylinder: the triple ring tubular cluster B27(+). | We determined the geometries and chemical bonding phenomena of the B27 system in its dicationic, cationic, neutral, anionic and dianionic states using DFT computations. In both cationic and neutral states, the triple ring tubular forms correspond to the lowest-energy isomers, especially in B27(+). The cation B27(+) represents the first stable hollow cylinder having a triple ring among the pure boron clusters. In the anionic and dianionic states, the quasi-planar structures are favoured due to a charge effect. In the triple ring tube B27(+), strong diatropic responses to external magnetic field occur in both radial and tangential types of electrons, and thus confer it a characteristic tubular aromaticity. The presence of a consistent aromatic character contributes to its high thermodynamic stability. The shapes of calculated MOs of B27(+) TR can be predicted by the eigenstates of a simple model of a particle on a hollow cylinder. The number of electrons in a hollow cylinder should attain a number of (4N + 2M) with M = 0 and 1 for both radial and tangential electrons, depending on the number of non-degenerate MOs occupied, in order to properly fulfill the closed electron shells. In the case of B27(+), M = 0 for radial electrons and M = 1 for tangential electrons. | 25,102,921 | [
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Improving fluid intelligence with training on working memory: a meta-analysis. | Working memory (WM), the ability to store and manipulate information for short periods of time, is an important predictor of scholastic aptitude and a critical bottleneck underlying higher-order cognitive processes, including controlled attention and reasoning. Recent interventions targeting WM have suggested plasticity of the WM system by demonstrating improvements in both trained and untrained WM tasks. However, evidence on transfer of improved WM into more general cognitive domains such as fluid intelligence (Gf) has been more equivocal. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis focusing on one specific training program, n-back. We searched PubMed and Google Scholar for all n-back training studies with Gf outcome measures, a control group, and healthy participants between 18 and 50 years of age. In total, we included 20 studies in our analyses that met our criteria and found a small but significant positive effect of n-back training on improving Gf. Several factors that moderate this transfer are identified and discussed. We conclude that short-term cognitive training on the order of weeks can result in beneficial effects in important cognitive functions as measured by laboratory tests. | 25,102,926 | [
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Adverse events during air and ground neonatal transport: 13 years' experience from a neonatal transport team in Northern Sweden. | To study the prevalence of adverse events (AEs) associated with neonatal transport, and to categorize, classify and assess the risk estimation of these events. Written comments in 1082 transport records during the period 1999-2011 were reviewed. Comments related to events that infringed on patient and staff safety were included as AEs, and categorized and further classified as complaint, imminent risk of incident/negative event, actual incident or actual negative event. AEs were also grouped into emergency or planned transports, and risk estimation was calculated according to a risk assessment tool and defined as low, intermediate, high or extreme risk. AEs (N = 883) were divided into five categories: logistics (n = 337), organization (n = 177), equipment (n = 165), vehicle (n = 129) and medical/nursing care (n = 75). Eighty-five percent of AEs were classified as incidents or negative events. The majority of AEs were estimated to be of low or intermediate risk in both planned and emergency transports. AEs estimated to be of high or extreme risk were significantly more frequent in emergency transports (OR = 10.1; 95% CI: 5.0-20.9; p < 0.001). AEs are common in both planned and emergency neonatal transport, often related to imperfect transport logistics or equipment failure. AEs of high or extreme risk were more frequent in emergency transports. | 25,102,938 | [
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Role of Growth arrest-specific gene 6-Mer axis in multiple myeloma. | Multiple myeloma is a mostly incurable malignancy characterized by the expansion of a malignant plasma cell (PC) clone in the human bone marrow (BM). Myeloma cells closely interact with the BM stroma, which secretes soluble factors that foster myeloma progression and therapy resistance. Growth arrest-specific gene 6 (Gas6) is produced by BM-derived stroma cells and can promote malignancy. However, the role of Gas6 and its receptors Axl, Tyro3 and Mer (TAM receptors) in myeloma is unknown. We therefore investigated their expression in myeloma cell lines and in the BM of myeloma patients and healthy donors. Gas6 showed increased expression in sorted BMPCs of myeloma patients compared with healthy controls. The fraction of Mer(+) BMPCs was increased in myeloma patients in comparison with healthy controls whereas Axl and Tyro3 were not expressed by BMPCs in the majority of patients. Downregulation of Gas6 and Mer inhibited the proliferation of different myeloma cell lines, whereas knocking down Axl or Tyro3 had no effect. Inhibition of the Gas6 receptor Mer or therapeutic targeting of Gas6 by warfarin reduced myeloma burden and improved survival in a systemic model of myeloma. Thus, the Gas6-Mer axis represents a novel candidate for therapeutic intervention in this incurable malignancy. | 25,102,945 | [
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Tumour tissue sampling for lung cancer management in the era of personalised therapy: what is good enough for molecular testing? | In the era of personalised cancer therapy, the demand for molecular profiling of the patient's tumour is steadily increasing. In advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, testing for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene rearrangements has become an essential component of clinical practice to select patients who are most likely to benefit from EGFR and ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitors, respectively. Furthermore, obtaining tissue specimens from recurrent or metastatic tumours or from patients who develop resistance to initial effective therapies are essential for our understanding of the molecular basis of tumour progression and development of drug resistance. Therefore, the sampling of tumour tissue that is representative and is adequate in quantity and quality for pathological diagnosis and genomic profiling is crucial. In this review, we will discuss factors that should be considered in obtaining and processing biopsy specimens to enable routine molecular analysis in NSCLC patients. | 25,102,961 | [
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0.1991245,
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Solvent effects in the GIAO-DFT calculations of the 15N NMR chemical shifts of azoles and azines. | The calculation of (15)N NMR chemical shifts of 27 azoles and azines in 10 different solvents each has been carried out at the gauge including atomic orbitals density functional theory level in gas phase and applying the integral equation formalism polarizable continuum model (IEF-PCM) and supermolecule solvation models to account for solvent effects. In the calculation of (15)N NMR, chemical shifts of the nitrogen-containing heterocycles dissolved in nonpolar and polar aprotic solvents, taking into account solvent effect is sufficient within the IEF-PCM scheme, whereas for polar protic solvents with large dielectric constants, the use of supermolecule solvation model is recommended. A good agreement between calculated 460 values of (15)N NMR chemical shifts and experiment is found with the IEF-PCM scheme characterized by MAE of 7.1 ppm in the range of more than 300 ppm (about 2%). The best result is achieved with the supermolecule solvation model performing slightly better (MAE 6.5 ppm). | 25,102,971 | [
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Expression of liver X receptor correlates with intrahepatic inflammation and fibrosis in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. | Liver X receptor (LXR) is an oxysterol-activated nuclear receptor involved in the control of major metabolic pathways for cholesterol homeostasis and lipogenesis. Although the role of LXR in hepatic steatosis is well known, its correlation with intrahepatic inflammation and fibrosis has not been thoroughly studied. We investigated the association between LXRα, hepatic inflammation, and fibrosis, as well as its correlation with other intrahepatic lipid transporters in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We evaluated clinical characteristics including sex, age, body mass index, and laboratory findings from 40 NAFLD and 16 control patients. Immunohistochemical staining was carried out on liver biopsy samples from all patients. The positive rate of LXRα expression was 30 % in the control group, 50 % in the NAFLD group, and 97 % in NASH groups. LXRα expression was positively correlated with not only the amount of intrahepatic fat, but also with intrahepatic inflammation and hepatic fibrosis. LXRα expression showed positive correlation with intrahepatic expression of ABCG5/8, CD36, and SREBP-1c. The expression of ABCA1, ABCG5/8, SREBP-1c, and CD36 was higher in NAFLD than in controls and there was no further increase in the NASH group. NPC1L1 was abundant in human liver. Expression of NPC1L1 was negatively correlated with intrahepatic inflammation and LXRα intensity. LXR expression correlated with the degree of hepatic fat deposition, as well as with hepatic inflammation and fibrosis in NAFLD patients. Our research suggests that LXR is an attractive target for treatment and regulation of hepatic inflammation and fibrosis. | 25,102,981 | [
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Shoulder pain patients in primary care--part 1: Clinical outcomes over 12 months following standardized diagnostic workup, corticosteroid injections, and community-based care. | Measure changes in pain and disability of primary care shoulder pain patients over a 12-month period. A non-randomized audit with repeated measures of pain and disability at 3 weeks, 3, 6 and 12 months. Of 208 patients, 161 agreed to participate with 96.9%, 98.1%, 86.3%, 83.9% follow-up at 3 weeks, at 3, 6 and 12 months, respectively. Mean age was 44 years, mean symptom duration 3.6 months. PATIENTS were treated with protocol driven corticosteroid injection and community based care. Primary outcome measure was the Shoulder Pain and Disability index (SPADI) questionnaire. Based on the SPADI and minimal clinically important difference (MCID), outcomes were categorized into: total recovery, 90% or more improved, better, unchanged and worse. There was significant reduction of pain and disability at 3 weeks (p < 0.001), no change at the 3- and 6-month follow-up and a significant reduction at the 12-month follow-up (p < 0.001). Excellent outcomes were achieved by 32.9% and 45.3%, and a poor clinical outcome resulted for 32.8% and 14.9% at the 3- and 12-month follow-up, respectively. Though there was significant improvement at the 3-week and 12-month follow-up, 45% achieved an excellent outcome and a 16.7% of patients were the same or worse than baseline at 12 months. | 25,103,016 | [
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A prospective observational study to investigate the association between abnormal hand movements and delirium in hospitalised older people. | to examine the relationship between carphology (aimlessly picking at bedclothes), floccillation (plucking at the air) and delirium in older patients admitted to specialist elderly care wards. daily observation for behaviours of carphology and floccillation embedded within a 'before' and 'after' study. three specialist elderly care wards in a general hospital. older people admitted to hospital as emergencies. patients recruited into a delirium prevention study were observed daily for delirium using the confusion assessment method (CAM). Occurrences of carphology and/or floccillation were also recorded. Sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values for carphology/floccillation for the diagnosis of delirium were calculated. Inpatient mortality rates were compared for patients who did, and did not exhibit features of carphology and/or floccillation. four hundred and thirty-seven patients were recruited into the study. One hundred and ten participants experienced an episode of delirium, 21 exhibited behaviours of carphology and/or floccillation. The sensitivity and specificity of carphology and/or floccillation for the diagnosis of delirium were 14 and 98%, respectively; positive likelihood ratio 6.8. Carphology and floccillation were associated with both hyper- and hypo-active delirium subtypes, and occurred early during incident delirium (67% within 2 days of delirium onset). The inpatient mortality rate in patients with carphology/floccillation was double the rate in patients without the behaviours (23.8 versus 11.2%, Fisher's exact test P = 0.16). carphology and floccillation are uncommon physical signs, but their presence is highly suggestive of delirium. The behaviours are unrelated to delirium subtype making their presence particularly useful in the diagnosis of hypo-active delirium. | 25,103,029 | [
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Arsenic enhanced plant growth and altered rhizosphere characteristics of hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata. | We investigated the effects of arsenic species on As accumulation, plant growth and rhizospheric changes in As-hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata (PV). PV was grown for 60-d in a soil spiked with 200 mg kg(-1) arsenate (AsV-soil) or arsenite (AsIII-soil). Diffusive gradients in thin-films technique (DGT) were used to monitor As uptake by PV. Interestingly AsIII-soil produced the highest PV biomass at 8.6 g plant(-1), 27% and 46% greater than AsV-soil and the control. Biomass increase was associated with As-induced P uptake by PV. Although AsIII was oxidized to AsV during the experiment, As species impacted As accumulation by PV, with 17.5% more As in AsIII-soil than AsV-soil (36 vs. 31 mg plant(-1)). As concentration in PV roots was 30% higher in AsV-soil whereas As concentration in PV fronds was 7.9% greater in AsIII-soil, suggesting more rapid translocation of AsIII than AsV. These findings were important to understand the mechanisms of As uptake, accumulation and translocation by PV. | 25,103,044 | [
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Combined effects of GSTO1 and SULT1A1 polymorphisms and cigarette smoking on urothelial carcinoma risk in a Taiwanese population. | Cigarette smoking is the main risk factor for urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UCB). Glutathione S-transferase omega 1 (GSTO1) and sulfotransferase 1A1 (SULT1A1) have been reported to be associated with the metabolism of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and aromatic amines. The aim of the present study was to investigate the combined effects of polymorphisms in GSTO1 and SULT1A1 genes and cigarette smoking on UCB risk in a Taiwanese population. A total of 300 patients with histopathologically confirmed UCB and 233 cancer-free controls were recruited from the Department of Urology of Tung's Taichung Metro Harbor Hospital and Taipei Medical University Hospital. A comprehensive interview was conducted to collect personal information, including demographic characteristics and cigarette smoking status. A multivariate-adjusted logistic regression was performed to estimate the risk of UCB. A significantly increased risk of UCB was observed in ever smokers [odds ratio (OR) = 2.3]. The Ala/Ala genotype of the GSTO1 gene and the Arg/Arg genotype of the SULT1A1 gene were associated with a significantly increased risk of UCB, with ORs of 1.8 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.2-2.6] and 2.1 (95% CI = 1.6-4.5), respectively. Significantly increased UCB risks were found in heavy smokers with the Ala/Ala genotype of the GSTO1 gene (OR = 4.2) and the Arg/Arg genotype of the SULT1A1 gene (OR = 6.8). Furthermore, a significant synergistic effect in an additive model (OR = 3.5) between the GSTO1 Ala/Ala genotype and the SULT1A1 Arg/Arg genotype on UCB risk was observed. The present study provided epidemiological evidence for a significantly increased risk of UCB in ever smokers with the Ala/Ala genotype of the GSTO1 gene and the Arg/Arg genotype of the SULT1A1 gene. | 25,103,078 | [
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Environmental pollutants and alterations in the reproductive system in wild male mink (Neovison vison) from Sweden. | The wild American mink, a semi-aquatic top predator, is exposed to high levels of environmental pollutants that may affect its reproductive system. In this study, the reproductive organs from 101 wild male mink collected in Sweden were examined during necropsy. Potential associations between various variables of the reproductive system and fat concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE) and other organochlorine pesticides and liver concentrations of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) were investigated using multiple regression models. The anogenital distance was negatively associated (p<0.05) with concentration of p,p'-DDE and some PFAAs (perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA) and ∑PFAA). Penis length was positively associated with PCB 28, PCB 47/48, PCB 52 and PCB 110 (p<0.05), and some of these congeners were also associated with baculum length and penis weight. In contrast, penile length tended (p<0.1) to be shorter in mink with high concentrations of p,p'-DDE. These data may help to improve the understanding of how environmental pollution affects male reproduction in both wildlife and humans. Overall, the study suggests endocrine disrupting effects in wild mink and identifies potentially important pollutants in the complex mixture of contaminants in the environment. In addition, the results suggest that the variables of the reproductive system of male mink used in this study are good candidates for use as indicators of environmental pollution affecting the mammalian reproductive system. | 25,103,085 | [
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The discomfort produced by noise and whole-body vertical vibration presented separately and in combination. | This study investigated the prediction of the discomfort caused by simultaneous noise and vibration from the discomfort caused by noise and the discomfort caused by vibration when they are presented separately. A total of 24 subjects used absolute magnitude estimation to report their discomfort caused by seven levels of noise (70-88 dBA SEL), 7 magnitudes of vibration (0.146-2.318 ms(- 1.75)) and all 49 possible combinations of these noise and vibration stimuli. Vibration did not significantly influence judgements of noise discomfort, but noise reduced vibration discomfort by an amount that increased with increasing noise level, consistent with a 'masking effect' of noise on judgements of vibration discomfort. A multiple linear regression model or a root-sums-of-squares model predicted the discomfort caused by combined noise and vibration, but the root-sums-of-squares model is more convenient and provided a more accurate prediction of the discomfort produced by combined noise and vibration. | 25,103,088 | [
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Is eating behavior manipulated by the gastrointestinal microbiota? Evolutionary pressures and potential mechanisms. | Microbes in the gastrointestinal tract are under selective pressure to manipulate host eating behavior to increase their fitness, sometimes at the expense of host fitness. Microbes may do this through two potential strategies: (i) generating cravings for foods that they specialize on or foods that suppress their competitors, or (ii) inducing dysphoria until we eat foods that enhance their fitness. We review several potential mechanisms for microbial control over eating behavior including microbial influence on reward and satiety pathways, production of toxins that alter mood, changes to receptors including taste receptors, and hijacking of the vagus nerve, the neural axis between the gut and the brain. We also review the evidence for alternative explanations for cravings and unhealthy eating behavior. Because microbiota are easily manipulatable by prebiotics, probiotics, antibiotics, fecal transplants, and dietary changes, altering our microbiota offers a tractable approach to otherwise intractable problems of obesity and unhealthy eating. | 25,103,109 | [
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Nosocomial bloodstream Candida infections in a tertiary-care hospital in South Brazil: a 4-year survey. | The aims of this study were to evaluate the epidemiology of nosocomial candidemia in a tertiary hospital in South Brazil and the in vitro antifungal susceptibility of isolates. Blood strains from 108 patients were identified by PCR-based method. Some 30.5 % of candidemia were caused by Candida tropicalis, 28.7 % were due to Candida albicans, 24.1 % with Candida parapsilosis sensu stricto, 8.3 % with Candida glabrata sensu lato, 1.8 % involved Candida krusei and 6.6 % with other species. Candidemia was more common in intensive care unit settings (66 %). In vitro susceptibility to antifungal drugs was determined by a microdilution method; and new species-specific clinical breakpoints for fluconazole and voriconazole were applied. Overall susceptibility rates were 100 % for itraconazole, 91 % for fluconazole, 98 % for voriconazole and 99 % for amphotericin B. Fluconazole resistance was mostly among C. parapsilosis sensu stricto isolates (26.9 %). Most of the findings reported here agreed with epidemiological features common to other tertiary hospitals in Brazil; but also revealed some peculiarities, such as a high frequency of C. tropicalis associated with candidemia. Besides, high rate of fluconazole resistance among C. parapsilosis stricto sensu isolates was obtained when applying the new species-specific clinical breakpoints. | 25,103,140 | [
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Bio-solid-phase extraction/tandem mass spectrometry for identification of bioactive compounds in mixtures. | We describe a two-step column-based bioassay method with tandem mass spectrometric detection for rapid identification of bioactive species in mixtures. The first step uses an immobilized enzyme reactor (IMER) column interfaced to an electrospray ionization mass spectrometer (ESI-MS) to identify mixtures containing bioactive compounds (i.e., enzyme inhibitors), while the second step uses bioselective solid-phase extraction (bioSPE) columns to isolate compounds from "hit" mixtures, which are then identified online by data-dependent ESI-MS. IMER columns were prepared by entrapment of adenosine deaminase (ADA) into sol-gel derived monolithic silica columns, and used to perform a primary IMER screen of mixtures prepared from a bioactive library, which resulted in four apparent hit compounds. Such columns did not provide sufficient binding site density to allow bioSPE, and thus a new column format was developed using ADA that was covalently immobilized to monolithic silica capillary columns, providing ∼500-fold more protein binding sites than were present in columns containing entrapped proteins. Using the covalently linked ADA columns, bioactive mixtures identified by IMER were infused until a maximum total ion current was achieved, followed by washing with a buffer to remove unbound compounds. A harsh wash with 3% acetic acid eluted the strongly bound ligands and the resulting peak triggered data dependent MS/MS to identify the ligand, showing that two of the apparent hits were true ADA inhibitors and demonstrating the ability of this method to rapidly identify bioactive compounds in mixtures. | 25,103,192 | [
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The effect of a 3-month moderate-intensity physical activity program on body composition in overweight and obese African American college females. | This study evaluated body composition outcomes following a 3-month exercise program for overweight/obese Black women. BMI decreased over the 3-month study despite an observed increase in body fat. Enhancements in bone marrow density and muscle density were also observed. Results show promising yet hypothesis-generating findings to explore in future research. Few studies have evaluated the relationship between aerobic physical activity (PA) and body composition among young adult overweight/obese African American (AA) women. The current study evaluated the effect of a 3-month moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity intervention for overweight and obese young adult women on bone, lean, and fat mass. Participants (n = 15) were a randomly selected subset of AA female college students (M age = 21.7 years; M BMI = 33.3) enrolled in a larger PA promotion pilot study (n = 31). Study protocol required participants to engage in four 30-60-min moderate-intensity aerobic PA sessions each week. Whole body composition was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) was used to assess additional quantitative and qualitative assessment of the radius. BMI decreased over the duration of the study (P = .034), reflected by a marginal decrease in body weight (P = .057). However, unexpectedly, increases in adipose tissue measures were observed, including total body fat (P = .041), percent body fat (P = .044), trunk fat (P = .031), and percent trunk fat (P = .041). No changes in DXA-measured bone outcomes were observed (i.e., bone mineral density, P = .069; bone mineral content, P = .211). Results from the pQCT assessment showed that bone marrow density increased (P = .011), but cortical density remained stable (P = .211). A marginally significant increase in muscle density (P = .053) and no changes in muscle area (P = .776) were observed. A 3-month moderate-intensity PA program was associated with several promising findings, including increased bone marrow and stabilization of body weight. However, the increase in adipose tissue and trend for decreased bone mineral density were unexpected and indicate the need for future studies with larger samples to further explore these outcomes. | 25,103,214 | [
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Oral administration of bisphenol A induces high blood pressure through angiotensin II/CaMKII-dependent uncoupling of eNOS. | Bisphenol A (BPA) is found in human urine and fat tissue. Higher urinary BPA concentrations are associated with arterial hypertension. To shed light on the underlying mechanism, we orally administered BPA (4 nM to 400 μM in drinking water) to 8-wk-old CD11 mice over 30 d. Mice developed dosage-dependent high blood pressure (systolic 130 ± 12 vs. 170 ± 12 mmHg; EC50 0.4 μM), impairment of acetylcholine (AcH)-induced carotid relaxation (0.66 ± 0.08 vs. 0.44 ± 0.1 mm), a 1.7-fold increase in arterial angiotensin II (AngII), an 8.7-fold increase in eNOS mRNA and protein, and significant eNOS-dependent superoxide and peroxynitrite accumulation. AngII inhibition with 0.5 mg/ml losartan reduced oxidative stress and normalized blood pressure and endothelium-dependent relaxation, which suggests that AngII uncouples eNOS and contributes to the BPA-induced endothelial dysfunction by promoting oxidative and nitrosative stress. Microarray analysis of mouse aortic endothelial cells revealed a 2.5-fold increase in expression of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II-α (CaMKII-α) in response to 10 nM BPA, with increased expression of phosphorylated-CaMKII-α in carotid rings of BPA-exposed mice, whereas CaMKII-α inhibition with 100 nM autocamptide-2-related inhibitor peptide (AIP) reduced BPA-mediated increase of superoxide. Administration of CaMKII-α inhibitor KN 93 reduced BPA-induced blood pressure and carotid blood velocity in mice, and reverted BPA-mediated carotid constriction in response to treatment with AcH. Given that CaMKII-α inhibition prevents BPA-mediated high blood pressure, our data suggest that BPA regulates blood pressure by inducing AngII/CaMKII-α uncoupling of eNOS. | 25,103,225 | [
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The Golgi ribbon structure facilitates anterograde transport of large cargoes. | In mammalian cells, individual Golgi stacks fuse laterally to form the characteristic perinuclear ribbon structure. Yet the purpose of this remarkable structure has been an enigma. We report that breaking down the ribbon of mammalian cells strongly inhibits intra-Golgi transport of large cargoes without altering the rate of transport of smaller cargoes. In addition, insect cells that naturally harbor dispersed Golgi stacks have limited capacity to transport artificial oversized cargoes. These results imply that the ribbon structure is an essential requirement for transport of large cargoes in mammalian cells, and we suggest that this is because it enables the dilated rims of cisternae (containing the aggregates) to move across the stack as they transfer among adjacent stacks within the ribbon structure. | 25,103,235 | [
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Cby1 promotes Ahi1 recruitment to a ring-shaped domain at the centriole-cilium interface and facilitates proper cilium formation and function. | Defects in centrosome and cilium function are associated with phenotypically related syndromes called ciliopathies. Cby1, the mammalian orthologue of the Drosophila Chibby protein, localizes to mature centrioles, is important for ciliogenesis in multiciliated airway epithelia in mice, and antagonizes canonical Wnt signaling via direct regulation of β-catenin. We report that deletion of the mouse Cby1 gene results in cystic kidneys, a phenotype common to ciliopathies, and that Cby1 facilitates the formation of primary cilia and ciliary recruitment of the Joubert syndrome protein Arl13b. Localization of Cby1 to the distal end of mature centrioles depends on the centriole protein Ofd1. Superresolution microscopy using both three-dimensional SIM and STED reveals that Cby1 localizes to an ∼250-nm ring at the distal end of the mature centriole, in close proximity to Ofd1 and Ahi1, a component of the transition zone between centriole and cilium. The amount of centriole-localized Ahi1, but not Ofd1, is reduced in Cby1(-/-) cells. This suggests that Cby1 is required for efficient recruitment of Ahi1, providing a possible molecular mechanism for the ciliogenesis defect in Cby1(-/-) cells. | 25,103,236 | [
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Seasonal change in light partitioning among coexisting species of different functional groups along elevation gradient in subalpine moorlands. | Species niches are expected to differ between different functional groups and between species with different functional traits. However, it is still unclear how functional traits contribute to niche separation between species coexisting in a community and between sites along environmental gradients. We studied seasonal changes in light partitioning among coexisting species belonging to different functional groups in moorland plant communities at different altitudes. We estimated the lifetime light absorption per unit invested leaf biomass (ΦLleafmass) as a measure of the benefit/cost ratio of light acquisition. Evergreen species absorbed more light in spring, whereas deciduous species absorbed more light in summer. A similar tradeoff was also found between short and tall species within each functional group. As a result, evergreen and shorter species had comparable ΦLleafmass values to those of deciduous and taller species. Evergreen species had higher ΦLleafmass at higher altitudes relative to deciduous species, suggesting that evergreen habit is more advantageous for the lifetime light interception at higher altitudes. Our results demonstrate that phenological tradeoffs for light partitioning can contribute to the coexistence of species with different functional traits. Our results also reveal that the most advantageous traits differ depending on environment. | 25,103,246 | [
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Studies of internal bremsstrahlung spectrum of (35)S beta emitter in the photon energy region of 1-100 keV. | The internal bremsstrahlung (IB) spectral photon distribution, produced by soft beta particles of (35)S (Wmax=164keV), in the photon energy region of 1-100keV, is measured by using a Si(Li) detector, having high energy resolution and efficiency at low energy region. The measured spectral IB photon distribution is compared with KUB theory and Coulomb corrected IB theories given by Nilsson, and Lewis and Ford. After applying the necessary corrections, the experimental and theoretical IB spectral photon distributions are compared in terms of the number of IB photon of energy k per moc(2) per unit photon yield. In the low energy region (below 10keV), the experimental results are in agreement with all the theories. However, in photon energy region of 10-50keV, experimental results are in agreement with Coulomb corrected Nilsson theory only, within the experimental errors. Further, beyond 50keV, the Nilsson theory is more close to the experimental results than the KUB, and the Lewis and Ford theories. Hence, the Nilsson theory is more accurate than the other theories given by KUB and Lewis and Ford, particularly at a high energy end. The experimental results reported here with Si(Li) detector are free from number of ambiguities in earlier measurements reported with NaI(Tl) and HPGe detectors. The present results are indicating a relook into the theoretical considerations, given by different theories, while taking into account the Coulomb corrections for predicting the IB spectrum, particularly at high photon energy region. | 25,103,247 | [
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Semi-empirical systematics of (n, He-3) cross sections for 14.6 MeV neutrons. | A new semi-empirical formula for the calculation of the (n, He-3) cross section at 14.6MeV neutron energy is obtained. It is based on the evaporation model. The new formula with three parameters is found to give a better fit to the data than the previous comparable formulae. | 25,103,248 | [
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Accommodation in astigmatic children during visual task performance. | To determine the accuracy and stability of accommodation in uncorrected children during visual task performance. Subjects were second- to seventh-grade children from a highly astigmatic population. Measurements of noncycloplegic right eye spherical equivalent (Mnc) were obtained while uncorrected subjects performed three visual tasks at near (40 cm) and distance (2 m). Tasks included reading sentences with stimulus letter size near acuity threshold and an age-appropriate letter size (high task demands) and viewing a video (low task demand). Repeated measures ANOVA assessed the influence of astigmatism, task demand, and accommodative demand on accuracy (mean Mnc) and variability (mean SD of Mnc) of accommodation. For near and distance analyses, respectively, sample size was 321 and 247, mean age was 10.37 (SD 1.77) and 10.30 (SD 1.74) years, mean cycloplegic M was 0.48 (SD 1.10) and 0.79 diopters (D) (SD 1.00), and mean astigmatism was 0.99 (SD 1.15) and 0.75 D (SD 0.96). Poor accommodative accuracy was associated with high astigmatism, low task demand (video viewing), and high accommodative demand. The negative effect of accommodative demand on accuracy increased with increasing astigmatism, with the poorest accommodative accuracy observed in high astigmats (≥3.00 D) with high accommodative demand/high hyperopia (1.53 D and 2.05 D of underaccommodation for near and distant stimuli, respectively). Accommodative variability was greatest in high astigmats and was uniformly high across task condition. No/low and moderate astigmats showed higher variability for the video task than the reading tasks. Accuracy of accommodation is reduced in uncorrected children with high astigmatism and high accommodative demand/high hyperopia, but improves with increased visual task demand (reading). High astigmats showed the greatest variability in accommodation. | 25,103,265 | [
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Applications of very high-resolution imagery in the study and conservation of large predators in the Southern Ocean. | The Southern Ocean is one of the most rapidly changing ecosystems on the planet due to the effects of climate change and commercial fishing for ecologically important krill and fish. Because sea ice loss is expected to be accompanied by declines in krill and fish predators, decoupling the effects of climate and anthropogenic changes on these predator populations is crucial for ecosystem-based management of the Southern Ocean. We reviewed research published from 2007 to 2014 that incorporated very high-resolution satellite imagery to assess distribution, abundance, and effects of climate and other anthropogenic changes on populations of predators in polar regions. Very high-resolution imagery has been used to study 7 species of polar animals in 13 papers, many of which provide methods through which further research can be conducted. Use of very high-resolution imagery in the Southern Ocean can provide a broader understanding of climate and anthropogenic forces on populations and inform management and conservation recommendations. We recommend that conservation biologists continue to integrate high-resolution remote sensing into broad-scale biodiversity and population studies in remote areas, where it can provide much needed detail. | 25,103,277 | [
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Orthogonal zirconium diol/C18 liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis of poly and perfluoroalkyl substances in landfill leachate. | Leachates coming from landfills contain a myriad of compounds of potential environmental and human health concern, including per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs). Micro liquid-liquid extraction was combined with a 900μl large volume injection (LVI) for the analysis of 70 PFASs in landfill leachate by orthogonal LC-MS/MS. The LVI approach introduced 7 times more extract than conventional injection approaches. Two zirconium-modified diol guard columns effectively retained PFASs from the organic leachate extract and an analytical C18 column was used for separation. Method accuracy and precision for PFASs with analytical grade reference materials ranged from 81-120% and 5.5-33%, respectively. Estimated method detection limits in the low to sub-ng/L. Seven landfill leachates were analyzed by the optimized analytical method for the purposes of method demonstration. Leachates were characterized by a wide variety of PFASs, reporting on 36 previously-unanalyzed PFASs in leachate. Perfluoroalkyl carboxylates were the most abundant class detected while phosphorous-containing PFASs, present in all leachates, were at low concentrations. The 3-perfluoropentyl propanoate (5:3 FTCA) was the most concentrated analyte in most samples and constitutes a previously unreported but significant component of landfill leachate. | 25,103,279 | [
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Solid supported in situ derivatization extraction of acidic degradation products of nerve agents from aqueous samples. | This study deals with the solid supported in situ derivatization extraction of acidic degradation products of nerve agents present in aqueous samples. Target analytes were alkyl alkylphosphonic acids and alkylphosphonic acids, which are important environmental signatures of nerve agents. The method involved tert-butyldimethylchlorosilane mediated in situ silylation of analytes on commercially available diatomaceous solid phase extraction cartridges. Various parameters such as derivatizing reagent, its concentration, reaction time, temperature and eluting solvent were optimized. Recoveries of the analytes were determined by GC-MS which ranged from 60% to 86%. The limits of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) with selected analytes were achieved down to 78 and 213ngmL(-1) respectively, in selected ion monitoring mode. The successful applicability of method was also demonstrated on samples of biological origin such as plasma and to the samples received in 34th official proficiency test conducted by the Organization for Prohibition the of Chemical Weapons. | 25,103,280 | [
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Global causes of maternal death: a WHO systematic analysis. | Data for the causes of maternal deaths are needed to inform policies to improve maternal health. We developed and analysed global, regional, and subregional estimates of the causes of maternal death during 2003-09, with a novel method, updating the previous WHO systematic review. We searched specialised and general bibliographic databases for articles published between between Jan 1, 2003, and Dec 31, 2012, for research data, with no language restrictions, and the WHO mortality database for vital registration data. On the basis of prespecified inclusion criteria, we analysed causes of maternal death from datasets. We aggregated country level estimates to report estimates of causes of death by Millennium Development Goal regions and worldwide, for main and subcauses of death categories with a Bayesian hierarchical model. We identified 23 eligible studies (published 2003-12). We included 417 datasets from 115 countries comprising 60 799 deaths in the analysis. About 73% (1 771 000 of 2 443 000) of all maternal deaths between 2003 and 2009 were due to direct obstetric causes and deaths due to indirect causes accounted for 27·5% (672 000, 95% UI 19·7-37·5) of all deaths. Haemorrhage accounted for 27·1% (661 000, 19·9-36·2), hypertensive disorders 14·0% (343 000, 11·1-17·4), and sepsis 10·7% (261 000, 5·9-18·6) of maternal deaths. The rest of deaths were due to abortion (7·9% [193 000], 4·7-13·2), embolism (3·2% [78 000], 1·8-5·5), and all other direct causes of death (9·6% [235 000], 6·5-14·3). Regional estimates varied substantially. Between 2003 and 2009, haemorrhage, hypertensive disorders, and sepsis were responsible for more than half of maternal deaths worldwide. More than a quarter of deaths were attributable to indirect causes. These analyses should inform the prioritisation of health policies, programmes, and funding to reduce maternal deaths at regional and global levels. Further efforts are needed to improve the availability and quality of data related to maternal mortality. | 25,103,301 | [
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Sensitivity and specificity of HAT Sero-K-SeT, a rapid diagnostic test for serodiagnosis of sleeping sickness caused by Trypanosoma brucei gambiense: a case-control study. | Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) is a life-threatening infection affecting rural populations in sub-Saharan Africa. Large-scale population screening by antibody detection with the Card Agglutination Test for Trypanosomiasis (CATT)/Trypanosoma brucei (T b) gambiense helped reduce the number of reported cases of gambiense HAT to fewer than 10 000 in 2011. Because low case numbers lead to decreased cost-effectiveness of such active screening, we aimed to assess diagnostic accuracy of a rapid serodiagnostic test (HAT Sero-K-SeT) applicable in primary health-care centres. In our case-control study, we assessed participants older than 11 years who presented for HAT Sero-K-SeT and CATT/T b gambiense at primary care centres or to mobile teams (and existing patients with confirmed disease status at these centres) in Bandundu Province, DR Congo. We defined cases as patients with trypanosomes that had been identified in lymph node aspirate, blood, or cerebrospinal fluid. During screening, we recruited controls without previous history of HAT or detectable trypanosomes in blood or lymph who resided in the same area as the cases. We assessed diagnostic accuracy of three antibody detection tests for gambiense HAT: HAT Sero-K-SeT and CATT/T b gambiense (done with venous blood at the primary care centres) and immune trypanolysis (done with plasma at the Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium). Between June 6, 2012, and Feb 25, 2013, we included 134 cases and 356 controls. HAT Sero-K-SeT had a sensitivity of 0·985 (132 true positives, 95% CI 0·947-0·996) and a specificity of 0·986 (351 true negatives, 0·968-0·994), which did not differ significantly from CATT/T b gambiense (sensitivity 95% CI 0·955, 95% CI 0·906-0·979 [128 true positives] and specificity 0·972, 0·949-0·985 [346 true negatives]) or immune trypanolysis (sensitivity 0·985, 0·947-0·996 [132 true positives] and specificity 0·980, 0·960-0·990 [349 true negatives]). The diagnostic accuracy of HAT Sero-K-SeT is adequate for T b gambiense antibody detection in local health centres and could be used for active screening whenever a cold chain and electricity supply are unavailable and CATT/T b gambiense cannot be done. | 25,103,304 | [
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Predictors of survival after resection of children with hepatoblastoma: A single Asian center experience. | The aim of this study is to investigate and identify the predictors associated with the prognosis of patients with hepatoblastoma (HB). We retrospectively reviewed 112 children with HB (58 female, 54 male) managed in our institution between May 1st, 2001 and January 30th, 2012. Prognostic factors were evaluated using Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards models. For the entire cohort of 112 patients, the overall median survival was 83.5 months, and the 5-year EFS and OS rates were 57.1% and 63.4%, AFP<100 or >1000 (ng/ml)(HR:2.454, P = 0.013), multifocality (HR:2.852, P = 0.012), vascular invasion (HR:2.272, P = 0.026), metastases (HR:2.654,P = 0.005) and PRETEXT stage (HR:2.817, P = 0.005) were associated with an adverse prognosis in the univariate and multivariable adjusted analysis. Based on these findings, a prognostic scoring system was developed that allotted one point each for these factors. Patients with HB could be stratified into 3 distinct prognostic groups (median and 5-year EFS, respectively): 0 points (105.1 months, 94.1%), 1-2 point (85.8 months, 60.2%), and 3-4 points (31.8 months, 13.5%) (P < 0.001). We have confirmed the HB prognostic factors associated with survival in the Asian population and established a simple prognostic scoring system. | 25,103,357 | [
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A self-microemulsifying drug delivery system to overcome intestinal resveratrol toxicity and presystemic metabolism. | A mixed lipid-mixed surfactant self-microemulsifying drug delivery system (SMEDDS) was developed to exploit the health benefits of resveratrol, a Biopharmaceutical Classification System Class 2 natural polyphenol, subject to extensive intestinal presystemic metabolism. SMEDDS with a mixed lipid phase (castor oil/Capmul MCM 1:1) and a mixed surfactant phase (Kolliphor EL/Kolliphor RH 40 1:1) was developed and evaluated for its self-emulsifying properties and in vitro dispersion. The impact of SMEDDS on the permeability properties of resveratrol and its metabolite fluxes through the rat intestine and Caco-2 cells was monitored. The inhibitory effect of selected SMEDDS components on the efflux transporters multidrug resistance-associated protein and P-gp as well as cytotoxicity was assessed on Caco-2 cells. The formulation allowed for high resveratrol loading (122.5 mg/g SMEDDS), excellent self-emulsifying properties, and very rapid release. When formulated in SMEDDS, resveratrol metabolite efflux significantly declined. The formulation (SMEDDS without incorporated resveratrol) and its individual components did not compromise in vitro cell vitality and integrity. Mixed lipid-mixed surfactant SMEDDS is a prospective formulation to improve resveratrol biopharmaceutical, pharmacokinetic, and toxicological properties, leading the way to resveratrol use not only as a supplement but also as a pharmacological drug. | 25,103,361 | [
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On-line solid-phase extraction for liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of pesticides. | Public concern about pesticides in food and water has increased dramatically in the last two decades. In order to guarantee consumers' health and safety, analytical methods that could provide fast and reliable answers without compromising accuracy and precision are required. Sample treatment is probably the most tedious and time-consuming step in many analytical procedures and, despite the significant advances in chromatographic separations and mass spectrometry techniques, sample treatment is still one of the most important parts of the analytical process for achieving good analytical results. Therefore, over the last years, considerable efforts have been made to simplify the stage and to develop fast, accurate, and robust methods that allow the determination of a wide range of pesticides without compromising the integrity of the extraction process. This review article intends to give a short overview of recently developed on-line solid-phase extraction, preconcentration, and clean-up procedures for the determination of pesticides in complex matrices by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry techniques. | 25,103,367 | [
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Rapid growth of seed black holes in the early universe by supra-exponential accretion. | Mass accretion by black holes (BHs) is typically capped at the Eddington rate, when radiation's push balances gravity's pull. However, even exponential growth at the Eddington-limited e-folding time t(E) ~ few × 0.01 billion years is too slow to grow stellar-mass BH seeds into the supermassive luminous quasars that are observed when the universe is 1 billion years old. We propose a dynamical mechanism that can trigger supra-exponential accretion in the early universe, when a BH seed is bound in a star cluster fed by the ubiquitous dense cold gas flows. The high gas opacity traps the accretion radiation, while the low-mass BH's random motions suppress the formation of a slowly draining accretion disk. Supra-exponential growth can thus explain the puzzling emergence of supermassive BHs that power luminous quasars so soon after the Big Bang. | 25,103,410 | [
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Structural biology. Crystal structure of the CRISPR RNA-guided surveillance complex from Escherichia coli. | Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPRs) are essential components of RNA-guided adaptive immune systems that protect bacteria and archaea from viruses and plasmids. In Escherichia coli, short CRISPR-derived RNAs (crRNAs) assemble into a 405-kilodalton multisubunit surveillance complex called Cascade (CRISPR-associated complex for antiviral defense). Here we present the 3.24 angstrom resolution x-ray crystal structure of Cascade. Eleven proteins and a 61-nucleotide crRNA assemble into a seahorse-shaped architecture that binds double-stranded DNA targets complementary to the crRNA-guide sequence. Conserved sequences on the 3' and 5' ends of the crRNA are anchored by proteins at opposite ends of the complex, whereas the guide sequence is displayed along a helical assembly of six interwoven subunits that present five-nucleotide segments of the crRNA in pseudo-A-form configuration. The structure of Cascade suggests a mechanism for assembly and provides insights into the mechanisms of target recognition. | 25,103,409 | [
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Determinants of contractile forces generated in disorganized actomyosin bundles. | Actomyosin machinery is a fundamental engine consisting mostly of actin filaments, molecular motors, and passive cross-linkers, generating mechanical forces required for biological processes of non-muscle cells such as cell migration, cytokinesis, and morphogenesis. Although the molecular and physical properties of key elements in the actomyosin machinery have been characterized well, it still remains unclear how macroscopic force buildup and dissipation in actomyosin networks and bundles depend on the microscopic properties of individual cytoskeletal components and their local interactions. To bridge such a gap between macroscopic and microscopic scales, we have developed a three-dimensional computational model of actomyosin bundles clamped to an elastic substrate with minimal components: actin filaments, passive cross-linkers, and active motors. Our model accounts for several key features neglected by previous studies despite their significance for force generation, such as realistic structure and kinetics of the motors. Using the model, we systematically investigated how net tension in actomyosin bundles is governed via interplay between motors and cross-linkers. We demonstrated motors can generate large tension on a bundle in the absence of cross-linkers in a very inefficient, unstable manner. Cross-linkers help motors to generate their maximum potential forces as well as enhance overall connectivity, leading to much higher efficiency and stability. We showed further that the cross-linkers behave as a molecular clutch with tunable friction which has quite distinct effects on net tension depending on their cross-linking angles. We also examined the source of symmetry breaking between tensile and compressive forces during tension generation process and discussed how the length and dynamics of actin filaments and the stiffness of the elastic substrate can affect the generated tension. | 25,103,419 | [
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Complete mitochondrial genome of the hybrid of Megalobrama amblycephala (♀) × Ancherythroculter nigrocauda (♂). | The complete mitochondrial genome of the hybrid of Megalobrama amblycephala (♀) × Ancherythroculter nigrocauda (♂) is 16,623 bp in size, consisting of 13 protein coding genes, 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, 2 ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, and 2 main non-coding regions. As in other vertebrates, most mitochondrial genes are encoded on the heavy strand, except for ND6 and 8 tRNAs. The overall nucleotide composition was 31.23% A, 24.68% T, 27.90% C, and 16.19% G, with an A + T content of 55.91%. The mitochondrial genome sequence data may provide useful information for the elucidation of evolutionary mechanisms in the hybrid fish of Cyprinidae. | 25,103,429 | [
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The complete mitogenome of the stone crab Myomenippe fornasinii (Bianconi, 1851) (Crustacea: Decapoda: Menippidae). | The mitochondrial genome sequence of the stone crab, Myomenippe fornasinii, second of the superfamily Eriphioidea is documented. Myomenippe fornasinii has a mitogenome of 15,658 base pairs consisting of 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal subunit genes, 22 transfer RNAs and a non-coding AT-rich region. The base composition of the M. fornasinii mitogenome is 36.10% for T, 18.52% for C, 35.48% for A, and 9.90% for G, with an AT bias of 71.58%. The mitogenome gene order conforms to what is the standard arrangement for brachyuran crabs. | 25,103,431 | [
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Complete mitochondrial genome of Philometra carassii (Nematoda: Philometridae). | The complete mitochondrial genome of Philometra carassii is 14,378 bp in size, containing 12 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA genes, 2 rRNA genes (12S and 16S), as well as one non-coding region (NCR, the control region), but lacks an atp8 gene. The genome organization, nucleotide composition and codon usage do not differ significantly from other nematodes. The complete mitogenome sequence information of P. carassii can provides useful data for further studies on phylogenetics, stock evaluation and conservation genetics. | 25,103,437 | [
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The complete mitochondrial genome of insect-eating brandt's bat, Myotis brandtii (Myotis, Vespertilionidae). | In this study, we report the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of brandt's bat, Myotis brandtii. The genome is found to be 17,470 bp in length and has a base composition of A (33.1%), G (13.6%), C (24.6%), and T (28.6%). Similar to other bats, it contains a typically conserved structure including 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, and 1 control region (D-loop). Most of the genes are encoded on H-strand, except for the eight tRNA and ND6 genes. All protein-coding genes start with an ATG codon except for ND2, ND3 and ND5, which initiate with ATC or ATA instead, and terminate with the typical stop codon (TAA/TAG) or a single T (T- -) or an unexpected codon of AGA. The complete mitochondrial genome sequence provided here would be useful for further phylogenetic analysis and population genetic studies in M. brandtii. | 25,103,443 | [
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Characterization of the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of Homatula potanini (Cypriniformes, Nemacheilidae, Nemachilinae). | Homatula potanini is an endemic and one of ornamental fishes in the upper stream of the Yangtze River and its tributaries. However, wild populations of H. potanini declined sharply due to anthropological activity in the Jinsha River during the past decades. In present study, the complete mitochondrial DNA genome sequence of H. potanini was first determined by DNA sequencing based on the PCR fragments. The complete mitochondrial genome sequence is a circular molecule of 16,569 bp in size. It consists of 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, 2 rRNA genes, and a control region (D-loop). The gene nucleotide composition of H. potanini is 30.1% A, 26.9% C, 16.7% G, and 26.3% T, with a relatively high A + T content (56.4%). The results could provide useful data for studies on genetic structure and rational resource conservation in H. potanini. | 25,103,447 | [
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Application of clinical techniques relevant for glaucoma assessment by optometrists: concordance with guidelines. | Guidelines for the screening, prognosis, diagnosis, management and prevention of glaucoma were released by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council in 2010. Comparable guidance has been made available by respective bodies in the USA and UK at a similar time. Key to successful translation of guidelines into clinical practice includes clinicians having the necessary skills to perform required tests. Optometrists in Australia and New Zealand were invited to participate in an online survey exploring these aspects. The results provide insights for improving glaucoma diagnosis and management by optometric primary eye care practitioners. An online questionnaire was developed to investigate glaucoma assessment of optometrists as a function of demographic details, educational background and experience. Key points to ascertain compliance with current guidelines were the availability of equipment, procedural confidence in techniques, and preferences in visual field tests. Chi square statistics was employed to support similarity to national averages and highlight differences between the two countries. Multivariate linear regression analysis identified variables significantly associated with individual tests being available to optometrists and their confidence in applying them. Thirteen per cent of all Australian and 36% of the New Zealand optometrists responded to the survey in 2013, which reflected the demographics/geography of the practising populations. Techniques considered essential or preferred for glaucoma assessment were widely available in both countries with the exception of gonioscopy and pachymetry. After correcting for availability, regression models highlighted therapeutic endorsement and knowledge of glaucoma guidelines as the main variables to maintain high diagnostic confidence. Correlations to number of years in optometric practice mirrored a changed emphasis in teaching and technology over the past 10-15 years. Australian and New Zealand optometrists were well equipped to perform glaucoma assessments with the possible exception of gonioscopy. Advanced imaging modalities were not yet fully integrated into optometric practice, although optical coherence tomography has shown use by 23-32% of optometrists. A marked increase in use, availability and procedural confidence of gonioscopy and other techniques with therapeutically endorsed optometrists demonstrates the advantage and importance of additional training. | 25,103,462 | [
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Anti-HIV-1 activity of the G-quadruplex ligand BRACO-19. | A dynamic G-quadruplex region has been previously shown to form in the long terminal repeat (LTR) promoter of the HIV-1 integrated DNA genome. Inhibition of promoter activity and antiviral effects have been observed when this region was stabilized by BRACO-19, a trisubstituted acridine derivative that binds G-quadruplexes. Here, we aimed at characterizing the antiviral mechanism of action of BRACO-19 by analysing its activity towards a broad range of HIV-1 strains, host cells and infection modes. The antiviral activity of BRACO-19 in cell lines and primary cells infected or persistently infected by HIV-1 strains was evaluated at different times post-infection. Virucidal, viral binding, time-dependent and drug-dependent assays were performed to identify the viral target step. Circular dichroism, UV spectroscopy and a reverse transcriptase (RT) stop assay were used to assess RNA G-quadruplex folding and inhibition of RT processing. Thorough virological assays demonstrated that BRACO-19 acts both at the reverse transcription and the post-integration level during the virus life cycle. This behaviour was rationalized by the observation that a G-quadruplex-forming sequence identical to that of the LTR DNA is present at the 3'-end of the virus RNA genome. Biophysics and biomolecular testing showed that this region has the ability to fold into very stable G-quadruplex structures that are even more stabilized by BRACO-19, therefore inhibiting the reverse transcription process at the template level. Our findings strongly support the activity of BRACO-19 at the viral G-quadruplex level and therefore strengthen the use of viral G-quadruplexes as new anti-HIV-1 targets. | 25,103,489 | [
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Generation of a vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (VISA) strain by two amino acid exchanges in VraS. | Staphylococcus aureus is a notorious bacterial pathogen and antibiotic-resistant isolates complicate current treatment strategies. We characterized S. aureus VC40, a laboratory mutant that shows full resistance to glycopeptides (vancomycin and teicoplanin MICs ≥32 mg/L) and daptomycin (MIC = 4 mg/L), to gain deeper insights into the underlying resistance mechanisms. Genomics and transcriptomics were performed to characterize changes that might contribute to development of resistance. The mutations in vraS were reconstituted into a closely related parental background. In addition, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, growth analyses, transmission electron microscopy, lysostaphin-induced lysis and autolysis assays were performed to characterize the phenotype of resistant strains. Genome sequencing of strain VC40 revealed 79 mutations in 75 gene loci including genes encoding the histidine kinases VraS and WalK that control cell envelope-related processes. Transcriptomics indicated the increased expression of their respective regulons. Although not reaching the measured MIC for VC40, reconstitution of the L114S and D242G exchanges in VraS(VC40) into the susceptible parental background (S. aureus NCTC 8325) resulted in increased resistance to glycopeptides and daptomycin. The expression of VraS(VC40) led to increased transcription of the cell wall stress stimulon, a thickened cell wall, a decreased growth rate, reduced autolytic activity and increased resistance to lysostaphin-induced lysis in the generated mutant. We show that a double mutation of a single gene locus, namely vraS, is sufficient to convert the vancomycin-susceptible strain S. aureus NCTC 8325 into a vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus. | 25,103,491 | [
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Responsiveness to methacholine, but not leukotriene D4, correlates with fractional exhaled nitric oxide in asthma. | Correlation between fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and responsiveness to inhaled leukotriene D4 (LTD4 ) and methacholine (MCh) might be different. This study aims to determine the correlation between FeNO and airway responsiveness to LTD4 and MCh, and to compare the airway responsiveness to inhaled LTD4 and MCh and FeNO in non-smokers, patients without rhinitis and non-smokers without rhinitis. In this cross-over study, asthmatic patients and healthy subjects underwent LTD4 and MCh inhalation challenge at a 2- to 14-day interval. The FeNO was measured by using NIOX MINO, a portable instrument, at the initial visit, before spirometry and inhalation challenge tests. Subgroup analyses were performed in asthmatic patients based on the categorisation of never-smoker group, non-rhinitis group and never-smoker without rhinitis group. Of 62 asthmatic patients enrolled, 43 did not have self-reported rhinitis (asthmatic patients without rhinitis), 56 were never-smokers (asthmatic non-smokers), giving rise to 37 non-smokers who did not have rhinitis (asthmatic non-smokers without rhinitis). Twenty-one healthy subjects were enrolled. Overall, Log10 FeNO correlated with Log10 PD20 FEV1 -MCh but not Log10 PD20 FEV1 -LTD4 or Log10 (LTD4 /MCh potency ratio). Reduced FeNO was associated with significantly higher Log10 PD20 FEV1 -MCh but not Log10 PD20 FEV1 -LTD4 , except for non-smokers. Compared with all asthmatic patients, asthmatic non-smokers without rhinitis were characterised by markedly reduced levels of Log10 PD20 FEV1 -MCh but not Log10 PD20 FEV1 -LTD4 . The difference in all parameters did not reach statistical significance among asthmatic patients without rhinitis, asthmatic non-smokers and asthmatic non-smokers without rhinitis. FeNO correlates with airway responsiveness to inhaled MCh but not LTD4 , in asthmatic patients, particularly in asthmatic non-smokers without rhinitis. | 25,103,494 | [
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TGFβ induces "BRCAness" and sensitivity to PARP inhibition in breast cancer by regulating DNA-repair genes. | Transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) proteins are multitasking cytokines, in which high levels at tumor sites generally correlate with poor prognosis in human patients with cancer. Previously, it was reported that TGFβ downregulates the expression of ataxia telangiectasia-mutated (ATM) and mutS homolog 2 (MSH2) in breast cancer cells through an miRNA-mediated mechanism. In this study, expression of a panel of DNA-repair genes was examined, identifying breast cancer 1, early onset (BRCA1) as a target downregulated by TGFβ through the miR181 family. Correlations between the expression levels of TGFβ1 and the miR181/BRCA1 axis were observed in primary breast tumor specimens. By downregulating BRCA1, ATM, and MSH2, TGFβ orchestrates DNA damage response in certain breast cancer cells to induce a "BRCAness" phenotype, including impaired DNA-repair efficiency and synthetic lethality to the inhibition of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Xenograft tumors with active TGFβ signaling exhibited resistance to the DNA-damaging agent doxorubicin but increased sensitivity to the PARP inhibitor ABT-888. Combination of doxorubicin with ABT-888 significantly improved the treatment efficacy in TGFβ-active tumors. Thus, TGFβ can induce "BRCAness" in certain breast cancers carrying wild-type BRCA genes and enhance the responsiveness to PARP inhibition, and the molecular mechanism behind this is characterized. These findings enable better selection of patients with sporadic breast cancer for PARP interventions, which have exhibited beneficial effects in patients carrying BRCA mutations. | 25,103,497 | [
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A mathematical model using computed tomography for the diagnosis of metastatic central compartment lymph nodes in papillary thyroid carcinoma. | The purpose of this study was to establish a potential mathematical model for the diagnosis of the central compartment lymph node (LN) metastases of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) using CT imaging. 303 patients with PTC were enrolled. We determined the optimal cut-off points of LN size and nodal grouping by calculating the diagnostic value of each cut-off point. Then, calcification, cystic or necrotic change, abnormal enhancement, size, and nodal grouping were analysed by univariate and multivariate statistical methods. The mathematical model was obtained using binary logistic regression analysis, and a scoring system was developed for convenient use in clinical practice. 30 mm(2) for LNs area (size) and two LNs as the nodal grouping criterion had the best diagnostic value. The mathematical model was: p = e (y) /(1+ e (y) ), y = -0.670-0.087 × size + 1.010 × cystic or necrotic change + 1.371 × abnormal enhancement + 0.828 × nodal grouping + 0.909 × area. We assigned the value for cystic or necrotic change, abnormal enhancement, size and nodal grouping value as 25, 33, 20, and 22, respectively, yielding a scoring system. This mathematical model has a high diagnostic value and is a convenient clinical tool. • Papillary thyroid carcinoma has a relatively high rate of metastasis. • CT has unique advantages in evaluating the central compartment. • The mathematical model can improve the diagnosis of CT imaging. • Corresponding scoring system is a convenient clinical tool. | 25,103,534 | [
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Temperature induced stress influence on biodiesel productivity during mixotrophic microalgae cultivation with wastewater. | The role of operating temperature as a physical stress factor for enhancing lipid induction during microalgae cultivation with domestic wastewater was evaluated. Experiments were designed with dual mode microalgae cultivation viz., growth phase (GP) and temperature induced stress phase (25 °C, 30 °C and 35 °C). GP showed enhancement in biomass growth and carbohydrate accumulation while stress phase (SP) operation at 30 °C showed noticeable improvement in lipid productivities (total/neutral lipid, 24.5/10.2%). Maximum carbohydrate utilization was observed during SP at 30 °C operation (57.8%) compared to 25 °C (50.6%) and 35 °C (26.9%) correlating well with the lipid synthesis. Interestingly the neutral lipid content documented five-fold increment illustrating feasibility towards good biodiesel properties. Biodiesel profile at 30 °C temperature is well supported by higher saturated fatty acids (SFA) to unsaturated fatty acids (USFA) ratio. GP operation showed good COD and nutrient removal concomitant to the biomass growth. | 25,103,551 | [
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Legal ivory trade in a corrupt world and its impact on African elephant populations. | Illegal hunting of African elephants (Loxodonta africana) for ivory is causing rapid declines in their populations. Since 2007, illegal ivory trade has more than doubled. African elephants are facing the most serious conservation crisis since 1989, when international trade was banned. One solution proposed is establishment of a controlled legal trade in ivory. High prices for ivory mean that the incentives to obtain large quantities are high, but the quantity of tusks available for trade are biologically constrained. Within that context, effective management of a legal ivory trade would require robust systems to be in place to ensure that ivory from illegally killed elephants cannot be laundered into a legal market. At present, that is not feasible due to corruption among government officials charged with implementing wildlife-related legislation. With organized criminal enterprises involved along the whole commodity chain, corruption enables the laundering of illegal ivory into legal or potentially legal markets. Poachers and traffickers can rapidly pay their way out of trouble, so the financial incentives to break the law heavily outweigh those of abiding by it. Maintaining reliable permitting systems and leak-proof chains of custody in this context is challenging, and effective management breaks down. Once illegal ivory has entered the legal trade, it is difficult or impossible for enforcement officers to know what is legal and illegal. Addressing corruption throughout a trade network that permeates countries across the globe will take decades, if it can ever be achieved. That will be too late for wild African elephants at current rates of loss. If we are to conserve remaining wild populations, we must close all markets because, under current levels of corruption, they cannot be controlled in a way that does not provide opportunities for illegal ivory being laundered into legal markets. | 25,103,555 | [
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Low activity of LSD1 elicits a pro-inflammatory gene expression profile in riboflavin-deficient human T Lymphoma Jurkat cells. | Mono- and dimethylation of lysine (K)-4 in histone H3 (H3K4me1, H3K4me2) create epigenetic gene activation marks that are enriched near the transcription start site of genes. Lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) is a flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD)-dependent demethylase that catalyzes the demethylation of H3K4me1 and H3K4me2, thereby mediating gene repression. This study tested the hypothesis that LSD1 activity depends on the concentrations of the FAD precursor, riboflavin, in cell culture media, and that riboflavin deficiency causes derepression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Human T lymphoma Jurkat cells were cultured in riboflavin-defined media, representing plasma levels of riboflavin in moderately deficient, sufficient, and supplemented humans. The expression of LSD1 mRNA and protein followed the pattern riboflavin-deficient > riboflavin-sufficient > riboflavin-supplemented cells. However, the increase in LSD1 expression was insufficient to compensate for FAD depletion, and LSD activities were more than 30 % higher in riboflavin-supplemented cells compared with the other treatment groups. The enrichment of H3K4me2 marks was 11-137 % greater in riboflavin-deficient cells compared with sufficient cells in exon 1 of genes coding for the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α. Consistent with the enrichment of gene activation marks, the expression of mRNA coding for pro-inflammatory cytokines was 62-487 % higher in riboflavin-deficient cells compared with sufficient cells. These findings support the hypothesis that riboflavin deficiency contributes toward a pro-inflammatory gene expression pattern through a loss of LSD1 activity. | 25,103,574 | [
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Reduction in hSOD1 copy number significantly impacts ALS phenotype presentation in G37R (line 29) mice: implications for the assessment of putative therapeutic agents. | In vivo animal models of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (fALS) are widely used to delineate the potential role that genetic mutations play in the neurodegenerative process. While these models are extensively used for establishing the safety and efficacy of putative therapeutics during pre-clinical development, effective clinical translation of pharmacological interventions has been largely unsuccessful. In this report we compare a recent cohort of G37R (line 29) mice generated from mating wild-type females with transgenic males obtained commercially to a previous set of offspring produced with transgenic male breeders from a colony established at a local collaborator's facility. Commercially derived progeny presented with a tightly clustered genomic signature for the mutant human superoxide dismutase1 transgene (hSOD1) locus, and exhibited a greater than two-fold reduction in the number of transgene copies present in the genome compared to offspring derived locally. Decrease in transgene levels corresponded with delayed ALS progression and a significant increase in overall lifespan (146%). These results highlight some key challenges inherent to the use of G37R (line 29) animals in pre-clinical studies for the development of ALS therapeutics. Without stringent assessment of mutant SOD1 copy number/protein levels, heterogeneity of transgene levels within cohorts may influence the behavioural and pathological presentation of disease and thus calls to question the validity of any detected therapeutic effects. Nuanced changes in mutant SOD1 copy number that currently remain unreported may undermine research endeavours, delay efforts for clinical translation, and compromise the rigor of animal studies by limiting reproducibility amongst research groups. | 25,103,619 | [
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Gastrointestinal ultrasonography of normal Standardbred neonates and frequency of asymptomatic intussusceptions. | Ultrasonographic appearance of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of equine neonates has not been completely described. To describe (1) sonographic characteristics of the GI segments in normal nonsedated equine neonates, (2) intra- and interobserver variation in wall thickness, and (3) the sonographic appearance of asymptomatic intussusceptions, and (4) to compare age and sonographic findings of foals with and without asymptomatic intussusceptions. Eighteen healthy Standardbred foals ≤5 days of age. Prospective, cross-sectional blinded study. Gastrointestinal sonograms were performed stall-side. Intraobserver variability in wall thickness measurements was determined by calculating the coefficient of variation (CV). The Bland-Altman method was used to assess interobserver bias. Student's t-test and Fisher's exact test were used to test the association among presence of intussusceptions, age, and selected sonographic findings. The reference ranges (95% predictive interval) for wall thickness were 1.6-3.6 mm for the stomach, 1.9-3.2 mm for the duodenum, 1.9-3.1 mm for the jejunum, 1.3-2.2 mm for the colon, and 0.8-2.7 mm for the cecum. Intraobserver wall thickness CV ranged from 8 to 21% for the 2 observers for 5 gastrointestinal segments. The interobserver bias for wall thickness measurements was not significant except for the stomach (0.14 mm, P < .05) and duodenum (0.29 mm, P < .05). Diagnostic images of mural blood flow could not be obtained. Asymptomatic intussusceptions were found in 10/18 neonates. Associations between sonographic variables or age and the presence of intussusceptions were not found. Sonographic characteristics of the GI tract of normal Standardbred neonates can be useful in evaluating ill foals. Asymptomatic small intestinal intussusceptions occur in normal Standardbred neonates. | 25,103,616 | [
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CCR5 expression is elevated in cervical cancer cells and is up-regulated by seminal plasma. | The interplay between inflammation, cervical cancer and HIV acquisition in women is poorly understood. We have previously shown that seminal plasma (SP) can promote cervical tumour cell growth in vitro and in vivo via the activation of potent inflammatory pathways. In this study, we investigated whether SP could regulate expression of chemokine receptors with known roles in HIV infection, in the cervix and in cervical cancer. The expression of CD4 and CCR5 was investigated by RT-PCR analysis and immunohistochemistry. CD4 and CCR5 expression was elevated in cervical cancer tissue compared with normal cervix. Ex vivo studies conducted on cervical tissues and HeLa cells showed that SP significantly increases the expression of CD4 and CCR5 transcripts. Furthermore, it was found that SP also up-regulates CCR5 protein in HeLa cells. The regulation of CCR5 expression was investigated following treatment of HeLa cells with SP in the presence/absence of chemical inhibitors of intracellular signalling, EP2 and EP4 antagonists, prostaglandin (PG) E2 and a cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 doxycycline-inducible expression system. These experiments demonstrated that the regulation of CCR5 expression by SP occurs via the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-COX-1-PGE2 pathway. This study provides a link between activation of inflammatory pathways and regulation of HIV receptor expression in cervical cancer cells. | 25,103,627 | [
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A systematic review and cost-effectiveness analysis of tonometer disinfection methods. | The Goldmann applanation tonometer presents the problem of being one of the most widely used pieces of equipment in the ophthalmic clinic and a known risk factor for the transmission of epidemic keratoconjunctivitis (EKC). The purpose of this review is to assess the effectiveness of 3 methods of disinfection: alcohol swabs, immersion in peroxide, and the use of disposable prisms. An economic evaluation is undertaken to assess the cost-effectiveness of the 3 alternatives. In doing so, we contribute an evidence-based overview of the issue at an opportune time, because several jurisdictions are developing protocols regarding tonometer tip disinfection. Systematic review and cost-effectiveness analysis. A comprehensive literature review was undertaken with a librarian, comprising searches of 6 electronic databases and hand searches of the grey literature. A 3-level screening process was undertaken by 2 reviewers according to prespecified inclusion and exclusion criteria. Values from included papers were used to inform a cost-effectiveness analysis undertaken using a decision tree model implemented in TreeAge. The analysis was undertaken from the hospital perspective and included all equipment and labour costs. Synthesis of in vitro data indicates that all 3 methods are plausible methods of disinfection with a 64% reduction in log growth of EKC when peroxide is used compared with alcohol swabs. The incremental cost-effective ratios from the cost-effectiveness analysis were $12,000/case averted using peroxide and $61,000/case averted with Tonosafe as compared with alcohol. Assuming clinical infection rates match in vitro disinfection data, the cost of bleach is high and the cost of Tonosafe is unacceptably high to reduce 1 potential case of adenoviral keratoconjunctivitis. | 25,103,651 | [
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Optimal surgical timing in infantile exotropia. | To evaluate age at surgery and duration of misalignment, which affect surgical outcomes of infantile exotropia in healthy children younger than 1 year. The charts of 39 patients who have at least 1 year of follow-up period after surgery with a diagnosis of early-onset exotropia were reviewed retrospectively. Patients were divided into 2 groups (preoperative deviation [PD]): success (exodeviation ≤8 PD or esodeviation ≤5 PD at 1 year postoperatively without reoperation in the whole follow-up period) or failure (exodeviation >8 PD or esodeviation >5 PD at 1 year postoperatively, or reoperation for recurrence or overcorrection during the follow-up period). We evaluated the age at surgery and the duration of misalignment divided into 5 categories-before 6, 12, 18, 24, and 30 months-to suggest appropriate surgical timing affecting surgical outcome and compared between the 2 groups. Overall, 74% of the patients comprised the success group and 26% the failure group. There was no statistically significant difference in the age of alignment between 2 groups (p = 0.91). The mean duration of misalignment was 16.7 months in the success group and 20.1 months in the failure group, with no significant difference (p = 0.52). There were 4 patients (14%) with a misalignment duration of ≥24 months in the success group and 5 such patients (50%) in the failure group; the difference was statistically significant (p = 0.024). Therefore, with a duration of misalignment of up to 24 months as the reference level, the odds of having a successful outcome decreased significantly over 24 months, with the multiple logistic regression model yielding a risk estimate over 6-fold of failure (odds ratio 6.25; p = 0.024). The postoperative surgical outcome was influenced by the duration of the misalignment, rather than the age at surgery. Surgery within 24 months of misalignment favourably affected the percentage of patients who achieved successful outcome in the treatment of infantile exotropia. | 25,103,653 | [
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Improving hospital performance in the treatment of febrile neutropenia. | Febrile neutropenia (FN) remains a common and dangerous complication of cancer treatment. Guidelines from the Infectious Disease Society of America urge initiating antibiotics within 2 h of presentation. We reviewed our institution's performance to identify areas of needed improvement and to design performance improvement steps. FN management was deconstructed into discrete tasks. Experienced practitioners estimated appropriate time allowance for each task. Cycle time analysis data on a baseline cohort (baseline group) identified causes and loci of delay. Based on these data, new processes to bypass roadblocks for timely therapy were introduced. Performance monitoring continued as these changes were implemented (the transitional group) and for 20 months thereafter (the post-intervention group). Sixty-nine episodes of FN were identified. Ten distinct improvement steps were implemented. Median time to antibiotics was reduced from 252 min, to 188 min and 118 min for the baseline, transitional, and post-intervention groups, respectively (p = 0.0002 for the baseline vs. the post-intervention group comparison). Variability was reduced with the inter-quartile range falling from 174 min (baseline) to 65 min (post-intervention). Despite improvement, there were persisting episodes of delays, due to competing priorities from other patients or decisions to postpone infusion of antibiotics until patients had been admitted. Standardized order sets eliminated improper antibiotic choices as a source of error. Improvements in the management of FN can be accomplished and sustained by the focused study of performance of individual tasks, the design of streamlined processes by practitioners, and the ongoing review of performance with feedback to clinical departments. | 25,103,678 | [
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Rapid screening of low-molecular-weight phenols from persimmon (Diospyros kaki) pulp using liquid chromatography/UV-visible/electrospray mass spectrometry analysis. | Persimmon fruits have been widely used in traditional medicine owing to their phenolic composition. This research aims to perform a rapid, detailed and affordable study of the profile of low-molecular-weight phenols from persimmon pulp. Two different HPLC-DAD/ESI-MS(n) analyses were performed using a routine three-dimensional ion trap mass spectrometer to analyze the ethanolic extract of persimmon pulp: (1) an untargeted data-dependent analysis to identify the majority of small phenols that included full MS and MS(2) scan events; (2) a targeted data-dependent analysis to identify polymerized phenols (dimers and formic acid adducts) through a source-induced dissociation analysis that included full MS and MS(2) scan events. Thirty-two low-molecular-weight phenols were detected, comprising gallic acid and its glycoside and acyl derivatives, glycosides of p-coumaric, vanillic and cinnamic acids and different flavone di-C-hexosides, most of them reported for the first time in persimmon. The use of a straightforward and affordable methodology of analysis led to obtain an up-to-date profiling of low-molecular-weight phenols in persimmon. The results can help future actions aimed to expand the understanding of the phenolic metabolome of persimmon cultivars. | 25,103,690 | [
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First day of an oil spill on the open sea: early mass transfers of hydrocarbons to air and water. | During the first hours after release of petroleum at sea, crude oil hydrocarbons partition rapidly into air and water. However, limited information is available about very early evaporation and dissolution processes. We report on the composition of the oil slick during the first day after a permitted, unrestrained 4.3 m(3) oil release conducted on the North Sea. Rapid mass transfers of volatile and soluble hydrocarbons were observed, with >50% of ≤C17 hydrocarbons disappearing within 25 h from this oil slick of <10 km(2) area and <10 μm thickness. For oil sheen, >50% losses of ≤C16 hydrocarbons were observed after 1 h. We developed a mass transfer model to describe the evolution of oil slick chemical composition and water column hydrocarbon concentrations. The model was parametrized based on environmental conditions and hydrocarbon partitioning properties estimated from comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) retention data. The model correctly predicted the observed fractionation of petroleum hydrocarbons in the oil slick resulting from evaporation and dissolution. This is the first report on the broad-spectrum compositional changes in oil during the first day of a spill at the sea surface. Expected outcomes under other environmental conditions are discussed, as well as comparisons to other models. | 25,103,722 | [
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Whole genome sequencing of glioblastoma multiforme identifies multiple structural variations involved in EGFR activation. | Next generation sequencing has become a powerful tool in dissecting and identifying mutations and genomic structural variants that accompany tumourigenesis. Sequence analysis of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) illustrates the ability to rapidly identify mutations that may affect phenotype. Approximately 50% of human GBMs overexpress epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) which renders the EGFR protein a compelling therapeutic target. In brain tumours, attempts to target EGFR as a cancer therapeutic, however, have achieved little or no benefit. The mechanisms that drive therapeutic resistance to EGFR inhibitors in brain tumours are not well defined, and drug resistance contributes to the deadly and aggressive nature of the disease. Whole genome sequencing of four primary GBMs revealed multiple pathways by which EGFR protein abundance becomes deregulated in these tumours and will guide the development of new strategies for treating EGFR overexpressing tumours. Each of the four tumours displayed a different mechanism leading to increased EGFR protein levels. One mechanism is mediated by gene amplification and tandem duplication of the kinase domain. A second involves an intragenic deletion that generates a constitutively active form of the protein. A third combines the loss of a gene which encodes a protein that regulates EGFR abundance as well as an miRNA that modulates EGFR expression. A fourth mechanism entails loss of an ubiquitin ligase docking site in the C-terminal part of the protein whose absence inhibits turnover of the receptor. | 25,103,728 | [
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Draft Genome Sequences of Clinical Vibrio parahaemolyticus Strains Isolated in Maryland (2010 to 2013). | Vibrio parahaemolyticus is the leading cause of food-borne illnesses associated with the consumption of raw shellfish worldwide. Here, we report 45 draft genomes of V. parahaemolyticus. Thirty-five of them are strains that were isolated from clinical cases in the state of Maryland from 2010 to 2013. The remaining 10 strains were historical isolates, isolated mostly from the West Coast of the United States during the period of 1988 to 2004. The availability of these genomes will allow for future phylogenetic analyses with other V. parahaemolyticus strains. | 25,103,764 | [
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Draft Genome Sequence of Linezolid-Resistant Enterococcus faecalis Clinical Isolate HS0914. | We report the draft genome sequence of linezolid-resistant Enterococcus faecalis strain HS-0914 isolated from a teaching hospital in Shanghai, China. The draft genome sequence is composed of 61 contigs for 2,816,079 bp. Ribosomal RNA mutations and cfr, which mediates linezolid resistance, are not present. | 25,103,766 | [
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Draft Genome Sequences of Two Pasteurella multocida Strains Isolated from Buffaloes in India with Hemorrhagic Septicemia Disease. | Pasteurella multocida serotype B:2 is the causative agent of hemorrhagic septicemia in cattle and buffaloes in Asia. It is an acute fatal disease and is considered one of the most economically important diseases in this region of the world. We present here the draft genome sequences of strains 2213 and 3213 of P. multocida. | 25,103,770 | [
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Verb gapping: an action-gap compatibility study. | This study addresses the processing of verb-gapping sentences, e.g., John closes a juice bottle and Jim [ ] a lemonade bottle. The goal was to explore if there would be an interaction between language comprehension and motor action not only for overt action verbs but also for gapped verbs. Participants read gapping sentences that either described clockwise or counter-clockwise manual rotations (e.g., closes vs. opens a juice bottle). Adopting a paradigm developed by Zwaan and Taylor (2006), sentence presentation was frame-by-frame. Participants proceeded from frame to frame by turning a knob either clockwise or counter clockwise. Analyses of the frame reading-times yielded a significant effect of compatibility between the linguistically conveyed action and the knob turning for the overt-verb (e.g., closes/opens a juice bottle) as well as for the gapped-verb frame (e.g., a lemonade bottle) - with longer reading times in the match condition than in the mismatch condition - but not for any of the other frames (e.g., and Jim). The results are promising in providing novel evidence for the real-time reactivation of gapped verbs and in suggesting that action simulation is not bound to the processing of overt verbs. | 25,103,783 | [
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A geography of moral hazard: sources and sinks of motor-vehicle commuting externalities. | Motor-vehicles are responsible for harms to health that are not directly experienced by individual drivers - such as air pollution and risk of injury to pedestrians. In addition to their direct effects on health, these harms also represent a moral hazard since drivers are not required to consider their effects as part of their decision to drive. We describe an approach for estimating sources of motor-vehicle commuter externalities as a means of understanding the geography of moral hazard, and in particular, the spatial displacement of negative health externalities associated with motor-vehicle commuting. This approach models motor-vehicle commuter traffic flow by trip origin for small geographic areas within the City of Toronto, Ontario. We find that most health-related externalities associated with motor-vehicle commuters are not locally generated, with a large share coming from outside Toronto. Low income is associated with externalities originating outside the municipal boundary, but not with locally sourced externalities. We discuss the impact of geographical moral hazard on the agency of citizens as well as policy options aimed at addressing motor-vehicle externalities. | 25,103,786 | [
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Follow-up at age 10 years in ELBW children - functional outcome, brain morphology and results from motor assessments in infancy. | Extremely-low-birth-weight (ELBW) children without severe brain injury or CP are at high risk of developing deficits within cognition, attention, behavior and motor function. Assessing the quality of an infant's spontaneous motor-repertoire included in Prechtl's General-Movement-Assessment (GMA) has been shown to relate to later motor and cognitive functioning in preterm children without CP. To investigate functional outcome and cerebral MRI morphometry at 10 years in ELBW children without CP compared to healthy controls and to examine any relationship with the quality of infant-motor-repertoire included in the GMA. A cohort-study-design. 31 ELBW children (mean birth-weight: 773 g, SD 146, mean gestational age 26.1 weeks, SD 1.8) and 33 term-born, age-matched controls. GMA was performed in ELBW children at 3 months corrected age. At 10 years the children underwent comprehensive motor, cognitive, behavioral assessments and cerebral MRI. The non-CP ELBW children had similar full-IQ but poorer working memory, poorer motor skills, and more attentional and behavioral problems compared to controls. On cerebral MRI reduced volumes of globus pallidus, cerebellar white matter and posterior corpus callosum were found. Cortical surface-area was reduced in temporal, parietal and anterior-medial-frontal areas. Poorer test-results and reduced brain volumes were mainly found in ELBW children with fidgety movements combined with abnormal motor-repertoire in infancy. Non-CP ELBW children have poorer functional outcomes, reduced brain volumes and cortical surface-area compared with term-born controls at 10 years. ELBW children with abnormal infant motor-repertoire seem to be at increased risk of later functional deficits and brain pathology. | 25,103,790 | [
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Quantum dots fluorescence quantum yield measured by Thermal Lens Spectroscopy. | An essential parameter to evaluate the light emission properties of fluorophores is the fluorescence quantum yield, which quantify the conversion efficiency of absorbed photons to emitted photons. We detail here an alternative nonfluorescent method to determine the absolute fluorescence quantum yield of quantum dots (QDs). The method is based in the so-called Thermal Lens Spectroscopy (TLS) technique, which consists on the evaluation of refractive index gradient thermally induced in the fluorescent material by the absorption of light. Aqueous dispersion carboxyl-coated cadmium telluride (CdTe) QDs samples were used to demonstrate the Thermal Lens Spectroscopy technical procedure. | 25,103,802 | [
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Plant-parasitic nematodes associated with olive tree (Olea europaea L.) with a focus on the Mediterranean Basin: a review. | The olive tree (Olea europaea ssp. europaea.) is one of the most ancient cultivated trees. It is an emblematic species owing to its ecological, economic and cultural importance, especially in the Mediterranean Basin. Plant-parasitic nematodes are major damaging pests on olive trees, mainly in nurseries. They significantly contribute to economic losses in the top-ten olive-producing countries in the world. However, the damages they induce in orchards and nurseries are specifically documented only in a few countries. This review aims to update knowledge about the olive-nematode pathosystem by: (1) updating the list of plant-parasitic nematodes associated with olive trees; (2) analysing their diversity (taxonomic level, trophic groups, dominance of taxa), which allowed us (i) to assess the richness observed in each country, and (ii) to exhibit and describe the most important taxa able to induce damages on olive trees such as: Meloidogyne, Pratylenchus, Helicotylenchus, Xiphinema, Tylenchulus, Rotylenchulus, Heterodera (distribution especially in the Mediterranean Basin, pathogenicity and reactions of olive trees); (3) describing some management strategies focusing on alternative control methods; (4) suggesting new approaches for controlling plant-parasitic nematodes based on the management of the diversity of their communities, which are structured by several environmental factors such as olive diversity (due to domestication of wild olive in the past, and to breeding now), cropping systems (from traditional to high-density orchards), irrigation, and terroirs. | 25,103,828 | [
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Hypercobalaminaemia is associated with hepatic and neoplastic disease in cats: a cross sectional study. | When increased serum cobalamin concentrations are encountered clinically they are usually attributed to parenteral supplementation, dietary factors, or otherwise ignored. However, recently, hypercobalaminaemia has been associated with numerous diseases in humans, most notably neoplastic and hepatic disorders. The aim of this retrospective, observational, cross-sectional study was to determine the significance of increased cobalamin in cats. In total, 237 records were retrieved and 174 cats, of various ages and sexes met the inclusion criteria. A total of 42 cats had increased serum cobalamin concentration, and had not received prior supplementation. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that increased serum cobalamin concentration was positively related to pedigree breed (pedigree breeds more likely to have increased cobalamin concentration, odds ratio [OR] 4.24, 95% CI 1.78-10.15, P = 0.001), to having liver disease (OR 9.91, 95% CI 3.54-27.68), and to having a solid neoplasm (OR 8.54, 95% CI 1.10-66.45). The results of the current study suggest that increased serum cobalamin concentrations should not be ignored in cats with no history of supplementation, and investigation for underlying hepatic or neoplastic disease is warranted. | 25,103,858 | [
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Antiradical activities and phytochemical compounds of firethorn (Pyracantha coccinea) fruit extracts. | Firethorn fruits have been used in traditional medicine owing to their diuretic, cardiac and tonic properties. In this study, the antiradical activities and phenolic, phytosterol, lipid-soluble vitamin and fatty acid contents of firethorn fruits were investigated. Antiradical activities of firethorn extracts (ethanol, water, methanol, acetone and diethyl ether) were determined by using DPPH(·), ABTS(·+) and OH(·) radical-scavenging assays. The scavenging activity of the firethorn ethanol, methanol and acetone extracts on ABTS is higher than BHT. The scavenging activity of the firethorn methanol and ethanol extracts on DPPH is higher than BHT. δ-Tocopherol, α-tocopherol, vitamin K, vitamin D, β-sitosterol, ergosterol, stigmasterol, and the major fatty acids linolenic acid and palmitic acid were determined in firethorn. These results indicate that firethorn can be a good source of natural antioxidant owing to the presence of fatty acids, vitamins, phytosterols and phenolic compounds, and antiradical properties. Moreover, this study is the first report about antiradical and phytochemical properties of Pyracantha coccinea fruit extracts. | 25,103,859 | [
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-0.2171648,
0.1334917,
0.1194286,
0.2466704,
0.005601899,
-0.319002,
0.03872534,
-0.6406872,
0.5164916,
0.1800105,
0.4422018,
0.206426,
0.0800418,
-0.3560898,
-0.0... |
Operant assays for assessing pain in preclinical rodent models: highlights from an orofacial assay. | Despite an immense investment of resources, pain remains at epidemic proportions. Given this, there has been an increased effort toward appraising the process by which new painkillers are developed, focusing specifically on why so few analgesics make it from the benchside to the bedside. The use of behavioral assays and animal modeling for the preclinical stages of analgesic development is being reexamined to determine whether they are truly relevant, meaningful, and predictive. Consequently, there is a strengthening consensus that the traditional reflex-based assays upon which several decades of preclinical pain research has been based are inadequate. Thus, investigators have recently turned to the development of new preclinical assays with improved face, content, and predictive validity. In this regard, operant pain assays show considerable promise, as they are more sensitive, present better validity, and, importantly, better encompass the psychological and affective dimensions of pain that trouble human pain sufferers. Here, we briefly compare and contrast reflex assays with operant assays, and we introduce a particular operant orofacial pain assay used in a variety of experiments to emphasize how operant pain assays can be applied to preclinical studies of pain. | 25,103,871 | [
0.1560892,
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-0.3641689,
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-0.08768962,
0.1994703,
0.1151543,
-0.3192042,
0.03211661,
0.02127498,
0.2081041,
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0.2927465,
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0.3287678,
0.008754466,
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-0.115824... |
Transformation/dissolution characteristics of a nickel matte and nickel concentrates for acute and chronic hazard classification. | For the purposes of aquatic hazard classification under the United Nations Globally Harmonized System of Classification (UNGHS), we have examined the transformation/dissolution (T/D) characteristics of a Ni matte and 4 Ni concentrates at pH 6 using the United Nations (UN) Transformation/Dissolution Protocol (T/DP) for metals and sparingly soluble metal compounds. Among the analytes Ni, Co, and Cu, Ni was released into the T/D solutions in the highest concentrations and was thus the main driver in establishing the hazard classification. We applied an extrapolation-scaling approach to obtain concentrations of total dissolved Ni at low loadings of 0.1 and 0.01 mg/L for derivation of chronic classification outcomes in the European Union (EU) classification, labeling, and packaging (CLP) scheme. The T/D data would classify the Ni matte as Acute 2-Chronic 2 under the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) scheme, and Chronic 1 under the EU CLP. Three of the 4 Ni concentrates would classify as GHS Acute 2-Chronic 2 and EU CLP Chronic 2, whereas the 4th would classify as GHS Acute 3-Chronic 3 and EU CLP Chronic 3. In applying the critical surface area (CSA) approach to the Ni concentrates, acute and chronic hazard classification outcomes were the same as those derived from direct application of the T/D data to the GHS and EU schemes. Such agreement provided confidence that the CSA approach could yield scientifically defensible acute and chronic hazard classification outcomes. | 25,103,894 | [
-0.2807469,
-0.0005163862,
0.3350193,
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0.1509685,
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0.11936,
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0.3420379,
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0.1145503,
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0.1800994,
0.1442627,
0.5644184,
-0.2268284,
0... |
The large penumbra: long-distance effects of artificial beach nourishment on Posidonia oceanica meadows. | We used modelling and field approaches to assess the influence of beach nourishment on a relatively distant Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadow in the NW Mediterranean. Both sediment transport models and in situ observations showed that, two years after the nourishment and under wave climates prevalent during the study period, sediment movement was restricted to shallow waters (<7 m), above meadow shallow limit. The only significant impact on seagrass meadows during this period was an increase in fine sediments, associated with vertical rhizome growth rates 1.5-1.7 times higher than normal. However, running the model with data of wave climate over several decades indicates that strong storms able to transfer these sediments much deeper, potentially burying meadows, occur with a return period of about 25 years. Taken together, our results suggest that beach nourishment could result in significant sub-lethal and lethal consequences for seagrasses that may go unnoticed with short-term evaluations. | 25,103,905 | [
0.08850534,
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0.05713158,
0.1900714,
-0.01340653,
0.06565936,
0.01925445,
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-0.2640603,
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0.02309476,
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0.001773176,
-0.06608555,
0.4815457,
0.3185336,
-0.2758726,
0.389179,
0.3929056,
0.2877197... |
In vitro anti-quorum sensing activity of phytol. | Anti-quorum sensing activity of the diterpene phytol was evaluated in vitro for the first time. This compound (at three sub-MIC concentrations - 0.5, 0.25 and 0.125 MIC, respectively) reduced the formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 biofilm in the range of 74.00-84.33% exhibiting higher activity than the both positive controls used, streptomycin and ampicillin. Phytol (0.5 MIC) also effectively reduced P. aeruginosa twitching and flagella motility. Indeed, the bacteria treated were incapable of producing a twitching zone and had almost round, smooth and regular colony edges. Finally, the tested compound (0.5 MIC) exhibited good P. aeruginosa pyocyanin inhibitory activity (51.94%) practically to the same extent as streptomycin (52.09%). According to the experimental data obtained, this phytol property may inspire design of medical foods targeting P. aeruginosa quorum sensing activity. | 25,103,916 | [
-0.1076069,
0.1223531,
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-0.06268184,
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0.08940427,
-0.5282824,
0.2839012,
0.08133534,
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0.2750119,
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0.2795877,
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0.08665626,
0.353378,
0.2180344,
0.05165738,
-... |
Relationship of environmental exposures and ankylosing spondylitis and spinal mobility: US NHAENS, 2009-2010. | It was aimed to study the relationships of different sets of urinary environmental chemical concentrations and ankylosing spondylitis in a national and population-based setting. Data were extracted from United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, 2009-2010. Information on demographics was obtained by household interview and ankylosing spondylitis clinical measures and urines were taken at examination. People with abnormal occiput-to-wall distance were found to have higher urinary cadmium (OR 2.17, 95 % CI 1.34-3.52, p = 0.004), antimony (OR 1.74, 95 % CI 1.15-2.62, p = 0.012), tungsten (OR 1.91, 95 % CI 1.39-2.64, p = 0.001), uranium (OR 1.49, 95 % CI 1.03-2.15, p = 0.036), and trimethylarsine oxide (OR 5.01, 95 % CI 2.34-10.71, p < 0.001) concentrations. Moreover, people who resided in older households tended to have abnormal ankylosing spondylitis clinical measures, compared to those who resided in households that were built in 1990 or after. The odds were 1.74 for households built in 1978-1989 and 1.81 for those built in 1940 or earlier. | 25,103,950 | [
-0.2185731,
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0.1968969,
0.2620239,
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0.09994002,
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0.4105076,
0.07810379,
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-0.4148492,
0.5423039,
-0.1902617,
-0.1615382,
-0.06676788,
0.4351504,
0.04590194,
... |
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