title stringlengths 0 901 | abstract stringlengths 3 9.89k | PMID int64 22 25.3M | embedding listlengths 768 768 |
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Personality traits measured at baseline can predict academic performance in upper secondary school three years late. | The aim of the present study was to explore the ability of personality to predict academic performance in a longitudinal study of a Swedish upper secondary school sample. Academic performance was assessed throughout a three-year period via final grades from the compulsory school and upper secondary school. The Big Five personality factors (Costa & McCrae, ) - particularly Conscientiousness and Neuroticism - were found to predict overall academic performance, after controlling for general intelligence. Results suggest that Conscientiousness, as measured at the age of 16, can explain change in academic performance at the age of 19. The effect of Neuroticism on Conscientiousness indicates that, as regarding getting good grades, it is better to be a bit neurotic than to be stable. The study extends previous work by assessing the relationship between the Big Five and academic performance over a three-year period. The results offer educators avenues for improving educational achievement. | 25,257,093 | [
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Model of voluntary ethanol intake in zebrafish: effect on behavior and hypothalamic orexigenic peptides. | Recent studies in zebrafish have shown that exposure to ethanol in tank water affects various behaviors, including locomotion, anxiety and aggression, and produces changes in brain neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and dopamine. Building on these investigations, the present study had two goals: first, to develop a method for inducing voluntary ethanol intake in individual zebrafish, which can be used as a model in future studies to examine how this behavior is affected by various manipulations, and second, to characterize the effects of this ethanol intake on different behaviors and the expression of hypothalamic orexigenic peptides, galanin (GAL) and orexin (OX), which are known in rodents to stimulate consumption of ethanol and alter behaviors associated with alcohol abuse. Thus, we first developed a new model of voluntary intake of ethanol in fish by presenting this ethanol mixed with gelatin, which they readily consume. Using this model, we found that individual zebrafish can be trained in a short period to consume stable levels of 10% or 20% ethanol (v/v) mixed with gelatin and that their intake of this ethanol-gelatin mixture leads to pharmacologically relevant blood ethanol concentrations which are strongly, positively correlated with the amount ingested. Intake of this ethanol-gelatin mixture increased locomotion, reduced anxiety, and stimulated aggressive behavior, while increasing expression of GAL and OX in specific hypothalamic areas. These findings, confirming results in rats, provide a method in zebrafish for investigating with forward genetics and pharmacological techniques the role of different brain mechanisms in controlling ethanol intake. | 25,257,106 | [
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[Online addictive disease]. | Digital media are indispensable in school, profession, family and leisure time. 1 to 6 % of all users show dsyfunctional ans addictive patterns, first of all in online and "social" media. In Switzerland over 80 % of young people own a smartphone and "pocket internet". Time of interaction with online-media (hours/day), as well as peer group pattern are markers for risk of addiction. Active music making and sports are protective factors. Family physicians are important in early recognition of "internet addictive disease". Care-givers with special experience in this field are often successful in reducing time of harmful interaction with the internet. Internet addictive disease is not yet classified in ICD and DSM-5 lists, even though it is an increasing reality. | 25,257,114 | [
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It began with a daydream: the 150th anniversary of the Kekulé benzene structure. | In January 1865, August Kekulé published his theory of the structure of benzene, which he later reported had come to him in a daydream about a snake biting its tail. Although other theories had been postulated before 1865, Kekulé was the first to identify the correct structure. Kekulé's theory resulted in a clear understanding of aromatic compounds and thus had a major impact on the development of chemical science and industry. | 25,257,125 | [
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Analysis of potentially predictive factors of efficacy of adjunct extended-release quetiapine fumarate in patients with major depressive disorder. | Identification of predictors of treatment response in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) may facilitate improved disease management. Data were pooled from two 6-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies of extended-release quetiapine (quetiapine XR; 150 or 300 mg/day) as adjunct to ongoing antidepressant therapy. Effects of psychiatric history and baseline demographic and disease characteristics on efficacy outcomes (Week 6 Montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale [MADRS] total score reduction) were evaluated in population subgroups (quetiapine XR both doses pooled, n = 616; placebo, n = 303). Baseline Clinical Global Impressions-Severity (CGI-S) score and previous depressive episodes on Week 6 MADRS total score change, and baseline MADRS individual item scores on Week 6 change in CGI-Improvement score, were also evaluated. No major differences between responders and non-responders to quetiapine XR were observed for patient characteristics or demographic and disease characteristics. No suggestion of a predictive association was found between baseline CGI-S score, number of depressive episodes, and baseline MADRS item scores and efficacy outcomes. These analyses showed no major differences between responders and non-responders, and no predictive association between the parameters assessed and efficacy outcomes for adjunct quetiapine XR in patients with MDD and an inadequate response to prior antidepressant therapy. | 25,257,148 | [
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Dry ice exposure of plasma samples influences pH and lupus anticoagulant analysis. | Tests for lupus anticoagulant (LA), including silica clotting time (SCT) and diluted Russel's viper venom time (dRVVT) are used to diagnose antiphospholipid syndrome. Due to sample instability, it is recommended that samples are frozen if analysis is postponed >4 h. Shipping on dry ice is common practice to keep samples frozen during transport. Recent data suggest that exposure to dry ice may affect sample pH and results in subsequent analyses. We aimed to determine the effect of dry ice on pH and LA analysis. Citrated plasma from eight healthy volunteers was allocated to three preanalytical regimes: 1) storage at -20 °C; 2) dry ice exposure followed by storage at -20 °C; or 3) dry ice exposure followed by storage at -80 °C. Samples stored at -20 °C after dry ice exposure had significantly lower median pH (1.2 units, p=0.01) and prolonged clotting time ratios (up to 55% for dRVVT tests, p<0.02) in LA analysis, compared to samples not exposed to dry ice. This resulted in poor test specificity (25%). Similar changes were not observed in samples placed at -80 °C after dry ice exposure. Dry ice may affect sample pH and increase the fraction of false positive LA results. This preanalytical factor should be taken into account by laboratories receiving frozen samples for these tests. | 25,257,161 | [
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Integrated, cascading enzyme-/chemocatalytic cellulose conversion using catalysts based on mesoporous silica nanoparticles. | This article reports a novel approach to deconstructing cellulose into 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) with a high yield (46.1%) by integrating a sequential enzyme cascade technique in an aqueous system with solid acid catalysis in an organic-solvent system. We executed the rational design and synthesis of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) with various pore sizes and surface functionalities, which proved to be useful for the immobilization of various enzymes (i.e., cellulase and isomerase) and nanoparticles (i.e., magnetic Fe3 O4 ) and for functionalization of various acid groups (i.e., H2 PO3 , COOH, and SO3 H). We separately applied the synthesized biocatalysts (i.e., cellulase-Fe3 O4 @MSN and isomerase-Fe3 O4 @MSN) and chemical catalysts (i.e., HSO3 -MSN) in a sequential cellulose-to-glucose, glucose-to-fructose, and fructose-to-HMF conversion, respectively, across both aqueous- and organic-solvent systems after the optimization of reaction conditions (e.g., reaction temperature, water ratio, catalyst amount). The integrated enzymatic and chemocatalytic concept in this study could be an effective and economically friendly process for various catalytic applications. | 25,257,168 | [
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Effects of hatchery rearing on Florida largemouth bass Micropterus floridanus resource allocation and performance under semi-natural conditions. | This study examined the growth, activity, metabolism and post-release survival of three groups of Florida largemouth bass Micropterus floridanus: wild-caught fish, hatchery fish reared according to standard practice (hatchery standard) and hatchery fish reared under reduced and unpredictable food provisioning (hatchery manipulated). Hatchery-standard fish differed from wild-caught fish in all measured variables, including survival in semi-natural ponds. Hatchery-standard and hatchery-manipulated fish showed higher activity levels, faster growth and lower standard metabolic rates than wild-caught fish in the hatchery. Fish reared under the manipulated feeding regime showed increased metabolic rates and increased post-release growth, similar to wild-caught fish. Their activity levels and post-release survival, however, remained similar to those of hatchery-standard fish. Activity was negatively correlated with post-release survival and failure of the feed manipulation to reduce activity may have contributed to its failure to improve post-release survival. Activity and post-release survival may be influenced by characteristics of the rearing environment other than the feeding regime, such as stock density or water flow rates. | 25,257,181 | [
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Effects of intestinal microbiota on the bioavailability of geniposide in rats. | This study investigated the effects of intestinal microbiota on the metabolism of geniposide by using a rat model treated with a mixture of antibiotics. The plasma concentration of geniposide was determined after oral administration in control and antibiotics-treated rats by using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The maximum plasma concentrations (Cmax) of geniposide in control and antibiotics-treated rats were 0.91 ± 0.26 and 1.01 ± 0.04 μg/mL, respectively, and the area under the curve (AUC) values were 7.34 ± 3.32 and 11.9 ± 2.1 μg·h/mL (p < 0.05), respectively. The levels of geniposide in rat feces were 0.64 and 15.6 mg, respectively, in the control and antibiotics-treated groups. Thus, the systemic exposure of geniposide was greater in the antibiotics-treated rats. This may be due to the antibiotic-induced suppression of the metabolic activities of the intestinal microbiota. These results suggest that the gut microbiota may have an impact on the bioavailability of geniposide. | 25,257,195 | [
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Selective anion-induced crystal switching and binding in surface monolayers modulated by electric fields from scanning probes. | Anion-selective (Br(-) and I(-)) and voltage-driven crystal switching between two differently packed phases (α ⇆ β) was observed in 2D crystalline monolayers of aryl-triazole receptors ordered at solution-graphite interfaces. Addition of Br(-) and I(-) was found to stimulate the α → β phase transformation and to produce ion binding to the β phase assembly, while Cl(-) and BF4(-) addition retained the α phase. Unlike all other surface assemblies of either charged molecules or ion-templated 2D crystallization of metal-ligand or receptor-based adsorbates, the polarity of the electric field between the localized scanning tip and the graphite substrate was found to correlate with phase switching: β → α is driven at -1.5 V, while α → β occurs at +1.1 V. Ion-pairing between the countercations and the guest anions was also observed. These observations are supported by control studies including variation of anion species, relative anion concentration, surface temperature, tip voltage, and scanning time. | 25,257,197 | [
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Modeling human neural functionality in vitro: three-dimensional culture for dopaminergic differentiation. | Advances in mechanistic knowledge of human neurological disorders have been hindered by the lack of adequate human in vitro models. Three-dimensional (3D) cellular models displaying higher biological relevance are gaining momentum; however, their lack of robustness and scarcity of analytical tools adapted to three dimensions hampers their widespread implementation. Herein we show that human midbrain-derived neural progenitor cells, cultured as 3D neurospheres in stirred culture systems, reproducibly differentiate into complex tissue-like structures containing functional dopaminergic neurons, as well as astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. Moreover, an extensive toolbox of analytical methodologies has been adapted to 3D neural cell models, allowing molecular and phenotypic profiling and interrogation. The generated neurons underwent synaptogenesis and elicit spontaneous Ca(2+) transients. Synaptic vesicle trafficking and release of dopamine in response to depolarizing stimuli was also observed. Under whole-cell current-and-voltage clamp, recordings showed polarized neurons (Vm=-70 mV) and voltage-dependent potassium currents, which included A-type-like currents. Glutamate-induced currents sensitive to α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid and N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonists revealed the existence of functional glutamate receptors. Molecular and phenotypic profiling showed recapitulation of midbrain patterning events, and remodeling toward increased similarity to human brain features, such as extracellular matrix composition and metabolic signature. We have developed a robust and reproducible human 3D neural cell model, which may be extended to patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells, broadening the applicability of this model. | 25,257,211 | [
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Capillary electrophoresis in two-dimensional separation systems: Techniques and applications. | The analysis of complex samples requires powerful separation techniques. Here, 2D chromatographic separation techniques (e.g. LC-LC, GC-GC) are increasingly applied in many fields. Electrophoretic separation techniques show a different selectivity in comparison to LC and GC and very high separation efficiency. Thus, 2D separation systems containing at least one CE-based separation technique are an interesting alternative featuring potentially a high degree of orthogonality. However, the generally small volumes and strong electrical fields in CE require special coupling techniques. These technical developments are reviewed in this work, discussing benefits and drawbacks of offline and online systems. Emphasis is placed on the design of the systems, their coupling, and the detector used. Moreover, the employment of strategies to improve peak capacity, resolution, or sensitivity is highlighted. Various applications of 2D separations with CE are summarized. | 25,257,214 | [
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Ergometer training volume and previous injury predict back pain in rowing; strategies for injury prevention and rehabilitation. | The most commonly reported injury site in rowers is the lower back. Research in recent years has focused on epidemiology and biomechanical analyses to try and understand mechanisms that contribute to this injury's onset. Injury surveillance mainly comprises retrospective questionnaires and reviews of medical records with a lack of prospective data. Of studies that reported 12-month data, the incidence of low back pain ranged from 31.8 to 51% of the cohort. Of the limited studies that specifically examined low back pain in rowers, (1) history of lumbar spine injury and (2) volume of ergometer training were the most significant risk factors for injury onset. Studies of technique on the rowing ergometer have indicated the importance of lumbopelvic rotation during rowing. Greater pelvic rotation at either end of the stroke is ideal-as opposed to lumbar flexion and extension; this tends to be poorly demonstrated in novice rowers on ergometers. Furthermore, technique can deteriorate with the demands of rowing intensity and duration, which puts the rower returning from injury at additional risk. | 25,257,230 | [
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Cluster hole versus solid cup in total hip arthroplasty: a randomized control trial. | Acetabular osteolysis has been linked to polyethylene debris that is generated in the hip migrating through screw holes in the acetabular component. Solid-backed acetabular components were designed to decrease this osteolysis. This prospective trial randomized 100 patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty to either a solid-backed or a cluster-hole acetabular component-all without screws. At 5years post-surgery, 34.4% of all patients had osteolytic lesions that were visible on CT. There was no significant difference in either presence or volume of the osteolytic lesions, cup migration or functional outcomes (OHS) between the groups. There may no longer be a detriment to using cluster-hole cups instead of solid cups in all hips. This would then give the surgeon the option to use screws for stability as required. | 25,257,236 | [
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Venous thromboembolism and mortality associated with tranexamic acid use during total hip and knee arthroplasty. | TKA and THA are associated with blood transfusion and risk for postoperative venothromboembolism (VTE). Reports show that tranexamic acid (TA) may be safe to use in high-risk orthopedic patients, but further data are needed to substantiate its use. All patients who underwent primary or revision TKA or THA in a five year period were retrospectively identified. In 13,262 elective TKA or THA procedures, neither the odds of VTE (OR=0.98; 95% CI 0.67-1.45; P=0.939) or adjusted odds of death (OR=0.26; 95% CI 0.04-1.80; P=0.171) were significant with TA administration. The major findings of this large, single center, retrospective cohort study show the odds of postoperative VTE and 30-day mortality were unchanged with TA administration. | 25,257,237 | [
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Gene mutations in Mycobacterium tuberculosis: multidrug-resistant TB as an emerging global public health crisis. | Against a constant background of established infections, epidemics of new and old infectious diseases periodically emerge, greatly magnifying the global burden of infections. TB poses formidable challenges to the global health at the public health and scientific level by acquiring gene mutation into anti TB drugs specially rifampin and isoniazid which leads resistant to drug regime and treatment forms. Our tools to combat MDR (multidrug resistant) TB are dangerously out of date and ineffective. Besides new tools (TB drugs, vaccines, diagnostics), we also need new strategies to identify key Mycobacterium tuberculosis and human host interaction. It is all equally important that we build up high quality clinical trial capacity and bio banks for TB biomarkers identification. But most important is global commitment at all levels to roll back TB before it expose us again. Rapid development of drug resistance caused by M. tuberculosis has lead to measure resistance accurately and easily. This knowledge will certainly help us to understand how to prevent the occurrence of drug resistance as well as identifying genes associated with new drug resistance. | 25,257,261 | [
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[Manganese-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging for studying olfactory dysfunction in rats]. | To study the olfactory function in rats by manganese-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MEMRI) and explore the regeneration of olfactory system from the imaging. Thirty-five adult male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into three groups. Twenty rats with bilateral nasal instillation of TritonX-100 were used as olfactory dysfunction model group (M group). The rats in this group received menthocamphorate stimulation. Ten rats with bilateral nasal instillation of sterile saline were used as olfactory normal group (N group), and were randomly divided into two groups:one group received menthocamphorate stimulation (N1 group), another group received odorless air (N2 group). The remaining five rats were used as the blank control (control group). All images were acquired with a 7.0 T micro-MR scanner. Signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) in the olfactory bulb (OB) were measured by Image J. MEMRI could clearly show the normal olfactory pathway in rats. MEMRI displayed a reversible change during the stages of olfactory recovery after injury. For the olfactory dysfunction model group (M group), the total volume of rat olfactory bulb at the initial, the 10th day, the 20th day, the 30th day and the 60th day were (49.44 ± 0.81), (32.85 ± 0.79), (27.78 ± 1.07), (35.89 ± 1.04), (43.63 ± 1.13) mm(3) respectively. At the 20th day after olfactory injury, the SNR in the OB was the lowest for 9.78 ± 0.07, when at the 60th day, the SNR recovered to 30.68 ± 1.01, which increased to near normal (N1group, 33.08 ± 0.15; N2 group, 31.31 ± 1.12), the SNR had no significant difference among the three groups (F = 3.04, P > 0.05). The MEMRI is an objective method to detect the olfactory function, and the olfactory system has the regenerative property after injury. | 25,257,276 | [
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Lentiviral vector-mediated dopamine d3 receptor modulation in the rat brain impairs alcohol intake and ethanol-induced conditioned place preference. | It has been reported that dopamine D3 receptor (D3R) knockout mice display similar ethanol (EtOH) consumption compared to wild types. In addition, studies with D3R pharmacological targeting were inconclusive. In the current study, we used both gain- and loss-of-function approaches to test the effects of central D3R manipulation on voluntary alcohol intake and EtOH-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) in rats. To this aim, we developed a lentiviral-mediated gene transfer approach to examine whether D3R knockdown (LV-siD3R) or overexpression (LV-D3R) in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) is sufficient to modulate voluntary alcohol consumption and EtOH-CPP. Using the standard 2-bottle choice drinking paradigm and an unbiased CPP procedure, our results indicated that, like the D3R selective antagonist SB-277011-A, LV-siD3R attenuated voluntary alcohol consumption. In contrast, LV-D3R increased EtOH intake with no effect on total fluid intake. Similarly, the D3R agonist 7-OH-DPAT also exacerbated EtOH intake. Interestingly, neither pharmacological nor genetic manipulation of D3R activity affected saccharin and quinine consumption and preference. More importantly, we report that LV-siD3R blocked, whereas LV-D3R exacerbated, EtOH-CPP. These results support the notion that the D3R plays an important role in alcohol reward in rats and suggest that a key threshold range of D3R levels is associated with impaired alcohol consumption. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that the D3R is an essential component of the molecular pathways underlying the reinforcing properties of alcohol. Thus, medications targeting the D3Rs may be beneficial to tackle EtOH abuse and alcoholism in humans. | 25,257,287 | [
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U.S. trends in light, moderate, and heavy drinking episodes from 2000 to 2010. | Risks and potential benefits associated with alcohol use vary with the amount of alcohol consumed on a drinking occasion. Over time, changes in the absolute and relative numbers of light or heavy drinking episodes may occur, impacting health and social problems. Analyses of the 2000, 2005, and 2010 National Alcohol Surveys focus on trends in the volumes of alcohol consumed on days where the drinker had 1 to 2, 3 to 4, or 5 or more drinks separately. These volume measures were obtained from graduated frequency questions with adjustments for estimated drink alcohol content for each drinker based on reported beer brand, spirits drink and pour method, contexts of drinking, and demographic characteristics. Respondents with especially high alcohol content drinks were adjusted up 1 category, and those with especially low alcohol content drinks were adjusted down 1 category. Trend significance was tested with adjusted Wald tests and in negative binomial models with 2000 as the reference year, indicators for race/ethnicity group and interactions between these and survey year, and adjustments for age, educational attainment, income, employment status, and wetness region. Analyses were conducted both in the overall sample including abstainers and in the current drinker sample only. Overall trend results indicate an increase in drink alcohol content-adjusted alcohol volume of 25% from 2000 to 2010 with similar changes between 2000 to 2005 and 2005 to 2010. Most of the increase from 2000 to 2005 resulted from increased volume from light drinking (1 to 2 drinks) days for men and women and moderate to heavy drinking (3 to 4 drinks) days for women, while the change from 2005 to 2010 resulted mostly from volume from heavy drinking days (5+ drinks per day) for men. Black and Hispanic women were found not to have participated in the overall trend of increased alcohol volume. Findings highlight shifts in drinking patterns suggesting increased heavy occasion drinking in 2010, particularly among men. | 25,257,297 | [
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Increased expression of insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor is correlated with worse survival in canine appendicular osteosarcoma. | Insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R) is a cell membrane receptor widely expressed in tissues and involved in different cancers in humans. IGF-1R expression in human osteosarcoma has been associated with the development of tumour metastasis and with prognosis, and represents an attractive therapeutic target. The goal of this study was to investigate the expression of IGF-1R in canine osteosarcoma tissues and cell lines and assess its role and prognostic value. Samples from 34 dogs were examined by immunohistochemistry for IGF-1R expression. IGF-1R/AKT/MAPK signalling was evaluated by western blot and quantitative polymerase chain reaction in the cell lines. In addition, the in vitro inhibition of IGF-1R with pycropodophillin (PPP) was used to evaluate molecular and biological effects. Immunohistochemical data showed that IGF-1R was expressed in 71% of the analysed osteosarcoma samples and that dogs with higher levels of IGF-IR expression (47% of cases) had decreased survival (P < 0.05) when compared to dogs with lower IGF-IR expression. Molecular studies demonstrated that in canine osteosarcoma IGF-IR is activated by IGF-1 mostly in a paracrine or endocrine (rather than autocrine) manner, leading to activation of AKT/MAPK signalling. PPP caused p-IGF-1R dephosphorylation with partial blocking of p-MAPK and p-AKT, as well as apoptosis. It was concluded that IGF-1R is expressed and plays a role in canine osteosarcoma and that its expression is correlated with a poor prognosis. As in humans, IGF-1R may represent a good therapeutic target and a prognostic factor for canine osteosarcoma. | 25,257,352 | [
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Role of vitamin D3 in treatment of lumbar disc herniation--pain and sensory aspects: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. | Vitamin D receptors have been identified in the spinal cord, nerve roots, dorsal root ganglia and glial cells, and its genetic polymorphism association with the development of lumbar disc degeneration and herniation has been documented. Metabolic effects of active vitamin D metabolites in the nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus cells have been studied. Lumbar disc herniation is a process that involves immune and inflammatory cells and processes that are targets for immune regulatory actions of vitamin D as a neurosteroid hormone. In addition to vitamin D's immune modulatory properties, its receptors have been identified in skeletal muscles. It also affects sensory neurons to modulate pain. In this study, we aim to study the role of vitamin D3 in discogenic pain and related sensory deficits. Additionally, we will address how post-treatment 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 level influences pain and sensory deficits severity. The cut-off value for serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 that would be efficacious in improving pain and sensory deficits in lumbar disc herniation will also be studied. We will conduct a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial. Our study population will include 380 cases with one-level and unilateral lumbar disc herniation with duration of discogenic pain less than 8 weeks. Individuals who do not have any contraindications, will be divided into three groups based on serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 level, and each group will be randomized to receive either a single-dose 300,000-IU intramuscular injection of vitamin D3 or placebo. All patients will be under conservative treatment. Pre-treatment and post-treatment assessments will be performed with the McGill Pain Questionnaire and a visual analogue scale. For the 15-day duration of this study, questionnaires will be filled out during telephone interviews every 3 days (a total of five times). The initial and final interviews will be scheduled at our clinic. After 15 days, serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 levels will be measured for those who have received vitamin D3 (190 individuals). Iranian Registry for Clinical Trials ID: IRCT2014050317534N1 (trial registration: 5 June 2014). | 25,257,359 | [
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Impact of individual extracellular proteases on Staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation in diverse clinical isolates and their isogenic sarA mutants. | We demonstrate that the purified Staphylococcus aureus extracellular proteases aureolysin, ScpA, SspA, and SspB limit biofilm formation, with aureolysin having the greatest impact. Using protease-deficient derivatives of LAC, we confirmed that this is due to the individual proteases themselves. Purified aureolysin, and to a lesser extent ScpA and SspB, also promoted dispersal of an established biofilm. Mutation of the genes encoding these proteases also only partially restored biofilm formation in an FPR3757 sarA mutant and had little impact on restoring virulence in a murine bacteremia model. In contrast, eliminating the production of all of these proteases fully restored both biofilm formation and virulence in a sarA mutant generated in the closely related USA300 strain LAC. These results confirm an important role for multiple extracellular proteases in S. aureus pathogenesis and the importance of sarA in repressing their production. Moreover, purified aureolysin limited biofilm formation in 14 of 15 methicillin-resistant isolates and 11 of 15 methicillin-susceptible isolates, while dispersin B had little impact in UAMS-1, LAC, or 29 of 30 contemporary isolates of S. aureus. This suggests that the role of sarA and its impact on protease production is important in diverse strains of S. aureus irrespective of their methicillin resistance status. | 25,257,373 | [
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Childbearing traditions of Indian women at home and abroad: An integrative literature review. | The percentage of overseas-born mothers giving birth in Australia has increased to 31.5% in 2012 and Indian women represent 10% (the highest proportion). It is important for midwives in Australia to be aware of the childbearing traditions of Indian women and how these influence Indian women birthing in Australia. To explore childbearing practices in India and Indian women's experience of giving birth abroad; and to discuss the relevant findings for midwives working with Indian women in Australia. An integrative literature review was employed. 32 items, including 18 original research articles were thematically reviewed to identify commonly occurring themes relating to Indian women's childbearing traditions. Five themes relating to traditional childbearing practices of women birthing in India were identified. These themes included diversity and disparity; social context of childbirth and marriage; diet based on Ayurveda; pollution theory and confinement; and finally, rituals and customs. Indian women giving birth abroad and by implication in Australia experience a transition to motherhood in a new culture. While adjusting to motherhood, they are also negotiating between their old and new cultural identities. To provide culturally safe care, it is essential that midwives reflect on their own culture while exploring what traditions are important for Indian women. | 25,257,377 | [
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Ungated radial quiescent-inflow single-shot (UnQISS) magnetic resonance angiography using optimized azimuthal equidistant projections. | We hypothesized that non-contrast-enhanced MR angiography (NEMRA) could be performed without cardiac gating by using a variant of the quiescent-inflow single-shot (QISS) technique. Ungated QISS (UnQISS) MRA was evaluated in eight patients with peripheral arterial disease at 1.5T. The radial acquisition used optimized azimuthal equidistant projections, a long quiescent inflow time (1200 ms) to ensure replenishment of saturated in-plane spins irrespective of the cardiac phase, and a lengthy readout (1200 ms) so that a complete cardiac cycle was sampled for each slice. Venous and background tissue suppression was obtained using frequency-offset-corrected inversion radiofrequency pulses. Scan time for UnQISS was 15.4 min for an eight-station whole-leg acquisition. The appearance of UnQISS MRA acquired using the body coil was comparable to electrocardiographic-gated QISS MRA using phased array coils. A small radial view angle increment minimized eddy current-related artifacts, whereas image quality was inferior with a golden view angle radial increment or Cartesian trajectory. In patient studies, ≥50% stenoses were consistently detected. Using UnQISS, peripheral NEMRA can be performed without the need for cardiac gating. The use of fixed imaging parameters and body coil for signal reception further simplifies the scan procedure. | 25,257,379 | [
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Transient overexpression of Werner protein rescues starvation induced autophagy in Werner syndrome cells. | Reduced autophagy may be associated with normal and pathological aging. Here we report a link between autophagy and Werner protein (WRNp), mutated in Werner syndrome, the human premature aging Werner syndrome (WS). WRN mutant fibroblast AG11395 and AG05229 respond weakly to starvation induced autophagy compared to normal cells. While the fusion of phagosomes with lysosome is normal, WS cells contain fewer autophagy vacuoles. Cellular starvation autophagy in WS cells is restored after transfection with full length WRN. Further, siRNA mediated silencing of WRN in the normal fibroblast cell line WI-38 results in decreased autophagy and altered expression of autophagy related proteins. Thus, our observations suggest that WRN may have a role in controlling autophagy and hereby cellular maintenance. | 25,257,404 | [
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Involvement of NF-κB-dependent signaling and p38 MAPK signaling pathway in the regulation of hemopoiesis during restrain stress. | Protein kinase p38 was shown to contribute to the increase in production of granulocyte CSF by microenvironmental cells under conditions of restraint stress. Stimulation of colony-forming activity was not accompanied by the increase in maturation of clonogenic structures in the bone marrow granulocytic stem. This process was realized with the involvement of NF-κB-dependent signaling and p38 MAPK signaling pathway. Our study showed that the p38 MAPK signaling pathway plays an important role in the regulation of granulocytopoiesis, but not of erythropoiesis. | 25,257,409 | [
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Effect of anticonvulsant therapy for absence epilepsy on heart function. | Monitoring of the heart status during increasing stress-induced load allowed us to evaluate heart function after treatment of absence epilepsy with anticonvulsants of various types of action. Functional load against the background of treatment with lamotrigine or convulex had different effects on the dynamics of heart rate variability, hemodynamic parameters of the heart, and risk of life-threatening arrhythmias. The decrease in hemodynamic parameters and ischemic changes in the myocardium after convulex therapy occurred at a lower functional load associated with more pronounced reduction in parasympathetic tone and heart rate variability than after lamotrigine therapy. This suggests that the heart of animals treated with convulex has lower functional capacities and, therefore, stress-induced decompensation and prenosological status developed earlier. | 25,257,412 | [
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Effects of hormones on in vitro maturation of cattle oocytes. | The efficiency of cattle oocyte maturation in vitro was studied in protein-free MEM-α with hormones and in completely definite culture medium without hormones. Oocyte capacity to develop after fertilization to the morula/blastocyst and blastocyst stages served as a criterion of effective maturation. The increase in follicle-stimulating hormone concentration in the medium by one or two orders of magnitude in comparison with the "standard" level of 1 μg/ml deteriorated the development of embryos to the preimplantation stages. Serum gonadotropin from pregnant mares worked similarly as follicle-stimulating hormone. Oocytes that underwent maturation without hormones developed to the blastocyst stage, though the percentage of dividing embryos was significantly less and there was a trend to worse development of the embryos to the preimplantation stages. | 25,257,429 | [
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Regional lymph nodes in the liver of rats in functional pinealectomy. | The effects of functional pinealectomy on the morphological organization of the regional lymph nodes in the liver of rats were studied. Shrinkage of follicles (with increased percentage of germinative centers in them) and reduced count of mature lymphoid cells in the medullary cords indicated more intense migration of B cells from these B-dependent zones. High counts of medium and small lymphocytes in the paracortical zone reflected increasing release of circulating T cells from the blood. Intensification of pinocytosis in dendritic (interdegitating) cells and of fibroblastic reticular cells and activation of protein synthesis in plasma cells indicated activation of immune reactions. Increase in the relative area of lymph node sinuses reflected strained status of their drainage system. | 25,257,433 | [
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Argyrophilic proteins of nucleolar organizer regions and proliferative activity of cells in squamous cell carcinoma of the lung. | Argyrophilic proteins associated with nucleolar organizer regions (Ag-NOR proteins) and Ki-67 antigen were analyzed in 118 samples of squamous cell carcinoma of the lungs. Tumors with low and high content of Ag-NOR proteins and Ki-67 index were selected. It was found that the content of Ag-NOR proteins correlated with some clinical and morphological parameters (indexes T and N, tumor size less and more that 3 cm, stage of the disease, and tumor differentiation degree) and survival rate. High survival was associated with low content of Ag-NOR proteins and Ki-67 index and low survival correlated with high content of Ag-NOR proteins and Ki-67 index, while intermediate survival was associated with opposite values of Ag-NOR protein content and Ki-67 index. The tumor size, parameter N, and the content of Ag-NOR proteins had independent effects on patient's survival. In patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the lung without metastases in lymph nodes, survival correlated with the content of Ag-NOR proteins; in patients without metastases, survival correlated with tumor size. | 25,257,439 | [
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[A virtual deformable mandible model used for reconstruction computer aided design of large mandibular defects]. | To establish a three- dimensional virtual deformable mandible model used for individual reconstruction design of large mandibular defect. A virtual deformable mandible model has been established by a 3D animation software. The model could be used for preoperative reconstruction design of large mandibular defects cases. According to the temporomandibular joint fossa position, maxillary dental arch, the normal relationship of cranio-maxillofacial profile, and the morphology of the residual segments of mandible, the virtual mandible model could be scaled and adjusted and a virtual mandible with individual features was obtained. Three normal skulls have been used to validate the adjustment ability of the virtual deformable mandible model. The preoperative reconstruction design process of 1 typical large mandibular defect case was demonstrated. The deformation matching ability of the virtual deformable mandible model was very good. The registration between the design model and the original mandible was over 90%. The design effect of the large mandiblar defect case was satisfied. Virtual deformable mandible model is a new feasible method to aid preoperative reconstruction design of large mandibular defects. | 25,257,455 | [
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Atrial natriuretic peptide vs. N-terminal-pro-atrial natriuretic peptide for the detection of left atrial dilatation in horses. | Studies on the use of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) as a biomarker for left atrial dilatation in horses have produced variable results. Few have been performed, and the results may have been influenced by ANP instability, differences in sampling protocol and changes in the assay over time. N-Terminal proANP (NT-proANP) is a more stable molecule and might be a good alternative for clinical use. To compare ANP and NT-proANP in terms of the detection of left atrial dilatation and to determine the influence of sample storage at temperatures of -80 and -20°C. Prospective clinical study. Atrial natriuretic peptide and NT-proANP concentrations were compared between healthy horses (Group 1, n = 20), horses with mitral valve regurgitation and a normal atrial size (Group 2, n = 11) and horses with mitral valve regurgitation associated with left atrial dilatation (Group 3, n = 16). The ANP concentration was measured with an equine enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and the NT-proANP concentration with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay developed for use in human patients. Samples were stored at -20 and -80°C and analysed within 7 months. The NT-proANP concentrations were not significantly different between the groups. Horses in Group 3 had a significantly higher ANP concentration (median 366 pg/ml; interquartile range [IQR] 74-2000 pg/ml) compared with horses in Group 1 (median 31 pg/ml; IQR 31-333 pg/ml) or Group 2 (median 31 pg/ml; IQR 31-1152 pg/ml; P = 0.02). The ANP cut-off value for detection of left atrial dilatation was 52 pg/ml (sensitivity 81%; specificity 84%) for sample storage at -80°C, and 44 pg/ml (sensitivity 69%; specificity 84%) for storage at -20°C. A larger decrease in ANP (45 ± 126 pg/ml) than in NT-proANP (10 ± 31 pg/ml) was found associated with sample storage at -20 instead of -80°C. Atrial natriuretic peptide, but not NT-proANP, can be used to detect left atrial dilatation in horses. Atrial natriuretic peptide is less stable than NT-proANP when samples are stored at -20°C. Atrial natriuretic peptide is a more suitable biomarker of left atrial dilatation in horses than NT-proANP. | 25,257,480 | [
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Physical examination of the shoulder. | This article summarizes the overall assessment of the shoulder joint and seeks to help direct clinicians to diagnose shoulder pathology using standard and specific physical examinations. The history and standard examination can prompt the examiner to focus on specific tests to further evaluate the shoulder and limit the differential diagnoses. An appropriate and directed shoulder physical examination allows the clinician to focus on further diagnostic strategies and treatment options for the patient. | 25,257,491 | [
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Management of fingertip amputations. | Injuries to the fingertips are among the most common injuries to the hand and result in approximately 4.8 million emergency department visits per year. Most injuries are lacerations or crushes; amputations represent a small but complex spectrum of injury. Treatments available cover a broad range of techniques with no single recommended reference standard for treatment. Although there is no consensus on how these injuries should be treated, the goals of treatment should include minimization of pain, optimization of healing time, preservation of sensibility and length, prevention of painful neuromas, avoidance or limiting of nail deformity, minimization of time lost from work, and provision of an acceptable cosmetic appearance. In this review we present a variety of options in caring for these injuries to help achieve these goals, and the available data that support the various treatment plans. | 25,257,490 | [
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University students' knowledge and attitudes regarding cervical cancer, human papillomavirus, and human papillomavirus vaccines in Turkey. | The current descriptive study aimed to determine university students' knowledge and attitudes regarding cervical cancer, human papillomavirus (HPV), and HPV vaccines in Turkey. A total of 800 students participated. This study was carried out between September 1, 2012, and October 30, 2012, in 8 female dormitories. In response to the question "What are cervical cancer risk factors?" 10.0% of students said HPV; 90.9% were unaware of how to protect themselves from HPV. Of the students, 99.7% had not had an HPV vaccination, only 32.6% wanted to get an HPV vaccination, and 20.7% did not want to be vaccinated, as they believe it "might have adverse effects." The results of the present study show that female university students have low levels of awareness and knowledge toward cervical cancer risk factors, HPV, and HPV vaccination. | 25,257,501 | [
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Telomere functions grounding on TERRA firma. | Long noncoding telomeric repeat-containing RNAs - TERRAs - are transcribed in a regulated manner from telomeres throughout eukaryotes. TERRA molecules consist of chromosome end-specific subtelomeric sequences and telomeric repeats at their 3' ends. Recent work suggests that TERRA sustains several important functions at chromosome ends. TERRA can regulate telomere length through modulation of exonuclease 1 and telomerase, it may promote recruitment of chromatin modifiers to damaged telomeres and thereby enable DNA end-processing, and it may promote telomere protein composition changes during cell cycle progression. Furthermore, telomere transcription regulates chromosome-end mobility within the nucleus. We review how TERRA, by regulated expression and by providing a molecular scaffold for various protein enzymes, can support a large variety of vital functions. | 25,257,515 | [
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Increased REM sleep after intra-locus coeruleus nucleus microinjection of melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) in the rat. | A study was carried out on the effects of unilateral microinjection of melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) into the right locus coeruleus (LC) on the sleep-wake cycle in rats prepared for chronic sleep recordings. MCH 200 ng significantly augmented rapid-eye-movement sleep (REMS) time during the first, second and third 2-h of recording. Furthermore, MCH 100 ng induced a significant increase of REMS during the first 2-h period after treatment. The increment of the behavioral state was related to a greater number of REMS episodes. It is suggested that MCH deactivation of noradrenergic neurons located in the LC facilitates the occurrence of REMS. | 25,257,545 | [
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Genetic susceptibility to total hip arthroplasty failure: a case-control study on the influence of MMP 1 gene polymorphism. | Genetic factors plays an important role in early failure of total hip arthroplasty (THA) etiology and MMP-1 gene polymorphism rs5854 may be involved. The present study was conducted to reveal the possible association between MMP-1 rs5854 C/T polymorphism and the risk of early failure of THA (aseptic loosening). The rs5854 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in MMP-1 gene was genotyped in 63 subjects who were diagnosed as aseptic loosening after total hip arthroplasty within 10 years and in 81 age and gender matched controls. The genotype frequencies of the MMP-1 rs5854 C/T polymorphism were 57.1% (CC), 28.6% (CT), and 14.3% (TT) in patients with failure of THA, and 79.0% (CC), 17.3% (CT), and 3.7% (TT) in the controls (P=0.0099). Rs5854 polymorphism was found to be significantly associated with increased risk of aseptic loosening. The results showed the rs5854 SNP was associated with increased risk of the early aseptic loosening susceptibility. The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/13000_2014_177. | 25,257,555 | [
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Human papillomavirus among women with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance in southern Brazil. | To determine the prevalence of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) and human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes in a population in southern Brazil. In a retrospective cross-sectional study, the prevalence of ASCUS was determined among women aged 20-60 years who were referred to a private medical center in Caxias do Sul by a gynecologist for assessment of a cervical condition between January 1, 2010, and September 30, 2011. Histologic and cytologic samples were tested for HPV, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to genotype any HPV DNA identified. Among the 250 included women, 25 (10.0%) had ASCUS. HPV DNA was found in 15 (60.0%) women with ASCUS and 115 (51.1%) of the 225 without ASCUS. Viral typing showed that 7 (46.7%) HPV-positive women with ASCUS had multiple infections with up to five different genotypes. Both low- and high-risk HPV genotypes were found in ASCUS samples; the most prevalent genotypes were HPV6/HPV11 (affecting 10 [66.7%] women), HPV51 (6 [40.0%]), and HPV16 (6 [40.0%]). ASCUS is not an indication of HPV infection. HPV screening and genotyping would benefit women with ASCUS, because treatment can be planned according to risk of carcinogenesis. | 25,257,569 | [
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A coupled thermodynamic and metabolic control analysis methodology and its evaluation on glycerol biosynthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. | A coupled in silico thermodynamic and probabilistic metabolic control analysis methodology was verified by applying it to the glycerol biosynthetic pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The methodology allows predictions even when detailed knowledge of the enzyme kinetics is lacking. In a metabolic steady state, we found that glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase operates far from thermodynamic equilibrium ([Formula: see text] -15.9 to -47.5 kJ mol(-1), where [Formula: see text] is the transformed Gibbs energy of the reaction). Glycerol-3-phosphataseoperates in modes near the thermodynamic equilibrium, far from the thermodynamic equilibrium or in between ([Formula: see text] ≈ 0 to -23.7 kJ mol(-1)). From the calculated distribution of the scaled flux control coefficients (median = 0.81), we inferred that the pathway flux is primarily controlled by glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. This prediction is consistent with previous findings, verifying the efficacy of the proposed methodology. | 25,257,590 | [
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Characterization of a new endo-type polyM-specific alginate lyase from Pseudomonas sp. | An alginate lyase gene, algA, encoding a new poly β-D-mannuronate (polyM)-specific alginate lyase AlgA, was cloned from Pseudomonas sp. E03. The recombinant AlgA with (His)6-tag, consisting of 364 amino acids (40.4 kDa),was purified using Ni-NTA Sepharose. The purified lyase had maximal activity (222 EU/mg) at pH 8 and 30 °C and also maintained activity between pH 7-9 and below 45 °C. It exclusively and endolytically depolymerized polyM by β-elimination into oligosaccharides with degrees of polymerization (DP) of 2-5. Due to its high substrate specificity, AlgA could be a valuable tool for production of polyM oligosaccharides with low DP and for determining the fine structure of alginate. | 25,257,600 | [
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Impaired functional integration in multiple sclerosis: a graph theory study. | Aim of this study was to explore the topological organization of functional brain network connectivity in a large cohort of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and to assess whether its disruption contributes to disease clinical manifestations. Graph theoretical analysis was applied to resting state fMRI data from 246 MS patients and 55 matched healthy controls (HC). Functional connectivity between 116 cortical and subcortical brain regions was estimated using a bivariate correlation analysis. Global network properties (network degree, global efficiency, hierarchy, path length and assortativity) were abnormal in MS patients vs HC, and contributed to distinguish cognitively impaired MS patients (34%) from HC, but not the main MS clinical phenotypes. Compared to HC, MS patients also showed: (1) a loss of hubs in the superior frontal gyrus, precuneus and anterior cingulum in the left hemisphere; (2) a different lateralization of basal ganglia hubs (mostly located in the left hemisphere in HC, and in the right hemisphere in MS patients); and (3) a formation of hubs, not seen in HC, in the left temporal pole and cerebellum. MS patients also experienced a decreased nodal degree in the bilateral caudate nucleus and right cerebellum. Such a modification of regional network properties contributed to cognitive impairment and phenotypic variability of MS. An impairment of global integration (likely to reflect a reduced competence in information exchange between distant brain areas) occurs in MS and is associated with cognitive deficits. A regional redistribution of network properties contributes to cognitive status and phenotypic variability of these patients. | 25,257,603 | [
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Low cytoplasmic pH reduces ER-Golgi trafficking and induces disassembly of the Golgi apparatus. | The Golgi apparatus was dramatically disassembled when cells were incubated in a low pH medium. The cis-Golgi disassembled quickly, extended tubules and spread to the periphery of cells within 30 min. In contrast, medial- and trans-Golgi were fragmented in significantly larger structures of smaller numbers at a slower rate and remained largely in structures distinct from the cis-Golgi. Electron microscopy revealed the complete disassembly of the Golgi stack in low pH treated cells. The effect of low pH was reversible; the Golgi apparatus reassembled to form a normal ribbon-like structure within 1-2h after the addition of a control medium. The anterograde ER to Golgi transport and retrograde Golgi to ER transport were both reduced under low pH. Phospholipase A2 inhibitors (ONO, BEL) effectively suppressed the Golgi disassembly, suggesting that the phospholipase A2 was involved in the Golgi disassembly. Over-expression of Rab1, 2, 30, 33 and 41 also suppressed the Golgi disassembly under low pH, suggesting that they have protective role against Golgi disassembly. Low pH treatment reduced cytoplasmic pH, but not the luminal pH of the Golgi apparatus, strongly suggesting that reduction of the cytoplasmic pH triggered the Golgi disassembly. Because a lower cytoplasmic pH is induced in physiological or pathological conditions, disassembly of the Golgi apparatus and reduction of vesicular transport through the Golgi apparatus may play important roles in cell physiology and pathology. Furthermore, our findings indicated that low pH treatment can serve as an important tool to analyze the molecular mechanisms that support the structure and function of the Golgi apparatus. | 25,257,606 | [
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Influence of treatments in multiple sclerosis disability: a cohort study. | A critical aspect of multiple sclerosis (MS) treatments is understanding the effect of disease-modifying drugs (DMDs) on the long-term risk of disability and whether the effect is related to disability at start of treatment. We performed an observational study on 3060 MS patients. The effect of therapy on progression to Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) 3.0 and 6.0 from onset was analysed in treated vs untreated (UTP) patients using Cox regression analysis adjusted for propensity score and immortal time bias. Compared to UTP, the risks of EDSS 3.0 were 94% and 73% lower in immunomodulant (IMTP-) and immunosuppressant (ISTP-) treated patients, respectively, while the risk of EDSS 6.0 was 86% lower in IMTP. The risk of EDSS 6.0 was, respectively, 91% and 75% lower in 1275 IMTP before and 114 after EDSS 3.0 than in 539 UTP; the risk was higher in IMTP starting therapy after EDSS 3.0 than before (HR = 4.42). DMDs delayed long-term disability in MS patients treated either in the early or, to a lesser extent, in the later phase of the disease. Thus, the window of therapeutic opportunity is relatively extended, assuming that early is better than late treatment, but late is better than never. | 25,257,611 | [
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Toward the use of proxy reports for estimating long-term patient-reported outcomes in multiple sclerosis. | Assessment of disease impact in multiple sclerosis (MS) is usually driven by information obtained directly from patients using patient-reported outcomes. However, when patients' response in longitudinal studies is less reliable or missing, proxy respondents may be used. The objective of this paper is to evaluate whether long-term patient scores can be reliably estimated using scores obtained from proxies. Baseline, six-month and two-year data were collected from 155 patients and proxies on the physical scale of the Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale (MSIS-29). Linear regression analyses were performed with the patient two-year scores as outcome, proxy two-year scores as predictor and other variables that could contribute to a better prediction of the patient follow-up score. The patient follow-up score could be predicted rather accurately (R(2) = 0.74) using the patient baseline score and the proxy follow-up score. The correlation between observed and predicted scores was 0.86. The model performed well in different follow-up durations and even better in an external cohort. A simple model of a constant value (intercept), the patient baseline score and the proxy follow-up score can predict patients' follow-up score on the physical impact of MS. | 25,257,617 | [
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A theoretical study of the interaction of hydrogen and oxygen with palladium or gold adsorbed on pyridine-like nitrogen-doped graphene. | The interaction of H2 and O2 molecules in the presence of nitrogen-doped graphene decorated with either a palladium or gold atom was investigated by using density functional theory. It was found that two hydrogen molecules were adsorbed on the palladium atom. The interaction of these adsorbed hydrogen molecules with two oxygen molecules generates two hydrogen peroxide molecules first through a Eley-Rideal mechanism and then through a Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism. The barrier energies for this reaction were small; therefore, we expect that this process may occur spontaneously at room temperature. In the case of gold, a single hydrogen molecule is adsorbed and dissociated on the metal atom. The interaction of the dissociated hydrogen molecule on the surface with one oxygen molecule generates a water molecule. The competitive adsorption between oxygen and hydrogen molecules slightly favors oxygen adsorption. | 25,257,619 | [
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Epigenetic mechanism causes Wnt9b deficiency and nonsyndromic cleft lip and palate in the A/WySn mouse strain. | The heritable multifactorial etiology of human nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL ± P) is not understood. CL ± P occurs in 15% of neonates in the homozygous A/WySn mouse strain, with a multifactorial genetic etiology, the clf1 and clf2 variant genes. Clf1 acts as a mutant allele of Wnt9b but its coding sequence is normal. An IAP (intracisternal A particle) retrotransposon inserted near the Wnt9b gene is associated with clf1. Transcription of noncoding sequence between the IAP and the Wnt9b gene was examined in A/WySn embryos. The levels of Wnt9b transcript and of an "IAP antisense" transcript initiated in the IAP and extending into the noncoding interval were assayed in A/WySn and C57BL/6J whole embryos or heads across embryonic days 8 to 12. Methylation of the 5' LTR of the IAP was examined in E12 A/WySn embryo heads. Mean Wnt9b transcript levels were lower in A/WySn than in C57BL/6J at all ages examined and lower in CL ± P embryos than in their normal littermates. The "IAP antisense" transcript was found in all A/WySn embryos and was highest in CL ± P embryos. The IAP at Wnt9b was generally unmethylated in CL ± P embryos and approximately 50% methylated in normal littermates. The clf1 mutation in A/WySn is a "metastable epiallele", in which stochastic deficiency in some individuals of DNA methylation of a retrotransposon uniquely inserted near the Wnt9b gene allows transcriptional activity of the retrotransposon and interference with transcription from Wnt9b. Methylation of metastable epialleles should be investigated in human nonsyndromic CL ± P. | 25,257,647 | [
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Variation and covariation in strongyle infection in East African shorthorn zebu calves. | Parasite burden varies widely between individuals within a population, and can covary with multiple aspects of individual phenotype. Here we investigate the sources of variation in faecal strongyle eggs counts, and its association with body weight and a suite of haematological measures, in a cohort of indigenous zebu calves in Western Kenya, using relatedness matrices reconstructed from single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotypes. Strongyle egg count was heritable (h(2) = 23.9%, s.e. = 11.8%) and we also found heritability of white blood cell counts (WBC) (h(2) = 27.6%, s.e. = 10.6%). All the traits investigated showed negative phenotypic covariances with strongyle egg count throughout the first year: high worm counts were associated with low values of WBC, red blood cell count, total serum protein and absolute eosinophil count. Furthermore, calf body weight at 1 week old was a significant predictor of strongyle EPG at 16-51 weeks, with smaller calves having a higher strongyle egg count later in life. Our results indicate a genetic basis to strongyle EPG in this population, and also reveal consistently strong negative associations between strongyle infection and other important aspects of the multivariate phenotype. | 25,257,652 | [
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Highly sensitive immunoassay for the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction using silica spheres encapsulating a quantum dot layer. | Commercial ELISA kits for substance P (SubP), which are helpful for the clinical diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction, are limited in efficacy because of low sensitivity. A highly sensitive immunoassay was developed using silica spheres encapsulating a quantum dot-layer (SQS) and labeling antibodies, on a Parylene A-modified plate. The high sensitivity was possible by taking advantage of the enhanced photoluminescence of the SQS and dense immobilization of SubP on a Parylene A-modified plate. Glutaraldehyde was used for cross-linking of SQS to the anti-SubP antibody and SubP to the Parylene A coating. The SQS-linked immunosorbent assay (SQSLISA) was optimized and validated. The dynamic range for the assay was 1-10000 pg/mL with a linear correlation factor of 0.9992 when the competitive SQSLISA was employed. The intra- and interday accuracies were 93-100% and 87-122%, respectively. The reproducibility was lower than 11%. The developed method was applied to clinical samples collected from healthy controls (n = 30) and acute myocardial infarction (n = 16) and it displayed a high correlation with the commercial ELISA kit, with a limit of detection that was 30-fold lower. Clinical sample analysis confirmed that SubP is a promising diagnostic marker for acute myocardial infarction. The SQSLISA is expected to be a practical and useful assay tool. | 25,257,659 | [
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Targeting the cis-dimerization of LINGO-1 with low MW compounds affects its downstream signalling. | The transmembrane protein LINGO-1 is a negative regulator in the nervous system mainly affecting axonal regeneration, neuronal survival, oligodendrocyte differentiation and myelination. However, the molecular mechanisms regulating its functions are poorly understood. In the present study, we investigated the formation and the role of LINGO-1 cis-dimers in the regulation of its biological activity. LINGO-1 homodimers were identified in both HEK293 and SH-SY5Y cells using co-immunoprecipitation experiments and BRET saturation analysis. We performed a hypothesis-driven screen for identification of small-molecule protein-protein interaction modulators of LINGO-1 using a BRET-based assay, adapted for screening. The compound identified was further assessed for effects on LINGO-1 downstream signalling pathways using Western blotting analysis and AlphaScreen technology. LINGO-1 was present as homodimers in primary neuronal cultures. LINGO-1 interacted homotypically in cis-orientation and LINGO-1 cis-dimers were formed early during LINGO-1 biosynthesis. A BRET-based assay allowed us to identify phenoxybenzamine as the first conformational modulator of LINGO-1 dimers. In HEK-293 cells, phenoxybenzamine was a positive modulator of LINGO-1 function, increasing the LINGO-1-mediated inhibition of EGF receptor signalling and Erk phosphorylation. Our data suggest that LINGO-1 forms constitutive cis-dimers at the plasma membrane and that low MW compounds affecting the conformational state of these dimers can regulate LINGO-1 downstream signalling pathways. We propose that targeting the LINGO-1 dimerization interface opens a new pharmacological approach to the modulation of its function and provides a new strategy for drug discovery. | 25,257,685 | [
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Parent Perceptions of Their Adolescent Athlete's Concussion: A Preliminary Retrospective Study. | Parent reports of their adolescent athletes' recovery from concussion are often considered by clinicians, but limited research has explored the factors (i.e., athletes' symptoms and neurocognitive performance) predicting parents' perceptions of athletes' recovery and how these factors relate to previous research on athletes' self-perceptions of recovery. The current study included 67 athletes aged 12 to 18 years old (M = 14.69 years, SD = 1.67) who were evaluated for a sports-related concussion within 6 months postinjury and were accompanied by a parent to their evaluation. Athletes and parents were asked to rate athletes' percent "back to normal" (i.e., perception of recovery), and athletes completed Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing and symptom reports on the Post-Concussion Symptom Scale. Results of a multiple regression for athletes' total symptom score and neurocognitive performance (Verbal Memory, Visual Memory, Visuomotor Speed, and Reaction Time) was significant and accounted for 47.9% of the variance in parents' perceptions of recovery with total symptoms as the only significant predictor. A stepwise regression for symptom clusters (somatic, cognitive, sleep, and neuropsychiatric) demonstrated that somatic complaints were the most predictive of parents' perceptions. Parents' and athletes' perceptions are predicted by athletes' somatic symptoms, rather than athletes' performance on objective assessments. | 25,257,693 | [
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Future development of biologically relevant dosimetry. | Proton and ion beams are radiotherapy modalities of increasing importance and interest. Because of the different biological dose response of these radiations as compared with high-energy photon beams, the current approach of treatment prescription is based on the product of the absorbed dose to water and a biological weighting factor, but this is found to be insufficient for providing a generic method to quantify the biological outcome of radiation. It is therefore suggested to define new dosimetric quantities that allow a transparent separation of the physical processes from the biological ones. Given the complexity of the initiation and occurrence of biological processes on various time and length scales, and given that neither microdosimetry nor nanodosimetry on their own can fully describe the biological effects as a function of the distribution of energy deposition or ionization, a multiscale approach is needed to lay the foundation for the aforementioned new physical quantities relating track structure to relative biological effectiveness in proton and ion beam therapy. This article reviews the state-of-the-art microdosimetry, nanodosimetry, track structure simulations, quantification of reactive species, reference radiobiological data, cross-section data and multiscale models of biological response in the context of realizing the new quantities. It also introduces the European metrology project, Biologically Weighted Quantities in Radiotherapy, which aims to investigate the feasibility of establishing a multiscale model as the basis of the new quantities. A tentative generic expression of how the weighting of physical quantities at different length scales could be carried out is presented. | 25,257,709 | [
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Clonal dissemination of multilocus sequence type 11 Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase - producing K. pneumoniae in a Chinese teaching hospital. | Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC)-producing K. pneumoniae has disseminated rapidly in China. We aimed to analyze the molecular epidemiology of four KPC-producing K. pneumoniae strains isolated from a suspected clonal outbreak during a 3-month period and to track the dissemination of KPC-producing K. pneumonia retrospectively. We created antimicrobial susceptibility profiles using an automated broth microdilution system and broth microdilution methods. We screened carbapenemase and KPC phenotypes using the modified Hodge test and meropenem-boronic acid (BA) disk test, respectively. We identified β-lactamase genes with PCR and sequencing. We investigated clonal relatedness for epidemiological comparison using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). All isolates expressed multidrug resistance and yielded positive results for the modified Hodge and meropenem-BA disk tests. The isolates all carried blaKPC -2 , and coproduced CTX-M-type extended-spectrum β-lactamase. PFGE and MLST showed that the isolates were clonally related. The PFGE patterns of these isolates had ≥90% similarity. We found a single clone, sequence type (ST) 11, and its typical dissemination mode resembled clonal spread. The dissemination of KPC-producing K. pneumoniae is clonally related and there is probable local transmission of a successful ST11 clone. | 25,257,726 | [
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The evolution of neurocritical care. | Although neurocritical care as a subspecialty is a relatively young field of medicine, its origins can be traced back to ancient times. This article focuses on the progression of neurocritical care from prehistoric trepanation procedures, through the development of mechanical ventilation, management of increased intracranial pressure, and traumatic brain injury, to the establishment of the first "real" intensive care units, and finally to modern monitoring in neurocritical care, management of post-cardiac arrest patients, and the diagnosis of brain death. This article also focuses on the future direction of neurocritical care. | 25,257,734 | [
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Brain death and management of a potential organ donor in the intensive care unit. | The concept of brain death developed with the advent of mechanical ventilation, and guidelines for determining brain death have been refined over time. Organ donation after brain death is a common source of transplant organs in Western countries. Early identification and notification of organ procurement organizations are essential. Management of potential organ donors must take into consideration specific pathophysiologic changes for medical optimization. Future aims in intensive and neurocritical care medicine must include reducing practice variability in the operational guidelines for brain death determination, as well as improving communication with families about the process of determining brain death. | 25,257,743 | [
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Regulation of CTR2 mRNA by the nonsense-mediated mRNA decay pathway. | The nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) pathway was originally identified as a pathway that degrades mRNAs with premature termination codons; however, NMD is now known to regulate natural mRNAs as well. Natural mRNAs are degraded by NMD due to the presence of specific NMD targeting features. An atypically long 3'-UTR is one of the features that has been shown to induce the rapid degradation of mRNAs by NMD in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and other organisms. S. cerevisiae CTR2 mRNAs have long 3'-UTRs and are sensitive to NMD, although the extent by which these long 3'-UTRs target the CTR2 mRNAs to the pathway is unknown. Here, we investigated the sequence elements that induce NMD of the CTR2 mRNAs and determined that the long CTR2 3'-UTR is sufficient to target an NMD-insensitive mRNA to the pathway. We also found that, although the CTR2 3'-UTR contributes to NMD-induced degradation, CTR2 mRNAs contain additional NMD-inducing features that function cooperatively with the atypically long 3'-UTR to trigger mRNA degradation. Lengthening the CTR2 ORF abrogates NMD and renders the mRNAs immune to the NMD pathway. Moreover, we found that transcription of CTR2 driven by the GPD promoter, which is not identical to the CTR2 promoter, affects degradation of the transcripts by NMD. | 25,257,758 | [
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Medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) reconstruction improves radiographic measures of patella alta in children. | Patellofemoral instability has previously been associated with patella alta. The purpose of this study was to evaluate adolescents undergoing MPFL reconstruction for standardized indices of patellar height on pre- and post-operative radiographs to determine if these radiographic parameters change after MPFL reconstruction. Twenty-seven children (mean age 14.9years old) who underwent MPFL reconstruction without a distal realignment procedure were evaluated pre- and post-operatively for Insall-Salvati Ratio, Modified Insall-Salvati Ratio, and Caton-Deschamps Index by three blinded raters. Intrarater reliability and interrater reliability were calculated for each index, and means of each were compared pre- and post-operatively to determine if MPFL reconstruction was associated with improved patellar height. All three indices of patellar height indicated that there was patella alta present in this cohort preoperatively. Furthermore, all three measures were significantly improved postoperatively (paired t-tests, P<0.001 for all) to within normal childhood ranges. Interrater reliability was excellent for both the Insall-Salvati Ratio (ICC=0.89) and Caton-Deschamps Index (ICC=0.78), and adequate for the Modified Insall-Salvati Ratio (ICC=0.57); intrarater reliability was excellent for all three (ICCs: 0.91, 0.82, 0.80 respectively). MPFL reconstruction in children using hamstring autograft was associated with consistently improved patellar height indices to within normal childhood ranges. This associated improvement of patellar height as measured on a lateral radiograph may subsequently improve patellofemoral mechanics by drawing the patella deeper and more medially into the trochlear groove. Level 4. | 25,257,777 | [
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Comparison between Elevate anterior/apical system and Perigee system in pelvic organ prolapse surgery: clinical and sonographic outcomes. | The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of de novo stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and sonographic features of implanted transvaginal mesh in continent women treated with Elevate(™) anterior/apical [single-incision mesh (SIM-A)] or Perigee(™) [transvaginal mesh with sacrospinous fixation (TVM + SSF)] in extensive pelvic organ reconstruction surgery. This prospective observational study was done from May 2010 to January 2013. Patients were recruited from two tertiary centers, and the Elevate(™) and Perigee(™) systems were compared. Patients who had overt or occult SUI, previous prolapse or mesh insertion were excluded. Fifty-seven patients in the SIM-A group and sixty-one in the TVM + SSF group were analysed. All completed a minimum of 1-year follow-up. Groups were demographically and statistically similar. There was a significantly high incidence of de novo SUI postoperatively in the SIM-A group. The objective and subjective cure rate of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) were comparable between groups, with incidence of mesh erosion in the SIM-A group and three in the TVM + SSF group. Sonographic evaluation showed significant increase in mesh length in the SIM-A group. Elevate(™) a offered lower incidence of mesh erosion and comparable results on anatomical POP correction; however, incidence of de novo SUI was high. There is an apparent lengthening of implanted Elevate® mesh sonographically. | 25,257,810 | [
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Outcomes using a clinical practice pathway for the management of pulse loss following pediatric cardiac catheterization. | Objectives To describe the results of a clinical practice pathway (CPP) for the management of postcatheterization pulse loss in a children's hospital. Standardized approaches to the diagnosis and management of postcatheterization arterial thrombus are lacking. As a result, substantial practice variation exists. Data collected prospectively for quality improvement purposes were retrospectively reviewed. Since initiation of the CPP, 93/1,672 (5.4%) catheterizations resulted in pulse loss at a median patient age and weight of 73 days (1 day-5.8 years) and 4.8 kg (2-14.1 kg). Arterial thrombus was documented by ultrasound (US) in 85. Of these, 66 resolved by 12 weeks of therapy, seven patients died, and four were lost to follow-up before completing treatment. Eight patients had persistent thrombus despite a full treatment course (89% success rate in those able to complete treatment). Of patients treated with unfractionated heparin as initial therapy, 46% (17/37) achieved a therapeutic partial thromboplastin time within 12 hr with 19% (67/343) of all levels therapeutic. As a result, the CPP was modified to use enoxaparin as first line agent, of which 57% (41/72) had a therapeutic anti-Xa level after the 2nd dose and 88% by the 4th dose. No bleeding complications were observed. A priori established process metrics were achieved. A CPP utilizing early initiation of anticoagulation and US to aid diagnosis of postcatheterization arterial thrombus and response to therapy is feasible and effective. In those able to complete up to 12 weeks of treatment, resolution occurs in nearly 90%. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. | 25,257,828 | [
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Altered ghrelin levels in boys with autism: a novel finding associated with hormonal dysregulation. | Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder with unclear pathogenesis. Many clinical observations and hormone studies have suggested the involvement of the neuroprotective hormone ghrelin in autism. The current study aimed to investigate the potential role of ghrelin in autism and to elucidate the associated hormonal dysregulation. This case-control study investigated acyl ghrelin (AG), des-acyl ghrelin (DG), total testosterone (TT), free testosterone (FT), leptin and growth hormone (GH) levels in 31 male children with autism and 28 healthy age and sex-matched controls. Hormone levels were measured in the blood using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and chemiluminescence immunoassay kits. AG, DG and GH levels were significantly lower in the autism group than in the control group (p ≤ 0.001, p ≤ 0.005 and p ≤ 0.05, respectively). However, TT, FT and leptin levels were significantly higher in the autism group than in the control group (p ≤ 0.05, p ≤ 0.001 and p ≤ 0.01, respectively). Our results for the first time demonstrate low AG and DG levels in autistic children. Considering the capacity of ghrelin to affect neuroinflammatory and apoptotic processes that are linked to autism, this study suggests a potential role for the hormone ghrelin in the pathogenesis of autism. | 25,257,829 | [
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Lateral ventricle haemangioblastoma: the role of perfusion scanning and embolisation in diagnosis and management. | We present the case of a 24-year-old man who presented with vertigo and right-sided weakness. Subsequent imaging demonstrated a lateral ventricle haemangioblastoma. This is the first case ever to be treated with surgical excision augmented by preoperative endovascular embolisation, as illustrated with perfusion CT scanning performed pre-embolisation and postembolisation. We present the case followed by a summary of the previously published cases and a discussion of the advantages of perfusion scanning and endovascular embolisation in these highly vascular (and therefore potentially dangerous) lesions. | 25,257,888 | [
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Seizures and EEG features in 74 patients with genetic-dysmorphic syndromes. | Epilepsy is one of the most common findings in chromosome aberrations. Types of seizures and severity may significantly vary both between different conditions and within the same aberration. Hitherto specific seizures and EEG patterns are identified for only few syndromes. We studied 74 patients with defined genetic-dysmorphic syndromes with and without epilepsy in order to assess clinical and electroencephalographic features, to compare our observation with already described electro-clinical phenotypes, and to identify putative electroencephalographic and/or seizure characteristics useful to address the diagnosis. In our population, 10 patients had chromosomal disorders, 19 microdeletion or microduplication syndromes, and 32 monogenic syndromes. In the remaining 13, syndrome diagnosis was assessed on clinical grounds. Our study confirmed the high incidence of epilepsy in genetic-dysmorphic syndromes. Moreover, febrile seizures and neonatal seizures had a higher incidence compared to general population. In addition, more than one third of epileptic patients had drug-resistant epilepsy. EEG study revealed poor background organization in 42 patients, an excess of diffuse rhythmic activities in beta, alpha or theta frequency bands in 34, and epileptiform patterns in 36. EEG was completely normal only in 20 patients. No specific electro-clinical pattern was identified, except for inv-dup15, Angelman, and Rett syndromes. Nevertheless some specific conditions are described in detail, because of notable differences from what previously reported. Regarding the diagnostic role of EEG, we found that--even without any epileptiform pattern--the generation of excessive rhythmic activities in different frequency bandwidths might support the diagnosis of a genetic syndrome. | 25,257,908 | [
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Clinical and immunochemical profiles of food challenge proven or anaphylactic shrimp allergy in tropical Singapore. | Shellfish allergy in Singapore is highly prevalent, and shrimp allergy is the most common. This study aims to evaluate the clinical characteristics and immunological phenotype of shellfish allergy in this population. Patients with self-reported shellfish allergy were recruited from outpatient clinics of three large hospitals and from a population survey. Open oral food challenges (OFC) to glass prawn (Litopenaeus vannamei) and tiger prawn (Penaeus monodon) were carried out on all patients except for those who had a history of severe anaphylaxis. Skin prick tests (SPT) and specific IgE to crude and recombinant allergens were carried out to evaluate shrimp and dust mite sensitization. Immunoblots were used to assess IgE-binding proteins. The 104 patients recruited were categorized into shellfish allergic (SA) when OFC was positive or had a history of severe anaphylaxis (n = 39), shellfish tolerant (ST) when OFC was negative (n = 27), and house dust mite positive controls (HDM(+) ) who were ST (n = 38). Oral symptoms (87.1%) were the predominant clinical manifestation. Positive challenge doses ranged from 2 to 80 g of cooked shrimp, with 25/52 patients reacting to either one or both shrimps challenged. The presence of specific IgE to shrimp either by SPT and/or ImmunoCAP(®) assay provided diagnostic test sensitivity of 82% and specificity of 22.2%. The inclusion of specific IgE to shrimp tropomyosin and IgE immunoblots with shrimp extracts did not improve the diagnostic proficiency substantially. This study highlights the predominance of oral symptoms in shrimp allergy in tropical Asia and that a high provocation dose may be necessary to reveal shrimp allergy. Furthermore, specific IgE diagnostic tests and immunoblots were of limited use in this population. | 25,257,922 | [
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Topical therapy for toenail onychomycosis: an evidence-based review. | Managing toenail onychomycosis with topical treatments is challenging. It is difficult for topical medication to penetrate the nail plate, and this is reflected in lower cure rates with topical treatment than with oral treatment. However, oral medications may not be suitable for some patients, because of drug interactions; therefore, topical treatments are critical in managing the disease in certain patient populations. This paper reviews the quality and content of the scientific literature on topical treatments for toenail onychomycosis. PubMed, Ovid (Medline and Embase), Scopus, Cochrane library, and clinicaltrials.gov databases were searched for original clinical reports of topical monotherapy for microscopy and/or culture-confirmed toenail onychomycosis in adults. Studies were evaluated using an onychomycosis study quality scale, which was based on the CONSORT guidelines. Twenty-five publications (28 studies) were identified and met the inclusion criteria. Thirteen studies scored high ratings on the quality scale. These were randomized controlled trials or randomized comparative trials. Low-quality studies were nonrandomized, open studies that prevented statistical analysis. Most studies reported clinical and mycological cure. The most variation was observed with reporting outcomes of clinical improvement. Amorolfine, ciclopirox, tavaborole, and efinaconazole produced clinical and mycological cure in patients with mild to moderate toenail onychomycosis (<50-65 % nail involvement), with efinaconazole showing the highest rates. Treatments were generally applied daily for 24-48 weeks, with longer treatment and follow-up showing better outcomes. Topical treatment with amorolfine, ciclopirox, tavaborole, or efinaconazole is appropriate for cases of mild to moderate toenail onychomycosis due to dermatophyte or mixed dermatophyte/Candida infection. | 25,257,931 | [
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Attentional bias for pain- and period-related symptom words in healthy women who experienced a recent painful period. | Attentional biases for pain-related information have been commonly reported in patients with chronic pain. Biases may also exist in individuals who recently experienced an episode of acute clinical pain, although limited investigation has been conducted. The present study is the first to explore attentional biases in women who experienced recent menstrual pain. Seventy healthy women were recruited who experienced a regular menstrual cycle and a recent painful period. All participants completed a visual-probe task with pain-related and period-related symptom words, which were presented at subliminal (14 ms, followed by nonsensical consonant letter string for 286 ms) and supraliminal (300 ms, 1250 ms) exposure durations. Participants then completed a series of self-report measures, including a measure of cyclical perimenstrual symptoms. Recent menstrual pain severity was found to be significantly predictive of attentional bias towards pain-related words presented for 1250 ms. However, no significant evidence of bias was found towards period-related symptom words. Pain-related attentional biases are associated with recent menstrual pain severity. The experience and severity of pain, rather than its duration (i.e., whether pain is chronic or acute), may be the primary determinants of pain-related attentional bias. Future research could explore attentional biases in acute clinical pain samples to confirm this notion. | 25,257,937 | [
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Clinical Profiles of Children with Disruptive Behaviors Based on the Severity of Their Conduct Problems, Callous-Unemotional Traits and Emotional Difficulties. | This study identified clinical profiles of referred children based on the severity of callous-unemotional (CU) traits, emotional difficulties, and conduct problems. Parents of 166 children (132 males) aged 6-12 years referred to a hospital clinic because of disruptive behavior completed measures to assess these key indicators, and person-centered analysis was used to identify profiles. Four distinct profiles were identified that include: (1) Children low in severity on the three domains, (2) Children high in severity on the three domains, (3) Children high in severity in conduct problems and CU traits with minimal emotional difficulties, and (4) Children high in severity in conduct problems and emotional difficulties with minimal CU traits. Profiles differed in degree of aggression and behavioral impairment. Findings show that clinic-referred children with disruptive behaviors can be grouped based on these important indicators into profiles that have important implications for assessment and treatment selection. | 25,257,946 | [
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Mendelian randomization of serum urate and parkinson disease progression. | Higher serum urate concentrations predict more favorable prognosis in individuals with Parkinson disease (PD). The purpose of this study was to test the causality of this association using a Mendelian randomization approach. The study was conducted among participants in DATATOP and PRECEPT, 2 randomized trials among patients with early PD. The 808 patients with available DNA were genotyped for 3 SLC2A9 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that identify an allele associated with lower urate concentrations, and for selected SNPs in other genes encoding urate transporters that have modest or no effect on serum urate levels. An SLC2A9 score was created based on the total number of minor alleles at the 3 SLC2A9 loci. Primary outcome was disability requiring dopaminergic treatment. Serum urate concentrations were 0.69mg/dl lower among individuals with ≥4 SLC2A9 minor alleles as compared to those with ≤2 (p = 0.0002). The hazard ratio (HR) for progression to disability requiring dopaminergic treatment increased with increasing SLC2A9 score (HR = 1.16, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.00-1.35, p = 0.056). In a comparative analysis, the HR was 1.27 (95% CI = 1.00-1.61, p = 0.0497) for a 0.5mg/dl genetically conferred decrease in serum urate, and 1.05 (95% CI = 1.01-1.10, p = 0.0133) for a 0.5mg/dl decrease in measured serum urate. No associations were found between polymorphisms in other genes associated with urate that do not affect serum urate and PD progression. This Mendelian randomization analysis adds to the evidence of a causal protective effect of high urate levels. | 25,257,975 | [
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Individual differences in aversion to ambiguity regarding medical tests and treatments: association with cancer screening cognitions. | Aversion to "ambiguity"-uncertainty about the reliability, credibility, or adequacy of information-about medical tests and treatments is an important psychological response that varies among individuals, but little is known about its nature and extent. The purpose of this study was to examine how individual-level ambiguity aversion relates to important health cognitions related to different cancer screening tests. A survey of 1,074 adults, ages 40 to 70 years, was conducted in four integrated U.S. healthcare systems. The Ambiguity Aversion in Medicine (AA-Med) scale, a measure of individual differences in aversion to ambiguity (AA) about medical tests and treatments, was administered along with measures of several cancer screening-related cognitions: perceived benefits and harms of colonoscopy, mammography, and PSA screening, and ambivalence and future intentions regarding these tests. Multivariable analyses were conducted to assess the associations between AA-Med scores and cancer screening cognitions. Individual-level AA as assessed by the AA-Med scale was significantly associated (P < 0.05) with lower perceived benefits, greater perceived harms, and greater ambivalence about all three screening tests, and lower intentions for colonoscopy but not mammography or PSA screening. Individual-level AA is broadly and simultaneously associated with various pessimistic cognitive appraisals of multiple cancer screening tests. The breadth of these associations suggests that the influence of individual-level AA is insensitive to the degree and nonspecific with respect to the causes of ambiguity. Individual-level AA constitutes a measurable, wide-ranging cognitive bias against medical intervention, and more research is needed to elucidate its mechanisms and effects. | 25,258,015 | [
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Increased risk of severe congenital heart defects in offspring exposed to selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors in early pregnancy--an epidemiological study using validated EUROCAT data. | Previous studies suggest a possible association between maternal use of selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) during early pregnancy and congenital heart defects (CHD). The purpose of this study was to verify this association by using validated data from the Danish EUROCAT Register, and secondary, to investigate whether the risk differs between various socioeconomic groups. We conducted a cohort study based on Danish administrative register data linked with the Danish EUROCAT Register, which includes all CHD diagnosed in live births, fetal deaths and in pregnancies terminated due to congenital anomalies. The study population consisted of all registered pregnancies (n = 72,280) in Funen, Denmark in the period 1995-2008. SSRI-use was assessed using The Danish National Prescription Registry, information on marital status, maternal educational level, income, and country of origin from Statistics Denmark was used as indicators of socioeconomic situation, and the CHD were studied in subgroups defined by EUROCAT. Logistic Regression was used to investigate the association between redeemed prescriptions for SSRIs and CHD. The risk of severe CHD in the offspring of the 845 pregnant women who used SSRIs during first trimester increased four times (AOR 4.03 (95% CI 1.75-9.26)). We found no increased risk of septal defects. Socioeconomic position did not modify the association between maternal SSRI-use during pregnancy and severe CHD. This study, which is based on data with high case ascertainment, suggests that maternal use of SSRIs during first trimester increases the risk of severe CHD, but does not support findings from previous studies, based on administrative register data, regarding an increased risk of septal defects. The study was unable to document an interaction between socioeconomic status and maternal SSRI-use on the risk of severe CHD. | 25,258,023 | [
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Are physiotherapists reliable proxies for the recognition of pain in individuals with cerebral palsy? A cross sectional study. | Pain is an important problem for individuals with cerebral palsy (CP). In addition to pain associated to the pathology, individuals with CP are often exposed to physiotherapy procedures which may cause or relieve pain. The major aim of this study was to compare pain ratings self-reported by individuals with cerebral palsy and ratings about pain in others provided by their physiotherapists. Cross-sectional study. Children and young adults with cerebral palsy (n = 50) and their physiotherapists (n = 18) completed semi-structured interviews about clinical pain, as well as about procedural pain and pain relief elicited by standardized health procedures. Moreover, pain ratings were obtained during the application of hamstring stretching and passive joint mobilization. Moderate-to-high agreement was observed between individuals with cerebral palsy and their physiotherapists on presence and intensity of pain, pain interference with physical activities and current and retrospective pain ratings elicited by physiotherapy procedures. By contrast, agreement regarding pain relief elicited by physiotherapy techniques was low. Our data suggest that although physiotherapists may be reliable proxies for the recognition of pain in individuals with cerebral palsy, further research should be done to improve the communication between health professionals and individuals with cerebral palsy around pain. | 25,258,089 | [
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Effect of selected Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast strains and different aging techniques on the polysaccharide and polyphenolic composition and sensorial characteristics of Cabernet Sauvignon red wines. | The objective of this work was to study the effect of two Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast strains with different capabilities of polysaccharide liberation during alcoholic fermentation in addition to subsequent aging on lees with or without oak wood chips as well as aging with commercial inactive dry yeast on the physical, chemical and sensorial characteristics of Cabernet Sauvignon red wines. The HPS (high levels of polysaccharides) yeast strain released higher amounts of polysaccharides (429 g L(-1)) than EC1118 (390 g L(-1)) during alcoholic fermentation, but the concentration equalized during the aging period (424 and 417 g L(-1) respectively). All aging techniques increased the polysaccharide concentration, but the increase was dependent on the technique applied. A higher liberation of polysaccharides reduced the concentration of most of the phenolic families analyzed. Moreover, no clear effect of the different aging techniques used in this study on color stabilization was found. The HPS wines were better valued than the EC1118 wines by the panel of tasters after alcoholic fermentation. In general, the HPS wines showed better physicochemical and sensorial characteristics than the EC1118 wines. According to the results obtained during the aging period, all aging techniques contributed to improve wine quality, but it was difficult to establish the technique that allowed the best wine to be obtained, because it depended on the aging technique used and the period of aging. | 25,258,103 | [
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Nickel(0)-catalyzed enantioselective annulations of alkynes and arylenoates enabled by a chiral NHC ligand: efficient access to cyclopentenones. | Cyclopentenones are versatile structural motifs of natural products as well as reactive synthetic intermediates. The nickel-catalyzed reductive [3+2] cycloaddition of α,β-unsaturated aromatic esters and alkynes constitutes an efficient method for their synthesis. Here, nickel(0) catalysts comprising a chiral bulky C1-symmetric N-heterocyclic carbene ligand were shown to enable an efficient asymmetric synthesis of cyclopentenones from mesityl enoates and internal alkynes under mild conditions. The bulky NHC ligand provided the cyclopentenone products in very high enantioselectivity and led to a regioselective incorporation of unsymmetrically substituted alkynes. | 25,258,104 | [
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Early-stage minimally invasive procedures decrease perihematomal endothelin-1 levels and improve neurological functioning in a rabbit model of intracerebral hemorrhage. | To determine the effects of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) at various stages after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) on perihematomal endothelin (ET)-1 levels and neurological functioning. Sixty rabbits were randomly distributed into a model control group (MC group, 30 rabbits) or a MIS group (MI group, 30 rabbits). An ICH model was established in all animals. In the MI group, ICH was evacuated by MIS at 6, 12, 18, 24, and 48 hours (six rabbits at each time point) after the ICH was established. The animals in the MC group underwent the same procedures for ICH evacuation, but with a sham operation without hematoma aspiration. All the animals were sacrificed 7 days after the ICH was established. Neurological deficit scores were determined, and the perihematomal brain tissue was removed to determine the ET-1 levels, blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability, and brain water content (BWC). The neurological deficit scores, perihematomal ET-1 levels, BBB permeability, and BWC all decreased significantly in the MI group compared to the MC group. Performing the MIS for evacuating the ICH at 6 hours resulted in the most remarkable decreases in these indices, followed by a significant difference observed at 12 hours within the MI subgroups. Performing MIS at 6-12 hours after ICH resulted in the most significant decreases in neurological deficit scores, ET-1 levels, BBB permeability, and brain edema. The optimal time window for performing MIS for ICH evacuation might be within 6-12 hours after hemorrhage. | 25,258,111 | [
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Systematic implementation of evidence-based practice in a clinical nursing setting: a participatory action research project. | To describe the process of implementing evidence-based practice in a clinical nursing setting. Evidence-based practice has become a major issue in nursing, it is insufficiently integrated into daily practice and its implementation is complex. Participatory action research. The main participants were nurses working in a lung unit of a rural hospital. A multi-method process of data collection was used during the observing, reflecting, planning and acting phases. Data were continuously gathered during a 24-month period from 2010 to 2012, and analysed using an interpretive constant comparative approach. Patients were consulted to incorporate their perspective. A best-practice mode of working was prevalent on the ward. The main barriers to the implementation of evidence-based practice were that nurses had little knowledge of evidence-based practice and a rather negative attitude towards it, and that their English reading proficiency was poor. The main facilitators were that nurses wanted to deliver high-quality care and were enthusiastic and open to innovation. Implementation strategies included a tailored interactive outreach training and the development and implementation of an evidence-based discharge protocol. The academic model of evidence-based practice was adapted. Nurses worked according to the evidence-based practice discharge protocol but barely recorded their activities. Nurses favourably evaluated the participatory action research process. Action research provides an opportunity to empower nurses and to tailor evidence-based practice to the practice context. Applying and implementing evidence-based practice is difficult for front-line nurses with limited evidence-based practice competencies. Adaptation of the academic model of evidence-based practice to a more pragmatic approach seems necessary to introduce evidence-based practice into clinical practice. The use of scientific evidence can be facilitated by using pre-appraised evidence. For clinical practice, it seems relevant to integrate scientific evidence with clinical expertise and patient values in nurses' clinical decision-making at the individual patient level. | 25,258,116 | [
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Expression and purification of the trypsin inhibitor from tartary buckwheat in Pichia pastoris and its novel toxic effect on Mamestra brassicae larvae. | The gene of the trypsin inhibitor of tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum) was successfully cloned, expressed in Pichia pastoris and tested for regulatory effects on insect growth. The three significant factors were optimized by single-factor experiments and central composite design in response surface methodology. Proteins were efficiently expressed at levels of 489.6-527.4 U/mg in shaken flasks. The trypsin inhibitor from tartary buckwheat (FtTI) was purified by affinity chromatography and centrifugal ultrafiltration. The purified FtTI efficiently inhibited trypsin protease activity by competitive inhibition with a Ki value 1.5 nM. The molecular mass of the purified protein was approximately 13.8 kDa. FtTI had a higher toxic killing effect on Mamestra brassicae larvae. The median lethal concentration for the larvae was 15 μg/mL. | 25,258,121 | [
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Commitment to change and assessment of confidence: tools to inform the design and evaluation of interprofessional education. | This study examines use of the commitment-to-change model (CTC) and explores the role of confidence in evaluating change associated with participation in an interprofessional education (IPE) symposium. Participants included students, faculty, and practitioners in the health professions. Satisfaction with the symposium and levels of commitment and confidence in implementing a change were assessed with a post-questionnaire and a follow-up questionnaire distributed 60 days later. Participants who reported changed behavior were compared with those who did not make a change. Independent sample t-tests determined whether there were differences between groups in their average level of commitment and/or confidence immediately following the symposium and at follow-up. At post-symposium, attendees were satisfied with content and format. Sixty-eight percent said they would make a change in profession related activities. At 60 days, 53% indicated they had implemented a change. In comparison to those who reported no change, those who made a change reported higher levels of commitment and higher levels of confidence. Logistic regression suggested that the combination of commitment and confidence did not predict implementation in this sample; however, confidence had a higher odds ratio for predicting success than did commitment. Confidence should be studied further in relation to commitment as a predictor of behavioral change associated with participation in an IPE symposium. Evaluators and instructional designers should consider use of follow-up support activities to improve learners' confidence and likelihood of successful behavior change in the workplace. | 25,258,127 | [
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Training mid- to late-career health professionals for clinical work in low-income regions abroad. | Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) Global Health Center has developed a unique training program-Professionals' Training in Global Health (PTGH)--for mid- and late-career health professionals wanting to perform clinical services overseas in low-income countries. A multidisciplinary, multifaceted, structured curriculum underpins the clinical retraining, with classes aimed to be practical for clinical settings in resource-poor regions of the world. Preceptorships in family medicine and emergency medicine offer specialists the opportunity to observe primary care physicians one-on-one. In addition, PTGH trainees volunteer at free medical clinics where they work under the guidance and supervision of a family physician. For those individuals who live at some distance from Portland, Oregon, the course offers live videoconferencing, as well as archived streaming for later review. As of November 2013, 79 health professionals have completed the course, with 45 graduates having subsequently volunteered on one or more overseas medical missions, for a total of 109 medical service visits to 36 countries. Pre- and post-course testing shows improvements in clinical skills and knowledge base. Professionals' Training in Global Health has a 6-year record of interprofessional training and service both overseas and at home. The course has trained physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, midwives, paramedics and other health professionals. | 25,258,130 | [
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Assessing the impact of a medical librarian on identification of valid and actionable practice gaps for a continuing medical education committee. | Identifying educational needs related to professional practice gaps can be a complex process for continuing medical education (CME) committees and for physicians who submit activity applications. Medical librarians possess unique skills that may be useful for identifying practice gaps relevant to CME committees. We assessed this assumption by assessing a medical librarian's contributions to practice gap identification for the Marshfield Clinic's CME Committee. We reviewed all locally relevant, locally actionable practice gaps identified annually by various stakeholders and presented to our CME Committee from 2010 to 2013. Total numbers of practice gaps identified, total categorized as actionable, and numbers of subsequent activities resulting from these gaps were calculated for each year. Medical librarian totals were compared to those of other CME committee stakeholders to determine the relative contribution. The medical librarian identified unique, actionable published practice gaps that directly contributed to CME activity planning. For each study year, contributions by the medical librarian grew, from 0 of 27 actionable gaps validated by CME Committee in 2010 to 49 of 108 (45.4%) in 2013. With the librarian's assistance, the number of valid practice gaps submitted between 2010 and 2013 by stakeholders climbed from 23 for 155 activities (14.8%) to 133 for 157 activities (84.7%). Medical librarians can provide a valuable service to CME committees by identifying valid professional practice gaps that inform decisions about educational activities aimed at improving clinical practice. Medical librarians bring into deliberations unique information, including national health policy priorities, practice gaps found in the literature, and point-of-care search engine statistics. | 25,258,131 | [
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The effect of modified ultrafiltration on angiopoietins in pediatric cardiothoracic operations. | Cardiopulmonary bypass subjects patients' blood to hemodilution and nonphysiologic conditions, resulting in a systemic inflammatory response. Modified ultrafiltration (MUF) counteracts hemodilution and has also been postulated to improve outcomes by proinflammatory cytokine removal. The objective of this study was to investigate whether the benefits of MUF include the removal of proinflammatory mediators, such as angiopoietin-2 (angpt-2). We hypothesize that some of the clinical benefits of MUF are related to the preferential removal of angpt-2. We performed a prospective cohort study in children 18 years old or younger undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass. Serum samples were obtained from each patient preoperatively, after cardiopulmonary bypass, and on intensive care unit admission. A fluid sample from the MUF effluent was also analyzed. Angpt-1, angpt-2, interleukin-8, and interleukin-10 levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Thirty-one patients were enrolled. Angpt-1 levels significantly decreased across all time points (p<0.01). Angpt-2 concentrations were significantly elevated at intensive care unit admission when compared with both preoperative and post-cardiopulmonary bypass levels (p<0.01). The angpt-2:1 ratio significantly increased after cardiopulmonary bypass to intensive care unit admission (p<0.01). There was no significant difference between the angpt-2 or angpt-1 percentage of extraction within MUF effluent. Interleukin-8 and interleukin-10 significantly increased from preoperative to intensive care unit admission (both p<0.01). The results of this study demonstrate that MUF removes both proinflammatory and antiinflammatory mediators equally. This study suggests that the clinical benefits of MUF cannot be attributed to the removal of larger quantities of proinflammatory mediators such as angpt-2 and interleukin-8. | 25,258,157 | [
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Preventing leptin resistance by blocking angiotensin II AT1 receptors in diet-induced obese rats. | AT1 receptor blockers (ARBs) represent an approach for treating metabolic syndrome due to their potency in reducing hypertension, body weight and onset of type 2 diabetes. The mechanism underlying ARB-induced weight loss is still unclear. Leptin resistance tests (LRTs) in diet-induced obese or lean rats were conducted to determine whether telmisartan (8 mg·kg(-1) ·day(-1) , 14 days) enhances leptin sensitivity. Phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (pSTAT3) staining was performed in hypothalami to determine leptin transport across the blood-brain barrier. Telmisartin reduced weight gain, food intake and plasma leptin but blood pressure remained unchanged. The 24 h profiles of plasma leptin after saline injections were similar in controls and telmisartan-treated rats, but after leptin injections were higher in controls and slightly lower in telmisartan-treated animals. After telmisartan, energy intake during LRT was lower in leptin- than in saline-pretreated rats, but remained unchanged in controls, irrespectively of whether rats received saline or leptin. Leptin minimized the gain in body weight during LRT in telmisartan-treated rats as compared with saline-treated animals. pSTAT3 staining was reduced in cafeteria diet-fed rats as compared with chow-fed rats but this was normalized by telmisartan. Telmisartin reduced hypothalamic mRNA levels of the orexigenic peptides melanin-concentrating hormone and prepro-orexin. Rats fed a cafeteria diet develop leptin resistance after 2 weeks. Leptin sensitivity was preserved by telmisartan treatment even in rats fed a cafeteria diet. This pleiotropic effect is not related to the hypotensive action of telmisartan. | 25,258,168 | [
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Variable number tandem repeats in dopamine receptor D4 in Tourette's syndrome. | We attempted to clarify the association between dopamine receptor D4 (DRD4) 48-bp variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) polymorphism and Tourette's syndrome. The DRD4 48-bp VNTR polymorphism was genotyped in 291 Tourette's syndrome patients (including 218 trios) and 405 controls. Chi-square and transmission disequilibrium test analysis were used to compare genetic distributions. We retrieved related studies in a meta-analysis to clarify the role of 2-repeat and 4-repeat alleles in the pathogenesis. Obvious genotype and allele distribution differences were observed between patients and healthy controls for both 2-repeat and 4-repeat alleles. This was verified using transmission disequilibrium test analysis. Meta-analysis showed strong associations in both the total population and the Asian population. The DRD4 48-bp VNTR polymorphism appears to be associated with Tourette's syndrome, with the 2-repeat allele performing a protective role and the 4-repeat allele a nonprotective role in the genesis of the disease. | 25,258,183 | [
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Restoration of normal left ventricular geometry after percutaneous mitral annuloplasty: case report and review of literature. | Surgical mitral valve intervention is not considered suitable in patients with severe functional mitral regurgitation due to severe dilated cardiomyopathy and severe systolic dysfunction. In such patients percutaneous mitral valve intervention is the next best alternative. We are presenting case report of a patient who presented with severe dyspnea progressing to orthopnea and paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea. He was found to have severe functional mitral regurgitation and severe left ventricle systolic dysfunction. Surgical mitral intervention was not considered suitable and percutaneous mitral annuloplasty was done. At one month follow-up significant improvement in symptoms were noted with improvement in severity of mitral regurgitation severity. At 6 months follow-up further improvement in symptoms were noted along with significant improvement in the severity of mitral regurgitation and normalization of left ventricle geometry. At 1 year follow-up his symptoms further improved, left ventricle geometry remained normal and mitral regurgitation severity remained mild to moderate. Our case demonstrate that in patient with severe LV systolic dysfunction, severe mitral regurgitation and left bundle branch block percutaneous mitral annuloplasty can obviate the need for CRT-D due to significant improvement in LV function and geometry along with regression in severity of mitral regurgitation. Improvement in mitral regurgitation severity and LV geometry started early and kept improving with excellent result at 6 and 12 months. | 25,258,184 | [
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Endoplasmic reticulum stress contributes to arsenic trioxide-induced intrinsic apoptosis in human umbilical and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. | Arsenic trioxide is an old drug and has been used for a long time in traditional Chinese and Western medicines. However, the cancer treatment of arsenic trioxide has heart and vascular toxicity. The cytotoxic effects of arsenic trioxide and its molecular mechanism in human umbilical mesenchymal stem cells (HUMSC) and human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (HMSC-bm) were investigated in this study. Our results showed that arsenic trioxide significantly reduced the viability of HUMSC and HMSC-bm in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Arsenic trioxide is able to induce apoptotic cell death in HUMSC and HMSC-bm, as shown from the results of morphological examination, flow cytometric analyses, DAPI staining and comet assay. The appearance of arsenic trioxide also led to an increase of intracellular free calcium (Ca(2+) ) concentration and the disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm). The caspase-9 and caspase-3 activities were time-dependently increased in arsenic trioxide-treated HUMSC and HMSC-bm. In addition, the proteomic analysis and DNA microarray were carried out to investigate the expression level changes of genes and proteins affected by arsenic trioxide treatment in HUMSC. Our results suggest that arsenic trioxide induces a prompt induction of ER stress and mitochondria-modulated apoptosis in HUMSC and HMSC-bm. A framework was proposed for the effect of arsenic trioxide cytotoxicity by targeting ER stress. | 25,258,189 | [
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Methylmercury accumulation and elimination in mink (Neovison vison) hair and blood: results of a controlled feeding experiment using stable isotope tracers. | Concentrations of metals in hair are used often to develop pharmacokinetic models for both animals and humans. Although data on uptake are available, elimination kinetics are less well understood; stable isotope tracers provide an excellent tool for measuring uptake and elimination kinetics. In the present study, methylmercury concentrations through time were measured in the hair and blood of mink (Neovison vison) during a controlled 60-d feeding experiment. Thirty-four mink were fed a standard fish-based diet for 14 d, at the end of which (day 0), 4 mink were sacrificed to determine baseline methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations. From day 0 to day 10, the remaining mink were fed a diet consisting of the base diet supplemented with 0.513 ± 0.013 µg Me(199) Hg/g and 0.163 ± 0.003 µg Me(201) Hg/g. From day 10 to day 60, mink were fed the base diet supplemented with 0.175 ± 0.024 µg Me(201) Hg/g. Animals were sacrificed periodically to determine accumulation of Me(201) Hg in blood and hair over the entire 60-d period and the elimination of Me(199) Hg over the last 50 d. Hair samples, collected from each mink and cut into 2.0-mm lengths, indicate that both isotopes of MeHg appeared in the hair closest to the skin at approximately day 10, with concentrations in the hair reaching steady state from day 39 onward. The elimination rate of Me(199) Hg from the blood was 0.05/d, and the ratio of MeHg in the hair to blood was 119. A large fraction of MeHg (22% to >100%) was stored in the hair, suggesting that in fur-bearing mammals the hair is a major route of elimination of MeHg from the body. | 25,258,205 | [
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Originator of feeding difficulty tool is made a fellow. | A NURSING professor who developed the only validated instrument for measuring feeding difficulty in dementia patients has been made a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. | 25,258,221 | [
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Practice Development Workbook for Nursing, Health and Social Care Teams Dewing Jan , McCormack Brendan , Titchen Angie Practice Development Workbook for Nursing, Health and Social Care Teams 248pp £29.99 Wiley Blackwell 9781118676707 111867670X [Formula: see text]. | WITH THE growth of practice development over the past 20 years there has been an increased understanding and focus on the importance of systematic, collaborative approaches, that lead to better outcomes for patients and their supporters. The pathways that individuals have followed as practice developers look and feel different, however, what is key is how they/we have applied learning to improve effectiveness, understanding and knowledge of approaches to challenge, support and develop practice. | 25,258,230 | [
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Listen, Talk, Connect: Communicating with People Living with Dementia Listen, Talk, Connect: Communicating with People Living with Dementia 68pp Care UK [Formula: see text]. | THIS BOOK is aimed at carers, relatives and friends of people living with dementia. It can be downloaded from Care UK's website at www.careuk.com/talk-dementia . It is excellent, attractively presented and easy to read. | 25,258,227 | [
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Noticeboard. | Courses, events, grants, and awards to progress your career. | 25,258,232 | [
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Progress towards early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. | Until recent years it was only possible to give a definitive diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease by post-mortem examination. In 2007, the International Working Group proposed that diagnosis could be made during the course of the disease. They suggested using clinical criteria such as poor memory that is not helped by giving clues, combined with biomarker evidence such as atrophy of the temporal lobe seen on magnetic resonance imaging or examination of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) showing alterations in amyloid-β or tau protein. | 25,258,236 | [
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Embracing Empathy in Healthcare Bikker Annemieke P , Cotton Philip and Mercer Stewart W Embracing Empathy in Healthcare 144pp £32.99 Radcliffe 9781909368187 1909368180 [Formula: see text]. | PATIENTS AND carers expect to be engaged in a partnership with healthcare practitioners and wish to be informed about and involved in decisions. The hallmark of high quality care is responding effectively to the needs of each individual. The CARE approach is a framework for empathic, person-centred healthcare interactions. | 25,258,226 | [
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(Im)perishable Pleasure, (In)destructible Desire: Sexual Themes in U.S. and English News Coverage of Male Circumcision and Female Genital Cutting. | Under what conditions do sexual pleasure and desire get addressed in news coverage of sexual health issues like female genital cutting (FGC) and male circumcision (MC)? In this study we employed an embodied ethnosexuality approach to analyze sexual themes in 1,902 items published from 1985 to 2009 in 13 U.S. and 8 English newspapers and news magazines. Journalists' discussions of sexual pleasure, desire, control, problems, and practices differed in quantity and quality depending on the practice and nation to which they pertained. News coverage in both nations presented FGC as impeding female sexual pleasure, desire, and activity in ways that reinforce (hetero)sexist understandings of sexuality. The English press depicted MC as diminishing male sexuality, whereas U.S. papers showed it as enhancing male sexuality. These patterns are influenced by, and serve to reinforce, cultural norms of embodiment and ethnosexual boundaries based on gender, race, and nationality. They may, in turn, shape public understandings of FGC and MC as social problems. | 25,258,244 | [
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The effect of poly(methyl methacrylate) surface treatments on the adhesion of silicone-based resilient denture liners. | Different surface treatment protocols of poly(methyl methacrylate) have been proposed to improve the adhesion of silicone-based resilient denture liners to poly(methyl methacrylate) surfaces. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of different poly(methyl methacrylate) surface treatments on the adhesion of silicone-based resilient denture liners. Poly(methyl methacrylate) specimens were prepared and divided into 4 treatment groups: no treatment (control), methyl methacrylate for 180 seconds, acetone for 30 seconds, and ethyl acetate for 60 seconds. Poly(methyl methacrylate) disks (30.0 × 5.0 mm; n = 10) were evaluated regarding surface roughness and surface free energy. To evaluate tensile bond strength, the resilient material was applied between 2 treated poly(methyl methacrylate) bars (60.0 × 5.0 × 5.0 mm; n = 20 for each group) to form a 2-mm-thick layer. Data were analyzed by 1-way ANOVA and the Tukey honestly significant difference tests (α = .05). A Pearson correlation test verified the influence of surface properties on tensile bond strength. Failure type was assessed, and the poly(methyl methacrylate) surface treatment modifications were visualized with scanning electron microscopy. The surface roughness was increased (P < .05) by methyl methacrylate treatment. For the acetone and ethyl acetate groups, the surface free energy decreased (P < .05). The tensile bond strength was higher for the methyl methacrylate and ethyl acetate groups (P < .05). No correlation was found regarding surface properties and tensile bond strength. Specimens treated with acetone and methyl methacrylate presented a cleaner surface, whereas the ethyl acetate treatment produced a porous topography. The methyl methacrylate and ethyl acetate surface treatment protocols improved the adhesion of a silicone-based resilient denture liner to poly(methyl methacrylate). | 25,258,267 | [
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The effects of silane-SiO2 nanocomposite films on Candida albicans adhesion and the surface and physical properties of acrylic resin denture base material. | Polysiloxane has been used as a coupling material in restorative dental materials for several decades. However, few studies are available on the application of polysiloxane in other dental prosthesis functions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of silane-SiO2 nanocomposite films on Candida albicans adhesion and the surface and physical properties of acrylic resin denture base materials. Specimens were separated into 2 groups, uncoated and coated. They were coated with a film by using the dip-coating method. Specimens were incubated with Candida albicans 10(7) cells/mL for 1 hour, and the adherent cells were counted under an optical microscope. The following surface properties were measured: surface chemical composition with Fourier-transform infrared spectrometry, surface roughness with a surface profiler, surface energy with the sessile drop method, and surface hardness with a microhardness tester. The physical properties, including water sorption, water solubility, ultimate flexural strength, and flexural modulus, were evaluated according to International Organization for Standardization 20795-1 requirements. The adhesion of Candida albicans and the surface properties of the specimens were investigated after cleaning with effervescent tablets and brushing. An MTT assay was used to evaluate the coated specimens. The results were statistically analyzed with the Mann-Whitney U test (α=.05). A significant reduction in Candida albicans adhesion (P=.002) was observed before cleaning. In addition, the surface energy was comparable (P=.100), the surface hardness increased significantly (P=.008), and the surface roughness remained unchanged (P=.310). After cleaning with effervescent tablets, a significant decrease in Candida albicans adhesion (P=.002) and in surface roughness (P=.008) was observed; however, similar surface energies were measured (P=.100). After cleaning with a toothbrush, the adhesion of Candida albicans was significantly higher on the coated specimen than on the uncoated specimen (P=.004). The surface roughness values were significantly different (P=.008), and the surface energies could not be determined. The coated specimen had a silicon-oxygen-silicon peak instead of an ester bond in the polymethyl methacrylate structure. The coating film reduced the water sorption (P=.008) and water solubility (P=.032), and increased the ultimate flexural strength (P=.008) and flexural modulus (P=.032) of the specimen. The coated specimen also had satisfactory toxicity results. Reduced Candida albicans adhesion was observed on the coated specimens. The polymeric film did not change the surface roughness of the acrylic resin specimen; however, it did slightly reduce the surface energy. The physical properties of the acrylic resin did not decrease after it was coated with the film. | 25,258,268 | [
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The Threat-Strategy Interview. | Operators in dynamic work environments use strategies to manage threats in order to achieve task goals. We introduce a structured interview method, the Threat-Strategy Interview (TSI), and an accompanying qualitative analysis to induce operator-level threats, strategies, and the cues that give rise to them. The TSI can be used to elicit knowledge from operators who are on the front line of managing threats to provide an understanding of strategic thinking, which in turn can be applied toward a variety of problems. | 25,258,275 | [
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Sequential rhodium/palladium catalysis: enantioselective formation of dihydroquinolinones in the presence of achiral and chiral ligands. | Compatible combinations of achiral and chiral ligands can be used in rhodium/palladium catalysis to achieve highly enantioselective domino reactions. The difference in rates of catalysis and minimal effects of ligand interference confer control in the domino sequence. The "all-in-one" 1,4-conjugate arylation and C-N cross-coupling through sequential Rh/Pd catalysis provides access to enantioenriched dihydroquinolinone building blocks. | 25,258,276 | [
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Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method for the quantitative analysis of ceritinib in human plasma and its application to pharmacokinetic studies. | Ceritinib is a highly selective inhibitor of an important cancer target, anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK). Because it is an investigational compound, there is a need to develop a robust and reliable analytical method for its quantitative determination in human plasma. Here, we report the validation of a liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for the rapid quantification of ceritinib in human plasma. The method consists of protein precipitation with acetonitrile, and salting-out assisted liquid-liquid extraction (SALLE) using a saturated solution of sodium chloride prior to analysis by LC-MS/MS with electrospray ionization (ESI) technique in positive mode. Samples were eluted at 0.800 mL min(-1) on Ascentis Express® C18 column (50 mm × 2.1 mm, 2.7 μm) with a mobile phase made of 0.1 % formic acid in water (A) and 0.1 % formic acid in acetonitrile (B). The method run time was 3.6 min and the low limit of quantification (LLOQ) was estimated at 1.00 ng mL(-1) when using 0.100 mL of human plasma. The assay was fully validated and the method exhibited sufficient specificity, accuracy, precision, and sensitivity. In addition, recovery data and matrix factor (MF) in normal and in hemolyzed plasmas were assessed, while incurred samples stability (ISS) for ceritinib was demonstrated for at least 21 months at a storage temperature of -65 °C or below. The method was successfully applied to the measurement of ceritinib in clinical samples and the data obtained on incurred samples reanalysis (ISR) showed that our method was reliable and suitable to support the analysis of samples from the clinical studies. | 25,258,279 | [
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Mitochondrial- and Fas-L-mediated pathways involved in quinestrol induced spermatogenic apoptosis in adult rat testes. | The pathways involved in quinestrol-induced spermatogenic apoptosis were studied in adult male rat by using daily intragastric administration of 0.01 mg/kg, 0.1 mg/kg and 1 mg/kg body weight quinestrol for two consecutive weeks. The immunohistochemistry staining was performed to measure the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), caspase-3, Bax, Bcl-2, Fas and FasL. The results showed that testes weights and the size of seminiferous tubule (ST) decreased as well as the organization of the ST changed significantly after treatment with 1 mg/kg quinestrol. The number of germ cells expressing caspase-3, Bax, Fas and FasL markedly increased whereas the numbers of cells expressing Bcl-2 and PCNA significantly decreased in the group treated with quinestrol at 1 mg/kg compared with the control. The results suggest that quinestrol induced abnormal spermatogenesis through the mitochondrial- and Fas-L-mediated pathways after quinestrol exposure in male rat. | 25,258,304 | [
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Pre-computed system matrix calculation based on a piece-wise method for PET. | A system matrix (SM) is the basic component of iterative image reconstruction algorithms. Calculation of the SM needs a considerable amount of time due to an enormous number of lines of response (LORs) being modeled. In this study, we developed a technique based on a piece-wise calculation method in which symmetry and further division of the voxels are applied. The detector response function for all detectable pairs of photons along certain LORs originating from each voxel is calculated analytically. The total number of LORs in 300 × 300 × 120 voxels (with 2 × 2 × 2 mm(3)) is ~44 billion, and the SM was calculated by the use of three different computers independently; the calculation time was 5 h. The SM took 5 days when calculated by the use of the conventional method (where symmetry and the piece-wise method are not used). The sensitivity correction factor was stored; it had a size of 42 MB in a four-byte computer memory. | 25,258,307 | [
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Motor deficits in children with autism spectrum disorder: a cross-syndrome study. | Recent research suggests that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience some level of motor difficulty, and that this may be associated with social communication skills. However, other studies show that children with language impairments, but without the social communication problems, are at risk of motor difficulties as well. The aim of the present study was to determine if children with ASD have syndrome-specific motor deficits in comparison to children with specific language impairment (SLI). We used an independent groups design with three groups of children (8-10 years old) matched on age and nonverbal IQ: an ASD group, an SLI group, and a typically developing (TD) group. All of the children completed an individually administered, standardized motor assessment battery. We found that the TD group demonstrated significantly better motor skills than either the ASD or SLI groups. Detailed analyses of the motor subtests revealed that the ASD and SLI groups had very similar motor profiles across a range of fine and gross motor skills, with one exception. We conclude that children with ASD, and SLI, are at risk of clinically significant motor deficits. However, future behavioral and neurological studies of motor skills in children with ASD should include an SLI comparison group in order to identify possible autism-specific deficits. | 25,258,309 | [
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Structure-function relationships in human testis-determining factor SRY: an aromatic buttress underlies the specific DNA-bending surface of a high mobility group (HMG) box. | Human testis determination is initiated by SRY, a Y-encoded architectural transcription factor. Mutations in SRY cause 46 XY gonadal dysgenesis with female somatic phenotype (Swyer syndrome) and confer a high risk of malignancy (gonadoblastoma). Such mutations cluster in the SRY high mobility group (HMG) box, a conserved motif of specific DNA binding and bending. To explore structure-function relationships, we constructed all possible substitutions at a site of clinical mutation (W70L). Our studies thus focused on a core aromatic residue (position 15 of the consensus HMG box) that is invariant among SRY-related HMG box transcription factors (the SOX family) and conserved as aromatic (Phe or Tyr) among other sequence-specific boxes. In a yeast one-hybrid system sensitive to specific SRY-DNA binding, the variant domains exhibited reduced (Phe and Tyr) or absent activity (the remaining 17 substitutions). Representative nonpolar variants with partial or absent activity (Tyr, Phe, Leu, and Ala in order of decreasing side-chain volume) were chosen for study in vitro and in mammalian cell culture. The clinical mutation (Leu) was found to markedly impair multiple biochemical and cellular activities as respectively probed through the following: (i) in vitro assays of specific DNA binding and protein stability, and (ii) cell culture-based assays of proteosomal degradation, nuclear import, enhancer DNA occupancy, and SRY-dependent transcriptional activation. Surprisingly, however, DNA bending is robust to this or the related Ala substitution that profoundly impairs box stability. Together, our findings demonstrate that the folding, trafficking, and gene-regulatory function of SRY requires an invariant aromatic "buttress" beneath its specific DNA-bending surface. | 25,258,310 | [
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