title stringlengths 0 901 | abstract stringlengths 3 9.89k | PMID int64 22 25.3M | embedding listlengths 768 768 |
|---|---|---|---|
Orbital complications of rhinosinusitis. | Suppurative extension of rhinosinusitis to the orbit is a complication that often results from delay in diagnosis and, or inadequate treatment. These complications may range from preseptal cellulitis, orbital cellulitis, orbital abscesses, and subperiosteal abscesses to intracranial extension with a threat to both vision and life. This study aims to review the clinical profile, treatment modalities and outcome of orbital complications of rhinosinusitis in Ibadan, Nigeria. A retrospective review of the charts of patients with orbital complications of rhinosinusitis managed in the departments of Otorhinolaryngology and Ophthalmology, University College Hospital, Ibadan over a five year period (Feb 2002- Jan 2007) was carried out .The diagnosis of rhinosinusitis was based on history, physical examination, plain x ray and CT scan findings and antral puncture. Demographic data, clinical presentation and treatment were evaluated. A total of 24 patients were reviewed in the study. There were 13males and 11females (M/F, 1:1). The age range was 8months to 75years, 14 (58.3%) patients were children and while 10 (41.7%) patients were adults. 75% of the patients were seen during the dry season (November to February). The duration of symptoms ranged from one day to three weeks. Involvement of one eye occurred in 14 patients (58.3%); right eye (4), left eye (10). Both eyes were involved in 10 patients (41.7%). Non-axial proptosis was seen in 8 patients (33.3%). It was infero-lateral in 6 patients (25%) and infero-nasal in two (8.3%) patients. Orbital cellulitis was seen in 10 (41.7%) patients, 6 (25%) patients had preseptal cellulitis while 8 (33%) patients had orbital abscess. Cavernous sinus thrombosis was seen in 3 (12.5%) patients. The cases with preseptal and orbital cellulitis were effectively managed by intravenous antibiotics. Orbital abscesses were drained surgically with complete resolution. Sinus surgical procedures were done in 10(41.7%) patients. This group of patients had preoperative visual acuity of between 6/6 and 6/60. They all had complete resolution of proptosis and good visual outcome. Orbital complications of acute rhinosinusitis are common in children. Surgical drainage and aggressive medical management remain the standard to achieve a good prognosis and visual outcome. | 25,161,430 | [
-0.2784401,
-0.404754,
-0.10028,
-0.1824677,
-0.2335159,
-0.4053149,
0.0142928,
-0.240683,
-0.1963082,
-0.316037,
0.03751867,
-0.2268546,
-0.1496889,
-0.08264422,
-0.2236489,
-0.120004,
-0.07704663,
0.194521,
0.1576824,
0.1116689,
-0.04332643,
0.2489327,
-0.1749775,
-0.... |
ASSESSMENT OF TRAINING ON MEASLES CASE-BASED SURVEILLANCE FOR DISEASE SURVEILLANCE AND NOTIFICATION OFFICERS (DSNOs) IN OSUN STATE. | Poor knowledge among Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers (DSNOs) as a result of high staff turnover has been identified as a major reason for sub-optimal surveillance performance in Osun State. Training aimed at strengthening the measles surveillance sub-system of the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) was thus conducted for DSNOs in the state in May, 2006. The immediate impact of the training on participants' knowledge and their role in the measles surveillance process was assessed as well as demographic factors associated with participants' knowledge. Participants were DSNOs from the 30 Local Government Areas of the State and the Ife East Area office. Training materials were received from the WHO country office and adapted for use. Assessment of training was conducted by statistical evaluation of the pre- and post-tests results. Thirty-one DSNOs with a mean age of 36.2 (± 3.5) years participated. There were 14 (45.2%) males and 17 (54.8%) females and they had been employed for an average of 13.7 (± 2.2) years. Mean pre- and post-test scores were 31 and 61, respectively, and showed a significant statistical difference (paired t-test = 12.665, p=0.000). Training achieved its short-term objective. However, a correlation between knowledge and practice will be based on the subsequent surveillance performance. | 25,161,463 | [
-0.1629386,
-0.3622886,
0.2491019,
-0.3074737,
-0.09659374,
-0.4655699,
0.1561768,
-0.07002524,
-0.2959932,
-0.1208533,
-0.03174927,
0.1281953,
-0.1056324,
0.1873428,
-0.8350605,
-0.4069913,
-0.1204169,
-0.04191733,
0.06871501,
0.04563686,
0.4215629,
0.2263229,
-0.3111275... |
Some ethical issues in the prenatal diagnosis of sickle cell anaemia. | Sickle cell anaemia (SCA) is the most common form of haemoglobinopathy in Nigeria affecting 1-3% of the population and it is associated with physical, psychosocial and emotional suffering. Prenatal diagnosis (PND) and genetic counseling are ways of preventing the spread of the disease; however these means of prevention are associated with many ethical dilemmas. Ethical issues discussed in this paper include the safety of the procedures used in obtaining tissue sample for prenatal diagnosis, abortion of affected fetuses and the question of genetic selection. Finally, the ethical implications of genetic counseling and issues relating to the principle of justice in healthcare are highlighted. | 25,161,466 | [
-0.1330395,
0.1880053,
-0.06364693,
-0.1235622,
0.2124606,
-0.1073293,
-0.140274,
-0.1292165,
0.08885262,
-0.2156609,
0.171826,
0.4900324,
-0.3381468,
-0.08830857,
0.1449979,
-0.4072309,
-0.143556,
0.1065887,
0.01856862,
0.2044584,
0.0987654,
0.467445,
-0.1354416,
-0.02... |
Routine antenatal syphilis screening in South west Nigeria- a questionable practice. | Untreated maternal syphilis is strongly associated with adverse birth outcomes, especially in women with high titre syphilis. The WHO recommends routine serological screening in pregnancy. Some workers have advised a reappraisal of this practice, having demonstrated low sero-prevalence in their antenatal population. In view of this, the aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of syphilis in the antenatal population presenting at a major hospital in south-west Nigeria. This was a cross sectional study of healthy pregnant Nigerian women attending Adeoyo Maternity Hospital in the capital of Oyo State. The case record of every pregnant woman presenting for their first antenatal clinic visit over a 4-month period (September 1st to December 31st 2006) was reviewed. During the study period, two thousand six hundred and seventy-eight women sought antenatal care. Three hundred and sixty-nine women (369; 13.4%) had incomplete records and were excluded from analysis. The records of the 2,318(86.6%) women with adequate records were subsequently reviewed. The mean age of the women was 27.4 years (± 5.34) and the mean gestational age 26.4 weeks (±6.36). The modal parity was 0. Only three patients were found to be reactive for syphilis giving a prevalence of 0.13%. The sero- prevalence value in this study is quite low and may justify the call to discontinue routine antenatal syphilis screening. However, a more rigorous screening program using diagnostic tests with higher sensitivity maybe necessary before jettisoning this traditional aspect of antenatal care. | 25,161,469 | [
0.018216,
0.1876701,
-0.06816752,
-0.01879111,
-0.01858761,
-0.3092285,
-0.3799128,
-0.03384326,
0.3341498,
-0.3184664,
0.1678661,
-0.02204556,
-0.05003601,
0.1832021,
0.0549496,
-0.3256521,
-0.1400782,
0.1121263,
-0.07788265,
-0.2121106,
0.1530098,
0.1965536,
-0.1237503,... |
The microbiological diagnosis of tuberculosis in a resource - limited setting: is Acid-fast bacilli microscopy alone sufficient? | The objective of this study is to audit the processes for the microbiological diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) in our resource-limited setting. A total of 694 specimens were received from 333 patients. 129 (38.7%) of these patients were positive for TB. 78 (60.5%) were positive on AFB microscopy alone, 13 (10.0%) on culture alone and 38 (29.5%) on both culture and AFB microscopy. Fifty-one (51) cases were positive on culture, 38 of these (74.5%) had growth on Lowensen-Jensen culture medium alone, 11 (19.6%) on Pyruvic Acid Enhanced Medium (PAEM) and 3 (5.9%) on both culture media. AFB microscopy showed a diagnostic specificity of 71.6% and a sensitivity of 74.5%. M. Bovis appears to be prevalent and we suggest the need for speciation. If AFB microscopy is to be routinely used alone, without confirmation by culture, then the overriding need is for quality to be fully assured in its use. | 25,161,484 | [
0.05915092,
-0.2931355,
0.07000411,
0.3204647,
-0.2495271,
0.128082,
-0.3117012,
0.1523618,
-0.1319373,
-0.4653797,
-0.07955783,
0.3672995,
0.1182926,
0.2065005,
0.02210399,
-0.1066912,
-0.08074216,
0.02966861,
-0.1049967,
-0.1688162,
0.2732048,
0.3178011,
-0.2602994,
-... |
Psychosocial aspect of anterior tooth discoloration among adolescents in igbo-ora, southwestern Nigeria. | Aesthetic problems in adolescence can have a significant effect on their psychosocial development. Abnormalities in tooth color can lead to such problem especially if it affects anterior teeth. This study therefore assessed the effects of anterior tooth discoloration on the psychosocial well-being of adolescents with a view to providing information that will aid the prevention and treatment of this dental problem. This study was a cross-sectional study involving 384 adolescents aged between 10 and 20years in Igboora southwestern Nigeria. Twenty-six item semi-structured questionnaire comprising variables on demographics and psychosocial effects were researcher-administered. Oral examination of the labial surfaces of the anterior permanent teeth was carried by two examiners. Frequencies and mean were generated. Chi-square and Fischer's exact tests were used to test associations between categorical variables at (P≤0.05). The mean age of participants was 14.7±2.3 years. Ninety four (24.5%) participants perceived that their anterior teeth were discolored, 65 (69.1%) of these did not like the discoloration. Sixty two (65.9%), 47 (50.0%) and 38 (40.4%) respectively reported that it prevented them from freely answering questions, smiling and interacting. After oral examination, 120 (31.2%) subjects had one form of anterior tooth discoloration. The cause of tooth discoloration in the majority 64 (16.7%) of the participants was due to extrinsic stains from compounds incorporated into plaque and calculus. Age group, sex, class of participants and presence of tetracycline stained teeth were significantly related with reported psychosocial problems (p≤0.05). About one third of adolescents had anterior tooth discoloration and the majority reported one form of psychosocial problem. | 25,161,491 | [
0.1067004,
0.5005606,
0.002932797,
0.2296318,
-0.1579309,
-0.4547904,
-0.3739257,
0.1833151,
0.3224974,
-0.4655417,
0.1164491,
0.1209203,
-0.3405487,
0.100934,
-0.331993,
-0.1113314,
-0.3229504,
0.08357355,
-0.1125294,
0.1078044,
0.4717515,
0.2883475,
-0.3570656,
0.3425... |
Abdominal pain in adult sickle cell disease patients: a nigerian experience. | Abdominal pain is a relatively frequent occurrence in sickle cell disease. The aetiology of abdominal pain in sickle cell disease is often difficult to diagnose clinically. Despite the frequent occurrence, diagnostic dilemma, and the need for an accurate, early diagnosis, abdominal pain in sickle cell disease has not been rigorously studied. We therefore sought to describe the different presentations and patterns of abdominal pain in persons with sickle cell disease. A prospective case series of 20 patients was done in which data was collected on demographic characteristics, hemoglobin electrophoresis patterns, a description of the abdominal pain including sites, severity, and type of pain, packed cell volume and the provisional and final diagnosis. Haemoglobin S patients were 17 in number constituting eightyfive percent (85%) of our study population whilst the rest 3 were Hb S+C. Most patients (70%) had one site of abdominal pain. The pain was mainly colicky or tightening, moderate to severe in nature and, in some cases, associated with vomiting. We did not find any significant difference between the steady state PCV and the PCV during the acute abdominal pain episodes. The final diagnosis showed that only 38.8% of the patients had vasoocclusive crises and the reliability index between the provisional diagnosis and the final diagnosis was 67%. Abdominal pain in sickle cell disease may present in different ways and it is important to recognize that the possible diagnoses are numerous. Not all cases are due to vasoocclusive crises. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment can be life saving. | 25,161,492 | [
-0.1810966,
0.06729241,
-0.06965258,
-0.2253188,
0.1990976,
-0.06723515,
-0.1051346,
-0.1151921,
0.1493484,
-0.3462653,
0.2769374,
0.1230199,
-0.5117664,
0.02945157,
0.09547435,
-0.2351932,
-0.1891857,
0.1701415,
0.1445788,
0.1264209,
-0.09408665,
0.2841794,
-0.1155916,
... |
Economic problems of youth with hiv/aids in ibadan, Nigeria. | HIV/AIDS has emerged as one of the major global public health problems and it also has substantial economic impact on individuals and their families. This paper describes the economic problems of youth with HIV in Ibadan, Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey of PLWHA attending two HIV/AIDS support groups in Ibadan and the University College Hospital (UCH) antiretroviral (ARV) clinic was carried out. Information was obtained on socio-demographic characteristics and economic problems. One hundred and seventy youth aged 18-35 years were interviewed; 140 (82.4%) were female. One hundred and eight (63.5%) respondents were currently employed, 57 (52.8%) of whom were traders. Reasons for unemployment were that respondent's business capital had been used up to pay for healthcare (38.3%) and ill health (23.4%); while 38.3% were currently schooling. Common economic problems experienced by the respondents were significant increase in healthcare expenses (38.8%) and loss of employment (22.0%). Coping strategies employed to mitigate these problems included depletion of savings 61.1%, borrowing (18.8%) and sale of property (9.4%). Loss of employment was significantly higher among respondents who were symptomatic prior to diagnosis and among those who had a health complaint at the time of the study. Female respondents were also more likely to have lost their jobs compared to male. The study highlights the economic impact HIV as a chronic disease has on those infected. Care and support programs thus need to have a strong economic component in order to adequately meet the needs of PLWHA. | 25,161,493 | [
-0.01897711,
-0.0338905,
0.2070144,
0.03648178,
0.1014456,
-0.2113702,
-0.1181051,
0.0871096,
0.1435329,
-0.02329846,
0.2107508,
-0.2778245,
-0.06456096,
0.5866765,
-0.3943209,
-0.2597394,
0.03000717,
0.03537098,
0.07053196,
-0.04771115,
0.04684471,
0.3999848,
-0.1824656,... |
Crystal structures of (μ2-η(2),η(2)-4-hydroxybut-2-yn-1-yl 2-bromo-2-methylpropanoate-κ(4) C (2),C (3):C (2),C (3))bis[tricarbonylcobalt(II)](Co-Co) and [μ2-η(2),η(2)-but-2-yne-1,4-diyl bis(2-bromo-2-methyl-propanoate)-κ(4) C (2),C (3):C (2),C (3)]bis[tricarbonylcobalt(II)](Co-Co). | The title compounds, [Co2(C8H11BrO3)(CO)6], (1), and [Co2(C12H16Br2O4)(CO)6], (2), result from the replacement of two carbonyl ligands from dicobalt octa-carbonyl by the alkynes 4-hy-droxy-but-2-ynyl 2-bromo-2-methyl-propano-ate and but-2-yne-1,4-diyl bis-(2-bromo-2-methyl-propano-ate), respectively. Both mol-ecules have classic tetra-hedral C2Co2 cluster cores with the Co(II) atoms in a highly distorted octa-hedral coordination geometry. The alkyne ligands both adopt a cis-bent conformation on coordination. In the crystal structure of (1), classical O-H⋯O and non-classical C-H⋯O contacts form inversion dimers. These combine with weak O⋯O and Br⋯O contacts to stack the mol-ecules into inter-connected columns along the b-axis direction. C-H⋯O and C-H⋯Br contacts stabilize the packing for (2), and a weak Br⋯O contact is also observed. Inter-connected columns of mol-ecules again form along the b-axis direction. | 25,161,495 | [
-0.16804,
0.1917238,
0.1422205,
-0.09717332,
-0.0407875,
-0.1203634,
-0.424389,
-0.09879491,
0.0987223,
-0.1787659,
-0.1451893,
0.1773399,
0.06897553,
0.2741175,
-0.7771726,
-0.1179048,
-0.4961721,
0.4334888,
0.1375252,
0.1916219,
0.1323641,
0.3373654,
-0.1254329,
-0.14... |
Thortveitite-type Tm2Si2O7. | Single crystals of dithulium disilicate, Tm2Si2O7, were obtained in flux synthesis experiments in the system SiO2-Tm2O3-LiF at ambient pressure. The compound belongs to the group of sorosilicates, i.e. it is based on [Si2O7]-units and crystallizes in the thortveitite (Sc2Si2O7) structure type. The Tm(3+) cation (site symmetry .2.) occupies a distorted octa-hedral site, with Tm-O bond lengths in the range 2.217 (4)-2.289 (4) Å. Each of the octa-hedra shares three of its edges with adjacent [TmO6] groups, resulting in the formation of layers parallel to (001). The individual [SiO4] tetra-hedra are more regular, i.e. the differences between the bond lengths between Si and the bridging and non-bridging O atoms are not very pronounced. The layers containing the octa-hedra and the sheets containing the [Si2O7] groups (point group symmetry 2/m) form an alternating sequence. Linkage is provided by sharing common oxygen vertices. | 25,161,507 | [
0.001033099,
-0.1248844,
0.250995,
0.05337261,
0.08939081,
-0.1817207,
-0.1128747,
-0.2002861,
0.08367069,
-0.1578973,
-0.03023978,
-0.0489499,
0.01044484,
0.05508966,
-0.7663972,
0.02389456,
-0.315177,
0.1096682,
-0.04428397,
0.04498278,
0.1051287,
0.03544861,
-0.0620995... |
(η(4)-Cyclo-octa-tetra-ene)(η(8)-cyclo-octa-tetra-ene)iodido-tantalum(V). | The title complex, [Ta(η(4)-C8H8)(η(8)-C8H8)I], lies across a crystallographic mirror plane that includes the Ta(V) atom and the iodide ligand. One cyclo-octa-tetra-ene (cot) ring is η(4)-coordinating and is bis-ected by the mirror plane. The fold angle between the plane of the coordinating butadiene portion and the middle plane of the ring is 27.4 (4)°. An additional minor fold angle of 9.3 (7)° exists between the final plane in the ring and the middle plane. The other cot ring is η(8)-coordinating and is also cut by the mirror plane. In this case, the ring is disordered over the mirror plane, and one position is modeled with appropriate restraints and constraints with respect to distances, angles and displacement parameters (the second position is generated by symmetry). This ring is nearly planar, with an r.m.s. deviation of only 0.05 Å when all eight C atoms are included in the calculation. Pairs of inter-molecular η(8)-cot rings are parallel stacked and slightly off center, with a centroid-centroid distance of 3.652 Å. No other significant inter-molecular inter-actions are observed. The compound is of inter-est as the first structurally characterized mixed halogen-cot complex of the group 5 metals and contains the longest terminal Ta-I distance [3.0107 (5) Å] reported to date. | 25,161,515 | [
-0.3931796,
0.09304218,
0.08577136,
-0.01421151,
-0.07206912,
-0.1743697,
-0.3590134,
-0.0127912,
0.2143732,
0.04874973,
-0.06457417,
0.09890337,
0.2441381,
0.2950552,
-0.4176039,
-0.008532879,
-0.6354151,
0.01639425,
0.02221108,
0.3672121,
0.1602527,
0.2742086,
-0.168015... |
Poly[[(μ4-benzene-1,3,5-tri-carboxyl-ato-κ(4) O (1):O (1'):O (2):O (3))bis-(2,2-bi-pyridine-κ(2) N,N')(μ2-hydroxido)dicopper(II)] trihydrate]. | In the title two-dimensional coordination polymer, {[Cu2(C9H3O6)(OH)(C10H8N2)2]·3H2O} n , each of the two independent Cu(II) atoms is coordinated by a bridging OH group, two O atoms from two benzene-1,3,5-tri-carboxyl-ate (L) ligands and two N atoms from a 2,2- bi-pyridine (bipy) ligand in a distorted square-pyramidal geometry. Each L ligand coordinates four Cu(II) atoms, thus forming a polymeric layer parallel to the bc plane with bipy molecules protruding up and down. The lattice water mol-ecules involved in O-H⋯· O hydrogen bonding are situated in the inner part of each layer. The crystal packing is consolidated by π-π inter-actions between the aromatic rings of bipy ligands from neigbouring layers [inter-centroid distance = 3.762 (3) Å]. | 25,161,530 | [
-0.2604965,
0.3823232,
-0.0785044,
0.02891681,
0.0486406,
-0.1509304,
-0.3393786,
-0.07474592,
0.2206068,
0.103043,
-0.04151858,
0.1744287,
0.2630019,
0.02046814,
-0.6583373,
-0.1243087,
-0.3885495,
0.4846015,
-0.03542002,
0.1188579,
0.1089362,
0.2961039,
-0.009919499,
... |
8-Chloro-4-oxo-4H-chromene-3-carbaldehyde. | In the title compound, C10H5ClO3, a chlorinated 3-formyl-chromone derivative, all atoms are essentially coplanar (r.m.s. deviation = 0.032 Å for the non-H atoms), with the largest deviation from the least-squares plane [0.0598 (14) Å] being for a pyran-ring C atom. In the crystal, mol-ecules are linked through stacking inter-actions along the b axis [shortest centroid-centroid distance between the pyran and benzene rings = 3.566 (2) Å]. | 25,161,540 | [
-0.3591863,
0.2435361,
0.1345788,
-0.000550928,
0.1295396,
-0.02338913,
-0.5412826,
0.1075986,
0.1251245,
-0.1099255,
0.01799823,
0.1261154,
0.2291996,
0.2862071,
-0.4376535,
-0.1778707,
-0.4402092,
0.1746032,
0.1673357,
0.3289018,
0.1077824,
0.02857756,
-0.09015711,
-0... |
Ethyl 2-[({[4-amino-5-cyano-6-(methyl-sulfan-yl)pyridin-2-yl]carbamo-yl}meth-yl)sulfan-yl]acetate monohydrate. | The title compound, C13H16N4O3S2·H2O, crystallizes in a 'folded' conformation with the ester group lying over the carbamoyl moiety, with one solvent water mol-ecule. The mol-ecular conformation is stabilized by an intra-molecular C-H⋯O hydrogen bond, and an N-H⋯O hydrogen-bonding inter-action involving the lattice water mol-ecule. The packing involves N-H⋯N, N-H⋯O, O-H⋯N and O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds and consists of tilted layers running approximately parallel to the c axis, with the ester groups on the outer sides of the layers and with channels running parallel to (101). | 25,161,542 | [
-0.3632156,
0.3153554,
-0.01869744,
-0.01761303,
0.03950029,
-0.0488245,
-0.6584434,
-0.08672427,
0.03679005,
-0.2576555,
-0.1028148,
0.0174713,
0.1998728,
-0.1094052,
-0.3557479,
-0.06508665,
-0.6212038,
0.2803161,
-0.02686774,
0.2031946,
0.1042293,
0.1213683,
-0.0798367... |
Methyl 5-methyl-1-(1H-pyrazol-3-yl)-1H-1,2,3-triazole-4-carboxyl-ate. | The asymmetric unit of the title compound, C8H9N5O2, contains two independent mol-ecules (A and B) in which the dihedral angles between the triazole and pyrazole rings are 4.80 (14) and 8.45 (16)°. In the crystal, mol-ecules are linked by N-H⋯N hydrogen bonds into supra-molecular independent A and B chains propagating along the b-axis direction. The crystal structure also features π-π stacking between the aromatic rings of adjacent chains, the centroid-centroid separations being 3.8001 (15), 3.8078 (17), 3.8190 (14) and 3.8421 (15) Å. | 25,161,549 | [
-0.2477288,
0.285197,
-0.0814656,
-0.1148469,
0.01210109,
-0.03468199,
-0.4968378,
-0.0757084,
0.2297491,
-0.1794991,
-0.2013635,
0.04449259,
0.0586231,
0.1946134,
-0.4597091,
-0.07871941,
-0.727629,
0.2734734,
-0.05144767,
0.3853173,
0.2775846,
0.2441647,
0.005813734,
... |
5'-([1,1'-Biphen-yl]-4-yl)-1',1'',3''-tri-methyl-dispiro[indane-2,2'-pyrrolidine-4',5''-[1,3]diazin-ane]-1,3,2'',4'',6''-penta-one. | In the title compound, C30H25N3O5, the central five-membered heterocyclic ring adopts an envelope conformation, with the N atom as the flap. The dihedral angles between this central ring and the pendant indane ring system, the trione and benzene rings are 87.49 (5), 82.95 (10) and 72.42 (10)°, respectively. The dihedral angle between the rings of the biphenyl group is 45.99 (13)°. In the crystal, mol-ecules are linked by C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds into [101] C(12) chains. | 25,161,552 | [
-0.2949894,
0.08985618,
0.04019244,
-0.1750783,
0.003732862,
0.08418953,
-0.2471676,
0.008544847,
0.2553969,
0.1811332,
0.0975427,
-0.2240306,
0.02830975,
0.1426099,
-0.5923567,
-0.05267727,
-0.5931357,
0.1841596,
-0.02460899,
0.3569649,
0.4113467,
0.3178956,
-0.069148,
... |
N-[(1-Benzoyl-piperidin-4-yl)meth-yl]benzamide. | In the title compound, C20H22N2O2, the piperidine ring adopts a chair conformation. The phenyl rings are inclined to one another by 80.1 (1)° and make dihedral angles of 46.1 (1) and 40.2 (1)° with the mean plane of the piperidine ring. In the crystal, pairs of N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds link the mol-ecules into inversion dimers. C-H⋯O inter-actions further link the mol-ecules, forming a three-dimensional supramolecular network. | 25,161,560 | [
-0.3162795,
0.1852623,
0.002784522,
-0.1486297,
0.06871755,
0.03608998,
-0.474904,
0.01349298,
0.1342887,
-0.02048327,
-0.04777698,
0.002902655,
0.06693471,
0.3101838,
-0.3429103,
-0.1624919,
-0.4856523,
0.2131861,
-0.07760072,
0.3924924,
0.266848,
0.2313339,
0.003426344,... |
6-Bromo-N-(6-bromo-pyridin-2-yl)-N-[4-(2,3-di-hydro-thieno[3,4-b][1,4]dioxin-5-yl)phen-yl]pyridin-2-amine. | In the title mol-ecule, C22H15Br2N3O2S, the central benzene ring forms dihedral angles of 12.39 (17), 56.66 (17) and 74.71 (19)°, respectively, with the mean planes of the thio-phene and two pyridine rings. The dioxane ring is in a half-chair conformation. An intra-molecular C-H⋯O hydrogen forms an S(6) ring. The amine N atom is sp (2)-hybridized. | 25,161,578 | [
-0.1810245,
0.1174043,
-0.1169717,
-0.01378785,
-0.06752644,
0.07407545,
-0.4525548,
0.001824725,
0.04457108,
-0.2003065,
0.04995112,
0.08724453,
0.1071304,
0.212058,
-0.5422161,
-0.1899895,
-0.5418825,
0.2135016,
0.1292384,
0.06171554,
0.312347,
0.3880887,
-0.0382228,
... |
5-Bromo-3-ethyl-sulfinyl-2-(4-methyl-phen-yl)-1-benzo-furan. | In the title compound, C17H15BrO2S, the dihedral angle between the plane of the benzo-furan ring system [r.m.s. deviation = 0.004 (3) Å] and that of the 4-methyl-phenyl ring is 0.9 (2)°. In the crystal, mol-ecules are linked by C-H⋯O, C-H⋯π and Br⋯π [3.636 (2) Å] inter-actions, and by π-π inter-actions between the 4-methyl-phenyl and furan rings of neighbouring mol-ecules [centroid-centroid distance = 3.650 (2) Å], forming a three-dimensional network. | 25,161,589 | [
-0.2642582,
0.1910313,
0.01437991,
-0.03930205,
0.07604633,
0.03875018,
-0.4001266,
0.06908712,
0.1447571,
-0.09479322,
0.07020161,
0.01679366,
0.01429174,
0.2326292,
-0.6191989,
-0.0558374,
-0.3303365,
0.2280091,
0.1837456,
0.3301205,
0.2288261,
0.1756093,
-0.1141408,
... |
2,6-Di-amino-4-(4-chloro-phen-yl)-1-methyl-1,4-di-hydro-pyridine-3,5-dicarbo-nitrile. | In the title compound, C14H12ClN5, the di-hydro-pyridine ring adopts a shallow boat conformation. The dihedral angle between the plane of this ring and that of the chloro-benzene ring is 69.15 (15)°. In the crystal, mol-ecules are linked by N-H⋯N and N-H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds, generating (001) sheets. | 25,161,592 | [
-0.3325711,
0.1832835,
-0.05181676,
-0.1561124,
0.01194063,
-0.02943407,
-0.518846,
-0.02739502,
0.09017936,
-0.1507615,
-0.06229303,
0.05230928,
0.07071431,
0.181436,
-0.4109118,
-0.1705572,
-0.4949702,
0.3735914,
-0.08435407,
0.2114029,
0.244011,
0.2232102,
-0.02245271,... |
5-Amino-5'-bromo-6-(4-methyl-benzo-yl)-8-nitro-2,3-di-hydro-1H-spiro-[imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine-7,3'-indolin]-2'-one including an unknown solvate. | In the title compound, C22H18BrN5O4, the central six-membered ring, derived from 1,4-di-hydro-pyridine, adopts a distorted boat conformation with a puckering amplitude of 0.197 (3) Å, the imidazole ring adopts a twisted conformation with a puckering amplitude of 0.113 (3) Å, and the oxindole moiety is planar with an r.m.s. deviation of 0.0125 Å. Two intra-molecular N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds are formed, each closing an S(6) loop. In the crystal, strong N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds lead to the formation of zigzag chains along the c axis. These are consolidated in the three-dimensional crystal packing by weak N-H⋯O hydrogen bonding, as well as by C-H⋯O, C-H⋯Br and C-H⋯π inter-actions. A small region of electron density well removed from the main mol-ecule was removed with the SQUEEZE procedure in PLATON [Spek (2009 ▶). Acta Cryst. D65, 148-155] following unsuccessful attempts to model it as a plausible solvent mol-ecule. The unit-cell characteristics do not take into account this feature of the structure. | 25,161,594 | [
-0.256698,
-0.07754376,
-0.04412174,
-0.1579617,
0.04049948,
0.01584194,
-0.4809718,
0.04572193,
0.3631475,
-0.3005257,
0.007865721,
0.00290351,
0.03773189,
0.01471537,
-0.5957877,
0.1025288,
-0.4260449,
0.2121234,
-0.002301436,
0.4416465,
0.4415218,
0.1680891,
-0.0719321... |
2',7'-Di-bromo-spiro-[cyclo-propane-1,9'-fluorene]. | In the title compound, C15H10Br2, each mol-ecule is situated on special postion mm, so the asymmetric unit contains one-quater of a mol-ecule. The 2,7-di-bromo-9H-fluorene fragment and three spiro-cyclo-propane C atoms lie on different planes, which are perpendicular to each other. In the crystal, π-π inter-actions between aromatic rings [inter-centroid distance = 3.699 (3) Å] pack the mol-ecules into stacks extending in [001]. | 25,161,597 | [
-0.4137595,
0.08828696,
-0.003872893,
-0.02993599,
0.2056604,
-0.04085805,
-0.4198513,
-0.1110443,
0.2207478,
-0.004475283,
-0.06067677,
-0.1113835,
0.1973165,
0.1190814,
-0.4162978,
-0.2814973,
-0.4801858,
0.2989385,
-0.004929128,
0.2992546,
0.392525,
0.3081059,
-0.03253... |
Bending and twisting the embryonic heart: a computational model for c-looping based on realistic geometry. | The morphogenetic process of cardiac looping transforms the straight heart tube into a curved tube that resembles the shape of the future four-chambered heart. Although great progress has been made in identifying the molecular and genetic factors involved in looping, the physical mechanisms that drive this process have remained poorly understood. Recent work, however, has shed new light on this complicated problem. After briefly reviewing the current state of knowledge, we propose a relatively comprehensive hypothesis for the mechanics of the first phase of looping, termed c-looping, as the straight heart tube deforms into a c-shaped tube. According to this hypothesis, differential hypertrophic growth in the myocardium supplies the main forces that cause the heart tube to bend ventrally, while regional growth and cytoskeletal contraction in the omphalomesenteric veins (primitive atria) and compressive loads exerted by the splanchnopleuric membrane drive rightward torsion. A computational model based on realistic embryonic heart geometry is used to test the physical plausibility of this hypothesis. The behavior of the model is in reasonable agreement with available experimental data from control and perturbed embryos, offering support for our hypothesis. The results also suggest, however, that several other mechanisms contribute secondarily to normal looping, and we speculate that these mechanisms play backup roles when looping is perturbed. Finally, some outstanding questions are discussed for future study. | 25,161,623 | [
-0.2486241,
-0.126504,
-0.2953698,
-0.1387462,
0.1541282,
-0.2428603,
-0.04469387,
-0.05944098,
0.02553641,
0.1133295,
0.05465537,
-0.05440399,
-0.197367,
0.02784149,
-0.4838864,
0.169869,
-0.4711096,
0.008620953,
-0.2435634,
-0.05741205,
0.4519556,
0.1830945,
-0.3701233,... |
Onset of the spring bloom in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea: influence of environmental pulse events on the in situ hourly-scale dynamics of the phytoplankton community structure. | Most of phytoplankton influence is barely understood at the sub meso scale and daily scale because of the lack of means to simultaneously assess phytoplankton functionality, dynamics and community structure. For a few years now, it has been possible to address this objective with an automated in situ high frequency sampling strategy. In order to study the influence of environmental short-term events (nutrients, wind speed, precipitation, solar radiation, temperature, and salinity) on the onset of the phytoplankton bloom in the oligotrophic Bay of Villefranche-sur-Mer (NW Mediterranean Sea), a fully remotely controlled automated flow cytometer (CytoSense) was deployed on a solar-powered platform (EOL buoy, CNRS-Mobilis). The CytoSense carried out single-cell analyses on particles (1-800 μm in width, up to several mm in length), recording optical pulse shapes when analyzing several cm(3). Samples were taken every 2 h in the surface waters during 2 months. Up to 6 phytoplankton clusters were resolved based on their optical properties (PicoFLO, Picoeukaryotes, Nanophytoplankton, Microphytoplankton, HighSWS, HighFLO). Three main abundance pulses involving the 6 phytoplankton groups monitored indicated that the spring bloom not only depends on light and water column stability, but also on short-term events such as wind events and precipitation followed by nutrient pulses. Wind and precipitation were also determinant in the collapse of the clusters' abundances. These events occurred within a couple of days, and phytoplankton abundance reacted within days. The third abundance pulse could be considered as the spring bloom commonly observed in the area. The high frequency data-set made it possible to study the phytoplankton cell cycle based on daily cycles of forward scatter and abundance. The combination of daily cell cycle, abundance trends and environmental pulses will open the way to the study of phytoplankton short-term reactivity to environmental conditions. | 25,161,647 | [
-0.07892587,
-0.09696411,
0.1240062,
0.01044505,
-0.09255016,
-0.2287257,
-0.1480761,
0.006369318,
0.02512682,
0.1475178,
-0.201958,
-0.261936,
-0.1722344,
-0.06349783,
-0.4794346,
-0.5015676,
-0.05680518,
0.1753639,
0.06706603,
-0.03191688,
0.606387,
0.284359,
-0.1589564... |
A Case Report of Acute Acalculous Cholecystitis and Acute Hemorrhagic Cystitis due to Salmonella Typhi. | Acute acalculous cholecystitis and acute hemorrhagic cystitis due to Salmonella Typhi are a rare condition. A 24-year-old female patient was admitted to our clinic with abdominal pain, nausea, fever, headache, urinary burning, and bloody urine. Based on clinical, laboratory, and radiological evaluations, the patient was diagnosed with acute acalculous cholecystitis and acute hemorrhagic cystitis due to Salmonella Typhi. The patient was treated with intravenous ceftriaxone for two weeks. After the treatment, the patient's clinical and laboratory findings improved. Acute acalculous cholecystitis due to Salmonella Typhi concomitant with acute hemorrhagic cystitis is very rare and might be difficult to diagnose. Infectious agents such as Salmonella Typhi should be considered when acute acalculous cholecystitis and acute hemorrhagic cystitis are detected in adult patients with no underlying diseases. | 25,161,668 | [
-0.1182534,
0.1253907,
-0.3512619,
-0.1260888,
-0.01937326,
-0.1473631,
-0.6491318,
-0.03916315,
-0.1289908,
-0.3944495,
0.3204055,
0.536522,
-0.4703162,
0.03177047,
-0.2358457,
-0.2991405,
-0.4348761,
0.3622005,
-0.1161061,
-0.2758961,
-0.123822,
0.003217011,
-0.08922699... |
The sustainability of interventions of a community-based trial on children and adolescents' healthy lifestyle. | Sustainability is the core of a successful health-related intervention program. This study was conducted to evaluate the sustainability of interventions of the Heart Health Promotion from Childhood (HHPC) project, one of the 10 interventional projects of the Isfahan Healthy Heart Program. The evaluation of HHPC included administrating surveys to 500 elementary and middle, and 500 high school students. The study participants were randomly selected from all schools in Isfahan. The questionnaires were administered by interviews to evaluate the sustainability of interventions. The results of interviews showed that interventions were sustainable in 100% of elementary school, 99% of middle school, and 87% of high school students. Training of healthy lifestyle behaviors was significantly higher in all-girls middle schools (P < 0.001). Daily morning exercise was more frequent in girls high schools (P < 0.001), while selling unhealthy food was more frequent in boys high schools (P < 0.001). The participants attributed the success of the program mostly to students' agreement and cooperation. Even though 5 years have passed since the end of the HHPC project, many of the interventions have been continued at the schools, often because healthy behaviors have become institutionalized in the target population. However, now all schools have the same level of sustainability, especially the middle and high schools, and all-boys schools. Therefore, it is important for future projects to place additional emphasis on these institutions for future school-based interventions. | 25,161,679 | [
-0.154043,
0.5944146,
-0.01136077,
-0.008313782,
0.06159327,
-0.335506,
-0.2650252,
0.2192593,
-0.0519079,
-0.1347323,
0.04726118,
-0.05403497,
-0.3518601,
-0.2704881,
-0.5506417,
-0.1142265,
-0.2570654,
0.1619236,
-0.415944,
-0.1788331,
-0.1256715,
0.2829567,
0.2154804,
... |
Pyrroloquinoline Quinone Induces Cancer Cell Apoptosis via Mitochondrial-Dependent Pathway and Down-Regulating Cellular Bcl-2 Protein Expression. | Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) has been reported as a promising agent that might contribute to tumor cell apoptosis and death, yet little is known on its mechanisms. In current study, the effect of PQQ on cell proliferation and mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis were examined in 3 solid tumor cell lines (A549, Neuro-2A and HCC-LM3). PQQ treatment at low to medium dosage exhibited potent anti-tumor activity on A549 and Neuro-2A cells, while had comparably minimal impact on the viabilities of 2 human normal cell lines (HRPTEpiC and HUVEC). The apoptosis of the 3 tumor cell lines induced by PQQ were increased in a concentration-dependent manner, which might be attributed to the accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), decline in ATP levels and dissipation of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), in conjunction with down-regulation of Bcl-2 protein expression, up-regulation of activated caspase-3, and disturbed phosphorylated MAPK protein levels. PQQ induced tumor cells apoptosis was significantly alleviated by pan-caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK. The present work highlights the potential capability of PQQ as an anti-tumor agent with low toxicity towards normal cells through activating mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis pathways, and warrants its development for cancer therapy. | 25,161,699 | [
-0.4909444,
-0.1841969,
0.05430683,
0.09283035,
-0.2743814,
0.1187672,
-0.02988554,
0.1531218,
-0.08431474,
0.1122337,
0.2043125,
0.2651623,
-0.09388342,
-0.2002025,
-0.2948726,
0.1643934,
-0.1945399,
0.2593477,
-0.5269751,
-0.1249173,
0.4129623,
0.1599338,
-0.1215877,
... |
Influence of perylenediimide-pyrene supramolecular interactions on the stability of DNA-based hybrids: Importance of electrostatic complementarity. | Aromatic π-π stacking interactions are ubiquitous in nature, medicinal chemistry and materials sciences. They play a crucial role in the stacking of nucleobases, thus stabilising the DNA double helix. The following paper describes a series of chimeric DNA-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) hybrids. The PAH building blocks are electron-rich pyrene and electron-poor perylenediimide (PDI), and were incorporated into complementary DNA strands. The hybrids contain different numbers of pyrene-PDI interactions that were found to directly influence duplex stability. As the pyrene-PDI ratio approaches 1:1, the stability of the duplexes increases with an average value of 7.5 °C per pyrene-PDI supramolecular interaction indicating the importance of electrostatic complementarity for aromatic π-π stacking interactions. | 25,161,715 | [
-0.0886222,
0.2707352,
-0.09534544,
0.1304543,
0.2885819,
0.07013371,
-0.4269811,
0.1962819,
0.3012375,
0.05497438,
-0.02984423,
-0.3575273,
0.09497319,
0.1308113,
-0.3350753,
-0.1738781,
-0.430286,
0.1369828,
-0.1289682,
0.2891404,
0.2474806,
0.07475241,
-0.1610656,
-0... |
The chemoenzymatic synthesis of clofarabine and related 2'-deoxyfluoroarabinosyl nucleosides: the electronic and stereochemical factors determining substrate recognition by E. coli nucleoside phosphorylases. | Two approaches to the synthesis of 2-chloro-9-(2-deoxy-2-fluoro-β-D-arabinofuranosyl)adenine (1, clofarabine) were studied. The first approach consists in the chemical synthesis of 2-deoxy-2-fluoro-α-D-arabinofuranose-1-phosphate (12a, (2F)Ara-1P) via three step conversion of 1,3,5-tri-O-benzoyl-2-deoxy-2-fluoro-α-D-arabinofuranose (9) into the phosphate 12a without isolation of intermediary products. Condensation of 12a with 2-chloroadenine catalyzed by the recombinant E. coli purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) resulted in the formation of clofarabine in 67% yield. The reaction was also studied with a number of purine bases (2-aminoadenine and hypoxanthine), their analogues (5-aza-7-deazaguanine and 8-aza-7-deazahypoxanthine) and thymine. The results were compared with those of a similar reaction with α-D-arabinofuranose-1-phosphate (13a, Ara-1P). Differences of the reactivity of various substrates were analyzed by ab initio calculations in terms of the electronic structure (natural purines vs analogues) and stereochemical features ((2F)Ara-1P vs Ara-1P) of the studied compounds to determine the substrate recognition by E. coli nucleoside phosphorylases. The second approach starts with the cascade one-pot enzymatic transformation of 2-deoxy-2-fluoro-D-arabinose into the phosphate 12a, followed by its condensation with 2-chloroadenine thereby affording clofarabine in ca. 48% yield in 24 h. The following recombinant E. coli enzymes catalyze the sequential conversion of 2-deoxy-2-fluoro-D-arabinose into the phosphate 12a: ribokinase (2-deoxy-2-fluoro-D-arabinofuranose-5-phosphate), phosphopentomutase (PPN; no 1,6-diphosphates of D-hexoses as co-factors required) (12a), and finally PNP. The substrate activities of D-arabinose, D-ribose and D-xylose in the similar cascade syntheses of the relevant 2-chloroadenine nucleosides were studied and compared with the activities of 2-deoxy-2-fluoro-D-arabinose. As expected, D-ribose exhibited the best substrate activity [90% yield of 2-chloroadenosine (8) in 30 min], D-arabinose reached an equilibrium at a concentration of ca. 1:1 of a starting base and the formed 2-chloro-9-(β-D-arabinofuranosyl)adenine (6) in 45 min, the formation of 2-chloro-9-(β-D-xylofuranosyl)adenine (7) proceeded very slowly attaining ca. 8% yield in 48 h. | 25,161,724 | [
-0.1559898,
-0.04935763,
-0.1420916,
0.04117464,
0.08417383,
-0.1349672,
-0.2995003,
0.27072,
0.01925498,
-0.09761586,
0.0835703,
-0.1010505,
0.1104156,
0.1718799,
-0.3954557,
0.05681932,
-0.4232658,
-0.05440361,
-0.1134412,
0.505268,
0.3862165,
0.3805054,
-0.3869094,
-... |
Synthesis of rigid p-terphenyl-linked carbohydrate mimetics. | An approach to β-D-2-aminotalose- and β-D-2-aminoidose-configured carbohydrate mimetics bearing a phenyl substituent is described. Unnatural divalent rigid p-terphenyl-linked C-aryl glycosides with 2.0 nm dimension are available using Suzuki cross-couplings. The key compound, a p-bromophenyl-substituted 1,2-oxazine, was prepared by a stereoselective [3 + 3]-cyclization of a D-isoascorbic acid-derived (Z)-nitrone and lithiated TMSE-allene. The Lewis acid-induced rearrangement of this heterocycle provided the corresponding bicyclic 1,2-oxazine derivative that may be regarded as internally protected amino sugar analogue. After subsequent reduction of the carbonyl group, the resulting bicyclic compound was used for Suzuki cross-couplings to form biphenyl aminopyran or p-terphenyl-linked dimers. Hydrogenolysis afforded new unnatural aminosugar mimetics. Zinc in the presence of acid or samarium diiodide were examined for the N-O bond cleavage in order to obtain the rigid p-terphenyl-linked C-glycosyl dimers. | 25,161,733 | [
-0.2511694,
-0.01088606,
-0.1724333,
0.1678974,
0.3270793,
-0.02905537,
-0.4961292,
0.2214321,
0.3515339,
-0.03389324,
-0.1230921,
-0.06411277,
-0.1346267,
-0.1752023,
-0.2324798,
0.0955997,
-0.8924804,
-0.07669916,
-0.1041491,
-0.05778892,
0.6171942,
0.2836508,
-0.270278... |
Copolymerization and terpolymerization of carbon dioxide/propylene oxide/phthalic anhydride using a (salen)Co(III) complex tethering four quaternary ammonium salts. | The (salen)Co(III) complex 1 tethering four quaternary ammonium salts, which is a highly active catalyst in CO2/epoxide copolymerizations, shows high activity for propylene oxide/phthalic anhydride (PO/PA) copolymerizations and PO/CO2/PA terpolymerizations. In the PO/PA copolymerizations, full conversion of PA was achieved within 5 h, and strictly alternating copolymers of poly(1,2-propylene phthalate)s were afforded without any formation of ether linkages. In the PO/CO2/PA terpolymerizations, full conversion of PA was also achieved within 4 h. The resulting polymers were gradient poly(1,2-propylene carbonate-co-phthalate)s because of the drift in the PA concentration during the terpolymerization. Both polymerizations showed immortal polymerization character; therefore, the molecular weights were determined by the activity (g/mol-1) and the number of chain-growing sites per 1 [anions in 1 (5) + water (present as impurity) + ethanol (deliberately fed)], and the molecular weight distributions were narrow (M w/M n, 1.05-1.5). Because of the extremely high activity of 1, high-molecular-weight polymers were generated (M n up to 170,000 and 350,000 for the PO/PA copolymerization and PO/CO2/PA terpolymerization, respectively). The terpolymers bearing a substantial number of PA units (f PA, 0.23) showed a higher glass-transition temperature (48 °C) than the CO2/PO alternating copolymer (40 °C). | 25,161,738 | [
-0.1516769,
0.1732641,
-0.07973825,
0.05254055,
-0.01819405,
0.0004219032,
-0.2996376,
0.1571376,
0.1118316,
0.3004909,
0.01563041,
-0.1469764,
0.1314468,
0.02538599,
-0.6290557,
0.0396213,
-0.3658663,
0.3567939,
0.4000856,
0.456638,
0.3252833,
0.2322465,
-0.1847707,
-0... |
One-pot stereoselective synthesis of α,β-differentiated diamino esters via the sequence of aminochlorination, aziridination and intermolecular SN2 reaction. | We report here an efficient one-pot method for the synthesis of α,β-differentiated diamino esters directly from cinnamate esters using N,N-dichloro-p-toluenesulfonamide and benzylamine as nitrogen sources. The key transformations include a Cu-catalyzed aminohalogenation and aziridination, followed by an intermolecular SN2 nucleophilic ring opening by benzylamine. The reactions feature a wide scope of substrates and proceed with excellent stereo- and regioselectivity (anti:syn >99:1) . | 25,161,740 | [
-0.4336132,
0.2718349,
-0.1126898,
-0.04672776,
0.1896507,
-0.09696905,
-0.5739877,
-0.04136705,
0.3258987,
0.1737971,
-0.06257349,
0.04230597,
0.289505,
0.1439698,
-0.1648287,
-0.2729624,
-0.3886798,
0.2678279,
-0.1296838,
0.1872817,
0.0930068,
0.1490845,
-0.186362,
-0... |
Solitary mediastinal lymph node recurrence after curative resection of colon cancer. | We report two cases of solitary mediastinal lymph node recurrence after colon cancer resection. Both cases had para-aortic lymph node metastasis at the time of initial surgery and received adjuvant chemotherapy for 4 years in case 1 and 18 mo in case 2. The time to recurrence was more than 8 years in both cases. After resection of the recurrent tumor, the patient is doing well with no recurrence for 6 years in case 1 and 4 mo in case 2. Patients should be followed up after colon cancer surgery considering the possibility of solitary mediastinal lymph node recurrence if they had para-aortic node metastasis at the time of initial surgery. | 25,161,766 | [
-0.1729858,
-0.2147699,
-0.5043406,
-0.4330065,
0.01287021,
-0.2381232,
-0.1116018,
-0.119982,
-0.1122353,
0.001290024,
0.1821746,
0.4151085,
0.1782897,
-0.060201,
-0.3611448,
-0.2392217,
-0.292212,
-0.04588844,
0.1459829,
0.159612,
0.1992949,
0.2221756,
-0.09397221,
0.... |
Successful venous angioplasty of superior vena cava syndrome after heart transplantation. | Introduction. For patients with terminal heart failure, heart transplantation (HTX) has become an established therapy. Before transplantation there are many repeated measurements with a pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) via the superior vena cava (SVC) necessary. After transplantation, endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) is recommended for routine surveillance of heart transplant rejection again through the SVC. Case Presentation. In this report, we present a HTX patient who developed a SVC syndrome as a possible complication of all these procedures via the SVC. This 35-year-old Caucasian male could be successfully treated by balloon dilatation/angioplasty. Conclusion. The SVC syndrome can lead to pressure increase in the venous system such as edema in the head and the upper part of the body and further serious complications like cerebral bleeding and ischemia, or respiratory problems. Balloon angioplasty and stent implantation are valid methods to treat stenoses of the SVC successfully. | 25,161,772 | [
0.04878328,
-0.006483073,
-0.06964012,
-0.3405849,
0.2510979,
-0.1829275,
-0.1068521,
-0.3184173,
-0.05364934,
-0.03040922,
0.3190407,
0.08245641,
-0.01429693,
-0.05121693,
0.1332384,
-0.3421979,
-0.215857,
0.2458488,
0.196942,
0.05911589,
-0.03485695,
0.3141613,
-0.09610... |
Elizabethkingia meningosepticum in a Patient with Six-Year Bilateral Perma-Catheters. | Elizabethkingia meningosepticum (EM) is a saprophyte which is ubiquitous in nature, but not normally present in the human flora. Instances of infection are rare in the USA, but EM may be an emerging pathogen among immune-compromised patients. EM can cause a variety of infections, but nosocomial pneumonia and bacteremia have been the most commonly reported among immune-compromised adults. EM has proven difficult to treat with a mortality rate of 23%-41% in adult bacteremia. This is likely due to its resistance to commonly used empiric antibiotics for Gram-negative infections. A review of the literature suggests that there has been a shift EM's susceptibility profile over time along with a great variability in antibiotic susceptibilities reported. This signifies the importance of close monitoring of these changes. In this report we present a case of a 64-year-old male with end stage renal disease and bilateral subclavian perma-catheters, who was admitted with systemic inflammatory response syndrome. While initial peripheral blood cultures were negative, cultures later drawn from his perma-catheters revealed Corneybacterium species and EM. The patient was initially treated with empiric vancomycin and piperacillin-tazobactam. After antibiotics susceptibilities became available, he was treated with levofloxacin and ceftazidime. The patient improved, was culture negative, and later had perma-catheter removal. | 25,161,782 | [
-0.1181852,
-0.5024452,
-0.3733665,
-0.2424584,
-0.3449295,
0.1846229,
-0.2837361,
-0.06983422,
-0.1097549,
-0.05160143,
0.04132718,
-0.002349604,
0.1817916,
0.4416294,
0.07422839,
-0.2799585,
-0.6948091,
0.4478408,
-0.2089418,
0.1386394,
0.0911633,
0.4472327,
0.2282434,
... |
Infection Related Glomerulonephritis Associated with Staphylococcus epidermidis in the Absence of Prosthetic Material. | We report a case of a 72-year-old diabetic male who developed infection-related glomerulonephritis (IRGN) in the setting of severe Staphylococcus epidermidis infection. He required renal replacement therapy for 6 weeks, but had full recovery of his kidney function with aggressive treatment of the infection. While this pathogen has been previously implicated as the cause of shunt nephritis, it is exceptionally rare to be associated with IRGN in the absence of a shunt or other prosthetic material. | 25,161,783 | [
-0.08684841,
-0.2205198,
-0.3040212,
0.1019067,
-0.2095872,
-0.03335835,
-0.1728252,
-0.2730613,
-0.01529794,
0.1660921,
-0.03738072,
0.1052037,
-0.1965097,
-0.04523744,
0.06376803,
-0.1443607,
0.008322116,
0.1955457,
-0.07429954,
-0.08366044,
-0.2166367,
-0.1357692,
0.11... |
Palliative surgery for rare cases of anterior urethral metastasis in prostate cancer. | Penis metastasis from prostate cancer is very rare, and its management varies from case to case as there are very few cases reported in the literature. We describe a patient with prostate cancer treated with radiotherapy and androgen deprivation therapy who presented with urethral bleeding as a symptom of anterior urethral metastasis during followup. We propose a way to manage this and review the literature. | 25,161,796 | [
-0.007840197,
-0.2540806,
-0.2239227,
-0.3294328,
-0.2799841,
-0.3056533,
-0.2202263,
0.008497885,
-0.06325679,
-0.028565,
0.2257251,
0.5113264,
-0.1684063,
-0.4683051,
-0.04261738,
-0.2220118,
0.05897669,
-0.01427084,
0.2422093,
-0.3236569,
0.1197803,
0.04611109,
-0.1022... |
Malignant pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma consequential to brief indirect asbestos exposure. | This report highlights that pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma can occur without direct asbestos exposure as was seen in our young patient. The patient had indirect exposure for as short as 3 months as a child, 15 years earlier, when she was residing with her miner father in the district of Jharia, Jharkhand, which is an asbestos-rich mining area in eastern India. The patient presented with chest pain and breathlessness. Chest X-ray showed opaque right hemithorax. Typical contrast- computed tomography (CECT) enhanced radiological features included nodular, soft-tissue attenuation and homogenously enhancing rind-like mass causing scalloping of the underlying lung and liver. Similar lesions were also found involving the pelvis. Diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma was confirmed on lung biopsy. Under-reporting of exposure is usual because it is unrecognized by both patients and investigators. | 25,161,804 | [
0.09972222,
-0.1366336,
0.2771563,
-0.2065496,
-0.04081181,
0.0001977933,
-0.6016703,
-0.04650693,
0.1820895,
-0.03920658,
0.211098,
-0.08072585,
0.1753479,
0.1106515,
-0.0238217,
0.07337593,
-0.6162789,
0.07605839,
0.391845,
-0.2751103,
0.005255648,
0.2000655,
-0.2940022... |
Severe aortic coarctation in an adult patient with normal brachial blood pressure. | The present case shows that a normal brachial blood pressure (BP) does not exclude severe coarctation and should be considered in normotensive patients presenting with a systolic murmur and/or unexplained severe left ventricular hypertrophy. Congenital coarctation of the aorta is a narrowing of the descending aorta, usually located distal to the origin of the subclavian artery, causing hypertension in the upper part of the body. This condition may be undiagnosed until adult life where the clinical presentation most often is high BP in the upper extremities. A 57-year-old patient with severe aortic coarctation and left ventricular hypertrophy presented with normal brachial BP. However, standard suprasternal view by echocardiography indicated coarctation. Multislice computed tomographic (CT) angiography revealed an uncommon location of the aortic narrowing with the right and left subclavian arteries originating below the area of coarctation, explaining the equally low BP in both upper extremities. | 25,161,810 | [
-0.1776803,
0.1157048,
-0.01333579,
-0.01691032,
0.2030414,
-0.1548737,
-0.3773312,
-0.2506385,
0.09466611,
0.1320467,
0.3697016,
0.06386176,
-0.3246811,
-0.1073996,
-0.2108521,
-0.03866984,
-0.2785326,
0.3009076,
-0.05538585,
-0.1496115,
0.06754167,
0.08001114,
-0.022344... |
The neuroanatomical correlates of anxiety in a healthy population: differences between the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale. | The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the Hamilton scale for anxiety (HARS) are two of the most important scales employed in clinical and psychological realms for the evaluation of anxiety. Although the reliability and sensibility of these scales are widely demonstrated there is an open debate on what exactly their scores reflect. Neuroimaging provides the potential to validate the quality and reliability of clinical scales through the identification of specific biomarkers. For this reason, we evaluated the neural correlates of these two scales in a large cohort of healthy individuals using structural neuroimaging methods. Neuroimaging analysis included thickness/volume estimation of cortical and subcortical limbic structures, which were regressed on anxiety inventory scores with age and gender used for assessing discriminant validity. A total of 121 healthy subjects were evaluated. Despite the two anxiety scales, at a behavioral level, displaying significant correlations among them (HARS with STAI-state (r = 0.24; P = 0.006) and HARS with STAI-trait (r = 0.42; P < 0.001)), multivariate neuroimaging analyses demonstrated that anatomical variability in the anterior cingulate cortex was the best predictor of the HARS scores (all β's ≥ 0.31 and P's ≤ 0.01), whereas STAI-related measures did not show any significant relationship with regions of limbic circuits, but their scores were predicted by gender (all β's ≥ 0.23 and P's ≤ 0.02). Although the purpose of HARS and STAI is to quantify the degree and characteristics of anxiety-like behaviors, our neuroimaging data indicated that these scales are neurobiologically different, confirming that their scores might reflect different aspects of anxiety: the HARS is more related to subclinical expression of anxiety disorders, whereas the STAI captures sub-dimensions of personality linked to anxiety. | 25,161,817 | [
0.124437,
0.02019199,
0.1655154,
0.004945423,
-0.1897782,
-0.5600171,
-0.2362205,
-0.003843333,
0.08770052,
-0.1521718,
0.09013414,
0.03118918,
0.01435719,
-0.3565729,
-0.1783082,
-0.3056409,
-0.127647,
0.1802661,
0.05397532,
0.142746,
-0.1451447,
0.1078844,
-0.2375741,
... |
Methods for rapid frequency-domain characterization of leakage currents in silicon nanowire-based field-effect transistors. | Silicon nanowire-based field-effect transistors (SiNW FETs) have demonstrated the ability of ultrasensitive detection of a wide range of biological and chemical targets. The detection is based on the variation of the conductance of a nanowire channel, which is caused by the target substance. This is seen in the voltage-current behavior between the drain and source. Some current, known as leakage current, flows between the gate and drain, and affects the current between the drain and source. Studies have shown that leakage current is frequency dependent. Measurements of such frequency characteristics can provide valuable tools in validating the functionality of the used transistor. The measurements can also be an advantage in developing new detection technologies utilizing SiNW FETs. The frequency-domain responses can be measured by using a commercial sine-sweep-based network analyzer. However, because the analyzer takes a long time, it effectively prevents the development of most practical applications. Another problem with the method is that in order to produce sinusoids the signal generator has to cope with a large number of signal levels. This may become challenging in developing low-cost applications. This paper presents fast, cost-effective frequency-domain methods with which to obtain the responses within seconds. The inverse-repeat binary sequence (IRS) is applied and the admittance spectroscopy between the drain and source is computed through Fourier methods. The methods is verified by experimental measurements from an n-type SiNW FET. | 25,161,832 | [
0.2063966,
-0.1959401,
-0.0556856,
-0.01209846,
0.3769109,
-0.1482553,
-0.1238411,
0.01297212,
0.304942,
0.1418932,
-0.245767,
-0.4220309,
-0.09578775,
0.3177987,
-0.5087185,
-0.1785556,
-0.3044091,
-0.006948219,
-0.2198522,
-0.2097036,
0.1998534,
0.0983311,
0.03641697,
... |
Double layer effects in a model of proton discharge on charged electrodes. | We report first results on double layer effects on proton discharge reactions from aqueous solutions to charged platinum electrodes. We have extended a recently developed combined proton transfer/proton discharge model on the basis of empirical valence bond theory to include specifically adsorbed sodium cations and chloride anions. For each of four studied systems 800-1000 trajectories of a discharging proton were integrated by molecular dynamics simulations until discharge occurred. The results show significant influences of ion presence on the average behavior of protons prior to the discharge event. Rationalization of the observed behavior cannot be based solely on the electrochemical potential (or surface charge) but needs to resort to the molecular details of the double layer structure. | 25,161,833 | [
-0.1207458,
-0.1109662,
-0.2027631,
0.08206604,
0.158882,
-0.1962861,
-0.2703718,
-0.1481774,
0.07591254,
0.1905892,
-0.1567036,
0.1455588,
-0.05990027,
0.01187424,
-0.1042939,
-0.173338,
-0.01715801,
0.2947918,
-0.04840653,
-0.09869722,
0.2583146,
0.09035522,
-0.1258221,... |
Molecular biology approaches in bioadhesion research. | The use of molecular biology tools in the field of bioadhesion is still in its infancy. For new research groups who are considering taking a molecular approach, the techniques presented here are essential to unravelling the sequence of a gene, its expression and its biological function. Here we provide an outline for addressing adhesion-related genes in diverse organisms. We show how to gradually narrow down the number of candidate transcripts that are involved in adhesion by (1) generating a transcriptome and a differentially expressed cDNA list enriched for adhesion-related transcripts, (2) setting up a BLAST search facility, (3) perform an in situ hybridization screen, and (4) functional analyses of selected genes by using RNA interference knock-down. Furthermore, latest developments in genome-editing are presented as new tools to study gene function. By using this iterative multi-technologies approach, the identification, isolation, expression and function of adhesion-related genes can be studied in most organisms. These tools will improve our understanding of the diversity of molecules used for adhesion in different organisms and these findings will help to develop innovative bio-inspired adhesives. | 25,161,834 | [
-0.0929606,
0.1103117,
0.1356924,
-0.269497,
-0.0507705,
-0.07775783,
-0.1981138,
0.07814335,
0.07169415,
-0.1177713,
0.05619475,
-0.124726,
0.2212028,
-0.1808574,
-0.6402242,
0.1669895,
-0.3038903,
-0.1048468,
-0.003107186,
0.06916101,
0.3529207,
0.3921724,
-0.2651922,
... |
A nanometric cushion for enhancing scratch and wear resistance of hard films. | Scratch resistance and friction are core properties which define the tribological characteristics of materials. Attempts to optimize these quantities at solid surfaces are the subject of intense technological interest. The capability to modulate these surface properties while preserving both the bulk properties of the materials and a well-defined, constant chemical composition of the surface is particularly attractive. We report herein the use of a soft, flexible underlayer to control the scratch resistance of oxide surfaces. Titania films of several nm thickness are coated onto substrates of silicon, kapton, polycarbonate, and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The scratch resistance measured by scanning force microscopy is found to be substrate dependent, diminishing in the order PDMS, kapton/polycarbonate, Si/SiO2. Furthermore, when PDMS is applied as an intermediate layer between a harder substrate and titania, marked improvement in the scratch resistance is achieved. This is shown by quantitative wear tests for silicon or kapton, by coating these substrates with PDMS which is subsequently capped by a titania layer, resulting in enhanced scratch/wear resistance. The physical basis of this effect is explored by means of Finite Element Analysis, and we suggest a model for friction reduction based on the "cushioning effect" of a soft intermediate layer. | 25,161,836 | [
0.07530275,
0.3034319,
-0.001625185,
-0.08371283,
0.1114951,
0.05185425,
-0.05601737,
-0.07465891,
0.3125459,
0.2736757,
-0.04447242,
-0.4979377,
-0.1076295,
-0.1699533,
-0.373833,
0.06440265,
-0.4291045,
0.002010898,
-0.03481889,
0.1947111,
-0.03864798,
-0.06101257,
0.03... |
Nanocavity crossbar arrays for parallel electrochemical sensing on a chip. | We introduce a novel device for the mapping of redox-active compounds at high spatial resolution based on a crossbar electrode architecture. The sensor array is formed by two sets of 16 parallel band electrodes that are arranged perpendicular to each other on the wafer surface. At each intersection, the crossing bars are separated by a ca. 65 nm high nanocavity, which is stabilized by the surrounding passivation layer. During operation, perpendicular bar electrodes are biased to potentials above and below the redox potential of species under investigation, thus, enabling repeated subsequent reactions at the two electrodes. By this means, a redox cycling current is formed across the gap that can be measured externally. As the nanocavity devices feature a very high current amplification in redox cycling mode, individual sensing spots can be addressed in parallel, enabling high-throughput electrochemical imaging. This paper introduces the design of the device, discusses the fabrication process and demonstrates its capabilities in sequential and parallel data acquisition mode by using a hexacyanoferrate probe. | 25,161,846 | [
-0.2209399,
0.1889313,
-0.05178692,
-0.04038894,
-0.04387125,
0.1127654,
-0.4066424,
-0.129752,
0.134881,
-0.1623718,
-0.228117,
-0.09663855,
0.03742988,
0.03697481,
-0.4323564,
-0.1669956,
-0.4362812,
0.215414,
-0.08210957,
-0.2641921,
0.2038937,
0.3108465,
-0.1302355,
... |
Purification of ethanol for highly sensitive self-assembly experiments. | Ethanol is the preferred solvent for the formation of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of thiolates on gold. By applying a thin film sensor system, we could demonstrate that even the best commercial qualities of ethanol contain surface-active contaminants, which can compete with the desired thiolates for surface sites. Here we present that gold nanoparticles deposited onto zeolite X can be used to remove these contaminants by chemisorption. This nanoparticle-impregnated zeolite does not only show high capacities for surface-active contaminants, such as thiols, but can be fully regenerated via a simple pyrolysis protocol. | 25,161,861 | [
0.05160012,
0.1441041,
-0.1993381,
-0.03221983,
0.04491439,
0.171358,
-0.5605339,
-0.05594638,
0.1855735,
0.06765918,
-0.05719111,
-0.2241565,
0.1599593,
0.1022189,
-0.482185,
0.08319531,
-0.4205651,
0.1487211,
-0.1481887,
0.07717159,
0.3315999,
0.1381016,
-0.3247927,
-... |
Cytoprotective role of the fatty acid binding protein 4 against oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum stress in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. | The fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4), one of the most abundant proteins in adipocytes, has been reported to have a proinflammatory function in macrophages. However, the physiological role of FABP4, which is constitutively expressed in adipocytes, has not been fully elucidated. Previously, we demonstrated that FABP4 was involved in the regulation of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) production in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. In this study, we examined the effects of FABP4 silencing on the oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. We found that the cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and 8-nitro-cyclic GMP levels were significantly elevated in the differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes transfected with a small interfering RNA (siRNA) against Fabp4, although the intracellular levels or enzyme activities of antioxidants including reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione S-transferase A4 (GSTA4) were not altered. An in vitro evaluation using the recombinant protein revealed that FABP4 itself functions as a scavenger protein against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). FABP4-knockdown resulted in a significant lowering of cell viability of 3T3-L1 adipocytes against H2O2 treatment. Moreover, four kinds of markers related to the ER stress response including the endoplasmic reticulum to nucleus signaling 1 (Ern1), the signal sequence receptor α (Ssr1), the ORM1-like 3 (Ormdl3), and the spliced X-box binding protein 1 (Xbp1s), were all elevated as the result of the knockdown of FABP4. Consequently, FABP4 might have a new role as an antioxidant protein against H2O2 and contribute to cytoprotection against oxidative and ER stress in adipocytes. | 25,161,868 | [
-0.2157258,
0.1942428,
-0.08939886,
-0.2980407,
0.1836016,
-0.1652427,
-0.1395061,
-0.172957,
-0.08878575,
-0.1091592,
0.1476666,
-0.2886309,
0.008244091,
0.06943019,
-0.2859412,
0.1975691,
-0.4472582,
0.154973,
0.2610274,
0.0341381,
-0.2868813,
0.2566116,
-0.1347228,
-... |
Red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and wild dogs (dingoes (Canis lupus dingo) and dingo/domestic dog hybrids), as sylvatic hosts for Australian Taenia hydatigena and Taenia ovis. | Foxes (n = 499), shot during vertebrate pest control programs, were collected in various sites in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), New South Wales (NSW) and Western Australia (WA). Wild dogs (dingoes (Canis lupus dingo) and their hybrids with domestic dogs) (n = 52) captured also as part of vertebrate pest control programs were collected from several sites in the ACT and NSW. The intestine from each fox and wild dog was collected, and all Taenia tapeworms identified morphologically were collected and identified to species based on the DNA sequence of the small subunit of the mitochondrial ribosomal RNA (rrnS) gene. Taenia species were recovered from 6.0% of the ACT/NSW foxes, 5.1% of WA foxes and 46.1% of ACT/NSW wild dogs. Taenia ovis was recovered from two foxes, 1/80 from Jugiong, NSW and 1/102 from Katanning, WA. We confirm from rrnS sequences the presence of T. ovis in cysts from hearts and diaphragms and T aenia hydatigena in cysts from livers of sheep in Australia. T. ovis was not recovered from any of the wild dogs examined but T. hydatigena were recovered from 4(8.3%) wild dogs and a single fox. With foxes identified as a definitive host for T. ovis in Australia, new control strategies to stop transmission of T. ovis to sheep need to be adopted. | 25,161,904 | [
0.07619324,
0.2146028,
0.1992146,
-0.1203494,
0.106936,
-0.3882337,
-0.3129094,
-0.2847602,
0.1970621,
0.09100081,
0.011809,
0.1067284,
0.03735674,
-0.1212062,
-0.4465178,
-0.1866485,
-0.1977959,
-0.0882953,
0.5076577,
-0.5548736,
-0.2223022,
0.2797234,
-0.4868181,
0.65... |
Sentinels in a climatic outpost: Endoparasites in the introduced muskox (Ovibos moschatus wardi) population of Dovrefjell, Norway. | We assessed the occurrence of endoparasite eggs, cysts, oocysts and larvae in the muskox population of Dovrefjell, Norway, during June and August 2012. This population originates from 13 calves translocated from Eastern Greenland during the 1950s. A total of 167 faecal samples were collected, of which 49% came from identified individuals: 165 were examined by the Baermann and 95 by McMaster techniques and 167 by immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT). Lungworm larvae recovered in the Baermanns were identified as Protostrongylidae (82%) and Dictyocaulus sp. (76%) based on morphology. Further molecular analyses of the ITS-2 region of two protostrongylid larvae from two muskoxen as Muellerius capillaris. Larval prevalence and intensity differed significantly between samples collected from the different age groups in June and August, with increasing prevalence and intensity in calves during the course of their first summer, whereas intensity decreased in adults from June to August. McMaster test and IFAT were used to determine the occurrence of infections with intestinal strongyles (84%), Moniezia spp. (24%), Nematodirus sp. (2%), Eimeria spp. (98%), Cryptosporidium sp. (14%) and Giardia duodenalis (7%). Molecular analyses of three isolates of Cryptosporidium and Giardia were identified as Cryptosporidium xiaoi and G. duodenalis assemblage A. Although infection intensity of all these intestinal parasites tended to be low, the high level of polyparasitism, together with the other challenges faced by this population living at the edge of their climatic range, means that these infections should not be ignored. The potential that M. capillaris, Cryptosporidium and Giardia infections derive from other sympatric host species (sheep and reindeer) is discussed. | 25,161,914 | [
0.07393813,
-0.1803338,
0.09059571,
-0.1182991,
-0.2053753,
-0.2440288,
-0.3235083,
0.1607317,
-0.2471326,
-0.191485,
0.02810339,
-0.1389441,
0.3285001,
-0.216452,
-0.4184856,
-0.255772,
-0.498692,
0.1054707,
-0.134877,
0.2100336,
-0.03837086,
0.4173668,
-0.2274246,
0.0... |
Ethnomedical properties of taxus wallichiana zucc. (Himalayan yew). | Taxus wallichiana Zucc., known as Himalayan yew, belongs to the family Taxaceae. It is a medium-sized, temperate, Himalayan forest tree of medicinal importance. In India, this evergreen tree is found at altitudes between 1800 and 3300 m above mean sea level (MSL). It has been used by the native populations for treating common cold, cough, fever, and pain. Its uses are described in Ayurveda and Unani medicine. It received attention recently as its leaves and bark were found to be the prime source of taxol, a potent anticancer drug. It possesses many other biological activities also. We focus on its importance in traditional medicine for its multiple medicinal properties. | 25,161,920 | [
0.2666613,
-0.09372979,
0.2504928,
-0.07178535,
-0.1343462,
0.1536106,
-0.4154931,
0.04226134,
-0.04238525,
-0.3509831,
-0.03827303,
-0.08809455,
0.1189027,
0.169506,
-0.5030339,
-0.05711176,
-0.2431658,
0.4482746,
-0.00704623,
0.1220789,
0.3439406,
-0.1446518,
-0.1595646... |
A Comparison of Food-grade Folium mori ( Sāng Yè) Extract and 1-Deoxynojirimycin for Glycemic Control and Renal Function in Streptozotocin-induced Diabetic Rats. | Folium mori ( Sāng Yè, leaf of Morus alba L.; FM) is known to possess hypoglycemic effects, and 1-deoxynojirimycin (1-DNJ) has been proposed as an important functional compound in FM. However, the hypoglycemic activity of purified 1-DNJ has been rarely studied. It is also not known how FM and 1-DNJ affect the development of DM nephropathy. This study compared the antidiabetic effect of a commercial FM product with that of purified 1-DNJ in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Seven days after induction, the diabetic rats were gavaged with FM (1, 3, 10, and 30 mg/kg/day), 1-DNJ (30 mg/kg/day), or vehicle (distilled deionized water; 2 ml/kg/day) for 7 days. All doses of FM ameliorated fasting and post-prandial blood glucose concomitantly with an increase in peripheral and pancreatic levels of insulin and improved homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR) in diabetic rats in a dose-dependent manner. Increased thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and nitrate/nitrite levels in the kidney, liver, and muscle of diabetic rats were reversed by all doses of FM. The renal function of the diabetic rats was normalized by all doses of FM, while blood pressure changes were reversed by FM at doses of 3 mg/kg and above. Moreover, most of the above-mentioned parameters were improved by FM at doses of 3 mg/kg and above to a similar extent as that of 1-DNJ. The results showed superior antidiabetic potential of the commercial FM product for glycemic control and protection against the development of diabetic nephropathy. | 25,161,921 | [
-0.1966202,
0.1629695,
-0.157462,
-0.1389903,
0.4585812,
-0.2814758,
0.040571,
0.2133216,
0.1207462,
-0.3996551,
0.2063368,
-0.004010075,
0.2512055,
-0.06641675,
-0.5794461,
-0.3395565,
-0.1371475,
0.311575,
0.2969635,
0.1946916,
0.08345905,
0.1360421,
-0.08409105,
-0.3... |
Bevacizumab treatment reduces retinal neovascularization in a mouse model of retinopathy of prematurity. | To evaluate the effect of different bevacizumab concentrations on retinal neovascularization in a retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) mouse model. A total of 60 of C57BL/6 J mice were exposed to 75%±2% oxygen from postnatal d7 to postnatal d12. Fifteen nonexposed mice served as negative controls (group A). On d12, 30 mice (group C) were injected with 2.5 µg intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB), 30 mice (group D) were injected with 1.25 µg IVB in one eye. The contralateral eyes were injected with balanced salt solution (BSS) (control group=group B). The adenosine diphosphatase (ADPase) histochemical technique was used for retinal flat mount to assess the oxygen-induced changes of retinal vessels. Neovascularization was quantified by counting the endothelial cell proliferation on the vitreal side of the inner limiting membrane of the retina. Histological changes were examined by light microscopy. The mRNA levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were quantified by Real-time PCR. Western-blotting analysis was performed to examine the expression of P-VEGFR. Comparing with the control group B, regular distributions and reduced tortuosity of vessels were observed in our retinal flat mounts in groups C and D. The endothelial cell count per histological section was lower in groups C (P<0.0001) and D (P<0.0001) compared with the control group B. Histological evaluation showed no retinal toxicity in any group. In all oxygen treated groups VEGF mRNA expression was significantly increased as compared to age-matched controls. No significant change in VEGF mRNA expression could be achieved in either of the treatments or the oxygen controls. The results of the Western blot were consistent with that of the Real-time PCR analysis. An intravitreal injection of Bevacizumab is able to reduce angioproliferative retinopathy in a mouse model for oxygen-induced retinopathy. | 25,161,929 | [
-0.1273471,
-0.2529562,
-0.5731046,
0.02092286,
0.4712666,
-0.1810844,
0.3988592,
0.2070021,
-0.04295348,
-0.2138221,
0.01118792,
0.4923935,
-0.3145143,
0.1543974,
-0.06977057,
-0.0719424,
-0.1569229,
0.1666611,
0.06048344,
0.1622168,
0.2554653,
0.3399839,
-0.259322,
-0... |
Evaluation of the effects of acyclovir and/or human amniotic membrane on herpes virus culture and quantitative virus inactivity by real-time polymerase chain reaction. | To investigate the permeability of amniotic membrane in herpes virus cell culture to acyclovir with real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Madin-Darby Bovine Kidney (MDBK) cell culture and Bovine Herpes Virus (BHV1) type 1 were used in the study. Cell cultures were grouped into two on the basis of herpes virus inoculation. Each group was sub-grouped into three. Amniotic membrane (V-HAM), acyclovir (V-A), and amniotic membrane and acyclovir (V-HAM-A) were applied to these subgroup cultures, respectively. After the application of the membrane and the drug, the cultures were evaluated at 24 and 48h for cytopathic effect positive (CPE+) with a tissue culture microscope. In the CPE (+) samples, the DNA was extracted for viral DNA analysis by RT-PCR. In control cultures without herpes virus CPE was not detected. Besides, amniotic membrane and acyclovir did not have cytotoxic effect on cell cultures. CPE were detected in Bovine Herpesvirus type-1 inoculated cell cultures after amniotic membrane and/or acyclovir application. DNA analysis with RT-PCR indicated that Cycle threshold (Ct) values were lower in the BHV1 and membrane applied group (amniotic membrane group < acyclovir group < membrane and acyclovir group). This showed that membrane did not have antiviral effect. The membrane and acyclovir cell culture groups with high Ct values indicated that membrane was permeable and had a low barrier effect to drug. In our in-vitro study, we found that amniotic membrane, which can be used in the treatment of corneal diseases, did not have antiviral effect. Besides, we detected that amniotic membrane was permeable to acyclovir in BHV-1 inoculated MDBK cell culture. However, more studies are necessary to investigate the quantitative effects of amniotic membrane and acyclovir. | 25,161,932 | [
-0.3771075,
-0.3536419,
-0.2732039,
-0.03908039,
0.4631419,
-0.04084851,
-0.2717592,
0.08954185,
0.4234813,
-0.215148,
0.2346585,
-0.02847342,
0.1357995,
0.2183407,
-0.3756079,
-0.07487459,
-0.569756,
0.443744,
-0.2699959,
0.2226977,
0.08030991,
-0.0009429214,
0.1123126,
... |
Femtosecond laser-assisted deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty for keratoconus and keratectasia. | To describe the initial outcomes and safety of femtosecond laser-assisted deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK) for keratoconus and post-LASIK keratectasia. In this non-comparative case series, 10 eyes of 9 patients underwent DALK procedures with a femtosecond laser (Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, Jena, Germany). Of the 9 patients, 7 had keratoconus and 2 had post-LASIK keratectasia. A 500 kHz VisuMax femtosecond laser was used to perform corneal cuts on both donor and recipient corneas. The outcome measures were the uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), corneal thickness, astigmatism, endothelial density count (EDC), and corneal power. All eyes were successfully treated. Early postoperative evaluation showed a clear graft in all cases. Intraoperative complications included one case of a small Descemet's membrane perforation. Postoperatively, there was one case of stromal rejection, one of loosened sutures, and one of wound dehiscence. A normal corneal pattern topography and transparency were restored, UCVA and BCVA improved significantly, and astigmatism improved slightly. There was no statistically significant decrease in EDC. Our early results indicate that femtosecond laser-assisted deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty could improve UCVA and BCVA in patients with anterior corneal pathology. This approach shows promise as a safe and effective surgical choice in the treatment of keratoconus and post-LASIK keratectasia. | 25,161,934 | [
0.06388115,
0.2232894,
0.1334615,
-0.2165944,
0.09760548,
-0.3102489,
0.06340507,
0.3371689,
0.4763252,
0.1852214,
0.09705795,
-0.07506852,
0.0880699,
-0.06778847,
0.09614954,
-0.190243,
-0.3172654,
0.02772867,
0.1184469,
-0.3200257,
-0.1072059,
0.2254699,
-0.1979044,
-... |
Presence of thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy in Hashimoto's thyroiditis. | To determine the prevalence of ophthalmopathy in Hashimoto's patients and to make a comparison in subgroups of patients. The study involved 110 Hashimoto's thyroiditis patients and 50 control subjects attending to the endocrinology department of the hospital. Subgroup classification of patients was made as euthyroid, subclinic and clinic in Hashimato's thyroiditis. All patients were evaluated by a single experienced ophthalmologist for the prevalence and characteristics of eye signs. The overall prevalences of eye changes were 22.7% (25 patients) in patients and 4% (2 persons) in control subjects respectively (P=0.002). In patients the most common symptom was retrobulbar eye pain with or without any eye movement. Thirteen patients had significant upper eyelid retraction (11.8%). Six patients had eye muscle dysfunction as reduced eye movements in up gaze. In control patients one person had proptosis and another had lid retraction. The clinical activity score and classification of the ophthalmopathy did not show any significant differences among subgroups. The eye signs were mostly mild (22.7%) and the most common eye sign was the presence of upper eyelid retraction (11.8%). Additionally six patients had eye muscle dysfunction as reduced eye movements in up gaze. Therefore we recommend to make a routine ophthalmic examination in Hashimoto's thyroiditis patients in order not to omit the associated ophthalmopathy. | 25,161,935 | [
-0.01042671,
0.02745886,
-0.07846332,
-0.2979188,
-0.3366458,
-0.3456499,
-0.09302078,
0.1449406,
0.03475222,
-0.0345626,
0.06715839,
-0.06307505,
-0.09426893,
-0.2344677,
0.2318039,
0.07786875,
-0.2214096,
0.2271055,
0.386748,
-0.04927788,
-0.2054674,
0.13559,
-0.1844198... |
Diagnosis of lacrimal canalicular diseases using ultrasound biomicroscopy: a preliminary study. | To evaluate the application of ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) in the examination of lacrimal canalicular diseases, and to investigate UBM image characteristics of lacrimal canaliculi in disease states. Sixty cases (63 eyes, 69 canaliculi) of lacrimal canalicular diseases were enrolled that included 32 patients (32 eyes, 32 canaliculi) with chronic lacrimal canaliculitis, 18 patients (18 eyes, 18 canaliculi) with previous lacrimal canalicular laceration, 9 patients (12 eyes, 18 canaliculi) with congenital absence of lacrimal puncta and canaliculi, and 1 case (1 eye, 1 canaliculus) of canalicular mass. The patients were examined using UBM, and disease-specific features of the UBM images were noted. UBM imaging of lacrimal canaliculi in chronic canaliculitis patients showed obvious ectasia of the lacrimal canalicular lumen. Dot-like moderate echoic signals were detected on some ectatic lumina of the lacrimal canaliculus. Some lumen-like structures of the lower lacrimal canaliculus were observed in 2 (2 eyes, 2 canaliculi) of the 9 patients (12 eyes, 18 canaliculi) with congenital absence of the lacrimal canaliculus. Of the 18 patients (18 eyes, 18 canaliculi) with previous lacrimal canalicular laceration, the lacerated end on the nasal side of the lacrimal canaliculus was detected only in 14 patients (14 eyes, 14 canaliculi). UBM can be used to evaluate lacrimal canalicular diseases and can provide an imaging basis for the diagnosis of lacrimal canalicular diseases. | 25,161,938 | [
-0.2931566,
-0.2561521,
0.08293125,
-0.06081999,
-0.3276853,
-0.1380422,
-0.3293754,
0.04512699,
0.295671,
0.17558,
0.02945597,
-0.1279448,
-0.2201887,
-0.2105744,
0.1406098,
-0.04549978,
-0.258453,
0.202841,
0.1230157,
-0.5563979,
0.1329906,
0.1223808,
-0.05268146,
0.3... |
Birth weight and gestational age on retinopathy of prematurity in discordant twins in China. | To assess the relative effect of birth weight and gestational age on retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) using preterm twin pairs discordant for birth weigh in a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit in China. Fifty-six discordant twin pairs of 112 preterm infants were retrospectively analyzed. The twin pairs were divided into two subgroups based on birth weight in each pair. The occurrence of ROP and severe ROP requiring treatment were compared between the lower birth weight infants and their co-twins with the higher birth weight. Some neonatal morbidities related to prematurity and neonatal characteristics were also compared between the twin pairs. Based on the univariate analysis, gestational age and birth weight were significantly associated with the occurrence and progression of ROP. But no significant differences in ROP between larger and smaller infants were observed in the twin-paired analysis. The incidence of neonatal morbidities regarding respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), sepsis and neonatal characteristics regarding gender distribution, one- and five-minute Apgar score, postnatal steroid treatment, blood transfusion, supplemental oxygen therapy, and mechanical ventilation were not different between the twins. However, gestational age of ≤28wk was significantly associated with significantly higher rates of ROP and severe ROP. Gestational age is a better predictor of ROP than birth weight in the twin-paired study. | 25,161,939 | [
-0.01191349,
0.1388654,
-0.4780214,
-0.09471297,
-0.01527299,
-0.04124502,
0.4387417,
-0.1067183,
-0.09371538,
-0.03370324,
0.1708085,
0.0917313,
-0.4428172,
-0.2274309,
0.1399567,
-0.1417669,
-0.3110827,
0.306654,
0.07698981,
0.08590494,
0.08827002,
0.2883303,
-0.1338841... |
Role of wide-field autofluorescence imaging and scanning laser ophthalmoscopy in differentiation of choroidal pigmented lesions. | To evaluate the diagnostic properties of wide-field fundus autofluorescence (FAF) scanning laser ophthalmoscope (SLO) imaging for differentiating choroidal pigmented lesions. A consecutive series of 139 patients were included, 101 had established choroidal melanoma with 13 untreated lesions and 98 treated with radiotherapy. Thirty-eight had choroidal nevi. All patients underwent a full ophthalmological examination, undilated wide-field imaging, FAF and standardized US examination. FAF images and imaging characteristics from SLO were correlated with the structural findings in the two patient groups. Mean FAF intensity of melanomas was significantly lower than the FAF of choroidal nevi. Only 1 out of 38 included eyes with nevi touched the optic disc compared to 31 out of 101 eyes with melanomas. In 18 out of 101 melanomas subretinal fluid was seen at the pigmented lesion compared to none seen in eyes with confirmed choroidal nevi. In "green laser separation", a trend towards more mixed FAF appearance of melanomas compared to nevi was observed. The mean maximal and minimal transverse and longitudinal diameters of melanomas were significantly higher than those of nevi. Wide-field SLO and FAF imaging may be an appropriate non-invasive diagnostic screening tool to differentiate benign from malign pigmented choroidal lesions. | 25,161,946 | [
-0.03272617,
-0.07237565,
-0.2462384,
-0.1942681,
-0.0162125,
-0.8578969,
0.1578308,
0.2090526,
0.1419302,
0.05808182,
0.07474547,
0.1809392,
0.08884399,
-0.4253071,
-0.2534816,
-0.4480624,
-0.2846785,
0.09979045,
0.1714447,
-0.2927766,
0.3289002,
0.0007725696,
-0.3100137... |
Chromosomal islands of Streptococcus pyogenes and related streptococci: molecular switches for survival and virulence. | Streptococcus pyogenes is a significant pathogen of humans, annually causing over 700,000,000 infections and 500,000 deaths. Virulence in S. pyogenes is closely linked to mobile genetic elements like phages and chromosomal islands (CI). S. pyogenes phage-like chromosomal islands (SpyCI) confer a complex mutator phenotype on their host. SpyCI integrate into the 5' end of DNA mismatch repair (MMR) gene mutL, which also disrupts downstream operon genes lmrP, ruvA, and tag. During early logarithmic growth, SpyCI excise from the bacterial chromosome and replicate as episomes, relieving the mutator phenotype. As growth slows and the cells enter stationary phase, SpyCI reintegrate into the chromosome, again silencing the MMR operon. This system creates a unique growth-dependent and reversible mutator phenotype. Additional CI using the identical attachment site in mutL have been identified in related species, including Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis, Streptococcus anginosus, Streptococcus intermedius, Streptococcus parauberis, and Streptococcus canis. These CI have small genomes, which range from 13 to 20 kB, conserved integrase and DNA replication genes, and no identifiable genes encoding capsid proteins. SpyCI may employ a helper phage for packaging and dissemination in a fashion similar to the Staphylococcus aureus pathogenicity islands (SaPI). Outside of the core replication and integration genes, SpyCI and related CI show considerable diversity with the presence of many indels that may contribute to the host cell phenotype or fitness. SpyCI are a subset of a larger family of streptococcal CI who potentially regulate the expression of other host genes. The biological and phylogenetic analysis of streptococcal chromosomal islands provides important clues as to how these chromosomal islands help S. pyogenes and other streptococcal species persist in human populations in spite of antibiotic therapy and immune challenges. | 25,161,960 | [
0.06663518,
-0.09551079,
0.1285777,
-0.08012727,
0.226184,
-0.3614875,
-0.1095165,
-0.05885235,
0.169741,
0.04303627,
0.1223266,
0.3392145,
-0.3267168,
0.2504259,
-0.7023582,
0.20759,
-0.4506572,
-0.2204649,
0.1276094,
-0.2752223,
0.2879229,
0.01870313,
-0.09454811,
-0.... |
Awareness and Practices of Oral Hygiene and its Relation to Sociodemographic Factors among Patients attending the General Outpatient Department in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Kolkata, India. | Periodontal diseases, dental caries, malocclusion, and oral cancer are the most prevalent dental diseases affecting people in the Indian community. The study was conducted to assess the awareness and practices on oral hygiene and its association with the sociodemographic factors among patients attending the general Outpatient Department (OPD). A cross-sectional study was conducted among 224 patients attending the general OPD of the SSKM Hospital, Kolkata, India, from 1 April to 30 April, 2013. The study tool was a pre-designed and pre-tested semi-structured schedule. About 69.20% of the participants used a toothbrush with toothpaste as a method of cleaning their teeth; 35.71% brushed twice in a day; 33.03% brushed both in the morning and at bedtime; and 8.93% used mouthwash. About 40.62% visited the dentist during the last six months; among them 61.18% attended because of pain. Almost three-fourth of the participants knew that tooth decay and bad breath were the effects of not cleaning the teeth. It was known to 71.42, 63.39, 70.53, and 73.21% of the respondents, respectively, that excess sweet, cold drink, alcohol, and smoking/pan chewing were bad for dental health. Television was the source of knowledge to 57.14% of the participants and 35.71% acquired their knowledge from a dentist. Females, literates, urban residents, users of mouthwash, and regular visitors to the dentist had good oral hygiene practices. Oral health awareness and practices among the study population are poor and need to improve. | 25,161,965 | [
-0.1207573,
0.1241314,
-0.2071361,
0.1111407,
-0.1607165,
0.05091245,
-0.1673222,
0.08801936,
0.1255622,
-0.4908292,
0.1354399,
0.04337911,
0.1602612,
-0.00009515437,
0.116664,
-0.3180671,
-0.143112,
-0.05765016,
0.1738947,
-0.0872826,
0.2666468,
0.08748524,
-0.1472014,
... |
Dengue Fever with rectus sheath hematoma: a case report. | Dengue fever, also known as breakbone fever, is an infectious tropical disease caused by the Dengue virus. It is associated with a number of complications, which are well documented. However, Dengue fever associated with rectus sheath hematoma (RSH) is a very rare complication. Only one case report has been published prior supporting the association of Dengue fever with RSH. We report a case of Dengue fever who presented with RSH and was successfully treated conservatively. RSH is also an uncommon cause of acute abdominal pain. It is accumulation of blood in the sheath of the rectus abdominis, secondary to rupture of an epigastric vessel or muscle tear. | 25,161,976 | [
-0.329487,
0.08672047,
-0.1602861,
-0.02285427,
-0.2921297,
-0.2350368,
-0.4682586,
0.002400513,
-0.009927473,
-0.2191225,
0.2390626,
-0.2741095,
-0.1162394,
-0.2440849,
-0.532784,
-0.2007319,
-0.01635489,
-0.009906561,
0.1671897,
0.08637215,
0.0771534,
0.2285596,
-0.2629... |
The effects of multi-strain probiotic compound on symptoms and quality-of-life in patients with irritable bowel syndrome: A randomized placebo-controlled trial. | Evidence has shown beneficial effects of probiotics in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS); however, there is still a lack of data in this regard. We evaluated the efficacy of a multi-strain probiotic compound on IBS symptoms and quality-of-life (QOL). Adult IBS patients (n = 132) were randomized to receive a probiotic compound containing seven bacteria species including Lactobacillus strains, Bifidobacterium strains and Streptococcus thermophiles or similar placebo, twice daily after a meal for 14 consecutive days. Improvement of IBS symptoms was assessed in categories of abdominal pain and distension and improvement of bowel habit. Improvement in patients QOL was assessed by the IBS-QOL instrument. Patients were evaluated for symptoms and QOL at baseline and then 1 month after completion of the treatment. After treatment, there was a decrease in abdominal pain and distension severity in both probiotic and the placebo groups (P<0.001), but there was no difference between the two groups in this regard (P>0.05). Improvement in bowel habit was observed in 33.3% of the probiotic and 36.5% of the placebo group (P = 0.910). There was no significant difference between the two groups in QOL after the treatment (P >0.05). We found no beneficial effects over placebo for a 2-week treatment with the above mentioned multi-strain probiotic compound in the treatment of IBS. Further, trials are yet required before a clear conclusion in this regards. | 25,161,987 | [
0.02494494,
0.3405688,
0.1995982,
0.1016756,
-0.2493423,
-0.06842484,
-0.2711321,
0.1361894,
0.1479529,
-0.4567558,
0.09162304,
-0.1970232,
-0.4292147,
-0.17534,
-0.2773445,
-0.1281514,
-0.3812663,
0.1321175,
-0.1772331,
0.2828608,
-0.01165078,
0.442792,
0.01594933,
-0.... |
Interactions between E-cadherin and microRNA deregulation in head and neck cancers: the potential interplay. | E-cadherin expression in the head and neck epithelium is essential for the morphogenesis and homeostasis of epithelial tissues. The cadherin-mediated cell-cell contacts are required for the anchorage-dependent growth of epithelial cells. Further, survival and proliferation require physical tethering created by proper cell-cell adhesion. Otherwise, the squamous epithelial cells will undergo programmed cell death. Head and neck cancers can escape from anoikis and enter into the epithelial-mesenchymal transition stages via the modulation of E-cadherin expression with epigenetic mechanisms. At epigenetic level, gene expression control is not dependent on the DNA sequence. In the context of E-cadherin regulation in head and neck cancers, 2 major mechanisms including de novo promoter hypermethylation and microRNA dysregulation are most extensively studied. Both of them control E-cadherin expression at transcription level and subsequently hinder the overall E-cadherin protein level in the head and neck cancer cells. Increasing evidence suggested that microRNA mediated E-cadherin expression in the head and neck cancers by directly/indirectly targeting the transcription suppressors of E-cadherin, ZEB1 and ZEB2. | 25,161,999 | [
-0.287447,
0.00330745,
0.05767963,
-0.2861527,
-0.06016511,
-0.1640185,
-0.0217237,
0.5437815,
0.1412582,
0.3595248,
0.1343228,
0.1131691,
-0.3142128,
-0.3608004,
-0.4363162,
0.02455464,
-0.4221043,
0.1020326,
-0.266045,
-0.03619712,
0.479672,
0.3317737,
-0.4140539,
-0.... |
A discrete wavelet based feature extraction and hybrid classification technique for microarray data analysis. | Cancer classification by doctors and radiologists was based on morphological and clinical features and had limited diagnostic ability in olden days. The recent arrival of DNA microarray technology has led to the concurrent monitoring of thousands of gene expressions in a single chip which stimulates the progress in cancer classification. In this paper, we have proposed a hybrid approach for microarray data classification based on nearest neighbor (KNN), naive Bayes, and support vector machine (SVM). Feature selection prior to classification plays a vital role and a feature selection technique which combines discrete wavelet transform (DWT) and moving window technique (MWT) is used. The performance of the proposed method is compared with the conventional classifiers like support vector machine, nearest neighbor, and naive Bayes. Experiments have been conducted on both real and benchmark datasets and the results indicate that the ensemble approach produces higher classification accuracy than conventional classifiers. This paper serves as an automated system for the classification of cancer and can be applied by doctors in real cases which serve as a boon to the medical community. This work further reduces the misclassification of cancers which is highly not allowed in cancer detection. | 25,162,043 | [
0.04890133,
-0.1141684,
0.002057213,
-0.1056517,
0.1619724,
-0.3310496,
-0.2299209,
0.1639449,
0.3321175,
0.02710129,
-0.013871,
0.03774076,
0.09288927,
-0.1516996,
-0.9216665,
-0.0979653,
-0.1608474,
0.2353314,
0.05043519,
-0.128894,
0.2456598,
0.1299699,
-0.334475,
0.... |
MnO2 spontaneously coated on carbon nanotubes for enhanced water oxidation. | δ-MnO2/o-MWCNTs were synthesized by coating MnO2 spontaneously on oxidized multi-walled carbon nanotubes via simple immersion of the o-MWCNTs into KMnO4 solution. This catalyst comprising the outer region of catalytic MnO2 and the inner region of highly conductive o-MWCNTs enhanced photocatalytic water oxidation activity. | 25,162,068 | [
-0.3692355,
0.1288866,
-0.1630165,
-0.08084014,
-0.1944237,
-0.0814062,
-0.510615,
-0.1447555,
0.1245118,
-0.1940116,
0.01440607,
0.2430037,
0.06361806,
-0.02530479,
-0.1656729,
-0.1440652,
-0.7674639,
0.3990552,
0.04671115,
-0.1361686,
0.07515065,
-0.03824701,
-0.0790739... |
Controlling and monitoring exposure to radiation from medical imaging. | Above a certain threshold dose, ionising radiation invariably provokes harmful effects such as burns, nausea and aplasia. Their severity increases with the dose received. There is no known threshold dose below which long-term harmful effects, such as cancer and genetic defects, do not occur. Ionising radiation comes from both natural and man-made sources. Worldwide, medical exposure accounts for 98% of the dose received from man-made sources. In France, the average dose per person received from diagnostic radiological examinations increased by more than 50% between 2002 and 2007. This increase was due to more frequent use of computed tomography (CT) and diagnostic nuclear medicine procedures. The internationally defined individual dose limits for the general population do not apply to the medical uses of ionising radiation, but medical exposure must comply with the principles of radiation protection: the examination must be justified and the dose optimised. In France, shortcomings are observed in the application of these principles. In 2012, the French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) received 345 reports of "significant radiation protection incidents" affecting patients: 75% involving external beam radiotherapy, 15% involving nuclear medicine, 6% involving CT scans, and 4% involving radiology. In 2011, reference levels were established for the doses received by children during CT imaging and nuclear medicine procedures. When deciding whether to order a diagnostic procedure using ionising radiation, the harm-benefit balance of both the procedure and the chosen technique must be taken into account. When two procedures have the same performance, the technique that exposes the patient to the lowest dose of radiation should be chosen. | 25,162,100 | [
-0.2536849,
-0.1946007,
-0.08047791,
0.08258187,
0.172432,
0.07523796,
-0.04991378,
-0.2443155,
0.2381091,
0.3007601,
0.01092753,
-0.2302232,
-0.1052639,
-0.1375744,
-0.2612996,
-0.3491264,
-0.3940594,
0.2339792,
0.09926658,
0.2924207,
0.278628,
0.2301469,
-0.1897231,
0... |
NMR structure of the human Rad18 zinc finger in complex with ubiquitin defines a class of UBZ domains in proteins linked to the DNA damage response. | Ubiquitin-mediated interactions are critical for the cellular DNA damage response (DDR). Therefore, many DDR-related proteins contain ubiquitin-binding domains, including ubiquitin-binding zinc fingers (UBZs). The majority of these UBZ domains belong to the C2H2 (type 3 Polη-like) or C2HC (type 4 Rad18-like) family. We have used nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to characterize the binding to ubiquitin and determine the structure of the type 4 UBZ domain (UBZ4) from human Rad18, which is a key ubiquitin ligase in the DNA damage tolerance pathway responsible for monoubiquitination of the DNA sliding clamp PCNA. The Rad18-UBZ domain binds ubiquitin with micromolar affinity and adopts a β1-β2-α fold similar to the previously characterized type 3 UBZ domain (UBZ3) from the translesion synthesis DNA polymerase Polη. However, despite nearly identical structures, a disparity in the location of binding-induced NMR chemical shift perturbations shows that the Rad18-UBZ4 and Polη-UBZ3 domains bind ubiquitin in distinctly different modes. The Rad18-UBZ4 domain interacts with ubiquitin with the α-helix and strand β1 as shown by the structure of the Rad18-UBZ domain-ubiquitin complex determined in this work, while the Polη-UBZ3 domain exclusively utilizes the α-helix. Our findings suggest the existence of two classes of UBZ domains in DDR-related proteins with similar structures but unique ubiquitin binding properties and provide context for further study to establish the differential roles of these domains in the complex cellular response to DNA damage. | 25,162,118 | [
-0.08556306,
-0.1711626,
-0.2100153,
-0.1960456,
0.01988234,
-0.3566472,
-0.3347799,
0.2129298,
0.4058714,
0.6856867,
-0.009956259,
0.02339543,
-0.4138917,
-0.1919211,
-0.2568818,
-0.1535389,
-0.34174,
-0.01569083,
-0.135813,
0.0763901,
0.2524054,
0.3010136,
-0.02019447,
... |
Medications development for substance-use disorders: contextual influences (dis)incentivizing pharmaceutical-industry positioning. | The significant contribution of substance-use disorders (SUDs) to the global-disease burden and associated unmet medical needs has not engendered a commensurate level of pharma-industry research and development (R&D) for novel SUD therapeutics invention. Analysis of contextual factors shaping this position suggests potential routes toward incentivizing R&D commitment for that purpose. This article considers multiple primary factors that have consorted to disincentivize pharma industry's operating in the SUD space: ill-understood pathology; variegated treatments and patient profiles; involved clinical trials; and - with particular reference to SUDs-negative cultural/business stigmas and shallow commercial precedent. Industry incentivization for SUD drug innovation requires progress on several fronts, including: translational experimental data and systems; personalized, holistic SUD treatment approaches; interactions among pharma, nonindustry constituencies, and the medical profession with vested interests in countering negative stereotypes and expanding SUD treatment options; and public-private alliances focused on improving SUD pharmacotherapy. Given the well-entrenched business stance whereby the prospect of future profits in major markets largely determines drug-company R&D investment trajectory, strategic initiatives offering substantial reductions in the risks and opportunity (i.e., time and money) costs associated with SUD drug discovery are likely to be the most potent drivers for encouraging mainstream industry positioning in this therapeutic area. Such initiatives could originate from front-loaded R&D operational and back-loaded patent, regulatory, marketing and health-care policy reforms. These may be too involved and protracted for the turbulent pharmaceutical industry to entertain amid its recent retrenchment from psychiatric/CNS diseases and intense pressures to increase productivity and shareholder value. | 25,162,124 | [
-0.4531071,
0.1319765,
0.05231445,
0.09206349,
-0.04774047,
-0.1565227,
-0.1582507,
0.2430737,
0.06267422,
0.05584544,
-0.0647825,
-0.20906,
-0.03277035,
0.0754234,
0.2035531,
0.2926045,
0.1215088,
0.06971181,
-0.1236364,
-0.05059519,
0.02127643,
0.3596314,
-0.2190714,
... |
A palladium-catalyzed three-component-coupling strategy for the differential vicinal diarylation of terminal 1,3-dienes. | A palladium-catalyzed intermolecular vicinal diarylation of terminal 1,3-dienes using aryldiazonium tetrafluoroborates and arylboronic acids is reported. Using this technology, two different arenes are regioselectively introduced in a vicinal fashion across the terminal alkene of a variety of terminal 1,3-dienes at ambient temperature. Through the action of a chiral bicyclo[2.2.2]octadienyl ligand at -20 °C, good enantioselectivity has also been achieved. | 25,162,125 | [
-0.3312269,
-0.0162635,
-0.0815945,
0.083689,
0.0730772,
0.08283574,
-0.4410519,
-0.1231318,
0.1440512,
-0.07463935,
-0.06478895,
-0.1361872,
0.151739,
0.1228699,
-0.1814297,
-0.2903958,
-0.4822836,
0.2639751,
-0.0003656935,
0.1255878,
0.05016785,
0.2912242,
-0.340795,
... |
Impact of altered lower limb proprioception produced by tendon vibration on adaptation to split-belt treadmill walking. | It has been proposed that proprioceptive input is essential to the development of a locomotor body schema that is used to guide the assembly of successful walking. Proprioceptive information is used to signal the need for, and promotion of, locomotor adaptation in response to environmental or internal modifications. The purpose of this investigation was to determine if tendon vibration applied to either the hamstrings or quadriceps of participants experiencing split-belt treadmill walking modified lower limb kinematics during the early adaptation period. Modifications in the adaptive process in response to vibration would suggest that the sensory-motor system had been unsuccessful in down weighting the disruptive proprioceptive input resulting from vibration. Ten participants experienced split-belt walking, with and without vibration, while gait kinematics were obtained with a 12-camera collection system. Bilateral hip, knee, and ankle joint angles were calculated and the first five strides after the split were averaged for each subject to create joint angle waveforms for each of the assessed joints, for each experimental condition. The intralimb variables of stride length, percent stance time, and relative timing between various combinations of peak joint angles were assessed using repeated measures MANOVA. Results indicate that vibration had very little impact on the split-belt walking adaptive process, although quadriceps vibration did significantly reduce percent stance time by 1.78% relative to the no vibration condition. The data suggest that the perceptual-motor system was able to down weight the disrupted proprioceptive input such that the locomotor body schema was able to effectively manage the lower limb patterns of motion necessary to adapt to the changing belt speed. Complementary explanations for the current findings are also discussed. | 25,162,146 | [
-0.1248217,
-0.03388876,
-0.4793267,
-0.05508775,
0.1337561,
-0.7688452,
-0.192493,
-0.2227256,
0.2579044,
-0.2341282,
-0.07610853,
-0.3814386,
0.09364817,
-0.5117128,
-0.1003825,
0.02173814,
-0.8069391,
0.08817774,
-0.5298824,
-0.2717552,
-0.3565141,
0.1735052,
-0.164436... |
Interference between conscious and unconscious facial expression information. | There is ample evidence to show that many types of visual information, including emotional information, could be processed in the absence of visual awareness. For example, it has been shown that masked subliminal facial expressions can induce priming and adaptation effects. However, stimulus made invisible in different ways could be processed to different extent and have differential effects. In this study, we adopted a flanker type behavioral method to investigate whether a flanker rendered invisible through Continuous Flash Suppression (CFS) could induce a congruency effect on the discrimination of a visible target. Specifically, during the experiment, participants judged the expression (either happy or fearful) of a visible face in the presence of a nearby invisible face (with happy or fearful expression). Results show that participants were slower and less accurate in discriminating the expression of the visible face when the expression of the invisible flanker face was incongruent. Thus, facial expression information rendered invisible with CFS and presented a different spatial location could enhance or interfere with consciously processed facial expression information. | 25,162,153 | [
-0.1599318,
0.4513943,
0.0274584,
-0.05700884,
0.2356937,
-0.4469569,
-0.2643862,
-0.01513445,
0.13694,
-0.0388625,
0.01026782,
0.1528122,
-0.1374886,
-0.1842073,
-0.411738,
-0.4348397,
-0.3687788,
-0.1465485,
-0.01544666,
-0.04438783,
-0.09407125,
0.1810481,
-0.2060771,
... |
Cognitive impairment is a risk factor for delayed analgesia in older people with long bone fracture: a multicenter exploratory study. | ABSTRACT Background: Older people who present to the emergency department (ED) often experience a significant delay to analgesia. This study compares the time to analgesia for cognitively impaired and cognitively intact older people diagnosed with a long bone fracture. Methods: The aim of the study was to determine if cognitive impairment is associated with a delayed analgesic response. A 12-month exploratory study, using patient data, was conducted across four EDs. Medical records of 264 patients with long bone fractures were randomly selected. Results: The majority of patients waited longer than 60 minutes for analgesia. The median time to analgesia was longer for the cognitively impaired (149 minutes) compared with cognitively intact (72 minutes; Mann-Whitney U test: p < 0.001). Conclusions: This study suggests that cognitive impairment is a significant risk factor for delayed analgesia response in the ED. | 25,162,158 | [
0.101069,
0.01683308,
0.0344921,
-0.2030869,
-0.2283024,
-0.2611337,
-0.28021,
0.008089496,
-0.1473892,
-0.1860171,
-0.0464783,
0.3280399,
-0.05172928,
-0.3937581,
-0.09473256,
-0.1102678,
-0.3106269,
0.255242,
0.0001568478,
0.2086811,
-0.2545942,
0.1437189,
0.02511446,
... |
Diarylureas as allosteric modulators of the cannabinoid CB1 receptor: structure-activity relationship studies on 1-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-{3-[6-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)pyridin-2-yl]phenyl}urea (PSNCBAM-1). | The recent discovery of allosteric modulators of the CB1 receptor including PSNCBAM-1 (4) has generated significant interest in CB1 receptor allosteric modulation. Here in the first SAR study on 4, we have designed and synthesized a series of analogs focusing on modifications at two positions. Pharmacological evaluation in calcium mobilization and binding assays revealed the importance of alkyl substitution at the 2-aminopyridine moiety and electron deficient aromatic groups at the 4-chlorophenyl position for activity at the CB1 receptor, resulting in several analogs with comparable potency to 4. These compounds increased the specific binding of [(3)H]CP55,940, in agreement with previous reports. Importantly, 4 and two analogs dose-dependently reduced the Emax of the agonist curve in the CB1 calcium mobilization assays, confirming their negative allosteric modulator characteristics. Given the side effects associated with CB1 receptor orthosteric antagonists, negative allosteric modulators provide an alternative approach to modulate the pharmacologically important CB1 receptor. | 25,162,172 | [
-0.311543,
0.05133487,
-0.2449425,
-0.3070464,
-0.1103717,
0.1533972,
-0.413119,
-0.1276694,
0.2413894,
-0.1355665,
-0.2842491,
0.04603854,
0.009483756,
-0.0814862,
-0.5419676,
0.1806924,
-0.4199302,
0.2298934,
-0.08359553,
0.03427932,
-0.03992011,
0.1513464,
0.1149089,
... |
Solvatochromic probe response within ionic liquids and their equimolar mixtures with tetraethylene glycol. | Synergism in a probe response within a mixture hints at the presence of strong interactions involving the solvent constituents of the mixture and possibly the probe. Unusual and rare "hyperpolarity" resulting from the synergism in probe response exhibited by ionic liquid (IL) mixtures with glycol family solvents is investigated in detail for equimolar mixtures of tetraethylene glycol (TEG) with many structurally different ILs using several UV-vis absorbance and fluorescence solvatochromic probes. Thirteen different ILs, of the same cation 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium and different anions, of the same anion bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide and different cations, and of C2 methyl-substituted imidazolium cations, are used to assess the structural dependence of the IL on synergism exhibited by (IL + TEG) mixture. Responses from UV-vis absorbance probes are used to obtain ET [dipolarity/polarizability and/or H-bond donating (HBD) acidity] and Kamlet-Taft parameters [π* (dipolarity/polarizability), α (HBD acidity), and β (HB accepting basicity)] within (IL + TEG) mixtures. The band I-to-band III fluorescence intensity ratio of dipolarity probe pyrene along with the lowest energy fluorescence band maxima of pyrene-1-carboxaldehyde (PyCHO, a probe for the permittivity of the medium), coumarin-153 and N,N-dimethyl-6-propionyl-2-naphthylamine PRODAN (neutral photoinduced charge-transfer fluorescence probes), and 6-p-toluidine-2-naphthalenesulfonic acid (TNS) and l-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonate (ANS) (ionic photoinduced charge-transfer fluorescence probes) are used to assess whether synergism is exhibited by (IL + TEG) equimolar mixtures. Probe responses within TEG equimolar mixtures with ILs are compared to those with common organic solvents. An attempt is made to establish a correlation between the synergism observed in the probe response within an (IL + TEG) mixture and the structural features of the cation and anion of the IL, such as acidity of the protons of the cation, aromaticity of the cation, and size, shape, and coordinating ability of the anion. It is established that the solvatochromism exhibited by the probes within (IL + TEG) mixtures is due to complex coupling of several different interactions and dynamical processes involving the probe as well as IL and TEG within the mixture. | 25,162,184 | [
-0.09435949,
-0.09621804,
-0.1088184,
0.07630263,
0.258331,
-0.168983,
-0.2181821,
-0.0796758,
0.3088797,
0.03127299,
-0.3087039,
-0.1782251,
0.1296107,
0.1418703,
-0.4344825,
-0.1307605,
-0.473523,
0.2832578,
-0.1415768,
0.5190146,
0.4798033,
-0.2511129,
0.05408715,
-0... |
Role of pharmacogenomics in dialysis and transplantation. | Pharmacogenomics is the study of differences in drug response on the basis of individual genetic background. With rapidly advancing genomic technologies and decreased costs of genotyping, the field of pharmacogenomics continues to develop. Application to patients with kidney disease provides growing opportunities for improving drug therapy. Pharmacogenomics studies are lacking in patients with chronic kidney disease and dialysis, but are abundant in the kidney transplant field. A potentially clinically actionable genetic variant exists in the CYP3A5 gene, with the initial tacrolimus dose selection being optimized based on CYP3A5 genotype. Although many pharmacogenomics studies have focused on transplant immunosuppression pharmacokinetics, an expanding literature on pharmacodynamic outcomes, such as calcineurin inhibitor toxicity and new onset diabetes, is providing new information on patients at risk. Appropriately powered pharmacogenomics studies with well-defined phenotypes are needed to validate existing studies and unearth new findings in patients with kidney disease, especially the chronic kidney disease and dialysis population. | 25,162,201 | [
-0.09939555,
-0.1855965,
-0.1222207,
0.1557753,
0.1289612,
-0.2589298,
0.1513714,
0.1078241,
0.1379843,
-0.1735006,
0.02396416,
-0.2952183,
0.004837905,
0.2080752,
-0.3610994,
-0.1412692,
-0.1291791,
0.2408033,
0.04726312,
0.07980705,
-0.2634033,
0.5762534,
-0.04882693,
... |
Quantification of lamotrigine in patient plasma using a fast liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method with backflush technology. | Recent concerns have been raised by neurologists and patients with epilepsy regarding the bioequivalence of generic lamotrigine to the brand Lamictal. Bioequivalence studies require the quantification of lamotrigine in human plasma, including in the presence of other drugs, for studies that will use patients with epilepsy rather than healthy volunteers. Lamotrigine was extracted from plasma through a simple protein precipitation and analyzed by fast liquid chromatography coupled to heated electrospray ionization with tandem mass spectrometric detection. A backflush step to remove interferent accumulation on column was included, and a stable isotope-labeled lamotrigine was used as an internal standard. The method was validated for accuracy, precision, interday and intraday coefficient of variation, specificity, lower limit of detection, lower limit of quantification, linearity, range, instrument precision, freeze-thaw, dilution integrity, and sample stability. Specificity evaluation included consideration of the impact of other antiepileptic drugs. The described method has a linear range of 8-10,000 ng/mL of lamotrigine (r = 0.9999) and a lower limit of detection of 1 ng/mL and a lower limit of quantification of 8 ng/mL. Intraday and interday reproducibility were less than 10.0% relative SD and 10.4% relative SD, respectively, and the percent recovery varied from 96.6% to 109.3% at various lamotrigine concentrations. A backflush step reduced matrix effects and no interference peak from plasma or other antiepileptic drugs were observed. A liquid chromatography-heated electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry method including a backflush step was developed and validated to measure lamotrigine concentration in patient plasma. The method will be applied to bioequivalence studies that compare brand versus generic lamotrigine. | 25,162,213 | [
-0.389448,
0.4559798,
-0.3320007,
-0.1488176,
-0.001496334,
-0.1919378,
-0.04466151,
-0.02518258,
0.1606026,
-0.2195274,
0.03947246,
0.1638063,
0.1255157,
0.03954273,
-0.01221543,
-0.04836668,
-0.2085859,
-0.2023707,
-0.09373023,
0.009191032,
-0.1413998,
0.371644,
-0.1423... |
Dynamic response of CoSb2O6 trirutile-type oxides in a CO2 atmosphere at low-temperatures. | Experimental work on the synthesis of the CoSb2O6 oxide and its CO2 sensing properties is presented here. The oxide was synthesized by a microwave-assisted colloidal method in presence of ethylenediamine after calcination at 600 °C. This CoSb2O6 oxide crystallized in a tetragonal structure with cell parameters a = 4.6495 and c = 9.2763 Å, and space group P4(2)/mnm. To prove its physical, chemical and sensing properties, the oxide was subjected to a series of tests: Raman spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and impedance (Z) measurements. Microstructures, like columns, bars and hollow hemispheres, were observed. For the CO2 sensing test, a thick film of CoSb2O6 was used, measuring the impedance variations on the presence of air/CO2 flows (0.100 sccm/0.100 sccm) using AC (alternating current) signals in the frequency-range 0.1-100 kHz and low relative temperatures (250 and 300 °C). The CO2 sensing results were quite good. | 25,162,232 | [
0.01690822,
0.03530781,
0.1870729,
-0.04378359,
-0.2265688,
-0.312595,
-0.3754259,
0.09192445,
0.04703627,
-0.1522622,
-0.2447651,
0.007729797,
-0.0264795,
-0.203203,
-0.7573518,
-0.2718211,
-0.2293426,
-0.005292592,
-0.3517972,
0.1747023,
0.3788785,
0.04381858,
-0.037654... |
C-H activation and metalation at electrode surfaces: 2,3-dimethyl-1,4-dihydroxybenzene on Pd(pc) and Pd(111) studied by TLE, HREELS and DFT. | Previous studies, based on thin-layer electrochemistry (TLE), in situ scanning tunneling microscopy (EC-STM), high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS) and density functional theory (DFT) computations, on the chemical adsorption of hydroquinone from aqueous solutions onto atomically smooth Pd (and Pt) electrode surfaces indicated two modes of attachment that depended upon the solution concentration. At low activities, the diphenol was oxidatively chemisorbed as benzoquinone in a flat orientation, suggestive of a Pd(2,3,5,6-η-C6H4O2) surface complex; at higher concentrations, vertical chemisorption was effected via two C-H bond activations (or metalations) at the 2 and 3 ring positions, evocative of an o-phenylene organopalladium compound. We have extended the work to 2,3-dimethyl-1,4-dihydroxybenzene on Pd(pc) and Pd(111) electrodes to probe the effect of two methyl substituents on only one side of the diphenol ring. Surface coverage and adsorbed-molecule cross section data from TLE and HREELS measurements revealed non-random concentration-dependent adsorbate orientations similar to the oxidative chemisorption of hydroquinone: flat at low concentrations and edgewise at elevated concentrations. The DFT results suggested that, for the flat structure, surface coordination is via the two double bonds of the quinone ring as in [Pd(2,3,5,6-η)-2,3-dimethyl-p-quinone]. For the edge-vertical orientation, a structure analogous to an o-phenylene compound is generated in which C-H bonds at the 5 and 6 ring positions are activated and then metalated. DFT-simulated HREELS spectra helped identify the observed peaks that distinguish the surface-coordinated quinone from the surface-metalated diphenol. | 25,162,298 | [
-0.1644624,
0.1709095,
0.07089988,
-0.2278398,
-0.2367775,
-0.05453765,
-0.371453,
-0.01632841,
-0.009797218,
0.3553238,
-0.02221188,
0.2936803,
-0.1268142,
-0.0193288,
-0.5272218,
0.07479551,
-0.1955355,
0.2737905,
0.1048576,
0.2137874,
-0.03327012,
0.1771461,
-0.2381877... |
Early markers are present in both embryogenesis pathways from microspores and immature zygotic embryos in cork oak, Quercus suber L. | In Quercus suber, cork oak, a Mediterranean forest tree of economic and social interest, rapid production of isogenic lines and clonal propagation of elite genotypes have been achieved by developing in vitro embryogenesis from microspores and zygotic embryos respectively. Despite its high potential in tree breeding strategies, due to their recalcitrancy, the efficiency of embryogenesis in vitro systems in many woody species is still very low since factors responsible for embryogenesis initiation and embryo development are still largely unknown. The search for molecular and cellular markers during early stages of in vitro embryogenesis constitutes an important goal to distinguish, after induction, responsive from non-responsive cells, and to elucidate the mechanisms involved in embryogenesis initiation for their efficient manipulation. In this work, we have performed a comparative analysis of two embryogenesis pathways derived from microspores and immature zygotic embryos in cork oak in order to characterize early markers of reprogrammed cells in both pathways. Rearrangements of the cell structural organization, changes in epigenetic marks, cell wall polymers modifications and endogenous auxin changes were analyzed at early embryogenesis stages of the two in vitro systems by a multidisciplinary approach. Results showed that early embryo cells exhibited defined changes of cell components which were similar in both embryogenesis in vitro systems, cellular features that were not found in non-embryogenic cells. DNA methylation level and nuclear pattern, proportion of esterified pectins in cell walls, and endogenous auxin levels were different in embryo cells in comparison with microspores and immature zygotic embryo cells from which embryos originated, constituting early embryogenesis markers. These findings suggest that DNA hypomethylation, cell wall remodeling by pectin esterification and auxin increase are involved in early in vitro embryogenesis in woody species, providing new evidences of the developmental pattern similarity between both embryogenesis pathways, from microspores and immature zygotic embryos, in woody species. | 25,162,300 | [
0.1134311,
0.2372883,
0.5325219,
0.008304848,
0.1212591,
-0.1634166,
-0.1757968,
0.2421186,
0.430877,
0.3581482,
0.024646,
0.09595987,
-0.1887941,
0.1077528,
-0.4814485,
0.06465981,
-0.2817062,
0.1651503,
0.05893421,
-0.02430092,
0.4067253,
0.2040226,
-0.3312432,
-0.428... |
Comparison of clinicopathologic features and survival of histopathologically amelanotic and pigmented melanomas: a population-based study. | IMPORTANCE Previous studies have reported that histopathologically amelanotic melanoma is associated with poorer survival than pigmented melanoma; however, small numbers of amelanotic melanomas, selected populations, lack of centralized pathologic review, or no adjustment for stage limit the interpretation or generalization of results from prior studies.OBJECTIVE To compare melanoma-specific survival between patients with histopathologically amelanotic and those with pigmented melanoma in a large international population-based study.DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Survival analysis with a median follow-up of 7.6 years.The study population comprised 2995 patients with 3486 invasive primary melanomas centrally scored for histologic pigmentation from the Genes, Environment, and Melanoma(GEM) Study, which enrolled incident cases of melanoma diagnosed in 1998 through 2003 from international population-based cancer registries.MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Clinicopathologic predictors and melanoma-specific survival of histologically amelanotic and pigmented melanoma were compared using generalized estimating equations and Cox regression models, respectively.RESULTS Of 3467 melanomas, 275 (8%) were histopathologically amelanotic. Female sex,nodular and unclassified or other histologic subtypes, increased Breslow thickness, presence of mitoses, severe solar elastosis, and lack of a coexisting nevus were independently associated with amelanotic melanoma (each P < .05). Amelanotic melanoma was generally ofa higher American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) tumor stage at diagnosis (odds ratios[ORs] [95%CIs] between 2.9 [1.8-4.6] and 11.1 [5.8-21.2] for tumor stages between T1b and T3b and ORs [95%CIs] of 24.6 [13.6-44.4] for T4a and 29.1 [15.5-54.9] for T4b relative to T1a;P value for trend, <.001) than pigmented melanoma. Hazard of death from melanoma was higher for amelanotic than for pigmented melanoma (hazard ratio [HR], 2.0; 95%CI, 1.4-3.0)(P < .001), adjusted for age, sex, anatomic site, and study design variables, but survival did not differ once AJCC tumor stage was also taken into account (HR, 0.8; 95%CI, 0.5-1.2)(P = .36).CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE At the population level, survival after diagnosis of amelanotic melanoma is poorer than after pigmented melanoma because of its more advanced stage at diagnosis. It is probable that amelanotic melanomas present at more advanced tumor stages because they are difficult to diagnose. The association of amelanotic melanoma with presence of mitoses independently of Breslow thickness and other clinicopathologic characteristics suggests that amelanotic melanomas might also grow faster than pigmented melanomas. New strategies for early diagnosis and investigation of the biological properties of amelanotic melanoma are warranted. | 25,162,299 | [
-0.03410813,
-0.2932846,
-0.38021,
-0.4278593,
-0.03144466,
-0.3504662,
-0.01374938,
-0.1460941,
0.1515264,
-0.1930513,
-0.2128595,
0.03913174,
0.09678976,
-0.08931944,
-0.4396775,
-0.1682753,
0.1255168,
0.1392253,
0.1050404,
0.08084708,
0.3100398,
0.123418,
-0.2656356,
... |
Living With a Smoker and Physical Inactivity: An Unexplored Health Behavior Pathway. | The present study investigated an unexplored health behavior pathway: the association between living with a smoker and physical inactivity. The study performed an analysis of cross-sectional data from the second wave of the Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (2004-2006). The sample included 1050 women and 945 men, ages 30 to 84 years (mean, 56.5 years). In addition to control variables, survey items indexed presence of a smoker in the respondent's home, and physical inactivity and low health commitment on the part of the respondent. Analysis employed multiple logistic regression analyses, controlling for sociodemographic factors as well as health restrictions on physical activity and respondents' current smoking status. Living with a smoker was linked to 56% higher odds of physical inactivity. Low health commitment mediated this association. Living with a smoker was linked to lower health commitment (B = .31), and low health commitment was linked in turn to increased odds of physical inactivity (odds ratio, 1.36). The increased health risk among individuals living with a smoker is assumed to be a function of exposure to secondhand smoke. We demonstrate an unexplored behavioral pathway involving a link between living with a smoker and physical inactivity. These findings suggest that household smoking bans may have broad health behavior effects beyond reducing smoking. | 25,162,327 | [
0.008775095,
0.1684491,
-0.06933521,
0.1181851,
0.09657476,
-0.1928571,
-0.3914544,
0.1925828,
0.01667633,
-0.04717638,
0.1008421,
-0.03752752,
-0.08682353,
-0.5038187,
0.2530692,
0.02728576,
-0.3991518,
0.1054833,
-0.002517212,
-0.03202305,
0.2307468,
0.4878995,
0.019669... |
A physical-cognitive intervention to enhance gait speed in older Mexican adults. | To test the effects of a physical-cognitive exercise intervention on gait parameters under dual-task conditions in community-dwelling older adults. A repeated-measures quasi-experimental design, with control and exercise groups, was used. Study participants consist of a convenience sample recruited from senior citizens' centers in Monterrey, Mexico. A total of 143 sedentary participants ages 65 to 92 years per group participated. A combined 45- to 60-minute program of physical and cognitive exercises was conducted in three weekly sessions during 12 weeks for the exercise group. Measures . The spatial gait parameters of speed (cm/s), step width, and stride length (cm); and the temporal parameters of single and double support time, cadence (steps per minute), and swing time(s) were measured using the GaitRite. Counting backwards or naming animals represented cognitive performance. Two (groups: exercise group vs. control group) by three (time: baseline, week 6, and week 12) repeated-measures multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was applied. Repeated-measures multivariate analysis of variance revealed a significant group effect (Wilks lambda F4,279 = 6.78, p < .001); univariate analysis showed significant differences for gait speed (m/s), stride length, cadence, step width, and double support time. Time-by-group interaction showed significance in gait speed and stride length. The exercise group participants showed increased gait speed, cadence, and stride length, and reduced their step width and time spent with both feet on the ground. Walking while simultaneously performing a cognitive task might prepare older adults for competing/interfering demands from their environments. The protective health benefits of this intervention remain to be investigated. | 25,162,328 | [
-0.03061965,
0.360139,
0.0280975,
0.0400102,
0.06440423,
-0.5746789,
-0.1175129,
-0.200503,
-0.07693934,
-0.4028682,
-0.1615811,
-0.09746926,
-0.1546338,
-0.456252,
-0.2381135,
0.06261659,
-0.1721021,
-0.1242753,
-0.2987876,
0.1259615,
-0.6296849,
0.03014709,
-0.004582408... |
Polyethylene glycol 4000 for treatment of functional constipation in children. | The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of 2 different polyethylene glycol (PEG) doses for the maintenance treatment of functional constipation in children. Children with functional constipation according to the Rome III criteria were randomly assigned to receive PEG 4000 at a dose of either 0.7 g/kg (high-dose group; n = 45) or 0.3 g/kg (low-dose group; n = 47) for 6 weeks. Adjustment of the therapy was recommended in the event of <3 bowel movements (BM) per week or ≥3 BM per day. The primary outcome measure was treatment success, defined as ≥3 BM per week with no fecal soiling during the last week of the intervention. A total of 90 of 92 randomized children, with a mean age of 3.7 ± 2.1 years, completed the study. In the analysis based on allocated treatment, treatment success was similar in both groups (relative risk 0.9, 95% confidence interval 0.78-1.03). Compared with the high-dose PEG group, the low-dose PEG group had an increased need for therapy adjustment of borderline significance (relative risk 2.0, 95% confidence interval 1.0-4.2), an increased risk of painful defecation, a lower number of stools per week, and lower parental satisfaction. Adverse events were similar in both groups. To achieve treatment success, both tested doses of PEG were equally safe and effective in the treatment of children with functional constipation. | 25,162,362 | [
0.1321134,
0.2593476,
0.2223844,
-0.0840282,
0.2226853,
-0.3858911,
-0.2136324,
-0.271291,
-0.142615,
-0.3469486,
-0.08084618,
-0.1104215,
-0.2540471,
0.01169026,
-0.3346601,
-0.1815448,
-0.4581188,
0.2620408,
-0.005015569,
-0.002571269,
-0.2354091,
0.2978614,
0.1936999,
... |
Macroscopic nanotube fibers spun from single-walled carbon nanotube polyelectrolytes. | In this work, single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) fibers were produced from SWCNT polyelectrolyte dispersions stabilized by crown ether in dimethyl sulfoxide and coagulated into aqueous solutions. The SWCNT polyelectrolyte dispersions had concentrations up to 52 mg/mL and showed liquid crystalline behavior under polarized optical microscopy. The produced SWCNT fibers are neat (i.e., not forming composites with polymers) and showed a tensile strength up to 124 MPa and a Young's modulus of 14 GPa. This tensile strength is comparable to those of SWCNT fibers spun from strong acids. Conductivities on the order of 10(4) S/m were obtained by doping the fibers with iodine. | 25,162,378 | [
-0.09758285,
0.3970309,
0.05201427,
-0.2534517,
0.04796014,
-0.02005241,
-0.1979471,
-0.1512451,
-0.01915848,
0.02880232,
0.03782292,
0.2737725,
0.06403837,
-0.04700565,
-0.114626,
-0.2657833,
-0.4084606,
-0.01492022,
-0.04457258,
0.3669443,
0.3142634,
-0.1005226,
-0.0130... |
Space management: a technique for esthetic, conservative treatment of congenitally missing teeth. | The successful treatment of congenitally missing teeth (CMT) a common dental anomaly that affects third molars and lateral incisors requires addressing multiple challenges that frequently accompany the missing teeth. The biggest concern among patients presenting with CMT usually is esthetics. In this case report, an interdisciplinary diagnostic approach is described for conservatively managing the anatomic and esthetic challenges of a 32 year old woman with this condition, whose main objective was to gain an appealing smile without compromising intact teeth. By utilizing space management techniques, a successful esthetic outcome was achieved without increasing the patient's risk profile. | 25,162,390 | [
-0.2469536,
0.15389,
-0.006093687,
-0.1735507,
-0.03630127,
-0.2515794,
-0.3414949,
-0.3046958,
0.2107375,
-0.2488391,
-0.0309585,
0.3869449,
-0.3114233,
0.010164,
-0.1992956,
-0.1744152,
-0.2499645,
-0.2991357,
-0.4361513,
-0.4734415,
0.1790509,
0.01160647,
0.08104739,
... |
A semi-automated technique determining the liver standardized uptake value reference for tumor delineation in FDG PET-CT. | 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)-computed tomography (CT) has been an essential modality in oncology. We propose a semi-automated algorithm to objectively determine liver standardized uptake value (SUV), which is used as a threshold for tumor delineation. A large spherical volume of interest (VOI) was placed manually to roughly enclose the right lobe (RL) of the liver. For each voxel in this VOI, a coefficient of variation of voxel values (CVv) was calculated for neighboring voxels within a radius of d/2. The voxel with the minimum CVv was then selected, where a 30-mm spherical VOI was placed at that voxel in accordance with PERCIST criteria. Two nuclear medicine physicians independently defined 30-mm VOIs manually on 124 studies in 62 patients to generate the standard values, against which the results from the new method were compared. The semi-automated method was successful in determining the liver SUV that was consistent between the two physicians in all the studies (d = 80 mm). The liver SUV threshold (mean +3 SD within 30-mm VOI) determined by the new semi-automated method (3.12±0.61) was not statistically different from those determined by the manual method (Physician-1: 3.14±0.58, Physician-2: 3.15±0.58). The semi-automated method produced tumor volumes that were not statistically different from those by experts' manual operation. Furthermore, the volume change in the two sequential studies had no statistical difference between semi-automated and manual methods. Our semi-automated method could define the liver SUV robustly as the threshold value used for tumor volume measurements according to PERCIST. The method could avoid possible subjective bias of manual liver VOI placement and is thus expected to improve clinical performance of volume-based parameters for prediction of cancer treatment response. | 25,162,396 | [
-0.2200328,
0.4080964,
-0.002810368,
0.003040717,
0.5236599,
-0.2825198,
-0.02189594,
0.1861292,
0.175117,
0.04376988,
0.2975716,
-0.1595951,
-0.04753276,
-0.08450874,
-0.5960578,
-0.1118766,
-0.5735562,
0.5051794,
0.05619632,
-0.02906766,
-0.1712814,
0.3325623,
-0.193904... |
Inference of gene regulatory networks incorporating multi-source biological knowledge via a state space model with L1 regularization. | Comprehensive understanding of gene regulatory networks (GRNs) is a major challenge in the field of systems biology. Currently, there are two main approaches in GRN analysis using time-course observation data, namely an ordinary differential equation (ODE)-based approach and a statistical model-based approach. The ODE-based approach can generate complex dynamics of GRNs according to biologically validated nonlinear models. However, it cannot be applied to ten or more genes to simultaneously estimate system dynamics and regulatory relationships due to the computational difficulties. The statistical model-based approach uses highly abstract models to simply describe biological systems and to infer relationships among several hundreds of genes from the data. However, the high abstraction generates false regulations that are not permitted biologically. Thus, when dealing with several tens of genes of which the relationships are partially known, a method that can infer regulatory relationships based on a model with low abstraction and that can emulate the dynamics of ODE-based models while incorporating prior knowledge is urgently required. To accomplish this, we propose a method for inference of GRNs using a state space representation of a vector auto-regressive (VAR) model with L1 regularization. This method can estimate the dynamic behavior of genes based on linear time-series modeling constructed from an ODE-based model and can infer the regulatory structure among several tens of genes maximizing prediction ability for the observational data. Furthermore, the method is capable of incorporating various types of existing biological knowledge, e.g., drug kinetics and literature-recorded pathways. The effectiveness of the proposed method is shown through a comparison of simulation studies with several previous methods. For an application example, we evaluated mRNA expression profiles over time upon corticosteroid stimulation in rats, thus incorporating corticosteroid kinetics/dynamics, literature-recorded pathways and transcription factor (TF) information. | 25,162,401 | [
0.2406632,
-0.1576858,
-0.1105034,
-0.1574208,
0.2132247,
-0.4867543,
0.01893051,
-0.1495622,
-0.201071,
-0.216781,
-0.1767681,
-0.1260936,
0.206216,
0.2929019,
-0.6069563,
0.2291502,
-0.1912709,
-0.04188435,
-0.06704244,
-0.008565412,
0.4595875,
0.1648751,
-0.1894923,
... |
The conflict between cheetahs and humans on Namibian farmland elucidated by stable isotope diet analysis. | Large areas of Namibia are covered by farmland, which is also used by game and predator species. Because it can cause conflicts with farmers when predators, such as cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus), hunt livestock, we assessed whether livestock constitutes a significant part of the cheetah diet by analysing the stable isotope composition of blood and tissue samples of cheetahs and their potential prey species. According to isotopic similarities, we defined three isotopic categories of potential prey: members of a C4 food web with high δ15N values (gemsbok, cattle, springhare and guinea fowl) and those with low δ15N values (hartebeest, warthog), and members of a C3 food web, namely browsers (eland, kudu, springbok, steenbok and scrub hare). We quantified the trophic discrimination of heavy isotopes in cheetah muscle in 9 captive individuals and measured an enrichment for 15N (3.2‰) but not for 13C in relation to food. We captured 53 free-ranging cheetahs of which 23 were members of groups. Cheetahs of the same group were isotopically distinct from members of other groups, indicating that group members shared their prey. Solitary males (n = 21) and males in a bachelor groups (n = 11) fed mostly on hartebeest and warthogs, followed by browsers in case of solitary males, and by grazers with high δ15N values in case of bachelor groups. Female cheetahs (n = 9) predominantly fed on browsers and used also hartebeest and warthogs. Mixing models suggested that the isotopic prey category that included cattle was only important, if at all, for males living in bachelor groups. Stable isotope analysis of fur, muscle, red blood cells and blood plasma in 9 free-ranging cheetahs identified most individuals as isotopic specialists, focussing on isotopically distinct prey categories as their food. | 25,162,403 | [
0.01626684,
0.1266793,
-0.03401741,
-0.2702897,
0.1407194,
-0.1709508,
-0.4365956,
0.2011468,
0.1168375,
-0.2631406,
-0.1522314,
-0.1787636,
0.03302046,
-0.1428535,
-0.6710733,
-0.2101489,
-0.3661945,
0.2209469,
0.2878263,
0.3259879,
0.02231991,
0.5487818,
-0.3456239,
-... |
Bleeding in Knee Arthroplasty: Age, Drained Volume, and Ischemia Time. | Drainages in primary knee arthroplasty remain unclear. Our aim is to analyze variables that may affect bleeding in knee arthroplasty (age, drained volume, and ischemia time). We included 188 knee arthroplasties, divided into three groups: conventional approach for total knee arthroplasty (TKA), minimally invasive total knee arthroplasty (MIS), and unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UNI). Main variables analyzed for the present study were age, drained volume, and ischemia time. Other recorded variables were operated knee, pre- and postoperative hematocrit, diagnosis, comorbidities, and transfusions required. No relationship between age and drained volume was observed. However, patients younger than 70 years presented a major rate of survival curve bleeding. A statistically significant difference was found between drained volume in UNI in contrast to TKA and MIS. There was a significant relationship between time and bleeding at 24 hours postoperative, observing that the greater the bleeding, the longer it would keep bleeding (log-rank, p < 0.001). No statistically significant difference was observed between ischemia time during surgery and a variation in the survival curve. In conclusion, there is a significant relationship between drained volume and time (24 hours). No relationship was found between age or ischemia time and drained volume. | 25,162,405 | [
-0.2022497,
0.0130942,
-0.1752559,
0.04102595,
-0.4842146,
-0.5902703,
0.1237515,
0.1406549,
-0.4270186,
-0.2401236,
0.1108782,
0.3600594,
-0.3241004,
-0.3341078,
0.02665891,
-0.3273119,
0.1695306,
0.1929107,
-0.0581899,
-0.1070834,
0.3422899,
-0.1146104,
0.1418333,
0.2... |
Use of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation Device in Early Osteoarthritis of the Knee. | Some have proposed the use of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) as an adjunct to the current standard of care in treatment of osteoarthritis knee pain. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of TENS on the following issues in patients who have early-stage osteoarthritis of the knee: (1) pain reduction; (2) subjective and (3) objective functional improvements; (4) quality-of-life (QOL) measure improvements; and (5) isokinetic strength. A prospective, randomized, and single-blinded trial was performed on 23 patients who were randomized to either novel TENS device or standard of care. Metrics analyzed included stair-climb test; timed-up-and-go test (TUGT); 2-minute walk test; 20 times, single leg 6-inch step test; five-repetition chair-rise test; active and passive range-of-motion (ROM) score; short form health survey-36 scores (SF-36) score; Knee Society Score (KSS); lower extremity functional scale (LEFS); visual analog scale (VAS); and isokinetic quadriceps and hamstring strength. In objective functional scores, TENS had significant improvements in TUGT and objective KSS when compared with the matching cohort. Subjective functional and QOL outcomes patients had a significant improvement of their LEFS and SF-36 physical component with the use of TENS brace. The TENS device significantly improved the quadriceps strength when compared with standard therapy. In evaluation for improvement within the TENS cohort, patients had a significant improvement at 3-month follow-up in the TUG test, timed stair-climb test, 20-times single leg, KSS, LEFS, and SF-36 physical component compared to their initial visit. In addition, within the TENS cohort, patients had a significant reduction in pain via VAS at their 3-month follow-up. In conclusion, the use of TENS for 3 months has shown encouraging results to improve pain, function, and QOL in patients with painful osteoarthritic knees, and could positively contribute as an adjunct to current nonoperative treatment of knee arthritis. However, given our small sample size, larger randomized studies are needed to further evaluate these outcomes. | 25,162,407 | [
0.004363228,
-0.01746495,
-0.103137,
-0.0254598,
-0.3679284,
-0.297329,
0.001195469,
0.2483903,
-0.4567482,
-0.5457798,
-0.1501305,
-0.2898075,
-0.1152114,
-0.1683244,
-0.08802553,
-0.043616,
-0.3072205,
0.06207985,
-0.2564454,
-0.2962613,
-0.2584294,
0.03508153,
0.303717... |
A Prospective, Longitudinal Study of Patient Activity Levels Following Total Knee Arthroplasty Stratified by Demographic and Comorbid Factors. | With the marked increase in the annual number of total knee arthroplasties (TKAs) in the United States, there has been an increased interest in evaluating patient-reported outcomes. The purpose of this study was to prospectively and longitudinally evaluate temporal trends in patient activity levels following TKA and to identify potential demographic and comorbid factors that may affect these outcomes. This prospective study evaluated 281 patients, including 108 men and 173 women, who had a mean age of 66 years (39-80 years) and underwent primary TKA. All patients were followed for a minimum of 2 years. Medical comorbidities were recorded preoperatively and activity scores were evaluated at each follow-up visit. The effects of different patient demographics and systemic comorbidities on activity outcomes were further analyzed using multivariate regression analysis. Compared with preoperative levels, the activity score was observed to initially significantly decrease at 6 weeks postoperatively to below preoperative levels (9.2 vs. 8.1 points). By 3 months, scores were above preoperative levels (10.3 points), but below peak levels. A significant peak in the activity score was observed at 2-year follow-up after which there were no significant differences in scores at 5 years (11.49 vs. 11.47 points). In evaluating patient demographics and comorbidities, significant negative impact of older age, tobacco use, history of cancer, cardiovascular disease, lymphatic disease, and renal disease can be seen on activity levels. Activity scores following TKA follow a temporal trend in which scores initially drop below preoperative levels after surgery, but recover and reach a peak at 2 years postoperatively. This peak was maintained at 5-year follow-up. Surgeons should counsel their patients that they will not perceive the full benefit of a TKA until 1 to 2 years after surgery, in addition, patients may actually perceive their progress to decrease initially. Also, their improvements at 2-year follow-up are likely to remain constant for at least 5 years. However, certain demographic and comorbidities may negatively impact patient activity outcomes. | 25,162,408 | [
0.1121284,
-0.1457559,
-0.5226911,
-0.06574918,
-0.4385839,
-0.3579516,
0.1972244,
0.3921633,
-0.3600211,
-0.178601,
0.09703563,
0.02956333,
0.1499081,
-0.5912209,
-0.08084048,
0.07643603,
-0.160849,
0.01409298,
0.2769875,
0.2799872,
-0.1525221,
0.2153486,
-0.03262709,
... |
Gilles de la Tourette syndrome and disruptive behavior disorders: prevalence, associations, and explanation of the relationships. | Gilles de la Tourette syndrome and conduct disorder (CD) are both heterogeneous childhood onset conditions, and although patients with CD have been described in Gilles de la Tourette syndrome cohorts, little is known about the etiology of CD in Gilles de la Tourette syndrome or of the interrelationships. A cohort of 578 consecutive patients with Gilles de la Tourette syndrome was assessed using standard assessment protocols. A total of 13.5% of participants had only Gilles de la Tourette syndrome, whereas the rest had associated comorbidities and psychopathology. CD occurred in 14.5% of Gilles de la Tourette syndrome probands. These findings suggest that CD is not an integral part of Gilles de la Tourette syndrome but rather that CD in the context of Gilles de la Tourette syndrome is related to the presence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, as well as, and importantly, a family history of aggressive and violent behavior and forensic encounters. | 25,162,416 | [
-0.02593209,
0.3311566,
0.2033758,
-0.0895903,
0.07533912,
-0.4846348,
-0.4068883,
-0.02847342,
-0.3996891,
0.1155186,
0.01031163,
0.5855678,
-0.2923185,
-0.2291151,
-0.1859036,
-0.07224601,
-0.2296798,
0.3034016,
0.2259069,
0.2784982,
0.25882,
-0.01941312,
-0.2311981,
... |
A critical role for the mTORC2 pathway in lung fibrosis. | A characteristic of dysregulated wound healing in IPF is fibroblastic-mediated damage to lung epithelial cells within fibroblastic foci. In these foci, TGF-β and other growth factors activate fibroblasts that secrete growth factors and matrix regulatory proteins, which activate a fibrotic cascade. Our studies and those of others have revealed that Akt is activated in IPF fibroblasts and it mediates the activation by TGF-β of pro-fibrotic pathways. Recent studies show that mTORC2, a component of the mTOR pathway, mediates the activation of Akt. In this study we set out to determine if blocking mTORC2 with MLN0128, an active site dual mTOR inhibitor, which blocks both mTORC1 and mTORC2, inhibits lung fibrosis. We examined the effect of MLN0128 on TGF-β-mediated induction of stromal proteins in IPF lung fibroblasts; also, we looked at its effect on TGF-β-mediated epithelial injury using a Transwell co-culture system. Additionally, we assessed MLN0128 in the murine bleomycin lung model. We found that TGF-β induces the Rictor component of mTORC2 in IPF lung fibroblasts, which led to Akt activation, and that MLN0128 exhibited potent anti-fibrotic activity in vitro and in vivo. Also, we observed that Rictor induction is Akt-mediated. MLN0128 displays multiple anti-fibrotic and lung epithelial-protective activities; it (1) inhibited the expression of pro-fibrotic matrix-regulatory proteins in TGF-β-stimulated IPF fibroblasts; (2) inhibited fibrosis in a murine bleomycin lung model; and (3) protected lung epithelial cells from injury caused by TGF-β-stimulated IPF fibroblasts. Our findings support a role for mTORC2 in the pathogenesis of lung fibrosis and for the potential of active site mTOR inhibitors in the treatment of IPF and other fibrotic lung diseases. | 25,162,417 | [
-0.0373077,
-0.07941879,
0.07827187,
-0.5243549,
-0.0662664,
0.1959119,
-0.1112975,
0.3209937,
0.234402,
-0.06516415,
0.07555754,
-0.3052125,
-0.3136827,
-0.1059087,
0.06633468,
-0.1612288,
-0.0610961,
-0.2272533,
-0.0179396,
0.1306608,
-0.2970807,
0.161217,
-0.1134388,
... |
Nuclear medicine practices in the 1950s through the mid-1970s and occupational radiation doses to technologists from diagnostic radioisotope procedures. | Data on occupational radiation exposure from nuclear medicine procedures for the time period of the 1950s through the 1970s is important for retrospective health risk studies of medical personnel who conducted those activities. However, limited information is available on occupational exposure received by physicians and technologists who performed nuclear medicine procedures during those years. To better understand and characterize historical radiation exposures to technologists, the authors collected information on nuclear medicine practices in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. To collect historical data needed to reconstruct doses to technologists, a focus group interview was held with experts who began using radioisotopes in medicine in the 1950s and the 1960s. Typical protocols and descriptions of clinical practices of diagnostic radioisotope procedures were defined by the focus group and were used to estimate occupational doses received by personnel, per nuclear medicine procedure, conducted in the 1950s to 1960s using radiopharmaceuticals available at that time. The radionuclide activities in the organs of the reference patient were calculated using the biokinetic models described in ICRP Publication 53. Air kerma rates as a function of distance from a reference patient were calculated by Monte Carlo radiation transport calculations using a hybrid computational phantom. Estimates of occupational doses to nuclear medicine technologists per procedure were found to vary from less than 0.01 μSv (thyroid scan with 1.85 MBq of administered I-iodide) to 0.4 μSv (brain scan with 26 MBq of Hg-chlormerodin). Occupational doses for the same diagnostic procedures starting in the mid-1960s but using Tc were also estimated. The doses estimated in this study show that the introduction of Tc resulted in an increase in occupational doses per procedure. | 25,162,420 | [
-0.3399542,
-0.411559,
-0.3619253,
0.1105134,
0.09098647,
-0.005096408,
-0.3342305,
0.1045831,
0.009600401,
0.04822468,
-0.04006575,
0.06110627,
0.1233142,
-0.1627856,
-0.2195312,
0.1012414,
-0.5145826,
0.2065892,
-0.003345489,
0.07645327,
-0.1053188,
0.374173,
0.05875633... |
Homologous cloning, purification and characterization of highly active cellobiohydrolase I (Cel7A) from Penicillium canescens. | Penicillium canescens is a filamentous fungus that normally does not secrete notable levels of cellulase activity. Cellobiohydrolase I of P. canescens (PcCel7A) was homologously cloned into a host strain RN3-11-7 (niaD-) and then expressed under the control of a strong xylA promoter. Using three steps of chromatography, PcCel7A was purified. The enzyme displayed maximum activity at pH 4.0-4.5. PcCel7A was stable at 50°C and pH 4.5 at least for 3h, while at 60°C it lost 45% of activity after 30min of incubation. When equalized by protein concentration, PcCel7A demonstrated a higher performance in prolonged hydrolysis of Avicel and milled aspen wood than CBH I (Cel7A) from Trichoderma reesei, the most industrially utilized cellulase at this moment. The high catalytic efficiency of the PcCel7A makes it a potential candidate for industrial applications. | 25,162,433 | [
-0.3813097,
-0.1743149,
0.1238039,
0.2482901,
-0.2168365,
0.1198489,
-0.1855982,
0.02965001,
0.004872708,
-0.04531592,
0.1471258,
-0.333728,
0.04959263,
-0.1723542,
-0.6231485,
-0.2791083,
-0.5332949,
-0.1932748,
0.08919713,
0.1692464,
0.6471436,
0.8043461,
0.1095858,
-... |
Light and Dark of Reactive Oxygen Species for Vascular Function: 2014 ASVB (Asian Society of Vascular Biology). | Vascular-derived hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) serves as an important signaling molecule in the cardiovascular system and contributes to vascular homeostasis. H2O2 is a second messenger, transducing the oxidative signal into biological responses through posttranslational protein modification. The balance between oxidant and antioxidant systems regulates intracellular redox status, and their imbalance causes oxidative or reductive stress, leading to cellular damage in cardiovascular systems. Excessive H2O2 deteriorates vascular functions and promotes vascular disease through multiple pathways. The RhoA/Rho-kinase pathway plays an important role in various fundamental cellular functions, including production of excessive reactive oxygen species, leading to the development of cardiovascular diseases. Rho-kinase (ROCK1 and ROCK2) belongs to the family of serine/threonine kinases and is an important downstream effector of the small GTP-binding protein RhoA. Rho-kinase plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of vasospasm, arteriosclerosis, ischemia/reperfusion injury, hypertension, pulmonary hypertension, stroke, and heart failure. Thus, Rho-kinase inhibitors may be useful for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases in humans. In this review, we will briefly discuss the roles of vascular-derived H2O2 and review the recent progress in the translational research on the therapeutic importance of the Rho-kinase pathway in cardiovascular medicine. | 25,162,437 | [
-0.1510942,
0.1309818,
-0.1242756,
-0.3821403,
-0.1400419,
-0.04917347,
0.4489143,
0.09820128,
-0.118047,
-0.008826423,
0.2760257,
0.2934469,
-0.4017058,
-0.09662532,
-0.2388659,
-0.1363467,
-0.3136071,
0.140868,
0.09920505,
0.01852794,
0.01834845,
0.5539034,
-0.4494396,
... |
Percutaneous left atrial appendage closure for stroke prevention. | In atrial fibrillation (AF) patients with an increased stroke risk, oral anticoagulation (OAC) is the standard treatment for stroke prevention. However, this therapy carries a high risk of major bleeding. Percutaneous closure of the left atrial appendage (LAA) is suggested as an alternative option for stroke prevention in AF patients with contraindication(s) for OAC treatment. A total of 42 patients underwent percutaneous LAA closure. In this report, we describe our experience with this procedure. The patients treated were AF patients with a high stroke risk (CHADS-VASc 4.5±1.4) and contra-indication(s) for OAC and/or a high bleeding risk (HAS-BLED 3.7±0.9). A history of intracerebral bleeding was the most common reason for LAA closure. Successful implantation was obtained in 41 of 42 patients. One major peri-procedural complication occurred; a major gastrointestinal bleeding immediately after the procedure. The mean duration of follow-up was 12.6 months. Both ischaemic stroke and bleeding occurred in one patient, resulting in an observed annual stroke and bleeding rate of 2.3%. This rate was lower than expected based on the CHADS-VASc (5.6%/year) and HAS-BLED (7.6%/year) for the patient cohort. At echo follow-up, incomplete LAA closure was seen in one case; device thrombosis was not observed. Our data confirm that percutaneous LAA closure can be a safe and effective strategy for stroke prevention in AF patients with an increased stroke and bleeding risk. However, long-term follow-up studies are needed before this procedure can be recommended for routine clinical use. Grant funding was received (St Jude Medical) for research, but there are no other competing interests. Not relevant. | 25,162,439 | [
-0.05954565,
0.2791328,
-0.2452907,
0.07480913,
0.3606706,
-0.1204651,
-0.1711395,
-0.03168732,
-0.2221241,
-0.2441924,
0.0388034,
0.5619346,
0.03246807,
-0.4541719,
0.1022878,
-0.07085002,
-0.3125122,
0.2708311,
-0.04995576,
-0.09224271,
0.1778474,
0.1444173,
-0.1889577,... |
Bone marrow involvement is not manifest in the early stages of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. | Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) in children may have atypical presentations causing diagnostic delay. Guidelines for prompt referral have been published. The utility of the specified criteria is unknown. Symptoms, signs and laboratory findings at the time of diagnosis were reviewed in a consecutive series of 100 children with ALL in order to determine the frequency of atypical features and to evaluate the Danish referral guideline. Only 36% had involvement of all three haematopoietic cell lines, and 23% presented with the classic clinical triad of pallor, fever and purpura. Symptoms of bone marrow insufficiency had been present in 77% for an average of two weeks as a late occurrence following musculoskeletal pains (in 49%, duration eight weeks) and constitutional symptoms (in 82%, duration four weeks). Organ infiltration was manifest in 71%. In 22%, only one or no cell count was abnormal; in this group, musculoskeletal symptoms were more frequent and symptom duration longer (two months versus one month). In 15%, lymphoblasts could not be detected in the blood. At the time of diagnosis, the Danish criteria for accelerated investigation were fulfilled in 98% of cases. The clinical presentation of ALL is variable, and full-blown bone marrow insufficiency is a late occurrence as the disease progresses. Reduction of the diagnostic interval requires meticulous examination for organomegaly and attention to subtle haematologic changes. Not relevant. Not relevant. | 25,162,442 | [
-0.07041202,
0.001304178,
-0.09675196,
-0.1441342,
-0.05822356,
-0.1215863,
0.1869926,
0.2423943,
-0.2040345,
0.138614,
0.01505245,
0.1114604,
0.02438464,
0.02918518,
-0.2944828,
0.01812187,
0.1893549,
0.1214961,
-0.00409758,
0.2696909,
0.533097,
0.1828809,
-0.04118023,
... |
Non-radiographic intraoperative fluorescent cholangiography is feasible. | Intraoperative fluorescent cholangiography (IFC) with concomitant fluorescent angiography was recently developed for non-invasive identification of the anatomy during laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The objective of this study was to assess the time required for routine-use of IFC and to evaluate the success rate of the procedures. A total of 35 patients scheduled for laparoscopic cholecystectomy and operated by the same surgeon were consecutively enrolled. A standardised protocol with IFC including angiography was performed during laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Intraoperative time and exposure of predefined anatomical structures were recorded. The median time used for IFC was 2.6 minutes (range: 1.5-11.4 minutes) corresponding to a median of 6.2% (range: 3.0-15.2%) of the operation time. The junction between the cystic duct, the common bile duct and the common hepatic duct was identified by IFC in all patients. In 29 of the 35 patients (83%; 95% confidence interval: 71-96%), the cystic artery was visualised by fluorescent angiography. No adverse effects or complications were recorded. Routine-use of IFC with fluorescent angiography during laparoscopic cholecystectomy is feasible and associated with an acceptable time expenditure and a satisfactory success-rate. Not relevant. The Regional Ethics Committee approved the study (J. No. H-3-2013-FSP45). The study is registered with clinicaltrials.gov (ID: NCT02136095). | 25,162,446 | [
0.07583435,
0.2513993,
-0.2015586,
-0.01668291,
-0.02409134,
-0.2242347,
-0.06809496,
-0.02653806,
0.2925047,
0.07749259,
-0.2755687,
-0.0285237,
-0.1683262,
-0.4350139,
-0.3053792,
-0.7502204,
-0.4716405,
0.4593499,
-0.1229903,
0.1538276,
0.1399781,
0.432333,
0.01944318,... |
Linear versus branched poly-lysine/arginine as polarity enhancer tags. | The design and synthesis of Lys- and Arg-containing peptides as solubilizing tags were studied to evaluate their influence on polarity. The relevance of spatial arrangement of polar groups, in α- or ε-amino positions, was confirmed by chromatographic analysis of a rational PolyLys-based synthesized structure. The most promising of the solubilizing tags here analyzed was conjugated to a commercial water-insoluble drug (indomethacin) as proof of concept. | 25,162,452 | [
0.02939221,
0.3951914,
-0.1059925,
0.210635,
-0.08407839,
-0.04108473,
0.09902674,
0.1541545,
0.2274154,
0.09137047,
-0.2592957,
-0.1751285,
0.2615382,
0.261908,
-0.4864973,
0.130654,
-0.4637549,
0.1535008,
-0.05025744,
0.1473267,
0.3421921,
0.02609095,
-0.05847886,
0.1... |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.