INTRODUCTION: Truncal acne is often associated with facial acne, but there are fewer options for an effective topical treatment on the trunk. Given the advent of foam formulations with enhanced percutaneous absorption and convenient application due to easy spreadability on skin, the previously held idea that effective treatment of truncal acne requires oral treatment is challenged. Azelaic acid cream has been previously approved for acne vulgaris, thus azelaic acid foam may be a viable treatment option for truncal acne.
STUDY DESIGN: A single-center, open label pilot study was conducted to investigate the efficacy and safety of azelaic acid 15% foam as a treatment modality for moderate truncal acne. Use for facial acne was also allowed and monitored during the study.
RESULTS: Twice-daily application of azelaic acid 15% foam to affected areas resulted in a 1-grade reduction in truncal investigator global assessment (IGA) scores in nearly all patients (16/18). Eight out of 18 patients (44%) were rated as Clear or Almost Clear in the trunk by the end of the study. There were also improvements in facial IGA scores; 9 of 18 patients (50%) exhibited a 1-grade improvement in IGA scores and 11 of 18 were Clear or Almost Clear by the end of the study. A significant reduction in lesion counts was found throughout the study and the medication was well tolerated.
CONCUSION: Azelaic acid 15% foam was effective in treating moderate truncal acne and facial acne in this pilot study. Given the efficacy and convenience of the foam vehicle, azelaic acid may be considered as a viable option for treatment of acne vulgaris, including on the trunk. Further studies are suggested in a larger population of patients, including adult females with acne.
J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(6):534 538.
. PMID- 28686771 TI - Fixed Combination of Clindamycin Phosphate 1.2% and Benzoyl Peroxide 3.75% Aqueous Gel: Long-Term Use in Adult Females With Moderate Acne Vulgaris. AB -OBJECTIVE: To evaluate long-term efficacy and safety of a fixed combination clindamycin phosphate 1.2% and benzoyl peroxide 3.75% (Clindamycin-BP 3.75%) aqueous gel in adult female patients with moderate acne vulgaris.
METHODS: Total of 20 patients, 25-63 years of age (mean [SD], 38 +/- 10) with moderate acne (IGA=3) were treated with Clindamycin-BP 3.75% once-daily for 12 weeks. Patients who experienced >=50% reduction in total lesion count continued treatment for a further 12 weeks. Mean (SD) percent reduction in lesion counts from baseline were assessed at week 4, 8, 12, 18, and 24. In addition, patients who were 'clear' or 'almost clear' were reported at week 12 and 24. Cutaneous tolerability (erythema, dryness, peeling, pruritus, and burning) and oiliness was assessed at baseline and each study visit. Adverse events were assessed throughout the study.
RESULTS: Clindamycin-BP 3.75% demonstrated statistical significant improvement from baseline and between each visit. At week 12, mean percent reduction in inflammatory and noninflammatory lesion counts was 70.6% and 58.6%, respectively. Two patients failed to experience >=50% lesion reduction by week 12. At week 24, mean percent reductions in inflammatory and noninflammatory lesion counts were 93.8% and 90; 72% of patients were 'clear' or 'almost clear'. Overall the treatment was tolerable. There was one adverse event (sinus infection) that was not treatment-related.
CONCLUSIONS: Clindamycin BP 3.75% gel demonstrates continued improvement in symptoms of moderate acne over 24 weeks, with good tolerability, demonstrating a clinical benefit of continued clindamycin-BP 3.75% gel as a maintenance therapy for acne in adult female patients.
J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(6):543-546.
. PMID- 28686772 TI - A Pilot, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of IncobotulinumtoxinA Injections in the Treatment of Rosacea. AB -BACKGROUND: Rosacea has a variable presentation. Whereas the pathophysiology may differ, erythema, and flushing are the most consistent findings in all patients.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of incobotulinumtoxinA in reducing the severity of rosacea symptoms.
METHODS: Nine subjects with erythematotelangiectactic or papulopustular rosacea were randomized in 2 groups. Subjects in Group 1 (n=4) received up to a total of 20 U of incobotulinumtoxinA in the affected area (across both cheeks). Subjects in Group 2 (n=5) were injected with equal volumes of a saline solution. Rosacea Clinical Scores and subject satisfaction were evaluated at baseline and at 1, 4, 12, and 16 weeks post-treatment. At week 16, both groups were injected with incobotulinumtoxinA. Follow-up visits were performed at 1 and 4 weeks post retreatment.
RESULTS: Patients in Group 1 exhibited reduction in the primary features of rosacea within 4 weeks of treatment with incobotulinumtoxinA. Consistent with this observation, patients in Group 2 (who had received the placebo in the first arm without significant changes to their symptoms) exhibited reductions in all of the primary and some of the secondary features upon treatment with incobotulinumtoxinA.
CONCLUSIONS: IncobotulinumtoxinA may be a safe and effective agent to reduce the severity of rosacea symptoms and increase patient satisfaction.
J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(6):549 554.
. PMID- 28686773 TI - Isotretinoin Monitoring Trends: A National Survey of Dermatologists. AB -BACKGROUND: Isotretinoin is an effective treatment for nodulocystic acne. Outside of required pregnancy testing, laboratory monitoring suggested by the manufacturers is vague. Dermatologists, therefore, monitor a variety of tests with variable frequency. Despite intense monitoring, the majority of patients do not have gross laboratory abnormalities that warrant changes in management.
OBJECTIVE: To survey US dermatologists regarding laboratory monitoring practices while prescribing isotretinoin.
METHODS: An online survey sent via e-mail to members of the American Academy of Dermatology.
RESULTS: 12,396 surveys were sent with a response rate of ~19%. At baseline >60% of responders check a CBC, LFTs, and a lipid panel. 74% check a monthly lipid panel and LFTs, while 57% check a monthly CBC. 75% report stopping isotretinoin when AST or ALT values reach 3 times normal; 89% report stopping at 4 times normal. When triglycerides reach 4 times normal, 72% stop the medication.
CONCLUSIONS: There is no consensus on isotretinoin monitoring tests and frequency, though the majority of dermatologists surveyed monitor a lipid panel and LFTs.
J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(6):557-564.
. PMID- 28686774 TI - Prospective Study of Pathogenesis of Atrophic Acne Scars and Role of Macular Erythema. AB -BACKGROUND: There are few studies on the natural history of acne lesions including the antecedents of atrophic scars.
STUDY DESIGN: Prospective study of relationship between primary (papules, pustules, comedones) and secondary lesions (atrophic scars, macular erythema, and hyperpigmentation) over 6 months. Subjects (n=32) had moderate facial acne including 10 or more atrophic acne scars and were their own control via randomized split-face design. Lesions were mapped 2x/week for 2 months and every 2 weeks thereafter until month 6 to track pathogenic progression.
RESULTS: Clinical assessment showed acne scars continuously forming throughout the 6-month study period. While the majority (66.2%) of these scars did not resolve by study endpoint, the remainder were transient. The likelihood of a scar developing from a primary acne lesion was 5.7%, and almost all scars arose from erythematous macules or hyperpigmentation (83%) and some (16%) developed directly from papules and pustules. Duration of papules was a key factor in the risk of scarring. The majority (81.7%) of the scars remaining at 6 months were still present at 2-year follow-up.
CONCLUSIONS: Atrophic acne scars continuously form, some resolve, and evolve primarily from inflammatory and post-inflammatory lesions. Clinicians should closely monitor patients with macular erythema for scarring.
J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(6):566-572.
. PMID- 28686775 TI - Adapalene/Benzoyl Peroxide Gel 0.3%/2.5%: A Safe and Effective Acne Therapy in All Skin Phototypes. AB -BACKGROUND: Acne affects individuals of all races and ethnicities; however, lighter and darker skin phototypes face different treatment challenges that may affect treatment response and tolerability. This analysis investigated possible differences in the efficacy and safety of the fixed dose combination of 0.3% adapalene with 2.5% benzoyl peroxide (A/BPO gel 0.3%/2.5%) in subjects with Fitzpatrick Skin Types (FST) I-VI.
METHODS: This was a post-hoc analysis of a Phase 3, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group study of moderate to severe acne in subjects with FST I-VI. Subjects received A/BPO gel 0.3%/2.5%, A/BPO gel 0.1%/2.5% (benchmark), or vehicle, once daily for 12 weeks. Efficacy measurements included success rate (IGA of Clear or Almost Clear), change in inflammatory and noninflammatory lesions from baseline to week 12, safety, and tolerability. The intent to treat (ITT) and safety populations were analyzed. Demographics and disposition were analyzed with descriptive statistics; categorical variables by frequency and percentage; and continuous variables with means, medians, minimum, maximum, and standard deviations.
RESULTS: The A/BPO gel 0.3%/2.5% treatment group included 128 subjects with FST I-III, and 89 subjects with FST IV-VI. At week 12, A/BPO gel 0.3%/2.5% was safe, tolerable, and significantly superior to vehicle for all FST and severity groups in inflammatory and noninflammatory lesion reduction (P less than equal to .05). Compared to baseline, 32% of subjects with FST I-III were clear or almost clear, compared to 7% in the vehicle group (P=.001). In FST IV-VI, 28% of subjects were clear or almost clear, compared to 15% for vehicle (P=NS). In all treatment groups and skin phototypes, week 12 tolerability scores were similar to baseline scores, and tolerability scores for most subjects of all skin phototypes were "none" or "mild" for all measures.
SUMMARY: We report that the fixed dose combination of A/BPO gel 0.3%/2.5% is efficacious and safe in patients with FST I VI with moderate and severe inflammatory acne.
Clinicaltrials.gov registry: NCT01880320
J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(6):574-581.
. PMID- 28686776 TI - Adapalene/Benzoyl Peroxide Gel 0.3%/2.5%: Effective Acne Therapy Regardless of Age or Gender. AB -BACKGROUND: Acne vulgaris affects a diverse group of people, and there is an increasingly wide variety of acne treatments. Because of the many options, clinicians have a better ability to individualize treatment; however, achieving optimal results relies on understanding how various agents perform in specific population segments. Fixed-combination adapalene plus benzoyl peroxide (A/BPO) is a first-line recommended acne therapy and is available in two adapalene concentrations (0.1% and 0.3%) combined with BPO 2.5%. This analysis investigated whether gender and age have an impact on either the efficacy or safety of topical A/BPO 0.3%.
METHODS: A post-hoc subanalysis was performed on data from a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, parallelgroup, 12-week study of A/BPO gel 0.3%/2.5% or vehicle gel in subjects >= 12 years old with moderate to severe acne vulgaris (Investigator global assessment [IGA] of 3 or 4). Efficacy measurements included achievement of an IGA of clear (0) or almost clear (1), and change in lesion counts from baseline to week 12. Safety measures included adverse events and cutaneous tolerability. The intent to treat (ITT) and safety populations were analyzed.
RESULTS: The A/BPO gel 0.3%/2.5% treatment group included 217 subjects. Among the subjects, 111 were 12-17 years old and 106 were >= 18 years old; 104 were male and 113 were female. A/BPO 0.3%/2.5% was safe, tolerable, and significantly superior to vehicle in success rates (IGA 0 or 1) and reduction of inflammatory/noninflammatory lesions (P<=0.05) across both age groups and genders.
CONCLUSIONS: A/BPO 0.3%/2.5% treatment achieved success and was equally effective and safe in younger vs older subjects and in males vs females. These results support the use of A/BPO 0.3%/2.5% in all subjects 12 and older.
Clinicaltrials.gov registry: (NCT01880320)
J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(6):582-589.
. PMID- 28686777 TI - Treatment Response With Once-Daily Topical Dapsone Gel, 7.5% for Acne Vulgaris: Subgroup Analysis of Pooled Data from Two Randomized, Double-Blind Stu. AB -BACKGROUND: Acne vulgaris has varying physical and psychological effects in men and women of different ages, races, and ethnicities.
OBJECTIVE: This analysis assessed the relationship of age, sex, and race to treatment response with once-daily topical dapsone gel, 7.5%.
METHODS: We conducted a pooled subgroup analysis of 2 randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled clinical trials conducted in the US and Canada. The studies included patients with 20 to 50 inflammatory and 30 to 100 noninflammatory facial lesions, and a Global Acne Assessment Score (GAAS) of 3 (moderate). Pooled data (N=4340) were analyzed by age (12-17 and >=18 years), sex, and race (Caucasian and non-Caucasian) for GAAS success (score of 0 [none] or 1 [minimal]) and mean percent change from baseline in inflammatory, noninflammatory, and total lesion counts. The impact of age and sex on treatment response was examined using multivariate analysis. Adverse events were analyzed by subgroups.
RESULTS: Treatment responses with dapsone gel, 7.5% were greater overall and for all subgroups versus vehicle. GAAS success rates and mean decrease in all lesion counts with dapsone gel, 7.5% were greater in older (aged >=18 years) versus younger patients, and for females versus males. Treatment response with dapsone gel, 7.5% in racial subgroups was similar. Multivariate analysis showed statistical significance for age group and sex as predictors of GAAS success (P less than equal to .005) and reduction in lesion counts (P less than equal to .025). Adverse events were similar across subgroups.
CONCLUSIONS: Older age (>=18 years) and female sex were predictors of treatment response. These subgroups tended to have greater acne improvement in subgroup comparisons. Caucasian and non-Caucasian patients had similar responses. The safety profile of dapsone gel, 7.5% was similar across subgroups.
J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(6):591-598.
. PMID- 28686778 TI - A Randomized Controlled Study of a Novel Botanical Acne Spot Treatment. AB -OBJECTIVE: The study evaluated the tolerability and efficacy of a new presented treatment for acne. The product is an OTC topical gel consisting of 2% SA, which is also enriched in botanicals that have been shown to have anti inflammatory properties.
DESIGN: The study was designed as a single-site, randomized, investigator-blinded, split-face 10-day study.
SETTING: Subjects enrolled with a minimum of 2 inflammatory papular acne lesions and 2 non inflammatory open or closed comedones on both sides of the face in symmetrical locations, to the greatest degree possible. One side of each subject's face was randomly selected to receive the study treatment product.
PARTICIPANTS: 25 subjects, 15 female and 10 males, ages 12 to 43 years, suffering from mild to moderate acne.
Measurements: Study duration was 10 days, with study visits occurring at baseline (day 0), day 1, day 2, day 3, day 7, and day 10. Subjects underwent investigator facial evaluation and lesion assessment by dermatologist at each of the visit days. For the inflammatory lesions, the assessed parameters were erythema, elevation, induration, and overall impression. The assessed non inflammatory parameters were elevation and overall impression.
Results: The observed difference between the treatment and the control group increased between day 1 and day 2 and reached an average of 15% to 20% with small varieties between the parameters and stayed similar across the remaining visits. Statistically significance (P less than 0.005) was achieved for all inflammatory and non-inflammatory tested parameters.
Conclusion: This study was performed to determine the safety, efficacy, and ease of use of a botanical acne treatment gel in providing a reduction in inflammatory acne lesion erythema, elevation, and induration. Erythema and elevation were the most influential parameters in inflammatory lesion with improvement noted after 2 days of application.
J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(6):599-603.
. PMID- 28686779 TI - Efficacy and Tolerability of a Cosmetic Skin Care Product With Trans-4-t butylcyclohexanol and Licochalcone A in Subjects With Sensitive Skin Prone to Redness and Rosacea. AB -BACKGROUND: Sensitive skin and rosacea are skin conditions, which may affect the quality of life of the patients considerably. In vitro and in vivo data indicated that the combination of trans-t-butylcyclohexanol and licochalcone A is an effective combination for alleviating the increased sensitivity of rosacea subtype I.
OBJECTIVE: Objective of this open dermocosmetic study was to investigate the efficacy and tolerability of a skin care product containing the anti-inflammatory licochalcone A and the TRPV1 antagonist trans-t butylcyclohexanol in subjects with sensitive skin prone to redness and rosacea.
METHODS: 1221 subjects with sensitive skin and rosacea stage 0-II applied the test product twice daily for 4 weeks. Clinical assessment of sensitive skin and rosacea symptoms were performed at baseline and after 4 weeks. Additionally, at treatment end the test subjects filled a self-assessment questionnaire.
RESULTS: After 4 weeks of application, both, clinical and subjective assessment have shown improvement of all symptoms of sensitive skin and rosacea in a significant number of subjects (P less than 0.001). The test product was efficacious and very well tolerated also when used in conjunction with pharmacological treatments of the skin condition under scrutiny.
Conclusions: The study confirmed the good tolerability and efficacy of the skin care product in the management of sensitive skin prone to redness and rosacea when used alone or in combination with other therapies.
J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(6):605-611.
. PMID- 28686780 TI - A Survey Assessment of US Dermatologists' Perception of Biosimilars. AB -BACKGROUND: Biologics have transformed the treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, but at a significant cost to payers and patients. The introduction of biosimilars into the US market could reduce costs while increasing access to biologic medications.
OBJECTIVE: We sought to identify gaps in biosimilar knowledge and perception among US dermatologists.
METHODS: An online survey was sent to dermatologists from January to April 2015.
RESULTS: Ninety-seven US dermatologists responded, of which 84% state they prescribe biologics in their practice. Only 37% of dermatologists were aware that a biosimilar is highly similar to a US-licensed reference biological product, 26% incorrectly described a biosimilar as a "generic" of a known biologic, and 10% of dermatologists stated they did not know the definition. Most dermatologists (88%) believe that substitutions from biologics to biosimilars will be made by pharmacists without consulting the physician. A total of 37% of dermatologists believed that a biosimilar with the same name as a biologic suggested they are "structurally identical." Only 25% said they would likely prescribe biosimilars to their patients, while 38% stated they would try using them on a very select, small group of patients before trying it on a majority of their patients.
LIMITATIONS: Limitations include small sample size and non responder bias.
CONCLUSION: A biosimilars knowledge gap exists amongst dermatologists, suggesting the need for more educational initiatives.
J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(6):612-615.
. PMID- 28686781 TI - Facial Identity and Self-Perception: An Examination of Psychosocial Outcomes in Cosmetic Surgery Patients. AB -The psychosocial health of patients undergoing cosmetic procedures has often been linked to a host of pre-existing conditions, including the type of procedure being performed. Age, gender, and the psychological state of the patients also contribute to the perceived outcome. Specifically, the presence or absence of Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) has been identified as an independent marker for unhappiness following cosmetic procedures.1 However, no study has, to our knowledge, identified a more precise indicator that is associated with higher rates of patient dissatisfaction from cosmetic procedure. This review identifies facial identity and self-perception as potential identifiers of future patient dissatisfaction with cosmetic procedures. Specifically, we believe that patients with a realistic facial identity and self-perception are more likely to be satisfied than those whose self-perceptions are distorted. Patients undergoing restorative procedures, including blepharoplasty, rhytidectomy, and liposuction, are more likely to have an increased outcome favorability rating than those undergoing type change procedures, such as rhinoplasty and breast augmentation. Age, which typically is an independent variable for satisfaction, tends to be associated with increased favorability ratings following cosmetic procedures. Female gender is a second variable associated with higher satisfaction. The authors believe that negative facial identity and self-perception are risk factors for patient dissatisfaction with cosmetic procedural outcomes. Based on this assumption, clinicians may want to focus on the face as a particular area of psychosocial concern.
J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(6):617-620.
. PMID- 28686782 TI - Eruptive Milia Within a Tattoo: A Case Report and Review of the Literature. AB -Of the many tattoo reactions the most common are allergic, granulomatous, lichenoid, photosensitive, pseudolymphomatous, and infectious. Eruptive milia are a rare complication with only three prior reports in the English literature. A 19 year-old African American female presented with tiny, white papules confined within the margins of a tattoo. She denied trauma or associated symptoms at the site. Biopsy demonstrated deposits of black granular material within the dermis and a small infundibular cyst; a diagnosis of eruptive milia within tattoo was made. The milia responded to treatment with urea 40% cream and tretinoin 0.1% cream. Given its rarity, it is important to recognize the presentation of this disorder as other tattoo reactions require more aggressive management. While further research is necessary to determine the exact pathogenesis of this condition, the authors propose a mechanism along with a review of the literature to discuss management.
J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(6):621-624.
. PMID- 28686783 TI - Schnitzler Syndrome With Delirium and Vertigo: The Utility of Neurologic Manifestations in Diagnosis. AB -Schnitzler syndrome (SS) is an autoinflammatory dermatosis that often goes undiagnosed for 5-6 years. Patients typically carry a diagnosis of urticaria; however, their cutaneous symptoms fail to respond to typical urticaria therapies and lack symptoms such as pruritus. Additionally, patients with SS may see multiple providers for nonspecific complaints of fever, lymphadenopathy, arthralgias, and bone pain. A correct diagnosis is paramount, as close to 20% of patients may develop a lymphoproliferative disorder and appropriate treatment may ameliorate all symptoms.1 We report 2 cases of SS misdiagnosed as urticaria for years in order to illuminate diagnostic pearls, histopathological findings, and treatment modalities. Additionally, we highlight the importance of neurologic disturbances in this rare but important differential diagnosis of urticaria.
J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(6):625-627.
. PMID- 28686784 TI - Aging Gracefully. AB - At the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology in 2016, I directed the symposium entitled 'Aging Gracefully' for the second time. The symposium's primary learning objective was to give the audience a framework for managing aesthetic patients. In the last decade, there has been a significant increase in the options for and availability of noninvasive and minimally invasive rejuvenation. With that has been an associated surge in interest by physicians and patients. And, as the number of procedures across the globe increases, so too do the number of aesthetically poor outcomes. Most come from practitioners doing paint-by-numbers treatment. As experts in skin biology and treatment, dermatologists should practice the highest-level cosmetic as well as general dermatology. The faculty presented information to aid practitioners how best to approach patients and formulate a cosmetic plan. The faculty discussed important considerations based on patient gender, age, and skin type. Updated information on the science of cosmeceuticals and the benefits of early noninvasive intervention was presented as were next generation devices and alternatives to standard therapies. The faculty have kindly condensed their AAD presentations for this supplement. I thank L'Oreal and the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology for giving us the opportunity to present this information to a wider audience in this e-supplement.Heidi A. Waldorf MDDirector of Laser & Cosmetic Dermatology, The Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NYIcahn School of Medicine of Mount Sinai, New York, NYWaldorf Dermatology Aesthetics, Nanuet, NY PMID- 28686786 TI - Disparities in the Use of Diabetes Screening in Appalachia. AB - PURPOSE: The Appalachian region presents disproportionately high rates of chronic disease compared to the rest of the United States. Early diagnosis of diabetes through screening is an important step in reducing diabetes complications. This study examines disparities in the use of diabetes screening in Appalachia. METHODS: We analyzed 2009 and 2010 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data for 96,111 adults aged >=45 years from 11 Appalachian states. Based on economic status, Appalachian counties were grouped into distressed (least affluent), at-risk, transitional, and competitive (most affluent). Logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the statistical significance and effect size of factors associated with diabetes screening. RESULTS: Competitive counties had the highest rate of diabetes screening (65.4%). At-risk counties had the lowest rate (60.3%), about 7.8% lower compared to competitive counties (P < .001). After adjusting for socioeconomic factors, differences in screening rates between county economic levels in Appalachia were not statistically significant. Among respondents >=65 years, at-risk counties had an 8.1% lower screening rate compared to competitive counties; this difference was not adequately explained by differences in socioeconomic factors. Screening rates in distressed and transitional counties were not significantly different from competitive counties in unadjusted or adjusted models. CONCLUSIONS: At-risk counties had significantly lower screening rates than competitive counties. They should receive more policy attention similar to that received by distressed counties. Social policies that improve socioeconomic status and educational attainment, and health policies that reduce barriers to access to care may reduce disparities in diabetes screening rates in the less affluent Appalachian counties. PMID- 28686785 TI - Liquid crystal phantom for validation of microscopic diffusion anisotropy measurements on clinical MRI systems. AB - PURPOSE: To develop a phantom for validating MRI pulse sequences and data processing methods to quantify microscopic diffusion anisotropy in the human brain. METHODS: Using a liquid crystal consisting of water, detergent, and hydrocarbon, we designed a 0.5-L spherical phantom showing the theoretically highest possible degree of microscopic anisotropy. Data were acquired on the Connectome scanner using echo-planar imaging signal readout and diffusion encoding with axisymmetric b-tensors of varying magnitude, anisotropy, and orientation. The mean diffusivity, fractional anisotropy (FA), and microscopic FA (uFA) parameters were estimated. RESULTS: The phantom was observed to have values of mean diffusivity similar to brain tissue, and relaxation times compatible with echo-planar imaging echo times on the order of 100 ms. The estimated values of uFA were at the theoretical maximum of 1.0, whereas the values of FA spanned the interval from 0.0 to 0.8 as a result of varying orientational order of the anisotropic domains within each voxel. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed phantom can be manufactured by mixing three widely available chemicals in volumes comparable to a human head. The acquired data are in excellent agreement with theoretical predictions, showing that the phantom is ideal for validating methods for measuring microscopic diffusion anisotropy on clinical MRI systems. Magn Reson Med 79:1817-1828, 2018. (c) 2017 The Authors Magnetic Resonance in Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not used for commercial purposes. PMID- 28686787 TI - Barriers and Facilitators of Colorectal Cancer Screening for Patients of Rural Accountable Care Organization Clinics: A Multilevel Analysis. AB - PURPOSE: This study examines multilevel factors related to colorectal cancer (CRC) screening in a rural Accountable Care Organization (ACO) setting. METHODS: The study used electronic medical record data from 8 rural ACO clinics in Nebraska. The final sample included 15,866 average-risk patients aged 50-75 years who visited participating clinics at least once from June 2014 to May 2015. Logistic regression was conducted to examine simultaneous effects of patient, provider, and county characteristics on CRC screening after accounting for provider-county-level correlation using a generalized estimating equations method. FINDINGS: The results indicated that patients aged 65 years and older, non-Hispanic white, whose preferred language was English, who had insurance, who had a wellness visit in the past year, and who had chronic conditions were more likely to be up-to-date on CRC screening. Patients were also more likely to be up to-date when their primary care provider was a female medical doctor who was aware of clinic CRC screening protocols or who manually checked patient CRC screening status during the patient visit. Patients in a county with no gastroenterologist, a high poverty rate, and low insurance coverage were less likely to be up-to-date on CRC screening. CONCLUSIONS: A variety of patient, provider, and county characteristics were associated with CRC screening. Effective strategies to promote CRC screening should address multilevel factors, including: targeting patients with identified individual barriers, modifying physician and clinical practices, and focusing on communities with low socioeconomic status or low levels of medical resources. PMID- 28686788 TI - Influence of physiological noise on accelerated 2D and 3D resting state functional MRI data at 7 T. AB - PURPOSE: Physiological noise often dominates the blood-oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal fluctuations in high-field functional MRI (fMRI) data. Therefore, to optimize fMRI protocols, it becomes crucial to investigate how physiological signal fluctuations impact various acquisition and reconstruction schemes at different acquisition speeds. In particular, further differences can arise between 2D and 3D fMRI acquisitions due to different encoding strategies, thereby impacting fMRI sensitivity in potentially significant ways. METHODS: The amount of physiological noise to be removed from the BOLD fMRI signal acquired at 7 T was quantified for different sampling rates (repetition time from 3300 to 350 ms, acceleration 1 to 8) and techniques dedicated to fast fMRI (simultaneous multislice echo planar imaging [EPI] and 3D EPI). Resting state fMRI (rsfMRI) performances were evaluated using temporal signal-to-noise ratio (tSNR) and network characterization based on seed correlation and independent component analysis. RESULTS: Overall, acceleration enhanced tSNR and rsfMRI metrics. 3D EPI benefited the most from physiological noise removal at long repetition times. Differences between 2D and 3D encoding strategies disappeared at high acceleration factors (6- to 8-fold). CONCLUSION: After physiological noise correction, 2D- and 3D-accelerated sequences provide similar performances at high fields, both in terms of tSNR and resting state network identification and characterization. Magn Reson Med 78:888-896, 2017. (c) 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. PMID- 28686789 TI - Tris(2,4,6-trifluorophenyl)borane: An Efficient Hydroboration Catalyst. AB - The metal-free catalyst tris(2,4,6-trifluorophenyl)borane has demonstrated its extensive applications in the 1,2-hydroboration of numerous unsaturated reagents, namely alkynes, aldehydes and imines, consisting of a wide array of electron withdrawing and donating functionalities. A range of over 50 borylated products are reported, with many reactions proceeding with low catalyst loading under ambient conditions. These pinacol boronate esters, in the case of aldehydes and imines, can be readily hydrolyzed to leave the respective alcohol and amine, whereas alkynyl substrates result in vinyl boranes. This is of great synthetic use to the organic chemist. PMID- 28686790 TI - Adipose stem cells enhance myoblast proliferation via acetylcholine and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 signaling. AB - INTRODUCTION: In this study we investigated the interaction between adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ASCs) and myoblasts in co-culture experiments. METHODS: Specific inductive media were used to differentiate ASCs in vitro into a Schwann cell-like phenotype (differentiated adipose tissue-derived stem cells, or dASCs) and, subsequently, the expression of acetylcholine (ACh)-related machinery was determined. In addition, the expression of muscarinic ACh receptors was examined in denervated rat gastrocnemius muscles. RESULTS: In contrast to undifferentiated ASCs, dASCs expressed more choline acetyltransferase and vesicular acetylcholine transporter. When co-cultured with myoblasts, dASCs enhanced the proliferation rate, as did ACh administration alone. Western blotting and pharmacological inhibitor studies showed that phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 signaling mediated these effects. In addition, denervated muscle showed higher expression of muscarinic ACh receptors than control muscle. DISCUSSION: Our findings suggest that dASCs promote proliferation of myoblasts through paracrine secretion of ACh, which could explain some of their regenerative capacity in vivo. Muscle Nerve 57: 305-311, 2018. PMID- 28686791 TI - Adherence and stress in a population of inner-city children with asthma. PMID- 28686792 TI - IgG subclass deficiencies in children: Facts and fiction. AB - The chance to analyse the four IgG subclasses arose with the publication of Terry and Fahey1 . Since then, a lot of new information on the role of subclasses and their deficiency states in humans has been obtained. This review tries to analyse critically our current knowledge of subclass deficiencies in children. PMID- 28686793 TI - Learning and memory effects of neonatal methamphetamine exposure in rats: Role of reactive oxygen species and age at assessment. AB - In utero methamphetamine (MA) exposure leads to a range of adverse effects, such as decreased attention, reduced working-memory capability, behavioral dysregulation, and spatial memory impairments in exposed children. In the current experiment, preweaning Sprague-Dawley rats-as a model of third trimester human exposure-were administered the spin trapping agent, N-tert-butyl-alpha phenylnitrone (PBN), daily prior to MA. Rats were given 0 (SAL) or 40 mg/kg PBN prior to each MA dose (10 mg/kg, 4* per day) from postnatal day (P) 6-15. Littermates underwent Cincinnati water maze, Morris water maze, and radial water maze assessment beginning on P30 (males) or P60 (females). Males were also tested for conditioned contextual and cued freezing, while females were trained in passive avoidance. Findings show that, regardless of age/sex, neonatal MA induced deficits in all tests, except passive avoidance. PBN did not ameliorate these effects, but had a few minor effects. Taken together, MA induced learning deficits emerge early and persist, but the mechanism remains unknown. PMID- 28686795 TI - Reply. PMID- 28686794 TI - Simultaneous quantitation of meperidine, normeperidine, tramadol, propoxyphene and norpropoxyphene in human plasma using solid-phase extraction and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry: Method validation and application to cardiovascular safety of therapeutic doses. AB - RATIONALE: Several opioid analgesics have been related to the prolongation of cardiac repolarization, a condition which can be fatal. In order to establish a correct estimation of the risk/benefit balance of therapeutic doses of meperidine, normeperidine, tramadol, propoxyphene and norpropoxyphene, it was necessary to develop an analytical method to determinate plasma concentrations of these opioids. METHODS: Here we describe a method which incorporates strong alkaline treatment to obtain norpropoxyphene amide followed by a one-elution step solid-phase extraction, and without further derivatization. Separation and quantification were achieved by gas chromatography/electron ionization mass spectrometry (GC/EI-MS) in selected-ion monitoring mode. Quantification was performed with 500 MUL of plasma by the addition of deuterated analogues as internal standards. RESULTS: The proposed method has been validated in the linearity range of 25-1000 ng/mL for all the analytes, with correlation coefficients higher than 0.990. The lower limit of quantification was 25 ng/mL. The intra- and inter-day precision, calculated in terms of relative standard deviation, were 2.0-12.0% and 6.0-15.0%, respectively. The accuracy, in terms of relative error, was within a +/- 10% interval. The absolute recovery and extraction efficiency ranged from 81.0 to 111.0% and 81.0 to 105.0%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: A GC/MS method for the rapid and simultaneous determination of meperidine, normeperidine, tramadol, propoxyphene and norpropoxyphene in human plasma was developed, optimized and validated. This procedure was shown to be sensitive and specific using small specimen amounts, suitable for application in routine analysis for forensic purposes and therapeutic monitoring. To our knowledge, this is the first full validation of the simultaneous determination of these opioids and their metabolites in plasma samples. PMID- 28686796 TI - QUESP and QUEST revisited - fast and accurate quantitative CEST experiments. AB - PURPOSE: Chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) NMR or MRI experiments allow detection of low concentrated molecules with enhanced sensitivity via their proton exchange with the abundant water pool. Be it endogenous metabolites or exogenous contrast agents, an exact quantification of the actual exchange rate is required to design optimal pulse sequences and/or specific sensitive agents. METHODS: Refined analytical expressions allow deeper insight and improvement of accuracy for common quantification techniques. The accuracy of standard quantification methodologies, such as quantification of exchange rate using varying saturation power or varying saturation time, is improved especially for the case of nonequilibrium initial conditions and weak labeling conditions, meaning the saturation amplitude is smaller than the exchange rate (gammaB1 < k). RESULTS: The improved analytical 'quantification of exchange rate using varying saturation power/time' (QUESP/QUEST) equations allow for more accurate exchange rate determination, and provide clear insights on the general principles to execute the experiments and to perform numerical evaluation. The proposed methodology was evaluated on the large-shift regime of paramagnetic chemical exchange-saturation-transfer agents using simulated data and data of the paramagnetic Eu(III) complex of DOTA-tetraglycineamide. CONCLUSIONS: The refined formulas yield improved exchange rate estimation. General convergence intervals of the methods that would apply for smaller shift agents are also discussed. Magn Reson Med 79:1708-1721, 2018. (c) 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. PMID- 28686797 TI - Asiatic acid enhances survival of human AC16 cardiomyocytes under hypoxia by upregulating miR-1290. AB - Asiatic acid (AA) could attenuate ischemia/reperfusion induced myocardial apoptosis through upregulating the Akt/GSK-3beta/HIF-1alpha pathway. HIF-3alpha is a negative regulator of HIF-1alpha, whose mRNA is a potential target of miR 1290. AA could upregulate miR-1290 in non-small-cell lung cancer A549 cells. This work aimed to investigate whether AA could inhibit hypoxia induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis through regulating the miR-1290/HIF3A/HIF-1alpha axis. The AC16 human myocardial cell line cultured under normoxic or hypoxic conditions was treated with various doses of AA for 24 h. Afterwards cell viability, apoptosis and the expression of miR-1290, HIF3A, and HIF1A were evaluated. Cells transfected with miR-1290 mimic or inhibitor were used to determine the role of miR-1290 in the anti-apoptosis effect of AA and the expression of HIF3A and HIF1A. Dual luciferase assay was performed to confirm miR-1290 targeting of HIF3A. HIF3A overexpression was achieved by transfection of HIF3A1 overexpressing lentivirus, and its effect on miR-1290 and AA-regulated survival of cardiomyocytes was evaluated. AA treatment protected cardiomyocytes from hypoxia-induced apoptosis and upregulated miR-1290 and HIF1A, but downregulated HIF3A under hypoxia. The protective effect of AA was abolished by miR-1290 knockdown, whereas enhanced by miR-1290 overexpression. In addition, miR-1290 knockdown increased HIF1A expression, but reduced HIF3A expression in cardiomyocytes. Dual luciferase assay confirmed miR-1290 direct targeting the 3' UTR of HIF3A. HIF3A overexpression counteracted the anti-apoptosis effect of AA or miR-1290. In conclusion, AA can protect cardiomyocytes against hypoxia-induced apoptosis through regulating the miR-1290/HIF3A/HIF-1alpha axis, and miR-1290 may be a potential target in the prevention of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury. (c) 2017 IUBMB Life, 69(9):660-667, 2017. PMID- 28686798 TI - multiplierz v2.0: A Python-based ecosystem for shared access and analysis of native mass spectrometry data. AB - The continued evolution of modern mass spectrometry instrumentation and associated methods represents a critical component in efforts to decipher the molecular mechanisms which underlie normal physiology and understand how dysregulation of biological pathways contributes to human disease. The increasing scale of these experiments combined with the technological diversity of mass spectrometers presents several challenges for community-wide data access, analysis, and distribution. Here we detail a redesigned version of multiplierz, our Python software library which leverages our common application programming interface (mzAPI) for analysis and distribution of proteomic data. New features include support for a wider range of native mass spectrometry file types, interfaces to additional database search engines, compatibility with new reporting formats, and high-level tools to perform post-search proteomic analyses. A GUI desktop environment, mzDesktop, provides access to multiplierz functionality through a user friendly interface. multiplierz is available for download from: https://github.com/BlaisProteomics/multiplierz; and mzDesktop is available for download from: https://sourceforge.net/projects/multiplierz/. PMID- 28686799 TI - Body Mass Index Category Moderates the Relationship Between Depressive Symptoms and Diet Quality in Overweight and Obese Rural-Dwelling Adults. AB - PURPOSE: This study was conducted to (1) compare diet quality among depressed and nondepressed overweight and obese rural-dwelling adults and (2) determine whether body mass index (BMI) category moderates the relationship between depressive symptoms and overall diet quality. METHODS: Rural adults in Kentucky (n = 907) completed the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) that assessed depressive symptoms and a food frequency questionnaire that generated 2005 Healthy Eating Index (HEI) scores. Participants were grouped into overweight (BMI 25-29.9 kg/m2 ) and obese (>=30 kg/m2 ), and nondepressed (PHQ-9 < 10) and depressed (PHQ-9 >= 10) groups. Bootstrapped ANCOVAs were used to compare diet quality among the 4 groups. Ordinary least-squares regression using PROCESS was used to determine whether BMI category (overweight vs obese) moderated the association between depressive symptoms and overall diet quality. RESULTS: Overall diet quality was poorer in the obese depressed group than in the obese nondepressed group. Intake of fruit and dark green/orange vegetables and legumes was lower in the obese depressed group than in the overweight nondepressed group. Depressive symptoms predicted poor overall diet quality (B = -0.287, P < .001) and the relationship was moderated by BMI category (coefficient of BMI category* depressive symptom interaction term = 0.355, P < .049). A significant inverse relationship between depressive symptoms and overall diet quality was observed in the overweight group but not in the obese group. CONCLUSION: Components of diet quality vary according to BMI category and depressive symptom status. The relationship between depressive symptoms and diet quality is influenced by BMI category. PMID- 28686800 TI - Accelerated three-dimensional multispectral MRI with robust principal component analysis for separation of on- and off-resonance signals. AB - PURPOSE: To enable highly accelerated distortion-free MRI near metal by separating on- and off-resonance to exploit the redundancy of slice-phase encoding for the dominant on-resonance component. METHODS: Multispectral MRI techniques resolve off-resonance distortions by a combination of limited excitation bins and additional encoding. Inspired by robust principal component analysis, a novel compact representation of multispectral images as a sum of rank one and sparse matrices corresponding to on- and off-resonance respectively is described. This representation is used in a calibration-free and model-free reconstruction for data with an undersampling pattern that varies between bins. Retrospective undersampling was used to compare the proposed reconstruction and bin-by-bin compressed sensing. Hip images were acquired in eight patients with standard and prospectively undersampled three-dimensional multispectral imaging, and image quality was evaluated by two radiologists on a 5-point scale. RESULTS: Experiments with retrospective undersampling showed that the enhanced sparsity afforded by the separation greatly reduces reconstruction errors and artifacts. Images from prospectively undersampled multispectral imaging offered 2.6-3.4-fold (18-24-fold overall) acceleration compared to standard multispectral imaging with parallel imaging and partial-Fourier acceleration with equivalence in all qualitative assessments within a tolerance of one point (P < 0.004). CONCLUSION: Three-dimensional multispectral imaging can be highly accelerated by varying undersampling between bins and separating on- and off-resonance. Magn Reson Med 79:1495-1505, 2018. (c) 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. PMID- 28686802 TI - Training Physical Therapists in Person-Centered Practice for People With Osteoarthritis: A Qualitative Case Study. AB - OBJECTIVE: To explore physical therapists' experiences with, and the impacts of, a training program in person-centered practice to support exercise adherence in people with knee osteoarthritis. METHODS: This was a qualitative case study using semi-structured interviews, nested within a clinical trial. Eight Australian physical therapists were interviewed before, and after, training in person centered practice for people with knee osteoarthritis. Training involved a 2-day workshop, skills practice, and audit of 8 consultations with 4 patients (per therapist), and a final single-day workshop for audit feedback and consolidation. Semi-structured interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were thematically analyzed. RESULTS: Three pretraining themes arose regarding usual communication style, definitions of person-centered care, and sharing exercise adherence responsibility. Three themes related to the training experience emerged: learning a new language, challenging conceptions of practice, and putting it into practice. Post-training, 3 themes arose regarding new knowledge deepening understanding of person-centered care, changing beliefs about sharing responsibilities, and changed conceptions of role. CONCLUSION: Although physical therapists found training overwhelming initially as they realized the limitations of their current knowledge and clinical practice, they felt more confident and able to provide person-centered care to people with knee osteoarthritis by the end of training. Training in structured person-centered methodology that provides opportunity for skills practice with patients using a restructured consultation framework can change physical therapists' beliefs about their roles when managing patients with osteoarthritis and positively impact their clinical practice. PMID- 28686801 TI - Exposure to complex environments results in more sparse representations of space in the hippocampus. AB - The neural circuitry mediating sensory and motor representations is adaptively tuned by an animal's interaction with its environment. Similarly, higher order representations such as spatial memories can be modified by exposure to a complex environment (CE), but in this case the changes in brain circuitry that mediate the effect are less well understood. Here, we show that prolonged CE exposure was associated with increased selectivity of CA1 "place cells" to a particular recording arena compared to a social control (SC) group. Furthermore, fewer CA1 and DG neurons in the CE group expressed high levels of Arc protein, a marker of recent activation, following brief exposure to a completely novel environment. The reduced Arc expression was not attributable to overall changes in cell density or number. These data indicate that one effect of CE exposure is to modify high-level spatial representations in the brain by increasing the sparsity of population coding within networks of neurons. Greater sparsity could result in a more efficient and compact coding system that might alter behavioural performance on spatial tasks. The results from a behavioural experiment were consistent with this hypothesis, as CE-treated animals habituated more rapidly to a novel environment despite showing equivalent initial responding. PMID- 28686803 TI - The calcium sensor synaptotagmin 1 is expressed and regulated in hippocampal postsynaptic spines. AB - Synaptotagmin 1 is a presynaptic calcium sensor, regulating SNARE-mediated vesicle exocytosis of transmitter. Increasing evidence indicate roles of SNARE proteins in postsynaptic glutamate receptor trafficking. However, a possible postsynaptic expression of synaptotagmin 1 has not been demonstrated previously. Here, we used postembedding immunogold electron microscopy to determine the subsynaptic localization of synaptotagmin 1 in rat hippocampal CA1 Schaffer collateral synapses. We report for the first time that synaptotagmin 1 is present in rat hippocampal postsynaptic spines, both on cytoplasmic vesicles and at the postsynaptic density. We further investigated whether postsynaptic synaptotagmin 1 is regulated during synaptic plasticity. In a rat model of chronic temporal lobe epilepsy, we found that presynaptic and postsynaptic concentrations of the protein are reduced compared to control animals. This downregulation may possibly be an adaptive measure to decrease both presynaptic and postsynaptic calcium sensitivity in excitotoxic conditions. PMID- 28686804 TI - Smart Human-Serum-Albumin-As2 O3 Nanodrug with Self-Amplified Folate Receptor Targeting Ability for Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Treatment. AB - Arsenic trioxide (ATO, As2 O3 ) is currently used to treat acute promyelocytic leukemia. However, expanding its use to include high-dose treatment of other cancers is severely hampered by serious side effects on healthy organs. To address these limitations, we loaded ATO onto folate (FA)-labeled human serum albumin (HSA) pretreated with glutathione (GSH) based on the low pH- and GSH sensitive arsenic-sulfur bond, and we termed the resulting smart nanodrug as FA HSA-ATO. FA-HSA-ATO could specifically recognize folate receptor-beta-positive (FRbeta+) chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) cells, resulting in more intracellular accumulation of ATO. Furthermore, the nanodrug could upregulate FRbeta expression in CML cancer cells and xenograft tumor model, facilitating even more recruitment and uptake of FRbeta-targeting drugs. In vitro and in vivo experiments indicate that the nanodrug significantly alleviates side effects and improves therapeutic efficacy of ATO on CML and xenograft tumor model. PMID- 28686805 TI - A generalized ratiometric chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) MRI approach for mapping renal pH using iopamidol. AB - PURPOSE: To extend the pH detection range of iopamidol-based ratiometric chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) MRI at sub-high magnetic field and establish quantitative renal pH MRI. METHODS: Chemical exchange saturation transfer imaging was performed on iopamidol phantoms with pH of 5.5 to 8.0 and in vivo on rat kidneys (n = 5) during iopamidol administration at a 4.7 T. Iopamidol CEST effects were described using a multipool Lorentzian model. A generalized ratiometric analysis was conducted by ratioing resolved iopamidol CEST effects at 4.3 and 5.5 ppm obtained under 1.0 and 2.0 uT, respectively. The pH detection range was established for both the standard ratiometric analysis and the proposed resolved approach. Renal pH was mapped in vivo with regional pH assessed by one way analysis of variance. RESULTS: Good-fitting performance was observed in multipool Lorentzian resolving of CEST effects (R2 s > 0.99). The proposed approach extends the in vitro pH detection range to 5.5 to 7.5 at 4.7 T. In vivo renal pH was measured to be 7.0 +/- 0.1, 6.8 +/- 0.1, and 6.5 +/- 0.2 for cortex, medulla and calyx, respectively (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The proposed ratiometric approach extended the iopamidol pH detection range, enabling the renal pH mapping in vivo, which is promising for pH imaging studies at sub-high or low fields with potential clinical applicability. Magn Reson Med 79:1553-1558, 2018. (c) 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. PMID- 28686806 TI - Hippocampal damage causes retrograde but not anterograde memory loss for context fear discrimination in rats. AB - There is a substantial body of evidence that the hippocampus (HPC) plays and essential role in context discrimination in rodents. Studies reporting anterograde amnesia (AA) used repeated, alternating, distributed conditioning and extinction sessions to measure context fear discrimination. In addition, there is uncertainty about the extent of damage to the HPC. Here, we induced conditioned fear prior to discrimination tests and rats sustained extensive, quantified pre- or post-training HPC damage. Unlike previous work, we found that extensive HPC damage spares context discrimination, we observed no AA. There must be a non-HPC system that can acquire long-term memories that support context fear discrimination. Post-training HPC damage caused retrograde amnesia (RA) for context discrimination, even when rats are fear conditioned for multiple sessions. We discuss the implications of these findings for understanding the role of HPC in long-term memory. PMID- 28686807 TI - Systematic review and meta-analysis of non-invasive prenatal DNA testing for trisomy 21: implications for implementation in China. AB - OBJECTIVES: To systematically review clinical validation studies of massive parallel sequencing (MPS) technology in prenatal screening for trisomy 21 and to explore the potential implementation strategies in China compared with those in developing countries. METHODS: Searches of the Cochrane Library, Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science, Biosis Previews, and three major Chinese databases were performed to identify all the peer-reviewed articles published between 1 January 2011 and 15 October 2016. We also reviewed and discussed the potential challenges and risks in the future promotion of MPS technology in China compared with those in developing countries. RESULTS: The weighted pooled sensitivity and specificity of MPS technology for the prenatal detection of trisomy 21 were 99.7% (95% CI 98.3 99.9%) and 100.0% (95% CI 99.9-100.0%), respectively, based on a meta-analysis of 44 included studies. An additional meta-analysis was conducted based on the 25 included studies that were performed in medical/genetic sequencing institutions in mainland China, showing a weighted pooled sensitivity and specificity of MPS technology as 99.5% (95% CI 98.7-99.8%) and 100% (95% CI 99.9-100%), respectively. CONCLUSION: MPS technology offers effective screening performance for trisomy 21 but should be cautiously promoted due to its clinical limitations and challenges that stem from the ethics and business aspects. (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. PMID- 28686808 TI - Integrating a Nurse-Midwife-Led Oral Health Intervention Into CenteringPregnancy Prenatal Care: Results of a Pilot Study. AB - INTRODUCTION: National and professional organizations recommend oral health promotion in prenatal care to improve women's oral health. However, few prenatal programs include education about oral health promotion. The objective of this study was to determine if women receiving a brief, low-cost, and sustainable educational intervention entitled CenteringPregnancy Oral Health Promotion had clinically improved oral health compared to women receiving standard CenteringPregnancy care. METHODS: Women attending CenteringPregnancy, a group prenatal care model, at 4 health centers in the San Francisco Bay Area, participated in this nonrandomized controlled pilot study in 2010 to 2011. The intervention arm received the CenteringPregnancy Oral Health Promotion intervention consisting of two 15-minute skills-based educational modules addressing maternal and infant oral health, each module presented in a separate CenteringPregnancy prenatal care session. The present analysis focused on the maternal module that included facilitated discussions and skills-building activities including proper tooth brushing. The control arm received standard CenteringPregnancy prenatal care. Dental examinations and questionnaires were administered prior to and approximately 9 weeks postintervention. Primary outcomes included the Plaque Index, percent bleeding on probing, and percent of gingival pocket depths 4 mm or greater. Secondary outcomes were self-reported oral health knowledge, attitudes (importance and self-efficacy), and behaviors (tooth brushing and flossing). Regression models tested whether pre to post changes in outcomes differed between the intervention versus the control arms. RESULTS: One hundred and one women participated in the study; 49 were in the intervention arm, and 52 were in the control arm. The control and intervention arms did not vary significantly at baseline. Significant pre to post differences were noted between the arms with significant improvements in the intervention arm for the Plaque Index, bleeding on probing, and pocket depths 4 mm or greater. DISCUSSION: Providing brief oral health education and skills-building activities within prenatal care may be effective in improving women's oral health during pregnancy. These findings provide support for developing a full-scale randomized clinical trial of the CenteringPregnancy Oral Health Promotion intervention. PMID- 28686809 TI - Decision making in NICE single technological appraisals: How does NICE incorporate patient perspectives? AB - CONTEXT: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has an explicit mandate to include patient and public involvement in the appraisal of medicines to be available for funding on the NHS. NICE involves an appraisal committee who are required to take on board experiential evidence from patient experts alongside population-based evidence on clinical and cost-effectiveness when making a decision whether to fund a drug. OBJECTIVE: This paper considers how NICE Single Technological Appraisal (STA) committees attempt to incorporate the views of patients in making decisions about funding medicines on the NHS. METHODS: A prospective design was employed to follow three pharmaceutical products involving three different appraisal committees. Three data collection methods were used: analysis of documentary evidence sent by NICE, non-participant unstructured observations of the open and closed sessions of meetings and qualitative interviews. SETTINGS AND PARTICIPANTS: Unstructured non-participant observations were carried out at nine STA meetings, and 41 semi-structured interviews were undertaken with committee members from NICE's STA committees, patient experts, analysts from NICE's project team and drug manufacturers. RESULTS: Our analysis showed how the committees displayed a preference for an ideal-type of patient representative, disagreement among the committee when weighing-up patient statements in the STA process and more pre-preparation support for patient involvement. CONCLUSIONS: Although NICE has attempted to adopt an approach flexible to patients and carers through formal decision-making arrangements that incorporate patient views, nonetheless, the processes of the STAs can in fact undermine the very evidence collected from patient representatives. PMID- 28686811 TI - Does glucosamine/chondroitin sulfate have a long-term effect on the progression of structural changes in knee osteoarthritis? Comment on the article by Raynauld et al. PMID- 28686812 TI - Severity of disease, and not glucocorticoid use, determines outcomes in systemic lupus: comment on the article by Sheane et al. PMID- 28686810 TI - Self-calibrated correlation imaging with k-space variant correlation functions. AB - PURPOSE: Correlation imaging is a previously developed high-speed MRI framework that converts parallel imaging reconstruction into the estimate of correlation functions. The presented work aims to demonstrate this framework can provide a speed gain over parallel imaging by estimating k-space variant correlation functions. METHODS: Because of Fourier encoding with gradients, outer k-space data contain higher spatial-frequency image components arising primarily from tissue boundaries. As a result of tissue-boundary sparsity in the human anatomy, neighboring k-space data correlation varies from the central to the outer k space. By estimating k-space variant correlation functions with an iterative self calibration method, correlation imaging can benefit from neighboring k-space data correlation associated with both coil sensitivity encoding and tissue-boundary sparsity, thereby providing a speed gain over parallel imaging that relies only on coil sensitivity encoding. This new approach is investigated in brain imaging and free-breathing neonatal cardiac imaging. RESULTS: Correlation imaging performs better than existing parallel imaging techniques in simulated brain imaging acceleration experiments. The higher speed enables real-time data acquisition for neonatal cardiac imaging in which physiological motion is fast and non-periodic. CONCLUSION: With k-space variant correlation functions, correlation imaging gives a higher speed than parallel imaging and offers the potential to image physiological motion in real-time. Magn Reson Med 79:1483 1494, 2018. (c) 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. PMID- 28686813 TI - Reply. PMID- 28686814 TI - Early survival and delayed death of developmentally-born dentate gyrus neurons. AB - The storage and persistence of memories depends on plasticity in the hippocampus. Adult neurogenesis produces new neurons that mature through critical periods for plasticity and cellular survival, which determine their contributions to learning and memory. However, most granule neurons are generated prior to adulthood; the maturational timecourse of these neurons is poorly understood compared to adult born neurons but is essential to identify how the dentate gyrus (DG), as a whole, contributes to behavior. To characterize neurons born in the early postnatal period, we labeled DG neurons born on postnatal day 6 (P6) with BrdU and quantified maturation and survival across early (1 hr to 8 weeks old) and late (2 6 months old) cell ages. We find that the dynamics of developmentally-born neuron survival is essentially the opposite of neurons born in adulthood: P6-born neurons did not go through a period of cell death during their immature stages (from 1 to 8 weeks). In contrast, 17% of P6-born neurons died after reaching maturity, between 2 and 6 months of age. Delayed death was evident from the loss of BrdU+ cells as well as pyknotic BrdU+ caspase3+ neurons within the superficial granule cell layer. Patterns of DCX, NeuN, and activity-dependent Fos expression indicate that developmentally-born neurons mature over several weeks and a sharp peak in zif268 expression at 2 weeks suggests that developmentally-born neurons mature faster than adult-born neurons (which peak at 3 weeks). Collectively, our findings are relevant for understanding how developmentally-born DG neurons contribute to memory and disorders throughout the lifespan. High levels of early survival and zif268 expression may promote learning, while also rendering neurons sensitive to insults at defined stages. Late neuronal death in young adulthood may result in the loss of hundreds of thousands of DG neurons, which could impact memory persistence and contribute to hippocampal/DG atrophy in disorders such as depression. PMID- 28686815 TI - Re2 O7 -Mediated Dehydrative Cyclization Reactions: Total Synthesis of Herboxidiene and Its 12-Desmethyl Analogue. AB - Re2 O7 catalysis effects efficient and stereoselective dehydrative cyclization reactions from monoallylic diols, with stereocontrol arising from thermodynamic equilibration. This method was applied to a rapid synthesis of the spliceosome inhibitor herboxidiene. The route was also utilized for the synthesis of an analogue that highlights the importance of a single methyl group in biasing the conformation in the acyclic region of the molecule. PMID- 28686816 TI - First-Line, Non-Criterial Antiphospholipid Antibody Testing for the Diagnosis of Antiphospholipid Syndrome in Clinical Practice: A Combination of Anti-beta2 Glycoprotein I Domain I and Anti-Phosphatidylserine/Prothrombin Complex Antibodies Tests. AB - OBJECTIVE: To assess the value of a combination of anti-beta2 -glycoprotein I (anti-beta2 GPI) domain I antibody and anti-phosphatidylserine/prothrombin complex (anti-PS/PT) antibody tests for the diagnosis of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved a cohort of the patients who visited our clinic from April 2005 to March 2013. Tests for anti beta2 GPI domain I antibodies, IgG anti-PS/PT antibodies, and IgM anti-PS/PT antibodies, together with tests for criteria-defined antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL), were performed in all patients. The total antiphospholipid score (aPL-S) was calculated for each patient according to titers of and positivity for aPL. RESULTS: The study enrolled 157 patients (51 patients with APS and 106 with non APS autoimmune diseases). All 21 patients positive for both anti-beta2 GPI domain I antibodies and IgG and/or IgM (IgG/IgM) anti-PS/PT antibodies had APS with a high total aPL-S (median 46, range 26-76), as did all of the 10 patients who were positive for anti-beta2 GPI domain I antibodies but negative for IgG/IgM anti PS/PT antibodies (median 22, range 4-39). Of the 14 patients who were positive for IgG/IgM anti-PS/PT antibodies but negative for anti-beta2 GPI domain I antibodies, 11 (79%) had APS; these individuals also had high total aPL-S values (median 23, range 11-60). In contrast, only 9 of the 112 patients (8%) with none of these antibodies had APS. CONCLUSION: The combination of the IgG anti-beta2 GPI domain I antibody and IgG/IgM anti-PS/PT antibody tests shows a high positive predictive value for the diagnosis of APS and a strong correlation with the aPL S. This combination as the first-line test for aPL may contribute to the simple and definite identification of APS with a high risk of thrombosis in clinical practice. PMID- 28686817 TI - Affect and Incident Participation Restriction in Adults With Knee Osteoarthritis. AB - OBJECTIVE: Participation restriction, common among people with knee osteoarthritis (OA), may be influenced by affect. We examined the risk of incident participation restriction over 84 months conferred by positive and negative affect among people with knee OA. METHODS: Participants were from the Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study and had or were at high risk of knee OA. Participation restriction was measured using the Instrumental Role Limitation subscale of the Late-Life Disability Index, and affect was measured using the positive affect and depressed mood subscales of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Robust Poisson regression was used to calculate the risk of incident participation restriction over 84 months conferred by combinations of low and high positive and negative affect, adjusting for covariates. RESULTS: Of 1,810 baseline participants (mean age 62.1 years, 56% female), 470 (26%) had incident participation restriction over 84 months. Participants with low positive affect had 20% greater risk of incident participation restriction than those with high positive affect; participants with high negative affect had 50% greater risk of incident participation restriction compared to those with low negative affect. Participants with both low positive and high negative affect had 80% greater risk of incident participation restriction compared to other combinations of positive and negative affect. CONCLUSION: Low positive and high negative affect, both alone and in combination, increase the risk of participation restriction among adults with knee OA. Efforts aimed at preventing participation restriction in this population should consider these mood states. PMID- 28686818 TI - Antipsychotic Medication Treatment Patterns in Adult Depression. AB - OBJECTIVE: To characterize the role of antipsychotic medications in the community treatment of adult depression. METHODS: We identified adults (aged 18-64 years) with new episodes of depression treatment (ICD-9-CM 296.2, 296.3, 300.4, or 311) in US national Medicaid data (2001-2010). Patients with alternative ICD-9-CM antipsychotic indications, such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, were excluded. Each patient was followed for at least 1 year to characterize antipsychotic and antidepressant treatment and emerging alternative antipsychotic indications. For patients without alternative indications through day 45 following start of antipsychotic treatment, antipsychotics were considered to be intended for treatment of depression. Among this group, we determined whether antipsychotic initiation was preceded by minimally adequate treatment with antidepressants, defined as active antidepressant treatment for >= 31 days prior to and including the day of antipsychotic initiation. RESULTS: Within 1 year following onset, 14.0% of patients started an antipsychotic medication. A total of 41.3% of antipsychotic initiators developed an antipsychotic indication other than depression through day 45 following antipsychotic initiation, most often bipolar disorder or depression with psychotic features. The remaining 58.7% of antipsychotic initiators presumably started antipsychotics for nonpsychotic depression. Of these, 71.3% did not have minimally adequate antidepressant treatment prior to starting the antipsychotic medication. CONCLUSION: Antipsychotic medications are used in approximately 1 in 7 patients with a new episode of depression. For 1 in 12 patients, the antipsychotic was considered to be intended for nonpsychotic depression. Almost three-quarters of these patients did not receive minimally adequate treatment with antidepressants prior to antipsychotic initiation. This pattern suggests potentially inappropriate and premature initiation of a drug class with substantial adverse effects and medical risks. PMID- 28686819 TI - Differential Risk of Increasing Psychotropic Polypharmacy Use in Children Diagnosed With ADHD as Preschoolers. AB - OBJECTIVE: To characterize treatment trajectories in children newly diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). METHODS: We utilized billing records of children aged 3 to 18 years in 28 US states' Medicaid programs between 1999 and 2006. Children entered the cohort at the first ADHD diagnosis (ICD-9-CM: 314.00) preceded by >= 6 months with no psychotropic medication use and no psychiatric diagnoses. We followed children for 5 years to assess use of (1) psychotropic polypharmacy (the use of >= 3 psychotropic medication classes), (2) antipsychotics, and (3) anticonvulsants. We used mixed-effects logistic regression to model the probability of each utilization outcome as a function of age at ADHD diagnosis and follow-up year, adjusted for sociodemographic factors. RESULTS: Our cohort included 16,626 children of whom 79.2% received stimulants, 33.2% antidepressants, and 23.1% alpha-agonists, and 25.3% received psychotropic polypharmacy treatment at least once in a subsequent year. Antipsychotics (7.1% 14.7%), anticonvulsants (4.0%-7.9%), and psychotropic polypharmacy (8.5%-13.4%) use increased from year 1 to 5, but this increase was confined to children between ages 3 and 9 at ADHD diagnosis. Children diagnosed at age 3 had the most substantial increase in each outcome (OR = 1.80 [95% CI, 1.36-2.38]; 1.85 [1.38 2.47]; 2.14 [1.45-3.16]), respectively. Also, 39.1% of 9,680 children-years with psychotropic polypharmacy therapy had no psychiatric diagnoses other than ADHD. CONCLUSIONS: Psychotropic polypharmacy, antipsychotic, and anticonvulsant use increased with each year of follow-up. This effect was strongly mediated by the age of ADHD diagnosis with substantial increases in preschoolers but no corresponding effect in older children. It was only partially explained by physician diagnoses of concomitant mental disorders. PMID- 28686820 TI - Cannabis Use and Cannabis Use Disorders Among Youth in the United States, 2002 2014. AB - OBJECTIVE: To examine trends in past-year cannabis use (CU) and cannabis use disorders (CUD) among youth in the United States, when related changes began, and factors associated with these changes. METHODS: This study used data from 288,300 persons aged 12-17 years who participated in the 2002-2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Descriptive analyses and bivariable and multivariable logistic regressions were applied (using the year 2002 as the reference group for most analyses). RESULTS: The prevalence of past-year CU among youth decreased from 15.8% in 2002 to 13.1% in 2014 (this downward trend occurred during 2002 2007 only [beta = -0.0540, P < .0001]). Among youth cannabis users, the prevalence of past-year CUD decreased from 27.0% in 2002 to 20.4% in 2014, with a downward trend starting in 2011 (beta = -0.0970, P = .0001). During 2002-2014, the prevalence of past-year tobacco use and alcohol use decreased and prevalences of past-year CU increased among tobacco users and among alcohol users. Our multivariable results suggest that declines in past-year tobacco use (but not alcohol use) among youth were associated with declines in past-year CU during 2010-2014. Past-year CU and CUD were higher among racial/ethnic minorities (except for non-Hispanic Asians and Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders for CU) than non Hispanic whites and were similar between male and female youth during 2002-2014. CONCLUSIONS: In the United States, compared to 2002, even after adjusting for covariates, CU decreased among youth during 2005-2014, and CUD declined among youth cannabis users during 2013-2014. Associations between declines in tobacco use and decreased CU suggest the importance of tobacco use control and prevention among youth. PMID- 28686821 TI - Gauging the Use of Second-Generation Antipsychotics: Medicaid Benefits Data Suggest Much Room for Improvement. PMID- 28686822 TI - Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Older Adults With Stress Disorders and Neurocognitive Difficulties: A Randomized Controlled Trial. AB - OBJECTIVE: To determine whether neurocognitive performance and clinical outcomes can be enhanced by a mindfulness intervention in older adults with stress disorders and cognitive complaints. To explore decreased hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis activity as a possible mechanism. METHODS: 103 adults aged 65 years or older with an anxiety or depressive disorder (diagnosed according to DSM IV criteria) and subjective neurocognitive difficulties were recruited in St. Louis, Missouri, or San Diego, California, from September 2012 through August 2013 and randomly assigned in groups of 5-8 to mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) or a health education control condition matched for time, attention, and credibility. The primary outcomes were memory (assessed by immediate and delayed paragraph and list recall) and cognitive control (Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System Verbal Fluency Test and Color Word Interference Test). Other outcomes included clinical symptoms (worry, depression, anxiety, and global improvement). HPA axis activity was assessed using peak salivary cortisol. Outcomes were measured immediately post-intervention and (for clinical outcomes only) at 3- and 6-month follow up. RESULTS: On the basis of intent-to-treat principles using data from all 103 participants, the mindfulness group experienced greater improvement on a memory composite score (P = .046). Groups did not differ on change in cognitive control. Participants receiving MBSR also improved more on measures of worry (P = .042) and depression (P = .049) at posttreatment and on worry (P = .02), depression (P = .002), and anxiety (P = .002) at follow-up and were more likely to be rated as much or very much improved as rated by the Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement scale (47% vs 27%, chi2 = 4.5, P = .03). Cortisol level decreased to a greater extent in the mindfulness group, but only among those participants with high baseline cortisol. CONCLUSIONS: In this population of older adults with stress disorders and neurocognitive difficulties, a mindfulness intervention improves clinical outcomes such as excessive worry and depression and may include some forms of immediate memory performance. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01693874. PMID- 28686823 TI - Enhancing Extinction Learning in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder With Brief Daily Imaginal Exposure and Methylene Blue: A Randomized Controlled Trial. AB - OBJECTIVE: The memory-enhancing drug methylene blue (MB) administered after extinction training improves fear extinction retention in rats and humans with claustrophobia. Robust findings from animal research, in combination with established safety and data showing MB-enhanced extinction in humans, provide a foundation to extend this work to extinction-based therapies for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) such as prolonged exposure (PE). METHODS: Patients with chronic PTSD (DSM-IV-TR; N = 42) were randomly assigned to imaginal exposure plus MB (IE + MB), imaginal exposure plus placebo (IE + PBO), or waitlist (WL/standard PE) from September 2011 to April 2013. Following 5 daily, 50-minute imaginal exposure sessions, 260 mg of MB or PBO was administered. Waitlist controls received PE following 1-month follow-up. Patients were assessed using the independent evaluator-rated PTSD Symptom Scale-Interview version (primary outcome), patient-rated PTSD, trauma-related psychopathology, and functioning through 3-month follow-up. RESULTS: Both IE + MB and IE + PBO showed strong clinical gains that did not differ from standard PE at 3-month follow-up. MB augmented exposure specifically enhanced independent evaluator-rated treatment response (number needed to treat = 7.5) and quality of life compared to placebo (effect size d = 0.58). Rate of change for IE + MB showed a delayed initial response followed by accelerated recovery, which differed from the linear pattern seen in IE + PBO. MB effects were facilitated by better working memory but not by changes in beliefs. CONCLUSIONS: The findings provide preliminary efficacy for a brief IE treatment for PTSD and point to the potential utility of MB for enhancing outcome. Brief interventions and better tailoring of MB augmentation strategies, adjusting for observed patterns, may have the potential to reduce dropout, accelerate change, and improve outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01188694. PMID- 28686824 TI - Interplay between antiretroviral therapy and oxidative stress in HIV seropositive patients. AB - BACKGROUND: HIV infection results in a decline of CD4+ T-cells count and ultimately results in qualitative impairments of CD4+ T-cell function. Antiretroviral therapy results in an increase in the number of CD4+ cells and the functional reconstitution of the immune system. However, patients on therapy commonly experience adverse effects; management of HIV infection thus becomes a balancing act between the benefits of HIV suppression and the risks of drug toxicity with Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART). Purpose and Findings: This review intended to look into the relationship between adverse effects with HAART in relation to its induction of oxidative stress in the host. From literature,. HAART has been shown to induce oxidative stress by several biochemical mechanisms. However, the induction of oxidative stress by HAART is minimal compared to HIV induction of oxidative stress-in the host. The use of HAART in the management of HIV-AIDS thus remains inevitable and the combination with exogenous antioxidants is advocated. Exogenous antioxidants mop up infection induced reactive oxygen species (ROS), and may also be beneficial in ameliorating some of the adverse effects induced by HAART. CONCLUSION: Further review on individual adverse effects of ART is recommended and our ongoing research on the teratogenic potentials of HAART will also be very relevant on this subject. PMID- 28686825 TI - Overview of radiation dose to patients from medical X-ray examinations in Nigeria. AB - OBJECTIVES: Medical Imaging accounts for the largest radiation exposure of population from artificial sources of radiation. The radiation dose rcceivedby patients from iedicail x-ray examinations in Nigeria has shown large variations within and among diagnostic centers for similar examinations. This could be traced to lack of imaging protocols and on avalability of local/national diagnostic reference, levels. Hence, the need to assess the trend of radiation doseto patients from radiological practice in Nigeria. Methocls:Entrance surface doses(ESDs) reported by, Nigerian authors for common x-ray examinations from 2000 - 2014 were extracted from articles published in peer reviewed journals, analyzed and compared with ifiternationally recommended Diagnostic Reference Levels (DkLs). RESULTS: Among x-ray examinations, skull accounted for 32% followed by chest (22%), lumbar spine (13%), abdomen (12%), pelvis (8%), extremitics(8%), thorax and cervical spine(5%). The range of mean ESDs reported for various projections of x-ray examination are chest (2.28 - 3.70 mGy); Abdomen (4.42 - 7.22 mGy); Skull (3.81 - 5.19 mGy); Pelvis (5.93 mGy); Lumbar spine (5.73 - 10.98 mGy); Thorax (0.96 - 1.85 mGy); Cervical spine (1.45 - 1.49mGy) and Extremitics (0.31 -0.49 mGy). In this study, it was found that the mean ESDs received by patients from chest, skull and pelvis ex'aminations were higher than the published DRLs for similar x-ray examinations. CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that to harmonize radiation protection of patients and improve radiological practice in Nigeria there is need for development of comprehensive national diagnostic reference levels. PMID- 28686826 TI - Oxygen for children and newborns in non-tertiary hospitals in South-west Nigeria: A needs assessment. AB - BACKGROUND: Oxygen is important for the treatment of hypoxaemia associated with pneumonia, malaria, and other medical, obstetric, and surgical conditions. Access to oxygen therapy is limited in many of the high mortality settings where it would be of most benefit. METHODS: A needs assessment of 12 non-tertiary hospitals in south-west Nigeria, assessing structural, technical and clinical barriers to the provision of safe and effective oxygen therapy. RESULTS: Oxygen supply was reported to be a major challenge by hospital directors. All hospitals had some access to oxygen cylinders, which were expensive and frequently ran out. Nine (75%) hospitals used oxygen concentrators, which were limited by inadequate power supply and lack of maintenance capacity. Appropriate oxygen delivery and monitoring devices (nasal prongs, catheters, pulse oximeters) were poorly available, and no hospitals had clinical guidelines pertaining to the use of oxygen for children. Oxygen was expensive to patients (median US$20/day) and to hospitals. Estimated oxygen demand is reported using both a constant mean-based estimate and adjustment for seasonal and other variability. CONCLUSIONS: Making oxygen available to sick children and neonates in Nigerian hospitals will require: improving detection of hypoxaemia through routine use of pulse oximetry; improving access to oxygen through equipment, training, and maintenance structures; and commitment to building hospital and state structures that can sustain and expand oxygen initiatives. PMID- 28686827 TI - Is there any relationship between hearing threshold levels and CD4 cell count of human immunodeficiency virus infected adults? AB - : Background The role of viral load level and/or CD4 (Cluster of differentiation 4) cell count in the aetiopathogenesis of hearing loss in HIV infection is unclear. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between CD4 cell counts, viral load and hearing threshold of HIV (Human immunodeficiency virus) infected adults. METHODS: This cohort audiometric study involved consecutive HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected adults as controls. Clinical data relating to hearing loss, HIV status, and highly -active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) were obtained. Audiornetric evaluation was performed. The most recent CD4 cell counts and RNA viral load-of HIV-infected participants were obtained from clinic records. RESULTS: There were 299(66.7%) HIV-infected adults and 149(33.3%) controls with mean age of 39.64+/- 12.45 years and 39.60+/-12.45 years respectively (p=0.98). In both groups, there were more participants with left hearing loss. Mild to profound hearing loss was found in 65.9% HIV- infected participants and 53.7% controls. Majority (86.3%) of the HIV-infected participants were on HAART. The mean CD4 cell count was 654.58+/-289.15 in 41 HIV-infected participants not on HAART and 523.95+/-300.17 in 258 participants on HAART (p=0.01). Majority,- 197 (62%) HIV- infected participants with hearing loss had CD4 cell count <=200 cells/mm3. Higher viral load significantly correlated with low CD4 cell counts (p<0.0 1; r=0. 18) and low CD4 cell count significantly correlated with high hearing threshold (p 6 cm
from the anal verge and 61 (46%) were lower rectal cancers (LRC) - lower extent
of the tumour was palpable <= 6 cm. Circumferential resection margin (CRM)
appeared threatened on pre-operative MRI in 19/61 (31%) patients with LRC
requiring neo-adjuvant therapy (NAT). Of the 133 resections, 118 (89%) were
attempted laparoscopically (5% conversion rate). CRM was positive in 9 (6.7%)
patients; Median lymph node harvest was 12 (2-37). Major complications occurred
in 8 (6%) patients. Median follow-up was 53 mo (0-82). The 90-d mortality was 2
(1.5%). Over the follow-up period, disease related mortality was 11 (8.2%) and
overall mortality was 39 (29.3%). Four (3%) patients had local recurrence and 22
(16.5%) patients had distant metastases. CONCLUSION: Management of rectal cancers
can be optimized with multi-disciplinary input to attain acceptable long-term
oncological outcomes even when incorporating a laparoscopic approach to rectal
cancer resection.
PMID- 28690776
TI - Pilomatrixoma located on the cruris: an uncommon localization.
AB - Pilomatrixoma is a benign tumor of hair follicle matrix cells. The majority of
all pilomatrixomas were reported to affect the head-neck region and rarely the
upper extremity. We present a case of left-leg pilomatrixoma, which is a
extremely rare localization, in a 10-year-old boy.
PMID- 28690777
TI - Hemangiopericytoma of the thoracic spine: a case report.
AB - Hemangiopericytoma (HPC) has been described to be aggressive and potentially a
malignant tumour. We report a rare case of a 63-year-old Chinese male who
presented with primary intradural extramedullary HPC of the thoracic spine. The
main presenting complaint was gradual progression of back pain, associated with
paraparesis and sensory deficit of lower limbs. He had MRI thoracolumbar with
contrast which showed T9 lesion compressing on spinal cord and oedema, he was
then operated upon and histopathology report confirmed a thoracic spine HPC. A
T8/9 laminectomy and excision of intradural extramedullary lesion was performed,
tumour section was sent for frozen section study, and more tissue was sent for
paraffin studies and additional immunohistochemical staining. Surgical resection
is most commonly performed, radiotherapy remains debatable. In this report, we
discussed another rare case of primary spinal HPC to be added into the
literature.
PMID- 28690778
TI - Vacuum-assisted closure therapy after resection of giant basal cell carcinoma of
the scalp.
AB - Management of complicated wounds is a challenge in head and neck reconstruction.
Although the negative pressure wound therapy or wound vacuum-assisted closure has
been widely used in complicated wounds and shows promising results, its
application in the head and neck region after reconstruction for the head and
neck cancer is rarely presented. A 77-year-old woman underwent a radical
resection of an extensive basal cell carcinoma of the scalp and forehead
involving the periosteum, where classic reconstruction was difficult, but
successfully treated with negative pressure wound therapy. Negative pressure
wound therapy is an efficacious tool in cases of complex and extensive defects,
when we expect immediate reconstruction with poor results, as would be probable
with this scalp lesion.
PMID- 28690780
TI - Alpine glacier-fed turbid lakes are discontinuous cold polymictic rather than
dimictic.
AB - Glacier retreat as a consequence of climate change influences freshwater
ecosystems in manifold ways, yet the physical and chemical bases of these effects
are poorly studied. Here, we characterize how water temperature differs between
alpine lakes with and without direct glacier influence on seasonal and diurnal
timescales. Using high temporal resolution monitoring of temperature in 4 lakes
located in a catchment influenced by glacier retreat, we reported unexpectedly
high surface temperatures, even in proglacial lakes located 2600 m a.s.l. Cold
glacier meltwater and low nighttime air temperatures caused a distinct diurnal
pattern of water temperature in the water column of glacier-influenced lakes.
Precipitation onto glacier surfaces apparently leads to rapid cooling of the
glacier-fed lakes and disrupts the thermal stratification with several mixing
events during the summer. Taken together, these mechanisms contribute to the
unique seasonal and diurnal dynamics of glacier-influenced lakes that contrast
with the typical dimictic pattern of clear alpine lakes and represent an example
of discontinuous cold polymictic lake type. This work contributes to the basic
description of how climate and meteorology affect the physical properties of an
increasingly common lake type.
PMID- 28690781
TI - Bioaccumulation of ultraviolet sunscreen compounds (mycosporine-like amino acids)
by the heterotrophic freshwater ciliate Bursaridium living in alpine lakes.
AB - Ciliates in shallow alpine lakes are exposed to high levels of incident solar
ultraviolet radiation (UVR). We observed the presence of specific sunscreen
compounds, the mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs), in several populations of
Bursaridium, a relatively large ciliate species found in such lakes. The
populations from 3 highly UV transparent lakes revealed the presence of 7 MAAs
(MG, SH, PR, PI, AS, US, and PE) in total concentrations of 3.6-52.4 10-5 MUg MUg
1 dry weight (DW) per individual, whereas in one glacially turbid and less UV
transparent lake, no MAAs were detected in the Bursaridium population. The MAAs
in the ciliates generally reflected the composition and relative amounts of the
lakes' seston MAAs, assuming that the ciliates fed on MAA-rich plankton. We
experimentally found that naturally acquired MAAs prevented ciliate mortality
under simulated UVR and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) conditions. We
further tested the dietary regulation of the MAAs-content in the ciliates under
artificial UVR and PAR exposure and found an increase in MAAs concentrations in
all treatments. Our assumption was that several stress factors other than
irradiation were involved in the synthesis or up-regulation of MAAs.
PMID- 28690782
TI - Sequential learning in individuals with agrammatic aphasia: evidence from
artificial grammar learning.
AB - We examined sequential learning in individuals with agrammatic aphasia (n = 12)
and healthy age-matched participants (n = 12) using an artificial grammar.
Artificial grammar acquisition, 24-hour retention, and the potential benefits of
additional training were examined by administering an artificial grammar judgment
test (1) immediately following auditory exposure-based training, (2) one day
after training, and (3) after a second training session on the second day. An
untrained control group (n = 12 healthy age-matched participants) completed the
tests on the same time schedule. The trained healthy and aphasic groups showed
greater sensitivity to the detection of grammatical items than the control group.
No significant correlations between sequential learning and language abilities
were observed among the aphasic participants. The results suggest that
individuals with agrammatic aphasia show sequential learning, but the underlying
processes involved in this learning may be different than for healthy adults.
PMID- 28690783
TI - Invasive plant species in the West Indies: geographical, ecological, and
floristic insights.
AB - The level of invasion (number or proportion of invasive species) in a given area
depends on features of the invaded community, propagule pressure, and climate. In
this study, we assess the invasive flora of nine islands in the West Indies to
identify invasion patterns and evaluate whether invasive species diversity is
related to geographical, ecological, and socioeconomic factors. We compiled a
database of invasive plant species including information on their taxonomy,
origin, pathways of introduction, habitats, and life history. This database was
used to evaluate the similarity of invasive floras between islands and to
identify invasion patterns at regional (West Indies) and local (island) scales.
We found a total of 516 alien plant species that are invasive on at least one of
the nine islands studied, with between 24 to 306 invasive species per island. The
invasive flora on these islands includes a wide range of taxonomic groups, life
forms, and habitats. We detected low similarity in invasive species diversity
between islands, with most invasive species (>60%) occurring on a single island
and 6% occurring on at least five islands. To assess the importance of different
models in predicting patterns of invasive species diversity among islands, we
used generalized linear models. Our analyses revealed that invasive species
diversity was well predicted by a combination of island area and economic
development (gross domestic product per capita and kilometers of paved roadways).
Our results provide strong evidence for the roles of geographical, ecological,
and socioeconomic factors in determining the distribution and spread of invasive
species on these islands. Anthropogenic disturbance and economic development seem
to be the major drivers facilitating the spread and predominance of invasive
species over native species.
PMID- 28690784
TI - Winter is coming: Food web structure and seasonality in a subtropical freshwater
coastal lake.
AB - Food web studies provide a useful tool to assess the organization and complexity
of natural communities. Nevertheless, the seasonal dynamics of food web
properties, their environmental correlates, and potential association with
community diversity and stability remain poorly studied. Here, we condensed an
incomplete 6-year community dataset of a subtropical coastal lake to examine how
monthly variation in diversity impacts food web structure over an idealized time
series for an averaged year. Phytoplankton, zooplankton, macroinvertebrates, and
fish were mostly resolved to species level (n = 120 trophospecies). Our results
showed that the seasonal organization of the food web could be aggregated into
two clusters of months grouped here as 'summer' and 'winter'. During 'winter',
the food web decreases in size and complexity, with the number of trophospecies
dropping from 106 to 82 (a 22.6% decrease in the number of nodes) and the trophic
interactions from 1,049 to 637 between month extremes (a 39.3% drop in the number
of links). The observed simplification in food web structure during 'winter'
suggests that community stability is more vulnerable to the impact of any change
during this period.
PMID- 28690785
TI - Rates and relations of mitochondrial genome evolution across the Echinoidea, with
special focus on the superfamily Odontophora.
AB - In order to better characterize the placement of genus Tripneustes, as a
representative of the Toxopneustidae family within the broader sea urchin
mitochondrial (MT) phylogeny, the complete MT genome of Tripneustes gratilla was
generated and compared with all published echinoid MT genomes currently available
on NCBI GenBank. The MT genome phylogeny supports the existence of the
superfamily Odontophora (consisting of the families Strongylocentrotidae,
Echinometridae, and Toxopneustidae). A relaxed molecular-clock time calibration
suggests a split between the three key Odontophore MT lineages occurred during
the late Eocene/Oligocene. Major global oceanographic changes have been inferred
during this time frame, potentially driving species diversification through
environmental selection pressures. To test for signatures of selection acting on
the mitochondria, the historical rate of gene evolution of individual MT genes
was assessed through a branch-site comparison of nonsynonymous to synonymous
substitution ratios (omega). Models of positive selection and neutral evolution,
as compared via a likelihood ratio test, show no evidence of strong historical
positive selection on mitochondrial genes at the genesis of the Odontophora.
However, while pairwise omega comparison revealed signatures of strong negative
selection, relatively elevated omega values were observed within the
Strongylocentrotus genus.
PMID- 28690786
TI - Remote sensing-based landscape indicators for the evaluation of threatened-bird
habitats in a tropical forest.
AB - Avian species persistence in a forest patch is strongly related to the degree of
isolation and size of a forest patch and the vegetation structure within a patch
and its matrix are important predictors of bird habitat suitability. A
combination of space-borne optical (Landsat), ALOS-PALSAR (radar), and airborne
Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data was used for assessing variation in
forest structure across forest patches that had undergone different levels of
forest degradation in a logged forest-agricultural landscape in Southern Laos.
The efficacy of different remote sensing (RS) data sources in distinguishing
forest patches that had different seizes, configurations, and vegetation
structure was examined. These data were found to be sensitive to the varying
levels of degradation of the different patch categories. Additionally, the role
of local scale forest structure variables (characterized using the different RS
data and patch area) and landscape variables (characterized by distance from
different forest patches) in influencing habitat preferences of International
Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red listed birds found in the study area
was examined. A machine learning algorithm, MaxEnt, was used in conjunction with
these data and field collected geographical locations of the avian species to
identify the factors influencing habitat preference of the different bird species
and their suitable habitats. Results show that distance from different forest
patches played a more important role in influencing habitat suitability for the
different avian species than local scale factors related to vegetation structure
and health. In addition to distance from forest patches, LiDAR-derived forest
structure and Landsat-derived spectral variables were important determinants of
avian habitat preference. The models derived using MaxEnt were used to create an
overall habitat suitability map (HSM) which mapped the most suitable habitat
patches for sustaining all the avian species. This work also provides insight
that retention of forest patches, including degraded and isolated forest patches
in addition to large contiguous forest patches, can facilitate bird species
retention within tropical agricultural landscapes. It also demonstrates the
effective use of RS data in distinguishing between forests that have undergone
varying levels of degradation and identifying the habitat preferences of
different bird species. Practical conservation management planning endeavors can
use such data for both landscape scale monitoring and habitat mapping.
PMID- 28690787
TI - The effects of historical fragmentation on major histocompatibility complex class
II beta and microsatellite variation in the Aegean island reptile, Podarcis
erhardii.
AB - The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) plays a key role in disease resistance
and is the most polymorphic gene region in vertebrates. Although habitat
fragmentation is predicted to lead to a loss in MHC variation through drift, the
impact of other evolutionary forces may counter this effect. Here we assess the
impact of selection, drift, migration, and recombination on MHC class II and
microsatellite variability in 14 island populations of the Aegean wall lizard
Podarcis erhardii. Lizards were sampled from islands within the Cyclades (Greece)
formed by rising sea levels as the last glacial maximum approximately 20,000
before present. Bathymetric data were used to determine the area and age of each
island, allowing us to infer the corresponding magnitude and timing of genetic
bottlenecks associated with island formation. Both MHC and microsatellite
variation were positively associated with island area, supporting the hypothesis
that drift governs neutral and adaptive variation in this system. However, MHC
but not microsatellite variability declined significantly with island age. This
discrepancy is likely due to the fact that microsatellites attain mutation-drift
equilibrium more rapidly than MHC. Although we detected signals of balancing
selection, recombination and migration, the effects of these evolutionary
processes appeared negligible relative to drift. This study demonstrates how land
bridge islands can provide novel insights into the impact of historical
fragmentation on genetic diversity as well as help disentangle the effects of
different evolutionary forces on neutral and adaptive diversity.
PMID- 28690788
TI - Effects of local biotic neighbors and habitat heterogeneity on seedling survival
in a spruce-fir valley forest, northeastern China.
AB - Seedlings are vulnerable to many biotic and abiotic agents, and studying seedling
dynamics helps understand mechanisms of species coexistence. In this study, the
relative importance of biotic neighbors and habitat heterogeneity to seedling
survival was examined by generalized linear mixed models for 33 species in a
spruce-fir valley forest in northeastern China. The results showed that the
relative importance of these factors varied with species and functional groups.
Conspecific negative density dependence (CNDD) was important to the survival of
Abies nephrolepis and Picea koraiensis seedling, whereas phylogenetic negative
density dependence (PNDD) was critical to Pinus koraiensis and Betula
platyphylla, as well as functional groups of tree, deciduous, and shade
intolerant seedlings. For shrubs and Acer ukurunduense, habitat heterogeneity was
significant. Despite of the significance of CNDD, PNDD, and habitat heterogeneity
on seedling survival, large proportions of the total variance were not accounted
for by the studied variables, suggesting the needs to examine the influences of
other factors such as pests, diseases, herbivores, forest structure, species
functional traits, and microclimatic conditions on seedling survival in the
future.
PMID- 28690789
TI - Bring your own camera to the trap: An inexpensive, versatile, and portable
triggering system tested on wild hummingbirds.
AB - The study of animals in the wild offers opportunities to collect relevant
information on their natural behavior and abilities to perform ecologically
relevant tasks. However, it also poses challenges such as accounting for observer
effects, human sensory limitations, and the time intensiveness of this type of
research. To meet these challenges, field biologists have deployed camera traps
to remotely record animal behavior in the wild. Despite their ubiquity in
research, many commercial camera traps have limitations, and the species and
behavior of interest may present unique challenges. For example, no camera traps
support high-speed video recording. We present a new and inexpensive camera trap
system that increases versatility by separating the camera from the triggering
mechanism. Our system design can pair with virtually any camera and allows for
independent positioning of a variety of sensors, all while being low-cost,
lightweight, weatherproof, and energy efficient. By using our specialized trigger
and customized sensor configurations, many limitations of commercial camera traps
can be overcome. We use this system to study hummingbird feeding behavior using
high-speed video cameras to capture fast movements and multiple sensors placed
away from the camera to detect small body sizes. While designed for hummingbirds,
our application can be extended to any system where specialized camera or sensor
features are required, or commercial camera traps are cost-prohibitive, allowing
camera trap use in more research avenues and by more researchers.
PMID- 28690790
TI - Recent upgrades of the harmonic radar for the tracking of the Asian yellow-legged
hornet.
AB - The yellow-legged Asian hornet is an invasive species of wasps, indigenous of the
South-East Asia but quickly spreading in Southern Europe. Because of its
exponential diffusion and its serious threat to the local honey bee colonies and
to humans as well, restraint measures are under investigation. Among them, the
harmonic radar described in (Ecology and Evolution, 6, 2016 and 2170) already
proved to be a quite effective way to follow the hornets to their nests; it is in
fact capable of tracking the flying trajectory of these insects, once equipped
with a small transponder, in their natural environment. The aforementioned
harmonic radar was upgraded after a period of intense experimentation; the
capture of the hornets was enhanced as well, and other improvements were adopted
in the mounting procedure of the transponder. Thanks to these upgrades, the
flying capabilities of the hornets were not reduced and a huge collection of data
was recorded. The main upgrade to the radar was the adoption of the vertical
polarization of the radiated field, with the consequent redesign and
manufacturing of the antennas and the different mounting of the transceiver on
the insect. The installation of the radar on a telescopic tower drastically
improved the maneuverability of the system and the capability to follow the
insects' preferential flying directions. Eventually, the system was able to
produce much more continuous traces with a clear indication of the most probable
position of the nest. The maximum range of detection was also increased to 150 m.
PMID- 28690791
TI - Bioclimatic transect networks: Powerful observatories of ecological change.
AB - Transects that traverse substantial climate gradients are important tools for
climate change research and allow questions on the extent to which phenotypic
variation associates with climate, the link between climate and species
distributions, and variation in sensitivity to climate change among biomes to be
addressed. However, the potential limitations of individual transect studies have
recently been highlighted. Here, we argue that replicating and networking
transects, along with the introduction of experimental treatments, addresses
these concerns. Transect networks provide cost-effective and robust insights into
ecological and evolutionary adaptation and improve forecasting of ecosystem
change. We draw on the experience and research facilitated by the Australian
Transect Network to demonstrate our case, with examples, to clarify how
population- and community-level studies can be integrated with observations from
multiple transects, manipulative experiments, genomics, and ecological modeling
to gain novel insights into how species and systems respond to climate change.
This integration can provide a spatiotemporal understanding of past and future
climate-induced changes, which will inform effective management actions for
promoting biodiversity resilience.
PMID- 28690792
TI - The most common diet results in low reproduction in a generalist seabird.
AB - Dietary specialization has been described across a wide range of taxa in the
animal kingdom. Fitness consequences are, however, not well documented. We
examined the reproductive consequences of different dietary specializations in
the herring gull Larus argentatus, an omnivorous seabird, using an extensive
dataset which includes breeding and dietary data of 10 successive years. We
hypothesized that pairs that focused on prey of higher energetic value would
yield higher fledging rates. An alternative hypothesis is that pairs that relied
on more resources simultaneously would reproduce better. The novelty of this
study is that we used continuous measurements representing dietary composition
and degree of specialization rather than restricting our analysis to predefined
categories. By relating these two continuous measurements for diet to several
proxies for reproductive success, we show clear consequences of dietary choice.
Most pairs concentrated on bivalves, a prey type not particularly rich in energy.
Pairs feeding on energy-rich prey (e.g., "domestic refuse and fishery discards")
during chick rearing were found to have a higher reproductive success, supporting
the first hypothesis. Pairs that used more resources did not clearly have a
higher reproductive success. The majority of the pairs did not switch to energy
rich prey during chick rearing, despite low breeding outcome. We discuss how
trade-offs between factors such as resource availability, predictability, and the
time and energy needed to obtain certain prey species may influence resource
selection.
PMID- 28690793
TI - Postfire soil water repellency in pinon-juniper woodlands: Extent, severity, and
thickness relative to ecological site characteristics and climate.
AB - Wildfires can create or intensify water repellency in soil, limiting the soil's
capacity to wet and retain water. The objective of this research was to quantify
soil water repellency characteristics within burned pinon-juniper woodlands and
relate this information to ecological site characteristics. We sampled soil water
repellency across forty-one 1,000 m2 study plots within three major wildfires
that burned in pinon-juniper woodlands. Water repellency was found to be
extensive-present at 37% of the total points sampled-and strongly related to
pinon-juniper canopy cover. Models developed for predicting SWR extent and
severity had R2adj values of 0.67 and 0.61, respectively; both models included
pinon-juniper canopy cover and relative humidity the month before the fire as
coefficient terms. These results are important as they suggest that postfire
water repellency will increase in the coming years as infilling processes enhance
pinon-juniper canopy cover. Furthermore, reductions in relative humidity brought
about by a changing climate have the potential to link additively with infilling
processes to increase the frequency and intensity of wildfires and produce
stronger water repellency over a greater spatial extent. In working through these
challenges, land managers can apply the predictive models developed in this study
to prioritize fuel control and postfire restoration treatments.
PMID- 28690794
TI - An evaluation of semi-automated methods for collecting ecosystem-level data in
temperate marine systems.
AB - Historically, marine ecologists have lacked efficient tools that are capable of
capturing detailed species distribution data over large areas. Emerging
technologies such as high-resolution imaging and associated machine-learning
image-scoring software are providing new tools to map species over large areas in
the ocean. Here, we combine a novel diver propulsion vehicle (DPV) imaging system
with free-to-use machine-learning software to semi-automatically generate dense
and widespread abundance records of a habitat-forming algae over ~5,000 m2 of
temperate reef. We employ replicable spatial techniques to test the effectiveness
of traditional diver-based sampling, and better understand the distribution and
spatial arrangement of one key algal species. We found that the effectiveness of
a traditional survey depended on the level of spatial structuring, and generally
10-20 transects (50 * 1 m) were required to obtain reliable results. This
represents 2-20 times greater replication than have been collected in previous
studies. Furthermore, we demonstrate the usefulness of fine-resolution
distribution modeling for understanding patterns in canopy algae cover at
multiple spatial scales, and discuss applications to other marine habitats. Our
analyses demonstrate that semi-automated methods of data gathering and processing
provide more accurate results than traditional methods for describing habitat
structure at seascape scales, and therefore represent vastly improved techniques
for understanding and managing marine seascapes.
PMID- 28690795
TI - Short-term effect of elevated CO2 concentration (0.5%) on mitochondria in diploid
and tetraploid black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.).
AB - Recent increases in atmospheric CO 2 concentration have affected the growth and
physiology of plants. In this study, plants were grown with 0.5% CO 2 for 0, 3,
and 6 days. The anatomy, fluorescence intensity of H2O2, respiration rate, and
antioxidant activities of the mitochondria were analyzed in diploid (2*) and
tetraploid (4*) black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.). Exposure to 0.5% CO 2
resulted in clear structural alterations and stomatal closure in the
mitochondria. Reduced membrane integrity and increased structural damage were
observed in 2* plants at 6 days. However, after 0.5% CO 2 treatment, little
structural damage was observed in 4* plants. Under severe stress, H2O2 and
malondialdehyde were dramatically induced in both 2* and 4* plants. Proline
remains unchanged at an elevated CO 2 concentration in 4* plants. Moreover, the
total respiration and alternative respiration rates decreased in both 2* and 4*
plants. In contrast, the cytochrome pathway showed no decrease in 2* plants and
even increased slightly in 4* plants. The antioxidant enzymes and nonenzymatic
antioxidants, which are related to the ascorbate-glutathione pathway, were
inhibited following CO 2 exposure. These analyses indicated that 4* and 2* plants
were damaged by 0.5% CO 2 but the former were more resistant than the latter, and
this may be due to increases in antioxidant enzymes and nonenzymatic antioxidants
and stabilized membrane structure.
PMID- 28690796
TI - A novel method of caenophidian snake sex identification using molecular markers
based on two gametologous genes.
AB - Sex identification provides important information for ecological and evolutionary
studies, as well as benefiting snake conservation management. Traditional methods
such as cloacal probing or cloacal popping are counterproductive for sex
identification concerning very small species, resulting in difficulties in the
management of their breeding programs. In this study, the nucleotide sequences of
gametologous genes (CTNNB1 and WAC genes) were used for the development of
molecular sexing markers in caenophidian snakes. Two candidate markers were
developed with the two primer sets, and successfully amplified by a single band
on the agarose gel in male (ZZ) and two bands, differing in fragment sizes, in
female (ZW) of 16 caenophidian snakes for CTNNB1 and 12 caenophidian snakes for
WAC. Another candidate marker was developed with the primer set to amplify the
specific sequence for CTNNB1W homolog, and the PCR products were successfully
obtained in a female-specific 250-bp DNA bands. The three candidate PCR sexing
markers provide a simple sex identification method based on the amplification of
gametologous genes, and they can be used to facilitate effective caenophidian
snake conservation and management programs.
PMID- 28690797
TI - The influence of breeding phenology on the genetic structure of four pond
breeding salamanders.
AB - Understanding metapopulation dynamics requires knowledge about local population
dynamics and movement in both space and time. Most genetic metapopulation studies
use one or two study species across the same landscape to infer population
dynamics; however, using multiple co-occurring species allows for testing of
hypotheses related to different life history strategies. We used genetic data to
study dispersal, as measured by gene flow, in three ambystomatid salamanders
(Ambystoma annulatum, A. maculatum, and A. opacum) and the Central Newt
(Notophthalmus viridescens louisianensis) on the same landscape in Missouri, USA.
While all four salamander species are forest dependent organisms that require
fishless ponds to reproduce, they differ in breeding phenology and spatial
distribution on the landscape. We use these differences in life history and
distribution to address the following questions: (1) Are there species-level
differences in the observed patterns of genetic diversity and genetic structure?
and (2) Is dispersal influenced by landscape resistance? We detected two genetic
clusters in A. annulatum and A. opacum on our landscape; both species breed in
the fall and larvae overwinter in ponds. In contrast, no structure was evident in
A. maculatum and N. v. louisianensis, species that breed during the spring. Tests
for isolation by distance were significant for the three ambystomatids but not
for N. v. louisianensis. Landscape resistance also contributed to genetic
differentiation for all four species. Our results suggest species-level
differences in dispersal ability and breeding phenology are driving observed
patterns of genetic differentiation. From an evolutionary standpoint, the
observed differences in dispersal distances and genetic structure between fall
breeding and spring breeding species may be a result of the trade-off between
larval period length and size at metamorphosis which in turn may influence the
long-term viability of the metapopulation. Thus, it is important to consider life
history differences among closely related and ecologically similar species when
making management decisions.
PMID- 28690798
TI - Differential impacts of shared parasites on fitness components among competing
hosts.
AB - Effects of parasites on individual hosts can eventually translate to impacts on
host communities. In particular, parasitism can differentially affect host
fitness among sympatric and interacting host species. We examined whether the
impact of shared parasites varied among host species within the same community.
Specifically, we looked at the impacts of the acanthocephalan Acanthocephalus
galaxii, the trematodes Coitocaecum parvum and Maritrema poulini, and the
nematode Hedruris spinigera, on three host species: the amphipods, Paracalliope
fluviatilis and Paracorophium excavatum, and the isopod, Austridotea annectens.
We assessed parasite infection levels in the three host species and tested for
effects on host survival, behavior, probability of pairing, and fecundity.
Maritrema poulini and C. parvum were most abundant in P. excavatum but had no
effect on its survival, whereas they negatively affected the survival of P.
fluviatilis, the other amphipod. Female amphipods carrying young had higher M.
poulini and C. parvum abundance than those without, yet the number of young
carried was not linked to parasite abundance. Behavior of the isopod A. annectens
was affected by M. poulini infection; more heavily infected individuals were more
active. Paracorophium excavatum moved longer distances when abundance of C.
parvum was lower, yet no relationship existed with respect to infection by both
M. poulini and C. parvum. The differential effects of parasites on amphipods and
isopods may lead to community-wide effects. Understanding the consequences of
parasitic infection and differences among host species is key to gaining greater
insight into the role of parasite mediation in ecosystem dynamics.
PMID- 28690799
TI - Sex-biased oviposition by a nursery pollinator on a gynodioecious host plant:
Implications for breeding system evolution and evolution of mutualism.
AB - Dioecy, a breeding system where individual plants are exclusively male or female,
has evolved repeatedly. Extensive theory describes when dioecy should arise from
hermaphroditism, frequently through gynodioecy, where females and hermaphrodites
coexist, and when gynodioecy should be stable. Both pollinators and herbivores
often prefer the pollen-bearing sex, with sex-specific fitness effects that can
affect breeding system evolution. Nursery pollination, where adult insects
pollinate flowers but their larvae feed on plant reproductive tissues, is a model
for understanding mutualism evolution but could also yield insights into plant
breeding system evolution. We studied a recently established nursery pollination
interaction between native Hadena ectypa moths and introduced gynodioecious
Silene vulgaris plants in North America to assess whether oviposition was biased
toward females or hermaphrodites, which traits were associated with oviposition,
and the effect of oviposition on host plant fitness. Oviposition was
hermaphrodite-biased and associated with deeper flowers and more stems. Sexual
dimorphism in flower depth, a trait also associated with oviposition on the
native host plant (Silene stellata), explained the hermaphrodite bias. Egg
receiving plants experienced more fruit predation than plants that received no
eggs, but relatively few fruits were lost, and egg receipt did not significantly
alter total fruit production at the plant level. Oviposition did not enhance
pollination; egg-receiving flowers usually failed to expand and produce seeds.
Together, our results suggest that H. ectypa oviposition does not exert a large
fitness cost on host plants, sex-biased interactions can emerge from preferences
developed on a hermaphroditic host species, and new nursery pollination
interactions can arise as negative or neutral rather than as mutualistic for the
plant.
PMID- 28690800
TI - Do plant populations on distinct inselbergs talk to each other? A case study of
genetic connectivity of a bromeliad species in an Ocbil landscape.
AB - Here, we explore the historical and contemporaneous patterns of connectivity
among Encholirium horridum populations located on granitic inselbergs in an Ocbil
landscape within the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, using both nuclear and
chloroplast microsatellite markers. Beyond to assess the E. horridum population
genetic structure, we built species distribution models across four periods
(current conditions, mid-Holocene, Last Glacial Maximum [LGM], and Last
Interglacial) and inferred putative dispersal corridors using a least-cost path
analysis to elucidate biogeographic patterns. Overall, high and significant
genetic divergence was estimated among populations for both nuclear and plastid
DNA (PhiST(n) = 0.463 and PhiST(plastid) = 0.961, respectively, p < .001). For
nuclear genome, almost total absence of genetic admixture among populations and
very low migration rates were evident, corroborating with the very low estimates
of immigration and emigration rates observed among E. horridum populations. Based
on the cpDNA results, putative dispersal routes in Sugar Loaf Land across cycles
of climatic fluctuations in the Quaternary period revealed that the populations'
connectivity changed little during those events. Genetic analyses highlighted the
low genetic connectivity and long-term persistence of populations, and the
founder effect and genetic drift seemed to have been very important processes
that shaped the current diversity and genetic structure observed in both genomes.
The genetic singularity of each population clearly shows the need for in situ
conservation of all of them.
PMID- 28690801
TI - Single nucleotide polymorphism barcoding of cytochrome c oxidase I sequences for
discriminating 17 species of Columbidae by decision tree algorithm.
AB - DNA barcodes are widely used in taxonomy, systematics, species identification,
food safety, and forensic science. Most of the conventional DNA barcode sequences
contain the whole information of a given barcoding gene. Most of the sequence
information does not vary and is uninformative for a given group of taxa within a
monophylum. We suggest here a method that reduces the amount of noninformative
nucleotides in a given barcoding sequence of a major taxon, like the prokaryotes,
or eukaryotic animals, plants, or fungi. The actual differences in genetic
sequences, called single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping, provide a tool
for developing a rapid, reliable, and high-throughput assay for the
discrimination between known species. Here, we investigated SNPs as robust
markers of genetic variation for identifying different pigeon species based on
available cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) data. We propose here a decision tree
based SNP barcoding (DTSB) algorithm where SNP patterns are selected from the DNA
barcoding sequence of several evolutionarily related species in order to identify
a single species with pigeons as an example. This approach can make use of any
established barcoding system. We here firstly used as an example the
mitochondrial gene COI information of 17 pigeon species (Columbidae, Aves) using
DTSB after sequence trimming and alignment. SNPs were chosen which followed the
rule of decision tree and species-specific SNP barcodes. The shortest barcode of
about 11 bp was then generated for discriminating 17 pigeon species using the
DTSB method. This method provides a sequence alignment and tree decision approach
to parsimoniously assign a unique and shortest SNP barcode for any known species
of a chosen monophyletic taxon where a barcoding sequence is available.
PMID- 28690802
TI - Unraveling the relative contribution of inter- and intrapopulation functional
variability in wild populations of a tadpole species.
AB - Functional traits are increasingly recognized as an integrative approach by
ecologists to quantify a key facet of biodiversity. And these traits are
primarily expressed as species means in previous studies, based on the assumption
that the effects of intraspecific variability can be overridden by interspecific
variability when studying functional ecology at the community level. However,
given that intraspecific variability could also have important effects on
community dynamics and ecosystem functioning, empirical studies are needed to
investigate the importance of intraspecific variability in functional traits. In
this study, 256 Scutiger boulengeri tadpole individuals from four different
populations are used to quantify the functional difference between populations
within a species, and the relative contribution of inter- and intrapopulation
variability in functional traits. Our results demonstrate that these four
populations differ significantly in functional attributes (i.e., functional
position, functional richness, and low functional overlap), indicating that
individuals from different populations within a species should be explicitly
accounted for in functional studies. We also find similar relative contribution
of inter- (~56%) and intrapopulation (~44%) variation to the total variability
between individuals, providing evidence that individuals within populations
should also be incorporated in functional studies. Overall, our results support
the recent claims that intraspecific variability cannot be ignored, as well as
the general idea of "individual level" research in functional ecology.
PMID- 28690803
TI - Deriving a light use efficiency estimation algorithm using in situ hyperspectral
and eddy covariance measurements for a maize canopy in Northeast China.
AB - We estimated the light use efficiency (LUE) via vegetation canopy chlorophyll
content (CCCcanopy) based on in situ measurements of spectral reflectance,
biophysical characteristics, ecosystem CO 2 fluxes and micrometeorological
factors over a maize canopy in Northeast China. The results showed that among the
common chlorophyll-related vegetation indices (VIs), CCCcanopy had the most
obviously exponential relationships with the red edge position (REP) (R2 = .97, p
< .001) and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) (R2 = .91, p < .001).
In a comparison of the indicating performances of NDVI, ratio vegetation index
(RVI), wide dynamic range vegetation index (WDRVI), and 2-band enhanced
vegetation index (EVI2) when estimating CCCcanopy using all of the possible
combinations of two separate wavelengths in the range 400-1300 nm, EVI2 [1214,
1259] and EVI2 [726, 1248] were better indicators, with R2 values of .92 and .90
(p < .001). Remotely monitoring LUE through estimating CCCcanopy derived from
field spectrometry data provided accurate prediction of midday gross primary
productivity (GPP) in a rainfed maize agro-ecosystem (R2 = .95, p < .001). This
study provides a new paradigm for monitoring vegetation GPP based on the
combination of LUE models with plant physiological properties.
PMID- 28690804
TI - Factors shaping community assemblages and species co-occurrence of different
trophic levels.
AB - Species assemblages are the results of various processes, including dispersion
and habitat filtering. Disentangling the effects of these different processes is
challenging for statistical analysis, especially when biotic interactions should
be considered. In this study, we used plants (producers) and leafhoppers
(phytophagous) as model organisms, and we investigated the relative importance of
abiotic versus biotic factors that shape community assemblages, and we infer on
their biotic interactions by applying three-step statistical analysis. We applied
a novel statistical analysis, that is, multiblock Redundancy Analysis (mbRA, step
1) and showed that 51.8% and 54.1% of the overall variation in plant and
leafhopper assemblages are, respectively, explained by the two multiblock models.
The most important blocks of variables to explain the variations in plant and
leafhopper assemblages were local topography and biotic factors. Variation
partitioning analysis (step 2) showed that pure abiotic filtering and pure biotic
processes were relatively less important than their combinations, suggesting that
biotic relationships are strongly structured by abiotic conditions. Pairwise co
occurrence analysis (step 3) on generalist leafhoppers and the most common plants
identified 40 segregated species pairs (mainly between plant species) and 16
aggregated pairs (mainly between leafhopper species). Pairwise analysis on
specialist leafhoppers and potential host plants clearly revealed aggregated
patterns. Plant segregation suggests heterogeneous resource availability and
competitive interactions, while leafhopper aggregation suggests host feeding
differentiation at the local level, different feeding microhabitats on host
plants, and similar environmental requirements of the species. Using the novel
mbRA, we disentangle for the first time the relative importance of more than five
distinct groups of variables shaping local species communities. We highlighted
the important role of abiotic processes mediated by bottom-up effects of plants
on leafhopper communities. Our results revealed that in-field structure
diversification and trophic interactions are the main factors causing the co
occurrence patterns observed.
PMID- 28690805
TI - Evaluating hybridization capture with RAD probes as a tool for museum genomics
with historical bird specimens.
AB - Laboratory techniques for high-throughput sequencing have enhanced our ability to
generate DNA sequence data from millions of natural history specimens collected
prior to the molecular era, but remain poorly tested at shallower evolutionary
time scales. Hybridization capture using restriction site-associated DNA probes
(hyRAD) is a recently developed method for population genomics with museum
specimens. The hyRAD method employs fragments produced in a restriction site
associated double digestion as the basis for probes that capture orthologous loci
in samples of interest. While promising in that it does not require a reference
genome, hyRAD has yet to be applied across study systems in independent
laboratories. Here, we provide an independent assessment of the effectiveness of
hyRAD on both fresh avian tissue and dried tissue from museum specimens up to 140
years old and investigate how variable quantities of input DNA affect sequencing,
assembly, and population genetic inference. We present a modified bench protocol
and bioinformatics pipeline, including three steps for detection and removal of
microbial and mitochondrial DNA contaminants. We confirm that hyRAD is an
effective tool for sampling thousands of orthologous SNPs from historic museum
specimens to describe phylogeographic patterns. We find that modern DNA performs
significantly better than historical DNA better during sequencing but that
assembly performance is largely equivalent. We also find that the quantity of
input DNA predicts %GC content of assembled contiguous sequences, suggesting PCR
bias. We caution against sampling schemes that include taxonomic or geographic
autocorrelation across modern and historic samples.
PMID- 28690806
TI - World without borders-genetic population structure of a highly migratory marine
predator, the blue shark (Prionace glauca).
AB - Highly migratory, cosmopolitan oceanic sharks often exhibit complex movement
patterns influenced by ontogeny, reproduction, and feeding. These elusive species
are particularly challenging to population genetic studies, as representative
samples suitable for inferring genetic structure are difficult to obtain. Our
study provides insights into the genetic population structure one of the most
abundant and wide-ranging oceanic shark species, the blue shark Prionace glauca,
by sampling the least mobile component of the populations, i.e., young-of-year
and small juveniles (<2 year; N = 348 individuals), at three reported nursery
areas, namely, western Iberia, Azores, and South Africa. Samples were collected
in two different time periods (2002-2008 and 2012-2015) and were screened at 12
nuclear microsatellites and at a 899-bp fragment of the mitochondrial control
region. Our results show temporally stable genetic homogeneity among the three
Atlantic nurseries at both nuclear and mitochondrial markers, suggesting basin
wide panmixia. In addition, comparison of mtDNA CR sequences from Atlantic and
Indo-Pacific locations also indicated genetic homogeneity and unrestricted female
mediated gene flow between ocean basins. These results are discussed in light of
the species' life history and ecology, but suggest that blue shark populations
may be connected by gene flow at the global scale. The implications of the
present findings to the management of this important fisheries resource are also
discussed.
PMID- 28690807
TI - The landscape of fear as an emergent property of heterogeneity: Contrasting
patterns of predation risk in grassland ecosystems.
AB - The likelihood of encountering a predator influences prey behavior and spatial
distribution such that non-consumptive effects can outweigh the influence of
direct predation. Prey species are thought to filter information on perceived
predator encounter rates in physical landscapes into a landscape of fear defined
by spatially explicit heterogeneity in predation risk. The presence of multiple
predators using different hunting strategies further complicates navigation
through a landscape of fear and potentially exposes prey to greater risk of
predation. The juxtaposition of land cover types likely influences overlap in
occurrence of different predators, suggesting that attributes of a landscape of
fear result from complexity in the physical landscape. Woody encroachment in
grasslands furnishes an example of increasing complexity with the potential to
influence predator distributions. We examined the role of vegetation structure on
the distribution of two avian predators, Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) and
Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus), and the vulnerability of a frequent prey
species of those predators, Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus). We mapped
occurrences of the raptors and kill locations of Northern Bobwhite to examine
spatial vulnerability patterns in relation to landscape complexity. We use an
offset model to examine spatially explicit habitat use patterns of these
predators in the Southern Great Plains of the United States, and monitored
vulnerability patterns of their prey species based on kill locations collected
during radio telemetry monitoring. Both predator density and predation-specific
mortality of Northern Bobwhite increased with vegetation complexity generated by
fine-scale interspersion of grassland and woodland. Predation pressure was lower
in more homogeneous landscapes where overlap of the two predators was less
frequent. Predator overlap created areas of high risk for Northern Bobwhite
amounting to 32% of the land area where landscape complexity was high and 7%
where complexity was lower. Our study emphasizes the need to evaluate the role of
landscape structure on predation dynamics and reveals another threat from woody
encroachment in grasslands.
PMID- 28690808
TI - Transcriptome predictors of coral survival and growth in a highly variable
environment.
AB - Concern over rapid environmental shifts associated with climate change has led to
a search for molecular markers of environmental tolerance. Climate-associated
gene expression profiles exist for a number of systems, but have rarely been tied
to fitness outcomes, especially in nonmodel organisms. We reciprocally
transplanted corals between two backreef locations with more and less variable
temperature regimes to disentangle effects of recent and native environment on
survival and growth. Coral growth over 12 months was largely determined by local
environment. Survival, however, was impacted by native environment; corals from
the more variable environment had 22% higher survivorship. By contrast, corals
native to the less variable environment had more variable survival. This might
represent a "selective sieve" where poor survivors are filtered from the more
stressful environment. We also find a potential fitness trade-off-corals with
high survival under stressful conditions grew less in the more benign
environment. Transcriptome samples taken a year before transplantation were used
to examine gene expression patterns that predicted transplant survival and
growth. Two separate clusters of coexpressed genes were predictive of survival in
the two locations. Genes from these clusters are candidate biomarkers for
predicting persistence of corals under future climate change scenarios.
PMID- 28690809
TI - Infochemical use and dietary specialization in parasitoids: a meta-analysis.
AB - Many parasitoid species use olfactory cues to locate their hosts. In tritrophic
systems, parasitoids of herbivores can exploit the chemical blends emitted by
plants in reaction to herbivore-induced damage, known as herbivore-induced plant
volatiles (HIPVs). In this study, we explored the specificity and innateness of
parasitoid responses to HIPVs using a meta-analysis of data from the literature.
Based on the concept of dietary specialization and infochemical use, we
hypothesized that (i) specialist parasitoids (i.e., with narrow host ranges)
should be attracted to specific HIPV signals, whereas generalist parasitoids
(i.e., with broad host ranges) should be attracted to more generic HIPV signals
and (ii) specialist parasitoids should innately respond to HIPVs, whereas
generalist parasitoids should have to learn to associate HIPVs with host
presence. We characterized the responses of 66 parasitoid species based on
published studies of parasitoid behavior. Our meta-analysis showed that (i) as
predicted, specialist parasitoids were attracted to more specific signals than
were generalist parasitoids but, (ii) contrary to expectations, response
innateness depended on a parasitoid's target host life stage rather than on its
degree of host specialization: parasitoids of larvae were more likely to show an
innate response to HIPVs than were parasitoids of adults. This result changes our
understanding of dietary specialization and highlights the need for further
theoretical research that will help clarify infochemical use by parasitoids.
PMID- 28690810
TI - Improving inference for aerial surveys of bears: The importance of assumptions
and the cost of unnecessary complexity.
AB - Obtaining useful estimates of wildlife abundance or density requires thoughtful
attention to potential sources of bias and precision, and it is widely understood
that addressing incomplete detection is critical to appropriate inference. When
the underlying assumptions of sampling approaches are violated, both increased
bias and reduced precision of the population estimator may result. Bear (Ursus
spp.) populations can be difficult to sample and are often monitored using mark
recapture distance sampling (MRDS) methods, although obtaining adequate sample
sizes can be cost prohibitive. With the goal of improving inference, we examined
the underlying methodological assumptions and estimator efficiency of three
datasets collected under an MRDS protocol designed specifically for bears. We
analyzed these data using MRDS, conventional distance sampling (CDS), and open
distance sampling approaches to evaluate the apparent bias-precision tradeoff
relative to the assumptions inherent under each approach. We also evaluated the
incorporation of informative priors on detection parameters within a Bayesian
context. We found that the CDS estimator had low apparent bias and was more
efficient than the more complex MRDS estimator. When combined with informative
priors on the detection process, precision was increased by >50% compared to the
MRDS approach with little apparent bias. In addition, open-distance sampling
models revealed a serious violation of the assumption that all bears were
available to be sampled. Inference is directly related to the underlying
assumptions of the survey design and the analytical tools employed. We show that
for aerial surveys of bears, avoidance of unnecessary model complexity, use of
prior information, and the application of open population models can be used to
greatly improve estimator performance and simplify field protocols. Although we
focused on distance sampling-based aerial surveys for bears, the general concepts
we addressed apply to a variety of wildlife survey contexts.
PMID- 28690811
TI - Local scale processes drive long-term change in biodiversity of sandy beach
ecosystems.
AB - Evaluating impacts to biodiversity requires ecologically informed comparisons
over sufficient time spans. The vulnerability of coastal ecosystems to
anthropogenic and climate change-related impacts makes them potentially valuable
indicators of biodiversity change. To evaluate multidecadal change in
biodiversity, we compared results from intertidal surveys of 13 sandy beaches
conducted in the 1970s and 2009-11 along 500 km of coast (California, USA). Using
a novel extrapolation approach to adjust species richness for sampling effort
allowed us to address data gaps and has promise for application to other data
limited biodiversity comparisons. Long-term changes in species richness varied in
direction and magnitude among beaches and with human impacts but showed no
regional patterns. Observed long-term changes in richness differed markedly among
functional groups of intertidal invertebrates. At the majority (77%) of beaches,
changes in richness were most evident for wrack-associated invertebrates
suggesting they have disproportionate vulnerability to impacts. Reduced diversity
of this group was consistent with long-term habitat loss from erosion and sea
level rise at one beach. Wrack-associated species richness declined over time at
impacted beaches (beach fill and grooming), despite observed increases in overall
intertidal richness. In contrast richness of these taxa increased at more than
half (53%) of the beaches including two beaches recovering from decades of off
road vehicle impacts. Over more than three decades, our results suggest that
local scale processes exerted a stronger influence on intertidal biodiversity on
beaches than regional processes and highlight the role of human impacts for local
spatial scales. Our results illustrate how comparisons of overall biodiversity
may mask ecologically important changes and stress the value of evaluating
biodiversity change in the context of functional groups. The long-term loss of
wrack-associated species, a key component of sandy beach ecosystems, documented
here represents a significant threat to the biodiversity and function of coastal
ecosystems.
PMID- 28690812
TI - Of beta diversity, variance, evenness, and dissimilarity.
AB - The amount of variation in species composition among sampling units or beta
diversity has become a primary tool for connecting the spatial structure of
species assemblages to ecological processes. Many different measures of beta
diversity have been developed. Among them, the total variance in the community
composition matrix has been proposed as a single-number estimate of beta
diversity. In this study, I first show that this measure summarizes the
compositional variation among sampling units after nonlinear transformation of
species abundances. Therefore, it is not always adequate for estimating beta
diversity. Next, I propose an alternative approach for calculating beta diversity
in which variance is substituted by a weighted measure of concentration (i.e., an
inverse measure of evenness). The relationship between this new measure of beta
diversity and so-called multiple-site dissimilarity measures is also discussed.
PMID- 28690813
TI - Bacterial phytopathogen infection disrupts belowground plant indirect defense
mediated by tritrophic cascade.
AB - Plants can defend themselves against herbivores through activation of defensive
pathways and attraction of third-trophic-level predators and parasites. Trophic
cascades that mediate interactions in the phytobiome are part of a larger dynamic
including the pathogens of the plant itself, which are known to greatly influence
plant defenses. As such, we investigated the impact of a phloem-limited bacterial
pathogen, Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), in cultivated citrus
rootstock on a well-studied belowground tritrophic interaction involving the
attraction of an entomopathogenic nematode (EPN), Steinernema diaprepesi, to
their root-feeding insect hosts, Diaprepes abbreviatus larvae. Using belowground
olfactometers, we show how CLas infection interferes with this belowground
interaction by similarly inducing the release of a C12 terpene, pregeijerene, and
disconnecting the association of the terpene with insect presence. D. abbreviatus
larvae that were not feeding but in the presence of a CLas-infected plant were
more likely to be infected by EPN than those near uninfected plants. Furthermore,
nonfeeding larvae associated with CLas-infected plants were just as likely to be
infected by EPN as those near noninfected plants with D. abbreviatus larval
damage. Larvae of two weevil species, D. abbreviatus and Pachnaeus litus, were
also more attracted to plants with infection than to uninfected plants. D.
abbreviatus larvae were most active when exposed to pregeijerene at a
concentration of 0.1 MUg/MUl. We attribute this attraction to CLas-infected
plants to the same signal previously thought to be a herbivore-induced plant
volatile specifically induced by root-feeding insects, pregeijerene, by assessing
volatiles collected from the roots of infected plants and uninfected plants with
and without feeding D. abbreviatus. Synthesis. Phytopathogens can influence the
structuring of soil communities extending to the third trophic level. Field
populations of EPN may be less effective at host-finding using pregeijerene as a
cue in citrus grove agroecosystems with high presence of CLas infection.
PMID- 28690814
TI - Barcoding rotifer biodiversity in Mediterranean ponds using diapausing egg banks.
AB - The biodiversity of Mediterranean freshwater bodies is among the most threatened
worldwide; therefore, its accurate estimation is an urgent issue. However,
traditional methods are likely to underestimate freshwater zooplankton
biodiversity due to its high species seasonality and cryptic diversity. We test
the value of applying DNA barcoding to diapausing egg banks, in combination with
the creation of a reference collection of DNA barcodes using adult individual
samples, to characterize rotifer communities. We use monogonont rotifers from two
lakes in Donana National Park and one from Ruidera Natural Park in Spain as
models to create a reference collection of DNA barcodes for taxonomically
diagnosed adult individuals sampled from the water column, to compare with the
sequences obtained from individual eggs from the diapausing egg banks. We apply
two different approaches to carry out DNA taxonomy analyses, the generalized
mixed Yule coalescent method (GMYC) and the Automatic Barcode Gap Discovery
(ABGD), to the obtained sequences and to publicly available rotifer sequences. We
obtained a total of 210 new rotifer COI sequences from all three locations (151
diapausing eggs and 59 adults). Both GMYC and ABGD generated the same 35
operational taxonomic units (OTUs), revealing four potential cryptic species.
Most sequences obtained from diapausing eggs (85%) clustered with sequences
obtained from morphologically diagnosed adults. Our approach, based on a single
sediment sample, retrieved estimates of rotifer biodiversity higher than or
similar to those of previous studies based on a number of seasonal samples. This
study shows that DNA barcoding of diapausing egg banks is an effective aid to
characterize rotifer diversity in Mediterranean freshwater bodies.
PMID- 28690815
TI - How weather instead of urbanity measures affects song trait variability in three
European passerine bird species.
AB - Previous studies detected an influence of urban characteristics on song traits in
passerine birds, that is, song adjustments to ambient noise in urban areas.
Several studies already described the effect of weather conditions on the
behavior of birds, but not the effect on song traits. We investigate, if song
trait variability changes along a continuous urbanity gradient in Frankfurt am
Main, Germany. We examined, for the first time on a larger scale, the influence
of weather on song parameters. We made song recordings of three common passerine
species: the blue and great tit (Cyanistes caeruleus (Linnaeus, 1758) and Parus
major Linnaeus, 1758) and the European blackbird (Turdus merula Linnaeus, 1758).
We measured different song traits and performed statistical analyses and modeling
on a variety of variables-among them urbanity and weather parameters. Remarkably,
we found only few cases of a significant influence of urbanity parameters on song
traits. The influence of weather parameters (air pressure, atmospheric humidity,
air and soil temperatures) on song traits was highly significant. Birds in
Frankfurt face high noise pollution and might show different adaptations to high
noise levels. The song trait variability of the investigated species is affected
more by weather conditions than by urban characteristics in Frankfurt. However,
the three species react differently to specific weather parameters. Smaller
species seem to be more affected by weather than larger species.
PMID- 28690816
TI - Past, current, and future trends of red spiny lobster based on PCA with MaxEnt
model in Galapagos Islands, Ecuador.
AB - In order to enhance in terms of accuracy and predict the modeling of the
potential distribution of species, the integration of using principal components
of environmental variables as input of maximum entropy (MaxEnt) has been proposed
in this study. Principal components selected previously from the principal
component analysis results performed in ArcGIS in the environmental variables was
used as an input data of MaxEnt instead of raw data to model the potential
distribution of red spiny lobster from the year 1997 to 2015 and for three
different future scenarios 2020, 2050, and 2070. One set of six original
environmental variables pertaining to the years 1997-2015 and one set of four
variables for future scenarios were transformed independently into a single
multiband raster in ArcGIS in order to select the variables whose eigenvalues
explains more than 5% of the total variance with the purpose to use in the
modeling prediction in MaxEnt. The years 1997 and 1998 were chosen to compare the
accuracy of the model, showing better results using principal components instead
of raw data in terms of area under the curve and partial receiver operating
characteristic as well as better predictions of suitable areas. Using principal
components as input of MaxEnt enhances the prediction of good habitat suitability
for red spiny lobster; however, future scenarios suggest an adequate management
by researches to elaborate appropriate guidelines for the conservation of the
habitat for this valuable specie with face to the climate change.
PMID- 28690817
TI - "How" and "what" matters: Sampling method affects biodiversity estimates of reef
fishes.
AB - Understanding changes in biodiversity requires the implementation of monitoring
programs encompassing different dimensions of biodiversity through varying
sampling techniques. In this work, fish assemblages associated with the "outer"
and "inner" sides of four marinas, two at the Canary Islands and two at southern
Portugal, were investigated using three complementary sampling techniques:
underwater visual censuses (UVCs), baited cameras (BCs), and fish traps (FTs). We
firstly investigated the complementarity of these sampling methods to describe
species composition. Then, we investigated differences in taxonomic (TD),
phylogenetic (PD) and functional diversity (FD) between sides of the marinas
according to each sampling method. Finally, we explored the
applicability/reproducibility of each sampling technique to characterize fish
assemblages according to these metrics of diversity. UVCs and BCs provided
complementary information, in terms of the number and abundances of species,
while FTs sampled a particular assemblage. Patterns of TD, PD, and FD between
sides of the marinas varied depending on the sampling method. UVC was the most
cost-efficient technique, in terms of personnel hours, and it is recommended for
local studies. However, for large-scale studies, BCs are recommended, as it
covers greater spatio-temporal scales by a lower cost. Our study highlights the
need to implement complementary sampling techniques to monitor ecological change,
at various dimensions of biodiversity. The results presented here will be useful
for optimizing future monitoring programs.
PMID- 28690818
TI - Combining field experiments and predictive models to assess potential for
increased plant diversity to climate-proof intensive agriculture.
AB - Agricultural production systems face increasing threats from more frequent and
extreme weather fluctuations associated with global climate change. While there
is mounting evidence that increased plant community diversity can reduce the
variability of ecosystem functions (such as primary productivity) in the face of
environmental fluctuation, there has been little work testing whether this is
true for intensively managed agricultural systems. Using statistical modeling
techniques to fit environment-productivity relationships offers an efficient
means of leveraging hard-won experimental data to compare the potential
variability of different mixtures across a wide range of environmental contexts.
We used data from two multiyear field experiments to fit climate-soil
productivity models for two pasture mixtures under intensive grazing-one composed
of two drought-sensitive species (standard), and an eight-species mixture
including several drought-resistant species (complex). We then used these models
to undertake a scoping study estimating the mean and coefficient of variation
(CV) of annual productivity for long-term climate data covering all New Zealand
on soils with low, medium, or high water-holding capacity. Our results suggest
that the complex mixture is likely to have consistently lower CV in productivity,
irrespective of soil type or climate regime. Predicted differences in mean annual
productivity between mixtures were strongly influenced by soil type and were
closely linked to mean annual soil water availability across all soil types.
Differences in the CV of productivity were only strongly related to interannual
variance in water availability for the lowest water-holding capacity soil. Our
results show that there is considerable scope for mixtures including drought
tolerant species to enhance certainty in intensive pastoral systems. This
provides justification for investing resources in a large-scale distributed
experiment involving many sites under different environmental contexts to confirm
these findings.
PMID- 28690819
TI - Molecular genetic analysis of two native desert palm genera, Washingtonia and
Brahea, from the Baja California Peninsula and Guadalupe Island.
AB - The complex geological and ecological processes that have generated high levels
of biodiversity and endemism in the Baja California Peninsula have been the
subject of intensive study. However, relatively little is known about
phylogeography of the iconic endemic palm species of this region. We therefore
analyzed a total of 2,294 bp of chloroplast and 738 bp of nuclear sequence data
in 169 samples of five native palm species from Baja California, Sonora and
Guadalupe Island. We found that Washingtonia and Brahea palms had low levels of
genetic diversity and were highly structured, with the majority of species and
major geographic regions being characterized by distinct haplotypes. We also
found strong support for currently recognized species in Washingtonia, but our
results were less clear cut for Brahea due to haplotype sharing. Furthermore,
patterns of population structure were broadly consistent with historical
vicariant events such as the inundation of the Isthmus of La Paz, the formation
of the Sea of Cortez, and the more recent colonization and isolation of Guadalupe
Island's palms. Our findings contribute toward a growing appreciation of the
complexity of plant responses to past geological changes and also provide
valuable baseline genetic data on relict American palm species.
PMID- 28690820
TI - Giant invasive Heracleum persicum: Friend or foe of plant diversity?
AB - The impact of invasion on diversity varies widely and remains elusive. Despite
the considerable attempts to understand mechanisms of biological invasion, it is
largely unknown whether some communities' characteristics promote biological
invasion, or whether some inherent characteristics of invaders enable them to
invade other communities. Our aims were to assess the impact of one of the
massive plant invaders of Scandinavia on vascular plant species diversity,
disentangle attributes of invasible and noninvasible communities, and evaluate
the relationship between invasibility and genetic diversity of a dominant
invader. We studied 56 pairs of Heracleum persicum Desf. ex Fisch.-invaded and
noninvaded plots from 12 locations in northern Norway. There was lower native
cover, evenness, taxonomic diversity, native biomass, and species richness in the
invaded plots than in the noninvaded plots. The invaded plots had nearly two
native species fewer than the noninvaded plots on average. Within the invaded
plots, cover of H. persicum had a strong negative effect on the native cover,
evenness, and native biomass, and a positive association with the height of the
native plants. Plant communities containing only native species appeared more
invasible than those that included exotic species, particularly H. persicum.
Genetic diversity of H. persicum was positively correlated with invasibility but
not with community diversity. The invasion of a plant community by H. persicum
exerts consistent negative pressure on vascular plant diversity. The lack of
positive correlation between impacts and genetic diversity of H. persicum
indicates that even a small founder population may cause high impact. We
highlight community stability or saturation as an important determinant of
invasibility. While the invasion by H. persicum may decrease susceptibility of a
plant community to further invasion, it severely reduces the abundance of native
species and makes them more vulnerable to competitive exclusion.
PMID- 28690821
TI - The mitochondrial genome of a sea anemone Bolocera sp. exhibits novel genetic
structures potentially involved in adaptation to the deep-sea environment.
AB - The deep sea is one of the most extensive ecosystems on earth. Organisms living
there survive in an extremely harsh environment, and their mitochondrial energy
metabolism might be a result of evolution. As one of the most important
organelles, mitochondria generate energy through energy metabolism and play an
important role in almost all biological activities. In this study, the mitogenome
of a deep-sea sea anemone (Bolocera sp.) was sequenced and characterized. Like
other metazoans, it contained 13 energy pathway protein-coding genes and two
ribosomal RNAs. However, it also exhibited some unique features: just two
transfer RNA genes, two group I introns, two transposon-like noncanonical open
reading frames (ORFs), and a control region-like (CR-like) element. All of the
mitochondrial genes were coded by the same strand (the H-strand). The genetic
order and orientation were identical to those of most sequenced actiniarians.
Phylogenetic analyses showed that this species was closely related to Bolocera
tuediae. Positive selection analysis showed that three residues (31 L and 42 N in
ATP6, 570 S in ND5) of Bolocera sp. were positively selected sites. By comparing
these features with those of shallow sea anemone species, we deduced that these
novel gene features may influence the activity of mitochondrial genes. This study
may provide some clues regarding the adaptation of Bolocera sp. to the deep-sea
environment.
PMID- 28690822
TI - Genetic differences between wild and hatchery-bred brown trout (Salmo trutta L.)
in single nucleotide polymorphisms linked to selective traits.
AB - To study effects from natural selection acting on brown trout in a natural stream
habitat compared with a hatchery environment, 3,781 single nucleotide
polymorphism (SNP) markers were analyzed in three closely related groups of brown
trout (Salmo trutta L.). Autumn (W/0+, n = 48) and consecutive spring (W/1+, n =
47) samples of brown trout individuals belonging to the same cohort and stream
were retrieved using electrofishing. A third group (H/1+, n = 48) comprised
hatchery-reared individuals, bred from a mixture of wild parents of the strain of
the two former groups and from a neighboring stream. Pairwise analysis of FST
outliers and analysis under a hierarchical model by means of ARLEQUIN software
detected 421 (10.8%) candidates of selection, before multitest correction.
BAYESCAN software detected 10 candidate loci, all of which were included among
the ARLEQUIN candidate loci. Body length was significantly different across
genotypes at 10 candidate loci in the W/0+, at 34 candidate loci in the W/1+ and
at 21 candidate loci in the H/1+ group. The W/1+ sample was tested for genotype
specific body length at all loci, and significant differences were found in 10.6%
of all loci, and of these, 14.2% had higher frequency of the largest genotype in
the W/1+ sample than in W/0+. The corresponding proportion among the candidate
loci of W/1+ was 22.7% with genotype-specific body length, and 88.2% of these had
increased frequency of the largest genotype from W/0+ to W/1+, indicating a
linkage between these loci and traits affecting growth and survival under this
stream's environmental conditions. Bayesian structuring of all loci, and of the
noncandidate loci suggested two (K = 2), alternatively four clusters (K = 4).
This differed from the candidate SNPs, which suggested only two clusters. In both
cases, the hatchery fish dominated one cluster, and body length of W/1+ fish was
positively correlated with membership of one cluster both from the K = 2 and the
K = 4 structure. Our analysis demonstrates profound genetic differentiation that
can be linked to differential selection on a fitness-related trait (individual
growth) in brown trout living under natural vs. hatchery conditions. Candidate
SNP loci linked to genes affecting individual growth were identified and provide
important inputs into future mapping of the genetic basis of brown trout body
size selection.
PMID- 28690823
TI - Opposing effects of mortality factors on progeny operational sex ratio may thwart
adaptive manipulation of primary sex ratio.
AB - Despite extensive research on mechanisms generating biases in sex ratios, the
capacity of natural enemies to shift or further skew operational sex ratios
following sex allocation and parental care remains largely unstudied in natural
populations. Male cocoons of the sawfly Neodiprion abietis (Hymenoptera:
Diprionidae) are consistently smaller than those of females, with very little
overlap, and thus, we were able to use cocoon size to sex cocoons. We studied
three consecutive cohorts of N. abietis in six forest stands to detect cocoon
volume-associated biases in the attack of predators, pathogens, and parasitoids
and examine how the combined effect of natural enemies shapes the realized
operational sex ratio. Neodiprion abietis mortality during the cocoon stage was
sex-biased, being 1.6 times greater for males than females. Greater net mortality
in males occurred because male-biased mortality caused by a pteromalid parasitic
wasp and a baculovirus was greater and more skewed than female-biased mortality
caused by ichneumonid parasitic wasps. Variation in the susceptibility of each
sex to each family of parasitoids was associated with differences in size and
life histories of male and female hosts. A simulation based on the data indicated
that shifts in the nature of differential mortality have different effects on the
sex ratio and fitness of survivors. Because previous work has indicated that
reduced host plant foliage quality induces female-biased mortality in this
species, bottom-up and top-down factors acting on populations can affect
operational sex ratios in similar or opposite ways. Shifts in ecological
conditions therefore have the potential to alter progeny fitness and produce
extreme sex ratio skews, even in the absence of unbalanced sex allocation. This
would limit the capacity of females to anticipate the operational sex ratio and
reliably predict the reproductive success of each gender at sex allocation.
PMID- 28690824
TI - High invasion potential of Hydrilla verticillata in the Americas predicted using
ecological niche modeling combined with genetic data.
AB - Ecological niche modeling is an effective tool to characterize the spatial
distribution of suitable areas for species, and it is especially useful for
predicting the potential distribution of invasive species. The widespread
submerged plant Hydrilla verticillata (hydrilla) has an obvious phylogeographical
pattern: Four genetic lineages occupy distinct regions in native range, and only
one lineage invades the Americas. Here, we aimed to evaluate climatic niche
conservatism of hydrilla in North America at the intraspecific level and explore
its invasion potential in the Americas by comparing climatic niches in a
phylogenetic context. Niche shift was found in the invasion process of hydrilla
in North America, which is probably mainly attributed to high levels of somatic
mutation. Dramatic changes in range expansion in the Americas were predicted in
the situation of all four genetic lineages invading the Americas or future
climatic changes, especially in South America; this suggests that there is a high
invasion potential of hydrilla in the Americas. Our findings provide useful
information for the management of hydrilla in the Americas and give an example of
exploring intraspecific climatic niche to better understand species invasion.
PMID- 28690825
TI - White-crowned sparrow males show immediate flexibility in song amplitude but not
in song minimum frequency in response to changes in noise levels in the field.
AB - The soundscape acts as a selective agent on organisms that use acoustic signals
to communicate. A number of studies document variation in structure, amplitude,
or timing of signal production in correspondence with environmental noise levels
thus supporting the hypothesis that organisms are changing their signaling
behaviors to avoid masking. The time scale at which organisms respond is of
particular interest. Signal structure may evolve across generations through
processes such as cultural or genetic transmission. Individuals may also change
their behavior during development (ontogenetic change) or in real time (i.e.,
immediate flexibility). These are not mutually exclusive mechanisms, and all must
be investigated to understand how organisms respond to selection pressures from
the soundscape. Previous work on white-crowned sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys)
found that males holding territories in louder areas tend to sing higher
frequency songs and that both noise levels and song frequency have increased over
time (30 years) in urban areas. These previous findings suggest that songs are
changing across generations; however, it is not known if this species also
exhibits immediate flexibility. Here, we conducted an exploratory, observational
study to ask whether males change the minimum frequency of their song in response
to immediate changes in noise levels. We also ask whether males sing louder, as
increased minimum frequency may be physiologically linked to producing sound at
higher amplitudes, in response to immediate changes in environmental noise. We
found that territorial males adjust song amplitude but not minimum frequency in
response to changes in environmental noise levels. Our results suggest that males
do not show immediate flexibility in song minimum frequency, although
experimental manipulations are needed to test this hypothesis further. Our work
highlights the need to investigate multiple mechanisms of adaptive response to
soundscapes.
PMID- 28690826
TI - Demographics, reproduction, growth, and abundance of Jollyville Plateau
salamanders (Eurycea tonkawae).
AB - Insights into the ecology and natural history of the neotenic salamander, Eurycea
tonkawae, are provided from eight years of capture-recapture data from 10,041
captures of 7,315 individuals at 16 sites. Eurycea tonkawae exhibits seasonal
reproduction, with peak gravidity occurring in the fall and winter. Size
frequency data indicated recruitment occurred in the spring and summer. Open
population capture-recapture models revealed a similar seasonal pattern at two of
three sites, while recruitment was dependent on flow at the third site. Females
can reach sexual maturity within one year, and oviposition likely takes place
below ground. The asymptotic body length of 1,290 individuals was estimated as
31.73 mm (at ca. two years of age), although there was substantial heterogeneity
among growth trajectories. Longevity was approximately eight years, and the
median age for a recaptured adult was 2.3 years. Abundance estimated from closed
population and robust-design capture-recapture models varied widely within and
among sites (range 41-834), although, surprisingly, dramatic changes in abundance
were not observed following prolonged dry periods. Seasonal migration patterns of
second-year and older adults may help explain lower ratios of large individuals
and higher temporary emigration during the latter half of the year, but further
study is required. Low numbers of captures and recaptures precluded the use of
open-population models to estimate demographic parameters at several sites;
therefore, closed-population (or robust-design) methods are generally
recommended. Based on observations of their life history and population
demographics, E. tonkawae seems well adapted to conditions where spring flow is
variable and surface habitat periodically goes dry.
PMID- 28690827
TI - Stabilizing mechanisms in a food web with an introduced omnivore.
AB - Intraguild predation (IGP) is an omnivorous food web configuration in which the
top predator consumes both a competitor (consumer) and a second prey that it
shares with the competitor. This omnivorous configuration occurs frequently in
food webs, but theory suggests that it is unstable unless stabilizing mechanisms
exist that can decrease the strength of the omnivore and consumer interaction.
Although these mechanisms have been documented in native food webs, little is
known about whether they operate in the context of an introduced species. Here,
we study a marine mussel aquaculture system where the introduction of omnivorous
mussels should generate an unstable food web that favors the extinction of the
consumer, yet it persists. Using field and laboratory approaches, we searched for
stabilizing mechanisms that could reduce interaction strengths in the food web.
While field zooplankton counts suggested that mussels influence the composition
and abundance of copepods, stable isotope results indicated that life-history
omnivory and cannibalism facilitated the availability of prey refugia, and
reduced competition and the interaction strength between the mussel omnivore and
zooplankton consumers. In laboratory experiments, however, we found no evidence
of adaptive feeding which could weaken predator-consumer interactions. Our food
web study suggests that the impact of an introduced omnivore may not only depend
on its interaction with native species but also on the availability of
stabilizing mechanisms that alter the strength of those interactions.
PMID- 28690828
TI - Culture and identification of Borrelia spirochetes in human vaginal and seminal
secretions.
AB - Background: Recent reports indicate that more than 300,000 cases of Lyme disease
are diagnosed yearly in the USA. Preliminary clinical, epidemiological and
immunological studies suggest that infection with the Lyme disease spirochete
Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb) could be transferred from person to person via intimate
human contact without a tick vector. Detecting viable Borrelia spirochetes in
vaginal and seminal secretions would provide evidence to support this hypothesis.
Methods: Patients with and without a history of Lyme disease were selected for
the study after informed consent was obtained. Serological testing for Bb was
performed on all subjects. Semen or vaginal secretions were inoculated into BSK-H
medium and cultured for four weeks. Examination of genital cultures and culture
concentrates for the presence of spirochetes was performed using light and
darkfield microscopy, and spirochete concentrates were subjected to Dieterle
silver staining, anti-Bb immunohistochemical staining, molecular hybridization
and PCR analysis for further characterization. Immunohistochemical and molecular
testing was performed in three independent laboratories. Positive and negative
controls were included in all experiments. Results: Control subjects who were
asymptomatic and seronegative for Bb had no detectable spirochetes in genital
secretions by PCR analysis. In contrast, spirochetes were observed in cultures of
genital secretions from 11 of 13 subjects diagnosed with Lyme disease, and motile
spirochetes were detected in genital culture concentrates from 12 of 13 Lyme
disease patients using light and darkfield microscopy. Morphological features of
spirochetes were confirmed by Dieterle silver staining and immunohistochemical
staining of culture concentrates. Molecular hybridization and PCR testing
confirmed that the spirochetes isolated from semen and vaginal secretions were
strains of Borrelia, and all cultures were negative for treponemal spirochetes.
PCR sequencing of cultured spirochetes from three couples having unprotected sex
indicated that two couples had identical strains of Bb sensu stricto in their
semen and vaginal secretions, while the third couple had identical strains of B.
hermsii detected in their genital secretions. Conclusions: The culture of viable
Borrelia spirochetes in genital secretions suggests that Lyme disease could be
transmitted by intimate contact from person to person.
PMID- 28690829
TI - A simple mathematical approach to the analysis of polypharmacology and
polyspecificity data.
AB - There many possible types of drug-target interactions, because there are a
surprising number of ways in which drugs and their targets can associate with one
another. These relationships are expressed as polypharmacology and
polyspecificity. Polypharmacology is the capability of a given drug to exhibit
activity with respect to multiple drug targets, which are not necessarily in the
same activity class. Adverse drug reactions ('side effects') are its principal
manifestation, but polypharmacology is also playing a role in the repositioning
of existing drugs for new therapeutic indications. Polyspecificity, on the other
hand, is the capability of a given target to exhibit activity with respect to
multiple, structurally dissimilar drugs. That these concepts are closely related
to one another is, surprisingly, not well known. It will be shown in this work
that they are, in fact, mathematically related to one another and are in essence
'two sides of the same coin'. Hence, information on polypharmacology provides
equivalent information on polyspecificity, and vice versa. Networks are playing
an increasingly important role in biological research. Drug-target networks, in
particular, are made up of drug nodes that are linked to specific target nodes if
a given drug is active with respect to that target. Such networks provide a
graphic depiction of polypharmacology and polyspecificity. However, by their
very nature they can obscure information that may be useful in their
interpretation and analysis. This work will show how such latent information can
be used to determine bounds for the degrees of polypharmacology and
polyspecificity, and how to estimate other useful features associated with the
lack of completeness of most drug-target datasets.
PMID- 28690830
TI - In silico discovery of terpenoid metabolism in Cannabis sativa.
AB - Due to their efficacy, cannabis based therapies are currently being prescribed
for the treatment of many different medical conditions. Interestingly, treatments
based on the use of cannabis flowers or their derivatives have been shown to be
very effective, while therapies based on drugs containing THC alone lack
therapeutic value and lead to increased side effects, likely resulting from the
absence of other pivotal entourage compounds found in the Phyto-complex. Among
these compounds are terpenoids, which are not produced exclusively by cannabis
plants, so other plant species must share many of the enzymes involved in their
metabolism. In the present work, 23,630 transcripts from the canSat3 reference
transcriptome were scanned for evolutionarily conserved protein domains and
annotated in accordance with their predicted molecular functions. A total of 215
evolutionarily conserved genes encoding enzymes presumably involved in terpenoid
metabolism are described, together with their expression profiles in different
cannabis plant tissues at different developmental stages. The resource presented
here will aid future investigations on terpenoid metabolism in Cannabis sativa.
PMID- 28690831
TI - Patient waiting time in the outpatient clinic at a central surgical hospital of
Vietnam: Implications for resource allocation.
AB - Background: Patient waiting time is considered as a crucial parameter in the
assessment of healthcare quality and patients' satisfaction towards healthcare
services. Data concerning this has remained limited in Vietnam. Thus, this study
aims to assess patient waiting time in the outpatient clinic in Viet Duc Hospital
(Hanoi, Vietnam) in order to enable stakeholders to inform evidence-based
interventions to improve the quality of healthcare services. Methods: A cross
sectional study was conducted from June 2014 to June 2015 in the outpatient
clinic at Viet Duc Hospital. Waiting time stratified by years (2014 and 2015),
months of the year, weekdays, and hours of the day were extracted from Hospital
Management software and carefully calculated. Stata 12.0 was employed to analyze
data, including the average time (M+/- SD), frequencies and percentage (%).
Results: There was a total of 137,881 patients involved in the study. The average
waiting time from registration to preliminary diagnosis in 2014 was 50.41
minutes, and in 2015 was 42.05 minutes. A longer waiting time was recorded in the
morning and in those having health insurance. Conclusions: Our study highlights
the essential need for human resource promotion to reduce patient waiting time.
Also, attention should be paid to the simplification of administrative procedures
in order to reduce waiting time among insured patients.
PMID- 28690832
TI - Validation of commercial ERK antibodies against the ERK orthologue of the
scleractinian coral Stylophora pistillata.
AB - The extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) signalling pathway
controls key cellular processes, such as cell cycle regulation, cell fate
determination and the response to external stressors. Although ERK functions are
well studied in a variety of living organisms ranging from yeast to mammals, its
functions in corals are still poorly known. The present work aims to give
practical tools to study the expression level of ERK protein and the activity of
the ERK signalling pathway in corals. The antibody characterisation experiment
was performed five times and identical results were obtained. The present study
validated the immune-reactivity of commercially available antibodies directed
against ERK and its phosphorylated/activated forms on protein extracts of the
reef-building coral Stylophora pistillata.
PMID- 28690833
TI - Effect of PVP on the characteristic of modified membranes made from waste PET
bottles for humic acid removal.
AB - Background: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the possibility of using
recycled polymer (waste polyethylene terephthalate [PET] bottles) as a membrane
material. Furthermore, the effect of the addition of a pore-forming agent and
preparation conditions was also observed. Methods: Porous polymeric membranes
were prepared via thermally induced phase separation by dissolving recycled PET
in phenol. PET polymer was obtained from waste plastic bottles as a new source of
polymeric material. For original PET membrane, the casting solution was prepared
by dissolving of 20wt% PET in phenol solution. For PET modified membrane, a 5 wt%
of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) was added into polymer solution. The solution was
cast onto a glass plate at room temperature followed by evaporation before the
solidification process. The membranes formed were characterized in terms of
morphology, chemical group, and filtration performance. A humic acid solution was
used to identify the permeability and the solute rejection of the membranes.
Results: The results showed that the recycled PET from waste plastic bottles was
applicable to use as a membrane material for a water treatment process. The
highest rejection of humic acid in a water sample, which reached up to 75.92%,
was obtained using the PET/PVP membrane. Conclusions: The recycled PET from waste
bottles was successfully used to prepare porous membrane. The membrane was
modified by the addition of PVP as a membrane modifying agent. SEM analysis
confirmed that the original PET membrane has a rough and large pore structure.
The addition of PVP improved the pore density with a narrow pore structure. The
PET/PVP membrane conditioned with evaporation was the best in humic acid
rejection.
PMID- 28690834
TI - From disease modelling to personalised therapy in patients with CEP290 mutations.
AB - Mutations that give rise to premature termination codons are a common cause of
inherited genetic diseases. When transcripts containing these changes are
generated, they are usually rapidly removed by the cell through the process of
nonsense-mediated decay. Here we discuss observed changes in transcripts of the
centrosomal protein CEP290 resulting not from degradation, but from changes in
exon usage. We also comment on a landmark paper (Drivas et al. Sci Transl Med.
2015) where modelling this process of exon usage may be used to predict disease
severity in CEP290 ciliopathies, and how understanding this process may
potentially be used for therapeutic benefit in the future.
PMID- 28690835
TI - Dietary assessment methods in epidemiological research: current state of the art
and future prospects.
AB - Self-reported dietary intake is assessed by methods of real-time recording (food
diaries and the duplicate portion method) and methods of recall (dietary
histories, food frequency questionnaires, and 24-hour dietary recalls). Being
less labor intensive, recall methods are more frequently employed in nutritional
epidemiological investigations. However, sources of error, which include the
participants' inability to fully and accurately recall their intakes as well as
limitations inherent in the food composition databases applied to convert the
reported food consumption to energy and nutrient intakes, may limit the validity
of the generated information. The use of dietary biomarkers is often recommended
to overcome such errors and better capture intra-individual variability in
intake; nevertheless, it has its own challenges. To address measurement error
associated with dietary questionnaires, large epidemiological investigations
often integrate sub-studies for the validation and calibration of the
questionnaires and/or administer a combination of different assessment methods
(e.g. administration of different questionnaires and assessment of biomarker
levels). Recent advances in the omics field could enrich the list of reliable
nutrition biomarkers, whereas new approaches employing web-based and smart phone
applications could reduce respondent burden and, possibly, reporting bias. Novel
technologies are increasingly integrated with traditional methods, but some
sources of error still remain. In the analyses, food and nutrient intakes always
need to be adjusted for total daily energy intake to account for errors related
to reporting.
PMID- 28690836
TI - Noise-induced and age-related hearing loss: new perspectives and potential
therapies.
AB - The classic view of sensorineural hearing loss has been that the primary damage
targets are hair cells and that auditory nerve loss is typically secondary to
hair cell degeneration. Recent work has challenged that view. In noise-induced
hearing loss, exposures causing only reversible threshold shifts (and no hair
cell loss) nevertheless cause permanent loss of >50% of the synaptic connections
between hair cells and the auditory nerve. Similarly, in age-related hearing
loss, degeneration of cochlear synapses precedes both hair cell loss and
threshold elevation. This primary neural degeneration has remained a "hidden
hearing loss" for two reasons: 1) the neuronal cell bodies survive for years
despite loss of synaptic connection with hair cells, and 2) the degeneration is
selective for auditory nerve fibers with high thresholds. Although not required
for threshold detection when quiet, these high-threshold fibers are critical for
hearing in noisy environments. Research suggests that primary neural degeneration
is an important contributor to the perceptual handicap in sensorineural hearing
loss, and it may be key to the generation of tinnitus and other associated
perceptual anomalies. In cases where the hair cells survive, neurotrophin
therapies can elicit neurite outgrowth from surviving auditory neurons and re
establishment of their peripheral synapses; thus, treatments may be on the
horizon.
PMID- 28690837
TI - The application of remote ischemic conditioning in cardiac surgery.
AB - Perioperative myocardial ischemia and infarction are the leading causes of
morbidity and mortality following anesthesia and surgery. The discovery of
endogenous cardioprotective mechanisms has led to testing of new methods to
protect the human heart. These approaches have included ischemic pre
conditioning, per-conditioning, post-conditioning, and remote conditioning of the
myocardium. Pre-conditioning and per-conditioning include brief and repetitive
periods of sub-lethal ischemia before and during prolonged ischemia,
respectively; and post-conditioning is applied at the onset of reperfusion.
Remote ischemic conditioning involves transient, repetitive, non-lethal ischemia
and reperfusion in one organ or tissue (remote from the heart) that renders
myocardium more resistant to lethal ischemia/reperfusion injury. In healthy,
young hearts, many conditioning maneuvers can significantly increase the
resistance of the heart against ischemia/reperfusion injury. The large
multicenter clinical trials with ischemic remote conditioning have not been
proven successful in cardiac surgery thus far. The lack of clinical success is
due to underlying risk factors that interfere with remote ischemic conditioning
and the use of cardioprotective agents that have activated the endogenous
cardioprotective mechanisms prior to remote ischemic conditioning. Future
preclinical research using remote ischemic conditioning will need to be conducted
using comorbid models.
PMID- 28690838
TI - Recent advances in high-throughput approaches to dissect enhancer function.
AB - The regulation of gene transcription in higher eukaryotes is accomplished through
the involvement of transcription start site (TSS)-proximal (promoters) and
distal (enhancers) regulatory elements. It is now well acknowledged that enhancer
elements play an essential role during development and cell differentiation,
while genetic alterations in these elements are a major cause of human disease.
Many strategies have been developed to identify and characterize enhancers. Here,
we discuss recent advances in high-throughput approaches to assess enhancer
activity, from the well-established massively parallel reporter assays to the
recent clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9
based technologies. We highlight how these approaches contribute toward a better
understanding of enhancer function, eventually leading to the discovery of new
types of regulatory sequences, and how the alteration of enhancers can affect
transcriptional regulation.
PMID- 28690839
TI - Recent advances in understanding and managing cancer pain.
AB - Cancer pain remains a significant clinical problem worldwide. Causes of cancer
pain are multifactorial and complex and are likely to vary with an array of tumor
related and host-related factors and processes. Pathophysiology is poorly
understood; however, new laboratory research points to cross-talk between cancer
cells and host's immune and neural systems as an important potential mechanism
that may be broadly relevant to many cancer pain syndromes. Opioids remain the
most effective pharmaceuticals used in the treatment of cancer pain. However,
their role has been evolving due to emerging awareness of risks of chronic opioid
therapy. Despite extensive research efforts, no new class of analgesics has been
developed. However, many potential therapeutic targets that may lead to the
establishment of new pharmaceuticals have been identified in recent years. It is
also expected that the role of non-pharmacological modalities of treatment will
grow in prominence. Specifically, neuromodulation, a rapidly expanding field, may
play a major role in the treatment of neuropathic cancer pain provided that
further technological progress permits the development of non-invasive and
inexpensive neuromodulation techniques.
PMID- 28690840
TI - Making the clock tick: the transcriptional landscape of the plant circadian
clock.
AB - Circadian clocks are molecular timekeepers that synchronise internal
physiological processes with the external environment by integrating light and
temperature stimuli. As in other eukaryotic organisms, circadian rhythms in
plants are largely generated by an array of nuclear transcriptional regulators
and associated co-regulators that are arranged into a series of interconnected
molecular loops. These transcriptional regulators recruit chromatin-modifying
enzymes that adjust the structure of the nucleosome to promote or inhibit DNA
accessibility and thus guide transcription rates. In this review, we discuss the
recent advances made in understanding the architecture of the Arabidopsis
oscillator and the chromatin dynamics that regulate the generation of rhythmic
patterns of gene expression within the circadian clock.
PMID- 28690841
TI - New frontiers in the treatment of systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
AB - Systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) and its most significant
complication, macrophage activation syndrome (MAS), have traditionally been
treated with steroids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications. However,
the introduction of biologic medications that inhibit specific cytokines, such
interleukins 1 and 6, has changed the treatment paradigm for sJIA patients. In
this review, we discuss the therapies currently used in the treatment of sJIA as
well as novel targets and approaches under consideration, including mesenchymal
stromal cell therapy and JAK inhibitors. We also discuss targeting cytokines that
have been implicated in MAS, such as interferon gamma and interleukin 18.
PMID- 28690842
TI - Chemical genetics and strigolactone perception.
AB - Strigolactones (SLs) are a collection of related small molecules that act as
hormones in plant growth and development. Intriguingly, SLs also act as
ecological communicators between plants and mycorrhizal fungi and between host
plants and a collection of parasitic plant species. In the case of mycorrhizal
fungi, SLs exude into the soil from host roots to attract fungal hyphae for a
beneficial interaction. In the case of parasitic plants, however, root-exuded SLs
cause dormant parasitic plant seeds to germinate, thereby allowing the resulting
seedling to infect the host and withdraw nutrients. Because a laboratory-friendly
model does not exist for parasitic plants, researchers are currently using
information gleaned from model plants like Arabidopsis in combination with the
chemical probes developed through chemical genetics to understand SL perception
of parasitic plants. This work first shows that understanding SL signaling is
useful in developing chemical probes that perturb SL perception. Second, it
indicates that the chemical space available to probe SL signaling in both model
and parasitic plants is sizeable. Because these parasitic pests represent a major
concern for food insecurity in the developing world, there is great need for
chemical approaches to uncover novel lead compounds that perturb parasitic plant
infections.
PMID- 28690843
TI - The role of PD-1 in regulation of macrophage apoptosis and its subversion by
Leishmania donovani.
AB - Programmed death-1 receptor (PD-1) expressed in many immune cells is known to
trigger T-cell exhaustion but the significance of macrophage-associated PD-1 in
relevance to macrophage apoptosis is not known. This study is aimed to delineate
whether PD-1 pathway has any role in eliciting macrophage apoptosis and, if so,
then how the intra-macrophage parasite, Leishmania donovani modulates PD-1
pathway for protecting its niche. Resting macrophages when treated with H2O2
showed increased PD-1 expression and apoptosis, which was further enhanced on PD
1 agonist treatment. The administration of either PD-1 receptor or PD-1 ligand
blocking antibodies reversed the process thus documenting the involvement of PD-1
in macrophage apoptosis. On the contrary, L. donovani-infected macrophages showed
decreased PD-1 expression concurrent with inhibition of apoptosis. The activation
of PD-1 pathway was found to negatively regulate the phosphorylation of pro
survival AKT, which was reversed during infection. Infection-induced PD-1
downregulation led to the activation of AKT resulting in phosphorylation and
subsequent inhibition of proapoptotic protein BAD. Strong association of SHP2 (a
SH2-containing ubiquitously expressed tyrosine-specific protein phosphatase) with
PD-1 along with AKT deactivation observed in H2O2-treated macrophages was
reversed by L. donovani infection. Kinetic analysis coupled with inhibitor-based
approach and knockdown experiments demonstrated that L. donovani infection
actively downregulated the PD-1 by deactivating NFATc1 as revealed by its reduced
nuclear translocation. The study thus elucidates the detailed mechanism of the
role of PD-1 in macrophage apoptosis and its negative modulation by Leishmania
for their intracellular survival.
PMID- 28690844
TI - PD1 functions by inhibiting CD28-mediated co-stimulation.
PMID- 28690845
TI - Diagnostic autoantibodies for autoimmune liver diseases.
AB - Autoimmune liver diseases are conditions of low prevalence that comprise the
triad of autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cholangitis (cirrhosis) and
primary sclerosing cholangitis and their poorly characterised overlapping
syndromes. Diagnostic autoantibodies are associated with autoimmune hepatitis and
primary biliary cholangitis but not with primary sclerosing cholangitis.
Autoantibodies are useful disease markers that facilitate early diagnosis of
autoimmune hepatitis and primary biliary cholangitis and allow for therapeutic
intervention to prevent progression to liver cirrhosis and associated
complications. Adult onset type 1 autoimmune hepatitis is associated with F-actin
reactive smooth muscle autoantibody, antinuclear autoantibody in 60% of patients,
and autoantibody to SLA/LP in 15-20%. Juvenile onset type 2 autoimmune hepatitis
is associated with LKM-1 and LC-1 autoantibodies. Primary biliary cholangitis is
associated with a mitochondria-associated autoantibody designated M2 in >90% of
patients and with disease-specific antinuclear autoantibodies in 50% that bind to
antigens in the nuclear core complex and in multiple nuclear dots. Autoantibodies
to the nuclear core complex target gp210, nucleoporin p62 and nuclear lamin B
receptor. Autoantibodies to multiple nuclear dots target Sp100 and PML antigens.
Liver autoantibodies in asymptomatic patients with normal liver function may
precede the subsequent development of overt autoimmune liver disease. For routine
diagnostic immunology laboratories, initial screening for liver autoantibodies by
immunofluorescence remains the method of choice with confirmation for reactivity
with their target antigen by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) or line
blot when required.
PMID- 28690846
TI - Tracking the T-cell repertoire after adoptive therapy.
PMID- 28690847
TI - The circulating life of a memory T-follicular helper cell.
PMID- 28690848
TI - Corrigendum: A generalized quantitative antibody homeostasis model: antigen
saturation, natural antibodies and a quantitative antibody network.
AB - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/cti.2016.90.].
PMID- 28690849
TI - Altered regulatory T-cell fractions and Helios expression in clinically isolated
syndrome: clues to the development of multiple sclerosis.
AB - Development of multiple sclerosis (MS) is frequently preceded by an acute or
subacute neurological disturbance referred to as clinically isolated syndrome
(CIS). The specific immunological disturbances present in CIS remain
underexamined. This study analysed peripheral blood mononuclear cells from n=18
treatment-naive individuals with recently diagnosed CIS (<120 days) for
disturbances in the phenotype of T regulatory (Treg), follicular T regulatory
(Tfr), T helper (Th), follicular T helper (Tfh) and B cells. Relative to healthy
controls (n=19), CIS was associated with lower proportions of suppressive
CD45RA+FoxP3lo Treg and Tfr cells and greater proportions of non-suppressive
CD45RA-FoxP3lo and Th17-like Treg and Tfr. Lower Helios expression (maen
fluorescent intensity) was measured across all Treg and Tfr fractions in the CIS
group, suggesting less potent regulatory function. Greater frequencies of
activated, efficient B-cell helper Tfh subsets and a trend for a higher
proportion of IgD-CD27- B cells was also detected in the CIS group,
characteristics that were positively correlated with Treg and Tfr Helios
expression. These results indicate that Treg and Tfr impairment is an early
feature in MS.
PMID- 28690850
TI - Agammaglobulinaemia despite terminal B-cell differentiation in a patient with a
novel LRBA mutation.
AB - Mutations in lipopolysaccharide-responsive vesicle trafficking, beach and anchor
containing protein (LRBA) cause immune deficiency and inflammation. Here, we are
reporting a novel homozygous mutation in LRBA allele in 7-year-old Omani boy,
born to consanguineous parents. He presented with type 1 diabetes, autoimmune
haematological cytopenia, recurrent chest infections and lymphocytic interstitial
lung disease. The patient was treated with CTLA4-Ig (abatacept) with good outcome
every 2 weeks for a period of 3 months. He developed complete IgG deficiency, but
remarkably, histological examination revealed germinal centres and plasma cells
in lymphoid and inflamed lung tissue. Further charatecterisation showed these
cells to express IgM but not IgG. This ex vivo analysis suggests that LRBA
mutation confers a defect in class switching despite plasma cell formation.
PMID- 28690851
TI - Combining emotion regulation and mindfulness skills for preventing depression
relapse: a randomized-controlled study.
AB - BACKGROUND: Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) skills have become increasingly
used to treat several psychiatric conditions, including major depressive disorder
(MDD). The aim of the study was to investigate the efficacy of an intervention
that combines emotion regulation and mindfulness skills of DBT to prevent
depression relapse/recurrence. METHODS: A total of 75 individuals (79% females;
mean age, 52 years) with a diagnosis of MDD in complete or partial remission were
recruited. Participants were randomly allocated either to an intervention
combining emotion regulation and mindfulness skills (ER + M group, n = 37) or to
a psychoeducative program (n = 38). After the 10-week treatment period,
participants were followed for 1 year. Analyses were run in per-protocol (PP) and
intention-to-treat (ITT) samples. The primary outcome measure was time to
depression relapse/recurrence. RESULTS: ER + M training was not more effective
than the control intervention in preventing depression relapse. However, PP and
ITT analyses showed that participants trained in ER + M presented a significant
reduction in depressive symptoms and overall psychopathology. Based on the PP and
ITT analyses, neither of the interventions were related with an increase in
dispositional mindfulness. CONCLUSIONS: More studies are needed to confirm the
efficacy of ER + M to decrease depressive symptoms and overall psychopathology.
TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT02747134. Registered on 20 April 2016.
PMID- 28690852
TI - Is polymyxin B-immobilized fiber column ineffective for septic shock? A
discussion on the press release for EUPHRATES trial.
AB - The efficacy of polymyxin B-immobilized (PMX) fiber column on septic shock is
still under debate. Recently, the result from "Evaluating the Use of Polymyxin B
Hemoperfusion in a Randomized controlled trial of Adults Treated for Endotoxemia
and Septic shock (EUPHRATES)" trial has been announced as a press release.
According to that report, less than a 5% mortality difference was recognized in
the "per protocol population" (n = 244, 31.9 vs. 36.9%) and the decrease was not
statistically significant. However, among the patients in refractory shock with a
multiple organ dysfunction score of more than 9 and an EAA between 0.6 and 0.9, a
10.7% reduction in 28-day mortality was recognized (p = 0.0474) when they
received two sessions of hemoperfusion using the PMX fiber column. Since this
favorable effect was obtained from "post hoc" analysis, further study is
expected.
PMID- 28690853
TI - Significantly enhanced lung metastasis and reduced organ NK cell functions in
diet-induced obese rats.
AB - BACKGROUND: Obesity was identified as a major risk factor for malignant diseases,
but underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Natural killer (NK) cells, a pivotal
aspect of innate immunity, are capable of identifying and killing virally
infected and tumor cells. Previous studies have shown altered NK cell functions
in obesity, and the current study aimed to investigate the relationship between
altered NK cell functions and increased cancer risk in obesity. METHODS: To
induce obesity male F344-rats received a high-fat diet (34% fat) or a control
diet (4% fat). Thereafter, syngeneic mammary adenocarcinoma cells (MADB106) or a
vehicle were intravenously (i.v.) injected. 15 min after injection, half of each
group of rats were killed, lungs removed and immunohistochemically stained.
Numbers of NK cells, MADB106 cells and NK cell-tumor cell interactions were
quantified. Twenty-one days after tumor-cell injection the other half group of
rats was killed and lung metastases were counted and relative mRNA concentrations
of different NK cell receptors were determined. RESULTS: After short-term MADB106
challenge, DIO fed animals showed significantly decreased NK cell numbers in the
blood and NK cell-tumor cell interactions in the lung as compared to their
control littermates. Twenty-one days after MADB106 injection, the lungs of the
DIO fed rats showed significantly more lung metastases compared to control
animals, accompanied by reduced relative mRNA concentrations of the activating NK
cell receptor NKG2D. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that induction of obesity in F344
rats leads to reduced lung NK cell function against tumor cells and results in
significantly enhanced lung metastasis as compared to lean animals. It can be
hypothesized that obesity-induced altered NK cell functions play an important
role in cancer growth and metastasis.
PMID- 28690854
TI - Association between serum uric acid and metabolic syndrome components in
prepubertal obese children (Tanner Stage I) from Nuevo Leon, Mexico - a
preliminary study.
AB - BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a major risk factor for cardiovascular
disease and diabetes. Previous studies in obese children demonstrating a positive
association between serum uric acid (sUA) and components of MetS are confounded
by lack of uniformity in age and pubertal status of children. Therefore, we have
examined the role of sUA in MetS and its components in pre-pubertal children
(Tanner Stage I, age <= 9 years). METHODS: Pre-pubertal obese children (32 boys,
27 girls, age 6-9 years) were recruited from Nuevo Leon, Mexico. For comparison,
an equal number of children with normal body mass index (BMI) in the same age
range (22 Boys, 39 girls, age 6-9 years) were also recruited from the same
community. Presence of MetS and its components was defined according to the
criteria of International Diabetes Federation. Fasting blood was analyzed for
lipids, glucose, insulin, and uric acid. RESULTS: Among the obese children, sUA
was positively associated with insulin resistance and hypertriglyceridemia and
negatively associated with high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDLc). Subjects
were three times more likely to have a MetS diagnosis per one unit (md/dL)
difference in sUA. Of the 59 obese pre-pubertal children, 20 were classified as
having MetS defined by the presence of abdominal obesity and two or more of other
components described under methods. Of these, 57.1% (20/61) had sUA between 5.1
and 7.1 mg/dl. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study clearly indicate a
positive relationship between uric acid and MetS and its components in pre
pubertal obese children with Tanner stage I and <=9 years of age.
PMID- 28690855
TI - Prevalence of obesity and overweight and its associated factors among registered
pensioners in Ghana; a cross sectional studies.
AB - BACKGROUND: The elderly are faced with health problems such as cardiovascular
diseases, type II diabetes mellitus, kidney disease, arthritis and other
musculoskeletal problems, which can be linked to obesity and overweight. The aim
of this study was to determine the prevalence of obesity and overweight and its
associated factors amongst registered pensioners in Ghana. METHODS: A cross
sectional study was conducted among members of the national pensioners
association of Ghana. 4813 pensioners took part in the study. Thirteen study
centers were used in the study with at least one center per regional capital.
Questionnaires, physical examinations, blood and urine sample examinations were
carried out. RESULTS: Overall, 16.3% of the pensioners were obese while 30.0%
were overweight. Prevalence of obesity among males and females were 8.0% and
34.5% respectively. Pensioners who were hypertensive had 1.8 times the odds (95%
CI = 1.5-2.0) of being obese/overweight. Serum triglycerides levels of 2.26
mmol/L (200 mg/dL) or more, were associated with 80% chance of obesity and
overweight (OR = 1.8, 95% CI = 1.3 - 2.5). There was 30% increase in arthritis
among obese/overweight pensioners compared to normal/underweight pensioners.
Obesity and overweight pensioners were more likely to be using eyeglass (OR =
1.7, 95% CI = 1.3-2.2) and less likely to report hearing loss (OR = 0.7, 95% CI
=0.5-1.0). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of obesity among the elderly in Ghana is
high. Age had an inverse linear relationship with BMI among pensioners.
Hypertension, arthritis and dyslipidemia were associated with obesity among
registered pensioners.
PMID- 28690856
TI - IT-supported integrated care pathways for diabetes: A compilation and review of
good practices.
AB - INTRODUCTION: Integrated Care Pathways (ICPs) are a method for the mutual
decision-making and organization of care for a well-defined group of patients
during a well-defined period. The aim of a care pathway is to enhance the quality
of care by improving patient outcomes, promoting patient safety, increasing
patient satisfaction, and optimizing the use of resources. To describe this
concept, different names are used, e.g. care pathways and integrated care
pathways. Modern information technologies (IT) can support ICPs by enabling
patient empowerment, better management, and the monitoring of care provided by
multidisciplinary teams. This study analyses ICPs across Europe, identifying
commonalities and success factors to establish good practices for IT-supported
ICPs in diabetes care. METHODS: A mixed-method approach was applied, combining
desk research on 24 projects from the European Innovation Partnership on Active
and Healthy Ageing (EIP on AHA) with follow-up interviews of project
participants, and a non-systematic literature review. We applied a Delphi
technique to select process and outcome indicators, derived from different
literature sources which were compiled and applied for the identification of
successful good practices. RESULTS: Desk research identified sixteen projects
featuring IT-supported ICPs, mostly derived from the EIP on AHA, as good
practices based on our criteria. Follow-up interviews were then conducted with
representatives from 9 of the 16 projects to gather information not publicly
available and understand how these projects were meeting the identified criteria.
In parallel, the non-systematic literature review of 434 PubMed search results
revealed a total of eight relevant projects. On the basis of the selected EIP on
AHA project data and non-systematic literature review, no commonalities with
regard to defined process or outcome indicators could be identified through our
approach. Conversely, the research produced a heterogeneous picture in all
aspects of the projects' indicators. Data from desk research and follow-up
interviews partly lacked information on outcome and performance, which limited
the comparison between practices. CONCLUSION: Applying a comprehensive set of
indicators in a multi-method approach to assess the projects included in this
research study did not reveal any obvious commonalities which might serve as a
blueprint for future IT-supported ICP projects. Instead, an unexpected high
degree of heterogeneity was observed, that may reflect diverse local
implementation requirements e.g. specificities of the local healthcare system,
local regulations, or preexisting structures used for the project setup.
Improving the definition of and reporting on project outcomes could help advance
research on and implementation of effective integrated care solutions for chronic
disease management across Europe.
PMID- 28690857
TI - Advancing integrated care and its evaluation by means of a universal typology.
AB - Health systems around the globe implement integrated care interventions to
address the Triple Aim of simultaneously improving population health, patient
experiences and cost-efficiency. However, the underlying definitions and
conceptualisations of integrated care often differ considerably, which makes
uniform measurement and comparison difficult. Rather than agreeing on one
definition of integrated care, we argue that a universal typology of integrated
care interventions should be developed to enable the comparison of interventions
that are based on different understandings of integrated care. This universal
typology should combine rankable and intangible components with unrankable and
tangible sub-components, and be conceptually sound and flexible. The content of
the typology should be developed by an international consortium of relevant
stakeholders.
PMID- 28690858
TI - Topical rapamycin for facial angiofibromas in tuberous sclerosis complex.
AB - Facial angiofibromas are a common cutaneous manifestation of tuberous sclerosis
complex. Although angiofibromas are usually asymptomatic, they can be highly
disfiguring and can have a significant impact on patient quality of life.
Treatment for facial angiofibromas is challenging. Recently, topical rapamycin
has been proposed as an effective option to treat angiofibromas. Herein is
reported a case of a 27-year-old woman whose facial angiofibromas were
successfully treated with topical rapamycin without relevant side effects.
PMID- 28690859
TI - Case report of a lupus patient with a severe flare and miliary tuberculosis: need
for proper guidelines for management.
AB - Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease that is frequently
treated with high doses of corticosteroids and other immunosuppressive drugs.
Thus patients with SLE are at increased risk for infections with several
pathogens including Mycobacterium tuberculosis. There are no established
guidelines available for treatment of tuberculosis in SLE patients with high
disease activity due to lack of relevant studies and management based more on
physician expertise. We report a case of a young SLE patient with high disease
activity index (SLEDAI19) as evidenced by the presence of a vasculitic rash, non
healing ulcer on forearm and proteinuria of >1 g/d along with miliary
tuberculosis. She was treated with intravenous methylprednisolone pulse up to 3 g
and antituberculous therapy, but the result was a fatal outcome. This case report
emphasizes the need for formal guidelines for co-management of active
tuberculosis and SLE with high disease activity.
PMID- 28690860
TI - The detection of a novel insertion mutation in exon 2 of the MEFV gene associated
with familial mediterranean fever in a moroccan family.
AB - Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a hereditary autoinflammatory disease that
is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner and is caused by mutations in the
MEFV gene. As the name indicates, FMF occurs within families and is more common
in individuals of Mediterranean descent than in persons of any other ethnicity.
To date, 314 mutations have been reported. We studied a Moroccan family with a
total of five members, including a mother who was presenting with symptoms of
FMF, while her four children remained asymptomatic. The five patients were
screened by DNA sequencing of exon 2 and exon 10 of the MEFV gene. Then, complete
exome sequencing analysis of the MEFV gene was done for the patients in whom a
novel mutation was detected. This analysis identified a novel single base
Cytosine (C) insertion mutation in the coding region of the MEFV gene, named
c.441dupC (p. Glu148Argfs*5 or E148RfsX5), which resulted in a mutated
Pyrin/Marenostrin protein. This is the first report of a new mutation in exon 2
of the MEFV gene in a Moroccan family. This novel insertion mutation may provide
important information for further studies of FMF pathogenesis.
PMID- 28690861
TI - Whole-exome sequencing analysis of Waardenburg syndrome in a Chinese family.
AB - Waardenburg syndrome (WS) is a dominantly inherited, genetically heterogeneous
auditory-pigmentary syndrome characterized by non-progressive sensorineural
hearing loss and iris discoloration. By whole-exome sequencing (WES), we
identified a nonsense mutation (c.598C>T) in PAX3 gene, predicted to be disease
causing by in silico analysis. This is the first report of genetically diagnosed
case of WS PAX3 c.598C>T nonsense mutation in Chinese ethnic origin by WES and in
silico functional prediction methods.
PMID- 28690862
TI - A novel three-base duplication, E243dup, of GFAP identified in a patient with
Alexander disease.
AB - Alexander disease (AxD) is a rare hereditary neurodegenerative disorder caused by
glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) gene mutations, most of which are missense
mutations. We present an AxD case with a novel de novo three-base duplication
mutation in GFAP resulting in E243dup.
PMID- 28690863
TI - Fertility preservation training for obstetrics and gynecology fellows: a highly
desired but non-standardized experience.
AB - BACKGROUND: Despite a large body of data suggesting that delivery of fertility
care to cancer patients is inconsistent and frequently insufficient, there is a
paucity of literature examining training in fertility preservation for those
physicians expected to discuss options or execute therapy. The study objective
was to compare fertility preservation training between Reproductive Endocrinology
& Infertility (REI) and Gynecologic Oncology (GYN ONC) fellows and assess the
need for additional education in this field. METHODS: A 38-item survey was
administered to REI and GYN ONC fellows in the United states in April 2014.
Survey items included: 1) Clinical exposure, perceived quality of training, and
self-reported knowledge in fertility preservation; 2) an educational needs
assessment of desire for additional training in fertility preservation. RESULTS:
Seventy-nine responses were received from 137 REI and 160 GYN ONC fellows
(response rate 27%). REI fellows reported seeing significantly more fertility
preservation patients and rated their training more favorably than GYN ONC
fellows (48% of REI fellows versus 7% of GYN ONC fellows rated training as
'excellent', p < 0.001). A majority of all fellows felt discussing fertility
preservation was 'very important' but fellows differed in self-reported ability
to counsel patients, with 43% of REI fellows and only 4% of GYN ONC fellows able
to counsel patients 'all the time' (p = 0.002). Seventy-six percent of all
fellows felt more education in fertility preservation was required, and 91% felt
it should be a required component of fellowship training. CONCLUSION: Significant
variability exists in fertility preservation training for REI and GYN ONC
fellows, with the greatest gap seen for GYN ONC fellows, both in perceived
quality of fertility preservation training and number of fertility preservation
patients seen. A majority of fellows in both disciplines support the idea of a
standardized multi-disciplinary curriculum in fertility preservation.
PMID- 28690864
TI - Surgical site infections after cesarean delivery: epidemiology, prevention and
treatment.
AB - Cesarean delivery (CD) is one of the most common procedures performed in the
United States, accounting for 32% of all deliveries. Postpartum surgical site
infection (SSI), wound infection and endometritis is a major cause of prolonged
hospital stay and poses a burden to the health care system. SSIs complicate a
significant number of patients who undergo CD - 2-7% will experience sound
infections and 2-16% will develop endometritis. Many risk factors for SSI have
been described. These include maternal factors (such as tobacco use; limited
prenatal care; obesity; corticosteroid use; nulliparity; twin gestations; and
previous CD), intrapartum and operative factors (such as chorioamnionitis;
premature rupture of membranes; prolonged rupture of membranes; prolonged labor,
particularly prolonged second stage; large incision length; subcutaneous tissue
thickness > 3 cm; subcutaneous hematoma; lack of antibiotic prophylaxis;
emergency delivery; and excessive blood loss), and obstetrical care on the
teaching service of an academic institution. Effective interventions to decrease
surgical site infection include prophylactic antibiotic use (preoperative first
generation cephalosporin and intravenous azithromycin), chlorhexidine skin
preparation instead of iodine, hair removal using clippers instead of razors,
vaginal cleansing by povidone-iodine, placental removal by traction of the
umbilical cord instead of by manual removal, suture closure of subcutaneous
tissue if the wound thickness is >2 cm, and skin closure with sutures instead of
with staples. Implementation of surgical bundles in non-obstetric patients has
been promising., Creating a similar patient care bundle comprised evidence-based
elements in patients who undergo CD may decrease the incidence of this major
complication. Each hospital has the opportunity to create its own CD surgical
bundle to decrease surgical site infection.
PMID- 28690865
TI - Delaying pigs from the normal production flow is associated with health problems
and poorer performance.
AB - BACKGROUND: Delaying pigs from advancing through the production stages could have
a negative impact on their health and performance. The objective of this study
was to investigate the possible implications of delaying pigs from the normal
production flow on pig health and performance in a farrow-to-finish commercial
farm with a self-declared All-In/All-Out (AIAO) management. RESULTS: Three flows
of pigs were defined, flow 1 (i.e. pigs that followed the normal production flow;
8 weeks in the nursery stage, 4 weeks in the growing stage and 8 weeks in the
finisher stage), flow 2 (i.e. pigs delayed 1 week from advancing to the next
production stage) and flow 3 (i.e. pigs delayed >1 week from advancing to the
next production stage). Flow 3 included higher proportions of pigs from first
parity sows and of lighter birth weights. When the 3 flows were matched by parity
and birth weight, pigs in flow 2 were 3.8 times more likely to be lame prior to
slaughter compared with pigs in flow 1. Similarly, pigs in flow 3 were more
likely to be lame prior to slaughter, 4.5 times more likely to present pleurisy,
3.3 times more like to present pericarditis and 4.3 times more likely to have
their heart condemned at slaughter compared with pigs in flow 1. Additionally,
carcasses from pigs in flow 3 were 10 kg lighter compared with carcasses from
pigs in flow 1. CONCLUSION: Delayed pigs were more affected by disease and were
lighter at slaughter. Besides animal welfare issues, these findings could
represent considerable economic loses for pig producers. In practice, delaying
pigs from the normal production flow translates into higher feeding costs,
increase number of days to slaughter and increased labour requirements reducing
production efficiency for the pig operation. In farrow-to-finish farms an 'all
forward' policy (i.e. no pig is left behind from stage to stage and a split
marketing approach is applied when sending pigs to slaughter) might be more
easily adhered to.
PMID- 28690866
TI - Serotonergic neurons in the ventral nerve cord of Chilopoda - a mandibulate
pattern of individually identifiable neurons.
AB - BACKGROUND: Given the numerous hypotheses concerning arthropod phylogeny,
independent data are needed to supplement knowledge based on traditional external
morphology and modern molecular sequence information. One promising approach
involves comparisons of the structure and development of the nervous system.
Along these lines, the morphology of serotonin-immunoreactive neurons in the
ventral nerve cord has been investigated in numerous tetraconate taxa (Crustacea
and Hexapoda). It has been shown that these neurons can be identified
individually due to their comparably low number, characteristic soma position,
and neurite morphology, thus making it possible to establish homologies at the
single cell level. Within Chilopoda (centipedes), detailed analyses of major
branching patterns of serotonin-immunoreactive neurons are missing, but are
crucial for developing meaningful conclusions on the homology of single cells.
RESULTS: In the present study, we re-investigated the distribution and projection
patterns of serotonin-immunoreactive neurons in the ventral nerve cord of three
centipede species: Scutigera coleoptrata, Lithobius forficatus, and Scolopendra
oraniensis. The centipede serotonergic system in the ventral nerve cord contains
defined groups of individually identifiable neurons. An anterior and two
posterior immunoreactive neurons per hemiganglion with contralateral projections,
a pair of ipsilateral projecting lateral neurons (an autapomorphic character for
Chilopoda), as well as a postero-lateral group of an unclear number of cells are
present in the ground pattern of Chilopoda. CONCLUSIONS: Comparisons to the
patterns of serotonin-immunoreactive neurons of tetraconate taxa support the
homology of anterior and posterior neurons. Our results thus support a sister
group relationship of Myriapoda and Tetraconata and, further, a mandibulate
ground pattern of individually identifiable serotonin-immunoreactive neurons in
the ventral nerve cord. Medial neurons are not considered to be part of the
tetraconate ground pattern, but could favor the 'Miracrustacea hypothesis',
uniting Remipedia, Cephalocarida, and Hexapoda.
PMID- 28690867
TI - Determinants of uncontrolled hypertension among clients on anti-retroviral
therapy in Kadoma City, Zimbabwe, 2016.
AB - BACKGROUND: Clients on anti-retroviral therapy (ART) are living longer and have
risk of hypertension. Side effects of medicines and aging increase this risk.
Hypertension prevalence among clients on ART in Kadoma City was estimated to be
30% in 2015. Of these, 61% had uncontrolled hypertension. This was high compared
to 46% of hypertensives in the general population who had uncontrolled
hypertension. We determined factors associated with uncontrolled hypertension
among clients on ART. METHODS: A 1.1 unmatched case control study was conducted.
Interviews, anthropometric measurements and record reviews were to collect data
on demography and medical history. Epi Info 7 was used for univariate, bivariate
analysis and logistic regression. RESULTS: One hundred and fifty-two cases and
152 controls were recruited into the study. Adding salt to dishes regularly aOR =
5.69 (3.19-10.16), body mass index (BMI) above 25 kg/m2 aOR = 2.81 (1.60-4.91)
and history of elevated blood pressure in previous year aOR = 2.34 (1.33-4.13)
were independent risk factors. Independent protective factors were duration more
than 2 years since HIV diagnosis aOR = 0.58 (0.35-0.95), duration less than 5
years since hypertension diagnosis aOR = 0.50 (0.30-0.83) and walking or cycling
as a means of transport aOR = 0.27 (0.16-0.48). CONCLUSION: Adding salt to dishes
regularly, BMI above 25 kg/m2, history of elevated blood pressure in the previous
year, duration more than 2 years since HIV diagnosis, duration less than 5 years
since hypertension diagnosis and walking or cycling as a means of transport were
independently associated with uncontrolled hypertension. Health education on
lifestyle changes like walking and cycling as transport and dietary modification
such as salt intake reduction were recommended.
PMID- 28690868
TI - miRNA-200c-3p is crucial in acute respiratory distress syndrome.
AB - Influenza infection and pneumonia are known to cause much of their mortality by
inducing acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), which is the most severe
form of acute lung injury (ALI). Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), which is
a negative regulator of angiotensin II in the renin-angiotensin system, has been
reported to have a crucial role in ALI. Downregulation of ACE2 is always
associated with the ALI or ARDS induced by avian influenza virus, severe acute
respiratory syndrome-coronavirus, respiratory syncytial virus and sepsis.
However, the molecular mechanism of the decreased expression of ACE2 in ALI is
unclear. Here we show that avian influenza virus H5N1 induced the upregulation of
miR-200c-3p, which was then demonstrated to target the 3'-untranslated region of
ACE2. Then, we found that nonstructural protein 1 and viral RNA of H5N1
contributed to the induction of miR-200c-3p during viral infection. Additionally,
the synthetic analog of viral double-stranded RNA (poly (I:C)), bacterial
lipopolysaccharide and lipoteichoic acid can all markedly increase the expression
of miR-200c-3p in a nuclear factor-kappaB-dependent manner. Furthermore, markedly
elevated plasma levels of miR-200c-3p were observed in severe pneumonia patients.
The inhibition of miR-200c-3p ameliorated the ALI induced by H5N1 virus infection
in vivo, indicating a potential therapeutic target. Therefore, we identify a
shared mechanism of viral and bacterial lung infection-induced ALI/ARDS via
nuclear factor-kappaB-dependent upregulation of miR-200c-3p to reduce ACE2
levels, which leads increased angiotensin II levels and subsequently causes lung
injury.
PMID- 28690869
TI - The clinical impact of copy number variants in inherited bone marrow failure
syndromes.
AB - Inherited bone marrow failure syndromes (IBMFSs) comprise a genetically
heterogeneous group of diseases with hematopoietic failure and a wide array of
physical malformations. Copy number variants (CNVs) were reported in some IBMFSs.
It is unclear what impact CNVs play in patients evaluated for a suspected
diagnosis of IBMFS. Clinical and genetic data of 323 patients from the Canadian
Inherited Marrow Failure Registry from 2001 to 2014, who had a documented genetic
work-up, were analyzed. Cases with pathogenic CNVs (at least 1 kilobasepairs)
were compared to cases with other mutations. Genotype-phenotype correlations were
performed to assess the impact of CNVs. Pathogenic nucleotide-level mutations
were found in 157 of 303 tested patients (51.8%). Genome-wide CNV analysis by
single nucleotide polymorphism arrays or comparative genomic hybridization arrays
revealed pathogenic CNVs in 11 of 67 patients tested (16.4%). In four of these
patients, identification of CNV was crucial for establishing the correct
diagnosis as their clinical presentation was ambiguous. Eight additional patients
were identified to harbor pathogenic CNVs by other methods. Of the 19 patients
with pathogenic CNVs, four had compound-heterozygosity of a CNV with a nucleotide
level mutation. Pathogenic CNVs were associated with more extensive non
hematological organ system involvement (p=0.0006), developmental delay (p=0.006)
and short stature (p=0.04) compared to nucleotide-level mutations. In conclusion,
a significant proportion of patients with IBMFSs harbor pathogenic CNVs which
were associated with a more extensive non-hematological phenotype in this cohort.
Patients with a phenotype suggestive of IBMFSs but without identification of
pathogenic nucleotide-level mutations should undergo specific testing for CNVs.
PMID- 28690870
TI - Spinal dural arteriovenous fistula: a case series and review of imaging findings.
AB - INTRODUCTION: Spinal dural arteriovenous fistulae (sdAVF) are rare lesions.
Patients typically present with slowly progressive myelopathy that is often
mistaken for degenerative cervical or lumbar stenosis. On spinal magnetic
resonance imaging (MRI), multisegmental T2 hyperintensities along with associated
flow voids are pathognomonic of sdAVF. However, diagnosis can be difficult.
Definitive diagnosis and localization is achieved with complete spinal
angiography. Treatment options include open surgical ligation, endovascular
embolization or multimodality treatment. The purpose of this study is to present
a series of cases to aid in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of this
unusual pathology. CASE PRESENTATION: We present 10 cases of sdAVF treated at our
center over an 8-year period. Seventy percent of patients were male. The mean age
of presentation was 62.6 years. The most common lesion was a dorsal dural AVF
with single feeder. All patients underwent open surgical ligation, six having
preoperative coil embolization of the radicular artery to allow for
intraoperative localization of the fistula. Eight patients showed improvement
following treatment as graded by the Nurick system. Two patients failed to
improve. None of the patients worsened. One patient had a radiation burn from the
spinal angiogram requiring secondary closure and one patient had a
pseudomeningocele at the site of surgery that resolved. DISCUSSION: The
successful treatment of sdAVF requires a detailed understanding of clinical
presentation and imaging findings to allow for precise treatment. Owing to the
rarity of the condition, clinicians must continue to share their experiences to
advance our knowledge.
PMID- 28690871
TI - Cervical spine epidural abscess: a single center analytical comparison to the
literature.
AB - STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review of patient charts. OBJECTIVES: Cervical spine
epidural abscess (CSEA) is uncommon. In this study, characteristics of CSEA
patients are described through an institutional analysis and literature review.
SETTING: University-affiliated city hospital. METHODS: The electronic medical
record was searched from 01/2001 to 01/2012. Data on presentation, comorbidities,
diagnostic modalities, pathogens, treatments, and neurological recovery were
collected. RESULTS: Sixteen patients were identified with a mean age of 57.9
years (33-83). Nine were females. Common symptoms were neck/back pain (62.5%),
neurological deficits (62.5%), and fever (31.3%). Comorbidities included
cardiovascular disease (56.3%), renal disease (37.5%), and diabetes mellitus
(37.5%). Lower levels were more likely afflicted (C5-C7). Microorganisms were
commonly Staphylococcus and Streptococcus (68.8%). Eight (50.0%) received surgery
(anterior [87.5%] and posterior [12.5%] cervical fusion and corpectomy [37.5%])
plus antibiotics and 8 (50.0%) were treated with antibiotics only. Patients with
less comorbidities were more likely to receive surgery; more comorbidities were
was associated with a poor prognosis. Eight patients (50%) made had full
neurological recovery, 2 (12.5%) with had minimal recovery, 2 deaths died, and
the remaining (25%) 1 was were sent to a skilled facility and 1or lost to follow
up. CONCLUSIONS: Cervical SEA can be problematic. The vast majority do not
present classically and treatment does vary. It occurs more frequently in the
lower cervical levels. Though antibiotics alone may suffice, surgery is
frequently employed and a multitude of techniques are at the utility of the spine
surgeon. Cardiovascular comorbidities are associated with a poorer outcome. In
order to improve prognosis, management considerations should include both patient
factors and multidisciplinary efforts.
PMID- 28690872
TI - Physiological and lipid profile response to acute exercise at different
intensities in individuals with spinal cord injury.
AB - STUDY DESIGN: Experimental and cross-sectional study. OBJECTIVE: To assess the
immediate effect of exercise on heart rate (HR), oxygen uptake (VO2), pulmonary
ventilation (PV), oxygen pulse (OP), glucose and lipids of wheelchair basketball
players with spinal cord injury (SCI). SETTING: Center of Studies in
Psychobiology and Exercise-Sao Paulo, Brazil. METHODS: In all, nine wheelchair
basketball players with SCI and nine able-bodied controls (C) performed three
exercise sessions at different intensities: ventilatory threshold 1 (VT1), 15%
below VT1 and 15% above VT1 with a duration of ~24-34 min. HR, VO2, PV, OP,
glucose and lipids were analyzed. RESULTS: VO2, PV and OP were significantly
lower in the players with SCI compared to C during the same intensity exercise
sessions. However, the individuals with SCIs demonstrated increases in HR, PV and
OP at similar rates to C. Triglycerides of the SCI group were elevated 30 min
after the exercise session at VT1 compared to values before the exercise session
(P=0.017); this elevation was not observed in group C. For the exercise sessions
15% above VT1, only glucose (P=0.040) and low-density lipoprotein (P=0.012) 30
min after the exercise were elevated in the SCI group compared to group C.
CONCLUSION: We conclude that the SCI group demonstrated increases in HR, PV and
OP but not VO2 with increased intensity of exercise at similar rates as in group
C.
PMID- 28690873
TI - Spinal cord infarction in a sick neonate from predominant haemorrhagic aetiology:
a case report.
AB - INTRODUCTION: Spinal cord injuries in new born infants following a traumatic
delivery or umbilical cord catheterisation due to thromboembolism are well known.
Cases with atraumatic acute onset of neonatal paraplegia have also been described
in preterm babies or babies born small for gestational age with a stormy
postnatal course related to ischaemic aetiology. We describe a rare case of
infarction of the spinal cord from a predominant haemorrhagic aetiology. CASE
PRESENTATION: A term female baby, first child of unrelated parents, was born by
normal vaginal delivery. She had meconium aspiration at birth, leading to severe
respiratory distress, requiring neonatal intensive care admission. At 2 weeks,
she developed new flaccid paraplegia. MRI scan of the spine showed haemorrhagic
infarction of the spinal cord from the level of thoracic inlet, vertebral level
C7-T1. A follow-up MRI scan at 11 months revealed severe atrophy of the cord
distal to C6. At 3 years of age, she had good upper-limb function, diaphragmatic
breathing and flaccid paralysis of lower limbs. DISCUSSION: In an acutely unwell
term infant with symptoms of paralysis or spinal cord damage, haemorrhagic
infarction needs to be considered in the differential diagnosis. To our
knowledge, this is the first reported case of spinal cord injury in a term infant
with a haemorrhagic lesion, and it helps to understand the pathogenesis of
nontraumatic insult.
PMID- 28690874
TI - Sulforaphane-cysteine-induced apoptosis via phosphorylated ERK1/2-mediated maspin
pathway in human non-small cell lung cancer cells.
AB - Sulforaphane (SFN) was demonstrated to induce apoptosis in a variety of cancers
via multiple mechanisms. However, owing to a short half-life in circulation, SFN
was not used for clinical treatment yet. Interestingly, SFN analog, sulforaphane
cysteine (SFN-Cys) has a longer half-life in metabolism, and we previously
demonstrated that SFN-Cys inhibited invasion in human prostate cancer cells.
Here, we would investigate whether SFN-Cys induces apoptosis and find the
underlying mechanisms in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. Western
blots were used to test the molecular linkages among extracellular signal
regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2) and downstream signal molecules. Flow cytometry
and fluorescence microscopy were used to detect cell death. Cell proliferation
assay showed that SFN-Cys inhibited cell viability following a dose-dependent
manner. Abnormal cell morphology was viewed after the cells were exposed to SFN
Cys. Flow cytometry showed that SFN-Cys induced cell apoptosis via a dose
dependent manner. Further, SFN-Cys triggered the activation of ERK1/2, which
resulted in the upregulation of maspin, Bax, cleaved caspase-3 and downregulation
of pro-caspase-3, Bcl-2, alpha-tubulin. Meanwhile, we demonstrated that
recombinant caspase-3 cleaved alpha-tubulin in the lysate of cells, which were
treated by SFN-Cys. These data indicated that SFN-Cys activated the ERK1/2
mediated mitochondria signaling pathway with maspin upregulation and alpha
tubulin downregulation leading to apoptosis. These findings will help to develop
a novel therapeutic to target NSCLC cells.
PMID- 28690875
TI - Combination of palbociclib and radiotherapy for glioblastoma.
AB - The cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, palbociclib has shown compelling efficacy
in breast cancer patients. Several pre-clinical studies of glioblastoma (GBM)
have also shown palbociclib to be efficacious. In this study, we investigated
palbociclib in combination with radiation therapy (RT) for treating GBM. We
tested palbociclib (with and without RT) on four patient-derived cell lines
(PDCLs; RB1 retained; CDKN2A loss). We investigated the impact of therapy on the
cell cycle and apoptosis using flow cytometry, in vitro. Balb/c nude mice were
intracranially injected with the PDCL, GBM-L1 and treated orally with palbociclib
(with and without RT). Overall survival was measured. Palbociclib treatment
resulted in a significant increase in the percentage of cells in the G1 cell
cycle phase. Apoptotic cell death, measured by Annexin V was induced. Palbociclib
combined with RT acted synergistically with the significant impediment of colony
formation. The oral treatment of mice with palbociclib did not show any
significant survival advantage when compared to control mice, however when
combined with RT, a survival advantage of 8 days was observed. Our results
support the use of palbociclib as an adjuvant treatment to RT and warrant
translation to the clinic.
PMID- 28690876
TI - Impact of Monovalent Counter-ions on the Conformation of Flexible
Polyelectrolytes Having Different Molecular Architectures.
AB - We explore the impact of monovalent counter-ions on the molecular conformation of
highly charged flexible polyelectrolytes for a range of molecular topologies
(linear chains, stars, and unknotted and trefoil rings) by molecular dynamics
simulations that include an explicit solvent having short range interaction with
the polyelectrolyte. In particular, we investigate how the counter-ions near the
polyelectrolytes with variable mass influence the average molecular shape. We
also characterize the interfatially "bound" counter-ions by calculating the time
averaged number of interfacial counter-ions, as well as the degree to which the
polyelectrolytes wrap around the counter-ions by calculating the number of
contacts between the counter-ions and the polyelectrolyte.
PMID- 28690877
TI - Colonization with Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria - On the Efficiency of Local
Decolonization Procedures.
AB - The effectiveness of a disinfectant-based decolonization strategy for multidrug
resistant bacteria like extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-positive Gram
negative bacteria with or without additional fluoroquinolon and carbapenem
resistance as well as vancomycin-resistant enterococci and methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus was assessed. Between 2011 and 2015, 25 patients from
Libya, Syria, and the Ukraine with war traumata were treated at the Bundeswehr
hospital Hamburg. The patients were heavily colonized and infected with multidrug
resistant bacteria, altogether comprising 371 distinct combinations of pathogens
and isolation sites. Local disinfection was assessed for effectiveness regarding
successful decolonization of multidrug-resistant bacteria. Altogether, 170 cases
of successful decolonization were observed, comprising 95 (55.8%) such events at
sampling sites that were accessible to disinfecting procedures. The remaining 75
(44.2%) decolonization events had to be considered as spontaneous. In contrast,
95 out of 172 (55.2%) colonized isolation sites that were accessible to
disinfection procedures were successfully decolonized. Patient compliance with
the enforced hygiene procedures was associated with decolonization success.
Systemic antibiotic therapy did not relevantly affect isolation time.
Disinfecting washing moderately supports local decolonization of multidrug
resistant pathogens in comparison with spontaneous decolonization rates if the
patients' compliance with the applied hygiene procedures is ensured.
PMID- 28690878
TI - The Guanine-Nucleotide Exchange Factor Caldag Gefi Fine-Tunes Functional
Properties of Regulatory T Cells.
AB - Using quantitative phosphopeptide sequencing of unstimulated versus stimulated
primary murine Foxp3+ regulatory and Foxp3- conventional T cells (Tregs and
Tconv, respectively), we detected a novel and differentially regulated tyrosine
phosphorylation site within the C1 domain of the guanine-nucleotide exchange
factor CalDAG GEFI. We hypothesized that the Treg-specific and activation
dependent reduced phosphorylation at Y523 allows binding of CalDAG GEFI to
diacylglycerol, thereby impacting the formation of a Treg-specific immunological
synapse. However, diacylglycerol binding assays of phosphomutant C1 domains of
CalDAG GEFI could not confirm this hypothesis. Moreover, CalDAG GEFI-/- mice
displayed normal Treg numbers in thymus and secondary lymphoid organs, and CalDAG
GEFI-/- Tregs showed unaltered in vitro suppressive capacity when compared to
CalDAG GEFI+/+ Tregs. Interestingly, when tested in vivo, CalDAG GEFI-/- Tregs
displayed a slightly reduced suppressive ability in the transfer colitis model
when compared to CalDAG GEFI+/+ Tregs. Additionally, CRISPR-Cas9-generated CalDAG
GEFI-/- Jurkat T cell clones showed reduced adhesion to ICAM-1 and fibronectin
when compared to CalDAG GEFI-competent Jurkat T cells. Therefore, we speculate
that deficiency in CalDAG GEFI impairs adherence of Tregs to antigen-presenting
cells, thereby impeding formation of a fully functional immunological synapse,
which finally results in a reduced suppressive potential.
PMID- 28690879
TI - Epidemiological Characteristics and Clinical Outcome of HIV-Related Tuberculosis
in a Population of TB Patients in South-western Nigeria.
AB - Tuberculosis (TB) is the second leading cause of death from infectious disease
globally with its impact more dramatic in resource limited settings. Individuals
with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection who also develop tuberculosis
represent a significant challenge to TB control. This study was carried out to
determine the prevalence of TB-HIV coinfection and pattern of infection among TB
patients. We also compared treatment outcome among coinfected patients with those
not coinfected. A six-year retrospective review of records of patients managed at
the Tuberculosis Treatment Center of the LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, South-Western
Nigeria from January 2009 to December 2014 was carried out. One hundred and five
(26.3%) of the 399 TB patients seen in the study period were coinfected with HIV.
About 10% of the subjects had extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Treatment failure was
significantly worse among patients who had both HIV and TB compared with those
who had TB only (49.5% vs. 32%, p = 0.001). Death rate was also higher in the
coinfected individuals implying a poorer clinical outcome. High prevalence of TB
HIV coinfection and poor treatment outcome in this group of individuals, though
predictable, calls for a more concerted effort in the management of TB-HIV
coinfection.
PMID- 28690880
TI - The Prevalence of CTX-M-15 Extended-spectrum beta-Lactamases Among Salmonella
spp. and Shigella spp. Isolated from three Iranian Hospitals.
AB - Bacterial antimicrobial resistance mediated by the production of extended
spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) is considered a major threat for treatment of
Salmonella and Shigella infections. This study aimed to investigate antibiotic
resistance patterns of Salmonella and Shigella spp. and presence of CTX-M from
three teaching hospitals in Iran. In the present study, 58 clinical Shigella and
91 Salmonella isolates were recovered between 2009 and 2013 from 3 teaching
hospitals in Iran. After culture and antimicrobial susceptibility testing, ESBL
positive isolates were subjected to further investigations. These included
polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and DNA sequencing of blaCTX-M-15
encoding plasmid. In both genera, high sensitivity to gentamicin and amikacin,
but high resistance to ampicillin, tetracycline, and trimethoprim
sulfamethoxazole, was found. Molecular investigation showed that 31.8% isolates
of Salmonella spp. and 34.48% isolates of Shigella spp. were CTX-M positive and
all of them were also positive for ISEcpI. Protein translation, comparing with
reference sequences, showed that all CTX-M isolates belong to CTX-M-15. The
present study suggests that the resistance of ESBLs-producing Salmonella and
Shigella spp. in Iran hospitals is very serious. Therefore, strategies to
minimize the spread of ESBL-producing isolates should be implemented.
PMID- 28690881
TI - Small Intestinal Pro-Inflammatory Immune Responses Following Campylobacter Jejuni
Infection of Secondary Abiotic IL-10-/- Mice Lacking Nucleotide-Oligomerization
Domain-2.
AB - Host immune responses are crucial for combating enteropathogenic infections
including Campylobacter jejuni. Within 1 week following peroral C. jejuni
infection, secondary abiotic IL-10-/- mice develop severe immunopathological
sequelae affecting the colon (ulcerative enterocolitis). In the present study, we
addressed whether pathogen-induced pro-inflammatory immune responses could also
be observed in the small intestines dependent on the innate receptor nucleotide
oligomerization-domain-protein 2 (Nod2). Within 7 days following peroral
infection, C. jejuni stably colonized the gastrointestinal tract of both IL-10-/-
mice lacking Nod2 (Nod2-/- IL-10-/-) and IL-10-/- controls displaying bloody
diarrhea with similar frequencies. Numbers of apoptotic and regenerating
epithelial cells increased in the small intestines of C. jejuni-infected mice of
either genotype that were accompanied by elevated ileal T and B lymphocyte
counts. Notably, ileal T cell numbers were higher in C. jejuni-infected Nod2-/-
IL-10-/- as compared to IL-10-/- counterparts. Furthermore, multifold increased
concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines including IFN-gamma, TNF, and MCP-1
could be measured in small intestinal ex vivo biopsies derived from C. jejuni
infected mice of either genotype. In conclusion, C. jejuni-induced pro
inflammatory immune responses affected the small intestines of both Nod2-/- IL-10
/- and IL-10-/- mice, whereas ileal T lymphocyte numbers were even higher in the
former.
PMID- 28690882
TI - Photoinactivation of Legionella Rubrilucens by Visible Light.
AB - In this study, the photoinactivation of Legionella by visible light is
investigated. The success of this approach would offer new prospects for
technical water disinfection and maybe even for therapeutic measures in cases of
Legionella infections. Therefore, Legionella rubrilucens was dispensed on
buffered charcoal yeast extract medium agar plates and illuminated with different
doses of violet light generated by 405 nm light-emitting diodes (LEDs). A strong
photoinactivation effect was observed. A dose of 125 J/ cm2 reduced the bacterial
concentration by more than 5 orders of magnitude compared to Legionella on
unirradiated agar plates. The necessary dose for a one log-level reduction was
about 24 J/cm2. These results were obtained for extracellular L. rubrilucens, but
other Legionella species may exhibit a similar behavior.
PMID- 28690883
TI - World Malaria Day: Our story with malaria in Oman.
PMID- 28690884
TI - Hepatic or Cystic Artery Pseudoaneurysms Following a Laparoscopic
Cholecystectomy: Literature review of aetiopathogenesis, presentation, diagnosis
and management.
AB - Pseudoaneurysms (PSAs) of the hepatic and/or cystic artery are a rare
complication following a laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). Generally, PSA cases
present with haemobilia several weeks following the procedure. Transarterial
embolisation (TAE) is considered the optimal management approach. We report a 70
year-old woman who presented to the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat,
Oman, in 2016 with massive hemoperitoneum two weeks after undergoing a LC
procedure in another hospital. She was successfully managed using coil TAE. An
extensive literature review revealed 101 cases of hepatic or cystic artery PSAs
following a LC procedure. Haemobilia was the main presentation (85.1%) and the
mean time of postoperative presentation was 36 days. The hepatic artery was
involved in most cases (88.1%), followed by the cystic artery (7.9%) and a
combination of both (4.0%). Most cases were managed with TAE (72.3%), with a
94.5% success rate. The overall mortality rate was 2.0%.
PMID- 28690885
TI - Cancer Research in the Arab World: A review of publications from seven countries
between 2000-2013.
AB - This review aimed to examine trends in cancer research in the Arab world and
identify existing research gaps. A search of the MEDLINE(r) database (National
Library of Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland, USA) was undertaken for all cancer
related publications published between January 2000 and December 2013 from seven
countries, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine and
Sudan. A total of 1,773 articles were identified, with a significant increase in
yearly publications over time (P <0.005). Only 30.6% of the publications included
subjects over the age of 50 years old. There was a dearth of cross
sectional/correlational studies (8.8%), randomised controlled trials (2.4%) and
systematic reviews/meta-analyses (1.3%). Research exploring cancer associations
mainly considered social and structural determinants of health (27.1%), followed
by behavioural risk factors (14.1%), particularly tobacco use. Overall, more
cancer research is needed in the Arab world, particularly analytical studies with
high-quality evidence and those focusing on older age groups and associations
with physical activity and diet.
PMID- 28690886
TI - Breastfeeding Trends and Determinants: Implications and recommendations for Gulf
Cooperation Council countries.
AB - Optimal breastfeeding practices entail the early initiation of breastfeeding soon
after delivery of the baby, exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of
life and the continuation of breastfeeding complemented by solid food up until
two years of age. Breastfeeding has wide-ranging health benefits for both the
mother and her child; however, many factors contribute to low rates of exclusive
breastfeeding. This article highlights the benefits of optimal breastfeeding as
well as trends and determinants associated with breastfeeding both worldwide and
in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Strategies to optimise breastfeeding
and overcome breastfeeding barriers in the GCC region are recommended, including
community health and education programmes and 'baby-friendly' hospital
initiatives. Advocates of breastfeeding are needed at the national, community and
family levels. In addition, more systematic research should be conducted to
examine breastfeeding practices and the best strategies to promote breastfeeding
in this region.
PMID- 28690887
TI - Prevention of gamma-Radiation-Induced DNA Damage in Human Lymphocytes Using a
Serine-Magnesium Sulfate Mixture.
AB - OBJECTIVES: Ionising radiation has deleterious effects on human cells. N
acetylcysteine (NAC) and cysteine, the active metabolite of NAC, are well-known
radioprotective agents. Recently, a serine-magnesium sulfate combination was
proposed as an antidote for organophosphate toxicity. This study aimed to
investigate the use of a serine-magnesium sulfate mixture in the prevention of
gamma-radiation-induced DNA damage in human lymphocytes as compared to NAC and
cysteine. METHODS: This study was carried out at the Iran University of Medical
Sciences, Tehran, Iran, between April and September 2016. Citrated blood samples
of 7 mL each were taken from 22 healthy subjects. Each sample was divided into 1
mL aliquots, with the first aliquot acting as the control while the second was
exposed to 2 Gy of gamma-radiation at a dose rate of 102.7 cGy/minute. The
remaining aliquots were separately incubated with 600 MUM concentrations each of
serine, magnesium sulfate, serine-magnesium sulfate, NAC and cysteine before
being exposed to 2 Gy of gamma-radiation. Lymphocytes were isolated using a
separation medium and methyl-thiazole-tetrazolium and comet assays were used to
evaluate cell viability and DNA damage, respectively. RESULTS: The serine
magnesium sulfate mixture significantly increased lymphocyte viability and
reduced DNA damage in comparison to serine, magnesium sulfate, NAC or cysteine
alone (P <0.01 each). CONCLUSION: The findings of the present study support the
use of a serine-magnesium sulfate mixture as a new, non-toxic, potent and
efficient radioprotective agent.
PMID- 28690888
TI - Underwater Acoustic Source Localisation Among Blind and Sighted Scuba Divers:
Comparative study.
AB - OBJECTIVES: Many blind individuals demonstrate enhanced auditory spatial
discrimination or localisation of sound sources in comparison to sighted
subjects. However, this hypothesis has not yet been confirmed with regards to
underwater spatial localisation. This study therefore aimed to investigate
underwater acoustic source localisation among blind and sighted scuba divers.
METHODS: This study took place between February and June 2015 in Elba, Italy, and
involved two experimental groups of divers with either acquired (n = 20) or
congenital (n = 10) blindness and a control group of 30 sighted divers. Each
subject took part in five attempts at an under-water acoustic source localisation
task, in which the divers were requested to swim to the source of a sound
originating from one of 24 potential locations. The control group had their sight
obscured during the task. RESULTS: The congenitally blind divers demonstrated
significantly better underwater sound localisation compared to the control group
or those with acquired blindness (P = 0.0007). In addition, there was a
significant correlation between years of blindness and underwater sound
localisation (P <0.0001). CONCLUSION: Congenital blindness was found to
positively affect the ability of a diver to recognise the source of a sound in an
underwater environment. As the correct localisation of sounds underwater may help
individuals to avoid imminent danger, divers should perform sound localisation
tests during training sessions.
PMID- 28690889
TI - Imbalances in T Cell-Related Transcription Factors Among Patients with
Hashimoto's Thyroiditis.
AB - OBJECTIVES: Imbalances in effector T cell functioning have been associated with a
number of autoimmune diseases, including Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT).
Differentiation of effector T helper (Th) 1, Th2, Th17 and regulatory T cell
(Treg) lymphocytes is regulated by transcription factors, including Th1-specific
T box (T-bet), GATA binding protein-3 (GATA3), retinoid-related orphan receptor
(ROR)-alpha and forkhead box P3 (FOXP3). This study aimed to investigate Th1/Th2,
Th1/Treg, Th2/Treg and Th17/Treg balances at the level of these transcription
factors. METHODS: This study took place between October 2015 and August 2016.
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were collected from a control group of 40
healthy women recruited from the Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan,
Iran, and a patient group of 40 women with HT referred to the Hazrat Ali Asghar
Hospital, Zahedan. Total ribonucleic acid extraction was performed and the gene
expression of transcription factors was quantitated using a real-time polymerase
chain reaction technique. RESULTS: Expression of T-bet and GATA3 was
significantly elevated, while FOXP3 expression was significantly diminished among
HT patients in comparison with the controls (P = 0.03, 0.01 and 0.05,
respectively). Expression of RORalpha was higher among HT patients, although this
difference was not significant (P = 0.15). Expression of T-bet/FOXP3, GATA3/FOXP3
and RORalpha/FOXP3 ratios were increased among HT patients in comparison with the
controls (P <0.02, <0.01 and <0.01, respectively). CONCLUSION: These results
indicate that HT patients have imbalances in Th1/Treg, Th2/Treg and Th17/Treg
lymphocytes at the level of the transcription factors, deviating towards Th1, Th2
and Th17 cells. Correction of these imbalances may therefore be therapeutic.
PMID- 28690890
TI - Development and Validation of a Culturally-Tailored Breast Cancer Health
Education Programme for Arab Women.
AB - OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to develop and validate a health education programme
to encourage breast cancer awareness and early detection behaviours among Arab
women. METHODS: This study took place between December 2015 and March 2016. The
Enabling Systems Raising Awareness model was used to develop a breast cancer
health education programme which was subsequently implemented by trained health
educators at three female-only fitness clubs in Muscat, Oman. Breast cancer
knowledge among 53 women was assessed using the breast module of the Cancer
Awareness Measure before and after each health education session. Overall pre-
and post-session knowledge scores were then compared. Additionally, three focus
group discussions were conducted with 10 participants from each location.
Thematic analysis was used to analyse the transcribed discussions and collect
feedback on the programme. RESULTS: The health education sessions resulted in a
statistically significant increase in overall mean knowledge scores (P <0.001).
Participants also reported significantly improved intentions to undertake early
detection practices (P <0.001). The focus group discussions yielded distinct
themes and valuable feedback which can be utilised in the future to create an
improved version of the programme. CONCLUSION: While the health education
programme significantly improved breast cancer and early detection knowledge
among a cohort of Arab women, it still required critical improvements in terms of
structure and administration. Additional studies are required in order to
evaluate long-term behavioural outcomes resulting from the improved programme.
PMID- 28690891
TI - The Accuracy of the BroselowTM Pediatric Emergency Tape for Weight Estimation in
an Omani Paediatric Population.
AB - OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of the BroselowTM Pediatric
Emergency Tape (BT) for estimating weight in an Omani paediatric population at a
tertiary care hospital. METHODS: This retrospective cross-sectional study was
conducted during July 2015. The electronic medical records of Omani outpatients
<14 years old attending the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman,
between July 2009 and June 2013 were reviewed for recorded height and weight
data. The BT Version 2002A was used to predict weight based on actual height
measurements. Predicted weight measurements were then compared with actual weight
to determine the accuracy of the estimation. RESULTS: A total of 3,339 children
were included in the study, of which 43.5% were female and 56.5% were male. The
mean age was 6.4 +/- 3.1 years and the mean height was 93.2 +/- 23.5 cm. The mean
actual weight was 13.9 +/- 6.7 kg while the mean BT-predicted weight was 14.4 +/-
6.9 kg. The BT-predicted weight estimations correlated significantly with actual
weight measurements (intraclass correlation coefficient: 0.97; P <0.001). A Bland
Altman analysis indicated that the BT performed well when estimating weight among
Omani children, with an overestimation of only 0.5 kg for the entire cohort.
CONCLUSION: The BT was found to be an effective tool for estimating weight
according to body length in an Omani paediatric population. It should therefore
be considered for use in emergency situations when actual weight cannot be
determined.
PMID- 28690892
TI - Outcomes of Multi-Trauma Road Traffic Crashes at a Tertiary Hospital in Oman:
Does attendance by trauma surgeons versus non-trauma surgeons make a difference?
AB - OBJECTIVES: Trauma surgeons are essential in hospital-based trauma care systems.
However, there are limited data regarding the impact of their presence on the
outcome of multi-trauma patients. This study aimed to assess the outcomes of
multi-trauma road traffic crash (RTC) cases attended by trauma surgeons versus
those attended by non-trauma surgeons at a tertiary hospital in Oman. METHODS:
This retrospective study was conducted in December 2015. A previously published
cohort of 821 multi-trauma RTC patients admitted between January and December
2011 to the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman, were reviewed for
demographic, injury and hospitalisation data. In-hospital mortality constituted
the main outcome, with admission to the intensive care unit, operative
management, intubation and length of stay constituting secondary outcomes.
RESULTS: A total of 821 multi-trauma RTC cases were identified; of these, 60
(7.3%) were attended by trauma surgeons. There was no significant difference in
mortality between the two groups (P = 0.35). However, patients attended by trauma
surgeons were significantly more likely to be intubated, admitted to the ICU and
undergo operative interventions (P <0.01 each). The average length of hospital
stay in both groups was similar (2.6 versus 2.8 days; P = 0.81). CONCLUSION: No
difference in mortality was observed between multi-trauma RTC patients attended
by trauma surgeons in comparison to those cared for by non-trauma surgeons at a
tertiary centre in Oman.
PMID- 28690893
TI - Blood Culture Contaminants in a Paediatric Population Retrospective study from a
tertiary hospital in Oman.
AB - OBJECTIVES: Most children presenting with febrile illness require a blood culture
to determine the causative organism as well as its sensitivity to antibiotics.
However, false-positive results lead to unnecessary hospitalisations,
prescriptions and tests. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of false
positive blood cultures among a paediatric population at a tertiary hospital in
Oman. METHODS: This retrospective study included all 225 children <13 years old
with positive blood cultures who presented to the Sultan Qaboos University
Hospital, Muscat, Oman, between July 2011 and December 2013. Blood cultures were
reviewed to determine whether they were true-positive or contaminated. RESULTS: A
total of 344 positive blood cultures were recorded during the study period, of
which 185 (53.8%) were true-positive and 159 (46.2%) were contaminated. Most true
positive isolates (26.5%) were coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp. (CONS)
followed by Escherichia coli (9.7%), while the majority of contaminated isolates
were CONS (67.9%) followed by Streptococcus spp. (6.9%). Children with
contaminated cultures were significantly younger (P <0.001) while those with true
positive cultures required significantly more frequent hospital admissions,
longer hospital stays and more frequent antibiotic prescriptions (P <0.001 each).
Chronic illness and mortality was significantly more frequent among those with
true-positive cultures (P <0.001 and 0.04, respectively). While white blood cell
and absolute neutrophil counts were significantly higher in true-positive
cultures (P <0.001 each), there was no significant difference in C-reactive
protein (CRP) level (P = 0.791). CONCLUSION: In this population, CRP level was
not an adequate marker to differentiate between true- and false-positive
cultures. A dedicated well-trained phlebotomy team for paediatric patients is
essential.
PMID- 28690894
TI - Gender Differences in Heart Rate Variability Among Individuals Undergoing Regular
Resistance Training Preliminary observations.
AB - OBJECTIVES: Frequency-domain analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) is an
effective tool to evaluate autonomic balance. This study aimed to investigate
gender differences in HRV among individuals undergoing regular resistance
training. METHODS: This preliminary cross-sectional study was conducted from
April to September 2016 in Joao Pessoa, Paraiba, Brazil. The low-frequency (LF),
high-frequency (HF) and LF/HF ratio components of HRV spectral analysis were
analysed among 22 men and 27 women undergoing regular resistance training.
RESULTS: Among the male participants, the LF component was significantly
increased compared to females in both the supine (1,171 +/- 192 versus 545 +/- 74
ms2; P = 0.0067) and upright (1,824 +/- 260 versus 738 +/- 133; P = 0.0011)
positions. The LF/HF ratio was also significantly increased in both positions
among male participants (P <0.0500 each). CONCLUSION: These preliminary data
suggest a possible gender difference in the HRV of individuals undergoing
resistance training.
PMID- 28690895
TI - Discrimination Between Drug Abuse and Medical Therapy: Case report of a
tranylcypromine overdose-related fatality.
AB - Tranylcypromine is an effective antidepressant from the class of monoamine
oxidase inhibitors and is structurally related to amphetamine. However, reports
differ regarding the potential metabolism of tranylcypromine to amphetamine and
methamphetamine within the human body. We report a 25-year-old woman with severe
depression who died due to a fatal tranylcypromine overdose in 2016. She had been
prescribed tranylcypromine one day previously and had no history of previous
suicide attempts or substance abuse. The body was transferred to a forensic
medicine department in Tehran, Iran for the autopsy. A urine sample was positive
for tranylcypromine, amphetamine and methamphetamine using gas
chromatography/mass spectrometry after derivatisation with heptafluorobutyric
acid. As amphetamines were present in the urine sample, it was assumed that the
tranylcypromine had been converted to amphetamines metabolically. As such, it is
possible that the legitimate use of certain prescription drugs may complicate the
interpretation of test results for illegal drugs.
PMID- 28690896
TI - Late Diagnosis of 5-alpha-Reductase Type 2 Deficiency in an Adolescent Girl with
Primary Amenorrhoea.
AB - Deficiency of the 5-alpha-reductase enzyme has been found to affect male sexual
development. We report an 18-year-old patient who was referred to an
endocrinology clinic in Jizan, Saudi Arabia, in April 2014 with primary
amenorrhoea, virilisation and a lack of secondary sex characteristics. As female
external genitalia were present at birth, she had been raised as a female.
Magnetic resonance imaging revealed no uterine or ovarian tissue in the pelvis
and the presence of a scrotal sac. She was diagnosed with 5-alpha-reductase type
2 deficiency, a 46,XY disorder of sexual development. Typically, affected males
have pseudovaginal perineoscrotal hypospadias and ambiguous genitalia at birth.
Individuals who have been raised as female manifest characteristics of
virilisation at puberty, including deepening of the vocal tone, phallus
enlargement, scrotal hyperpigmentation and increased muscle mass.
PMID- 28690897
TI - A Case of Multiple Myeloma Presenting with Diabetes Insipidus.
AB - Multiple myeloma (MM) can present with involvement of the central nervous system
in the form of nerve palsy, plasma cell masses or, rarely, with endocrinological
effects due to involvement of the pituitary gland. Usually, in such cases, the
disease has a rapid progression and poor prognosis. We report a 52-year-old man
who was admitted to the Kolkata Medical College, Kolkata, India, in 2016 with a
prolonged low-grade fever and hypernatremia. Shortly afterwards, the patient
began to complain of increased urinary frequency and drowsiness. The
hypernatremia was treated with intranasal desmopressin and free water
replacement. Serum protein electrophoresis and an immunofixation study revealed
an immunoglobulin G-kappa monoclonal band. Magnetic resonance imaging of the
pituitary gland revealed the absence of a posterior bright spot and spotty
infiltration of the pituitary fossa. A bone marrow biopsy confirmed a diagnosis
of cranial diabetes insipidus due to posterior pituitary MM infiltration.
PMID- 28690898
TI - Delayed Treatment Response in a Neonate with Multisystem Langerhans Cell
Histiocytosis Case report and review of literature.
AB - Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare proliferative disorder of the
Langerhans cells, which are part of the mononuclear phagocytic system. The
disorder varies in terms of the extent of the disease, its natural course and
patient outcomes. While skin rashes are a common presentation of neonatal LCH,
other systems or organs may also be involved. Delays in the diagnosis of neonatal
LCH may occur due to its non-specific presentation and a lack of awareness of the
condition among doctors. We report a two-month-old male neonate who presented to
the Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalya hospital, New Delhi, India, in 2016 after the
onset of pulmonary symptoms. He had been noted to have a generalised rash which
had progressively worsened from 15 days of age. Following a skin biopsy and chest
imaging, he was diagnosed with multisystem LCH with risk organ involvement. There
was a delayed response to combined chemotherapy with no major side-effects.
PMID- 28690899
TI - Struma Ovarii with Pseudo-Meigs' Syndrome and Raised Cancer Antigen-125 Levels
Masquerading as an Ovarian Carcinoma Case report and literature review.
AB - The monodermal teratoma struma ovarii is a rare ovarian tumour; however, struma
ovarii presenting with pseudo-Meigs' syndrome and raised cancer antigen (CA)-125
levels is even rarer. In elderly patients, this presentation can potentially lead
to a misdiagnosis of a malignant ovarian carcinoma, resulting in unnecessary
extensive surgery. We report a 55-year-old female who presented to the Lok Nayak
Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital, New Delhi, India, in 2016 with progressive
abdominal discomfort, fatigue and abdominal distention. Clinical and radiological
features were indicative of a malignant ovarian tumour and ascites. Serum CA-125
levels were elevated at 258 U/mL. A left-sided salpingo-oophorectomy was
performed, after which the serum CA-125 levels normalised. There was no evidence
of recurrence at a six-month follow-up. A frozen section procedure confirmed the
diagnosis of a struma ovarii. This rare condition should be considered as a
differential diagnosis in patients presenting with ovarian masses, ascites and
raised CA-125 levels.
PMID- 28690901
TI - Use of Cone-Beam Computed Tomography in the Diagnosis and Treatment of an Unusual
Canine Abnormality.
AB - Diagnosis and treatment planning are important for successful endodontic
treatment. We report a 24-year old male who presented to the Government Dental
College in Kozhikode, Kerala, India, in 2015 with pain in his right upper canine.
A digital periapical radiograph indicated the presence of a supernumerary tooth
superimposing the root of the canine. However, cone-beam computed tomography
(CBCT) confirmed that the supernumerary tooth was an illusion and that the canine
root had a sharp invagination involving the labial and pulpal dentin surfaces,
with evidence of periapical bone destruction. A blunt resection was performed at
the level of the invagination and the resected end was filled with a dentin
substitute. At a one-year follow-up, the patient was asymptomatic and the
periapical region appeared to be healing well. This report highlights the
importance of CBCT in visualising abnormal canine morphology, thus allowing
appropriate endodontic treatment.
PMID- 28690900
TI - Solitary Peripheral Osteoma of the Hard Palate Case report and literature review.
AB - Osteomas are benign slow-growing osteogenic lesions of unknown aetiology which
can be central, peripheral or extraskeletal. Peripheral osteomas of the maxilla
are very uncommon. We report a 72-year-old female patient who presented to the
Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Dental School of Athens, Athens,
Greece, in 2015 with swelling of the palate following a tooth extraction.
Clinical and radiographical features were indicative of a solitary peripheral
osteoma of the hard palate. An excisional biopsy and histological examination of
the lesion confirmed the diagnosis. No complications occurred during the
postoperative period and there was no evidence of recurrence at a one-year follow
up.
PMID- 28690902
TI - Group A Streptococcal Pericarditis in a Four-Month-Old Infant: Case report.
AB - Purulent pericarditis is uncommon among paediatric patients and cases caused by
group A Streptococcus (GAS) are even rarer. We report a four-month-old female
infant who was referred to the Royal Hospital, Muscat, Oman, in 2015 with
pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade. She had initially presented to a
secondary hospital with a two-week history of fever, a runny nose and shortness
of breath. Blood and pericardial fluid cultures confirmed GAS isolates. The
infant was treated with a two-week course of antibiotics and made a complete
recovery with no echocardiographical evidence of pericardial effusion at a two
month follow-up. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this case constitutes the
youngest infant to present with GAS pericarditis. As invasive GAS infections can
present in infancy, early recognition and treatment is required.
PMID- 28690903
TI - Mondor's Disease: Rare case of a painful breast lump in a middle-aged woman.
PMID- 28690904
TI - Auricular Pseudocyst Due to Unusual Repetitive Manipulation of the Ears: Clinical
approach.
PMID- 28690905
TI - Pseudoangiomatous Stromal Hyperplasia: A rare mimic of breast malignancy.
PMID- 28690906
TI - Long-Standing Asymptomatic Inguinoscrotal Hernia.
PMID- 28690907
TI - Corrigendum to "Docetaxel-Induced Systemic Sclerosis with Internal Organ
Involvement Masquerading as Congestive Heart Failure".
AB - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2017/4249157.].
PMID- 28690908
TI - Primary Occipital Ewing's Sarcoma with Subsequent Spinal Seeding.
AB - Ewing's sarcoma is a primary bone cancer that mainly affects the long bones. This
malignancy is particularly common in pediatric patients. Primary cranial
involvement accounts for 1% of cases, with occipital involvement considered
extremely rare. In this case study, primary occipital Ewing's sarcoma with a
posterior fossa mass and subsequent relapse resulting in spinal seeding is
reported. A 3-year-old patient presented with a 1-year history of left-sided
headaches, localized over the occipital bone with progressive torticollis.
Computed tomography (CT) imaging showed a mass in the left posterior fossa
compressing the brainstem. The patient then underwent surgical excision followed
by adjuvant chemoradiation therapy. Two years later, the patient presented with
severe lower back pain and urinary incontinence. Whole-spine magnetic resonance
imaging (MRI) showed cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) seeding from the L5 to the S4
vertebrae. Primary cranial Ewing's sarcoma is considered in the differential
diagnosis of children with extra-axial posterior fossa mass associated with
destructive permeative bone lesions. Although primary cranial Ewing's sarcoma
typically has good prognosis, our patient developed metastasis in the lower
spine. Therefore, with CNS Ewing's sarcoma, screening of the entire neural axis
should be taken into consideration for early detection of CSF seeding metastasis
in order to decrease the associated morbidity and mortality.
PMID- 28690909
TI - Congenital Infantile Fibrosarcoma Causing Intestinal Perforation in a Newborn.
AB - Congenital infantile fibrosarcoma (CIF) is a rare malignant mesenchymal tumor and
only 14 cases have been reported with gastrointestinal manifestation. We report
about a female newborn delivered per emergency cesarean section at 34 weeks of
gestation. Postnatally, she rapidly developed an acute abdomen and sonographic
evidence of intestinal perforation requiring laparotomy on the first day of life.
A perforated 2 * 3 cm sized spherical tumorous structure of the jejunum was
identified. Due to unknown histopathology at this point and unclear resectional
margins, she received a temporary ileostomy, which was closed two months later.
Histopathology revealed a congenital intestinal fibrosarcoma without the
characteristic ETV6-NTRK3 fusion transcript. In conclusion, this rare tumor must
be considered as differential diagnosis of intestinal perforations in newborns.
PMID- 28690910
TI - Modeling the causal regulatory network by integrating chromatin accessibility and
transcriptome data.
AB - Cell packs a lot of genetic and regulatory information through a structure known
as chromatin, i.e. DNA is wrapped around histone proteins and is tightly packed
in a remarkable way. To express a gene in a specific coding region, the chromatin
would open up and DNA loop may be formed by interacting enhancers and promoters.
Furthermore, the mediator and cohesion complexes, sequence-specific transcription
factors, and RNA polymerase II are recruited and work together to elaborately
regulate the expression level. It is in pressing need to understand how the
information, about when, where, and to what degree genes should be expressed, is
embedded into chromatin structure and gene regulatory elements. Thanks to large
consortia such as Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) and Roadmap Epigenomic
projects, extensive data on chromatin accessibility and transcript abundance are
available across many tissues and cell types. This rich data offer an exciting
opportunity to model the causal regulatory relationship. Here, we will review the
current experimental approaches, foundational data, computational problems,
interpretive frameworks, and integrative models that will enable the accurate
interpretation of regulatory landscape. Particularly, we will discuss the efforts
to organize, analyze, model, and integrate the DNA accessibility data,
transcriptional data, and functional genomic regions together. We believe that
these efforts will eventually help us understand the information flow within the
cell and will influence research directions across many fields.
PMID- 28690911
TI - Two-year clinical outcome of denosumab treatment alone and in combination with
teriparatide in Japanese treatment-naive postmenopausal osteoporotic women.
AB - This randomized prospective study aimed to evaluate the clinical outcome of
denosumab treatment alone and in combination with teriparatide in treatment-naive
postmenopausal Japanese female patients with osteoporosis. Thirty patients were
randomly assigned to two groups: (1) denosumab group (denosumab alone, n=13); and
(2) combination group (denosumab+teriparatide, n=17). Serum bone-specific
alkaline phosphatase (BAP), serum tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRACP)-5b,
urinary cross-linked N-terminal telopeptides of type I collagen (NTX), and bone
mineral density (BMD) of L1-4 lumbar vertebrae (L-BMD) and bilateral total hips
(H-BMD) were determined at the first visit and at various time points up to 24
months post-treatment to determine percentage changes. Serum TRACP-5b and urinary
NTX were equally suppressed in both groups and maintained at low levels, with
slight increases at 12, 18 and 24 months. BAP was significantly decreased in both
groups from 4 to 24 months, with significant differences between the groups at 4,
8 and 15 months (P<0.05). L-BMD was significantly increased at most time points
in both groups, with a significant difference between the combination group and
denosumab group at 24 months (17.2% increase versus 9.6% increase; P<0.05). There
was no significant difference in H-BMD between the two groups, although the
levels tended to be higher in the combination group than in the denosumab group
(9.5% increase versus 5.6% increase). These findings suggest that
denosumab+teriparatide combination therapy may represent an important treatment
for primary osteoporotic patients at high risk of vertebral fracture.
PMID- 28690912
TI - Atypical skeletal manifestations of rickets in a familial hypocalciuric
hypercalcemia patient.
AB - Familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia (FHH) is caused by inactivating mutations in
the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) gene. The loss of function of CaSR presents
with rickets as the predominant skeletal abnormality in mice, but is rarely
reported in humans. Here we report a case of a 16-year-old boy with FHH who
presented with skeletal manifestations of rickets. To identify the possible
pathogenic mutation, the patient was evaluated clinically, biochemically, and
radiographically. The patient and his family members were screened for genetic
mutations. Physical examination revealed a pigeon breast deformity and X-ray
examinations showed epiphyseal broadening, both of which indicate rickets.
Biochemical tests also showed increased parathyroid hormone (PTH), 1,25
dihydroxyvitamin D, and elevated ionized calcium. Based on these results, a
diagnosis of FHH was suspected. Sequence analysis of the patient's CaSR gene
revealed a new missense mutation (c.2279T>A) in exon 7, leading to the damaging
amino change (p.I760N) in the mature CaSR protein, confirming the diagnosis of
FHH. Moreover, the skeletal abnormities may be related to but not limited to
vitamin D abnormity. Elevated PTH levels and a rapid skeletal growth period in
adolescence may have also contributed. Our study revealed that rickets-like
features have a tendency to present atypically in FHH patients who have a mild
vitamin D deficiency, and that CaSR mutations may have a partial role in the
pathogenesis of skeletal deformities.
PMID- 28690914
TI - Investigation Of Obesity-Related Mortality Rates In Delaware.
AB - As Delaware's adult obesity crisis continues to be a leading public health
concern, we evaluated Delaware's 1999-2014 vital records to examine the
association between obesity and mortality. We used the Delaware population death
records from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) WONDER database
and the Delaware Health Statistics Center (DHSC). Together with the vital
records, we incorporated Microsoft Excel, SAS (Statistical Analysis System) and
GIS (geographic information system) tools to analyze obesity influences from
county residence, economic status, education, gender, and race. Using the 15-year
(1999-2014) time span with the CDC WONDER database, we observed a statistically
significant 28.7% increase in the age-adjusted Delaware obesity-related mortality
rates (where obesity was a contributory factor). Furthermore, obesity influenced
death counts in all three Delaware counties (New Castle, Kent, and Sussex). Kent
County experienced the largest increase (66.0%), followed by New Castle County
(47.4%), and Sussex County (25.2%). The DHSC mortality rates for all leading
causes of death from 2000 to 2011 indicated relatively stable mortality rates for
Delaware. However, using CDC WONDER data, the Delaware mortality rate for obesity
as a single underlying cause in 2011 was 56.9% higher than mortality rate in
2000.
PMID- 28690913
TI - Ghrelin, Amylin, Gastric Inhibitory Peptide and Cognition in Middle-Aged HIV
Infected and Uninfected Women: The Women's Interagency HIV Study.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To explore the gut-brain axis by examining gut hormone levels and
cognitive test scores in women with (HIV+) and without (HIV-) HIV infection.
DESIGN/METHODS: Participants included 356 women (248 HIV+, 108 at risk HIV-) in
the Brooklyn Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS) with measured levels of
ghrelin, amylin and gastric inhibitory peptide (GIP), also known as glucose
dependent insulinotropic polypeptide. Cross-sectional analyses using linear
regression models estimated the relationship between gut hormones and Trails A,
Trails B, Stroop interference time, Stroop word recall, Stroop color naming and
reading, and Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) with consideration for age, HIV
infection status, Wide Range Achievement Test score (WRAT), CD4 count, insulin
resistance, drug use, and race/ethnicity. RESULTS: Among women at mid-life with
chronic (at least 10 years) HIV infection or among those at risk, ghrelin, amylin
and GIP were differentially related to cognitive test performance by cognitive
domain. Better performance on cognitive tests was generally associated with
higher ghrelin, amylin and GIP levels. However, the strength of association
varied, as did significance level by HIV status. CONCLUSION: Previous analyses in
WIHS participants have suggested that higher BMI, waist, and WHR are associated
with better cognitive function among women at mid-life with HIV infection. This
study indicates that higher gut hormone levels are also associated with better
cognition. Gut hormones may provide additional mechanistic insights regarding the
association between obesity and Type 2 diabetes and cognition in middle-aged HIV+
and at risk HIV- women. In addition, measuring these hormones longitudinally
would add to the understanding of mechanisms of actions of these hormones and
their use as potential clinical tools for early identification and intervention
on cognitive decline in this vulnerable population.
PMID- 28690915
TI - Maintenance and Intensification of Bivalent Oral Poliovirus Vaccine Use Prior to
its Coordinated Global Cessation.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To examine the impact of different bivalent oral poliovirus vaccine
(bOPV) supplemental immunization activity (SIA) strategies on population immunity
to serotype 1 and 3 poliovirus transmission and circulating vaccine-derived
poliovirus (cVDPV) risks before and after globally-coordinated cessation of
serotype 1 and 3 oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV13 cessation). METHODS: We adapt
mathematical models that previously informed vaccine choices ahead of the
trivalent oral poliovirus vaccine to bOPV switch to estimate the population
immunity to serotype 1 and 3 poliovirus transmission needed at the time of OPV13
cessation to prevent subsequent cVDPV outbreaks. We then examine the impact of
different frequencies of SIAs using bOPV in high risk populations on population
immunity to serotype 1 and 3 transmission, on the risk of serotype 1 and 3 cVDPV
outbreaks, and on the vulnerability to any imported bOPV-related polioviruses.
RESULTS: Maintaining high population immunity to serotype 1 and 3 transmission
using bOPV SIAs significantly reduces 1) the risk of outbreaks due to imported
serotype 1 and 3 viruses, 2) the emergence of indigenous cVDPVs before or after
OPV13 cessation, and 3) the vulnerability to bOPV-related polioviruses in the
event of non-synchronous OPV13 cessation or inadvertent bOPV use after OPV13
cessation. CONCLUSION: Although some reduction in global SIA frequency can safely
occur, countries with suboptimal routine immunization coverage should each
continue to conduct at least one annual SIA with bOPV, preferably more, until
global OPV13 cessation. Preventing cVDPV risks after OPV13 cessation requires
investments in bOPV SIAs now through the time of OPV13 cessation.
PMID- 28690916
TI - Enhanced ferromagnetic resonance linewidth of the free layer in perpendicular
magnetic tunnel junctions.
AB - We report the frequency dependence of the ferromagnetic resonance linewidth of
the free layer in magnetic tunnel junctions with all perpendicular-to-the-plane
magnetized layers. While the magnetic-field-swept linewidth nominally shows a
linear growth with frequency in agreement with Gilbert damping, an additional
frequency-dependent linewidth broadening occurs that shows a strong asymmetry
between the absorption spectra for increasing- and decreasing external magnetic
field. Inhomogeneous magnetic fields produced during reversal of the reference
and pinned layer complex is demonstrated to be at the origin of the symmetry
breaking and the linewidth enhancement. Consequentially, this linewidth
enhancement provides indirect information on the magnetic coercivity of the
reference and pinned layers. These results have important implications for the
characterization of perpendicular magnetized magnetic random access memory bit
cells.
PMID- 28690917
TI - Factors affecting the body mass index, haemoglobin and serum ferritin level in
students.
AB - Ferritin is a protein found in reticuloendothelial system and does not work only
as a mid-size protein during Hemoglobin synthesis but also as storage protein for
iron delivery. This cross sectional study was conducted in District Shaheed
Benazirabad during the period of August 2015 to March 2016, for obtaining
credible and consolidated data. In present study we investigated BMI, Hb and S.f
level with relation to socioeconomic status in children and adults from total
2040 volunteers (girls n=991, boys n=1049). The questionnaire included education,
social class, age, sex, and information about dietary habits. Blood samples were
collected & assessed by ELISA method and sysmex hemoglobin auto analyzer
instrument for serum ferritin and hemoglobin level. The mean value of Body Mass
index, the average value of hemoglobin and serum ferritin level was observed
accordingly 18.6, 12.1 g/dl, 82.8 MUg/l in all samples. It was concluded that
monthly income of the volunteers have significant association with Hb, BMI and
Serum ferritin at the P<0.01 level. However, environmental conditions, blood loss
in females during menstruation, low maternal attention, socioeconomic and dietary
habits are main factors which affect the BMI, Hb and S.f level in students.
PMID- 28690918
TI - Erratum: Efficacy and safety of ClairYg(r), a ready-to-use intravenous
immunoglobulin, in adult patients with primary immune thrombocytopenia.
AB - [This corrects the article on p. 1 in vol. 7, PMID: 28203488.].
PMID- 28690919
TI - Plasma Membrane is Compartmentalized by a Self-Similar Cortical Actin Meshwork.
AB - A broad range of membrane proteins display anomalous diffusion on the cell
surface. Different methods provide evidence for obstructed subdiffusion and
diffusion on a fractal space, but the underlying structure inducing anomalous
diffusion has never been visualized because of experimental challenges. We
addressed this problem by imaging the cortical actin at high resolution while
simultaneously tracking individual membrane proteins in live mammalian cells. Our
data confirm that actin introduces barriers leading to compartmentalization of
the plasma membrane and that membrane proteins are transiently confined within
actin fences. Furthermore, superresolution imaging shows that the cortical actin
is organized into a self-similar meshwork. These results present a hierarchical
nanoscale picture of the plasma membrane.
PMID- 28690920
TI - Do Bradykinesia and Tremor Interfere in Voluntary Movement of Essential Tremor
Patients? Preliminary Findings.
AB - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine whether tremor and
bradykinesia impacted a dexterous activity performed by patients with essential
tremor (ET). METHODS: Core bradykinesia was assessed in 27 controls and 15
patients with ET using a rapid alternating movement (RAM) task. Then,
participants performed a "counting money" counting tasks while equipped with
inertial measurement units to detect and quantify tremor during movement. The
time required to perform subsections of the tasks and the rate of failure
(errors) were compared between groups using Mann-Whitney U tests and a chi-square
test, respectively. RESULTS: Patients with ET presented with significant
bradykinesia during the RAM task and had more tremor during the counting money
task. However, the time required to perform the task and rate of failure were
similar between groups. DISCUSSION: Results show that even though bradykinesia
was detected during fast movements, and that tremor was present during a task
requiring dexterity, both symptoms did not interfere with the performance of
patients with ET. This pilot study suggests that there may be a threshold at
which tremor will become problematic. Determining this threshold for a wide range
of daily activities may help determine when it is appropriate to initiate
treatment for patients with ET.
PMID- 28690921
TI - Risk Factors for Tremor in a Population of Patients with Severe Mental Illness:
An 18-year Prospective Study in a Geographically Representative Sample (The
Curacao Extrapyramidal Syndromes Study XI).
AB - BACKGROUND: The aim was to assess incidence, prevalence and risk factors of
medication-induced tremor in African-Caribbean patients with severe mental
illness (SMI). METHOD: A prospective study of SMI patients receiving care from
the only mental health service of the previous Dutch Antilles. Eight clinical
assessments, over 18 years, focused on movement disorders, medication use, and
resting tremor (RT) and (postural) action tremor (AT). Risk factors were modeled
with logistic regression for both current (having) tremor and for tremor at the
next time point (developing). The latter used a time-lagged design to assess
medication changes prior to a change in tremor state. RESULTS: Yearly tremor
incidence rate was 2.9% and mean tremor point prevalence was 18.4%. Over a third
of patients displayed tremor during the study. Of the patients, 5.2% had AT with
25% of cases persisting to the next time point, while 17.1% of patients had RT of
which 65.3% persisted. When tremor data were examined in individual patients,
they often had periods of tremor interspersed with periods of no tremor. Having
RT was associated with age (OR=1.07 per year; 95% confidence interval 1.03-1.11),
sex (OR=0.17 for males; 0.05-0.78), cocaine use (OR=10.53; 2.22-49.94),
dyskinesia (OR=0.90; 0.83-0.97), and bradykinesia (OR=1.16; 1.09-1.22).
Developing RT was strongly associated with previous measurement RT (OR=9.86; 3.80
25.63), with previous RT severity (OR=1.22; 1.05-1.41), and higher
anticholinergic load (OR= 1.24; 1.08-1.43). Having AT was associated with tremor
inducing medication (OR= 4.54; 1.90-10.86), cocaine use (OR=14.04; 2.38-82.96),
and bradykinesia (OR=1.07; 1.01-1.15). Developing AT was associated with,
previous AT severity (OR=2.62 per unit; 1.64-4.18) and tremor reducing medication
(OR=0.08; 0.01-0.55). CONCLUSIONS: Long-stay SMI patients are prone to developing
tremors, which show a relapsing-remitting course. Differentiation between RT and
AT is important as risk factors differ and they require different prevention and
treatment strategies.
PMID- 28690922
TI - Axial Sensory Tricks in Chorea-Acanthocytosis: Insights into Phenomenology.
AB - BACKGROUND: Trunk flexion and axial extension are characteristic symptoms of
chorea-acanthocytosis (ChAc). PHENOMENOLOGY SHOWN: A 41-year-old male with ChAc
(confirmed by VPS13A mutations) reported that his involuntary axial movements
were significantly ameliorated by either folding his arms over his chest or
putting his hands behind his head. EDUCATIONAL VALUE: These apparent "sensory
tricks" suggest a dystonic pathophysiology, and also merit further study to
analyze their potential for symptom control in ChAc.
PMID- 28690923
TI - Voxel Placement Precision for GABA-Edited Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy.
AB - The purpose of the present study was to assess the reproducibility of voxel
placement for GABA-edited MRS. GABA-edited MRS data were acquired in 13 healthy
volunteers from (3 cm)3 voxel; and within the same session a second acquisition
was independently prescribed. A three-dimensional voxel mask image was
reconstructed in T1-image-space using the SVMask tool (in house software).
Reproducibility of voxel placement was assessed using the Dice overlap
coefficient, both within-subject and between-subject following co-registration of
T1 images and transformation of voxel mask images to standard space. Within
subject overlap coefficients were 86% +/- 5%. Between-subject overlap
coefficients were 75% +/- 10%. For the two voxel locations considered (occipital
and sensorimotor), voxel overlap was very similar. Between-subject values are
higher due to between-session effects, anatomical variability and volume mismatch
in standard space. While surprisingly low in terms of volume overlap, the overlap
coefficients correspond to acceptable linear displacements.
PMID- 28690924
TI - Zebrafish Models of Kidney Damage and Repair.
AB - The vertebrate kidney possesses the capacity to repair damaged nephrons, and this
potential is conserved regardless of the complexity of species-specific kidneys.
However, many aquatic vertebrates possess the ability to not only repair existing
nephrons, but also generate new nephrons after injury. Adult zebrafish have the
ability to recover from acute renal injury not only by replacing lost injured
epithelial cells of endogenous nephrons, but by also generating de novo nephrons.
This strong regeneration potential, along with other unique characteristics such
as the high degree of genetic conservation with humans, the ease of harvesting
externally fertilized, transparent embryos, the accessibility to larval and adult
kidneys, and the ability to perform whole organism phenotypic small molecule
screens, has positioned zebrafish as a unique vertebrate model to study kidney
injury. In this review, we provide an overview of the contribution of zebrafish
larvae/adult studies to the understanding of renal regeneration, diseases, and
therapeutic discovery.
PMID- 28690925
TI - The Role of PTSD, Depression, and Alcohol Misuse Symptom Severity in Linking
Deployment Stressor Exposure and Post-Military Work and Family Outcomes in Male
and Female Veterans.
AB - Exposure to stressors during military deployment puts veterans at risk for
reduced post-military quality of life. Stress-related mental health problems may
lead to decreased well-being within work and family domains, yet few studies have
explored associations in the context of gender. We examined relationships between
deployment stressors and post-military functioning and satisfaction in the
domains of work and family, with a focus on PTSD, depression, and alcohol misuse
symptomatology as potential mediators. Participants included 522 male and female
Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans assessed longitudinally. Structural equation
models supported several direct and indirect pathways linking deployment
stressors to work and family outcomes for both men and women. PTSD had an
important role in these associations. Depression also played a significant role,
particularly for women. These findings build on prior research by elucidating
potential gender-specific risk, which may be applied to better tailor services to
veterans' unique needs.
PMID- 28690926
TI - Razanandrongobe sakalavae, a gigantic mesoeucrocodylian from the Middle Jurassic
of Madagascar, is the oldest known notosuchian.
AB - Razanandrongobe sakalavae Maganuco, Dal Sasso & Pasini, 2006 is a large predatory
archosaur from the Middle Jurassic (Bathonian) of the Mahajanga Basin, NW
Madagascar. It was diagnosed on the basis of teeth and a fragmentary maxilla, but
its affinities were uncertain. Here we describe new cranial remains (above all,
an almost complete right premaxilla and a caudally incomplete left dentary) that
greatly improve our knowledge on this enigmatic species and reveal its anatomy to
be crocodylomorph. The right premaxilla indicates that the rostrum was deep,
wide, and not pointed; it bears five teeth that are sub-vertical and just
slightly curved lingually; the mesial teeth are U-shaped in cross-section and
have serrated carinae on the lingual side; the aperturae nasi osseae (external
bony nares) are confluent and face rostrally; and there is no lateral groove at
the premaxillomaxillary suture for reception of a hypertrophied lower caniniform
tooth. The preserved portion of the left dentary has an edentulous tip and bears
eight large mandibular teeth of which the mesial (1-3) are the largest, but none
is a hypertrophied caniniform tooth; the mandibular (dentary) symphysis extends
caudally to the level of the third tooth; the splenial is not preserved, but its
sutural marks on the dentary indicate that it contributed to the mandibular
symphysis for at least 20% of the symphyseal length in dorsal aspect. On the
basis of this new data, some previously uncertain features of the holotype
maxilla-such as the margin of the suborbital fenestra, the contact surfaces for
the palatine, the ectopterygoid, and the jugal-are now apparent. Testing of the
phylogenetic position of the species within Crocodylomorpha indicates that R.
sakalavae is a mesoeucrocodylian. It also represents one of the earliest events
of exacerbated increase in body size along the evolutionary history of the group.
In addition, it is by far the oldest notosuchian. A cranial reconstruction of
this gigantic predator is also attempted here. The very robust jaw bones of R.
sakalavae, coupled with its peculiar dentition, strongly suggest a diet that
included hard tissue such as bone and tendon.
PMID- 28690927
TI - Quantitative proteome-level analysis of paulownia witches' broom disease with
methyl methane sulfonate assistance reveals diverse metabolic changes during the
infection and recovery processes.
AB - Paulownia witches' broom (PaWB) disease caused by phytoplasma is a fatal disease
that leads to considerable economic losses. Although there are a few reports
describing studies of PaWB pathogenesis, the molecular mechanisms underlying
phytoplasma pathogenicity in Paulownia trees remain uncharacterized. In this
study, after building a transcriptome database containing 67,177 sequences, we
used isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) to quantify
and analyze the proteome-level changes among healthy P. fortunei (PF), PaWB
infected P. fortunei (PFI), and PaWB-infected P. fortunei treated with 20 mg L-1
or 60 mg L-1 methyl methane sulfonate (MMS) (PFI-20 and PFI-60, respectively). A
total of 2,358 proteins were identified. We investigated the proteins profiles in
PF vs. PFI (infected process) and PFI-20 vs. PFI-60 (recovered process), and
further found that many of the MMS-response proteins mapped to "photosynthesis"
and "ribosome" pathways. Based on our comparison scheme, 36 PaWB-related proteins
were revealed. Among them, 32 proteins were classified into three functional
groups: (1) carbohydrate and energy metabolism, (2) protein synthesis and
degradation, and (3) stress resistance. We then investigated the PaWB-related
proteins involved in the infected and recovered processes, and discovered that
carbohydrate and energy metabolism was inhibited, and protein synthesis and
degradation decreased, as the plant responded to PaWB. Our observations may be
useful for characterizing the proteome-level changes that occur at different
stages of PaWB disease. The data generated in this study may serve as a valuable
resource for elucidating the pathogenesis of PaWB disease during phytoplasma
infection and recovery stages.
PMID- 28690928
TI - The smell of environmental change: Using floral scent to explain shifts in
pollinator attraction.
AB - As diverse environmental changes continue to influence the structure and function
of plant-pollinator interactions across spatial and temporal scales, we will need
to enlist numerous approaches to understand these changes. Quantitative
examination of floral volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is one approach that is
gaining popularity, and recent work suggests that floral VOCs hold substantial
promise for better understanding and predicting the effects of environmental
change on plant-pollinator interactions. Until recently, few ecologists were
employing chemical approaches to investigate mechanisms by which components of
environmental change may disrupt these essential mutualisms. In an attempt to
make these approaches more accessible, we summarize the main field, laboratory,
and statistical methods involved in capturing, quantifying, and analyzing floral
VOCs in the context of changing environments. We also highlight some outstanding
questions that we consider to be highly relevant to making progress in this
field.
PMID- 28690929
TI - Applying pollen DNA metabarcoding to the study of plant-pollinator interactions.
AB - PREMISE OF THE STUDY: To study pollination networks in a changing environment, we
need accurate, high-throughput methods. Previous studies have shown that more
highly resolved networks can be constructed by studying pollen loads taken from
bees, relative to field observations. DNA metabarcoding potentially allows for
faster and finer-scale taxonomic resolution of pollen compared to traditional
approaches (e.g., light microscopy), but has not been applied to pollination
networks. METHODS: We sampled pollen from 38 bee species collected in Florida
from sites differing in forest management. We isolated DNA from pollen mixtures
and sequenced rbcL and ITS2 gene regions from all mixtures in a single run on the
Illumina MiSeq platform. We identified species from sequence data using
comprehensive rbcL and ITS2 databases. RESULTS: We successfully built a proof-of
concept quantitative pollination network using pollen metabarcoding. DISCUSSION:
Our work underscores that pollen metabarcoding is not quantitative but that
quantitative networks can be constructed based on the number of interacting
individuals. Due to the frequency of contamination and false positive reads,
isolation and PCR negative controls should be used in every reaction. DNA
metabarcoding has advantages in efficiency and resolution over microscopic
identification of pollen, and we expect that it will have broad utility for
future studies of plant-pollinator interactions.
PMID- 28690930
TI - Plant-pollinator interactions under climate change: The use of spatial and
temporal transplants.
AB - Climate change is affecting both the timing of life history events and the
spatial distributions of many species, including plants and pollinators. Shifts
in phenology and range affect not only individual plant and pollinator species
but also interactions among them, with possible negative consequences for both
parties due to unfavorable abiotic conditions or mismatches caused by differences
in shift magnitude or direction. Ultimately, population extinctions and
reductions in pollination services could occur as a result of these climate
change-induced shifts, or plants and pollinators could be buffered by plastic or
genetic responses or novel interactions. Either scenario will likely involve
altered selection pressures, making an understanding of plasticity and local
adaptation in space and time especially important. In this review, we discuss two
methods for studying plant-pollinator interactions under climate change: spatial
and temporal transplants, both of which offer insight into whether plants and
pollinators will be able to adapt to novel conditions. We discuss the advantages
and limitations of each method and the future possibilities for this area of
study. We advocate for consideration of how joint shifts in both dimensions might
affect plant-pollinator interactions and point to key insights that can be gained
with experimental transplants.
PMID- 28690931
TI - Nectar sampling for prairie and oak savanna butterfly restoration.
AB - PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Understanding floral resources is vital for restoring
pollinators in habitats affected by anthropogenic development and climate change.
As the primary adult food, nectar can limit butterfly longevity and reproduction.
For pollinator restoration, it would therefore be useful to examine nectar
resources. However, because many flowers preferred by butterflies are too small
for microcapillary sampling and the potential for nectar contamination can make
accurate measurement difficult, we developed a modified centrifugation method to
extract and separate nectar and pollen. METHODS: We sampled nectar from 19 forbs
using a glass wool filter to exclude potentially contaminating pollen during
centrifugation. To minimize costs, we measured sugar concentration by
refractometry and simple ninhydrin tests for amino acids and improved test
accuracy by subsequent image analysis. Artificial nectars were used to verify the
new techniques. RESULTS: This method eliminated pollen from samples, while only
slightly increasing sugar concentrations. Some amino acids were lost during
centrifugation, but only samples with high concentrations exhibited substantial
loss. We found significant differences in nectar quality among species, as well
as an unexpected inverse relationship between amino acid and sugar
concentrations. DISCUSSION: This modified centrifugation technique is an
efficient, less damaging, inexpensive approach for collecting nectar from small
flowers while eliminating pollen contamination, and will facilitate restoration
of declining pollinators and thereby the plants they service.
PMID- 28690932
TI - An assessment of the efficacy and peak catch rates of emergence tents for
measuring bee nesting.
AB - PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Emergence tents are a new tool used to understand nesting
ecology of ground nesting bee species. However, many questions remain about how
to use tents effectively. We assessed (a) variance in tent capture rates over
time, (b) the effects of site characteristics on proportion of tents capturing
bees, and (c) the effect of soil characteristics on nest site choice. METHODS:
Emergence tents were placed out for one week in May, June, and August and checked
daily. Soil, bee, and floral characteristics were recorded. RESULTS: Across all
sites and months the average number of tents capturing bees was less than 20%
during one week of sampling, but this varied between sites. Tent captures
decreased after 48 h deployment, but accumulation differed seasonally, with
slower accumulation of total bees caught in May than in June or August. Although
capture rates were not affected by bee or floral abundance, soil moisture beneath
a tent influenced where bees were captured. DISCUSSION: Effective use of
emergence tents may require adjusting the length of deployment depending on
season and will require a minimum of 48 h installation to help maximize efficacy.
The overall low capture rates demonstrate the need to optimize emergence tent
use.
PMID- 28690933
TI - Studying plant-pollinator interactions in a changing climate: A review of
approaches.
AB - Plant-pollinator interactions are potentially at risk due to climate change.
Because of the spatial and temporal variation associated with the effects of
climate change and the responses of both actors, research to assess this
interaction requires creative approaches. This review focuses on assessments of
plants' and pollinators' altered phenology in response to environmental changes,
as phenology is one of the key responses. I reviewed research methods with the
goal of presenting the wide diversity of available techniques for addressing
changes in these interactions. Approaches ranged from use of historical specimens
to multisite experimental community studies; while differing in depth of
historical information and community interactions, all contribute to assessment
of phenology changes. Particularly insightful were those studies that directly
assessed the environmental changes across spatial and temporal scales and the
responses of plants and pollinators at these scales. Longer-term studies across
environmental gradients, potentially with reciprocal transplants, enable an
assessment of climate impacts at both scales. While changes in phenology are well
studied, the impacts of phenology changes are not. Future research should include
approaches to address this gap.
PMID- 28690934
TI - Studying plant-pollinator interactions facing climate change and changing
environments.
AB - Plant-pollinator interactions are essential for successful plant reproduction in
both natural and agricultural systems. These interactions are negatively impacted
by recent large-scale alterations of the environments, particularly climate
change. The responses of plants and pollinators to changing abiotic conditions
that vary seasonally and geographically are often uncoordinated, potentially
leading to the breakdown of this interaction. The complexity of the responses of
plants and pollinators to our changing climate necessitates creative approaches.
The six articles in this special issue directly address this need by providing a
variety of key methods and reviews of current methodology. The articles include:
DNA barcoding methods for use on pollen collected from visiting bees; methods for
assessment of plant attraction traits (nectar and review of floral volatiles
methods); a field sampling method for ground nesting bees; a review of using
spatial and temporal transplants for addressing changing dynamics of plant
pollinator interactions; and a review of approaches used to assess potential
shifts in phenology of plants and pollinators. Collectively, these articles
illustrate some of the breadth of approaches needed to address the changing
dynamics of plant-pollinator interactions.
PMID- 28690935
TI - Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse Imaging in Benign and Malignant Breast Lesions.
AB - BACKGROUND: Elastography is a promising way to assess tissue differences
regarding stiffness or elasticity, which has been historically assessed manually
by palpation. Combined with conventional imaging modalities, shear wave
elastography can potentially evaluate the stiffness of a breast lesion and
consequently help detect malignant breast tumor from benign ones. The aim of this
study was to evaluate the diagnostic role of shear wave elastography in breast
lesions in the Indian population. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Fifty patients presenting
with breast lesions were included in the study. All the patients were subjected
to B-mode ultrasound and elastography using shear wave with Virtual Touch Imaging
(VTITM) (Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc., PA, USA) and Virtual Touch
Quantification (VTQTM) (Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc., PA, USA) and the
obtained data was analyzed using an appropriate statistical test (independent
samples t-test). RESULTS: In our study group of 50 patients, 34 were benign and
16 were malignant. VTITM showed a sensitivity of 97% and a specificity of 93%
with a positive predictive value (PPV) of 97% for benign lesions. VTITM showed a
sensitivity of 87.5 % and a specificity of 100% with a PPV of 100% for malignant
lesions. VTQTM showed a sensitivity of 71.4% and a specificity of 100% with a PPV
of 100% for benign lesions. VTQTM showed a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity
of 100% with a PPV of 76.6% for malignant lesions. CONCLUSIONS: VTITM was more
reliable as a diagnostic tool compared to VTQTM in benign lesions and both are
equally reliable in identifying malignant lesions. Acoustic radiation force
impulse (ARFI) plays a significant role as an adjuvant diagnostic tool to B-mode
imaging for assessing breast lesions.
PMID- 28690936
TI - A Case of Imatinib-Induced Hepatitis.
AB - A 71-year-old female with a past medical history of Philadelphia chromosome
positive chronic myelogenous leukemia on imatinib therapy, Sjogren's syndrome,
and hypothyroidism presents with acute hepatitis. After a comprehensive workup
ruling out viral, infectious and metabolic etiologies imatinib is stopped which
results in immediate improvement. The biopsy is consistent with drug-induced
liver damage; the patient is started on oral prednisone and discharged.
Unfortunately, our patient's liver function does not improve over the course of
the next week and she is readmitted for hepatic and renal failure. During this
second admission patient's condition continues to deteriorate with concomitant
gastric bleeding, renal injury, and cellulitis. She ultimately chooses a
palliative approach.
PMID- 28690937
TI - An Unusual Case of Aortic Stenosis in Systemic Sclerosis.
AB - Systemic sclerosis is a connective tissue disorder that frequently involves the
heart. All cardiac structures can be involved but aortic valve involvement is
rare. We report a case of an 83-year-old man with a history of systemic sclerosis
presenting with shortness of breath. A transthoracic echocardiogram revealed
severe aortic stenosis that could not be explained by other causes. These
patients often pose challenges in management as they are not surgical candidates.
Transaortic valvular implantation is a viable option for these patients.
PMID- 28690938
TI - Alexia Without Agraphia: A Rare Entity.
AB - Pure alexia refers to an acquired disorder associated with the damage to medial
occipitotemporal gyrus in the dominant hemisphere, which is also known as visual
word form area (VWFA). VWFA is involved in rapid word recognition and fluent
reading. Alexia without agraphia is a disconnection syndrome that occurs when the
splenium is also damaged with the occipital lobe on a dominant side. We report a
case of a 72-year-old right-handed male who presented with alexia without
agraphia accompanied by right homonymous hemianopia resulting from acute infarct
of the left occipital lobe, the splenium of the corpus callosum and posterior
thalamus that probably occurred on the previous day. During the evaluation, he
exhibited marked impairment in the ability to read with the vision being grossly
normal. Magnetic resonant imaging (MRI) revealed an acute infarct of the left
occipital lobe, the splenium of the corpus callosum and posterior thalamus. A
computerized tomography angiogram (CTA) revealed left posterior cerebral artery
(PCA) territory infarct without any evidence of hemorrhagic conversion.
Infarction of the occipital lobe on the dominant side (left) in a right-handed
individual may cause a disruption in the visual word form area and is manifested
by an inability to read with no abnormalities in visual acuity.
PMID- 28690939
TI - Central Diabetes Insipidus and Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar State Following
Accidental Carbon Monoxide Poisoning.
AB - Carbon monoxide poisoning is common and carries significant morbidity and
mortality. The nervous system, particularly the brain, is frequently affected by
it, owing to its high metabolic activity and oxygen requirements. Carbon monoxide
damages the nervous system by both hypoxic and inflammatory mechanisms. Central
diabetes insipidus is an extremely rare complication of carbon monoxide
poisoning. Herein, we report the case of a young lady, who developed this
complication and severe hypernatremia after accidental carbon monoxide poisoning.
She also developed a hyperglycemic hyperosmolar state during the treatment for
hypernatremia. To the best of our knowledge, both these entities have not been
reported together in association with carbon monoxide poisoning. The purpose of
this article is to emphasize the anticipation and early recognition of central
diabetes insipidus in carbon monoxide poisoning. This can prevent severe
hypernatremia and complications associated with its presence and treatment.
PMID- 28690940
TI - Simultaneous Robot-assisted Laparoscopic Excision of Pre-pyloric Gastrointestinal
Stromal Tumor and Cholecystectomy.
AB - Operating on more than a single procedure in a same surgical intervention saves
time, anesthesia duration and can increase the overall quality of life by
lowering the duration of hospital stay and minimizing patient anxiety. But such
interventions require expertise, high surgical performance, and precision in
anatomical manipulation. We present a case of an outstanding performance of a
unique minimally invasive simultaneous approach of removing a pre-pyloric
gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) along with a cholecystectomy by a robot
assisted laparascopic surgical system. So far, only 33 cases of GIST have been
reported in literature that were managed by robot-assistance, and this case is
the first of its kind. This is the case of a 60-year-old overweight female who
presented for a follow-up for chest discomfort, shortness of breath, chronic
gastric reflux and classical features of cholecystitis along with diarrheal and
constipation episodes. A gastroduodenoscopy showed a mass in the pre-pyloric area
that extended in the luminal cavity. A robot-assisted laparascopic approach was
planned, and with precision and surgical expertise the mass was removed along
with a cholecystectomy. The surgical specimen were confirmed on histopathology.
PMID- 28690941
TI - A Simulation-based Quality Improvement Approach to Improve Pediatric Resident
Competency with Required Procedures.
AB - INTRODUCTION: Pediatric residents report a lack of confidence and competence with
procedural skills at graduation. Training programs could benefit from improved
approaches to target these needs. Using the Institute for Healthcare Improvement
(IHI) Model for Improvement and three Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles, we
examined the impact of a procedure simulation boot camp on self-reported
procedural confidence and competence as well as the longitudinal impacts of these
sequential interventions on Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education
(ACGME) Graduating Resident Survey (GRS) results. METHODS: Three rapid cycle
interventions were performed in successive academic years. The interventions
included 1) increased awareness of available procedural experiences, 2)
institution of procedural educational conferences, and 3) implementation of a
senior resident procedure boot camp. Senior resident self-reported procedural
confidence was measured before and after the boot camp. Procedural competence was
measured using the ACGME GRS. Results: Thirty-two of 34 senior residents (94%)
completed the 2016 ACGME GRS, similar to the response rates of 2014 (92%) and
2015 (94%), and 30 of 34 third-year residents participated in the procedure boot
camp (88%). Resident confidence and competence with procedural skills improved
after the institution of the quality improvement intervention. ACGME GRS-reported
competency increased in bag and mask ventilation (77% to 94%), neonatal
endotracheal intubation (39% to 69%), peripheral IV placement (10% to 50%), and
umbilical catheter placement (35% to 53%). CONCLUSION: A quality improvement
intervention with three rapid PDSA cycles was successful in improving senior
pediatric resident confidence and competence with ACGME required procedural
skills.
PMID- 28690942
TI - Cardiac Arrhythmias Resulting from a Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter: Two
Cases and a Review of the Literature.
AB - We present two cases of patients being treated for diabetic ketoacidosis in the
intensive care unit who experienced cardiac arrhythmia secondary to peripherally
inserted central catheters (PICCs). In one instance, the patient became
bradycardic and experienced related loss of consciousness, ultimately requiring
cardiopulmonary resuscitation. In the second case, the patient experienced an
episode of nonsustained ventricular tachycardia. We explore the various types of
arrhythmias that have been reported secondary to central venous catheters, as
well as factors that place patients at an increased risk for arrhythmia while
undergoing PICC insertion. Furthermore, we look at the literature for methods to
improve the insertion of PICC lines by decreasing the risk of catheter over
insertion as well as the effects of training for PICC placement.
PMID- 28690943
TI - Transradial vs. Transfemoral Approach in Cardiac Catheterization: A Literature
Review.
AB - The main objective of this review paper is to study the comparison between
transradial and transfemoral approach in catheterization. Transradial and
transfemoral are two main approaches which are used as a diagnostic and
therapeutic purpose in catheterization. The transradial approach in
interventional cardiology is safe, effective, and feasible as compared to the
transfemoral approach. The aim of this study is to compare pros and cons of
transradial vs. transfemoral approach in catheterization. We conducted this
systematic review on the role of transradial vs. transfemoral catheterization.
The articles included real human data on interventional approaches. Reviews on
these strategies were conducted in PubMed, medical literature analysis and
retrieval system online (MEDLINE), Cochrane, Medscape and National Institute of
Health. To maintain a high standard of review, studies published in all non
famous journals were excluded. Data collected from the studies have suggested
that transradial approach has less bleeding complications, cost effective,
decreased hospital mortality rate, and less access site complications as compared
to transfemoral approach. However, longer procedural duration and radiation
exposure are still concerns regarding transradial approach. The findings of the
present study show that transradial approach in catheterization is safe,
effective, and feasible as compared to the transfemoral approach. However,
duration and radiation exposure are higher in the transradial access. Several
studies suggest that the modern approach overweight in benefits with the
comparison to the classical approach.
PMID- 28690944
TI - Acute Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuroradiculopathy with Ipilimumab in
Metastatic Melanoma: A Case Report and Review of Literature.
AB - Ipilimumab (Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., New York, NY) is a novel anticancer
medication used for the treatment of metastatic melanoma. The exact mechanism of
its action remains unclear; however, data from previous clinical trials
postulates the immunomodulatory activity of ipilimumab to enhance therapeutic
effectiveness. Ipilimumab was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
in March 2011 for use in stage III and IV of unresectable metastatic melanoma. We
report a single case of acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuroradiculopthy
(AIDP) in the patient treated with ipilimumab for recurrent metastatic melanoma.
The patient presented with multiple falls that started after the third infusion
of ipilimumab. Other symptoms were hoarseness of voice, motor deficits in his
right arms, and tingling in both hands. The deficits progressed into near
complete loss of movement and sensation in all four extremities over the course
of two weeks. However, his bladder and bowel functions were intact. There was no
history of fever, recent travel, exposure to sick contacts, insect bites, or
gastrointestinal symptoms. Along with strong immune-mediated pharmacological
response towards cancer cells, ipilimumab also induces immune-related adverse
events (irAEs) within normal tissues by the mechanism of molecular mimicry.
PMID- 28690945
TI - Pacemaker Placement in Persistent Left Superior Vena Cava.
AB - Persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) is a rare disorder which is
asymptomatic and hence is usually discovered while performing interventions
through the left subclavian vein. We present a case of a 78-year-old male who was
undergoing elective placement of a permanent pacemaker for tachycardia -
bradycardia syndrome with post-conversion pauses of up to nine seconds. After
achieving access through the left subclavian vein the wire kept on going on the
left side of the chest instead of crossing the midline to the right side. The
wire was removed and contrast venography was done, PLSVC with dilated coronary
sinus emptying into the right atrium was confirmed. There was some difficulty in
passing the lead to the right ventricle even with the acute curve in the stylet.
The sheath size was increased and a longer deflectable sheath was used and with
the tip of the lead anteriorly the right ventricle was cannulated and the lead
was affixed. There were good sensing and pacing parameters. Post procedure chest
x-ray was done and the patient was discharged without any complications.
PMID- 28690946
TI - A Rare Case of Double-Headed Psoas Minor Muscle with Review of its Known
Variants.
AB - Variations of the muscles of humans are important to remember for those who
interpret imaging and for those who operate near these anomalies. Herein, we
describe a rare two-headed psoas minor muscle found incidentally during
dissection of the posterior abdominal wall. This case is presented with a
detailed review of all known variations of the minor psoas and is analyzed
through a literature review.
PMID- 28690947
TI - Autoamputation and Polyneuropathy in Mixed Connective Tissue Disorder: A Case
Report.
AB - Mixed connective tissue disorder (MCTD) is a multisystem disease with overlapping
features of other autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus
(SLE), myositis, rheumatoid arthritis, and scleroderma. MCTD presents with a
distinctive antibody in serum known as U1-ribonucleoprotein (RNP). MCTD is quite
rare as compared to other connective tissue disorders like SLE, systemic
sclerosis, dermatomyositis, and polymyositis. We describe a case of MCTD in a
young Asian female of 30 year old. This case highlights rare co-existence of
polyneuropathy and autoamputation in MCTD disorder. Trigeminal neuralgia and
cranial nerve involvements have been previously reported in MCTD but the findings
of polyneuropathy and autoamputation are extremely rare.
PMID- 28690948
TI - Pineal Gland Agenesis: Review and Case Illustration.
AB - Agenesis of the pineal gland has rarely been reported in the medical literature.
Herein, we report a cadaveric specimen found to have agenesis of the pineal
gland. The remaining gross examination of the brain was normal. A review of the
literature was performed on this unusual finding.
PMID- 28690950
TI - The Role of Parents' Literacy in Malnutrition of Children Under the Age of Five
Years in a Semi-Urban Community of Pakistan: A Case-Control Study.
AB - OBJECTIVES: According to a recent survey, Pakistan was ranked as the third
highest country with malnutrition and the under-five child mortality. No
realistic solution for this growing problem has been found despite the fact that
the struggle to tackle the issue of malnutrition among young Pakistani children
has been going on for the last several decades. The objective of our study was to
look into the relationship between parental education and malnutrition in
Pakistan and to make a recommendation to improve the nutritional condition of the
children. METHOD: We carried a case-control study among 400 mothers from February
2016 to July 2016 in a primary health care center located in a peri-urban
community in Pakistan. A self-constructed questionnaire comprising of 75
questions was used to collect the data. RESULTS: The mean age of mother was found
to be 27.61 +/- 5.130. The majority of the mothers were uneducated 168 (42.0%)
while only 116 (29.0%) fathers were uneducated. About 226 (56.5%) of the children
had a normal nutritional status while 102 (25.5%) had first-degree malnutrition,
52 (13.0%) had second-degree malnutrition, and 20 (5.0%) had a third-degree
malnutrition. Higher paternal educational status (p = 0.008) and maternal
educational status (p = 0.011) were found to be significantly associated with
normal child nutritional status. CONCLUSION: It is recommended that the education
of parents, especially females, in the rural and semi-urban areas should be
promoted and given due importance. The focus of all these programs should be the
mother in terms of security, employment, literacy, justice, healthcare, food,
shelter, and social equality.
PMID- 28690949
TI - Role of Sex Hormone Levels and Psychological Stress in the Pathogenesis of
Autoimmune Diseases.
AB - The aim of this review article is to assess the connection between psychological
stress and sex hormones and their effect on the development of autoimmune
diseases. Psychological stress describes what people feel when they are under
mental, physical, or emotional pressure. We searched for online articles using
MEDLINE(r), Embase, Cochrane Library and Google Scholar. Our research yielded a
total of 165 articles out of which 30 articles were considered for further
perusal. The articles were reviewed from February 2016 to February 2017. Case
reports and patients suffering from hematolymphoid malignancies and active
infections were excluded from the review. Estrogen and testosterone are potential
physiological regulatory factors for the peripheral development of CD4+CD25+ T
regulatory cells. Stress at any age leads to the depletion of estrogen and
testosterone stores in the body, leading to the loss of expansion of T regulatory
cells, making the immature B cells evade the negative selection at the germinal
center, or in other words, leading to the loss of central tolerance, a triggering
event in autoimmune diseases like systemic lupus erythematosus. Autoimmune
diseases in women are most likely due to changes in estrogen levels during
mental, physical, pre-menopausal, post-menopausal, and pregnancy-induced stress.
We conclude that modulating estrogen in females (pre-menopausal and post
menopausal) and testosterone in males can be used to treat stress-related immune
imbalance resulting in autoimmune diseases in both sexes.
PMID- 28690951
TI - Coronary Artery Bypass Graft in a Young Man.
AB - Currently, there are no explicit guidelines on the management of acute myocardial
infarction (MI) in young adults under the age of 30. The lack of published
literature to guide clinicians in the care of young adults with MI has prompted
us to report a case exemplary for the successful treatment with coronary artery
bypass graft (CABG). A 25-year-old man developed acute MI and underwent on-pump
five quintuple CABG using bilateral internal mammary arteries and left greater
saphenous vein. This appropriate and timely intervention may have helped to
prevent cardiac death and maintain the quality of life.
PMID- 28690952
TI - Targeted Radiofrequency Ablation as an Adjunct in Treatment of Lumbar Facet
Cysts.
AB - Lumbar facet cysts are frequently found in patients with facet degeneration and
segmental instability. When the facet cyst is localized in the neural foramina
and lateral recess or becomes large, it can cause radiculopathy or neurogenic
claudication. These symptomatic cysts are typically treated interventionally with
drainage and a corticosteroid injection or attempts via overinflation to rupture
the cyst; however, these procedures have a significant recurrence rate (up to
50%) and often need to be repeated or lead to lumbar surgery if unsuccessful.
This is the first report of using targeted radiofrequency (RF) current as an
adjunct to cyst drainage. Although RF has been used for years to treat facet pain
indirectly by targeting the medial facet nerve branches, with this technique,
under image guidance, the actual cyst is percutaneously drained and then
cauterized along with the associated facet capsule, where the original cyst
developed. This has improved overall results with less cyst recurrence than
previous percutaneous methods and was documented with both intermediate and long
term followup clinically and with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. This
report reviews the underlying anatomy and pathology of the facet joint relating
to the development of facet cysts and how current percutaneous treatments for
lumbar facet cysts can be supplemented and improved by adding targeted RF
ablation to the percutaneous options available to treat a lumbar facet cyst.
PMID- 28690953
TI - Venous Diversion Surgery Revisited: A Baffling Situation.
AB - With the increasing number of survivors with congenital heart disease (CHD)
reaching adulthood, it is important for the clinician to be familiar with the
various surgical options performed in this growing patient population. We
describe the case of a 65-year-old female who presented with hypoxia and right-to
left shunting following a surgical repair of an atrial septal defect (ASD)
secundum and anomalous pulmonary veins with a partial atrial diversion procedure
in childhood. The use of multimodality cardiovascular imaging using
echocardiography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and invasive
cardiac catheterization was complementary in the preoperative diagnosis and
management of this unique baffling situation.
PMID- 28690954
TI - Delay in the Diagnosis of Adult-Onset Still's Disease.
AB - Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) is a systemic autoinflammatory disease
characterized by symptoms including spiking fever, arthralgia, myalgia,
maculopapular rash, and pharyngitis. The lack of diagnostic biomarker, non
specific clinical presentation, and the rarity of AOSD often result in a
significant delay in diagnosis and treatment. While the average time of initial
presentation to diagnosis is four months, we present a case of AOSD diagnosis
three years after initial onset of classical symptoms. By reporting the case of
delayed diagnosis for AOSD, we hope to raise awareness in our medical community
about the diagnostic difficulty in AOSD. The present case describes an otherwise
healthy male who presented with typical symptoms of AOSD, but the diagnosis of
AOSD was missed during his first presentation. In the second flaring episode, the
diagnosis of AOSD was established. He had an excellent therapeutic response to
anakinra and prednisone during the acute flaring episode. He is currently in
complete remission on methotrexate as maintenance therapy.
PMID- 28690955
TI - Energy Drinks and the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: A Review of Current
Literature.
AB - Energy drinks (EDs) are commonly used as a dietary supplement by young
adolescents and adults. They are often used as a source of energy in order to
enhance physical and mental performance. EDs contain a variety of substances, but
caffeine is the main component. Safety has been the biggest concern associated
with consuming EDs. Case reports, observational studies, and meta-analyses have
been done in order to determine the effects of EDs on cardiovascular changes. The
detrimental effects of EDs are cardiac arrhythmias, myocardial infarction,
prolonged QT interval, aortic dissection, and death. In this article, we review
case reports, observational studies, and meta-analyses of EDs and the risk of
cardiovascular events and mortality. We also review active ingredients,
pharmacokinetics, and the mechanism of action of EDs.
PMID- 28690956
TI - Thyrotoxicosis Mimicking ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction.
AB - Hyperthyroidism is well known to be associated with cardiac disease. Delay in
making the diagnosis and occurrence of complications are common and are
associated with a worse outcome. A 54-year-old male, non-smoker, with no past
medical history and no significant family history presented to our hospital with
severe left sided chest pain, "crushing" in nature. Electrocardiogram showed ST
segment elevations in the inferior leads. Troponin I level was 0.32 ng/mL (normal
range 0-0.05 ng/mL) on presentation. The patient underwent an emergent coronary
angiography which showed no evidence of occlusive coronary artery disease. The
patient's symptoms and signs prompted a high suspicion of thyrotoxicosis which
was subsequently confirmed by a low thyroid stimulating hormone and high free
thyroxine levels. The patient was given Methimazole and atenolol and his symptoms
resolved. Awareness of coronary vasospasm due to thyrotoxicosis should be raised
in patients presenting with typical angina pectoris with subsequent normal
coronary angiographic results. History and physical examination may suggest
underlying hyperthyroidism, but the absence of typical findings does not rule out
the diagnosis.
PMID- 28690957
TI - Point-of-Care Ultrasound for Jugular Venous Pressure Assessment: Live and Online
Learning Compared.
AB - INTRODUCTION: Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a novel technique for the
assessment of jugular venous pressure. Distance education may allow for efficient
dissemination of this technique. We compared online learning to a live course for
teaching ultrasonography jugular venous pressure (u-JVP) to determine if these
teaching methods yielded different levels of comfort with and use of u-JVP.
METHODS: This was an interventional trial of Canadian emergency physicians who
had taken a basic POCUS course. The participants were in one of three Groups:
online learning (Group OL), live teaching (Group LT), control (Group C). Group LT
participants also took an advanced course prior to the study that included
instruction in u-JVP. The participants who took the basic course were randomized
to Group OL or Group C. Group OL was subject to the intervention, online
learning. Group C only received an article citation regarding u-JVP.
Questionnaires were completed before and after the intervention. The primary
outcome was physician self-reported use and comfort with the technique of u-JVP
after online learning compared to live teaching. RESULTS: Of the 287 advanced
course participants, 42 completed the questionnaires (Group LT). Of the 3303
basic course participants, 47 who were assigned to Group OL completed the
questionnaires and 47 from Group C completed the questionnaires. Use of u-JVP
increased significantly in Group OL (from 15% to 55%) and Group C (from 21% to
47%) with the intervention. The comfort with use did not differ between Group LT
and Group OL (p=0.14). The frequency of use remained higher in Group LT than
Group OL (p=0.07). CONCLUSION: Online learning increases the use and comfort with
performing u-JVP for emergency physicians with prior POCUS experience. Although
the comfort with use of u-JVP was similar in Groups LT and OL, online learning
appears to yield levels of use that are less than those of a live course.
PMID- 28690958
TI - Application of Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH) Technique for the
Detection of Genetic Aberration in Medical Science.
AB - Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is a macromolecule recognition
technique, which is considered as a new advent in the field of cytology.
Initially, it was developed as a physical mapping tool to delineate genes within
chromosomes. The accuracy and versatility of FISH were subsequently capitalized
upon in biological and medical research. This visually appealing technique
provides an intermediate degree of resolution between DNA analysis and
chromosomal investigations. FISH consists of a hybridizing DNA probe, which can
be labeled directly or indirectly. In the case of direct labeling, fluorescent
nucleotides are used, while indirect labeling is incorporated with reporter
molecules that are subsequently detected by fluorescent antibodies or other
affinity molecules. FISH is applied to detect genetic abnormalities that include
different characteristic gene fusions or the presence of an abnormal number of
chromosomes in a cell or loss of a chromosomal region or a whole chromosome. It
is also applied in different research applications, such as gene mapping or the
identification of novel oncogenes. This article reviews the concept of FISH, its
application, and its advantages in medical science.
PMID- 28690959
TI - From the Gut to the Heart: Campylobacter jejuni Enteritis Leading to
Myopericarditis.
AB - Campylobacter jejuni enteritis is the most common enteric infection in the
developed world. Although rare, pericarditis and myopericarditis have been
increasingly documented as complications following campylobacteriosis. The
present paper implicates that myopericarditis and non-ischemic cardiomyopathy
following Campylobacter jejuni infection might be more prevalent than initially
thought and perhaps underreported so far. Therefore, it is imperative to perform
the appropriate initial diagnostic testing, including stool cultures, in order to
make an accurate diagnosis early in the course of the disease. Identifying the
etiology of myopericarditis as bacterial will ensure appropriate treatment with
antibiotics in addition to the cardiac medications needed for supportive care.
PMID- 28690960
TI - Complete Atlantooccipital Assimilation with Basilar Invagination and Atlantoaxial
Subluxation Treated Non-Surgically: A Case Report.
AB - Atlantooccipital assimilation is a partial or complete congenital fusion between
the atlas and the base of the occiput. Most patients with atlas assimilation are
asymptomatic, but some may present with neurological problems such as myelopathy.
We present the case of a 37-year-old woman who presented with neck and occipital
pain, episodic neck stiffness, and dizziness. Medical imaging revealed complete
atlantooccipital assimilation associated with basilar invagination, atlantoaxial
subluxation, and predisposing anterior spinal cord compression. The patient was
treated non-operatively with medications, cervical interferential therapy, and a
rigid cervical orthosis.
PMID- 28690961
TI - A Unique Presentation of an Intracranial Abscess Secondary to Retained Projectile
after Debridement with Dural Closure.
AB - Patients with penetrating head trauma with retained projectiles develop
intracranial abscesses as a common complication. The most common presentation is
a suddenly worsening headache. The most common pathogen identified is
staphylococcus. Outcomes are related to adherence of Matson's tenets. This case
study details the presentation of a 19-year-old patient that presented to the
neurological surgery clinic without neurologic deficits. Further questioning
revealed complaints of intermittent diffuse headaches with bilateral upper
extremity shock-like sensation for two weeks. Eight weeks prior he had undergone
right craniotomy, after a gunshot wound, for debridement and watertight dural
closure. The patient denied symptoms of fever, chills, nausea, vomiting,
diarrhea, or seizure. The patient presented with a noncontrast head computed
tomography (CT) which revealed retained projectile fragments without clear
evidence of abscess. On physical exam, the patient was without any neurological
deficit. Laboratory investigation revealed normal white blood cell count,
erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, and negative blood cultures.
Head CT with contrast revealed a large intracerebral abscess adjacent to the
thalamus. The patient was taken to the operating room for repeat craniotomy with
resection of the abscess and removal of the intracranial projectile fragments.
Post-operatively, the patient remained neurology intact. Intraoperative cultures
were not significant for the growth of any bacteria. In eight weeks time, the
patient returned to his employment and his baseline level of activity. This case
underscores the importance of thorough assessment in patients with retained
intracranial projectiles as well as the need to routine follow-up. The unique
presentation of this patient prompted further investigation which elucidated a
lesion which correlated to his symptoms although laboratory assessment was
without abnormality.
PMID- 28690962
TI - Supracerebellar Infratentorial Endoscopic and Endoscopic-Assisted Approaches to
Pineal Lesions: Technical Report and Review of the Literature.
AB - The pineal gland has a deep central location, making it a surgeon's no man's
land. Surgical pathology within this territory presents a unique challenge and an
opportunity for employment of various surgical techniques. In modern times, the
microsurgical technique has been competing with the endoscope for achieving
superior surgical results. We describe two cases utilizing a purely endoscopic
and an endoscopic-assisted supracerebellar infratentorial approach in accessing
lesions of the pineal gland. We also discuss our early learning experience with
these approaches.
PMID- 28690963
TI - Charge transport in organic nanocrystal diodes based on rolled-up robust
nanomembrane contacts.
AB - The investigation of charge transport in organic nanocrystals is essential to
understand nanoscale physical properties of organic systems and the development
of novel organic nanodevices. In this work, we fabricate organic nanocrystal
diodes contacted by rolled-up robust nanomembranes. The organic nanocrystals
consist of vanadyl phthalocyanine and copper hexadecafluorophthalocyanine
heterojunctions. The temperature dependent charge transport through organic
nanocrystals was investigated to reveal the transport properties of ohmic and
space-charge-limited current under different conditions, for instance,
temperature and bias.
PMID- 28690964
TI - Bright fluorescent silica-nanoparticle probes for high-resolution STED and
confocal microscopy.
AB - In recent years, fluorescent nanomaterials have gained high relevance in
biological applications as probes for various fluorescence-based spectroscopy and
imaging techniques. Among these materials, dye-doped silica nanoparticles have
demonstrated a high potential to overcome the limitations presented by
conventional organic dyes such as high photobleaching, low stability and limited
fluorescence intensity. In the present work we describe an effective approach for
the preparation of fluorescent silica nanoparticles in the size range between 15
and 80 nm based on L-arginine-controlled hydrolysis of tetraethoxysilane in a
biphasic cyclohexane-water system. Commercially available far-red fluorescent
dyes (Atto647N, Abberior STAR 635, Dy-647, Dy-648 and Dy-649) were embedded
covalently into the particle matrix, which was achieved by aminosilane coupling.
The physical particle attributes (particle size, dispersion, degree of
agglomeration and stability) and the fluorescence properties of the obtained
particles were compared to particles from commonly known synthesis methods. As a
result, the spectroscopic characteristics of the presented monodisperse dye-doped
silica nanoparticles were similar to those of the free uncoupled dyes, but
indicate a much higher photostability and brightness. As revealed by dynamic
light scattering and zeta-potential measurements, all particle suspensions were
stable in water and cell culture medium. In addition, uptake studies on A549
cells were performed, using confocal and stimulated emission depletion (STED)
microscopy. Our approach allows for a step-by-step formation of dye-doped silica
nanoparticles in the form of dye-incorporated spheres, which can be used as
versatile fluorescent probes in confocal and STED imaging.
PMID- 28690965
TI - Fabrication of hierarchically porous TiO2 nanofibers by microemulsion
electrospinning and their application as anode material for lithium-ion
batteries.
AB - Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanofibers have been widely applied in various fields
including photocatalysis, energy storage and solar cells due to the advantages of
low cost, high abundance and nontoxicity. However, the low conductivity of ions
and bulk electrons hinder its rapid development in lithium-ion batteries (LIB).
In order to improve the electrochemical performances of TiO2 nanomaterials as
anode for LIB, hierarchically porous TiO2 nanofibers with different tetrabutyl
titanate (TBT)/paraffin oil ratios were prepared as anode for LIB via a versatile
single-nozzle microemulsion electrospinning (ME-ES) method followed by calcining.
The experimental results indicated that TiO2 nanofibers with the higher
TBT/paraffin oil ratio demonstrated more axially aligned channels and a larger
specific surface area. Furthermore, they presented superior lithium-ion storage
properties in terms of specific capacity, rate capability and cycling performance
compared with solid TiO2 nanofibers for LIB. The initial discharge and charge
capacity of porous TiO2 nanofibers with a TBT/paraffin oil ratio of 2.25 reached
up to 634.72 and 390.42 mAh.g-1, thus resulting in a coulombic efficiency of
61.51%; and the discharge capacity maintained 264.56 mAh.g-1 after 100 cycles,
which was much higher than that of solid TiO2 nanofibers. TiO2 nanofibers with
TBT/paraffin oil ratio of 2.25 still obtained a high reversible capacity of
204.53 mAh.g-1 when current density returned back to 40 mA.g-1 after 60 cycles at
increasing stepwise current density from 40 mA.g-1 to 800 mA.g-1. Herein,
hierarchically porous TiO2 nanofibers have the potential to be applied as anode
for lithium-ion batteries in practical applications.
PMID- 28690966
TI - Carbon nanomaterials sensitize prostate cancer cells to docetaxel and mitomycin C
via induction of apoptosis and inhibition of proliferation.
AB - We have previously shown that carbon nanofibers (CNFs) and carbon nanotubes
(CNTs) can sensitize prostate cancer (PCa) cells to platinum-based
chemotherapeutics. In order to further verify this concept and to avoid a bias,
the present study investigates the chemosensitizing potential of CNFs and CNTs to
the conventional chemotherapeutics docetaxel (DTX) and mitomycin C (MMC), which
have different molecular structures and mechanisms of action than platinum-based
chemotherapeutics. DU-145 PCa cells were treated with DTX and MMC alone or in
combination with the carbon nanomaterials. The impact of the monotreatments and
the combinatory treatments on cellular function was then systematically analyzed
by using different experimental approaches (viability, short-term and long-term
proliferation, cell death rate). DTX and MMC alone reduced the viability of PCa
cells to 94% and 68%, respectively, whereas a combined treatment with CNFs led to
less than 30% remaining viable cells. Up to 17- and 7-fold higher DTX and MMC
concentrations were needed in order to evoke a similar inhibition of viability as
mediated by the combinatory treatments. In contrast, the dose of platinum-based
chemotherapeutics could only be reduced by up to 3-fold by combination with
carbon nanomaterials. Furthermore, combinatory treatments with CNFs led mostly to
an additive inhibition of short- and long-term proliferation compared to the
individual treatments. Also, higher cell death rates were observed in combinatory
treatments than in monotreatments, e.g., a combination of MMC and CNFs more than
doubled the cell death rate mediated by apoptosis. Combinations with CNTs showed
a similar, but less pronounced impact on cellular functions. In summary, carbon
nanomaterials in combination with DTX and MMC evoked additive to partly
synergistic anti-tumor effects. CNFs and CNTs possess the ability to sensitize
cancer cells to a wide range of structurally diverse chemotherapeutics and thus
represent an interesting option for the development of multimodal cancer
therapies. Co-administration of chemotherapeutics with carbon nanomaterials could
result in a reduction of the chemotherapeutic dosage and thus limit systemic side
effects.
PMID- 28690967
TI - Synthesis of [Fe(Leq)(Lax)] n coordination polymer nanoparticles using
blockcopolymer micelles.
AB - Spin-crossover compounds are a class of materials that can change their spin
state from high spin (HS) to low spin (LS) by external stimuli such as light,
pressure or temperature. Applications demand compounds with defined properties
concerning the size and switchability that are maintained when the compound is
integrated into composite materials. Here, we report the synthesis of
[Fe(Leq)(Lax)]n coordination polymer (CP) nanoparticles using self-assembled
polystyrene-block-poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P4VP) block copolymer (BCP)
micelles as template. Variation of the solvent (THF and toluene) and the rigidity
of the axial ligand Lax (Lax = 1,2-di(pyridin-4-yl)ethane) (bpea), trans-1,2
di(pyridin-4-yl)ethene (bpee), and 1,2-di(pyridin-4-yl)ethyne) (bpey); Leq = 1,2
phenylenebis(iminomethylidyne)-bis(2,4-pentanedionato)(2-)) allowed the
determination of the preconditions for the selective formation of nanoparticles.
A low solubility of the CP in the used solvent and a high stability of the Fe-L
bond with regard to ligand exchange are necessary for the formation of composite
nanoparticles where the BCP micelle is filled with the CP, as in the case of the
[FeLeq(bpey)] n @BCP. Otherwise, in the case of more flexible ligands or ligands
that lead to high spin complexes, the formation of microcrystals next to the CP
BCP nanoparticles is observed above a certain concentration of [Fe(Leq)(Lax)] n .
The core of the nanoparticles is about 45 nm in diameter due to the templating
effect of the BCP micelle, independent of the used iron complex and
[Fe(Leq)(Lax)] n concentration. The spin-crossover properties of the composite
material are similar to those of the bulk for FeLeq(bpea)] n @BCP while
pronounced differences are observed in the case of [FeLeq(bpey)] n @BCP
nanoparticles.
PMID- 28690968
TI - Miniemulsion copolymerization of (meth)acrylates in the presence of
functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes for reinforced coating applications.
AB - Film forming, stable hybrid latexes made of methyl metacrylate (MMA), butyl
acrylate (BA) and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) copolymer reinforced with
modified multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were synthesized by in situ
miniemulsion polymerization. The MWCNTs were pretreated by an air sonication
process and stabilized by polyvinylpyrrolidone. The presence of the MWCNTs had no
significant effect on the polymerization kinetics, but strongly affected the
polymer characteristics (Tg and insoluble polymer fraction). The performance of
the in situ composites was compared with that of the neat polymer dispersion as
well as with those of the polymer/MWCNT physical blends. The in situ composites
showed the presence of an additional phase likely due to the strong interaction
between the polymer and MWNCTs (including grafting) that reduced the mobility of
the polymer chains. As a result, a substantial increase of both the storage and
the loss moduli was achieved. At 60 degrees C, which is above the main
transition region of the polymer, the in situ composites maintained the
reinforcement, whereas the blends behaved as a liquid-like material. This
suggests the formation of a 3D network, in good agreement with the high content
of insoluble polymer in the in situ composites.
PMID- 28690969
TI - Two-dimensional silicon and carbon monochalcogenides with the structure of
phosphorene.
AB - Phosphorene has recently attracted significant interest for applications in
electronics and optoelectronics. Inspired by this material an ab initio study was
carried out on new two-dimensional binary materials with a structure analogous to
phosphorene. Specifically, carbon and silicon monochalcogenides have been
considered. After structural optimization, a series of binary compounds were
found to be dynamically stable in a phosphorene-like geometry: CS, CSe, CTe, SiO,
SiS, SiSe, and SiTe. The electronic properties of these monolayers were
determined using density functional theory. By using accurate hybrid functionals
it was found that these materials are semiconductors and span a broad range of
bandgap values and types. Similarly to phosphorene, the computed effective masses
point to a strong in-plane anisotropy of carrier mobilities. The variety of
electronic properties carried by these compounds have the potential to broaden
the technological applicability of two-dimensional materials.
PMID- 28690970
TI - 3D continuum phonon model for group-IV 2D materials.
AB - A general three-dimensional continuum model of phonons in two-dimensional
materials is developed. Our first-principles derivation includes full
consideration of the lattice anisotropy and flexural modes perpendicular to the
layers and can thus be applied to any two-dimensional material. In this paper, we
use the model to not only compare the phonon spectra among the group-IV materials
but also to study whether these phonons differ from those of a compound material
such as molybdenum disulfide. The origin of quadratic modes is clarified. Mode
coupling for both graphene and silicene is obtained, contrary to previous works.
Our model allows us to predict the existence of confined optical phonon modes for
the group-IV materials but not for molybdenum disulfide. A comparison of the long
wavelength modes to density-functional results is included.
PMID- 28690971
TI - Materials Knowledge Systems in Python - A Data Science Framework for Accelerated
Development of Hierarchical Materials.
AB - There is a critical need for customized analytics that take into account the
stochastic nature of the internal structure of materials at multiple length
scales in order to extract relevant and transferable knowledge. Data driven
Process-Structure-Property (PSP) linkages provide systemic, modular and
hierarchical framework for community driven curation of materials knowledge, and
its transference to design and manufacturing experts. The Materials Knowledge
Systems in Python project (PyMKS) is the first open source materials data science
framework that can be used to create high value PSP linkages for hierarchical
materials that can be leveraged by experts in materials science and engineering,
manufacturing, machine learning and data science communities. This paper
describes the main functions available from this repository, along with
illustrations of how these can be accessed, utilized, and potentially further
refined by the broader community of researchers.
PMID- 28690972
TI - Computational Psychiatry in Borderline Personality Disorder.
AB - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: We review the literature on the use and potential use of
computational psychiatry methods in Borderline Personality Disorder. RECENT
FINDINGS: Computational approaches have been used in psychiatry to increase our
understanding of the molecular, circuit, and behavioral basis of mental illness.
This is of particular interest in BPD, where the collection of ecologically valid
data, especially in interpersonal settings, is becoming more common and more
often subject to quantification. Methods that test learning and memory in social
contexts, collect data from real-world settings, and relate behavior to molecular
and circuit networks are yielding data of particular interest. SUMMARY: Research
in BPD should focus on collaborative efforts to design and interpret experiments
with direct relevance to core BPD symptoms and potential for translation to the
clinic.
PMID- 28690973
TI - Dynamic X-ray diffraction imaging of the ferroelectric response in bismuth
ferrite.
AB - X-ray diffraction imaging is rapidly emerging as a powerful technique by which
one can capture the local structure of crystalline materials at the nano- and
meso-scale. Here, we present investigations of the dynamic structure of epitaxial
monodomain BiFeO3 thin-films using a novel full-field Bragg diffraction imaging
modality. By taking advantage of the depth penetration of hard X-rays and their
exquisite sensitivity to the atomic structure, we imaged in situ and in operando,
the electric field-driven structural responses of buried BiFeO3 epitaxial thin
films in micro-capacitor devices, with sub-100 nm lateral resolution. These
imaging investigations were carried out at acquisition frame rates that reached
up to 20 Hz and data transfer rates of 40 MB/s, while accessing diffraction
contrast that is sensitive to the entire three-dimensional unit cell
configuration. We mined these large datasets for material responses by employing
matrix decomposition techniques, such as independent component analysis. We found
that this statistical approach allows the extraction of the salient physical
properties of the ferroelectric response of the material, such as coercive fields
and transient spatiotemporal modulations in their piezoelectric response, and
also facilitates their decoupling from extrinsic sources that are instrument
specific.
PMID- 28690974
TI - Laparoscopy in Blunt Abdominal Trauma: for Whom? When?and Why?
AB - The management of blunt abdominal trauma has evolved over time. While laparotomy
is the standard of care in hemodynamically unstable patients, stable patients are
usually treated by non-operative management (NOM), incorporating adjuncts such as
interventional radiology. However, although NOM has shown good results in solid
organ injuries, other lesions, namely those involving the hollow viscus,
diaphragm, and mesentery, do not qualify for this approach and need surgical
exploration. Laparoscopy can substantially reduce additional surgical aggression.
It has both diagnostic and therapeutic potential and, when negative, may reduce
the number of unnecessary laparotomies. Although some studies have shown
promising results on the use of laparoscopy in blunt abdominal trauma, randomized
controlled studies are lacking. Laparoscopy requires adequate training and
experience as well as sufficient staffing and equipment.
PMID- 28690975
TI - Reversible Plastic Deformation of Polymer Blends as a Means to Achieve
Stretchable Organic Transistors.
AB - Intrinsically stretchable semiconductors will facilitate the realization of
seamlessly integrated stretchable electronics. However, to date demonstrations of
intrinsically stretchable semiconductors have been limited. In this study, a new
approach to achieve intrinsically stretchable semiconductors is introduced by
blending a rigid high-performance donor-acceptor polymer semiconductor
poly[4(4,4dihexadecyl4Hcyclopenta [1,2b:5,4b' ] dithiopen2yl) alt [1,2,5]
thiadiazolo [3,4c] pyridine] (PCDTPT) with a ductile polymer semiconductor
poly(3hexylthiophene) (P3HT). Under large tensile strains of up to 75%, the
polymers are shown to orient in the direction of strain, and when the strain is
reduced, the polymers reversibly deform. During cyclic strain, the local packing
order of the polymers is shown to be remarkably stable. The saturated field
effect charge mobility is shown to be consistently above 0.04 cm2 V-1s-1 for up
to 100 strain cycles with strain ranging from 10% to 75% when the film is printed
onto a rigid test bed. At the 75% strain state, the charge mobility is
consistently above 0.15 cm2 V-1s-1. Ultimately, the polymer blend process
introduced here results in an excellent combination of device performance and
stretchability providing an effective approach to achieve intrinsically
stretchable semiconductors.
PMID- 28690976
TI - Interoperability: linking design and tolerancing with metrology.
AB - On October 30, 2014 the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) approved QIF
v 2.0 (Quality Information Framework, version 2.0) as an American National
Standard. Subsequently in early 2016 QIF version 2.1 was approved. This paper
describes how the QIF standard models the information necessary for quality
workflow across the full metrology enterprise. After a brief description of the
XML 'language' used in the standard, the paper reports on how the standard
enables information exchange among four major activities in the metrology
enterprise (product definition; measurement planning; measurement execution; and
the analysis and reporting of the quality data).
PMID- 28690978
TI - Exploring gold nanoparticle interactions with proteins and the tumor
microenvironment in biological systems.
PMID- 28690979
TI - Presentation, Treatment, and Prognosis of Secondary Melanoma within the Orbit.
AB - BACKGROUND: Ocular melanoma is a rare but often deadly malignancy that arises in
the uvea, conjunctiva, or orbit. Uveal melanoma is the most common type, with
conjunctival melanoma being the second most frequently observed. Melanoma
accounts for 5-10% of metastatic or secondary orbital malignancies, but only a
minute proportion of primary orbital neoplasia. The aim of this study was to
characterize the clinical presentation, treatment, and prognosis in patients
presenting with melanoma metastatic to, or secondary within, the orbit. METHODS:
A retrospective cohort study of patients presenting to a tertiary referral
orbital unit from 1982 to 2016 was performed. Eighty-nine patients with biopsy
proven diagnosis of melanoma within the orbit were included in the study. The
clinical notes, radiological imaging, histology, surgical notes, and outcome data
for the patients were reviewed. The main outcome measures of interest were the
interval between primary malignant melanoma and orbital presentation, survival
after orbital presentation, and clinical parameters (such as gender, age at
presentation, and treatment approach). RESULTS: The commonest primary source of
tumor was choroidal melanoma, with conjunctival and cutaneous melanomas being
relatively common; eyelid and naso-sinus tumors occurred in a few cases. The mean
age at presentation with orbital disease was 65 years (31-97 years). The interval
between primary malignancy and orbital disease (either local spread/recurrence or
true metastatic disease) showed wide variability, with almost one-third of
patients having orbital disease at the time of primary diagnosis, but others
presenting many years later; indeed, the longest orbital disease-free interval
was over 34 years. Twenty-three patients were considered to have had late orbital
metastases-that is, at more than 36 months after primary tumor. The median
survival following presentation with orbital involvement was 24 months. Patients
with tumors of cutaneous origin had worst survival, whereas those with
conjunctival tumors had the best prognosis. CONCLUSION: A high index of suspicion
for orbital recurrence should be maintained in any patient with prior history of
melanoma, however distant the primary tumor is in site or time. Furthermore,
giving a prognosis for orbital melanoma remains problematic due to highly
variable survival, and further investigation will be necessary to understand the
likely genetic basis of this phenomenon.
PMID- 28690977
TI - Regulation of the Mdm2-p53 signaling axis in the DNA damage response and
tumorigenesis.
AB - The p53 tumor suppressor acts as a guardian of the genome in mammalian cells
undergoing DNA double strand breaks induced by a various forms of cell stress,
including inappropriate growth signals or ionizing radiation. Following damage,
p53 protein levels become greatly elevated in cells and p53 functions primarily
as a transcription factor to regulate the expression a wide variety of genes that
coordinate this DNA damage response. In cells undergoing high amounts of DNA
damage, p53 can promote apoptosis, whereas in cells undergoing less damage, p53
promotes senescence or transient cell growth arrest and the expression of genes
involved in DNA repair, depending upon the cell type and level of damage. Failure
of the damaged cell to undergo growth arrest or apoptosis, or to respond to the
DNA damage by other p53-coordinated mechanisms, can lead to inappropriate cell
growth and tumorigenesis. In cells that have successfully responded to genetic
damage, the amount of p53 present in the cell must return to basal levels in
order for the cell to resume normal growth and function. Although regulation of
p53 levels and function is coordinated by many proteins, it is now widely
accepted that the master regulator of p53 is Mdm2. In this review, we discuss the
role(s) of p53 in the DNA damage response and in tumor suppression, and how post
translational modification of Mdm2 regulates the Mdm2-p53 signaling axis to
govern p53 activities in the cell.
PMID- 28690980
TI - CRH Affects the Phenotypic Expression of Sepsis-Associated Virulence Factors by
Streptococcus pneumoniae Serotype 1 In vitro.
AB - Sepsis is a life-threatening health condition caused by infectious pathogens of
the respiratory tract, and accounts for 28-50% of annual deaths in the US alone.
Current treatment regimen advocates the use of corticosteroids as adjunct
treatment with antibiotics, for their broad inhibitory effect on the activity and
production of pro-inflammatory mediators. However, despite their use,
corticosteroids have not proven to be able to reverse the death incidence among
septic patients. We have previously demonstrated the potential for neuroendocrine
factors to directly influence Streptococcus pneumoniae virulence, which may in
turn mediate disease outcome leading to sepsis and septic shock. The current
study investigated the role of Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) in mediating
key markers of pneumococcal virulence as important phenotypic determinants of
sepsis and septic shock risks. In vitro cultures of serotype 1 pneumococcal
strain with CRH promoted growth rate, increased capsule thickness and penicillin
resistance, as well as induced pneumolysin gene expression. These results thus
provide significant insights of CRH-pathogen interactions useful in understanding
the underlying mechanisms of neuroendocrine factor's role in the onset of
community acquired pneumonias (CAP), sepsis and septic shock.
PMID- 28690981
TI - FNR Regulates the Expression of Important Virulence Factors Contributing to the
Pathogenicity of Avian Pathogenic Escherichia coli.
AB - Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) is the etiologic agent of
colibacillosis, an important cause of morbidity and mortality in poultry. Though,
many virulence factors associated with APEC pathogenicity are known, their
regulation remains unclear. FNR (fumarate and nitrate reduction) is a well-known
global regulator that works as an oxygen sensor and has previously been described
as a virulence regulator in bacterial pathogens. The goal of this study was to
examine the role of FNR in the regulation of APEC virulence factors, such as Type
I fimbriae, and processes such as adherence and invasion, type VI secretion,
survival during oxidative stress, and growth in iron-restricted environments. To
accomplish this goal, APEC O1, a well-characterized, highly virulent, and fully
sequenced strain of APEC harboring multiple virulence mechanisms, some of which
are plasmid-linked, was compared to its FNR mutant for expression of various
virulence traits. Deletion of FNR was found to affect APEC O1's adherence,
invasion and expression of ompT, a plasmid-encoded outer membrane protein, type I
fimbriae, and aatA, encoding an autotransporter. Indeed, the fnr- mutant showed
an 8-fold reduction in expression of type I fimbriae and a highly significant (P
< 0.0001) reduction in expression of fimA, ompT (plasmid-borne), and aatA. FNR
was also found to regulate expression of the type VI secretion system, affecting
the expression of vgrG. Further, FNR was found to be important to APEC O1's
growth in iron-deficient media and survival during oxidative stress with the
mutant showing a 4-fold decrease in tolerance to oxidative stress, as compared to
the wild type. Thus, our results suggest that FNR functions as an important
regulator of APEC virulence.
PMID- 28690982
TI - Deferiprone and Gallium-Protoporphyrin Have the Capacity to Potentiate the
Activity of Antibiotics in Staphylococcus aureus Small Colony Variants.
AB - Small colony variants (SCVs) of bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus are
characterized by a reduced colony size and are linked to increased antibiotic
tolerance and resistance. Their altered expression of virulence factors, slow
growing properties and their ability to form biofilms make the eradication of
SCVs challenging. In the context of biofilm-related infectious diseases involving
S. aureus SCVs, a therapy targeting bacterial iron metabolism was evaluated. The
combination of the iron-chelator deferiprone (Def) and the heme-analog gallium
protoporphyrin (GaPP), in solution and incorporated in a surgical wound gel, was
tested for activity against planktonic and sessile SCVs. To this end, the
activity of Def-GaPP was assessed against planktonic S. aureus SCVs, as well as
against in vitro and in vivo biofilms in the colony biofilm model, an artificial
wound model and a Caenorhabditis elegans infection model. While Def alone failed
to show substantial antibacterial activity, GaPP and the combination of Def-GaPP
demonstrated concentration- and strain-dependent antibacterial properties.
Specifically, the Def-GaPP combination significantly reduced the bacterial load
in an artificial wound model and increased the survival of S. aureus SCV infected
C. elegans. When Def-GaPP were combined with gentamicin or ciprofloxacin, the
triple combinations exceeded the antibiofilm activity of the individual compounds
in the colony biofilm model. In targeting bacterial iron metabolism, Def-GaPP
showed significant activity against planktonic and sessile SCVs. Moreover, Def
GaPP could potentiate the activity of gentamicin and ciprofloxacin. Delivered in
a wound healing gel, Def-GaPP showed promise as a new topical strategy against
infections with S. aureus SCVs.
PMID- 28690984
TI - The rapid internationalization of Annals of Pediatric Endocrinology & Metabolism
as evidenced by journal metrics.
AB - PURPOSE: Using journal metrics, this paper explores whether Annals of Pediatric
Endocrinology & Metabolism has internationalized 4 years after changing its
language to English only. METHODS: From the journal's website and the Web of
Science Core Collection, the following metrics were counted or calculated: Number
of citable articles, countries of authors and editorial board members, total
citations, impact factor, countries of citing authors, citing journal titles, and
Hirsch index. RESULTS: From 2012 to 2017, 208 articles were citable. The authors
had affiliations in 7 countries and the editorial board members in 14 countries.
From 2014 to 2017, the total citations each year were 8, 81, 141, and 61; and the
impact factors from 2014 to 2016 were calculated as 0.05, 0.987, and 1.165. The
citing authors were from 60 countries, among which the United States, China,
South Korea, Italy, and Germany were most common. The journal was cited by 215
journal titles. The Hirsch index was 7. CONCLUSION: These journal metrics showed
that the journal achieved international status 4 years after changing the
journals' language into English only. The journal's language policy successfully
enabled the journal to rebrand as an international journal.
PMID- 28690985
TI - Metabolic syndrome induced by anticancer treatment in childhood cancer survivors.
AB - The number of childhood cancer survivors is increasing as survival rates improve.
However, complications after treatment have not received much attention,
particularly metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome comprises central obesity,
dyslipidemia, hypertension, and insulin resistance, and cancer survivors have
higher risks of cardiovascular events compared with the general population. The
mechanism by which cancer treatment induces metabolic syndrome is unclear.
However, its pathophysiology can be categorized based on the cancer treatment
type administered. Brain surgery or radiotherapy may induce metabolic syndrome by
damaging the hypothalamic-pituitary axis, which may induce pituitary hormone
deficiencies. Local therapy administered to particular endocrine organs directly
damages the organs and causes hormone deficiencies, which induce obesity and
dyslipidemia leading to metabolic syndrome. Chemotherapeutic agents interfere
with cell generation and growth, damage the vascular endothelial cells, and
increase the cardiovascular risk. Moreover, chemotherapeutic agents induce
oxidative stress, which also induces metabolic syndrome. Physical inactivity
caused by cancer treatment or the cancer itself, dietary restrictions, and the
frequent use of antibiotics may also be risk factors for metabolic syndrome.
Since childhood cancer survivors with metabolic syndrome have higher risks of
cardiovascular events at an earlier age, early interventions should be
considered. The optimal timing of interventions and drug use has not been
established, but lifestyle modifications and exercise interventions that begin
during cancer treatment might be beneficial and tailored education and
interventions that account for individual patients' circumstances are needed.
This review evaluates the recent literature that describes metabolic syndrome in
cancer survivors, with a focus on its pathophysiology.
PMID- 28690986
TI - Next generation sequencing and array-based comparative genomic hybridization for
molecular diagnosis of pediatric endocrine disorders.
AB - Next-generation sequencing (NGS) and array-based comparative genomic
hybridization (array CGH) have enabled us to perform high-throughput mutation
screening and genome-wide copy number analysis, respectively. These methods can
be used for molecular diagnosis of pediatric endocrine disorders. NGS has
determined the frequency and phenotypic variation of mutations in several disease
associated genes. Furthermore, whole exome analysis using NGS has successfully
identified several novel causative genes for endocrine disorders. Array CGH is
currently used as the standard procedure for molecular cytogenetic analysis.
Array CGH can detect various submicroscopic genomic rearrangements involving
exons or enhancers of disease-associated genes. This review introduces some
examples of the use of NGS and array CGH for the molecular diagnosis of pediatric
endocrine disorders.
PMID- 28690987
TI - The influence of gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist treatment on the body
weight and body mass index in girls with idiopathic precocious puberty and early
puberty.
AB - PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the influence of gonadotropin releasing
hormone agonist (GnRHa) treatment on the weight and body mass index (BMI) of
girls who were diagnosed with idiopathic central precocious puberty (CPP) or
early puberty (EP). METHODS: Patients who were younger than 8 years of age at
diagnosis were classified as CPP and patients aged between 8 and 9 years at
diagnosis were classified as EP. Of 129 patients, 34 were diagnosed with CPP and
95 were diagnosed with EP. The patients were divided according to pretreatment
weight status into normal weight group, an overweight group, or an obese group.
RESULTS: No significant changes were observed with respect to the weight standard
deviation score (SDS) before and after 1 year, 2 years of treatment, respectively
(P>0.05, P>0.05) in all patient groups. No significant changes were observed in
relation to the BMI SDS before and after 1 year, 2 years of treatment,
respectively (P>0.05, P>0.05) in all patient group. Depending on the degree of
obesity, differences with respect to the weight SDS and BMI SDS were observed.
CONCLUSION: BMI SDS increased in the GnRHa-treated patients as a whole group, but
was not statistically significant. But BMI SDS increased significantly in the
normal weight group after 2 years of GnRHa treatment. So, GnRHa treatment may
affect the change of BMI SDS depending on degree of obesity.
PMID- 28690988
TI - Intellectual development in preschool children with early treated congenital
hypothyroidism.
AB - PURPOSE: Delayed treatment of congenital hypothyroidism (CH) is a common cause of
mental retardation. The aim of the present study was to evaluate intellectual
outcomes in preschool children with treated CH. METHODS: We retrospectively
reviewed the clinical records of 43 children (age range: 13 to 60 days of life;
22 girls and 21 boys) diagnosed with CH. Children aged 5 to 7 years were examined
using the Korean Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children or the Korean Wechsler
Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence. RESULTS: The patients started
treatment between 13 and 60 days of age. The mean intelligence quotient (IQ) of
patients tested at age 5 to 7 years was 103.14+/-11.68 (IQ range: 76-126). None
had intellectual disability (defined as an IQ <70). Twenty-one subjects were
treated with a low dose (6.0-9.9 ug/kg/day) and 22 with a high dose of
levothyroxine (10.0-16.0 ug/kg/day). There was no significant difference in the
mean full-scale IQ (FSIQ), verbal IQ (VIQ), and performance IQ (PIQ) scores
between the 2 groups. FSIQ, PIQ, and VIQ scores were not significantly correlated
with initial dose of L-T4, initial fT4, age at treatment in multivariate
analysis. CONCLUSION: IQ scores of subjects with early treated CH diagnosed
through a neonatal screening test were within normal range, regardless of
etiology, thyroid function, initial dose of levothyroxine, and age at start of
treatment.
PMID- 28690983
TI - The Essential Role of Tick Salivary Glands and Saliva in Tick Feeding and
Pathogen Transmission.
AB - As long-term pool feeders, ticks have developed myriad strategies to remain
discreetly but solidly attached to their hosts for the duration of their blood
meal. The critical biological material that dampens host defenses and facilitates
the flow of blood-thus assuring adequate feeding-is tick saliva. Saliva exhibits
cytolytic, vasodilator, anticoagulant, anti-inflammatory, and immunosuppressive
activity. This essential fluid is secreted by the salivary glands, which also
mediate several other biological functions, including secretion of cement and
hygroscopic components, as well as the watery component of blood as regards hard
ticks. When salivary glands are invaded by tick-borne pathogens, pathogens may be
transmitted via saliva, which is injected alternately with blood uptake during
the tick bite. Both salivary glands and saliva thus play a key role in
transmission of pathogenic microorganisms to vertebrate hosts. During their long
co-evolution with ticks and vertebrate hosts, microorganisms have indeed
developed various strategies to exploit tick salivary molecules to ensure both
acquisition by ticks and transmission, local infection and systemic dissemination
within the vertebrate host.
PMID- 28690989
TI - The association between skeletal maturation and adrenal androgen levels in obese
children and adolescents.
AB - PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the association between skeletal
maturation and adrenal androgen levels in obese children and adolescents.
METHODS: Fifty-three children and adolescents (aged 7-15 years) diagnosed as
obese or overweight were investigated. Anthropometric measurements, bone age (BA)
determination, serum biochemical analyses, and hormonal measurements were
performed. The difference between BA and chronological age (BA-CA, dBACA) was
calculated and used to represent the degree of advanced skeletal maturation.
RESULTS: Thirty-one subjects were classified into the obese group and 22 subjects
into the overweight group. Insulin resistance as calculated by the homeostasis
model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was significantly higher in the
obese group than in the overweight group (4.03+/-2.20 vs. 2.86+/-1.11, P=0.026).
The skeletal maturation of the obese group was advanced, but the dBACA did not
differ between the obese and overweight groups statistically (1.43+/-1.35 vs.
0.91+/-1.15, P=0.141). Serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) levels were
significantly higher in subjects with dBACA>1 compared to those with dBACA<=1
(104.3+/-62.2 vs. 59.6+/-61.0, P=0.014). Correlation analyses demonstrated that
dBACA was positively correlated with body mass index standard deviation scores
(r=0.35, P=0.010), fasting insulin (r=0.36, P=0.009), HOMA-IR (r=0.30, P=0.031),
and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-3 (r=0.331, P=0.028). In
multivariate linear regression analysis, HOMA-IR (P=0.026) and serum DHEA-S
(P=0.032) were positively correlated with the degree of advanced skeletal
maturation. CONCLUSION: Advanced skeletal maturation is associated with increased
insulin resistance and elevated DHEA-S levels in obese children and adolescents.
PMID- 28690990
TI - Predictors of transient congenital hypothyroidism in children with eutopic
thyroid gland.
AB - PURPOSE: Congenital hypothyroidism (CH) is the most common cause of preventable
mental retardation. Recently, the detection of CH cases with eutopic thyroid
gland has increased due to neonatal screening programs. In this study, we aimed
to identify and evaluate predictive factors that could distinguish between
permanent and transient CH in patients with eutopic thyroid gland. METHODS: We
retrospectively reviewed 100 children diagnosed with CH and with eutopic thyroid
gland. All subjects were treated with levothyroxine and underwent re-evaluation
after 3 years of age. RESULTS: Of the 100 CH patients, 35 (35.0%) were diagnosed
with permanent CH (PCH) and 65 (65.0%) were diagnosed with transient CH (TCH).
The initial thyroid stimulating hormone levels were significantly lower in the
TCH subjects than in PCH subjects. In addition, the mean doses of levothyroxine
(ug/kg/day) at the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd year of treatment were significantly lower
in subjects with TCH than in PCH subjects with eutopic thyroid gland. Based on
the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, the optimal cutoff dose of
levothyroxine at 3 years of 2.76 ug/kg/day could predict TCH, and was associated
with 87.3% sensitivity and 67.6% specificity, with an area under the ROC curve of
0.769. CONCLUSION: The levothyroxine dose requirement during treatment period has
a predictive role in differentiating TCH from PCH in CH patients with eutopic
thyroid gland.
PMID- 28690991
TI - Effect of growth hormone treatment on children with idiopathic short stature and
idiopathic growth hormone deficiency.
AB - PURPOSE: There are inconsistencies in the results reported in a small number of
previous studies into growth hormone (GH) treatment in Korean children with
idiopathic short stature (ISS) and idiopathic growth hormone deficiency (IGHD).
Thus, the authors retrospectively compared the effects of GH in ISS and IGHD.
METHODS: From the medical records of 26 ISS and 30 IGHD children, auxological and
biochemical changes including chronologic age (CA), bone age (BA), height
standard deviation score (HT-SDS), predicted adult height (PAH), midparental
height (MPH), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and insulin-like growth
factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) were compared. RESULTS: Before treatment, IGHD
group had younger BA, lower BA/CA ratio, and lower IGF-1 level than those in the
ISS group. During GH treatment, the levels of IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 were not
different. Although annual BA increment was higher in IGHD group, and annual PAH
SDS increment was higher in ISS group, annual HT-SDS increments were not
different. Both HT-SDS and PAH-SDS in the ISS group increased significantly until
the end of the second year, and then those were not significantly different from
MPH-SDS. In the IGHD group, the HT-SDS showed a significant increase till the end
of the second year, and the PAH-SDS was not significantly changed at each year,
but both HT-SDS and PAH-SDS were not significantly different from MPH-SDS at the
end of the third year. CONCLUSION: During GH treatment, both HT-SDS and PAH-SDS
approached the genetic target range of MPH-SDS after 2 years in ISS children and
3 years in IGHD children.
PMID- 28690992
TI - Diabetes mellitus due to agenesis of the dorsal pancreas in a patient with
heterotaxy syndrome.
AB - Heterotaxy syndrome (HS) is a congenital disorder resulting from an abnormal
arrangement of visceral organs across the normal left-right axis in the embryonic
period. HS is usually associated with multiple anomalies, including defects of
the major cardiovascular system and the extracardiovascular system such as
intestinal malrotation, abnormal lung lobulation, bronchus anomalies, and
pancreatic dysplasia. Although pancreatic dysplasia is occasionally accompanied
with HS, the occurrence of diabetes mellitus (DM) due to pancreatic dysplasia in
HS is rarely reported. We here report a case involving 13-year-old girl with DM
caused by agenesis of the dorsal pancreas and HS diagnosed on the basis of the
presence of a double-outlet right ventricle with bilateral pulmonary stenosis and
intestinal malrotation with duodenal cyst. Timely diagnosis and treatment with
insulin improved glycemic control.
PMID- 28690993
TI - 2q37 Deletion syndrome confirmed by high-resolution cytogenetic analysis.
AB - Chromosome 2q37 deletion syndrome is a rare chromosomal disorder characterized by
mild to moderate developmental delay, brachydactyly of the third to fifth digits
or toes, short stature, obesity, hypotonia, a characteristic facial appearance,
and autism spectrum disorder. Here, we report on a patient with 2q37 deletion
presenting with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCMP). Congenital heart malformations
have been noted in up to 20% of patients with 2q37 deletions. However, DCMP has
not been reported in 2q37 deletion patients previously. The patient exhibited the
characteristic facial appearance (a flat nasal bridge, deep-set eyes, arched
eyebrows, and a thin upper lip), developmental delay, mild mental retardation,
peripheral nerve palsy, and Albright hereditary osteodystrophy (AHO)-like
phenotypes (short stature and brachydactyly). Conventional chromosomal analysis
results were normal; however, microarray-based comparative genomic hybridization
revealed terminal deletion at 2q37.1q37.3. In addition, the patient was confirmed
to have partial growth hormone (GH) deficiency and had shown a significant
increase in growth rate after substitutive GH therapy. Chromosome 2q37 deletion
syndrome should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients
presenting with AHO features, especially in the presence of facial dysmorphism.
When patients are suspected of having a 2q37 deletion, high-resolution
cytogenetic analysis is recommended.
PMID- 28690994
TI - Delayed diagnosis of 22q11 deletion syndrome due to late onset hypocalcemia in a
11-year-old girl with imperforated anus.
AB - Neonatal hypocalcemia and congenital heart defects has been known as the first
clinical manifestation of the chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS).
However, because of its wide clinical spectrum, diagnosis of 22q11DS can be
delayed in children without classic symptoms. We report the case of a girl with
the history of imperforate anus but without neonatal hypocalcemia or major
cardiac anomaly, who was diagnosed for 22q11DS at the age of 11 after the onset
of overt hypocalcemia. She was born uneventfully from phenotypically normal
Korean parents. Imperforate anus and partial cleft palate were found at birth,
which were surgically repaired thereafter. There was no history of neonatal
hypocalcemia, and karyotyping by GTG banding was normal. At the age of 11,
hypocalcemia (serum calcium, 5.0 mg/dL) and decreased parathyroid hormone level
(10.8 pg/mL) was noted when she visited our Emergency Department for fever and
vomiting. The 22q11DS was suspected because of her mild mental retardation and
velopharyngeal insufficiency, and a microdeletion on chromosome 22q11.2 was
confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridization. The 22q11DS should be considered
in the differential diagnosis of hypocalcemia at any age because of its wide
clinical spectrum.
PMID- 28690995
TI - Pediatric Vascular Surgery Review with a 30-Year-Experience in a Tertiary
Referral Center.
AB - Pediatric vascular disease is rare, and remains a big challenge to vascular
surgeons. In contrast to adults, surgery for pediatric vascular disease is
complicated by issues related to small size, future growth, and availability of
suitable vascular conduit. During the last 30 years, 131 major vascular
operations were performed in a tertiary referral center, Seoul National
University Hospital, including aortoiliac aneurysm, acute or chronic arterial
occlusion, renovascular hypertension, portal venous hypertension, trauma, tumor
invasion to major abdominal vessels, and others. Herein we review on the
important pediatric vascular diseases and share our clinical experiences on these
rare diseases.
PMID- 28690996
TI - Long Term Outcomes of Femorofemoral Crossover Bypass Grafts.
AB - PURPOSE: Femorofemoral crossover bypass (FCB) is a good procedure for patients
with unilateral iliac artery disease. There are many articles about the results
of FCB, but most of them were limited to 5 years follow-up. The purpose of our
study was to analysis the results of FCB with a 10-year follow-up period.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 1995 and December 2010, 133 patients were
operated in Samsung Medical Center (median follow-up: 58.8 months). We
retrospectively analysed patient characteristics, the preoperative treatment, the
operative procedure, and material used. RESULTS: The indications for FCB were
claudication in 110 and critical limb ischemia in 23 patients. Three patients
were died due to myocardiac infarction, intracranial hemorrhage, and acute
respiratory failure within 30 days after surgery. The one-year primary and
secondary patency rates were 89% and 97%, the 5-year primary and secondary
patency rates were 70% and 85%, and the 10-year primary and secondary patency
rates were 31% and 67%. The 5-year and 10-year limb salvage rates were 97% and
95%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our long term analysis suggests that FCB might be
a valuable alternative treatment modality in patients with unilateral iliac
artery disease.
PMID- 28690997
TI - Endovascular Aneurysm Repair in Patients with Conical Neck Anatomy.
AB - PURPOSE: Cone shape neck is regarded as non-instruction for use (IFU) in most
commercial stent graft. However, in real practice, liberal application of
endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) for outside of IFU happens. We investigate
non-adherence to conical neck anatomy in terms of early aneurysmal exclusion
results. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 2010 to December 2013, 105 patients
with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) underwent EVAR in Daegu Catholic University
Medical Center. Among them, 38 patients (36.2%) had AAA with conical neck. We
investigated the clinical characteristics of patients and the details of conical
neck. We also analyzed the clinical results, such as endoleak, migration,
procedure failure, perioperative mortality, and admission duration between
conical neck and non-conical neck. RESULTS: The maximum diameter of AAA was
larger (60.95 mm vs. 52.68 mm, P=0.016) and the infrarenal neck length was
shorter (25.07 mm vs. 38.13 mm, P=0.000) in conical neck group. During the
procedure, type Ia endoleak occurred more in conical neck group (23.7% vs. 6.0%,
P=0.013) and it could be successfully solved with additional adjunctive
treatments, such as balloon or Palmaz stent. Although there was no statistical
significance, mortality was higher and admission duration was longer in the
conical neck (15.8% vs. 6.0%, 16.62+/-13.12 days vs. 13.03+/-13.13 days). Mean
follow-up duration was 319.2+/-366.45 days. Successful aneurysmal exclusion was
achieved. CONCLUSION: The presence of conical neck may not be a contraindication
for EVAR. However, conical neck requires careful observation for additional
adjunctive treatments because it increases the risk of type Ia endoleak.
PMID- 28690998
TI - Results of Infrainguinal Bypass with a Composite Graft Combining
Polytetrafluoroethylene and Vein Graft in Absence of Appropriate Saphenous Vein
Graft.
AB - PURPOSE: Use of a composite graft combining a polytetrafluoroethylene graft with
an autogenous vein is an option for limb salvage in the absence of an adequate
single segment vein graft. We aimed to investigate the results of infrainguinal
bypass with a composite graft. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed
11 infrainguinal arterial bypasses on 11 limbs which underwent surgery from March
2012 to November 2016. RESULTS: Critical limb ischemia was common (63.6%)
indication of bypass surgery and most (90.9%) of the patients had history of
failed previous treatment including endovascular treatment (36.4%) and bypass
surgery (72.7%). At the 2 years after graft implantations, primary patency and
amputation-free survival of below-knee bypasses using composite graft were 73%
and 76%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Infrainguinal arterial bypasses with composite
graft had an acceptable patency. In patients without other alternative conduits
for revascularization, bypass with a composite graft can be an option.
PMID- 28690999
TI - Early Experiences of Sandwich Technique to Preserve Pelvic Circulation during
Endovascular Aneurysm Repair.
AB - PURPOSE: To report experiences of the sandwich technique (ST) for preservation of
pelvic flow during endovascular repair of complex aortic or aortoiliac aneurysms.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eight patients underwent elective endovascular aneurysm
repair (EVAR) using the ST between March 2013 and February 2017. The anatomic
indications for the ST were complex aortoiliac aneurysms (5 cases), abdominal
aortic aneurysms (AAA) with non-diseased short common iliac arteries (2 cases)
and AAA with unilateral occluded iliac artery (1 case). The ST was performed
through both femoral and brachial approach. Patient clinical and radiologic data
were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: Eight patients (7 male; mean age, 73.4
years) were followed over a mean period of 277 days (range, 9-1,106 days). The
technical success rate was 100%. The primary patency rate of the iliac stent
grafts was 88% (14/16 cases). One internal iliac and 1 external iliac stent-graft
occlusion was observed during the early postoperative period. There was 1 gutter
endoleak which disappeared spontaneously within 4 days, and there were 2 type II
endoleaks: one treated by coil embolization after 13 months, and the other
observed without treatment. There were no cases of sac growth or aneurysm-related
deaths, and no cases of buttock claudication or impotence. CONCLUSION: The ST is
a safe and feasible technique to preserve pelvic circulation during endovascular
treatment of complex aortoiliac aneurysms. The need to expand the indications for
complex EVARs with adjunctive procedures, such as the ST is highlighted in
situations where branched/fenestrated device availability is limited.
PMID- 28691000
TI - Late Type 3b Endoleak Mimicking Type 2 Endoleak after Endovascular Aortic
Aneurysm Repair.
AB - Endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair has been widely used for the
treatment of AAA as a safe and efficient method, but endoleaks causing persistent
expansion of aneurysm sac may cause aneurysmal rupture and death. Type 3 endoleak
is rare but a predominant cause of late rupture. Type 3b endoleak can be
misdiagnosed as type 2 endoleak, which is more frequent. Here we report two cases
of type 3b endoleak mimicking type 2 endoleak, which were successfully treated by
open surgery of partial explantation of the stent-graft and endoaneurysmal
interposition graft replacement.
PMID- 28691001
TI - Hand-Assisted Laparoscopic Nephrectomy and Auto-Transplantation for a Hilar Renal
Artery Aneurysm: A Case Report.
AB - A 52-year-old man was admitted with an incidentally detected right renal artery
aneurysm (RAA). Computed tomographic angiography with three-dimensional
reconstruction revealed that the aneurysm was 2.2 cm in diameter and located at
the renal hilum. We performed hand-assisted laparoscopic nephrectomy with ex vivo
repair of the RAA and auto-transplantation with minimal elongation of Gibson
incision. The operation and postoperative course were uneventful. At last follow
up, the patient was alive with a well-functioning auto-transplant. Hand-assisted
laparoscopic nephrectomy and auto-transplantation is a useful treatment option
for hilar RAA.
PMID- 28691002
TI - How Do Masters of Public Health Programs Teach Monitoring and Evaluation?
AB - INTRODUCTION: The health systems in developing countries face challenges because
of deficient monitoring and evaluation (M&E) capacity with respect to their
knowledge, skills, and practices. Strengthening M&E training in public health
education can help overcome the gaps in M&E capacity. There is a need to advance
the teaching of M&E as a core element of public health education. OBJECTIVES: To
review M&E teaching across Masters of Public Health programs and to identify core
competencies for M&E teaching in South Asian context. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We
undertook two activities to understand the M&E teaching across masters level
programs: (1) desk review of M&E curriculum and teaching in masters programs
globally and (2) review of M&E teaching across 10 institutions representing 4
South Asian countries. Subsequently, we used the findings of these two activities
as inputs to identify core competencies for an M&E module through a consultative
meeting with the 10 South Asian universities. RESULTS: Masters programs are being
offered globally in 321 universities of which 88 offered a Masters in Public
Health, and M&E was taught in 95 universities. M&E was taught as a part of
another module in 49 institutions. The most common duration of M&E teaching was 4
5 weeks. From the 70 institutes where information on electives was available, M&E
was a core module/part of a core module at 42 universities and an elective at 28
universities. The consultative meeting identified 10 core competencies and draft
learning objectives for M&E teaching in masters programs in South Asia.
CONCLUSION: The desk review showed similarities in M&E course content but
variations in course structure and delivery. The core competencies identified
during the consultation included basic M&E concepts. The results of the review
and the core competencies identified at the consultation are useful resources for
institutions interested in refining/updating M&E curricula in their postgraduate
degree programs. Our approach for curriculum development as well as the consensus
building experience could also be adapted for use in other situations.
PMID- 28691003
TI - Leadership Development of Rehabilitation Professionals in a Low-Resource Country:
A Transformational Leadership, Project-Based Model.
AB - BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE: This paper presents an overview of the activities and
outcomes of the Leadership Institute (LI), a short-term leadership development
professional development course offered to physiotherapists in a low-resource
country. Previous studies have provided examples of the benefits of such programs
in medicine and nursing, but this has yet to be documented in the rehabilitation
literature. The prototype of leadership development presented may provide
guidance for similar trainings in other low-resource countries and offer the
rehabilitation community an opportunity to build on the model to construct a
research agenda around rehabilitation leadership development. PEDAGOGY: The
course used a constructivist approach to integrate participants' experiences,
background, beliefs, and prior knowledge into the content. Transformational
leadership development theory was emphasized with the generation of active
learning projects, a key component of the training. OUTCOMES: Positive changes
after the course included an increase in the number of community outreach
activities completed by participants and increased involvement with their
professional organization. Thirteen leadership projects were proposed and
presented. DISCUSSION: The LI provided present and future leaders throughout
Rwanda with exposure to transformative leadership concepts and offered them the
opportunity to work together on projects that enhanced their profession and met
the needs of underserved communities. CONSTRAINTS AND CHALLENGES: Challenges
included limited funding for physiotherapy positions allocated to hospitals in
Rwanda, particularly in the rural areas. Participants experienced difficulties in
carrying out leadership projects without additional funding to support them.
LESSONS LEARNED: While the emphasis on group projects to foster local advocacy
and community education is highly recommended, the projects would benefit from a
strong long-term mentorship program and further budgeting considerations.
CONCLUSION: The LI can serve as a model to develop leadership skills and spur
professional growth in low-resource settings. Leadership development is necessary
to address worldwide inequities in health care. The LI model presents a method to
cultivate transformational leadership and work toward improvements in health care
and delivery of service.
PMID- 28691004
TI - Population Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Regarding Helicobacter pylori
Transmission and Outcomes: A Literature Review.
AB - BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with the development of
chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, and gastric cancer. Current clinical
recommendations are that H. pylori test-and-treat should be individualized based
on comorbidities and patient preferences among populations at increased risk for
certain morbidities. However, knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding H.
pylori among potential patient populations are largely unknown. MATERIALS: We
conducted a literature review to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices of
patients or community populations around H. pylori transmission, prevention, and
associated morbidity. RESULTS: Nine studies met the inclusion criteria, all
published between 1997 and 2014. Eight studies evaluated perception of H. pylori
among at-risk populations, while one study evaluated perception among a general
population. The studies suggest inconsistencies between the perceptions of these
populations and the established understanding of knowledge, attitude, and
preventive practices for H. pylori among even at-risk populations. CONCLUSION: To
adequately respond to current test-and-treat recommendations for treatment of H.
pylori, general population education must be implemented, especially among at
risk populations. Further work is needed within at-risk populations in the United
States to determine prevalence of H. pylori and their current knowledge if
adequate prevention strategies are to be designed.
PMID- 28691005
TI - Corrigendum: A CRISPR New World: Attitudes in the Public toward Innovations in
Human Genetic Modification.
AB - [This corrects the article on p. 117 in vol. 5, PMID: 28589120.].
PMID- 28691006
TI - Serum Vitamin A Levels May Affect the Severity of Ocular Graft-versus-Host
Disease.
AB - Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a well-established
therapeutic option for a range of inherited and acquired hematological disorders.
However, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) remains the leading cause of non
relapse mortality in allogeneic HSCT recipients. Ocular involvement occurs in up
to 80% of chronic GVHD patients. In our cases, the diagnosis of vitamin A
deficiency was suspected for GVHD patients. Serum vitamin A measurements were
conducted to confirm clinical suspicions. Our study revealed significant decrease
in serum levels of vitamin A in chronic liver GVHD patients. Although there have
been many studies evaluating ocular manifestations in patients with GVHD, the
present study is, to our knowledge, the first to study the relationship between
vitamin A and ocular manifestations of GVHD in humans. Our data suggest that
vitamin A deficiency affects the severity of ocular GVHD in adults.
PMID- 28691007
TI - A Comprehensive Analysis of the Current Status and Unmet Needs in Kidney
Transplantation in Southeast Asia.
AB - To address the unmet needs in the face of a growing demand for end-stage renal
failure management and kidney transplantation in Asia, we have conducted a
critical analysis of published literature and national registries to evaluate
clinical outcomes and the rates of organ donation in Southeast Asia and the
challenges facing these regions with regards to regulation, choice of donor
source, and funding. Based on the available data, suggestions are proposed for an
advancement of rates of organ donation and access, with emphasis on improved
regulation and public education.
PMID- 28691008
TI - Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization for Diagnosis of Whipple's Disease in Formalin
Fixed Paraffin-Embedded Tissue.
AB - Whipple's disease (WD) is a rare chronic systemic infection with a wide range of
clinical symptoms, routinely diagnosed in biopsies from the small intestine and
other tissues by periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) diastase staining and
immunohistological analysis with specific antibodies. The aim of our study was to
improve the pathological diagnosis of WD. Therefore, we analyzed the potential of
fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for diagnosing WD, using a Tropheryma
(T.) whipplei-specific probe. 19 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) duodenal
biopsy specimens of 12 patients with treated (6/12) and untreated (6/12) WD were
retrospectively examined using PAS diastase staining, immunohistochemistry, and
FISH. 20 biopsy specimens with normal intestinal mucosa, Helicobacter pylori, or
mycobacterial infection, respectively, served as controls. We successfully
detected T. whipplei in tissue biopsies with a sensitivity of 83% in untreated
(5/6) and 40% in treated (4/10) cases of WD. In our study, we show that FISH
based diagnosis of individual vital T. whipplei in FFPE specimens is feasible and
can be considered as ancillary diagnostic tool for the diagnosis of WD in FFPE
material. We show that FISH not only detect active WD but also be helpful as an
indicator for the efficiency of antibiotic treatment and for detection of
recurrence of disease when the signal of PAS diastase and immunohistochemistry
lags behind the recurrence of disease, especially if the clinical course of the
patient and antimicrobial treatment is considered.
PMID- 28691009
TI - Endoscopic vs. Microscopic Resection of Sellar Lesions-A Matched Analysis of
Clinical and Socioeconomic Outcomes.
AB - BACKGROUND: Direct comparisons of microscopic and endoscopic resection of sellar
lesions are scarce, with conflicting reports of cost and clinical outcome
advantages. OBJECTIVE: To determine if the proposed benefits of endoscopic
resection are realized on a population level. METHODS: We performed a matched
cohort study of 9,670 adult patients in the MarketScan database who underwent
either endoscopic or microscopic surgery for sellar lesions. Coarsened matching
was applied to estimate the effects of surgical approach on complication rates,
length of stay (LOS), costs, and likelihood of postoperative radiation. RESULTS:
We found that LOS, readmission, and revision rates did not differ significantly
between approaches. The overall complication rate was higher for endoscopy (47%
compared to 39%, OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.22-1.53). Endoscopic approach was associated
with greater risk of neurological complications (OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.11-1.55),
diabetes insipidus (OR 1.65, 95% CI 1.37-2.00), and cerebrospinal fluid
rhinorrhea (OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.07-3.13) compared to the microscopic approach.
Although the total index payment was higher for patients receiving endoscopic
resection ($32,959 compared to $29,977 for microscopic resection), there was no
difference in long-term payments. Endoscopic surgery was associated with
decreased likelihood of receiving post-resection stereotactic radiosurgery (OR
0.67, 95% CI 0.49-0.90) and intensity-modulated radiation therapy (OR 0.78, 95%
CI 0.65-0.93). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the transition from a
microscopic to endoscopic approach to sellar lesions must be subject to careful
evaluation. Although there are evident advantages to transsphenoidal endoscopy,
our analysis suggests that the benefits of the endoscopic approach are yet to be
materialized.
PMID- 28691010
TI - Management of Chordoma and Chondrosarcoma with Fractionated Stereotactic
Radiotherapy.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of fractionated stereotactic
radiotherapy (FSRT) for chordoma and chondrosarcoma. METHODS: Twenty consecutive
patients with a histopathologic diagnosis of chordoma (n = 16) or chondrosarcoma
(n = 4) treated between 2010 and 2016 were retrospectively identified. All
patients underwent FSRT in five fractions to a median dose of 37.5 Gy (range: 25
40 Gy) and followed with serial magnetic resonance imaging. Overall survival
(OS), local recurrence-free survival (LRFS), and event-free survival (EFS) were
estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: With a median follow-up of 28
months after FSRT and 40 months after initial surgery, crude OS and LRFS were
90%. Nine patients (45%) reported grade 1-3 acute toxicity, and two patients
(10%) experienced grade 4, 5 late toxicity. One patient previously treated with
proton therapy died from radiation vasculopathy 9 months after FSRT. The use of
FSRT for recurrent disease or in patients with prior radiation therapy was
associated with significantly decreased EFS. CONCLUSION: FSRT for chordoma and
chondrosarcoma is associated with high rates of OS and local control. Although
many patients experience acute toxicity, there is a low incidence of late
toxicity or irreversible treatment related morbidity despite the frequency of
prior radiotherapy in this population. FSRT is an effective adjuvant or salvage
treatment for chordoma and chondrosarcoma.
PMID- 28691011
TI - Diversity of Antimicrobial Resistance Phenotypes in Salmonella Isolated from
Commercial Poultry Farms.
AB - Salmonella remains the leading cause of foodborne illness in the United States,
and the dissemination of drug-resistant Salmonellae through the food chain has
important implications for treatment failure of salmonellosis. We investigated
the ecology of Salmonella in integrated broiler production in order to understand
the flow of antibiotic susceptible and resistant strains within this system. Data
were analyzed from a retrospective study focused on antimicrobial resistant
Salmonella recovered from commercial broiler chicken farms conducted during the
initial years of the US FDA's foray into retail meat surveillance by the National
Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS). Sixty-three percentage of
Salmonella were pan-susceptible to a panel of 19 antimicrobials used by the NARMS
program. Twenty-five antimicrobial resistance phenotypes were observed in
Salmonella isolated from two broiler chicken farms. However, Salmonella
displaying resistance to streptomycin, alone, and in combination with other
antibiotics was the most prevalent (36.3%) antimicrobial resistance phenotype
observed. Resistance to streptomycin and sulfadimethoxine appeared to be linked
to the transposon, Tn21. Combinations of resistance against streptomycin,
gentamicin, sulfadimethoxine, trimethoprim, and tetracycline were observed for a
variety of Salmonella enterica serovars and genetic types as defined by pulsed
field gel electrophoresis. There were within and between farm differences in the
antibiotic susceptibilities of Salmonella and some of these differences were
linked to specific serovars. However, farm differences were not linked to
antibiotic usage. Analysis of the temporal and spatial distribution of the
endemic Salmonella serovars on these farms suggests that preventing vertical
transmission of antibiotic-resistant Salmonella would reduce carcass
contamination with antibiotic-resistant Salmonella and subsequently human risk
exposure.
PMID- 28691012
TI - Staphylococcus aureus Nasal Colonization Differs among Pig Lineages and Is
Associated with the Presence of Other Staphylococcal Species.
AB - : Staphylococcus aureus is a common colonizer in pigs, with methicillin-resistant
S. aureus (MRSA) in particular being a potential health risk to humans. To reduce
the exposure to humans, the colonization in pigs should be reduced. The aim of
this study was to quantitatively compare the susceptibility of pig lineages for
S. aureus colonization, and if the absence of S. aureus could be associated with
the presence or absence of other staphylococcal species. Nasal samples (n = 129)
were obtained from seven different pig lineages in the Netherlands, France, and
Germany. S. aureus and other staphylococci were enumerated from these samples by
real-time (RT)-PCR and culture. Associations were explored between the presence
of S. aureus and other staphylococci. S. aureus was detected by RT-PCR on all
farms and in samples from pigs of all lineages. Twenty-five percent of the pigs
from lineage F (from two farms) were colonized with S. aureus, while in all other
lineages it was more than 50% (p < 0.01). Moreover, in S. aureus-positive samples
from pigs of lineage F smaller amounts of S. aureus were found than in other
lineages. Staphylococcus sciuri, Staphylococcus cohnii, and Staphylococcus
saprophyticus were usually not found in combination with S. aureus in these
samples. IN CONCLUSION: (i) pigs from different genetic lineages have different
susceptibilities for colonization with S. aureus. These pigs might contain a
genetic factor influencing nasal colonization. (ii) Colonization of S. aureus is
also associated with the absence of S. sciuri, S. cohnii, or S. saprophyticus.
(iii) The farm environment seems to influence the presence of S. aureus in pigs.
PMID- 28691013
TI - Identification of Pharmacologically Tractable Protein Complexes in Cancer Using
the R-Based Network Clustering and Visualization Program MCODER.
AB - Current multiomics assay platforms facilitate systematic identification of
functional entities that are mappable in a biological network, and computational
methods that are better able to detect densely connected clusters of signals
within a biological network are considered increasingly important. One of the
most famous algorithms for detecting network subclusters is Molecular Complex
Detection (MCODE). MCODE, however, is limited in simultaneous analyses of
multiple, large-scale data sets, since it runs on the Cytoscape platform, which
requires extensive computational resources and has limited coding flexibility. In
the present study, we implemented the MCODE algorithm in R programming language
and developed a related package, which we called MCODER. We found the MCODER
package to be particularly useful in analyzing multiple omics data sets
simultaneously within the R framework. Thus, we applied MCODER to detect
pharmacologically tractable protein-protein interactions selectively elevated in
molecular subtypes of ovarian and colorectal tumors. In doing so, we found that a
single molecular subtype representing epithelial-mesenchymal transition in both
cancer types exhibited enhanced production of the collagen-integrin protein
complex. These results suggest that tumors of this molecular subtype could be
susceptible to pharmacological inhibition of integrin signaling.
PMID- 28691014
TI - Drug Target Protein-Protein Interaction Networks: A Systematic Perspective.
AB - The identification and validation of drug targets are crucial in biomedical
research and many studies have been conducted on analyzing drug target features
for getting a better understanding on principles of their mechanisms. But most of
them are based on either strong biological hypotheses or the chemical and
physical properties of those targets separately. In this paper, we investigated
three main ways to understand the functional biomolecules based on the
topological features of drug targets. There are no significant differences
between targets and common proteins in the protein-protein interactions network,
indicating the drug targets are neither hub proteins which are dominant nor the
bridge proteins. According to some special topological structures of the drug
targets, there are significant differences between known targets and other
proteins. Furthermore, the drug targets mainly belong to three typical
communities based on their modularity. These topological features are helpful to
understand how the drug targets work in the PPI network. Particularly, it is an
alternative way to predict potential targets or extract nontargets to test a new
drug target efficiently and economically. By this way, a drug target's homologue
set containing 102 potential target proteins is predicted in the paper.
PMID- 28691015
TI - "mTOR Signaling Pathway": A Potential Target of Curcumin in the Treatment of
Spinal Cord Injury.
AB - The purpose of this review is to discuss the possibility of the treatment of
spinal cord injury (SCI) with curcumin via regulating the mTOR signaling pathway,
which may provide another strong support for curcumin to be a promising medicine
applied to the treatment of SCI. Curcumin is termed as a multifunctional
targeting therapy drug that regulates the mTOR signaling pathway in the treatment
of numerous diseases. Previous research has already revealed that mTOR signaling
pathway plays a vital role in prognosis, which involves the axon regeneration and
autophagy. This review discusses a potential mechanism that curcumin suppresses
the activation of this pathway and ameliorates the microenvironment of axons
regeneration which would provide a new way that induces autophagy appropriately.
PMID- 28691016
TI - Analysis and Modeling for Big Data in Cancer Research.
PMID- 28691017
TI - Reduction of the Oxidative Stress Status Using Steviol Glycosides in a Fish Model
(Cyprinus carpio).
AB - Steviol glycosides are sweetening compounds from the Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni
plant. This product is considered safe for human consumption and was approved as
a food additive by the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) and European Food
Safety Authority (EFSA). Its effects on the ecosystem have not been studied in
depth; therefore, it is necessary to carry out ecotoxicological studies in
organisms such as Cyprinus carpio. The present study aimed to evaluate the
antioxidant activity by SGs on diverse tissues in C. carpio using oxidative
stress (OS) biomarkers. To test the antioxidant activity, carps were exposed to
four systems: (1) SGs free control, (2) CCl4 0.5 mL/kg, (3) SGs 1 g/L, and (4)
CCl4 0.5 mL/kg + SGs 1 g/L at 96 h. The following biomarkers were analyzed:
lipoperoxidation (LPX), hydroperoxide content (HPC), and protein carbonyl content
(PCC), as well as antioxidant activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase
(CAT). It was found that both (3 and 4) systems' exposure decreases LPX, CHP,
PCC, SOD, and CAT with respect to the CCl4 system. The results of this study
demonstrate that the concentrations of SGs used are not capable of generating
oxidative stress and, on the contrary, would appear to induce an antioxidant
effect.
PMID- 28691018
TI - Genetic Variants in the Promoter Region of miR-10b and the Risk of Breast Cancer.
AB - Variants in microRNA genes may affect their expression by interfering with the
microRNA maturation process and may substantially contribute to the risk of
breast cancer. Recent studies have identified miR-10b as an interesting candidate
because of its close association with the metastatic behavior of breast cancer.
However, the roles of miR-10b-related single nucleotide polymorphisms in breast
cancer susceptibility remain unclear. This case-control study evaluated the
associations between variants in the upstream transcription regulation region of
miR-10b and the risk of breast cancer among Chinese women. Seven potentially
functional SNPs were investigated using genotyping assays. The potential
biological functions of the identified positive SNPs were further evaluated using
in silico databases. We found that rs4078756, which was located at the promoter
region of miR-10b, was significantly associated with breast cancer risk
(rs4078756 AG/GG versus AA, adjusted odds ratio: 1.17, 95% confidence interval:
1.02-1.35). The other six single nucleotide polymorphisms exhibited negative
associations. Based on the in silico prediction, rs4078756 potentially regulated
miR-10b expression through promoter activation or repression. These findings
indicate that a potentially functional SNP (rs4078756) in the promoter region of
miR-10b may contribute to breast cancer susceptibility among Chinese women.
PMID- 28691019
TI - Fish Oil Feeding Modulates the Expression of Hepatic MicroRNAs in a Western-Style
Diet-Induced Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Rat Model.
AB - Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most prevalent chronic
liver diseases worldwide. Recent studies have indicated that fish oil
supplementation has benefits against NAFLD. Our previous transcriptomic study has
validated the effect of fish oil supplementation on altering hepatic gene
expression in a NAFLD rat model. In the current study, we examined the effects of
fish oil on the expression of hepatic microRNAs. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were
fed with a lab chow (CON), high-fat high-cholesterol diet (WD), or WD
supplemented with fish oil (FOH), respectively. Small RNAs were extracted from
livers for RNA-sequencing. A total of 79 miRNAs were identified as differentially
expressed miRNAs (DEMs) between FOH and WD groups, exemplified by rno-miR-29c-3p,
rno-miR-30d-5p, rno-miR-33-5p, rno-miR-34a, and rno-miR-328a-3p. Functional
annotation of DEMs predicted target genes suggested that the altered hepatic
miRNAs contributed to fish oil modification of hepatic lipid metabolism and
signaling transduction. Integrative analysis of DEMs and differentially expressed
genes suggested that the expression difference of Pcsk9, Insig2, Per3, and
Socs1/3 between FOH and WD groups may be due to miRNA modification. Our study
reveals that fish oil supplementation alters hepatic expression of miRNAs, which
may contribute to fish oil amelioration of NAFLD in rats.
PMID- 28691020
TI - miR-200c Accelerates Hepatic Stellate Cell-Induced Liver Fibrosis via Targeting
the FOG2/PI3K Pathway.
AB - BACKGROUND: Although expression of miR-200s is aberrant in liver fibrosis, its
role in liver fibrogenesis still remains unknown. Here, we investigated the role
of miR-200c in the activation of human hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and
induction of liver fibrosis. METHODS: We engineered human HSCs (LX2 cell line) to
stably express miR-200c (LX2-200c) or empty vector control (LX2-nc). RESULTS: miR
200c expression upregulated alpha-smooth muscle actin (SMA) and vimentin,
enhanced HSCs growth and migration, increased expression of collagen type I (a
main component of ECM) gene and secretion of epidermal growth factor (EGF), and
upregulated the phosphorylation of Akt, a downstream effector of the PI3K
pathway. As a target of miR-200s and inhibitor of PI3K pathway, FOG2 protein
expression was significantly suppressed in LX2-200c cells. Moreover, LY294002, a
highly selective inhibitor of PI3K, blocked phosphorylation of Akt and the
effects of miR-200c. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that miR-200c activates HSCs
in liver fibrosis possibly by downregulating FOG2 protein expression and
upregulating PI3K/Akt signaling. Autocrine activation of EGF signaling may also
be a mechanism of miR-200c-mediated HSCs activation. So miR-200c can be a
potential marker for HSCs activation and liver fibrosis progression, as well as a
potential target to attenuate liver fibrosis.
PMID- 28691021
TI - Evaluation of Stability and In Vitro Security of Nanoemulsions Containing
Eucalyptus globulus Oil.
AB - Essential oil of Eucalyptus globulus presents several pharmacological properties.
However, their therapeutic efficacy may be affected by limitations due to several
conditions, rendering it difficult to obtain stable and effective pharmaceutical
formulations. The use of nanotechnology is an alternative to improve their
characteristics aiming to ensure their stability and effectiveness. Furthermore,
studies about the possible toxic effects of nanostructures are necessary to
evaluate safety when the formulation comes into contact with human cells. Hence,
in this paper, we evaluate for the first time the stability and in vitro
cytogenotoxicity of nanoemulsions containing Eucalyptus globulus in peripheral
blood mononuclear cells. As a result, the stability study found that the best
condition for storage up to 90 days was refrigeration (4 degrees C); it was the
condition that best preserved the nanometric features. The content of the major
compounds of oil was maintained after nanoencapsulation and preserved over time.
In tests to evaluate the safety of this formulation, we can conclude that, at a
low concentration (approximately 0.1%), Eucalyptus globulus nanoemulsion did not
cause toxicity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and also showed a protective
effect in cells against possible damage when compared to oil in free form.
PMID- 28691022
TI - Purification and Characterization of an ATPase GsiA from Salmonella enterica.
AB - The coding sequence of Salmonella enterica gsiA was cloned and expressed in E.
coli. The protein was purified and ATPase activity was characterized by NADH
oxidation method. GsiA exhibited optimum activity at 30 degrees C and at pH 8 in
Tris/HCl buffer. GsiA protein was stable at 20 degrees C. 66% and 44% activity
remained after incubation at 30 degrees C and 40 degrees C for 30 min. pH 7 and
pH 9 incubation would obviously reduce the ATPase activity. In vivo functionality
of gsiA was determined by constructing gene deletion strains. gsiA was shown to
be essential for GSI mediated glutathione uptake and gsiA deletion could decrease
the virulence of Salmonella enterica. Interactions of glutathione import proteins
GsiA, GsiB, GsiC, and GsiD were investigated by using bacterial two-hybrid
system. GsiA could interact with itself and inner membrane proteins GsiC and
GsiD. This report provides the first description of gsiA functions in Salmonella
enterica. The results could help elucidating the glutathione uptake mechanism and
glutathione functions in bacteria.
PMID- 28691023
TI - Iron Homeostasis in Tissues Is Affected during Persistent Chlamydia pneumoniae
Infection in Mice.
AB - Chlamydia pneumoniae (C. pneumoniae) may be a mediator in the pathogenesis of
atherosclerosis. For its growth C. pneumoniae depends on iron (Fe), but how Fe
changes in tissues during persistent infection or affects bacterial replication
in tissues is unknown. C. pneumoniae-infected C57BL/6J mice were sacrificed on
days 4, 8, 20, and 40. Mice had bacteria in the lungs and liver on all days.
Inflammatory markers, chemokine Cxcl2 and interferon-gamma, were not affected in
the liver on day 40. The copper (Cu)/zinc (Zn) ratio in serum, another marker of
infection/inflammation, increased on day 4 and tended to increase again on day
40. The Fe markers, transferrin receptor (TfR), Hepcidin (Hamp1), and ferroportin
1 (Fpn1), increased in the liver on day 4 and then normalized except for TfR that
tended to decrease. TfR responses were similar to Fe in serum that increased on
day 4 but tended to decrease thereafter. In the liver, Fe was increased on day 4
and also on day 40. The reappearing increases in Cu/Zn on day 40 concomitant with
the increase in liver Fe on day 40, even though TfR tended to decrease, and the
fact that viable C. pneumoniae was present in the lungs and liver may indicate
the early phase of activation of recurrent infection.
PMID- 28691024
TI - Self-Assembling RADA16-I Peptide Hydrogel Scaffold Loaded with Tamoxifen for
Breast Reconstruction.
AB - More and more breast cancer patients prefer autologous fat tissue transfer
following lumpectomy to maintain perfect female characteristics. However, the
outcome was not satisfactory due to the transplanted fat absorption. In this
study, we prepared two RADA16-I peptide scaffolds with and without tamoxifen.
Both scaffolds were transparent, porous, and hemisphere-shaped. The hADSCs
isolated from liposuction were attached to the scaffold. The growth inhibition of
the hADSCs induced by TAM in 2-demensional (2D) culture was higher than that in
TAM-loaded hydrogel scaffold 3D culture (P < 0.05); however, the same outcomes
were not observed in MCF-7 cells. Correspondingly, the apoptosis of the hADSCs
induced by TAM was significantly increased in 2D culture compared to that in
scaffold 3D culture (P < 0.05). Yet the outcomes of the aoptosis in MCF-7 were
contrary. Apoptosis-related protein Bcl-2 was involved in the process. In vivo
experiments showed that both scaffolds formed a round mass after subcutaneous
implantation and it retained its shape after being pressed slightly. The
implantation had no effect on the weight and activity of the animals. The results
suggested that TAM-loaded RADA16-I hydrogel scaffolds both provide support for
hADSCs cells attachment/proliferation and retain cytotoxic effect on MCF-7 cells,
which might be a promising therapeutic breast tissue following lumpectomy.
PMID- 28691025
TI - Protective and Predisposing Morphological Factors in Suprascapular Nerve
Entrapment Syndrome: A Fundamental Review Based on Recent Observations.
AB - Suprascapular nerve entrapment syndrome (SNES) is a neuropathy caused by
compression of the nerve along its course. The most common compression sites
include the suprascapular notch and the spinoglenoid notch. The aim of this
article was to review the anatomical factors influencing the occurrence of SNES
in the light of the newest reports. Potential predisposing morphological factors
include a V-shaped, narrow, or "deep" suprascapular notch; a band-shaped,
bifurcated, or completely ossified superior transverse scapular ligament (STSL);
particular arrangements of the suprascapular nerve and vessels at the
suprascapular notch. A very recent report indicates structures at the
suprascapular notch region that may protect from SNES, such as the suprascapular
notch veins (SNV). The role of the anterior coracoscapular ligament (ACSL) is
still not clear. While some studies indicate that it may predispose for SNES, the
newest study proposes a protective function. Knowledge of these variations is
essential for arthroscopic and other surgical procedures of this area in order to
avoid iatrogenic injury of the suprascapular nerve or unexpected bleeding from
the suprascapular vessels running alongside the STSL.
PMID- 28691026
TI - Quercetin Attenuates Vascular Calcification through Suppressed Oxidative Stress
in Adenine-Induced Chronic Renal Failure Rats.
AB - BACKGROUND: This study investigated whether quercetin could alleviate vascular
calcification in experimental chronic renal failure rats induced by adenine.
METHODS: 32 adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups fed normal
diet, normal diet with quercetin supplementation (25 mg/kg.BW/d), 0.75% adenine
diet, or adenine diet with quercetin supplementation. All rats were sacrificed
after 6 weeks of intervention. Serum renal functions biomarkers and oxidative
stress biomarkers were measured and status of vascular calcification in aorta was
assessed. Furthermore, the induced nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)/p38 mitogen
activated protein kinase (p38MAPK) pathway was determined to explore the
potential mechanism. RESULTS: Adenine successfully induced renal failure and
vascular calcification in rat model. Quercetin supplementation reversed
unfavorable changes of phosphorous, uric acid (UA) and creatinine levels,
malonaldehyde (MDA) content, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in serum and
the increases of calcium and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity in the aorta (P
< 0.05) and attenuated calcification and calcium accumulation in the medial layer
of vasculature in histopathology. Western blot analysis showed that iNOS/p38MAPK
pathway was normalized by the quercetin supplementation. CONCLUSIONS: Quercetin
exerted a protective effect on vascular calcification in adenine-induced chronic
renal failure rats, possibly through the modulation of oxidative stress and
iNOs/p38MAPK pathway.
PMID- 28691027
TI - Hand Hygiene Practices and Microbial Investigation of Hand Contact Swab among
Physiotherapists in an Ebola Endemic Region: Implications for Public Health.
AB - BACKGROUND: Hand hygiene practices (HHP), as a critical component of infection
prevention/control, were investigated among physiotherapists in an Ebola endemic
region. METHOD: A standardized instrument was administered to 44 randomly
selected physiotherapists (23 males and 21 females), from three tertiary
hospitals in Enugu, Nigeria. Fifteen participants (aged 22-59 years) participated
in focus group discussions (FGDs) and comprised 19 participants in a subsequent
laboratory study. After treatment, the palms/fingers of physiotherapists were
swabbed and cultured, then incubated aerobically overnight at 37 degrees C, and
examined for microbial growths. An antibiogram of the bacterial isolates was
obtained. RESULTS: The majority (34/77.3%) of physiotherapists were aware of the
HHP protocol, yet only 15/44.1% rated self-compliance at 71-100%. FGDs identified
forgetfulness/inadequate HHP materials/infrastructure as the major barriers to
HHP. Staphylococcus aureus were the most prevalent organisms, prior to (8/53.33%)
and after (4/26.67%) HPP, while Pseudomonas spp. were acquired thereafter. E.
coli were the most antibiotic resistant microbes but were completely removed
after HHP. Ciprofloxacin and streptomycin were the most effective antibiotics.
CONCLUSION: Poor implementation of HPP was observed due to inadequate
materials/infrastructure/poor behavioral orientation. Possibly, some HPP
materials were contaminated; hence, new microbes were acquired. Since HPP removed
the most antibiotic resistant microbes, it might be more effective in infection
control than antibiotic medication.
PMID- 28691028
TI - Production of a Functional Frozen Yogurt Fortified with Bifidobacterium spp.
AB - Frozen dairy products have characteristics of both yogurt and ice cream and could
be the persuasive carriers of probiotics. Functions of the frozen yogurt
containing viable bifidobacterial cells are recognized and favored by the people
of all ages. We developed a kind of yogurt supplemented by Bifidobacterium
species. Firstly, five strains of Bifidobacterium spp. (Bifidobacterium bifidum
ATCC 11547, Bifidobacterium longum ATCC 11549, Bifidobacterium infantis ATCC
11551, Bifidobacterium adolescentis ATCC 11550, and Bifidobacterium breve ATCC
11548) were evaluated based on the feasibility criteria of probiotics, comprising
acid production, bile tolerance, and adhesion to epithelial cells. Formerly, we
combined the optimum strains with yogurt culture (Lactobacillus delbrueckii
subsp. bulgaricus EMCC 11102 and Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus
EMCC 11044) for producing frozen yogurt. Finally, physiochemical properties and
sensory evaluation of the frozen yogurt were investigated during storage of 60
days at -18 degrees C. Results directed that Bifidobacterium adolescentis ATCC
11550 and Bifidobacterium infantis ATCC 11551 could be utilized with yogurt
culture for producing frozen yogurt. Moreover, the frozen yogurt fermented by two
bifidobacterial strains and yogurt culture gained the high evaluation in the
physiochemical properties and sensory evaluation. In summary, our results
revealed that there was no significant difference between frozen yogurt fermented
by Bifidobacterium spp. and yogurt culture and that fermented by yogurt culture
only.
PMID- 28691029
TI - Laparoscopic Pyeloplasty for Ureteropelvic Junctions Obstruction in Adults: 6
Years' Experience in One Center.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) is a common cause of
symptomatic ureteral obstruction. The aim of this study is to assess the outcome
of laparoscopic pyeloplasty in patients with UPJO. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Medical
reports of 47 UPJO patients treated with laparoscopic pyeloplasty were
retrospectively analysed. All patients were recruited from our center in the
period 2004-2011. RESULTS: We evaluated 47 patients. Mean age was 36 years and
mean hospital stay 3.6 days. 42 (79%) of the patients had pain and 46 (98%) were
diagnosed with hydronephrosis. 19 patients (40%) had a renal function below 40%
of the affected kidney and 49% had impaired renal scan drainage. Postoperative
significant improvement in pain score and renal scan drainage was found in 92%
and 47% of the patients, respectively. Improvement of renal function > 10% was
found in 11 patients (23%); the function remained stable in 31 patients (66%) and
deteriorated > 10% in 5 patients (11%). We found no correlation between sex or
age and the outcome. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic pyeloplasty for UPJO leads to
relief of pain and preserved or improved renal function in the majority of the
patients. Overall laparoscopic pyeloplasty is an efficient treatment for UPJO.
PMID- 28691030
TI - A Novel Capillary Electrophoresis-Based High-Throughput Multiplex Polymerase
Chain Reaction System for the Simultaneous Detection of Nine Pathogens in Swine.
AB - Here we aimed to develop a capillary electrophoresis-based high-throughput
multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) system for the simultaneous detection
of nine pathogens in swine. Nine pairs of specific primers and a set of universal
primers were designed; the multiplex PCR was established. The specificity and
cross-reactivity of this assay were examined, and the detection limit was
determined using serial 10-fold dilutions of plasmids containing the target
sequences. The assay was further tested using 144 clinical samples. We found that
the nine specific amplification peaks were observed, and the assay had a high
degree of specificity, without nonspecific amplification. The simultaneous
detection limit for the nine viruses reached 10000 copies MUL-1 when all of the
premixed viral targets were present. Seventy-seven of the clinical samples tested
positive for at least one of the viruses; the principal viral infections in the
clinical samples were porcine circovirus type 2 and porcine reproductive and
respiratory syndrome virus. This approach has much potential for further
development of high-throughput detection tools for the diagnosis of diseases in
animals.
PMID- 28691031
TI - In Vitro Plant Regeneration from Commercial Cultivars of Soybean.
AB - Soybean, a major legume crop, is the source of vegetable oil and protein. There
is a need for transgenic approaches to breeding superior soybean varieties to
meet future climate challenges. Efficient plant regeneration is a prerequisite
for successful application of genetic transformation technology. Soybean
cultivars are classified into different maturity groups based on photoperiod
requirements. In this study, nine soybean varieties belonging to different
maturity group were regenerated successfully from three different explants: half
split hypocotyl, complete hypocotyl, and cotyledonary node. All the genotypes and
explant types responded by producing adventitious shoots. Shoot induction
potential ranged within 60-87%, 50-100%, and 75-100%, and regeneration rate
ranged within 4.2-10, 2.7-4.2, and 2.6-10.5 shoots per explant using half split
hypocotyl, complete hypocotyl, and cotyledonary explants, respectively, among all
the tested genotypes. Bunya variety showed the best regeneration response using
half split and complete hypocotyl explants and the PNR791 with cotyledonary node.
The regenerated shoots were successfully rooted and acclimatized to glasshouse
conditions. This study shows that commercial varieties of soybean are amenable to
shoot regeneration with high regeneration frequencies and could be exploited for
genetic transformation. Further, our results show no correlation between shoots
regeneration capacity with the maturity grouping of the soybean cultivars tested.
PMID- 28691032
TI - Jugular Venous Reflux Is Associated with Perihematomal Edema after Intracerebral
Hemorrhage.
AB - The purpose of this study was to determine whether jugular venous reflux (JVR) is
associated with perihematomal edema (PHE) in individuals with intracerebral
hemorrhage (ICH). Patients with spontaneous supratentorial ICH within 72 h of
symptom onset were enrolled. Baseline brain computed tomography (CT) scan was
performed, with a follow-up CT examination at 12 +/- 3 days after onset. Jugular
venous color Doppler ultrasound was performed at 12 +/- 3 days after onset to
examine the JVR status. A total of 65 patients with ICH were enrolled. In
logistic regression analysis, absolute PHE volume was significantly associated
with JVR (OR, 5.46; 95% CI, 1.04-28.63; p = 0.044) and baseline hematoma volume
(OR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.03-1.26; p = 0.009) within 72 h of onset. It was also
correlated with JVR (OR, 15.32; 95% CI, 2.52-92.99; p = 0.003) and baseline
hematoma volume (OR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.04-1.24; p = 0.006) at 12 +/- 3 days after
onset. In a similar manner, relative PHE volume was significantly associated with
JVR (OR, 14.85; 95% CI, 3.28-67.17; p < 0.001) within 72 h of onset and at 12 +/-
3 days after onset (OR, 5.87; 95% CI, 1.94-17.77; p = 0.002). JVR is associated
with both absolute and relative PHE volumes after ICH.
PMID- 28691033
TI - Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Other Gastrointestinal Parasites in Domestic
Cats from Households in Thika Region, Kenya.
AB - Gastrointestinal (GIT) parasites of domestic cats (Felis catus) not only cause
morbidity but are also potential zoonotic agents. The current study aimed at
establishing the prevalence of GIT parasites in cats kept by households in Thika
region, Kenya. Fecal samples were collected randomly from 103 cats and analyzed
for presence of parasites using standard parasitological methods. In descending
order, the prevalence of the detected protozoa parasites was Isospora spp. 43.7%
(95% CI: 40.4-47%), Cryptosporidium spp. 40.8% (95% CI: 37.5-44.1%), Toxoplasma
gondii 7.8% (95% CI: 4.5-11.1%), and Entamoeba spp. 2.9% (95% CI: 1.6-6.2%). The
prevalence of the observed helminths was Strongyloides stercoralis 43.7% (95% CI:
40.4-47%), Toxocara cati 23.3% (95% CI: 20-26.6%), Ancylostoma spp. 9.7% (95% CI:
6.4-13%), Dipylidium caninum 8.7% (95% CI: 5.4-12.0%), and Acanthocephala spp.
1.9% (95% CI: 1-4.2%). The percentage of cats excreting at least one species of
parasite was 73.2% (95% CI = 69.9-76.5%). The study shows that the cats have high
spectrum (9) of parasites which are known to affect the cat's health and some are
of zoonotic significance.
PMID- 28691034
TI - The Effects of Time Lag and Cure Rate on the Global Dynamics of HIV-1 Model.
AB - In this research article, a new mathematical model of delayed differential
equations is developed which discusses the interaction among CD4 T cells, human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and recombinant virus with cure rate. The model has
two distributed intracellular delays. These delays denote the time needed for the
infection of a cell. The dynamics of the model are completely described by the
basic reproduction numbers represented by R0, R1, and R2. It is shown that if R0
< 1, then the infection-free equilibrium is locally as well as globally stable.
Similarly, it is proved that the recombinant absent equilibrium is locally as
well as globally asymptotically stable if 1 < R0 < R1. Finally, numerical
simulations are presented to illustrate our theoretical results. Our obtained
results show that intracellular delay and cure rate have a positive role in the
reduction of infected cells and the increasing of uninfected cells due to which
the infection is reduced.
PMID- 28691035
TI - Corneal Collagen Cross-Linking for Keratoconus: Systematic Review.
AB - PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of collagen cross-linking (CXL) one year after
treatment for keratoconus compared to no treatment by summarizing randomized
controlled trials (RCTs) using a systematic review. METHODS: Trials meeting the
selection criteria were quality appraised, and the data were extracted by two
independent authors. The outcome parameters included maximum keratometry (Kmax),
corneal thickness at the thinnest point, best spectacle-corrected visual acuity
(BSCVA), uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), spherical equivalent (SE) refraction,
and cylindrical refraction one year after CXL. We compared the changes in the
above parameters with the control group. RESULTS: We identified five RCTs
involving 289 eyes that met the eligibility criteria for this systematic review.
The changes in BSCVA from baseline to one year exhibited a significant difference
between the two groups. There was no statistically significant difference between
the two groups for changes in corneal thickness and cylindrical refraction. We
did not conduct a meta-analysis in Kmax, UCVA, and SE refraction because their I2
values were greater than 50%. CONCLUSIONS: According to the systematic review,
CXL may be effective in halting the progression of keratoconus for one year under
certain conditions, although evidence is limited due to the significant
heterogeneity and paucity of RCTs.
PMID- 28691036
TI - Detection of Secondary Causes and Coexisting Diseases in Hypertensive Patients:
OSA and PA Are the Common Causes Associated with Hypertension.
AB - BACKGROUND: Since the control rate of blood pressure is lower in mainland China,
the aim of this study is to investigate the proportion of secondary causes and
coexisting diseases of hypertension in hypertensive patients. METHODS: Data on
consecutive patients with hypertension who visited the Hypertension Center.
Diseases were detected using an established strict screening protocol. RESULTS:
Detection rate of secondary causes and coexisting diseases of hypertension was
39.5% among 3003 hypertensive patients. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) was the
most common, accounting for 24.7% of patients, followed by primary aldosteronism
(PA) (5.8%) and PA + OSA (4.9%). Endocrine hypertension accounted for 12.1% of
patients, including 10.7% of patients with PA, 1.1% with hypothyroidism, 0.1%
with pheochromocytoma, 0.1% with Cushing's syndrome, and 0.1% with
hyperthyroidism, respectively. Those who smoke, those who are obese, and those
who have diabetes accounted for 31.3%, 27.5%, and 16.6% of total patients,
respectively. There were overlapping conditions in secondary causes and
coexisting diseases of hypertension. OSA was the most common in each age- and BMI
stratified group. CONCLUSION: Findings from the current study suggest an
increasing frequency of secondary forms of hypertension, highlighting the burden
of OSA and PA in hypertensive patients.
PMID- 28691038
TI - Establishing a treatment protocol for concomitant major burn and trauma patients:
a tropical Asian hospital's experience.
PMID- 28691039
TI - A Sensor-Based Method for Diagnostics of Machine Tool Linear Axes.
AB - A linear axis is a vital subsystem of machine tools, which are vital systems
within many manufacturing operations. When installed and operating within a
manufacturing facility, a machine tool needs to stay in good condition for parts
production. All machine tools degrade during operations, yet knowledge of that
degradation is illusive; specifically, accurately detecting degradation of linear
axes is a manual and time-consuming process. Thus, manufacturers need automated
and efficient methods to diagnose the condition of their machine tool linear axes
without disruptions to production. The Prognostics and Health Management for
Smart Manufacturing Systems (PHM4SMS) project at the National Institute of
Standards and Technology (NIST) developed a sensor-based method to quickly
estimate the performance degradation of linear axes. The multi-sensor-based
method uses data collected from a 'sensor box' to identify changes in linear and
angular errors due to axis degradation; the sensor box contains inclinometers,
accelerometers, and rate gyroscopes to capture this data. The sensors are
expected to be cost effective with respect to savings in production losses and
scrapped parts for a machine tool. Numerical simulations, based on sensor
bandwidth and noise specifications, show that changes in straightness and angular
errors could be known with acceptable test uncertainty ratios. If a sensor box
resides on a machine tool and data is collected periodically, then the
degradation of the linear axes can be determined and used for diagnostics and
prognostics to help optimize maintenance, production schedules, and ultimately
part quality.
PMID- 28691037
TI - Phagocytosis: A Fundamental Process in Immunity.
AB - One hundred years have passed since the death of Elie Metchnikoff (1845-1916). He
was the first to observe the uptake of particles by cells and realized the
importance of this process for the host response to injury and infection. He also
was a strong advocate of the role of phagocytosis in cellular immunity, and with
this he gave us the basis for our modern understanding of inflammation and the
innate and acquired immune responses. Phagocytosis is an elegant but complex
process for the ingestion and elimination of pathogens, but it is also important
for the elimination of apoptotic cells and hence fundamental for tissue
homeostasis. Phagocytosis can be divided into four main steps: (i) recognition of
the target particle, (ii) signaling to activate the internalization machinery,
(iii) phagosome formation, and (iv) phagolysosome maturation. In recent years,
the use of new tools of molecular biology and microscopy has provided new
insights into the cellular mechanisms of phagocytosis. In this review, we present
a general view of our current knowledge on phagocytosis. We emphasize novel
molecular findings, particularly on phagosome formation and maturation, and
discuss aspects that remain incompletely understood.
PMID- 28691040
TI - Flow Cytometry of Lung and Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid Cells from Mice
Challenged with Fluorescent Aspergillus Reporter (FLARE) Conidia.
AB - Aspergillus fumigatus is a ubiquitous fungal pathogen that forms airborne
conidia. The process of restricting conidial germination into hyphae by lung
leukocytes is critical in determining infectious outcomes. Tracking the outcome
of conidia-host cell encounters in vivo is technically challenging and an
obstacle to understanding the molecular and cellular basis of antifungal immunity
in the lung. Here, we describe a method that utilizes a genetically engineered
Aspergillus strain [called FLARE (Jhingran et al., 2012; Espinosa et al., 2014;
Heung et al., 2015)] to monitor conidial phagocytosis and killing by leukocytes
within the lung environment at single encounter resolution.
PMID- 28691041
TI - Affinity Purification of the RNA Degradation Complex, the Exosome, from HEK-293
Cells.
AB - The RNA exosome complex plays a central role in RNA processing and regulated
turnover. Present both in cytoplasm and nucleus, the exosome functions through
associations with ribonucleases and various adapter proteins (reviewed in
[Kilchert et al., 2016]). The following protocol describes an approach to purify
RNA exosome complexes from HEK-293 cells, making use of inducible ectopic
expression, affinity capture, and rate-zonal centrifugation. The obtained RNA
exosomes have been used successfully for proteomic, structural, and enzymatic
studies (Domanski et al., 2016).
PMID- 28691042
TI - High-definition-iSCAN virtual chromoendoscopy has high sensitivity and
specificity for the diagnosis of eosinophilic esophagitis.
PMID- 28691043
TI - Incidence of small bowel neoplasia in Lynch syndrome assessed by video capsule
endoscopy.
AB - BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS : Lynch syndrome (LS) patients have an increased risk
of small bowel cancer. The question is whether surveillance will lead to early
detection of (pre)malignant lesions. We recently reported on prevalence of small
bowel neoplasia (SBN) in LS patients as assessed by video capsule endoscopy
(VCE). The aim of this prospective study was to determine the incidence of SBN.
PATIENTS AND METHODS : Asymptomatic LS patients who underwent a VCE were invited
to undergo a second VCE procedure 2 years later. If abnormalities or polypoid
lesions larger than 1 cm were detected, subsequent endoscopic procedures were
performed. RESULTS : A total of 155 (78 %) of the initial 200 patients underwent
a second VCE procedure after a mean of 2.2 (range 1 - 6) years. In 17 of the 155
(11 %) patients possibly significant lesions were detected, which required
further investigation by means of gastroduodenoscopy (n = 8) or balloon-assisted
endoscopy (n = 9). These procedures revealed no SBN. CONCLUSION : No SBN was
found after 2 years. Surveillance of the small bowel by VCE does not seem to be
warranted in asymptomatic LS patients.
PMID- 28691044
TI - Rituals in gastrointestinal endoscopy at the crossroads of shaman and science.
AB - BACKGROUND AND AIM: Over the last decades, the length of time required for
endoscopic procedures has greatly expanded. The aim of the present decision
analysis is to study the interactions amongst various factors that have caused
such delays and to compare the relative magnitude of their influences. METHODS:
Performance of gastrointestinal endoscopy is influenced by the interaction of
five domains, that is, (1) patient discomfort and fear; (2) injury, disorder, and
disruption; (3) rituals to reduce fear, prevent disruption, and maintain order;
(4) administrators or various health providers carrying out a ritual; (5)
information, knowledge, and science, which influence fear, prevent disruption,
and curtail unnecessary ritualistic behavior. A Markov chain model is used to
describe the interaction among the five domains. RESULTS: Overall, science
exerts the strongest influence, followed by fear and ritual as distant second and
third most relevant influences, respectively. Disruption and administrator exert
only a minor influence on the system of mutual interactions. CONCLUSIONS:
Studying patterns of ritualistic behavior during endoscopy and subjecting them to
means of scientific research could help eliminate redundancy, cutting unnecessary
rituals, and thus making gastrointestinal endoscopy overall more efficient.
PMID- 28691045
TI - Pharyngocutaneous fistula as an alternative access route for inserting a
percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube in head and neck cancer patients.
AB - BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Performing a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy
(PEG) in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients can be challenging because of the
presence of trismus, pharyngeal obstruction by tumor, and pharyngoesophageal
strictures or fistula. Pharyngocutaneous fistula (PCF) is a major postoperative
concern in patients submitted to total laryngectomy (TL). In the medical
literature to date, the cervical fistula has been used as an access to PEG in
only four reports. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety of cervical
fistula for insertion of a PEG tube. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective study
at a single tertiary referral center, regarding the technical feasibility, safety
and outcomes of a PEG tube introduced by a cervical fistula in HNC patients with
obstructive lesions of the oropharynx. RESULTS: The procedure was technically
successful in all 21 patients. A PEG tube was used for a minimum of 1 month and a
maximum of 120 months. Twelve patients died while using the PEG tube, 8 had it
taken out because it was no longer needed, and only 1 had the tube still in use.
Adverse events occurred in 8 patients: granuloma (19 %), dermatitis (9.5 %),
accidental late removal of the tube (9.5 %), periprocedural gastric wall hematoma
(9.5 %), peristomal wound infection (4.7 %), buried bumper syndrome (4.7 %), and
traumatic gastric ulcer (4.7 %). CONCLUSION: A postoperative cervical fistula
can successfully work as a reliable and safe access for a PEG tube procedure in
HNC patients, avoiding unnecessary surgery and reducing costs.
PMID- 28691046
TI - A randomized trial comparing winged versus conventional plastic stents for
malignant bile duct strictures.
AB - BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS : Stent insertion at endoscopic retrograde
cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is an established therapy for managing malignant
biliary obstruction. Conventional plastic stents with a tubular design are most
commonly used despite limited patency. Plastic stents with a winged design may
theoretically increase the duration of stent patency. The aim of this study was
to compare stent patency of the winged versus conventional plastic stents in
patients with malignant biliary obstruction. PATIENTS AND METHODS : A
prospective, randomized subject-blinded trial was conducted. Patients with
malignant biliary obstruction were randomized (1:1) to either a 10 French winged
stent or 7 or 10 French conventional plastic stent. Strictures greater than 1 cm
distal to the hilum were included. Patients were followed clinically to determine
the frequency of stent failure until surgery, death or study closure. RESULTS :
Fifty-eight patients were enrolled. Following 9 exclusions, 49 patients were
randomized to a winged (n = 23) or conventional stent (n = 26). Median time to
stent failure was 89 (95 % CI 26-NA) vs 143 (95 % CI 33 - 266) days ( P = 0.963)
for the winged and conventional group, respectively. Stent failure for the winged
group occurred in 11 (48 %) compared to 14 (54 %) in the conventional group.
Median survival was 123 (95 % CI 81 - 189) vs 342 days (95 % CI 123 - 704) (p =
0.084) in the winged and conventional group respectively. There were no procedure
related adverse events. CONCLUSIONS : Improvement in stent patency was not seen
with the winged stent when compared to the conventional plastic stent.
PMID- 28691047
TI - Location of colorectal cancer: colonoscopy versus surgery. Yield of colonoscopy
in predicting actual location.
AB - BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Recent studies suggest that differences in biological
characteristics and risk factors across cancer site within the colon and rectum
may translate to differences in survival. It can be challenging at times to
determine the precise anatomical location of a lesion with a luminal view during
colonoscopy. The aim of this study is to determine if there is a significant
difference between the location of colorectal cancers described by
gastroenterologists in colonoscopies and the actual anatomical location noted on
operative and pathology reports after colon surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A
single-center retrospective analysis of colonoscopies of patient with reported
colonic masses from January 2005 to April 2014 (n = 380) was carried. Assessed
data included demography, operative and pathology reports. Findings were
compared: between the location of colorectal cancers described by
gastroenterologists in colonoscopies and the actual anatomical location noted on
operative reports or pathology samples. RESULTS: We identified 380 colonic
masses, 158 were confirmed adenocarcinomas. Of these 123 underwent surgical
resection, 27 had to be excluded since no specific location was reported on their
operative or pathology report. An absolute difference between endoscopic and
surgical location was found in 32 cases (33 %). Of these, 22 (23 %) differed by 1
colonic segment, 8 (8 %) differed by 2 colonic segments and 2 (2 %) differed by 3
colonic segments. CONCLUSION: There is a significant difference between the
location of colorectal cancers reported by gastroenterologists during endoscopy
and the actual anatomical location noted on operative or pathology reports after
colon surgery. Endoscopic tattooing should be used when faced with any luminal
lesions of interest.
PMID- 28691048
TI - Feasibility of transnasal endoscopy in screening for esophageal and gastric
varices in patients with chronic liver disease.
AB - BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Screening for esophageal and gastric varices is
indicated for patients with portal hypertension or cirrhosis. Typically,
conventional endoscopy is used; however, the need for sedation increases the
costs and risks, especially in cirrhotic patients. Use of transnasal endoscopy
with an ultrathin endoscope enables study of the upper gastrointestinal tract
without the need for sedation. The objective of this study is to evaluate the
feasibility of transnasal endoscopy in screening for esophageal and gastric
varices in patients with chronic liver disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS : This was a
prospective study in which transnasal endoscopy was carried out in patients with
cirrhosis or portal hypertension who had indications for screening of esophageal
and gastric varices. The following variables were evaluated: demographical data,
duration of procedure, patient tolerance and acceptance, adverse events (AEs),
endoscopic findings and interobserver agreement related to portal hypertension
alterations ( kappa index). RESULTS : A total of 50 patients entered the study.
The most common cause of liver disease was chronic viral hepatitis (66 %). Among
the cirrhotic patients, most of the patients were Child-Pugh A (74 %). In 5
patients (10 %), nasal intubation was not possible. Two patients (4 %)
experienced minor epistaxis. Tolerance was excellent or good in 92 % according
with a visual analogic scale. In 16 patients (32 %), esophageal varices were
detected and in 2 patients (4 %) gastric varices were detected. The mean duration
of the procedure was 7 minutes. CONCLUSIONS : Transnasal endoscopy is feasible,
effective and well tolerated for screening of esophageal and gastric varices in
patients with chronic liver disease. It can be performed in outpatient clinics
safely and without the use of sedation.
PMID- 28691049
TI - Letter to the editor on "Stents and surgical interventions in the palliation of
gastric outlet obstruction: a systematic review".
PMID- 28691050
TI - Evaluation of the bleeding risk with various antithrombotic therapies after
gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection.
AB - BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS : Patients receiving antithrombotic drugs have a higher
risk of postoperative bleeding and thromboembolic events related to endoscopic
procedures. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between
various antithrombotic therapies and bleeding after gastric endoscopic submucosal
dissection (ESD) (post-ESD bleeding). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Among 529
consecutive gastric ESD procedures (483 patients with 579 legions), 100 patients
with 121 lesions who underwent 108 procedures were on antithrombotic therapy
(group A) and 382 patients with 458 lesions who underwent 421 procedures were not
on antithrombotic therapy (group B). The ratio of post-ESD bleeding between the
two groups and the bleeding risk related to various antithrombotic therapies were
investigated. RESULTS : Postoperative bleeding was more frequent in group A (11.1
%) than in group B (3.3 %). No thromboembolic events were reported in either
group. Further investigation of antithrombotic therapies in group A demonstrated
that various combinations of antithrombotic agents and heparin replacement were
associated with a higher ratio of post-ESD bleeding. Multivariate analyses
revealed that dual antiplatelet therapy (odds ratio [OR] 10.9, 95 % confidence
interval [CI] 2.1 - 49.5; P = 0.005) and heparin replacement (OR 34.4, 95 %CI
9.4 - 133.2; P < 0.001) were associated with the increased risk of post-ESD
bleeding. In patients on antiplatelet therapy, post-ESD bleeding tended to occur
in the early postoperative period compared with patients on anticoagulant
therapy. CONCLUSIONS: It is necessary to be cautious regarding post-ESD bleeding
in patients requiring antithrombotic therapy, especially patients receiving dual
antiplatelet therapy and heparin replacement. A further prospective study with a
large sample will be needed to confirm these findings.
PMID- 28691051
TI - Peroral endoscopic myotomy using FlushKnife BT: a single-center series.
AB - BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS : Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is an evolving new
treatment strategy for achalasia. Although several kinds of electrosurgical
knives have been used in performing POEM, the best device has yet to be
determined. The FlushKnife BT is a waterjet-emitting short needle-knife with a
small ball tip (BT) that offers the potential to perform all aspects of POEM with
a single device. In this study, we evaluated the safety and efficiency of the
FlushKnife BT for POEM. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 54 consecutive patients
with achalasia and other spastic esophageal motility disorders, such as
jackhammer esophagus or distal esophageal spasm, who underwent POEM between
January 2016 and August 2016, were included in this retrospective study. RESULTS:
The median operation time was 73.0 minutes (range 39 - 184 minutes). All
procedures were completed using only the FlushKnife BT without changing to any
other electrosurgical instrument. The median number of additional submucosal
injections with an injection needle was 0 (range 0 - 1). Endoscopic vessel
sealing was performed a mean of 3 times (range 0 - 7). The median number of
bleeding episodes requiring treatment with hemostatic forceps was 0 (range 0 -
5). There were no significant adverse events. Seven of 52 patients (13.5 %)
reported symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease such as heartburn or acid
reflux at 3 month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The FlushKnife BT enabled POEM to be
performed with very few device exchanges, either for re-injection or to control
intraoperative bleeding. In this uncontrolled case series, the ability of the
FlushKnife BT to perform nearly all aspects of the POEM procedure seems to make
it particularly well suited to this procedure.
PMID- 28691052
TI - Evaluation of endoscopic submucosal dissection using a new endosurgical knife DN
D2718B: a first clinical feasibility study.
AB - BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS : Endosurgical devices with injection function have
been reported to decrease endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) operation times
for experts, but the efficacy of these devices for inexperienced endoscopists is
unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of ESD using a
novel ESD knife (DN-D2718B). PATIENTS AND METHODS : This is a single-center
prospective pilot clinical feasibility study. Patients diagnosed with superficial
gastrointestinal neoplasms were enrolled. A pre-specified group of ESD trainees
with ESD experience on a porcine gastric model and fewer than 30 cases of ESD in
their selected fields performed ESD under expert supervision, using the DN
D2718B. En bloc resection rates, R0 resection rates, procedure times, and
incidence of intra-operational/post-operational adverse events were assessed.
RESULTS : Between June 2015 and January 2016, 13 esophageal, 27 gastric, and 14
colorectal ESD cases were performed per-protocol with mean resection speeds of
10.2, 12.0, and 15.5 mm 2 /min, respectively. There were no intra-operational
complications. CONCLUSION : ESD with this novel knife is feasible even when
performed by non-experts.
PMID- 28691053
TI - Performance report cards increase adenoma detection rate.
AB - BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS : Adenoma detection rate (ADR) is an important measure
of colonoscopy quality, as are polyp, advanced ADR, and adenocarcinoma detection
rates. We investigated whether performance report cards improved these outcome
measures. PATIENTS AND METHODS : Endoscopists were given report cards comparing
their detection rates to the institutional mean on an annual basis. Detection
rates were evaluated at baseline, 1 year after report cards (Year 1), and 2 years
after report cards (Year 2). Endoscopists were unaware of the study and received
no other interventions. The primary outcome was ADR and secondary outcomes were
polyp detection rate (PDR), advanced ADR, and adenocarcinoma detection rate.
Multivariate regression was performed to adjust for temporal trends in patient,
endoscopists, and procedural factors. RESULTS: Seventeen physicians performed
3,118 screening colonoscopies in patients with positive FOBT or family history of
colon cancer. The ADR increased from 34.5 % (baseline) to 39.4 % (Year 1) and
41.2 % (Year 2) ( P = 0.0037). The PDR increased from 45 % (baseline) to 48.8 %
(Year 1) and 51.8 % (Year 2) ( P = 0.011). There was no significant improvement
in advanced ADR or adenocarcinoma detection rates. On multivariate analysis, the
ADR increased by 22 % in Year 1 ( P = 0.03) and 30 % in Year 2 ( P = 0.008).
Among physicians with a baseline ADR < 25 %, improvement in ADR was even greater,
increasing 2.2 times by the end of the study ( P = 0.004). Improvements in ADR
were not correlated with specialty although gastroenterologists were 52 % more
likely to find an adenoma than general surgeons. CONCLUSIONS: Annual performance
report cards increased adenoma detection rates, especially among physicians with
low ADR < 25 %.
PMID- 28691054
TI - Use of warm carbon dioxide insufflators does not affect intra-colonic gas
temperature and has no effect on polyp detection rate during colonoscopy - a
randomized controlled trial.
AB - BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS : Methods to improve polyp detection during colonoscopy
have been investigated, with conflicting results for warm water irrigation.
Carbon Dioxide (CO 2) warmed to 37 degrees C may have similar or more pronounced
effects on bowel motility. This study aimed to assess whether warmed CO 2 would
improve polyp detection compared to room temperature air insufflation. PATIENTS
AND METHODS: This was a double-blind, randomized controlled trial that enrolled
204 patients undergoing screening or surveillance outpatient colonoscopy. The
primary outcome was polyp per patient detection rate. Secondary outcomes included
adenoma per patient detection rates, bowel spasm, and patient comfort. RESULTS:
The trial was terminated after an interim analysis determined futility. Between
the warmed CO 2 and room air groups, no significant differences were found in the
per-colonoscopy polyp detection rate ( P = 0.57); overall polyp detection rate (
P = 0.69); or adenoma detection rates ( P = 0.74). More patients in the room
temperature group had lower spasm scores (p = 0.02); however, there was a trend
towards greater patient comfort in the warmed CO 2 group ( P = 0.054). An ex
vivo study showed a significant difference between exiting CO 2 temperature at
the insufflator end vs. delivered CO 2 temperature at the colonoscope tip end.
The temperature of insufflation at the tip of the colonoscope was not different
when using warmed vs. unwarmed insufflation ( P = 0.62). CONCLUSION: When
compared with room air insufflation, warmed CO 2 insufflation did not affect
polyp detection rates.
PMID- 28691055
TI - Handling hybrid and missing data in constraint-based causal discovery to study
the etiology of ADHD.
AB - Causal discovery is an increasingly important method for data analysis in the
field of medical research. In this paper, we consider two challenges in causal
discovery that occur very often when working with medical data: a mixture of
discrete and continuous variables and a substantial amount of missing values. To
the best of our knowledge, there are no methods that can handle both challenges
at the same time. In this paper, we develop a new method that can handle these
challenges based on the assumption that data are missing at random and that
continuous variables obey a non-paranormal distribution. We demonstrate the
validity of our approach for causal discovery on simulated data as well as on two
real-world data sets from a monetary incentive delay task and a reversal learning
task. Our results help in the understanding of the etiology of attention
deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
PMID- 28691056
TI - Associations between Maternal Hormonal Biomarkers and Maternal Mental and
Physical Health of Very Low Birthweight Infants.
PMID- 28691057
TI - PAM50 gene signatures and breast cancer prognosis with adjuvant anthracycline-
and taxane-based chemotherapy: correlative analysis of C9741 (Alliance).
AB - PAM50 intrinsic breast cancer subtypes are prognostic independent of standard
clinicopathologic factors. CALGB 9741 demonstrated improved recurrence-free (RFS)
and overall survival (OS) with 2-weekly dose-dense (DD) versus 3-weekly therapy.
A significant interaction between intrinsic subtypes and DD-therapy benefit was
hypothesized. Suitable tumor samples were available from 1,471 (73%) of 2,005
subjects. Multiplexed gene-expression profiling generated the PAM50 subtype call,
proliferation score, and risk of recurrence score (ROR-PT) for the evaluable
subset of 1,311 treated patients. The interaction between DD-therapy benefit and
intrinsic subtype was tested in a Cox proportional hazards model using two-sided
alpha = 0.05. Additional multivariable Cox models evaluated the proliferation and
ROR-PT scores as continuous measures with selected clinical covariates. Improved
outcomes for DD therapy in the evaluable subset mirrored results from the
complete data set (RFS; hazard ratio = 1.20; 95% confidence interval = 0.99-1.44)
with 12.3-year median follow-up. Intrinsic subtypes were prognostic of RFS (P <
0.0001) irrespective of treatment assignment. No subtype-specific treatment
effect on RFS was identified (interaction P = 0.44). Proliferation and ROR-PT
scores were prognostic for RFS (both P < 0.0001), but no association with
treatment benefit was seen (P = 0.14 and 0.59, respectively). Results were
similar for OS. The prognostic value of PAM50 intrinsic subtype was greater than
estrogen receptor/HER2 immunohistochemistry classification. PAM50 gene signatures
were highly prognostic but did not predict for improved outcomes with DD
anthracycline- and taxane-based therapy. Clinical validation studies will assess
the ability of PAM50 and other gene signatures to stratify patients and
individualize treatment based on expected risks of distant recurrence.
PMID- 28691058
TI - A Conversation with Stosh Kozimor.
PMID- 28691059
TI - New Ways To Nab Nitrogen.
PMID- 28691060
TI - Tension Promoted Sulfur Exchange for Cellular Delivery.
PMID- 28691061
TI - An Enlightening Reactor.
PMID- 28691062
TI - Framework Chemistry Transforming our Perception of the Solid State.
PMID- 28691063
TI - And for MOFs' Next Trick: Pulling Water out of Thin Air.
PMID- 28691064
TI - Covalent Organic Frameworks as a Platform for Multidimensional Polymerization.
AB - The simultaneous polymerization and crystallization of monomers featuring
directional bonding designs provides covalent organic frameworks (COFs), which
are periodic polymer networks with robust covalent bonds arranged in two- or
three-dimensional topologies. The range of properties characterized in COFs has
rapidly expanded to include those of interest for heterogeneous catalysis, energy
storage and photovoltaic devices, and proton-conducting membranes. Yet many of
these applications will require materials quality, morphological control, and
synthetic efficiency exceeding the capabilities of contemporary synthetic
methods. This level of control will emerge from an improved fundamental
understanding of COF nucleation and growth processes. More powerful
characterization of structure and defects, improved syntheses guided by
mechanistic understanding, and accessing diverse isolated forms, ranging from
single crystals to thin films to colloidal suspensions, remain important frontier
problems.
PMID- 28691065
TI - Porous Molecular Solids and Liquids.
AB - Until recently, porous molecular solids were isolated curiosities with properties
that were eclipsed by porous frameworks, such as metal-organic frameworks. Now
molecules have emerged as a functional materials platform that can have high
levels of porosity, good chemical stability, and, uniquely, solution
processability. The lack of intermolecular bonding in these materials has also
led to new, counterintuitive states of matter, such as porous liquids. Our
ability to design these materials has improved significantly due to advances in
computational prediction methods.
PMID- 28691066
TI - Grand Challenges and Future Opportunities for Metal-Organic Frameworks.
AB - Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) allow compositional and structural diversity
beyond conventional solid-state materials. Continued interest in the field is
justified by potential applications of exceptional breadth, ranging from gas
storage and separation, which takes advantage of the inherent pores and their
volume, to electronic applications, which requires precise control of electronic
structure. In this Outlook we present some of the pertinent challenges that MOFs
face in their conventional implementations, as well as opportunities in less
traditional areas. Here the aim is to discuss select design concepts and future
research goals that emphasize nuances relevant to this class of materials as a
whole. Particular emphasis is placed on synthetic aspects, as they influence the
potential for MOFs in gas separation, electrical conductivity, and catalytic
applications.
PMID- 28691067
TI - Mimicking Melanosomes: Polydopamine Nanoparticles as Artificial Microparasols.
AB - A primary role of melanin in skin is the prevention of UV-induced nuclear DNA
damage to human skin cells, where it serves to screen out harmful UV radiation.
Melanin is delivered to keratinocytes in the skin after being excreted as
melanosomes from melanocytes. Defects in melanin production in humans can cause
diseases, many of which currently lack effective treatments due to their genetic
origins (e.g., skin cancer, vitiligo, and albinism). The widespread prevalence of
melanin-related diseases and an increasing interest in the performance of various
polymeric materials related to melanin necessitates novel synthetic routes for
preparing melanin-like materials. In this work, we prepared melanin-like
nanoparticles (MelNPs) via spontaneous oxidation of dopamine, as biocompatible,
synthetic analogues of naturally occurring melanosomes, and investigated their
uptake, transport, distribution, and UV-protective capabilities in human
keratinocytes. Critically, we demonstrate that MelNPs are endocytosed, undergo
perinuclear aggregation, and form a supranuclear cap, or so-called microparasol
in human epidermal keratinocytes (HEKa), mimicking the behavior of natural
melananosomes in terms of cellular distribution and the fact that they serve to
protect the cells from UV damage.
PMID- 28691068
TI - Hydrogen-Deuterium Exchange of Lipoxygenase Uncovers a Relationship between
Distal, Solvent Exposed Protein Motions and the Thermal Activation Barrier for
Catalytic Proton-Coupled Electron Tunneling.
AB - Defining specific pathways for efficient heat transfer from protein-solvent
interfaces to their active sites represents one of the compelling and timely
challenges in our quest for a physical description of the origins of enzyme
catalysis. Enzymatic hydrogen tunneling reactions constitute excellent systems in
which to validate experimental approaches to this important question, given the
inherent temperature independence of quantum mechanical wave function overlap.
Herein, we present the application of hydrogen-deuterium exchange coupled to mass
spectrometry toward the spatial resolution of protein motions that can be related
to an enzyme's catalytic parameters. Employing the proton-coupled electron
transfer reaction of soybean lipoxygenase as proof of principle, we first
corroborate the impact of active site mutations on increased local flexibility
and, second, uncover a solvent-exposed loop, 15-34 A from the reactive ferric
center whose temperature-dependent motions are demonstrated to mirror the
enthalpic barrier for catalytic C-H bond cleavage. A network that connects this
surface loop to the active site is structurally identified and supported by
changes in kinetic parameters that result from site-specific mutations.
PMID- 28691069
TI - Synthesis of Single Atom Based Heterogeneous Platinum Catalysts: High Selectivity
and Activity for Hydrosilylation Reactions.
AB - Catalytic hydrosilylation represents a straightforward and atom-efficient
methodology for the creation of C-Si bonds. In general, the application of
homogeneous platinum complexes prevails in industry and academia. Herein, we
describe the first heterogeneous single atom catalysts (SACs), which are
conveniently prepared by decorating alumina nanorods with platinum atoms. The
resulting stable material efficiently catalyzes hydrosilylation of industrially
relevant olefins with high TON (~105). A variety of substrates is selectively
hydrosilylated including compounds with sensitive reducible and other functional
groups (N, B, F, Cl). The single atom based catalyst shows significantly higher
activity compared to related Pt nanoparticles.
PMID- 28691070
TI - Molecular, Local, and Network-Level Basis for the Enhanced Stiffness of Hydrogel
Networks Formed from Coassembled Racemic Peptides: Predictions from Pauling and
Corey.
AB - Hydrogels prepared from self-assembling peptides are promising materials for
medical applications, and using both l- and d-peptide isomers in a gel's
formulation provides an intuitive way to control the proteolytic degradation of
an implanted material. In the course of developing gels for delivery
applications, we discovered that a racemic mixture of the mirror-image beta
hairpin peptides, named MAX1 and DMAX1, provides a fibrillar hydrogel that is
four times more rigid than gels formed by either peptide alone-a puzzling
observation. Herein, we use transmission electron microscopy, small angle neutron
scattering, solid state NMR, diffusing wave, infrared, and fluorescence
spectroscopies, and modeling to determine the molecular basis for the increased
mechanical rigidity of the racemic gel. We find that enantiomeric peptides
coassemble in an alternating fashion along the fibril long axis, forming an
extended heterochiral pleat-like beta-sheet, a structure predicted by Pauling and
Corey in 1953. Hydrogen bonding between enantiomers within the sheet dictates the
placement of hydrophobic valine side chains in the fibrils' dry interior in a
manner that allows the formation of nested hydrophobic interactions between
enantiomers, interactions not accessible within enantiomerically pure fibrils.
Importantly, this unique molecular arrangement of valine side chains maximizes
inter-residue contacts within the core of the fibrils resulting in their local
stiffening, which in turn, gives rise to the significant increase in bulk
mechanical rigidity observed for the racemic hydrogel.
PMID- 28691071
TI - Nanoengineered Ultralight and Robust All-Metal Cathode for High-Capacity, Stable
Lithium-Oxygen Batteries.
AB - The successful development of Li-O2 battery technology depends on resolving the
issue of cathode corrosion by the discharge product (Li2O2) and/or by the
intermediates (LiO2) generated during cell cycling. As an important step toward
this goal, we report for the first time the nanoporous Ni with a nanoengineered
AuNi alloy surface directly attached to Ni foam as a new all-metal cathode
system. Compared with other noncarbonaceous cathodes, the Li-O2 cell with an all
metal cathode is capable of operation with ultrahigh specific capacity (22,551
mAh g-1 at a current density of 1.0 A g-1) and long-term life (286 cycles).
Furthermore, compared with the popularly used carbon cathode, the new all-metal
cathode is advantageous because it does not show measurable reactivity toward
Li2O2 and/or LiO2. As a result, extensive cyclability (40 cycles) with 87.7%
Li2O2 formation and decomposition was obtained. These superior properties are
explained by the enhanced solvation-mediated formation of the discharge products
as well as the tailored properties of the all-metal cathode, including intrinsic
chemical stability, high specific surface area, highly porous structure, high
conductivity, and superior mechanical stability.
PMID- 28691072
TI - Directing the Lithium-Sulfur Reaction Pathway via Sparingly Solvating
Electrolytes for High Energy Density Batteries.
AB - The lithium-sulfur battery has long been seen as a potential next generation
battery chemistry for electric vehicles owing to the high theoretical specific
energy and low cost of sulfur. However, even state-of-the-art lithium-sulfur
batteries suffer from short lifetimes due to the migration of highly soluble
polysulfide intermediates and exhibit less than desired energy density due to the
required excess electrolyte. The use of sparingly solvating electrolytes in
lithium-sulfur batteries is a promising approach to decouple electrolyte quantity
from reaction mechanism, thus creating a pathway toward high energy density that
deviates from the current catholyte approach. Herein, we demonstrate that
sparingly solvating electrolytes based on compact, polar molecules with a 2:1
ratio of a functional group to lithium salt can fundamentally redirect the
lithium-sulfur reaction pathway by inhibiting the traditional mechanism that is
based on fully solvated intermediates. In contrast to the standard catholyte
sulfur electrochemistry, sparingly solvating electrolytes promote intermediate-
and short-chain polysulfide formation during the first third of discharge, before
disproportionation results in crystalline lithium sulfide and a restricted
fraction of soluble polysulfides which are further reduced during the remaining
discharge. Moreover, operation at intermediate temperatures ca. 50 degrees C
allows for minimal overpotentials and high utilization of sulfur at practical
rates. This discovery opens the door to a new wave of scientific inquiry based on
modifying the electrolyte local structure to tune and control the reaction
pathway of many precipitation-dissolution chemistries, lithium-sulfur and beyond.
PMID- 28691073
TI - Group Problem Solving in Class Improves Undergraduate Learning.
AB - Developing methods for improving student learning is a long-standing goal in
undergraduate science education. However, the extent to which students working on
problems in small groups versus individually results in improved learning among
undergraduate science students has not been evaluated in a randomized controlled
trial. We have performed such a trial with 80 students in an undergraduate
biochemistry class, in which students were randomized to either learning in
groups or learning individually. All students participated in the same class,
which consisted of a lecture with periodic breaks for students to solve problems
using an audience response system. Students in the individual learning condition
answered these questions on their own, but students in the group-based learning
condition answered these questions in an assigned group of four students. At the
end of the class, all students then took the same exam as individuals. The exam
had two types of questions-recall questions, in which students had to simply
recall information provided to them, and predict questions, in which students had
to apply their new knowledge to a new context. Students in the individual and
group-based learning conditions performed similarly well on recall questions.
However, students who had been in the group-based learning condition performed
significantly better as individuals on the predict questions. This suggests that
learning in groups may be more effective than individual learning for
undergraduate science students, particularly for applying their knowledge to new
contexts; this highlights the potential need for pedagogical approaches in
undergraduate science courses that incorporate learning in groups.
PMID- 28691074
TI - Redox Catalysis Facilitates Lignin Depolymerization.
AB - Lignin is a recalcitrant and underexploited natural feedstock for aromatic
commodity chemicals, and its degradation generally requires the use of high
temperatures and harsh reaction conditions. Herein we present an ambient
temperature one-pot process for the controlled oxidation and depolymerization of
this potent resource. Harnessing the potential of electrocatalytic oxidation in
conjugation with our photocatalytic cleavage methodology, we have developed an
operationally simple procedure for selective fragmentation of beta-O-4 bonds with
excellent mass recovery, which provides a unique opportunity to expand the
existing lignin usage from energy source to commodity chemicals and synthetic
building block source.
PMID- 28691075
TI - Chimeric Leader Peptides for the Generation of Non-Natural Hybrid RiPP Products.
AB - Combining biosynthetic enzymes from multiple pathways is an attractive approach
for producing molecules with desired structural features; however, progress has
been hampered by the incompatibility of enzymes from unrelated pathways and
intolerance toward alternative substrates. Ribosomally synthesized and
posttranslationally modified peptides (RiPPs) are a diverse natural product class
that employs a biosynthetic logic that is highly amenable to engineering new
compounds. RiPP biosynthetic proteins modify their substrates by binding to a
motif typically located in the N-terminal leader region of the precursor peptide.
Here, we exploit this feature by designing leader peptides that enable
recognition and processing by multiple enzymes from unrelated RiPP pathways.
Using this broadly applicable strategy, a thiazoline-forming cyclodehydratase was
combined with enzymes from the sactipeptide and lanthipeptide families to create
new-to-nature hybrid RiPPs. We also provide insight into design features that
enable control over the hybrid biosynthesis to optimize enzyme compatibility and
establish a general platform for engineering additional hybrid RiPPs.
PMID- 28691076
TI - Self-Assembling Cyclic d,l-alpha-Peptides as Modulators of Plasma HDL Function. A
Supramolecular Approach toward Antiatherosclerotic Agents.
AB - There is great interest in developing new modes of therapy for atherosclerosis to
treat coronary heart disease and stroke, particularly ones that involve
modulation of high-density lipoproteins (HDLs). Here, we describe a new
supramolecular chemotype for altering HDL morphology and function. Guided by
rational design and SAR-driven peptide sequence enumerations, we have synthesized
and determined the HDL remodeling activities of over 80 cyclic d,l-alpha
peptides. We have identified a few distinct sequence motifs that are effective in
vitro in remodeling human and mouse plasma HDLs to increase the concentration of
lipid-poor pre-beta HDLs, which are key initial acceptors of cholesterol in the
reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) process, and concomitantly promote
cholesterol efflux from macrophage cells. Functional assays with various control
peptides, such as scrambled sequences, linear and enantiomeric cyclic peptide
variants, and backbone-modified structures that limit peptide self-assembly,
provide strong support for the supramolecular mode of action. Importantly, when
the lead cyclic peptide c[wLwReQeR] was administered to mice (ip), it also
promoted the formation of small, lipid-poor HDLs in vivo, displayed good plasma
half-life (~6 h), did not appear to have adverse side effects, and exerted potent
anti-inflammatory effects in an acute in vivo inflammation assay. Given that
previously reported HDL remodeling peptides have been based on alpha-helical apoA
I mimetic architectures, the present study, involving a new structural class,
represents a promising step toward new potential therapeutics to combat
atherosclerosis.
PMID- 28691077
TI - A General Small-Scale Reactor To Enable Standardization and Acceleration of
Photocatalytic Reactions.
AB - Photocatalysis for organic synthesis has experienced an exponential growth in the
past 10 years. However, the variety of experimental procedures that have been
reported to perform photon-based catalyst excitation has hampered the
establishment of general protocols to convert visible light into chemical energy.
To address this issue, we have designed an integrated photoreactor for enhanced
photon capture and catalyst excitation. Moreover, the evaluation of this new
reactor in eight photocatalytic transformations that are widely employed in
medicinal chemistry settings has confirmed significant performance advantages of
this optimized design while enabling a standardized protocol.
PMID- 28691078
TI - Novel Strategy for Photopatterning Emissive Polymer Brushes for Organic Light
Emitting Diode Applications.
AB - A light-mediated methodology to grow patterned, emissive polymer brushes with
micron feature resolution is reported and applied to organic light emitting diode
(OLED) displays. Light is used for both initiator functionalization of indium tin
oxide and subsequent atom transfer radical polymerization of methacrylate-based
fluorescent and phosphorescent iridium monomers. The iridium centers play key
roles in photocatalyzing and mediating polymer growth while also emitting light
in the final OLED structure. The scope of the presented procedure enables the
synthesis of a library of polymers with emissive colors spanning the visible
spectrum where the dopant incorporation, position of brush growth, and brush
thickness are readily controlled. The chain-ends of the polymer brushes remain
intact, affording subsequent chain extension and formation of well-defined
diblock architectures. This high level of structure and function control allows
for the facile preparation of random ternary copolymers and red-green-blue arrays
to yield white emission.
PMID- 28691079
TI - Molecular Retrofitting Adapts a Metal-Organic Framework to Extreme Pressure.
AB - Despite numerous studies on chemical and thermal stability of metal-organic
frameworks (MOFs), mechanical stability remains largely undeveloped. To date, no
strategy exists to control the mechanical deformation of MOFs under ultrahigh
pressure. Here, we show that the mechanically unstable MOF-520 can be retrofitted
by precise placement of a rigid 4,4'-biphenyldicarboxylate (BPDC) linker as a
"girder" to afford a mechanically robust framework: MOF-520-BPDC. This
retrofitting alters how the structure deforms under ultrahigh pressure and thus
leads to a drastic enhancement of its mechanical robustness. While in the parent
MOF-520 the pressure transmitting medium molecules diffuse into the pore and
expand the structure from the inside upon compression, the girder in the new
retrofitted MOF-520-BPDC prevents the framework from expansion by linking two
adjacent secondary building units together. As a result, the modified MOF is
stable under hydrostatic compression in a diamond-anvil cell up to 5.5
gigapascal. The increased mechanical stability of MOF-520-BPDC prohibits the
typical amorphization observed for MOFs in this pressure range. Direct
correlation between the orientation of these girders within the framework and its
linear strain was estimated, providing new insights for the design of MOFs with
optimized mechanical properties.
PMID- 28691080
TI - Record Atmospheric Fresh Water Capture and Heat Transfer with a Material
Operating at the Water Uptake Reversibility Limit.
AB - The capture of water vapor at low relative humidity is desirable for producing
potable water in desert regions and for heat transfer and storage. Here, we
report a mesoporous metal-organic framework that captures 82% water by weight
below 30% relative humidity. Under simulated desert conditions, the sorbent would
deliver 0.82 gH2O gMOF-1, nearly double the quantity of fresh water compared to
the previous best material. The material further demonstrates a cooling capacity
of 400 kWh m-3 per cycle, also a record value for a sorbent capable of creating a
20 degrees C difference between ambient and output temperature. The water uptake
in this sorbent is optimized: the pore diameter of our material is above the
critical diameter for water capillary action, enabling water uptake at the limit
of reversibility.
PMID- 28691081
TI - Correction to "Detection of Active Mammalian GH31 alpha-Glucosidases in Health
and Disease Using In-Class, Broad-Spectrum Activity-Based Probes".
AB - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.6b00057.].
PMID- 28691082
TI - Fully gapped superconductivity with no sign change in the prototypical heavy
fermion CeCu2Si2.
AB - In exotic superconductors, including high-Tc copper oxides, the interactions
mediating electron Cooper pairing are widely considered to have a magnetic rather
than a conventional electron-phonon origin. Interest in this exotic pairing was
initiated by the 1979 discovery of heavy-fermion superconductivity in CeCu2Si2,
which exhibits strong antiferromagnetic fluctuations. A hallmark of
unconventional pairing by anisotropic repulsive interactions is that the
superconducting energy gap changes sign as a function of the electron momentum,
often leading to nodes where the gap goes to zero. We report low-temperature
specific heat, thermal conductivity, and magnetic penetration depth measurements
in CeCu2Si2, demonstrating the absence of gap nodes at any point on the Fermi
surface. Moreover, electron irradiation experiments reveal that the
superconductivity survives even when the electron mean free path becomes
substantially shorter than the superconducting coherence length. This indicates
that superconductivity is robust against impurities, implying that there is no
sign change in the gap function. These results show that, contrary to long
standing belief, heavy electrons with extremely strong Coulomb repulsions can
condense into a fully gapped s-wave superconducting state, which has an on-site
attractive pairing interaction.
PMID- 28691083
TI - Sub-100-nm metafluorophores with digitally tunable optical properties self
assembled from DNA.
AB - Fluorescence microscopy allows specific target detection down to the level of
single molecules and has become an enabling tool in biological research. To
transduce the biological information to an imageable signal, we have developed a
variety of fluorescent probes, such as organic dyes or fluorescent proteins with
different colors. Despite their success, a limitation on constructing small
fluorescent probes is the lack of a general framework to achieve precise and
programmable control of critical optical properties, such as color and
brightness. To address this challenge, we introduce metafluorophores, which are
constructed as DNA nanostructure-based fluorescent probes with digitally tunable
optical properties. Each metafluorophore is composed of multiple organic
fluorophores, organized in a spatially controlled fashion in a compact sub-100-nm
architecture using a DNA nanostructure scaffold. Using DNA origami with a size of
90 * 60 nm2, substantially smaller than the optical diffraction limit, we
constructed small fluorescent probes with digitally tunable brightness, color,
and photostability and demonstrated a palette of 124 virtual colors. Using these
probes as fluorescent barcodes, we implemented an assay for multiplexed
quantification of nucleic acids. Additionally, we demonstrated the triggered in
situ self-assembly of fluorescent DNA nanostructures with prescribed brightness
upon initial hybridization to a nucleic acid target.
PMID- 28691084
TI - Cost-effective conservation of amphibian ecology and evolution.
AB - Habitat loss is the most important threat to species survival, and the efficient
selection of priority areas is fundamental for good systematic conservation
planning. Using amphibians as a conservation target, we designed an innovative
assessment strategy, showing that prioritization models focused on functional,
phylogenetic, and taxonomic diversity can include cost-effectiveness-based
assessments of land values. We report new key conservation sites within the
Brazilian Atlantic Forest hot spot, revealing a congruence of ecological and
evolutionary patterns. We suggest payment for ecosystem services through
environmental set-asides on private land, establishing potential trade-offs for
ecological and evolutionary processes. Our findings introduce additional
effective area-based conservation parameters that set new priorities for
biodiversity assessment in the Atlantic Forest, validating the usefulness of a
novel approach to cost-effectiveness-based assessments of conservation value for
other species-rich regions.
PMID- 28691085
TI - Microsecond photocapacitance transients observed using a charged microcantilever
as a gated mechanical integrator.
AB - How light is converted to electricity in blends of organic donor and acceptor
molecules is an unsettled question, partly because the spatial heterogeneity
present in these blends makes them challenging to characterize. Although scanned
probe measurements have provided crucially important microscopic insights into
charge generation and transport in these blends, achieving the subnanosecond time
resolution needed to directly observe the fate of photogenerated charges has
proven difficult. We use a charged microcantilever as a gated mechanical
integrator to record photocapacitance indirectly by measuring the accumulated
change in cantilever phase as a function of the time delay between precisely
synchronized voltage and light pulses. In contrast with previous time-resolved
scanned-probe photocapacitance measurements, the time resolution of this method
is set by the rise and fall time of the voltage and light pulses and not by the
inverse detection bandwidth. We demonstrate in an organic donor-acceptor blend
the ability of this indirect, "phase-kick" technique to record multiexponential
photocapacitance transients on time scales ranging from 40 MUs to 10 ms. The
technique's ability to measure subcycle, nanosecond charge dynamics is
demonstrated by measuring the tens of nanosecond sample electrical charging time.
PMID- 28691086
TI - Serotonin rebalances cortical tuning and behavior linked to autism symptoms in
15q11-13 CNV mice.
AB - Serotonin is a critical modulator of cortical function, and its metabolism is
defective in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) brain. How serotonin metabolism
regulates cortical physiology and contributes to the pathological and behavioral
symptoms of ASD remains unknown. We show that normal serotonin levels are
essential for the maintenance of neocortical excitation/inhibition balance,
correct sensory stimulus tuning, and social behavior. Conversely, low serotonin
levels in 15q dup mice (a model for ASD with the human 15q11-13 duplication)
result in impairment of the same phenotypes. Restoration of normal serotonin
levels in 15q dup mice revealed the reversibility of a subset of ASD-related
symptoms in the adult. These findings suggest that serotonin may have therapeutic
potential for discrete ASD symptoms.
PMID- 28691087
TI - Cytoskeletal actin dynamics shape a ramifying actin network underpinning
immunological synapse formation.
AB - T cell activation and especially trafficking of T cell receptor microclusters
during immunological synapse formation are widely thought to rely on cytoskeletal
remodeling. However, important details on the involvement of actin in the latter
transport processes are missing. Using a suite of advanced optical microscopes to
analyze resting and activated T cells, we show that, following contact formation
with activating surfaces, these cells sequentially rearrange their cortical actin
across the entire cell, creating a previously unreported ramifying actin network
above the immunological synapse. This network shows all the characteristics of an
inward-growing transportation network and its dynamics correlating with T cell
receptor rearrangements. This actin reorganization is accompanied by an increase
in the nanoscale actin meshwork size and the dynamic adjustment of the turnover
times and filament lengths of two differently sized filamentous actin
populations, wherein formin-mediated long actin filaments support a very flat and
stiff contact at the immunological synapse interface. The initiation of
immunological synapse formation, as highlighted by calcium release, requires
markedly little contact with activating surfaces and no cytoskeletal
rearrangements. Our work suggests that incipient signaling in T cells initiates
global cytoskeletal rearrangements across the whole cell, including a stiffening
process for possibly mechanically supporting contact formation at the
immunological synapse interface as well as a central ramified transportation
network apparently directed at the consolidation of the contact and the delivery
of effector functions.
PMID- 28691088
TI - The effects of external cues on individual and collective behavior of shoaling
fish.
AB - Collective animal behavior is an emergent phenomenon arising from the local
interactions of the members of animal groups. Considerable progress has been made
in characterizing these interactions, particularly inferring rules that shape and
guide the responses of animals to their near neighbors. To date, experimental
work has focused on collective behavior within a single, stable context. We
examine the individual and collective behavior of a schooling fish species, the x
ray tetra (Pristella maxillaris), identifying their response to changes in
context produced by food cues or conspecific alarm cues. Fish exposed to alarm
cues show pronounced, broad-ranging changes of behavior, including reducing speed
and predictability in their movements. Alarmed fish also alter their responses to
other group members, including enacting a smaller zone of repulsion and
increasing their frequency of observation of, and responsiveness to, near
neighbors. Fish subject to food cues increased speed as a function of neighbor
positions and reduced encounter frequency with near neighbors. Overall, changes
in individual behavior and the interactions among individuals in response to
external cues coincide with changes in group-level patterns, providing insight
into the adaptability of behavior to changes in context and interrelationship
between local interactions and global patterns in collective behavior.
PMID- 28691089
TI - A general strategy to synthesize chemically and topologically anisotropic Janus
particles.
AB - Emulsion polymerization is the most widely used synthetic technique for
fabricating polymeric particles. The interfacial tension generated with this
technique limits the ability to tune the topology and chemistry of the resultant
particles. We demonstrate a general emulsion interfacial polymerization approach
that involves introduction of additional anchoring molecules surrounding the
microdroplets to synthesize a large variety of Janus particles with controllable
topological and chemical anisotropy. This strategy is based on interfacial
polymerization mediated by an anchoring effect at the interface of microdroplets.
Along the interface of the microdroplets, the diverse topology and surface
chemistry features of the Janus particles can be precisely tuned by regulating
the monomer type and concentration as well as polymerization time. This method is
applicable to a wide variety of monomers, including positively charged, neutrally
charged, and negatively charged monomers, thereby enriching the community of
Janus particles.
PMID- 28691090
TI - Two orders of magnitude enhancement in oxygen evolution reactivity on amorphous
Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3-delta nanofilms with tunable oxidation state.
AB - Perovskite oxides exhibit potential for use as electrocatalysts in the oxygen
evolution reaction (OER). However, their low specific surface area is the main
obstacle to realizing a high mass-specific activity that is required to be
competitive against the state-of-the-art precious metal-based catalysts. We
report the enhanced performance of Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3-delta (BSCF) for the
OER with intrinsic activity that is significantly higher than that of the
benchmark IrO2, and this result was achieved via fabrication of an amorphous BSCF
nanofilm on a surface-oxidized nickel substrate by magnetron sputtering. The
surface nickel oxide layer of the Ni substrate and the thickness of the BSCF film
were further used to tune the intrinsic OER activity and stability of the BSCF
catalyst by optimizing the electronic configuration of the transition metal
cations in BSCF via the interaction between the nanofilm and the surface nickel
oxide, which enables up to 315-fold enhanced mass-specific activity compared to
the crystalline BSCF bulk phase. Moreover, the amorphous BSCF-Ni foam anode
coupled with the Pt-Ni foam cathode demonstrated an attractive small
overpotential of 0.34 V at 10 mA cm-2 for water electrolysis, with a BSCF loading
as low as 154.8 MUg cm-2.
PMID- 28691091
TI - Electronic structure of aqueous solutions: Bridging the gap between theory and
experiments.
AB - Predicting the electronic properties of aqueous liquids has been a long-standing
challenge for quantum mechanical methods. However, it is a crucial step in
understanding and predicting the key role played by aqueous solutions and
electrolytes in a wide variety of emerging energy and environmental technologies,
including battery and photoelectrochemical cell design. We propose an efficient
and accurate approach to predict the electronic properties of aqueous solutions,
on the basis of the combination of first-principles methods and experimental
validation using state-of-the-art spectroscopic measurements. We present results
of the photoelectron spectra of a broad range of solvated ions, showing that
first-principles molecular dynamics simulations and electronic structure
calculations using dielectric hybrid functionals provide a quantitative
description of the electronic properties of the solvent and solutes, including
excitation energies. The proposed computational framework is general and
applicable to other liquids, thereby offering great promise in understanding and
engineering solutions and liquid electrolytes for a variety of important energy
technologies.
PMID- 28691092
TI - Instant tough bonding of hydrogels for soft machines and electronics.
AB - Introducing methods for instant tough bonding between hydrogels and antagonistic
materials-from soft to hard-allows us to demonstrate elastic yet tough biomimetic
devices and machines with a high level of complexity. Tough hydrogels strongly
attach, within seconds, to plastics, elastomers, leather, bone, and metals,
reaching unprecedented interfacial toughness exceeding 2000 J/m2. Healing of
severed ionic hydrogel conductors becomes feasible and restores function
instantly. Soft, transparent multilayered hybrids of elastomers and ionic
hydrogels endure biaxial strain with more than 2000% increase in area,
facilitating soft transducers, generators, and adaptive lenses. We demonstrate
soft electronic devices, from stretchable batteries, self-powered compliant
circuits, and autonomous electronic skin for triggered drug delivery. Our
approach is applicable in rapid prototyping and in delicate environments
inaccessible for extended curing and cross-linking.
PMID- 28691093
TI - WNT antagonists exhibit unique combinatorial antitumor activity with taxanes by
potentiating mitotic cell death.
AB - The WNT pathway mediates intercellular signaling that regulates cell fate in both
normal development and cancer. It is widely appreciated that the WNT pathway is
frequently dysregulated in human cancers through a variety of genetic and
epigenetic mechanisms. Targets in the WNT pathway are being extensively pursued
for the development of new anticancer therapies, and we have advanced two WNT
antagonists for clinical development: vantictumab (anti-FZD) and ipafricept (FZD8
Fc). We examined the antitumor efficacy of these WNT antagonists in combination
with various chemotherapies in a large set of patient-derived xenograft models.
In responsive models, WNT blockade led to profound synergy with taxanes such as
paclitaxel, and the combination activity with taxanes was consistently more
effective than with other classes of chemotherapy. Taxane monotherapy increased
the frequency of cells with active WNT signaling. This selection of WNT-active
chemotherapy-resistant tumorigenic cells was prevented by WNT-antagonizing
biologics and required sequential dosing of the WNT antagonist followed by the
taxane. The WNT antagonists potentiated paclitaxel-mediated mitotic blockade and
promoted widespread mitotic cell death. By blocking WNT/beta-catenin signaling
before mitotic blockade by paclitaxel, we found that this treatment effectively
sensitizes cancer stem cells to taxanes. This combination strategy and treatment
regimen has been incorporated into ongoing clinical testing for vantictumab and
ipafricept.
PMID- 28691094
TI - Probing nanocrystalline grain dynamics in nanodevices.
AB - Dynamical structural defects exist naturally in a wide variety of solids. They
fluctuate temporally and hence can deteriorate the performance of many electronic
devices. Thus far, the entities of these dynamic objects have been identified to
be individual atoms. On the other hand, it is a long-standing question whether a
nanocrystalline grain constituted of a large number of atoms can switch, as a
whole, reversibly like a dynamical atomic defect (that is, a two-level system).
This is an emergent issue considering the current development of nanodevices with
ultralow electrical noise, qubits with long quantum coherence time, and
nanoelectromechanical system sensors with ultrahigh resolution. We demonstrate
experimental observations of dynamic nanocrystalline grains that repeatedly
switch between two or more metastable coordinate states. We study temporal
resistance fluctuations in thin ruthenium dioxide (RuO2) metal nanowires and
extract microscopic parameters, including relaxation time scales, mobile grain
sizes, and the bonding strengths of nanograin boundaries. These material
parameters are not obtainable by other experimental approaches. When combined
with previous in situ high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, our
electrical method can be used to infer rich information about the structural
dynamics of a wide variety of nanodevices and new two-dimensional materials.
PMID- 28691095
TI - Condensin II is anchored by TFIIIC and H3K4me3 in the mammalian genome and
supports the expression of active dense gene clusters.
AB - Structural maintenance of chromosome complexes, such as cohesin, have been
implicated in a wide variety of chromatin-dependent functions such as genome
organization, replication, and gene expression. How these complexes find their
sites of association and affect local chromosomal processes is not well
understood. We report that condensin II, a complex distinct from cohesin,
physically interacts with TFIIIC, and they both colocalize at active gene
promoters in the mouse and human genomes, facilitated by interaction between
NCAPD3 and the epigenetic mark H3K4me3. Condensin II is important for maintaining
high levels of expression of the histone gene clusters as well as the interaction
between these clusters in the mouse genome. Our findings suggest that condensin
II is anchored to the mammalian genome by a combination of H3K4me3 and the
sequence-specific binding of TFIIIC, and that condensin supports the expression
of active gene-dense regions found at the boundaries of topological domains.
Together, our results support a working model in which condensin II contributes
to topological domain boundary-associated gene activity in the mammalian genome.
PMID- 28691096
TI - Nanoscale simultaneous chemical and mechanical imaging via peak force infrared
microscopy.
AB - Nondestructive chemical and mechanical measurements of materials with ~10-nm
spatial resolution together with topography provide rich information on the
compositions and organizations of heterogeneous materials and nanoscale objects.
However, multimodal nanoscale correlations are difficult to achieve because of
the limitation on spatial resolution of optical microscopy and constraints from
instrumental complexities. We report a novel noninvasive spectroscopic scanning
probe microscopy method-peak force infrared (PFIR) microscopy-that allows
chemical imaging, collection of broadband infrared spectra, and mechanical
mapping at a spatial resolution of 10 nm. In our technique, chemical absorption
information is directly encoded in the withdraw curve of the peak force tapping
cycle after illumination with synchronized infrared laser pulses in a simple
apparatus. Nanoscale phase separation in block copolymers and inhomogeneity in
CH3NH3PbBr3 perovskite crystals are studied with correlative infrared/mechanical
nanoimaging. Furthermore, we show that the PFIR method is sensitive to the
presence of surface phonon polaritons in boron nitride nanotubes. PFIR microscopy
will provide a powerful analytical tool for explorations at the nanoscale across
wide disciplines.
PMID- 28691097
TI - Above 400-K robust perpendicular ferromagnetic phase in a topological insulator.
AB - The quantum anomalous Hall effect (QAHE) that emerges under broken time-reversal
symmetry in topological insulators (TIs) exhibits many fascinating physical
properties for potential applications in nanoelectronics and spintronics.
However, in transition metal-doped TIs, the only experimentally demonstrated QAHE
system to date, the QAHE is lost at practically relevant temperatures. This
constraint is imposed by the relatively low Curie temperature (Tc) and inherent
spin disorder associated with the random magnetic dopants. We demonstrate
drastically enhanced Tc by exchange coupling TIs to Tm3Fe5O12, a high-Tc magnetic
insulator with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. Signatures showing that the TI
surface states acquire robust ferromagnetism are revealed by distinct squared
anomalous Hall hysteresis loops at 400 K. Point-contact Andreev reflection
spectroscopy confirms that the TI surface is spin-polarized. The greatly enhanced
Tc, absence of spin disorder, and perpendicular anisotropy are all essential to
the occurrence of the QAHE at high temperatures.
PMID- 28691098
TI - High particulate iron(II) content in glacially sourced dusts enhances
productivity of a model diatom.
AB - Little is known about the bioavailability of iron (Fe) in natural dusts and the
impact of dust mineralogy on Fe utilization by photosynthetic organisms.
Variation in the supply of bioavailable Fe to the ocean has the potential to
influence the global carbon cycle by modulating primary production in the
Southern Ocean. Much of the dust deposited across the Southern Ocean is sourced
from South America, particularly Patagonia, where the waxing and waning of past
and present glaciers generate fresh glaciogenic material that contrasts with aged
and chemically weathered nonglaciogenic sediments. We show that these two
potential sources of modern-day dust are mineralogically distinct, where
glaciogenic dust sources contain mostly Fe(II)-rich primary silicate minerals,
and nearby nonglaciogenic dust sources contain mostly Fe(III)-rich oxyhydroxide
and Fe(III) silicate weathering products. In laboratory culture experiments,
Phaeodactylum tricornutum, a well-studied coastal model diatom, grows more
rapidly, and with higher photosynthetic efficiency, with input of glaciogenic
particulates compared to that of nonglaciogenic particulates due to these
differences in Fe mineralogy. Monod nutrient accessibility models fit to our data
suggest that particulate Fe(II) content, rather than abiotic solubility, controls
the Fe bioavailability in our Fe fertilization experiments. Thus, it is possible
for this diatom to access particulate Fe in dusts by another mechanism besides
uptake of unchelated Fe (Fe') dissolved from particles into the bulk solution. If
this capability is widespread in the Southern Ocean, then dusts deposited to the
Southern Ocean in cold glacial periods are likely more bioavailable than those
deposited in warm interglacial periods.
PMID- 28691099
TI - Selective targeting of primary and secondary nucleation pathways in Abeta42
aggregation using a rational antibody scanning method.
AB - Antibodies targeting Abeta42 are under intense scrutiny because of their
therapeutic potential for Alzheimer's disease. To enable systematic searches, we
present an "antibody scanning" strategy for the generation of a panel of
antibodies against Abeta42. Each antibody in the panel is rationally designed to
target a specific linear epitope, with the selected epitopes scanning the Abeta42
sequence. By screening in vitro the panel to identify the specific microscopic
steps in the Abeta42 aggregation process influenced by each antibody, we identify
two antibodies that target specifically the primary and the secondary nucleation
steps, which are key for the production of Abeta42 oligomers. These two
antibodies act, respectively, to delay the onset of aggregation and to block the
proliferation of aggregates, and correspondingly reduce the toxicity in a
Caenorhabditis elegans model overexpressing Abeta42. These results illustrate how
the antibody scanning method described here can be used to readily obtain very
small antibody libraries with extensive coverage of the sequences of target
proteins.
PMID- 28691100
TI - Nonvolatile ferroelectric domain wall memory.
AB - Ferroelectric domain walls are atomically sharp topological defects that separate
regions of uniform polarization. The discovery of electrical conductivity in
specific types of walls gave rise to "domain wall nanoelectronics," a technology
in which the wall (rather than the domain) stores information. This paradigm
shift critically hinges on precise nanoengineering of reconfigurable domain
walls. Using specially designed nanofabricated electrodes and scanning probe
techniques, we demonstrate a prototype nonvolatile ferroelectric domain wall
memory, scalable to below 100 nm, whose binary state is defined by the existence
or absence of conductive walls. The device can be read out nondestructively at
moderate voltages (<3 V), exhibits relatively high OFF-ON ratios (~103) with
excellent endurance and retention characteristics, and has multilevel data
storage capacity. Our work thus constitutes an important step toward integrated
nanoscale ferroelectric domain wall memory devices.
PMID- 28691101
TI - Advancing Discontinuous Fiber-Reinforced Composites above Critical Length for
Replacing Current Dental Composites and Amalgam.
AB - Clinicians have been aware that posterior dental particulate-filled composites
(PFCs) have many placement disadvantages and indeed fail clinically at an average
rate faster than amalgam alloys. Secondary caries is most commonly identified as
the chief failure mechanism for both dental PFCs and amalgam. In terms of a
solution, fiber-reinforced composites (FRCs) above critical length (Lc) can
provide mechanical property safety factors with compound molding packing
qualities to reduce many problems associated with dental PFCs. Discontinuous
chopped fibers above the necessary Lc have been incorporated into dental PFCs to
make consolidated molding compounds that can be tested for comparisons with PFC
controls on mechanical properties, wear resistance, void-defect occurrence and
packing ability to reestablish the interproximal contact. Further, imaging
characterizations can aid in providing comparisons for FRCs with other materials
using scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and photographs.
Also, the amalgam filling material has finally been tested by appropriate ASTM
flexural bending methods that eliminate shear failure associated with short span
lengths in dental standards for comparison with dental PFCs to best explain
increased longevity for the amalgam when compared to dental PFCs. Accurate
mechanical tests also provide significant proof for superior advantages with
FRCs. Mechanical properties tested included flexural strength, yield strength,
modulus, resilience, work of fracture, critical strain energy release and
critical stress intensity factor. FRC molding compounds with fibers above Lc
extensively improve all mechanical properties over PFC dental paste and over the
amalgam for all mechanical properties except modulus. The dental PFC also
demonstrated superior mechanical properties over the amalgam except modulus to
provide a better explanation for increased PFC failure due to secondary caries.
With lower PFC modulus, increased adhesive bond breakage is expected from greater
interlaminar shearing as the PFC accentuates straining deflections compared to
amalgam at the higher modulus tooth enamel margins during loading. Preliminary
testing for experimental FRCs with fibers above Lc demonstrated three-body wear
even less than enamel to reduce the possibility of marginal ditching as a factor
in secondary caries seen with both PFCs and amalgam. Further, FRC molding
compounds with chopped fibers above Lc properly impregnated with photocure resin
can pack with condensing forces higher than the amalgam to eliminate voids in the
proximal box commonly seen with dental PFCs and reestablish interproximal
contacts better than amalgam. Subsequent higher FRC packing forces can aid in
squeezing monomer, resin, particulate and nanofibers deeper into adhesive
mechanical bond retention sites and then leave a higher concentration of
insoluble fibers and particulate as moisture barriers at the cavity margins.
Also, FRC molding compounds can incorporate triclosan antimicrobial and maintain
a strong packing condensing force that cannot be accomplished with PFCs which
form a sticky gluey consistency with triclosan. In addition, large FRC packing
forces allow higher concentrations of the hydrophobic ethoxylated bis phenol A
dimethacrylate (BisEMA) low-viscosity oligomer resin that reduces water sorption
and solubility to then still maintain excellent consistency. Therefore, photocure
molding compounds with fibers above Lc appear to have many exceptional properties
and design capabilities as improved alternatives for replacing both PFCs and
amalgam alloys in restorative dental care.
PMID- 28691102
TI - DCE-MRI Texture Features for Early Prediction of Breast Cancer Therapy Response.
AB - This study investigates the effectiveness of hundreds of texture features
extracted from voxel-based dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging
(DCE-MRI) parametric maps for early prediction of breast cancer response to
neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). In total, 38 patients with breast cancer
underwent DCE-MRI before (baseline) and after the first of the 6-8 NAC cycles.
Quantitative pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters and semiquantitative metrics were
estimated from DCE-MRI time-course data. The residual cancer burden (RCB) index
value was computed based on pathological analysis of surgical specimens after NAC
completion. In total, 1043 texture features were extracted from each of the 13
parametric maps of quantitative PK or semiquantitative metric, and their
capabilities for early prediction of RCB were examined by correlating feature
changes between the 2 MRI studies with RCB. There were 1069 pairs of feature-map
combinations that showed effectiveness for response prediction with 4 correlation
coefficients >0.7. The 3-dimensional gray-level cooccurrence matrix was the most
effective feature extraction method for therapy response prediction, and, in
general, the statistical features describing texture heterogeneity were the most
effective features. Quantitative PK parameters, particularly those estimated with
the shutter-speed model, were more likely to generate effective features for
prediction response compared with the semiquantitative metrics. The best feature
map pair could predict pathologic complete response with 100% sensitivity and
100% specificity using our cohort. In conclusion, breast tumor heterogeneity in
microvasculature as measured by texture features of voxel-based DCE-MRI
parametric maps could be a useful biomarker for early prediction of NAC response.
PMID- 28691103
TI - Role of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease as risk factor for drug-induced
hepatotoxicity.
AB - BACKGROUND: Obesity is often associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
(NAFLD), which refers to a large spectrum of hepatic lesions including fatty
liver, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and cirrhosis. Different
investigations showed or suggested that obesity and NAFLD are able to increase
the risk of hepatotoxicity of different drugs. Some of these drugs could induce
more frequently an acute hepatitis in obese individuals whereas others could
worsen pre-existing NAFLD. AIM: The main objective of the present review was to
collect the available information regarding the role of NAFLD as risk factor for
drug-induced hepatotoxicity. For this purpose, we performed a data-mining
analysis using different queries including drug-induced liver injury (or DILI),
drug-induced hepatotoxicity, fatty liver, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (or
NAFLD), steatosis and obesity. The main data from the collected articles are
reported in this review and when available, some pathophysiological hypotheses
are put forward. RELEVANCE FOR PATIENTS: Drugs that could pose a potential risk
in obese patients include compounds belonging to different pharmacological
classes such as acetaminophen, halothane, methotrexate, rosiglitazone, stavudine
and tamoxifen. For some of these drugs, experimental investigations in obese
rodents confirmed the clinical observations and unveiled different
pathophysiological mechanisms which could explain why these pharmaceuticals are
particularly hepatotoxic in obesity and NAFLD. Other drugs such as
pentoxifylline, phenobarbital and omeprazole might also pose a risk but more
investigations are required to determine whether this risk is significant or not.
Because obese people often take several drugs for the treatment of different
obesity-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia and coronary
heart disease, it is urgent to identify the main pharmaceuticals that can cause
acute hepatitis on a fatty liver background or induce NAFLD worsening.
PMID- 28691105
TI - Bottom-up Gamma: the Pedunculopontine Nucleus and Reticular Activating System.
AB - Gamma rhythms have been proposed to promote the feed forward or "bottom-up" flow
of information from lower to higher regions in the brain during perception. On
the other hand, beta rhythms have been proposed to represent feed back or "top
down" influence from higher regions to lower. The pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN)
has been implicated in sleep-wake control and arousal, and is part of the
reticular activating system (RAS). This review describes the properties of the
cells in this nucleus. These properties are unique, and perhaps it is the
particular characteristics of these cells that allow the PPN to be involved in a
host of functions and disorders. The fact that all PPN neurons fire maximally at
gamma band frequency regardless of electrophysiological or transmitter type, make
this an unusual cell group. In other regions, for example in the cortex, cells
with such a property represent only a sub-population. More importantly, the fact
that this cell group's functions are related to the capacity to generate coherent
activity at a preferred natural frequency, gamma band, speaks volumes about how
the PPN functions. We propose that "bottom-up" gamma band influence arises in the
RAS and contributes to the build-up of the background of activity necessary for
preconscious awareness and gamma activity at cortical levels.
PMID- 28691104
TI - Genetic and epigenetic modifications in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy:
a molecular link to regulate gene expression.
AB - Intensification in the frequency of diabetes and the associated vascular
complications has been a root cause of blindness and visual impairment worldwide.
One such vascular complication which has been the prominent cause of blindness;
retinal vasculature, neuronal and glial abnormalities is diabetic retinopathy
(DR), a chronic complicated outcome of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. It has also
become clear that "genetic" variations in population alone can't explain the
development and progression of diabetes and its complications including DR. DR
experiences engagement of foremost mediators of diabetes such as hyperglycemia,
oxidant stress, and inflammatory factors that lead to the dysregulation of
"epigenetic" mechanisms involving histone acetylation and histone and DNA
methylation, chromatin remodeling and expression of a complex set of stress
regulated and disease-associated genes. In addition, both elevated glucose
concentration and insulin resistance leave a robust effect on epigenetic
reprogramming of the endothelial cells too, since endothelium associated with the
eye aids in maintaining the vascular homeostasis. Furthermore, several studies
conducted on the disease suggest that the modifications of the epigenome might be
the fundamental mechanism(s) for the proposed metabolic memory' resulting into
prolonged gene expression for inflammation and cellular dysfunction even after
attaining the glycemic control in diabetics. Henceforth, the present review
focuses on the aspects of genetic and epigenetic alterations in genes such as
vascular endothelial growth factor and aldose reductase considered being
associated with DR. In addition, we discuss briefly the role of the thioredoxin
interacting protein TXNIP, which is strongly induced by high glucose and
diabetes, in cellular oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction potentially
leading to chromatin remodeling and ocular complications of diabetes. The
identification of disease-associated genes and their epigenetic regulations will
lead to potential new drugs and gene therapies as well as personalized medicine
to prevent or slow down the progression of DR.
PMID- 28691106
TI - Recombinant myostatin reduces highly expressed microRNAs in differentiating C2C12
cells.
AB - Myostatin is small glycopeptide that is produced and secreted by skeletal muscle.
It is a potent negative regulator of muscle growth that has been associated with
conditions of frailty. In C2C12 cells, myostatin limits cell differentiation.
Myostatin acts through activin receptor IIB, activin receptor-like kinase (ALK)
and Smad transcription factors. microRNAs (miRNA) are short, 22 base pair
nucleotides that bind to the 3' UTR of target mRNA to repress translation or
reduce mRNA stability. In the present study, expression in differentiating C2C12
cells of the myomiRs miR-1 and 133a were down-regulated following treatment with
1 MUg of recombinant myostatin at 1 d post-induction of differentiation while all
myomiRs (miR-1, 133a/b and 206) were upregulated by SB431542, a potent ALK4/5/7
inhibitor which reduces Smad2 signaling, at 1 d and all, with the exception of
miR-206, were upregulated by SB431542 at 3 d. The expression of the muscle
enriched miR-486 was greater following treatment with SB431542 but not altered by
myostatin. Other highly expressed miRNAs in skeletal muscle, miR-23a/b and 145,
were altered only at 1 d post-induction of differentiation. miR-27b responded
differently to treatments at 1 d, where it was upregulated, as compared to 3 d,
where it was downregulated. Neither myostatin nor SB431542 altered cell size or
cell morphology. The data indicate that myostatin represses myomiR expression in
differentiating C2C12 cells and that inhibition of Smad signaling with SB431542
can result in large changes in highly expressed miRNAs in differentiating
myoblasts.
PMID- 28691107
TI - Network-based approaches that exploit inferred transcription factor activity to
analyze the impact of genetic variation on gene expression.
AB - Over the past decade, a number of methods have emerged for inferring protein
level transcription factor activities in individual samples based on prior
information about the structure of the gene regulatory network. We discuss how
this has enabled new methods for dissecting trans-acting mechanisms that underpin
genetic variation in gene expression.
PMID- 28691108
TI - Jetting of a shear banding fluid in rectangular ducts.
AB - Non-Newtonian fluids are susceptible to flow instabilities such as shear banding,
in which the fluid may exhibit a markedly discontinuous viscosity at a critical
stress. Here we report the characteristics and causes of a jetting flow
instability of shear banding wormlike micelle solutions in microfluidic channels
with rectangular cross sections over an intermediate volumetric flow regime.
Particle-tracking methods are used to measure the three-dimensional flow field in
channels of differing aspect ratios, sizes, and wall materials. When jetting
occurs, it is self-contained within a portion of the channel where the flow
velocity is greater than the surroundings. We observe that the instability forms
in channels with aspect ratio greater than 5, and that the location of the high
velocity jet appears to be sensitive to stress localizations. Jetting is not
observed in a lower concentration solution without shear banding. Simulations
using the Johnson-Segalman viscoelastic model show a qualitatively similar
behavior to the experimental observations and indicate that compressive normal
stresses in the cross-stream directions support the development of the jetting
flow. Our results show that nonuniform flow of shear thinning fluids can develop
across the wide dimension in rectangular microfluidic channels, with implications
for microfluidic rheometry.
PMID- 28691109
TI - Direct imaging of coexisting ordered and frustrated sublattices in artificial
ferromagnetic quasicrystals.
AB - We have used scanning electron microscopy with polarization analysis and
photoemission electron microscopy to image the two-dimensional magnetization of
permalloy films patterned into Penrose P2 tilings (P2T). The interplay of
exchange interactions in asymmetrically coordinated vertices and short-range
dipole interactions among connected film segments stabilize magnetically ordered,
spatially distinct sublattices that coexist with frustrated sublattices at room
temperature. Numerical simulations that include long-range dipole interactions
between sublattices agree with images of as-grown P2T samples and predict a
magnetically ordered ground state for a two-dimensional quasicrystal lattice of
classical Ising spins.
PMID- 28691110
TI - Optimization of Glutaraldehyde Vapor Treatment for Electrospun Collagen/Silk
Tissue Engineering Scaffolds.
AB - Freestanding fibrous matrices with proper protein composition and desirable
mechanical properties, stability, and biocompatibility are in high demand for
tissue engineering. Electrospun (E-spun) collagen-silk composite fibers are
promising tissue engineering scaffolds. However, as-spun fibers are mechanically
weak and unstable. In this work, we applied glutaraldehyde (GA) vapor treatment
to improve the fiber performance, and the effect on the properties of E-spun
collagen-silk fibers was studied systematically. GA treatment was found to affect
collagen and silk distinctively. Whereas GA chemically links collagen peptides,
it induces conformational transitions to enrich beta-sheets in silk. The combined
effects impose a control of the mechanical properties, stability, and
degradability of the composite fibers, which are dependent on the extent of GA
treatment. In addition, a mild treatment of the fibers did not diminish cell
proliferation and viability. However, overly treated fibers demonstrated reduced
cell-matrix adhesion. The understanding of GA treatment effects on collagen,
silk, and the composite fibers enables effective control and fine tuning of the
fiber properties to warrant their diverse in vitro and in vivo applications.
PMID- 28691111
TI - Density Functional Calculations for Prediction of 57Fe Mossbauer Isomer Shifts
and Quadrupole Splittings in beta-Diketiminate Complexes.
AB - The relative ease of Mossbauer spectroscopy and of density functional theory
(DFT) calculations encourages the use of Mossbauer parameters as a validation
method for calculations, and the use of calculations as a double check on
crystallographic structures. A number of studies have proposed correlations
between the computationally determined electron density at the iron nucleus and
the observed isomer shift, but deviations from these correlations in low-valent
iron beta-diketiminate complexes encouraged us to determine a new correlation for
these compounds. The use of B3LYP/def2-TZVP in the ORCA platform provides an
excellent balance of accuracy and speed. We provide here not only this new
correlation and a clear guide to its use but also a systematic analysis of the
limitations of this approach. We also highlight the impact of crystallographic
inaccuracies, DFT model truncation, and spin states, with intent to assist
experimentalists to use Mossbauer spectroscopy and calculations together.
PMID- 28691112
TI - ALD Al2O3-Coated TiO2 Nanotube Layers as Anodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries.
AB - The utilization of the anodic TiO2 nanotube layers, with uniform Al2O3 coatings
of different thicknesses (prepared by atomic layer deposition, ALD), as the new
electrode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), is reported herein.
Electrodes with very thin Al2O3 coatings (~1 nm) show a superior electrochemical
performance for use in LIBs compared to that of the uncoated TiO2 nanotube
layers. A more than 2 times higher areal capacity is received on these coated
TiO2 nanotube layers (~75 vs 200 MUAh/cm2) as well as higher rate capability and
coulombic efficiency of the charging and discharging reactions. Reasons for this
can be attributed to an increased mechanical stability of the TiO2 nanotube
layers upon Al2O3 coating, as well as to an enhanced diffusion of the Li+ ions
within the coated nanotube layers. In contrast, thicker ALD Al2O3 coatings result
in a blocking of the electrode surface and therefore an areal capacity decrease.
PMID- 28691113
TI - Experimental Errors in QSAR Modeling Sets: What We Can Do and What We Cannot Do.
AB - Numerous chemical data sets have become available for quantitative structure
activity relationship (QSAR) modeling studies. However, the quality of different
data sources may be different based on the nature of experimental protocols.
Therefore, potential experimental errors in the modeling sets may lead to the
development of poor QSAR models and further affect the predictions of new
compounds. In this study, we explored the relationship between the ratio of
questionable data in the modeling sets, which was obtained by simulating
experimental errors, and the QSAR modeling performance. To this end, we used
eight data sets (four continuous endpoints and four categorical endpoints) that
have been extensively curated both in-house and by our collaborators to create
over 1800 various QSAR models. Each data set was duplicated to create several new
modeling sets with different ratios of simulated experimental errors (i.e.,
randomizing the activities of part of the compounds) in the modeling process. A
fivefold cross-validation process was used to evaluate the modeling performance,
which deteriorates when the ratio of experimental errors increases. All of the
resulting models were also used to predict external sets of new compounds, which
were excluded at the beginning of the modeling process. The modeling results
showed that the compounds with relatively large prediction errors in cross
validation processes are likely to be those with simulated experimental errors.
However, after removing a certain number of compounds with large prediction
errors in the cross-validation process, the external predictions of new compounds
did not show improvement. Our conclusion is that the QSAR predictions, especially
consensus predictions, can identify compounds with potential experimental errors.
But removing those compounds by the cross-validation procedure is not a
reasonable means to improve model predictivity due to overfitting.
PMID- 28691114
TI - Structure and Dynamics of Type III Secretion Effector Protein ExoU As determined
by SDSL-EPR Spectroscopy in Conjunction with De Novo Protein Folding.
AB - ExoU is a 74 kDa cytotoxin that undergoes substantial conformational changes as
part of its function, that is, it has multiple thermodynamically stable
conformations that interchange depending on its environment. Such flexible
proteins pose unique challenges to structural biology: (1) not only is it often
difficult to determine structures by X-ray crystallography for all biologically
relevant conformations because of the flat energy landscape (2) but also
experimental conditions can easily perturb the biologically relevant
conformation. The first challenge can be overcome by applying orthogonal
structural biology techniques that are capable of observing alternative,
biologically relevant conformations. The second challenge can be addressed by
determining the structure in the same biological state with two independent
techniques under different experimental conditions. If both techniques converge
to the same structural model, the confidence that an unperturbed biologically
relevant conformation is observed increases. To this end, we determine the
structure of the C-terminal domain of the effector protein, ExoU, from data
obtained by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy in conjunction with site
directed spin labeling and in silico de novo structure determination. Our
protocol encompasses a multimodule approach, consisting of low-resolution
topology sampling, clustering, and high-resolution refinement. The resulting
model was compared with an ExoU model in complex with its chaperone SpcU obtained
previously by X-ray crystallography. The two models converged to a minimal
RMSD100 of 3.2 A, providing evidence that the unbound structure of ExoU matches
the fold observed in complex with SpcU.
PMID- 28691115
TI - Toward a Digital Thread and Data Package for Metals-Additive Manufacturing.
AB - Additive manufacturing (AM) has been envisioned by many as a driving factor of
the next industrial revolution. Potential benefits of AM adoption include the
production of low-volume, customized, complicated parts/products, supply chain
efficiencies, shortened time-to-market, and environmental sustainability. Work
remains, however, for AM to reach the status of a full production-ready
technology. Whereas the ability to create unique 3D geometries has been generally
proven, production challenges remain, including lack of (1) data manageability
through information management systems, (2) traceability to promote product
producibility, process repeatability, and part-to-part reproducibility, and (3)
accountability through mature certification and qualification methodologies. To
address these challenges in part, this paper discusses the building of data
models to support the development of validation and conformance methodologies in
AM. We present an AM information map that leverages informatics to facilitate
part producibility, process repeatability, and part-to-part reproducibility in an
AM process. We present three separate case studies to demonstrate the importance
of establishing baseline data structures and part provenance through an AM
digital thread.
PMID- 28691116
TI - QOL and Survival Comparisons by Race in Oncology Clinical Trials.
AB - BACKGROUND: Significant efforts have been made to increase access and accrual to
clinical trials for minority cancer patients (MP). This meta-analysis looked for
differences in survival and baseline quality of life (QOL) between MP and non
minority cancer patients (NMP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Baseline QOL and overall
survival times from 47 clinical trials (6513 patients) conducted at Mayo Clinic
Cancer Center/North Central Cancer Treatment Group were utilized. Assessments
included Uniscale, Linear Analogue Self Assessment, Symptom Distress Scale (SDS),
Profile of Mood States and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - General,
each transformed into a 0-100 scale with higher scores indicating better
outcomes. This transformation involves subtracting the lowest possible value from
the assessment, dividing by the range of the scale (the maximum minus the
minimum), and multiplying by 100. Analyses included Fisher's Exact tests, linear
regression, Kaplan-Meier curves, and Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS:
Eight percent of patients self-reported as MP (0.45% American Indian/Alaskan
Native, 0.7% Asian, 5% Black/African American, 1.5% Hispanic, 0.1% Native
Hawaiian and 0.3% Other). MP had no meaningful deficits relative to non-MP in
overall QOL but were slightly worse on FACT-G total score, physical,
social/family, functional, and SDS nausea severity. MP with lung, neurological or
GI cancers had significantly worse mean scores in nausea (58 vs. 69), sleep
problems (34 vs. 54); emotional (53 vs. 74); and social/family (60 vs. 67),
respectively. Regression models confirmed these results. After adjusting for
disease site, there were no significant differences in survival. CONCLUSION: MP
on these clinical trials indicated small deficits in physical, social, and
emotional subscales at baseline compared to NMP. Within cancer sites, MP
experienced large deficits for selected QOL domains that bear further attention.
PMID- 28691117
TI - Angiotensin-(1-7) and the Regulation of Anti-Fibrotic Signaling Pathways.
PMID- 28691118
TI - Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Reveals Exercise-Induced Perfusion Deficits in
Claudicants.
AB - BACKGROUND: Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasonography (CEUS) is an imaging modality
allowing perfusion quantification in targeted regions of interest of the lower
extremity that has not been possible with color-flow imaging or with measurement
of ankle brachial indices. We developed a protocol to quantify lower extremity
muscle perfusion impairment in PAD patients in response to exercise. METHODS AND
FINDINGS: Thirteen patients with Rutherford Class I-III Peripheral Arterial
Disease (PAD) and no prior revascularization procedures were recruited from the
Baltimore Veterans Affairs Medical Center and compared with eight control
patients without PAD. CEUS interrogation of the index limb gastrocnemius muscle
was performed using an intravenous bolus of lipid-stabilized microsphere contrast
before and after a standardized treadmill protocol. Peak perfusion (PEAK) and
time to peak perfusion (TTP) were measured before and after exercise. Between and
within group differences were assessed. Control subjects demonstrated a more
rapid TTP (p<0.01) and an increase in peak perfusion (PEAK, p=0.02) after
exercise, when compared to their baseline measures. Patients with PAD
demonstrated TTP and PEAK measures equivalent to controls at baseline (p=0.39,
p=0.71, respectively). However, they exhibited no significant exercise-induced
changes in perfusion (TTP p=0.49 and PEAK 0.67, respectively compared to
baseline). After exercise, normal subjects had significantly shorter TTP (p=0.04)
and greater PEAK (p=0.02) than PAD patients. CONCLUSION: Consistent with their
lack of ischemic symptoms at rest, class I to III claudicant PAD patients showed
similar perfusion measures (TTP and PEAK) at rest. PAD patients, however, were
unable to increase perfusion in response to exercise, whereas controls increased
perfusion significantly. This corresponds with claudication and limited walking
capacity observed in PAD. CEUS with bolus injection offers a convenient,
objective, quantitative and visual physiologic assessment of perfusion limitation
in specific muscle groups of PAD patients. This has the potential for substantial
clinical and research utility.
PMID- 28691119
TI - A Mobile Food Record For Integrated Dietary Assessment.
AB - This paper presents an integrated dietary assessment system based on food image
analysis that uses mobile devices or smartphones. We describe two components of
our integrated system: a mobile application and an image-based food nutrient
database that is connected to the mobile application. An easy-to-use mobile
application user interface is described that was designed based on user
preferences as well as the requirements of the image analysis methods. The user
interface is validated by user feedback collected from several studies. Food
nutrient and image databases are also described which facilitates image-based
dietary assessment and enable dietitians and other healthcare professionals to
monitor patients dietary intake in real-time. The system has been tested and
validated in several user studies involving more than 500 users who took more
than 60,000 food images under controlled and community-dwelling conditions.
PMID- 28691120
TI - Gaps Analysis of Integrating Product Design, Manufacturing, and Quality Data in
The Supply Chain Using Model-Based Definition.
AB - Advances in information technology triggered a digital revolution that holds
promise of reduced costs, improved productivity, and higher quality. To ride this
wave of innovation, manufacturing enterprises are changing how product
definitions are communicated - from paper to models. To achieve industry's vision
of the Model-Based Enterprise (MBE), the MBE strategy must include model-based
data interoperability from design to manufacturing and quality in the supply
chain. The Model-Based Definition (MBD) is created by the original equipment
manufacturer (OEM) using Computer-Aided Design (CAD) tools. This information is
then shared with the supplier so that they can manufacture and inspect the
physical parts. Today, suppliers predominantly use Computer-Aided Manufacturing
(CAM) and Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) models for these tasks.
Traditionally, the OEM has provided design data to the supplier in the form of
two-dimensional (2D) drawings, but may also include a three-dimensional (3D)
shape-geometry model, often in a standards-based format such as ISO 10303
203:2011 (STEP AP203). The supplier then creates the respective CAM and CMM
models and machine programs to produce and inspect the parts. In the MBE vision
for model-based data exchange, the CAD model must include product-and
manufacturing information (PMI) in addition to the shape geometry. Today's CAD
tools can generate models with embedded PMI. And, with the emergence of STEP
AP242, a standards-based model with embedded PMI can now be shared downstream.
The on-going research detailed in this paper seeks to investigate three concepts.
First, that the ability to utilize a STEP AP242 model with embedded PMI for CAD
to-CAM and CAD-to-CMM data exchange is possible and valuable to the overall goal
of a more efficient process. Second, the research identifies gaps in tools,
standards, and processes that inhibit industry's ability to cost-effectively
achieve model-based-data interoperability in the pursuit of the MBE vision.
Finally, it also seeks to explore the interaction between CAD and CMM processes
and determine if the concept of feedback from CAM and CMM back to CAD is
feasible. The main goal of our study is to test the hypothesis that model-based
data interoperability from CAD-to-CAM and CAD-to-CMM is feasible through
standards-based integration. This paper presents several barriers to model-based
data interoperability. Overall, the project team demonstrated the exchange of
product definition data between CAD, CAM, and CMM systems using standards-based
methods. While gaps in standards coverage were identified, the gaps should not
stop industry's progress toward MBE. The results of our study provide evidence in
support of an open-standards method to model-based-data interoperability, which
would provide maximum value and impact to industry.
PMID- 28691121
TI - AUTOMATING ASSET KNOWLEDGE WITH MTCONNECT.
AB - In order to maximize assets, manufacturers should use real-time knowledge
garnered from ongoing and continuous collection and evaluation of factory-floor
machine status data. In discrete parts manufacturing, factory machine monitoring
has been difficult, due primarily to closed, proprietary automation equipment
that make integration difficult. Recently, there has been a push in applying the
data acquisition concepts of MTConnect to the real-time acquisition of machine
status data. MTConnect is an open, free specification aimed at overcoming the
"Islands of Automation" dilemma on the shop floor. With automated asset analysis,
manufacturers can improve production to become lean, efficient, and effective.
The focus of this paper will be on the deployment of MTConnect to collect real
time machine status to automate asset management. In addition, we will leverage
the ISO 22400 standard, which defines an asset and quantifies asset performance
metrics. In conjunction with these goals, the deployment of MTConnect in a large
aerospace manufacturing facility will be studied with emphasis on asset
management and understanding the impact of machine Overall Equipment
Effectiveness (OEE) on manufacturing.
PMID- 28691122
TI - Automated morphological analysis of clinical language samples.
AB - Quantitative analysis of clinical language samples is a powerful tool for
assessing and screening developmental language impairments, but requires
extensive manual transcription, annotation, and calculation, resulting in error
prone results and clinical underutilization. We describe a system that performs
automated morphological analysis needed to calculate statistics such as the mean
length of utterance in morphemes (MLUM), so that these statistics can be computed
directly from orthographic transcripts. Estimates of MLUM computed by this system
are closely comparable to those produced by manual annotation. Our system can be
used in conjunction with other automated annotation techniques, such as maze
detection. This work represents an important first step towards increased
automation of language sample analysis, and towards attendant benefits of
automation, including clinical greater utilization and reduced variability in
care delivery.
PMID- 28691123
TI - Similarity Measures for Quantifying Restrictive and Repetitive Behavior in
Conversations of Autistic Children.
AB - Restrictive and repetitive behavior (RRB) is a core symptom of autism spectrum
disorder (ASD) and are manifest in language. Based on this, we expect children
with autism to talk about fewer topics, and more repeatedly, during their
conversations. We thus hypothesize a higher semantic overlap ratio between
dialogue turns in children with ASD compared to those with typical development
(TD). Participants of this study include children ages 4-8, 44 with TD and 25
with ASD without language impairment. We apply several semantic similarity
metrics to the children's dialogue turns in semi-structured conversations with
examiners. We find that children with ASD have significantly more semantically
overlapping turns than children with TD, across different turn intervals. These
results support our hypothesis, and could provide a convenient and robust ASD
specific behavioral marker.
PMID- 28691124
TI - Measuring Changes in Gait and Vehicle Transfer Ability During Inpatient
Rehabilitation with Wearable Inertial Sensors.
AB - Restoration of functional independence in gait and vehicle transfer ability is a
common goal of inpatient rehabilitation. Currently, ambulation changes tend to be
subjectively assessed. To investigate more precise objective assessment of
progress in inpatient rehabilitation, we quantitatively assessed gait and
transfer performances over the course of rehabilitation with wearable inertial
sensors for 20 patients receiving inpatient rehabilitation services. Secondarily,
we asked physical therapists to provide feedback about the clinical utility of
metrics derived from the sensors. Participant performance was recorded on a
sequence of ambulatory tasks that closely resemble everyday activities. We
developed a custom software system to process sensor signals and compute metrics
that characterize ambulation performance. We quantify changes in gait and
transfer ability by performing a repeated measures comparison of the metrics one
week apart. Metrics showing the greatest improvement are walking speed, stride
regularity, acceleration root mean square, walking smoothness, shank peak angular
velocity, and shank range of motion. Furthermore, feedback from physical
therapists suggests that wearable sensor-derived metrics can potentially provide
rehabilitation therapists with additional valuable information to aid in
treatment decisions.
PMID- 28691125
TI - Quantifying the Impact of Non-coding Variants on Transcription Factor-DNA
Binding.
AB - Many recent studies have emphasized the importance of genetic variants and
mutations in cancer and other complex human diseases. The overwhelming majority
of these variants occur in non-coding portions of the genome, where they can have
a functional impact by disrupting regulatory interactions between transcription
factors (TFs) and DNA. Here, we present a method for assessing the impact of non
coding mutations on TF-DNA interactions, based on regression models of DNA
binding specificity trained on high-throughput in vitro data. We use ordinary
least squares (OLS) to estimate the parameters of the binding model for each TF,
and we show that our predictions of TF-binding changes due to DNA mutations
correlate well with measured changes in gene expression. In addition, by
leveraging distributional results associated with OLS estimation, for each
predicted change in TF binding we also compute a normalized score (z-score) and a
significance value (p-value) reflecting our confidence that the mutation affects
TF binding. We use this approach to analyze a large set of pathogenic non-coding
variants, and we show that these variants lead to significant differences in TF
binding between alleles, compared to a control set of common variants. Thus, our
results indicate that there is a strong regulatory component to the pathogenic
non-coding variants identified thus far.
PMID- 28691126
TI - Automatic detection of pragmatic deficits in children with autism.
AB - Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by atypical and idiosyncratic
language, which often has its roots in pragmatic deficits. Identifying and
measuring pragmatic language ability is challenging and requires substantial
clinical expertise. In this paper, we present a method for automatically
identifying pragmatically inappropriate language in narratives using two features
related to relevance and topicality. These features, which are derived using
techniques from machine translation and information retrieval, are able to
distinguish the narratives from children with ASD from those of their language
matched peers and may prove useful in the development of automated screening
tools for autism and neurodevelopmental disorders.
PMID- 28691127
TI - Selenium nanoparticles with low-level ionizing radiation exposure ameliorate
nicotine-induced inflammatory impairment in rat kidney.
AB - Occupational exposure to low-level ionizing radiation (<1 Gy) was shown to
enhance cell protection via attenuating an established inflammatory process.
Nicotine, a major toxic component of cigarette smoke, is responsible for smoking
mediated renal dysfunction. The present study was therefore aimed to investigate
the protective impact of ginger Zingiber officinale selenium nanoparticles
(SeNPs) with whole-body low-dose gamma radiation (gamma-R) against nicotine
induced nephrotoxicity in male albino rats. Nicotine intoxication was induced
with 0.5 mg/kg BW. Rats received 0.1 mg SeNPs/kg BW by gastric gavage concomitant
with 0.5 Gy gamma-R over 4 weeks. Characterization studies showed the formation
of spherical SeNPs with a size ranged from 10 to 30 nm in diameter with a thin
film encapsulating the nanoballs. Our data revealed that nicotine induced renal
dysfunction manifested by significant abnormal levels of kidney function markers
(creatinine, urea, sodium and potassium) accompanied by increased levels of
malondialdehyde along with a reduction in glutathione level, glutathione
peroxidase, and glutathione S-transferase activities. It is worthy to note that
nicotine toxicity induced significant increments in serum inflammatory markers:
tumor necrosis factor-alpha and vascular cell adhesion protein 1. Western
blotting showed marked significant elevation in caspase-3 activities against
nicotine. The mRNA gene expression of inducible cyclooxygenase-2 gene was highly
increased with nicotine intoxication while that of cyclooxygenase-1 did not show
any changes. Interestingly, our data demonstrated that SeNPs in synergistic
interaction with gamma-R are efficacious control against nicotine-induced
nephrotoxicity via anti-oxidant-mediated anti-inflammatory activities. Thus, it
is tempting to recommend dietary approaches with ginger SeNPs for smokers at
workplaces exposed occupationally and regularly to low-level ionizing radiation.
PMID- 28691128
TI - Virulent strain of African swine fever virus eclipses its attenuated derivative
after challenge.
AB - African swine fever (ASF) is one of the most devastating diseases affecting the
swine industry worldwide. No effective vaccine is currently available for disease
prevention and control. Although live attenuated vaccines (LAV) have demonstrated
great potential for immunizing against homologous strains of African swine fever
virus (ASFV), adverse reactions from LAV remain a concern. Here, by using a
homologous ASFV Congo strain system, we show passage-attenuated Congo LAV to
induce an efficient protective immune response against challenge with the
virulent parental Congo strain. Notably, only the parental challenge Congo strain
was identified in blood and organs of recovered pigs through B602L gene PCR, long
range PCR, nucleotide sequencing and virus isolation. Thus, despite the great
protective potential of homologous attenuated ASFV strain, the challenge Congo
strain can persist for weeks in recovered pigs and a recrudescence of virulent
virus at late time post-challenge may occur.
PMID- 28691129
TI - Preponderance of enterovirus C in RD-L20B-cell-culture-negative stool samples
from children diagnosed with acute flaccid paralysis in Nigeria.
AB - Recently, a reverse transcriptase semi-nested polymerase chain reaction (RT
snPCR) assay was recommended by the WHO for direct detection of enteroviruses in
clinical specimens. In this study, we use this assay and a modification thereof
to screen acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) samples that had previously tested
negative for enteroviruses by the RD-L20B algorithm. Thirty paired stool
suspensions collected in 2015 as part of the national AFP surveillance program in
different states of Nigeria were analyzed in this study. The samples had
previously tested negative for enteroviruses in the polio laboratory in
accordance with the WHO-recommended RD-L20B-cell-culture-based algorithm. Two
samples that had previously been found to contain enteroviruses were included as
positive controls. All samples were subjected to RNA extraction, the RT-snPCR
assay and a modified version of the RT-snPCR. All amplicons were sequenced, and
enteroviruses were identified using the enterovirus genotyping tool and
phylogenetic analysis. Amplicons were recovered from the two controls and 50%
(15/30) of the samples screened. Fourteen were successfully typed, of which, 7.1%
(1/14), 21.4% (3/14), 64.3% (9/14) and 7.1% (1/14) were enterovirus (EV) -A, EV
B, EV-C and a mixture of EV-B and C (EV-C99 and E25), respectively. The two
controls were identified as EV-C99 and coxsackievirus (CV) -A1, both of which
belong to the species Enterovirus C. In one sample, poliovirus serotype 2 was
detected and found to have the VP1 ILE143 variation and was therefore identified
as a vaccine strain. The results of this study showed that significant proportion
of enterovirus infections (including some with Sabin PV2) are being missed by the
RD-L20B-cell-culture-based algorithm, thus highlighting the value of the RT-snPCR
assay and its modifications. The circulation and preponderance of EV-C in Nigeria
was also confirmed.
PMID- 28691130
TI - Young and advanced tumor-some 2D electrodynamic distinctions: melanoma and
satellite during a vascular occlusion test: feasibility study.
AB - Conventional methods of electrobioimpedance imaging are not suited for adequate
visualization of the skin electrical impedance landscape (SEL) because they do
not provide high spatial resolution at large enough area of view. The skin
electrodynamics introscopy (SEI) enabled dynamic spectral imaging of the SEL at
32 * 64 mm2 area with 1 mm spatial resolution. The focus of the study was to
investigate the SEL distinguishing features between early and advanced-stage
cancer at the model object of melanoma and its satellite. The analysis of the
test-induced SEL metamorphoses was carried out at the periods of blood-stop and
blood-restoration. It was found that the young tumor could be reliably visualized
and distinguished by its antiphase hypoxia-induced response as compared to that
of the advanced one. In response to the blood-restoration, an appearance of newly
formed SEL clusters pointed out apparently at vascular abnormalities associated
with the tumor. Similar SEL clusterization can be supposedly expected in response
to any other test factors which affect cell permeability or/and blood viscosity.
The proposed approach might be useful for more thorough mapping and staging
malignancies.
PMID- 28691131
TI - A survey of context recognition in surgery.
AB - With the introduction of operating rooms of the future context awareness has
gained importance in the surgical environment. This paper organizes and reviews
different approaches for recognition of context in surgery. Major electronic
research databases were queried to obtain relevant publications submitted between
the years 2010 and 2015. Three different types of context were identified: (i)
the surgical workflow context, (ii) surgeon's cognitive and (iii) technical state
context. A total of 52 relevant studies were identified and grouped based on the
type of context detected and sensors used. Different approaches were summarized
to provide recommendations for future research. There is still room for
improvement in terms of methods used and evaluations performed. Machine learning
should be used more extensively to uncover hidden relationships between different
properties of the surgeon's state, particularly when performing cognitive context
recognition. Furthermore, validation protocols should be improved by performing
more evaluations in situ and with a higher number of unique participants. The
paper also provides a structured outline of recent context recognition methods to
facilitate development of new generation context-aware surgical support systems.
PMID- 28691132
TI - Randomized phase II placebo-controlled study to evaluate the efficacy of topical
pure emu oil for joint pain related to adjuvant aromatase inhibitor use in
postmenopausal women with early breast cancer: JUST (Joints Under Study).
AB - PURPOSE: Aromatase inhibitors are standard of care in women with hormone receptor
positive early breast cancer. Published evidence demonstrates that adverse
effects may have an impact on drug compliance, with arthralgias being one of the
most commonly reported adverse effects. METHODS: Eligible patients were
postmenopausal women who had experienced arthralgia following initiation of an
aromatase inhibitor. Patients who experienced arthralgias following a minimum of
a 3-month treatment on the aromatase inhibitor were randomized to emu oil or
placebo oil. The primary endpoint was to assess for a reduction in pain as
measured by a visual analogue score after 8 weeks of treatment. RESULTS: Seventy
three patients comprised the intent-to-treat population, and there was no
statistically significant benefit with use of EO. However, there was a
statistically significant improvement in pain (visual analogue score was -1.28; p
< 0.001) and Brief Pain Inventory severity score -0.88 (p < 0.001), as well as
functional interference (Brief Pain Inventory interference -1.10 (p < 0.001) for
the entire population following an 8-week administration of EO or placebo oil.
CONCLUSIONS: Arthralgias, as a result of aromatase inhibitor use, may be
ameliorated by the use of topical oil massaged onto the joint. Further research
into interventions for this common side effect is needed.
PMID- 28691133
TI - Sleep quality in long-term survivors of head and neck cancer: preliminary
findings.
AB - PURPOSE: This preliminary study evaluated sleep quality in long-term head and
neck cancer survivors, using demographic data and clinical features of the
cancers as assessment criteria. In addition, a possible correlation was examined
between scores on self-rated questionnaires of sleep quality and assessments of
quality of life and oral health status. METHODS: Subjects were 77 head and neck
cancer survivors. Sleep quality was evaluated using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality
Index and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale. Oral and general health status was
assessed using The Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) and the Short-Form Health
Survey (SF-36), respectively, and correlated with clinical parameters. Spearman's
correlation coefficients were calculated to examine relationships between
variables. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent
variables associated with poor sleep quality. RESULTS: Eighty-three percent of
patients had poor sleep quality (global scores >=5) and 40% had a global
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score >=8, indicating significantly poor sleep
quality. Nocturnal enuresis, daytime sleepiness, and early morning awakening were
the most common complaints. Extensive neck dissection, a lower SF-36 mental
component score, and a higher OHIP-14 psychological disability score were
independently associated with poor sleep quality. OHIP-14 global score was linked
independently with daytime sleepiness. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to
demonstrate a high prevalence of poor sleep quality in long-term head and neck
cancer survivors. Extensive neck dissection, poor mental health, and
psychological disability may contribute to poor sleep quality. Maintaining good
oral health-related quality of life could promote better sleep in these patients.
PMID- 28691134
TI - Seizure disorders and developmental disorders: impact on life of affected
families-a structured interview.
AB - : Seizure disorder and developmental disorder are two of the most common chronic
disorders in childhood. Data on perceived parental burden and specific effects on
daily life is scarce. We performed a structured interview, consecutively talking
to all parents of pediatric outpatients of our university hospital diagnosed with
seizure or developmental disorder. Three hundred seven parents (of 317 affected
children: 53 with seizure disorder, 44 with specific developmental disorder, 35
with learning disorder, 71 with intellectual disability, 15 with seizure +
specific developmental disorder, 23 with seizure + learning disorder, 76 with
seizure disorder + intellectual disability) were interviewed. Parents of children
with both seizure disorder and intellectual disability stated the highest
constraints in daily life, regarding friends, hobbies, emotional pressure,
occupation, partnership, habitation, and financial burden. Due to diagnosis of
seizure or developmental disorder, 155/307 (51%) parents reduced their working
hours/stopped working, 62/307 (20%) changed their habitation, and 46/307 (15%)
broke up. As judged by parents, 148/317 (47%) children are being discriminated
against, even own family/friends and educators are held responsible. CONCLUSION:
Parents perceive changes in their daily life and discrimination of their children
due to their children's seizure and developmental disorders. An intellectual
disability combined with seizure disorder caused the highest constraint. What is
Known: * Seizure and/or developmental disorders of children may adversely
influence quality of life for affected parents. * Caring for a child with special
health care needs can take complete attention and own parental needs may
therefore be difficult to meet. What is New: * Two out of three parents stated
changes of their daily life such as quitting work, change of habitation, or
breakup of partnership due to their child's diagnosis. * As judged by the
parents, one in two children with developmental disorder of any kind is being
discriminated against, even teachers and own family are held responsible.
PMID- 28691135
TI - Palm kernel cake obtained from biodiesel production in diets for goats: feeding
behavior and physiological parameters.
AB - The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the inclusion of palm
kernel (Elaeis guineensis) cake in diets for goats on feeding behaviors, rectal
temperature, and cardiac and respiratory frequencies. Forty crossbred Boer male,
non-castrated goats (ten animals per treatment), with an average age of 90 days
and an initial body weight of 15.01 +/- 1.76 kg, were used. The goats were fed
Tifton 85 (Cynodon spp.) hay and palm kernel supplemented at the rates of 0, 7,
14, and 21% of dry matter (DM). The feeding behaviors (rumination, feeding, and
idling times) were observed for three 24-h periods. DM and neutral detergent
fiber (NDF) intake values were estimated as the difference between the total DM
and NDF contents of the feed offered and the total DM and NDF contents of the
orts. There was no effect of palm kernel cake inclusion in goat diets on DM
intake (P > 0.05). However, palm kernel cake promoted a linear increase (P <
0.05) in NDF intake and time spent feeding and ruminating (min/day; %; period)
and a linear decrease in time spent idling. Palm kernel cakes had no effects (P >
0.05) on the chewing, feeding, and rumination efficiency (DM and NDF) or on
physiological variables. The use up to 21% palm kernel cake in the diet of
crossbred Boer goats maintained the feeding behaviors and did not change the
physiological parameters of goats; therefore, its use is recommended in the diet
of these animals.
PMID- 28691136
TI - Estimates of direct and maternal (co)variance components as well as genetic
parameters of growth traits in Nellore sheep.
AB - In the present study, (co)variance components and genetic parameters in Nellore
sheep were obtained by restricted maximum likelihood (REML) method using six
different animal models with various combinations of direct and maternal genetic
effects for birth weight (BW), weaning weight (WW), 6-month weight (6MW), 9-month
weight (9MW) and 12-month weight (YW). Evaluated records of 2075 lambs descended
from 69 sires and 478 dams over a period of 8 years (2007-2014) were collected
from the Livestock Research Station, Palamaner, India. Lambing year, sex of lamb,
season of lambing and parity of dam were the fixed effects in the model, and ewe
weight was used as a covariate. Best model for each trait was determined by log
likelihood ratio test. Direct heritability for BW, WW, 6MW, 9MW and YW were 0.08,
0.03, 0.12, 0.16 and 0.10, respectively, and their corresponding maternal
heritabilities were 0.07, 0.10, 0.09, 0.08 and 0.11. The proportions of maternal
permanent environment variance to phenotypic variance (Pe2) were 0.07, 0.10,
0.07, 0.06 and 0.10 for BW, WW, 6MW, 9MW and YW, respectively. The estimates of
direct genetic correlations among the growth traits were positive and ranged from
0.44(BW-WW) to 0.96(YW-9MW), and the estimates of phenotypic and environmental
correlations were found to be lower than those of genetic correlations. Exclusion
of maternal effects in the model resulted in biased estimates of genetic
parameters in Nellore sheep. Hence, to implement optimum breeding strategies for
improvement of traits in Nellore sheep, maternal effects should be considered.
PMID- 28691137
TI - Effective use of balloon guide catheters in reducing incidence of mechanical
thrombectomy related distal embolization.
AB - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The clinical benefit of endovascular stroke therapy has
been demonstrated in several prospective randomized trials. However, in a
relevant percentage of patients, mechanical thrombectomy bears the risk of
causing new infarction in initially unaffected vascular territories through
thrombus fragmentation and migration of clot debris. The goal of this study was
to evaluate the use of the balloon guide catheter (BGC) to effectively achieve
flow arrest and thrombus aspiration during the intervention to avoid distal
embolization. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed in 139 patients
between October 2010 and May 2016 to analyze occlusions in the middle cerebral
artery (MCA) or internal carotid artery (ICA) by using a stent retriever with a
BGC (n = 73) or a non-BGC (n = 66). The following data were collected: patient
age and gender, along with history of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, atrial
fibrillation, smoking, obesity, dyslipidemia, and previous ischemic stroke. Data
on procedure time, number of passes, and angiographic findings were also
collected. The final reperfusion score was rated based on the Thrombolysis in
Cerebral Infarction (TICI) grading scale. Successful recanalization was defined
as TICI 3 or 2b. RESULTS: A total of 139 patients underwent mechanical
thrombectomy with the stent retriever. Of the 139 patients, 73 (52.5%) underwent
placement of a BGC. The mean age was 65.8 +/- 13.5 years, and the median National
Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score was 11. The average initial NIHSS
score was lower in the BGC group compared with the non-BGC group (mean, 11.2 +/-
5.6 vs. 13.2 +/- 5.6; P = 0.03). Patients with BGC had fewer incidences of
previous ischemic stroke (12.3% vs. 28.8%; P = 0.01). The numbers of passes were
similar between the two groups. The procedure time (99 +/- 49.4 min vs. 124 +/-
72.2 min; P = 0.02) and the time from onset of symptoms to procedure end (302 +/-
102 min vs. 357.2 +/- 136.1 min; P = 0.009) were shorter in the BGC group. TICI 3
or 2b recanalization scores were higher in the BGC group compared to the non-BGC
group [63/73, 86.3% vs. 48/66, 72.7%; odds ratio (OR), 0.6; 95% confidence
interval (CI), 0.2-1.4; P = 0.04]. Importantly, distal embolization was less
frequent in the BGC group (5/73, 6.8% vs. 21/66, 31.8%; OR, 6.3; 95% CI, 2.2
18.0; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The risk of distal embolization was significantly
decreased with the use of a BGC.
PMID- 28691138
TI - The Importance of Parameters: MPV, MPV/Thrombocyte Ratio and
Neutrophil/Lymphocyte Ratio in Sorafenib Treatment Response of Patients with
Hepatocellular Cancer.
PMID- 28691139
TI - Systematic Review and Meta-analysis: Use of Statins Is Associated with a Reduced
Incidence of Oesophageal Adenocarcinoma.
AB - PURPOSE: Laboratory studies have suggested that statins may have useful anti
cancer effects against Barrett's epithelial cancer lines. A variety of effects
have been reported in clinical studies. METHODS: We performed a systematic review
and meta-analysis of the association between statin use and the development of
oesophageal cancer. Multiple databases were searched for studies reporting the
association of statin use and oesophageal cancer. Meta-analysis on the
relationship between statin use and cancer incidence was performed. RESULTS:
Twenty publications met eligibility criteria, yielding 22 datasets for meta
analysis. All were observational studies. Population-level studies included
372,206 cancer cases and 6,086,906 controls. Studies examining adenocarcinoma
development in Barrett's oesophagus included 1057 cancers and 17,741 controls. In
patients with Barrett's oesophagus, statin use was associated with a reduced
incidence of adenocarcinoma (pooled adjusted odds ratio (OR) 0.59 (95% confidence
intervals 0.50-0.68)), with no heterogeneity between 11 studies. Population-based
studies demonstrated more heterogeneity but showed that statin use was associated
with a lower incidence of both oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OR 0.57 (0.43-0.76))
and all oesophageal cancers (OR 0.82 (0.7-0.88)). Information on statin type,
dose, and duration was reported too infrequently for statistical analysis but
individual studies showed a tendency to a dose- and duration-dependant decrease
in cancer incidence. CONCLUSIONS: Statin use is associated with a significantly
lower incidence of oesophageal adenocarcinoma. This is seen in both Barrett's
cohorts and general populations. Further studies should focus on drug, dose, and
duration and the interaction with other risk and preventative factors.
PMID- 28691140
TI - Preclinical and Clinical Evidence on Ipsilateral Corticospinal Projections:
Implication for Motor Recovery.
AB - Motor impairment is the most common complication after stroke, and recovery of
motor function has been shown to be dependent on the extent of lesion in the
ipsilesional corticospinal tract (iCST) and activity within ipsilesional primary
and secondary motor cortices. However, work from neuroimaging research has
suggested a role of the contralesional hemisphere in promoting recovery after
stroke potentially through the ipsilateral uncrossed CST fibers descending to
ipsilateral spinal segments. These ipsilateral fibers, sometimes referred to as
"latent" projections, are thought to contribute to motor recovery independent of
the crossed CST. The aim of this paper is to evaluate using cumulative evidence
from animal models and human patients on whether an uncrossed CST component is
present in mammals and conserved through primates and humans, and whether iCST
fibers have a functional role in hemiparetic/hemiplegic human conditions. This
review highlights that an ipsilateral uncrossed CST exists in human during
development, but the evidence on a functionally relevant iCST component in adult
humans is still elusive. In addition, this review argues that whereas activity
within the ipsilesional cortex is essential for enhancing motor recovery after
stroke, the role of iCST projections specifically is still controversial.
Finally, conclusions from current literature emphasize the importance of activity
in the ipsilesional cortex and the integrity of crossed CST fibers as major
determinants of motor recovery after brain injury.
PMID- 28691141
TI - Vinpocetine Inhibits NF-kappaB-Dependent Inflammation in Acute Ischemic Stroke
Patients.
AB - : Immunity and inflammation play critical roles in the pathogenesis of acute
ischemic stroke. Therefore, immune intervention, as a new therapeutic strategy,
is worthy of exploration. Here, we tested the inflammation modulator,
vinpocetine, for its effect on the outcomes of stroke. For this multi-center
study, we recruited 60 patients with anterior cerebral circulation occlusion and
onset of stroke that had exceeded 4.5 h but lasted less than 48 h. These
patients, after random division into two groups, received either standard
management alone (controls) or standard management plus vinpocetine (30 mg per
day intravenously for 14 consecutive days, Gedeon Richter Plc., Hungary).
Vinpocetine treatment did not change the lymphocyte count; however, nuclear
factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cell activation was inhibited as
seen not only by the increased transcription of IkappaBalpha mRNA but also by the
impeded phosphorylation and degradation of IkappaBalpha and subsequent induction
of pro-inflammatory mediators. These effects led to significantly reduced
secondary lesion enlargement and an attenuated inflammation reaction. Compared to
controls, patients treated with vinpocetine had a better recovery of neurological
function and improved clinical outcomes during the acute phase and at 3-month
follow-up. These findings identify vinpocetine as an inflammation modulator that
could improve clinical outcomes after acute ischemic stroke. This study also
indicated the important role of immunity and inflammation in the pathogenesis of
acute ischemic stroke and the significance of immunomodulatory treatment.
CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION INFORMATION: www.clinicaltrials.gov . Identifier:
NCT02878772.
PMID- 28691142
TI - Force level of small diameter nickel-titanium orthodontic wires ligated with
different methods.
AB - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare the deflection force in
conventional and thermally activated nickel-titanium (NiTi) wires in passive
(Damon Q) and active (Bioquick) self-ligating brackets (SLB) and in conventional
brackets (CB) tied by two different methods: elastomeric ligature (EL) and metal
ligature (ML). METHODS: Two wire diameters (0.014 and 0.016 in.) and 10 specimens
per group were used. The specimens were assembled in a clinical simulation device
and tested in an Instron Universal Testing Machine, with a load cell of 10 N. For
the testing procedures, the acrylic block representative of the right maxillary
central incisor was palatally moved, with readings of the force at 0.5, 1, 2, and
3 mm, at a constant speed of 2 mm/min and temperature of 36.5 degrees C.
RESULTS: The conventional NiTi released higher forces than the thermally
activated NiTi archwires in large deflections. In general, the SLB showed lower
forces, while the ML had higher forces, with both showing a similar force release
behavior, constantly decreasing as the deflection decreased. The EL showed an
irregular behavior. The active SLB showed smaller forces than passive, in large
deflections. CONCLUSIONS: The SLB and the ML exhibit standard force patterns
during unloading, while the elastomeric ligatures exhibit a randomly distributed
force release behavior.
PMID- 28691143
TI - Meningeal haemangiopericytoma and solitary fibrous tumour: a retrospective bi
centre study for outcome and prognostic factor assessment.
AB - To describe the outcome of patients diagnosed with central nervous system
haemangiopericytoma (HPC) or solitary fibrous tumour (SFT) and identify factors
that may influence recurrence and survival. Between January 2000 and September
2016, a retrospective search identified 55 HPCs/SFTs. The patients underwent a
total of 101 surgical resections and 56.9% received radiation therapy. Median
follow-up was 7.8 years. 28 patients (50.9%) were re-operated for tumour
recurrence. At the end of the study, 21 patients (42%) had no residual tumour on
the last scan. Surgical recurrence-free survival at 5 years was 75.2%, 95% CI
[63.3-89.3] and, the median surgical recurrence-free survival was 7.4 years. In
the adjusted analysis, venous sinus invasion (present vs. absent) (HR 3.39, 95%
CI [1.16, 9.93], p = 0.026), completeness of resection (HR 0.38, 95% CI [0.15
0.97], p = 0.042) and tumour subtype (SFT vs. HPC) (HR 3.02, 95% CI[1.02, 8.91],
p = 0.045) were established as independent prognostic factors. At the end of the
study, 25 patients were deceased (45.5%). and only 15 patients (27.3%) had no
residual tumour on the last scan and were alive. Overall survival at 5 years was
80.2, 95% CI [69.3-92.8] and the median overall survival was 13.1 years. None of
the investigated variables was associated with overall survival. Patients who
received radiation therapy demonstrated neither a reduced risk of surgical
recurrence (p = 0.370) nor a longer overall survival (p = 1.000). SFTs/HPCs are
associated with a significant risk of recurrence that may reduce the survival of
the patients. Total tumour resection upon initial surgery is associated with a
lower risk of relapse but not with a prolonged survival. We did not observe a
significant improvement in any of the clinical outcomes after radiation therapy.
PMID- 28691144
TI - Risk of vascular injury when screw drilling for tibial tuberosity transfer.
AB - PURPOSE: During tibial tubercle transfer, popliteal vessels are at risk from
drills and screws. The risk is around 0.11%, as described in the literature. We
reviewed knee injected CT scan for analysis of the location of arteries,
identified landmarks allowing minimizing risks, and defined a safe zone. MATERIAL
AND METHOD: Distances between the posterior cortex and arteries were measured on
CT scans from 30 adults (60 knees) at three levels (proximal part of the tibial
tuberosity, 20 mm and 40 mm distally). Data were used to create a "risk map" with
different angular sectors where the frequency of the presence of arteries was
analyzed in each area. We also analyzed the position of 68 screws of 47 patients
who underwent a medial tibial tuberosity transfer. RESULTS: The nearest distance
between artery and the posterior tibial cortex was found at the level
corresponding to the top of the tuberosity with less than 1 mm, while the largest
distance was found at the distal level. We were able to define a safe zone for
drilling through the posterior tibial cortex which allows a safe fixation for the
screws. This zone corresponds to the medial third of the posterior cortex. When
the safe zone is not respected, screws that overtake the posterior cortex may be
close to arteries as observed for 37 of the 68 screws analyzed. CONCLUSION: We
described new landmarks and recommendations to avoid this complication during
tibial tuberosity transfer.
PMID- 28691146
TI - Expanding the Cultural Adaptation Framework for Population-Level Impact.
AB - Attention to cultural diversity and cultural adaptation of evidence-based
interventions (EBIs) has been a longstanding priority in prevention science.
However, EBIs for diverse populations present several challenges for broad
dissemination and population impact. The five papers in this special issue
underscore some of these challenges and offer new ways of thinking and
recommendations for the next generation of type 2 translation research. This
commentary underscores three broad recommendations, including the need for a more
expanded conceptualization and empirical understanding of the core tension
between fidelity and adaptation; greater focus on the systems of care that
deliver EBIs to culturally diverse populations, including increased attention to
such issues as access and engagement; and greater flexibility in strategies to
adapt and evaluate interventions within and across communities and settings that
serve diverse populations. By offering exemplars and suggestions to address these
challenges, these papers collectively help to realign research on cultural
adaptation with its ultimate goal of reducing health disparities by ensuring
greater access, impact, and equity of prevention services in a dynamic,
multicultural society. However, other fundamental challenges remain unaddressed,
including the need to reduce inequalities that exist in the health, education,
social service, and justice systems that will ultimately support broad diffusion
of EBIs for diverse populations.
PMID- 28691145
TI - The effect of saliva on the fate of nanoparticles.
AB - OBJECTIVES: The design of nanocarriers for local drug administration to the
lining mucosa requires a sound knowledge of how nanoparticles (NPs) interact with
saliva. This contact determines whether NPs agglomerate and become immobile due
to size- and interaction-filtering effects or adsorb on the cell surface and are
internalized by epithelial cells. The aim of this study was to examine the
behavior of NPs in saliva considering physicochemical NP properties. MATERIALS
AND METHODS: The salivary pore-size distribution was determined, and the
viscosity of the fluid inside of the pores was studied with optical tweezers.
Distinct functionalized NPs (20 and 200 nm) were dispersed in saliva and salivary
buffers and characterized, and surface-bound MUC5B and MUC7 were analyzed by 1D
electrophoresis and immunoblotting. NP mobility was recorded, and cellular uptake
studies were performed with TR146 cells. RESULTS: The mode diameter of the
salivary mesh pores is 0.7 MUm with a peak width of 1.9 MUm, and pores are filled
with a low-viscosity fluid. The physicochemical properties of the NPs affected
the colloidal stability and mobility: compared with non-functionalized particles,
which did not agglomerate and showed a cellular uptake rate of 2.8%,
functionalized particles were immobilized, which was correlated with
agglomeration and increased binding to mucins. CONCLUSION: The present study
showed that the salivary microstructure facilitates NP adsorption. However, NP
size and surface functionalization determine the colloidal stability and cellular
interactions. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The sound knowledge of NP interactions with
saliva enables the improvement of current treatment strategies for inflammatory
oral diseases.
PMID- 28691147
TI - Gastric bypass simultaneously improves adipose tissue function and insulin
dependent type 2 diabetes mellitus.
AB - OBJECTIVE: The underlying causes of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) remain poorly
understood. Adipose tissue dysfunction with high leptin, inflammation, and
increased oxidative stress may play a pivotal role in T2DM development in obese
patients. Little is known about the changes in the adipose tissue after Roux-Y
gastric bypass (RYGB) in non-severely obese patients (BMI < 35 kg/m2) and since
these patients have more T2DM-associated complications than obese patients
("obesity paradox"), we investigated changes in adipose tissue function in a
cohort of BMI <35 kg/m2 with insulin-dependent T2DM after RYGB surgery which
resolves T2DM. METHODS: Twenty patients with insulin-dependent T2DM and BMI <35
kg/m2 underwent RYGB. Insulin-resistance, leptin, oxidative stress, and cytokines
were determined over 24 months. Expression of cytokines and NF-kappaB pathway
genes were measured in leukocytes (PBMC). Adipose tissue inflammation was
examined histologically preoperatively and 24 months after RGYB in subcutaneous
adipose tissue. RESULTS: Insulin-resistance, leptin, oxidative stress as well as
adipose tissue inflammation decreased significantly after RYGB. Similarly,
systemic inflammation was reduced and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs)
were reprogrammed towards an M2-type inflammation. Loss of BMI correlated with
leptin levels (r = 0.891, p < 0.0001), insulin resistance (r = 0.527, p = 0.003),
and oxidative stress (r = 0.592, p = 0.016). Leptin correlated with improved
insulin resistance (r = 0.449, p = 0.032) while reduced leptin showed a strong
association with improved oxidative stress (r = 0.809, p = 0.001). Lastly,
reduced oxidative stress correlated strongly with improved insulin-resistance (r
= 0.776, p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: RYGB improves adipose tissue function and
inflammation. Leptin as marker for adipose tissue dysfunction may be the
mediating factor between insulin resistance and oxidative stress and thereby
likely improving T2DM.
PMID- 28691149
TI - 12th annual LC/MS/MS workshop on environmental applications and food safety, 5-6
July 2016, Barcelona, Spain.
PMID- 28691148
TI - Entomotoxicology in burnt bodies: a case of maternal filicide-suicide by fire.
AB - One of the most common methods of maternal filicide is by fire. In this case
study, a 40-year-old female and her children were found completely burned in a
burnt out car. All bodies showed a degree of destruction by fire consisting to a
level 3 of the Crow-Glassman Scale (CGS) and early stage of insect activity.
Toxicological analyses were performed on soft tissues and body fluids still
available. The results were positive for diazepam and its metabolites only for
children with blood concentrations consistent with therapeutic doses of
benzodiazepines. Home video surveillance cameras confirmed sedation prior to
death recording the mother while administering some drops of sedative drugs in a
soft drink to the children just a couple of hours before setting fire to the car.
Based on autopsy findings, all victims were still alive at the time of fire. The
cause of death was determined as carbon monoxide poisoning and fatal thermal
injuries by fire. This case study has a special focus on the entomotoxicology and
the potential role of insects in death investigations of burnt bodies, supposed
to be an inadequate substratum for insect colonization. It demonstrates that in
burnt bodies, arthropod colonization can be quite immediate after fire is
extinguished. Toxicological analyses performed on larvae actively feeding on the
children's bodies were positive for diazepam and its metabolites in small amount
compared with blood concentrations, whereas the larvae collected from the
mother's body were totally negative. These data, according to the autopsy
findings and the toxicological results from the victim's blood and tissues,
supported the suspect of a non-lethal sedation prior to death, which is a common
behaviour in maternal filicide.
PMID- 28691150
TI - Quantitative analysis of total starch content in wheat flour by reaction
headspace gas chromatography.
AB - This paper proposed a new reaction headspace gas chromatographic (HS-GC) method
for efficiently quantifying the total starch content in wheat flours. A certain
weight of wheat flour was oxidized by potassium dichromate in an acidic condition
in a sealed headspace vial. The results show that the starch in wheat flour can
be completely transferred to carbon dioxide at the given conditions (at 100
degrees C for 40 min) and the total starch content in wheat flour sample can be
indirectly quantified by detecting the CO2 formed from the oxidation reaction.
The data showed that the relative standard deviation of the reaction HS-GC method
in the precision test was less than 3.06%, and the relative differences between
the new method and the reference method (titration method) were no more than
8.90%. The new reaction HS-GC method is automated, accurate, and can be a
reliable tool for determining the total starch content in wheat flours in both
laboratory and industrial applications. Graphical abstract The total starch
content in wheat flour can be indirectly quantified by the GC detection of the
CO2 formed from the oxidation reaction between wheat flour and potassium
dichromate in an acidic condition.
PMID- 28691151
TI - Integrated and global pseudotargeted metabolomics strategy applied to screening
for quality control markers of Citrus TCMs.
AB - Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) exerts its therapeutic effect in a holistic
fashion with the synergistic function of multiple characteristic constituents.
The holism philosophy of TCM is coincident with global and systematic theories of
metabolomics. The proposed pseudotargeted metabolomics methodologies were
employed for the establishment of reliable quality control markers for use in the
screening strategy of TCMs. Pseudotargeted metabolomics integrates the advantages
of both targeted and untargeted methods. In the present study, targeted
metabolomics equipped with the gold standard RRLC-QqQ-MS method was employed for
in vivo quantitative plasma pharmacochemistry study of characteristic prototypic
constituents. Meanwhile, untargeted metabolomics using UHPLC-QE Orbitrap HRMS
with better specificity and selectivity was employed for identification of
untargeted metabolites in the complex plasma matrix. In all, 32 prototypic
metabolites were quantitatively determined, and 66 biotransformed metabolites
were convincingly identified after being orally administered with standard
extracts of four labeled Citrus TCMs. The global absorption and metabolism
process of complex TCMs was depicted in a systematic manner.
PMID- 28691152
TI - Reduced BUCY 2 and G-CSF-primed bone marrow associates with low graft-versus-host
disease and transplant-related mortality in allogeneic HSCT.
AB - Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is the ideal
treatment for several diseases. However, the morbidity and mortality associated
with the procedure might limit its widespread use; therefore, we implemented
reduced BUCY2 as conditioning method along with the use of G-CSF-primed bone
marrow (G-BM) in order to reduce complications, including graft-versus-host
disease (GVHD), and to improve survival in these patients. An analysis of
transplant characteristics, complications, and survival of patients undergoing an
allo-HSCT using this conditioning regimen (busulfan 12 mg/kg and cyclophosphamide
80 mg/kg) plus G-BM was performed. Forty patients were included from 1999 to
2015. All of them had a HLA-matched donor, with a median age of 32 years (range
16-59), and 55% were male. The most frequent diagnosis was myelodysplastic
syndrome (MDS) in 14 patients (35%), followed by acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL) in
12 (30%). The mean of CD34+ was 2.09 * 106/kg. The mean time to neutrophil and
platelet recovery was 20 and 18 days, respectively. The most common toxicity was
mucositis (75%) with grade III-IV in 53% of cases. Acute GVHD appeared in 12.5
and 35% of patients developed chronic GVHD. Transplant-related mortality (TRM)
was 10%. Five-year relapse-free survival was 69%, and the 5-year overall survival
was 69.5%. Our conditioning method along with G-BM preserves an immunosuppressive
and myeloablative effect allowing eradication of the malignant clone and
achieving adequate bone marrow engraftment with acceptable toxicity, low
incidence of GVHD, and low TRM, representing a favorable alternative for allo
HSCT.
PMID- 28691153
TI - Telomere shortening, TP53 mutations and deletions in chronic lymphocytic leukemia
result in increased chromosomal instability and breakpoint clustering in
heterochromatic regions.
AB - Complex karyotypes are associated with a poor prognosis in chronic lymphocytic
leukemia (CLL). Using mFISH, iFISH, and T/C-FISH, we thoroughly characterized 59
CLL patients regarding parameters known to be involved in chromosomal
instability: status of the genes ATM and TP53 and telomere length. Interestingly,
a deletion of the ATM locus in 11q, independent of the cytogenetic context, was
associated with significantly diminished risk (p<0.05) of carrying a mutation in
TP53. In patients with loss or mutation of TP53, chromosomal breakage occurred
more frequently (p<0.01) in (near-) heterochromatic regions. Median telomere
length in patients with complex karyotypes was significantly shorter than that of
healthy controls and shorter than in all other cytogenetic cohorts. Furthermore,
the median telomere length of patients carrying a TP53 mutation was significantly
shorter than without mutation. We conclude that telomere shortening in
combination with loss of TP53 induces increased chromosomal instability with
preferential involvement of (near-) heterochromatic regions.
PMID- 28691154
TI - Digestive enzyme ratios are good indicators of hatchling yolk reserve and
digestive gland maturation in early life stages of cuttlefish Sepia officinalis
L.: application of these new tools in ecology and aquaculture.
AB - In Sepia officinalis (Linnaeus, 1758), the digestive gland matures during the
first month post-hatching, while a shift from intracellular acid to extracellular
alkaline digestion occurs. The purpose of this study was to investigate the
possibility of using enzymatic ratios for the description of digestive system
maturation in early life stages of S. officinalis. Second, it is intended to
apply these new tools as eco-physiological indicators for understanding the
impact of cuttlefish eggs' life history from different spawning sites of the
English Channel on digestive performance of juveniles. An experimental rearing
was performed over 35 days after hatching (DAH) on juveniles from wild collected
eggs in 2010 and 2011. Four digestive enzyme activities and their ratios [i.e.,
trypsin, cathepsin, acid (ACP), and alkaline (ALP) phosphatase, ALP/ACP, and
trypsin/cathepsin] were studied along with histological features (e.g., internal
yolk surface and digestive gland development). The two enzyme ratios were good
indicators of digestive system maturation allowing the study of the digestive
gland's development. They were highly correlated to juveniles' weight increase
and histological features of the gland in early DAH. These ratios described more
accurately the shift occurring between the intracellular acid and the
extracellular alkaline modes of digestion in S. officinalis and were more
specific than separated enzyme activities. Their application as eco-physiological
tools revealed that enzyme ratios reflected yolk content and digestive gland
development in new hatching juveniles. Finally, ALP/ACP ratio was shown to be a
powerful tool to describe growth performance of S. officinalis which is useful
for aquaculture optimization.
PMID- 28691155
TI - Construction of a novel synthetic root-specific promoter and its characterization
in transgenic tobacco plants.
AB - Synthetic promoter technology offers a framework for designing expression
cassettes that could provide precise control of transgene expression. Such
artificially designed promoters enable defined transgene regulation, reduce
unwanted background expression, and can overcome homology-dependent gene
silencing in transgenic plants. In the present study, a synthetic root-specific
module was designed using characterized cis-acting elements, fused with minimal
promoter (86 bp) from PortUbi882 promoter, and cloned in pCAMBIA1305.1 by
replacing CaMV 35S promoter so as to drive GUS expression. Two constructs were
made; one had the synthetic module at the 5' end of the minimal promoter (SynR1),
whereas in the other construct, the module was present in both 5' and 3' ends
(SynR2). Furthermore, the synthetic promoter constructs were transformed in
tobacco wherein SynR1 promoter drove constitutive expression, whereas SynR2
conferred root-specific expression though slight leaky expression was present in
stem. GUS assay in the roots of transgenic tobacco plants (T1) indicated that
SynR2 promoter expressed significantly higher GUS activity than the CaMV 35S
promoter. The real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) analysis of GUS gene further
confirmed that SynR2 promoter conferred 2.1-fold higher root-specific expression
when compared to CaMV 35S promoter.
PMID- 28691156
TI - Aquatic exercise for adults with type 2 diabetes: a meta-analysis.
AB - AIMS: The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to examine the
effects of aquatic exercise (AquaEx) on indicators of glycemic control (i.e.,
glycated hemoglobin [A1c] and fasting plasma glucose) in adults with type 2
diabetes mellitus (T2DM). It was hypothesized that AquaEx would improve glycemic
control to a similar extent as land-based exercise (LandEx), but to a greater
extent than non-exercise control (Ctrl). METHODS: A literature search was
completed in February 2017 for studies examining AquaEx training in adults with
T2DM. Assessment of glycemic control was necessary for inclusion, while secondary
outcomes such as quality of life and cardiometabolic risk factors (i.e., blood
pressure, triglycerides and total cholesterol) were considered, but not required
for inclusion. Outcomes were measured before and after at least 8 weeks of
AquaEx, and data were analyzed using weighted mean differences (WMDs) and fixed
effect models, when appropriate. RESULTS: Nine trials including 222 participants
were identified. Three trials compared AquaEx to LandEx, two compared AquaEx to
Crtl, and four had a pre-/post-design without a comparison group. Results
indicate no difference in A1c between LandEx and AquaEx (WMD = -0.02%, 95%
confidence interval = [-0.71, 0.66]). Post-intervention A1c was lower in AquaEx
when compared to Crtl (WMD = -0.96%, [-1.87, -0.05]). Post-AquaEx A1c was lower
compared to baseline (WMD = -0.48%, [-0.66, -0.30]). CONCLUSIONS: A1c can be
reduced after eight-twelve weeks of AquaEx. However, at this time few studies
have examined whether changes in A1c are different from LandEx or Crtl.
PMID- 28691157
TI - Effect of vigabatrin on seizure control and safety profile in different subgroups
of children with epilepsy.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of vigabatrin in pediatric
epilepsy. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed patients with epilepsy treated
with vigabatrin over a 2-year period at a pediatric tertiary center. We assessed
the relationship between seizure frequency, etiology, vigabatrin dose, adverse
events, medication discontinuation reasons, and electroencephalography (EEG)
characteristics. RESULTS: One hundred three patients followed at Boston
Children's Hospital were treated with vigabatrin and had complete medical
records. Within the follow-up interval, 69 (67%) of 103 patients had discontinued
vigabatrin therapy. Two patients (1.9%) died during therapy for unknown reasons.
Median age at vigabatrin initiation was 8 months (interquartile range [IQR] 5
15). Median starting dose was 48.1 mg/kg per day (IQR 29.8-52.3) with a median
target of 100 mg/kg (IQR 81.9-107.9). Median treatment duration was 12.1 months
(n = 89, IQR 5.0-22.9) overall, and 13.3 months (IQR 5.2-23.2) for patients who
discontinued vigabatrin. The most common reasons for discontinuation were
controlled seizures in 31 (43.7%) of 71 and unsatisfactory therapeutic effect in
23 (32.4%) of 71. Median percent seizure reduction from baseline to first follow
up was 83.3% (IQR 27.4-99.8) and 96.7% (IQR 43.3-100) to last follow-up. Twenty
four (38.7%) of 62 patients with a follow-up posttreatment remained seizure-free.
Four patients who had initially achieved seizure freedom relapsed. Patients with
structural/metabolic etiology had greater median percent seizure reduction at
first follow-up than patients with genetic etiology (98.7% vs. 61.4%,
respectively, p = 0.001). Hypsarrhythmia resolved after therapy in 18 of 20 (90%,
95% confidence interval [CI] 70-97) patients with pretreatment hypsarrhythmia,
and 2 patients presented with hypsarrhythmia posttreatment. Risk of having
hypsarrhythmia was reduced by 32% (95% CI 14.9-49.1) posttreatment. SIGNIFICANCE:
Vigabatrin is efficacious in all seizure types and resolved hypsarrhythmia in
most patients. In this series with a median treatment duration of 12.1 months,
vigabatrin had a good safety profile with a low rate of discontinuation due to
nonophthalmologic and ophthalmologic adverse effects.
PMID- 28691158
TI - Anticonvulsant effect of cannabinoid receptor agonists in models of seizures in
developing rats.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Although drugs targeting the cannabinoid system (e.g., CB1 receptor
agonists) display anticonvulsant efficacy in adult animal models of
seizures/epilepsy, they remain unexplored in developing animal models. However,
cannabinoid system functions emerge early in development, providing a rationale
for targeting this system in neonates. We examined the therapeutic potential of
drugs targeting the cannabinoid system in three seizure models in developing
rats. METHODS: Postnatal day (P) 10, Sprague-Dawley rat pups were challenged with
the chemoconvulsant methyl-6,7-dimethoxy-4-ethyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxylate
(DMCM) or pentylenetetrazole (PTZ), after treatment with either CB1/2 mixed
agonist (WIN 55,212-2), CB1 agonist (arachidonyl-2'-chloroethylamide [ACEA]), CB2
agonist (HU-308), CB1 antagonist (AM-251), CB2 antagonist (AM-630), fatty acid
amide hydrolase inhibitor (URB-597), or G protein-coupled receptor 55 agonist (O
1602). P20 Sprague-Dawley pups were challenged with DMCM after treatment with
WIN, ACEA, or URB. Finally, after pretreatment with WIN, P10 Sprague-Dawley rats
were challenged against acute hypoxia-induced seizures. RESULTS: The mixed CB1/2
agonist and the CB1-specific agonist, but no other drugs, displayed
anticonvulsant effects against clonic seizures in the DMCM model. By contrast,
both CB1 and CB2 antagonism increased seizure severity. Similarly, we found that
the CB1/2 agonist displayed antiseizure efficacy against acute hypoxia-induced
seizures (automatisms, clonic and tonic-clonic seizures) and tonic-clonic
seizures evoked by PTZ. Anticonvulsant effects were seen in P10 animals but not
P20 animals. SIGNIFICANCE: Early life seizures represent a significant cause of
morbidity, with 30-40% of infants and children with epilepsy failing to achieve
seizure remission with current pharmacotherapy. Identification of new therapies
for neonatal/infantile epilepsy syndromes is thus of high priority. These data
indicate that the anticonvulsant action of the CB system is specific to CB1
receptor activation during early development and provide justification for
further examination of CB1 receptor agonists as novel antiepileptic drugs
targeting epilepsy in infants and children.
PMID- 28691159
TI - Establishment of a hepatocyte line for studying biosynthesis of long-chain
polyunsaturated fatty acids from a marine teleost, the white-spotted spinefoot
Siganus canaliculatus.
AB - A hepatocyte line was established from the liver of white-spotted spinefoot
Siganus canaliculatus to study the biosynthesis of long-chain polyunsaturated
fatty acids (LC-PUFA). The cells from the line, designated S. canaliculatus
hepatocyte line (SCHL), grew and multiplied well in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's
medium (DMEM)-F12 medium supplemented with 20 mM 4-(2-hydroxyethyl) piperazine-1
ethanesulphonic acid (HEPES), 10% foetal bovine serum (FBS) and 0.5% rainbow
trout Oncorhychus mykiss serum at 28 degrees C, showing an epithelial-like
morphology and the normal chromosome number of 48 (2n) and have been subcultured
for over 60 passages. The identity of the hepatocytes was confirmed by periodic
acid Schiff (PAS) staining. The mRNA expression of all genes encoding the key
enzymes for LC-PUFA biosynthesis including two desaturases (Delta4 Fad and Delta6
Delta5 Fad) and two elongases (Elovl4 and Elovl5), were detected in all cells
from passages 5 to 60 and their expression levels became stable after passage 35
and showed responses to various PUFA incubation. This is similar to the situation
determined in the liver of S. canaliculatus that were fed diets containing
different fatty acids. These results indicated that SCHL was successfully
established and can provide an in vitro tool to investigate lipid metabolism and
regulatory mechanisms of LC-PUFA biosynthesis in teleosts, especially marine
species.
PMID- 28691160
TI - The CYCLOIDEA-RADIALIS module regulates petal shape and pigmentation, leading to
bilateral corolla symmetry in Torenia fournieri (Linderniaceae).
AB - The diverse pigmentation patterns of flower corollas probably result from
pollinator-mediated selection. Previous studies demonstrated that R2R3-MYB
factors may have been recruited in the regulation of corolla pigmentation.
However, how R2R3-MYBs became so diverse in their regulation of different
pigmentation patterns remains unclear. Here, we studied a Lamiales species,
Torenia fournieri, which has elaborate zygomorphic flowers with dorsal-ventral
asymmetries in corolla pigmentation. We found recent gene duplication events in
CYCLOIDEA-like (CYC-like) and RADIALIS-like (RAD-like) genes, and functionally
analyzed three dorsal-specific expression factors: TfCYC1, TfCYC2, and TfRAD1. We
found that the CYC-RAD module coordinates petal shape and corolla pigmentation,
as ectopic expression of TfCYC2 or TfRAD1 disrupted the asymmetric corolla
pigmentation pattern and produced strongly dorsalized flowers. Dorsal petal
identity was lost when TfCYC2 was down-regulated or when TfRAD1 was knocked out.
In T. fournieri, the diversified CYC and RAD genes have evolved regulatory loops,
and TfCYC2 binds directly to the regulatory regions of an R2R3-MYB factor gene,
TfMYB1, which might lead to its asymmetric expression and ultimately establish
the asymmetric pigmentation pattern. These findings support the existence of a
regulatory module that integrates dorsal-ventral patterning and asymmetric
corolla pigmentation in T. fournieri.
PMID- 28691161
TI - Eruptive vellus hair cysts of the vulva.
PMID- 28691162
TI - Systemic lupus erythematosus, following prodromal idiopathic thrombocytopenic
purpura, presenting with skin lesions resembling malignant atrophic papulosis.
AB - Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease. Its incidence in the
UK is approximately 1 per 10 000. Cutaneous involvement, encompassing acute,
subacute and chronic disease, occurs in over two-thirds of cases, and can often
be the first clue to diagnosis. We describe a highly unusual case of SLE
occurring after prodromal idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) and
presenting with skin lesions more typical of malignant atrophic papulosis, a rare
and often fatal vasculopathy. Such a combination of rare features emphasizes the
potential for complexity in this multisystem disease.
PMID- 28691163
TI - Clarithromycin, rifampicin and fusidic acid triple combination therapy for
chronic folliculocentric pustulosis of the scalp.
PMID- 28691164
TI - Pick's disease with neuronal four-repeat tau accumulation in the basal ganglia,
brain stem nuclei and cerebellum.
AB - It is very rare that cases of Pick's disease, a representative three-repeat (3R)
tauopathy, also have significant four-repeat (4R) tau accumulation. Here, we
report a Pick's disease case that clinically showed behavioral variant
frontotemporal dementia without motor disturbance during the course, and
pathologically had 3R tau-positive Pick bodies as well as numerous 4R tau
positive neuronal cytoplasmic inclusions (NCIs). Abundant 3R tau-positive 4R tau
negative spherical or horseshoe-shaped Pick bodies were found in the
frontotemporal cortex, limbic region, striatum and pontine nucleus. On the other
hand, many 4R tau-positive, 3R tau-negative, Gallyas-negative dot-, rod- or
intertwined skein-like NCIs were found mainly in the subthalamic nucleus, pontine
nucleus, inferior olivary nucleus and cerebellar dentate nucleus. Tufted
astrocytes, astrocytic plaques, argyrophilic grains or globular glial inclusions
were absent. Double-labeling immunofluorescence demonstrated that 3R tau was
hardly accumulated in 4R tau-positive inclusions. On tau immunoblotting, while 60
and 64 kDa bands were demonstrated in the frontal cortex, 60, 64 and 68 kDa
bands, as well as the 33 kDa tau fragments that are reported to be characteristic
of progressive supranuclear palsy brains, were found in the basal ganglia and
cerebellum. No mutation was identified in the tau gene. The present case suggests
that, although probably rare, some Pick's disease cases have non-negligible 4R
tau pathology in the subcortical nuclei, and that such 4R tau pathology can
affect the evaluation of the distribution of AT8-positive tau pathology in Pick's
disease cases.
PMID- 28691166
TI - Unilateral linear basaloid follicular hamartoma: Its diagnosis and successful
treatment with surgical excision and adjuvant dermabrasion.
PMID- 28691165
TI - Stabilization of protein structure through pi-pi interaction in the second
coordination sphere of pseudoazurin.
AB - Noncovalent, weak interactions in the second coordination sphere of the copper
active site of Pseudoazurin (PAz) from Achromobacter cycloclastes were examined
using a series of Met16X variants. In this study, the differences in protein
stability due to the changes in the nature of the 16th amino acid (Met, Phe, Val,
Ile) were investigated by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and
far-UV circular dichroism (CD) as a result of acid denaturation. The percentage
of native states (folded holo forms) of Met16Phe variants was estimated to be 75%
at pH 2.9 although the wild-type (WT), Met16Val and Met16Ile PAz, became
completely unfolded. The high stability under acidic conditions is correlated
with the result of the active site being stabilized by the aromatic substitution
of the Met16 residue. The pi-pi interaction in the second coordination sphere
makes a significant contribution to the stability of active site and the protein
matrix.
PMID- 28691167
TI - Exploring the Link between Visual Perception, Visual-Motor Integration, and
Reading in Normal Developing and Impaired Children using DTVP-2.
AB - Reading is known to be primarily a linguistic task. However, to successfully
decode written words, children also need to develop good visual-perception
skills. Furthermore, motor skills are implicated in letter recognition and
reading acquisition. Three studies have been designed to determine the link
between reading, visual perception, and visual-motor integration using the
Developmental Test of Visual Perception version 2 (DTVP-2). Study 1 tests how
visual perception and visual-motor integration in kindergarten predict reading
outcomes in Grade 1, in typical developing children. Study 2 is aimed at finding
out if these skills can be seen as clinical markers in dyslexic children (DD).
Study 3 determines if visual-motor integration and motor-reduced visual
perception can distinguish DD children according to whether they exhibit or not
developmental coordination disorder (DCD). Results showed that phonological
awareness and visual-motor integration predicted reading outcomes one year later.
DTVP-2 demonstrated similarities and differences in visual-motor integration and
motor-reduced visual perception between children with DD, DCD, and both of these
deficits. DTVP-2 is a suitable tool to investigate links between visual
perception, visual-motor integration and reading, and to differentiate cognitive
profiles of children with developmental disabilities (i.e. DD, DCD, and comorbid
children). Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
PMID- 28691168
TI - Phenotyping of lumbosacral stenosis in Labrador retrievers using computed
tomography.
AB - Deep phenotyping tools for characterizing preclinical morphological conditions
are important for supporting genetic research studies. Objectives of this
retrospective, cross-sectional, methods comparison study were to describe and
compare qualitative and quantitative deep phenotypic characteristics of
lumbosacral stenosis in Labrador retrievers using computed tomography (CT).
Lumbosacral CT scans and medical records were retrieved from data archives at
three veterinary hospitals. Using previously published qualitative CT diagnostic
criteria, a board-certified veterinary radiologist assigned dogs as either
lumbosacral stenosis positive or lumbosacral stenosis negative at six vertebral
locations. A second observer independently measured vertebral canal area,
vertebral fat area, and vertebral body area; and calculated ratios of vertebral
canal area/vertebral body area and vertebral fat area/vertebral body area (fat
area ratio) at all six locations. Twenty-five dogs were sampled (lumbosacral
stenosis negative, 11 dogs; lumbosacral stenosis positive, 14 dogs). Of the six
locations, cranial L6 was the most affected by lumbosacral stenosis (33%). Five
of six dogs (83%) with clinical signs of lumbosacral pain were lumbosacral
stenosis positive at two or more levels. All four quantitative variables were
significantly smaller at the cranial aspects of the L6 and L7 vertebral foramina
than at the caudal aspects (P < 0.0001). Fat area ratio was a significant
predictor of lumbosacral stenosis positive status at all six locations with
cranial L6 having the greatest predictive value (R2 = 0.43) and range of
predictive probability (25-90%). Findings from the current study supported the
use of CT as a deep phenotyping tool for future research studies of lumbosacral
stenosis in Labrador retrievers.
PMID- 28691170
TI - The Body Mass Index of Adolescents Attending Seventh-Day Adventist Schools in
Australia: 2001-2012.
AB - BACKGROUND: We examined the body mass index (BMI) of students attending Seventh
day Adventist (Adventist) schools in Australia in 2001 and 2012. METHODS: A total
of 3069 students attending Adventist schools in Australia responded to a health
and lifestyle survey in 2001 (N = 1335) and 2012 (N = 1734). The survey captured
self-reported height and weight, demographics (age, sex, year level, religion),
and select health behaviors. RESULTS: Compared with national norms, lower rates
of overweight and obesity were observed in the study cohort, but higher rates of
underweight. There was no change in the mean BMI of the students attending
Adventist schools in Australia from 2001 to 2012. Regression analyses indicated
that a lower BMI was associated with age, sex, more regularly eating breakfast,
consuming less soft drink, and having a regular exercise program. The students
reported a high consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains compared with
Australian national norms, and 29% claimed to be vegetarian. CONCLUSIONS:
Students attending Adventist schools appear to have a lower prevalence of
overweight and obesity than the secular population, but a higher prevalence of
underweight. The mechanisms through which Adventist schools may influence
student's BMI warrants further investigation.
PMID- 28691169
TI - Academic Performance in Primary School Children With Common Emotional and
Behavioral Problems.
AB - BACKGROUND: Many emotional and behavioral problems first emerge in primary school
and are the forerunners of mental health problems occurring in adolescence.
However, the extent that these problems may be associated with academic failure
has been explored less. We aimed to quantify the association between emotional
and behavioral problems with academic performance. METHODS: A stratified random
sample of 8- to 9-year-olds (N = 1239) were recruited from schools in Australia.
Data linkage was performed with a national assessment of academic performance to
assess reading and numeracy. Parent report assessed emotional and behavioral
problems with students dichotomized into "borderline/abnormal" and "normal"
categories. RESULTS: One in 5 grade 3 students fell in the "borderline/abnormal"
category. Boys with total difficulties (beta = -47.8, 95% CI: -62.8 to -32.8),
conduct problems, and peer problems scored lower on reading. Numeracy scores were
lower in boys with total difficulties (beta = -37.7, 95% CI: -53.9 to -21.5) and
emotional symptoms. Children with hyperactivity/inattention scored lower in
numeracy. Girls with peer problems scored lower in numeracy. CONCLUSIONS: Boys
with emotional and behavioral problems in mid-primary school were 12 months
behind their peers. Children with emotional and behavioral problems are at high
risk for academic failure, and this risk is evident in mid-primary school.
PMID- 28691171
TI - Utilization of Mental Health Services in School-Based Health Centers.
AB - BACKGROUND: We summarize utilization patterns for mental health services in
school-based health centers. METHODS: Administrative data on school-based health
center visits in New Haven, Connecticut were examined for the 2007-2009 school
years. Relative frequencies of mental health visits by age were calculated as a
percentage of all visits and were stratified by sex, ethnicity/race, and
insurance status. RESULTS: Mental health visits accounted for the highest
proportion of visits (31.8%). The proportion of mental health visits was highest
at 8 years (42.8%) and at 13 years (39.0%). The proportion of mental health
visits among boys (38.4%) was higher than among girls (26.7%). Hispanic students
had a lower proportion of mental health visits than black students (23.5% vs
35.8%) in all but 2 age groups. Students in the white/other ethnicity category
had higher proportions of mental health visits than Hispanic and black students
between ages 12 and 15. Students with no health insurance (22.5%) had lower
proportions of mental health visits than students covered by Medicaid (34.3%) or
private insurance (33.9%). The percentage of mental health visits by students
with private insurance was highest (37.2%-49%) in the 13-15 age range.
CONCLUSIONS: Usage patterns for mental health issues show pronounced, nonrandom
variation relative to age and other demographic characteristics especially with 8
year-old boys.
PMID- 28691172
TI - Physical Education Increases Daily Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity and
Reduces Sedentary Time.
AB - BACKGROUND: Physical activity (PA) is important to mental and physical health.
Physical education (PE) lessons have the potential to increase daily moderate to
vigorous PA (MVPA) and reduce sedentary time (SED). We measured MVPA and SED in
primary school PE, determined the contribution of PE to daily MVPA and SED, and
compared PA on days with and without PE. METHODS: PA was measured in 504 first
(ages 7-9) and second (ages 10-12) school level children for 1 school week, with
inclusion criteria of at least 10 hours of valid data. Linear mixed methods were
used for data analysis. RESULTS: In PE, students spent 28.6 +/- 16.5% in MVPA and
29.3 +/- 19.8% in SED. Each additional MVPA minute in PE was associated with 1.4
more daily MVPA minutes. On days with PE, students had 12.8 (95% CI 10.5; 15.0)
minutes more MVPA and 9.7 (95% CI 16.3; 3.1) minutes less SED compared with days
without PE. CONCLUSIONS: Although MVPA in PE was relatively low and SED high, PE
significantly increased daily MVPA and reduced SED, confirming the important role
of PE in supporting the healthy development of children.
PMID- 28691173
TI - Successes and Challenges in School Meal Reform: Qualitative Insights From Food
Service Directors.
AB - BACKGROUND: The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (HHFKA) directed the US
Department of Agriculture (USDA) to revise school meal standards to increase
healthy food offerings. A critical stakeholder in the implementation of standards
is Food Service Directors (FSDs). We sought to examine FSDs' perspectives on
revised school meal standards to gain insight into successful implementation
strategies. METHODS: Semistructured interviews were conducted with FSDs (N = 9)
from high schools that had achieved HealthierUS Schools Challenge: Smarter
Lunchrooms (HUSSC: SL) status. Qualitative interview data were team coded in
Atlas.ti v7 and analyzed with principles of constant comparative analysis.
RESULTS: FSDs reported overall positive perceptions of the revised school meal
standards and its potential impacts, as well as improved fruit and vegetable
consumption, despite initial challenges with plate waste, procurement of whole
grain-rich products, and fast paced sodium targets. Implementation was described
as complex, ongoing processes; with time and in-service trainings, student
acceptance to these changes improved. CONCLUSIONS: These findings are directly
relevant to future reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act and to revisions to
the implementation time line for the federal school meal standards related to
sodium, whole grains, and flavored milk. Insights into FSDs' strategies suggest
that more time and targeted technical assistance at federal, state, and local
levels is warranted.
PMID- 28691174
TI - The Association of School Climate, Depression Literacy, and Mental Health Stigma
Among High School Students.
AB - BACKGROUND: Although school climate is linked with youth educational,
socioemotional, behavioral, and health outcomes, there has been limited research
on the association between school climate and mental health education efforts. We
explored whether school climate was associated with students' depression literacy
and mental health stigma beliefs. METHODS: Data were combined from 2 studies: the
Maryland Safe Supportive Schools Project and a randomized controlled trial of the
Adolescent Depression Awareness Program. Five high schools participated in both
studies, allowing examination of depression literacy and stigma measures from 500
9th and 10th graders. Multilevel models examined the relationship between school
level school climate characteristics and student-level depression literacy and
mental health stigma scores. RESULTS: Overall school climate was positively
associated with depression literacy (odds ratio [OR] = 2.78, p < .001) and
negatively associated with stigma (Est. = -3.822, p = .001). Subscales of
engagement (OR = 5.30, p < .001) and environment were positively associated with
depression literacy (OR = 2.01, p < .001) and negatively associated with stigma
(Est. = -6.610, p < .001), (Est. = -2.742, p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Positive
school climate was associated with greater odds of depression literacy and
endorsement of fewer stigmatizing beliefs among students. Our findings raise
awareness regarding aspects of the school environment that may facilitate or
inhibit students' recognition of depression and subsequent treatment-seeking.
PMID- 28691175
TI - The Impact of Multiple Strategies to Encourage Fruit and Vegetable Consumption
During School Lunch.
AB - BACKGROUND: Hennepin County partnered with schools to implement lunchroom
strategies to encourage fruit and vegetable consumption. An in-depth evaluation
measured changes in consumption following implementation of encouragement
strategies including slicing apples and attractive labels. METHODS: A pre-post
prospective evaluation measured changes in average fruit and vegetable
consumption at 2 elementary schools. The plate waste method was used to weigh
individual waste. To measure consumption, 373 students were matched pre/post.
Additional measures included change in fruit and vegetable selection, change in
whole servings consumed and apple consumption. RESULTS: Average fruit consumption
increased by 3.0 g (p = .09), average vegetable consumption increased by 1.1 g (p
= .27), neither significantly. The number of students selecting fruit
significantly increased (p = .02), while the number taking vegetables increased,
but not significantly (p = .28). The number of students consuming an entire
serving of fruit (p = .15) or vegetables (p = .45) both increased but not
significantly. Apple consumption more than doubled at one school. CONCLUSIONS:
Implementing lunchroom changes can increase the number of students selecting
fruit, and changes including slicing can increase consumption of apples.
Additional strategies are needed to increase vegetable selection and fruit and
vegetable consumption.
PMID- 28691176
TI - Attitudes, Norms, and the Effect of Social Connectedness on Adolescent Sexual
Risk Intention.
AB - BACKGROUND: Risky sexual behaviors put adolescents at increased risk of adverse
outcomes. Parents, school-based adults, and peers play important roles in
influencing these sex intentions. METHODS: This work explored the influence of
parent-child sex communication on adolescent attitudes, perceived norms, and
intentions to have sex, including the moderating role of social support from
school-based adults, in a sample of 21,731 adolescents in California. RESULTS:
Although increased parent-child sex communication was associated with intentions
to have sex, it also exhibited protective effects, increasing abstinence
attitudes among youth that led to decreased intention directly and via support
from school-based adults. CONCLUSIONS: Although many factors influencing sexual
behaviors are largely intrapersonal, these findings indicate the importance of an
ecological approach to reducing adolescent sexual risk behaviors through
engagement of parents and increased school connectedness.
PMID- 28691177
TI - Children With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: Self-Management Experiences in School.
AB - BACKGROUND: Children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) need to perform self
management activities at school and in other environments. Learning about their
experiences at school is crucial to assist them in this challenging task.
METHODS: Qualitative interviews were conducted with children with T1DM, aged
between 7 and 12. A scenario was created and puppets were used during the
interviews to help the participating children to communicate about school, daily
routines, and experiences in diabetes management. Data were collected over a
period of 1 year and analyzed according to content analysis procedures. RESULTS:
Nineteen children, 13 boys and 6 girls, at the mean age of 9.8 +/- 1.8 years and
mean time since diagnosis of 3.3 years, participated in the study. Three themes
were identified: lack of information on T1DM, diabetes self-care at school, and
support received by the children. CONCLUSIONS: The study provides useful
information to understand the children's experiences in managing the disease at
school. The partnership between school staff, health teams, children with T1DM,
and their families need to be enhanced to promote appropriate strategies that
improve the management of diabetes in this setting.
PMID- 28691178
TI - Cancer risk among Holocaust survivors in Israel-A nationwide study.
AB - BACKGROUND: Holocaust survivors during World War II were exposed to various
factors that are associated with cancer risk. The objective of this study was to
determine whether Holocaust survivors had an increased risk for developing
cancer. METHODS: The study population included 152,622 survivors. The main
analysis was based on a comparison between individuals who were entitled to
compensation for suffering persecution during the war and individuals who were
denied such compensation. A complementary analysis compared survivors who were
born in countries governed by Nazi Germany with survivors born in nonoccupied
countries. A Cox proportional hazards model was used, with the time at risk of
cancer development starting on either January 1, 1960, or the date of immigration
to the date of cancer diagnosis or death or the date of last follow-up (December
31, 2006). RESULTS: Cancer was diagnosed in 22.2% of those who were granted
compensation versus 16% of those who were denied compensation (P < .0001).
Adjusting for birth cohort, sex, country of origin, and period of immigration,
both analyses revealed significant increased risks of developing cancer in those
who were exposed. For those who were granted versus denied compensation, the
hazard ratios were 1.06 (P < .001) for all sites, 1.12 (P = .07) for colorectal
cancer, and 1.37 (P = .008) for lung cancer. For those born in occupied countries
versus nonoccupied countries, the hazard ratios were 1.08 (P < .001), 1.08 (P =
.003), and 1.12 (P = .02), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The current results, based
on a large cohort of Holocaust survivors who were exposed to a variety of severe
deprivations, add to the conflicting and sparse knowledge on this issue and
support the notion that this group has a small but consistent increase in cancer
development. Cancer 2017;123:3335-45. (c) 2017 American Cancer Society.
PMID- 28691179
TI - Microtubular Fuel Cell with Ultrahigh Power Output per Footprint.
AB - A novel realization of microtubular direct methanol fuel cells (uDMFC) with
ultrahigh power output is reported by using "rolled-up" nanotechnology. The
microtube (Pt-RuO2 -RUMT) is prepared by rolling up Ru2 O layers coated with
magnetron-sputtered Pt nanoparticles (cat-NPs). The uDMFC is fabricated by
embedding the tube in a fluidic cell. The footprint of per tube is as small as
1.5 * 10-4 cm2 . A power density of ~257 mW cm-2 is obtained, which is three
orders of magnitude higher than the present microsized DFMCs. Atomic layer
deposition technique is applied to alleviate the methanol crossover as well as
improve stability of the tube, sustaining electrolyte flow for days. A laminar
flow driven mechanism is proposed, and the kinetics of the fuel oxidation depends
on a linear-diffusion-controlled process. The electrocatalytic performance on
anode and cathode is studied by scanning both sides of the tube wall as an ex
situ working electrode, respectively. This prototype uDFMC is extremely
interesting for integration with micro- and nanoelectronics systems.
PMID- 28691180
TI - Examining the association between language, expository discourse and offending
behaviour: an investigation of direction, strength and independence.
AB - BACKGROUND: A high prevalence of Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) is
reported in the population of Young Offenders (YO). However, little is known
about the extent of the association between language and offending behaviour
relative to social disadvantage, education attendance and non-verbal intelligence
(IQ), and neither has this association been investigated with particular
reference to the expository discourse abilities of YOs on community orders in the
UK. AIMS: This study aimed to examine the direction and strength of the
association between language and offending behaviour by comparing the receptive
and expressive language and expository discourse abilities of male and female YOs
and non-offenders in the UK, relative to the confounds of social disadvantage,
years of education attended and non-verbal IQ. Examining expository discourse
provided a measure of the YOs. ability to verbally communicate complex
information; a communication ability that is fundamental to engaging effectively
in youth offending services and secondary education. METHODS: An opportunity
sample of 52 YOs was recruited from a youth offending service. The YO group was
matched on years of education, social disadvantage and non-verbal IQ to a purpose
selected comparison group of 25 non-offenders. All participants had English as
their first language and were not currently receiving any speech and language
intervention. Participants completed standardised measures of receptive and
expressive language and an expository discourse measure. The incidence of DLD was
identified and compared across offender group using scores from the language and
expository discourse measures and gender differences were also explored. Finally,
logistical regression analysis was used to test the association between language
performance and offending status relative to the confounds of social
disadvantage, education attendance and non-verbal IQ. OUTCOMES & RESULTS: A large
proportion of YOs scored below test norms for the language and expository
discourse measures, which indicated a high incidence of DLD that was much larger
than that displayed by the non-offenders. No differences were found on language
performance between male and female YOs. Logistic regression analyses found that
as language performance increased, the probability of being a non-offender
significantly increased. CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS: Participants were over 1 to
5 times more likely to be classified as a non-offender for every unit increase in
the language and expository discourse scores. The statistically significant
positive association found between language and offending behaviour relative to
other confounds, highlights the important role of language in understanding
offending behaviour. YOs displayed high incidences of DLD in their language and
expository discourse abilities despite having not received any speech and
language intervention prior to their involvement in this study. This has
implications for their effective engagement in education and in youth offending
and criminal justice services (CJS). Professionals in education, health and
social care and youth justice should be made aware of the language needs of both
YOs and children with emotional behavioural difficulties, and these language
needs should be identified and targeted as early as possible to enable them to be
effective communicators who can engage effectively in their provision.
PMID- 28691181
TI - Treatment of paediatric facial pyogenic granuloma with topical ingenol mebutate.
PMID- 28691182
TI - Heat shock protein 70 inhibitors suppress androgen receptor expression in LNCaP95
prostate cancer cells.
AB - Androgen deprivation therapy is initially effective for treating patients with
advanced prostate cancer; however, the prostate cancer gradually becomes
resistant to androgen deprivation therapy, which is termed castration-resistant
prostate cancer (CRPC). Androgen receptor splice variant 7 (AR-V7), one of the
causes of CRPC, is correlated with resistance to a new-generation AR antagonist
(enzalutamide) and poor prognosis. Heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) inhibitor is
known to decrease the levels of full-length AR (AR-FL), but little is known about
its effects against CRPC cells expressing AR-V7. In this study, we investigated
the effect of the Hsp70 inhibitors quercetin and VER155008 in the prostate cancer
cell line LNCaP95 that expresses AR-V7, and explored the mechanism by which Hsp70
regulates AR-FL and AR-V7 expression. Quercetin and VER155008 decreased cell
proliferation, increased the proportion of apoptotic cells, and decreased the
protein levels of AR-FL and AR-V7. Furthermore, VER155008 decreased AR-FL and AR
V7 mRNA levels. Immunoprecipitation with Hsp70 antibody and mass spectrometry
identified Y-box binding protein 1 (YB-1) as one of the molecules regulating AR
FL and AR-V7 at the transcription level through interaction with Hsp70. VER155008
decreased the phosphorylation of YB-1 and its localization in the nucleus,
indicating that the involvement of Hsp70 in AR regulation might be mediated
through the activation and nuclear translocation of YB-1. Collectively, these
results suggest that Hsp70 inhibitors have potential anti-tumor activity against
CRPC by decreasing AR-FL and AR-V7 expression through YB-1 suppression.
PMID- 28691183
TI - Association between early life adversity and inflammation during infancy.
AB - Early life adversity is associated with adult elevations of inflammatory markers
such as circulating levels of C-reactive protein (CRP). Few studies have measured
inflammation or its association with psychosocial stress during infancy. Existing
evidence suggests that early adversity can embed itself into young children's
biology with implications for lifelong development. This study examined the
association between psychosocial stress and salivary CRP in infants. Early
adversity in the form of socioeconomic disadvantage and maternal psychosocial
stress were measured when infants were 17 months old. Resting state saliva
samples were collected to assess CRP (pg/ml) levels via enzyme immunoassay.
Results revealed that both socioeconomic disadvantage and maternal psychosocial
stress were independently associated with higher infant CRP levels. These results
raise questions about timing of exposure to adversity, and about the potentially
lasting effects on inflammatory processes when such exposure occurs early in
development.
PMID- 28691184
TI - Risk Factors for Post-treatment Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS): An
Analysis of 647 Cases of CRPS from the Danish Patient Compensation Association.
AB - OBJECTIVES: Complex regional pain syndrome is a challenging condition that
includes a broad spectrum of sensory, autonomic, and motor features predominantly
in extremities recovering from a trauma. Few large-scale studies have addressed
occurrence of and factors associated with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)
following orthopedic treatment. The present study aimed to identify factors
associated with post-treatment development of CRPS. METHODS: Using the Danish
Patient Compensation Association's database, we identified 647 patients claiming
post-treatment CRPS between 1992 and 2015. Age, gender, initial diagnosis,
treatment, and amount of compensation were extracted. Multivariate logistic
regressions were performed to identify variables associated with approval of the
claim. For carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) patients, we registered whether symptoms
were bilateral or unilateral and if neurophysiology prior to treatment was
pathologic. RESULTS: The following ratios were found: women:men was 4:1, primary
diagnosis to the upper limb:lower limb was 2.5:1, and surgical:nonsurgical
treatment was 3:1. Mean age was 47.5 +/- 13.7 years, and no intergender
difference was detected. Antebrachial fracture (23%) and CTS (9%) were the most
common primary conditions. Surgical treatment was associated with approval of the
claim (odds ratio 3.5, 95% confidence interval 2.3 to 5.3; P < 0.001). Half of
CTS patients had normal neurophysiology prior to surgery; among patients with
unilateral symptoms, 71.4% had normal neurophysiology. CONCLUSIONS: Female
gender, surgical treatment, and treatment to the upper limb were risk factors.
Elective surgery accounted for a large number of post-treatment CRPS patients. In
CTS patients developing CRPS, normal neurophysiological examination findings were
common, and it could be suspected that these patients were suffering from an pre
clinical stage of CRPS, not CTS.
PMID- 28691185
TI - Regulating clinical trials in India: the economics of ethics.
AB - The relationship between the ethical standards for the governance of clinical
trials and market forces can be complex and problematic. This article uses India
as a case study to explore this nexus. From the mid-2000s, India became a popular
destination for foreign-sponsored clinical trials. The Indian government had
sought to both attract clinical trials and ensure these would be run in line with
internationally accepted ethical norms. Reports of controversial medical
research, however, triggered debate about the robustness and suitability of
India's regulatory system. In response to civil society pressure and
interventions by the Supreme Court, the Indian government proposed additional
measures aimed at strengthening protections for clinical trial participants.
Whilst the reforms can be seen as a victory for human rights activists, they have
also been criticised as being overly burdensome for sponsors. Indeed, their
announcement prompted an exodus of clinical trials from India. Fearful of losing
business to 'rival' countries, the Indian government is revisiting some of its
proposals. The Indian example suggests that research ethics frameworks and
national policies for economic development are increasingly intertwined. Host
countries are in theory free to improve the lot of research participants, but
doing so may make them appear less attractive to foreign sponsors, who can simply
shift their activities to more industry-friendly jurisdictions. Although these
economic pressures are unlikely to lead to a regulatory 'race to the bottom',
they may limit host countries' ability to enact socially desirable reforms.
PMID- 28691186
TI - Peroral endoscopic myotomy as salvation technique post-Heller: International
experience.
AB - BACKGROUND: Treatment for achalasia has traditionally been Heller myotomy (HM).
Despite its excellent efficacy rate, a number of patients remain symptomatic post
procedure. Limited data exist as to the best management for recurrence of
symptoms post-HM. We present an international, multicenter experience evaluating
the efficacy and safety of post-HM peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM). METHODS:
Patients who underwent POEM post-HM from 13 centers from January 2012 to January
2017 were included as part of a prospective registry. Technical success was
defined as successful completion of the myotomy. Clinical success was defined as
an Eckardt score of <=3 on 12-month follow up. Adverse events (AE) including
anesthesia-related, operative, and postoperative complications were recorded.
RESULTS: Fifty-one patients were included in the study (mean age 54.2, 47% male).
Technical success was achieved in 100% of patients. Clinical success on long-term
follow up was achieved in 48 patients (94%), with a mean change in Eckardt score
of 6.25. Seven patients (13%) had AE: six experienced periprocedural mucosal
defect treated endoscopically and two patients developed mediastinitis treated
conservatively. CONCLUSION: For patients with persistent symptoms after HM, POEM
is a safe salvation technique with good short-term efficacy. As a result of the
challenge associated with repeat HM, POEM might become the preferred technique in
this patient population. Further studies with longer follow up are needed.
PMID- 28691187
TI - Therapeutic experience with oral finasteride for androgenetic alopecia in female
to-male transgender patients.
AB - BACKGROUND: Androgenic treatment of female-to-male transgender patients may
result in androgenetic alopecia (AGA). Use of 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors are
useful as oral treatment of AA in men. There are no previous studies of the use
of finasteride in transgender men as treatment of AGA. AIM: To evaluate the
effectiveness and safety of an oral 5alpha-reductase inhibitor (finasteride) for
AA developed in transgender men. METHODS: This single-centre retrospective study
enrolled female-to-male transgender patients with a clinical diagnosis of AGA to
receive 1 mg of an oral type II 5alpha-reductase inhibitor for at least 12
months. RESULTS: In all, 10 patients were included in the study. All the patients
received a clinical diagnosis of male-pattern AGA, with 90% classified as stage
IV on the Norwood-Hamilton scale. Mean onset of AGA was 3.25 years after the
introduction of androgenic treatment, and 70% of the patients had a family
history of AGA. All the patients improved one grade on the Norwood-Hamilton scale
after a mean of 5.5 months (range 4-6 months) since the start of finasteride
treatment. Two patients stopped treatment for economic reasons and one stopped
due to dyspepsia. No sexual or other adverse effects were observed. Patients were
given periodic physical and analytical examinations by endocrinologists without
any significant finding. Mean follow-up of patients was 16.2 months. CONCLUSION:
AA in transgender men has a delayed onset, and is clinically and therapeutically
similar to the common male-pattern-AGA in cis-gender men.
PMID- 28691188
TI - Tranexamic Acid in Total Knee Arthroplasty: Mixed Treatment Comparisons and
Recursive Cumulative Meta-Analysis of Randomized, Controlled Trials and Cohort
Studies.
AB - Tranexamic acid (TXA) has been shown to be effective in patients with total knee
arthroplasty (TKA) in clinical studies with no consensus with regard to the most
appropriate route of administration. We conducted a network meta-analysis to
compare the evidence available on efficacy and safety of TXA in TKA. Electronic
databases were searched for randomized, clinical trials and cohort studies that
evaluated TXA in TKA. Publication bias, risk of bias and inconsistencies were
assessed. Direct and indirect comparisons were carried out for blood transfusion
rate and incidence of thrombotic complications. Sensitivity analyses and grading
of evidence were performed for key comparisons. A cumulative meta-analysis was
conducted for comparisons that had a minimum of 10 included studies. A total of
19 studies with 8916 participants were pooled for this network meta-analysis. No
inconsistencies and publication bias were observed. Low risk of bias was observed
for the majority of the included studies. When compared to placebo, the pooled
estimates for mixed treatment analyses favoured (in the order of higher ranking)
the combined pre-operative oral and topical TXA, intra-operative intravenous TXA
with topical TXA, pre-operative intravenous TXA, intra-operative and post
operative intravenous TXA, intra-operative intravenous bolus and topical TXA.
Additionally, combined intravenous and topical TXA performed better than topical
TXA alone. No significant changes were observed in the sensitivity analyses. No
significant differences were observed in the risk of thrombotic complications
between the interventions. TXA is efficacious and safe in patients with TKA. The
combined topical and intra-operative intravenous TXA may perform better.
PMID- 28691189
TI - Hydroxamic Acids as Chemoselective (ortho-Amino)arylation Reagents via
Sigmatropic Rearrangement.
AB - The use of readily available hydroxamic acids as reagents for the chemoselective
(ortho-amino)arylation of amides is described. This reaction proceeds under metal
free, mild conditions, displays a very broad scope, and constitutes a direct
approach for the metal-free attachment of aniline residues to carbonyl
derivatives.
PMID- 28691190
TI - Seabather's eruption caused by the thimble jellyfish (Linuche aquila) in the
Philippines.
PMID- 28691191
TI - Divergence of a Tandem Duplication of Manganese Superoxide Dismutase in Nosema
bombycis.
AB - Manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) is a key enzyme in the protection of cells
from oxidative stress. A tandem duplication of the MnSOD gene (NbMnSOD1 and
NbMnSOD2) in the genome of Nosema bombycis, a parasite of the silkworm Bombyx
mori, was previously identified. Here, we compare the protein structures of
NbMnSOD1 and NbMnSOD2 and characterize these two proteins in terms of cellular
localization, timing of transcription, protein structure, and enzyme activity.
Despite a similarity in the primary sequence of NbMnSOD1 and NbMnSOD2, the latter
shows a remarkable degree of amino acid sequence difference on the protein's
surface and in the active site, where there is a substitution of a phenylalanine
for a histidine in NbMnSOD2. Immuno-electron microscopy demonstrates that
NbMnSOD1 is present in the cytosol of mature spores, whereas NbMnSOD2 is
localized on the polar tube and the spore wall. Immunofluorescence confirms the
localization of NbMnSOD2 on the polar tube of the germinated spore. Quantitative
measurement of gene expression (qRT-PCR) demonstrates production of both alleles
during the first day of infection followed by a dramatic decrease during the
second to fourth day of infection. From the fifth day onward, the two alleles
show a complementary pattern of expression. The qRT-PCR of the host manganese
superoxide dismutase (BmMnSOD) shows a notable increase in transcription upon
infection, leading to a three-fold spike by the first day of infection, followed
by a decrease in transcription. Measurement of overall MnSOD activity shows a
similar peak at day 1 followed by a decrease to a constant rate of enzyme
activity. The differences in cellular localization and pattern of gene expression
of NbMnSOD2 compared to NbMnSOD1, as well as the differences in protein structure
seen for NbMnSOD2 compared to other microsporidial MnSODs, strongly suggest a
unique, recently evolved role for NbMnSOD2.
PMID- 28691192
TI - Bilirubin coating attenuates the inflammatory response to everolimus-coated
stents.
AB - The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of bilirubin- and/or everolimus
(EVL)-coated stents to prevent arterial neointimal hyperplasia and inflammation
in vitro and in vivo. The stents were prepared by spray coating bare metal stents
(BMS) with bilirubin and/or EVL. Study groups were divided into (1) BMS, (2)
bilirubin-coated stents (BES), (3) commercialized stents (SynergyTM; EES), and
(4) bilirubin/EVL-coated stents (B-EES). The coating thickness and drug release
rates were comparable to previous reports (i.e., <4 um thickness and 50% drug
release in 7 days). Smooth muscle cell migration was inhibited in both EVL
containing groups (20.5 +/- 3.80% in EES and 18.4 +/- 2.55% in B-EES) compared to
the non-EVL-containing groups (78.0 +/- 6.41% in BMS and 76.1 +/- 4.88% in BES)
(n = 10, p < 0.05). Stents were randomly implanted to 40 coronary arteries in 20
pigs and subjected to various analyses after 4 weeks of implantation. As results,
the inflammation score was dramatically increased in the EES group (2.1 +/- 0.42)
compared to that of the other groups (1.5 +/- 0.55, 1.3 +/- 0.23, and 1.5 +/-
0.27 for BMS, BES, and B-EES, respectively, n = 10, p < 0.05). Immunofluorescence
analysis revealed that inflammation was prevented in the bilirubin-containing
groups (BES and B-EES). However, the percent area of restenosis was decreased in
the EVL-containing groups (20.5 +/- 4.11% for EES and 18.4 +/- 3.61% for B-EES)
compared to the non-EVL-containing groups (32.3 +/- 6.41% for BMS and 29.6 +/-
5.95% for BES, n = 10, p < 0.05). The percent areas of restenosis determined by
histopathology, optical coherence tomography, and micro-computed tomography were
consistent. In addition, the stent was barely covered in the EES and B-EES groups
at 4 weeks postimplantation. These dual drug-coated stents may be especially
beneficial to patients who have an increased risk of inflammation. These stents
have great potential for use in cardiovascular applications. (c) 2017 Wiley
Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 106B: 1486-1495,
2018.
PMID- 28691193
TI - Fluralaner as a single dose oral treatment for Caparinia tripilis in a pygmy
African hedgehog.
AB - BACKGROUND: African pygmy hedgehogs (Atelerix albiventris) are popular pets
belonging to the Erinaceidae family of spined mammals. Amongst the most common
skin diseases occurring in this species is infestation caused by the mite
Caparinia spp. Due to their skin anatomy and spiny coat, detection of skin
lesions in these hedgehogs can be difficult. This may result in delays in seeking
medical care, which may lead to secondary bacterial infection and self-inflicted
trauma. Multiple therapies have been used in the treatment of this skin condition
including ivermectin, amitraz, fipronil and selamectin. A drug which could be
administered as a single oral dose would be advantageous to these pets and their
owners. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of a single oral dose (15 mg/kg) of
fluralaner on Caparinia tripilis infestation in the African pygmy hedgehog.
ANIMALS: A 10-month-old African pygmy hedgehog weighing 184 g. METHODS: Response
to treatment was monitored by dermatological examination and superficial skin
scrapings repeated at 7, 14, 21, 30, 60, 90 and 120 days following fluralaner
administration. RESULTS: On Day 7 after treatment, adult mites were observed
exhibiting normal movement. On Day 14, only dead mites were observed. No life
stages of the mites were found after Day 21. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE:
A single oral dose at 15 mg/kg of fluralaner was effective within 21 days after
treatment for capariniasis in this case. Further studies are required to evaluate
the drug's safety and toxicology in hedgehogs, and to confirm efficacy.
PMID- 28691194
TI - Acute localised exanthematous pustulosis secondary to pembrolizumab.
PMID- 28691195
TI - Definitions of intradialytic hypotension.
AB - Intradialytic hypotension (IDH) is a common and often distressful complication of
hemodialysis. However, despite its clinical significance, there is no consensus,
evidence-based medical definition for the condition. Over the years, numerous
definitions have been implemented in both the clinical and research settings.
Definition inconsistencies have hindered data synthesis and the development of
evidence-based guidelines for the prevention and treatment of IDH, as well as
prevented accurate estimation of the population burden of IDH and patient risk
assessment. Most existing IDH definitions are comprised of one or more of the
following components: (1) intradialytic BP criteria (requisite BP declines or
minimum BP thresholds), (2) the provision of interventions aimed at restoring
effective arterial volume, and/or (3) patient-reported symptoms. Remarkably,
there are insufficient data to inform IDH definition construction, and it remains
unknown if a single, universal definition can adequately capture the condition
across patient subgroups, and in clinical and research settings.
PMID- 28691196
TI - The comprehensibility of pantomimes produced by people with aphasia.
AB - BACKGROUND: People with aphasia (PWA) use pantomime, gesture in absence of
speech, differently from non-brain-damaged people (NBDP). AIMS: To evaluate
through an exploratory study the comprehensibility of PWA's pantomimes and to
find out whether they can compensate for information PWA are unable to convey in
speech. METHODS & PROCEDURES: A total of 273 naive observers participated in one
of two judgement tasks: forced-choice and open-ended questions. These were used
to determine the comprehensibility of pantomimes produced to depict objects by
PWA as compared with NBDP. Furthermore, we compared the information conveyed in
pantomime with the information in speech. We looked into factors influencing
pantomime's comprehensibility: individual factors, manner of depiction and
information needed to be depicted. OUTCOME & RESULTS: Although comprehensibility
scores for PWA's pantomimes were lower than for those produced by NBDP, all PWA
were able to convey information in pantomime that they could not convey in
speech. Comprehensibility of pantomimes was predicted by apraxia. The inability
to use the right hand related to slightly lower comprehensibility scores. Objects
for which individuals depicted its use were best understood. CONCLUSION &
IMPLICATIONS: Our findings highlight the potential benefit of pantomime for
clinical practice. Pantomimes, even though sometimes impaired, can convey
information that PWA cannot convey in speech. Clinical implications are
discussed.
PMID- 28691197
TI - Loss of Dcc in the spinal cord is sufficient to cause a deficit in lateralized
motor control and the switch to a hopping gait.
AB - BACKGROUND: Humans with heterozygous mutations in the axon guidance receptor DCC
display congenital mirror movements (MMs), which are involuntary movements of
body parts, such as fingers, on one side of the body that mirror voluntary
movement of the opposite side. In mice, the homozygous Dcckanga mutant allele
causes synchronous MM-like hindlimb movements during locomotion, resulting in
hopping. In both human and mice, the neuroanatomical defect responsible for the
deficit in lateralized motor control remains to be elucidated. RESULTS: Using the
HoxB8-Cre line to specifically remove Dcc from the spinal cord, we found
misrouting of commissural axons during their migration toward the floor plate,
resulting in fewer axons crossing the midline. These mice also have a hopping
gait, indicating that spinal cord guidance defects alone are sufficient to cause
hopping. CONCLUSIONS: Dcc plays a role in the development of local spinal
networks to ensure proper lateralization of motor control during locomotion.
Local spinal cord defects following loss of Dcc cause a hopping gait in mice and
may contribute to MM in humans. Developmental Dynamics 247:620-629, 2018. (c)
2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
PMID- 28691199
TI - Erratum.
PMID- 28691198
TI - Dyadic Coping in Couple Therapy Process: An Exploratory Study.
AB - This study aimed at moving beyond previous research on couple therapy efficacy by
examining moment-by-moment proximal couple and therapist interactions as well as
final treatment outcomes and their reciprocal association. Seven hundred four
episodes of dyadic coping within 56 early therapy sessions, taken from 28 married
couples in treatment, were intensively analyzed and processed using a mixed
methods software (T-LAB). Results showed that negative dyadic coping was self
perpetuating, and therapists tended to passively observe the negative couple
interaction; on the contrary, positive dyadic coping appeared to require a
therapist's intervention to be maintained, and successful interventions mainly
included information gathering as well as interpreting. Couples who dropped out
of treatment were not actively engaged from the outset of therapy, and they used
more negative dyadic coping, whereas couples who successfully completed treatment
showed more positive dyadic coping very early in therapy. Results highlight the
role of therapist action and control as critical to establishing rapport and
credibility in couple therapy and suggest that dyadic coping patterns early in
therapy may contribute to variable treatment response.
PMID- 28691200
TI - The Chemistry of 1-Acylphosphirane Complexes: A Phosphorus Analogue of the Cloke
Wilson Rearrangement.
AB - The stabilization of a phosphirane ring by complexation to tungsten pentacarbonyl
allows the emergence of the Cloke-Wilson rearrangement in 1-acylphosphirane
complexes around 130 degrees C. Contrary to the cyclopropane case, this
transformation of the 1-acylphosphirane to the 1,3-oxaphosphol-3-ene complexes is
reversible. It is favored by a 2-phenyl, and even a 2-vinyl substitution. The 1,3
oxaphosphol-3-ene complexes are trapped by conjugated dienes.
PMID- 28691201
TI - Combined myocardial deformation to predict cardiac resynchronization therapy
response in nonischemic cardiomyopathy.
AB - BACKGROUND: 20-30% of patients do not benefit from cardiac resynchronization
therapy (CRT) when the established selection criteria were applied. We
hypothesized that a combined assessment of mechanical dyssynchrony, myocardial
deformation, and diastolic function would identify patients who would benefit
most from CRT. METHOD: In 36 CRT patients, clinical evaluation and
echocardiography were performed before and after CRT. Patients were classified
into three subgroups according to their amount of response: echocardiographic
responders, clinical responders, and nonresponders. Radial dyssynchrony and left
ventricular (LV) global longitudinal, radial, and circumferential peak strain was
assessed by speckle-tracking image. Diastolic function was quantified by
conventional echocardiography. RESULT: In addition to left bundle branch block,
nonspecific intraventricular conduction disturbance with intraventricular
dyssynchrony could also improve LV remodeling. Echocardiographic responders had
better global longitudinal strain, global circumferential peak strain, and global
radial strain at baseline which significantly increased at 12-month follow-up. An
improvement in estimates of LV filling pressure and a decrease in mitral
regurgitation and left atrial dimensions were observed only in echocardiographic
responders to CRT. Patients with clinical but without echocardiographic response
showed a significant improvement in atrioventricular (AV) synchrony and a
nonsignificant improvement in other parameters. The nonresponder group did not
improve the AV and intraventricular dyssynchrony. CRT could not improve
restrictive filling pattern with normal filling time. Overall, those patients
with AV and intraventricular dyssynchrony and those with best contractile
function and short diastolic filling time of restrictive filling pattern at
baseline demonstrated the greatest benefit from CRT. CONCLUSIONS: Mechanical
dyssynchrony, contractile function, and filling pattern are important
determinants of the benefits in CRT.
PMID- 28691202
TI - Methadone versus Fentanyl in Patients with Radiation-Induced Nociceptive Pain
with Head and Neck Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Noninferiority Trial.
AB - BACKGROUND: Pain is still a burden for many patients with cancer. A recent trial
showed the superiority of methadone over fentanyl in neuropathic pain, and we
expect that this finding could influence the number of patients treated with
methadone. METHODS: We performed a randomized controlled noninferiority trial in
patients with nociceptive pain. Eighty-two strong-opioid-naive patients with head
and neck cancer with substantial pain (pain numeric rating scale [NRS] score >=
4) due to radiation therapy were included. Forty-two patients were treated with
methadone, and 40 with fentanyl. Patients were evaluated at 1, 3, and 5 weeks.
The primary outcomes were reduction in average pain and clinical success (50%
pain decrease). We set the predefined noninferiority margin at 1 on the NRS and
10% clinical success. Secondary outcomes were pain interference, global perceived
effect (GPE), side effects, and opioid escalation index. RESULTS: Noninferiority
was shown for decrease in NRS for maximum and mean pain scores at 1 and 3 weeks.
Noninferiority was shown for clinical success at 1 week only. The opioid
escalation index was lower in the methadone group at 3 and 5 weeks as compared to
fentanyl (1.44 vs. 1.99, P = 0.004; and 1.50 vs. 2.32, P = 0.013). The pain
interference in the methadone group was significantly decreased at 3 weeks only.
GPE and side effects were not different. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to
show noninferiority of methadone compared to fentanyl at 1 and 3 weeks in the
treatment of radiation-induced nociceptive pain in patients with head and neck
cancer.
PMID- 28691203
TI - Previously undiagnosed risk factors and medication nonadherence are prevalent in
young adults with first-ever stroke.
AB - PURPOSE: The incidence of stroke and prevalence of traditional vascular risk
factors (VRFs) in young adults (age < 55 y) are both increasing. Young patients
tend to be unaware of their VRFs and to have lower medication adherence. We
examined how age affects the prevalence of previously undiagnosed VRFs and the
extent of medication nonadherence among stroke patients. METHODS: Using Taiwan's
National Health Insurance Research Database, we identified consecutive adult
patients with first-ever stroke between 2000 and 2013. Diagnosis of hypertension,
diabetes, and hyperlipidemia was ascertained using validated methods. We
investigated (1) the proportion of patients who had undiagnosed VRFs within 3
years before stroke and (2) the proportion of nonadherence to medications among
patients who had a previously diagnosed VRF. RESULTS: Among stroke patients with
hypertension (n = 9722), diabetes (n = 4751), and hyperlipidemia (n = 4486),
24.9%, 20.8%, and 55.0%, respectively, had not been diagnosed before stroke,
whereas 56.0%, 66.7%, and 32.5%, respectively, had been diagnosed at least 1 year
before stroke. The proportions of medication nonadherence were 71.5%, 64.3%, and
88.4% in patients with previously diagnosed hypertension, diabetes, and
hyperlipidemia, respectively. In multivariate analysis, younger age was
independently associated with undiagnosed hypertension before stroke as well as
medication nonadherence in patients with previously diagnosed hypertension or
diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: Previously undiagnosed hypertension and nonadherence to
treatment of hypertension and diabetes were more prevalent in young adult
patients with first-ever stroke in Taiwan. Interventions targeting young people
to promote early detection and adequate control of VRFs should be encouraged.
PMID- 28691204
TI - Mortality with brainstem seizures from focal 4-aminopyridine-induced recurrent
hippocampal seizures.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Sudden unexplained death in epilepsy is the leading cause of death in
young adult epilepsy patients, typically occurring during the early postictal
period, presumably resulting from brainstem and cardiorespiratory dysfunction. We
hypothesized that ictal discharges in the brainstem disrupt the cardiorespiratory
network, causing mortality. To study this hypothesis, we chose an animal model
comprising focal unilateral hippocampal injection of 4-aminopyridine (4-AP),
which produced focal recurrent hippocampal seizures with secondary generalization
in awake, behaving rats. METHODS: We studied ictal and interictal intracranial
electrographic activity (iEEG) in 23 rats implanted with a custom electrode array
into the hippocampus, the contralateral cortex, and brainstem. The hippocampal
electrodes contained a cannula to administer the potassium channel blocker and
convulsant (4-AP). iEEG was recorded continuously before, during, and after
seizures induced by 4-AP infusion into the hippocampus. RESULTS: The control
group (n = 5) was monitored for 2-3 months, and the weekly baseline iEEG
recordings showed long-term stability. The low-dose group (1 MUL 4-AP, 40 mm, n =
5) exhibited local electrographic seizures without spread to the contralateral
cerebral cortex or brainstem. The high-dose group (5 MUL 4-AP, 40 mm, n = 3) had
several hippocampal electrographic seizures, which spread contralaterally and
triggered brainstem discharges within 40 min, and were associated with violent
motor seizures followed by dyspnea and respiratory arrest, with cortical and
hippocampal iEEG flattening. The group that received high-dose 4-AP without
brainstem implantation (n = 5) had similar seizure-related respiratory
difficulties. Finally, five rats that received high-dose 4-AP without EEG
recording also developed violent motor seizures with postictal respiratory
arrest. Following visualized respiratory arrest in groups III, IV, and V, manual
respiratory resuscitation was successful in five of 13 animals. SIGNIFICANCE:
These studies show that hippocampal seizure activity can spread or trigger
brainstem epileptiform discharges that may cause mortality, possibly mediated by
respiratory network dysfunction.
PMID- 28691205
TI - Risks associated with introduction of poeciliids for control of mosquito larvae:
first record of the non-native Gambusia holbrooki in Argentina.
AB - This study confirms the presence of two species of the non-native mosquitofish
Gambusia in Argentina. The risks that they represent to native biota, their
potential dispersal in the region, and their effectiveness in mosquito larvae
control are discussed.
PMID- 28691206
TI - Duffy null genotype or Fy(a-b-) phenotype are more accurate than self-declared
race for diagnosing benign ethnic neutropenia in Brazilian population.
PMID- 28691207
TI - Hyperuricemia is an independent risk factor for psoriatic arthritis in psoriatic
patients.
AB - Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a spondyloarthritic condition mainly seen in
patients with psoriasis. Psoriatic patients with plaques on the scalp, gluteal
fold or nail lesions are known to develop PsA more frequently, but other markers
for PsA have not yet been identified. To determine which psoriatic patients are
at greatest risk of developing PsA, psoriasis vulgaris (PsV) patients who visited
the Department of Dermatology, Fukuoka University Hospital in 2015 were enrolled.
Patients with and without PsA were statistically compared with respect to age,
sex, age at onset, body mass index (BMI), smoking and drinking habits, familial
history of psoriasis and comorbidities. Of 331 patients (237 men, 94 women), 55
had PsA (17%; 39 men, 16 women). PsA patients had significantly higher
frequencies of nail lesions (PsA vs PsV-only, 62% vs 29%; P < 0.0001) and
hyperuricemia (PsA vs PsV-only, 22% vs 9%; P = 0.01). These were confirmed as
independent risk factors for PsA by logistic regression analysis, with odds
ratios of 5.05 for nail lesions (P < 0.0001) and 4.18 for hyperuricemia (P <
0.01). There was no difference in age at onset, sex, BMI and incidence of
diabetes mellitus, hypertension or dyslipidemia. Hyperuricemia is also known to
be more frequent in psoriatic subjects than the normal population. Uric acid
crystals are a strong stimulator of innate immunity. Considering that none of our
cohort had gouty arthritis, hyperuricemia may increase uric acid crystallization
in and around joints, thereby inducing PsA in psoriatic subjects. Hyperuricemia
appears to be an independent risk factor for PsA.
PMID- 28691208
TI - Transcriptomic profile analysis of mouse neural tube development by RNA-Seq.
AB - The neural tube is the primordium of the central nervous system (CNS) in which
its development is not entirely clear. Understanding the cellular and molecular
basis of neural tube development could, therefore, provide vital clues to the
mechanism of neural tube defects (NTDs). Here, we investigated the gene
expression profiles of three different time points (embryonic day (E) 8.5, 9.5
and 10.5) of mouse neural tube by using RNA-seq approach. About 391
differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened during mouse neural tube
development, including 45 DEGs involved in CNS development, among which Bmp2,
Ascl1, Olig2, Lhx1, Wnt7b and Eomes might play the important roles. Of 45 DEGs,
Foxp2, Eomes, Hoxb3, Gpr56, Hap1, Nkx2-1, Sez6l2, Wnt7b, Tbx20, Nfib, Cntn1 and
Dcx had different isoforms, and the opposite expression pattern of different
isoforms was observed for Gpr56, Nkx2-1 and Sez6l2. In addition, alternative
splicing, such as mutually exclusive exon, retained intron, skipped exon and
alternative 3' splice site was identified in 10 neural related differentially
splicing genes, including Ngrn, Ddr1, Dctn1, Dnmt3b, Ect2, Map2, Mbnl1, Meis2,
Vcan and App. Moreover, seven neural splicing factors, such as Nova1/2,
nSR100/Srrm4, Elavl3/4, Celf3 and Rbfox1 were differentially expressed during
mouse neural tube development. Interestingly, nine DEGs identified above were
dysregulated in retinoic acid-induced NTDs model, indicating the possible
important role of these genes in NTDs. Taken together, our study provides more
comprehensive information on mouse neural tube development, which might provide
new insights on NTDs occurrence. (c) 2017 IUBMB Life, 69(9):706-719, 2017.
PMID- 28691209
TI - Efficacy of the oral neurokinin-1 receptor antagonist aprepitant for nausea and
vomiting induced by cisplatin and carboplatin in Japanese patients with
gynecological cancer.
AB - AIM: This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and the difference in
effects of the oral neurokinin-1(NK-1) receptor antagonist aprepitant for
chemotherapy-induced nausea/vomiting (CINV) in Japanese patients with
gynecological cancer receiving highly emetogenic (cisplatin) and moderately
emetogenic (carboplatin) chemotherapy. METHODS: Aprepitant was added during the
second course of chemotherapy in Japanese patients with grade >= 2 (Common
Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 3.0) nausea and vomiting during
the first course despite receiving antiemetic therapy (a first-generation 5
hydroxytryptamine 3 receptor antagonist + dexamethasone), and in patients who
requested stronger antiemetic therapy despite only having grade 1 nausea and
vomiting. The incidence of nausea and vomiting was compared between the first and
second courses in each group. RESULTS: Ninety-six (55.5%) out of 173 patients
received add-on therapy with aprepitant. There was a significant increase in the
complete response (CR: no vomiting or salvage therapy) rate in the patients
receiving aprepitant, with marked improvement being confirmed for delayed CINV.
Stratified analysis showed that patients with delayed CINV treated with
carboplatin had a significantly higher CR rate, while patients with both acute
and delayed CINV treated with cisplatin had significantly higher CR rates. There
was a positive correlation between the incidence of nausea and the incidence of
vomiting in the patients treated with aprepitant. CONCLUSION: The oral NK-1
receptor antagonist aprepitant could be effective for both acute and delayed CINV
with cisplatin and for delayed CINV with carboplatin in Japanese gynecological
cancer patients.
PMID- 28691210
TI - E3 ligase SAUL1 serves as a positive regulator of PAMP-triggered immunity and its
homeostasis is monitored by immune receptor SOC3.
AB - In both plants and animals, intracellular nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat
proteins (NLRs; or Nod-like receptors) serve as immune receptors to recognize
pathogen-derived molecules and mount effective immune responses against microbial
infections. Plant NLRs often guard the presence or activity of other host
proteins, which are the direct virulence targets of pathogen effectors. These
guardees are sometimes immune-promoting components such as those in a mitogen
activated protein kinase cascade. Plant E3 ligases serve many roles in immune
regulation, but it is unclear whether they can also be guarded by NLRs. Here, we
report on an immune-regulating E3 ligase SAUL1, whose homeostasis is monitored by
a Toll interleukin 1 receptor (TIR)-type NLR (TNL), SOC3. SOC3 can associate with
SAUL1, and either loss or overexpression of SAUL1 triggers autoimmunity mediated
by SOC3. By contrast, SAUL1 functions redundantly with its close homolog PUB43 to
promote PAMP-triggered immunity (PTI). Taken together, the E3 ligase SAUL1 serves
as a positive regulator of PTI and its homeostasis is monitored by the TNL SOC3.
PMID- 28691211
TI - Comprehensive profiling of H-Ras signalling in angiosarcoma endothelium.
AB - The MS1/SVR system, in which MS1 represents immortalized endothelial cells and
SVR represents MS1 cells transformed with oncogenic human-rat sarcoma protein (H
Ras), has been used for around 20 years as a valuable tool to study angiogenesis
and carcinogenesis. Despite the use of these cells in numerous studies, a
comprehensive profile of the signalling differences due to oncogenic H-Ras
transformation has not been performed previously. In this study, we profiled the
well-known MS1 and SVR cell lines using a combination of both Western blot and
gene chip assays.
PMID- 28691212
TI - Selenium-Doped Cathodes for Lithium-Organosulfur Batteries with Greatly Improved
Volumetric Capacity and Coulombic Efficiency.
AB - For the first time a new strategy is reported to improve the volumetric capacity
and Coulombic efficiency by selenium doping for lithium-organosulfur batteries.
Selenium-doped cathodes with four sulfur atoms and one selenium atom (as the
doped heteroatom) in the confined structure are designed and synthesized; this
structure exhibits greatly improved volumetric/areal capacities, and a Coulombic
efficiency of almost 100% for highly stable lithium-organosulfur batteries. The
doping of Se significantly enhances the electronic conductivity of battery
electrodes by a factor of 6.2 compared to pure sulfur electrodes, and completely
restricts the production of long-chain lithium polysulfides. This allows
achievement of a high gravimetric capacity of 700 mAh g-1 close to its
theoretical mass capacity, an exceptional volumetric capacity of 2457 mAh cm-3 ,
and excellent capacity retention of 92% after 400 cycles. Shuttle effect is
efficiently weakened since no long-chain polysulfides are detected from in situ
UV/vis results throughout the entire cycling process arising from selenium
doping, which is theoretically confirmed by density functional theory
calculations.
PMID- 28691213
TI - Central cannulation strategy for extent I thoracoabdominal aneurysm repair of
chronic type B aortic dissection.
AB - INTRODUCTION: We evaluated the safety profile of a central cardiopulmonary bypass
(CPB) cannulation strategy for repair of extent I thoracoabdominal aortic
aneurysms (TAAA) with chronic type B dissection in comparison to traditional
peripheral CPB cannulation strategies. METHODS: Patients undergoing extent I TAAA
repair for chronic type B dissection from 2002 to 2011 were retrospectively
reviewed. Patients were grouped by their CPB cannulation strategy. Patients in
Group I underwent central aortic cannulation (n = 28) through a left thoracotomy
incision. The true lumen of the descending thoracic aorta was cannulated using an
echocardiogram-guided Seldinger wire technique. The right atrium was directly
accessed for venous drainage. In Group II (n = 31), arterial and venous
cannulation of the femoral vessels was achieved using a left-sided groin
incision. All patients underwent deep hypothermic circulatory arrest for proximal
aortic reconstruction. RESULTS: Preoperative aortic dimensions (6.5 +/- 0.79 cm
in Group I vs 7.0 +/- 1.15 cm in Group II p = 0.8) were similar between groups.
CPB time (240 +/- 37 min in Group I vs 174 +/- 68 min in Group II p < 0.01) was
significantly higher in the central cannulation group whereas circulatory arrest
times (43 +/- 5 min Group I vs 37 +/- 7 min in Group II p = 0.1) were similar
between the two groups. In-hospital 30-day mortality (N = 0, 0% in Group I; N =
2, 6.5% in Group II), stroke (N = 1, 3.5% in Group I; N = 0, 0% in Group II),
paraplegia (N = 1, 3.5% in Group I; N = 1, 3.2% in Group II), reoperation for
bleeding (N = 1, 3.5% in Group I; N = 1, 3.2% Group II), tracheostomy rate (N =
2, 7% in Group I; N = 3, 9.7% Group II), and mean length of stay (19 days in
Group I vs 17 days in Group II) were similar (p > 0.05). Median follow-up was 3.6
+/- 2.0 in Group I and 5.6 +/- 2.6 years in Group II. Actuarial survival at 5
years was 84.6 % for Group I and 77.6% for Group II (p = 0.52). CONCLUSIONS:
Central true lumen cannulation through a left thoracotomy incision for repair of
extent I TAAA with chronic type B dissection is an acceptable approach with
equivalent early and midterm outcomes compared to more standard femoral
cannulation techniques. It may provide a safe alternative cannulation site for
patients with diseased femoral vessels.
PMID- 28691214
TI - Earthquake Preparedness Among Japanese Hemodialysis Patients in Prefectures
Heavily Damaged by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.
AB - The purpose of this study was to explore the factors related to earthquake
preparedness in Japanese hemodialysis patients. We focused on three aspects of
the related factors: health condition factors, social factors, and the experience
of disasters. A mail survey of all the members of the Japan Association of Kidney
Disease Patients in three Japanese prefectures (N = 4085) was conducted in March,
2013. We obtained 1841 valid responses for analysis. The health factors covered
were: activities of daily living (ADL), mental distress, primary renal diseases,
and the duration of dialysis. The social factors were: socioeconomic status,
family structure, informational social support, and the provision of information
regarding earthquake preparedness from dialysis facilities. The results show that
the average percentage of participants that had met each criterion of earthquake
preparedness in 2013 was 53%. Hemodialysis patients without disabled ADL, without
mental distress, and requiring longer periods of dialysis, were likely to meet
more of the earthquake preparedness criteria. Hemodialysis patients who had
received informational social support from family or friends, had lived with
spouse and children in comparison to living alone, and had obtained information
regarding earthquake preparedness from dialysis facilities, were also likely to
meet more of the earthquake preparedness criteria.
PMID- 28691215
TI - Photochromic Inorganic/Organic Thermoplastic Elastomers.
AB - Photochromic materials are an important class of "smart materials" and are
broadly utilized in technological devices. However, most photochromic materials
reported so far are composed of inorganic compounds that are challenging to
process and suffer from poor mechanical performance, severely limiting their
applications in various markets. In this paper, inorganic photochromic tungsten
trioxide (WO3 ) nanocrystals are conveniently grafted with polymers to hurdle the
deficiency in processability and mechanical properties. This new type of
photochromic material can be thermally processed into desired geometries like
disks and dog-bone specimens. Fully reversible photochromic response under UV
light is also achieved for WO3 -graft polymers, exhibiting tunable response rate,
outperforming the pristine WO3 nanocrystals. Notably, the resulted graft polymers
show extraordinary mechanical performance with excellent ductility (~800%
breaking strain) and relatively high breaking strength (~2 MPa). These
discoveries elucidate an effective pathway to design smart inorganic/organic
hybrid thermoplastic elastomers endowed with outstanding photochromic and
mechanical properties as well as exceptional processability.
PMID- 28691216
TI - Statins and Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors are Associated with Reduced
Mortality and Morbidity in Chronic Liver Disease.
AB - Liver fibrosis is a common response to many chronic liver diseases. The aim of
our study was to explore whether pharmacotherapy for concurrent diseases affects
overall mortality, liver-related mortality and liver-related morbidity in
patients with chronic liver disease. We performed a register-based cohort study
of all patients with a first-time diagnosis of chronic liver disease between 2005
and 2012 in Sweden (n = 70 546). Data from the Patient Register, the Prescribed
Drug Register and the Death Certificate Register were linked. We studied whether
the use of statins, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin
receptor blockers and antibiotics affected the risk of total mortality, liver
specific mortality and morbidity. We found a reduction in mortality risk for
statin users (n = 11,245) with hazard ratios from 0.57 (95% CI: 0.32-0.99) for
patients with autoimmune hepatitis to 0.84 (95% CI: 0.75-0.95) for patients with
alcoholic liver disease. There was a significantly reduced liver-related
mortality for patients with alcoholic liver disease who used angiotensin
converting enzyme inhibitors, 0.85 (95% CI: 0.65-0.96). There were increased
overall mortality risks for antibiotic users (n = 44,572), with hazard ratios up
to 1.67 (95% CI, 1.55-1.80) for viral hepatitis. Statin use was associated with
decreased risks of liver-specific mortality and morbidity, and reduced total
mortality foremost among patients with alcoholic liver disease. Angiotensin
converting enzyme inhibitors was associated with reduced liver-related mortality
among patients with alcoholic liver disease.
PMID- 28691217
TI - Double-Arm Lanthanide Tags Deliver Narrow Gd3+ -Gd3+ Distance Distributions in
Double Electron-Electron Resonance (DEER) Measurements.
AB - Double-arm cyclen-based Gd3+ tags are shown to produce accurate nanometer scale
Gd3+ -Gd3+ distance measurements in double electron-electron resonance (DEER)
experiments by confining the space accessible to the metal ion. The results show
excellent agreement with predictions both for the maximum and width of the
measured distance distributions. For distance measurements in proteins, the tags
can be attached to two cysteine residues located in positions i and i+4, or i and
i+8, of an alpha-helix. In the latter case, an additional mutation introducing an
aspartic acid at position i+4 achieves particularly narrow distribution widths.
The concept is demonstrated with cysteine mutants of T4 lysozyme and maltose
binding protein. We report the narrowest Gd3+ -Gd3+ distance distributions
observed to date for a protein. By limiting the contribution of tag mobility to
the distances measured, double-arm Gd3+ tags open new opportunities to study the
conformational landscape of proteins in solution with high sensitivity.
PMID- 28691218
TI - Safety of a pasteurized plasma-derived Factor VIII and von Willebrand factor
concentrate: analysis of 33 years of pharmacovigilance data.
AB - BACKGROUND: Haemate-P/Humate-P (Humate-P) is a pasteurized human plasma-derived
concentrate containing both Factor VIII and von Willebrand factor for treatment
of hemophilia A and von Willebrand disease (VWD). STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We
analyzed the safety of Humate-P based on more than 33 years of postmarketing
pharmacovigilance data, representing an estimated exposure of approximately
25,000 patient-years. The analysis comprises reports of potential adverse drug
reactions (ADRs) from all sources, reported as part of routine pharmacovigilance
at CSL Behring. ADRs considered clinically relevant or potential risks of Humate
P were identified based on defined and standardized Medical Dictionary for
Regulatory Activities queries. Recognizing the limitations of spontaneous
reporting, we also reviewed the literature, including clinical trials with
mandatory reporting. RESULTS: From 1982 to 2015, a total of 670 postmarketing
cases had been reported via pharmacovigilance, for an overall reporting rate of
approximately one ADR per 3900 administered standard doses. Of these cases, 343
involved ADRs considered clinically relevant risks (33 thromboembolic
complications, 97 inhibitor formation, 110 hypersensitivity or allergic
reactions) or potential risks (103 suspected virus transmissions) for Humate-P.
Most thromboembolic complications occurred in patients undergoing surgery or with
other known risk factors. Inhibitor formation occurred mostly in patients with
hemophilia A (24 cases were high titer). Most patients with hypersensitivity or
allergic reactions had VWD. None of the reported suspected virus transmission
cases were confirmed to be associated with Humate-P. Reported results of company
sponsored studies showed a low incidence of adverse events possibly or probably
related to Humate-P. CONCLUSIONS: More than 33 years of pharmacovigilance data
continue to support the safety of Humate-P.
PMID- 28691219
TI - Comparison of reduced field-of-view diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and
conventional DWI techniques in the assessment of rectal carcinoma at 3.0T: Image
quality and histological T staging.
AB - PURPOSE: To compare image quality (IQ) of reduced field-of-view (rFOV) and full
FOV (fFOV) diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) sequences at 3T, with histological T
staging of rectal cancer as a reference standard. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In all,
81 patients with rectal cancer received magnetic resonance (MR) scans (3.0T),
including both rFOV and fFOV DWI sequences. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and
contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were quantitatively evaluated using the paired t
test. Two radiologists independently assessed subjective IQ parameters, including
image sharpness, distortion, artifacts, lesion conspicuity, and overall
subjective IQ of both sequences. The Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to
compare subjective IQ scores and tumor apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs)
between DWI sequences. Spearman correlation analysis was used to correlate ADC
values and corresponding T staging of rectal cancer. RESULTS: CNR was
significantly higher in rFOV DWI than in fFOV DWI (7.15 +/- 2.77 vs. 5.39 +/-
2.08, P < 0.001). SNR was significantly higher in rFOV DWI than in fFOV DWI
(44.17 +/- 11.01 vs. 34.76 +/- 13.30, P < 0.001). The subjective IQ parameters of
rFOV DWI sequence were rated superior to those of fFOV DWI sequence by both
readers (P < 0.001). No significant differences between mean tumor ADC values of
both sequences (0.991 +/- 0.121 vs. 0.100 +/- 0.126 * 10-3 mm2 /s, P = 0.617)
were noted. Apart from T1 stage, T staging of rectal cancer was inversely
correlated with ADC values of rFOV DWI (r = -0.688, P < 0.001) and fFOV DWI
sequences (r = -0.641, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The rFOV DWI sequence provided
significantly better IQ and lesion conspicuity than the fFOV DWI sequence. In
addition, rFOV and fFOV DWI sequences can be used in evaluation of histological T
staging of rectal cancer. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 J.
Magn. Reson. Imaging 2018;47:967-975.
PMID- 28691220
TI - Mechanistic insights into the liquefaction stage of enzyme-mediated biomass
deconstruction.
AB - Effective enzyme-mediated viscosity reduction, disaggregation, or "liquefaction,"
is required to overcome the rheological challenges resulting from the fibrous,
hygroscopic nature of lignocellulosic biomass, particularly at the high solids
loadings that will be required for an economically viable process. However, the
actual mechanisms involved in enzyme-mediated liquefaction, as determined by
viscosity or yield stress reduction, have yet to be fully resolved. Particle
fragmentation, interparticle interaction, material dilution, and water-retention
capacity were compared for their ability to quantify enzyme-mediated liquefaction
of model and more realistic pretreated biomass substrates. It was apparent that
material dilution and particle fragmentation occurred simultaneously and that
both mechanisms contributed to viscosity/yield stress reduction. However, their
relative importance was dependent on the nature of the biomass substrate.
Interparticle interaction and enzyme-mediated changes to these interactions was
shown to have a significant effect on slurry rheology. Liquefaction was shown to
result from the combined action of material dilution, particle fragmentation, and
alteration of interactions at particle surfaces. However, the observed changes in
water retention capacity did not correlate with yield stress reduction. The
relative importance of each mechanism was significantly influenced by the nature
of the biomass substrate and its physicochemical properties. An ongoing challenge
is that mechanisms, such as refining, which enhance enzyme accessibility to the
cellulosic component of the substrate, are detrimental to slurry rheology and
will likely impede enzyme-mediated liquefaction when high substrate
concentrations are used.
PMID- 28691221
TI - Peanut allergy and isotretinoin: reply to McCarthy et al.
PMID- 28691222
TI - The morphology of the male reproductive system, spermatogenesis and the
spermatozoon of Daphnia magna (Crustacea: Branchiopoda).
AB - This study analyses the histological and cellular morphology of the testis and
sperm development in the male Daphnia magna Straus 1820. Due to the rarity of
males and predominately parthenogenetic lifecycle of Daphnia, there has been
limited detailed information on males in contrast to the well-studied female.
Using light and electron microscopy approaches, we describe the morphology of the
testis during the progression from an immature to mature testis. The testis has
an encasing muscular mesh sheath outside the basal lamina, beneath which is a
thin somatic epithelial cell layer. Internal to the epithelium are the
spermatogonial stem cells and subsequent syncytial clusters of the germ cells as
they progress through spermatogenesis; spermatozoa occupy the entire testis in
sexually mature D. magna. We describe the structure of developing and mature
spermatozoa; mature spermatozoa are non-flagellated, ovoid in shape with
plasmalemma filapodia and are encased in an extracellular capsule.
PMID- 28691223
TI - Letter of response to Greenhawt et al. 'LEAPing Through the Looking Glass:
Secondary Analysis of the Effect of Skin Test Size and Age of Introduction on
Peanut Tolerance after Early Peanut Introduction'.
PMID- 28691226
TI - Of self-lipids, CD1-restricted T cells, and contact sensitization.
AB - Contact hypersensitivity (CHS) in rodents and contact dermatitis in humans are
long-known pathological conditions caused by MHC-restricted T-cell responses.
These responses are triggered upon T-cell recognition of neo-antigenic
determinants, which are generated by a variety of environmental contact
sensitizer (CS) chemicals associating with self-proteins to comprise these neo
antigens. In this issue of the European Journal of Immunology, Betts et al. [Eur.
J. Immunol. 2017. 47: 1171-1180] provide intriguing data implying that common
small molecule CSs such as dinitrochlorobenzene can also recruit and activate
autoreactive CD1-restricted T cells specific for cell-endogenous lipids, which
are enriched in human skin. The effects of dinitrochlorobenzene on CD1 T-cell
recruitment and function were dependent on newly synthesized CD1 molecules and
the presence of endogenous lipids. These findings shed new light on unanticipated
mechanisms that have potential clinical relevance on a common and highly
distressing disease state.
PMID- 28691228
TI - Intra- and post-partum acute aortic dissection (Stanford type B): Report of two
cases.
AB - Pregnancy with Marfan syndrome (MFS) presents challenges to the clinician because
of the increased incidence of maternal cardiovascular complications, including
acute aortic dissection (ADD) and the involvement of the fetus owing to the
urgency of the need for surgery and the low likelihood of survival with premature
delivery. Patient 1 was a 36-year-old pregnant Japanese woman with MFS who was
referred at 16 gestational weeks with aortic root diameter 35.1 mm. Stanford type
B AAD occurred on delivery without evident blood pressure changes. Patient 2 was
a 31-year-old pregnant Japanese woman with MFS with aortic root diameter 28.3 mm
at 20 gestational weeks after David procedure. Ultimately fatal Stanford type B
AAD occurred on post-partum day 15. Both patients were treated with beta-blockers
when AAD occurred. Although these two patients were initially considered to have
relatively low risk according to previous reports and guidelines, AAD occurred.
It is very important to provide information about these high pregnancy risks to
women with MFS before conception, and to follow MFS pregnancies with great
caution.
PMID- 28691227
TI - Changes in the plasma membrane in metabolic disease: impact of the membrane
environment on G protein-coupled receptor structure and function.
AB - : Drug development targeting GPCRs often utilizes model heterologous cell
expression systems, reflecting an implicit assumption that the membrane
environment has little functional impact on these receptors or on their
responsiveness to drugs. However, much recent data have illustrated that membrane
components can have an important functional impact on intrinsic membrane
proteins. This review is directed toward gaining a better understanding of the
structure of the plasma membrane in health and disease, and how this organelle
can influence GPCR structure, function and regulation. It is important to
recognize that the membrane provides a potential mode of lateral allosteric
regulation of GPCRs and can affect the effectiveness of drugs and their
biological responses in various disease states, which can even vary among
individuals across the population. The type 1 cholecystokinin receptor is
reviewed as an exemplar of a class A GPCR that is affected in this way by changes
in the plasma membrane. LINKED ARTICLES: This article is part of a themed section
on Molecular Pharmacology of GPCRs. To view the other articles in this section
visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v175.21/issuetoc.
PMID- 28691230
TI - Contemporary group estimates adjusted for climatic effects provide a finer
definition of the unknown environmental challenges experienced by growing pigs.
AB - Environmental descriptors derived from mean performances of contemporary groups
(CGs) are assumed to capture any known and unknown environmental challenges. The
objective of this paper was to obtain a finer definition of the unknown
challenges, by adjusting CG estimates for the known climatic effects of monthly
maximum air temperature (MaxT), minimum air temperature (MinT) and monthly
rainfall (Rain). As the unknown component could include infection challenges,
these refined descriptors may help to better model varying responses of sire
progeny to environmental infection challenges for the definition of disease
resilience. Data were recorded from 1999 to 2013 at a piggery in south-east
Queensland, Australia (n = 31,230). Firstly, CG estimates of average daily gain
(ADG) and backfat (BF) were adjusted for MaxT, MinT and Rain, which were fitted
as splines. In the models used to derive CG estimates for ADG, MaxT and MinT were
significant variables. The models that contained these significant climatic
variables had CG estimates with a lower variance compared to models without
significant climatic variables. Variance component estimates were similar across
all models, suggesting that these significant climatic variables accounted for
some known environmental variation captured in CG estimates. No climatic
variables were significant in the models used to derive the CG estimates for BF.
These CG estimates were used to categorize environments. There was no observable
sire by environment interaction (Sire*E) for ADG when using the environmental
descriptors based on CG estimates on BF. For the environmental descriptors based
on CG estimates of ADG, there was significant Sire*E only when MinT was included
in the model (p = .01). Therefore, this new definition of the environment,
preadjusted by MinT, increased the ability to detect Sire*E. While the unknown
challenges captured in refined CG estimates need verification for infection
challenges, this may provide a practical approach for the genetic improvement of
disease resilience.
PMID- 28691229
TI - Desmopressin use for minimising perioperative blood transfusion.
AB - BACKGROUND: Blood transfusion is administered during many types of surgery, but
its efficacy and safety are increasingly questioned. Evaluation of the efficacy
of agents, such as desmopressin (DDAVP; 1-deamino-8-D-arginine-vasopressin), that
may reduce perioperative blood loss is needed. OBJECTIVES: To examine the
evidence for the efficacy of DDAVP in reducing perioperative blood loss and the
need for red cell transfusion in people who do not have inherited bleeding
disorders. SEARCH METHODS: We searched for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in
the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (2017, issue 3) in the
Cochrane Library, MEDLINE (from 1946), Embase (from 1974), the Cumulative Index
to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) (from 1937), the Transfusion
Evidence Library (from 1980), and ongoing trial databases (all searches to 3
April 2017). SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomised controlled trials
comparing DDAVP to placebo or an active comparator (e.g. tranexamic acid,
aprotinin) before, during, or immediately after surgery or after invasive
procedures in adults or children. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We used the
standard methodological procedures expected by Cochrane. MAIN RESULTS: We
identified 65 completed trials (3874 participants) and four ongoing trials. Of
the 65 completed trials, 39 focused on adult cardiac surgery, three on paediatric
cardiac surgery, 12 on orthopaedic surgery, two on plastic surgery, and two on
vascular surgery; seven studies were conducted in surgery for other conditions.
These trials were conducted between 1986 and 2016, and 11 were funded by
pharmaceutical companies or by a party with a commercial interest in the outcome
of the trial.The GRADE quality of evidence was very low to moderate across all
outcomes. No trial reported quality of life. DDAVP versus placebo or no
treatmentTrial results showed considerable heterogeneity between surgical
settings for total volume of red cells transfused (low-quality evidence) and for
total blood loss (very low-quality evidence) due to large differences in baseline
blood loss. Consequently, these outcomes were not pooled and were reported in
subgroups.Compared with placebo, DDAVP may slightly decrease the total volume of
red cells transfused in adult cardiac surgery (mean difference (MD) -0.52 units,
95% confidence interval (CI) -0.96 to -0.08 units; 14 trials, 957 participants),
but may lead to little or no difference in orthopaedic surgery (MD -0.02, 95% CI
0.67 to 0.64 units; 6 trials, 303 participants), vascular surgery (MD 0.06, 95%
CI -0.60 to 0.73 units; 2 trials, 135 participants), or hepatic surgery (MD
0.47, 95% CI -1.27 to 0.33 units; 1 trial, 59 participants).DDAVP probably leads
to little or no difference in the total number of participants transfused with
blood (risk ratio (RR) 0.96, 95% CI 0.86 to 1.06; 25 trials; 1806 participants)
(moderate-quality evidence).Whether DDAVP decreases total blood loss in adult
cardiac surgery (MD -135.24 mL, 95% CI -210.80 mL to -59.68 mL; 22 trials, 1358
participants), orthopaedic surgery (MD -285.76 mL, 95% CI -514.99 mL to -56.53
mL; 5 trials, 241 participants), or vascular surgery (MD -582.00 mL, 95% CI
1264.07 mL to 100.07 mL; 1 trial, 44 participants) is uncertain because the
quality of evidence is very low.DDAVP probably leads to little or no difference
in all-cause mortality (Peto odds ratio (pOR) 1.09, 95% CI 0.51 to 2.34; 22
trials, 1631 participants) or in thrombotic events (pOR 1.36, 95% CI, 0.85 to
2.16; 29 trials, 1984 participants) (both low-quality evidence). DDAVP versus
placebo or no treatment for people with platelet dysfunctionCompared with
placebo, DDAVP may lead to a reduction in the total volume of red cells
transfused (MD -0.65 units, 95% CI -1.16 to -0.13 units; 6 trials, 388
participants) (low-quality evidence) and in total blood loss (MD -253.93 mL, 95%
CI -408.01 mL to -99.85 mL; 7 trials, 422 participants) (low-quality
evidence).DDAVP probably leads to little or no difference in the total number of
participants receiving a red cell transfusion (RR 0.83, 95% CI 0.66 to 1.04; 5
trials, 258 participants) (moderate-quality evidence).Whether DDAVP leads to a
difference in all-cause mortality (pOR 0.72, 95% CI 0.12 to 4.22; 7 trials; 422
participants) or in thrombotic events (pOR 1.58, 95% CI 0.60 to 4.17; 7 trials,
422 participants) is uncertain because the quality of evidence is very low. DDAVP
versus tranexamic acidCompared with tranexamic acid, DDAVP may increase the
volume of blood transfused (MD 0.6 units, 95% CI 0.09 to 1.11 units; 1 trial, 40
participants) and total blood loss (MD 142.81 mL, 95% CI 79.78 mL to 205.84 mL; 2
trials, 115 participants) (both low-quality evidence).Whether DDAVP increases or
decreases the total number of participants transfused with blood is uncertain
because the quality of evidence is very low (RR 2.42, 95% CI 1.04 to 5.64; 3
trials, 135 participants).No trial reported all-cause mortality.Whether DDAVP
leads to a difference in thrombotic events is uncertain because the quality of
evidence is very low (pOR 2.92, 95% CI 0.32 to 26.83; 2 trials, 115
participants). DDAVP versus aprotininCompared with aprotinin, DDAVP probably
increases the total number of participants transfused with blood (RR 2.41, 95% CI
1.45 to 4.02; 1 trial, 99 participants) (moderate-quality evidence).No trials
reported volume of blood transfused or total blood loss and the single trial that
included mortality as an outcome reported no deaths.Whether DDAVP leads to a
difference in thrombotic events is uncertain because the quality of evidence is
very low (pOR 0.98, 95% CI 0.06 to 15.89; 2 trials, 152 participants). AUTHORS'
CONCLUSIONS: Most of the evidence derived by comparing DDAVP versus placebo was
obtained in cardiac surgery, where DDAVP was administered after cardiopulmonary
bypass. In adults undergoing cardiac surgery, the reduction in volume of red
cells transfused and total blood loss was small and was unlikely to be clinically
important. It is less clear whether DDAVP may be of benefit for children and for
those undergoing non-cardiac surgery. A key area for researchers is examining the
effects of DDAVP for people with platelet dysfunction. Few trials have compared
DDAVP versus tranexamic acid or aprotinin; consequently, we are uncertain of the
relative efficacy of these interventions.
PMID- 28691231
TI - Active immunization for prevention of De novo hepatitis B virus infection after
adult living donor liver transplantation with a hepatitis B core antigen-positive
graft.
AB - De novo hepatitis B virus (DNHB) infections may occur in recipients who do not
receive prophylaxis after liver transplantation (LT) with antibody to hepatitis B
core antigen (anti-HBc)-positive donor grafts. Active immunization has been shown
to prevent DNHB in pediatric recipients. Our aim is to investigate the efficacy
of HBV vaccination for preventing DNHB in adult living donor liver
transplantation (LDLT). In total, 71 adult antibody to hepatitis B surface
antigen (anti-HBs)-negative LDLT patients who received anti-HBc+ grafts from 2000
to 2010 were enrolled into this study. Patients were given hepatitis B virus
vaccinations with the aim of achieving anti-HBs > 1000 IU/L before transplant and
>100 IU/L after transplant. The cohort was stratified into 3 groups: patients
with pretransplant anti-HBs titer of > 1000 IU/L without the need for
posttransplant prophylaxis (group 1, n = 24), patients with pretransplant low
titer of <1000 IU/L who were given posttransplant lamivudine prophylaxis and
responded appropriately to posttransplant vaccination by maintaining anti-HBs
titers of > 100 IU/L (group 2, n = 30), and low titer nonresponders (anti-HBs
titer of < 100 IU/L despite vaccination), for whom lamivudine was continued
indefinitely (group 3, n = 17). All DNHB occurred in group 3 patients with
posttransplant anti-HBs levels of < 100 IU/L, with an incidence rate of 17.6%
compared with 0% in patients with posttransplant anti-HBs levels of > 100 IU/L (P
= 0.001). A pretransplant anti-HBs level of >1000 IU/L was significantly
associated with early attainment and a sustained level of posttransplant anti-HBs
of >100 IU/L (P < 0.001). Active immunization is effective in preventing DNHB in
adult LDLT if the posttransplant anti-HBs level is maintained above 100 IU/L with
vaccination. Antiviral prophylaxis can be safely discontinued in patients who
obtain this immunity. Liver Transplantation 23 1266-1272 2017 AASLD.
PMID- 28691232
TI - Successful treatment of continuous intra-arterial administration of prostaglandin
E1, urokinase and heparin for intractable digital ulcers by upper extremity
arterial occlusion in diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis patient.
PMID- 28691233
TI - The bias of a two-dimensional view: comparing two-dimensional and three
dimensional mesophyll surface area estimates using noninvasive imaging.
AB - The mesophyll surface area exposed to intercellular air space per leaf area (Sm )
is closely associated with CO2 diffusion and photosynthetic rates. Sm is
typically estimated from two-dimensional (2D) leaf sections and corrected for the
three-dimensional (3D) geometry of mesophyll cells, leading to potential
differences between the estimated and actual cell surface area. Here, we examined
how 2D methods used for estimating Sm compare with 3D values obtained from high
resolution X-ray microcomputed tomography (microCT) for 23 plant species, with
broad phylogenetic and anatomical coverage. Relative to 3D, uncorrected 2D Sm
estimates were, on average, 15-30% lower. Two of the four 2D Sm methods typically
fell within 10% of 3D values. For most species, only a few 2D slices were needed
to accurately estimate Sm within 10% of the whole leaf sample median. However,
leaves with reticulate vein networks required more sections because of a more
heterogeneous vein coverage across slices. These results provide the first
comparison of the accuracy of 2D methods in estimating the complex 3D geometry of
internal leaf surfaces. Because microCT is not readily available, we provide
guidance for using standard light microscopy techniques, as well as recommending
standardization of reporting Sm values.
PMID- 28691234
TI - Stress and welfare in ornamental fishes: what can be learned from aquaculture?
AB - The ornamental fish trade is estimated to handle up to 1.5 billion fishes.
Transportation and handling of fishes imposes a range of stressors that can
result in mortality at rates of up to 73%. These rates vary hugely, however, and
can be as low as 2%, because they are generally estimated rather than based on
experimental work. Given the numbers of ornamental fishes traded, any of the
estimated mortality rates potentially incur significant financial losses and
serious welfare issues. Industry bodies, such as the Ornamental Aquatic Trade
Association (OATA), have established standards and codes of best practice for
handling fishes, but little scientific research has been conducted to understand
the links between stress, health and welfare in ornamental species. In
aquaculture, many of the same stressors occur as those in the ornamental trade,
including poor water quality, handling, transportation, confinement, poor social
and physical environment and disease and in this sector directed research and
some resulting interventions have resulted in improved welfare standards. This
review considers the concept of welfare in fishes and evaluates reported rates of
mortality in the ornamental trade. It assesses how the stress response can be
quantified and used as a welfare indicator in fishes. It then analyses whether
lessons from aquaculture can be usefully applied to the ornamental fish industry
to improve welfare. Finally, this analysis is used to suggest how future research
might be directed to help improve welfare in the ornamental trade.
PMID- 28691235
TI - Outcomes of the conventional and biological treatment approaches for the
management of caries in the primary dentition.
AB - BACKGROUND: In the last few years, conventional restorations including complete
removal of carious tissue (CT) with or without pulp therapy for the treatment of
carious lesions (CL) in primary teeth have been challenged and a more biological
approach has been suggested. This approach involves the use of less invasive
techniques which alter the environment of the CL isolating it from the cariogenic
biofilm and substrate. Two of these treatment approaches that are becoming
increasingly widely accepted and used in paediatric dentistry are the Hall
Technique and indirect pulp capping (IPC). AIM: To investigate the outcome of the
conventional versus the biological approaches for the treatment of deep CL in the
primary teeth in children, delivered in a specialist paediatric dentistry
training environment. DESIGN: This was a retrospective cohort study of 246
children aged 4-9 years, treated with either approach, conventional and
biological, in two UK specialist hospital settings. Data were extracted from
clinical dental records and post-operative radiographs of patients treated during
the period 2006-2012. The outcome of the treatment in this study was categorised
into three main categories: clinical, radiographic, and final outcome. Clinical
and final outcomes were further described as success, minor, and major failure.
RESULTS: In total, 836 primary teeth were included. In the conventional approach,
324 teeth had complete CT removal and 104 teeth had a pulpotomy. In the
biological approach, 388 teeth had Hall Technique preformed metal crowns (PMC)
placed and 20 teeth received indirect pulp capping. PMC were the restoration of
choice for most of the cases where a pulpotomy had been carried out, and resin
composite was most frequently used restorative material for the complete CT
removal group. The majority of the primary teeth treated with either approach
remained asymptomatic after a follow-up period of up to 77 months, 95.3% in the
conventional and 95.8% in the biological. No significant association was found
between the final outcome and the approach used for treatment, age of the
patient, gender and number of carious surfaces or tooth type. CONCLUSION: Both
the conventional and biological treatment approaches had similar final outcomes
and were equally successful for management of CL in the primary dentition.
PMID- 28691236
TI - Response to Vogelstein: How the 2012 AAP Task Force on circumcision went wrong.
AB - Vogelstein cautions medical organizations against jumping into the fray of
controversial issues, yet proffers the 2012 American Academy of Pediatrics' Task
Force policy position on infant male circumcision as 'an appropriate use of
position-statements.' Only a scratch below the surface of this policy statement
uncovers the Task Force's failure to consider Vogelstein's many caveats. The Task
Force supported the cultural practice by putting undeserved emphasis on
questionable scientific data, while ignoring or underplaying the importance of
valid contrary scientific data. Without any effort to quantitatively assess the
risk/benefit balance, the Task Force concluded the benefits of circumcision
outweighed the risks, while acknowledging that the incidence of risks was
unknown. This Task Force differed from other Academy policy-forming panels by
ignoring the Academy's standard quality measures and by not appointing members
with extensive research experience, extensive publications, or recognized
expertise directly related to this topic. Despite nearly 100 publications
available at the time addressing the substantial ethical issues associated with
infant male circumcision, the Task Force chose to ignore the ethical controversy.
They merely stated, with minimal justification, the opinion of one of the Task
Force members that the practice of infant male circumcision is morally
permissible. The release of the report has fostered an explosion of academic
discussion on the ethics of infant male circumcision with a number of national
medical organizations now decrying the practice as a human rights violation.
PMID- 28691238
TI - Structure and ultrastructure of eyes and brains of Thalia democratica (Thaliacea,
Tunicata, Chordata).
AB - Salps are marine planktonic chordates that possess an obligatory alternation of
reproductive modes in subsequent generations. Within tunicates, salps represent a
derived life cycle and are of interest in considerations of the evolutionary
origin of complex anatomical structures and life history strategies. In the
present study, the eyes and brains of both the sexual, aggregate blastozooid and
the asexual, solitary oozooid stage of Thalia democratica (Forskal, ) were
digitally reconstructed in detail based on serial sectioning for light and
transmission electron microscopy. The blastozooid stage of T. democratica
possesses three pigment cup eyes, situated in the anterior ventral part of the
brain. The eyes are arranged in a way that the optical axes of each eye point
toward different directions. Each eye is an inverse eye that consists of two
different cell types: pigment cells (pigc) and rhabdomeric photoreceptor cells
(prcs). The oozooid stage of T. democratica is equipped with a single horseshoe
shaped eye, positioned in the anterior dorsal part of the brain. The opening of
the horseshoe-shaped eye points anteriorly. Similar to the eyes of the
blastozooid, the eye of the oozooid consists of pigment cells and rhabdomeric
photoreceptor cells. The rhabdomeric photoreceptor cells possess apical
microvilli that form a densely packed presumably photosensitive receptor part
adjacent to the concave side of the pigc. We suggest correspondences of the
individual eyes in the blastozooid stage to respective parts of the single
horseshoe-shaped eye in the oozooid stage and hypothesize that the differences in
visual structures and brain anatomies evolved as a result of the aggregate life
style of the blastozooid as opposed to the solitary life style of the oozooid.
PMID- 28691237
TI - Influenza in long-term care facilities.
AB - Long-term care facility environments and the vulnerability of their residents
provide a setting conducive to the rapid spread of influenza virus and other
respiratory pathogens. Infections may be introduced by staff, visitors or new or
transferred residents, and outbreaks of influenza in such settings can have
devastating consequences for individuals, as well as placing extra strain on
health services. As the population ages over the coming decades, increased
provision of such facilities seems likely. The need for robust infection
prevention and control practices will therefore remain of paramount importance if
the impact of outbreaks is to be minimised. In this review, we discuss the nature
of the problem of influenza in long-term care facilities, and approaches to
preventive and control measures, including vaccination of residents and staff,
and the use of antiviral drugs for treatment and prophylaxis, based on currently
available evidence.
PMID- 28691239
TI - Long-term efficacy and safety of aromatase inhibitor use for leiomyomatosis
peritonealis disseminata.
AB - Leiomyomatosis peritonealis disseminata is a rare disease characterized by pelvic
smooth-muscle nodules of various sizes. It is sometimes misdiagnosed as ovarian
or peritoneal carcinoma metastasis; therefore, surgical excision for pathological
diagnosis is required. Treatment options include bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy
(BSO), gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist therapy, and aromatase inhibitor
therapy. All of these suppress estrogen levels, but a standard treatment has not
been established. A 40-year-old woman had multiple pelvic tumors, suspicious for
ovarian cancer. She underwent laparotomy, where frozen sections of the nodules
revealed leiomyomatosis peritonealis disseminata. After she completed
gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist therapy, we performed a total abdominal
hysterectomy and BSO with residual-nodule resection, but the nodules recurred 6
months after surgery. We then started letrozole, and 3 years have now elapsed
without nodule enlargement or development of new lesions. The long-term use of
aromatase inhibitor therapy is thought to be effective and safe for patients with
recurrence after BSO.
PMID- 28691240
TI - Superdurable Coating Fabricated from a Double-Sided Tape with Long Term "Zero"
Bacterial Adhesion.
AB - There is no coating technology currently available to prevent the notorious
biofilm formation issue. Here, a potential solution to fully address this tough
issue is reported by developing a super-antifouling coating. The use of
zwitterionic hydrogel (a double-sided tape) and commercial superglue is combined
and a durable and ultrarobust antifouling zwitterionic (DURA-Z) coating is
created that can be easily and universally applied on common substrates.
Commercial superglue mostly for binding hydrophobic materials is used to strongly
immobilize the superhydrophilic DURA-Z coating through interpenetration. DURA-Z
coating effectively solves several key challenges preventing the current
antifouling coatings from practical use, including difficult fabrication, low
efficacy, poor toughness, and durability. The fabricated DURA-Z coating retains
antifouling property after 90 d of immersion in water, 50 d of buffer shearing,
and 30 d of water flushing, and after repeated knife scratch and sandpaper
abrasion under 570 kPa. The DURA-Z coating achieves a rarely reported long-term
biofilm resistance to both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and fungi: it
remains almost "zero" microbe adhesion after continuously challenged by more than
109 cells mL-1 culture medium for 30 d.
PMID- 28691241
TI - Complex autonomic pathways in patients with idiopathic hyperhidrosis.
PMID- 28691242
TI - Bovine colostrum enriched with lyophilized bovine colostrum stimulates intestinal
epithelium renewal of Holstein calves in the first days of life.
AB - Consumption of a second meal of colostrum with high quality could contribute to
the intestinal epithelium development, especially if there is poor supply of
colostrum just after birth. The effect of a second colostrum meal was evaluated
on histomorphometry of the intestinal mucosa of newborn Holstein calves fed with
high- and low-quality first colostrum. Seventy-two calves were fed with a first
colostrum meal with high (HFM, close to 100 mg/ml) or low (LFM, close to 30
mg/ml) IgG concentration. At 12 hr of life, three treatments of second colostrum
feeding were applied to the calves either fed high or low first colostrum: calves
fed with low (LOW-close to 30 mg/ml) or high (HIGH-close to 100 mg/ml) IgG
concentration; and colostrum enriched with lyophilized bovine colostrum with high
IgG concentration (ENRICHED-higher than 120 mg/ml), resulting in six groups.
Intestinal samples were collected after 24 and 72 hr of life. In the distal
jejunum and ileum, LOW showed higher villus height than ENRICHED (p < .05). In
the distal jejunum, greater villus perimeter was observed in the LOW compared to
ENRICHED at 24 hr (p < .05). In ileum, LFM showed higher villus perimeter
compared to HFM (p < .05). LOW showed the highest villus height-to-crypt depth
ratio in the medium and distal jejunum and ileum, p < .05. ENRICHED and HFM
showed decreased muscle layer thickness in the proximal and distal jejunum
respectively (p < .05). The results reveal that the high concentration of total
solids, crude protein, IgG and IGF-I of colostrum with high quality worsened the
absorptive area, but may have stimulated the activity of cell division in
intestinal crypts. Considering the present results, bovine colostrum enriched
with lyophilized bovine colostrum stimulates intestinal epithelium renewal of
Holstein calves in the first days of life.
PMID- 28691243
TI - The health-related quality of life of patients with prostate cancer and their
spouses before treatment compared with the general population.
AB - AIMS: To describe the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of patients with
prostate cancer and their spouses in comparison with the Finnish general
population, using the RAND 36-Item Health Survey. An additional purpose was to
describe the associations between the background variables of the participants
and their HRQOL. BACKGROUND: The HRQOL of patients with prostate cancer and
especially their spouses at the time of diagnosis is not well known. DESIGN: A
cross-sectional study. METHODS: Responses were received from 232 patients and 229
spouses at 5 central hospitals in Finland between October 2013 and January 2016.
RESULTS: Compared to the Finnish general population mean, the HRQOL of the
patients and their spouses was, on average, better for all dimensions. Patients'
age, the presence of disease, and the treatment method were associated with the
dimensions of HRQOL. The dimensions of HRQOL were also associated with spouses'
age, basic and vocational education, and the presence of disease. CONCLUSION: The
patients and their spouses experienced their HRQOL as very similar; however, on
average, it is better than the general population mean. However, the evidence
suggests that support from the nurses should focus on emotional well-being, the
dimension that received the lowest scores in both groups.
PMID- 28691244
TI - Probiotics intake from proximal or distal gastrointestinal tract: The
investigation on intestinal morphology and performance of Japanese quail.
AB - The aim of the present study was to investigate the efficacy of early single-dose
probiotics administered from proximal or distal gastrointestinal tract on quails'
performance and small intestinal morphology. A total of 120 Japanese quail
(Coturnix coturnix japonica) 1-d-old chicks were divided into the following
experimental groups before being transferred to the raising room: (i) control (no
probiotic administered); (ii) oral group (received probiotics via oesophageal
gavage); and (iii) vent lip group (received probiotics directly into vent). Four
replicates of 10 chicks per cage were considered for each treatment and birds
were raised up to 35 days in the same conditions with ad libitum access to feed
and water. A commercial probiotics (Protexin, Somerset, UK) used in this study
contained 2 * 109 cfu/g of nine different micro-organisms. On day 35, all birds
were weighed and then three birds in every pen were killed via cervical
dislocation. Two cm of mid-point of duodenum and ileum were cut for
histomorphology assays. Both probiotics-treated groups had higher body weight and
body weight gain than control (p < .01). Ileum was longer in probiotics-treated
groups than in the control (p < .01). Orally treated birds had the highest
duodenum villus height and crypt depth (p < .01). In the cloacally treated
quails, ileum villus length was higher than the both other groups, and crypts'
depth was deeper than the control (p < .01). The numbers of both types of goblet
cells (acidic mucin producer and neutral mucin producer) were higher in the birds
receiving probiotics than control birds (p < .01). Although there were no
statistical differences in performance values between the different ways of
probiotics entrance into gut, some intestinal histomorphometric parameters were
improved in ileum of the birds receiving probiotics through distal gut that is
cloaca (p < .01).
PMID- 28691245
TI - Synthesis of Chlorine-Substituted Graphdiyne and Applications for Lithium-Ion
Storage.
AB - Chlorine-substituted graphdiyne (Cl-GDY) is prepared through a Glaser-Hay
coupling reaction on the copper foil. Cl-GDY is endowed with a unique pi
conjugated carbon skeleton with expanded pore size in two dimensions, having
graphdiyne-like sp- and sp2 - hybridized carbon atoms. As a result, the transfer
tunnels for lithium (Li) ions in the perpendicular direction of the molecular
plane are enlarged. Moreover, benefiting from the bottom-to-up fabrication
procedure of graphdiyne and the strong chemical tailorability of the alkinyl
contained monomer, the amount of substitutional chlorine atoms with appropriate
electronegativity and atom size is high and evenly distributed on the as-prepared
carbon framework, which will synergistically stabilize the Li intercalated in the
Cl-GDY framework, and thus generate more Li storage sites. Profiting from the
above unique structure, Cl-GDY shows remarkable electrochemical properties in
lithium ion half-cells.
PMID- 28691246
TI - Formation and function of the "Xestoleberis-spot" in Xestoleberis hanaii
(Crustacea: Ostracoda).
AB - The crescent sculpture of the so-called "Xestoleberis-spot" develops inside the
calcified valve of the family Xestoleberididae. Electron microscopic observations
on both, intermoult and postmoult stages of Xestoleberis species reveal that the
"Xestoleberis-spot" system consists of three elements; two calcified chambers, a
vesicle of electron-dense material and an uncalcified procuticle. The formation
and function of the "Xestoleberis-spot" system are discussed. In conclusion, the
"Xestoleberis-spot" system functions as the muscle attachment site for several
antennal muscles, and provides the material for chitinous fibers in the
exocuticle of outer lamella. The unique cuticular structures of the family
Xestoleberididae are due to the "Xestoleberis-spot" system.
PMID- 28691247
TI - Crystal structure of the UBR-box from UBR6/FBXO11 reveals domain swapping
mediated by zinc binding.
AB - The UBR-box is a 70-residue zinc finger domain present in the UBR family of E3
ubiquitin ligases that directly binds N-terminal degradation signals in substrate
proteins. UBR6, also called FBXO11, is an UBR-box containing E3 ubiquitin ligase
that does not bind N-terminal signals. Here, we present the crystal structure of
the UBR-box domain from human UBR6. The dimeric crystal structure reveals a
unique form of domain swapping mediated by zinc coordination, where three
independent protein chains come together to regenerate the topology of the
monomeric UBR-box fold. Analysis of the structure suggests that the absence of N
terminal residue binding arises from the lack of an amino acid binding pocket.
PMID- 28691249
TI - Seasonal or pathological findings? Morphofunctional characteristics of the equine
endometrium during the autumn and spring transition.
AB - The deep anoestrous phase in winter is part of the anovulatory season in mares
and is bordered by the autumn and spring transitional periods (ATP/STP). To
define an annual time span for effective prognostic biopsy sampling, the aim of
this study was to provide a morphofunctional characterization of the endometrium
during ATP and STP. To outline both transitional periods, endometrial specimens
were taken in September, October and November (n = 76) as well as February, March
and April (n = 184) with the requirement of a detailed clinical documentation.
Tissue samples were examined histologically with special emphasis on the
functional endometrial morphology. Additionally, an immunohistochemical
evaluation was performed on selected specimens regarding the expression of
oestrogen receptor alpha, progesterone receptor and Ki67-antigen. An absent to
low endometrial activity was ascertained in more than 60% of all specimens from
late October onwards, whereas a comparably lacking or low activity in STP was
observed until early April. Approximately 30% (ATP) to 22% (STP) of all samples
exhibited a predominantly "irregular" endometrial differentiation. During the
transitional periods, the clinically evaluated ovarian status (transrectal
palpation, transrectal ultrasonography and/or serum progesterone and oestrogen
analyses) and the endometrial functional morphology were in accordance with
approximately 70% of all cases. The expression of steroid hormone receptors and
Ki67-antigen was generally low. Given that endometrial maldifferentiations were
frequently found during ATP and STP, its occurence might display a characteristic
and physiological feature of the transitional periods. Regarding the functional
endometrial morphology, a diagnostic biopsy sampling should therefore be
performed between late April and before September.
PMID- 28691248
TI - Adolescent alcohol exposure decreases frontostriatal resting-state functional
connectivity in adulthood.
AB - Connectivity of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) matures through adolescence,
coinciding with emergence of adult executive function and top-down inhibitory
control over behavior. Alcohol exposure during this critical period of brain
maturation may affect development of PFC and frontolimbic connectivity. Adult
rats exposed to adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE; 5 g/kg ethanol, 25 percent
v/v in water, intragastrically, 2-day-on, 2-day-off, postnatal day 25-54) or
water control underwent resting-state functional MRI to test the hypothesis that
AIE induces persistent changes in frontolimbic functional connectivity under
baseline and acute alcohol conditions (2 g/kg ethanol or saline,
intraperitoneally administered during scanning). Data were acquired on a Bruker
9.4-T MR scanner with rats under dexmedetomidine sedation in combination with
isoflurane. Frontolimbic network regions-of-interest for data analysis included
PFC [prelimbic (PrL), infralimbic (IL), and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) portions],
nucleus accumbens (NAc), caudate putamen (CPu), dorsal hippocampus, ventral
tegmental area, amygdala, and somatosensory forelimb used as a control region.
AIE decreased baseline resting-state connectivity between PFC subregions (PrL-IL
and IL-OFC) and between PFC-striatal regions (PrL-NAc, IL-CPu, IL-NAc, OFC-CPu,
and OFC-NAc). Acute ethanol induced negative blood-oxygen-level-dependent changes
within all regions of interest examined, along with significant increases in
functional connectivity in control, but not AIE animals. Together, these data
support the hypothesis that binge-like adolescent alcohol exposure causes
persistent decreases in baseline frontolimbic (particularly frontostriatal)
connectivity and alters sensitivity to acute ethanol-induced increases in
functional connectivity in adulthood.
PMID- 28691250
TI - Obesity in patients with major depression is related to bipolarity and mixed
features: evidence from the BRIDGE-II-Mix study.
AB - OBJECTIVES: The Bipolar Disorders: Improving Diagnosis, Guidance and Education
(BRIDGE)-II-Mix study aimed to estimate the frequency of mixed states in patients
with a major depressive episode (MDE) according to different definitions. The
present post-hoc analysis evaluated the association between obesity and the
presence of mixed features and bipolarity. METHODS: A total of 2811 MDE subjects
were enrolled in a multicenter cross-sectional study. In 2744 patients, the body
mass index (BMI) was evaluated. Psychiatric symptoms, and sociodemographic and
clinical variables were collected, comparing the characteristics of MDE patients
with (MDE-OB) and without (MDE-NOB) obesity. RESULTS: Obesity (BMI >=30) was
registered in 493 patients (18%). In the MDE-OB group, 90 patients (20%)
fulfilled the DSM-IV-TR criteria for bipolar disease (BD), 225 patients (50%)
fulfilled the bipolarity specifier criteria, 59 patients (13%) fulfilled DSM-5
criteria for MDEs with mixed features, and 226 patients (50%) fulfilled Research
Based Diagnostic Criteria for an MDE. Older age, history of (hypo)manic switches
during antidepressant treatment, the occurrence of three or more MDEs, atypical
depressive features, antipsychotic treatment, female gender, depressive mixed
state according to DSM-5 criteria, comorbid eating disorders, and anxiety
disorders were significantly associated with the MDE-OB group. Among (hypo)manic
symptoms during the current MDE, psychomotor agitation, distractibility,
increased energy, and risky behaviors were the variables most frequently
associated with MDE-OB group. CONCLUSIONS: In our sample, the presence of obesity
in patients with an MDE seemed to be associated with higher rates of bipolar
spectrum disorders. These findings suggest that obesity in patients with an MDE
could be considered as a possible marker of bipolarity.
PMID- 28691251
TI - Postmarketing withdrawal of human medicinal products because of adverse reactions
in animals: a systematic review and analysis.
AB - PURPOSE: We have identified human medicinal products for which animal data were
used as evidence for withdrawal, determined whether the adverse reactions were
reported in humans, established whether confirmatory human studies were
conducted, and explored the withdrawal patterns over time. METHODS: We searched
the World Health Organization's Consolidated List of [Medicinal] Products, drug
regulatory authorities' websites, PubMed, Google Scholar, and selected textbooks
to identify medicinal products withdrawn from 1950 to June 2016. We included
medicinal products for which animal data were specifically reported as a reason
for withdrawal. We used a checklist adapted from the International Agency for
Research on Cancer criteria to rate the evidence. RESULTS: In 37 cases, evidence
from animals was the reason given for withdrawal between 1963 and 2000. Evidence
of carcinogenicity was cited in 23 cases (62%). Limited evidence for harms
occasioned withdrawal in over 80% of cases. In 11 cases (30%), the adverse drug
reactions were subsequently reported in humans. In 5 instances (14%), formal
studies were conducted in humans. The median interval to withdrawal following
reports of adverse reactions was 2 years (IQR = 1-9 y). CONCLUSIONS: Regulatory
authorities and drug manufacturers are likely to withdraw medicinal products
quickly from the market when animal experiments suggest increased risks of
cancers or congenital malformations. Human studies are seldom conducted when
harms are suspected in animals. Future research should explore better methods of
extrapolating harms data from animal research to humans.
PMID- 28691252
TI - Peptide backbone circularization enhances antifreeze protein thermostability.
AB - Antifreeze proteins (AFPs) are a class of ice-binding proteins that promote
survival of a variety of cold-adapted organisms by decreasing the freezing
temperature of bodily fluids. A growing number of biomedical, agricultural, and
commercial products, such as organs, foods, and industrial fluids, have benefited
from the ability of AFPs to control ice crystal growth and prevent ice
recrystallization at subzero temperatures. One limitation of AFP use in these
latter contexts is their tendency to denature and irreversibly lose activity at
the elevated temperatures of certain industrial processing or large-scale AFP
production. Using the small, thermolabile type III AFP as a model system, we
demonstrate that AFP thermostability is dramatically enhanced via split intein
mediated N- and C-terminal end ligation. To engineer this circular protein,
computational modeling and molecular dynamics simulations were applied to
identify an extein sequence that would fill the 20-A gap separating the free ends
of the AFP, yet impose little impact on the structure and entropic properties of
its ice-binding surface. The top candidate was then expressed in bacteria, and
the circularized protein was isolated from the intein domains by ice-affinity
purification. This circularized AFP induced bipyramidal ice crystals during ice
growth in the hysteresis gap and retained 40% of this activity even after
incubation at 100 degrees C for 30 min. NMR analysis implicated enhanced
thermostability or refolding capacity of this protein compared to the noncyclized
wild-type AFP. These studies support protein backbone circularization as a means
to expand the thermostability and practical applications of AFPs.
PMID- 28691253
TI - Cardiovascular disease risk in patients receiving organ transplantation: a
national cohort study.
AB - Although organ transplantation is the definitive treatment for end-stage organ
failure, the post-transplant outcomes can be substantially influenced by
cardiovascular complications. A national cohort study was performed to estimate
risks of cardiovascular diseases in those with heart, lung, kidney, and liver
transplantation. This cohort study consisted of 5978 solid organ transplantations
identified using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Database. Cardiovascular
and mortality risks in transplant recipients were evaluated using standardized
incidence ratios, excess absolute risks, and standardized mortality ratios as
compared to those in the general population. In heart, kidney, and liver
recipients, the standardized incidence ratios of overall cardiovascular diseases
were 9.41 (7.75-11.44), 3.32 (2.29-3.77), and 1.4 (1.15-1.7) and the overall
standardized mortality ratios were 5.23 (4.54-6.03), 1.48 (1.34-1.63), and 3.95
(3.64-4.28), respectively. Except for heart organ recipients who were at highest
risk for coronary artery disease with a standardized incidence ratio of 13.12
(10.57-16.29), kidney and liver organ recipients had a ninefold increased risk in
developing deep vein thrombosis post-transplant. In conclusion, solid organ
transplant patients are at risk of cardiovascular disease, in particular, deep
vein thrombosis, which may warrant early identification of high-risk patients in
addition to prompt and adequate thromboprophylaxis perioperatively.
PMID- 28691254
TI - Response to Intervention as a Predictor of Long-Term Reading Outcomes in Children
with Dyslexia.
AB - The goal of this study was to investigate how growth during a phonics-based
intervention, as well as reading levels at baseline testing, predicted long-term
reading outcomes of children with dyslexia. Eighty Dutch children with dyslexia
who had completed a 50-week phonics-based intervention in grade 4 were tested in
grade 5 on both word and pseudoword (following regular Dutch orthographic
patterns) reading efficiency and compared to 93 typical readers. In grade 5 the
children with dyslexia were still significantly slower in word and pseudoword
reading than their typically developing peers. Results showed that long-term
pseudoword reading in the group with dyslexia was predicted by pseudoword reading
at pretest and growth in pseudoword reading during the intervention, which was
itself predicted by pseudoword reading at pretest. This was not the case for word
reading. We found that long-term word reading was directly predicted from pretest
word reading, and indirectly via pretest pseudoword reading, via growth in
pseudoword and word reading. It can be concluded that pseudoword reading is not
only a good indicator of severity of reading difficulties in children with
dyslexia, it is also an indicator of who will profit from intervention in the
long-term. Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
PMID- 28691255
TI - Impact of human papillomavirus on outcome in patients with oropharyngeal cancer
treated with primary surgery.
AB - BACKGROUND: Knowledge about prognostic factors in surgically treated patients
with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is limited. The purpose of this
study was to identify influential factors on survival in a large cohort of
patients with surgically treated oropharyngeal SCC. METHODS: Retrospective
analysis of survival estimates in patients with surgically treated oropharyngeal
SCC using tumoral positivity for human papillomavirus (HPV) and risk-of-death
categories according to a study from 2010 as stratification factors. RESULTS: The
5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) rates after
surgery alone were higher in HPV-associated oropharyngeal SCC (OS 80% vs 62%; P =
.01; DSS 92% vs 76%; P = .03). Patients in the low-risk category had higher
survival rates (OS 91%; DSS 99%) than patients in the intermediate-risk group (OS
63%; DSS 83%), and high-risk group (OS 61%; DSS 75%). CONCLUSION: Nonsmokers with
HPV-positive oropharyngeal SCC have a better prognosis than smokers with HPV
positive oropharyngeal SCC and also than patients with HPV-negative tumors when
treated by surgery alone.
PMID- 28691256
TI - Clinical usefulness of MLCs in robotic radiosurgery systems for prostate SBRT.
AB - Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) using recently introduced multileaf
collimators (MLC) is preferred over circular collimators in the treatment of
localized prostate cancer. The objective of this study was to assess the clinical
usefulness of MLCs in prostate SBRT by comparing the effectiveness of treatment
plans using fixed collimators, variable collimators, and MLCs and by ensuring
delivery quality assurance (DQA) for each. For each patient who underwent
conventional radiation therapy for localized prostate cancer, mock SBRT plans
were created using a fixed collimator, a variable collimator, and an MLC. The
total MUs, treatment times, and dose-volume histograms of the planning target
volumes and organs at risk for each treatment plan were compared. For DQA, a
phantom with a radiochromic film or an ionization chamber was irradiated in each
plan. We performed gamma-index analysis to evaluate the consistency between the
measured and calculated doses. The MLC-based plans had an ~27% lower average
total MU than the plans involving other collimators. Moreover, the average
estimated treatment time for the MLC plan was 31% and 20% shorter than that for
the fixed and variable collimator plans respectively. The gamma-index passing
rate in the DQA using film measurements was slightly lower for the MLC than for
the other collimators. The DQA results acquired using the ionization chamber
showed that the discrepancies between the measured and calculated doses were
within 3% in all cases. The results reinforce the usefulness of MLCs in robotic
radiosurgery for prostrate SBRT treatment planning; most notably, the total MU
and treatment time were both reduced compared to the cases using other types of
collimators. Moreover, although the DQA results based on film dosimetry yielded a
slightly lower gamma-index passing rate for the MLC than for the other
collimators, the MLC accuracy was determined to be sufficient for clinical use.
PMID- 28691257
TI - tbx6l and tbx16 are redundantly required for posterior paraxial mesoderm
formation during zebrafish embryogenesis.
AB - BACKGROUND: T-box genes encode a large transcription factor family implicated in
many aspects of development. We are focusing on two related zebrafish T-box
genes, tbx6l and tbx16, that are expressed in highly overlapping patterns in
embryonic paraxial mesoderm. tbx16 mutants are deficient in trunk, but not tail,
somites; we explored whether presence of tail somites in tbx16 mutants was due to
compensatory function provided by the tbx6l gene. RESULTS: We generated two
zebrafish tbx6l mutant alleles. Loss of tbx6l has no apparent effect on embryonic
development, nor does tbx6l loss enhance the phenotype of two other T-box gene
mutants, ta and tbx6, or of the mesp family gene mutant msgn1. In contrast, loss
of tbx6l function dramatically enhances the paraxial mesoderm deficiency of tbx16
mutants. CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate that tbx6l and tbx16 genes function
redundantly to direct tail somite development. tbx6l single mutants develop
normally because tbx16 fully compensates for loss of tbx6l function. However,
tbx6l only partially compensates for loss of tbx16 function. These results
resolve the question of why loss of function of tbx16 gene, which is expressed
throughout the ventral and paraxial mesoderm, profoundly affects somite
development in the trunk but not the tail. Developmental Dynamics 246:759-769,
2017. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
PMID- 28691258
TI - Differences between gastric signet-ring cell carcinoma and poorly differentiated
adenocarcinoma: A comparison of histopathologic features determined by mucin core
protein and trefoil factor family peptide immunohistochemistry.
AB - We investigated differences between the pathological features of gastric signet
ring cell carcinoma (sig) and poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma (por) by
examining the expressions of the trefoil factor family peptides (TFFs) and mucin
core proteins (MUCs). Ninety-seven tissues of 97 gastric cancer patients were
selected for this study. After gastrectomy, the major histopathologic types were
determined to be sig, solid-type poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma (por1), non
solid type poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma (por2), and well-differentiated
tubular adenocarcinoma (tub1). We evaluated the prevalence of positive staining
for MUCs (MUC5AC and MUC2) and TFFs (TFF1 and TFF3) and assessed the correlation
between MUCs and TFFs in each histopathological type. The rate of MUC2 expression
significantly differed between sig and por2 (50.0% vs 11.7%, P = 0.011). TFF3
expression in sig significantly differed from TFF3 expression in both por2 (100%
vs 17.6%, P < 0.0001) and por1 (100% vs 33.3%, P = 0.0004). MUC5AC and TFF1
expressions were significantly correlated in por1 (r = 0.705, P = 0.002), por2 (r
= 0.535, P = 0.0009), and tub1 (r = 0.470, P = 0.0034), while MUC2 and TFF3
expressions were significantly correlated only in sig (r = 0.593, P = 0.040). The
expression and correlation patterns of the TFFs and MUCs suggest that the
histopathologic features of gastric sig differ from those of por.
PMID- 28691259
TI - Trigeminal trophic syndrome: Analysis of the number of peripheral nerve fibres
and blood vessels in the lesional skin.
PMID- 28691260
TI - Semantic fluency in deaf children who use spoken and signed language in
comparison with hearing peers.
AB - BACKGROUND: Deafness has an adverse impact on children's ability to acquire
spoken languages. Signed languages offer a more accessible input for deaf
children, but because the vast majority are born to hearing parents who do not
sign, their early exposure to sign language is limited. Deaf children as a whole
are therefore at high risk of language delays. AIMS: We compared deaf and hearing
children's performance on a semantic fluency task. Optimal performance on this
task requires a systematic search of the mental lexicon, the retrieval of words
within a subcategory and, when that subcategory is exhausted, switching to a new
subcategory. We compared retrieval patterns between groups, and also compared the
responses of deaf children who used British Sign Language (BSL) with those who
used spoken English. We investigated how semantic fluency performance related to
children's expressive vocabulary and executive function skills, and also retested
semantic fluency in the majority of the children nearly 2 years later, in order
to investigate how much progress they had made in that time. METHODS &
PROCEDURES: Participants were deaf children aged 6-11 years (N = 106, comprising
69 users of spoken English, 29 users of BSL and eight users of Sign Supported
English-SSE) compared with hearing children (N = 120) of the same age who used
spoken English. Semantic fluency was tested for the category 'animals'. We coded
for errors, clusters (e.g., 'pets', 'farm animals') and switches. Participants
also completed the Expressive One-Word Picture Vocabulary Test and a battery of
six non-verbal executive function tasks. In addition, we collected follow-up
semantic fluency data for 70 deaf and 74 hearing children, nearly 2 years after
they were first tested. OUTCOMES & RESULTS: Deaf children, whether using spoken
or signed language, produced fewer items in the semantic fluency task than
hearing children, but they showed similar patterns of responses for items most
commonly produced, clustering of items into subcategories and switching between
subcategories. Both vocabulary and executive function scores predicted the number
of correct items produced. Follow-up data from deaf participants showed
continuing delays relative to hearing children 2 years later. CONCLUSIONS &
IMPLICATIONS: We conclude that semantic fluency can be used experimentally to
investigate lexical organization in deaf children, and that it potentially has
clinical utility across the heterogeneous deaf population. We present normative
data to aid clinicians who wish to use this task with deaf children.
PMID- 28691261
TI - Hyperphosphatasemia in leiomyosarcoma of the uterus: Two case reports and a
literature review.
AB - Some tumors are known to produce alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Seven cases of
uterine leiomyosarcoma were identified from the clinical records of Sakai City
Medical Center from January 2006 to December 2014. Patients' ages ranged from 47
to 75 years (median: 58). Clinical stages were IB, IIB, IIIA, and IVB in four,
one, one, and one cases, respectively. Of these, two were found to have
hyperphosphatasemia before surgery, and the elevated ALP level decreased after
surgery, and increased with disease recurrence. In the cases of
hyperphosphatasemia, leiomyosarcoma cells showed positive staining for ALP. There
was no correlation between serum ALP and lactate dehydrogenase, or ALP and cancer
antigen 125. The combination of ALP, lactate dehydrogenase, and cancer antigen
125 may be more useful for diagnosis and follow-up of leiomyosarcoma.
PMID- 28691262
TI - Metabolic modeling to identify engineering targets for Komagataella phaffii: The
effect of biomass composition on gene target identification.
AB - Genome-scale metabolic models are valuable tools for the design of novel strains
of industrial microorganisms, such as Komagataella phaffii (syn. Pichia
pastoris). However, as is the case for many industrial microbes, there is no
executable metabolic model for K. phaffiii that confirms to current standards by
providing the metabolite and reactions IDs, to facilitate model extension and
reuse, and gene-reaction associations to enable identification of targets for
genetic manipulation. In order to remedy this deficiency, we decided to
reconstruct the genome-scale metabolic model of K. phaffii by reconciling the
extant models and performing extensive manual curation in order to construct an
executable model (Kp.1.0) that conforms to current standards. We then used this
model to study the effect of biomass composition on the predictive success of the
model. Twelve different biomass compositions obtained from published empirical
data obtained under a range of growth conditions were employed in this
investigation. We found that the success of Kp1.0 in predicting both gene
essentiality and growth characteristics was relatively unaffected by biomass
composition. However, we found that biomass composition had a profound effect on
the distribution of the fluxes involved in lipid, DNA, and steroid biosynthetic
processes, cellular alcohol metabolic process, and oxidation-reduction process.
Furthermore, we investigated the effect of biomass composition on the
identification of suitable target genes for strain development. The analyses
revealed that around 40% of the predictions of the effect of gene overexpression
or deletion changed depending on the representation of biomass composition in the
model. Considering the robustness of the in silico flux distributions to the
changing biomass representations enables better interpretation of experimental
results, reduces the risk of wrong target identification, and so both speeds and
improves the process of directed strain development.
PMID- 28691263
TI - Stenting the vertical ductus arteriosus via axillary artery access using "wire
target" technique.
AB - OBJECTIVES: To retrospectively review the outcome of stent placement in neonates
with a vertical ductus, present a technique of ductal stenting via the axillary
artery and compare it to ductal stening via the femoral venous access. DESIGN:
Nineteen patients with duct-dependent pulmonary circulations through a vertical
ductus arteriosus were treated with stent implantation. Those patients were
retrospectively included in the study. In the first nine of these cases, stent
delivery was done transvenously. In the latter ten cases, we favored the axillary
artery access to the transvenous approach for stenting the vertical ductus
arteriosus. Wire-target technique was used to attain access to axillary artery.
RESULTS: PDA stenting was successful in six out of nine cases in whom the
procedure was done anterogradely via the femoral vein and in all cases in whom
the procedure was done via axillary artery (P = .047). Wire-target technique was
used successfully in all ten cases in whom the procedure was done via axillary
artery. Fluoroscopy time and total procedure time were significantly shorter in
patients in whom the procedure was done via axillary artery (P < .001)
CONCLUSIONS: Stenting of a vertical ductus arteriosus via the axillary artery
using wire-target technique is feasible and safe in selected patients.
PMID- 28691264
TI - Redundant publication and salami slicing: the significance of splitting data.
PMID- 28691265
TI - Long-term ventilation in spinal muscular atrophy: the price of progress.
PMID- 28691266
TI - Empowerment of family caregivers of adults and elderly persons: A concept
analysis.
AB - AIM: This concept analysis defined and described the components of empowerment of
family caregivers who care for adults and the elderly. METHODS: Rodgers
evolutionary method of concept analysis was used. Data sources included Pub Med,
CINAHL, Scopus, and Igaku Chuo Zasshi. Thirty articles published between 1995 and
2015 focusing on the empowerment of family caregivers providing care to adults
and the elderly were selected. RESULT: The analysis reveals 6 attributes, 5
antecedents, and 5 consequences. In addition, the results reveal structured
aspects of family caregivers, care receivers, and other people surrounding them,
and their relationships. Empowerment of adults' and elders' family caregivers may
be defined as "positive control of one's mind and body, cultivating a positive
attitude, proactively attempting to understand one's role as a caregiver to
improve caregiving capabilities, focusing on others as well as oneself,
supporting the independence of the care receiver, and creating constructive
relationships with other people surrounding them." CONCLUSION: The components of
empowerment clarified in this research can be used for the measurement of and
interventions aimed at improving empowerment among family caregivers.
Furthermore, clarifying the definition of empowerment among family caregivers
enables researchers to better distinguish empowerment from similar concepts in
the future.
PMID- 28691267
TI - The use of virtual patient scenarios as a vehicle for teaching professionalism.
AB - OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to measure students' perceptions of virtual patient
scenarios (VPs) for developing ethical reasoning skills and to explore features
in VP design that are necessary to promote professionalism. METHODS: Sixty-five
dental students participated in learning sessions that involved collaborative
practice with five VPs (four high fidelity and one low fidelity), followed by
reflection sessions. Students' perceptions towards the use of VPs in developing
ethical reasoning skills were assessed using a questionnaire that involved 10
closed and three open-ended questions. RESULTS: High-fidelity VPs were perceived
as significantly better for developing ethical reasoning skills than low-fidelity
VPs. Analyses of answers to open-ended questions revealed two new features that
are specific for VPs intended for teaching professionalism, which are VP dramatic
structure and how it should end. CONCLUSION: VPs intended for teaching
professionalism need to have high fidelity, follow a specific dramatic structure
and should include multiple plausible endings. The use of VPs as part of a
collaborative activity that is followed by a reflection session is perceived as
an effective tool for the development of ethical reasoning skills in dental
education.
PMID- 28691268
TI - Water availability affects seasonal CO2 -induced photosynthetic enhancement in
herbaceous species in a periodically dry woodland.
AB - Elevated atmospheric CO2 (eCO2 ) is expected to reduce the impacts of drought and
increase photosynthetic rates via two key mechanisms: first, through decreased
stomatal conductance (gs ) and increased soil water content (VSWC ) and second,
through increased leaf internal CO2 (Ci ) and decreased stomatal limitations
(Slim ). It is unclear if such findings from temperate grassland studies
similarly pertain to warmer ecosystems with periodic water deficits. We tested
these mechanisms in three important C3 herbaceous species in a periodically dry
Eucalyptus woodland and investigated how eCO2 -induced photosynthetic enhancement
varied with seasonal water availability, over a 3 year period. Leaf
photosynthesis increased by 10%-50% with a 150 MUmol mol-1 increase in
atmospheric CO2 across seasons. This eCO2 -induced increase in photosynthesis was
a function of seasonal water availability, given by recent precipitation and mean
daily VSWC . The highest photosynthetic enhancement by eCO2 (>30%) was observed
during the most water-limited period, for example, with VSWC <0.07 in this sandy
surface soil. Under eCO2 there was neither a significant decrease in gs in the
three herbaceous species, nor increases in VSWC , indicating no "water-savings
effect" of eCO2 . Periods of low VSWC showed lower gs (less than ~ 0.12 mol m-2
s-1 ), higher relative Slim (>30%) and decreased Ci under the ambient CO2
concentration (aCO2 ), with leaf photosynthesis strongly carboxylation-limited.
The alleviation of Slim by eCO2 was facilitated by increasing Ci , thus yielding
a larger photosynthetic enhancement during dry periods. We demonstrated that
water availability, but not eCO2 , controls gs and hence the magnitude of
photosynthetic enhancement in the understory herbaceous plants. Thus, eCO2 has
the potential to alter vegetation functioning in a periodically dry woodland
understory through changes in stomatal limitation to photosynthesis, not by the
"water-savings effect" usually invoked in grasslands.
PMID- 28691269
TI - The Effect of Intraoperative Systemic Lidocaine on Postoperative Persistent Pain
Using Initiative on Methods, Measurement, and Pain Assessment in Clinical Trials
Criteria Assessment Following Breast Cancer Surgery: A Randomized, Double-Blind,
Placebo-Controlled Trial.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To compare the incidence in postsurgical persistent pain following
breast cancer surgery in women receiving intravenous lidocaine compared to saline
using validated pain instruments in accordance with the Initiative on Methods,
Measurement, and Pain Assessment in Clinical Trials (IMMPACT) recommendations.
METHODS: The study was a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, clinical
trial. Subjects were randomized into Group 1 (1.5 mg/kg bolus of intravenous
lidocaine followed by a 2 mg/kg/hour infusion) or Group 2 (normal saline at the
same bolus and infusion rate). Patients were evaluated at 3 and 6 months for the
presence of chronic persistent postsurgical pain. RESULTS: One hundred forty
eight patients were included in the study analysis. There were no differences in
quality of recovery, pain burden, or opioid consumption between groups at 24
hours. Pain (yes/no) at 6 months attributed to surgery was reported in 29% of
Group 2 vs. 13% of Group 1 patients (P = 0.04); however, only 3 subjects (5%) in
Group 1 and 2 subjects (3%) in Group 2 met IMMPACT criteria for persistent
postoperative pain (P = 0.99). DISCUSSION: Perioperative infusion of lidocaine
has been reported to decrease the incidence of postsurgical pain at 3 and 6
months following mastectomy using dichotomous (yes/no) scoring. Although
intravenous lidocaine reduced the reported incidence of pain at rest at 6 months,
pain with activity, pain qualities, and the physical or emotional impact of the
pain were unaffected. Future studies evaluating postsurgical persistent pain
should adhere to the IMMPACT recommendations in order to more accurately describe
the effect of an intervention on persistent pain.
PMID- 28691271
TI - Commentary on Laude et al. (2017): Extended treatment for cigarette smoking
cessation.
PMID- 28691272
TI - Commentary on Blow et al. (2017): Leveraging technology may boost the
effectiveness and adoption of interventions for drug use in emergency
departments.
PMID- 28691273
TI - Commentary on Marsden et al. (2017): While epidemiological studies can help to
identify areas of overdose risk, we need more focused hypothesis-driven trials to
inform clinical intervention strategies.
PMID- 28691274
TI - Commentary on Holst et al. (2017): The relationship between alcohol dependence
and risk of somatic diseases and mortality-the black box strikes back.
PMID- 28691275
TI - Commentary on McFall et al. (2017): The need for harm reduction interventions
that are effective for women who use drugs.
PMID- 28691276
TI - Diffusion of Carbon Dioxide and Nitrogen in the Small-Pore Titanium
Bis(phosphonate) Metal-Organic Framework MIL-91 (Ti): A Combination of
Quasielastic Neutron Scattering Measurements and Molecular Dynamics Simulations.
AB - The diffusivity of CO2 and N2 in the small-pore titanium-based bis(phosphonate)
metal-organic framework MIL-91(Ti) was explored by using a combination of
quasielastic neutron scattering measurements and molecular dynamics simulations.
These two techniques were used to determine the loading dependence of the self
diffusivity, corrected and transport diffusivities of these two gases to
complement our previously reported thermodynamics study, which revealed that this
material was a promising candidate for CO2 /N2 separation. The calculated and
measured diffusivities of both gases were shown to be of an order of magnitude
sufficiently high, from 10-9 to 10-10 m2 s-1 , and N2 diffused faster than CO2
through the small channel of MIL-91(Ti). Consequently, the separation process
does not involve any kinetic-driven limitations. This study further revealed that
the global diffusion mechanism involves motions of gases along the channels by a
jump sequence, and the residence times for CO2 in the region close to the
specific PO???H???N zwitterionic sites are much higher than those for N2 , which
explains the faster diffusivity observed for N2 .
PMID- 28691277
TI - Crotalus atrox Venom Exposed to Carbon Monoxide Has Decreased Fibrinogenolytic
Activity In Vivo in Rabbits.
AB - Envenomation by haemotoxic enzymes remains a significant source of human
morbidity and mortality worldwide, with administration of long-acting or multiple
doses of antivenom first-line therapy. However, coagulopathy can still occur and
recur. Of interest, it has been recently demonstrated that direct, isolated
exposure of snake venom enzymes with fibrinogenolytic activity to carbon monoxide
(CO) abrogates venom-mediated loss of coagulation in human plasma. These
observations of CO inhibition of venom fibrinogenolytic activity were
subsequently repeated in rabbit whole blood. This study sought to translate these
findings in an in vivo rabbit model of envenomation with fibrinogenolytic
Crotalus atrox venom. Sedated rabbits were intravenously administered C. atrox
venom (400 MUg/kg) pre-exposed to 0 or 1000 MUM carbon monoxide-releasing
molecule-2 (CORM-2) in vitro. Arterial whole-blood samples demonstrated that
compared to pre-envenomation values, the CORM-2-naive venom significantly
prolonged the onset of coagulation, decreased the velocity of clot growth and
decreased clot strength as determined by thromboelastography an hour after venom
injection. In contrast, CORM-2 pre-exposure prevented or attenuated C. atrox
venom effects on coagulation kinetics. Future studies to determine whether
rabbits injected with such venom subcutaneously/intramuscularly can have
consequent coagulopathy abrogated by injection of carbon monoxide-releasing
molecules into the 'bite site' are justified.
PMID- 28691278
TI - Cognitive function, treatment response to lithium, and social functioning in
Japanese patients with bipolar disorder.
AB - OBJECTIVES: Patients with bipolar disorder often suffer from cognitive impairment
that significantly influences their functional outcome. However, it remains
unknown whether lithium has a central role in cognition and functional outcome.
We examined whether cognition and functional outcome were predicted by
demographic and clinical variables, including the response to lithium, in lithium
treated patients with bipolar disorder. METHODS: We evaluated 96 lithium-treated
euthymic patients with bipolar disorder and 196 age- and-gender-matched healthy
controls, using the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS). The
patients were also assessed using the Social Functioning Scale (SFS) and "The
Retrospective Criteria of Long-Term Treatment Response in Research Subjects with
Bipolar Disorder" (Alda) scale, which was evaluated as either a continuous
measure of the total scale or a dichotomous criterion. RESULTS: Multiple
regression analysis revealed two key findings: first, that the premorbid
intelligence quotient, age, and number of mood episodes were predictors of the
BACS composite score; and, second, that the BACS composite score, negative
symptoms, and continuous measure on the total Alda scale (but not its dichotomy)
predicted the total SFS score. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to
confirm these findings, and additionally revealed that the Alda scale was
significantly associated with negative symptoms and also the number of mood
episodes, regardless of how it was evaluated. CONCLUSIONS: SEM delineated how
demographic and clinical variables, cognitive performance, and response to
lithium treatment were causally associated with, and converged on, social
function. The putative role of the Alda scale for social function warrants
further study.
PMID- 28691279
TI - Paleoecology of Neoproterozoic hypersaline environments: Biomarker evidence for
haloarchaea, methanogens, and cyanobacteria.
AB - While numerous studies have examined modern hypersaline ecosystems, their
equivalents in the geologic past, particularly in the Precambrian, are poorly
understood. In this study, biomarkers from ~820 million year (Ma)-old evaporites
from the Gillen Formation of the mid-Neoproterozoic Bitter Springs Group, central
Australia, are investigated to elucidate the antiquity and paleoecology of
halophiles. The sediments were composed of alternating laminae of dolomitized
microbial mats and up to 90% anhydrite. Solvent extraction of these samples
yielded thermally well-preserved hydrocarbon biomarkers. The regularly branched
C25 isoprenoid 2,6,10,14,18-pentamethylicosane, the tail-to-tail linked C30
isoprenoid squalane, and breakdown products of the head-to-head linked C40
isoprenoid biphytane, were particularly abundant in the most anhydrite-rich
sediments and mark the oldest current evidence for halophilic archaea. Linear
correlations between isoprenoid concentrations (normalized to n-alkanes) and the
anhydrite/dolomite ratio reveal microbial consortia that fluctuated with changing
salinity levels. Halophilic archaea were the dominant organisms during periods of
high salinity and gypsum precipitation, while bacteria were prevalent during
stages of carbonate formation. The irregularly branched C25 isoprenoid
2,6,10,15,19-pentamethylicosane (PMI), with a central tail-to-tail link, was also
abundant during periods of elevated salinity, highlighting the activity of
methanogens. By contrast, the irregularly branched C20 isoprenoid 2,6,11,15
tetramethylhexadecane (crocetane) was more common in dolomite-rich facies,
revealing that an alternate group of archaea was active during less saline
periods. Elevated concentrations of isotopically depleted heptadecane (n-C17 )
revealed the presence of cyanobacteria under all salinity regimes. The
combination of biomarkers in the mid-Neoproterozoic Gillen Formation resembles
lipid compositions from modern hypersaline cyanobacterial mats, pointing to a
community composition that remained broadly constant since at least the
Neoproterozoic. However, as a major contrast to most modern hypersaline
environments, the Gillen evaporites did not yield any evidence for algae or other
eukaryotes.
PMID- 28691280
TI - XXV Biennial Meeting of the International Perinatal Collegium, Edinburgh,
Scotland, 2-6 July 2017.
PMID- 28691281
TI - Extreme population-level events: Do they have an impact on cancer?
PMID- 28691282
TI - Phytochemical Composition and Antioxidant Activities of the Essential Oil and
Extracts of Satureja subspicata Vis. Growing in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
AB - The phytochemical composition and the antioxidant activities of the essential
oil, as well as methanol and hot water extracts of endemic Satureja subspicata
Vis. growing in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), were described. beta-Caryophyllene,
cis-beta-ocimene, and alpha-pinene, identified by GC/MS and GC-FID, were the
dominant oil components. The major compound of both of extracts, identified by
HPLC-DAD, was rosmarinic acid. The analyzed essential oil showed moderate
antioxidant activity. In this first report on the extracts of S. subspicata
growing in BiH, the obtained results showed a high content of rosmarinic acid, as
well as considerable amount of total phenols and flavonoids. Compared to the hot
water extract, the methanol extract exhibits higher antioxidant potential,
measured by DPPH and FRAP assay (IC50 = 0.45 g/l and 1879.43 equiv. Fe2+ MUm),
while the hot water extract showed higher potential in inhibition of linoleic
acid oxidation (51.7% and 61.5% for 1 and 10 g/l). A good antioxidant potential
of the tested extracts indicates their potential use as antioxidants,
particularly for lipid protection, and partly explains the justification of the
use of this plant in traditional medicine of BiH.
PMID- 28691283
TI - A Soft Total Artificial Heart-First Concept Evaluation on a Hybrid Mock
Circulation.
AB - The technology of 3D-printing has allowed the production of entirely soft pumps
with complex chamber geometries. We used this technique to develop a completely
soft pneumatically driven total artificial heart from silicone elastomers and
evaluated its performance on a hybrid mock circulation. The goal of this study is
to present an innovative concept of a soft total artificial heart (sTAH). Using
the form of a human heart, we designed a sTAH, which consists of only two
ventricles and produced it using a 3D-printing, lost-wax casting technique. The
diastolic properties of the sTAH were defined and the performance of the sTAH was
evaluated on a hybrid mock circulation under various physiological conditions.
The sTAH achieved a blood flow of 2.2 L/min against a systemic vascular
resistance of 1.11 mm Hg s/mL (afterload), when operated at 80 bpm. At the same
time, the mean pulmonary venous pressure (preload) was fixed at 10 mm Hg.
Furthermore, an aortic pulse pressure of 35 mm Hg was measured, with a mean
aortic pressure of 48 mm Hg. The sTAH generated physiologically shaped signals of
blood flow and pressures by mimicking the movement of a real heart. The
preliminary results of this study show a promising potential of the soft pumps in
heart replacements. Further work, focused on increasing blood flow and in turn
aortic pressure is required.
PMID- 28691285
TI - Phenotyping asthma: More complex than just age.
PMID- 28691284
TI - Performance characteristics of serum C4 and FGF19 measurements to exclude the
diagnosis of bile acid diarrhoea in IBS-diarrhoea and functional diarrhoea.
AB - BACKGROUND: The serum biomarkers, elevated 7alphaC4 (C4) and decreased FGF19,
have been proposed as screening tests for bile acid diarrhoea. AIM: To analyse
prevalence, specificity and reproducibility of fasting C4 and FGF19 in
identifying bile acid diarrhoea in patients with irritable bowel syndrome with
predominant diarrhoea or functional diarrhoea (summarised as IBS-D). METHODS: We
prospectively studied fasting serum C4 and FGF19 in 101 IBS-D patients; we
reviewed data from 37 of the 101 patients with prior fasting serum C4 and FGF19
and from 30 of the 101 patients with prior faecal bile acids per 48 hours. We
compared results with normal values (C4 >=52.5 ng/mL [n=184], FGF-19 <=61.7 pg/mL
[n=50]). We used Spearman correlation and Bland-Altman plots to appraise
reproducibility. RESULTS: Among the 101 patients, there was a negative
correlation between serum C4 and FGF19 (Rs=-.342, P=.0005). Bile acid diarrhoea
was diagnosed in 10 patients based on elevated serum C4 levels (mean 23.5+/-23.1
[SD] ng/mL) and 21 patients based on decreased FGF19 levels (121.6+/-84.2 pg/mL).
With replicate tests in patients with stable IBS-D, 78% of C4 and 70% of FGF19
measurements remained concordant, with 3% and 11% respectively consistently
positive for bile acid diarrhoea in the 101 patients. Compared to 48 hours faecal
bile acids, specificity for C4 and FGF19 was 83% and 78%, respectively. Bland
Altman plots demonstrated greater reliability of C4 than FGF19. CONCLUSIONS:
Among 101 patents with IBS-D, fasting FGF19 and C4 levels had good specificity
and negative predictive value, suggesting utility as screening tests to exclude
bile acid diarrhoea.
PMID- 28691286
TI - Prominent Electron Penetration through Ultrathin Graphene Layer from FeNi Alloy
for Efficient Reduction of CO2 to CO.
AB - The chemical transformation of CO2 is an efficient approach in low-carbon energy
system. The development of nonprecious metal catalysts with sufficient activity,
selectivity, and stability for the generation of CO by CO2 reduction under mild
conditions remains a major challenge. A hierarchical architecture catalyst
composed of ultrathin graphene shells (2-4 layers) encapsulating homogeneous FeNi
alloy nanoparticles shows enhance catalytic performance. Electron transfer from
the encapsulated alloy can extend from the inner to the outer shell, resulting in
an increased charge density on graphene. Nitrogen atom dopants can
synergistically increase the electron density on the catalyst surface and
modulate the adsorption capability for acidic CO2 molecules. The optimized FeNi3
@NG (NG=N-doped graphene) catalyst, with significant electron penetration through
the graphene layer, effects exceptional CO2 conversion of 20.2 % with a CO
selectivity of nearly 100 %, as well as excellent thermal stability at 523 K.
PMID- 28691295
TI - National Speakers.
PMID- 28691287
TI - Effects of iodine methionine on boar sperm quality during liquid storage at 17
degrees C.
AB - Microbial environment is one of the important factors that affect the quality of
preserved semen. Iodine methionine (IM), participating in the production and
activation of metabolic enzymes, is a new type of amino acid chelate. To date,
there has been no report to evaluate the effects of IM on boar semen preservation
at 17 degrees C. This study was designed to investigate the effects of IM on boar
sperm quality and reproductive performance during liquid storage at 17 degrees C
and its antibacterial effect. Semen samples collected from six Yorkshire boars
were diluted with basic liquid containing different concentrations of IM (0, 20,
40, 80, 160 and 320 MUM). Subsequently, sperm motility, plasma membrane integrity
and acrosome integrity were determined. After 6 days of preservation, the
difference in microbial composition between control group and 80 MUM IM group was
compared using 16S rDNA sequencing, and the effects of IM on reproductive
performance were also compared and analysed between the two groups. The results
demonstrated that 20, 40 and 80 MUM IM improved boar sperm motility, plasma
membrane integrity and acrosome integrity. 80 MUM IM was the optimum
concentration. Conversely, 160 and 320 MUM IM resulted in deleterious
consequences to boar sperm quality compared to the control group and other
treatment groups (p < .05). After 6 days of preservation, sperm motility, plasma
membrane integrity and acrosome integrity were 56.0%, 51.8% and 59.4%,
respectively. There was no significant difference in non-return rate between the
two groups (p > .05). But the litter size of 80 MUM IM group was significantly
higher than that of control group (p < .05). 80 MUM IM inhibited proliferation of
the phylum Proteobacteria and the genus Staphylococcus as well as Pseudomonas (p
< .05). Further studies are required to understand the antibacterial mechanism of
IM in liquid-preserved boar semen.
PMID- 28691302
TI - Identification of a novel HLA-A allele, HLA-A*02:315.
AB - HLA-A*02:315 differs from A*02:03:01 by one nucleotide change at position 241
from C to T.
PMID- 28691303
TI - Acquired reactive perforating collagenosis associated with Hodgkin disease.
PMID- 28691304
TI - Pharmacophore feature prediction and molecular docking approach to identify novel
anti-HCV protease inhibitors.
AB - Discovering a potential drug for HCV treatment is a challenging task in the field
of drug research. This study initiates with computational screening and modeling
of promising ligand molecules. The foremost modeling method involves the
identification of novel compound and its molecular interaction based on
pharmacophore features. A total of 197 HCV compounds for NS3/4A protein target
were screened for our study. The pharmacophore models were generated using PHASE
module implemented in Schrodinger suite. The pharmacophore features include one
hydrogen bond acceptor, one hydrogen bond donor, and three hydrophobic sites. As
a result, based on mentioned hypothesis the model ADHHH.159 corresponds to the
CID 59533233. Furthermore, docking was performed using maestro for all the 197
compounds. Among these, the CID 59533313 and 59533233 possess the best binding
energy of -11.75 and -10.40 kcal/mol, respectively. The interactions studies
indicated that the CID complexed with the NS3/4A protein possess better binding
affinity with the other compounds. Further the compounds were subjected to
calculate the ADME properties. Therefore, it can be concluded that these two
compounds could be a potential alternative drug for the development of HCV.
PMID- 28691305
TI - A comparison of methods for inferring causal relationships between genotype and
phenotype using additional biological measurements.
AB - Genome wide association studies (GWAS) have been very successful over the last
decade at identifying genetic variants associated with disease phenotypes.
However, interpretation of the results obtained can be challenging. Incorporation
of further relevant biological measurements (e.g. 'omics' data) measured in the
same individuals for whom we have genotype and phenotype data may help us to
learn more about the mechanism and pathways through which causal genetic variants
affect disease. We review various methods for causal inference that can be used
for assessing the relationships between genetic variables, other biological
measures, and phenotypic outcome, and present a simulation study assessing the
performance of the methods under different conditions. In general, the methods we
considered did well at inferring the causal structure for data simulated under
simple scenarios. However, the presence of an unknown and unmeasured common
environmental effect could lead to spurious inferences, with the methods we
considered displaying varying degrees of robustness to this confounder. The use
of causal inference techniques to integrate omics and GWAS data has the potential
to improve biological understanding of the pathways leading to disease. Our study
demonstrates the suitability of various methods for performing causal inference
under several biologically plausible scenarios.
PMID- 28691306
TI - To define melancholia, follow the path of catatonia.
PMID- 28691307
TI - Socio-sexual functioning in autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and
meta-analyses of existing literature.
AB - : Socio-sexual functioning encompasses an individual's interests, behaviors, and
knowledge with respect to sexual, romantic, and social aspects of life. An
individual's understanding of these domains is developed through a range of
informal and formal avenues of sexual health education. The current model
demonstrated this and proposed that, compared to typically developing
individuals, those with ASD develop socio-sexual functioning differently due to
having less peer engagement, less relationship experience, more parental
guidance, greater use of online materials, receive less school-based sexual
health education, and more support from wellbeing services. Systematic review and
meta-analysis of existing literature revealed that individuals with ASD have
greater difficultly adhering to privacy norms, engage in less social behavior,
are described as engaging in less appropriate sexual behavior, have greater
concerns about themselves, and receive less sexual health education. Having fewer
opportunities for appropriate informal and formal sexual health education leaves
them at a double disadvantage from others who are receiving this information from
both of these avenues. Some of the current meta-analytic results are cautioned by
large l-square statistics which suggest that a degree of variance is being caused
by extraneous factors. Further empirical research in this area is needed to
overcome current design and sample limitations. Finally, the Sexual Behavior
Scale was the most commonly utilized tool in the meta-analyzed studies, thus
comprehensive evaluation of its functioning is warranted. The importance of work
in this area is highlighted by the central role of social and sexual wellbeing on
one's quality of life. Autism Res 2017, 10: 1823-1833. (c) 2017 International
Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: Review of
existing literature revealed that individuals with ASD have greater difficultly
adhering to privacy norms, engage in less social behavior, are described as
engaging in less appropriate sexual behavior, have greater concerns about
themselves, and receive less sexual health education. Having fewer opportunities
for appropriate informal and formal sexual health education leaves them at a
double disadvantage from others who are receiving this information from both of
these avenues.
PMID- 28691308
TI - Assessment of hypertensive cerebrovascular alterations with multiband Look-Locker
arterial spin labeling.
AB - PURPOSE: To quantitatively assess the hypertension-induced cerebrovascular
alterations by measuring the dynamics of arterial spin labeling (ASL) signals.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The multiband Look-Locker ASL (MB LL-ASL) technique was
evaluated in comparison to a single-band LL-ASL for three healthy subjects. Also,
seven healthy subjects were scanned to determine the strength of the vascular
crushing gradients applied to separate arterial from tissue ASL signal. With the
optimized MB LL-ASL technique, multiple parameters, cerebral blood flow (CBF),
transit times to artery (tA ), and capillary (tC ), delivery duration of labeled
blood (tau), and arterial blood volume (CBVa ), were simultaneously quantified
for age-matched eight control and eight hypertensive subjects with 259 msec of
temporal resolution and 20 slices covering the whole-brain region at 3T. RESULTS:
While CBF of hypertensives were comparable with those of normotensives (CBF of
normotensives vs. hypertensives = 62.2 +/- 6.87 vs. 61.9 +/- 8.94 ml/100g/min, P
= 0.960 for the whole gray matter), tC and tau were prolonged in hypertensives in
most brain regions (tC = 1.30 +/- 0.09 vs. 1.76 +/- 0.16 sec, P = 0.034; tau =
1.46 +/- 0.10 vs. 2.30 +/- 0.22 sec, P = 0.006 for the whole gray matter). Two
regions showed the increased CBVa in hypertensives compared to normotensives
(hippocampus and thalamus with P = 0.009 and 0.035, respectively). CONCLUSION:
Hypertension slows the perfusion dynamics, while the remaining CBF is unchanged.
A detailed characterization of regional cerebrovascular impairments by MB-LL-ASL
technique provides better understanding of hypertension-induced cerebrovascular
modifications. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 1 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 J. Magn. Reson.
Imaging 2018;47:663-672.
PMID- 28691309
TI - Serial D-dimer plasma levels in a patient with chronic spontaneous urticaria
developing resistance to omalizumab.
AB - Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is a condition presenting as the spontaneous
occurrence of itchy weals with or without angio-oedema for > 6 weeks. A patient
with severe chronic spontaneous urticaria who developed resistance to omalizumab
is described. The patient's D-dimer plasma levels strictly paralleled the disease
activity despite the administration of anti-IgE therapy.
PMID- 28691310
TI - Solution Combustion Synthesis: Low-Temperature Processing for p-Type Cu:NiO Thin
Films for Transparent Electronics.
AB - Low-temperature solution processing opens a new window for the fabrication of
oxide semiconductors due to its simple, low cost, and large-area uniformity.
Herein, by using solution combustion synthesis (SCS), p-type Cu-doped NiO
(Cu:NiO) thin films are fabricated at a temperature lower than 150 degrees C.
The light doping of Cu substitutes the Ni site and disperses the valence band of
the NiO matrix, leading to an enhanced p-type conductivity. Their integration
into thin-film transistors (TFTs) demonstrates typical p-type semiconducting
behavior. The optimized Cu5% NiO TFT exhibits outstanding electrical performance
with a hole mobility of 1.5 cm2 V-1 s-1 , a large on/off current ratio of ~104 ,
and clear switching characteristics under dynamic measurements. The employment of
a high-k ZrO2 gate dielectric enables a low operating voltage (<=2 V) of the
TFTs, which is critical for portable and battery-driven devices. The construction
of a light-emitting-diode driving circuit demonstrates the high current control
capability of the resultant TFTs. The achievement of the low-temperature
processed Cu:NiO thin films via SCS not only provides a feasible approach for low
cost flexible p-type oxide electronics but also represents a significant step
toward the development of complementary metal-oxide semiconductor circuits.
PMID- 28691311
TI - Bayesian adaptive dose-escalation designs for simultaneously estimating the
optimal and maximum safe dose based on safety and efficacy.
AB - The main purpose of dose-escalation trials is to identify the dose(s) that is/are
safe and efficacious for further investigations in later studies. In this paper,
we introduce dose-escalation designs that incorporate both the dose-limiting
events and dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) and indicative responses of efficacy
into the procedure. A flexible nonparametric model is used for modelling the
continuous efficacy responses while a logistic model is used for the binary DLTs.
Escalation decisions are based on the combination of the probabilities of DLTs
and expected efficacy through a gain function. On the basis of this setup, we
then introduce 2 types of Bayesian adaptive dose-escalation strategies. The first
type of procedures, called "single objective," aims to identify and recommend a
single dose, either the maximum tolerated dose, the highest dose that is
considered as safe, or the optimal dose, a safe dose that gives optimum benefit
risk. The second type, called "dual objective," aims to jointly estimate both the
maximum tolerated dose and the optimal dose accurately. The recommended doses
obtained under these dose-escalation procedures provide information about the
safety and efficacy profile of the novel drug to facilitate later studies. We
evaluate different strategies via simulations based on an example constructed
from a real trial on patients with type 2 diabetes, and the use of stopping rules
is assessed. We find that the nonparametric model estimates the efficacy
responses well for different underlying true shapes. The dual-objective designs
give better results in terms of identifying the 2 real target doses compared to
the single-objective designs.
PMID- 28691312
TI - Paraoxonase 1 (PON1) activity in serum, follicular fluid and seminal plasma of
sheep.
AB - This work aimed to describe the activity of paraoxonase 1 (PON1) in serum,
follicular fluid and seminal plasma of sheep. Average serum PON1 activity was
286.8 +/- 96.2 U/ml in females and 237.6 +/- 18.9 U/ml in males. There was a
positive correlation between PON1 activity in serum and follicular fluid in
females, being twice higher in serum than in follicular fluid (148.8 +/- 15.7
U/ml). PON1 activity in males' serum was 10-fold higher than in seminal plasma
(21.18 +/- 14.2 U/ml), and there was no correlation between PON1 activity in both
compartments. Finally, this work suggests that PON1 activity of in sheep is
higher compared to other mammalian species, and there is an association between
PON1 in serum and follicular fluid only.
PMID- 28691313
TI - Moderate mammalian target of rapamycin inhibition induces autophagy in HTR8/SVneo
cells via O-linked beta-N-acetylglucosamine signaling.
AB - AIM: Autophagy, a highly regulated process with a dual role (pro-survival or pro
death), has been implicated in adverse pregnancy outcomes. The aim of this study
was to explore the mechanism whereby mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)
signaling regulates autophagy by modulating protein O-GlcNAcylation in human
trophoblasts. METHODS: HTR8/SVneo cells were incubated in serum-free medium for
different time intervals or treated with varying doses of Torin1. Protein
expression and cell apoptosis were detected by immunoblotting and flow cytometry,
respectively. RESULTS: Short-term serum starvation or slight suppression of mTOR
signaling promoted autophagy and decreased apoptosis in HTR8/SVneo cells.
Conversely, prolonged serum starvation or excessive inhibition of mTOR reduced
autophagy and enhanced cell apoptosis. Both serum starvation and mTOR signaling
suppression reduced protein O-GlcNAcylation. Upregulation and downregulation of O
linked beta-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) levels attenuated and augmented
autophagy, respectively. Moderate mTOR inhibition-induced autophagy was blocked
by upregulation of protein O-GlcNAcylation. Furthermore, immunoprecipitation
studies revealed that Beclin1 and synaptosome associated protein 29 (SNAP29)
could be O-GlcNAcylated, and that slight mTOR inhibition resulted in decreased O
GlcNAc modification of Beclin1 and SNAP29. Notably, we observed an inverse
correlation between phosphorylation (Ser15) and O-GlcNAcylation of Beclin1.
CONCLUSION: mTOR signaling inhibition played dual roles in regulating autophagy
and apoptosis in HTR8/SVneo cells. Moderate mTOR suppression might induce
autophagy via modulating O-GlcNAcylation of Beclin1 and SNAP29. Moreover, the
negative interplay between Beclin1 O-GlcNAcylation and phosphorylation (Ser15)
may be involved in autophagy regulation by mTOR signaling.
PMID- 28691314
TI - Sonographic Findings of Endometrial Osseous Metaplasia, a Cause of Dysfunctional
Vaginal Bleeding and Secondary Infertility.
PMID- 28691315
TI - Metal-Folded Single-Chain Nanoparticle: Nanoclusters and Self-Assembled Reduction
Responsive Sub-5-nm Discrete Subdomains.
AB - Easy access to discrete nanoclusters in metal-folded single-chain nanoparticles
(metal-SCNPs) and independent ultrafine sudomains in the assemblies via
coordination-driven self-assembly of hydrophilic copolymer containing 9%
imidazole groups is reported herein. 1 H NMR, dynamic light scattering, and NMR
diffusion-ordered spectroscopy results demonstrate self-assembly into metal-SCNPs
(>70% imidazole-units folded) by neutralization in the presence of Cu(II) in
water to pH 4.6. Further neutralization induces self-assembly of metal-SCNPs (pH
4.6-5.0) and shrinkage (pH 5.0-5.6), with concurrent restraining residual
imidazole motifs and hydrophilic segment, which organized into constant
nanoparticles over pH 5.6-7.5. Atomic force microscopy results evidence discrete
1.2 nm nanoclusters and sub-5-nm subdomains in metal-SCNP and assembled
nanoparticle. Reduction of metal center using sodium ascorbate induces structural
rearrangement to one order lower than the precursor. Enzyme mimic catalysis
required media-tunable discrete ultrafine interiors in metal-SCNPs and assemblies
have hence been achieved.
PMID- 28691316
TI - Efficacy of an unwaxed dental floss impregnated with 2% chlorhexidine on control
of supragingival biofilm: A randomized, clinical trial.
AB - AIM: In the present study, we evaluated the antiplaque and antigingivitis
efficacy of a dental floss impregnated with 2% chlorhexidine digluconate.
METHODS: Thirty dental students were randomly divided into three groups (n=10):
(a) negative control (NC) group, in which no interproximal cleaning was
performed; (b) the positive control (PC) group, which used a standard unwaxed
dental floss twice daily; and (c) and the test group, which used a unwaxed dental
floss impregnated with 2% chlorhexidine twice daily. Six surfaces per tooth were
evaluated by the Quigley-Hein plaque index (Turesky modification) at the last
appointment (day 15), and testing for the presence of marginal bleeding was
performed using the marginal bleeding index (MBI) at both the baseline and last
appointments. RESULTS: At day 15, the test group had the lowest mean plaque index
(1.04+/-0.67), showing a statistically-significant difference compared to the NC
group (1.40+/-0.65, P<.001) and PC group (2.30+/-0.73, P<.001). The PC and test
groups showed a mean reduction of 70.2% and 87.26%, respectively, with
significant reduction compared to baseline (P<.05) for the MBI. No statistically
significant difference was found between the PC and test groups (P=.126).
CONCLUSION: Unwaxed dental floss impregnated with 2% chlorhexidine showed
additional reductions in supragingival interproximal biofilm compared with a
conventional unwaxed dental floss, without additional improvement in marginal
bleeding.
PMID- 28691317
TI - Synthesis and Characterization of a Novel Microporous Dihydroxyl-Functionalized
Triptycene-Diamine-Based Polyimide for Natural Gas Membrane Separation.
AB - An intrinsically microporous polyimide is synthesized in m-cresol by a one-pot
high-temperature condensation reaction of 4,4'
(hexafluoroisopropylidene)diphthalic anhydride (6FDA) and newly designed 2,6 (7)
dihydroxy-3,7(6)-diaminotriptycene (DAT1-OH). The 6FDA-DAT1-OH polyimide is
thermally stable up to 440 degrees C, shows excellent solubility in polar
solvents, and has moderately high Brunauer-Teller-Emmett (BET) surface area of
160 m2 g-1 , as determined by nitrogen adsorption at -196 degrees C. Hydroxyl
functionalization applied to the rigid 3D triptycene-based diamine building block
results in a polyimide that exhibits moderate pure-gas CO2 permeability of 70
Barrer combined with high CO2 /CH4 selectivity of 50. Mixed-gas permeation
studies demonstrate excellent plasticization resistance of 6FDA-DAT1-OH with
impressive performance as potential membrane material for natural gas sweetening
with a CO2 permeability of 50 Barrer and CO2 /CH4 selectivity of 40 at a typical
natural gas well partial pressure of 10 atm.
PMID- 28691318
TI - A rare cause of alopecia: Lipedematous alopecia.
PMID- 28691319
TI - Fitness plus American Society of Anesthesiologists grade improve outcome
prediction after endovascular aneurysm repair.
AB - BACKGROUND: Although the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade was
established for statistical purposes, it is often used prognostically. However,
older patients undergoing elective surgery are typically ASA III, which limits
patient stratification. We look at the prognostic effect on early complications
and survival of using ASA and self-reported physical fitness to stratify patients
undergoing endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms. METHODS: Data were
extracted from a trial database. All patients were assigned a fitness level (A
(fit) or B (unfit)) based on their self-reported ability to walk briskly for 1 km
or climb two flights of stairs. Fitness was used to stratify ASA III patients,
with fitter patients assigned ASA IIIA and less fit patients ASA IIIB. Outcomes
assessed included survival, reinterventions, endoleak, all early and late
complications and early operative complications. RESULTS: A combined ASA/fitness
scale (II, IIIA, IIIB and IV) correlated with 1- and 3-year survival (1-year P =
0.001, 3-year P = 0.001) and early and late complications (P = 0.001 and P =
0.05). On its own, ASA predicted early complications (P = 0.0004) and survival (1
year P = 0.01, 3-year P = 0.01). Fitness alone was predictive for survival (1
year P = 0.001, 3-year P = 0.001) and late complications (P = 0.009). CONCLUSION:
This study shows that even a superficial assessment of fitness is reflected in
surgical outcomes, with fitter ASA III patients showing survival patterns similar
to ASA II patients. Physicians should be alert to differences in fitness between
patients in the ASA III group, despite similarities based on preexisting severe
systemic disease.
PMID- 28691320
TI - Use of ultrasound shear-wave elastography to evaluate change in cervical
stiffness during pregnancy.
AB - AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of shear-wave
elastography (SWE) for measuring change in cervical stiffness during pregnancy,
with regions of interest (ROI) designed for easy identification. METHODS: A total
of 280 women were enrolled in this study. SWE was performed at a routine prenatal
visit. A measurement area was chosen at the anterior part of the cervix, and a
circular ROI 5 mm in diameter was set at two points, 5-10 mm (lower point) and 15
20 mm (upper point) from the external cervical os. The generalized estimating
equation was used to estimate the correlation between stiffness and gestational
age, using generalized linear models. RESULTS: There were significant negative
correlations between stiffness and gestational age. The estimated regression
equations of the lower and upper points were Y = -0.049X + 3.675 (P < 0.05) and Y
= -0.060X + 4.170 (P < 0.05), respectively. The stiffness at the upper point
behaved statistically significantly differently to that at the lower point.
Softening of the cervix at the upper point was significantly different between
single pregnancies and twin pregnancies (P < 0.05), but no marked difference was
noted between primiparous and multiparous women. CONCLUSION: Cervical
elastography using SWE was useful for measuring change in cervical stiffness
during pregnancy, and the upper area of the cervix may be a more relevant
assessment point for cervical softening than the lower area.
PMID- 28691321
TI - Possible TRALI is a real entity.
AB - After the consensus definition of transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI),
studies have shown that the incidence of TRALI is high in critically ill and
injured patients. When another risk factor for lung injury is present in these
patients, the term "possible TRALI" is used. In the past years, both animal and
clinical studies have taught us that a predisposing inflammatory risk factor is
frequently present in TRALI, if not mandatory. The decline in the incidence of
TRALI after implementation of the use of male-only plasma as observed in general
hospital patients is also seen in the critically ill and injured, suggesting that
antibodies play a role in possible TRALI. Thereby, introduction of the term
"possible TRALI" has helped us in estimating incidence rates as well as to
understand risk factors for TRALI in patient populations with a high exposure to
transfusion.
PMID- 28691322
TI - Bile acid levels and risk of adverse perinatal outcomes in intrahepatic
cholestasis of pregnancy: A meta-analysis.
AB - AIM: We aimed to determine the association between maternal total bile acid (TBA)
levels and the risks of adverse perinatal outcomes in pregnant women with
intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) based on a meta-analysis study.
METHODS: We searched PubMed for articles published from 2000 to 2015 with a focus
on ICP and restriction to the English language. The main perinatal outcomes were
preterm birth (PTB), meconium-stained amniotic fluid (MSAF), asphyxia, or
respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). Relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence
intervals (CI) was the summary statistic. We used a random- or fixed-effects
model to calculate the pooled RR according to the heterogeneity test. Subgroup
analyses were performed by region and study design. RESULTS: Nine eligible
related citations fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in this
study. Compared with pregnant women with a serum TBA < 40 MUmol/L, severe ICP
(TBA >= 40 MUmol/L) was associated with a significantly increased risk of adverse
fetal outcomes (pooled RR, 1.96; 95%CI, 1.63-2.35), PTB (pooled RR, 2.23; 95%CI,
1.51-3.29), MSAF (pooled RR, 2.27; 95%CI, 1.81-2.85), and asphyxia or RDS (pooled
RR, 1.67; 95%CI, 1.18-2.36). Sensitivity analysis suggested that the study design
difference may be a major source of heterogeneity. No publication bias was
demonstrated by Begg's test (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis indicates
that maternal elevated bile acid levels are significantly associated with
increased risks of overall adverse perinatal outcomes, PTB, MSAF, and asphyxia or
RDS. Serum TBA levels seem to be a useful predictor for the risk of adverse
perinatal outcomes.
PMID- 28691323
TI - Knowledge translation interventions to sustain direct care provider behaviour
change in long-term care: A process evaluation.
AB - RATIONALE, AIMS, AND OBJECTIVES: Process evaluation can be used to understand the
factors influencing the impact of knowledge translation (KT) interventions. The
aim of this mixed methods process evaluation was to evaluate the processes and
perceived outcomes of eight KT interventions that were used with healthcare aides
(HCAs) to introduce a mobility innovation into their daily care practices. The
study examined the perceived effectiveness of various KT interventions in
sustaining daily performance of the sit-to-stand mobility innovation by HCAs with
residents in long-term care. METHOD: In-person interviews were conducted with
four leaders across three long-term care facilities. Seven focus groups with 27
HCAs were conducted across the three facilities. All participants were asked to
rank the eight interventions involved in the trial according to their perceived
effectiveness and, for the leaders, their perceived ease of implementation. Focus
group and interview questions asked participants to discuss the relative merits
of each KT intervention. Two research assistants coded all of the transcripts
independently using content analysis. RESULTS: Both HCAs and their leaders
perceived reminders, followed by discussion groups, to be the most effective KT
interventions to sustain practice change. Healthcare aide champions were deemed
least effective by both leaders and HCAs. Leaders identified both the focus group
discussion and audit and feedback posters in the study as the most difficult to
implement. Participants valued interventions that were strategically visible,
helped to clarify misconceptions about the new care innovation, supported
teamwork, and made visible the resident benefits of the care innovation.
Logistical issues, such as staff scheduling and workload, influenced the
perceived feasibility of the various KT interventions. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding
how care staff in long-term care settings perceive KT interventions can inform
the choice of future use of these interventions to move research evidence into
practice.
PMID- 28691324
TI - Diagnostic Value of Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasonography and Time-Intensity Curve in
Differential Diagnosis of Cervical Metastatic and Tuberculous Lymph Nodes.
AB - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the diagnostic value of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography
(CEUS) in the differential diagnosis of tuberculous and metastatic lymph nodes.
METHODS: Nineteen cervical tuberculous lymph nodes and 43 cervical metastatic
lymph nodes were investigated. The CEUS perfusion patterns and parameters of time
intensity curve (TIC) were analyzed. Diagnostic accuracy and consistency of two
physicians were compared before and after CEUS and TIC analysis. RESULTS:
Conventional ultrasonography showed no significant differences between
tuberculous and metastatic lymph nodes. Concentric enhancement at the arterial
phase of CEUS occurred in 15 of 19 (78.9%) tuberculous lymph nodes and 42 of 43
(97.7%) metastatic lymph nodes (P < .05). For the TIC curve, a steep descending
curve with an apparent notch was commonly found in tuberculous lymph nodes (13 of
16). Although a shallow descending curve was common (40 of 43) in metastatic
lymph nodes, most did not have a notch on the curve (39 of 43) (P < .01). The k
value and the peak intensity (PI) value of tuberculous lymph nodes were
significantly higher and the ?PI value was significantly lower than that of
metastatic lymph nodes (P < .05, respectively). Kappa values for the diagnosis
consistency of the two physicians before and after CEUS and TIC analysis were
0.582 and 0.761, respectively. Diagnostic accuracy before and after CEUS and TIC
analysis was 47.4% (28 of 59) and 96.6% (57 of 59), respectively (P < .001).
CONCLUSIONS: Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography with TIC analysis is helpful in
differentiating tuberculous from metastatic lymph nodes.
PMID- 28691325
TI - Cellular and extracellular vesicular origins of miRNAs within the bovine ovarian
follicle.
AB - The ovarian follicle components must provide an ideal environment to ensure the
success of reproductive processes, and communication between follicular cells is
crucial to support proper oocyte growth. Recently, it has been demonstrated that
the presence of extracellular vesicles (EVs) carrying microRNAs (miRNAs) in
follicular fluid represents an important autocrine and paracrine communication
mechanism inside the ovarian follicle. In this study, we tested the hypothesis
that the miRNA content of EVs isolated from ovarian follicular (granulosa and
cumulus-oocyte complexes) cell-conditioned culture media is dependent upon cell
type. We initially screened bovine granulosa cells (GCs) and cumulus-oocyte
complexes (COCs), as well as their derived EVs for 348 miRNAs using real-time
PCR, and detected 326 miRNAs in GCs and COCs cells and 62 miRNAs in GCs and COCs
EVs. A bioinformatics analysis of the identified cell-specific and differentially
expressed miRNAs predicted that they likely modulate important cellular
processes, including signalling pathways such as the PI3K-Akt, MAPK and Wnt
pathways. By investigating the origins of miRNAs within the follicular fluid, the
results of this study provide novel insights into follicular miRNA content and
intercellular communication that may be of invaluable use in the context of
reproductive technologies, diagnostic of ovarian-related diseases and/or the
identification of biomarkers for oocyte and embryo quality.
PMID- 28691326
TI - Total Synthesis of (+)-Dendrowardol C.
AB - The first total synthesis of the tetracyclic sesquiterpenoid (+)-dendrowardol C
is described. It relies on an intramolecular aldol reaction to forge the central
bicyclic scaffold and subsequent cyclobutane formation by cyclization of a gamma
triflyloxy ketone. Key is the treatment of the latter with lithium naphthalenide.
Finally, the diastereoselective hydroboration of a 1,1-disubstituted double bond
is enabled by a chiral CoI catalyst.
PMID- 28691327
TI - Ending cervical cancer: A call to action.
AB - The outlook for elimination of the scourge of cervical cancer is bright, because
we now have the tools to achieve this goal. In recent years human papillomavirus
(HPV) vaccination in high-income countries has resulted in dramatic decreases in
HPV infection and associated cervical disease. If all countries with a
substantial burden of disease introduce the vaccine nationally, we can protect
the vast majority of women and girls most at risk. For women who are beyond the
vaccination target age, progress has been made in screening and treatment for
cervical precancer, but we must accelerate this momentum to reduce incidence and
mortality worldwide to the very low rates found in wealthier countries. Human and
financial resources must be increased and directed to programs that follow best
practices and reach all women, including the marginalized or disadvantaged. Seven
key actions are recommended. Now is the time for action at national, regional,
and global levels.
PMID- 28691328
TI - The investment case for cervical cancer elimination.
AB - We already know what causes cervical cancer, how to prevent it, and how to treat
it, even in resource-constrained settings. Inequitable access to human
papillomavirus vaccine for girls and screening and precancer treatment for women
in low- and middle-income countries is unacceptable on ethical, social, and
financial grounds. The burden of cervical cancer falls on the poor and extends
beyond the narrow bounds of the family, affecting national economic development
and community life, as family resources are drained and poverty tightens its
grip. Proven solutions are available and the priorities for the next few years
are clear, as shown by the papers in this Supplement. Sustained political
commitment and strategic investments in cervical cancer prevention can not only
save millions of lives over the next 10 years, but can also pave the way for the
broader fight against all cancers.
PMID- 28691329
TI - Progress in HPV vaccination in low- and lower-middle-income countries.
AB - The past 10 years have seen remarkable progress in the global scale-up of human
papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations. Forty-three low- and lower-middle-income
countries (LLMICs) have gained experience in delivering this vaccine to young
adolescent girls through pilot programs, demonstration programs, and national
introductions and most of these have occurred in the last 4 years. The experience
of Senegal is summarized as an illustrative country case study. Publication of
numerous delivery experiences and lessons learned has demonstrated the
acceptability and feasibility of HPV vaccinations in LLMICs. Four areas require
dedicated action to overcome remaining challenges to national scaling-up:
maintaining momentum politically, planning successfully, securing financing, and
fostering sustainability. Advances in policy, programming, and science may help
accelerate reaching 30 million girls in LLMICs with HPV vaccine by 2020.
PMID- 28691330
TI - Cervical cancer data and data systems in limited-resource settings: Challenges
and opportunities.
AB - Appropriate collection and use of health information is critical to the planning,
scaling up, and improvement of cervical cancer programs. The health information
systems implementation landscape is unique to each country; however, systems
serving cervical cancer programs in low-resource settings share characteristics
that present common challenges. In response, many programs have taken innovative
approaches to generating the quality information needed for decision making.
Recent advances in health information technology also provide feasible solutions
to challenges. This article draws from the experiences of the authors and from
current literature to describe outstanding challenges and promising practices in
the implementation of cervical cancer data systems, and to make recommendations
for next steps. Recommendations include engaging all stakeholders-including
providers, program managers, implementing partners, and donors-in promoting
national, district, and community information systems; building on existing
systems and processes, as well as introducing new technologies; and evolving data
collection and data systems as programs advance.
PMID- 28691331
TI - Scaling up proven innovative cervical cancer screening strategies: Challenges and
opportunities in implementation at the population level in low- and lower-middle
income countries.
AB - The problem of cervical cancer in low- and lower-middle-income countries (LLMICs)
is both urgent and important, and calls for governments to move beyond pilot
testing to population-based screening approaches as quickly as possible.
Experiences from Zambia, Bangladesh, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, where
scale-up of evidence-based screening strategies is taking place, may help other
countries plan for large-scale implementation. These countries selected screening
modalities recommended by the WHO that are within budgetary constraints, improve
access for women, and reduce health system bottlenecks. In addition, some common
elements such as political will and government investment have facilitated action
in these diverse settings. There are several challenges for continued scale-up in
these countries, including maintaining trained personnel, overcoming limited
follow-up and treatment capacity, and implementing quality assurance measures.
Countries considering scale-up should assess their readiness and conduct careful
planning, taking into consideration potential obstacles. International
organizations can catalyze action by helping governments overcome initial
barriers to scale-up.
PMID- 28691332
TI - Advocacy, communication, and partnerships: Mobilizing for effective, widespread
cervical cancer prevention.
AB - Both human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and screening/treatment are
relatively simple and inexpensive to implement at all resource levels, and
cervical cancer screening has been acknowledged as a "best buy" by the WHO.
However, coverage with these interventions is low where they are needed most.
Failure to launch or expand cervical cancer prevention programs is by and large
due to the absence of dedicated funding, along with a lack of recognition of the
urgent need to update policies that can hinder access to services. Clear and
sustained communication, robust advocacy, and strategic partnerships are needed
to inspire national governments and international bodies to action, including
identifying and allocating sustainable program resources. There is significant
momentum for expanding coverage of HPV vaccination and screening/preventive
treatment in low-resource settings as evidenced by new global partnerships
espousing this goal, and the participation of groups that previously had not
focused on this critical health issue.
PMID- 28691333
TI - Treatment of cervical intraepithelial lesions.
AB - Precancerous cervical lesions precede the development of invasive cervical cancer
by 10-20 years, making cervical cancer preventable if these lesions are detected
and effectively treated. Treatment has evolved in the last few decades and now
includes ablative options that can be performed in lower-resource settings where
surgical excision is not feasible or routinely available. Gas-based cryotherapy,
which freezes cervical tissue to induce localized necrosis, is the most commonly
used ablative treatment. However, its implementation in low-resource settings is
difficult because the refrigerant gas can be difficult to procure and transport,
and is expensive. New cryotherapy devices that do not require an external supply
of gas appear promising. Thermal coagulation, which burns cervical tissue to
induce necrosis, has become more widely available in the last few years owing to
its portability and the feasibility of using battery-powered devices. These two
ablative treatments successfully eradicate 75%-85% of high-grade cervical lesions
and have minor adverse effects.
PMID- 28691334
TI - The health and economic impact of scaling cervical cancer prevention in 50 low-
and lower-middle-income countries.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To estimate the health impact, financial costs, and cost-effectiveness
of scaling-up coverage of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination (young girls)
and cervical cancer screening (women of screening age) for women in countries
that will likely need donor assistance. METHODS: We used a model-based approach
to synthesize population, demographic, and epidemiological data from 50 low- and
lower-middle-income countries. Models were used to project the costs (US $),
lifetime health impact (cervical cancer cases, deaths averted), and cost
effectiveness (US $ per disability adjusted life year [DALY] averted) of: (1) two
dose HPV-16/18 vaccination of girls aged 10 years; (2) once-in-a-lifetime
screening, with treatment when needed, of women aged 35 years with either HPV DNA
testing or visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA); and (3) cervical cancer
treatment over a 10-year roll-out. RESULTS: We estimated that both HPV
vaccination and screening would be very cost-effective, and a comprehensive
program could avert 5.2 million cases, 3.7 million deaths, and 22.0 million DALYs
over the lifetimes of the intervention cohorts for a total 10-year program cost
of US $3.2 billion. CONCLUSION: Investment in HPV vaccination of young girls and
cervical cancer screen-and-treat programs in low- and lower-middle-income
countries could avert a substantial burden of disease while providing good value
for public health dollars.
PMID- 28691335
TI - Cervical cancer prevention for all women: Why now?
PMID- 28691336
TI - Management algorithms for cervical cancer screening and precancer treatment for
resource-limited settings.
AB - Management algorithms for screen-positive women in cervical cancer prevention
programs have undergone substantial changes in recent years. The WHO strongly
recommends human papillomavirus (HPV) testing for primary screening, if
affordable, or if not, then visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA), and
promotes treatment directly following screening through the screen-and-treat
approach (one or two clinic visits). While VIA-positive women can be offered
immediate ablative treatment based on certain eligibility criteria, HPV-positive
women need to undergo subsequent VIA to determine their eligibility. Simpler
ablative methods of treatment such as cryotherapy and thermal coagulation have
been demonstrated to be effective and to have excellent safety profiles, and
these have become integral parts of new management algorithms. The challenges
faced by low-resource countries are many and include, from the management
perspective, identifying an affordable point-of-care HPV detection test,
minimizing over-treatment, and installing an effective information system to
ensure high compliance to treatment and follow-up.
PMID- 28691337
TI - Integrating cervical cancer screening and preventive treatment with family
planning and HIV-related services.
AB - Cervical cancer is a leading cause of mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa-in large
part because of inadequate coverage of screening and preventive treatment
services. A number of programs have begun integrating cervical cancer prevention
services into existing family planning or HIV/AIDS service delivery platforms, to
rapidly expand "screen and treat" programs and mitigate cervical cancer burden.
Drawing upon a review of literature and our experiences, we consider benefits and
challenges associated with such programs in Sub-Saharan Africa. We then outline
steps that can optimize uptake and sustainability of integrated sexual and
reproductive health services. These include increasing coordination among
implementing organizations for efficient use of resources; task shifting for
services that can be provided by nonphysicians; mobilizing communities via
trusted frontline health workers; strengthening management information systems to
allow for monitoring of multiple services; and prioritizing an operational
research agenda to provide further evidence on the cost-effectiveness and
benefits of integrated service delivery.
PMID- 28691338
TI - Optimizing secondary prevention of cervical cancer: Recent advances and future
challenges.
AB - Although human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines offer enormous promise for the
ultimate control and possible elimination of cervical cancer, barriers to uptake
and coverage of the vaccine both in high- and low/middle-income settings mean
that advances in secondary prevention continue to be essential to prevent
unnecessary deaths and suffering from cervical cancer for decades to come. While
cytology (the Pap smear) has reduced cervical cancer incidence and prevalence in
jurisdictions where it has been systematically implemented in population-based
programs-mainly in high-income settings-limitations inherent to this method, and
to program delivery, leave many women still vulnerable to cervical cancer. Recent
evidence has confirmed that screening based on HPV testing prevents more invasive
cervical cancer and precancerous lesions, and offers innovative options such as
self-collection of specimens to improve screening uptake broadly. In this paper,
we review key advances, future opportunities, and ongoing challenges for
secondary prevention of cervical cancer using HPV-based testing.
PMID- 28691339
TI - Cancer adaptations: Atavism, de novo selection, or something in between?
AB - From an evolutionary perspective, both atavism and somatic evolution/convergent
evolution theories can account for the consistent occurrence, and astounding
attributes of cancers: being able to evolve from a single cell to a complex
organized system, and malignant transformations showing significant similarities
across organs, individuals, and species. Here, we first provide an overview of
these two hypotheses, including the possibility of them not being mutually
exclusive, but rather potentially representing the two extremes of a continuum in
which the diversity of cancers can emerge. In reviewing the current literature,
we also discuss the criteria that should be applied to discriminate between the
two competing theories and to determine their relevant contributions to
oncogenesis and cancer progression. Finally, we deliberate on the potential
applications of this conceptual framework in developing novel treatment
strategies.
PMID- 28691340
TI - Intra- and Intersexual swim bladder dimorphisms in the plainfin midshipman fish
(Porichthys notatus): Implications of swim bladder proximity to the inner ear for
sound pressure detection.
AB - The plainfin midshipman fish, Porichthys notatus, is a nocturnal marine teleost
that uses social acoustic signals for communication during the breeding season.
Nesting type I males produce multiharmonic advertisement calls by contracting
their swim bladder sonic muscles to attract females for courtship and spawning
while subsequently attracting cuckholding type II males. Here, we report intra-
and intersexual dimorphisms of the swim bladder in a vocal teleost fish and
detail the swim bladder dimorphisms in the three sexual phenotypes (females, type
I and II males) of plainfin midshipman fish. Micro-computerized tomography
revealed that females and type II males have prominent, horn-like rostral swim
bladder extensions that project toward the inner ear end organs (saccule, lagena,
and utricle). The rostral swim bladder extensions were longer, and the distance
between these swim bladder extensions and each inner-ear end organ type was
significantly shorter in both females and type II males compared to that in type
I males. Our results revealed that the normalized swim bladder length of females
and type II males was longer than that in type I males while there was no
difference in normalized swim bladder width among the three sexual phenotypes. We
predict that these intrasexual and intersexual differences in swim bladder
morphology among midshipman sexual phenotypes will afford greater sound pressure
sensitivity and higher frequency detection in females and type II males and
facilitate the detection and localization of conspecifics in shallow water
environments, like those in which midshipman breed and nest.
PMID- 28691341
TI - Divergence is not enough: the use of ecological niche models for the validation
of taxon boundaries.
AB - Delimiting taxon boundaries is crucial for any evolutionary research and
conservation regulation. In order to avoid mistaken description of species, the
approach of integrative taxonomy recommends considering multidisciplinary lines
of evidence, including ecology. Unfortunately, ecological data are often
difficult to quantify objectively. Here we test and discuss the potential use of
ecological niche models for validating taxon boundaries, using three pairs of
closely related plant taxa endemic to the south-western Alps as a case study. We
also discuss the application of ecological niche models for species delimitation
and the implementation of different approaches. Niche overlap, niche equivalency
and niche similarity were assessed both in multidimensional environmental space
and in geographic space to look for differences in the niche of three pairs of
closely related plant taxa. We detected a high degree of niche differentiation
between taxa although this result seems not due to differences in habitat
selection. The different statistical tests gave contrasting outcomes between
environmental and geographic spaces. According to our results, niche divergence
does not seem to support taxon boundaries at species level, but may have had
important consequences for local adaptation and in generating phenotypic
diversity at intraspecific level. Environmental space analysis should be
preferred to geographic space as it provides more clear results. Even if the
different analyses widely disagree in their conclusions about taxon boundaries,
our study suggests that ecological niche models may help taxonomists to reach a
decision.
PMID- 28691342
TI - Dual function of Lactobacillus kefiri DH5 in preventing high-fat-diet-induced
obesity: direct reduction of cholesterol and upregulation of PPAR-alpha in
adipose tissue.
AB - SCOPE: Kefir consumption inhibits the development of obesity and non-alcoholic
fatty liver disease (NALFD) in mice fed 60% high-fat diet (HFD). To identify the
key contributor of this effect, we isolated lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from kefir
and examined their anti-obesity properties from in vitro screening and in vivo
validation. METHODS AND RESULTS: Thirteen kefir LAB isolates were subjected to
survivability test using artificial gastrointestinal environment and cholesterol
reducing assay. Lactobacillus kefiri DH5 showed 100% survivability in
gastrointestinal environments and reduced 51.6% of cholesterol; thus, this strain
was selected for in vivo experiment. Compared to the HFD-saline group, the HFD
DH5 group showed significantly lower body weight (34.68 versus 31.10 g; p <
0.001), epididymal adipose tissue weight (1.39 versus 1.05 g; p < 0.001), blood
triglyceride (38.2 versus 31.0 mg/dL; p < 0.01) and LDL-cholesterol levels (19.4
versus 15.7 mg/dL; p < 0.01). In addition, L. kefiri DH5 administration
significantly modulated gut microbiota of HFD-fed mice. The hepatic steatosis was
significantly milder (Lesion score, 2.1 versus 1.2; p < 0.001) and adipocyte
diameter was significantly smaller (65.1 versus 42.2 MUm; p < 0.001) in the HFD
DH5 group. L. kefiri DH5 upregulated PPAR-alpha, FABP4, and CPT1 expression in
the epididymal adipose tissues (2.29-, 1.77-, and 2.05-fold change,
respectively), suggesting a reduction in adiposity by stimulating fatty acid
oxidation. CONCLUSION: L. kefiri DH5 exerts anti-obesity effects by direct
reduction of cholesterol in the lumen and upregulation of PPAR-alpha gene in
adipose tissues.
PMID- 28691343
TI - Efficacy of robust optimization plan with partial-arc VMAT for photon volumetric
modulated arc therapy: A phantom study.
AB - This study investigated position dependence in planning target volume (PTV)-based
and robust optimization plans using full-arc and partial-arc volumetric modulated
arc therapy (VMAT). The gantry angles at the periphery, intermediate, and center
CTV positions were 181 degrees -180 degrees (full-arc VMAT) and 181 degrees -360
degrees (partial-arc VMAT). A PTV-based optimization plan was defined by 5 mm
margin expansion of the CTV to a PTV volume, on which the dose constraints were
applied. The robust optimization plan consisted of a directly optimized dose to
the CTV under a maximum-uncertainties setup of 5 mm. The prescription dose was
normalized to the CTV D99% (the minimum relative dose that covers 99% of the
volume of the CTV) as an original plan. The isocenter was rigidly shifted at 1 mm
intervals in the anterior-posterior (A-P), superior-inferior (S-I), and right
left (R-L) directions from the original position to the maximum-uncertainties
setup of 5 mm in the original plan, yielding recalculated dose distributions. It
was found that for the intermediate and center positions, the uncertainties in
the D99% doses to the CTV for all directions did not significantly differ when
comparing the PTV-based and robust optimization plans (P > 0.05). For the
periphery position, uncertainties in the D99% doses to the CTV in the R-L
direction for the robust optimization plan were found to be lower than those in
the PTV-based optimization plan (P < 0.05). Our study demonstrated that a robust
optimization plan's efficacy using partial-arc VMAT depends on the periphery CTV
position.
PMID- 28691344
TI - Combined tumor genomic profiling and exome sequencing in a breast cancer family
implicates ATM in tumorigenesis: A proof of principle study.
AB - Familial breast cancers (BCs) account for 10%-20% of all diagnosed BCs, yet only
20% of such tumors arise in the context of a germline mutation in known tumor
suppressor genes such as BRCA1 or BRCA2. The vast genetic heterogeneity which
characterizes non BRCA1 and non BRCA2 (or BRCAx) families makes grouped studies
impossible to perform. Next generation sequencing techniques, however, allow
individual families to be studied to identify rare and or private mutations but
the high number of genetic variants identified need to be sorted using
pathogenicity or recurrence criteria. An additional sorting criterion may be
represented by the identification of candidate regions defined by tumor genomic
rearrangements. Indeed, comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) using single
nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays allows the detection of conserved ancestral
haplotypes within recurrent regions of loss of heterozygosity, common to several
familial tumors, which can highlight genomic loci harboring a germline mutation
in cancer predisposition genes. The combination of both exome sequencing and SNP
array-CGH for a series of familial BC revealed a germline ATM mutation associated
with a loss of the wild-type allele in two BC from a BRCAx family. The analysis
of additional breast tumors from ten BC families in which a germline ATM mutation
had been identified revealed a high frequency of wild-type allele loss. This
result argues strongly in favor of the involvement of ATM in these tumors as a
tumor suppressor gene and confirms that germline ATM mutations are involved in a
subset of familial BC.
PMID- 28691345
TI - The Skyline ecosystem: Informatics for quantitative mass spectrometry proteomics.
AB - Skyline is a freely available, open-source Windows client application for
accelerating targeted proteomics experimentation, with an emphasis on the
proteomics and mass spectrometry community as users and as contributors. This
review covers the informatics encompassed by the Skyline ecosystem, from
computationally assisted targeted mass spectrometry method development, to raw
acquisition file data processing, and quantitative analysis and results sharing.
PMID- 28691346
TI - Effect of steam explosion on solid-state fermentation of maize stalk by
Penicillium decumbens and Phanerochaete chrysosporium for animal feed production.
AB - Pre-treated maize stalk could be used for animal feed due to the improved
digestibility. Steam explosion (SE) and solid-state fermentation (SSF) are two
methods in maize stalk pre-treatment. To evaluate the effect of combination of SE
and SSF on the maize stalk pre-treatment, the maize stalk was treated with steam
explosion and microbial fermentation with Penicillium decumbens and Phanerochate
chrysporium in this study. The steam explosion severity (logR0 ) affected
component of the corn stover and then affected the SSF. The highest weight loss
of substrate (23.20%), protein (12.71%) and cellulase filter paper activity (FPA)
(7.42IU/g) could be obtained at logR0 = 3.64 and the IVDMD of SE-SSF-treated
straw could reach 75.8%. The SE-SSF pre-treatment method could improve the
utilization of straw as animal feed and overcome the shortage of feed source in
animal husbandry.
PMID- 28691347
TI - Design and operation of a continuous integrated monoclonal antibody production
process.
AB - The realization of an end-to-end integrated continuous lab-scale process for
monoclonal antibody manufacturing is described. For this, a continuous
cultivation with filter-based cell-retention, a continuous two column capture
process, a virus inactivation step, a semi-continuous polishing step (twin-column
MCSGP), and a batch-wise flow-through polishing step were integrated and operated
together. In each unit, the implementation of internal recycle loops allows to
improve the performance: (a) in the bioreactor, to simultaneously increase the
cell density and volumetric productivity, (b) in the capture process, to achieve
improved capacity utilization at high productivity and yield, and (c) in the
MCSGP process, to overcome the purity-yield trade-off of classical batch-wise
bind-elute polishing steps. Furthermore, the design principles, which allow the
direct connection of these steps, some at steady state and some at cyclic steady
state, as well as straight-through processing, are discussed. The setup was
operated for the continuous production of a commercial monoclonal antibody,
resulting in stable operation and uniform product quality over the 17 cycles of
the end-to-end integration. The steady-state operation was fully characterized by
analyzing at the outlet of each unit at steady state the product titer as well as
the process (HCP, DNA, leached Protein A) and product (aggregates, fragments)
related impurities. (c) 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol.
Prog., 33:1303-1313, 2017.
PMID- 28691348
TI - Rare complication of fibroids in pregnancy: Spontaneous fibroid rupture.
AB - Uterine fibroids in pregnancy present with numerous complications. However,
spontaneous rupture is a rare and potentially life-threatening event. We report a
case of a 43-year-old multiparous woman who presented with hypovolemic shock
secondary to a ruptured uterine fibroid 2 days after a spontaneous vaginal
delivery. Emergency laparotomy confirmed massive intra-abdominal hemorrhage from
the ruptured capsule of a 10-cm subserosal fibroid. A myomectomy was performed.
Her postoperative recovery period was uneventful. This case is very rare, with
fewer than 30 cases of hemoperitoneum secondary to rupture of fibroids having
been reported in published works. It demonstrates how a benign and common
condition, such as fibroids, can lead to an obstetric emergency that mimics a
surgical abdomen requiring swift diagnosis and surgical intervention.
PMID- 28691349
TI - Ovsynch Plus protocol improves ovarian response in anovular Murrah buffaloes in
low-breeding season.
AB - The objective of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of ovarian response and
pregnancy rate in anovular buffaloes following Ovsynch and Ovsynch Plus
protocols. Buffaloes (n = 55) were divided into two groups: Ovsynch group (n =
26): GnRH (10 MUg, GnRH1) on Day 0, PGF2 alpha (25 mg) on Day 7, GnRH (10 MUg,
GnRH2) on Day 9; Ovsynch Plus group (n = 29): 500 IU equine chorionic
gonadotropin (eCG) 72 hr (day -3) prior to Ovsynch protocol, followed by fixed
timed artificial insemination (FTAI) 6 and 24 hr after GnRH2 injection in bot
groups. Transrectal ultrasonography was performed daily, that is, from day 0 and
3 in Ovsynch and Ovsynch Plus group, respectively for ovarian response and
pregnancy diagnosis at day 30 post-insemination. In Ovsynch Plus group,
administration of eCG prior to GnRH1 increased (p < .001) the diameter (mm) of
dominant follicle (DF) from 10.15 +/- 0.26 to 12.23 +/- 0.34 within 72 hr of
treatment resulting higher ovulatory response to GnRH1. Ovulation after GnRH1 was
higher (p < .01) in Ovsynch Plus group (96.6%) than Ovsynch group (61.5%).
However, ovulation rate to GnRH2 was similar (p > .05) between groups (Ovsynch
group: 76.9% vs. Ovsynch Plus group: 70.0%). Mean DF diameter (mm) that ovulated
to both GnRHs was higher (p < .01) than non-ovulated counterparts in both groups
(Ovsynch group: 10.80 +/- 0.27 vs. 8.47 +/- 0.53; Ovsynch Plus group: 11.99 +/-
0.24 vs. 9.5 +/- 0.63). Pregnancy was established in buffaloes which responded to
both GnRHs, irrespective of groups, being higher (p = .52) in Ovsynch Plus group
(34.5%) than Ovsynch group (23.1%), though non-significant. In summary, this
study showed that eCG inclusion prior to Ovsynch regimen improves ovulatory
response in anovular buffaloes during low-breeding season.
PMID- 28691350
TI - Serum testosterone, sperm quality, cytological, physicochemical and biochemical
characteristics of the prostatic fraction of dogs with prostatomegaly.
AB - Prostatomegaly is a common finding in older non-neutered dogs. This study
compared the serum testosterone, sperm quality and characteristics of the
prostatic fraction between healthy dogs and dogs with prostatomegaly. Blood
samples of ten dogs (five dogs from each group) were taken for serum testosterone
measurement. Sperm motility, vigour, concentration, viability, membrane
functionality and morphology were analysed in sperm-rich fraction. Osmolality,
pH, cell types, and albumin, haemoglobin, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase,
glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and chloride
were analysed in prostatic fraction. Dogs with prostatomegaly have the lowest
sperm motility, vigour, concentration and functional membrane. Dogs with
prostatomegaly have the highest glucose, triglycerides and cholesterol. Glucose
was the only constituent positively correlated with serum testosterone and
prostate volume. It can be concluded that dogs with prostatomegaly have poorer
sperm quality, and glucose, triglycerides and cholesterol in prostatic fraction
can be used as prostatomegaly biomarkers.
PMID- 28691351
TI - Structures of designed armadillo repeat proteins binding to peptides fused to
globular domains.
AB - Designed armadillo repeat proteins (dArmRP) are alpha-helical solenoid repeat
proteins with an extended peptide binding groove that were engineered to develop
a generic modular technology for peptide recognition. In this context, the term
"peptide" not only denotes a short unstructured chain of amino acids, but also an
unstructured region of a protein, as they occur in termini, loops, or linkers
between folded domains. Here we report two crystal structures of dArmRPs, in
complex with peptides fused either to the N-terminus of Green Fluorescent Protein
or to the C-terminus of a phage lambda protein D. These structures demonstrate
that dArmRPs bind unfolded peptides in the intended conformation also when they
constitute unstructured parts of folded proteins, which greatly expands possible
applications of the dArmRP technology. Nonetheless, the structures do not fully
reflect the binding behavior in solution, that is, some binding sites remain
unoccupied in the crystal and even unexpected peptide residues appear to be
bound. We show how these differences can be explained by restrictions of the
crystal lattice or the composition of the crystallization solution. This
illustrates that crystal structures have to be interpreted with caution when
protein-peptide interactions are characterized, and should always be correlated
with measurements in solution.
PMID- 28691352
TI - Low cost-effectiveness of routine use of optical coherence tomography in pre
cataract surgery.
PMID- 28691353
TI - Reproductive performance of immobilized cryopreserved bovine semen used for timed
artificial insemination.
AB - The SpermVital(r) technology comprises embedding of spermatozoa within an
alginate gel to facilitate release of sperm cells over a prolonged period in
utero after AI. The aim of this study was to examine whether the survival time of
spermatozoa is extended when applying this immobilization technology in
combination with cryopreservation. Sperm cell survival (acrosome and plasma
membrane integrity) was studied in vitro for 48 hr at physiological temperature.
One dose of SpermVital(r) (SV) semen was compared with single doses of Biladyl(r)
(B) processed semen as well as double doses of B (B double). B double was
obtained by adding a second B dose the following day, thereby mimicking double
AI. Furthermore, reproductive performance applying single early timed AI (TAI)
with SV following oestrus synchronization was studied in a field trial. Double
insemination (TAI on two consecutive days) with B semen served as control. Number
of acrosome-intact live sperm cells decreased over time in vitro for all
treatments (p < .05). There was no difference between SV sperm cell survival and
B double after 24 hr (p > .05). However, after 48 hr, SV sperm cell survival was
higher than B double (p < .05). Moreover, multivariate analysis showed that the
outcome of single early TAI with SV was not significantly different from B double
(p > .05). Likelihood of pregnancy and calving in the heifer group was higher
than in the cow group (p < .05). These results imply that spermatozoa immobilized
in alginate gel have prolonged survival.
PMID- 28691354
TI - Feasibility of a wait-and-scan period as initial management strategy for head and
neck paraganglioma.
AB - BACKGROUND: The main goal of head and neck paraganglioma (PGL) management is
reduction of treatment-induced and tumor-induced complications. In the current
study, tumor growth rates and tumor-induced complications during a wait-and-scan
period are evaluated. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study. Tumor
growth was measured in axial plane diameter and tumor volume. RESULTS: Of 59
jugulotympanic tumors, 71 carotid body tumors, and 29 vagal body tumors, 44% were
growing (median follow-up of 63.6 months). Median growth rates were 0.41 mm/year
(range 0-439 mm), 1.6 mm/year (range 0-23.68 mm), and 1.6 mm/year (range 0-23.68
mm) respectively. Growth was significantly correlated to age at presentation
(odds ratio [OR] = 0.974; P < .05). Seventeen tumors induced 20 complications.
Six of these tumors were growing, and growth rates were higher than in tumors not
inducing complications (P = .016; F = 6.496). CONCLUSION: These results
illustrate the feasibility of a wait-and-scan strategy for head and neck PGL. The
management strategy could not prevent tumor-induced complications in 16% of
nongrowing tumors.
PMID- 28691355
TI - Ultrastrong and Tough Supramolecular Hydrogels from Multiurea Linkage Segmented
Copolymers with Tractable Processablity and Recyclability.
AB - Strong and tough synthetic hydrogels have received ever-increasing interests due
to their potential applications as load-bearing structural materials. However,
strong, tough, and recyclable hydrogels in different forms that can be generated
by different methods according to various practical applications still remain an
intrinsic bottleneck. A simple one-pot synthesis of multiurea linkage segmented
linear copolymers with easy recyclability, hybridization, and processability,
including compression molding, solution casting, and spinning methods, to yield
ultrastrong and tough hydrogel films or stretchable hydrogel fibers with
diameters ranged from macro-, micro-, to nanoscale, is reported here.
PMID- 28691356
TI - Tumor microenvironment and noncoding RNAs as co-drivers of epithelial-mesenchymal
transition and cancer metastasis.
AB - Reciprocal interactions between cancer cells and tumor microenvironment (TME) are
crucial events in tumor progression and metastasis. Pervasive stromal
reprogramming of TME modifies numerous cellular functions, including
extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness, inflammation, and immunity. These
environmental factors allow selection of more aggressive cells that develop
adaptive strategies associating plasticity and epithelial-mesenchymal transition
(EMT), stem-like phenotype, invasion, immunosuppression, and resistance to
therapies. EMT is a morphomolecular process that endows epithelial tumor cells
with mesenchymal properties, including reduced adhesion and increased motility.
Numerous studies have demonstrated involvement of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), such
as miRNAs and lncRNAs, in tumor initiation, progression, and metastasis. NcRNAs
regulate every hallmark of cancer and have now emerged as new players in
induction and regulation of EMT. The reciprocal regulatory interactions between
ncRNAs, TME components, and cancer cells increase the complexity of gene
expression and protein translation in cancer. Thus, deeper understanding of
molecular mechanisms controlling EMT will not only shed light on metastatic
processes of cancer cells, but enhance development of new therapies targeting
metastasis. In this review, we will provide recent findings on the role of known
ncRNAs relevant to EMT and cancer metastasis and discuss the role of the
interaction between ncRNAs and TME as co-drivers of EMT. Developmental Dynamics
247:405-431, 2018. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
PMID- 28691357
TI - Seniors centre-based health intervention programmes in the United States and
South Korea: A systematic review.
AB - BACKGROUND: Despite the great need for health interventions among seniors centre
participants, this matter has received little attention. AIM AND DESIGN: This
systematic review aimed to identify what types of health interventions are
effective and feasible for seniors centre participants. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE,
Ovid, CINAHL, Google Scholar, EMBASE, and RISS were searched. REVIEW METHODS: We
searched for health intervention studies conducted in seniors centres published
in English and Korean between 1990 and 2014. Of 907 screened articles, 22 studies
of all types of experimental designs were selected. RESULTS: Selected studies
were grouped by intervention domain: health promotion (n = 8), safety (n = 5),
chronic disease management (n = 6), and comprehensive wellness (n = 3). Overall,
59.1% of the interventions were provided by nurses. The health interventions
resulted in positive effects on seniors centre participants' knowledge, health
behaviours, clinical indices, and hospitalization rates. Few studies reported on
feasibility outcomes such as satisfaction and cost-effectiveness. CONCLUSIONS:
Considering the impact and ease of access to older people at seniors centres,
health interventions and services within seniors centres should be strengthened.
There is potential for nursing to spearhead seniors centre health intervention
programmes to enhance active ageing for participants.
PMID- 28691358
TI - Survival benefit of surgical approach for advanced oropharyngeal and
hypopharyngeal cancer: A retrospective analysis.
AB - BACKGROUND: Head and neck cancer is increasingly being managed through
nonsurgical approaches. Evidence comes from studies that have mainly examined
patients with laryngeal cancer. Few studies, with limited sample size, have
focused on the comparative outcomes of surgical and nonsurgical approaches in
patients with advanced oropharyngeal or hypopharyngeal cancer. METHODS: Using a
national cancer database, we identified 1603 and 1512 patients with clinical
stage III/IVA oropharyngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer, respectively, treated
between 2004 and 2009. The study cohort was followed until 2012, and analyzed
through Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox regression. RESULTS: Overall,
31.4% of patients with advanced oropharyngeal cancer and 42.2% of patients with
hypopharyngeal cancer received surgery as their primary treatment. Receiving
primary surgery for advanced oropharyngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer was
associated with higher survival rates after controlling for potential
confounders. CONCLUSION: We recommend that surgery be considered a first-line
treatment for advanced oropharyngeal and hypopharyngeal cancers.
PMID- 28691359
TI - Chronic histiocytic intervillositis in three consecutive pregnancies in a single
patient: Differing clinical results and pathology according to treatment used.
AB - Chronic histiocytic intervillositis (CHI) is an extremely rare pathological
condition but is strongly associated with severe obstetric complications and has
a high recurrence rate. The management of this condition has not yet been
established. We describe herein the occurrence of CHI in the late second-third
trimester in each of three consecutive pregnancies in a single patient with four
previous consecutive early miscarriages. In this patient, each of the three
complicated pregnancies was managed with one of the following, respectively: low
dose aspirin; heparin plus low-dose aspirin; and prednisolone plus low-dose
aspirin. CHI was histologically confirmed in all three pregnancies, but the
clinical results and pathology (e.g. extent of histiocytic infiltration) in each
pregnancy clearly differed with treatment. Both combination treatments eventuated
in a live birth. Immunosuppressive therapy seemed to produce better clinical
results by restricting the extent of the affected areas. The elevated alkaline
phosphatase associated with the CHI was assumed to have no clinical prognostic
value.
PMID- 28691360
TI - Effect of lidocaine spray during colposcopy-directed cervical biopsy: A
randomized controlled trial.
AB - AIM: We aimed to examine the effect of lidocaine spray in reducing pain during
colposcopy-directed cervical biopsy (CDB). METHODS: Two hundred women with
abnormal cervical screening test results and abnormal colposcopic findings that
required a CDB during April to December 2015 were enrolled. The participants were
randomly assigned into one of two groups. For group 1 (lidocaine group), 10%
lidocaine spray was applied thoroughly to the ectocervix. For group 2, no
anesthesia was given. The primary outcome of this study was the biopsy pain
score. RESULTS: Of the 200 women enrolled, 100 were randomly assigned to group 1
and 100 were in group 2. The baseline, biopsy, and postprocedure pain scores were
comparable between the study groups. The mean difference between the biopsy and
the baseline pain scores and the mean difference of the postprocedure pain scores
from baseline were statistically significantly higher in the no-anesthesia group
(group 2), P = 0.01 and P = 0.02, respectively. However, the degree of pain was
minimal in both groups. There were no complications observed in any participants.
CONCLUSION: Lidocaine spray reduces pain during colposcopy-directed cervical
biopsy; however, the clinically meaningful effect of such a procedure cannot be
demonstrated in this study.
PMID- 28691361
TI - Impact of childhood trauma on cognitive profile in bipolar disorder.
AB - OBJECTIVES: Bipolar Disorder (BD) is associated with cognitive impairment even
during remission periods. Nonetheless, this impairment seems to adjust to
different profiles of severity. Our aim was to examine the potential impact of
childhood trauma (CT) on cognitive performance and, more specifically, on
neurocognitive profile membership. METHODS: Using a data-driven strategy, 113
euthymic bipolar patients were grouped according to their cognitive performance
using a hierarchical clustering technique. Patients from the three resulting
clusters, the so-called "low", "average", and "high performance" groups, were
then compared in terms of main sociodemographic, clinical and functioning
variables, including CT measures. One-way ANOVA, a chi-square test and partial
correlations were used for this purpose, as appropriate. A multinomial logistic
regression model was used to determine which variables contributed to
neurocognitive clustering membership. RESULTS: Patients from the three
neurocognitive clusters differed in terms of sociodemographic, clinical,
functioning and CT variables. Scores on the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ),
especially on the physical negligence subscale, were also associated with a poor
cognitive performance. The multinomial regression model indicated that CTQ total
scores and the estimated intelligence quotient (IQ) significantly contributed to
differentiation among the three neurocognitive groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our results
confirmed that CT significantly impacts on cognitive performance during adulthood
in BD. The data obtained suggest that a history of CT could act as a liability
marker for cognitive impairment. A higher estimated IQ may act as a protective
factor against cognitive decline in this group of patients.
PMID- 28691362
TI - Basal-bolus insulin therapy reduces maternal triglycerides in gestational
diabetes without modifying cholesteryl ester transfer protein activity.
AB - AIM: Macrosomia in the offspring of overweight/obese mothers with glucose
controlled gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is due to excessive rise of
maternal triglycerides (TG). We aimed to ascertain whether basal-bolus insulin
therapy (BBIT), or other components of the treatment, could reduce TG in GDM.
METHODS: We studied the records of 131 singleton pregnancies with GDM, using
stepwise multiple linear regression, Mann-Whitney, chi2 , and Jonckheere-Terpstra
tests. As maternal TG increased steadily during normal pregnancy, these were
transformed as z-scores. The atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) was calculated as
a measure of cholesteryl ester transfer protein activity. RESULTS: Multiple
regression showed that only BBIT (but neither limitation of weight gain nor
metformin) reduced maternal TG z-scores (P = 0.011). When the 131 pregnancies
were split into two groups - without BBIT (n = 58; HbA1c = 5.3 +/- 0.3%) and with
BBIT (n = 73; HbA1c = 5.4 +/- 0.6; P = 0.2005) - we observed that BBIT (n = 73)
reduced maternal TG z-scores in a dose-related fashion (Jonckheere-Terpstra P =
0.03817). The atherogenic index of plasma remained within normal range in both
groups. CONCLUSION: BBIT (but not weight gain control nor metformin) reduced
maternal TG in mothers with glucose-controlled GDM. This beneficial effect of
BBIT was not related to changes in the cholesteryl ester transfer protein
activity.
PMID- 28691363
TI - Glaucoma Australia educational impact study: a randomized short-term clinical
trial evaluating the association between glaucoma education and patient
knowledge, anxiety and treatment satisfaction.
AB - IMPORTANCE: Targeted education may impact glaucoma patients' clinical experience.
BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to measure the impact of patient-centred
glaucoma-related education on knowledge, anxiety and treatment satisfaction.
DESIGN: This was a multicentre Australia-wide randomized clinical trial.
PARTICIPANTS: One hundred one newly diagnosed glaucoma patients were randomized
1:1 to intervention or control groups. METHODS: Those randomized to the Glaucoma
Australia educational intervention received telephone-based counselling about
glaucoma followed by mail-out information, in addition to usual care and
information from their treating ophthalmologist. The control group received only
usual care and information from their treating ophthalmologist. Surveys were
administered at baseline and 4 weeks following intervention. MAIN OUTCOME
MEASURES: The Auckland Glaucoma Knowledge Questionnaire measured glaucoma-related
knowledge. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and Eye-Drop Satisfaction
Questionnaire measured anxiety and patient treatment satisfaction, respectively.
RESULTS: Mean age was 64.7 +/- 11.1 years, and 52 (51.5%) were male. There was no
noticeable increase in knowledge levels in the control group (mean difference:
0.04 logits, P = 0.7), compared with a 0.49-logit (P = 0.02) increase in
knowledge levels in the intervention group. Between-group comparison showed a non
significant increase in knowledge (0.45 logits, P = 0.07) comparing intervention
participants with controls. Intervention participants experienced a statistically
significant decrease in anxiety compared to controls (-0.60 logits, P = 0.02). No
between-group difference was found in Eye-Drop Satisfaction Questionnaire scores.
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Patient-centred glaucoma-related education and support
services may improve knowledge and can reduce anxiety for newly diagnosed
glaucoma patients. All glaucoma patients should be adequately counselled about
the nature of the disease and its management.
PMID- 28691364
TI - Synthesis of the Epimeric Secosteroids Strophasterols A and B.
AB - Two epimeric rearranged ergostanes, strophasterols A and B, with an unprecedented
carbon skeleton were synthesized from ergosterol, both in 17 steps via a common
secosteroidal intermediate. The conversion of ergosterol into the pivotal
intermediate involved an efficient acid-catalyzed double-bond migration from ring
B to ring D, oxidative cleavage of the double bond, and a completely
diastereoselective acyl radical cyclization to form an isolated cyclopentanone
ring unique to this recently discovered family of steroidal compounds produced by
mushrooms. The intermediate was transformed stereodivergently into two epimeric
cyclopentane derivatives through hydrogenation using two types of catalysts. One
epimer was elaborated into strophasterol B by utilizing peracid oxidation of an
iodide to provide an epoxide directly, and the other epimer was elaborated into
strophasterol A, which is known to be a suppressor of endoplasmic reticulum
stress.
PMID- 28691366
TI - A case of post-partum non-sexually acquired genital ulceration.
PMID- 28691365
TI - Cooperation between p21 and Akt is required for p53-dependent cellular
senescence.
AB - Cellular senescence has been implicated in normal aging, tissue homeostasis, and
tumor suppression. Although p53 has been shown to be a central mediator of
cellular senescence, the signaling pathway by which it induces senescence remains
incompletely understood. In this study, we have shown that both Akt and p21 are
required to induce cellular senescence in response to p53 expression. In a p53
induced senescence model, we found that Akt activation was essential for inducing
a cellular senescence phenotype. Surprisingly, Akt inhibition did not abolish p53
induced cell cycle arrest, but it suppressed the increase in intracellular
reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. The results of the cell cycle and
morphological analysis suggest that p53 induced quiescence, not senescence,
following Akt inhibition. Conversely, the inhibition of p21 induction abolished
cell cycle arrest but did not affect the p53-induced increase in ROS levels.
Additionally, p21 and Akt separately controlled cell cycle arrest and ROS levels,
respectively, during H-Ras-induced senescence in human normal fibroblasts. The
mechanistic analysis revealed that Akt increased ROS levels through NOX4
induction, and increased Akt-dependent NF-kappaB binding to the NOX4 promoter is
responsible for NOX4 induction upon p53 expression. We further showed that Akt
activation upon p53 expression is mediated by mammalian target of rapamycin
complex 2. In addition, p53-mediated IL6 and IL8 induction was abrogated by Akt
inhibition, suggesting that Akt activation is also required for the senescence
associated secretory phenotype. Collectively, these results suggest that p53
simultaneously controls multiple pathways to induce cellular senescence through
p21 and Akt.
PMID- 28691367
TI - Photoinduced Trans-to-cis Phase Transition of Polycrystalline Azobenzene at Low
Irradiance Occurs in the Solid State.
AB - The ability to produce large-scale, reversible structural changes in a variety of
materials by photoexcitation of a wide variety of azobenzene derivatives has been
recognized for almost two decades. Because photoexcitation of trans-azobenzene
produces the cis-isomer in solution, it has generally been inferred that the
macroscopic structural changes occurring in materials are also initiated by a
similar large-amplitude trans-to-cis isomerization. This work provides the first
demonstration that a trans-to-cis photoisomerization occurs in polycrystalline
azobenzene, and is consistent with the previously hypothesized nature of the
trigger in the photoactuated mechanisms of the materials in question. It is also
demonstrated that under low irradiance, trans-to-cis isomerization occurs in the
solid (not via a pre-melted phase); and the presence of the cis-isomer thus
lowers the melting point of the sample, providing a liquid phase. A variety of
experimental techniques were employed, including X-ray diffraction measurements
of polycrystalline azobenzene during exposure to laser irradiation and
fluorescence measurements of the solid sample. A practical consequence of this
work is that it establishes trans-azobenzene as an easily obtainable and well
defined control for monitoring photoinduced structural changes in X-ray
diffraction experiments, using easily accessible laser wavelengths.
PMID- 28691368
TI - Epitopes and motifs of the HLA-B*14 allele family products and related HLA-B14
cross-reactive specificities.
AB - The split specificities of HLA-B14 (B64, B65) are assigned to the B*14:01 (B64)
and B*14:02 (B65) products only. Of the further 50 B*14 expressed products, only
B*14:03 and B*14:06 are officially designated as HLA-B14. The B*14:08 product
differs from B64 by a single amino acid substitution of W97R, while the B*14:53
specificity (which is a "short" B14 and neither B64 nor B65) differs from B64 by
three residues (W97S, Y113H and F116Y). Comprehensive testing of B*14:08:01 cells
(using 49 alloantisera with B64 or B64, B65 specificities, and five monoclonal
antibodies with B65 or B64, B65 activity) showed that the B*14:08 specificity is,
like the B*14:53 product, neither B64 nor B65 and appears as a "short" B14
specificity. To help understand the serological reactivity of the B*14:08 and
B*14:53 products, and B64 and B65, we identified seven published epitopes (11AV,
97W, 61ICT, 116F, 131S+163T, 170RH and 420) and, by inspection, 29 motifs, that
encompass one or more of B64, B65 and various HLA-B14 cross-reactive group
specificities. We then considered the possession of these epitopes and motifs by
the products of B*14:01 to B*14:06, B*14:08 and B*14:53. Seventeen of the 29
motifs fully complied with the one-/two-patch functional epitope concept for
amino acid proximity, as determined by Cn3D software, the remainder partially
complied. The nature and patterns of epitopes and motifs possessed by both
B*14:08 and B*14:53 specificities supported their designation as HLA-B14 but non
B64/B65. Also that epitope 97W, with 11S or 11A, is critical for serological B64
and B65 reactivity. And conversely, that epitope 116F, and several identified
motifs, are probably unimportant for HLA-B14 antibody reactivity. The previous
submission that the B*14:03 specificity is HLA-B65 was compatible with its
epitope/motif pattern. B*14:04 cells would also be expected to react as B65,
based on its epitope/motif pattern, and not as B64 as previously implied. Also,
from their epitope/motif patterns, and external serological information, it is
probable that the B*14:05 and B*14:06 specificities will both appear as "short"
HLA-B14, non-B64/B65. Several epitopes and motifs encompassed a range of HLA-B
specificities included in the serological HLA-B14 cross-reactive group, thus
supporting these original serological findings.
PMID- 28691369
TI - Comprehensive Examination of Mechanical and Diffusional Effects on Cell Behavior
Using a Decoupled 3D Hydrogel System.
AB - Hydrogels possess several physical and chemical properties suitable for
engineering cellular environments for biomedical applications. Despite recent
advances in hydrogel systems for cell culture, it is still a significant
challenge to independently control the mechanical and diffusional properties of
hydrogels, both of which are well known to influence various cell behaviors when
using hydrogels as 3D cell culture systems. Controlling the crosslinking density
of a hydrogel system to tune the mechanical properties inevitably affects their
diffusional properties, as the crosslinking density and diffusion are often
inversely correlated. In this study, a polymeric crosslinker is demonstrated that
allows for the adjustment of the degree of substitution of reactive functional
groups. By using this polymeric crosslinker, the rigidity of the resulting
hydrogel is controlled in a wide range without changing the polymer
concentration. Furthermore, their diffusional properties, as characterized by
their swelling ratios, pore diameters, and drug release rates, are not
significantly affected by the changes in the degree of substitution. 3D cell
studies using this hydrogel system successfully demonstrate the varying effects
of mechanical properties on different cell types, whereas those in a conventional
hydrogel system are more significantly influenced by changes in diffusional
properties.
PMID- 28691370
TI - Bioaccessibility, bioavailability, and anti-inflammatory effects of anthocyanins
from purple root vegetables using mono- and co-culture cell models.
AB - SCOPE: Immune-inflammatory signaling and metabolic effects are the main pillars
for bioactivity of anthocyanins derived from highly pigmented root vegetables.
This study aims to assess the bioaccessibility and bioavailability of purple
carrot and potato derived anthocyanins and the molecular mechanisms of their
ability to ameliorate cellular inflammation in a mono- and co-culture cell
models. METHODS AND RESULTS: An in vitro gastrointestinal model was used and
demonstrated bioaccessibility of 44.62 and 71.8% for anthocyanins of purple
carrot and potato, respectively. These accessible anthocyanins significantly
inhibited cellular inflammation in Caco-2 cells. Intact cyanidinglycoside or
petunidinglycoside (respectively from carrots and potatoes) were transported
across a transmembrane cell model and detected by LC-MS/MS. Computational docking
and glucose uptake analyses suggested uptake of anthocyanins was mediated by
hexose transporters. Subsequent experiment using an inflamed Caco-2 BBe1/THP-1 co
culture cell model showed these transported anthocyanins inhibited IL-8 and TNF
alpha secretion,and expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines by blocking NF
kappaB, and MAPK mediated inflammatory cellular signaling cascades, but with
varying degrees due to structural features. CONCLUSION: Anthocyanins from purple
carrots and potatoes possess a promising anti-inflammatory effect in model gut
system. They can be absorbed and act differently but are in general beneficial
for inflammation-mediated diseases.
PMID- 28691371
TI - Approaches to identify kinase dependencies in cancer signalling networks.
AB - Cells integrate extracellular signals into appropriate responses through a
complex network of biochemical reactions driven by the activity of protein and
lipid kinases, among other proteins. In order to understand this complexity, new
approaches, both experimental and computational, have recently been developed
with the aim to identify regulatory kinases and infer their activation status in
the context of their signalling network. Here, we review such approaches with
particular focus on those based on phosphoproteomics. Integration of kinase
activity measurements inferred from phosphoproteomics data with other 'omics'
datasets is starting to be used to identify regulatory nodes in biochemical
networks. These methodologies may in the future be used to identify patient
specific targets and thus advance personalised cancer medicine.
PMID- 28691372
TI - Cutaneous infiltration of anaplastic variant of CD30-positive diffuse large B
cell lymphoma.
PMID- 28691373
TI - Stromal Vascular Fraction Loaded Silk Fibroin Mats Effectively Support the
Survival of Diabetic Mice after Pancreatic Islet Transplantation.
AB - The aim of this study is to assess whether stromal vascular fraction (SVF)-soaked
silk fibroin nonwoven mats (silk-SVF) can preserve the functionality of
encapsulated pancreatic endocrine cells (alginate-PECs) after transplantation in
the subcutaneous tissue of diabetic mice. Silk scaffolds are selected to create
an effective 3D microenvironment for SVF delivery in the subcutaneous tissue
before diabetes induction: silk-SVF is subcutaneously implanted in the dorsal
area of five healthy animals; after 15 d, mice are treated with streptozotocin to
induce diabetes and then alginate-PECs are implanted on the silk-SVF. All animals
appear in good health, increasing weight during time, and among them, one
presents euglycemia until the end of experiments. On the contrary, when PECs are
simultaneously implanted with SVF after diabetes induction, mice are euthanized
due to suffering. This work clearly demonstrates that silk-SVF creates a
functional niche in subcutaneous tissue and preserves endocrine cell survival and
engraftment.
PMID- 28691374
TI - Multi-target Fragments Display Versatile Binding Modes.
AB - Promiscuity is an interesting concept in fragment-based drug design as fragments
with low specificity can be advantageous for finding many screening hits. We
present a PDB-wide analysis of multi-target fragments and their binding mode
conservation. Focussing on multi-target fragments, we found that the majority
shows non-conserved binding modes, even if they bind in a similar conformation or
similar protein targets. Surprisingly, fragment properties alone are not able to
predict whether a fragment will exhibit a versatile or conserved binding mode,
emphasizing the interplay between protein and fragment features during a binding
event and the importance of structure-based modelling.
PMID- 28691375
TI - Gender differences in preferences for psychological treatment, coping strategies,
and triggers to help-seeking.
AB - OBJECTIVE: There is some evidence that men and women deal with stress in
different ways; for example, a meta-analysis found that women prefer to focus on
emotions as a coping strategy more than men do. However, sex differences in
preferences for therapy is a subject little explored. DESIGN: A cross-sectional
online survey. METHOD: Participants (115 men and 232 women) were recruited via
relevant websites and social media. The survey described therapies and asked
participants how much they liked each. Their coping strategies and help-seeking
behaviour were assessed too. RESULTS: Survey data were analysed using multiple
linear regression. After familywise adjustment of the alpha for multiple testing
to p < .0125, and controlling for other relevant variables, men liked support
groups more than women did (beta = -.163, p < .010), used sex or pornography to
cope with stress more than women did (Exp[B] = .280, p < .0002), and thought that
there is a lack of male-friendly options more than women did (Exp[B] = .264, p <
.002). The majority of participants expressed no preference for the sex of their
therapist, but of those who did, men were only slightly more likely to prefer a
female therapist whereas women were much more likely to prefer females (p <
.0004). Even after familywise adjustment, there were still more significant
findings than would be expected by chance (p < .001, two-tailed). CONCLUSIONS:
Although there are many similarities in the preferences of men and women
regarding therapy, our findings support the hypothesis that men and women show
statistically significant differences of relevance to clinical psychologists.
PRACTITIONER POINTS: Men are less inclined than women to seek help for
psychological issues This study demonstrates that men and women show significant
differences in some aspects of therapy, coping behaviour, and help-seeking It is
possible that men would be more inclined to seek help if therapies catered more
for men's preferences Practitioners can learn to improve the success of their
practice by taking the gender of clients into account.
PMID- 28691376
TI - Adult-onset Still's disease-like condition due to alcoholic hepatitis and vitamin
B deficiency.
PMID- 28691377
TI - Effectiveness of 8- or 12-weeks of ledipasvir and sofosbuvir in real-world
treatment-naive, genotype 1 hepatitis C infected patients.
AB - BACKGROUND: Treatment of genotype 1 hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection with
combination direct acting anti-virals is associated with very high rates of
sustained virological response (SVR). Daily combination of ledipasvir and
sofosbuvir for 12 weeks is approved for the treatment of genotype 1 HCV patients,
though noncirrhotic patients who are naive to treatment with a baseline HCV RNA
<6 million IU/mL can be treated for 8 weeks. This guidance stemmed from a post
hoc analysis of the ION 3 clinical trial, which demonstrated similar SVR for
patients treated with ledipasvir and sofosbuvir with or without ribavirin for 8
or 12 weeks. AIM: To compare the SVR for 8 weeks vs 12 weeks of ledipasvir and
sofosbuvir in HCV infected patients in a real-world setting. METHODS: We
performed an observational real-world cohort study of treatment success following
8 or 12 weeks of ledipasvir and sofosbuvir for treatment-naive genotype 1 HCV
patients. RESULTS: A total of 826 patients were treated for either 8 (n=252) or
12 weeks (n=574) with ledipasvir and sofosbuvir and achieved SVR rate of 95.3%
and there was no statistical difference in SVR rates in the two groups
irrespective of any clinical or virological variables. CONCLUSIONS: In treatment
naive HCV genotype 1 patients, SVR was 95% in those treated for either 8 weeks or
12 weeks with ledipasvir and sofosbuvir. 8 week ledipasvir and sofosbuvir can
reduce costs without compromising outcomes for those patients who qualify for
such regimen.
PMID- 28691378
TI - Coexistence of Low Damping and Strong Magnetoelastic Coupling in Epitaxial Spinel
Ferrite Thin Films.
AB - Low-loss magnetization dynamics and strong magnetoelastic coupling are generally
mutually exclusive properties due to opposing dependencies on spin-orbit
interactions. So far, the lack of low-damping, magnetostrictive ferrite films has
hindered the development of power-efficient magnetoelectric and acoustic
spintronic devices. Here, magnetically soft epitaxial spinel NiZnAl-ferrite thin
films with an unusually low Gilbert damping parameter (<3 * 10-3 ), as well as
strong magnetoelastic coupling evidenced by a giant strain-induced anisotropy
field (~1 T) and a sizable magnetostriction coefficient (~10 ppm), are reported.
This exceptional combination of low intrinsic damping and substantial
magnetostriction arises from the cation chemistry of NiZnAl-ferrite. At the same
time, the coherently strained film structure suppresses extrinsic damping,
enables soft magnetic behavior, and generates large easy-plane magnetoelastic
anisotropy. These findings provide a foundation for a new class of low-loss,
magnetoelastic thin film materials that are promising for spin-mechanical
devices.
PMID- 28691379
TI - Spot diagnosis: Progressive cribriform and zosteriform hyperpigmentation.
PMID- 28691380
TI - Transverse relaxation time constants of the five major metabolites in human brain
measured in vivo using LASER and PRESS at 3 T.
AB - PURPOSE: The goal of this study was to measure and compare the apparent
transverse relaxation time constants (T2 ) of five intracellular metabolites
using localization by adiabatic selective refocusing (LASER) and point-resolved
spectroscopy (PRESS) sequences in the human brain at 3 T. METHODS: Five healthy
subjects were studied at 3 T. 1 H spectra from the prefrontal cortex were
acquired at six different echo times using LASER and PRESS sequences.
Postprocessed data were analyzed with LCModel, and the resulting amplitudes were
fitted using a mono-exponential decay function to determine the T2 of
metabolites. RESULTS: Twenty-one percent higher apparent T2 values for the
singlet resonances of N-acetyl aspartate, total creatine, and total choline were
measured with LASER as compared with PRESS, whereas comparable apparent T2 values
were measured for strongly coupled metabolites, glutamate, and myo-inositol, with
both sequences. CONCLUSIONS: Reliable T2 measurements were obtained with both
sequences for the five major intracellular metabolites. The LASER sequence
appears to be more efficient in suppressing the diffusion component for singlets
(having nonexchangeable protons) compared to J-coupled metabolites. Magn Reson
Med 79:1260-1265, 2018. (c) 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in
Medicine.
PMID- 28691381
TI - Self-Forming Interlocking Interfaces on the Immiscible Polymer Bilayers via
Gelation-Mediated Phase Separation.
AB - Gelation-mediated phase separation is applied to prepare immiscible polymer
bilayer films with an interlocking interface structure. Polymer systems
consisting of copolymer of urea and polydimethylsiloxane and epoxy are selected
to demonstrate the feasibility. When the epoxy fraction exceeds 25 wt%, well
defined bilayer structures self-form by a one-pot casting method in which the
phase separation state is fixed by an evaporation-induced gelation. Microscopy
studies of the resulting bilayers clearly reveal that interlocking structures
form during the bilayer films construct. The interlocking structures lead to an
enhanced interfacial adhesion and higher fracture energy. The current strategy
might offer a facile way to in situ create an interlocking interface between
immiscible polymer systems.
PMID- 28691382
TI - Variation in Prescription Drug Coverage for Triptans: Analysis of Insurance
Formularies.
AB - OBJECTIVES: To analyze triptan coverage by insurers to examine (1) possible
disparities in coverage for different formulations (oral, intranasal, etc) and
(2) quantity limits and stepped care requirements to obtain triptans. BACKGROUND:
Triptans are FDA approved migraine abortive medications. Patients frequently
state that they have difficulty accessing triptans prescribed to them. METHODS:
We searched the 2015 drug formularies of commercial and government health
insurers providing coverage in NY State. We created a spreadsheet with all of the
commercially available triptans and included information about covered
formulations, tier numbers and quantity limits for each drug. We then calculated
the number of listed plans that cover or do not cover each triptan or triptan
formulation, the total number of medications not covered by an insurance provided
across all of its plans, as well as the percentage of plans offered by individual
companies and across all companies that covered each drug. We also calculated the
number and proportion of plans that imposed quantity limits or step therapy for
each drug. RESULTS: Of the 100 formularies searched, generic sumatriptan (all
formulations), naratriptan, and zolmitriptan tablets were covered by all plans,
and rizatriptan tablets and ODTs were covered by 98% of plans. Brand triptans
were less likely to be covered: 4/36 Medicaid plans covered brand triptans.
Commercial insurers were more likely to cover brand triptans. All plans imposed
quantity limits on 1+ triptan formulations, with >80% imposing quantity limits on
14/19 formulations studied. Almost all plans used tiers for cost allocation for
different medications. Generic triptans were almost always in Tier 1. Brand
triptans were most commonly in Tier 3. Approximately 40% of brand triptans
required step therapy, compared with 11% of generic triptans. CONCLUSIONS: There
are substantial variations in coverage and quantity limits and a high degree of
complexity in triptan coverage for both government and commercial plans.
PMID- 28691383
TI - Different origins of two corpora lutea recovered from a pregnant African elephant
(Loxodonta africana).
AB - Elephant ovaries contain multiple corpora lutea (CLs) throughout pregnancy. Two
CLs (P-1 and P-2) collected from a pregnant African elephant were used to
investigate their origin and physiological state in this study. The mRNA
expressions of prolactin receptor, CYP11A and inhibin betaB subunit were higher
in P-2 than in P-1, while LHCGR and inhibin betaA subunit mRNA were higher in P-1
than in P-2. Protein expression of cleaved caspase-3 was detected in P-1 but not
in P-2. These results suggest different origins for the two CLs in this one
pregnant elephant, and we also demonstrated the production of bioactive prolactin
by the elephant placenta.
PMID- 28691384
TI - Vaginectomy and vaginoplasty for isolated vaginal recurrence 8 years after
cervical cancer radical hysterectomy: A case report and literature review.
AB - A subgroup of early-stage cervical cancer patients suffer from vaginal cuff
recurrence following a primary surgery; however, recurrence after a disease-free
interval of 5 years is rare. Treatments for isolated vaginal relapse remain
controversial. Here we report a case of a 50-year-old woman with isolated vaginal
cuff recurrence 8 years after primary radical surgery for cervical cancer. We
conducted a vaginectomy and vaginoplasty using a type of tissue-engineered
biomaterial graft. Three chemotherapy cycles of paclitaxel and cisplatin were
administered after surgery. The patient has no evidence of disease to date (18
months after surgery) and had regained a satisfactory sexual life by 8 months
postoperatively. To our knowledge, this case represents the first report
regarding the use of vaginoplasty with biomaterial graft following vaginectomy
for late isolated vaginal recurrence of cervical cancer in a patient who had
undergone a primary radical hysterectomy.
PMID- 28691385
TI - Injectable loop recorder implantation in an ambulatory setting by advanced
practice providers: Analysis of outcomes.
AB - INTRODUCTION: Implantable loop recorder (ILR) insertion has historically been
performed in a surgical environment such as the electrophysiology (EP) lab. The
newest generation loop recorder (Medtronic Reveal LINQTM, Minneapolis, MN, USA)
is injectable with potential for implantation in a non-EP lab setting by advanced
practice providers (APPs) facilitating improved workflow and resource
utilization. We report the safety and efficacy of injectable ILR placement in the
ambulatory care setting by APPs. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed
including all patients referred for injectable ILR placement from March 2014 to
November 2015. All device placement procedures were performed in an ambulatory
care setting using the standard manufacturer deployment kit with sterile
technique and local anesthetic following a single dose of intravenous
antibiotics. Acute procedural success and complication rates following injectable
ILR placement in the ambulatory setting were reviewed. RESULTS: During the study
period, 125 injectable ILRs were implanted. Acute procedural success with
adequate sensing (R-waves >= 0.2 mV) occurred in 100% of patients. There were no
acute procedural complications. Subacute complications occurred in two patients
(1.6% of implantations), including one possible infection treated with oral
antibiotics and one device removal due to pain at the implant site. CONCLUSION:
In this retrospective single-center study, implantation of injectable ILR in an
ambulatory care setting by APPs following a single dose of intravenous
antibiotics and standard manufacturer technique yielded a low complication rate
with high acute procedural success. Use of this implantation strategy may improve
EP lab workflow while providing a safe and effective technique for device
placement.
PMID- 28691386
TI - Reduced and Surface-Modified Graphene Oxide with Nonlinear Resistivity.
AB - Field-grading materials (FGMs) are used to reduce the probability for electrical
breakdowns in critical regions of electrical components and are therefore of
great importance. Usually, FGMs are heavily filled (40 vol.%) with semi
conducting or conducting particles. Here, polymer-grafted reduced graphene oxide
(rGO) is used as a filler to accomplish percolated networks at very low filling
ratios (<2 vol.%) in a semi-crystalline polymer matrix: poly(ethylene-co-butyl
acrylate) (EBA). Various simulation models are used to predict the percolation
threshold and the flake-to-flake distances, to complement the experimental
results. A substantial increase in thermal stability of rGO is observed after
surface modification, either by silanization or subsequent polymerizations. The
non-linear DC resistivity of neat and silanized rGO and its trapping of charge
carriers in semi-crystalline EBA are demonstrated for the first time. It is shown
that the polymer-grafted rGO improve the dispersibility in the EBA-matrix and
that the graft length controls the inter-flake distances (i.e. charge-carrier
hopping distances). By the appropriate selection of graft lengths, both highly
resistive materials at 10 kV mm-1 and FGMs with a large and distinct drop in
resistivity (six decades) are obtained, followed by saturation. The nonlinear
drop in resistivity is attributed to narrow inter-flake distance distributions of
grafted rGO.
PMID- 28691387
TI - Cascades in Compartments: En Route to Machine-Assisted Biotechnology.
AB - Biological compartmentalization is a fundamental principle of life that allows
cells to metabolize, propagate, or communicate with their environment. Much
research is devoted to understanding this basic principle and to harness
biomimetic compartments and catalytic cascades as tools for technological
processes. This Review summarizes the current state-of-the-art of these
developments, with a special emphasis on length scales, mass transport phenomena,
and molecular scaffolding approaches, ranging from small cross-linkers over
proteins and nucleic acids to colloids and patterned surfaces. We conclude that
the future exploration and exploitation of these complex systems will largely
benefit from technical solutions for the integrated, machine-assisted development
and maintenance of a next generation of biotechnological processes. These goals
should be achievable by implementing microfluidics, robotics, and added
manufacturing techniques supplemented by theoretical simulations as well as
computer-aided process modeling based on big data obtained from multiscale
experimental analyses.
PMID- 28691388
TI - Topical treatment with sacran, a sulfated polysaccharide from Aphanothece sacrum,
improves corneocyte-derived parameters.
AB - Sacran, a polysaccharide isolated from Aphanothece sacrum (Suizenji-nori) alga,
has unique characteristics in terms of its physiological properties and effects
on the skin, and has recently become a focus of attention as a novel biomaterial.
In a previous study, we reported the unique physical characteristics of sacran,
which forms a gel-like film containing water in the presence of polyols. This
film resists penetration by water and chemicals. We expected this unique physical
characteristic to act as an artificial barrier upon the application of sacran to
the skin. In the present study, we tested the efficacy of sacran application in
healthy individuals who reported previous symptoms of dry or inflamed skin, to
evaluate the potential benefits of sacran for skin care in patients with mild
atopic dermatitis. Compared with placebo, sacran-containing serum did not
significantly alter either the water content of the skin surface or
transepidermal water loss. However, subjects using the serum showed improvements
in corneocyte parameters including size, percentage of thick abrasion, ratio of
SH to SS groups, ratio of interleukin (IL)-1 receptor antagonist to IL-1alpha,
and carbonylated protein level. These results indicate that the sulfated
polysaccharide sacran is an effective agent for improving or maintaining the skin
conditions.
PMID- 28691389
TI - Fetal left ventricular non-compaction cardiomyopathy with ascites: A case report.
AB - Here we report a case of fetal left ventricular non-compaction cardiomyopathy
with ascites and cardiac dysfunction at a gestational age of 34+5 weeks.
Laboratory tests did not reveal any sign of viral infection in utero. A female
neonate weighing 2436 g was delivered by emergency cesarean section due to non
reassuring fetal status. Postnatal echocardiography confirmed left ventricular
non-compaction cardiomyopathy with severe cardiac failure. Although she was
treated effectively during the acute period by continuous flow peritoneal
dialysis, surgical ligation of a patent ductus arteriosus, and inhaled nitric
oxide, she died on day 41 of life. Symptoms of severe cardiac dysfunction
appeared antenatally in this patient and the outcome was poor.
PMID- 28691390
TI - An improved digital polymerase chain reaction protocol to capture low-copy KRAS
mutations in plasma cell-free DNA by resolving 'subsampling' issues.
AB - Genetic alterations responsible for the initiation of cancer may serve as
immediate biomarkers for early diagnosis. Plasma levels of cell-free DNA (cfDNA)
in patients with cancer are higher than those in healthy individuals; however,
the major technical challenge for the widespread implementation of cfDNA
genotyping as a diagnostic tool is the insufficient sensitivity and specificity
of detecting early-stage tumors that shed low amounts of cfDNA. To establish a
protocol for ultrasensitive droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) for
quantification of low-frequency alleles within a limited cfDNA pool, two-step
multiplex ddPCR targeting eight clinically relevant mutant KRAS variants was
examined. Plasma samples from patients with colorectal (n = 10) and pancreatic
cancer (n = 9) were evaluated, and cfDNA from healthy volunteers (n = 50) was
utilized to calculate reference intervals. Limited cfDNA yields in patients with
resectable colorectal and pancreatic cancers did not meet the requirement for
efficient capture and quantification of rate mutant alleles by ddPCR. Eight
preamplification cycles followed by a second-run ddPCR were sufficient to obtain
approximately 5000-10 000 amplified copies per ng of cfDNA, resolving the
subsampling issue. Furthermore, the signal-to-noise ratio for rare mutant alleles
against the extensive background presented by the wild-type allele was
significantly enhanced. The cutoff limit of reference intervals for mutant KRAS
was determined to be ~ 0.09% based on samples from healthy individuals. The
modification introduced in the ddPCR protocol facilitated the quantification of
low-copy alleles carrying driver mutations, such as oncogenic KRAS, in localized
and early-stage cancers using small blood volumes, thus offering a minimally
invasive modality for timely diagnosis.
PMID- 28691391
TI - Abnormal Pressure-Induced Photoluminescence Enhancement and Phase Decomposition
in Pyrochlore La2 Sn2 O7.
AB - La2 Sn2 O7 is a transparent conducting oxide (TCO) material and shows a strong
near-infrared fluorescent at ambient pressure and room temperature. By in situ
high-pressure research, pressure-induced visible photoluminescence (PL) above 2
GPa near 2 eV is observed. The emergence of unusual visible PL behavior is
associated with the seriously trigonal lattice distortion of the SnO6 octehedra,
under which the Sn-O1-Sn exchange angle theta is decreased below 22.1 GPa, thus
enhancing the PL quantum yield leading to Sn 3 P1 -> 1 S0 photons transition.
Besides, bandgap closing followed by bandgap opening and the visible PL appearing
at the point of the gap reversal, which is consistent with high-pressure phase
decomposition, are discovered. The high-pressure PL results demonstrate a well
defined pressure window (7-17 GPa) with flat maximum PL yielding and sharp edges
at both ends, which may provide a great calibration tool for pressure sensors for
operation in the deep sea or at extreme conditions.
PMID- 28691392
TI - Metal-Free Nitrogen-Doped Mesoporous Carbon for Electroreduction of CO2 to
Ethanol.
AB - CO2 electroreduction is a promising technique for satisfying both renewable
energy storage and a negative carbon cycle. However, it remains a challenge to
convert CO2 into C2 products with high efficiency and selectivity. Herein, we
report a nitrogen-doped ordered cylindrical mesoporous carbon as a robust metal
free catalyst for CO2 electroreduction, enabling the efficient production of
ethanol with nearly 100 % selectivity and high faradaic efficiency of 77 % at
0.56 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode. Experiments and density
functional theory calculations demonstrate that the synergetic effect of the
nitrogen heteroatoms and the cylindrical channel configurations facilitate the
dimerization of key CO* intermediates and the subsequent proton-electron
transfers, resulting in superior electrocatalytic performance for synthesizing
ethanol from CO2 .
PMID- 28691393
TI - Sequence and Architectural Control in Glycopolymer Synthesis.
AB - Glycopolymers are synthetic-carbohydrate-containing materials capable of
interacting and binding to specific targeting lectins, which are crucially
important in many biologically active processes. Over the last decade, advances
in synthetic chemistry and polymerization techniques have enabled the development
of sequence and architecturally controlled glycopolymers for different types of
bioapplications, such as drug delivery and release purposes, gene therapy, lectin
based biosensors, and much more in the future. These precision glycopolymers are
able to mimic structural and functional features of the naturally existing
glycocalyx. Furthermore, self-assembled glycopolymers could enhance specific and
selective recognition properties on multivalent scaffolds in glycoscience. This
mini-review will focus on production methods and recent advances in precision
synthesis and self-assembly of glycopolymers. Additionally, possible
contributions of single-chain folding in glycopolymers will be discussed as a
future prospect.
PMID- 28691394
TI - A new HLA-A allele, HLA-A*30:62, sequenced in a Chinese individual.
AB - HLA-A*30:62 has one nucleotide change from HLA-A*30:01:01 where 311 Threonine
(ACC) is changed to Asparagine (AAC).
PMID- 28691395
TI - Low expression of soluble human leukocyte antigen G in early gestation and
subsequent placenta-mediated complications of pregnancy.
AB - AIM: Abnormal placentation is a common pathogenic mechanism of many placenta
mediated complications of late pregnancy, including pre-eclampsia, fetal growth
restriction, stillbirth, and placental abruption. During successful placentation,
the trophoblast (which is a semi-allograft) is not rejected by decidual immune
cells because of maternal immune tolerance, mainly induced by human leukocyte
antigen G (HLA-G). Deficient HLA-G expression seems to be associated with the
development of complications of pregnancy. The aim of this study was to determine
whether low soluble HLA-G (sHLA-G) levels in maternal blood at the beginning of
pregnancy may be associated with subsequent placenta-mediated complications.
METHODS: For this retrospective case-control study, 117 cases of placenta
mediated complications of pregnancy and 234 controls with uneventful pregnancy
were selected. Plasma sHLA-G levels were measured at 11-13 weeks' gestation by
the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method in blood samples previously obtained
at first-trimester prenatal screening for chromosomal fetal abnormalities.
RESULTS: Women who subsequently developed placenta-mediated complications had
significantly lower sHLA-G levels at the beginning of pregnancy (median, 43.08
IU/mL) than controls (median, 49.10 IU/mL; P = 0.008). An sHLA-G level lower than
43.50 IU/mL at the end of the first trimester was associated with a twofold
increased risk of developing a pregnancy complication (odds ratio, 1.82; 95%
confidence interval, 1.22-2.73). The strongest association, although only
moderately strong, was observed with severe pre-eclampsia (odds ratio, 2.66; 95%
confidence interval, 1.08-6.56). CONCLUSION: Placenta-mediated complications of
pregnancy may be associated with low sHLA-G levels in the first trimester,
suggesting a potential role of sHLA-G in the early stages of placentation.
PMID- 28691396
TI - Tuning the Selectivity of Catalytic Carbon Dioxide Hydrogenation over
Iridium/Cerium Oxide Catalysts with a Strong Metal-Support Interaction.
AB - A one-step ligand-free method based on an adsorption-precipitation process was
developed to fabricate iridium/cerium oxide (Ir/CeO2 ) nanocatalysts. Ir species
demonstrated a strong metal-support interaction (SMSI) with the CeO2 substrate.
The chemical state of Ir could be finely tuned by altering the loading of the
metal. In the carbon dioxide (CO2 ) hydrogenation reaction it was shown that the
chemical state of Ir species-induced by a SMSI-has a major impact on the reaction
selectivity. Direct evidence is provided indicating that a single-site catalyst
is not a prerequisite for inhibition of methanation and sole production of carbon
monoxide (CO) in CO2 hydrogenation. Instead, modulation of the chemical state of
metal species by a strong metal-support interaction is more important for
regulation of the observed selectivity (metallic Ir particles select for methane
while partially oxidized Ir species select for CO production). The study provides
insight into heterogeneous catalysts at nano, sub-nano, and atomic scales.
PMID- 28691397
TI - Cyanidin-3-glucoside increases whole body energy metabolism by upregulating brown
adipose tissue mitochondrial function.
AB - SCOPE: Obesity develops when energy intake exceeds energy expenditure. Promoting
brown adipose tissue (BAT) formation and function increases energy expenditure
and may protect against obesity. Cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G) is an anthocyanin
compound that occurs naturally in many fruits and vegetables. In this study, we
investigated the effect and mechanism of C3G on the prevention of obesity.
METHODS AND RESULTS: Db/db mice received C3G dissolved in drinking water for 16
wk; drinking water served as the vehicle treatment. The total body weight, energy
intake, metabolic rate, and physical activity were measured. The lipid droplets,
gene expression and protein expression were evaluated by histochemical staining,
real-time PCR, and western blots. We found that C3G increased energy expenditure,
limited weight gain, maintained glucose homeostasis, reversed hepatic steatosis,
improved cold tolerance, and enhanced BAT activity in obese db/db mice. C3G also
induces brown-like adipocytes (beige) formation in subcutaneous white adipose
tissue (sWAT) of db/db mice model. We also found that C3G potently regulates the
transcription of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) both in BAT and sWAT through
increasing mitochondrial number and function. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest
that C3G plays a role in regulating systemic energy balance, which may have
potential therapeutic implications for the prevention and control of obesity.
PMID- 28691398
TI - Discovery of a novel HLA-B*07 variant, HLA-B*07:294, in a Chinese individual.
AB - The novel HLA-B*07:294 allele differs from the closest matching allele, HLA
B*07:02:01 by 1 nucleotide substitution.
PMID- 28691399
TI - Global patterns and clines in the growth of common carp Cyprinus carpio.
AB - This review provides a meta-analytical assessment of the global patterns and
clines in the growth of Cyprinus carpio as measured by length-at-age (Lt ) or von
Bertalanffy growth function (VBGF) parameters, mass-length relationship (W-Lt )
and condition factor, based on literature data. In total, 284 studies were
retrieved spanning 91 years of research and carried out on 381 waterbodies
locations in 50 countries in all five continents. Although native C. carpio
achieved larger (asymptotic) size relative to its non-native counterpart, the
latter grew faster during the first 7 years of life. Lentic populations
(especially in natural lakes) also achieved larger sizes relative to lotic ones
and the same was true for populations in cold and temperate v. arid climates.
Unlike previous studies (on much more restricted datasets), only weak latitudinal
clines in instantaneous growth rate, Lt at age 3 and mortality were observed
globally and this was probably due to the presence of counter-gradient growth
variation at all representative age classes (i.e. 1-10 years). Slightly negative
allometry was revealed by the W-Lt and the related form factor tended to
distinguish the more elongated and torpedo-shaped body typical of the wild form
from the deeper body of feral-domesticated C. carpio. Existing population
dynamics models for C. carpio will benefit from the comprehensive range of
waterbody type * climate class-specific VBGF parameters provided in the present
study; whereas, more studies are needed on the species' growth in tropical
regions and to unravel the possibility of confounding effects on age estimation
due to both historical and methodological reasons.
PMID- 28691400
TI - Effect of size on spawning time in the lesser sandeel Ammodytes marinus.
AB - Ovarian development was examined in relation to size and temperature in late pre
spawning Ammodytes marinus over 5 years. Oocyte diameter was positively related
to length indicating that larger females spawned earlier. Age and temperature,
whilst accounting for the effect of length, were not found to affect oocyte
development, although the thermal range examined was only 1.3 degrees C.
PMID- 28691401
TI - Interannual variability in reproductive traits of the Patagonian toothfish
Dissostichus eleginoides around the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia.
AB - Commercial fisheries data, collected as part of an observer programme and
covering the period 1997-2014, were utilized in order to define key reproductive
traits and spawning dynamics of the Patagonian toothfish Dissostichus eleginoides
at South Georgia. Multi-year spawning site fidelity of D. eleginoides was
revealed through the identification of previously unknown spawning hotspots.
Timing of female spawning was shown to have shifted later, leading to a shorter
spawning duration. A decrease in length and mass of female and male spawning fish
and a reduced number of large spawning fish was found, evidence of a change in
size structure of spawning D. eleginoides. During the study period fewer later
maturity stage females (including spawning stage) were observed in conjunction
with increased proportions of early stage female D. eleginoides. The findings are
discussed in the context of reproductive success, with consideration of the
possible effects such spawning characteristics and behaviours may have on egg and
larval survival. This work presents the first long-term assessment of D.
eleginoides spawning dynamics at South Georgia and provides valuable knowledge
for both the ecology of the species and for future fisheries management of this
commercially important species.
PMID- 28691402
TI - Osmolality and blood pressure stability during hemodialysis.
AB - Homeostatic regulation of plasma osmolality (POsm) is critical for normal
cellular function in humans. Arginine vasopressin (AVP) is the major hormone
responsible for the maintenance of POsm and acts to promote renal water retention
in conditions of increased POsm. However, AVP also exerts pressor effects, and
its release can be stimulated by the development of effective arterial blood
volume depletion. Patients with end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis,
particularly those with minimal or no residual renal function, have impaired
ability to regulate water retention in response to AVP. While hemodialysis can
assist with this task, patients are subject to relatively rapid shifts in volume
and electrolytes during the procedure. This can result in the development of
transient osmotic gradients that lead to the movement of water from the
extracellular to the intracellular space. Hypotension may result-both as a
consequence of water movement out of the intravascular compartment, but also from
impaired AVP release and inadequate vascular tone. In this review, we explore the
evidence for POsm changes during hemodialysis, associations with adverse
outcomes, and methods to minimize the rapidity of changes in POsm in an effort to
reduce patient symptoms and minimize intra-dialytic hypotension.
PMID- 28691403
TI - Effects of Davallia formosana Hayata Water and Alcohol Extracts on Osteoblastic
MC3T3-E1 Cells.
AB - The Taiwanese native fern Davallia formosana Hayata (DFH) is used to treat bone
diseases in classical Chinese medicine. We analyzed MC3T3E1 osteoblasts treated
with different concentrations of water and ethanol extracts (10, 25, and 50
[both], and 100 MUg/mL [DFE only]) using cell viability, expression of osteoblast
differentiation markers [bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2), collagen 1 (CoL
1), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and Runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx
2)], and mineralization. These were significantly increased by DFW or DFE after
24-h incubation compared with the untreated controls. Compared with other
treatments, DFW 50 and DFE 100 MUg/mL significantly increased MC3T3E1 cell
survival. DFW 25 and 50 MUg/mL increased bone BMP-2, CoL-1, ALP, and Runx2
protein expression, ALP activity, and mineralization more than DFE did. Repeated
chromatographic separation of DFW yielded compound (-)-epicatechin-3-O-d
allipyranoside (ECAP), which was characterized using 1 H and 13 C nuclear
magnetic resonance spectroscopy. (-)-Epicatechin-3-O-d-allipyranoside (0.01
MUg/mL) significantly increased cell survival (118.9%) and mineralization
(218.7%) compared with that of the control treatment. We inferred that ECAP could
mediate the main activity of DFW in bone formation, likely through BMP-2-induced
Runx2 transcription, which increased bone cell differentiation factors ALP and
CoL-1 and promoted mineralization. (-)-Epicatechin-3-O-d-allipyranoside could be
an anti-osteoporotic agent. Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
PMID- 28691404
TI - 'Delisting' OxyContin(r) to reduce prescription opioid-related harms in Ontario
(Canada)-gauging effects 5 years later.
PMID- 28691405
TI - Significance of pathological examination of the placenta, with a focus on
intrauterine infection and fetal growth restriction.
AB - Chorioamnionitis (CAM) is associated with abortion, premature labor and neonatal
disorders. In this condition, precise pathological diagnosis of the placenta is
very important. Besides histological examination, macroscopic examination of the
placenta is indispensable. Diagnostic points and complications of CAM are
emphasized in this paper. Blanc's classification (revised by Nakayama) is
introduced for the accurate determination of CAM stage. Principles of
classification based on the causes of fetal growth restriction (FGR) (mainly
resulting from placental pathology) are also described. Children born with FGR
have high disease-related morbidity. In these cases, placental examination can be
a useful prognostic tool. Placental pathology is associated not only with the
underlying cause of FGR, but also with infant prognosis.
PMID- 28691406
TI - A Flow Cytometry-based Method for the Screening of Nanomaterial-induced Reactive
Oxygen Species Production in Leukocytes Subpopulations in Whole Blood.
AB - To date, the use and translation of nanomedicine from the laboratory to the
clinic has been relatively slow. Among other issues, one of the reasons for this
tardiness is the lack of the availability of quick and reliable toxicity tools
for the screening of nanomaterials (NMs). In this investigation, we apply a flow
cytometry-based method for the detection of nanomaterial-induced oxidative stress
by measurement of reactive oxygen species production in specific leukocyte
subpopulations in human whole blood. The screening of a panel of relevant
nanomedical-associated materials (liposomes, silica, iron oxide and
functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes) demonstrated that only the carbon
nanotubes induced oxidative stress in human circulating leukocytes. In summary,
we apply and corroborate a flow cytometry-based method for the simple and
effective measurement of NM-induced oxidative stress in human blood
subpopulations after realistic and relevant exposure scenarios which is extremely
useful in future toxicological applications.
PMID- 28691407
TI - Oxidative stress, hepcidin and nesfatin-I status in childhood iron and vitamin
B12 deficiency anemias.
AB - BACKGROUND: Anemia is a disease that is long and often repetitive and can result
in a great burden to the national economy. The most frequent nutritional
deficiency anemias in children are related with iron and vitamin B12
deficiencies. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the oxidative
stress, hepcidin, and nesfatin-I levels in childhood iron and vitamin B12
deficiency anemias. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study had 3 groups of 15 children,
iron anemia deficiency group, vitamin B12 deficiency group and a control group.
RESULTS: The TBARS and nesfatin-I levels were significantly higher in the iron
and vitamin B12 deficiency groups and the total antioxidant levels were
significantly lower when compared to the control group. In contrast, the plasma
hepcidin levels were significantly lower in the iron deficiency group (p < 0.01)
when compared to the control group; however, no significant differences were
observed in the vitamin B12 deficiency group. Plasma homocysteine levels were
significantly higher in the vitamin B12 deficiency group when compared to the
control group (p < 0.001), but no differences were determined between the iron
deficiency and control groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that there are
high levels of oxidative stress in childhood iron and vitamin B12 deficiency
anemias, and we propose that plasma hepcidin and homocycteine levels may be
useful in the differential diagnosis of childhood nutritional deficiency anemias.
Nesfatin-1 hormone levels were identified for the first time in childhood iron
deficiency and vitamin B12 deficiency anemias within this study and this hormone
may also be useful in the differential diagnosis of anemias.
PMID- 28691408
TI - The role of CD36 receptor in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.
AB - Atherosclerosis is a progressive, chronic inflammation in artery walls. Oxidized
low density lipoproteins (ox-LDL) play an important role in atherosclerotic
plaque formation. ox-LDL are taken up by macrophages mainly through scavenger
receptors, among which CD36 is considered to be the most important. Animal
studies have shown that crossing atherogenic mice with a strain lacking the
expression of CD36 prevented the development of atherosclerosis despite a diet
rich in saturated LCFA. In humans, autopsy studies performed in obese patients
have demonstrated increased expression of CD36 receptor on macrophages, comprised
within atherosclerotic plaques. Until recently it had been believed that CD36 is
a major player in atherosclerosis progression in humans. However, recent studies
challenge this conviction, showing increased incidence of coronary heart disease
in the subgroup of patients with decreased expression of CD36. This article
reviews the role of CD36 receptor in the development of atherosclerosis. The
authors also discuss current possibilities to interfere with CD36, their
potential benefits and hazards.
PMID- 28691409
TI - Comparison of titanium cable tension band and nickel-titanium patella
concentrator for patella fractures.
AB - BACKGROUND: Patellar fractures account for approximately 1% of all fractures. Due
to the patella's importance as regards the extensor mechanism, effort should be
made to preserve the patella. Several operative treatment methods have been
introduced for patella fractures. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to compare the
clinical effect of a titanium cable tension band and nickeltitanium (NiTi)
patella concentrator (NT-PC) in treating patella fractures. MATERIAL AND METHODS:
Thirty-nine patients with patella fractures were enrolled in this retrospective
study. All the patients were treated via the open reduction internal fixation
procedure using a titanium cable tension band or NT-PC. All the patients were
followed up over an average period of 13 months. The main outcome measures were
operation time, time of fracture union, postoperative complications, and Bostman
knee scores. Statistical analyses were conducted between the 2 groups. RESULTS:
All the patients were operated on successfully. The operation time of the NT-PC
treatment group was less than that of the titanium cable tension band treatment
group (p < 0.05). The mean scores at the final follow-up were 28.2 and 27.6
points in the titanium cable tension band and NT-PC groups, respectively. No
significant difference was observed between the excellent and good results (p >
0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Both titanium cable tension band and NT-PC showed good
efficacy for the treatment of patellar fractures. NT-PC fixation, a new option
for the treatment of patella fractures, is a simple and effective fixation
method.
PMID- 28691410
TI - The risk of plasma vitamin A, C, E and D deficiency in patients with metabolic
syndrome: A case-control study.
AB - BACKGROUND: The increasing incidence of metabolic diseases such as obesity or
diabetes have made them a major public health problem. Increasing oxidative
stress induced by reactive oxygen species, which initiate the oxidative adverse
changes in the cell, is mentioned, among other risk factors, to underlie these
diseases. Vitamin A, C and E are listed among the non-enzymatic mechanisms
counteracting this phenomenon. Vitamin D deficiency is also associated with
cardiovascular diseases. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to assess the risk
of vitamin A, C, E and D deficit in the plasma of metabolic syndrome (MS)
patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 191 patients with MS and 98
subjects without MS. Loglinear analysis was used in the assessment of mutual
interactions between the vitamin concentration and the analysis of classification
by ROC curves to predict the frequency of vitamin deficiency in MS patients.
RESULTS: A correlation was found between the plasma level of vitamins in the
group of MS patients. Vitamin A concentration correlated with that of vitamin C
(r = 0.51, p = 0.0000), vitamin D (r = 0.49, p = 0.0000) and E (r = 0.32, p =
0.0001). The plasma level of vitamin D correlated with the level of vitamin E (r
= 0.46, p = 0.00000) and vitamin C (r = 0.37, p = 0.0000). Regression analysis
showed a correlation between the concentration of the tested vitamins in patients
with MS. Interactions were observed between vitamins C and A and between C and D.
HDL cholesterol level was lower in patients with vitamin A deficiency compared to
patients with its normal level. CONCLUSIONS: The plasma levels of vitamin A, C, E
and D were significantly lower in patients with MS than in healthy subjects and
they mutually correlated with each other. The normalization of glucose and HDL
level may contribute to the regulation of the concentration of vitamin A in
patients with MS.
PMID- 28691411
TI - Kupffer cells in immune activation and tolerance toward HBV/HCV infection.
AB - Kupffer cells (KCs) are macrophages that are found in the sinusoids of the liver.
KCs are a crucial part of the innate immune system, acting as scavengers and
phagocytes. KCs and sinusoidal endothelial cells together form the first immune
barrier of the portal system. Studies show that KCs can not only maintain
homeostasis in the immune response, but also facilitate the pathogenesis of type
B and type C hepatitis (HBV/HCV) through their antigen-presenting function and
secretion of soluble mediators. KCs can express toll-like receptors (TLRs), Fas
ligand (FasL) and programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1), and secrete large
amounts of inflammatory factors leading to immune tolerance toward HBV/HCV. On
the one hand, KCs contribute to the clearance of HBV/HCV due to their nature as
innate immune cells. At the same time, KCs induce immune tolerance toward
HBV/HCV, which leads to chronicity of the infection. The dual role of KCs in the
immune response toward HBV/HCV means it is a gigantic challenge for scientists to
illuminate the detailed mechanisms involved, but it also offers important
potential therapeutic targets.
PMID- 28691412
TI - Rehabilitation in multiple sclerosis.
AB - The aim of the study is to present a strategy of rehabilitation in multiple
sclerosis on the basis of the latest developments in the field of physiotherapy.
The publications on the problem discuss a wide range of methods of physiotherapy
that can be used in order to reduce the degree of disability and alleviate the
symptoms associated with the disease. The complexity of the disease, the
difficulty in determining the appropriate treatment and a wide range of symptoms
require a comprehensive approach to the patient, which would include both
pharmacology and neurorehabilitation. Rehabilitation, which includes
psychotherapy and symptomatic therapy, is regarded nowadays as the best form of
treatment for multiple sclerosis. An indepth diagnostic assessment of functional
status and prognosis should be carried out before the start of the rehabilitation
process. The prognosis should take into account the mental state, the
neurological status and the awareness of the patient. The kinesiotherapy program
in multiple sclerosis is based on a gradation of physiotherapy which assumes a
gradual transition from basic movements to more complex ones till global
functions are obtained. The most appropriate form of treatment is functional
rehabilitation combined with physical procedures. Recent reports indicate the
need for aerobic training to be included in the rehabilitation program. The
introduction of physical activities, regardless of the severity of the disease,
will reduce the negative effects of akinesia, and thus increase the functional
capabilities of all body systems.
PMID- 28691413
TI - Diagnostic challenges in celiac disease.
AB - Diagnosis of celiac disease in adults is currently based on serologic tests in
combination with histopathological assessment of small intestinal biopsy
specimens. High titers of celiac-specific antibodies in immunocompetent patients
with villous atrophy in a good quality biopsy sample allow us to state a
confident diagnosis. The relief of symptoms and histological improvement after
embarking on a gluten free diet further support the initial diagnosis. However,
in some cases, these conditions are not fulfilled, which requires a critical
evaluation of laboratory and histopathology results and a consideration of other
potential causes for the observed pathologies. To avoid diagnostic uncertainty,
both biopsy and laboratory testing should be performed on a diet containing
gluten. Immune deficiency, cross reaction of antibodies and possibilities of
seronegative or latent celiac disease should be considered while evaluating
serology results. Uneven distribution and variable intensity of histopathological
changes in the small intestine along with multiple disorders presenting a similar
specimen image may lead to invalid biopsy results. Additional laboratory testing
and careful examination of a patient's history may deliver important data for a
differential diagnosis and a more specific biopsy evaluation. Persistence or
recurrence of symptoms, despite the ongoing treatment, requires a revision of the
initial diagnosis, an evaluation of the gluten free diet and a search for
concurrent disorders or complications.
PMID- 28691414
TI - Serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor and basic fibroblast growth
factor in children with brain tumors.
AB - BACKGROUND: Angiogenesis is the process of new vessel formation originating from
the existing vascular network. It plays an important role in the growth and
spread of malignancies, including brain tumors. The process of angiogenesis is
characterized by increased expression of vascular endothelial growth factor
(VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and by the release of their
soluble forms into circulation. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to evaluate
serum levels of VEGF and bFGF in children with malignant and benign brain tumors.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study group (group N) included 106 children diagnosed
with brain tumors. The children in group N were classified according to tumor
pathology into 3 subgroups: N1 (n = 63): patients with malignant tumors,
excluding anaplastic astrocytoma (AA) and glioblastoma multiforme (GBM); N2 (n =
25): patients with benign tumors; and N3 (n = 18): patients with high grade
gliomas (AA and GBM). VEGF and bFGF were determined by ELISA in blood samples
before the initiation of chemotherapy. VEGF and bFGF levels were compared within
the subgroups in relation to tumor grading and the extent of surgery. RESULTS:
The median VEGF in patients with brain tumors was significantly higher than in
the control group. The median levels of VEGF and bFGF in subgroup N1 were
significantly higher than in the control group. The differences in VEGF and bFGF
concentrations between the subgroups in relation to the extent of tumor resection
were not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Significantly higher plasma VEGF levels in
children with brain neoplasms may reflect enhanced angiogenesis in the tumors.
PMID- 28691415
TI - Association of ACE, VEGF and CCL2 gene polymorphisms with Henoch-Schonlein
purpura and an evaluation of the possible interaction effects of these loci in
HSP patients.
AB - BACKGROUND: Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP) is a multisystem, small vessel,
leucocytoclastic vasculitis. It is predominantly a childhood vasculitis, rarely
reported in adults. Studies have shown that several different genetic factors
such as genes involved in inflammatory system and renin-angiotensin system (RAS)
are important in the pathogenesis of Henoch-Schonlein purpura. OBJECTIVES: The
purpose of this study was to evaluate the independent effect of 3 gene
polymorphisms including CCL2-2518 C/T, VEGF-634G/C and ACE(I/D) with HSP disease
and their possible joint interactions in developing the disease. MATERIAL AND
METHODS: In this case-control study 47 HSP cases and 74 unrelated healthy
controls were enrolled for evaluation. All individuals were genotyped for CCL2
2518C/T, VEGF-634G/C and ACE(I/D) gene polymorphisms. The possible association of
these polymorphisms with susceptibility to develop HSP disease independently and
in different joint combinations was evaluated. RESULTS: The frequencies of TT
genotype and T allele of CCL2-2518C/T gene polymorphism and CC genotype and C
allele of VEGF-634G/C gene polymorphism were significantly high in HSP children
(p-values = 0.005 and = 0.007 respectively). Interestingly, studying the joint
interaction of these 2 genotypes (CC genotype of VEGF G-634C and TT genotype of
CCL2 C-2518T) in this cohort showed a more significant effect in the development
of the disease (p < 0.000, OR = 6.009). The frequency of TT genotype of CCL2 gene
when combined with II genotype of ACE gene in HSP children was significantly
higher (p < 0.000, OR = 4.213). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this pilot study
provide evidence of the possible gene-gene interaction effects of CCL2, VEGF and
ACE genes in developing HSP disease.
PMID- 28691416
TI - The relationship between major depressive disorder and glucose parameters: A
cross-sectional study in a Chinese population.
AB - BACKGROUND: Depressive symptoms have been linked with insulin resistance in
middle-aged and elderly populations. A strong relationship between peripheral
insulin resistance and glucose homeostasis imbalance has been well established in
previous studies. The role of serum fructosamine and fasting blood glucose (FBG)
in elevating glucose homeostasis has been documented in the literature.
OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to examine the association of serum
fructosamine and FBG with major depressive disorder (MDD). MATERIAL AND METHODS:
The study analyzed the clinical characteristics and biochemical parameters of 305
patients with MDD and 312 healthy individuals. RESULTS: Serum concentrations of
lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), total protein (TP) and creatinine (Cr) were
found to be significantly different between the two groups. Serum fructosamine
and fasting blood glucose (FBG) concentrations were high in patients with MDD
compared with healthy individuals (2.3 +/- 0.26 vs. 2.1 +/- 0.27, p = 0.018; 4.7
+/- 0.45 vs. 4.5 +/- 0.45, p < 0.001). The levels of serum fructosamine and FBG
were also significantly higher in patients with MDD when all participants were
stratified by gender. Age was found to be positively correlated with FBG, serum
fructosamine and Cr (r = 0.203, p < 0.001; r = 0.129, p = 0.025; r = 0.129, p =
0.024), and negatively correlated with TP (r = -0.114, p = 0.047) in patients
with MDD. However, there were no correlations between age and FBG, serum
fructosamine or Cr in the healthy controls. In a multivariate logistic regression
analysis, increased serum fructosamine and FBG concentrations were positively
associated with MDD independently of age and gender, after adjustment for age and
potential confounding factors (OR = 6.313, CI95 %:2.953-13.393, p < 0.001; OR =
2.251, CI95 %: 1.464-3.462, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The study results suggest
that increased serum fructosamine and FBG concentrations are associated with
depressive conditions, which may influence glucose metabolism and impair glucose
homeostasis in patients with MDD.
PMID- 28691417
TI - Effect of endovascular coronary low-level laser therapy during angioplasty on the
release of endothelin-1 and nitric oxide.
AB - BACKGROUND: Nitric oxide (NO) and endothelin-1 are potentially significant
factors contributing to the pathogenesis of post-angioplasty restenosis. It may
be postulated that low-level laser therapy (LLLT) can favorably influence the
process of restenosis by affecting those factors. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the
study was to evaluate the effect of LLLT applied during percutaneous coronary
intervention (PCI) on the factors participating in the homeostasis of vascular
tone - NO and endothelin-1. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In a randomized, prospective
study of 52 subjects undergoing PCI, an additional 808 nm intravascular LLLT was
applied at a dose of 9 J/cm2 in the lesion part. The control group was 49
subjects with PCI only. We assessed the concentration of nitrites/nitrates
reflecting NO metabolism as well as endothelin-1 in both groups before PCI, and
at 6 h, 12 h and 1 month after the procedure. In addition, half a year after PCI,
a follow-up angiography was performed. RESULTS: Statistically higher
nitrite/nitrate concentrations were observed in the laser group as compared to
the control group in all tests except the pre-PCI assays. Endothelin-1 levels
were significantly higher in the laser group 6 h after PCI with a significant
decrease in subsequent tests, which was not observed in the control group. The
restenosis rate was 15.0% in the laser group and 32.4% in the control group
(however the difference was not statistically significant). CONCLUSIONS: LLLT
applied during the PCI procedure can influence the process of restenosis by
modifying NO and endothelin-1 concentrations.
PMID- 28691418
TI - Associations between the number of natural teeth and the maternal age at
childbirth or history of parity in postmenopausal women: The 2010-2012 Korea
national health and nutrition examination survey.
AB - BACKGROUND: The relationship between reproductive factors, including pregnancy
and delivery, and the number of teeth in postmenopausal women remains to be
revealed. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship
between age at first and last delivery, parity and the number of natural teeth in
postmenopausal women, using nationally representative data. MATERIAL AND METHODS:
Data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2010
and 2012 were used, and the analysis in this study was confined to a total of
4,060 respondents who had gone through menopause and had no missing values for
the reproductive factors and outcome variables. The total number of natural teeth
was then calculated after excluding third molars, and frequency of tooth brushing
was recorded as oral health behavior. Univariate and multivariate logistic
regression analyses were used to assess the associations between the number of
natural teeth and reproductive factors. RESULTS: Both a woman's age at her last
childbirth and the number of pregnancies had statistically significant effects on
the number of natural teeth remaining after menopause. With each one-year
increase of age at a woman's last delivery, the number of natural teeth decreased
by a value of 0.12 (p < 0.05). Similar trends were seen with increases in parity,
which resulted in decreases in the number of natural teeth by 0.65 (p < 0.05).
The odds ratios of the percentage of individuals with a 20 or fewer teeth tended
to increase with increases in the woman's age at her last childbirth.
CONCLUSIONS: This study identified an association between the number of natural
teeth and a woman's age at her last childbirth as well as between the number of
natural teeth and parity. Higher ages at last childbirth and higher parity were
found to be potential risk indicators for tooth loss in postmenopausal women.
PMID- 28691419
TI - Circulating PCSK9 affects serum LDL and cholesterol levels more than SREBP-2
expression.
AB - BACKGROUND: Cholesterol homeostasis is dependent upon the sterol regulatory
element binding protein 2 (SREBP-2) regulatory system and the functioning of
plasma proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9). Many studies have
also reported that low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) levels in cellular
membranes are related to the functioning of these proteins. OBJECTIVES: The aim
of this study was to investigate the association of lipid profiles with
circulating PCSK9 protein values and SREBP-2 expression levels in normal
subjects. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study involved 120 randomly chosen healthy
subjects. Their lipid profiles were measured using routine laboratory techniques,
and the plasma PCSK9 protein and SREBP-2 expression levels were determined by
ELISA and real time quantitative PCR methods, respectively. A statistical
analysis was carried out using a statistical software package. RESULTS: Linear
regression analyses showed a significant correlation between total cholesterol
and PCSK9 (3.54 +/- 1.31 ng/mL), as well as between total cholesterol and SREBP-2
(0.1-35.38) (p = 0.002 and p = 0.02, respectively). Furthermore, multiple
regression analyses showed strict correlations between PCSK9 and cholesterol
related parameters especially the total cholesterol/HDL-C ratio (beta = 3.53, p =
0.001). There was no significant correlation between circulating PCSK9 and SREBP
2 expression levels (r = 1.2, p = 0.3). CONCLUSIONS: The study results revealed
that serum cholesterol-related parameters are strictly associated with plasma
PCSK9 values, suggesting that PCSK9 function has a greater effect on serum total
cholesterol levels than SREBP-2 expression does. Furthermore, the total
cholesterol/HDL-C ratio was a better indicator for evaluating PCSK9 level than
total cholesterol.
PMID- 28691420
TI - Recent advances in tissue conditioners for prosthetic treatment: A review.
AB - Tissue conditioners (TCs) are short-term soft liners, formed in situ from a
mixture of a polymer powder and a liquid plasticizer. This article reviews the
recent advances in the composition, functions, clinical use, gelation process,
and physical properties of TCs and their effects on denture bases and oral
mucosa. TCs are used to improve the fit and function of an ill-fitting denture.
They can also be used to treat abused mucosal tissues underlying ill-fitting
acrylic dentures as temporary expedients. TCs are recommended as provisional
liners to maintain the fit of removable dentures and to prevent mechanical
irritation from the denture. TCs may also be used to rehabilitate cancer
patients. The polymer powder, used in the formulation of TCs generally consists
of polyethyl methacrylate (PEMA) and the liquid plasticizer is ester-based in
ethyl alcohol solution without an acrylic monomer. The plasticizers are low
molecular weight aromatic esters. Mixing of the powder and liquid results in
polymer chain entanglement and the formation of a coherent gel characterized by
viscoelastic behavior appropriate to its intended clinical use. The loss of
surface integrity and surface roughness of TCs are regarded as the main problems
in the denture bearing oral mucosa conditions resulting in inflammation of oral
mucosa of the denture-bearing area - denture stomatitis. TCs provide an even
distribution of masticatory force, accurately modeling itself to the changes
which occur during the healing of lesion of substrate and can act therapeutically
by incorporating antifungal or antibacterial agents.
PMID- 28691421
TI - Effects of long- and short-term darbepoetin-alpha treatment on oxidative stress,
inflammation and endothelial injury in ApoE knockout mice.
AB - BACKGROUND: Atherosclerosis and atherosclerosis-related complications are the
main cause of death in the world. Vascular injury in response to inflammation and
enhanced oxidant stress promotes endothelial dysfunction and leads to
atherosclerotic lesions. OBJECTIVES: Low-dose treatment with darbepoetin-alpha
may be a potential therapeutic tool for endothelial injury and atherosclerosis.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: In order to study the effect of darbepoetin-alpha on
endothelial injury and atherosclerosis, we used ApoE-/- mice as the
atherosclerotic mice model. We monitored atherosclerosis and plaque formation
histochemically in ApoE knockout mice at early and late stages of
atherosclerosis. Darbepoetin-alpha was injected intraperitoneally at a dose of
0.1 MUg/kg to ApoE-/- mice. The results of 2 ApoE-/- mice groups injected with
darbepoetin-alpha (early and late stages of atherosclerosis) were compared to the
results of the corresponding saline injected ApoE-/- mice groups and the control
(C57BL/6) mice. RESULTS: Lipid profile (total cholesterol, triglyceride),
inflammation (CRP, IL-6, histamine), endothelial injury (ICAM-1, selectin) and
oxidative stress markers (lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation) were
significantly increased in 4 atherosclerotic groups compared to the control
group. Short-term darbepoetin-alpha had no marked effects on indicators of
inflammation and endothelial injury in the ApoE knockout mice groups compared to
the ApoE knockout mice not treated with darbepoetin-alpha, however, darbepoetin
alpha significantly decreased 8-isoprostane and protein carbonyl content. Long
term darbepoetin-alpha treatment reduced oxidative stress in ApoE-/- mice.
CONCLUSIONS: This study contributes to understanding and elucidating the
biochemical changes occurring during early and late stages of atherosclerosis
development regarding lipid profile, inflammation, endothelial injury and
oxidative stress markers.
PMID- 28691422
TI - Hepatitis E virus antibodies in HIV-infected patients and blood donors from
western Poland: A preliminary report.
AB - BACKGROUND: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is an emerging problem in
industrialized countries, including Europe. Little data exists on HEV
seroprevalence in Poland. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the
prevalence of anti-HEV IgG antibodies in Polish patients infected with the human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and blood donors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Two hundred
and ten individuals (n = 105 of HIV-infected patients and n = 105 of ageand sex
matched blood donors from the same area; 178 men and 32 women), aged 18-50
(median age: 38 years), were tested for the presence of anti-HEV IgG antibodies
with the EUROIMMUN Anti-Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) ELISA (IgG) tests (Lubeck,
Germany). Additionally, some simple clinical and laboratory data was collected.
RESULTS: The overall anti-HEV IgG prevalence was 2.4% (5/210). One HIV-positive
patient (0.95%) and 4 blood donors (3.8%) were seropositive (p = 0.1745). All the
HEV-exposed individuals were men with a history of travel abroad and no icteric
disease in the past. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to HEV infection among Polish HIV
patients and blood donors seems to be uncommon. Data on this issue is scarce and
conflicting for HIV-infected individuals. Further investigations applying
different serological tests and concomitant HEV RNA testing are needed to
reliably assess the risk and practical impact of HEV infection in Poland.
PMID- 28691423
TI - The magnitude of weight loss induced by metformin is independently associated
with BMI at baseline in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes: Post-hoc analysis from
data of a phase IV open-labeled trial.
AB - BACKGROUND: The impact of metformin on body weight is variable in T2DM patients
among studies. The reasons for the discrepancies are still unknown. OBJECTIVES:
We aimed to find out the possible predictive factors of weight change induced by
metformin based on an analysis of a phase IV open-labeled trial. MATERIAL AND
METHODS: We performed a sub-analysis from a prospective, multi-center phase IV
open-labeled study in which 371 Chinese newly-diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients
received 16 weeks' extended-release metformin monotherapy. The clinical
characteristics including weight and laboratory assessments of subjects were
collected every 4 weeks. The weight changes from baseline to week 4, 8, 12 and 16
were calculated respectively. The patients were divided into 4 groups by quartile
statistics method according to magnitudes of weight change. RESULTS: Of 371
enrolled patients, 324 patients had the weight records from baseline to week 16.
The weight decreased gradually with each visit (p < 0.001) and the average weight
loss was 2 kg after 16 weeks' treatment of metformin. The patients with higher
BMI and bigger waist circumference at baseline showed a more pronounced weight
loss. However, the magnitudes of weight loss were independently associated with
BMI at baseline only. CONCLUSIONS: Metformin can lead to weight loss gradually in
newly-diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients. The magnitude of weight loss was
independently and only associated with baseline BMI.
PMID- 28691424
TI - An animal model of the procognitive properties of cysteine protease inhibitor and
immunomodulatory peptides based on colostrum.
AB - BACKGROUND: The positive effect of human cystatin C on the development of
Alzheimer's disease has been reported, as it inhibits the formation of beta
amyloid oligomers and amyloidogenesis. Cystatin C has been found to have a
neuroprotective effect by inhibiting cysteine proteases, inducing autophagy and
neurogenesis. There is a growing interest in the procognitive properties of
colostrum-based specimens, which could delay dementia and ameliorate memory
deterioration. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of
ovocystatin and a Coloco peptide complex on the cognitive functions in reference
to Colostrinin, using a model of young (4 month-old) and old (10-month-old)
Wistar rats. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In the present study, the effects of
ovocystatin [100 MUg/rat] and the Coloco peptide [4 MUg/rat]derived from
colostrum were assessed with respect to the reference specimen, Colostrinin [4
MUg/rat]. The specimens were administered intraperitoneally and orally for 12
days. Cognitive functions were assessed using the Morris water maze (MWM).
RESULTS: The group of young rats that received ovocystatin orally obtained
significantly better results in the MWM compared to the placebo group (p < 0.05).
Similarly, the group of young rats receiving Coloco orally obtained better
results in the MWM compared to the placebo group and to the group of rats
receiving Colostrinin (p < 0.05). There were no statistically significant
differences in the oral and intraperitoneal administration of ovocystatin, Coloco
and Colostrinin in the group of old rats. CONCLUSIONS: The obtained results
suggest that oral administration of ovocystatin and Coloco has beneficial effects
on the cognitive functions of young rats.
PMID- 28691425
TI - Tolerance of combined radiochemotherapy in cervical cancer patients.
AB - BACKGROUND: Radiochemotherapy in cervical cancer was implemented to clinical
practice based on 5 randomized clinical trials, published at the end of the 20th
century, which showed improvement in the total and symptomless survivals by about
10-18%. The increase of therapeutic index of such treatment can take place only
when the efficiency of the treatment outweighs the increase of its toxicity.
Thus, it is necessary to monitor treatment reaction during radiochemotherapy.
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the acute post-radiation reaction
during radiochemotherapy for cervical cancer and the to analyze the reasons of
the unplanned course of combined treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A group of
consecutive 176 cervical cancer patients in the clinical stage from IB to IIIB
acc. to FIGO classification who underwent radiochemotherapy were taken under
prospective observation in Clinical Gynecologic Radiotherapy Ward of the Lower
Silesian Cancer Center in Wroclaw between April 2010 and September 2012. Early
post-radiation reaction was assessed in RTOG/EORTC scale once a week. RESULTS:
During the treatment early post-radiation reaction of upper part of alimentary
duct was observed in 74.4% of the patients, the reaction of lower part of
gastrointestinal tract in 51.2%, and in bladder 44.8%. The most frequent symptoms
of post-radiation reaction are: nausea (73.3% of the patients), diarrhea (51.2%)
and vomiting (20.9%). Leucopenia was observed in 97.1% of the patients,
granulocytopenia in 70.4%, anemia in 69.2%, and thrombocytopenia in 25.5%. The
planned dose of radiotherapy was administered completely in 90.1% of the
patients. A break in radiotherapy was necessary in 15.7% of the patients. In
total, 44.8% of the patients did not receive radiochemotherapy according to the
plan, because of the side effects of the treatment (most often leucopenia,
thrombocytopenia and gastrointestinal reaction). CONCLUSIONS: The presented data
shows that radiochemotherapy causes the intensification of acute side effects of
treatment and may cause unplanned course of treatment and prolongation of the
total treatment time.
PMID- 28691426
TI - Physical activity - related changes in ADMA and vWF levels in patients with type
2 diabetes: A preliminary study.
AB - BACKGROUND: The activity and the role of methylarginine in diabetic patients are
subject to continuous research. The mechanism through which diabetes or insulin
resistance increases asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) serum levels is not fully
understood. Studies indicate increased ADMA serum levels in patients with
hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and hyperhomocysteinemia. OBJECTIVES: The aim
of the study was to assess the changes in ADMA levels and its derivatives related
to the current disease process, as well as the levels of selected prothrombotic
factors and their changes induced by physical activity. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The
study included 44 patients: group A (22 patients) - patients with diabetes with
no vascular complications with mean age of 55.83 +/- 7.37 years; and group B (22
patients) - healthy volunteers with the mean age of 51.16 +/- 6.39 years. The
authors' questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic data in the study
group. Physical exercise (Nordic walking) was practiced once per day for 30 min,
5 times a week. The assessment of peripheral blood parameters was performed using
the ABX MICROS OT 16-parameter hematology analyzer. Additionally, chromatographic
assay of serum levels of L-arginine, ADMA and symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA)
was performed. RESULTS: There were statistically significant differences in ADMA
levels in the respondents with type 2 diabetes vs healthy volunteers after
training (0.763 +/- 0.043 vs 0.532 +/- 0.046; p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: ADMA and
SDMA levels in diabetic patients significantly exceeded standard values.
PMID- 28691427
TI - Pancreatic duct stones: A report on 16 cases.
AB - BACKGROUND: Pancreatolithiasis occurs in less than 1% of the general population
and is mainly recognized in patients with chronic pancreatitis. Selection of the
appropriate treatment method depends on the location, size and number of stones.
OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to analyze data concerning patients with
pancreatic duct stones who were hospitalized at Wroclaw Medical University's
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology from 2010 to 2014. MATERIAL AND
METHODS: The study presents data on 16 patients with pancreatic duct stones, who
constituted 7% of all 228 patients with chronic pancreatitis hospitalized at the
Department in the study period. The clinical data were compared with findings
reported in the literature. RESULTS: Epigastric pain was the most common symptom
reported by patients with pancreatolithiasis. The sensitivity of imaging tests in
the diagnosis of pancreatic duct stones was as follows: abdominal ultrasonography
- 31%, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) - 67%, computed
tomography - 71%, endoscopic ultrasonography - 73%. In 6 patients ERCP and
sphincterotomy were performed along with stenting of the main pancreatic duct.
Three other subjects were qualified for surgical treatment. In 7 selected
patients conservative treatment and further observation were applied.
CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic ultrasonography is characterized by high sensitivity in
the diagnosis of pancreatic duct stones. ERCP is the first-line treatment in the
case of a small number of stones with sizes below 5 mm located in the head or
body of the pancreas. In the case of stones with sizes >= 5 mm, extracorporeal
shock wave lithotripsy should be performed before endoscopic drainage during
ERCP. Stenosis of the main pancreatic duct is the key risk factor for the
recurrence of pancreatolithiasis.
PMID- 28691428
TI - Stat proteins as intracellular regulators of resistance to myocardial injury in
the context of cardiac remodeling and targeting for therapy.
AB - The roles of STAT (signal transducers and activators of transcription) proteins
are widely discussed in relation to other agents like IFN-gamma that are involved
in cardiovascular diseases. STAT3 protects cardiomyocytes during endotoxic shock
and ischemia and prolongs survival of these cells by activation of antiapoptotic
genes like Bcl-2 and c-Fos. Moreover, IL-6 dependent expression of STAT3 is
probably responsible for hypertrophy of cardiomyocytes. On the contrary, STAT1
mediates cell death by induction of caspase-1. STAT6 probably enhances cellular
damage in myocardial infraction, which is significantly reduced in mice with the
knockout STAT6 gene. Considering these facts, we attempted to review in this
paper the role of STAT proteins in myocardial remodeling, highlighting STAT3 as a
potent mediator of cardioprotection. Our review also aims to acquaint a broad
audience of internal medicine practitioners with the STAT3-related molecular
mechanisms that underlie the therapeutic properties of such widely administered
drugs as angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptor antagonists and HMG-CoA reductase
inhibitors, such as losartan and lovastatin.
PMID- 28691429
TI - The effect of bariatric procedures on selected laboratory parameters of patients
from rural areas in Poland.
AB - BACKGROUND: Rural areas in Poland are inhabited by over 15 million people, i.e.
39.5% of Polish population, including about 5 million rural residents in the
Podlaskie province. The incidence of obesity is associated with increased
prevalence of obesity-related conditions. Studies that have been conducted do not
confirm the efficacy of conservative treatment of obesity, but show that
bariatric procedures produce the best longterm results. OBJECTIVES: The aim of
the study was to present the effects of bariatric obesity treatments
(laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding [LAGB], sleeve gastrectomy [SG], Roux-en
Y gastric bypass [RYGB]) on body mass index (BMI), selected diabetes control
parameters, dyslipidemia, hepatic and renal enzymes, blood count and hypertension
control. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study group comprised a total of 100
consecutive patients from rural areas qualified for bariatric procedures. Most of
the patients (69.07%) underwent SG; 11.34% underwent LAGB; and 19.59% underwent
RYGB. Comorbidities included hypertension (35%), type 2 diabetes (52%) and
hyperlipidemia (15%). Glucose, insulin, HbA1C, alanine and aspartate
aminotransferase, bilirubin, total and fraction cholesterol, creatinine, urea,
uric acid and CRP levels, as well as blood count and blood pressure values, were
assessed prior to surgery and during follow-up visits 3 and 6 months after the
procedures. BMI, percentage of excess weight loss (%EWL) and percentage of excess
body mass index loss (%EBMIL) were assessed. RESULTS: Consistent, significant
decreases in BMI were observed 3 months (39.31 +/- 4.70) and 6 months (35.74 +/-
4.52) after surgery. The largest BMI reduction at the 6-month follow up was
observed for SG (12.29%), and the smallest was observed for LAGB (9.02%).
CONCLUSIONS: Improvements in the general health status of the patients were
observed, as well as normalization of metabolic parameters (glucose, cholesterol,
triglycerides, hepatic enzymes).
PMID- 28691430
TI - The mechanical properties of human dentin for 3-D finite element modeling:
Numerical and analytical evaluation.
AB - BACKGROUND: The FEM is often used in investigations of dentin loading conditions;
however, its anisotropy is mostly neglected. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the study
was to evaluate the anisotropy and the elastic properties of an equivalent
homogenous material model of human dentin as well as to compare isotropic and
anisotropic dentin FE-models. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Analytical and numerical
dentin homogenization according to Luciano and Barbero was performed and E
modulus (E), Poisson's ratios (v) G-modulus (G) were calculated. The E-modulus of
the dentin matrix was 28.0 GPa, Poisson's ratio (v) was 0.3; finite element
models of orthotropic and isotropic dentin were created, loaded and compared
using Ansys(r) 14.5 and CodeAster(r) 11.2 software. RESULTS: Anisotropy of the
dentin ranged from 6.9 to 35.2%. E-modulus and G-modulus were as follows: E1 =
22.0-26.0 GPa, E2/E3 = 15.7-23.0 GPa; G12/G13 = 6.96-9.35 GPa and G23 = 6.08-8.09
GPa (highest values in the superficial layer). In FEM analysis of the
displacement values were higher in the isotropic than in the orthotropic model,
reaching up to 16% by shear load, 37% by compression and 23% in the case of shear
with bending. Strain values were higher in the isotropic model, up to 35% for the
shear load, 31% for compression and 35% in the case of shear with bending. The
decrease in the volumetric fraction and diameter of tubules increased the G and E
values. CONCLUSIONS: Anisotropy of the dentin applied during FEM analysis
decreased the displacements and strain values. The numerical and analytical
homogenization of dentin showed similar results.
PMID- 28691431
TI - Low-dose computed tomography in assessment of pulmonary abnormalities in children
with febrile neutropenia suffering from malignant diseases.
AB - BACKGROUND: Management of febrile neutropenia in pediatric patients is
challenging. Chest X-ray and CT scan help to identify infective foci; however,
exposure to radiation is a risk factor for development of secondary cancer. For
this reason, attention is paid to reducing radiation exposure. OBJECTIVES: The
aim of the study was to define the role of LDCT examination in the early
detection of pulmonary lesions in children during oncology or autoimmune
treatment complicated by neutropenia-related fever. Additionally, we focused on
the possibility to optimize image quality in low-dose protocols. MATERIAL AND
METHODS: The study included 138 pediatric patients (mean age 8.08 years) with
fever of 38.2 degrees C or higher with an absolute neutrophil count of 10 mm with
or without surrounding GGO or cavitations was sensitive at 77% and specific at
65% for fungal infection insert after neutrophil count: < 500/pL who underwent
chest X-ray and LDCT in the maximal interval of 24 h. CT findings were compared
with initial and final diagnosis as well as with clinical information. RESULTS:
LDCT detected pulmonary abnormalities in 116 patients (84.06%) showing ground
glass opacities (GGO) (n = 79), nodules (n = 60) and air-space consolidations (n
= 58). Radiologists correctly diagnosed infective lesions in 94 out of 116
patients (81.03%). The presence of random or pleural-based nodules. Diagnosis of
pyogenic infection based on the presence of air-space consolidation, pleural
effusion, GGO or centrilobular nodules showed a sensitivity of 78% and
specificity of 67%, whereas patchy or diffuse GGO, interstitial thickening and/or
air-space consolidation showed a high sensitivity of 81% and specificity of 68%
for Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia. CONCLUSIONS: LDCT is an excellent modality
in the diagnostic algorithm in patients with febrile neutropenia. It allows early
detection and detailed characterization of pulmonary abnormalities. Using
contrast, unenhanced CT examinations can further reduce radiation dose and
diminish the number of complications without a negative influence on the
diagnostic process.
PMID- 28691432
TI - Effect of diode lasers with wavelength of 445 and 980 nm on a temperature rise
when uncovering implants for second stage surgery: An ex-vivo study in pigs.
AB - BACKGROUND: Many surgical procedures in soft tissue are performed using diode
lasers. Recently, a novel diode laser operating at 445 nm wavelength was
introduced in dentistry. OBJECTIVES: The aim of our study was to evaluate the
time of surgery and an increase in temperature of titanium implants during its
uncovering using 445 and 980 nm wavelengths. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The research
included 45 pig mandibles (n = 45). The specimens were randomly divided into 3
groups (n = 15) according to the laser irradiation mode and wavelength; G1 - 445
nm laser, power: 3 W, continuous wave (CW), distance: 2 mm, power density: 7460
W/cm2, fiber: 320 MUm, noncontact mode; G2 - 445 nm laser (power: 2 W, CW, power
density: 4970 W/cm2, fiber: 320 MUm, contact mode; G3 (control) - 980 nm laser,
power: 2.5 W, CW, power density: 15920 W/cm2, fiber: 200 MUm, contact mode. The
temperature was measured with a 2 K-type thermocouples (a P1 at collar and a P2
at mid height of the implant). RESULTS: The mean temperature rises measured by
the P1 thermocouple were 16.9 degrees C, 36.1 degrees C and 21.6 degrees C in the
G1, G2 and G3 group, respectively. Significant differences in temperature rise
were found between the G1 and G2 group (p = 0.0007) and the G2 and G3 group (p =
0.01). The mean temperature rises measured by the P2 thermocouple were 1.8
degrees C, 1.4 degrees C and 5.6 degrees C in the G1, G2 and G3 group,
respectively. Significant differences in temperature rise were found between the
G1 and the G2 or G3 group (p = 0.0001). The significant differences among the
study groups in average time necessary for uncovering the implants amounted to
69.7, 54.4 and 83.6 s, respectively (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The application of
the 445 nm diode laser in non-contact mode reduced the temperature rise of the
implants. The additional pulse intervals during laser irradiation with wavelength
of 445 nm when operating in contact mode are needed.
PMID- 28691433
TI - Taking a critical look at the UNAIDS global estimates on paediatric and
adolescent HIV survival and death.
PMID- 28691434
TI - Universal antiretroviral therapy for HIV-infected children: a review of the
benefits and risks to consider during implementation.
AB - BACKGROUND: The 2016 World Health Organization (WHO) consolidated guidelines on
the use of antiretroviral drugs for treating and preventing HIV infection,
recommended to start all HIV-infected children on antiretroviral therapy (ART).
Here, we explore the possible benefits and risks of implementing universal ART
for all HIV-infected children and adolescents and outline some of the key
considerations that led to the 2016 revision of WHO guidelines. METHODS: We
conducted a review of the published data from 2000 to 2016, to ascertain the
clinical and programmatic benefits, as well as the risks of implementing
universal ART for all children. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Universal ART for all
children has the potential to increase treatment coverage, which in 2015 was only
51% globally, as well as providing several biological benefits, by preventing:
premature death/loss to follow-up, progressive destruction of the immune system,
poor growth and pubertal delay, poor neuro-cognitive outcomes and future burden
to the health care system with complications of untreated HIV-infection. However,
the strategy could be associated with risks, notably development of HIV drug
resistance, antiretroviral drug toxicities and increased costs to an already
stretched health system. CONCLUSION: Overall, our findings suggest that the
benefits could outweigh the risks and support universal ART for all HIV-infected
children, but recognize that national programmes will need to put measures in
place to minimize the risks if they choose to implement the strategy.
PMID- 28691436
TI - Viral kinetics in untreated versus treated acute HIV infection in prospective
cohort studies in Thailand.
AB - INTRODUCTION: The extent of viral replication during acute HIV infection (AHI)
influences HIV disease progression. However, information comparing viral load
(VL) kinetics with and without antiretroviral therapy (ART) in AHI is limited.
The knowledge gained could inform preventive strategies aimed at reducing VL
during AHI and therapeutic strategies to alter the viral kinetics that may
enhance the likelihood of achieving HIV remission. METHODS: The analysis utilized
VL data captured during the first year of HIV infection from two studies in
Thailand: the RV217 study (untreated AHI, 30 participants and 412 visits) and the
RV254 study (treated AHI, 235 participants and 2803 visits). Fiebig stages were
I/II (HIV RNA+, HIV IgM-) and Fiebig III/IV (HIV IgM+, Western blot
/indeterminate). Data were modelled utilizing spline effects within a linear
mixed model, with a random intercept and slope to allow for between-subject
variability and adjustment for the differences in variability between studies.
The number of knots in the quadratic spline basis functions was determined by
comparing models with differing numbers of knots via the Akaike Information
Criterion. Models were fit using PROC GLIMMIX in SAS v9.3. RESULTS: At enrolment,
there were 24 Fiebig I/II and 6 Fiebig III/IV individuals in the untreated group
and 137 Fiebig I/II and 98 Fiebig III/IV individuals in the treated group.
Overall, the median age was 27.5 years old, most were male (89%), and CRF01_AE
was the most common HIV clade (76%). By day 12 (4 days after ART in RV254), the
untreated group had a 2.7-fold higher predicted mean VL level compared to those
treated (predicted log VL 6.19 for RV217 and 5.76 for RV254, p = 0.05). These
differences increased to 135-fold by day 30 (predicted log VL 4.89 for RV217 and
2.76 for RV254) and 1148-fold by day 120 (predicted log VL 4.68 for RV217 and
1.63 for RV254) (p < 0.0001 for both) until both curves were similarly flat at
about day 150 (p = 0.17 between days 150 and 160). The VL trajectories were
significantly different between Fiebig I/II and Fiebig III/IV participants when
comparing the two groups and within the treated group (p < 0.001 for both).
CONCLUSIONS: Initiating ART in AHI dramatically changed the trajectory of VL very
early in the course of infection that could have implications for reducing
transmission potential and enhancing responses to future HIV remission
strategies. There is an urgency of initiating ART when acute infection is
identified. New and inexpensive strategies to engage and test individuals at high
risk for HIV as well as immediate treatment access will be needed to improve the
treatment of acute infection globally. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: NCT00796146 and
NCT00796263.
PMID- 28691435
TI - Clinical and public health implications of acute and early HIV detection and
treatment: a scoping review.
AB - INTRODUCTION: The unchanged global HIV incidence may be related to ignoring acute
HIV infection (AHI). This scoping review examines diagnostic, clinical, and
public health implications of identifying and treating persons with AHI. METHODS:
We searched PubMed, in addition to hand-review of key journals identifying
research pertaining to AHI detection and treatment. We focused on the relative
contribution of AHI to transmission and the diagnostic, clinical, and public
health implications. We prioritized research from low- and middle-income
countries (LMICs) published in the last fifteen years. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:
Extensive AHI research and limited routine AHI detection and treatment have begun
in LMIC. Diagnostic challenges include ease-of-use, suitability for application
and distribution in LMIC, and throughput for high-volume testing. Risk score
algorithms have been used in LMIC to screen for AHI among individuals with
behavioural and clinical characteristics more often associated with AHI. However,
algorithms have not been implemented outside research settings. From a clinical
perspective, there are substantial immunological and virological benefits to
identifying and treating persons with AHI - evading the irreversible damage to
host immune systems and seeding of viral reservoirs that occurs during untreated
acute infection. The therapeutic benefits require rapid initiation of
antiretrovirals, a logistical challenge in the absence of point-of-care testing.
From a public health perspective, AHI diagnosis and treatment is critical to:
decrease transmission via viral load reduction and behavioural interventions;
improve pre-exposure prophylaxis outcomes by avoiding treatment initiation for
HIV-seronegative persons with AHI; and, enhance partner services via notification
for persons recently exposed or likely transmitting. CONCLUSIONS: There are
undeniable clinical and public health benefits to AHI detection and treatment,
but also substantial diagnostic and logistical barriers to implementation and
scale-up. Effective early ART initiation may be critical for HIV eradication
efforts, but widespread use in LMIC requires simple and accurate diagnostic
tools. Implementation research is critical to facilitate sustainable integration
of AHI detection and treatment into existing health systems and will be essential
for prospective evaluation of testing algorithms, point-of-care diagnostics, and
efficacious and effective first-line regimens.
PMID- 28691437
TI - HIV misdiagnosis in sub-Saharan Africa: performance of diagnostic algorithms at
six testing sites.
AB - INTRODUCTION: We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of HIV testing algorithms at
six programmes in five sub-Saharan African countries. METHODS: In this
prospective multisite diagnostic evaluation study (Conakry, Guinea; Kitgum,
Uganda; Arua, Uganda; Homa Bay, Kenya; Doula, Cameroun and Baraka, Democratic
Republic of Congo), samples from clients (greater than equal to five years of
age) testing for HIV were collected and compared to a state-of-the-art algorithm
from the AIDS reference laboratory at the Institute of Tropical Medicine,
Belgium. The reference algorithm consisted of an enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent
assay, a line-immunoassay, a single antigen-enzyme immunoassay and a DNA
polymerase chain reaction test. RESULTS: Between August 2011 and January 2015,
over 14,000 clients were tested for HIV at 6 HIV counselling and testing sites.
Of those, 2786 (median age: 30; 38.1% males) were included in the study.
Sensitivity of the testing algorithms ranged from 89.5% in Arua to 100% in Douala
and Conakry, while specificity ranged from 98.3% in Doula to 100% in Conakry.
Overall, 24 (0.9%) clients, and as many as 8 per site (1.7%), were misdiagnosed,
with 16 false-positive and 8 false-negative results. Six false-negative specimens
were retested with the on-site algorithm on the same sample and were found to be
positive. Conversely, 13 false-positive specimens were retested: 8 remained false
positive with the on-site algorithm. CONCLUSIONS: The performance of algorithms
at several sites failed to meet expectations and thresholds set by the World
Health Organization, with unacceptably high rates of false results. Alongside the
careful selection of rapid diagnostic tests and the validation of algorithms,
strictly observing correct procedures can reduce the risk of false results. In
the meantime, to identify false-positive diagnoses at initial testing, patients
should be retested upon initiating antiretroviral therapy.
PMID- 28691438
TI - HIV viral load as an independent risk factor for tuberculosis in South Africa:
collaborative analysis of cohort studies.
AB - INTRODUCTION: Chronic immune activation due to ongoing HIV replication may lead
to impaired immune responses against opportunistic infections such as
tuberculosis (TB). We studied the role of HIV replication as a risk factor for
incident TB after starting antiretroviral therapy (ART). METHODS: We included all
HIV-positive adult patients (>=16 years) in care between 2000 and 2014 at three
ART programmes in South Africa. Patients with previous TB were excluded. Missing
CD4 cell counts and HIV-RNA viral loads at ART start (baseline) and during follow
up were imputed. We used parametric survival models to assess TB incidence
(pulmonary and extrapulmonary) by CD4 cell and HIV-RNA levels, and estimated the
rate ratios for TB by including age, sex, baseline viral loads, CD4 cell counts,
and WHO clinical stage in the model. We also used Poisson general additive
regression models with time-updated CD4 and HIV-RNA values, adjusting for age and
sex. RESULTS: We included 44,260 patients with a median follow-up time of 2.7
years (interquartile range [IQR] 1.0-5.0); 3,819 incident TB cases were recorded
(8.6%). At baseline, the median age was 34 years (IQR 28-41); 30,675 patients
(69.3%) were female. The median CD4 cell count was 156 cells/uL (IQR 79-229) and
the median HIV-RNA viral load 58,000 copies/mL (IQR 6,000-240,000). Overall TB
incidence was 26.2/1,000 person-years (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.3-27.0).
Compared to the lowest viral load category (0-999 copies/mL), the adjusted rate
ratio for TB was 1.41 (95% CI 1.15-1.75, p < 0.001) in the highest group (>10,000
copies/mL). Time-updated analyses for CD4/HIV-RNA confirmed the association of
viral load with the risk for TB. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that ongoing
HIV replication is an important risk factor for TB, regardless of CD4 cell
counts, and underline the importance of early ART start and retention on ART.
PMID- 28691439
TI - Awareness and willingness to use HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis among men who have
sex with men in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta
analysis.
AB - INTRODUCTION: To facilitate provision of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in low-
and middle-income countries (LMIC), a better understanding of potential demand
and user preferences is required. This review assessed awareness and willingness
to use oral PrEP among men who have sex with men (MSM) in LMIC. METHODS:
Electronic literature search of Cochrane library, Embase, PubMed, PsychINFO,
CINHAL, Web of Science, and Google Scholar was conducted between July and
September 2016. Reference lists of relevant studies were searched, and three
authors contacted for additional data. Non-peer reviewed publications were
excluded. Studies were screened for inclusion, and relevant data abstracted,
assessed for bias, and synthesized. RESULTS: In total, 2186 records were
identified, of which 23 studies involving 14,040 MSM from LMIC were included. The
proportion of MSM who were aware of PrEP was low at 29.7% (95% CI: 16.9-44.3).
However, the proportion willing to use PrEP was higher, at 64.4% (95% CI: 53.3
74.8). Proportions of MSM aware of PrEP was <50% in 11 studies and 50-70% in 3
studies, while willingness to use PrEP was <50% in 6 studies, 50-70% in 9
studies, and over 80% in 5 studies. Several factors affected willingness to use
PrEP. At the individual domain, poor knowledge of PrEP, doubts about its
effectiveness, fear of side effects, low perception of HIV risk, and the need to
adhere or take medicines frequently reduced willingness to use PrEP, while PrEP
education and motivation to maintain good health were facilitators of potential
use. Demographic factors (education, age, and migration) influenced both
awareness and willingness to use PrEP, but their effects were not consistent
across studies. At the social domain, anticipated stigma from peers, partners,
and family members related to sexual orientation, PrEP, or HIV status were
barriers to potential use of PrEP, while partner, peer, and family support were
facilitators of potential use. At the structural domain, concerns regarding
attitudes of healthcare providers, quality assurance, data protection, and cost
were determinants of potential use. CONCLUSIONS: This review found that despite
low levels of awareness of PrEP, MSM in LMIC are willing to use it if they are
supported appropriately to deal with a range of individual, social, and
structural barriers.
PMID- 28691440
TI - High risk of loss to follow-up among South African children on ART during
transfer, a retrospective cohort analysis with community tracing.
AB - INTRODUCTION: Decentralization of HIV care for children has been recommended to
improve paediatric outcomes by making antiretroviral treatment (ART) more
accessible. We documented outcomes of children transferred after initiating ART
at a large tertiary hospital in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. METHODS:
Electronic medical records for all children 0-15 years initiating ART at Dora
Nginza Hospital (DNH) in Port Elizabeth, South Africa January 2004 to September
2015 were examined. Records for children transferred to primary and community
clinics were searched at 16 health facilities to identify children with
successful (at least one recorded visit) and unsuccessful transfer (no visits).
We identified all children lost to follow-up (LTF) after ART initiation: those
LTF at DNH (no visit >6 months), children with unsuccessful transfer, and
children LTF after successful transfer (no visit >6 months). Community tracing
was conducted to locate caregivers of children LTF and electronic laboratory data
were searched to measure reengagement in care, including silent transfers.
RESULTS: 1,582 children initiated ART at median age of 4 years [interquartile
range (IQR): 1-8] and median CD4+ of 278 cells/mm3 [IQR: 119-526]. A total of 901
(57.0%) children were transferred, 644 (71.5%) to study facilities; 433 (67.2%)
children had successful transfer and 211 (32.8%) had unsuccessful transfer. In
total, 399 children were LTF: 105 (26.3%) from DNH, 211 (52.9%) through
unsuccessful transfer and 83 (20.8%) following successful transfer. Community
tracing was conducted for 120 (30.1%) of 399 children LTF and 66 (55.0%)
caregivers were located and interviewed. Four children had died. Among 62
children still alive, 8 (12.9%) were reported to not be in care or taking ART and
18 (29.0%) were also not taking ART. Overall, 65 (16.3%) of 399 children LTF had
a laboratory result within 18 months of their last visit indicating silent
transfer and 112 (28.1%) had lab results from 2015 to 2016 indicating current
care. CONCLUSION: We found that only two-thirds of children on ART transferred to
primary and community health clinics had successful transfer. These findings
suggest that transfer is a particularly vulnerable step in the paediatric HIV
care cascade.
PMID- 28691443
TI - [Dilemmas in Physician - Patient Relationships].
PMID- 28691441
TI - Acute HIV infection detection and immediate treatment estimated to reduce
transmission by 89% among men who have sex with men in Bangkok.
AB - INTRODUCTION: Antiretroviral treatment (ART) reduces HIV transmission. Despite
increased ART coverage, incidence remains high among men who have sex with men
(MSM) in many places. Acute HIV infection (AHI) is characterized by high viral
replication and increased infectiousness. We estimated the feasible reduction in
transmission by targeting MSM with AHI for early ART. METHODS: We recruited a
cohort of 88 MSM with AHI in Bangkok, Thailand, who initiated ART immediately. A
risk calculator based on viral load and reported behaviour, calibrated to Thai
epidemiological data, was applied to estimate the number of onwards
transmissions. This was compared with the expected number without early
interventions. RESULTS: Forty of the MSM were in 4th-generation AHI stages 1 and
2 (4thG stage 1, HIV nucleic acid testing (NAT)+/4thG immunoassay (IA)-/3rdG IA-;
4thG stage 2, NAT+/4thG IA+/3rdG IA-) while 48 tested positive on third
generation IA but had negative or indeterminate western blot (4thG stage 3). Mean
plasma HIV RNA was 5.62 log10 copies/ml. Any condomless sex in the four months
preceding the study was reported by 83.7%, but decreased to 21.2% by 24 weeks on
ART. After ART, 48/88 (54.6%) attained HIV RNA <50 copies/ml by week 8,
increasing to 78/87 (89.7%), and 64/66 (97%) at weeks 24 and 48, respectively.
The estimated number of onwards transmissions in the first year of infection
would have been 27.3 (95% credible interval: 21.7-35.3) with no intervention, 8.3
(6.4-11.2) with post-diagnosis behaviour change only, 5.9 (4.4-7.9) with viral
load reduction only and 3.1 (2.4-4.3) with both. The latter was associated with
an 88.7% (83.8-91.1%) reduction in transmission. CONCLUSIONS: Disproportionate
HIV transmission occurs during AHI. Diagnosis of AHI with early ART initiation
can substantially reduce onwards transmission.
PMID- 28691444
TI - Reply to Lowenthal
PMID- 28691442
TI - Acceptability of woman-delivered HIV self-testing to the male partner, and
additional interventions: a qualitative study of antenatal care participants in
Malawi.
AB - INTRODUCTION: In the era of ambitious HIV targets, novel HIV testing models are
required for hard-to-reach groups such as men, who remain underserved by existing
services. Pregnancy presents a unique opportunity for partners to test for HIV,
as many pregnant women will attend antenatal care (ANC). We describe the views of
pregnant women and their male partners on HIV self-test kits that are woman
delivered, alone or with an additional intervention. METHODS: A formative
qualitative study to inform the design of a multi-arm multi-stage cluster
randomized trial, comprised of six focus group discussions and 20 in-depth
interviews, was conducted. ANC attendees were purposively sampled on the day of
initial clinic visit, while men were recruited after obtaining their contact
information from their female partners. Data were analysed using content
analysis, and our interpretation is hypothetical as participants were not offered
self-test kits. RESULTS: Providing HIV self-test kits to pregnant women to
deliver to their male partners was highly acceptable to both women and men. Men
preferred this approach compared with standard facility-based testing, as self
testing fits into their lifestyles which were characterized by extreme day-to-day
economic pressures, including the need to raise money for food for their
household daily. Men and women emphasized the need for careful communication
before and after collection of the self-test kits in order to minimize the
potential for intimate partner violence although physical violence was perceived
as less likely to occur. Most men stated a preference to first self-test alone,
followed by testing as a couple. Regarding interventions for optimizing linkage
following self-testing, both men and women felt that a fixed financial incentive
of approximately USD$2 would increase linkage. However, there were concerns that
financial incentives of greater value may lead to multiple pregnancies and lack
of child spacing. In this low-income setting, a lottery incentive was considered
overly disappointing for those who receive nothing. Phone call reminders were
preferred to short messaging service. CONCLUSIONS: Woman-delivered HIV self
testing through ANC was acceptable to pregnant women and their male partners.
Feedback on additional linkage enablers will be used to alter pre-planned trial
arms.
PMID- 28691445
TI - A wake-up call?
PMID- 28691446
TI - Giant cell or temporal arteritis?
PMID- 28691447
TI - Reply to Jawad
PMID- 28691449
TI - Evaluation of the intraepithelial papillary capillary loops in benign and
malignant oral lesions by in vivo Virtual Chromoendoscopic Magnification: a
preliminary study.
AB - This preliminary study aims to establish the Virtual Chromoendoscopic
Magnification (VCM) feasibility to visualize and distinguish the Intraepithelial
Papillary Capillary Loops (IPCL) patterns of benign oral pathologies from
malignant ones. Thirty-one consecutive subjects affected by oral
lesions/pathologies underwent white light examination and VCM imaging by the
Narrow Band Imaging System (Olympus Medical Systems Corp., Tokyo, Japan). A class
system of four IPCL types corresponding to progressive vessel disarray was
adopted. IPCL type IV were considered criterion of ?malignancy?. A
histopathological exam completed the diagnosis: sensitivity, specificity,
positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy
were calculated. IPCL patterns of benign oral entities ranged from types I to
III. IPCL type IV was associated with malignancy in 4 out of 6 cases.
Sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV were 100%, 93%, 67% and 100%,
respectively. This study preliminarily describes IPCL patterns of different oral
mucosal diseases and confirms the association between IPCL IV and oral cancer.
PMID- 28691448
TI - Evaluation of chemical-physical properties and cytocompatibility of TheraCal LC.
AB - TheraCal LC (TLC, Bisco Inc., Schaumburg, IL, USA) is a light-cured, resin
modified, calcium silicate-filled base/liner material designed for direct and
indirect pulp-capping. In this study the result of the evaluation in vitro of the
biocompatibility and chemical-physical properties of TLC are reported. TLC
specimens were prepared under aseptic conditions in strict compliance with the
manufacturer?s instructions and sterilized. Osteoblast-like cells (MG63) were
used. For different time points, solubility, water uptake, alkalinizing activity
and cytotoxicity were evaluated. In ddH20 and in DMEM+FBS, TLC showed a loss of
material increasing simultaneously with the absorption capacity. The increase of
water uptake of the material promoting the solubilization of mineral ions in
medium is a requisite for a bioactive material. The alkalinizing activity is
correlated to antimicrobial/bacteriostatic activity and to the ability to favor
the formation of apatite deposits. The pH values for water absorption after
immersion of the disks ranged between 8 and 9 at each times of evaluation.
Cytotoxicity was not observed in MG63 cells treated with TLC and after 5 days,
the cells were organized to form a confluent monolayer as demonstrated by
fluorescence microscopy observation. TLC showed biocompatibility on MG63 cells
allowing a physiologic cell growth and differentiation. The chemical-physical
properties and biocompatibility of TLC observed in vitro in the present study,
allows considering this cement as an innovative pulp-capping material for the
vital pulp therapy.
PMID- 28691450
TI - Ultrasound imaging of oral fibroma: a case report.
AB - Oral mucosa is constantly under the influence of various internal and external
stimuli, therefore it is interested by a range of developmental disorders,
irritation, inflammation, and neoplastic conditions. Traumatic fibroma is one of
these lesions. The aim of this work is to obtain an ultrasound characterization
of a lip fibroma with a high frequency probe (8-18 MHz) as feasibility and
experimental model of this non-invasive technique in the oral mucosa compared
with its histo-pathological section. Ultrasound characterization of a fibroma in
a 50-year-old patient in the right retro commissural area of mucosa was
performed. The ultrasound images were compared with its histological image.
Fibroma is a traumatic lesion clinically recognizable and with a complex and well
defined histopathology structure. Although further investigations are necessary
to determine the potential of ultrasonographic images as an aid in the diagnosis
of oral lesions, this case report might be a model for ultrasound imaging
compared with its histological section.
PMID- 28691451
TI - Survey results of currently used techniques and materials by dentists for
fabrication of complete removable dental prostheses.
AB - The present study was based on the screening of procedures and materials used by
dentists in constructing complete removable dental prostheses, considering their
professional background and years of experience. Questions arose regarding
differences and similarities within the local dental society, of which
approximately 75% were trained in Europeans countries with differences in
academic background, and compared to international dentistry. A questionnaire web
site was used in order to anonymously collect answers to the survey by general
practicing and specialist dentists. The survey contained 28 multiple choice
questions that were based on 5 parameters: years of experience, location of
dental studies, specialization, location and field of specialization. One hundred
one survey sheets were collected. The results show statistical significance (p
less than 0.05) for the following comparisons: practicing time had an impact on
practitioner-technician interaction, while the level of qualification had an
effect on articulator and face-bow usage. Location of dental studies,
specialization and residency had impact on final impression materials, teeth set
up as well as tooth shape and color selection. The differences found between
dentists? working techniques set the ground for future research that should focus
on rating the success of the different methods towards a goal of creating
recommendations for an ideal set of working techniques.
PMID- 28691452
TI - Bilateral symmetry of anterior maxillary incisors: evaluation of a community
based population.
AB - The final outcome of dental treatment needs to be not only clinically sufficient,
but also esthetically pleasing. Bilateral symmetry in the maxillary incisor teeth
is of significant importance in esthetic dentistry. In restorative dentistry,
symmetry refers to the appearance of balance around the dental midline. The
purpose of this study was to measure and compare the maxillary incisor teeth
dimensions from both sides of the dental midline, in order to asses if this
symmetry occurs naturally. From the student community population at Tel Aviv
University, 66 students between the ages of 20-35 (35 males, 31 females) were
enrolled and gave consent. The inclusion criteria for this study were: upper
maxillary incisors that have never undergone restorative or rehabilitative
treatment, and no history of orthodontic treatment. Standardized digital
photographs were taken, and the length and width of the maxillary central and
lateral incisors were measured and proportions were calculated. SPSS was used to
compare the measured differences between teeth on the left versus right of the
midline. Tooth proportions were not significantly different between the left and
right sides. Asymmetry was found only between the lengths of the maxillary
lateral incisors (p=0.009); the width for these teeth was symmetrical. A
significant statistical difference was not found on most parameters when
evaluating symmetry of the upper incisors. Therefore, when treating the
esthetically important anterior of the mouth, care must be taken to ensure
bilateral symmetry to mirror the natural symmetry found in most patients.
PMID- 28691453
TI - The effect of enriching denture adhesives with chlorhexidine diacetate on the
proliferation of Candida albicans: an in vitro analysis.
AB - Denture adhesives are widely used in dentistry. The growth of Candida albicans on
the denture base is common on both jaws, particularly in elderly patients. A
strong correlation has been found between the growth of Candida albicans and
dentures, potentially leading to denture stomatitis. Recent studies show that the
addition of chlorhexidine diacetate (CHDA) to denture adhesives can have a
protective effect against denture stomatitis. The aim of this research is to
examine the antifungal properties of three denture adhesives when CHDA is added.
We hypothesize that the addition of CHDA to denture adhesives will result in
antifungal activity against Candida albicans. Three denture adhesive materials
(Corega, Protefix and Kukident) were prepared with and without the addition of
CHDA in order to measure whether CHDA increased the resistance of the adhesives
to the growth of Candida albicans. Dynamic and static intercellular changes were
assessed through direct contact test (DCT) and confocal microscopy. The tested
materials were evaluated immediately after setting and at 14 days post-setting.
When combined with CHDA, all three denture adhesive materials decreased Candida
albicans growth compared to the control (p less than 0.0001). This inhibition of
growth was more prominent in the first 24 h. The confocal microscopy results
supported the DCT findings. The addition of CHDA to denture adhesive pastes
inhibits growth of Candida albicans, and may potentially reduce the incidence of
denture stomatitis. Further studies are warranted.
PMID- 28691454
TI - Temperature changes of one-piece implants during the setting of acrylic resin
temporary crown. The effect of implant diameter. An in vitro study.
AB - The purpose of this work is to evaluate changes in temperature of one-piece
titanium implant surface during the setting of acrylic resin temporary crowns and
to correlate thermal changes to implant diameter. Thirty-three one-piece implants
(ARRP, Alpha-Biotec) were divided into 3 groups according to diameter size (G1=3
mm, G2=3.3 mm, G3=3.6 mm). Implants were mounted on an acrylic glass apparatus.
Thermocouples were positioned at the most coronal thread. Lower incisor temporary
polycarbonate crowns were filled with 80 MUL of self-curing acrylic resin and
positioned immediately on the implant abutment. Thermal changes of the implant
surface were recorded continuously for 10 min. Data were statistically analyzed
using one-way analysis of variance. The mean initial temperature (C0) of groups
G1, G2 and G3 was similar (24.79+/-0.78oC, 25.26+/-0.63oC, 24.97+/-1.06oC,
respectively). The setting of the acrylic resin temporary crown resulted in a
significant increase in the implant surface temperature of all groups. The mean
thermal amplitude (DeltaC) for groups G1, G2 and G3 were 6.79+/-1.02oC, 6.61+/
0.94oC, 6.65+/-1.26oC, respectively. The mean time to maximum temperature (Tmax)
for groups G1, G2 and G3 were 337.38+/-42.91 sec, 324.69+/-41.46 sec and 317.98+/
37.91 sec respectively (P>0.05). Direct application of auto-polymerizing resin to
the titanium abutment of one-piece implants significantly increased the cervical
implant surface temperature. Implant diameter did not influence the temperature
changes.
PMID- 28691455
TI - ADULT syndrome: dental features of a very rare condition.
AB - The Acro-Dermato-Ungual-Lacrimal-Tooth syndrome (ADULT syndrome) is one of the
rarest ectodermal dysplasias and it is associated with several malformations
involving especially the limbs. The most clinical features are the presence of
ectrodactyly, syndactyly, hypermelanosis or multiple lentigines, onhycodysplasia,
abnormalities in the lacrimal duct, recurrent conjuntivitis, photophobia,
mammarian hypoplasia, hypotrichosis and frontal alopecia, hypohydrosis, cutaneous
photosensitivity, nasal bridge prominence, exfoliative dermatitis and xerosis.
The ectodermal dysfunction expresses itself with conoid teeth, enamel hypoplasia,
dentinal dysplasia and especially hypodontia, with following functional and
aesthetic defects. We report the case of an 11-year-old Caucasian girl affected
by ADULT syndrome.
PMID- 28691456
TI - Genetic correlation between rheumatoid arthritis and periodontal disease: the
role of sex and IL-10.
AB - The chronic stimulation of the immune system due to the presence of bacterial
antigens within periodontal tissues has been associated with several autoimmune
diseases, like diabetes mellitus, infective endocarditis or cardiovascular
atherosclerosis. The current study aims at evaluating the correlation between
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and Periodontal Disease (PD) with special attention to
genetic polymorphisms in cytokine expression. A total number of 34 patients
affected by RA were recruited. Each of them underwent haematochemical analysis
and data were collected for Rheumatoid Factor (RF), Anti-Citrullinated Protein?s
Antibody (CCP) and HLA-BDR1. DAS-28 questionnaire for disease activity was
fulfilled by the rheumatologist, while a periodontal examination was carried out
by the dental clinician and crevicular fluid samples were collected to evaluate
the IL-6, IL-10 and VDR polymorphysms. A connection between CCP and IL-10
polymorphisms was found, with IL-10 expressing protecting tendency against
periodontal disease when CCP are found in the bloodstream (p=0.0017). Finally,
males mainly expressed IL-10 predisposing genes (p=0.046), while females showed a
greater tendency to express RF (p=0.014) and CCP (p=0.050). This paper
corroborates the idea of a correlation between sex, IL-10 polymorphisms and RA,
which should be studied in depth, since recent papers have shown that IL-10
injected into joints seems to decrease inflammation.
PMID- 28691457
TI - Human beta2-defensin in oral lichen planus expresses the degree of inflammation.
AB - Syndrome (BMS). Seventeen OLP patients, with a positive histopathologic diagnosis
of the disease, were recruited into this study in order to measure the relative
quantity of HBD-2 in their saliva and crevicular fluid. The values were compared
with those collected from a group of 9 patients affected by the Burning Mouth
Syndrome (BMS) and with a control group (CTRL) of 9 patients. There was no
statistically significant difference between the groups (p=0.523; p=0.897).
However, patients affected by OLP showed a dycotomic distribution of values:
while 10 of them showed similar values to those found out in the other two
groups, 7 patients expressed high levels of HBD-2 and 3500 pg/ml was the
threshold to distinguish the subgroups. During the dental visit the clinician
classified OLP patients into two groups according to the clinical presentation of
the disease: reticular and hyperplastic (white OLP), atrophic and erosive forms
(red OLP). There was a statistical significant correlation between the clinical
and numeric classification of the patients (p=0.004; p=0.001), and the expression
of HBD-2 was higher in the red OLP group than in the white OLP group (p=0.000;
p=0.000). In conclusion, this study shows that HBD-2 represents an index to
assess active inflammation and it is probably linked to the presence of the
typical band-like CD8+ infiltrate in Oral Lichen Planus.
PMID- 28691458
TI - A ?burning? therapy for burning mouth syndrome: preliminary results with the
administration of topical capsaicin.
AB - Burning mouth syndrome is defined as an intraoral burning sensation for which no
medical or dental cause can be found. Recently, researchers have demonstrated an
altered trophism of the small nerve fibres and alterations in the numbers of TRPV
1 vanilloid receptors. Capsaicin is a molecule that is contained in hot peppers
and is specifically detected by TRPV-1 vanilloid receptors that are distributed
in the oral mucosae. We aimed at verifying if topical capsaicin could prove to be
an effective treatment of Burning Mouth Syndrome. A group of 99 BMS patients were
recruited. We subdivided the BMS patients into two groups: the collaborative
patients, who expressed a predominantly neuropathic pattern of symptoms, and the
non-collaborative patients, who were characterised by stronger psychogenic
patterns of the syndrome. Both groups underwent topical therapy with capsaicin in
the form of a mouth rinse 3 times a day for a long period. After 1 year of
treatment, the final overall success rate was approximately 78%, but with a
significant difference in the success rates of the two groups of patients (87%
and 20% among the collaborative and non-collaborative patients, respectively;
p=0.000). The use of topical capsaicin can improve the oral discomfort of BMS
patients, especially during the first month of therapy, but it is more effective
for those patients in which the neuropathic component of the syndrome is
predominant. Our hypothesis is that chronic stimulation with capsaicin leads to
decreases in burning symptoms. This phenomenon is called desensitisation and is
accompanied by substantial improvements in oral symptoms.
PMID- 28691459
TI - Periodontal microbioma and rheumatoid arthritis: The role of Porhyromonas
gingivalis.
AB - Rheumatoid Arthritis is a disease, which can be described as an autoimmune
response after molecular mimicry caused by infective agents. The current study
aims at evaluating the correlation between Rhematoid Arthritis (RA) and
Periodontal Disease (PD), with special attention to the microbioma detected in
the gums. Thirty-four patients with RD were recruited into the current study.
Among rheumatic parameters, Rheumatoid Factor (RF), anti-citrullinated protein
antibody (CCP), HLA-BDR1 and DAS28 were collected. A dental clinician evaluated
the periodontal screening record (PSR). Afterwards, 1 paper cone was inserted for
30 seconds into the gingival sulcus then sent to the laboratory for evaluation.
Quantitative PCR of 16S rRNA genes was performed with the hydrolysis probes
method to identify and evaluate the amount Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella
forsythensis, Treponema denticola, Fusobacterium nucleatum and Campylobacter
rectus. There were no statistical differences in the composition of oral
microbioma between PSR groups. There were no statistical significant differences
between bacterial loads and serum values. On the contrary, a positive correlation
was found between the presence of Porphyromonas gingivalis in periodontal pockets
on one side and RF and CCP on the other. Therefore, the presence of Porhyromonas
gingivalis in periodontal pockets is associated to RA inflammatory indices.
PMID- 28691460
TI - The ?elfin face?: craniofacial and dental aspects of the Williams-Beuren
syndrome.
AB - Williams Syndrome is a rare congenital disorder characterized by supravalvular
aortic stenosis, peripheral pulmonary artery stenosis, mental retard and
dysmorfic facial features. As regards the dental aspects of the syndrome, the
deletion of the elastin gene induced clinicians to suspect periodontal
alterations with a greater frequency of gingivo-periodontitis, but on the
contrary no association between the syndrome and periodontal diseases have been
found. Furthermore, patients show a higher frequency of teeth hypoplasia, an
abnormal tooth morphology during primary dentition (12.5%) and during permanent
dentition. We present a case report of a 12-year-old Caucasian boy affected by
Williams-Beuren Syndrome who visited our hospital for a dental and orthodontic
evaluation.
PMID- 28691461
TI - Oral manifestations of selective IgA-deficiency: review and case-report.
AB - Immunoglobulin A deficiency is the most common primary immunodeficiency defined
as decreased serum level of IgA (less than 7 mg/dl) in the presence of normal
levels of other immunoglobulin isotypes. Most individuals with IgA deficiency are
asymptomatic and identified coincidentally. However, some patients may present
with recurrent infections, allergic disorders and autoimmune manifestations, such
as diabetes mellitus, Graves disease and celiac disease. The international
literature has not produced any kind of review yet about intra-oral
manifestations of selective IgA-deficiency. L.S., a 7-year-old Caucasian girl,
was examined at our hospital. After she had undergone a professional dental
cleaning, a symmetric, bilateral ulcerative gingivitis developed nearby the upper
second primary molars. The gingival ulcers were persistent and did not disappear
in the following 3 weeks. In the meantime, the young patient reported the
presence of gastrointestinal symptoms. IgA serum level was 4.5 mg/dl, while the
other isotypes levels were in the common range. The diagnosis of selective IgA
deficiency was formulated and the girl underwent further examination for the
specific IgG autoantibodies in celiac disease, which were not present.
Consequently, a full prevention program was planned. This case report emphasizes
the role of the paediatric dentist in the early detection of systemic disorder,
such as the immunological diseases. The oral cavity often reveals to be the first
site of manifestation of important systemic diseases. Immunoglobulin A (IgA)
deficiency is the most common primary immunodeficiency and is defined as a
decrease in serum IgA levels in the presence of normal levels of other
immunoglobulin isotypes (1). Serum IgA deficiency was first described in children
with ataxia-telangiectasia (2) and has since been identified in other patients,
including normal patients. The prevalence of IgA deficiency ranges from 1:223 to
1:1000 in community studies and from 1:400 to 1:3000 in healthy blood donors (3).
PMID- 28691462
TI - Odontomas: review of the literature and case reports.
AB - Odontomas are one of the most common Odontogenic Tumors of the jaw. The exact
etiology of odontomas is unknown. Histologically they are composed of various
formations of dental tissue (enamel, dentin, cementum and sometimes pulp). In the
WHO classification, they are divided into complex odontoma and compound odontoma.
Clinically, odontomas are generally asymptomatic and only in rare cases cause
swelling, pain, suppuration or bony expansion. Radiologically, the tumor is
initially lucent, but with time, it develops small calcifications, which
eventually coalesce to form a radiodense lesion with a lucent rim. Surgical
resection is the treatment of choice and there is no recurrence. The aim of this
paper is to define the principal characteristics and the treatment of these
lesions, based on literature and personal experience.
PMID- 28691463
TI - Use of the orbital fat pad in eyelid reconstruction.
AB - Eyelid reconstruction, though challenging, can produce a functional, esthetically
pleasing lid. This should preferably be accomplished with a one-stage procedure,
using robust, well-vascularized tissues similar to those being replaced, with
minimal associated donor morbidity. According to the experience with Bichat
pedicled flap in oral reconstruction, the authors propose the use of pedicle
infraorbital fat pad for repair of conjunctival defect. Seven patients underwent
eyelid reconstruction of full-thickness oncological or post-traumatic defects. In
all cases, the reconstruction involved an orbital fat pad flap for the posterior
lamella in addition to local flaps for the anterior lamella. All of the flaps
survived. The transferred fat flap had a complete epithelization, histologically
documented. No tumor relapse occurred in oncological cases. The results have been
satisfactory both for clinical evaluation and for the patients. Reconstruction of
the palpebral inner lamella with the orbital fat pad is a simple and low
morbidity procedure that has good morphological and functional results.
PMID- 28691464
TI - Parry Romberg Syndrome and linear facial scleroderma: management in pediatric
population.
AB - Among all different types of cutaneous scleroderma, Parry Romberg syndrome and
linear scleroderma "en coup de sabre" typically involve the visage. Gradual
degeneration of the tissues, from the skin up to the bone, is the stigmata of the
diseases and the range of clinical manifestations is wide. They typically start
during childhood and slowly progress before stabilizing. Considering the gravity
of the associated deformity and its impact on facial function and appearance, we
strongly advocate a prompt intervention that however must be tailored on
paediatric patients. There is not a general consensus on hemifacial atrophy
treatment, but autologous fat grafting has been proved to be a suitable
technique, due to its low morbidity, repeatability and efficacy in correcting
volume defects and in improving skin texture. Following the same concept of
safeness and non-invasiveness we propose 3D stereophotogrammetric acquisitions as
a possible tool for the pre- and post-surgical follow up, indispensable to
evaluate the surgical results. We present our case series composed of 8
paediatric patients, aged between 11 and 17 years, who underwent several
lipofilling procedures, from 2012 to 2016. Starting from 2015, 3D
stereophotgrammetric data has been obtained.
PMID- 28691465
TI - Bilateral coronoid hyperplasia: a report of six cases.
AB - Bilateral coronoid process hyperplasia is a rare condition defined as an abnormal
elongation of the mandibular coronoid process, formed of histologically normal
bone. Coronoid process hyperplasia usually develops progressively, and the
clinical symptoms are often similar to those of temporomandibular joint disorders
(TMD). Therefore, it is often misdiagnosed as TMD initially. From 2013 to 2016,
six patients were referred to our maxillofacial surgery unit by their dentist, to
evaluate mouth opening with suspected TMJ disorder. Average age was 30 years No
hypertrophy of the masseter muscles was found and the patient had no history of
pain and/or dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint. Average maximal incisal
opening was 16.3 mm. (Rance 13-20 mm). At the end of surgery the average mouth
opening achieved was of 40.3 mm. After 6 months from surgery an average mouth
opening of 41 mm was obtained, with no recidivism in the coronoid process growth
or decrease in the mouth opening. The only successful treatment to restore the
mouth opening caused by coronoid process hyperplasia is surgical correction of
coronoid-malar interference by coronoidectomy or coronoidotomy. Commencement of
physiotherapy is recommended to begin between three days and one week after
surgery. We also recommend the use of the TeraBite(r), a simple manual
physiotherapy device.
PMID- 28691466
TI - Oral melanoma with osteocartilagineous differentiation: a case report and
literature review.
AB - Osteocartilagineous differentiation within malignant melanoma is a rare
occurrence with several implications for diagnosis. Most of the reported cases
have occurred in acral lentiginous malignant melanomas. In this paper, the
authors describe the clinical, morphological, immunohistochemical features and
surgical treatment of a case of primary oral mucosal melanoma with
osteocartilaginous differentiation and they review the existing literature. The
clinical history of a 67-year-old man affected of oral malignant melanoma was
described from the first presentation to the second recurrence. FISH analysis on
primary lesion and on relapses showed positive results both in epithelioid and in
osteocondroblastic areas. Because of the scarcity of literature in osteogenic
melanoma, histological identification may be problematic and prognostic factors
and therapeutic protocols are nor well established. Immunohistochemical and
molecular techniques can help to diagnosis this rare lesion.
PMID- 28691467
TI - Bidirectional flux of fluids and microbiota at implant-abutment connection of FMD
Storm implant system: an in vitro stud y using RT-PCR.
AB - The purpose of the present microbiological study was to evaluate bacterial
leakage at implant-abutment connection level of a new type of implant (Storm
implant (FMD, Falappa Medical Devices(r), Rome, Italy) using Real-Time Polymerase
Chain Reaction (RT-PCR). This implant presents a polygonal external
implantabutment connection with a geometry that provides a hex on which engage
complementary abutments. To identify the capability of the implant to protect the
internal space from the external environment, the passage of genetically modified
Escherichia coli across implant-abutment interface was evaluated. Four Storm
implants (FMD, Falappa Medical Devices(r), Rome, Italy) were immerged in a
bacterial culture for 24 h and bacteria amount was measured inside implant
abutment interface with Real-time PCR. Bacteria were detected inside all studied
implants, with a median percentage of 15% for P. gingivalis and 14% for T.
forsythia. Our results are similar to those reported in the English literature.
Additional studies are needed to explore the relationship in terms of microbiota
between the internal implant and implant-prosthetic connection. In addition, the
dynamics of internal colonization needs to be thoroughly documented in
longitudinal in vivo studies. As a result, microbial leakage along the implant
abutment interface was acceptable and considered the most probable explanation
for peri-implantitis.
PMID- 28691468
TI - Bacterial colonization of the implant-abutment interface of conical connection
with an internal octagon: an in vitro study using real-time PCR.
AB - Bacterial leakage at the implant-abutment connection of a two-piece implant
system is considered the main cause of peri-implantitis. Prevention of bacterial
leakage at the implant-abutment connection is mandatory for reducing inflammation
process around implant neck and achieving bone stability. Micro-cavities at
implant-abutment connection level can favour bacterial leakage, even in modern
two-piece implant systems. The conical connection with an internal octagon (CCIO)
is considered to be more stable mechanically and allows a more tight link between
implant and abutment. As P. gingivalis and T. forsythia penetration might have
clinical relevance, it was the purpose of this investigation to evaluate
molecular leakage of these two bacteria in a new two-implant system with an
internal conical implant-abutment connection with internal octagon (Shiner XT,
FMD Falappa Medical Devices S.p.A. Rome, Italy). To verify the ability of the
implant in protecting the internal space from the external environment, the
passage of genetically modified Escherichia c oli across implant-abutment
interface was evaluated. Four Shiner XT implants (FMD, Falappa Medical
Devices(r), Rome, Italy) were immerged in a bacterial culture for 24 h and
bacteria amount was measured inside implant-abutment interface with Real-time
PCR. Bacteria were detected inside all studied implants, with a median percentage
of 6% for P. gingivalis and 5% for T. forsythia. Other comparable studies about
the tightness of the tested implant system reported similar results. The gap size
at the implant-abutment connection of CCIOs was measured by other authors
discovering a gap size of 1-2MUm of the AstraTech system and of 4MUm for the
Ankylos system. Bacterial leakage along implant-abutment connection of
cylindrical and tapered implants, Shiner XT, (FMD Falappa Medical Devices S.p.A.
Rome, Italy) showed better results compared to other implants. Additional studies
are needed to explore the relationship in terms of microbiota of the CCIO. In
addition, the dynamics of internal colonization needs to be thoroughly documented
in longitudinal in vivo studies.
PMID- 28691469
TI - Nasal reconstruction: our experience.
AB - The nose is a critically important aesthetic and functional portion of the face.
We can explore nasal defects following trauma or tumor resections. Reconstructive
techniques based on primary closure, skin graft, local flap, regional flap and
microvascular free tissue transfer provides an algorithmic framework applicable
to any reconstructive problem. From 2010 to 2016, 33 patients were treated with
nasal reconstruction. Malignant tumor resection was the main cause of nasal
defect. The most common tumor resected was BCC (basal cell carcinoma) followed by
SCC (squamous cell carcinoma). Recurrence of malignant tumor were also treated.
As described in the literature, we used the most common reconstructive techniques
to handle post-resection defects. Most of the defects involved the dorsum and the
ala of the nose, only rarely had the skeleton been affected by the resection.
When the cartilage had been sacrificed, a graft from the septum or from the ear
flap was harvested. All patients resulted in optimal reconstruction. In any case,
a second surgery was needed. All the surgical procedures were performed in one
single stage except for the paramedian forehead flap that required a second stage
for division and inset of the flap. All donor sites did not show functional and
aesthetic damage. All patients resulted in a morpho-functional restoration of the
area affected by the resection with a high success rate. Following the algorithm
when restoring the anatomical subunit is the base purpose has determined
satisfactory results.
PMID- 28691470
TI - Replica-guided trauma surgery.
AB - The aim of this study is to present a new approach to the surgical treatment of
fractures of the middle third of the face, based on the use of resorbable
materials and stereolithographic models. From 2009 to 2014, we treated 10 cases
of orbitozygomatic trauma mostly as secondary surgery. For each case, an
anatomical replica had been produced simulating the expected result and was then
used to contour the resorbable plates on its surface, even before the beginning
of the surgical procedure itself. The plates and meshes already bended act as a
guide to bony reduction procedure. No complications occurred: all patients healed
well, without inflammatory reactions. The results obtained corresponded to the
expected results. This technique has been employed for primary or secondary
treatment of fracturesof the middle third facial, where it is not always easy to
understand the displacement of bony segments and where the use of resorbables
plates could be particularly beneficial, as they do not interfere with the
maxillofacial skeleton physiology and avoid the necessity to remove plates and
screws. Combined use of stereolithographic model and resorbable materials allow a
new surgical approach based on the realization of the surgical procedure on the
model, then transferred from the patient to the model, thanks to plates and
meshes. This technique helps to overcome many of the limits of the conventional
technique: the need of minimal surgical access, in order to minimize facial
scarring and the vasculo-nervous structures that cross the head and neck district
and the obligation to restore not only the morphology but also the biological
functions.
PMID- 28691471
TI - Salivary glucose as a metabolic control marker in patients with type 2 diabetes.
AB - A study was made of the correlation between the serum and salivary glucose levels
in healthy subjects and in patients with type 2 diabetes, in order to establish
the validity of salivary glucose determination in monitoring glycemia. Ninety
seven subjects were included in the study: 47 diabetic patients and 46 controls,
aged between 40- and 80-years-of-age. Venous blood and saliva samples were
collected in both groups under fasting conditions and after administering a test
meal (15% proteins, 55% carbohydrates and 30% lipids). The glucose levels were
measured using the glucose oxidase technique. The salivary glucose levels were
seen to be greater in the diabetic group vs the controls both under fasting
conditions (baseline) and after the meal (postprandial) (p=0.023 and p=0.008,
respectively). A significant positive correlation was found between the serum and
salivary glucose levels at baseline and under resting conditions, particularly in
the diabetic group (r=0.389, p=0.002). The coefficient of determination of the
simple linear regression model was R2=0.042, showing salivary glucose to be
related to the blood glucose levels. In conclusion, salivary glucose
concentration is correlated to serum glucose, particularly in type 2 diabetics.
PMID- 28691472
TI - Neuroinflammation, Alzheimer?s disease and periodontal disease: is there an
association between the two processes?
AB - Alzheimer?s disease (AD) is a very common cause of dementia in developed
countries and increases its prevalence progressively with age. AD
etiopathogenesis is not yet understood. However, it is recognized that
neuroinflammation plays a key role in its pathogenesis with the activation of
microglia and the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines triggering irreversible
neurodegenerative deterioration. This paper is a short review of the relationship
between AD and periodontal disease (PD). Both processes may have common causes:
both are inflammatory diseases and the prevalence and progression increases with
ageing. However, we must consider that AD begins to develop many years before its
clinical diagnosis. It is thought that in this prodromal period a connection
could be established between both processes, both sustained by low intensity
inflammation. There are several studies that relate both processes such as the
possible systemic exposure to certain periodontopathogenic bacteria or the
proinflammatory cytokines and other elements. It is argued that there are no
modifiable factors such as age, or genetic factors, but that there are other
factors that could be avoided, modified or controlled such as periodontal
peripheral inflammation.
PMID- 28691473
TI - Oral probiotics in the management of gingivitis in diabetic patients: a double
blinded randomized controlled study.
AB - Diabetic patients are more prone to develop infections such as periodontal
diseases. Bacteriotherapy with the concept of using good bacterial strains to
replace the pathogenic ones emerged as a fascinating field due to the increasing
incidence of antibiotic resistance. The aim of this study was to evaluate if a
particular combination of probiotics (Lactobacillus Reuteri DSM 17938 and
Lactobaciullus Reuteri ATCC PTA 5289) is useful in treating gingivitis in
diabetic patients. Eighty adult patients with diagnosis of controlled diabetes
type II and gingivitis were enrolled for this study and randomized in two groups.
Only oral hygiene instructions were given. Bacteriotherapy (Lactobacillus
Reuteri) was administered to test group. Outcome measures were presence of Plaque
(P.I.) and Bleeding on Probing (B.O.P.). Data were collected at baseline and
after 30 days. At 30 days, both groups showed a statistically significant
clinical indexes reduction from baseline. More reduction was present in the test
group for P.I. (14%+/-6) and for B.O.P. (18%+/-4) and was statistically
significant (p less than 0.05). Within the limitations of this study,
bacteriotherapy can be considered effective in reducing plaque and BOP in
patients with controlled diabetes type II and gingivitis.
PMID- 28691474
TI - Cone-morse implant connection system significantly reduces bacterial leakage
between implant and abutment: an in vitro study.
AB - Osseointegrated implants are very popular dental treatments today in the world.
In osseointegrated implants, the occlusal forces are transmitted from prosthesis
through an abutment to a dental implant. The abutment is connected to the implant
by mean of a screw. A screw is the most used mean for connecting an implant to an
abutment. Frequently the screws break and are lost. There is an alternative to
screw retained abutment systems: the cone-morse connection (CMC). The CMC, thanks
to the absence of the abutment screw, guarantees no micro-gaps, no micro
movements, and a reduction of bacterial leakage between implant and abutment. As
P. gingivalis and T. forsythia penetration might have clinical relevance, it was
the purpose of this investigation to evaluate molecular leakage of these two
bacteria in a new CMC implants systems (Leone Spa(r), Florence, Italy). To
identify the capability of the implant to protect the internal space from the
external environment, the passage of genetically modified Escherichia coli across
implant-abutment interface was evaluated. Four cone-morse Leone implants
(Leone(r) Spa, Florence, Italy) were immerged in a bacterial culture for 24 h and
bacteria amount was then measured inside implant-abutment interface with Real
time PCR. Bacteria were detected inside all studied implants, with a median
percentage of 3% for P. gingivalis and 4% for T. forsythia. Cone-morse connection
implant system has very low bacterial leakage percentage and is similar to one
piece implants.
PMID- 28691475
TI - Genetic effects of BIOPAD(r) on fibroblast primary culture.
AB - BIOPAD(r) is an ivory-white soft sponge, made exclusively of lyophilized type I
native heterologous collagen extracted from horse flexor tendon, gelatine free,
that keeps its native structure specific to the body's skin tissue. BIOPAD(r) is
an active dressing, playing an active role in all stages of wound healing
process, stimulating granulation tissue growth and enhancing regeneration
tissues. It ensures balance between absorption and humidity at wound surface,
gaseous exchange of soft tissues during healing process, barrier to prevent
bacterial infections and it is completely non-adherent. The use of BIOPAD(r) is
painless for the patient and does not require removal or change of dressing. In
this work, we evaluated the effect of BIOPAD(r) on fibroblasts behavior in term
of cell viability, survival and growth and collagen production. The expression
levels of some adhesion and traction-resistance related genes (ELN, DSP, FN1,
FBN1, ITGB1, ITGA1, ITGA5, ITGA2, COL1A1, COL3A1) were analyzed using real time
Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (real time RT-PCR). All genes,
except for ELN, DSP, ITGB1 and ITGA1 are up-regulated after 48 h of treatment.
Altogether, our results point out the good potential of BIOPAD(r) as a
biocompatible and regenerative tool in medicine.
PMID- 28691476
TI - Genetic effects of Vicryl(r) on fibroblast primary culture.
AB - Vicryl(r) (polyglactin 910) is an absorbable, synthetic, usually braided suture,
indicated for soft tissue approximation and ligation. Vicryl(r) has a special
coating for minimizing friction, easing passage through tissue and easy knot tie
down. It is synthetic for minimal tissue reaction. Fibroblasts are the main cells
of connective tissue that synthesize extracellular matrix. In this work, we tried
to judge the action of Vicryl(r) on fibroblasts behaviour. We evaluated the
expression levels of some adhesion and traction-resistance related genes (ELN,
DSP, FN1, FBN1, ITGB1, ITGA1, ITGA5, ITGA2, COL1A1, COL3A1) by using real time
Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (real time RT-PCR). All but 2
genes resulted up-regulated after 48 h of treatment. Our preliminary results
point out the potential of Vicryl(r) as a biocompatible and regenerative tool in
medicine.
PMID- 28691477
TI - Surface modification of titanium alloys for biomedical application: from macro to
nano scale.
AB - Bone is a complexly structured tissue and hierarchically organized from macro to
nano levels of dimensions. Biomaterial devices developed to replace and interact
with bone tissues have been designed from the macro to nano perspective to
provide suitable performance in acquiring primary and biological stability. Macro
level designed features provide mechanical interlock and primary stability to
implants inside the bone. Surface micro and nano structures influence cells
behavior to promote the secondary or biological stability, reaching successful
osseointegration.
PMID- 28691478
TI - Mondani intraoral welding: historical process and main practical applications.
AB - The intraoral welder was invented by Dr. Pierluigi Mondani during the early 70?s
to weld titanium needle implants to a titanium bar in patient?s mouth and to load
them immediately by means of resin prosthesis. The clinical use documented dates
back to 1972. Over the years, many practical applications have been added to the
initial one, which have expanded the use of this device. In this scientific work,
main applications are described. The aim of the work was to trace the historical
process of intra-oral welding according to Mondani and describe the main
practical applications. Intra-oral welding is a process introduced by dr. Pier
Luigi Mondani of Genova (Italy) which allows to firmly conjoin titanium implants
of any shape by means of a titanium bar or also directly between them in the
mouth during surgery. The immediate stabilization achieved by intraoral welding
increases implants success rate, allows immediate loading even in situations of
bone atrophy, saves implants that are running into failure, re-evaluates
fractured implants, allows to stabilize submerged implants postponing prosthesis
management, allows to achieve efficient rehabilitation protocols to deal with
difficult cases. The 40-years? experience with intra-oral welding described in
this article, confirms the ease of use and efficiency in providing immediate
stabilization of titanium implants of all types.
PMID- 28691479
TI - Effect of platelet reach plasma on fibroblast primary culture: gene expression
evaluation.
AB - To correct skin imperfections, aesthetic medicine today makes use of injectable
dermal fillers that allow filling skin by increasing the volume of soft tissue.
Currently, there are many fillers usable for their excellent biocompatibility and
low allergic reactions that ensure good results and good compliance. Among these,
the most widely used filler is Human Plasma, obtained by centrifugation from
patient blood and processed through cycles of centrifugation and heating, until
it becomes a gel. In this work, we evaluated the effect of the Plasma on
fibroblasts behavior in terms of cell viability, survival, growth and collagen
production. To this aim, the expression levels of some adhesion and traction
resistance related genes (COL11A1, ELN, GDF6, IGF1, DSP, ELANE, HAS1, HYAL1,
COL1A1 and COL3A1) were analyzed using real time Reverse Transcription-Polymerase
Chain Reaction (real time RT-PCR). All genes, except for COL1A1, COL3A1 and
COL11A1, were up-regulated after 24 h of treatment. Altogether, our results point
out the good potential of Plasma. In particular, we appreciated an up-regulation
in some of the most important genes involved in bio-revitalization, such as
elastin and hyaluronic acid.
PMID- 28691481
TI - Collegial thoughts from Australia
PMID- 28691480
TI - Computer-guided implant insertion in a patient with impacted maxillary canines:
case report.
AB - The use of minimally invasive surgical techniques undoubtedly represents a huge
advantage for both the clinician and the patient. This case report shows the
possibility of making an implant-prosthetic rehabilitation in an upper jaw in a
patient who presented dental elements 1.3 and 2.3 in bone inclusion. The use of
computer-guided surgery offers us the possibility to carry out this type of
implant rehabilitation without performing the extraction of the above-mentioned
dental elements combined with the bone regeneration of the extraction sockets.
Consequently, surgery invasiveness and post-surgery complications are reduced to
a minimum. Additionally, the predictability of the methodology is evaluated with
specific software that enables a comparison between what is virtually planned and
what occurs in clinical practice.
PMID- 28691482
TI - Sensitive Electrochemical Detection of Nitric Oxide Release from Cardiac and
Cancer Cells via a Hierarchical Nanoporous Gold Microelectrode.
AB - The importance of nitric oxide (NO) in many biological processes has garnered
increasing research interest in the design and development of efficient
technologies for the sensitive detection of NO. Here we report on a novel gold
microelectrode with a unique three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical nanoporous
structure for the electrochemical sensing of NO, which was fabricated via a
facile electrochemical alloying/dealloying method. Following the treatment, the
electrochemically active surface area (ECSA) of the gold microelectrode was
significantly increased by 22.9 times. The hierarchical nanoporous gold (HNG)
microelectrode exhibited excellent performance for the detection of NO with high
stability. On the basis of differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and amperometric
techniques, the obtained sensitivities were 21.8 and 14.4 MUA MUM-1 cm-2, with
detection limits of 18.1 +/- 1.22 and 1.38 +/- 0.139 nM, respectively. The
optimized HNG microelectrode was further utilized to monitor the release of NO
from different cells, realizing a significant differential amount of NO generated
from the normal and stressed rat cardiac cells as well as from the untreated and
treated breast cancer cells. The HNG microelectrode developed in the present
study may provide an effective platform in monitoring NO in biological processes
and would have a great potential in the medical diagnostics.
PMID- 28691483
TI - Using Femtosecond Laser Irradiation to Enhance the Vertical Electrical Properties
and Tailor the Morphology of a Conducting Polymer Blend Film.
AB - We report femtosecond infrared laser-induced selective tailoring of carrier
transport as well as surface morphology on a conducting polymer blend thin film.
Maximal 2.4 times enhancement on vertical current transport in poly(3
hexylthiophene):phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester, was achieved by this
irradiation. The laser irradiation induced a photo expansion without
deteriorating its molecular structure and the film morphology could be customized
in the micron scale by adjusting the laser writing parameters. In the
photoexpanded region, the face-on populations were about 2.2 times larger in
comparison with the pristine region, which was a major contributor to the
enhanced carrier transport.
PMID- 28691484
TI - Nitric Oxide Nanosensors for Predicting the Development of Osteoarthritis in Rat
Model.
AB - Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic arthritic disease that causes the overproduction
of inflammatory factors such as nitric oxide (NO). This study develops a NO
nanosensor to predict the OA development. The nanosensor is synthesized by
encapsulating the NO sensing molecules (i.e., 4-amino-5-methylamino-2',7'
difluorofluorescein Diaminofluorescein-FM (DAF-FM)) within the biodegradable
poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles. In vitro, the nanosensor allows the
monitoring of the NO release in interleukin-1beta-stimulated chondrocytes and the
alleviated effect of NG-monomethyl-l-arginine (a NO inhibitor) and
andrographolide (an anti-inflammatory agent). In the rat OA model, it permits the
quantification of NO level in joint fluid. The proposed NO nanosensor may
facilitate a noninvasive and real-time evaluation of the OA development.
PMID- 28691485
TI - Single-Drop Raman Imaging Exposes the Trace Contaminants in Milk.
AB - Better milk safety control can offer important means to promote public health.
However, few technologies can detect different types of contaminants in milk
simultaneously. In this regard, the present work proposes a single-drop Raman
imaging (SDRI) strategy for semiquantitation of multiple hazardous factors in
milk solutions. By developing SDRI strategy that incorporates the coffee-ring
effect (a natural phenomenon often presents in a condensed circle pattern after a
drop evaporated) for sample pretreatment and discrete wavelet transform for
spectra processing, the method serves well to expose typical hazardous molecular
species in milk products, such as melamine, sodium thiocyanate and lincomycin
hydrochloride, with little sample preparation. The detection sensitivity for
melamine, sodium thiocyanate, and lincomycin hydrochloride are 0.1 mg kg-1, 1 mg
kg-1, and 0.1 mg kg-1, respectively. Theoretically, we establish that the SDRI
represents a novel and environment-friendly method that screens the milk safety
efficiently, which could be well extended to inspection of other food safety.
PMID- 28691486
TI - Effects of Nonhydrostatic Stress on Structural and Optoelectronic Properties of
Methylammonium Lead Bromide Perovskite.
AB - We report synchrotron X-ray diffraction, photoconductivity, and photoluminescence
investigations of methylammonium-lead-bromide (MAPbBr3) under various stress
conditions, supported by density-functional-theory (DFT) calculations. The
properties of MAPbBr3 show substantial dependence on the hydrostatic conditions.
While nonhydrostatic compression of MAPbBr3 leads to amorphization above 2.4 GPa,
under quasi-hydrostatic (Ar) and hydrostatic (He) pressure, the sample remains in
crystalline phases. A sequence of phase transitions between two cubic phases and
orthorhombic Pnma phase is observed when using Ar, or no pressure-transmitting
medium (PTM). In helium-PTM only transitions between the two cubic structures and
a new isostructural phase transition with a large volume collapse to a third
cubic-phase at 2.7 GPa was observed. The photoluminescence measurements indicate
a pressure-induced band gap-narrowing in the cubic phase I, and a blue-shift in
the orthorhombic structure. DFT calculations illustrate that the dynamics of the
organic molecules and the inorganic lattice, coupled via the N-H...Br hydrogen
bonding interactions, affect the Pb-Br distance and the bandgap evolution under
pressure.
PMID- 28691487
TI - Low-Temperature Ohmic Contact to Monolayer MoS2 by van der Waals Bonded Co/h-BN
Electrodes.
AB - Monolayer MoS2, among many other transition metal dichalcogenides, holds great
promise for future applications in nanoelectronics and optoelectronics due to its
ultrathin nature, flexibility, sizable band gap, and unique spin-valley coupled
physics. However, careful study of these properties at low temperature has been
hindered by an inability to achieve low-temperature Ohmic contacts to monolayer
MoS2, particularly at low carrier densities. In this work, we report a new
contact scheme that utilizes cobalt (Co) with a monolayer of hexagonal boron
nitride (h-BN) that has the following two functions: modifies the work function
of Co and acts as a tunneling barrier. We measure a flat-band Schottky barrier of
16 meV, which makes thin tunnel barriers upon doping the channels, and thus
achieve low-T contact resistance of 3 kOmega.MUm at a carrier density of 5.3 *
1012/cm2. This further allows us to observe Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations in
monolayer MoS2 at much lower carrier densities compared to previous work.
PMID- 28691488
TI - Controllable Electrical Contact Resistance between Cu and Oriented-Bi2Te3 Film
via Interface Tuning.
AB - The contact resistance between metals and semiconductors has become critical for
the design of thin-film thermoelectric devices with their continuous
miniaturization. Herein, we report a novel interface tuning method to regulate
the contact resistance at the Bi2Te3-Cu interface, and three Bi2Te3 films with
different oriented microstructures are obtained. The lowest contact resistivity
(~10-7 Omega cm2) is observed between highly (00l) oriented Bi2Te3 and Cu film,
nearly an order of magnitude lower than other orientations. This significant
decrease of contact resistivity is attributed to the denser film connections,
lower lattice misfit, larger effective conducting contact area, and smaller width
of the surface depletion region. Meanwhile, our results show that the reduction
of contact resistance has little dependence on the interfacial diffusion based on
the little change in contact resistivity after the introduction of an effective
Ti barrier layer. Our work provides a new idea for the mitigation of contact
resistivity in thin-film thermoelectric devices and also gives certain guidance
for the size design of the next-level miniaturized devices.
PMID- 28691489
TI - Matsutakone and Matsutoic Acid, Two (Nor)steroids with Unusual Skeletons from the
Edible Mushroom Tricholoma matsutake.
AB - Matsutakone (1), a novel sterol with an unprecedented polycyclic ring system,
together with a new norsteroid matsutoic acid (2) were isolated from the fruiting
bodies of Tricholoma matsutake. Their structures and absolute configurations were
assigned by extensive spectroscopic analyses and computational methods. Bioassay
results showed that compounds 1 and 2 exhibited inhibitory activities against
acetylcholinesterase (IC50 20.9 MUM for 1).
PMID- 28691490
TI - Synthesis of (+/-)-Aphanorphine Using Rh-Catalyzed Cyclohydrocarbonylation.
AB - A facile formal synthesis to aphanorphine and its analogue is described,
featuring Rh-catalyzed cyclohydrocarbonylation of 2-aminodihydronaphthalene to
the bridged benzazepine core. Subsequent introduction of the methyl group and
functional group transformation complete the synthesis of aphanorphine and its
analogue over eight steps.
PMID- 28691491
TI - Peptidoglycan Cross-Linking Preferences of Staphylococcus aureus Penicillin
Binding Proteins Have Implications for Treating MRSA Infections.
AB - Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections are a global public
health problem. MRSA strains have acquired a non-native penicillin-binding
protein called PBP2a that cross-links peptidoglycan when the native S. aureus
PBPs are inhibited by beta-lactams. It has been proposed that the native S.
aureus PBPs can use cell wall precursors having different glycine branch lengths
(penta-, tri-, or monoglycine), while PBP2a can only cross-link peptidoglycan
strands bearing a complete pentaglycine branch. This hypothesis has never been
tested because the necessary substrates have not been available. Here, we
compared the ability of PBP2a and two native S. aureus transpeptidases to cross
link peptidoglycan strands bearing different glycine branches. We show that
purified PBP2a can cross-link glycan strands bearing penta- and triglycine, but
not monoglycine, and experiments in cells provide support for these findings.
Because PBP2a cannot cross-link peptidoglycan containing monoglycine, this study
implicates the enzyme (FemA) that extends the monoglycine branch to triglycine on
Lipid II as an ideal target for small molecules that restore sensitivity of MRSA
to beta-lactams.
PMID- 28691492
TI - Hypervalent Iodine-Mediated Oxidative Rearrangement of N-H Ketimines: An Umpolung
Approach to Amides.
AB - An umpolung approach to amides via hypervalent iodine-mediated oxidative
rearrangement of N-H ketimines under mild reaction conditions is described. This
strategy provides target amides with excellent selectivity in good yields. In
addition, preliminary mechanistic studies demonstrated that the migration
preference depends on both steric and electronic effects of the migrating groups.
PMID- 28691494
TI - Two New Tools for Glycopeptide Analysis Researchers: A Glycopeptide Decoy
Generator and a Large Data Set of Assigned CID Spectra of Glycopeptides.
AB - The glycopeptide analysis field is tightly constrained by a lack of effective
tools that translate mass spectrometry data into meaningful chemical information,
and perhaps the most challenging aspect of building effective glycopeptide
analysis software is designing an accurate scoring algorithm for MS/MS data. We
provide the glycoproteomics community with two tools to address this challenge.
The first tool, a curated set of 100 expert-assigned CID spectra of
glycopeptides, contains a diverse set of spectra from a variety of glycan types;
the second tool, Glycopeptide Decoy Generator, is a new software application that
generates glycopeptide decoys de novo. We developed these tools so that emerging
methods of assigning glycopeptides' CID spectra could be rigorously tested.
Software developers or those interested in developing skills in expert (manual)
analysis can use these tools to facilitate their work. We demonstrate the tools'
utility in assessing the quality of one particular glycopeptide software package,
GlycoPep Grader, which assigns glycopeptides to CID spectra. We first acquired
the set of 100 expert assigned CID spectra; then, we used the Decoy Generator
(described herein) to generate 20 decoys per target glycopeptide. The assigned
spectra and decoys were used to test the accuracy of GlycoPep Grader's scoring
algorithm; new strengths and weaknesses were identified in the algorithm using
this approach. Both newly developed tools are freely available. The software can
be downloaded at http://glycopro.chem.ku.edu/GPJ.jar.
PMID- 28691493
TI - Integrating Next-Generation Genomic Sequencing and Mass Spectrometry To Estimate
Allele-Specific Protein Abundance in Human Brain.
AB - Gene expression contributes to phenotypic traits and human disease. To date,
comparatively less is known about regulators of protein abundance, which is also
under genetic control and likely influences clinical phenotypes. However,
identifying and quantifying allele-specific protein abundance by bottom-up
proteomics is challenging since single nucleotide variants (SNVs) that alter
protein sequence are not considered in standard human protein databases. To
address this, we developed the GenPro software and used it to create personalized
protein databases (PPDs) to identify single amino acid variants (SAAVs) at the
protein level from whole exome sequencing. In silico assessment of PPDs generated
by GenPro revealed only a 1% increase in tryptic search space compared to a
direct translation of all human transcripts and an equivalent search space
compared to the UniProtKB reference database. To identify a large unbiased number
of SAAV peptides, we performed high-resolution mass spectrometry-based proteomics
for two human post-mortem brain samples and searched the collected MS/MS spectra
against their respective PPD. We found an average of ~117 000 unique peptides
mapping to ~9300 protein groups for each sample, and of these, 977 were unique
variant peptides. We found that over 400 reference and SAAV peptide pairs were,
on average, equally abundant in human brain by label-free ion intensity
measurements and confirmed the absolute levels of three reference and SAAV
peptide pairs using heavy labeled peptides standards coupled with parallel
reaction monitoring (PRM). Our results highlight the utility of integrating
genomic and proteomic sequencing data to identify sample-specific SAAV peptides
and support the hypothesis that most alleles are equally expressed in human
brain.
PMID- 28691495
TI - Synthesis of Hedgehoglike F-TiO2(B)/CNT Nanocomposites for Sonophotocatalytic and
Photocatalytic Degradation of Malachite Green (MG) under Visible Light: Kinetic
Study.
AB - The present study describes the preparation of hedgehoglike F-doped titanium
dioxide bronze (F-TiO2(B)) and its nanocomposites containing single-walled and
multiwalled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs, MWCNTs) by using combined ball milling
hydrothermal processes. Then, sonophotocatalytic and photocatalytic degradation
of malachite green (MG) dye from aqueous solution using prepared materials was
performed. The results show that F-TiO2(B)/SWCNT displays a good
sonophotocatalytic and photocatalytic performance among other products under
visible light. In addition, they indicated that the efficiency of malachite green
degradation is more than 95% and 91% for sonophotocatalytic and photocatalytic
methods, respectively. Also, they demonstrate that the photocatalytic efficiency
of catalysts increases in the presence of ultrasound and the sonophotocatalysis
process followed a second-order kinetics. The catalysts have been characterized
by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field emission scanning electron
microscopy (FESEM), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), Fourier transform infrared
spectroscopy (FTIR), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and energy
dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The analyzed data confirmed the presence of
CNTs and fluorine (F) as dopant in all nanocomposites. The presented hybrid
method reduced the band gap from 3.02 eV for F-TiO2(B) to 2.7 eV for F
TiO2(B)/SWCNT nanocomposite.
PMID- 28691496
TI - Single Cell Level Quantification of Nanoparticle-Cell Interactions Using Mass
Cytometry.
AB - Quantification of cell-associated nanoparticles (NPs) is a paramount question in
both nanomedicine and nanotoxicology. Inductively coupled plasma mass
spectrometry is a well-established method to resolve cell-associated (metal) NPs
in bulk cell populations, however, such analysis at single cell level remains a
challenge. Here we used mass cytometry, a technique that combines single cell
analysis and time-of-flight mass spectrometry, to quantitatively analyze extra-
and intracellular silver (Ag) in individual Ag NP exposed human T-lymphocytes.
The results revealed significant population heterogeneity: for example, in
lymphocytes exposed to 3 MUg of 30 nm branched polyethylene imine coated Ag
NPs/mL the extracellularly bound Ag varied from 79 to 560 fg and cellular uptake
from 17 to 121 fg. Similar amplitude of heterogeneity was observed in cells
exposed to various doses of Ag NPs with other sizes and surface coatings,
demonstrating the importance of single cell analysis when studying NP-cell
interactions. Although mass cytometry has some shortcomings such as inability to
analyze potential transformation or dissolution of NPs in cells, we consider this
method as the most promising for quantitative assessment of cell-NP interaction
at single cell level.
PMID- 28691497
TI - Increased mortality risk in diabetic patients discharged from hospital with
insulin therapy after an acute myocardial infarction: Data from the FAST-MI 2005
registry.
AB - BACKGROUND: Merits of insulin use for diabetes treatment in patients with
advanced atherosclerosis are debated. This observational study conducted in
diabetic patients after an acute myocardial infarction aimed to assess whether
insulin prescription at discharge (IPD) was related to all-cause mortality during
follow-up. METHODS: Subjects were diabetic patients admitted in intensive- or
coronary-care units for acute myocardial infarction (consecutively recruited in
223 centres in France) and discharged alive from the hospital, with or without an
IPD. Vital status after five years was obtained and the relationship between
insulin prescription at discharge and survival was studied. RESULTS: Overall,
1221 diabetic patients were discharged alive and 38% had an IPD. Factors
independently related to IPD were female gender, hospitalization in a public
hospital, duration of diabetes, HbA1c level, smoking, peripheral artery disease,
history of coronary heart disease and Killip class. After adjustment, IPD was
independently related to all-cause mortality after five years of follow-up
(adjusted hazard ratio = 1.72 (1.42-2.09), p<0.001). This increased mortality in
subjects with IPD was also observed in propensity matched analyses, when subjects
actually treated or actually not treated with insulin at discharge were compared
in two groups matched on their computed probability of having had insulin
prescribed. CONCLUSIONS: Insulin was preferably prescribed in seriously affected
patients, regarding diabetes and cardiovascular risk. However, insulin
prescription at discharge was associated with increased all-cause mortality after
extensive adjustments for confounders. These results suggest possible intrinsic
harmful effects of insulin in high-risk diabetic patients after myocardial
infarction.
PMID- 28691498
TI - Delivering End-of-Life Cancer Care: Perspectives of Providers.
AB - OBJECTIVES: Persistent gaps in end-of-life cancer care delivery and growing
associated expenditures remain imminent US public health issues. The objective of
this study was to understand clinical providers' experiences delivering cancer
care for patients at the end of life and their perspectives on potential
solutions to improve quality of care. METHODS: Semistructured interviews were
conducted with 75 cancer care providers across the United States. The interviews
were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using constant comparative method of
qualitative analysis. RESULTS: Providers identified 3 major cancer care delivery
challenges including lack of time to educate patients and caregivers due to
clinical volume and administrative burdens, ambiguity in determining both
prognosis and timing of palliative care at the end-of-life, and lack of adequate
systems to support non-face-to-face communication with patients. To address these
challenges, providers endorsed several options for clinical practice redesign in
their settings. These include use of a lay health worker to assist in addressing
early advance care planning, proactive non-face-to-face communication with
patients specifically regarding symptom management, and community and in-home
delivery of cancer care services. DISCUSSION: Specific strategies for cancer care
redesign endorsed by health-care providers may be used to create interventions
that can more efficiently and effectively address gaps in end-of-life cancer
care.
PMID- 28691499
TI - Eradication of HIV from Tissue Reservoirs: Challenges for the Cure.
AB - The persistence of HIV infection, even after lengthy and successful combined
antiretroviral therapy (cART), has precluded an effective cure. The anatomical
locations and biological mechanisms through which the viral population is
maintained remain unknown. Much research has focused nearly exclusively on
circulating resting T cells as the predominant source of persistent HIV, a
strategy with limited success in developing an effective cure strategy. In this
study, we review research supporting the importance of anatomical tissues and
other immune cells for HIV maintenance and expansion, including the central
nervous system, lymph nodes, and macrophages. We present accumulated research
that clearly demonstrates the limitations of using blood-derived cells as a proxy
for tissue reservoirs and sanctuaries throughout the body. We cite recent studies
that have successfully used deep-sequencing strategies to uncover the complexity
of HIV infection and the ability of the virus to evolve despite undetectable
plasma viral loads. Finally, we suggest new strategies and highlight the
importance of tissue banks for future research.
PMID- 28691500
TI - Factors associated with sustained community employment among adults with autism
and co-occurring intellectual disability.
AB - Sustaining community employment is a challenge for adults with autism spectrum
disorders, especially for those who have co-occurring intellectual disability,
but factors contributing to this employment outcome have not been fully
evaluated. This study utilized longitudinal data to explore the impact of
contextual influences, family factors, and individual characteristics on
sustained employment over approximately 18 months ( N = 105). Very few adults
with autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability achieved sustained
employment (14.3%). The results indicated that more independent daily living
skills, a higher family income, a larger maternal social network, an inclusive
school environment in early childhood, and currently living in an area with a
larger population size were associated with significantly greater odds of
sustaining employment. Follow-up analyses suggested that managing personal care
is particularly important for employment.
PMID- 28691501
TI - Factors Contributing to Hospital Stay and Total Inpatient Charges in Total Ankle
Arthroplasty: Review of the National Inpatient Sample.
AB - : Total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) is commonly performed for end-stage ankle
osteoarthritis. Given rising costs and declining reimbursements, identifying
variables increasing length of stay (LOS) and total inpatient charges (TICs) of
TAA is necessary for providing cost-effective care. The National Inpatient Sample
(NIS) database was reviewed between 1993 and 2010, identifying LOS and TIC for
TAA. Using a multivariate analysis, patient comorbidities, demographics, payment,
and hospital details were evaluated. Median LOS decreased from 5 to 2 days,
whereas median TICs increased from $21 382.53 to $62 028.00. Regionally, the
South and Midwest had decreased TICs, whereas the West had an increased TIC.
There was no significant difference in LOS geographically. Rural hospitals
demonstrated decreased TICs, whereas urban private hospitals showed decreased LOS
and decreased TICs. Large hospitals were associated with increased LOS and TICs.
Compared with Medicare, private insurers demonstrated decreased LOS with
equivalent TICs. Diabetics significantly increased mean LOS by 1 day, without a
significantly increased TIC. Despite a decreased LOS, hospital charges have
increased between 1993 and 2010 in TAA. We found that regional differences and
hospital characteristics were associated with differences in LOS and TICs.
Identification of these factors provides important information to facilities and
surgeons. LEVELS OF EVIDENCE: Level IV: Economic/decision analysis.
PMID- 28691502
TI - Associations of quality of life with health-related characteristics among
children with autism.
AB - We examine whether behavioral, mental health, and physical health characteristics
of children with autism are associated with baseline and change in health-related
quality of life. We measured health-related quality of life with the Pediatric
Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 total scores from children enrolled in the Autism
Treatment Network. We used linear mixed model regressions with random slopes.
Predictors of lower health-related quality of life at baseline included
demographic and insurance characteristics, diagnosis, higher Child Behavior
Checklist internalizing and externalizing scores, sleep problems by Children's
Sleep Habits Questionnaire, seizures, gastrointestinal problems, and mental
health problems. Several characteristics had different associations over time.
This study demonstrates that in addition to behavioral and autism-related
characteristics, physical and mental health conditions are associated with health
related quality of life in children with autism.
PMID- 28691503
TI - Improving Transitions of Care for Veterans Transferred to Tertiary VA Medical
Centers.
AB - Veterans are often transferred from "spoke" Veterans Administration (VA) clinics
or hospitals to "hub" tertiary VA hospitals for advanced inpatient care, but they
face significant barriers to safe transitions home. The Transitions Nurse Program
was developed as an intervention to address the unique needs of this population.
A difference-in-differences (DiD) analysis was used to compare outcomes between
303 veterans enrolled in this program and veterans transferred from the same
spoke sites to a second, similar tertiary VA hub. Veterans enrolled in the
program had significantly increased rates of follow-up with their primary care
clinic within 14 days of discharge (DiD estimate: 10.43%, 95% confidence interval
= 1.20 to 19.66), and a trend toward fewer unplanned 30-day readmissions (DiD
estimate: -6.9%, 95% confidence interval = -14.2 to 0.31%, P = .06). There were
no significant differences in 30-day emergency department visits or costs.
Lessons learned from this preliminary intervention can inform implementation at
other VA and non-VA sites.
PMID- 28691504
TI - Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy: Another Form of Cardiorenal Syndrome.
AB - Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TC) is a life-threatening syndrome with ambiguous
pathophysiology. The interdependency between heart failure and kidney failure
(KF) is well established, but the influence of KF on TC outcome is not known.
This single-center cohort from January 2003 to September 2015 consisted of 114
consecutive patients with TC. They were divided into 2 groups according to the
presence (n = 32, 29.6%) or absence (n = 76, 70.3%) of KF. The end point of this
retrospective study was a composite of in-hospital events, all-cause mortality,
rehospitalization due to heart failure, stroke, and recurrence of TC (mean follow
up: 5 years). Although there were no differences in baseline characteristics
between patients with/without KF, we found a significantly higher mortality rate
in those with KF, 1 (7.9% vs 21.8%, P < .05), 2 (11.8% vs 31.5%, P < .05), and 5
years (22.3% vs 43.7%, P < .05) after the index event. There were no differences
in life-threatening arrhythmias, cardiogenic shock, cardiopulmonary
resuscitation, and thromboembolic events in both groups at the index event.
Patients with TC and KF have a much worse long-term prognosis. This is clinically
relevant, but the mechanisms responsible remain to be determined.
PMID- 28691505
TI - Impact of Chronic Kidney Disease on the Presentation and Outcome of Patients
Hospitalized With Atrial Fibrillation: Insights From Qatar.
AB - Atrial fibrillation (AF) with coexistent chronic kidney disease (CKD) is poorly
described in the literature. We compared the presenting symptoms, clinical
characteristics, treatment, and outcome of patients hospitalized with AF with and
without CKD in a large clinical registry. Data of patients hospitalized with AF
between 1991 and 2012 in Qatar were analyzed. Of 5201 patients hospitalized for
AF, 264 (5.1%) had CKD. Patients with AF and CKD were older with higher
prevalence of other comorbidities and left ventricular dysfunction and were more
likely to present with shortness of breath and chest pain compared with patients
with AF alone who were more likely to present with palpitation. The crude in
hospital mortality was 3 times higher in patients with dual disease. On
multivariable adjustments, CKD was an independent predictor of mortality (odds
ratio: 2.84; 95% confidence interval: 1.33-6.08, P = .001). Further studies are
warranted to try to reduce the increased mortality observed in this high-risk
population.
PMID- 28691506
TI - The effect of music therapy on cognitive functions in patients with dementia: a
systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB - OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to meta-analyze the effect of music
therapy (MT) on cognitive functions in patients with dementia. METHOD: A
systematic literature search was performed in Medline, PsycINFO, Embase, CINAHL
and RILM up to 8 September 2016. We included all randomized controlled trials
that compared MT with standard care, or other non-musical types of intervention,
evaluating cognitive outcomes in patients with dementia. Outcomes included global
cognition, complex attention, executive function, learning and memory, language,
and perceptual-motor skills. RESULTS: From 1089 potentially relevant records, 110
studies were assessed for eligibility, and 7 met the inclusion criteria, of which
6 contained appropriate data for meta-analysis (330 participants, mean age range
78.8-86.3). Overall, random-effects meta-analyses suggested no significant
effects of MT on all outcomes. Subgroup analysis found evidence of a beneficial
effect of active MT on global cognition (SMD = 0.29, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.57, p =
0.04). CONCLUSION: Despite the limited evidence of the present review, it is
important to continue supporting MT as a complementary treatment for older adults
with dementia. RCTs with larger sample sizes are needed to better elucidate the
impact of MT on cognitive functions.
PMID- 28691507
TI - Genetic Basis of Positive and Negative Symptom Domains in Schizophrenia.
AB - Schizophrenia is a highly heritable disorder, the genetic etiology of which has
been well established. Yet despite significant advances in genetics research, the
pathophysiological mechanisms of this disorder largely remain unknown. This gap
has been attributed to the complexity of the polygenic disorder, which has a
heterogeneous clinical profile. Examining the genetic basis of schizophrenia
subphenotypes, such as those based on particular symptoms, is thus a useful
strategy for decoding the underlying mechanisms. This review of literature
examines the recent advances (from 2011) in genetic exploration of positive and
negative symptoms in schizophrenia. We searched electronic databases PubMed, Web
of Science, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature using
key words schizophrenia, symptoms, positive symptoms, negative symptoms,
cognition, genetics, genes, genetic predisposition, and genotype in various
combinations. We identified 115 articles, which are included in the review.
Evidence from these studies, most of which are genetic association studies,
identifies shared and unique gene associations for the symptom domains. Genes
associated with neurotransmitter systems and neuronal development/maintenance
primarily constitute the shared associations. Needed are studies that examine the
genetic basis of specific symptoms within the broader domains in addition to
functional mechanisms. Such investigations are critical to developing precision
treatment and care for individuals afflicted with schizophrenia.
PMID- 28691508
TI - Substantial improvement of primary cardiovascular prevention by a systematic
score-based multimodal approach: A randomized trial: The PreFord-Study.
AB - : Trial design Prospective randomized multicentre interventional study. Methods
Individual cardiovascular risk assessment in Ford Company, Germany employees ( n
= 4.196), using the European Society of Cardiology-Systematic Coronary Risk
Evaluation (ESC-SCORE) for classification into three risk groups. Subjects
assigned to ESC high-risk group (ESC-SCORE >= 5%), without a history of
cardiovascular disease were eligible for randomization to a multimodal 15-week
intervention programme (INT) or to usual care and followed up for 36 months.
Objectives Evaluation of the long-term effects of a risk-adjusted multimodal
intervention in high-risk subjects. Primary endpoint: reduction of ESC-SCORE in
INT versus usual care. Secondary endpoints: composite of fatal and non-fatal
cardiovascular events and time to first cardiovascular event. STATISTICAL
ANALYSIS: intention-to-treat and per-protocol analysis. Results Four hundred and
forty-seven subjects were randomized to INT ( n = 224) or to usual care ( n =
223). After 36 months ESC-SCORE development favouring INT was observed (INT:
8.70% to 10.03% vs. usual care: 8.49% to 12.09%; p = 0.005; net difference:
18.50%). Moreover, a significant reduction in the composite cardiovascular events
was observed: (INT: n = 11 vs. usual care: n = 27). Hazard ratio of intervention
versus control was 0.51 (95% confidence interval 0.25-1.03; p = 0.062) in the
intention-to-treat analysis and 0.41 (95% confidence interval 0.18-0.90; p =
0.026) in the per-protocol analysis, respectively. No intervention-related
adverse events or side-effects were observed. Conclusions Our results demonstrate
the efficiency of identifying cardiovascular high-risk subjects by the ESC-SCORE
in order to enrol them to a risk adjusted primary prevention programme. This
strategy resulted in a significant improvement of ESC-SCORE, as well as a
reduction in predefined cardiovascular endpoints in the INT within 36 months.
(ISRCTN 23536103.).
PMID- 28691510
TI - Treatment of Pseudobulbar Affect With Fluoxetine and Dextromethorphan in a Woman
With Multiple Sclerosis.
PMID- 28691509
TI - Content of Orthopedic Patient Education Provided by Nurses in Seven European
Countries.
AB - Patients' and their significant others' education during the perioperative phase
is an important and challenging aspect of care. This study explored the content
of education provided by nurses to arthroplasty patients and their significant
others. Data were collected with the Education of Patients-NURSE content (EPNURSE
Content), Received Knowledge of Hospital Patient (RKhp), and Received Knowledge
of Significant Other (RKso) scales. The results showed that the content of
education emphasized biophysiological and functional needs, differed between
countries, and was related to how physically demanding nurses found their job to
be and the amount of education provided. There is congruence between the received
knowledge of patients and their significant others in relation to the content of
education provided by nurses. The findings can support nurses in developing aid
material for patients and significant others explaining the nature of education
and advising them what to expect and how to optimize their participation in the
process.
PMID- 28691511
TI - Defining a stable water isotope framework for isotope hydrology application in a
large trans-boundary watershed (Russian Federation/Ukraine).
AB - Stable isotopes of hydrogen (2H) and oxygen (18O) of the water molecule were used
to assess the relationship between precipitation, surface water and groundwater
in a large Russia/Ukraine trans-boundary river basin. Precipitation was sampled
from November 2013 to February 2015, and surface water and groundwater were
sampled during high and low flow in 2014. A local meteoric water line was defined
for the Ukrainian part of the basin. The isotopic seasonality in precipitation
was evident with depletion in heavy isotopes in November-March and an enrichment
in April-October, indicating continental and temperature effects. Surface water
was enriched in stable water isotopes from upstream to downstream sites due to
progressive evaporation. Stable water isotopes in groundwater indicated that
recharge occurs mainly during winter and spring. A one-year data set is probably
not sufficient to report the seasonality of groundwater recharge, but this survey
can be used to identify the stable water isotopes framework in a weakly gauged
basin for further hydrological and geochemical studies.
PMID- 28691512
TI - The Incidence of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome in Simultaneous Surgical
Treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Dupuytren Contracture.
AB - BACKGROUND: To determine the incidence of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)
in the concurrent surgical treatment of Dupuytren contracture (DC) and carpal
tunnel syndrome (CTS) through a thorough review of evidence available in the
literature. METHODS: The indices of 260 hand surgery books and PubMed were
searched for concomitant references to DC and CTS. Studies were eligible for
inclusion if they evaluated the outcome of patients treated with simultaneous
fasciectomy or fasciotomy for DC and carpal tunnel release using CRPS as a
complication of treatment. Of the literature reviewed, only 4 studies met the
defined criteria for use in the study. Data from the 4 studies were pooled, and
the incidence of recurrence and complications, specifically CRPS, was noted.
RESULTS: The rate of CRPS was found to be 10.4% in the simultaneous treatment
group versus 4.1% in the fasciectomy-only group. This rate is nearly half the
8.3% rate of CRPS found in a randomized trial of patients undergoing carpal
tunnel release. CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis demonstrates a marginal increase in the
occurrence of CRPS by adding the carpal tunnel release to patients in need of
fasciectomy, contradicting the original reports demonstrating a much higher rate
of CRPS. This indicates that no clear clinical risk is associated with
simultaneous surgical treatment of DC and CTS. In some patients, simultaneous
surgical management of DC and CTS can be accomplished safely with minimal
increased risk of CRPS type 1.
PMID- 28691513
TI - Use of social networking sites and associations with skin tone dissatisfaction,
sun exposure, and sun protection in a sample of Australian adolescents.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Previous research has indicated that greater exposure to traditional
media (i.e. television, film, and print) predicted skin cancer risk factors in
adolescents; however, the relationship between social media usage and these
outcomes remains unexplored. We examined whether social networking site (SNS)
usage, and the particular manner of this use, was associated with skin tone
dissatisfaction, sun exposure and sun protection among Australian adolescents. We
also explored sex differences in SNS usage related to tanning. METHOD: A total of
1856 South Australian secondary school students completed the Australian School
Students Alcohol and Drug 2014 survey. SNS usage related to tanning comprised
posting pictures, posting text, viewing pictures, viewing text and liking or
sharing posts. RESULTS: Adolescents spent 214.56 minutes, on average, per day
using SNSs. Behaviours related to tanning that involved pictures (i.e. viewing
pictures, posting pictures, and liking or sharing content) were significantly
associated with more skin tone dissatisfaction, more sun exposure and less sun
protection. Females performed all SNS-linked behaviours more frequently than did
males, with the exception of posting text. CONCLUSION: Australian adolescents
spend a considerable amount of time using SNSs, and their behaviours related to
tanning on these SNSs are significantly associated with skin cancer risk factors.
PMID- 28691514
TI - Effect of heat treatment to sweet potato flour on dough properties and
characteristics of sweet potato-wheat bread.
AB - The effect of heat treatment at 90, 100, 110 and 120 C for 20 min to sweet potato
flour on dough properties and characteristics of sweet potato-wheat bread was
investigated. The lightness (L*) and a* of sweet potato flour samples after heat
treatment were increased, while the b* were decreased significantly, as well as
the particle size, volume and area mean diameter ( p < 0.05). A slight change of
the microstructures of sweet potato flour was observed, where the number of
irregular granules increased as the temperature increased from 90 to 120 C.
Compared with sweet potato flour samples without heat treatment and with heat
treatment at 90, 100 and 120 C, the gelatinization temperature and enthalpy
change of sweet potato flour at 110 C were the lowest, which were 77.94 C and
3.67 J/g, respectively ( p < 0.05). After heat treatment, gas retention of the
dough with sweet potato flour increased significantly from 1199 ml without heat
treatment to 1214 ml at 90 C ( p < 0.05). In addition, specific loaf volume of
sweet potato-wheat bread with sweet potato flour after heat treatment increased
significantly, which was the largest at 90 C (2.53 cm3/g) ( p < 0.05). Thus, heat
treatment at 90 C to sweet potato flour could be potentially used in wheat bread
production.
PMID- 28691515
TI - Anxiety, age, education and activities of daily living as predictive factors of
the occurrence of frailty syndrome in patients with heart rhythm disorders.
AB - OBJECTIVES: Frailty is one of the geriatric syndromes that are caused by
subclinical impairment of many organs, leading to the loss of reserves and the
ability to maintain homeostasis. Aim of the study was to assess which factors
including anxiety and depression can be predictive factors for the occurrence of
frailty syndrome in patients with heart rhythm disorders. METHODS: The study
included 171 consecutive patients >64 years (73.91 +/- 6.72; 48.5% W) with
diagnosed cardiac arrhythmias who had been qualified for pacemaker implantation.
The Tilburg Frailty Indicator scale as well as the Hospital Anxiety and Depresion
Scale (HADS) were used. RESULTS: The average HADS results in the frailty group
was significantly higher 7.42 +/- 2.63 compared to the robust patients 6.33 +/-
2.83; p =0.0019. Similar results were observed in patients with atrio-ventricular
blocks (AVB): HADS-A: frail 8.23 +/- 2.13 vs. robust 6.62 +/- 2.27; p = 0.0036
and HADS-D: frail 8.84 +/- 2.85 vs. robust 7.17 +/- 2.48; p =0.0086. The multiple
regression model showed that age (p =0.0023), education (p =0.0001), ADL (p
=0.0001) and the severity of the anxiety (p = 0.0414) were important predictors
of the dependent variable and predicted higher levels of frailty syndrome.
CONCLUSION: Anxiety, age, education and the activities of daily living can be
predictive factors of the occurrence of frailty syndrome in patients with heart
rhythm disorders who have been qualified for pacemaker implantation.
PMID- 28691516
TI - Excessive daytime sleepiness in chronic migraine and chronic tension-type
headache from the general population.
AB - Introduction A relationship between headache and excessive daytime sleepiness
(EDS) has been suggested. This study investigated this association in relation to
people with chronic migraine or chronic tension-type headaches. Methods A total
of 30,000 persons aged 30-44 from the general population were screened for
chronic headache. Those eligible were interviewed by a headache specialist. EDS
was defined as Epworth sleepiness scale score >10. Logistic regression models
were used. Results Among the 323 eligible participants, 21.1% had EDS. In
multivariable logistic regression analysis, the odds ratios (OR) of EDS were not
significantly different in people with CM and CTTH. However, high headache
frequency was associated with EDS (OR 2.03 (95% CI 1.11-3.73, p = 0.022)) for
those with >= 80 compared to < 80 headache days/3 months, after adjustment for
type of headache, age, and gender. Conclusions Increased EDS was associated with
higher headache frequency, but not with specific headache diagnoses.
PMID- 28691517
TI - Migraine triggers and habituation of visual evoked potentials.
AB - Background Identifying specific subsets of patients within the clinical spectrum
of migraine could help in personalizing migraine treatment. Profiling patients by
combining clinical characteristics and neurophysiological biomarkers is largely
unexplored. We studied the association between migraine attack triggers and
habituation of visual evoked potentials. Methods We personally interviewed 25
patients about their migraine triggers following a structured list, and measured
the N1-P1 habituation slope over six blocks of 100 averaged pattern-reversal VEP
afterwards. Results The mean number of triggers per patient was 4.52 +/- 1.42.
Habituation slopes differed significantly between subjects who reported stress as
a migraine trigger (deficient VEP habituation) and subjects who did not
(preserved VEP habituation). For the remaining categories, the mean amplitude
slope was always positive, indicating deficient habituation, and was not
significantly different between subgroups. Conclusions Migraine patients not
reporting perceived stress as a trigger for their attacks might constitute a
distinct clinic-physiological subset within the migraine spectrum.
PMID- 28691518
TI - Typical pain experience but underestimation of others' pain: Emotion perception
in self and others in autism spectrum disorder.
AB - Difficulties in emotion perception are commonly observed in autism spectrum
disorder. However, it is unclear whether these difficulties can be attributed to
a general problem of relating to emotional states, or whether they specifically
concern the perception of others' expressions. This study addressed this question
in the context of pain, a sensory and emotional state with strong social
relevance. We investigated pain evaluation in self and others in 16 male
individuals with autism spectrum disorder and 16 age- and gender-matched
individuals without autism spectrum disorder. Both groups had at least average
intelligence and comparable levels of alexithymia and pain catastrophizing. We
assessed pain reactivity by administering suprathreshold electrical pain
stimulation at four intensity levels. Pain evaluation in others was investigated
using dynamic facial expressions of shoulder patients experiencing pain at the
same four intensity levels. Participants with autism spectrum disorder evaluated
their own pain as being more intense than the pain of others, showing an
underestimation bias for others' pain at all intensity levels. Conversely, in the
control group, self- and other evaluations of pain intensity were comparable and
positively associated. Results indicate that emotion perception difficulties in
autism spectrum disorder concern the evaluation of others' emotional expressions,
with no evidence for atypical experience of own emotional states.
PMID- 28691519
TI - The role of stressful life events on the cortisol reactivity patterns of breast
cancer survivors.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Atypical patterns of cortisol secretion following an acute stressor
have been commonly reported in breast cancer survivors. Stressful life events
have been associated with blunted acute cortisol levels in other populations. The
purpose of this study was to explore the role of stressful life events on
cortisol secretion patterns of breast cancer survivors following an acute
stressor. DESIGN: The Trier Social Stress (TSST) was used to elicit a moderate
stress response in breast cancer survivors (n = 19) and a control group (n = 17).
Saliva samples were collected before, during and after the TSST to provide
cortisol concentrations. During recovery, we recorded the frequency and
subjective impact of stressful life events in the past year using the Life
Experience Survey. RESULTS: Simple regressions analyses were performed; results
suggest no group differences between the total number of stressful life events
and their subjective impact. However, the total number of stressful life events
as well as their subjective impact correlated negatively with the peak cortisol
concentration in breast cancer survivors. CONCLUSIONS: The cumulative effect of
stressful life events, positive and negative, may impact the endocrine stress
system of breast cancer survivors more so than that of women with no history of
cancer.
PMID- 28691520
TI - Caring For Me and You: the co-production of a computerised cognitive behavioural
therapy (cCBT) package for carers of people with dementia.
AB - OBJECTIVES: Carers of people with dementia face barriers in accessing therapy for
mental health difficulties. Computerised cognitive behavioural therapy (cCBT)
packages can be effective in treating a range of presentations; however, tailored
packages for carers' unique needs are lacking. Our aim was to design a cCBT
package for carers to address the limitations of previous online interventions,
by including users and experts as consultants and collaborators throughout the
project. METHOD: We adopted a three-phase approach to the development process.
Firstly, a data-gathering phase in which current literature and best practice was
reviewed, and semi-structured interviews conducted with service users, academic
and clinical experts. Secondly, a co-production and refinement phase with carers
testing materials and providing feedback. Thirdly, a pilot field testing phase of
service users and the research team testing the package. RESULTS: The 'Caring For
Me and You' package adopted a transdiagnostic approach to take account of the
range of difficulties that carers face. The package consisted of 20 short
sessions with features built in to engage users and personalise content to meet
individuals' needs. CONCLUSION: User involvement was central to the design of the
'Caring For Me and You' package which is currently being evaluated in a three-arm
randomised controlled trial.
PMID- 28691521
TI - 15-deoxy-isoxeniolide-A, new diterpenoid from a bornean soft coral, Xenia sp.
AB - A new xenicane diterpenoid, 15-deoxy-isoxeniolide-A (1) along with four known
compounds 9-deoxy-isoxeniolide-A (2), isoxeniolide-A (3), xeniolide-A (4) and
coraxeniolide-B (5) were isolated from the Bornean soft coral Xenia sp. The
structures of these metabolites were elucidated on the basis of spectral
analysis, NMR and HRESIMS. Compound 5 showed cytotoxic activity against ATL cell
line, S1T.
PMID- 28691522
TI - The rate of mental health service use in New Zealand as analysed by ethnicity.
AB - OBJECTIVES: To compare by ethnicity the rates of apparent new referrals and
admissions to mental health services for selected major diagnostic groupings.
METHOD: Using a Ministry of Health database covering all referrals and admissions
to New Zealand's Mental Health services in 2014 and who had not been patients in
the preceding six years, population adjusted rates of presentation were
calculated and compared across the two major New Zealand ethnic groupings.
RESULTS: Population corrected rates of apparently new cases of schizophrenia are
more than twice as common in Maori as in non-Maori. Major depression is also
significantly more common in Maori. That same trend was not evident for bipolar
patients. CONCLUSIONS: These ethnically associated apparent differences in the
rates of schizophrenia and depression need both confirmation and explanation.
PMID- 28691523
TI - Reflections of a psychiatric mercenary: on being a locum.
AB - OBJECTIVE: In this article I reflect on life as a locum psychiatrist in Australia
and New Zealand, considering the context, qualities required in a locum and the
benefits and challenges of the role. CONCLUSIONS: Australasian psychiatric locums
work mostly in rural areas or small towns where it is difficult to recruit and
retain consultants or to cover for leave. The qualities appreciated in locums are
their presence, the ability to start work quickly, flexibility, therapeutic
caution and advocacy. The personal benefits are income, adventure and learning.
While there are difficulties and frustrations, being a locum is interesting and
exciting for those inclined to step out of their comfort zone.
PMID- 28691524
TI - Dr Digby Moynagh (1911-1963) and the Graylands Day Hospital, 1959-1965.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To describe the establishment of Australia's first psychiatric day
hospital in Western Australia in April 1959 by Dr Digby Moynagh (1911-1963).
METHODS: A range of primary and secondary sources were consulted. RESULTS:
Moynagh was able to establish the Graylands Day Hospital because he had an
outsider's perspective, and was familiar with the day hospital model from UK
psychiatric literature. However, he was opposed by local medical and political
interests, which eventually led to his departure from the State. CONCLUSIONS: The
Graylands Day Hospital and Digby Moynagh both contributed towards the process of
psychiatric deinstitutionalisation in Australia.
PMID- 28691525
TI - Diagnostic performance of CT-guided percutaneous transthoracic core needle biopsy
using low tube voltage (100 kVp): comparison with conventional tube voltage (120
kVp).
AB - Background Computed tomography (CT)-guided percutaneous transthoracic core needle
biopsy (PTNB) is typically performed at 120 kVp tube voltage. However, there is
no study that has demonstrated diagnostic performance including ground-glass
nodules and radiation dose reduction at lower tube voltage in large population.
Purpose To retrospectively compare the diagnostic performance and radiation dose
between 100 kVp and 120 kVp during CT-guided PTNB. Material and Methods This
study included 393 PTNBs performed in 385 patients (Group I; 120 kVp) from March
2011 to September 2011 and 1368 PTNBs performed in 1318 patients (Group II; 100
kVp) from October 2011 to December 2013. The patients underwent CT-guided PTNB
with the coaxial technique. Diagnostic performance, complication rate, and
radiation dose were compared between two groups. Results Technical success was
achieved in 391 of 393 PTNBs (99.5%) in Group I and in 1344 of 1368 PTNBs (98.2%)
in Group II ( P = 0.09). The diagnostic accuracies for pulmonary lesions were not
significantly different between two groups (97.1% [362/373] versus 96.2%
[1202/1249], P = 0.458). Complication rate showed no significant differences
between two groups in terms of pneumothorax (19.7% [77/391] versus 19.4%
[261/1344], P = 0.904) and hemoptysis (2.3% [9/391] versus 3.2% [43/1344], P =
0.360). Among patients who developed pneumothorax, three patients (3.9%, 3/77) in
Group I and eight patients (3.1%, 8/261) in Group II required treatment with
drainage catheter. Nobody needed further treatment for hemoptysis in the two
groups. The mean radiation dose was 1.5 +/- 1.9 mSv in Group I and 0.7 +/- 0.3
mSv in Group II ( P < 0.001). Conclusion The 100-kVp protocol for CT-guided PTNB
showed significant benefit of radiation dose reduction while maintaining high
diagnostic accuracy and safety.
PMID- 28691526
TI - Non-enhanced versus low-dose contrast-enhanced renal magnetic resonance
angiography at 7 T: a feasibility study.
AB - Background Considering the currently reported association between a repetitive
application and cumulative dosage of Gadolinium (Gd)-based contrast agents and Gd
deposition in brain tissue as well as the risk for the advent of nephrogenic
systemic fibrosis (NSF), techniques allowing for a dose reduction become an
important key aspect aside from non-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (MRA)
techniques. Thus, this study was focused on the reduction and/or complete
omission of contrast agent for renal MRA at 7T. Purpose To evaluate the
performance of time-of-flight MRA versus low-dose contrast-enhanced (CE) renal
MRA at 7T. Material and Methods Ten healthy volunteers were examined on a 7T MR
system comprising a TOF MRA and three-dimensional (3D) fast low angle shot
spoiled gradient-echo sequence (FLASH) MRA after administration of one-quarter of
clinical dose of gadobutrol. Qualitative image analysis was performed including
overall image quality, artery delineation and presence of artifacts. Contrast
ratio (CR), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of the
renal arteries were calculated. Results TOF MRA and low-CE MRA achieved
comparable overall ratings, with slightly superior delineation of the main renal
arteries in TOF MRA (TOF = 3.10 +/- 0.75, low-CE = 2.95 +/- 0.75). Segmental
branches outside and inside the parenchyma were delineated significantly better
on TOF MRA. Quantitative analysis demonstrated the superiority of TOF MRA,
yielding higher scores for CR, SNR, and CNR. Conclusion The initial results of
our study demonstrate the feasibility and comparable diagnostic performance of
TOF and low-dose CE renal MRA at 7T.
PMID- 28691527
TI - Generic gadolinium-based contrast agents: the future?
PMID- 28691528
TI - Ribbing disease: a systematic review.
AB - Background Ribbing disease, or multiple diaphyseal sclerosis, is a rare benign
bone dysplasia. Purpose To systematically review the literature to determine the
clinical and radiological presentation of patients with Ribbing disease as well
as the effects of attempted treatments. Material and Methods We considered
individual patient data of patients diagnosed with Ribbing disease derived from
patient reports and patient series. All stages of the review were performed by
two reviewers independently. Standard descriptive statistics were used for
quantitative analyses and mixed model analyses were used when appropriate Results
The literature search yielded 420 unique hits of which 23 studies were included,
covering a total of 40 patients of whom 29 had bilateral involvement. The mean
age at diagnosis was 35 years and the mean time between diagnosis and onset of
symptoms, mostly pain, was five years (range = 1-16 years). The tibial diaphysis
was the most commonly involved bone in 35 of 36 patients. Non-surgical treatment
consisted of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), prednisone, and
bisphophonates with mixed results. Surgical treatment consisted of intramedullary
reaming and fenestration and was very effective to reduce pain. Conclusion The
clinical presentation and imaging findings of patients with Ribbing disease are
becoming more apparent. However, there is paucity of evidence on the natural
disease progression and effectiveness of treatment modalities.
PMID- 28691529
TI - Percutaneous treatment of hepatic hydatid cysts is safe and effective with low
profile single step trocar catheter.
PMID- 28691530
TI - Depressive symptoms in Parkinson's disease are related to decreased left
hippocampal volume: correlation with the 15-item shortened version of the
Geriatric Depression Scale.
AB - Background The relationship between hippocampal and amygdaloid volumes and
depression in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) is a controversial issue.
Purpose To investigate the correlation between the 15-item shortened version of
the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) and gray matter volume in PD. Material
and Methods In the present study, 46 participants with PD were scanned with 3 T
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to obtain three-dimensional (3D) T1-weighted
(T1W) images. Neurologists specializing in movement disorders performed clinical
evaluations of the participants (e.g. GDS-15, Mini-Mental State Examination, PD
duration, age, sex). Statistical Parametric Mapping 8 software was used for image
gray matter segmentation and for a correlation analysis between gray matter
volume and GDS-15 score. Results The results showed a significant negative
correlation between GDS-15 score and left hippocampal volume, and between GDS-15
score and right parahippocampal gyrus volume. No significant positive
correlations were found in the whole brain. Conclusion The current results
provide new evidence regarding the relationship between depression in PD and
hippocampal volume.
PMID- 28691531
TI - Survival analysis of the Wallis interspinous spacer used as an augment to lumbar
decompression.
AB - OBJECT: The Wallis fixed interspinous spacer may augment traditional
decompression in the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis. The aim of this study
was to determine factors influencing survival of the Wallis interspinous spacer
and to identify specific modes and predictors of failure. METHODS: We performed a
retrospective cohort study of 244 Wallis interspinous spacers implanted in 195
consecutive patients with a mean age of 56 years (range 21-87) to augment single
or multi-level decompression. We examined patient demographics, indications for
surgery, surgical techniques and pathology on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A
Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed. RESULTS: Median follow-up was 4.5
years (range 2-8). Sixteen patients were lost to follow-up. Repeat MRI was
performed in 98 patients (50%). A recurrent stenosis was found in 21% of patients
(41/195) and occurred at a similar incidence at the level of the spacer and at
adjacent spinal levels. Revision decompression was performed in 19 patients (10%)
at 2.8 +/- 1.8 years (range 6 months-6 years) with implant removal in 15 and
conversion to fusion in 4 patients. No specific patient factors or pre-operative
MRI findings predicted failure. Five-year survival was 91% (95% CI: 79-96%).
CONCLUSIONS: The Wallis implant is generally implanted without complication when
used as an adjunct to decompression with a good medium term survival. Though disc
heights were maintained, the Wallis spacer did not however appear to reduce the
incidence of recurrent spinal or foraminal stenosis from that expected from
decompression alone.
PMID- 28691532
TI - Is the effect of coping styles disease specific? Relationships with emotional
distress and quality of life in acquired brain injury and multiple sclerosis.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the use of coping styles and the relationships linking
coping to emotional distress and quality of life in patients with acquired brain
injury and multiple sclerosis. METHOD: Cross-sectional cohort study of 143
patients with acquired brain injury and 310 patients with multiple sclerosis in
the chronic stage. Quality of life was measured with the Life Satisfaction
Questionnaire (LiSat-9), coping styles with the Coping Inventory for Stressful
Situations (CISS-T, task-oriented; CISS-E, emotion-oriented; CISS-A, avoidance),
emotional distress with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).
RESULTS: Coping styles did not differ between types of multiple sclerosis and
varied only little with regard to severity of disease. In both patient groups,
task-oriented coping was most used followed by avoidance and emotion-oriented
coping. Patients with multiple sclerosis used all styles to a greater extent. In
acquired brain injury, lower CISS-E and lower HADS scores were associated with
higher LiSat-9 scores. CISS-E had a direct effect on LiSat-9 and an indirect
effect via HADS. In multiple sclerosis, next to lower CISS-E and lower HADS
scores, higher CISS-A scores were also associated with higher LiSat-9 scores.
CISS-E had an indirect effect and CISS-A had a direct and indirect effect on
LiSat-9. CONCLUSION: In both patient groups, coping patterns are similar, and
emotion-oriented coping negatively influences quality of life. Additionally, in
multiple sclerosis, seeking emotional support and distraction (CISS-A) was
positively associated with quality of life. Interventions to improve adaptive
coping could be organized within a neurorehabilitation setting for both patient
groups together.
PMID- 28691533
TI - Correction to: Zhang etal., Comparison of pharmacokinetics and drug release in
tissues after transarterial chemoembolization with doxorubicin using diverse
lipiodol emulsions and CalliSpheres Beads in rabbit livers.
PMID- 28691534
TI - Relative survival and excess mortality following primary percutaneous coronary
intervention for ST-elevation myocardial infarction.
AB - BACKGROUND: High survival rates are commonly reported following primary
percutaneous coronary intervention for ST-elevation myocardial infarction, with
most contemporary studies reporting overall survival. AIMS: The aim of this study
was to describe survival following primary percutaneous coronary intervention for
ST-elevation myocardial infarction corrected for non-cardiovascular deaths by
reporting relative survival and investigate clinically significant factors
associated with poor long-term outcomes. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using the
prospective UK Percutaneous Coronary Intervention registry, primary percutaneous
coronary intervention cases ( n=88,188; 2005-2013) were matched to mortality data
for the UK populace. Crude five-year relative survival was 87.1% for the patients
undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention and 94.7% for patients <55
years. Increasing age was associated with excess mortality up to four years
following primary percutaneous coronary intervention (56-65 years: excess
mortality rate ratio 1.61, 95% confidence interval 1.46-1.79; 66-75 years: 2.49,
2.26-2.75; >75 years: 4.69, 4.27-5.16). After four years, there was no excess
mortality for ages 56-65 years (excess mortality rate ratio 1.27, 0.95-1.70), but
persisting excess mortality for older groups (66-75 years: excess mortality rate
ratio 1.72, 1.30-2.27; >75 years: 1.66, 1.15-2.41). Excess mortality was
associated with cardiogenic shock (excess mortality rate ratio 6.10, 5.72-6.50),
renal failure (2.52, 2.27-2.81), left main stem stenosis (1.67, 1.54-1.81),
diabetes (1.58, 1.47-1.69), previous myocardial infarction (1.52, 1.40-1.65) and
female sex (1.33, 1.26-1.41); whereas stent deployment (0.46, 0.42-0.50)
especially drug eluting stents (0.27, 0.45-0.55), radial access (0.70, 0.63-0.71)
and previous percutaneous coronary intervention (0.67, 0.60-0.75) were
protective. CONCLUSIONS: Following primary percutaneous coronary intervention for
ST-elevation myocardial infarction, long-term cardiovascular survival is
excellent. Failure to account for non-cardiovascular death may result in an
underestimation of the efficacy of primary percutaneous coronary intervention.
PMID- 28691535
TI - Promoting free flow in the networks: Reimagining the body in early modern Suzhou.
AB - The history of Chinese medicine is still widely imagined in terms dictated by the
discourse of modernity, that is as 'traditional' and 'Chinese.' And yet, so as to
be intelligible to us moderns, it must simultaneously be framed through
categories that make it comparable somehow to the 'West' and the 'modern' from
which it is said to be essentially different. This is accomplished, for instance,
by viewing Chinese medicine as fundamentally shaped by cosmological thinking, as
focusing on process rather than matter, and as forever hampered by attachments to
the past even when it tries to innovate. At the same time, it is described as
pursuing its objectives in ways that make sense in 'our' terms, too, such as the
goal of creating physiological homeostasis through methods of supplementation and
drainage. In this paper, I seek to move beyond this kind of analysis through a
two-pronged approach. First, by focusing on the concept of tong - a character
that calls forth images of free flow, connectivity, relatedness and understanding
- I foreground an important aspect of Chinese medical thinking and practice that
has virtually been ignored by Western historians of medicine and science. Second,
by exploring how the influential physician Ye Tianshi (1664-1746) employed tong
to advance medical thinking and practice at a crucial moment of change in the
history of Chinese medicine, I demonstrate that physicians in early modern China
moved towards new understandings of the body readily intelligible by modern
biomedical anatomy. I argue that this mode of analysis allows us to transcend the
limitations inherent in the current historiography of Chinese medicine: because
it allows for comparison to emerge from our subject matter rather than imposing
our imaginaries onto it in advance.
PMID- 28691536
TI - MABp1 for the treatment of colorectal cancer.
AB - INTRODUCTION: Inflammation is an established process in colorectal cancer
development and a hallmark of progression, and pro-inflammatory cytokines have
been implicated in the morbidity and functional compromise associated with
malignancy. MABp1, described as a first-in-class true human antibody against
interleukin-1alpha, has undergone clinical trial evaluation in a number of
indications, recently completing late phase clinical trial testing under Fast
Track designation for cancer anorexia-cachexia syndrome in colorectal cancer
patients. To date, MABp1 has been evaluated as a novel therapeutic strategy to
ameliorate phenotypic factors associated with poor prognosis in colorectal cancer
patients. Areas covered: In this review, the authors discuss the clinical trial
data available to date for this antibody in colorectal cancer, including novel
clinical trial endpoints utilized to evaluate sarcopenia and inflammation, as
well as the proposed role of interleukin-1alpha antagonism in leading to improved
patient outcomes. Expert opinion: There is a multitude of antibodies in
therapeutic development in oncology, and MABp1 is a novel class of antibody which
has been safely tolerated to date. Clinical studies of this agent suggest a
significant improvement in lean body mass, though additional results evaluating
the impact of targeting inflammation as a strategy to delay disease progression
in this population are awaited.
PMID- 28691537
TI - Pharmacological management of dermatomyositis.
AB - INTRODUCTION: Dermatomyositis is a rare heterogeneous systemic autoimmune disease
with multiple organ involvement which can result in significant disability and
mortality. Despite the lack of placebo-controlled trials, glucocorticoids are
considered to be the mainstay of initial management. Treatment strategies are
mainly based on uncontrolled studies, evidence based guidelines for treatments do
not exist. Areas covered: This review provides an overview of the currently
available pharmacological treatments in the field of dermatomyositis including
conventional immunosuppressants, biologics and topical agents. The role of
antibodies in different treatment responses of dermatomyositis related
clinicoserological syndromes is also discussed. A PubMed search was performed in
order to find relevant literature for this review. Expert commentary: Early
recognition and intervention is essential to ameliorate disease outcome.
Determination of antibodies provide a useful key in diagnosis, clinical
manifestations, malignancy, prognosis, and treatment response and may lead to
wider acceptance of personalized medicine. Corticosteroids with adjunctive
steroid-sparing immunosuppressive therapies are recommended to treat disease
activity, prevent mortality, and reduce long-term disability. Combinations of
second-line therapies or newer third-line therapies are used in severe,
refractory, or corticosteroid-dependent diseases. Further research is required to
assess the role of new therapies.
PMID- 28691538
TI - Olaratumab for soft tissue sarcoma.
AB - INTRODUCTION: Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) are rare malignant tumors.
Unfortunately, the first-line doxorubicin-based treatment has not been improved
since the 1970s. Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) receptor alpha (PDGFR
alpha) and its ligands are co-expressed in many types of cancer, including
sarcomas. They are involved in stimulating growth and regulating stromal-derived
fibroblasts and angiogenesis. PDGFR-alpha and its ligand may play an important
role in tumorigenesis and be a potential target in the treatment of sarcomas.
Olaratumab is a fully human IgG1-type anti-PDGFR-alpha monoclonal antibody with a
high affinity and a low 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50). Areas covered: The
authors review the role of olaratumab in the treatment of STS by focusing on the
recent, randomized Phase II JDGD trial that challenged patients with unresectable
or metastatic STS with doxorubicin in the presence or absence of olaratumab. This
trial showed a great improvement in overall survival (OS), with an increase in
survival from 14.7 months to 26.5 months for patients in the experimental arm and
showed acceptable toxicity. Expert opinion: Results seem promising. However, it
must be qualified, as the study includes several uncertainties. These
uncertainties should be addressed by the ongoing Phase 3 JGDJ confirmatory trial,
for which the final efficacy analysis is expected by 2019.
PMID- 28691539
TI - Investigational antiarrhythmic agents: promising drugs in early clinical
development.
AB - INTRODUCTION: Although there have been important technological advances for the
treatment of cardiac arrhythmias (e.g., catheter ablation technology),
antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) remain the cornerstone therapy for the majority of
patients with arrhythmias. Most of the currently available AADs were coincidental
findings and did not result from a systematic development process based on known
arrhythmogenic mechanisms and specific targets. During the last 20 years, our
understanding of cardiac electrophysiology and fundamental arrhythmia mechanisms
has increased significantly, resulting in the identification of new potential
targets for mechanism-based antiarrhythmic therapy. Areas covered: Here, we
review the state-of-the-art in arrhythmogenic mechanisms and AAD therapy.
Thereafter, we focus on a number of antiarrhythmic targets that have received
significant attention recently: atrial-specific K+-channels, the late Na+
current, the cardiac ryanodine-receptor channel type-2, and the small-conductance
Ca2+-activated K+-channel. We highlight for each of these targets available
antiarrhythmic agents and the evidence for their antiarrhythmic effect in animal
models and early clinical development. Expert opinion: Targeting AADs to specific
subgroups of well-phenotyped patients is likely necessary to detect improved
outcomes that may be obscured in the population at large. In addition, specific
combinations of selective AADs may have synergistic effects and may enable a
mechanism-based tailored antiarrhythmic therapy.
PMID- 28691540
TI - Endoscopic management of foreign bodies in the upper gastrointestinal tract: a
retrospective study of 1294 cases.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To report our endoscopic outcomes and explore the effects of duration
of impaction and anesthetic methods on the endoscopic removal of foreign bodies
in the upper gastrointestinal tract. METHODS: All consecutive patients with
suspected foreign body (FB) ingestion between January 2013 and June 2016 were
enrolled. Demographic, clinical and endoscopic data were collected and analyzed.
RESULTS: A total of 1294 patients aged seven months to 94 years were enrolled.
Odynophagia (415 cases, 32.1%), FB sensation (340 cases, 26.3%) and sore throat
(267 cases, 20.1%) were the most frequent complaints. The duration of FB
impaction ranged from 4 h to over two years. Anatomically, foreign bodies were
most commonly located in the esophagus (n = 1025, 86.9%). Bony foreign bodies
comprised the majority of identified foreign bodies. The most common underlying
pathology was esophageal stricture (38 cases, 53.5%). Nearly half of the patients
(49.9%) developed complications. As the duration of impaction increased, the
success rate by endoscopy decreased (p < .001), and the complication rate
increased (p < .001). Endoscopic management under general anesthesia didn't
improve the success rate or lower the complication rate compared with topical
pharyngeal anesthesia (p = .793 and p = .085). Age >=60, duration of impaction
longer than one day, impaction in the esophagus, and sharp foreign bodies were
identified as risk factors for complications. CONCLUSIONS: Delayed flexible
endoscopy in patients, especially elderly patients, with sharp FB impactions in
the esophagus results in worse endoscopic outcomes. Endoscopic management under
general anesthesia did not improve the therapeutic results compared with topical
pharyngeal anesthesia.
PMID- 28691541
TI - Effects of hazelnuts and cocoa on vascular reactivity in healthy subjects: a
randomised study.
AB - Cocoa helps maintain endothelium-dependent vasodilation; consumption of hazelnuts
has been associated with reduced cardiovascular disease risk. This study assesses
the effects of hazelnuts and cocoa on vascular reactivity and metabolic profile.
Sixty-one healthy volunteers, examined in a randomised, controlled, two-week
intervention, received one of six breakfast integrations containing either
hazelnuts, cocoa, both or none. Consumption of unpeeled hazelnuts improved HDL
cholesterol (+7.3%, p = .01 vs. baseline, p = .02 vs. control). Brachial artery
peak systolic velocities (PSV) at rest increased with hazelnut integrations by
43.4% (p = .04 vs. control) and hazelnut-cocoa integrations by 26.4% (p = .01 vs.
control). PSV after 3-min cuff occlusion increased by 60.7% (p = .002 vs.
control) with a peeled hazelnut snack and by 64.7% with a hazelnut-cocoa
integration (p = .04 vs. control). The combination hazelnut-cocoa may act in a
synergic and protective way on cardiovascular system.
PMID- 28691542
TI - Cross-Cultural Validation of the York Measure of Quality of Intensive Behavioral
Intervention.
AB - Early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) is widely applied in young
children with autism spectrum disorder. Little research has addressed the
significance of adherence to EIBI practices for treatment outcomes. The York
Measure of Quality of Intensive Behavioral Intervention (YMQI) was designed to
assess EIBI quality delivery in Ontario, Canada. The objective of this study was
to examine the cross-cultural validity of the YMQI in a clinical Swedish
community sample of 30 boys and four girls with autism aged 2.5 to 6 years.
Internal consistency was alpha = .87 for the full scale YMQI. Interrater
reliability among three raters on 97 video-recorded therapy sequences was .71
(intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC]), and intrarater reliability of two
raters re-scoring 15 sequences after 6 months was ICC = .87. The convergent
validity of the YMQI with EIBI expert ratings was r = .49. Findings endorse the
psychometric properties of the YMQI and its usability outside of Anglo-Saxon
countries.
PMID- 28691543
TI - Volar Locking Plate Fixations for Displaced Distal Radius Fractures: An
Evaluation of Complications and Radiographic Outcomes.
AB - BACKGROUND: A volar locking plate (VLP) is the most frequently used form of
implant used for open reduction and internal fixation of distal radius fractures.
They are known to have a complication rate of up to 27%. We hypothesized that
plate design could influence complication rates. METHODS: We performed a review
of patients undergoing VLP fixation for distal radius fracture. A total of 228
patients underwent fixation with the Distal Volar Radial Anatomical (DVR) plate;
388 patients underwent fixation with the VariAx plate. Independent observers
performed blinded case note and radiographic review, to assess for the quality of
reduction, and complications for the inserted VLP. RESULTS: Mean time to surgery
was 6.0 days; mean follow-up was 17.5 weeks. Mean age was 56.5 years. The quality
of reduction was classified as anatomical (46%), good (36.3%), moderate (13.0%),
or poor (3.9%). Complications were identified in 109 patients (17%). Plate
prominence was seen in 133 patients (21%). The DVR plate was less prominent ( P <
.001) and had better overall radiographic appearances ( P = .025). Flexor tendon
complications were related to plate prominence ( P = .005). Inferior reduction
was associated with increased time to surgery ( P = .020). CONCLUSIONS: This
study highlights the importance of prompt surgery, effective fracture reduction,
and careful plate positioning to avoid volar prominence.
PMID- 28691544
TI - The effect of plant sterol-enriched turkey meat on cholesterol bio-accessibility
during in vitro digestion and Caco-2 cell uptake.
AB - This study evaluated the effect of a plant sterol-enriched turkey product on
cholesterol bio-accessibility during in vitro digestion and cholesterol uptake by
Caco-2 monolayers. Turkey products, one plant sterol-enriched (PS) and one plant
sterol-free (C), were produced in an industrial pilot plant. Before simulated
digestion, matrices were spiked with cholesterol (1:5 weight ratio of cholesterol
to plant sterol). Plant sterols were included at a concentration equivalent to
the minimum daily intake recommended by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
for cholesterol lowering. After simulated digestion, the percentage of
cholesterol micellarization and uptake by Caco-2 cells in the presence of PS meat
were measured. Compared to C meat, PS meat significantly inhibited cholesterol
micellarization on average by 24% and Caco-2 cell accumulation by 10%. This study
suggests that plant sterols in meat can reduce cholesterol uptake by intestinal
epithelia and it encourages efforts to make new PS-based functional foods.
PMID- 28691545
TI - Association of the functional serotonin transporter haplotype with familial form
of obsessive compulsive disorder in Iranian patients.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Several polymorphisms have been reported in the 5-HTTLPR of the
serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4). Family-based evidences for the association
of 5-HTTLPR polymorphisms with OCD were previously reported but results were
controversial. The present study investigated the possible correlation of SLC6A4
polymorphisms (5-HTTLPR, rs25532, rs25531) in Iranian OCD patients considering
gender, age of onset, family history of psychiatric disorders, obsessive and
compulsive subtypes and severities. METHODS: The included OCD patients fulfilled
the criteria for DSM-IV-TR whom Y-BOCS score was more than 9. Blood samples (184
cases and 192 controls) were genotyped by means of PCR-RFLP. RESULTS: Mean of Y
BOCS scores of included patients was 20.1 +/- 0.69. Rs25532 CC genotype showed
significant association with OCD in men and were detected more in the patients
reported positive family history of psychiatric disorders but the other single
loci (5-HTTLPR and rs25531) did not associate with OCD. Haplotype analysis showed
significant association of 14-A variant with OCD and revealed the association of
14-A/14-A genotype with familial form of OCD. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this
study showed the association of SLC6A4 variants with familial form of OCD and
proposed stratified analyses in the genetic studies facilitate identification of
genetic risk factors for this heterogeneous disorder.
PMID- 28691546
TI - Procalcitonin in amniotic fluid at the time of genetic amniocentesis and preterm
delivery.
AB - PURPOSE: Procalcitonin (PCT) is an acute-phase protein that has been infrequently
studied in amniotic fluid. We sought to determine if PCT levels measured in
amniotic fluid samples at the time of genetic amniocentesis are predictive of
preterm delivery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was
performed on all women presenting for genetic amniocentesis between 15-23 weeks
of pregnancy at our institution from 2011 to 2013 with stored amniotic fluid
samples. PCT protein levels were measured in the samples by enzyme-linked
immunosorbent assay (ELISA). PCT levels in women who delivered less than 37 weeks
versus those who delivered at or after 37 week were compared. Mann-Whitney test
was used. RESULTS: Eighty-seven samples were available for analysis and of these
eight (9.2%) were from patients who delivered preterm. Sixty-two (70%) had PCT
levels below the lower limit of quantification, which was 25 pg/mL. Median PCT
levels did not differ between the preterm and term group [20.4 pg/mL (range 0
82.8) and 20.2 pg/mL (range 0-198.4), respectively, p = .95]. CONCLUSION: In
asymptomatic women undergoing genetic amniocentesis in this cohort, procalcitonin
levels were low to undetectable and did not correlate with risk of subsequent
preterm birth.
PMID- 28691547
TI - Reduced risk of reoperation after treatment of femoral neck fractures with total
hip arthroplasty.
AB - Background and purpose - Femoral neck fractures (FNFs) are commonly treated with
some kind of arthroplasty, but evidence on whether to use hemiarthroplasty (HA)
or total hip arthroplasty (THA) is lacking. HA reduces the risk of dislocation,
but may lead to acetabular erosion. THA implies longer surgery and increased
bleeding. THA may result in better function and health-related quality of life,
but evidence is contradictory. We compared HA and THA and in terms of revision,
reoperation and death. Patients and methods - Data were extracted from the
Swedish Hip Arthroplasty Register for 11,253 patients with acute FNF receiving
cemented HA or THA during 2008-2012. 2,902 patients with THA were matched by
propensity score matching with as many patients with HA based on age, sex, BMI,
and ASA classification. We used competing risks survival regression with
reoperation or death and revision or death as endpoints. Results - THA patients
had significantly reduced risk of revision (absolute risk reduction 0.51; 95% CI
0.39-0.67) and reoperation (0.58; 0.46-0.74). THA was associated with an almost
50% reduced mortality (risk ratio as competing risk for reoperation 0.51; 0.46
0.57). Interpretation - In our national register study of femoral neck fractures,
THA had a lower risk than HA for further surgical procedures related to the hip.
The reasons for lower mortality after THA are not known. Despite matching, there
might be a selection of more healthy patients for this procedure, and other
factors unknown to us, with or without relation to the choice of implant.
PMID- 28691548
TI - Characterizing chronic and acute health risks of residues of veterinary drugs in
food: latest methodological developments by the joint FAO/WHO expert committee on
food additives.
AB - The risk assessment of residues of veterinary drugs in food is a field that
continues to evolve. The toxicological end-points to be considered are becoming
more nuanced and in light of growing concern about the development of
antimicrobial resistance, detailed analysis of the antimicrobial activity of the
residues of veterinary drugs in food is increasingly incorporated in the
assessment. In recent years, the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives
(JECFA) has refined its approaches to provide a more comprehensive and fit-for
purpose risk assessment. This publication describes in detail the consideration
of acute and chronic effects, the estimation of acute and chronic dietary
exposure, current approaches for including microbiological endpoints in the risk
assessment, and JECFA's considerations for the potential effects of food
processing on residues from veterinary drugs. JECFA now applies these approaches
in the development of health-based guidance values (i.e. safe exposure levels)
for residues of veterinary drugs. JECFA, thus, comprehensively addresses acute
and chronic risks by using corresponding estimates for acute and chronic exposure
and suitable correction for the limited bioavailability of bound residues by the
Gallo-Torres model. On a case-by-case basis, JECFA also considers degradation
products that occur from normal food processing of food containing veterinary
drug residues. These approaches will continue to be refined to ensure the most
scientifically sound basis for the establishment of health-based guidance values
for veterinary drug residues.
PMID- 28691549
TI - Factors associated with complementary and alternative medicine use among women at
midlife.
AB - Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has been established as the first-line
treatment for women experiencing menopausal symptoms. The use of complementary
and alternative medicine (CAM), however, is becoming increasingly popular among
women at midlife for management of such symptoms. Despite the equivocal evidence
of CAM's efficacy in the reduction and alleviation of menopausal symptoms in
placebo-controlled, randomized trials, 50% of women at midlife use CAM. To date,
several large, population-based studies have focused upon CAM use amongst
menopausal women and the factors associated with the adoption of such therapies.
By identifying women in the menopausal transition who tend to use CAM, this
narrative review highlights evidence that aids women at this stage of life make
better and individualized treatment choices to relieve these symptoms. The
available evidence suggests that the prevalence of CAM use among menopausal women
is high world-wide, but there is a paucity of high-quality studies that
adequately assess the factors associated with its use. Further studies are needed
to confirm the characteristics of women who employ CAM to manage their night
sweats and hot flushes. Results of this study might enable the development of
policies catering to the needs of those women and provide a resource to support
their decision-making regarding treatment options.
PMID- 28691550
TI - Relationships between obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression and functioning
before and after exposure and response prevention therapy.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is associated with impaired
functioning and depression. Our aim was to examine relationships between OCD
symptoms, depression and functioning before and after exposure and response
prevention (ERP), a type of cognitive-behavioural therapy for OCD, specifically
examining whether functioning, depression and other cognitive factors like
rumination and worry acted as mediators. METHODS: Forty-four individuals with OCD
were randomised to 4 weeks of intensive ERP treatment first (n = 23) or waitlist
then treatment (n = 21). We used a bootstrapping method to examine mediation
models. RESULTS: OCD symptoms, depression and functioning significantly improved
from pre- to post-intervention. Functioning mediated the relationship between OCD
symptoms and depression and the relationship between functioning and depression
was stronger at post-treatment. Depression mediated the relationship between OCD
symptoms and functioning, but only at post-intervention. Similarly, rumination
mediated the relationship between OCD symptoms and depression at post
intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that after ERP, relationships
between depression and functioning become stronger. Following ERP, treatment that
focuses on depression and functioning, including medication management for
depression, cognitive approaches targeting rumination, and behavioural activation
to boost functionality may be important clinical interventions for OCD patients.
PMID- 28691551
TI - Who Decides: Me or We? Family Involvement in Medical Decision Making in Eastern
and Western Countries.
AB - BACKGROUND: Research suggests that desired family involvement (FI) in medical
decision making may depend on cultural values. Unfortunately, the field lacks
cross-cultural studies that test this assumption. As a result, providers may be
guided by incomplete information or cultural biases rather than patient
preferences. METHODS: Researchers developed 6 culturally relevant disease
scenarios varying from low to high medical seriousness. Quota samples of
approximately 290 middle-aged urban residents in Australia, China, Malaysia,
India, South Korea, Thailand, and the USA completed an online survey that
examined desired levels of FI and identified individual difference predictors in
each country. All reliability coefficients were acceptable. Regression models met
standard assumptions. RESULTS: The strongest finding across all 7 countries was
that those who desired higher self-involvement (SI) in medical decision making
also wanted lower FI. On the other hand, respondents who valued relational
interdependence tended to want their families involved - a key finding in 5 of 7
countries. In addition, in 4 of 7 countries, respondents who valued social
hierarchy desired higher FI. Other antecedents were less consistent. CONCLUSION:
These results suggest that it is important for health providers to avoid East
West cultural stereotypes. There are meaningful numbers of patients in all 7
countries who want to be individually involved and those individuals tend to
prefer lower FI. On the other hand, more interdependent patients are likely to
want families involved in many of the countries studied. Thus, individual
differences within culture appear to be important in predicting whether a patient
desires FI. For this reason, avoiding culture-based assumptions about desired FI
during medical decision making is central to providing more effective patient
centered care.
PMID- 28691552
TI - Variations in Recruitment Yield and Characteristics of Participants Recruited
Across Diverse Internet Platforms in an HIV Testing Study of Young Adult Men-Who
Have-Sex-With-Men (YMSM).
AB - The Internet is a commonly used medium for recruiting geographically dispersed,
smaller populations quickly, such as young adult men-who-have-sex-with-men
(YMSM). One approach to improve reach and representativeness is to employ
multiple Internet platforms to recruit this hard-to-reach population. The utility
of this approach has not been studied adequately, and its impact on the study
sample recruited is not yet known. Using data from a study of 18- to 24-year-old
HIV-uninfected, Black, Hispanic, and White United States (US) YMSM, this
investigation compared advertising and enrollment metrics and participant
characteristics of those recruited across Internet platforms. Of the 2,444
participants, their median age was 22 years old; 21% were Black, 37% Hispanic,
and 42% White; 90% had been tested for HIV at least once in their life; and 87%
reported prior condomless anal intercourse (CAI) with another man. There were
noticeable differences across platforms in the number of people accessing the
study website, meeting study eligibility requirements, consenting to participate,
consenting to participate per day of advertising and per click, as well as costs
of advertising per consented participant. Participants recruited also varied
across platform by race/ethnicity, geographic area of residence in the US, health
care insurance status, years of formal education, history of HIV testing, and CAI
by partner type and sexual positioning. The investigation results indicate that
the Internet platforms used for recruitment significantly impact not only
enrollment but also diversity and characteristics of the sample obtained and
consequently, the observations and conclusions rendered.
PMID- 28691553
TI - The adverse effect of FOPNL genomic variant is reversed by bortezomib-based
treatment protocols in multiple myeloma.
AB - Fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 oncogene partner N-terminal like gene (FOPNL)
rs72773978 polymorphism was identified as an adverse prognostic factor in
multiple myeloma (MM). We aimed to investigate the associations of rs72773978
with clinical characteristics and treatment outcome in 373 Hungarian MM patients.
In our cohort, FOPNL polymorphism showed differential prognostic effect that
depended on the treatment applied. Among patients treated with non-proteasome
inhibitor (PI)-based therapy, carriership of the minor allele was significantly
associated with adverse overall survival (p=.022). In contrast, the adverse
effect was overcome by the application of PI-containing treatment (p=.048).
Multivariate analyses revealed the independent adverse effect of rs72773978 on
survival in the non-PI-treated group (p=.045), but not in PI treatment (OS:
p=.093). We confirmed the adverse prognostic effect of rs72773978 associated with
non-PI-based treatment regimens. Our results point to the importance of genotypic
prognostic information associated with complex clinical background MM.
PMID- 28691554
TI - Uptake and metabolism of carbamazepine (CBZ) by clam Ruditapes decussatus and its
effects in biochemical responses.
AB - 1. Laboratory experiments were carried out to assess uptake and metabolism of the
epilepsy drug, carbamazepine and its consequent biological responses in marine
clam (Ruditapes decussatus) a model non-target organism in ecotoxicology. 2.
Clams were exposed to two nominal concentrations (C1 = 30 MUg/L and C2 = 50
MUg/L) of CBZ for a maximum period of 14 days. Analysis of CBZ and their
metabolites in clam and water after exposure to two nominal concentrations of the
pharmaceutical drug were performed using UPLC-HRMS analysis. CBZ accumulation
reached an average tissue concentration of 1241.59 ng/g dw and 1664.33 ng/g dw at
low and high nominal concentration, respectively. 3. Furthermore, a metabolite (3
hydroxy-CBZ) was detected in tissues indicating carbamazepine translocation and
metabolism inside clam, suspect screening of CBZ glucuronides was also performed
by accurate mass extraction but it could not be detected. 4. Activities of
antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase and gluthatione-S-transferase
generally increased. Change in the contents of glutathione, malondialdehyde and
protein carbonyl were also studied. 5. Results indicated that the
bioaccumulation of CBZ resulted in the changes of the antioxidant defense system
and the production of ROS with the oxidative stress, ultimately induced
alteration in lipid peroxidation and protein carbonyl.
PMID- 28691555
TI - Idiopathic congenital talipes equinovarus; not always an isolated anomaly. A
review of long-term outcomes.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To describe the long-term outcomes of children at school age who were
thought to have isolated idiopathic congenital talipes equino varus (ICTEV) at
birth. METHOD: A retrospective review of all children attending a regional
talipes clinic who had achieved school age. RESULTS: One hundred sixty-three
children were followed up. ICTEV was more common in Maori and other Polynesian
children and in males. Additional abnormalities were apparent in 30.1% overall,
but higher in New Zealand Europeans (43%) than Maori (21%) or other Polynesians
(22%). Of the abnormalities, 41% were associated with the central nervous system
or with neurodevelopmental delay. Conventional G-band karyotyping, where
performed, was not informative. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of additional abnormalities
was higher than previous reports. This has implications for prenatal counseling
and postnatal follow-up as a prenatal diagnosis of ICTEV may subsequently be
found to have longer term implications in addition to orthopedic treatments of
the clubfeet.
PMID- 28691556
TI - Fluid management during the first postnatal day in very low birth weight neonates
and rates of patent ductus arteriosus requiring treatment.
AB - PURPOSE: Previous studies have suggested an association between high maintenance
fluid volumes during the first several postnatal days and patent ductus
arteriosus (PDA) requiring treatment in very low birth weight (VLBW) neonates.
However, no studies have specifically examined fluid administration during the
first postnatal day with regard to PDA-related outcomes. We seek to determine
whether additional intravenous fluid administration beyond prescribed goals
during the first postnatal day is associated with PDA requiring treatment.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective data were collected from neonates with birth
weight <1250 g. Infants receiving fluids beyond initially documented goals,
stratified by relative degree of additional fluids, were compared to those
receiving no additional intravenous fluids for the primary outcome of PDA
requiring treatment and secondarily for other neonatal morbidities. RESULTS: Two
hundred VLBW neonates were included. Controlling for birth weight and gestational
age, fluid administration beyond prescribed goals during the first postnatal day
was not associated with increased PDA requiring treatment. Additionally, no
statistically significant associations between additional fluids and secondary
outcomes were observed. CONCLUSIONS: No significant relationship between fluid
volumes during the first postnatal day and PDA requiring treatment were observed.
Further prospective analysis of early fluid management in VLBW neonates is
warranted.
PMID- 28691557
TI - Emicizumab Prophylaxis in Hemophilia A with Inhibitors.
AB - BACKGROUND: Emicizumab (ACE910) bridges activated factor IX and factor X to
restore the function of activated factor VIII, which is deficient in persons with
hemophilia A. This phase 3, multicenter trial assessed once-weekly subcutaneous
emicizumab prophylaxis in persons with hemophilia A with factor VIII inhibitors.
METHODS: We enrolled participants who were 12 years of age or older. Those who
had previously received episodic treatment with bypassing agents were randomly
assigned in a 2:1 ratio to emicizumab prophylaxis (group A) or no prophylaxis
(group B). The primary end point was the difference in bleeding rates between
group A and group B. Participants who had previously received prophylactic
treatment with bypassing agents received emicizumab prophylaxis in group C.
RESULTS: A total of 109 male participants with hemophilia A with inhibitors were
enrolled. The annualized bleeding rate was 2.9 events (95% confidence interval
[CI], 1.7 to 5.0) among participants who were randomly assigned to emicizumab
prophylaxis (group A, 35 participants) versus 23.3 events (95% CI, 12.3 to 43.9)
among those assigned to no prophylaxis (group B, 18 participants), representing a
significant difference of 87% in favor of emicizumab prophylaxis (P<0.001). A
total of 22 participants in group A (63%) had zero bleeding events, as compared
with 1 participant (6%) in group B. Among 24 participants in group C who had
participated in a noninterventional study, emicizumab prophylaxis resulted in a
bleeding rate that was significantly lower by 79% than the rate with previous
bypassing-agent prophylaxis (P<0.001). Overall, 198 adverse events were reported
in 103 participants receiving emicizumab prophylaxis; the most frequent events
were injection-site reactions (in 15% of participants). Thrombotic
microangiopathy and thrombosis were reported in 2 participants each (in the
primary analysis) who had received multiple infusions of activated prothrombin
complex concentrate for breakthrough bleeding. No antidrug antibodies were
detected. CONCLUSIONS: Emicizumab prophylaxis was associated with a significantly
lower rate of bleeding events than no prophylaxis among participants with
hemophilia A with inhibitors. (Funded by F. Hoffmann-La Roche and Chugai
Pharmaceutical; HAVEN 1 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02622321 .).
PMID- 28691558
TI - The Science of Meetings: Practical Ethicist.
PMID- 28691559
TI - Ethics and Science in the Participatory Era: A Vignette-Based Delphi Study.
AB - Participatory researchers rely on relationship-based ethical considerations to
address ethical challenges, but little is known about how these considerations
shape day-to-day decision-making. We presented vignettes describing ethical
dilemmas to health researchers with varying degrees of experience in
participatory research in an online modified-Delphi panel. Panelists rated
potential solutions to dilemmas and provided rationales for choosing solutions in
text boxes and discussion boards. Panelists agreed on a preferred solution for
three of five vignettes. Panelists indicated that ethical research decision
making should be inclusive of diverse perspectives. Panelists prioritized
scientific goals above participatory ones and viewed tenets of scientific
validity as value-free. Panelists indicated that participatory research ethics
would be difficult to codify, but that vignette-based learning could support
didactic objectives.
PMID- 28691560
TI - Bispecific Antibody Therapy in Hemophilia.
PMID- 28691561
TI - Quantification of Graph Complexity Based on the Edge Weight Distribution Balance:
Application to Brain Networks.
AB - The aim of this study was to introduce a novel global measure of graph
complexity: Shannon graph complexity (SGC). This measure was specifically
developed for weighted graphs, but it can also be applied to binary graphs. The
proposed complexity measure was designed to capture the interplay between two
properties of a system: the 'information' (calculated by means of Shannon
entropy) and the 'order' of the system (estimated by means of a disequilibrium
measure). SGC is based on the concept that complex graphs should maintain an
equilibrium between the aforementioned two properties, which can be measured by
means of the edge weight distribution. In this study, SGC was assessed using four
synthetic graph datasets and a real dataset, formed by electroencephalographic
(EEG) recordings from controls and schizophrenia patients. SGC was compared with
graph density (GD), a classical measure used to evaluate graph complexity. Our
results showed that SGC is invariant with respect to GD and independent of node
degree distribution. Furthermore, its variation with graph size [Formula: see
text] is close to zero for [Formula: see text]. Results from the real dataset
showed an increment in the weight distribution balance during the cognitive
processing for both controls and schizophrenia patients, although these changes
are more relevant for controls. Our findings revealed that SGC does not need a
comparison with null-hypothesis networks constructed by a surrogate process. In
addition, SGC results on the real dataset suggest that schizophrenia is
associated with a deficit in the brain dynamic reorganization related to
secondary pathways of the brain network.
PMID- 28691562
TI - Mucoadhesive buccal tablets containing silymarin Eudragit-loaded nanoparticles:
formulation, characterisation and ex vivo permeation.
AB - Eudragit-loaded silymarin nanoparticles (SNPs) and their formulation into buccal
mucoadhesive tablets were investigated to improve the low bioavailability of
silymarin through buccal delivery. Characterisation of SNPs and silymarin buccal
tablets (SBTs) containing the optimised NPs were performed. Ex vivo permeability
of nominated SBTs were assessed using chicken pouch mucosa compared to SNPs and
drug suspension followed by histopathological examination. Selected SNPs had a
small size (<150 nm), encapsulation effciency (>77%) with drug release of about
90% after 6 h. For STBs, all physicochemical parameters were satisfactory for
different polymers used. DSC and FT-IR studies suggested the presence of
silymarin in an amorphous state. Ex vivo permeation significantly emphasised the
great enhancement of silymarin permeation after NPs formation and much more
increase after formulating into BTs relative to the corresponding drug dispersion
with confirmed membrane integrity. Incorporation of SNPs into BTs could be an
efficient vehicle for delivery of silymarin.
PMID- 28691563
TI - Information management for aged care provision in Australia: development of an
aged care minimum dataset and strategies to improve quality and continuity of
care.
AB - BACKGROUND: Efficient information systems support the provision of multi
disciplinary aged care and a variety of organisational purposes, including
quality, funding, communication and continuity of care. Agreed minimum data sets
enable accurate communication across multiple care settings. However, in aged
care multiple and poorly integrated data collection frameworks are commonly used
for client assessment, government reporting and funding purposes. OBJECTIVE: To
determine key information needs in aged care settings to improve information
quality, information transfer, safety, quality and continuity of care to meet the
complex needs of aged care clients. METHOD: Modified Delphi methods involving
five stages were employed by one aged care provider in Victoria, Australia, to
establish stakeholder consensus for a derived minimum data set and address
barriers to data quality. RESULTS: Eleven different aged care programs were
identified; with five related data dictionaries, three minimum data sets, five
program standards or quality frameworks. The remaining data collection frameworks
related to diseases classification, funding, service activity reporting, and
statistical standards and classifications. A total of 170 different data items
collected across seven internal information systems were consolidated to a
derived set of 60 core data items and aligned with nationally consistent data
collection frameworks. Barriers to data quality related to inconsistencies in
data items, staff knowledge, workflow, system access and configuration.
CONCLUSION: The development an internal aged care minimum data set highlighted
the critical role of primary data quality in the upstream and downstream use of
client information; and presents a platform to build national consistency across
the sector.
PMID- 28691564
TI - Concerns and hopes about outsourcing decisions regarding health information
management services at two teaching hospitals in Semnan, Iran.
AB - BACKGROUND: Changes in health programs in Iran have led to an increase in
administrative costs. One cost-saving option available to hospital administrators
is to outsource administrative services. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore
the attitudes of hospital staff towards outsourcing health information management
services in advance of a decision being taken, to assist healthcare organisations
to assess the potential benefits and challenges of outsourcing such services.
METHOD: Six hundred and four clinical and allied health employees in two
hospitals in Iran, who had had prior experience with outsourcing hospital
services, responded to a survey designed to measure staff attitudes towards
outsourcing health information management services, based on their perceptions of
potential costs and benefits for the organisation and their own employment
prospects. A 16-item attitude scale, developed by the researchers, was used in
the study and demographic data were also collected. RESULTS: Summary statistics
showed that approximately one third of the sample (34.53%) had a negative view of
outsourcing, one third (35.16%) had a positive view, and 30.31% were neutral. An
exploratory factor analysis of items on the attitude scale identified three
underlying constructs, labelled: data security and management; workplace
environment; and staff and customer satisfaction. One item (concern about the
impact of outsourcing on staffing levels) did not load on any of the factors. A
separate analysis of this single item showed a significant relationship between
the sex of participants and their views on the impact of outsourcing on the
number of hospital staff employed (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: While results of this
study indicated that staff in hospitals surveyed held both positive and negative
views of outsourcing, a large number of staff in these hospitals (a third of the
total sample) had reservations about the skills of outside providers to securely
manage hospital data, and did not consider that outsourcing health information
management services would be positive for the organisation, their working
environment or for staff and patient satisfaction. These findings have important
implications for healthcare organisations planning to outsource health
information services. Further research that focuses on communication skills of
senior managers and their ability to provide team leadership is needed, as is
research into the impact of geographical location and current market forces that
impact on outsourcing tasks.
PMID- 28691565
TI - Type 1 diabetes self-management: developing a web-based telemedicine application.
AB - BACKGROUND: Self-management skills are essential for patients with diabetes
mellitus to minimise the risks of complications from their condition. The aim of
this research was to develop a web-based application for self-management of type
1 diabetes, suitable for use by patients, their carers and physicians. METHOD:
The study was comprised of two phases, the first being analysis of the kind of
information and capabilities required by potential users of the system. Based on
the results derived from the first phase of the study, the system prototype was
designed and then evaluated using the 'think aloud' method and a standard
questionnaire. The application was designed for use by patients, their carers and
physicians. Patients could enter the level of blood glucose, insulin and
activities on a daily basis, and physicians were able to supervise a patient's
health status from a distance. RESULTS: Users were generally satisfied with the
final version of the system. People with a wide range of literacy skills were
able to use the system effectively. CONCLUSION: Patients or their carers could
use the web-based application as a log book by entering the level of blood
glucose and insulin doses on a regular basis, and as an educational resource to
improve self-management skills. Physicians could use the system at any time
convenient to them to support patients by giving medical advice. Further research
is needed to report the effectiveness of the system in practice.
PMID- 28691566
TI - Improving data collection processes for routine evaluation of treatment cost
effectiveness.
AB - The healthcare system in Finland has begun routine collection of health-related
quality of life (HRQoL) information for patients in hospitals to support more
systematic cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA). This article describes the
systematic collection of HRQoL survey data, and addresses challenges in the
implementation of patient surveys and acquisition of cost data in the case
hospital. Challenges include problems with incomplete data and undefined
management processes. In order to support CEA of hospital treatments,
improvements are sought from the process management literature and in the
observation of healthcare professionals. The article has been written from an
information system and process management perspective, concluding that process
ownership, automation of data collection and better staff training are keys to
generating more reliable data.
PMID- 28691567
TI - Exploring the use of technology pathways to access health information by
Australian university students: a multi-dimensional approach.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Mobile wireless communication technologies (MWCT) and social media
(SM) networks create pathways for accessing widely available information that are
favoured particularly by younger generations. The purpose of this study was to
explore the way university students use these communication technologies to
access health information. METHOD: Participants ( n = 696), who were recruited
via an email invitation, completed an online self-reported survey that collected
multi-dimensional data consisting of quantitative, qualitative and spatial
statistics. RESULTS: The results indicate that technology was used extensively to
search for health information and resulted in positive changes in participants'
behaviours; however they perceived lack of reliability of the information as a
pressing issue. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that appealing, persuasive and
reliable MWCT and SM can be used extensively to promote health amongst Australian
youth.
PMID- 28691568
TI - Burden, pattern and causes of road traffic accidents in Bhutan, 2013-2014: a
police record review.
AB - Road traffic accidents (RTAs) are a major cause of death and injury globally.
There was little information on the burden and causes of RTAs in Bhutan. The
study estimates the burden and characteristics of RTAs and describes the victims
of RTAs in Bhutan. A descriptive cross-sectional study conducted analysing police
case records. In 2013-2014, 1866 accidents resulted in 1143 injuries and 157
deaths. We identified 39% more deaths from RTAs than that submitted to WHO in
2013 as the 30-day mortality. The main causes were careless driving and drunk
driving. Drivers and passengers constituted 86% of the deaths with few pedestrian
deaths. Data for in-hospital deaths or after discharge were not available.
Productivity loss due to RTA is around 1% of national GDP. There is significant
mortality and morbidity from RTAs in Bhutan. There is no coordinated system for
data collection and surveillance to monitor SDG goal 3.6.
PMID- 28691569
TI - Anatomical features of the cervical spinal canal in Chiari I deformity with
presyrinx: A case-control study.
AB - Purpose The relationship between syringomyelia and presyrinx, characterized by
edema in the spinal cord, has not been firmly established. Patients with
syringomyelia have abnormal spinal canal tapering that alters cerebrospinal fluid
flow dynamics, but taper ratios in presyrinx have never been reported. We tested
the hypothesis that presyrinx patients have abnormal spinal canal tapering.
Materials and methods At six medical institutions, investigators searched the
PACS system for patients with Chiari I and spinal cord edema unassociated with
tumor, trauma, or other evident cause. In each case taper ratios were calculated
for C1 to C4 and C4 to C7. In two age- and gender-matched control groups, Chiari
I patients with no syringomyelia and patients with normal MR scans, the same
measurements were made. Differences between groups were tested for statistical
significance with t tests. Results The study enrolled 21 presyrinx patients and
equal numbers of matched Chiari I and normal controls. C4 to C7 taper ratios were
positive and steeper in presyrinx patients than in the normal controls ( p =
0.04). The upper cervical spine, C1 to C4, tapered negatively in cases and
controls without significant differences between the groups. The difference in
degree of tonsillar herniation was statistically significant between presyrinx
patients and Chiari I controls ( p = 0.01). Conclusions Presyrinx patients have
greater than normal positive tapering in the lower cervical spine and greater
degree of tonsillar herniation than the controls.
PMID- 28691570
TI - Extra-axial cerebrospinal fluid spaces in children with benign external
hydrocephalus: A case-control study.
AB - Background The distinction between normal and pathological extra-axial
cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) spaces is unclear, with the use of the term benign
external hydrocephalus (BEH) not being well defined in clinical practice. This
study aimed to establish a distribution of metrics of the subarachnoid space in a
population of children diagnosed as normal, and investigate the clinical use of
the term BEH. Methods A retrospective case-control study on magnetic resonance
image scans was performed on 150 children diagnosed as normal and 10 children
diagnosed with BEH. Measurements were taken in the axial plane for CSF width
(CSFW), and interhemispheric width (IHW). Results Normal controls had a mean age
of 11.1 +/- 7.6 months (78 male, 72 female) and the BEH sample had a mean age of
10.6 +/- 7.8 months (six male, four female). Mean CSFW was 7.96 +/- 4.79 mm in
the BEH sample compared to 4.58 +/- 2.25 mm in the normal sample ( p < 0.05).
Mean IHW was 6.30 +/- 2.79 mm in the BEH sample compared to 3.89 +/- 1.83 mm in
the normal sample ( p < 0.05). However, a substantial overlap between the two
distributions of CSFW was found, with 50% of BEH patients lying within a single
standard deviation of the mean of normal individuals. Conclusion The absence of
diagnostic criteria for BEH means reporting is variable. Patients being diagnosed
with BEH who have no other clinical defects may represent the extreme of the
normal population rather than a distinct clinical entity.
PMID- 28691571
TI - Women's reasons for choosing abortion method: A systematic literature review.
AB - AIMS: We aim to describe and classify reasons behind women's choice between
medical and surgical abortion. METHODS: A systematic literature review was
conducted in PubMed and PsycINFO in October 2015. The subjects were women in
early pregnancy opting for abortion at clinics or hospitals in high-income
countries. We extracted women's reasons for choice of abortion method and
analysed these qualitatively, looking at main reasons for choosing either medical
or surgical abortion. RESULTS: Reasons for choice of method were classified to
five main groups: technical nature of the intervention, fear of complications,
fear of surgery or anaesthesia, timing and sedation. Reasons for selecting
medical abortion were often based on the perception of the method being 'more
natural' and the wish to have abortion in one's home in addition to fear of
complications. Women who opted for surgical abortion appreciated the quicker
process, viewed it as the safer option, and wished to avoid pain and excess
bleeding. Reasons were often based on emotional reactions, previous experiences
and a lack of knowledge about the procedures. Some topics such as pain or excess
bleeding received little attention. Overall the quality of the studies was low,
most studies were published more than 10 years ago, and the generalisability of
the findings was poor. CONCLUSION: Women did not base their choice of abortion
method only on rational information from professionals but also on emotions and
especially fears. Support techniques for a more informed choice are needed.
Recent high-quality studies in this area are lacking.
PMID- 28691572
TI - Using Systems Thinking to train future leaders in global health.
AB - Systems Thinking provides a useful set of concepts and tools that can be used to
train students to be effective and innovative global health leaders in an ever
changing and often chaotic world. This paper describes an experiential, multi
disciplinary curriculum that uses Systems Thinking to frame and analyse global
health policies and practices. The curriculum uses case studies and hands-on
activities to deepen students' understanding of the following concepts: complex
adaptive systems, dynamic complexity, inter-relationships, feedback loops, policy
resistance, mental models, boundary critique, leverage points, and multi
disciplinary, multi-sectoral, and multi-stakeholder thinking and action. A sample
of Systems Thinking tools for analysing global health policies and practices are
also introduced.
PMID- 28691573
TI - Plasticity in the Working Memory System: Life Span Changes and Response to
Injury.
AB - Working memory acts as a key bridge between perception, long-term memory, and
action. The brain regions, connections, and neurotransmitters that underlie
working memory undergo dramatic plastic changes during the life span, and in
response to injury. Early life reliance on deep gray matter structures fades
during adolescence as increasing reliance on prefrontal and parietal cortex
accompanies the development of executive aspects of working memory. The rise and
fall of working memory capacity and executive functions parallels the development
and loss of neurotransmitter function in frontal cortical areas. Of the affected
neurotransmitters, dopamine and acetylcholine modulate excitatory-inhibitory
circuits that underlie working memory, are important for plasticity in the
system, and are affected following preterm birth and adult brain injury.
Pharmacological interventions to promote recovery of working memory abilities
have had limited success, but hold promise if used in combination with behavioral
training and brain stimulation. The intense study of working memory in a range of
species, ages and following injuries has led to better understanding of the
intrinsic plasticity mechanisms in the working memory system. The challenge now
is to guide these mechanisms to better improve or restore working memory
function.
PMID- 28691574
TI - Enhancement of a prosthetic knee with a microprocessor-controlled gait phase
switch reduces falls and improves balance confidence and gait speed in community
ambulators with unilateral transfemoral amputation.
AB - BACKGROUND: Despite the evidence for improved safety and function of
microprocessor stance and swing-controlled prosthetic knees, non-microprocessor
controlled prosthetic knees are still standard of care for persons with
transfemoral amputations in most countries. Limited feature microprocessor
control enhancement of such knees could stand to significantly improve patient
outcomes. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate gait speed, balance, and fall reduction
benefits of the new 3E80 default stance hydraulic knee compared to standard non
microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knees. STUDY DESIGN: Comparative within
subject clinical study. METHODS: A total of 13 young, high-functioning community
ambulators with a transfemoral amputation underwent assessment of performance
based (e.g. 2-min walk test, timed ramp/stair tests) and self-reported (e.g.
falls, Activities-Specific Balance Confidence scale, Prosthesis Evaluation
Questionnaire question #1, Satisfaction with the Prosthesis) outcome measures for
their non-microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knees and again after 8 weeks of
accommodation to the 3E80 microprocessor-enhanced knee. RESULTS: Self-reported
falls significantly declined 77% ( p = .04), Activities-Specific Balance
Confidence scores improved 12 points ( p = .005), 2-min walk test walking
distance increased 20 m on level ( p = .01) and uneven ( p = .045) terrain, and
patient satisfaction significantly improved ( p < .01) when using the 3E80 knee.
Slope and stair ambulation performance did not differ between knee conditions.
CONCLUSION: The 3E80 knee reduced self-reported fall incidents and improved
balance confidence. Walking performance on both level and uneven terrains also
improved compared to non-microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knees. Subjects'
satisfaction was significantly higher than with their previous non-microprocessor
controlled prosthetic knees. The 3E80 may be considered a prosthetic option for
improving gait performance, balance confidence, and safety in highly active
amputees. Clinical relevance This study compared performance-based and self
reported outcome measures when using non-microprocessor and a new microprocessor
enhanced, default stance rotary hydraulic knee. The results inform rehabilitation
professionals about the functional benefits of a limited-feature, microprocessor
enhanced hydraulic prosthetic knee over standard non-microprocessor-controlled
prosthetic knees.
PMID- 28691575
TI - Performance, power and condom use: reconceptualised masculinities amongst Western
male sex tourists to Thailand.
AB - Each year large numbers of Western men travel to Thailand for sex tourism.
Although many will use condoms during their sexual encounters, others will not,
potentially exposing themselves to the risk of acquiring sexually transmitted
infections, including HIV. Although sex tourism in Thailand has been well
documented, the social drivers underpinning voluntary sexual risk-taking through
the avoidance of condoms remain poorly understood. Engaging with R.W. Connell's
concept of hegemonic masculinity and drawing on data collected from 1237 online
discussion board posts and 14 face-to-face interviews, this study considers the
ways in which understandings and performances of masculinities may inform the
sexual risk-taking behaviours of Western male sex tourists. It argues that for
some of these men, unprotected sex is viewed not as a reckless behaviour but,
instead, as a safe and appropriate masculine practice, supported by relationships
that are often framed as romantic and within a setting where HIV is still largely
considered a homosexual disease. With sex workers often disempowered to request
safer sexual practices, and some men's attitudes towards unprotected sex
resistant to external health promotion advice, the paper concludes by considering
what this might mean for policy and practice.
PMID- 28691576
TI - Time resolved computed tomography angiography in the evaluation of brain
arteriovenous malformation: a feasibility study.
AB - Background and purpose Digital subtraction angiography is the current gold
standard for diagnosing as well as the follow-up of cerebral arteriovenous
malformations. However, as it is invasive, relatively expensive and time
consuming, a non-invasive alternative is of interest. We aimed to evaluate the
feasibility of time resolved computed tomography angiography (TR-CTA) in a series
of five diagnosed cranial arteriovenous malformation patients, demonstrated by
conventional digital subtraction angiography with respect to acquisition,
depiction of angiographic phases and radiation exposure. Materials and methods
Five patients demonstrating a cranial arteriovenous malformation on digital
subtraction angiography were studied with TR-CTA. The TR-CTA imaging was done by
using a 128-detector computed tomography scanner. Digital subtraction angiography
and TR-CTA studies were independently read by two blinded observers, by using a
standardised scoring sheet. TR-CTA results were analysed with digital subtraction
angiography as the criterion standard. Results TR-CTA generated comparable
angiographic phases. In all five cases, there was complete agreement between
digital subtraction angiography and TR-CTA regarding the size, arterial feeders,
nidal morphology and venous drainage of the arteriovenous malformation.
Conclusions TR-CTA imaging as a technique is feasible, providing images with good
temporal and spatial resolution at an acceptable radiation dose. It appears to be
a promising non-invasive adjunct to digital subtraction angiography.
PMID- 28691577
TI - Test-potentiated learning: three independent replications, a disconfirmed
hypothesis, and an unexpected boundary condition.
AB - Arnold and McDermott [(2013). Test-potentiated learning: Distinguishing between
direct and indirect effects of testing. Journal of Experimental Psychology:
Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 39, 940-945] isolated the indirect effects of
testing and concluded that encoding is enhanced to a greater extent following
more versus fewer practice tests, referred to as test-potentiated learning. The
current research provided further evidence for test-potentiated learning and
evaluated the covert retrieval hypothesis as an alternative explanation for the
observed effect. Learners initially studied foreign language word pairs and then
completed either one or five practice tests before restudy occurred. Results of
greatest interest concern performance on test trials following restudy for items
that were not correctly recalled on the test trials that preceded restudy.
Results replicate Arnold and McDermott (2013) by demonstrating that more versus
fewer tests potentiate learning when trial time is limited. Results also provide
strong evidence against the covert retrieval hypothesis concerning why the effect
occurs (i.e., it does not reflect differential covert retrieval during pre
restudy trials). In addition, outcomes indicate that the magnitude of the test
potentiated learning effect decreases as trial length increases, revealing an
unexpected boundary condition to test-potentiated learning.
PMID- 28691578
TI - A hybrid clustering and classification approach for predicting crash injury
severity on rural roads.
AB - As a threat for transportation system, traffic crashes have a wide range of
social consequences for governments. Traffic crashes are increasing in developing
countries and Iran as a developing country is not immune from this risk. There
are several researches in the literature to predict traffic crash severity based
on artificial neural networks (ANNs), support vector machines and decision trees.
This paper attempts to investigate the crash injury severity of rural roads by
using a hybrid clustering and classification approach to compare the performance
of classification algorithms before and after applying the clustering. In this
paper, a novel rule-based genetic algorithm (GA) is proposed to predict crash
injury severity, which is evaluated by performance criteria in comparison with
classification algorithms like ANN. The results obtained from analysis of 13,673
crashes (5600 property damage, 778 fatal crashes, 4690 slight injuries and 2605
severe injuries) on rural roads in Tehran Province of Iran during 2011-2013
revealed that the proposed GA method outperforms other classification algorithms
based on classification metrics like precision (86%), recall (88%) and accuracy
(87%). Moreover, the proposed GA method has the highest level of interpretation,
is easy to understand and provides feedback to analysts.
PMID- 28691579
TI - Lipoxin A4 Suppresses Estrogen-Induced Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition via ALXR
Dependent Manner in Endometriosis.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is essential for
embryogenesis, fibrosis, and tumor metastasis. Aberrant EMT phenomenon has been
reported in endometriotic tissues of patients with endometriosis (EM). In this
study, we further investigated the molecular mechanism of which lipoxin A4 (LXA4)
suppresses estrogen (E2)-induced EMT in EM. STUDY DESIGN: The EMT markers were
analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and
Western blot in eutopic endometrial epithelial cells (EECs) or investigated by
immunohistochemistry and qRT-PCR in endometriotic lesion of EM mice. The invasion
and migration under different treatments were assessed by transwell assays with
or without Matrigel. The messenger RNA (mRNA) and activities of matrix
metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 were determined by qRT-PCR and gelatin
zymography, respectively. Luciferase reporter assay was used to measure the
activity of zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1(ZEB1) promoter. The level of E2
in endometriotic tissues was assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
RESULTS: In eutopic EECs, stimulatory effects of E2 on EMT progress, migration,
and invasion were all diminished by LXA4. Lipoxin A4 reduced E2-induced ZEB1
promoter activity. Lipoxin A4 also attenuated the phosphorylation of
extracellular signal-regulated kinase and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase
induced by E2. Co-incubation with Boc-2 rather than DMF antagonized the influence
of LXA4. Animal experiments showed that LXA4 inhibited the EMT progress, MMP
expression, and proteinase activities of endometriotic lesion in an LXA4 receptor
(ALXR) manner, which suppressed the progression of EM. ZEB1 mRNA expression was
upregulated and well correlated with E2 level in human endometrium. CONCLUSION:
Lipoxin A4 suppresses E2-induced EMT via ALXR-dependent manner in eutopic EECs,
which reveals a novel biological effect of LXA4 in EM.
PMID- 28691580
TI - Characterization of solid airborne particles deposited in snow in the vicinity of
urban fossil fuel thermal power plant (Western Siberia).
AB - Recognition and detailed characterization of solid particles emitted from thermal
power plants into the environment is highly important due to their potential
detrimental effects on human health. Snow cover is used for the identification of
anthropogenic emissions in the environment. However, little is known about types,
physical and chemical properties of solid airborne particles (SAP) deposited in
snow around thermal power plants. The purpose of this study is to quantify and
characterize in detail the traceable SAP deposited in snow near fossil fuel
thermal power plant in order to identify its emissions into the environment.
Applying the scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy, and X
ray diffraction, mineral and anthropogenic phase groups in SAP deposited in snow
near the plant and in fly ash were observed. We identified quartz, albite and
mullite as most abundant mineral phases and carbonaceous matter, slag and
spherical particles as dominate anthropogenic phases. This is the first study
reporting that zircon and anthropogenic sulphide-bearing, metal oxide-bearing,
intermetallic compound-bearing and rare-earth element-bearing particles were
detected in snow deposits near thermal power plant. The identified mineral and
anthropogenic phases can be used as tracers for fossil fuel combustion emissions,
especially with regard to their possible effect on human health.
PMID- 28691581
TI - A shower before bedtime may improve the sleep onset latency of youth soccer
players.
AB - During the competitive season, soccer players are likely exposed to numerous
factors that may disrupt the process of sleep. The current investigation looked
to evaluate a practical sleep hygiene strategy (10-min showering at ~40 degrees C
before lights out), within a group of 11 youth soccer players in comparison to
normal sleeping conditions (control). Each condition consisted of three days
within a randomised crossover trial design. Sleep information was collected using
a commercial wireless bedside sleep monitor. Measures of skin temperature were
evaluated using iButton skin thermistors to establish both distal and proximal
skin temperatures and distal to proximal gradient. The shower intervention
elevated distal skin temperature by 1.1 degrees C (95% CI: 0.1-2.1 degrees C, p =
.04) on average prior to lights out. The elevation in distal temperature was also
present during the first 30-min following lights out (1.0 degrees C, 95% CI: 0.4
1.6 degrees C, p < .01). The distal to proximal gradient also showed a
significant effect between the conditions within the first 30-min after lights
out (0.7 degrees C, 95% CI: 0.3-1.2 degrees C, p < .01). On average the sleep
latency of the youth soccer players was -7-min lower (95% CI: -13 to -2 min, p <
.01) and sleep efficiency +2% higher (95% CI: 1-3%; p < .01) in the shower
condition. These findings demonstrate that a warm shower performed before lights
out may offer a practical strategy to promote thermoregulatory changes that may
advance sleep onset latency and improve sleep efficiency in athletes.
PMID- 28691582
TI - The Next Step in Understanding Impaired Reactive Balance Control in People With
Stroke: The Role of Defective Early Automatic Postural Responses.
AB - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Postural muscle responses are often impaired after
stroke. We aimed to identify the contribution of deficits in very early postural
responses to poorer reactive balance capacity, with a particular focus on
reactive stepping as a key strategy for avoiding falls. METHODS: A total of 34
chronic stroke survivors and 17 controls were subjected to translational balance
perturbations in 4 directions. We identified the highest perturbation intensity
that could be recovered without stepping (single stepping threshold [SST]) and
with maximally 1 step (multiple stepping threshold [MST]). We determined onset
latencies and response amplitudes of 7 leg muscles bilaterally and identified
associations with balance capacity. RESULTS: People with stroke had a lower MST
than controls in all directions. Side steps resulted in a higher lateral MST than
crossover steps but were less common toward the paretic side. Postural responses
were delayed and smaller in amplitude on the paretic side only. We observed the
strongest associations between gluteus medius (GLUT) onset and amplitude and MST
toward the paretic side ( R2 = 0.33). Electromyographic variables were rather
weakly associated with forward and backward MSTs ( R2 = 0.10-0.22) and with SSTs
( R2 = 0.08-0.15). CONCLUSIONS: Delayed and reduced paretic postural responses
are associated with impaired reactive stepping after stroke. Particularly, fast
and vigorous activity of the GLUT is imperative for overcoming large sideways
perturbations, presumably because it facilitates the effective use of side steps.
Because people with stroke often fall toward the paretic side, this finding
indicates an important target for training.
PMID- 28691583
TI - Strategies used in improving and assessing the level of reporting of
implementation fidelity in randomised controlled trials of palliative care
complex interventions: A systematic review.
AB - BACKGROUND: Implementation fidelity is critical in evaluating effectiveness of
interventions. AIM: Identifying and summarising strategies to improve and assess
the level of reporting of implementation fidelity in randomised controlled trials
of palliative care complex interventions. DESIGN: Systematic review. DATA
SOURCES: Published and completed randomised controlled trials from 2000 to
current evaluating effectiveness of specialised palliative care services on
patient-centred outcomes in adult patients were examined. MEDLINE was searched
from 2008 to 29 September 2015 and supplemented by randomised controlled trials
identified in a 2008 systematic review. RESULTS: Altogether, 20 randomised
controlled trials involving 8426 patients were reviewed using 40 subcomponents of
five elements of implementation fidelity (resulting in 20 * 40 = 800 items). Over
88 strategies were identified, classified under the following elements:
'treatment design', 'training providers', 'delivery of treatment', 'receipt of
treatment' and 'enactment of treatment skills'. No single overarching strategy
was discovered. Strategies under 'treatment design' aimed to ensure equivalent
treatment dose between and within intervention and control groups, and delivery
of necessary ingredients. Ongoing 'training (of) providers' included supervision
and ensuring skill acquisition. Use of treatment manuals and implementation
checklists aimed to aid 'delivery of treatment'. Research teams aimed to improve
'receipt of treatment' by transmitting clear information and verifying
understanding, while improving 'enactment of treatment skills' by reviewing and
reinforcing prior content. Only 26% of the items received sufficient reporting;
34% were either not used or reported on. CONCLUSION: Implementation fidelity in
palliative care is under-recognised. A table to collate these strategies to
improve implementation fidelity in palliative care research and clinical practice
is proposed.
PMID- 28691584
TI - Fibrin gel as a scaffold for photoreceptor cells differentiation from conjunctiva
mesenchymal stem cells in retina tissue engineering.
AB - Stem cell-based therapies are attraction approaches for regenerative medicine for
treating retinal diseases. One of the limitations in cell therapy is cell death
following post-injection whit preventing functional integration with retinal
tissue. Fibrin gel, a bio-polymeric material with excellent biocompatibility,
provides numerous advantages as a tissue engineering scaffold and a stem cell
carrier. Therefore, current research is focusing on developing fibrin hydrogel
scaffolds to protect stem cells during delivery and to stimulate endogenous
regeneration through interactions of transplanted stem cells and retinal tissue.
In this study fibrin gel was used as hydrogel scaffold for immobilization of
cells. The structural characteristics of fibrin gel scaffold were examined with
SEM. Rheological properties of fibrin gel were measured by rheometer and
biodegradation rate of fibrin were assayed for 2 weeks. After isolation of stem
cells CJMSCs, the cells were differentiated into photoreceptor-like cells by
exposing with taurin for 14 days in tissue culture plate (TCP group) and fibrin
hydrogel (3 D group). The attachment of cells was analyzed with SEM and MTT. The
expression of rhodopsin, PKC, CRX, recoverin, peripherin, nestin and RPE65 as
photoreceptor-like cell markers was evaluated by immunocytochemistry and
quantitative real-time PCR (RT-PCR) in TCP and 3 D groups. The results of SEM
analysis showed CJMSCs were well attached in fibrin gels and there were good
integrity between cells and scaffold. The elastic modulus and constant
degradation of the gel contributes to the growth and proliferation of cells.
There was no toxicity effect of fibrin hydrogel on cells and the viability of
cultured cells was higher in 3 D fibrin gels in comparison with TCP groups. After
2 weeks, the expression of rhodopsin, PKC, CRX, peripherin, recoverin, nestin and
RPE65 as special markers of photoreceptor cells were detected by Real time PCR
and immunofluorescence that these expressions in 3 D groups were higher than TCP
groups. In conclusion, our findings showed that application of readily available
sources of adult stem cells like human conjunctiva stem cells encapsulated in
fibrin gel could be interesting strategy to enhance photoreceptor progenitor cell
numbers for repair and regeneration of retina disease such as photoreceptor
injury.
PMID- 28691585
TI - Hyper-brain connectivity in binge drinking college students: a diffusion tensor
imaging study.
AB - The current study used diffusion tensor imaging to examine patterns/degree of
brain connectivity in 12 college-aged binge drinking (BD) and 12 moderate
drinking individuals. Voxel-level and region-of-interest analyses revealed
increased connectivity of the BD brain in the right corona radiata, right
external capsule, and both the right and left cingulum. Also, fractional
anisotropy and axial diffusivity values of these regions correlated with a number
of drinking behaviors of the BD as well as both groups combined. It is
hypothesized that increased connectivity in the BD may produce difficulties with
regulatory control, contributing to their propensity to binge.
PMID- 28691586
TI - Low-cost Volumetric Ultrasound by Augmentation of 2D Systems: Design and
Prototype.
AB - Conventional two-dimensional (2D) ultrasound imaging is a powerful diagnostic
tool in the hands of an experienced user, yet 2D ultrasound remains clinically
underutilized and inherently incomplete, with output being very operator
dependent. Volumetric ultrasound systems can more fully capture a three
dimensional (3D) region of interest, but current 3D systems require specialized
transducers, are prohibitively expensive for many clinical departments, and do
not register image orientation with respect to the patient; these systems are
designed to provide improved workflow rather than operator independence. This
work investigates whether it is possible to add volumetric 3D imaging capability
to existing 2D ultrasound systems at minimal cost, providing a practical means of
reducing operator dependence in ultrasound. In this paper, we present a low-cost
method to make 2D ultrasound systems capable of quality volumetric image
acquisition: we present the general system design and image acquisition method,
including the use of a probe-mounted orientation sensor, a simple probe fixture
prototype, and an offline volume reconstruction technique. We demonstrate initial
results of the method, implemented using a Verasonics Vantage research scanner.
PMID- 28691587
TI - Improvement of amoxicillin removal from aqueous environment by applying
functionalized carbon nanotube.
AB - Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were applied for amoxicillin removal from
aqueous environment. To enhance the adsorption capacity of adsorbent, MWCNT with
modified surface was applied. A functional group as 8-hydroxyquinoline (8-HQ) and
carboxyl group were selected to modify the surface of MWCNT. Fourier transform
infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy confirmed the successful
surface modification of MWCNTs. Some important parameters associated with the
adsorption capacity such as pH, initial concentration of amoxicillin and
equilibrium time of adsorption were investigated for pristine and functionalized
MWCNTs. Adsorption results suggested that the maximsum removal efficiency of
pollutant was achieved at pH = 5 for pristine and 8-HQ functionalized carbon
nanotube (CNT) and pH = 3 for the functionalized CNT with carboxylic groups. The
equilibrium time of adsorption was 4 h for the pristine and 2 h for the
functionalized CNTs. The maximum adsorption capacity of 8-HQ CNTs was nearly 50%
higher than that of pristine MWCNT. The modeling of adsorption process suggested
that adsorption of amoxicillin on pristine and functionalized MWCNTs was best
fitted with Langmuir model. Moreover, pseudo-second-order kinetic model was found
to be the best kinetic model for the adsorption process. In conclusion,
functionalized MWCNT with 8-HQ functional groups offers a novel alternative for
removing amoxicillin from water.
PMID- 28691588
TI - The relation between the motor evoked potential and diffusion tensor tractography
for the corticospinal tract in chronic hemiparetic patients with cerebral
infarct.
AB - We examined the relation between the results of transcranial magnetic stimulation
(TMS) and diffusion tensor tractography (DTT) for the corticospinal tract (CST)
in chronic hemiparetic patients with a middle cerebral artery (MCA) territory
infarct. The amplitude of motor evoked potential (MEP) was closely related to the
FN of the CST on DTT in chronic hemiparetic patients with an MCA infarct. We
believe that our results would be helpful in more precise estimation of the CST.
PMID- 28691589
TI - Gender and atrial fibrillation: what role for real-world registry data?
PMID- 28691590
TI - Removal of diclofenac from water by in/out PAC/UF hybrid process.
AB - Results from a lab-scale investigation of a hybrid in/out ultrafiltration and
powdered activated carbon adsorption PAC/UF for removal of diclofenac (c0 = 5
mg/L) are presented. The efficiency of the process was compared for single pulse
and continuous carbon dosing (PAC dose 5 mg/L) in dechlorinated tap water under
fluxes of 87 and 135 L/(m2 h). For higher flux conditions, it was observed that
single pulse dosing has an advantage over continuous dosing procedure when
comparing cycle average removal efficiency. Increase of carbon dose under these
conditions increased cycle average removal only to a limited extent. PAC dose
above 15 mg/L did not give improvements of the removal. Hypothesis was made that
non-effective carbon distribution might be the possible reason.
PMID- 28691591
TI - Culture in la clinica: Evaluating the utility of the Cultural Formulation
Interview (CFI) in a Mexican outpatient setting.
AB - While the classification of psychiatric disorders has been critiqued for failing
to adequately account for culture, the inclusion of the Cultural Formulation
Interview (CFI) in the DSM-5 has been viewed as a promising development for the
inclusion of cultural factors in diagnosis and treatment of mental illness. In
this study, we assess the appropriateness, acceptability, and clinical utility of
the CFI among outpatients in a Mexican psychiatric hospital. Our assessment
included observations of psychiatric residents' application of the CFI with 19
patients during routine outpatient visits, along with pre- and post-CFI
interviews to determine providers' and patients' views of the CFI. The CFI was
generally well received by providers and patients, viewed as a way of building
trust and increasing providers' understanding of contextual factors influencing
mental illness, such as social support. However, the CFI questions specifically
related to "culture" were of limited effect and both patients and providers did
not view them as useful. We discuss implications for the clinical assessment of
cultural factors influencing mental health and illness and for the incorporation
of the CFI in Mexican clinical settings.
PMID- 28691592
TI - Reduction of Sleep Deprivation and Fatigue in Mass Transit Rail Operators.
AB - Sleep and work schedules differ considerably between rail workers and the broader
U.S. workforce. Due to extended work hours and night shift schedules, train and
engine service workers who operate passenger trains or move freight are most
vulnerable to fatigue. This article addresses the need for comprehensive fatigue
risk management systems (FRMS) for rail operators. Using a transactional
ergonomic perspective, FRMS are discussed with a focus on fatigue education and
administrative controls to reduce feelings of tiredness, low motivation, poor
concentration, and low physical activity among mass transit rail operators.
Recommendations for intervention implementation and evaluation are provided.
PMID- 28691593
TI - Electrographic Seizures in Preterm Neonates in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Characterize clinical and electroencephalography (EEG) characteristics
of preterm neonates undergoing continuous EEG in the neonatal intensive care
unit. METHODS: Retrospective study of preterm neonates born less than 37 weeks'
gestational age undergoing continuous EEG in the neonatal intensive care unit at
Boston Children's Hospital over a 2-year period. RESULTS: Fifty-two preterms (46%
male) had a mean gestational age of 32.8 weeks (standard deviation = 4.17).
Seizures were detected in 12/52 (23%), with EEG seizures detected in 4/12 (33%).
The median time from EEG to the first seizure was 0.5 hours (interquartile range
0.24-4). Factors associated with seizures were male gender (odds ratio = 4.65
[95% confidence interval = 1.02-21.24], P = .047) and lack of EEG state change
(odds ratio = 0.043 [95% confidence interval = 0.005-0.377], P = .04).
CONCLUSION: Twenty-three percent of preterms undergoing continuous EEG had EEG
seizures or electrographic seizures with no clear clinical correlate. This
confirms recent American Clinical Neurophysiology Society guidelines suggesting
that preterm neonates are at high risk for seizures.
PMID- 28691594
TI - An analytical hierarchy process-based study on the factors affecting legislation
on plastic bags in the USA.
AB - Annually, a large number of used plastic shopping bags are released into the
environment, posing significant threats to public health and wildlife. Owing to
these concerns, many local, regional, and national governments around the world
have passed legislation to ban or restrict the use of plastic shopping bags.
However, in the USA there are only 18 states that have approved plastic bag
bans/fees, and even within these states these regulations do not cover all cities
or counties. There are many factors that could affect the development and
implementation of these regulations. This article employs an analytical hierarchy
process to analyse the factors that could impact the enactment of plastic bag
regulations. Five impact factors are identified based on statistical data, that
is, geographical location, interest of industry achievable, cost of living, level
of economic development, and educational level of population. The weights of the
five impact factors are determined and it is found that the possibility of
banning or restricting plastic bags in general follows a certain pattern among
all states.
PMID- 28691595
TI - Application of hydrolases and probiotic Pediococcus acidilactici BaltBio01 strain
for cereal by-products conversion to bioproduct for food/feed.
AB - The aim of this study was to apply the enzymatic treatment and fermentation by
Pediococcus acidilactici BaltBio01 strain for industrial cereal by-products
conversion to food/feed bioproducts with high amount of probiotic lactic acid
bacteria (LAB). LAB propagated in potato media and spray-dried remained viable
during 12 months (7.0 log10 cfu/g) of storage and was used as a starter for
cereal by-products fermentation. The changes of microbial profile, biogenic
amines (BAs), mycotoxins, lactic acid (L+/D-), lignans and alkylresorcinols (ARs)
contents in fermented cereal by-product were analysed. Cereal by-products
enzymatic hydrolysis before fermentation allows to obtain a higher count of LAB
during fermentation. Fermentation with P. acidilactici reduce mycotoxins content
in fermented cereal by-products. According to our results, P. acidilactici
multiplied in potato juice could be used for cereal by-products fermentation, as
a potential source to produce safer food/feed bioproduct with high amount of
probiotic LAB for industrial production.
PMID- 28691596
TI - The relationship between the INTERMED patient complexity instrument and Level of
Care Utilisation System (LOCUS).
AB - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the concurrent and criterion validity of two
independently developed measurement instruments, INTERMED and LOCUS, designed to
improve the treatment and clinical management of patients with complex symptom
manifestations. METHODS: Participants (N = 66) were selected from hospital
records based on the complexity of presenting symptoms, with tripartite diagnoses
across biological, psychiatric and addiction domains. Biopsychosocial information
from hospital records were submitted to INTERMED and LOCUS grids. In addition,
Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) ratings were gathered for statistical
analyses. RESULTS: The product moment correlation between INTERMED and LOCUS was
0.609 (p = .01). Inverse zero-order correlations for INTERMED and LOCUS total
score and GAF were obtained. However, only the beta weight for LOCUS and GAF was
significant. An exploratory principal components analysis further illuminated
areas of convergence between the instruments. CONCLUSIONS: INTERMED and LOCUS
demonstrated shared variance. INTERMED appeared more sensitive to complex medical
conditions and severe physiological reactions, whereas LOCUS findings are more
strongly related to psychiatric symptoms. Implications are discussed.
PMID- 28691597
TI - Clinical factors associated with positive capsule endoscopy findings in patients
with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding: a single-center study.
AB - BACKGROUND: Capsule endoscopy (CE) is a useful tool for patients with obscure
gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB), but positive finding rate differs among trials,
which may be attributable to the difference in patients' background. OBJECTIVES:
To evaluate the predictive factors associated with positive findings on CE.
METHODS: Consecutive patients with OGIB who underwent CE between March 2004 and
May 2015 at a single university hospital were enrolled. Patients' clinical
factors and CE data were reviewed retrospectively, and we evaluated the
relationship between clinical factors and positive findings by univariate and
multivariate logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Five hundred and seventy
eight patients were included in the analysis. Positive CE findings were obtained
in 284 patients (49.1%). In multivariate analysis, low hemoglobin level (odds
ratio (OR), 1.142 per 1 g/dL decrease; p < .001), Charlson comorbidity index
(CCI) score (OR, 1.170 per 1 point increase; p = .002), and non-steroidal anti
inflammatory drug (NSAID) use (OR, 1.640; p = .044) were associated with an
increased prevalence of positive findings. As for components of CCI, malignant
tumor (OR, 1.839; p = .017) was associated with the positive findings.
CONCLUSIONS: OGIB patient with a low-hemoglobin level, complex and severe
comorbidities, and NSAID use should receive CE.
PMID- 28691598
TI - Decrease in musculoskeletal pain after 4 and 12 months of an aerobic exercise
intervention: a worksite RCT among cleaners.
AB - BACKGROUND: Prevalence of musculoskeletal pain is high in jobs with high physical
work demands. An aerobic exercise intervention targeting cardiovascular health
was evaluated for its long term side effects on musculoskeletal pain. OBJECTIVE:
The objective was to investigate if aerobic exercise affects level of
musculoskeletal pain from baseline to 4- and 12-months follow-up. METHODS: One
hundred-and-sixteen cleaners aged 18-65 years were cluster-randomized. The
aerobic exercise group ( n = 57) received worksite aerobic exercise (30 min twice
a week) and the reference group ( n = 59) lectures in health promotion. Strata
were formed according to closest manager (total 11 strata); clusters were set
within strata (total 40 clusters, 20 in each group). Musculoskeletal pain data
from eight body regions was collected at baseline and after 4- and 12-months
follow-up. The participants stated highest pain in the last month on a scale from
0, stating no pain, up to 10, stating worst possible pain. A repeated-measure 2 *
2 multi-adjusted mixed-models design was applied to compare the between-groups
differences in an intention to treat analysis. Participants were entered as a
random effect nested in clusters to account for the cluster-based randomization.
RESULTS: Clinically significant reductions (>30%, f 2 > 0.25) in the aerobic
exercise group, compared to the reference group, in pain intensity in neck,
shoulders, arms/wrists were found at 12-months follow-up, and a tendency ( p =
0.07, f 2 = 0.18) to an increase for the knees. At 4-months follow-up the only
significant between-group change was an increase in hip pain. CONCLUSIONS: This
study indicates that aerobic exercise reduces musculoskeletal pain in the upper
extremities, but as an unintended side effect may increase pain in the lower
extremities. Aerobic exercise interventions among workers standing or walking in
the majority of the working hours should tailor exercise to only maintain the
positive effect on musculoskeletal pain.
PMID- 28691599
TI - Sheep model of haemodialysis treatment.
AB - More than two million patients received haemodialysis (HD) in 2013. Many methods
for improving dialysis therapy outcomes have been tested. Nevertheless, patients
continue to experience high morbidity and mortality rates. We aimed to develop an
animal model of HD treatment to study methods that would prevent the adverse
effects of renal replacement therapy. The study was conducted using six male
Merino sheep. The animals underwent a two-step bilateral nephrectomy, and a
permanent dual-lumen catheter was inserted into the jugular vein. In each animal,
10 short, daily HD treatments were conducted. The dialysis prescription was
adjusted individually to each animal. Measures of dialysis adequacy (spKt/V and
urea reduction ratio [URR]) were calculated for each HD treatment. All animals
remained in a good clinical state during the experiment. However, a sustained
decrease in red blood cell count was detected. The average URR was 0.65 +/- 0.01,
whereas the calculated spKt/V was approximately 1.16 +/- 0.03. Neither
hyperphosphataemia nor a significant decline in serum albumin concentrations were
detected during the study. A sustained increase in serum potassium concentrations
was detected on consecutive days of the experiment. All sheep survived the
treatment and were euthanized at the end of the experiment. In conclusion, we
developed a reproducible sheep model of HD treatment. The gentle nature and
specific anatomical features of sheep provided easy blood access and allowed us
to perform HD without pharmacological intervention. However, some differences in
sheep physiology relative to human physiology must be considered when
interpreting the results of the study.
PMID- 28691600
TI - Simultaneous detection of multiple pathogens by multiplex PCR coupled with DNA
biochip hybridization.
AB - Traditional serological enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is routinely
used to monitor pathogens during quarantine in most animal facilities to prevent
possible infection. However, the ELISA platform is a single-target assay, and
screening all targeted pathogens is time-consuming and laborious. In this study,
to increase sensitivity and to reduce diagnosis time for high-throughput
processes, multiplex PCR and DNA biochip techniques were combined to develop a
multi-pathogen diagnostic method for use instead of routine ELISA. Eight primer
sets were designed for multiplex PCR to detect genes from seven targeted
bacterial and viral pathogens. DNA-DNA hybridization was conducted on a biochip
following the multiple PCR analysis. Using this method, a total of 24 clinical
samples were tested, and the result showed that not only single infection but
also co-infection by multi-pathogens can be detected. In conclusion, multiplex
PCR coupled with a DNA biochip is an efficient method for detecting multi
pathogens in a reaction. This platform is a useful tool for quarantine services
and disease prevention in animal facilities.
PMID- 28691601
TI - Task-Specific and Functional Effects of Speed-Focused Elliptical or Motor
Assisted Cycle Training in Children With Bilateral Cerebral Palsy: Randomized
Clinical Trial.
AB - BACKGROUND: Locomotor training using treadmills or robotic devices is commonly
utilized to improve gait in cerebral palsy (CP); however, effects are
inconsistent and fail to exceed those of equally intense alternatives. Possible
limitations of existing devices include fixed nonvariable rhythm and too much
limb or body weight assistance. OBJECTIVE: To quantify and compare effectiveness
of a motor-assisted cycle and a novel alternative, an elliptical, in CP to
improve interlimb reciprocal coordination through intensive speed-focused leg
training. METHODS: A total of 27 children with bilateral CP, 5 to 17 years old,
were randomized to 12 weeks of 20 minutes, 5 days per week home-based training
(elliptical = 14; cycle = 13) at a minimum of 40 revolutions per minute, with
resistance added when speed target was achieved. Primary outcomes were self
selected and fastest voluntary cadence on the devices and gait speed. Secondary
outcomes included knee muscle strength, and selective control and functional
mobility measures. RESULTS: Cadence on trained but not nontrained devices
increased, demonstrating task specificity of training and increased exercise
capability. Mean gait speed did not increase in either group, nor did parent
reported functional mobility. Knee extensor strength increased in both. An
interaction between group and time was seen in selective control with scores
slightly increasing for the elliptical and decreasing for the cycle, possibly
related to tighter limb coupling with cycling. CONCLUSIONS: Task-specific effects
were similarly positive across groups, but no transfer was seen to gait or
function. Training dose was low (<=20 hours) compared with intensive upper-limb
training recommendations and may be insufficient to produce appreciable clinical
change.
PMID- 28691602
TI - Somatosensory Feedback to the Cheek During Virtual Visual Feedback Therapy
Enhances Pain Alleviation for Phantom Arms.
AB - BACKGROUND: Patients who suffer from phantom limb pain can perceive tactile
stimuli applied to the cheek on their affected side as if it were coming from
their phantom limb, a phenomenon called "referred sensation." OBJECTIVES: To
investigate the analgesic effect produced by tactile feedback provided to the
cheek during neurorehabilitation using visual feedback. METHODS: Nine
participants with phantom upper limb pain performed virtual reality
neurorehabilitation exercises in which they repeatedly touched a target object
with a virtual representation of their affected limb. We applied tactile feedback
to their cheek when their virtual affected limb touched a virtual object (Cheek
Condition). We also included 2 control conditions where tactile feedback was
either applied to their intact hand (Intact Hand Condition) or not applied at all
(No Stimulus Condition). We evaluated pain intensity on an 11-point rating scale
and pain quality using the short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire before and after
each rehabilitation condition. RESULTS: The median pain-reduction rate in the
Cheek Condition (33.3 +/- 24.4%) was significantly higher than in the Intact Hand
Condition (16.7 +/- 12.3%) and the No Stimulus Condition (12.5 +/- 13.5%; P <
.05). Even patients who did not feel referred sensations reported significant
pain reduction after the Cheek Condition. CONCLUSIONS: The analgesic effect of
neurorehabilitative visual feedback during phantom limb movement is significantly
improved by applying somatosensory feedback to the cheek on the affected side.
Further studies are needed to extend these findings to objective pain measures
and to elucidate the neural mechanisms that underlie the analgesic effect.
PMID- 28691603
TI - Dichorionic Twins Discordant for Massive Perivillous Fibrinoid Deposition: Report
of a Case and Review of the Literature.
AB - Massive perivillous fibrinoid deposition (MFD) and maternal floor infarction
(MFI) are lesions of unknown etiology associated with poor perinatal outcomes,
including fetal intrauterine growth restriction and neurodevelopmental injury,
high risks of pregnancy loss, and recurrence in subsequent gestations. MFI
comprises massive intervillous fibrinoid deposition concentrated at the maternal
floor. MFD is a similar lesion but is diffuse within the parenchyma. MFD/MFI
lesions represent a spectrum of severity of cloak-like perivillous fibrinoid
deposition, and there is mounting evidence that, often, they represent sequelae
of immune-mediated phenomena and/or an imbalance in factors that normally
maintain the fluidity of blood in the maternal space. There are only a handful of
reported instances of discordant MFD/MFI occurrence in twin placentas. We present
a fourth such occurrence in a fused, dichorionic diamniotic twin placenta and
submit that our dizygotic twin gestation case provides additional supportive
evidence that immune-mediated mechanisms are involved in the formation of
pathological accumulations of fibrinoid, at least in some cases.
PMID- 28691604
TI - Parent Psychopathology and Neurocognitive Functioning in Children With ADHD.
AB - OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine the association between
parent mental health (ADHD and depression) and offspring performance on
neurocognitive tasks in children with ADHD. METHOD: The clinical sample consisted
of 570 children (85% males, mean age: 10.77 years) with ADHD who completed
neurocognitive tasks measuring working memory, attention set-shifting, and
motivational deficits. Questionnaire measures were used to assess ADHD and
depression symptom presence in parents. RESULTS: Controlling for ADHD severity,
children of parents with ADHD had poorer working memory ( B = -0.25, 95%
confidence interval [CI] [-0.45, -0.07], p = .01) and increased errors on the
extra dimensional shift stage of the set-shifting task ( B = 0.26 95% CI [0.02,
0.50], p = .04). Parent depression was not associated with offspring performance
on any of the assessed neurocognitive tasks. CONCLUSION: Children with ADHD who
have a parent with ADHD symptom presence are a subgroup of children who may have
additional neurocognitive impairments that have potential implications when
implementing interventions that target cognition and learning.
PMID- 28691605
TI - Effects of lesions to the left lateral prefrontal cortex on task-specific top
down biases and response strategies in blocked-cyclic naming.
AB - Anders, Ries, van Maanen and Alario put forward evidence accumulation modelling
of object naming times as an alternative to neural network models of lexical
retrieval. The authors exemplify their approach using data from the blocked
cyclic naming paradigm, requiring speakers to repeatedly name small sets of
related or unrelated objects. The effects observed with this paradigm are
understood reasonably well within the tradition of neural network modelling.
However, implemented neural network models do not specify interfaces for task
specific top-down influences and response strategies that are likely to play a
role in the blocked-cyclic naming paradigm, distinguishing it from continuous,
non-cyclic manipulations of the naming context. I argue that the evidence
accumulation approach falls short on this account as well, as it does not specify
the potential contribution of task-specific top-down processes and strategic
facilitation effects to the response time distributions. Future endeavours to
model or fit data from blocked-cyclic naming experiments should strive to do so
by simultaneously considering data from continuous context manipulations.
PMID- 28691606
TI - Word selection deficits and multiword speech.
AB - Through computational modelling of language behaviour in both healthy and brain
damaged individuals, Anders, Ries, van Maanen and Alario ( in press ) propose
that to facilitate word selection when alternatives compete for production, the
left lateral prefrontal cortex (PFC) changes the threshold for word selection.
Because selecting a word during multiword speech involves resolving competition
from target-related competitors as well as words produced in the past and future,
a word-selection deficit caused by damage to the left PFC may result in
difficulties in producing multiword speech. I review evidence in support of this
hypothesis and discuss alternative explanations. Future work should extend Anders
and colleagues' conclusions to understand whether a deficit in word selection
when producing single words accounts for failures to communicate via multiword
speech.
PMID- 28691607
TI - A blind spot in correct naming latency analyses.
AB - Speech errors and naming latencies provide two complementary sets of behavioural
data for understanding language production processes. A recent analytical trend
applied to intact and impaired production alike-highlights a link between
specific features of correct picture naming latency distributions and the
retrieval processes thought to underlie them. Although chronometric approaches to
language production typically consider correct response times in isolation,
adequately accounting for their distributions in error-prone situations requires
also considering the errors that sometimes censor them. In this paper, I
illustrate by simulation how excluding incorrect word retrievals predictably
alters observed distributions of correct naming latencies. To the extent that
naming errors impose a stochastic deadline on successful production, their
censoring should tend to reduce the mean, variance, and skew of observed
latencies for correct responses, relative to the uncensored underlying
distribution.
PMID- 28691609
TI - Kangaroo care for low birthweight infants.
AB - Background Kangaroo mother care (KMC) is defined by the World Health Organization
(WHO) as early, continuous and prolonged kin-to-skin contact between mother and
baby.
PMID- 28691611
TI - Monkey mascot used to gather children's opinions.
AB - The use of a monkey mascot has been piloted at Lincoln County Hospital to gather
feedback on healthcare services and experiences from young patients.
PMID- 28691610
TI - Evidence suggests that kangaroo mother care improves premature infant outcomes.
AB - The British Association of Perinatal Medicine ( 2016 ) has reported that 60,000
70,000 infants a year require neonatal intervention in the UK, or about 10% of
all babies born in England. The World Health Organization ( 2015 ) found a 0%
decrease in mortality rates in neonatal units worldwide through the adoption of
KMC.
PMID- 28691612
TI - NSPCC helpline reports 200% increase in calls.
AB - An NSPCC report highlights a 200% increase in calls to the charity's helpline
about emotional abuse of children.
PMID- 28691613
TI - Children can thrive on a blended diet.
AB - Using a blended diet to feed a child through gastrostomy is still a controversial
practice, but the pioneering leadership of nurse consultant Sian Thomas could
change this. After being approached by the parent of a child with complex needs,
Ms Thomas developed a multi-agency protocol to help her attend a mainstream
school.
PMID- 28691615
TI - Teachers to get specialist training.
AB - Teachers who have had special training to deal with pupils' mental health
problems will make a 'real difference to children's lives', the prime minister
has said.
PMID- 28691616
TI - Assessment of Northern Jordanian adolescents' knowledge and attitudes towards
asthma.
AB - Background Asthma is a chronic illness of the airways that can cause a persistent
cough. The illness affects a significant population of young people worldwide and
can affect their ongoing quality of life. Aim To explore Jordanian adolescents'
knowledge and attitudes to asthma. Method A cross-sectional research design was
used with a convenience sample of 302 adolescents from six schools in northern
Jordan, who completed a self-reported knowledge and attitude survey. Results
Although the adolescents had an adequate knowledge level about asthma, several
areas of knowledge deficit were identified and some negative attitudes were
demonstrated. No significant association was found between adolescents' level of
knowledge and their attitudes to adolescents with asthma. Conclusion Jordanian
adolescents need more educational programmes about living with life-changing
chronic illnesses such as asthma, and about how the knowledge and positive
attitudes of peer groups can normalise the illness for the affected person,
enhancing their quality of life.
PMID- 28691617
TI - Improving outcomes through training staff in neurological assessment.
AB - Aim The aim of this project is to provide staff with appropriate training and
support to ensure that nurses offer up-to-date, evidenced-based, neurological
care, and that the best clinical outcomes are achieved.
PMID- 28691618
TI - Improvements needed in mental health care for young people.
AB - A study of child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) in all 28
countries of the EU, including legal aspects of adolescent care, has found
provision needs to be improved.
PMID- 28691619
TI - Social stigma stops adolescents from using inhalers for asthma.
AB - Forgetfulness, poor routines, inadequate inhaler technique, organisational
difficulties and families not understanding or accepting their children's asthma
are described as barriers to the use of inhalers among adolescents with asthma.
PMID- 28691621
TI - Klinefelter syndrome.
AB - Klinefelter syndrome, affecting males, is a collection of characteristics that
occurs as a result of two or more X chromosomes. The syndrome was named after
Harry Klinefelter, an American endocrinologist, and is common - occurring in all
races. It is thought that one male in every 500 live births is affected and the
incidence is rising. However, this may be due to increasing awareness, reflective
of the sophistication of the methods to diagnose.
PMID- 28691622
TI - Risk factors for childhood obesity: a data analysis of the Welsh Health Survey.
AB - Background The prevalence of childhood obesity in Wales is 12%. It has been
estimated that obesity will cost the NHS L10 billion a year by 2050 ( Government
Office for Science 2007 ). Aim To determine important risk factors associated
with childhood obesity from the data in the Welsh Health Survey 2008 to 2012.
Method The analysis used survey data from 11,279 children aged 4-15 years. The
lifestyle variables considered as potential risk factors for obesity included:
intake of sugar-sweetened drinks; unhealthy food consumption; physical activity;
and currently-treated illnesses. The sociodemographic and socioeconomic factors
included: sex; age; Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation quintile; National
Statistics Socio-economic Classification; and housing tenure. Results A total of
1,582 (20%) children were obese. A significant association was found between
obesity and having one illness - odds ratio (OR) 1.20 (95% confidence interval
(CI): 1.05 to 1.38, P=0.008) and having two or more illnesses - OR 1.50 (95% CI:
1.22 to 1.85, P<0.001), and not meeting the physical activity recommendation - OR
1.33 (95% CI: 1.17 to 1.52, P<0.001). Conclusion Every child should meet the
physical activity recommendation and those with an illness should receive a care
plan to prevent or manage obesity, although this is difficult in the time
available for children in clinics and consultations.
PMID- 28691623
TI - Roald Dahl charity funds network of specialist nurses.
AB - As the author of some of the most famous children's books, Roald Dahl's impact on
the lives of young people is obvious. But less well known is his legacy in terms
of helping the sick and injured.
PMID- 28691625
TI - Health visitors vital to child development.
AB - The RCN says that health visiting must be a top government priority if children
are to flourish.
PMID- 28691624
TI - Hospitals test if therapy dogs can aid children's recovery.
AB - Children undergoing hospital treatment are being supported by therapy dogs in a
new study to establish if the pets are beneficial to their recovery.
PMID- 28691626
TI - Reflective learning.
AB - Good care matters. If I learned one thing from my nursing elective in Malawi,
East Africa, it was this: whatever the environment or situation, good care should
be at the heart of our practice.
PMID- 28691629
TI - Nursing secondments are good investments.
AB - Nurse recruitment and retention is at an all-time low, with nurse numbers
expected to decrease as many nurses near retirement age and fewer people apply
for nursing degree courses. One in nine nursing posts in England, is currently
unfilled.
PMID- 28691627
TI - A glimpse of nursing student life in China.
AB - When Toni Bewley first arrived at Harbin University in Daqing, north-eastern
China, she was intrigued to discover that students do not undertake any clinical
placements during their three-year degree courses.
PMID- 28691632
TI - Response to attack made me proud to be a nurse.
AB - Working as a paediatric nurse at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital for the
past five years, I have often been exposed to difficult situations and worked in
challenging circumstances. Life as a nurse on the ward can be difficult on an
emotional level.
PMID- 28691633
TI - Childhood stroke.
AB - Essential facts [Figure: see text] Around 400 children in the UK have a stroke
each year, leaving many with severe physical and mental impairments. Many
professionals and parents can mistakenly think that strokes only affect older
people, leading to delays in diagnosis and prompt treatment. Children may need
long-term support including physiotherapy, speech and language therapy and
support with education.
PMID- 28691634
TI - Understanding the nurse's role in identifying children with intellectual
disability.
AB - The early diagnosis of children who have intellectual disability (ID) is crucial
to ensuring the varied and complex needs of these people and their families are
met in a timely and appropriate way. The ability to easily identify all children
who should be assessed for ID would increase the chances of children with ID
being diagnosed early on in life. This article describes ID, the kind of support
children with ID need, and how nursing staff might use the Child and Adolescent
Intellectual Disability Screening Questionnaire (CAIDS-Q) to help identify
children who should be formally assessed for ID. Nurses who would benefit from a
greater ability to identify ID include health visitors, school nurses, practice
nurses, and nurses working in paediatric clinics.
PMID- 28691635
TI - Multi-agency practice for developing a blended diet for children fed via
gastrostomy.
AB - The administration of a blended diet via a gastrostomy tube to children with
complex needs is an evolving area of practice. Healthcare professionals must
provide guidance, promote best practice and optimise patient safety where
patients and families choose a blended diet in preference to the prescribed
commercial feed. The Aneurin Bevan Health University Health Board in Newport,
Wales, took a collaborative approach, by working with parents as equal partners,
to enable a child with complex needs to receive a blended diet at school. The
development of a protocol and risk-assessed approach enabled the delivery of
bespoke flexible care that met the holistic needs of the child and family and
improved the child's quality of life. The initiative also led to positive
outcomes for the school and wider community.
PMID- 28691636
TI - Optimal control of greenhouse gas emissions and system cost for integrated
municipal solid waste management with considering a hierarchical structure.
AB - This study presents a synergic optimization of control for greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions and system cost in integrated municipal solid waste (MSW) management on
a basis of bi-level programming. The bi-level programming is formulated by
integrating minimizations of GHG emissions at the leader level and system cost at
the follower level into a general MSW framework. Different from traditional
single- or multi-objective approaches, the proposed bi-level programming is
capable of not only addressing the tradeoffs but also dealing with the leader
follower relationship between different decision makers, who have dissimilar
perspectives interests. GHG emission control is placed at the leader level could
emphasize the significant environmental concern in MSW management. A bi-level
decision-making process based on satisfactory degree is then suitable for solving
highly nonlinear problems with computationally effectiveness. The capabilities
and effectiveness of the proposed bi-level programming are illustrated by an
application of a MSW management problem in Canada. Results show that the obtained
optimal management strategy can bring considerable revenues, approximately from
76 to 97 million dollars. Considering control of GHG emissions, it would give
priority to the development of the recycling facility throughout the whole
period, especially in latter periods. In terms of capacity, the existing landfill
is enough in the future 30 years without development of new landfills, while
expansion to the composting and recycling facilities should be paid more
attention.
PMID- 28691637
TI - Sociodemographic correlates of physical activity and screen time among
adolescents in Canada and Guatemala: Results from the COMPASS system.
AB - This study was to compare the levels of physical activity (PA) and sedentary
behavior (SB) between Canadian and Guatemalan adolescents, and to examine
associations of sociodemographic variables with PA and screen time among
adolescents in Canada and Guatemala. Self-reported, cross-sectional data from
students in grades 9-12 who participated in the 2015 COMPASS study (Canada; n =
39,817; mean age = 15.6 years) and COMPASS-Guatemala ( n = 1,221; mean age = 15.1
years) were used. Sociodemographic variables included age, gender, ethnicity
(exclusively among Canadians), and weekly money allowance. Outcome variables
included meeting the PA guidelines (?60 minutes/day) and the screen time
recommendations within the SB guidelines (<2 hours/day), and participation in
organized sports in and out of school. Chi-squared tests and linear and logistic
regressions were used to test the study objectives. The proportions of
participants meeting the PA guidelines were 48.7% and 41.3% for Canadians and
Guatemalans, respectively. More Guatemalan adolescents than Canadians met the
screen time recommendations (24.9% vs. 16.5%). Older age, being male, being non
White, and $0-$5/unknown of allowance were associated with meeting the PA
guidelines among Canadians. Gender (being male) was the only variable associated
with meeting the PA guidelines among Guatemalan adolescents. Older age, being
male, being non-White, and $0-$5/unknown of allowance were associated with
organized sport participation among Canadians. Among Guatemalans, being aged 15
16 years and having 0-35 quetzals/unknown of allowance were associated with
participating in competitive school sports. Being male was associated with
participating in recreational school sports or league/team sports outside of
school. Older age, being female, being non-White, and ?$6 of allowance were
associated with meeting the screen time recommendations among Canadians. Older
age and having ?150 quetzals of allowance were associated with meeting the screen
time recommendations among Guatemalan adolescents. These findings can inform
researchers and policy makers when developing country-specific targeted
interventions and programs that promote physically active lifestyles.
PMID- 28691638
TI - Maternal late pregnancy anxiety and stress is associated with children's health:
a longitudinal study.
AB - AIM: Maternal prenatal anxiety and stress (PNS) have been positively associated
to physical health prob lems in offspring in the first year of life. Whether
these associations are transient, persistent, or even progressive over time, is
as yet unknown. The goal of this study is to investigate associations between
late pregnancy PNS and child health from 18 months to age 6. METHODS: Mothers
were recruited in late pregnancy, and had uncomplicated, singleton pregnancies
without physical health problems. Around week 37 of pregnancy, mothers reported
on their PNS by means of questionnaires, and provided saliva for determination of
circadian cortisol concentrations. Children's illnesses in the preceding year
were assessed using maternal reports at 30, 48, 60, and 72 months. Antibiotic use
was obtained from medical records between one and six years. Multilevel models
(N1/4174) showed a positive relation between maternal prenatal general and
pregnancy-specific anxiety during late pregnancy and offspring respiratory
illnesses and symptoms. Interaction effects with time indicated that more PNS was
related to more respiratory illnesses until toddlerhood, but not later in life.
Furthermore, maternal prenatal cortisol concentrations were related to child
digestive illnesses. A steeper maternal cortisol decline over the day was related
to more child digestive illnesses, until around three years of age. Finally,
children of mothers who suffered more from daily hassles during pregnancy
received more antibiotics between one and six years of age. PNS was not related
to general and skin illnesses. CONCLUSION: Summarizing, this study showed that
late pregnancy anxiety and cortisol was associated with children's respiratory
and digestive illnesses till the age of 3.0-3.5 years. Additionally, more daily
hassles were related to more prescribed antibiotics between one and six years.
These findings point in the direction of possible effects of PNS persisting
beyond the first year of life and into toddlerhood, but disappearing at older
ages.
PMID- 28691639
TI - Energy saving control strategies for Haliscomenobacter hydrossis filamentous
sludge bulking in the A/O process treating real low carbon/nitrogen domestic
wastewater.
AB - The control strategies of energy saving for filamentous sludge bulking were
investigated in the A/O process under low dissolved oxygen (DO) with low
carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio, and the dominant filamentous bacteria were
identified by using fluorescent in situ hybridization. Initially, the sludge
volume index reached nearly 500 mL/g and serious bulking occurred when the DO
value was 0.5 mg/L, with Haliscomenobacter hydrossis as the major filamentous
bacteria in the bulking sludge. Later on, the compartment number increased in the
aerobic zone, increasing by this way DO, to control serious bulking. Increasing
DO to 1 mg/L based on the increase of compartment number in the aerobic zone was
the favorable controlling method, which solved the sludge loss, improved the
effluent quality to the national discharge standard and allowed for energy costs
saving. As a result, the effective control method for H. hydrossis filamentous
sludge bulking provided the economical, convenient and longstanding method for
most municipal wastewater treatment plants treating real low C/N domestic
wastewater.
PMID- 28691640
TI - Design of the FINS-TEENS study: A randomized controlled trial assessing the
impact of fatty fish on cognitive performance in adolescents.
AB - AIMS: To describe the rationale, study design, population and dietary compliance
in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) investigating the effect of fatty fish on
cognitive performance and mental health in adolescents. METHOD: In the Fish
Intervention Studies-TEENS (FINS-TEENS) study we individually randomized 478
adolescents (14-15-year-olds) from eight secondary schools in Norway to receive
school meal lunches with fatty fish or meat or n-3 supplements three times a week
for 12 weeks. Demographic factors, psychological tests and biological measures
were collected pre-and post-intervention. Duplicate portions of lunch meals were
collected and individual intake recorded throughout the study. RESULTS: In total,
481 out of 785 adolescents (61%) agreed to participate and 34 (7%) dropped out.
Breakfast consumption was the only group difference in background
characteristics. Analyses of selected nutrients in the lunch meals showed higher
levels of n-3 fatty acids, vitamin D and n-6 fatty acids in the fish compared to
the meat meals. Dietary compliance (score 0-144) revealed that the intake in the
Fish group (mean = 59, standard deviation (SD) = 35) were lower than in the Meat
group (mean = 83, SD = 31, p < 0.01) and Supplement group (mean = 105, SD = 25, p
< 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The results show that it is possible to conduct a RCT with
fatty fish in a school-based setting. The results also emphasize the importance
of collecting detailed records of dietary compliance, as this information is
important when interpreting and analysing the outcome of dietary interventions.
PMID- 28691641
TI - Decreased long non-coding RNA SPRY4-IT1 contributes to ovarian cancer cell
metastasis partly via affecting epithelial-mesenchymal transition.
AB - Long non-coding RNAs play important roles in the regulation of cellular processes
including cell proliferation, differentiation, and metastasis. The dysregulation
of long non-coding RNAs, such as the SPRY4-IT1 (SPRY4 intronic transcript 1), has
been associated with various types of malignancies. However, the functional roles
and regulatory mechanism of SPRY4-IT1 in ovarian cancer remain to be elucidated.
Here, we quantified the expression level of SPRY4-IT1 in ovarian cancer patients
and found its downregulation in ovarian cancer tissues compared to the adjacent
normal tissues. Patients with lower SPRY4-IT1 expression were associated with a
relatively poor prognosis. In consistency, the expression of SPRY4-IT1 was found
to be reduced in four human ovarian cancer cell lines compared to normal ovarian
epithelial cells. Next, two ovarian cancer cell lines SKOV3 and HO8910 were
employed in vitro assays to investigate biological functions of SPRY4-IT1 in
ovarian cancer. The cell proliferation was reduced following SPRY4-IT1
overexpression in SKOV3/HO8910 cells based on 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5
diphenyltetrazolium bromide and colony formation assays. The SPRY4-IT1
overexpression also dramatically arrested cell cycle and promoted cell apoptosis.
Both wound-healing and transwell-based assays demonstrated that cell migration
and invasion were inhibited following SPRY4-IT1 overexpression. Meanwhile,
overexpression of SPRY4-IT1 increased E-cadherin and decreased N-cadherin and
vimentin protein levels, indicating that SPRY4-IT1 may regulate ovarian cancer
cell metastasis through the inhibition of epithelial-mesenchymal transition.
Taken together, our findings suggest that SPRY4-IT1 regulates various cellular
processes of ovarian cancer cells and its downregulation may contribute to
ovarian cancer progression and metastasis partly via affecting the epithelial
mesenchymal transition.
PMID- 28691642
TI - XIAP 3'-untranslated region serves as a competitor for HMGA2 by arresting
endogenous let-7a-5p in human hepatocellular carcinoma.
AB - X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein functions as an intrinsic regulator of
apoptosis by inhibition of caspase activity and possesses a pivotal role in human
cancer development and progression. A growing body of literature has demonstrated
that microRNAs lead to the degradation or translational repression of messenger
RNAs by binding to the non-coding region of messenger RNA at the 3'-untranslated
region. Here, we revealed that the expression of HMGA2 is upregulated with X
linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein after transfection of X-linked inhibitor of
apoptosis protein 3'-untranslated region in hepatocellular carcinoma cells,
suggesting that X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein 3'-untranslated region
serves as a competitor for microRNAs and prevent the co-targeted messenger RNA,
HMGA2, from being suppressed. We further identified that let-7a-5p could bind to
both the X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein 3'-untranslated region and HMGA2
3'-untranslated region. Moreover, we demonstrated that the forced expression of X
linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein 3'-untranslated region increases the
oncogenicity of hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro. Cell functional analyses
were performed to examine the association of HMGA2 status and X-linked inhibitor
of apoptosis protein 3'-untranslated region. We have also measured the functional
readout of let-7a-5p and HMGA2, an assay often employed to provide substantial
evidence for the effects of X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein 3'
untranslated region on hepatocellular carcinoma cells. In general, our findings
suggest that X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein 3'-untranslated region
serves as a competitive endogenous RNA for HMGA2 to activate hepatocellular
carcinoma progression by arresting endogenous let-7a-5p.
PMID- 28691643
TI - Rap2B promotes angiogenesis via PI3K/AKT/VEGF signaling pathway in human renal
cell carcinoma.
AB - Human renal cell carcinoma which is a highly vascular tumor is the leading cause
of death from urologic cancers. Angiogenesis has a pivotal role in oncogenesis
and in the viability and expansion of renal cell carcinoma. Rap2B, as a small
guanosine triphosphate-binding protein of the Ras family, was first discovered in
the early 1990s during the screening of a platelet complementary DNA library.
Previous studies have shown that Rap2B aberrantly expressed in human
carcinogenesis and promoted the development of tumors via multiple signaling
pathways. However, the function of Rap2B in tumor angiogenesis that is necessary
for tumor growth and metastasis remains unknown. In this study, we examined the
role of Rap2B in angiogenesis in renal cell carcinoma by Western blot,
quantitative polymerase chain reaction, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, human
umbilical vascular endothelial cells growth assay, and endothelial cell tube
formation assay. We found that Rap2B promoted angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo.
Moreover, our data illustrated that phosphoinositide 3-kinase/AKT signaling
pathway is involved in Rap2B-mediated upregulation of vascular endothelial growth
factor and renal cell carcinoma angiogenesis. Taken together, these results
revealed that Rap2B promotes renal cell carcinoma angiogenesis via
phosphoinositide 3-kinase/AKT/vascular endothelial growth factor signaling
pathway, which suggests that Rap2B is a novel therapeutic target for renal cell
carcinoma anti-angiogenesis therapy.
PMID- 28691644
TI - Distribution and attribution of high-risk human papillomavirus genotypes in
cervical precancerous lesions in China.
AB - While human papillomavirus vaccine was recently approved by China Food and Drug
Administration, mapping of high-risk human papillomavirus distribution and
attribution in cervical precancerous lesions in China becomes critical in
development of a high-risk human papillomavirus-based cervical cancer screening
and prevention strategy. In total, 1016 patients with cervical precancerous
lesions diagnosed in the National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy
of Medical Sciences were analyzed retrospectively, including 111 patients with
low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions and 905 patients with high-grade
squamous intraepithelial lesions. HPV16, 58, 52, 33, and 31 were the most common
high-risk human papillomavirus genotypes in order of decreasing frequency among
high-risk human papillomavirus-positive high-grade squamous intraepithelial
lesions; this differed from the high-risk human papillomavirus distribution in
low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HPV16, 52, 39, 56, and 58). The
distribution of high-risk human papillomavirus genotypes in single-type
infections for high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HPV16, 58, 33, and
52) was similar to that in multiple-type infections (HPV16, 58, 52, and 33). By
contrast, a more diverse distribution spectrum of high-risk human papillomavirus
genotypes for low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions was observed between
single-type (HPV16, 52, 39, and 56) and multiple-type infection (HPV52, 68, 58,
59, 39 and 56). A previously published method was adopted to calculate the
fractional proportion of individual high-risk human papillomavirus genotypes in
multiple infections. For this proportional attribution, HPV16 (48.9%), 58
(10.0%), 33 (5.5%), and 52 (5.5%) were the most frequent among all high-grade
squamous intraepithelial lesions, whereas HPV16 (13.2%), 52 (11.6%), 39 (9.5%),
and 56 (7.6%) were the most frequent among all low-grade squamous intraepithelial
lesions. Differences in high-risk human papillomavirus distribution and
proportional attribution in different cervical pathology statuses (high-grade
squamous intraepithelial lesions and low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions)
demonstrated the critical role of persistent infection of certain high-risk human
papillomavirus such as HPV16, 58, 33, and 52 in carcinogenesis of cervical
cancer. Distinctively high prevalence of HPV58, 33 and 52 in Chinese cervical
intraepithelial neoplasia population, especially in high-grade squamous
intraepithelial lesions, should be taken into consideration in cervical cancer
screening strategy and vaccine development.
PMID- 28691645
TI - A Single Bout of High-Intensity Interval Training Improves Motor Skill Retention
in Individuals With Stroke.
AB - BACKGROUND: One bout of high-intensity cardiovascular exercise performed
immediately after practicing a motor skill promotes changes in the
neuroplasticity of the motor cortex and facilitates motor learning in nondisabled
individuals. OBJECTIVE: To determine if a bout of exercise performed at high
intensity is sufficient to induce neuroplastic changes and improve motor skill
retention in patients with chronic stroke. METHODS: Twenty-two patients with
different levels of motor impairment were recruited. On the first session, the
effects of a maximal graded exercise test on corticospinal and intracortical
excitability were assessed from the affected and unaffected primary motor cortex
representational area of a hand muscle with transcranial magnetic stimulation. On
the second session, participants were randomly assigned to an exercise or a
nonexercise control group. Immediately after practicing a motor task, the
exercise group performed 15 minutes of high-intensity interval training while the
control group rested. Twenty-four hours after motor practice all participants
completed a test of the motor task to assess skill retention. RESULTS: The graded
exercise test reduced interhemispheric imbalances in GABAA-mediated short
interval intracortical inhibition but changes in other markers of excitability
were not statistically significant. The group that performed high-intensity
interval training showed a better retention of the motor skill. CONCLUSIONS: The
performance of a maximal graded exercise test triggers only modest neuroplastic
changes in patients with chronic stroke. However, a single bout of high-intensity
interval training performed immediately after motor practice improves skill
retention, which could potentially accelerate motor recovery in these
individuals.
PMID- 28691646
TI - Participatory methods for Inuit public health promotion and programme evaluation
in Nunatsiavut, Canada.
AB - Engaging stakeholders is crucial for health promotion and programme evaluations;
understanding how to best engage stakeholders is less clear, especially within
Indigenous communities. The objectives of this thesis research were to use
participatory methods to: (1) co-develop and evaluate a whiteboard video for use
as a public health promotion tool in Rigolet, Nunatsiavut, and (2) develop and
validate a framework for participatory evaluation of Inuit public health
initiatives in Nunatsiavut, Labrador. Data collection tools included interactive
workshops, community events, interviews, focus-group discussions and surveys.
Results indicated the whiteboard video was an engaging and suitable medium for
sharing public health messaging due to its contextually relevant elements.
Participants identified 4 foundational evaluation framework components necessary
to conduct appropriate evaluations, including: (1) community engagement, (2)
collaborative evaluation development, (3) tailored evaluation data collection and
(4) evaluation scope. This research illustrates stakeholder participation is
critical to develop and evaluate contextually relevant public health initiatives
in Nunatsiavut, Labrador and should be considered in other Indigenous
communities.
PMID- 28691647
TI - Microbiological diagnosis in revision of infected knee arthroplasties in Denmark.
AB - BACKGROUND: Revision of infected knee arthroplasties is associated with high
failure rates (30-40%). An understanding of the microbiology is important to
optimize treatment and outcome. We describe microbiological diagnostic practice
and diagnosis in revision of infected knee arthroplasties. METHODS: One hundred
and two partial revisions (open debridement and exchange of tibial insert) and
213 two-stage procedures performed due to infection in 275 patients from 1 July
2011 to 30 June 2013 were included and analysed by linkage to data from a
nationwide registry on microbiological test results. RESULTS: 78 (24.8%)
revisions were culture negative, 192 (60.9%) showed monomicrobial growth and 43
(14.3%) polymicrobial growth. Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequent isolate
in mono-culture in 70 (22.2%) revisions and in polymicrobial culture in 15
revisions with a total frequency of 27.0%. Only one case (1.4%) of methicillin
resistance was registered. Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) were frequent,
sole pathogen in 65 revisions and in polymicrobial cultures in 28 revisions with
a total frequency of 29.5%. A pre-operative knee aspiration was performed in 50%
and preoperative blood cultures were performed in 22% of cases. In 73% of the
preoperative knee-aspirations bacteriological findings were fully or partially in
accordance with intraoperative cultures. In 54% of the later re-revisions due to
infection (treatment-failures) the cultured species differed from or was not
detected at index revision surgery. CONCLUSIONS: The 25% culture negative cases
in combination with only 50% preoperative knee aspirations and prevailing high
failure rates confirm the need for improvement of diagnostic practice and
treatment of infected knee arthroplasties.
PMID- 28691648
TI - Use of a real-time PCR to explore the intensity of Plasmodium spp. infections in
native, endemic and introduced New Zealand birds.
AB - Avian malaria, caused by Plasmodium spp., is an emerging disease in New Zealand
(NZ). To detect Plasmodium spp. infection and quantify parasite load in NZ birds,
a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (qPCR) protocol was used and compared
with a nested PCR (nPCR) assay. A total of 202 blood samples from 14 bird species
with known nPCR results were tested. The qPCR prevalences for introduced, native
and endemic species groups were 70, 11 and 21%, respectively, with a sensitivity
and specificity of 96.7 and 98%, respectively, for the qPCR, while a sensitivity
and specificity of 80.9 and 85.4% were determined for the nPCR. The qPCR appeared
to be more sensitive in detecting lower levels of parasitaemia. The mean parasite
load was significantly higher in introduced bird species (2245 parasites per 10
000 erythrocytes) compared with endemic species (31.5 parasites per 10 000
erythrocytes). In NZ robins (Petroica longipes), a significantly lower packed
cell volume was found in birds that were positive for Plasmodium spp. compared
with birds that were negative. Our data suggest that introduced bird species,
such as blackbirds (Turdus merula), have a higher tolerance for circulating
parasite stages of Plasmodium spp., indicating that introduced species are an
important reservoir of avian malaria due to a high infection prevalence and
parasite load.
PMID- 28691649
TI - Screening tools for the identification of dementia for adults with age-related
acquired hearing or vision impairment: a scoping review.
AB - BACKGROUND: Cognitive screening tests frequently rely on items being correctly
heard or seen. We aimed to identify, describe, and evaluate the adaptation,
validity, and availability of cognitive screening and assessment tools for
dementia which have been developed or adapted for adults with acquired hearing
and/or vision impairment. METHOD: Electronic databases were searched using
subject terms "hearing disorders" OR "vision disorders" AND "cognitive
assessment," supplemented by exploring reference lists of included papers and via
consultation with health professionals to identify additional literature.
RESULTS: 1,551 papers were identified, of which 13 met inclusion criteria. Four
papers related to tests adapted for hearing impairment; 11 papers related to
tests adapted for vision impairment. Frequently adapted tests were the Mini
Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA).
Adaptations for hearing impairment involved deleting or creating written versions
for hearing-dependent items. Adaptations for vision impairment involved deleting
vision-dependent items or spoken/tactile versions of visual tasks. No study
reported validity of the test in relation to detection of dementia in people with
hearing/vision impairment. Item deletion had a negative impact on the
psychometric properties of the test. CONCLUSIONS: While attempts have been made
to adapt cognitive tests for people with acquired hearing and/or vision
impairment, the primary limitation of these adaptations is that their validity in
accurately detecting dementia among those with acquired hearing or vision
impairment is yet to be established. It is likely that the sensitivity and
specificity of the adapted versions are poorer than the original, especially if
the adaptation involved item deletion. One solution would involve item
substitution in an alternative sensory modality followed by re-validation of the
adapted test.
PMID- 28691650
TI - Behaviour change in overweight and obese pregnancy: a decision tree to support
the development of antenatal lifestyle interventions.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Antenatal healthy lifestyle interventions are frequently implemented
in overweight and obese pregnancy, yet there is inconsistent reporting of the
behaviour-change methods and behavioural outcomes. This limits our understanding
of how and why such interventions were successful or not. DESIGN: The current
paper discusses the application of behaviour-change theories and techniques
within complex lifestyle interventions in overweight and obese pregnancy. The
authors propose a decision tree to help guide researchers through intervention
design, implementation and evaluation. The implications for adopting behaviour
change theories and techniques, and using appropriate guidance when constructing
and evaluating interventions in research and clinical practice are also
discussed. CONCLUSIONS: To enhance the evidence base for successful behaviour
change interventions during pregnancy, adoption of behaviour-change theories and
techniques, and use of published guidelines when designing lifestyle
interventions are necessary. The proposed decision tree may be a useful guide for
researchers working to develop effective behaviour-change interventions in
clinical settings. This guide directs researchers towards key literature sources
that will be important in each stage of study development.
PMID- 28691651
TI - Helminth community structure of 13 species of anurans from Atlantic rainforest
remnants, Brazil.
AB - This study aimed to evaluate the community composition and structure of the
helminths found in 13 anuran species, and to evaluate whether this parasite
community is determined by anuran characteristics. We found that the helminth
fauna of the amphibians from five anuran families consisted of 13 taxa and that
Cosmocercidae gen. sp. was the most prevalent taxon, followed by Oswaldocruzia
subauricularis. Host body size was a determining factor of the composition and
structure of the parasitic fauna. Helminth abundance and richness were positively
correlated with host body size. The host Leptodactylus latrans had the highest
helminth richness (n = 8). The frog Hypsiboas faber had the greatest helminth
diversity (H' = 0.711). The mean helminth species richness and diversity differed
significantly between host species (P < 0.05). Taken together, our data indicate
that, in sympatric species of amphibians, the morphological and behavioural
characteristics of the hosts are important for structuring the helminth parasite
communities.
PMID- 28691652
TI - Migration of Fasciola hepatica newly excysted juveniles is inhibited by high
mannose and oligomannose-type N-glycan-binding lectins.
AB - Fasciola hepatica has both zoonotic importance and high economic impact in
livestock worldwide. After ingestion by the definitive host, the Newly Excysted
Juveniles (NEJ) penetrate the intestine before reaching the peritoneal cavity.
The role of some NEJ-derived proteins in invasion has been documented, but the
role of NEJ glycans or lectin-binding receptors during initial infection in the
gut is still unknown. To address these questions, the migration of NEJ through
rat intestine was recorded at 30 min intervals up to 150 min by two ex vivo
methods. Firstly, jejunal sheets were challenged with NEJ incubated with
biotinylated lectins. Secondly, untreated NEJ were incubated with distal jejunum
pre-treated with lectins. Both Concanavalin A (ConA) and Galanthus nivalis (GNL),
which recognize mannose-type N-glycans, significantly inhibited NEJ migration
across the jejunum. Most of the lectins bound to the tegument and oral sucker of
the NEJ, but only ConA and GNL maintained this interaction over 150 min. None of
the lectins examined significantly reduced NEJ migration when pre-incubated with
jejunal sheets, suggesting that host glycans might not be essential for initial
binding/recognition of the gut by NEJ. Agents capable of blocking mannose-type N
glycans on the NEJ tegument may have potential for disrupting infection.
PMID- 28691653
TI - Molecular, biochemical characterization and assessment of immunogenic potential
of cofactor-independent phosphoglycerate mutase against Leishmania donovani: a
step towards exploring novel vaccine candidate.
AB - Despite immense efforts, vaccine against visceral leishmaniasis has yet not been
developed. Earlier our proteomic study revealed a novel protein, cofactor
independent phoshoglycerate mutase (LdiPGAM), an important enzyme in glucose
metabolism, in T helper cells type 1 (Th1) stimulatory region of soluble
Leishmania donovani antigen. In this study, LdiPGAM was biochemically and
molecularly characterized and evaluated for its immunogenicity and prophylactic
efficacy against L. donovani. Immunogenicity of recombinant LdiPGAM (rLdiPGAM)
was initially assessed in naive hamsters immunized with it by analysing mRNA
expression of inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase (iNOS) and other Th1/T helper
cells type 2 cytokines, which revealed an upregulation of Th1 cytokines along
with iNOS. Immunogenicity of rLdiPGAM was further evaluated in lymphocytes of
treated Leishmania-infected hamsters and peripheral blood mononuclear cells of
Leishmania patients in clinical remission by various parameters, viz.
lymphoproliferation assay and NO production (hamsters and patients) and levels of
various cytokines (patients). rLdiPGAM induced remarkable Lymphoproliferative
response and NO production in treated Leishmania-infected hamsters as well as in
patients and increase in interferon gamma (IFN-gamma), interleukin-12 (IL-12p40)
responses in Leishmania patients in clinical remission. Vaccination with rLdiPGAM
exerted considerable prophylactic efficacy (73%) supported by increase in mRNA
expression of iNOS, IFN-gamma and IL-12p40 with decrease in transforming growth
factor beta and interleukin-10. Above results indicate the importance of rLdiPGAM
protein as a potential vaccine candidate against visceral leishmaniasis.
PMID- 28691654
TI - Thalassotalea crassostreae sp. nov., isolated from Pacific oyster.
AB - A Gram-staining-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped bacterial strain, designated
LPB0090T, was isolated from the Pacific oyster, Crassostreagigas, collected from
the Yeongheung Island, Korea (37 degrees 15' 16.1" N; 126 degrees 29' 46.5" E).
The complete genome sequence of LPB0090T (accession number CP017689) was 3 861
670 bp long with a DNA G+C content of 38.8 mol%. The genome included 3245 protein
coding genes and six copies of rRNA operons. On the basis of the results of 16S
rRNA gene sequence analysis, LPB0090T was found to form an independent phyletic
line within the genus Thalassotalea, with 94.7-96.0 % sequence similarities to
the previously known species of the genus. The isoprenoid quinone (Q-8) and major
fatty acids (C16 : 0, C17 : 1 omega8c, and C16 : 1 omega7c and/or C16 : 1
omega6c) of the isolate were similar to those of the other members of the genus
Thalassotalea. A number of phenotypic features, however, distinguished LPB0090T
from its closest neighbour Thalassotalea ponticola as well as other species of
the genus Thalassotalea. On the basis of the phylogenetic, genomic and phenotypic
data presented in this study, the strain was classified as representing a novel
species of the genus Thalassotalea. Therefore, the name Thalassotalea
crassostreae sp. nov. is proposed for the isolate. The type strain is LPB0090T
(=KACC 18695T=JCM 31189T).
PMID- 28691655
TI - Sphingomonas spermidinifaciens sp. nov., a novel bacterium containing spermidine
as the major polyamine, isolated from an abandoned lead-zinc mine and emended
descriptions of the genus Sphingomonas and the species Sphingomonas yantingensis
and Sphingomonas japonica.
AB - A yellow-pigmented bacterial strain, designated 9NM-10T, was isolated from an
abandoned lead-zinc mine in Meizhou, Guangdong Province, China. Cells were
strictly aerobic, Gram-stain-negative and motile with a polar monotrichous
flagellum. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that
strain 9NM-10T belongs to the genus Sphingomonas and was most closely related to
Sphingomonas yantingensis JCM 19201T and Sphingomonas japonica JCM 15438T. DNA
DNA relatedness values between strain 9NM-10T and these two type strains were
43.6+/-1.3 and 35.4+/-0.9 %, respectively. It contained Q-10 as the predominant
respiratory quinone and the major cellular fatty acids were C18 : 1omega7c, C16 :
0, C17 : 1omega6c and summed feature 3 (C16 : 1omega7c and/or C16 : 1omega6c).
The genomic DNA G+C content of strain 9NM-10T was 68.7+/-0.2 mol%. The polar
lipids were sphingoglycolipid, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine,
phosphatidylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol, an unidentified phospholipid
and three unidentified lipids. Strain 9NM-10T contained spermidine as the major
polyamine. On the basis of phenotypic, phylogenetic and chemotaxonomic analyses,
strain 9NM-10T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus
Sphingomonas, for which the name Sphingomonas spermidinifaciens sp. nov. is
proposed. The type strain is 9NM-10T (=GDMCC 1.657T=DSM 27571T). Descriptions of
the genus of Sphingomonas and the species Sphingomonas yantingensis and
Sphingomonas japonica were also emended in this study.
PMID- 28691656
TI - Mutational analysis of the MS2 lysis protein L.
AB - Small single-stranded nucleic acid phages effect lysis by expressing a single
protein, the amurin, lacking muralytic enzymatic activity. Three amurins have
been shown to act like 'protein antibiotics' by inhibiting cell-wall
biosynthesis. However, the L lysis protein of the canonical ssRNA phage MS2, a 75
aa polypeptide, causes lysis by an unknown mechanism without affecting net
peptidoglycan synthesis. To identify residues important for lytic function,
randomly mutagenized alleles of L were generated, cloned into an inducible
plasmid and the transformants were selected on agar containing the inducer. From
a total of 396 clones, 67 were unique single base-pair changes that rendered L
non-functional, of which 44 were missense mutants and 23 were nonsense mutants.
Most of the non-functional missense alleles that accumulated in levels comparable
to the wild-type allele are localized in the C-terminal half of L, clustered in
and around an LS dipeptide sequence. The LS motif was used to align L genes from
ssRNA phages lacking any sequence similarity to MS2 or to each other. This
alignment revealed a conserved domain structure, in terms of charge, hydrophobic
character and predicted helical content. None of the missense mutants affected
membrane-association of L. Several of the L mutations in the central domains were
highly conservative and recessive, suggesting a defect in a heterotypic protein
protein interaction, rather than in direct disruption of the bilayer structure,
as had been previously proposed for L.
PMID- 28691657
TI - A relevant in vitro human model for the study of Zika virus antibody-dependent
enhancement.
AB - Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that has recently been
responsible for a serious outbreak of disease in South and Central America.
Infection with ZIKV has been associated with severe neurological symptoms and the
development of microcephaly in unborn fetuses. Many of the regions involved in
the current outbreak are known to be endemic for another flavivirus, dengue virus
(DENV), which indicates that a large percentage of the population may have pre
existing DENV immunity. Thus, it is vital to investigate what impact pre-existing
DENV immunity has on ZIKV infection. Here, we use primary human myeloid cells as
a model for ZIKV enhancement in the presence of DENV antibodies. We show that
sera containing DENV antibodies from individuals living in a DENV-endemic area
are able to enhance ZIKV infection in a human macrophage-derived cell line and
primary human macrophages. We also demonstrate altered pro-inflammatory cytokine
production in macrophages with enhanced ZIKV infection. Our study indicates an
important role for pre-existing DENV immunity on ZIKV infection in primary human
immune cells and establishes a relevant in vitro model to study ZIKV antibody
dependent enhancement.
PMID- 28691658
TI - Bizionia sediminis sp. nov., isolated from coastal sediment.
AB - A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-gliding, rod-shaped and orange-coloured
bacterium, designated strain P131T, was isolated from marine sediment of the
coast of Weihai, China, and subjected to a polyphasic study. Strain P131T was
found to grow optimally at 28-30 degrees C, at pH 7.0-7.5 and in the presence of
2-3 % (w/v) NaCl. In a phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences,
strain P131T was found to belong to the genus Bizionia and exhibited 94.6-97.0 %
16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with recognized Bizionia species. The dominant
cellular fatty acids of strain P131T were identified as iso-C15 : 0, iso-C15 : 0
G, iso-C17 : 0 3-OH and iso-C17 : 1omega9c. The predominant polar lipids were
phosphatidylethanolamine, phospholipid, two aminolipids and two unidentified
lipids. The predominant respiratory quinone was menaquinone MK-6 and the DNA G+C
content was 36.7 mol%. On the basis of the phylogenetic and phenotypic evidence
presented, strain P131T represents a novel species of the genus Bizionia, for
which the name Bizionia sediminis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is P131T
(=KCTC 42587T=MCCC 1H00124T).
PMID- 28691660
TI - Endoribonuclease type II toxin-antitoxin systems: functional or selfish?
AB - Most bacterial genomes have multiple type II toxin-antitoxin systems (TAs) that
encode two proteins which are referred to as a toxin and an antitoxin. Toxins
inhibit a cellular process, while the interaction of the antitoxin with the toxin
attenuates the toxin's activity. Endoribonuclease-encoding TAs cleave RNA in a
sequence-dependent fashion, resulting in translational inhibition. To account for
their prevalence and retention by bacterial genomes, TAs are credited with
clinically significant phenomena, such as bacterial programmed cell death,
persistence, biofilms and anti-addiction to plasmids. However, the programmed
cell death and persistence hypotheses have been challenged because of conceptual,
methodological and/or strain issues. In an alternative view, chromosomal TAs seem
to be retained by virtue of addiction at two levels: via a poison-antidote
combination (TA proteins) and via transcriptional reprogramming of the downstream
core gene (due to integration). Any perturbation in the chromosomal TA operons
could cause fitness loss due to polar effects on the downstream genes and hence
be detrimental under natural conditions. The endoribonucleases encoding
chromosomal TAs are most likely selfish DNA as they are retained by bacterial
genomes, even though TAs do not confer a direct advantage via the TA proteins.
TAs are likely used by various replicons as 'genetic arms' that allow the
maintenance of themselves and associated genetic elements. TAs seem to be the
'selfish arms' that make the best use of the 'arms race' between bacterial
genomes and plasmids.
PMID- 28691659
TI - Proline utilization system is required for infection by the pathogenic alpha
proteobacterium Brucella abortus.
AB - Proline utilization (Put) systems have been described in a number of bacteria;
however, the importance and functionality of the Put system in the intracellular
pathogen Brucellaabortus has not been explored. Generally, bacterial Put systems
are composed of the bifunctional enzyme proline dehydrogenase PutA and its
transcriptional activator PutR. Here, we demonstrate that the genes putA
(bab2_0518) and putR (bab2_0517) are critical for the chronic infection of mice
by B. abortus, but putA and putR are not required for the survival and
replication of the bacteria in naive macrophages. Additionally, in vitro
experiments revealed that putR is necessary for the ability of the bacteria to
withstand oxidative stress, as a DeltaputR deletion strain is hypersensitive to
hydrogen peroxide exposure. Quantitative reverse transcription-PCR and putA-lacZ
transcriptional reporter studies revealed that PutR acts as a transcriptional
activator of putA in Brucella, and electrophoretic mobility shift assays
confirmed that PutR binds directly to the putA promoter region. Biochemical
analyses demonstrated that a purified recombinant B. abortus PutA protein
possesses quintessential proline dehydrogenase activity, as PutA is capable of
catalysing the conversion of proline to glutamate. Altogether, these data are the
first to reveal that the Put system plays a significant role in the ability of B.
abortus to replicate and survive within its host, as well as to describe the
genetic regulation and biochemical activity of the Put system in Brucella.
PMID- 28691661
TI - Drosophila microRNA modulates viral replication by targeting a homologue of
mammalian cJun.
AB - MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important regulators of biological processes, including
host-virus interaction. This study investigated the involvement of Drosophila
melanogaster miR-8-5p in host-virus interaction. Drosophila flies and cells
challenged with Drosophila C virus (DCV) were found to have lower miR-8-5p
abundance compared to uninfected samples. Lowering miR-8-5p abundance by
experimental inhibition of the miRNA led to an increase in viral accumulation,
suggesting that the observed decrease in the miR-8-5p abundance during DCV
infection enhances viral replication. miR-8-5p putative targets were identified
and included dJun, a transcription factor gene whose mammalian homologue cJun is
induced by various viruses through kinase activation. Increasing miR-8-5p
abundance using miR-8-5p mimics resulted in a decrease in dJun and GFP reporter
levels. Furthermore, when the putative target in dJun was mutated, addition of
miR-8-5p mimics did not result in the same antagonistic effect on dJun. These
results show negative regulation of dJun by miR-8-5p and suggest that an miRNA
mediated pathway is involved in dJun regulation during viral infection. To
analyse the role of dJun during DCV infection, dJun was knocked down in cells
prior to DCV infection. Knockdown of dJun decreased DCV replication, providing
evidence that dJun up-regulation that is concomitant with miR-8-5p down
regulation during DCV infection supports viral replication. These results
highlight the role of miRNA in regulating the transcription factor gene dJun and
uncover a previously unrecognized mechanism by which dJun is regulated during
host-virus interaction.
PMID- 28691662
TI - Role of the inner-membrane histidine kinase RcsC and outer-membrane lipoprotein
RcsF in the activation of the Rcs phosphorelay signal transduction system in
Escherichia coli.
AB - The Rcs phosphorelay signal transduction system of Escherichia coli controls
genes for capsule production and many other envelope-related functions and is
implicated in biofilm formation. The outer-membrane lipoprotein RcsF is an
essential component of the Rcs system. Mislocalization of RcsF to the periplasm
or the cytoplasmic membrane leads to high activation of the Rcs system,
suggesting that RcsF functions by interacting with the cytoplasmic membrane
component(s) of the system in activating the system. This is consistent with the
result reported by Cho et al. (Cell159, 1652-1664, 2014) showing that RcsF
interacts with the periplasmic domain (YrfFperi) of the inner-membrane protein
YrfF (IgaA in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium), which is a negative
regulator of the Rcs system. In this study we show that RcsF also interacts with
the periplasmic domain of the innermembrane-localized histidine kinase RcsC
(RcsCperi). RcsCperi, which was secreted to the periplasm by fusion to maltose
binding protein, titrated RcsF's activating effect. A bimolecular fluorescence
complementation experiment showed interaction of RcsF with RcsCperi, as well as
with YrfFperi. We conclude that RcsF interacts with the periplasmically exposed
region of RcsC, as well as with that of YrfF.
PMID- 28691663
TI - Quantitative trait loci in pepper control the effective population size of two
RNA viruses at inoculation.
AB - Infection of plants by viruses is a complex process involving several steps:
inoculation into plant cells, replication in inoculated cells and plant
colonization. The success of the different steps depends, in part, on the viral
effective population size (Ne), defined as the number of individuals passing
their genes to the next generation. During infection, the virus population will
undergo bottlenecks, leading to drastic reductions in Ne and, potentially, to the
loss of the fittest variants. Therefore, it is crucial to better understand how
plants affect Ne. We aimed to (i) identify the plant genetic factors controlling
Ne during inoculation, (ii) understand the mechanisms used by the plant to
control Ne and (iii) compare these genetic factors with the genes controlling
plant resistance to viruses. Ne was measured in a doubled-haploid population of
Capsicum annuum. Plants were inoculated with either a Potato virus Y (PVY)
construct expressing the green fluorescent protein or a necrotic variant of
Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV). Newas assessed by counting the number of primary
infection foci on cotyledons for PVY or the number of necrotic local lesions on
leaves for CMV. The number of foci and lesions was correlated (r=0.57) and showed
a high heritability (h2=0.93 for PVY and h2=0.98 for CMV). The Ne of the two
viruses was controlled by both common quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and virus
specific QTLs, indicating the contribution of general and specific mechanisms.
The PVY-specific QTL colocalizes with a QTL that reduces PVY accumulation and the
capacity to break down a major-effect resistance gene.
PMID- 28691664
TI - Impact of naturally occurring variation in the human papillomavirus (HPV) 33
capsid proteins on recognition by vaccine-induced cross-neutralizing antibodies.
AB - We investigated naturally occurring variation within the major (L1) and minor
(L2) capsid proteins of human papillomavirus (HPV) genotype 33. Pseudoviruses
(PsV) representing HPV33 lineages A1, A2, A3, B and C exhibited comparable
particle-to-infectivity ratios and morphology but demonstrated a decreased
sensitivity (A2, A3, B and C) to cross-neutralization by HPV vaccine antibodies
compared to the A1 sublineage. Chimeric PsVs demonstrated that these differences
in sensitivity were due to polymorphisms in the L1 protein, with little or no
influence from variation within the L2 protein. Site-directed mutagenesis of the
L1 gene identified the DE loop residue 133 and the FG residue 266 as being
critical for conferring this differential sensitivity. The use of HPV33 homology
models based upon the HPV16 crystal structure suggested that they are likely to
act independently on more than one antibody epitope. These data improve our
understanding of the potential impact of natural capsid variation on recognition
by vaccine antibodies.
PMID- 28691665
TI - Cold-stress response during the stationary-growth phase of Antarctic and
temperate-climate Penicillium strains.
AB - Cold-induced oxidative stress during the aging of three Penicillium strains (two
Antarctic and one from a temperate region) in stationary culture was documented
and demonstrated a significant increase in the protein carbonyl content, the
accumulation of glycogen and trehalose, and an increase in the activities of
antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase and catalase). The cell response to a
temperature downshift depends on the degree of stress and the temperature
characteristics of the strains. Our data give further support for the role of
oxidative stress in the aging of fungi in stationary cultures. Comparing the
present results for the stationary growth phase with our previous results for the
exponential growth phase was informative concerning the relationship between the
cold-stress response and age-related changes in the tested strains. Unlike the
young cells, stationary-phase cultures demonstrated a more pronounced level of
oxidative damage, as well as decreased antioxidant defence.
PMID- 28691666
TI - Hymenobacter tenuis sp. nov., isolated from wastewater of an acidic water
neutralization facility.
AB - A non-motile, red-pink-coloured, rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain POB6T,
was isolated from a wastewater treatment facility, Republic of Korea. Cells were
Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, catalase-positive and oxidase-negative. The major
fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0, C16 : 1omega5c, summed feature 3 (C16 : 1omega6c
and/or C16 : 1omega7c) and summed feature 4 (iso-C17 : 1 I and/or anteiso-C17 : 1
B). The strain contained menaquinone MK-7 as the only isoprenoid quinone,
phosphatidylethanolamine as the major polar lipid and sym-homospermidine as the
major polyamine. The DNA G+C content was 61 mol%. A phylogenetic tree based on
16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain POB6T forms a distinct evolutionary
lineage within the radiation enclosing the members of the genus Hymenobacter,
sharing the highest similarity with Hymenobacterrigui WPCP131T (97.5 %) followed
by Hymenobacter xinjiangensis X2-1gT (97.2 %), Hymenobacter perfusus A1-12T (97.2
%) and Hymenobacter gelipurpurascens Txg-1T (97.1 %). A number of phenotypic
characteristics distinguished strain POB6T from related members of the genus
Hymenobacter. On the basis of the evidence presented in this study, a novel
species, Hymenobacter tenuis sp. nov., is proposed, with POB6T (=KCTC 52271T=JCM
31659T) as the type strain.
PMID- 28691667
TI - Precision surgery for older cancer patients.
PMID- 28691668
TI - Correct information to patients undergoing breast-conserving surgery: the
medicolegal significance.
AB - Many of the women newly diagnosed with breast cancer not have access to all the
information they need to make the surgical and treatment choices that are most
appropriate for them. Research clearly shows that lumpectomy and other breast
conserving surgeries are just as safe as mastectomy for most women with early
stage disease, and yet approximately half will undergo the more disfiguring
procedures, but many healthy women who have strong family histories of breast
cancer consider prophylactic mastectomies, and their decisions are also based on
very limited information, because there are few studies showing the effectiveness
of that procedure. This paper delineates how to avoid limited information and
biased recommendations is important for a conscious and informed choice by the
patients.
PMID- 28691669
TI - Spontaneous chronic subdural hematoma in young adult: the role of missing
coagulation facto.
AB - AIM: Chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) is typically in elderly and rarely in young
people. To prevent complications and re-bleeding after surgical treatment of CSDH
it is important to assess the risk factors as coagulation disorders especially in
young patients (below 65 years) with no history of head trauma, alcohol abuse or
anticoagulant therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study consists of 16 patients
(12 males, 4 females) with age ranging from 27 to 59 years (median 48,25 years)
operated for CSDH. All patients are submitted to routine coagulation parameters
pre-operatively and complete screening for unknown coagulation deficit in the
follow-up. RESULTS: Factor VII was altered in 6 out of 16 patients and one
patient had the alteration of the Von Willebrand factor. Recurrence occurred in 4
out of 16 patients and all of these patients were positive for factor VII
deficiency. Three pts were in therapy with ASA. No patients were alcoholists or
suffered from hematological disease. CONCLUSION: In this study we documented that
the decreased activity of VII factor may play a role in the pathophysiology and
recurrence of spontaneous CSDH in young adults. We suggest that for young
patients aged under 65 y.o. suffered from CSDH the screening of coagulation
factors is useful to planning a safely and correct surgical therapy.
PMID- 28691670
TI - Non-Occlusive Mesenteric Ischemia (NOMI) in Parkinson's disease: case report.
AB - Non-occlusive mesenteric ischemia (NOMI) is a severe pathological condition
characterized by signs and symptoms of bowel obstruction, intestinal necrosis
resulting from acute and/or chronic inadequate blood perfusion, in the absence of
an organic vascular obstruction detectable by imaging techniques. A 64 years old
man case with a history of Parkinson's disease in high-functioning levodopa
treatment is presented. Clinical and radiological signs of intestinal obstruction
were observed. He underwent surgical operation with total colectomy and terminal
ileostomy for generalized secondary peritonitis due to perforation of sigmoid
colon. Ischemic pancolitis was first suspected. In third post-operative day a
contrastenhanced CT scan was performed in the evidence of fever and sub-occlusive
symptoms. It was found absence of reliable evidence of vascular changes; superior
mesenteric artery and vein patency is maintained A NOMI was then diagnosed. NOMI
represents about 0.04% of mesenteric artery diseases. It is correlated with a
poor prognosis with a mortality estimated of 70-90%. Parkinson's disease,
considering neurodegenerative alterations that characterize it, can be considered
as a predisposing factor. The combined treatment with high doses of levodopa and
vasodilators, such as PGE (Prostaglandin E), can contribute to an improvement in
prognosis.
PMID- 28691671
TI - Bilateral primary ovarian non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and fertility preservation: 5
year follow-up.
AB - AIM: Primary ovarian non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is a very rare disease. Median age at
diagnosis is estimated at 42 years, something that leads to fertility
preservation issues in many cases. This was a case report study, presenting a
rare case of bilateral primary ovarian non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. CASE REPORT: A 38
year old nulliparous woman, underwent exploratory laparotomy because of bilateral
ovarian masses. Left salpingooophorectomy, partial omentectomy and excision of an
ovarian mass of the right ovary was performed. Great effort in order to preserve
healthy ovarian tissue of the right ovary as well as the right fallopian tube was
given, due to fertility reasons. Final histology showed bilateral diffuse large B
cell primary ovarian non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Postoperatively, the patient
underwent chemotherapy with the CHOP regimen in combination with rituximab. Five
years after initial diagnosis, the patient remains well with normal menstrual
cycle, without evidence of recurrence. DISCUSSION: Fertility preservation issues
in some cases of rare gynecological malignancies could be managed via minimally
invasive oncological approach.
PMID- 28691672
TI - Ingestion of foreign bodies among prisoners: a ten years retrospective study at
University Hospital of Southern Italy.
AB - INTRODUCTION: We studied 21 episodes of ingestion of foreign bodies (IFO) among
15 prisoners. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Rectrospective research in pts admitted to
emergency from June 2005 to May 2105. Ingestion, management and pts outcome were
analyzed. Prisoners with previous esophagogastroduodenal disease were excluded.
RESULTS: All pts were males and ingestions were intentional.
Esophagogastroduoduenoscopy (EGDS) was performed in 10pts (8 cases with
successful removal, 1 case we did not find anything e 1 of unsuccessful EGDS,
that required emergency surgey. 9 pts rejected EGDS: in 2 pts were not
necessary.Among the 9 pts that rejected EGDS, 5 discharged voluntary. No
mortality neither morbidity. Only 1 pt required surgery.The IFO were 34 (23
sharp, 6 flat,5 indefined). We did not observe any food bolus impaction. Multiple
ingestion was found in 11 pts. Recurrent episodes were found in 4 pts.
DISCUSSION: Almost all episodes can be treated conservatively with observation
and endoscopy but the management of this pts has a financial impact on healthcare
cost and on security costs. Prevention strategies are important to predict
patient group at high risk for recurrent IFO.
PMID- 28691673
TI - Gastric paraganglioma: case report and review of the literature.
AB - Very few cases of gastric paragangliomas have been reported in the literature to
date. We report a rare case of parietal gastric paraganglioma fortuitously
detected during intraoperative exploration. A 82-years-old woman presented to our
emergency room for abdominal pain. On physical examination abdomen was painful on
palpation and Blumberg's sign was present. The laboratory exams showed a
neutrophilia in absence of leukocytosis. Acute appendicitis was suspected and a
laparoscopy was performed. At exploration, the vermiform appendix was normal
while a lumpy, hard-fibrous and white-pinkish extraluminal lesion of the anterior
wall of the gastric body near the greater curvature of about 2 cm in diameter was
present. Laparoscopic resection of the gastric lesion was performed. The patient
was discharged in good condition in the fourth postoperative day. Pathologic
examination revealed a gangliocitic paraganglioma. The patient is alive and well
without evidence of relapse 6 months after surgery. Gastric paraganglioma is a
very rare tumor and its diagnosis is very difficult. Surgical excision is the
treatment of choice which can be performed successfully with laparoscopy.
PMID- 28691674
TI - Choosing the individual rehabilitation program for patients with intermittent
claudication.
AB - This study is aimed at identifying the collateral circulation in case of femoral
aorta-iliac axis obstruction, with the purpose of a more correct therapeutic
indication being either medical or surgical or physiotherapeutic or combined.
PMID- 28691676
TI - Alla ricerca dei chirurghi perduti CHARLES PIERRE DENONVILLIERS E LA "SUA"
APONEUROSI.
PMID- 28691675
TI - Incidental thyroid carcinomas. A retrospective study.
AB - AIM: The aim of the present study is to report our series of incidental thyroid
carcinomas in the last 15 years and their follow-up, discussing therapeutics
indications and surgical choices. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We have considered 1793
patients operated on Surgical Sciences Department of "Sapienza" University of
Rome from January 1, 2001 to December 31, 2015. The study was conducted on 83
totally thyroidectomized patients with a real incidental thyroid carcinoma, by
clinical, laboratory and instrumental controls. Whole-body scan was the most
important test in postoperative evaluation. RESULTS: In our series, the incidence
of incidental carcinomas was 4.62%. Compared to the total number of cancer
patients, the percentage is 21,9%. In 15.66% of cases there was multifocality and
in 7.23% also bilaterality. Regarding the histological type, in all cases they
were papillary carcinoma. The size of the neoplastic lesions ranged from a
minimum of 3 to a maximum of 10 mm. Whole-body scan revealed lymph node
metastasis in 57.69% of patients. DISCUSSION: Comparing these data with our
previous studies we have seen a significant increase in incidence of incidental
thyroid carcinomas over the years. Our therapeutical choice is total
thyroidectomy and complection thyroidectomy after lobectomy, because of a
relevant percentage of multifocality and/or bilaterality of these tumors. Many
Authors on the contrary prefer a more conservative approach invoking the good
prognosis of these tumors. The 57.69% of lymph node metastasis at postoperative
whole-body scan comfort us in our setting. CONCLUSION: Incidental thyroid
carcinomas are not uncommon. We consider only tumors until 1 cm in diameter.
Multifocality and bilaterality are often present such as occult lymph node
metastasis. Our therapeutical choice is total thyroidectomy in order to conduct a
proper follow-up.
PMID- 28691677
TI - Feasibility of a Lifestyle Redesign(r)-Inspired Intervention for Well Older
Adults.
AB - OBJECTIVE: We examined the feasibility of Aging Well by Design, a Lifestyle
Redesign(r)-inspired intervention for community-dwelling older adults. The
original Lifestyle Redesign program was shortened to 3 mo and implemented as a
community outreach program of a major health care system. METHOD: Community
dwelling older adults participated in the 12-wk program, which emphasized an
occupational approach to healthy aging. Outcomes evaluated were recruitment,
attendance, resource use, participant satisfaction, and subjective benefit to
participants. RESULTS: The 13 participants, ages 66-88 yr, attended an average of
10 of 12 sessions. The intervention was completed as planned, physical resources
were suitable, and financial resources were adequate. Participants expressed
satisfaction with the program's facilitator, group discussions, and materials.
Perceived benefits were social relationships, awareness of community resources,
and change in attitude toward aging. CONCLUSION: Implementation of a 3-mo
Lifestyle Redesign-inspired program within a health care system was feasible.
PMID- 28691678
TI - Pragmatic Language Outcomes of Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity
Disorder After Therapist- and Parent-Delivered Play-Based Interventions: Two One
Group Pretest-Posttest Studies With a Longitudinal Component.
AB - OBJECTIVE: The pragmatic language outcomes of children with attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were explored across two feasibility studies.
METHOD: Five children with ADHD (ages 6-11 yr), their parents, and 5 typically
developing peers completed an assessment 18 mo after a therapist-delivered
intervention (Study 1). Participants then completed a parent-delivered
intervention (Study 2). Blinded ratings of peer-to-peer play interactions
documented changes in children's pragmatic language 18 mo after the Study 1
intervention and before, immediately after, and 1 mo after the Study 2
intervention. Nonparametric statistics and Cohen's d were used to measure change.
RESULTS: Children's pragmatic language outcomes were maintained 18 mo after the
therapist-delivered intervention and significantly improved from before to 1 mo
after the parent-delivered intervention. CONCLUSION: Interventions involving
occupational therapist and speech-language pathologist collaboration, play, and
parent and peer involvement may facilitate children's pragmatic language skills.
PMID- 28691680
TI - Treating hepatitis C virus in patients with chronic renal failure.
PMID- 28691681
TI - Is it time to change NAFLD and NASH nomenclature?
PMID- 28691682
TI - Surrogate endpoints for clinical trials in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.
PMID- 28691683
TI - Surrogate endpoints for clinical trials in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis -
Author's reply.
PMID- 28691686
TI - Oesophageal dysphagia: a stepwise approach to diagnosis and management.
AB - Dysphagia is a common symptom in the general population. Incidence varies
depending on the specific definition used. A good medical history is vital for
distinguishing true oesophageal dysphagia from oropharyngeal dysphagia or other
causes. Oesophageal dysphagia is a so-called red flag alarm symptom requiring
oesophagogastroduodenoscopy. However, even after investigations including
oesophagogastroduodenoscopy (with biopsy), barium swallow, and oesophageal
manometry, no obstructive cause may be found. This Review suggests an algorithm
of history-taking and investigation to allow the causes of non-obstructive
dysphagia to be identified, including functional dysphagia. The Review then
discusses management strategies and outcomes for functional dysphagia.
PMID- 28691688
TI - Correction to Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol 2017; 2: 540-41.
PMID- 28691687
TI - Pancreaticobiliary maljunction and congenital biliary dilatation.
AB - Pancreaticobiliary maljunction is a congenital malformation in which the
pancreatic and bile ducts join outside the duodenal wall, usually forming a long
common channel. Because the action of the sphincter of Oddi does not regulate the
function of the pancreaticobiliary junction in patients with pancreaticobiliary
maljunction, two-way regurgitation occurs. Reflux of pancreatic juice into the
biliary tract is associated with a high incidence of biliary cancer. Biliary
carcinogenesis in patients with pancreaticobiliary maljunction is thought to
follow the hyperplasia, dysplasia, then carcinoma sequence due to chronic
inflammation caused by pancreatobiliary reflux. Pancreaticobiliary maljunction is
diagnosed when an abnormally long common channel is evident on imaging studies.
Congenital biliary dilatation involves both local dilatation of the extrahepatic
bile duct, including the common bile duct, and pancreaticobiliary maljunction.
Extrahepatic bile duct resection is the standard surgery for congenital biliary
dilatation. However, complete excision of the intrapancreatic bile duct and
removal of stenoses of the hepatic ducts are necessary to prevent serious
complications after surgery.
PMID- 28691689
TI - A case of a focal oedematous reaction induced by rituximab overlying lupus
erythematosus tumidus.
PMID- 28691690
TI - Enhanced superconductivity in SnSb under pressure: a first principles study.
AB - First principles electronic structure calculations reveal both SnP and SnSb to be
stable in the NaCl structure. In SnSb, a first order phase transition from NaCl
to CsCl type structure is observed at around 13 GPa, which is also confirmed from
enthalpy calculations and agrees well with experimental and other theoretical
reports. Calculations of the phonon spectra, and hence the electron-phonon
coupling [Formula: see text] and superconducting transition temperature T c, were
performed at zero pressure for both the compounds, and at high pressure for SnSb.
These calculations report [Formula: see text] of [Formula: see text] K and
[Formula: see text] K for SnP and SnSb respectively, in the NaCl structure-in
good agreement with experiment-whilst at the transition pressure, in the CsCl
structure, a drastically increased value of T c around [Formula: see text] K
([Formula: see text] K at 20 GPa) is found for SnSb, together with a dramatic
increase in the electronic density of states at this pressure. The lowest energy
acoustic phonon branches in each structure also demonstrate some softening
effects, which are well addressed in this work.
PMID- 28691691
TI - Development of a clay based bioink for 3D cell printing for skeletal application.
AB - Three-dimensional printing of cell-laden hydrogels has evolved as a promising
approach on the route to patient-specific or complex tissue-engineered
constructs. However, it is still challenging to print structures with both, high
shape fidelity and cell vitality. Herein, we used a synthetic nanosilicate clay,
called Laponite, to build up scaffolds utilising the extrusion-based method 3D
plotting. By blending with alginate and methylcellulose, a bioink was developed
which allowed easy extrusion, achieving scaffolds with high printing fidelity.
Following extrusion, approximately 70%-75% of printed immortalised human
mesenchymal stem cells survived and cell viability was maintained over 21 days
within the plotted constructs. Mechanical properties of scaffolds comprised of
the composite bioink decreased over time when stored under cell culture
conditions. Nevertheless, shape of the plotted constructs was preserved even over
longer cultivation periods. Laponite is known for its favourable drug delivery
properties. Two model proteins, bovine serum albumin and vascular endothelial
growth factor were loaded into the bioink. We demonstrate that the release of
both growth factors significantly changed to a more sustained profile by
inclusion of Laponite in comparison to an alginate-methylcellulose blend in the
absence of Laponite. In summary, addition of a synthetic clay, Laponite, improved
printability, increased shape fidelity and was beneficial for controlled release
of biologically active agents such as growth factors.
PMID- 28691692
TI - Optical and structural characterisation of epitaxial nanoporous GaN grown by CVD.
AB - In this paper we study the optical properties of nanoporous gallium nitride (GaN)
epitaxial layers grown by chemical vapour deposition on non-porous GaN
substrates, using photoluminescence, cathodoluminescence, and resonant Raman
scattering, and correlate them with the structural characteristic of these films.
We pay special attention to the analysis of the residual strain of the layers and
the influence of the porosity in the light extraction. The nanoporous GaN
epitaxial layers are under tensile strain, although the strain is progressively
reduced as the deposition time and the thickness of the porous layer increases,
becoming nearly strain free for a thickness of 1.7 MUm. The analysis of the
experimental data point to the existence of vacancy complexes as the main source
of the tensile strain.
PMID- 28691693
TI - Influence of physico-mechanical properties of elastomeric material for different
cell growth.
AB - The tunable mechanical and physical properties of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) are
commonly utilized for studying cellular dynamics. However, the inherent
hydrophobic nature of PDMS limits its application as a cell culture film. Various
surface modification techniques render PDMS films hydrophilic, altering their
surface chemistry, elasticity, roughness and the cell attachment of anchorage
dependent cell types to the films. The surface properties of thin films lead to
the alteration of the biomechano-physical properties of cells, so they can be
used as a mechanical signature for the viability testing of different types of
cell, such as normal and cancerous ones. In this study, 3T3 fibroblast and HaCaT
keratinocyte cells were grown on different pristine and oxidized PDMS
compositions by varying their base-to-curing-agent ratios (w/w). The enhanced
wettability favors the cell spreading and growth rate of both 3T3 and HaCaT
cells, and it varies with the film's surface chemistry and elasticity. This study
focuses on the importance of understanding how various surface modification
methods, like oxygen plasma and piranha treatment, can impact cell-cell and cell
substrate interaction for different cell types, thereby assisting in the
preparation of various PDMS-based biomedical devices.
PMID- 28691694
TI - Context-dependent adaptation improves robustness of myoelectric control for upper
limb prostheses.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Dexterous upper-limb prostheses are available today to restore
grasping, but an effective and reliable feed-forward control is still missing.
The aim of this work was to improve the robustness and reliability of myoelectric
control by using context information from sensors embedded within the prosthesis.
APPROACH: We developed a context-driven myoelectric control scheme (cxMYO) that
incorporates the inference of context information from proprioception (inertial
measurement unit) and exteroception (force and grip aperture) sensors to modulate
the outputs of myoelectric control. Further, a realistic evaluation of the cxMYO
was performed online in able-bodied subjects using three functional tasks, during
which the cxMYO was compared to a purely machine-learning-based myoelectric
control (MYO). MAIN RESULTS: The results demonstrated that utilizing context
information decreased the number of unwanted commands, improving the performance
(success rate and dropped objects) in all three functional tasks. Specifically,
the median number of objects dropped per round with cxMYO was zero in all three
tasks and a significant increase in the number of successful transfers was seen
in two out of three functional tasks. Additionally, the subjects reported better
user experience. SIGNIFICANCE: This is the first online evaluation of a method
integrating information from multiple on-board prosthesis sensors to modulate the
output of a machine-learning-based myoelectric controller. The proposed scheme is
general and presents a simple, non-invasive and cost-effective approach for
improving the robustness of myoelectric control.
PMID- 28691695
TI - Mechanical and biological characterization of alkaline substituted orthophosphate
bone substitutes containing meta- and diphosphates.
AB - Despite the growing knowledge on the mechanisms of fracture healing, bone defects
often do not heal in a timely manner. Clinically, tricalcium phosphate (TCP) bone
substitutes are used to fill bone defects and promote bone healing. However, the
degradation rate of these implants is often too slow for sufficient bone
replacement. The use of calcium phosphate material with the crystalline phase
Ca10[K/Na](PO4)7 containing different amounts of di- and metaphosphates may
overcome this problem, because these materials show an accelerated degradation.
Therefore, we generated alkaline substituted Ca-P scaffolds with different
amounts of ortho-, di- and metaphosphates. The degradation of these materials was
analyzed in TRIS-HCl buffer solution in vitro. Moreover, we measured the
compressive strength and porosity of the scaffolds by micro-CT analysis. The
biocompatibility of the scaffolds was evaluated in vivo in the mouse dorsal
skinfold chamber by means of intravital fluorescence microscopy and histology. We
found that higher amounts of incorporated di- and metaphosphates increase the
degradation rate and compressive strength of the scaffolds without inducing a
stronger leukocytic inflammatory host tissue reaction after implantation.
Histological analyses confirmed the good biocompatibility of the scaffolds
containing di- and metaphosphates. In summary, this study demonstrates that the
compressive strength and degradation rate of Ca-P scaffolds can be improved by
incorporation of di- and metaphosphates without affecting their good
biocompatibility. Hence, this material modification may be particularly
beneficial for the treatment of metaphyseal bone defects in weight bearing
locations.
PMID- 28691696
TI - Decellularized extracellular matrix: a step towards the next generation source
for bioink manufacturing.
AB - In tissue engineering, the need for hierarchical assembly of three-dimensional
(3D) tissues has become increasingly important, considering that new technology
is essential for advanced tissue fabrication. 3D cell printing has emerged as a
powerful technology to recapitulate the microenvironment of native tissue,
allowing for the precise deposition of multiple cells onto the pre-defined
position. Parallel to these technological advances, the search for an appropriate
bioink that can provide a suitable microenvironment supporting cellular
activities has been in the spotlight. In this respect, the decellularized
extracellular matrix (dECM) becomes a popular candidate as a well-qualified
source of bioink because of its capability to inherit the intrinsic cues from a
native ECM. Yet, few studies have been reported and its potential has been
partially understood in the field of 3D cell printing. In this review, our focus
is on a dECM as a prospective bioink to facilitate 3D cell printing-based tissue
engineering. We begin this review with a brief description of the important role
of the ECM. Next, the representative methods of decellularization and
conventional applications of a dECM are introduced, followed by the recent
achievements in dECM bioinks and their future directions.
PMID- 28691697
TI - Wafer-scale single-crystal perovskite patterned thin films based on geometrically
confined lateral crystal growth.
AB - We report a facile roll-printing method, geometrically confined lateral crystal
growth, for the fabrication of large-scale, single-crystal CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite
thin films. Geometrically confined lateral crystal growth is based on transfer of
a perovskite ink solution via a patterned rolling mould to a heated substrate,
where the solution crystallizes instantly with the immediate evaporation of the
solvent. The striking feature of this method is that the instant crystallization
of the feeding solution under geometrical confinement leads to the unidirectional
lateral growth of single-crystal perovskites. Here, we fabricated single-crystal
perovskites in the form of a patterned thin film (3 * 3 inch) with a high carrier
mobility of 45.64 cm2 V-1 s-1. We also used these single-crystal perovskite thin
films to construct solar cells with a lateral configuration. Their active-area
power conversion efficiency shows a highest value of 4.83%, which exceeds the
literature efficiency values of lateral perovskite solar cells.
PMID- 28691698
TI - Rising to the challenge of surging seas.
PMID- 28691699
TI - Ancient hydrothermal seafloor deposits in Eridania basin on Mars.
AB - The Eridania region in the southern highlands of Mars once contained a vast
inland sea with a volume of water greater than that of all other Martian lakes
combined. Here we show that the most ancient materials within Eridania are thick
(>400 m), massive (not bedded), mottled deposits containing saponite, talc
saponite, Fe-rich mica (for example, glauconite-nontronite), Fe- and Mg
serpentine, Mg-Fe-Ca-carbonate and probable Fe-sulphide that likely formed in a
deep water (500-1,500 m) hydrothermal setting. The Eridania basin occurs within
some of the most ancient terrain on Mars where striking evidence for remnant
magnetism might suggest an early phase of crustal spreading. The relatively well
preserved seafloor hydrothermal deposits in Eridania are contemporaneous with the
earliest evidence for life on Earth in potentially similar environments 3.8
billion years ago, and might provide an invaluable window into the environmental
conditions of early Earth.
PMID- 28691700
TI - Exploring the hidden interior of the Earth with directional neutrino
measurements.
AB - Roughly 40% of the Earth's total heat flow is powered by radioactive decays in
the crust and mantle. Geo-neutrinos produced by these decays provide important
clues about the origin, formation and thermal evolution of our planet, as well as
the composition of its interior. Previous measurements of geo-neutrinos have all
relied on the detection of inverse beta decay reactions, which are insensitive to
the contribution from potassium and do not provide model-independent information
about the spatial distribution of geo-neutrino sources within the Earth. Here we
present a method for measuring previously unresolved components of Earth's
radiogenic heating using neutrino-electron elastic scattering and low-background,
direction-sensitive tracking detectors. We calculate the exposures needed to
probe various contributions to the total geo-neutrino flux, specifically those
associated to potassium, the mantle and the core. The measurements proposed here
chart a course for pioneering exploration of the veiled inner workings of the
Earth.
PMID- 28691701
TI - Instructing cells with programmable peptide DNA hybrids.
AB - The native extracellular matrix is a space in which signals can be displayed
dynamically and reversibly, positioned with nanoscale precision, and combined
synergistically to control cell function. Here we describe a molecular system
that can be programmed to control these three characteristics. In this approach
we immobilize peptide-DNA (P-DNA) molecules on a surface through complementary
DNA tethers directing cells to adhere and spread reversibly over multiple cycles.
The DNA can also serve as a molecular ruler to control the distance-dependent
synergy between two peptides. Finally, we use two orthogonal DNA handles to
regulate two different bioactive signals, with the ability to independently up-
or downregulate each over time. This enabled us to discover that neural stem
cells, derived from the murine spinal cord and organized as neurospheres, can be
triggered to migrate out in response to an exogenous signal but then regroup into
a neurosphere as the signal is removed.
PMID- 28691702
TI - Corrigendum: Genetic interactions and functional analyses of the fission yeast
gsk3 and amk2 single and double mutants defective in TORC1-dependent processes.
AB - This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/srep44257.
PMID- 28691703
TI - Corrigendum: The effects of three-dimensional defects on one-way surface plasmon
propagation for photonic topological insulators comprised of continuum media.
AB - This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/srep30055.
PMID- 28691705
TI - Corrigendum: Study on the noncoincidence effect phenomenon using matrix isolated
Raman spectra and the proposed structural organization model of acetone in
condense phase.
AB - This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/srep43835.
PMID- 28691704
TI - The self-inhibitory nature of metabolic networks and its alleviation through
compartmentalization.
AB - Metabolites can inhibit the enzymes that generate them. To explore the general
nature of metabolic self-inhibition, we surveyed enzymological data accrued from
a century of experimentation and generated a genome-scale enzyme-inhibition
network. Enzyme inhibition is often driven by essential metabolites, affects the
majority of biochemical processes, and is executed by a structured network whose
topological organization is reflecting chemical similarities that exist between
metabolites. Most inhibitory interactions are competitive, emerge in the close
neighbourhood of the inhibited enzymes, and result from structural similarities
between substrate and inhibitors. Structural constraints also explain one-third
of allosteric inhibitors, a finding rationalized by crystallographic analysis of
allosterically inhibited L-lactate dehydrogenase. Our findings suggest that the
primary cause of metabolic enzyme inhibition is not the evolution of regulatory
metabolite-enzyme interactions, but a finite structural diversity prevalent
within the metabolome. In eukaryotes, compartmentalization minimizes inevitable
enzyme inhibition and alleviates constraints that self-inhibition places on
metabolism.
PMID- 28691706
TI - Crosstalk and the evolvability of intracellular communication.
AB - Metazoan signalling networks are complex, with extensive crosstalk between
pathways. It is unclear what pressures drove the evolution of this architecture.
We explore the hypothesis that crosstalk allows different cell types, each
expressing a specific subset of signalling proteins, to activate different
outputs when faced with the same inputs, responding differently to the same
environment. We find that the pressure to generate diversity leads to the
evolution of networks with extensive crosstalk. Using available data, we find
that human tissues exhibit higher levels of diversity between cell types than
networks with random expression patterns or networks with no crosstalk. We also
find that crosstalk and differential expression can influence drug activity: no
protein has the same impact on two tissues when inhibited. In addition to
providing a possible explanation for the evolution of crosstalk, our work
indicates that consideration of cellular context will likely be crucial for
targeting signalling networks.
PMID- 28691707
TI - Controlled spatial separation of spins and coherent dynamics in spin-orbit
coupled nanostructures.
AB - The spatial separation of electron spins followed by the control of their
individual spin dynamics has recently emerged as an essential ingredient in many
proposals for spin-based technologies because it would enable both of the two
spin species to be simultaneously utilized, distinct from most of the current
spintronic studies and technologies wherein only one spin species could be
handled at a time. Here we demonstrate that the spatial spin splitting of a
coherent beam of electrons can be achieved and controlled using the interplay
between an external magnetic field and Rashba spin-orbit interaction in
semiconductor nanostructures. The technique of transverse magnetic focusing is
used to detect this spin separation. More notably, our ability to engineer the
spin-orbit interactions enables us to simultaneously manipulate and probe the
coherent spin dynamics of both spin species and hence their correlation, which
could open a route towards spintronics and spin-based quantum information
processing.
PMID- 28691709
TI - Corrigendum: Photon-phonon Interaction in a Microfiber Induced by Optical and
Electrostrictive Forces.
AB - This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/srep41849.
PMID- 28691708
TI - An exported protein-interacting complex involved in the trafficking of virulence
determinants in Plasmodium-infected erythrocytes.
AB - The malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, displays the P. falciparum
erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1) on the surface of infected red blood
cells (RBCs). We here examine the physical organization of PfEMP1 trafficking
intermediates in infected RBCs and determine interacting partners using an
epitope-tagged minimal construct (PfEMP1B). We show that parasitophorous vacuole
(PV)-located PfEMP1B interacts with components of the PTEX (Plasmodium Translocon
of EXported proteins) as well as a novel protein complex, EPIC (Exported Protein
Interacting Complex). Within the RBC cytoplasm PfEMP1B interacts with components
of the Maurer's clefts and the RBC chaperonin complex. We define the EPIC
interactome and, using an inducible knockdown approach, show that depletion of
one of its components, the parasitophorous vacuolar protein-1 (PV1), results in
altered knob morphology, reduced cell rigidity and decreased binding to CD36.
Accordingly, we show that deletion of the Plasmodium berghei homologue of PV1 is
associated with attenuation of parasite virulence in vivo.
PMID- 28691710
TI - Global mismatch between fishing dependency and larval supply from marine
reserves.
AB - Marine reserves are viewed as flagship tools to protect exploited species and to
contribute to the effective management of coastal fisheries. Yet, the extent to
which marine reserves are globally interconnected and able to effectively seed
areas, where fisheries are most critical for food and livelihood security is
largely unknown. Using a hydrodynamic model of larval dispersal, we predict that
most marine reserves are not interconnected by currents and that their potential
benefits to fishing areas are presently limited, since countries with high
dependency on coastal fisheries receive very little larval supply from marine
reserves. This global mismatch could be reversed, however, by placing new marine
reserves in areas sufficiently remote to minimize social and economic costs but
sufficiently connected through sea currents to seed the most exploited fisheries
and endangered ecosystems.
PMID- 28691711
TI - Generation and comparison of CRISPR-Cas9 and Cre-mediated genetically engineered
mouse models of sarcoma.
AB - Genetically engineered mouse models that employ site-specific recombinase
technology are important tools for cancer research but can be costly and time
consuming. The CRISPR-Cas9 system has been adapted to generate autochthonous
tumours in mice, but how these tumours compare to tumours generated by
conventional recombinase technology remains to be fully explored. Here we use
CRISPR-Cas9 to generate multiple subtypes of primary sarcomas efficiently in wild
type and genetically engineered mice. These data demonstrate that CRISPR-Cas9 can
be used to generate multiple subtypes of soft tissue sarcomas in mice. Primary
sarcomas generated with CRISPR-Cas9 and Cre recombinase technology had similar
histology, growth kinetics, copy number variation and mutational load as assessed
by whole exome sequencing. These results show that sarcomas generated with CRISPR
Cas9 technology are similar to sarcomas generated with conventional modelling
techniques and suggest that CRISPR-Cas9 can be used to more rapidly generate
genotypically and phenotypically similar cancers.
PMID- 28691712
TI - Erratum: Reduction of Abeta amyloid pathology in APPPS1 transgenic mice in the
absence of gut microbiota.
AB - This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/srep41802.
PMID- 28691714
TI - Dehydration of subducting slow-spread oceanic lithosphere in the Lesser Antilles.
AB - Subducting slabs carry water into the mantle and are a major gateway in the
global geochemical water cycle. Fluid transport and release can be constrained
with seismological data. Here we use joint active-source/local-earthquake seismic
tomography to derive unprecedented constraints on multi-stage fluid release from
subducting slow-spread oceanic lithosphere. We image the low P-wave velocity
crustal layer on the slab top and show that it disappears beneath 60-100 km
depth, marking the depth of dehydration metamorphism and eclogitization.
Clustering of seismicity at 120-160 km depth suggests that the slab's mantle
dehydrates beneath the volcanic arc, and may be the main source of fluids
triggering arc magma generation. Lateral variations in seismic properties on the
slab surface suggest that serpentinized peridotite exhumed in tectonized slow
spread crust near fracture zones may increase water transport to sub-arc depths.
This results in heterogeneous water release and directly impacts earthquakes
generation and mantle wedge dynamics.
PMID- 28691715
TI - Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) induced extracellular vesicle formation: a
potential role in organochlorine increased risk of Parkinson's disease.
AB - A number of studies have demonstrated that rural living and exposure to
pesticides such as dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) highly increase the
chances of developing Parkinson's disease. In a previous work, we have found that
DDT leads to the formation of vesicular buds that are released from the cells
upon fusion of an intermediate endocytic compartment with the plasma membrane.
Since extracellular vesicles like exosomes have been implicated in the
development of neurodegenerative diseases through the propagation of neurotoxic
misfolded proteins from neuron to neuron, in this minireview we propose that
organochlorine pesticides could enhance the risk of neurodegenerative diseases by
increasing the formation of exosomes.
PMID- 28691713
TI - Targeted therapies for renal cell carcinoma.
AB - The management of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has changed
dramatically over the past few years. Nephrectomy remains an important
intervention for localized RCC but systemic therapy is the mainstay of treatment
for patients who relapse after surgery or who have metastatic RCC. Before 2005,
medical therapies for RCC were limited to cytokine therapies, which are very
toxic and benefit only a small percentage of patients. In 2017, therapeutic
agents now include kinase and immune checkpoint inhibitors. Contemporary research
with these agents is now focusing on combinatorial and perioperative therapy. The
field is now faced with the evolving challenge of how to select the best therapy
for each patient during their natural history of disease, which has created a
strong interest in modern sequencing and molecular approaches to identify
biomarkers to personalize treatments. New therapeutic agents and approaches are
associated with different toxicities and financial burdens, which require
consideration of value by measuring clinical benefit, toxicity, and the cost of
each drug with an organized framework. In this Review, we discuss the mechanisms
underlying RCC and how improved molecular understanding helped the development of
therapies, as well as biomarkers of response to treatment. We also discuss the
value of these agents and their impact on personalization of therapy and drug
development for RCC.
PMID- 28691716
TI - Functional organization of the human amygdala in appetitive learning.
AB - The amygdala is a small subcortical structure located bilaterally in medial
temporal lobes. It is a key region for emotional processes and some forms of
associative learning. In particular, the role of the amygdala in processing of
negative emotions and aversive learning has been shown in numerous studies.
However, involvement of this structure in processing of positive affect and
appetitive learning is not fully understood. Previous experiments in animals are
not consistent. While some authors implicate only the centromedial part of the
amygdala in appetitive learning, the others suggest contribution of both
centromedial and basolateral subregions. Although from the evolutionary
perspective appetitive learning is equally important as aversive learning,
research on the role of the human amygdala and its subregions in appetitive
learning is undertaken relatively rarely and the results are not conclusive.
Therefore, the aim of this review is twofold: to summarize the current knowledge
in this field and to indicate and discuss the factors, which might affect the
observed level of the amygdala activity during appetitive learning in humans.
PMID- 28691717
TI - Interaction between urethane and cannabinoid CB1 receptor agonist and antagonist
in penicillin-induced epileptiform activity.
AB - Previous experimental studies have shown that various anesthetics alter the
effects of cannabinoid agonists and antagonists on the cardiac response to
different stimuli. Since no data have shown an interaction between urethane and
cannabinoid signaling in epilepsy, we examined the suitability of urethane with
regard to testing the effects of a cannabinoid CB1 receptor agonist and an
antagonist on penicillin-induced epileptiform activity in rats. Permanent screw
electrodes for electrocorticographic (ECoG) recordings, and a permanent cannula
for administration of the substances to the brain ventricles, were placed into
the cranium of rats. Epileptiform activity was induced by injection of penicillin
through the cannula in conscious animal. The CB1 receptor agonist arachidonyl-2
chloroethylamide (ACEA; 7.5 MUg) and the CB1 receptor antagonist [N-(piperidin-1
yl)-5-(4-iodophenyl)-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-methyl-1H-pyrazole-3 carboxamide]
(AM-251; 0.25 MUg) were administered intracerebroventricularly 30 minutes after
the penicillin application in urethane-anesthetized and conscious animals.
Urethane completely eliminated spontaneous ictal events in ECoG recordings and
reduced the frequency and total amount of epileptiform activity. It did not alter
either the proconvulsant effects of AM-251 or the anticonvulsant effects of ACEA
on penicillin-induced epileptiform activity. The electrophysiological evidence
suggests that there is no possible interaction between urethane and cannabinoid
CB1 receptors in this experimental model of epilepsy.
PMID- 28691718
TI - Additive and antagonistic antinociceptive interactions between magnesium sulfate
and ketamine in the rat formalin test.
AB - Because ketamine and magnesium block NMDA receptor activation by distinct
mechanisms of action, we hypothesized that in a model of inflammatory pain in
rats the combination of ketamine and magnesium might be more effective than
ketamine alone. Antinociceptive activity was assessed by the formalin test in
male Wistar rats (200-250 g). Animals were injected with 100 MUL of 2.5% formalin
to the plantar surface of the right hind paw. Data were recorded as the total
time spent in pain-related behavior after the injection of formalin or vehicle
(0.9% NaCl). Ketamine and magnesium sulfate given separately reduced nocifensive
behavior in the second phase of the formalin test in rats. When ketamine was
applied after magnesium sulfate, the log dose-response curves for the effects of
ketamine and the magnesium sulfate-ketamine combination revealed antagonistic
interaction, and about 1.6 (CL 1.2-2.4) fold increment in ketamine dosage. A low
dose of magnesium sulfate (5 mg/kg, subcutaneously) administered after ketamine
increased the antinociceptive effect of ketamine by a factor of only 1.2 (CL 0.95
1.38), indicating an additive interaction. There was a 1.8-fold reduction in
dosage of ketamine when ketamine was administered before rather than after the
magnesium sulfate. The present study revealed that both ketamine and magnesium
reduced pain-related behavior in the second phase of the formalin test in rats.
Ketamine, when administered before or after the magnesium, provided additive or
antagonistic antinociceptive interactions, respectively. Whether there will be an
additive or antagonistic antinociceptive interaction between ketamine and
magnesium depends on the order of drug administration.
PMID- 28691719
TI - Narcolepsy type 1 and hypersomnia associated with a psychiatric disorder show
different slow wave activity dynamics.
AB - The aim of the study was to compare electrophysiological parameters of night
sleep in narcolepsy type 1 and hypersomnia associated with a psychiatric
disorder. Fortyfour patients: 15 with narcolepsy type 1, 14 with hypersomnia
associated with a psychiatric disorder and 15 age- and sex-matched controls
participated in the study. The study subjects filled in the Athens Insomnia Scale
(AIS) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). The severity of daytime sleepiness
was quantified subjectively using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and the
Stanford Sleepiness Scale (SSS), and objectively using the Multiple Sleep Latency
Test (MSLT). All subjects underwent polysomnography (PSG) on the two consecutive
nights. The data from the second night was analysed. The slow wave activity (SWA,
1-4 Hz) was calculated for the three consecutive sleep cycles, and topographic
delta power maps were plotted. In contrast to narcoleptics, psychiatric
hypersomniacs had undisturbed nocturnal sleep, high sleep efficiency, normal non
rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep proportions, normal
REM latency and sleep latencies on MSLT and PSG. The subjective and objective
sleepiness was significantly higher in narcolepsy group than in psychiatric
hypersomnia group. In all the study groups SWA was the most prominent in frontal
areas, while the greatest between-group differences were found in the central
areas. There were significant differences between the groups in SWA in the second
NREM episode. The highest SWA was observed in the hypersomnia group, while the
lowest in the narcolepsy group. Psychiatric hypersomniacs and controls did not
differ in the SWA exponential decline over consecutive NREM episodes, whereas
narcoleptics exhibited a steeper dissipation of sleep pressure from the first to
the second NREM episode. In conclusion, narcolepsy type1 and hypersomnia
associated with psychiatric disorder differ in the SWA dynamics. Narcoleptics
presented with the altered dynamics of sleep homeostasis, whereas psychiatric
hypersomniacs showed normal nocturnal sleep and normal sleep homeostasis.
PMID- 28691720
TI - An effect of continuous contextual filling in the filled-space illusion.
AB - In the filled-space (or Oppel-Kundt) illusion, the filled part of the stimulus
for most observers appears longer in comparison with the empty one. In the first
two experimental series of the present study, we investigated the illusory effect
as a function of continuous filling (by a shaft-line segment) of the reference
spatial interval of the three-dot stimulus. It was demonstrated that for the
fixed length of the reference interval, the magnitude of the illusion increases
non-linearly with the shaft length. For the fixed length of the shaft, the
illusion magnitude gradually decreases with the lengthening of the reference
interval. In the third series, psychophysical examination of the conventional
Oppel-Kundt stimulus with different number of equally spaced elements (dots)
subdividing its filled part was performed. Based on the analysis of the
functional dependencies established, we have proposed a simple computational
model that was successfully applied to fit the experimental data obtained in the
present study.
PMID- 28691721
TI - Nonlinear dynamics analysis of the human balance control subjected to physical
and sensory perturbations.
AB - Postural control after applying perturbation involves neural and muscular efforts
to limit the center of mass (CoM) motion. Linear dynamical approaches may not
unveil all complexities of body efforts. This study was aimed at determining two
nonlinear dynamics parameters (fractal dimension (FD) and largest Lyapunov
exponent (LLE)) in addition to the linear standing metrics of balance in
perturbed stance. Sixteen healthy young males were subjected to sudden rotations
of the standing platform. The vision and cognition during the standing were also
interfered. Motion capturing was used to measure the lower limb joints and the
CoM displacements. The CoM path length as a linear parameter was increased by
elimination of vision (p<0.01) and adding a cognitive load (p<0.01). The CoM
nonlinear metric FD was decreased due to the cognitive loads (p<0.001). The
visual interference increased the FD of all joints when the task included the
cognitive loads (p<0.01). The slightly positive LLE values showed weakly-chaotic
behavior of the whole body. The local joint rotations indicated higher LLEs.
Results indicated weakly chaotic response of the whole body. Increase in the task
difficulty by adding sensory interference had difference effects on parameters.
Linear and nonlinear metrics of the perturbed stance showed that a combination of
them may properly represent the body behavior.
PMID- 28691722
TI - Potential role of dopamine transporter in behavioral flexibility.
AB - Behavioral flexibility is subserved by the prefrontal cortex and the basal
ganglia. Orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and dorsomedial striatum (DMS) form a
functional frontocorticostriatal circuit crucial for the mediation of flexibility
during reversal learning via dopamine (DA) neurotransmission. The regulatory
control in maintaining DA homeostasis and function is provided by the dopamine
transporter (DAT), which therefore likely plays a significant role in controlling
the influence of DA on cognitive processes. Here we used a gene knockout mouse
model to investigate the role of DAT in the performance on the Attentional Set
Shifting Task (ASST) stages dependent upon the OFC and the DMS. Additionally,
behavior of mice after repeated administration of selective DAT inhibitor, GBR
12909, was examined. The animals were treated with the inhibitor to elicit a
compensatory DAT up-regulation following withdrawal. Learning was slower and the
number of errors during reversal learning and intra-dimensional shift stages was
higher in DAT+/- mutant mice than in WT mice. GBR 12909-treated mice had deficits
in reversal stages of the ASST. Neuronal activation in the OFC and DMS during the
ASST was examined with early growth response proteins 1 and 2 (egr-1, egr-2)
immunohistochemistry. Density of egr-2 labeled cells in the OFC was lower in
mutant mice than in wild-types during reversal learning and the expression of the
egr-1 was lower in mutant mice in the OFC and DMS during reversal and intra
dimensional shift stages. Mice with decreased DAT levels displayed behavioral
difficulties that were accompanied by a lower task-induced activation of neurons
in brain regions involved in the reversal learning. Altogether, these data
indicate the role of the DAT in the behavioral flexibility.
PMID- 28691723
TI - Effect of ethanol on the visual-evoked potential in rat: dynamics of ON and OFF
responses.
AB - The effect of acute ethanol administration on the flash visual-evoked potential
(VEP) was investigated in numerous studies. However, it is still unclear which
brain structures are responsible for the differences observed in stimulus onset
(ON) and offset (OFF) responses and how these responses are modulated by ethanol.
The aim of our study was to investigate the pattern of ON and OFF responses in
the visual system, measured as amplitude and latency of each VEP component
following acute administration of ethanol. VEPs were recorded at the onset and
offset of a 500 ms visual stimulus in anesthetized male Wistar rats. The effect
of alcohol on VEP latency and amplitude was measured for one hour after injection
of 2 g/kg ethanol dose. Three VEP components - N63, P89 and N143 - were analyzed.
Our results showed that, except for component N143, ethanol increased the latency
of both ON and OFF responses in a similar manner. The latency of N143 during OFF
response was not affected by ethanol but its amplitude was reduced. Our study
demonstrated that the activation of the visual system during the ON response to a
500 ms visual stimulus is qualitatively different from that during the OFF
response. Ethanol interfered with processing of the stimulus duration at the
level of the visual cortex and reduced the activation of cortical regions.
PMID- 28691724
TI - Gas phase hydration of halogenated benzene cations. Is it hydrogen or halogen
bonding?
AB - Halogen bonding (XB) non-covalent interactions can be observed in compounds
containing chlorine, bromine, or iodine which can form directed close contacts of
the type R1-XY-R2, where the halogen X acts as a Lewis acid and Y can be any
electron donor moiety including electron lone pairs on hetero atoms such as O and
N, or pi electrons in olefin double bonds and aromatic conjugated systems. In
this work, we present the first evidence for the formation of ionic halogen bonds
(IXBs) in the hydration of bromobenzene and iodobenzene radical cations in the
gas phase. We present a combined thermochemical investigation using the mass
selected ion mobility (MSIM) technique and density functional theory (DFT)
calculations of the stepwise hydration of the fluoro, chloro, bromo, and
iodobenzene radical cations. The binding energy associated with the formation of
an IXB in the hydration of the iodobenzene cation (11.2 kcal mol-1) is about 20%
higher than the typical unconventional ionic hydrogen bond (IHB) of the
CHdelta+OH2 interaction. The formation of an IXB in the hydration of the
iodobenzene cation involves a significant entropy loss (29 cal mol-1 K-1)
resulting from the formation of a more ordered structure and a highly directional
interaction between the oxygen lone pair of electrons of water and the
electropositive region around the iodine atom of the iodobenzene cation. In
comparison, the hydration of the fluorobenzene and chlorobenzene cations where
IHBs are formed, -DeltaS degrees = 18-21 cal mol-1 K-1 consistent with the
formation of less ordered structures and loose interactions. The electrostatic
potentials on the lowest energy structures of the hydrated halogenated benzene
radical cations show clearly that the formation of an IXB is driven by a
positively charged sigma-hole on the external side of the halogen atom X along
the C-X bond axis. The size of the sigma-hole increases significantly in
bromobenzene and iodobenzene radical cations which results in strong interaction
potentials with the electron lone pairs of the oxygen atom of the water molecules
and thus IXBs provide the most stable hydrated structures of the bromobenzene and
iodobenzene radical cations. The results clearly distinguish the hydration
behaviors resulting from the ionic hydrogen and halogen bonding interactions of
fluorobenzene and iodobenzene cations, respectively, and establish the different
bonding and structural features of the two interactions.
PMID- 28691725
TI - Programmable, reversible and repeatable wrinkling of shape memory polymer thin
films on elastomeric substrates for smart adhesion.
AB - Programmable, reversible and repeatable wrinkling of shape memory polymer (SMP)
thin films on elastomeric polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrates is realized, by
utilizing the heat responsive shape memory effect of SMPs. The dependencies of
wrinkle wavelength and amplitude on program strain and SMP film thickness are
shown to agree with the established nonlinear buckling theory. The wrinkling is
reversible, as the wrinkled SMP thin film can be recovered to the flat state by
heating up the bilayer system. The programming cycle between wrinkle and flat is
repeatable, and different program strains can be used in different programming
cycles to induce different surface morphologies. Enabled by the programmable,
reversible and repeatable SMP film wrinkling on PDMS, smart, programmable surface
adhesion with large tuning range is demonstrated.
PMID- 28691726
TI - Synthesis, structure and applications of graphene-based 2D heterostructures.
AB - With the profuse amount of two-dimensional (2D) materials discovered and the
improvements in their synthesis and handling, the field of 2D heterostructures
has gained increased interest in recent years. Such heterostructures not only
overcome the inherent limitations of each of the materials, but also allow the
realization of novel properties by their proper combination. The physical and
mechanical properties of graphene mean it has a prominent place in the area of 2D
heterostructures. In this review, we will discuss the evolution and current state
in the synthesis and applications of graphene-based 2D heterostructures. In
addition to stacked and in-plane heterostructures with other 2D materials and
their potential applications, we will also cover heterostructures realized with
lower dimensionality materials, along with intercalation in few-layer graphene as
a special case of a heterostructure. Finally, graphene heterostructures produced
using liquid phase exfoliation techniques and their applications to energy
storage will be reviewed.
PMID- 28691727
TI - Identification and assessment of ecotoxicological hazards attributable to
pollutants in urban wet weather discharges.
AB - Urbanization has led to considerable pressure on urban/suburban aquatic
ecosystems. Urban Wet Weather Discharges (UWWD) during rainfall events are a
major source of pollutants leached onto and into urban surfaces and sewers, which
in turn affect aquatic ecosystems. We assessed the ecotoxicity of the different
compounds identified in UWWD and identified the hazard represented by each of
them. To this end, hazard quotient (HQ) values were calculated for each compound
detected in UWWD based on their predicted no effect concentration (PNEC) values
and their maximum measured effluent concentrations (MECmax) found in the
dissolved part of UWWD. For the 207 compounds identified in UWWD, sufficient data
existed for 165 of them to calculate their PNEC. The ecotoxicity of these
compounds varied greatly. Pesticides represented a high proportion of the wide
variety of hazardous compounds whose HQ values were calculated (94 HQ values),
and they were among the most hazardous pollutants (HQ > 1000) transported by
stormwater. The hazard of combined sewer overflows (CSO) was linked mainly to
heavy metals and pharmaceutical compounds. Consequently, the monitoring of these
pollutants should be a priority in the future. The hazard level of certain
pollutants could have been underestimated due to their adsorption onto particles,
leading to their low concentration in the dissolved phase of UWWD. Hence, an in
depth study of these pollutants will be required to clarify their effects on
aquatic organisms.
PMID- 28691728
TI - Intervention to diminish dehydration and kidney damage among sugarcane workers.
AB - Objective The aim of this study was to assess the potential to reduce kidney
function damage during the implementation of a water, rest, shade (WRS) and
efficiency intervention program among sugarcane workers. Methods A WRS
intervention program adapted from the US Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) coupled with an efficiency program began two months into
the 5-month harvest. One of the two groups of workers studied was provided with
portable water reservoirs, mobile shaded tents, and scheduled rest periods.
Health data (anthropometric and questionnaires), blood, and urine were collected
at baseline and at three subsequent times over the course of the harvest. Daily
wet bulb globe temperatures (WBGT) were recorded. Results Across a working day
there were changes in biomarkers indicating dehydration (urine osmolality) and
serum albumin and reduced estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Cross
shift eGFR decrease was present in both groups; -10.5 mL/min/1.73m2 [95%
confidence interval (95% CI) -11.8- -9.1], but smaller for the intervention group
after receiving the program. Decreased eGFR over the 5-month harvest was seen in
both groups: in the one receiving the intervention -3.4 mL/min/1.73m 2(95% CI
5.5- -1.3) and in the other -5.3 (95% CI -7.9- -2.7). The decrease appeared to
halt after the introduction of the intervention in the group receiving the
program. Conclusion A WRS and efficiency intervention program was successfully
introduced for workers in sugarcane fields and appears to reduce the impact of
heat stress on acute and over-harvest biomarkers of kidney function. Further
research is needed to determine whether biomarker changes predict reduced risk of
chronic kidney disease in this type of work.
PMID- 28691729
TI - In vitro differentiation of primordial germ cells and oocyte-like cells from stem
cells.
AB - Infertility is the result of failure due to an organic disorder of the
reproductive organs, especially their gametes. Recently, much progress has been
made on generating germ cells, including oocytes, from various types of stem
cells. This review focuses on advances in female germ cell differentiation from
different kinds of stem cells, with emphasis on embryonic stem cells, adult stem
cells, and induced pluripotent stem cells. The advantages and disadvantages of
the derivation of female germ cells from several types of stem cells are also
highlighted, as well as the ability of stem cells to generate mature and
functional female gametes. This review shows that stem cell therapies have opened
new frontiers in medicine, especially in the reproductive area, with the
possibility of regenerating fertility.
PMID- 28691730
TI - Effects of colocynth alkaloids and glycosides on Wistar rats fed high-fat diet. A
biochemical and morphological study.
AB - INTRODUCTION: In traditional medicine, Citrullus colocynthis is used to treat
diabetes, hyperlipidemia, cardiovascular diseases, inflammation, and oxidative
stress, all of which can appear when a diet rich in vegetable fats, such as palm
oil, is continuously consumed. Such high-fat diets are chronic stressors of the
hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. The objective of our study was to analyze
and evaluate the effects of colocynth total alkaloids and glycosides on
metabolic, hormonal, and structural disorders of the adrenal medulla in Wistar
rats fed a high-fat diet. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty six Wistar rats were
distributed as follows: six control animals received a standard laboratory diet;
twenty experimental rats received the standard laboratory diet supplemented with
palm oil - the high-fat diet (HFD). After seven months of this diet, the HFD
group was subdivided into rats treated for the next 2 months with either alkaloid
extract (HFD-ALk group) or ethanol extract of glycosides (HFD-GLc) or animals on
HFD only. Plasma metabolites and ACTH concentrations were measured by standard
methods. Sections of adrenal medulla were stained by Heidenhain-Azan method and
Sudan Black. RESULTS: The adrenal medulla of the HFD rats showed prominent
structural changes, such as hypertrophy of chromaffin and ganglion cells,
vacuolation, inflammatory foci, and fibrosis. The biochemical and hormonal
parameters were significantly improved in the HFD rats treated with alkaloid and
glycoside extracts of Citrullus colocynthis. Moreover, the morphological changes
of the adrenal medulla were attenuated in HFD-ALk and HFD-Glc rats. CONCLUSIONS:
The results of the study indicate that phytotherapy using Citrullus colocynthis
alkaloids may correct metabolic and hormonal perturbations as well as adrenal
medulla structure of rats maintained on HFD.
PMID- 28691731
TI - Trends in receipt of single and repeat courses of antenatal corticosteroid
administration among preterm and term births: A retrospective cohort study.
AB - AIM: To investigate trends in receipt and timing of antenatal corticosteroid
(ACS) administration over a ten-year interval. METHODS: Retrospective cohort
study of all live births from 2006 to 2015 occurring at a tertiary level teaching
hospital in Adelaide, Australia. We analysed temporal trends in the receipt of
single courses and repeat doses of ACSs, according to administration timing prior
to birth. The main outcome measures were receipt of a single course of ACS and
whether administration was 'Optimal' (>=24 h to INTRODUCTION: The potential for systemic effects due to percutaneous
absorption of superpotent topical steroids has been a longstanding concern. The
Food and Drug Administration currently recommends limiting the use of superpotent
topical steroids to 50g per week for 2 or 4 consecutive weeks depending on the
formulation, which is mostly based on the exact duration with which phase 3
clinical trials were allowed to be conducted per the FDA. This article reviews
all published clinical incidence of adrenal adverse effects in the medical
literature, specifically Cushing's syndrome (CS) and pathologic adrenal
suppression (PAAS), to try to ascertain a more realistic limit for the safe use
of superpotent topical steroids as it pertains to its potential systemic
effects. METHODS: Literature search was conducted using PubMed. Only cases
of CS and PAAS secondary to the use of Class I superpotent topical steroids were
included. Pediatric cases and full articles unavailable in English were
excluded. RESULTS: There were a total of 14 cases of CS and 5 cases of
subsequent PAAS found in the current literature. DISCUSSION: From our
review of these cases, if the amount used per week is within FDA guidelines, it
appears that patients needed to use superpotent topical steroids for far greater
than 2 or 4 weeks to develop CS or PAAS. CS did not necessarily predict
occurrence of PAAS, but in all cases CS appeared to be a prerequisite for
developing PAAS. All cases of CS and all but one case of PAAS were reversible. If
excessive amount of greater than 50g per week is avoided, it appears that
superpotent topical steroids may be safe to use consecutively for months, perhaps
even years, without causing systemic effects. J Drugs Dermatol.
2017;16(7):643-648. OBJECTIVE: To compare patients with psoriasis by cost level over 3 years. METHODS: Psoriasis patients in a large US health plan in 2011-2013 were
identified. Four groups were created by healthcare costs excluding biologics:
patients having top 10% of costs in all 3 years (Top), top 10% in 2 of 3 years
(High), bottom 90% in 2 of 3 years (Medium), and bottom 90% in all 3 years
(Bottom). Comorbidities, utilization, and costs between groups were compared. RESULTS: The study included 18,653 patients: 514 (3%), 805 (4%), 2,443 (13%),
and 14,891 (80%) patients in the Top, High, Medium, and Bottom groups,
respectively. Significantly more patients in the Top vs Bottom group had diabetes
(31.1% vs 9.4%), cardiovascular disease (26.5% vs 4.3%), psoriatic arthritis
(25.7% vs 10.7%), depression (27.8% vs 6.9%), and anxiety (22.0% vs 7.9%) in 2011
(all P less than 0.05). Patients in the Top group had more unique 2011
prescriptions (17.7 vs 6.6; P less than 0.001) than the Bottom group, but similar
biologic use (22.4% vs 21.6%). Patients in the Top, High, Medium, and Bottom
groups had mean 2011 total costs of $68,913, $40,575, $24,292, and $8,815, and
contributed to 14%, 13%, 23%, and 51% of the overall costs, respectively. Mean
total costs increased 14-18% over time for all groups. Although mean 2011 total
costs for patients in the Top group were 7.8 times of those in the Bottom group,
psoriasis-related costs were less disparate ($8,716 vs $4,541). Compared with
patients in the Bottom group, those in the Top group were more likely to have any
2011 hospitalization (36.8% vs 2.6%; psoriasis-related: 11.1% vs 0.7%) or
emergency visit (50.8% vs 20.8%; psoriasis-related: 3.9% vs 1.0%). CONCLUSION: The costliest patients with psoriasis had significantly higher
prevalence of comorbidities, prescription fills, inpatient and emergency
utilization, but not biologic medication use or biologic costs. J
Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(7):651-658. BACKGROUND: Signs of facial aging include wrinkles, loss of subcutaneous
volume, decreased tone, texture, and sagging of the skin. The objective of this
review is to determine whether facial suspension absorbable sutures are a safe
and effective modality for facial rejuvenation. METHOD: A group of US
plastic surgeons and dermatologists who practice medical aesthetics convened to
review evidence obtained from literature searches and to reach a consensus on
clinical practice guidelines for the use of facial absorbable suspension
sutures. RESULTS: Currently, there are different types of lifting sutures
available. Absorbable, facial suspension sutures allow for superior repositioning
of tissue along a vector line together with the added benefit of volumization of
the area. These benefits are for patients who have moderate facial aging and
require treatment beyond the use of injectable products only. CONCLUSIONS:
Treatment with absorbable facial suspension sutures, when performed properly, is
associated with minor and infrequent complications and offers a beneficial
clinical alternative to traditional facial rejuvenation techniques. J
Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(7):661-666. BACKGROUND: The epidermal barrier in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) is
deficient in ceramides and cathelicidins. Such epidermal defects may be a trigger
for AD, thereby encouraging research toward development of skin-barrier-targeted
preventive strategies. METHODS: Two single-center, single-arm clinical
trials were conducted (study 1, age greater than equal to 8 years and study 2,
greater than equal to 10 years) in patients with mild to moderate AD to evaluate
the effects of an over-the-counter 1% colloidal oatmeal cream administered for 14
days. Study 1 assessed the Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) and
Investigator's Global Atopic Dermatitis Assessment (IGADA) on day 3, and itch
severity using a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) immediately after application as
primary efficacy endpoints. In study 2, the primary efficacy endpoint was change
from baseline in patients' assessment of itch. Both studies assessed safety
through adverse event (AE) recording. RESULTS: Study 1: 29 patients were
enrolled (mean age [range], 27.07 [8 -67]). Comparing to baseline, EASI, IGADA,
and itch were improved after the application, and improvements were maintained
until day 14. Improvements of greater than/equal to 20% over baseline were noted
in 53.6% and 25.0% patients at day 3 for EASI and IGADA scores, respectively, and
in 37.9% patients for itch score immediately after the product application. On
day 14, these percentages were 82.8%, 62.1%, and 85.7%, respectively. STUDY 2: 30 patients were enrolled (mean age [range], 32.9 [10-80]). Itch
severity and EASI score were significantly improved after product application and
improvements were maintained until day 14. Transepidermal water loss values were
significantly reduced and skin hydration was significantly increased at all
assessment time points. No adverse events (AEs) were reported in study 2 and 2
AEs were reported by 1 patient in study 1. CONCLUSIONS: The colloidal
oatmeal cream was well tolerated and clinically effective in patients with mild
to moderate AD. J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(7):671-676. New cosmeceutical ingredients that improve skin appearance are of interest to
the dermatologist. Cryptomphalus aspersa is a snail raised on farms in Spain for
its mucinous secretions and eggs. These natural products have been demonstrated
in vitro to trigger mesenchymal stem cell differentiation, promote dermal
fibroblast and keratinocyte migration, prevent keratinocyte aging, prevent
oxidative damage, stimulate the extracellular matrix, and regulate MMPs. This 12
week study enrolled 40 male and female subjects age 40-70 years of Fitzpatrick
skin types I-IV with moderate to severe facial aging and Rao-Goldman scores of 4
5 who applied an eye and face anti-aging cream twice daily containing a mollusk
egg extract. Dermatologist investigator, subject, and elasticity assessments were
performed at baseline, week 8, and week 12. At week 12, the investigator rated a
53% reduction in skin roughness (P less than 0.001), 26% improvement in skin
brightness (P less than 0.001), and 12% reduction in skin dyspigmentation
(P=0.033). The noninvasive elastometer measurements demonstrated an increase in
skin elasticity at week 8 of 11% with a continuing elasticity increase at week 12
of 39% (P less than 0.001). The formulation studied included moisturizing,
emollient, film-forming, and retinoid ingredients in addition to the mollusk egg
extract to produce the clinical improvement. J Drugs Dermatol.
2017;16(7):678-681. INTRODUCTION: Hair loss is a common complaint seen in dermatology clinics.
From frustration and attempts at self-help, patients with hair loss may present
to the dermatologist with false beliefs, or myths, about the causes of their
condition and what treatments are effective. METHODS: We identified 12
common myths about hair loss, categorized as myths about minoxidil treatment,
vitamin and mineral supplements, natural topical treatments, and hair care
practices. We performed a PubMed search to find evidence to support or refute
each myth. RESULTS: We found that there is little evidence to support many
of these common hair loss myths. In some cases, randomized controlled trials have
investigated the effects of particular therapies and point to the effectiveness
of certain hair loss treatments. DISCUSSION: In many cases, there have not
been sufficient randomized controlled trials to evaluate the effect of different
therapies and hair care practices on hair loss. It is best to guide patients
toward treatments with a long track record of efficacy and away from those where
little is known scientifically. J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(7):690
694. Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory cutaneous disease that affects 2-3% of the
general population. Up to 30% of patients with psoriasis also develop psoriatic
arthritis, a chronic inflammatory and progressive arthritis. Although their
precise pathogeneses remain unclear, psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis involve
altered expression of proinflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor
alpha, interleukin (IL)-12, IL-17, IL-22, and IL-23. The development of biologic
agents that target these cytokines has greatly improved the treatment of
psoriatic disease. Injection site reactions have been reported with many of these
therapies. In this paper, we will present cases and review the literature on
injection site reactions with the major biologic agents administered
subcutaneously for the treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(7):695-698. Annular elastolytic giant cell granuloma, also known as actinic granuloma, is
a rare skin condition with a chronic course that is often resistant to treatment.
Literature is sparse, and only a handful of case reports are available to guide
treatment decisions. Typical first line treatment options include topical and
intralesional steroids, topical pimecrolimus, and cryotherapy. Resistant cases
have been treated with cyclosporine, systemic steroids, antimalarials, and oral
retinoids. In particular, acitretin and isotretinoin have shown success in three
cases. However, these medications can have side effects and require frequent lab
monitoring. We present a case of a 47-year-old woman with bilateral forearm
lesions consistent with annular elastolytic giant cell granuloma who was
successfully treated with topical tretinoin. J Drugs Dermatol.
2017;16(7):699-700. BACKGROUND: Treatment of vitiligo is aimed at repigmentation and often
consists of multiple modalities, none of which are universally or rapidly
successful. Extensive cases are most often treated with ultraviolet light
therapy, which can be both costly and time-consuming. Though vitiligo is an
autoimmune disease, there is no current data to support systemic
immunosuppressive monotherapy. CASE SUMMARY: Here we present a case series
of 3 patients with vitiligo treated for 11-16 months with low-dose methotrexate
(12.5-25 mg per week) with folic acid supplementation with clinically significant
skin repigmentation, with response within 6 months in one case. There were no
severe adverse effects reported. CONCLUSION: These cases demonstrate an
unexplored effective and steroid-sparing therapeutic alternative in patients with
vitiligo for whom topical therapy has failed and phototherapy is cost-prohibitive
or ineffective. J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(7):705-706. INTRODUCTION: A topical proprietary procedural enhancement system (PES)
containing a combination of active ingredients including a tripeptide and
hexapeptide (TriHex TechnologyTM, Alastin Procedure Enhancement Invasive System,
ALASTIN SkincareTM, Inc., Carlsbad, CA) has been used successfully to aid in
healing and improve symptomatology following resurfacing procedures. METHODS: PES (Gentle Cleanser, Regenerating Skin Nectar with TriHex
TechnologyTM, Ultra Nourishing Moisturizer with TriHex TechnologyTM, Soothe +
Protect Recovery Balm, Broad Spectrum 30+ Sunscreen) was compared to a basic
regimen (AquaphorTM, CeraveTM cleanser, VanicreamTM, Alastin Broad Spectrum 30+
Sunscreen) in a split face/ decollete trial following fractional non-ablative
thulium-doped resurfacing treatment to the face or decollete. The skin was pre
conditioned and treated during and after the procedure using the two
regimens. RESULTS: A blinded investigator rated the PES statistically
superior to the basic regimen on healing post-laser treatment on day 4 based on
lentigines, texture, and Global Skin Quality. Subjects also reported 'better
looking and feeling' skin on the PES side. CONCLUSION: PES appears to
improve healing post-non ablative thulium-doped resurfacing treatment to the
face/decollete in comparison with standard of care. J Drugs Dermatol.
2017;16(7):707-710. Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a neutrophilic, ulcerative dermatosis that can
develop at sites of cutaneous trauma, including surgical incisions, a phenomenon
known as pathergy. The characteristic lesion is a painful, rapidly expanding
ulceration with a violaceous undermined border.1 A biopsy taken from
the expanding violaceous border shows predominantly neutrophilic dermal
inflammation with neutrophilic abscess formation. The etiology of PG
appears to be variable among patients, as about a half of the reported cases are
associated with systemic disease such as inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid
arthritis, or myeloproliferative disorders, while the other half seem to be
idiopathic.2 PG is difficult to diagnose as other etiologies,
including infectious, vasculitic, and other inflammatory dermatoses, must be
excluded.1 Histopathologic and biochemical markers of PG, such as
dermal neutrophilic infiltrate or overexpression of interleukin-8,3
respectively, are not pathognomonic. Given that several drugs, such as
hydralazine, mesalamine, and sunitinib, are reportedly associated with PG,
failure to recognize this association and stop these medications may delay
diagnosis and therapy. We report a case of idiopathic postoperative PG following
video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS). J Drugs Dermatol.
2017;16(7):711-713. Cutaneous reactions to interferon, including a lichenoid drug reaction, are
most commonly reported in patients undergoing treatment for hepatitis C virus
(HCV) infection. There have been case reports of interferon-induced lichen planus
in seronegative HCV patients with lymphoproliferative disorders and melanoma. We
report the case of a 71-year-old man undergoing treatment with interferon for
metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) who developed an eruption 2 months after
starting interferon. Clinical and histological findings from biopsies supported a
diagnosis of interferon-induced lichen planus. To our knowledge, this is the
first known case of a lichenoid drug eruption from interferon in a seronegative
HCV patient with metastatic RCC. J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(7):714
716.
AIM: To identify some of the patterns that appear in the type of
psychiatric problems encountered, the type of referral agencies involved and in
the intervention strategies practiced by the psychiatric emergency service in
Utrecht.
METHOD: We studied the medical records of 938 crisis assessments
compiled during five measurement periods between 2009 and 2015. From all these
crisis assessments we selected one sample relating to patients coming only from
the city of Utrecht - 'model city Utrecht' - and a second sample consisting only
of patients referred either by HAP (emergency primary care), the police or a
general hospital. Then, by using cross-tabulation and a multinomial logistic
regression analyses, we were able to identify associations between the type of
referral agency, the type of referral problem and the type of intervention.
RESULTS: Patients referred by the police were more often forcefully admitted
(compulsory admission: 27%) than patients referred by general practitioners (6%);
most of these patients were then treated as outpatients (83%). Another pattern
that emerged, was that confused or aggressive patients were admitted to hospital
more frequently than suicidal patients (26%, 29% and 8% respectively).
CONCLUSION: Our study and current trends in the clinical practice operated by the
emergency psychiatric services reveal significant correlations between the type
of referrals and the type of intervention. However, further research is needed in
order to develop the 'best practice' for emergency psychiatric care in the
future.
PMID- 28703260
TI - [Publish & Perish; research on research and researchers].
AB - BACKGROUND: In the last years many people have questioned the reliability of
research results and the societal relevance of much of today's clinical research;
they are critical too about the current publication culture in which scientists
are judged according to the number of articles they have published, impact
factors and citations.
AIM: To make a close study of the publication culture
that now prevails in the Dutch biomedical sciences.
METHOD: Discussion of
results described in the thesis entitled 'Publish and Perish; research on
research and researchers'.
RESULTS: To investigate what 'pressure to
publish' is, we designed the Publication Pressure Questionnaire. In addition, in
a group of 437 professors, we found a relationship between 'pressure to publish'
and burnout; about 25% of the professors reported having suffered from severe
burnout. We used focus groups to discover the factors that scientists consider
are harmful in today's publication culture. They mentioned aspects such as impact
factors, problems with research funding, authorship of articles, publication
bias, emphasis on quantity rather than quality and 'domineering egos'. Next, we
sought the views of 400 Dutch psychiatrists on the influence of pharmaceutical
sponsorship on clinical trials. The psychiatrists seem to overlook the effects
that pharmaceutical sponsoring might have on research results, but were more
critical of results that appeared to be 'too good to be true'. A character study
of more than 500 biomedical professionals revealed a link between scientific
misconduct and pressure to publish; Machiavellian characteristics seemed to be
associated with this misconduct. Finally, the author of the thesis (with 'tongue
in cheek') describes a new psychiatric disorder which he calls 'publiphilia
impactfactorius', defined as a disorder affecting biomedical professionals
characterised by narcissistic, psychopathic, manipulative and emotionally
unstable traits, whose egos are focused primarily on publication and high
citation scores.
CONCLUSION: The thesis demonstrates that on the one hand
scientists should look critically at new research so that they can assess its
value, but on the other hand they must be ready to support new research, even
though most results are likely to require later revision and updating. In spite
of the shortcomings of many published research results, they are after all, the
best we have at a particular moment.
PMID- 28703261
TI - [Negative symptoms and an interruption in the life-line; recovery from passivity
and apathy involves adaptions and risk-taking].
AB - BACKGROUND: Up till now, the experiences of people recovering from psychotic
states and particularly from negative symptoms have scarcely been integrated into
current scientific knowledge of recovery.
AIM: To contribute to the
integration of scientific knowledge about recovery processes by creating an up-to
date model of negative symptoms.
METHOD: In our article we report the views
and comments of an expert patient and a psychiatrist regarding crucial aspects of
the recovery process of the patient who had experienced a long period of
passivity.
RESULTS: Recovery seems to be aided by a number of 'soft'
factors. The damage caused by the interruption in a patient's life-line has to be
limited as far as possible. Patients must be given the opportunity to adjust to
the new situation in which they find themselves. We describe various ways of
encouraging interaction and exploration. Patients need to be presented with
relevant samples of recovery so that they become optimistic about future
improvements in their own mental health.
CONCLUSION: The approach outlined
in this article is likely to contribute to a better understanding of this
precarious mental health state.
PMID- 28703262
TI - [Adequacy of treatment for chronic anxiety or depression; an exploratory study of
treatment practice].
AB - BACKGROUND: Many patients with anxiety or depression receiving specialised
outpatient treatment at mental health centres do not fully recover. Relapse and
chronic course are common. This raises questions about the adequacy of the
treatment they receive.
AIM: To obtain insight into the type and length of
the treatment given to patients with chronic anxiety or depression.
METHOD:
We collected data as part of a national study involving 12 mental health trusts.
To be included in the study, patients had to satisfy certain criteria: they had
to have received specialised treatment for anxiety or depression for at least two
years and there had to be concerns whether these patients would benefit from
further treatment in this setting. We gathered information about patient
characteristics, diagnosis and treatment history.
RESULTS: On the basis of
our selection criteria, 268 patients participated in our study; 65% of the
patients were female. Patients were grouped in three categories: 67% were
suffering from major depression, 25% from anxiety disorder and 8% from comorbid
anxiety and depression. On average, patients had been treated for six years. More
than one third of patients had received poor-quality treatment: treatment in the
form of psychotherapy and/or pharmacotherapy had not been carried out in
accordance with treatment guidelines.
CONCLUSION: In practice, much current
treatment falls short of expectations. In particular, pharmacotherapy for
depression needs to be improved. Longer periods of treatment should be evaluated
at least once every six months.
PMID- 28703263
TI - [High and intensive care three years later; an evaluation of the experiences of
patients and employees and the effect on coercive measures in psychiatry].
AB - BACKGROUND: As part of the national campaign against the use of coercive measures
in psychiatry, the Mental Health Service in Eindhoven set up the first modern
high and intensive care centre (HIC) in Eindhoven in 2012. AIM: To study the
progress of the numbers on coercive measures, and to evaluate the experiences of
patients and treatment team members after working for three years according to
the HIC model. METHOD: We analysed the registration data, carried out a short
survey and conducted interviews. RESULTS: We found that the number of coercive
measures used between 2012 and 2015 had declined by 42%. Patients generally had a
positive attitude to the treatment they had received. They appreciated the role
played by the team and were pleased to have had access to modern technology. Team
members had a positive attitude to working with the HIC model. CONCLUSION: The
main goals of working according to the new HIC model have been achieved. However,
it should be possible to increase cooperation with mobile teams, develop more
links with patients' next-of-kin and make wider use of modern technology.
PMID- 28703264
TI - [Simple is not always easy: genetics in general psychiatry].
AB - Many of the patients who attend the outpatient mental health clinics already have
a long history of psychiatric problems. Their symptoms seem easy to classify, but
the misdiagnosis of the patients' underlying problems can lead to a long series
of costly referrals as inpatients or to an ineffective treatment outcome. In this
article we focus on three patients whose history and background circumstances had
been analysed in detail and who had also been subjected to a genetic analysis.
The analyses pointed to an etiology-based diagnosis which had important
implications for their future treatment and its outcome.
PMID- 28703265
TI - Noncompaction may not only be non-isolated but also myopathic. Commentary to the
article: "Left ventricular non-compaction associated with hypertrophic
cardiomyopathy in the same patient".
PMID- 28703266
TI - A hybrid treatment of Kommerell diverticulum saccular aneurysm in a patient with
subclavian steal syndrome.
PMID- 28703267
TI - Restrictive cardiomyopathy due to novel desmin gene mutation.
PMID- 28703268
TI - Electrical storm secondary to theophylline prescription in a patient with
implantable cardioverter defibrillator.
PMID- 28703269
TI - Intravascular ultrasound in cocaine-induced myocardial infarction complicated
with left coronary artery dissection.
PMID- 28703270
TI - Acute myocardial infarction due to embolisation from the thrombosed coronary
artery fistula between the right coronary artery and the left atrium.
PMID- 28703271
TI - Silent early migration of a Figulla(r) septal occluder into the left ventricle.
PMID- 28703272
TI - Left ventricular non-compaction and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: two overlapping
diseases or two manifestations of the same cardiomyopathy? Response to the letter
concerning the article: "Left ventricular non-compaction associated with
hypertrophic....
PMID- 28703273
TI - A case of idiopathic angioedema exacerbated by angiotensin receptor blocker
administration.
PMID- 28703275
TI - Predictors of cognitive function in patients with hypothalamic hamartoma
following stereotactic radiofrequency thermocoagulation surgery.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To determine the predictors of cognitive function in patients with
drug-resistant gelastic seizures (GS) related to hypothalamic hamartoma (HH)
before and after stereotactic radiofrequency thermocoagulation surgery (SRT).
METHODS: We studied 88 patients with HH who underwent SRT between October 1997
and December 2014. Patients received neuropsychological tests preoperatively and
postoperatively. Based on the preoperative measures, patients were categorized as
"high-functioning" (full-scale intelligence quotient [FSIQ] >=70; n = 48) and
"low-functioning" group (FSIQ <70; n = 40). Univariate and multivariate linear
regression analyses determined the clinical, electroencephalography (EEG), and
imaging factors associated with preoperative cognitive function as well as
postoperative cognitive change. RESULTS: Eighty-seven patients (98.8%) were
followed postoperatively for an average of 3.3 years, and 75 (85.2%) of them
achieved GS remission at the last hospital visit. Neuropsychological performance
was significantly improved after surgery in both groups. Multivariate linear
regression analysis showed that a smaller HH size (p = 0.002) and a smaller
number of antiepileptic drugs (p < 0.001) were preoperatively associated with
better neuropsychological performance. Multivariate linear regression analysis
showed that better postoperative improvement in cognition was associated with a
shorter duration of epilepsy (p = 0.03). SIGNIFICANCE: Cognitive impairment
related to epileptic encephalopathy may improve following SRT in substantial
proportions of HH patients. Reduced improvement in postoperative cognitive
function in patients with longer duration of epilepsy warrants further studies to
determine if earlier SRT provides a greater chance of postoperative cognitive
improvement in patients with HH.
PMID- 28703274
TI - Pterostilbene reduces oxidative stress, prevents hypertrophy and preserves
systolic function of right ventricle in cor pulmonale model.
AB - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: In cor pulmonale, the increased afterload imposed on the
right ventricle (RV) generates a maladaptive response, impairing the contractile
cardiac function. Oxidative mechanisms play an important role in the
pathophysiology and progression of this disease. The administration of
pterostilbene (PTS), a phytophenol with antioxidant potential, may represent a
therapeutic option. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of PTS
complexed with hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HPbetaCD) on hypertrophy,
contractile function and oxidative parameters in the RV of rats with pulmonary
hypertension, induced by the administration of monocrotaline (MCT). EXPERIMENTAL
APPROACH: The rats received daily doses of the PTS : HPbetaCD complex at 25, 50
or 100 mg.kg-1 , p.o., for 14 days. The diastolic function, E/A ratio, and
systolic function, shortening fraction, fractional area change (FAC) and
tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) of the RV were determined by
echocardiography. KEY RESULTS: The PTS : HPbetaCD complex reduced the production
of NADPH oxidase-dependent superoxide anions and oxidative stress in the RV of
MCT-treated rats in a dose-dependent manner. At higher doses it prevented the
reduction in FAC and TAPSE in MCT-treated animals. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS:
The PTS : HPbetaCD complex prevented the maladaptative remodelling and protected
systolic function in the RV of rats with pulmonary hypertension. These
cardioprotective mechanisms may be related, in part, to the antioxidant potential
of PTS, favoured by the increased p.o. bioavailability promoted by the presence
of HPbetaCD in the complex.
PMID- 28703276
TI - Occurrence of sympatric charr groups, Salvelinus, Salmonidae, in the lakes of
Kamchatka: a legacy of the last glaciations.
AB - Six postglacial lakes were studied along both sides of the Kamchatka central
mountain range, Russia. Pairs of local morphotypes of species of Arctic charrs,
Salvelinus spp., have previously been described from the southernmost lakes while
the fish fauna of the four northernmost lakes was studied here for the first
time. Phenotypic data support the division of Kamchatkan lacustrine charrs into
two groups according to the number of gill rakers and pyloric caeca, as well as
snout-dorsal and snout-ventral distances (MANOVA, P < 0.001). These groups
respectively correspond to phenotypes commonly referred to as Salvelinus malma
and Salvelinus taranetzi. To clarify the identity of these groups, D-loop and
cytochrome b (cytb) region sequences were analysed. Haplotype network analysis of
mtDNA shows the salmonids inhabiting four lakes on the south and north are
phylogenetically close to either Beringian S. malma or to S. taranetzi from the
Chukotka and Kolyma River basins (the mean +/- s.e. pairwise per cent sequence
divergence is 0.006 +/- 0.001). Phenotype-genotype discordance suggests that
mitochondrial introgression between species has occurred in the two smallest
lakes (<0.5 km2 ) in the central part of the peninsula. Identical haplotypes of D
loop and cytb regions were found for the populations of S. taranetzi from the
most distant southern and northern lakes, indicating all lakes were colonized by
both species simultaneously after the last glacial maximum. Salvelinus taranetzi
may have colonized the Kamchatka peninsula from one or both of two different
source regions: the Arctic Beringia and the northern coast of the Okhotsk Sea.
PMID- 28703277
TI - miRNAs and ovarian cancer: An overview.
AB - Ovarian cancer (OC) is the sixth most common cancer in women globally. However,
even with the advances in detection and therapeutics it still represents the most
dangerous gynecologic malignancy in women of the industrialized countries. The
discovery of micro-RNAs (miRNA), a small noncoding RNA molecule targeting
multiple mRNAs and regulation of gene expression by triggering translation
repression and/or RNA degradation, has revealed the existence of a new array for
regulation of genes involved in cancer. This review summarizes the current
knowledge regarding the role of miRNAs expression in OC. It also provides
information about potential clinical relevance of circulating miRNAs for OC
diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutics. The identification of functional targets
for miRNAs represents a major obstacle in our understanding of microRNA function
in OC, but significant progress is being made. The better understanding of the
role of microRNA expression in ovarian cancer may provide new array for the
detection, diagnosis, and therapy of the OC.
PMID- 28703278
TI - Reconstruction of 3D grain boundaries from rock thin sections, using an advanced
polarised-light microscopy method.
AB - Grain boundaries play a significant role in materials by initiating reactions and
collecting impurities. Here we present FAGO (Fabric Analyser Grain boundary
recOnstruction), a first step towards the automatic determination of three
dimensional (3D) grain boundary geometry using polarised light. The trace of the
grain boundaries from 2D rock thin sections are determined primarily from data
acquired using an automatic fabric analyser microscope and the FAME software
(fabric analyser-based microstructure evaluation; Peternell and colleagues and
Hammes and Peternell). Based on the Fabric Analyser G50's unique arrangement of
nine differently oriented light sources the retardation can be determined
independently for each light direction and at each pixel in the field of view.
FAGO combines these retardation datasets for each individual pixel together with
retardation profiles across grain boundaries, to determine the orientations of
the boundaries. The grain boundary traces are then broken up into segments of
equal orientation, using the profile-obtained orientation data. Finally, a 3D
grain boundary model is reconstructed. The data processing is almost fully
automatic using the MATLAB(r) environment. Only minor manual inputs are required.
PMID- 28703279
TI - Lactulose production by a thermostable glycoside hydrolase from the
hyperthermophilic archaeon Caldivirga maquilingensis IC-167.
AB - BACKGROUND: Lactulose has various uses in the food and pharmaceutical fields.
Thermostable enzymes have many advantages for industrial exploitation, including
high substrate solubilities as well as reduced risk of process contamination.
RESULTS: Enzymatic synthesis of lactulose employing a transgalactosylation
reaction by a recombinant thermostable glycoside hydrolase (GH1) from the
hyperthermophilic archaeon Caldivirga maquilingensis IC-167 was investigated. The
optimal pH for lactulose production was found to be 4.5, while the optimal
temperature was 85 degrees C, before it dropped moderately to 83% at 90 degrees
C. However, the relative activity for lactulose synthesis dropped sharply to 35%
at 95 degrees C. At optimal reaction conditions of 70% (w/w) initial sugar
substrates with molar ratio of lactose to fructose of 1:4, 15 U mL-1 enzyme
concentration and 85 degrees C, the time course reaction produced a maximum
lactulose concentration of 108 g L-1 at 4 h, corresponding to a lactulose yield
of 14% and 27 g L-1 h-1 productivity with 84% lactose conversion. The
transgalactosylation reaction for lactulose synthesis was greatly influenced by
the ratio of galactose donor to acceptor. CONCLUSION: This novel GH1 may be
useful for process applications owing to its high activity in very concentrated
substrate reaction media and promising thermostability. (c) 2017 Society of
Chemical Industry.
PMID- 28703280
TI - The OregonHeart Total Artificial Heart: Design and Performance on a Mock
Circulatory Loop.
AB - Widespread use of heart transplantation is limited by the scarcity of donor
organs. Total artificial heart (TAH) development has been pursued to address this
shortage, especially to treat patients who require biventricular support. We have
developed a novel TAH that utilizes a continuously spinning rotor that shuttles
between two positions to provide pulsatile, alternating blood flow to the
systemic and pulmonary circulations without artificial valves. Flow rates and
pressures generated by the TAH are controlled by adjusting rotor speed, cycle
frequency, and the proportion of each cycle spent pumping to either circulation.
To validate the design, a TAH prototype was placed in a mock circulatory loop
that simulates vascular resistance, pressure, and compliance in normal and
pathophysiologic conditions. At a systemic blood pressure of 120/80 mm Hg,
nominal TAH output was 7.4 L/min with instantaneous flows reaching 17 L/min.
Pulmonary artery, and left and right atrial pressures were all maintained within
normal ranges. To simulate implant into a patient with severe pulmonary
hypertension, the pulmonary vascular resistance of the mock loop was increased to
7.5 Wood units. By increasing pump speed to the pulmonary circulation, cardiac
output could be maintained at 7.4 L/min as mean pulmonary artery pressure
increased to 56 mm Hg while systemic blood pressures remained normal. This in
vitro testing of a novel, shuttling TAH demonstrated that cardiac output could be
maintained across a range of pathophysiologic conditions including pulmonary
hypertension. These experiments serve as a proof-of-concept for the design, which
has proceeded to in vivo testing.
PMID- 28703281
TI - Topotecan-loaded lipid nanoparticles as a viable tool for the topical treatment
of skin cancers.
AB - OBJECTIVES: This work aimed to evaluate semisolid formulations containing
topotecan (TPT) loaded nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) for topical treatment
of skin cancers, as TPT is effective against a variety of tumours. A formulation
which increases TPT skin permeation would be extremely desirable. METHODS: TPT
NLC were prepared and incorporated in hydrogels with hydroxyethyl cellulose and
chitosan (TPT-NLC-HEC and TPT-NLC-Ch, respectively). Control formulations were
obtained by dispersing TPT in HEC and Ch hydrogels (TPT-HEC and TPT-Ch). KEY
FINDINGS: TPT-NLC-HEC and TPT-NLC-Ch showed to maintain the drug and nanoparticle
dispersions stable for up to 30 days. When nanoparticles were incorporated into
gels, TPT release was significantly decreased (P < 0.05). Still, TPT-NLC-HEC
increased 2.37 times permeation compared with TPT-HEC (11.9 and 5.0 MUg/cm2 ,
respectively). Cell culture experiments with B16F10 melanoma demonstrated that
nanoencapsulation significantly increased TPT cytotoxicity (P < 0.05). TPT-NLC
was more toxic than free TPT, with IC50 value of 5.74 MUg/ml, whereas free TPT
had an IC50 > 20 MUg/ml. As skin permeated values of TPT from developed
formulation (TPT-NLC) were superior to melanoma IC50, it can be extrapolated that
chemotherapeutic permeated amounts may be sufficient for a therapeutic effect.
CONCLUSIONS: TPT-NLC-HEC may be a valuable tool for the topical treatment of skin
cancers.
PMID- 28703282
TI - Structural insights into a secretory abundant heat-soluble protein from an
anhydrobiotic tardigrade, Ramazzottius varieornatus.
AB - Upon stopping metabolic processes, some tardigrades can undergo anhydrobiosis.
Secretory abundant heat-soluble (SAHS) proteins have been reported as candidates
for anhydrobiosis-related proteins in tardigrades, which seem to protect
extracellular components and/or secretory organelles. We determined structures of
a SAHS protein from Ramazzottius varieornatus (RvSAHS1), which is one of the
toughest tardigrades. RvSAHS1 shows a beta-barrel structure similar to fatty acid
binding proteins (FABPs), in which hydrophilic residues form peculiar hydrogen
bond networks, which would provide RvSAHS1 with better tolerance against
dehydration. We identified two putative ligand-binding sites: one that
superimposes on those of some FABPs and the other, unique to and conserved in
SAHS proteins. These results indicate that SAHS proteins constitute a new FABP
family.
PMID- 28703284
TI - Brentuximab vedotin in CD30+ cutaneous lymphoma: How do we treat, how shall we
treat? A review of the literature.
AB - Brentuximab vedotin is an antibody-drug conjugate that brings the antimicrotubule
agent monomethyl auristatin E into CD30-expressing cells. Some prior studies
demonstrated good efficacy in cutaneous lymphomas. The standard therapeutic
scheme is 1.8 mg kg-1 every 3 weeks. The background of this work is the fact that
cutaneous lymphoma has a different pathophysiology and a dynamic other than
systemic lymphomas. The objectives of this review were to get an overview of the
currently used therapeutic regimen, and to check whether dose reduction or
modified time intervals could be of benefit in a similar way with less toxicity.
Therefore, we conducted a systematic review of the literature indexed in PubMed
and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials up to April 2016. The
procedure was based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and
Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) criteria. The review showed that the currently used
therapeutic regimen is 1.8 mg kg-1 every 3 weeks. No publications of dose-finding
studies in CD30+ cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) were found. Two cases of
patients, treated with a dose < 1.8 mg kg-1 , have been published. Brentuximab
vedotin seems to be a powerful treatment option in refractory CD30+ CTCL, and
there is a trend that dose reductions, as well as prolonged treatment intervals,
work without any loss of response and with fewer side-effects.
PMID- 28703283
TI - Wnt signalling pathways in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and B-cell lymphomas.
AB - : In this review, we discuss the intricate roles of the Wnt signalling network in
the development and progression of mature B-cell-derived haematological
malignancies, with a focus on chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and related B
cell lymphomas. We review the current literature and highlight the differences
between the beta-catenin-dependent and -independent branches of Wnt signalling.
Special attention is paid to the role of the non-canonical Wnt/planar cell
polarity (PCP) pathway, mediated by the Wnt-5-receptor tyrosine kinase-like
orphan receptor (ROR1)-Dishevelled signalling axis in CLL. This is mainly because
the Wnt/PCP co-receptor ROR1 was found to be overexpressed in CLL and the Wnt/PCP
pathway contributes to numerous aspects of CLL pathogenesis. We also discuss the
possibilities of therapeutically targeting the Wnt signalling pathways as an
approach to disrupt the crucial interaction between malignant cells and their
micro-environment. We also advocate the need for research in this direction for
other lymphomas, namely, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, mantle
cell lymphoma, Burkitt lymphoma and follicular lymphoma where the Wnt signalling
pathway probably plays a similar role. LINKED ARTICLES: This article is part of a
themed section on WNT Signalling: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Opportunities. To
view the other articles in this section visit
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v174.24/issuetoc.
PMID- 28703285
TI - Cervical mesonephric hyperplasia lacks KRAS/NRAS mutations.
PMID- 28703286
TI - Effect of quercetin on cadmium chloride-induced impairments in sexual behaviour
and steroidogenesis in male Wistar rats.
AB - Cadmium chloride (CdCl2 ) has been reported to cause reproductive toxicity in
male rats, mainly through oxidative stress. This study examined its effect on
sexual behaviour, as one of the mechanisms of reproductive dysfunction, as well
as the possible ameliorative effect of quercetin (QE) on same. Thirty male Wistar
rats (10 weeks old), weighing 270-300 g, were used for this study. They were
either orally administered 2% DMSO, CdCl2 (5 mg/kg b.w.), QE (20 mg/kg b.w.) or
CdCl2 +QE, once daily for 4 weeks, before sexual behavioural studies. The 5th
group received CdCl2 for 4 weeks and allowed 4-week recovery period, before
sexual behavioural test. Rats were sacrificed after sexual behavioural studies.
The blood, testis and penis were collected for biochemical assays. Cadmium
increased mount, intromission and ejaculatory latencies, but reduced their
frequencies, compared to control. Serum nitric oxide increased, while penile
cyclic guanosine monophosphate reduced in the CdCl2 -exposed rats, compared to
control. CdCl2 increased testicular cholesterol, but reduced 3beta-hydroxysteroid
dehydrogenase (3beta-HSD) and 17beta-HSD activities, and testosterone
concentration. QE better attenuated these negative changes compared to withdrawal
of CdCl2 treatment. In conclusion, CdCl2 suppressed steroidogenesis, penile
erection and sexual behaviour, with poor reversal following withdrawal, while QE
attenuated these effects.
PMID- 28703287
TI - Immune tolerance in transplantation.
PMID- 28703288
TI - A comparative proteomic analysis of blood serum for developmental stages in pigs.
AB - This study aimed to differentiate genes at developmental stages of pigs from 0 to
150 days of age, to build up a protein database and to find candidate genetic
markers for growth traits. The analysis of two-dimensional electrophoresis and
matrix-assisted laser-desorption/ionization mass spectrometry separated 252
protein segments. After successfully blasting the peptide sequences, the analysis
confirmed 37 differentially expressed proteins that increased from birth to 150
days of age (type A), whereas the type B proteins presented the inverse pattern.
The type C proteins included proteins that were expressed continuously throughout
the developmental periods. A total of 319 primer sets for 33 genes were designed
to find genetic variants using pooled DNA samples of Yorkshire pigs.
Amplification products for all primer sets produced approximately 20 000 clones
that were sequenced, and 48 candidate SNP sites were finalized for genotyping. A
total of 475 animals were used for high throughput genotyping analysis. Among
these, phenotype data of all 475 animals were collected for average daily gain,
backfat thickness and days to 90 kg, whereas feed conversion data were collected
for 300 animals and body measurement traits (starting weight, ending weight, body
length, wither height and chest depth) were collected for 209 animals.
Association analysis found significant statistical differences between the
animals having genotypes of 13 SNPs (g.78935883C>T, g.147629986C>T,
g.98266037T>C, g.214707340G>A, g.88350299C>T, g.17180956C>T, g.17181024C>T,
g.2350283A>G, g.138361311C>T, g.44996379C>T, g.44996247A>C, g.107715245C>T,
g.4149631C>T) for the various measured traits. The identified genetic
polymorphisms, of which one was novel (g.214707340G>A), may serve as candidate
molecular markers to change population means for the targeted growth traits.
PMID- 28703289
TI - Maresin 1 inhibits TNF-alpha-induced lipolysis and autophagy in 3T3-L1
adipocytes.
AB - Obesity is associated with high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as
tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), which promotes inflammation in adipose
tissue. The omega-3 PUFAs, and their derived lipid mediators, such as Maresin 1
(MaR1) have anti-inflammatory effects on adipose tissue. This study aimed to
analyze if MaR1 may counteract alterations induced by TNF-alpha on lipolysis and
autophagy in mature 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Our data revealed that MaR1 (1-100 nM)
inhibited the TNF-alpha-induced glycerol release after 48 hr, which may be
related to MaR1 ability of preventing the decrease in lipid droplet-coating
protein perilipin and G0/G1 Switch 2 protein expression. MaR1 also reversed the
decrease in total hormone sensitive lipase (total HSL), and the ratio of
phosphoHSL at Ser-565/total HSL, while preventing the increased ratio of
phosphoHSL at Ser-660/total HSL and phosphorylation of extracellular signal
regulated kinase 1/2 induced by TNF-alpha. Moreover, MaR1 counteracted the
cytokine-induced decrease of p62 protein, a key autophagy indicator, and also
prevented the induction of LC3II/LC3I, an important autophagosome formation
marker. Current data suggest that MaR1 may ameliorate TNF-alpha-induced
alterations on lipolysis and autophagy in adipocytes. This may also contribute to
the beneficial actions of MaR1 on adipose tissue and insulin sensitivity in
obesity.
PMID- 28703290
TI - The association between peri-operative acute risk change (ARC) and long-term
survival after cardiac surgery.
AB - Acute risk change has been described as the difference in calculated mortality
risk between the pre-operative and postoperative periods of cardiac surgery. We
aimed to assess whether this was associated with long-term survival after cardiac
surgery. We retrospectively analysed 22,570 cardiac surgical patients, with
minimum and maximum follow-up of 1.0 and 6.7 years. Acute risk change was
calculated as the arithmetic difference between pre- and postoperative mortality
risk. 'Rising risk' represented an increase in risk from pre- to postoperative
phase. The primary outcome was one-year mortality. Secondary outcomes included
mortality at 3 and 5 years and time to death. Univariable and multivariable
analyses were undertaken to examine the relationship between acute risk change
and outcomes. Rising risk was associated with higher mortality (5.6% vs. 3.5%, p
< 0.001). After adjusting for baseline risk, rising risk was independently
associated with increased 1-year mortality (OR 2.6, 95%CI 2.2-3.0, p < 0.001).
The association of rising risk with long-term survival was greatest in patients
with highest baseline risk. Cox regression confirmed rising risk was associated
with shorter time to death (HR 1.86, 1.68-2.05, p < 0.001). Acute risk change may
represent peri-operative clinical events in combination with unmeasured patient
risk and noise. Measuring risk change could potentially identify patterns of
events that may be amenable to investigation and intervention. Further work with
case review, and risk scoring with shared variables, may identify mechanisms,
including the interaction between miscalibration of risk and true differences in
peri-operative care.
PMID- 28703291
TI - The recent colonization of south Brazil by the Azores chromis Chromis limbata.
AB - The damselfish Chromis limbata is native to the Macaronesian Archipelagos
(Azores, Madeira and Canaries) and the western coast of Africa between Senegal
and Angola. During the austral summers of 2008 and 2009 the species was recorded
for the first time in the south-western Atlantic Ocean around Campeche and Xavier
Islands, in Florianopolis, Santa Catarina State, Brazil. Here, the progression of
C. limbata in southern Brazilian waters is described using visual counts and
genetic surveys and changes in the density of the native congener Chromis
multilineata were also investigated. Underwater visual censuses of both Chromis
species were carried out from 2009 to 2014. Chromis limbata tissue samples were
collected and the mtDNA control region was sequenced and compared with mtDNA
haplotypes from the natural range to confirm species identity, compare genetic
diversity and to infer connectivity between newly established Brazilian
populations. The Brazilian population of C. limbata increased significantly over
the past 5 years and the effect on C. multilineata is still an open question,
longer time-series data will be necessary to clarify possible interactions. The
molecular analyses confirmed species identity, revealed strong haplotype
connectivity among Brazilian study sites and showed a low genetic diversity in
Brazil when compared with the native populations, suggesting few individuals
started the invasion. Four hypotheses could explain this colonizing event: C.
limbata was released by aquarium fish keepers; larvae or juveniles were
transported via ship ballast water; the species has rafted alongside oil rigs;
they crossed the Atlantic Ocean through normal larval dispersal or naturally
rafting alongside drifting objects. The rafting hypotheses are favoured, but all
four possibilities are plausible and could have happened in combination.
PMID- 28703292
TI - A reassessment of explanations for discordant introgressions of mitochondrial and
nuclear genomes.
AB - Hybridization is increasingly recognized as a significant evolutionary process,
in particular because it can lead to introgression of genes from one species to
another. A striking pattern of discordance in the amount of introgression between
mitochondrial and nuclear markers exists such that substantial mitochondrial
introgression is often found in combination with no or little nuclear
introgression. Multiple mechanisms have been proposed to explain this
discordance, including positive selection for introgressing mitochondrial
variants, several types of sex-biases, drift, negative selection against
introgression in the nuclear genome, and spatial expansion. Most of these
hypotheses are verbal, and have not been quantitatively evaluated so far. We use
individual-based, multilocus, computer simulations of secondary contact under a
wide range of demographic and genetic scenarios to evaluate the ability of the
different mechanisms to produce discordant introgression. Sex-biases and spatial
expansions fail to produce substantial mito-nuclear discordance. Drift and
nuclear selection can produce strong discordance, but only under a limited range
of conditions. In contrast, selection on the mitochondrial genome produces strong
discordance, particularly when dispersal rates are low. However, commonly used
statistical tests have little power to detect this selection. Altogether, these
results dismiss several popular hypotheses, and provide support for adaptive
mitochondrial introgression.
PMID- 28703294
TI - Seed production and predation in a changing climate: new roles for resource and
seed predator feedback?
AB - Climate change may cause changes in the dynamics of populations beyond
comparatively simple directional effects. To better understand complex effects on
dynamics requires long-term studies of populations that experience changes in
climatic conditions. We study the dynamics of a seed-production-seed-predation
system, consisting of a perennial herb and its two seed predatory insects, over a
40-yr period during which climate change has caused the annual growing season to
increase by 20 d. During this period, plant patches have increased almost
threefold in size and seed production has slipped into a pattern of alternate
high and low years with a higher variance than in the beginning of the period. We
find that seed production is associated with precipitation of the present summer
and a non-linear feedback from seed production of the previous year. When
previous year's seed production is low, weather forcing and unexplained noise
determine the extent of seed production. When previous seed production is high,
depleted resources limit seed production. Resource depletion happened frequently
in the latter parts of the study but rarely in the beginning. The changing
patterns of seed production in turn affect the dynamics of seed predation, which
is dominated by one of the seed predators. Its dynamics are strongly linked to
seed density fluctuations, but its population growth rate is satiated when
resource fluctuations become too large. In the latter part of the study period,
when seed fluctuations were alternating between years of high and low density,
satiation was common and there was a large increase in surviving seeds in good
years. Our study illustrates that a changing climate can fundamentally influence
patterns of long-term dynamics at multiple trophic levels.
PMID- 28703293
TI - BMP- and TGFbeta-signaling regulate the formation of Muller glia-derived
progenitor cells in the avian retina.
AB - Muller glia-derived progenitor cells (MGPCs) have the capability to regenerate
neurons in the retinas of different vertebrate orders. The formation of MGPCs is
regulated by a network of cell-signaling pathways. The purpose of this study was
to investigate how BMP/Smad1/5/8- and TGFbeta/Smad2/3-signaling are coordinated
to influence the formation of MGPCs in the chick model system. We find that
pSmad1/5/8 is selectively up-regulated in the nuclei of Muller glia following
treatment with BMP4, FGF2, or NMDA-induced damage, and this up-regulation is
blocked by a dorsomorphin analogue DMH1. By comparison, Smad2/3 is found in the
nuclei of Muller glia in untreated retinas, and becomes localized to the
cytoplasm following NMDA- or FGF2-treatment. These findings suggest a decrease in
TGFbeta- and increase in BMP-signaling when MGPCs are known to form. In both NMDA
damaged and FGF2-treated retinas, inhibition of BMP-signaling suppressed the
proliferation of MGPCs, whereas inhibition of TGFbeta-signaling stimulated the
proliferation of MGPCs. Consistent with these findings, TGFbeta2 suppressed the
formation of MGPCs in NMDA-damaged retinas. Our findings indicate that
BMP/TGFbeta/Smad-signaling is recruited into the network of signaling pathways
that controls the formation of proliferating MGPCs. We conclude that signaling
through BMP4/Smad1/5/8 promotes the formation of MGPCs, whereas signaling through
TGFbeta/Smad2/3 suppresses the formation of MGPCs.
PMID- 28703295
TI - Expanding career pathways in conservation science.
PMID- 28703296
TI - Correlation between TLR2, TLR3, TLR4, and TLR9 polymorphisms and susceptibility
to and prognosis of severe hepatitis among the newborns.
AB - BACKGROUND: This study was aimed to explore how toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2),
TLR3, TLR4 and TLR9 influenced the risk and prognosis of severe hepatitis among
the Chinese newborns. METHODS: Altogether 135 newborns diagnosed with severe
hepatitis and 140 healthy newborns were included in this study. Totally 12 single
nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within TLR2, TLR3, TLR4, and TLR9 were chosen and
genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism
(PCR-RFLP). Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated
using the logistic regression. The univariate and multivariate analyses were used
to analyze independent factors for prognosis of severe hepatitis among the
Chinese newborns. RESULTS: The SNPs within TLR2 [ie, rs1898830 (A>G) and
rs3804100 (T>C)], TLR3 [ie, rs1879026 (G>T)], TLR4 [ie, rs2149356 (T>G)], and
TLR9 [ie, rs187084 (T>C), rs352139 (A>G), and rs352140 (C>T)] were significantly
associated with modified risk of neonatal severe hepatitis (all P<.05).
Furthermore, rs1898830, rs1879026, rs187084 and rs352139 were also demonstrated
to modulate the prognosis [ie, aspartate aminotransferase (AST)/alanine
transaminase (ALT)>1.5] of newborns with severe hepatitis (all P<.05).
Interestingly, the haplotype A-C-G-G-C-A-T were associated with higher
susceptibility to neonatal severe hepatitis, and the newborns carrying haplotype
A-C-G-G-C-A-T appeared to be correlated with more favorable prognosis (all
P<.05). CONCLUSIONS: Certain SNPs and haplotypes within TLR2, TLR3, TLR4, and
TLR9 can be considered as the potentially treatment targets for neonatal severe
hepatitis.
PMID- 28703297
TI - Neither eosinophils nor neutrophils require ATG5-dependent autophagy for
extracellular DNA trap formation.
AB - The importance of extracellular traps (ETs) in innate immunity is well
established, but the molecular mechanisms responsible for their formation remain
unclear and in scientific dispute. ETs have been defined as extracellular DNA
scaffolds associated with the granule proteins of eosinophils or neutrophils.
They are capable of killing bacteria extracellularly. Based mainly on results
with phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitors such as 3-methyladenine (3-MA)
and wortmannin, which are commonly used to inhibit autophagy, several groups have
reported that autophagy is required for neutrophil extracellular trap (NET)
formation. We decided to investigate this apparent dependence on autophagy for ET
release and generated genetically modified mice that lack, specifically in
eosinophils or neutrophils, autophagy-related 5 (Atg5), a gene encoding a protein
essential for autophagosome formation. Interestingly, neither eosinophils nor
neutrophils from Atg5-deficient mice exhibited abnormalities in ET formation upon
physiological activation or exposure to low concentrations of PMA, although we
could confirm that human and mouse eosinophils and neutrophils, after pre
treatment with inhibitors of class III PI3K, show a block both in reactive oxygen
species (ROS) production and in ET formation. The so-called late autophagy
inhibitors bafilomycin A1 and chloroquine, on the other hand, were without
effect. These data indicate that ET formation occurs independently of autophagy
and that the inhibition of ROS production and ET formation in the presence of 3
MA and wortmannin is probably owing to their additional ability to block the
class I PI3Ks, which are involved in signalling cascades initiated by triggers of
ET formation.
PMID- 28703298
TI - Introduction to anatomy on Wikipedia.
AB - Wikipedia (www.wikipedia.com) is the largest encyclopaedia in existence. Of over
five million English-language articles, about 6000 relate to Anatomy, which are
viewed roughly 30 million times monthly. No work parallels the amount of
attention, scope or interdisciplinary layout of Wikipedia, and it offers a unique
opportunity to improve the anatomical literacy of the masses. Anatomy on
Wikipedia is introduced from an editor's perspective. Article contributors,
content, layout and accuracy are discussed, with a view to demystifying editing
for anatomy professionals. A final request for edits or on-site feedback from
anatomy professionals is made.
PMID- 28703299
TI - Can an eel be a flatfish? Observations on enigmatic asymmetrical heterenchelyids
from the Guinea coast of West Africa.
AB - Morphological asymmetry is described in the heterenchelyid mud eel Pythonichthys
cf. macrurus from inshore coastal waters of Guinea, West Africa. The intensity of
asymmetry differs between two examined specimens, with the more extreme case
exhibiting strong asymmetry in both external and internal features, including
unilateral depigmentation, reductive degeneration and embedding of a blind-side
eye, skewed jaws with reduced dentition and tooth loss. The extent and nature of
asymmetry suggests that this individual probably lived primarily on its left
lateral side, not unlike sinistral pleuronectiform flatfishes.
PMID- 28703300
TI - A point-based prediction model for cardiovascular risk in orthotopic liver
transplantation: The CAR-OLT score.
AB - : Cardiovascular disease (CVD) complications are important causes of morbidity
and mortality after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). There is currently no
preoperative risk-assessment tool that allows physicians to estimate the risk for
CVD events following OLT. We sought to develop a point-based prediction model
(risk score) for CVD complications after OLT, the Cardiovascular Risk in
Orthotopic Liver Transplantation risk score, among a cohort of 1,024 consecutive
patients aged 18-75 years who underwent first OLT in a tertiary-care teaching
hospital (2002-2011). The main outcome measures were major 1-year CVD
complications, defined as death from a CVD cause or hospitalization for a major
CVD event (myocardial infarction, revascularization, heart failure, atrial
fibrillation, cardiac arrest, pulmonary embolism, and/or stroke). The bootstrap
method yielded bias-corrected 95% confidence intervals for the regression
coefficients of the final model. Among 1,024 first OLT recipients, major CVD
complications occurred in 329 (32.1%). Variables selected for inclusion in the
model (using model optimization strategies) included preoperative recipient age,
sex, race, employment status, education status, history of hepatocellular
carcinoma, diabetes, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, pulmonary or systemic
hypertension, and respiratory failure. The discriminative performance of the
point-based score (C statistic = 0.78, bias-corrected C statistic = 0.77) was
superior to other published risk models for postoperative CVD morbidity and
mortality, and it had appropriate calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow P = 0.33).
CONCLUSION: The point-based risk score can identify patients at risk for CVD
complications after OLT surgery (available at www.carolt.us); this score may be
useful for identification of candidates for further risk stratification or other
management strategies to improve CVD outcomes after OLT. (Hepatology 2017;66:1968
1979).
PMID- 28703302
TI - Control of Helical Chirality of Ferrocene-Dipeptide Conjugates by the Secondary
Structure of Dipeptide Chains.
AB - Controlling helical chirality and creating protein secondary structures in
cyclic/acyclic ferrocene-dipeptide bioorganometallic conjugates were achieved by
adjusting the conformational flexibility of the dipeptide chains. In systems
reported to date, the helical chirality of a conjugate was determined by the
absolute configuration of the adjacent amino acid reside. In contrast, it was
possible to induce both M- and P-helical chirality, even when the configuration
of the adjacent amino acid was the same. It is particularly interesting to note
that M-helical chirality was produced in a cyclic ferrocene-dipeptide conjugate
composed of the l-Ala-d-Pro-cystamine-d-Pro-l-Ala dipeptide sequence (1), in
which a type II beta-turn-like secondary structure was established.
PMID- 28703301
TI - The xenoestrogens biphenol-A and nonylphenol differentially regulate
metalloprotease-mediated shedding of EGFR ligands.
AB - The xenoestrogens bisphenol-A (BPA) and nonylphenol (NP) are endocrine disruptors
used in the plastic polymer industry to manufacture different products for human
use. Previous studies have suggested a role of these compounds in the shedding of
signaling molecules, such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha). The aim of
this work was to evaluate the effect of BPA and NP on the sheddase ADAM17 and its
newly discovered regulators iRhom1 and iRhom2 in the release of EGFR-ligands. We
report that BPA and NP can stimulate the release of the ADAM17-substrates HB-EGF
and TGF-alpha. In cells lacking ADAM17 (Adam17-/- mEFs) BPA-stimulated release of
HB-EGF, but not TGF-alpha, was strongly reduced, whereas NP-stimulated shedding
of HB-EGF and TGF-alpha was completely abolished. Inactivation of both ADAM17 and
the related ADAM10 (Adam10/17-/- mEFs) completely prevented the release of these
substrates. In the absence of iRhom1, BPA- or NP-stimulated release of HB-EGF or
TGF-alpha was comparable to wild-type control mEFs, conversely the BPA-induced
release of HB-EGF was abolished in iRhom2-/- mEFs. The defect in shedding of HB
EGF in iRhom2-/- mEF cells could be rescued by overexpressing iRhom2.
Interestingly, the NP-stimulated release of HB-EGF was not affected by the
absence of iRhom2, suggesting that NP could potentially activate both ADAM10 and
ADAM17. We tested this hypothesis using betacellulin (BTC), an EGFR-ligand that
is a substrate for ADAM10. We found that NP, but not BPA stimulated the release
of BTC in Adam17-/- , iRhom2-/- , or iRhom1/2-/- , but not in Adam10/17-/- cells.
Taken together, our results suggest that BPA and NP stimulate the release of EGFR
ligands by differentially activating ADAM17 or ADAM10. The identification of
specific effects of these endocrine disruptors on ADAM10 and ADAM17 will help to
provide a better understanding of their roles in cell signaling and
proinflammatory processes, and provide new potential targets for treatment of
reproductive or inflammatory diseases such as asthma or breast cancer that are
promoted by xenoestrogens.
PMID- 28703303
TI - Terminally Truncated Isopenicillin N Synthase Generates a Dithioester Product:
Evidence for a Thioaldehyde Intermediate during Catalysis and a New Mode of
Reaction for Non-Heme Iron Oxidases.
AB - Isopenicillin N synthase (IPNS) catalyses the four-electron oxidation of a
tripeptide, l-delta-(alpha-aminoadipoyl)-l-cysteinyl-d-valine (ACV), to give
isopenicillin N (IPN), the first-formed beta-lactam in penicillin and
cephalosporin biosynthesis. IPNS catalysis is dependent upon an iron(II) cofactor
and oxygen as a co-substrate. In the absence of substrate, the carbonyl oxygen of
the side-chain amide of the penultimate residue, Gln330, co-ordinates to the
active-site metal iron. Substrate binding ablates the interaction between Gln330
and the metal, triggering rearrangement of seven C-terminal residues, which move
to take up a conformation that extends the final alpha-helix and encloses ACV in
the active site. Mutagenesis studies are reported, which probe the role of the C
terminal and other aspects of the substrate binding pocket in IPNS. The
hydrophobic nature of amino acid side-chains around the ACV binding pocket is
important in catalysis. Deletion of seven C-terminal residues exposes the active
site and leads to formation of a new type of thiol oxidation product. The
isolated product is shown by LC-MS and NMR analyses to be the ene-thiol tautomer
of a dithioester, made up from two molecules of ACV linked between the thiol
sulfur of one tripeptide and the oxidised cysteinyl beta-carbon of the other. A
mechanism for its formation is proposed, supported by an X-ray crystal structure,
which shows the substrate ACV bound at the active site, its cysteinyl beta-carbon
exposed to attack by a second molecule of substrate, adjacent. Formation of this
product constitutes a new mode of reaction for IPNS and non-heme iron oxidases in
general.
PMID- 28703304
TI - Assessing the influence of media composition and ionic strength on drug release
from commercial immediate-release and enteric-coated aspirin tablets.
AB - OBJECTIVES: The objective of this test series was to elucidate the importance of
selecting the right media composition for a biopredictive in-vitro dissolution
screening of enteric-coated dosage forms. METHODS: Drug release from immediate
release (IR) and enteric-coated (EC) aspirin formulations was assessed in
phosphate-based and bicarbonate-based media with different pH, electrolyte
composition and ionic strength. KEY FINDINGS: Drug release from aspirin IR
tablets was unaffected by media composition. In contrast, drug release from EC
aspirin formulations was affected by buffer species and ionic strength. In all
media, drug release increased with increasing ionic strength, but in bicarbonate
based buffers was delayed when compared with that in phosphate-based buffers.
Interestingly, the cation species in the dissolution medium had also a clear
impact on drug release. Drug release profiles obtained in Blank CarbSIF, a new
medium simulating pH and average ionic composition of small intestinal fluid,
were different from those obtained in all other buffer compositions studied.
CONCLUSIONS: Results from this study in which the impact of various media
parameters on drug release of EC aspirin formulations was systematically screened
clearly show that when developing predictive dissolution tests, it is important
to simulate the ionic composition of intraluminal fluids as closely as possible.
PMID- 28703305
TI - Use of multicriteria decision analysis for assessing the benefit and risk of over
the-counter analgesics.
AB - OBJECTIVES: To test the ability of a multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) model
to incorporate disparate data sources of varying quality along with clinical
judgement in a benefit-risk assessment of six well-known pain-relief drugs.
METHODS: Six over-the-counter (OTC) analgesics were evaluated against three
favourable effects and eight unfavourable effects by seven experts who specialise
in the relief of pain, two in a 2-day facilitated workshop whose input data and
judgements were later peer-reviewed by five additional experts. KEY FINDINGS:
Ibuprofen salts and solubilised emerged with the best benefit-risk profile,
followed by naproxen, ibuprofen acid, diclofenac, paracetamol and aspirin.
CONCLUSIONS: Multicriteria decision analysis enabled participants to evaluate the
OTC analgesics against a range of favourable and unfavourable effects in a group
setting that enabled all issues to be openly aired and debated. The model was
easily communicated and understood by the peer reviewers, so the model should be
comprehensible to physicians, pharmacists and other health professionals.
PMID- 28703306
TI - Comparison of the topical FK506 and clobetasol propionate as first-line therapy
in the treatment of early alopecia areata.
PMID- 28703307
TI - Evidence of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar fry movement between fresh water and a
brackish environment.
AB - This study reports descent of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar fry from their natal
streams to brackish waters of the Baltic Sea and their use of this environment as
an alternative rearing habitat before ascending back to freshwater streams. To
the authors' knowledge, residency in a brackish environment has not previously
been demonstrated in S. salar fry. Recruitment success and evolutionary
significance of this alternative life-history strategy are presently not known.
PMID- 28703308
TI - Odors generated from the Maillard reaction affect autonomic nervous activity and
decrease blood pressure through the olfactory system.
AB - BACKGROUND: Systolic blood pressure (SBP) of rats decreases significantly
following exposure to the odor generated from the Maillard reaction of protein
digests with xylose. This study identified active odorants that affect blood
pressure and demonstrated the mechanism of action. RESULTS: Among the four potent
odorants that contribute most to the odor of the Maillard reaction sample, 2,5
dimethyl-4-hydroxy-3(2H)-furanone (DMHF) and 5-methyl-2-pyrazinemethanol (MPM)
decreased SBP significantly. The earliest decrease in blood pressure was observed
5 min after exposure to DMHF. Application of zinc sulfate to the nasal cavity
eliminated the effect. Furthermore, gastric vagal (parasympathetic) nerve
activity was elevated and renal sympathetic nerve activity was lowered after
exposure to DMHF. CONCLUSION: It is indicated that DMHF affects blood pressure
through the olfactory system, and the mechanism for the effect of DMHF on blood
pressure involves the autonomic nervous system. (c) 2017 Society of Chemical
Industry.
PMID- 28703309
TI - Micro in size but not in function-microRNAs in axonal survival and regeneration.
PMID- 28703312
TI - Violence exposure is associated with adolescents' same- and next-day mental
health symptoms.
AB - BACKGROUND: Young people exposed to violence are at increased risk for mental
health and behavioral problems. However, very little is known about the
immediate, or same-day, associations between violence exposure and adolescents'
mental health symptoms or whether daily symptom or behavioral reactivity marks
future problems. METHODS: Young adolescents were assessed three times a day for
30 consecutive days using mobile-phone-based Ecological Momentary Assessment
(EMA) (N = 151 adolescents). Over 12,500 assessments and 4,329 person days were
obtained via the EMA. Adolescents were recruited from low-income neighborhoods
based on parent-reported risk for externalizing symptoms. Mental health symptoms
were assessed via parent and child report at baseline, multiple times per day via
EMA assessments of the adolescents, and again 18 months later when 93% of the
adolescents were reinterviewed. RESULTS: Results from multilevel models
illustrated that young adolescents were more likely to experience symptoms of
anger (OR = 1.74, CI: 1.31-2.30), depression (OR = 1.66, CI: 1.26-2.19), and
conduct problems (OR = 2.63, CI: 1.71-4.04) on days that they were exposed versus
not exposed to violence. Increases in depressive symptoms were also observed on
days following violence exposure (OR = 1.46, CI: 1.09-1.97). Adolescents with the
highest levels of violence exposure across the 30-day EMA were less behaviorally
reactive to violence exposures in daily life, and heightened behavioral
reactivity predicted increased risk for substance use across early adolescence.
CONCLUSIONS: Findings support the need to focus on both the immediate and long
term associations between violence exposure and adolescents' mental health and
behavior. Results also suggest that heightened behavioral reactivity during early
adolescence may signal emerging substance use problems.
PMID- 28703313
TI - Mesenchymal stem cells: A new platform for targeting suicide genes in cancer.
AB - One of the important strategies for the treatment of cancer is gene therapy which
has the potential to exclusively eradicate malignant cells, without any damage to
the normal tissues. Gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (GDEPT) is a two-step
gene therapy approach, where a suicide gene is directed to tumor cells. The gene
encodes an enzyme that expressed intracellularly where it is able to convert a
prodrug into cytotoxic metabolites. Various delivery systems have been developed
to achieve the appropriate levels of tumor restricted expression of
chemotherapeutic drugs. Nowadays, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been drawing
great attention as cellular vehicles for gene delivery systems. Inherent
characteristics of MSCs make them particularly attractive gene therapy tools in
cell therapy. They have been used largely for their remarkable homing property
toward tumor sites and availability from many different adult tissues and show
anti-inflammatory actions in some cases. They do not stimulate proliferative
responses of lymphocytes, suggests that MSCs have low immunogenicity and could
avoid immune rejection. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge
about genetically modified MSCs that enable to co-transduce a variety of
therapeutic agents including suicide genes (i.e., cytosine deaminase, thymidine
kinase) in order to exert potent anti-carcinogenesis against various tumors
growth. Moreover, we highlighted the role of exosomes released from MSCs as new
therapeutic platform for targeting various therapeutic agents.
PMID- 28703311
TI - Mechanisms and prevention of UV-induced melanoma.
AB - Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer and its incidence is rising,
creating a costly and significant clinical problem. Exposure to ultraviolet (UV)
radiation, namely UVA (315-400 nm) and UVB (280-315 nm), is a major risk factor
for melanoma development. Cumulative UV radiation exposure from sunlight or
tanning beds contributes to UV-induced DNA damage, oxidative stress, and
inflammation in the skin. A number of factors, including hair color, skin type,
genetic background, location, and history of tanning, determine the skin's
response to UV radiation. In melanocytes, dysregulation of this UV radiation
response can lead to melanoma. Given the complex origins of melanoma, it is
difficult to develop curative therapies and universally effective preventative
strategies. Here, we describe and discuss the mechanisms of UV-induced skin
damage responsible for inducing melanomagenesis, and explore options for
therapeutic and preventative interventions.
PMID- 28703314
TI - Stephanine from Stephania venosa (Blume) Spreng Showed Effective Antiplasmodial
and Anticancer Activities, the Latter by Inducing Apoptosis through the Reverse
of Mitotic Exit.
AB - Extracts from the tubers of Stephania venosa (Blum) Spreng growing in Vietnam
significantly inhibited cell proliferation against a number of cancer cells
including HeLa, MDA-MB231 and MCF-7 cells. A bioassay-guided fractionation led to
the isolation of four aporphine and one tetrahydroprotoberberine alkaloids:
dehydrocrebanine 1, tetrahydropalmatine 2, stephanine 3, crebanine 4 and O
methylbulbocapnine 5. The characterization of these compounds was based on MS,
NMR and published data. A study by structure-bioactivity relationship on these
isolates showed that stephanine is the most active compound. Cell biological
studies showed that stephanine induces the reverse of mitotic exit, eventually
leading to cell death by apoptosis. This data suggests that stephanine has a
unique mode of cell-killing activity against cancer cells, which is seldom
observed with known synthetic compounds. In addition to its anticancer property,
our data from an in vitro study showed that S. venosa also possesses effective
antiplasmodial activity and stephanine was also the most interesting compound but
is the most cytotoxic with the lowest selectivity index. Copyright (c) 2017 Her
Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada Phytotherapy Research StartCopTextCopyright
(c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
PMID- 28703315
TI - Using whole-exome sequencing to investigate the genetic bases of lysosomal
storage diseases of unknown etiology.
AB - Lysosomes are membrane-bound, acidic eukaryotic cellular organelles that play
important roles in the degradation of macromolecules. Mutations that cause the
loss of lysosomal protein function can lead to a group of disorders categorized
as the lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs). Suspicion of LSD is frequently based on
clinical and pathologic findings, but in some cases, the underlying genetic and
biochemical defects remain unknown. Here, we performed whole-exome sequencing
(WES) on 14 suspected LSD cases to evaluate the feasibility of using WES for
identifying causal mutations. By examining 2,157 candidate genes potentially
associated with lysosomal function, we identified eight variants in five genes as
candidate disease-causing variants in four individuals. These included both known
and novel mutations. Variants were corroborated by targeted sequencing and, when
possible, functional assays. In addition, we identified nonsense mutations in two
individuals in genes that are not known to have lysosomal function. However,
mutations in these genes could have resulted in phenotypes that were diagnosed as
LSDs. This study demonstrates that WES can be used to identify causal mutations
in suspected LSD cases. We also demonstrate cases where a confounding clinical
phenotype may potentially reflect more than one lysosomal protein defect.
PMID- 28703316
TI - The Effect of Renal Impairment on the Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of
Ertugliflozin in Subjects With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.
AB - Ertugliflozin is a highly selective and potent inhibitor of the sodium-glucose
cotransporter 2 in development for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. The
glycemic efficacy of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors such as
ertugliflozin depends on glucose filtration through the kidney. This phase 1,
open-label study evaluated the effect of renal impairment on the
pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and tolerability of ertugliflozin (15 mg) in
type 2 diabetes mellitus and healthy subjects with normal renal function
(estimated glomerular filtration rate not normalized for body surface area >=90
mL/min) and type 2 diabetes mellitus subjects with mild (60-89 mL/min), moderate
(30-59 mL/min), or severe (<30 mL/min) renal impairment (n = 36). Blood and urine
samples were collected predose and over 96 hours postdose for pharmacokinetic
evaluation and measurement of urinary glucose excretion over 24 hours. Log-linear
regression analyses indicated predicted mean area under the concentration-time
curve values for mild, moderate, and severe renal function groups that were <=70%
higher relative to subjects with normal renal function. Generally consistent
results were obtained with categorical analysis based on analysis of variance.
The increase in ertugliflozin exposure in subjects with renal impairment is not
expected to be clinically meaningful. Regression analysis of change from baseline
in urinary glucose excretion over 24 hours vs estimated glomerular filtration
rate showed a decrease in urinary glucose excretion with declining renal
function. A single 15-mg dose of ertugliflozin was well tolerated in all groups.
PMID- 28703317
TI - Organic meat quality of dual purpose young bulls supplemented with pea (Pisum
sativum L.) or soybean.
AB - BACKGROUND: One of the main constraints established by organic legislation that
limits the development of the rearing of young bulls is the ban on the use of
genetically modified organisms (GMO). Most of the worldwide cultivated soybean is
GMO, therefore the use of alternative protein sources should be evaluated. In
this study, the effect of dietary substitution of soybean with pea (Pisum sativum
L.) on carcass characteristics and meat quality of dual purpose young bulls
reared following the organic method was investigated. RESULTS: Twenty-four young
bulls of Rendena breed were randomly assigned to two diet treatments differing in
protein supplement (soybean (SB) or field pea (FP)). Carcass characteristics and
meat chemical composition, colour, cooking loss and Warner-Bratzler shear force
did not differ between groups. Regarding meat fatty acid composition, SB showed
higher concentrations of C18:0 and C18:1 t and lower C16:1n-9c, C14:0, C17:1n-9c
and C18:1n-9c than FP. In descriptive sensory analysis, trained judges were not
able to differentiate meats from SB and FP, which also had similar overall liking
expressed by consumers. CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate that FP
can replace SB in the diet of dual purpose young bulls with only a minor
influence on fatty acid composition and no effect on carcass characteristics and
meat quality. (c) 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.
PMID- 28703318
TI - Fourier transform (FT)-artifacts and power-function resolution filter in Fourier
transform mass spectrometry.
AB - RATIONALE: Peak picking algorithms in mass spectrometry face the challenge of
picking the correct signals from a mass spectrum. In some cases signal wiggles
(side lobes) are also chosen in the produced mass list as if they were real
signals. Constraints which are defined in such algorithms do not always guarantee
wiggle-free accurate mass list generation out of raw mass spectra. This problem
intensifies with acquisitions, which are accompanied by longer transients. Thus,
the problem represents a contemporary issue, which propagates with modern high
memory digitizers and exists in both MS and MS/MS spectra. METHODS: A solariX
FTMS mass spectrometer with an Infinity ICR cell (Bruker Daltonics, Bremen,
Germany) coupled to a 12 Tesla magnet (Magnex, UK) was used for the experimental
study. Time-domain transients of several different data point lengths 512k, 1M,
2M, 4M, 8M were obtained and were Fourier-transformed to obtain frequency spectra
which show the effect of the transient truncation on sinc wiggle developments in
FT-ICR-MS. MATLAB simulations were also performed to investigate the origin of
the Fourier transform (FT)-artifacts. RESULTS: A new filter has been developed to
identify and remove FT-artifacts (sinc side lobes) from both frequency and mass
spectra. The newly developed filter is based on distinguishing between the FWHM
of the correct frequency/mass signals and the FWHM of their corresponding
wiggles. The filter draws a reliable confidence limit of resolution range, within
which a correct frequency/mass signal is identified. The filter is applicable
over a wide mass range of metabolic interest (100-1200 amu). CONCLUSIONS: The
origin of FT-artifacts due to time-domain transient truncations was thoroughly
investigated both experimentally and by simulations in this study. A new solution
for this problem with automatic recognition and elimination of these FT-artifacts
(side lobes/wiggles) is provided, which is independent of any intensity
thresholds, magnetic field strengths and time-domain transient lengths.
PMID- 28703320
TI - 5-aminolaevulinic acid patch-photodynamic therapy in the treatment of actinic
cheilitis.
AB - BACKGROUND: Actinic cheilitis (AC) is a common disease caused by chronic
ultraviolet exposure. OBJECTIVE: Alacare is a self-adhesive, skin coloured 5
aminolaevulinic acid (ALA) patch that has been developed for the treatment of
mild to moderate actinic keratosis (AK). Considering the good results in the
treatment of AK, the standardized delivery of ALA and the simple application
Alacare patch- photodynamic therapy (PDT) appears as an interesting treatment
option for AC. METHODS: We retrospectively assessed the efficacy, tolerability
and cosmetic outcome of Alacare patch-PDT in eleven patients with AC. After
occlusion with the Alacare patches for 4 hours, the AC lesions were illuminated
with narrowband red light and a dose of 37 J/cm2 . All patients were clinically
assessed for efficacy, side effects and cosmetic outcome at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months
after treatment. RESULTS: Complete clinical response at the 3-month follow-up was
achieved in eight of 11 patients (72,7%) and 12 of 15 AC lesions (80,0%),
respectively. Up to the final 12-month follow-up, a recurrence was observed in
two lesions. The complete clinical cure rate at 1 year after Alacare patch-PDT,
thus, was 66,6% (10/15 lesions). The cosmetic outcome of the treatment was
excellent in all cases. CONCLUSION: Alacare patch-PDT was found to have
substantial efficacy in the treatment of mild to moderate AC. Given its ease of
use, absence of long-term side effects and the excellent cosmetic results Alacare
patch-PDT might be considered as a promising new treatment option for the
management of AC.
PMID- 28703319
TI - Brain carnitine deficiency causes nonsyndromic autism with an extreme male bias:
A hypothesis.
AB - Could 10-20% of autism be prevented? We hypothesize that nonsyndromic or
"essential" autism involves extreme male bias in infants who are genetically
normal, but they develop deficiency of carnitine and perhaps other nutrients in
the brain causing autism that may be amenable to early reversal and prevention.
That brain carnitine deficiency might cause autism is suggested by reports of
severe carnitine deficiency in autism and by evidence that TMLHE deficiency - a
defect in carnitine biosynthesis - is a risk factor for autism. A gene on the X
chromosome (SLC6A14) likely escapes random X-inactivation (a mixed epigenetic and
genetic regulation) and could limit carnitine transport across the blood-brain
barrier in boys compared to girls. A mixed, common gene variant-environment
hypothesis is proposed with diet, minor illnesses, microbiome, and drugs as
possible risk modifiers. The hypothesis can be tested using animal models and by
a trial of carnitine supplementation in siblings of probands. Perhaps the lack of
any Recommended Dietary Allowance for carnitine in infants should be reviewed.
Also see the video abstract here: https://youtu.be/BuRH_jSjX5Y.
PMID- 28703321
TI - Overexpression miR-211-5p hinders the proliferation, migration, and invasion of
thyroid tumor cells by downregulating SOX11.
AB - PURPOSE: This study was aimed to investigate the relationship between miR-211-5p
and SOX11, and the effects of their interaction on the proliferation, viability,
and invasion of human thyroid cancer (TC) cells. METHODS: We used quantitative
real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) to determine the expression of miR-211-5p and SOX11mRNA
in the thyroid tumorous and the adjacent tissues. The target relationship between
miR-211-5p and SOX11 was confirmed using dual luciferase reporter gene assay.
Flow cytometry, colony formation assay, Transwell assay, and MTT assay were
performed to determine the cell-cycle progression, cell apoptosis, proliferation
and invasion, respectively. In addition, the tumor formation assay in nude mice
was done to assess the effect of miR-211-5p on TC development in vivo. RESULTS:
MiR-211-5p was underexpressed, whereas SOX11 was overexpressed in TC. The
overexpression of miR-211-5p inhibited the expression of SOX11. The cell cycle
was arrested and the proliferation as well as invasiveness was suppressed by
exogenous miR-211-5p in TC cell line. The antitumor role of miR-211-5p was proved
by the animal experiment. CONCLUSION: MiR-211-5p affected the viability,
proliferation and invasion of TC by negatively regulating SOX11 expression.
PMID- 28703322
TI - The Drosophila simulans Y chromosome interacts with the autosomes to influence
male fitness.
AB - The Y chromosome should degenerate because it cannot recombine. However, male
limited transmission increases selection efficiency for male-benefit alleles on
the Y, and therefore, Y chromosomes should contribute significantly to variation
in male fitness. This means that although the Drosophila Y chromosome is small
and gene-poor, Y-linked genes are vital for male fertility in Drosophila
melanogaster and the Y chromosome has large male fitness effects. It is unclear
whether the same pattern is seen in the closely related Drosophila simulans. We
backcrossed Y chromosomes from three geographic locations into five genetic
backgrounds and found strong Y and genetic background effects on male fertility.
There was a significant Y-background interaction, indicating substantial
epistasis between the Y and autosomal genes affecting male fertility. This
supports accumulating evidence that interactions between the Y chromosome and the
autosomes are key determinants of male fitness.
PMID- 28703323
TI - Professional oral health care for preventing nursing home-acquired pneumonia: A
cost-effectiveness and value of information analysis.
AB - AIM: Professional oral health care (POHC) prevents nursing home-acquired
pneumonia (NHAP) and its related mortality. We assessed the cost-effectiveness of
POHC versus no POHC (nPOHC) and the monetary value of eliminating uncertainty by
future research. METHODS: A German public-private payer perspective was adopted.
A Markov model was used, following long-term care residents from admission to
death. Cost-effectiveness was estimated as Euro/disability-adjusted life year
(DALY) using Monte Carlo microsimulations. Value-of-information analyses were
performed. The willingness-to-pay threshold/DALY was assumed to be 66% (range 50%
100%) of per-capita gross domestic product (GDP). RESULTS: nPOHC was less costly
(?3,024) but also less effective (0.89 DALYs) than POHC (?10,249, 0.55 DALYs).
For most presumed payers, POHC was cost-effective. The cost-effectiveness of POHC
was higher in smokers, underweight or pulmonary disease patients. Eliminating
uncertainty about the NHAP costs, NHAP incidence/mortality, and POHC
effectiveness would result in an expected net value of 47 million ?/year (and
even higher values at lower GDP thresholds), and is likely to decrease with time.
CONCLUSIONS: Within the chosen setting and on the basis of current evidence, POHC
was cost-effective. Given the detected uncertainty, further research seems
warranted.
PMID- 28703324
TI - Scaling range sizes to threats for robust predictions of risks to biodiversity.
AB - Assessments of risk to biodiversity often rely on spatial distributions of
species and ecosystems. Range-size metrics used extensively in these assessments,
such as area of occupancy (AOO), are sensitive to measurement scale, prompting
proposals to measure them at finer scales or at different scales based on the
shape of the distribution or ecological characteristics of the biota. Despite its
dominant role in red-list assessments for decades, appropriate spatial scales of
AOO for predicting risks of species' extinction or ecosystem collapse remain
untested and contentious. There are no quantitative evaluations of the scale
sensitivity of AOO as a predictor of risks, the relationship between optimal AOO
scale and threat scale, or the effect of grid uncertainty. We used stochastic
simulation models to explore risks to ecosystems and species with clustered,
dispersed, and linear distribution patterns subject to regimes of threat events
with different frequency and spatial extent. Area of occupancy was an accurate
predictor of risk (0.81<|r|<0.98) and performed optimally when measured with grid
cells 0.1-1.0 times the largest plausible area threatened by an event. Contrary
to previous assertions, estimates of AOO at these relatively coarse scales were
better predictors of risk than finer-scale estimates of AOO (e.g., when
measurement cells are <1% of the area of the largest threat). The optimal scale
depended on the spatial scales of threats more than the shape or size of biotic
distributions. Although we found appreciable potential for grid-measurement
errors, current IUCN guidelines for estimating AOO neutralize geometric
uncertainty and incorporate effective scaling procedures for assessing risks
posed by landscape-scale threats to species and ecosystems.
PMID- 28703325
TI - Effectiveness of protected areas for vertebrates based on taxonomic and
phylogenetic diversity.
AB - Establishing protected areas is the primary goal and tool for preventing
irreversible biodiversity loss. However, the effectiveness of protected areas
that target specific species has been questioned for some time because targeting
key species for conservation may impair the integral regional pool of species
diversity and phylogenetic and functional diversity are seldom considered. We
assessed the efficacy of protected areas in China for the conservation of
phylogenetic diversity based on the ranges and phylogenies of 2279 terrestrial
vertebrates. Phylogenetic and taxonomic diversity were strongly and positively
correlated, and only 12.1-43.8% of priority conservation areas are currently
protected. However, the patterns and coverage of phylogenetic diversity were
affected when weighted by species richness. These results indicated that in
China, protected areas targeting high species richness protected phylogenetic
diversity well overall but failed to do so in some regions with more unique or
threatened communities (e.g., coastal areas of eastern China, where severely
threatened avian communities were less protected). Our results suggest that the
current distribution of protected areas could be improved, although most
protected areas protect both taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity.
PMID- 28703326
TI - Letter from the new Editor-in-Chief.
PMID- 28703327
TI - Testing the Situationism Scale in Europe: Scale validation, self-regulation and
regional differences.
AB - The term situationism refers to an individual's belief about the importance of a
behaviour's context. This study tested whether the degree of situationism
expressed by individuals in various regions of Europe was consistent with self
regulation and cross-cultural theories. The English version of a Situationism
Scale (measuring beliefs about the relation between the environment and one's own
behaviour) was translated into five additional languages: Dutch, German,
Hungarian, Italian and Slovenian. Young adults (N = 1106, MAge = 22.9 years, 79%
female) across Europe responded to one of the six language versions of the scale
as part of a larger survey. Results indicated that: new language versions were
psychometrically valid; there was a positive relation between situationism and
the use of situation-control strategies; and situationism was higher for
individuals from regions that are Eastern European and relatively more
interdependent, compared with individuals from regions that are Western European
and relatively less interdependent. As the first evaluation of the Situationism
Scale outside America, this study supports the Scale's validity and suggests not
only may some effects of situationism be universal, but between- and within
culture differences in situationism exist. Overall, when making judgments and
decisions about the self, cultural background and individual differences in
situationism may come into play.
PMID- 28703329
TI - Relationship between collectivism and corruption in American and Chinese books: A
historical perspective.
AB - Previous research on the relationship between collectivism and corruption has not
investigated their co-variation over time. In this study, we use Google Ngram
Viewer to track the frequency of words related to collectivism and corruption in
American books (1800-2000) and in Chinese Books (1970-2008). The results
demonstrate that a positive association between the usage of these terms during
the periods in both Chinese and American books, with changes in words related to
collectivism preceding changes in words related to corruption in American books.
The theoretical and practical implications are also discussed.
PMID- 28703328
TI - Insight into infection-mediated prostate damage: Contrasting patterns of C
reactive protein and prostate-specific antigen levels during infection.
AB - BACKGROUND: To investigate mechanisms underlying our previous observation of a
large rise in serum prostate-specific antigen, a marker of prostate pathology,
during both sexually transmitted and systemic infections, we measured serum high
sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), a marker of systemic inflammation, in our
previous case-control study of young, male US military members and compared our
findings to those for PSA. METHODS: We measured hsCRP before and during infection
for 299 chlamydia, 112 gonorrhea, and 59 non-chlamydial, non-gonococcal
urethritis (NCNGU) cases; before and after infection for 55 infectious
mononucleosis (IM) and 90 other systemic/non-genitourinary cases; and for 220-256
controls. RESULTS: Only gonorrhea cases were significantly more likely to have a
large hsCRP rise (>=1.40 mg/L or >=239%) during infection than controls (P <
0.01). However, gonorrhea, IM, and other systemic/non-genitourinary cases were
more likely to have a rise of any magnitude up to one year post-diagnosis than
controls (p = 0.038-0.077). CONCLUSIONS: These findings, which differ from those
for PSA, suggest distinct mechanisms of elevation for hsCRP and PSA, and support
both direct (eg, prostate infection) and indirect (eg, systemic inflammation
mediated prostate cell damage) mechanisms for PSA elevation. Future studies
should explore our PSA findings further for their relevance to both prostate
cancer screening and risk.
PMID- 28703330
TI - Struggling to be liked: The prospective effect of trait self-control on social
desirability and the moderating role of agreeableness.
AB - Drawing from the literature on the interpersonal functions of self-control, we
examined longitudinal associations between trait self-control and social
desirability, using a survey of the general population in the Netherlands. Trait
self-control at baseline was positively associated with social desirability at a
follow-up, even when controlling for prior levels of social desirability. That
is, high self-control contributed to individuals' tendency to give socially
desirable responses in self-reports. This effect was moderated by individual
differences in agreeableness. Highly agreeable individuals were more likely to
"use" their self-regulatory resources to respond in a socially desirable manner,
compared to less agreeable individuals, suggesting that individuals might use
self-regulatory resources in a way consistent with the motivational bases of
their personality.
PMID- 28703331
TI - High-resolution diffusion tensor imaging in cervical spondylotic myelopathy: a
preliminary follow-up study.
AB - Diffusion imaging is a promising technique as it can provide microstructural
tissue information and thus potentially show viable changes in spinal cord.
However, the traditional single-shot imaging method is limited as a result of
various image artifacts. In order to improve measurement accuracy, we used a
newly developed, multi-shot, high-resolution, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)
method to investigate diffusion metric changes and compare them with T2 -weighted
(T2W) images before and after decompressive surgery for cervical spondylotic
myelopathy (CSM). T2W imaging, single-shot DTI and multi-shot DTI were employed
to scan seven patients with CSM before and 3 months after decompressive surgery.
High signal intensities were scored using the T2 W images. DTI metrics, including
fractional anisotropy (FA), axial diffusivity (AD), radial diffusivity (RD) and
mean diffusivity (MD), were quantified and compared pre- and post-surgery. In
addition, the relationship between imaging metrics and neurological assessments
was examined. The reproducibility of multi-shot DTI was also assessed in 10
healthy volunteers. Post-surgery, the mean grade of cervical canal stenosis was
reduced from grade 3 to normal after 3 months. Compared with single-shot DTI,
multi-shot DTI provided better images with lower artifact levels, especially
following surgery, as a result of reduced artifacts from metal implants. The new
method also showed acceptable reproducibility. Both FA and RD values from the new
acquisition showed significant differences post-surgery (FA, p = 0.026; RD, p =
0.048). These changes were consistent with neurological assessments. In contrast,
T2W images did not show significant changes before and after surgery. Multi-shot
diffusion imaging showed improved image quality over single-shot DWI, and
presented superior performance in diagnosis and recovery monitoring for patients
with CSM compared with T2W imaging. DTI metrics can reflect the pathological
conditions of spondylotic spinal cord quantitatively and may serve as a sensitive
biomarker for potential CSM management.
PMID- 28703332
TI - Validation of biplane high-speed fluoroscopy combined with two different
noninvasive tracking methodologies for measuring in vivo distal limb kinematics
of the horse.
AB - REASON FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Biplane high-speed fluoroscopy is a new method for
gait analysis of the equine distal extremity. This is the first study validating
the noninvasive tracking possibilities (Autoscoping and Scientific Rotoscoping)
taking equine anatomy into account. OBJECTIVES: To determine the resolution with
which Autoscoping and Scientific Rotoscoping depict motion of the equine
phalanges in comparison to the invasive gold standard marker-based registration.
STUDY DESIGN: Comparative ex vivo study. METHODS: In 5 distal extremities of
slaughtered ponies, 3 or 4 tantalum beads with 1 mm diameter were implanted in
each of the proximal, middle and distal phalangeal bones. Three-dimensional
models of the bones were reconstructed using computed tomographic data (120 kV,
50 mA, slice thickness 1 mm, increment 0.5). The beads were digitally removed
from the bone models. Biplane fluoroscopic videos were taken at 69.5 +/- 3.5 kV,
102.5 +/- 22.5 mA, 500 frames/s and 0.5 ms shutter speed. The 5 specimens were
moved in the trial field of the biplane fluoroscopic setup in a step-like motion
(simulation of landing, main stance phase, lift-off). Marker-based registration,
Autoscoping and Scientific Rotoscoping were carried out. For statistical analysis
agreement was computed as percentiles, mean and s.d. RESULTS: The medians of
Scientific Rotoscoping ranged from 0.16 to 0.66 mm in translations and 0.43 to
2.78 degrees in rotations, while values for Autoscoping were 0.13-0.70 mm and
0.28-2.39 degrees respectively. With 2 exceptions, all differences between
methods were statistically significant. Scientific Rotoscoping is more time
efficient than Autoscoping and results in smaller maximum errors. MAIN
LIMITATIONS: The experimental set-up was specifically designed to accommodate in
vivo requirements. Autoscoping was not manually corrected but rather expected to
work automatically. CONCLUSIONS: It is possible to noninvasively apply both
Autoscoping and Scientific Rotoscoping for gait analysis of the equine phalanges
with high precision. The summary is available in Chinese - see supporting
information.
PMID- 28703333
TI - Bone tissue response following local drug delivery of bisphosphonate through
titanium oxide nanotube implants in a rabbit model.
AB - OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to evaluate whether surface chemistry
controlled TiO2 nanotube structures may serve as a local drug delivery system for
zoledronic acid improving implant-bone support. METHODS: Twenty-four screw-shaped
Ti implants with surface chemistry-controlled TiO2 nanotube structures were
prepared and divided into a zoledronic acid-formatted test and a native control
group. The implants were inserted into contra-lateral femoral condyles in 12 New
Zealand White rabbits. Bone support was evaluated using resonance frequency
analysis (RFA) and removal torque (RTQ), as well as histometric analysis
following a 3-weeks healing interval. RESULTS: Zoledronic acid-formatted TiO2
nanotube test implants showed significantly improved implant stability and
osseointegration measured using RFA and RTQ compared with control (p < 0.05), and
showed significantly enhanced new bone formation within the root of the threads
compared with control (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: TiO2 nanotube implants may prove
to be a significant delivery system for drugs or biologic agents aimed at
supporting local bone formation. Additional study of candidate drugs/agents,
optimized dosage and release kinetics is needed prior to evaluation in clinical
settings.
PMID- 28703334
TI - A case of kaposiform haemangioendothelioma successfully and safely treated with
sirolimus.
PMID- 28703335
TI - GATA3 as a putative marker of breast cancer metastasis-A retrospective
immunohistochemical study.
AB - Diagnostic verification of breast cancer metastasis with histopathology and
imaging analysis is essential to determine tumor staging. The aim of this study
was to validate the utility of GATA3 immunohistochemistry as a diagnostic marker
for breast cancer metastases and metastases of unknown primary origin.
Retrospective immunohistochemical analysis of GATA3 expression in 164 breast
cancer metastases diagnosed between 2004 and 2014 showed a striking difference
between mammaglobin and GATA3 expression (51.2% vs 94% positivity). These
findings highlight GATA3 as a more reliable and sensitive diagnostic marker for
breast cancer metastases and possibly metastatic tumors of unknown origin than
mammaglobin.
PMID- 28703336
TI - A genome-wide association study reveals candidate genes for the supernumerary
nipple phenotype in sheep (Ovis aries).
AB - Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have been widely applied in livestock to
identify genes associated with traits of economic interest. Here, we conducted
the first GWAS of the supernumerary nipple phenotype in Wadi sheep, a native
Chinese sheep breed, based on Ovine Infinium HD SNP BeadChip genotypes in a total
of 144 ewes (75 cases with four teats, including two normal and two supernumerary
teats, and 69 control cases with two teats). We detected 63 significant SNPs at
the chromosome-wise threshold. Additionally, one candidate region (chr1: 170.723
170.734 Mb) was identified by haplotype-based association tests, with one SNP
(rs413490006) surrounding functional genes BBX and CD47 on chromosome 1 being
commonly identified as significant by the two mentioned analyses. Moreover, Gene
Ontology enrichment for the significant SNPs identified by the GWAS analysis was
functionally clustered into the categories of receptor activity and synaptic
membrane. In addition, pathway mapping revealed four promising pathways (Wnt,
oxytocin, MAPK and axon guidance) involved in the development of the
supernumerary nipple phenotype. Our results provide novel and important insights
into the genetic mechanisms underlying the phenotype of supernumerary nipples in
mammals, including humans. These findings may be useful for future breeding and
genetics in sheep and other livestock.
PMID- 28703337
TI - Paternal age as an independent factor does not affect embryo quality and
pregnancy outcomes of testicular sperm extraction-intracytoplasmic sperm
injection in azoospermia.
AB - This study was performed to evaluate the independent influence of paternal age
affecting embryo development and pregnancy using testicular sperm extraction
(TESE)-intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in obstructive azoospermia (OA)
and nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA). Paternal patients were divided into the
following groups: <=30 years, 31-35 years, 36-40 years, 41-45 years and >=46
years. There were no differences in the rates of fertilisation or embryo quality
according to paternal and maternal age. However, clinical pregnancy and
implantation rates were significantly lower between those >=46 years of paternal
age compared with other age groups. Fertilisation rate was higher in the OA than
the NOA, while embryo quality, pregnancy and delivery results were similar.
Clinical pregnancy and implantation rates were significantly lower for patients
>=46 years of paternal age compared with younger age groups. In conclusion,
fertilisation using TESE in azoospermia was not affected by the independent
influence of paternal age; however, as maternal age increased concomitantly with
paternal age, rates of pregnancy and delivery differed between those with
paternal age <41 years and >=46 years. Therefore, paternal age >=46 years old
should be considered when applying TESE-ICSI in cases of azoospermia, and
patients should be advised of the associated low pregnancy rates.
PMID- 28703338
TI - Response to 'There is a place in current obstetric practice for planned vaginal
breech birth'.
PMID- 28703339
TI - The Synthesis and Photophysical Analysis of a Series of 4
Nitrobenzochalcogenadiazoles for Super-Resolution Microscopy.
AB - A series of 4-nitrobenzodiazoles with atomic substitution through the chalcogen
group were synthesised and their photophysical properties analysed with a view
for use in single-molecule localisation microscopy. Sub-diffraction resolution
imaging was achieved for silica nanoparticles coated with each dye. Those
containing larger atoms were favoured for super-resolution microscopy due to a
reduced blink rate (required for stochastic events to be localised). The sulfur
containing molecule was deemed most amenable for widespread use due to the ease
of synthetic manipulation compared to the selenium-containing derivative.
PMID- 28703340
TI - Core-Satellite Polydopamine-Gadolinium-Metallofullerene Nanotheranostics for
Multimodal Imaging Guided Combination Cancer Therapy.
AB - Integration of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and other imaging modalities is
promising to furnish complementary information for accurate cancer diagnosis and
imaging-guided therapy. However, most gadolinium (Gd)-chelator MR contrast agents
are limited by their relatively low relaxivity and high risk of released-Gd-ions
associated toxicity. Herein, a radionuclide-64 Cu-labeled doxorubicin-loaded
polydopamine (PDA)-gadolinium-metallofullerene core-satellite nanotheranostic
agent (denoted as CDPGM) is developed for MR/photoacoustic (PA)/positron emission
tomography (PET) multimodal imaging-guided combination cancer therapy. In this
system, the near-infrared (NIR)-absorbing PDA acts as a platform for the assembly
of different moieties; Gd3 N@C80 , a kind of gadolinium metallofullerene with
three Gd ions in one carbon cage, acts as a satellite anchoring on the surface of
PDA. The as-prepared CDPGM NPs show good biocompatibility, strong NIR absorption,
high relaxivity (r 1 = 14.06 mM-1 s-1 ), low risk of release of Gd ions, and NIR
triggered drug release. In vivo MR/PA/PET multimodal imaging confirms effective
tumor accumulation of the CDPGM NPs. Moreover, upon NIR laser irradiation, the
tumor is completely eliminated with combined chemo-photothermal therapy. These
results suggest that the CDPGM NPs hold great promise for cancer theranostics.
PMID- 28703341
TI - Esophageal function testing: Billing and coding update.
AB - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Esophageal function testing is being increasingly
utilized in diagnosis and management of esophageal disorders. There have been
several recent technological advances in the field to allow practitioners the
ability to more accurately assess and treat such conditions, but there has been a
relative lack of education in the literature regarding the associated Common
Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes and methods of reimbursement. This review,
commissioned and supported by the American Neurogastroenterology and Motility
Society Council, aims to summarize each of the CPT codes for esophageal function
testing and show the trends of associated reimbursement, as well as recommend
coding methods in a practical context. We also aim to encourage many of these
codes to be reviewed on a gastrointestinal (GI) societal level, by providing
evidence of both discrepancies in coding definitions and inadequate reimbursement
in this new era of esophageal function testing.
PMID- 28703342
TI - Evaluation of direct antifungal susceptibility testing methods of Candida spp.
from positive blood culture bottles.
AB - BACKGROUND: Blood culture is the gold standard diagnostic method in candidemia in
spite of long result time and low sensitivity rate. Early diagnosis is crucial
for management of candidemia because a delay in treatment is related with
increased mortality. We aimed to evaluate the direct applicability of antifungal
susceptibility testing methods from positive blood culture bottles to save at
least 24 hours. METHODS: Blood culture bottles were inoculated with 62 Candida
isolates. Etest and broth microdilution (BMD) methods for six antifungals, disk
diffusion (DD) method for two antifungals were performed, both directly from
bottles and standardly. RESULTS: Essential agreements between direct and standard
Etest methods were 87.1% for caspofungin and >90% for other antifungals, but the
agreements of them with reference BMD were relatively low. Essential agreement
between direct and standard BMD was >93%. Correlation between direct and standard
DD methods was very high, negative correlations were observed between reference
BMD and DD methods. CONCLUSION: BMD is a reference method to evaluate the
antifungal susceptibility, direct application of BMD might provide reliable
results at least 24 hours earlier. Direct DD method may be a qualitative
alternative. Direct susceptibility testing methods may be very useful to
initiating the appropriate treatment on time.
PMID- 28703343
TI - Contact anaphylaxis caused by Basic Blue 99 in hair dye.
PMID- 28703344
TI - Allergic contact dermatitis caused by copper in a malachite necklace.
PMID- 28703345
TI - Is octocrylene a frequent contact allergen?
PMID- 28703346
TI - Two cases of eczematous drug eruption caused by oral tacrolimus administration.
PMID- 28703347
TI - Non-pigmenting fixed drug eruption with mixed features of acute generalized
exanthematous pustulosis induced by pseudoephedrine: a case report.
PMID- 28703348
TI - Allergic contact dermatitis caused by wet wipes containing steareth-10: Is
stearyl alcohol to blame?
PMID- 28703349
TI - Airborne contact dermatitis caused by fragrance diffusers in Uber cars.
PMID- 28703350
TI - Photoallergic contact dermatitis caused by quinidine sulfate in a caregiver.
PMID- 28703351
TI - A comparative study between responses of isolated bovine and equine digital
arteries to vasoactive mediators.
AB - Hemodynamic perturbations, partly resulting from abnormal vasoconstriction of
digital vessels, have been implicated in the pathogenesis of bovine and equine
laminitis. This study compared the responsiveness of isolated bovine (BDA) and
equine (EDA) digital arteries to pharmacological agents that stimulate receptor
systems involved in the regulation of normal vessel tone. The role of the
endothelium and the short- and longer-term effects of an experimentally induced
endothelial damage were also evaluated. Species-related differences were found in
the vessel reactivity to all of the receptor agonists tested. In intact BDA, as
compared to intact EDA, norepinephrine was a more effective vasoconstrictor, 5
hydroxytryptamine a more effective but less potent vasoconstrictor, isoproterenol
a less effective vasodilator and carbamylcholine a less potent vasodilator. In
BDA, but not in EDA, the contractile responses to norepinephrine and 5
hydroxytryptamine were enhanced immediately after endothelium removal. However,
the contractile reactivity of denuded BDA returned to basal values following
overnight incubation. The differences suggest species specificity for the
pathophysiology of digital vasomotor tone and function in horses and cattle.
PMID- 28703352
TI - AtPDS overexpression in tomato: exposing unique patterns of carotenoid self
regulation and an alternative strategy for the enhancement of fruit carotenoid
content.
AB - The regulation of plant carotenogenesis is an active research area for both
biological discovery and practical implementation. In tomato (Solanum
lycopersicum), we demonstrate additional bottlenecks exist in the poly-cis
transformation of phytoene to lycopene in the context of ripening-induced PSY1
expression and activity and reveal phytoene desaturase (PDS), as a target for
manipulation towards elevated lycopene content in maturing tomato fruit.
Overexpression of Arabidopsis PDS, AtPDS, elevated PDS transcript abundance in
all aerial tissues resulting in both altered carotenoid accumulation and
associated pathway gene expression in a tissue-specific manner. Significant
increases in downstream carotenoids (all-trans-lycopene and beta-carotene) and
minimal changes in carotenogenic gene expression (carotenoid isomerase-like 1,
CRTIL1) suggest overexpression of heterologous AtPDS in tomato circumvents
endogenous regulatory mechanism observed with previous strategies. In transgenic
leaves, depletion of the PDS substrate, phytoene, was accompanied by minor, but
significant increases in xanthophyll production. Alterations in the leaf
carotenogenic transcript profile, including the upstream MEP pathway, were
observed revealing unique feedback and feedforward regulatory mechanisms in
response to AtPDS overexpression. AtPDS overexpression in the background of the
tangerine (carotenoid isomerase, CRTISO) mutant exposes its potential in
elevating downstream cis-lycopene accumulation in ripe tomato fruit, as cis
lycopene is more bioavailable yet less abundant than all-trans-lycopene in the
wild-type control. In summary, we demonstrate the limitation of PDS in ripening
fruit, its utility in modifying carotenoid profiles towards improved quality, and
reveal novel carotenoid pathway feedback regulation.
PMID- 28703353
TI - Inhibition of glial hemichannels by boldine treatment reduces neuronal suffering
in a murine model of Alzheimer's disease.
AB - The contribution of reactive gliosis to the pathological phenotype of Alzheimer's
disease (AD) opened the way for therapeutic strategies targeting glial cells
instead of neurons. In such context, connexin hemichannels were proposed recently
as potential targets since neuronal suffering is alleviated when connexin
expression is genetically suppressed in astrocytes of a murine model of AD. Here,
we show that boldine, an alkaloid from the boldo tree, inhibited hemichannel
activity in astrocytes and microglia without affecting gap junctional
communication in culture and acute hippocampal slices. Long-term oral
administration of boldine in AD mice prevented the increase in glial hemichannel
activity, astrocytic Ca2+ signal, ATP and glutamate release and alleviated
hippocampal neuronal suffering. These findings highlight the important
pathological role of hemichannels in AD mice. The neuroprotective effect of
boldine treatment might provide the basis for future pharmacological strategies
that target glial hemichannels to reduce neuronal damage in neurodegenerative
diseases.
PMID- 28703354
TI - Identification of sequence polymorphisms in the mitochondrial cytochrome c
oxidase genes as risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma.
AB - BACKGROUND: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) accumulated in the
mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is susceptible to the tumor formation. We discovered
previously that SNPs in the mitochondrial displacement loop (D-loop) was
associated with the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: The
cytochrome c oxidase (COX) genes of mtDNA were sequenced between 107 HCC patients
and 100 matched healthy controls. The chi2 test was used to analyze single SNPs'
statistical difference between HCC patients and healthy controls. RESULTS: In
this study, cancer risk-associated SNPs in the COX genes of mtDNA coding region
were assessed in HCC patients and health controls. The nucleotide position at
site 9545A/G (P=.036) was identified its association for HCC with the 9545G
allele susceptible to cancer risk. CONCLUSIONS: The SNPs in the COX genes may
help us to evaluate the cancer risk of HCC.
PMID- 28703355
TI - Neuronal representation of individual heroin choices in the orbitofrontal cortex.
AB - Drug addiction is a harmful preference for drug use over and at the expense of
other non-drug-related activities. We previously identified in the rat
orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) a mechanism that influences individual preferences
between cocaine use and an alternative action rewarded by a non-drug reward (i.e.
sweet water). Here, we sought to test the generality of this mechanism to a
different addictive drug, heroin. OFC neuronal activity was recorded while rats
responded for heroin or the alternative non-drug reward separately or while they
chose between the two. First, we found that heroin-rewarded and sweet water
rewarded actions were encoded by two non-overlapping OFC neuronal populations and
that the relative size of the heroin population represented individual drug
choices. Second, OFC neurons encoding the preferred action-which was the non-drug
action in the large majority of individuals-progressively fired more than non
preferred action-coding neurons 1 second after the onset of choice trials and
around 1 second before the preferred action was actually chosen, suggesting a pre
choice neuronal competition for action selection. Together with a previous study
on cocaine choice, the present study on heroin choice reveals important
commonalities in how OFC neurons encode individual drug choices and preferences
across different classes of drugs. It also reveals some drug-specific differences
in OFC encoding activity. Notably, the proportion of neurons that non-selectively
encode both the drug and the non-drug reward was higher when the drug was heroin
(present study) than when it was cocaine (previous study). We will discuss the
potential functional significance of these commonalities and differences in OFC
neuronal activity across different drugs for understanding drug choice.
PMID- 28703356
TI - A Second-Coordination-Sphere Strategy to Modulate Nickel- and Palladium-Catalyzed
Olefin Polymerization and Copolymerization.
AB - Transition-metal-catalyzed copolymerization reactions of olefins with polar
functionalized comonomers are highly important and also highly challenging. A
second-coordination-sphere strategy was developed to address some of the
difficulties encountered in these copolymerization reactions. A series of alpha
diimine ligands bearing nitrogen-containing second coordination spheres were
prepared and characterized. The properties of the corresponding nickel and
palladium catalysts in ethylene polymerizations and copolymerizations were
investigated. In the nickel system, significant reduction in polymer branching
density was observed, while lower polymer branching densities, as well as a wider
range of polar monomer substrates, were achieved in the palladium system. Control
experiments and computational results reveal the critical role of the metal
nitrogen interaction in these polymerization and copolymerization reactions.
PMID- 28703357
TI - Evolutionary allometry reveals a shift in selection pressure on male horn size.
AB - How selection pressures acting within species interact with developmental
constraints to shape macro-evolutionary patterns of species divergence is still
poorly understood. In particular, whether or not sexual selection affects
evolutionary allometry, the increase in trait size with body size across species,
of secondary sexual characters, remains largely unknown. In this context, bovid
horn size is an especially relevant trait to study because horns are present in
both sexes, but the intensity of sexual selection acting on them is expected to
vary both among species and between sexes. Using a unique data set of sex
specific horn size and body mass including 91 species of bovids, we compared the
evolutionary allometry between horn size and body mass between sexes while
accounting for both the intensity of sexual selection and phylogenetic
relationship among species. We found a nonlinear evolutionary allometry where the
allometric slope decreased with increasing species body mass. This pattern, much
more pronounced in males than in females, suggests either that horn size is
limited by some constraints in the largest bovids or is no longer the direct
target of sexual selection in very large species.
PMID- 28703358
TI - Catalytic Asymmetric Total Synthesis and Stereochemical Revision of Leucinostatin
A: A Modulator of Tumor-Stroma Interaction.
AB - Total synthesis of leucinostatin A, a modulator of tumor-stroma interactions,
using asymmetric catalyses, a nitroaldol reaction, thioamide-aldol reaction,
Strecker-type reaction, and alcoholysis of 3-methylglutaric anhydride, is
described. We demonstrated the applicability of the established catalytic
asymmetric processes to the synthesis of molecules with a complex structure.
Careful analysis of the NMR data, HPLC profiles, and biological activity revealed
that the correct structure of leucinostatin A is the epimeric form of the
reported structure; the secondary alcohol within the AHMOD residue has an R
configuration.
PMID- 28703359
TI - A modified surgical approach for giant left coronary arterial aneurysm.
PMID- 28703360
TI - Model averaging for robust assessment of QT prolongation by concentration
response analysis.
AB - Assessing the QT prolongation potential of a drug is typically done based on
pivotal safety studies called thorough QT studies. Model-based estimation of the
drug-induced QT prolongation at the estimated mean maximum drug concentration
could increase efficiency over the currently used intersection-union test.
However, robustness against model misspecification needs to be guaranteed in
pivotal settings. The objective of this work was to develop an efficient, fully
prespecified model-based inference method for thorough QT studies, which controls
the type I error and provides satisfactory test power. This is achieved by model
averaging: The proposed estimator of the concentration-response relationship is a
weighted average of a parametric (linear) and a nonparametric (monotonic I
splines) estimator, with weights based on mean integrated square error. The
desired properties of the method were confirmed in an extensive simulation study,
which demonstrated that the proposed method controlled the type I error
adequately, and that its power was higher than the power of the nonparametric
method alone. The method can be extended from thorough QT studies to the analysis
of QT data from pooled phase I studies.
PMID- 28703361
TI - Non-decoupled morphological evolution of the fore- and hindlimb of sabretooth
predators.
AB - Specialized organisms are useful for exploring the combined effects of selection
of functional traits and developmental constraints on patterns of phenotypic
integration. Sabretooth predators are one of the most interesting examples of
specialization among mammals. Their hypertrophied, sabre-shaped upper canines and
their powerfully built forelimbs have been interpreted as adaptations to a highly
specialized predatory behaviour. Given that the elongated and laterally
compressed canines of sabretooths were more vulnerable to fracture than the
shorter canines of conical-tooth cats, it has been long hypothesized that the
heavily muscled forelimbs of sabretooths were used for immobilizing prey before
developing a quick and precise killing bite. However, the effect of this unique
adaptation on the covariation between the fore- and the hindlimb has not been
explored in a quantitative fashion. In this paper, we investigate if the
specialization of sabretooth predators decoupled the morphological variation of
their forelimb with respect to their hindlimb or, in contrast, both limbs vary in
the same fashion as in conical-tooth cats, which do not show such extreme
adaptations in their forelimb. We use 3D geometric morphometrics and different
morphological indices to compare the fore- and hindlimb of conical- and
sabretooth predators. Our results indicate that the limb bones of sabretooth
predators covary following the same trend of conical-tooth cats. Therefore, we
show that the predatory specialization of sabretooth predators did not result in
a decoupling of the morphological evolution of their fore- and hindlimbs. The
role of developmental constraints and natural selection on this coordinate
variation between the fore- and the hindlimb is discussed in the light of this
new evidence.
PMID- 28703362
TI - In Vivo Delivery and Activation of Masked Fluorogenic Hydrolase Substrates by
Endogenous Hydrolases in C. elegans.
AB - Protein expression and localization are often studied in vivo by tagging
molecules with green fluorescent protein (GFP), yet subtle changes in protein
levels are not easily detected. To develop a sensitive in vivo method to amplify
fluorescence signals and allow cell-specific quantification of protein abundance
changes, we sought to apply an enzyme-activated cellular fluorescence system in
vivo by delivering ester-masked fluorophores to Caenorhabditis elegans neurons
expressing porcine liver esterase (PLE). To aid uptake into sensory neuron
membranes, we synthesized two novel fluorogenic hydrolase substrates with long
hydrocarbon tails. Recombinant PLE activated these fluorophores in vitro. In vivo
activation occurred in sensory neurons, along with potent activation in
intestinal lysosomes quantifiable by imaging and microplate and partially
attributable to gut esterase 1 (GES-1) activity. These data demonstrate the
promise of biorthogonal hydrolases and their fluorogenic substrates as in vivo
neuronal imaging tools and for characterizing endogenous C. elegans hydrolase
substrate specificities.
PMID- 28703363
TI - Reflectance confocal microscopy for the diagnosis of Galli-Galli disease.
PMID- 28703364
TI - Computed tomographic characteristics of the thyroid glands in eight hyperthyroid
cats pre- and postmethimazole treatment compared with seven euthyroid cats.
PMID- 28703365
TI - Phototherapy in systemic sclerosis: Review.
AB - Systemic scleroderma-also known as systemic sclerosis (SSc)-is a chronic systemic
connective tissue disease characterized by collagen deposition in cutaneous and
internal organs, leading to skin sclerosis and multiple organ fibrosis. The
pathogenesis is complex and remains poorly understood. Treatment is based on
organ involvement and requires a multidisciplinary approach. Skin sclerosis can
cause disability, leading to decreasing quality of life. Various systemic
antifibrotic therapies have been used; however, most have unsatisfactory results.
Recently, phototherapy and in particular ultraviolet A (UVA) has been used to
treat skin sclerosis in SSc patients with satisfactory results. The main
mechanisms include lymphocyte apoptosis, cytokine alteration, inhibition of
collagen synthesis and increased collagenase production, and neovascularization,
leading to the breakdown of collagen fibrils resulting in skin softening or even
healing digital ulcers. Most studies reported that psoralen plus UVA (PUVA) and
UVA1 phototherapy improved clinical outcomes vis-a-vis skin sclerosis, joint
mobility, ulcers, and histopathology. PUVA and UVA1 phototherapy therefore have
potential as an alternative or adjunctive therapy for patients with SSc.
PMID- 28703366
TI - Synergistic Effect of TPD7 and Berberine against Leukemia Jurkat Cell Growth
through Regulating Ephrin-B2 Signaling.
AB - TPD7, a novel biphenyl urea taspine derivative, and berberine have presented
inhibition on VEGFR2 that can be regulated by ephrin-B2 reverse signaling through
interactions with the PDZ domain. The purpose of this study is to investigate the
inhibitory effect of the combination of TPD7 and berberine (TAB) on T-cell acute
lymphoblastic leukemia cell growth. TPD7 and berberine together synergistically
inhibited the proliferation of Jurkat cells. Also, the combination of TAB induced
G1 -phase cell-cycle arrest by downregulating the level of cyclin D1, cyclin E,
and CDC2. Furthermore, the combination of TAB significantly enhanced apoptosis in
Jurkat cells, and the apoptosis most likely resulted from the modulation of the
level of Bcl-2 family members. Most importantly, the concomitant treatment
simultaneously regulated the ephrin-B2 and VEGFR2 signaling, as well as modulated
the MEK/ERK and PTEN/PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling. Therefore, the combination
treatment of TAB may be a promising therapeutic method in treating T-cell acute
lymphoblastic leukemia. Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
PMID- 28703367
TI - Temporal relationship between instantaneous pressure gradients and peak-to-peak
systolic ejection gradient in congenital aortic stenosis.
AB - OBJECTIVE: We sought to identify a time during cardiac ejection when the
instantaneous pressure gradient (IPG) correlated best, and near unity, with peak
to-peak systolic ejection gradient (PPSG) in patients with congenital aortic
stenosis. Noninvasive echocardiographic measurement of IPG has limited
correlation with cardiac catheterization measured PPSG across the spectrum of
disease severity of congenital aortic stenosis. A major contributor is the
observation that these measures are inherently different with a variable
relationship dependent on the degree of stenosis. DESIGN: Hemodynamic data from
cardiac catheterizations utilizing simultaneous pressure measurements from the
left ventricle (LV) and ascending aorta (AAo) in patients with congenital valvar
aortic stenosis was retrospectively reviewed over the past 5 years. The cardiac
cycle was standardized for all patients using the percentage of total LV ejection
time (ET). Instantaneous gradient at 5% intervals of ET were compared to PPSG
using linear regression and Bland-Altman analysis. RESULTS: A total of 22
patients underwent catheterization at a median age of 13.7 years (interquartile
range [IQR] 10.3-18.0) and median weight of 51.1 kg (IQR 34.2-71.6). The PPSG was
46.5 +/- 12.6 mm Hg (mean +/- SD) and correlated suboptimally with the maximum
and mean IPG. The midsystolic IPG (occurring at 50% of ET) had the strongest
correlation with the PPSG ( PPSG = 0.97(IPG50%)-1.12, R2 = 0.88), while the IPG
at 55% of ET was closest to unity ( PPSG = 0.997(IPG55%)-1.17, R2 = 0.87).
CONCLUSIONS: The commonly measured maximum and mean IPG are suboptimal estimates
of the PPSG in congenital aortic stenosis. Using catheter-based data, IPG at 50%
55% of ejection correlates well with PPSG. This may allow for a more accurate
estimation of PPSG via noninvasive assessment of IPG.
PMID- 28703369
TI - Thomas E. Starzl, MD, PhD: Father of Transplantation-March 11, 1926-March 4,
2017.
PMID- 28703370
TI - Urgent Driveline Repair Under Catecholamine Support After Total Driveline Cut.
PMID- 28703371
TI - Normothermic Machine Perfusion Using an Air/Oxygen Mixer for Reconditioning a
Liver From a Marginal Brain Death Donor.
PMID- 28703372
TI - Extracorporeal Lung Support in Acute Chest Syndrome Associated With Sickle Cell
Disease: A Rare Report of a Common Case.
PMID- 28703373
TI - How to Shoot the Parachute-Minimally Invasive Ventricular Assist Device Surgery
in a Patient Wearing All Existing Cardiologically Available Interventions.
PMID- 28703374
TI - Outcome Improvement for Hypothermic Machine Perfusion Versus Cold Storage for
Kidneys From Cardiac Death Donors.
AB - Organ shortage has led to an increased use of kidneys from cardiac death donors
(DCDs), but controversies about the methods of organ preservation still exist.
This study aims to compare the effect of machine perfusion (MP) and cold storage
(CS) in protecting kidneys harvested from DCDs. 141 kidney pairs from DCDs
between July 2010 and July 2015 were included in this randomized controlled
study. One kidney from each donor was randomly assigned to MP and the
contralateral kidney was assigned to CS. Delayed graft function (DGF) rate,
resistance index of renal arteries, early renal function, and survival rates were
used to estimate the effect of preservation. The results showed that MP decreased
the rate of DGF from 33.3 to 22.0% (P = 0.033). Ultrasound of the kidneys within
48 h after transplantation showed that the resistance index of renal main artery
(0.673 +/- 0.063 vs. 0.793 +/- 0.124, P < 0.001), sub segmental artery (0.66 +/-
0.062 vs. 0.764 +/- 0.077, P < 0.001) and interlobular artery (0.648 +/- 0.056
vs. 0.745 +/- 0.111, P = 0.023) were all significantly lower in the MP group than
those in the CS group. Furthermore, compared to the CS group, in the first 7 days
following transplantation, the median urine volume was significantly higher (4080
mL vs. 3000 mL, P = 0.047) in kidneys sustained using MP and the median serum
creatinine was remarkably lower (180 umol/L vs. 390 umol/L, P = 0.024). More
importantly, MP group had higher 1- and 3-year graft survival rates (98% vs. 93%,
P = 0.026; 93% vs. 82%, P = 0.036, respectively). Hypothermic MP improved the
outcomes of DCD kidney transplantation.
PMID- 28703375
TI - A Combined 1 H/6 Li NMR DOSY Strategy Finally Uncovers the Structure of
Isopropyllithium in THF.
AB - Despite its common use in synthesis, the structure of isopropylliyhium in THF has
never been determined, a dimer being generally proposed but not supported. This
paper fills this data gap through a sophisticated NMR study that shows that, in
THF at low-temperature, isopropyllithium is in the form of a 1:2 mixture of a
trisolvated monomer and a disolvated dimer in equilibrium. The presence of the
monomer, never evoked before, together with a hypo-solvation of the dimer hinted
by DFT calculations, provides a rational explanation to the remarkable reactivity
of this organolithium reagent in ethereal solvents.
PMID- 28703376
TI - Comparison of HER2 testing among laboratories: Our experience with review cases
retested at Moffitt Cancer Center in a two-year period.
AB - Determination of human epidermal receptor protein-2 (HER2) is a crucial step in
the treatment of patients diagnosed with invasive breast carcinoma. HER2 status
is an independent clinical prognostic factor and a predictive factor of tumor
response to chemotherapeutic agents such as trastuzumab. Accurate testing is
necessary to offer adequate therapy to patients. To evaluate the variation in
HER2 testing results, we analyzed our data from review cases in which HER2
testing was repeated at our institution from January 2013 to December 2014. For
the study, the reason for repeating the test, the testing methodology used, and
the tests results were collected. Concordance between outside and in-house HER2
results was compared. Discrepancies were classified as major and minor. A total
of 173 cases were retested during this period. One-hundred and twenty-eight cases
met the inclusion criteria. Sixteen cases were originally tested at large
reference laboratories and two in international laboratories. In the 110
remaining cases, the test was performed at small community laboratories or the
testing facility was not available. Forty-one (32%) discrepancies were
identified. Of these, 15 (12% of 128 total) were major and 26 (20% of 128 total)
were considered minor discrepancies. Our study confirms that significant
discrepancies in HER2 results persist even after stricter and well-developed
testing guidelines have been embraced.
PMID- 28703377
TI - Protective effect of moisturizers on photoaging.
PMID- 28703378
TI - Improvement of drought tolerance by overexpressing MdATG18a is mediated by
modified antioxidant system and activated autophagy in transgenic apple.
AB - Autophagy is a major and conserved pathway for delivering and recycling unwanted
proteins or damaged organelles to be degraded in the vacuoles. AuTophaGy-related
(ATG) protein 18a has been established as one of the essential components for
autophagy occurrence in Arabidopsis thaliana. We previously cloned the ATG18a
homolog from Malus domestica (MdATG18a) and monitored its responsiveness to
various abiotic stresses at the transcriptional level. However, it is still
unclear what its function is under abiotic stress in apple. Here, we found that
heterologous expression of MdATG18a in tomato plants markedly enhanced their
tolerance to drought. Overexpression (OE) of that gene in apple plants improved
their drought tolerance as well. Under drought conditions, the photosynthesis
rate and antioxidant capacity were significantly elevated in OE lines when
compared with the untransformed wild type (WT). Transcript levels of other
important apple ATG genes were more strongly up-regulated in transgenic MdATG18a
OE lines than in the WT. The percentage of insoluble protein in proportion to
total protein was lower and less oxidized protein accumulated in the OE lines
than in the WT under drought stress. This was probably due to more autophagosomes
being formed in the former. These results demonstrate that overexpression of
MdATG18a in apple plants enhances their tolerance to drought stress, probably
because of greater autophagosome production and a higher frequency of autophagy.
Those processes help degrade protein aggregation and limit the oxidation damage,
thereby suggesting that autophagy plays important roles in the drought response.
PMID- 28703379
TI - Stressful life events and posttraumatic growth among police officers: A cross
sectional study.
AB - Police officers often continue to face numerous threats and stressors in the
aftermath of a disaster. To date, posttraumatic growth (PTG) has been studied
primarily in the context of significant trauma; thus, it is not known whether
stressful life events are associated with PTG. This study investigated the
development of PTG among 113 police officers working in the New Orleans area
following Hurricane Katrina. Hierarchical regression was used to evaluate if
gratitude, social support, and satisfaction with life moderated the relationship
between stressful life events (as measured by the total life stress score) and
PTG, after adjustment for age, sex, race, level of involvement in Hurricane
Katrina, and alcohol intake. Results indicate that stressful life events are
independently associated with PTG. Gratitude, satisfaction with life, and social
support were seen to moderate this relationship; as stressful life events
increased so too did PTG-particularly among officers with higher levels of
gratitude (B = 0.002, p <= .05), satisfaction with life (B = 0.002, p <= .05),
and social support (B = 0.001, p <= .05). These findings suggest that promoting
satisfaction with life, interpersonal support, and gratitude may be beneficial to
those who are regularly at risk of trauma exposure.
PMID- 28703380
TI - Chemical Characterization, Antileishmanial Activity, and Cytotoxicity Effects of
the Essential Oil from Leaves of Pluchea carolinensis (Jacq.) G. Don.
(Asteraceae).
AB - Current strategies to control leishmaniasis are mainly based on chemotherapy.
However, none of the available drugs can be considered to be ideal to treat this
disease. Because of the hydrophobic nature and bioactivities of their components,
essential oils (EOs) can be considered as important sources for developing agents
against intracellular pathogens, such as Leishmania parasites. In this study, we
report the chemical characterization, antileishmanial activities, and
cytotoxicity effect of the EO from Pluchea carolinensis (Jacq.) G. Don.
(Asteraceae). Chemical analysis revealed that EO from aerial part from P.
carolinensis is composed of 44 compounds. The main component was selin-11-en
4alpha-ol, which made up 51.0%. In vitro antileishmanial studies showed that P.
carolinensis EO inhibited the growth of promastigotes (IC50 = 24.7 +/- 7.1
MUg/mL) and amastigotes (IC50 = 6.2 +/- 0.1 MUg/mL) of Leishmania amazonensis,
while cytotoxicity evaluation revealed fivefold higher values than those for the
parasites. In a model of experimental cutaneous leishmaniasis in BALB/c mice,
five doses of EO at 30 mg/kg by intralesional route demonstrated smaller lesion
size and parasite burden (p < 0.05) compared with animals treated with
Glucantime(r) and untreated mice. In conclusion, in vitro and in vivo results
showed the potentialities of EO from P. carolinensis with the future possibility
of a new alternative in the treatment for leishmaniasis. Copyright (c) 2017 John
Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
PMID- 28703381
TI - Enhancing image contrast of carbon nanotubes on cellular background using helium
ion microscope by varying helium ion fluence.
AB - Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have become an important nano entity for biomedical
applications. Conventional methods of their imaging, often cannot be applied in
biological samples due to an inadequate spatial resolution or poor contrast
between the CNTs and the biological sample. Here we report a unique and effective
detection method, which uses differences in conductivities of carbon nanotubes
and HeLa cells. The technique involves the use of a helium ion microscope to
image the sample with the surface charging artefacts created by the He+ and
neutralised by electron flood gun. This enables us to obtain a few nanometre
resolution images of CNTs in HeLa Cells with high contrast, which was achieved by
tailoring the He+ fluence. Charging artefacts can be efficiently removed for
conductive CNTs by a low amount of electrons, the fluence of which is not
adequate to discharge the cell surface, resulting in high image contrast. Thus,
this technique enables rapid detection of any conducting nano structures on
insulating cellular background even in large fields of view and fine spatial
resolution. The technique demonstrated has wider applications for researchers
seeking enhanced contrast and high-resolution imaging of any conducting entity in
a biological matrix - a commonly encountered issue of importance in drug
delivery, tissue engineering and toxicological studies.
PMID- 28703382
TI - Current treatments of acne: Medications, lights, lasers, and a novel 650-MUs 1064
nm Nd: YAG laser.
AB - The treatment of acne, especially severe acne, remains a challenge to
dermatologists. Therapies include retinoids, antibiotics, hormones, lights,
lasers, and various combinations of these modalities. Acne is currently
considered a chronic rather than an adolescent condition. The appropriate
treatment depends on the patient and the severity of disease. The purpose of this
study was to review current therapies for acne of all severities and to introduce
the 650-MUs 1064-nm laser for the treatment of acne.
PMID- 28703383
TI - Implementation of evidence-based treatments for borderline personality disorder:
The impact of organizational changes on treatment outcome of mentalization-based
treatment.
AB - The quality of implementation of evidence-based treatment programs for borderline
personality disorder (BPD) in routine clinical care is a neglected issue. The
first aim of this mixed-method naturalistic study was to explore the impact of
organizational changes on treatment effectiveness of a day-hospital programme of
mentalization-based treatment. Consecutively referred BPD patients were divided
into a pre-reorganization cohort (PRE-REORG) and a cohort during reorganization
(REORG). Psychiatric symptoms (Brief Symptom Inventory) and personality
functioning (Severity Indices of Personality Problems-118) before treatment and
at 18- and 36-month follow-up were compared using multilevel modelling. Effect
sizes in the PRE-REORG cohort were approximately twice as large at 18 months (PRE
REORG: range 0.81-1.22; REORG: range 0.03-0.71) and three times as large at 36
months (PRE-REORG: range 0.81-1.80; REORG: range 0.27-0.81). The quantitative
results of this study suggest that even when mentalization-based treatment is
successfully implemented and the structure of the programme remains intact, major
organizational changes may have a considerable impact on its effectiveness.
Second, we aimed to explore the impact of the reorganization on adherence at
organizational, team and therapist level. The qualitative results of this study
indicate that the organizational changes were negatively related to adherence to
the treatment model at organizational, team and therapist level, which in turn
was associated with a decrease in treatment effectiveness. The implications of
these findings for the implementation of effective treatments for BPD in routine
clinical practice are discussed. Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
PMID- 28703384
TI - Is bigger better? The relationship between size and reproduction in female Asian
elephants.
AB - The limited availability of resources is predicted to impose trade-offs between
growth, reproduction and self-maintenance in animals. However, although some
studies have shown that early reproduction suppresses growth, reproduction
positively correlates with size in others. We use detailed records from a large
population of semi-captive elephants in Myanmar to assess the relationships
between size (height and weight), reproduction and survival in female Asian
elephants, a species characterized by slow, costly life history. Although female
height gain during the growth period overlapped little with reproductive onset in
the population, there was large variation in age at first reproduction and only
81% of final weight had been reached by peak age of reproduction at the
population level (19 years). Those females beginning reproduction early tended to
be taller and lighter later in life, although these trends were not significant.
We found that taller females were more likely to have reproduced by a given age,
but such effects diminished with age, suggesting there may be a size threshold to
reproduction which is especially important in young females. Because size was not
linked with female survival during reproductive ages, the diminishing effect of
height on reproduction with age is unlikely to be due to biased survival of
larger females. We conclude that although reproduction may not always impose
significant costs on growth, height may be a limiting factor to reproduction in
young female Asian elephants, which could have important implications considering
their birth rates are low and peak reproduction is young - 19 years in this
population.
PMID- 28703385
TI - Arsenite induces DNA damage via mitochondrial ROS and induction of mitochondrial
permeability transition.
AB - Arsenite is an established DNA-damaging agent and human carcinogen. We initially
selected conditions in which the metalloid causes DNA strand scission in the
absence of detectable apoptotic DNA degradation in U937 cells. This response was
suppressed by catalase and by treatments (rotenone and ascorbic acid), or
manipulations (respiration-deficient phenotype), preventing the mitochondrial
formation of O2-. ( mitoO2-.). MitoO2-., and its dismutation product, H2 O2 , are
therefore critically involved in the arsenite-dependent DNA-damaging response. We
then established a link between mitoO2-./H2 O2 and mitochondrial permeability
transition (MPT), and found that this second event also promoted the formation of
DNA-damaging species. As a consequence, the DNA damage induced by arsenite, in
addition to being abolished by the aforementioned treatments/manipulations, was
also significantly reduced by the MPT inhibitor cyclosporin A (CsA). A CsA
sensitive induction of p53 mRNA expression was also detected. Finally, evidence
of CsA-sensitive DNA strand scission was also obtained in MCF-7, HT22, and NCTC
2544 cells. MitoO2-./H2 O2 therefore directly mediates DNA damage induced by
arsenite and indirectly promotes the formation of additional DNA-damaging species
via the induction of MPT. (c) 2017 BioFactors, 43(5):673-684, 2017.
PMID- 28703386
TI - High-resolution cone-beam computed tomography for assessment of bone invasion in
oral cancer: Comparison with conventional computed tomography.
AB - BACKGROUND: Radiologic assessment of mandibular bone invasion is critical in
evaluating the extent of bone resection required in patients with oral cancer.
There are a few reports of improved sensitivity with cone-beam CT (CBCT) over
conventional CT. METHODS: A prospective cohort study of patients with oral
squamous cell carcinomas adjacent to the mandible requiring marginal or segmental
mandibular resection was performed. Patients were treated based on clinical
assessment and conventional cross-sectional imaging. Patients and surgeons were
blinded to the results of CBCT performed preoperatively. Pathologic examination
served as the gold standard. RESULTS: Forty-five patients were included in the
study. Thirty-three percent of the patients underwent segmental mandibulectomy
and 37% had bone invasion. The sensitivity and specificity of CBCT were 91% and
60%, respectively, compared to 86% and 68% for CT with bone windows. CONCLUSION:
A CBCT offers marginally improved sensitivity at the cost of reduced specificity
for assessment of bone invasion compared to CT.
PMID- 28703387
TI - One-stage muscle-sparing breast reconstruction in elderly patients: A new tool
for retaining excellent quality of life.
AB - More than 50% of breast cancer care occurs in elderly but women aged 65 and over
generally have lower breast reconstruction (BR) rates. In medical literature, few
papers focused on BR in elderly patients and usually the reported techniques are
multisteps such as expander-implant reconstruction, local, and free flaps. We
present a one-stage reconstruction technique employed in elderly patients: muscle
sparing immediate BR with subcutaneous implant and Braxon acellular dermal
matrix. We prove the feasibility and safety of the technique and believe that
this new procedure could represent a potential benefit in elderly BR.
PMID- 28703388
TI - Stoichiometric and Catalytic C-C and C-H Bond Formation with B(C6 F5 )3 via
Cationic Intermediates.
AB - This work showcases a new catalytic cyclization reaction using a highly Lewis
acidic borane with concomitant C-H or C-C bond formation. The activation of
alkyne-containing substrates with B(C6 F5 )3 enabled the first catalytic
intramolecular cyclizations of carboxylic acid substrates using this Lewis acid.
In addition, intramolecular cyclizations of esters enable C-C bond formation as
catalytic B(C6 F5 )3 can be used to effect formal 1,5-alkyl migrations from the
ester functional groups to unsaturated carbon-carbon frameworks. This metal-free
method was used for the catalytic formation of complex dihydropyrones and
isocoumarins in very good yields under relatively mild conditions with excellent
atom efficiency.
PMID- 28703389
TI - Lipid profiling of complex biological mixtures by liquid chromatography/mass
spectrometry using a novel scanning quadrupole data-independent acquisition
strategy.
AB - RATIONALE: A novel data-independent acquisition method is detailed that
incorporates a scanning quadrupole in front of an orthogonal acceleration time-of
flight (TOF) mass analyser. This approach is described and the attributes are
compared and contrasted to other DIA approaches. METHODS: Specific application of
the method to both targeted and untargeted lipidomic identification strategies is
discussed, with data from both shotgun and LC separated lipidomics experiments
presented. RESULTS: The benefits of the fast quadrupole scanning technique are
highlighted, and include improvements in speed and specificity for complex
mixtures providing high quality qualitative and quantitative data. CONCLUSIONS:
In particular the high specificity afforded by the scanning quadrupole improves
qualitative information for lipid identification.
PMID- 28703390
TI - Physiotherapist-led suprascapular nerve blocks for persistent shoulder pain:
Evaluation of a new service in the UK.
AB - INTRODUCTION: This service evaluation explored and reported findings from a new
physiotherapist-led service offering suprascapular nerve blocks (SSNBs) to
patients with persistent shoulder pain. METHODS: We collected data before the
SSNB injection and at the 6-weeks and 6-month follow-up from consecutive patients
with persistent shoulder pain being treated by physiotherapists or an
anaesthetist. Outcomes were patient-reported pain (numerical rating scale [NRS 0
to 10]), patient-specific functional score (PSFS) and health-related quality of
life [the EuroQol five dimensions questionnaire (EQ5D-5 L)]. Exploratory analyses
compared baseline and follow-up scores within each clinician delivery group
(physiotherapists, anaesthetist). RESULTS: Forty patients (mean age 57 years
[standard deviation {SD} 12]; 63% female) received an SSNB from a
physiotherapist, eight patients (mean age 59 years [SD 11]; female 88%) received
an SSNB from an anaesthetist. At the 6-week follow-up, the physiotherapy group
showed a mean reduction in pain (on the NRS): 2.2 (95% confidence interval [CI]
1.3 to 3.0) and an improvement in function (on the PSFS): -1.3 (95% CI -1.9 to
0.4). Similar changes were found in those treated by the anaesthetist (pain: 1.3
[95% CI -1.18 to 3.80]; function: -1.4 (95% CI -3.18 to 0.35]). Very small
changes, that were not statistically significant, were found in EQ5D-5 L scores.
At the 6-month follow-up, the mean reduction in pain (NRS) was maintained at 2.0
(95% CI 0.99 to 2.95) for the physiotherapy group. CONCLUSION: The results
provide early, exploratory evidence that patients with persistent shoulder pain
treated by physiotherapists using palpation-guided SSNBs achieve clinically
important changes in pain and function in the short and medium term.
PMID- 28703391
TI - Multi-gene phylogenetic analysis reveals that shochu-fermenting Saccharomyces
cerevisiae strains form a distinct sub-clade of the Japanese sake cluster.
AB - Shochu is a traditional Japanese distilled spirit. The formation of the
distinguishing flavour of shochu produced in individual distilleries is
attributed to putative indigenous yeast strains. In this study, we performed the
first (to our knowledge) phylogenetic classification of shochu strains based on
nucleotide gene sequences. We performed phylogenetic classification of 21
putative indigenous shochu yeast strains isolated from 11 distilleries. All of
these strains were shown or confirmed to be Saccharomyces cerevisiae, sharing
species identification with 34 known S. cerevisiae strains (including commonly
used shochu, sake, ale, whisky, bakery, bioethanol and laboratory yeast strains
and clinical isolate) that were tested in parallel. Our analysis used five genes
that reflect genome-level phylogeny for the strain-level classification. In a
first step, we demonstrated that partial regions of the ZAP1, THI7, PXL1, YRR1
and GLG1 genes were sufficient to reproduce previous sub-species classifications.
In a second step, these five analysed regions from each of 25 strains (four
commonly used shochu strains and the 21 putative indigenous shochu strains) were
concatenated and used to generate a phylogenetic tree. Further analysis revealed
that the putative indigenous shochu yeast strains form a monophyletic group that
includes both the shochu yeasts and a subset of the sake group strains; this
cluster is a sister group to other sake yeast strains, together comprising a sake
shochu group. Differences among shochu strains were small, suggesting that it may
be possible to correlate subtle phenotypic differences among shochu flavours with
specific differences in genome sequences. Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons,
Ltd.
PMID- 28703392
TI - A comparison between vitamin K antagonists and new oral anticoagulants.
PMID- 28703393
TI - Serological diagnostics in the detection of IgG autoantibodies against human
collagen VII in epidermolysis bullosa acquisita: a multicentre analysis.
AB - BACKGROUND: Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA) is a rare, potentially
devastating autoimmune disease of the skin. IgG autoantibodies directed against
type VII collagen (Col7), the major component of anchoring fibrils, induce skin
fragility leading to cutaneous and mucocutaneous blister formation, which is
mostly of a scarring phenotype. Thus, powerful and reproducible diagnostic assays
are critical to establish the diagnosis of EBA early to avoid irreversible
sequelae. OBJECTIVES: The present international, retrospective multicentre study
included a large cohort of patients with EBA and evaluated the diagnostic power
of four different diagnostic assays for the detection of anti-Col7 IgG
autoantibodies. METHODS: Overall, 95 EBA sera and 200 control sera consisting of
100 bullous pemphigoid sera, 50 pemphigus vulgaris sera and 50 sera of healthy
controls were tested for anti-Col7 IgG autoantibodies using indirect
immunofluorescence (IIF), two commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
(ELISA) systems and Western blot (WB) analysis. EBA sera were taken from patients
with positive direct immunofluorescence and IgG reactivity in at least one of the
immunoserological assays (IIF, ELISA, WB). RESULTS: A Col7-NC1/NC2 ELISA (MBL,
Nagoya, Japan) showed the highest sensitivity (97.9%), followed by a Col7-NC1
ELISA (Euroimmun, Lubeck, Germany) (89.5%), WB with Col7-NC1 (85.3%), and IIF on
saline-split human skin (74.7%). The specificities of both ELISA systems were
comparable (NC1 98.7%, NC1/NC2 99.3%). Furthermore, WB was more sensitive than
IIF, which was more specific. CONCLUSIONS: The two commercially available ELISA
systems allow for a highly sensitive and specific diagnosis of EBA. The
sensitivity of the Col7-NC1/NC2 ELISA is significantly higher compared with the
ELISA based on the Col7-NC1 domain only.
PMID- 28703394
TI - Priorities and challenges for a palliative approach to care for rural indigenous
populations: A scoping review.
AB - We carried out a scoping review to identify key priorities and challenges
relevant to rural Indigenous palliative care stated in existing literature. Our
scoping review activities followed Arskey and O'Malley's principles for
conducting a scoping review. We included peer-reviewed literature from MEDLINE,
CINAHL and EMBASE that included a discussion of Indigenous populations,
palliative care, and rural settings, and did not use date limits. The literature
search was conducted in April 2016, and the retrieved literature was screened for
relevance and appropriateness April 2016-March of 2017. In addition to the
academic literature, a scan of the grey literature was conducted in March 2017.
The retrieved grey literature was screened for relevance and reviewed by a team
from a provincial health authority serving Indigenous peoples to ensure relevance
in a rural BC setting. Once reviewed for relevance and appropriateness, we added
four reports to supplement our analysis. Ultimately, 44 peer-reviewed articles
and 4 pieces of grey literature met our inclusion criteria and were included in
the review. Our analysis revealed several challenges and priorities relevant to
rural Indigenous palliative care. Key challenges included: (i) environmental and
contextual issues; (ii) institutional barriers; and (iii) interpersonal dynamics
challenging client/clinician interactions. Priorities included: (i) family
connections throughout the dying process; (ii) building local capacity for
palliative care to provide more relevant and culturally appropriate care; and
(iii) flexibility and multi-sectoral partnerships to address the complexity of
day-to-day needs for patients/families. These findings point to several areas for
change and action that can improve the relevance, access and comprehensiveness of
palliative care programming for rural Indigenous communities in Canada and
elsewhere. Taking into account of the diversity and unique strengths of each
Indigenous community will be vital in developing sustainable and meaningful
change.
PMID- 28703395
TI - New perspectives on study designs for evaluating neuroprotection in Parkinson's
disease.
PMID- 28703396
TI - On the Relation Between Marr's Levels: A Response to Blokpoel (2017).
AB - Blokpoel reminds us of the importance of consistency of function across Marr's
levels, but we argue that the approach to ensuring consistency that he advocates
a strict relation through exact implementation of the higher level function at
the lower level-is unnecessarily restrictive. We show that it forces
overcomplication of the computational level (by requiring it to incorporate
concerns from lower levels) and results in the sacrifice of the distinct
responsibilities associated with each level. We propose an alternative, no less
rigorous, potential characterization of the relation between levels.
PMID- 28703397
TI - Tai chi for mild cognitive impairment: a systematic review.
PMID- 28703398
TI - Tissue dynamics and regenerative outcome in two resorbable non-cross-linked
collagen membranes for guided bone regeneration: A preclinical molecular and
histological study in vivo.
AB - OBJECTIVES: To investigate the molecular and structural patterns of bone healing
during guided bone regeneration (GBR), comparing two resorbable non-cross-linked
collagen membranes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Trabecular bone defects in rat femurs
were filled with deproteinized bovine bone (DBB) and covered with either a
membrane comprising collagen and elastin (CXP) or collagen (BG). Samples were
harvested after 3 and 21 days for histology/histomorphometry and gene expression
analysis. Gene expression analysis was performed on the membrane (at 3 days) and
the underlying defect compartment (at 3 and 21 days). RESULTS: At the total
defect level, no differences in bone area percentage were found between the CXP
and BG. When evaluating the central area of the defect, a higher percentage of de
novo bone formation was seen for the CXP membrane (34.9%) compared to BG (15.5%)
at 21 days (p = .01). Gene expression analysis revealed higher expression of bone
morphogenetic protein-2 (Bmp2) in the membrane compartment at 3 days in the BG
group. By contrast, higher Bmp2 expression was found in the defect compartment
treated with the CXP membrane, both at 3 and 21 days. A significant temporal
increase (from 3 to 21 days) in the remodeling activity, cathepsin K (Catk) and
calcitonin receptor (Calcr), was found in the CXP group. Molecular analysis
demonstrated expression of several growth factors and cytokines in the membrane
compartment irrespective of the membrane type. Bmp2 expression in the membrane
correlated positively with Bmp2 expression in the defect, whereas fibroblast
growth factor-2 (Fgf2) expression in the membrane correlated positively with
inflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (Tnfa) and interleukin-6
(Il6) in the defect. CONCLUSIONS: The results provide histological and molecular
evidence that different resorbable collagen membranes contribute differently to
the GBR healing process. In the BG group, bone formation was primarily localized
to the peripheral part of the defect. By contrast, the CXP group demonstrated
significantly higher de novo bone formation in the central portion of the defect.
This increase in bone formation was reflected by triggered expression of potent
osteogenic growth factor, Bmp2, in the defect. These findings suggest that the
CXP membrane may have a more active role in regulating the bone healing dynamics.
PMID- 28703399
TI - CE and nanomaterials - Part II: Nanomaterials in CE.
AB - The scope of this two-part review is to summarize publications dealing with CE
and nanomaterials together. This topic can be viewed from two broad perspectives,
and this article is trying to highlight these two approaches: (i) CE of
nanomaterials, and (ii) nanomaterials in CE. The second part aims at
summarization of publications dealing with application of nanomaterials for
enhancement of CE performance either in terms of increasing the separation
resolution or for improvement of the detection. To increase the resolution,
nanomaterials are employed as either surface modification of the capillary wall
forming open tubular column or as additives to the separation electrolyte
resulting in a pseudostationary phase. Moreover, nanomaterials have proven to be
very beneficial for increasing also the sensitivity of detection employed in CE
or even they enable the detection (e.g., fluorescent tags of nonfluorescent
molecules).
PMID- 28703400
TI - Mitochondria-targeted antioxidant SkQ1 improves spermatogenesis in Immp2l mutant
mice.
AB - Previous studies have confirmed that spermatogenesis in homozygous Immp2l mutant
male mice was normal at the age of 6 months, but was significantly abnormal at
the age of 13 months. Meanwhile, oxidative stress is reported to be involved in
spermatogenic impairment in old mutant mice. However, it is unclear whether
antioxidant treatment is a suitable intervention for improving spermatogenesis in
old mutant mice. This study sought to investigate the effect of mitochondria
targeted antioxidant SkQ1 on spermatogenesis in homozygous Immp2l mutant mice.
Immp2l mutant mice were treated with the mitochondria-targeted antioxidant SkQ1
from the age of 6 weeks until 13 months. SkQ1 treatment significantly improved
spermatogenesis in old Immp2 l mutant mice. Moreover, SkQ1 treatment improved the
morphology of testicular seminiferous tubules, significantly reduced the
apoptosis of germ cells and increased the level of GPX4 expression in old Immp2 l
mutant mice. In conclusion, our data suggest that the mitochondria-targeted
antioxidant SkQ1 is effective in improving spermatogenesis in Immp2 l mutant mice
and might be used for the treatment of male infertility.
PMID- 28703401
TI - Adsorption of Protein-Bound Uremic Toxins Through Direct Hemoperfusion With
Hexadecyl-Immobilized Cellulose Beads in Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis.
AB - An accumulation of protein-bound uremic toxins (PBUTs) is one of major reasons
for development of uremia-related complications. We examined the PBUT removal
ability of a hexadecyl-immobilized cellulose bead (HICB)-containing column for
patients undergoing hemodialysis. Adsorption of indoxyl sulfate (IS), a
representative PBUT, to HICBs was examined in vitro. The HICB column was used in
patients undergoing hemodialysis for direct hemoperfusion with a regular
hemodialyzer. The serum IS, indole acetic acid (IAA), phenyl sulfate (PhS), and p
cresyl sulfate (PCS) levels were measured before and after passing the column.
HICBs adsorbed protein-free (free) IS in a dose- and time-dependent manner in
vitro (55.4 +/- 1.4% adsorption of 1 millimolar, 251 ug/mL, IS for 1 h). In
clinical studies, passing the HICB-containing column decreased the serum level of
free IS, IAA, PhS, and PCS levels significantly (by 34.4 +/- 30.0%, 34.8 +/-
25.4%, 28.4 +/- 18.0%, and 34.9 +/- 22.1%, respectively), but not protein-bound
toxins in maintenance hemodialysis patients. HICBs absorbed some amount of free
PBUTs, but the clinical trial to use HICB column did not show effect to reduce
serum PBUTs level in hemodialysis patients. Adsorption treatment by means of
direct hemoperfusion with regular hemodialysis may become an attractive blood
purification treatment to increase PBUT removal when more effective materials to
adsorb PBUTs selectively will be developed.
PMID- 28703402
TI - Laparoscopic surgery to remove a cage that migrated to the retroperitoneal space
during posterior lumbar interbody fusion: A case report.
AB - INTRODUCTION: Cage migration into the retroperitoneal space during posterior
lumbar interbody fusion rarely occurs. Here, we report a patient who underwent
laparoscopic surgery to remove a migrated cage from the retroperitoneal space.
CASE PRESENTATION: A 76-year-old woman had a cage that had migrated into the
retroperitoneal space during posterior lumbar interbody fusion. On abdominal CT,
the migrated cage appeared at the front of the promontorium, just below the
aortic and vena caval bifurcations. One day later, the patient underwent
laparoscopic surgery using intraoperative fluoroscopy to extract the migrated
cage. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful, and she was discharged
on the fifth postoperative day. DISCUSSION: A cage that migrates during posterior
lumbar interbody fusion can have serious consequences. In cases where the patient
remains in stable condition, laparoscopic surgery is a useful and suitable method
for removing the cage from the retroperitoneal space.
PMID- 28703403
TI - Utilizing pretreatment and fungal incubation to enhance the nutritional value of
canola meal.
AB - AIMS: The objective of this study was to determine the optimal pretreatment and
fungal strain to reduce glucosinolates (GLS), fibre and residual sugars while
increasing the nutritional value of canola meal. METHODS AND RESULTS: Submerged
incubation conditions were used to evaluate four pretreatment methods (extrusion,
hot water cook, dilute acid and dilute alkali) and three fungal cultures
(Aureobasidium pullulans Y-2311-1, Fusarium venenatum NRRL-26139 and Trichoderma
reesei NRRL-3653) in hexane-extracted (HE) and cold-pressed (CP) canola meal.
CONCLUSIONS: The combination of extrusion pretreatment followed by incubation
with T. reesei resulted in the greatest overall improvement to HE canola meal,
increasing protein to 51.5%, while reducing NDF, GLS and residual sugars to
18.6%, 17.2 MUmol l-1 g-1 and 5% w/w, respectively. Extrusion pretreatment and
incubation with F. venenatum performed the best with CP canola meal, resulting in
54.4% protein while reducing NDF, GLS and residual sugars to 11.6%, 6.7 MUmol l-1
g-1 and 3.8% w/w respectively. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The work is
significant in that it provides a method of reducing GLS (up to 98%) and neutral
detergent fibre (up to 65%) while increasing the protein content (up to 45%) of
canola meal. This novel pretreatment and submerged incubation process could be
used to produce a canola product with higher nutritional value for livestock
consumption.
PMID- 28703404
TI - Construction of Morphan Derivatives by Nitroso-Ene Cyclization: Mechanistic
Insight and Total Synthesis of (+/-)-Kopsone.
AB - A type II nitroso-ene cyclization was developed for the construction of morphan
derivatives with good functional-group tolerance. DFT calculations revealed that
the nitroso-ene reaction proceeds in a stepwise manner involving diradical or
zwitterionic intermediates. The rate-determining step is C-N bond formation,
followed by a rapid hydrogen-transfer step with a chair-conformation transition
state. The current approach was also successfully applied in the first total
synthesis of (+/-)-kopsone, a highly strained yet simple morphan-type alkaloid
isolated from Kopsia macrophylla.
PMID- 28703405
TI - Rational design of biosafe crop resistance to a range of nematodes using RNA
interference.
AB - Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) molecules targeting two genes have been identified
that suppress economically important parasitic nematode species of banana.
Proteasomal alpha subunit 4 (pas-4) and Actin-4 (act-4) were identified from a
survey of sequence databases and cloned sequences for genes conserved across four
pests of banana, Radopholus similis, Pratylenchus coffeae, Meloidogyne incognita
and Helicotylenchus multicinctus. These four species were targeted with dsRNAs
containing exact 21 nucleotide matches to the conserved regions. Potential off
target effects were limited by comparison with Caenorhabditis, Drosophila, rat,
rice and Arabidopsis genomes. In vitro act-4 dsRNA treatment of R. similis
suppressed target gene expression by 2.3-fold, nematode locomotion by 66 +/- 4%
and nematode multiplication on carrot discs by 49 +/- 5%. The best transgenic
carrot hairy root lines expressing act-4 or pas-4 dsRNA reduced transcript
message abundance of target genes in R. similis by 7.9-fold and fourfold and
nematode multiplication by 94 +/- 2% and 69 +/- 3%, respectively. The same act-4
and pas-4 lines reduced P. coffeae target transcripts by 1.7- and twofold and
multiplication by 50 +/- 6% and 73 +/- 8%. Multiplication of M. incognita on the
pas-4 lines was reduced by 97 +/- 1% and 99 +/- 1% while target transcript
abundance was suppressed 4.9- and 5.6-fold. There was no detectable RNAi effect
on nontarget nematodes exposed to dsRNAs targeting parasitic nematodes. This work
defines a framework for development of a range of nonprotein defences to provide
broad resistance to pests and pathogens of crops.
PMID- 28703406
TI - Using indocyanine green fluorescent imaging to successfully resect metachronous
regional lymph node recurrence of rectosigmoid cancer.
AB - A 39-year-old female patient underwent anterior resection with locoregional lymph
node dissection for rectosigmoid cancer at another hospital. The procedure
involved transection of the superior rectal artery just below the origin of the
left colic artery. Postoperative diagnosis was stage III B. The patient received
adjuvant chemotherapy with oxaliplatin plus capecitabine for 6 months. Sixteen
months after the operation, PET-CT scans revealed regional lymph node metastases
around the root of the inferior mesenteric artery. The patient was referred to
our hospital with a recurrence of rectosigmoid cancer. We performed laparoscopic
lymph node dissection with real-time indocyanine green fluorescent images
superimposed on color images to prevent intraoperative vascular insufficiency. We
were able to successfully observe the sufficient blood flow in the descending
colon. Postoperative pathological findings showed lymph node recurrence after
initial surgery. She was discharged 7 days after the operation. In the 8 months
since the second operation, the patient has not had any indication of further
recurrence.
PMID- 28703407
TI - Three relapses after a haploidentical transplantation in a pediatric patient:
Cure with no further transplantation.
AB - Isolated extramedullary relapse (EMR) after hematopoietic stem cell
transplantation (HSCT) is a highly fatal condition that creates uncertainty
regarding treatment options. Although certain approaches such as repeat HSCT and
donor lymphocyte infusion are recommended, we report a patient with acute
lymphoblastic leukemia who had three isolated EMRs after HSCT at different
locations and at different times that were responsive to local and systemic
therapies, without the need for a second transplantation.
PMID- 28703408
TI - Electrochemical and piezoelectric monitoring of taurine via electropolymerized
molecularly imprinted films.
AB - A molecularly imprinted electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) sensor
is fabricated here for taurine, a beta-amino acid significant for functioning of
almost all vital organs. The polymeric film of l-methionine was electrochemically
deposited on gold-coated EQCM electrode. Experimental parameters were optimized
for controlling the performance of molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP)-modified
sensor such as ratio of monomer and template, number of electropolymerization
cycles, mass deposited in each cycle, and pH. Thus, fabricated MIP-EQCM sensor
was successfully applied for estimation of taurine in solutions with varying
matrices, such as aqueous, human blood plasma, milk from cow, buffalo, and milk
powder. Under optimized parameters, response of MIP sensor to taurine was
linearly proportional to its concentration with limit of detection as 0.12MUM.
Hence, a highly sensitive and selective piezoelectric sensor for taurine has been
reported here via imprinting approach.
PMID- 28703409
TI - The individual experience of ageing prisoners: systematic review and meta
synthesis through a Good Lives Model framework.
AB - OBJECTIVE: The existing literature on ageing prisoners tends to focus on such
aspects as diagnosis and physical ill-health. In contrast, the experience of
imprisonment from the perspective of ageing prisoners has received less
attention. Grounded in a Good Lives Model theoretical framework, we reviewed and
meta-synthesised literature around their experience of life in prison, its impact
on their wellbeing and how prison services are currently addressing their complex
needs. We further identify potential areas of improvement. METHODS: 1. Systematic
search on Assia, PsycInfo, MedLine, Embase, Web of Science, Google and Gov.uk. 2.
Extraction and categorisation of data on NVivo. 3. Development of themes through
thematic analysis and meta-synthesis. 4. Identification of potential areas of
improvement. RESULTS: We selected 25 studies for our review, of which 13 were
from the USA, seven from the UK, two from Australia and one each from Ireland,
Switzerland and Israel. We identified three themes: The hardship of imprisonment,
addressing health and social care needs, and the route out of prison.
CONCLUSIONS: Ageing prisoners have unique and complex health and social care
needs which, to varying degree across different countries, are mostly unmet.
Promising initiatives to address their needs are emerging, but, at present time,
the overall experience of incarceration for the ageing prisoner is quite poor,
given the inconsistent physical, emotional and social care support offered from
prison intake to release and beyond. Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
PMID- 28703410
TI - Review of some pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of anti-infective
medicines administered to the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus).
AB - Although koalas are iconic Australian animals, no pharmacokinetic studies of any
first-line medicines used to treat diseased or injured koalas had been published
prior to 2010. Traditionally, medicine dosages suggested for this species
underwent linear extrapolation from those recommended for domesticated species.
The koala, a specialist folivore whose natural diet consists of almost
exclusively Eucalyptus spp. foliage has anatomical and physiological adaptations
for detoxifying their diet which also affect medicine pharmacokinetic profiles.
This review addresses aspects of medicine absorption, clearance, and other
indices (such as medicine binding to plasma proteins) of
enrofloxacin/marbofloxacin and chloramphenicol used for the systemic treatment of
chlamydiosis, and fluconazole +/- amphotericin, and posaconazole for the
treatment of cryptococcosis. Based on observations from published studies, this
review includes suggestions to improve therapeutic outcomes when administering
medicines to diseased koalas.
PMID- 28703411
TI - Development of the New Zealand White Rabbit Eye: I. Pre- and Postnatal
Development of Eye Tunics.
AB - The New Zealand white (NZW) rabbit has been and is right now regularly utilized
in ophthalmic surgery evaluation. Inside NZW rabbit eye, the visibility of ocular
structures throughout surgical procedure is fantastic. Younger rabbits are used
in different ages for the evaluation of ophthalmic surgery. Complete studies of
ocular development in the NZW rabbits have not been reported previously. The aim
of the present investigation was to describe the major landmarks and the time
course of the pre- and post-natal development of the complete eye tunics of the
NZW rabbit to give a superb model as well as a fruitful area for further
ophthalmological investigations. Serial histological sections of NZW rabbit
prenatal (E13-E28) and post-natal (P1-P14) stages were examined, respectively.
The eye of the NZW rabbit developed in a similar manner to that of the human and
domestic animals eyes; the principal differences were at the time of occurrence
of certain developmental events, absence of pigmentation which represent an
exploited benefit for ophthalmic surgery, remarkable Bowman's membrane at E25,
poor developed ciliary stroma and juvenile retinal layer until P9. In human, the
basic morphogenetic processes of the development of eye tunics are completed
towards the end of the first half of gestation period. However, the latter
represents the beginning stage of the development of eye tunics in the rabbit.
Thus, allowing various extensive ophthalmic researches to be performed.
PMID- 28703412
TI - Fumarate hydratase expression is retained in atypical intradermal smooth muscle
neoplasms and cutaneous leiomyosarcomas.
PMID- 28703413
TI - Modulation of the peri-infarct neurogliovascular function by delayed COX-1
inhibition.
AB - PURPOSE: Stroke is the leading cause of adult disability worldwide. The absence
of more effective interventions in the chronic stage-that most patients stand to
benefit from-reflects uncertainty surrounding mechanisms that govern recovery.
The present work investigated the effects of a novel treatment (selective
cyclooxygenase-1, COX-1, inhibition) in a model of focal ischemia. MATERIALS AND
METHODS: FR122047 (COX-1 inhibitor) was given beginning 7 days following stroke
(cortical microinjection of endothelin-1) in 23 adult male rats. Longitudinal
continuous-arterial-spin-labeling was performed prior to treatment (7 days), and
repeated following treatment (21 days) on a 7T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
system to estimate resting perfusion and reactivity to hypercapnia. These in vivo
measurements were buttressed by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Stroke caused an
increase in perilesional resting perfusion (peri-/contralesional perfusion ratio
of 170 +/- 10%) and perfusion responses to hypercapnia (180 +/- 10%) at 7 days.
At 21 days, placebo-administered rats showed normalized perilesional perfusion
(100 +/- 20%) but persistent hyperreactivity (190 +/- 20%). Treated animals
exhibited sustained perilesional hyperperfusion (180 +/- 10%). Further,
reactivity lateralization did not persist following treatment (peri- vs.
contralesional reactivity: P = 0.002 at 7 vs. P = 0.2 at 21 days). Hemodynamic
changes were accompanied by neuronal loss, increased endothelial density, and
widespread microglial and astrocytic activation. Moreover, relative to controls,
treated rats showed increased perilesional neuronal survival (22 +/- 1% vs. 14.9
+/- 0.8%, P = 0.02) and decreased microglia/macrophage recruitment (17 +/- 1% vs.
20 +/- 1%, P = 0.05). Finally, perilesional perfusion was correlated with
neuronal survival (slope = 0.14 +/- 0.05; R2 = 0.7, P = 0.03). CONCLUSION: These
findings shed light on the role of COX-1 in chronic ischemic injury and suggest
that delayed selective COX-1 inhibition exerts multiple beneficial effects on the
neurogliovascular unit. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 1 Technical Efficacy: Stage 4 J. MAGN.
RESON. IMAGING 2017;46:505-517.
PMID- 28703414
TI - Impact of pregnancy on observed sex disparities among adults hospitalized with
laboratory-confirmed influenza, FluSurv-NET, 2010-2012.
AB - INTRODUCTION: Previous FluSurv-NET studies found that adult females had a higher
incidence of influenza-associated hospitalizations than males. To identify groups
of women at higher risk than men, we analyzed data from 14 FluSurv-NET sites that
conducted population-based surveillance for laboratory-confirmed influenza
associated hospitalizations among residents of 78 US counties. METHODS: We
analyzed 6292 laboratory-confirmed, geocodable (96%) adult cases collected by
FluSurv-NET during the 2010-12 influenza seasons. We used 2010 US Census and 2008
2012 American Community Survey data to calculate overall age-adjusted and age
group-specific female:male incidence rate ratios (IRR) by race/ethnicity and
census tract-level poverty. We used national 2010 pregnancy rates to estimate
denominators for pregnant women aged 18-49. We calculated male:female IRRs
excluding them and IRRs for pregnant:non-pregnant women. RESULTS: Overall, 55% of
laboratory-confirmed influenza cases were female. Female:male IRRs were highest
for females aged 18-49 of high neighborhood poverty (IRR 1.50, 95% CI 1.30-1.74)
and of Hispanic ethnicity (IRR 1.70, 95% CI 1.34-2.17). These differences
disappeared after excluding pregnant women. Overall, 26% of 1083 hospitalized
females aged 18-49 were pregnant. Pregnant adult females were more likely to have
influenza-associated hospitalizations than their non-pregnant counterparts
(relative risk [RR] 5.86, 95% CI 5.12-6.71), but vaccination levels were similar
(25.5% vs 27.8%). CONCLUSIONS: Overall rates of influenza-associated
hospitalization were not significantly different for men and women after
excluding pregnant women. Among women aged 18-49, pregnancy increased the risk of
influenza-associated hospitalization sixfold but did not increase the likelihood
of vaccination. Improving vaccination rates in pregnant women should be an
influenza vaccination priority.
PMID- 28703415
TI - Nursing diagnoses related to psychiatric adult inpatient care.
AB - AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To detect the prevalence of NANDA-I diagnoses and possible
relationships between those and patient characteristics such as gender, age,
medical diagnoses and psychiatric specialty/setting. BACKGROUND: There is a lack
on studies about psychiatric inpatient characteristics and possible relationships
among these characteristics with nursing diagnoses. DESIGN: A quantitative
descriptive, cross-sectional, completed data sampling study was performed.
METHODS: The data were collected from the electronic patient record system.
Frequencies for the social-demographic data, the prevalence of the NANDA-I
diagnoses and the explanatory variables were calculated. RESULTS: In total, 410
nursing phenomena were found representing 85 different NANDA-I diagnoses in 312
patients. The NANDA-I diagnosis "Ineffective Coping" was the most frequently
stated diagnosis followed by "Ineffective Health Maintenance," "Hopelessness" and
"Risk for Other-Directed Violence". Men were more frequently affected by the
diagnoses "Ineffective Coping," "Hopelessness," "Risk for Self-Directed
Violence," "Defensive Coping" and "Risk for Suicide," whereas the diagnoses
"Insomnia," "Chronic Confusion," "Chronic Low Self-Esteem" and "Anxiety" were
more common in women. Patients under the age of 45 years were more frequently
affected by "Chronic Low Self-Esteem" and "Anxiety" than older patients.
"Ineffective Coping" was the most prevalent diagnosis by patients with mental
disorders due to psychoactive substance use. Patients with schizophrenia were
primarily affected by the diagnoses "Ineffective Coping," "Impaired Social
Interaction" and "Chronic Low Self-Esteem." CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates
the complexity and diversity of nursing care in inpatient psychiatric settings.
Patients' gender, age and psychiatric diagnoses and settings are a key factor for
specific nursing diagnosis. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: There are tendencies
for relationships between certain nursing diagnosis and patient characteristics
in psychiatric adult inpatients. This enhances the specific, extended knowledge
for nursing care and its demands in this setting and therefore supports the daily
nursing psychiatric care and its needs.
PMID- 28703417
TI - Dynamic Nuclear Polarization Fast Field Cycling Method for the Selective Study of
Molecular Dynamics in Block Copolymers.
AB - Dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) is one of the most useful methods to increase
sensitivity in NMR spectroscopy. It is based on the transfer of magnetization
from an electron to the nuclear spin system. Based on previous work that
demonstrated the feasibility of integrating DNP with fast field cycling (FFC)
relaxometry and the possibility to distinguish between different mechanisms, such
as the Overhauser effect (OE) and the solid effect (SE), the first FFC study of
the differential relaxation properties of a copolymer is presented. For this
purpose, concentrated solutions of the polystyrene-block-polybutadiene-block
polystyrene (SBS) triblock copolymer and the corresponding homopolymers were
investigated. T1 -T2 relaxation data are discussed in terms of molecular mobility
and the presence of radicals. The DNP selective data indicate a dominant SE
contribution to the enhancement of the NMR signal for both blocks of the triblock
copolymer and for the homopolymer solutions. The enhancement factors are
different for both polymer types and in the copolymer, which is explained by the
individual 1 H T1 relaxation times and different electron-nucleus coupling
strength. The T1 relaxation dispersion measurements of the SE enhanced signal
were performed, which led to improved signal-to-noise ratios that allowed the
site-specific separation of relaxation times and their dependence on the Larmor
frequency with a higher accuracy.
PMID- 28703416
TI - ABA signalling manipulation suppresses senescence of a leafy vegetable stored at
room temperature.
AB - Postharvest senescence and associated stresses limit the shelf life and
nutritional value of vegetables. Improved understanding of these processes
creates options for better management. After harvest, controlled exposure to
abiotic stresses and/or exogenous phytohormones can enhance nutraceutical,
organoleptic and commercial longevity traits. With leaf senescence, abscisic acid
(ABA) contents progressively rise, but the actual biological functions of this
hormone through senescence still need to be clarified. Postharvest senescence of
detached green cabbage leaves (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) was characterized
under cold (4 degrees C) and room temperature (25 degrees C) storage
conditions. Hormonal profiling of regions of the leaf blade (apical, medial,
basal) revealed a decrease in cytokinins contents during the first days under
both conditions, while ABA only increased at 25 degrees C. Treatments with ABA
and a partial agonist of ABA (pyrabactin) for 8 days did not lead to significant
effects on water and pigment contents, but increased cell integrity and altered 1
aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) and cytokinins contents. Transcriptome
analysis showed transcriptional regulation of ABA, cytokinin and ethylene
metabolism and signalling; proteasome components; senescence regulation;
protection of chloroplast functionality and cell homeostasis; and suppression of
defence responses (including glucosinolates and phenylpropanoids metabolism). It
is concluded that increasing the concentration of ABA (or its partial agonist
pyrabactin) from the start of postharvest suppresses senescence of stored leaves,
changes the transcriptional regulation of glucosinolates metabolism and down
regulates biotic stress defence mechanisms. These results suggest a potential for
manipulating ABA signalling for improving postharvest quality of leafy vegetables
stored at ambient temperature.
PMID- 28703418
TI - The medline UK filter: development and validation of a geographic search filter
to retrieve research about the UK from OVID medline.
AB - BACKGROUND: A validated geographic search filter for the retrieval of research
about the United Kingdom (UK) from bibliographic databases had not previously
been published. OBJECTIVES: To develop and validate a geographic search filter to
retrieve research about the UK from OVID medline with high recall and precision.
METHODS: Three gold standard sets of references were generated using the relative
recall method. The sets contained references to studies about the UK which had
informed National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance. The
first and second sets were used to develop and refine the medline UK filter. The
third set was used to validate the filter. Recall, precision and number-needed-to
read (NNR) were calculated using a case study. RESULTS: The validated medline UK
filter demonstrated 87.6% relative recall against the third gold standard set. In
the case study, the medline UK filter demonstrated 100% recall, 11.4% precision
and a NNR of nine. CONCLUSION: A validated geographic search filter to retrieve
research about the UK with high recall and precision has been developed. The
medline UK filter can be applied to systematic literature searches in OVID
medline for topics with a UK focus.
PMID- 28703419
TI - An autopsy case of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease with a prion protein gene codon 180
mutation presenting with pathological laughing and an exaggerated startle
reaction.
AB - A 78-year-old Japanese woman presented with slow progressive disorientation and
memory disturbances. Pathological laughing was observed at an early disease stage
and continued for several months. Around the same time, the patient began to
exhibit an exaggerated startle reaction and mild myoclonus. The pathological
laughing and startle reaction disappeared before the patient reached an akinetic
mutism state approximately 16 months after symptom onset. MRI showed extensive
hyperintensity of the cerebral cortex and striatum on diffusion-weighted images,
and swelling in the cerebral cortex on T2-weighted and fluid attenuated inversion
recovery images. A prion protein (PrP) gene analysis revealed a V180I mutation
with methionine homozygosity at codon 129. Neuropathological examination showed
extensive spongiform changes with characteristic various-sized and non-confluent
(VaSNoC) vacuoles in the cerebral neocortex and striatum. Gliosis and
hypertrophic astrocytosis were generally mild in character. Neurons were
relatively preserved in number. We believe that pathological laughing and an
exaggerated startle reaction are possible pathognomonic findings of V180I genetic
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Based on the pathological findings of the present
case, the presence of the VaSNoC-type spongiform changes with relative
preservation of the neurons in the cerebral cortex and a lack of apparent
brainstem involvement are associated at least in part with the pathological
laughing and startle reaction.
PMID- 28703420
TI - Ultrasound Morphology of Polycaprolactone Filler.
AB - Nowadays, cosmetic fillers are widely used and the reports of complications are
rising. Therefore, the possibility to detect and identify noninvasively new
fillers can provide a potent tool for managing complications. The objective of
this study was to assess the ultrasound morphology of polycaprolactone. First,
polycaprolactone was injected into porcine skin and this sonographic morphology
was prospectively compared with the one observed in patients injected with this
filler. On sonography, polycaprolactone shows as hypoechoic deposits that present
multiple bright hyperechoic spots with mini-comet-tail artifact. This morphology
differs from the ultrasound appearance of other common fillers.
PMID- 28703421
TI - Amelioration of oxidative stress using N-acetylcysteine in canine parvoviral
enteritis.
AB - Previously, antioxidants have not been evaluated for treatment of parvoviral
diarrhea in dogs. In this study, antioxidant potential of N-acetylcysteine (NAC)
in dogs infected with canine parvovirus with a nonblinded randomized clinical
trial has been carried out. A total 18 parvo-infected dogs were randomly divided
into two groups: nine parvo-infected dogs were treated with supportive treatment
and nine parvo-infected dogs were treated with NAC along with supportive
treatment. Simultaneously, nine healthy dogs were kept as healthy control. In
parvo-infected dogs, marked hemoconcentration, leucopenia, neutropenia and
oxidative stress were noticed compared to healthy dogs. The NAC treatment
progressively improved the leukocyte, neutrophil, monocyte, and eosinophil counts
over the time in parvovirus-infected dogs compared to dogs that received only
supportive treatment. In addition, NAC treatment significantly improved
glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity and decreased nitrite plus nitrate (NOx)
and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations on day 3 and 5 compared to supportive
treatment in parvo-infected dogs. However, supportive treatment alone failed to
ameliorate oxidative stress in the infected dogs till day 5. The results of this
study suggest that NAC represents a potential additional treatment option that
could be considered to improve the health condition and minimize the duration of
hospitalization in case of canine parvoviral diarrhea.
PMID- 28703422
TI - Comparison of two interdental cleaning aids: A randomized clinical trial.
AB - AIM: The aim of this study was a comparison of the handling and acceptance of two
kinds of interdental brushes (interdental brush with a handle [HB] and a newly
invented interdental cleaning device [NB]). METHODS AND MATERIALS: In a
randomized crossover trial, 40 test subjects with an average number of 23.5
interdental areas were examined. At two appointments with a "washout" period of
one week, the volunteers tried out both cleaning tools (HB and NB). They were
asked to clean as many interdental spaces as possible. The percentage of spaces,
which could be reached, is the IRI (Interdental Reachability Index). Furthermore,
subjective impressions were determined. RESULTS: The average IRI using HB was 64%
compared to 80% using of NB (P<.001); 62.5% of the volunteers found the cleaning
with HB painful and 15% the cleaning with NB. The subjective feeling after
cleaning was 1.75 with NB compared to 2.2 with HB (P=.015), grading the feeling,
from 1 for "very good" to 5 for "poor." The acceptance of regular interdental
hygiene was rated 1.95 in the case of the NB and 2.85 in the case of the HB.
After both appointments, the test subjects declared that they would use the NB
3.05 times and the HB 1.78 times a week. CONCLUSION: This study shows that the
test subjects reached more interdental spaces with NB than with the HB. NB can
improve the usage of interdental brushes. Regarding subjective comfort,
participants also favoured NB over HB.
PMID- 28703424
TI - TiO2 -coated fluoride nanoparticles for dental multimodal optical imaging.
AB - Core-shell nanostructures associated with photonics techniques have found
innumerous applications in diagnostics and therapy. In this work, we introduce a
novel core-shell nanostructure design that serves as a multimodal optical imaging
contrast agent for dental adhesion evaluation. This nanostructure consists of a
rare-earth-doped (NaYF4 :Yb 60%, Tm 0.5%)/NaYF4 particle as the core (hexagonal
prism, ~51 nm base side length) and the highly refractive TiO2 material as the
shell (~thickness of 15 nm). We show that the TiO2 shell provides enhanced
contrast for optical coherence tomography (OCT), while the rare-earth-doped core
upconverts excitation light from 975 nm to an emission peaked at 800 nm for
photoluminescence imaging. The OCT and the photoluminescence wide-field images of
human tooth were demonstrated with this nanoparticle core-shell contrast agent.
In addition, the described core-shell nanoparticles (CSNps) were dispersed in the
primer of a commercially available dental bonding system, allowing clear
identification of dental adhesive layers with OCT. We evaluated that the presence
of the CSNp in the adhesive induced an enhancement of 67% scattering coefficient
to significantly increase the OCT contrast. Moreover, our results highlight that
the upconversion photoluminescence in the near-infrared spectrum region is
suitable for image of deep dental tissue.
PMID- 28703425
TI - Optimism, pessimism, cynical hostility, and biomarkers of metabolic function in
the Women's Health Initiative.
AB - BACKGROUND: Psychological attitudes reflecting expectations about the future
(optimism, pessimism) and people (cynical hostility) independently predict
incident cardiovascular disease and possibly diabetes, but underlying biologic
pathways are incompletely understood. Herein we examined the cross-sectional
relationship between optimism, pessimism, and cynicism and biomarkers of
metabolic function in the Women's Health Initiative. METHODS: Among 3443
postmenopausal women, biomarkers of metabolic function (fasting insulin [FINS]
and glucose) were measured at baseline and used to calculate insulin resistance
(homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance [HOMA-IR]) and pancreatic
beta-cell activity (homeostasis model assessment of beta-cell function [HOMA-B]).
Psychological attitudes were assessed by the Life Orientation Test, Revised (full
scale, and optimism and pessimism subscales) and the Cook-Medley cynicism
subscale. Multivariable linear regression modeled the association of
psychological attitudes with biomarker levels, adjusting for sociodemographics,
health conditions, and health behaviors. Because obesity promotes insulin
resistance and obese individuals tend to report higher levels of pessimism and
cynical hostility, an interaction with body mass index (BMI) was explored.
RESULTS: In fully adjusted models, only pessimism remained independently
associated with higher FINS and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Scoring 1 point
higher on the pessimism subscale was associated with a 1.2% higher FINS, whereas
scoring 1 SD higher was associated with a 2.7% higher FINS (P = 0.03); results
were similar for HOMA-IR. An interaction term with BMI was not significant.
CONCLUSIONS: In multivariable models, higher dispositional pessimism was
associated with worse metabolic function; these findings were not modified by
obesity status. Results extend prior work by linking pessimism to an objective
biomarker of insulin resistance in elderly women.
PMID- 28703426
TI - Employment after heart transplantation among adults with congenital heart
disease.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Adults with congenital heart disease may require heart transplantation
for end-stage heart failure. Whereas heart transplantation potentially allows
adults with congenital heart disease to resume their usual activities, employment
outcomes in this population are unknown. Therefore, we investigated the
prevalence and predictors of work participation after heart transplantation for
congenital heart disease. DESIGN: Retrospective review of a prospective registry.
SETTING: United Network for Organ Sharing registry of transplant recipients in
the United States. PATIENTS: Adult recipients of first-time heart transplantation
with a primary diagnosis of congenital heart disease, performed between 2004 and
2015. INTERVENTIONS: None. OUTCOME MEASURES: Employment status reported by
transplant centers at required follow-up intervals up to 5 y posttransplant.
RESULTS: Among 470 patients included in the analysis (mean follow-up: 5 +/- 3 y),
127 (27%) worked after transplant, 69 (15%) died before beginning or returning to
work, and 274 (58%) survived until censoring, but did not participate in paid
work. Multivariable competing-risks regression analysis examined characteristics
associated with posttransplant employment, accounting for mortality as a
competing outcome. In descriptive and multivariable analysis, pretransplant work
participation was associated with a greater likelihood of posttransplant
employment, while the use of Medicaid insurance at the time of transplant was
associated with a significantly lower likelihood of working after transplant
(subhazard ratio compared to private insurance: 0.55; 95% confidence interval:
0.32, 0.95; P = .032). CONCLUSIONS: Employment was rare after heart
transplantation for congenital heart disease, and was significantly less common
than in the broader population of adults with congenital heart disease.
Differences in return to work were primarily related to pretransplant employment
and the use of public insurance, rather than clinical characteristics.
PMID- 28703423
TI - The emerging role of alternative splicing in senescence and aging.
AB - Deregulation of precursor mRNA splicing is associated with many illnesses and has
been linked to age-related chronic diseases. Here we review recent progress
documenting how defects in the machinery that performs intron removal and
controls splice site selection contribute to cellular senescence and organismal
aging. We discuss the functional association linking p53, IGF-1, SIRT1, and ING-1
splice variants with senescence and aging, and review a selection of splicing
defects occurring in accelerated aging (progeria), vascular aging, and
Alzheimer's disease. Overall, it is becoming increasingly clear that changes in
the activity of splicing factors and in the production of key splice variants can
impact cellular senescence and the aging phenotype.
PMID- 28703427
TI - Light-based devices in the treatment of cutaneous vascular lesions: An updated
review.
AB - BACKGROUND: Light-based devices have been used to treat cutaneous vascular
lesions almost since the original development of the laser. After the
introduction of the initial continuous wave and pulsed laser systems, the pulsed
lasers became the gold standard device. Since then, new devices and methods to
treat patients have been introduced. OBJECTIVE: To review and summarize the
current literature specific to treatment of cutaneous vascular lesions with light
based devices. METHODS: A review of the current literature of light-based devices
used for the treatment of vascular lesions. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: New systems
continue to be developed to treat vascular lesions with advantages and
disadvantages compared to older devices. Nonlaser sources such as intense pulsed
light and radiofrequency devices can also be used in the treatment of these
patients. Newer approaches may lead to even better results.
PMID- 28703430
TI - Sharp nonparametric bounds and randomization inference for treatment effects on
an ordinal outcome.
AB - In clinical research, investigators are interested in inferring the average
causal effect of a treatment. However, the causal parameter that can be used to
derive the average causal effect is not well defined for ordinal outcomes.
Although some definitions have been proposed, they are limited in that they are
not identical to the well-defined causal risk for a binary outcome, which is the
simplest ordinal outcome. In this paper, we propose the use of a causal parameter
for an ordinal outcome, defined as the proportion that a potential outcome under
one treatment condition would not be smaller than that under the other condition.
For a binary outcome, this proportion is identical to the causal risk.
Unfortunately, the proposed causal parameter cannot be identified, even under
randomization. Therefore, we present a numerical method to calculate the sharp
nonparametric bounds within a sample, reflecting the impact of confounding. When
the assumption of independent potential outcomes is included, the causal
parameter can be identified when randomization is in play. Then, we present exact
tests and the associated confidence intervals for the relative treatment effect
using the randomization-based approach, which are an extension of the existing
methods for a binary outcome. Our methodologies are illustrated using data from
an emetic prevention clinical trial.
PMID- 28703431
TI - A matter of hierarchy: activation of orfamide production by the post
transcriptional Gac-Rsm cascade of Pseudomonas protegens CHA0 through expression
upregulation of the two dedicated transcriptional regulators.
AB - In this work, we surveyed the genome of P. protegens CHA0 in order to identify
novel mRNAs possibly under the control of the Gac-Rsm cascade that might, for
their part, serve to elucidate as-yet-unknown functions involved in the
biocontrol of plant pathogens and/or in cellular processes required for fitness
in natural environments. In view of the experimental evidence from former studies
on the Gac-Rsm cascade, we developed a computational screen supported by a
combination of sequence, structural and evolutionary constraints that led to a
dataset of 43 potential novel mRNA targets. We then confirmed several mRNA
targets experimentally and next focused on two of the respective genes that are
physically linked to the orfamide biosynthetic gene cluster and whose predicted
open-reading frames resembled cognate LuxR-type transcriptional regulators of
cyclic lipopeptide clusters in related pseudomonads. In this report, we
demonstrate that in strain CHA0, orfamide production is stringently dependent on
a functional Gac-Rsm cascade and that both mRNAs encoding transcriptional
regulatory proteins are under direct translational control of the RsmA/E
proteins. Our results have thus revealed a hierarchical control over the
expression of orfamide biosynthetic genes with the final transcriptional control
subordinated to the global Gac-Rsm post-transcriptional regulatory system.
PMID- 28703432
TI - The mutual effect of a carbonyl polar bond and an endocyclic oxygen on the 1 JC-F
coupling constant of fluorinated six-membered rings.
AB - The 1 JC-F coupling constant can be useful to probe the conformational landscape
of organofluorine compounds and the intramolecular interactions governing the
stereochemistry of these compounds. Neighboring oxygen electron lone pairs and a
carbonyl group relative to a C?F bond affect this coupling constant in an
opposite way, and therefore, analysis of the interactions involving these
entities simultaneously indicates which effect dominates 1 JC-F . Spin-spin
coupling constant calculations for a series of fluorinated tetrahydropyrans,
cyclohexanones, and dihydropyran-3-ones indicated that an electrostatic/dipolar
interaction between the C?F and C?O bonds is more important than the steric
interaction between the C?F bond and the oxygen electron lone pairs. An intuitive
consequence of such outcome is that this interaction not only drives the coupling
constant but can also be taken into account when aiming at the stereochemical
control of functionalized organofluorine compounds.
PMID- 28703433
TI - Accessing Low-Valent Inorganic Cations by Using an Extremely Bulky N-Heterocyclic
Carbene.
AB - The extremely bulky N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC), ITr (ITr=[(HCNCPh3 )2 C:])
featuring sterically shielding umbrella-shaped trityl (CPh3 ) substituents was
prepared. This NHC features the highest percent buried volume (%Vbur ) to date,
and was used to form a thermally stable quasi one-coordinate thallium(I) cation
[ITr-Tl]+ . This TlI adduct and the corresponding lithium complex [ITr?Li(OEt2
)]+ are versatile "all-in-one" transmetalation/ligation reagents for preparing
low-coordinate inorganic species inaccessible by pre-existing routes.
PMID- 28703434
TI - Porphyromonas gingivalis lipopolysaccharides affect gingival stem/progenitor
cells attributes through NF-kappaB, but not Wnt/beta-catenin, pathway.
AB - AIM: This study investigates for the first time the effect of Porphyromonas
gingivalis lipopolysaccharides (Pg-LPS) on proliferative/regenerative aptitudes
of gingival stem/progenitor cells (G-MSCs). MATERIAL AND METHODS: G-MSCs (n = 5)
were treated by 0, 10 ng/ml, 100 ng/ml, 1 MUg/ml or 10 MUg/ml Pg-LPS. At 1 hour,
Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4) expression and NF-kappaB and Wnt/beta-catenin
signalling pathways were examined. Colony-forming unit assay was conducted at day
12. At 24 and 48 hours, MTT test, ALP activity, mRNA for tumour necrosis factor
alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-6, collagen-I (Col-I), collagen-III, RUNX-2,
alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osteonectin and protein expression of interleukin-6
and TNF-alpha were analysed. RESULTS: With increasing Pg-LPS, TLR-4 was
upregulated, pNF-kappaB-p65 rose from median (Q25/Q75) 6.56% (4.19/7.90) to
13.02% (8.90/16.50; p = 0.002) and pNF-kappaB-p65/tNF-kappaB-p65 from
0.14(0.10/0.17) to 0.30(0.21/0.42; p = 0.002). pbeta-Catenin, tbeta-catenin and
pbeta-catenin/tbeta-catenin showed no differences. Increasing Pg-LPS
concentration increased cell numbers from 288.00(72.98/484.32) to 861.39
(540.41/1599.94; p = 0.002), ALP mRNA from 0.00(0.00/0.01) to 0.56(0.00/1.90; p =
0.004) and TNF-alpha from 32.47(12.11/38.57) to 45.32(28.68/48.65; p = 0.036).
Over time, ALP activity increased from 0.89(0.78/0.95) to 1.90(1.83/2.09; p <
0.001), mRNA for TNF-alpha from 0.00(0.00/0.12) to 0.01(0.00/0.06; p = 0.007),
mRNA for Col-I from 82.70(0.03/171.50) to 124.00(52.85/232.50; p = 0.019), while
mRNA for RUNX-2 decreased from 1.73(0.92/3.20) to 0.84(0.48/1.47; p = 0.005).
CONCLUSIONS: Pg-LPS upregulated G-MSCs' proliferation, without attenuation of
their regenerative potential. The effects were NF-kappaB, but not Wnt/beta
catenin, pathway dependent.
PMID- 28703435
TI - Robotic mitral valve plasty for mitral regurgitation after blunt chest trauma in
Barlow's disease.
AB - We successfully treated a case of mitral regurgitation due to chest trauma in
Barlow's disease. A 71-year-old man was admitted with severe mitral regurgitation
after blunt compression of the chest by a heavy object 5 months earlier.
Preoperative examination revealed wide chordae tendineae rupture and myxomatous
changes to the bileaflets. Neo-chordae reconstruction of the anterior mitral
leaflet using loop technique, triangular resection of the posterior mitral
leaflet, and ring annuloplasty was performed via surgical robot. Robotic mitral
valve plasty for severe mitral regurgitation due to chest trauma in Barlow's
disease was achieved safely with good clinical and excellent cosmetic results.
PMID- 28703436
TI - Approach Matters: The Kinetics of Interfacial Inverse-Electron Demand Diels-Alder
Reactions.
AB - Rapid and quantitative click functionalization of surfaces remains an interesting
challenge in surface chemistry. In this regard, inverse electron demand Diels
Alder (IEDDA) reactions represent a promising metal-free candidate. Herein, we
reveal quantitative surface functionalization within 15 min. Furthermore, we
report the comprehensive effects of substrate stereochemistry, surrounding
microenvironment and substrate order on the reaction kinetics as obtained by
surface-bound mass spectrometry (DART-HRMS).
PMID- 28703437
TI - An in vitro study of the interaction of the chemotherapeutic drug Actinomycin D
with lung cancer cell lines using Raman micro-spectroscopy.
AB - The applications of Raman microspectroscopy have been extended in recent years
into the field of clinical medicine, and specifically in cancer research, as a
non-invasive diagnostic method in vivo and ex vivo, and the field of
pharmaceutical development as a label-free predictive technique for new drug
mechanisms of action in vitro. To further illustrate its potential for such
applications, it is important to establish its capability to fingerprint drug
mechanisms of action and different cellular reactions. In this study,
cytotoxicity assays were employed to establish the toxicity profiles for 48 and
72 hours exposure of lung cancer cell lines, A549 and Calu-1, after exposure to
Actinomycin D (ACT) and Raman micro-spectroscopy was used to track its mechanism
of action at subcellular level and subsequent cellular responses. Multivariate
data analysis was used to elucidate the spectroscopic signatures associated with
ACT chemical binding and cellular resistances. Results show that the ACT uptake
and mechanism of action are similar in the 2 cell lines, while A549 cells
exhibits spectral signatures of resistance to apoptosis related to its higher
chemoresistance to the anticancer drug ACT. The observations are discussed in
comparison to previous studies of the similar anthracyclic chemotherapeutic agent
Doxorubicin. A, Preprocessed Raman spectrum of ACT stock solution dissolved in
sterile water and mean spectrum with SD of (B) nucleolus, (C) nucleus and (D)
cytoplasm of A549 cell lines after 48 hours exposure to the corresponding IC50 .
PMID- 28703438
TI - Response to: Can patients with chronic rhinosinusitis recover normal sleep after
endoscopic sinus surgery?
PMID- 28703439
TI - Laparoendoscopic single-site surgery in inguinal hernia repair.
AB - Laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS) for laparoscopic inguinal hernia
repair (IHR) offers the potential for excellent cosmetic outcomes and
maximization of the inherent advantages of minimally invasive surgery. LESS IHR
is associated with a steep learning curve, which is attributable to both the IHR
technique itself and the single-site technique. The technical obstacles in the
single-site technique may be mitigated by employing certain maneuvers and
strategies that minimize clashing between instruments and improve freedom of
movement. The current literature consistently points out the inherent challenges
in LESS IHR, with its longer operative time compared to that of conventional
laparoscopic IHR. LESS IHR performed by capable operators has comparable
complication rates, duration of hospital stay, and incidence of recurrence as
conventional laparoscopic IHR. LESS IHR is both feasible and safe. Given its
excellent cosmetic outcome, it is likely to be sought by younger patients who are
concerned with scar formation. The use of robotics may bypass the technical
challenges in LESS, but cost considerations in their usage will likely persist.
PMID- 28703440
TI - Effect of community-based education to Korean mothers in relation to the
prevention of cervical cancer in their daughters: A non-randomized trial.
AB - AIM: This study was conducted in order to examine the effects of community-based
education on cervical cancer prevention in relation to South Korean mothers'
knowledge about the Papanicolau (Pap) test and human papillomavirus, self
confidence in communication with their daughters, and health-related beliefs
about their daughters. METHODS: A quasi-experimental pre-post design was used.
For the experimental group, face-to-face education was administered to 35
participants for 60 min. For the control group, 35 participants were taught by
using standardized materials for 20 min. RESULTS: The experimental group showed a
significant increase in Pap test knowledge, cervical cancer knowledge, and self
confidence in communication with their daughters, compared to the control group.
In the post-test, the mothers in the experimental group also perceived cervical
cancer as more threatening, their daughter as more susceptible to cervical
cancer, Pap tests as being recommended for their daughters, and they showed a
significant increase in their self-efficacy of recommending the Pap test to their
daughter. CONCLUSION: Community-based education for mothers is effective in
increasing their human papillomavirus knowledge, Pap test knowledge, improving
their confidence in communication with their daughters, and in some of the health
related beliefs regarding their daughters.
PMID- 28703441
TI - Discovery of Small Molecules that Induce the Degradation of Huntingtin.
AB - Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder
caused by the aggregation of mutant huntingtin (mHtt), and removal of toxic mHtt
is expected to be an effective therapeutic approach. We designed two small hybrid
molecules (1 and 2) by linking a ligand for ubiquitin ligase (cellular inhibitor
of apoptosis protein 1; cIAP1) with probes for mHtt aggregates, anticipating that
these compounds would recruit cIAP1 to mHtt and induce selective degradation by
the ubiquitin-proteasome system. The synthesized compounds reduced mHtt levels in
HD patient fibroblasts and appear to be promising candidates for the development
of a treatment for HD.
PMID- 28703442
TI - Measurement of absolute copy number variation of Glutathione S-Transferase M1
gene by digital droplet PCR and association analysis in Tunisian Rheumatoid
Arthritis population.
AB - BACKGROUND: The investigation of copy number variations (CNVs) analysis of
candidate genes is currently an important research area in modulating human
diseases. We aimed to quantify CNVs in glutathione S-transferase M1 (GSTM1) gene
and determine its genetic contribution in Tunisian rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and
its subsets through an innovative technique for quantification. METHODS: A total
of 165 RA cases and 102 healthy controls were included in the study. Using a
recently powerful approach of digital droplet PCR (ddPCR), we quantified GSTM1
gene to determine the presence of no, one, or multiple copy number (CN) at high
levels of sensitivity and specificity. Odds ratio and Fisher exact test were
performed to estimate the association risk for GSTM1CNVs in RA. RESULTS: Copy
number identified by ddPCR was 0, 1, and 2 copies per diploid genome. A high
frequency of '0' copy was revealed with 54% in RA patients. The deletion ('0'
copy) of GSTM1 was found to be a significant risk factor for anti-cyclic
citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) positive RA (OR=4.16, CI95% =[1.17-14.7]). In
addition, a lack of association was found when comparing between the CNVs of RA
patients and those of controls. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the powerful
accuracy of ddPCR for the quantification of CNVs and suggests that the variation
in the CN of GSTM1 is associated with anti-CCP positivity in RA. However, it does
not indicate a specific role in the susceptibility to the disease in our Tunisian
sample.
PMID- 28703443
TI - Patient satisfaction with a rapid diagnosis of suspicious breast lesions:
Association with distress and anxiety.
AB - Few studies have explored with standard measures patient satisfaction with care
at the time of the diagnosis through rapid diagnostic pathways. This study aimed
to assess satisfaction levels at the time of the diagnosis in a One-Stop Breast
Unit and to examine associations with psychological states. An anonymous cross
sectional survey was conducted at a single center's One-Stop Breast Unit, to
assess patient satisfaction regarding several aspects of the Unit. Two days after
the diagnosis, 113 participants completed self-reported questionnaires evaluating
satisfaction (Out-Patsat35), anxiety (State Anxiety Inventory), and psychological
distress (Distress Thermometer). Overall, patients were very satisfied (80.7+/
20.7) with the One-Stop Breast Unit. The highest mean satisfaction scores
concerned nurses' technical skills, interpersonal skills and availability. The
lowest mean scores concerned physicians' availability, waiting time, and the
provision of information. The results revealed a significant association between
high state anxiety levels, lower levels of satisfaction with doctors'
interpersonal skills (r=-.41, P<.001) and lower levels for information provided
by nurses (r=-.38, P<.001). Moreover, greater psychological distress was
associated with less satisfaction with the different aspects of care (doctors'
interpersonal skills, doctors' availability and waiting-time). The results of
regression models showed that doctor-related satisfaction scales explained 20% of
the variance in anxiety (P<.01). Facing cancer diagnosis remains a stressful
situation. However, our study suggested that a substantial part of this anxiety
is sensitive to the quality of the patient-doctor relationship. Consequently,
further efforts should be expended on adapting patient-doctor communication to
improve patient reassurance.
PMID- 28703445
TI - Erratum.
PMID- 28703444
TI - Comparison of acute toxicities between contemporary forward-planned 3D conformal
radiotherapy and inverse-planned intensity-modulated radiotherapy for whole
breast radiation.
AB - The use of inverse-planned intensity-modulated radiation therapy for whole breast
radiation treatment has become more prevalent, but this may impose an increased
cost on the health system. We hypothesized that when applied with the same
treatment planning goals, tangential forward-planned field-in-field 3D conformal
radiotherapy and tangential inverse-planned intensity-modulated radiotherapy
would be associated with comparable toxicities. Women who underwent tangential
whole breast irradiation at our institution from 2011 to 2015 planned using
either forward-planned field-in-field 3D conformal radiotherapy or intensity
modulated radiotherapy were retrospectively analyzed. Grade 2+ Radiation
dermatitis was the primary endpoint. A total of 201 and 212 women had undergone
field-in-field 3D conformal radiotherapy and intensity-modulated radiotherapy,
respectively. No differences were observed between the two modalities regarding
acute radiation dermatitis, breast pain, or fatigue. In a multivariable logistic
regression that incorporated the use of boost, hypofractionation, use of
chemotherapy, patient positioning, use of a supraclavicular field, and breast
planning target volume, intensity-modulated radiotherapy was not correlated with
different rates of Grade 2+ radiation dermatitis. This study supports the routine
first-line use of field-in-field 3D conformal radiotherapy for whole breast
radiation instead of tangential intensity-modulated radiotherapy from the
standpoint of equivalence in acute toxicity. Further investigation is needed to
assess whether there are subgroups of women who may still benefit from intensity
modulated radiotherapy.
PMID- 28703446
TI - Paroxysmal Dyskinesia in Border Terriers: Clinical, Epidemiological, and Genetic
Investigations.
AB - BACKGROUND: In the last decade, a disorder characterized by episodes of
involuntary movements and dystonia has been recognized in Border Terriers.
OBJECTIVES: To define clinical features of paroxysmal dyskinesia (PD) in a large
number of Border Terriers and to study the genetics of the disease. ANIMALS: 110
affected and 128 unaffected client-owned Border Terriers. METHODS: A
questionnaire regarding clinical characteristics of PD was designed at Utrecht
University and the University of Helsinki. Thirty-five affected Border Terriers
underwent physical examination and blood testing (hematology and clinical
biochemistry). Diagnostic imaging of the brain was performed in 17 affected dogs
and electroencephalograms (EEG) between episodes were obtained in 10 affected
dogs. A genomewide association study (GWAS) was performed with DNA of 110
affected and 128 unaffected dogs. RESULTS: One hundred forty-seven questionnaires
were included in the study. The most characteristic signs during episodes were
dystonia, muscle fasciculations, and falling over. The majority of owners
believed that their dogs remained conscious during the episodes. A beneficial
effect of anti-epileptic therapy was observed in 29 of 43 dogs. Fifteen owners
changed their dogs' diet to a hypoallergenic, gluten-free diet, and all reported
reasonable to good improvement of signs. Clinical examinations and diagnostic
test results were unremarkable. The GWAS did not identify significantly
associated chromosome regions. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: The survey
results and EEG studies provided further evidence that the observed syndrome is a
PD rather than epilepsy. Failure to achieve conclusive results by GWAS indicates
that inheritance of PD in Border Terriers probably is complex.
PMID- 28703447
TI - Chronic Diarrhea in Dogs - Retrospective Study in 136 Cases.
AB - BACKGROUND: Chronic diarrhea (CD) is common in dogs, and information on frequency
and distribution of primary and secondary causes is lacking. OBJECTIVES: To
evaluate underlying causes and predictors of outcome in dogs with CD. ANIMALS:
One hundred and thirty-six client-owned dogs with CD (>=3 weeks duration).
METHODS: Retrospective review of medical records (Small Animal Clinic, Freie
Universitat Berlin, Germany, 09/2009-07/2011). Quantification of final diagnoses
and comparison of clinical aspects including disease severity and
clinicopathological abnormalities among dogs with clinical remission (either
complete [gastrointestinal signs absent] or partial [clinical improvement of
gastrointestinal signs and reduced episodes with shortened duration]), and those
without recovery. RESULTS: Ninety percent of dogs were diagnosed with a primary
enteropathy: inflammatory (71%; of those 66% dietary responsive, 23% idiopathic,
11% antibiotic responsive), infectious (13%), neoplastic (4%), and in one dog
each mechanical disease or systemic vasculitis. Secondary causes were diagnosed
in 10% of dogs: exocrine pancreatic (6%), endocrine (2%), and in one dog each
hepatic, renal, and cardiac disease. In total, 87% of dogs had clinical
remission, whereas 13% died or did not respond to treatment: Lack of recovery was
frequently recorded for dogs with primary inflammatory (idiopathic) or neoplastic
disease and was significantly associated with increased disease severity scores
(P = .005), anemia (hematocrit < 40%, P < .001), severe hypoalbuminemia (serum
albumin <2.0 g/dL, P = .008), and severe hypocobalaminemia (serum cobalamin
concentration <200 pg/mL, P = .006). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE:
Inflammatory enteropathies and particularly those of dietary origin were the most
common causes of CD in dogs. Findings support the usefulness of hematocrit, and
serum albumin and cobalamin concentration as prognostic markers in dogs with CD.
PMID- 28703448
TI - The Effect of Different Types of Monitoring Strategies on Weight Loss: A
Randomized Controlled Trial.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To determine the effectiveness of various monitoring strategies on
weight loss, body composition, blood markers, exercise, and psychosocial indices
in adults with overweight and obesity following a 12-month weight loss program.
METHODS: Two hundred fifty adults with BMI >= 27 were randomized to brief,
monthly, individual consults, daily self-monitoring of weight, self-monitoring of
diet using MyFitnessPal, self-monitoring of hunger, or control over 12 months.
All groups received diet and exercise advice, and 171 participants (68.4%)
remained at 12 months. RESULTS: No significant differences in weight, body
composition, blood markers, exercise, or eating behavior were apparent between
those in the four monitoring groups and the control condition at 12 months (all P
>= 0.053). Weight differences between groups ranged from -1.1 kg (-3.8 to 1.6) to
2.2 kg (-1.0 to 5.3). However, brief support and hunger training groups reported
significantly lower scores for depression (difference [95% CI]: -3.16 [-5.70 to
0.62] and -3.05 [-5.61 to -0.50], respectively) and anxiety (-1.84, [-3.67 to
0.02]) scores than control participants. CONCLUSIONS: Although adding a
monitoring strategy to diet and exercise advice did not further increase weight
loss, no adverse effects on eating behavior were observed, and some monitoring
strategies may even benefit mental health.
PMID- 28703449
TI - Sero-prevalence and epidemiology of peste des petits ruminants in Libya.
AB - We conducted a cross-sectional study during 2013 to quantify the serological
prevalence of peste des petits ruminants (PPR) infection and to investigate host
factors associated with PPR infection in small ruminants in Libya. A two-stage
sampling design was carried out. A total number of 148 flocks owning at least 100
heads each were randomly selected. Sixteen to forty-eight samples were collected
from each selected flock. A total number of 3,508 serum samples from unvaccinated
animals were collected and analysed at IZSLER Brescia, Italy, by using
competitive ELISA, IDvet innovative diagnostics (IDvet 310, France). The overall
serological prevalence among SR was 33% (95% CI: 31.4-34.5). Significant
differences between the prevalence in the geographical branches were observed.
The lowest prevalence level was observed in Zawiyah branch (16.1%), whereas the
highest value was obtained for the Sabha branch (56.8%). Considering the age, a
serological prevalence of 24.7%, 31.5% and 42.1% was observed in SR <1 year,
between 1 and 2 years and more than 2 years, respectively. Statistically
significant differences (p < .001) in the sero-prevalence levels were also
observed between the age groups. Our findings suggest that the southern part of
Libya could be more exposed to the infections coming from the neighbouring
countries and this should be better investigated to correctly identify wherever
specific entry points can be considered at higher risk than others. The results
also confirmed the endemic status of PPR in Libya, with a constant exposure to
the infection of the animals during their life. In the framework of the global
strategy for control and eradication of PPR, our results, even if obtained by a
preliminary study, can contribute to the assessment of the epidemiological
situation of PPR in Libya as required by the Stage 1 of the plan.
PMID- 28703450
TI - Comparative transcriptome combined with morpho-physiological analyses revealed
key factors for differential cadmium accumulation in two contrasting sweet
sorghum genotypes.
AB - Cadmium (Cd) is a widespread soil contaminant threatening human health. As an
ideal energy plant, sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) has great
potential in phytoremediation of Cd-polluted soils, although the molecular
mechanisms are largely unknown. In this study, key factors responsible for
differential Cd accumulation between two contrasting sweet sorghum genotypes
(high-Cd accumulation one H18, and low-Cd accumulation one L69) were
investigated. H18 exhibited a much higher ability of Cd uptake and translocation
than L69. Furthermore, Cd uptake through symplasmic pathway and Cd concentrations
in xylem sap were both higher in H18 than those in L69. Root anatomy observation
found the endodermal apoplasmic barriers were much stronger in L69, which may
restrict the Cd loading into xylem. The molecular mechanisms underlying these
morpho-physiological traits were further dissected by comparative transcriptome
analysis. Many genes involved in cell wall modification and heavy metal transport
were found to be Cd-responsive DEGs and/or DEGs between these two genotypes. KEGG
pathway analysis found phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway was over-represented,
indicating this pathway may play important roles in differential Cd accumulation
between two genotypes. Based on these results, a schematic representation of main
processes involved in differential Cd uptake and translocation in H18 and L69 is
proposed, which suggests that higher Cd accumulation in H18 depends on a
multilevel coordination of efficient Cd uptake and transport, including efficient
root uptake and xylem loading, less root cell wall binding, and weaker endodermal
apoplasmic barriers.
PMID- 28703451
TI - A novel and independent method for time-resolved gantry angle quality assurance
for VMAT.
AB - Volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) treatment delivery requires three key
dynamic components; gantry rotation, dose rate modulation, and multi-leaf
collimator motion, which are all simultaneously varied during the delivery.
Misalignment of the gantry angle can potentially affect clinical outcome due to
the steep dose gradients and complex MLC shapes involved. It is essential to
develop independent gantry angle quality assurance (QA) appropriate to VMAT that
can be performed simultaneously with other key VMAT QA testing. In this work, a
simple and inexpensive fully independent gantry angle measurement methodology was
developed that allows quantitation of the gantry angle accuracy as a function of
time. This method is based on the analysis of video footage of a "Double dot"
pattern attached to the front cover of the linear accelerator that consists of
red and green circles printed on A4 paper sheet. A standard mobile phone is
placed on the couch to record the video footage during gantry rotation. The video
file is subsequently analyzed and used to determine the gantry angle from each
video frame using the relative position of the two dots. There were two types of
validation tests performed including the static mode with manual gantry angle
rotation and dynamic mode with three complex test plans. The accuracy was 0.26
degrees +/- 0.04 degrees and 0.46 degrees +/- 0.31 degrees (mean +/- 1 SD)
for the static and dynamic modes, respectively. This method is user friendly,
cost effective, easy to setup, has high temporal resolution, and can be combined
with existing time-resolved method for QA of MLC and dose rate to form a
comprehensive set of procedures for time-resolved QA of VMAT delivery system.
PMID- 28703452
TI - Cover Image, Volume 173A, Number 8, August 2017.
AB - The cover image, by Monica H. Wojcik et al., is based on the Clinical Report A
new diagnosis of Williams-Beuren syndrome in a 49-year-old man with severe
bullous emphysema, DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.38289.
PMID- 28703453
TI - Greater focus on patient data sharing urged: Greater control of data may increase
patients' sharing and empowerment.
PMID- 28703454
TI - 23andMe resumes giving consumers genetic health information: Company's tests for
rare and common diseases aren't diagnostic.
PMID- 28703456
TI - Two-Dimensional Seeded Self-Assembly of a Complex Hierarchical Perylene-Based
Heterostructure.
AB - A complex two-dimensional (2D) hierarchical heterostructure was fabricated by a
sequential two-dimensional seeded self-assembly, which consisted of laterally
grown nanotubes from one perylene monomer and terminally elongated nanocoils from
a similar perylene monomer on microribbon seeds from a third perylene. Because
the nanotube and nanocoil monomers can form kinetically trapped off-pathway
aggregates to prevent self-nucleation and have similar molecular organizations to
different facets of the seeds, the nanotube and nanocoil monomers preferentially
nucleate and grow on the seed sides and terminal ends, respectively, to form a
complex 2D hierarchical heterostructure. The strategy used in this work can be
extended to fabricate other complex nanoarchitectures from small molecules.
PMID- 28703457
TI - Fluorescent Probes with Multiple Binding Sites for the Discrimination of Cys,
Hcy, and GSH.
AB - Biothiols such as cysteine (Cys), homocysteine (Hcy), and glutathione (GSH) play
crucial roles in maintaining redox homeostasis in biological systems. This
Minireview summarizes the most significant current challenges in the field of
thiol-reactive probes for biomedical research and diagnostics, emphasizing the
needs and opportunities that have been under-investigated by chemists in the
selective probe and sensor field. Progress on multiple binding site probes to
distinguish Cys, Hcy, and GSH is highlighted as a creative new direction in the
field that can enable simultaneous, accurate ratiometric monitoring. New probe
design strategies and researcher priorities can better help address current
challenges, including the monitoring of disease states such as autism and chronic
diseases involving oxidative stress that are characterized by divergent levels of
GSH, Cys, and Hcy.
PMID- 28703458
TI - Hybrid Deep Eutectic Solvents with Flexible Hydrogen-Bonded Supramolecular
Networks for Highly Efficient Uptake of NH3.
AB - Serious environmental concerns have led to a great demand for efficient uptake of
NH3 by solvents. However, traditional aqueous absorbents have many shortcomings
and efforts to use ionic liquids have met with limited success. A hybrid deep
eutectic solvents (DESs) designed with a flexible hydrogen-bonded supramolecular
network exhibits both exceptional NH3 uptake capacity and superior desorption
regeneration performance, along with superb NH3 /CO2 selectivity and
environmental merit. Elucidated by molecular dynamic simulations and
spectroscopic analysis, the abundant hydrogen-bonding sites in the hybrid DESs
bind every atom of the NH3 molecule and enable strong physical reversible
solvation, whereas the multiple interactions among the hybrid components create a
flexible hydrogen-bonded supramolecular network and allow for solvent-unbreaking
absorption to ensure the full participation of the solvent and process stability.
A mass solubility of NH3 up to 0.13 g g-1 was achieved at 313 K and 101 kPa by
the hybrid DES choline chloride/resorcinol/glycerol (1:3:5), which is higher than
all reported ionic liquids and ordinary DESs. Moreover, the performance remained
the same after ten absorption-desorption cycles and the DESs could be easily
regenerated.
PMID- 28703459
TI - Efficient Long-Range Hole Transport Through G-Quadruplexes.
AB - DNA offers a means of long-range charge transport for biology and electric
nanodevices. Here, a series of tetra-stranded G-quadruplexes were assembled
within a dendritic DNA architecture to explore oxidative charge transport (hole
transport) through the G-quadruplex. Efficient charge transport was achieved over
28 A upon UV irradiation. Over a longer G-quadruplex bridge, hole transport was
escalated to a higher efficiency, which resulted in a higher yield than that of
the optimal duplex DNA for charge transport, that is, the adenine tract.
Efficient long-range hole transport suggests tetra-stranded G-quadruplexes,
instead of an oxidation hotspot, hold better potential as an electron conduit
than duplex DNA.
PMID- 28703460
TI - Screening for Ptaquiloside in Ferns: Using Herbarium Specimens for Qualitative
Mapping Purposes.
AB - INTRODUCTION: Ptaquiloside (PTA) is a noxious carcinogen found widespread in
Bracken (Pteridium sp.) but with scattered and unresolved distribution outside
the genus. The carcinogen causes Bovine Enzootic Haematuria among cattle all-over
the World and is under suspicion of causing human cancers. OBJECTIVE: To set-up a
methodology for large-scale qualitative studies on the distribution of PTA in
ferns using already available herbarium specimens as source. METHODOLOGY: PTA and
the main degradation product pterosin B (PtB) were quantified in aqueous frond
extracts by HPLC-DAD. PTA was quantified after forced reaction into PtB. Optimal
reaction conditions were tested using hydrochloric acid, sulphuric acid,
trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), acetic acid and temperature as the experimental
variables. A pair-wise test for PTA degradation in plant-press were used to
explore the effect of this preservation regime. A selection of up to 50 years old
Bracken herbarium specimens were tested for PTA and PtB. The methodology was
applied on 21 fern species from Denmark. RESULTS: An optimised TFA-based method
results in 30.7% higher conversion and a 1:1 reaction between PTA and PtB. Full
three-dimensional resolution of the analyte was obtained. Preservation of fronds
in a plant press increase formation of PtB. Hence, the method is only suitable
for qualitative studies. Presence of PTA and PtB were found in samples up to 50
years old. Among 21 ferns tested, the compounds were only found in Pteridium
aquilinum. CONCLUSION: Herbarium specimens up to 50 years old can be used for
explorative risk assessment of ferns using HPLC-DAD for quantification and
identification. Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
PMID- 28703461
TI - Strengthening health systems to provide rehabilitation services.
PMID- 28703462
TI - An emerging model organism Caenorhabditis elegans for alternative pre-mRNA
processing in vivo.
AB - A nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is an intron-rich organism and up to 25% of its
pre-mRNAs are estimated to be alternatively processed. Its compact genomic
organization enables construction of fluorescence splicing reporters with intact
genomic sequences and visualization of alternative processing patterns of
interest in the transparent living animals with single-cell resolution. Genetic
analysis with the reporter worms facilitated identification of trans-acting
factors and cis-acting elements, which are highly conserved in mammals. Analysis
of unspliced and partially spliced pre-mRNAs in vivo raised models for
alternative splicing regulation relying on specific order of intron excision. RNA
seq analysis of splicing factor mutants and CLIP-seq analysis of the factors
allow global search for target genes in the whole animal. An mRNA surveillance
system is not essential for its viability or fertility, allowing analysis of
unproductively spliced noncoding mRNAs. These features offer C. elegans as an
ideal model organism for elucidating alternative pre-mRNA processing mechanisms
in vivo. Examples of isoform-specific functions of alternatively processed genes
are summarized. WIREs RNA 2017, 8:e1428. doi: 10.1002/wrna.1428 For further
resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
PMID- 28703463
TI - Complexation Between (O-Methyl)6 -2,6-Helic[6]arene and Tertiary Ammonium Salts:
Acid/Base- or Chloride-Ion-Responsive Host-Guest Systems and Synthesis of
[2]Rotaxane.
AB - Complexation between (O-methyl)6 -2,6-helic[6]arene and a series of tertiary
ammonium salts was described. It was found that the macrocycle could form stable
complexes with the tested aromatic and aliphatic tertiary ammonium salts, which
were evidenced by 1 H NMR spectra, ESI mass spectra, and DFT calculations. In
particular, the binding and release process of the guests in the complexes could
be efficiently controlled by acid/base or chloride ions, which represents the
first acid/base- and chloride-ion-responsive host-guest systems based on
macrocyclic arenes and protonated tertiary ammonium salts. Moreover, the first
2,6-helic[6]arene-based [2]rotaxane was also synthesized from the condensation
between the host-guest complex and isocyanate.
PMID- 28703465
TI - Structured illumination microscopy with interleaved reconstruction (SIMILR).
AB - Structured illumination microscopy (SIM) is the commonly used super-resolution
(SR) technique for imaging subcellular dynamics. However, due to its need for
multiple illumination patterns, the frame rate is just a fraction of that of
conventional microscopy and is thus too slow for fast dynamic studies. A new SR
image reconstruction method that maximizes the use of each subframe of the
acquisition series is proposed for improving the super-resolved frame rate by N
times for N illumination directions. The method requires no changes in raw data
and is appropriate for many versions of SIM setup, including those implementing
fast illumination pattern generation mechanism based on spatial light modulator
or digital micromirror device. The performance of the proposed method is
demonstrated through imaging the highly dynamic endoplasmic reticulum where
continuous rapid growths or shape changes of tiny structures are observed.
PMID- 28703464
TI - Iron-related markers are associated with infection after liver transplantation.
AB - Though serum iron has been known to be associated with an increased risk of
infection, hepcidin, the major regulator of iron metabolism, has never been
systematically explored in this setting. Finding early biomarkers of infection,
such as hepcidin, could help identify patients in whom early empiric
antimicrobial therapy would be beneficial. We prospectively enrolled consecutive
patients (n = 128) undergoing first-time, single-organ orthotopic liver
transplantation (OLT) without known iron overload disorders at 2 academic
hospitals in Boston from August 2009 to November 2012. Cox regression compared
the associations between different iron markers and the development of first
infection at least 1 week after OLT; 47 (37%) patients developed a primary
outcome of infection at least 1 week after OLT and 1 patient died. After
adjusting for perioperative bleeding complications, number of hospital days, and
hepatic artery thrombosis, changes in iron markers were associated with the
development of infection post-OLT including increasing ferritin (hazard ratio
[HR], 1.51; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12-2.05), rising ferritin slope (HR,
1.10; 95% CI, 1.03-1.17), and increasing hepcidin (HR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.05-1.93).
A decreasing iron (HR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.20-2.57) and a decreasing iron slope (HR,
4.21; 95% CI, 2.51-7.06) were also associated with subsequent infections. In
conclusion, hepcidin and other serum iron markers and their slope patterns or
their combination are associated with infection in vulnerable patient
populations. Liver Transplantation 23 1541-1552 2017 AASLD.
PMID- 28703466
TI - Functional regulation of Q by microRNA172 and transcriptional co-repressor
TOPLESS in controlling bread wheat spikelet density.
AB - Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) spike architecture is an important agronomic
trait. The Q gene plays a key role in the domestication of bread wheat spike
architecture. However, the regulatory mechanisms of Q expression and
transcriptional activity remain largely unknown. In this study, we show that
overexpression of bread wheat tae-miR172 caused a speltoid-like spike phenotype,
reminiscent of that in wheat plants with the q gene. The reduction in Q
transcript levels in the tae-miR172 overexpression transgenic bread wheat lines
suggests that the Q expression can be suppressed by tae-miR172 in bread wheat.
Indeed, our RACE analyses confirmed that the Q mRNA is targeted by tae-miR172 for
cleavage. According to our analyses, the Q protein is localized in nucleus and
confers transcriptional repression activity. Meanwhile, the Q protein could
physically interact with the bread wheat transcriptional co-repressor TOPLESS
(TaTPL). Specifically, the N-terminal ethylene-responsive element binding factor
associated amphiphilic repression (EAR) (LDLNVE) motif but not the C-terminal EAR
(LDLDLR) motif of Q protein mediates its interaction with the CTLH motif of
TaTPL. Moreover, we show that the N-terminal EAR motif of Q protein is also
essentially required for the transcriptional repression activity of Q protein.
Taken together, we reveal the functional regulation of Q protein by tae-miR172
and transcriptional co-repressor TaTPL in controlling the bread wheat spike
architecture.
PMID- 28703467
TI - Genetic changes in a novel breeding population of Brassica napus synthesized from
hundreds of crosses between B. rapa and B. carinata.
AB - Introgression of genomic variation between and within related crop species is a
significant evolutionary approach for population differentiation, genome
reorganization and trait improvement. Using the Illumina Infinium Brassica 60K
SNP array, we investigated genomic changes in a panel of advanced generation new
type Brassica napus breeding lines developed from hundreds of interspecific
crosses between 122 Brassica rapa and 74 Brassica carinata accessions, and
compared them with representative accessions of their three parental species. The
new-type B. napus population presented rich genetic diversity and abundant novel
genomic alterations, consisting of introgressions from B. rapa and B. carinata,
novel allelic combinations, reconstructed linkage disequilibrium patterns and
haplotype blocks, and frequent deletions and duplications (nonrandomly
distributed), particularly in the C subgenome. After a much shorter, but very
intensive, selection history compared to traditional B. napus, a total of 15
genomic regions with strong selective sweeps and 112 genomic regions with
putative signals of selective sweeps were identified. Some of these regions were
associated with important agronomic traits that were selected for during the
breeding process, while others were potentially associated with restoration of
genome stability and fertility after interspecific hybridization. Our results
demonstrate how a novel method for population-based crop genetic improvement can
lead to rapid adaptation, restoration of genome stability and positive responses
to artificial selection.
PMID- 28703468
TI - Escherichia coli isolates from commercial chicken meat and eggs cause sepsis,
meningitis and urinary tract infection in rodent models of human infections.
AB - The zoonotic potential of Escherichia coli from chicken-source food products is
important to define for public health purposes. Previously, genotypic and
phenotypic screening of E. coli isolates from commercial chicken meat and shell
eggs identified some E. coli strains that by molecular criteria resembled human
source extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC). Here, to clarify the zoonotic
risk of such chicken-source E. coli, we compared selected E. coli isolates from
chicken meat and eggs, stratified by molecularly defined ExPEC status, to human
source ExPEC and to laboratory E. coli for virulence in rodent models of sepsis,
meningitis and UTI, and evaluated whether specific bacterial characteristics
predict experimental virulence. Multiple chicken-source E. coli resembled human
source ExPEC in their ability to cause one or multiple different ExPEC-associated
infections. Swimming ability corresponded with urovirulence, K1 capsule
corresponded with ability to cause neonatal meningitis, and biofilm formation in
urine corresponded with ability to cause sepsis. In contrast, molecularly defined
ExPEC status and individual genotypic traits were uncorrelated with ability to
cause sepsis, and neither complement sensitivity nor growth in human urine
corresponded with virulence in any infection model. These findings establish that
chicken-derived food products contain E. coli strains that, in rodent models of
multiple human-associated ExPEC infections, are able to cause disease comparably
to human-source E. coli clinical isolates, which suggests that they may pose a
significant food safety threat. Further study is needed to define the level of
risk they pose to human health, which if appreciable would justify efforts to
monitor for and reduce or eliminate them.
PMID- 28703469
TI - Siderophore production in Azotobacter vinelandii in response to Fe-, Mo- and V
limitation.
AB - Azotobacter vinelandii is a terrestrial diazotroph well studied for its
siderophore production capacity and its role as a model nitrogen fixer. In
addition to Fe, A. vinelandii siderophores are used for the acquisition of the
nitrogenase co-factors Mo and V. However, regulation of siderophore production by
Mo- and V-limitation has been difficult to confirm and knowledge of the full
suite of siderophores synthesized by this organism has only recently become
available. Using this new information, we conducted an extensive study of
siderophore production in N2 -fixing A. vinelandii under a variety of trace metal
conditions. Our results show that under Fe-limitation the production of all
siderophores increases, while under Mo-limitation only catechol siderophore
production is increased, with the strongest response seen in protochelin. We also
find that the newly discovered A. vinelandii siderophore vibrioferrin is almost
completely repressed under Mo- and V-limitation. An examination of the potential
nitrogen 'cost' of siderophore production reveals that investments in siderophore
N can represent as much as 35% of fixed N, with substantial differences between
cultures using the Mo- as opposed to the less efficient V-nitrogenase.
PMID- 28703470
TI - Targeting hardcore smokers: The effects of an online tailored intervention, based
on motivational interviewing techniques.
AB - OBJECTIVES: Hardcore smokers have smoked for many years and do not intend to
quit. They also seem unreceptive to information about smoking cessation. We
developed a 30-min, tailored web-based intervention that includes motivational
interviewing principles. It aims to increase hardcore smokers' intention to quit
and their receptivity to information about smoking cessation. DESIGN: In a two
arm experiment, we compared outcome scores of the experimental intervention (n =
346) with those of a control intervention (n = 411). METHODS: Our main outcomes
were receptivity to information about quitting, intention to quit, quitting self
efficacy, and interest in a subsequent online intervention. Our secondary
outcomes were cigarettes smoked per day and quit attempts. All outcomes were
measured directly post-experiment (t1 ), after 2 weeks (t2 ), and after 2 months
(t3 ). RESULTS: At t1 , hardcore smokers in the intervention condition were more
receptive to information about quitting than controls. At both t2 and t3 , those
in the experimental group had reduced the number of cigarettes more than those in
the control group. At t2 , but not t3 , more participants in the experimental
group had reduced their cigarette consumption by at least 50% than among
controls. We found no significant differences in intention to quit, quitting self
efficacy, interest in a subsequent online quitting intervention, and number of
quit attempts. CONCLUSIONS: The intervention increased hardcore smokers'
receptivity to information about smoking cessation and decreased their cigarette
consumption by about 1 cigarette per day. Although the results are positive, the
clinical relevance may be limited. We recommend further developing this
intervention for practical use in health care settings. Statement of contribution
What is already known on this subject? Hardcore smokers have smoked for many
years and do not intend to quit. There are currently no online interventions for
hardcore smokers. What does this study add? This study tested an online
intervention for hardcore smokers. The intervention increased hardcore smokers'
receptivity to information about quitting. It also helped to reduce the number of
cigarettes per day.
PMID- 28703471
TI - Telling young children they have a reputation for being smart promotes cheating.
AB - The present research examined the consequences of telling young children they
have a reputation for being smart. Of interest was how this would affect their
willingness to resist the temptation to cheat for personal gain as assessed by a
temptation resistance task, in which children promised not to cheat in the game.
Two studies with 3- and 5-year-old children (total N = 323) assessed this
possibility. In Study 1, participants were assigned to one of three conditions: a
smart reputation condition in which they were told they have a reputation for
being smart, an irrelevant reputation control condition, or a no reputation
control condition. Children in the smart reputation condition were significantly
more likely to cheat than their counterparts in either control condition. Study 2
confirmed that reputational concerns are indeed a fundamental part of our smart
reputation effect. These results suggest that children as young as 3 years of age
are able to use reputational cues to guide their behavior, and that telling young
children they have a positive reputation for being smart can have negative
consequences.
PMID- 28703472
TI - Depth-resolved multimodal imaging: Wavelength modulated spatially offset Raman
spectroscopy with optical coherence tomography.
AB - A major challenge in biophotonics is multimodal imaging to obtain both
morphological and molecular information at depth. We demonstrate a hybrid
approach integrating optical coherence tomography (OCT) with wavelength modulated
spatially offset Raman spectroscopy (WM-SORS). With depth colocalization obtained
from the OCT, we can penetrate 1.2-mm deep into strong scattering media (lard) to
acquire up to a 14-fold enhancement of a Raman signal from a hidden target
(polystyrene) with a spatial offset. Our approach is capable of detecting both
Raman and OCT signals for pharmaceutical particles embedded in turbid media and
revealing the white matter at depth within a 0.6-mm thick brain tissue layer.
This depth resolved label-free multimodal approach is a powerful route to analyze
complex biomedical samples.
PMID- 28703473
TI - Service user involvement in the coproduction of a mental health nursing metric:
The Therapeutic Engagement Questionnaire.
AB - Service users' involvement in mental health service research is increasingly
acknowledged as important, yet, whilst involving users of mental health services
as research participants is commonplace, seeking out their experience and indeed
their "expertise" to facilitate the development of tools to be used within mental
health services is in its infancy. This article describes the involvement and
views of service users in the development of a nursing metric-the Therapeutic
Engagement Questionnaire. It presents their role in the three stages of
development: generation, statement reduction and authentication.
PMID- 28703474
TI - Hunger, craving and appetite.
PMID- 28703475
TI - Feasibility of CBCT-based dose with a patient-specific stepwise HU-to-density
curve to determine time of replanning.
AB - PURPOSE: (a) To investigate the accuracy of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT)
derived dose distributions relative to fanbeam-based simulation CT-derived dose
distributions; and (b) to study the feasibility of CBCT dosimetry for guiding the
appropriateness of replanning. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Image data corresponding to
40 patients (10 head and neck [HN], 10 lung, 10 pancreas, 10 pelvis) who
underwent radiation therapy were randomly selected. Each patient had both
intensity-modulated radiation therapy and volumetric-modulated arc therapy plans;
these 80 plans were subsequently recomputed on the CBCT images using a patient
specific stepwise curve (Hounsfield units-to-density). Planning target volumes
(PTVs; D98%, D95%, D2%), mean dose, and V95% were compared between simulation-CT
derived treatment plans and CBCT-based plans. Gamma analyses were performed using
criterion of 3%/3 mm for three dose zones (>90%, 70%~90%, and 30%~70% of maximum
dose). CBCT-derived doses were then used to evaluate the appropriateness of
replanning decisions in 12 additional HN patients whose plans were previously
revised during radiation therapy because of anatomic changes; replanning in these
cases was guided by the conventional observed source-to-skin-distance change
derived approach. RESULTS: For all disease sites, the difference in PTV mean dose
was 0.1% +/- 1.1%, D2% was 0.7% +/- 0.1%, D95% was 0.2% +/- 1.1%, D98% was 0.2%
+/- 1.0%, and V95% was 0.3% +/- 0.8%; For 3D dose comparison, 99.0% +/- 1.9%,
97.6% +/- 4.4%, and 95.3% +/- 6.0% of points passed the 3%/3 mm criterion of
gamma analysis in high-, medium-, and low-dose zones, respectively. The CBCT
images achieved comparable dose distributions. In the 12 previously replanned 12
HN patients, CBCT-based dose predicted well changes in PTV D2% (Pearson linear
correlation coefficient = 0.93; P < 0.001). If 3% of change is used as the
replanning criteria, 7/12 patients could avoid replanning. CONCLUSIONS: CBCT
based dose calculations produced accuracy comparable to that of simulation CT.
CBCT-based dosimetry can guide the decision to replan during the course of
treatment.
PMID- 28703476
TI - In vitro biocompatibility of hydroxyapatite-added GIC: An SEM study using human
periodontal ligament fibroblasts.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Nano-hydroxyapatite-added GIC has been developed to improve the
physical properties of conventional GIC. However, biological response of
periodontal cells to this potentially useful cervical restorative material has
been unexplored. The aim of this study was to investigate the in vitro response
of human periodontal ligament fibroblasts to hydroxyapatite-added GIC. MATERIALS
AND METHODS: Three categories of materials, namely, test group 1 (cGIC or type IX
GIC), test group 2 (HA-GIC or hydroxyapatite-added GIC), and positive control
(glass cover slips) were incubated with human periodontal ligament fibroblasts.
The samples were viewed under scanning electron microscope to study the
morphological characteristics of fibroblasts. Additionally, elemental analysis
was performed to differentiate between the two test groups based on surface
chemical composition. RESULTS: Test group 1 (cGIC) exhibited cells with curled up
morphology, indicative of poor attachment to the substrate. Test group 2 (Ha-GIC)
exhibited cells with flattened morphology and numerous cellular extensions such
as lamellipodia and blebs, indicative of good attachment to the substrate. The
test group 2 (Ha-GIC) demonstrated higher surface elemental percentages of
calcium and phosphorus. CONCLUSION: Within the limitations of this study, it may
be concluded that hydroxyapatite-added GIC is more biocompatible than
conventional GIC (type IX), probably attributed to high elemental percentages of
calcium and phosphorus. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The search for an ideal cervical
restorative dental material has been ever elusive. Hydroxyapatite-added GIC is a
simple and economical dental material to fabricate from basic conventional GIC.
The results from this study strengthen its candidature for cervical and root
surface restorations which may later require soft tissue augmentation. The
possibility of connective tissue adhesion to this material is an exciting
prospect in the field of periorestorative dentistry.
PMID- 28703477
TI - A cost analysis of a long-term prospective study of patients treated with
immediately loaded implant-supported mandibular overdentures.
AB - BACKGROUND: The economic burden for patients seeking treatment with implant
supported prostheses has not been given adequate attention. PURPOSE: To document
long-term costs from a prospective trial on edentulous patients treated with
mandibular implant-supported overdentures and 2 loading protocols. MATERIALS AND
METHODS: The direct clinical and time costs for 35 patients receiving an
immediate-loading protocol (ILP) and 40 patients with a conventional-loading
protocol, over 14 years of observation, were analyzed in 2016 Canadian dollars as
a base year. Quality of life (QoL) for the ILP was measured using the OHIP-20
questionnaire. RESULTS: The ILP was associated with higher complication costs
($870.77 +/- 692.24 vs $85.73 +/- 133.14) with resultant higher maintenance costs
($1746.37 +/- 892.68 vs $853.04 +/- 276.21) (P < .05). OHIP results showed a
sustained improvement in QoL through the first 5 year of follow-up. A worsening
of QoL, specifically the functional-related OHIP scores, was noted at 14 years.
Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios indicated that the accrued maintenance
costs for the ILP made the treatment less cost-effective over time. CONCLUSIONS:
This long-term study confirmed that ILP is associated with higher maintenance
costs and varying subjective QoL measurements. Clinical treatment protocols
should be evaluated over a long period and address different perspectives.
PMID- 28703478
TI - Randomized clinical trial for the biological evaluation of two nanostructured
biphasic calcium phosphate biomaterials as a bone substitute.
AB - BACKGROUND: The presence of nonresorbable residual granules of hydroxyapatite
(HA) may decrease the bone/implant interface. To balance resorption and bone
formation biphasic calcium phosphate ceramics compounds applied at different
rates have been studied. PURPOSE: The aim of this trial was to compare the
clinical, histological, and histomorphometric responses of two new biphasic
calcium phosphate biomaterials in fresh dental sockets after 3 and 6 months.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-eight volunteers were divided randomly and double
blindly into 4 groups of 12 individuals: Clot (C), BoneCeramic (BC), Biomaterial
1 (B1), and Biomaterial 2 (B2) groups. Three and six months later, samples were
obtained, and histological and histomorphometric sections were evaluated,
focusing on the presence of fibrous connective tissue (CT) and newly formed bone.
Statistical analysis was performed (P < .05%). RESULTS: The quantification of
crystalline phases showed B1 composed of HA (60.28%) and beta-TCP (39.72%); B2
composed of HA (78.21%) and beta-TCP (21.79%); and BC composed of HA (61%) and
beta-TCP (39%). The B1 group showed the most newly formed bone (69.3% +/- 6.03%),
followed by the BC (51.6 +/- 12.34%), B2 (46.6 +/- 7.66%), and C groups (45.4 +/-
7.98%), and less connective tissue and biomaterial remained in the B1 group after
6 months. CONCLUSION: B1 group showed the greatest amount of newly formed bone
after 6 months.
PMID- 28703479
TI - Examination of DSM-5 Section III avoidant personality disorder in a community
sample.
AB - The current research evaluated the continuity between DSM-5 Section II and
Section III diagnostic operationalizations of avoidant personality disorder
(AvPD). More specifically, the study had three aims: (1) to examine which
personality constructs comprise the optimal trait constellation for AvPD; (2) to
investigate the utility of the proposed structure of the Section III AvPD
diagnosis, in regard to combining functional impairment (criterion A) and a
dimensional measure of personality (criterion B) variables; and (3) to determine
whether AvPD-specific impairment confers incremental meaningful contribution
above and beyond general impairment in personality functioning. A mixed sample of
402 university and community participants was recruited, and they were
administered multiple measures of Section II PD, personality traits, and
personality impairment. A latent measurement model approach was used to analyse
data. Results supported the general continuity between Section II and Section III
of the DSM-5; however, three of the four main criterion B traits were the
stronger predictors. There was also some support for the trait unassertiveness
augmenting the criterion B trait profile. The combination of using functional
impairment criteria (criterion A) and dimensional personality constructs
(criterion B) in operationalizing AvPD was supported; however, the reliance of
disorder-specific over general impairment for criterion A was not supported.
Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
PMID- 28703480
TI - Walking in the shoes of caregivers of children with obesity: supporting
caregivers in paediatric weight management.
AB - To incorporate the perspectives and experiences of family caregivers of children
with obesity, the KidFit Health and Wellness Clinic, a paediatric weight
management programme, embedded feedback opportunities into various stages of
programme development. Caregivers were eligible to participate if their children
had completed initial 4-week group-based pilot programming or were currently
receiving treatment in 10 or 12 week group-based programming. Data were collected
through feedback session discussions, audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and
analysed thematically. In total, 6 caregivers participated in the pilot group
feedback session and 32 caregivers participated in the structured group feedback
sessions. Caregivers reported that healthy lifestyle strategies first
communicated by clinic staff to children during group sessions provided expert
validation and reinforcement when discussing similar messages at home. Caregivers
reported feeling isolated and blamed for causing their children's obesity and
appreciated the supportive forum that group-based programming provided for
sharing experiences. Since experiences of blame and isolation can burden
caregivers of children with obesity, paediatric weight management programmes
might consider including peer support opportunities and discussion forums for
ongoing social support in addition to education about lifestyle change.
PMID- 28703481
TI - Three-year clinical prospective follow-up of extrasinus zygomatic implants for
the rehabilitation of the atrophic maxilla.
AB - BACKGROUND: Placement of extrasinus zygomatic implants to support implant
supported rehabilitation is still controversial due to the scarcity of data.
PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical outcomes of 94 extrasinus zygomatic implants,
installed laterally to the maxillary sinus, for rehabilitation of the edentulous
atrophic maxillae. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 42 patients (mean age 58
years) with severely atrophic maxillae were treated between November 2010 and
July 2011, and followed up until July 2014. A total of 273 implants (94 zygomatic
implants and 179 conventional implants) were used. The patients were followed in
a standardized clinical and radiographic method. RESULTS: During the 3-year study
period, 1 zygomatic implant and 4 conventional implants failed, resulting in a
survival rate of 98.9% and 97.7% respectively. All restorations with titanium
welded bars were installed either 3 days after surgery (immediate loading) or 6
months after surgery (delayed loading), and were successful until the last follow
up appointment, except for minor technical problems. No patient presented any
type of sinus adverse event. No other significant occurrences were reported.
CONCLUSION: This 3-year clinical follow-up study indicates that extrasinus
zygomatic implants represent predictable treatment option atrophic maxillae.
Further longitudinal prospective clinical studies are necessary to confirm these
results.
PMID- 28703482
TI - Unique Solid-State Emission Behavior of Aromatic Difluoroboronated beta-Diketones
as an Emitter in Organic Light-Emitting Devices.
AB - Aromatic difluoroboronated beta-diketone (BF2 DK) derivatives are a widely known
class of luminescent organic materials that exhibit high photoluminescent quantum
efficiency and unique aggregation-dependent fluorescence behavior. However, there
have been only a few reports on their use in solid-state electronic devices, such
as organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs). Herein, we investigated the solid
state properties and OLED performance of a series of pi-extended BF2 DK
derivatives that have previously been shown to exhibit intense fluorescence in
the solution state. The BF2 DK derivatives formed exciplexes with a carbazole
derivative and exhibited thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) behavior
to give orange electroluminescence with a peak external quantum efficiency of 10
% that apparently exceeds the theoretical efficiency limit of conventional
fluorescent OLEDs (7.5 %), assuming a light out-coupling factor of 30 %.
PMID- 28703483
TI - Photoinduced Electron Transfer-based Halogen-free Photosensitizers: Covalent meso
Aryl (Phenyl, Naphthyl, Anthryl, and Pyrenyl) as Electron Donors to Effectively
Induce the Formation of the Excited Triplet State and Singlet Oxygen for BODIPY
Compounds.
AB - Pristine BODIPY compounds have negligible efficiency to generate the excited
triplet state and singlet oxygen. In this report, we show that attaching a good
electron donor to the BODIPY core can lead to singlet oxygen formation with up to
58 % quantum efficiency. For this purpose, BODIPYs with meso-aryl groups (phenyl,
naphthyl, anthryl, and pyrenyl) were synthesized and characterized. The
fluorescence, excited triplet state, and singlet oxygen formation properties for
these compounds were measured in various solvents by UV/Vis absorption, steady
state and time-resolved fluorescence methods, as well as laser flash photolysis
technique. In particular, the presence of anthryl and pyrenyl showed substantial
enhancement on the singlet oxygen formation ability of BODIPY with up to 58 % and
34 % quantum efficiency, respectively, owing to their stronger electron-donating
ability. Upon the increase in singlet oxygen formation, the fluorescence quantum
yield and lifetime values of the aryl-BODIPY showed a concomitant decrease. The
increase in solvent polarity enhances the singlet oxygen generation but decreases
the fluorescence quantum yield. The results are explained by the presence of
intramolecular photoinduced electron transfer from the aryl moiety to BODIPY
core. This method of promoting T1 formation is very different from the
traditional heavy atom effect by I, Br, or transition metal atoms. This type of
novel photosensitizers may find important applications in organic oxygenation
reactions and photodynamic therapy of tumors.
PMID- 28703484
TI - Sulfonylureas as Concomitant Insulin Secretagogues and NLRP3 Inflammasome
Inhibitors.
AB - Insulin-secretory sulfonylureas are widely used, cost-effective treatments for
type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, pancreatic beta-cells are continually depleted as
T2D progresses, thereby rendering the sulfonylurea drug class ineffective in
controlling glycaemia. Dysregulation of the innate immune system via activation
of the NLRP3 inflammasome, and the consequent production of interleukin-1beta,
has been linked to pancreatic beta-cell death and multiple inflammatory
complications of T2D disease. One proposed strategy for treating T2D is the use
of sulfonylurea insulin secretagogues that are also NLRP3 inhibitors. We report
the synthesis and biological evaluation of nine sulfonylureas that inhibit NLRP3
activation in murine bone-marrow- derived macrophages in a potent, dose-dependent
manner. Six of these compounds inhibited NLRP3 at nanomolar concentrations and
can also stimulate insulin secretion from a murine pancreatic cell line (MIN6).
These novel compounds possess unprecedented dual modes of action, paving the way
for a new generation of sulfonylureas that may be useful as therapeutic
candidates and/or tool compounds in T2D and its associated inflammatory
complications.
PMID- 28703485
TI - Stereoselective Synthesis of Pillar[4]arene[1]cis-diepoxy-p-dione and X-Ray
Crystal Structure of Host-Guest System.
AB - Herein, we successfully develop a novel route to give rise to polarity for the
pillararenes by the introduction of oxygenated functionalities into
pillar[5]arene to stereoselectively synthesize the pillar[4]arene[1]cis-diepoxy-p
dione. Its host-guest properties with different dinitrile molecules were also
investigated and characterized by NMR and X-ray crystallography.
PMID- 28703486
TI - Pathogen screening and prognostic factors in children with severe ARDS of
pulmonary origin.
AB - BACKGROUND: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is one of the most lethal
diseases encountered in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). The etiological
pathogens and prognostic factors of severe ARDS of pulmonary origin in children
with respiratory virus infections were prospectively investigated. METHODS:
Enrolled children fulfilled the following criteria: (1) PICU admission; (2) age
of 1 month to 16 years; (3) diagnosis of infectious pneumonia and respiratory
virus infection; and (4) development of severe ARDS within 72 h after PICU
admission. Pathogens were detected in the blood and tracheal lavage fluid using
molecular techniques and a conventional culture system. The serum levels of
inflammatory mediators on the day of PICU admission were examined. RESULTS: Fifty
seven patients (32 boys; median age, 9 months) were enrolled. Multiple virus
infections, co-infection with bacteria/fungus, and bacteremia/fungemia were
observed in 60%, 49%, and 32% of children, respectively. Adenovirus-B, measles
virus, and cytomegalovirus were detected predominantly in tracheal lavage fluid.
There were no statistically significant differences between non-survivors and
survivors regarding the types of pathogen, incidence of multiple virus infection,
gender, age, clinical features, and treatment. The serum levels of interferon
(IFN)-gamma and the IFN-gamma/interleukin (IL)-10 ratio were higher in non
survivors. CONCLUSIONS: IFN-gamma upregulation as detected on the day of PICU
admission was found to be one of the possible prognostic factors affecting a
fatal outcome. These results suggest that modulation of inflammatory responses is
critical for the clinical management of children with ARDS.
PMID- 28703487
TI - Increasing awareness with recognition of pulsatile tinnitus for nurse
practitioners in the primary care setting: A case study.
AB - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Pulsatile tinnitus is a whooshing sound heard synchronous
with the heartbeat. It is an uncommon symptom affecting fewer than 10% of
patients with tinnitus. It often goes unrecognized in the primary care setting.
Failure to recognize this symptom can result in a missed or delayed diagnosis of
a potentially life-threatening condition known as a dural arteriovenous fistula.
The purpose of this case study is to provide a structured approach to the
identification of pulsatile tinnitus and provide management recommendations.
METHOD: A case study and review of pertinent literature. CONCLUSIONS: Pulsatile
tinnitus usually has a vascular treatable cause. A comprehensive history and
physical examination will alert the nurse practitioner (NP) when pulsatile
tinnitus is present. Auscultation in specific areas of the head can detect
audible or objective pulsatile tinnitus. Pulsatile tinnitus that is audible to
the examiner is an urgent medical condition requiring immediate consultation and
referral. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Knowledge of pulsatile tinnitus and
awareness of this often treatable condition directs the NP to perform a detailed
assessment when patients present with tinnitus, directs appropriate referral for
care and treatment, and can reduce the risk of delayed or missed diagnosis.
PMID- 28703489
TI - Timed Delivery of Therapy Enhances Functional Muscle Regeneration.
AB - Cell transplantation is a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of
traumatic muscle injury in humans. Previous investigations have typically focused
on the identification of potent cell and growth factor treatments and
optimization of spatial control over delivery. However, the optimal time point
for cell transplantation remains unclear. Here, this study reports how myoblast
and morphogen delivery timed to coincide with specific phases of the inflammatory
response affects donor cell engraftment and the functional repair of severely
injured muscle. Delivery of a biomaterial-based therapy timed with the peak of
injury-induced inflammation leads to potent early and long-term regenerative
benefits. Diminished inflammation and fibrosis, enhanced angiogenesis, and
increased cell engraftment are seen during the acute stage following optimally
timed treatment. Over the long term, treatment during peak inflammation leads to
enhanced functional regeneration, as indicated by reduced chronic inflammation
and fibrosis along with increased tissue perfusion and muscle contractile force.
Treatments initiated immediately after injury or after inflammation had largely
resolved provided more limited benefits. These results demonstrate the importance
of appropriately timing the delivery of biologic therapy in the context of muscle
regeneration. Biomaterial-based timed delivery can likely be applied to other
tissues and is of potential wide utility in regenerative medicine.
PMID- 28703490
TI - Response to "Correspondence Concerning Hemocompatibility of Superhemophobic
Titania Surfaces".
PMID- 28703488
TI - Amniotic fluid neutrophils can phagocytize bacteria: A mechanism for microbial
killing in the amniotic cavity.
AB - PROBLEM: Neutrophils are capable of performing phagocytosis, a primary mechanism
for microbial killing. Intra-amniotic infection is characterized by an influx of
neutrophils into the amniotic cavity. Herein, we investigated whether amniotic
fluid neutrophils could phagocytize bacteria found in the amniotic cavity of
women with intra-amniotic infection. METHODS: Amniotic fluid neutrophils from
women with intra-amniotic infection were visualized by transmission electron
microscopy (n=6). The phagocytic activity of amniotic fluid neutrophils from
women with intra-amniotic infection and/or inflammation (n=10) or peripheral
neutrophils from healthy individuals (controls, n=3) was tested using ex vivo
phagocytosis assays coupled with live imaging. Phagocytosis by amniotic fluid
neutrophils was also visualized by confocal microscopy (n=10) as well as scanning
and transmission electron microscopy (n=5). RESULTS: (i) Intra-amniotic infection
related bacteria including cocci (eg Streptococcus agalactiae), bacilli (eg
Bacteriodes fragilis and Prevotella spp.), and small bacteria without a cell wall
(eg Ureaplasma urealyticum) were found inside of amniotic fluid neutrophils; (ii)
peripheral neutrophils (controls) rapidly phagocytized S. agalactiae, U.
urealyticum, Gardnerella vaginalis, and Escherichia coli; (iii) amniotic fluid
neutrophils rapidly phagocytized S. agalactiae and G. vaginalis; and (iv)
amniotic fluid neutrophils slowly phagocytized U. urealyticum and E. coli; yet,
the process of phagocytosis of the genital mycoplasma was lengthier. CONCLUSION:
Amniotic fluid neutrophils can phagocytize bacteria found in the amniotic cavity
of women with intra-amniotic infection, namely S. agalactiae, U. urealyticum, G.
vaginalis, and E. coli. Yet, differences in the rapidity of phagocytosis were
observed among the studied microorganisms. These findings provide a host defense
mechanism whereby amniotic fluid neutrophils can kill microbes invading the
amniotic cavity.
PMID- 28703492
TI - Comparison of a full systematic review versus rapid review approaches to assess a
newborn screening test for tyrosinemia type 1.
AB - BACKGROUND: Rapid reviews are increasingly used to replace/complement systematic
reviews to support evidence-based decision-making. Little is known about how this
expedited process affects results. OBJECTIVES: To assess differences between
rapid and systematic review approaches for a case study of test accuracy of
succinylacetone for detecting tyrosinemia type 1. METHODS: Two reviewers
conducted an "enhanced" rapid review then a systematic review. The enhanced rapid
review involved narrower searches, a single reviewer checking 20% of
titles/abstracts and data extraction, and quality assessment using an unadjusted
QUADAS-2. Two reviewers performed the systematic review with a tailored QUADAS-2.
Post hoc analysis examined rapid reviewing with a single reviewer (basic rapid
review). RESULTS: Ten papers were included. Basic rapid reviews would have missed
1 or 4 of these (dependent on which reviewer). Enhanced rapid and systematic
reviews identified all 10 papers; one paper was only identified in the rapid
review through reference checking. Two thousand one hundred seventy-six fewer
title/abstracts and 129 fewer full texts were screened during the enhanced rapid
review than the systematic review. The unadjusted QUADAS-2 generated more
"unclear" ratings than the adjusted QUADAS-2 [29/70 (41.4%) versus 16/70
(22.9%)], and fewer "high" ratings [22/70 (31.4%) versus 42/70 (60.0%)]. Basic
rapid reviews contained important inaccuracies in data extraction, which were
detected by a second reviewer in the enhanced rapid and systematic reviews.
CONCLUSIONS: Enhanced rapid reviews with 20% checking by a second reviewer may be
an appropriate tool for policymakers to expeditiously assess evidence. Basic
rapid reviews (single reviewer) have higher risks of important inaccuracies and
omissions.
PMID- 28703493
TI - Analysis of polychlorodibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorodibenzofurans in stationary
source emissions in GC-MS/MS using hydrogen as the carrier gas.
AB - The European and American methods for the determination of polychlorodibenzo-p
dioxins and polychlorodibenzofurans in stationary source emissions require a high
resolution mass spectrometer detector. At the same time, all of the 17 toxic
2,3,7,8-chlorine-substituted isomers have to be separated by an appropriate
chromatographic method. The resulting analysis has long runtimes and sometimes a
double-column run is needed, which results in a huge waste of time, money and
manual labor. To obtain a fast and cost-effective but still reliable analytical
system, a single-column gas chromatography with hydrogen as carrier gas and
tandem mass spectrometry detection is proposed. The use of hydrogen as the
carrier gas is a good choice to shorten runtimes and improve the chromatographic
resolution, while tandem mass spectrometry is a well-known alternative for this
analysis. All the chromatographic and mass spectrometric parameters fill the
requirements of the reference methods with a 35% reduction of runtimes. The
accuracy is tested with three fly ash samples of a proficiency interlaboratory
test. A good correlation between the results is obtained (R2 = 0.992, slope =
0.9675), and no coelutions are noted. The system robustness is tested during 5
years of constant use and the maximal relative standard deviation of the relative
response factor is 18.8%.
PMID- 28703494
TI - Generating enzyme and radical-mediated bisubstrates as tools for investigating
Gcn5-related N-acetyltransferases.
AB - Gcn5-related N-acetyltransferases (GNATs) are found in all kingdoms of life and
catalyze important acyl transfer reactions in diverse cellular processes. While
many 3D structures of GNATs have been determined, most do not contain acceptor
substrates in their active sites. To expand upon existing crystallographic
strategies for improving acceptor-bound GNAT structures, we synthesized peptide
substrate analogs and reacted them with CoA in PA4794 protein crystals. We found
two separate mechanisms for bisubstrate formation: (a) a novel X-ray induced
radical-mediated alkylation of CoA with an alkene peptide and (b) direct
alkylation of CoA with a halogenated peptide. Our approach is widely applicable
across the GNAT superfamily and can be used to improve the success rate of
obtaining liganded structures of other acyltransferases.
PMID- 28703495
TI - Efficient Electron Transfer across a ZnO-MoS2 -Reduced Graphene Oxide
Heterojunction for Enhanced Sunlight-Driven Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution.
AB - The development of noble metal-free catalysts for hydrogen evolution is required
for energy applications. In this regard, ternary heterojunction nanocomposites
consisting of ZnO nanoparticles anchored on MoS2 -RGO (RGO=reduced graphene
oxide) nanosheets as heterogeneous catalysts show highly efficient photocatalytic
H2 evolution. In the photocatalytic process, the catalyst dispersed in an
electrolytic solution (S2- and SO32- ions) exhibits an enhanced rate of H2
evolution, and optimization experiments reveal that ZnO with 4.0 wt % of MoS2
RGO nanosheets gives the highest photocatalytic H2 production of 28.616 mmol h-1
gcat-1 under sunlight irradiation; approximately 56 times higher than that on
bare ZnO and several times higher than those of other ternary photocatalysts. The
superior catalytic activity can be attributed to the in situ generation of ZnS,
which leads to improved interfacial charge transfer to the MoS2 cocatalyst and
RGO, which has plenty of active sites available for photocatalytic reactions.
Recycling experiments also proved the stability of the optimized photocatalyst.
In addition, the ternary nanocomposite displayed multifunctional properties for
hydrogen evolution activity under electrocatalytic and photoelectrocatalytic
conditions owing to the high electrode-electrolyte contact area. Thus, the
present work provides very useful insights for the development of inexpensive,
multifunctional catalysts without noble metal loading to achieve a high rate of
H2 generation.
PMID- 28703491
TI - Week 96 results of the randomized, multicentre Maraviroc Switch (MARCH) study.
AB - OBJECTIVES: The Maraviroc Switch (MARCH) study week 48 data demonstrated that
maraviroc, a chemokine receptor-5 (CCR5) inhibitor, was a safe and effective
switch for the ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitor (PI/r) component of a two
nucleos(t)ide reverse transcriptase inhibitor [N(t)RTI] plus PI/r-based
antiretroviral regimen in patients with R5-tropic virus. Here we report the
durability of this finding. METHODS: MARCH, an international, multicentre,
randomized, 96-week open-label switch study, enrolled HIV-1-infected adults with
R5-tropic virus who were stable (> 24 weeks) and virologically suppressed [plasma
viral load (pVL) < 50 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL]. Participants were randomized to
continue their current PI/r-based regimen (PI/r) or to switch to MVC plus two
N(t)RTIs (MVC) (1:2 randomization). The primary endpoint was the difference in
the proportion with pVL < 200 copies/mL at 96 weeks. The switch arm was defined
as noninferior if the lower limit of the 95% confidence interval (CI) for the
difference was < -12% in the intention-to-treat (ITT) population. Safety
endpoints (the difference in the mean change from baseline or a comparison of
proportions) were analysed as key secondary endpoints. RESULTS: Eighty-two (PI/r)
and 156 (MVC) participants were randomized and included in the ITT analysis; 71
(87%) and 130 (83%) were in follow-up and on therapy at week 96. At week 96,
89.0% and 90.4% in the PI/r and MVC arms, respectively, had pVL < 50 copies/mL
(95% CI -6.6, 10.2). Moreover, in those switching away from PI/r, there were
significant reductions in mean total cholesterol (differences 0.31 mmol/L; P =
0.02) and triglycerides (difference 0.44 mmol/L; P < 0.001). Changes in CD4 T
cell count, renal function, and serious and nonserious adverse events were
similar in the two arms. CONCLUSIONS: MVC as a switch for a PI/r is safe and
effective at maintaining virological suppression while having significant lipid
benefits over 96 weeks.
PMID- 28703496
TI - The reliability and validity of ultrasound to quantify muscles in older adults: a
systematic review.
AB - This review evaluates the reliability and validity of ultrasound to quantify
muscles in older adults. The databases PubMed, Cochrane, and Cumulative Index to
Nursing and Allied Health Literature were systematically searched for studies. In
17 studies, the reliability (n = 13) and validity (n = 8) of ultrasound to
quantify muscles in community-dwelling older adults (>=60 years) or a clinical
population were evaluated. Four out of 13 reliability studies investigated both
intra-rater and inter-rater reliability. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC)
scores for reliability ranged from -0.26 to 1.00. The highest ICC scores were
found for the vastus lateralis, rectus femoris, upper arm anterior, and the trunk
(ICC = 0.72 to 1.000). All included validity studies found ICC scores ranging
from 0.92 to 0.999. Two studies describing the validity of ultrasound to predict
lean body mass showed good validity as compared with dual-energy X-ray
absorptiometry (r2 = 0.92 to 0.96). This systematic review shows that ultrasound
is a reliable and valid tool for the assessment of muscle size in older adults.
More high-quality research is required to confirm these findings in both clinical
and healthy populations. Furthermore, ultrasound assessment of small muscles
needs further evaluation. Ultrasound to predict lean body mass is feasible;
however, future research is required to validate prediction equations in older
adults with varying function and health.
PMID- 28703497
TI - Fast online replanning for interfraction rotation correction in prostate
radiotherapy.
AB - PURPOSE: To enable fast online replanning for prostate radiotherapy with the
inclusion of interfraction rotations and translations and investigate the
possibility for margin reduction via this regime. METHODS: Online daily
replanning for a 35-fraction treatment for five prostate cases is simulated while
accounting for anatomical transformations derived from fiducial marker data
available in our clinic. Two online replanning strategies were simulated,
compensating for: (a) rotation-only in combination with a couch shift and (b)
both translation and rotation without a couch shift. They were compared against
our current clinical protocol consisting of a single offline plan used over all
fractions with daily couch repositioning (translations only). For every patient,
the above methods were generated for several planning margins (0-8 mm with 2 mm
increments) in order to assess the performance of online replanning in terms of
target coverage and investigate the possible dosimetric benefit for the organs at
risk. The daily DVHs for each treatment strategy were used for evaluation and the
non tumor integral dose (NTID) for the different margins was calculated in order
to quantify the overall reduction of the delivered energy to the patient.
RESULTS: Our system is able to generate a daily automated prostate plan in less
than 2 min. For every patient, the daily treatment plans produce similar dose
distributions to the original approved plan (average CTV D99 relative difference:
0.2%). The inclusion of both shifts and rotations can be effectively compensated
via replanning among all planning margins (average CTV D99 difference: 0.01 Gy
between the two replanning regimes). Online replanning is able to maintain target
coverage among all margins, while - as expected - the conventional treatment plan
is increasingly affected by the interfraction rotations as the margins shrink
(average CTV D99 decrease: 0.2 Gy at 8 mm to 2.9 Gy at 0 mm margin). The possible
gain in total delivered energy to the patient was quantified by the decreased
NTID ranging from 12.6% at 6 mm to 32.9% at 0 mm. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate
that fast daily replanning can be utilized to account for daily rotations and
translations based on the daily positioning protocol. A daily plan can be
generated from scratch in less than 2 min making it suitable for online
application. Given the large magnitude of prostate rotation around the LR axis,
online correction for daily rotations can be beneficial even for the clinical 8
mm margin and could be utilized for treatments with small margin reduction mainly
limited then by anatomical deformations and intrafraction motion. Our online
replanning pipeline can be used in future treatments with online MR guidance that
can lead to further safe reduction of the planning margins.
PMID- 28703498
TI - Bayesian Networks to Compare Pest Control Interventions on Commodities Along
Agricultural Production Chains.
AB - The production of an agricultural commodity involves a sequence of processes:
planting/growing, harvesting, sorting/grading, postharvest treatment, packing,
and exporting. A Bayesian network has been developed to represent the level of
potential infestation of an agricultural commodity by a specified pest along an
agricultural production chain. It reflects the dependency of this infestation on
the predicted level of pest challenge, the anticipated susceptibility of the
commodity to the pest, the level of impact from pest control measures as
designed, and any variation from that due to uncertainty in measure efficacy. The
objective of this Bayesian network is to facilitate agreement between national
governments of the exporters and importers on a set of phytosanitary measures to
meet specific phytosanitary measure requirements to achieve target levels of
protection against regulated pests. The model can be used to compare the
performance of different combinations of measures under different scenarios of
pest challenge, making use of available measure performance data. A case study is
presented using a model developed for a fruit fly pest on dragon fruit in
Vietnam; the model parameters and results are illustrative and do not imply a
particular level of fruit fly infestation of these exports; rather, they provide
the most likely, alternative, or worst-case scenarios of the impact of measures.
As a means to facilitate agreement for trade, the model provides a framework to
support communication between exporters and importers about any differences in
perceptions of the risk reduction achieved by pest control measures deployed
during the commodity production chain.
PMID- 28703499
TI - New perspectives on familiar problems.
PMID- 28703500
TI - Medical students' view on managing sick patients.
PMID- 28703501
TI - The flipped classroom.
PMID- 28703502
TI - Handover education: student response.
PMID- 28703503
TI - OSVE or OSCE?
PMID- 28703504
TI - Efficacy of a Community- Versus Primary Care-Centered Program for Childhood
Obesity: TX CORD RCT.
AB - OBJECTIVE: This randomized controlled trial was conducted to determine
comparative efficacy of a 12-month community-centered weight management program
(MEND2-5 for ages 2-5 or MEND/CATCH6-12 for ages 6-12) against a primary care
centered program (Next Steps) in low-income children. METHODS: Five hundred forty
nine Hispanic and black children (BMI >= 85th percentile), stratified by age
groups (2-5, 6-8, and 9-12 years), were randomly assigned to MEND2-5 (27 contact
hours)/MEND/CATCH6-12 (121.5 contact hours) or Next Steps (8 contact hours).
Primary (BMI value at the 95th percentile [%BMIp95 ]) and secondary outcomes were
measured at baseline, 3 months (Intensive Phase), and 12 months (Transition
Phase). RESULTS: For age group 6-8, MEND/CATCH6-12 resulted in greater
improvement in %BMIp95 than Next Steps during the Intensive Phase. Effect size
(95% CI) was -1.94 (-3.88, -0.01) percentage points (P = 0.05). For age group 9
12, effect size was -1.38 (-2.87, 0.16) percentage points for %BMIp95 (P = 0.07).
MEND2-5 did not differentially affect %BMIp95 . Attendance averaged 52% and 22%
during the Intensive and Transition Phases. Intervention compliance was inversely
correlated to change in %BMIp95 during the Intensive Phase (P < 0.05). In the
Transition Phase, %BMIp95 was maintained or rebounded in both programs (P <
0.05). CONCLUSIONS: MEND/CATCH6-12 was more efficacious for BMI reduction at 3
months but not 12 months compared to Next Steps in underserved children.
Intervention compliance influenced outcomes, emphasizing the need for research in
sustaining family engagement in low-income populations.
PMID- 28703505
TI - Tanners' awareness and perceptions of legislation for tanning bed use.
PMID- 28703506
TI - Investigation of lithium distribution in the rat brain ex vivo using lithium-7
magnetic resonance spectroscopy and imaging at 17.2 T.
AB - Lithium is the first-line mood stabilizer for the treatment of patients with
bipolar disorder. However, its mechanisms of action and transport across the
blood-brain barrier remain poorly understood. The contribution of lithium-7
magnetic resonance imaging (7 Li MRI) to investigate brain lithium distribution
remains limited because of the modest sensitivity of the lithium nucleus and the
expected low brain concentrations in humans and animal models. Therefore, we
decided to image lithium distribution in the rat brain ex vivo using a turbo-spin
echo imaging sequence at 17.2 T. The estimation of lithium concentrations was
performed using a phantom replacement approach accounting for B1 inhomogeneities
and differential T1 and T2 weighting. Our MRI-derived lithium concentrations were
validated by comparison with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP
MS) measurements ([Li]MRI = 1.18[Li]MS , R = 0.95). Overall, a sensitivity of
0.03 mmol/L was achieved for a spatial resolution of 16 MUL. Lithium distribution
was uneven throughout the brain (normalized lithium content ranged from 0.4 to
1.4) and was mostly symmetrical, with consistently lower concentrations in the
metencephalon (cerebellum and brainstem) and higher concentrations in the cortex.
Interestingly, low lithium concentrations were also observed close to the lateral
ventricles. The average brain-to-plasma lithium ratio was 0.34 +/- 0.04, ranging
from 0.29 to 0.39. Brain lithium concentrations were reasonably correlated with
plasma lithium concentrations, with Pearson correlation factors ranging from 0.63
to 0.90.
PMID- 28703507
TI - Successful laparoscopic treatment of advanced rectal cancer in an extremely
elderly man (101 years and 9 months).
AB - An extremely elderly man (age, 101 years and 9 months) visited our hospital
because of recurrent and worsening anal bleeding. Type 2 rectal cancer was found
in his rectum during colonoscopy. He did not have any severe coexisting diseases
and had not suffered any episodes of dementia. Laparoscopy-assisted anterior
resection combined with D2 lymph node dissection was performed with minimal
bleeding. The operation time was 128 min. The patient suffered mild reflux
pneumonia on postoperative day 6 and was administered additional antibiotics. He
recovered within 2 days. He was discharged on postoperative day 17, at which
point he was able to walk.
PMID- 28703509
TI - ?
PMID- 28703510
TI - [Precision medicine : a required approach for the general internist].
AB - The general internist cannot be a passive bystander of the anticipated medical
revolution induced by precision medicine. This latter aims to improve the
predictive and/or clinical course of an individual by integrating all biological,
genetic, environmental, phenotypic and psychosocial knowledge of a person. In
this article, national and international initiatives in the field of precision
medicine are discussed as well as the potential financial, ethical and
limitations of personalized medicine. The question is not to know if precision
medicine will be part of everyday life but rather to integrate early the general
internist in multidisciplinary teams to ensure optimal information and shared
decision process with patients and individuals.
PMID- 28703511
TI - [What is new in 2016 for the specialist in hospital internal medicine?]
AB - The year 2016 was rich in significant advances in all areas of internal medicine.
Many of them have an impact on our daily practice in general internal medicine.
From the treatment of NSTEMI in population older than 80, to new sepsis and
septic shock criteria to antidotes of new oral anticoagulants, this selection
offers to the readers a brief overview of the major advances. The chief residents
in the Service of internal medicine of the Lausanne University hospital are
pleased to share their readings.
PMID- 28703512
TI - [Recent developments in internal medicine].
AB - Whilst the practice of hospital based internal medicine is often carried out in
tight collaboration with clinical specialities, in particular for deciding on the
indication of interventional and diagnostic procedures, it is important to remain
objective with respect to the indications and benefits of these acts. This is the
case in areas such as cardiovascular medicine and nephrology. Recent studies also
have the potential to modify current guidelines for the management of arterial
hypertension and hypercholesterolemia. This article discusses some of these
selected subjects.
PMID- 28703513
TI - [2016 Update in general internal medicine : Good intentions, possible bad
outcomes].
AB - Ideally, our clinical practices and decisions should be based on evidence derived
from randomized clinical trials. Yet, we often have to determine the potential
side effects (including interactions) of drugs that we prescribed using other
level of evidence; clinical trials being obviously not appropriate for such
situations. Results from observational studies published in 2016 should be of
interest to primary care physicians. In this review, we present six of them. Once
the limitations of these non-interventional studies acknowledged, primary care
physicians should consider these results and be particularly attentive when
prescribing these drugs.
PMID- 28703514
TI - [2016 literature findings in internal general medicine].
AB - Treatment with diclofenac appears to be more effective compared to other NSAIDs
in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the large joints. Opioids do not diminish
significantly the pain in chronic lower back pain. Degenerative tears of the
meniscus, without signs of osteoarthritis, should be treated conservatively.
Acute appendicitis without perforation signs should be treated conservatively if
possible. Mindfulness meditation could prevent the recurrence of episodes in
major depression. Oropharyngeal exercises could reduce the frequency and
intensity of snoring. The choice of treatment in Helicobacter pylori infection
must consider its effectiveness and tolerance. Concomitant use of statins and
vitamin D could be an interesting alternative treatment in migraines.
PMID- 28703515
TI - [Raising the internist's know-how in the field of rare diseases: mitochondrial
diseases as an illustrative example].
AB - Rare Diseases, defined by a prevalence of less than 1 per 2000 persons, affect 36
million people in Europe, 500 000 in Switzerland, corresponding to 6-8% of the
general population. 7000 rare diseases are currently recorded.Mitochondrial
diseases are a heterogeneous group of genetic diseases. They are characterized by
intracellular failure of energy production and affect predominantly energy
dependent tissues. The clinical presentation is not always suggestive,
particularly in adulthood. In order to reach the diagnosis, a prerequisite is to
think of them. In this article, we will focus on the clinical aspects of
mitochondrial disorders in order to give the internist simple tools on how not to
miss those rare diseases in his daily practice.
PMID- 28703516
TI - ?
PMID- 28703517
TI - ?
PMID- 28703518
TI - ?
PMID- 28703520
TI - ?
PMID- 28703519
TI - ?
PMID- 28703521
TI - ?
PMID- 28703522
TI - ?
PMID- 28703523
TI - ?
PMID- 28703524
TI - ?
PMID- 28703525
TI - ?
PMID- 28703526
TI - [Addictions].
AB - In 2016, the actuality for addictions in this edition addresses four points.
Social neurosciences of addiction are of great importance regarding the
vulnerabilities for addiction and for the recovery. Deep brain stimulation is
emerging in the therapeutic panel coming from the clinical neurosciences for the
addictions. Novelties in opioid agonists for the treatment of opiates dependence,
with the apparition in the Swiss market of release morphine and of levomethadone.
Cannabis and prison, a pilot study for the maintenance of abstinence in prison.
PMID- 28703527
TI - [Non-celiac wheat sensitivity - growing evidence for a wheat-dependent immune
mediated disease].
AB - These past years, double-blinded placebo controlled food challenges in subjects
with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) reporting sensitivity to gluten have
identified a group of individuals without celiac disease (CD) in whom symptoms
were clearly aggravated by wheat. Not only did the exposure to wheat trigger
intestinal symptoms, but also frequently fatigue and a sensation of foggy mind.
Recent studies in mice and sensitive subjects suggest an immune activation by
various wheat proteins, with a rapid increase of intestinal mucosal permeability
and recruitment of intraepithelial lymphocytes. Moreover, markers of epithelial
damage and immune activation are increased in the peripheral blood of wheat
sensitive subjects upon challenge, and decrease under gluten-free diet. Larger
studies are needed to better characterize this entity and to distinguish it from
food-aggravated IBS and a " forme fruste " of CD.
PMID- 28703528
TI - [Innovations in the treatment of severe asthma].
AB - In severe asthma, there is a real need for new effective therapies offering a
good safety and tolerance profile. Mepolizumab is a humanized anti-interleukin-5
monoclonal antibody, available in Switzerland since 2016 for treatment of severe
adult eosinophilic asthma. Other monoclonal antibodies, such as dupilumab, are
being developed in the field of asthma.
PMID- 28703529
TI - [Hope for chronic inflammatory diseases : the anti-IL-6 receptor monoclonal
antibody tocilizumab].
AB - Vasculitis like Horton's disease, some autoinflammatory syndromes (Behcet's,
Still's diseases) often require long term treatment with steroids, and therefore
are associated with non acceptable adverse events, especially when resistant to
treatment. Recently, a number of controlled prospective clinical trials are
supporting the interest of the anti-IL-6 receptor monoclonal antibody tocilizumab
in these chronic inflammatory conditions et may soon be recognized as second
intention therapeutic approach.
PMID- 28703530
TI - [News in Angiology and Hemostasis].
AB - Several themes were selected from those that marked the year 2016. The analysis
of registries with "real life" data regarding the use of direct oral
anticoagulants is reassuring and overall confirm the data of the pivotal studies.
We also present the validation of a prediction rule for risk stratification of
thromboembolism recurrence and duration of anticoagulation after an unprovoked
event. In addition, new data shed light on the treatment of distal vein
thrombosis. We also address the issue of venous thromboembolism risk related to
oral contraceptives and the issue of genetic testing prior prescription, and
finally present a new factor VIII recently available for the treatment of
patients with acquired hemophilia A.
PMID- 28703531
TI - [Cardiology update in 2016].
AB - In 2016 the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) published new guidelines. These
documents update the knowledge in various fields such as atrial fibrillation,
heart failure, cardiovascular prevention and dyslipidemia. Of course it is
impossible to summarize these guidelines in detail. Nevertheless, we decided to
highlight the major modifications, and to emphasize some key points that are
especially useful for the primary care physician.
PMID- 28703532
TI - [Novelties in surgery in 2016].
AB - The year 2016 allowed further implementation of previous years innovations with
the PIPAC treatment for peritoneal carcinomatosis, the development of new
surgical technologies and procedures and challenging general principles in
general and digestive surgery, including cholecystectomy and appendectomy.
Prevention, improved general and perioperative care (ERAS program) become an
integral part of our standard surgical activity.
PMID- 28703533
TI - [The dermatological indications of laser: beyond cosmetic target.]
AB - During the last 30 years, the use of lasers in dermatology has gone far beyond
the spectrum of aesthetic and cosmetic applications. Techniques are more than
simple removal by CO2 Laser. Increasing knowledge, understanding, and experience
have helped to effectively treat numerous important skin diseaes by the use of
lasers. However, high-quality clinical trials are sparse in this domain.
Consequently, so far only the treatment of hemangiomas and warts is a laser
indication reimbursed by insurance companies. This article discusses three types
of skin diseases where substantial progress has been reported in the scientific
literature in 2016, namely pigmentary disorders, vascular diseases, and
inflammatory dermatoses.
PMID- 28703534
TI - [News in diabetology 2016].
AB - The field of diabetes is constantly evolving, with numerous new molecules
reaching the market in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Paradoxically, this drug
jungle is difficult for the primary care physician and can lead to therapeutic
inertia. After the beneficial effect of empagliflozin on cardiovascular outcomes
in the EMPA REG Outcome trial in 2015, liraglutide also shows cardiovascular
benefits in high risk patients with type 2 diabetes. Therefore, these two
studies, led to new recommendations by the Swiss Society for Endocrinology and
Diabetes, by notably favouring the prescription of these molecules to type 2
diabetic patients in secondary prevention, after metformin.
PMID- 28703535
TI - [Endocrinology, what's new in 2016].
AB - The European Society of Endocrinology has published this year a series of
guidelines for hypoparathyroidism, the management of adrenal incidentalomas as
well as for the long-term follow-up of patients operated on for a
phaeochromocytoma/paraganglioma (PPGL). For hypoparathyroidism, guidelines insist
on screening for chronic complications and monitoring treatment with calcium and
vitamin D; the use of recombinant PTH may provide new opportunities for the
future. Concerning adrenal incidentalomas, the panel of the guidelines primarily
recommends non contrast CT for the evaluation of the risk of malignancy. Patients
operated on for a PPGL, should be offered an individualized follow-up plan based
on assessment of their risk of tumor recurrence.
PMID- 28703536
TI - [Gastroenterology and hepatology in 2016].
AB - This article aims to detail the major innovations occurred in Gastro-enterology
in 2016, including the introduction of a new molecule, the vonoprazan, for the
treatment of refractory gastroesophagal reflux disease (GERD) and a new way of
eradication of H. pylori. The possibility to use an intermittent dose of PPI
rather than continuously in severe gastric and duodenal ulcers after successful
endoscopic hemostasis is also discussed as well as the withdrawal of
corticosteroids in the treatment of autoimmune pancreatitis. The formulation of
corticosteroids in the treatment of eosinophilic esophagitis, the interest of the
chromo-endoscopy during colonoscopy highlighting small polyps (from 1 to 5 mm = "
diminutive polyps ") and the introduction on the Swiss market for biosimilars in
the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are also discussed.
PMID- 28703537
TI - [Geriatric medicine].
AB - In 2016, consequences, contributing factors, and prevention of inappropriate drug
prescribing were investigated. Two studies lift the veil on unexplained falls and
syncope. A meta-analysis questions the need to adapting transfusion's threshold
to comorbidities, and another one the performance of screening for swallowing
disorders. The Framingham Heart Study reports the declining of the incidence of
vascular dementia. The role played by microbleeds in cognitive deterioration was
investigated and aducanumab showed encouraging effect in Alzheimer's disease.
When vaccination against influenza for health workers in nursing home was
challenged by a meta-analysis this recommendation must be followed. Vaccines
against shingles are effective and safe, and a study confirms the efficacy of the
HZ7su among 70+.
PMID- 28703538
TI - [Obstetric medicine : the success of a transdisciplinary approach to the maternal
health].
AB - Obstetric medicine is a specialty that addresses maternal health and medical
complications during pregnancy. This emerging specialty responds to the
increasing need for specialized intervention in cases of high risk pregnancies,
at a time when pregnancies can occur at more advanced ages and where advances in
therapeutics now allow to consider pregnancy in mothers with chronic illness.
Furthermore, medical conditions specific to pregnancy, such as hypertensive
disorders of pregnancy or gestational diabetes, are now recognized as emerging
risk factors for cardiovascular, metabolic and renal diseases, for which
longitudinal care beyond the maternity ward is of critical importance.
PMID- 28703539
TI - [Hypertension].
AB - The year 2016 has been impacted essentially by the results of the SPRINT trial
published in the end of 2015. This study proposed a systolic blood pressure
target of <120 mmHg for all high cardiovascular risk patients. In this review, we
shall discuss the impact of this trial and the criticisms that have appeared
following its publications. These latter will probably limit its practical
application. Moreover, we shall discuss the screening of hypertension in children
and adolescents and the possible role of drugs lowering uric acid in hypertensive
patients with hyperuricemia.
PMID- 28703540
TI - [One year of infectious diseases : a review].
AB - Several outbreaks have made the news in 2016 : Ebola has come at an end, Zika is
booming and a resurgence of yellow fever takes place in Africa. In Switzerland,
two hospital outbreaks have been reported, caused by Mycobacterium chimerae and
Burkholderia cepacia. A major new article has consolidated the notion that
prolonged antibiotic therapy is unnecessary in Lyme disease. As multiresistant
bacteria are increasing in frequency, innovative therapeutic approaches are under
development. For lung infections, sensitive and specific methods are in need to
refine their etiological diagnosis. In pneumonia, therapy can be shortened
without risk compared with usual practice. Finally, the epidemiology of bacterial
meningitis has changed in the last 10 years, with a decrease of incidence.
PMID- 28703541
TI - [Emergency medicine : updates 2016].
AB - Several articles have been published during 2016 suggesting amendments in certain
established practices of emergency medicine. Amongst such practices now in
question are : 1) the use in mechanical cardiopulmonary resuscitation of
amiodarone and lidocaine which appear not to improve survival or neurological
outcome ; 2) apneic oxygenation being associated with a significant increase in
first pass success intubation ; 3) an updating of the definition of sepsis and
septic shock which facilitate earlier identification of susceptible patients ; 4)
the use of the high sensitivity troponin 0-hour / 1-hour algorithm which
differentiates earlier patients with or without acute myocardial infarction ; 5)
that intramuscular non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs offer effective
sustained analgesia for renal colic, and finally 6) that irrigation of an abscess
cavity after incision and drainage is not beneficial.
PMID- 28703542
TI - [Nephrology : What's new in 2016 ?]
AB - The first treatment which slows the course of polycystic kidney disease is now
available in Switzerland. There is no benefit of immunosuppression when treating
IgA nephropathy. Rituximab has been proved effective in the treatment of
membranous nephropathy. When to start renal replacement therapy in acute kidney
injury ? The debate still continues. In selected patients with end-stage renal
failure, starting with twice a week hemodialysis is a desirable option.
Peritoneal dialysis can be considered in frail patients. Better being
transplanted with a HLA-incompatible living donor than to be on the waiting list.
Immunosuppression without a calcineurin inhibitor is a potential immunologic
hazard even for stable transplants. Long-term results of belatacept-based
immunosuppression instead of cyclosporin showed better graft and patient survival
but more acute rejection.
PMID- 28703543
TI - [Neurology].
AB - Aducanumab reduces the burden of amyloid plaques in Alzheimer's disease, with
significant improvement of clinical scores. Endovascular thrombectomy is
recommended in patients with acute stroke with proximal occlusion of the anterior
circulation. CGRP antagonists and botulinum toxin are effective in migraine. ZIKA
virus infection has been linked to the Guillain-Barre syndrome. Edaravone has
been approved for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Two monoclonal antibodies
(ocrelizumab and daclizumab) and siponimod show positive results in multiple
sclerosis. Thalamotomy of ventral intermediate nucleus (by gamma-knife or by
magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound) is effective in drug-resistant
essential tremor. The dose-dependent risk of foetal malformations associated with
valproate and topiramate is confirmed.
PMID- 28703544
TI - [Ophthalmology in 2016 : the advent of ocular biomarkers].
AB - Precision medicine is the future. In all fields of medicine, optimized therapy
aims at identifying individuals at risks in order to prevent diseases, to
identify specific molecular targets in a specific patient, at a specific time, to
administer optimized treatment with less side effects. To achieve this ambitious
aim, biomarkers, which should be specific and sensitive predictive indicators of
diseases, or of response to treatment or of a state of evolution of the disease,
must be identified. The eye offers an easy access organ to collect directly media
or tissue, which can serve to identify such markers. This paper summarizes recent
advances in the identification of ocular biomarkers of ocular diseases but also
of brain diseases.
PMID- 28703545
TI - [Osteoporosis].
AB - After one year of treatment with denosumab, the incidence of fracture is lower in
patients previously treated one year with romosozumab as compared with placebo.
Cessation of denosumab injections is followed by a rebound of bone resorption, a
decrease of bone mineral density and increased risk of multiple vertebral
fractures. For safety reasons, odanacatib, an inhibitor of cathepsine K and
consecutively of bone resorption will not be available. Abaloparatide, a
PTHrp(Parathormon related protein) analog, decreases the incidence of vertebral
and non vertebral fractures. In patients with diabetes, the incidence of
fractures is increased mainly due to alterations quality of bone.
PMID- 28703546
TI - [Novelties 2016 in pediatrics].
AB - Nutrition is central in pediatric care : essential for growth and development, it
plays also a role in the prevention of many diseases.Even if breastfeeding is
highly recommended, its implementation may be difficult in particular for
premature and ill newborns. The creation of a specific unit for breastfeeding
support in neonatology allows to help mothers willing to nurse and to improve the
rate of breastfeeding for these vulnerable infants.Eating disorders represent an
important challenge for patient care. Early detection and rapid management of
anorexia is essential for the prognosis. This article describes the challenges
and the practical process underlying the development of a practical guideline to
manage children and adolescents hospitalized for anorexia.
PMID- 28703547
TI - [New therapeutic options in pulmonary diseases in 2016 : focus on asthma, COPD
and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF)].
AB - We chose, for this update on novelties in treatments for pulmonary disorders in
2016, to focus on advances in 3 pulmonary disorders : chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma and IPF. For COPD, the contribution of inhaled
glucocorticosteroids and roflumilast are revisited and the benefits obtained
through endoscopic volume reduction procedures are clarified. In asthma and IPF,
new molecules offer new hopes : a bettre control of exacerbations in asthma and a
stabilisation or slowing of disease progression in IPF.
PMID- 28703548
TI - [New developments in psychiatry].
AB - The development of the role of peer workers in mental health aims to give more
space to patients and to enrich mental health treatment with their personal
experience. New strategies have also been developed to facilitate access to work
for patients suffering from mental illness as well as to improve mental health of
workers, within a global movement aiming at putting forth the role of work as a
mean towards social integration, which tends to be forgotten in a society aiming
principally at productivity. In a more technical domain, repeated Transcranial
Magnetic Stimulation offers a new tool for the treatment of resistant depression.
Finally, the Swiss Society for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy (SGPP) has published
recommendations for the treatment of schizophrenia which are freely available on
the website of this society.
PMID- 28703549
TI - [Anti-IL-6 : new therapeutic trends].
AB - The anti-IL-6 tocilizumab is a recognized treatment in rheumatoid arthritis and
in systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Almost ten years after its first use,
there is more information about its security profile and its indication should be
extended to other systemic inflammatory diseases, such as the giant cell
arteritis. New molecules targetting the IL-6 pathway are under validation :
sarilumab, sirukumab and olokizumab. Here is a brief state of the future outlook
and trends of this therapeutic class.
PMID- 28703550
TI - [Urology : therapeutics news in 2016].
AB - This article summarizes recent advances in the field of urinary infections,
bladder function, minimal invasive surgery and genitourinary cancers.
PMID- 28703551
TI - [Hospital readmissions: current problems and perspectives].
AB - Health systems in developed countries are facing the challenge of hospital
readmissions, part of which can be considered avoidable. The transition between
hospital stay and ambulatory care is a sensitive period in terms of continuity of
care and patient safety, and its failure could lead to increased readmissions
rate. Various measures have been proposed to reduce the risks associated with
this transition, and the combination of various interventions undertaken at all
stages of the care process, could reduce readmission rates. A multidisciplinary
approach, widely involving all health care providers, both at the hospital and
outpatient level, seems to be the key factor to success.
PMID- 28703552
TI - ?
PMID- 28703553
TI - ?
PMID- 28703554
TI - ?
PMID- 28703555
TI - ?
PMID- 28703556
TI - ?
PMID- 28703557
TI - ?
PMID- 28703558
TI - ?
PMID- 28703559
TI - [Long term complication of thoracoabdominal blunt trauma].
PMID- 28703560
TI - [Rectal polyps: all that glitters is not adenoma].
PMID- 28703561
TI - [Sacral neuromodulation. Long-term results].
AB - Sacral neuromodulation involves electrical stimulation of af-ferent nerve roots
to restore the balance between inhibitory and excitatory reflexes who improve the
functional activity of the pelvic floor. With benefits in patients with fecal
inconti-nence, constipation and chronic anorectal pain. Objective. The aim of
this study is present the results obtained with sacral neuromodulation for the
treatment of patients with fecal incontinence, severe and intractable chronic
constipa-tion and chronic anorectal pain. Patients and methods. 33 patients had
indication for transitory electrical sacral stimu-lation, 25 patients performed
transitory electrical stimula-tion for fecal incontinence, 5 with refractary
constipation and 3 with chronic anorectal pain. In cases of fecal inconti-nence,
the patients performed previous anorectal manometry and ultrasonography
examination of anal sphincters. When the constipation is the indication, we
performed stimulation in patients with severe and refractary constipation like
step before total colectomy. In cases of chronic anorectal pain, the electrical
transitory test was performed according to our treatment algorithm for management
of functional anorectal pain. In all cases, if the patients had satisfactory
results after 2 weeks period the definitive implant was placed. Results. Mean
follow-up was 69 months (range 6-130). Definitve implant was placed for treatment
of fecal incontinence in 23 patients with a decrease in fecal incontinence scores
in 98%, with an average success rate of 66% (range: 45-92). In cases of
constipation, 3 definitive implants were placed, the mean follow-up was 77 months
(range: 51-96) with a success rate between 50%-80% as measured by bowel
frequency. We performed definitive electrical stimulation in 3 patients wit
chronic and intractable anorectal pain. Response rates as measured by visual
analog scale were between 40%-70%. Conclusions. Sacral neuromodulation is an area
in constant growth, with more indications. The success depends on the correct
indication and the patients need to be treated with other therapeutic options
before sacral neuromodulation.
PMID- 28703562
TI - [Functional dyspepsia in students of eigth peruvians medical schools. Influence
of the habits].
AB - : Functional dyspepsia impacts on quality of life. Due to itsmultifactorial
etiology its characterization proves difficult,especially in populations at risk
such as medical students. Objetives: To determine if behavioral and harmful
habitsof medical students from eight universities of Peru wereassociated to
functional dyspepsia. Methods: Multicentric,cross-sectional study. A self
administered questionnaire was taken among students enrolled in eight medical
facultiesin Peru. Functional dyspepsia was measured using a validatedtest; diet
characteristics, alcohol, tobacco, coffee or energydrinks consumption were
considered behavioral habits.Furthermore, others from the social and educational
spherewere measured. Bivariate and multivariate statistical analyseswere made.
Results: From a total of 1.923 students, themedian of the ages was 20, 55% were
women and 24% sufferedfrom functional dyspepsia. Factors which diminishedthe
frequency of functional dyspepsia were masculine gender(aPR:0,75; 95%CI:0.64
0.87; p < 0,001), hours spentstudying (aPR:0,97; 95%CI:0,96-0,99; p < 0,001)
andeating following a fixed schedule (aPR:0,80; 95%CI:0,67-0,95; p = 0,013);
however, having failed a course increasesthe frequency of functional dyspepsia
(aPR:1.24;95%CI:1.13-1.37; p < 0,001)adjusted for age, as well asdifficulties to
fall asleep and depression. Conclusion: Manymedical students suffered from
functional dyspepsia, this beingrelated to several behavioral variables;
therefore furtherstudies as well as educational institutions' intervention is
required,due to the short and long term problems that mayarise from this
situation.
PMID- 28703563
TI - ?
PMID- 28703564
TI - Colorectal cancer screening in Latin America: Arewe still in the Stone Age?
PMID- 28703565
TI - [Teres ligament hemangioma: laparoscopicapproach].
AB - Hemangiomas are benign vascular tumors, whose origincomes from the embryonic
mesodermal tissue remains. The liver is the most common location. Its location in
the teresligament is extremely rare. This is a 59 years old male admittedbecause
of episodes of epigastric pain for six months.A CT scan and MRI demostrated a 2
cm diameter lesionlocated near the Teres ligament. Laparoscopic resection
wasperformed. Hemangiomas are the most common benign solidtumors located in the
liver. They represents 73% of all benignliver tumors. MRI is the imaging of
greater certainty fordiagnosis. The Teres ligament (ligamentum teres hepatis) isa
fibrous cord resulting in obliteration of the umbilical vein.The location of
hemangiomas in this region is extremely rarebut should be considered and should
make the differentialdiagnosis with a pedicled hepatic hemangioma or
gastointestinalstromal tumors.
PMID- 28703566
TI - [Adult intestinal no rotation].
AB - 90% of cases of intestinal obstruction caused by intestinalmalrotation occur in
children under 1 year of age, beingvery uncommon in adults. A female patient of
27 years ofage consults with abdominal pain, vomiting, abdominal
distention,dehydration and signs of severe malnutrition. After EGDS, CT scan, and
48 hours of clinical expectation, surgicalintervention was decided with diagnosis
of high intestinalobstruction. Intraoperative finding was no intestinal
rotationat all. Ladd's technique was performed together withprophylactic
appendectomy. Postoperative evolution wasfavorable. The rare presentation in
adults motivates the presentationof this case.
PMID- 28703567
TI - [Rapunzel syndrome as a cause ofobstruction and intestinal perforation].
AB - The following is a case report involving a 16 year old femalewith
trichotillomania as an antecedent. This patient presentedto the Emergency Room
with a chief complaint of earlysatiety and persistent abdominal pain for the past
3 months.However, recently her abdominal pain has worsened and itis now
complicated by nausea and vomiting. The physicalexam was notable for epigastric
pain on deep palpation. Thebiochemical analysis and abdominal ultrasound were
otherwiseunremarkable. An esophagogastroduodenoscopy wassubsequently performed
where a trichobezoar was discovered.It extended from the gastric fundus to the
third portion ofthe duodenum. A surgical extraction of the trichobezoar wasthen
performed. The trichobezoar was found to be 130 cmin length and 8 cm wide at its
most cephalad aspect. It isimportant to note that they also found five mall
perforationsthroughout the duodenum and jejunum. The patient wasdischarged with
outpatient follow up with psychiatry. In thisreport we describe the case of a
patient with Rapunzel syndromethat was complicated by small bowel perforation
andwe provide a review of the salient literature concerning thissyndrome and its
associated complications.
PMID- 28703568
TI - [An infrequent cause of iron-deficiencyanemia: Menetrier disease].
AB - Menetrier disease is a rare condition of an unknown origin,with a wide spectrum
of clinical signs and symptoms atpresentation. Diagnosis is made through the
combination ofclinical, analytical, endoscopic and histological data. Surgeryis
the classical treatment. However, new medical approacheshave emerged.
PMID- 28703569
TI - Ultrasensitive Electrochemiluminescence Biosensor for MicroRNA Detection by 3D
DNA Walking Machine Based Target Conversion and Distance-Controllable Signal
Quenching and Enhancing.
AB - In this study, an electrochemiluminescence (ECL) regenerated biosensor was
reported to sensitively detect microRNA through 3D DNA walking machine and "on
off-super on" strategy. First, 3D DNA walking machine with higher efficiency of
payload releasing and superior signal amplification than those of the traditional
DNA walking machine was initially introduced in the ECL system for converting
target microRNA to intermediate DNA and achieving significant signal
amplification. Second, the distance between CdS:Mn quantum dots and Au
nanoparticles was increased with the hybridization of intermediate DNA and Au
nanoparticles modified S2, which weakened the energy transfer for ECL signal
recovering and excited the surface plasma resonance for further enhancing the
signal to construct the on-off-super on biosensor. Such an on-off-super on
strategy not only reduced the ECL background signal but also increased the
detection sensitivity. Impressively, the elaborately designed biosensor could be
regenerated by Lambda exonuclease hydrolyzing the intermediate DNA to make Au
nanoparticles modified S2 recover to their original hairpin structure. With the
amazing signal amplification of 3D DNA walking machine and sensitive distance
control of the on-off-super on strategy, the biosensor showed excellent
performance for microRNA-141 detection with a low detection limit of 3.3 fM and
could be applied to human prostate cancer cells analysis. Furthermore, this work
established a foundation to apply 3D walker in ECL methodology and provided an
effective way for analysis of other microRNA or cancer cells.
PMID- 28703570
TI - Novel Fluorescent Microemulsion: Probing Properties, Investigating Mechanism, and
Unveiling Potential Application.
AB - Nanoscale microemulsions have been utilized as delivery carriers for
nutraceuticals and active biological drugs. Herein, we designed and synthesized a
novel oil in water (O/W) fluorescent microemulsion based on isoamyl acetate,
polyoxyethylene castor oil EL (CrEL), and water. The microemulsion emitted bright
blue fluorescence, thus exhibiting its potential for active drug detection with
label-free strategy. The microemulsion exhibited excitation-dependent emission
and distinct red shift with longer excitation wavelengths. Lifetime and quantum
yield of fluorescent microemulsion were 2.831 ns and 5.0%, respectively. An
excellent fluorescent stability of the microemulsion was confirmed by altering
pH, ionic strength, temperature, and time. Moreover, we proposed a probable
mechanism of fluorochromic phenomenon, in connection with the aromatic ring
structure of polyoxyethylene ether substituent in CrEL. Based on our findings, we
concluded that this new fluorescent microemulsion is a promising drug carrier
that can facilitate active drug detection with a label-free strategy. Although
further research is required to understand the exact mechanism behind its
fluorescence property, this work provided valuable guidance to develop new
biosensors based on fluorescent microemulsion.
PMID- 28703571
TI - Facile Fabrication of Ultra-Stretchable Metallic Nanocluster Films for Wearable
Electronics.
AB - With recent progress in flexible electronics, developing facile one-step
techniques for fabricating stretchable conductors and interconnects remain
essential. It is also desirable for these processes to have a small number of
processing steps, incorporate micropatterning, and be capable of being
effortlessly implemented for manufacturing of wearable logic circuits. A low
vacuum flash evaporation of Au nanoclusters is proposed as a facile method to
fabricate highly stretchable conductors capable of fulfilling all such
requirements. High metal-elastomer adhesion on textured substrates ensures low
surface resistances (100% strain ~ 25 Omega-sq-1) where thin film Au accommodate
strain like a "bellow". Stretchability for conductors deposited on non
prestretched textured substrates up to 150% and smooth PDMS substrates up to 200%
are shown. The system is modeled on a microscopic system calculating 2-D current
continuity equations. Devising low cost techniques for fabricating stretchable
conductors remains essential and in that direction stretchable circuits, heating
elements have been demonstrated.
PMID- 28703572
TI - Development of Epigallocatechin-3-gallate-Encapsulated
Nanohydroxyapatite/Mesoporous Silica for Therapeutic Management of Dentin
Surface.
AB - In dental clinic, unsatisfactory management of the dentin surface after dentin
exposure often leads to the occurrence of dentin hypersensitivity and caries.
Current approaches can occlude the tubules on the dentin surface to relieve
dentin hypersensitivity; however, the blocked tubules are generally weak in
combating daily tooth erosion and abrasion. Moreover, cariogenic bacteria, such
as Streptococcus mutans, produce biofilm on the dentin surface, causing caries
and compromising the tubules' sealing efficacy. To overcome this problem, the
present study focused on establishing a versatile biomaterial, epigallocatechin-3
gallate-encapsulated nanohydroxyapatite/mesoporous silica nanoparticle
(EGCG@nHAp@MSN), for therapeutic management of the dentin surface. The
effectiveness of the biomaterial on dentinal tubule occlusion, including
resistances against acid and abrasion, was evaluated by field-emission scanning
electron microscopy (FESEM) and dentin permeability measurement. The inhibitory
capability of the biomaterial on S. mutans biofilm formation was investigated by
confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5
diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, colony forming units (CFU) counts, and
FESEM. Results demonstrated for the first time that the use of EGCG@nHAp@MSN on
the dentin surface was capable of effectively occluding dentinal tubules,
reducing dentin permeability, and achieving favorable acid- and abrasion
resistant stability. Furthermore, EGCG@nHAp@MSN held the capability to
continuously release EGCG, Ca, and P, and significantly inhibit the formation and
growth of S. mutans biofilm on the dentin surface. Thus, the development of
EGCG@nHAp@MSN bridges the gap between multifunctional concept and dental clinical
practice and is promising in providing dentists a therapeutic strategy for the
management of the dentin surface to counter dentin hypersensitivity and caries.
PMID- 28703573
TI - Recyclable Trifluoromethylation Reagents from Fluoroform.
AB - We present a strategy to rationally prepare CF3- transfer reagents at ambient
temperature from HCF3. We demonstrate that a highly reactive CF3- adduct can be
synthesized from alkali metal hydride, HCF3, and borazine Lewis acids in
quantitative yield at room temperature. These nucleophilic reagents transfer CF3-
to substrates without additional chemical activation, and after CF3 transfer, the
free borazine is quantitatively regenerated. These features enable syntheses of
popular nucleophilic, radical, and electrophilic trifluoromethylation reagents
with complete recycling of the borazine Lewis acid.
PMID- 28703574
TI - Influence of the Cation Adducts in the Analysis of Matrix-Assisted Laser
Desorption Ionization Imaging Mass Spectrometry Data from Injury Models of Rat
Spinal Cord.
AB - Imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) is quickly becoming a technique of reference to
visualize the lipid distribution in tissue sections. Still, many questions remain
open, and data analysis has to be optimized to avoid interpretation pitfalls.
Here we analyze how the variation on the [Na+]/[K+] relative abundance affects
the detection of lipids between sections of spinal cord of (uninjured) control
rats and of models of spinal cord demyelination and traumatic contusion injury.
The [M + Na]+/[M + K]+ adducts ratio remained approximately constant along
transversal and longitudinal sections of spinal cord from control animals, but it
strongly changed depending on the type of lesion. A substantial increase in the
abundance of [M + Na]+ adducts was observed in samples from spinal cord with
demyelination, while the intensity of the [M + K]+ adducts was stronger in those
sections from mechanically injured spinal cords. Such changes masked the
modifications in the lipid profile due to the injury and only after summing the
signal intensity of all adducts and corresponding monoprotonated molecular ions
of each detected lipid in a single variable, it was possible to unveil the real
changes in the lipid profile due to the lesion. Such lipids included
glycerophospholipids (both diacyl and aryl-acyl), sphingolipids, and nonpolar
lipids (diacyl and triacylglycerols), which are the main lipid classes detected
in positive-ion mode. Furthermore, the results demonstrate the sensitivity of the
technique toward modification in tissue homeostasis and that the [M + Na]+/[M +
K]+ ratio may be used to detect alterations in such homeostasis.
PMID- 28703575
TI - A Novel Family of Small Molecules that Enhance the Intracellular Delivery and
Pharmacological Effectiveness of Antisense and Splice Switching Oligonucleotides.
AB - The pharmacological effectiveness of oligonucleotides has been hampered by their
tendency to remain entrapped in endosomes, thus limiting their access to
cytosolic or nuclear targets. We have previously reported a group of small
molecules that enhance the effects of oligonucleotides by causing their release
from endosomes. Here, we describe a second novel family of oligonucleotide
enhancing compounds (OECs) that is chemically distinct from the compounds
reported previously. We demonstrate that these molecules substantially augment
the actions of splice switching oligonucleotides (SSOs) and antisense
oligonucleotides (ASOs) in cell culture. We also find enhancement of SSO effects
in a murine model. These new compounds act by increasing endosome permeability
and causing partial release of entrapped oligonucleotides. While they also affect
the permeability of lysosomes, they are clearly different from typical
lysosomotropic agents. Current members of this compound family display a
relatively narrow window between effective dose and toxic dose. Thus, further
improvements are necessary before these agents can become suitable for
therapeutic use.
PMID- 28703576
TI - Tc(VII) and Cr(VI) Interaction with Naturally Reduced Ferruginous Smectite from a
Redox Transition Zone.
AB - Fe(II)-rich clay minerals found in subsurface redox transition zones (RTZs) can
serve as important sources of electron equivalents limiting the transport of
redox-active contaminants. While most laboratory reactivity studies are based on
reduced model clays, the reactivity of naturally reduced field samples remains
poorly explored. Characterization of the clay size fraction of a fine-grained
unit from the RTZ interface at the Hanford site, Washington, including
mineralogy, crystal chemistry, and Fe(II)/(III) content, indicates that
ferruginous montmorillonite is the dominant mineralogical component. Oxic and
anoxic fractions differ significantly in Fe(II) natural content, but FeTOTAL
remains constant, demonstrating no Fe loss during its reduction-oxidation
cyclings. At native pH of 8.6, the anoxic fraction, despite its significant
Fe(II), ~23% of FeTOTAL, exhibits minimal reactivity with TcO4- and CrO42- and
much slower reaction kinetics than those measured in studies with
biologically/chemically reduced model clays. Reduction capacity is enhanced by
added/sorbed Fe(II) (if Fe(II)SORBED > 8% clay Fe(II)LABILE); however, the
kinetics of this conceptually surface-mediated reaction remain sluggish. Surface
sensitive Fe L-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy shows that Fe(II)SORBED and the
resulting reducing equivalents are not available in the outermost few nanometers
of clay surfaces. Slow kinetics thus appear related to diffusion-limited access
to electron equivalents retained within the clay mineral structure.
PMID- 28703577
TI - Structural Investigation of Chemiresistive Sensing Mechanism in Redox-Active
Porous Coordination Network.
AB - By changing the rate of evaporation, two kinds of crystalline films composed of
redox-active porous coordination networks (1 and 2) were selectively prepared on
a gold-patterned substrate using a DMF solution of 2,5,8-tri(4-pyridyl)1,3
diazaphenalene and Cd(NO3)2. We found the highly sensitive humidity sensing
ability of film 1. Single crystal structures and infrared spectroscopic analyses
before and after hydration of a single crystal of 1 revealed the sensing
mechanism: exchange of nitrate ions with water on Cd atoms occurred in hydrated
conditions to generate a conductive cationic network.
PMID- 28703578
TI - Detection of a Subset of Posttranscriptional Transfer RNA Modifications in Vivo
with a Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism-Based Method.
AB - Transfer RNAs (tRNAs) are among the most heavily modified RNA species.
Posttranscriptional tRNA modifications (ptRMs) play fundamental roles in
modulating tRNA structure and function and are being increasingly linked to human
physiology and disease. Detection of ptRMs is often challenging, expensive, and
laborious. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analyses study the
patterns of DNA cleavage after restriction enzyme treatment and have been used
for the qualitative detection of modified bases on mRNAs. It is known that some
ptRMs induce specific and reproducible base "mutations" when tRNAs are reverse
transcribed. For example, inosine, which derives from the deamination of
adenosine, is detected as a guanosine when an inosine-containing tRNA is reverse
transcribed, amplified via polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and sequenced. ptRM
dependent base changes on reverse transcription PCR amplicons generated as a
consequence of the reverse transcription reaction might create or abolish
endonuclease restriction sites. The suitability of RFLP for the detection and/or
quantification of ptRMs has not been studied thus far. Here we show that
different ptRMs can be detected at specific sites of different tRNA types by
RFLP. For the examples studied, we show that this approach can reliably estimate
the modification status of the sample, a feature that can be useful in the study
of the regulatory role of tRNA modifications in gene expression.
PMID- 28703579
TI - Mechanism and Scope of Phosphinidene Transfer from Dibenzo-7-phosphanorbornadiene
Compounds.
AB - Dibenzo-7-phosphanorbornadiene compounds, RPA (A = C14H10 or anthracene), are
investigated as phosphinidene sources upon thermally induced (70-90 degrees C)
anthracene elimination. Analysis of substituent effects reveals that pi-donating
dialkylamide groups are paramount to successful phosphinidene transfer; poorer pi
donors give reduced or no transfer. Substituent steric bulk is also implicated in
successful transfer. Molecular beam mass spectrometry (MBMS) studies of each
derivative reveal dialkylamide derivatives to be promising precursors for further
gas-phase spectroscopic studies of phosphinidenes; in particular, we present
evidence of direct detection of the dimethylamide derivative, [Me2N?P]. Kinetic
investigations of iPr2NPA thermolysis in 1,3-cyclohexadiene and/or benzene-d6 are
consistent with a model of unimolecular fragmentation to yield free phosphinidene
[iPr2N?P] as a transient reactive intermediate. This conclusion is probed by
density functional theory (DFT) calculations, which favored a mechanistic model
featuring free singlet aminophosphinidenes. The breadth of phosphinidene
acceptors is expanded to unsaturated substrates beyond 1,3-dienes to include
olefins and alkynes; this provides a new synthetic route to valuable amino
substituted phosphiranes and phosphirenes, respectively. Stereoselective
phosphinidene transfer to olefins is consistent with singlet phosphinidene
reactivity by analogy with the Skell hypothesis for singlet carbene addition to
olefins.
PMID- 28703580
TI - Complex Permittivity of Ionic Liquid Mixtures Investigated by Terahertz Time
Domain Spectroscopy.
AB - Ionic liquids are salts found in their liquid state at ambient temperature. The
physicochemical properties of ionic liquids can be tailored by selecting
constituent cation and anion from numerous available ions. The physicochemical
properties can be further tuned by mixing different neat ionic liquids. Reported
data of ionic liquid mixtures reveal that frequently investigated properties such
as density, viscosity, and thermal stability follow corresponding mixing laws.
Complex permittivity in the interval of terahertz frequencies is of great
importance to understand the molecular interactions and the solvation dynamics
which drive the macroscopic properties of ionic liquids; however, to the best of
our knowledge, there are few reports about the mixing behavior of complex
permittivity in ionic liquid mixtures. In this contribution, binary mixtures of 1
butyl-3-methylimidazoulium iodide ([C4C1im]I) and 1-butyl-3- methylimidazoulium
bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([C4C1im][NTf2]) are investigated in the
terahertz spectral range, and the resulting low-energy spectra are analyzed in
order to clarify the mixing laws at play. The results show that the complex
permittivity of mixtures of [C4C1im]I and ([C4C1im][NTf2] obeys a linear mixing
law.
PMID- 28703581
TI - Multiple Mechanisms for the Thermal Decomposition of Metallaisoxazolin-5-ones
from Computational Investigations.
AB - The thermal decompositions of metallaisoxazolin-5-ones containing Ir, Rh, or Co
are investigated using density functional theory. The experimentally observed
decarboxylations of these molecules are found to proceed through retro-(3+2)
cycloaddition reactions, generating the experimentally reported eta2 side-bonded
nitrile complexes. These intermediates can isomerize in situ to yield a eta1
nitrile complex. A competitive alternative pathway is also found where the
decarboxylation happens concertedly with an aryl migration process, producing a
eta1 isonitrile complex. Despite their comparable stability, these eta1 bonded
species were not detected experimentally. The experimentally detected eta2 side
bound species are likely involved in the subsequent C-H activation reactions with
hydrocarbon solvents reported for some of these metallaisoxazolin-5-ones.
PMID- 28703582
TI - Organocatalytic Asymmetric Mannich/Aza-Michael Cascade Reaction of delta-Formyl
alpha,beta-unsaturated Ketones with Cyclic N-Sulfimines: Enantioselective
Synthesis of Benzosulfamidate-Fused Pyrrolidines.
AB - A catalytic highly enantioselective Mannich/aza-Michael cascade reaction of delta
formyl-alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones with cyclic N-sulfimines, promoted by
diphenylprolinol TMS ether as an organocatalyst, has been developed for the
synthesis of chiral benzosulfamidate-fused pyrrolidines, which generated in good
yields and with high diastero- and enantioselectivities. Further chemical
transformations have been performed with chiral benzosulfamidate-fused
pyrrolidines.
PMID- 28703583
TI - CoNSEnsX+ Webserver for the Analysis of Protein Structural Ensembles Reflecting
Experimentally Determined Internal Dynamics.
AB - Ensemble-based models of protein structure and dynamics reflecting experimental
parameters are increasingly used to obtain deeper understanding of the role of
dynamics in protein function. Such ensembles differ substantially from those
routinely deposited in the PDB and, consequently, require specialized validation
and analysis methodology. Here we describe our completely rewritten online
validation tool, CoNSEnsX+, that offers a standardized way to assess the
correspondence of such ensembles to experimental NMR parameters. The server
provides a novel selection feature allowing a user-selectable set and weights of
different parameters to be considered. This also offers an approximation of
potential overfitting, namely, whether the number of conformers necessary to
reflect experimental parameters can be reduced in the ensemble provided. The
CoNSEnsX+ webserver is available at consensx.itk.ppke.hu . The corresponding
Python source code is freely available on GitHub ( github.com/PPKE
Bioinf/consensx.itk.ppke.hu ).
PMID- 28703584
TI - Synthesis of 2-Amino-3-hydroxy-3H-indoles via Palladium-Catalyzed One-Pot
Reaction of Isonitriles, Oxygen, and N-Tosylhydrazones Derived from 2
Acylanilines.
AB - A cyanide-free one-pot procedure was developed to access 2-amino-3-hydroxy-3H
indoles, which involved: (1) in situ formation of ketenimines by the reaction of
N'-(1-(2-aminophenyl)ethylidene)-p-tosylhydrazones with isonitriles; (2) the
intramolecular nucleophilic attack of ketenimines by the amino in phenyl
furnishing the ring closure leading to 2-aminoindoles; (3) the oxidation of 2
aminoindoles by O2 leading to 2-amino-3-hydroxy-3H-indoles. This strategy
represents not only a key compliment to the sporadic synthetic methods toward 2
amino-3-hydroxy-3H-indoles but also progress in N-tosylhydrazone, isonitrile, and
ketenimine chemistry.
PMID- 28703585
TI - Tunable Chiral Second-Order Nonlinear Optical Chromophores Based on Helquat
Dications.
AB - Fourteen new dipolar cations have been synthesized, containing methoxy or
tertiary amino electron donor groups attached to helquat (Hq) acceptors. These Hq
derivatives have been characterized as their TfO- salts by using various
techniques including NMR and electronic absorption spectroscopies. UV-vis spectra
show intense, relatively low energy absorptions with lambdamax ~ 400-600 nm,
attributable to intramolecular charge-transfer (ICT) excitations. Single-crystal
X-ray structures have been solved for two of the chromophores, one as its PF6-
salt, revealing centrosymmetric packing arrangements (space groups Pbca and P1).
Molecular quadratic nonlinear optical (NLO) responses have been determined
directly by using hyper-Rayleigh scattering (HRS) with a 800 nm laser, and
indirectly via Stark (electroabsorption) spectroscopy for the low energy
absorption bands. The obtained static first hyperpolarizabilities beta0 range
from moderate to large: (9-140) * 10-30 esu from HRS in MeCN and (44-580) * 10-30
esu from the Stark data in PrCN. The magnitude of beta0 increases upon either
extending the pi-conjugation length or replacing a methoxy with a tertiary amino
electron donor substituent. Density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent
DFT calculations on selected tertiary amino chromophores confirm that the low
energy absorptions have ICT character. Relatively good agreement between the
simulated and experimental UV-vis absorption spectra is achieved by using the CAM
B3LYP functional with the 6-311G(d) basis set. The betatot values predicted by
using DFT at the same level of theory are large ((472-1443) * 10-30 esu in MeCN).
Both the theoretical and experimental results show that para-conjugation between
Hq and electron donor fragments is optimal, and enlarging the Hq unit is
inconsequential with respect to the molecular quadratic NLO response.
PMID- 28703586
TI - Effect of Bidispersity on Structure and Entanglement of Confined Polymer Films.
AB - Using Monte Carlo simulations combined with a geometric primitive path analysis
method (Z1 algorithm), we investigate the effect of bidispersity on the structure
and entanglement of polymer films which consist of short (the molecular length is
below the characteristic entanglement molecular length) and long (the molecular
length is above the characteristic entanglement molecular length) chains between
two neutral walls. Our results demonstrate the length-based migrations of chains
in bidisperse films (the longer chains reside away from the walls and the shorter
chains are close to the walls), which becomes more obvious with the decrease in
the weight fraction of long chains. With decreasing the weight fraction of long
chains, the number of short-long entanglements exhibits a dramatic increase,
whereas the number of long-long entanglements exhibits a slight decrease, which
indicates that short chains can significantly affect the local situations of
entanglements of bidisperse polymer films. On the basis of the constraint release
mechanism, our simulations imply that for the lower weight fraction of long
chains, the local degree of confinement instead of the long-long entanglements
has a marked effect on the relaxation of long chains, due to the fast relaxation
of short chains dilating the tube diameter of long chains. However, for the
higher weight fraction of long chains, after the relaxation of short chains, the
long-long entanglements are in sufficient quantities to restrict long chains
within a tube, which implies that the relaxation of long chains is hardly
affected by the number of short-long entanglements. Our work can be helpful for
understanding the microscopic structure and entanglement of bidisperse polymer
films, which can provide computational support for their various technological
applications.
PMID- 28703587
TI - Ionization and Conformational Equilibria of Citric Acid: Delocalized Proton
Binding in Solution.
AB - The microspeciation of citric acid is studied by analyzing NMR titration data.
When the site binding (SB) model, which assumes fully localized proton binding to
the carboxylic groups, is used to obtain microscopic energy parameters
(dissociation constants, pair and triplet interaction energies between charged
carboxylate groups), contradictory results are obtained. The resulting
macroscopic constants are in very good agreement with the values reported in the
literature using potentiometry. However, the found pair interaction energy
between the terminal carboxylates and the triplet interaction energy are
physically meaningless. To solve this apparent contradiction, we consider the
possibility of delocalized proton binding, so that the proton can be exchanged at
high velocity in the NMR time scale through short, strong, low-barrier (SSLB)
hydrogen bonds. With this aim, ab initio MP2 calculations using the SMD
polarizable continuum model for the solvent were performed and the fully roto
microspeciation elucidated. First, fully localized proton binding was assumed,
and the resulting microstate probabilities are in reasonable agreement with those
reported in previous works that use selective blocking of the carboxylic groups.
They are, however, in clear disagreement with the microstate probabilities
derived from the NMR titration data, which predict, within a very narrow
confidence interval, a unique microspecies for the symmetric di-ionized form.
Moreover, counterintuitively, the interaction between terminal charged groups is
much larger than that between central and terminal groups. As a consequence, we
have explored the possibility of delocalized proton binding by calculating the
energy of intermediate proton positions between two carbolxylic groups. The
results reveal that the exchange of the proton through the hydrogen bonds is in
some cases produced without energetic barrier. This effect is specially relevant
in the di-ionized form, with all the most stable conformations forming a SSLB,
which together would constitute the only microstate detected by NMR. An
alternative reaction scheme for the ionization process, based on proton
delocalization, is proposed.
PMID- 28703588
TI - Nonenzymatic beta-Carotene Degradation in Provitamin A-Biofortified Crop Plants.
AB - Provitamin A biofortification, the provision of provitamin A carotenoids through
agriculture, is regarded as an effective and sustainable intervention to defeat
vitamin A deficiency, representing a global health problem. This food-based
intervention has been questioned in conjunction with negative outcomes for
smokers and asbestos-exposed populations of the CARET and ATBC trials in which
very high doses of beta-carotene were supplemented. The current notion that beta
carotene cleavage products (apocarotenoids) represented the harmful agents is the
basis of the here-presented research. We quantitatively analyzed numerous plant
food items and concluded that neither the amounts of apocarotenoids nor beta
carotene provided by plant tissues, be they conventional or provitamin A
biofortified, pose an increased risk. We also investigated beta-carotene
degradation pathways over time. This reveals a substantial nonenzymatic
proportion of carotene decay and corroborates the quantitative relevance of
highly oxidized beta-carotene polymers that form in all plant tissues
investigated.
PMID- 28703589
TI - Metabolic Pathways Regulated by Chitosan Contributing to Drought Resistance in
White Clover.
AB - Increased endogenous chitosan (CTS) could be associated with improved drought
resistance in white clover (Trifolium repens). Plants were pretreated with or
without 1 mg/mL CTS and then were subjected to optimal or water-limited condition
in controlled growth chambers for 6 days. Phenotypic and physiological results
indicated that exogenous CTS significantly improved drought resistance of white
clover. Metabolome results showed that exogenous CTS induced a significant
increase in endogenous CTS content during dehydration accompanied by the
maintenance of greater accumulation of sugars, sugar alcohols, amino acids,
organic acids, and other metabolites (ascorbate, glutathione, flavonoids,
putrescine, and spermidine). These compounds are associated with osmotic
adjustment, antioxidant defense, stress signaling, and energy metabolism under
stress condition. Similarly, transcriptome revealed that many genes in relation
to amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism, energy production and conversion, and
ascorbate-glutathione and flavonoid metabolism were significantly up-regulated by
CTS in response to dehydration stress. CTS-induced drought resistance was
associated with the accumulation of stress protective metabolites, the
enhancement of ascorbate-glutathione and tricarboxylic acid cycle, and increases
in the gamma-aminobutyric acid shunt, polyamine synthesis, and flavonoids
metabolism contributing to improved osmotic adjustment, antioxidant capacity,
stress signaling, and energy production for stress defense, thereby maintaining
metabolic homeostasis under dehydration stress.
PMID- 28703590
TI - Photothermal, Targeting, Theranostic Near-Infrared Nanoagent with SN38 against
Colorectal Cancer for Chemothermal Therapy.
AB - Cancer research regarding near-infrared (NIR) agents for chemothermal therapy
(CTT) has shown that agents with specific functions are able to inhibit tumor
growth. The aim of current study was to optimize CTT efficacy for treatment of
colorectal cancer (CRC) by exploring strategies which can localize high
temperature within tumors and maximize chemotherapeutic drug uptake. We designed
a new and simple multifunctional NIR nanoagent composed of the NIR cyanine dye,
polyethylene glycol, and a cyclic arginine-glycine-aspartic acid peptide and
loaded with the anti-CRC chemotherapeutic agent, 7-ethyl-10-hydroxy-camptothecin
(SN38). Each component of this nanoagent exhibited its specific functions that
help boost CTT efficacy. The results showed that this nanoagent greatly
strengthens the theranostic effect of SN38 and CTT against CRC due to its NIR
imaging ability, photothermal, enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect,
reticuloendothelial system avoidance, and angiogenic blood vessel-targeting
properties. This NIR nanoagent will help facilitate development of new strategies
for treating CRC.
PMID- 28703591
TI - Time-Resolved Linear Dichroism Measurements of Carbonmonoxy Myoglobin as a Probe
of the Microviscosity in Crowded Environments.
AB - The distribution of viscosities in living cells is heterogeneous because of the
different sizes and natures of macromolecular components. When thinking about
protein folding/function processes in such an environment, the relevant
(micro)viscosity at the micrometer length scale is necessarily distinguished from
the bulk (macro)viscosity. The concentration dependencies of microviscosities are
determined by a number of factors, such as electrostatic interactions, van der
Waals forces, and excluded volume effects. To explore such factors, the
rotational diffusion time of myoglobin in the presence of varying concentrations
of macromolecules that differ in molecular weight (dextran 6000, 10 000, and 70
000), shape (dextran versus Ficoll), size, and surface charge is measured with
time-resolved linear dichroism spectroscopy. The results of these studies offer
simple empirically determined linear and exponential functions useful for
predicting microviscosities as a function of concentration for these
macromolecular crowders that are typically used to study crowding effects on
protein folding. To understand how relevant these microviscosity measurements are
to intracellular environments, the TRLD results are discussed in the context of
studies that measure viscosity in cells.
PMID- 28703592
TI - Interactions between beta2-Adrenoceptor Ligands and Membrane: Atomic-Level
Insights from Magic-Angle Spinning NMR.
AB - To understand the relationship between structural properties of the beta2
adrenoceptor ligands and their interactions with membranes, we have investigated
the location and distribution of five beta2 agonists with distinct clinical
durations and onsets of action (indacaterol, two indacaterol analogues,
salmeterol and formoterol) in monounsaturated model membranes using magic angle
spinning NMR to measure these interactions through both 1H nuclear Overhauser
enhancement (NOE) and paramagnetic relaxation enhancement (PRE) techniques. The
hydrophilic aromatic groups of all five beta2 agonists show maximum distribution
in the lipid/water interface, but distinct location and dynamic behavior were
observed for the lipophilic aromatic rings. Our study elucidates at atomic level
that the hydrophobicity and substitution geometry of lipophilic groups play
important roles in compound-lipid interactions.
PMID- 28703593
TI - A Coarse-Grained Model for Free and Template-Bound Porphyrin Nanorings.
AB - Coarse-grained simulation models are developed to study both template-bound and
free porphyrin nanoring systems. Key interactions are modeled with relatively
simple (and physically motivated) energy functions which allow for relatively
facile transfer both between different ring sizes and between the template-bound
and free nanoring systems. The effects of varying the model parameters on the
respective radii of gyration are determined. The effects of including different
templates on the ring structure are investigated both in terms of the detailed
geometry of the template and the interaction strength between the template and
the metal centers in the nanorings. The role of the template-nanoring interaction
strength in controlling potential "caterpillar track" rotational motion is
discussed. The relationship of the model to experimental small-angle X-ray,
exchange spectroscopy, and electron spin resonance results is discussed.
PMID- 28703594
TI - Preparation of Curcumin-Piperazine Coamorphous Phase and Fluorescence
Spectroscopic and Density Functional Theory Simulation Studies on the Interaction
with Bovine Serum Albumin.
AB - In the present study, a new coamorphous phase (CAP) of bioactive herbal
ingredient curcumin (CUR) with high solubilitythe was screened with
pharmaceutically acceptable coformers. Besides, to provide basic information for
the best practice of physiological and pharmaceutical preparations of CUR-based
CAP, the interaction between CUR-based CAP and bovine serum albumin (BSA) was
studied at the molecular level in this paper. CAP of CUR and piperazine with
molar ratio of 1:2 was prepared by EtOH-assisted grinding. The as-prepared CAP
was characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, modulated temperature differential
scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier-transform infrared, and
solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance. The 1:2 CAP stoichioimetry was
sustained by C?O...H hydrogen bonds between the N-H group of the piperazine and
the C?O group of CUR; piperazine stabilized the diketo structure of CUR in CAP.
The dissolution rate of CUR-piperazine CAP in 30% ethanol-water was faster than
that of CUR; the t50 values were 243.1 min for CUR and 4.378 min for CAP.
Furthermore, interactions of CUR and CUR-piperazine CAP with BSA were
investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy and density functional theory (DFT)
calculation. The binding constants (Kb) of CUR and CUR-piperazine CAP with BSA
were 10.0 and 9.1 * 103 L mol-1 at 298 K, respectively. Moreover, DFT simulation
indicated that the interaction energy values of hydrogen-bonded interaction in
the tryptophan-CUR and tryptophan-CUR-piperazine complex were -26.1 and -17.9 kJ
mol-1, respectively. In a conclusion, after formation of CUR-piperazine CAP, the
interaction forces between CUR and BSA became weaker.
PMID- 28703595
TI - Quorum-Quenching Human Designer Cells for Closed-Loop Control of Pseudomonas
aeruginosa Biofilms.
AB - Current antibiotics gradually lose their efficacy against chronic Pseudomonas
aeruginosa infections due to development of increased resistance mediated by
biofilm formation, as well as the large arsenal of microbial virulence factors
that are coordinated by the cell density-dependent phenomenon of quorum sensing.
Here, we address this issue by using synthetic biology principles to rationally
engineer quorum-quencher cells with closed-loop control to autonomously dampen
virulence and interfere with biofilm integrity. Pathogen-derived signals
dynamically activate a synthetic mammalian autoinducer sensor driving downstream
expression of next-generation anti-infectives. Engineered cells were able to
sensitively score autoinducer levels from P. aeruginosa clinical isolates and
mount a 2-fold defense consisting of an autoinducer-inactivating enzyme to
silence bacterial quorum sensing and a bipartite antibiofilm effector to dissolve
the biofilm matrix. The self-guided cellular device fully cleared autoinducers,
potentiated bacterial antibiotic susceptibility, substantially reduced biofilms,
and alleviated cytotoxicity to lung epithelial cells. We believe this strategy of
dividing otherwise coordinated pathogens and breaking up their shielded
stronghold represents a blueprint for cellular anti-infectives in the
postantibiotic era.
PMID- 28703596
TI - Rhodomollanol A, a Highly Oxygenated Diterpenoid with a 5/7/5/5 Tetracyclic
Carbon Skeleton from the Leaves of Rhododendron molle.
AB - A novel diterpenoid with an unprecedented carbon skeleton, rhodomollanol A (1),
and a new grayanane diterpenoid, rhodomollein XXXI (2), were isolated from the
leaves of Rhododendron molle. Their structures were elucidated using
comprehensive spectroscopic methods and single-crystal X-ray diffraction.
Compound 1 possesses a unique cis/trans/trans/cis/cis-fused 3/5/7/5/5/5
hexacyclic ring system featuring a rare 7-oxabicyclo[4.2.1]nonane core decorated
with three cyclopentane units. The plausible biosynthetic pathway for 1 was
proposed. Compound 1 exhibited moderate PTP1B inhibitory activity.
PMID- 28703597
TI - Natural and Semisynthetic Tigliane Diterpenoids with New Carbon Skeletons from
Euphorbia dracunculoides as a Wnt Signaling Pathway Inhibitor.
AB - Euphordraculoates A (1) and B (2), featuring tigliane diterpenoids with two new
carbon skeletons, were characterized as metabolites of Euphorbia dracunculoides
and semisynthetic products, respectively. Their structures were determined by
spectroscopic analyses and X-ray crystallography. The respective biosynthetic and
chemical formation mechanisms for 1 and 2 from a known tigliane 3 was proposed.
The detailed decarbonization mechanism from 3 to 2 was further explored by 18O
labeling experiment. Compound 2 could inhibit Wnt pathway in a dose- and time
dependent manner.
PMID- 28703598
TI - Synthesis of Dibenzo[h,rst]pentaphenes and Dibenzo[fg,qr]pentacenes by the
Chemoselective C-O Arylation of Dimethoxyanthraquinones.
AB - A convenient method for the syntheses of dibenzo[h,rst]pentaphenes and
dibenzo[fg,qr]pentacenes via the ruthenium-catalyzed chemoselective C-O arylation
of 1,4- and 1,5-dimethoxyanthraquinones is described. Dimethoxyanthraquinones
reacted selectively with arylboronates at the ortho C-O bonds to give diarylation
products. An efficient two-step procedure consisting of a Corey-Chaykofsky
reaction and subsequent dehydrative aromatization afforded derivatives of
dibenzo[h,rst]pentaphenes and dibenzo[fg,qr]pentacenes. Hole-transporting
characteristics were observed for a device with a bottom-contact configuration
that was fabricated from one of these polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
PMID- 28703599
TI - Mechanistic Pathways in Amide Activation: Flexible Synthesis of Oxazoles and
Imidazoles.
AB - The preparation of substituted aminooxazoles and aminoimidazoles from alpha
arylamides and alpha-aminoamides through triflic anhydride-mediated amide
activation is reported. These reactions proceed via the intermediacy of nitrilium
adducts and feature N-oxide-promoted umpolung of the alpha-position of amides as
well as a mechanistically intriguing sequence that results in sulfonyl migration
from nitrogen to carbon. Quantum-chemical mechanistic analysis sheds light on the
intricacies of the process.
PMID- 28703600
TI - Multireference Electronic Structures of Fe-Pyridine(diimine) Complexes over
Multiple Oxidation States.
AB - Noninnocent (redox-active) ligands are increasingly exploited in the design of
coordination compounds of earth-abundant transition metals having interesting
reactive and catalytic activities. Particular examples of such ligands include
those in the pyridine(diimine) (also referred to as bis(imino)pyridine) family.
The electronic structures of these compounds are characterized by significant
complexity, such that routine single-reference methodologies, for example, Kohn
Sham density functional theory, may be challenged to describe them physically,
that is, with quantitatively accurate descriptions of geometries, charge
distributions, and spin-state energy separations. We report here RASSCF/RASPT2
calculations on iron pyridine(diimine) complexes over three formal oxidation
states that illustrate the highly multiconfigurational characters of these
compounds in general and that also offer insights into their electronic ground
states and charge distributions.
PMID- 28703601
TI - Enantioselective [3 + 2] Annulation of Enals with 2-Aminoacrylates Catalyzed by N
Heterocyclic Carbene.
AB - A novel and convenient strategy for the enantioselective synthesis of gamma
lactam derivatives via N-heterocyclic carbene catalyzed formal [3 + 2] annulation
of enals with 2-aminoacrylates is disclosed. This activation mode provides a
complementary approach to the synthesis of various gamma-lactam derivatives in
good yields with excellent diastereo- and enantioselectivities. In this process,
two consecutive stereocenters are constructed, and a quaternary carbon center is
also established.
PMID- 28703602
TI - The Psychological Health Benefits of Accepting Negative Emotions and Thoughts:
Laboratory, Diary, and Longitudinal Evidence.
AB - Individuals differ in the degree to which they tend to habitually accept their
emotions and thoughts without judging them-a process here referred to as habitual
acceptance. Acceptance has been linked with greater psychological health, which
we propose may be due to the role acceptance plays in negative emotional
responses to stressors: acceptance helps keep individuals from reacting to-and
thus exacerbating-their negative mental experiences. Over time, experiencing
lower negative emotion should promote psychological health. To test these
hypotheses, Study 1 (N = 1,003) verified that habitually accepting mental
experiences broadly predicted psychological health (psychological well-being,
life satisfaction, and depressive and anxiety symptoms), even when controlling
for potentially related constructs (reappraisal, rumination, and other
mindfulness facets including observing, describing, acting with awareness, and
nonreactivity). Next, in a laboratory study (Study 2, N = 156), habitual
acceptance predicted lower negative (but not positive) emotional responses to a
standardized stressor. Finally, in a longitudinal design (Study 3, N = 222),
acceptance predicted lower negative (but not positive) emotion experienced during
daily stressors that, in turn, accounted for the link between acceptance and
psychological health 6 months later. This link between acceptance and
psychological health was unique to accepting mental experiences and was not
observed for accepting situations. Additionally, we ruled out potential
confounding effects of gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and life stress
severity. Overall, these results suggest that individuals who accept rather than
judge their mental experiences may attain better psychological health, in part
because acceptance helps them experience less negative emotion in response to
stressors. (PsycINFO Database Record
PMID- 28703603
TI - Decomposing the cross-sex misprediction bias of dating behaviors: Do men
overestimate or women underreport their sexual intentions?
AB - Men typically predict women's sexual intentions to be higher than women say they
are (Haselton & Buss, 2000). It is debated whether this cross-sex bias is because
of men overestimating women's intentions (Murray et al., 2017), women
underreporting their own intentions (Perilloux & Kurzban, 2015, 2017), or both.
To unify the current debate, we decompose the part of the bias attributable to
women underreporting versus men overestimating by using a survey method
intervention to reduce underreporting of sensitive information: eliciting
estimates about others before sensitive self-reports. First, we calibrate the
current measurement instrument to assess the overall size of the misprediction
bias (Study 1). Then, we manipulate the order-of-elicitation of self- and other
reports (Studies 2 and 3): Women report significantly higher own sexual
intentions when they are asked about other targets' intentions before their own,
suggesting that 48 to 69% of the overestimation bias is attributable to women
underreporting their own sexual intentions. Analogous analyses for the
misprediction bias about men suggest that women's overestimation bias of men's
sexual intentions is entirely because of men underreporting their own sexual
intentions. The findings have important implications for the current debate in
the literature on cross-sex misprediction biases and the literature on asking
sensitive survey questions. (PsycINFO Database Record
PMID- 28703604
TI - Dispositional, demographic, and social predictors of trajectories of intimate
partner aggression in early adulthood.
AB - OBJECTIVE: From a developmental systems perspective, the origins of maladjusted
behavior are multifaceted, interdependent, and may differ at different points in
development. Personality traits influence developmental outcomes, as do
socialization environments, but the influence of personality depends on the
socialization environment, and the influence of the socialization environment
varies according to personality. The present study takes a developmental systems
approach to investigate pathways through which dispositional traits in childhood
might act in concert with peer and parental socialization contexts to predict
trajectories of intimate partner aggression (IPA) during emerging adulthood.
METHOD: The study included 466 participants (49% male, 81% European American, 15%
African American) from a longitudinal study of social development. Measures of
demographics, temperament, personality, parent-child relations, romantic
relationships, peer relationships, and IPA were administered between 5 and 23
years of age. The study used latent growth curve analysis to predict variations
in trajectories of IPA during early adulthood. RESULTS: Numerous variables
predicted risk for the perpetration of IPA, but different factors were associated
at the end of adolescence (e.g., psychopathic traits) than with changes across
early adulthood (e.g., friend antisociality). Males and individuals with a
history of resistance to control temperament showed enhanced susceptibility to
social risk factors, such as exposure to antisocial peers and poor parent
adolescent relations. CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with a developmental systems
perspective, multiple factors, including personality traits in early childhood
and aspects of the social environment in adolescence, predict trajectories of IPA
during early adulthood through additive, mediated, and moderated pathways.
Knowledge of these risk factors and for whom they are most influential could help
inform efforts to prevent the emergence and persistence of IPA. (PsycINFO
Database Record
PMID- 28703605
TI - Markers for context-responsiveness: Client baseline interpersonal problems
moderate the efficacy of two psychotherapies for generalized anxiety disorder.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To follow-up a randomized clinical trial that compared the acute and
long-term efficacy of 15 sessions of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) versus
CBT integrated with motivational interviewing (MI) for severe generalized anxiety
disorder (GAD; Westra, Constantino, & Antony, 2016), we (a) characterized the
sample's baseline interpersonal problems, and (b) analyzed the role of several
theory-relevant problems as moderators of the comparative treatment effects on
outcome. METHOD: We first compared clients' (N = 85) baseline interpersonal
problems profile to a general clinical sample. We next conducted piecewise, 2
level growth models to analyze the interactive effects of treatment condition and
the hypothesized interpersonal problem indices of nonassertiveness (ranging from
low to high), exploitability (ranging from low to high on this specific
combination of nonassertiveness and friendliness), and overall agency (ranging
from more problems of being too submissive to more problems of being too
domineering, including friendly or hostile variants) on acute and follow-up worry
reduction. Finally, we conducted hierarchical generalized linear models to
examine these interactive effects on the likelihood of achieving clinically
meaningful worry reduction across follow-up. RESULTS: As expected, the GAD
clients evidenced more nonassertive and exploitable interpersonal problems than
the general clinical sample. Also as predicted, clients with more problematic
nonassertiveness and low overall agency in their relationships had greater follow
up worry reduction in MI-CBT versus CBT, including to a clinically significant
degree for the agency by treatment interaction. CONCLUSIONS: GAD-specific
interpersonal problems can serve as contextual markers for integrative treatment
selection and planning. (PsycINFO Database Record
PMID- 28703606
TI - Cyclical population dynamics of automatic versus controlled processing: An
evolutionary pendulum.
AB - Psychologists, neuroscientists, and economists often conceptualize decisions as
arising from processes that lie along a continuum from automatic (i.e.,
"hardwired" or overlearned, but relatively inflexible) to controlled (less
efficient and effortful, but more flexible). Control is central to human
cognition, and plays a key role in our ability to modify the world to suit our
needs. Given its advantages, reliance on controlled processing may seem
predestined to increase within the population over time. Here, we examine whether
this is so by introducing an evolutionary game theoretic model of agents that
vary in their use of automatic versus controlled processes, and in which
cognitive processing modifies the environment in which the agents interact. We
find that, under a wide range of parameters and model assumptions, cycles emerge
in which the prevalence of each type of processing in the population oscillates
between 2 extremes. Rather than inexorably increasing, the emergence of control
often creates conditions that lead to its own demise by allowing automaticity to
also flourish, thereby undermining the progress made by the initial emergence of
controlled processing. We speculate that this observation may have relevance for
understanding similar cycles across human history, and may lend insight into some
of the circumstances and challenges currently faced by our species. (PsycINFO
Database Record
PMID- 28703607
TI - None of the above: A Bayesian account of the detection of novel categories.
AB - Every time we encounter a new object, action, or event, there is some chance that
we will need to assign it to a novel category. We describe and evaluate a class
of probabilistic models that detect when an object belongs to a category that has
not previously been encountered. The models incorporate a prior distribution that
is influenced by the distribution of previous objects among categories, and we
present 2 experiments that demonstrate that people are also sensitive to this
distributional information. Two additional experiments confirm that
distributional information is combined with similarity when both sources of
information are available. We compare our approach to previous models of
unsupervised categorization and to several heuristic-based models, and find that
a hierarchical Bayesian approach provides the best account of our data. (PsycINFO
Database Record
PMID- 28703608
TI - Patient feedback as a quality improvement strategy in an acute care, inpatient
unit: An investigation of outcome and readmission rates.
AB - High psychiatric readmission rates continue while evidence suggests that care is
not perceived by patients as "patient centered." Research has focused on
aftercare strategies with little attention to the inpatient treatment itself as
an intervention to reduce readmission rates. Quality improvement strategies based
on patient-centered care may offer an alternative. We evaluated outcomes and
readmission rates using a benchmarking methodology with a naturalistic data set
from an inpatient psychiatric facility (N = 2,247) that used a quality
improvement strategy called systematic patient feedback. Benchmarks were
constructed using randomized clinical trials (RCTs) from inpatient treatment for
depression, RCTs from patient feedback in outpatient settings, and national data
on psychiatric hospital readmission rates. A systematic patient feedback system,
the Partners for Change Outcome Management System (PCOMS), was used. Overall pre
post effect sizes were d = 1.33 and d = 1.38 for patients diagnosed with a mood
disorder. These effect sizes were statistically equivalent to RCT benchmarks for
feedback and depression. Readmission rates were 6.1% (30 days), 9.5% (60 days),
and 16.4% (180 days), all lower than national benchmarks. We also found that
patients who achieved clinically significant treatment outcomes were less likely
to be readmitted. We tentatively suggest that a focus on real-time patient
outcomes as well as care that is "patient centered" may provide a path toward
lower readmission rates in addition to other evidence-based strategies after
discharge. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).
PMID- 28703609
TI - "Sluggish cognitive tempo in adults: Psychometric validation of the Adult
Concentration Inventory": Correction to Becker et al. (2017).
AB - Reports an error in "Sluggish Cognitive Tempo in Adults: Psychometric Validation
of the Adult Concentration Inventory" by Stephen P. Becker, G. Leonard Burns,
Annie A. Garner, Matthew A. Jarrett, Aaron M. Luebbe, Jeffery N. Epstein and Erik
G. Willcutt (Psychological Assessment, Advanced Online Publication, Apr 06, 2017,
np). In the article, the Table 1 item content was incorrectly ordered. The table,
as well as text refe/rencing Table 1 in the Results and Discussion, have been
corrected in all versions of this article. (The following abstract of the
original article appeared in record 2017-15233-001.) As interest in sluggish
cognitive tempo (SCT) increases, a primary limitation for the field is the lack
of a unified set of symptoms for assessing SCT. No existing SCT measure includes
all items identified in a recent meta-analysis as optimal for distinguishing
between SCT and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) inattention. This
study evaluates a new self-report measure for assessing SCT in adulthood, the
Adult Concentration Inventory (ACI), which was developed in response to the meta
analytic findings for assessing SCT. Using a large, multiuniversity sample (N =
3,172), we evaluated the convergent and discriminant validity and reliability of
the ACI. We also evaluated the ACI measure of SCT in relation to self-reported
demographic characteristics, daily life executive functioning, socioemotional
adjustment (i.e., anxiety/depression, loneliness, emotion dysregulation, self
esteem), and functional impairment. Exploratory confirmatory factor analyses
resulted in 10 ACI items demonstrating strong convergent and discriminant
validity from both anxiety/depressive and ADHD inattentive symptom dimensions.
SCT was moderately to-strongly correlated with daily life EF deficits, poorer
socioemotional adjustment, and greater global functional impairment. Moreover,
SCT remained uniquely associated in structural regression analyses with most of
these external criterion domains above and beyond ADHD. Finally, when
internalizing symptoms were also covaried, SCT, but not ADHD inattention,
remained significantly associated with poorer socioemotional adjustment. These
findings support the use of the ACI in future studies examining SCT in adulthood
and make a major contribution in moving the field toward a unified set of SCT
items that can be used across studies. (PsycINFO Database Record
PMID- 28703610
TI - Between- and within-person associations between negative life events and alcohol
outcomes in adolescents with ADHD.
AB - Escalations in alcohol use during adolescence may be linked with exposure to
negative life events, but most of this research has focused on between-person
associations. Moreover, adolescents with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
(ADHD) may be an especially vulnerable population, reporting more life events and
alcohol involvement and may even be more sensitive to the effects of life events
on alcohol outcomes compared with those without ADHD. We tested the between- and
within-person effects of the number and perceptions of negative life events on
the development of alcohol use outcomes from age 14 to 17 years in 259
adolescents with and without ADHD using generalized estimating equations. Between
person differences in exposure to negative life events across adolescence, but
not the perception of those events, were associated with a higher likelihood of
alcohol use and drunkenness at age 17 years. Within-person differences in life
events were associated with alcohol use above and beyond that predicted by an
adolescents' typical trajectory over time. Parent- and teacher-reported ADHD
symptoms were associated with more negative perceptions of life events and with
greater alcohol use and drunkenness at age 17 years, but symptoms did not
moderate the life event-alcohol association. Interventions should consider the
variables that produce vulnerability to life events as well as the immediate
impact of life events. That the accumulation of life events, rather than their
perceived negativity, was associated with alcohol outcomes indicates that
interventions targeting the reduction of negative events, rather than emotional
response, may be more protective against alcohol use in adolescence. (PsycINFO
Database Record
PMID- 28703611
TI - Smartphone-based, momentary intervention for alcohol cravings amongst individuals
with an alcohol use disorder.
AB - Smartphone-based alcohol interventions represent an innovative strategy for
providing in-the-moment intervention to individuals with an alcohol use disorder.
While early research into their overall effectiveness is promising, little is
known about the efficacy of specific intervention tools in reducing drinking
subsequent to a cued craving. This study examined the influence of smartphone
delivered in-the-moment coping strategies on drinking after experiencing a
craving among participants utilizing the Location-Based Monitoring and
Intervention for Alcohol Use Disorders (LBMI-A). The LBMI-A was utilized by 28
adults (18 to 45 years old) who met criteria for an alcohol use disorder and were
interested in changing their drinking. Participants utilized the system for 6
weeks and responded to a daily interview of craving, type of LBMI-A coping
strategy utilized in response, and whether or not they subsequently drank. Mixed
model analyses of 744 total observations revealed that craving cue type, craving
strength, and coping strategies were significantly related to drinking in
response to a craving. Results suggested that coping strategies delivered by the
LBMI-A (i.e., listening to an urge surfing audio file, viewing reasons for
changing drinking) were superior to using a non-LBMI-A strategy. Simple contrast
analyses indicated that cues related to being around alcohol and time of day were
the most potent elicitors of subsequent drinking. Results suggest smartphone
delivered coping strategies for alcohol cravings are effective in reducing
craving cued drinking and that craving cues related to drinking environments and
drinking times of day represent fruitful areas of intervention focus. (PsycINFO
Database Record
PMID- 28703612
TI - Target quit date timing as a predictor of smoking cessation outcomes.
AB - Evidence is mixed on whether timing of a target quit date (TQD) has an effect on
quit success. The purpose of this secondary analysis of data from a prospective
longitudinal study was to determine if time to TQD was a predictor of smoking
abstinence at follow-up. Between 2011 and 2013, a total of 5,793 adult smokers
participated in a 1-hr psychoeducation workshop and received 5 weeks of nicotine
patch treatment. All participants were required to indicate a TQD within 1 month
of the workshop. Latency to TQD was categorized into quartiles: 0 to 1 day (first
quartile: 28.1%); 2 to 6 days (second quartile: 22.4%); 7 to 19 days (third
quartile: 25.4%); 20-31 days (fourth quartile: 24.0%). Compared with participants
who chose an immediate TQD within 1 day of the workshop, odds of having quit
smoking at end-of-treatment and 6-month follow-up did not significantly differ
among those who set a TQD within 2-6 days (5-weeks: adjusted odds ratio [AOR] =
0.89, p = .315; 6-months: AOR = 0.89, p = .417), but were significantly lower for
those who chose a TQD either 7-19 days (5-weeks: AOR = 0.76, p = .023; 6-months:
AOR = 0.70, p = .013) or 20-31 days (5-weeks: AOR = 0.64, p = .001; 6-months: AOR
= 0.69, p = .017) after the workshop. TQD timing was an independent predictor of
smoking cessation outcomes after controlling for potential confounding variables
including confidence in quitting ability, importance of quitting, nicotine
dependence, and number of nicotine patches used. (PsycINFO Database Record
PMID- 28703613
TI - The association between nonmedical use of prescription drugs and extreme weight
control behavior among adolescents.
AB - Although extreme weight control behavior (EWCB) is associated with substance use,
no research has examined the association between the nonmedical use of
prescription drugs (NMUPD) and EWCB. Self-report data were collected from a
sample of 4,148 students in Grades 9-12 enrolled in 5 high schools across the
United States. Logistic regression models were constructed to examine the
nonmedical use of prescription pain relievers, depressants, stimulants, and a
composite measure for any NMUPD, and the EWCB of fasting, use of diet pills,
powders, or liquids, and vomiting or laxative use. Models were estimated before
and after controlling for key covariates for males and females. Approximately 16%
of respondents reported any EWCB during the past 30 days, while 11% reported any
NMUPD during the past 30 days. After covariate adjustment, any NMUPD was
associated with any EWCB in both males and females (p < .05), and all EWCB
remained significant in females who reported prescription pain reliever use (p <
.01), with 2 out of 3 remaining significant for prescription stimulant and
depressant use (p < .01). The only significant association detected for males was
between prescription pain reliever use and using diet pills, powders, or liquids
(OR = 2.2, p < .01). Results suggest significant associations between NMUPD and
EWCB, with variations by sex. These findings provide directions for additional
research and point to several potential identification and intervention efforts.
(PsycINFO Database Record
PMID- 28703614
TI - Peer alcohol behavior moderates within-level associations between posttraumatic
stress disorder symptoms and alcohol use in college students.
AB - Self-medication theory (SMT) posits that individuals exposed to trauma and
resulting posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSD) are at risk for heavy drinking and
associated negative consequences. Close peer alcohol use is also a powerful
predictor of alcohol involvement in college, particularly influencing those with
greater negative affect. As individuals with PTSD may rely on peers for support,
peer drinking behaviors are possibly putting them at further risk for greater
alcohol use and resulting consequences. To test self-medication processes, the
present study examined the relationship between weekday PTSD symptoms, weekend
alcohol behavior, and the influence of both emotionally supportive peer and other
friend drinking behavior by investigating: (a) whether weekday PTSD symptoms
predicted subsequent weekend alcohol use and consequences; and (b) whether the
relationship between weekday PTSD symptoms and weekend alcohol behavior was
moderated by various drinking behaviors of one's peers. Trauma-exposed heavy
drinking college students (N = 128) completed a baseline assessment and 30 daily,
Web-based assessments of alcohol use and related consequences, PTSD symptoms, and
peer alcohol behavior. Results directly testing SMT were not supported. However,
friend alcohol behavior moderated the relationship between weekday PTSD and
weekend alcohol behavior. Findings highlight the importance of peer drinking as
both a buffer and risk factor for problematic drinking and provide useful
information for interventions aimed at high-risk drinkers. (PsycINFO Database
Record
PMID- 28703615
TI - A longitudinal study predicting adolescent tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis use by
behavioral characteristics of close friends.
AB - Few studies have examined in detail how specific behaviors of close friends put
adolescents at risk for specific types of substance use. Using a prospective,
longitudinal design, we examined how well the substance use of 248 young urban
adolescents was predicted by perceptions of their 3 closest friends' problematic
behaviors: (1) using substances, (2) offering substances, and (3) engaging with
friends in risky behavior (substance use, illegal behavior, violent behavior, or
high-risk sexual behavior). Longitudinal multivariate repeated measures models
were tested to predict tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis use and perceived closeness
was tested as a moderator of the effects of perceptions of problematic peer
behavior. Perceptions of peer substance use were significantly associated with
tobacco use, and closeness moderated the influence of peer substance use and
offers to use substances on tobacco use. Perceptions of problematic peer
behaviors were not significantly associated with alcohol use and closeness was
not significant as a moderator. Perceptions of peer substance use was
significantly associated with cannabis use, and closeness moderated the influence
of perceptions of peer risk behaviors, peer substance use, and offers to use
substances on cannabis use. Results implicate the importance of understanding
problematic peer behavior within the context of close, adolescent friendships.
Adolescents with close friends who were substance users, who made offers to use
substances, and who engaged in risky behaviors were more likely to use tobacco
and cannabis. Perceptions of young adolescents' close friends' behaviors
influenced their substance use up to 2 years later. (PsycINFO Database Record
PMID- 28703616
TI - The Protective Behavioral Strategies for Marijuana Scale: Further examination
using item response theory.
AB - Given recent state legislation legalizing marijuana for recreational purposes and
majority popular opinion favoring these laws, we developed the Protective
Behavioral Strategies for Marijuana scale (PBSM) to identify strategies that may
mitigate the harms related to marijuana use among those young people who choose
to use the drug. In the current study, we expand on the initial exploratory study
of the PBSM to further validate the measure with a large and geographically
diverse sample (N = 2,117; 60% women, 30% non-White) of college students from 11
different universities across the United States. We sought to develop a
psychometrically sound item bank for the PBSM and to create a short assessment
form that minimizes respondent burden and time. Quantitative item analyses,
including exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses with item response theory
(IRT) and evaluation of differential item functioning (DIF), revealed an item
bank of 36 items that was examined for unidimensionality and good content
coverage, as well as a short form of 17 items that is free of bias in terms of
gender (men vs. women), race (White vs. non-White), ethnicity (Hispanic vs. non
Hispanic), and recreational marijuana use legal status (state recreational
marijuana was legal for 25.5% of participants). We also provide a scoring table
for easy transformation from sum scores to IRT scale scores. The PBSM item bank
and short form associated strongly and negatively with past month marijuana use
and consequences. The measure may be useful to researchers and clinicians
conducting intervention and prevention programs with young adults. (PsycINFO
Database Record
PMID- 28703617
TI - Sleep quality in returning veterans: The influence of mild traumatic brain
injury.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Sleep disturbance is a key behavioral health concern among Iraq and
Afghanistan era veterans and is a frequent complaint among veterans with a
history of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Currently, it is unclear whether
sleep disturbance is a core sequelae of mTBI or if it may be related to other
behavioral health conditions that are commonly present in postdeployment
veterans. The purpose of this study was to determine if history of mTBI is
associated with poor sleep quality beyond combat exposure and behavioral health
concerns, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), mood disorders, anxiety
disorders, and substance use disorders. RESEARCH METHOD: Participants included
527 veterans who deployed after September 11, 2001, in support of the wars in
Iraq and Afghanistan. Participants completed the Structured Clinical Interview
for DSM-IV Disorders, Combat Exposure Scale, a structured clinical TBI interview,
and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. RESULTS: Deployment-related mTBI was
associated with poor sleep quality independent of combat exposure, PTSD, mood
disorders, anxiety disorders, and substance use disorders (B = 1.84, p = .001) an
average of 6 years after the injury event. No interaction effects between
deployment-related mTBI and combat exposure, PTSD, mood disorders, anxiety
disorders, or substance use disorders on sleep quality were detected.
CONCLUSIONS: Veterans with a history of mTBI sustained during deployment reported
significantly poorer sleep quality than veterans without history of mTBI, even
when considering combat exposure and behavioral health issues. Clinicians should
consider mTBI as a potential contributor to sleep problems, even years after an
injury event. (PsycINFO Database Record
PMID- 28703618
TI - From conscious thought to automatic action: A simulation account of action
planning.
AB - We provide a theoretical framework and empirical evidence for how verbally
planning an action creates direct perception-action links and behavioral
automaticity. We argue that planning actions in an if (situation)-then (action)
format induces sensorimotor simulations (i.e., activity patterns reenacting the
event in the sensory and motor brain areas) of the anticipated situation and the
intended action. Due to their temporal overlap, these activity patterns become
linked. Whenever the previously simulated situation is encountered, the
previously simulated action is partially reactivated through spreading activation
and thus more likely to be executed. In 4 experiments (N = 363), we investigated
the relation between specific if-then action plans worded to activate simulations
of elbow flexion versus extension movements and actual elbow flexion versus
extension movements in a subsequent, ostensibly unrelated categorization task. As
expected, linking a critical stimulus to intended actions that implied elbow
flexion movements (e.g., grabbing it for consumption) subsequently facilitated
elbow flexion movements upon encountering the critical stimulus. However, linking
a critical stimulus to actions that implied elbow extension movements (e.g.,
pointing at it) subsequently facilitated elbow extension movements upon
encountering the critical stimulus. Thus, minor differences (i.e., exchanging the
words "point at" with "grab") in verbally formulated action plans (i.e.,
conscious thought) had systematic consequences on subsequent actions. The
question of how conscious thought can induce stimulus-triggered action is
illuminated by the provided theoretical framework and the respective empirical
evidence, facilitating the understanding of behavioral automaticity and human
agency. (PsycINFO Database Record
PMID- 28703619
TI - The nature of short-term consolidation in visual working memory.
AB - Short-term consolidation is the process by which stable working memory
representations are created. This process is fundamental to cognition yet poorly
understood. The present work examines short-term consolidation using a Bayesian
hierarchical model of visual working memory recall to determine the underlying
processes at work. Our results show that consolidation functions largely through
changing the proportion of memory items successfully maintained until test.
Although there was some evidence that consolidation affects representational
precision, this change was modest and could not account for the bulk of the
consolidation effect on memory performance. The time course of the consolidation
function and selective influence of consolidation on specific serial positions
strongly indicates that short-term consolidation induces an attentional blink.
The blink leads to deficits in memory for the immediately following item when
time pressure is introduced. Temporal distinctiveness accounts of the
consolidation process are tested and ruled out. (PsycINFO Database Record
PMID- 28703620
TI - Is general intelligence little more than the speed of higher-order processing?
AB - Individual differences in the speed of information processing have been
hypothesized to give rise to individual differences in general intelligence.
Consistent with this hypothesis, reaction times (RTs) and latencies of event
related potential have been shown to be moderately associated with intelligence.
These associations have been explained either in terms of individual differences
in some brain-wide property such as myelination, the speed of neural
oscillations, or white-matter tract integrity, or in terms of individual
differences in specific processes such as the signal-to-noise ratio in evidence
accumulation, executive control, or the cholinergic system. Here we show in a
sample of 122 participants, who completed a battery of RT tasks at 2 laboratory
sessions while an EEG was recorded, that more intelligent individuals have a
higher speed of higher-order information processing that explains about 80% of
the variance in general intelligence. Our results do not support the notion that
individuals with higher levels of general intelligence show advantages in some
brain-wide property. Instead, they suggest that more intelligent individuals
benefit from a more efficient transmission of information from frontal attention
and working memory processes to temporal-parietal processes of memory storage.
(PsycINFO Database Record
PMID- 28703621
TI - Attentional accounting: Voluntary spatial attention increases budget category
prioritization.
AB - Too often, people fail to prioritize the most important activities, life domains,
and budget categories. One reason for misplaced priorities, we argue, is that
activities and categories people have frequently or recently attended to seem
higher priority than other activities and categories. In Experiment 1,
participants were cued to direct voluntary spatial attention toward 1 side of a
screen while images depicting different budget categories were presented: 1
category on the cued side and 1 on the noncued side of the screen. Participants
rated cued budget categories as higher priority than noncued budget categories.
Cued attention also increased perceived distinctiveness, and a mediation model
was consistent with the hypothesis that distinctiveness mediates the effect of
cued attention on prioritization. Experiment 2 orthogonally manipulated 2
components of a spatial cuing manipulation-heightened visual attention and
heightened mental attention-to examine how each influences prioritization. Visual
attention and mental attention additively increased prioritization. In Experiment
3, attention increased prioritization even when prioritization decisions were
incentivized, and even when heightened attention was isolated from primacy and
recency. Across experiments, cued categories were prioritized more than noncued
categories even though measures were taken to disguise the purpose of the
experiments and manipulate attention incidentally (i.e., as a by-product of an
unrelated task). (PsycINFO Database Record
PMID- 28703622
TI - Recommendations for SIR-Spheres Y-90 resin microspheres in chemotherapy
refractory/intolerant colorectal liver metastases.
AB - A Spanish expert panel reviewed current evidence for the use of SIR-Spheres Y-90
resin microspheres in patients with chemotherapy refractory/intolerant
unresectable colorectal liver metastases. Substantial evidence for its efficacy
and safety is available from a randomized controlled study, retrospective
comparative studies and several single arm studies. Clinical evidence data
obtained from more than 1500 patients have led to the inclusion of selective
internal radiation therapy in the 2016 ESMO Clinical Guidelines as third-line
treatment. This publication results from an expert panel meeting, where published
evidence and author's experiences were shared to position SIR-Spheres Y-90 resin
microspheres in Spain for the treatment of chemotherapy refractory/intolerant
unresectable colorectal liver metastases, and second, to define the patient
subgroup that will benefit the most with this treatment.
PMID- 28703623
TI - Opinions and attitudes of obstetricians and midwives in Turkey towards caesarean
section and vaginal birth following a previous caesarean section.
AB - Aim To determine the opinions and attitudes of Turkish obstetricians and midwives
to caesarean section (C-section) and vaginal birth following a C-section. Methods
The study involved obstetricians and midwives who were working in a state women's
hospital and two private hospitals in Gaziantep, Turkey. Participants were asked
to complete questionnaires on sociodemographic data and provide opinions about C
section. Results A total of 88 midwives and 22 obstetricians participated in the
study. Approximately one-third of midwives believed caesarean rates were high at
their institution and more than 50% thought that the rate should be reduced. In
contrast, although approximately 80% of obstetricians thought that caesarean
rates in their institutions ranged between 25-50%, only 18% believed the rate was
high and 68% believed that the rate of should be reduced. Midwives and
obstetricians tended to agree on most suggested reasons for high C-section rates.
When asked about interventions that may reduce the C-section rates, midwives and
obstetricians had opposing views. However, most participants agreed that prenatal
childbirth preparation courses would be beneficial. Conclusions This study showed
that most midwives and obstetricians believe the rate of C-section at their
institution is high and should be reduced.
PMID- 28703624
TI - Cabozantinib in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.
AB - Despite clinical studies with different mechanisms of action, no new systemic
therapies were approved for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) between sorafenib in
2007 and regorafenib in 2017. This is an area of interest to improve outcomes and
quality of life. Cabozantinib is oral, small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor
that primarily targets MET, VEGFR2, AXL and RET, with additional effect on KIT
and FLT3. Cabozantinib is approved for progressive metastatic medullary thyroid
cancer and previously treated renal cell carcinoma, and is in development for
multiple solid tumors. Given positive results from a Phase II study, cabozantinib
is under evaluation in a Phase III randomized controlled trial for patients with
advanced HCC previously treated with sorafenib. It has been granted orphan drug
status in the USA for this indication. This review summarizes the development of
cabozantinib in HCC.
PMID- 28703625
TI - Characterization and Application of Antilisterial Enterocins on Model Fresh
Cheese.
AB - Enterococcus faecalis strains isolated from an artisanal cheese were selected
based on enterocin production against Listeria monocytogenes. The strains formed
biofilms and presented high hydrophobic character and good autoaggregation and
coaggregation capacity with L. monocytogenes. Strains L3A21M3 and L3B1K3
presented high survival under gastrointestinal conditions, were able to adhere to
human intestinal cells (Caco-2 and HT-29), and blocked the adhesion and invasion
of L. monocytogenes. The antilisterial activity of enterocins was not affected by
pH (2 to 12), heating (100 degrees C), and chemical and surfactant agents.
However, strains L3A21M3 and L3A21M8 produced thermolabile enterocins, which were
also sensible to extreme pH values. Enterocins exhibited a bacteriostatic mode of
action against L. monocytogenes, and maximum production was observed during the
stationary phase. Common enterocin structural genes were not detected by PCR
amplification with specific primers, although an exhaustive screening was not
performed. The enterocin produced by the L3B1K3 strain was purified and applied
to model cheeses contaminated with L. monocytogenes. This enterocin reduced
survival of L. monocytogenes on fresh cheeses in a dose-dependent manner. The
highest dose tested (2,048 arbitrary units per g of cheese) was effective in
reducing the pathogen counts to undetectable values throughout storage (6 to 72
h). These results suggest that these strains have great potential to be used as
biopreservatives in the food industry and also as probiotics, with the potential
to prevent L. monocytogenes gastrointestinal infection.
PMID- 28703626
TI - Increasing proportion of ST elevation myocardial infarction patients with
coronary atherosclerosis poorly explained by standard modifiable risk factors.
AB - Aims Identification and management of the Standard Modifiable Cardiovascular Risk
Factors (SMuRFs; hypercholesterolaemia, hypertension, diabetes and smoking) has
substantially improved cardiovascular disease outcomes. However, cardiovascular
disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide. Suspecting an evolving
pattern of risk factor profiles in the ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI)
population with the improvements in primary care, we hypothesized that the
proportion of 'SMuRFless' STEMI patients may have increased. Methods/results We
performed a single centre retrospective study of consecutive STEMI patients
presenting from January 2006 to December 2014. Over the study period 132/695
(25%) STEMI patients had 0 SMuRFs, a proportion that did not significantly change
with age, gender or family history. The proportion of STEMI patients who were
SMuRFless in 2006 was 11%, which increased to 27% by 2014 (odds ratio 1.12 per
year, 95% confidence interval: 1.04-1.22). The proportion of patients with
hypercholesterolaemia decreased (odds ratio 0.92, 95% confidence interval 0.86
0.98), as did the proportion of current smokers (odds ratio 0.93, 95% confidence
interval 0.86-0.99), with no significant change in the proportion of patients
with diabetes and hypertension. SMuRF status was not associated with extent of
coronary disease; in-hospital outcomes, or discharge prescribing patterns.
Conclusion The proportion of STEMI patients with STEMI poorly explained by SMuRFs
is high, and is significantly increasing. This highlights the need for bold
approaches to discover new mechanisms and markers for early identification of
these patients, as well as to understand the outcomes and develop new targeted
therapies.
PMID- 28703627
TI - Increased augmentation index and central systolic arterial pressure are
associated with lower school and motor performance in young adolescents.
AB - Objective In adults, improper arterial function has been linked to cognitive
impairment. The pulse wave velocity (PWV), augmentation index (AIx) and other
vascular parameters are useful indicators of arterial health. In our study, we
monitored arterial properties, body constitution, school success, and motor
skills in young adolescents. We hypothesize that reduced cognitive and motor
abilities have a vascular origin in children. Methods We analysed 81 healthy
school children aged 11-16 years. Anthropometry central systolic arterial
pressure, body mass index (BMI), standard deviation scores (SDS) BMI, general
school performance grade, and eight motor tests were assessed. PWV, AIx, and
central systolic arterial pressure (SBPao) were measured. Results AIx and SBPao
correlated negatively with school performance grades. Extremely high AIx, PWV and
SBPao values were observed in 5% of children and these children had average to
low school performance. PWV correlated significantly with weight, height, and
waist and hip circumference. AIx, PWV, school success, and BMI correlated
strongly with certain motor functions. Conclusions Increased AIx and SBPao are
associated with lower school and motor performance in children. PWV is influenced
by the body's constitution.
PMID- 28703628
TI - Correction to: Castedal et al., IFN-free sofosbuvir-based treatment of post
transplant hepatitis C relapse - a Swedish real life experience.
PMID- 28703629
TI - Experiences of women who participated in a beta-test for an online-streamed yoga
intervention after a stillbirth.
AB - BACKGROUND: Little is known about how to best care for mothers after stillbirth.
As such, this paper will report the satisfaction and perceptions of an online
yoga intervention (12-week beta test) in women after stillbirth. METHODS:
Participants (n=74) had a stillbirth within the last 24-months (M time since loss
9.65 +/- 6.9 months). Post-intervention satisfaction surveys and interviews and
dropout surveys were conducted. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze
survey responses and demographic information. A phenomenological approach was
used to explore and understand unique experiences of participant interviews. Data
were analyzed using NVivo10. RESULTS: Twenty-six women (M age 33.73 +/- 4.38) we
re completers (> 3 wks of yoga), 26 (M age 31.82 +/- 4.13) were non-completers (<
3 wks of yoga), and 22 (M age 32.94 +/- 2.93) dropped out. Twenty completers
participated in a post-intervention satisfaction survey with 75% (n=15) reporting
being very satisfied or satisfied with the online yoga intervention, found it to
be very enjoyable or enjoyable, and very helpful or helpful to cope with grief.
Satisfaction and perceptions of the intervention in those who completed an
interview (n=12) were clustered around the following themes: benefits, barriers,
dislikes, satisfaction, and preferences. Of the 22 dropouts, 14 completed a
dropout survey. Women withdrew from the study due to pregnancy (n=3, 21%), burden
(n=3, 21%), stress (n=2, 14%), lack of time (n=2, 14%), did not enjoy (n=1, 7%),
and other (n=3, 21%). CONCLUSION: Findings here may be used to help design future
research.
PMID- 28703630
TI - The adaption and evaluation of a Latvian version of the National Institutes of
Health Stroke Scale.
AB - Objectives To determine the validity and reliability of a Latvian version of the
National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (LV-NIHSS) for evaluating Latvian
stroke patients. Methods The adaption of the LV-NIHSS followed standard methods
used for the adaption and validation of clinical assessment tools. The scale
validity was tested by comparison with the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and the
modified Rankin scale (mRs). The reliability of the LV-NIHSS was evaluated by
intra-rater and inter-rater agreement using intra-class correlation coefficient
(ICC) analysis. Results A total of 296 stroke patients and 101 control subjects
were evaluated. The mean age of the overall study population was 73.6 years
(range, 37 - 94 years; 227 [57.2%] were female). The mean LV-NIHSS score of the
patients with stroke was 8.4 +/- 6.2. In terms of construct validity of the LV
NIHSS, it correlated with the GCS ( r = -0.571) and mRs ( r = 0.755). In terms of
the reliability of the LV-NIHSS, the inter-rater agreement had an ICC of 0.99 and
the intra-rater agreement had an ICC of 0.99. Conclusion The adaption of LV-NIHSS
was successful and the evaluation showed that the scale was valid and reliable
for evaluating Latvian stroke patients.
PMID- 28703631
TI - Silicotuberculosis with oesophagobronchial fistulas and broncholithiasis: a case
report.
AB - A 76-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital four times from November 2007 to
June 2009. In this complex case, the patient had silicosis complicated by
broncholithiasis, oesophagobronchial fistulas, and relapsed tuberculosis. She had
worked as a stone crusher for 3 years and was exposed to a large amount of quartz
dust. Barium oesophagography, gastroesophageal endoscopy, and biopsy suggested
oesophageal-related chronic inflammation and ulceration, which may have caused
the repeated oesophagobronchial fistulas. Bronchoscopy revealed a free
broncholithiasis in the left mainstem bronchus. The patient was admitted a fourth
time because of silicotuberculosis relapse. After 9 months of antituberculosis
treatment, the patient recovered and was still clinically well at the time of
this writing.
PMID- 28703632
TI - Clinical characteristics and cytokine changes in children with pneumonia
requiring mechanical ventilation.
AB - Objective To assess clinical characteristics and cytokine levels in children with
severe pneumonia who required ventilatory support. Methods In this prospective,
descriptive, cross-sectional study, blood and endotracheal fluid samples were
obtained from patients with severe pneumonia, aged <5 years, within 24 h
following intubation. Blood samples were also obtained from age-matched healthy
controls. Cytokine levels were investigated using flow cytometry-assisted
immunoassay. Results Forty-five patients with severe pneumonia requiring
mechanical ventilation (aged 10 +/- 5 months) and 35 healthy age-matched controls
were included. Patients with severe pneumonia had significantly increased serum
interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor
concentrations compared with controls (80.84 pg/ml versus 2.06 pg/ml, 90.03 pg/ml
versus 6.62 pg/ml, and 115.58 pg/ml versus 11.47 pg/ml, respectively). In the
severe pneumonia group, serum IL-10 levels were significantly higher in patients
aged <6 months versus those aged 6-12 months. Age-group differences in serum
cytokine levels did not correspond to age-group differences in endotracheal-fluid
cytokine levels. Serum IL-6 levels were significantly higher in patients who
subsequently died versus those who survived (267.12 pg/ml versus 20.75 pg/ml,
respectively). Conclusion High IL-6 concentrations were associated with mortality
in patients <5 years of age with severe pneumonia requiring mechanical
ventilation.
PMID- 28703633
TI - Retrospective analysis of the effect of acid-suppressant therapy on
clinicopathologic parameters of cats with chronic kidney disease.
AB - Objectives The aim was to retrospectively evaluate the effects of acid
suppressant therapy in a population of cats with chronic kidney disease (CKD).
The study objectives were to evaluate the effects of acid-suppressant therapy on
clinicopathologic variables and progression of CKD over time. Methods The
databases of two institutions were searched over an 11 year time span for cats
fitting inclusion criteria for CKD. A total of 89 cats met the criteria for
inclusion and were grouped according to either early (ie, stages 1-2) or advanced
(ie, stages 3-4) CKD. Variables were statistically analyzed before and after
treatment with either: (1) proton pump inhibitors (PPIs; n = 17), (2) histamine-2
receptor antagonists (H2RAs; n = 30), (3) combined acid-suppressant therapy (PPI
+ H2RA; n = 6) or (4) no acid-suppressant therapy (n = 36). Shapiro-Wilk testing
and Q-Q plots were used to assess normality and variance, respectively. A
complete randomized design with a mixed-effects repeated measures ANOVA was used
to evaluate for differences in stage, treatment and time, as well as the
interaction between these effects. Results A significant increase in blood
creatinine concentration was found over time independent of severity of CKD and
treatment group ( P = 0.0087). A significant increase in blood sodium
concentration (change of 3.12 mmol/l) was found independent of stage in cats
receiving PPI therapy ( P = 0.0109). A significant decrease in total blood
magnesium (change of 0.15 mmol/l) was detected in two cats with early CKD
receiving combined acid suppressants ( P = 0.0025). Conclusions and relevance
Results of this retrospective study suggest that cats with CKD receiving PPI
therapy may develop alterations in blood sodium concentrations but do not
experience more rapid progression of CKD.
PMID- 28703634
TI - The profile of leucocytes, CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ T cells, and cytokine
concentrations in peripheral blood of children with acute asthma exacerbation.
AB - Objective To determine the leucocyte profile and cytokine concentrations in the
peripheral blood of children with an acute asthma exacerbation (AAE). Methods
This descriptive, cross-sectional study enrolled paediatric patients admitted to
hospital for AAE. The severity of AAE was assessed using the paediatric asthma
score (PAS). Peripheral blood samples were collected for automatic quantification
of white blood cell counts, CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ T cells populations by flow
cytometry and cytokine concentrations by flow cytometry-assisted immunoassay.
Results A total of 127 children with AAE and 30 healthy control subjects were
included in the study. The proportion of paediatric patients with decreased CD3+,
CD4+ and CD8+ T cells was significantly higher in those with severe AAE compared
with those with mild-to-moderate AAE. The concentrations of interleukin (IL)-2,
IL-8, IL-12, and IL-4 in paediatric patients with rhinovirus infection were
significantly higher than in those without rhinovirus infection. IL-2, IL-4, IL
6, TNF-alpha and GM-CSF concentrations during AAE were significantly lower than
control. IL-5 and IL-13 concentrations during AAE were significantly higher than
control. Conclusions The decrease of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ T cells and IL-2, IL-4, IL
6, TNF-alpha, and GM-CSF combined with the increase of IL-5 and IL-13, were
associated with AAE in children with asthma.
PMID- 28703635
TI - Quantitative diffusion tensor imaging analysis does not distinguish pediatric
canines with mucopolysaccharidosis I from control canines.
AB - Purpose We compared fractional anisotropy and radial diffusivity measurements
between pediatric canines affected with mucopolysaccharidosis I and pediatric
control canines. We hypothesized that lower fractional anisotropy and higher
radial diffusivity values, consistent with dysmyelination, would be present in
the mucopolysaccharidosis I cohort. Methods Six canine brains, three affected
with mucopolysaccharidosis I and three unaffected, were euthanized at 7 weeks and
imaged using a 7T small-animal magnetic resonance imaging system. Average
fractional anisotropy and radial diffusivity values were calculated for four
white-matter regions based on 100 regions of interest per region per specimen. A
95% confidence interval was calculated for each mean value. Results No difference
was seen in fractional anisotropy or radial diffusivity values between
mucopolysaccharidosis affected and unaffected brains in any region. In
particular, the 95% confidence intervals for mucopolysaccharidosis affected and
unaffected canines frequently overlapped for both fractional anisotropy and
radial diffusivity measurements. In addition, in some brain regions a large range
of fractional anisotropy and radial diffusivity values were seen within the same
cohort. Conclusion The fractional anisotropy and radial diffusivity values of
white matter did not differ between pediatric mucopolysaccharidosis affected
canines and pediatric control canines. Possible explanations include: (a) a lack
of white matter tissue differences between mucopolysaccharidosis affected and
unaffected brains at early disease stages; (b) diffusion tensor imaging does not
detect any existing differences; (c) inflammatory processes such as astrogliosis
produce changes that offset the decreased fractional anisotropy values and
increased radial diffusivity values that are expected in dysmyelination; and (d)
our sample size was insufficient to detect differences. Further studies
correlating diffusion tensor imaging findings to histology are warranted.
PMID- 28703636
TI - Therapeutic targeting in nanomedicine: the future lies in recombinant antibodies.
AB - The unique chemical and functional properties of nanoparticles can be harnessed
for the delivery of large quantities of various therapeutic biomolecules. Active
targeting of nanoparticles by conjugating ligands that bind to target cells
strongly facilitates accumulation, internalization into target cells and longer
retention at the target site, with consequent enhanced therapeutic effects.
Recombinant antibodies with high selectivity and availability for a vast range of
targets will dominate the future. In this review, we systematically outline the
tremendous progress in the conjugation of antibodies to nanoparticles and the
clear advantages that recombinant antibodies offer in the therapeutic targeting
of nanoparticles. The demonstrated flexibility of recombinant antibody coupling
to nanoparticles highlights the bright future of this technology for modern
therapeutic nanomedicine.
PMID- 28703637
TI - Learning to Read a Semitic Abjad: The Triplex Model of Hebrew Reading
Development.
AB - We introduce a model of Hebrew reading development that emphasizes both the
universal and script-specific aspects of learning to read a Semitic abjad. At the
universal level, the study of Hebrew reading acquisition offers valuable insights
into the fundamental dilemmas of all writing systems-balancing the competing
needs of the novice versus the expert reader (Share, 2008). At the script
specific level, pointed Hebrew initially employs supplementary vowel signs,
providing the beginning reader a consistent, phonologically well-specified script
while helping the expert-to-be unitize words and morphemes via (consonantal)
spelling constancy. A major challenge for the developing Hebrew reader is
negotiating the transition from pointed to unpointed Hebrew, with its abundance
of homographs. Our triplex model emphasizes three phases of early Hebrew reading
development: a progression from lower-order, phonological (sublexical) sequential
spelling-to-sound translation (Phase 1, Grade 1) to higher-order, string-level
(lexical) lexico-morpho-orthographic processing (Phase 2, Grade 2) followed, in
the upper elementary grades, by a supralexical contextual level (Phase 3)
essential for dealing with the pervasive homography of unpointed Hebrew.
PMID- 28703638
TI - Global Increases in Individualism.
AB - Individualism appears to have increased over the past several decades, yet most
research documenting this shift has been limited to the study of a handful of
highly developed countries. Is the world becoming more individualist as a whole?
If so, why? To answer these questions, we examined 51 years of data on
individualist practices and values across 78 countries. Our findings suggest that
individualism is indeed rising in most of the societies we tested. Despite
dramatic shifts toward greater individualism around the world, however, cultural
differences remain sizable. Moreover, cultural differences are primarily linked
to changes in socioeconomic development, and to a lesser extent to shifts in
pathogen prevalence and disaster frequency.
PMID- 28703639
TI - Physicochemical regulation of TGF and VEGF delivery from mesoporous calcium
phosphate bone substitutes.
AB - AIM: Determination of the physicochemical parameters governing growth factors
(GFs) adsorption and release from mesoporous calcium phosphate ceramics.
MATERIALS & METHODS: Six mesoporous calcium phosphate ceramics prepared by soft
and hard templating were loaded with two different physiological concentrations
of TGF-beta1 or VEGF165 and their in vitro kinetics of adsorption/release were
studied. RESULTS: This low GF loading promotes adsorption on the highest binding
sites. The usually encountered detrimental burst release is thus considerably
reduced for samples prepared by hard-templating method. CONCLUSION: Our findings
highlight that the strong affinity of GFs with the ceramic surfaces, demonstrated
by a slow GFs release, is enhanced by the large surface area, confinement into
mesopores of ceramics and high difference of surface charge between ceramic
surfaces and GFs.
PMID- 28703640
TI - Serum cortisol mediates the relationship between fecal Ruminococcus and brain N
acetylaspartate in the young pig.
AB - A dynamic relationship between the gut microbiota and brain is pivotal in
neonatal development. Dysbiosis of the microbiome may result in altered
neurodevelopment; however, it is unclear which specific members of microbiota are
most influential and what factors might mediate the relationship between the gut
and the brain. Twenty-four vaginally-derived male piglets were subjected to
magnetic resonance spectroscopy at 30 d of age. Ascending colon contents, feces,
and blood were collected and analyzed for volatile fatty acids, microbiota
relative abundance by 16s rRNA, and serum metabolites, respectively. A mediation
analysis was performed to assess the mediatory effect of serum biomarkers on the
relationship between microbiota and neurometabolites. Results indicated fecal
Ruminococcus and Butyricimonas predicted brain N-acetylaspartate (NAA). Analysis
of serum biomarkers indicated Ruminococcus independently predicted serum
serotonin and cortisol. A 3-step mediation indicated: i) Ruminococcus negatively
predicted NAA, ii) Ruminococcus negatively predicted cortisol, and iii) a
significant indirect effect (i.e., the effect of fecal Ruminococcus through
cortisol on NAA) was observed and the direct effect became insignificant. Thus,
serum cortisol fully mediated the relationship between fecal Ruminococcus and
brain NAA. Using magnetic resonance spectroscopy, this study used a statistical
mediation analysis and provides a novel perspective into the potential underlying
mechanisms through which the microbiota may shape brain development. This is the
first study to link Ruminococcus, cortisol, and NAA in vivo, and these findings
are substantiated by previous literature indicating these factors may be
influential in the etiology of neurodevelopmental disorders.
PMID- 28703641
TI - Health Care Access for Adults With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A
Scoping Review.
AB - Adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD) often experience
health disparities. To address disparities, Healthy People 2020 includes specific
disability and health goals focused on improving health care access. The study's
purpose was to review the literature exploring health care access for adults with
IDD to identify opportunities for occupational therapy research and practice. A
scoping review was completed of articles discussing health care access among
adults with IDD in the United States. Thirty-seven articles met the inclusion
criteria. Results are framed using the ecology of human performance theory
identifying person and environmental issues affecting health care access of
adults with IDD. Opportunities exist for occupational therapy to improve
participation and health of adults with IDD through engaging in research and
practice efforts addressing health care access. Occupational therapy could
develop interventions to establish skills and abilities and recommend changes to
the health care environment.
PMID- 28703642
TI - WideCells Group PLC.
AB - WideCells Group PLC (Manchester, UK) is a global stem cell services company with
the aim of leading a transformation in cord blood banking and stem cell
treatment. There are three key divisions: WideCells, WideAcademy and CellPlan.
WideCells provides contract, collaborative and in-house research, and stem cell
processing and storage facilities for a wide range of human tissues. WideAcademy,
the education and training branch of the WideCells Group, aims to become the
thought leader in stem cell technology, influencing and informing the next
generation of healthcare professionals working in stem cell technology. CellPlan
is a first-of-its-kind medical insurance plan to make stem cell treatment
accessible and affordable by providing access to renowned specialists and
hospitals globally with financial cover for cord blood transplantation and for
participation in clinical trials using cord blood.
PMID- 28703643
TI - Methotrexate and beta-carotene loaded-lipid polymer hybrid nanoparticles: a
preclinical study for breast cancer.
AB - AIM: This work was intended to investigate the targeting potential of fructose
tethered lipid-polymeric hybrid nanoparticles (F-BC-MTX-LPHNPs) co-loaded with
beta carotene (BC) and methotrexate (MTX) in breast cancer therapeutics and find
out the possible protective role of BC on MTX-induced toxicity. MATERIALS &
METHODS: F-BC-MTX-LPHNPs were fabricated using self-assembled nano-precipitation
technique. Fructose was conjugated on the surface of the particles. The in vitro
cytotoxicity, sub-cellular localization and apoptotic activity of F-BC-MTX-LPHNPs
were evaluated against MCF-7 breast cancer cells. The antitumor potential of F-BC
MTX-LPHNPs was further studied. RESULTS & CONCLUSION: Outcomes suggested that F
BC-MTX-LPHNPs induced the highest apoptosis index (0.89) against MCF-7 cells.
Following 30 days of treatment, the residual tumor progression was assessed to be
approximately 32%, in animals treated with F-BC-MTX-LPHNPs. F-BC-MTX-LPHNPs are
competent to selectively convey the chemotherapeutic agent to the breast cancers.
Beta carotene ameliorated MTX-induced hepatic and renal toxicity.
PMID- 28703644
TI - Effects of Phase Aberration and Phase Aberration Correction on the Minimum
Variance Beamformer.
AB - The minimum variance (MV) beamformer has the potential to enhance the resolution
and contrast of ultrasound images but is sensitive to steering vector errors.
Robust MV beamformers have been proposed but mainly evaluated in the presence of
gross sound speed mismatches, and the impact of phase aberration correction (PAC)
methods in mitigating the effects of phase aberration in MV beamformed images has
not been explored. In this study, an analysis of the effects of aberration on
conventional MV and eigenspace MV (ESMV) beamformers is carried out. In addition,
the impact of three PAC algorithms on the performance of MV beamforming is
analyzed. The different beamformers were tested on simulated data and on
experimental data corrupted with electronic and tissue-based aberration. It is
shown that all gains in performance of the MV beamformer with respect to delay
and-sum (DAS) are lost at high aberration strengths. For instance, with an
electronic aberration of 60 ns, the lateral resolution of DAS degrades by 17%
while MV degrades by 73% with respect to the images with no aberration. Moreover,
although ESMV shows robustness at low aberration levels, its degradation at
higher aberrations is approximately the same as that of regular MV. It is also
shown that basic PAC methods improve the aberrated MV beamformer. For example, in
the case of electronic aberration, multi-lag reduces degradation in lateral
resolution from 73% to 28% and contrast loss from 85% to 25%. These enhancements
allow the combination of MV and PAC to outperform DAS and PAC and ESMV in
moderate and strong aberrations. We conclude that the effect of aberration on the
MV beamformer is stronger than previously reported in the literature and that PAC
is needed to improve its clinical potential.
PMID- 28703645
TI - An analysis of topics and vocabulary in Chinese oral narratives by normal
speakers and speakers with fluent aphasia.
AB - This study analysed the topic and vocabulary of Chinese speakers based on
language samples of personal recounts in a large spoken Chinese database recently
made available in the public domain, i.e. Cantonese AphasiaBank (
http://www.speech.hku.hk/caphbank/search/ ). The goal of the analysis is to offer
clinicians a rich source for selecting ecologically valid training materials for
rehabilitating Chinese-speaking people with aphasia (PWA) in the design and
planning of culturally and linguistically appropriate treatments. Discourse
production of 65 Chinese-speaking PWA of fluent types (henceforth, PWFA) and
their non-aphasic controls narrating an important event in their life were
extracted from Cantonese AphasiaBank. Analyses of topics and vocabularies in
terms of part-of-speech, word frequency, lexical semantics, and diversity were
conducted. There was significant overlap in topics between the two groups. While
the vocabulary was larger for controls than that of PWFA as expected, they were
similar in distribution across parts-of-speech, frequency of occurrence, and the
ratio of concrete to abstract items in major open word classes. Moreover,
proportionately more different verbs than nouns were employed at the individual
level for both speaker groups. The findings provide important implications for
guiding directions of aphasia rehabilitation not only of fluent but also non
fluent Chinese aphasic speakers.
PMID- 28703646
TI - Clinical features of patients who died within 24 h after admission to a stroke
care center.
AB - Objective In Japan, stroke care is provided through medical cooperation and
standardized treatment. However, various factors affect mortality in the
hyperacute phase. The present study investigated factors associated with death
within 24 h after admission for acute stroke. Methods Among 2335 patients
admitted within 24 h after stroke onset from 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2012,
a total of 139 deaths occurred. Forty-eight deaths occurred within 24 h after
admission. We retrospectively examined the clinical features of these 48
patients. Results The overall mortality rate was 6.0%. When the initial 72-h
period was divided into <=24 h (Period I), >24 to 48 h (Period II), and >48 to 72
h (Period III), deaths were significantly more frequent in Period I than in the
other two periods. The frequency of intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) was also
significantly higher in Period I than in the other two periods. Factors
significantly associated with death from ICH were systolic blood pressure,
hematoma volume, and surgery. Conclusion The mortality rate was low among
patients with stroke transported to the authors' medical center within 24 h of
onset. Blood pressure management and the timing of determining indications for
surgery are important factors in acute haemorrhagic stroke care.
PMID- 28703647
TI - Ulnar Nerve Injury as a Result of Galeazzi Fracture: A Case Report and Literature
Review.
AB - BACKGROUND: Sparse documentation of Galeazzi fracture with associated nerve
injury exists in the medical literature. The purpose of this report is to review
the available literature in regard to incidence, nerve injury type, treatment
strategies, and expected outcomes. METHODS: We present a classic Galeazzi
fracture dislocation with associated complete ulnar nerve transection injury at
the level of the wrist. After rigid internal bony stabilization, allograft nerve
repair was performed. The patient's presentation, operative management, recovery,
and a thorough literature review are discussed. RESULTS: Fracture union was
attained with near full wrist and elbow range of motion. Despite lack of ulnar
nerve function return, the patient was able to resume manual labor occupation.
CONCLUSIONS: Despite its close proximity to the dislocating distal radioulnar
joint (DRUJ), thorough review reveals rare associated ulnar nerve palsy. If there
is suspicion for nerve injury in the setting of open DRUJ dislocation, the nerve
should be explored to identify possible entrapment or transection. Literature
supports likely return of nerve function in cases of intact nerve; however,
management of nerve transection remains debatable.
PMID- 28703648
TI - Temporal control in the voicing contrast: Evidence from surgery-related apraxia
of speech.
AB - The goal of this study was to investigate the phonetic realisation of the voicing
feature in two tumour resection-related Spanish speakers with apraxia of speech.
Temporal parameters related to the phonological contrast of voicing in Spanish
have been analysed for intervocalic voiced and voiceless obstruents embedded in
isolated words and nonwords, and compared with data collected from healthy
speakers. Results indicate that in devoiced productions, where VOT values fitted
the 'voiceless stops' category, vowel duration values matched those of voiced
stops and suggested the preservation of contextual voicing cues. An attempt at
preserving a consonant/vowel duration ratio consistent with aerodynamic
predictions for voicing contrast has been observed in apraxic correct production
as well as in devoicing errors, but not in the control group, which could be
interpreted as a compensatory mechanism.
PMID- 28703649
TI - Letter to the Editor.
PMID- 28703650
TI - AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGISTS AND AMERICAN COLLEGE OF
ENDOCRINOLOGY POSITION STATEMENT ON MENOPAUSE-2017 UPDATE.
AB - : EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists
(AACE)/American College of Endocrinology (ACE) Position Statement is designed to
update the previous menopause clinical practice guidelines published in 2011 but
does not replace them. The current document reviews new clinical trials published
since then as well as new information regarding possible risks and benefits of
therapies available for the treatment of menopausal symptoms. AACE reinforces the
recommendations made in its previous guidelines and provides additional
recommendations on the basis of new data. A summary regarding this position
statement is listed below: New information available from randomized clinical
trials and epidemiologic studies reported after 2011 was critically reviewed. No
previous recommendations from the 2011 menopause clinical practice guidelines
have been reversed or changed. Newer information enhances AACE's guidance for the
use of hormone therapy in different subsets of women. Newer information helps to
support the use of various types of estrogens, selective estrogen-receptor
modulators (SERMs), and progesterone, as well as the route of delivery. Newer
information supports the previous recommendation against the use of bioidentical
hormones. The use of nonhormonal therapies for the symptomatic relief of
menopausal symptoms is supported. Newer information enhances AACE's guidance for
the use of hormone therapy in different subsets of women. Newer information helps
to support the use of various types of estrogens, SERMs, and progesterone, as
well as the route of delivery. Newer information supports the previous
recommendation against the use of bioidentical hormones. The use of nonhormonal
therapies for the symptomatic relief of menopausal symptoms is supported. New
recommendations in this position statement include: 1. RECOMMENDATION: the use of
menopausal hormone therapy in symptomatic postmenopausal women should be based on
consideration of all risk factors for cardiovascular disease, age, and time from
menopause. 2. RECOMMENDATION: the use of transdermal as compared with oral
estrogen preparations may be considered less likely to produce thrombotic risk
and perhaps the risk of stroke and coronary artery disease. 3. RECOMMENDATION:
when the use of progesterone is necessary, micronized progesterone is considered
the safer alternative. 4. RECOMMENDATION: in symptomatic menopausal women who are
at significant risk from the use of hormone replacement therapy, the use of
selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors and possibly other nonhormonal agents
may offer significant symptom relief. 5. RECOMMENDATION: AACE does not recommend
use of bioidentical hormone therapy. 6. RECOMMENDATION: AACE fully supports the
recommendations of the Comite de l'Evolution des Pratiques en Oncologie regarding
the management of menopause in women with breast cancer. 7. RECOMMENDATION: HRT
is not recommended for the prevention of diabetes. 8. RECOMMENDATION: In women
with previously diagnosed diabetes, the use of HRT should be individualized,
taking in to account age, metabolic, and cardiovascular risk factors.
ABBREVIATIONS: AACE = American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists; ACE =
American College of Endocrinology; BMI = body mass index; CAC = coronary artery
calcification; CEE = conjugated equine estrogen; CEPO = Comite de l'Evolution des
Pratiques en Oncologie; CAD = coronary artery disease; CIMT = carotid intima
media thickness; CVD = cardiovascular disease; FDA = Food and Drug
Administration; HDL = high-density lipoprotein; HRT = hormone replacement
therapy; HT = hypertension; KEEPS = Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study; LDL =
low-density lipoprotein; MBS = metabolic syndrome; MPA = medroxyprogesterone
acetate; RR = relative risk; SERM = selective estrogen-receptor modulator; SSRI =
selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor; VTE = venous thrombo-embolism; WHI =
Women's Health Initiative.
PMID- 28703651
TI - Letter to the Editor.
PMID- 28703652
TI - Letter to the Editor.
PMID- 28703653
TI - Deriving individualised /r/ targets from the acoustics of children's non-rhotic
vowels.
AB - In visual-acoustic biofeedback for rhotic errors, learners are guided to match
the third formant (F3) location to a visual target on a real-time acoustic
spectrum. As the acoustic properties of correct English /r/differ across
speakers, this study aimed to improve target selection by investigating the
validity of individualised targets derived from children's non-rhotic vowels. A
previously proposed prediction formula was adjusted using data from a child
normative sample and tested in two groups of children. Study 1 found that
predicted values were unexpectedly higher than actual F3 values in children whose
/r/ errors had been remediated. To understand this discrepancy, Study 2 applied
the formula to typically developing children and found that predicted values were
also higher than actual F3 values, suggesting that different normative data might
better represent the current samples. An updated formula is proposed, which can
be used to generate individualised targets within acoustic biofeedback
applications.
PMID- 28703655
TI - Balancing the risks and benefits of medication organizers: reply to Wang et al.
PMID- 28703656
TI - Development and Student Evaluation of an Anatomically Correct High-Fidelity Calf
Leg Model.
AB - Obstetrical chain placement requires location of specific landmarks and a certain
dexterity that must be practiced. Use of low-fidelity models may not always
provide students with a realistic experience. In this study we developed an
anatomically correct high-fidelity calf leg model that would serve as a better
teaching model for pre-clinical veterinary students than a pre-existing low
fidelity polyvinyl chloride (PVC) model. One hundred and twenty pre-clinical
veterinary students were instructed how to use obstetrical chains with a low
fidelity PVC model and the anatomically correct high-fidelity calf leg model.
After a 45-minute lab, students were surveyed on their experience with both
models. Overall students felt the anatomically correct high-fidelity calf leg
model increased accuracy in chain placement and provided more accurate landmarks,
a more realistic model, and more real-life scenario training.
PMID- 28703654
TI - Do social insects support Haig's kin theory for the evolution of genomic
imprinting?
AB - Although numerous imprinted genes have been described in several lineages, the
phenomenon of genomic imprinting presents a peculiar evolutionary problem.
Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain gene imprinting, the most
supported being Haig's kinship theory. This theory explains the observed pattern
of imprinting and the resulting phenotypes as a competition for resources between
related individuals, but despite its relevance it has not been independently
tested. Haig's theory predicts that gene imprinting should be present in eusocial
insects in many social scenarios. These lineages are therefore ideal for testing
both the theory's predictions and the mechanism of gene imprinting. Here we
review the behavioral evidence of genomic imprinting in eusocial insects, the
evidence of a mechanism for genomic imprinting and finally we evaluate recent
results showing parent of origin allele specific expression in honeybees in the
light of Haig's theory.
PMID- 28703657
TI - Examination Outcomes Following Use of Card Games for Learning Radiographic Image
Quality in Veterinary Medicine.
AB - Understanding the concepts of radiographic image quality and artifact formation
can be difficult for veterinary students. Two educational card games were
previously developed to help students learn about factors affecting contrast and
blackness as well as radiographic artifacts. Second-year veterinary students
played one of the two card games as a part of their normal studies for their
veterinary imaging course and later took the radiographic physics quiz normally
administered during the course. Performance on quiz questions related to each of
the two games was compared between students who played each respective game and
those who did not. The hypothesis was that students who played a game would
perform better on related questions than those who did not play that game. For
the contrast and blackness questions, students who played the associated game as
part of their studies performed better than those who only studied by
conventional means (mean 4.3 vs. 3.8 out of 5 points, p=.02). However, there was
no significant difference in results between groups for artifacts questions (mean
4.7 vs. 4.5 out of 5 points, p=.35). Based on these results, educational game
play can have benefits to student learning, but performance may be dependent on
specific game objectives and play mechanics.
PMID- 28703658
TI - Epigenetic silencing of miR-203 in Kazakh patients with esophageal squamous cell
carcinoma by MassARRAY spectrometry.
AB - Dysregulation of miR-203 by promoter methylation is associated with the
development of various cancers. We aimed to explore the underlying link between
promoter methylation and miR-203 expression in Kazakh esophageal squamous cell
carcinoma (ESCC). MassARRAY(r) System spectrometry was used to quantitatively
analyze the DNA methylation of 32 CpG sites within miR-203 in 99 Kazakh ESCC and
46 normal esophageal tissues (NETs) with similar population characteristics. We
conducted real-time PCR to detect miR-203 expression levels and evaluated their
association with methylation. Eleven CpG units within miR-203 promoter were
frequently hypermethylated in ESCC compared with NETs (P < 0.05). The
hypermethylation of several CpG units positively correlated with age, lower
esophagus, constrictive type of ESCC, and moderately differentiated ESCC. Given
the involvement of human papillomavirus (HPV) in etiology of ESCC was confirmed
from our previous reports, herein we found that CpG units within miR-203 in HPV16
positive ESCC are more heavily methylated. Furthermore, miR-203 expression showed
a nearly 4.5-fold decrease in ESCC than NETs (0.206 +/- 0.336 vs. 0.908 +/-
1.424, P < 0.001) and was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis (P
= 0.012). The expression of miR-203 with 11 completely hypermethylated CpG units
was approximately 6.5-fold lower than that with at least 1 unmethylated CpG unit
(P < 0.001) and especially the CpG_15.16 and CpG_31.32 with higher methylation
levels in ESCC tissues exhibited lower expression levels of miR-203, which
indicated a reverse association between miR-203 methylation and expression.
Hypermethylated miR-203 is a potential biomarker and targeted delivery of miR-203
could therefore serve as a preventive or therapeutic strategy for Kazakh ESCC.
PMID- 28703659
TI - Cost-effectiveness analysis of ocrelizumab versus subcutaneous interferon beta-1a
for the treatment of relapsing multiple sclerosis.
AB - AIM: To conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis to compare ocrelizumab vs
subcutaneous (SC) interferon beta-1a for the treatment of relapsing multiple
sclerosis (RMS). METHODS: A Markov cohort model with a 20-year horizon was
developed to compare ocrelizumab with SC interferon beta-1a from a US payer
perspective. A cohort of patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) and Expanded
Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores of 0-6, who initiated treatment with
ocrelizumab or SC interferon beta-1a, were entered into the model. The model
considered 21 health states: EDSS 0-9 in RRMS, EDSS 0-9 in secondary-progressive
multiple sclerosis (SPMS), and death. Patients with RRMS could transition across
EDSS scores, progress to SPMS, experience relapses, or die. Transition
probabilities within RRMS while patients received ocrelizumab or SC interferon
beta-1a were based on data from the two SC interferon beta-1a-controlled Phase
III OPERA I and OPERA II trials of ocrelizumab in RMS. Transitions within RRMS
when off-treatment, RRMS-to-SPMS transitions, transitions within SPMS, and
transitions to death were based on the literature. Utilities of health states,
disutilities of relapses, costs of therapies, and medical costs associated with
health states, relapse, and adverse events were from the literature and publicly
available data sources. The model estimated per-patient total costs, incremental
cost per life year (LY) gained, and incremental cost per quality-adjusted LY
(QALY) gained. Deterministic sensitivity analyses (DSA) and probabilistic
sensitivity analysis (PSA) were conducted to evaluate the robustness of the model
results. RESULTS: Ocrelizumab was associated with a cost savings of $63,822 and
longer LYs (Delta = 0.046) and QALYs (Delta = 0.556) over a 20-year time horizon.
The results of the model were robust in the DSA and PSA. LIMITATIONS: The model
did not consider subsequent treatments and their impact on disease progression.
CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that ocrelizumab is more cost-effective than SC
interferon beta-1a for the treatment of RMS.
PMID- 28703660
TI - Comparison of two preventive treatments for patients with recurrent miscarriages
carrying a C677T methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase mutation: 5-year experience.
AB - Objective To investigate the effect of anticoagulant treatment on pregnancy
outcomes in patients with previous recurrent miscarriages (RM) who carry a
methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase ( MTHFR) gene mutation. Methods In this
longitudinal retrospective study, patients with RM were treated during pregnancy
with either: (i) 100 mg/day aspirin and 5 mg/day folic acid (group 1); or the
same protocol plus 0.4 mg/day enoxaparin (group 2). An age-matched group of
triparous women without RM or thrombophilia was used as the control group (group
3). Results This study enrolled 246 women with RM (123 per treatment group) and
age-matched controls ( n = 117). The delivery rate was significantly lower in
group 1 than group 2 (46.3% versus 79.7%, respectively). The miscarriage rate was
significantly lower in group 2 compared with group 1 (20.3% versus 51.2%,
respectively). In the control group 3, the delivery rate was 86.3% and the
miscarriage rate was 12.8%. Conclusion Treatment with low-dose aspirin,
enoxaparin and folic acid was the most effective therapy in women with RM who
carried a C677T MTHFR mutation.
PMID- 28703661
TI - Diagnostic usefulness of laparoscopy versus exploratory laparotomy for dogs with
suspected gastrointestinal obstruction.
AB - OBJECTIVE To evaluate the feasibility of laparoscopy versus exploratory
laparotomy for the diagnosis of specific lesions in dogs with suspected
gastrointestinal obstruction. DESIGN Controlled trial. ANIMALS 16 client-owned
dogs with physical and radiographic findings consistent with gastrointestinal
obstruction. PROCEDURES Single-incision laparoscopy with intracorporeal and
extracorporeal examination of the gastrointestinal tract was performed by 1
surgeon. Immediately afterward, exploratory laparotomy was performed by a second
surgeon. Accessibility and gross appearance of organs, surgical diagnoses,
incision lengths, procedure duration, and complications were compared between
diagnostic techniques. RESULTS Mean (95% confidence interval) incision length was
4.9 cm (3.9 to 5.9 cm) for laparoscopy and 16.4 cm (14.0 to 18.7 cm) for
exploratory laparotomy. Mean (95% confidence interval) procedure duration was
36.8 minutes (31.6 to 41.2 minutes) and 12.8 minutes (11.4 to 14.3 minutes),
respectively. Diagnoses of the cause of obstruction were the same with both
methods. In 13 dogs, the laparoscopic examination was successfully completed, and
in the other 3, it was incomplete. In 4 dogs in which laparoscopy was successful,
conversion to exploratory laparotomy or considerable extension of the
laparoscopic incision would have been required to allow subsequent surgical
treatment of identified lesions. No dogs developed major complications, and minor
complication rates were similar between procedures. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL
RELEVANCE Laparoscopy was feasible and clinically applicable in dogs with
suspected gastrointestinal obstruction. Careful patient selection and liberal
criteria for conversion to an open surgical approach are recommended when
laparoscopy is considered for the diagnosis of gastrointestinal lesions in dogs.
PMID- 28703662
TI - Over bagging in dairy show cows: an ethical crisis.
PMID- 28703663
TI - Anesthesia Case of the Month.
PMID- 28703665
TI - Letters to the Editor.
PMID- 28703664
TI - Diagnostic Imaging in Veterinary Dental Practice.
PMID- 28703666
TI - What Is Your Diagnosis? Ectopic thyroid carcinoma.
PMID- 28703667
TI - Surgical treatment of a paraspinal abscess with osteomyelitis and spinal cord
compression in a rabbit.
AB - CASE DESCRIPTION A 16-month-old neutered male Continental Giant rabbit (Lepus
curpaeums) was referred for evaluation of a 7-day history of acute-onset,
progressive, symmetric paraparesis. CLINICAL FINDINGS On initial examination, the
rabbit was nonambulatory, and results of neurologic examination were consistent
with a lesion affecting the T3-L3 spinal cord segments. Thoracic radiography
showed irregular widening of the left T11-12 articular process joint. Marked
dorsolateral and lateral extradural spinal cord compression with contrast
enhancement of the adjacent epaxial muscles was evident on MRI images of the
spine. TREATMENT AND OUTCOME A left-sided T11-T12 hemilaminectomy was performed,
which revealed an abnormal and hypertrophic T11-12 articular process joint and an
osteolytic lesion communicating with the vertebral canal. Copious purulent
material causing marked spinal cord compression was evident, and the surgical
site was lavaged extensively with sterile (0.9% NaCl) saline solution. Results of
aerobic, anaerobic, and enriched bacteriologic cultures of swab specimens
obtained from the surgical site were negative. Histologic analysis of biopsy
samples revealed chronic purulent osteomyelitis, myositis, and fasciitis with
necrosis, fibrosis, and dystrophic mineralization. The rabbit was discharged 48
hours after surgery. Ten weeks after surgery, the rabbit was ambulatory with mild
paraparesis. On telephone follow-up 21 months after surgery, the owners indicated
that the rabbit was healthy and expressed satisfaction with the treatment and
outcome. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Paraspinal abscess with vertebral canal involvement
should be considered as a differential diagnosis for rabbits with clinical signs
of progressive T3-L3 myelopathy. Outcome for the patient of the present report
suggested that surgical treatment including decompression and debridement can
result in a favorable long-term outcome.
PMID- 28703668
TI - ECG of the Month.
PMID- 28703669
TI - Animal Behavior Case of the Month.
PMID- 28703670
TI - Serving you; serving the AVMA; serving veterinary medicine.
PMID- 28703671
TI - Fifty years of contributions by the American Board of Veterinary Toxicology.
PMID- 28703672
TI - Randomized blinded controlled trial to assess the association between a
commercial vaccine against Moraxella bovis and the cumulative incidence of
infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis in beef calves.
AB - OBJECTIVE To assess the association between a commercially available vaccine
against Moraxella bovis and cumulative incidence of infectious bovine
keratoconjunctivitis (IBK) from processing to weaning (primary objective) and
body weight at weaning (secondary objective). DESIGN Randomized blinded
controlled trial. ANIMALS 214 calves (>= 2 months of age) born in the spring of
2015 at an Iowa State University cow-calf research unit with no visible lesions
or scars on either eye. PROCEDURES Calves were randomly allocated to receive SC
administration of a single dose of a commercial vaccine against M bovis (112
enrolled and 110 analyzed) or saline (0.9% NaCl) solution (111 enrolled and 104
analyzed). Calves were monitored for signs of IBK from treatment to weaning, and
body weight at weaning was recorded. People involved in calf enrollment and
outcome assessment were blinded to treatment group assignment. Cumulative
incidence of IBK and weaning weight were compared between vaccinated and
unvaccinated calves; the effect measure was the risk ratio and mean difference,
respectively. RESULTS IBK was detected in 65 (59.1%) vaccinated calves and 62
(59.6%) unvaccinated calves (unadjusted risk ratio, 0.99; 95% confidence
interval, 0.79 to 1.24) during the study period. No significant difference in
weaning weights was identified between vaccinated and unvaccinated calves
(unadjusted effect size, 4.40 kg [9.68 lb]; 95% confidence interval, -3.46 to
12.25 kg [-7.61 to 26.95 lb]). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results
suggested that the commercially available M bovis vaccine was not effective in
reducing the cumulative incidence of IBK or increasing weaning weight in beef
calves.
PMID- 28703673
TI - In This Issue * August 1, 2017.
PMID- 28703674
TI - What Is Your Neurologic Diagnosis? Squamous cell carcinomas.
PMID- 28703675
TI - Pathology in Practice. Trichofolliculoma (ruptured) and secondary
pyogranulomatous furunculosis in a rock hyrax.
PMID- 28703676
TI - Evaluation of learning curves for ovariohysterectomy of dogs and cats and
castration of dogs.
AB - OBJECTIVE To define learning curves for fourth-year veterinary students
performing ovariohysterectomy procedures in dogs and cats and castration in dogs.
DESIGN Retrospective study. SAMPLE 3,196 ovariohysterectomies or castrations
performed in dogs and cats by 88 veterinary students during a spay-neuter surgery
and animal shelter rotation (n = 3,056) or by 1 experienced general practitioner
(n = 140). PROCEDURES Data collected from medical records included patient
signalment, type and duration of procedure, and sequence (by date and time) of
the procedure within a list of procedures of the same type generated for each
student. For each procedure type, geometric mean surgery time and 95% confidence
intervals were determined for each number of surgeries completed by >= 10
students. Median surgery times for the same procedure types were determined for
the experienced practitioner. The learning curve for each procedure was modeled
with nonlinear (3-factor exponential equation with a nonzero asymptote) and
linear regression. For each procedure, the asymptote (optimal surgery time) for
students was compared with the experienced practitioner's median surgery time.
RESULTS 2,945 surgeries (mean, 33/student) performed by >= 10 students were
analyzed. Surgery time decreased in a nonlinear manner as student experience
increased for castration of adult or pediatric dogs and ovariohysterectomy of
pediatric dogs and adult or pediatric cats. Surgery time decreased in a linear
manner as experience increased for ovariohysterectomy of adult dogs. CONCLUSIONS
AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE To the authors' knowledge, this was the first study to map
surgery times for common surgical procedures consecutively performed by
veterinary students. Results clearly indicated the value of repetition to improve
surgical skills (as measured by surgery time) during a 3-week period.
PMID- 28703677
TI - Single oblique osteotomy for correction of antebrachial angular and torsional
deformities in a dog.
AB - CASE DESCRIPTION A 9-month-old 4.6-kg (10.1-lb) spayed female Shih Tzu was
examined for a 4-week history of left forelimb lameness. CLINICAL FINDINGS
Moderate left forelimb lameness was present when weight bearing, accompanied by
buckling of the left carpal joint and moderate signs of pain with hyperextension
of the elbow joint. A 32 degrees angular deformity of the left radius in a 45
degrees craniomedial oblique plane (equivalent to 23 degrees valgus and 23
degrees procurvatum) and a 55 degrees external torsional deformity were
measured on 3-D reconstructed CT images. Humeroulnar incongruity of the left
elbow joint was also evident. Single oblique osteotomy (SOO) and dynamic proximal
ulnar osteotomy were recommended. TREATMENT AND OUTCOME Creation of a 3-D printed
bone model from reconstructed CT images aided surgical planning. The SOO was
located 45 degrees medial to the sagittal plane of the left radius at the level
of the center of rotation of angulation. The SOO was oriented 32 degrees
distolaterally from the transverse plane of the radius and traversed the left
ulna. The bones were rotated along the osteotomy into grossly proper alignment
and stabilized with a plate and bone screws. Dynamic proximal ulnar osteotomy was
then performed. Six months after surgery, radiographs showed remodeling at the
SOO site and the lameness had resolved. The owners expressed satisfaction with
the outcome. CLINICAL RELEVANCE In dogs with angular and torsional long bone
deformities, SOO may be a viable alternative to wedge osteotomies. The SOO
simultaneously addressed angular and torsional deformities without bone loss and
provided rigid internal fixation.
PMID- 28703678
TI - Pathology in Practice. Nasal adenocarcinoma with rostral cerebral invasion in a
cat.
PMID- 28703680
TI - Ultrasonographic and computed tomographic characterization and localization of
suspected mechanical gastrointestinal obstruction in dogs.
AB - OBJECTIVE To evaluate the usefulness of noncontrast abdominal CT and abdominal
ultrasonography for the detection of mechanical gastrointestinal obstruction in
dogs and compare intestinal diameter ratios between dogs with and without
obstruction. DESIGN Controlled trial. ANIMALS 16 client-owned dogs with physical
and radiographic findings consistent with mechanical gastrointestinal
obstruction. PROCEDURES Abdominal ultrasonography and CT were performed for all
dogs, followed by laparoscopy and exploratory laparotomy. Time required for image
acquisition and presence and location of gastrointestinal obstruction were
assessed with both imaging modalities. Findings were compared with those of
exploratory surgery. Maximum and minimum intestinal diameters were recorded on CT
scans; values were converted to a ratio and compared between dogs with and
without obstruction. RESULTS Results of abdominal CT and exploratory surgery for
the diagnosis of mechanical obstruction agreed for all 16 dogs; 10 dogs had
complete obstruction, 3 had partial obstruction, and 3 had no obstruction. In 1
dog with functional ileus, abdominal ultrasonography resulted in an incorrect
diagnosis of mechanical obstruction. Median (interquartile range) image
acquisition time for abdominal CT (2.5 minutes [2.0 to 3.8 minutes]) was markedly
and significantly shorter than that for ultrasonography (26.0 minutes [22.0 to
35.8 minutes]). In both dorsal and transverse CT planes, dogs with
gastrointestinal obstruction (partial or complete) had significantly larger
intestinal diameter ratios than dogs without obstruction. CONCLUSIONS AND
CLINICAL RELEVANCE Abdominal CT was feasible, rapid, and accurate for the
diagnosis of mechanical obstruction in dogs with clinical signs and physical
examination findings consistent with partial or complete gastrointestinal
obstruction.
PMID- 28703681
TI - Activation of gene expression by histone deubiquitinase OTLD1.
AB - One of the main mechanisms of epigenetic control is post translational
modification of histones, and one of the relatively less characterized, yet
functionally important histone modifications is monoubiquitylation, which is
reversed by histone deubiquitinases. In Arabidopsis, only two of such enzymes are
known to date. One of them, OTLD1, deubiquitylates histone 2B and functions as a
transcriptional repressor. But, could the same deubiquitinase act both as a
repressor and an activator? Here, we addressed this question. Using gain-of
function and loss-of-function Arabidopsis alleles, we showed that OTLD1 can
promote expression of a target gene. This transcriptional activation activity of
OTLD1 involves occupation of the target chromatin by this enzyme,
deubiquitination of monoubiquitylated H2B within the occupied regions, and
formation of the euchromatic histone acetylation and methylation marks. Thus,
OTLD1 can play a dual role in transcriptional repression and activation of its
target genes. In these reactions, H2B ubiquitylation acts as both a repressive
and an active mark whereas OTLD1 association with and deubiquitylation of the
target chromatin may represent the key juncture between two opposing effects of
this enzyme on gene expression.
PMID- 28703682
TI - A MBD-seq protocol for large-scale methylome-wide studies with (very) low amounts
of DNA.
AB - We recently showed that, after optimization, our methyl-CpG binding domain
sequencing (MBD-seq) application approximates the methylome-wide coverage
obtained with whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGB-seq), but at a cost that
enables adequately powered large-scale association studies. A prior drawback of
MBD-seq is the relatively large amount of genomic DNA (ideally >1 ug) required to
obtain high-quality data. Biomaterials are typically expensive to collect,
provide a finite amount of DNA, and may simply not yield sufficient starting
material. The ability to use low amounts of DNA will increase the breadth and
number of studies that can be conducted. Therefore, we further optimized the
enrichment step. With this low starting material protocol, MBD-seq performed
equally well, or better, than the protocol requiring ample starting material (>1
ug). Using only 15 ng of DNA as input, there is minimal loss in data quality,
achieving 93% of the coverage of WGB-seq (with standard amounts of input DNA) at
similar false/positive rates. Furthermore, across a large number of genomic
features, the MBD-seq methylation profiles closely tracked those observed for WGB
seq with even slightly larger effect sizes. This suggests that MBD-seq provides
similar information about the methylome and classifies methylation status
somewhat more accurately. Performance decreases with <15 ng DNA as starting
material but, even with as little as 5 ng, MBD-seq still achieves 90% of the
coverage of WGB-seq with comparable genome-wide methylation profiles. Thus, the
proposed protocol is an attractive option for adequately powered and cost
effective methylome-wide investigations using (very) low amounts of DNA.
PMID- 28703683
TI - Integrated process development-a robust, rapid method for inclusion body
harvesting and processing at the microscale level.
AB - Escherichia coli stores large amounts of highly pure product within inclusion
bodies (IBs). To take advantage of this beneficial feature, after cell
disintegration, the first step to optimal product recovery is efficient IB
preparation. This step is also important in evaluating upstream optimization and
process development, due to the potential impact of bioprocessing conditions on
product quality and on the nanoscale properties of IBs. Proper IB preparation is
often neglected, due to laboratory-scale methods requiring large amounts of
materials and labor. Miniaturization and parallelization can accelerate analyses
of individual processing steps and provide a deeper understanding of up- and
downstream processing interdependencies. Consequently, reproducible, predictive
microscale methods are in demand. In the present study, we complemented a
recently established high-throughput cell disruption method with a microscale
method for preparing purified IBs. This preparation provided results comparable
to laboratory-scale IB processing, regarding impurity depletion, and product
loss. Furthermore, with this method, we performed a "design of experiments" study
to demonstrate the influence of fermentation conditions on the performance of
subsequent downstream steps and product quality. We showed that this approach
provided a 300-fold reduction in material consumption for each fermentation
condition and a 24-fold reduction in processing time for 24 samples.
PMID- 28703684
TI - Development of antifungal therapies using nanomaterials.
AB - The number and diversity of chemical structures currently available as
antibacterial drugs is much higher compared with the number of active substances
in relation to pathogenic fungi. In this review we focus on nanotechnology
approaches, which offer promising strategies to create nanoagents that possess
broad-spectrum antifungal activity and might overcome mechanisms of antibiotic
resistance. Special attention was given to magnetic nanoparticles and their
ability to restrict fungal growth directly, which depends on surface chemistry
and pathogen strains. We speculate that future developments of new antifungal
methods will take advantage of the current knowledge of using of magnetic
nanomaterials as anticancer agents based on their ability to induce hyperthermia
and enhance photosensitizing processes.
PMID- 28703685
TI - A Method for Gray-Scale Imaging of Blood Flow Using High-Frequency Ultrasound.
AB - This paper presents a new method that complements current techniques available in
the high-frequency blood imaging field. A comprehensive scattering model was
established to determine the feasibility and frequency range of the blood flow
imaging of superficial organs and tissues using high-frequency ultrasound. The
transmitting and receiving modes and an algorithm were designed to obtain blood
flow information based on differentiation between tissues and blood flow. The
system was created and tested first with a model that simulates blood flow and
was then used on human tissue. A fine-scale image of a blood vessel could be
obtained with this system. Moreover, this method can obtain weak blood flow
signal using single pulse rather than the traditional pulse-code method and
maintains a high resolution that can be matched to high-frequency structural
imaging. This study provides a reliable method for further applications related
to diagnoses of superficial organs.
PMID- 28703686
TI - Prevalence and associated demographic characteristics of exposure to multiple
metals and their species in human populations: The United States NHANES, 2007
2012.
AB - Lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and arsenic (As) are among the top 10
pollutants of global health concern. Studies have shown that exposures to these
metals produce severe adverse effects. However, the mechanisms underlying these
effects, particularly joint toxicities, are poorly understood in humans. The
objective of this investigation was to identify and characterize prevalent
combinations of these metals and their species in the U.S. NHANES population to
provide background data for future studies of potential metal interactions.
Exposure was defined as urine or blood levels >= medians of the NHANES 2007-2012
participants >=6 years (n = 7408). Adjusted-odds ratios (adj-OR) and 95%
confidence intervals were determined for covariates (age, gender, and
race/ethnicity, cotinine and body mass index). Species-specific analysis was also
conducted for As and Hg including iAs (urinary arsenous acid and/or arsenic
acid), met-iAs (urinary monomethylarsonic acid and/or dimethylarsinic acid), and
oHg (blood methyl-mercury and/or ethyl-mercury). For combinations of As and Hg
species, age- and gender-specific prevalence was determined among NHANES 2011
2012 participants (n = 2342). Data showed that approximately 49.3% of the
population contained a combination of three or more metals. The most prevalent
unique specific combinations were Pb/Cd/Hg/As, Pb/Cd/Hg, and Pb/Cd. Age was
consistently associated with these combinations: adj-ORs ranged from 10.9 (Pb/Cd)
to 11.2 (Pb/Cd/Hg/As). Race/ethnicity was significant for Pb/Cd/Hg/As. Among
women of reproductive age, frequency of oHg/iAs/met-iAS and oHg/met-iAs was 22.9
and 40.3%, respectively. These findings may help prioritize efforts to assess
joint toxicities and their impact on public health.
PMID- 28703687
TI - Our panel of experts highlight the most important research articles across the
spectrum of topics relevant to the field of regenerative medicine.
PMID- 28703688
TI - Activity-based funding in mental health: a disastrous path.
AB - OBJECTIVES: On the basis of the experience of the Netherlands, this critical
commentary will argue why activity-based funding (ABF) in mental health care is a
disastrous path that Australia should not take. CONCLUSIONS: ABF leads to an
exponential growth in health care spending as it encourages diagnostic inflation
and overproductivity. It also leads to fraud and an increased bureaucracy that
goes hand in hand with demoralisation among health workers. And finally, the
increasing treatment claims leads to the reintroduction of productivity
limitations, waiting lists and ultimately austerity measures in order to halt the
untamed growth of spending.
PMID- 28703689
TI - Supervision: 'a random bag of arrangements'? Perspectives from psychiatrists on
how to improve clinical teaching.
AB - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore psychiatrists' perspectives on
how clinical teaching and supervision can be improved in postgraduate psychiatric
training. METHOD: All New Zealand members of the Royal Australian and New Zealand
College of Psychiatrists (fellows: n=367; affiliates: n=167) were invited to
participate in an online survey that collected responses to two open-ended
questions. The responses were then analysed qualitatively. RESULTS: A total of
27% psychiatrists responded. Two major themes emerged: supervisor competencies
and the workplace educational environment, with subthemes of supervisor training,
feedback and culture change. CONCLUSIONS: Suggestions to improve clinical
teaching and supervision included defining supervisor teaching competencies,
instituting evidence-based faculty development, a feedback structure and
strengthening leadership support for workplace-based education.
PMID- 28703690
TI - What's to be done when 'foul whisp rings are abroad'? Gossip and rumour in health
organisations.
AB - OBJECTIVES: This article explores the relevance of gossip and rumour to health
organisations and presents what limited empirical research is available specific
to the management of gossip and rumour in health organisations. CONCLUSION: The
concept of a sentinel function for gossip and rumour in health organisations is
proposed as a topic worthy of further research.
PMID- 28703691
TI - Characteristics and outcomes of patients with drug overdose requiring admission
to Intensive Care Unit.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Approximately 20% of patients admitted to hospital with drug overdose
will require intensive care unit (ICU) admission. An understanding of the
characteristics of these patients may assist with their management and identify
those patients at risk of multiple hospital presentations due to drug overdose.
Our aim was to examine the characteristics of patients admitted to ICU following
drug overdoses and identify the predictors of multiple hospital presentations due
to drug overdose. METHODS: Patients admitted to a metropolitan ICU over a three
year period following drug overdoses were identified using ICU patient databases,
and their medical records. RESULTS: There were 254 admissions due to drug
overdoses. The majority of overdoses were intentional (82.7%) and included
multiple agents (68.1%). Two-thirds of patients had psychiatric diagnosis, and
54% had documented history of substance use disorders. In-hospital mortality was
2.8%. Over half of patients admitted had documented history of prior hospital
presentation due to overdoses. Personality disorder and schizophrenia were
independent predictors of multiple hospital presentations due to overdoses.
CONCLUSION: Personality disorders or schizophrenia were independent predictors of
patients with multiple overdose presentations. Preventative strategies focusing
on these patients may reduce the incidence of their hospital presentations and
ICU admissions.
PMID- 28703692
TI - Publish or perish: Dr Victor Webster and cardiazol treatment in Western
Australia, 1937-1938.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To examine the role of Dr Victor Henry Webster (1905-1980) in the
introduction of cardiazol therapy to Western Australia in November 1937. METHOD:
A range of primary and secondary sources were consulted. RESULTS: Webster
experimented with cardiazol treatment at Heathcote Reception Home, and published
his findings in April 1938, at the same time as Ellery and Lear, but was not able
to publish his results in a nationally-recognised journal. As a result, his
contribution to early cardiazol treatment in Australia has been largely
forgotten. CONCLUSIONS: Webster made a genuine contribution to the introduction
of cardiazol treatment in Australia, and his story illustrates the need to
publish early findings of new physical therapies.
PMID- 28703693
TI - Women and Aging, edited by Varda Muhlbauer, Joan C. Chrisler, and Florence L.
Denmark.
PMID- 28703694
TI - When Is Higher Neuroticism Protective Against Death? Findings From UK Biobank.
AB - We examined the association between neuroticism and mortality in a sample of
321,456 people from UK Biobank and explored the influence of self-rated health on
this relationship. After adjustment for age and sex, a 1- SD increment in
neuroticism was associated with a 6% increase in all-cause mortality (hazard
ratio = 1.06, 95% confidence interval = [1.03, 1.09]). After adjustment for other
covariates, and, in particular, self-rated health, higher neuroticism was
associated with an 8% reduction in all-cause mortality (hazard ratio = 0.92, 95%
confidence interval = [0.89, 0.95]), as well as with reductions in mortality from
cancer, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory disease, but not external causes.
Further analyses revealed that higher neuroticism was associated with lower
mortality only in those people with fair or poor self-rated health, and that
higher scores on a facet of neuroticism related to worry and vulnerability were
associated with lower mortality. Research into associations between personality
facets and mortality may elucidate mechanisms underlying neuroticism's covert
protection against death.
PMID- 28703695
TI - The decellularized extracellular matrix in regenerative medicine.
PMID- 28703696
TI - Palliative care service use by older people: Time trends from a mortality follow
back study between 2005 and 2014.
AB - BACKGROUND: The need for increased use and timely initiation of palliative care
for all people, not just those who die with cancer, has been advocated worldwide
over the past decade. AIM: To investigate whether there has been a time trend in
the use of palliative care services and the timing of their initiation for older
people. DESIGN: Mortality follow-back survey among general practitioners in a
nationally representative Sentinel Network in 2005-2010, 2013 and 2014 in
Belgium. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Of all their patients who died non-suddenly aged
65+ years, general practitioners reported sociodemographic and clinical data, use
of any of the palliative care services available in Belgium and when the first of
these services was initiated. RESULTS: General practitioners identified 5344
deaths. Overall, palliative care service use increased from 39% in 2005 to 63% in
2014 ( p < 0.001). The use of a reference person for palliative care in a care
home increased from 12% to 26% ( p < 0.001) and of a palliative homecare team
from 14% to 17.5% ( p < 0.01), but hospital-based palliative care services did
not increase. Controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, no differences
were obtained over time in the proportion of cancer/non-cancer patients for whom
they provided care. The timing of initiation of palliative care services remained
unchanged at a median of 15 days before death. CONCLUSION: Palliative care
service use has increased mostly in care homes, possibly as a result of policy
changes, while hospital-based palliative care services lag behind. Contrary to
recommendations, access for non-cancer patients may remain difficult and
palliative care is often initiated late in the disease trajectory.
PMID- 28703697
TI - Detection of chronic wasting disease prion seeding activity in deer and elk feces
by real-time quaking-induced conversion.
AB - Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is an emergent prion disease affecting cervid
species in North America, Canada, South Korea, and recently, Norway. Detection of
CWD has been advanced by techniques that rely on amplification of low levels of
prion amyloid to a detectable level. However, the increased sensitivity of
amplification assays is often compromised by inhibitors and/or activators in
complex biologic samples including body fluids, excreta, or the environment.
Here, we adapt real-time quaking-induced conversion conditions to specifically
detect CWD prions in fecal samples from both experimentally infected deer and
naturally infected elk and estimate environmental contamination. The results have
application to detection, surveillance and management of CWD, and potentially to
other protein-misfolding diseases.
PMID- 28703698
TI - Recovery of the Zika virus through an in vitro ligation approach.
AB - In this study, an in vitro ligation method was developed to assemble a full
length infectious cDNA clone of the Zika virus (ZIKV). Four contiguous cDNA
subclones covering the complete ZIKV genome were constructed with unique BglI
restriction sites at the ends of each fragment. The BglI restriction sites only
allow in vitro ligation to happen between interconnecting restriction sites from
adjacent cDNA fragments, resulting in an intact full-length cDNA of ZIKV. RNA
transcripts derived from the full-length cDNA were infectious. The recombinant
virus replicated as efficiently as the wild-type virus with similar growth
kinetics and plaque morphologies in Vero and C6/36 cells. Both viruses were
inhibited by NITD008 treatment. This in vitro ligation method will facilitate
manipulation of the viral genome through genetic modifications of four separated
subclones of ZIKV for the rapid and rational development of candidate vaccines
and viral replication study.
PMID- 28703699
TI - A high prevalence of beak and feather disease virus in non-psittacine Australian
birds.
AB - PURPOSE: Beak and feather disease virus (BFDV) is a circovirus and the cause of
psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD). This disease is characterized by
feather and beak deformities and is a recognized threat to endangered
Psittaciformes (parrots and cockatoos). The role that non-psittacine birds may
play as reservoirs of infection is unclear. This study aimed to begin addressing
this gap in our knowledge of PBFD. METHODOLOGY: Liver samples were collected from
birds presented to the Australian Wildlife Health Centre at Zoos Victoria's
Healesville Sanctuary for veterinary care between December 2014 and December
2015, and tested for BFDV DNA using polymerase chain reaction coupled with
sequencing and phylogenetic analyses.Results/Key findings. Overall BFDV was
detected in 38.1 % of 210 birds. BFDV was detected at high prevalence (56.2 %) in
psittacine birds, in the majority of cases without any observed clinical signs of
PBFD. We also found that BFDV was more common in non-psittacine species than
previously recognized, with BFDV detected at 20.0 % prevalence in the non
psittacine birds tested, including species with no clear ecological association
with psittacines, and without showing any detectable clinical signs of BFDV
infection. CONCLUSION: Further research to determine the infectivity and
transmissibility of BFDV in non-psittacine species is indicated. Until such work
is undertaken the findings from this study suggest that every bird should be
considered a potential carrier of BFDV, regardless of species and clinical
presentation. Veterinary clinics and wildlife rehabilitation facilities caring
for birds that are susceptible to PBFD should reconsider biosecurity protocols
aimed at controlling BFDV.
PMID- 28703700
TI - Comparative study of isolates from community-acquired and catheter-associated
urinary tract infections with reference to biofilm-producing property, antibiotic
sensitivity and multi-drug resistance.
AB - PURPOSE: Urinary tract infection (UTI) can be community-acquired (Com-UTI) or
catheter-associated (CAUTI) and may be associated with biofilm-producing
organisms. A comparative analysis of biofilm-producing property (BPP), antibiotic
sensitivity and multi-drug resistance (MDR) and their relation with the BPP of
isolates from Com-UTI and CAUTI has not yet been performed and necessitated this
study. METHODOLOGY: OBJECTIVES: (1) isolation of bacteria from CAUTI and Com-UTI
and identification of their BPP, antibiotic-sensitivity and MDR status; (2)
comparison of the isolates from CAUTI and Com-UTI as regards BPP, MDR status and
their relation with BPP. METHOD: isolates from 100 cases each of Com-UTI and
CAUTI were subjected to Congo redagar (CRA) and Safranin tube tests. Antibiotic
susceptibility was investigated using the disc diffusion method. Both groups were
compared regarding BPP, drug sensitivity and MDR status. Statistical analyses
were performed using chi2 and Fisher's exact tests. RESULTS: 76.19 % of isolates
from Com-UTI and 60.72 % from CAUTI had BPP (P=0.0252; significant). The Safranin
tube test detected more isolates with BPP than the CRA test. MDR is greater in
CAUTI than Com-UTI (83.33 % versus 64.76 %; P=0.0039; significant). MDR is
greater in isolates with BPP in both Com-UTI and CAUTI (76.47 and 62.35 %; non
significant). CONCLUSIONS: BPP was found in both Com-UTI and CAUTI. When used
together, the Safranin tube test and the CRA test increased the sensitivity of
detecting BPP. MDR was higher in CAUTI than Com-UTI. MDR and BPP are not
interrelated or associated, especially in settings where it is not certain that
isolates were obtained from a well-formed biofilm. However, this does not rule
out a higher incidence or prevalence of MDR in isolates with BPP taken directly
from the biofilms.
PMID- 28703701
TI - Mutations in MmpL3 alter membrane potential, hydrophobicity and antibiotic
susceptibility in Mycobacterium smegmatis.
AB - MmpL3 is a promising target for novel anti-tubercular agents, with numerous
compound series identified as MmpL3 inhibitors. Despite this, there is an
incomplete understanding of MmpL3 function. Here we show that Mycobacterium
smegmatis MmpL3 mutant strains had an altered cell wall hydrophobicity, disrupted
membrane potential and growth defects in liquid media. Compensatory mutations
that restored normal growth also returned membrane potential to wild-type. M.
smegmatis MmpL3 mutant strains were resistant to two anti-tubercular agents,
SQ109 and AU1235, but were more sensitive to rifampicin, erythromycin and
ampicillin. Exposure of M. smegmatis to AU1235 affected the cell wall composition
and increased the potency of rifampicin. However, MmpL3 mutants did not prevent
the dissipation of membrane potential following exposure to SQ109. These results
demonstrate that in M. smegmatis, MmpL3 contributes to a number of important
phenotypes such as membrane potential, cell wall composition, antibiotic
susceptibility and fitness.
PMID- 28703702
TI - Cancers attributable to excess body weight in Canada in 2010.
AB - INTRODUCTION: Excess body weight (body mass index [BMI] >= 25.00 kg/m2) is an
established risk factor for diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease,
but its relationship to cancer is lesser-known. This study used population
attributable fractions (PAFs) to estimate the cancer burden attributable to
excess body weight in Canadian adults (aged 25+ years) in 2010. METHODS: We
estimated PAFs using relative risk (RR) estimates from the World Cancer Research
Fund International Continuous Update Project, BMI-based estimates of overweight
(25.00 kg/m2-29.99 kg/m2) and obesity (30.00+ kg/m2) from the 2000-2001 Canadian
Community Health Survey, and cancer case counts from the Canadian Cancer
Registry. PAFs were based on BMI corrected for the bias in self-reported height
and weight. RESULTS: In Canada in 2010, an estimated 9645 cancer cases were
attributable to excess body weight, representing 5.7% of all cancer cases (males
4.9%, females 6.5%). When limiting the analysis to types of cancer associated
with high BMI, the PAF increased to 14.9% (males 17.5%, females 13.3%). Types of
cancer with the highest PAFs were esophageal adenocarcinoma (42.2%), kidney
(25.4%), gastric cardia (20.7%), liver (20.5%), colon (20.5%) and gallbladder
(20.2%) for males, and esophageal adenocarcinoma (36.1%), uterus (35.2%),
gallbladder (23.7%) and kidney (23.0%) for females. Types of cancer with the
greatest number of attributable cases were colon (1445), kidney (780) and
advanced prostate (515) for males, and uterus (1825), postmenopausal breast
(1765) and colon (675) for females. Irrespective of sex or type of cancer, PAFs
were highest in the Prairies (except Alberta) and the Atlantic region and lowest
in British Columbia and Quebec. CONCLUSION: The cancer burden attributable to
excess body weight is substantial and will continue to rise in the near future
because of the rising prevalence of overweight and obesity in Canada.
PMID- 28703703
TI - Estimating multimorbidity prevalence with the Canadian Chronic Disease
Surveillance System.
AB - INTRODUCTION: The Public Health Agency of Canada's Canadian Chronic Disease
Surveillance System (CCDSS) uses a validated, standardized methodology to
estimate prevalence of individual chronic diseases, such as diabetes. Expansion
of the CCDSS for surveillance of multimorbidity, the co-occurrence of two or more
chronic diseases, could better inform health promotion and disease prevention.
The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of using the CCDSS to
estimate multimorbidity prevalence. METHODS: We used administrative health data
from seven provinces and three territories and five validated chronic conditions
(i.e. cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, mental illness, hypertension
and diabetes) to estimate multimorbidity prevalence. We produced age-standardized
(using Canada's 1991 population) and age-specific estimates for two
multimorbidity definitions: (1) two or more conditions, and (2) three or more
conditions from the five validated conditions, by sex, fiscal year and geography.
RESULTS: Among Canadians aged 40 years and over in the fiscal year 2011/12, the
prevalence of two or more and three or more chronic conditions was 26.5% and
10.2%, respectively, which is comparable to other estimates based on
administrative health data. The increase in multimorbidity prevalence with
increasing age was similar across provinces. The difference in prevalence for
males and females varied by province and territory. We observed substantial
variation in estimates over time. Results were consistent for the two definitions
of multimorbidity. CONCLUSION: The CCDSS methodology can produce comparative
estimates of multimorbidity prevalence across provinces and territories, but
there are challenges in using it to estimate temporal trends. Further expansion
of the CCDSS in the number and breadth of validated case definitions will improve
the accuracy of multimorbidity surveillance for the Canadian population.
PMID- 28703704
TI - Commentary - Is the future of "population/public health" in Canada united or
divided? Reflections from within the field.
AB - INTRODUCTION: "Are population and public health truly a unified field, or is
population health simply attaching itself to public health as a means of gaining
credibility?" This commentary was prompted by the above question, which was asked
during K. L.'s PhD candidacy exam. In response, K. L. cited recent developments
in the field to support her conviction that population and public health (PPH)
existed positively as a unified discipline. However, through conversations that
ensued over the subsequent weeks and months, we concluded that this issue goes
deeper than the existence of departments and organizations labelled "population
and public health," and may benefit from debate and discussion, particularly for
the incoming generation of PPH scholars. In this commentary, we argue that (1)
the PPH label at times implies a coherence of ideas, values and priorities that
may not be present; (2) it is important and timely to work towards a more unified
PPH; and (3) both challenges to and opportunities for a more unified PPH exist,
which we illustrate using the broad areas of research funding, the public health
workforce and PPH ethics.
PMID- 28703705
TI - Epidemiology of human infections with highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H7N9)
virus in Guangdong, 2016 to 2017.
AB - We describe the epidemiology of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H7N9)
based on poultry market environmental surveillance and laboratory-confirmed human
cases (n = 9) in Guangdong, China. We also compare the epidemiology between human
cases of high- and low-pathogenic avian influenza A(H7N9) (n = 51) in Guangdong.
Case fatality and severity were similar. Touching sick or dead poultry was the
most important risk factor for HPAI A(H7N9) infections and should be highlighted
for the control of future influenza A(H7N9) epidemics.
PMID- 28703707
TI - Pathotyping and antibiotic resistance of porcine enterovirulent Escherichia coli
strains from Switzerland (2014-2015).
AB - INTRODUCTION: A total of 131 porcine E. coli were isolated in 2014 and 2015 from
the gut of 115 pigs raised in Switzerland and suffering from diarrhea. The
isolates were tested for antibiotic resistance, serotypes, virulence factors and
genetic diversity. Serotypes were assigned by agglutination tests and virulence
genes were identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Antibiotic resistance
profile was determined by the measurement of the MIC of 14 antibiotics and by the
detection of the corresponding genes using microarray and PCR approaches. Genetic
diversity was determined by repetitive palindromic PCR (rep- PCR) revealing a
heterogenous population. Half of the E. coli isolates possessing virulence
factors could not be assigned to any of the 19 serotypes tested, but contained
toxins and adhesins similarly to the sero-typable E. coli isolates. The most
prevalent E. coli serotypes found were K88ac (18%), O139:K82 (6%), O141:K85ac
(5%), O108:K'V189' (5%), O119:K'V113' (3%) and O157:K'V17' (2%). The combination
of toxins EAST-1, STb and LT-I and adhesin F4 characterizing ETEC was the most
frequent. The shigatoxin Stx2e (STEC) and intimin Eae (EPEC) were also detected,
but less frequently. Seventy percent of the isolates were resistant to at least
one antibiotic and 29% were resistant to more than 3 antibiotics. Isolates
exhibited resistance to tetracycline (50%) associated to resistance genes tet(A),
tet(B) and tet(C), sulfamethoxazole (49%) [sul1, sul2 and sul3], trimethoprim
(34%) [dfr], nalidixic acid (29%), ampicillin (26%) [blaTEM-1], gentamicin (17%)
[aac(3) -IIc, aac(3) -IVa and aac(3) -VIa], chloramphenicol (17%) [catAI and
catAIII], and ciprofloxacin (8%) [mutations in GyrA (S83L) and ParC (S80I)]. All
isolates were susceptible to 3rd generation cephalosporins, carbapenems, colistin
and tigecycline. Pathogenic E. coli isolates from pigs in Switzerland could
frequently not be assigned to a known serotype even if they contained diarrhea
causing virulence factors. They also harbor resistance mechanisms conferring
resistance to antibiotics which are commonly used in pig husbandry, except for
colistin. A careful identification of the causative agent and antibiotic
susceptibility testing is highly recommended for targeted therapy and prudent use
of antibiotics.
PMID- 28703706
TI - Dopamine neuron dependent behaviors mediated by glutamate cotransmission.
AB - Dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area use glutamate as a cotransmitter.
To elucidate the behavioral role of the cotransmission, we targeted the glutamate
recycling enzyme glutaminase (gene Gls1). In mice with a dopamine transporter
(Slc6a3)-driven conditional heterozygous (cHET) reduction of Gls1 in their
dopamine neurons, dopamine neuron survival and transmission were unaffected,
while glutamate cotransmission at phasic firing frequencies was reduced, enabling
a selective focus on the cotransmission. The mice showed normal emotional and
motor behaviors, and an unaffected response to acute amphetamine. Strikingly,
amphetamine sensitization was reduced and latent inhibition potentiated. These
behavioral effects, also seen in global GLS1 HETs with a schizophrenia resilience
phenotype, were not seen in mice with an Emx1-driven forebrain reduction
affecting most brain glutamatergic neurons. Thus, a reduction in dopamine neuron
glutamate cotransmission appears to mediate significant components of the GLS1
HET schizophrenia resilience phenotype, and glutamate cotransmission appears to
be important in attribution of motivational salience.
PMID- 28703708
TI - [Calculation of therapeutic intensity for pigs treated using medicated feed].
AB - INTRODUCTION: The correct oral treatment of pigs in groups is a demanding
procedure. Prescriptions of medicated feed for groups larger than 20 pigs have to
be made on official forms submitted to veterinary authorities. In this work, we
evaluated 1'126 such forms for the years 2010-2011 to calculate the therapeutic
intensity for piglets and fatteners at farm level in the canton of Lucerne. This
analysis shows that essential data were often difficult to obtain and that the
provided information did not always allow for plausible intensity calculations.
In total, 654 and 424 kg of antimicrobials were prescribed during the 2 years
under investigation. For the years 2010 and 2011, the calculated median
intensities were 43.5 and 32.5 treated animals per 1'000 individuals per day
(PIDvet) for piglets and 75.9 and 64.8 for fatteners. PIDvet for the whole
populations of piglets and fatteners treated with medicated feed delivered from
feed mills were 37.51 resp. 84.44 in the year 2011.
PMID- 28703709
TI - [Chromosomal aberrations in a subfertile cotton-top tamarin].
AB - INTRODUCTION: The present case report describes a female cotton-top tamarin which
was taken over by the Zoo Basel to form a new breeding pair. The animal
demonstrated increased marking behavior without any obvious medical reasons,
dominant behavior, failure to become pregnant and its external genitals were
ambiguous. A disorder of the sexual development (DSD) was suspected by the zoo
veterinarians and in a first step, the chromosomes of the monkey were analyzed.
Six cell lines with different karyotypes were observed. The two most frequent
cell lines had a 46,XX or a 46,XY karyotype which are normal chromosome
complements of female and male cotton-top tamarins, respectively. The other much
less frequent cell lines showed numerical aberrations with and without a marker
chromosome. Specific biological features of the Callitrichidae, such as natural
twinning and genetic chimerism impeded the clarification of the pathogenesis and
prevented a reliable prognosis on the fertility of the cotton-top tamarin.
PMID- 28703710
TI - Functionalization of nanotextured substrates for enhanced identification of
metastatic breast cancer cells.
AB - Metastasis is the major cause of low survival rates among cancer patients. Once
cancer cells metastasize, it is extremely difficult to contain the disease. We
report on a nanotextured platform for enhanced detection of metastatic cells. We
captured metastatic (MDA-MDB-231) and non-metastatic (MCF-7) breast cancer cells
on anti-EGFR aptamer modified plane and nanotextured substrates. Metastatic cells
were seen to change their morphology at higher rates when captured on
nanotextured substrates than on plane substrates. Analysis showed statistically
different morphological behaviors of metastatic cells that were very pronounced
on the nanotextured substrates. Several distance matrices were calculated to
quantify the dissimilarity of cell shape change. Nanotexturing increased the
dissimilarity of the metastatic cells and as a result the contrast between
metastatic and non-metastatic cells increased. Jaccard distance measurements
found that the shape change ratio of the non-metastatic and metastatic cells was
enhanced from 1:1.01 to 1:1.81, going from plane to nanotextured substrates. The
shape change ratio of the non-metastatic to metastatic cells improved from 1:1.48
to 1:2.19 for the Hausdorff distance and from 1:1.87 to 1:4.69 for the
Mahalanobis distance after introducing nanotexture. Distance matrix analysis
showed that nanotexture increased the shape change ratios of non-metastatic and
metastatic cells. Hence, the detectability of metastatic cells increased. These
calculated matrices provided clear and explicit measures to discriminate single
cells for their metastatic state on functional nanotextured substrates.
PMID- 28703711
TI - Interfacial properties of hydrides in alpha-Zr: a theoretical study.
AB - In order to better understand hydride formation in zirconium alloys, heterophase
interfaces between alpha-Zr and gamma-ZrH are investigated by means of ab initio
atomic-scale simulations of multilayers coupled with continuous elasticity. Our
approach allows us to separate out the elastic contribution, leading to basal and
prismatic [Formula: see text] interface energies around 200 [Formula: see text]
and 750 [Formula: see text] respectively, i.e. values noticeably higher than
previously found for coherent particles such as zeta-Zr2H. By considering
interfacial changes of H contents, the possibility of competing elasticity and
chemistry effects for interface stability is analyzed. The effects of the strong
anisotropy evident in [Formula: see text] interface energies on the important
practical issue of preferential habit planes are discussed, allowing us to
propose a plausible explanation for the experimental results.
PMID- 28703712
TI - Pump-probe STM light emission spectroscopy for detection of photo-induced
semiconductor-metal phase transition of VO2.
AB - We attempted to observe pump-probe scanning tunneling microscopy (STM)-light
emission (LE) from a VO2 thin film grown on a rutile TiO2(0 0 1) substrate, with
an Ag tip fixed over a semiconducting domain. Laser pulses from a Ti:sapphire
laser (wavelength 920 nm; pulse width less than 1.5 ps) irradiated the tip-sample
gap as pump and probe light sources. With a photon energy of 2.7 eV, suggesting
phase transition from semiconducting monoclinic (M) to metallic rutile (R) phases
in relation to the electronic band structure, faint LE was observed roughly 30 ps
after the irradiation of the pump pulse, followed by retention for roughly 20 ps.
The incident energy fluence of the pump pulse at the gap was five orders of
magnitude lower than the threshold value for reported photo-induced M-R phase
transition. The mechanism that makes it possible to reduce the threshold fluence
is discussed.
PMID- 28703713
TI - Consequences of the radiation accident at the Mayak production association in
1957 (the 'Kyshtym Accident').
AB - This paper presents an overview of the nuclear accident that occurred at the
Mayak Production Association (PA) in the Russian Federation on 29 September 1957,
often referred to as 'Kyshtym Accident', when 20 MCi (740 PBq) of radionuclides
were released by a chemical explosion in a radioactive waste storage tank. 2 MCi
(74 PBq) spread beyond the Mayak PA site to form the East Urals Radioactive Trace
(EURT). The paper describes the accident and gives brief characteristics of the
efficacy of the implemented protective measures that made it possible to
considerably reduce doses to the exposed population. The paper also provides
retrospective dosimetry estimates for the members of the EURT Cohort (EURTC)
which comprises approximately 21 400 people. During the first two years after the
accident a decrease in the group average leukocyte (mainly due to neutrophils and
lymphocytes) and thrombocyte count was observed in the population. At later dates
an increased excess relative risk of solid cancer incidence and mortality was
found in the EURTC.
PMID- 28703714
TI - Properties of the antiferromagnetic selenite MnSeO3 and its non-magnetic analogue
ZnSnO3 from first principles calculations.
AB - We report the properties of the antiferromagnetic selenite MnSeO3 and the non
magnetic analogue ZnSeO3, based on first principles calculations. These compounds
are rare examples of ABO3 perovskites with a tetravalent A-site and a divalent B
site. The electronic structure is discussed in the context of the bonding and
crystal structure. There is cross-gap hybridization between the O p states that
form the valence bands of these compounds and the unoccupied p states of Se,
reflecting the lone pair physics that leads to the strong off-centering of Se
from the perovskite A-site. The G-type antiferromagnetism of MnSeO3 is a local
moment in nature arising from high spin [Formula: see text] with short range
interactions. Additionally, there is an interesting spin-dependent hybridization
of Mn d and O p states analogous to that in colossal magnetoresistance
manganites.
PMID- 28703715
TI - Excitations in Quantum Liquids.
AB - Progress made in measuring and interpreting the elementary excitations of
superfluid and normal liquid ?4he in the past 25 years is reviewed. The goal is
to bring up to date the data, calculations and our understanding of the
excitations since the books and reviews of the early 1990s. Only bulk liquid ?4he
is considered. Reference to liquid ?3he, mixtures, reduced dimensions (films and
confined helium) is made where useful to enhance interpretation. The focus is on
the excitations as measured by inelastic neutron scattering methods. The review
covers the dynamic response of liquid ?4he from the collective excitations at low
energy and long wavelength (i.e. phonon-roton modes) to the single particle
excitations at high energy from which the atomic momentum distribution and Bose
Einstein condensate fraction are determined. A goal is to show the interplay of
these excitations with other spectacular properties such as superfluidity and the
test of fundamental calculations of quantum liquids that is possible. The role of
Bose-Einstein condensation in determining the nature of the ?pr~ mode and
particularly it's temperature dependence is emphasized. The similarity of normal
liquid ?4he with other quantum and classical liquids is discussed.
.
PMID- 28703716
TI - Effective spin Hamiltonian of a gated triple quantum dot in the presence of spin
orbit interaction.
AB - We derive and study the effective spin Hamiltonian of a gated triple quantum dot
that includes the effects of spin-orbit interaction and an external magnetic
field. In the analysis of the resulting spin interaction in linear and in general
triangular geometry of the dots, we show that the pairwise spin interaction does
depend on the position of the third dot. The spin-orbit induced anisotropy, in
addition to changing its strength, also changes its symmetry with the motion of
the third quantum dot outside the linear arrangement. Our results present a
simplified model that may be used in the design of quantum computers based on
three-spin qubits.
PMID- 28703717
TI - Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Biopharmaceuticals May Benefit From
Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacokinetic-Pharmacodynamic Modeling.
AB - Biopharmaceuticals, especially monoclonal antibodies, have been increasingly used
to treat several chronic inflammatory diseases. Due to the complexity of their
pharmacokinetics and concentration-effect relationship, therapeutic drug
monitoring (TDM) has been used to optimize their dosing regimen. Up to date,
several decisional algorithms have been developed to provide tools for monoclonal
antibodies' therapeutic drug monitoring. However, these algorithms are unable to
determine the individual optimal dosing scheme. The aim of this article is to
deal with population pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PK
PD) modeling. Allowing the quantification of the variability of the dose
concentration-response relationship, population pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic
modeling may be a valuable tool to determine the optimal dosing scheme. Based on
population modeling, Bayesian estimators may be developed to optimize dosing
schemes for each patient using limited sampling strategies. These estimators may
allow accurate dosing adjustment for each patient individually.
PMID- 28703718
TI - Current Practices for Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Biopharmaceuticals in
Pediatrics.
AB - Biopharmaceuticals have recently emerged as effective treatments for refractory
pediatric autoimmune conditions. Several reports have shown a relationship
between drug concentration, antidrug antibodies, and clinical response in these
patients, strongly suggesting the potential interest, usefulness, and reliability
of therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) in children. This article reviews the
current state of research in juvenile idiopathic arthritis, pediatric
inflammatory bowel disease, and pediatric psoriasis from a TDM point of view.
There is a remarkable lack of evidence-based data in pediatric patients, which is
reflected throughout the article. Most investigations of TDM are focused on
research of tumor necrosis factor alpha antagonists in inflammatory bowel
disease, albeit preliminary publications are emerging from pediatric
rheumatologists and dermatologists. To date, immunogenicity has been a primary
concern, particularly regarding infliximab and adalimumab therapy in children, as
it may lead to a loss of therapeutic response. Preliminary investigations show
that adjusting the dose according to blood drug concentrations improves disease
outcomes by overcoming antidrug antibodies, suggesting a crucial role for TDM.
Patients who receive other drugs, such as etanercept, abatacept, or tocilizumab,
could benefit from TDM because dosage can be optimized by adjusting it to the
minimum effective dose.
PMID- 28703719
TI - Pharmacokinetics of Antibiotics in Sub-Saharan African Patient Populations: A
Systematic Review.
AB - BACKGROUND: In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), severe febrile illness accounts for a
large majority of medical admissions. SSA patients may also suffer from cachexia
and organ dysfunction resulting from tuberculosis, hepatitis B, and hypertension.
It is hard to tell how these conditions influence the pharmacokinetics (PK) of
antibiotics in this population. The aim of this systematic review was to
summarize antibiotic PK data of SSA adult patient populations to clarify whether
inappropriate drug concentrations that may also lead to antimicrobial resistance
are likely to occur. METHODS: An electronic search was conducted in Ovid MEDLINE,
Embase, and the African Index Medicus collecting studies from 1946 to May 2016.
Reviewers independently selected studies reporting outcome data on volume of
distribution (V), clearance, and half-life. Relevant information was abstracted
and quality assessed. RESULTS: Twelve studies were selected, addressing 6
antibiotic classes. There were 6 studies on fluoroquinolones and 1 on beta-lactam
antibiotics. Nine out of 12 originated from South Africa and 6 of those dealt
with intensive care unit (ICU) populations. The quality of most studies was low.
Studies on amikacin, teicoplanin, and ertapenem (n = 4) displayed a pattern of a
large V with low drug concentrations. Fluoroquinolone PK changes were less
prominent and more diverse whereas the probability of pharmacodynamic target
attainment was low for the treatment of tuberculosis in South Africa.
Interindividual variability of V was high for 10/12 studies. CONCLUSIONS:
Antibiotic PK data of SSA adult patient populations are scarce, but disease
induced inappropriate drug concentrations do occur. Data from non-ICU, severely
ill patients, and beta-lactam data are particularly lacking, whereas beta-lactam
antibiotics are commonly used, and typically vulnerable to disease-induced PK
changes. Studies investigating the PK and pharmacodynamics of beta-lactam
antibiotics in severely ill, adult SSA patient populations are needed to improve
local antibiotic dosing strategies.
PMID- 28703720
TI - Therapeutic Drug Monitoring for Perampanel in Japanese Epilepsy Patients:
Influence of Concomitant Antiepileptic Drugs.
AB - BACKGROUND: Perampanel is a new antiepileptic drug (AED) that acts as a
noncompetitive alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionic acid (AMPA)
receptor antagonist and is mainly metabolized by cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4. This
study evaluated the influence of concomitant AEDs on the serum concentration
profile of perampanel. METHODS: A total of 215 serum samples obtained from 76
patients aged 12 years or older were analyzed for routine therapeutic drug
monitoring, and the concentration-to-dose ratio (CD ratio) of perampanel was
compared among patients on various AED regimens. RESULTS: In patients not taking
concomitant enzyme-inducing AEDs, the mean CD ratio was 3963 ng.mL.mg.kg (range:
1793-13,299). By contrast, the mean CD ratio was lower in patients using enzyme
inducing AEDs [1760 (range: 892-3090), 2256 (range: 700-4703), and 1120 (range:
473-1853) ng.mL.mg.kg in patients taking phenytoin, phenobarbital, and
carbamazepine, respectively], and carbamazepine had a significantly greater
reduction in the CD ratio compared with phenytoin or phenobarbital (P < 0.001).
Twenty-one patients responded with >=50% reduction of seizure frequency from
baseline, and their mean serum perampanel concentration was 450 ng/mL (range: 85
1500). CONCLUSIONS: There is a large interindividual variation in CD ratio of
perampanel because its metabolism is highly susceptible to interactions with
enzyme-inducing AEDs. Therapeutic drug monitoring could be clinically useful for
determining the influence of AED CYP3A4 inducers on perampanel concentrations.
PMID- 28703721
TI - Minimizing rubidium-82 tracer activity for relative PET myocardial perfusion
imaging.
AB - OBJECTIVES: Recommended rubidium-82 activities for relative myocardial perfusion
imaging (MPI) using present-generation PET scanners may be unnecessarily high.
Our aim was to derive the minimum activity for a reliable relative PET MPI
assessment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed 140 scans from 28 consecutive
patients who underwent rest-stress MPI-PET (Ingenuity TF). Scans of 852, 682,
511, and 341 MBq were simulated from list-mode data and compared with a reference
scan using 1023 MBq. Differences in the summed rest score, total perfusion
deficit, and image quality were obtained between the reference and each of the
simulated rest scans. Combined stress-rest scans obtained at a selected activity
of 682 MBq were diagnostically interpreted by experts and outcome was compared
with the reference scan interpretation. RESULTS: Differences in summed rest score
more than or equal to 3 were found using 682, 511, and 341 MBq in two (7%), four
(14%), and five (18%) patients, respectively. Differences in total perfusion
deficit more than 7% were only found at 341 MBq in one patient. Image quality
deteriorated significantly only for the 341 MBq scans (P<0.001). Interpretation
of stress-rest scans did not differ between 682 and 1023 MBq scans. CONCLUSION: A
significant reduction in administered Rb-82 activity is feasible in relative MPI.
An activity of 682 MBq resulted in reliable diagnostic outcomes and image
quality, and can therefore be considered for clinical adoption.
PMID- 28703722
TI - The Number of Interviews Needed to Yield New Syphilis and Human Immunodeficiency
Virus Cases Among Partners of People Diagnosed With Syphilis, North Carolina,
2015.
AB - : Compare syphilis investigation yield among patient groups using number needed
to interview. GOAL: To increase investigation efficiency. STUDY DESIGN:
Retrospective review of North Carolina 2015 syphilis investigations, using the
number of cases needed to interview (NNTI) and the total number of cases and
contacts needed to interview (TNTI) to compare yield of new syphilis and human
immunodeficiency virus diagnoses between patient groups. RESULTS: We reviewed
1646 early syphilis cases and 2181 contacts; these yielded 241 new syphilis cases
(NNTI, 6.9; TNTI, 16.4) and 38 new human immunodeficiency virus cases (NNTI, 43).
Interviews of women (prevalence difference [PD] = 6%, 95% confidence interval
[CI], 12-16), patients <30 years old (PD = 5%, 95% CI, 1-8), and patients with
titer >1:16 (PD = 5%, 95% CI, 1-9) yielded more new syphilis cases in our
adjusted model; no other patient factors increased investigation yield.
CONCLUSIONS: The NNTI and TNTI are useful measures of efficiency. Prioritizing
early syphilis investigation by gender, rapid plasmin reagin titer, and age
provides small increases in efficiency; no other factors increased efficiency.
PMID- 28703723
TI - Mycoplasma genitalium Macrolide and Fluoroquinolone Resistance: Prevalence and
Risk Factors Among a 2013-2014 Cohort of Patients in Barcelona, Spain.
AB - BACKGROUND: Macrolide and fluoroquinolone resistance is alarmingly emerging in M.
genitalium worldwide. This article provides the first estimates of the current
prevalence of macrolide and fluoroquinolone resistance-mediating mutations in
Barcelona, Spain, and identifies risk factors associated with the acquisition of
these resistances. METHODS: The study was conducted retrospectively with
specimens submitted between February 2013 and March 2014 to the microbiology
department of the Vall d'Hebron Hospital, Barcelona, where M. genitalium was
detected using nucleic acid amplification methods. DNA sequencing of 23S
ribosomal RNA gene and parC was performed in the Statens Serum Institut,
Copenhagen, to detect genotypic macrolide and fluoroquinolone resistance markers,
respectively. RESULTS: Macrolide resistance-mediating mutations were detected in
35% (95% confidence interval, 24%-47%) of the M. genitalium-positive episodes,
whereas 8% (95% confidence interval, 3%-17%) carried fluoroquinolone resistance
mutations. Of them, three cases harbored multidrug resistance to both classes of
antibiotics. Men who had sex with men (P = 0.002) and treatment with azithromycin
within the previous 12 months (P = 0.006) were strongly associated with macrolide
resistance. CONCLUSION: The widespread appearance of resistances, also in Spain,
makes imperative the implementation of combined diagnostic-resistance detection
assays for M. genitalium to facilitate the optimization of antibiotic treatment
in the management of nongonococcal urethritis and potentially reduce the
transmission of resistances.
PMID- 28703724
TI - Mycoplasma genitalium on the Loose: Time to Sound the Alarm.
PMID- 28703725
TI - Narrative Review: Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Homeless Youth-What Do We
Know About Sexually Transmitted Disease Prevalence and Risk?
AB - BACKGROUND: Homelessness affects an estimated 1.6 million US youth annually.
Compared with housed youth, homeless youth are more likely to engage in high-risk
behaviors, including inconsistent condom use, multiple sex partners, survival
sex, and alcohol/drug use, putting them at increased sexually transmitted disease
(STD) risk. However, there is no national estimate of STD prevalence among this
population. METHODS: We identified 10 peer-reviewed articles (9 unique studies)
reporting STD prevalence among homeless US youth (2000-2015). Descriptive and
qualitative analyses identified STD prevalence ranges and risk factors among
youth. RESULTS: Eight studies reported specific STD prevalence estimates, mainly
chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. Overall STD prevalence among homeless youth
ranged from 6% to 32%. STD rates for girls varied from 16.7% to 46%, and from 9%
to 13.1% in boys. Most studies were conducted in the Western United States, with
no studies from the Southeast or Northeast. Youths who experienced longer periods
of homelessness were more likely to engage in high-risk sexual behaviors. Girls
had lower rates of condom use and higher rates of STDs; boys were more likely to
engage in anal and anonymous sex. Additionally, peer social networks contributed
to protective effects on individual sexual risk behavior. CONCLUSIONS: Sexually
transmitted disease prevalence estimates among homeless youth fluctuated greatly
by study. Sexually transmitted disease risk behaviors are associated with unmet
survival needs, length of homelessness, and influence of social networks. To
promote sexual health and reduce STD rates, we need better estimates of STD
prevalence, more geographic diversity of studies, and interventions addressing
the behavioral associations identified in our review.
PMID- 28703726
TI - Motherhood and Risk for Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Sexually Transmitted
Infections Among Female Sex Workers in the Mexico-US Border Region.
AB - BACKGROUND: Globally, female sex workers (FSWs) have been identified as a high
risk group for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and sexually transmitted
infections (STIs). However, as women of reproductive age, FSWs also have
children. Few studies have investigated if financial responsibilities associated
with motherhood increase women's vulnerability to HIV and STIs among FSWs.
METHODS: From March 2013 to March 2014, 603 FSWs aged >=18 years were recruited
from Tijuana and Ciudad Juarez (Mexico) to participate in a study assessing
HIV/STI risk environments. RESULTS: Findings from logistic regression models
indicate that FSWs who reported motherhood were more likely to report (in the
past 30 days): a higher client volume (>30 clients) (adjusted odds ratio [AOR],
1.91; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.27-2.87) and always using alcohol right
before or during sex with clients in the past 30 days (AOR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.19
2.61). In contrast, they were more likely to report consistent condom use for
vaginal or anal sex with clients (AOR, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.10-2.55), less likely to
report using drugs right before or during sex with clients (AOR, 0.38; 95% CI,
0.26-0.56) and less likely to have tested positive for STIs at baseline (AOR,
0.63; 95% CI, 0.43-0.91). CONCLUSIONS: These results provide a glimpse of the
complex relationship between motherhood and women who are sex workers.
Understanding the convergence of motherhood and sex work and how this can
influence a woman's decision when engaging in sex work and affect her health is
essential to designing effective programs addressing reduce risk for HIV and STIs
among FSWs in this region and elsewhere.
PMID- 28703727
TI - Prevalence and Risk Factors for Rectal and Urethral Sexually Transmitted
Infections From Self-Collected Samples Among Young Men Who Have Sex With Men
Participating in the Keep It Up! 2.0 Randomized Controlled Trial.
AB - BACKGROUND: Despite recommendations that sexually active men who have sex with
men be regularly tested for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and that
testing reflect anatomical sites of potential exposure, regular testing is not
widely performed, especially for rectal STIs. As such, little is known about the
prevalence of rectal and urethral STIs among young men who have sex with men
(YMSM). METHODS: The current study examined the prevalence and risk factors for
rectal and urethral chlamydia and gonorrhea in a sample of 1113 YMSM ages 18 to
29 years (mean, 24.07 years). Before participating in a randomized controlled
trial for an online human immunodeficiency virus prevention program (Keep It Up!
2.0), participants completed self-report measures and self-collected urine and
rectal samples. Participants mailed samples to a laboratory for nucleic acid
amplification testing. Viability of self-collected samples was examined as a
potential method to increase STI screening for MSM without access to STI testing
clinics. RESULTS: Results indicated that 15.1% of participants tested positive
for an STI, 13.0% for a rectal STI, 3.4% for a urethral STI, and 1.2% for both
rectal and urethral STIs. Rectal chlamydia was significantly more common (8.8%)
than rectal gonorrhea (5.0%). Rectal STIs were higher among black YMSM compared
with white YMSM. Additionally, rectal STIs were positively associated with
condomless receptive anal sex with casual partners. CONCLUSIONS: Findings call
attention to the need for health care providers to test YMSM for rectal STIs.
This study also demonstrates the viability of including self-collected samples
for STI testing in an eHealth program.
PMID- 28703728
TI - Urinary Meatal Swabbing Detects More Men Infected With Mycoplasma genitalium and
Four Other Sexually Transmitted Infections Than First Catch Urine.
AB - Urinary meatal swabs compared with urine showed higher infection rates for
Mycoplasma genitalium (15.3% vs 12.6%, P = 0.035), Chlamydia trachomatis (11.3%
vs 9.3%, P = 0.039), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (1.4% vs 1.1%, P = 1.00), Trichomonas
vaginalis (8.0% vs 1.7%, P < 0.001), and high-risk human papillomavirus (5.9% vs
3.4%, P = 0.078) respectively.
PMID- 28703729
TI - A Case of Decreased Susceptibility to Ceftriaxone in Neisseria gonorrhoeae in the
Absence of a Mosaic Penicillin-Binding Protein 2 (penA) Allele.
AB - We report a case of Neisseria gonorrhoeae with a non-mosaic penA allele that
exhibited decreased susceptibility to extended-spectrum cephalosporins, including
a ceftriaxone minimum inhibitory concentration of 0.5 MUg/mL. An analysis of
resistance determinants suggested that the observed phenotype might have resulted
from the combined effects of mutations in multiple genes.
PMID- 28703730
TI - An Illustration of Errors in Using the P Value to Indicate Clinical Significance
or Epidemiological Importance of a Study Finding.
AB - We conducted a simulation study to illustrate that P values can suggest but not
confirm statistical significance; and they may not indicate epidemiological
significance (importance). We recommend that researchers consider reporting
effect sizes as P values in conjunction with confidence intervals or point
estimates with standard errors to indicate precision (uncertainty).
PMID- 28703731
TI - Effectiveness of Prenatal Screening and Treatment to Prevent Congenital Syphilis,
Louisiana and Florida, 2013-2014.
AB - BACKGROUND: From 2012 to 2014, rates of congenital syphilis increased in
Louisiana and Florida. We evaluated the effectiveness of early (first or second)
and third trimester syphilis screening for the prevention of congenital syphilis
in these high-morbidity states. METHODS: Reported syphilis cases among pregnant
women in Louisiana and Florida during January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2014, were
reviewed for documented screening for syphilis in the first 2 trimesters and
third trimester. Pregnant women with syphilis were linked to congenital syphilis
records and stratified by whether the pregnancy led to a reported congenital
syphilis case. RESULTS: Seven hundred ten pregnant women with syphilis in
Louisiana and Florida were linked to 155 congenital syphilis cases. Three hundred
seventy (52%) pregnant women with syphilis were staged as early syphilis (n =
270) or high-titer late or unknown duration-latent syphilis (n = 100), and 109
(70% of the total) were linked to congenital syphilis cases. Screening in the
first 2 trimesters identified 513 pregnant women who tested positive for
syphilis, and 470 (92%) potential congenital syphilis were averted. One hundred
nine pregnant women tested positive for syphilis in the third trimester, and 85
(78%) had babies without congenital syphilis. During their pregnancy, 85 (12%)
women tested negative at least once, and 55 (65%) had babies with congenital
syphilis. Thirty-nine women had no reported syphilis screening 30 days or longer
before delivery. CONCLUSIONS: Screening for syphilis both early and in the third
trimester prevented many pregnant women with syphilis from having a baby with
congenital syphilis. Preventing all congenital syphilis would likely require
preventing all syphilis among women.
PMID- 28703732
TI - Congenital Syphilis: Time for a National Prevention Program.
PMID- 28703733
TI - US Public Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinical Services in an Era of Declining
Public Health Funding: 2013-14.
AB - BACKGROUND: We examined the infrastructure for US public sexually transmitted
disease (STD) clinical services. METHODS: In 2013 to 2014, we surveyed 331 of
1225 local health departments (LHDs) who either reported providing STD
testing/treatment in the 2010 National Profile of Local Health Departments survey
or were the 50 local areas with the highest STD cases or rates. The sample was
stratified by jurisdiction population size. We examined the primary referral
clinics for STDs, the services offered and the impact of budget cuts (limited to
government funding only). Data were analyzed using SAS, and analyses were
weighted for nonresponse. RESULTS: Twenty-two percent of LHDs cited a specialty
STD clinic as their primary referral for STD services; this increased to 53.5% of
LHDs when combination STD-family planning clinics were included. The majority of
LHDs (62.8%) referred to clinics providing same-day services. Sexually
transmitted disease clinics more frequently offered extragenital testing for
chlamydia and/or gonorrhea (74.7%) and gonorrhea culture (68.5%) than other
clinics (52.9%, 46.2%, respectively; P < 0.05). The majority of LHDs (61.5%)
reported recent budget cuts. Of those with decreased budgets, the most common
impacts were fewer clinic hours (42.8%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 24.4-61.2),
reduced routine screening (40.2%; 95% CI, 21.7-58.8) and reductions in partner
services (42.1%; 95% CI, 23.6-60.7). One quarter of those with reduced STD
budgets increased fees or copays for clients. CONCLUSIONS: Findings demonstrate
gaps and reductions in US public STD services including clinical services that
play an important role in reducing disease transmission. Furthermore, STD clinics
tended to offer more specialized STD services than other public clinics.
PMID- 28703734
TI - A New Resource for STD Clinical Providers: The Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Clinical Consultation Network.
AB - An online consultation tool, the Sexually Transmitted Diseases Clinical
Consultation Network is a new resource for sexually transmitted disease
clinicians and clinic managers. An initial evaluation shows that most requests
(29%) were from medical doctors, followed by nurse practitioners (22%). Syphilis
queries comprised 39% of consults followed by gonorrhea (12%) and chlamydia
(11%).
PMID- 28703735
TI - Coffee Consumption and Heart Rate Variability: The Brazilian Longitudinal Study
of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) Cohort Study.
AB - : Studies have shown that acute coffee ingestion can affect cardiovascular
autonomic activity, although the chronic effects on heart rate variability (HRV)
remain controversial. METHOD: A cross-sectional study with baseline data (2008
2010) from ELSA-Brasil cohort of 15,105 (aged 35-74), based in six Brazilian
states. Coffee consumption in the previous 12 months was measured using the semi
quantitative food frequency questionnaire, and HRV was obtained through
electrocardiographic tracings during 10 min at rest. Independent association
between the frequency of coffee consumption "never or almost never", "<=1
cup/day", "2-3 cups/day", ">=3 cups/day", and HRV was estimated using generalized
linear regression, adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics, health
related behavior, markers of abnormal metabolism, and the presence of coronary
artery disease. Further, we applied Bonferroni correction in the full models.
RESULTS: The mean age was 52 years (standard deviation (SD) = 9.1), and 52% was
female; 9.5% never/almost never consumed coffee. In univariate analysis, coffee
consumers had reduced values of HRV indexes, but after full adjustments and
correction for multiple comparisons, these associations disappeared. A trend of
reduction in HRV vagal indexes was observed in those that consumed >=3 cups of
coffee/day. CONCLUSION: Most of the effects attributed to the chronic use of
coffee on the HRV indexes is related to the higher prevalence of unhealthy habits
in coffee users, such as smoking and alcohol use. Adjustment for confounding
factors weaken this association, making it non-significant. The effect of higher
daily doses of coffee on the autonomic system should be evaluated in further
studies.
PMID- 28703736
TI - Nephroprotective Effects of Saponins from Leaves of Panax quinquefolius against
Cisplatin-Induced Acute Kidney Injury.
AB - Although cisplatin is an anticancer drug that has activity against malignant
tumor, it often causes nephrotoxicity. Previous reports have confirmed that the
saponins from the leaves of P. quinquefolium (PQS) exerted many pharmacological
activities. However, the renoprotective effects of PQS were still unknown. The
purpose of the present research was to discuss renoprotective effect of PQS in a
mouse model of cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury (AKI). The levels of blood
urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine (CRE) were evidently increased in
cisplatin-intoxicated mice, which were reversed by PQS. Renal oxidative stress,
evidenced by increased malondialdehyde (MDA) level and decline of glutathione
(GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, was significantly alleviated by
PQS pretreatment. The suppression of inflammatory response by PQS was realized
through the decrease the mRNA expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha
(TNF-alpha) and interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) in kidney tissues, which were
measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR).
Simultaneously, the overexpression of cytochrome P450 E1 (CYP2E1) and heme
oxygenase-1 (HO-1) were attenuated by PQS. Furthermore, the effects of Western
blotting demonstrated that PQS administration significantly suppressed the
protein expression levels of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase
type 4 (Nox4), cleaved Caspase-3, cleaved Caspase-9, Bax, nuclear factor-kappaB
(NF-kappaB), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and inducible nitric oxide synthase
(iNOS), suggesting the inhibition of apoptosis and inflammation response.
Overall, PQS may possess protective effects in cisplatin-induced AKI through
suppression of oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis.
PMID- 28703737
TI - Special Issue Introduction: Role of Epigenetic Gene Regulation in Brain Function.
AB - In 1957, Conrad H. Waddington published a paper in which he demonstrated the
inheritance of an acquired characteristic in a population in response to an
environmental stimulus [1].[...].
PMID- 28703738
TI - Abnormally Increased Secretion in Olfactory Neuronal Precursors from a Case of
Schizophrenia Is Modulated by Melatonin: A Pilot Study.
AB - The alterations that underlie the pathophysiology of schizophrenia (SCZ) include
the dysregulation of structural and functional properties of neurons. Among
these, the secretion of neurotransmitters and hormones, which plays a key role
for neuronal communication and development, is altered. Neuronal precursors from
the human olfactory epithelium have been recently characterized as a reliable
model for studying the etiopathogenesis of neuropsychiatric diseases. Our
previous work has shown that melatonin enhances the development of morphological
and functional features of cloned olfactory neuronal precursors (ONPs) from a
healthy subject. In this work we found that primary cultures of ONPs obtained
from a schizophrenic patient display an increased potassium-evoked secretion,
when compared with ONPs from an age- and gender-matched healthy control subject
(HCS). Secretion was evaluated by FM1-43 fluorescence cumulative changes in
response to depolarization. Interestingly, a 12 h-melatonin treatment modulated
the abnormally increased secretion in SCZ ONPs and brought it to levels similar
to those found in the HCS ONPs. Our results suggest that the actin cytoskeleton
might be a target for melatonin effects, since it induces the thickening of actin
microfilament bundles. Further research will address the mechanisms by which
melatonin modulates neurochemical secretion from ONPs.
PMID- 28703739
TI - The SBP-Box Gene VpSBP11 from Chinese Wild Vitis Is Involved in Floral Transition
and Affects Leaf Development.
AB - Flowering occurs in angiosperms during a major developmental transition from
vegetative growth to the reproductive phase. Squamosa promoter binding protein
(SBP)-box genes have been found to play critical roles in regulating flower and
fruit development, but their roles in grapevine have remained unclear. To better
understand the functions of the grape SBP-box genes in both vegetative and
reproductive growth phases, a full-length complementary DNA (cDNA) sequence of
the putative SBP-box transcription factor gene, VpSBP11, was obtained from
Chinese wild grapevine Vitis pseudoreticulata Wen Tsai Wang (W. T. Wang) clone
'Baihe-35-1'. VpSBP11 encoded a putative polypeptide of 170 amino acids with a
highly conserved SBP-domain with two zinc-binding sites of the Cx2C-x3-H-x11-C-x6
H (C2HCH) type and a nuclear localization signal. We confirmed that the VpSBP11
protein was targeted to the nucleus and possessed transcriptional activation
activity by subcellular localization and trans-activation assay. Over-expression
of VpSBP11 in Arabidopsis thaliana was shown to activate the FUL gene, and
subsequently the AP1 and LFY genes, all of which were floral meristem identity
genes, and to cause earlier flowering than in wild type (WT) plants. The pattern
of vegetative growth was also different between the transgenic and WT plants. For
example, in the VpSBP11 over-expressing transgenic plants, the number of rosette
leaves was less than that of WT; the petiole was significantly elongated; and the
rosette and cauline leaves curled upwards or downwards. These results were
consistent with VpSBP11 acting as a transcription factor during the transition
from the vegetative stage to the reproductive stage.
PMID- 28703740
TI - Investigation of Antibacterial and Fouling Resistance of Silver and Multi-Walled
Carbon Nanotubes Doped Poly(Vinylidene Fluoride-co-Hexafluoropropylene) Composite
Membrane.
AB - Composite membranes were successfully prepared using a phase-inversion method.
The X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) profiles has
confirmed formation of 4.8 wt % Ag/poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropene)
(PVDF-HFP), 3 wt % Ag-MWCNTs/PVDF-HFP (EDX surface composition of Ag
nanoparticles) and 1.5 wt % MWCNTs/PVDF-HFP composite membranes. The MWCNTs
crystallites are mainly encapsulated by a layer of PVDF-HFP, as evidenced by
disappearance of graphitic peak. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images
have depicted the formation of microporous structure, with few MWCNTs on the
surface and strongly interacting with PVDF-HFP as demonstrated by
thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), XRD and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) data.
The data indicated an increase in porosity, swellability and water content of the
PVDF-HFP membrane with the addition of MWCNTs and/or Ag nanoparticles, showing an
improved hydrophilicity. The 1.5 wt % MWCNTs/PVDF-HFP composite membrane showed
good desalination and fouling resistance rates, which correlates with a low water
contact angle. The combined effects of Ag nanoparticles and MWCNTs do not promote
fouling resistance of PVDF-HFP membranes, as shown during NaCl microfiltration
(this is linked with high water contact angle as compared to that of MWCNTs/PVDF
HFP composite). Both 1.5 wt % MWCNTs/PVDF-HFP and 3 wt % Ag-MWCNTs/PVDF-HFP
composite membranes prevented the bacteria passing through the membrane (100%
bacterial load reduction). The surface of 3 wt % Ag-MWCNTs/PVDF-HFP showed good
bactericidal and non-leaching properties of the dopant materials (MWCNTs and Ag),
as evidenced by bacterial growth on the edges of the membranes.
PMID- 28703741
TI - Novel Substrates as Sources of Ancient DNA: Prospects and Hurdles.
AB - Following the discovery in the late 1980s that hard tissues such as bones and
teeth preserve genetic information, the field of ancient DNA analysis has
typically concentrated upon these substrates. The onset of high-throughput
sequencing, combined with optimized DNA recovery methods, has enabled the
analysis of a myriad of ancient species and specimens worldwide, dating back to
the Middle Pleistocene. Despite the growing sophistication of analytical
techniques, the genetic analysis of substrates other than bone and dentine remain
comparatively "novel". Here, we review analyses of other biological substrates
which offer great potential for elucidating phylogenetic relationships,
paleoenvironments, and microbial ecosystems including (1) archaeological
artifacts and ecofacts; (2) calcified and/or mineralized biological deposits; and
(3) biological and cultural archives. We conclude that there is a pressing need
for more refined models of DNA preservation and bespoke tools for DNA extraction
and analysis to authenticate and maximize the utility of the data obtained. With
such tools in place the potential for neglected or underexploited substrates to
provide a unique insight into phylogenetics, microbial evolution and evolutionary
processes will be realized.
PMID- 28703742
TI - Assays to Monitor Autophagy in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
AB - Autophagy is an intracellular process responsible for the degradation and
recycling of cytoplasmic components. It selectively removes harmful cellular
material and enables the cell to survive starvation by mobilizing nutrients via
the bulk degradation of cytoplasmic components. While research over the last
decades has led to the discovery of the key factors involved in autophagy, the
pathway is not yet completely understood. The first studies of autophagy on a
molecular level were conducted in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Building up
on these studies, many homologs have been found in higher eukaryotes. Yeast
remains a highly relevant model organism for studying autophagy, with a wide
range of established methods to elucidate the molecular details of the autophagy
pathway. In this review, we provide an overview of methods to study both
selective and bulk autophagy, including intermediate steps in the yeast
Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We compare different assays, discuss their advantages
and limitations and list potential applications.
PMID- 28703743
TI - Tracing the Repertoire of Promiscuous Enzymes along the Metabolic Pathways in
Archaeal Organisms.
AB - The metabolic pathways that carry out the biochemical transformations sustaining
life depend on the efficiency of their associated enzymes. In recent years, it
has become clear that promiscuous enzymes have played an important role in the
function and evolution of metabolism. In this work we analyze the repertoire of
promiscuous enzymes in 89 non-redundant genomes of the Archaea cellular domain.
Promiscuous enzymes are defined as those proteins with two or more different
Enzyme Commission (E.C.) numbers, according the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and
Genomes (KEGG) database. From this analysis, it was found that the fraction of
promiscuous enzymes is lower in Archaea than in Bacteria. A greater diversity of
superfamily domains is associated with promiscuous enzymes compared to
specialized enzymes, both in Archaea and Bacteria, and there is an enrichment of
substrate promiscuity rather than catalytic promiscuity in the archaeal enzymes.
Finally, the presence of promiscuous enzymes in the metabolic pathways was found
to be heterogeneously distributed at the domain level and in the phyla that make
up the Archaea. These analyses increase our understanding of promiscuous enzymes
and provide additional clues to the evolution of metabolism in Archaea.
PMID- 28703744
TI - Novel Flexible Wearable Sensor Materials and Signal Processing for Vital Sign and
Human Activity Monitoring.
AB - Advances in flexible electronic materials and smart textile, along with broad
availability of smart phones, cloud and wireless systems have empowered the
wearable technologies for significant impact on future of digital and
personalized healthcare as well as consumer electronics. However, challenges
related to lack of accuracy, reliability, high power consumption, rigid or bulky
form factor and difficulty in interpretation of data have limited their wide
scale application in these potential areas. As an important solution to these
challenges, we present latest advances in novel flexible electronic materials and
sensors that enable comfortable and conformable body interaction and potential
for invisible integration within daily apparel. Advances in novel flexible
materials and sensors are described for wearable monitoring of human vital signs
including, body temperature, respiratory rate and heart rate, muscle movements
and activity. We then present advances in signal processing focusing on motion
and noise artifact removal, data mining and aspects of sensor fusion relevant to
future clinical applications of wearable technology.
PMID- 28703745
TI - The Construction and Characterization of Mitochondrial Ferritin Overexpressing
Mice.
AB - Mitochondrial ferritin (FtMt) is a H-ferritin-like protein which localizes to
mitochondria. Previous studies have shown that this protein can protect
mitochondria from iron-induced oxidative damage, while FtMt overexpression in
cultured cells decreases cytosolic iron availability and protects against
oxidative damage. To investigate the in vivo role of FtMt, we established FtMt
overexpressing mice by pro-nucleus microinjection and examined the
characteristics of the animals. We first confirmed that the protein levels of
FtMt in the transgenic mice were increased compared to wild-type mice.
Interestingly, we found no significant differences in the body weights or organ
to body weight ratios between wild type and transgenic mice. To determine the
effects of FtMt overexpression on baseline murine iron metabolism and
hematological indices, we measured serum, heart, liver, spleen, kidney, testis,
and brain iron concentrations, liver hepcidin expression and red blood cell
parameters. There were no significant differences between wild type and
transgenic mice. In conclusion, our results suggest that FtMt overexpressing mice
have no significant defects and the overexpression of FtMt does not affect the
regulation of iron metabolism significantly in transgenic mice.
PMID- 28703746
TI - Cudraflavone C Induces Apoptosis of A375.S2 Melanoma Cells through Mitochondrial
ROS Production and MAPK Activation.
AB - Melanoma is the most malignant form of skin cancer and is associated with a very
poor prognosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the apoptotic effects of
cudraflavone C on A375.S2 melanoma cells and to determine the underlying
mechanisms involved in apoptosis. Cell viability was determined using the MTT and
real-time cytotoxicity assays. Flow cytometric evaluation of apoptosis was
performed after staining the cells with Annexin V-FITC and propidium iodide. The
mitochondrial membrane potential was evaluated using the JC-1 assay. Cellular ROS
production was measured using the CellROX assay, while mitochondrial ROS
production was evaluated using the MitoSOX assay. It was observed that
cudraflavone C inhibited growth in A375.S2 melanoma cells, and promoted apoptosis
via the mitochondrial pathway mediated by increased mitochondrial ROS production.
In addition, cudraflavone C induced phosphorylation of MAPKs (p38, ERK, and JNK)
and up-regulated the expression of apoptotic proteins (Puma, Bax, Bad, Bid, Apaf
1, cytochrome C, caspase-9, and caspase-3/7) in A375.S2 cells. Pretreatment of
A375.S2 cells with MitoTEMPOL (a mitochondria-targeted antioxidant) attenuated
the phosphorylation of MAPKs, expression of apoptotic proteins, and the overall
progression of apoptosis. In summary, cudraflavone C induced apoptosis in A375.S2
melanoma cells by increasing mitochondrial ROS production; thus, activating p38,
ERK, and JNK; and increasing the expression of apoptotic proteins. Therefore,
cudraflavone C may be regarded as a potential form of treatment for malignant
melanoma.
PMID- 28703747
TI - The Prostate Cancer Cells Resistant to Docetaxel as in vitro Model for
Discovering MicroRNAs Predictive of the Onset of Docetaxel Resistance.
AB - On the grounds that miRNAs present in the blood of prostate cancer (PCa) patients
are released in the growth medium by PCa cells, it is conceivable that PCa cells
resistant to docetaxel (DCT) (DCTR) will release miRNAs that may be found in PCa
patients under DCT therapy if resistant PCa cells appear. We isolated DCTR clones
respectively from 22Rv1 and DU-145 PCa cell lines and performed through next
generation sequencing (NGS) the miRNAs profiles of the released miRNAs. The
analysis of the NGS data identified 105 and 1 miRNAs which were differentially
released in the growth medium of the 22Rv1/DCTR and DU-145/DCTR clones,
respectively. Using additional filters, we selected 12 and 1 miRNA more released
by all 22Rv1/DCTR and DU-145/DCTR clones, respectively. Moreover, we showed that
6 of them were more represented in the growth medium of the DCTR cells than the
ones of DCT-treated cells. We speculated that they have the pre-requisite to be
tested as predictive biomarkers of the DCT resistance in PCa patients under DCT
therapy. We propose the utilization of clones resistant to a given drug as in
vitro model to identify the differentially released miRNAs, which in perspective
could be tested as predictive biomarkers of drug resistance in tumor patients
under therapy.
PMID- 28703748
TI - Content of the Saponin Protodioscin in Brachiaria spp. from the Eastern Plains of
Colombia.
AB - Protodioscin is used as a marker of saponin content that could cause
hepatotoxicity in ruminants. In Brachiaria spp. from two regions of the Colombian
Eastern Plains (east mountain range of the Andean-"piedemonte" and Ariari River
Valley) were determined this metabolite at 14 and 28 days post-cutting under
different climatic conditions. No protodioscin was detected in B. dictyoneura or
B. humidicola. In B. brizantha, B. decumbens and B. ruziziensis x B. decumbens x
B. brizantha (hybrid), protodioscin content corresponded to an interaction
between species, post-cutting time and season. Concentrations >=1% (minimum toxic
level) were recorded in B. decumbens and the hybrid, and to a lesser extent in B.
brizantha. The concentration of protodioscin was higher at 28 days, when the
pastures are suitable for consumption. B. brizantha accumulated the lowest
saponin concentration, whereas the hybrid had the highest levels, particularly in
the "piedemonte" and during drought (3.37%). Dry season favored the protodioscin
concentration in B. decumbens (in river valley) and in the hybrid (in
"piedemonte"). In the latter, there was a positive correlation with temperature
and a negative with humidity, which are typical characteristics of dry periods.
This is the first report of protodioscin content in the hybrid.
PMID- 28703750
TI - Effect of Distributed Mass on the Node, Frequency, and Sensitivity of Resonant
Mode Based Cantilevers.
AB - We derived an analytical expression for a resonant-mode based bi-layered
cantilever with distributed mass load. The behavior of mode of vibration, nodal
position, frequency shift, as well as sensitivity under different mass load
distributions was theoretically studied. The theoretical results suggested that
asymmetric mass load distribution leads to the shift of nodes as well as the
sensitive regions of a resonant-mode based cantilever. n - 1 local maximal
sensitivities and n - 1 local minimal sensitivities are observed when the
cantilever vibrates in the nth-order resonance. The maximal sensitivity is found
at the first local maximal sensitivity and the behavior of mass load length as a
function of the maximal sensitivity follows the rule of an exponent decaying
function. The sensitivity increases as the load mass increases for the same mass
load distribution, but the corresponding slopes are different.
PMID- 28703749
TI - The Application of Whole Cell-Based Biosensors for Use in Environmental Analysis
and in Medical Diagnostics.
AB - Various whole cell-based biosensors have been reported in the literature for the
last 20 years and these reports have shown great potential for their use in the
areas of pollution detection in environmental and in biomedical diagnostics.
Unlike other reviews of this growing field, this mini-review argues that: (1) the
selection of reporter genes and their regulatory proteins are directly linked to
the performance of celllular biosensors; (2) broad enhancements in
microelectronics and information technologies have also led to improvements in
the performance of these sensors; (3) their future potential is most apparent in
their use in the areas of medical diagnostics and in environmental monitoring;
and (4) currently the most promising work is focused on the better integration of
cellular sensors with nano and micro scaled integrated chips. With better
integration it may become practical to see these cells used as (5) real-time
portable devices for diagnostics at the bedside and for remote environmental
toxin detection and this in situ application will make the technology commonplace
and thus as unremarkable as other ubiquitous technologies.
PMID- 28703751
TI - Dental Providers' Perspectives on Diagnosis-Driven Dentistry: Strategies to
Enhance Adoption of Dental Diagnostic Terminology.
AB - The routine use of standardized diagnostic terminologies (DxTMs) in dentistry has
long been the subject of academic debate. This paper discusses the strategies
suggested by a group of dental stakeholders to enhance the uptake of DxTMs.
Through unstructured interviewing at the 'Toward a Diagnosis-Driven Profession'
National Conference held on 19 March 2016 in Los Angeles, CA, USA participants
were asked how enthusiastic they were about implementing and consistently using
DxTMs at their work. They also brainstormed on strategies to improve the
widespread use of DxTMs. Their responses are summarized by recursive abstraction
and presented in themes. Conference participants were very enthusiastic about
using a DxTM in their place of work. Participants enumerated several strategies
to make DxTMs more appealing including: the use of mandates, a value proposition
for providers, communication and education, and integration with EHRs and
existing systems. All groups across the dental healthcare delivery spectrum will
need to work together for the success of the widespread and consistent use of
DxTMs. Understanding the provider perspective is however the most critical step
in achieving this goal, as they are the group who will ultimately be saddled with
the critical task of ensuring DxTM use at the point of care.
PMID- 28703752
TI - Effects of Promotional Materials on Attitudes and Fear towards Colorectal Cancer
Screening among Chinese Older Adults: An Experimental Study.
AB - Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening is a cost-effective prevention and control
strategy. However, the promotion of CRC screening for older adults may be
difficult because reading CRC prevention information may evoke embarrassment,
fear, and anxiety towards the screening procedure and cancer diagnosis. This
study aims to (1) examine the effects of three promotional materials for CRC
screening on the attitudes toward CRC screening tests (screening interest,
screening effectiveness, and trust in the screening results) and cancer fear, and
(2) to explore the interaction effect of cancer fear with screening effectiveness
and trust in the screening results on screening interest of the three screening
tests (fecal occult blood test (FOBT), flexible sigmoidoscopy, and colonoscopy)
among Chinese older adults. A total of 114 community-dwelling older adults were
asked to look at the corresponding promotional materials (pamphlet, cartoon, and
video) of one of the three study groups. The pamphlet and video represent
convention strategies and the cartoon represents an innovative strategy. No
significant difference was observed in the screening interest and cancer fear
across groups. FOBT was the most preferred screening modality. The video group
has a large proportion agreed screening effectiveness of flexible sigmoidoscopy
than pamphlet and cartoon groups and trusted in the screening results for FOBT
and flexible sigmoidoscopy than the pamphlet group. Logistic regression results
showed that the effect of trust in the screening results on screening interest
for colonoscopy was greater among participants with higher cancer fear than those
with lower cancer fear level. In conclusion, the three promotional groups had
produced similar results in their attitudes toward CRC screening and cancer fear.
The use of cartoons may be a comparable approach with conventional methods in the
promotion of CRC screening. Additional components that can arouse fear and boost
response efficacy simultaneously might also be useful for the effective promotion
of colonoscopy among Chinese older adults.
PMID- 28703753
TI - Development of Antimicrobial Packaging Film Made from Poly(Lactic Acid)
Incorporating Titanium Dioxide and Silver Nanoparticles.
AB - Polylactide (PLA)/nano-TiO2 and PLA/nano-TiO2/nano-Ag blends films were prepared
by a solvent volatilization method. Compared to pure PLA film, the nano-blend
films have low water vapor permeability (WVP) and a poor transparency. With the
increase of the NPs in the PLA, the tensile strength (TS) and elastic modulus
(EM) decreased, while the elongation at break (epsilon) increased. SEM analysis
indicated a rougher cross-section of the nano-blend films. According to the FTIR
analysis, no new chemical bonds were formed in the nano-blend films. By using DSC
to examine the crystallization and melting behavior, the result shows that the
NPs have no effect on the glass transition (Tg) and melting temperature (Tm), but
they caused an increase on the cold crystallization (Tc) and crystallinity (Xc).
TGA results show that the addition of nanoparticles significantly improved the
thermal stability. The PLA nano-blend films show a good antimicrobial activity
against. E. coli and Listeria monocytogenes. Most important, we carried out
migration tests, and verified that the release of NPs from the nano-blend films
was within the standard limits.
PMID- 28703754
TI - Synchronization of Human Autonomic Nervous System Rhythms with Geomagnetic
Activity in Human Subjects.
AB - A coupling between geomagnetic activity and the human nervous system's function
was identified by virtue of continuous monitoring of heart rate variability (HRV)
and the time-varying geomagnetic field over a 31-day period in a group of 10
individuals who went about their normal day-to-day lives. A time series
correlation analysis identified a response of the group's autonomic nervous
systems to various dynamic changes in the solar, cosmic ray, and ambient magnetic
field. Correlation coefficients and p values were calculated between the HRV
variables and environmental measures during three distinct time periods of
environmental activity. There were significant correlations between the group's
HRV and solar wind speed, Kp, Ap, solar radio flux, cosmic ray counts, Schumann
resonance power, and the total variations in the magnetic field. In addition, the
time series data were time synchronized and normalized, after which all circadian
rhythms were removed. It was found that the participants' HRV rhythms
synchronized across the 31-day period at a period of approximately 2.5 days, even
though all participants were in separate locations. Overall, this suggests that
daily autonomic nervous system activity not only responds to changes in solar and
geomagnetic activity, but is synchronized with the time-varying magnetic fields
associated with geomagnetic field-line resonances and Schumann resonances.
PMID- 28703755
TI - beta-Ocimene, a Key Floral and Foliar Volatile Involved in Multiple Interactions
between Plants and Other Organisms.
AB - beta-Ocimene is a very common plant volatile released in important amounts from
the leaves and flowers of many plant species. This acyclic monoterpene can play
several biological functions in plants, by potentially affecting floral visitors
and also by mediating defensive responses to herbivory. The ubiquity and high
relative abundance of beta-ocimene in the floral scents of species from most
plant families and from different pollination syndromes (ranging from generalism
to specialism) strongly suggest that this terpenoid may play an important role in
the attraction of pollinators to flowers. We compiled abundant evidence from
published studies that supports beta-ocimene as a generalist attractant of a wide
spectrum of pollinators. We found no studies testing behavioural responses of
pollinators to beta-ocimene, that could directly demonstrate or deny the function
of beta-ocimene in pollinator attraction; but several case studies support that
the emissions of beta-ocimene in flowers of different species follow marked
temporal and spatial patterns of emission, which are typical from floral volatile
organic compound (VOC) emissions that are involved in pollinator attraction.
Furthermore, important beta-ocimene emissions are induced from vegetative plant
tissues after herbivory in many species, which have relevant functions in the
establishment of tritrophic interactions. We thus conclude that beta-ocimene is a
key plant volatile with multiple relevant functions in plants, depending on the
organ and the time of emission. Experimental behavioural studies on pure beta
ocimene conducted with pollinating insects will be necessary to prove the
assumptions made here.
PMID- 28703756
TI - Green Streets: Urban Green and Birth Outcomes.
AB - Recent scholarship points to a protective association between green space and
birth outcomes as well a positive relationship between blue space and wellbeing.
We add to this body of literature by exploring the relationship between expectant
mothers' exposure to green and blue spaces and adverse birth outcomes in New York
City. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), the NYC Street Tree
Census, and access to major green spaces served as measures of greenness, while
proximity to waterfront areas represented access to blue space. Associations
between these factors and adverse birth outcomes, including preterm birth, term
birthweight, term low birthweight, and small for gestational age, were evaluated
via mixed-effects linear and logistic regression models. The analyses were
conducted separately for women living in deprived neighborhoods to test for
differential effects on mothers in these areas. The results indicate that women
in deprived neighborhoods suffer from higher rates adverse birth outcomes and
lower levels of residential greenness. In adjusted models, a significant inverse
association between nearby street trees and the odds of preterm birth was found
for all women. However, we did not identify a consistent significant relationship
between adverse birth outcomes and NDVI, access to major green spaces, or
waterfront access when individual covariates were taken into account.
PMID- 28703757
TI - Oil Palm Waste-Based Precursors as a Renewable and Economical Carbon Sources for
the Preparation of Reduced Graphene Oxide from Graphene Oxide.
AB - Herein, a new approach was proposed to produce reduced graphene oxide (rGO) from
graphene oxide (GO) using various oil palm wastes: oil palm leaves (OPL), palm
kernel shells (PKS) and empty fruit bunches (EFB). The effect of heating
temperature on the formation of graphitic carbon and the yield was examined prior
to the GO and rGO synthesis. Carbonization of the starting materials was
conducted in a furnace under nitrogen gas for 3 h at temperatures ranging from
400 to 900 degrees C and a constant heating rate of 10 degrees C/min. The GO
was further synthesized from the as-carbonized materials using the 'improved
synthesis of graphene oxide' method. Subsequently, the GO was reduced by low
temperature annealing reduction at 300 degrees C in a furnace under nitrogen gas
for 1 h. The IG/ID ratio calculated from the Raman study increases with the
increasing of the degree of the graphitization in the order of rGO from oil palm
leaves (rGOOPL) < rGO palm kernel shells (rGOPKS) < rGO commercial graphite
(rGOCG) < rGO empty fruit bunches (rGOEFB) with the IG/ID values of 1.06, 1.14,
1.16 and 1.20, respectively. The surface area and pore volume analyses of the as
prepared materials were performed using the Brunauer Emmett Teller-Nitrogen (BET
N2) adsorption-desorption isotherms method. The lower BET surface area of 8 and
15 m2 g-1 observed for rGOCG and rGOOPL, respectively could be due to partial
restacking of GO layers and locally-blocked pores. Relatively, this lower BET
surface area is inconsequential when compared to rGOPKS and rGOEFB, which have a
surface area of 114 and 117 m2 g-1, respectively.
PMID- 28703758
TI - Use of a Mobile Application for Self-Monitoring Dietary Intake: Feasibility Test
and an Intervention Study.
AB - Given the increasing social and economic burden of chronic disease and the need
for efficient approaches to prevent and treat chronic disease, emphasis on the
use of information and communication technology (ICT)-based health care has
emerged. We aimed to test the feasibility of a mobile application, Diet-A, and
examine whether Diet-A could be used to monitor dietary intake among adolescents.
In a three-month pre-post intervention study, 9 male and 24 female high school
students aged 16-18 years consented and participated in this study. Participants
were instructed to record all foods and beverages consumed using voice or text
mode input. Nutrient intake was measured using 24-h recalls pre- and post
intervention. We compared nutrient intake data assessed by Diet-A application
with those assessed by 24-h recalls. Participants tended to underreport intakes
of nutrients compared to those assessed by two 24-h recalls. There were
significant decreases in sodium (p = 0.04) and calcium (p = 0.03) intake between
pre- and post-intervention. Of participants who completed questionnaires of
feasibility (n = 24), 61.9% reported that they were satisfied using the
application to monitor their food intake, and 47.7% liked getting personal
information about their dietary intake from the application. However, more than
70% of participants answered that it was burdensome to use the application or
that they had trouble remembering to record their food intake. The mobile
application Diet-A offers the opportunity to monitor dietary intake through real
time feedback. However, use of Diet-A may not provide accurate information on the
food intake of adolescents, partly because of the recording burden.
PMID- 28703759
TI - Dietary Supplementation of Fermented Rice Bran Effectively Alleviates Dextran
Sodium Sulfate-Induced Colitis in Mice.
AB - Rice bran (RB) is a major by-product of rice polishing and a rich source of
bioactive compounds. Here, we investigated the anti-colitis effect of diet
supplementation with fermented rice bran (FRB) in a murine model of ulcerative
colitis. FRB was prepared by dual fermentation of RB using fungi and lactic acid
bacteria. Colitis was induced in C57Bl/6N male mice (n = 8/group) by dextran
sodium sulfate (DSS). Body weight change, disease activity index (DAI),
histopathology score, tissue myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, cytokine and
chemokine transcript levels, and the production of short-chain fatty acids
(SCFAs) and mucin in the colonic tissue were monitored. Based on histopathology
scores, DSS induced severe mucosal inflammation, with an increased loss of
crypts, and inflammatory cell infiltration in the control and RB groups, but not
in the FRB group. MPO activity, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance levels,
and pro-inflammatory cytokine transcript (Tnf-alpha, Il-1beta, Il-6, and Il-17)
levels were significantly higher in the control and RB groups than in the FRB
group. Thus, dietary FRB attenuated intestinal inflammation owing to elevated
SCFAs and tryptamine production, which might regulate tight junction barrier
integrity and intestinal homeostasis. These results suggest that FRB could
comprise an effective potential preventive agent for ulcerative colitis.
PMID- 28703760
TI - The Regular Interaction Pattern among Odorants of the Same Type and Its
Application in Odor Intensity Assessment.
AB - The olfactory evaluation function (e.g., odor intensity rating) of e-nose is
always one of the most challenging issues in researches about odor pollution
monitoring. But odor is normally produced by a set of stimuli, and odor
interactions among constituents significantly influenced their mixture's odor
intensity. This study investigated the odor interaction principle in odor
mixtures of aldehydes and esters, respectively. Then, a modified vector model
(MVM) was proposed and it successfully demonstrated the similarity of the odor
interaction pattern among odorants of the same type. Based on the regular
interaction pattern, unlike a determined empirical model only fit for a specific
odor mixture in conventional approaches, the MVM distinctly simplified the odor
intensity prediction of odor mixtures. Furthermore, the MVM also provided a way
of directly converting constituents' chemical concentrations to their mixture's
odor intensity. By combining the MVM with usual data-processing algorithm of e
nose, a new e-nose system was established for an odor intensity rating. Compared
with instrumental analysis and human assessor, it exhibited accuracy well in both
quantitative analysis (Pearson correlation coefficient was 0.999 for individual
aldehydes (n = 12), 0.996 for their binary mixtures (n = 36) and 0.990 for their
ternary mixtures (n = 60)) and odor intensity assessment (Pearson correlation
coefficient was 0.980 for individual aldehydes (n = 15), 0.973 for their binary
mixtures (n = 24), and 0.888 for their ternary mixtures (n = 25)). Thus, the
observed regular interaction pattern is considered an important foundation for
accelerating extensive application of olfactory evaluation in odor pollution
monitoring.
PMID- 28703761
TI - A Wi-Fi Union Mechanism for Internet Advertising Reciprocal Platform in
Microenterprises.
AB - With the evolution of the Internet and smartphone devices, Internet advertising
has become one of the most important methods for delivering promotional marketing
messages to customers. However, the efficiency of Internet advertising for
microenterprise is not very high, since Wi-Fi advertising-which is limited by a
small router coverage area-is mainly used. Moreover, because of the lack of
money, microenterprises have been using low-cost methods to promote their
products. Thus, enhancing the effectiveness of Wi-Fi advertising, and solving the
problem of cost and the range of the views are now an essential investigation in
this study. In this paper, we propose a reciprocal model with Wi-Fi union
mechanism for Internet advertising based on fog computing architecture to enhance
the efficiency of advertisement, reduce the cost, and increase the range of the
views for microenterprise by using the Internet. In particular, the system was
built in advertisers', publishers', and consumers' sides. In our system, we use
contribution point (CP) as an exchange value among the participants. Advertisers
and publishers can get CP by helping the others in the system to promote their
advertisements, increasing their CP by one unit. Similarly, advertisers and
publishers can use their CP to ask for assistance from the others, decreasing
their CP by one unit. The result shows that the system in a Wi-Fi union is easy
to use, and advertisements can be seen by all customers who are using free Wi-Fi
from the stores of the union. This method can solve the problem of cost and fixed
consumer groups.
PMID- 28703762
TI - Ultrafast Dynamics of Sb-Corroles: A Combined Vis-Pump Supercontinuum Probe and
Broadband Fluorescence Up-Conversion Study.
AB - Corroles are a developing class of tetrapyrrole-based molecules with significant
chemical potential and relatively unexplored photophysical properties. We
combined femtosecond broadband fluorescence up-conversion and fs broadband Vis
pump Vis-probe spectroscopy to comprehensively characterize the photoreaction of
5,10,15-tris-pentafluorophenyl-corrolato-antimony(V)-trans-difluoride (Sb-tpfc
F2). Upon fs Soret band excitation at ~400 nm, the energy relaxed almost
completely to Q band electronic excited states with a time constant of 500 +/-
100 fs; this is evident from the decay of Soret band fluorescence at around 430
nm and the rise time of Q band fluorescence, as well as from Q band stimulated
emission signals at 600 and 650 nm with the same time constant. Relaxation
processes on a time scale of 10 and 20 ps were observed in the fluorescence and
absorption signals. Triplet formation showed a time constant of 400 ps, with an
intersystem crossing yield from the Q band to the triplet manifold of between 95%
and 99%. This efficient triplet formation is due to the spin-orbit coupling of
the antimony ion.
PMID- 28703763
TI - A Chemist's Perspective on the Role of Phosphorus at the Origins of Life.
AB - The central role that phosphates play in biological systems, suggests they also
played an important role in the emergence of life on Earth. In recent years,
numerous important advances have been made towards understanding the influence
that phosphates may have had on prebiotic chemistry, and here, we highlight two
important aspects of prebiotic phosphate chemistry. Firstly, we discuss prebiotic
phosphorylation reactions; we specifically contrast aqueous electrophilic
phosphorylation, and aqueous nucleophilic phosphorylation strategies, with dry
state phosphorylations that are mediated by dissociative phosphoryl-transfer.
Secondly, we discuss the non-structural roles that phosphates can play in
prebiotic chemistry. Here, we focus on the mechanisms by which phosphate has
guided prebiotic reactivity through catalysis or buffering effects, to
facilitating selective transformations in neutral water. Several prebiotic routes
towards the synthesis of nucleotides, amino acids, and core metabolites, that
have been facilitated or controlled by phosphate acting as a general acid-base
catalyst, pH buffer, or a chemical buffer, are outlined. These facile and subtle
mechanisms for incorporation and exploitation of phosphates to orchestrate
selective, robust prebiotic chemistry, coupled with the central and universally
conserved roles of phosphates in biochemistry, provide an increasingly clear
message that understanding phosphate chemistry will be a key element in
elucidating the origins of life on Earth.
PMID- 28703764
TI - Erythropoietin and Its Angiogenic Activity.
AB - Erythropoietin (EPO) is the main hematopoietic hormone acting on progenitor red
blood cells via stimulation of cell growth, differentiation, and anti-apoptosis.
However, its receptor (EPOR) is also expressed in various non-hematopoietic
tissues, including endothelium. EPO is a pleiotropic growth factor that exhibits
growth stimulation and cell/tissue protection on numerous cells and tissues. In
this article we review the angiogenesis potential of EPO on endothelial cells in
heart, brain, and leg ischemia, as well as its role in retinopathy protection and
tumor promotion. Furthermore, the effect of EPO on bone marrow and adipose tissue
is also discussed.
PMID- 28703765
TI - Anti-Biofilm Effect of Biodegradable Coatings Based on Hemibastadin Derivative in
Marine Environment.
AB - Dibromohemibastadin-1 (DBHB) is an already known potent inhibitor of blue mussel
phenoloxidase (which is a key enzyme involved in bioadhesion). Within this study,
the potentiality of DBHB against microfouling has been investigated. The activity
of DBHB was evaluated on key strains of bacteria and microalgae involved in
marine biofilm formation and bioassays assessing impact on growth, adhesion and
biofilm formation were used. To assess the efficiency of DBHB when included in a
matrix, DBHB varnish was prepared and the anti-microfouling activity of coatings
was assessed. Both in vitro and in situ immersions were carried out. Confocal
Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM) was principally used to determine the biovolume
and average thickness of biofilms developed on the coatings. Results showed an
evident efficiency of DBHB as compound and varnish to reduce the biofilm
development. The mode of action seems to be based principally on a perturbation
of biofilm formation rather than on a biocidal activity in the tested conditions.
PMID- 28703766
TI - Synthesis and In Vitro Antimycobacterial and Antibacterial Activity of 8-OMe
Ciprofloxacin-Hydrozone/Azole Hybrids.
AB - A series of novel 8-OMe ciprofloxacin (CPFX)-hydrazone/azole hybrids were
designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their in vitro biological activities.
Our results reveal that all of the hydrozone-containing hybrids (except for 7)
show potency against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) H37Rv (minimum inhibitory
concentration (MIC): <0.5 MUM), which is better than the parent drug CPFX, and
comparable to moxifloxacin and isoniazid, some of the tested Gram-positive
strains (MIC: 0.06-4 MUg/mL), and most Gram-negative strains (MIC: <=0.03-4
MUg/mL).
PMID- 28703767
TI - Co-Transcriptional Folding and Regulation Mechanisms of Riboswitches.
AB - Riboswitches are genetic control elements within non-coding regions of mRNA.
These self-regulatory elements have been found to sense a range of small
metabolites, ions, and other physical signals to exert regulatory control of
transcription, translation, and splicing. To date, more than a dozen riboswitch
classes have been characterized that vary widely in size and secondary structure.
Extensive experiments and theoretical studies have made great strides in
understanding the general structures, genetic mechanisms, and regulatory
activities of individual riboswitches. As the ligand-dependent co-transcriptional
folding and unfolding dynamics of riboswitches are the key determinant of gene
expression, it is important to investigate the thermodynamics and kinetics of
riboswitches both in the presence and absence of metabolites under the
transcription. This review will provide a brief summary of the studies about the
regulation mechanisms of the pbuE, SMK, yitJ, and metF riboswitches based on the
ligand-dependent co-transcriptional folding of the riboswitches.
PMID- 28703768
TI - Stroke Mortality Attributable to Ambient Particulate Matter Pollution from 1990
to 2015 in China: An Age-Period-Cohort and Spatial Autocorrelation Analysis.
AB - In this study, we analyzed the temporal and spatial variations of stroke
mortality attributable to ambient particulate matter pollution (stroke mortality
PM2.5) in China from 1990 to 2015. Data were collected from the Global Burden of
Disease (GBD) 2015 study and analyzed by an age-period-cohort model (APC) with an
intrinsic estimator (IE) algorithm, as well as spatial autocorrelation based on
the Geographic Information System. Based on APC analysis with the IE method,
stroke mortality-PM2.5 increased exponentially with age, its relative risk
reaching 42.85 (95% CI: 28.79, 63.43) in the 75-79 age group. The period effects
showed a reversed V-shape and its highest relative risk was 1.22 (95% CI: 1.15,
1.27) in 2005. The cohort effects decreased monotonically from 1915-1919 to 1990
1994. The change rate fluctuated from 1920-1924 to 1990-1994, including three
accelerating and three decelerating decreases. There was a positive spatial
autocorrelation in stroke mortality-PM2.5 from 1990 to 2015. Hot-spots moved from
the northeastern areas to the middle and southwestern areas, whereas cold-spots
lay mostly in coastal provinces. Besides the aging process in recent years,
stroke mortality-PM2.5 had significantly declined from 2005 to 2015 due to socio
economic and healthcare development. Stroke mortality-PM2.5 varied substantially
among different regions, and cost-effective prevention and control should be
implemented more in the middle and southwestern areas of China.
PMID- 28703769
TI - Glycosaminoglycans Regulate CXCR3 Ligands at Distinct Levels: Protection against
Processing by Dipeptidyl Peptidase IV/CD26 and Interference with Receptor
Signaling.
AB - CXC chemokine ligand (CXCL)9, CXCL10 and CXCL11 direct chemotaxis of mainly T
cells and NK cells through activation of their common CXC chemokine receptor
(CXCR)3. They are inactivated upon NH2-terminal cleavage by dipeptidyl peptidase
IV/CD26. In the present study, we found that different glycosaminoglycans (GAGs)
protect the CXCR3 ligands against proteolytic processing by CD26 without directly
affecting the enzymatic activity of CD26. In addition, GAGs were shown to
interfere with chemokine-induced CXCR3 signaling. The observation that heparan
sulfate did not, and heparin only moderately, altered CXCL10-induced T cell
chemotaxis in vitro may be explained by a combination of protection against
proteolytic inactivation and altered receptor interaction as observed in calcium
assays. No effect of CD26 inhibition was found on CXCL10-induced chemotaxis in
vitro. However, treatment of mice with the CD26 inhibitor sitagliptin resulted in
an enhanced CXCL10-induced lymphocyte influx into the joint. This study reveals a
dual role for GAGs in modulating the biological activity of CXCR3 ligands. GAGs
protect the chemokines from proteolytic cleavage but also directly interfere with
chemokine-CXCR3 signaling. These data support the hypothesis that both GAGs and
CD26 affect the in vivo chemokine function.
PMID- 28703770
TI - Exposure to Engineered Nanomaterials: Impact on DNA Repair Pathways.
AB - Some engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) may have the potential to cause damage to
the genetic material in living systems. The mechanistic machinery functioning at
the cellular/molecular level, in the form of DNA repair processes, has evolved to
help circumvent DNA damage caused by exposure to a variety of foreign substances.
Recent studies have contributed to our understanding of the various DNA damage
repair pathways involved in the processing of DNA damage. However, the vast array
of ENMs may present a relatively new challenge to the integrity of the human
genome; therefore, the potential hazard posed by some ENMs necessitates the
evaluation and understanding of ENM-induced DNA damage repair pathways. This
review focuses on recent studies highlighting the differential regulation of DNA
repair pathways, in response to a variety of ENMs, and discusses the various
factors that dictate aberrant repair processes, including intracellular
signalling, spatial interactions and ENM-specific responses.
PMID- 28703772
TI - Understanding the Inguinal Sinus in Sheep (Ovis aries)-Morphology, Secretion, and
Expression of Progesterone, Estrogens, and Prolactin Receptors.
AB - Post-parturient behavior of mammalian females is essential for early parent
offspring contact. After delivery, lambs need to ingest colostrum for obtaining
the related immunological protection, and early interactions between the mother
and the lamb are crucial. Despite visual and auditory cues, olfactory cues are
decisive in lamb orientation to the mammary gland. In sheep, the inguinal sinus
is located bilaterally near the mammary gland as a skin pouch (IGS) that presents
a gland that secretes a strong-smelling wax. Sheep IGS gland functions have many
aspects under evaluation. The objective of the present study was to evaluate
sheep IGS gland functional aspects and mRNA transcription and the protein
expression of several hormone receptors, such as progesterone receptor (PGR),
estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1), and 2 (ESR2) and prolactin receptor (PRLR) present.
In addition, another aim was to achieve information about IGS ultrastructure and
chemical compounds produced in this gland. All hormone receptors evaluated show
expression in IGS during the estrous cycle (follicular/luteal phases), pregnancy,
and the post-partum period. IGS secretion is rich in triterpenoids that totally
differ from the surrounding skin. They might be essential substances for the
development of an olfactory preference of newborns to their mothers.
PMID- 28703771
TI - Vertebrate Reservoirs of Arboviruses: Myth, Synonym of Amplifier, or Reality?
AB - The rapid succession of the pandemic of arbovirus diseases, such as dengue, West
Nile fever, chikungunya, and Zika fever, has intensified research on these and
other arbovirus diseases worldwide. Investigating the unique mode of vector-borne
transmission requires a clear understanding of the roles of vertebrates. One
major obstacle to this understanding is the ambiguity of the arbovirus definition
originally established by the World Health Organization. The paucity of pertinent
information on arbovirus transmission at the time contributed to the notion that
vertebrates played the role of reservoir in the arbovirus transmission cycle.
Because this notion is a salient feature of the arbovirus definition, it is
important to reexamine its validity. This review addresses controversial issues
concerning vertebrate reservoirs and their role in arbovirus persistence in
nature, examines the genesis of the problem from a historical perspective,
discusses various unresolved issues from multiple points of view, assesses the
present status of the notion in light of current knowledge, and provides options
for a solution to resolve the issue.
PMID- 28703773
TI - An Analysis of Anxiety-Related Postings on Sina Weibo.
AB - This study examines anxiety-related postings on Sina Weibo to gain insight into
social networking about mental health. The themes of a random sample of anxiety
related postings (n = 1000) were assessed. The disclosure of anxiety was the most
common theme. The prevalence of anxiety was higher in certain areas where the
economy is stronger than others, and the people living there suffered from more
stress. Users who talked about feeling anxious tended to be more active on social
media during leisure hours and less active during work hours. Our findings may be
developed to detect and help individuals who may suffer from anxiety disorders at
a low cost.
PMID- 28703775
TI - Novel Applications of Metabolomics in Personalized Medicine: A Mini-Review.
AB - Interindividual variability in drug responses and disease susceptibility is
common in the clinic. Currently, personalized medicine is highly valued, the idea
being to prescribe the right medicine to the right patient. Metabolomics has been
increasingly applied in evaluating the therapeutic outcomes of clinical drugs by
correlating the baseline metabolic profiles of patients with their responses,
i.e., pharmacometabonomics, as well as prediction of disease susceptibility among
population in advance, i.e., patient stratification. The accelerated advance in
metabolomics technology pinpoints the huge potential of its application in
personalized medicine. In current review, we discussed the novel applications of
metabolomics with typical examples in evaluating drug therapy and patient
stratification, and underlined the potential of metabolomics in personalized
medicine in the future.
PMID- 28703774
TI - Programmed Cell Death 1 (PD-1) and Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte-Associated Antigen 4
(CTLA-4) in Viral Hepatitis.
AB - Virus-specific cluster of differentiation 8 (CD8+) cytotoxic T cells (CTL)
recognize viral antigens presented on major histocompatibility complex (MHC)
class I chains on infected hepatocytes, with help from CD4+ T cells. However,
this CTL response is frequently weak or undetectable in patients with chronic
hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Programmed cell
death 1 (PD-1) and cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) are
receptors in the CD28 family of costimulatory molecules, providing inhibitory
signals to T cells. The overexpressions of PD-1 and CTLA-4 in patients with viral
infection have been shown to associate with functional impairment of virus
specific T cells. In acute viral hepatitis, PD-1 and CTLA-4 are up-regulated
during the symptomatic phase, and then down-regulated after recovery. These
findings suggest that PD-1 and CTLA-4 have protective effects as inhibitory
molecules to suppress cytotoxic T cells which induce harmful destruction of viral
infected hepatocytes in self-limited viral hepatitis. In chronic viral hepatitis,
the extended upregulations of PD-1 and CTLA-4 are associated with T cell
exhaustion and persistent viral infection, suggesting positive correlations
between expression of immune inhibitory factors and the chronicity of viral
disease. In this review, we summarize recent literature relating to PD-1, CTLA-4,
and other inhibitory receptors in antigen-specific T cell exhaustion in viral
hepatitis, including hepatitis A, B, C, and others.
PMID- 28703776
TI - Biodegradable and Petroleum-Based Microplastics Do Not Differ in Their Ingestion
and Excretion but in Their Biological Effects in a Freshwater Invertebrate
Gammarus fossarum.
AB - Research on the uptake and effects of bioplastics by aquatic organisms is still
in its infancy. Here, we aim to advance the field by comparing uptake and effects
of microplastic particles (MPP) of a biodegradable bioMPP (polyhydroxybutyrate
(PHB)) and petroleum-based MPP (polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)) in the freshwater
amphipod Gammarus fossarum. Ingestion of both MPP in different particle sizes (32
250 um) occurred after 24 h, with highest ingestion of particles in the range 32
63 um and almost complete egestion after 64 h. A four-week effect-experiment
showed a significant decrease of the assimilation efficiency in amphipods exposed
to the petroleum-based MPP from week two onwards. The petroleum-based PMMA
affected assimilation efficiency significantly in contrast to the biodegradable
PHB, but overall differences in direct comparison of MPP types were small. Both
MPP types led to a significantly lower wet weight gain relative to the control
treatments. After four weeks, differences between both MPP types and silica, used
as a natural particle control, were detected. In summary, these results suggest
that both MPP types provoke digestive constraints on the amphipods, which go
beyond those of natural non-palatable particles. This highlights the need for
more detailed research comparing environmental effects of biodegradable and
petroleum-based MPP and testing those against naturally occurring particle loads.
PMID- 28703777
TI - Physiological Effects of Touching Coated Wood.
AB - This study examined the physiological effects of touching wood with various
coating with the palm of the hand on brain activity and autonomic nervous
activity. Participants were 18 female university students (mean age, 21.7 +/- 1.6
years). As an indicator of brain activity, oxyhemoglobin concentrations were
measured in the left and right prefrontal cortices using near-infrared time
resolved spectroscopy. Heart rate variability (HRV) and heart rate were used as
indicators of autonomic nervous activity. The high-frequency (HF) component of
HRV, which reflects parasympathetic nervous activity, and the low-frequency
(LF)/HF ratio, which reflects sympathetic nervous activity, were measured. Plates
of uncoated, oil-finished, vitreous-finished, urethane-finished, and mirror
finished white oak wood were used as tactile stimuli. After sitting at rest with
their eyes closed for 60 s, participants touched the stimuli with their palm for
90 s each. The results indicated that tactile stimulation with uncoated wood
calmed prefrontal cortex activity (vs. urethane finish and mirror finish),
increased parasympathetic nervous activity (vs. vitreous finish, urethane finish,
and mirror finish), and decreased heart rate (vs. mirror finish), demonstrating a
physiological relaxation effect. Further, tactile stimulation with oil- and
vitreous-finished wood calmed left prefrontal cortex activity and decreased heart
rate relative to mirror-finished wood.
PMID- 28703778
TI - Natural Product Discovery Using Planes of Principal Component Analysis in R
(PoPCAR).
AB - Rediscovery of known natural products hinders the discovery of new, unique
scaffolds. Efforts have mostly focused on streamlining the determination of what
compounds are known vs. unknown (dereplication), but an alternative strategy is
to focus on what is different. Utilizing statistics and assuming that common
actinobacterial metabolites are likely known, focus can be shifted away from
dereplication and towards discovery. LC-MS-based principal component analysis
(PCA) provides a perfect tool to distinguish unique vs. common metabolites, but
the variability inherent within natural products leads to datasets that do not
fit ideal standards. To simplify the analysis of PCA models, we developed a
script that identifies only those masses or molecules that are unique to each
strain within a group, thereby greatly reducing the number of data points to be
inspected manually. Since the script is written in R, it facilitates integration
with other metabolomics workflows and supports automated mass matching to
databases such as Antibase.
PMID- 28703779
TI - Development of Phosphorothioate DNA and DNA Thioaptamers.
AB - Nucleic acid aptamers are short RNA- or DNA-based affinity reagents typically
selected from combinatorial libraries to bind to a specific target such as a
protein, a small molecule, whole cells or even animals. Aptamers have utility in
the development of diagnostic, imaging and therapeutic applications due to their
size, physico-chemical nature and ease of synthesis and modification to suit the
application. A variety of oligonucleotide modifications have been used to enhance
the stability of aptamers from nuclease degradation in vivo. The non-bridging
oxygen atoms of the phosphodiester backbones of RNA and DNA aptamers can be
substituted with one or two sulfur atoms, resulting in thioaptamers with
phosphorothioate or phosphorodithioate linkages, respectively. Such thioaptamers
are known to have increased binding affinity towards their target, as well as
enhanced resistance to nuclease degradation. In this review, we discuss the
development of phosphorothioate chemistry and thioaptamers, with a brief review
of selection methods.
PMID- 28703780
TI - In Vitro and In Vivo Control of Secondary Bacterial Infection Caused by
Leishmania major.
AB - Bacterial infections of cutaneous leishmaniasis cause skin ulcers on mice,
resulting in increased tissue deterioration, and these infections can be
controlled with liquid allicin. To isolate and identify the incidences of real
secondary bacterial infections in mice, we performed the current study by
injecting mice (n = 50) with Leishmania major. L. major infections were initiated
by an intramuscular injection of 0.1 mL Roswell Park Memorial Institute (RPMI
1640 media/mouse (107 promastigote/mL)). Scarring appeared 2-6 weeks after
injection, and the bacteria were isolated from the skin ulcer tissues. Allicin
(50 uL/mL) and ciprofloxacin (5 MUg; Cip 5) were used for controlling L. major
and bacteria. One hundred samples from skin ulcers of mice were examined, and 200
bacterial colonies were isolated. Forty-eight different genera and species were
obtained and identified by Gram staining and physiological and biochemical
characterization using identification kits. All samples were positive for
secondary bacterial infections. Of the isolates, 79.16% were identified as Gram
negative bacteria, and 28.84% were identified as Gram-positive bacteria; only one
yeast species was found. Interestingly, pure allicin liquid at a concentration 50
uL/mL exhibited antibacterial activity against a wide range of Gram-negative and
some Gram-positive bacteria, in addition to yeast, and was 71.43% effective.
Antimicrobial resistance patterns of all genera and species were determined using
15 different antibiotics. Allicin (50 uL/mL) and Cip 5 were the most effective
against L. major and 92.30% of isolated bacteria. Stenotrophomonas maltophilia
was the most resistant bacterium to the tested antibiotics with a survival rate
of 73.33%, and it exhibited resistance to allicin.
PMID- 28703781
TI - Investigation, Pollution Mapping and Simulative Leakage Health Risk Assessment
for Heavy Metals and Metalloids in Groundwater from a Typical Brownfield, Middle
China.
AB - Heavy metal and metalloid (Cr, Pb, Cd, Zn, Cu, Ni, As and Hg) concentrations in
groundwater from 19 typical sites throughout a typical brownfield were detected.
Mean concentrations of toxic metals in groundwater decreased in the order of Cr >
Zn > Cu > Cd > Ni > Pb > Hg > As. Concentration of Cr6+ in groundwater was
detected to further study chromium contamination. Cr6+ and Cd in groundwater were
recommended as the priority pollutants because they were generally 1399-fold and
12-foldgreater than permissible limits, respectively. Owing to the fact that a
waterproof curtain (WPC) in the brownfield is about to pass the warranty period,
a steady two-dimensional water quality model and health risk assessment were
applied to simulate and evaluate adverse effects of Cr6 + and Cd on the water
quality of Xiangjiang River and the drinking-water intake of Wangcheng
Waterworks. The results indicated that when groundwater in the brownfield leaked
with valid curtain prevention, the water quality in Xiangjiang River and drinking
water intake downstream were temporarily unaffected. However, if there was no
curtain prevention, groundwater leakage would have adverse impact on water
quality of Xiangjiang River. Under the requirements of Class III surface water
quality, the pollution belt for Cr6+ was 7500 m and 200 m for Cd. The non
carcinogenic risk of toxic metals in Xiangjiang River exceeded the threshold in a
limited area, but did not threaten Wangcheng Waterworks. By contrast, the
carcinogenic risk area for adults was at a transverse distance of 200 m and a
longitudinal distance of 18,000 m, which was close to the Wangcheng Waterworks
(23,000 m). Therefore, it was essential to reconstruct the WPC in the brownfield
for preventing pollution diffusion.
PMID- 28703783
TI - Facile Synthesis of Novel Coumarin Derivatives, Antimicrobial Analysis, Enzyme
Assay, Docking Study, ADMET Prediction and Toxicity Study.
AB - The work reports the synthesis under solvent-free condition using the ionic
liquid [Et3NH][HSO4] as a catalyst of fifteen novel 3
((dicyclohexylamino)(substituted phenyl/heteryl)-methyl)-4-hydroxy-2H-chromen-2
onederivatives 4a-o as potential antimicrobial agents. The structures of the
synthesized compounds were confirmed by IR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, mass spectral
studies and elemental analyses. All the synthesized compounds were evaluated for
their in vitro antifungal and antibacterial activity. The compound 4k bearing 4
hydroxy-3-ethoxy group on the phenyl ring was found to be the most active
antifungal agent. The compound 4e bearing a 2,4-difluoro group on the phenyl ring
was found to be the most active antibacterial agent. The mode of action of the
most promising antifungal compound 4k was established by an ergosterol extraction
and quantitation assay. From the assay it was found that 4k acts by inhibition of
ergosterol biosynthesis in C. albicans. Molecular docking studies revealed a
highly spontaneous binding ability of the tested compounds to the active site of
lanosterol 14alpha-demethylase, which suggests that the tested compounds inhibit
the synthesis of this enzyme. The synthesized compounds were analyzed for in
silico ADMET properties to establish oral drug like behavior and showed
satisfactory results. To establish the antimicrobial selectivity and safety, the
most active compounds 4e and 4k were further tested for cytotoxicity against
human cancer cell line HeLa and were found to be non-cytotoxic in nature. An in
vivo acute oral toxicity study was also performed for the most active compounds
4e and 4k and results indicated that the compounds are non-toxic.
PMID- 28703782
TI - Understanding the Role of Non-Coding RNAs in Bladder Cancer: From Dark Matter to
Valuable Therapeutic Targets.
AB - The mortality and morbidity that characterize bladder cancer compel this
malignancy into the category of hot topics in terms of biomolecular research.
Therefore, a better knowledge of the specific molecular mechanisms that underlie
the development and progression of bladder cancer is demanded. Tumor
heterogeneity among patients with similar diagnosis, as well as intratumor
heterogeneity, generates difficulties in terms of targeted therapy. Furthermore,
late diagnosis represents an ongoing issue, significantly reducing the response
to therapy and, inevitably, the overall survival. The role of non-coding RNAs in
bladder cancer emerged in the last decade, revealing that microRNAs (miRNAs) may
act as tumor suppressor genes, respectively oncogenes, but also as biomarkers for
early diagnosis. Regarding other types of non-coding RNAs, especially long non
coding RNAs (lncRNAs) which are extensively reviewed in this article, their exact
roles in tumorigenesis are-for the time being-not as evident as in the case of
miRNAs, but, still, clearly suggested. Therefore, this review covers the non
coding RNA expression profile of bladder cancer patients and their validated
target genes in bladder cancer cell lines, with repercussions on processes such
as proliferation, invasiveness, apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, and other molecular
pathways which are specific for the malignant transformation of cells.
PMID- 28703784
TI - Targeting Pattern Recognition Receptors (PRR) for Vaccine Adjuvantation: From
Synthetic PRR Agonists to the Potential of Defective Interfering Particles of
Viruses.
AB - Modern vaccinology has increasingly focused on non-living vaccines, which are
more stable than live-attenuated vaccines but often show limited immunogenicity.
Immunostimulatory substances, known as adjuvants, are traditionally used to
increase the magnitude of protective adaptive immunity in response to a pathogen
associated antigen. Recently developed adjuvants often include substances that
stimulate pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), essential components of innate
immunity required for the activation of antigen-presenting cells (APCs), which
serve as a bridge between innate and adaptive immunity. Nearly all PRRs are
potential targets for adjuvants. Given the recent success of toll-like receptor
(TLR) agonists in vaccine development, molecules with similar, but additional,
immunostimulatory activity, such as defective interfering particles (DIPs) of
viruses, represent attractive candidates for vaccine adjuvants. This review
outlines some of the recent advances in vaccine development related to the use of
TLR agonists, summarizes the current knowledge regarding DIP immunogenicity, and
discusses the potential applications of DIPs in vaccine adjuvantation.
PMID- 28703785
TI - Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers in Alzheimer's Disease-From Brain Starch to Bench
and Bedside.
AB - Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia. Over the last three
decades, research has advanced dramatically and provided a detailed understanding
of the molecular events underlying the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. In
parallel, assays for the detection of biomarkers that reflect the typical
Alzheimer's disease-associated pathology have been developed and validated in
myriads of clinical studies. Such biomarkers complement clinical diagnosis and
improve diagnostic accuracy. The use of biomarkers will become even more
important with the advent of disease-modifying therapies. Such therapies will
likely be most beneficial when administered early in the disease course. Here, we
summarise the development of the core Alzheimer's disease cerebrospinal fluid
biomarkers: amyloid-beta and tau. We provide an overview of their role in
cellular physiology and Alzheimer's disease pathology, and embed their
development as cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers into the historical context of
Alzheimer's disease research. Finally, we summarise recommendations for their use
in clinical practice, and outline perspectives for novel cerebrospinal fluid
candidate biomarkers.
PMID- 28703786
TI - Fistulizing Crohn's Disease.
AB - Fistulas still represent one of the most important complications in patients with
Crohn's disease (CD). At least one third of CD patients suffer from fistulas
during their disease course and amongst them longstanding remission of complex
fistulas occurs only in about one third. So far, fistula pathogenesis is only
partially understood. From a histopathological view, a fistula is a tube covered
by flat epithelial cells. Current research suggests that the driving force for
fistula development is epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Around the
fistula, high levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF), IL-13, and TGFbeta can be
detected and recent studies indicated an involvement of the intestinal
microbiota. Fistula diagnosis requires clinical and surgical assessment,
radiologic investigations, e.g., magnet resonance imaging and endoscopy. Routine
medical treatment of fistulas includes antibiotics, immunosuppressives, and anti
TNF antibodies. There is no well-established role for calcineurin inhibitors in
fistula treatment, corticosteroids appear to be even contra-productive. A
promising novel approach might be the application of adipose tissue-derived or
bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells that have been studied recently. Due
to insufficient efficacy of medical treatment and recurrence of fistulas,
surgical interventions are frequently necessary. Further research is needed to
better understand fistula pathogenesis aiming to develop novel treatment option
for our patients.
PMID- 28703787
TI - A new era in the interpretation of human genomic variation.
PMID- 28703788
TI - Preparation of a Trp-BODIPY fluorogenic amino acid to label peptides for enhanced
live-cell fluorescence imaging.
AB - Fluorescent peptides are valuable tools for live-cell imaging because of the high
specificity of peptide sequences for their biomolecular targets. When preparing
fluorescent versions of peptides, labels must be introduced at appropriate
positions in the sequences to provide suitable reporters while avoiding any
impairment of the molecular recognition properties of the peptides. This protocol
describes the preparation of the tryptophan (Trp)-based fluorogenic amino acid
Fmoc-Trp(C2-BODIPY)-OH and its incorporation into peptides for live-cell
fluorescence imaging-an approach that is applicable to most peptide sequences.
Fmoc-Trp(C2-BODIPY)-OH contains a BODIPY (4,4-difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s
indacene) fluorogenic core, which works as an environmentally sensitive
fluorophore, showing high fluorescence in lipophilic conditions. It is attached
to Trp via a spacer-free C-C linkage, resulting in a labeled amino acid that can
mimic the molecular interactions of Trp, enabling wash-free imaging. This
protocol covers the chemical synthesis of the fluorogenic amino acid Fmoc-Trp(C2
BODIPY)-OH (3-4 d), the preparation of the labeled antimicrobial peptide BODIPY
cPAF26 by solid-phase synthesis (6-7 d) and its spectral and biological
characterization as a live-cell imaging probe for different fungal pathogens. As
an example, we include a procedure for using BODIPY-cPAF26 for wash-free imaging
of fungal pathogens, including real-time visualization of Aspergillus fumigatus
(5 d for culturing, 1-2 d for imaging).
PMID- 28703789
TI - Capturing suboptical dynamic structures in lipid bilayer patches formed from free
standing giant unilamellar vesicles.
AB - There is accumulating evidence that the small-scale lateral organization of
biological membranes has a crucial role in signaling and trafficking in cells.
However, it has been difficult to characterize these features with existing
methods for preparing and analyzing freestanding membranes, because the dynamics
occurs below the optical resolution possible with these protocols. We have
developed a protocol that permits the imaging of lipid nanodomains and lateral
protein organization in membranes of giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs).
Freestanding GUVs are transferred onto a mica support, and after treatment with
magnesium chloride, they collapse to form planar lipid bilayer (PLB) patches.
Rapid GUV collapse onto the mica preserves the lateral organization of
freestanding membranes and thus makes it possible to image 'snapshots' of GUVs up
to nanometer resolution by high-resolution microscopy. The method has been
applied to classical lipid raft mixtures in which suboptical domain fluctuations
have been imaged in both the liquid-ordered and liquid-disordered membrane
phases. High-resolution scanning by atomic force microscopy (AFM) of membranes
composed of binary and ternary lipid mixtures reconstituted with Na+/K+-ATPase
(NKA) has revealed the spatial distribution and orientations of individual
proteins, as well as details of membrane lateral structure. Immunolabeling
followed by confocal microscopy can also provide information about the spatial
distribution of proteins. The protocol opens up a new avenue for quantitative
biophysical studies of suboptical dynamic structures in biomembranes, which are
local and short-lived. Preparation of GUVs, PLB patches and their imaging takes
<24 h.
PMID- 28703790
TI - A fluorescence-based imaging method to measure in vitro and in vivo mitophagy
using mt-Keima.
AB - Mitophagy is a cellular process that selectively removes damaged, old or
dysfunctional mitochondria. Defective mitophagy is thought to contribute to
normal aging and to various neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases.
Previous methods used to detect mitophagy in vivo were cumbersome, insensitive
and difficult to quantify. We created a transgenic mouse model that expresses the
pH-dependent fluorescent protein mt-Keima in order to more readily assess
mitophagy. Keima is a pH-sensitive, dual-excitation ratiometric fluorescent
protein that also exhibits resistance to lysosomal proteases. At the
physiological pH of the mitochondria (pH 8.0), the shorter-wavelength excitation
predominates. Within the acidic lysosome (pH 4.5) after mitophagy, mt-Keima
undergoes a gradual shift to longer-wavelength excitation. In this protocol, we
describe how to monitor mitophagic flux in living cells over an 18-h time frame,
as well as how to quantify mitophagy using the mt-Keima probe. This protocol also
describes how to use confocal microscopy to visualize mitophagy in living tissues
obtained from mt-Keima transgenic mice. With this protocol, the mt-Keima probe
can reliably be imaged within the first 60 min after tissue collection. We also
describe how to apply mt-Keima with stimulated emission depletion (STED)
microscopy, which can potentially provide substantially higher-resolution images.
Typically, the approximate time frame for time-lapse fluorescence imaging of mt
Keima is 20 h for living cells. For confocal analysis of tissue from an mt-Keima
mouse, the whole procedure generally takes no longer than 60 min, and the STED
imaging usually takes <2 h.
PMID- 28703793
TI - Linc-DYNC2H1-4 promotes EMT and CSC phenotypes by acting as a sponge of miR-145
in pancreatic cancer cells.
AB - The acquisition of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and/or existence of a
sub-population of cancer stem-like cells (CSC) are associated with malignant
behavior and chemoresistance. To identify which factor could promote EMT and CSC
formation and uncover the mechanistic role of such factor is important for novel
and targeted therapies. In the present study, we found that the long intergenic
non-coding RNA linc-DYNC2H1-4 was upregulated in pancreatic cancer cell line BxPC
3-Gem with acquired gemcitabine resistance. Knockdown of linc-DYNC2H1-4 decreased
the invasive behavior of BxPC-3-Gem cells while ectopic expression of linc
DYNC2H1-4 promoted the acquisition of EMT and stemness of the parental sensitive
cells. Linc-DYNC2H1-4 upregulated ZEB1, the EMT key player, which led to
upregulation and downregulation of its targets vimentin and E-cadherin
respectively, as well as enhanced the expressions of CSC makers Lin28, Nanog,
Sox2 and Oct4. Linc-DYNC2H1-4 is mainly located in the cytosol. Mechanically, it
could sponge miR-145 that targets ZEB1, Lin28, Nanog, Sox2, Oct4 to restore these
EMT and CSC-associated genes expressions. We proved that MMP3, the nearby gene of
linc-DYNC2H1-4 in the sense strand, was also a target of miR-145. Downregulation
of MMP3 by miR-145 was reverted by linc-DYNC2H1-4, indicating that competing with
miR-145 is one of the mechanisms for linc-DYNC2H1-4 to regulate MMP3. In summary,
our results explore the important role of linc-DYNC2H1-4 in the acquisition of
EMT and CSC, and the impact it has on gemcitabine resistance in pancreatic cancer
cells.
PMID- 28703794
TI - Impaired autophagosome clearance contributes to neuronal death in a piglet model
of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.
AB - To examine the temporal relationship of cortical autophagic flux with delayed
neuronal cell death after hypoxia-ischemia (HI) in neonatal piglets. HI was
produced with 45-min hypoxia and 7-min airway occlusion in 3-5-day-old piglets.
Markers of autophagic, lysosomal and cell death signaling were studied via
immunohistochemistry, immunoblotting, and histochemistry in piglet brains. In
vitro, autophagy was impaired in cultured mouse cortical neurons treated with
chloroquine with or without rapamycin for 1 d in the presence of Z-VAD-fmk,
cyclosporine A, or vehicle control, and cell viability was assessed with the MTT
assay. In vivo, neuronal cell death of sensorimotor cortex was delayed by 1-2
days after HI, whereas LC3-II, Beclin-1, PI3KC3, ATG12-ATG-5, and p-ULK1
increased by 1.5-6 h. Autophagosomes accumulated in cortical neurons by 1 d owing
to enhanced autophagy and later to decreased autophagosome clearance, as
indicated by LC3, Beclin-1, and p62 accumulation. Autophagy flux impairment was
attributable to lysosomal dysfunction, as indicated by low lysosomal-associated
membrane protein 2, cathepsin B, and cathepsin D levels at 1 d. Ubiquitin levels
increased at 1 d. Autophagosome and p62 accumulated predominantly in neurons at 1
d, with p62 puncta occurring in affected cells. Beclin-1 colocalized with markers
of caspase-dependent and caspase-independent apoptosis and necrosis in neurons.
In vitro, mouse neonatal cortical neurons treated with rapamycin and chloroquine
showed increased autophagosomes, but not autolysosomes, and increased cell death
that was attenuated by cyclosporine A. Neonatal HI initially increases autophagy
but later impairs autophagosome clearance, coinciding with delayed cortical
neuronal death.
PMID- 28703795
TI - Edaravone suppresses retinal ganglion cell death in a mouse model of normal
tension glaucoma.
AB - Glaucoma, one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness, is characterized
by progressive degeneration of optic nerves and retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). In
the mammalian retina, excitatory amino-acid carrier 1 (EAAC1) is expressed in
neural cells, including RGCs. Loss of EAAC1 leads to RGC degeneration without
elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) and exhibits glaucomatous pathology including
glutamate neurotoxicity and oxidative stress. In the present study, we found that
edaravone, a free radical scavenger that is used for treatment of acute brain
infarction and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), reduces oxidative stress and
prevents RGC death and thinning of the inner retinal layer in EAAC1-deficient
(KO) mice. In addition, in vivo electrophysiological analyses demonstrated that
visual impairment in EAAC1 KO mice was ameliorated with edaravone treatment,
clearly establishing that edaravone beneficially affects both histological and
functional aspects of the glaucomatous retina. Our findings raise intriguing
possibilities for the management of glaucoma by utilizing a widely prescribed
drug for the treatment of acute brain infarction and ALS, edaravone, in
combination with conventional treatments to lower IOP.
PMID- 28703796
TI - p75NTR antagonists attenuate photoreceptor cell loss in murine models of
retinitis pigmentosa.
AB - ProNGF signaling through p75NTR has been associated with neurodegenerative
disorders. Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) comprises a group of inherited retinal
dystrophies that causes progressive photoreceptor cell degeneration and death, at
a rate dependent on the genetic mutation. There are more than 300 mutations
causing RP, and this is a challenge to therapy. Our study was designed to explore
a common mechanism for p75NTR in the progression of RP, and assess its potential
value as a therapeutic target. The proNGF/p75NTR system is present in the
dystrophic retina of the rd10 RP mouse model. Compared with wild-type (WT)
retina, the levels of unprocessed proNGF were increased in the rd10 retina at
early degenerative stages, before the peak of photoreceptor cell death.
Conversely, processed NGF levels were similar in rd10 and WT retinas. ProNGF
remained elevated throughout the period of photoreceptor cell loss, correlating
with increased expression of alpha2-macroglobulin, an inhibitor of proNGF
processing. The neuroprotective effect of blocking p75NTR was assessed in
organotypic retinal cultures from rd10 and RhoP mouse models. Retinal explants
treated with p75NTR antagonists showed significantly reduced photoreceptor cell
death, as determined by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP
nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay and by preservation of the thickness of the outer
nuclear layer (ONL), where photoreceptor nuclei are located. This effect was
accompanied by decreased retinal-reactive gliosis and reduced TNFalpha secretion.
Use of p75NTR antagonist THX-B (1,3-diisopropyl-1-[2-(1,3-dimethyl-2,6-dioxo
1,2,3,6-tetrahydro-purin-7-yl)-acetyl]-urea) in vivo in the rd10 and RhoP mouse
models, by a single intravitreal or subconjunctival injection, afforded
neuroprotection to photoreceptor cells, with preservation of the ONL. This study
demonstrates a role of the p75NTR/proNGF axis in the progression of RP, and
validates these proteins as therapeutic targets in two different RP models,
suggesting utility irrespective of etiology.
PMID- 28703797
TI - Dickkopf1 destabilizes atherosclerotic plaques and promotes plaque formation by
inducing apoptosis of endothelial cells through activation of ER stress.
AB - Several clinical studies reported that Dickkopf1 (DKK1) plasma levels are
correlated with atherosclerosis. However, the impact of DKK1 on the formation and
vulnerability of atherosclerotic plaques remains elusive. This study investigated
DKK1's effects on enlargement and destabilization of plaques by targeting
endothelial cells and assessing the possible cellular mechanisms involved. The
effects of DKK1 on atherogenesis and plaque stability were evaluated in ApoE-/-
mice using lentivirus injections to knockdown and knock-in the DKK1 gene. The
presence of DKK1 resulted in enlarged and destabilized atherosclerotic lesions
and increased apoptosis, while silencing of DKK1 alleviated plaque formation and
vulnerability in the whole progression of atherosclerosis. DKK1 expression was
upregulated in response to ox-LDL treatment in a time- and concentration
dependent manner on human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC). The
interference of DKK1 reversed ox-LDL-induced apoptosis in HUVECs. The mechanism
underlying this effect was DKK1's activation of the JNK signal transduction
pathway and inhibition of canonical Wnt signaling, following by activation of the
IRE1alpha and eif2alpha/CHOP pathways. In conclusion, DKK1 promotes plaque
formation and vulnerability partly by inducing apoptosis in endothelial cells,
which partly through inducing the JNK-endoplasmic reticulum stress pathway and
inhibiting canonical Wnt signaling.
PMID- 28703798
TI - mTORC2 regulates hedgehog pathway activity by promoting stability to Gli2 protein
and its nuclear translocation.
AB - mTORC2 is aberrantly activated in cancer and therefore is considered to be an
important therapeutic target. The hedgehog pathway, which is also often
hyperactivated, regulates transcription of several genes associated with
angiogenesis, metastasis, cellular proliferation and cancer stem cell (CSC)
regeneration. However, the contribution of mTORC2 toward hedgehog pathway
activity has not been explored yet. Here we have addressed the molecular cross
talk between mTORC2 and hedgehog pathway activities in the context of
glioblastoma multiforme, a malignant brain tumor using as a model system. We
observed that higher mTORC2 activity enhanced the expression of a few hedgehog
pathway molecules (Gli1, Gli2 and Ptch1) and amplified its target genes (Cyclin
D1, Cyclin D2, Cyclin E, Snail, Slug and VEGF) both in mRNA and protein levels as
corroborated by increased metastasis, angiogenesis, cellular proliferation and
stem cell regeneration. Inhibition of mTORC2 formation decreased hedgehog pathway
activity and attenuated all these above-mentioned events, suggesting their cross
talk with each other. Further investigations revealed that mTORC2 inhibited
ubiquitination of Gli2 by inactivating GSK3beta, and thus it promotes stability
to Gli2 and its nuclear translocation. Moreover, enhanced mTORC2 activity led to
the increased clonogenic properties and CD133+ cells, indicating its role in CSC
regeneration. mTORC2 inhibitor directed the reduction of hedgehog pathway
proteins and also reduced CSCs. Thus, our observations support a role for
elevated mTORC2 activity in regulating angiogenesis, metastasis, cellular
proliferation and CSC regeneration via hedgehog pathway activity. Taken together,
it provides a rationale for including the mTOR2 inhibitor as part of the
therapeutic regimen for CSCs.
PMID- 28703799
TI - BAG3 promotes stem cell-like phenotype in breast cancer by upregulation of CXCR4
via interaction with its transcript.
AB - BAG3 is an evolutionarily conserved co-chaperone expressed at high levels and has
a prosurvival role in many tumor types. The current study reported that BAG3 was
induced under specific floating culture conditions that enrich breast cancer stem
cell (BCSC)-like cells in spheres. Ectopic BAG3 overexpression increased
CD44+/CD24- CSC subpopulations, first-generation and second-generation
mammosphere formation, indicating that BAG3 promotes CSC self-renewal and
maintenance in breast cancer. We further demonstrated that mechanically, BAG3
upregulated CXCR4 expression at the post-transcriptional level. Further studies
showed that BAG3 interacted with CXCR4 mRNA and promoted its expression via its
coding and 3'-untranslational regions. BAG3 was also found to be positively
correlated with CXCR4 expression and unfavorable prognosis in patients with
breast cancer. Taken together, our data demonstrate that BAG3 promotes BCSC-like
phenotype through CXCR4 via interaction with its transcript. Therefore, this
study establishes BAG3 as a potential adverse prognostic factor and a therapeutic
target of breast cancer.
PMID- 28703800
TI - Killing two birds with one stone: dual blockade of integrin and FGF signaling
through targeting syndecan-4 in postoperative capsular opacification.
AB - The most common complication after cataract surgery is postoperative capsular
opacification, which includes anterior capsular opacification (ACO) and posterior
capsular opacification (PCO). Increased adhesion of lens epithelial cells (LECs)
to the intraocular lens material surface promotes ACO formation, whereas
proliferation and migration of LECs to the posterior capsule lead to the
development of PCO. Cell adhesion is mainly mediated by the binding of integrin
to extracellular matrix proteins, while cell proliferation and migration are
regulated by fibroblast growth factor (FGF). Syndecan-4 (SDC-4) is a co-receptor
for both integrin and FGF signaling pathways. Therefore, SDC-4 may be an ideal
therapeutic target for the prevention and treatment of postoperative capsular
opacification. However, how SDC-4 contributes to FGF-mediated proliferation,
migration, and integrin-mediated adhesion of LECs is unclear. Here, we found that
downregulation of SDC-4 inhibited FGF signaling through the blockade of ERK1/2
and PI3K/Akt/mTOR activation, thus suppressing cell proliferation and migration.
In addition, downregulation of SDC-4 suppressed integrin-mediated cell adhesion
through inhibiting focal adhesion kinase (FAK) phosphorylation. Moreover, SDC-4
knockout mice exhibited normal lens morphology, but had significantly reduced
capsular opacification after injury. Finally, SDC-4 expression level was
increased in the anterior capsule LECs of age-related cataract patients. Taken
together, we for the first time characterized the key regulatory role of SDC-4 in
FGF and integrin signaling in human LECs, and provided the basis for future
pharmacological interventions of capsular opacification.
PMID- 28703801
TI - lncRNA MIAT functions as a competing endogenous RNA to upregulate DAPK2 by
sponging miR-22-3p in diabetic cardiomyopathy.
AB - We previously established a rat model of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) and found
that the expression of long non-coding RNA myocardial infarction-associated
transcript (MIAT) was significantly upregulated. The present study was aimed to
determine the pathologic role of MIAT in the development of DCM. MIAT knockdown
was found to reduce cardiomyocyte apoptosis and improve left ventricular function
in diabetic rats. High glucose could increase MIAT expression and induce
apoptosis in cultured neonatal cardiomyocytes. The results of luciferase reporter
assay and RNA immunoprecipitation assay revealed that MIAT was targeted by miR-22
3p in an AGO2-dependent manner. In addition, the 3'-untranslated region of DAPK2
was fused to the luciferase coding region and transfected into HEK293 cells with
miR-22-3p mimic, and the results showed that DAPK2 was a direct target of miR-22
3p. Our findings also indicated that MIAT overexpression could counteract the
inhibitory effect of miR-22-3p on DAPK2. Moreover, MIAT knockdown was found to
reduce DAPK2 expression and inhibit apoptosis in cardiomyocytes exposed to high
glucose. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that MIAT may function as a
competing endogenous RNA to upregulate DAPK2 expression by sponging miR-22-3p,
which consequently leads to cardiomyocyte apoptosis involved in the pathogenesis
of DCM.
PMID- 28703802
TI - An autocrine inflammatory forward-feedback loop after chemotherapy withdrawal
facilitates the repopulation of drug-resistant breast cancer cells.
AB - Stromal cells, infiltrating immune cells, paracrine factors and extracellular
matrix have been extensively studied in cancers. However, autocrine factors
produced by tumor cells and communications between autocrine factors and
intracellular signaling pathways in the development of drug resistance, cancer
stem-like cells (CSCs) and tumorigenesis have not been well investigated, and the
precise mechanism and tangible approaches remain elusive. Here we reveal a new
mechanism by which cytokines produced by breast cancer cells after chemotherapy
withdrawal activate both Wnt/beta-catenin and NF-kappaB pathways, which in turn
further promote breast cancer cells to produce and secrete cytokines, forming an
autocrine inflammatory forward-feedback loop to facilitate the enrichment of drug
resistant breast cancer cells and/or CSCs. Such an unexpected autocrine forward
feedback loop and CSC enrichment can be effectively blocked by inhibition of
Wnt/beta-catenin and NF-kappaB signaling. It can also be diminished by IL8
neutralizing antibody or blockade of IL8 receptors CXCR1/2 with reparixin.
Administration of reparixin after chemotherapy withdrawal effectively attenuates
tumor masses in a human xenograft model and abolishes paclitaxel-enriched CSCs in
the secondary transplantation. These results are partially supported by the
latest clinical data set. Breast cancer patients treated with chemotherapeutic
drugs exhibited poor survival rate (66.7 vs 282.8 months, P=0.00071) and shorter
disease-free survival time if their tumor samples expressed high level of IL8,
CXCR1, CXCR2 genes and Wnt target genes. Taken together, this study provides new
insights into the communication between autocrine niches and signaling pathways
in the development of chemotherapy resistance and CSCs; it also offers a tangible
approach in breast cancer treatment.
PMID- 28703803
TI - MICU1 protects against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury and its control by
the importer receptor Tom70.
AB - Mitochondrial Ca2+ overload is a main contributor to mitochondrial damage hence
cardiomyocyte death in myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (MI/R) injury. MICU1 has
been recently identified as an important regulator of mitochondrial Ca2+
homeostasis. Here we try to identify the role of MICU1 in MI/R, and to
investigate whether the mitochondrial importer receptor Tom70 possesses critical
roles in the mitochondrial translocation of MICU1 and MI/R. Specific small
interfering RNA (20 MUg) against MICU1 and Tom70, and lentivirus vectors carrying
the Tom70a sequences (3.3 * 107 TU) were delivered through intramyocardial
injection. Seventy-two hours after injection, mice were subjected to 30 min of MI
followed by 3 h (for cell apoptosis and mitochondrial damage assessment) or 24 h
(for cardiac function and infarct size determination) of reperfusion. MI/R had no
significant effect on total MICU1 expression, but caused significant reduction of
MICU1 in mitochondria. Knockdown of MICU1 significantly aggravated MI/R injury,
as evidenced by enlarged infarct size, depressed cardiac function and increased
myocardial apoptosis. Moreover, MICU1 deficiency resulted in markedly aggravated
mitochondrial Ca2+ overload, consequently destructed mitochondrial morphology and
suppressed mitochondrial function (evidenced by decreased ATP production).
Interestingly, mitochondrial Tom70 was also decreased in MI/R. Genetic loss
function study revealed that mitochondrial MICU1 expression was depressed by
Tom70 ablation. Furthermore, Tom70 deficiency significantly aggravated MI/R
injury and worsened mitochondrial Ca2+ overload. However, supplementation of
Tom70 significantly attenuated MI/R injury, preserved mitochondrial morphology
and function, and inhibited mitochondrial Ca2+ overload, all of which were
abolished by MICU1 suppression. Mitochondrial Tom70/MICU1 pathway protects
against MI/R injury, in which mitochondrial localization of MICU1 is governed by
Tom70, and MICU1 serves as an indispensable factor in Tom70's cardioprotection.
PMID- 28703804
TI - Pleiotropic effects of sphingosine-1-phosphate signaling to control human
chorionic mesenchymal stem cell physiology.
AB - Chorionic stem cells represent a promising opportunity for regenerative medicine.
A deeper understanding of the stimuli that regulate their physiology, could lead
to innovative clinical approaches. We revealed the presence of multiple
sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptor isoforms in chorion-derived mesenchymal
stem cells (CMSCs). Their activation simultaneously propagated from the plasma
membrane through Gi and other heterotrimeric G proteins and further diverged
toward extracellular-signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), p38 and protein kinase
D 1. At a functional level, S1P signaling inhibited CMSC migration, while
promoting proliferation. Instead, a reduction of cell density was obtained when
S1P was combined to treatments that increased cAMP intracellular concentration.
Such surprising reduction of cell viability was relatively specific as it was not
observed with stromal stem cells from bone marrow. Neither it was observed by
activating analogous G proteins with bradykinin nor by inducing cell death via a
cAMP-independent pathway. S1P could thus reveal novel keys to improve CMSC
differentiation programs acting on cAMP concentration. Furthermore, S1P receptor
agonists/antagonists could become instrumental in favoring CMSC engraftment by
controlling cell motility.
PMID- 28703805
TI - Aryl hydrocarbon receptor activation restores filaggrin expression via OVOL1 in
atopic dermatitis.
AB - Filaggrin (FLG) mutation is a well-confirmed genetic aberration in atopic
dermatitis (AD). Genome-wide association studies on AD have revealed other
susceptibility genes, for example, Ovo-like 1 (OVOL1). Nonetheless, the relation
between FLG and OVOL1 is unclear. Because aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR; a
ligand-activated transcription factor), plays a role in FLG expression in
keratinocytes, we hypothesized that AHR regulates FLG expression via OVOL1. To
demonstrate this mechanism, we analyzed FLG expression in OVOL1-overexpressing or
OVOL1-knockdown normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEKs). Furthermore, we
tested whether AHR activation by 6-formylindolo(3,2-b)carbazole (FICZ), an
endogenous AHR ligand, or Glyteer, clinically used soybean tar, upregulates FLG
and OVOL1 expression in NHEKs. We found that (1) OVOL1 regulates FLG expression;
(2) AHR activation upregulates OVOL1; and (3) AHR activation upregulates FLG via
OVOL1. Moreover, nuclear translocation of OVOL1 was less pronounced in AD skin
compared with normal skin. IL-4-treated NHEKs, an in vitro AD skin model, also
showed inhibition of the OVOL1 nuclear translocation, which was restored by FICZ
and Glyteer. Thus, targeting the AHR-OVOL1-FLG axis may provide new therapeutics
for AD.
PMID- 28703806
TI - Inhibition of autophagy as a treatment strategy for p53 wild-type acute myeloid
leukemia.
AB - Here we have explored whether inhibition of autophagy can be used as a treatment
strategy for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Steady-state autophagy was measured in
leukemic cell lines and primary human CD34+ AML cells with a large variability in
basal autophagy between AMLs observed. The autophagy flux was higher in AMLs
classified as poor risk, which are frequently associated with TP53 mutations
(TP53mut), compared with favorable- and intermediate-risk AMLs. In addition, the
higher flux was associated with a higher expression level of several autophagy
genes, but was not affected by alterations in p53 expression by knocking down p53
or overexpression of wild-type p53 or p53R273H. AML CD34+ cells were more
sensitive to the autophagy inhibitor hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) than normal bone
marrow CD34+ cells. Similar, inhibition of autophagy by knockdown of ATG5 or ATG7
triggered apoptosis, which coincided with increased expression of p53. In
contrast to wild-type p53 AML (TP53wt), HCQ treatment did not trigger a BAX and
PUMA-dependent apoptotic response in AMLs harboring TP53mut. To further
characterize autophagy in the leukemic stem cell-enriched cell fraction AML CD34+
cells were separated into ROSlow and ROShigh subfractions. The immature AML CD34+
enriched ROSlow cells maintained higher basal autophagy and showed reduced
survival upon HCQ treatment compared with ROShigh cells. Finally, knockdown of
ATG5 inhibits in vivo maintenance of AML CD34+ cells in NSG mice. These results
indicate that targeting autophagy might provide new therapeutic options for
treatment of AML since it affects the immature AML subfraction.
PMID- 28703807
TI - The EGFR/miR-338-3p/EYA2 axis controls breast tumor growth and lung metastasis.
AB - Dysregulation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) promotes cancer cell
growth, invasion and metastasis. However, its relevant downstream effectors are
still limited. Here, we show that EGFR promotes breast tumor growth and
metastasis by downregulating the tumor suppressor micoRNA-338-3p (miR-338-3p) and
activating the EYA2 (EYA transcriptional coactivator and phosphatase 2)
oncoprotein. EGFR represses miR-338-3p expression largely through HIF1alpha
transcription factor. miR-338-3p inhibits EYA2 expression by binding to the 3'
untranslated region of EYA2. EGFR increases EYA2 expression via HIF1alpha
repression of miR-338-3p. Through the miR-338-3p/EYA2 pathway, EGFR increases
breast cancer cell growth, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, migration,
invasion and lung metastasis in vitro and in a allograft tumor mouse model in
vivo. In breast cancer patients, miR-338-3p expression negatively correlates with
the expression of EGFR and EYA2, EGFR status positively associates with EYA2
expression, and miR-338-3p and EYA2 predict breast cancer lung metastasis when
expressed in primary breast cancers. These data suggest that the miR-338-3p/EYA2
axis contributes to EGFR-mediated tumor growth and lung metastasis and that miR
338-3p activation or EYA2 inhibition or combination therapy targeting EGFR/miR
338-3p/EYA2 axis may be a promising way to treat patients with metastatic cancer.
PMID- 28703808
TI - RIP3 attenuates the pancreatic damage induced by deletion of ATG7.
AB - Invalidation of pancreatic autophagy entails pancreatic atrophy, endocrine and
exocrine insufficiency and pancreatitis. The aim of this study was to investigate
whether depletion of Rip3, which is involved in necroptotic signaling, may
attenuate the pancreatic atrophy and pancreatitis resulting from autophagy
inhibition. Autophagy and necroptosis signaling were evaluated in mice lacking
expression of Rip3 in all organs and Atg7 in the pancreas. Acinar cell death,
inflammation and fibrosis were evaluated by using of a compendium of
immunofluorescence methods and immunoblots. Mice deficient for pancreatic Atg7
developed acute pancreatitis, which progressed to chronic pancreatitis. This
phenotype reduces autophagy, increase apoptosis and necroptosis, inflammation and
fibrosis, as well as premature death of the animals. Knockout of Rip3 exacerbated
the apoptotic death of acinar cells, increased tissue damage, reduced macrophage
infiltration and further accelerated the death of the mice with Atg7-deficient
pancreas. The pancreatic degeneration induced by autophagy inhibition was
exacerbated by Rip3 deletion.
PMID- 28703809
TI - Epigallocatechin-3-gallate, a prototypic chemopreventative agent for protection
against cisplatin-based ototoxicity.
AB - Cisplatin-induced ototoxicity is one of the major factors limiting cisplatin
chemotherapy. Ototoxicity results from damage to outer hair cells (OHCs) and
other regions of the cochlea. At the cellular level, cisplatin increases reactive
oxygen species (ROS) leading to cochlear inflammation and apoptosis. Thus, ideal
otoprotective drugs should target oxidative stress and inflammatory mechanisms
without interfering with cisplatin's chemotherapeutic efficacy. In this study, we
show that epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is a prototypic agent exhibiting
these properties of an effect otoprotective agent. Rats administered oral EGCG
demonstrate reduced cisplatin-induced hearing loss, reduced loss of OHCs in the
basal region of the cochlea and reduced oxidative stress and apoptotic markers.
EGCG also protected against the loss of ribbon synapses associated with inner
hair cells and Na+/K+ ATPase alpha1 in the stria vascularis and spiral ligament.
In vitro studies showed that EGCG reduced cisplatin-induced ROS generation and
ERK1/2 and signal transducer and activator of transcription-1 (STAT1) activity,
but preserved the activity of STAT3 and Bcl-xL. The increase in STAT3/STAT1 ratio
appears critical for mediating its otoprotection. EGCG did not alter cisplatin
induced apoptosis of human-derived cancer cells or cisplatin antitumor efficacy
in a xenograft tumor model in mice because of its inability to rescue the
downregulation of STAT3 in these cells. These data suggest that EGCG is an ideal
otoprotective agent for treating cisplatin-induced hearing loss without
compromising its antitumor efficacy.
PMID- 28703810
TI - MicroRNA-148a deficiency promotes hepatic lipid metabolism and
hepatocarcinogenesis in mice.
AB - miRNAs are involved in many physiologic and disease processes by virtue of
degrading specific mRNAs or inhibiting their translation. miR-148a has been
implicated in the control of tumor growth and cholesterol and triglyceride
homeostasis using in vitro or in vivo gene expression- and silencing-based
approaches. Here miR-148a knockout (KO) mice were used to investigate the
intrinsic role of miR-148a in liver physiology and hepatocarcinogenesis in mice.
miR-148a downregulation was found to be correlated with poor clinical outcomes in
hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. Under regular chow diet (RCD) or high
fat diet (HFD), miR-148a deletion significantly accelerated DEN-induced
hepatocarcinogenesis in mice. Mechanistically, miR-148a deletion promotes lipid
metabolic disorders in mice. Moreover, restoration of miR-148a reversed these
defects. Finally, miR-148a was found to directly inhibit several key regulators
of hepatocarcinogenesis and lipid metabolism. These findings reveal crucial roles
for miR-148a in the hepatic lipid metabolism and hepatocarcinogenesis. They
further identify miR-148a as a potential therapeutic target for certain liver
diseases, including cancer.
PMID- 28703812
TI - Electrosorption at functional interfaces: from molecular-level interactions to
electrochemical cell design.
AB - Adsorption at charged interfaces plays an important role across all aspects of
physical chemistry, from biological interactions within living organisms to
chemical processes such as catalysis and separations. With recent advances in
materials chemistry, there are a host of modified electrodes being investigated
for electrosorption, especially in separations science. In this perspective, we
provide an overview of functional interfaces being used for electrosorption,
ranging from electrochemical separations such as deionization and selective
product recovery to biological applications. We cover the various molecular
mechanisms which can be used to enhance ion capacity, and in some cases, provide
selectivity; as well as discuss the parasitic Faradaic reactions which often
impair electrosorption performance. Finally, we point to the importance of
electrochemical configurations, in particular the advantages of asymmetric cell
design, and highlight the opportunities for selective electrosorption brought
about by redox-mediated systems.
PMID- 28703811
TI - Cytoplasmic fragment of CD147 generated by regulated intramembrane proteolysis
contributes to HCC by promoting autophagy.
AB - Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most lethal and prevalent cancers
worldwide. CD147 (EMMPRIN or basigin) is a leading gene relating to
hepatocarcinogenesis and metastasis, and is detected in transmembrane, exosome or
circulating forms in HCC patients. The endosome recycling of CD147 further
enhances the function of this oncoprotein from a dynamic perspective. However,
previous studies about CD147 mainly focused on one separate form, and little
attention has been paid to how the different forms of tumor-derived CD147
changes. Moreover, uncovering the roles of the residual C-terminal portion of
CD147 after shedding is inevitable to fully understand CD147 promoting tumor
progression. In this study, we discovered that under low-cholesterol condition,
CD147 endocytosis is inhibited but its shedding mediated by ADAM10 is enhanced.
Further procession of residual CD147 in the lysosome produces nuclear-localized
CD147-ICD (intracellular domain of CD147), which contributes to autophagy through
NF-kappaB-TRAIL-caspase8-ATG3 axis. As autophagy endows cancer cells with
increased adaptability to chemotherapy, and HAb 18 (a specific antibody targeting
CD147) inhibits CD147 shedding and sequential CD147-ICD enhances autophagy, we
found the combination of HAb 18 and cisplatin exhibited marked antitumor
efficiency.
PMID- 28703813
TI - The effects of transition-metal doping and chromophore anchoring on the
photocurrent response of titanium-oxo-clusters.
AB - Titanium-oxo-clusters (TOCs), [Ti6O4(OiPr)10(Cat)2(BA)2] (1) and
[Ti12M2O10(OEt)22(Cat)2(BA)4] (M = Co, Mn, Ni, 2-4; H2Cat = catechol, HBA =
benzoic acid) are prepared in one step in an in situ solvothermal synthesis.
Cluster structures of 2-4 can be considered as two 1 moieties merged together by
two transition metal atoms. Unlike most TOCs with sphere-like structures,
clusters 2-4 feature a unique single layered structure. They are not only
transition metal doped TOCs but also charge transfer (CT) TOCs, CT from Cat to
the TiO cluster core. Photoelectrodes were prepared by dipping the solution of
clusters on a porous TiO2 substrate. Photocurrent response properties of the
electrodes were studied in comparison with those of the electrodes of non-metal
doped 1 and the non-Cat coordinated Ti6 cluster. The results showed that the
photocurrent densities of metal doped clusters are higher than that of non-doped
clusters and the highest photocurrent density was found for the redox active
Co(ii) doped cluster. Charge transfer also plays an effective role in
photocurrent conversion under visible light irradiation.
PMID- 28703814
TI - Plasmon-induced absorption of blind chlorophylls in photosynthetic proteins
assembled on silver nanowires.
AB - We demonstrate that controlled assembly of eukaryotic photosystem I with its
associated light harvesting antenna complex (PSI-LHCI) on plasmonically active
silver nanowires (AgNWs) substantially improves the optical functionality of such
a novel biohybrid nanostructure. By comparing fluorescence intensities measured
for PSI-LHCI complex randomly oriented on AgNWs and the results obtained for the
PSI-LHCI/cytochrome c553 (cyt c553) bioconjugate with AgNWs we conclude that the
specific binding of photosynthetic complexes with defined uniform orientation
yields selective excitation of a pool of chlorophyll (Chl) molecules that are
otherwise almost non-absorbing. This is remarkable, as this study shows for the
first time that plasmonic excitations in metallic nanostructures can not only be
used to enhance native absorption of photosynthetic pigments, but also - by
employing cyt c553 as the conjugation cofactor - to activate the specific Chl
pools as the absorbing sites only when the uniform and well-defined orientation
of PSI-LHCI with respect to plasmonic nanostructures is achieved. As absorption
of PSI alone is comparatively low, our approach lends itself as an innovative
approach to outperform the reported-to-date biohybrid devices with respect to
solar energy conversion.
PMID- 28703815
TI - From dynamic self-assembly to networked chemical systems.
AB - Although dynamic self-assembly, DySA, is a relatively new area of research, the
past decade has brought numerous demonstrations of how various types of
components - on scales from (macro)molecular to macroscopic - can be arranged
into ordered structures thriving in non-equilibrium, steady states. At the same
time, none of these dynamic assemblies has so far proven practically relevant,
prompting questions about the field's prospects and ultimate objectives. The main
thesis of this Review is that formation of dynamic assemblies cannot be an end in
itself - instead, we should think more ambitiously of using such assemblies as
control elements (reconfigurable catalysts, nanomachines, etc.) of larger,
networked systems directing sequences of chemical reactions or assembly tasks.
Such networked systems would be inspired by biology but intended to operate in
environments and conditions incompatible with living matter (e.g., in organic
solvents, elevated temperatures, etc.). To realize this vision, we need to start
considering not only the interactions mediating dynamic self-assembly of
individual components, but also how components of different types could coexist
and communicate within larger, multicomponent ensembles. Along these lines, the
review starts with the discussion of the conceptual foundations of self-assembly
in equilibrium and non-equilibrium regimes. It discusses key examples of
interactions and phenomena that can provide the basis for various DySA modalities
(e.g., those driven by light, magnetic fields, flows, etc.). It then focuses on
the recent examples where organization of components in steady states is coupled
to other processes taking place in the system (catalysis, formation of dynamic
supramolecular materials, control of chirality, etc.). With these examples of
functional DySA, we then look forward and consider conditions that must be
fulfilled to allow components of multiple types to coexist, function, and
communicate with one another within the networked DySA systems of the future. As
the closing examples show, such systems are already appearing heralding new
opportunities - and, to be sure, new challenges - for DySA research.
PMID- 28703816
TI - Effect of low-purity Fenton reagents on toxicity of textile dyeing effluent to
Daphnia magna.
AB - This study aimed to identify the source of toxicity in textile dyeing effluent
collected from February to July 2016, using Daphnia magna as a test organism.
Toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) procedures were used to identify the
toxicants in textile dyeing effluent, and Jar testing to simulate the Fenton
process was conducted to identify the source of toxicants. Textile dyeing
effluent was acutely toxic to D. magna [from 1.5 to 9.7 toxic units (TU)] during
the study period. TIE results showed that Zn derived from the Fenton process was
a key toxicant in textile dyeing effluent. Additionally, Jar testing revealed
that low-purity Fenton reagents (FeCl2 and FeSO4), which contained large amounts
of Zn (89 838 and 610 mg L-1, respectively), were the source of toxicity.
Although we were unable to conclusively identify the residual toxicity (approx.
1.4 TU of 9.71 TU) attributable to unknown toxicants in textile dyeing effluent,
the findings of this study suggest that careful operation of the Fenton treatment
process could contribute to eliminating its unintended toxic effects on aquatic
organisms.
PMID- 28703817
TI - Dissipative out-of-equilibrium assembly of man-made supramolecular materials.
AB - The use of dissipative self-assembly driven by chemical reaction networks for the
creation of unique structures is gaining in popularity. In dissipative self
assembly, precursors are converted into self-assembling building blocks by the
conversion of a source of energy, typically a photon or a fuel molecule. The self
assembling building block is intrinsically unstable and spontaneously reverts to
its original precursor, thus giving the building block a limited lifetime. As a
result, its presence is kinetically controlled, which gives the associated
supramolecular material unique properties. For instance, formation and properties
of these materials can be controlled over space and time by the kinetics of the
coupled reaction network, they are autonomously self-healing and they are highly
adaptive to small changes in their environment. By means of an example of a
biological dissipative self-assembled material, the unique concepts at the basis
of these supramolecular materials will be discussed. We then review recent
efforts towards man-made dissipative assembly of structures and how their unique
material properties have been characterized. In order to help further the field,
we close with loosely defined design rules that are at the basis of the discussed
examples.
PMID- 28703818
TI - Evaporation-condensation effects on the thermoelectric performance of PbTe-based
couples.
AB - In thermoelectric (TE) generators, Carnot efficiency maximization, by increasing
the hot side temperature, is required for maximizing the heat to electricity
energy conversion. Yet, volatile species sublimation, apparent in many TE
material classes including tellurides, selenides, sulfides, silicides and more,
limits the hot side temperature to a certain level, depending on the specific
composition. In the current research, the TE performance of a PbTe-based couple
subjected to a large temperature difference of an extreme hot side temperature of
600 degrees C and cold side temperature of 60 degrees C for 456 h was
investigated both experimentally and theoretically and was correlated to
evaporation-condensation effects in the vicinity of the hot-side temperature.
Only moderate degradation of the maximal electrical power and efficiency was
observed showing the promising potential of employing of such couples in
practical TE applications.
PMID- 28703819
TI - Decorating graphene with size-selected few-atom clusters: a novel approach to
investigate graphene-adparticle interactions.
AB - We investigated the interaction between size-selected Au2 and Au3 clusters and
graphene. Hereto preformed clusters are deposited on graphene field-effect
transistors, a novel approach which offers a high control over the number of
atoms per cluster, the deposition energy and the deposited density. The induced p
doping and charge carrier scattering indicate that a major part of the deposited
clusters remains on the graphene flake as either individual or sub-nm coalesced
entities. This is independently confirmed by scanning electron microscopy on the
same devices after current annealing. Our novel approach provides perspectives
for the electronic sensing of metallic clusters down to their atom-by-atom size
specific properties, and exploiting the tunability of clusters for tailoring
desired properties in graphene.
PMID- 28703820
TI - Liquid like nucleation in free-standing nanoscale films.
AB - The concept of a critical nucleus size (r*) is of pivotal importance in phase
transformations involving nucleation and growth. The current investigation
pertains to crystallization in nanoscale thin films and study of the same using
high resolution lattice fringe imaging (HRLFI) and finite element simulations.
Using the CuZrAl bulk metallic glass system as a model system for this study, we
demonstrate a liquid like nucleation behaviour in nanoscale free-standing films
upon heating. The r* for the formation of the Cu10Zr7 phase in thin films (of
decreasing thickness) approaches that of the r* for the formation of the crystal
from a liquid (i.e.). Working in the nucleation dominant regime, we introduce the
concept of 'depth sensitive lattice fringe imaging'. The thickness of the film is
determined by electron energy loss spectroscopy and the strain energy of the
system is computed using finite element computations.
PMID- 28703821
TI - On the metastability of doubly charged homonuclear diatomics.
AB - Generalized valence bond (GVB) and spin-coupled (SC) calculations were used in
conjunction with the generalized product function energy partitioning (GPF-EP)
method to describe the origin of metastability in doubly charged homonuclear
dications. A model to describe the formation of metastable potential wells based
on interference and quasi-classical effects is presented. The GPF-EP picture of
dications is the result of polarization-aided strong covalent bonding surpassing
Coulomb electrostatic repulsion. Important differences in the quasi-classical
density profiles of He22+ and Ne22+ reveal the underlying mechanism that could
lead to bound or unbound states. Finally, the nature of the chemical bond of
N22+, O22+, and F22+ is described. The results suggest that the ground states of
the mentioned dications are bounded and that the depth of the potential wells of
these exotic species is related to the interference effect, in the same way as in
previously studied neutral molecules.
PMID- 28703823
TI - Kinetics study of the CN + CH4 hydrogen abstraction reaction based on a new ab
initio analytical full-dimensional potential energy surface.
AB - We have developed an analytical full-dimensional potential energy surface, named
PES-2017, for the gas-phase hydrogen abstraction reaction between the cyano
radical and methane. This surface is fitted using high-level ab initio
information as input. Using the PES-2017 surface, a kinetics study was performed
via two theoretical approaches: variational transition-state theory with
multidimensional tunnelling (VTST-MT) and ring polymer molecular dynamics (RPMD).
The results are compared with the experimental data. In the whole temperature
range analysed, 300-1500 K, both theories agree within a factor of <2,
reproducing the experimental behaviour taking into account the experimental
uncertainties. At high temperatures, where the recrossing effects dominate and
the RPMD theory is exact, both theories differ by a factor of about 20%; while at
low temperatures this difference is larger, 45%. Note that in this temperature
regime, the tunnelling effect is negligible. The CN + CH4/CD4 kinetic isotope
effects are important, reproducing the scarce experimental evidence. The good
agreement with the ab initio information used in the fitting process (self
consistency test) and with the kinetic behaviour in a wide temperature range
gives confidence and strength to the new surface.
PMID- 28703822
TI - Spatiotemporal presentation of exogenous SDF-1 with PLGA nanoparticles modulates
SDF-1/CXCR4 signaling axis in the rodent cortex.
AB - Stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) and its key receptor CXCR4 have been
implicated in directing cellular recruitment for several pathological/disease
conditions thus also gained considerable attention for regenerative medicine. One
regenerative approach includes sustained release of SDF-1 to stimulate prolonged
stem cell recruitment. However, the impact of SDF-1 sustained release on the
endogenous SDF-1/CXCR4 signaling axis is largely unknown as auto-regulatory
mechanisms typically dictate cytokine/receptor signaling. We hypothesize that
spatiotemporal presentation of exogenous SDF-1 is a key factor in achieving long
term manipulation of endogenous SDF-1/CXCR4 signaling. Here in the present study,
we sought to probe our hypothesis using a transgenic mouse model to contrast the
spatial activation of endogenous SDF-1 and CXCR4 in response to exogenous SDF-1
injected in bolus or controlled release (PLGA nanoparticles) form in the adult
rodent cortex. Our data suggests that the manner of SDF-1 presentation
significantly affected initial CXCR4 cellular activation/recruitment despite
having similar protein payloads over the first 24 h (~30 ng for both bolus and
sustained release groups). Yet, one week post-injection, this response was
negligible. Therefore, the transient nature CXCR4 recruitment/activation in
response to bolus or controlled release SDF-1 indicated that cytokine/receptor
auto-regulatory mechanisms may demand more complex release profiles (i.e. delayed
and/or pulsed release) to achieve sustained cellular response.
PMID- 28703824
TI - Chromatographic and mass spectrometry analysis of wheat flour prolamins, the
causative compounds of celiac disease.
AB - Immunogenic gluten peptides trigger Celiac Disease (CD), an adaptive immune
response in genetically predisposed individuals. Given the structural similarity
between all gluten proteins their individual CD influence is not clear. Hence,
the extraction, separation and characterization of wheat gluten proteins have
become relevant to measure their individual potential immunoreactivity. Wheat
proteins were extracted from commercial wheat flour and further isolated by
preparative HPLC. The resulting richest gliadin sub-fractions were characterized
by nano-LC-MS/MS following a shotgun proteomic approach in order to identify the
prolamins in the original commercial wheat flour. It was found that the gliadin
extract was additionally composed of glutenins and avenin-like proteins. Accurate
prolamin identification has emerged as a need to delve deep into the influence of
each fraction on the onset of celiac disease. After protein characterization, the
immunoreactivity towards the main epitope related to CD was verified by ELISA and
western blotting for several different gluten fractions.
PMID- 28703825
TI - Evaluation of DFO-HOPO as an octadentate chelator for zirconium-89.
AB - The future of 89Zr-based immuno-PET is reliant upon the development of new
chelators with improved stability compared to the currently used deferoxamine
(DFO). Herein, we report the evaluation of the octadentate molecule DFO-HOPO (3)
as a suitable chelator for 89Zr and a more stable alternative to DFO. The
molecule showed good potential for the future development of a DFO-HOPO-based
bifunctional chelator (BFC) for the radiolabelling of biomolecules with 89Zr.
This work broadens the selection of available chelators for 89Zr in search of
improved successors to DFO for clinical 89Zr-immuno-PET.
PMID- 28703826
TI - Synthesis of carbonylated heteroaromatic compounds via visible-light-driven
intramolecular decarboxylative cyclization of o-alkynylated carboxylic acids.
AB - An efficient strategy for the easy access to carbonylated heteroaromatic
compounds has been developed via a visible-light-promoted intramolecular
decarboxylative cyclization reaction of o-alkynylated carboxylic acids. This
method is characterized by its benign conditions and the tolerance to a wide
range of functionalities.
PMID- 28703827
TI - Palladium(ii) in liquid ammonia: an investigation of structural and dynamical
properties by applying quantum mechanical charge field molecular dynamics (QMCF
MD).
AB - The structural and dynamical properties of Pd2+ in liquid ammonia have been
investigated via quantum mechanical charge field molecular dynamics. Similar to
the case of aqueous Pd2+, a six-fold coordination polyhedron in the form of a
tetrahedrally elongated octahedron is observed with two ligands in axial
positions forming an extended first shell. To highlight the difference in
solvation between the aqueous and ammonia case a selection based on the angular
radial distribution with respect to the well-known square planar motif was
applied also providing a detailed understanding of ligand exchange between the
extended first and second shells. All structural properties resulting from this
investigation compare well with the available solid-state data of various N
containing complexes. From the dynamical perspective, Pd2+ in liquid ammonia
forms a more flexible complex with a higher rate of ligand exchange than that of
its aqueous counterpart.
PMID- 28703828
TI - Quantifying reaction kinetics of the non-enzymatic decarboxylation of pyruvate
and production of peroxymonocarbonate with hyperpolarized 13C-NMR.
AB - The transient nature of intermediate states in chemical reactions has made their
detailed investigation difficult. In this study, we demonstrate the utility of
hyperpolarized 13C-NMR to directly observe and quantify the kinetics of the
intermediate compound in the non-enzymatic decarboxylation of pyruvate via H2O2
with time resolutions of <1 s. Reactants were sequentially added to a reaction
vessel within a 9.4 T NMR magnet while continuously acquiring spectra with a low
flip angle, producing the first direct observation at room temperature of the
previously proposed reaction intermediate, 2-hydroperoxy-2-hydroxypropanoate. We
also performed a series of NMR experiments to determine the identity of a
previously unidentified peak, which was found to be peroxymonocarbonate, the
product of the side reaction between HCO3-/CO2 and H2O2/OOH-. Using the
information obtained from these experiments, we developed a kinetic model which
fully describes the mechanism of reaction and can be fit to experimental data to
simultaneously determine multiple kinetic rate constants over several orders of
magnitude. We also discuss the application of this reaction to the production of
hyperpolarized bicarbonate for pH imaging experiments. This study presents a
template for the use of hyperpolarized 13C-NMR to study the kinetics and reaction
mechanisms of innumerable organic reactions which involve polarizable substrates.
PMID- 28703829
TI - Enhancement of the solubility and antioxidant capacity of alpha-linolenic acid
using an oil in water microemulsion.
AB - The applications of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) in the food industry are
restricted due to its poor water solubility and antioxidant stability. This study
concentrates on developing an ALA-loaded microemulsion (ALA-ME) to enhance its
solubility and antioxidant capacity. The formulation of the microemulsion was
investigated based on pseudoternary phase diagrams. The ALA-ME was characterized
by using electrical conductivity, viscosity and transmission electron microscopy
(TEM). The microstructure of the ALA-ME was probed using nuclear magnetic
resonance (1H-NMR). The results proved that ALA-ME consisted of spheroidal
droplets with 20-40 nm diameter. A structural transformation from water in oil
(W/O) to oil in water (O/W) occurred, as seen from the electrical conductivity
determination. The 1H-NMR results revealed a transition of the ALA position
encapsulated from the core area of the microemulsion to the lipophilic layer of
the surfactant. Furthermore, two microstructural models of ALA-ME were proposed.
The antioxidant evaluation demonstrated that the ALA antioxidant capacity in
microemulsions was enhanced to about 80% compared with that of ALA in oil
solution.
PMID- 28703830
TI - Rapid real-time recirculating PCR using localized surface plasmon resonance
(LSPR) and piezo-electric pumping.
AB - Rapid detection and characterization of pathogens in patients with bloodstream
infections (BSIs) is a persistent problem for modern medicine, as current
techniques are slow or provide incomplete diagnostic information. Real-time
polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) allows specific detection of a wide range of
targets and quantification of pathogenic burdens to aid in treatment planning.
However, new technological advances are required for a rapid and multiplex
implementation of qPCR in clinical applications. In this paper, the feasibility
of a novel microfluidic platform for qPCR is presented, integrating highly
sensitive, label-free localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) imaging of DNA
hybridization into a recirculating chip design for real-time analysis. Single
target and multiplex detection of DNA target amplification are demonstrated, with
a limit of detection of 5 fg MUL-1 of E. coli DNA for single target PCR,
correlating with approximately 300 bacteria per mL. The results of this study
demonstrate the potential of this platform for simultaneous real-time detection
of multiple target genes within 15 minutes that could provide live saving
benefits in patients with BSIs.
PMID- 28703831
TI - Energetics and the molecular structure of an ion-paired supramolecular system in
water.
AB - The forces that bind the components of a host-guest complex to generate a stable
supramolecular system are noncovalent interactions. The enthalpy of this
association, DeltaasH degrees , usually measured using calorimetry, quantifies
the magnitude of such interactions and is directly related to the stability of
the supramolecular complex formed. Using Calvet calorimetry to determine the
enthalpies of solution and reaction in water, the enthalpy of association was
derived for a supramolecular system formed by the anionic macrocycle anti
disulfodibenzo[24]crown-8 ([DSDB24C8]2-) and the dicationic guest paraquat
[PQT]2+. The calorimetric results show an exothermic association process, which
indicates the generation of strong interactions between the components of the ion
pair. This is consistent with the formation of a stable supramolecular complex
[PQT][DSDB24C8], whose spatial arrangement in aqueous solution is proposed based
on spectroscopic analysis.
PMID- 28703832
TI - Protective vascular effects of quercitrin in acute TNBS-colitis in rats: the role
of nitric oxide.
AB - Quercitrin (quercetin 3-rhamnoside) is a bioflavonoid with anti-inflammatory
activity in experimental colitis. Several studies have suggested that vascular
injury might be a primary process in Crohn's disease, but there is no information
about the function of the mesenteric bed in the experimental models of colitis.
The aims of this study were to analyse whether the reactivity to vasoconstrictor
agents is altered in the mesenteric vascular bed from animals with colitis
induced by administration of trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS) in the early
stages of this pathology, and to determine the effects of quercitrin on such
vascular alterations. Contraction of mesenteric beds produced by vasoconstrictor
agents such as noradrenaline and KCl is reduced in rats in the early stages of
experimental TNBS-induced colitis. This alteration was partially reverted by non
selective nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibition with N-nitro-l-arginine
methylester, and enhanced by non-selective cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibition with
indomethacin. However, the endothelium-dependent relaxant responses to
acetylcholine were not significantly altered. iNOS, COX-2, NOX-1, tumor necrosis
factor alpha (TNFalpha) and interleukin 1beta (IL1beta) expressions were higher
in the mesenteric arteries from TNBS-treated rats, without changes in both eNOS
expression and eNOS-Ser1177 phosphorylation. The in vivo pre-treatment with 5 mg
kg-1 of the flavonoid quercitrin reverts both the early hyporesponse of
mesenteric arteries to noradrenaline and the up-regulation of iNOS, COX2, NOX1,
TNFalpha and IL1beta in colitic rats. In conclusion, quercitrin improves the
impaired mesenteric vascular reactivity in the acute phase of this colitis model,
at least in part by reducing NO overproduction from iNOS.
PMID- 28703833
TI - Nanoparticle cellular uptake by dendritic wedge peptides: achieving single
peptide facilitated delivery.
AB - Significant efforts are being undertaken to optimize the cargo carrying capacity
and especially the cellular delivery efficiency of functionalized nanoparticles
for applications in biological research and pharmacological delivery. One
approach to increasing nanoparticle surface cargo display capacity is to decrease
the number of moieties required for mediating cellular delivery by improving
their efficiency. We describe a series of multivalent cell penetrating peptide
(CPP) dendrimers that facilitate rapid cellular delivery of prototypical
nanoparticle-semiconductor quantum dots (QDs). The modular CPP dendrimers were
assembled through an innovative convergent oxime ligation strategy between
(Arg9)n motifs and a dendritic QD-coordination scaffold. Dendrimeric peptides
sequentially incorporate a terminal (His)6 motif for metal-affinity QD
coordination, a Pro9 spacer, a branching poly-lysine scaffold, and wedged display
of (Arg9)n binding motifs with n = 1*, 2*, 4*, 8*, 16* multivalency. QD dendrimer
display capacity was estimated using structural simulations and QD-(Arg9)1-16
conjugates characterized by dynamic light scattering along with surface plasmon
resonance-based binding assays to heparan sulfate proteoglycan surfaces. Cellular
uptake via endocytosis was confirmed and peptide delivery kinetics investigated
as a function of QD-(Arg9)1-16 conjugate exposure time and QD assembly ratio
where cellular viability assays reflected no overt cytotoxicity. The ability of
single dendrimer conjugates to facilitate cellular uptake was confirmed for QD
(Arg9)2-16 repeats along with the ability to deliver >850 kDa of protein cargo
per QD. Minimizing the number of CPPs required for cellular uptake is critical
for expanding nanoparticle cargo carrying capacity and can allow for inclusion of
additional sensors, therapeutics and contrast agents on their surface.
PMID- 28703834
TI - Fabrication of nanoporous graphene/polymer composite membranes.
AB - Graphene is currently investigated as a promising membrane material in which
selective pores can be created depending on the requirements of the application.
However, to handle large-area nanoporous graphene a stable support material is
needed. Here, we report on composite membranes consisting of large-area single
layer nanoporous graphene supported by a porous polymer. The fabrication is based
on ion-track nanotechnology with swift heavy ions directly creating atomic pores
in the graphene lattice and damaged tracks in the polymer support. Subsequent
chemical etching converts the latent ion tracks in the supporting polymer foil,
here polyethylene terephthalate (PET), into open microchannels while the
perfectly aligned pores in the graphene top layer remain unaffected. To avoid
unintentional damage creation and delamination of the graphene layer from the
substrate, the graphene is encapsulated by a protecting poly(methyl methacrylate)
(PMMA) layer. By this procedure a stable composite membrane is obtained
consisting of nanoporous graphene (coverage close to 100%) suspended across
selfaligned track-etched microchannels in a polymer support film. Our method
presents a facile way to create high quality suspended graphene of tunable pore
size supported on a flexible porous polymeric support, thus enabling the
development of membranes for fast and selective ultrafiltration separation
processes.
PMID- 28703835
TI - Assembling phosphorene flexagons for 2D electron-density-guided nanopatterning
and nanofabrication.
AB - To build upon the rich structural diversity in the ever-increasing polymorphic
phases of two-dimensional phosphorene, we propose different assembly methods
(namely, the "bottom-up" and "top-down" approaches) that involve four commonly
reported parent phases (i.e. the alpha-, beta-, gamma-, and delta-phosphorene) in
combination with the lately reported remarkably low-energy one-dimensional
defects in alpha-phosphorene. In doing so, we generate various periodically
repeated phosphorene patterns in these so-called phosphorene flexagons and
present their local electron density (via simulated scanning tunneling microscopy
(STM) images). These interesting electron density patterns seen in the flexagons
(mimicking symmetry patterns that one may typically see in a kaleidoscope) may
assist as potential 2D templates where electron-density-guided nanopatterning and
nanofabrication in complex organized nanoarchitectures are important.
PMID- 28703836
TI - Monolithic zirconia and digital impression: case report.
AB - AIMS: The aim of this study is to present a clinical case of a full arch
prosthetic rehabilitation on natural teeth, combining both digital work-flow and
monolithic zirconia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Digital impression was taken with an
intraoral optical scanner (CS3500, Carestream Dental, Atlanta, GA, USA). A
prosthetic rehabilitation was realized on natural teeth using monolithic zirconia
from 1.6 to 1.4 and from 2.7 to 2.4 frameworks, while in the aesthetic area (from
2.3 to 1.3), technicians left on the structure a 0.8 mm vestibular space for
ceramic layering. DISCUSSION: The combination of digital impression technology
and the use of the monolithic zirconia had demonstrated the delivery of the final
prosthetic device in a quick time without the need to remodel functional or
aesthetic areas. The digital work-flow combines intraoral optical impression
techniques and CAD/CAM technology, in order to achieve a fully digital and
successful way to deliver prosthetic restorations to patients, providing
aesthetics and function in shorter intervals of time. The clinical outcome of
this study was satisfactory but a long-term evaluation is needed.
PMID- 28703837
TI - Multiple stab wounds: understanding the manner of death through the psychological
autopsy.
AB - A 48-year-old physical therapist with no history of psychiatric disorders or
suicidal tendencies was found dead by his relatives inside his apartment.
Multiple stab wounds were present on the chest and the abdomen. Several more
superficial cuts were also seen on the neck and the left wrist. At the death
scene, there was a large pool of blood in the room, with secondary droplets and
stains; a kitchen knife was found beside the body, and a suicide note on a table.
Especially the number of wounds raised strong suspicion of a homicide in the
first instance but some circumstances (the farewell letter, the absence of
clothing injuries, no signs of third-party involvement) and autopsy findings
(absence of defense or blunt injuries, the localization of the wounds, the
presence of hesitation marks) pointed toward a suicide etiology. Because of the
many stab injuries and the lack of a psychiatric history, further forensic
investigations were required including a so-called psychological autopsy. This
case report highlights that only a comprehensive interpretation of all the
elements (circumstances, the scene of death, autopsy findings, and psychological
autopsy) can lead to the correct solution of atypical cases of suicide.
PMID- 28703838
TI - Can trans resveratrol plus d-chiro-inositol and myo-inositol improve maternal
metabolic profile in overweight pregnant patients?
AB - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of trans-resveratrol from Polygonum
cuspidatum/magnesium hydroxide complex, trademark Revifast(r), plus D-chiro
inositol (DCI) and Myo-inositol (MI) during spontaneous pregnancies in overweight
patients in a pilot study. STUDY DESIGN: A one-year, prospective, randomized,
double-blinded, placebo-controlled single center clinical study was carried out
on overweight pregnant women. 110 patients were randomized in 3 groups to
receive: Revifast(r) with DCI/MI (group I), DCI/MI alone (group II) or control
group (group III) for 30 and 60 days. The main outcomes were to explore the lipid
profile (total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, TG) and glucose levels, after 30 and 60
days of therapy. RESULTS: No difference in systolic and diastolic parameters
among 3 groups during study. All blood chemistry parameters improved compared to
placebo at 30 days already, but significantly to 60 days, respect placebo. By
comparing the two treatment groups, group I demonstrates significantly improved
lipid and glucose parameters than group II, which are at 30 to 60 days of
treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The supplementation of Trans-resveratrol, Revifast(r) in
addition to DCI/MI in overweight pregnant woman with an elevated fasting glucose
improves glucose levels, Total Cholesterol, LDL and TG.
PMID- 28703839
TI - 2014-2017. How medically assisted reproduction changed in Italy. A short
comparative synthesis with European countries.
AB - More than ten years after law n. 40 of February 19, 2004 became effective,
regulation on medically assisted reproduction has dramatically changed outlook.
The authors report on the steps that led to these changes through Courts'
rulings, the Supreme Court's verdicts and the European Court of Human Rights'
decisions, as well as ministerial regulations and guidelines concerning medically
assisted reproduction. The aforementioned jurisprudential evolution was set to
reach a new balance between the embryo's right to its own dignity and the woman's
right to health and freedom of self-determination in reproduction. No court
ruling denies that embryos have also to be safeguarded. In fact, there are still
numerous prohibitions, including using embryos for experimental purposes. Judges
aim primarily at avoiding that embryos' rights overcome the right to parenthood.
The authors review the legislation of the various European countries: some have
adopted a legislation to regulate medically assisted reproduction, while others
have developed in this field some recommendations or guidelines. This is why they
call for enactment of a European law governing the implementation/operational
methods of medically assisted reproduction in order to avoid the scourge of
procreative tourism to countries that have a more permissive law.
PMID- 28703840
TI - Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaws (MRONJ) and quality of life
evaluation: a pilot study.
AB - BACKGROUND: MRONJ (medication related osteonecrosis of the jaws) is a well-known
side effect of certain drugs, which are used to influence bone metabolism for the
cure of osteo-metabolic or cancer diseases. The aim of this study is to assess
the quality of life (QOL) under a physical and mental point of view in patients
affected by MRONJ compared with the general population. METHODS: The study has
been accomplished through the administration of the SF-12 questionnaire: 30
patients of the MRONJ group were evaluated. RESULTS: Significant differences
based on the level of education and age of the subjects, on the location and
finally on the stage of necrosis of the jaw have been identified. In this pilot
study the test sample shows how MRONJ can aggravate the conditions of patients,
above all under a physical point of view. CONCLUSIONS: Prevention of MRONJ and
its symptoms as dysphagia, oral pain, immunological compromission and the need of
frequent antibiotic therapies is a crucial part of modern oral pathology and
dentistry, above all for oncologic patients who already have a general decrease
of physical and mental activities, leading to a poor quality of life.
PMID- 28703841
TI - Reliability of adapted version of Italian Label tobacco Impact Index for the
adolescent: ALII.
AB - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to assess the reliability of the Adolescent
Label Impact Index (ALII) , it is an adolescent adapted version of Italian LII of
the tobacco products warnings. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A sample including students
aged 13-15 years was considered. The ALII is constructed by 4 items: salience,
harm, quitting and forgo. The questionnaire was self-administered to study
participants twice with 3 days between each administration (T1 and T2) to measure
reliability. The internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha and Corrected Item
Total Correlations (CITC) and the test-retest reliability applying Pearson's
correlation were computed. RESULTS: Cronbach's alpha ranges from 0.625 at T1 to
0.715 at T2. The "salience" resulted the item with the lowest CITC value
(=0.281). The Pearson's coefficient was r=0.909 (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The
instruments is low in cost and easy to administer and analyses in a setting
people aged 13-15 years. The ALII shown an acceptable consistency and excellent
stability over time. However, attention has to be paid when the ALII is
administered to the no smoking teens and who has never seen the tobacco product
labels to allow an appropriate interpretation of the data collected.
PMID- 28703842
TI - The neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio in children with atopic dermatitis: a case
control study.
AB - BACKGROUND: Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio(NLR) is a novel marker for the evaluation
of inflammation and has not been evaluated previously in patients with AD.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between NLR and the clinical findings
of AD. METHODS: Sixty-six children with AD were included in the study.The control
group was included 66 children who have no allergic and chronic diseases.The
immunoglobulin(Ig)E levels and complete blood count were measured. Skin prick
tests were performed using the same antigens for all patients. RESULTS: NLR was
not significant between the patient and control groups (p>0.05).The patients with
AD were divided into 3 groups according to their SCORAD score as mild, moderate
and severe AD.No statistically significant difference was present between groups
in terms of demographic and clinical characteristics,eosinohil-lymphocyte
ratio,eosinophil-neutrophil ratio,the percentage of eosinophil, IgE,the
sensitivity of skin tests(p>0.05). However,NLR and sensitivity to house dust mite
were significantly different among groups(respectively,p=0.037,p:0.043).SCORAD
scores were weak positively correlated with NLR levels,eosinophil-lymphocyte
ratio and the sensitivity of house dust mite
(respectively,r:0.329;p:0.007,r:0.264;p:00035,r:0.325;p:0.008). CONCLUSIONS: We
didn't found significant difference in term of mean NLR betweeen patients with AD
and control group. NLR was found significantly higher in severe AD patients than
mild AD patients.The house dust mite sensitivity, eosinohil-lymphocyte ratio and
NLR were correlated with AD severity.
PMID- 28703843
TI - Infections in hospital departments. What is Hospital Responsibility?
AB - Infections in hospitals still have a high incidence and many of them could be
avoided through better welfare standards. To try to overcome them, a strategy
based on prevention is needed, but cleaning, disinfection and sterilization
procedures are also a key tool. It is important to provide for all healthcare
professionals a constant update and the creation of protocols that take into
account the technical, scientific and economic aspects, but also specific
operational needs, so that the proposed solutions can be applied in daily
routines. The authors outline the mandatory duties to the doctors and hospital
and underline the need to document in the clinical record the treatments
performed. In case of infections occurred in hospital environment, the patient
must demonstrate the guilty nature of the hospital's conduct, the existence of a
harm and the causal connection. The hospital must demonstrate that asepsis
measures were adopted according to the actual scientific knowledge and they must
cover not only the treatment but also the diagnosis, all the activities prior to
surgery and the postoperative phase. The sentences examined show that hospitals
can avoid being accused of negligence and imprudence only if they can prove that
they have implemented all prophylaxis measures contained in the guidelines and
protocols. They must demonstrate that the infection was caused by an
unforeseeable event. While some initiatives to improve the quality of hospital
care have already allowed a decrease in the incidence and cost of these
infections, much remains to be done.
PMID- 28703844
TI - [Risk factors' analysis of transient and permanent hypoparathyroidism after
thyroidectomy].
AB - AIMS: This review evaluates those main risk factors that can affect patients
undergoing thyroidectomy, to reach a better pre- and post-operative management of
transient and permanent hypoparathyroidism. DISCUSSION: The transient
hypoparathyroidism is a potentially severe complication of thyroidectomy,
including a wide range of signs and symptoms that persists for a few weeks. The
definitive hypoparathyroidism occurs when a medical treatment is necessary over
12 months. Risk factors that may influence the onset of this condition after
thyroidectomy include: pre- and post-operative biochemical factors, such as serum
calcium levels, vitamin D blood concentrations and intact PTH. Other involved
factors could be summarized as follow: female sex, Graves' or thyroid neoplastic
diseases, surgeon's dexterity and surgical technique. The medical treatment
includes the administration of calcium, vitamin D and magnesium sometimes.
CONCLUSIONS: Although biological and biochemical factors could be related to
iatrogenic hypoparathyroidism, the surgeon's experience and the used surgical
technique still maintain a crucial role in the aetiology of this important
complication.
PMID- 28703845
TI - The value of dual-source multidetector-row computed tomography in determining
pulmonary blood supply in patients with pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal
defect.
AB - BACKGROUND: Primary evaluation of patients with pulmonary atresia with
ventricular septal defect (PA-VSD) traditionally relies upon echocardiography and
conventional cardiac angiography (CCA). Cardiac angiography is considered the
gold standard for delineation of anatomy in children with PA-VSD. Data comparing
CCA and dual-source multidetector-row computed tomography angiography (MDCT) in
PA-VSD patients is limited. The objective of this study was to test the
hypothesis that MDCT is equivalent to CCA for anatomic delineation in these
patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-eight patients with PA-VSD underwent CCA
and MDCT in close proximity to each other without interval therapy. A
retrospective review of these 28 patients was performed. All MDCT data of
pulmonary artery morphology, major aortopulmonary collateral arteries (MAPCAs)
and type of blood supply (dual vs. single supply) were evaluated by blinded
experts and results were compared with CCA. RESULTS: Twenty-eight patients had
adequate size right and left pulmonary arteries (21 confluent and 7 non
confluent). Seven patients had complete absence of native pulmonary artery and 3
patients had stenosis of distal branches of pulmonary arteries; all had MAPCAs
from descending thoracic aorta and/or subclavian arteries. Sensitivity,
specificity, positive and negative predictive value of MDCT for detecting
confluent of pulmonary arteries, absence of native pulmonary artery and stenosis
of pulmonary arteries were all 100%. Moreover, accuracy of detecting MAPCAs was
excellent. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that MDCT and CCA are equivalent in
their ability to delineate pulmonary artery anatomy and MAPCAs. Dual source MDCT
provides high diagnostic accuracy in evaluation of pulmonary blood supply in
patients with PA-VSD and allows precise characterisation of the condition of
pulmonary arteries and MAPCAs which is of paramount importance in managing
patients with PA-VSD. (Folia Morphol 2018; 77, 1: 116-122).
PMID- 28703846
TI - Protective effect of garlic extract against maternal and foetal cerebellar damage
induced by lead administration during pregnancy in rats.
AB - BACKGROUND: In spite of its industrial usefulness and varied daily uses, lead
(Pb) pollution is a widespread ecological problem that faces the humans in the
21th century. Pb was found to produces a wide range of toxic effects including
neurotoxicity especially to the developing and young offspring. Recently, the
utilisation of herbal plants has received a significant attention where there has
been rising awareness in their therapeutic use; among these is the garlic. In
light of the above, the current study is designed experimentally in female
pregnant rats in order to investigate the beneficial role of garlic extract in
the protection from the maternal and foetal cerebellar damage produced by
administration of different doses of Pb during pregnancy. MATERIALS AND METHODS:
Positively pregnant female rats were divided into five groups; one control group,
two Pb-treated groups (exposed to 160 and 320 mg/kg b.w. of Pb, respectively) and
two groups treated with both Pb and garlic (exposed to Pb as previous groups
together with 250 mg/kg b.w./day of garlic extract). Treatments started from day
1 to day 20 of pregnancy, where the mother rats of different experimental groups
were sacrificed to obtain the foetuses. Pb level in the maternal and foetal blood
and cerebellum was estimated by spectrophotometry. Specimens of the cerebellum of
different mother and foetal groups were processed to histological and
immunohistochemical staining for microscopic examination. RESULTS: The results
showed that administration of Pb to pregnant rats resulted in a dose-dependent
toxicity for both mothers and foetuses in the form of decrease in maternal weight
gain, placental and foetal weights, brain weight and diminished foetal growth
parameters, which were prominent in rat's group treated with larger dose of Pb.
In Pb-treated rats, Pb level in blood and cerebellum was high when compared with
the control group. The histopathological examination of the cerebellum of treated
dams and foetuses showed marked alterations mainly in the form of Purkinje cell
degeneration and lack of development of foetal cerebellum. Co-treatment of garlic
extract along with Pb resulted in a significant decrease in Pb levels as compared
with those treated with Pb alone with improvement of the histopathological
changes. CONCLUSIONS: This study was useful in evaluating the hazardous effects
of uncontrolled use of Pb in general and in assessing the developmental and
neurotoxicity of foetuses due to exposure during pregnancy in particular. Co
administration of garlic has beneficial effects in amelioration of Pb-induced
neurotoxicity and reversing the histopathological changes of the cerebellum of
mother rats and foetuses. (Folia Morphol 2018; 77, 1: 1-15).
PMID- 28703847
TI - Variability and constraint of vertebral formulae and proportions in colugos, tree
shrews, and rodents, with special reference to vertebral modification by
aerodynamic adaptation.
AB - BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study is to provide the first large data set
on vertebral formulae and proportions, and examine their relationship with
different locomotive modes in colugos (Dermoptera), tree shrews (Scandentia), and
rodents (Rodentia), which have been considered less variable because they were
thought to have a plesiomorphic number of 19 thoracolumbar vertebrae. MATERIALS
AND METHODS: The data included 33 colugos and 112 tree shrews, which are
phylogenetically sister taxa, and 288 additional skeletons from 29 other
mammalian species adapted to different locomotive modes, flying, gliding,
arboreal, terrestrial, digging, and semi-aquatic habitats. RESULTS: The following
results were obtained: (1) intra-/interspecies variability and geographical
variation in thoracic, lumbar, and thoracolumbar counts were present in two
gliding colugo species and 12 terrestrial/arboreal tree shrew species; (2) in our
examined mammals, some aerodynamic mammals, such as colugos, southern flying
squirrels, scaly-tailed squirrels, and bats, showed exceptionally high amounts of
intraspecific variation of thoracic, lumbar, and thoracolumbar counts, and sugar
gliders and some semi-aquatic rodents also showed some variation; (3) longer
thoracic and shorter lumbar vertebrae were typically shared traits among the
examined mammals, except for flying squirrels (Pteromyini) and scaly-tailed
squirrels (Anomaluridae). CONCLUSIONS: Our study reveals that aerodynamic
adaptation could potentially lead to strong selection and modification of
vertebral formulae and/or proportions based on locomotive mode despite
evolutionary and developmental constraints. (Folia Morphol 2018; 77, 1: 44-56)
Background: The aim of the present study is to provide the first large data set
on vertebral formulae and proportions, and examine their relationship with
different locomotive modes in colugos (Dermoptera), tree shrews (Scandentia), and
rodents (Rodentia), which have been considered less variable because they were
thought to have a plesiomorphic number of 19 thoracolumbar vertebrae. MATERIALS
AND METHODS: The data included 33 colugos and 112 tree shrews, which are
phylogenetically sister taxa, and 288 additional skeletons from 29 other
mammalian species adapted to different locomotive modes, flying, gliding,
arboreal, terrestrial, digging, and semi-aquatic habitats. RESULTS: The following
results were obtained: (1) intra-/interspecies variability and geographical
variation in thoracic, lumbar, and thoracolumbar counts were present in two
gliding colugo species and 12 terrestrial/arboreal tree shrew species; (2) in our
examined mammals, some aerodynamic mammals, such as colugos, southern flying
squirrels, scaly-tailed squirrels, and bats, showed exceptionally high amounts of
intraspecific variation of thoracic, lumbar, and thoracolumbar counts, and sugar
gliders and some semi-aquatic rodents also showed some variation; (3) longer
thoracic and shorter lumbar vertebrae were typically shared traits among the
examined mammals, except for flying squirrels (Pteromyini) and scaly-tailed
squirrels (Anomaluridae). CONCLUSIONS: Our study reveals that aerodynamic
adaptation could potentially lead to strong selection and modification of
vertebral formulae and/or proportions based on locomotive mode despite
evolutionary and developmental constraints. (Folia Morphol 2018; 77, 1: 44-56).
PMID- 28703848
TI - Distal root curvatures in mandibular molars: analysis using digital panoramic X
rays.
AB - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to describe the degree of curvature in
distal roots in the first and second permanent mandibular molars in a Chilean
patient sample. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in which
digital panoramic X-rays were analysed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Examinations of
patients under 18 years, with signs of distortion or alteration in the contrast
or the presence of pathologies that affected visualisation of the roots and pulp
chamber floor of the teeth to be analysed were excluded. Using the AutoCad
software, an angle was drawn to represent the curve of the root in its different
thirds, drawing lines inside the root canal from the pulp-chamber floor to the
dental apex. Using the classic definition of dilaceration (root curvature > 90
degrees ), its prevalence was established. 412 teeth and roots were analysed,
finding a dilaceration prevalence of 0.73% (n = 3). 84.72% of the roots presented
some type of curvature. RESULTS: The middle third had the highest percentage of
curvatures and the greatest average of angular curvature, whereas the cervical
third was the straightest. No significant differences were found between the
degree of curvature and the gender of the subjects, except for the apical third
of tooth 3.6. The analysis of curvature by root third offers to the clinician a
better perspective of the directional change of the roots and does not limit it
to just the presence of curves in the apical third. CONCLUSIONS: The report of
the angular degree of the curvatures, in addition to the prevalence of
dilacerations, informs to the clinicians about the likelihood of finding
difficulties when treating root canals. (Folia Morphol 2018; 77, 1: 131-137).
PMID- 28703849
TI - The supreme turbinate and the drainage of the posterior ethmoids: a computed
tomographic study.
AB - BACKGROUND: It is generally acknowledged that the posterior ethmoidal cells drain
under the superior nasal turbinate (SorNT) or, rarely, under the supreme nasal
turbinate (SmeNT), and the sphenoid ostium (SO) opens to the sphenoethmoidal
recess. However, detailed relations between these structures are variable,
complex and still not clear. There is no reliable data on the prevalence of SmeNT
and drainage of the posterior ethmoidal cells under this structure. The aim of
this study was to re-evaluate the anatomy of the aforementioned region. MATERIALS
AND METHODS: Multiplanar and three-dimensional reconstruction analysis of 100
thin slice paranasal sinus computed tomography scans. RESULTS: SmeNT was
identified in 77 subjects (136 sides). It formed the ostium to the posterior
ethmoidal cell adjacent to the skull base or orbit in 58 subjects (91 sides).
This cell drained independently from the remaining posterior ethmoidal cells. The
sphenoethmoidal (Onodi) cell drained to supreme meatus in 41 subjects (54 sides),
and to superior meatus in 37 subjects (49 sides). SO was always located medial to
the posteroinferior attachment of SmeNT, or SorNT (in absence of SmeNT).
CONCLUSIONS: Patients with divergent drainage of the posterior ethmoids (with
posterior ethmoidal cell draining to the supreme meatus) may require more
extensive surgery to avoid persistence or recurrence of inflammatory disease.
SmeNT is more common than thought, but due to its posterior and superior location
to SorNT, it is rarely seen intraoperatively. If SmeNT is present, SO is always
located medial to its posteroinferior attachment. (Folia Morphol 2018; 77, 1: 110
115).
PMID- 28703850
TI - The size of the foramen ovale regarding to the presence and absence of the
emissary sphenoidal foramen: is there any relationship between them?
AB - BACKGROUND: The study investigates the size of the foramen ovale (FO) in relation
to the presence and absence of the emissary sphenoidal foramen (ESF). Any
possible alteration of the FO size in relation to the ESF (unilateral or
bilateral) presence and absence was also examined. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One
hundred and ninety-five (117 male and 78 female) Greek adult dry skulls were
investigated. RESULTS: The ESF was present in 40% of the skulls (21.5%
bilaterally and 18.5% unilaterally). No statistical significant difference was
detected between ESF presence or absence and its unilateral or bilateral
occurrence. The ESF existence had no relation to the FO size. CONCLUSIONS: The
ESF absence or presence has no effect on FO size. The emissary sphenoidal vein is
an additional venous pathway connecting cavernous sinus with the pterygoid venous
plexus. These findings enhance that the venous plexus of the FO is a constant
trait. The meticulous knowledge of the middle cranial fossa anatomy is of
paramount importance during transovale procedures, as the outcome of cannulation
may be affected by the existence of ESF, the confluence FO-ESF, the existence of
osseous spurs and bridging into the FO. (Folia Morphol 2018; 77, 1: 90-98).
PMID- 28703851
TI - Anatomy and morphometry of the distal gracilis muscle tendon in adults and
foetuses.
AB - Ten human gracilis muscles obtained from adults and ten gracilis muscles
collected from human foetuses between the 15th and 21st week of gestation were
examined. The results of this preparatory study show that the gracilis muscle in
adults is narrow and long - 482 mm on average. The distal tendon of gracilis
muscle is long, 294 mm on average. It can be divided into two sections - external
part, outside the muscle belly, and internal, intramuscular, part. The latter one
is partially covered by muscle fibres and some of it is completely hidden inside
the muscle belly, which is on average 76 mm long. Presence of an intramuscular
part of the distal tendon was also demonstrated in the foetal material. Moreover,
very strong correlations between particular muscle lengths were noted in
foetuses. (Folia Morphol 2018; 77, 1: 138-143).
PMID- 28703852
TI - A rare vascular anomaly in the form of double left brachiocephalic vein detected
incidentally during cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) placement.
AB - The growing number of transvenous cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED)
implantation procedures helps detect rare vascular anomalies. Genetic
disturbances in vascular development can produce systemic vein anomalies,
including the left brachiocephalic vein (BCV). BCV anomalies commonly coexist
with a persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC), detected in 0.3-0.5% of the
general population. The three known anatomical variations of PLSVC are two
variations involving a BCV bridge and the third with BCV agenesis. BCV anomalies
occur in 1% of patients with congenital heart defects, whereas the estimated
proportion of BCV anomalies in the population with no cardiovascular symptoms is
below 0.4%. A rarely observed, and thus rarely reported, BCV variation is a
double left BCV, with the additional vessel typically found inferior and
posterior to the ascending aorta prior to draining into the superior vena cava.
This case report presents a previously unreported variation of double left BCV,
with both vessels coursing parallel to each other, superior to the aortic arch.
(Folia Morphol 2018; 77, 1: 161-165).
PMID- 28703853
TI - Zika, Ebola, and Age: Global and Cellular Aging and Their Catalytic Effect on
These Infections.
PMID- 28703854
TI - Kernel oil content and oil composition in walnut (Juglans regia L.) accessions
from north-eastern Italy.
AB - BACKGROUND: Walnut oil use is currently limited by its poor oxidative stability
due to the high percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Modifying the oil
composition may be a goal in walnut breeding to increase interest in this crop.
Exploring natural variability and identifying the main environmental factors
affecting oil quality are necessary in crop selection. Therefore 190 wild
accessions were collected and evaluated during 2013 and 2014 for oil content and
its fatty acid profile and compared with five commercial cultivars as references.
RESULTS: High variation in kernel oil content and fatty acid composition was
found in the native walnut. Kernel oil content ranged from 54.2 to 72.2% (w/w).
The major fatty acids were linoleic (range 46.9-68.6%), oleic (10.0-25.1%),
linolenic (6.9-17.6%), palmitic (3.9-11.4%) and stearic (1.1-5.2%) acids. Some
accessions had oil with a fatty acid ratio very different from the reference
commercial cultivars, especially the oleic acid/polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)
ratio. A significant linear relationship and positive correlation between the
daily minimum temperature and oleic acid content was observed in the wild
walnuts. CONCLUSION: The wide variation in fatty acid content and composition
allows superior accessions to be selected for diffusion among growers. A suitable
strategy would be to make a selection against PUFA content rather than just for
high oleic acid. In addition, the selected high oleic accessions, before being
utilized per se or as donor parents in breeding programs, have to demonstrate
they are not adversely affected by the environment. (c) 2017 Society of Chemical
Industry.
PMID- 28703855
TI - D antibodies in pregnant women in multiethnic Suriname: the observational RheSuN
study.
AB - BACKGROUND: Maternal antibodies against the D antigen are the most common cause
of severe hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN). In high-income
countries, the risk of D immunization has been reduced by routine antenatal and
postpartum administration of RhIG from 13% to less than 0.5%. In less-resourced
countries, such as Suriname, red blood cell (RBC) antibody screening during
pregnancy and prophylactic RhIG administration are not routine. Accurate data on
D immunization risk is not available. In the RheSuN (Rhesus Surinamese Neonates)
study, the prevalence and the hemolytic potential of maternal D antibodies were
investigated. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A multicenter cross-sectional study in
four major hospitals in Paramaribo, Suriname, covering 90% of approximately
10,000 births yearly in Suriname. Included were D- pregnant women of various
ethnicities seeking routine prenatal care and/or their newborns. RESULTS: D
antibodies were detected in 19 of 214 D- pregnancies (8.9%; 95% confidence
interval, 5.1%-12.7%), in 2.0% of primigravid and 11.7% of multigravid women. The
direct antiglobulin test was positive in 11 of 13 tested D+ newborns.
Determination of D antibody titers and antibody-dependent cell mediated
cytotoxicity (ADCC) assay revealed three newborns at high risk for HDFN (ADCC >
50%). CONCLUSION: D immunization risk in Suriname women is comparable to the pre
anti-D prophylaxis era in high-income countries. Recommended is free-of-charge
routine RBC antibody screening and prophylactic RhIG administration for women at
risk for D antibody formation as part of standard of ante- and postnatal care.
PMID- 28703856
TI - tPA variant tPA-A296-299 Prevents impairment of cerebral autoregulation and
necrosis of hippocampal neurons after stroke by inhibiting upregulation of ET-1.
AB - Tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) is neurotoxic and exacerbates uncoupling
of cerebral blood flow (CBF) and metabolism after stroke, yet it remains the sole
FDA-approved drug for treatment of ischemic stroke. Upregulation of c-Jun
terminal kinase (JNK) after stroke contributes to tPA-mediated impairment of
autoregulation, but the role of endothelin-1 (ET-1) is unknown. Based on the
Glasgow Coma Scale, impaired autoregulation is linked to adverse outcomes after
TBI, but correlation with hippocampal histopathology after stroke has not been
established. We propose that given after stroke, tPA activates N-Methyl-D
Aspartate receptors (NMDA-Rs) and upregulates ET-1 in a JNK dependent manner,
imparing autoregulation and leading to histopathology. After stroke, CBF was
reduced in the hippocampus and reduced further during hypotension, which did not
occur in hypotensive sham pigs, indicating impairment of autoregulation.
Autoregulation and necrosis of hippocampal CA1 and CA3 neurons were further
impaired by tPA, but were preserved by the ET-1 antagonist BQ 123 and tPA-A,296
299 a variant that is fibrinolytic but does not bind to NMDA-Rs. Expression of ET
1 was increased by stroke and potentiated by tPA but returned to sham levels by
tPA-A296-299 and the JNK antagonist SP600125. Results show that JNK releases ET-1
after stroke. Tissue-type plasminogen activator -A296-299 prevents impairment of
cerebral autoregulation and histopathology after stroke by inhibiting
upregulation of ET-1.
PMID- 28703857
TI - Comparison of two external fixator systems for fracture reduction during
minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis in simulated antebrachial fractures.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To compare the Minimally Invasive Reduction Instrumentation System
(MIRIS) to a two-ring circular fixator construct (CFC) for indirect reduction
during minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis. STUDY DESIGN: Cadaveric
antebrachial fracture model. ANIMALS: Ten skeletally mature dog cadavers.
METHODS: Simulated bilateral antebrachial fractures were reduced and stabilized
with the MIRIS on one limb, and a CFC on the contralateral limb, prior to placing
a 10 hole Locking Compression Plate. Time to satisfactory reduction and implant
placement were compared. Difficulty of fracture reduction and plate application
was subjectively scored (1 to 5) for each procedure. Prefracture and
postoperative orthogonal antebrachial radiographs were compared to assess
restoration of radial length and angulation in sagittal and frontal planes. A
paired t test (P <= .05) was used to compare parameters between the two reduction
techniques. RESULTS: Reduction was faster (P = .0191) and plate application was
subjectively easier (P = .047) when using the MIRIS compared to the CFC. There
were no differences in subjective difficulty of reduction or plate application
time between techniques. Mean postoperative radial length was reduced by
approximately 4-mm, and procurvatum were decreased by approximately 7 degrees
compared to prefracture measurements, regardless of reduction technique.
CONCLUSION: The MIRIS allowed for faster fracture reduction, and simplified plate
placement compared to a temporary application of a CFC in our simulated
antebrachial fracture model.
PMID- 28703858
TI - Traction-assisted colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection using the
Mucosectom2 device.
PMID- 28703859
TI - The operational implications of donor behaviors following enrollment in STRIDE
(Strategies to Reduce Iron Deficiency in blood donors).
AB - BACKGROUND: Donor behaviors in STRIDE (Strategies to Reduce Iron Deficiency), a
trial to reduce iron deficiency, were examined. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Six
hundred ninety-two frequent donors were randomized to receive either 19 or 38 mg
iron for 60 days or an educational letter based on their predonation ferritin.
Compliance with assigned pills, response to written recommendations, change in
donation frequency, and future willingness to take iron supplements were
examined. RESULTS: Donors who were randomized to receive iron pills had increased
red blood cell donations and decreased hemoglobin deferrals compared with
controls or with pre-STRIDE donations. Donors who were randomized to receive
educational letters had fewer hemoglobin deferrals compared with controls. Of
those who received a letter advising of low ferritin levels with recommendations
to take iron supplements or delay future donations, 57% reported that they
initiated iron supplementation, which was five times as many as those who
received letters lacking a specific recommendation. The proportion reporting
delayed donation was not statistically different (32% vs. 20%). Of donors who
were assigned pills, 58% reported taking them "frequently," and forgetting was
the primary reason for non-compliance. Approximately 80% of participants
indicated that they would take iron supplements if provided by the center.
CONCLUSIONS: Donors who were assigned iron pills had acceptable compliance,
producing increased red blood cell donations and decreased low hemoglobin
deferrals compared with controls or with pre-STRIDE rates. The majority of donors
assigned to an educational letter took action after receiving a low ferritin
result, with more donors choosing to take iron than delay donation. Providing
donors with information on iron status with personalized recommendations was an
effective alternative to directly providing iron supplements.
PMID- 28703860
TI - Transient hemolysis due to anti-D and anti-A1 produced by engrafted donor's
lymphocytes after allogeneic unmanipulated haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell
transplantation.
AB - BACKGROUND: Development of de novo alloantibodies against recipient's red blood
cell (RBC) antigens by engrafted donor's lymphocytes is a known phenomenon in the
setting of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). This
situation is usually clinically insignificant. We report a case of early
clinically relevant hemolytic anemia in a blood group A1 D+ patient, due to a
limited production of anti-D and anti-A1 produced by nonpreviously sensitized
newly engrafted donor's immune system. CASE REPORT: A 31-year-old Caucasian
woman, blood group A1 , D+, with Hodgkin's lymphoma, received an unmanipulated
haploidentical allogeneic peripheral blood HSCT after a nonmyeloablative
conditioning regimen. Donor blood group was A2 B, D-. The patient had an
uneventful course until Day +34, when she developed clinically significant
hemolytic anemia with a positive direct antiglobulin test. Anti-D and anti-A1
produced by the donor-engrafted lymphocytes were detected both in serum and in
eluate. The hemolysis produced an accelerated group change, turning the patient's
ABO group into A2 B 2 weeks after the detection of the alloantibodies. As the
residual patient's RBCs progressively disappeared, anti-D and anti-A1 production
decreased and were not detected in serum by Day +41. CONCLUSION: This case
illustrates that de novo alloantibody production against ABO and D antigens by
the newly engrafted donor's lymphocytes can occasionally cause clinically
significant anemia. To our knowledge, this is the first case reported of
clinically significant hemolytic anemia due to a transient anti-D anti-A1
alloimmunization after T-cell-repleted haploidentical HSCT.
PMID- 28703861
TI - Platelet storage performance is consistent by donor: a pilot study comparing
"good" and "poor" storing platelets.
AB - BACKGROUND: In retrospective studies, it has been shown that differences in
storage variables of platelet (PLT) concentrates (PCs) are partially donor
dependent. It was our aim to prospectively determine the donor effect on PLT
quality. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Based on quality control data of outdated
apheresis PCs, male donors were selected with at least one PC with a pH value of
more than 7.0 ("good," n = 6) or one PC with a pH value of less than 6.7 ("poor,"
n = 6) on Day 8. These donors donated a PC (Trima Accel, Terumo) and completed a
short questionnaire about their health and lifestyle. PCs were stored for 12 days
and analyzed at regular intervals for in vitro quality. RESULTS: Donor
characteristics were comparable, except that zero of six good and four of six
poor donors reported high blood pressure and/or high cholesterol/fat and/or use
of medicines. Lactate production in good PCs was lower than that in poor PCs
(0.09 +/- 0.03 mmol/day/1011 PLTs vs. 0.13 +/- 0.04 mmol/day/1011 PLTs, p < 0.05)
resulting in a higher pH from Day 5 onward. At the end of storage, the good PCs
showed lower CD62P expression, lower phosphatidylserine exposure, and higher
mitochondrial membrane potential. PLT functional properties were only slightly
different. Despite having lower pH, the poor PCs also fulfilled European
Guidelines during 7-day storage. CONCLUSION: Platelet storage performance is
consistent when donors are dichotomized as having good or poor storing PLTs.
Metabolic differences are perhaps due to different functionality of the
mitochondria. More research is needed to establish the underlying causes and the
implications for donors and blood products.
PMID- 28703862
TI - Addressing the risk of bacterial contamination in platelets: a hospital economic
perspective.
AB - BACKGROUND: Bacterially contaminated platelets (PLTs) remain a serious risk. The
Food and Drug Administration has issued draft guidance recommending hospitals
implement secondary testing or transfuse PLTs that have been treated with
pathogen reduction technology (PRT). The cost implications of these approaches
are not well understood. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We modeled incurred costs when
hospitals acquire, process, and transfuse PLTs that are PRT treated with
INTERCEPT (Cerus Corp.) or secondary tested with the PLT PGD Test (Verax
Biomedical). RESULTS: Hospitals will spend $221.27 (30.0%) more per PRT-treated
apheresis PLT unit administered compared to a Zika-tested apheresis PLT unit that
is irradiated and PGD tested in hospital. This difference is reflected in PRT PLT
units having: 1) a higher hospital purchase price ($100.00 additional charge
compared to an untreated PLT); 2) lower therapeutic effectiveness than untreated
PLTs among hematologic-oncologic patients, which contributes to additional
transfusions ($96.05); or 3) fewer PLT storage days, which contributes to higher
outdating cost from expired PLTs ($67.87). Only a small portion of the
incremental costs for PRT-treated PLTs are offset by costs that may be avoided,
including primary bacterial culture, secondary bacterial testing ($26.65),
hospital irradiation ($8.50), Zika testing ($4.47), and other costs ($3.03).
CONCLUSION: The significantly higher cost of PRT-treated PLTs over PGD-tested
PLTs should interest stakeholders. For hospitals that outdate PLTs, savings
associated with expiration extension to 7 days by adding PGD testing will likely
be substantially greater than the cost of implementing PGD-testing. Our findings
might usefully inform a hospital's decision to select a particular blood safety
approach.
PMID- 28703863
TI - Effect of sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors on impaired ventricular
repolarization in people with Type 2 diabetes.
AB - AIMS: To test the hypothesis that treatment with a sodium-glucose co-transporter
2 inhibitor would reverse ventricular repolarization heterogeneity, a predictor
of cardiovascular mortality, in people with Type 2 diabetes. METHODS: We
retrospectively analysed changes in indices of ventricular repolarization before
and after treatment with a sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitor in 46 people
with Type 2 diabetes. RESULTS: Sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitor
treatment reduced HbA1c concentration [62+/-13 mmol/mol (7.7+/-1.2%) vs 59+/-16
mmol/mol (7.5+/-1.4%)], body weight (77.8+/-13.9 vs 74.7+/-12.5 kg) and systolic
blood pressure (133+/-18 vs 126+/-12 mmHg) in the study participants. Heart rate
and QTc interval were not changed by sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitor
treatment, but QTc dispersion was significantly reduced (median, 48.8 vs 44.2
ms). Sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitor treatment reversed QTc dispersion
more in participants who had larger QTc dispersion before the treatment. Changes
in systolic blood pressure (Spearman's rho= 0.319; P=0.031), but not in HbA1c
concentration, were correlated with changes in QTc dispersion after sodium
glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitor treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest
that sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitor treatment reverses ventricular
repolarization heterogeneity in people with Type 2 diabetes, independently of its
effect on glycaemic control. The favourable effect on ventricular repolarization
heterogeneity could be the mechanism by which empaglifozin reduced cardiovascular
events in a recent study.
PMID- 28703864
TI - Effect of a peptide in cosmetic formulations for hair volume control.
AB - OBJECTIVE: The capacity of hair to absorb water causes changes in its physical
and cosmetic properties under different environmental conditions. Hence, the
control of hair volume in variable relative humidity settings is an important
topic in cosmetics. The behaviour of two types of hair, Caucasian and Asian, was
studied regarding their volume change in different relative humidity conditions.
The ability of a peptide as a hair volume treatment was evaluated in two climate
control formulations. METHODS: Tresses of the two types of hair were tested in
two relative humidity (RH) conditions: (A) variable relative humidity (2 h 40%
RH, followed by 2 h 90% RH and 2 h of 40% RH), and (B) continuous high relative
humidity (90% RH for 6 h). Changes in the hair tress volume were assessed
throughout time. Hair treated with two climate control formulations, with and
without a peptide (KP peptide), were tested under the two relative humidity
conditions. RESULTS: Caucasian hair had a higher change in volume compared to the
Asian hair in variable and high relative humidity conditions. The hair volume
increase when subject to high air humidity, and it was lower with the
incorporation of a peptide into climate control formulations. CONCLUSION:
Caucasian hair showed higher volume than Asian hair when submitted to both
relative humidity conditions. The incorporation of the peptide into the climate
control formulations, a base (mostly composed of water ~ 94%) and an ethanolic,
was found to reduce the volume of Caucasian hair tresses. The presence of the
peptide improved the hair volume change more than 60% in high relative humidity
conditions.
PMID- 28703865
TI - Identification of unique proteomic signatures in allergic and non-allergic skin
disease.
AB - BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis (AD), psoriasis (PS), and contact dermatitis (CD)
are common skin diseases, characterized by barrier disruption and systemic
inflammation, with unique epidermal signatures and common inflammatory pathways
identified by transcriptomic profiling. This study profiled proteomic signatures
in serum from subjects with AD, PS, and CD compared with healthy controls (HC).
OBJECTIVE: Identify unique proteomic signatures to distinguish between
inflammatory diseases with similar epidermal disruption and overlapping
epithelial inflammation. METHODS: Sera from 20 subjects with moderate to severe
AD, 10 subjects with CD, 12 subjects with moderate to severe PS, 10 subjects with
both AD and CD, and 10 HC with no history of skin disease was analysed using high
throughput proteomic analysis that detects expression of 1129 protein targets.
Protein expression was compared between disease and HC, and across diseases for
statistical significance (fold change>=1.5 and false discovery rate<=0.05), to
identify unique proteomic signatures for each disease. RESULTS: Complement C5A
anaphylatoxin (C5A), lipopolysaccharide binding protein (LBP), C-reactive protein
(CRP), ILT-4, C-C motif ligand 18 (PARC), and sialic acid-binding Ig-like lectin
14 (SIG14) were significantly modulated in all three diseases compared with HC.
We identified unique signatures for AD (Immunoglobulin E (IgE), thymus- and
activation-regulated chemokine (TARC) and macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC)), CD
(10 proteins), and PS (kynureninase (KYNU)). Proteomic profiling in subjects with
both AD and CD identified additional dysregulated proteins compared with subjects
with either condition alone, indicating an exacerbated inflammation reaction.
CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Unique sera proteomic signatures may
distinguish between inflammatory skin diseases despite similar epidermal barrier
disruption and epithelial inflammation. This may provide insight into disease
pathogenesis, diagnosis, and therapeutic intervention in difficult-to-treat
subjects.
PMID- 28703866
TI - A Holmium(III)-Based Single-Molecule Magnet with Pentagonal-Bipyramidal Geometry.
AB - The right environment: The remarkable properties of a recently reported
holmium(III)-based single-ion magnet have been ascribed to the hyperfine
interactions with the half-integer nuclear spin in combination with the
pentagonal-bipyramidal coordination environment. These results provide insight
into the complicated magnetic properties of nanosized magnetic materials.
PMID- 28703867
TI - Diabetes and risk of occupational injury: a cohort study.
AB - AIMS: To investigate if diabetes is associated with a higher risk of occupational
(workplace or commuting) injury. METHODS: Medication data from the Finnish
Prescription Register were used to identify diabetes cases in 2004 in a large
employee cohort (the Finnish Public Sector study). These data were linked to
injury records obtained from the Federation of Accident Insurance Institutions. A
total of 1020 diabetes cases (median age 52 years, range 20 to 65 years; 66%
women) and their 5234 age- and sex-matched controls were followed up until 2011.
Sex-stratified Cox proportional hazards models, adjusting for age, occupational
status, obesity and health behaviours, were applied. Because of the small number
of men in the cohort, injury types and locations were only examined among women.
RESULTS: During the median follow-up of 6.7 years, 25% of the participants with
diabetes (n=252) and 20% of those without (n=1051) experienced an occupational
injury. The association between diabetes and injury was stronger in women than
men (P=0.048). Diabetes was associated with a higher risk of workplace (hazard
ratio 1.37, 95% CI 1.11 to 1.69) and commuting (hazard ratio 1.36, 95% CI 1.03 to
1.79) injury in women. With regard to different injury types and locations,
diabetes was associated with bone fractures, dislocations, sprains and strains,
and injuries to upper and lower extremities. In men, there was an association
between insulin-treated diabetes and commuting injury (hazard ratio 3.14, 95% CI
1.52 to 6.49). CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes was associated with workplace and commuting
injuries in women. Men with insulin-treated diabetes had a higher risk of
commuting injuries.
PMID- 28703868
TI - Cardiac vagal tone, a non-invasive measure of parasympathetic tone, is a
clinically relevant tool in Type 1 diabetes mellitus.
AB - AIMS: To compare a novel index of parasympathetic tone, cardiac vagal tone, with
established autonomic variables and to test the hypotheses that (1) cardiac vagal
tone would be associated with established time and frequency domain measures of
heart rate and (2) cardiac vagal tone would be lower in people with Type 1
diabetes than in a matched healthy cohort and lower still in people with
established neuropathy. METHODS: Cardiac vagal tone is a validated
cardiometrically derived index of parasympathetic tone. It is measured using a
standard three-lead electrocardiogram which connects, via Bluetooth, to a
smartphone application. A 5-min resting recording of cardiac vagal tone was
undertaken and observational comparisons were made between 42 people with Type 1
diabetes and peripheral neuropathy and 23 without peripheral neuropathy and 65
healthy people. In those with neuropathy, 24-h heart rate variability values were
compared with cardiac vagal tone. Correlations between cardiac vagal tone and
clinical variables were also made. RESULTS: Cardiac vagal tone was lower in
people with established neuropathy and Type 1 diabetes in comparison with healthy
participants [median (interquartile range) linear vagal scale 3.4 (1.6-5.5 vs 7.0
(5.5-9.6); P < 0.0001]. Cardiac vagal tone was positively associated with time (r
= 0.8, P < 0.0001) and frequency domain markers of heart rate variability (r =
0.75, P < 0.0001), representing established measures of parasympathetic function.
Cardiac vagal tone was negatively associated with age (r=-0.32, P = 0.003),
disease duration (r=-0.43, P < 0.0001) and cardiovascular risk score (r=-0.32, P
= 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac vagal tone represents a convenient, clinically
relevant method of assessing parasympathetic nervous system tone, potentially
facilitating the earlier identification of people with Type 1 diabetes who should
undergo formal autonomic function testing.
PMID- 28703869
TI - Early supported discharge services for people with acute stroke.
AB - BACKGROUND: People with stroke conventionally receive a substantial part of their
rehabilitation in hospital. Services have now been developed that offer people in
hospital an early discharge with rehabilitation at home (early supported
discharge: ESD). OBJECTIVES: To establish if, in comparison with conventional
care, services that offer people in hospital with stroke a policy of early
discharge with rehabilitation provided in the community (ESD) can: 1) accelerate
return home, 2) provide equivalent or better patient and carer outcomes, 3) be
acceptable satisfactory to patients and carers, and 4) have justifiable resource
implications use. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Stroke Group Trials
Register (January 2017), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL
2017, Issue 1) in the Cochrane Library (searched January 2017), MEDLINE in Ovid
(searched January 2017), Embase in Ovid (searched January 2017), CINAHL in EBSCO
(Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature; 1937 to December
2016), and Web of Science (to January 2017). In an effort to identify further
published, unpublished, and ongoing trials we searched six trial registries
(March 2017). We also performed citation tracking of included studies, checked
reference lists of relevant articles, and contacted trialists. SELECTION
CRITERIA: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) recruiting stroke patients in
hospital to receive either conventional care or any service intervention that has
provided rehabilitation and support in a community setting with an aim of
reducing the duration of hospital care. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: The primary
patient outcome was the composite end-point of death or long-term dependency
recorded at the end of scheduled follow-up. Two review authors scrutinised
trials, categorised them on their eligibility and extracted data. Where possible
we sought standardised data from the primary trialists. We analysed the results
for all trials and for subgroups of patients and services, in particular whether
the intervention was provided by a co-ordinated multidisciplinary team (co
ordinated ESD team) or not. We assessed risk of bias for the included trials and
used GRADE to assess the quality of the body of evidence. MAIN RESULTS: We
included 17 trials, recruiting 2422 participants, for which outcome data are
currently available. Participants tended to be a selected elderly group of stroke
survivors with moderate disability. The ESD group showed reductions in the length
of hospital stay equivalent to approximately six days (mean difference (MD) -5.5;
95% confidence interval (CI) -3 to -8 days; P < 0.0001; moderate-grade evidence).
The primary outcome was available for 16 trials (2359 participants). Overall, the
odds ratios (OR) for the outcome of death or dependency at the end of scheduled
follow-up (median 6 months; range 3 to 12) was OR 0.80 (95% CI 0.67 to 0.95, P =
0.01, moderate-grade evidence) which equates to five fewer adverse outcomes per
100 patients receiving ESD. The results for death (16 trials; 2116 participants)
and death or requiring institutional care (12 trials; 1664 participants) were OR
1.04 (95% CI 0.77 to 1.40, P = 0.81, moderate-grade evidence) and OR 0.75 (95% CI
0.59 to 0.96, P = 0.02, moderate-grade evidence), respectively. Small
improvements were also seen in participants' extended activities of daily living
scores (standardised mean difference (SMD) 0.14, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.25, P = 0.01,
low-grade evidence) and satisfaction with services (OR 1.60, 95% CI 1.08 to 2.38,
P = 0.02, low-grade evidence). We saw no clear differences in participants'
activities of daily living scores, patients subjective health status or mood, or
the subjective health status, mood or satisfaction with services of carers. We
found low-quality evidence that the risk of readmission to hospital was similar
in the ESD and conventional care group (OR 1.09, 95% CI 0.79 to 1.51, P = 0.59,
low-grade evidence). The evidence for the apparent benefits were weaker at one-
and five-year follow-up. Estimated costs from six individual trials ranged from
23% lower to 15% greater for the ESD group in comparison to usual care.In a
series of pre-planned analyses, the greatest reductions in death or dependency
were seen in the trials evaluating a co-ordinated ESD team with a suggestion of
poorer results in those services without a co-ordinated team (subgroup
interaction at P = 0.06). Stroke patients with mild to moderate disability at
baseline showed greater reductions in death or dependency than those with more
severe stroke (subgroup interaction at P = 0.04). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS:
Appropriately resourced ESD services with co-ordinated multidisciplinary team
input provided for a selected group of stroke patients can reduce long-term
dependency and admission to institutional care as well as reducing the length of
hospital stay. Results are inconclusive for services without co-ordinated
multidisciplinary team input. We observed no adverse impact on the mood or
subjective health status of patients or carers, nor on readmission to hospital.
PMID- 28703870
TI - A Bulky m-Terphenyl Cyclopentadienyl Ligand and Its Alkali-Metal Complexes.
AB - The synthesis of the new m-terphenyl-substituted cyclopentadienyl ligand
precursor 1-cyclopentadiene-2,6-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)benzene (TerMes CpH) is
described. The synthesis proceeds through the reaction of TerMes Li with
cobaltocenium iodide, followed by oxidation of the intermediate cobalt(I) species
to give the corresponding cyclopentadiene as a mixture of isomers. The
preparation and spectroscopic properties of the alkali-metal salts (Li-Cs) is
described, as well as structural information obtained by X-ray diffraction
studies for the lithium, potassium, and cesium analogues. Crystallographic data
demonstrate the ability of these new ligands to act as monoanionic chelates by
forming metal complexes with Cp-M-Ar bonding environments.
PMID- 28703871
TI - The role of experiential knowledge within attitudes towards genetic carrier
screening: A comparison of people with and without experience of spinal muscular
atrophy.
AB - PURPOSE: Autosomal recessive conditions, while individually rare, are a
significant health burden with limited treatment options. Population carrier
screening has been suggested as a means of tackling them. Little is known,
however, about the attitudes of the general public towards such carrier screening
and still less about the views of people living with candidate genetic diseases.
Here, we focus on the role that such experience has on screening attitudes by
comparing views towards screening of people with and without prior experience of
the monogenetic disorder, Spinal Muscular Atrophy. METHODS: An exploratory
sequential mixed methods design was adopted. In-depth qualitative interviews were
used to develop two surveys. The surveys addressed attitudes towards carrier
screening (pre-conceptual and prenatal) for SMA. PARTICIPANTS: 337 participants
with SMA experience completed the SMA Screening Survey (UK) and 336 participants
with no prior experience of SMA completed the UK GenPop Survey, an amended
version of the SMA Screening Survey (UK). RESULTS: The majority of both cohorts
were in favour of pre-conception and prenatal carrier screening, however people
with experience of type II SMA were least likely to support either. Key
differences emerged around perceptions of SMA, with those without SMA experience
taking a dimmer view of the condition than those with. CONCLUSION: This study
underscores the significance of prior experience with the condition to screening
attitudes. It highlights the need for accurate and high-quality educational
resources to support any future carrier screening programmes, that particularly
in relation to rare genetic disorders like SMA that will fall outside the remit
of everyday experience for the majority of the population.
PMID- 28703872
TI - Lymph node station ratio: Revised nodal category for resected esophageal squamous
cell carcinoma patients.
AB - OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to evaluate a revised nodal category
based on the value of the lymph node (LN) station ratio (SR, metastatic LN
stations/examined LN stations) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC)
patients. METHODS: Data were obtained from 857 ESCC patients who underwent
primary radical esophagectomy. Prognostic performance was evaluated using the
Harrell concordance index (C-index), Akaike information criterion (AIC), and
likelihood ratio chi2 test (LR chi2 test). RESULTS: Each subgroup among the SR
categories demonstrated discriminatory results, whereas no significant survival
difference was observed between the N2 versus N3 classifications under the AJCC
pN system. Using the AJCC TNM staging system, the survival curves separated
between stages IIIA-IIIB and IIIB-IVA. However, when the T-SR-M scheme category
was applied, the survival curves between stages IIA-IIB, IIIA-IIIB, and IIIB-IVA
were significantly different. Furthermore, both the SR category and the T-SR-M
staging system showed superior performance with higher C-index and LR chi2 test
values and lower AIC values compared with the pN category and TNM staging system,
respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Following radical esophagectomy, the SR category
demonstrated superior prognostic ability relative to the AJCC pN category in ESCC
patients.
PMID- 28703873
TI - Cryoballoon ablation in Chinese patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: 1
year follow-up.
AB - OBJECTIVES: We assessed the effectiveness and safety of cryoballoon ablation
(CBA) in the Chinese population with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) with a 1
year follow-up and determined the association of early recurrence of atrial
tachyarrhythmias (ERAT) with late recurrence (LR). METHODS: A total of 114
patients (age 61 +/- 10 years, 78 males) with paroxysmal AF who underwent CBA
were consecutively enrolled. After procedures, patients were observed for 3 days
with continuous electrocardiogram monitoring in the hospital with routine follow
up visits at 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year. Documented atrial tachyarrhythmia
>30 seconds was defined as recurrence. ERAT was defined as any recurrence during
the first 3 months, and LR was recurrence between 3 and 12 months. RESULTS: With
the first 3 months as blanking period, 76% of patients were free of LR at 12
months. Five patients (4%) experienced complications, including phrenic nerve
palsy, stroke, and groin complications. Forty-five percent of patients had ERAT
in the first 3 months and 31% of patients had ERAT in the first 3 days. Patients
with ERAT had higher LR rate (LRR) than those without ERAT (43% vs 8%, P <
0.001). The LRR of patients with ERAT only in the first 3 days was lower than
those with ERAT both in the first 3 days and in 4-90 days (29% vs 64%, P =
0.036). CONCLUSIONS: CBA was an effective and safe treatment option for
paroxysmal AF. Patients with ERAT had higher LRR after CBA of AF. The time when
ERAT occurred had an impact on LRR.
PMID- 28703874
TI - The functional potential and active populations of the pit mud microbiome for the
production of Chinese strong-flavour liquor.
AB - The popular distilled Chinese strong-flavour liquor (CSFL) is produced by solid
fermentation in the ground pit. Microbes inhabiting in the pit mud (PM) on the
walls of the fermentation pit are responsible for the production of caproic acid
(CA) that determines the quality of CSFL to a large degree. However, little is
known about the active microbial populations and metabolic potential of the PM
microbiome. Here, we investigated the overall metabolic features of the PM
microbiome and its active microbial components by combining metagenomics and
MiSeq-sequencing analyses of the 16S rRNA genes from DNA and RNA (cDNA). Results
showed that prokaryotes were predominant populations in the PM microbiome,
accounting for 95.3% of total metagenomic reads, while eukaryotic abundance was
only 1.8%. The dominant prokaryotic phyla were Firmicutes, Euryarchaeota,
Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria, accounting for 48.0%, 19.0%,
13.5%, 2.5% and 2.1% of total metagenomic reads respectively. Most genes encoding
putative metabolic pathways responsible for the putative CA production via chain
elongation pathway were detected. This indicated that the PM microbiome owned
functional potential for synthesizing CA from ethanol or lactate. Some key genes
encoding enzymes involved in hydrogenotrophic and acetoclastic methanogenesis
pathways were detected in the PM metagenome, suggesting the possible occurrence
of interspecies hydrogen transfer between CA-producing bacteria and methanogens.
The 16S rDNA and 16S rRNA profiles showed that the Clostridial cluster IV,
Lactobacillus, Caloramator, Clostridium, Sedimentibacter, Bacteroides and
Porphyromonas were active populations in situ, in which Clostridial cluster IV
and Clostridium were likely involved in the CA production. This study improved
our understandings on the active populations and metabolic pathways of the PM
microbiome involved in the CA synthesis in the CSFL fermentation.
PMID- 28703875
TI - Evaluation of BiliCareTM transcutaneous bilirubin device in Japanese newborns.
AB - BACKGROUND: Non-invasive transcutaneous bilirubin (TcB) monitoring has been
widely used to screen for hyperbilirubinemia. TcB measured using the recently
developed BiliCareTM system, however, has not been fully evaluated. METHODS: One
hundred and seven TcB measurements were obtained from 82 Japanese newborns >=35
weeks' gestational age within 2 weeks after birth. Measurements were taken at the
scaphoid fossa, conchal cavity, and lobe of the ear using BiliCare. BiliCare TcB
were compared with total serum bilirubin (TB) and TcB obtained using another
bilirubinometer (JM-105TM). RESULTS: Transcutaneous bilirubin measured at all
three sites significantly correlated with TB (r = 0.91, 0.93, and 0.93 at the
scaphoid fossa, conchal cavity, and lobe, respectively). The mean differences
were 0.1, -0.3, and 3.6 at the scaphoid fossa, conchal cavity, and lobe,
respectively. BiliCare TcB at the scaphoid fossa significantly correlated with
that using the JM-105 (r = 0.91). The mean difference was 0.0. BiliCare, however,
produced a significantly higher and lower TcB than the JM-105 for TB <7 and >=15
mg/dL, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Transcutaneous bilirubin measurements taken at
the scaphoid fossa or conchal cavity using BiliCare were more reliable than those
at the earlobe. BiliCare TcB differed from those of the JM-105, for TB <7 or >=15
mg/dL.
PMID- 28703876
TI - Foundations of infants' social group evaluations.
AB - Previous research has suggested that infants exhibit a preference for familiar
over unfamiliar social groups (e.g., preferring individuals from their own
language group over individuals from a foreign language group). However, because
past studies often employ forced-choice procedures, it is not clear whether
infants' intergroup preferences are driven by positivity toward members of
familiar groups, negativity toward members of unfamiliar groups, or both. Across
six experiments, we implemented a habituation procedure to independently measure
infants' positive and negative evaluations of speakers of familiar and unfamiliar
languages. We report that by 1 year of age, infants positively evaluate
individuals who speak a familiar language, but do not negatively evaluate
individuals who speak an unfamiliar language (Experiments 1 and 2). Several
experiments rule out lower-level explanations (Experiments 3-6). Together these
data suggest that children's early social group preferences may be shaped by
positive evaluations of familiar group(s), rather than negative evaluations of
unfamiliar groups.
PMID- 28703877
TI - Biochemical and hematological evaluations of black howler monkeys (Alouatta
pigra) in highly degraded landscapes in Mexico.
AB - BACKGROUND: Loss and fragmentation of Neotropical primates' habitat can alter the
health and individual adaptation. Physiological parameters reflect health status
and individuals responses to the habitat conditions. METHODS: We captured six
wild adult females and six adult males of Alouatta pigra to evaluate their
physical condition (body mass, respiratory and heart rate, and rectal
temperature), hematology and blood chemistry on fragmentation habitat condition
at southeastern Mexico. RESULTS: The males weighed more than females, but the
female' temperature, respiratory rate, and heart rate were higher. Low values of
hemoglobin, hematocrit, and red blood cells suggest some degree of anemia in
these howler monkeys. Low levels of the total protein, albumin, albumin/globulin
Ratio, and low levels of blood urea nitrogen suggest that howler monkeys could
have protein and carbohydrate deficiencies. CONCLUSIONS: Howler monkeys living
under the highly degraded conditions at Balancan, Tabasco, could be showing
adaptability by modifying their physiology, hematology, and blood chemistry in
response to the conditions of their fragmented landscape.
PMID- 28703878
TI - Obstetric hemorrhage and safe blood for transfusion in Ethiopia: the challenges
of bridging the gap.
AB - BACKGROUND: Obstetric hemorrhage is a leading cause of maternal death in sub
Saharan Africa, and the shortage of blood for transfusion is a contributory
factor. In Ethiopia, the National Blood Bank Service continues to be confronted
with challenges in its efforts to ensure the availability of blood for health
care facilities. This paper reviews the available data on the contribution of
obstetric hemorrhage to maternal mortality and examines the current status of the
blood supply in Ethiopia. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We reviewed the published
literature and data from the Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Health. To assess the
status of the current blood supply, we applied the five cornerstones of a safe
and effective blood donor service advocated by the World Health Organization.
RESULTS: Our review indicates that there are insufficient national data on the
prevalence of obstetric hemorrhage and the contribution of blood supply shortage
to maternal death. Also, transfusion safety may be compromised by inadequate
testing of donated blood and ineffective hospital transfusion policies.
CONCLUSION: To overcome the shortage of blood to treat obstetric hemorrhage, the
first step is to evaluate the demand and supply gap by acquiring comprehensive
data on the current status of the blood supply and the prevalence of obstetric
hemorrhage in Ethiopia. Subsequent steps would include the implementation of
transfusion policies, the optimization of whole blood collection, ensuring
quality-assured testing of donated blood, and the implementation of transfusion
guidelines for the appropriate use of blood products. Strategies for long-term,
viable solutions to maintain an adequate blood supply should be simultaneously
developed.
PMID- 28703880
TI - Performance of prognostic scores and staging systems in predicting long-term
survival outcomes after surgery for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.
AB - INTRODUCTION: We sought to validate the commonly used prognostic models and
staging systems for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) in a large multi-center
patient cohort. METHODS: The overall (OS) and disease free survival (DFS)
prognostic discriminatory ability of various commonly used models were assessed
in a large retrospective cohort. Harrell's concordance index (c-index) was used
to determine accuracy of model prediction. RESULTS: Among 1054 ICC patients,
median OS was 37.7 months and 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival, were 78.8%, 51.5%, and
39.3%, respectively. Recurrence of disease occurred in 454 (43.0%) patients with
a median DFS of 29.6 months. One-, 3- and 5- year DFS were 64.6%, 46.5 % and
44.4%, respectively. The prognostic models associated with the best OS prediction
were the Wang nomogram (c-index 0.668) and the Nathan staging system (c-index
0.639). No model was proficient in predicting DFS. Only the Wang nomogram
exceeded a c-index of 0.6 for DFS (c-index 0.602). The c-index for the AJCC
staging system was 0.637 for OS and 0.582 for DFS. CONCLUSIONS: While the Wang
nomogram had the best discriminatory ability relative to OS and DFS, no ICC
staging system or nomogram demonstrated excellent prognostic discrimination. The
AJCC staging for ICC performed reasonably, although its overall discrimination
was only modest-to-good.
PMID- 28703879
TI - Precarious maintenance of simple DNA repeats in eukaryotes.
AB - In this review, we discuss how two evolutionarily conserved pathways at the
interface of DNA replication and repair, template switching and break-induced
replication, lead to the deleterious large-scale expansion of trinucleotide DNA
repeats that cause numerous hereditary diseases. We highlight that these
pathways, which originated in prokaryotes, may be subsequently hijacked to
maintain long DNA microsatellites in eukaryotes. We suggest that the negative
mutagenic outcomes of these pathways, exemplified by repeat expansion diseases,
are likely outweighed by their positive role in maintaining functional repetitive
regions of the genome such as telomeres and centromeres.
PMID- 28703881
TI - A novel RUNX2 mutation in exon 8, G462X, in a patient with Cleidocranial
Dysplasia.
AB - To identify a novel mutation of Runx2 gene in Cleidocranial Dysplasia (CCD)
patients and to characterize the functional consequences of this mutation. The
subjects consisted of 12 Korean CCD patients. After oral epithelial cells were
collected using a mouthwash technique, genomic DNA was extracted. Screening for
Runx2 mutation was performed using direct sequencing of polymerase chain reaction
(PCR) products for exons 1-8. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP)
analysis was performed to confirm the novel mutation. For functional studies, we
performed luciferase assay for Runx2 transacting activity, cyclohexamide chase
assay for Runx2 protein stability, real-time PCR for mRNA level of Runx2
downstream bone marker genes, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining assay in
mesenchymal stem cells for osteoblast differentiation. Of the 12 patients, seven
showed Runx2 mutations reported previously and four showed no mutation. A novel
mutation, G462X in exon 8, which was located in the C-terminus of
proline/serine/threonine-rich (PST) domain, was found in one patient. In the
luciferase assay, Runx2 transacting activity was decreased in Runx2-G462X
transfected cells. In the cyclohexamide chase assay, Runx2-G462X mutation reduced
the stability of Runx2 protein. Expression of the bone marker genes (osteocalcin,
ALP, Type I collagen alphaI, matrix metalloproteinase-13, bone sialoprotein, and
osteopontin) decreased in G462X-transfected cells. In the ALP staining assay,
osteoblast differentiation was reduced in Runx2-G462X overexpressed cell. The
G462X mutation might reduce the Runx2 transacting activity, lower the protein
stability, downgrade the expression of bone marker genes, and eventually diminish
osteoblast differentiation in CCD patients.
PMID- 28703882
TI - Centrifugal Lithography: Self-Shaping of Polymer Microstructures Encapsulating
Biopharmaceutics by Centrifuging Polymer Drops.
AB - Polymeric microstructures encapsulating biopharmaceutics must be fabricated in a
controlled environment to preserve the biological activity. There is increasing
demand for simple methods designed to preserve the biological activity by
utilizing the natural properties of polymers. Here, the paper shows that
centrifugal lithography (CL) can be used for the fabrication of such
microstructures in a single centrifugation, by engineering the self-shaping
properties of hyaluronic acid (HA). In this method, HA drops are self-shaped into
hourglass-microstructures to produce two dissolving microneedles (DMN), which
facilitate transdermal delivery via implantation on the skin. In addition,
tuberculin purified protein derivatives are encapsulated into HA DMNs under
refrigerated conditions (4 degrees C) during CL. Therefore, the tuberculin skin
test (TST) with the DMNs indicates minimal damage, as opposed to the case of TST
with traditional hypodermic needles. These findings on the fabrication of
polymeric microstructures with biopharmaceutics may trigger the development of
various biomedical devices and therapies.
PMID- 28703883
TI - Associations between cardiovascular disease and its risk factors with hearing
loss-A cross-sectional analysis.
AB - OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between hearing loss and
cardiovascular disease risk factors. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. METHODS:
Participants were recruited between May 2010 and December 2015 and answered a
health and risk factor questionnaire. Physical and biochemical assessments were
performed. SETTING: A community-based population. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 5107
participants born within the years 1946-1964 enrolled in the Busselton Healthy
Ageing Study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Hearing was assessed behaviourally through
the best ear pure-tone average (500, 1000, 2000, 4000 Hz), low-frequency average
(250, 500, 1000 Hz) and high-frequency average (4000, 8000 Hz). Self-reported
hearing loss, tinnitus and hyperacusis were assessed via questionnaire.
Cardiovascular risk factors were assessed via a patient-completed questionnaire
and objective measurements including blood pressure, body mass index, waist
circumference, lipid profile and glycated haemoglobin. RESULTS: Of the
participants, 54% were female, with the mean age of 58 years (range 45-69 years).
Age, sex and family history of hearing loss were consistently strong determinants
of hearing loss outcomes. After adjusting for these, obesity, current smoking,
peripheral arterial disease and history of cardiovascular disease were
significantly associated with pure-tone, low-frequency and high-frequency hearing
loss. In addition, high blood pressure, triglyceride and glycated haemoglobin
were significantly associated with low-frequency hearing loss. There was a graded
association between hearing loss and Framingham Risk Score for cardiovascular
risk (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Established cardiovascular disease and individual
and combined cardiovascular disease risk factors were found to be associated with
hearing loss. Future research should prospectively investigate whether targeting
cardiovascular disease can prevent hearing loss.
PMID- 28703884
TI - Nasal compliance measurement for diagnosis of idiopathic non-allergic rhinitis: A
prospective case-controlled study of 63 patients.
PMID- 28703885
TI - Use of a 72-cm-long extended bilateral deep inferior epigastric artery perforator
free flap for reconstruction of a lower leg with no suitable recipient vessel
around the injury zone: A case report.
AB - In free-flap reconstruction of the lower extremity, due either to trauma or pre
existing vascular disease, healthy vessels may not be readily available in the
proximity of the defect. A variety of options including a cross-leg free flap,
vein grafts, arteriovenous loops, and "bridging" flaps have been used to address
the issue. The purpose of this report is to present a case in which a 72-cm long
extended bilateral deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEP) free flap
was used for coverage of a 20 * 25 cm soft tissue defect of the lower leg
following a Gustilo grade IIIC fracture in a 29-year-old man. Because usable
recipient vessels were far from the zone of injury, and to avoid complications
accompanying long vein grafts, a long flap was necessary. The exposed tibia
required coverage with a free flap, but peripheral portions of the defect with
exposed muscles could be covered with a skin graft. Thus, a 72 * 12 cm flap was
chosen. The flap was based on both bilateral DIEPs and on the superficial
circumflex iliac artery (SCIA). The flap survived completely with no
complications. After one debulking surgery, the flap and the donor site showed
pleasing cosmesis, and the patient could walk without crutches at 18 months after
the first surgery. In cases where no healthy recipient vessels can be found close
to the defect, we believe that the use of an extended bilateral DIEP flap may be
a feasible option which shortens or precludes vein grafts with no additional flap
donor sites.
PMID- 28703886
TI - Dual energy CT - a possible new method to assess regression of rectal cancers
after neoadjuvant treatment.
AB - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The measurement of tumor regression after neoadjuvant
oncological treatment has gained increasing interest because it has a prognostic
value and because it may influence the method of treatment in rectal cancer. The
assessment of tumor regression remains difficult and inaccurate with existing
methods. Dual Energy Computed Tomography (DECT) enables qualitative tissue
differentiation by simultaneous scanning with different levels of energy. We
aimed to assess the feasibility of DECT in quantifying tumor response to
neoadjuvant therapy in loco-advanced rectal cancer. METHODS: We enrolled 11
patients with histological and MRI verified loco-advanced rectal adenocarcinoma
and followed up on them prospectively. All patients had one DECT scanning before
neoadjuvant treatment and one 12 weeks after using the spectral imaging scan
mode. DECT analyzing tools were used to determine the average quantitative
parameters; effective-Z, water- and iodine-concentration, Dual Energy Index
(DEI), and Dual Energy Ratio (DER). These parameters were compared to the
regression in the resection specimen as measured by the pathologist. RESULTS:
Changes in the quantitative parameters differed significantly after treatment in
comparison with pre-treatment, and the results were different in patients with
different CRT response rates. CONCLUSION: DECT might be helpful in the assessment
of rectal cancer regression grade after neoadjuvant treatment.
PMID- 28703887
TI - Recovery of precious metals from waste streams.
AB - As there is a high potential for microbe-based technologies to bring the recovery
of metals from waste streams to an ecologically friendly and financially
reasonable level, it is worth to invest efforts into the advancement of these
biotechnologies in the future.
PMID- 28703888
TI - Individual and partner's level of occupation and the association with HbA1c
levels in people with Type 2 diabetes mellitus: the Dutch Diabetes Pearl cohort.
AB - AIMS: Individual indicators of socio-economic status have been associated with
glycaemic control in people with Type 2 diabetes, but little is known about the
association between partner's socio-economic status and HbA1c levels. We
therefore examined the cross-sectional association between individual and
partner's level of occupation on HbA1c levels in people with Type 2 diabetes in
the Netherlands. METHODS: We included people with Type 2 diabetes with a partner
who were treated in primary, secondary and tertiary care in the Diabetes Pearl
cohort. Occupational level was classified according to International Standard
Classification of Occupations (ISCO)-08 skill levels. Linear regression analyses
were performed stratified for sex, and corrected for age, recruitment centre and
diabetes medication. RESULTS: In total, 3257 participants (59.8% men, mean 62.2+/
9.4 years) were included. For men, having a partner with an intermediate level of
occupation was associated with lower HbA1c levels [e.g. ISCO level 3: -2 mmol/mol
(95% CI -4;-1) or -0.2% (95% CI -0.4;-0.1)], compared with having a partner of
the highest occupational level (ISCO level 4). In women, having an unemployed
partner was associated with higher HbA1c levels [14 mmol/mol (95% CI 6; 22) or
1.3% (95% CI 0.6; 2.0)], compared with having a partner of the highest
occupational level. CONCLUSIONS: Partner's occupational status provided
additional information on the association between socio-economic status and HbA1c
levels in people with Type 2 diabetes. Women seemed to benefit from a partner
with a higher occupational status, while men seemed to benefit from a partner
with a lower status. Because of the cross-sectional nature of the present study,
more research is necessary to explore this association.
PMID- 28703889
TI - Implementation of a new blood cooler insert and tracking technology with
educational initiatives and its effect on reducing red blood cell wastage.
AB - BACKGROUND: The objective was to report a successful implementation of a blood
cooler insert and tracking technology with educational initiatives and its effect
on reducing red blood cell (RBC) wastage. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: The blood
bank database was used to quantify and categorize total RBC units issued in blood
coolers from January 2010 to December 2015 with and without the new inserts
throughout the hospital. Radiofrequency identification tags were used with
special software to monitor blood cooler tracking. An educational policy on how
to handle the coolers was initiated. Data were gathered from the software that
provided a real-time location monitoring of the blood coolers with inserts
throughout the institution. RESULTS: The implementation of the blood cooler with
inserts and tracking device reduced mean yearly RBC wastage by fourfold from
0.64% to 0.17% between 2010 and 2015. The conserved RBCs corresponded to a total
cost savings of $167,844 during the 3-year postimplementation period.
CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of new blood cooler inserts, tracking system, and
educational initiatives substantially reduced the mean annual total RBC wastage.
The cost to implement this initiative may be small if there is an existing
institutional infrastructure to monitor and track hospital equipment into which
the blood bank intervention can be adapted when compared to the cost of blood
wastage.
PMID- 28703890
TI - Targeted Therapies in Pancreatic Cancer: Promises and Failures.
AB - Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an incidence rate nearly equal to its
mortality rate. The poor prognosis of the disease can be explained by the absence
of effective biomarkers for screening and early detection, together with the
aggressive behavior and resistance to the currently available chemotherapy. The
therapeutic failure can also be attributed to the inter-/intra- tumor genetic
heterogeneity and the abundance of tumor stroma that occupies the majority of the
tumor mass. Gemcitabine is used in the treatment of PDAC, however, the response
rate is less than 12%. A recent phase III trial revealed that the combination of
oxaliplatin, irinotecan, fluorouracil, and leucovorin could be an option for the
treatment of metastatic PDAC patients with good performance status, although
these approaches can be resulted high toxicity level. Further investigations are
required to develop innovative anticancer agents that either improve gemcitabine
activity, within novel combinatorial approaches, or acts with a better efficacy
than gemcitabine. The aim of the current review is to give an overview about
preclinical andclinical studies targeting key dysregulated signaling pathways in
PDAC. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
PMID- 28703891
TI - Duration of action of mepivacaine and lidocaine in equine palmar digital
perineural blocks in an experimental lameness model.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To establish and compare the onset and duration of action of 2 local
anesthetics based on objective lameness and skin sensitivity assessment. STUDY
DESIGN: Interventional crossover experimental trial with balanced randomization.
ANIMALS: Eight horses. METHODS: Reversible forelimb lameness was induced in 8
horses. A palmar digital nerve block (PDNB) was applied with mepivacaine or
lidocaine (both 2%). Quantitative lameness and skin sensitivity data were
collected with an inertial sensor system and a force gauge, respectively. The
times to lameness resolution/skin desensitization (T1), consistent lameness
detection/partial return of skin sensitivity (T2), and complete return of
lameness/skin sensitivity (T3) were determined and compared between treatments
and assessment methods. RESULTS: Mepivacaine blocks resolved lameness in 8/8
horses, compared to 3/8 horses with lidocaine blocks. Both agents led to skin
desensitization in 8/8 horses. Skin desensitization occurred sooner than lameness
resolution after mepivacaine (P = .047). Duration of action was longer with
mepivacaine than lidocaine (mean T3_lameness mepivacaine 366 minutes, lidocaine
113 minutes (P = .038); T3_skin mepivacaine 195 minutes, lidocaine 63 minutes [P
<= .001]). Skin sensitivity returned sooner than lameness after lidocaine block
at T3 (P = .015). CONCLUSION: The use of lidocaine in PDNBs for the purpose of
lameness diagnosis should be reassessed, as it may not resolve lameness despite
loss of skin sensation. Mepivacaine is superior, with a reliable onset and longer
duration of action. Skin desensitization as an indicator for the onset of action
or effectiveness of PDNBs for mepivacaine and lidocaine, or as a measure of the
duration of action of lidocaine PDNBs should be interpreted with caution.
PMID- 28703892
TI - Disinfection of the peritoneal dialysis bag medication port: Comparison of
disinfectant agent and disinfection time.
AB - AIM: The aim of the present study was to compare different disinfection
techniques for the peritoneal dialysis bag medication port (MP). METHODS: An
experimental study was conducted testing different cleaning agents (70% alcohol
vs 2% chlorhexidine) and time periods (5, 10 and 60 s) for disinfection of the
MP. Five microorganisms (S. aureus, E. coli, A. baumannii and C. parapsilosis,
CNS) were prepared for use as contaminants of the MP. MP were incubated in
Tryptic soy broth at 36 degrees C for 24 h, after which, they were seeded on a
Biomerieux blood agar plate and incubated for 24 h at 36 degrees C. RESULTS:
Three hundred peritoneal dialysis bags were analyzed regarding the time expose to
the disinfectant showed a statistically significant difference in the number of
culture positive (7/100) P = 0.001; Gram positive (6/100) P = 0.006 for 5 s, one
positive culture and turbid bag with 10 s, while friction for 60 s showed all
negative results. The comparison between disinfectant, alcohol or chlorhexidine,
150 bag in each group, showed that the ones disinfected with alcohol had five
turbid bags, eight positive cultures and seven germs identified, while all bags
disinfected with chlorhexidine were negative for all parameters, with a
difference statistically significant (P = 0.004). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest
that the MP should be scrubbed with 2% chlorhexidine for at least 5 s; if alcohol
70% is used the length of friction should not be inferior to 10 s.
PMID- 28703893
TI - Molecular cloning and characterization of a short peptidoglycan recognition
protein from silkworm Bombyx mori.
AB - Peptidoglycan is the major bacterial component recognized by the insect immune
system. Peptidoglycan recognition proteins (PGRPs) are a family of pattern
recognition receptors that recognize peptidoglycans and modulate innate immune
responses. Some PGRPs retain N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidase (Enzyme
Commission number: 3.5.1.28) activity to hydrolyse bacterial peptidoglycans.
Others have lost the enzymatic activity and work only as immune receptors. They
are all important modulators for innate immunity. Here, we report the cloning and
functional analysis of PGRP-S4, a short-form PGRP from the domesticated silkworm,
Bombyx mori. The PGRP-S4 gene encodes a protein of 199 amino acids with a signal
peptide and a PGRP domain. PGRP-S4 was expressed in the fat body, haemocytes and
midgut. Its expression level was significantly induced by bacterial challenges in
the midgut. The recombinant PGRP-S4 bound bacteria and different peptidoglycans.
In addition, it inhibited bacterial growth and hydrolysed an Escherichia coli
peptidoglycan in the presence of Zn2+ . Scanning electron microscopy showed that
PGRP-S4 disrupted the bacterial cell surface. PGRP-S4 further increased
prophenoloxidase activation caused by peptidoglycans. Taken together, our data
suggest that B. mori PGRP-S4 has multiple functions in immunity.
PMID- 28703894
TI - Comparison of resting energy equations and total energy expenditure in
haemodialysis patients and body composition measured by multi-frequency
bioimpedance.
AB - BACKGROUND: Waste products of metabolism are retained in haemodialysis (HD)
patients. Cellular metabolism generates energy, and patients with greater energy
expenditure may therefore require more dialysis. To determine the amount of
dialysis required, equations estimating resting and total energy expenditure
(REE,TEE) are required. METHODS: We compared estimates of REE in HD patients
using established equations with a novel equation recently validated in HD
patients (HD equation). TEE was derived from REE (HD equation) and estimates of
physical activity obtained by questionnaire. REE and TEE relationships with
bioimpedance measured body composition were then determined. RESULTS: We studied
317 HD patients; 195 males (61.5%), 123 diabetic (38.9%), mean age 65.0 +/- 15.3
and weight 73.1 +/- 16.8 kg. REE from HD Equation was 1509 +/- 241 kcal/day,
which was greater than for Mifflin St Joer 1384 +/- 259, Harris-Benedict 1437 +/-
244, Katch-McArdle 1345 +/- 232 (all p < 0.05 vs HD Equation), but less than
Cunningham 1557 +/- 236 kcal/day. Bland Altman mean bias ranged from -263 to 55
kcal/day. TEE was 1727 (1558-1976) kcal/day, and on multi-variable analysis was
positively associated with skeletal muscle mass (beta 23.3, p < 0.001),
employment (beta 406.5, p < 0.001), low co-morbidity (beta 105.1, p = 0.006), and
protein nitrogen appearance (beta 2.7, p = 0.015), and negatively with age (beta
7.9, p < 0.001), and dialysis vintage (beta -121.2, p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Most
standard equations underestimate REE in HD patients compared to the HD Equation.
TEE was greater in those with higher skeletal muscle mass and protein nitrogen
appearance, lower co-morbidity, age, and dialysis vintage, and the employed. More
metabolically active patients may require greater dialytic clearances.
PMID- 28703895
TI - HBV reactivation in patients with HCV/HBV cirrhosis on treatment with direct
acting antivirals.
AB - Anecdotal reports suggest that patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV)
hepatitis and overt or occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) coinfection may reactivate
HBV when HCV is suppressed or cleared by direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). We
assessed the prevalence of overt or previous HBV coinfection and the risk of HBV
reactivation in patients with HCV cirrhosis treated with DAAs. This was a
retrospective cohort of 104 consecutive patients with HCV cirrhosis treated with
DAAs. Serum HCV-RNA and HBV-DNA were tested at weeks 4, 8 and 12 of DAAs therapy
and at week 12 of follow-up. At the start of DAAs, eight patients (7.7%) were
HBsAg positive/HBeAg negative with undetectable HBV-DNA and low levels of
quantitative HBsAg (four on nucleos(t)ide analogues [NUCs] and four inactive
carriers), 37 patients (35.6%) had markers of previous HBV infection (25 anti-HBc
positive, 12 anti-HBc/anti-HBs positive) and 59 (56.7%) had no evidence of HBV
infection. Sixty-seven patients (64.4%) were HCV-RNA negative at week 4 and 98
(94.2%) achieved sustained virological response. All four HBsAg-positive patients
treated with NUCs remained HBV-DNA negative, but three of four untreated patients
showed an increase in HBV-DNA of 2-3 log without a biochemical flare and achieved
HBV-DNA suppression when given NUCs. During or after DAAs, by conventional assay,
HBV-DNA remained not detectable in all 37 anti-HBc-positive patients but in three
of them (8.1%) HBV-DNA became detectable with a highly sensitive PCR. HBV
reactivation is likely to occur in untreated HBV/HCV-coinfected cirrhotic
patients when they undergo HCV treatment with DAAs. Pre-emptive therapy with NUCs
should be considered in this setting. Anti-HBc-positive patients rarely
reactivate HBV without clinical or virological outcomes.
PMID- 28703896
TI - Differential uptake of gold nanoparticles by 2 species of tadpole, the wood frog
(Lithobates sylvaticus) and the bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus).
AB - Engineered nanoparticles are aquatic contaminants of emerging concern that exert
ecotoxicological effects on a wide variety of organisms. We exposed
cetyltrimethylammonium bromide-capped spherical gold nanoparticles to wood frog
and bullfrog tadpoles with conspecifics and in combination with the other species
continuously for 21 d, then measured uptake and localization of gold. Wood frog
tadpoles alone and in combination with bullfrog tadpoles took up significantly
more gold than bullfrogs. Bullfrog tadpoles in combination with wood frogs took
up significantly more gold than controls. The rank order of weight-normalized
gold uptake was wood frogs in combination > wood frogs alone > bullfrogs in
combination > bullfrogs alone > controls. In all gold-exposed groups of tadpoles,
gold was concentrated in the anterior region compared with the posterior region
of the body. The concentration of gold nanoparticles in the anterior region of
wood frogs both alone and in combination with bullfrogs was significantly higher
than the corresponding posterior regions. We also measured depuration time of
gold in wood frogs. After 21 d in a solution of gold nanoparticles, tadpoles lost
>83% of internalized gold when placed in gold-free water for 5 d. After 10 d in
gold-free water, tadpoles lost 94% of their gold. After 15 d, gold concentrations
were below the level of detection. Our finding of differential uptake between
closely related species living in similar habitats with overlapping geographical
distributions argues against generalizing toxicological effects of nanoparticles
for a large group of organisms based on measurements in only one species. Environ
Toxicol Chem 2017;36:3351-3358. (c) 2017 SETAC.
PMID- 28703897
TI - Media Representations of Breech Birth: A Prospective Analysis of Web-Based News
Reports.
AB - INTRODUCTION: Recent research has demonstrated that the media presentation of
childbirth is highly medicalized, often portraying birth as risky and dramatic.
Media representation of breech presentation and birth is unexplored in this
context. This study aimed to explore the content and tone of news media reports
relating to breech presentation and breech birth. METHODS: Google alerts were
created using the terms breech and breech birth in online English-language news
sites over a 3-year period from January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2015. Alerts
were received daily and filed for analysis, and data were analyzed to generate
themes. RESULTS: A total of 138 web-based news reports were gathered from 9
countries. Five themes that arose from the data included the problem of breech
presentation, the high drama of vaginal breech birth, the safe option of cesarean
birth versus dangers of vaginal breech birth, the defiant mother versus the
saintly mother, and vaginal breech birth and medical misadventure. DISCUSSION:
Media reports in this study predominantly demonstrated negative views toward
breech presentation and vaginal breech birth. Cesarean birth was portrayed as the
safe option for breech birth, while vaginal breech birth was associated with poor
outcomes. Media presentations may impact decision making about mode of birth for
pregnant women with a breech fetus. Health care providers can play an important
role in balancing the media depiction of planned vaginal breech birth by
providing nonjudgmental, evidence-based information to such women to facilitate
informed decision making for birth.
PMID- 28703898
TI - Long-term outcomes of tonsillectomy for IgA nephropathy patients: A retrospective
cohort study, two-centre analysis with the inverse probability therapy weighting
method.
AB - AIM: The effect of tonsillectomy on IgA nephropathy remains controversial. The
aim of this study was to compare the effect of tonsillectomy on the outcome, end
stage kidney disease (ESKD) and all-cause death in IgA nephropathy patients who
did and did not undergo tonsillectomy. METHODS: All basic data were
retrospectively gathered from patients who had undergone renal biopsies at two
Japanese clinical centres. Two hundred and twenty-seven patients were eligible
for the study, with a median age of 34 (Interquartile range (IQR): 25-43) years
and median follow-up of 92 (IQR: 40-178) months. The primary endpoint was the
composite outcome of the onset of ESKD and all-cause death before ESKD. We
performed a Cox proportional hazard regression analysis after adjusting for
patient characteristics using the inverse probability therapy weighting (IPTW)
method and a Cox analysis using the Matching method. Similarly, we analyzed these
outcomes in a mild cohort. RESULTS: We were unable to find any significant
advantages of tonsillectomy in either analysis (IPTW and matching, HR: 0.40 (0.12
1.36) P = 0.072 and 0.78 (0.13-4.64) P = 0.786). However, in the mild cohort
analysis, our data showed that the Tonsillectomy group tended to be less likely
to reach the composite outcomes than the Not Tonsillectomy group with statistical
significance (hazard ratio (HR), <0.001 [CI <0.001 to <0.001, P = 0.039]).
CONCLUSION: In this study, our findings led us to conclude that performing
tonsillectomy in an early and timely manner may have predisposition of less poor
prognosis.
PMID- 28703899
TI - Coronary artery calcification score and common iliac artery calcification score
in non-dialysis CKD patients.
AB - AIM: Many studies have validated Agatston's coronary artery calcification score
(CACS) for assessing vascular calcification (VC) in chronic kidney disease (CKD)
patients. This study aimed to evaluate the CACS and common iliac artery
calcification score (IACS) and to examine the variables related to each score.
METHODS: The subjects were 145 non-dialysis CKD patients. The CACS and IACS were
determined using the same thoracicoabdominal multi-detector computed tomography.
Multiple regression analyses were performed to assess the factors associated with
the CACS or IACS. The associations between progression to renal replacement
therapy (RRT) and the CACS or IACS were studied using Cox hazards models.
RESULTS: The subjects' median age, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR),
and follow-up period were 72 (62-78) years, 32 (18-50) mL/min/1.73m2 , and 864
(550-1425) days, respectively. Age, diabetes, the serum phosphate level, and the
eGFR were found to be significant factors of the CACS [beta (95% CI): 0.38 (0.02
0.04), P < 0.0001, 0.28 (0.19-0.50), P < 0.0001, 0.16 (0.03-0.45), P < 0.05 and
0.15 (-0.02-0.00), P < 0.05, respectively]. Age and diabetes were shown to be
significant factors of the IACS [beta (95% CI): 0.53 (0.04-0.06), P < 0.0001, and
0.18 (0.07-0.40), P < 0.01, respectively]. Progression to RRT occurred in 31
patients and was significantly associated with the CACS (hazard ratio: 1.01, P <
0.01), urinary protein level and eGFR, but not the IACS. CONCLUSION: Chronic
kidney disease related risk factors for VC, such as the eGFR and
hyperphosphataemia, are significantly associated with a high CACS, but not a high
IACS, and the CACS is a significant predictor of progression to RRT.
PMID- 28703900
TI - Rapid genetic counseling and testing in newly diagnosed breast cancer: Patients'
and health professionals' attitudes, experiences, and evaluation of effects on
treatment decision making.
AB - BACKGROUND: Rapid genetic counseling and testing (RGCT) in newly diagnosed high
risk breast cancer (BC) patients may influence surgical treatment decisions. To
successfully integrate RGCT in practice, knowledge of professionals', and
patients' attitudes toward RGCT is essential. METHODS: Between 2008 and 2010, we
performed a randomized clinical trial evaluating the impact of RGCT. Attitudes
toward and experience with RGCT were assessed in 265 patients (at diagnosis, 6-
and 12-month follow-up) and 29 medical professionals (before and after the
recruitment period). RESULTS: At 6-month follow-up, more patients who had been
offered RGCT felt they had been actively involved in treatment decision-making
than patients who had been offered usual care (67% vs 48%, P = 0.06). Patients
who received DNA-test results before primary surgery reported more often that
RGCT influenced treatment decisions than those who received results afterwards (P
< 0.01). Eighty-seven percent felt that genetic counseling and testing (GCT)
should preferably take place between diagnosis and surgery. Most professionals
(72%) agreed that RGCT should be routinely offered to eligible patients. Most
patients (74%) and professionals (85%) considered surgeons the most appropriate
source for referral. CONCLUSIONS: RGCT is viewed as helpful for newly diagnosed
high-risk BC patients in choosing their primary surgery and should be offered
routinely by surgeons.
PMID- 28703901
TI - Treatment of post-caesarean niche: the accumulation of evidence.
PMID- 28703902
TI - Prevalence and characteristics of paediatric Type 2 diabetes in the Republic of
Ireland.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To establish the prevalence of paediatric Type 2 diabetes in the
Republic of Ireland and describe patient demographics, initial presentation,
management, outcomes, comorbidities and complications. METHODS: Using a
standardized proforma we conducted a cross-sectional survey of children and
adolescents aged < 16 years with a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes between October
and December 2015 in each of the 19 centres in the Republic of Ireland
responsible for the care of children with diabetes. RESULTS: Twelve cases of Type
2 diabetes were identified, giving a prevalence in children aged <16 years of
1.2/100 000 (95% CI 0.6 to 2). Six of these children (50%) were white, two (33%)
of whom were members of the travelling community. Four (33%) were of black
ethnicity. The prevalence of Type 2 diabetes in traveller children was 16.1/100
000 (95% CI 1.9 to 58.1) and was similar to that in black children, a known high
risk group, which was 13.3/100 000 (95% CI 3.6 to 34.1). The median current HbA1c
value was 51 mmol/mol (6.8%) and four (33%) of the children achieved the
International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes target HbA1c of <=48
mmol/mol (6.5%). Seven (59%) children were managed on metformin monotherapy,
three (25%) were managed on insulin and metformin in combination, and two (16%)
were receiving dietary management. CONCLUSION: This was the first national study
to estimate the prevalence of childhood Type 2 diabetes in Ireland. Despite their
white ethnicity, traveller children appear to be a high-risk group, but this
finding requires further study.
PMID- 28703903
TI - Dosage Optimization of Nemolizumab Using Population Pharmacokinetic and
Pharmacokinetic-Pharmacodynamic Modeling and Simulation.
AB - Nemolizumab is a humanized anti-interleukin-31 receptor A monoclonal antibody for
treating atopic dermatitis, and it especially improves pruritus. The objective of
the simulation study was to optimize the dose regimen using a flat dose. The
serum nemolizumab concentration and pruritus visual analog scale as an efficacy
end point were modeled using the population analysis approach in 299 patients
with atopic dermatitis who received placebo or doses between 0.1 and 3 mg/kg as a
single dose once every 4 weeks or 2 mg/kg once every 8 weeks. A 1-compartment
model with first-order absorption was employed as the pharmacokinetic model. An
indirect turnover model with an inhibition component was employed as the main
part of the pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic model. The models well described the
observations. Therefore, simulations with several dose regimens were performed to
optimize the dose regimen including a flat dose. The simulated area under the
concentration-time curve at a steady state around 75 mg in the every-4-week
regimen corresponds to that associated with the dose range of 0.5 to 2 mg/kg in
the 4-week regimen. The simulated pruritus visual analog scale also showed a
similar tendency. These simulation results support dose optimization during the
clinical development program of nemolizumab.
PMID- 28703904
TI - Updates From the Literature, July/August 2017.
PMID- 28703905
TI - Successful treatment of chronic hepatitis C infection with directly acting
antivirals in renal transplant recipients.
AB - AIMS: The data regarding the treatment of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) in renal
transplant recipients is lacking from the Asia-Pacific region. The aim of the
present study was to assess the safety and efficacy of directly acting antivirals
(DAAs) in the treatment of CHC infection in renal transplant recipients. METHODS:
A total of 47 CHC infected renal transplant recipients were enrolled in this real
life observational cohort analysis between March 2015 and September 2016.
Presence of hepatic fibrosis/cirrhosis was assessed on transient elastography
(Fibroscan). Fourteen patients were treated with Sofosbuvir and Ribavirin for 24
weeks. Twenty-two patients received Sofosbuvir and Ledipasvir and 12 patients
received Sofosbuvir and Daclatasvir with (n = 3) or without (n = 31) Ribavirin
for 12 or 24 weeks depending on genotype and underlying cirrhosis. Data were
analyzed for safety and treatment efficacy [sustained virological response at 12
weeks (SVR12)]. RESULTS: The median baseline HCV RNA concentration in the whole
group was 7.38 * 106 IU/mL (1.23 * 104 -6.36 * 107 ). The SVR12 rates were 100%
in all groups except in the Sofosbuvir and Ribavirin group (86%). Transient
Elastography revealed minimal or no fibrosis (F0-F1) in 31 (65.96%) patients,
moderate fibrosis (F2) in 11 (23.4%) patients and cirrhosis in five (10.64%)
patients. The only serious adverse effect was anaemia observed in eight (57%)
patients in the Sofosbuvir and Ribavirin group. CONCLUSION: DAAs including
Sofosbuvir, Daclatasvir and Ledipasvir with or without ribavirin are safe and
effective for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in renal transplant
recipients.
PMID- 28703906
TI - Reply to: Over-REACHing Conclusions.
PMID- 28703908
TI - Over-REACHing Conclusions.
PMID- 28703907
TI - TGF-beta1-induced CK17 enhances cancer stem cell-like properties rather than EMT
in promoting cervical cancer metastasis via the ERK1/2-MZF1 signaling pathway.
AB - Tumor metastasis remains a major obstacle for improving overall cancer survival
in cervical cancer (CC), which may be due to the existence of tumor
microenvironment-related cancer stem cells (CSCs) and epithelial-mesenchymal
transition (EMT). The mechanism underlying these processes needs to be further
elucidated. Here, we report that TGF-beta1, one of the key microenvironmental
stimuli, can enhance CSC characteristics, facilitate the EMT, and induce CK17.
Silencing CK17 expression attenuated CSC-like properties without affecting the
EMT markers induced by TGF-beta1, whereas forced overexpression of CK17 promoted
lymphatic metastasis in vivo even without EMT inducement. Inhibitors of ERK1/2
signaling drastically decreased the induction of CK17 mediated by TGF-beta1. By
combined computational and experimental approaches, we identified and validated
that MZF1 was a key transcription factor binding to the promoter of CK17. Taken
together, these results demonstrate that CK17 induced by the TGF-beta1-ERK1/2
MZF1 signaling pathway facilitates metastasis by promoting the acquisition of CSC
properties rather than by inducing the EMT process in CC, suggesting that this
CK17-related signaling pathway might be a suitable target for the development of
therapy for CC metastasis.
PMID- 28703909
TI - Examination of the Pharmacology of Oxytocin and Clinical Guidelines for Use in
Labor.
AB - The use of exogenous oxytocin to induce or augment labor has increased in recent
years. This literature-informed review examines the action of this medication and
the potential associated complications, with an evaluation of current
professional practice guidelines. A brief history of the use of exogenous
oxytocin for labor induction or augmentation is presented. In addition, risk
management strategies for the prevention of oxytocin-related adverse outcomes and
subsequent litigation are identified.
PMID- 28703910
TI - Medialis pedis flap for reconstruction of weight bearing heel.
AB - BACKGROUND: Among the various flaps available for the reconstruction of the heel,
a medial plantar flap has been widely accepted as the most ideal. This flap,
however, involves the medial plantar nerve and its cutaneous branches, which may
lead to postoperative hyperesthesia and dual sensation. The purpose of this
report was to report the outcomes of the use of the medialis pedis flap for the
coverage of weight bearing heel soft tissue defect. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total
of 8 patients who had undergone reconstruction of the weight bearing heel with
the medialis pedis flap were enrolled for this study. There were 6 male and 2
female patients and the mean age was 46 years. The causes of the defects included
pressure sore, crushing injury and malignant melanoma. The mean size of the
defects was 3 * 4 cm. Five cases were reconstructed with island flaps and 3 were
covered with free flaps. RESULTS: The mean size of the flaps was 3*5 cm. All
flaps survived. One case developed arterial insufficiency and was treated with a
vein graft. Ambulation in normal shoes was possible in all the patients. Seven
cases did not report pain, but 1 case complained of mild pain. No case reported
complications including pain at the donor site, ulcerations, sensory loss,
hyperesthesia, or sensory disturbance. The mean follow-up period was 14.4 months.
CONCLUSIONS: The medialis pedis flap may be considered a useful flap for the
reconstruction of soft tissue defects smaller than 5 cm in the weight bearing
heel.
PMID- 28703911
TI - Low incidence of metastasis and recurrence from cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma
found in a UK population: Do we need to adjust our thinking on this rare but
potentially fatal event?
AB - BACKGROUND AND METHODS: Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is the commonest
skin cancer with metastatic potential, however, reported rates of metastasis
varies greatly. All cases of primary cSCC on the Isle of Wight between 2005 and
2014 were identified and retrospectively followed for recurrence and/or
metastasis. Primary outcome was to identify the rate of metastasis/recurrence
from cSCC. Secondary outcomes included associated risk factors for
metastasis/recurrence, death from cSCC, and time from diagnosis of primary cSCC
to event. RESULTS: A total of 1122 patients with 1495 tumors were identified
within the study period. A total of 18 metastasized and 40 recurred, an overall
incidence of 1.2% and 2.7%, respectively. Eight patients died from their disease.
CONCLUSIONS: Risk of metastasis from cSCC in the UK general population is likely
to be in the order of 1.2%. Where metastasis occurs this is often within 2 years.
Recurrence rates are higher following curette and cautery. DISCUSSION: If treated
adequately both recurrence and metastasis from cSCC is a rare event. Not all cSCC
cases need follow-up instead time should be spent educating patients around signs
of recurrence/metastasis then discharged, relieving burden on secondary care.
Multi-disciplinary teaming meetings are expensive and should be limited to
complex cases.
PMID- 28703912
TI - Resilience: Bouncing Back from Hard Times.
PMID- 28703913
TI - Ascaris suum infection modulates inflammation: Implication of CD4+ CD25high
Foxp3+ T cells and IL-10.
AB - Helminth infections have the ability to modulate host's immune response through
mechanisms that allow the chronic persistence of the worms in the host. Here, we
investigated the mechanisms involved on the suppressive effect of Ascaris suum
infection using a murine experimental model of LPS-induced inflammation. We found
that infection with A. suum markedly inhibited leucocyte influx induced by LPS
into air pouches, suppressed secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1beta,
TNF-alpha and IL-6) and induced high levels of IL-10 and TGF-beta. Augmented
frequency of CD4+ CD25high Foxp3+ T cells was observed in the mesenteric lymph
nodes of infected mice. Adoptive transfer of purified CD4+ CD25+ T cells to
recipient uninfected mice demonstrated that these cells were able to induce a
suppressive effect in the LPS-induced inflammation in air pouch model. In
addition, adoptive transfer of CD4+ CD25+ T cells derived from IL-10 knockout
mice suggests that this suppressive effect of A. suum infection involves IL-10
cytokine. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that A. suum experimental
infection was capable of suppressing LPS-induced inflammation by mechanisms,
which seem to be dependent on responses of CD4+ CD25+ T cells and secretion of IL
10 cytokine.
PMID- 28703914
TI - Hsd3b2 associated in modulating steroid hormone synthesis pathway regulates the
differentiation of chicken embryonic stem cells into spermatogonial stem cells.
AB - Steroid hormones regulate differentiation of various types of cell during
embryogenesis. Testosterone is one of the androgens that bind to receptors to
regulate gene expression and promote spermatogenesis. Our results showed that
testosterone, as a product of steroid hormones synthesis pathway, could
facilitate the differentiation of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) into spermatogonial
stem cells (SSCs). The analysis of the steroid hormones synthesis pathway
demonstrated that 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase2 (Hsd3b2) plays a major role
in the synthesis of testosterone. In the absence of Hsd3b2, the expression of
downstream genes such as Cyp1a1, Ugt1a1, and Hsd17b7 was not maintained. This
reduction is probably due to the down-regulation of the steroid hormones
synthesis pathway. Furthermore, qRT-PCR, immunofluorescence, and flow cytometry
analysis confirmed that the steroid hormones synthesis pathway could facilitate
the differentiation of ESCs. Altogether, these results lead to a model in which
Hsd3b2 regulates ESCs differentiation via modulating the activity of steroid
hormones synthesis pathway.
PMID- 28703915
TI - Self-Normalized Detection of ANXA3 from Untreated Urine of Prostate Cancer
Patients without Digital Rectal Examination.
AB - A noninvasive quantitative assay that is capable of identifying prostate cancer
biomarkers in untreated urine is an attractive diagnosis tool, but this method is
subject to various obstacles. Difficulties presented by untreated urine include
varying salt concentrations, and pH levels that may be different even though they
are from the same patient. Untreated urine also presents interference from other
biomolecules and possesses a fewer number of cancer biomarkers than can be found
in serum. As a result, urine preconditioning processes and digital rectal
examination (DRE) to increase biomarker secretion are mandatory in current urine
assays. To address these challenges, an ion-responsive urine sensor (IRUS) that
measures differential electrical signals is proposed as a self-normalized
detection method. The proposed IRUS is based on a FET biosensor with a disposable
sensing gate and has the capability to detect the prostate cancer antigen ANXA3
in untreated patient urine. The IRUS can detect ANXA3 at <1 fg mL-1 with high
reliability. In addition, it is found that ANXA3 levels in urine show clinically
significant correlation with real tumor volumes. This paper provides a guideline
in developing a clinically ready accurate noninvasive platform, which is capable
of predicting prostate cancer using untreated urine without DRE.
PMID- 28703916
TI - Down-regulation of microRNA let-7d inhibits the proliferation and invasion of
trophoblast cells in preeclampsia.
AB - Preeclampsia (PE) is a serious pregnancy complication that continues to adverse
effects on mother and the fetus. The study investigated the effect of microRNA
let-7d (miR-let-7d) on the proliferation and invasion of trophoblast cells (TC)
in PE. In situ hybridization techniques were employed to evaluate the miR-let-7d
expressions in the placental tissues from 63 PE patients as well as 65 normal
placental tissues. Transfection of pre-let-7d, anti-let-7d, and their
corresponding control sequences was performed in TCs obtained from PE. The blank
group was composed of TCs no transfection and normal group consisted of normal
TCs. Expressions of proliferation and invasion markers in TCs were detected by
qRT-PCR. Proliferation, apoptosis, and the invasion ability of the TCs were
determined using a CCK-8 assay, flow cytometry, and Transwell assay. In
comparison to the normal placental tissues, PE placental tissues exhibited
increased levels of let-7d expression. Following transfection of anti-let-7d,
when compared with the blank group, the anti-let-7d group displayed increased
levels of proliferation ability, expression of proliferation labeling proteins
PCNA and Ki67, number of TCs as well as expressions of the invasion related
proteins MMP-2, MMP-9, and TIMP-1. In contrast declines in cell apoptosis rate
were observed. Compared with the blank group, the changes of the indexes were
reversed in the pre-let-7d group. The study provided evidence suggesting that low
expression levels of miR-let-7d plays a central role in suppressing apoptosis in
addition to promoting the proliferation and invasion of PE TCs.
PMID- 28703917
TI - The beauty of bile.
PMID- 28703918
TI - Association between the vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms and diabetic
nephropathy risk: A meta-analysis.
AB - AIMS: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a severe microvascular complication frequently
associated with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus. The objective of this study
was to estimate the effect between Apa I, Bsm I, Fok I and Taq I polymorphisms of
the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene and DN susceptibility. METHODS: Eligible case
control studies published updated to March 2017 were searched. The odds ratio
(OR) and 95% confident intervals (CI) were used to calculate the strength of
effect. RESULTS: Twelve articles were finally screened out, including 3954
diabetic patients and 1248 healthy controls. When compared with the diabetic
patients without nephropathy, our results found that only the Bsm I polymorphism
was associated with increased risk of DN under the allelic model (B vs. b: OR =
1.51, 95% CI = 1.03-2.20, P = 0.04) and dominant model (BB + Bb vs. bb: OR =
1.52, 95% CI = 1.00-2.31, P = 0.05). When compared with the healthy controls, our
results showed that the Bsm I polymorphism was associated with the DN
susceptibility under the allelic model (B vs. b: OR = 1.80, 95% CI = 1.12-2.91, P
= 0.02), the homogeneous model (BB vs. bb: OR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.03-1.98, P =
0.03), and the domain model (BB + Bb vs. bb: OR = 1.80, 95% CI = 1.06-3.05, P =
0.03); the Taq I variant was associated with increased risk of DN only under the
heterogeneous model (Tt vs. tt: OR = 2.29, 95% CI = 1.04-5.03, P = 0.04).
CONCLUSION: Our results suggested that B allele, and BB + Bb genotypes of Bsm I
variant, Tt genotype of Taq I variant might be risk factors for DN. Future
researches are still needed to identify our results.
PMID- 28703919
TI - Cingulate and cerebellar beta oscillations are engaged in the acquisition of
auditory-motor sequences.
AB - Singing, music performance, and speech rely on the retrieval of complex sounds,
which are generated by the corresponding actions and are organized into
sequences. It is crucial in these forms of behavior that the serial organization
(i.e., order) of both the actions and associated sounds be monitored and learned.
To investigate the neural processes involved in the monitoring of serial order
during the initial learning of sensorimotor sequences, we performed
magnetoencephalographic recordings while participants explicitly learned short
piano sequences under the effect of occasional alterations of auditory feedback
(AAF). The main result was a prominent and selective modulation of beta (13-30
Hz) oscillations in cingulate and cerebellar regions during the processing of AAF
that simulated serial order errors. Furthermore, the AAF-induced modulation of
beta oscillations was associated with higher error rates, reflecting compensatory
changes in sequence planning. This suggests that cingulate and cerebellar beta
oscillations play a role in tracking serial order during initial sensorimotor
learning and in updating the mapping of the sensorimotor representations. The
findings support the notion that the modulation of beta oscillations is a
candidate mechanism for the integration of sequential motor and auditory
information during an early stage of skill acquisition in music performance. This
has potential implications for singing and speech. Hum Brain Mapp 38:5161-5179,
2017. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
PMID- 28703920
TI - Neutrophil-specific antigens, immunobiology, and implications in transfusion
medicine and blood disorders.
PMID- 28703921
TI - Estimating and modelling the transmissibility of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome
CoronaVirus during the 2015 outbreak in the Republic of Korea.
AB - BACKGROUND: Emerging respiratory infections represent a significant public health
threat. Because of their novelty, there are limited measures available to control
their early spread. Learning from past outbreaks is important for future
preparation. The Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome CoronaVirus (MERS-CoV ) 2015
outbreak in the Republic of Korea (ROK) provides one such opportunity.
OBJECTIVES: We demonstrated through quantitative methodologies how to estimate
MERS-CoV's transmissibility and identified the effective countermeasures that
stopped its spread. METHODS: Using the outbreak data, statistical methods were
employed to estimate the basic reproductive number R0 , the average number of
secondary cases produced by a typical primary case during its entire infectious
period in a fully susceptible population. A transmission dynamics model was also
proposed to estimate R0 and to identify the most effective countermeasures. The
consistency between results will provide cross-validation of the approaches.
RESULTS: R0 ranged from 2.5 with 95% confidence interval (CI): [1.7, 3.1] (using
the sequential Bayesian method) to 7.2 with 95% CI: [5.3, 9.4] (using the
Nowcasting method). Estimates from transmission model were higher but overlapped
with these. Personal protection and rapid confirmation of cases were identified
as the most important countermeasures. CONCLUSIONS: Our estimates were in
agreement with others from the ROK outbreak, albeit significantly higher than
estimates based on other small outbreaks and sporadic cases of MERS-CoV. The
large-scale outbreak in the ROK was jointly due to the high transmissibility in
the healthcare-associated setting and the Korean culture-associated contact
behaviour. Limiting such behaviour by rapidly identifying and isolating cases and
avoiding high-risk contacts effectively stopped further transmission.
PMID- 28703922
TI - Sensitivity evaluation and selective plane imaging geometry for x-ray-induced
luminescence imaging.
AB - PURPOSE: X-ray-induced luminescence (XIL) is a hybrid x-ray/optical imaging
modality that employs nanophosphors that luminescence in response to x-ray
irradiation. X-ray-activated phosphorescent nanoparticles have potential
applications in radiation therapy as theranostics, nanodosimeters, or
radiosensitizers. Extracting clinically relevant information from the luminescent
signal requires the development of a robust imaging model that can determine
nanophosphor distributions at depth in an optically scattering environment from
surface radiance measurements. The applications of XIL in radiotherapy will be
limited by the dose-dependent sensitivity at depth in tissue. We propose a novel
geometry called selective plane XIL (SPXIL), and apply it to experimental
measurements in optical gel phantoms and sensitivity simulations. METHODS: An
imaging model is presented based on the selective plane geometry which can
determine the detected diffuse optical signal for a given x-ray dose and
nanophosphor distribution at depth in a semi-infinite, optically homogenous
material. The surface radiance in the model is calculated using an analytical
solution to the extrapolated boundary condition. Y2 O3 :Eu3+ nanoparticles are
synthesized and inserted into various optical phantom in order to measure the
luminescent output per unit dose for a given concentration of nanophosphors and
calibrate an imaging model for XIL sensitivity simulations. SPXIL imaging with a
dual-source optical gel phantom is performed, and an iterative Richardson-Lucy
deconvolution using a shifted Poisson noise model is applied to the measurements
in order to reconstruct the nanophosphor distribution. RESULTS: Nanophosphor
characterizations showed a peak emission at 611 nm, a linear luminescent response
to tube current and nanoparticle concentration, and a quadratic luminescent
response to tube voltage. The luminescent efficiency calculation accomplished
with calibrated bioluminescence mouse phantoms determines 1.06 photons were
emitted per keV of x-ray radiation absorbed per g/mL of nanophosphor
concentration. Sensitivity simulations determined that XIL could detect a
concentration of 1 mg/mL of nanophosphors with a dose of 1 cGy at a depth ranging
from 2 to 4 cm, depending on the optical parameters of the homogeneous diffuse
optical environment. The deconvolution applied to the SPXIL measurements could
resolve two sources 1 cm apart up to a depth of 1.75 cm in the diffuse phantom.
CONCLUSIONS: We present a novel imaging geometry for XIL in a homogenous, diffuse
optical environment. Basic characterization of Y2 O3 :Eu3+ nanophosphors are
presented along with XIL/SPXIL measurements in optical gel phantoms. The diffuse
optical imaging model is validated using these measurements and then calibrated
in order to execute initial sensitivity simulations for the dose-depth
limitations of XIL imaging. The SPXIL imaging model is used to perform a
deconvolution on a dual-source phantom, which successfully reconstructs the
nanophosphor distributions.
PMID- 28703924
TI - Chronic kidney disease in Australian HIV-infected patients: analysis of the
Australian HIV Observational Database.
AB - AIM: To examine data from the Australian HIV Observational Database (AHOD) to,
firstly, describe the incidence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and rate of loss
of renal function in HIV-infected individuals living in Australia, and then to
examine the risk factors contributing to CKD in this population. METHODS: AHOD
patients over 18 years of age were eligible if they had at least two serum
creatinine measurements from 1 April 2008 until 31 March 2016 and an initial
estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) greater than 60 mL/min/1.73 m3 . Cox
proportional hazards models were used to assess risk factors for CKD, which
included key patient demographic data and antiretroviral therapy (ART) exposure.
RESULTS: Of 1924 patients included in the analysis between April 2008 and March
2016, 81 (4.2%) developed CKD (confirmed eGFR of less than 60 mL/min/1.73 m3
through two consecutive eGFR measurements at least three months apart). Of the
examined risk factors, baseline age, baseline eGFR, and the route of HIV
acquisition were statistically significant predictors of development of CKD. ART
exposure, viral hepatitis co-infection, high viral load and low CD4 lymphocyte
count were not found to be significant risk factors for CKD. CONCLUSION: This is
the first study to investigate the risk factors for development of CKD amongst
Australian HIV-infected patients using cohort data. It highlights the need for
awareness of renal risk factors, particularly amongst older patients or in those
with pre-existing renal dysfunction. Further research is required to explore the
discrepancy between patients who have acquired HIV through different means of
exposure.
PMID- 28703923
TI - Autophagy in neurodegenerative diseases: pathogenesis and therapy.
AB - The most prevalent pathological features of many neurodegenerative diseases are
the aggregation of misfolded proteins and the loss of certain neuronal
populations. Autophagy, as major intracellular machinery for degrading aggregated
proteins and damaged organelles, has been reported to be involved in the
occurrence of pathological changes in many neurodegenerative disorders, including
Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease and amyotrophic
lateral sclerosis. In this review, we summarize most recent research progress in
this topic and provide a new perspective regarding autophagy regulation on the
pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. Finally, we discuss the signaling
molecules in autophagy-related pathways as therapeutic targets for the treatment
of these diseases.
PMID- 28703925
TI - Role of Prophylactic Oxytocin in the Third Stage of Labor: Physiologic Versus
Pharmacologically Influenced Labor and Birth.
AB - INTRODUCTION: Maternity care providers administer oxytocin prophylactically to
prevent postpartum hemorrhage (PPH). Prophylactic oxytocin is generally
considered effective and safe and is promoted by national organizations for
standardized use. In this article, the evidence supporting prophylactic oxytocin
administration for women undergoing spontaneous labor and birth compared with
women whose labors included administration of exogenous oxytocin for induction or
augmentation is explored. METHODS: Using data from randomized controlled trials
included in 2 recent Cochrane meta-analyses papers, only studies with women in
spontaneous labor were selected for inclusion (N = 4 studies). Outcomes of
immediate postpartum bleeding volumes (>= 500 mL or 1000 mL), risk for blood
transfusion, and risk for administration of more uterotonic medication were
pooled from these 4 studies. Focused random effects meta-analytics were used.
RESULTS: Compared to women without prophylactic oxytocin, women who received
prophylactic oxytocin had a lower risk of having a 500 mL or higher blood loss.
However, prophylactic oxytocin did not lower risk of PPH (>= 1000 mL), blood
transfusion, or need for additional uterotonic treatment. DISCUSSION:
Prophylactic oxytocin may not confer the same benefits to women undergoing
spontaneous labor and birth compared to women laboring with oxytocin infusion.
Reasons for this difference are explored from a pharmacologic perspective. In
addition, the value of prophylactic oxytocin given recent changes in the
definition of PPH from greater than or equal to 500 mL to 1000 mL or more after
birth is discussed. Finally, gaps in research on adverse effects of prophylactic
oxytocin are presented. More research is needed on reducing risk of PPH for women
in spontaneous labor.
PMID- 28703926
TI - Difficult conversations: adults with diabetes and the discussion of microvascular
complications.
AB - AIMS: To investigate the experiences among adults with diabetes of discussions of
microvascular complications and provide recommendations for providers. METHODS:
We performed a qualitative study in 148 adults with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes
(56% women, 95% white, mean age 60+/-13 years, 65% with Type 1 diabetes, 71% with
>=1 microvascular complication). Data were analysed using content analysis.
RESULTS: At their first discussion of microvascular complications, 93% of
participants (138/148) recalled providers using a preventative approach including
clinical suggestions, factual information and warnings. At complication
diagnosis, 78% of participants (82/105) perceived provider support through
comprehensive interactive education, specific self-care guidance, reassuring
messages, and referrals and follow-ups. In response to complication diagnosis,
48% (50/105) felt scared, 46% (48/105) had 'a wake-up call', and 86% (90/105)
reported increasing >=1 specific area of self-care. Participants recommended
providers offer factual and complete information, specific self-care guidance,
and positive honesty, with an individualized and collaborative approach that
includes psychosocial assessment and referrals and lacks 'scare tactics' and
blame. CONCLUSIONS: Adults with diabetes want to learn about diabetes
microvascular complications and apply preventative strategies as early as
possible. Paradoxically, the diagnosis of a diabetes microvascular complication
in itself may represent a unique learning opportunity because 86% of participants
improved diabetes self-care after this event. Recommendations offer providers
simple but important clinical approaches to improve these difficult conversations
and thus support necessary behaviour changes and psychosocial well-being.
Training is needed to help providers discuss the threat of diabetes complications
with honest but positive messages so that people with diabetes can be fully
informed but also maintain hope in the face of complications.
PMID- 28703927
TI - Reducing the Primary Cesarean Birth Rate: A Quality Improvement Project.
AB - INTRODUCTION: Research continues to support vaginal birth as the safest mode of
childbirth, but despite this, cesarean birth has become the most common surgical
procedure performed on women. The rate has increased 500% since the 1970s without
a corresponding improvement in maternal or neonatal outcomes. A Colorado
community hospital recognized that its primary cesarean birth rate was higher
than national and state benchmark levels. To reduce this rate, the hospital
collaborated with its largest maternity care provider group to implement a select
number of physiologic birth practices and measure improvement in outcomes.
PROCESS: Using a pre- and postprocess measure study design, the quality
improvement project team identified and implemented 3 physiologic birth
parameters over a 12-month period that have been shown to promote vaginal birth.
These included reducing elective induction of labor in women less than 41 weeks'
gestation; standardizing triage to admit women at greater than or equal to 4 cm
dilation; and increasing the use of intermittent auscultation as opposed to
continuous fetal monitoring for fetal surveillance. The team also calculated each
obstetrician-gynecologist's primary cesarean birth rate monthly and delivered
these rates to the providers. OUTCOMES: Outcomes showed that the provider group
decreased its primary cesarean birth rate from 28.9% to 12.2% in the 12-month
postprocess measure period. The 57.8% decrease is statistically significant (odds
ratio [OR], 0.345; z = 6.52, P < .001; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.249
0.479). DISCUSSION: While this quality improvement project cannot be translated
to other settings, promotion of physiologic birth practices, along with audit and
feedback, had a statistically significant impact on the primary cesarean birth
rate for this provider group and, consequently, on the community hospital where
they attend births.
PMID- 28703928
TI - Regulatory and pro-inflammatory cytokines in Brazilian living-related renal
transplant recipients according to creatinine plasma levels.
AB - AIM: The maintenance of stable graft function in renal transplanted recipients
(RTR) is a challenge for healthcare staff. The ideal biomarkers must have
significant predictive values to monitor the intricate renal function response
triggered after renal transplantation. The main purpose in this study was to
evaluate the regulatory and pro-inflammatory cytokines as biomarkers of allograft
function in living-related renal transplant patients. METHODS: Regulatory and pro
inflammatory cytokine plasma levels were measured by flow cytometry in 120 living
related renal transplanted patients categorized into three groups according to
creatinine plasma levels: creatinine less than 1.4 mg/dL (C1), creatinine within
1.4-2.0 mg/dL (C2) and more than 2.0 mg/dL (C3). Patients were also classified as
'low' or 'high' cytokine producers. Clinical data were obtained from patients'
medical record. RESULTS: We have found a peak of regulatory cytokines in RTR with
low creatinine levels as well as a peak of IL-6 pro-inflammatory cytokine in
patients with high creatinine levels. C1 and C3 groups showed a mixed pro
inflammatory (IL-8, IL-6, IL-1beta, TNF-alpha, IL-12 and IFN-gamma) and
regulatory (IL-4, IL-5 and IL-10) cytokine pattern and C2 had a predominant pro
inflammatory profile. C3 group showed a higher frequency of high pro-inflammatory
cytokine producers compared to C1. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that regulatory
cytokines IL-4, IL-5 and IL-10 could be good biomarkers associated with stable
renal function, while pro-inflammatory cytokines seems to be potential markers in
RTR related to high creatinine plasma levels, specially IL-6 despite of its
borderline values.
PMID- 28703929
TI - Induction of Labor.
PMID- 28703930
TI - Bundle branch alternans with PR alternans. What is the mechanism?
PMID- 28703931
TI - Rationale and design of a randomized trial of apixaban vs warfarin to evaluate
atherosclerotic calcification and vulnerable plaque progression.
AB - Vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) are known to increase vascular calcification,
suggesting increased cardiovascular disease events. Apixaban is an oral direct
factor Xa inhibitor superior to warfarin at preventing stroke or systemic
embolism and may stabilize coronary atherosclerosis. The potential benefits of
avoiding VKA therapy and the favorable effects of factor Xa inhibitors could
contribute to cardiovascular disease event reduction. We hypothesized that
apixaban inhibits vascular calcification and coronary atherosclerosis progression
compared with warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). This study is a
single-center, prospective, randomized, open-label study. From May 2014 to
December 2015, 66 patients with nonvalvular AF who experienced VKA therapy were
enrolled. Patients were randomized into either warfarin or apixaban cohorts and
followed for 52 weeks. The primary objective is to compare the rate of change in
coronary artery calcification (CAC) from baseline to follow-up in apixaban vs
warfarin cohorts. The key secondary objective is to compare the rate of incident
plaques and quantitative changes in plaque types between patients randomized to
either warfarin or apixaban cohorts using serial coronary computed tomography
angiography. Expert readers will blindly assess CAC and coronary artery plaques.
It is thought that this trial will result in significant differences in CAC and
coronary artery plaque progression between the VKA and apixaban. The results are
anticipated to provide a novel insight into treatment selection for AF patients.
The study is registered at http://www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT 02090075).
PMID- 28703932
TI - Biomarkers in allergic asthma: Which matrix should we use?
PMID- 28703933
TI - Officer of the Order of the British Empire: P. L. Arnold / Robert T. Koch Gold
Medal: C. T. Walsh / Inhoffen Medal: H. Wennemers / OMCOS Award: Ruben Martin.
PMID- 28703934
TI - Analysis of cytochrome P450 contribution to evolved plant toxin resistance in
Drosophila sechellia.
AB - Drosophila sechellia is a dietary specialist species of fruit fly that has
evolved resistance to the toxic secondary defence compounds produced by the fruit
of its preferred host plant Morinda citrifolia. The genetic basis of adult toxin
resistance is the result of evolution at five loci across the genome. Genetic
mapping between D. sechellia and Drosophila simulans and subsequent functional
studies in Drosophila melanogaster have identified candidate genes potentially
underlying one locus involved in toxin resistance but the remainder of the genes
involved are unknown. Genes in the mixed function oxidase or cytochrome P450 gene
family are frequently utilized in evolved toxin resistance in insects, yet
whether they play a role in D. sechellia's resistance to the toxins found in its
host plant is unknown. Here we test the role of cytochrome P450 enzymatic
activity in evolved resistance to the two primary toxins found in M. citrifolia
fruit: octanoic acid and hexanoic acid. We found that although cytochrome P450
enzymatic activity is involved in basal resistance it is not involved in derived
toxin resistance in D. sechellia.
PMID- 28703935
TI - The effect of laparoscopic resection of large niches in the uterine caesarean
scar on symptoms, ultrasound findings and quality of life: a prospective cohort
study.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of a laparoscopic niche resection on
niche-related symptoms and/or fertility-related problems, ultrasound findings and
quality of life. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: University hospital.
POPULATION: Women with a large niche (residual myometrium <3 mm) and complaints
of either postmenstrual spotting, dysmenorrhoea, intrauterine fluid accumulation
and/or difficulties with embryo transfer due to distorted anatomy. METHODS: Women
filled out questionnaires and a validated menstrual score chart at baseline and 6
months after the laparoscopic niche resection. At baseline and between 3 and 6
months follow up niches were evaluated by transvaginal ultrasound. MAIN OUTCOME
MEASURES: The primary outcome was reduction of the main problem 6 months after
the intervention. Secondary outcomes were complications, menstrual
characteristics, dysmenorrhoea, niche measurements, intrauterine fluid, surgical
outcomes, satisfaction and quality of life. RESULTS: In all, 101 women underwent
a laparoscopic niche resection. In 80 women (79.2%) the main problem was improved
or resolved. Postmenstrual spotting was significantly reduced by 7 days at 6
months follow up compared with baseline. Dysmenorrhoea and discomfort related to
spotting was also significantly reduced. The residual myometrium was increased
significantly at follow up. The intrauterine fluid was resolved in 86.9% of the
women with intrauterine fluid at baseline; 83.3% of women were (very) satisfied.
The physical component of quality of life increased, the mental component did not
change. CONCLUSIONS: A laparoscopic niche resection reduced postmenstrual
spotting, discomfort due to spotting, dysmenorrhoea and the presence of
intrauterine fluid in the majority of women and increased the residual
myometrium. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: Laparoscopic niche resection reduces niche
related problems and enlarges the residual myometrium.
PMID- 28703936
TI - Randomized clinical trial of percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation versus sham
electrical stimulation in patients with faecal incontinence.
AB - BACKGROUND: The aim was to assess the effects of percutaneous tibial nerve
stimulation (PTNS) in the treatment of faecal incontinence (FI) by means of an
RCT. METHODS: Patients aged over 18 years with FI were included in a multicentre,
single-blinded RCT. The primary endpoint was reduction in the median or mean
number of FI episodes per week. Secondary endpoints were changes in measures of
FI severity, and disease-specific and generic quality of life. Outcomes were
compared between PTNS and sham stimulation after 9 weeks of treatment. RESULTS: A
higher proportion of patients in the PTNS (13 of 29) than in the sham (6 of 30)
group showed a reduction of at least 50 per cent in the median number of FI
episodes/week (incidence rate ratio (IRR) 2.40, 95 per cent c.i. 1.10 to 5.24; P
= 0.028), but not in the mean number of episodes/week (10 of 29 versus 8 of 30;
IRR 1.42, 0.69 to 2.92; P = 0.347). The absolute median number of FI episodes per
week decreased in the PTNS but not in the sham group (IRR 0.66, 0.44 to 0.98; P =
0.041), as did the mean number (IRR 0.65 (0.45 to 0.97); P = 0.034). Scores on
the Cleveland Clinic Florida faecal incontinence scale decreased significantly in
both groups, but more steeply in the PTNS group (mean difference -1.3, 95 per
cent c.i. -2.6 to 0.0; P = 0.049). The aggregated mental component score of Short
Form 36 improved in the PTNS but not in the sham group (mean difference 5.1, 0.5
to 9.6; P = 0.028). CONCLUSION: PTNS may offer a small advantage in the clinical
management of FI that is insufficiently responsive to conservative treatment. The
key challenge will be to identify patients who may benefit most from this
minimally invasive surgical procedure. Registration number: NCT00974909
(http://www.clinicaltrials.gov).
PMID- 28703939
TI - Adaptation of the By-Band randomized clinical trial to By-Band-Sleeve to include
a new intervention and maintain relevance of the study to practice.
AB - BACKGROUND: Recruitment into surgical RCTs can be threatened if new interventions
available outside the trial compete with those being evaluated. Adapting the
trial to include the new intervention may overcome this issue, yet this is not
often done in surgery. This paper describes the challenges, rationale and methods
for adapting an RCT to include a new intervention. METHODS: The By-Band study was
designed in the UK in 2009-2010 to compare the effectiveness of laparoscopic
adjustable gastric band and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass for severe obesity. It
contained a pilot phase to establish whether recruitment was possible, and the
grant proposal specified that an adaptation to include sleeve gastrectomy would
be considered if practice changed and recruitment was successful. Information on
changing obesity surgery practice, updated evidence and expert opinion about
trial design were used to inform the adaptation. RESULTS: The pilot phase
recruited over 13 months in 2013-2014 and randomized 80 patients (79
anticipated). During this time, major changes in obesity practice in the UK were
observed, with gastric band reducing from 32.6 to 15.8 per cent and sleeve
gastrectomy increasing from 9.0 to 28.1 per cent. The evidence base had not
changed markedly. The British Obesity and Metabolic Surgery Society and study
oversight committees supported an adaptation to include sleeve gastrectomy, and a
proposal to do so was approved by the funder. CONCLUSION: Adaptation of a two
group surgical RCT can allow evaluation of a third procedure and maintain
relevance of the RCT to practice. It also optimizes the use of existing trial
infrastructure to answer an additional important research question. Registration
number: ISRCTN00786323 (http://www.isrctn.com/).
PMID- 28703940
TI - Ebselen impairs cellular oxidative state and induces endoplasmic reticulum stress
and activation of crucial mitogen-activated protein kinases in pancreatic tumour
AR42J cells.
AB - Ebselen (2-phenyl-1,2-benzisoselenazol-3(2H)-one) is an organoselenium radical
scavenger compound, which has strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
However, evidence suggests that this compound could exert deleterious actions on
cell physiology. In this study, we have analyzed the effect of ebselen on rat
pancreatic AR42J cells. Cytosolic free-Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+ ]c ), cellular
oxidative status, setting of endoplasmic reticulum stress, and phosphorylation of
major mitogen-activated protein kinases were analyzed. Our results show that
ebselen evoked a concentration-dependent increase in [Ca2+ ]c . The compound
induced an increase in the generation of reactive oxygen species in the
mitochondria. We also observed an increase in global cysteine oxidation in the
presence of ebselen. In the presence of ebselen an impairment of cholecystokinin
evoked amylase release was noted. Moreover, involvement of the unfolded protein
response markers, ER chaperone and signaling regulator GRP78/BiP, eukaryotic
translation initiation factor 2alpha and X-box binding protein 1 was detected.
Finally, increases in the phosphorylation of SAPK/JNK, p38 MAPK, and p44/42 MAPK
in the presence of ebselen were also observed. Our results provide evidences for
an impairment of cellular oxidative state and enzyme secretion, the induction of
endoplasmic reticulum stress and the activation of crucial mitogen-activated
protein kinases in the presence of ebselen. As a consequence ebselen exerts a
potential toxic effect on AR42J cells.
PMID- 28703941
TI - Determination of the Absolute Configuration of (-)-Hydroxynitrilaphos and Related
Biosynthetic Questions.
AB - The ongoing search for bioactive natural products has led to the development of
new genome-based screening approaches to identify possible phosphonate producing
microorganisms. From the identified phosphonate producers, several until now
unknown phosphonic acid natural products were isolated, including
(hydroxy)nitrilaphos (4 and 5) and (hydroxy)phosphonocystoximate (7 and 6). We
present the synthesis of phosphonocystoximate via an aldoxime intermediate.
Chlorination and coupling with methyl N-acetylcysteinate furnished 6 after global
deprotection. The obtained experimental data confirm the previously assigned
structure of the natural product. We were also able to determine the absolute
configuration of (-)-hydroxynitrilaphos. Chiral resolution of diethyl
cyanohydroxymethylphosphonate (24) with Noe's lactol furnished both enantiomers
of 4. Conversion of (+)-24 to (R)-2-amino-1-hydroxyethylphosphonic acid by
reduction of the cyano-group showed (-)-hydroxynitrilaphos ultimately to be S
configured. Further, we present a 13 C-isotope labeling strategy for 4 and 5 that
will possibly solve the question of whether hydroxynitrilaphos is a biosynthetic
intermediate or a downstream product of hydroxyphosphonocystoximate biosynthesis.
PMID- 28703942
TI - Low-Temperature- and Phosphate Deficiency-Responsive Elements Control DGTT3
Expression in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.
AB - acyl-CoA:Diacylglycerol acyltransferases (DGAT) catalyse the final step of the
triacylglycerol biosynthesis. Two major gene families have been shown to encode
DGATs, DGAT1, and DGAT2. Abiotic factors such as low temperatures, nitrogen, or
phosphorus deficiency was reported to play important roles in the growth and
development in green algae. Whether DGATs are induced by low temperatures or
phosphorus deficiency, and the corresponding promoter elements are not reported
yet. In this study, we found DGTT3 to have a significant response to low
temperatures, phosphorus deficiency, and other stresses, such as high
concentrations of NaCl, 20 MUM GA, and 20 MUM abscisic acid. The promoter element
of DGTT3 was then studied by deletion and scanning mutagenesis method. Results
revealed that the - 319/- 247 region is essential for low-temperature and
phosphate-deficiency-mediated induction of DGTT3 expression. The sequence from -
312 to - 299 of the CAATAGACTGCTGCT was the core sequence of the cold responsive
element, which facilitated the promoter response to cold induction. Meanwhile,
the sequence from - 319 to - 275 was critical to phosphate-deficiency regulation.
Furthermore, the relationship between DNA methylation and transgenic silence in
N condition was analyzed, and results showed that the DNA methylation rate of the
transformed insertion region was high. This phenomenon was responsible for the
decrease in ARS gene expression in the transgenic algal strain under -N
conditions.
PMID- 28703943
TI - Target-site resistance to acetolactate synthase (ALS)-inhibiting herbicides in
Amaranthus palmeri from Argentina.
AB - BACKGROUND: Herbicide-resistant weeds are a serious problem worldwide. Recently,
two populations of Amaranthus palmeri with suspected cross-resistance to
acetolactate synthase (ALS)-inhibiting herbicides (R1 and R2) were found by
farmers in two locations in Argentina (Vicuna Mackenna and Totoras,
respectively). We conducted studies to confirm and elucidate the mechanism of
resistance. RESULTS: We performed in vivo dose-response assays, and confirmed
that both populations had strong resistance to chlorimuron-ethyl, diclosulam and
imazethapyr when compared with a susceptible population (S). In vitro ALS
activity inhibition tests only indicated considerable resistance to imazethapyr
and chlorimuron-ethyl, indicating that other non-target mechanisms could be
involved in diclosulam resistance. Subsequently, molecular analysis of als
nucleotide sequences revealed three single base-pair mutations producing
substitutions in amino acids previously associated with resistance to ALS
inhibitors, A122, W574, and S653. CONCLUSION: This is the first report of als
resistance alleles in A. palmeri in Argentina. The data support the involvement
of a target-site mechanism of resistance to ALS-inhibiting herbicides. (c) 2017
Society of Chemical Industry.
PMID- 28703944
TI - Low-Dimensional Organic-Inorganic Halide Perovskite: Structure, Properties, and
Applications.
AB - Three-dimensional (3 D) perovskite has attracted a lot of attention owing to its
success in photovoltaic (PV) solar cells. However, one of its major crucial
issues lies in its stability, which has limited its commercialization. An
important property of organic-inorganic perovskite is the possibility of forming
a layered material by using long organic cations that do not fit into the
octahedral cage. These long organic cations act as a "barrier" that "caps" 3 D
perovskite to form the layered material. Controlling the number of perovskite
layers could provide a confined structure with chemical and physical properties
that are different from those of 3 D perovskite. This opens up a whole new batch
of interesting materials with huge potential for optoelectronic applications.
This Minireview presents the synthesis, properties, and structural orientation of
low-dimensional perovskite. It also discusses the progress of low-dimensional
perovskite in PV solar cells, which, to date, have performance comparable to that
of 3 D perovskite but with enhanced stability. Finally, the use of low
dimensional perovskite in light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and photodetectors is
discussed. The low-dimensional perovskites are promising candidates for LED
devices, mainly because of their high radiative recombination as a result of the
confined low-dimensional quantum well.
PMID- 28703945
TI - Safe Use of Atypical Antipsychotics in a Patient With Postpartum Psychosis and a
History of Seronegative Myasthenia Gravis.
PMID- 28703946
TI - Prevalence, Severity, and Correlates of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder Symptoms
Among Women in the Arabian Peninsula.
AB - Objective: To study the prevalence of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)
symptom patterns among women in the United Arab Emirates and to measure the
debilitating nature of PMDD symptoms and sociodemographic correlates. Methods:
This cross-sectional sample study used the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric
Interview-Plus (MINI-Plus) and Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool (PSST) to
screen for presence and severity of PMDD symptoms in Arab women attending
ambulatory health services in Alain city, Emirate of Abu Dhabi, United Arab
Emirates, for routine health care between May 2005 and September 2005. Results:
The study participants include 508 women (76% Emiratis, 15% Omanis, and 8% other
Arabs) of childbearing age. In total, 94 women (18.6%) met MINI-Plus criteria for
PMDD; of these, 21 (4.1%) met PSST criteria for severe symptoms, 29 (5.7%) for
moderate symptoms, and 44 (8.7%) for mild or less symptoms. One woman (0.2%) with
severe symptoms and 12 women (2.4%) with moderate symptoms had negative MINI-Plus
scores. Presence of PMDD symptoms was significantly associated with higher
education (P = .000), single marital status (P = .001), major life stressors (P =
.001), and personal/family use of psychotropic medications (P = .000/P = .006),
personal/family psychological problems (P = .000/P = .001), irregular/painful
menses (P = .043/P = .001), and functional impairment on the Sheehan Disability
Scale (P = .000). Multilogistic regression analysis showed higher education,
major life stressor, personal use of psychotropic medications, personal/family
psychological problem, and painful menses were independent predictors of PMDD
symptoms. Conclusions: PMDD symptoms were common among the Arab women in our
study. The cyclically triggered mood disturbances were clustered in women with
personal/familial psychological problems, perhaps linking biologic constitution
to genetic predisposition for the development of PMDD symptomatology.
PMID- 28703947
TI - Insurance Coverage and Health Outcomes in Young Adults With Mental Illness
Following the Affordable Care Act Dependent Coverage Expansion.
AB - OBJECTIVE: As a provision of the Affordable Care Act, young adults were able to
remain on their parents' health insurance plans until age 26. We examined the
impact of the 2010 dependent coverage expansion on insurance coverage and health
outcomes among young adults with mental illness. METHODS: Data are from the 2008
2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an annual population-based survey of
noninstitutionalized US individuals aged 12 and older. We used a difference-in
differences approach to compare young adults with mental illness subject to the
provision (aged 19-25 years, n = 19,051) with an older comparison group (aged 26
34 years, n = 7,958) before (2008-2009) and after (2011-2013) the dependent
coverage expansion in their insurance coverage, use of health services, and self
reported health. RESULTS: In adjusted analyses, following the dependent coverage
expansion, private insurance coverage increased by 11.7 percentage points (95%
CI, 8.4-15.1, P < .001) and uninsurance decreased by 8.9 percentage points (95%
CI, -12.1 to -5.7, P < .001) among 19- to 25-year-olds with mental illness,
relative to 26- to 34-year-olds. The provision was associated with a modest
increase in young adults with mental illness who received outpatient mental
health treatment at least monthly on average (+2.0% [95% CI, 0.1% to 4.0%, P =
.04]) and a modest decrease in those reporting their overall health as fair or
poor (-2.3% [95% CI, -4.6% to -0.0%, P = .05]). Unmet mental health needs due to
cost decreased significantly among those with moderate-to-serious mental illness
(-12.3% [95% CI, -22.7% to -2.0%, P = .02]), but did not change among those with
mild illness. CONCLUSIONS: The 2010 dependent coverage expansion was associated
with an increase in insurance coverage, several indicators of mental health
treatment, and improved self-reported health among young adults with mental
illness.
PMID- 28703948
TI - The Health-Promoting Effects of Insurance Coverage.
PMID- 28703949
TI - Psychotherapy Alone and Combined With Medication as Treatments for Bipolar II
Depression: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Bipolar II disorder (BP-II) is associated with marked morbidity and
mortality. Quetiapine, the treatment with greatest evidence for efficacy in BP-II
depression, is associated with metabolic burden. Psychotherapy, a treatment with
few side effects, has not been systematically evaluated in BP-II. This study
compared psychotherapy plus placebo to psychotherapy plus pharmacotherapy as
treatments for BP-II depression. METHODS: From 2010 to 2015, unmedicated adults
(n = 92) with DSM-IV-TR BP-II depression were randomly assigned to weekly
sessions of Interpersonal and Social Rhythm Therapy (IPSRT) plus placebo or IPSRT
plus quetiapine and followed for 20 weeks. RESULTS: For primary outcomes, IPSRT +
quetiapine yielded significantly faster improvement on 17-item Hamilton
Depression Rating Scale (F1,115.4 = 3.924, P = .048) and greater improvement on
Young Mania Rating Scale (F58.5 = 4.242, P = .044) scores. Both groups, however,
improved significantly over time with comparable response rates (>= 50% reduction
in depression scores): 67.4% (62/92) in the entire sample, with no between-group
differences. Those randomly assigned to their preferred treatment were 4.5 times
more likely to respond (OR = 4.48, 95% CI = 1.20-16.77, P = .026). IPSRT +
quetiapine assignment was associated with significantly higher body mass index
over time (F67.96 = 6.671, P = .012) and rates of dry mouth (79% v. 58%; chi2 =
4.0, P = .046) and a trend toward more complaints of oversedation (100% vs 92%;
chi2 = 3.4, P = .063). CONCLUSIONS: IPSRT plus quetiapine resulted in greater
symptomatic improvement but also more side effects than IPSRT alone. A subset of
participants improved with IPSRT alone, although absence of an inactive
comparator limits interpretation of this finding. Receipt of preferred treatment
was associated with better outcomes. Harms, benefits, and preferences should be
considered when recommending treatments for BP-II depression. TRIAL REGISTRATION:
ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01133821.
PMID- 28703950
TI - Randomized Controlled Trial of Web-Based Psychoeducation for Women With
Borderline Personality Disorder.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To determine if internet-based psychoeducation for borderline
personality disorder is effective in reducing symptom severity and improving
psychosocial functioning. METHODS: Eighty women who met DSM-IV criteria for
borderline personality disorder were randomly assigned either to the internet
based psychoeducation treatment group (n = 40) or to the internet-based control
group with no psychoeducation (n = 40). Recruitment was conducted from July 2013
to March 2015. Subjects participated in 15 assessment periods that were divided
into an acute phase (weeks 1-12) and a maintenance phase (months 6, 9, and 12).
Main outcomes were assessed using the Zanarini Rating Scale for Borderline
Personality Disorder. RESULTS: In the acute phase, women in the treatment group
were found to have a significant decline in their scores on all 10 outcomes
studied, while women in the control group had a significant decline on 7 of these
outcomes. Two between-group differences were found to be significant-those in the
treatment group reported a significantly greater decline in their impulsivity (z
= -1.98, P = .048) and a significantly greater increase in their psychosocial
functioning (z = -1.97, P = .049) than those in the control group. In the
maintenance phase, those in the treatment group were found to have a significant
decline in their scores on 9 of the 10 outcomes studied, while those in the
control group had a significant decline in 3 of these outcomes. In terms of
between-group differences, those in the treatment group reported a significantly
greater decline in all 5 studied areas of borderline psychopathology: affective
symptoms (z = -2.31, P = .021), cognitive symptoms (z = -3.20, P = .001),
impulsivity (z = -2.44, P = .015), interpersonal difficulties (z = -2.15, P =
.032), and overall borderline personality disorder symptoms (z = -2.11, P =
.035). CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, these results suggest that internet-based
psychoeducation is an effective form of early treatment for reducing the symptom
severity of borderline personality disorder for periods up to 1 year. TRIAL
REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01719731.
PMID- 28703951
TI - Secondary Prevention of Chronic PTSD by Early and Short-Term Administration of
Escitalopram: A Prospective Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Trial.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Prospective studies have not identified a viable pharmacologic
strategy for secondary prevention of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The
authors examined whether preventive intervention via early and short-term
administration of a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), within 1 month
of exposure to a traumatic event (before diagnosis of PTSD could be made), may
reduce the severity of PTSD symptoms according to DSM-IV at 13 months' follow-up.
METHODS: Over 25,000 screening calls to patients referred to an emergency
department for a traumatic event performed between June 2006 and December 2008
yielded 353 participants who were recruited within the month following a
traumatic event . Participants were randomly assigned in a double-blind design to
escitalopram (n = 176) or placebo (n = 177). The per-protocol analysis comprised
198 participants (escitalopram, n = 102; placebo, n = 96) who received treatment
for 12 to 24 weeks and were available for follow-up at week 56. RESULTS: The
primary outcome measure, the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), revealed
no prevention effect. However, a secondary outcome, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality
Inventory (PSQI), showed better results for the SSRI group than for the placebo
group. For a subset of participants who experienced intentional trauma (missile
attacks, rape, or physical assault; n = 50), the prevention effect was found on
both primary and secondary measures (CAPS, PSQI and measures of depression and
global illness severity). CONCLUSIONS: Early and short-term administration of
escitalopram was not shown to prevent PTSD, although it did improve sleep
quality. In a subgroup of participants who experienced intentional trauma,
however, this early-treatment approach may be effective as secondary prevention.
This large study is the first to investigate the preventive effect of early
administration of escitalopram on PTSD. It highlights the relevance of the type
of trauma (intentional vs unintentional) to the outcome. TRIAL REGISTRATION:
ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00300313.
PMID- 28703952
TI - Potential of bacteriocins from lab to improve microbial quality of dry-cured and
fermented meat products.
AB - Meat and meat products are an important component of the daily diet.
Nevertheless, they are perishable goods and are prone to microbial contamination,
which leads to an increased risk to the health of consumers as well as economic
losses in the meat industry. Fermentation has been used for thousands of years to
preserve meat. As a result of extensive biochemical reactions occurring in meat
during fermentation and ripening, the condi- tions inhibiting the growth of
pathogenic and spoilage bacteria are formed. These changes are catalyzed by
endogenous meat enzymes and exogenous enzymes derived from natural contaminating
bacteria or starter cultures applied. In dry-cured and fermented meat products
they are represented mainly by lactic acid bacte- ria (LAB) that produce a wide
range of compounds, such as bacteriocins, directed against other microorgan-
isms. The use of bactericidal peptides does not affect the sensory quality of
foodstuffs, so that they attract attention as alternative means of preserving the
stability and safety of dry-cured products.
PMID- 28703953
TI - The effect of temperature on in vitro digestibility, fat globular size and free
fatty acid bio-availability in milk fat.
AB - BACKGROUND: The rate at which a particular fat is digested has an effect on its
bioavailability and on the lipid profile of the blood. Milk fat is a very complex
mixture of triacylglycerols, resulting in a very wide melting range (from
–40 to +40°C). Because temperature has a pronounced effect on the
physicochemical state of milk fat (i.e. crystallisation of different fat
fractions), this study analysed the bioavailability of milk fat at different
temperatures. METHODS: A simplified model simulating digestion in the intestine
at various temperatures was used. The released fatty acids and the changes in the
emulsion of milk fat under the effect of lipase were compared. RESULTS: The
amount and profiles of the released fatty acids varied depending on the
incubation temperature of the studied sample. At lower temperatures, the
fractions which were hydrolysed to a greater degree were those which contained
more unsaturated oleic acid, but contained less C14, C16 and C18 saturated acids.
Changes in the emulsion system also differed depending on temperature.
CONCLUSIONS: The obtained results indicate that, depending on the temperature,
not only different amounts, but also different fractions of milk fat were
hydrolysed by lipase, which indicates the role of the physico- chemical state of
milk fat during its digestion.
PMID- 28703954
TI - Evaluation of selected properties of gluten-free instant gruels processed under
various extrusion-cook- ing conditions.
AB - BACKGROUND: For consumers suffering with gluten intolerance, the only way to
manage the condition is to avoid foods which are high in gluten. Instant gruels,
processed from gluten-free corn and rice by extrusion cooking, could be used as a
ready meal both for children and for adults on a gluten-free diet. The aim of the
study was to evaluate the effects of various processing conditions on selected
characteristics of corn-rice instant gruels. METHODS: Corn-rice mixtures (75:25
and 50:50) were processed at 12, 14, 16 and 18% of initial moisture content,
using an extruder with screw speeds of 80, 100 and 120 rpm. Bulk density, water
absorption and solubility, gel formation, color and sensory characteristics were
assessed, under various pro- cessing conditions and with various corn:rice
ratios. RESULTS: The composition of the raw materials, initial moisture content
and screw speed applied during processing affected the characteristics of the
corn-rice extruded instant gruels. Increasing the amount of rice in the recipe
from 25 to 50% resulted in decreased bulk density, water solubility, volumetric
gel formation ability and b* value. Increasing the initial moisture content
increased the bulk density, L*, a* and b* intensity, and gel formation index
values of extrudates made with a 75:25 corn-rice recipe. Increased rpm increased
extrudate solubility and water absorption, if the initial moisture content was
higher than 14%. The highest scores for overall acceptability were found for milk
suspensions of 75:25 and 50:50 corn-rice instant gruels processed at 12 and 14%
of initial moisture content, at 120 rpm. CONCLUSIONS: Corn-rice instant gruels
can be successfully produced by extrusion-cooking. Variable param- eters, like
the initial moisture content of raw materials or screw speed during processing
significantly affected the properties of the products. An understanding of the
effects of processing conditions on some qualities of extruded instant gruels
allows more desirable products to be created. Moreover, the various components
can be used for extruded products for consumers on gluten-free diets. Functional
additives incorporated in the recipe to improve the nutritional value of the
extrudates, which will be investigated in our upcoming research.
PMID- 28703955
TI - Yield of acid curd cheese produced from cow's milk from different lactation
periods.
AB - BACKGROUND: Milk production intensification has led in many countries, including
Poland, to increased milk yields per cow. A higher milk yield resulted in changes
in cow productivity, including extended lactations. There is a paucity of
information on the quality of milk harvested during the last months of lactations
exceed- ing 10 months. Production capacity cheese (“cheese
expenditure”) is an important parameter of providing a recovery as much
as the possible components of the milk processed are dry substances, which in
turn af- fects the economics of production. The aim of the study was to determine
the influence of the lactation period (from standard lactation; extended
lactation phase) on the performance of the acid curd cheese. the relation- ship
between total protein content and acidity of fresh milk collected in two separate
periods of lactation on the yield of acid cheese was also evaluated. METHODS: The
study included 1384 samples of milk collected from Polish Holstein-Friesian cows,
the Black-White variety. The basic chemical composition of fresh milk and acid
curd cheese produced in the laboratory were analyzed. The cheese milk yield was
evaluated on the basis of the quantity of the re- sulting curd mass. RESULTS:
According to our estimates, under laboratory conditions an average of 100 kg of
milk per cow in population produced an estimated 20.1 kg of curd cheese. The
basic chemical composition of raw milk, which was diverse in terms of the period
of lactation, showed a higher dry matter, fat and protein content in milk
acquired during the extension phase of lactation compared to the milk of standard
lactation. It has been found that the lower titratable acidity of fresh milk
appeared with a higher yield of cheese curd. This difference was between 1.76 kg
(with milk from cows milked during the extended lactation phase) to 2.72 kg from
100 kg of cheese milk (milk with the standard lactation). Thus, the optimum level
of titratable acidity of milk for cheese yield is 6.0–7.5°SH.
CONCLUSIONS: Most samples with the highest yields of acid curd cheese (>20%) were
obtained from the milk from collected in the period from day 306 till the end of
lactation (60.54%).
PMID- 28703956
TI - Optimization of mooseer (A. hirtifolium Boiss.) dehydration under infrared
conditions.
AB - BACKGROUND: In recent years, infrared drying has gained popularity as an
alternative drying method for a va- riety of agricultural products. The use of
infrared radiation technology in drying agricultural products has several
advantages. These may include decreased drying time, high energy efficiency, high
quality finished products and uniform temperature in the product. With
intermittent infrared and convection heating of a thick porous material, the
drying time can be reduced compared to convection alone, while keeping good food
quality and high energy efficiency. METHODS: Response surface methodology (RSM)
was employed to optimize the drying con- ditions of mooseer under infrared
convective drying. Experiments were performed at air temperatures of 40, 55 and
70°C, infrared powers of 500, 1000 and 1500 W, air velocities of 0.5, 1.5 and
2.5 m/s and slice thicknesses of 2, 4, and 6 mm. In this study, effective
moisture diffusivity (Deff), shrinkage, color changes and specific energy
consumption (SEC) were investigated. The central composite design (CCD) was
selected for the design and optimization of the process. RESULTS: Deff was
obtained between 1.4×10 and 3.57×10 m /s. With increasing air
temperature and slice –10 –9 2 thickness, Deff also increased. The
level of shrinkage rose as slice thickness increased. The highest and lowest
values of color changes were calculated at air temperatures of 70°C (52.3%)
and 40°C (5.65%), respectively. Increasing air velocity led to an increase in
SEC. CONCLUSIONS: Optimum conditions for mooseer drying were achieved at air
temperature of 70°C, infrared power of 867.46, air velocity of 0.59 m/s and
slice thickness of 2 mm. At this point, Deff, shrinkage, color changes and SEC
was obtained as 1.32×10–9 m2/s, 29.58%, 17.62% and 4.64 MJ/kg,
respectively. The desir- ability value of 0.689 was achieved for the drying
process.  .
PMID- 28703957
TI - Lactose-free frozen yogurt: production and characteristics.
AB - BACKGROUND: Nowadays, consumer demand is driving better and more nutritious dairy
products. Changing from traditional to new lactose-free products poses
technological challenges for the food industry in order to maintain or improve
their food characteristics and consumer preferences. METHODS: This study
investigates the production of lactose-free frozen yogurt by enzymati- cally
hydrolysis of lactose, and its influence on the final product characteristics. In
the case of lactose-free products, commercial Ha-lactase® was used for
hydrolysis, and the reaction occurred simultaneously with fermentation. The
effect of lactose hydrolysis on the physicochemical properties, texture,
viscosity, overrun and sensory attributes in the final product was investigated.
RESULTS: After yogurt maturation, the acidity of the lactose-free product was
significantly higher than in the control, suggesting that breaking down lactose
enhances the fermentation process. Lactose-free frozen yogurt had significantly
lower hardness and stickiness and higher viscosity than control frozen yogurt.
Moreover, lactose hydrolysis promoted a smooth and creamy consistency, whereas in
the case of conventional prod- ucts a coarse structure, due to the presence of
large ice crystals, was identified. Hydrolysis of lactose also improved the
sweetness and brightness of frozen yogurt. The improved textural properties of
lactose-free product results from the fact that monosaccharides produced during
lactose hydrolysis depress the freezing point of the mix, which enables product
with softer structure and bigger resistance to ice recrystallization to be
obtained. CONCLUSIONS: The study showed that lactose-free frozen yogurt may be
used successfully for production of novel lactose-free frozen desserts. Lactose
hydrolysis improves the texture and viscosity of the product, as well as
enhancing its sensory quality.
PMID- 28703958
TI - The potential use of probiotic strains Lactobacillus acidophilus NRRL B 4495,
Bifidobacterium bifidum NRRL B41410 in “Lor Whey Cheese” and the
effects on sensory properties.
AB - BACKGROUND: In recent years, probiotic bacteria have increasingly been
incorporated into various foods as dietary adjuncts. The viability of the
probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus acidophilus NRRL B 4495 and Bifido- bacterium
bifidum NRRL B41410 in salted (1% w/w) and unsalted lor whey cheese during
storage (21 days) at a refrigerated temperature (4°C) was evaluated. METHODS:
As well as the survival of the probiotic bacteria, total mesophilic bacteria,
total lactic acid bacteria, Pseudomonas spp., yeast-mould counts and sensory
characteristics were examined in the lor samples. RESULTS: The Bf. bifidum
remained in large numbers, at 7.30 and 7.11 log cfu/g, and Lb. acidophilus also
survived well, with counts of 7.60 and 7.47 log cfu/g, for unsalted and salted
cheeses respectively. Salted lor cheeses with added Lb. acidophilus have the
highest sensory scores in the groups. CONCLUSIONS: “Lor” whey cheese
showed good probiotic properties.
PMID- 28703959
TI - Effects of operative conditions on products obtained of starch-oil mixtures by
single-screw extrusion.
AB - BACKGROUND: d. The aim of the study was to evaluate the fat binding and
physicochemical properties of the products under conditions of potato starch
extrusion containing rapeseed or linseed oil and rapeseed oil with glycerol.
METHODS: The study dealt with the extrudates of potato starch produced with the
addition of rape seed or linseed oil and rapeseed oil and glycerol at 22%
humidity. The extrudates were obtained at two screw speeds: 80 rpm and 100 rpm.
Extrudates containing rapeseed oil and glycerol (R6G) were obtained at a
temperature distribution of 115/130/150°C, while those with the participation
of rapeseed oil and linseed oil were obtained at 120/135/128°C. Water
solubility index (WSI), water absorption index (WAI), specific surface area
(SBET) and quantity of fat permanently bound were determined for the products
obtained. RESULTS: When oils were added, the solubility of extrudates decreased
as compared to the control samples (starch without oil; S). Rapeseed oil added to
the starch mixture at the levels of 3 g and 6 g in had no sig- nificant effect on
the solubility of the product and amounted to: 80.3–82.6% and
78–79.6%. The largest decrease in solubility (WSI, 55.4–57.1%) was
demonstrated for samples with 6% addition of rapeseed oil and 10 g glycerol. For
these samples (R6G), a significant increase in the index WAI (376–397%) was
recorded. Extrudates obtained with the addition of 3 g of rapeseed oil absorbed
slightly more water than those with 6 g of oil added. The specific surface area
(SBET 230–256 m2/g) determined from the water vapor adsorption isotherm
indicates no statistically significant difference at α = 0.05 for products
with rapeseed oil, linseed oil, and controls. A significant increase in the
specific surface area (SBET 284–347 m2/g) was observed for samples with 6g
rapeseed oil and 10 g glycerol added. For samples with 3 g of rapeseed oil, the
amount of bound fat was 1.9–2.1 g/100 g of starch and for 6% the starch
percentage was 2.96–3.5 g/100 g. CONCLUSIONS: The water solubility of
starch extrudates with the addition of oils decreases with an increase in screw
speed. Starch extrudates with linseed oil and rapeseed oil plus added glycerol
are characterized by an increase in water-absorption capacity with respect to the
control extrudates. The products obtained with the addition of rapeseed oil and
glycerol exhibit a significant increase in their specific surface area. The quan-
tity of fat permanently bound during extrusion depended on: the oil type, its
percentage in the mixture and the screw speed. The linseed oil was the least
absorbed in the starch structure, but rapeseed oil binding increased with the
increase in its level in the mixture.
PMID- 28703960
TI - Antioxidative properties of milk protein preparations fermented by Polish strains
of Lactobacillus helveticus.
AB - BACKGROUND: The increasing significance of food products containing substances
with antioxidative activi- ties is currently being observed. This is mainly due
to the fact that pathogenic changes underlying some diseases are related to the
carcinogenic effects of free radicals. Antioxidative compounds play an important
role in supporting and enhancing the body’s defense mechanisms, which is
useful in preventing some civili- zation diseases. Unfortunately, it has been
already proved that some synthetic antioxidants pose a potential risk in vivo.
Therefore, antioxidant compounds derived from a natural source are extremely
valuable. Milk is a source of biologically active precursors, which when enclosed
in structural protein sequences are inactive. The hydrolysis process, involving
bacterial proteolytic enzymes, might release biopeptides that act in various
ways, including having antioxidant properties. The objective of this study was to
determine the antioxidant properties of milk protein preparations fermented by
Polish strains of L. helveticus. The research also focused on evaluating the
dynamics of milk acidification by these strains and analyzing the textural
properties of the skim milk fermented products obtained. METHODS: The research
studied Polish strains of L. helveticus: B734, 141, T80 and T105, which have not
yet been used industrially. The antioxidant properties of 1% (w/v) solutions of
milk protein preparations (skim milk powder, caseinoglycomacropeptide and α
lactoalbumin) fermented by these strains were determined by neutralizing the free
radicals with 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). Moreover, solutions of skim
milk powder (SMP) fermented by the microorganisms being tested were analyzed on
gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The dynamics of milk acidification by these
microorganisms was also analyzed L. helveticus strains were used to prepare
fermented regenerated skim milk products that were subjected to texture profile
analysis (TPA) performed using a TA-XT2i (Stable Micro Systems, Godalming, UK).
RESULTS: The results suggest that the antioxidant activity of fermented milk
protein preparations depended on the type of milk protein preparation and was
also related to the strain that conducted the fermentation process. The process
of caseinoglycomacropeptide (CGMP) fermentation by DSMZ 20075, T105 and 141
signifi- cantly (p < 0.05) influenced the increase in the antioxidant activities
of the protein preparation, the highest values of parameter were obtained in
samples fermented by L. helveticus T105 (64.82 ±0.013%), while in the case
of α-lactoalbumin (α-la), the strongest free radical scavenging
activity (66.67 ±0.020%) was noted for unfermented samples (control).
CONCLUSIONS: The greatest increase in DPPH scavenging activity (% of inhibition)
was noted for fermented SMP solutions. The highest values of the parameter
measured were recorded for SMP fermented by the reference strain (85.98
±0.009%) and T80 (81.66 ±0.013%). Strain T105 demonstrated the most
desirable properties with respect to milk acidifying dynamic and texture
properties of fermented skim milk products, while the reference strain (L.
helveticus DSMZ 20075) and L. helveticus T80 seem to be more desirable in terms
of the possibility of obtaining fermented protein preparations with the best
antioxidant properties. The Polish strains analyzed here might find application
in dairy products and also in developing functional food products. Furthermore,
the preparations of milk protein that were fermented by the strains being tested
may be a natural source dietary antioxidants.
PMID- 28703961
TI - Effect of addition of wild garlic (Allium ursinum) on the quality of kefirs from
sheep's milk.
AB - BACKGROUND: Sheep’s milk has a high content of total solids, which
qualifies it as a very good raw material for the production of fermented milk
drinks. Currently, there are commercially produced kefirs and yogurts from
sheep’s milk in the countries of the Mediterranean region. The growing
interest in the consumption of these products is justified not only by their
taste merits, but also because of their health-promoting proper- ties. The aim of
the present study was to determine the effect of the addition of 1% of
lyophilized wild garlic powder on the properties of kefirs from sheep’s
milk. METHODS: Sheep’s milk was pasteurized (85°C, 30 min), cooled
down, enriched with 1% of freeze-dried wild garlic powder, inoculated with a
Commercial VITAL kefir culture and fermented for 16 hours (26°C). The
influence of wild garlic on acidity (pH, °SH), syneresis (%), texture (TPA
test), colour (L*a*b*) and the sensory profile of kefirs was conducted. RESULTS:
Wild garlic could be used as a taste and flavour modifier in the production of
kefir from sheep’s milk. The addition of 1% of freeze-dried wild garlic
slowed down the fermentation of kefir, changed colour and reduced syneresis.
CONCLUSIONS: Wild garlic could be used as a valuable supplement and a modifier of
taste and flavour in kefir from sheep’s milk.
PMID- 28703962
TI - Haematological and biochemical studies on Justicia carnea leaves extract in
phenylhydrazine induced-anemia in albino rats.
AB - BACKGROUND: Justicia carnea is a medicinal plant used widely in Nigeria which is
reported to have diverse functions, including blood-boosting potential. Aim. The
effect of the ethanol extract of Justicea carnea (JC) leaves in phenylhydrazine
induced-anemia albino rats on haematological and lipid profile parameters was
investigated. METHODS: The experimental animals were randomly grouped into five
groups of six rats each – group 1 (non-anemic control), group 2 (anemic
control), group 3 (500 mg/kg of JC extract), group 4 (1000 mg/kg of JC extract)
and group 5 (DMSO control). Phenylhydrazine was administered once at a dose of 80
mg/kg b.w. to induce hemolytic anemia. After 28 days of extract administration,
they were humanely sacrificed and the serum collected was used for biochemical
analysis. RESULTS: In the acute toxicity study, the LD50 was found to be above
5000 mg/kg body weight. Packed Cell Volume (PCV) values, Red Blood cell (RBC) and
haemoglobin (Hb) concentrations decreased (p < 0.05) sig- nificantly after 48
hours of phenylhydrazine induction, but after 28 days of administering extracts
of Justicia carnea, PCV values, RBC and Hb increased (p < 0.05) significantly.
There were significant (p < 0.05) de- creases in cholesterol, triacylglycerol,
and LDL cholesterol concentrations in the extract-administered groups (groups
3&4) relative to the anemic control. There was a significant (p < 0.05) increase
in HDL-cholesterol concentrations in the extract groups (3&4) relative to the non
anemic control. CONCLUSIONS: Extracts of Justicia carnea not only reversed anemic
conditions in the phenylhydrazine-induced rats, it also improved the lipid
profile, and this may be attributed to its rich phytochemical, nutrient and vita-
min composition. Therefore, the findings of the study suggest that J. carnea
leaves could be used to manage lipid abnormalities associated with anemia.
PMID- 28703964
TI - ?
PMID- 28703963
TI - Comparing the effects of sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup on lipid metabolism
and the risk of cardiovascular disease in male rats.
AB - BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to compare, in an animal model, the
effect of different sugar types (sucrose vs. high-fructose corn syrup 55%)
consumed as 10% by weight of the diet (11.6% of daily caloric intake) on the
amount of food consumed, body weight, fatty tissue deposits, concentrations of
selected lipids, and atherogenic indices of blood plasma. Material and method.
The experiment was carried out on 30 5-month-old Wistar male rats, fed three
differ- ent diets, containing, amongst other foods, (1) ground unrefined cereal
grains, (2) sucrose, (3) high-fructose corn syrup. Results. Weight gains in
animals on sucrose or high-fructose corn syrup diets were higher than those con-
suming basic feed, but the effect was not associated with perivisceral fat
accumulation. It has been found that all the atherogenic indices
(Castelli’s Risk Index I, Castelli’s Risk Index II, Atherogenic Index
of Plasma, Atherogenic Coefficient) were statistically significantly higher in
animals on a high-fructose corn syrup diet compared to both the control group and
those on a sucrose diet. Conclusion. The effect of the 55% high-fructose corn
syrup on the tested parameters of lipid metabolism was not equivalent to that of
sucrose. Using HFCS-55 instead of sucrose has an adverse effect on blood lipid
parameters, while weight gains and peri-organ fat deposits are comparable.
Moreover, the obtained results confirm that tested animals were susceptible to
the adverse effects of sugars added to their diet, even in small amounts. This
emphasises the need to precisely control the amount of added sugars in. METHODS:
nd. The objective of this study was to compare, in an animal model, the effect of
different sugar types (sucrose vs. high-fructose corn syrup 55%) consumed as 10%
by weight of the diet (11.6% of daily caloric intake) on the amount of food
consumed, body weight, fatty tissue deposits, concentrations of selected lipids,
and atherogenic indices of blood plasma. Material and method. The experiment was
carried out on 30 5-month-old Wistar male rats, fed three differ- ent diets,
containing, amongst other foods, (1) ground unrefined cereal grains, (2) sucrose,
(3) high-fructose corn syrup. RESULTS: Weight gains in animals on sucrose or high
fructose corn syrup diets were higher than those con- suming basic feed, but the
effect was not associated with perivisceral fat accumulation. It has been found
that all the atherogenic indices (Castelli’s Risk Index I, Castelli’s
Risk Index II, Atherogenic Index of Plasma, Atherogenic Coefficient) were
statistically significantly higher in animals on a high-fructose corn syrup diet
compared to both the control group and those on a sucrose diet. CONCLUSIONS: The
effect of the 55% high-fructose corn syrup on the tested parameters of lipid
metabolism was not equivalent to that of sucrose. Using HFCS-55 instead of
sucrose has an adverse effect on blood lipid parameters, while weight gains and
peri-organ fat deposits are comparable. Moreover, the obtained results confirm
that tested animals were susceptible to the adverse effects of sugars added to
their diet, even in small amounts. This emphasises the need to precisely control
the amount of added sugars in the diet.
PMID- 28703965
TI - ?
PMID- 28703966
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PMID- 28703967
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PMID- 28703968
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PMID- 28703969
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PMID- 28703970
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PMID- 28703971
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PMID- 28703972
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PMID- 28703973
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PMID- 28703975
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PMID- 28703974
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PMID- 28703976
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PMID- 28703977
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PMID- 28703982
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PMID- 28703986
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PMID- 28703987
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PMID- 28703989
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PMID- 28703990
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PMID- 28703991
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PMID- 28703992
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PMID- 28703993
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PMID- 28703994
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PMID- 28703995
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PMID- 28703996
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PMID- 28703997
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PMID- 28703998
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PMID- 28703999
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PMID- 28704000
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PMID- 28704001
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PMID- 28704002
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PMID- 28704003
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PMID- 28704004
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PMID- 28704005
TI - [Repetition of blood testing : which risks for the patient?]
AB - Numerous tests are performed in the hospital, often on a daily basis. These tests
should answer a specific scientific question and be performed only if their
results can have an impact on patient care. In addition to causing anemia,
overutilization of tests, such as useless blood testing, can have a deleterious
impact on the patients because they carry the risk of false positive results,
which can trigger downstream unnecessary investigations and costs.
PMID- 28704006
TI - [Urinary catheter : comply with guidelines to avoid infections].
AB - Catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) is the most frequent hospital
acquired infection, associated with significant morbidity, mortality and health
care costs. Up to 50 % of urinary catheter use in hospital are for incontinence
or convenience without proper indication. In addition, urinary catheters are not
removed when no longer necessary, due to a lack of vigilance of the health care
team. The duration of catheterization is the most important risk factor for the
development of CAUTI. Simple measures to prevent CAUTI include appropriate use,
maintaining awareness of catheters in place and use of different alternatives.
These measures can reduce the number of CAUTI over 50 % along with positive
impact on the quality of care and costs.
PMID- 28704007
TI - [Blood transfusion : optimizing the use of a scarce and expensive resource].
AB - Haemoglobin transfusion threshold remains debated with a high variability of
practice among physicians. Several well-conducted studies revealed that a liberal
transfusion policy is not only unnecessary, but can also prove harmful in certain
situations. Blood transfusion is a costly act involving risks of infection,
allergic and hemodynamic. Optimizing the use of this scarce and expensive
resource becomes necessary. This article summarizes the different transfusion
thresholds to respect in hospital clinical practice, based on the latest
international recommendations, while emphasizing the importance of clinical
judgment in each situation.
PMID- 28704008
TI - [Can mobilization preserve the elderly hospitalized from functional decline ?]
AB - Up to 65% of older adults who walk independently will lose this capacity during a
hospital stay. In older adults, loss of walking independence increases the length
of hospital stay, the need for rehabilitation services and for
institutionalization, as well as the risk of falls (during hospital stay and
after discharge) and the risk of death. Bed rest or limited walking during a
hospital stay causes deconditioning and is one of the primary risk factors for
loss of independence and adverse outcome in hospitalized older adults. Because
early mobilisation improves the autonomy and outcomes in elderly patients, it is
of major importance that all healthcare workers pay attention to that measure of
care.
PMID- 28704009
TI - [Benzodiazepines in elderly patients : the dark side of a magic pill].
AB - Clinical studies show that prescription of benzodiazepines increases with age,
and well outside of recognized indications. It often is inappropriate and
abusive. Its consequences can be very serious and considerably increase patients'
morbidity and mortality. Strategies exist to stop these medications through a
multidisciplinary approach. Widespread campaigns are necessary to correct what
has become a significant public health problem.
PMID- 28704010
TI - [Smarter medicine in ambulatory care : beliefs and practices of family doctors
and training of future clinicians].
AB - Following an American and then international initiative, the Swiss Society of
Internal Medicine launched the " Smarter Medicine " campaign in 2014 with five
recommendations of activities to be avoided, focusing on low back pain,
antibiotic prescriptions, pre-operative chest x-rays, prostate cancer screening
and treatment with proton pump inhibitors. In 2016, 69 % of family physicians
reported that they knew the recommendations and levels of agreement were very
high. However, physicians reported differences between recommendations in how
often they are followed in practice, and there remains room for improvement. We
need to put in place training programs at the pre- and post-graduate levels, as
well as continuing medical education. It would also be useful to educate
patients.
PMID- 28704011
TI - ?
PMID- 28704012
TI - ?
PMID- 28704013
TI - ?
PMID- 28704014
TI - ?
PMID- 28704015
TI - ?
PMID- 28704016
TI - ?
PMID- 28704017
TI - ?
PMID- 28704018
TI - Ribavirin treatment of a patient with chronic hepatitis E.First case reported in
Latin America.
AB - We describe a clinical case of a kidney transplant patient whopresented a sudden
elevation of his liver function tests. Oncewe ruled out the most frequent causes
of acute hepatitis, serumtests for Hepatitis E were performed. Hepatitis E
virusRNA was detected in blood and stools. After six months thevirus was still
detected. Ribavirin treatment was initiatedwith normalization of the serum
aminotransferases and sustainedvirology response was achieved.
PMID- 28704019
TI - [Diagnosis of acute pancreatitis].
PMID- 28704020
TI - Surgical or Transcatheter Aortic-Valve Replacement.
PMID- 28704022
TI - [Prevention of cancer colorectal. From stone age to the cornerstone].
PMID- 28704023
TI - [Overweight and obesity: review and update].
AB - : Obesity is an epidemic with important health repercussionsin addition to high
treatment-related costs. Between 2006and 2007 the WHO developed new assessment
tools, whicharen't being globally used. In fact, there is no unified
problemmanagement across the hemisphere. Objectives: To updateobesity
epidemiology, to promote application of WHO'sstandards, to review new findings on
physiopathology (i.e.,fatty tissue as endocrine organ, intestinal microbiota),
toupdate epidemiological information, and to provide managementguidelines that
can be integrated in clinical care. Methods: LAPSGHAN called up its members to
collaboratein preparing this review article under the direction ofan
editor/coordinator, who selected the contents and literaturewith the best
evidencetogether with the members. Eachmember prepared a separate document for
each content. Thechosen contents were later collated, unified, and edited.
Results.This documents highlights the following: 1) Althoughextreme obesity is
increasing in the US, overweight and obesityprevalence has stabilized, while in
other countries it isalarmingly increasing; 2) New information regarding role
offatty tissue as endocrine organ and self-regulator of obesity;3) The promising
role of microbiota; and 4) Guidelines forchildren handling during consultation
and follow-up. Conclusions: There is no widespread implementation of standardsand
guidelines from the World Health Organization(WHO). There is no agreement as to
whether z-scores or percentilesshould be used, especially regarding children
under 2due to their changing body complexion. The most acceptedtool to assess
overweight, obesity and severe obesity is the BodyMass Index (BMI). This document
provides recommendationson how to approach clinical care with affected children.
PMID- 28704024
TI - [Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Review(GERD)].
AB - GERD is a highly prevalent disease in our country. It has adeep impact in
patient's quality of life, representing extremelyhigh costs regarding health. The
correct understanding ofits pathophysiology is crucial for the rational use of
diagnosesmethods and the implementation of appropriate treatmentadjusted to each
individual case. In this review we evaluatethis disorder based on the best
available evidence, focusingin pathophysiological mechanisms, its epidemiology,
moderndiagnosis methods and current management standards.
PMID- 28704025
TI - Diagnosis and Differential Diagnosis of Cushing's Syndrome.
PMID- 28704026
TI - Diagnosis and Differential Diagnosis of Cushing's Syndrome.
PMID- 28704027
TI - Diagnosis and Differential Diagnosis of Cushing's Syndrome.
PMID- 28704028
TI - Oppositely Charged Polyurethane Microspheres with Tunable Zeta Potentials as an
Injectable Dual-Loaded System for Bone Repair.
AB - To effectively repair irregular shaped bone defects by a minimally invasive
procedure, the exploration of an injectable gel to fill the defect is desirable.
Herein, positively and negatively charged polyurethane microspheres (PU-A and PU
B) with adjustable zeta potentials as well as the hydroxyapatite-loaded PU
microsphere (PU-A/HA) and the dexamethasone-loaded PU microsphere (PU-B/Dex) were
successfully prepared, and the oppositely charged microspheres could self
assemble into injectable gels with 3D structures by a mutually electrostatic
attraction. The self-assembly PU-A/HA+PU-B/Dex gel exhibited a much higher
elastic modulus (about 0.20 MPa) and excellent shear-thinning and self-recovery
behaviors, which would allow the gel to be injected through a fine syringe to
fill the irregular defect. The in vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that
the coexistence of HA and Dex in PU-A/HA+PU-B/Dex gel had a synergistic effect on
cell differentiation and accelerating new bone formation, displaying a good
prospect as an injectable gel for bone repair in minimally invasive surgery.
PMID- 28704029
TI - Encapsulation of Single Nanoparticle in Fast-Evaporating Micro-droplets Prevents
Particle Agglomeration in Nanocomposites.
AB - This work describes the use of fast-evaporating micro-droplets to finely disperse
nanoparticles (NPs) in a polymer matrix for the fabrication of nanocomposites.
Agglomeration of particles is a key obstacle for broad applications of
nanocomposites. The classical approach to ensure the dispersibility of NPs is to
modify the surface chemistry of NPs with ligands. The surface properties of NPs
are inevitably altered, however. To overcome the trade-off between dispersibility
and surface-functionality of NPs, we develop a new approach by dispersing NPs in
a volatile solvent, followed by mixing with uncured polymer precursors to form
micro-droplet emulsions. Most of these micro-droplets contain no more than one NP
per drop, and they evaporate rapidly to prevent the agglomeration of NPs during
the polymer curing process. As a proof of concept, we demonstrate the design and
fabrication of TiO2 NP@PDMS nanocomposites for solar fuel generation reactions
with high photocatalytic efficiency and recyclability arising from the fine
dispersion of TiO2. Our simple method eliminates the need for surface
functionalization of NPs. Our approach is applicable to prepare nanocomposites
comprising a wide range of polymers embedded with NPs of different composition,
sizes, and shapes. It has the potential for creating nanocomposites with novel
functions.
PMID- 28704030
TI - Chemistry Is Dead. Long Live Chemistry!
AB - Chemistry, once king of fluorescence microscopy, was usurped by the field of
fluorescent proteins. The increased demands of modern microscopy techniques on
the "photon budget" require better and brighter fluorophores, causing a renewed
interest in synthetic dyes. Here, we review the recent advances in biochemistry,
protein engineering, and organic synthesis that have allowed a triumphant return
of chemical fluorophores to modern biological imaging.
PMID- 28704031
TI - Supported Dendrimer-Encapsulated Metal Clusters: Toward Heterogenizing
Homogeneous Catalysts.
AB - Recyclable catalysts, especially those that display selective reactivity, are
vital for the development of sustainable chemical processes. Among available
catalyst platforms, heterogeneous catalysts are particularly well-disposed toward
separation from the reaction mixture via filtration methods, which renders them
readily recyclable. Furthermore, heterogeneous catalysts offer numerous handles
some without homogeneous analogues-for performance and selectivity optimization.
These handles include nanoparticle size, pore profile of porous supports, surface
ligands and interface with oxide supports, and flow rate through a solid catalyst
bed. Despite these available handles, however, conventional heterogeneous
catalysts are themselves often structurally heterogeneous compared to homogeneous
catalysts, which complicates efforts to optimize and expand the scope of their
reactivity and selectivity. Ongoing efforts in our laboratories are aimed to
address the above challenge by heterogenizing homogeneous catalysts, which can be
defined as the modification of homogeneous catalysts to render them in a
separable (solid) phase from the starting materials and products. Specifically,
we grow the small nanoclusters in dendrimers, a class of uniform polymers with
the connectivity of fractal trees and generally radial symmetry. Thanks to their
dense multivalency, shape persistence, and structural uniformity, dendrimers have
proven to be versatile scaffolds for the synthesis and stabilization of small
nanoclusters. Then these dendrimer-encapsulated metal clusters (DEMCs) are
adsorbed onto mesoporous silica. Through this method, we have achieved selective
transformations that had been challenging to accomplish in a heterogeneous
setting, e.g., pi-bond activation and aldol reactions. Extensive investigation
into the catalytic systems under reaction conditions allowed us to correlate the
structural features (e.g., oxidation states) of the catalysts and their activity.
Moreover, we have demonstrated that supported DEMCs are also excellent catalysts
for typical heterogeneous reactions, including hydrogenation and alkane
isomerization. Critically, these investigations also confirmed that the supported
DEMCs are heterogeneous and stable against leaching. Catalysts optimization is
achieved through the modulation of various parameters. The clusters are oxidized
(e.g., with PhICl2) or reduced (e.g., with H2) in situ. Changing the dendrimer
properties (e.g., generation, terminal functional groups) is analogous to ligand
modification in homogeneous catalysts, which affect both catalytic activity and
selectivity. Similarly, pore size of the support is another factor in determining
product distribution. In a flow reactor, the flow rate is adjusted to control the
residence time of the starting material and intermediates, and thus the final
product selectivity. Our approach to heterogeneous catalysis affords various
advantages: (1) the catalyst system can tap into the reactivity typical to
homogeneous catalysts, which conventional heterogeneous catalysts could not
achieve; (2) unlike most homogeneous catalysts with comparable performance, the
heterogenized homogeneous catalysts can be recycled; (3) improved activity or
selectivity compared to conventional homogeneous catalysts is possible because of
uniquely heterogeneous parameters for optimization. In this Account, we will
briefly introduce metal clusters and describe the synthesis and characterizations
of supported DEMCs. We will present the catalysis studies of supported DEMCs in
both the batch and flow modes. Lastly, we will summarize the current state of
heterogenizing homogeneous catalysis and provide future directions for this area
of research.
PMID- 28704032
TI - Transparent, Flexible Strain Sensor Based on a Solution-Processed Carbon Nanotube
Network.
AB - The demands for transparent, flexible electronic devices are continuously
increasing due to their potential applications to the human body. In particular,
skin-like, transparent, flexible strain sensors have been developed to realize
multifunctional human-machine interfaces. Here, we report a sandwich-like
structured strain sensor with excellent optical transparency based on highly
purified, solution-processed, 99% metallic CNT-polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)
composite thin films. Our CNT-PDMS composite strain sensors are mechanically
compliant, physically robust, and easily fabricated. The fabricated strain
sensors exhibit a high optical transparency of over 92% in the visible range with
acceptable sensing performances in terms of sensitivity, hysteresis, linearity,
and drift. We also found that the sensitivity and linearity of the strain sensors
can be controlled by the number of CNT sprays; hence, our sensor can be applied
and controlled based on the need of individual applications. Finally, we
investigated the detections of human activities and emotions by mounting our
transparent strain sensor on various spots of human skins.
PMID- 28704033
TI - Are Women Scientists Getting the Credit They Deserve?
PMID- 28704034
TI - Unique Thermal Stability of Unnatural Hydrophobic Ds Bases in Double-Stranded
DNAs.
AB - Genetic alphabet expansion technology, the introduction of unnatural bases or
base pairs into replicable DNA, has rapidly advanced as a new synthetic biology
area. A hydrophobic unnatural base pair between 7-(2-thienyl)imidazo[4,5
b]pyridine (Ds) and 2-nitro-4-propynylpyrrole (Px) exhibited high fidelity as a
third base pair in PCR. SELEX methods using the Ds-Px pair enabled high-affinity
DNA aptamer generation, and introducing a few Ds bases into DNA aptamers
extremely augmented their affinities and selectivities to target proteins. Here,
to further scrutinize the functions of this highly hydrophobic Ds base, the
thermal stabilities of double-stranded DNAs (dsDNA) containing a noncognate Ds-Ds
or G-Ds pair were examined. The thermal stability of the Ds-Ds self-pair was as
high as that of the natural G-C pair, and apart from the generally higher
stability of the G-C pair than that of the A-T pair, most of the 5'-pyrimidine-Ds
purine-3' sequences, such as CDsA and TDsA, exhibited higher stability than the
5'-purine-Ds-pyrimidine-3' sequences, such as GDsC and ADsC, in dsDNAs. This
trait enabled the GC-content-independent control of the thermal stability of the
designed dsDNA fragments. The melting temperatures of dsDNA fragments containing
the Ds-Ds pair can be predicted from the nearest-neighbor parameters including
the Ds base. In addition, the noncognate G-Ds pair can efficiently distinguish
its neighboring cognate natural base pairs from noncognate pairs. We demonstrated
that real-time PCR using primers containing Ds accurately detected a single
nucleotide mismatch in target DNAs. These unique properties of the Ds base that
affect the stabilities of the neighboring base pairs could impart new functions
to DNA molecules and technologies.
PMID- 28704035
TI - Oblique Colloidal Lithography for the Fabrication of Nonconcentric Features.
AB - Herein, we describe the development of oblique colloidal lithography (OCL) and
establish a systematic patterning strategy for creating libraries of nanosized
nonconcentric plasmonic structures. This strategy combines OCL, capillary force
lithography, and several wet and ion etching steps. Hexagonal arrays of
nonconcentric gold features were created on glass substrates with highly
controllable geometric parameters. The size, geometry, and eccentricity of the
gold features could be independently tuned by controlling the experimental
conditions. Gaps within surface elements could be shrunk to as small as 30 nm,
while the total patterned area was about l cm2. The goal was to devise a method
that offers a high degree of control over the resolution and morphology of
asymmetric structures without the need to resort to electron beam lithography.
This technique also enabled the development of numerous surface patterns through
the stepwise fabrication of separate elements. Complex features, including dots
surrounded nonconcentric targets, nonconcentric hexagram-disks, and nonconcentric
annular aperture arrays, were demonstrated, and their optical properties were
characterized. Indeed, spectroscopic studies and FDTD simulations demonstrated
that Fano resonances could readily be generated by the nonconcentric gold
features. Consequently, our patterning strategy should enable the high-throughput
investigation of plasmonic coupling and Fano resonances as a function of the
physical parameters of the elements within the nanopattern array.
PMID- 28704036
TI - Optical Surface Tension Measurement of Two-Dimensionally Confined Liquid
Surfaces.
AB - Surface tension measurement based on spontaneous capillary wave resonance in
confined micrometer-sized liquid interfaces was demonstrated. A single-beam quasi
elastic laser scattering method was used to detect the resonance. Characteristic
resonant modes were observed on a 44-MUm-sized circular water surface. The
frequencies of the peaks agreed well with those simulated by assuming planar
resonance, and the relationship was further confirmed for triangular, square, and
pentagonal water surfaces. Then, the applicability of the method was successfully
demonstrated by surface tension measurements of aqueous solutions of sodium
dodecyl sulfate. The sensitive detection of capillary resonance opens new
possibilities for the chemical and biochemical analysis of liquid interfaces.
PMID- 28704037
TI - A Single Outer-Sphere Mutation Stabilizes apo-Mn Superoxide Dismutase by 35
degrees C and Disfavors Mn Binding.
AB - The catalytic active site of Mn-specific superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) is
organized around a redox-active Mn ion. The most highly conserved difference
between MnSODs and the homologous FeSODs is the origin of a Gln in the second
coordination sphere. In MnSODs it derives from the C-terminal domain whereas in
FeSODs it derives from the N-terminal domain, yet its side chain occupies almost
superimposable positions in the active sites of these two types of SODs. Mutation
of this Gln69 to Glu in Escherichia coli FeSOD increased the Fe3+/2+ reduction
midpoint potential by >0.6 V without disrupting the structure or Fe binding [
Yikilmaz, E., Rodgers, D. W., and Miller, A.-F. ( 2006 ) Biochemistry 45 ( 4 ),
1151 - 1161 ]. We now describe the analogous Q146E mutant of MnSOD, explaining
its low Mn content in terms increased stability of the apo-Mn protein. In 0.8 M
guanidinium HCl, Q146E-apoMnSOD displays an apparent melting midpoint temperature
(Tm) 35 degrees C higher that of wild-type (WT) apoMnSOD, whereas the Tm of WT
holoMnSOD is only 20 degrees C higher than that of WT-apoMnSOD. In contrast, the
Tm attributed to Q146E-holoMnSOD is 40 degrees C lower than that of Q146E
apoMnSOD. Thus, our data refute the notion that the WT residues optimize the
structural stability of the protein and instead are consistent with conservation
on the basis of enzyme function and therefore ability to bind metal ion. We
propose that the WT-MnSOD protein conserves a destabilizing amino acid at
position 146 as part of a strategy to favor metal ion binding.
PMID- 28704038
TI - Eosinophilic Meningitis Caused by Angiostrongylus cantonensis.
AB - Rat lungworm, Angiostrongylus cantonensis, is one major cause of human
eosinophilic meningitis. This helminth is endemic in Southeast Asia, Pacific
Islands, and the Caribbean and has recently expanded to South America. The
infection is characterized by an elevated eosinophil count in cerebrospinal
fluid. Common symptoms and signs include headache, neck stiffness, paresthesia
and nausea/vomiting. The unique history of eating freshwater and land snails or
slugs within 2 weeks before onset is helpful for diagnosis. Antihelminthic agents
have not shown efficacy in human infection; treatment involves supportive care
with management of inflammation and intracranial pressure.
PMID- 28704039
TI - Symmetry Breaking in Side Chains Leading to Mixed Orientations and Improved
Charge Transport in Isoindigo-alt-Bithiophene Based Polymer Thin Films.
AB - The selection of side chains is important in design of conjugated polymers. It
not only affects their intrinsic physical properties, but also has an impact on
thin film morphologies. Recent reports suggested that a face-on/edge-on bimodal
orientation observed in polymer thin films may be responsible for a three
dimensional (3D) charge transport and leads to dramatically improved mobility in
donor-acceptor based conjugated polymers. To achieve a bimodal orientation in
thin films has been seldom explored from the aspect of molecular design. Here, we
demonstrate a design strategy involving the use of asymmetric side chains that
enables an isoindigo-based polymer to adopt a distinct bimodal orientation,
confirmed by the grazing incidence X-ray diffraction. As a result, the polymer
presents an average high mobility of 3.8 +/- 0.7 cm2 V-1 s-1 with a maximum value
of 5.1 cm2 V-1 s-1, in comparison with 0.47 and 0.51 cm2 V-1 s-1 obtained from
the two reference polymers. This study exemplifies a new strategy to develop the
next generation polymers through understanding the property-structure
relationship.
PMID- 28704040
TI - Uniaxially Stretched Flexible Surface Plasmon Resonance Film for Versatile
Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering Diagnostics.
AB - Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy affords a rapid, highly
sensitive, and nondestructive approach for label-free and fingerprint diagnosis
of a wide range of chemicals. It is of great significance to develop large-area,
uniform, and environmentally friendly SERS substrates for in situ identification
of analytes on complex topological surfaces. In this work, we demonstrate a
biodegradable flexible SERS film via irreversibly and longitudinally stretching
metal deposited biocompatible poly(epsilon-caprolactone) film. This composite
film after stretching shows surprising phenomena: three-dimensional and periodic
wave-shaped microribbons array embedded with a high density of nanogaps
functioning as hot-spots at an average gap size of 20 nm and nanogrooves array
along the stretching direction. The stretched polymer surface plasmon resonance
film gives rise to more than 10 times signal enhancement in comparison with that
of the unstretched composite film. Furthermore, the SERS signals with high
uniformity exhibit good temperature stability. The polymer SPR film with
excellent flexibility and transparency can be conformally attached onto arbitrary
nonplanar surfaces for in situ detection of various chemicals. Our results pave a
new way for next-generation flexible SERS detection means, as well as enabling
its huge potentials toward green wearable devices for point-of-care diagnostics.
PMID- 28704041
TI - Geometrical Structures of Gas Phase Chromium Oxide Cluster Anions Studied by Ion
Mobility Mass Spectrometry.
AB - Structural assignments of gas phase chromium oxide cluster anions, CrmOn- (m = 1
7), have been achieved by comparison between experimental collision cross
sections measured by ion mobility mass spectrometry and theoretical collision
cross sections of optimized structures by quantum chemical calculations. In the
mass spectrum, significant magic behavior between the numbers m and n was not
observed for CrmOn-, while wide ranges of compositions were observed around
CrmO2m+2- to (CrO3)m- as reported previously. The (CrO3)m- (m = 3-7) ions were
assigned to have monocyclic-ring structures for m = 3-5 and bicyclic rings for m
= 6 and 7. In addition, gradual structural change from these cyclic structures of
(CrO3)m- to three-dimensional structures of CrmO2m+2- was found for m = 4-7. The
energy levels of molecular orbitals of a calculated monocyclic structure of
Cr5O15- were also found to be consistent with previous results of photoelectron
spectroscopy, although those of the bicyclic isomer exhibited a different
behavior. Moreover, the observation of abundant ions generated by collision
induced dissociations at the inlet of the ion drift cell indicates that the
larger sized (CrO3)m- (m > 5) series were unstable and easily dissociated to
smaller ions.
PMID- 28704042
TI - Semicrystalline Polymer Binary-Phase Structure Templated Quasi-Block Graft
Copolymers.
AB - Herein, we report a simple strategy to synthesize quasi-block graft copolymers
using the binary phase structure of semicrystalline polymers as the template. An
unsaturated ionic liquid, 1-vinyl-3-butylimidazolium bis
(trifluoromethylsulfonyl) imide ([VBIm] [TFSI]), is thermodynamically miscible
with poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (P(VDF-co-HFP)) in
solution. The solidification of P(VDF-co-HFP)/[VBIm] [TFSI] blend leads to the
expelling of ILs from the crystalline region and the ILs are only located in the
amorphous region. The electron-beam irradiation (EBI) at the solid state of the
blends results in the locally grafting of the ILs onto the polymer blocks in the
amorphous region, while the EBI does not affect the chemical structure of the
crystalline region. Therefore, the quasi-block graft copolymers were achieved
with IL-grafted blocks segregated by the unmodified blocks. The achieved block
copolymers can be microphase separated into the various nanostructures, as the
block copolymers with well-defined structure, upon varying the grafting ratios.
The microphase separated quasi-block grafted copolymers exhibit excellent
mechanical properties and good electrical properties. The elongation at break is
480% and the stress at break is as high as 30 MPa for the sample with the
lamellar-like structure having the grafting ratio of 45.4 wt%.
PMID- 28704043
TI - Structural Insights into Thioether Bond Formation in the Biosynthesis of
Sactipeptides.
AB - Sactipeptides are ribosomally synthesized peptides that contain a characteristic
thioether bridge (sactionine bond) that is installed posttranslationally and is
absolutely required for their antibiotic activity. Sactipeptide biosynthesis
requires a unique family of radical SAM enzymes, which contain multiple [4Fe-4S]
clusters, to form the requisite thioether bridge between a cysteine and the alpha
carbon of an opposing amino acid through radical-based chemistry. Here we present
the structure of the sactionine bond-forming enzyme CteB, from Clostridium
thermocellum ATCC 27405, with both SAM and an N-terminal fragment of its peptidyl
substrate at 2.04 A resolution. CteB has the (beta/alpha)6-TIM barrel fold that
is characteristic of radical SAM enzymes, as well as a C-terminal SPASM domain
that contains two auxiliary [4Fe-4S] clusters. Importantly, one [4Fe-4S] cluster
in the SPASM domain exhibits an open coordination site in absence of peptide
substrate, which is coordinated by a peptidyl-cysteine residue in the bound
state. The crystal structure of CteB also reveals an accessory N-terminal domain
that has high structural similarity to a recently discovered motif present in
several enzymes that act on ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally
modified peptides (RiPPs), known as a RiPP precursor peptide recognition element
(RRE). This crystal structure is the first of a sactionine bond forming enzyme
and sheds light on structures and mechanisms of other members of this class such
as AlbA or ThnB.
PMID- 28704044
TI - New Scandium Borylimido Chemistry: Synthesis, Bonding, and Reactivity.
AB - We report a combined synthetic, mechanistic, and theoretical study of the first
borylimido complex of a rare earth metal, (NacNacNMe2)Sc{NB(NAr'CH)2} (25, Ar' =
2,6-C6H3iPr2, NacNacNMe2 = Ar'NC(Me)CHC(Me)NCH2CH2NMe2). Thermolysis of the
methyl-borylamide (NacNacNMe2)Sc(Me){NHB(NAr'CH)2} (18) generated transient imide
25 via rate-determining, first-order methane elimination (KIE ~ 8.7). In the
absence of external substrate, 25 underwent a reversible cyclometalation reaction
(sp3 C-H bond addition to Sc?Nimide) with a methyl group of the NacNacNMe2 ligand
forming {MeC(NC6H3iPrCH(Me)CH2)CHC(Me)NCH2CH2NMe2}Sc{NHB(NAr'CH)2} (21). In the
presence of pyridine or DMAP, reversible sp2 C-H bond activation occurred,
forming orthometalated complexes (NacNacNMe2)Sc{NHB(NAr'CH)2}(eta2-4-NC5H3R) (R =
H or NMe2). In situ reaction of 25 with HCCTol gives irreversible sp C-H bond
activation under kinetic control, and with MeCCPh [2+2] cycloaddition to
Sc?Nimide takes place. These reactions represent the first substrate activation
processes for any metal-bound borylimide. The bonding in 25 and the mechanism and
thermodynamics of the reactions have been studied using density functional theory
(DFT), supported by quantum theory of atoms in molecules and natural bond orbital
analysis. Although the borylimido and arylimido dianions studied here are
formally isoelectronic and possess comparable frontier molecular orbitals, the
borylimido ligand is both a better pi-donor and sigma-donor, forming stronger and
shorter metal-nitrogen bonds with somewhat reduced ionicity. Despite this,
reactions of these types of borylimides with C-H or C=C bonds are all more
exothermic and more strongly activating than for the corresponding arylimides.
DFT calculations on model systems of differing steric bulk unpicked the
underlying thermodynamic factors controlling the reactions of 25 and its reaction
partners, and a detailed comparison was made with the previously described
arylimido homologues.
PMID- 28704045
TI - Local Environment of Terbium(III) Ions in Layered Nanocrystalline Zirconium(IV)
Phosphonate-Phosphate Ion Exchange Materials.
AB - The structures of Zr(IV) phosphonate-phosphate based, unconventional metal
organic framework materials have been determined using atomic pair distribution
function analysis of high energy, X-ray total scattering diffraction data. They
are found to form as nanocrystalline layers of Zr phosphate, similar to the bulk,
but with a high degree of interlayer disorder and intermediate intralayer order
extending around 5 nm. These materials are of interest for their high selectivity
for 3+ lanthanide ions. To investigate the mechanism of the selectivity, we
utilize difference pair distribution function analysis to extract the local
structural environment of Tb3+ ions loaded into the framework. The ions are found
to sit between the layers in a manner resembling the local environment of Tb in
Scheelite-type terbium phosphate. By mapping this local structure onto that of
the refined structure for zirconium-phenyl-phosphonate, we show how dangling
oxygens from the phosphate groups, acting like nose hairs, are able to reorient
to provide a friendly intercalation environment for the Tb3+ ions.
PMID- 28704046
TI - Creating a More Perennial Problem? Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining Enhances and
Sustains Saline Baseflows of Appalachian Watersheds.
AB - Mountaintop removal coal mining (MTM) is a form of surface mining where ridges
and mountain tops are removed with explosives to access underlying coal seams.
The crushed rock material is subsequently deposited in headwater valley fills
(VF). We examined how this added water storage potential affects streamflow using
a paired watershed approach consisting of two sets of mined and unmined
watersheds in West Virginia. The mined watersheds exported 7-11% more water than
the reference watersheds, primarily due to higher and more sustained baseflows.
The mined watersheds exported only ~1/3 of their streamflow during storms, while
the reference watersheds exported ~2/3 of their annual water yield during runoff
events. Mined watersheds with valley fills appear to store precipitation for
considerable periods of time and steadily export this alkaline and saline water
even during the dry periods of the year. As a result, MTMVFs in a mixed
mined/unmined watershed contributed disproportionately to streamflow during
baseflow periods (up to >90% of flow). Because MTMVFs have both elevated summer
baseflows and continuously high concentrations of total dissolved solids, their
regional impact on water quantity and quality will be most extreme and most
widespread during low flow periods.
PMID- 28704047
TI - CuI-Catalyzed Fluorodesulfurization for the Synthesis of Monofluoromethyl Aryl
Ethers.
AB - An efficient CuI-catalyzed fluorodesulfurization for the synthesis of
monofluoromethyl aryl ethers using DAST at room temperature has been developed.
This approach exhibits a good functional group tolerance, a broad substrate
scope, and a high synthesis efficiency.
PMID- 28704048
TI - Band Gap Tuning via Lattice Contraction and Octahedral Tilting in Perovskite
Materials for Photovoltaics.
AB - Tin and lead iodide perovskite semiconductors of the composition AMX3, where M is
a metal and X is a halide, are leading candidates for high efficiency low cost
tandem photovoltaics, in part because they have band gaps that can be tuned over
a wide range by compositional substitution. We experimentally identify two
competing mechanisms through which the A-site cation influences the band gap of
3D metal halide perovskites. Using a smaller A-site cation can distort the
perovskite lattice in two distinct ways: by tilting the MX6 octahedra or by
simply contracting the lattice isotropically. The former effect tends to raise
the band gap, while the latter tends to decrease it. Lead iodide perovskites show
an increase in band gap upon partial substitution of the larger formamidinium
with the smaller cesium, due to octahedral tilting. Perovskites based on tin,
which is slightly smaller than lead, show the opposite trend: they show no
octahedral tilting upon Cs-substitution but only a contraction of the lattice,
leading to progressive reduction of the band gap. We outline a strategy to
systematically tune the band gap and valence and conduction band positions of
metal halide perovskites through control of the cation composition. Using this
strategy, we demonstrate solar cells that harvest light in the infrared up to
1040 nm, reaching a stabilized power conversion efficiency of 17.8%, showing
promise for improvements of the bottom cell of all-perovskite tandem solar cells.
The mechanisms of cation-based band gap tuning we describe are broadly applicable
to 3D metal halide perovskites and will be useful in further development of
perovskite semiconductors for optoelectronic applications.
PMID- 28704049
TI - Phylogenomics of 2,4-Diacetylphloroglucinol-Producing Pseudomonas and Novel
Antiglycation Endophytes from Piper auritum.
AB - 2,4-Diacetylphloroglucinol (DAPG) (1) is a phenolic polyketide produced by some
plant-associated Pseudomonas species, with many biological activities and
ecological functions. Here, we aimed at reconstructing the natural history of
DAPG using phylogenomics focused at its biosynthetic gene cluster or phl genes.
In addition to around 1500 publically available genomes, we obtained and analyzed
the sequences of nine novel Pseudomonas endophytes isolated from the antidiabetic
medicinal plant Piper auritum. We found that 29 organisms belonging to six
Pseudomonas species contain the phl genes at different frequencies depending on
the species. The evolution of the phl genes was then reconstructed, leading to at
least two clades postulated to correlate with the known chemical diversity
surrounding DAPG biosynthesis. Moreover, two of the newly obtained Pseudomonas
endophytes with high antiglycation activity were shown to exert their inhibitory
activity against the formation of advanced glycation end-products via DAPG and
related congeners. Its isomer, 5-hydroxyferulic acid (2), detected during
bioactivity-guided fractionation, together with other DAPG congeners, were found
to enhance the detected inhibitory activity. This report provides evidence of a
link between the evolution and chemical diversity of DAPG and congeners.
PMID- 28704050
TI - Linear, Hypervalent Se34- Units and Unprecedented Cu4Se9 Building Blocks in the
Copper(I) Selenide Ba4Cu8Se13.
AB - Single-crystal and polycrystalline Ba4Cu8Se13 were synthesized; the average
crystal structure was solved by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, and the
structural model was confirmed by a detailed electron microscopy study of
polycrystalline Ba4Cu8Se13. The title compound can be rationalized as
(Ba2+)4(Cu+)8(Se2-)2(Se22-)4(Se34-) and crystallizes in a new structure type
(space group C2/c with a = 9.171(8) A, b = 9.146(8) A, c = 27.35(3) A, beta =
93.21(3) degrees , and V = 2291 A3). It contains unprecedented Cu4Se9 fragments
with planar Cu rectangles. These fragments form two-dimensional layers via
regular (2c-2e) Se-Se bonds. Two of these layers are then connected in the third
dimension via linear, hypervalent Se34- units, resulting in "sandwichlike",
layered building blocks, which are stacked along c and separated by Ba.
Ba4Cu8Se13 is the first example where Se22- and Se34- groups coexist. We were
able to visualize the crystal structure by recording HAADF images, which clearly
reveal the Cu4Se9 fragments and linear Se34- units. The title compound is a
charge-balanced semiconductor and possesses a large Seebeck coefficient (380 MUV
K-1 at 200 K) and a low thermal conductivity (0.77 W m-1 K-1 at 200 K)-two
requirements for efficient thermoelectric materials.
PMID- 28704051
TI - A Combined Theoretical and Experimental Study of Sarin (GB) Decomposition at High
Temperatures.
AB - Theoretical and experimental results are presented for the pyrolytic
decomposition of the nerve agent sarin (GB) in the gas phase. High-level quantum
chemistry calculations are performed together with a semiclassical transition
state theory for describing quantum mechanical tunneling. The experimental and
theoretical results for the temperature dependence of the survival times show
very good agreement, as does the calculated and measured activation energy for
thermal decomposition. The combined results suggest that the thermal
decomposition of GB, for temperature ranging from 350 to 500 degrees C, goes
through a pericyclic reaction mechanism with a transition state consisting of a
six-membered ring structure.
PMID- 28704052
TI - Discovery and Kinetic Profiling of 7-Aryl-1,2,4-triazolo[4,3-a]pyridines:
Positive Allosteric Modulators of the Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor 2.
AB - We report the synthesis and biological evaluation of a series of 7-aryl-1,2,4
triazolo[4,3-a]pyridines with mGlu2 positive allosteric modulator (PAM) activity
and affinity. Besides traditional in vitro parameters of potency and affinity,
kinetic parameters kon, koff and residence time (RT) were determined. The PAMs
showed various kinetic profiles; kon values ranged over 2 orders of magnitude,
whereas RT values were within a 10-fold range. Association rate constant kon was
linearly correlated to affinity. Evaluation of a short, medium, and long RT
compound in a label-free assay indicated a correlation between RT and functional
effect. The effects of long RT compound 9 on sleep-wake states indicated long RT
was translated into sustained inhibition of rapid eye movement (REM) in vivo.
These results show that affinity-only driven selection would have resulted in
mGlu2 PAMs with high values for kon but not necessarily optimized RT, which is
key to predicting optimal efficacy in vivo.
PMID- 28704053
TI - Cobalt Catalysis for Enantioselective Cyclobutanone Construction.
AB - Over the past 40 years, intramolecular hydroacylation has favored five-membered
rings, in preference to four membered rings. Herein, we report a catalyst derived
from earth-abundant cobalt that enables preparation of cyclobutanones, with
excellent regio-, diastereo-, and enantiocontrol, under mild conditions (2 mol %
catalyst loading and as low as 50 degrees C).
PMID- 28704054
TI - Enhanced Systemic Anti-Angiogenic siVEGF Delivery Using PEGylated Oligo-d
arginine.
AB - Angiogenesis mainly mediated by upregulation of vascular endothelial growth
factor (VEGF) provides a hallmark of rapidly proliferating tumor cells and an
essential component of the tumor growth and microenvironment, making it a
targetable process for antitumor therapy. RNA interference (RNAi) provides a very
effective tool for developing antitumor therapies; however, its application to
date has been hampered due to the lack of efficient small interfering RNA (siRNA)
delivery systems in vivo. Here, we report a polymeric gene carrier system based
on PEGylation of a cationic cysteine-ended 9-mer arginine oligopeptide (CR9C),
which provides effective siRNA systemic delivery and specifically suppresses VEGF
(siVEGF). The PEG500-CR9C/siVEGF oligopeptoplex provided improved blood
circulation, enhanced protection from serum proteases, reduced uptake in the
liver and kidneys, enhanced tumor targeting, and down-regulated intratumoral VEGF
level, which comprehensively resulted in improved antitumor efficacy without
significant toxicity in vivo. PEG500-CR9C has a great potential for safe and
efficient siRNA delivery with diverse applications.
PMID- 28704055
TI - Electrochemical Nickel Catalysis for Sp2-Sp3 Cross-Electrophile Coupling
Reactions of Unactivated Alkyl Halides.
AB - A constant-current electrochemical method for reducing catalytic nickel complexes
in sp2-sp3 cross-electrophile coupling reactions has been developed. The
electrochemical reduction provides reliable nickel catalyst activation and
turnover and offers a tunable parameter for reaction optimization, in contrast to
more standard activated metal powder reductants. The electrochemical reactions
give yields (i.e., 51-86%) and selectivities as high or superior to those using
metal powder reductants and provide access to a wider substrate scope.
PMID- 28704056
TI - A Nano-in-Nano Polymer-Dendrimer Nanoparticle-Based Nanosystem for Controlled
Multidrug Delivery.
AB - Codelivery of multiple chemotherapeutics with different action mechanisms is a
promising strategy for cancer treatment. In this study, we developed a novel
polymer-dendrimer hybrid nanoparticle-based nanosystem for efficient and
controlled codelivery of two model chemotherapeutics, doxorubicin (DOX) and
paclitaxel (PTX). The nanosystem was characterized to have a nano-in-nano
structure with a size of around 150 nm. The model drugs could feasibly be loaded
into the nanosystem ratiometrically with high drug-loading contents by
controlling the feeding drug ratios. Also, the model drugs could be released from
the nanosystem following a sequential release manner-specifically, quick PTX
release and sustained DOX release. Acidic pH was found to enhance the release of
both drugs. Moreover, the nanosystem was taken up by cancer cells rapidly and
efficiently, and the delivered drugs could release sustainably and efficiently in
cells to reach their action targets. In vitro cytotoxicity results demonstrated
that, by optimizing drug ratios, the dual-drug-loaded nanosystem could result in
better antitumor efficacy than the single-drug-loaded nanosystem or free dual
drug combination. Furthermore, the dual-drug-loaded nanosystem could induce
significant changes in both the nucleus and tubulin patterns synergistically. All
data suggest that the nano-in-nano polymer-dendrimer hybrid nanoparticle-based
nanosystem is a promising candidate to achieve controlled multidrug delivery for
effective combination cancer therapy.
PMID- 28704057
TI - Peptide Macrocyclization Assisted by Traceless Turn Inducers Derived from Ugi
Peptide Ligation with Cleavable and Resin-Linked Amines.
AB - A multicomponent approach enabling the installation of turn-inducing moieties
that facilitate the macrocyclization of short and medium-size oligopeptides is
described. The strategy comprises the Ugi ligation of peptide carboxylic acids
and isocyanopeptides in the presence of aldehydes and acid or photolabile amines
followed by cyclization and cleavage of the backbone N-substituents to render
canonical cyclopeptides. Implementing the approach on solid phase with the use of
Rink amide resins led to a new class of backbone amide linker strategy.
PMID- 28704058
TI - Elucidating Protein-DNA Interactions in Human Alphoid Chromatin via Hybridization
Capture and Mass Spectrometry.
AB - The centromere is the chromosomal locus where the kinetochore forms and is
critical for ensuring proper segregation of sister chromatids during cell
division. A substantial amount of effort has been devoted to understanding the
characteristic features and roles of the centromere, yet some fundamental aspects
of the centromere, such as the complete list of elements that define it, remain
obscure. It is well-known that human centromeres include a highly repetitive
class of DNA known as alpha satellite, or alphoid, DNA. We present here the first
DNA-centric examination of human protein-alpha satellite interactions, employing
an approach known as HyCCAPP (hybridization capture of chromatin-associated
proteins for proteomics) to identify the protein components of alphoid chromatin
in a human cell line. Using HyCCAPP, cross-linked alpha satellite chromatin was
isolated from cell lysate, and captured proteins were analyzed via mass
spectrometry. After being compared to proteins identified in control pulldown
experiments, 90 proteins were identified as enriched at alphoid DNA. This list
included many known centromere-binding proteins in addition to multiple novel
alpha satellite-binding proteins, such as LRIF1, a heterochromatin-associated
protein. The ability of HyCCAPP to reveal both known as well as novel alphoid DNA
interacting proteins highlights the validity and utility of this approach.
PMID- 28704059
TI - Tuning Li-Ion Diffusion in alpha-LiMn1-xFexPO4 Nanocrystals by Antisite Defects
and Embedded beta-Phase for Advanced Li-Ion Batteries.
AB - Olivine-structured LiMn1-xFexPO4 has become a promising candidate for cathode
materials owing to its higher working voltage of 4.1 V and thus larger energy
density than that of LiFePO4, which has been used for electric vehicles batteries
with the advantage of high safety but disadvantage of low energy density due to
its lower working voltage of 3.4 V. One drawback of LiMn1-xFexPO4 electrode is
its relatively low electronic and Li-ionic conductivity with Li-ion one
dimensional diffusion. Herein, olivine-structured alpha-LiMn0.5Fe0.5PO4
nanocrystals were synthesized with optimized Li-ion diffusion channels in LiMn1
xFexPO4 nanocrystals by inducing high concentrations of Fe2+-Li+ antisite
defects, which showed impressive capacity improvements of approaching 162, 127,
73, and 55 mAh g-1 at 0.1, 10, 50, and 100 C, respectively, and a long-term
cycling stability of maintaining about 74% capacity after 1000 cycles at 10 C. By
using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy imaging and joint
refinement of hard X-ray and neutron powder diffraction patterns, we revealed
that the extraordinary high-rate performance could be achieved by suppressing the
formation of electrochemically inactive phase (beta-LiMn1-xFexPO4, which is first
reported in this work) embedded in alpha-LiMn0.5Fe0.5PO4. Because of the coherent
orientation relationship between beta- and alpha-phases, the beta-phase embedded
would impede the Li+ diffusion along the [100] and/or [001] directions that was
activated by the high density of Fe2+-Li+ antisite (4.24%) in alpha-phase. Thus,
by optimizing concentrations of Fe2+-Li+ antisite defects and suppressing beta
phase-embedded olivine structure, Li-ion diffusion properties in LiMn1-xFexPO4
nanocrystals can be tuned by generating new Li+ tunneling. These findings may
provide insights into the design and generation of other advanced electrode
materials with improved rate performance.
PMID- 28704060
TI - ZnO Nanocrystal Networks Near the Insulator-Metal Transition: Tuning Contact
Radius and Electron Density with Intense Pulsed Light.
AB - Networks of ligand-free semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) offer a valuable
combination of high carrier mobility and optoelectronic properties tunable via
quantum confinement. In principle, maximizing carrier mobility entails crossing
the insulator-metal transition (IMT), where carriers become delocalized. A recent
theoretical study predicted that this transition occurs at nrho3 ~ 0.3, where n
is the carrier density and rho is the interparticle contact radius. In this work,
we satisfy this criterion in networks of plasma-synthesized ZnO NCs by using
intense pulsed light (IPL) annealing to tune n and rho independently. IPL applied
to as-deposited NCs increases rho by inducing sintering, and IPL applied after
the NCs are coated with Al2O3 by atomic layer deposition increases n by removing
electron-trapping surface hydroxyls. This procedure does not substantially alter
NC size or composition and is potentially applicable to a wide variety of
nanomaterials. As we increase nrho3 to at least twice the predicted critical
value, we observe conductivity scaling consistent with arrival at the critical
region of a continuous quantum phase transition. This allows us to determine the
critical behavior of the dielectric constant and electron localization length at
the IMT. However, our samples remain on the insulating side of the critical
region, which suggests that the critical value of nrho3 may in fact be
significantly higher than 0.3.
PMID- 28704061
TI - Acid-Base Polymeric Foams for the Adsorption of Micro-oil Droplets from
Industrial Effluents.
AB - Separation of toxic organic pollutants from industrial effluents is a great
environmental challenge. Herein, an acid-base engineered foam is employed for
separation of micro-oil droplets from an aqueous solution. In acidic or basic
environments, acid-base polymers acquire surface charge due to protonation or
dissociation of surface active functional groups. This property is invoked to
adsorb crude oil microdroplets from water using polyester polyurethane (PESPU)
foam. The physicochemical surface properties of the foam were characterized using
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, inverse gas chromatography, electrokinetic
analysis, and micro-computed tomography. Using the surface charge of the foam and
oil droplets, the solution pH (5.6) for maximum separation efficacy was
predicted. This optimal pH was verified through underwater wetting behavior and
adsorption experiments. The droplet adsorption onto the foam was governed by
physisorption, and the driving forces were attributed to electrostatic attraction
and Lifshitz-van der Waals forces. The foam was regenerated and reused multiple
times by simple compression. The lowest trace oil content in the retentate was
3.6 mg L-1, and all oil droplets larger than 140 nm were removed. This work lays
the foundation for the development of a new class of engineered foam adsorbents
with the potential to revolutionize water treatment technologies.
PMID- 28704062
TI - FlexTouch: An Insulin Pen-Injector with a Low Activation Force Across Different
Insulin Formulations, Needle Technologies, and Temperature Conditions.
AB - FlexTouch(r) (Novo Nordisk A/S, Bagsvaerd, Denmark) is a pen-injector with a
torque spring mechanism requiring a low activation force. This laboratory-based
study compared the activation force of FlexTouch during the injection of insulin
with different needles and at temperature conditions within the range at which
the device is recommended for use. Using a tensile tester, activation force was
measured at maximum dose settings for insulin detemir (100 U/mL) and insulin
degludec (100 and 200 U/mL) at standard (23 degrees C +/- 5 degrees C), cool (5
degrees C +/- 3 degrees C), and warm (30 degrees C +/- 2 degrees C) conditions.
Activation force was measured with two 32-gauge needles differing in internal
diameter at standard conditions. At standard, cool, and warm conditions,
estimated mean activation forces with 95% confidence interval were 5.71 newtons
(N) (5.63-5.79), 5.94 N (5.83-6.06), and 5.69 N (5.58-5.80) with insulin detemir,
5.53 N (5.45-5.62), 5.56 N (5.44-5.67), and 5.33 N (5.22-5.44) with 100 U/mL
insulin degludec, and 5.53 N (5.45-5.61), 5.83 N (5.71-5.94), and 5.56 N (5.45
5.68) with 200 U/mL insulin degludec, respectively. Mean activation forces were
observed to be low with very small variability between measurements; however, the
differences between insulins and temperature conditions were statistically
significant. The activation force required by FlexTouch remained low across all
situations tested. The differences between activation force needed with different
insulins and temperature conditions were small and unlikely to be clinically
meaningful.
PMID- 28704063
TI - Evaluation of Accuracy of Six Blood Glucose Monitoring Systems and Modeling of
Possibly Related Insulin Dosing Errors.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Self-monitoring of blood glucose (BG) is an essential part of diabetes
therapy. Accurate and reliable results from BG monitoring systems (BGMS) are
important especially when they are used to calculate insulin doses. This study
aimed at assessing system accuracy of BGMS and possibly related insulin dosing
errors. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: System accuracy of six different BGMS (Accu
Chek(r) Aviva Nano, Accu-Chek Mobile, Accu-Chek Performa Nano, CONTOUR(r) NEXT
LINK 2.4, FreeStyle Lite, OneTouch(r) Verio(r) IQ) was assessed in comparison to
a glucose oxidase and a hexokinase method. Study procedures and analysis were
based on ISO 15197:2013/EN ISO 15197:2015, clause 6.3. In addition, insulin
dosing error was modeled. RESULTS: In the comparison against the glucose oxidase
method, five out of six BGMS fulfilled ISO 15197:2013 accuracy criteria. Up to
14.3%/4.3%/0.3% of modeled doses resulted in errors exceeding +/-0.5/+/-1.0/+/
1.5 U and missing the modeled target by 20 mg/dL/40 mg/dL/60 mg/dL, respectively.
Compared against the hexokinase method, five out of six BGMS fulfilled ISO
15197:2013 accuracy criteria. Up to 25.0%/10.5%/3.2% of modeled doses resulted in
errors exceeding +/-0.5/+/-1.0/+/-1.5 U, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Differences
in system accuracy were found, even among BGMS that fulfilled the minimum system
accuracy criteria of ISO 15197:2013. In the error model, considerable insulin
dosing errors resulted for some of the investigated systems. Diabetes patients on
insulin therapy should be able to rely on their BGMS' readings; therefore, they
require highly accurate BGMS, in particular, when making therapeutic decisions.
PMID- 28704064
TI - Nucleic Acid Extraction from Synthetic Mars Analog Soils for in situ Life
Detection.
AB - Biological informational polymers such as nucleic acids have the potential to
provide unambiguous evidence of life beyond Earth. To this end, we are developing
an automated in situ life-detection instrument that integrates nucleic acid
extraction and nanopore sequencing: the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Genomes
(SETG) instrument. Our goal is to isolate and determine the sequence of nucleic
acids from extant or preserved life on Mars, if, for example, there is common
ancestry to life on Mars and Earth. As is true of metagenomic analysis of
terrestrial environmental samples, the SETG instrument must isolate nucleic acids
from crude samples and then determine the DNA sequence of the unknown nucleic
acids. Our initial DNA extraction experiments resulted in low to undetectable
amounts of DNA due to soil chemistry-dependent soil-DNA interactions, namely
adsorption to mineral surfaces, binding to divalent/trivalent cations,
destruction by iron redox cycling, and acidic conditions. Subsequently, we
developed soil-specific extraction protocols that increase DNA yields through a
combination of desalting, utilization of competitive binders, and promotion of
anaerobic conditions. Our results suggest that a combination of desalting and
utilizing competitive binders may establish a "universal" nucleic acid extraction
protocol suitable for analyzing samples from diverse soils on Mars. Key Words:
Life-detection instruments-Nucleic acids-Mars-Panspermia. Astrobiology 17, 747
760.
PMID- 28704065
TI - Re: Castle, et al., 2017; Diabetes Technol Ther; DOI: 10.1089/dia.2017.0012.
PMID- 28704066
TI - Using a Multidisciplinary Algorithm to Treat Self-Injurious Behavior in a Young
Boy with Developmental Delays.
PMID- 28704067
TI - Grip Type Alters Maximal Pinch Forces in Syringe Use.
AB - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine maximum forces during
syringe use for different grips found in the field. BACKGROUND: Prolonged syringe
use in chemotherapy drug delivery is associated with pain and injury in nurses
and technicians. METHOD: Twenty healthy female hospital workers generated
isometric maximum voluntary force using a 30 cc syringe with four pinch grips
(chuck, chuck variation, thenar, two-handed). Both dominant and nondominant hands
were used with the syringe plunger fixed in wide (8.3 cm) and narrow (2.5 cm)
grip spans. Participants were encouraged to position the apparatus in the most
comfortable position and exert a maximal effort for 5 seconds. RESULTS:
Significant interaction effects were found: Grip Span * Pinch Type, Hand * Pinch
Type, and Grip Span * Hand * Pinch Type ( p < .05). The results demonstrated that
the thenar (103.6 +/- 22.9 N) and two-handed (104.7 +/- 17.1 N) pinches produced
the highest forces. CONCLUSION: Thenar and two-handed pinch grips may be the
preferred pinch type to lower the relative efforts required to use a syringe and
may be one strategy to assist with reduction of musculoskeletal disorder risk
associated with syringe use. APPLICATION: Determining maximal syringe press
forces allows workers and ergonomists to develop better strategies for managing
the cumulative loads during drug delivery and mixing.
PMID- 28704068
TI - Breaking Down Barriers in Pediatric Mental Health Consultations: Understanding
Patients' Use of I DON'T KNOW.
AB - Barriers to effective provider-patient communication take many forms that can be
difficult to recognize and appropriately address. This paper offers probabilistic
indicators for one such form, patient-produced "I don't know" (IDK),
distinguishing its use as a cognitive claim and its use as a strategy for
resisting discussion of sensitive topics. A total of 95 audio-recorded
psychiatrist-child interactions are drawn from a US-wide corpus of physician
patient consultations. From these, 376 patient-produced IDKs are extracted and
coded for linguistic/social factors, including form, function, prosody, age,
gender, and primary diagnosis. Two multiple logistic regressions are performed to
determine the predictors of cognitive and resistive IDK functions respectively.
Cognitive IDK uses are associated with the full form (p < 0.01) and unstressed
prosody (p < 0.01). Use of resistive IDK is correlated with decreasing patient
age (p < 0.01) and emotionally labile mental health diagnoses (p < 0.01).
Cognitive and resistive IDK uses have distinctive linguistic and social
distributions in psychiatrist-child interactions, where cognitive uses have two
objectively identifiable linguistic characteristics and resistive uses are
associated with certain patient types. Providers may learn to recognize cognitive
and resistive IDK uses, thus acquiring the ability to correctly interpret
interactional cues relevant to the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric mental
health conditions.
PMID- 28704069
TI - Potent synchronization of peripheral circadian clocks by glucocorticoid
injections in PER2::LUC-Clock/Clock mice.
AB - In mammals, the central clock (the suprachiasmatic nuclei, SCN) is entrained
mainly by the light-dark cycle, whereas peripheral clocks in the peripheral
tissues are entrained/synchronized by multiple factors, including feeding
patterns and endocrine hormones such as glucocorticoids. Clock-mutant mice
(Clock/Clock), which have a mutation in a core clock gene, show potent phase
resetting in response to light pulses compared with wild-type (WT) mice, owing to
the damped and flexible oscillator in the SCN. However, the phase resetting of
the peripheral clocks in Clock/Clock mice has not been elucidated. Here, we
characterized the peripheral clock gene synchronization in Clock/Clock mice by
daily injections of a synthetic glucocorticoid (dexamethasone, DEX) by monitoring
in vivo PER2::LUCIFERASE bioluminescence. Compared with WT mice, the Clock/Clock
mice showed significantly decreased bioluminescence and peripheral clock rhythms
with decreased amplitudes and delayed phases. In addition, the DEX injections
increased the amplitudes and advanced the phases. In order to examine the
robustness of the internal oscillator, T-cycle experiments involving DEX
stimulations with 24- or 30-h intervals were performed. The Clock/Clock mice
synchronized to the 30-h T-cycle stimulation, which suggested that the peripheral
clocks in the Clock/Clock mice had increased synchronizing ability upon DEX
stimulation, to that of circadian and hour-glass type oscillations, because of
weak internal clock oscillators.
PMID- 28704070
TI - Geographic Variation in Mentally Unhealthy Days: Air Pollution and Altitude
Perspectives.
AB - : Ha, Hoehun. Geographic variation in mentally unhealthy days: air pollution and
altitude perspectives. High Alt Med Biol. 18:258-266, 2017. BACKGROUND: Mental
health incorporates our emotional, psychological, and social well-being and it is
critical at each phase of life, from youth and preadulthood through adulthood.
METHODS: We assessed the association between mentally unhealthy days (MUDs), air
pollutant concentrations, and altitude on the basis of cross-county studies. Data
on poor mental health days for the United States were based on health-related
telephone surveys conducted by the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System
(BRFSS). Average annual regional air pollution data were obtained from Center for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) WONDER Environmental data, and altitude data
were collected from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). RESULTS: In the data set
(across 2589 U.S. counties for 2011), even after accounting for potential
confounding variables and multicollinearity, a significant association between
altitude, air pollution, and poor mental health days was found, explaining that
poor mental health days increase with increasing air pollution concentrations and
with decreasing altitude (R2 = 0.663, p < 0.001). Controlling for socioeconomic
(e.g., education and employment) and social (including social relationship and
crime) factors did not change these findings. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we
found that counties with lower air pollution and higher altitude had
significantly lower average number of MUDs reported within the past 30 days. This
association has not been reported before in the literature. These findings
suggest a need for further investigation into the extent that air quality and
altitude may serve as significant factors for mental health and have major
implications in our understanding of the etiology of mental health by medical
professionals.
PMID- 28704072
TI - Effects of Active Videogame and Sports, Play, and Active Recreation for Kids
Physical Education on Children's Health-Related Fitness and Enjoyment.
AB - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to compare the effects of a Kinect active
videogame (AVG) and the Sports, Play, and Active Recreation for Kids (SPARK)
intervention in improving children's health-related fitness and physical activity
(PA) enjoyment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 65 students from both third and
fourth grade in a rural elementary school participated in the study. The third
graders (N = 29, mean age = 9.1 years, 10 boys, mean body mass index [BMI] =
20.1) were assigned to a SPARK physical education group, while the fourth graders
(N = 36, mean age = 10.2 years, 15 boys, mean BMI = 20.3) were enrolled in the
Kinect AVG group. The intervention lasted for 6 weeks, with each week including
three practice sessions (~40 minutes per session). All participants were measured
on their health-related fitness by testing their performance in the 15-m
Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run (PACER), curl-ups, and push-ups
both before and after the interventions. Participants' PA enjoyment was measured
immediately after the first and last session's practice. Various ANCOVA tests
were conducted to analyze the intervention effects on the changes of health
related fitness performances and enjoyment while controlling for baseline values,
gender, and BMI. Various MANOVA tests were used to examine the intervention
effects on PA levels during three practice sessions. RESULTS: Participants in AVG
group had greater improvement in 15-m PACER test (P < 0.001), as well as PA
enjoyment (P < 0.05), than those in SPARK group. The AVG group generated higher
light PA and lower sedentary time for three (P < 0.05 to P < 0.001) and two
sessions (P < 0.05 and P < 0.001), respectively. In addition, the AVG group
accumulated higher moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) for the first
session (P < 0.01), while the SPARK group generated higher MVPA for the third
session (P < 0.001). No MVPA difference was found between groups for another
session. CONCLUSION: A 6-week (40 minutes * 3 times/week) program using AVG could
be an effective strategy in improving children's cardiorespiratory fitness while
maintaining PA enjoyment.
PMID- 28704073
TI - Transformative Possibilities: Politics and Cosmetic Surgery in the Bolivarian
Revolution.
AB - I examine the intersection of politics and aesthetics in a public hospital in
Caracas, Venezuela in the first years of the twenty-first century. Given
Venezuela's long-standing embrace of physical enhancement and the contradictions
of the medical values of cosmetic surgery with those of Bolivarian socialism, the
changing surgical practices at a well-established public site offer a significant
case for considering how different actors negotiate the dialectics of care. In
the face of increasing resource shortages, negotiations of aesthetic care
contributed to tensions in the clinical encounter as patients creatively pushed
Bolivarian policies to support their pursuits of aesthetic self-improvement.
PMID- 28704071
TI - Social Monogamy in Nonhuman Primates: Phylogeny, Phenotype, and Physiology.
AB - Monogamy as a social system has been both a scientific puzzle and a sociocultural
issue for decades. In this review, we examine social monogamy from a comparative
perspective with a focus on primates, our closest genetic relatives. We break
down monogamy into component elements, including pair-bonding and partner
preference, mate guarding or jealousy, social attachment, and biparental care.
Our survey of primates shows that not all features are present in species
classified as socially monogamous, in the same way that human monogamous
relationships may not include all elements-a perspective we refer to as "monogamy
a la carte." Our review includes a survey of the neurobiological correlates of
social monogamy in primates, exploring unique or common pathways for the
elemental components of monogamy. This compilation reveals that the components of
monogamy are modulated by a suite of androgenic steroids, glucocorticoid
hormones, the nonapeptide hormones oxytocin and vasopressin, and other
neurotransmitter systems (e.g., dopamine and opioids). We propose that efforts to
understand the biological underpinnings of complex human and animal sociosexual
relationships will be well served by exploring individual phenotypic traits, as
opposed to pursuing these questions with the assumption that monogamy is a
unitary trait or a species-specific characteristic.
PMID- 28704074
TI - Quantifying the relative importance to patients of avoiding symptoms and outcomes
of heart failure.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate heart failure (HF) patients' disease knowledge and
preferences for avoiding different disease outcomes. METHODS: An online survey
was administered to 400 individuals with a self-reported diagnosis of HF to
elicit relative importance weights (RIWs) for avoiding 11 potential HF symptoms
and outcomes using best-worst scaling. The survey also included questions about
individuals' HF knowledge, and demographic and disease-experience
characteristics. Differences in RIWs among sub-groups, defined by HF knowledge,
caregiver support, age, recent hospitalization or emergency room visit for HF,
health-related quality-of-life, and cardiac device experience were examined.
RESULTS: Relative to limitations in usual activities (RIW 1.00), respondents
preferred avoiding severe, infrequent cardiovascular events (e.g. stroke [RIW
8.51], heart transplant [RIW 7.84], or heart attack [RIW 5.3]) most, followed by
difficulty breathing (RIW 2.55), inability to enjoy life (RIW 1.84), cardiac
device implantation (RIW 1.74), and atrial fibrillation (RIW 1.57). Patients
preferred avoiding swelling (RIW 0.47) and fatigue (RIW 0.58) least. RIWs for
avoiding severe, infrequent events were higher among those with high disease
knowledge, those without caregivers, and those without a recent hospitalization
or emergency room visit. CONCLUSIONS: Patients' preferences for avoiding HF
outcomes vary across outcomes and by individuals' knowledge, caregiver status,
and age. Healthcare providers should solicit and incorporate insights about
patients' knowledge of HF and their preferences for avoiding HF outcomes into HF
education and management planning efforts.
PMID- 28704075
TI - Arecoline cannot alter testicular dysfunction and pineal activation caused by
noise in wistar rat.
AB - Millions of people consume betel nut for increased capacity to work and for
stress reduction. The nut contains arecoline, which has multiple side effects on
endocrine functions. Objective of the work is to investigate pineal-testicular
responses to noise and after arecoline treatment in noise in rats. Noise exposure
(100 dB, 6 h daily, 10 days) caused pineal stimulation ultrastructurally and at
indoleamines level. Leydig cell dysfunction with fall of testosterone level and
suppression of sex accessories were noticed. In contrast, pineal activity was
inhibited and reproductive functions were stimulated after arecoline
administration, confirmed from reversed changes to those of noise. Arecoline
treatment in noise exposure showed same results as in noise both in pineal and in
reproductive functions. It is concluded that noise causes testicular dysfunction
probably by gonadotropin suppression induced by pineal melatonin in noise.
Furthermore, arecoline cannot prevent it in noise in rats.
PMID- 28704076
TI - Providing high-quality care for patients with liver disease.
PMID- 28704077
TI - The assessment and care of patients with hepatic encephalopathy.
AB - This article provides an overview of the metabolic brain dysfunction hepatic
encephalopathy (HE). HE is caused by severe liver cirrhosis and patients will
often be treated in a liver unit, but patients with symptoms of HE may require
nursing care anywhere in the healthcare system. Therefore it is beneficial for
all nurses to have a basic knowledge of HE and this article explains the symptoms
and treatment. Possible differential diagnoses are presented, as well as factors
that can trigger episodes of HE. Both patients' and relatives' experiences are
examined. Finally, the nurse's role in caring for patients with HE is described,
along with the dilemmas and challenges involved.
PMID- 28704078
TI - Domestic violence protection measures.
AB - In this article Richard Griffith, Senior Lecturer in Health Law at Swansea
University, sets out the powers available to the police and court to protect
people from domestic violence.
PMID- 28704079
TI - Paediatric inter-hospital transportation: a clinical governance project.
AB - This article discusses a quality improvement project in the context of paediatric
inter-hospital transportation. The project was set in a large university teaching
hospital in Ireland. Risk assessment on the clinical site revealed a gap in the
application of best national and international standards in inter-hospital
transportation practice. A project was undertaken to explore current paediatric
transport services and respond to a clinical service deficit. Consequently, the
proposed quality improvement initiative proposes a universal Paediatric Advanced
Life Support Programme (PALS) to upskill and enhance the required clinical
standards and competencies of neonatal nurses. This intervention was underpinned
by attention to change management principles and organisational culture in health
care. As a clinical practice development, it demonstrates how benchmarking
against best practice can advance the quality and safety agenda in paediatric
practice. Education initiatives are recommended to ensure that clinical standards
in paediatric transportation are monitored and reviewed with the potential to
improve clinical outcomes.
PMID- 28704080
TI - The pay cap must go.
PMID- 28704081
TI - BJN Awards: Hepatology and Liver Nurse of the Year Runner up 2017.
PMID- 28704082
TI - You can never be too 'care-full'.
AB - In her second blog in the series, Clare Price-Dowd, Senior Programme Lead, NHS
Leadership Academy, Leeds, talks about the importance of care in nurses' day-to
day lives, both for patients and colleagues.
PMID- 28704083
TI - Online opinions changing care.
PMID- 28704084
TI - The impact on patients of a nurse-led clinical service in gastroenterology.
AB - Higher rates of chronic liver disease have resulted in a significant increase in
the number of patients needing regular abdominal paracentesis for ascites.
Waiting times for admission at the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust had become
longer and delays in intervention and treatment became inevitable. In 2014, the
Trust developed a nurse-led abdominal paracentesis day-case service. A
qualitative evaluation of the service was conducted using in-depth patient
interviews and surveys to determine the impact of the service, including how the
new nursing role affected the patient experience. The results show that the nurse
led clinical service in gastroenterology positively impacts patients'
experiences. Following this innovation, the service was extended to provide
intravenous infusions for gastroenterology patients via the day-case unit. With
appropriate training and competency assessments, nurses can now perform selected
medical procedures safely and effectively, thereby facilitating nursing staff to
expand and develop their roles. This development has substantial implications for
nursing and is an important contribution to the debate on the future direction of
the nursing profession.
PMID- 28704085
TI - World Health Organization: providing global leadership for patient safety.
AB - John Tingle, Reader in Health Law at Nottingham Trent University, discusses a
recent publication from the World Health Organization on making health care
safer.
PMID- 28704086
TI - Making effective use of dashboards.
AB - Sam Foster, Chief Nurse at Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust, considers some
of the pitfalls users might encounter when collating and interpreting data.
PMID- 28704087
TI - Resilience as part of nursing education: supporting nurses in times of austerity.
AB - Janet Scammell, Associate Professor (Nursing), Bournemouth University, discusses
the challenging environment nurses are working in and the role of resilience in
creating a sustainable NHS workforce.
PMID- 28704088
TI - The development of Lymphoedema Network Wales to improve care.
AB - Lymphoedema Network Wales was developed in 2011, after receiving a L1 million
recurring investment from the Welsh Government to implement its Lymphoedema
Strategy. This article describes the creation of the network and the importance
of capturing performance data. It will also provide information on the three
programmes of work, covering service development, education and research, and
innovations and technology. Within Wales, the focus of lymphoedema service
delivery is on 'prudent health care', working with patients for patients and only
doing what is necessary to gain a good result. Centring our service on evidence
based practice is vital to ensure achievable patient outcomes. The network has
grown considerably over the past 6 years and is recognised as a forward-thinking
and proactive service.
PMID- 28704089
TI - Malaria: diagnosis, treatment and management of a critically ill patient.
AB - Malaria is a significant cause of mortality in many countries and remains the
most prevalent parasitic tropical infection. The World Health Organization
estimates that 50% of the world's population is at risk of malaria, with most
deaths occurring in sub-Saharan Africa. This case study explores the management
of a malaria patient admitted to a critical care unit in Zambia, a lower-middle
income country in sub-Saharan Africa. While malaria is prevalent in Zambia and
other countries, in the UK all malaria is imported and less frequently seen by
health professionals. This case study will raise the profile of malaria,
including its recognition, diagnosis and treatment. This information will assist
nurses in both low- and high-income countries to translate theory into practice
and improve nurses' understanding of a condition rarely seen in UK critical care
practice.
PMID- 28704090
TI - Cortrak tube placement part 1: confirming by quadrant may be unsafe.
AB - Gastric confirmation by pH is only achievable in approximately 50% of placements
and X-rays are expensive and may be misinterpreted. Bedside electromagnetic (EM)
guidance offers real-time confirmation. The authors determined the accuracy of
guidance in predicting gastric body position from the EM trace using official
Cortrak guidance (the EM trace reaches the bottom left quadrant of the anterior
screen) compared with local guidance (detailed anterior-depth description of the
GI flexures). X-ray, pH or an EM trace beyond the gastric body were used to
independently confirm gastric position. Of 496 EM traces, 49% of tubes were in
the oesophagus on entry to the lower left quadrant whereas 12% had already
reached the gastric body in the upper left quadrant. Overall, predicting position
by quadrant was 70% accurate whereas differentiating the pre-gastro-oesophageal
junction (pre-GOJ) from the gastric body flexure was 100% accurate. Confirming
gastric position by the anterior trace quadrant appears to be unsafe whereas
expert differentiation of the pre-GOJ and gastric body flexures was reliable. The
authors invite Corpak Medsystems (now owned by Halyard Health) to update its
guidance in view of these findings.
PMID- 28704091
TI - Revalidation reflection: a military nursing research perspective.
AB - Lt Cdr Alan Brockie, Lecturer, Medical Directorate, Academic Department of
Military Nursing, Birmingham.
PMID- 28704092
TI - NMC consultation on proficiencies to be met for registration.
AB - Emeritus Professor Alan Glasper, from the University of Southampton, discusses
the Nursing and Midwifery Council's public consultation on the efficacy of its
new draft standards for pre-registration nursing education.
PMID- 28704093
TI - How Are Fathers' Demographic Characteristics Related to Preschool-Age Children's
Weight and Obesity Risk Factors?
AB - Fathers (n = 149) of preschool children were interviewed using the Child Feeding,
Role of the Father (ROF), and ROF at Mealtimes (ROFM) questionnaires to determine
whether fathers' demographic characteristics are associated with child
overweight. Low-income was associated with higher pressure to eat (p = .006) and
perceived their child as higher weight (p = .001). Higher education level was
associated with lower ROF (p = .018) and ROFM (p = .002) and higher child diet
quality (p = .002). Father's BMI was positively associated with ROFM (p = .008).
Certain fathers may be important targets in childhood obesity prevention
programs.
PMID- 28704094
TI - TAKOTSUBO-LIKE CARDIOMYOPATHY IN A LARGE COHORT OF PATIENTS WITH PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA
AND PARAGANGLIOMA.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Pheochromocytoma (PHEO) and paraganglioma (PGL) (PPGL) may cause acute
Takotsubo-like catecholamine cardiomyopathy (TLC). The objective of this study
was to determine the prevalence and clinical presentation of TLC in a large
cohort of patients with PPGL. METHODS: We reviewed retrospectively the records of
consecutive patients with PPGL investigated in our center from 1995 to 2016. We
collected clinical and paraclinical data of patients that had TLC in this cohort.
We performed a literature review of cases of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy related to
PPGL described between 1990 and 2015. RESULTS: Our cohort included 275 patients
with PPGL. Acute TLC was found in 4 of 152 (2.6%) patients with secreting PPGL.
There was no event recorded in 123 patients with unknown presurgical secretion (n
= 51) or nonsecreting PPGL (n = 72). Four patients (44 to 79 years old) fulfilled
the criteria for TLC, including 2 PHEO and 2 PGL patients. A precipitating
stressor event was identified in 3 cases including surgery (n = 2) and upper
respiratory tract infection. In all cases, the diagnosis of PPGL came after the
cardiac event and following the investigation of a lesion incidentally found at
imaging. Moreover, we identified in the literature 59 cases described in the last
25 years and analyzed this cohort together with our 4 new cases. CONCLUSION:
Acute TLC may be found in up to 3% of patients with secreting PPGL. Considering
that the diagnosis of PPGL was performed following incidental finding of
radiologic mass, the real prevalence of PPGL in TTC remains to be determined.
ABBREVIATIONS: ECG = electrocardiogram; LVEF = left ventricular ejection
fraction; MIBG = metaiodobenzylguanidine; PGL = paraganglioma; PHEO =
pheochromocytoma; PPGL = pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma; TLC = Takotsubo-like
cardiomyopathy; TTC = Takotsubo cardiomyopathy; ULN = upper limit of normal.
PMID- 28704095
TI - SARCOPENIA: AN ENDOCRINE DISORDER?
AB - : Sarcopenia is defined as low muscle function (walking speed or grip strength)
in the presence of low muscle mass. A simple screening test-the SARC-F-is
available to identify persons with sarcopenia. The major endocrine causes of
sarcopenia are diabetes mellitus and male hypogonadism. Other causes are
decreased physical activity, loss of motor neuron units, weight loss,
inflammatory cytokines, reduced blood flow to muscles, very low 25(OH) vitamin D
levels, and decreased growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor 1. Treatment
for sarcopenia includes resistance and aerobic exercise, leucine-enriched
essential amino acids, and vitamin D. In hypogonadal males, testosterone improves
muscle mass, strength, and function. Selective androgen receptor molecules and
anti-myostatin activin II receptor molecules are under development as possible
treatments for sarcopenia. ABBREVIATIONS: COPD = chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease DHEA = dehydroepiandrosterone IGF-1 = insulin-like growth factor 1 GH =
growth hormone mTOR = mammalian target of rapamycin SARM = selective androgen
receptor molecule.
PMID- 28704096
TI - EPIDEMIOLOGY OF GASTROINTESTINAL NEUROENDOCRINE TUMORS IN A U.S. COMMERCIALLY
INSURED POPULATION.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To estimate incidence and prevalence of gastrointestinal
neuroendocrine tumors (GI NETs) in U.S. commercially insured patients. METHODS:
This was a retrospective, cross-sectional study using 2009 to 2014 data from
MarketScan and PharMetrics commercial claims databases. Patients were 18 to 64
years old, and had 1 inpatient or 2 outpatient claims with GI NET, identified by
International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification
codes. Incidence was calculated as number of patients with NET who were disease
free for 2 years prior, divided by number of enrollees and reported as per
million person-years (PMPY). Prevalence was calculated as the number of GI NET
patients divided by the number of enrollees per year. RESULTS: The annual number
of patients with GI NET ranged from 2,014 to 3,413 in MarketScan and 1,436 to
2,336 in PharMetrics. Incidence increased from 2011 to 2014: 67.0 to 79.1 PMPY in
MarketScan and 47.4 to 58.2 PMPY in PharMetrics. Incidence increased by 24.3% in
females and 10.7% in males in MarketScan, and by 17.6% in females and 29.3% in
males in PharMetrics. Incidence increased with age and was highest in the 45 to
54 and 55 to 64 age groups. Prevalence increased from 77.9 to 131.2 per million
per year (MarketScan) and 50.8 to 108.9 (PharMetrics) from 2009 to 2014.
Prevalence was generally higher in females than males and highest in 55 to 64
year olds. These increases may be due to better diagnostics, increased awareness
of NET among clinicians and pathologists, and/or actual increase in disease.
CONCLUSION: Clinicians may see GI NET with increasing frequency and should become
more familiar with its presentation and treatment. ABBREVIATIONS: GI =
gastrointestinal; ICD-9-CM = International Classification of Diseases, 9th
Revision, Clinical Modification; NET = neuroendocrine tumor; PMPY = per million
person-years; SEER = Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results.
PMID- 28704097
TI - MANAGING THYROID TUMORS DIAGNOSED AS NON-INVASIVE FOLLICULAR TUMOR WITH PAPILLARY
LIKE NUCLEAR FEATURES (NIFTP).
AB - This commentary summarizes the history and reclassification of noninvasive
follicular thyroid tumor with papillary like nuclei (NIFTP). The salient
histopathologic features, which are based on immunohistochemical and molecular
profiles and serve as inclusion and exclusion criteria are reviewed. The authors
also provide their own point of view regarding the practical issues and possible
concerns that may be raised by both clinicians and patients based on the
diagnosis of NIFTP.
PMID- 28704098
TI - ACCURACY OF PLASMA FREE METANEPHRINES IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA AND
PARAGANGLIOMA: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Various studies have validated plasma free metanephrines (MNs) as
biomarkers for pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma (PPGL). This meta-analysis
aimed to estimate the overall diagnostic accuracy of this biochemical test for
PPGL. METHODS: We searched the PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science,
Embase, Scopus, OvidSP, and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses databases from
January 1, 1995 to December 2, 2016 and selected studies written in English that
assessed plasma free MNs in the diagnosis of PPGL. Quality Assessment of
Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 (QUADAS-2) was used to evaluate the quality of the
included studies. We calculated pooled sensitivities, specificities, positive and
negative likelihood ratios, diagnostic odds ratios (DORs) and areas under curve
(AUCs) with their 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Heterogeneity was assessed
by I2. To identify the source of heterogeneity, we evaluated the threshold effect
and performed a meta-regression. Deeks' funnel plot was selected for
investigating any potential publication bias. RESULTS: Although the combination
of metanephrine (MN) and normetanephrine (NMN) carried lower specificity (0.94,
95% CI 0.90-0.97) than NMN (0.97, 95% CI 0.92-0.99), NMN was generally more
accurate than individual tests, with the highest AUC (0.99, 95% CI 0.97-0.99),
DOR (443.35, 95% CI 216.9-906.23), and pooled sensitivity (0.97, 95% CI 0.94
0.98) values. Threshold effect and meta-regression analyses showed that different
cut-offs, blood sampling positions, study types and test methods contributed to
heterogeneity. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis suggested an effective value for
combined plasma free MNs for the diagnosis of PPGL, but testing for MNs requires
more standardization using tightly regulated studies. ABBREVIATIONS: AUC = area
under curve; CI = confidence interval; DOR = diagnostic odds ratio; EIA = enzyme
immunoassay; LC-ECD = liquid chromatography-electrochemical detection; LC-MS/MS =
liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry; MN = metanephrine; NMN =
normetaneprhine; PPGL = pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma; QUADAS-2 = Quality
Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2.
PMID- 28704099
TI - LONG-TERM OUTCOMES AND PROGNOSTIC FACTORS IN PATIENTS WITH DIFFERENTIATED THYROID
CANCER AND DISTANT METASTASES.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Distant metastatic spread is the most frequent cause of thyroid cancer
related death. The objective of this study was to evaluate overall and disease
related survival of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) and distant
metastases (DM) attending a single medical center and to investigate variables
predictive of better long-term outcomes. METHODS: The Rabin Medical Center
Thyroid Cancer Registry was searched for patients with DM from DTC. RESULTS: The
cohort included 138 patients (58.7% female) diagnosed at age 54.7 +/- 19.5 years.
Mean primary tumor size was 33.9 +/- 26 mm. Most patients (57.7%) were stage
T3/T4; 48.7% had extrathyroidal extension; 53.5% had lymph node metastases.
Histopathology yielded papillary and follicular thyroid carcinoma in 66.7% and
13.8%, respectively, and intermediate/poorly differentiated carcinoma in 19.6%.
All but 2 patients underwent total thyroidectomy, and 133/138 (96.4%) received
radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy. DM were synchronous in 55.1%. The mean follow
up was 8.2 years from detection of metastases. The common sites of metastases
were the lungs (85.6% of patients), bones (39.9%), brain (5.8%) and liver (3.6%).
At last follow-up, resolution was documented in 24.6% of patients,
improvement/stable disease in 31.6%, and structurally progressive disease in
43.4%. By the end of the study, 40.6% of patients died, 23.2% of DTC. Improved
overall survival and disease progression were associated with younger age, lung
only DM, and metastatic RAI avidity. CONCLUSION: Patients with DTC and DM treated
by standard-of-care approaches frequently achieve favorable long-term outcomes.
Novel therapies might be necessary in only a minority of these patients, and the
reported prognostic factors can aid in their identification. ABBREVIATIONS: CR =
complete response; DM = distant metastases; DTC = differentiated thyroid cancer;
ETE = extra-thyroidal extension; M0 = detected during follow-up; M1 = detected at
diagnosis; MSKCC = Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; NED = no evidence of
disease; OS = overall survival; PFS = progression free survival; PTC = papillary
thyroid cancer; RAI = radioactive iodine; Tg = thyroglobulin.
PMID- 28704100
TI - THE ENDOCRINOLOGY OF AGING: A KEY TO LONGEVITY "GREAT EXPECTATIONS".
AB - ABBREVIATIONS: AMP = adenosine monophosphate CETP = cholesteryl ester transfer
protein FOXO = Forkhead box O GH = growth hormone HDL = high-density lipoprotein
IGF-1 = insulin-like growth factor 1 LDL = low-density lipoprotein miRNA =
microRNA mTOR = mammalian target of rapamycin SIRT = sirtuin T4 = thyroxine TSH =
thyroid-stimulating hormone "The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ, Moves
on: nor all thy Piety nor Wit Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line, Nor all
thy Tears wash out a Word of it." Omar Khayyam ( 1 ).
PMID- 28704101
TI - AGING, DIABETES, AND FALLS.
AB - KEY POINTS Falls are a major health issue for older adults, leading to adverse
events and even death. Older persons with type 2 diabetes are at increased risk
of falling compared to healthy adults of a similar age. Over 400 factors are
associated with falls risk, making identification and targeting of key factors to
prevent falls problematic. However, the major risk factors include hypertension,
diabetes, pain, and polypharmacy. In addition to age and polypharmacy, diabetes
related loss of strength, sensory perception, and balance secondary to peripheral
neuropathy along with decline in cognitive function lead to increased risk of
falling. Designing specific interventions to target strength and balance
training, reducing polypharmacy to improve cognitive function, relaxation of
diabetes management to avoid hypoglycemia and hypotension, and relief of pain
will produce the greatest benefit for reducing falls in older persons with
diabetes. Abbreviation: DPN = diabetic polyneuropathy.
PMID- 28704102
TI - UPDATE ON THE BIOLOGY OF OSTEOCALCIN.
AB - : A genetics approach has uncovered that bone has more functions than expected.
In particular, bone is an endocrine organ that secretes a growing number of
hormones. In that context, the discovery of the osteoblast-derived hormone
osteocalcin has significantly broadened the field of bone biology because of the
number of physiologic processes regulated by this hormone. At present,
osteocalcin has been shown to enhance several aspects of energy metabolism, brain
development, and cognition. These discoveries shed light on the cross-talk
between multiple organs and provide credence to the search for additional
endocrine functions of bone. ABBREVIATIONS: ECM = extracellular matrix; Gprc6a =
G protein-coupled receptor family C group 6 member A; IL-6 = interleukin-6; WT =
wild-type.
PMID- 28704103
TI - POSTPRANDIAL DOSING OF BOLUS INSULIN IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES: A CROSS
SECTIONAL STUDY USING DATA FROM THE T1D EXCHANGE REGISTRY.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence and characteristics of patients with type 1
diabetes (T1D) who dose bolus insulin postprandial (PostP) versus preprandial
(PreP). METHODS: Data for this cross-sectional study were obtained from 21,533
participants in the T1D Exchange Registry. Data were drawn from the enrollment
questionnaire. Patients who dosed 'immediately before meal' or 'several minutes
before meal' were classified as PreP. Patients who dosed 'during meal' or 'after
meal' were classified as PostP. Data reported (PostP vs. PreP) are mean +/- SD
and percentage, as appropriate. RESULTS: After exclusion of patients who did not
answer the dose-timing question or who selected 'not given regularly' or 'depends
on glucose level prior to meal,' (4,229 of 25,762), 21,533 patients were included
in the study. Ninety-nine percent of patients used rapid-acting insulin
analogues; 32% dosed insulin PostP. Compared to PreP, children <18 years of age
dosing PostP were characterized by higher glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) (8.7 +/-
1.5% [72 +/- 16.4 mmol/mol] vs. 8.4 +/- 1.7% [68 +/- 18.6 mmol/mol]), larger
insulin dose (1.2 +/- 0.7 IU/kg/day vs. 1.1 +/- 0.7 IU/kg/day), greater
prevalence of history of hypoglycemia, and diabetic ketoacidosis. Adults who
dosed PostP were characterized by younger age (33.0 +/- 15.3 years vs. 39.5 +/-
16.6 years), higher HbA1c (8.3 +/- 1.5% [67 +/- 16.4 mmol/mol] vs. 7.8 +/- 1.5%
[62 +/- 16.4 mmol/mol]), and larger insulin dose (1.0 +/- 0.6 IU/kg/day vs. 0.9
+/- 0.5 IU/kg/day) than PreP. CONCLUSION: This study reveals that a large
proportion of patients dose bolus insulin PostP. Despite the use of current rapid
acting insulin analogues, patients who dose PostP are characterized by poorer
glycemic control in all patients and a greater prevalence of history of severe
hypoglycemia and diabetic ketoacidosis in children. ABBREVIATIONS: BMI = body
mass index; CGM = continuous glucose monitoring; DKA = diabetic ketoacidosis;
HbA1c = glycated hemoglobin; PostP = postprandial; PreP = preprandial; SMBG =
self-monitored blood glucose; T1D = type 1 diabetes.
PMID- 28704105
TI - Role of the Polymorphisms of Uncoupling Protein Genes in Childhood Obesity and
Their Association with Obesity-Related Disturbances.
AB - BACKGROUND: Obesity, one of the most common disorders observed in clinical
practice, has been associated with energy metabolism-related protein genes such
as uncoupling proteins (UCPs). Herein, we evaluated UCPs as candidate genes for
obesity and its morbidities. METHODS: A total of 268 obese and 185 nonobese
children and adolescents were enrolled in this study. To determine dyslipidemia,
hypertension, and insulin resistance, laboratory tests were derived from fasting
blood samples. UCP1-3826 A/G, UCP2 exon 8 deletion/insertion (del/ins), and UCP3
55C/T variants were also genotyped, and the relationships among the polymorphisms
of these UCPs and obesity morbidities were investigated. RESULTS: The mean ages
of the obese and control groups were 11.61 +/- 2.83 and 10.74 +/- 3.36 years,
respectively. The respective genotypic frequencies of the AA, AG, and GG
genotypes of UCP1 were 46.3%, 33.2%, and 20.5% in obese subjects and 46.5%,
42.2%, and 11.4% in the controls (p = 0.020). G alleles were more frequent in
obese subjects with hypertriglyceridemia (42.9%; p = 0.048) than in those
without, and the GG genotype presented an odds ratio for obesity of 2.02 (1.17
3.47; p = 0.010). The polymorphisms of UCP2 exon 8 del/ins and UCP3-55C/T did not
influence obesity risk (p > 0.05). The I (ins) allele was associated with low HDL
cholesterolemia (p = 0.023). CONCLUSION: The GG genotype of the UCP1-3826 A/G
polymorphism appears to contribute to the onset of childhood obesity in Turkish
children. The GG genotype of UCP1, together with the del/del genotype of the UCP2
polymorphism, may increase the risk of obesity with synergistic effects. The ins
allele of the UCP2 exon 8 del/ins polymorphism may contribute to low HDL
cholesterolemia.
PMID- 28704106
TI - Prescription Drug Misuse and Arrest History.
AB - BACKGROUND: Prescription drug misuse is widely acknowledged as a major public
health issue in the United States. Surprisingly little research examines the
association between prescription drug misuse and history of arrest among adults.
METHODS: We use data from the 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health to
examine this association. Arrest was self-reported and separated into three
categories: any, property crime, or violent crime. Prescription drug misuse was
defined as use without a prescription or solely for the feeling or experience
caused by the drug. We looked at the misuse of any prescription drug and also
separate classes of misuse (pain relievers, sedatives, tranquilizers, and
stimulants). Several multivariate logistic regression models were estimated to
examine the association between prescription drug misuse and arrest. RESULTS:
Findings showed that 8.62% of respondents reported prescription drug misuse and
3.55% reported any arrest. In multivariate models that included demographic
characteristics and measures of alcohol and other drug use, respondents who
reported prescription drug misuse were at increased odds of arrest. CONCLUSIONS:
The current research shows that prescription drug misuse is significantly
associated with arrest, but more research is needed on the causal nature of this
association. The criminal justice and drug treatment systems must develop
treatment and rehabilitation services that understand the close association
between prescription drug misuse and arrest.
PMID- 28704107
TI - Asthma medication use among adults with current asthma by work-related asthma
status, Asthma Call-back Survey, 29 states, 2012-2013.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Asthma severity is defined as the intensity of treatment required to
achieve good control of asthma symptoms. Studies have shown that work-related
asthma (WRA) can be associated with poorer asthma control and more severe
symptoms than non-WRA. Associations between asthma medications and WRA status
were assessed using data from the 2012-2013 Asthma Call-back Survey among ever
employed adults (>=18 years) with current asthma from 29 states. METHODS: Persons
with WRA had been told by a physician that their asthma was work-related. Persons
with possible WRA had asthma caused or made worse by their current or previous
job, but did not have physician-diagnosed WRA. Asthma medications were classified
as controller (i.e., long-acting beta-agonist, inhaled corticosteroid, oral
corticosteroid, cromolyn/nedocromil, leukotriene pathway inhibitor,
methylxanthine, anti-cholinergics) and rescue (i.e., short-acting beta-agonist).
Demographic and clinical characteristics were examined. Associations between
asthma medications and WRA status were assessed using a multivariate logistic
regression to calculate adjusted prevalence ratios (PRs). RESULTS: Among an
estimated 15 million ever-employed adults with current asthma, 14.7% had WRA and
an additional 40.4% had possible WRA. Compared with adults with non-WRA, those
with WRA were more likely to have taken anti-cholinergics (PR = 1.80),
leukotriene pathway inhibitor (PR = 1.59), and methylxanthine (PR = 4.76), and
those with possible WRA were more likely to have taken methylxanthine (PR =
2.85). CONCLUSIONS: Results provide additional evidence of a higher proportion of
severe asthma among adults with WRA compared to non-WRA. To achieve optimal
asthma control, adults with WRA may require additional intervention, such as
environmental controls or removal from the workplace exposure.
PMID- 28704108
TI - Reliability of kinetic visual field testing in children with mutation-proven
retinal dystrophies: Implications for therapeutic clinical trials.
AB - PURPOSE: Kinetic visual field testing is used to monitor disease course in
retinal dystrophy clinical care and treatment response in treatment trials, which
are increasingly recruiting children. This study investigates Goldmann visual
field (GVF) changes in young children with mutation-proven retinal dystrophies as
they age and with progression of the retinal degeneration. METHODS: Retrospective
review of children <= 17 years old with a mutation-proven retinal dystrophy.
Objective clinical disease activity was assessed by a retinal degeneration
specialist masked to GVF results. Digital quantification of GVF area was
performed. RESULTS: Twenty-nine children (58 eyes), ages 5-16, were identified.
GVF area increased with age despite progression in 20 children and clinical
stability in nine children. Mean +/- standard error increase in GVF area/year was
333 +/- 130 mm2 (I4e, p = 0.012), 720 +/- 155 mm2 (III4e, p < 0.001), and 759 +/-
167 mm2 (IV4e, p < 0.001), with greater increases at earlier ages. Repeatability
coefficients were 7381 mm2 (I4e), 9379 mm2 (III4e), and 10346 mm2 (IV4e),
indicating a large variability. At 2.5 years after the baseline GVF the area
increased >= 20%, the criterion for positive treatment outcome defined in recent
published therapeutic trials, in 38% (I4e), 34% (III4e), and 33% (IV4e) of eyes.
CONCLUSION: In a substantial proportion of children with mutation-proven retinal
dystrophies, there is a significant increase in GVF area with age, particularly
those < 12 years, despite progression or stability of disease. These findings
suggest that change in GVF area in children with retinal dystrophies can be an
unreliable measure of response to treatment and on which to base appropriate
counseling about visual impairment.
PMID- 28704109
TI - Heterogeneity in Drinking Practices in England and Wales and Its Association With
Violent Behavior: A Latent Class Analysis.
AB - BACKGROUND: Crude single-item consumption metrics, such as "binge drinking"
measures, mask the complexity and heterogeneity in young people's drinking; thus
limiting our understanding of young people's drinking patterns as well as how
alcohol drinking is associated with violent outcomes. OBJECTIVES: The current
study employed a range of consumption and contextual indicators to explore
heterogeneity in young people's (16-29 years) drinking practices, giving due
consideration to their social nature. It also assessed to what extent
heterogeneity in drinking practices was associated with violent outcomes.
METHODS: Employing data from the 2006 Offending Crime and Justice Survey, three
measures of alcohol consumption and nine drinking context indicators were
utilized within latent class analysis to create typologies of drinking practices
among current drinkers in England and Wales (n = 2711) and examine their
association with violent outcomes. The validity of the typologies was also
assessed on age, sex, and socio-economic status. RESULTS: Three discernible
drinking profiles were identified: "regular social drinkers" (48%), "regular pub
binge drinkers" (32%), and "moderate drinkers" (20%). The "regular pub binge
drinkers" were found to be more than twice as likely to commit an assault offence
(odds ratio = 2.8 95% CI [1.3, 6.2]) when compared to "moderate drinkers" and
"regular social drinkers" (odds ratio = 2.2 95% CI [1.4, 3.4]). CONCLUSIONS:
Interventions aimed at reducing alcohol-related violence ought to give due
consideration to the social context of drinking as well as levels of consumption.
PMID- 28704110
TI - Challenges of managing retinal dystrophies: An experience from south India.
PMID- 28704111
TI - Incomplete dabigatran reversal with idarucizumab.
AB - CONTEXT: With increasing use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), urgent
reversal of these agents becomes a growing concern. Idarucizumab is a humanized
monoclonal antibody fragment that specifically binds to dabigatran with higher
affinity than thrombin, rapidly neutralizing its anticoagulant effect without
increased risk of thrombosis. CASE DETAILS: We describe two cases in which the
recommended dose of idarucizumab was unsuccessful in completely reversing the
anticoagulant effects of dabigatran. Both of these patients were noted to have
supratherapeutic international normalized ratios (INRs) and high dabigatran
concentrations. In the first case, an 86-year-old male underwent an emergent
procedure and experienced excessive hemorrhaging refractory to blood product
repletion, idarucizumab, and factor eight inhibitor bypass activity (FEIBA). In
the second case, a 62-year-old female in shock was found to have elevated
dabigatran concentrations despite two doses of idarucizumab, continuous renal
replacement therapy (CRRT), blood product repletion, and FEIBA. Both patients
ultimately expired from their coagulopathies. DISCUSSION: These cases illustrate
the potential for incomplete reversal of dabigatran with the recommended 5 g of
idarucizumab and emphasize the importance of early detection of dabigatran
toxicity. While direct dabigatran serum concentrations are not readily available,
the INR may be a useful surrogate marker for supratherapeutic dabigatran
concentrations.
PMID- 28704112
TI - The Migration, Mental Stress, and Tobacco use of Internal Migrants in China: The
Moderating Effect of the Social Context of the Host Society.
AB - BACKGROUND: Previous studies on the relationship between mental stress and the
tobacco use of internal migrants have not fully considered the social context of
the host society. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to examine how mental stress
influences cigarette smoking in internal migrants in China by considering the
social context of the host society. METHODS: We used the RUMiC data that were
collected in 15 cities distributed throughout 9 provinces of China. A total of
8,446 and 5,426 migrant workers were interviewed in 2008 and 2009, respectively.
We selected individuals based on the criteria of age, salary, and hukou status. A
total of 8,880 observations are valid for this study. This research used the
logistic regression method to test the association between mental stress and the
tobacco use of internal migrants. RESULTS: The results show that mental stress is
not necessarily associated with the tobacco use of internal migrants. However,
the effects of mental stress on tobacco use are moderated by the social context
of the host society. CONCLUSIONS: This article calls for more attention to be
paid to the moderate effect of social context in the host society on the
association between mental stress and cigarette smoking of internal migrants.
Moreover, this article underscores the importance of factors related to local
societies in making and enacting tobacco control policies for migrants in
developing countries.
PMID- 28704113
TI - Role of resveratrol in the management of insulin resistance and related
conditions: Mechanism of action.
AB - Resveratrol (RES), a well-known antioxidant, is present in numerous plant species
and, as a result, is easily obtained through dietary intake of plant-based foods
and beverages. Several studies suggest that RES has anti-carcinogenic, anti
microbial, and anti-viral effects. It may also have beneficial metabolic
properties that result in mitigation of insulin resistance (IR) and related
metabolic abnormalities, including dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia, and
hyperinsulinemia through regulation of gene expression or the activity of rate
limiting enzymes. A large body of evidence supports the beneficial effects of RES
in the management and treatment of IR, type 2 diabetes, and related complications
through a multitude of mechanisms. This review article focuses on the mechanisms
of action of RES, the mechanisms leading to improved insulin sensitivity, and its
clinical role in the management and treatment of type 2 diabetes.
PMID- 28704114
TI - Orbital floor fracture with entrapment: Imaging and clinical correlations in 45
cases.
AB - Orbital floor fractures (OFF) with entrapment require prompt clinical and
radiographic recognition for timely surgical correction. Correct CT radiographic
interpretation of entrapped fractures can be subtle and thus missed. We reviewed
the clinical, radiographic and intraoperative findings of 45 cases of entrapped
OFF to correlate pre- and intraoperative findings with radiography. Retrospective
review and statistical analysis of 45 patients with OFF using the chi squared and
Kruskal-Wallis tests. Main outcome measures included patient demographics,
clinical features, radiologic interpretation, intraoperative findings, and
treatment outcomes. Twenty-one cases (47%) had radiologic evaluations of orbital
CT scans that included commentary on possible entrapment. Intraoperatively, 16
(76%) of these patients had the inferior rectus muscle incarcerated in the
fracture, while 5 (24%) patients had incarceration of the orbital fat.
Possibility of entrapment was not commented on in the radiology reports of the
remaining 24 (53%) cases. Intraoperatively, 13 (54%) of these patients had the
inferior rectus muscle incarcerated in the fracture, while 11 (46%) patients had
incarceration of the orbital fat. It is vital to assess the possibility of
entrapment, especially in young patients, in the setting of OFF as a delay in
diagnosis may lead to persistent diplopia, disfigurement, or bradycardia. Most
radiology reports did not mention the possibility of entrapment in this cohort. A
key concept is that entrapment occurs when any orbital tissue (muscle or fat) is
trapped in the fracture site.
PMID- 28704115
TI - Trends of Youth Marijuana Treatment Admissions: Increasing Admissions Contrasted
with Decreasing Drug Involvement.
AB - BACKGROUND: Recent changes in marijuana policies and their potential negative
effects on youth development are a public health concern. Identifying the most
appropriate treatment approaches for problematic marijuana use is important.
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to track marijuana use among young people
by examining national changes from 1995 to 2012 in the demographics, referral
sources, and the substance use patterns related to youth admissions to substance
abuse treatment programs. METHODS: We examined first-time substance abuse
treatment admissions among youth, utilizing the Treatment Episode Data Set -
Admissions (TEDS-A) of the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration
(N = 12,025,787). Chi-squared analysis was used to examine differences between
admission years and binomial logistic regression was used to examine trends over
the 18 years. RESULTS: We found increasing numbers of youth in dependent living
situations (e.g. with parents) admitted to substance use disorder treatment for
marijuana. We also found a dramatic drop in the degree of drug involvement for
those admissions over nearly two decades of data. Conclusions/Importance: While
availability and changing perceptions of marijuana might have caused an increase
in admissions to substance abuse treatment, our findings indicate that the
severity of drug use involved in those admissions has decreased. This study
highlights the importance of identifying youth in actual need of treatment
services and not overlooking tools such as screening, brief intervention, and
motivational interviewing as effective for varying levels of marijuana use by
youth.
PMID- 28704117
TI - Climacteric Commentaries.
PMID- 28704116
TI - Popular Views on Addictions and on Prospects for Recovery in Poland.
AB - BACKGROUND: Popular views of addictive substances and behaviors constitute an
important research topic because these views have an impact upon the functioning
of treatment systems and societal responses to substance use disorders. METHODS:
The analysis is based on a random sample of N = 1000 telephone interviews
collected in Poland in 2013. Questionnaire measures targeted such issues as the
perceived risks of addictions and beliefs about potential recovery from various
types of addictions. RESULTS: First, a coherent view of the addiction potential
of various addictive substances and/or behaviors emerges, distinguishing licit
drugs and types of behavior from illicit drugs. Second, treatment optimism proves
to be quite high independent of the type of addictive behavior, while chances of
recovery without treatment are considered less likely. Third, chances for
assisted change (change with treatment) and self-change are considered largely
independent of perceived addiction-related risks and are not perceived as
contradictory. CONCLUSIONS: The results point to the persistence of the disease
model of addiction in Poland, placing responsibility for addiction on the
individual and pairing it with the expectation of undergoing specialized
treatment. This individualistic approach was applied as a framework for addiction
problems in the 1950s to deflect from the shortcomings of the ''new socialist
society.'' Neo-liberal market reform and socioeconomic changes have provided
reinforcement for this individualistic framework.
PMID- 28704118
TI - Gratitude and Drug Misuse: Role of Coping as Mediator.
AB - BACKGROUND: Positive emotions, such as gratitude has been found to be beneficial
to both physical and mental well-being but so far, drug misuse research has yet
to identify important emotive predictors related to drug use. OBJECTIVES: This
study aimed to examine the relationship between gratitude and drug use among a
group of drug misusers. It was hypothesized that greater dispositional gratitude
was associated with lesser drug use through greater use of adaptive coping
methods and lesser use of maladaptive coping methods. METHODS: This study
utilized a cross-sectional design to examine the relationship between gratitude,
coping, and drug use among a sample of drug misusers (N = 105) at a drug
rehabilitation center. Participants completed the gratitude questionnaire (GQ-6),
the joy subscale of the Dispositional Positive Emotion Scale (DPES), the Brief
COPE, and a questionnaire on their drug use. Data were collected in 2015.
RESULTS: Mediation analysis supported the hypothesis and found that adaptive
coping mediated the relationship between gratitude and drug use. However,
mediation was not found for maladaptive coping. Additional analysis found that
adaptive coping as a mediator was not found for joy. CONCLUSION: Results
suggested that gratitude has utility in reducing drug use through the use of more
adaptive coping strategies and this relationship was not simply due to positive
affect. Interventions targeting drug use behavior could consider introducing
gratitude to increase adaptive coping abilities to reduce drug use.
PMID- 28704119
TI - Can "Legal Highs" Trigger Myocardial Infarction? Patients' Characteristics Based
on Published Cases.
PMID- 28704120
TI - Association of Physical Activity with Alcohol Abuse and Dependence in a
Nationally-Representative U.S. Sample.
AB - BACKGROUND: Alcohol use is a pervasive and costly public health problem in the
United States. Relapse rates from alcohol use disorders are high. Although
exercise has been proposed as a strategy to prevent relapse, lifestyle
modification is the least studied aspect of relapse prevention programs,
especially among racial/ethnic minority populations. OBJECTIVE: The current study
assessed whether being physically active was associated with remission from
alcohol abuse or dependence among Black (African American and Afro Caribbean)
adults in the U.S. METHOD: We utilized data on Black adult participants (n =
4,828) from the nationally representative National Survey of American Life (NSAL)
conducted in 2001-2003. Logistic regression models were estimated to assess the
odds of being in 12-month remission or currently meeting DSM-IV criteria for
alcohol abuse or dependence based on level of physical activity, adjusting for
socio-demographic and neighborhood characteristics. RESULTS: People who endorsed
being physically active had higher odds of being in 12-month remission from
alcohol use problems (OR: 1.67, 95% CI: 1.28, 2.17) than people who were
physically inactive, adjusting for individual- and neighborhood-level
characteristics. People who were physically active did not differ significantly
from those who were inactive with respect to odds of currently meeting DSM-IV
criteria for alcohol abuse or dependence. Conclusions/Importance: Physical
activity was positively associated with being in 12-month remission from alcohol
use problems. Longitudinal studies are needed to establish temporal ordering and
to explore exercise as a potential relapse prevention strategy for alcohol use
problems.
PMID- 28704121
TI - Evaluation of In Vitro Antiamoebic Activity of Antimicrobial Agents Against
Clinical Acanthamoeba Isolates.
AB - PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to elucidate in vitro antiamoebic activity of
antimicrobial agents at short exposure times similar to those used for actual
treatment against Acanthamoeba strains isolated from patients with keratitis.
METHODS: The 5 clinical Acanthamoeba isolated in Japan were used in this study.
Identification of genotypes for the Acanthamoeba isolates was performed using
partial 18S ribosomal DNA (rDNA), including the ASA.S1 region sequences.
Fluconazole, miconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole, amphotericin B, natamycin
(pimaricin), and micafungin (antifungal agents), and chlorhexidine (a biguanide
disinfectant), and sulfamethoxazole and paromomycin (antibacterial agents) were
used to determine the antiamoebic activity against Acanthamoeba, which were
determined by 50% and 90% growth inhibitory concentrations (IC50 and IC90)
following exposing to each drug at 25 degrees C for 7 days and 12 h. RESULTS:
Among the tested antimicrobial agents, natamycin strongly inhibited the growth of
all Acanthamoeba isolates at low concentration in both the 7-day (IC90 = 4.1
MUg/mL) and 12-h (IC90 = 11.6 MUg/mL) assays. Additionally, sulfamethoxazole
exhibited strong antiamoebic activity (IC90 = 9.8 MUg/mL) at low concentration in
the 7-day assay. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings showed that natamycin ophthalmic
solution might be an effective agent against Acanthamoeba keratitis.
Additionally, frequent administration of sulfamethoxazole ophthalmic solution or
systemic sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim is also considered as an effective
treatment for Acanthamoeba keratitis.
PMID- 28704122
TI - Using a Patient and Family Advisory Council as a Mechanism to Hear the Patient's
Voice.
PMID- 28704123
TI - Redelivering Information to Young Adults and Adolescents Treated for Cancer
During Childhood.
PMID- 28704124
TI - beta cell function and insulin resistance in lean cases with polycystic ovary
syndrome.
AB - Obesity is a major factor in development of insulin resistance (IR) and metabolic
features in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients. Nearly two-thirds patients
with PCOS (30 of 37 confirmed cases of PCOS) in our previous community based
study were lean, in contrast to Caucasians. Metabolic parameters including IR and
beta cell function have not been characterized well in this group of lean PCOS.
To study the metabolic features including IR and beta cell function in lean PCOS
patients, 53 patients with BMI, <23 kg/m2 were compared with 71 obese PCOS and 45
age and body mass index matched controls. Lean patients had similar beta cell
function and IR as compared to controls and obese patients, though the latter
group had more metabolic abnormality. Fasting c-peptide and its ratio to glucose
were significantly higher in lean patients compared to controls. In subset of
subjects with five point OGTT, disposition index and Matsuda index (MI) showed
significant negative correlation with BMI and blood pressure. MI also negatively
correlated with waist, WHR, and HOMAB. High fasting C-peptide is probably a class
effect as is seen in both lean and obese PCOS.
PMID- 28704125
TI - Effect of Feeding High Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid-Containing Giant Embryo Black
Sticky Rice (Oryza sativa L.) on Anxiety-Related Behavior of C57BL/6 Mice.
AB - The aim of this study was to determine the effect of feeding high gamma
aminobutyric acid (GABA)-containing black sticky rice giant embryo (BSRGE, Oryza
sativa L.) on anxiety-related behavior of C57BL/6 mice. Experimental feedstuff
(BSRGE with high GABA+AIN-76A) and control (AIN-76A) were provided to C57BL/6
mouse for 10 days. Antianxiety effects of BSRGE with high GABA were measured
using an elevated plus maze. On day 8, the number of open arm entries by GABA and
control groups were 1.10 +/- 1.60 (mean +/- SD) and 0.00 +/- 0.00 (P = .030). On
day 10, the number of open arm entries by the GABA group was 2.00 +/- 1.89, which
was significantly (P = .025) higher than that in the control group (0.40 +/-
0.84). On day 8, the time the mice spent in open arm in the GABA group and
control group was 3.60 +/- 7.06 and 0.00 +/- 0.00 sec (P = .068), respectively.
On day 10, the time the mice in the GABA and control groups spent in open arm was
6.20 +/- 5.35 sec and 1.80 +/- 3.82 sec (P = .042), respectively. In repeated
analysis of variance for the number of entries into open arm and time spent in
open arm, significant differences were found between the two groups. Therefore,
BSRGE with high GABA content might have an antianxiety effect. This study can
serve as a preliminary study so that further antianxiety effects of BSRGE can be
determined in more extended animal or clinical research studies in the future.
PMID- 28704126
TI - Economic impact of adalimumab treatment in Japanese patients with rheumatoid
arthritis from the adalimumab non-interventional trial for up-verified effects
and utility (ANOUVEAU) study.
AB - OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study is to evaluate the economic impact of
adalimumab (ADA) on Japanese rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. METHODS:
ANOUVEAU was a 48-week multicenter, prospective, observational, single-cohort
study. Work-related outcomes including absenteeism, presenteeism, overall work
impairment (OWI), and activity impairment (AI) were evaluated using the RA
related work productivity and activity impairment (WPAI/RA). The amount of
productivity loss was estimated via multiplication of absenteeism, presenteeism
and OWI by the national average occupational wage for paid worker (PW) and part
time worker (PTW), and via multiplication of AI by the estimated wage for
domestic work for home maker (HM). RESULTS: In this analysis, 1196 patients were
included. At week 48, measures of productivity loss due to absenteeism,
presenteeism, OWI, and AI were significantly improved by administrating ADA to RA
patients in all employment types (PW, PTW, and HM), compared to baseline (p <
.01). Productivity loss of Japanese society by RA disease was estimated to be
$9.80 billion. The annual decrease in productivity loss through ADA
administration to Japanese RA patients was estimated to be $3.76 billion.
CONCLUSIONS: The socioeconomic burden of RA is high, but ADA treatment may reduce
productivity loss related to RA.
PMID- 28704127
TI - Retinal miRNAs variations in a large cohort of inherited retinal disease.
AB - BACKGROUND: Although great efforts have been paid on identification of genetic
predisposition in the inherited retinal disease (IRD), genetic causes of a large
proportion of patients remain a mystery. This dilemma makes us attempt to
speculate that genetic components other than coding genes might be an additional
pool predisposing IRD. In this study, we aim to perform a mutational screening in
a large cohort of IRD patients with a particular focus on retina-specific or
abundant microRNAs (miRs). MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 324 unrelated
patients with IRD were recruited. Targeted next-generation sequencing (tNGS) was
performed to survey genetic mutations in 32 known miRs highly expressed in the
retina, followed by validation with Sanger sequencing, co-segregation analysis in
each family, and computational assessments. RESULTS: Novel genotype-phenotype
associations have been uncovered. In total, six different variants in the miRs
were identified, including four rare ones, miR-216a (n.56C>A), miR-216b
(n.43_44insG), miR-7-2 (n.107C>T), and miR-7-3 (n.95G>A). The other two variants,
miR-182 (n.106G>A) and miR-216a (n.105T>A), were considered as polymorphic.
CONCLUSIONS: We for the first time screened candidate retinal miRs in patients
with IRD. Although there is no convincing evidence that these variants are
responsible for the IRD, the results enhance the current knowledge of the
associations between IRD and miRNAs variants.
PMID- 28704128
TI - Commune Health Workers' Methadone Maintenance Treatment (MMT) Knowledge and
Perceived Difficulties Providing Decentralized MMT Services in Vietnam.
AB - BACKGROUND: With the initial establishment of countrywide methadone maintenance
therapy (MMT) system, Vietnam is in the process of expanding and decentralizing
the MMT program to community-based healthcare settings. OBJECTIVE: The study
aimed to measure the MMT-related knowledge and perceived difficulties in treating
patient who use drugs (PWUD) among community-based healthcare providers, e.g.,
commune health workers (CHW), and examine its correlated factors. METHODS: A
total of 300 CHW from 60 communes in two provinces of Vietnam completed a survey
using Audio Computer-Assisted Self-Interview (ACASI) method. Twelve true-or-false
questions were used to assess the CHW's MMT-related knowledge. The CHW's
background characteristics and perceived difficulties treating PWUD were
recorded. RESULTS: The mean MMT knowledge score was 8.2 (SD = 1.2; range: 5-11).
Misconceptions toward the benefits, procedure, and side effects of MMT were
prevalent. The participants perceived varying degrees of difficulties in
recruiting, engaging, and communicating with PWUD. With all covariates holding
constant, younger age (standardized ? = -0.166; p = 0.0078) was associated with
less MMT-related knowledge. Number of PWUD seen in a month and MMT-related
knowledge was associated with less perceived difficulties treating PWUD.
Conclusions/importance: The finding shed lights on the CHW's knowledge gap, which
need to be addressed to facilitate the decentralization of MMT services in
Vietnam. In preparation for a decentralized MMT service delivery model, specially
designed training is warranted to equip CHW with knowledge and confidence to
provide MMT-related services to PWUD.
PMID- 28704129
TI - Electromagnetic information transfer through aqueous system.
AB - Several beneficial effects of the electromagnetic information transfer through
aqueous system (EMITTAS) procedure have previously been reported in vitro. The
clinical potential of this procedure has also started to be evaluated.
Information flow in biological systems can be investigated through chemical and
molecular approaches or by a biophysical approach focused on endogenous
electrodynamic activities. Electromagnetic signals are endogenously generated at
different levels of the biological organization and, likely, play an active role
in synchronizing internal cell function or local/systemic adaptive response.
Consequently, each adaptive response can be described by its specific
electromagnetic pattern and, therefore, correlates with a unique and specific
electromagnetic signature. A biophysical procedure synchronously integrating the
EMITTAS procedure has already been applied for the treatment of articular pain,
low-back pain, neck pain and mobility, fluctuating asymmetry, early-stage chronic
kidney disease, refractory gynecological infections, minor anxiety and depression
disorders. This clinical strategy involves a single treatment, since the EMITTAS
procedure allows the patient to continue his/her own personal treatment at home
by means of self-administration of the recorded aqueous system. A significant and
long-lasting improvement has been reported, showing a potential beneficial use of
this biophysical procedure in the management of common illnesses in an efficient,
effective and personalized way. Data from recent studies suggest that aqueous
systems may play a key role in providing the basis for recording, storing,
transferring and retrieving clinically effective quanta of biological
information. These features likely enable to trigger local and systemic self
regulation and self-regeneration potential of the organism.
PMID- 28704130
TI - Scleral Thinning Documented by Ultrasound Biomicroscopy after Plaque Therapy for
Anterior Ciliary Melanoma.
AB - PURPOSE: To evaluate, by ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM), changes in scleral
thickness after ruthenium-106 CCB and CCC plaque (Eckert & Ziegler BE-BIG GmbH,
Berlin, Germany) therapy for anterior ciliary melanoma. METHODS: Eleven patients
with anterior ciliary melanoma underwent ruthenium-106 CCB and CCC plaque
radiation with a radiation dose at the tumor apex of 80-100 Gy. UBM measurements
performed prior to and after treatment were as follows: the largest prominence of
the tumor perpendicular to the sclera and scleral thickness at scleral spur, 1.0
mm, and 2.0 mm posteriorly. RESULTS: The article presents one year follow-up
results for each of the 11 patients. The mean regression of the tumor of 24.3+/
9.31% was observed. The thinning of the sclera was statistically significant at
the scleral spur (t=1.80, p <= 0.05) and at maximal tumor thickness (t=1.35,
P=0.05). CONCLUSION: UBM documented significant thinning of the sclera at the
scleral spur and overlying the maximal tumor thickness after Ru-106 CCB and CCC
plaque radiation. Taking into consideration the shortcomings of the study-small
sample size, insufficient probe resolution, and subjectively determined anatomic
landmarks-observed minimal thickness change of the sclera does not necessarily
mean its necrosis. However, thinning of the sclera documented at one year follow
up associated with very slow regression of the tumor indicates the need for the
introduction of the CIA plaque treatment in our patients with anterior ciliary
melanoma.
PMID- 28704131
TI - Portopulmonary hypertension in children: a rare but potentially lethal and under
recognized disease.
AB - Portopulmonary hypertension (PoPH) is defined by the combination of portal
hypertension and precapillary pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Very little
is known about this process in pediatric patients but prognosis is generally
poor. We review our institutional experience and report on five patients with
pediatric PoPH. The median age of PoPH diagnosis was six years and PAH was 14
years. PAH diagnosis was made by echocardiogram in all patients, four of whom
also had cardiac catheterization. The median mean pulmonary artery pressure
(mPAP) was 48.5 mmHg (interquartile range [IQR] = 46-60) with a median pulmonary
vascular resistance index (PVRi) of 9 WU*M2 (IQR = 8-22). All were acute
pulmonary vasodilator testing non-responsive. All patients received targeted
therapies. Three of five patients (60%) died despite an evidence-based approach
to care. Of those who died, timing from the PoPH diagnosis to death ranged from
three days to three years. Based upon our limited experience, PoPH is a disorder
with significant mortality in childhood and challenges in treatment. Future
research, focused on screening and early targeted treatment strategies, may alter
the current dismal prognosis for these children.
PMID- 28704132
TI - Health Insurance Literacy as a Determinant of Population Health.
PMID- 28704133
TI - Understanding Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Guidelines: An Introductory
Approach.
AB - Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS(r)) is a multimodal, multidisciplinary
approach to surgical care. The ERAS Society has issued recommendations for many
surgical procedures that address best practices in preoperative, intraoperative,
and postoperative management. When implementing a new ERAS protocol, the length
and detail of the recommendations can be overwhelming. In this study, the general
principles of the ERAS guidelines are summarized and workload is distributed
among the different members of the care team. This compartmentalized approach
provides an easier way to involve key personnel in the ERAS process and assigns a
role for everyone in making ERAS a success.
PMID- 28704134
TI - Pulmonary vascular effect of insulin in a rodent model of pulmonary arterial
hypertension.
AB - Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is associated with metabolic derangements
including insulin resistance, although their effects on the cardiopulmonary
disease are unclear. We hypothesized that insulin resistance promotes pulmonary
hypertension (PH) development and mutations in type 2 bone morphogenetic protein
receptor (BMPR2) cause cellular insulin resistance. Using a BMPR2 transgenic
murine model of PAH and two models of inducible diabetes mellitus, we explored
the impact of hyperglycemia and/or hyperinsulinemia on development and severity
of PH. We assessed insulin signaling and insulin-mediated glucose uptake in human
endothelial cells with and without mutations in BMPR2. PH developed in control
mice fed a Western diet and PH in BMPR2 mutant mice was increased by Western
diet. Pulmonary artery pressure correlated strongly with fasting plasma insulin
but not glucose. Reactive oxygen species were increased in lungs of insulin
resistant animals. BMPR2 mutation impaired insulin-mediated endothelial glucose
uptake via reduced glucose transporter translocation despite intact insulin
signaling. Experimental hyperinsulinemia is strongly associated with PH in both
control and BMPR2-mutant mice, though to a greater degree in those with BMPR2
mutation. Human pulmonary endothelial cells with BMPR2 mutation have evidence of
reduced glucose uptake due to impaired glucose transporter translocation. These
experiments support a role for hyperinsulinemia in pulmonary vascular disease.
PMID- 28704135
TI - 'Top, bottom, versatile': narratives of sexual practices in gay relationships in
the Cape Metropole, South Africa.
AB - Sexual practices among gay and other men who have sex with men are evolving in
South Africa and heteronormative stereotypes are being contested. This paper
draws from a larger qualitative study on how men construct a gay identity and
negotiate their relationships within contemporary South African contexts,
following constitutional and legal changes, in this respect. A feminist, social
constructionist approach was used to collect and analyse data from in-depth
interviews with 15 self-identified gay men, aged 20 to 46 years, drawn from a
university in the larger Cape Metropole, South Africa. Interviews were audio
recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic and narrative
analysis. 'Bottoms' revealed being powerful in receptive sex. Other men
deconstructed the binaries of masculine/feminine and resisted heteronormativity
by engaging in fluid constructions in their relationships, whereby participants
'switched' or 'flipped' or did not recognise stereotypical roles when practising
sex. There may be value in making these flexible and reciprocal sexual practices
better known about and promoted as non-normative African models of sexual
practice.
PMID- 28704136
TI - Factors influencing outcomes in patients with Eisenmenger syndrome: a nine-year
follow-up study.
AB - In patients with Eisenmenger syndrome, life expectancy is usually longer than in
patients with other forms of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). We conducted
a cohort study in which patients were followed over a long period of time in an
attempt to identify potential predictors of clinical outcomes. Sixty-seven
treatment-naive patients were enrolled (age range = 12-60 years; median age = 33
years). Baseline demographic, diagnostic, and functional parameters, plasma
levels of endothelial dysfunction markers, and treatment-related data were tested
for possible correlations with event-free survival. Patients were started on oral
PAH drugs at the beginning of follow-up (n = 23), during follow-up (n = 33), or
remained untreated (n = 11). The duration of follow-up was 0.54-9.89 years
(median = 7.13 years), with an overall survival rate of 82% and an event-free
survival rate of 70%. The estimated mean for event-free survival time was 7.71
years (95% confidence interval [CI] = 6.86-8.55 years). Of the 16 variables that
were analyzed, the duration of exposure to PAH drugs was identified as an
independent protective factor (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.25 for quartiles, 95% CI =
0.14-0.47, P < 0.001). The initial functional class (HR = 3.07; 95% CI = 1.01
9.34; P = 0.048), the severity of right ventricular dysfunction (HR = 2.51 [mild,
moderate or severe dysfunction]; 95% CI = 1.22-5.19; P = 0.013) and plasma von
Willebrand factor concentration (HR = 1.74 for quartiles; 95% CI = 1.07-2.83; P =
0.026) were identified as risk factors. The length of exposure to oral PAH
therapies influences survival favorably in Eisenmenger patients. This may be of
interest for communities where access to medications is restricted.
PMID- 28704137
TI - Uruguayan secondary school students speak up about tobacco: results from focus
group discussions in and around Montevideo.
AB - This qualitative research study investigated intrapersonal, interpersonal, and
environmental factors that shape young adolescent tobacco use behaviors in
Uruguay. Focus groups were conducted in the summer of 2012 and fall of 2013 in
four secondary schools in Montevideo, Uruguay, including two private schools and
two public schools. A total of four focus groups were led in each school,
composed of 4-6 students each, 16 focus groups in total. Data analysis utilized
NVivo software and included deductive and inductive content analysis.
Overwhelmingly, students reported that the onset of smoking occurred in the
second year of secondary school. The primary intrapersonal factors that were
found to be universal among respondents identified that smoking was a performance
in groups, to garner attention from their peers. Students interviewed most often
stated that the greatest interpersonal factors for smoking were to look older, as
a rite of passage, and for group membership. Environmental factors cited most
often indicate that they smoked during unsupervised time, either at night or
around the short Uruguayan school day. Focus group interviews revealed that
adolescents had easy access to cigarettes for purchase through small family owned
grocery stores, even though laws exist preventing the sale of cigarettes to
minors. Few differences were cited between strata related to cigarette use in
adolescents. The differences that do exist are most apparent across gender,
though there were a few observed differences when stratified by public and
private school. Findings from this study indicate that key factors across
ecological levels (intrapersonal, interpersonal, and environmental) should be
taken into consideration when designing tobacco prevention programs for youth in
Uruguay. A multiple-component approach which addresses risk factors at all of
these levels, implemented in schools, may be particularly well-suited to this
setting.
PMID- 28704138
TI - Evaluation of a successful aging promotion intervention program for middle-aged
adults in Taiwan.
AB - PURPOSE: This study was to implement and evaluate a successful aging intervention
program for middle-aged private insurance beneficiaries. METHODS: The
participants were recruited from the staff and middle-aged clients for the
experimental and control groups of a private insurance company. The two client
(experimental and control) groups were matched by comparable age groups, gender,
education, and purchased insurance types. The intervention program provided for
the staff and the experimental group consisted of a series of educational courses
on the topics about successful aging and preparation for 4 months. In total,
there were 40 staff members, in addition to the 74 members of the experimental
group and 60 members of the control group participating in the study. RESULTS:
After the intervention, the rate of physical activity and exercise significantly
improved for the staff and for the intervention group. There were significant
improvements in behaviors associated with doing exercise and living a less
sedentary lifestyle and in the utilization of health examinations, and
improvements in fitness and blood pressure. CONCLUSION: The successful aging
intervention program significantly improved awareness of successful aging,
exercise behavior and fitness.
PMID- 28704139
TI - Influencing Safety in Australian Agriculture and Fisheries.
AB - BACKGROUND: Improving the health and safety of those working in Australian
agriculture and fishery industries is a recognized priority area for preventative
activities. With Australian agricultural industries being among the nation's most
dangerous workplaces, there is a need for action. While there are currently known
solutions, their implementation is limited. Influential agents, i.e., people who
can influence others, are important for helping engender action to enact
solutions into practice. OBJECTIVE: This study examines agents that influence
safety behavior either negatively (barriers) or positively (facilitators), in the
Australian agriculture and fishery industries. METHODS: Focus groups were
conducted with producers and industry representatives. Thematic analysis
identified barriers and facilitators to improve health and safety. These were
assessed against the Socioecological Model, which considers the various, and
often intersecting, human (intrapersonal, i.e. values and attitudes, peers,
familial, and cultural) factors influencing safety behavior. RESULTS: Seven
categories of human influences were identified: self, peers, family,
intergenerational change, industry agents, government agents, and other. Peers
(including direct managers) and family were seen to be direct influencers.
Individuals signal to others that safety is valued and important. This is
reinforced by experience, skill, attitudes, and behavior. Safety practice
knowledge acquisition occurred via the family unit, specific training, industry,
or knowledge transfer between industries. Government influence predominately
focused on legislation and while the source of this influence is distant, it does
influence behavior. CONCLUSIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS: There is a need to support
comprehensive programs. These should include strengthening relationships via peer
to-peer networking, sharing information about safety initiatives, appropriate
legislation, and enhancing leadership of all influencers with regard to safety.
PMID- 28704140
TI - Capitalizing on Federal Agencies' Intentions To Protect Youth Working in
Agriculture.
AB - Nearly 750,000 youth work on farms across the United States. The U.S. Department
of Labor's (U.S. DOL) Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Hazardous Occupations
Orders for Agriculture (HOOA) applies to approximately 37% of these youth. The
HOOA regulations had not been updated since their inception in the late 1960s and
the early 1970s. An attempt by U.S. DOL to update the regulations in 2011 was met
with fierce opposition by the agricultural community, and the proposed updated
regulations were withdrawn. One impactful outcome of these two events was a
rededication by USDA and the farm community to address agricultural youth farm
safety through education rather than through regulation. An agriculturally based
National Steering Committee has developed consensus Belief Statements and Guiding
Principles to proactively influence agricultural youth safety. In this case, USDA
was clearly a 'sphere of influence' for youth agricultural safety.
PMID- 28704141
TI - It's no laughing matter: An exploratory study of the use of ironic versus
sarcastic humor in health-related advertising messages.
AB - We examined the persuasive effects of ironic and sarcastic versus no humor
appeals in health messages and the potential differential effects of ironic
versus sarcastic humor. Findings of a controlled experiment (N = 303) suggested
that sarcastic messages, as compared to no humor messages, resulted in less
negative affect, more counterarguing, and decreased perceived argument strength.
Ironic messages led to more counterarguing than no humor messages. Significant
differences in counterarguing, perceived argument strength, and attitudes toward
the risky behavior were detected between the two humor types. Counterarguing
mediated the indirect effect of message type on attitudes toward the risky
behavior.
PMID- 28704142
TI - Motivations behind donations for health-related organizations: Threat appraisal
and coping appraisal-the case of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.
AB - This study explores the influence of social media involvement and other factors
on individuals' donation intentions in the context of the ALS Ice Bucket
Challenge. An online survey with 306 participants revealed that social media
involvement had a direct effect on intentions to contribute donations and had an
indirect effect that was mediated by the response efficacy on intentions after
controlling for individuals' issue involvement with the disease.
PMID- 28704143
TI - North Carolina State Agencies Working to Prevent Agricultural Injuries and
Illnesses.
AB - Over the past 25 years, the North Carolina Departments of Labor, Agriculture and
Consumer Services, and Health and Human Services have worked with farmers,
farmworkers, commodity and trade associations, universities, and cooperative
extension agents to develop programs to decrease the occurrence of injuries and
illnesses among agricultural workers and their families. The Bureau of
Agricultural Safety and Health in the North Carolina Department of Labor helped
craft the Migrant Housing Act, created the Gold Star program, and developed
numerous projects promoting rural highway safety and farm safety. The Structural
Pest Control & Pesticides Division in the North Carolina Department of
Agriculture & Consumer Services administers programs funded by the Pesticide
Environmental Trust Fund (PETF), including the Pesticide Container Recycling
Program, Pesticide Disposal Assistance Program (PDAP), and Soil Fumigation
Training. The Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch (OEEB) in the
North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services developed public health
surveillance programs for pesticide incidents and carbon monoxide poisoning.
These projects, programs, and policies demonstrate the work that North Carolina
state agencies are doing to improve the health of agricultural workers and their
families.
PMID- 28704144
TI - Orbital ultrasonography in the diagnosis of neoplastic extraocular muscle
enlargement.
AB - Neoplastic infiltration of the extraocular muscle (EOM) is a rare condition which
can pose a diagnostic dilemma due to its rarity and overlapping ultrasonographic
features with orbital myositis. The ultrasonographic features of neoplastic
enlargement of EOM have not been systematically studied and previously have been
described in only a few case reports. Orbital ultrasonography, in conjunction
with the pattern of ocular misalignment, was assessed for its potential role in
identifying patients with neoplastic EOM enlargement. Retrospective chart review
of patients with neoplasm and myositis. The clinical features of 8 patients with
neoplastic infiltration of the EOM were compared to 15 patients with myositis. In
the neoplastic group the width of the EOM was (10.5 mm) almost twice the normal
width of the muscle with myositis (p < 0.001). All the muscles in the neoplastic
category were low to medium reflective. Paretic deviation was seen in 4/8(50%),
purely restrictive in 2/8 (25%) and combined pattern in 2/8 (25%) were noted. In
the myositis group the average EOM enlargement was 5.8 mm and all muscles showed
low reflectivity. Although ultrasonographic features overlapped between the 2
groups paretic deviations were more common in the neoplastic group versus the
myositis group (50% versus 7%). Neoplastic muscle enlargement tends to be larger
with paretic deviations of ocular motility seen clinically. These findings in a
patient with EOM enlargement should raise the suspicion of neoplasm as the
etiology and further work up should be considered.
PMID- 28704145
TI - Adult Zebrafish (Danio rerio): An Alternative Behavioral Model of Formalin
Induced Nociception.
AB - The zebrafish (Danio rerio) has been proposed as a low-cost and simple
alternative to the use of higher vertebrates in laboratory research on novel
compounds with antinociceptive potential. In this study, we tested adult
zebrafish (Danio rerio) as an alternative behavioral model of formalin-induced
nociception. We evaluated the nociceptive effect of 0.1% formalin (3 or 5 MUL;
intramuscularly [i.m.]), applied into the tail or lips, on locomotor activity,
using as parameter the number of times the fish crossed the lines between the
quadrants of a glass Petri dish during the neurogenic stage (0-5 min) and the
inflammatory stage (15-30 min). The behavioral model was validated by testing the
antinociceptive effect of morphine and indomethacin (standard analgesic drugs
used in the formalin test of rodents). We also tested whether the effect of
morphine could be modulated by naloxone, an opioid antagonist. The effect of
morphine and indomethacin on zebrafish locomotor behavior was evaluated with the
open field test. The white/black test was used to rule out the anxiolytic effect
of 0.1% formalin injected into the tail on adult zebrafish. Formalin (0.1%; 3 and
5 MUL injected into the tail) increased significantly the nociceptive behavior of
the adult zebrafish in both stages (p < 0.001 vs. control). Morphine and
indomethacin (both 0.2 mg/mL; 20 MUL; intraperitoneally [i.p.]) significantly
inhibited nociception induced with formalin (5 MUL injected i.m. into the tail)
in both stages (p < 0.001). Naloxone blocked the antinociceptive effect of
morphine. No influence on locomotion was observed. Locally administered formalin
(injected into the tail) induced nociception, but not anxiety. The results
suggest that the adult zebrafish behavioral model is a feasible alternative to
more conventional laboratory models used in research on novel compounds with
antinociceptive potential.
PMID- 28704146
TI - Legacy Interventions With Patients with Co-Occurring Disorders: Legacy
Definitions, Life Satisfaction, and Self-Efficacy.
AB - BACKGROUND: Individuals with co-occurring disorders tend to avoid interaction
with others. To instill hope, legacy intervention aims to highlight past
experiences while managing life stressors for a positive outlook. Participants
take part in legacy activities-crafting tangible projects and recording one's
life events-in order to actualize a personal sense of legacy. OBJECTIVES: This
pre-posttest research tested whether legacy intervention in a partial hospital
program (PHP) on reframing past experiences through creative activities could
increase life satisfaction and self-efficacy among adults with co-occurring
substance misuse and mental health symptoms. METHOD: Eighty consented patients
with co-occurring disorders were randomly assigned to two groups with 62
participants continuing: 37 in legacy intervention (LI) and 25 in partial
hospital program only (PHP-only). LI participants were engaged in both PHP and
legacy activities. Ten group sessions were held over the course of five weeks for
cohorts of 10-15 adult patients in each intervention. Sense of legacy was
measured to ensure that LI patients received the appropriate legacy dosage.
RESULTS: With RANOVA analyses between and among three time points, life
satisfaction was significantly higher in the LI group with group interaction
effect over time. In terms of self-efficacy, both groups showed positive changes
but no significant difference could be found between the two groups over time and
the interaction (time X group) effect was not significant. IMPORTANCE: The legacy
definitions gathered from the LI group were consistent with existing literature
and showed three additional themes: children's involvement, concreteness, and
life continuation after death.
PMID- 28704147
TI - Customers' Precedence for Service Quality Dimensions in Indian Private Healthcare
Setting: A Ridit Approach.
AB - Changes in demographic and sociocultural environment, improved health awareness,
and information technology have considerably changed the outlook of healthcare
sector in India. While both the public and the private healthcare sectors have
priority of increasing access while minimizing costs, they try hard to achieve
goals without letting the quality suffer. Customers with rising disposable income
no longer have faith in the public healthcare system and are willing to migrate
to the private healthcare sector, which is more professional, technology savvy,
and trustworthy. However, there are enough loopholes in the private healthcare
sector that are yet to be plugged. The purpose of this research study was to
identify and assess the relative importance of the diverse service quality
dimensions and prioritize them to draw meaningful conclusions. Survey responses
from 370 customers were analyzed using factor analysis to find underlying
relationships between the survey items. This allowed the individual items to be
placed into related groups. Independently, a ridit analysis was conducted to
determine the relative importance of each item to the survey respondents. Based
on the ridit analysis a priority ranking was assigned to each item. An analysis
was then undertaken of the degree to which the items grouped into each particular
factor tended to have high or low priority rankings. The results of the study may
be helpful to the managers of the private healthcare sector to focus their
strategies and plan their efforts in line with the findings to gain superior
customer satisfaction and retention.
PMID- 28704148
TI - "I Was Not Sick and I Didn't Need to Recover": Methadone Maintenance Treatment
(MMT) as a Refuge from Criminalization.
AB - BACKGROUND: Methadone Maintenance Treatment (MMT) in the United States (U.S.) has
been undergoing a shift towards conceptualizing the program as recovery-based
treatment. Although recovery is seen by some as a means to restore MMT to its
rightful position as a medically-based treatment for addiction, it may not
represent the experiences, or meet the needs of people who use drugs (PWUD), many
of whom who use the program as a pragmatic means of reducing harms associated
with criminalization. OBJECTIVES: To examine alternative constructions of MMT in
order to produce a richer, more contextualized picture of the program and the
reasons PWUD employ its services. METHODS: This paper uses semi-structured
interviews with 23 people on MMT (either currently or within the previous two
years). RESULTS: Most participants linked their use of MMT to the structural
legal context of prohibition/criminalization rather than through the narrative of
the recovery model. Responses suggested the recovery model functions in part to
obscure the role of criminalization in the harms PWUD experience in favor of a
model based on individual pathology. Conclusions/Importance: In contrast to the
recovery model, MMT cannot be understood outside of the structural context of
criminalization and the War on Drugs which shape illegal drug use as a difficult
and dangerous activity, and consequently position MMT as a way to moderate or
escape from those harms.
PMID- 28704149
TI - Amputation predictors in diabetic foot ulcers treated with hyperbaric oxygen.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Although hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has long been used for
diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs), its effectiveness is still controversial. The aim of
this study was to investigate the efficacy of HBOT in the management of DFUs and
identify amputation predictors. METHOD: Patients with chronic DFUs (Wanger grade
2-5) were included in the study, which took place between January 2010 and
December 2012. HBOT, 100% oxygen, 2.4 atmosphere absolute (ATA) for 120 minutes,
was administered to all patients in addition to standard treatment. DFUs were
monitored for at least 3 years, or until healing or amputation occurred. RESULTS:
Patients with a total of 146 chronic DFUswere recruited. Complete healing (69.6%)
and significant improvement (17.9%) was observed in 87.5% of the patients. The
cases with no improvement resulted in amputation (minor amputation: 15.0%; major
amputation: 8.2%). The duration of diabetes (p=0.037), new wound formation
(p=0.045), C-reactive protein (p=0.001) and Wagner grade (p=0.0001) were
correlated with amputation in multiple regression analysis. Mortality was higher
in the amputation group than in the non-amputation group (47.1 % versus 21.4 %,
p=0.007). CONCLUSION: The inclusion of HBOT with standard treatment and a
multidisciplinary approach may be useful in the treatment of DFUs. We found the
most important predictors of amputation to be Wagner grade and wound infection.
Multicentre, prospective, randomised studies are needed to provide more evidence.
PMID- 28704150
TI - Measurement of pH, exudate composition and temperature in wound healing: a
systematic review.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To assess the potential of measurements of pH, exudate composition and
temperature in wounds to predict healing outcomes and to identify the methods
that are employed to measure them. METHOD: A systematic review based on the
outcomes of a search strategy of quantitative primary research published in the
English language was conducted. Inclusion criteria limited studies to those
involving in vivo and human participants with an existing or intentionally
provoked wound, defined as 'a break in the epithelial integrity of the skin', and
excluded in vitro and animal studies. Data synthesis and analysis was performed
using structured narrative summaries of each included study arranged by concept,
pH, exudate composition and temperature. The Evidence Based Literature (EBL)
Critical Appraisal Checklist was implemented to appraise the quality of the
included studies. RESULTS: A total of 23 studies, three for pH (mean quality
score 54.48%), 12 for exudate composition (mean quality score 46.54%) and eight
for temperature (mean quality score 36.66%), were assessed as eligible for
inclusion in this review. Findings suggest that reduced pH levels in wounds, from
alkaline towards acidic, are associated with improvements in wound condition.
Metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), tissue inhibitor
of metalloproteinase (TIMP), neutrophil elastase (NE) and albumin, in descending
order, were the most frequently measured analytes in wounds. MMP-9 emerged as the
analyte which offers the most potential as a biomarker of wound healing, with
elevated levels observed in acute or non-healing wounds and decreasing levels in
wounds progressing in healing. Combined measures of different exudate components,
such as MMP/TIMP ratios, also appeared to offer substantial potential to indicate
wound healing. Finally, temperature measurements are highest in non-healing,
worsening or acute wounds and decrease as wounds progress towards healing.
Methods used to measure pH, exudate composition and temperature varied greatly
and, despite noting some similarities, the studies often yielded significantly
contrasting results. Furthermore, a limitation to the generalisability of the
findings was the overall quality scores of the research studies, which appeared
suboptimal. CONCLUSION: Despite some promising findings, there was insufficient
evidence to confidently recommend the use of any of these measures as predictors
of wound healing. pH measurement appeared as the most practical method for use in
clinical practice to indicate wound healing outcomes. Further research is
required to increase the strength of evidence and develop a greater understanding
of wound healing dynamics.
PMID- 28704151
TI - Erratum.
PMID- 28704152
TI - Letters.
PMID- 28704153
TI - Introducing the new WUWHS executive and editorial board.
PMID- 28704154
TI - The use of a micropore particle technology in the treatment of acute wounds.
AB - OBJECTIVE: A clinical audit was performed to evaluate whether Acapsil micropore
particle technology (MPPT) powder could improve the management of acute wounds to
heal by secondary intention. METHOD: Wounds, which could be characterised as
sloughy, wet and probably infected, normally managed by debridement followed by
negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT), were included in the evaluation. The MPPT
powder was applied topically to the wound surface either once daily or on
alternate days, with each wound receiving a total of two to five applications.
Most patients had NPWT after the MPPT powder treatment had finished to assist
healing. RESULTS: The study included nine patients with dehisced surgical wounds
and one with a category IV pressure ulcer (PU). The wounds were generally covered
in slough, exudate and showing signs of local infection. The topical MPPT powder
rapidly desloughed the wounds, controlled exudate levels, promoted granulation
and was well tolerated. All wounds proceeded towards closure. CONCLUSION:
Comparison of the present data with MPPT powder to standard treatment suggests
that the speed of healing using MPPT was improved. Further examination is
required to determine if this reduces dressing changes, nursing time, and
financial cost.
PMID- 28704155
TI - Food for thought: innovation and debate.
PMID- 28704156
TI - Quality of life in patients with leg ulcers: results from CHALLENGE, a double
blind randomised controlled trial.
AB - OBJECTIVE: We recently showed the superiority of a matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)
modulating dressing (foam impregnated with NOSF, nano-oligosaccharide factor)
compared with a lipidocolloid matrix (TLC) control dressing in median wound area
reduction (WAR). Here we report the results from the same study assessing the
performance and safety of TLC-NOSF in the local management of venous leg ulcers
(VLUs) or mixed leg ulcers and determining its impact on the patient's health
related quality of life (HRQoL). METHOD: A superiority randomised double-blind
controlled trial was conducted on patients presenting with a non-infected leg
ulcer (VLUs or mixed leg ulcers) of predominantly venous origin (ABPI >0.8), with
a surface area ranging from 5 to 50cm2 and a duration of 6 to 36 months. Patients
were randomly allocated to either the TLC-NOSF matrix foam (UrgoStart) dressing
group or to the neutral TLC foam dressing group (UrgoTul Absorb). All received
appropriate compression therapy and the wounds were assessed blindly (clinical
examination, wound area tracing and photographic record) every 2 weeks for a
period of 8 weeks, or until complete closure. A secondary endpoint, described
here, was the patient's HRQoL, documented by the patient, through the EuroQol 5D
tool (EQ-5D) questionnaire and visual analogue scale (VAS). RESULTS: In total,
187 patients were randomised to either the TLC-NOSF group (n=94) or the control
dressing group (n=93). The two groups were well balanced at baseline with regard
to wound and patient characteristics. In the HRQoL questionnaire (EQ-5D), the
pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression dimensions were significantly improved in
the TLC-NOSF group versus the control one (pain/discomfort: 1.53+/-0.53 versus
1.74+/-0.65; p=0.022, and anxiety/depression: 1.35+/-0.53 versus 1.54+/-0.60,
p=0.037). The VAS score was better in the test group compared with the control
group (72.1+/-17.5 versus 67.3+/-18.7, respectively), without reaching
significance (p=0.072). Acceptability and tolerance of the two products were
similar in both groups. CONCLUSION: The double-blind clinical trial has
demonstrated that the TLC-NOSF matrix dressing promotes faster healing of VLUs
and mixed leg ulcers and significantly reduces the pain/discomfort and
anxiety/depression experienced by the patients. These results suggest that
acceleration of VLU healing could improve the HRQoL of the patients and reduced
the emotional and social burden of these chronic wounds.
PMID- 28704157
TI - Survival rate and pressure ulcer prevalence in patients with and without
dementia: a retrospective study.
AB - OBJECTIVE: This retrospective study aimed to investigate the prevalence of
pressure ulcers (PUs) in older patients with advanced dementia versus older
patients without dementia but with other comorbidities, such as diabetes,
ischaemic heart disease and chronic renal failure. PUs were thought to be more
prevalent and to present a higher risk of mortality in patients with dementia.
METHOD: PUs were assessed on admission using the European Pressure Ulcer Advisory
Panel (EPUAP) staging system. Patients were classified as either with or without
dementia according to Reisberg's functional assessment staging test (FAST). The
prevalence of PUs and the survival rates were analysed and compared in both
groups. The combined effect of PUs and dementia on survival was assessed using
the Cox proportional hazard model. RESULTS: The median survival rate of patients
with PUs and dementia was 63 days, significantly lower than in patients with PUs
without dementia 117 days. Both groups had similar other comorbidities.
CONCLUSION: These findings underscore the requirement for geriatricians and
health professionals to be more vigilant in examining PUs as dementia progresses.
PMID- 28704158
TI - Factors Associated with Occurrence of Radiation-induced Optic Neuropathy at
"Safe" Radiation Dosage.
AB - BACKGROUND: Radiation-induced optic neuropathy (RION) is a rare, and often
visually devastating, complication of radiation therapy (RT) near the anterior
visual pathways. METHODS: A retrospective case series of patients who developed
RION at a tertiary medical center, followed by a case-control study comparing
RION cases with matched controls who received RT. RESULTS: Thirteen patients (18
eyes) with RION were identified. Radiation modalities included external beam
photon radiation, whole brain radiation, stereotactic radiosurgery, proton beam,
and unknown. Most patients received doses below published "safe" thresholds (<55
Gy; <8-10 Gy for stereotactic radiosurgery). There was no statistically
significant difference in prevalence of vasculopathic factors between cases and
controls; on subgroup analysis in three patients who received surprisingly low
radiation doses, smoking (p=0.05) and hypertension (p=0.02) appeared more
prevalent. CONCLUSION: RION can occur at doses below published "safe" thresholds
and with different RT modalities. Smoking and hypertension might be risk factors
for RION.
PMID- 28704159
TI - One does not fit all: Health audience segmentation and prediction of health
behaviors in cancer prevention.
AB - The purpose of this study is to propose a health belief model-based approach to
segmenting health audiences in order to improve targeting of cancer prevention
efforts. This study also examines how the identified health segments differ in
cancer prevention behaviors. Using data from the 2013 Health Information National
Trends Survey, a cluster analysis resulted in three distinct health audience
groups: (a) health aware, (b) health at risk, and (c) health in confidence.
MANOVA tests indicate that these segments differ significantly regarding healthy
diet and exercise. The findings inform cancer prevention campaigns targeting
priority audiences.
PMID- 28704160
TI - Assessment of Tribal Bison Worker Hazards Using Trusted Research Facilitators.
AB - OBJECTIVES: Agriculture is one of the most hazardous industries in the United
States. Within agriculture, livestock handling is particularly dangerous. While
injury and fatality rates for bison handlers have not been reported, workers in
many of the newly established tribal bison herds have limited safety training and
animal handling experience, making this a vulnerable workforce. Veterinarians and
herd managers, working with tribal bison herds, recognized the need for
improvement in the working environment and for worker safety training. In
response, partnerships were established and a pilot project was developed in
order to characterize risks and hazards associated with bison handling under
contemporary reservation field conditions. Individuals and organizations working
as change agents included veterinarians at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln
School of Veterinary Medicine, a tribal advocacy organization, the Intertribal
Buffalo Council and researchers at the Central States Center for Agricultural
Safety and Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. METHODS: This is
a mixed-methods study and data were gathered through closed and open-ended
questions pertaining to bison worker safety hazards. A veterinarian gathered data
through observational safety audits at bison herding locations. American Indian
bison herd managers completed surveys using a convenience sampling method.
RESULTS: Findings indicate that the most common worker safety risks are
associated with the use of high-stress handling methods and substandard
facilities and equipment. Adverse environmental conditions also contribute to
worker health risks. Most common causes of injuries included those caused by
equipment and tools, adverse weather, and direct contact with animals.
CONCLUSION: This collaborative research study contributes to a better
understanding of hazards faced by tribal bison workers. Findings from this
research influenced the ITBC in their decision to add worker safety and health
training to the agenda of their yearly conference and promote tailgate trainings
for their workers. UNL veterinarians have taken the lessons learned from this
research and provided safety and health information to mangers of other non
tribal bison herds. This research partnership will continue with a 5-year
research study focusing on best management practices and establishing training to
improve the health and safety bison workers.
PMID- 28704161
TI - Cardiovascular safety of low-dose fenfluramine in Dravet syndrome: a review of
its benefit-risk profile in a new patient population.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Dravet syndrome (DS) is a rare, treatment-resistant epilepsy syndrome
for which current treatment regimens are often ineffective. Fenfluramine is
currently in development for treatment of DS, based on reports in the 1980s and
1990s of its anti-epileptic activity in pediatric patients with intractable
epilepsy. However, fenfluramine was withdrawn from global markets in 1997
following reports of its association with pulmonary hypertension and heart valve
disease in adult patients treated for obesity. This review was conducted to
assess cardiac safety of fenfluramine when used at lower doses for treatment of
DS. METHODS: Pubmed was searched for clinical studies of fenfluramine in obese
adults who reported incidence of heart valve disease. These data were reviewed
against published results from Belgian patients with DS who have been treated
with low-dose fenfluramine for up to 28 years. RESULTS: Nine controlled studies
of fenfluramine and related compounds (dexfenfluramine and/or phentermine) which
assessed incidence and severity of cardiac valve disease in 3,268 treated
patients and 2,017 control subjects have been reported. Mild or greater aortic
valve regurgitation was found in 9.6% of treated patients compared with 3.9% of
control subjects, and moderate or greater mitral valve regurgitation was found in
3.1% of treated patients and 2.5% of control subjects. Nineteen DS patients have
been treated for up to 28 years with 10-20 mg/day fenfluramine, with no clinical
signs or symptoms of cardiac valve disease or pulmonary hypertension. Slight and
clinically unimportant changes in valve structure have been seen on
echocardiography in five patients at some time during the observation period.
CONCLUSIONS: A different benefit-risk relationship appears to be emerging when
fenfluramine is used at low doses for extended periods in young patients with DS.
Continued cardiac assessments during ongoing Phase 3 clinical trials will provide
additional safety information for this potential new and effective treatment.
PMID- 28704162
TI - Thioester-containing proteins: At the crossroads of immune effector mechanisms.
PMID- 28704163
TI - Prevalence of macular abnormalities assessed by optical coherence tomography in
patients with Usher syndrome.
AB - BACKGROUND: To investigate the prevalence of macular abnormalities in patients
affected by Usher syndrome (USH), by comparing the clinical findings between two
types (i.e., USH1 and USH2). MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective study was
performed by reviewing optical coherence tomography (OCT) in 134 USH patients to
determine the presence of macular abnormalities, including cystoid macular edema
(CME), epiretinal membrane (ERM), vitreo-macular traction syndrome (VMT), and
macular hole (MH). RESULTS: Macular abnormalities were observed in 126/268
(47.0%) examined eyes. The most frequent abnormality was ERM observed in 51 eyes
(19%), followed by CME observed in 42 eyes (15.7%). Moreover, CME was
significantly (p < 0.05) associated with younger age (CME: 30.1 +/- 11.1 years;
without CME: 36.9 +/- 14.9 years), whereas VMT and full thickness MH were
associated with older age (p < 0.05). Moreover, a significantly (p < 0.05)
decreased best-corrected visual acuity was associated with MH compared to eyes
without MH. Finally, CME was more frequent in USH1 compared to USH2. CONCLUSION:
Our study, for the first time in the literature, showed the distribution of all
macular abnormalities assessed by SD-OCT in a large USH cohort, comparing USH1
and USH2 patients. We observed that ocular abnormalities are highly prevalent in
USH patients compared to general population, with ERM and CME being the most
common alterations. Based on these findings, OCT screening in USH patients is
recommended for early detection of macular changes and early treatment.
PMID- 28704164
TI - Maternal Problem Drinking and Child Mental Health.
AB - BACKGROUND: Offspring of individuals with alcohol use disorders have been shown
to have elevated risk for mental health problems. OBJECTIVES: To examine the
association between maternal problem drinking and child mental health as assessed
by three informants in three European countries. METHODS: Data were drawn from
the School Child Mental Health in Europe study. Maternal alcohol use was assessed
using the alcohol use disorders identification test. Child mental health was
assessed using the mother and teacher versions of the strengths and difficulties
questionnaire, and the child self-reported Dominic interactive. Analyses were
performed on 2,678 individuals, 6-11 year olds. RESULTS: Adjusting for variables
associated with maternal drinking, among children eight years old or younger,
excessive drinking was not significantly associated with mental health problems,
whether reported by the mother, teacher or by the child. However, among girls
eight years old and above, problem drinking was associated with conduct problems
as reported by the mother (OR = 4.19), teacher reported total difficulties (OR =
4.69), and peer relationship problems (OR = 8.86). It was also associated with
the presence of any child-reported disorder (OR = 3.88), externalizing (OR =
5.55) and internalizing disorders (OR = 4.42). Conclusions/Importance: Adjusting
for sociodemographic variables and for psychological distress, maternal problem
drinking was not significantly associated with child mental health problems in
boys or in girls ages six to eight. The association was only present among girls
ages 8-11. Examining relationships between mothers and their daughters in the
peripubertal period may be a critical window for the development of effective
intervention strategies.
PMID- 28704165
TI - Specific Monoclonal Antibody Against Bcr/Abl Out-of-Frame Alternative Proteins as
Diagnostic Tool in Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia Patients.
AB - More recently, alternative splicing of specific genes are investigated for their
therapeutic potential. In particular, we reported the existence of BCR-ABL
alternative splicing isoforms, in about 80% of Philadelphia-positive patients,
which lead to the expression of aberrant proteins. These fusion proteins are
characterized by an orphan initial and correct Bcr portion attached to a 112
amino acid sequence, arising from the impairment in the reading frame (reading of
ABL exon 4 and 5). We demonstrated that these Abl-out-of-frame (OOF) isoforms
could have an immunological role with therapeutic implications. The aim of this
study was to characterize a new monoclonal antibody (MAb) specific for Abl-OOF
protein portion, for diagnostic use, to detect this biomarker in Philadelphia
chromosome-positive chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) patients and to generate
novel approaches in the immunotherapy. 5F11G11 MAb recognizes the OOF protein
portion of the native full-length Bcr/Abl-OOF protein expressed in cells
transiently transfected, as demonstrated by immunoprecipitation and
immunofluorescence. In addition, we demonstrate the MAb's ability to recognize
the alternative hybrid Bcr/Abl fusion protein expressed in leukemic cells from
CML patients, to support the possible use of 5F11G11 MAb as a diagnostic tool to
select patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive CML that could be eligible
for an immunotherapeutic approach with this new antigen.
PMID- 28704166
TI - Give blood today or save lives tomorrow: Matching decision and message construal
level to maximize blood donation intentions.
AB - The research extends construal theory by testing if a match between the temporal
construal framing of a blood donation decision and a blood donation request leads
to higher donation intentions than a mismatch. Results show participants
considering future donation who read an abstract donation request have
significantly higher donation intentions than those who read a concrete request.
Conversely, participants considering donating today who read a concrete donation
request have significantly higher donation intentions than those who read an
abstract request. This study confirms the importance of matching the construal
framing of the communication to the temporal framing of the decision.
PMID- 28704167
TI - "I feel like I've hit the bottom and have no idea what to do": Supportive social
networking on Reddit for individuals with a desire to quit cannabis use.
AB - BACKGROUND: Online communities can provide social support to those in need and
can foster personal empowerment for individuals experiencing distress. This study
examines the content of a Reddit community dedicated to the support of people
trying to quit using cannabis, in order to develop an understanding of the type
of social networking occurring on this subreddit (e.g., community). METHODS: A
total of 100 Reddit posts and their replies (i.e., comments) were collected from
the subreddit on June 12, 2015. Posts were qualitatively coded for expression of
DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition)
symptoms of cannabis use disorder (CUD) as well as other prominently featured
themes. Comments on posts where individuals were seeking support/advice were also
coded. RESULTS: Ninety-one people posted the 100 Reddit posts, and of those 35
(38%) people described enough symptoms to be classified as mild disorder
severity, 15 (16%) moderate, and 11 (12%) severe, as outlined in the diagnostic
criteria for CUD. Over half of posts (n = 51) were seeking advice and/or support
from members of the community. There were 174 comments made by 108 unique people
on the advice/support seeking posts. Most were supportive/encouraging in nature
(140, 80%) and gave advice to the post author (126, 72%). CONCLUSIONS: This
exploratory research highlights the potential of online communities as tools for
individuals coping with addiction recovery, and future research should
investigate if involvement in such communities would be a beneficial supplement
to more traditional recovery practices.
PMID- 28704168
TI - Integrating Agricultural Injury Prevention with Rural Pediatrics: A Pilot
Assessment.
AB - BACKGROUND: Childhood agricultural injuries are an important public health
problem. Pediatricians are a trusted source of expertise in children's health and
safety and could serve as a sphere of influence to augment child agricultural
injury prevention efforts. The purpose of this pilot study was to begin to
explore the perspectives of pediatricians in a large rural health clinic about
addressing child agricultural injury prevention within their practice. METHODS:
Structured interviews were conducted with nine pediatricians who maintain a
clinical practice of at least 2 days a week and care for newborns through
adolescents. Detailed interviewer notes were reviewed and summarized. RESULTS:
Rural pediatricians readily acknowledge substantial numbers of farm children in
their practice. In general, these providers: (1) recognize farming environments
as a safety risk and see agricultural injury prevention as an important topic to
be addressed with their patients, (2) are comfortable discussing the topic, but
seldom actually initiate such conversations, and (3) doubt farm parents would be
receptive to integrating agricultural injury prevention into a rural pediatric
practice. CONCLUSION: While rural pediatricians recognize child safety risks in
farm environments, they are reluctant to actually initiate this conversation with
parents. Future research should explore both pediatricians' hesitancy to discuss
agricultural injury prevention and farm parents' readiness for integrating the
topic into pediatric primary care visits. Such would help to assess the viability
of pediatricians as a sphere of influence for augmenting child agricultural
injury prevention efforts.
PMID- 28704169
TI - Patients' and clinicians' experiences of wound care in Canada: a descriptive
qualitative study.
AB - OBJECTIVE: This study sought to explore patients' and clinicians' perceptions and
experiences with the provision of standard care by a home care nurse alone or by
a multidisciplinary wound care team. METHOD: The interviews were conducted using
an in-depth semi structured format; following a funnel idea of starting out broad
and narrowing down, ensuring that all the necessary topics were covered by the
end of the interview. RESULTS: A purposive sample of 16 patients with different
wound types were interviewed to ensure that the data would reflect the range and
diversity of treatment and care experience. To reflect the diversity of
experiences 12 clinicians from various clinical backgrounds were interviewed.
Based on the analysis of the interviews, there are four overarching themes: wound
care expertise is required across health-care sectors, psychosocial needs of
patients with chronic wounds are key barriers to treatment concordance,
structured training, and a well-coordinated multidisciplinary team approach.
CONCLUSION: Results of this qualitative study identified different barriers and
facilitators that affect the experiences of community-based wound care.
PMID- 28704170
TI - Expertise by examination: has the experiment failed?
PMID- 28704171
TI - A bioluminescent Pseudomonas aeruginosa wound model reveals increased mortality
of type 1 diabetic mice to biofilm infection.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To examine how bacterial biofilms, as contributing factors in the
delayed closure of chronic wounds in patients with diabetes, affect the healing
process. METHOD: We used daily microscopic imaging and the IVIS Spectrum in vivo
imaging system to monitor biofilm infections of bioluminescent Pseudomonas
aeruginosa and evaluate healing in non-diabetic and streptozotocin-induced
diabetic mice. RESULTS: Our studies determined that diabetes alone did not affect
the rate of healing of full-depth murine back wounds compared with non-diabetic
mice. The application of mature biofilms to the wounds significantly decreased
the rate of healing compared with non-infected wounds for both non-diabetic as
well as diabetic mice. Diabetic mice were also more severely affected by biofilms
displaying elevated pus production, higher mortality rates and statistically
significant increase in wound depth, granulation/fibrosis and biofilm presence.
Introduction of a mutant Pseudomonas aeruginosa capable of producing high
concentrations of cyclic di-GMP did not result in increased persistence in either
diabetic or non-diabetic animals compared with the wild type strain. CONCLUSION:
Understanding the interplay between diabetes and biofilms may lead to novel
treatments and better clinical management of chronic wounds.
PMID- 28704172
TI - Hydroconductive and silver-impregnated foam dressings: a comparison.
AB - OBJECTIVE: As the number of commercially available wound dressings is increasing
rapidly, it is important for clinicians to understand the strengths and
limitations of each and to recognise relationships between wound type and
dressing properties to obtain optimal healing results. Our aim is to test the
antimicrobial activity of two dressings. METHOD: A hydroconductive (HC) dressing
and a silver-impregnated foam (SIF) dressing were compared for their potential to
reduce the levels meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). We also
assessed MRSA-derived biologically active components in liquid or agar matrices,
simplified models for heavily exuding or dry wounds respectively, and in an in
vivo animal model with MRSA infected wounds. RESULTS: In the agar model (dry
wounds) both dressings showed a strong reduction in MRSA activities within 24
hours post-application. The antibacterial effects of the SIF dressing were more
pronounced in the liquid model, however, at an increasing cytotoxic cost. In
agreement with these in vitro results, assessment of dressings using an MRSA
infected wound in an rat model showed a decrease in MRSA which was significant 7
days post-burn and inoculation, with more compromised viability of MRSA.
Dressings showed a similar capability to reduced and eliminate toxic shock
syndrome toxin (TSST-1) at day 7 post-burn in the animal model but not at day 4,
where the SIF dressing was more potent Conclusion: These results confirm the
advantages of using silver in reducing bacterial load in wound treatment, except
for conditions of highly exuding wounds where the cytotoxic properties of silver
may offset these advantages and HC dressing use is more suitable.
PMID- 28704173
TI - Are shame and self-esteem risk factors in prolonged grief after death of a
spouse?
AB - Although many single factors of prolonged grief have been identified in the
literature, a comprehensive understanding of predictors is still lacking. This
article argues that shame and low self-esteem, present risk factors in prolonged
grief after spousal loss, based on a review of correlational studies. Using a
practitioner-scientist approach, a developmental model of shame as a core factor
in prolonged grief is proposed, outlining the progression from childhood
relational trauma, to insecure attachment, shame, self-esteem contingent on
spousal approval to eventual prolonged grief.
PMID- 28704174
TI - Evaluation of pulmonary artery pressure in patients with juvenile systemic lupus
erythematosus (jSLE).
AB - Juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus (jSLE) is a chronic multisystemic
autoimmune disease. Previous studies among adults have shown impaired right
ventricular (RV) function in patients with SLE. Also, these patients may develop
pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH), which is one of the most threatening
complications of SLE. Nevertheless, studies on PAH among jSLE patients are still
rare. The aim of this study was to assess the RV function in jSLE patients by
Doppler echocardiography (Echo Doppler). We also estimated pulmonary artery
systolic pressure (PASP) and mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) in these
patients. A total of 38 jSLE patients and 40 sex- and age-matched controls were
retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent combined M-mode, cross-sectional
echo, and Doppler Echo examination. The RV function was significantly impaired in
jSLE patients compared to controls. PASP and mPAP were normal in 37 out of 38
patients (97.37%), however, the mean values of PASP and mPAP were significantly
higher in jSLE patients compared to controls (26.90 mmHg versus 21.71 mmHg and
12.63 mmHg versus 9.89 mmHg, respectively) [p < 0.05]. Only one patient (2.6 %)
had elevated mPAP (60 mmHg). The right cardiac catheterization confirmed PAH in
this patient. Although PAH was detected only in one patient, there was a marked
increase of PAP in our jSLE patients. Overall, PASP and mPAP were significantly
higher in jSLE patients compared to healthy controls. Prospective studies with
ethnically diverse cohorts could give more insight on the relevance of PAP and
PHT in patients with jSLE.
PMID- 28704175
TI - Age-Related Differences in Antihypertensive Medication Adherence in Hispanics: A
Cross-Sectional Community-Based Survey in New York City, 2011-2012.
AB - INTRODUCTION: US Hispanics, particularly younger adults in this population, have
a higher prevalence of uncontrolled hypertension than do people of other
racial/ethnic groups. Little is known about the prevalence and predictors of
antihypertensive medication adherence, a major determinant of hypertension
control and cardiovascular disease, and differences between age groups in this
fast-growing population. METHODS: The cross-sectional study included 1,043
community-dwelling Hispanic adults with hypertension living in 3 northern
Manhattan neighborhoods from 2011 through 2012. Age-stratified analyses assessed
the prevalence and predictors of high medication adherence (score of 8 on the
Morisky Medication Adherence Scale [MMAS-8]) among younger (<60 y) and older
(>=60 y) Hispanic adults. RESULTS: Prevalence of high adherence was significantly
lower in younger versus older adults (24.5% vs 34.0%, P = .001). In younger
adults, heavy alcohol consumption, a longer duration of hypertension, and recent
poor physical health were negatively associated with high adherence, but poor
self-rated general health was positively associated with high adherence. In older
adults, advancing age, higher education level, high knowledge of hypertension
control, and private insurance or Medicare versus Medicaid were positively
associated with high adherence, whereas recent poor physical health and health
related activity limitations were negatively associated with high adherence.
CONCLUSION: Equitable achievement of national hypertension control goals will
require attention to suboptimal antihypertensive medication adherence found in
this study and other samples of US Hispanics, particularly in younger adults. Age
differences in predictors of high adherence highlight the need to tailor efforts
to the life stage of people with hypertension.
PMID- 28704176
TI - Availability and Promotion of Healthful Foods in Stores and Restaurants - Guam,
2015.
AB - Chronic disease, which is linked to unhealthy nutrition environments, is highly
prevalent in Guam. The nutrition environment was assessed in 114 stores and 63
restaurants in Guam. Stores had limited availability of some healthier foods such
as lean ground meat (7.5%) and 100% whole-wheat bread (11.4%), while fruits
(81.0%) and vegetables (94.8%) were more commonly available; 43.7% of restaurants
offered a healthy entree or main dish salad, 4.1% provided calorie information,
and 15.7% denoted healthier choices on menus. Improving the nutrition environment
could help customers make healthier choices.
PMID- 28704177
TI - Morphology and contractile gene expression of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem
cells in response to short-term cyclic uniaxial strain and TGF-beta1.
AB - Previous studies have shown smooth muscle induction in adipose-derived
mesenchymal stem cells (ASCs) caused by long-term cyclic stretch. Here we
examined the capability of the short-term straining with time steps of 4, 8, 16
and 24 h alone or combined with TGF-beta1 on smooth muscle induction of rabbit
ASCs. Alterations in cell morphology were quantified through the cell shape index
and orientation angle, and expression levels of alpha-SMA, SM22-alpha, h
caldesmon and calponin3 markers were examined using the real-time polymerase
chain reaction (PCR) method. Moreover, F-actin cytoskeleton organization was
observed by fluorescence staining. Mechanical strain either alone or combined
with growth factor treatment caused significant up-regulation of both early and
intermediate smooth muscle cells (SMCs) specific markers during the initial hours
of stimulation peaking in 8 to 16 h. Furthermore, gradual alignment of cells
perpendicular to the strain direction during loading time, and cell elongation
resembling contractile SMC phenotype, together with alignment and reorganization
of F-actin fibers were observed. Considering previously reported protein up
regulation in following days of straining, the effects of short-term cyclic
stretch on smooth muscle induction of ASCs were revealed which can be helpful in
achieving functional contractile SMCs through synergistic mechano-chemical
regulation of ASCs as an appealing cell source for vascular tissue engineering.
PMID- 28704178
TI - Determination of serum calcium levels by 42Ca isotope dilution inductively
coupled plasma mass spectrometry.
AB - BACKGROUND: Serum calcium level is an important clinical index that reflects
pathophysiological states. However, detection accuracy in laboratory tests is not
ideal; as such, a high accuracy method is needed. METHODS: We developed a
reference method for measuring serum calcium levels by isotope dilution
inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ID ICP-MS), using 42Ca as the
enriched isotope. Serum was digested with 69% ultrapure nitric acid and diluted
to a suitable concentration. The 44Ca/42Ca ratio was detected in H2 mode; spike
concentration was calibrated by reverse IDMS using standard reference material
(SRM) 3109a, and sample concentration was measured by a bracketing procedure. We
compared the performance of ID ICP-MS with those of three other reference methods
in China using the same serum and aqueous samples. RESULTS: The relative expanded
uncertainty of the sample concentration was 0.414% (k=2). The range of
repeatability (within-run imprecision), intermediate imprecision (between-run
imprecision), and intra-laboratory imprecision were 0.12%-0.19%, 0.07%-0.09%, and
0.16%-0.17%, respectively, for two of the serum samples. SRM909bI, SRM909bII,
SRM909c, and GBW09152 were found to be within the certified value interval, with
mean relative bias values of 0.29%, -0.02%, 0.10%, and -0.19%, respectively. The
range of recovery was 99.87%-100.37%. Results obtained by ID ICP-MS showed a
better accuracy than and were highly correlated with those of other reference
methods. CONCLUSIONS: ID ICP-MS is a simple and accurate candidate reference
method for serum calcium measurement and can be used to establish and improve
serum calcium reference system in China.
PMID- 28704179
TI - Analytical evaluation of the new Beckman Coulter Access high sensitivity cardiac
troponin I immunoassay.
AB - BACKGROUND: This study was aimed to evaluate the analytical performance of the
novel chemiluminescent and fully-automated Beckman Coulter Access hsTnI high
sensitivity immunoassay for measurement of cardiac troponin I (cTnI). METHODS:
The study, using lithium heparin samples, included assessment of limit of blank
(LOB), limit of detection (LOD), functional sensitivity, linearity, imprecision
(within run, between-run and total), calculation of 99th percentile upper
reference limit (URL) in 175 healthy blood donors (mean age, 36+/-12 years; 47%
women) and comparison with two other commercial cTnI immunoassays. RESULTS: The
LOB, LOD and functional sensitivity of Access hsTnI were 0.14, 0.34 and 1.35
ng/L, respectively. The within-run, between-run and total imprecision was 2.2%
2.9%, 4.6%-5.4%, and 5.4%-6.1%, respectively. The linearity was excellent in the
range of cTnI values between 0.95 and 4195 ng/L (r=1.00). The 99th percentile URL
was 15.8 ng/L. Measurable cTnI values were found in 173/175 healthy subjects
(98.9%). Good agreement of cTnI values was found with AccuTnI+3 (r=0.97; mean
bias, -9.3%), whereas less satisfactory agreement was found with Siemens
Dimension Vista cTnI (r=0.95; mean bias, -55%). CONCLUSIONS: The results of our
evaluation of the Beckman Coulter Access hsTnI indicate that the analytical
performance of this fully-automated immunoassay is excellent.
PMID- 28704180
TI - Placental protein-13 (PP13) in combination with PAPP-A and free leptin index
(fLI) in first trimester maternal serum screening for severe and early
preeclampsia.
AB - BACKGROUND: Placental protein-13 (PP13) is involved in placental invasion and has
been suggested as a maternal serum marker of preeclampsia (PE) development.
However, the discriminatory ability of PP13 in first trimester has not been
completely clarified. METHODS: PP13 was measured in first trimester (week 10+3
13+6) maternal serum from 120 PE pregnancies and 267 control pregnancies and was
correlated with clinical parameters. The population screening performance of PP13
in combination with the PE markers pregnancy associated plasma protein A (PAPPA)
and free leptin index (fLI) was assessed by Monte Carlo simulation. RESULTS: In
severe PE (including HELLP) cases (n=26) the median PP13 concentration was 35.8
pg/mL (range: 17.8-85.5 pg/mL) and in PE pregnancies (n=10) with birth prior to
week 34, the median PP13 concentration was 30.6 pg/mL (13.1-50.1 pg/mL), compared
to controls with a median of 54.8 pg/mL (range: 15.4-142.6 pg/mL) (p<0.04). The
population screening detection rate (DR) for a false-positive rate of 10% for
severe PE and HELLP was 26% for PP13, 28% for PP13+PAPP-A, 33% for PP13+fLI, and
40% for PP13+PAPP-A+fLI. CONCLUSIONS: PP13 is a marker of severe PE and HELLP
syndrome. The screening performance of PP13 can be markedly improved by combining
it with fLI and PAPP-A.
PMID- 28704181
TI - The Impact of Hyperglycemia on VEGF Secretion in Retinal Endothelial Cells.
AB - BACKGROUND: Diabetic retinopathy is a serious sight-threatening complication
which is manifested by excessive angiogenesis in diabetic patients. AIM: We
hypothesize that cultured Rhesus monkey retinal endothelial cells (RhRECs)
respond to high glucose with a change in cell proliferation and vascular
endothelial growth factor (VEGF) secretion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In our study,
20 000 cells per well were treated without glucose or with 5.5 mM, 18.5 mM and 30
mM glucose for 24 hours. Viable cells were counted using trypan blue dye
exclusion method. VEGF concentrations were measured in cell media by ELISA
method. RESULTS: The number of viable cells incubated with 5.5 mM glucose
increased significantly by 53.7% after 24 hours. In comparison, the number of
viable cells decreased by 2.8% at 18.5 mM of glucose and by 20.4% at 30 mM of
glucose after 24 hours of incubation. In contrast to this effect of glucose on
the number of viable cells, a significant increase in VEGF levels (pg/mL) in the
cell media with a glucose concentration of 0 mM compared to 5.5 mM of glucose was
found. VEGF secretion in cell medium with 18.5 and 30 mM of glucose increased non
significantly in comparison with euglycemic levels. CONCLUSION: Our results show
that viability of retinal endothelial cells and VEGF release are highly
responsive to changes in glucose concentration. Such glucose-induced changes in
retinal endothelial cells may negatively impact the integrity of the
microvasculature in the diabetic retina leading to angiogenesis and
microaneursym.
PMID- 28704182
TI - Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Hepatitis C.
AB - Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a preventable, treatable disease
with significant extrapulmonary manifestations that could affect negatively its
course in some patients. Hepatitis C virus infection (HCV), on the other hand, is
associated with a number of extrahepatic manifestations. COPD patients have
increased prevalence of HCV and patients with HCV, especially older ones, have
increased prevalence and faster progression of COPD. HCV infection exerts long
term effects on lung tissue and is an additional risk factor for the development
of COPD. The presence of HCV is associated with an accelerated loss of lung
function in COPD patients, especially in current smokers. COPD could represent
extrahepatic manifestation associated with HCV infection. The aim of this article
was to review the literature on prevalence of HCV in COPD and vice versa,
pathogenetic link and the consequences of their mutual existence.
PMID- 28704183
TI - Simultaneous Abdominoplasty and Umbilical Hernia Repair via Laparoscopy: a
Preliminary Report.
AB - BACKGROUND: Umbilical hernias (UH) are common in postpartum patients seeking
abdominal contouring surgery and the question of simultaneous abdominoplasty and
UH repair is raised. This presents, however, a risk to the umbilicus
vascularisation with possible umbilical necrosis. To minimize this risk we
associated abdominoplasty with laparoscopic UH repair. The aim of this study was
to present the technique of simultaneous abdominoplasty and UH repair and the
first results. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Simultaneous abdominoplasty and
laparoscopic mesh UH repair was analysed in the first 10 cases. The intervention
was performed by a plastic surgeon and a general surgeon. It begins as a standard
abdominoplasty with flap elevation, umbilicus detachment and diastasis repair, if
indicated. The second stage is the UH repair via laparoscopy using an
intraperitoneal mesh. The third stage consists of umbilical transposition and
closure of the abdominoplasty incision. RESULTS: We had no complications at the
umbilicus or the hernia mesh. In all cases, umbilical vascularisation was
preserved and no hernia recurrence was noted. CONCLUSIONS: Our first results
suggest that the simultaneous UH repair with abdominoplasty is safe, minimizing
the risk to the umbilicus blood supply. These first results encourage us to
recommend this approach and perform a more detailed analysis of the whole series
since our first case.
PMID- 28704184
TI - Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Water Extractable Polysaccharides from Leaves of Plantago
major L.
AB - BACKGROUND: Plantago major L. leaves have been used for centuries by the
traditional medicine in the treatment of infectious disorders of the respiratory,
urinary and digestive tracts. Researchers have reported that hot water extracts
of Plantago major possess a broad-spectrum of anticancer, antioxidant and
antiviral activities, as well as activities which modulate cell-mediated
immunity. Their beneficial properties may be due to the significant content of
polysaccharides. The polysaccharides that have been isolated from the leaves of
Plantago major L. have different structures - pectic substances, galactans,
arabinogalactans, glucomannans. AIM: The aim of this paper was to study the
correlation between the structure of the water extractable polysaccharides
isolated from Plantago major L. leaves and their enzymatic hydrolysis with
different carbohydrate hydrolases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The hydrolysis
reactions were performed with the enzymes hemicellulase and mannanase.
Spectrophotometric total reducing sugars assay was used to examine the hydrolysis
yield. The monosaccharide and oligosaccharide compositions were determined using
HPLC analysis. RESULTS: The highest hydrolysis yield of the water extractable
polysaccharides from Plantago major leaves was obtained by treatment with
hemicellulase. The hydrolysis yield increased with the augmentation of the ratio
of enzyme to polysaccharide. Galactose was the prevalent monosaccharide
identified in the composition of the isolated polysaccharides. Oligosaccharides
with different degree of polymerization were also detected. CONCLUSION: The
enzymatic hydrolysis of water extractable polysaccharides from Plantago major
leaves allows us to obtain different types of oligosaccharides with beneficial
effects on both human health and industry.
PMID- 28704185
TI - Phenotypes Determined by Cluster Analysis in Moderate to Severe Bronchial Asthma.
AB - BACKGROUND: Bronchial asthma is a heterogeneous disease that includes various
subtypes. They may share similar clinical characteristics, but probably have
different pathological mechanisms. AIM: To identify phenotypes using cluster
analysis in moderate to severe bronchial asthma and to compare differences in
clinical, physiological, immunological and inflammatory data between the
clusters. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty adult patients with moderate to severe
bronchial asthma out of exacerbation were included. All underwent clinical
assessment, anthropometric measurements, skin prick testing, standard spirometry
and measurement fraction of exhaled nitric oxide. Blood eosinophilic count, serum
total IgE and periostin levels were determined. Two-step cluster approach,
hierarchical clustering method and k-mean analysis were used for identification
of the clusters. RESULTS: We have identified four clusters. Cluster 1 (n=14) -
late-onset, non-atopic asthma with impaired lung function, Cluster 2 (n=13) -
late-onset, atopic asthma, Cluster 3 (n=6) - late-onset, aspirin sensitivity,
eosinophilic asthma, and Cluster 4 (n=7) - early-onset, atopic asthma.
CONCLUSIONS: Our study is the first in Bulgaria in which cluster analysis is
applied to asthmatic patients. We identified four clusters. The variables with
greatest force for differentiation in our study were: age of asthma onset,
duration of diseases, atopy, smoking, blood eosinophils, nonsteroidal anti
inflammatory drugs hypersensitivity, baseline FEV1/FVC and symptoms severity. Our
results support the concept of heterogeneity of bronchial asthma and demonstrate
that cluster analysis can be an useful tool for phenotyping of disease and
personalized approach to the treatment of patients.
PMID- 28704186
TI - Comparative Characteristics of Napsin A, TTF 1 and EGFR Mutation Expression in
Mucinous Lung Cell Carcinomas.
AB - BACKGROUND: Invasive mucinous lung adenocarcinomas are rare and account for 2%
10% of all lung adenocarcinoma cases. It is believed that Napsin A exhibits a
weaker expression in mucinous adenocarcinomas compared with TTF1, but such
correlation is still poorly researched. AIM: The aim of the study was to
determine the frequency of mucinous to nonmucinous adenocarcinomas and compare
specificity and sensitivity of monoclonal Napsin A with TTF1 in mucinous
adenocarcinomas and define the frequency of EGFR mutations. MATERIALS AND
METHODS: Eighty-four resected lung carcinomas were prospectively evaluated. All
biopsies were analysed with p63, TTF1, monoclonal Napsin A, CK7, CK20 and CDX2
and were studied with real-time PCR technology. RESULTS: In resected material we
detected 49/84 (58.3%) adenocarcinomas and selected 21 mucinous adenocarcinomas
out of 46 non-mucinous adenocarcinomas (45.6%). The most common pattern of
mucinous adenocarcinomas is papillary - 24% and colloidal - 24%, followed by
acinar - 19.2% and lepidic - 19.2%. mNapsin A was positive in 18/21 (85.7%)
mucinous adenocarcinomas v/s 17/21 TTF1 positive (80.9%). EGFR mutations were
detected in 3/21 cases with mucinous adenocarcinomas (14.3%): mucinous papillary,
mucinous acinar and "salivary gland-like". CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates a
high proportion of primary mucinous lung adenocarcinomas to primary non-mucinous
adenocarcinomas. Sensitivity and specificity of mNapsin A and TTF1 did not show
significant difference in pulmonary mucinous and non-mucinous adenocarcinomas, as
mNapsin A gave greater sensitivity to mucinous adenocarcinomas. Our results
indicate the same mutation frequency of EGFR in mucinous adenocarcinomas as
mutation frequency detected in non-mucinous adenocarcinomas in the Bulgarian
region.
PMID- 28704187
TI - Striving for Better Medical Education: the Simulation Approach.
AB - Medical simulation is a rapidly expanding area within medical education due to
advances in technology, significant reduction in training hours and increased
procedural complexity. Simulation training aims to enhance patient safety through
improved technical competency and eliminating human factors in a risk free
environment. It is particularly applicable to a practical, procedure-orientated
specialties. Simulation can be useful for novice trainees, experienced clinicians
(e.g. for revalidation) and team building. It has become a cornerstone in the
delivery of medical education, being a paradigm shift in how doctors are educated
and trained. Simulation must take a proactive position in the development of
metric-based simulation curriculum, adoption of proficiency benchmarking
definitions, and should not depend on the simulation platforms used. Conversely,
ingraining of poor practice may occur in the absence of adequate supervision, and
equipment malfunction during the simulation can break the immersion and disrupt
any learning that has occurred. Despite the presence of high technology, there is
a substantial learning curve for both learners and facilitators. The technology
of simulation continues to advance, offering devices capable of improved fidelity
in virtual reality simulation, more sophisticated procedural practice and
advanced patient simulators. Simulation-based training has also brought about
paradigm shifts in the medical and surgical education arenas and ensured that the
scope and impact of simulation will continue to broaden.
PMID- 28704188
TI - Effect of Extracts of Bilberries (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) on Amyloglucosidase and
alpha-Glucosidase Activity.
AB - BACKGROUND: Vaccinium myrtillus L. is a species belonging to the genus Vaccinium
of the family Ericaceae. Bilberries have drawn attention due to the multiple
benefits for the human health, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory,
anticancer, anti-neurodegenerative, and cardioprotective effects. Recently,
bilberries were shown to inhibit the activity of carbohydrate-hydrolysing enzymes
that can help reduce the intensity of the metabolic syndrome and prevent type 2
diabetes. AIM: In this study, we investigated the alpha-glucosidase and
amyloglucosidase inhibitory activities of polyphenol-rich extracts from fruit of
Vaccinium myrtillus L. from different regions in Bulgaria. MATERIALS AND METHODS:
The total phenolic content was determined spectrophotometrically using the Folin
Ciocalteu method. With HPLC analysis, phenolic acid composition of extracts was
assessed. Enzymatic inhibitory activities were determined according to the
methodology by Borooah et al. (1961), and Dewi et al. (2007). Amyloglucosidase
assay and alpha-glucosidase assay were used to measure the inhibition potential
of bilberries' extracts. RESULTS: Phenolic compound content ranged from 1299.60
mg to 510.88 mg GAE/100 g for organic extracts and from 453.63 mg to 290.83 mg
GAE/100 g for aqueous extracts. Based on qualitative HPLC analyses, gallic acid
and chlorogenic acid were found to be among the major phenolic acids present in
bilberries. Methanol and aqueous extracts there were found to be effective
inhibitors of alpha-glucosidase with an IC50 value of 20 MUg GAE/ml and 55 MUg
GAE/ml, respectively. CONCLUSION: The inhibitory activity of bilberries' extracts
towards alpha-glucosidase offers the patients with type 2 diabetes the
opportunity to manage their own glycaemic levels with a diet.
PMID- 28704189
TI - Chronic Hepatitis Due to Gluten Enteropathy - a Case Report.
AB - BACKGROUND: Celiac disease is an immune-mediated enteropathy precipitated by
exposure to dietary gluten in genetically predisposed individuals. CASE
DESCRIPTION: A 45-year-old Caucasian woman presented with severe iron-deficient
anemia and mild elevation of liver enzymes. Upper endoscopy was done in the
context of evaluation of anemia, which revealed reduced duodenal folds and mosaic
pattern of the mucosa, but also grade II esophageal varices and portal
hypertensive gastropathy. Duodenal biopsy showed total villous atrophy, diffuse
mainly lymphocytic infiltrate, presence of intra-epithelial lymphocytes. Serology
test confirmed celiac disease by the typical pattern of high titer positive IgA
and IgG antibodies to tissue transglutaminase. Liver biopsy was performed for
staging and etiological evaluation, because laboratory screening ruled out common
viral, metabolic and autoimmune liver disease. Liver morphology was consistent
with chronic hepatitis without findings for extensive fibrosis. Our patient had
poor dietary compliance, so we failed to established improvement of liver enzymes
and resolution of anemia during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: We would like to stress
on the diverse clinical manifestations of celiac disease and the importance of
serologic screening with antibodies to tissue transglutaminase in differential
diagnosis of chronic liver disease.
PMID- 28704190
TI - Modulating Effects of Cholecalciferol Treatment on Estrogen Deficiency-Induced
Anxiety-Like Behavior of Adult Female Rats.
AB - BACKGROUND: Vitamin D can be one of the candidate substances that are used as
additional supplementation in the treatment of anxiety-related disorders in women
with estrogen imbalance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The aim of the present study was
to examine the effects of chronic cholecalciferol administration (1.0, 2.5 or 5.0
mg/kg/day, s.c.) on the anxiety-like behavior and monoamines levels in the rat
hippocampus following ovariectomy in female rats. Cholecalciferol was given to
ovariectomized (OVX) rats and OVX rats treated with 17beta-estradiol (17beta-E2,
0.5 MUg/rat, s.c.). The anxiety-like behavior was assessed in the elevated plus
maze (EPM) and the light-dark tests (LDT), locomotor and grooming activities were
assessed in the open-field test (OFT). RESULTS: Cholecalciferol in high doses
alone or in combination with 17beta-E2-induced anxiolytic-like effects in OVX and
OVX rats treated with 17beta-E2 as evidenced in the EPM and LDT tests, and
increased grooming activity in the OFT test. We found that DA and 5-HT levels
increased while 5-HT turnover in the hippocampus decreased in these groups of OVX
rats. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that cholecalciferol in high doses has a
marked anxiolytic-like effect due to an increase in the monoamines levels in the
experimental rat model of estrogen deficiency.
PMID- 28704191
TI - Association of Permeability and Lipid Content of Membrane.
AB - BACKGROUND: Rat skin and goat cul de sac are mostly used in optimization of
formulations as the model of human skin and cul de sac. AIM: To explore the
correlation between lipid content of rat skin and goat cul de sac and
permeability. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Find out wavelength maximum for Sapat plus
malam(r), Ciplox eye ointment(r) and chloramphenicol eye caps and the standard
curve was also derived. In vitro studies using Cellophane(r) membrane and ex vivo
studies using rat skin or goat cul de sac of the formulations. Permeability
coefficient, % dislodgeable dose, lag time, diffusion parameter, and partition
coefficient were found for both studies after six and a half hours of penetration
studies. Student's unpaired t-test with equal variance was used to find any
statistically significant difference in the ex vivo and in vitro diffusion
transport studies at 95% level of confidence. RESULTS: Permeability coefficient
of Sapat plus malam(r), Ciplox eye ointment(r) and chloramphenicol eye caps were
0.000316 +/- 0.0000625, 0.00416 +/- 0.0001, 0.0034 +/- 0.00004 for Cellophane(r)
membrane and 0.0001 +/- 0.000001, 0.002254 +/- 0.0002, 0.00303 +/- 0.0001 for ex
vivo membrane in cm2/min, respectively. For all three formulations, there were
calculated t values which were higher than tabulated t values at 95% of
confidence level (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Cellophane(r) membrane shows a better
diffusion than rat skin or goat cul de sac. In the optimization of formulation,
only Cellophane(r) membrane is advisable to use.
PMID- 28704192
TI - Risk Factors for Postpartum Thyroid Dysfunction in Euthyroid Women Prior to
Pregnancy.
AB - BACKGROUND: Thyroid dysfunction is common during the postpartum and the
predisposing factors for its development are considered specific for the
population studied. The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk factors for
the occurrence of postpartum thyroid dysfunction (PPTD) in euthyroid women prior
to pregnancy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-five women with PPTD and 55 age
matched euthyroid postpartum women from Plovdiv, Bulgaria were included in the
study. TSH, FT4, FT3, TPOAb, TgAb, TRAb were measured and ultrasound evaluation
of the thyroid was performed in the first trimester of pregnancy and during the
postpartum. RESULTS: The study found higher risk of developing PPTD in women with
family history of thyroid disease (OR 4.42; 95% CI 1.87,10.43), smokers (OR 4.01;
95% CI 1.72,9.35), personal history of autoimmune thyroid disease (OR 5.37; 95%
CI 1.15,28.53), positive TPOAb (OR 18.12; 95% CI 4.93,66.65) and thyroid US
hypoechogenicity during early pregnancy (OR 6.39; 95% CI 2.53,16.12) and those
who needed levothyroxine during pregnancy (OR 3.69; 95% CI 1.28,10.61). BMI
before pregnancy was significantly lower in women with PPTD than in euthyroid
postpartum women (22.80+/-0.55 vs 26.25+/-0.97, p=0.013). The multivariate
logistic regression analysis identified as most important independent risk
factors for PPTD occurrence the TPOAb positivity during early pregnancy, family
history of thyroid disease, smoking and lower BMI before pregnancy. CONCLUSION:
Our data suggest that in the population studied several factors are associated
with an increased risk of PPTD and screening for thyroid disorders among those
women can be beneficial.
PMID- 28704193
TI - Rehabilitation of Patients with Hip Joint Arthroplasty (Late Post-surgery Period
Hospital Rehabilitation).
AB - BACKGROUND: Hip joint replacement (endoprosthesis, alloplasty) has become one of
the most frequent surgery interventions of the 20th century. AIM: To conduct
rehabilitation therapy in the late post-surgery period of hospital rehabilitation
(45 days after surgery), to track patients' progress and measure the results.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and fifty-two patients with hip joint
endoprosthesis were included in the study. All underwent surgery and
rehabilitation at the Department of Clinical Rehabilitation of the Physical and
Rehabilitation Medicine Clinic at Doctor G. Stranski University Hospital, Pleven.
Kinesitherapy included therapeutic massage, isometric exercises for gluteal and
hip muscles, isotonic exercises for the hip and the knee joint, breathing
exercises, analytical gymnastics, exercises for balance and posture stability;
gait control, exercises with gym equipment; occupational exercises included all
activities of daily living (ADL) that were practiced at home; treatment with
performed physical factors included applying magnetic field, interferential
current therapy, electrostimulation of the m. quadriceps femoris and the gluteal
muscles. RESULTS: The scores from the pain visual analog scale (VAS), the muscle
strength test and the test for the movement volume of the hip joint were obtained
at the beginning and at the end of the rehabilitation process and stored in an
individual file for each patient. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study
suggest that the complex rehabilitation program (kinesitherapy, performed
physical factors and occupational therapy) can result in a considerably faster
recovery and ensures that patients reach optimal functional results.
PMID- 28704194
TI - Sarcomatoid Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Penis - a Report of Two Cases.
AB - BACKGROUND: Sarcomatoid (spindle cell) squamous cell carcinoma is a rare,
highgrade, aggressive tumor consisting of the squamous cell carcinoma admixed
with the malignant spindle cell (sarcomatoid) elements. These tumors are
relatively uncommon in the genitourinary system and particularly in the penis.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two sarcomatoid squamous cell carcinomas of the penis were
diagnosed in our hospital between 2012 and 2015. Clinical histories, pathology
reports, hematoxylin and eosin-stained and immunohistochemical slides were
reviewed. RESULTS: In both cases, the tumors presented as single, pedunculated,
extensive masses with surface ulceration; histology study showed a mixture of
high-grade squamous cell carcinoma component and spindle cell neoplastic
component in different proportions. Immunohistochemical stains of CK AE1/AE3, p63
and CK903 showed positive immunoreactivity in both components in both cases.
Vimentin was positive in spindle cell component and negative in squamous cell
carcinoma areas. CONCLUSION: Sarcomatoid squamous cell carcinoma of the penis is
an uncommon tumor of this site with aggressive behavior and bad prognosis which
might be related to the delay in medical examination and diagnosis. A correct and
thorough morphological study is of great importance for the staging of the
disease, treatment and follow up of patients.
PMID- 28704195
TI - Association between Type 2 Diabetes, Obesity and Key Immunological Components of
IgE-mediated Inflammation.
AB - BACKGROUND: Changes in lifestyle and obesity in recent decades have brought about
a dramatic increase in type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) and allergic diseases.
Clinical and epidemiological studies associate obesity with epidemics of allergic
diseases. The link between obesity and DM2 with immunological components of IgE
mediated allergic inflammation is not yet conclusively established. AIM: To
examine the key immunological components of IgE-mediated allergic inflammation in
patients with DM2 and their relationship with glycemic control and anthropometric
indicators. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-five patients with DM2 and 32 healthy
controls with normal weight and body mass index (BMI) of 18-24.9 kg/m2 were
included in the study. Th2-cytokine profile (serum levels of IL-4 and IL-5,
pg/ml) and total serum IgE IU/ml were assessed in all participants in the study
using ELISA. In patients with DM2, levels of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c%) in the
blood were also measured. RESULTS: Serum levels of IL-4 and IL-5 are
significantly higher in patients with DM2 compared to the control group. Serum
levels of IL-4 and IL-5 positively correlated with BMI as well as serum levels of
IL-4 with waist circumference. Total serum IgE positively correlated with HbA1c.
CONCLUSION: Obesity and poor glycemic control in patients with DM2 affect key
immunological components of IgE-mediated allergic inflammation and possibly alter
the immune response to allergens and antigens.
PMID- 28704196
TI - Antioxidant capacity and phenolic content of two Algerian Mentha species M.
rotundifolia (L.) Huds, M. pulegium L., extracted with different solvents.
AB - Background It is important to consider the optimum conditions and processing
factors (like solvent type) influencing activity of plant antioxidants for
utilization in food and biological systems. Methods The antioxidant capacity and
phenolic content of two Mentha species, namely, Mentha pulegium L. (MP) and
Mentha rotundifolia (L.) Huds (MR), were studied and six solvent systems were
used. The total antioxidant capacity of the mint species extracts was evaluated
using phosphomolybdenum method and the free radical-scavenging capacity by 2,2
diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical-scavenging assay. Results The efficiency of the
used solvents to extract phenols from the two species varied considerably. The
highest total phenolic content was obtained from methanol extract of MP (25.3+/
1.3 mg GAE/gdw) and total flavonoid content from methanol extract of MR (10.1+/
0.1 mg QE/gdw). High phenol content was significantly correlated with high
antioxidant capacity. The methanol extracts showed the highest radical scavenging
activity. All the extracts showed variable antioxidant capacity by the formation
of phosphomolybdenum complex. Acetone extract of MP and methanol extract of MR
exhibited marked reducing power in this method. Conclusions Our findings
identified the appropriate solvent for extracting MP and MR phenolics which might
provide a rich source of natural antioxidants.
PMID- 28704197
TI - Expectant management in di-chorionic pregnancies complicated by discordant
anomalous twin.
PMID- 28704198
TI - Alzheimer's disease: as it was in the beginning.
AB - Since Alzheimer's disease was first described in 1907, many attempts have been
made to reveal its main cause. Nowadays, two forms of the disease are known, and
while the hereditary form of the disease is clearly caused by mutations in one of
several genes, the etiology of the sporadic form remains a mystery. Both forms
share similar sets of neuropathological and molecular manifestations, including
extracellular deposition of amyloid-beta, intracellular accumulation of
hyperphosphorylated tau protein, disturbances in both the structure and functions
of mitochondria, oxidative stress, metal ion metabolism disorders, impairment of
N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-related signaling pathways, abnormalities of lipid
metabolism, and aberrant cell cycle reentry in some neurons. Such a diversity of
symptoms led to proposition of various hypotheses for explaining the development
of Alzheimer's disease, the amyloid hypothesis, which postulates the key role of
amyloid-beta in Alzheimer's disease development, being the most prominent.
However, this hypothesis does not fully explain all of the molecular
abnormalities and is therefore heavily criticized. In this review, we propose a
hypothetical model of Alzheimer's disease progression, assuming a key role of age
related mitochondrial dysfunction, as was postulated in the mitochondrial cascade
hypothesis. Our model explains the connections between all the symptoms of
Alzheimer's disease, with particular attention to autophagy, metal metabolism
disorders, and aberrant cell cycle re-entry in neurons. Progression of the
Alzheimer's disease appears to be a complex process involving aging and too many
protective mechanisms affecting one another, thereby leading to even greater
deleterious effects.
PMID- 28704199
TI - The role of ubiquitin proteasomal system and autophagy-lysosome pathway in
Alzheimer's disease.
AB - Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorder leading to
dementia in the elderly population. AD is associated with the buildup of beta
amyloid and tau, which aggregate into extracellular plaques and neurofibrillary
tangles. Although the exact mechanism of pathological process of AD is unclear,
the dysfunction of protein degradation mechanisms has been proposed to play an
important role in AD. The cellular degradation of abnormal or misfolded proteins
consists of three different mechanisms: the ubiquitin proteasomal system (UPS),
autophagy-lysosomal pathway (ALP), and interaction of molecular chaperones with
UPS or ALP. Any disturbance to these systems causes proteins to accumulate,
resulting in pathological process of AD. In this review, we summarize the
knowledge of protein degradation pathways in the pathogenesis of AD in light of
the current literature. In the future, the regulation UPS or ALP machineries
could be the cornerstones of the treatment of AD.
PMID- 28704200
TI - Mild cognitive impairment in type 2 diabetes mellitus and related risk factors: a
review.
AB - Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a global epidemic disease and has become a
significant health problem. Many studies have raised concern about the mild
cognitive impairment (MCI) with T2DM and even the Alzheimer's disease patients
with T2DM. The incidence of MCI is higher in individuals with T2DM than those
without diabetes. Cognitive changes might affect everyday activities depending on
the work and situation. Although the exact pathophysiology of MCI in T2DM is
unclear, many studies suggest that the alterations in pathoglycemia, diabetic
complications, related end products, and physical/psychological status are
significant risk factors. In this article, we systematically overview the studies
to illustrate the related risk factors of cognitive impairment in patients with
T2DM. Further high quality studies and treatment need to be initiated and it will
become incumbent on clinicians to identify and cure the earliest signs of
clinical impairment.
PMID- 28704201
TI - IL-17 and Th17 cells in systemic sclerosis: a comprehensive review.
AB - T cells (especially T helper cells) seem to be strongly associated with systemic
sclerosis pathogenesis. Th17-IL-17 axis was proved to be involved in the
pathogenesis of multiple autoimmune diseases. By performing a comprehensive
research of the literature indexed in PubMed database, the current review
summarizes current knowledge related to Th17 and IL-17 in systemic sclerosis.
While there is promising data suggesting inhibition of Tregulatory and Th1
signals on one hand and promotion of Th17 and Th2 signals on the other, studies
that include prospective and integrated analysis of Tregulatory, Th17, Th1, Th2
(cells and derived cytokines) on the same cohort of Ssc patients are warranted.
PMID- 28704202
TI - The integration of the molecular methods in the diagnosis algorithm for the
poliovirus detection in the sewage water: comparing concentration and detection
methods. A Pilot Study.
AB - INTRODUCTION: Two cases of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1(cVDPV1),
from southwestern Ukraine, bordering Romania, were confirmed in 2015 and the
environmental enterovirus surveillance was enhanced in our country. The molecular
detection of human enteroviruses as a screening test followed by isolation on
cell culture lines or sequencing could be proposed as a new diagnosis algorithm.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: The sensitivity of two molecular methods for the detection
of enterovirus strains in 10 mL of sewage water (15 samples) was studied with
Film Array ME panel BioFire (Biomerieux, France) and Xpert EV assay (Cepheid,
USA). These are standardized methods for the detection of microorganisms in the
cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). RESULTS: Of the 15 samples, six enterovirus strains
were detected using Film Array ME, four enterovirus strains were detected using
Xpert EV assay, while only two nonpolio enterovirus strains were isolated on RD
cell line, using the standard WHO algorithm. However, only one of the strains
detected by the standard WHO algorithm was detected by one of the molecular
methods. CONCLUSIONS: The molecular methods for enterovirus detection are more
sensitive than the virus isolation on cell culture lines, but in one case the
virus isolated on RD cell line was not detected by the molecular methods. The
results could be influenced by the small number of the samples investigated, by
the volume and the concentration method used for samples tested, and by the
limits of detection (LoD) of the enterovirus species in the samples, depending on
the method used.
PMID- 28704203
TI - Nurturing virtues of the medical profession: does it enhance medical students'
empathy?
AB - Objectives: To examine if the empathy levels of first-year medical students are
amenable to didactic interventions idealized to promote values inherent to
medical professional identity. Methods: This is a pretest-posttest study designed
to assess the empathy levels of first-year medical students (n=166) comprising
two consecutive classes of a Brazilian medical school, performed before and after
a didactic intervention. Students attended a course based on values and virtues
related to medical professional identity once a week over four months. Every
didactic approach (interviews with patients and physicians, supervised visits to
the hospital, and discussion of videotaped simulated consultations) was based on
"real-world" situations and designed to promote awareness of the process of
socialization. Students filled out the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy
(JSPE) on the first and last days of this course, and the pretest-posttest
analysis was performed using the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test. Results: The mean
pretest JSPE score was 117.9 (minimum 92, maximum 135) and increased to 121.3
after the intervention (minimum 101, maximum 137). The difference was significant
(z=-5.2, p<.001.), with an effect size of 0.40. The observed increase was greater
among students with lower initial JSPE scores. Conclusions: Empathy is a
fundamental tool used to achieve a successful physician-patient relationship, and
it seems to permeate other virtues of a good physician. This study's results
suggest that medical students' empathy may be amenable to early curricular
interventions designed to promote a positive development of their professional
identity, even when empathy is not central in discussion.
PMID- 28704204
TI - Psychometric analysis of the Swedish version of the General Medical Council's
multi source feedback questionnaires.
AB - Objectives: To determine the internal consistency and the underlying components
of our translated and adapted Swedish version of the General Medical Council's
multisource feedback questionnaires (GMC questionnaires) for physicians and to
confirm which aspects of good medical practice the latent variable structure
reflected. Methods: From October 2015 to March 2016, residents in family medicine
in Sweden were invited to participate in the study and to use the Swedish version
to perform self-evaluations and acquire feedback from both their patients and
colleagues. The validation focused on internal consistency and construct
validity. Main outcome measures were Cronbach's alpha coefficients, Principal
Component Analysis, and Confirmatory Factor Analysis indices. Results: A total of
752 completed questionnaires from patients, colleagues, and residents were
analysed. Of these, 213 comprised resident self-evaluations, 336 were feedback
from residents' patients, and 203 were feedback from residents' colleagues.
Cronbach's alpha coefficients of the scores were 0.88 from patients, 0.93 from
colleagues, and 0.84 in the self-evaluations. The Confirmatory Factor Analysis
validated two models that fit the data reasonably well and reflected important
aspects of good medical practice. The first model had two latent factors for
patient-related items concerning empathy and consultation management, and the
second model had five latent factors for colleague-related items, including
knowledge and skills, attitude and approach, reflection and development,
teaching, and trust. Conclusions: The current Swedish version seems to be a
reliable and valid tool for formative assessment for resident physicians and
their supervisors. This needs to be verified in larger samples.
PMID- 28704205
TI - Multi-angle ZnO microstructures grown on Ag nanorods array for plasmon-enhanced
near-UV-blue light emitter.
AB - Metal enhanced ultraviolet light emission has been explored in ZnO/Ag hybrid
structures prepared by hydrothermal growth of multi-angled ZnO nanorods on
slanted Ag nanorods array fabricated by the thermal evaporation technique.
Slanted Ag nanorods are realized to be the stacking of non-spherical Ag
nanoparticles, resulting in asymmetric surface plasmon resonance spectra. The
surface roughness of Ag nanorod array films significantly influences the growth
mechanism of ZnO nanorods, leading to the formation of multi-angled ZnO
microflowers. ZnO/Ag hybrid structures facilitate the interfacial charge transfer
from Ag to ZnO with the realization of negative shift in binding energy of Ag 3d
orbitals by ~0.8 eV. These high quality ZnO nanorods in ZnO/Ag hybrid
nanostructures exhibit strong ultraviolet emission in the 383-396 nm region
without broad deep level emission, which can be explained by a suitable band
diagram. The metal enhanced photoluminescence is witnessed mainly due to
interfacial charge transfer with its dependence on surface roughness of bottom
layer Ag nanorods, number density of ZnO nanorods and diversity in the
interfacial area between Ag and ZnO nanorods. The existence of strong ultraviolet
light with minor blue light emission and appearance of CIE shade in strong violet
blue region by ZnO/Ag hybrid structures depict exciting possibilities towards
near UV-blue light emitting devices.
PMID- 28704206
TI - An autonomous robot inspired by insect neurophysiology pursues moving features in
natural environments.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Many computer vision and robotic applications require the
implementation of robust and efficient target-tracking algorithms on a moving
platform. However, deployment of a real-time system is challenging, even with the
computational power of modern hardware. Lightweight and low-powered flying
insects, such as dragonflies, track prey or conspecifics within cluttered natural
environments, illustrating an efficient biological solution to the target
tracking problem. APPROACH: We used our recent recordings from 'small target
motion detector' neurons in the dragonfly brain to inspire the development of a
closed-loop target detection and tracking algorithm. This model exploits
facilitation, a slow build-up of response to targets which move along long,
continuous trajectories, as seen in our electrophysiological data. To test
performance in real-world conditions, we implemented this model on a robotic
platform that uses active pursuit strategies based on insect behaviour. MAIN
RESULTS: Our robot performs robustly in closed-loop pursuit of targets, despite a
range of challenging conditions used in our experiments; low contrast targets,
heavily cluttered environments and the presence of distracters. We show that the
facilitation stage boosts responses to targets moving along continuous
trajectories, improving contrast sensitivity and detection of small moving
targets against textured backgrounds. Moreover, the temporal properties of
facilitation play a useful role in handling vibration of the robotic platform. We
also show that the adoption of feed-forward models which predict the sensory
consequences of self-movement can significantly improve target detection during
saccadic movements. SIGNIFICANCE: Our results provide insight into the neuronal
mechanisms that underlie biological target detection and selection (from a moving
platform), as well as highlight the effectiveness of our bio-inspired algorithm
in an artificial visual system.
PMID- 28704207
TI - The Adult Male Rape Victim: Forensic Description of a Series of 57 Cases.
AB - A retrospective analysis on 57 adult male victims of sexual violence has been
performed. Age, nationality and anamnesis of the victims, location of the
assault, type of violence, number and identity of the assailants, presence of
physical injuries, lapse of time between the assault and the request of medical
assistance, and toxicological and semen detection tests were analyzed. Victims
were mostly in the 31- to 40-year age group. Ten victims referred themselves as
either active homosexuals or bisexuals. Forced oral and/or anal penetration was
registered in 86.8% of cases, mostly performed by a single assailant. Anogenital
injuries were recorded in 61.4% of cases, whereas extragenital injuries in 35.1%:
abrasions and perianal reddening were the most frequent acute anogenital marks,
whereas the head and lower limbs were the body parts most commonly affected by
blunt trauma. No clinically severe injuries were found. Anal and perianal swabs
for semen detection tested positive in less than 20% cases, whereas oral swabs
always tested negative. When performed, nearly 50% of cases tested positive in
drug tests, above all for psychoactive substances. No definite forensic diagnosis
in terms of confirmation of rape was possible on the basis of type and topography
of injuries.
PMID- 28704208
TI - HGNET-BCOR Tumors of the Cerebellum: Clinicopathologic and Molecular
Characterization of 3 Cases.
AB - The central nervous system (CNS) high-grade neuroepithelial tumor with BCOR
alteration (CNS HGNET-BCOR) is a recently described molecular entity. We report 3
new CNS HGNET-BCOR cases sharing common clinical presentation and pathologic
features. The 3 cases concerned children aged 3 to 7 years who presented with a
voluminous mass of the cerebellum. Pathologic features included proliferation of
uniform spindle to ovoid cells with fine chromatin associated with a rich
arborizing capillary network. Methylation profiling classified these cases as CNS
HGNET-BCOR tumors. Polymerase chain reaction analysis confirmed the presence of
internal tandem duplications in the C-terminus of BCOR (BCOR-ITD), a
characteristic of these tumors, in all 3 cases. Immunohistochemistry showed a
strong nuclear BCOR expression. In 2 cases, local recurrence occurred within 6
months. The third case, a patient who received a craniospinal irradiation after
total surgical removal followed by a metronomics maintenance with irinotecan,
temozolomide, and itraconazole, is still free of disease 14 months after
diagnosis. In summary, CNS HGNET-BCOR represents a rare tumor occurring in young
patients with dismal prognosis. BCOR nuclear immunoreactivity is highly
suggestive of a BCOR-ITD. Whether CNS HGNET-BCOR should be classified among the
category of "embryonal tumors" or within the category of "mesenchymal,
nonmeningothelial tumors" remains to be clarified. Because CNS HGNET-BCOR share
pathologic features and characteristic BCOR-ITD with clear cell sarcoma of the
kidney, these tumors may represent local variants of the same entity.
PMID- 28704209
TI - Robotic Hand-Assisted Training for Spinal Cord Injury Driven by Myoelectric
Pattern Recognition: A Case Report.
AB - A 51-year-old man with an incomplete C6 spinal cord injury sustained 26 yrs ago
attended twenty 2-hr visits over 10 wks for robot-assisted hand training driven
by myoelectric pattern recognition. In each visit, his right hand was assisted to
perform motions by an exoskeleton robot, while the robot was triggered by his own
motion intentions. The hand robot was designed for this study, which can perform
six kinds of motions, including hand closing/opening; thumb, index finger, and
middle finger closing/opening; and middle, ring, and little fingers
closing/opening. After the training, his grip force increased from 13.5 to 19.6
kg, his pinch force remained the same (5.0 kg), his score of Box and Block test
increased from 32 to 39, and his score from the Graded Redefined Assessment of
Strength, Sensibility, and Prehension test Part 4.B increased from 22 to 24. He
accomplished the tasks in the Graded Redefined Assessment of Strength,
Sensibility, and Prehension test Part 4.B 28.8% faster on average. The results
demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of robot-assisted training driven
by myoelectric pattern recognition after spinal cord injury.
PMID- 28704210
TI - Factor XIII deficiency in south of Tunisia.
AB - : Factor XIII deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive disorder of hemostasis
characterized by a plasmatic factor XIII level less than 1% in homozygote and
bleeding as of the youth. The aim of the study is to describe the clinical
features and the outcome of the patients and to determine molecular
characteristics. A retrospective study, was conducted on seven patients with
factor XIII deficiency in the department of hematology and pediatrics, Hedi
Chaker Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia during the period of 14 years (2001-2014). The
activity of factor XIII in plasma of the patients was less than 1%. Seven
patients from five unrelated families were recorded (four men and three women).
Median age at diagnosis was 3.5 years. All patients had consanguineous parents.
Six patients presented umbilical bleeding and only three patients had
intracranial bleeding. Other bleeding features were seen, including skin and
mucosal bleeding, muscular hematoma, and splenic rupture. Recurrent abortions
were observed in one patient. The standard screening tests were normal. Genetic
analysis identified two mutations interesting the subunit A of factor XIII. All
patients received transfusion of fresh frozen plasma monthly. One patient was
died because of intracranial hemorrhage.Factor XIII deficiency is a rare bleeding
disorder which frequently increases in areas with high consanguinity. In our
study, we identified a founder mutation. The prognosis of the disorder is related
to hemorrhagic complications especially to life-threatening intracranial
bleeding. Prophylaxis consists of factor XIII concentrate or recombinant factor
XIII. If these are unavailable, fresh frozen plasma may be used.
PMID- 28704211
TI - How to emerge from the conservatism in clinical research methodology?
AB - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Despite recent changes in clinical research methodology, many
challenges remain in drug development methodology. RECENT FINDINGS: Advances in
molecular biology and cancer treatments have changed the clinical research
landscape. Thus, we moved from empirical clinical oncology to molecular and
immunological therapeutic approaches. Along with this move, adapted dose-limiting
toxicities definitions, endpoints, and dose escalation methods have been
proposed. Moreover, the classical frontier between phase I, phase II, and phase
III has become unclear in particular for immunological approaches. So,
investigators are facing major challenges in drug development methodology.
SUMMARY: We propose to individualize clinical research using innovative
approaches to significantly improve patient outcomes and targeting what is
considered unmet need. Integrating high level of translational research and
performing well designed biomarker studies with great potential for clinical
practice are of utmost importance. This could be performed within new models of
clinical research networks and by building a strong collaboration between
academic, cooperative groups, on-site investigators, and pharma.
PMID- 28704212
TI - Endoscopic mucosal resection and endoscopic submucosal dissection: technique and
new directions.
AB - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Most of small tumours in gastrointestinal tract are easily
removed by endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR). However, EMR are sometimes not
reliable to ensure the complete resection for large tumours. Although endoscopic
submucosal dissection (ESD) was developed, it had a higher risk for complications
such as perforation and bleeding. The techniques and clinical outcomes of EMR and
ESD are reviewed. RECENT FINDINGS: ESD is more effective for early gastric and
oesophageal cancer with higher en-bloc resection rate and lower local recurrence
in comparison to EMR. Several studies report favourable long-term outcomes of
ESD. ESD has become a standard technique in Japan and other East Asian countries.
Piecemeal resection using EMR technique is widely accepted for colorectal large
adenomas and results in good clinical outcomes in most patients. However,
apparent cancerous lesions need endoscopic en-bloc resection by ESD. SUMMARY:
Further development of the technique, devices and training systems will promote
worldwide standardization of ESD.
PMID- 28704213
TI - Menstrual pad, a cervical cancer screening tool, a population-based study in
rural India.
AB - In the rural areas of India, women generally use a piece of old cloth as a
menstrual device. The aim of this study was to detect human papilloma virus (HPV)
from menstrual blood on the menstrual pad and assess whether this could be a
useful screening tool for cervical cancer. In Jamkhed area of rural Maharashtra,
(population A), we collected menstrual pads from women who provided consent in
the 30-50 year age group. The women who had provided menstrual pads underwent HC2
testing. We standardized the method for extracting DNA by PCR from the menstrual
pad. The women who tested HPV positive, on the basis of HC2/PCR testing,
underwent colposcopy. In the rural population of Pune area of Maharashtra state
(population B), menstrual pads were collected. HPV was tested using the PCR
method. HPV-positive women and a few HPV-negative women, selected randomly,
underwent colposcopy and HC2 testing. In population A, 164 women provided their
used menstrual pads and also underwent an HC2 screening test. Of these, six
(3.2%) cases were reported as HPV positive. In population B, 365 women provided
their used menstrual pads for HPV testing, of which 18 (4.9%) cases were
diagnosed as HPV positive. The women who tested HPV positive, on the basis of PCR
testing, and 10% randomly selected HPV-negative cases (37) and 18 women who
voluntary requested testing underwent colposcopy and HC2 testing. The sensitivity
of menstrual pad HPV testing compared with gold standard HC2 testing was 83% [95%
confidence interval (CI): 0.47-0.97], 67% (95% CI: 0.30-0.91) and specificity was
99% (95% CI: 0.96-0.99), 88% (95% CI: 0.77-0.94) in population A and population
B, respectively. The sensitivity of diagnosing CIN lesion was 83% (95% CI: 0.44
0.97) and specificity was 95% (95% CI: 0.91-0.97). On the basis of the
sensitivity and specificity results, and the completely noninvasive, simple and
convenient method of detecting HPV, menstrual pad might be considered a cervical
cancer screening tool in rural Indian women.
PMID- 28704214
TI - Bile acids upregulate BRCA1 and downregulate estrogen receptor 1 gene expression
in ovarian cancer cells.
AB - Two major risk factors for ovarian cancer include loss-of-function mutations in
the BRCA1 (breast cancer 1, early onset) gene and aspects of estrogen metabolism.
Modulation of the levels of the normal BRCA1 allele and estrogen receptor
expression may therefore be a preventive strategy. Consensus binding motifs for
the bile acid-responsive transcription factor farnesoid X receptor were
identified in the BRCA1 and estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1) and estrogen receptor 2
(ESR2) genes, supported by chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing data. Two
major bile acids, deoxycholic acid (DCA) and chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA),
resulted in a greater than four-fold induction of BRCA1 transcript levels at 10
MUmol/l and a greater than six-fold induction at 50 MUmol/l relative to untreated
control OVCAR3 ovarian cancer cells. Conversely, CDCA and DCA at 10 MUmol/l
resulted in about a 75% decrease in ESR1 expression in response to 10 MUmol/l
CDCA and DCA and close to 90% reduction with 50 MUmol/l CDCA and DCA. Bile acids
had no effects on ESR2 gene transcript levels. The inverse regulation of BRCA1
and ESR1 gene expression in response to physiological levels of bile acids could
have important implications for disease penetrance and chemoprevention strategies
in carriers of BRCA1 mutations.
PMID- 28704215
TI - Inflammation and Oxidative Stress Limit Adaptation to Stretch-Shortening
Contractions in Aging.
PMID- 28704216
TI - Low-Back Pain Patients Learn to Adapt Motor Behavior With Adverse Secondary
Consequences.
AB - We hypothesize that changes in motor behavior in individuals with low-back pain
are adaptations aimed at minimizing the real or perceived risk of further pain.
Through reinforcement learning, pain and subsequent adaptations result in less
dynamic motor behavior, leading to increased loading and impoverished sensory
feedback, which contribute to cortical reorganization and proprioceptive
impairments that reduce the ability to control lumbar movement in a robust
manner.
PMID- 28704217
TI - Automatic Affective Evaluations of Physical Activity.
PMID- 28704218
TI - Priscilla M. Clarkson Undergraduate Travel Award.
PMID- 28704219
TI - Inflammaging and the Age-Specific Responsiveness to Stretch-Shortening
Contractions.
AB - With aging, muscle injury from rapid, continuous stretch-shortening contractions
(SSC) is prolonged, and maladaptation to moderate-velocity, intermittent SSC is
more common. We hypothesize that high baseline levels of inflammatory signaling
and oxidative stress may underlie these outcomes, whereas careful modulation of
high-intensity SSC training design resets basal conditions and permits muscle
adaptation to SSC.
PMID- 28704220
TI - Muscle Coordination and the Development of Musculoskeletal Disorders.
AB - The present article examines the hypothesis that each individual has unique
muscle coordination strategies (or signatures) that will have specific mechanical
effects on their musculoskeletal system. As such, some strategies would make some
people more at risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders than others.
Identification of individual coordination strategies might provide insight into
the development of musculoskeletal disorders.
PMID- 28704221
TI - Mechanisms Associated With Physical Activity Behavior: Insights From Rodent
Experiments.
AB - Dopaminergic signaling differences in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) seemingly
predispose rats to adopt different physical activity behaviors. Physical activity
behavior also may be regulated through peripheral mechanisms (i.e., muscle and
fat derived as well as hormonal signals). We hypothesize that physical activity
behavior is regulated by the convergence of central and peripheral mechanisms
onto the NAcc.
PMID- 28704222
TI - Conceptualizing and Defining the Intention Construct for Future Physical Activity
Research.
AB - Intention has been an extremely important concept in physical activity theory and
research but is complicated by a double-barreled definition of a decision to
perform physical activity and the commitment to enact that decision. We put forth
the hypothesis that these separate meanings have different measurement
requirements, are situated in distinctly different intention-based models, and
show discrete findings when explaining physical activity motives.
PMID- 28704223
TI - Activities in a social networking-based discussion group by endoscopic retrograde
cholangiopancreatography doctors.
AB - BACKGROUND: Online social networking is increasingly being used among medical
practitioners. However, few studies have evaluated its use in therapeutic
endoscopy. Here, we aimed to analyze the shared topics and activities of a group
of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) doctors in a social
networking-based endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography discussion group
(EDG). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six ERCP trainers working in Xijing Hospital and 48
graduated endoscopists who had finished ERCP training in the same hospital were
invited to join in EDG. All group members were informed not to divulge any
private information of patients when using EDG. The activities of group members
on EDG were retrospectively extracted. The individual data of the graduated
endoscopists were collected by a questionnaire. RESULTS: From June 2014 to May
2015, 6924 messages were posted on EDG, half of which were ERCP related. In
total, 214 ERCP-related topics were shared, which could be categorized into three
types: sharing experience/cases (52.3%), asking questions (38.3%), and sharing
literatures/advances (9.3%). Among the 48 graduated endoscopists, 21 had a low
case volume of less than 50 per year and 27 had a high volume case volume of 50
or more. High-volume graduated endoscopists posted more ERCP-related messages
(P=0.008) and shared more discussion topics (P=0.003) compared with low-volume
graduated endoscopists. A survey showed that EDG was useful for graduated
endoscopists in ERCP performance and management of post-ERCP complications, etc.
CONCLUSION: A wide range of ERCP-related topics were shared on the social
networking-based EDG. The ERCP-related behaviors on EDG were more active in
graduated endoscopists with an ERCP case volume of more than 50 per year.
PMID- 28704224
TI - Inflammatory and multiple hepatocellular adenoma are associated with a higher
BMI.
AB - AIM: To identify patient and lesion characteristics associated with the
occurrence of single or multiple hepatocellular adenoma (HCA). PATIENTS AND
METHODS: Using a tertiary centre database, we retrospectively collected
information on patient and lesion characteristics, management and follow-up of
all patients with HCA included between 2001 and 2016. Patients were classified
into three groups; patients with a single HCA, 2-9 HCA and at least 10 HCA.
RESULTS: A total of 458 patients were diagnosed with HCA, including 121 (26.4%)
with single HCA, 235 (51.3%) with 2-9 HCA and 102 (22.3%) with at least 10 HCA.
Significant differences in the mean BMI were found, with the highest BMI in
patients with more than 10 HCA (P<0.05). The mean BMI was significantly higher in
patients with inflammatory HCA compared with steatotic HCA (31 vs. 26,
respectively, P<0.05). Steatotic HCA were more often single lesions (22/55, 40%),
whereas patients with inflammatory HCA were often diagnosed with multiple lesions
(122/166, 73%). CONCLUSION: Our series show a significantly higher BMI and
frequency of inflammatory HCA in patients with multiple HCA compared with single
HCA.
PMID- 28704225
TI - Intravenous Iron Sucrose for Treatment of Iron Deficiency Anemia in Pediatric
Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
AB - OBJECTIVES: Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a common complication of pediatric
inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), yet the effectiveness of oral iron
supplementation is limited. Intravenous iron sucrose is an effective and safe
alternative treatment for IDA in adults with IBD, but its role in the treatment
of IDA in pediatric IBD is unclear. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate
the use of iron sucrose in pediatric IBD subjects with IDA and determine the
clinical response as measured by improvement in hemoglobin concentration. The
secondary aim was to describe adverse events associated with iron sucrose use in
this cohort. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed of all pediatric
patients with IBD receiving iron sucrose infusions for IDA at a single tertiary
care center between 2011 and 2015. RESULTS: Seventy-two subjects (53 with Crohn
disease, 11 with ulcerative colitis, and 8 with IBD-unclassified) received a
total of 273 iron sucrose infusions. Forty-three subjects qualified for the
efficacy analysis. There was a significant increase in hemoglobin over the
treatment course, with mean (+/-SD) hemoglobin increasing from 9.6 +/- 1.2 g/dL
at baseline to 12.1 +/- 1.3 g/dL after iron sucrose treatment (P < 0.001).
Eighteen adverse events were reported in 13 subjects (18.1% of subjects and 6.6%
of infusions). No anaphylaxis reactions occurred and none of the adverse events
were, however, life-threatening or required hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS:
Intravenous iron sucrose is a safe and potentially efficacious treatment choice
for IDA in pediatric IBD.
PMID- 28704226
TI - Antibiotic resistance in Helicobacter pylori.
AB - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Treatment of Helicobacter pylori is difficult nowadays because
of its high resistance. The prevalence and mechanism of resistance, the different
methods to detect it and the clinical implication of resistance were addressed in
several research papers last year. RECENT FINDINGS: Clarithromycin-resistant H.
pylori has been recognized by the WHO as 'high priority', for which new
antibiotics are needed. Moreover, the Maastricht consensus recommended, in areas
with high resistance, that susceptibility tests should be performed, at least
after a treatment failure. SUMMARY: Metronidazole and clarithromycin resistance
rates are alarming although they vary among populations. Tetracycline and
amoxicillin-resistance are very low in most countries. H. pylori resistance can
be detected by phenotypic or by molecular methods. Different break points may be
used when performing an antimicrobial susceptibility test, so comparing
resistance among different populations is challenging. Genomic techniques open
new possibilities in the diagnosis of H. pylori, and the detection of H. pylori
and its antimicrobial resistance in faeces is an interesting approach.
Eradication rates are dependent on the susceptibility of the strain to
metronidazole and clarithromycin, being lower in patients infected with a
resistant strain.
PMID- 28704227
TI - Mortality Among Hardmetal Production Workers: Occupational Exposures.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To generate quantitative exposure estimates for use in retrospective
occupational cohort mortality studies of the hardmetal industry. METHODS: Job
exposure matrices (JEMs) were constructed for cobalt, tungsten, and nickel over
the time period 1952 to 2014. The JEMs consisted of job class categories, based
on job titles and processes performed, and exposure estimates calculated from
available company industrial hygiene measurements. RESULTS: Exposure intervals of
one-half order magnitude were established for all three agents. Eight job classes
had significantly decreasing time trends for cobalt exposure; no significant time
trends were detected for tungsten or nickel exposures. CONCLUSIONS: The levels of
exposures determined for this study were similar to or lower than those
previously reported for the hardmetal industry during the 1952 to 2014 study
period.
PMID- 28704228
TI - Patient attitudes to clozapine initiation.
AB - Clozapine is widely underused. No study has assessed views of patients suitable
for, but not yet receiving, clozapine. We aimed to assess views of clozapine in
patients eligible for clozapine but not yet prescribed it by conducting
semistructured interviews with acutely unwell hospital in-patients. We
interviewed 61 of 116 eligible patients and 50 (82%) answered all questions. At
interview, 33 (54%) of 61 participants had heard of clozapine and 17 (30%) of 57
participants said they would take it if asked. Overall, 31 (57%) of 54
respondents said blood testing would not preclude them taking clozapine. The
necessity for hospital admission was seen as the greatest barrier to receiving
clozapine - 25 (49%) of 51 respondents stated this would be a reason for their
refusing clozapine. Concerns about adverse effects of clozapine were considered
sufficient to refuse clozapine in 23 (43.4%) of 53 respondents. Overall, 12 (24%)
of 50 respondents felt that clozapine would be helpful to them. Patients'
acceptance of clozapine is likely to be improved by offering the opportunity to
start clozapine at home and by improved education about the therapeutic benefits
of clozapine and the management of its adverse effects. Blood testing does not
appear to be an important barrier to the initiation of clozapine.
PMID- 28704229
TI - Treatment of Hyponatremic Encephalopathy in the Critically Ill.
AB - OBJECTIVES: Hyponatremic encephalopathy, symptomatic cerebral edema due to a low
osmolar state, is a medical emergency and often encountered in the ICU setting.
This article provides a critical appraisal and review of the literature on
identification of high-risk patients and the treatment of this life-threatening
disorder. DATA SOURCES, STUDY SELECTION, AND DATA EXTRACTION: Online search of
the PubMed database and manual review of articles involving risk factors for
hyponatremic encephalopathy and treatment of hyponatremic encephalopathy in
critical illness. DATA SYNTHESIS: Hyponatremic encephalopathy is a frequently
encountered problem in the ICU. Prompt recognition of hyponatremic encephalopathy
and early treatment with hypertonic saline are critical for successful outcomes.
Manifestations are varied, depending on the extent of CNS's adaptation to the
hypoosmolar state. The absolute change in serum sodium alone is a poor predictor
of clinical symptoms. However, certain patient specific risks factors are
predictive of a poor outcome and are important to identify. Gender (premenopausal
and postmenopausal females), age (prepubertal children), and the presence of
hypoxia are the three main clinical risk factors and are more predictive of poor
outcomes than the rate of development of hyponatremia or the absolute decrease in
the serum sodium. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with hyponatremic encephalopathy
exhibiting neurologic manifestations, a bolus of 100 mL of 3% saline, given over
10 minutes, should be promptly administered. The goal of this initial bolus is to
quickly treat cerebral edema. If signs persist, the bolus should be repeated in
order to achieve clinical remission. However, the total change in serum sodium
should not exceed 5 mEq/L in the initial 1-2 hours and 15-20 mEq/L in the first
48 hours of treatment. It has recently been demonstrated in a prospective fashion
that 500 mL of 3% saline at an infusion rate of 100 mL per hour can be given
safely. It is critical to recognize the early signs of cerebral edema (nausea,
vomiting, and headache) and intervene with IV 3% sodium chloride as this is the
time to intervene rather than waiting until more severe symptoms develop.
Cerebral demyelination is a rare complication of overly rapid correction of
hyponatremia. The principal risk factors for cerebral demyelination are
correction of the serum sodium more than 25 mEq/L in the first 48 hours of
therapy, correction past the point of 140 mEq/L, chronic liver disease, and
hypoxic/anoxic episode.
PMID- 28704230
TI - Effect of Esophageal Cancer Surgeon Volume on Management and Mortality From
Emergency Upper Gastrointestinal Conditions: Population-based Cohort Study.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To study the influence of esophageal cancer surgeon volume upon
mortality from upper gastrointestinal emergencies. BACKGROUND: Volume-outcome
relationships led to the centralization of esophageal cancer surgery. METHODS:
Hospital Episode Statistics data were used to identify patients admitted to
hospitals within England (1997-2012). The influence of esophageal high-volume
(HV) cancer surgeon status (>=5 resections per year) upon 30-day and 90-day
mortality from esophageal perforation (EP), paraesophageal hernia causing
obstruction or gangrene (PEH) and perforated peptic ulcer (PPU) was analyzed,
independent of HV esophageal cancer center status and patient and disease
specific confounding factors. RESULTS: A total of 3707, 12,411, and 57,164
patients with EP, PEH, and PPU, respectively, were included. The observed 90-day
mortality was 36.5%, 11.5%, and 29.0% for EP, PEH, and PPU,
respectively.Management by HV cancer surgeon was independently associated with
significant reductions in 30-day and 90-day mortality from EP (odds ratio, OR
0.51, 95% confidence interval, CI, 0.40-0.66), PEH (OR=0.70, 95% CI 0.53-0.91),
and PPU (OR=0.85, 95% CI 0.7-0.95). Subset analysis of those patients receiving
primary surgery as treatment showed no change in mortality when performed by HV
cancer surgeons.However HV cancer surgeons performed surgery as primary treatment
more commonly for EP (OR=2.38, 95% CI 1.87-3.04) and PEH (OR=2.12, 95% CI 1.79
2.51). Furthermore surgery was independently associated with reduced mortality
for all 3 conditions. CONCLUSION: The complex elective workload of HV esophageal
cancer surgeons appears to lower the threshold for surgical intervention in
specific upper gastrointestinal emergencies such as EP and PEH, which in turn
reduces mortality.
PMID- 28704231
TI - Male Fertility After Inguinal Hernia Mesh Repair: A National Register Study.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To determine whether patients who receive an inguinal hernia repair
father the same number of children as the background population. BACKGROUND:
Although the effect of inguinal hernia repair on male fertility has previously
been investigated through indirect measures, no previous studies have evaluated
the final measure of male fertility, which is the number of children fathered by
patients. METHODS: Prospectively collected data on 32,621 male patients between
the ages of 18 and 55 years who received 1 or more inguinal hernia repairs during
the years 1998 to 2012 were found in 5 comprehensive Danish linked registers.
Patients were matched with 97,805 controls, and the number of fathered children
was recorded as the primary outcome. RESULTS: Patients who were operated
unilaterally fathered more children than controls (156 vs 147 children per 1000
individuals, P = 0.02), whereas patients who were operated bilaterally fathered
the same number of children as controls. Unilateral Lichtenstein operation
resulted in an increase in number of children fathered by patients (161 vs 151
children per 1000 patients, P = 0.009). No difference in the number of children
fathered was found for any year following operation. Meanwhile, time between
operation and first child was longer among controls than patients (log-rank P =
0.003). The youngest (18-30 years of age) bilaterally operated patients fathered
the same number of children as controls. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who underwent
inguinal hernia repair using Lichtenstein technique or laparoscopic approach did
not father fewer children than expected. Thus, inguinal hernia repair using
Lichtenstein or laparoscopic approach did not impair male fertility.
PMID- 28704232
TI - Laparoscopic Transcystic Stenting and Postoperative ERCP for the Management of
Common Bile Duct Stones at Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy.
PMID- 28704233
TI - Ultrasound Diagnosis of Spontaneous Nephrocutaneous Fistula.
PMID- 28704234
TI - CE: Tuberculosis: A New Screening Recommendation and an Expanded Approach to
Elimination in the United States.
AB - : Nurses play a critical role in the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis and
in the prevention of tuberculosis transmission through infection control
practices. To eliminate tuberculosis in the United States, however, an expanded
approach to testing and treating people with latent tuberculosis infection must
be implemented. Recently, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) issued
a new recommendation statement on latent tuberculosis infection testing that
expands nurses' opportunities to identify at-risk populations for tuberculosis
prevention. In combination with newer testing methodologies and shorter treatment
regimens, implementation of the USPSTF recommendation has the potential to remove
previously existing barriers to screening and treatment of both patients and
health care providers. This article provides a general overview of tuberculosis
transmission, pathogenesis, and epidemiology; presents preventive care
recommendations for targeted testing among high-risk groups; and discusses the
USPSTF recommendation's applicability to public health and primary care practice
in the United States.
PMID- 28704235
TI - CE: Beyond Maternity Nursing: The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative.
AB - : The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) is a program developed by the
World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
to promote breastfeeding in hospitals and birthing facilities worldwide. Since
the program was launched in 1991, breastfeeding initiation, duration, and
exclusivity have increased globally, a trend largely attributed to changes in
hospital policies and practices brought about by the BFHI. This article provides
an overview of these practices and policies, the institutional benefits of
achieving BFHI certification, and the process through which health care
facilities can do so. All nurses-whether they work in maternity care or another
nursing specialty in a hospital, ambulatory, or community setting-can play a role
in promoting societal health through their support of long-term breastfeeding as
recommended by the WHO and UNICEF.
PMID- 28704236
TI - Liver X receptors agonist T0901317 downregulates matrix metalloproteinase-9
expression in non-small-cell lung cancer by repressing nuclear factor-kappaB.
AB - The liver X receptors (LXRs) is an important component of the nuclear receptor
(NR) superfamily. Previous studies have shown that the LXRs possessed antitumor
activity in various types of tumor cells. However, the complicated mechanisms
underlying the antitumor activity remain largely unexplored. In this study, we
incubated A549 cells with the compound T0901317, a specific LXRs agonist, for 24
h. The MTT assay was used to assess cell viability. Transwell assays were used to
evaluate cell migration and invasion. The shRNA was utilized for RNA
interference. The target gene and protein expression levels were assessed using
reverse transcription-PCR and western blot assay. The DNA-binding activity of
nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) was examined using electrophoretic mobility
shift assays. Luciferase reporter assay was used to detect the binding of NF
kappaB to the matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) promoter. We found that T0901317
inhibited the invasion and migration of A549 cells in a dose-dependent manner.
Meanwhile, we further indicated that activation of LXRbeta, one subtype of LXRs,
can downregulate MMP-9 expression. More importantly, activation of LXRbeta
triggered by T0901317 inhibited the invasion and metastasis of A549 cells by
repressing NF-kappaB/MMP-9 signaling pathway. Taken together, our study shows
that activation of LXRs triggered by T0901317 inhibits the invasion and
metastasis of human non-small-cell lung cancer by repressing the NF-kappaB/MMP-9
signaling pathway.
PMID- 28704237
TI - Geraniin inhibits migration and invasion of human osteosarcoma cancer cells
through regulation of PI3K/Akt and ERK1/2 signaling pathways.
AB - Geraniin, an active compound isolated from Geranium sibiricum, was found to
inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis of tumor cells. However, the
antimetastatic effects of geraniin remain elusive. Our study found the potential
antitumor mechanisms of geraniin through inhibiting the migration and invasion of
human osteosarcoma U2OS cells. The western blot, gelatin zymography, and reversed
transcription-PCR analysis showed that geraniin suppressed matrix
metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) expression in a concentration-dependent manner.
Geraniin potently suppressed the phosphorylation of extracellular signal
regulating kinase (ERK)1/2, phosphatidylinositide-3-kinase (PI3K), and Akt, but
did not affect phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and c-Jun
N-terminal kinase. Furthermore, when transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1)
was used as an agonist, geraniin inhibited TGF-beta1-mediated cell invasion and
upregulation of MMP-9. These results suggested that geraniin inhibited U2OS cell
migration and invasion by reducing the expression of MMP-9 through the PI3K/Akt
and ERK1/2 signaling pathways.
PMID- 28704239
TI - Dexmedetomidine and Post-Electroconvulsive Therapy Agitation Scores.
PMID- 28704238
TI - Perspectives about mental health, illness, and recovery.
AB - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Patient and physician perspectives about mental health,
illness, and recovery, which affect different aspects of help seeking and
healthcare, needs to be understood and theorized. RECENT FINDINGS: People seem to
simultaneously hold multiple and contradictory illness beliefs and seek help from
diverse sources of cure and healing. Explanatory models elicited at baseline do
not predict outcomes of illness, change over time, and are dependent on the
interaction between the trajectory of individual's illness and the sociocultural
milieu. Illness narratives contextualize the patient, describe the patient's
reality and his/her ways of coping, and attempt to make sense of illness
experiences, control them, and improve quality of life. On the other hand,
diversity of beliefs among psychiatrists, family physicians, and public health
specialists is dependent on their disciplinary perspectives. Nevertheless, the
variability within psychiatric syndromes and the inability to predict individual
trajectories of illness support cultural beliefs about uncertainties of life.
These are identified by cultures through idioms and metaphors and labeled as
luck, chance, karma, fate, punishment by God, evil spirits, black magic, disease
and so on. SUMMARY: There is a need for a broad-based approach to mental health,
which allows individuals to make sense of their contexts and find meaning in
life.
PMID- 28704240
TI - Computed tomography angiography defined vulnerable plaque in a patient with low
high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and subsequent myocardial infarction.
PMID- 28704241
TI - Prognostic value of electrocardiogram exercise testing for risk stratification in
asymptomatic coronary artery disease.
AB - BACKGROUND: Several variables of electrocardiogram exercise testing (EET) predict
cardiovascular events in the general population and in patients with coronary
artery disease (CAD). However, most of the studies have not included patients
with asymptomatic CAD. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value
of EET in asymptomatic CAD patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We carried out a
retrospective single-center analysis including all patients with asymptomatic CAD
documented by angiography who underwent EET from January 2010 to December 2013. A
number of EET variables and three exercise scores [Duke Treadmill Score (DTS),
Morise score, and FIT score] were analyzed. The primary endpoint was the combined
incidence of myocardial infarction (MI), myocardial revascularization, and death
from any cause during follow-up. RESULTS: A total of 306 patients were included
(mean age was 65+/-10 years, 61% had previous MI, and the median exercise
capacity was 9.4+/-2.7 metabolic equivalent of task). The primary endpoint
occurred in 15.7% of patients during 3.3 years of follow-up. The DTS and FIT were
independent predictors of the primary endpoint unlike the Morise score (DTS:
hazard ratio=0.91, 95% confidence interval: 0.85-0.99, P=0.018; FIT score: 0.99,
0.98-0.996, P=0.001; Morise score: 0.97, 0.93-1.02, P=0.20). The DTS was
independent predictor of MI or revascularization, whereas FIT predicted death
from any cause. Excluding patients with early revascularization, DTS had no
predictive power at the composite endpoint. CONCLUSION: In our population with
asymptomatic CAD, FIT and DTS had significant value for risk prediction and
consequently the EET can be a valid tool in the clinical follow-up of this
population.
PMID- 28704242
TI - Long-term clinical outcome after implantation of the self-expandable STENTYS
stent in a large, multicenter cohort.
AB - OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to retrospectively evaluate the long
term clinical outcome after implantation of the self-expandable (SE) STENTYS
stent in a large multicenter cohort. BACKGROUND: Incomplete stent apposition is
known to cause higher rates of myocardial infarction (MI) and stent thrombosis.
Because of its self-expanding features, the SE STENTYS stent adapts to the vessel
wall and is therefore expected to minimize malapposition and therefore the rates
of MI and stent thrombosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Treatment with a total of 351
SE coronary stents was attempted in 314 patients of a cohort from three German
institutions between 2011 and 2015. Technical success was achieved with 331/351
(94%) stents. Patients treated successfully with SE stents (n=298) were followed
up using the primary outcome measure of target lesion failure (TLF), a combined
endpoint of cardiac mortality, recurrent target vessel MI, acute stent
thrombosis, and clinically driven target lesion revascularization. Follow-up was
complete in 268/298 (90%) patients with a median follow-up period of 2.5
(interquartile range: 1.4-3.3) years. RESULTS: TLF occurred in 54/298 (18%)
patients. Event rates were 7.5% for cardiac mortality, 11.6% for target vessel
MI, and 5.2% for clinically driven target lesion revascularization. Acute stent
thrombosis occurred in 2/298 (0.7%). Overall, stent thrombosis had an incidence
of 2.6% within the follow-up period. ST-elevation MI at baseline (P=0.02) and a
dual antiplatelet therapy with clopidogrel for only 6 months (P=0.04) were the
only clinical factors linked to the absence of TLF. CONCLUSION: Technical success
of SE coronary stent implantation in an all-comer cohort of patients was high,
although the rate of TLF and stent thrombosis during long-term follow-up was also
relatively high.
PMID- 28704243
TI - Dynamic neointimal pattern after drug-eluting stent implantation defined by
optical coherence tomography.
AB - OBJECTIVES: Certain neointimal patterns including neoatherosclerosis (NA) are
known to be associated with poor clinical outcome. The prevalence and time course
of different neointimal patterns have not been studied systematically. The aim of
this study was to investigate the serial changes in neointimal pattern after drug
eluting stent implantation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 132 patients with
207 drug-eluting stents, who underwent two follow-up optical coherence tomography
studies at 6 and 12 months, were included. Neointimal patterns were categorized
as homogeneous, heterogeneous, layered, or NA using optical coherence tomography.
Quantitative and qualitative analyses of neointima were carried out. RESULTS:
Both at 6 and at 12 months, the homogenous neointima was the predominant type
(>75%), followed by the layered and the heterogeneous pattern. At 12 months,
progression to NA was observed in 0.6% of the patients in the homogeneous group,
in 5.6% of the patients in the heterogeneous group, and in 3.9% of the patients
in the layered group. Regression to the homogeneous pattern was observed in 5.6%
of the patients in the heterogeneous group and 11.5% of the patients in the
layered group. CONCLUSION: The homogenous neointima is the predominant pattern
both at 6 and at 12 months. The neointimal pattern changed between 6 and 12
months in 10.6% of stents. Further studies are needed to understand the
mechanisms of these neointimal changes and their clinical significance.
PMID- 28704244
TI - Implementation of a Standardized Transfusion Protocol for Cardiac Patients
Treated With Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Is Associated With
Decreased Blood Component Utilization and May Improve Clinical Outcome.
AB - BACKGROUND: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation supplies oxygenated blood to the
body supporting the heart and lungs. Survival rates of 20% to 50% are reported
among patients receiving ECMO for cardiac arrest, severe cardiogenic shock, or
failure to wean from cardiopulmonary bypass following cardiac surgery. Bleeding
is one of the most common complications in ECMO patients due to coagulopathy,
systemic anticoagulation, and the presence of large bore cannulas at systemic
pressure. Absence of a standardized transfusion protocol in this population leads
to inconsistent transfusion practices. Here, we assess a newly developed
dedicated transfusion protocol in this clinical setting. METHODS: Data were
retrospectively reviewed for the first 30 consecutive cardiac ECMO patients prior
and post implementation of the ECMO transfusion protocol. Diagnoses, laboratory
results, blood component utilization, and outcomes were collected and analyzed.
RESULTS: Comorbidities were similar between the 2 eras, as well as the pre-ECMO
ejection fraction (P = .568) and duration on ECMO (P = .278). Transfusion
utilization data revealed statistically significant decreases in almost all blood
components and a savings in blood component acquisition costs of 51% ($175, 970).
In addition, an almost 2-fold increase in survival rate was observed in the post
ECMO transfusion protocol era (63% vs 33%; relative risk = 1.82; 95% confidence
interval, 1.07-3.10; P = .028). CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that
implementation of a standardized transfusion protocol, using more restrictive
transfusion indications in cardiac ECMO patients, was associated with reduced
blood product utilization, decreased complications, and improved survival. This
multidepartmental approach facilitates better communication and adherence to
consensus clinical decision making between intensive care unit, surgery, and
transfusion service and optimizes care of complicated and acutely ill patients.
PMID- 28704245
TI - Inciting Events Associated With Lumbar Facet Joint Pain.
AB - BACKGROUND: Low back pain is the leading cause of years lost to disability with
approximately 15%-25% of the chronic back pain population suffering from lumbar
facet arthropathy. No large-scale study has sought to systematically identify
inciting events for lumbar facet arthropathy. The aim of this study is to
quantify the proportion of individuals with lumbar facetogenic pain who report a
specific precipitating event(s) and to determine if there is a correlation
between these events and treatment outcome. METHODS: Institutional electronic
medical records were searched based on the current procedural terminology (CPT)
codes representing lumbar facet joint radiofrequency ablation for procedures
performed between January 2007 and December 2015. All patients had obtained >=50%
pain relief based on 6-hour pain diaries after 1 or more diagnostic facet blocks.
A positive outcome was defined as >=50% pain relief sustained for longer than 3
month after procedure, without additional procedural interventions. RESULTS: One
thousand sixty-nine people were included in analysis. In the 52% of individuals
who described an inciting event, the most commonly reported causes were falls
(11%), motor vehicle collisions (11%), sports-related injuries (11%, of which
weightlifting accounted for 62%), nonspine postsurgical injuries (2%), and
"other" (17%). Six hundred seventeen (57.7%) individuals experienced >=50% pain
relief sustained for >3 months. Patients whose pain was preceded by an inciting
event were more likely to have a positive outcome than those who could not recall
a specific precipitating factor (odds ratio, 1.5; confidence interval, 1.02-2.1,
P = .01). Another factor associated with outcome was shorter duration of pain
(8.1 +/- 9.2 vs 9.7 +/- 10.1 years, P = .02), with an observed modifier effect of
age on outcomes. For a 1-year increase in age, there was a 10% increase in the
odds of a positive response. CONCLUSIONS: Inciting events are common in patients
diagnosed with lumbar facetogenic pain and may be associated with a positive
outcome.
PMID- 28704246
TI - The Effect of Glycopyrrolate on the Incidence of Hypotension and Vasopressor
Requirement During Spinal Anesthesia for Cesarean Delivery: A Meta-analysis.
AB - BACKGROUND: The objective of this meta-analysis was to determine the efficacy of
glycopyrrolate at reducing spinal hypotension during cesarean delivery. METHODS:
A literature search was performed to identify randomized controlled trials
investigating the effect of glycopyrrolate on spinal-induced hypotension during
cesarean delivery. Primary outcomes were intraoperative hypotension and
vasopressor requirement (phenylephrine equivalents). Secondary outcomes included
heart rate (HR), nausea and vomiting, dry mouth, and Apgar scores. Risk ratios
(RRs), and mean differences (MDs) were calculated using random-effects modeling
with 95% confidence intervals for primary outcomes and 99% confidence intervals
for secondary outcomes. RESULTS: Five randomized controlled trials met our
inclusion criteria. A total of 311 patients were included: 153 received
glycopyrrolate and 158 placebo. The incidence of spinal-induced hypotension was
no different with prophylactic glycopyrrolate compared to control (RR, 0.93 [0.71
1.21]; P = .59), but the total phenylephrine dose required was significantly
reduced with glycopyrrolate (MD, -62.64 MUg [-107.61 to -17.66 MUg]; P = .006).
The maximal HR achieved in the glycopyrrolate group was significantly higher
compared to controls (MD, 15.85 bpm [5.40-26.31]; P < .0001); however, the
incidence of bradycardia was not statistically different. The incidence of
intraoperative nausea and vomiting was not different between groups; however,
glycopyrrolate increased the risk of dry mouth (RR, 5.15 [1.82-14.57]; P <
.0001). Apgar scores at 1 and 5 minutes did not differ between groups.
CONCLUSIONS: Prophylactic glycopyrrolate does not reduce the incidence of spinal
induced hypotension but results in a modest reduction in vasopressor requirements
while increasing maternal HR.
PMID- 28704247
TI - Comparison of Registered and Reported Outcomes in Randomized Clinical Trials
Published in Anesthesiology Journals.
AB - BACKGROUND: Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) provide high-quality evidence for
clinical decision-making. Trial registration is one of the many tools used to
improve the reporting of RCTs by reducing publication bias and selective outcome
reporting bias. The purpose of our study is to examine whether RCTs published in
the top 6 general anesthesiology journals were adequately registered and whether
the reported primary and secondary outcomes corresponded to the originally
registered outcomes. METHODS: Following a prespecified protocol, an electronic
database was used to systematically screen and extract data from RCTs published
in the top 6 general anesthesiology journals by impact factor (Anaesthesia,
Anesthesia & Analgesia, Anesthesiology, British Journal of Anaesthesia, Canadian
Journal of Anesthesia, and European Journal of Anaesthesiology) during the years
2007, 2010, 2013, and 2015. A manual search of each journal's Table of Contents
was performed (in duplicate) to identify eligible RCTs. An adequately registered
trial was defined as being registered in a publicly available trials registry
before the first patient being enrolled with an unambiguously defined primary
outcome. For adequately registered trials, the outcomes registered in the trial
registry were compared with the outcomes reported in the article, with outcome
discrepancies documented and analyzed by the type of discrepancy. RESULTS: During
the 4 years studied, there were 860 RCTs identified, with 102 RCTs determined to
be adequately registered (12%). The proportion of adequately registered trials
increased over time, with 38% of RCTs being adequately registered in 2015. The
most common reason in 2015 for inadequate registration was registering the RCT
after the first patient had already been enrolled. Among adequately registered
trials, 92% had at least 1 primary or secondary outcome discrepancy. In 2015, 42%
of RCTs had at least 1 primary outcome discrepancy, while 90% of RCTs had at
least 1 secondary outcome discrepancy. CONCLUSIONS: Despite trial registration
being an accepted best practice, RCTs published in anesthesiology journals have a
high rate of inadequate registration. While mandating trial registration has
increased the proportion of adequately registered trials over time, there is
still an unacceptably high proportion of inadequately registered RCTs. Among
adequately registered trials, there are high rates of discrepancies between
registered and reported outcomes, suggesting a need to compare a published RCT
with its trial registry entry to be able to fully assess the quality of the
study. If clinicians base their decisions on evidence distorted by primary
outcome switching, patient care could be negatively affected.
PMID- 28704248
TI - Low End-Tidal Carbon Dioxide at the Onset of Emergent Trauma Surgery Is
Associated With Nonsurvival: A Case Series.
AB - BACKGROUND: End-tidal carbon dioxide (EtCO2) is a valuable marker of the return
of adequate circulation after cardiac arrest due to medical causes. Previously,
the prognostic value of capnography in trauma has been studied among limited
populations in prehospital and emergency department settings. We aimed to
investigate the relationship between early intraoperative EtCO2 and nonsurvival
of patients undergoing emergency surgery at a level 1 academic trauma center as a
case series. If there is a threshold below which survival was extremely unlikely,
it might be useful in guiding decision-making in the early termination of futile
resuscitative efforts. METHODS: After institutional review board approval, a data
set was created to investigate the relationship between EtCO2 values at the onset
of emergent trauma surgery and nonsurvival. Patients who were admitted and
transferred to the operating room (OR) directly from a resuscitation bay were
identified using the Ryder Center trauma registry (October 1, 2013, to June 30,
2016). Electronic records from the hospital's anesthesia information management
system were queried to identify the matching anesthesia records. The maximum
EtCO2 values within 5 and 10 minutes of the onset of mechanical ventilation in
the OR were determined for patients undergoing general anesthesia with mechanical
ventilation. Patients were divided into 2 groups: those who were discharged from
the hospital alive (survivors) and those who died in the hospital before
discharge (nonsurvivors). The threshold EtCO2 giving a positive predictive value
of 100% for in-hospital mortality was determined from a graphical analysis of the
data. Association of determined threshold and mortality was analyzed using the 2
tailed Fisher exact test. RESULTS: There were 1135 patients who met the inclusion
criteria. Within the first 5 minutes of the onset of mechanical ventilation in
the OR, if the maximum EtCO2 value was <=20 mm Hg, hospital mortality was 100%
(21/21, 95% binomial confidence interval, 83.2%-100%). CONCLUSIONS: A maximum
EtCO2 <=20 mm Hg within 5 minutes of the onset of mechanical ventilation in the
OR may be useful in decision-making related to the termination of resuscitative
efforts during emergent trauma surgery. However, a large-scale study is needed to
establish the statistical reliability of this finding before potential adoption.
PMID- 28704249
TI - Patient Survey of Referral From One Surgeon to Another to Reduce Maximum Waiting
Time for Elective Surgery and Hours of Overutilized Operating Room Time.
AB - BACKGROUND: Studies of shared (patient-provider) decision making for elective
surgical care have examined both the decision whether to have surgery and
patients' understanding of treatment options. We consider shared decision making
applied to case scheduling, since implementation would reduce labor costs.
METHODS: Study questions were presented in sequence of waiting times, starting
with 4 workdays. "Assume the consultant surgeon (ie, the surgeon in charge) you
met in clinic did not have time available to do your surgery within the next 4
workdays, but his/her colleague would have had time to do your surgery within the
next 4 workdays. Would you have wanted to discuss with a member of the surgical
team (eg, the scheduler or the surgeon) the availability of surgery with a
different, equally qualified surgeon at Mayo Clinic who had time available within
the next 4 workdays, on a date of your choosing?" There were 980 invited patients
who underwent lung resection or cholecystectomy between 2011 and 2016; 135
respondents completed the study and 6 respondents dropped out after the study
questions were displayed. RESULTS: The percentages of patients whose response to
the study questions was "4 days" were 58.8% (40/68) among lung resection patients
and 58.2% (39/67) among cholecystectomy patients. The 97.5% 2-sided confidence
interval for the median maximum wait was 4 days to 4 days. Patients' choices for
the waiting time sufficient to discuss having another surgeon perform the
procedure did not differ between procedures (P = .91). Results were insensitive
to patients' sex, age, travel time to hospital, or number of office visits before
surgery (all P >= .20). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that bringing up the
option with the patient of changing surgeons when a colleague is available and
has the operating room time to perform the procedure sooner is being respectful
of most patients' individual preferences (ie, patient-centered).
PMID- 28704250
TI - Abnormal Calcium Levels During Trauma Resuscitation Are Associated With Increased
Mortality, Increased Blood Product Use, and Greater Hospital Resource
Consumption: A Pilot Investigation.
AB - BACKGROUND: Admission hypocalcemia predicts both massive transfusion and
mortality in severely injured patients. However, the effect of calcium
derangements during resuscitation remains unexplored. We hypothesize that any
hypocalcemia or hypercalcemia (either primary or from overcorrection) in the
first 24 hours after severe injury is associated with increased mortality.
METHODS: All patients at our institution with massive transfusion protocol
activation from January 2013 through December 2014 were identified. Patients
transferred from another hospital, those not transfused, those with no ionized
calcium (Ca) measured, and those who expired in the trauma bay were excluded.
Hypocalcemia and hypercalcemia were defined as any level outside the normal range
of Ca at our institution (1-1.25 mmol/L). Receiver operator curve analysis was
also used to further examine significant thresholds for both hypocalcemia and
hypercalcemia. Hospital mortality was compared between groups. Secondary outcomes
included advanced cardiovascular life support, damage control surgery, ventilator
days, and intensive care unit days. RESULTS: The massive transfusion protocol was
activated for 77 patients of whom 36 were excluded leaving 41 for analysis.
Hypocalcemia occurred in 35 (85%) patients and hypercalcemia occurred in 9 (22%).
Mortality was no different in hypocalcemia versus no hypocalcemia (29% vs 0%; P =
.13) but was greater in hypercalcemia versus no hypercalcemia (78% vs 9%; P <
.01). Receiver operator curve analysis identified inflection points in mortality
outside a Ca range of 0.84 to 1.30 mmol/L. Using these extreme values, 15 (37%)
had hypocalcemia with a 60% mortality (vs 4%; P < .01) and 9 (22%) had
hypercalcemia with a 78% mortality (vs 9%; P < .01). Patients with extreme
hypocalcemia and hypercalcemia also received more red blood cells, plasma,
platelets, and calcium repletion. CONCLUSIONS: Hypocalcemia and hypercalcemia
occur commonly during the initial resuscitation of severely injured patients.
Mild hypocalcemia may be tolerable, but more extreme hypocalcemia and any
hypercalcemia should be avoided. Further assessment to define best practice for
calcium management during resuscitation is warranted.
PMID- 28704252
TI - Bumetanide Treatment for Psychiatric Disorders and the Modulation of Central
Nitric Oxide Metabolism.
PMID- 28704253
TI - Preeclampsia in a factor XI deficient woman: discussion about one case.
PMID- 28704254
TI - EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF RANIBIZUMAB FOR THE TREATMENT OF CHOROIDAL
NEOVASCULARIZATION DUE TO UNCOMMON CAUSE: Twelve-Month Results of the MINERVA
Study.
AB - PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of ranibizumab 0.5 mg in adult
patients with choroidal neovascularization because of an uncommon cause enrolled
in the 12-month MINERVA study. METHODS: In this Phase III, double-masked study,
adult (>=18 years) patients (N = 178) were randomized 2:1 to receive either
ranibizumab (n = 119) or sham (n = 59) at baseline and, if needed, at Month 1 and
open-label individualized ranibizumab from Month 2. Best-corrected visual acuity
change from baseline to Month 2 (primary endpoint) and Month 12, treatment
exposure, and safety over 12 months were reported. Subgroup analysis was
conducted on five predefined choroidal neovascularization etiologies (angioid
streak, postinflammatory, central serous chorioretinopathy, idiopathic, and
miscellaneous). RESULTS: Ranibizumab showed superior efficacy versus sham from
baseline to Month 2 (adjusted least-squares mean best-corrected visual acuity:
+9.5 vs. -0.4 letters; P < 0.001). At Month 12, the mean best-corrected visual
acuity change was +11.0 letters (ranibizumab) and +9.3 letters (sham). Across the
5 subgroups, the treatment effect ranged from +5.0 to +14.6 letters. The mean
number of ranibizumab injections was 5.8 (ranibizumab arm) with no new ocular or
nonocular adverse events. CONCLUSION: Ranibizumab 0.5 mg resulted in clinically
significant treatment effect versus sham at Month 2. Overall, ranibizumab was
effective in treating choroidal neovascularization of various etiologies with no
new safety findings.
PMID- 28704255
TI - CHOROIDAL VASCULAR HYPERPERMEABILITY AS A PREDICTOR OF TREATMENT RESPONSE FOR
POLYPOIDAL CHOROIDAL VASCULOPATHY.
AB - PURPOSE: To investigate the influence of choroidal vascular hyperpermeability
(CVH) and choroidal thickness on treatment outcomes in eyes with polypoidal
choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) undergoing anti-vascular endothelial growth factor
monotherapy or combination therapy of photodynamic therapy and anti-vascular
endothelial growth factor injections. METHODS: The authors performed a
prospective, observational cohort study involving 72 eyes of 72 patients with
polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (mean age 68.6 years, 51% men) treated with
either monotherapy (n = 41) or combination therapy (n = 31). Each eye was imaged
with color fundus photography, fluorescent angiography, indocyanine green
angiography, and spectral domain optical coherence tomography. Indocyanine green
angiography images were used to evaluate CVH, and spectral domain optical
coherence tomography was used to measure central choroidal thickness. Changes in
visual acuity over 12 months, and number of anti-vascular endothelial growth
factor injections were investigated. RESULTS: Choroidal vascular
hyperpermeability was present in 31 eyes (43.1%). Visual acuity change over 12
months was numerically better in the CVH group compared with the CVH (-) group (
0.099 and -0.366 logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution unit in the CVH (-)
and CVH (+) groups, respectively, multivariate P = 0.063) and significantly
better in a matched pair analysis (P = 0.033). Furthermore, in the combination
therapy group, the number of injection was significantly lower in the CVH (+)
group compared with the CVH (-) group (4.68 vs. 2.58 injections/year in the CVH (
) and CVH (+) groups; P = 0.0044). There was no significant relationship between
treatment response and choroidal thickening. CONCLUSION: The presence of CVH is
associated with better visual outcome in eyes with polypoidal choroidal
vasculopathy and lower injection number in combination therapy. Thus, CVH, but
not choroidal thickness, should be further evaluated as a potential biomarker for
selecting patients for combination therapy.
PMID- 28704256
TI - Associations Between Pedometer-Determined Physical Activity and Adiposity in
Children and Adolescents: Systematic Review.
AB - OBJECTIVE: The present review sought to examine the evidence on the associations
between pedometer-determined physical activity and adiposity. DESIGN: Of 304
potentially eligible articles, 36 were included. A search for observational
studies was carried out using Cochrane Library (CENTRAL), the OVID (MEDLINE,
Embase, and PsycINFO), EBSCOhost (Sportdiscus), and PEDro database from their
commenced to July 2015. Of 304 potentially eligible articles, 36 were included.
RESULTS: Most studies (30/36; 83%) were cross sectional and all used proxies for
adiposity, such as body mass index (BMI) or BMI z-score as the outcome measure.
Few studies (2/36; 6%) focused on preschool children. There was consistent
evidence of negative associations between walking and adiposity; significant
negative associations were observed in 72% (26/36) of studies overall.
CONCLUSIONS: The present review supports the hypothesis that higher levels of
walking are protective against child and adolescent obesity. However, prospective
longitudinal studies are warranted; there is a need for more research on younger
children and for more "dose-response" evidence.
PMID- 28704257
TI - The combination of CYP3A4*22 and CYP3A5*3 single-nucleotide polymorphisms
determines tacrolimus dose requirement after kidney transplantation.
AB - INTRODUCTION: Tacrolimus (Tac) has a narrow therapeutic window and shows large
between-patient pharmacokinetic variability. As a result, over-immunosuppression
and under-immunosuppression are frequently encountered in daily clinical
practice. Unraveling the impact of genetic polymorphisms on Tac pharmacokinetics
may help to refine therapy. In this study, the associations of single-nucleotide
polymorphisms (SNPs) in drug-metabolizing enzymes (CYP3A) with Tac
pharmacokinetics were investigated in renal transplant recipients. PARTICIPANTS
AND METHODS: In a cohort of 272 kidney transplant recipients, associations
between functional genetic variants (CYP3A4*22 and CYP3A5*3) and dose-adjusted
predose Tac concentrations (C0) and daily doses of Tac at days 5-7 and 15 and 1,
3, 6 and 12 months after renal transplantation were evaluated. Patients were
genotyped and clustered according to both CYP3A4*22 and CYP3A5*3 allelic status:
poor (PM) (CYP3A4*22 carriers with CYP3A5*3/*3), intermediate (IM) (CYP3A4*1/*1
with CYP3A5*3/*3 or CYP3A4*22 carriers with CYP3A5*1 carriers) and extensive
CYP3A-metabolizers (EM) (CYP3A4*1/*1 and CYP3A5*1 carriers). RESULTS: EM had an
88% lower dose-adjusted C0 compared with IM. PM had a 26% higher dose-adjusted C0
compared with IM. The percentage of patients with supratherapeutic Tac exposure
(C0>15 ng/ml) was significantly higher in PM (43.5%) compared with EM (0%) at
days 5-7 after transplantation (P=0.01). About 30% of EM had subtherapeutic
exposure (C0<5 ng/ml) at days 5-7 after transplantation (P=0.001). CONCLUSION:
The combined CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 genotype of renal transplant recipients has a
major influence on the Tac dose required to reach the target exposure.
PMID- 28704258
TI - Effect of alternating standing and sitting on blood pressure and pulse wave
velocity during a simulated workday in adults with overweight/obesity.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Reducing prolonged sitting at work has been recommended by an expert
panel, but whether intermittent standing improves vascular health is unclear. We
aimed to test whether using a sit-stand desk could reduce blood pressure (BP) and
pulse wave velocity (PWV) during a simulated workday. METHODS: Overweight/obese
adults with pre-to-Stage 1 hypertension completed a randomized crossover study
with two simulated workday conditions: STAND-SIT (alternating standing and
sitting condition every 30 min) and SIT (continuous sitting condition).
Oscillometric BP was measured hourly. Carotid-femoral, carotid-radial, and
carotid-ankle PWV were measured in the morning, mid-day, and late afternoon using
tonometry. RESULTS: Participants [n = 25, 64% male, 84% white, mean (SD) age: 42
(12) years] had average resting SBP of 132 (9) mmHg and DBP of 83 (8) mmHg. In
linear mixed models, STAND-SIT resulted in a significantly lower DBP (mean +/-
SE: -1.0 +/- 0.4 mmHg, P = 0.020) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) (-1.0 +/- 0.4
mmHg, P = 0.029) compared with SIT. SBP (-0.9 +/- 0.7 mmHg, P = 0.176) was not
different across conditions. Carotid-ankle PWV was significantly lower during the
STAND-SIT vs. SIT condition (-0.27 +/- 0.13 m/s, P = 0.047), whereas carotid
femoral PWV (-0.03 +/- 0.13 m/s, P = 0.831) and carotid-radial PWV (-0.30 +/-
0.18 m/s, P = 0.098) were not. Changes in MAP partially explained changes in PWV.
CONCLUSION: Interrupting prolonged sitting during deskwork with intermittent
standing was a sufficient stimulus to slightly, but statistically significantly,
decrease DBP, MAP, and carotid-ankle PWV. Though the clinical significance of the
observed effects is modest, regular use of a sit-stand desk may be a practical
way to lower BP and PWV while performing deskwork.
PMID- 28704259
TI - Systemic blood pressure at exercise in hypoxia in hypertensive and normotensive
patients.
AB - OBJECTIVES: The current study aimed to determine whether acute hypoxia exposure
in laboratory conditions associated with exercise induces an increase in systemic
blood pressure (BP) in normotensive and hypertensive patients, and whether
hypertensive patients are more prone to develop severe acute mountain sickness
(sAMS). Finally, to determine if BP changes at exercise in acute hypoxia in
hypertensive patients are predictive factors for sAMS. METHODS: From 2012 to
2015, 852 normotensive and 106 hypertensive patients went through an acute
hypoxia exercise test before a sojourn at high altitude. A subgroup of 228
normotensive was selected to match age, sex ratio, body weight and BMI and
compared with the hypertensive group. RESULTS: In normotensive and hypertensive
patients, for a given workload, BP was higher in hypoxia than in normoxia,
whereas, for a given heart rate, it was lower in hypoxia than in normoxia.
Hypertensive patients treated by beta-blockers showed lower arterial oxygen
saturation (vs. other treatments) and blunted cardiac and ventilatory responses
to hypoxia at exercise. Based on questionnaires filled out at high altitude,
hypertensive patients were not more prone than normotensive patients to develop
sAMS. During the laboratory acute hypoxic exercise test, hypertensive patients
suffering from sAMS, although taking acetazolamide showed similar BP than
hypertensive patients without sAMS and without acetazolamide. DISCUSSION AND
CONCLUSION: We hypothesize that acute hypoxia with exercise in laboratory
conditions induces a peripheral vasodilation that balances vasoconstriction and
tachycardia centrally induced through the adrenergic system. Hypertensive and
normotensive patients behave similarly during exercise in acute hypoxia. Acute
hypoxia does not exacerbate the exercise-induced increase in BP. BP variation,
during the acute hypoxia exercise test, is not a useful predictor of intolerance
to high altitude. Based on laboratory tests in acute hypoxia, hypertensive
patients may not be at higher risk to develop sAMS at high altitude.
PMID- 28704260
TI - alpha-Solanine reverses pulmonary vascular remodeling and vascular angiogenesis
in experimental pulmonary artery hypertension.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Similar to cancer, pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is
characterized by vascular remodeling, which leads to obliteration of the small
pulmonary arteriole, with marked proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle
cells (PASMC) and/or endothelial cells dysfunction. Aberrant expression of tumor
suppressor genes is closely associated with susceptibility to PAH. We
hypothesized that alpha-solanine, a glycoalkaloid found in members of the
nightshade family known to have antitumor activity in different cancers, reverses
experimental PAH by activating the tumor suppressor-axis inhibition protein 2
(AXIN2). METHODS AND RESULTS: We investigated the effects of alpha-solanine on
PASMC proliferation and apoptosis by using 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine
proliferation assay, proliferating cell nuclear antigen and Ki67 staining, TUNEL
and Anexine V assays. Scratch wound healing and tube formation assays were also
used to study migration of endothelial cells. In vitro, we demonstrated, using
cultured human PASMC from PAH patients, that alpha-solanine reversed
dysfunctional AXIN2, beta-catenin and bone morphogenetic protein receptor type-2
signaling, whereas restored [Ca]i, IL-6 and IL-8, contributing to the decrease of
PAH-PASMC proliferation and resistance to apoptosis. Meanwhile, alpha-solanine
inhibits proliferation, migration and tube formation of PAH-pulmonary artery
endothelial cells by inhibiting Akt/GSK-3alpha activation. In vivo, alpha
solanine administration decreases distal pulmonary arteries remodeling, mean
pulmonary arteries pressure and right ventricular hypertrophy in both
monocrotaline-induced and Sugen/hypoxia-induced PAH in mice. CONCLUSION: This
study demonstrates that AXIN2/beta-catenin axis and Akt pathway can be
therapeutically targeted by alpha-solanine in PAH. alpha-Solanine could be used
as a new therapeutic strategy for the treatment of PAH.
PMID- 28704261
TI - No independent association between pulse wave velocity and dementia: a population
based, prospective study.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (CFPWV), a marker of aortic
stiffness, has been associated with cognitive test results and markers of
cerebral small vessel disease, but its association with dementia has not been
studied in detail. Our aim was to assess the association of CFPWV with prevalent
and incident dementia in a large population-based study. METHODS: In total, CFPWV
was measured in 3056 participants of the Malmo Diet and Cancer study 2007-2012
(age range 61-85 years). Individuals scoring below preset cut-offs on cognitive
screening tests were thoroughly evaluated for prevalent dementia. Also, dementia
diagnoses were retrieved from the Swedish National Patient Register up until 31
December 2014, and then validated through medical records and neuroimaging
findings. RESULTS: We identified 159 cases of dementia, of which 57 were
classified as prevalent, and 102 as incident during a median follow-up of 4.6
years. In fully adjusted logistic regressions, CFPWV was not associated with
prevalent all-cause dementia (odds ratio 0.95 per 1 m/s increase in CFPWV, 95%
confidence interval 0.83-1.08), and it did not predict incident all-cause
dementia (odds ratio 1.00, 95% confidence interval 0.91-1.09). Neither was CFPWV
associated with subtypes of dementia (Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia,
mixed dementia), although the number of cases in subgroups were low. CONCLUSION:
No independent association was found between CFPWV and dementia. It remains a
matter of debate why CFPWV repeatedly has been associated with cognitive test
results and markers of cerebral small vessel disease, but not with dementia.
PMID- 28704262
TI - Effect of upper body position on arterial stiffness: influence of hydrostatic
pressure and autonomic function.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate changes in arterial stiffness with positional change and
whether the stiffness changes are due to hydrostatic pressure alone or if
physiological changes in vasoconstriction of the conduit arteries play a role in
the modulation of arterial stiffness. METHODS: Thirty participants' (male = 15,
24 +/- 4 years) upper bodies were positioned at 0, 45, and 72 degrees angles.
Pulse wave velocity (PWV), cardio-ankle vascular index, carotid beta-stiffness
index, carotid blood pressure (cBP), and carotid diameters were measured at each
position. A gravitational height correction was determined using the vertical
fluid column distance (mmHg) between the heart and carotid artery. Carotid beta
stiffness was calibrated using three methods: nonheight corrected cBP of each
position, height corrected cBP of each position, and height corrected cBP of the
supine position (theoretical model). Low frequency systolic blood pressure
variability (LFSAP) was analyzed as a marker of sympathetic activity. RESULTS:
PWV and cardio-ankle vascular index increased with position (P < 0.05). Carotid
beta-stiffness did not increase if not corrected for hydrostatic pressure.
Arterial stiffness indices based on Method 2 were not different from Method 3 (P
= 0.65). LFSAP increased in more upright positions (P < 0.05) but diastolic
diameter relative to diastolic pressure did not (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Arterial
stiffness increases with a more upright body position. Carotid beta-stiffness
needs to be calibrated accounting for hydrostatic effects of gravity if measured
in a seated position. It is unclear why PWV increased as this increase was
independent of blood pressure. No difference between Methods 2 and 3 presumably
indicates that the beta-stiffness increases are only pressure dependent, despite
the increase in vascular sympathetic modulation.
PMID- 28704263
TI - Facebook advertising for participant recruitment into a blood pressure clinical
trial.
AB - OBJECTIVES: Recruitment of sufficient sample size into clinical trials is
challenging. Conventional advertising methods are expensive and are often
ineffective. The effectiveness of Facebook for recruitment into blood pressure
clinical trials of middle-to-older-aged people is unknown. This study aimed to
assess this by comparing Facebook advertising with conventional recruitment
methods from a retrospective analysis within a clinical trial. METHODS:
Conventional advertisements (newspaper, radio and posters) were employed for the
first 20 months of a randomized controlled clinical trial conducted in three
Australian capital cities from Tasmania, Queensland and the Australian Capital
Territory. With dwindling participant recruitment, at 20 months a Facebook
advertising campaign was employed intermittently over a 4-month period.
Recruitment results were retrospectively compared with those using conventional
methods in the previous 4 months. RESULTS: Compared with conventional recruitment
methods, Facebook advertisement was associated with a significant increase in the
number of participants recruited in the Australian Capital Territory (from an
average 1.8-7.3/month; P < 0.05). There was also an increase in Tasmania that was
of borderline significance (from 4.0 participants recruited/month to 9.3/month; P
= 0.052). However, there was no effect in Queensland (from 6.0 participants
recruited/month to 3.0/month; P = 0.15). Facebook advertisement was associated
with a significant decrease in the age of participants enquiring into the study
(from 60.9 to 58.7 years; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Facebook advertising was
successful in helping to increase recruitment of middle-to-older aged
participants into a blood pressure clinical trial, although there may be some
variability in effect that is dependent on location.
PMID- 28704264
TI - Extravascular renal denervation ameliorates juvenile hypertension and renal
damage resulting from experimental hyperleptinemia in rats.
AB - BACKGROUND: Material obesity in rodents is associated with neonatal
hyperleptinemia and hypertension of sympathetic origin in adult offspring.
Previously, we reported that experimentally induced hyperleptinemia in rat pups
results in adulthood hypertension. Here, we addressed the hypothesis that
experimental neonatal hyperleptinemia, through renal nerve activation, adversely
affects adult renal function. METHOD: Sprague-Dawley male and female pups were
treated with neonatal leptin (3 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) or neonatal saline, twice
daily from postnatal day 9-14. Juvenile (1 month) neonatal leptin and neonatal
saline rats were subjected to either bilateral renal denervation, unilateral
renal denervation or Sham surgery. Arterial pressure was telemetrically
monitored. RESULTS: Juvenile neonatal leptin rats with intact renal nerves
demonstrated increased mean arterial pressure (MAP) accompanied by local renin
angiotensin system overactivity and reduced glomerular filtration rate. Bilateral
renal denervation in rats protected against neonatal leptin-induced MAP, renal
renin-angiotensin system and impaired glomerular filtration rate. A two-fold
increase in sympathetically mediated tubulointerstitial damage in young adult (2
months) neonatal leptin females, was suppressed by unilateral renal denervation,
independent of MAP. Neonatal leptin rats also demonstrated increases in urinary
protein, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, and kidney injury molecule
1. Raised blood pressure was associated with increased salt sensitivity and with
sustained renal dysfunction in adulthood. CONCLUSION: We propose that neonatal
hyperleptinemia programmes long-term renal structural and functional damage,
through renal sympathetic nerve activation.
PMID- 28704265
TI - Limits of stability in patients with vascular (due to diabetes) and nonvascular
unilateral transtibial amputation: a cross-sectional study.
AB - The aim of the study was to investigate the differences in the stability limits
between patients with vascular and nonvascular unilateral transtibial amputation
(UTA) and patients without amputation. Eighteen patients with UTA who used a
prosthesis were divided into two groups: vascular (n=9) and nonvascular (n=9).
Twenty-four patients without amputation served as the control group. Computerized
dynamic posturography Smart EquiTest System, version 8.0 was used for measuring
stability limits. The limits of stability test was used to assess the
participants' ability to voluntarily sway to various locations in space. The
measured parameters were maximum centre of gravity (COG) excursion, endpoint COG
excursion and directional control. Single-factor analysis of variance and
Bonferroni adjustment a posteriori tests was performed to investigate the
differences between groups. The patients with vascular UTA had significantly
lower endpoint COG excursion to oblique and forward direction compared with
controls (P=0.017). In addition, the patients with vascular UTA had significantly
lower maximum COG excursion to oblique and forward and to oblique and backward
directions (P=0.031; 0.019). Patients with vascular UTA had significantly lower
endpoint and maximum COG excursion to oblique and backward direction compared
with patients with nonvascular UTA (P=0.30; 0.029). To summarize, patients with
vascular UTA have substantially reduced limits of stability compared with
patients without amputation and the patients with nonvascular UTA.
PMID- 28704266
TI - Electrical stimulation therapy for dysphagia: a follow-up survey of USA dysphagia
practitioners.
AB - The aim of this study was to compare current application, practice patterns,
clinical outcomes, and professional attitudes of dysphagia practitioners
regarding electrical stimulation (e-stim) therapy with similar data obtained in
2005. A web-based survey was posted on the American Speech-Language-Hearing
Association Special Interest Group 13 webpage for 1 month. A total of 271 survey
responses were analyzed and descriptively compared with the archived responses
from the 2005 survey. Results suggested that e-stim application increased by 47%
among dysphagia practitioners over the last 10 years. The frequency of weekly e
stim therapy sessions decreased while the reported total number of treatment
sessions increased between the two surveys. Advancement in oral diet was the most
commonly reported improvement in both surveys. Overall, reported satisfaction
levels of clinicians and patients regarding e-stim therapy decreased. Still, the
majority of e-stim practitioners continue to recommend this treatment modality to
other dysphagia practitioners. Results from the novel items in the current survey
suggested that motor level e-stim (e.g. higher amplitude) is most commonly used
during dysphagia therapy with no preferred electrode placement. Furthermore, the
majority of clinicians reported high levels of self-confidence regarding their
ability to perform e-stim. The results of this survey highlight ongoing changes
in application, practice patterns, clinical outcomes, and professional attitudes
associated with e-stim therapy among dysphagia practitioners.
PMID- 28704267
TI - Effect of a brief motivational intervention in reducing alcohol consumption in
the emergency department: a randomized controlled trial.
AB - BACKGROUND: Introduction to alcohol consumption early in life increases the risk
of alcohol dependency and hence motivational interventions are needed in young
patients visiting the emergency department (ED). AIM: This study aims to
investigate the efficacy of a brief motivational intervention in reducing alcohol
consumption among young ED patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a blind
randomized controlled trial with follow-up at 3 months. Patients were stratified
on the basis of age and blood alcohol level of 0.5 g/l or more. A total of 263
patients aged 16-24 were randomized, with 132 patients in the brief motivational
intervention group and 131 in the control group, with data collection at 3
months. From September 2011 to July 2012, a psychologist performed the brief
motivational intervention 5 days after the patients' discharge. A phone call was
made at 1 and 2 months. The control group received a self-assessment leaflet. The
reduction in consumption was determined on the basis of the number of drinks
consumed in the last week prior to the survey. RESULTS: The mean reduction
between number of drinks at baseline and number of drinks at 3 months in the
control group was 0.3 and that in the intervention group was 0.9. This reduction
in alcohol use in the brief motivational intervention group was not significant.
The study did not show an association between brief motivational intervention and
repeated drunkenness [relative risk (RR): 0.99, 95% confidence interval (CI):
0.79-1.24], alcohol consumption at least once a month (RR: 0.81, 95% CI: 0.31
2.10) and alcohol consumption at least 10 times during the month (RR: 1.1, 95%
CI: 0.96-1.26). CONCLUSION: We did not observe a significant decrease in alcohol
consumption among the youth. Further studies are needed to confirm the positive
impact of a brief motivational intervention in the ED.
PMID- 28704268
TI - Safe discharge and outpatient investigation of ureteric colic: a retrospective
analysis.
AB - BACKGROUND: Computed tomography of the kidneys, ureters and bladder is the
recommended imaging modality for suspected urolithiasis. Early scanning is
advised in guidelines, but there is limited published evidence to support this
recommendation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In a retrospective study, we reviewed
patients managed according to a local guideline. Patients without high-risk
features were either imaged during their initial visit (if in the daytime) or
discharged for outpatient scans. Complications, unplanned returns, final
diagnosis, and intervention rates were compared between groups. RESULTS: Fifty
four patients were scanned during their initial visit and 151 were scanned as an
outpatient at a median interval of 10 days. Unplanned return rates were lower in
those scanned as outpatients (7.3 vs. 24.1%), with no significant difference in
complications (2.0 vs. 3.7%; none leading to permanent harm). Those scanned as
outpatients were less likely to have a stone proven by imaging (39.7 vs. 64.8%),
but did not have a significantly higher rate of proven alternative diagnosis (9.3
vs. 13.0%). CONCLUSION: There is no evidence in this cohort that discharging
patients for outpatient imaging is associated with poorer outcomes, provided that
an appropriate clinical risk assessment is carried out.
PMID- 28704269
TI - The impact of medical specialist staffing on emergency department patient flow
and satisfaction.
AB - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe the impact of additional medical
specialists, non-emergency physicians (non-EPs), performing direct supervision or
a combination of direct and indirect supervision at an EP-led emergency
department (ED), on patient flow and satisfaction. PATIENTS AND METHODS: An
observational, cross-sectional, three-part study was carried out including staff
surveys (n=379), a before and after 16-week data collection using data of visits
during the peak hours (n=5270), and patient questionnaires during 1 week before
the pilot and during week 5 of the pilot. Content analysis and descriptive
statistics were used for analyses. RESULTS: The value of being present at the ED
was acknowledged by medical specialists in 49% of their surveys and 35% of the
EPs' and ED nurses' surveys, especially during busy shifts. Radiologists were
most often (67.3%) convinced of their value of being on-site, which was agreed
upon by the ED professionals. Perceived improved quality of care, shortening of
length of stay, and enhanced peer consultation were mentioned most often.During
the pilot period, length of stay of boarded patients decreased from 197 min
(interquartile range: 121 min) to 181 min (interquartile range: 113 min,
P=0.006), and patient recommendation scores increased from -15 to +20.
CONCLUSION: Although limited by the mix of direct and indirect supervision, our
results suggest a positive impact of additional medical specialists during busy
shifts. Throughput of admitted patients and patient satisfaction improved during
the pilot period. Whether these findings differ between direct supervision and
combination of direct and indirect supervision by the medical specialists
requires further investigation.
PMID- 28704270
TI - Impact of Ramadan on emergency department visits and on medical emergencies.
AB - BACKGROUND: Fasting during Ramadan is important to Muslims. This study describes
changes in emergency department (ED) visits and in frequencies of emergency
conditions and impact on clinical outcomes during Ramadan in a tertiary care
center in Beirut, Lebanon. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients presenting to ED during
Ramadan 1 month before and 1 month after Ramadan over a 3-year period with
specific conditions (acute coronary syndrome, stroke, seizure, diabetes, renal
colic, headache or hypertension) were included. Clinical and sociodemographic
characteristics, ED volume, diagnoses, and outcomes were examined during two
periods (Ramadan vs. non-Ramadan). Multiple logistic regressions were performed
to identify the impact of Ramadan on ED bounce-back and mortality at ED
discharge. RESULTS: A total of 3536 patients were included. The daily average ED
volume was higher during non-Ramadan months (145.65+/-22.14) compared with
Ramadan (128.85+/-14.52). The average ED length of stay was higher during Ramadan
(5.42+/-14.86 vs. 3.96+/-4.29 h; P=0.006). Frequencies and admission rates for
the selected diseases were comparable during the two periods, except for patients
with acute coronary syndrome or stroke who had lower admission rates during
Ramadan.ED bounce-back rates and mortality at ED discharge were higher during
Ramadan (odds=1.34, 95% confidence interval: 1.03-1.74 and odds ratio=2.88, 95%
confidence interval: 1.01-8.27, respectively). CONCLUSION: EDs might experience a
decrease in volumes, higher length of stay, and potentially worse outcomes during
Ramadan. Changes in the frequencies of ED visits related to common conditions are
not expected. Prospective studies documenting fasting status would clarify
further the impact of Ramadan.
PMID- 28704271
TI - Mitigation of adverse behavioral impact from predator exposure by the
nociceptin/orphanin FQ peptide antagonist J-113397 in rats.
AB - The nociceptin/orphanin FQ peptide (NOP) receptor is believed to have an integral
modulatory function in the stress response system. We evaluated the highly
selective NOP antagonist J-113397 (7.5 and 20.0 mg/kg), using a predator exposure
in which rats were exposed to predator cats as a stressor. A single dose of J
113397 or vehicle was administered (intraperitoneally) shortly before exposure to
the predators or a sham exposure. Behavioral impact was measured using elevated
plus maze (EPM), open field activity (OFA), and an olfactory discrimination (OD).
The predator exposure produced a relatively long-lasting deficit (decreased time
in open arms, decreased basic activity) on the EPM while having little effect on
performance on the OFA or OD. J-113397 mitigated the performance deficits on the
EPM in a dose-dependent manner while having little effect on performance on the
OFA or OD. The largest dose of J-113397, administered with a sham exposure, was
essentially devoid of effects on the EPM, OFA, and OD. These results demonstrate
that J-113397 can significantly and selectively mitigate the effects of a
stressor typically used in a preclinical model of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Furthermore, these results are consistent with and extend previous results
showing that the NOP receptor has an important role in the response to stress and
that NOP antagonism may, potentially, have therapeutic benefit in stress
disorders.
PMID- 28704272
TI - Epigenetic mechanisms associated with addiction-related behavioural effects of
nicotine and/or cocaine: implication of the endocannabinoid system.
AB - The addictive use of nicotine (NC) and cocaine (COC) continues to be a major
public health problem, and their combined use has been reported, particularly
during adolescence. In neural plasticity, commonly induced by NC and COC, as well
as behavioural plasticity related to the use of these two drugs, the involvement
of epigenetic mechanisms, in which the reversible regulation of gene expression
occurs independently of the DNA sequence, has recently been reported.
Furthermore, on the basis of intense interactions with the target
neurotransmitter systems, the endocannabinoid (ECB) system has been considered
pivotal for eliciting the effects of NC or COC. The combined use of marijuana
with NC and/or COC has also been reported. This article presents the addiction
related behavioural effects of NC and/or COC, based on the common
behavioural/neural plasticity and combined use of NC/COC, and reviews the
interacting role of the ECB system. The epigenetic processes inseparable from the
effects of NC and/or COC (i.e. DNA methylation, histone modifications and
alterations in microRNAs) and the putative therapeutic involvement of the ECB
system at the epigenetic level are also discussed.
PMID- 28704273
TI - Anxiety does not contribute to social withdrawal in the subchronic phencyclidine
rat model of schizophrenia.
AB - Social withdrawal should not be considered a direct measure of the negative
symptoms of schizophrenia as it may result not only from asociality (primary
negative symptom) but also from other altered processes such as anxiety. To
understand the contribution of these two factors to social deficit, we
investigated whether the social withdrawal observed in the subchronic
phencyclidine (PCP) rat model of schizophrenia could be attributed to increased
anxiety. Compared to saline controls, PCP-treated rats (5 mg/kg, twice daily for
7 days, followed by a washout period) spent significantly less time in social
interaction, but did not show anxiety-like behaviors in different relevant
behavioral paradigms. In addition, their social deficit was not affected by a
behavioral procedure known to reduce anxiety-like behavior (repeated exposure to
the same partner) nor by systemic administration of the classical anxiolytic
diazepam. In contrast, PCP-induced social withdrawal was reversed by the
cannabinoid agonist CP55,940, a drug with known anxiogenic properties.
Furthermore, when using the social approach task, PCP-treated animals performed
similarly to control animals treated with diazepam, but not to those treated with
the anxiogenic compound pentylenetetrazole. Taken together, our results indicate
that PCP-induced social withdrawal cannot be attributed to increased anxiety.
These data are discussed in the context of primary versus secondary negative
symptoms and the deficit syndrome of schizophrenia.
PMID- 28704274
TI - Maternal separation induces long-term effects on monoamines and brain-derived
neurotrophic factor levels on the frontal cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus:
differential effects after a stress challenge.
AB - The maternal separation (MS) paradigm is a well-known animal model that resembles
the stress of early adverse life experiences and produces structural and
functional abnormalities when animals are adults. The present study analyzed the
effect of MS, in adult mice, on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF),
serotonin (5-HT), and dopamine (DA) levels, and the turnover rate in the
hippocampus, frontal cortex, and amygdala, and brain regions that are associated
with emotion. Also, the effects of MS in depression-like responses in adult mice
were studied. The results showed that MS from postnatal day 8-21 induces
depression-like behaviors. In MS mice, the three brain areas showed differential
responses in 5-HT, DA, and BDNF concentrations both in basal levels and when
animals were challenged with an acute stressor in adulthood. Specifically, under
basal conditions, MS increased monoamine and BDNF levels in the hippocampus and
amygdala, but decreased these levels in the frontal cortex. In MS, but not in
control mice, the amygdala responded to the stress challenge, whereas the frontal
cortex showed no response. Finally, the hippocampus showed increased 5-HT and DA
activity, but not increased BDNF after the stress challenge in MS mice. The
present results support the theory of the hypofunctionality of the frontal cortex
and hyperactivity of mesolimbic areas in depression-like conditions.
PMID- 28704275
TI - Agonist E-6837 and antagonist SB-271046 of 5-HT6 receptors both reverse the
depressive-like effect induced in mice by subchronic ketamine administration.
AB - Major depression is one of the most common affective disorders caused by
schizophrenia. The administration of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonists,
such as ketamine, can reproduce the negative and affective symptoms of this
disorder in animals. Preclinical studies have shown that 5-HT6 receptor (5-HT6R)
agonists and antagonists have a considerable antipsychotic response. The aim of
the present study was to evaluate the effect of an acute treatment with an
agonist, E-6837, and an antagonist, SB-271046, of 5-HT6R on the immobility
induced in mice by a subchronic ketamine regimen (5 days; 10 mg/kg/day,
intraperitoneal). Repeated ketamine administration alone increased the immobility
time in the forced-swimming test and the tail-suspension test. E-6837 at 10 and
20 mg/kg caused a significant reduction of immobility in the tail-suspension test
and forced-swimming test, respectively. Interestingly, SB-271046 (10 mg/kg) also
elicited an antidepressant-like effect in both tests. The current findings
suggest an important role for these 5-HT6R ligands as mood modulators. However,
it is necessary to explore the physiological mechanisms involved in this process
in greater detail.
PMID- 28704276
TI - Effects of D1 and D2 receptor antagonists on the discriminative stimulus effects
of methylendioxypyrovalerone and mephedrone in male Sprague-Dawley rats trained
to discriminate D-amphetamine.
AB - Psychopharmacology research has amassed substantial evidence for similarities
between synthetic cathinones and other commonly abused psychostimulants. Few
studies have utilized drug discrimination methods to investigate synthetic
cathinones, and the precise neurochemical substrates underlying their
interoceptive effects have not been examined. The present study assessed the
involvement of D1 and D2 dopaminergic receptors in the stimulus effects of 3,4
methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) and mephedrone (MEPH) in rats trained to
discriminate D-amphetamine. Eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained to
discriminate 0.5 mg/kg D-amphetamine (AMPH) from saline. Dose-response curves
were then generated with AMPH (0.0-1.0 mg/kg), MDPV (0.0-1.0 mg/kg), and MEPH
(0.0-2.0 mg/kg). Subsequently, Sch 39166 (0.3 mg/kg) and haloperidol (0.5 mg/kg)
were administered in combination with select doses of MDPV and MEPH. Both MDPV
and MEPH produced full substitution for AMPH. Sch 39166 produced a downward shift
in the MDPV and MEPH dose-response curves and haloperidol produced similar
results with MDPV. These preliminary findings indicate that MDPV and MEPH produce
interoceptive stimuli that are similar to those produced by AMPH and that D1 and
D2 dopamine receptors contribute to these effects. Additional studies are
warranted to investigate the contribution of other receptor mechanisms involved
in the interoceptive stimuli produced by synthetic cathinones.
PMID- 28704277
TI - Effects of ceftriaxone on conditioned nicotine reward in rats.
AB - Nicotine is the addictive compound in tobacco products which exerts psychosomatic
effects that contribute to abuse and to low rates of abstinence in treatment
seeking smokers. At present, the most successful smoking cessation aide helps one
in four individuals quit smoking at 1 year postcessation. New adjunctive
therapies are needed to improve status of smoking-related public health crises,
and beta-lactam antibiotics are one class of potential therapies as they
favorably augment extrasynaptic glutamate clearance. Our study used two-chamber
place conditioning to assess effects of ceftriaxone (CTX) on persistence of
conditioned nicotine reward. Rats were conditioned to associate nicotine (0.4
mg/kg, subcutaneous) with one context and vehicle with an alternative context.
After initial post-test, rats received either daily ceftriaxone (200 mg/kg,
intraperitoneal) or saline. All rats showed nicotine place preference during post
test 1. CTX-treated rats meeting extinction criterion by post-test 7 showed
significantly reduced preference for the nicotine-paired context during post-test
2 compared with vehicle-treated rats. We interpret these data to support the
further study of CTX as a smoking cessation aide. Our results suggest that CTX
reduces persistence of conditioned nicotine reward and may be helpful for
improving abstinence rates in a subset of treatment-seeking smokers.
PMID- 28704278
TI - Trace amine-associated receptor 1 agonists RO5263397 and RO5166017 attenuate
quinpirole-induced yawning but not hypothermia in rats.
AB - Increasing evidence suggests that trace amine-associated receptor 1 (TAAR1) is an
important modulator of the dopaminergic system. Existing molecular evidence
indicates that TAAR1 regulates dopamine levels through interactions with dopamine
transporters and D2 receptors. However, investigations to date have not been
exhaustive and other pathways may be involved. In this study, we used a well
described set of behaviors, quinpirole-induced yawning and hypothermia, to
explore the potential interaction of TAAR1 and D3 receptors, which are members of
the 'D2-like' dopamine receptor subfamily. Previous studies have shown that for
D2/D3 receptor agonists, the induction of yawning is a D3 receptor-mediated
effect, whereas the inhibition of yawning and induction of hypothermia are D2
receptor-mediated effects. Quinpirole produced an inverted U-shaped dose-effect
curve for yawning, which was shifted downward dose-dependently by each of the
TAAR1 agonists RO5263397 and RO5166017. Quinpirole also produced dose-dependent
hypothermia, which was not affected by either TAAR1 agonist. These results
suggest that TAAR1 agonists may interact with D3 receptors and/or its downstream
pathways, as opposed to D2 receptors. These findings may shed light on a
previously unexplored possibility for the mechanism of TAAR1-mediated effects.
PMID- 28704279
TI - Assessing healthcare professionals' experiences of integrated care: do surveys
tell the full story?
AB - BACKGROUND: Integrated care is the combination of different healthcare services
with the goal to provide comprehensive, seamless, effective and efficient patient
care. Assessing the experiences of healthcare professionals (HCPs) is an
important aspect when evaluating integrated care strategies. AIMS: The aim of
this rapid review was to investigate if quantitative surveys used to assess HCPs'
experiences with integrated care capture all the aspects highlighted as being
important in qualitative research, with a view to informing future survey
development. METHODS: The review considered all types of health professionals in
primary care, and hospital and specialist services, with a specific focus on the
provision of integrated care aimed at improving the patient journey. PubMed,
CINAHL and grey literature sources were searched for relevant surveys/program
evaluations and qualitative research studies. Full text articles deemed to be of
relevance to the review were appraised for methodological quality using abridged
critical appraisal instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Data were
extracted from included studies using standardized data extraction templates.
Findings from included studies were grouped into domains based on similarity of
meaning. Similarities and differences in the domains covered in quantitative
surveys and those identified as being important in qualitative research were
explored. RESULTS: A total of 37 studies (19 quantitative surveys, 14 qualitative
studies and four mixed-method studies) were included in the review. A range of
healthcare professions participated in the included studies, the majority being
primary care providers. Common domains identified from quantitative surveys and
qualitative studies included Communication, Agreement on Clear Roles and
Responsibilities, Facilities, Information Systems, and Coordination of Care and
Access. Qualitative research highlighted domains identified by HCPs as being
relevant to their experiences with integrated care that have not routinely being
surveyed, including Workload, Clear Leadership/Decision-Making, Management,
Flexibility of Integrated Care Model, Engagement, Usefulness of Integrated Care
and Collaboration, and Positive Impact/Clinical Benefits/Practice Level Benefits.
CONCLUSION: There were several domains identified from qualitative research that
are not routinely included in quantitative surveys to assess health
professionals' experiences of integrated care. In addition, the qualitative
findings suggest that the experiences of HCPs are often impacted by deeper
aspects than those measured by existing surveys. Incorporation of targeted items
within these domains in the design of surveys should enhance the capture of data
that are relevant to the experiences of HCPs with integrated care, which may
assist in more comprehensive evaluation and subsequent improvement of integrated
care programs.
PMID- 28704280
TI - The paradox of transient worsening renal function in patients with acute heart
failure: the role of B-type natriuretic peptide and diuretic response.
AB - AIMS: Worsening renal function (WRF) occurs in one-third of patients hospitalized
for acute decompensated heart failure. Recently, WRF was categorized in two
subtypes: persistent and transient WRF. Thus, we sought to investigate the
different prognostic impact of persistent vs. transient WRF; we also evaluate the
relation of two WRF phenotypes with congestion, B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP)
changes, and diuretic response at discharge. METHODS: The prospective was a
single centre study including patients screened for interventional Diur-heart
failure Trial (NCT01441245). Patients were eligible if they were admitted with a
primary diagnosis of acute heart failure with evidence of volume overload.
Persistent WRF was defined as a sustained creatinine increase by at least 0.3
mg/dl throughout the hospitalisation; transient WRF was defined as creatinine
increase by at least 0.3 mg/dl within 72 h and a return to baseline levels at
discharge. Patients were followed for 6 months after discharge. RESULTS: Our
population included 192 acute decompensated heart failure patients. In total, 61
patients developed persistent WRF and 29 developed transient WRF. Patients with
persistent WRF showed a lower mean urine output with respect to the transient WRF
group and patients with preserved renal function (1618 +/- 374 vs. 2132 +/- 392
vs. 2075 +/- 442 ml; P < 0.001). Similarly, patients with transient WRF
demonstrated a higher rate of BNP decrease more than 30% than seen in patients
with stable creatinine levels and in the persistent WRF group (95 vs. 76 vs. 54%;
P = 0.001). Univariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated that BNP decrease
less than 30% [HR 2.15 (1.40-3.40); P < 0.001] and persistent WRF [HR 1.70 (1.11
2.61); P = 0.01] were related to poor outcome; conversely, transient WRF should
be considered as a protective factor [HR 0.42 (0.19-0.93); P = 0.03]. In the
multivariable model, only persistent WRF appeared to be related to poor prognosis
[HR 1.61 (1.02-2.57); P = 0.04]. CONCLUSION: WRF occurring during hospitalization
has a different significance: transient deterioration appears to be associated
with a favourable clinical course; conversely, persistent WRF is related to poor
outcome.
PMID- 28704281
TI - The Diagnostic Value of 3-Dimensional Sampling Perfection With Application
Optimized Contrasts Using Different Flip Angle Evolutions (SPACE) MRI in
Evaluating Lower Extremity Deep Venous Thrombus.
AB - OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of
noncontrast magnetic resonance imaging utilizing sampling perfection with
application optimized contrasts using different flip angle evolutions (SPACE) in
detecting deep venous thrombus (DVT) of the lower extremity and evaluating clot
burden. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study was approved by the
institutional review board. Ninety-four consecutive patients (42 men, 52 women;
age range, 14-87 years; average age, 52.7 years) suspected of lower extremity DVT
underwent ultrasound (US) and SPACE. The venous visualization score for SPACE was
determined by 2 radiologists independently according to a 4-point scale (1-4,
poor to excellent). The sensitivity and specificity of SPACE in detecting DVT
were calculated based on segment, limb, and patient, with US serving as the
reference standard. The clot burden for each segment was scored (0-3, patent to
entire segment occlusion). The clot burden score obtained with SPACE was compared
with US using a Wilcoxon test based on region, limb, and patient. Interobserver
agreement in assessing DVT (absent, nonocclusive, or occlusive) with SPACE was
determined by calculating Cohen kappa coefficients. RESULTS: The mean venous
visualization score for SPACE was 3.82 +/- 0.50 for reader 1 and 3.81 +/- 0.50
for reader 2. For reader 1, sensitivity/specificity values of SPACE in detecting
DVT were 96.53%/99.90% (segment), 95.24%/99.04% (limb), and 95.89%/95.24%
(patient). For reader 2, corresponding values were 97.20%/99.90%, 96.39%/99.05%,
and 97.22%/95.45%. The clot burden assessed with SPACE was not significantly
different from US (P > 0.05 for region, limb, patient). Interobserver agreement
of SPACE in assessing thrombosis was excellent (kappa = 0.894 +/- 0.014).
CONCLUSIONS: Non-contrast-enhanced 3-dimensional SPACE magnetic resonance imaging
is highly accurate in detecting lower extremity DVT and reliable in the
evaluation of clot burden. SPACE could serve as an important alternative for
patients in whom US cannot be performed.
PMID- 28704282
TI - Excessive Surgical Adhesive Mimicking Aortic Root Abscess: A Case Report.
AB - Aortic root abscess is a complication of aortic valve endocarditis that is
associated with a high morbidity and mortality. The diagnosis usually is made
with transesophageal echocardiography, which is highly sensitive and specific for
the disease. We present a case of suspected aortic root abscess 1 week after
mechanical aortic valve replacement for native valve endocarditis. The diagnosis
was made by the use of transesophageal echocardiography but surgical inspection
revealed that the paravalvular fluid collection was excessive surgical adhesive.
We discuss the clinical significance and differential diagnosis of aortic root
abscess in the setting of infective endocarditis.
PMID- 28704284
TI - Evaluation of a Simpler Tool to Assess Nontechnical Skills During Simulated
Critical Events.
AB - INTRODUCTION: Management of critical events requires teams to employ nontechnical
skills (NTS), such as teamwork, communication, decision making, and vigilance. We
sought to estimate the reliability and provide evidence for the validity of the
ratings gathered using a new tool for assessing the NTS of anesthesia providers,
the behaviorally anchored rating scale (BARS), and compare its scores with those
of an established NTS tool, the Anaesthetists' Nontechnical Skills (ANTS) scale.
METHODS: Six previously trained raters (4 novices and 2 experts) reviewed and
scored 18 recorded simulated pediatric crisis management scenarios using a
modified ANTS and a BARS tool. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated
separately for the novice and expert raters, by scenario, and overall. RESULTS:
The intrarater reliability of the ANTS total score was 0.73 (expert, 0.57;
novice, 0.84); for the BARS tool, it was 0.80 (expert, 0.79; novice, 0.81). The
average interrater reliability of BARS scores (0.58) was better than ANTS scores
(0.37), and the interrater reliabilities of scores from novices (0.69 BARS and
0.52 ANTS) were better than those obtained from experts (0.47 BARS and 0.21 ANTS)
for both scoring instruments. The Pearson correlation between the ANTS and BARS
total scores was 0.74. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, reliability estimates were better
for the BARS scores than the ANTS scores. For both measures, the intrarater and
interrater reliability was better for novices compared with domain experts,
suggesting that properly trained novices can reliably assess the NTS of
anesthesia providers managing a simulated critical event. There was substantial
correlation between the 2 scoring instruments, suggesting that the tools measured
similar constructs. The BARS tool can be an alternative to the ANTS scale for the
formative assessment of NTS of anesthesia providers.
PMID- 28704285
TI - Cricothyroidotomy In Situ Simulation Curriculum (CRIC Study): Training Residents
for Rare Procedures.
AB - INTRODUCTION: Technical skill acquisition for rare procedures can be challenging
given the few real-life training opportunities. In situ simulation (ISS), a
training technique that takes place in the actual workplace, is a promising
method to promote environmental fidelity for rare procedures. This study
evaluated a simulation-based technical skill curriculum for cricothyroidotomy
using deliberate practice, followed by an ISS evaluation session. METHODS: Twenty
emergency medicine residents participated in a two-part curriculum to improve
cricothryoidotomy performance. A pretest established participant baseline
technical skill. The training session consisted of two parts, didactic teaching
followed by deliberate practice using a task-training manikin. A posttest
consisted of an unannounced, high-fidelity ISS, during an emergency department
shift. The primary outcome was the mean performance time between the pretest and
posttest sessions. Skill performance was also evaluated using a checklist scale
and global rating scale. RESULTS: Cricothyroidotomy performance time improved
significantly from pretest to posttest sessions (mean difference, 59 seconds; P <
0.0001). Both checklist and global rating scales improved significantly from the
pretest to the posttest with a mean difference of 1.82 (P = 0.002) and 6.87 (P =
0.0025), respectively. Postcourse survey responses were favorable for both the
overall curriculum experience and the unannounced ISS. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot
study demonstrated that unannounced ISS is feasible and can be used to
effectively measure cricothyroidotomy performance among EM residents. After a two
part training session consisting of didactic learning and deliberate practice,
improved cricothyroidotomy skill performance was observed during an unannounced
ISS in the emergency department. The integration of ISS in cricothyroidotomy
training represents a promising approach; however, further study is needed to
establish its role.
PMID- 28704286
TI - The Effect of Force Feedback in a Virtual Learning Environment on the Performance
and Satisfaction of Dental Students.
AB - INTRODUCTION: This study investigated the effect of force feedback (FFB) on
student performance in a virtual learning environment (VLE) using the Simodont
dental trainer (Moog, Nieuw-Vennep, the Netherlands) and evaluated the students'
satisfaction with and without FFB. METHODS: The Simodont dental trainer, which
was used as a VLE, was randomly assigned to 101 first-year dental students with
no previous experience in cutting a tooth or working in a VLE with FFB. This
study was designed as a crossover study. One half of the students practiced
without FFB, whereas one half practiced with FFB. Both groups practiced four
sessions lasting 45 minutes on a cross preparation. In the fifth session, test 1
was scheduled. After test 1, the same practicing and testing protocol was
followed, although the environment was switched. After test 2, participants
filled out a questionnaire. For the statistical analysis, only the questionnaires
of the students who participated in both tests were processed. RESULTS: The
results of test 1 and test 2 revealed that only students who used FFB were able
to pass the tests. The questionnaire outcomes supported the results of both
tests; 100% of the students preferred working with FFB. CONCLUSIONS: The results
suggest that FFB is important for performance in a VLE and essential for
satisfaction.
PMID- 28704287
TI - Developing Team Cognition: A Role for Simulation.
AB - STATEMENT: Simulation has had a major impact in the advancement of healthcare
team training and assessment. To date, most simulation-based training and
assessments focus on the teamwork behaviors that impact team performance, often
ignoring critical cognitive, motivational, and affective team processes. Evidence
from team science research demonstrates a strong relationship between team
cognition and team performance and suggests a role for simulation in the
development of this team-level construct. In this article, we synthesize research
from the broader team science literature to provide foundational knowledge
regarding team cognition and highlight best practices for using simulation to
target team cognition.
PMID- 28704288
TI - The Effectiveness of Medical Simulation in Teaching Medical Students Critical
Care Medicine: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
AB - STATEMENT: We aimed to assess effectiveness of simulation for teaching medical
students critical care medicine and to assess which simulation methods were most
useful. We searched AMED, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Education Resources Information
Centre, British Education Index, Australian Education Index, and bibliographies
and citations, in July 2013. Randomized controlled trials comparing effectiveness
of simulation with another educational intervention, or no teaching, for teaching
medical students critical care medicine were included. Assessments for inclusion,
quality, and data extraction were duplicated and results were synthesized using
meta-analysis.We included 22 randomized control trials (n = 1325). Fifteen
studies comparing simulation with other teaching found simulation to be more
effective [standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.84; 95% confidence interval
(CI) = 0.43 to 1.24; P < 0.001; I = 89%]. High-fidelity simulation was more
effective than low-fidelity simulation, and subgrouping supported high-fidelity
simulation being more effective than other methods. Simulation improved skill
acquisition (SMD = 1.01; 95% CI = 0.49 to 1.53) but was no better than other
teaching in knowledge acquisition (SMD = 0.41; 95% CI = -0.09 to 0.91).
PMID- 28704289
TI - Beyond Fidelity: Deconstructing the Seductive Simplicity of Fidelity in Simulator
Based Education in the Health Care Professions.
AB - STATEMENT: Fidelity has become a ubiquitous feature of discourse in simulation
studies. Recent studies have highlighted the often ambiguous and contradictory
manner in which fidelity has been defined, with each definition emphasizing
different physical and functional features of simulation. We suggest that
regarding fidelity as an objective property of a simulation obscures the
interactive nature of the educator-learner relationship and should be abandoned.
Rather than conceiving training as tasks performed by an individual in isolation,
we suggest that it is more accurately understood as the social learning of
affordances. Affordances represent the functional features of a simulator, which
are taken as relevant in a specific learning context by means of analogy.
Training is successful to the extent that educators and learners share an
understanding of those affordances. Even when explicitly formulated, the concept
of fidelity has greater difficulty accounting for the complex, interactional
features of the training situation in comparison with accounts based on social
learning. We conclude that continued attempts to redefine and use fidelity in the
context of training will likely yield little benefit to the field compared with
an interactive social learning framework.
PMID- 28704290
TI - Developing a Conversational Virtual Standardized Patient to Enable Students to
Practice History-Taking Skills.
AB - INTRODUCTION: Although traditional virtual patient simulations are designed to
teach and assess clinical reasoning skills, few employ conversational dialogue
with the patients. The virtual standardized patients (VSPs) described herein
represent standardized patients that students interview using natural language.
Students take histories and develop differential diagnoses of the VSPs as much as
they would with standardized or actual patients. The student-VSP interactions are
recorded, creating a comprehensive record of questions and the order in which
they were asked, which can be analyzed to assess information-gathering skills.
Students document the encounter in an electronic medical record created for the
VSPs. METHODS: The VSP was developed by integrating a dialogue management system
(ChatScript) with emotionally responsive 3D characters created in a high-fidelity
game engine (Unity). The system was tested with medical students at the Ohio
State University College of Medicine. Students are able to take a history of a
VSP, develop a differential diagnosis, and document the encounter in the
electronic medical record. RESULTS: Accuracy of the VSP responses ranged from 79%
to 86%, depending on the complexity of the case, type of history obtained, and
skill of the student. Students were able to accurately develop an appropriate
differential diagnosis on the basis of the information provided by the patient
during the encounter. CONCLUSIONS: The VSP enables students to practice their
history-taking skills before encounters with standardized or actual patients.
Future developments will focus on creating an assessment module that will
automatically analyze VSP sessions and provide immediate student feedback.
PMID- 28704291
TI - National Clinical Skills Competition for Medical Students in China.
PMID- 28704292
TI - Improvement of higher brain dysfunction after brain injury by repetitive
transcranial magnetic stimulation and intensive rehabilitation therapy: case
report.
AB - Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and intensive cognitive
rehabilitation (CR) were administered to two patients with cognitive dysfunction
following brain injury. The first case was a 67-year-old man who presented with
memory dysfunction, attention dysfunction, and decreased insight following
diffuse axonal injury. High-frequency rTMS (10 Hz, 2400 pulses/day) targeting the
anterior cingulate using a navigation system and CR were administered for 12 days
at 1 year from the onset of injury. The patient showed improved
neuropsychological performance and activities of daily living. In addition,
single photon emission computer tomography with Tc-ECD showed improved perfusion
in the anterior cingulate gyrus. The second case was a 68-year-old man who
presented with dysfunction of memory, attention, and executive function following
a cerebral infarction in the middle cerebral artery region within the right
hemisphere. This patient received 12 days (except for Sundays) of low-frequency
rTMS (1 Hz, 1200 pulses/day) targeting the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex
and the left posterior parietal cortex and CR. Following this intervention, the
patient's neuropsychological performance and activities of daily living improved.
Furthermore, single photon emission computer tomography showed changes in
perfusion in the rTMS target sites and areas surrounding the targets. We have
shown the safety and efficacy of rTMS therapy using a navigation system combined
with intensive CR on two patients with cognitive dysfunction following brain
injury. In addition, we observed changes in the areas around the rTMS target
sites in brain imaging data.
PMID- 28704293
TI - Analysis of neural crest cells from Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease patients
demonstrates disease-relevant molecular signature.
AB - Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) is the most common inherited neuropathy. The
majority of CMT is demyelinating type (demyelinating CMT) caused by Schwann cell
involvement. Although a large number of genes responsible for demyelinating CMT
have been found, the common molecular target of the pathophysiology caused by
these different genes in demyelinating CMT is still unknown. We generated induced
pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from healthy controls and patients with
demyelinating CMT caused by duplication in peripheral myelin protein 22 kDa
(PMP22) or point mutations in myelin protein zero (MPZ) or early growth response
2 (EGR2). iPSCs were differentiated into neural crest cells, progenitors of
Schwann cells, followed by purification using the neural crest cell markers p75
and human natural killer-1. To identify a disease-relevant molecular signature at
the early stage of demyelinating CMT, we conducted global gene expression
analysis of iPSC-derived neural crest cells and found that a glutathione-mediated
detoxification pathway was one of the related pathways in demyelinating CMT. mRNA
expression of glutathione S-transferase theta 2 (GSTT2), encoding an important
enzyme for glutathione-mediated detoxification, and production of reactive oxygen
species were increased in demyelinating CMT. Our study suggested that patient
iPSC-derived neural crest cells could be a cellular model for investigating
genetically heterogeneous disease CMT and might provide a therapeutic target for
the disease.
PMID- 28704294
TI - Early detection of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic white matter injury: an MR diffusion
tensor imaging study.
AB - The purpose of this study was to compare diffusion tensor metrics in normal age
matched neonates with survivors of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and
extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Thirty-five normal, 27 HIE, and 13
ECMO infants underwent MRI at 3 T. Neurodevelopmental assessments were performed.
Fractional anisotropy (FA), axial diffusivity (AD), and radial diffusivity (RD)
of the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, inferior longitudinal fasciculus,
anterior commissure, genu corpus callosum and splenium of the corpus callosum,
anterior and posterior limb of the internal capsule, superior longitudinal
fasciculus, and the centrum semiovale were analyzed with tract-based spatial
statistics modified for use in neonates. Linear regression analysis was
performed, and 95% confidence intervals were created for age effects on the
tensor metrics with the control patients. Two-sample t-test was done to determine
whether there was a difference in the tensor metrics between the normal and
patient cohort. There was a statistically significant age effect on the FA and RD
in the selected regions of the brain (F<0.05) and a group difference in the FA
and RD between the normal and the HIE group (P<0.05). The group difference in the
FA and RD between the normal and ECMO groups was seen in the anterior commissure,
genu corpus callosum, right inferior longitudinal fasciculus, fronto-occipital
fasciculus, centrum semiovale, and superior longitudinal fasciculus (P<0.05).
Patients who were outside the 95% confidence intervals of the FA, AD, and RD
overlapped with those with abnormalities clinically and on the conventional MRI.
In conclusion, diffusion tensor imaging can play a significant role in detecting
infants with early indications of hypoxic-ischemic brain injury.
PMID- 28704295
TI - Partially Pigmented Eyelid Basal Cell Carcinoma With Unusual Trabecular
Histologic Pattern.
PMID- 28704296
TI - Osteotomy as a treatment option in dysplasia epiphyseal hemimelica of the distal
radius: a case report.
AB - : Dysplasia epiphysialis hemimelica (DEH), also known as Trevor disease, is a
very rare disease characterized by an overgrowth of the osteocartilaginous
epiphyseal caused by unknown factors. The medial side of the epiphysis is
affected twice as often as the lateral side and more than one epiphysis was
affected in two-thirds of the cases. Only a few cases of DEH in the upper
extremities have been published, as the lower limb is usually the most affected,
especially in the bones of the ankle joint. The symptoms vary from little
significant deformities to symptomatic cases, pain, and decreased function
depending on the location and the size of the lesion. When surgery is indicated,
the complete excision of the lesion is the procedure of choice. If this is not
possible, because of the location or size of the lesion, a realignment osteotomy
may be necessary. We report the case of a 12-year-old patient with a distal
epiphysis DEH on the left radius, treated by wedge osteotomy realignment at the
level of the lesion with Kirschner wires. The clinical outcome of realignment
osteotomy of the radial epiphysis has been the correction of the deformity with a
normal and painless function of the wrist and hand. The case reported was an
extremely rare location in the distal radial epiphysis of DEH. We are aware of
only one case published previously with involvement of the distal radius in
children. The surgical treatment of realignment osteotomy without complete
removal of the lesion has enabled anatomical and functional improvement of the
joint as well as a reduction in lesion size. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV case
report.
PMID- 28704297
TI - Surgical treatment of displaced pediatric lateral condyle fractures of the
humerus by the posterior approach.
AB - The surgical approach for open reduction and internal fixation of lateral condyle
fractures in children is controversial. Some authors recommend the lateral
approach to the elbow over the posterior approach because of theoretical concern
for injury to the vascular supply of the distal humerus and potential avascular
necrosis (AVN). The purpose of this retrospective case series study is to report
the outcomes of open reduction and internal fixation of displaced lateral condyle
fractures of the humerus by the posterior approach. Fifteen consecutive cases
were reviewed and the posterior approach resulted in minimal postoperative loss
of motion, no angular deformity, cosmetic scars, and no AVN. We support that AVN
occurs because of stripping of soft tissues from the lateral condyle fragment and
not the approach used. Stripping of soft tissues is not required when using the
posterior approach because of excellent visualization of the fracture reduction.
PMID- 28704298
TI - Titanium mesh cage as an alternative reconstruction method for epiphyseal-sparing
tumour resections in children.
AB - In this study, we introduced an alternative reconstruction option for epiphysis
sparing tumour resection in children. Eight patients with a malignant tumour in
the diaphysis or metaphysis-diaphysis junction of a long bone underwent epiphysis
sparing intercalary resection. Reconstruction was performed using a titanium mesh
cage filled with impacted cancellous bone allograft and autograft. A plate and
screws were used to supplement the fixation. At the last follow-up, union was
achieved in seven patients. Limb-length discrepancy occurred in three patients.
Functional scores revealed a good functional outcome. This technique may be an
alternative method for epiphyseal-sparing tumour resections in children.
PMID- 28704299
TI - Slipped capital femoral epiphysis in children younger than 10 years old: clinical
characteristics and efficacy of physeal-sparing procedures.
AB - We aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics of slipped capital femoral
epiphysis (SCFE) in patients aged less than 10 years and identify the efficacy of
physeal-sparing procedures in this age group. Demographic data of 18 SCFE
patients aged less than 10 years were compared with those of 71 older patients to
investigate the clinical characteristics. The efficacy of physeal-sparing
procedures (n=5) was investigated compared with that of in-situ screw fixation
(n=13). Obese children were noticeably more common among SCFE patients aged less
than 10 years (P=0.034). The slip angle improved significantly more in the
physeal-sparing subgroups (P=0.038) without the occurrence of further slippage.
Moreover, physeal-sparing procedures allow persistent growth of the proximal
femoral physis. However, most of the patients in the physeal-sparing subgroup
needed additional surgeries when the proximal femoral physis outgrew the implant.
Obesity may be associated more with early-onset SCFE (onset<10 years). Physeal
sparing procedures are safe and effective in preventing leg-length discrepancy
and allowing the remodeling of the deformed proximal femur in this age group.
PMID- 28704300
TI - Postinfectious heterotopic ossification of the ilium involving the iliacus
muscle.
AB - Heterotopic ossification in soft tissue or muscle is rare in the pediatric and
adolescent age group. Most cases are associated with musculoskeletal injury and
trauma to the central nervous system. Here, we describe an adolescent patient
without a history of trauma or lesions in the central nervous system who
presented with a painful limp with limited motion of the left hip. Investigations
indicated unusually large heterotopic ossification extending from the inner
aspect of the ilium down to the anterior part of the hip, highly likely to have
developed after an unrecognized periacetabular pyomyositis primarily involving
the iliacus muscle. Surgical excision was performed successfully without
perioperative complications. No recurrence was detected at the final follow-up.
PMID- 28704301
TI - Congenital unilateral absence of the upper extremity may give rise to a specific
kind of thoracolumbar curve.
AB - : There is an increased incidence of scoliosis in patients with congenital
malformations of the upper extremity even in the absence of overt vertebral
abnormalities. In this case series, we summarize the curve characteristics of
four patients presenting to two spine surgery clinics with unilateral amelia or
phocomelia and a progressive scoliotic curve with the apex on the side of
deficiency. All patients required orthopedic intervention for their curves.
Amelia and phocomelia are severe congenital malformations of the upper limb
affecting trunk balance and, conceivably, causing scoliosis with the absence of
counterbalancing weight on the affected side. The combination of upper limb
absence and same-sided scoliosis in these patients may provide a clue of the
mechanical factors causing scoliosis in other disorders. In this article, we
attempt to define this exceptional deformity, theorize on its etiology, and draw
attention to this particular combination of problems. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Case
series; Level IV.
PMID- 28704302
TI - Botulinum-A intramuscular injection in an orthopaedic paediatric patient cohort:
service restructure analysis.
AB - Botulinum intramuscular injections are increasingly being used in the management
of hypertonic musculature. Historically, injections were administered under
general anaesthesia (GA), which has service and economic implications. Our
delivery changed to outpatient conscious injections to improve service
efficiency. A retrospective analysis of all patient injections from January 2010
to December 2015 analysed cost-benefit and efficiency of service remodelling. 472
patients were administered injections, 298 in theatre under GA and 174 without
GA. In 2010, 97 of 102 cases were performed under GA (45 theatre-hours),
decreasing to 18 of 68 cases in 2015 (8.4 theatre-hours). The mean hospital stay
decreased from 410 to 135 min. The reduction in theatre use and the requirement
for a postanaesthetic bed led to significant savings per case. Service
remodelling showed successful cost saving and reduced in-hospital stay.
PMID- 28704303
TI - Gain of length-loss of strength? Alteration in muscle strength after femoral leg
lengthening in young patients: a prospective longitudinal observational study.
AB - This study aimed to determine the alteration in maximum isokinetic torque in
patients after intramedullary femoral leg lengthening. Thirty patients with a
median leg-length discrepancy of 3.0 cm underwent femoral limb lengthening with
an intramedullary motorized device. Maximum isokinetic, concentric torque of the
extensors, and flexors of the knee was measured before (n=30) and 2 years after
surgery (n=21). Postoperatively, a significant difference remained for the
maximum isokinetic torque of the extensors (22%) between the lengthened and the
normal leg, which might have been caused by muscle response to the distraction
procedure itself in the form of higher stiffness, less immediate displacement,
and inconsistent force relaxation properties. However, we provide evidence that
physiotherapy after limb lengthening should focus on extensors to prevent loss of
strength.
PMID- 28704304
TI - Arterial tree anomalies in patients with clubfoot: an investigation carried out
at Soba University Hospital.
AB - Vascular deficiencies and reduced perfusion of the anterior tibial artery and the
dorsalis pedis artery were suggested as causes of congenital talipes equino varus
(CTEV). In this study, we assessed the prevalence of arterial abnormalities in
patients with CTEV (50 patients; 74 feet) compared with a normal control group
(16 patients; 32 feet) by Doppler ultrasound and Ankle Brachial Index. The flow
was normal in the control group and was deficient in 39.19% of clubfoot patients.
In severe clubfoot cases, the deficiency was found to an extent of 76.67%. In
conclusion, the anterior tibial artery and dorsalis pedis artery are deficient in
CTEV patients; to avoid postoperative skin sloughing, arterial supply must be
protected using a judicious incision.
PMID- 28704305
TI - Titanium mesh cage as an alternative reconstruction method for epiphyseal sparing
tumor resections in children.
PMID- 28704306
TI - Reversal of Ticagrelor-Induced Arrhythmias and Cheyne-Stokes Respiration With
Aminophylline Infusion.
AB - Dyspnea and bradyarrhythmias are frequent adverse effects (AEs) of ticagrelor.
AEs commonly occur within the first week of therapy, are dose related and usually
mild, but sometimes they may cause drug discontinuation. Currently, the exact
mechanisms of ticagrelor-related AEs have not been definitively explained. In
addition to the prevalent theory of adenosine overload, other reasonable
mechanism like a direct central stimulation hypothesis was suggested. We present
a case of incessant Cheyne-Stokes respiration associated with heart rate
instability in patient with congestive heart failure and non-ST-segment elevation
myocardial infarction, supporting the use of aminophylline as a potential
reversal agent of ticagrelor-related AEs.
PMID- 28704307
TI - Acute Cardiopulmonary, Metabolic, And Neuromuscular Responses To Severe-Intensity
Intermittent Exercises.
AB - The purpose of this study was to compare cardiopulmonary, neuromuscular, and
metabolic responses to severe-intensity intermittent exercises with variable or
constant work rate. Eleven cyclists (28 +/- 5 years; 74 +/- 7 kg; 175 +/- 5 cm;
63 +/- 4 mL.kg.min) performed the following tests until exhaustion on separate
days: 1) an incremental test; 2) in random order, two constant work rate tests at
95% and 110% of the peak power for the determination of Critical Power (CP); 3) 2
4 tests for the determination of the highest power that still permits the
achievement of maximal oxygen uptake (PHIGH); and 4) two random severe-intensity
intermittent exercises. The last two sessions consisted of a constant work rate
(CWR) exercise performed at PHIGH or a decreasing work rate (DWR) exercise from
PHIGH until 105% of CP. Compared to CWR, DWR presented higher time to exhaustion
(635 +/- 223 vs. 274 +/- 65 s), time spent above 95% of VO2max (t95%VO2max) (323
+/- 227 vs. 98 +/- 65 s), and O2 consumed (0.97 +/- 0.41 vs. 0.41 +/- 0.11 L).
Electromyography amplitude (RMS) decreased for DWR but increased for CWR during
each repetition. However, RMS and VO2 divided by power output (RMS/PO and VO2/PO
ratio) increased in every repetition for both protocols, but to a higher extent
and slope for DWR. These findings suggest that the higher RMS/PO and VO2/PO ratio
in association with the longer exercise duration seemed to have been responsible
for the higher t95%VO2max observed during severe DWR exercise.
PMID- 28704308
TI - Fatigue In U12 Soccer-7 Players During Repeated One-Day Tournament Games - A
Pilot Study.
AB - The aim of this study was to describe and compare the distances and displacement
speeds of U12 Soccer-7 athletes during four tournament Soccer-7 games (TG) played
in less than 24-h (experimental condition) with those recorded during two league
Soccer-7 games (LG) with 24-h of rest prior to the match (control condition). Ten
participants (age = 10.3 +/- 0.5 years) were recruited for the study. Main data
analyzed during games included distance completed relative to match duration
(Drel), maximal velocity and distance completed at different running speeds
(including acceleration, deceleration, standing, walking, jogging, medium
intensity running, high-intensity running and sprinting). For data collection
during games, athletes wore a GPS unit. Different (p<0.05) mean playing time was
recorded during TG and LG (15.1 and 31.8 minutes/match, respectively). Drel
during the four TG was maintained between 85.7 +/- 8.5 m/min and 87.5 +/- 8.5
m/min (P>0.05) and during the two LG between 84.2 +/- 10.9 m/min and 87.5 +/- 9.9
m/min (P>0.05). Moreover, similar Drel was recorded during TG and LG (86.8 m/min
and 85.9 m/min, respectively). Compared to LG, during TG maximal velocity was
lower (23.0 km/h and 21.3 km/h, respectively; P<0.05). In addition, compared to
the last game of the tournament, in the preceding games the distance covered at
low speeds (3.1-8.0 km/h) was lower (37.7% and 32.4%, respectively; P<0.05) and
at high speeds (>=18.1 km/h) tend to be higher (2.5% and 3.3%, respectively).
Therefore, compared with the control condition, accumulated Soccer-7 games with
less than 24-h of inter-day rest negatively affects displacement speeds
distribution (but not overall relative distances) in U12 Soccer-7 athletes. These
results may help to better plan training and competition schedules to youth
players.
PMID- 28704309
TI - Effect of Three Different Muscle Action Training Protocols on Knee Strength
Ratios and Performance.
AB - Ruas, CV, Brown, LE, Lima, CD, Costa, PB, and Pinto, RS. Effect of three
different muscle action training protocols on knee strength ratios and
performance. J Strength Cond Res 32(8): 2154-2165, 2018-Hamstring to quadriceps
(H:Q) ratios are often used to assess strength imbalances. The aims of this study
were to compare 3 different muscle action training protocols on H:Q strength
balance and functional performance. Forty untrained men (age: 22.87 +/- 2.28
years, mass: 70.66 +/- 11.049 kg, ht: 174.29 +/- 6.90 cm) performed 6 weeks of
training on an isokinetic dynamometer. They were randomly assigned to one of 4
groups; concentric quadriceps and concentric hamstring (CON/CON), eccentric
quadriceps and eccentric hamstring (ECC/ECC), concentric quadriceps and eccentric
hamstring (CON/ECC), or no training. Mixed Factor analyses of variance were used
to compare interactions for variables pretest and posttest between groups (p <=
0.05). The ECC/ECC group showed significant increases in H:Q functional ratio
(pre = 0.73 +/- 0.092, post = 0.87 +/- 0.098), ECC peak torque (PT) (pre = 226.44
+/- 67.80 N.m, post = 331.74 +/- 54.44 N.m), isometric PT (IPT) (pre = 173.69 +/-
41.41 N.m, post = 203.091 +/- 30.82 N.m), countermovement jump (CMJ) (pre = 52.73
+/- 6.95 cm, post = 58.16 +/- 6.10 cm), and drop jump (DJ) (pre = 52.91 +/- 6.080
cm, post = 58.20 +/- 7.72 cm), whereas the CON/CON group increased the rate of
torque development (pre = 152.19 +/- 65.0074 N.m.s, post = 225.26 +/- 88.80
N.m.s). There were no differences between groups for CON PT, squat jump,
conventional ratio or 40 m sprint. Our findings suggest that ECC/ECC training may
be the most effective at increasing functional H:Q strength ratios, as well as
ECC PT, IPT, CMJ, and DJ performance. Eccentric training increases ECC PT,
thereby increasing the functional H:Q ratio. Eccentric training also improves
vertical jumping involving ECC actions. CON/CON training may be more effective at
increasing explosive muscle strength.
PMID- 28704310
TI - The influence of contextual factors on running performance in female Australian
Football match-play.
AB - Given the recent growth of the professional status among multiple female football
codes, the aim of this study is to investigate the effects of contextual factors
on activity profiles and pacing strategies in female Australian football players.
Thirty-five female Australian football players participated in this study. Global
positioning system analysis was completed over one competitive season. Matches
were separated into eight 10-minute periods. Greater distances were covered
during the first half irrespective of playing position (ES = 0.39-0.50,
Likelihood >=90%). Throughout a number of periods half-backs (defensive players)
covered greater distances during losses (ES >=0.74, Likelihood >=92%) and against
Top 3 opponents (ES >=1.0, Likelihood >= 97%). Midfielders and half-backs covered
greater distances (ES >= 0.49, Likelihood >=89%) in the final match period in
winning compared with losing matches. A reduction in player work-rate is evident
during the second half of matches. The influence of contextual factors varied
across positional groups. However, it is clear coaches could use player rotation
both early in the match in an attempt to delay the effect of fatigue and more
frequently during the second half to increase running intensity.
PMID- 28704311
TI - Acute neuromuscular and endocrine responses to two different compound exercises:
squat versus deadlift.
AB - Anecdotally, it is believed that the deadlift exercise brings about greater
levels of central fatigue than other exercises; however no empirical evidence
exists to support this view. Additionally, little is known about the acute
endocrine response to heavy deadlift exercise and how this may differ to other
similar compound exercises. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify and
compare the acute, neuromuscular and endocrine responses to squat and deadlift
exercise. Ten resistance trained males completed 8 sets of 2 repetitions at 95 %
of one repetition maximum. Maximum voluntary isometric knee extensor force
(MVIC), along with measures of central (voluntary activation (VA) and surface
electromyography (EMG)) and peripheral (electrically evoked control stimulus)
fatigue were made prior to and 5 and 30 min post-exercise. Additionally, salivary
testosterone and cortisol were measured at these same time points. MVIC was
reduced after the completion of both exercises (p = 0.007) however no difference
between exercises was evident. Similarly, although VA changed over time (p =
0.0001) no difference was observed between exercises. As a measure of peripheral
fatigue, force from the control stimulus changed over time (p = 0.003) with a
greater decrease evident after the squat (p = 0.034). EMG was reduced over time
(p = 0.048) but no difference was seen between exercises. No change was seen in
testosterone and cortisol. Even though a greater absolute load and larger volume
load was completed for the deadlift, no difference in central fatigue was evident
between the two compound exercises. The greater peripheral fatigue observed after
squat exercise may be due to the greater work completed by the quadriceps with
this exercise. These results suggest that separate periodization, tapering and
programming considerations may be unnecessary when using the squat and deadlift
to develop muscular strength.
PMID- 28704312
TI - Trunk muscle activation in the back and hack squat at the same relative loads.
AB - The hack squat (HS) is likely to produce a greater 1 repetition maximum (1RM)
compared to the back squat (BS). This can be attributed to the support of the
trunk during the HS compared to no support during BS. This support however, may
compromise trunk muscle activation (TMA), therefore producing different training
adaptations. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to compare 1RM in BS and
HS and TMA at 4 relative loads, 65, 75, 85 and 95% of maximal system mass. Ten
males completed 3 test sessions:1) BS and HS 1RM, 2) HS & BS neuromuscular test
familiarization, and, 3) Neuromuscular test for 3 reps at 4 loads for BS and HS.
BS TMA was significantly greater (p<0.05) than HS for all muscles and phases
except rectus abdominus in concentric phase. TMA increased (p<0.05) with load in
all muscles for both exercises and phases apart from lumbar sacral erector spinae
in HS eccentric phase. Mean HS 1RM and submaximal loads were significantly
(p<0.0001) higher than the equivalent BS loads. Duration of the eccentric phase
was higher (p<0.01) in HS than BS but not different in concentric phase. Duration
increased significantly (p<0.01) with load in both exercises and both phases.
Despite higher absolute tests loads in HS, TMA was higher in BS. TMA is sensitive
to load in both exercises. BS is more effective than HS in activating the muscles
of the trunk and therefore arguably more effective in developing trunk strength
and stability for dynamic athletic performance.
PMID- 28704313
TI - Between-game variation of physical soccer performance measures in highly trained
youth soccer players.
AB - To assess the between-game variation in measures of physical performance during
11 v 11 soccer match-play, over a short period of time, in highly trained youth
soccer players. A single cohort observational study design was employed. Physical
match performance data were collected from 17 male, highly trained youth soccer
players (age: 13.3 +/- 0.4 y) over three, 2 x 20min, 11 v 11 matches. Using 10 Hz
GPS, the variables selected for analyses were total distance (TD), high-speed
running (HSR), very high-speed running (VHSR), number of high-speed running
efforts (HSReff) and number of very high-speed running efforts (VHSReff). Match
data was also separated into cumulative 5 min epochs, to identify the peak 5 min
epoch and the mean of the cumulative 5 min epochs for each match. Variability was
quantified using the coefficient of variation (CV), Standard error of measurement
(SEM) and intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). Between- and within-player
smallest worthwhile changes (SWC) were also calculated for each variable to aid
in the interpretation of the data. Analysis of the variance between games
reported a low CV for TD (3.8%) but larger CVs for HSR (33.3%), HSReff (35.4%)
and VHSR and VHSReff (59.6 and 57.4 %, respectively). Analysis of 5 min epochs
(peak and average) found an increase in the CVs beyond that of the values
reported for the whole match. Between-player SWC in high intensity physical
performance data ranged from 24.7 - 42.4 %, whereas within-player SWC ranged from
1.2 - 79.9%. The between-game variability of high and very high intensity
activities in youth soccer players, across three soccer matches over a short
period of time (2 weeks), is relatively 'large' and specific to the individual,
thus highlighting the need for caution when interpreting physical performance
data between games and players.
PMID- 28704314
TI - Visual feedback attenuates mean concentric barbell velocity loss, and improves
motivation, competitiveness, and perceived workload in male adolescent athletes.
AB - It is unknown whether instantaneous visual feedback of resistance training
outcomes can enhance barbell velocity in younger athletes. Therefore, the purpose
of this study was to quantify the effects of visual feedback on mean concentric
barbell velocity in the back squat, and to identify changes in motivation,
competitiveness, and perceived workload. In a randomised-crossover design
(Feedback vs. Control) feedback of mean concentric barbell velocity was or was
not provided throughout a set of 10 repetitions in the barbell back squat.
Magnitude-based inferences were used to assess changes between conditions, with
almost certainly greater differences in mean concentric velocity between the
Feedback (0.70 +/-0.04 m.s) and Control (0.65 +/-0.05 m.s) observed.
Additionally, individual repetition mean concentric velocity ranged from possibly
(repetition number two: 0.79 +/-0.04 vs. 0.78 +/-0.04 m.s) to almost certainly
(repetition number 10: 0.58 +/-0.05 vs. 0.49 +/-0.05 m.s) greater when provided
feedback, while almost certain differences were observed in motivation,
competitiveness, and perceived workload, respectively. Providing adolescent male
athletes with visual kinematic information while completing resistance training
is beneficial for the maintenance of barbell velocity during a training set,
potentially enhancing physical performance. Moreover, these improvements were
observed alongside increases in motivation, competitiveness and perceived
workload providing insight into the underlying mechanisms responsible for the
performance gains observed. Given the observed maintenance of barbell velocity
during a training set, practitioners can use this technique to manipulate
training outcomes during resistance training.
PMID- 28704315
TI - Appetite regulations after sprint exercise under hypoxic condition in female
athletes.
AB - The present study determined changes in appetite-regulating hormones and energy
intake after high-intensity interval exercise (HIIT) under hypoxic conditions in
trained female athletes. Fifteen female athletes completed three trials on
different days of either HIIT under hypoxic conditions (HYP), HIIT under normoxic
conditions (NOR), or rest in normoxia (CON). Exercise trials consisted of two
successive sets of eight repeated bouts of a 6-s maximal sprint separated by a 30
s rest. Blood samples were obtained to measure plasma acylated ghrelin, glucagon
like peptide-1 (GLP-1), and metabolite concentrations. Energy intake during an ad
libitum buffet meal test was evaluated 30 min after exercise or rest. Plasma
acylated ghrelin concentrations decreased significantly after exercise (P <
0.001), but no difference was observed between the HYP and NOR. Plasma GLP-1
concentrations did not differ after exercise, with no difference between the HYP
and NOR. Although absolute energy intake in the HYP (634 +/- 67 kcal) and NOR
(597 +/- 63 kcal) was significantly lower than that in the CON (756 +/- 63 kcal,
P = 0.006), no difference was observed between the HYP and NOR. These results
show that HIIT under hypoxic and normoxic conditions lowered plasma acylated
ghrelin concentrations and energy intake.
PMID- 28704316
TI - Effects of a Tapering Period on Physical Condition in Soccer Players.
AB - The aim of this research was to analyze the effects of a two-week step tapering
period on lower-limb muscle power, change of direction (COD) and acceleration
capacities, and on the stress-recovery state in an amateur soccer team. Twenty
two male players were included in the study. Following a six-week progressive
training, the sample was divided into: experimental group (n = 11), who did a two
week period of taper in which training volume was 50% reduced (intensity was kept
high) and control group (n = 11), which kept on with the training. Muscle power
(countermovement jump test), acceleration (10m sprint test), COD (Illinois test)
and stress and recovery perceptions (RESTQ questionnaire) were evaluated before
training, at the end of it (pre-tapering, PRE-TP) and after the tapering period
(post-tapering, POST-TP). Following the taper, the experimental group in
comparison to the control group showed significantly improved power (1029.71 +/-
108.51 W/kg vs. 1084.21 +/- 110.87 W/kg; p < 0.01), acceleration (1.72 +/- 0.09 s
vs. 1.67 +/- 0.07 s; p < 0.05), and lower stress levels (1.9+/-0.5 vs. 1.6+/-0.5;
p < 0.01) (PRE-TP vs. POST-TP, respectively). COD did not show significant
changes. In conclusion, a two-week step tapering program was found to be an
effective periodization strategy to increase muscle power and acceleration, and
to reduce stress perception in soccer amateur players.
PMID- 28704317
TI - Comparison of Collagen Cross-Linking and Amniotic Membrane Transplantation in an
Experimental Alkali Burn Rabbit Model.
AB - PURPOSE: To compare the effects of collagen cross-linking (CXL) and amniotic
membrane transplantation (AMT) on acute corneal alkali burns. METHODS: After
establishment of an alkali burn model, 32 rabbits were divided into 4 groups:
control group, AMT group, CXL group, and AMT + CXL (combined) group. Clinical
parameters, including epithelial wound, opacity, ulceration, and
neovascularization, were evaluated on postinjury days 1, 7, 14, and 18.
Histological parameters were examined in hematoxylin/eosin (H&E) and Masson
trichrome-stained corneal sections. Immunohistochemical analyses, including a
terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated biotin-deoxyuridine triphosphate
nick-end labeling assay and cluster of differentiation 68 (CD68) labeling, were
performed to determine the apoptotic index and macrophage activation. RESULTS: On
postinjury day 18, the epithelial wound of AMT {4.08% [interquartile range (IQR),
0.68%-5.22%]}, CXL [1.84% (IQR, 0.01%-3.89%)], and combined [3.44% (IQR, 0.01%
4.36%)] groups were significantly lower than the control [15.23% (IQR, 9.86%
23.06%)] group (P = 0.003). No significant difference was detected between the
groups in terms of opacity (P = 0.303). Neovascularization was the least severe
in the CXL group [16.18% (IQR, 8.39%-21.28%)] and the most severe in the AMT
[34.47% (IQR, 17.71%-62.77%)] and combined [35.12% (IQR, 31.96%-59.98%)] groups
on day 18 (P = 0.033). Significant increases in the apoptotic index and CD68
labeling were detected in the CXL and combined groups compared with those in the
control group (P = 0.047 and P = 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: CXL treatment
is an effective adjuvant treatment for promoting reepithelialization, reducing
inflammation and neovascularization, and preventing ulceration in acute alkali
burns. Providing AMT after suppressing inflammation may be a more effective
treatment.
PMID- 28704318
TI - Interrelationships Between 3 Keratoconic Cone Parameters.
AB - PURPOSE: To find out the interrelationships between 3 parameters of the
keratoconic cone. METHODS: A total of 101 keratoconic eyes of 58 patients were
included in this retrospective case series study. A complete eye examination was
performed. Kmax (K) and pachymetry at the thinnest point (T) were obtained from
the Pentacam tomographer. The vertex to thinnest pachymetry distance (D for
decentration) was calculated using trigonometry. Pearson correlation coefficients
between T and D, between T and K, and between D and K were calculated. RESULTS:
There is a statistically significant positive correlation between thinnest point
pachymetry and decentration (R = 0.366, P = 0.0002) and also statistically
significant negative correlation between thinnest point pachymetry and Kmax (R =
0.719, P < 0.00001) and decentration and Kmax (R = -0.281, P = 0.0044).
CONCLUSIONS: The interrelationships between the 3 keratoconic cone parameters
suggest that the thinner cones are largely central, that is, decenter less, but
show greater steepening.
PMID- 28704319
TI - Topical Tacrolimus for Corneal Subepithelial Infiltrates Secondary to Adenoviral
Keratoconjunctivitis.
AB - PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy and safety of
topical tacrolimus compounded in the Pharmacy Service for the treatment of
subepithelial corneal infiltrates (SEIs) secondary to adenoviral
keratoconjunctivitis. METHODS: This retrospective study included patients who had
been dispensed topical tacrolimus for the treatment of SEIs during the previous
year. Patients were treated with tacrolimus 0.03% eye drops twice daily or
tacrolimus 0.02% ointment once daily. The following data were recorded: length of
treatment, visual acuity before and after treatment, intraocular pressure before,
during, and at the end of treatment, previous treatments, and the presence of
SEIs after treatment. The subjective symptoms of the patients were also assessed.
RESULTS: Fifty-five patients (85 eyes) were included, 54.5% with bilateral
involvement. A total of 31 (36.5%) eyes were treated with tacrolimus ointment and
54 eyes (63.5%) with tacrolimus eye drops. The median length of treatment was 185
days (p25-75: 93.5-426), and the mean follow-up duration was 363 days (p25-75:
148-540). In 62.35% of the eyes, the SEIs were reduced in number and size, and in
31.76%, they were eliminated. The patients had better visual acuity after
treatment with highly statistically significant differences. Tolerance was good
overall, being better in the eye drops group. CONCLUSIONS: Topical tacrolimus,
compounded in the pharmacy, seems to be an effective and safe alternative for the
treatment of SEIs secondary to adenovirus keratoconjunctivitis.
PMID- 28704320
TI - Recurrence Rate and Graft Stability With Fibrin Glue Compared With Suture and
Autologous Blood Coagulum for Conjunctival Autograft Adherence in Pterygium
Surgery: A Meta-Analysis.
AB - PURPOSE: To minimize recurrence and improve graft stability after pterygium
surgery, conjunctival autograft adherence is done using fibrin glue (FG) or
autologous blood coagulum (ABC). But there are studies that have reported
conflicting or inconclusive results. This meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate
the postoperative recurrence rate and graft stability after using FG, sutures,
and ABC. METHODS: MEDLINE, Cochrane databases, and ICTRP were searched and PRISMA
guidelines as well as recommended meta-analysis practices were followed. The odds
ratio was calculated to estimate the effect size to assess the difference in
recurrence and graft stability between the groups. Heterogeneity across the
studies was explored using subgroup analyses and quality assessment using the
Cochrane risk of bias tool and sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: After screening, 30
studies were included for meta-analysis. The random model analysis for recurrence
revealed an effect size of 0.44 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.32-0.60], and
subgroup analysis for studies comparing FG and sutures showed an effect size of
0.38 (95% CI, 0.27-0.53). In case of studies comparing FG and ABC, the random
model analysis revealed an effect size of 1.01 (95% CI, 0.45-2.26). The random
model analysis for graft stability revealed an effect size of 0.87 (95% CI, 0.57
1.31). In subgroup analysis, the random model revealed an effect size of 0.39
(95% CI, 0.17-0.88) indicating significant better graft stability with FG over
ABC. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis reveals the superiority of FG over sutures
as the use of FG can significantly reduce the recurrence rate, but no significant
difference in graft stability was found between FG and sutures. No significant
difference was found in the recurrence rate between FG and ABC, but graft
stability was found to be better with FG compared with ABC.
PMID- 28704321
TI - Observation of Retrocorneal Plaques in Patients With Infectious Keratitis Using
Anterior Segment Optical Coherence Tomography.
AB - PURPOSE: Endothelial plaques are a typical characteristic in patients with fungal
keratitis. However, bacterial keratitis and herpetic keratouveitis are rarely
associated with fibrin formation on the retrocorneal surface. This study was
conducted to examine plaques attached to the endothelium in patients with
infectious keratitis using anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS
OCT). METHODS: Seventeen patients (10 women and 7 men; mean age, 75 +/- 15.5
years) suspected to have infectious keratitis with retrocorneal plaques were
included. AS-OCT was used to acquire a scan of the retrocorneal plaque at the
patient's first visit. RESULTS: Based on the culture results and detection of
viral DNA, the patients were diagnosed with fungal keratitis (6 patients),
bacterial keratitis (8 patients), and herpetic keratouveitis (3 patients).
Examination of the cornea using AS-OCT showed a clear boundary between the
corneal endothelial surface and plaque in 8 patients with bacterial keratitis and
in all patients with herpetic keratitis. Moreover, a space between the corneal
endothelial surface and plaque was found in 3 patients with bacterial keratitis.
In 5 patients with fungal keratitis, the AS-OCT images showed an unclear boundary
between the corneal endothelial surface and plaque, and high reflection of the
plaque was extended from the corneal lesion. CONCLUSIONS: Endothelial plaques in
patients with fungal keratitis could continue from the corneal lesion.
Observation of retrocorneal plaques using AS-OCT could be used in the diagnosis
of infectious keratitis.
PMID- 28704322
TI - Malignant Bowel Obstruction in Relapsed Ovarian Cancer With Peritoneal
Carcinomatosis: An Occlusive State.
AB - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe the clinical and oncological
outcomes of women with malignant bowel obstruction (MBO) for relapsed ovarian
cancer and peritoneal carcinomatosis. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was
performed in all consecutive patients admitted at Instituto Valenciano de
Oncologia, Valencia, Spain, between July 2013 and July 2016 with MBO for relapsed
ovarian cancer and peritoneal carcinomatosis. All patients underwent the same
protocol of conservative management. Surgical treatment was indicated only in
selected cases. RESULTS: There were a total of 22 patients presenting 59 episodes
of MBO; 17 (77.2%) of those patients presented more than 1 episode of MBO. All
patients had serous epithelial ovarian cancer; 18 (81.8%) were high grade, and 4
(18.2%) low-grade tumors. The median (range) number of episodes per patient was 3
(range, 1-7) with a mean length of hospitalization of 13 (SD, 13.6) days. The
median time interval between episodes of MBO (54 episodes in 17 patients) was 17
days (range, 1-727 days). Twenty of 22 patients died with a median overall
survival time from the first episode of MBO of 95 days (95% confidence interval,
49-124 days). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with MBO due to relapsed epithelial ovarian
cancer in the peritoneal carcinomatosis setting have a short life expectancy,
presenting a median of 3 episodes of MBO until death, with a short time interval
between episodes. These findings show that bowel obstruction can represent a
constant status over time until death.
PMID- 28704323
TI - Time Trends in the Incidence and Mortality of Ovarian Cancer in Ireland, Northern
Ireland, and Israel, 1994-2013.
AB - OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to compare time trends in ovarian cancer
incidence and mortality in populations with (1) similar genetics but different
health care systems (Ireland and Northern Ireland [NI]) and (2)different genetics
but similar health care system (Israeli Jews and Arabs) and to interpret the
results. METHODS: Age-standardized rates of ovarian cancer incidence and
mortality for 1994-2013 in the 3 countries were obtained from national cancer
registries and national statistics. Time trends in incidence, mortality, and
incidence-to-mortality ratio were assessed by linear regression models applied to
each country and between populations (Ireland-NI, Ireland-Israeli Jews, Israeli
Jews-Arabs). Joinpoint analysis was used to calculate the annual percentage
change (APC). RESULTS: Ovarian cancer incidence and mortality rates in 1994 were
similar in the countries studied. Thereafter a reduction in incidence and
mortality was observed in Ireland (incidence APC1994-2013 = -0.75%, P < 0.05;
mortality APC1994-2013 = -0.67%, P < 0.05), NI (incidence APC1998-2013 = -1.5%, P
< 0.05; mortality APC2005-2013 = -3.8%, P < 0.05), and Israeli Jews (incidence
APC1994-2013 = -2.2%, P < 0.05; mortality APC1994-2013 = -1.2%, P < 0.05). Trends
in Israeli Arabs remained stable. Significant incidence trend differences between
Ireland and Israeli Jews (P = 0.009) and between Israeli Jews and Arabs (P =
0.004) were observed. The only significant trend difference for mortality was
between Israeli Jews and Arabs (P = 0.038). Incidence-to-mortality ratios showed
stable trends in all groups except for Israeli Jews (APC1994-2013 = -1.0%, P <
0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Time trends in ovarian cancer incidence (decreasing) and
mortality (decreasing) were similar in Ireland, NI, and Israeli Jews, following
global trends, with a more prominent incidence decline in Israeli Jews.
Decreasing mortality trends are driven by falling incidence in the countries
studied rather than improved survival.
PMID- 28704324
TI - Fascin Is Associated With Aggressive Behavior and Poor Outcome in Uterine
Carcinosarcoma.
AB - OBJECTIVE: The mechanisms underlying the histogenesis and aggressiveness of
uterine carcinosarcoma (UCS) are poorly understood; however, previous studies
implicate epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Fascin is a proinvasive, actin
bundling protein and an important component of EMT. It is associated with poor
outcomes in human carcinoma, especially in estrogen receptor (ER)-negative tumors
arising in organs normally expressing ER. We sought to evaluate fascin expression
in UCS and its relationship to ER status, clinicopathologic indicators of tumor
aggressiveness, and survival outcomes. METHOD: Forty-four surgically staged cases
of UCS were immunohistochemically evaluated for fascin and estrogen receptor
alpha expression and correlated with clinicopathologic parameters derived from
electronic medical records and pathology reports. RESULTS: Fascin was only
expressed in malignant epithelium and mesenchyma and was uniformly absent in
background benign counterparts. Increased expression was associated with
extrapelvic disease (P = 0.028), higher stage (P = 0.021), larger tumor size (P =
0.032), shorter progression-free interval (P = 0.035), and reduced estrogen
receptor-alpha expression (P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Fascin is aberrantly expressed
in both elements of UCS and is associated with aggressive behavior and worse
outcome. As a component of EMT and mediator of invasion, fascin may serve as a
target in future therapies.
PMID- 28704325
TI - Clinical Utility of Preoperative Computed Tomography in Patients With Endometrial
Cancer.
AB - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the clinical utility of routine
preoperative pelvic and abdominal computed tomography (CT) examinations in
patients with endometrial cancer (EC). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed
records from patients with EC who underwent a preoperative endometrial biopsy and
had surgery at our institution from January 1999 through December 2008. In the
subset with an abdominal CT scan obtained within 3 months before surgery, we
evaluated the clinical utility of the CT scan. RESULTS: Overall, 224 patients
(18%) had a preoperative endometrial biopsy and an available CT scan. Gross intra
abdominal disease was observed in 10% and 20% of patients with preoperative
diagnosis of endometrioid G3 and type II EC, respectively, whereas less than 5%
of patients had a preoperative diagnosis of hyperplasia or low-grade EC. When
examining retroperitoneal findings, we observed that a negative CT scan of the
pelvis did not exclude the presence of pelvic node metastasis. Alternately, a
negative CT scan in the para-aortic area generally reduced the probability of
finding para-aortic dissemination but with an overall low sensitivity (42%).
However, the sensitivity for para-aortic dissemination was as high as 67% in
patients with G3 endometrioid cancer. In the case of negative para-aortic nodes
in the CT scan, the risk of para-aortic node metastases decreased from 18.8% to
7.5% in patients with endometrioid G3 EC. Up to 15% of patients with endometrioid
G3 cancer had clinically relevant incidental findings that necessitated medical
or surgical intervention. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with endometrioid G3 and type
II EC diagnosed by the preoperative biopsy, CT scans may help guide the operative
plan by facilitating preoperative identification of gross intra-abdominal disease
and enlarged positive para-aortic nodes that are not detectable during physical
examinations. In addition, CT may reveal other clinically relevant incidental
findings.
PMID- 28704326
TI - Single Marital Status and Infectious Mortality in Women With Cervical Cancer in
the United States.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Unmarried status including single marital status is associated with
increased mortality in women bearing malignancy. Infectious disease weights a
significant proportion of mortality in patients with malignancy. Here, we
examined an association of single marital status and infectious mortality in
cervical cancer. METHODS: This is a retrospective observational study examining
86,555 women with invasive cervical cancer identified in the Surveillance,
Epidemiology, and End Results Program between 1973 and 2013. Characteristics of
18,324 single women were compared with 38,713 married women in multivariable
binary logistic regression models. Propensity score matching was performed to
examine cumulative risk of all-cause and infectious mortality between the 2
groups. RESULTS: Single marital status was significantly associated with young
age, black/Hispanic ethnicity, Western US residents, uninsured status, high-grade
tumor, squamous histology, and advanced-stage disease on multivariable analysis
(all, P < 0.05). In a prematched model, single marital status was significantly
associated with increased cumulative risk of all-cause mortality (5-year rate:
32.9% vs 29.7%, P < 0.001) and infectious mortality (0.5% vs 0.3%, P < 0.001)
compared with the married status. After propensity score matching, single marital
status remained an independent prognostic factor for increased cumulative risk of
all-cause mortality (adjusted hazards ratio [HR], 1.15; 95% confidence interval
[CI], 1.11-1.20; P < 0.001) and those of infectious mortality on multivariable
analysis (adjusted HR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.27-2.32; P < 0.001). In a sensitivity
analysis for stage I disease, single marital status remained significantly
increased risk of infectious mortality after propensity score matching (adjusted
HR, 2.24; 95% CI, 1.34-3.73; P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Single marital status was
associated with increased infectious mortality in women with invasive cervical
cancer.
PMID- 28704327
TI - Examining the Effects of Time to Diagnosis, Income, Symptoms, and Incidental
Detection on Overall Survival in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer: Manitoba Ovarian
Cancer Outcomes (MOCO) Study Group.
AB - OBJECTIVE: The primary objectives of this study were to analyze data on time to
diagnosis and correlate this with overall survival. We secondarily analyzed the
effects of emergency room visits, symptoms, incidental findings, residence,
socioeconomic status, and residual disease on overall survival. METHODS: This
retrospective population-based descriptive cohort study examined all invasive
ovarian cancer cases in Manitoba, Canada, between 2004 and 2010.
Clinicopathologic, socioeconomic, and outcome data were collected. Analysis was
performed with Cox and logistic regression stratified by early and late stage.
RESULTS: Six hundred eighty-seven ovarian cancer patients were identified, with a
final cohort of 601 patients: 210 with early-stage (1/2) and 391 with late-stage
(3/4) disease. No presenting symptoms were associated with survival outcome.
Poorer survival was associated with increasing age (P = 0.0016) and neoadjuvant
chemotherapy (P = 0.0037). Higher income within the urban setting was also
associated with a survival advantage (P = 0.0037), whereas initial presentation
to the emergency room (P = 0.0399) was associated with decreased survival.
Finally, for advanced-stage disease, incidental diagnosis had a significantly
improved overall survival (hazard ratio, 0.424; 95% confidence interval, 0.27
0.67; P = 0.0003), even when accounting for confounding factors. Time from first
presentation to diagnosis was associated with survival (P = 0.0309). CONCLUSIONS:
This study found that time to diagnosis did not negatively impact overall
survival, although there was an association. Age, morphology, treatment type,
residual disease, medical comorbidities, and income were significant prognostic
factors. This is the first study to show a survival advantage to incidentally
finding an ovarian cancer. Further research is needed on the outcomes of pelvic
examination.
PMID- 28704328
TI - Randomized, Controlled Trial of Dexamethasone Versus Dexamethasone Plus
Hydrocortisone as Prophylaxis for Hypersensitivity Reactions Due to Paclitaxel
Treatment for Gynecologic Cancer.
AB - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess intravenous hydrocortisone (HCT)
added to standard dexamethasone (DXM) prophylaxis for paclitaxel-associated
hypersensitivity reactions (HSRs). METHODS: Paclitaxel naives scheduled for 6
cycles of paclitaxel (plus platinum) were randomized to DXM alone (20 mg
intravenously [IV]) versus DXM plus HCT (100 mg IV) as premedication including
chlorpheniramine (10 mg IV), diphenhydramine (25 mg orally), and ranitidine (50
mg IV) 30 minutes before infusion. Clinic nurses observed for HSRs. Groups were
well balanced for cancer type, stage, drug allergy, chemotherapy naivete, mean
age, body mass index, and paclitaxel dose. RESULTS: The 44 DXM controls underwent
213 cycles and the 42 investigational DXM plus HCT group 192 per protocol cycles.
Hypersensitivity reactions were observed among 9 (4.2%) DXM only cycles compared
with 1 (0.5%) among DXM plus HCT cycles (P = 0.022). Hypersensitivity reactions
occurred in 8 (18%) DXM only patients and in 1 (2.4%) among those correctly
receiving DXM plus HCT (P = 0.030). All HSRs occurred in cycles 1 to 3, within 10
to 40 minutes after infusion initiation, and peaked in cycle 2 (5/39) for DXM
recipients and in cycle 3 (1/30) for DXM plus HCT. Hypersensitivity reaction
severity was grade 1 in 3 DXM only recipients and grade 2 in 6 DXM and 1 DXM plus
HCT. A sole grade 3 HSR was in an intention-to-treat DXM-HCT patient, who
erroneously received no HCT. Hypersensitivity reaction symptoms were facial
flushing (8 episodes), dyspnea (7), palmar rash (1), and transient hypotension
(1). Paclitaxel infusion was suspended for treatment of HSRs; in all cases,
symptoms mitigated and infusion successfully restarted for the remaining dose.
CONCLUSIONS: Adding HCT to routine DXM prophylaxis significantly decreased
paclitaxel HSR frequency.
PMID- 28704329
TI - Long-Term Oncological Outcome After Conventional Radical Hysterectomy Versus 2
Nerve-Sparing Modalities for Early Stage Cervical Cancer.
AB - OBJECTIVES: Nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy for early stage cervical cancer
was introduced to improve quality of life after treatment. Sparing the pelvic
autonomic nerves reduces bladder, bowel, and sexual dysfunction. The Leiden nerve
sparing radical hysterectomy (LNSRH) was modified to the Swift procedure, the
latter being more radical regarding the sacrouterine and parametrial resection.
We investigate whether nerve-sparing surgery has comparable oncological outcomes
as the conventional radical hysterectomy (CRH). Concurrently, we investigate
whether there is a difference regarding the oncological outcomes of the 2 nerve
sparing techniques. METHODS: This is a single-center, observational prospective
cohort study analyzing oncological outcomes in women undergoing CRH (1994-1999),
LNSRH (2001-2005), or Swift procedure (2006-2010) for early stage cervical cancer
(International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics IA2-IIA). RESULTS: Three
hundred sixty-three patients (124 CRH, 122 LNSRH, and 117 Swift) were included.
International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage IB2 or higher (P =
0.005) was significantly more prevalent in the CRH cohort. The 5-year pelvic
relapse-free survival and overall survival were not significantly different
between the 3 cohorts (P = 0.116). Regarding the nerve-sparing cohorts, the Swift
cohort showed a significant better 5-year overall survival (87.2%) compared with
the LNSRH cohort (78.8%) (P = 0.04). In the LNSRH cohort, resection planes less
than 5 mm free and need for adjuvant therapy were significantly higher than in
the Swift cohort (P = 0.026 and 0.046, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The nerve
sparing radical hysterectomy shows a similar oncological outcome compared with
the CRH. The more radical Swift version of nerve-sparing techniques is preferable
to the former LNSRH procedure.
PMID- 28704330
TI - Images in Anesthesiology: Proper Positioning of an Impella 2.5 and CP Heart Pump.
PMID- 28704331
TI - MIS Single-position Lateral and Oblique Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion and
Bilateral Pedicle Screw Fixation: Feasibility and Perioperative Results.
AB - STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review of prospectively collected data of the first
72 consecutive patients treated with single-position one- or two-level lateral
(LLIF) or oblique lateral interbody fusion (OLLIF) with bilateral percutaneous
pedicle screw and rod fixation by a single spine surgeon. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate
the clinical feasibility, accuracy, and efficiency of a single-position technique
for LLIF and OLLIF with bilateral pedicle screw and rod fixation. SUMMARY OF
BACKGROUND DATA: Minimally-invasive lateral interbody approaches are performed in
the lateral decubitus position. Subsequent repositioning prone for bilateral
pedicle screw and rod fixation requires significant time and resources and does
not facilitate increased lumbar lordosis. METHODS: The first 72 consecutive
patients (300 screws) treated with single-position LLIF or OLLIF and bilateral
pedicle screws by a single surgeon between December 2013 and August 2016 were
included in the study. Screw accuracy and fusion were graded using computed
tomography and several timing parameters were recorded including retractor,
fluoroscopy, and screw placement time. Complications including reoperation,
infection, and postoperative radicular pain and weakness were recorded. RESULTS:
Average screw placement time was 5.9 min/screw (standard deviation, SD: 1.5 min;
range: 3-9.5 min). Average total operative time (interbody cage and pedicle screw
placement) was 87.9 minutes (SD: 25.1 min; range: 49-195 min). Average
fluoroscopy time was 15.0 s/screw (SD: 4.7 s; range: 6-25 s). The pedicle screw
breach rate was 5.1% with 10/13 breaches measured as < 2 mm in magnitude. Fusion
rate at 6-months postoperative was 87.5%. Two (2.8%) patients underwent
reoperation for malpositioned pedicle screws with subsequent resolution of
symptoms. CONCLUSION: The single-position, all-lateral technique was found to be
feasible with accuracy, fluoroscopy usage, and complication rates comparable with
the published literature. This technique eliminates the time and staffing
associated with intraoperative repositioning and may lead to significant
improvements in operative efficiency and cost savings. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4.
PMID- 28704332
TI - Image Diagnostic Classification of Magnetic Resonance T2 Increased Signal
Intensity in Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy: Clinical Evaluation Using
Quantitative and Objective Assessment.
AB - STUDY DESIGN: A prospective imaging study. OBJECTIVE: The study investigated
whether the classification of increased signal intensity (ISI) using magnetic
resonance imaging (MRI) reflects the severity of symptoms in patients with
cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM). SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Although the
ISI on MRI in patients with CSM is observed, the degree of ISI has not been
examined. The association between ISI and the surgical outcomes in cervical
myelopathy remains controversial. METHODS: A total of 505 consecutive patients
with CSM (311 males; 194 females) were enrolled. The mean age was 66.6 years
(range, 41-91 yrs), with an average postoperative follow-up period of 26.5 +/-
12.5 months. The ISI was classified into three groups based on sagittal T2
weighted MRI as follows: Grade 0, none; Grade 1, light (obscure); and Grade 2,
intense (bright). Pre- and postoperative neurological status was evaluated using
the Japanese Orthopedic Association scoring system for cervical myelopathy (JOA
score) and quantifiable tests, including the 10-s grip and release test (10-s G&R
test) and the 10-s step test. RESULTS: The preoperative MRI showed 168 patients
in Grade 0, 169 patients in Grade 1, and 168 in Grade 2, with no age differences
among three groups. Grade 2 patients had a longer duration of symptom compared
with the other grades. Grade 0 patients had a better postoperative JOA score and
recovery rate compared with the other grades. The preoperative and postoperative
scores in the G&R test and steps were better in the Grade 0 patients compared
with the other grades. Grade 1 and 2 patients had similar outcomes and recovery
rates. CONCLUSION: ISI on MRI in patients with CSM was prospectively classified
into three grades. The ISI grading was not associated with the preoperative
severity of myelopathy and outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2.
PMID- 28704333
TI - Impact of Depression on Patient-Reported Outcome Measures After Lumbar Spine
Decompression.
AB - STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was
to investigate the effect depression has on the improvement of patient-reported
outcome measures (PROMs) following lumbar decompression. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND
DATA: Decompression without fusion is a viable treatment option for lumbar spine
stenosis. Depression reportedly has a negative impact on PROMs after certain
types of spine surgery, though verification of this with new, more precise
outcome measures is needed. METHODS: We included consecutive adult patients who
underwent lumbar decompression for lumbar spine stenosis between 2016 and 2017
who had PROM information system (PROMIS) physical function, pain, depression, and
Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) questionnaires completed preoperatively and at 6
month follow-up. Patients with a PROMIS depression score >50 or <50 were
allocated to the depressed and not depressed groups, respectively. The cohorts
were compared using unpaired t tests and repeated-measures two-way analysis of
variance (ANOVA) with statistical significance taken at P < 0.05. RESULTS: The
analysis included 55 patients without depression and 56 patients with depression.
Depressed patients had worse preoperative PROMIS physical function (30.08 vs.
36.66, P = 0.005), PROMIS pain (69.36 vs. 64.69, P < 0.0001), and ODI scores
(51.92 vs. 36.35, P < 0.0001). Similarly, the depressed group had worse
postoperative PROMIS physical function (36.29 vs. 40.34, P = 0.005), PROMIS pain
(60.16 vs. 54.87, P < 0.0001), and ODI scores (37.01 vs. 23.44, P = 0.0003). We
observed a statistically significant interaction between depression status and
pre to postoperative improvement in outcome for PROMIS physical function
(F[1,109] = 102.5, P < 0.0001) and depression scores (F[1,109] = 15.38, P =
0.0002). No interaction was found for pain and ODI scores. CONCLUSION: Our
results suggest that depressed patients experience a greater magnitude of
improvement in PROMIS physical function and depression scores than nondepressed
patients. Despite this, depressed patients have worse postoperative outcomes for
PROMIS physical function, depression, pain, and ODI. These findings are important
for risk stratifying and treating depressed patients before lumbar spine
decompression. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3.
PMID- 28704335
TI - Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Therapy for Solid Organ Transplantation.
AB - Improvement of long-term outcome of kidney transplantation has reached its limits
due to consequences of efficient, but nonspecific immunosuppressive drugs.
Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) have been proposed as an alternative strategy for
more refined therapy. The interest in MSCs comes from their anti-inflammatory
properties on the one hand and their propensity to ameliorate tissue damage and
mediate repair on the other hand. First clinical trials have demonstrated that
administration of MSCs in kidney transplant recipients is safe and feasible, and
follow-up studies have been initiated with the desired clinical efficacy to
reduce ischemia-reperfusion injury, to prevent/reverse acute transplant
rejection, and to improve long-term transplant survival with minimization of
immunosuppression. To further promote wider application of MSC in renal
transplantation, it is of importance to determine efficacy, to increase the
understanding of the mechanism of action, and to develop tools to identify
eligible patients. In addition, we should overcome challenges particularly at the
transition of early phase I studies to more advanced stages of clinical
development. In this review, latest insights, first clinical experiences, and
future challenges of MSC in solid organ transplantation are discussed.
PMID- 28704336
TI - Plasmatic Villin 1 Is a Novel In Vivo Marker of Proximal Tubular Cell Injury
During Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion.
AB - BACKGROUND: Early detection of acute kidney injury (AKI), a common condition with
a high mortality risk, can be facilitated by specific and reliable biomarkers.
Villin 1, a protein typically found in the brush borders of proximal tubular
cells, has been detected in urine of patients with AKI, but its possible release
in plasma remains unexplored. METHODS: We measured the presence of villin 1 by
immunohistochemistry on kidney sections and by Western blotting in plasma samples
from rats subjected to renal ischemia-reperfusion injury, pigs subjected to renal
transplantation and liver transplantation patients that developed AKI. Moreover,
rats were treated with necrostatin-1, an inhibitor of programmed necrosis
(necroptosis), which occurs in renal tubular cells during AKI. Villin 1 levels
were compared with other renal injury markers (creatinine, aspartate
transaminase, and heart-type fatty acid binding protein). RESULTS: During AKI,
plasmatic villin 1 levels corresponded with the severity of kidney injury and
dysfunction. Its detection in plasma was associated with a redistribution in the
kidney tissue. Unlike the levels of other markers, plasmatic villin 1 decreased
already after a short (3 hours) treatment with necrostatin-1 during renal
ischemia-reperfusion injury. The presence of plasmatic villin 1 was confirmed in
patients who experienced AKI after liver transplantation. CONCLUSIONS: Villin 1
is released in plasma during AKI and shows potential as an early marker for
proximal tubular injury/necrosis and warrants further investigation.
PMID- 28704337
TI - Alleviation of Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Liver Steatosis by Augmenter of
Liver Regeneration Is Attributed to Antioxidation and Preservation of
Mitochondria.
AB - BACKGROUND: Fatty liver is one of the major impediments to liver surgery and
liver transplantation because steatotic hepatocytes are more susceptible to
ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI). In this study, the effects of augmenter of
liver regeneration (ALR) on hepatic IRI in steatotic mice were investigated.
METHODS: In vivo, liver steatosis of mice was induced by feeding a methionine
choline-deficient diet for 2 weeks. Three days before hepatic partial warm IRI,
mice were transfected with the ALR-containing adenovirus. In an in vitro study,
the protective effect of ALR on steatotic HepG2 cells was analyzed after
hypoxia/reoxygenation (HR) treatment. RESULTS: The transfection of the ALR gene
into steatotic mice attenuated liver injury, inhibiting hepatic oxidative stress,
increasing antioxidation capacities, promoting liver regeneration, and
consequently suppressing cell apoptosis/death. Furthermore, resistance to HR
injury was notably increased in ALR-transfected cells compared with the vector
transfected cells. The HR-induced rise in the mitochondrial reactive oxygen
species was reduced, and cellular antioxidant activities were enhanced. The ALR
transfection prevented cells from apoptosis, which can be attributed to the
preservation of the mitochondrial membrane potential, enhancement of oxygen
consumption rate and production of adenosine triphosphate. CONCLUSIONS: ALR
protects steatotic hepatocytes from IRI by attenuating oxidative stress and
mitochondrial dysfunction, as well as improving antioxidant effect. ALR may be
used as a potential therapeutic agent when performing surgery and transplantation
of steatotic liver.
PMID- 28704338
TI - Analysis of metastatic involvement in bone using anatomical and functional
information from 18F-FDG PET/CT.
AB - PURPOSE: Although the overall incidence of bone metastasis is not known, over one
half of the people who die of cancer in the USA every year are thought to have
bone involvement. In this study we have developed a method to quantify the
metabolic and anatomic changes induced by different types of bone metastases in
cancer patients using PET/CT images. PATIENTS AND MATERIALS: Seventy-three cancer
patients with no previous history of chemotherapy or radiotherapy who had
definite bone metastases documented by PET/CT and other conventional modalities
were selected for this study. PET and computed tomography (CT) images were
resampled to the same pixel size. Thereafter, the bone structure was segmented
using thresholding. The 50% of the maximum standardized uptake value within the
bone mask was used to identify bone lesions in each slice. Using the final
regions of interest defined at 70% of the maximum, the lesion characteristics
including the mean Hounsfield Units were computed from the PET/CT images. The
lesions were subjected to visual confirmation by an experienced physician who
also categorized them on the basis of the appearances in CT as lytic, sclerotic,
mixed, or no-change type. The lesion characteristics were compared using
statistical methods. RESULTS: In all, 340 bony lesions in 73 patients with
different cancer types were analyzed. The lesions were further categorized into
four groups on the basis of their anatomical location. The spine hosts the
largest number of lesions. The lumbar bones are the most preferential sites
within the spine. Statistical comparison of CT values indicated that the
difference between no-change and lytic types was significant. Uptake period did
not seem to have a significant impact on no-change and sclerotic types.
Quantitatively, maximum standardized uptake value for lytic, no change, mixed,
and sclerotic lesions were 7.4, 6.1, 8.2, and 7.2, respectively. CONCLUSION: A
quantitative method provides a convenient way that may serve as a useful tool in
monitoring and assessing the response to therapy.
PMID- 28704339
TI - Quantitative analysis of normal and pathologic adrenal glands with 18F-FDOPA
PET/CT: focus on pheochromocytomas.
AB - INTRODUCTION: Many studies have reported the high performance of 6-fluorine-18
fluorodihydroxyphenilalanine (F-FDOPA) PET/CT in the diagnosis of
pheochromocytomas but nobody seems to have investigated physiological and
pathological adrenal glands from a quantitative point of view. The purpose of the
present study was to assess the quantitative F-FDOPA uptake of normal and
pathologic adrenal glands and to establish thresholds to characterize
pheochromocytomas. We were especially interested in characterizing the remaining
adrenal glands captation after an adrenalectomy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We
reviewed 112 F-FDOPA PET/CT scans taken for different indications. A total of 212
adrenal glands, of which 17 were pheochromocytomas, were analyzed on the basis of
their functional and morphological features. The final diagnosis was based on
histologic proof when available (six pheochromocytomas) or after synthesis of
clinical, biological, morphological, and functional results. Maximum standardized
uptake value (SUVmax), mediastinum, and liver ratios in case of
pheochromocytomas, adenomas, and solitary adrenal glands were determined and
compared with those of healthy glands. Receiver operating characteristic curves
were determined and areas under the curve were compared for different cutoffs of
each index. RESULTS: Pheochromocytomas demonstrated a higher F-FDOPA uptake
compared with normal adrenal glands (mean SUVmax: 7.5, SD 4.0, range: 3.5-20.0
vs. mean SUVmax: 2.6, SD: 0.8, range: 1.0-6.9) (P<0.0001). An SUVmax threshold of
4.2 has a sensitivity and specificity of 94 and 98%, respectively. The areas
under the curve were 0.988, 0.991, and 0.987 for an SUVmax of 4.2, a mediastinum
ratio of 3.0, and a liver ratio of 1.7, respectively. A large number of
nonsecreting pheochromocytomas were noticed. On the basis of the SUVmax no
statistically significant difference was found between secreting (SUVmax: 8.9,
SD: 5.3) and nonsecreting pheochromocytomas (SUVmax: 5.1, SD: 0.9) (P=0.141).
After unilateral adrenalectomy, solitary glands presented no increased uptake
compared with healthy adrenal glands. An unexpected lower captation was also
observed (SUVmax: 2.0, P=0.047). CONCLUSION: We confirm the high affinity of F
FDOPA for secreting or nonsecreting pheochromocytoma. Indeed within a series of
various adrenal glands, only these tumors presented a significant increased
uptake compared with normal adrenal glands. Because of a high rate of
nonhypersecreting lesions, F-FDOPA can act as a surrogate to biological assays.
After an adrenalectomy, the remaining glands did not demonstrate compensatory
accumulation of F-FDOPA. To our knowledge this last point has never been
addressed.
PMID- 28704340
TI - Uptake in the pancreatic uncinate process on the 111In-octreotide scintigraphy:
How to distinguish physiological from pathological uptake?
AB - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess the relevance of physiological In
octreotide uptake in the head of pancreas and to establish its imaging features
in comparison with pathological uptake in patients with neuroendocrine tumors
(NET). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed all patients that
underwent In-octreotide single-photon emission tomography (SPECT) scintigraphy in
our institution. Only patients with an isolated uptake in the head of the
pancreas were included. In-octreotidescintigraphy consisted in planar whole-body
and abdominal SPECT/computed tomography (CT) images acquired at 6 and 30 h'
postinjection. Different imaging features of the pancreatic focalized uptake were
assessed: its precise location on the pancreas head, shape, intensity [visually
and quantitatively by calculating the pancreatic to hepatic uptake ratio (L/H
ratio)] and intensity changes. RESULTS: Thirteen patients out of 230 were
included. Among them, a pancreatic NET was confirmed in five patients. On In
octreotide SPECT/CT, two of these had uptake located in the uncinate process, and
three had uptake focused in the right lateral borders or in the whole head. SPECT
images demonstrated high uptake (L/H ratio >2) in four patients out of five. In
the eight remaining patients, pancreatic NET was ruled out. For all of these
physiological cases, SPECT/CT acquisitions revealed that the uptake was both
located in the uncinate process and with an L/H ratio below 2. CONCLUSION: The
simple criteria of localization and uptake quantification can help to
discriminate between a possible physiological uptake in the uncinate process of
the pancreatic head and a pathological uptake induced by a NET.
PMID- 28704341
TI - Uptake of the prostate-specific membrane antigen-targeted PET radiotracer 18F
DCFPyL in elastofibroma dorsi.
AB - OBJECTIVE: PET imaging using radiotracers that target prostate-specific membrane
antigen (PSMA) are increasingly being used in the evaluation of men with prostate
cancer (PCa). It is therefore of increasing importance for imaging specialists to
recognize potential pitfalls of this novel imaging technique. In this report, we
describe a series of benign elastofibroma dorsi with uptake of the PSMA-targeted
PET radiotracer F-DCFPyL. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the
imaging data of 75 men with PCa who were consecutively imaged with F-DCFPyL
PET/CT. Acquired images were reviewed for the presence of radiotracer uptake in
the region of the scapular tip adjacent to the chest wall. Only those lesions
with discrete radiotracer uptake corresponding to an area on CT with the
characteristic appearance of an elastofibroma were considered positive. RESULTS:
In total, 18/75 (24.0%) patients had evidence of at least one elastofibroma dorsi
on F-DCFPyL PET/CT. Eight (44.4%) of these patients had unilateral lesions, all
of which were right sided. Detected lesions had a median maximal diameter of 2.3
cm (range: 1.3-8.4 cm) and a median perpendicular thickness to the chest wall of
0.9 cm (range: 0.6-2.5 cm). The median maximum standardized uptake value of
detected lesions was 1.4 (range: 1.1-2.4) and the median maximum standardized
uptake value corrected to lean body mass was 1.1 (range: 0.8-1.7). CONCLUSION:
This study is the first to report uptake of a PSMA-targeted PET radiotracer in
elastofibroma dorsi. Radiotracer uptake in these benign lesions should not be
falsely mistaken as sites of metastatic PCa.
PMID- 28704342
TI - A novel compact small field of view hybrid gamma camera: first clinical results.
AB - INTRODUCTION: Hybrid imaging has proven to be a major innovation in nuclear
medicine, allowing the fusion of functional information with anatomical detail.
In the past, the use of hybrid imaging such as PET-CT, PET-MRI and SPECT-CT has
been of great clinical benefit; however, these scanners are relatively large and
bulky. We have developed and investigated the clinical application of a compact
small field of view hybrid gamma camera (HGC) that is suitable for small-organ
imaging at the patient bedside. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The HGC - consisting of a
CsI(Tl) scintillation crystal coupled to an electron-multiplying charge-coupled
device and an optical camera - was used in this study. Eligible patients
attending the nuclear medicine clinic at Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham
University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham, UK, were invited to take part in this
study. Following the standard injection of either a Tc-labelled or I-labelled
radiopharmaceutical, images of the patient were acquired using the HGC and
presented in a fused optical-gamma display. RESULTS: There were 24 patients
enrolled in the study (age range between 30 and 83 years, mean: 58.6 years),
images of 18 of whom were successfully acquired. These included patients who were
undergoing bone, thyroid, lacrimal drainage, DaTscan and lymphatic imaging. In
general, the small field of view system was well suited to small-organ imaging.
The uptake could be clearly seen in relation to the patient surface anatomy and
showed particular promise for lymphatic, thyroid and lacrimal drainage studies.
CONCLUSION: This pilot study has demonstrated the first clinical results of
hybrid optical-gamma imaging in patients. The use of this system has raised new
possibilities for small-organ imaging, in which the localization of
radiopharmaceutical uptake can be presented in an anatomical context using
optical imaging. The compact nature of the hybrid system offers the potential for
bedside investigations and intraoperative use.
PMID- 28704343
TI - Pilot Trial of a Home-based Physical Activity Program for African American Women.
AB - PURPOSE: This study aimed to assess the feasibility of a Home-based, Individually
tailored Physical activity Print (HIPP) intervention for African American women
in the Deep South. METHODS: A pilot randomized trial of the HIPP intervention (N
= 43) versus wellness contact control (N = 41) was conducted. Recruitment,
retention, and adherence were examined, along with physical activity (7-d
physical activity recalls, accelerometers) and related psychosocial variables at
baseline and 6 months. RESULTS: The sample included 84 overweight/obese African
American women 50-69 yr old in Birmingham, AL. Retention was high at 6 months
(90%). Most participants reported being satisfied with the HIPP program and
finding it helpful (91.67%). There were no significant between-group differences
in physical activity (P = 0.22); however, HIPP participants reported larger
increases (mean of +73.9 min.wk (SD 90.9)) in moderate-intensity or greater
physical activity from baseline to 6 months compared with the control group
(+41.5 min.wk (64.4)). The HIPP group also reported significantly greater
improvements in physical activity goal setting (P = 0.02) and enjoyment (P =
0.04) from baseline to 6 months compared with the control group. There were no
other significant between-group differences (6-min walk test, weight, physical
activity planning, behavioral processes, stage of change); however, trends in the
data for cognitive processes, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and family
support for physical activity indicated small improvements for HIPP participants
(P > 0.05) and declines for control participants. Significant decreases in
decisional balance (P = 0.01) and friend support (P = 0.03) from baseline to 6
months were observed in the control arm and not the intervention arm.
CONCLUSIONS: The HIPP intervention has great potential as a low-cost, high-reach
method for reducing physical activity-related health disparities. The lack of
improvement in some domains may indicate that additional resources are needed to
help this target population reach national guidelines.
PMID- 28704344
TI - Effects of Altering Trunk Position during Landings on Patellar Tendon Force and
Pain.
AB - PURPOSE: This study aimed to verify the immediate effects of altering sagittal
plane trunk position during jump landings on lower limb biomechanics, patellar
tendon force, and pain of athletes with and without patellar tendinopathy.
METHODS: Twenty-one elite male athletes were categorized into three groups:
athletes with patellar tendinopathy (TG; n = 7), asymptomatic athletes with
patellar tendon abnormalities (n = 7), and asymptomatic athletes without tendon
abnormalities (CG; n = 7). A biomechanical evaluation was conducted while the
athletes performed drop landings from a bench in a self-selected trunk position
(SS). Afterward, the athletes were randomly assigned to land with either a flexed
trunk position (FLX) or an extended trunk position (EXT). Variables of interest
for this study included sagittal plane peak kinematics, kinetics, patellar tendon
force, and pain during the landing tasks. RESULTS: Peak patellar tendon force,
knee extensor moment, and knee pain decreased in the FLX landing compared with
the SS landing, regardless of group. In addition, peak patellar tendon force,
knee extensor moment, and vertical ground reaction force were smaller in the FLX
landing compared with the EXT landing. The TG had smaller peak ankle dorsiflexion
compared with the CG during jump landings, regardless of trunk position.
CONCLUSIONS: Landing with greater trunk flexion decreased patellar tendon force
in elite jumping athletes. An immediate decrease in knee pain was also observed
in symptomatic athletes with a more flexed trunk position during landing.
Increasing trunk flexion during landing might be an important strategy to reduce
tendon overload in jumping athletes.
PMID- 28704345
TI - The Effects and Possible Mechanisms of Puerarin to Treat Uterine Fibrosis Induced
by Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Rats.
AB - BACKGROUND Tissues fibrosis is caused by ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) and
results in organ dysfunction. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether
fibrosis occurs after uterine ischemia-reperfusion injury, and to investigate the
effects of puerarin (Pur) on the fibrosis process in rats. MATERIAL AND METHODS
Twenty-four female Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups (8 in each
group): the control group rats only received operation without uterine ischemic,
the IRI group and the IRI + Pur group rats received 30-minutes ischemia and 2
weeks of reperfusion. Pur was orally administered at the onset of reperfusion.
Picrosirius red staining was used to assess uterine fibrosis.
Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression levels of transforming
growth factor (TGF)-beta and a-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA). Western blotting
was used to evaluate the expression of chymase, TGF-beta, alpha-SMA, and the
activity of the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway. RESULTS Uterine fibrosis in the IRI+Pur
group was significantly decreased compared with the IRI group. In addition,
immunohistochemistry reveals that TGF-beta and a-SMA were decreased in the
IRI+Pur group compared with the IRI group. Western blotting results showed that
Pur significantly suppresses the increase in chymase, alpha-SMA, TGF-beta, and b
catenin expression levels induced by IRI. CONCLUSIONS The results indicated that
IRI could induce uterine fibrosis and that Pur had an improvement effect on IRI
induced uterine fibrosis by downregulating the activity of mast cell chymase, TGF
beta, alpha-SMA, and the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway.
PMID- 28704346
TI - Mortality from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Parkinson's Disease Among
Different Occupation Groups - United States, 1985-2011.
AB - Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Parkinson's disease, both progressive
neurodegenerative diseases, affect >1 million Americans (1,2). Consistently
reported risk factors for ALS include increasing age, male sex, and cigarette
smoking (1); risk factors for Parkinson's disease include increasing age, male
sex, and pesticide exposure, whereas cigarette smoking and caffeine consumption
are inversely associated (2). Relative to cancer or respiratory diseases, the
role of occupation in neurologic diseases is much less studied and less well
understood (3). CDC evaluated associations between usual occupation and ALS and
Parkinson's disease mortality using data from CDC's National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) National Occupational Mortality
Surveillance (NOMS), a population-based surveillance system that includes
approximately 12.1 million deaths from 30 U.S. states.* Associations were
estimated using proportionate mortality ratios (PMRs), standardizing indirectly
by age, sex, race, and calendar year to the standard population of all NOMS
deaths with occupation information. Occupations associated with higher
socioeconomic status (SES) had elevated ALS and Parkinson's disease mortality.
The shifts in the U.S. workforce toward older ages and higher SES occupations?
highlight the importance of understanding this finding, which will require
studies with designs that provide evidence for causality, detailed exposure
assessment, and adjustment for additional potential confounders.
PMID- 28704347
TI - Pneumococcal Vaccination Among Medicare Beneficiaries Occurring After the
Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices Recommendation for Routine Use Of 13
Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine and 23-Valent Pneumococcal Polysaccharide
Vaccine for Adults Aged >=65 Years.
AB - On September 19, 2014, CDC published the Advisory Committee on Immunization
Practices (ACIP) recommendation for the routine use of 13-valent pneumococcal
conjugate vaccine (PCV13) among adults aged >=65 years, to be used in series with
23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) (1). This replaced the
previous recommendation that adults aged >=65 years should be vaccinated with a
single dose of PPSV23. As a proxy for estimating PCV13 and PPSV23 vaccination
coverage among adults aged >=65 years before and after implementation of these
revised recommendations, CDC analyzed claims for vaccination submitted for
reimbursement to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Claims from
any time during a beneficiary's enrollment in Medicare Parts A (hospital
insurance) and B (medical insurance) since reaching age 65 years were assessed
among beneficiaries continuously enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B during annual
periods from September 19, 2009, through September 18, 2016. By September 18,
2016, 43.2% of Medicare beneficiaries aged >=65 years had claims for at least 1
dose of PPSV23 (regardless of PCV13 status), 31.5% had claims for at least 1 dose
of PCV13 (regardless of PPSV23 status), and 18.3% had claims for at least 1 dose
each of PCV13 and PPSV23. Claims for either type of pneumococcal vaccine were
highest among beneficiaries who were older, white, or with chronic and
immunocompromising medical conditions than among healthy adults. Implementation
of the National Vaccine Advisory Committee's standards for adult immunization
practice to assess vaccination status at every patient encounter, recommend
needed vaccines, and administer vaccination or refer to a vaccinating provider
might help increase pneumococcal vaccination coverage and reduce the risk for
pneumonia and invasive pneumococcal disease among older adults (2).
PMID- 28704348
TI - QuickStats: Age-Adjusted* Alzheimer's Disease Death Rates? Among Persons Aged
>=65 Years, by StateS - United States, 2015.
AB - In 2015, the age-adjusted Alzheimer's disease death rate among persons aged >=65
years in the United States was 231.0 per 100,000 population. The five states with
the highest age-adjusted death rates for Alzheimer's disease were South Carolina
(362.8), Washington (349.6), Mississippi (346.5), Tennessee (340.8), and
Louisiana (333.6). New York had the lowest rate (99.0), followed by Maryland
(128.2), Alaska (131.7), Connecticut (149.3), and the District of Columbia
(152.2).
PMID- 28704349
TI - Announcement: Implementation of the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System 2.0
Reporting Form.
AB - The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), co-managed by CDC and the
Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is the national postmarketing safety
monitoring system that accepts reports about adverse events that occur after
administration of U.S.-licensed vaccines (1,2). On June 30, 2017, CDC and FDA
implemented a revised reporting form and a new process for submitting reports to
VAERS. Persons reporting adverse events are now able to use the VAERS 2.0 online
reporting tool to submit reports directly online; alternatively, they may
download and complete the writable and savable VAERS 2.0 form and submit it using
an electronic document upload feature.
PMID- 28704350
TI - Measles Outbreak - Minnesota April-May 2017.
AB - On April 10, 2017, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) was notified about a
suspected measles case. The patient was a hospitalized child aged 25 months who
was evaluated for fever and rash, with onset on April 8. The child had no history
of receipt of measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine and no travel history or known
exposure to measles. On April 11, MDH received a report of a second hospitalized,
unvaccinated child, aged 34 months, with an acute febrile rash illness with onset
on April 10. The second patient's sibling, aged 19 months, who had also not
received MMR vaccine, had similar symptoms, with rash onset on March 30. Real
time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) testing of
nasopharyngeal swab or throat specimens performed at MDH confirmed measles in the
first two patients on April 11, and in the third patient on April 13; subsequent
genotyping identified genotype B3 virus in all three patients, who attended the
same child care center. MDH instituted outbreak investigation and response
activities in collaboration with local health departments, health care
facilities, child care facilities, and schools in affected settings. Because the
outbreak occurred in a community with low MMR vaccination coverage, measles
spread rapidly, resulting in thousands of exposures in child care centers,
schools, and health care facilities. By May 31, 2017, a total of 65 confirmed
measles cases had been reported to MDH (Figure 1); transmission is ongoing.
PMID- 28704351
TI - High Risk for Invasive Meningococcal Disease Among Patients Receiving Eculizumab
(Soliris) Despite Receipt of Meningococcal Vaccine.
AB - Use of eculizumab (Soliris, Alexion Pharmaceuticals), a terminal complement
inhibitor, is associated with a 1,000-fold to 2,000-fold increased incidence of
meningococcal disease (1). Administration of meningococcal vaccines is
recommended for patients receiving eculizumab before beginning treatment (2,3).
Sixteen cases of meningococcal disease were identified in eculizumab recipients
in the United States during 2008-2016; among these, 11 were caused by
nongroupable Neisseria meningitidis. Fourteen patients had documentation of
receipt of at least 1 dose of meningococcal vaccine before disease onset. Because
eculizumab recipients remain at risk for meningococcal disease even after receipt
of meningococcal vaccines, some health care providers in the United States as
well as public health agencies in other countries recommend antimicrobial
prophylaxis for the duration of eculizumab treatment; a lifelong course of
treatment is expected for many patients. Heightened awareness, early care
seeking, and rapid treatment of any symptoms consistent with meningococcal
disease are essential for all patients receiving eculizumab treatment, regardless
of meningococcal vaccination or antimicrobial prophylaxis status.
PMID- 28704352
TI - Racial and Geographic Differences in Breastfeeding - United States, 2011-2015.
AB - Breastfeeding provides numerous health benefits for infants and mothers alike.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for
approximately the first 6 months of life and continued breastfeeding with
complementary foods through at least the first year (1). National estimates
indicate substantial differences between non-Hispanic black (black) and non
Hispanic white (white) infants across breastfeeding indicators in the United
States (2). CDC analyzed 2011-2015 National Immunization Survey (NIS) data for
children born during 2010-2013 to describe breastfeeding initiation, exclusivity
through 6 months and duration at 12 months among black and white infants. Among
the 34 states (including the District of Columbia [DC]) with sufficient sample
size (>=50 per group), initiation rates were significantly (p<0.05) lower among
black infants than white infants in 23 states; in 14 of these states (primarily
in the South and Midwest), the difference was at least 15 percentage points. A
significant difference of at least 10 percentage points was identified in
exclusive breastfeeding through 6 months in 12 states and in breastfeeding at 12
months in 22 states. Despite overall increases in breastfeeding rates for black
and white infants over the last decade, racial disparities persist. Interventions
specifically addressing barriers to breastfeeding for black women are needed.
PMID- 28704353
TI - Organization and function of the 3D genome.
PMID- 28704354
TI - Structural plasticity and reorganisation in chronic pain.
PMID- 28704355
TI - A new view into prokaryotic cell biology from electron cryotomography.
PMID- 28704356
TI - Gap junctions and cancer: communicating for 50 years.
PMID- 28704357
TI - That gut feeling.
PMID- 28704358
TI - Obesity promotes prostate cancer invasion.
PMID- 28704359
TI - From Krebs to clinic: glutamine metabolism to cancer therapy.
PMID- 28704361
TI - From Krebs to clinic: glutamine metabolism to cancer therapy.
PMID- 28704362
TI - Local and global genetic diversity of protozoan parasites: Spatial distribution
of Cryptosporidium and Giardia genotypes.
AB - Cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis are recognized as significant enteric diseases
due to their long-term health effects in humans and their economic impact in
agriculture and medical care. Molecular analysis is essential to identify species
and genotypes causing these infectious diseases and provides a potential tool for
monitoring. This study uses information on species and genetic variants to gain
insights into the geographical distribution and spatial patterns of
Cryptosporidium and Giardia parasites. Here, we describe the population
heterogeneity of genotypic groups within Cryptosporidium and Giardia present in
New Zealand using gp60 and gdh markers to compare the observed variation with
other countries around the globe. Four species of Cryptosporidium (C. hominis, C.
parvum, C. cuniculus and C. erinacei) and one species of Giardia (G.
intestinalis) were identified. These species have been reported worldwide and
there are not unique Cryptosporidium gp60 subtype families and Giardia gdh
assemblages in New Zealand, most likely due to high gene flow of historical and
current human activity (travel and trade) and persistence of large host
population sizes. The global analysis revealed that genetic variants of these
pathogens are widely distributed. However, genetic variation is underestimated by
data biases (e.g. neglected submission of sequences to genetic databases) and low
sampling. New genotypes are likely to be discovered as sampling efforts increase
according to accumulation prediction analyses, especially for C. parvum. Our
study highlights the need for greater sampling and archiving of genotypes
globally to allow comparative analyses that help understand the population
dynamics of these protozoan parasites. Overall our study represents a
comprehensive overview for exploring local and global protozoan genotype
diversity and advances our understanding of the importance for surveillance and
potential risk associated with these infectious diseases.
PMID- 28704363
TI - Uniform multidrug therapy for leprosy patients in Brazil (U-MDT/CT-BR): Results
of an open label, randomized and controlled clinical trial, among multibacillary
patients.
AB - BACKGROUND: Leprosy control is based on early diagnosis and multidrug therapy.
For treatment purposes, leprosy patients can be classified as paucibacillary (PB)
or multibacillary (MB), according to the number of skin lesions. Studies
regarding a uniform treatment regimen (U-MDT) for all leprosy patients have been
encouraged by the WHO, rendering disease classification unnecessary. METHODOLOGY
AND FINDINGS: An independent, randomized, controlled clinical trial conducted
from 2007 to 2015 in Brazil, compared main outcomes (frequency of reactions,
bacilloscopic index trend, disability progression and relapse rates) among MB
patients treated with a uniform regimen/U-MDT (dapsone+rifampicin+clofazimine for
six months) versus WHO regular-MDT/R-MDT (dapsone+rifampicin+clofazimine for 12
months). A total of 613 newly diagnosed, untreated MB patients with high
bacterial load were included. There was no statistically significant difference
in Kaplan-Meyer survival function regarding reaction or disability progression
among patients in the U-MDT and R-MDT groups, with more than 25% disability
progression in both groups. The full mixed effects model adjusted for the
bacilloscopic index average trend in time showed no statistically significant
difference for the regression coefficient in both groups and for interaction
variables that included treatment group. During active follow up, four patients
in U-MDT group relapsed representing a relapse rate of 2.6 per 1000 patients per
year of active follow up (95% CI [0.81, 6.2] per 1000). During passive follow up
three patients relapsed in U-MDT and one in R-MTD. As this period corresponds to
passive follow up, sensitivity analysis estimated the relapse rate for the entire
follow up period between 2.9- and 4.5 per 1000 people per year. CONCLUSION: Our
results on the first randomized and controlled study on U-MDT together with the
results from three previous studies performed in China, India and Bangladesh,
support the hypothesis that UMDT is an acceptable option to be adopted in endemic
countries to treat leprosy patients in the field worldwide. TRIAL REGISTRATION:
ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00669643.
PMID- 28704364
TI - Dramatic and concerted conformational changes enable rhodocetin to block
alpha2beta1 integrin selectively.
AB - The collagen binding integrin alpha2beta1 plays a crucial role in hemostasis,
fibrosis, and cancer progression amongst others. It is specifically inhibited by
rhodocetin (RC), a C-type lectin-related protein (CLRP) found in Malayan pit
viper (Calloselasma rhodostoma) venom. The structure of RC alone reveals a
heterotetramer arranged as an alphabeta and gammadelta subunit in a cruciform
shape. RC specifically binds to the collagen binding A-domain of the integrin
alpha2 subunit, thereby blocking collagen-induced platelet aggregation. However,
until now, the molecular basis for this interaction has remained unclear. Here,
we present the molecular structure of the RCgammadelta-alpha2A complex solved to
3.0 A resolution. Our findings show that RC undergoes a dramatic structural
reorganization upon binding to alpha2beta1 integrin. Besides the release of the
nonbinding RCalphabeta tandem, the RCgamma subunit interacts with loop 2 of the
alpha2A domain as result of a dramatic conformational change. The RCdelta subunit
contacts the integrin alpha2A domain in the "closed" conformation through its
helix C. Combined with epitope-mapped antibodies, conformationally locked alpha2A
domain mutants, point mutations within the alpha2A loop 2, and chemical
modifications of the purified toxin protein, this molecular structure of
RCgammadelta-alpha2A complex explains the inhibitory mechanism and specificity of
RC for alpha2beta1 integrin.
PMID- 28704365
TI - Central and peripheral nervous system involvement caused by Zika and chikungunya
coinfection.
PMID- 28704367
TI - Correction: Viral genetic variation accounts for a third of variability in HIV-1
set-point viral load in Europe.
AB - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2001855.].
PMID- 28704366
TI - Identifying wildlife reservoirs of neglected taeniid tapeworms: Non-invasive
diagnosis of endemic Taenia serialis infection in a wild primate population.
AB - Despite the global distribution and public health consequences of Taenia
tapeworms, the life cycles of taeniids infecting wildlife hosts remain largely
undescribed. The larval stage of Taenia serialis commonly parasitizes rodents and
lagomorphs, but has been reported in a wide range of hosts that includes geladas
(Theropithecus gelada), primates endemic to Ethiopia. Geladas exhibit protuberant
larval cysts indicative of advanced T. serialis infection that are associated
with high mortality. However, non-protuberant larvae can develop in deep tissue
or the abdominal cavity, leading to underestimates of prevalence based solely on
observable cysts. We adapted a non-invasive monoclonal antibody-based enzyme
linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect circulating Taenia spp. antigen in
dried gelada urine. Analysis revealed that this assay was highly accurate in
detecting Taenia antigen, with 98.4% specificity, 98.5% sensitivity, and an area
under the curve of 0.99. We used this assay to investigate the prevalence of T.
serialis infection in a wild gelada population, finding that infection is
substantially more widespread than the occurrence of visible T. serialis cysts
(16.4% tested positive at least once, while only 6% of the same population
exhibited cysts). We examined whether age or sex predicted T. serialis infection
as indicated by external cysts and antigen presence. Contrary to the female-bias
observed in many Taenia-host systems, we found no significant sex bias in either
cyst presence or antigen presence. Age, on the other hand, predicted cyst
presence (older individuals were more likely to show cysts) but not antigen
presence. We interpret this finding to indicate that T. serialis may infect
individuals early in life but only result in visible disease later in life. This
is the first application of an antigen ELISA to the study of larval Taenia
infection in wildlife, opening the doors to the identification and description of
infection dynamics in reservoir populations.
PMID- 28704368
TI - Mouse models of 17q21.31 microdeletion and microduplication syndromes highlight
the importance of Kansl1 for cognition.
AB - Koolen-de Vries syndrome (KdVS) is a multi-system disorder characterized by
intellectual disability, friendly behavior, and congenital malformations. The
syndrome is caused either by microdeletions in the 17q21.31 chromosomal region or
by variants in the KANSL1 gene. The reciprocal 17q21.31 microduplication syndrome
is associated with psychomotor delay, and reduced social interaction. To
investigate the pathophysiology of 17q21.31 microdeletion and microduplication
syndromes, we generated three mouse models: 1) the deletion (Del/+); or 2) the
reciprocal duplication (Dup/+) of the 17q21.31 syntenic region; and 3) a
heterozygous Kansl1 (Kans1+/-) model. We found altered weight, general activity,
social behaviors, object recognition, and fear conditioning memory associated
with craniofacial and brain structural changes observed in both Del/+ and Dup/+
animals. By investigating hippocampus function, we showed synaptic transmission
defects in Del/+ and Dup/+ mice. Mutant mice with a heterozygous loss-of-function
mutation in Kansl1 displayed similar behavioral and anatomical phenotypes
compared to Del/+ mice with the exception of sociability phenotypes. Genes
controlling chromatin organization, synaptic transmission and neurogenesis were
upregulated in the hippocampus of Del/+ and Kansl1+/- animals. Our results
demonstrate the implication of KANSL1 in the manifestation of KdVS phenotypes and
extend substantially our knowledge about biological processes affected by these
mutations. Clear differences in social behavior and gene expression profiles
between Del/+ and Kansl1+/- mice suggested potential roles of other genes
affected by the 17q21.31 deletion. Together, these novel mouse models provide new
genetic tools valuable for the development of therapeutic approaches.
PMID- 28704369
TI - Clinical and parasitological factors in parasite persistence after treatment and
clinical cure of cutaneous leishmaniasis.
AB - BACKGROUND: The determinants of parasite persistence or elimination after
treatment and clinical resolution of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) are unknown. We
investigated clinical and parasitological parameters associated with the presence
and viability of Leishmania after treatment and resolution of CL caused by L.
Viannia. METHODS: Seventy patients who were treated with meglumine antimoniate (n
= 38) or miltefosine (n = 32) and cured, were included in this study. Leishmania
persistence and viability were determined by detection of kDNA and 7SLRNA
transcripts, respectively, before, at the end of treatment (EoT), and 13 weeks
after initiation of treatment in lesions and swabs of nasal and tonsillar mucosa.
RESULTS: Sixty percent of patients (42/70) had evidence of Leishmania persistence
at EoT and 30% (9/30) 13 weeks after treatment initiation. A previous episode of
CL was found to be a protective factor for detectable Leishmania persistence (OR:
0.16, 95%CI: 0.03-0.92). kDNA genotyping could not discern differences between
parasite populations that persisted and those isolated at diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS:
Leishmania persist in skin and mucosal tissues in a high proportion of patients
who achieved therapeutic cure of CL. This finding prompts assessment of the
contribution of persistent infection in transmission and endemicity of CL, and in
disease reactivation and protective immunity.
PMID- 28704370
TI - Insights into the sand fly saliva: Blood-feeding and immune interactions between
sand flies, hosts, and Leishmania.
AB - BACKGROUND: Leishmaniases are parasitic diseases present worldwide that are
transmitted to the vertebrate host by the bite of an infected sand fly during a
blood feeding. Phlebotomine sand flies inoculate into the mammalian host
Leishmania parasites embedded in promastigote secretory gel (PSG) with saliva,
which is composed of a diverse group of molecules with pharmacological and
immunomodulatory properties. METHODS AND FINDINGS: In this review, we focus on 3
main aspects of sand fly salivary molecules: (1) structure and composition of
salivary glands, including the properties of salivary molecules related to
hemostasis and blood feeding, (2) immunomodulatory properties of salivary
molecules and the diverse impacts of these molecules on leishmaniasis, ranging
from disease exacerbation to vaccine development, and (3) use of salivary
molecules for field applications, including monitoring host exposure to sand
flies and the risk of Leishmania transmission. Studies showed interesting
differences between salivary proteins of Phlebotomus and Lutzomyia species,
however, no data were ever published on salivary proteins of Sergentomyia
species. CONCLUSIONS: In the last 15 years, numerous studies have characterized
sand fly salivary proteins and, in parallel, have addressed the impact of such
molecules on the biology of the host-sand fly-parasite interaction. The results
obtained shall pave the way for the development of field-application tools that
could contribute to the management of leishmaniasis in endemic areas.
PMID- 28704371
TI - Genetic compensation: A phenomenon in search of mechanisms.
AB - Several recent studies in a number of model systems including zebrafish,
Arabidopsis, and mouse have revealed phenotypic differences between knockouts
(i.e., mutants) and knockdowns (e.g., antisense-treated animals). These
differences have been attributed to a number of reasons including off-target
effects of the antisense reagents. An alternative explanation was recently
proposed based on a zebrafish study reporting that genetic compensation was
observed in egfl7 mutant but not knockdown animals. Dosage compensation was first
reported in Drosophila in 1932, and genetic compensation in response to a gene
knockout was first reported in yeast in 1969. Since then, genetic compensation
has been documented many times in a number of model organisms; however, our
understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms remains limited. In this
review, we revisit studies reporting genetic compensation in higher eukaryotes
and outline possible molecular mechanisms, which may include both transcriptional
and posttranscriptional processes.
PMID- 28704372
TI - The ancestral levels of transcription and the evolution of sexual phenotypes in
filamentous fungi.
AB - Changes in gene expression have been hypothesized to play an important role in
the evolution of divergent morphologies. To test this hypothesis in a model
system, we examined differences in fruiting body morphology of five filamentous
fungi in the Sordariomycetes, culturing them in a common garden environment and
profiling genome-wide gene expression at five developmental stages. We
reconstructed ancestral gene expression phenotypes, identifying genes with the
largest evolved increases in gene expression across development. Conducting
knockouts and performing phenotypic analysis in two divergent species typically
demonstrated altered fruiting body development in the species that had evolved
increased expression. Our evolutionary approach to finding relevant genes proved
far more efficient than other gene deletion studies targeting whole genomes or
gene families. Combining gene expression measurements with knockout phenotypes
facilitated the refinement of Bayesian networks of the genes underlying fruiting
body development, regulation of which is one of the least understood processes of
multicellular development.
PMID- 28704373
TI - Possible roles of mechanical cell elimination intrinsic to growing tissues from
the perspective of tissue growth efficiency and homeostasis.
AB - Cell competition is a phenomenon originally described as the competition between
cell populations with different genetic backgrounds; losing cells with lower
fitness are eliminated. With the progress in identification of related molecules,
some reports described the relevance of cell mechanics during elimination.
Furthermore, recent live imaging studies have shown that even in tissues composed
of genetically identical cells, a non-negligible number of cells are eliminated
during growth. Thus, mechanical cell elimination (MCE) as a consequence of
mechanical cellular interactions is an unavoidable event in growing tissues and a
commonly observed phenomenon. Here, we studied MCE in a genetically-homogeneous
tissue from the perspective of tissue growth efficiency and homeostasis. First,
we propose two quantitative measures, cell and tissue fitness, to evaluate
cellular competitiveness and tissue growth efficiency, respectively. By
mechanical tissue simulation in a pure population where all cells have the same
mechanical traits, we clarified the dependence of cell elimination rate or cell
fitness on different mechanical/growth parameters. In particular, we found that
geometrical (specifically, cell size) and mechanical (stress magnitude)
heterogeneities are common determinants of the elimination rate. Based on these
results, we propose possible mechanical feedback mechanisms that could improve
tissue growth efficiency and density/stress homeostasis. Moreover, when cells
with different mechanical traits are mixed (e.g., in the presence of phenotypic
variation), we show that MCE could drive a drastic shift in cell trait
distribution, thereby improving tissue growth efficiency through the selection of
cellular traits, i.e. intra-tissue "evolution". Along with the improvement of
growth efficiency, cell density, stress state, and phenotype (mechanical traits)
were also shown to be homogenized through growth. More theoretically, we propose
a mathematical model that approximates cell competition dynamics, by which the
time evolution of tissue fitness and cellular trait distribution can be predicted
without directly simulating a cell-based mechanical model.
PMID- 28704374
TI - Spatial organization of the budding yeast genome in the cell nucleus and
identification of specific chromatin interactions from multi-chromosome
constrained chromatin model.
AB - Nuclear landmarks and biochemical factors play important roles in the
organization of the yeast genome. The interaction pattern of budding yeast as
measured from genome-wide 3C studies are largely recapitulated by model polymer
genomes subject to landmark constraints. However, the origin of inter-chromosomal
interactions, specific roles of individual landmarks, and the roles of
biochemical factors in yeast genome organization remain unclear. Here we describe
a multi-chromosome constrained self-avoiding chromatin model (mC-SAC) to gain
understanding of the budding yeast genome organization. With significantly
improved sampling of genome structures, both intra- and inter-chromosomal
interaction patterns from genome-wide 3C studies are accurately captured in our
model at higher resolution than previous studies. We show that nuclear
confinement is a key determinant of the intra-chromosomal interactions, and
centromere tethering is responsible for the inter-chromosomal interactions. In
addition, important genomic elements such as fragile sites and tRNA genes are
found to be clustered spatially, largely due to centromere tethering. We
uncovered previously unknown interactions that were not captured by genome-wide
3C studies, which are found to be enriched with tRNA genes, RNAPIII and TFIIS
binding. Moreover, we identified specific high-frequency genome-wide 3C
interactions that are unaccounted for by polymer effects under landmark
constraints. These interactions are enriched with important genes and likely play
biological roles.
PMID- 28704375
TI - The effect of the promiscuity stereotype on opposition to gay rights.
AB - Opposition to gay rights is prevalent in countries around the world. Recent
correlational research suggests that opposition to gay rights may be driven by an
interaction between one's own short-term mating orientation (i.e. willingness to
engage in casual sex) and representations of gay people as sexually promiscuous.
Here, we experimentally manipulated representations of gay men by randomly
assigning participants to read one of two versions of a fictitious newspaper
article, one of which contained faux scientific evidence confirming the
stereotype that gay men are promiscuous, and the other containing faux scientific
evidence refuting the stereotype. We found that the manipulation interacted with
short-term mating orientation (STMO) to predict opposition to gay rights, such
that low-STMO individuals (i.e. more averse to casual sex) exhibited more support
for gay rights when assigned to read the stereotype-refuting article compared to
the stereotype-confirming article, whereas high-STMO individuals (i.e. less
averse to casual sex) were not significantly influenced by the manipulation. We
discuss the implications of these findings for the study of antigay attitudes, as
well as for recent societal changes in acceptance of homosexuality.
PMID- 28704376
TI - Effectiveness of rapid rail transit system in Beijing.
AB - The effectiveness of rapid rail transit system is analyzed using tools of complex
network for the first time. We evaluated the effectiveness of the system in
Beijing quantitatively from different perspectives, including descriptive
statistics analysis, bridging property, centrality property, ability of
connecting different part of the system and ability of disease spreading. The
results showed that the public transport of Beijing does benefit from the rapid
rail transit lines, and the benefit of different regions from RRTS is gradually
decreased from the north to the south. The paper concluded with some policy
suggestions regarding how to promote the system. This study offered significant
insight that can help understand the public transportation better. The
methodology can be easily applied to analyze other urban public systems, such as
electricity grid, water system, to develop more livable cities.
PMID- 28704377
TI - A cluster-randomized controlled study to evaluate a team coaching concept for
improving teamwork and patient-centeredness in rehabilitation teams.
AB - PURPOSE: Although the relevance of interprofessional teamwork in the delivery of
patient-centered care is well known, there is a lack of interventions for
improving team interaction in the context of rehabilitation in Germany. The aim
of the present study is to evaluate whether a specially developed team coaching
concept (TCC) could improve both teamwork and patient-centeredness. METHOD: A
multicenter, cluster-randomized controlled intervention study was conducted with
both staff and patient questionnaires. Data was collected at ten German
rehabilitation clinics (five clusters) of different indication fields before (t1)
and after (t2) the intervention. Intervention clinics received the TCC, while
control clinics did not receive any treatment. Staff questionnaires were used to
measure internal participation and other aspects of teamwork, such as team
organization, while patient questionnaires assessed patient-centeredness. A
multivariate analysis of variance was applied for data analysis. RESULTS: In
order to analyze the effect of TCC on internal participation and teamwork, 305
questionnaires were included for t1 and 213 for t2 in the staff survey. In the
patient survey, 523 questionnaires were included for t1 and 545 for t2. The TCC
improved team organization, willingness to accept responsibility and knowledge
integration according to staff, with small effect sizes (univariate: eta2=.010
.017), whereas other parameters including internal participation, team leadership
and cohesion did not improve due to the intervention. The patient survey did not
show any improvements on the assessed dimensions. CONCLUSION: The TCC improved
dimensions that were addressed directly by the approach and were linked to the
clinics' needs, such as restructured team meetings and better exchange of
information. The TCC can be used to improve team organization, willingness to
accept responsibility, and knowledge integration in rehabilitation practice, but
some further evaluation is needed to understand contextual factors and processes
regarding the implementation of the intervention.
PMID- 28704378
TI - Characterizing properties of non-estrogenic substituted bisphenol analogs using
high throughput microscopy and image analysis.
AB - Animal studies have linked the estrogenic properties of bisphenol A (BPA) to
adverse effects on the endocrine system. Because of concerns for similar effects
in humans, there is a desire to replace BPA in consumer products, and a search
for BPA replacements that lack endocrine-disrupting bioactivity is ongoing. We
used multiple cell-based models, including an established multi-parametric, high
throughput microscopy-based platform that incorporates engineered HeLa cell lines
with visible ERalpha- or ERbeta-regulated transcription loci, to discriminate the
estrogen-like and androgen-like properties of previously uncharacterized
substituted bisphenol derivatives and hydroquinone. As expected, BPA induced 70
80% of the estrogen-like activity via ERalpha and ERbeta compared to E2 in the
HeLa prolactin array cell line. 2,2' BPA, Bisguaiacol F, CHDM 4-hydroxybuyl
acrylate, hydroquinone, and TM modified variants of BPF showed very limited
estrogen-like or androgen-like activity (< 10% of that observed with the control
compounds). Interestingly, TM-BFP and CHDM 4-hydroxybuyl acrylate, but not their
derivatives, demonstrated evidence of anti-estrogenic and anti-androgenic
activity. Our findings indicate that Bisguaiacol F, TM-BFP-ER and TM-BPF-DGE
demonstrate low potential for affecting estrogenic or androgenic endocrine
activity. This suggest that the tested compounds could be suitable commercially
viable alternatives to BPA.
PMID- 28704379
TI - Fractionating nonword repetition: The contributions of short-term memory and
oromotor praxis are different.
AB - The ability to reproduce novel words is a sensitive marker of language impairment
across a variety of developmental disorders. Nonword repetition tasks are thought
to reflect phonological short-term memory skills. Yet, when children hear and
then utter a word for the first time, they must transform a novel speech signal
into a series of coordinated, precisely timed oral movements. Little is known
about how children's oromotor speed, planning and co-ordination abilities might
influence their ability to repeat novel nonwords, beyond the influence of higher
level cognitive and linguistic skills. In the present study, we tested 35
typically developing children between the ages of 5-8 years on measures of
nonword repetition, digit span, memory for non-verbal sequences, reading fluency,
oromotor praxis, and oral diadochokinesis. We found that oromotor praxis uniquely
predicted nonword repetition ability in school-age children, and that the
variance it accounted for was additional to that of digit span, memory for non
verbal sequences, articulatory rate (measured by oral diadochokinesis) as well as
reading fluency. We conclude that the ability to compute and execute novel
sensorimotor transformations affects the production of novel words. These results
have important implications for understanding motor/language relations in
neurodevelopmental disorders.
PMID- 28704380
TI - Molecular investigation by whole exome sequencing revealed a high proportion of
pathogenic variants among Thai victims of sudden unexpected death syndrome.
AB - INTRODUCTION: Sudden unexpected death syndrome (SUDS) is an important cause of
death in young healthy adults with a high incident rate in Southeast Asia;
however, there are no molecular autopsy reports about these victims. We performed
a combination of both a detailed autopsy and a molecular autopsy by whole exome
sequencing (WES) to investigate the cause of SUDS in Thai sudden death victims.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A detailed forensic autopsy was performed to identify the
cause of death, followed by a molecular autopsy, in 42 sudden death victims who
died between January 2015 and August 2015. The coding sequences of 98 SUDS
related genes were sequenced using WES. Potentially causative variants were
filtered based on the variant functions annotated in the dbNSFP database.
Variants with inconclusive clinical significance evidence in ClinVar were
resolved with a variant prediction algorithm, metaSVM, and the frequency data of
the variants found in public databases, such as the 1000 Genome Project, ESP6500
project, and the Exome Aggregation Consortium (ExAc) project. RESULTS: Combining
both autopsy and molecular autopsy enabled the potential identification of cause
of death in 81% of the cases. Among the 25 victims with WES data, 72% (18/25)
were found to have potentially causative SUDS mutations. The majority of the
victims had at a mutation in the TTN gene (8/18 = 44%), and only one victim had
an SCN5A mutation. CONCLUSIONS: WES can help to identify the genetic causes in
victims of SUDS and may help to further guide investigations into their relatives
to prevent additional SUDS victims.
PMID- 28704381
TI - Sofosbuvir based treatment of chronic hepatitis C genotype 3 infections-A
Scandinavian real-life study.
AB - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 3 infection with
advanced liver disease has emerged as the most challenging to treat. We
retrospectively assessed the treatment outcome of sofosbuvir (SOF) based regimes
for treatment of HCV genotype 3 infections in a real life setting in Scandinavia.
METHODS: Consecutive patients with chronic HCV genotype 3 infection were enrolled
at 16 treatment centers in Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland. Patients who had
received a SOF containing regimen were included. The fibrosis stage was evaluated
by liver biopsy or transient liver elastography. The following treatments were
given according availability and local guidelines: 1) SOF + ribavirin (RBV) for
24 weeks, 2) SOF + daclatasvir (DCV) +/-RBV for 12-24 weeks, 3) SOF + pegylated
interferon alpha (peg-IFN-alpha) + RBV for 12 weeks or 4) SOF/ledipasvir (LDV) +
RBV for 12-16 weeks. The primary endpoint was sustained virological response
(SVR) assessed at week 12 (SVR12) after end of treatment. RESULTS: We included
316 patients with a mean age of 55 years (range 24-79), 70% men, 49% treatment
experienced, 58% with compensated cirrhosis and 12% with decompensated
cirrhosis.In the modified intention to treat (mITT) population SVR12 was achieved
in 284/311 (91%) patients. Among 26 treatment failures, five had non-response, 3
breakthrough and 18 relapse. Five patients were not included in the mITT
population. Three patients died from reasons unrelated to treatment and two were
lost to follow-up. The SVR12 rate was similar for all treatment regimens, but
lower in men (p = 0.042), and in patients with decompensated liver disease (p =
0.004). CONCLUSION: We found that sofosbuvir based treatment in a real-life
setting could offer SVR rates exceeding 90% in patients with HCV genotype 3
infection and advanced liver disease.
PMID- 28704382
TI - Identifying the perceptive users for online social systems.
AB - In this paper, the perceptive user, who could identify the high-quality objects
in their initial lifespan, is presented. By tracking the ratings given to the
rewarded objects, we present a method to identify the user perceptibility, which
is defined as the capability that a user can identify these objects at their
early lifespan. Moreover, we investigate the behavior patterns of the perceptive
users from three dimensions: User activity, correlation characteristics of user
rating series and user reputation. The experimental results for the empirical
networks indicate that high perceptibility users show significantly different
behavior patterns with the others: Having larger degree, stronger correlation of
rating series and higher reputation. Furthermore, in view of the hysteresis in
finding the rewarded objects, we present a general framework for identifying the
high perceptibility users based on user behavior patterns. The experimental
results show that this work is helpful for deeply understanding the collective
behavior patterns for online users.
PMID- 28704383
TI - Predicting in-hospital death during acute presentation with pulmonary embolism to
facilitate early discharge and outpatient management.
AB - BACKGROUND: Pulmonary embolism continues to be a significant cause of death. The
aim was to derive and validate a risk prediction model for in-hospital death
after acute pulmonary embolism to identify low risk patients suitable for
outpatient management. METHODS: A confirmed acute pulmonary embolism database of
1,426 consecutive patients admitted to a tertiary-center (2000-2012) was
analyzed, with odd and even years as derivation and validation cohorts
respectively. Risk stratification for in-hospital death was performed using
multivariable logistic-regression modelling. Models were compared using receiver
operating characteristic-curve and decision curve analyses. RESULTS: In-hospital
mortality was 3.6% in the derivation cohort (n = 693). Adding day-1 sodium and
bicarbonate to simplified Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index (sPESI) significantly
increased the C-statistic for predicting in-hospital death (0.71 to 0.86, P =
0.001). The validation cohort yielded similar results (n = 733, C-statistic
0.85). The new model was associated with a net reclassification improvement of
0.613, and an integrated discrimination improvement of 0.067. The new model also
increased the C-statistic for predicting 30-day mortality compared to sPESI alone
(0.74 to 0.83, P = 0.002). Decision curve analysis demonstrated superior clinical
benefit with the use of the new model to guide admission for pulmonary embolism,
resulting in 43 fewer admissions per 100 presentations based on a risk threshold
for admission of 2%. CONCLUSIONS: A risk model incorporating sodium, bicarbonate,
and the sPESI provides accurate risk prediction of acute in-hospital mortality
after pulmonary embolism. Our novel model identifies patients with pulmonary
embolism who are at low risk and who may be suitable for outpatient management.
PMID- 28704384
TI - Quantitative thyroglobulin response to radioactive iodine treatment in predicting
radioactive iodine-refractory thyroid cancer with pulmonary metastasis.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Current diagnosis of radioactive iodine (RAI)-refractory (RAIR)
differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) is based on the imaging technique, which is
of a high cost. Serum thyroglobulin (Tg) is a sensitive and easily obtained
biomarker. Hence, we aimed to assess the predicting value of quantitative
response of Tg in earlier identifying the RAIR-DTC with pulmonary metastasis.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: Pulmonary metastatic DTC patients who underwent total or
near-total thyroidectomy and at least two times of RAI therapy were included in
this study. The pre-ablative stimulated Tg at the first and second RAI therapy
were defined as pstim-Tg1 and pstim-Tg2, while the suppressed Tg before and after
the second RAI therapy were designated sup-Tg1 and sup-Tg2. The predicted value
of pstim-Tg2/Tg1 and sup-Tg2/Tg1 ratio were detected using the receiver operating
characteristic (ROC) curve and logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Totally 115
patients were involved in this study. ROC curves showed a cut-off value of 0.544
for pstim-Tg2/ pstim-Tg1 in detecting RAIR, with a sensitivity of 0.9 and
specificity of 0.477, and an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.744. Similarly, the
cut-off of sup-Tg2/ sup-Tg1 was 0.972, with a sensitivity of 0.733 and
specificity of 0.935, and AUC of 0.898. Univariate analysis illustrated that age,
tumor size, pstim-Tg2/Tg1, sup-Tg2/ sup-Tg1 and BRAFV600E mutation were eligible
to predict RAIR. While from multivariate analysis, only age, pstim-Tg2/Tg1, sup
Tg2/ sup-Tg1 and BRAFV600E mutation were verified to be the independent
predictive factors. CONCLUSION: The quantitative Tg response was encouraging in
identifying RAIR-DTC with pulmonary metastasis. Age, BRAFV600E mutation and Tg
response were independent predictors in predicting RAIR-DTC.
PMID- 28704385
TI - Immunoprotective properties of recombinant LigA and LigB in a hamster model of
acute leptospirosis.
AB - Leptospirosis is the most widespread zoonosis and is considered a major public
health problem worldwide. Currently, there is no widely available vaccine against
leptospirosis for use in humans. A purified, recombinant subunit vaccine that
includes the last six immunoglobulin-like (Ig-like) domains of the leptospiral
protein LigA (LigA7'-13) protects against lethal infection but not renal
colonization after challenge by Leptospira interrogans. In this study, we
examined whether the addition of the first seven Ig-like domains of LigB (LigB0
7) to LigA7'-13, can enhance immune protection and confer sterilizing immunity in
the Golden Syrian hamster model of acute leptospirosis. Hamsters were
subcutaneously immunized with soluble, recombinant LigA7'-13, LigB0-7, or a
combination of LigA7'-13 and LigB0-7 in Freund's adjuvant. Immunization with Lig
proteins generated a strong humoral immune response with high titers of IgG that
recognized homologous protein, and cross-reacted with the heterologous protein as
assessed by ELISA. LigA7'-13 alone, or in combination with LigB0-7, protected all
hamsters from intraperitoneal challenge with a lethal dose of L. interrogans
serovar Copenhageni strain Fiocruz L1-130. However, bacteria were recovered from
the kidneys of all animals. Of eight animals immunized with LigB0-7, only three
survived Leptospira challenge, one of which lacked renal colonization and had
antibodies to native LigB by immunoblot. In addition, sera from two of the three
LigB0-7 immunized survivors cross-reacted with LigA11-13, a region of LigA that
is sufficient for protection. In summary, we confirmed that LigA7'-13 protects
hamsters from death but not infection, and immunization with LigB0-7, either
alone or in combination with LigA7'-13, did not confer sterilizing immunity.
PMID- 28704386
TI - Nannochloropsis oceania-derived defatted meal as an alternative to fishmeal in
Atlantic salmon feeds.
AB - Defatted microalgal biomass derived from biorefinery can be potential feed
ingredients for carnivorous fish. The present study investigated the growth, feed
intake:gain and health parameters in Atlantic salmon fed for 84 days with
defatted Nannochloropsis oceania as a fishmeal replacer. Fish fed feeds
containing the algal biomass (at 10 and 20% inclusion, alga groups) were compared
with groups that consumed alga-devoid feeds (control group). The fish that
received 20% alga tended to have reduced weight gain and specific growth rate.
Condition factor, feed conversion ratio and feed intake of this fish group were
significantly different when compared with the control group. Hepatosomatic and
viscerosomatic indices, whole body and fillet proximate composition were not
affected by the dietary treatments. Digestibility of dry matter, protein, lipid,
ash and energy, as well as retention of lipid and energy of the fish that
received feed with 20% alga meal were also significantly different from those of
the control group. Serum superoxide dismutase activity of the 10% alga-fed fish
was significantly higher compared with the control fish. Although alga feeding
did not cause any distal intestinal inflammation, the intestinal proteins that
were altered upon feeding 20% algal meal might be pointing to systemic
physiological disturbances. In conclusion, feeds with 20% alga had a negative
effect on feed intake, FCR, lipid and energy retention and health of the fish.
The defatted Nannochloropsis oceania can be used at modest inclusion levels,
around 10%, without negative effects on the performance of Atlantic salmon.
PMID- 28704387
TI - Abundance of commercially important reef fish indicates different levels of over
exploitation across shelves of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
AB - The United States Virgin Islands are comprised of two separate insular platforms
separated by the deep water Anegada Passage. Although managed by the same
regulations, as one fishery, several physical and spatial differences exist
between the two northern shelf islands, St. Thomas and St. John, and isolated St.
Croix. Based on two long-term fisheries independent datasets, collected by the
U.S. Virgin Islands Territorial Coral Reef Monitoring Program and the National
Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration Center for Coastal Monitoring and
Assessment, there were significant differences between the northern USVI and St.
Croix in both the occurrence and size of several species of large and
commercially important reef fishes. These fishes are primarily apex piscivores
and generally the first species over-exploited in small-scale fisheries. The
disparities between the fish communities on the two island shelves cannot be
explained solely by differences in habitat (coral cover, rugosity) or fisheries
management, such as relative amount of marine protected area in local waters.
They are instead probably caused by a combination of several other interrelated
factors including water depth, fishing methodology, fishable area, and the
presence or absence of viable fish spawning areas. This study considers those
aspects, and illustrates the need for management of island artisanal fisheries
that is tailored to the physical and spatial constraints imposed by insular
platforms.
PMID- 28704389
TI - Differential chromatin profiles partially determine transcription factor binding.
AB - We characterize how genomic variants that alter chromatin accessibility influence
regulatory factor binding with a new method called DeltaBind that predicts
condition specific factor binding more accurately than other methods based on
DNase-seq data. Using DeltaBind and DNase-seq experiments we predicted the
differential binding of 18 factors in K562 and GM12878 cells with an average
precision of 28% at 10% recall, with the prediction of individual factors ranging
from 5% to 65% precision. We further found that genome variants that alter
chromatin accessibility are not necessarily predictive of altering proximal
factor binding. Taken together these findings suggest that DNase-seq or ATAC-seq
Quantitative Trait Loci (dsQTLs), while important, must be considered in a
broader context to establish causality for phenotypic changes.
PMID- 28704388
TI - The miR-23a~27a~24-2 microRNA cluster buffers transcription and signaling
pathways during hematopoiesis.
AB - MicroRNA cluster mirn23a has previously been shown to promote myeloid development
at the expense of lymphoid development in overexpression and knockout mouse
models. This polarization is observed early in hematopoietic development, with an
increase in common lymphoid progenitors (CLPs) and a decrease in all myeloid
progenitor subsets in adult bone marrow. The pool size of multipotential
progenitors (MPPs) is unchanged; however, in this report we observe by flow
cytometry that polarized subsets of MPPs are changed in the absence of mirn23a.
Additionally, in vitro culture of MPPs and sorted MPP transplants showed that
these cells have decreased myeloid and increased lymphoid potential in vitro and
in vivo. We investigated the mechanism by which mirn23a regulates hematopoietic
differentiation and observed that mirn23a promotes myeloid development of
hematopoietic progenitors through regulation of hematopoietic transcription
factors and signaling pathways. Early transcription factors that direct the
commitment of MPPs to CLPs (Ikzf1, Runx1, Satb1, Bach1 and Bach2) are increased
in the absence of mirn23a miRNAs as well as factors that commit the CLP to the B
cell lineage (FoxO1, Ebf1, and Pax5). Mirn23a appears to buffer transcription
factor levels so that they do not stochastically reach a threshold level to
direct differentiation. Intriguingly, mirn23a also inversely regulates the PI3
kinase (PI3K)/Akt and BMP/Smad signaling pathways. Pharmacological inhibitor
studies, coupled with dominant active/dominant negative biochemical experiments,
show that both signaling pathways are critical to mirn23a's regulation of
hematopoietic differentiation. Lastly, consistent with mirn23a being a
physiological inhibitor of B cell development, we observed that the essential B
cell transcription factor EBF1 represses expression of mirn23a. In summary, our
data demonstrates that mirn23a regulates a complex array of transcription and
signaling pathways to modulate adult hematopoiesis.
PMID- 28704390
TI - Inter-rater reliability of categorical versus continuous scoring of fish
vitality: Does it affect the utility of the reflex action mortality predictor
(RAMP) approach?
AB - Scoring reflex responsiveness and injury of aquatic organisms has gained
popularity as predictors of discard survival. Given this method relies upon the
individual interpretation of scoring criteria, an evaluation of its robustness is
done here to test whether protocol-instructed, multiple raters with diverse
backgrounds (research scientist, technician, and student) are able to produce
similar or the same reflex and injury score for one of the same flatfish
(European plaice, Pleuronectes platessa) after experiencing commercial fishing
stressors. Inter-rater reliability for three raters was assessed by using a 3
point categorical scale ('absent', 'weak', 'strong') and a tagged visual analogue
continuous scale (tVAS, a 10 cm bar split in three labelled sections: 0 for
'absent', 'weak', 'moderate', and 'strong') for six reflex responses, and a 4
point scale for four injury types. Plaice (n = 304) were sampled from 17 research
beam-trawl deployments during four trips. Fleiss kappa (categorical scores) and
intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC, continuous scores) indicated variable
inter-rater agreement by reflex type (ranging between 0.55 and 0.88, and 67% and
91% for Fleiss kappa and ICC, respectively), with least agreement among raters on
extent of injury (Fleiss kappa between 0.08 and 0.27). Despite differences among
raters, which did not significantly influence the relationship between impairment
and predicted survival, combining categorical reflex and injury scores always
produced a close relationship of such vitality indices and observed delayed
mortality. The use of the continuous scale did not improve fit of these models
compared with using the reflex impairment index based on categorical scores.
Given these findings, we recommend using a 3-point categorical over a continuous
scale. We also determined that training rather than experience of raters
minimised inter-rater differences. Our results suggest that cost-efficient reflex
impairment and injury scoring may be considered a robust technique to evaluate
lethal stress and damage of this flatfish species on-board commercial beam-trawl
vessels.
PMID- 28704391
TI - Visceral leishmaniasis in an environmentally protected area in southeastern
Brazil: Epidemiological and laboratory cross-sectional investigation of
phlebotomine fauna, wild hosts and canine cases.
AB - BACKGROUND: Leishmaniasis is a rapidly expanding zoonosis that shows increasing
urbanization. Concern exists regarding the role of wildlife in visceral
leishmaniasis (VL) transmission, due to frequent natural or anthropogenic
environmental changes that facilitate contact between wildlife, humans and their
pets. The municipality of Campinas, in southeastern Brazil, initially recorded VL
in 2009, when the first autochthonous case was confirmed in a dog living in an
upscale residential condominium, located inside an environmentally protected area
(EPA). Since then, disease transmission remains restricted to dogs inhabiting two
geographically contiguous condominiums within the EPA. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL
FINDINGS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of the VL focus to investigate
Leishmania spp. infection in domestic dogs, wild mammals and sand flies using
molecular tools and recommended serological techniques. Canine seroprevalences of
1.5% and 1.2% were observed in 2013 and 2015, respectively. Six insect species,
confirmed or suspected vectors or potential transmitters of Leishmania, were
identified. Two specimens of the main L. (L.) infantum vector in Brazil,
Lutzomyia longipalpis, were captured in the EPA. Natural infection by L. (L.)
infantum was recorded in one Expapillata firmatoi specimen and two Pintomyia
monticola. Natural infection by L. (L.) infantum and Leishmania subgenus Viannia
was also detected in two white-eared opossums (Didelphis albiventris), a known
reservoir of VL. Geographical coordinates of each sampling of infected animals
were plotted on a map of the EPA, demonstrating proximity between these animals,
human residences, including the dogs positive for VL, and forest areas.
CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The EPA, which is inhabited by humans, has an active VL
focus. The risk of establishing and maintaining disease transmission foci in
similar scenarios, i.e. wild areas that undergo environmental modifications, is
evident. Moreover, different epidemiological profiles of VL must be included to
elaborate prevention and control measures that consider the particularities of
each transmission area.
PMID- 28704392
TI - Redifferentiation of aged human articular chondrocytes by combining bone
morphogenetic protein-2 and melanoma inhibitory activity protein in 3D-culture.
AB - Melanoma inhibitory activity (MIA) affects the differentiation to hyaline
cartilage and can inhibit the osteogenic potential of bone morphogenetic protein
(BMP)-2 in mesenchymal stem cells (MSC). The aim of this study was to investigate
if MIA also inhibits the osteogenic potential of BMP-2 in human articular
chondrocytes during redifferentiation, which may lead to a higher grade of
differentiation without calcification. HAC of four female patients (mean age:
73.75 +/-6.98) were seeded into 3D culture for 28 days; after adding the
recombinant proteins, four groups were formed (Control, BMP-2, MIA, BMP-2+MIA).
Samples were analysed for gene expression, glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content and
histology on day 0, 14 and 28. Collagen type 2 (COL2A1) was significantly
increased in the BMP-2 containing groups on day 28; BMP-2 (100-fold, p = 0.001),
BMP-2+MIA (65-fold, p = 0.009) and similar to the level of native cartilage.
Higher aggrecan (Agg) levels were present in the BMP-2 (3-fold, p = 0.007) and
BMP-2+MIA (4-fold, p = 0.002) group after 14 days and in the BMP-2 (9-fold, p =
0.001) group after 28 days. Collagen type 10 (COL10A1) was increased in the BMP-2
containing groups (6-fold, p = 0.006) but these levels were significantly below
native cartilage. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), collagen type 1 (COL1A1) and the
glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content did not reveal any relevant differences between
groups. BMP-2 is a potent inducer for differentiation of HAC. A significant
enhancement of this effect in combination with MIA could not be observed.
Furthermore no significant reduction of osteogenic markers during re
differentiation of chondrocytes was present combining BMP-2 and MIA.
PMID- 28704393
TI - Whole exome sequence-based association analyses of plasma amyloid-beta in African
and European Americans; the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities-Neurocognitive
Study.
AB - OBJECTIVE: We performed single-variant and gene-based association analyses of
plasma amyloid-beta (abeta) concentrations using whole exome sequence from 1,414
African and European Americans. Our goal was to identify genes that influence
plasma abeta42 concentrations and abeta42:abeta40 ratios in late middle age (mean
= 59 years), old age (mean = 77 years), or change over time (mean = 18 years).
METHODS: Plasma abeta measures were linearly regressed onto age, gender, APOE
epsilon4 carrier status, and time elapsed between visits (fold-changes only)
separately by race. Following inverse normal transformation of the residuals,
seqMeta was used to conduct race-specific single-variant and gene-based
association tests while adjusting for population structure. Linear regression
models were fit on autosomal variants with minor allele frequencies (MAF)>=1%. T5
burden and Sequence Kernel Association (SKAT) gene-based tests assessed
functional variants with MAF<=5%. Cross-race fixed effects meta-analyses were
Bonferroni-corrected for the number of variants or genes tested. RESULTS: Seven
genes were associated with abeta in late middle age or change over time; no
associations were identified in old age. Single variants in KLKB1 (rs3733402; p =
4.33x10-10) and F12 (rs1801020; p = 3.89x10-8) were significantly associated with
midlife abeta42 levels through cross-race meta-analysis; the KLKB1 variant
replicated internally using 1,014 additional participants with exome chip.
ITPRIP, PLIN2, and TSPAN18 were associated with the midlife abeta42:abeta40 ratio
via the T5 test; TSPAN18 was significant via the cross-race meta-analysis,
whereas ITPRIP and PLIN2 were European American-specific. NCOA1 and NT5C3B were
associated with the midlife abeta42:abeta40 ratio and the fold-change in abeta42,
respectively, via SKAT in African Americans. No associations replicated
externally (N = 725). CONCLUSION: We discovered age-dependent genetic effects,
established associations between vascular-related genes (KLKB1, F12, PLIN2) and
midlife plasma abeta levels, and identified a plausible Alzheimer's Disease
candidate gene (ITPRIP) influencing cell death. Plasma abeta concentrations may
have dynamic biological determinants across the lifespan; plasma abeta study
designs or analyses must consider age.
PMID- 28704394
TI - Genome wide host gene expression analysis in mice experimentally infected with
Pasteurella multocida.
AB - Pasteurella multocida causes acute septicemic and respiratory diseases, including
haemorrhagic septicaemia, in cattle and buffalo with case fatality of 100%. In
the present study, mice were infected with P. multocida (1.6 * 103 cfu,
intraperitoneal) to evaluate host gene expression profile at early and late
stages of infection using high throughput microarray transcriptome analyses.
Several differentially expressed genes (DEGs) at both the time points were
identified in P.multocida infected spleen, liver and lungs. Functional annotation
of these DEGs showed enrichment of key pathways such as TLR, NF-kappaB, MAPK,
TNF, JAK-STAT and NOD like receptor signaling pathways. Several DEGs overlapped
across different KEGG pathways indicating a crosstalk between them. The predicted
protein-protein interaction among these DEGs suggested, that the recognition of
P. multocida LPS or outer membrane components by TLR4 and CD14, results in
intracellular signaling via MyD88, IRAKs and/or TRAF6 leading to activation of
NFkappaB and MAPK pathways and associated cytokines.
PMID- 28704395
TI - Intraperitoneal pyrophosphate treatment reduces renal calcifications in Npt2a
null mice.
AB - Mutations in the proximal tubular sodium-dependent phosphate co-transporters
NPT2a and NPT2c have been reported in patients with renal stone disease and
nephrocalcinosis, however the relative contribution of genotype, dietary calcium
and phosphate, and modifiers of mineralization such as pyrophosphate (PPi) to the
formation of renal mineral deposits is unclear. In the present study, we used
Npt2a-/- mice to model the renal calcifications observed in these disorders. We
observed elevated urinary excretion of PPi in Npt2a-/- mice when compared to WT
mice. Presence of two hypomorphic Extracellular nucleotide pyrophosphatase
phosphodiesterase 1 (Enpp1asj/asj) alleles decreased urine PPi and worsened renal
calcifications in Npt2a-/- mice. These studies suggest that PPi is a thus far
unrecognized factor protecting Npt2a-/- mice from the development of renal
mineral deposits. Consistent with this conclusion, we next showed that renal
calcifications in these mice can be reduced by intraperitoneal administration of
sodium pyrophosphate. If confirmed in humans, urine PPi could therefore be of
interest for developing new strategies to prevent the nephrocalcinosis and
nephrolithiasis seen in phosphaturic disorders.
PMID- 28704396
TI - Phenotypic, chemical and functional characterization of cyclic nucleotide
phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) as a potential anthelmintic drug target.
AB - BACKGROUND: Reliance on just one drug to treat the prevalent tropical disease,
schistosomiasis, spurs the search for new drugs and drug targets. Inhibitors of
human cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (huPDEs), including PDE4, are under
development as novel drugs to treat a range of chronic indications including
asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and Alzheimer's disease. One class
of huPDE4 inhibitors that has yielded marketed drugs is the benzoxaboroles
(Anacor Pharmaceuticals). METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A phenotypic screen
involving Schistosoma mansoni and 1,085 benzoxaboroles identified a subset of
huPDE4 inhibitors that induced parasite hypermotility and degeneration. To
uncover the putative schistosome PDE4 target, we characterized four PDE4
sequences (SmPDE4A-D) in the parasite's genome and transcriptome, and cloned and
recombinantly expressed the catalytic domain of SmPDE4A. Among a set of
benzoxaboroles and catechol inhibitors that differentially inhibit huPDE4, a
relationship between the inhibition of SmPDE4A, and parasite hypermotility and
degeneration, was measured. To validate SmPDE4A as the benzoxaborole molecular
target, we first generated Caenorhabditis elegans lines that express a cDNA for
smpde4a on a pde4(ce268) mutant (hypermotile) background: the smpde4a transgene
restored mutant worm motility to that of the wild type. We then showed that
benzoxaborole inhibitors of SmPDE4A that induce hypermotility in the schistosome
also elicit a hypermotile response in the C. elegans lines that express the
smpde4a transgene, thereby confirming SmPDE4A as the relevant target.
CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The orthogonal chemical, biological and genetic
strategies employed identify SmPDE4A's contribution to parasite motility and
degeneration, and its potential as a drug target. Transgenic C. elegans is
highlighted as a potential screening tool to optimize small molecule chemistries
to flatworm molecular drug targets.
PMID- 28704397
TI - Impact of Sjogren's syndrome on Parkinson's disease: A nationwide case-control
study.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether Sjogren's syndrome would have an influence on
the development of Parkinson's disease. METHODS: A population-based case-control
study was conducted. Participants consisted of 7716 subjects with newly diagnosed
Parkinson's disease and a population of 75129 matched control subjects between
2000 and 2010. We measured the risk of Parkinson's disease in association with
Sjogren's syndrome by using adjusted odds ratios. RESULTS: A total of 143
Parkinson's disease subjects (1.9%) and 893 control subjects (1.2%) suffered from
Sjogren's syndrome (p < 0.001). The crude odds ratio for Parkinson's disease
among subjects with Sjogren's syndrome was 1.56 (95% CI 1.30-1.86; p < 0.01).
After adjustment for potential confounders which have been proposed that would
increase the risk of development of Parkinson's disease, Sjogren's syndrome was
found to be significantly associated with the risk of Parkinson's disease with an
odds ratio of 1.37 (95% CI 1.15-1.65; p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: This study
preliminarily proposed that Sjogren's syndrome was significant associated with an
increased risk of Parkinson's disease.
PMID- 28704398
TI - Temporal dynamics of neurogenomic plasticity in response to social interactions
in male threespined sticklebacks.
AB - Animals exhibit dramatic immediate behavioral plasticity in response to social
interactions, and brief social interactions can shape the future social
landscape. However, the molecular mechanisms contributing to behavioral
plasticity are unclear. Here, we show that the genome dynamically responds to
social interactions with multiple waves of transcription associated with distinct
molecular functions in the brain of male threespined sticklebacks, a species
famous for its behavioral repertoire and evolution. Some biological functions
(e.g., hormone activity) peaked soon after a brief territorial challenge and then
declined, while others (e.g., immune response) peaked hours afterwards. We
identify transcription factors that are predicted to coordinate waves of
transcription associated with different components of behavioral plasticity.
Next, using H3K27Ac as a marker of chromatin accessibility, we show that a brief
territorial intrusion was sufficient to cause rapid and dramatic changes in the
epigenome. Finally, we integrate the time course brain gene expression data with
a transcriptional regulatory network, and link gene expression to changes in
chromatin accessibility. This study reveals rapid and dramatic epigenomic
plasticity in response to a brief, highly consequential social interaction.
PMID- 28704399
TI - Cooperative stochastic binding and unbinding explain synaptic size dynamics and
statistics.
AB - Synapses are dynamic molecular assemblies whose sizes fluctuate significantly
over time-scales of hours and days. In the current study, we examined the
possibility that the spontaneous microscopic dynamics exhibited by synaptic
molecules can explain the macroscopic size fluctuations of individual synapses
and the statistical properties of synaptic populations. We present a mesoscopic
model, which ties the two levels. Its basic premise is that synaptic size
fluctuations reflect cooperative assimilation and removal of molecules at a patch
of postsynaptic membrane. The introduction of cooperativity to both assimilation
and removal in a stochastic biophysical model of these processes, gives rise to
features qualitatively similar to those measured experimentally: nanoclusters of
synaptic scaffolds, fluctuations in synaptic sizes, skewed, stable size
distributions and their scaling in response to perturbations. Our model thus
points to the potentially fundamental role of cooperativity in dictating synaptic
remodeling dynamics and offers a conceptual understanding of these dynamics in
terms of central microscopic features and processes.
PMID- 28704400
TI - Genome-wide analysis of the CCCH zinc finger family identifies tissue specific
and stress responsive candidates in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.).
AB - The CCCH zinc finger is a group of proteins characterised by a typical motif
consisting of three cysteine residues and one histidine residue. These proteins
have been reported to play important roles in regulation of plant growth,
developmental processes and environmental responses. In the present study, genome
wide analysis of the CCCH zinc finger gene family was carried out in the
available chickpea genome. Various bioinformatics tools were employed to predict
58 CCCH zinc finger genes in chickpea (designated CarC3H1-58), which were
analysed for their physio-chemical properties. Phylogenetic analysis classified
the proteins into 12 groups in which members of a particular group had similar
structural organization. Further, the numbers as well as the types of CCCH motifs
present in the CarC3H proteins were compared with those from Arabidopsis and
Medicago truncatula. Synteny analysis revealed valuable information regarding the
evolution of this gene family. Tandem and segmental duplication events were
identified and their Ka/Ks values revealed that the CarC3H gene family in
chickpea had undergone purifying selection. Digital, as well as real time qRT-PCR
expression analysis was performed which helped in identification of several
CarC3H members that expressed preferentially in specific chickpea tissues as well
as during abiotic stresses (desiccation, cold, salinity). Moreover, molecular
characterization of an important member CarC3H45 was carried out. This study
provides comprehensive genomic information about the important CCCH zinc finger
gene family in chickpea. The identified tissue specific and abiotic stress
specific CCCH genes could be potential candidates for further characterization to
delineate their functional roles in development and stress.
PMID- 28704401
TI - IL-13 is a central mediator of chemical-induced airway hyperreactivity in mice.
AB - BACKGROUND: While the importance of the Th2 cytokine IL-13 as a central mediator
of airway hyperreactivity (AHR) has been described in allergic protein-induced
asthma, this has never been investigated in chemical-induced asthma. OBJECTIVE:
We examined the importance of IL-13 in a mouse model of chemical-induced AHR,
using toluene-2,4-diisocyanate (TDI). METHODS: In a first set-up, wild type (WT)
and IL-13 knockout (KO) C57Bl/6 mice were dermally treated on days 1 and 8 with
1% TDI or vehicle (acetone/olive oil) on both ears. On day 15, mice received an
intranasal instillation with 0.1% TDI or vehicle. In a second set-up, WT mice
sensitized with 1% TDI or vehicle, received i.v. either anti-IL-13 or control
antibody prior to the intranasal challenge. RESULTS: TDI-sensitized and TDI
challenged WT mice showed AHR to methacholine, in contrast to TDI-sensitized and
TDI-challenged IL-13 KO mice, which also showed lower levels of total serum IgE.
TDI-sensitized and TDI-challenged IL-13 KO mice had lower numbers of T-cells in
the auricular lymph nodes. TDI-treated WT mice, receiving anti-IL-13, showed no
AHR, in contrast to those receiving control antibody, despite increased levels of
IgE. Anti-IL-13 treatment in TDI-treated WT mice resulted in lower levels of
serum IL-13, but did not induce changes in T- and B-cell numbers, and in the
cytokine production profile. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: We conclude that
IL-13 plays a critical role in the effector phase of chemical-induced, immune
mediated AHR. This implicates that anti-IL-13 treatment could have a beneficial
effect in patients with this asthma phenotype.
PMID- 28704402
TI - Are disease reservoirs special? Taxonomic and life history characteristics.
AB - Pathogens that spill over between species cause a significant human and animal
health burden. Here, we describe characteristics of animal reservoirs that are
required for pathogen spillover. We assembled and analyzed a database of 330
disease systems in which a pathogen spills over from a reservoir of one or more
species. Three-quarters of reservoirs included wildlife, and 84% included
mammals. Further, 65% of pathogens depended on a community of reservoir hosts,
rather than a single species, for persistence. Among mammals, the most frequently
identified reservoir hosts were rodents, artiodactyls, and carnivores. The
distribution among orders of mammalian species identified as reservoirs did not
differ from that expected by chance. Among disease systems with high priority
pathogens and epidemic potential, we found birds, primates, and bats to be
overrepresented. We also analyzed the life history traits of mammalian reservoir
hosts and compared them to mammals as a whole. Reservoir species had faster life
history characteristics than mammals overall, exhibiting traits associated with
greater reproductive output rather than long-term survival. Thus, we find that in
many respects, reservoirs of spillover pathogens are indeed special. The
described patterns provide a useful resource for studying and managing emerging
infectious diseases.
PMID- 28704403
TI - Genetic variants of PTGS2, TXA2R and TXAS1 are associated with carotid plaque
vulnerability, platelet activation and TXA2 levels in ischemic stroke patients.
AB - Eicosanoids may play a role in ischemic stroke. However, the associations of
variants in cyclooxygenase (COX) pathway genes and interaction among these
variants with carotid plaque vulnerability are not fully understood. In present
study, twelve variants in COX pathway genes were examined using matrix-assisted
laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry method in 396
patients with ischemic stroke and 291 controls. Platelet aggregation, platelet
leukocyte aggregates, and urine 11-dehydrothromboxane B2 (11-dTxB2) were also
measured. According to the results of carotid high-resolution B-mode ultrasound,
the patients were stratified into the following groups [i.e., non-carotid plaque
and carotid plaque. The carotid plaque was further classified into subgroups of
echolucent plaque (ELP) and echogenic plaque (EGP)]. Additionally, gene-gene
interactions were analyzed to assess whether there was any interactive role for
assessed variants in affecting carotid plaque vulnerability, platelet activation
and 11-dTxB2 levels. There were no significant differences in the frequencies of
genotypes of the twelve variants between patients and controls. Among 396
patients, 294 cases (74.2%) had carotid plaques (106 had ELP, 188 had EGP).
Frequency of PTGS2 rs20417CC, TXAS1 rs2267679TT, TXAS1 rs41708TT, PTGIS rs5602CC,
and TXA2R rs1131882TT genotype was significantly higher in patients with plaque
compared with patients without plaque, or in patients with ELP compared with
patients with EGP. 11-dTxB2 levels, platelet aggregation and platelet-leukocyte
aggregates were significantly higher in patients with ELP compared with patients
without plaque or with EGP. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed
that PTGS2 rs20417CC, TXA2R rs1131882TT, and high-risk interaction among variants
in PTGS2 rs20417, TXA2R rs1131882 and TXAS1 rs41708 were independently associated
with the risk of ELP after adjusting for confounding variables. The variants in
COX pathway genes and the high-risk interactions among variants in PTGS2 rs20417,
TXA2R rs1131882 and TXAS1 rs41708 were associated with high 11-dTxB2 and platelet
activation, and independently associated with the risk of carotid plaque
vulnerability. These variants might be potential markers for plaque instability.
PMID- 28704404
TI - PA21, a novel phosphate binder, improves renal osteodystrophy in rats with
chronic renal failure.
AB - The effects of PA21, a novel iron-based and non-calcium-based phosphate binder,
on hyperphosphatemia and its accompanying bone abnormality in chronic kidney
disease-mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD) were evaluated. Rats with adenine
induced chronic renal failure (CRF) were prepared by feeding them an adenine
containing diet for four weeks. They were also freely fed a diet that contained
PA21 (0.5, 1.5, and 5%), sevelamer hydrochloride (0.6 and 2%) or lanthanum
carbonate hydrate (0.6 and 2%) for four weeks. Blood biochemical parameters were
measured and bone histomorphometry was performed for femurs, which were isolated
after drug treatment. Serum phosphorus and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels were
higher in the CRF rats. Administration of phosphate binders for four weeks
decreased serum phosphorus and PTH levels in a dose-dependent manner and there
were significant decreases in the AUC0-28 day of these parameters in 5% PA21, 2%
sevelamer hydrochloride, and 2% lanthanum carbonate hydrate groups compared with
that in the CRF control group. Moreover, osteoid volume improved significantly in
5% of the PA21 group, and fibrosis volume and cortical porosity were ameliorated
in 5% PA21, 2% sevelamer hydrochloride, and 2% lanthanum carbonate hydrate
groups. These results suggest that PA21 is effective against hyperphosphatemia,
secondary hyperparathyroidism, and bone abnormalities in CKD-MBD as sevelamer
hydrochloride and lanthanum carbonate hydrate are, and that PA21 is a new
potential alternative to phosphate binders.
PMID- 28704405
TI - Community health workers for non-communicable diseases prevention and control in
developing countries: Evidence and implications.
AB - BACKGROUND: National programs for non-communicable diseases (NCD) prevention and
control in different low middle income countries have a strong community
component. A community health worker (CHW) delivers NCD preventive services using
informational as well as behavioural approaches. Community education and
interpersonal communication on lifestyle modifications is imparted with focus on
primordial prevention of NCDs and screening is conducted as part of early
diagnosis and management. However, the effectiveness of health promotion and
screening interventions delivered through community health workers needs to be
established. OBJECTIVE: This review synthesised evidence on effectiveness of CHW
delivered NCD primary prevention interventions in low and middle-income countries
(LMICs). METHODS: A systematic review of trials that utilised community health
workers for primary prevention/ early detection strategy in the management of
NCDs (Diabetes, cardiovascular diseases (CVD), cancers, stroke, Chronic
Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD)) in LMICs was conducted. Digital databases
like PubMed, EMBASE, OVID, Cochrane library, dissertation abstracts, clinical
trials registry web sites of different LMIC were searched for such publications
between years 2000 and 2015. We focussed on community based randomised controlled
trial and cluster randomised trials without any publication language limitation.
The primary outcome of review was percentage change in population with different
behavioural risk factors. Additionally, mean overall changes in levels of several
physical or biochemical parameters were studied as secondary outcomes. Subgroup
analyses was performed by the age and sex of participants, and sensitivity
analyses was conducted to assess the robustness of the findings. RESULTS: Sixteen
trials meeting the inclusion criteria were included in the review. Duration,
study populations and content of interventions varied across trials. The duration
of the studies ranged from mean follow up of 4 months for some risk factors to 19
months, and primary responsibilities of health workers included health promotion,
treatment adherence and follow ups. Only a single trial reported all-cause
mortality. The pooled effect computed indicated an increase in tobacco cessation
(RR: 2.0, 95%CI: 1.11, 3.58, moderate-quality evidence) and a decrease in
systolic blood pressure ((MD: -4.80, 95% CI: -8.12, -1.49, I2 = 93%, very low
quality evidence), diastolic blood pressure ((MD: -2.88, 95% CI: -5.65, -0.10, I2
= 96%, very low-quality evidence)) and blood sugar levels (glycated haemoglobin
MD: -0.83%, 95%CI: -1.25,-0.41). None of the included trials reported on adverse
events. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence on the implementation of primary prevention
strategies using community health workers is still developing. Existing evidence
suggests that, compared with standard care, using CHWs in health programmes have
the potential to be effective in LMICs, particularly for tobacco cessation, blood
pressure and diabetes control.
PMID- 28704406
TI - FTIR spectroscopy of whole cells for the monitoring of yeast apoptosis mediated
by p53 over-expression and its suppression by Nigella sativa extracts.
AB - p53 over expression in yeast results in cell death with typical markers of
apoptosis such as DNA fragmentation and phosphatidylserine externalization. We
aimed to substitute/supplement classical fluorescent techniques (TUNEL, Annexin
V, ROS detection) usually used to detect biochemical changes occurring during
yeast apoptosis mediated by p53 over expression and the effect of anti-apoptotic
purified molecules from Nigel (Nigella sativa) extracts on these same yeasts by
the label free technique of FTIR spectroscopy. The comparison of the entire IR
spectra highlighted clear modifications between apoptotic p53-expressing yeasts
and normal ones. More precisely, DNA damage was detected by the decrease of band
intensities at 1079 and 1048 cm-1. While phosphatidylserine exposure was followed
by the increase of nusCH2 and nuasCH2 bands of unsaturated fatty acids that were
exhibited at 2855 and 2926 cm-1, and the appearance of the C = O ester functional
group band at 1740 cm-1. In a second step, this FTIR approach was used to
estimate the effect of a purified fraction of the Nigel extract. The modulation
of band intensities specific to DNA and membrane status was in agreement with
apoptosis supression in presence of the Nigel extracts. FTIR spectroscopy is thus
proven to be a very reliable technique to monitor the apoptotic cell death in
yeast and to be used as a means of evaluating the biomolecules effect on yeast
survival.
PMID- 28704407
TI - Variations in achievement of evidence-based, high-impact quality indicators in
general practice: An observational study.
AB - BACKGROUND: There are widely recognised variations in the delivery and outcomes
of healthcare but an incomplete understanding of their causes. There is a growing
interest in using routinely collected 'big data' in the evaluation of healthcare.
We developed a set of evidence-based 'high impact' quality indicators (QIs) for
primary care and examined variations in achievement of these indicators using
routinely collected data in the United Kingdom (UK). METHODS: Cross-sectional
analysis of routinely collected, electronic primary care data from a sample of
general practices in West Yorkshire, UK (n = 89). The QIs covered aspects of care
(including processes and intermediate clinical outcomes) in relation to diabetes,
hypertension, atrial fibrillation, myocardial infarction, chronic kidney disease
(CKD) and 'risky' prescribing combinations. Regression models explored the impact
of practice and patient characteristics. Clustering within practice was accounted
for by including a random intercept for practice. RESULTS: Median practice
achievement of the QIs ranged from 43.2% (diabetes control) to 72.2% (blood
pressure control in CKD). Considerable between-practice variation existed for all
indicators: the difference between the highest and lowest performing practices
was 26.3 percentage points for risky prescribing and 100 percentage points for
anticoagulation in atrial fibrillation. Odds ratios associated with the random
effects for practices emphasised this; there was a greater than ten-fold
difference in the likelihood of achieving the hypertension indicator between the
lowest and highest performing practices. Patient characteristics, in particular
age, gender and comorbidity, were consistently but modestly associated with
indicator achievement. Statistically significant practice characteristics were
identified less frequently in adjusted models. CONCLUSIONS: Despite various
policy and improvement initiatives, there are enduring inappropriate variations
in the delivery of evidence-based care. Much of this variation is not explained
by routinely collected patient or practice variables, and is likely to be
attributable to differences in clinical and organisational behaviour.
PMID- 28704408
TI - The Lazarillo's game: Sharing resources with asymmetric conditions.
AB - The Lazarillo of Tormes' picaresque novel introduces a story where two subjects
sequentially extract (one, two or three) tokens from a common pool in an
asymmetric information framework (the first player cannot observe her partners'
actions). By introducing a reward for both subjects in case that in every period
at least one subject had taken one single token, we define an interesting
coordination game. We conduct an experiment with 120 undergraduate students to
study their behavior in this framework. We find that if the second player is
allowed to take more tokens than her partner, then the frequency of cooperators
does not seem to be affected by the informational asymmetry. Nevertheless, this
asymmetry (i) incentives the second player to use her 'power of extraction' while
the social externality is still available, (ii) yields to more asymmetric profit
distributions when subjects win the social externality and (iii) delays the
breach period in case of coordination failure. Furthermore, the first choice of
the first player is determinant for getting the reward.
PMID- 28704409
TI - Soluble activin type IIB receptor improves fracture healing in a closed tibial
fracture mouse model.
AB - Fractures still present a significant burden to patients due to pain and periods
of unproductivity. Numerous growth factors have been identified to regulate bone
remodeling. However, to date, only the bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are
used to enhance fracture healing in clinical settings. Activins are pleiotropic
growth factors belonging to the TGF-beta superfamily. We and others have recently
shown that treatment with recombinant fusion proteins of activin receptors
greatly increases bone mass in different animal models by trapping activins and
other ligands thus inhibiting their signaling pathways. However, their effects on
fracture healing are less known. Twelve-week old male C57Bl mice were subjected
to a standardized, closed tibial fracture model. Animals were divided into
control and treatment groups and were administered either PBS control or a
soluble activin type IIB receptor (ActRIIB-Fc) intraperitoneally once a week for
a duration of two or four weeks. There were no significant differences between
the groups at two weeks but we observed a significant increase in callus
mineralization in ActRIIB-Fc-treated animals by microcomputed tomography imaging
at four weeks. Bone volume per tissue volume was 60%, trabecular number 55% and
bone mineral density 60% higher in the 4-week calluses of the ActRIIB-Fc-treated
mice (p<0.05 in all). Biomechanical strength of 4-week calluses was also
significantly improved by ActRIIB-Fc treatment as stiffness increased by 64% and
maximum force by 45% (p<0.05) compared to the PBS-injected controls. These
results demonstrate that ActRIIB-Fc treatment significantly improves healing of
closed long bone fractures. Our findings support the previous reports of activin
receptors increasing bone mass but also demonstrate a novel approach for using
ActRIIB-Fc to enhance fracture healing.
PMID- 28704410
TI - Improving numeracy through values affirmation enhances decision and STEM
outcomes.
AB - Greater numeracy has been correlated with better health and financial outcomes in
past studies, but causal effects in adults are unknown. In a 9-week longitudinal
study, undergraduate students, all taking a psychology statistics course, were
randomly assigned to a control condition or a values-affirmation manipulation
intended to improve numeracy. By the final week in the course, the numeracy
intervention (statistics-course enrollment combined with values affirmation)
enhanced objective numeracy, subjective numeracy, and two decision-related
outcomes (financial literacy and health-related behaviors). It also showed
positive indirect-only effects on financial outcomes and a series of STEM-related
outcomes (course grades, intentions to take more math-intensive courses, later
math-intensive courses taken based on academic transcripts). All decision and
STEM-related outcome effects were mediated by the changes in objective and/or
subjective numeracy and demonstrated similar and robust enhancements.
Improvements to abstract numeric reasoning can improve everyday outcomes.
PMID- 28704411
TI - Complete factorial design to adjust pH and sugar concentrations in the inoculum
phase of Ralstonia solanacearum to optimize P(3HB) production.
AB - Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (P(3HB)) is a biodegradable plastic biopolymer that
accumulates as lipophilic inclusions in the cytoplasm of some microorganisms. The
biotechnological process by which P(3HB) is synthesized occurs in two phases. The
first phase involves cell growth in a complex culture medium, while the second
phase involves polymer accumulation in the presence of excess carbon sources. As
such, the efficiency of the second phase depends on the first phase. The aim of
this study was to evaluate culture media with different concentrations of sucrose
and glucose and different pH values in the inoculum phase of Ralstonia
solanacearum RS with the intention of identifying methods by which the biomass
yield could be increased, subsequently enhancing the yield of P(3HB). The culture
medium was formulated according to the experimental planning type of central
composite rotational design 22. The independent variables were pH and sugar
concentration (sucrose and glucose), and the dependent variables were OD600nm,
dry cell weight (DCW), and P(3HB) yield. The highest cell growth, estimated by
the OD600nm (20.6) and DCW (5.35) values, was obtained when sucrose was used in
the culture medium at a concentration above 35 g.L-1 in combination with an
acidic pH. High polymer (45%) accumulation was also achieved under these
conditions. Using glucose, the best results for OD600nm (12.5) and DCW (2.74)
were also obtained at acidic pH but with a sugar concentration at the minimum
values evaluated. Due to the significant accumulation of polymer in the cells
that were still in the growth phase, the accumulating microorganism P(3HB)
Ralstonia solanacearum RS can be classified as having type II metabolism in
relation to the polymer accumulation phase, which is different from other
Ralstonia spp. studied until this time.
PMID- 28704412
TI - Synthetic PreImplantation Factor (PIF) prevents fetal loss by modulating LPS
induced inflammatory response.
AB - Maternal control of inflammation is essential during pregnancy and an exaggerated
response is one of the underlying causes of fetal loss. Inflammatory response is
mediated by multiple factors and Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are central.
Activation of TLRs results in NALP-3 mediated assembly of apoptosis-associated
speck-like protein containing a CARD (ASC) and caspase-1 into the inflammasome
and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1beta and IL-18. Given that
preventing measures are lacking, we investigated PreImplantation Factor (PIF) as
therapeutic option as PIF modulates Inflammation in pregnancy. Additionally,
synthetic PIF (PIF analog) protects against multiple immune disorders. We used a
LPS induced murine model of fetal loss and synthetic PIF reduced this fetal loss
and increased the embryo weight significantly. We detected increased PIF
expression in the placentae after LPS insult. The LPS induced serum and placenta
cytokines were abolished by synthetic PIF treatment and importantly synthetic PIF
modulated key members of inflammasome complex NALP-3, ASC, and caspase-1 as well.
In conclusion our results indicate that synthetic PIF protects against LPS
induced fetal loss, likely through modulation of inflammatory response especially
the inflammasome complex. Given that synthetic PIF is currently tested in
autoimmune diseases of non-pregnant subjects (clinicaltrials.gov, NCT02239562),
therapeutic approach during pregnancy can be envisioned.
PMID- 28704413
TI - Association of insulin resistance with near peak bone mass in the femur and
lumbar spine of Korean adults aged 25-35: The Korean National Health and
Nutrition Examination Survey 2008-2010.
AB - OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between insulin
resistance and the bone mineral density (BMD) of femur and lumbar spine in Korean
adults who are expected to exhibit near peak bone mass. METHODS: Data from the
Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008-2010 were analyzed.
A total of 2,750 participants aged 25-35 years were included. Insulin resistance
was assessed using a homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR)
and serum fasting insulin. RESULTS: In a multivariate linear regression analysis,
the HOMA-IR was significantly inversely associated with the BMD of the total hip
(TH, beta = -0.052, P = 0.002), femoral neck (FN, beta = -0.072, P<0.001),
femoral trochanter (FTr, beta = -0.055, P = 0.003), femoral intertrochanter
(FITr, beta = -0.041, P = 0.015), and lumbar spine (LS, beta = -0.063, P = 0.001)
among all study subjects after adjustment for gender, age, height, weight, whole
body fat mass percentage, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure,
total cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low
density lipoprotein cholesterol, vitamin D, smoking, alcohol intake, physical
activity, education level, and household income in both genders as well as labor,
the use of oral contraceptives, and age at menarche in females. The serum fasting
insulin was significantly inversely associated with the BMD of the TH (beta =
0.055, P = 0.001), FN (beta = -0.072, P<0.001), FTr (beta = -0.055, P = 0.003),
FITr (beta = -0.045, P = 0.009), and LS (beta = -0.064, P = 0.001) among all
subjects in a multivariate linear regression analysis. CONCLUSION: Our results
suggest that insulin resistance may be independently and inversely associated
with the near peak bone mass of the femur and lumbar spine.
PMID- 28704414
TI - Examining the use of Amazon's Mechanical Turk for edge extraction of the occlusal
surface of fossilized bovid teeth.
AB - In order to reconstruct environments associated with Plio-Pleistocene hominins in
southern Africa, researchers frequently rely upon the animals associated with the
hominins, in particular, animals in the Family Bovidae. Bovids in southern Africa
are typically identified by their teeth. However, identifying the taxon of a
bovid tooth is challenging due to various biasing factors. Furthermore,
inaccurate identification of fossil bovids can have significant consequences on
the reconstructed paleoenvironment. Recent research on the classification of
bovid fossil teeth has relied on using elliptical Fourier analysis to summarize
the shape of the outline of the occlusal surface of the tooth and the resulting
harmonic amplitudes. Currently, an expert in the field must manually place
landmarks around the edges of each tooth which is slow and time consuming. This
study tests whether it is possible to crowdsource this task, while maintaining
the necessary level of quality needed to perform a statistical analysis on each
tooth. Amazon Mechanical Turk workers place landmarks on the edge of the tooth
which is compared to the performance of an expert in the field. The results
suggest that crowdsourcing the digitization process is reliable and replicable.
With the technical aspects of digitization managed, researchers can concentrate
on analyzing and interpreting the data.
PMID- 28704415
TI - C. elegans SMA-10 regulates BMP receptor trafficking.
AB - Signal transduction of the conserved transforming growth factor-beta (TGFbeta)
family signaling pathway functions through two distinct serine/threonine
transmembrane receptors, the type I and type II receptors. Endocytosis
orchestrates the assembly of signaling complexes by coordinating the entry of
receptors with their downstream signaling mediators. Recently, we showed that the
C. elegans type I bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) receptor SMA-6, part of the
TGFbeta family, is recycled through the retromer complex while the type II
receptor, DAF-4 is recycled in a retromer-independent, ARF-6 dependent manner.
From genetic screens in C. elegans aimed at identifying new modifiers of BMP
signaling, we reported on SMA-10, a conserved LRIG (leucine-rich and
immunoglobulin-like domains) transmembrane protein. It is a positive regulator of
BMP signaling that binds to the SMA-6 receptor. Here we show that the loss of sma
10 leads to aberrant endocytic trafficking of SMA-6, resulting in its
accumulation in distinct intracellular endosomes including the early endosome,
multivesicular bodies (MVB), and the late endosome with a reduction in signaling
strength. Our studies show that trafficking defects caused by the loss of sma-10
are not universal, but affect only a limited set of receptors. Likewise, in
Drosophila, we find that the fly homolog of sma-10, lambik (lbk), reduces
signaling strength of the BMP pathway, consistent with its function in C. elegans
and suggesting evolutionary conservation of function. Loss of sma-10 results in
reduced ubiquitination of the type I receptor SMA-6, suggesting a possible
mechanism for its regulation of BMP signaling.
PMID- 28704416
TI - Genetic variation in the eicosanoid pathway is associated with non-small-cell
lung cancer (NSCLC) survival.
AB - Globally, lung cancer results in more deaths worldwide than any other cancer,
indicating a need for better treatments. Members of the eicosanoid metabolism
pathway represent promising therapeutic targets, as several enzymes involved in
the generation of these lipids are dysregulated in many cancers and their
inhibition reduces lung cancer growth in mouse models. However, genetic variation
of enzymes involved in eicosanoid metabolism has not been adequately examined for
association with lung cancer. The goal of this study was to determine whether
germline genetic variation altering eicosanoid producing enzyme function and/or
expression are associated with differences in lung cancer survival. We examined
the association of genetic variation with mortality within eicosanoid metabolism
genes in 395 non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cases from the Southern Community
Cohort Study (SCCS). A total of 108 SNPs, both common and rare, in 19 genes, were
examined for association. No common or rare variants were associated with lung
cancer survival across the entire study population. However, rare variants in
ALOX15B (arachidonate 15-lipoxygenase, type B) and the common variant rs12529 in
AKR1C3 (prostaglandin F synthase) were associated with NSCLC mortality in women
and African Americans, respectively. Rare variants in ALOX15B were associated
with greater mortality in women (HR = 2.10, 95% CI = 1.25-3.54, p-value = 0.005).
The major allele of rs12529 in AKCR1C3 associated with improved survival in
African Americans (HR = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.59-0.92, p-value = 0.008). The lack of
genetic associations among all NSCLC cases and the association among women only
for rare variants in ALOX15B may, in part, explain the better NSCLC survival
observed among women. These results raise the possibility that some subgroups
within the NSCLC population may benefit from drugs targeting eicosanoid
metabolism.
PMID- 28704417
TI - Bayesian spatio-temporal modeling of mortality in relation to malaria incidence
in Western Kenya.
AB - INTRODUCTION: The effect of malaria exposure on mortality using health facility
incidence data as a measure of transmission has not been well investigated.
Health and demographic surveillance systems (HDSS) routinely capture data on
mortality, interventions and other household related indicators, offering a
unique platform for estimating and monitoring the incidence-mortality
relationship in space and time. METHODS: Mortality data from the HDSS located in
Western Kenya collected from 2007 to 2012 and linked to health facility incidence
data were analysed using Bayesian spatio-temporal survival models to investigate
the relation between mortality (all-cause/malaria-specific) and malaria incidence
across all age groups. The analysis adjusted for insecticide-treated net (ITN)
ownership, socio-economic status (SES), distance to health facilities and
altitude. The estimates obtained were used to quantify excess mortality due to
malaria exposure. RESULTS: Our models identified a strong positive relationship
between slide positivity rate (SPR) and all-cause mortality in young children 1-4
years (HR = 4.29; 95% CI: 2.78-13.29) and all ages combined (HR = 1.55; 1.04
2.80). SPR had a strong positive association with malaria-specific mortality in
young children (HR = 9.48; 5.11-37.94), however, in older children (5-14 years),
it was associated with a reduction in malaria specific mortality (HR = 0.02;
0.003-0.33). CONCLUSION: SPR as a measure of transmission captures well the
association between malaria transmission intensity and all-cause/malaria
mortality. This offers a quick and efficient way to monitor malaria burden.
Excess mortality estimates indicate that small changes in malaria incidence
substantially reduce overall and malaria specific mortality.
PMID- 28704418
TI - The collalphagen III fibril has a "flexi-rod" structure of flexible sequences
interspersed with rigid bioactive domains including two with hemostatic roles.
AB - Collagen III is critical to the integrity of blood vessels and distensible
organs, and in hemostasis. Examination of the human collagen III interactome
reveals a nearly identical structural arrangement and charge distribution pattern
as for collagen I, with cell interaction domains, fibrillogenesis and enzyme
cleavage domains, several major ligand-binding regions, and intermolecular
crosslink sites at the same sites. These similarities allow heterotypic fibril
formation with, and substitution by, collagen I in embryonic development and
wound healing. The collagen III fibril assumes a "flexi-rod" structure with
flexible zones interspersed with rod-like domains, which is consistent with the
molecule's prominence in young, pliable tissues and distensible organs. Collagen
III has two major hemostasis domains, with binding motifs for von Willebrand
factor, alpha2beta1 integrin, platelet binding octapeptide and glycoprotein VI,
consistent with the bleeding tendency observed with COL3A1 disease-causing
sequence variants.
PMID- 28704419
TI - A pilot feeding study for adults with asthma: The healthy eating better breathing
trial.
AB - RATIONALE: Evidence from observational studies and to a lesser extent clinical
trials suggest that a healthy diet may improve symptoms and lung function in
patients with asthma. We conducted a pilot study to determine the feasibility of
conducting a larger scale dietary trial and to provide preliminary evidence on
the impact of a healthy diet on asthma outcomes. METHODS: In a randomized, two
period cross-over trial, participants with asthma received a 4-week dietary
intervention followed by a usual diet (or vice versa), separated by a 4-week
washout. The dietary intervention was a healthy diet rich in unsaturated fat.
During the dietary intervention, participants ate three meals per week on site at
the Johns Hopkins ProHealth Research Center. All remaining meals and snacks were
provided for participants to consume off-site. During the control diet,
participants were instructed to continue their usual dietary intake. Relevant
biomarkers and asthma clinical outcomes were assessed at 0, 2, and 4 weeks after
starting each arm of the study. RESULTS: Eleven participants were randomized, and
seven completed the full study protocol. Among these seven participants, average
age was 42 years, six were female, and six were African American. Participant
self-report of dietary intake revealed significant increases in fruit, vegetable,
and omega-3 fatty acid intake with the dietary intervention compared to usual
diet. Serum carotenoids (eg. lutein and beta-cryptoxanthin) increased in the
intervention versus control. Total cholesterol decreased in the intervention
versus control diet. There was no consistent effect on asthma outcomes.
CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that a feeding trial in participants with
asthma is feasible. Larger trials are needed to definitively assess the potential
benefits of dietary interventions on pulmonary symptoms and function in patients
with asthma.
PMID- 28704420
TI - Relation between high levels of myeloperoxidase in the culprit artery and
microvascular obstruction, infarct size and reverse remodeling in ST-elevation
myocardial infarction.
AB - MAIN OBJECTIVE: To better understand the role of myeloperoxidases (MPO) in
microvascular obstruction (MO) phenomenon and infarct size (IS) using cardiac
magnetic resonance (CMR) data in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).
METHOD: 40 consecutive patients classified according to the median level of MPO
in the culprit artery. A CMR study was performed during the week following AMI
and at 6 months, with late gadolinium enhancement sequences. RESULTS: Persistent
MO was observed in the same proportion (50 vs. 65%, p = 0.728) between the low
vs. high MPO group levels. However, the extent of the microvascular obstruction
was significantly greater in the high-MPO group (6 (0-9) vs.16.5 (0-31), p =
0.027), together with a greater infarct size, and a trend towards a lower left
ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (p = 0.054) at one week. CMR data at 6
months showed that reverse systolic remodeling was two fold more present in the
low-MPO group (p = 0.058). Interestingly, the extent of MO (8.5 (6.5-31) vs. 4.1
(3-11.55), p = 0.042) and IS remained significantly greater (24.5 (9.75-35) vs.
7.5 (2.5-18.75), p = 0.022) in the high-MPO group. Moreover, MPO in the culprit
artery appeared to correlate positively with MPO in non-culprit arteries and
serum, and with troponin levels and peak CK. CONCLUSION: This patient-based study
revealed in patients after AMI that high MPO levels in the culprit artery were
associated with more severe microvascular obstruction and greater IS. These
findings may provide new insights pathophysiology explanation for the adverse
prognostic impact of MO.
PMID- 28704421
TI - Transcriptional role of androgen receptor in the expression of long non-coding
RNA Sox2OT in neurogenesis.
AB - The complex architecture of adult brain derives from tightly regulated migration
and differentiation of precursor cells generated during embryonic neurogenesis.
Changes at transcriptional level of genes that regulate migration and
differentiation may lead to neurodevelopmental disorders. Androgen receptor (AR)
is a transcription factor that is already expressed during early embryonic days.
However, AR role in the regulation of gene expression at early embryonic stage is
yet to be determinate. Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) Sox2 overlapping transcript
(Sox2OT) plays a crucial role in gene expression control during development but
its transcriptional regulation is still to be clearly defined. Here, using
Bicalutamide in order to pharmacologically inactivated AR, we investigated
whether AR participates in the regulation of the transcription of the
lncRNASox2OTat early embryonic stage. We identified a new DNA binding region
upstream of Sox2 locus containing three androgen response elements (ARE), and
found that AR binds such a sequence in embryonic neural stem cells and in mouse
embryonic brain. Our data suggest that through this binding, AR can promote the
RNA polymerase II dependent transcription of Sox2OT. Our findings also suggest
that AR participates in embryonic neurogenesis through transcriptional control of
the long non-coding RNA Sox2OT.
PMID- 28704422
TI - Different relationship of magnocellular-dorsal function and reading-related
skills between Chinese developing and skilled readers.
AB - Previous studies have indicated that the relationship between magnocellular
dorsal (M-D) function and reading-related skills may vary with reading
development in readers of alphabetic languages. Since this relationship could be
affected by the orthographic depth of writing systems, the present study explored
the relationship between M-D function and reading-related skills in Chinese, a
writing system with a deeper orthography than alphabetic languages. Thirty-seven
primary school students and fifty-one undergraduate students participated.
Orthographic and phonological awareness tests were adopted as reading-related
skill measurements. A steady-pedestal paradigm was used to assess the low-spatial
frequency contrast thresholds of M-D function. Results showed that M-D function
was only correlated with orthographic awareness for adults, revealing an
enhancement with reading development; while being related to phonological
awareness only for children revealing a developmental decrement. It suggested
that the mechanism responsible for the relationship between M-D activity and
reading-related skills was affected by the characteristics of literacy
development in Chinese.
PMID- 28704423
TI - Application of near-infrared hyperspectral imaging to discriminate different
geographical origins of Chinese wolfberries.
AB - Near-infrared (874-1734 nm) hyperspectral imaging (NIR-HSI) technique combined
with chemometric methods was used to trace origins of 1200 Chinese wolfberry
samples, which from Ningxia, Inner Mongolia, Sinkiang and Qinghai in China. Two
approaches, named pixel-wise and object-wise, were investigated to discriminative
the origin of these Chinese wolfberries. The pixel-wise classification assigned a
class to each pixel from individual Chinese wolfberries, and with this approach,
the differences in the Chinese wolfberries from four origins were reflected
intuitively. Object-wise classification was performed using mean spectra. The
average spectral information of all pixels of each sample in the hyperspectral
image was extracted as the representative spectrum of a sample, and then
discriminant analysis models of the origins of Chinese wolfberries were
established based on these average spectra. Specifically, the spectral curves of
all samples were collected, and after removal of obvious noise, the spectra of
972-1609 nm were viewed as the spectra of wolfberry. Then, the spectral curves
were pretreated with moving average smoothing (MA), and discriminant analysis
models including support vector machine (SVM), neural network with radial basis
function (NN-RBF) and extreme learning machine (ELM) were established based on
the full-band spectra, the extracted characteristic wavelengths from loadings of
principal component analysis (PCA) and 2nd derivative spectra, respectively.
Among these models, the recognition accuracies of the calibration set and
prediction set of the ELM model based on extracted characteristic wavelengths
from loadings of PCA were higher than 90%. The model not only ensured a high
recognition rate but also simplified the model and was conducive to future rapid
on-line testing. The results revealed that NIR-HSI combined with PCA loadings-ELM
could rapidly trace the origins of Chinese wolfberries.
PMID- 28704424
TI - Examining distinct working memory processes in children and adolescents using
fMRI: Results and validation of a modified Brown-Peterson paradigm.
AB - Verbal working memory (WM) comprises different processes (encoding, maintenance,
retrieval) that are often compromised in brain diseases, but their neural
correlates have not yet been examined in childhood and adolescence. To probe WM
processes and associated neural correlates in developmental samples, and obtain
comparable effects across different ages and populations, we designed an adapted
Brown-Peterson task (verbal encoding and retrieval combined with verbal and
visual concurrent tasks during maintenance) to implement during functional
magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). In a sample of typically developing children
and adolescents (n = 16), aged 8 to 16 years, our paradigm successfully
identified distinct patterns of activation for encoding, maintenance, and
retrieval. While encoding activated perceptual systems in posterior and ventral
visual regions, retrieval activated fronto-parietal regions associated with
executive control and attention. We found a different impact of verbal versus
visual concurrent processing during WM maintenance: at retrieval, the former
condition evoked greater activations in visual cortex, as opposed to selective
involvement of language-related areas in left temporal cortex in the latter
condition. These results are in accord with WM models, suggesting greater
competition for processing resources when retrieval follows within-domain
compared with cross-domain interference. This pattern was found regardless of
age. Our study provides a novel paradigm to investigate distinct WM brain systems
with reliable results across a wide age range in developmental populations, and
suitable for participants with different WM capacities.
PMID- 28704425
TI - In vitro nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy metabolic biomarkers for the
combination of temozolomide with PI3K inhibition in paediatric glioblastoma
cells.
AB - Recent experimental data showed that the PI3K pathway contributes to resistance
to temozolomide (TMZ) in paediatric glioblastoma and that this effect is reversed
by combination treatment of TMZ with a PI3K inhibitor. Our aim is to assess
whether this combination results in metabolic changes that are detectable by
nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, potentially providing metabolic
biomarkers for PI3K inhibition and TMZ combination treatment. Using two
genetically distinct paediatric glioblastoma cell lines, SF188 and KNS42, in
vitro 1H-NMR analysis following treatment with the dual pan-Class I PI3K/mTOR
inhibitor PI-103 resulted in a decrease in lactate and phosphocholine (PC) levels
(P<0.02) relative to control. In contrast, treatment with TMZ caused an increase
in glycerolphosphocholine (GPC) levels (P<=0.05). Combination of PI-103 with TMZ
showed metabolic effects of both agents including a decrease in the levels of
lactate and PC (P<0.02) while an increase in GPC (P<0.05). We also report a
decrease in the protein expression levels of HK2, LDHA and CHKA providing likely
mechanisms for the depletion of lactate and PC, respectively. Our results show
that our in vitro NMR-detected changes in lactate and choline metabolites may
have potential as non-invasive biomarkers for monitoring response to combination
of PI3K/mTOR inhibitors with TMZ during clinical trials in children with
glioblastoma, subject to further in vivo validation.
PMID- 28704426
TI - RNA secondary structure and nucleotide composition of the conserved hallmark
sequence of Leishmania SIDER2 retroposons are essential for endonucleolytic
cleavage and mRNA degradation.
AB - We have reported previously that Short Interspersed Degenerate Retroposons of the
SIDER2 subfamily, largely located within 3'UTRs of Leishmania transcripts,
promote rapid turnover of mRNAs through endonucleolytic cleavage within the
highly conserved second tandem 79-nt hallmark sequence (79-nt SII). Here, we used
site-directed mutagenesis and in silico RNA structural studies to delineate the
cis-acting requirements within 79-nt SII for cleavage and mRNA degradation. The
putative cleavage site(s) and other nucleotides predicted to alter the RNA
secondary structure of 79-nt SII were either deleted or mutated and their effect
on mRNA turnover was monitored using a gene reporter system. We found that short
deletions of 8-nt spanning the two predicted cleavage sites block degradation of
SIDER2-containing transcripts, leading to mRNA accumulation. Furthermore, single
or double substitutions of the dinucleotides targeted for cleavage as well as
mutations altering the predicted RNA secondary structure encompassing both
cleavage sites also prevent mRNA degradation, confirming that these dinucleotides
are the bona fide cleavage sites. In line with these results, we show that stage
regulated SIDER2 inactivation correlates with the absence of endonucleolytic
cleavage. Overall, these data demonstrate that both cleavage sites within the
conserved 79-nt SII as well as RNA folding in this region are essential for
SIDER2-mediated mRNA decay, and further support that SIDER2-harboring transcripts
are targeted for degradation by endonucleolytic cleavage.
PMID- 28704427
TI - The influence of human exploration on the microbial community structure and
ammonia oxidizing potential of the Su Bentu limestone cave in Sardinia, Italy.
AB - The bacterial diversity in the Su Bentu Cave in Sardinia was investigated by
means of 16S rRNA gene-based analysis. This 15 km long cave, carved in Jurassic
limestone, hosts a variety of calcite speleothems, and a long succession of
subterranean lakes with mixed granite and carbonate sands. The lower level is
occasionally flooded by a rising groundwater level, but with only scarce input of
organic remains (leaves and charcoal fragments). On the quiet cave pools there
are visible calcite rafts, whereas walls are locally coated with manganese
deposits. In the drier upper levels, where organic input is much more subdued,
moonmilk-a hydrated calcium-magnesium carbonate speleothem-can be found. Relative
humidity approaches 100% and the measured mean annual cave air temperature is
14.8 degrees C. Samples were obtained in 2014 from calcite rafts, moonmilk,
manganese oxide deposits and soil (limestone and granite grains). Microclimatic
conditions in the cave near the sampling sites, sample properties, physico
chemical parameters of water, and sediment composition were determined. The
microbial community of this system is predominately composed of the phyla
Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, Nitrospirae, and Firmicutes.
Sampling sites near the entrance of the cave and in close proximity of the
underground campsite-located 500 meters deep into the cave-revealed the highest
diversity as well as the highest number of human associated microorganisms. Two
samples obtained in very close proximity of each other near the campsite,
indicate that the human impact is localized and is not distributed freely within
the system. Analysis of the abundance of bacterial and archaeal amoA genes
revealed a far greater abundance of archaeal amoA genes compared to bacterial
representatives. The results of this study highlight that human impact is
confined to locations that are utilized as campsites and that exploration leaves
little microbial trails. Furthermore, we uncovered a highly specialized
microbiome, which is perfectly adapted to survive and thrive in an environment
with low nutrient availability.
PMID- 28704428
TI - Kinematic and biomimetic assessment of a hydraulic ankle/foot in level ground and
camber walking.
AB - Improved walking comfort has been linked with better bio-mimicking of the
prosthetic ankle. This study investigated if a hydraulic ankle/foot can provide
enough motion in both the sagittal and frontal planes during level and camber
walking and if the hydraulic ankle/foot better mimics the biological ankle moment
pattern compared with a fixed ankle/foot device. Five active male unilateral
trans-femoral amputees performed level ground walking at normal and fast speeds
and 2.5 degrees camber walking in both directions using their own prostheses
fitted with an "Echelon" hydraulic ankle/foot and an "Esprit" fixed ankle/foot.
Ankle angles and the Trend Symmetry Index of the ankle moments were compared
between prostheses and walking conditions. Significant differences between
prostheses were found in the stance plantarflexion and dorsiflexion peaks with a
greater range of motion being reached with the Echelon foot. The Echelon foot
also showed significantly improved bio-mimicry of the ankle resistance moment in
all walking conditions, either compared with the intact side of the same subject
or with the "normal" mean curve from non-amputees. During camber walking, both
types of ankle/foot devices showed similar changes in the frontal plane ankle
angles. Results from a questionnaire showed the subjects were more satisfied with
Echelon foot.
PMID- 28704429
TI - Effects of coconut oil on glycemia, inflammation, and urogenital microbial
parameters in female Ossabaw mini-pigs.
AB - Forty percent of American women are obese and at risk for type II diabetes,
impaired immune function, and altered microbiome diversity, thus impacting
overall health. We investigated whether obesity induced by an excess calorie,
high fat diet containing hydrogenated fats, fructose, and coconut oil (HFD)
altered glucose homeostasis, peripheral immunity, and urogenital microbial
dynamics. We hypothesized that HFD would cause hyperglycemia, increase peripheral
inflammation, and alter urogenital microbiota to favor bacterial taxonomy
associated with inflammation. We utilized female Ossabaw mini-pigs to model a
'thrifty' metabolic phenotype associated with increased white adipose tissue
mass. Pigs were fed HFD (~4570 kcal/pig/day) or lean (~2000 kcal/pig/day) diet
for a total of 9 estrous cycles (~6 months). To determine the effect of cycle
stage on cytokines and the microbiome, animals had samples collected during
cycles 7 and 9 on certain days of the cycle: D1, 4, 8, 12, 16, 18. Vaginal swabs
or cervical flushes assessed urogenital microbiota. Systemic fatty acids,
insulin, glucose, and cytokines were analyzed. Pig weights and morphometric
measurements were taken weekly. Obese pigs had increased body weight, length,
heart and belly girth but similar glucose concentrations. Obese pigs had
decreased cytokine levels (IL-1beta, TNF-alpha, IL-4, IL-10), arachidonic acid
and plasma insulin, but increased levels of vaccenic acid. Obese pigs had greater
urogenital bacterial diversity, including several taxa known for anti
inflammatory properties. Overall, induction of obesity did not induce
inflammation but shifted the microbial communities within the urogenital tract to
an anti-inflammatory phenotype. We postulate that the coconut oil in the HFD oil
may have supported normal glucose homeostasis and modulated the immune response,
possibly through regulation of microbial community dynamics and fatty acid
metabolism. This animal model holds promise for the study of how different types
of obesity and high fat diets may affect metabolism, immune phenotype, and
microbial dynamics.
PMID- 28704430
TI - Does lack of resources impair access to breast and cervical cancer screening in
Japan?
AB - OBJECTIVES: To assess the impact of the quantity of resources for breast and
cervical cancer screening on the participation rates in screening in clinical
settings in municipalities, as well as to clarify whether lack of resources
impairs access to cancer screening in Japan. METHODS: Of the 1,746 municipalities
in 2010, 1,443 (82.6%) and 1,469 (84.1%) were included in the analyses for breast
and cervical cancer screening, respectively. In order to estimate the effects of
the number of mammography units and of gynecologists on the participation rates
in breast and cervical cancer screening in clinical settings, multiple regression
analyses were performed using the interaction term for urban municipalities.
RESULTS: The average participation rate in screening in clinical settings was
6.01% for breast cancer, and was 8.93% for cervical cancer. The marginal effect
of the number of mammography units per 1,000 women was significantly positive in
urban municipalities (8.20 percent point). The marginal effect of the number of
gynecologists per 1,000 women was significantly positive in all municipalities
(2.54 percent point) and rural municipalities (3.68 percent point). CONCLUSIONS:
Lack of mammography units in urban areas and of gynecologists particularly in
rural areas impaired access to breast and cervical cancer screening. Strategies
are required that quickly improve access for the residents and increase their
participation rates in cancer screening.
PMID- 28704431
TI - Modulation of platelet-derived microparticles to adhesion and motility of human
rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes.
AB - Platelet-derived microparticles (PMPs) are closely associated with disease
activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and contribute to the inflammatory process.
Rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes (RA-FLSs) play important roles
in the progression of joint destruction. The aim of this study is to demonstrate
whether PMPs affect the adhesion and motility of RA-FLSs. Our data indicated that
PMPs promoted migration, invasion and adhesion to extracellular matrix (ECM) of
RA-FLSs. Further study showed that PMPs up-regulated the expression of matrix
metalloproteinase-1 (MMP1) and increased the level of phosphorylation of NF
kappaB (p-NF-kappaB) and Erk (p-Erk) in RA-FLSs. These results suggest that PMPs
promote RA-FLSs adhesion and motility presumably by increasing MMP1 via
activating Erk-mediated NF-kappaB pathway.
PMID- 28704432
TI - Determination of absolute expression profiles using multiplexed miRNA analysis.
AB - Accurate measurement of miRNA expression is critical to understanding their role
in gene expression as well as their application as disease biomarkers. Correct
identification of changes in miRNA expression rests on reliable normalization to
account for biological and technological variance between samples. Ligo-miR is a
multiplex assay designed to rapidly measure absolute miRNA copy numbers, thus
reducing dependence on biological controls. It uses a simple 2-step ligation
process to generate length coded products that can be quantified using a variety
of DNA sizing methods. We demonstrate Ligo-miR's ability to quantify miRNA
expression down to 20 copies per cell sensitivity, accurately discriminate
between closely related miRNA, and reliably measure differential changes as small
as 1.2-fold. Then, benchmarking studies were performed to show the high
correlation between Ligo-miR, microarray, and TaqMan qRT-PCR. Finally, Ligo-miR
was used to determine copy number profiles in a number of breast, esophageal, and
pancreatic cell lines and to demonstrate the utility of copy number analysis for
providing layered insight into expression profile changes.
PMID- 28704433
TI - Forecasting distributions of an aquatic invasive species (Nitellopsis obtusa)
under future climate scenarios.
AB - Starry stonewort (Nitellopsis obtusa) is an alga that has emerged as an aquatic
invasive species of concern in the United States. Where established, starry
stonewort can interfere with recreational uses of water bodies and potentially
have ecological impacts. Incipient invasion of starry stonewort in Minnesota
provides an opportunity to predict future expansion in order to target early
detection and strategic management. We used ecological niche models to identify
suitable areas for starry stonewort in Minnesota based on global occurrence
records and present-day and future climate conditions. We assessed sensitivity of
forecasts to different parameters, using four emission scenarios (i.e., RCP 2.6,
RCP 4.5, RCP 6, and RCP 8.5) from five future climate models (i.e., CCSM, GISS,
IPSL, MIROC, and MRI). From our niche model analyses, we found that (i)
occurrences from the entire range, instead of occurrences restricted to the
invaded range, provide more informed models; (ii) default settings in Maxent did
not provide the best model; (iii) the model calibration area and its background
samples impact model performance; (iv) model projections to future climate
conditions should be restricted to analogous environments; and (v) forecasts in
future climate conditions should include different future climate models and
model calibration areas to better capture uncertainty in forecasts. Under present
climate, the most suitable areas for starry stonewort are predicted to be found
in central and southeastern Minnesota. In the future, suitable areas for starry
stonewort are predicted to shift in geographic range under some future climate
models and to shrink under others, with most permutations indicating a net
decrease of the species' suitable range. Our suitability maps can serve to design
short-term plans for surveillance and education, while future climate models
suggest a plausible reduction of starry stonewort spread in the long-term if the
trends in climate warming remain.
PMID- 28704434
TI - Urbanization is a main driver for the larval ecology of Aedes mosquitoes in
arbovirus-endemic settings in south-eastern Cote d'Ivoire.
AB - BACKGROUND: Failure in detecting naturally occurring breeding sites of Aedes
mosquitoes can bias the conclusions drawn from field studies, and hence,
negatively affect intervention outcomes. We characterized the habitats of
immature Aedes mosquitoes and explored species dynamics along a rural-to-urban
gradient in a West Africa setting where yellow fever and dengue co-exist.
METHODOLOGY: Between January 2013 and October 2014, we collected immature Aedes
mosquitoes in water containers in rural, suburban, and urban areas of south
eastern Cote d'Ivoire, using standardized sampling procedures. Immature
mosquitoes were reared in the laboratory and adult specimens identified at
species level. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We collected 6,159, 14,347, and 22,974 Aedes
mosquitoes belonging to 17, 8, and 3 different species in rural, suburban, and
urban environments, respectively. Ae. aegypti was the predominant species
throughout, with a particularly high abundance in urban areas (99.374%). Eleven
Aedes larval species not previously sampled in similar settings of Cote d'Ivoire
were identified: Ae. albopictus, Ae. angustus, Ae. apicoargenteus, Ae.
argenteopunctatus, Ae. haworthi, Ae. lilii, Ae. longipalpis, Ae. opok, Ae.
palpalis, Ae. stokesi, and Ae. unilineatus. Aedes breeding site positivity was
associated with study area, container type, shade, detritus, water turbidity,
geographic location, season, and the presence of predators. We found
proportionally more positive breeding sites in urban (2,136/3,374, 63.3%),
compared to suburban (1,428/3,069, 46.5%) and rural areas (738/2,423, 30.5%). In
the urban setting, the predominant breeding sites were industrial containers
(e.g., tires and discarded containers). In suburban areas, containers made of
traditional materials (e.g., clay pots) were most frequently encountered. In
rural areas, natural containers (e.g., tree holes and bamboos) were common and
represented 22.1% (163/738) of all Aedes-positive containers, hosting 18.7% of
the Aedes fauna. The predatory mosquito species Culex tigripes was commonly
sampled, while Toxorhynchites and Eretmapodites were mostly collected in rural
areas. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: In Cote d'Ivoire, urbanization is associated
with high abundance of Aedes larvae and a predominance of artificial containers
as breeding sites, mostly colonized by Ae. aegypti in urban areas. Natural
containers are still common in rural areas harboring several Aedes species and,
therefore, limiting the impact of systematic removal of discarded containers on
the control of arbovirus diseases.
PMID- 28704435
TI - Generation of an artificial human B cell line test system using Transpo-mAbTM
technology to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of novel antigen-specific fusion
proteins.
AB - The antigen-specific targeting of autoreactive B cells via their unique B cell
receptors (BCRs) is a novel and promising alternative to the systemic suppression
of humoral immunity. We generated and characterized cytolytic fusion proteins
based on an existing immunotoxin comprising tetanus toxoid fragment C (TTC) as
the targeting component and the modified Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A (ETA')
as the cytotoxic component. The immunotoxin was reconfigured to replace ETA' with
either the granzyme B mutant R201K or MAPTau as human effector domains. The novel
cytolytic fusion proteins were characterized with a recombinant human lymphocytic
cell line developed using Transpo-mAbTM technology. Genes encoding a chimeric TTC
reactive immunoglobulin G were successfully integrated into the genome of the
precursor B cell line REH so that the cells could present TTC-reactive BCRs on
their surface. These cells were used to investigate the specific cytotoxicity of
GrB(R201K)-TTC and TTC-MAPTau, revealing that the serpin proteinase inhibitor 9
resistant granzyme B R201K mutant induced apoptosis specifically in the
lymphocytic cell line. Our data confirm that antigen-based fusion proteins
containing granzyme B (R201K) are suitable candidates for the depletion of
autoreactive B cells.
PMID- 28704436
TI - Platinum nanoparticles induce damage to DNA and inhibit DNA replication.
AB - Sparsely tested group of platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) may have a comparable
effect as complex platinum compounds. The aim of this study was to observe the
effect of PtNPs in in vitro amplification of DNA fragment of phage lambda, on the
bacterial cultures (Staphylococcus aureus), human foreskin fibroblasts and
erythrocytes. In vitro synthesized PtNPs were characterized by dynamic light
scattering (PtNPs size range 4.8-11.7 nm), zeta potential measurements (-15 mV at
pH 7.4), X-ray fluorescence, UV/vis spectrophotometry and atomic absorption
spectrometry. The PtNPs inhibited the DNA replication and affected the secondary
structure of DNA at higher concentrations, which was confirmed by polymerase
chain reaction, DNA sequencing and DNA denaturation experiments. Further,
cisplatin (CisPt), as traditional chemotherapy agent, was used in all parallel
experiments. Moreover, the encapsulation of PtNPs in liposomes (LipoPtNPs) caused
an approximately 2.4x higher of DNA damage in comparison with CisPt, LipoCisPt
and PtNPs. The encapsulation of PtNPs in liposomes also increased their
antibacterial, cytostatic and cytotoxic effect, which was determined by the
method of growth curves on S. aureus and HFF cells. In addition, both the bare
and encapsulated PtNPs caused lower oxidative stress (determined by GSH/GSSG
ratio) in the human erythrocytes compared to the bare and encapsulated CisPt.
CisPt was used in all parallel experiments as traditional chemotherapy agent.
PMID- 28704437
TI - Impact of environmental microbiota on human microbiota of workers in academic
mouse research facilities: An observational study.
AB - OBJECTIVES: To characterize the microbial environment of workers in academic
mouse research facilities using endotoxin, 16S qPCR, and 16S amplicon sequencing.
To determine whether the work microbiome contributes to the human microbiome of
workers. METHODS: We performed area air sampling from the animal rooms, dirty,
middle, and setup cage wash locations in four academic mouse research facilities.
10 workers in the dirty cage wash area underwent personal air sampling as well as
repeated collection of nasal, oral, and skin samples before and after the work
shift. Environmental samples underwent measurement of endotoxin, mouse allergen,
bacteria copy number via 16S qPCR, and microbial identification via 16S rDNA
sequencing. 16S rDNA sequencing was also performed on human samples before and
after the work shift. SourceTracker was used to identify the contribution of the
work microbiome to the human microbiome. RESULTS: Median endotoxin levels ranged
from undetectable to 1.0 EU/m3. Significant differences in mouse allergen levels,
bacterial copy number, microbial richness, and microbial community structure were
identified between animal, dirty, middle, and setup cage wash locations.
Endotoxin levels had only a moderate correlation with microbial composition.
Location within a facility was a stronger predictor of microbial community
composition (R2 = 0.41, p = 0.002) than facility. The contribution of the work
microbiome to the pre-shift human microbiome of workers was estimated to be 0.1
+/- 0.1% for the oral microbiome; 3.1 +/- 1.9% for the nasal microbiome; and 3.0
+/- 1.5% for the skin microbiome. CONCLUSIONS: The microbial environment of
academic animal care facilities varies significantly by location rather than
facility. Endotoxin is not a proxy for assessment of environmental microbial
exposures using 16S qPCR or 16S rDNA sequencing. The work microbiome contributes
to the composition of the nasal and skin microbiome of workers; the clinical
implications of this observation should be further studied.
PMID- 28704438
TI - Disentangling the root- and detritus-based food chain in the micro-food web of an
arable soil by plant removal.
AB - Soil food web structure and function is primarily determined by the major basal
resources, which are living plant tissue, root exudates and dead organic matter.
A field experiment was performed to disentangle the interlinkage of the root-and
detritus-based soil food chains. An arable site was cropped either with maize,
amended with maize shoot litter or remained bare soil, representing food webs
depending on roots, aboveground litter and soil organic matter as predominant
resource, respectively. The soil micro-food web, i.e. microorganisms and
nematodes, was investigated in two successive years along a depth transect. The
community composition of nematodes was used as model to determine the changes in
the rhizosphere, detritusphere and bulk soil food web. In the first growing
season the impact of treatments on the soil micro-food web was minor. In the
second year plant-feeding nematodes increased under maize, whereas after harvest
the Channel Index assigned promotion of the detritivore food chain, reflecting
decomposition of root residues. The amendment with litter did not foster
microorganisms, instead biomass of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria as
well as that of fungi declined in the rooted zone. Likely higher grazing pressure
by nematodes reduced microbial standing crop as bacterial and fungal feeders
increased. However, populations at higher trophic levels were not promoted,
indicating limited flux of litter resources along the food chain. After two years
of bare soil microbial biomass and nematode density remained stable, pointing to
soil organic matter-based resources that allow bridging periods with deprivation.
Nematode communities were dominated by opportunistic taxa that are competitive at
moderate resource supply. In sum, removal of plants from the system had less
severe effects than expected, suggesting considerable food web resilience to the
disruption of both the root and detrital carbon channel, pointing to a legacy of
organic matter resources in arable soils.
PMID- 28704439
TI - Inner and inter population structure construction of Chinese Jiangsu Han
population based on Y23 STR system.
AB - In this study, we analyzed the genetic polymorphisms of 23 Y-STR loci from
PowerPlex(r) Y23 system in 916 unrelated healthy male individuals from Chinese
Jiangsu Han, and observed 912 different haplotypes including 908 unique
haplotypes and 4 duplicate haplotypes. The haplotype diversity reached 0.99999
and the discrimination capacity and match probability were 0.9956 and 0.0011,
respectively. The gene diversity values ranged from 0.3942 at DYS438 to 0.9607 at
DYS385a/b. Population differentiation within 10 Jiangsu Han subpopulations were
evaluated by RST values and visualized in Neighbor-Joining trees and Multi
Dimensional Scaling plots as well as population relationships between the Jiangsu
Han population and other 18 Eastern Asian populations. Such results indicated
that the 23 Y-STR loci were highly polymorphic in Jiangsu Han population and
played crucial roles in forensic application as well as population genetics. For
the first time, we reported the genetic diversity of male lineages in Jiangsu Han
population at a high-resolution level of 23 Y-STR set and consequently
contributed to familial searching, offender tracking, and anthropology analysis
of Jiangsu Han population.
PMID- 28704440
TI - Viral etiology, seasonality and severity of hospitalized patients with severe
acute respiratory infections in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, 2007-2014.
AB - INTRODUCTION: Little is known about the role of viral respiratory pathogens in
the etiology, seasonality or severity of severe acute respiratory infections
(SARI) in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. METHODS: Sentinel surveillance for
SARI was conducted from December 2007 through February 2014 at 20 hospitals in
Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Qatar and Yemen. Nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs were
collected from hospitalized patients meeting SARI case definitions and were
analyzed for infection with influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV),
adenovirus (AdV), human metapneumovirus (hMPV) and human parainfluenza virus
types 1-3 (hPIV1-3). We analyzed surveillance data to calculate positivity rates
for viral respiratory pathogens, describe the seasonality of those pathogens and
determine which pathogens were responsible for more severe outcomes requiring
ventilation and/or intensive care and/or resulting in death. RESULTS: At least
one viral respiratory pathogen was detected in 8,753/28,508 (30.7%) samples
tested for at least one pathogen and 3,497/9,315 (37.5%) of samples tested for
all pathogens-influenza in 3,345/28,438 (11.8%), RSV in 3,942/24,503 (16.1%), AdV
in 923/9,402 (9.8%), hMPV in 617/9,384 (6.6%), hPIV1 in 159/9,402 (1.7%), hPIV2
in 85/9,402 (0.9%) and hPIV3 in 365/9,402 (3.9%). Multiple pathogens were
identified in 501/9,316 (5.4%) participants tested for all pathogens. Monthly
variation, indicating seasonal differences in levels of infection, was observed
for all pathogens. Participants with hMPV infections and participants less than
five years of age were significantly less likely than participants not infected
with hMPV and those older than five years of age, respectively, to experience a
severe outcome, while participants with a pre-existing chronic disease were at
increased risk of a severe outcome, compared to those with no reported pre
existing chronic disease. CONCLUSIONS: Viral respiratory pathogens are common
among SARI patients in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Ongoing surveillance is
important to monitor changes in the etiology, seasonality and severity of
pathogens of interest.
PMID- 28704441
TI - A comparison of sex steroid concentration levels in the vitreous and serum of
patients with vitreoretinal diseases.
AB - The purpose of this study was to compare steroid hormone concentration levels in
the vitreous and serum of vitreoretinal disease patients to elucidate the
possibility of neurosteroid production in the retina. Serum and vitreous samples
were collected from vitrectomy patients, and estradiol (E2) and testosterone (T)
concentrations were measured using electro-chemiluminescence immunoassay. We
measured E2 in epiretinal membrane (ERM, n = 14), macular hole (MH, n = 18),
proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR, n = 20), and retinal detachment (RD, n =
19) cases, and T in ERM (n = 14), MH (n = 17), PDR (n = 13), and RD (n = 17)
cases. No statistically significant age differences existed among the groups.
Mean respective E2 concentrations (pg/ml) in the male/female vitreous were ERM:
6.67+/-4.04/18.82+/-7.10, MH: 10.3+/-7.02/17.00+/-4.8, PDR: 4.2+/-3.05/15.83+/
3.46, and RD: 10.00+/-4.58/16.06+/-4.57, while those in serum were ERM: 31.67+/
5.51/5.82+/-1.08, MH: 21.00+/-8.89/7.53+/-3.2, PDR: 29.20+/-7.07/12.75+/-10.62,
and RD: 24.33+/-6.51/7.5+/-4.42. E2 concentrations were significantly higher
(P<0.001) in the male serum than vitreous, yet significantly higher in the female
vitreous than serum. Mean respective T concentrations (ng/ml) in the male/female
vitreous were ERM: 0.15+/-0.03/0.15+/-0.01, MH: 0.15+/-0.01/0.15+/-0.01, PDR:
0.15+/-0.03/0.16+/-0.12, and RD: 0.14+/-0.01/0.17+/-0.08, while those in serum
were ERM: 4.54+/-1.46/0.16+/-0.01, MH: 8.04+/-2.29/0.16+/-0.10, PDR: 5.14+/
1.54/0.22+/-0.11, and RD: 3.24+/-0.75/0.17+/-0.10. T concentrations were high in
the male serum, yet extremely low in the male and female vitreous and female
serum. High concentrations of E2 were found in the vitreous, and women, in
particular, exhibited significantly higher concentrations in the vitreous than in
the serum. This finding suggests the possibility that in vitreoretinal disease
cases, the synthesis of E2 is increased locally only in female eyes.
PMID- 28704442
TI - Health professionals' perspective on the promotion of e-mental health apps in the
context of maternal depression.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Our study focuses on exploring (1) the intention of health
professionals to use and recommend e-mental health applications, (2) how this
intention of health professionals might be influenced, (3) which group of health
professionals might be most accessible to promote e-mental health applications
for maternal depression, and (4) for which tasks they rate them to be most
useful. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Based on a questionnaire informed by the theory of
planned behavior, we collected 131 responses of U.S., Spanish, and Swiss health
professionals in the field of pregnancy and maternal care (including
psychologists, psychiatrists, midwives, and doctors) by means of an online
survey. We analyzed the gathered data applying a structured equation model.
RESULTS: Our study reveals that health professionals would in general intend to
recommend and use e-mental health applications. However, their attitude towards e
mental health applications varies regarding the respective use cases and also
differs among health professions. CONCLUSION: We offer three alternative
propositions for private or public organizations, associations, or any other
entity whose purpose is service to the community for introducing e-mental health
applications into practice.
PMID- 28704443
TI - Dosimetric characteristics of a reusable 3D radiochromic dosimetry material.
AB - PURPOSE: To investigate the dosimetric characteristics of PRESAGEREU dosimeters.
METHODS: Commercially available PRESAGEREU dosimeters (size of 10 mm * 10 mm * 45
mm) were divided into two groups, with one of the groups placed at room
temperature of 22 degrees C (RT group) and another group placed at low
temperature of 10 degrees C (LT group). A total of 3 dosimeters (set of
dosimeters) were irradiated at a time, with doses of 1 Gy, 2 Gy, 4 Gy, 8 Gy, 12
Gy, 16 Gy, and 20 Gy, at a nominal dose rate of 400 MU/min at temperature of 22
degrees C. The dosimeters were irradiated three additional times by delivering
the same doses as those during the initial irradiations (4 irradiation cycles).
Optical density (OD) was assessed using optical CT scanning. RESULTS: Considering
both linearity and sensitivity of the OD curves, R2 above 0.95 and sensitivity
above 0.04 DeltaOD/Gy were observed at the 1st irradiation (reading time <= 6 h)
and 2nd irradiation (reading time = 0.5 h) for the RT group. For the LT group,
those values were observed at the 1st irradiation (reading time <= 2 h), and the
3rd and 4th irradiations (both reading times = 0.5 h). Considering the
reproducibility of signals in response to the same dose, dosimeters in the RT
group showed average deviations among dosimeters less than 5% (the 1st and 2nd
irradiations at the reading time of 0.5 h), while for dosimeters in the LT group
showed average deviations among dosimeters less than 6% (the 3rd and 4th
irradiations at the reading time of 0.5 h). For the rest, the OD curves were not
linear, sensitivities of the dosimeters were lower than 0.04 DeltaOD/Gy, and OD
deviations at the same dose were larger than 6%. CONCLUSIONS: At room
temperature, PRESAGEREU dosimeters could be used for dose measurement only for up
to two dose measurement sessions. At low temperatures, usage of PRESAGEREU
dosimeters for dose measurement seems to be possible from the 3rd irradiation.
When reusing PRESAGEREU dosimeters, the OD curve should be re-defined for every
measurement session because the shape of this curve depends on the irradiation
history.
PMID- 28704444
TI - Maternal inheritance of deltamethrin resistance in the salmon louse
Lepeophtheirus salmonis (Kroyer) is associated with unique mtDNA haplotypes.
AB - Parasitic infections by the salmon louse, Lepeophtheirus salmonis (Kroyer), cause
huge economic damage in salmon farming in the northern hemisphere, with combined
treatment costs and production losses in 2014 having been estimated at US$ 350
million for Norway (annual production 1.25 million tonnes). The control of L.
salmonis relies significantly on medicinal treatments, supplemented by non
pharmacological approaches. However, efficacy losses have been reported for
several delousing agents, including the pyrethroid deltamethrin. The aim of the
present study was to analyse the genetic basis of deltamethrin resistance in L.
salmonis. Deltamethrin median effective concentrations (EC50) were 0.28 MUg L-1
in the drug susceptible L. salmonis strain IoA-00 and 40.1 MUg L-1 in the
pyrethroid resistant strain IoA-02. IoA-00 and IoA-02 were crossed to produce
families spanning one parental and three filial generations (P0, F1-F3). In three
families derived from P0 crosses between an IoA-00 sire and an IoA-02 dam, 98.8%
of F2 parasites (n = 173) were resistant, i.e. remained unaffected after exposure
to 2.0 MUg L-1 deltamethrin. F3 parasites from these crosses showed a
deltamethrin EC50 of 9.66 MUg L-1. In two families of the inverse orientation at
P0 (IoA-02 sire x IoA-00 dam), 16.7% of F2 parasites were resistant (n = 84),
while the deltamethrin EC50 in F3 animals was 0.26 MUg L-1. The results revealed
a predominantly maternal inheritance of deltamethrin resistance. The 15,947-nt
mitochondrial genome was sequenced and compared among six unrelated L. salmonis
strains and parasites sampled from wild salmon in 2010. IoA-02 and three further
deltamethrin resistant strains, established from isolates originating from
different regions of Scotland, showed almost identical mitochondrial haplotypes.
In contrast, the mitochondrial genome was variable among susceptible strains and
L. salmonis from wild hosts. Deltamethrin caused toxicity and depletion of whole
body ATP levels in IoA-00 but not IoA-02 parasites. The maternal inheritance of
deltamethrin resistance and its association with mitochondrial haplotypes
suggests that pyrethroid toxicity in L. salmonis may involve molecular targets
encoded by mitochondrial genes.
PMID- 28704445
TI - Taxon abundance, diversity, co-occurrence and network analysis of the ruminal
microbiota in response to dietary changes in dairy cows.
AB - The ruminal microbiome, comprising large numbers of bacteria, ciliate protozoa,
archaea and fungi, responds to diet and dietary additives in a complex way. The
aim of this study was to investigate the benefits of increasing the depth of the
community analysis in describing and explaining responses to dietary changes.
Quantitative PCR, ssu rRNA amplicon based taxa composition, diversity and co
occurrence network analyses were applied to ruminal digesta samples obtained from
four multiparous Nordic Red dairy cows fitted with rumen cannulae. The cows
received diets with forage:concentrate ratio either 35:65 (diet H) or 65:35 (L),
supplemented or not with sunflower oil (SO) (0 or 50 g/kg diet dry matter),
supplied in a 4 * 4 Latin square design with a 2 * 2 factorial arrangement of
treatments and four 35-day periods. Digesta samples were collected on days 22 and
24 and combined. QPCR provided a broad picture in which a large fall in the
abundance of fungi was seen with SO in the H but not the L diet. Amplicon
sequencing showed higher community diversity indices in L as compared to H diets
and revealed diet specific taxa abundance changes, highlighting large differences
in protozoal and fungal composition. Methanobrevibacter ruminantium and Mbb.
gottschalkii dominated archaeal communities, and their abundance correlated
negatively with each other. Co-occurrence network analysis provided evidence that
no microbial domain played a more central role in network formation, that some
minor-abundance taxa were at nodes of highest centrality, and that microbial
interactions were diet specific. Networks added new dimensions to our
understanding of the diet effect on rumen microbial community interactions.
PMID- 28704446
TI - A specialist peer mentoring program for university students on the autism
spectrum: A pilot study.
AB - INTRODUCTION: The provision of peer mentoring may improve tertiary education
outcomes of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study evaluated
the pilot year of the Curtin Specialist Mentoring Program (CSMP), a specialised
peer mentoring program for university students with ASD aimed at improving self
reported well-being, academic success and retention in university studies.
METHODS: A single group pre-test, post-test design was employed. Quantitative and
qualitative evaluations were undertaken with 10 young adults with ASD to explore
the effectiveness and acceptability of the CSMP program. Students completed a
battery of questionnaires focused on general anxiety, state communication
apprehension, perceived communication competence, and communication apprehension
both prior to, and five months after commencing enrolment in the CSMP.
Information regarding academic success and retention was also obtained.
Interviews with participants provided further insight into their experience of
the program. RESULTS: Students enrolled in the CSMP showed significant
improvement in social support and general communication apprehension assessment
scores. Interviews revealed key features of the CSMP that may have contributed to
these positive outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The current study provides preliminary
evidence that a specialised peer mentoring program can improve the well-being of
students with ASD, and highlights the importance of interventions which are
individualised, flexible, based on a social model, and target environmental
factors such as social support.
PMID- 28704447
TI - Sexual dimorphisms of mRNA and miRNA in human/murine heart disease.
AB - BACKGROUND: Sexual dimorphisms are well recognized in various cardiac diseases
such as ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and
dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Thorough understanding of the underlying genetic
programs is crucial to optimize treatment strategies specified for each gender.
By performing meta-analysis and microarray analysis, we sought to comprehensively
characterize the sexual dimorphisms in the healthy and diseased heart at the
level of both mRNA and miRNA transcriptome. RESULTS: Existing mRNA microarray
data of both mouse and human heart were integrated, identifying dozens/ hundreds
of sexually dimorphic genes in healthy heart, ICM, HCM, and DCM. These sexually
dimorphic genes overrepresented gene ontologies (GOs) important for cardiac
homeostasis. Further, microarray of miRNA, isolated from mouse sham left
ventricle (LV) (n = 6 & n = 5 for male & female) and chronic MI LV (n = 19 & n =
19) and from human normal LV (n = 6 & n = 6) and ICM LV (n = 4 & n = 5), was
conducted. This revealed that 13 mouse miRNAs are sexually dimorphic in MI and 6
in normal heart. In human, 3 miRNAs were sexually dimorphic in ICM and 15 in
normal heart. These data revealed miRNA-mRNA networks that operate in a sexually
biased fashion. CONCLUSIONS: mRNA and miRNA transcriptome of normal and disease
heart show significant sex differences, which might impact the cardiac
homeostasis. Together this study provides the first comprehensive picture of the
genome-wide program underlying the heart sexual dimorphisms, laying the
foundation for gender specific treatment strategies.
PMID- 28704448
TI - RNAi-based reverse genetics in the chelicerate model Tetranychus urticae: A
comparative analysis of five methods for gene silencing.
AB - RNA interference (RNAi) can be used for the protection against agricultural pests
through the silencing of genes required for pest fitness. To assess the potential
of RNAi approaches in the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, we
compared 5 methods for the delivery of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). These methods
include mite feeding on either (i) leaves floating on a dsRNA solution, (ii)
dsRNA-expressing plants, (iii) artificial diet supplemented with dsRNA, or (iv)
dsRNA-coated leaves, and (v) mite soaking in a dsRNA solution. In all cases, the
gene targeted for method validation was the Vacuolar-type H+-ATPase (TuVATPase),
encoding a constitutively expressed ATP-driven proton pump located in the
membrane. Down-regulation of TuVATPase increased mortality and/or reduced
fecundity in all methods, but with variable efficiency. The most efficient
methods for dsRNA delivery were direct soaking of mites in the dsRNA solution and
mite feeding on dsRNA-coated leaves that mimics dsRNA application as a sprayable
pesticide. Both resulted in a dark-body phenotype not observed in mites treated
with a control dsRNA. Although with lower efficiency, dsRNA designed for
TuVATPase silencing and expressed in transgenic Arabidopsis plants impacted the
fitness of mites feeding on these plants. RNAi may thus be a valuable strategy to
control spider mite populations, either as a sprayable pesticide or through
transgenic crops. This comparative methodological study focusing on the induction
of RNAi-based gene silencing in T. urticae paves the way for reverse genetics
approaches in this model chelicerate system and prepares large-scale systematic
RNAi screens as a first step towards the development of specific RNA-based
pesticides. Such alternative molecules may help control spider mites that cause
significant damages to crops and ornamental plant species, as well as other
chelicerates detrimental to agriculture and health.
PMID- 28704449
TI - Postfire responses of the woody flora of Central Chile: Insights from a
germination experiment.
AB - Fire is a selective agent shaping plant traits and community assembly in fire
prone ecosystems. However, in ecosystems with no fire history, it can be a cause
of land degradation when it is suddenly introduced by humans, as plant species
may not be able to respond to such novel disturbance. Unlike other Mediterranean
type ecosystems (MTE) of the world, natural fires have not been frequent during
the Quaternary in the matorral of Central Chile, and thus, plant adaptive
responses are expected to be uncommon. We evaluated the effect of heat shock on
seed survival and germination of 21 native woody plants of the Chilean matorral
and compiled information on smoke-stimulation and resprouting, to evaluate the
importance of fire-adaptive responses in the context of the other MTE. We found
that in the Chilean woody flora negative seed responses to fire cues were more
frequent than positive responses. Although resprouting is a relatively widespread
trait, fire-stimulated germination is not as common in the Chilean matorral as in
other MTE. The seeds of seven endemic species were strongly damaged by fire cues
and this should be considered in post-fire restoration planning. However, our
results also showed that many species were resistant to elevated doses of heat
shock and in some, germination was even stimulated. Thus, future research should
focus on the evolutionary causes of these responses. These findings could help to
develop strategies for fire management in the Chilean matorral. In addition, they
will improve our understanding of the evolutionary forces that shaped this plant
community and to better frame this region among the other MTE worldwide.
PMID- 28704450
TI - A consensus layer V pyramidal neuron can sustain interpulse-interval coding.
AB - In terms of a single neuron's long-distance communication, interpulse intervals
(IPIs) are an attractive alternative to rate and binary codes. As a proxy for an
IPI, a neuron's time-to-spike can be found in the biophysical and experimental
intracellular literature. Using the current, consensus layer V pyramidal neuron,
the present study examines the feasibility of IPI-coding and examines the noise
sources that limit the information rate of such an encoding. In descending order
of importance, the noise sources are (i) synaptic variability, (ii) sodium
channel shot-noise, followed by (iii) thermal noise. The biophysical simulations
allow the calculation of mutual information, which is about 3.0 bits/spike. More
importantly, while, by any conventional definition, the biophysical model is
highly nonlinear, the underlying function that relates input intensity to the
defined output variable is linear. When one assumes the perspective of a neuron
coding via first hitting-time, this result justifies a pervasive and simplifying
assumption of computational modelers-that a class of cortical neurons can be
treated as linearly additive, computational devices.
PMID- 28704451
TI - Targeting of X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein and PI3-kinase/AKT signaling
by embelin suppresses growth of leukemic cells.
AB - The X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP) is a viable molecular target for
anticancer drugs that overcome apoptosis-resistance of malignant cells. XIAP is
an inhibitor of apoptosis, mediating through its association with BIR3 domain of
caspase 9. Embelin, a quinone derivative isolated from the Embelia ribes plant,
has been shown to exhibit chemopreventive, anti-inflammatory, and apoptotic
activities via inhibiting XIAP activity. In this study, we found that embelin
causes a dose-dependent suppression of proliferation in leukemic cell lines K562
and U937. Embelin mediated inhibition of proliferation correlates with induction
of apoptosis. Furthermore, embelin treatment causes loss of mitochondrial
membrane potential and release of cytochrome c, resulting in subsequent
activation of caspase-3 followed by polyadenosin-5'-diphosphate-ribose polymerase
(PARP) cleavage. In addition, embelin treatment of leukemic cells results in a
decrease of constitutive phosphorylations/activation level of AKT and
downregulation of XIAP. Gene silencing of XIAP and AKT expression showed a link
between XIAP expression and activated AKT in leukemic cells. Interestingly,
targeting of XIAP and PI3-kinase/AKT signaling augmented inhibition of
proliferation and induction of apoptosis in leukemic cells. Altogether these
findings raise the possibility that embelin alone or in combination with
inhibitors of PI3-kinase/AKT pathway may have therapeutic usage in leukemia and
possibly other malignancies with up-regulated XIAP pathway.
PMID- 28704453
TI - Historical delta15N records of Saccharina specimens from oligotrophic waters of
Japan Sea (Hokkaido).
AB - Historically Saccharina spp. beds occurred along the west coast of Hokkaido, an
oligotrophic area, and were commercially exploited. Currently extensive
commercial Saccharina spp. beds do not form due to nutrient limitations. Here, we
postulate that nutrients assimilated by paleo-Saccharina spp. beds may have been
derived from spawning herrings (Clupea pallasii) acting as organisms that formed
a vector from their feeding grounds (Okhotsk Sea and Pacific Ocean) to their
spawning area (west coast of Hokkaido, Japan Sea). To test this hypothesis we
examined stable nitrogen isotope ratios (delta15N) of 100- to 135-year-old
Saccharina specimens preserved at the Herbarium (Hokkaido University Museum).
delta15N values of the paleo-Saccharina specimens collected from this region were
in the range of 100/00, which is significantly higher than the current 3-70/00 in
freshly sampled Saccharina spp. This high delta15N indicates that spawning
herring (Clupea pallasii) had potentially been a significant source of dissolved
inorganic nitrogen (DIN) absorbed by Saccharina, acting as an organism forming a
vector for transporting nutrients from eutrophic to oligotrophic coastal
ecosystems. Our findings support the hypothesis of so-called "herring-derived
nutrients."
PMID- 28704452
TI - Influence of lung CT changes in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on
the human lung microbiome.
AB - BACKGROUND: Changes in microbial community composition in the lung of patients
suffering from moderate to severe COPD have been well documented. However,
knowledge about specific microbiome structures in the human lung associated with
CT defined abnormalities is limited. METHODS: Bacterial community composition
derived from brush samples from lungs of 16 patients suffering from different CT
defined subtypes of COPD and 9 healthy subjects was analyzed using a cultivation
independent barcoding approach applying 454-pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA gene
fragment amplicons. RESULTS: We could show that bacterial community composition
in patients with changes in CT (either airway or emphysema type changes,
designated as severe subtypes) was different from community composition in lungs
of patients without visible changes in CT as well as from healthy subjects
(designated as mild COPD subtype and control group) (PC1, Padj = 0.002). Higher
abundance of Prevotella in samples from patients with mild COPD subtype and from
controls and of Streptococcus in the severe subtype cases mainly contributed to
the separation of bacterial communities of subjects. No significant effects of
treatment with inhaled glucocorticoids on bacterial community composition were
detected within COPD cases with and without abnormalities in CT in PCoA. Co
occurrence analysis suggests the presence of networks of co-occurring bacteria.
Four communities of positively correlated bacteria were revealed. The microbial
communities can clearly be distinguished by their associations with the CT
defined disease phenotype. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that CT detectable
structural changes in the lung of COPD patients, which we termed severe subtypes,
are associated with alterations in bacterial communities, which may induce
further changes in the interaction between microbes and host cells. This might
result in a changed interplay with the host immune system.
PMID- 28704454
TI - Indocyanine green kinetics with near-infrared spectroscopy predicts cerebral
hyperperfusion syndrome after carotid artery stenting.
AB - BACKGROUND: Cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome (HPS) is a potentially life
threatening complication following carotid artery stenting (CAS) and carotid
endoarterectomy (CEA). Early prediction and treatment of patients at risk for HPS
are required in patients undergoing CAS because HPS occurs significantly earlier
after CAS than CEA. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is often used for
monitoring, and indocyanine green (ICG) kinetics by NIRS (ICG-NIRS) can detect
reductions in cerebral perfusion in patients with acute stroke. However, whether
ICG-NIRS can predict postoperative hyperperfusion phenomenon (HP) after carotid
revascularization is unclear. OBJECTIVE: Here, we evaluated whether the blood
flow index (BFI) ratio calculated from a time-intensity curve from ICG-NIRS
monitoring can predict HPS after CAS. METHODS: The BFI ratio was prospectively
monitored using ICG-NIRS in 135 patients undergoing CAS. Preoperative
cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) and the postoperative asymmetry index (AI) were
also assessed with single-photon emission computed tomography before and after
CAS, and the correlation was evaluated. In addition, patients were divided into
two groups, a non-HP group (n = 113) and an HP group (n = 22), and we evaluated
the correlation with hemodynamic impairment in the ipsilateral hemisphere and
clinical results. RESULTS: Twenty-two cases (16%) showed HP, and four (3%) showed
HPS after CAS. The BFI ratio calculated from ICG-NIRS showed a significant linear
correlation with preoperative CVR and postoperative AI (r = -0.568, 0.538, P <
0.001, <0.001, respectively). The degree of stenosis, the rate of no cross flow,
preoperative CVR, and the incidence of HPS were significantly different between
the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Measurement of ICG kinetics by NIRS is useful for
detection of HPS in patients who underwent CAS.
PMID- 28704455
TI - A density-based approach for detecting complexes in weighted PPI networks by
semantic similarity.
AB - Protein complex detection in PPI networks plays an important role in analyzing
biological processes. A new algorithm-DBGPWN-is proposed for predicting complexes
in PPI networks. Firstly, a method based on gene ontology is used to measure
semantic similarities between interacted proteins, and the similarity values are
used as their weights. Then, a density-based graph partitioning algorithm is
developed to find clusters in the weighted PPI networks, and the identified ones
are considered to be dense and similar. Experimental results demonstrate that our
approach achieves good performance as compared with such algorithms as MCL, CMC,
MCODE, RNSC, CORE, ClusterOne and FGN.
PMID- 28704456
TI - Atg4 plays an important role in efficient expansion of autophagic isolation
membranes by cleaving lipidated Atg8 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
AB - Autophagy, an intracellular degradation system, is highly conserved among
eukaryotes from yeast to mammalian cells. In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae,
most Atg (autophagy-related) proteins, which are essential for autophagosome
formation, are recruited to a restricted region close to the vacuole, termed the
vacuole-isolation membrane contact site (VICS), upon induction of autophagy.
Subsequently, the isolation membrane (IM) expands and sequesters cytoplasmic
materials to become a closed autophagosome. In S. cerevisiae, the ubiquitin-like
protein Atg8 is C-terminally conjugated to the phospholipid
phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) to generate Atg8-PE. During autophagosome
formation, Atg8-PE is cleaved by Atg4 to release delipidated Atg8 (Atg8G116) and
PE. Although delipidation of Atg8-PE is important for autophagosome formation, it
remains controversial whether the delipidation reaction is required for targeting
of Atg8 to the VICS or for subsequent IM expansion. We used an IM visualization
technique to clearly demonstrate that delipidation of Atg8-PE is dispensable for
targeting of Atg8 to the VICS, but required for IM expansion. Moreover, by
overexpressing Atg8G116, we showed that the delipidation reaction of Atg8-PE by
Atg4 plays an important role in efficient expansion of the IM other than
supplying unlipidated Atg8G116. Finally, we suggested the existence of biological
membranes at the Atg8-labeled structures in Atg8-PE delipidation-defective cells,
but not at those in atg2Delta cells. Taken together, it is likely that Atg2 is
involved in localization of biological membranes to the VICS, where Atg4 is
responsible for IM expansion.
PMID- 28704457
TI - The theory, direction, and magnitude of ecosystem fire probability as constrained
by precipitation and temperature.
AB - The effects of climate on wildland fire confronts society across a range of
different ecosystems. Water and temperature affect the combustion dynamics,
irrespective of whether those are associated with carbon fueled motors or
ecosystems, but through different chemical, physical, and biological processes.
We use an ecosystem combustion equation developed with the physical chemistry of
atmospheric variables to estimate and simulate fire probability and mean fire
interval (MFI). The calibration of ecosystem fire probability with basic
combustion chemistry and physics offers a quantitative method to address wildland
fire in addition to the well-studied forcing factors such as topography,
ignition, and vegetation. We develop a graphic analysis tool for estimating
climate forced fire probability with temperature and precipitation based on an
empirical assessment of combustion theory and fire prediction in ecosystems.
Climate-affected fire probability for any period, past or future, is estimated
with given temperature and precipitation. A graphic analyses of wildland fire
dynamics driven by climate supports a dialectic in hydrologic processes that
affect ecosystem combustion: 1) the water needed by plants to produce carbon
bonds (fuel) and 2) the inhibition of successful reactant collisions by water
molecules (humidity and fuel moisture). These two postulates enable a
classification scheme for ecosystems into three or more climate categories using
their position relative to change points defined by precipitation in combustion
dynamics equations. Three classifications of combustion dynamics in ecosystems
fire probability include: 1) precipitation insensitive, 2) precipitation
unstable, and 3) precipitation sensitive. All three classifications interact in
different ways with variable levels of temperature.
PMID- 28704458
TI - "The care is the best you can give at the time": Health care professionals'
experiences in providing gender affirming care in South Africa.
AB - BACKGROUND: While the provision of gender affirming care for transgender people
in South Africa is considered legal, ethical, and medically sound, and is
theoretically-available in both the South African private and public health
sectors, access remains severely limited and unequal within the country. As there
are no national policies or guidelines, little is known about how individual
health care professionals providing gender affirming care make clinical decisions
about eligibility and treatment options. METHOD: Based on an initial policy
review and service mapping, this study employed semi-structured interviews with a
snowball sample of twelve health care providers, representing most providers
currently providing gender affirming care in South Africa. Data were analysed
thematically using NVivo, and are reported following COREQ guidelines. RESULTS:
Our findings suggest that, whilst a small minority of health care providers offer
gender affirming care, this is almost exclusively on their own initiative and is
usually unsupported by wider structures and institutions. The ad hoc,
discretionary nature of services means that access to care is dependent on
whether a transgender person is fortunate enough to access a sympathetic and
knowledgeable health care provider. CONCLUSION: Accordingly, national, state
sanctioned guidelines for gender affirming care are necessary to increase access,
homogenise quality of care, and contribute to equitable provision of gender
affirming care in the public and private health systems.
PMID- 28704459
TI - Prevalence of drug-resistant tuberculosis in Nigeria: A systematic review and
meta-analysis.
AB - BACKGROUND: Drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) undermines control efforts and its
burden is poorly understood in resource-limited settings. We performed a
systematic review and meta-analysis to provide an up-to-date summary of the
extent of drug-resistant TB in Nigeria. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Scopus,
Embase, HINARI, AJOL, the Cochrane library, Web of Science, and Google Scholar
for reports published before January 31 2017, that included any resistance, mono
resistance or multidrug resistance to anti-TB drugs in Nigeria. Summary estimates
were calculated using random effects models. RESULTS: We identified 34 anti-TB
drug resistance surveys with 8002 adult TB patients consisting of 2982 new and
5020 previously-treated cases. The prevalence rate of any drug resistance among
new TB cases was 32.0% (95% CI 24.0-40.0%; 734/2892) and among previously-treated
cases, the rate was 53.0% (95% CI 35.0-71.0%; 1467/5020). Furthermore, multidrug
resistance among new and previously-treated cases was 6.0% (95% CI 4.0
8.0%;161/2502)and 32.0% (95%CI 20.0-44.0; 357/949), respectively. There was
significant heterogeneity between the studies (p<0.001, I2 tests). The prevalence
of drug-resistant TB varied according to methods of drug susceptibility testing
and geographic region of Nigeria. CONCLUSION: The burden of drug-resistant TB in
Nigeria is high. We recommend that a national anti-TB drug resistance survey be
carried out, and strategies for case detection and programmatic management of
drug-resistant TB in Nigeria need to be strengthened.
PMID- 28704460
TI - Effects of reactive social distancing on the 1918 influenza pandemic.
AB - The 1918 influenza pandemic was characterized by multiple epidemic waves. We
investigated reactive social distancing, a form of behavioral response where
individuals avoid potentially infectious contacts in response to available
information on an ongoing epidemic or pandemic. We modelled its effects on the
three influenza waves in the United Kingdom. In previous studies, human
behavioral response was modelled by a Power function of the proportion of recent
influenza mortality in a population, and by a Hill function, which is a function
of the number of recent influenza mortality. Using a simple epidemic model with a
Power function and one common set of parameters, we provided a good model fit for
the observed multiple epidemic waves in London boroughs, Birmingham and
Liverpool. We further applied the model parameters from these three cities to all
334 administrative units in England and Wales and including the population sizes
of individual administrative units. We computed the Pearson's correlation between
the observed and simulated for each administrative unit. We found a median
correlation of 0.636, indicating that our model predictions are performing
reasonably well. Our modelling approach is an improvement from previous studies
where separate models are fitted to each city. With the reduced number of model
parameters used, we achieved computational efficiency gain without over-fitting
the model. We also showed the importance of reactive behavioral distancing as a
potential non-pharmaceutical intervention during an influenza pandemic. Our work
has both scientific and public health significance.
PMID- 28704461
TI - Assessing the performance of remotely-sensed flooding indicators and their
potential contribution to early warning for leptospirosis in Cambodia.
AB - Remote sensing can contribute to early warning for diseases with environmental
drivers, such as flooding for leptospirosis. In this study we assessed whether
and which remotely-sensed flooding indicator could be used in Cambodia to study
any disease for which flooding has already been identified as an important
driver, using leptospirosis as a case study. The performance of six potential
flooding indicators was assessed by ground truthing. The Modified Normalized
Difference Water Index (MNDWI) was used to estimate the Risk Ratio (RR) of being
infected by leptospirosis when exposed to floods it detected, in particular
during the rainy season. Chi-square tests were also calculated. Another variable
the time elapsed since the first flooding of the year-was created using MNDWI
values and was also included as explanatory variable in a generalized linear
model (GLM) and in a boosted regression tree model (BRT) of leptospirosis
infections, along with other explanatory variables. Interestingly, MNDWI
thresholds for both detecting water and predicting the risk of leptospirosis
seroconversion were independently evaluated at -0.3. Value of MNDWI greater than
0.3 was significantly related to leptospirosis infection (RR = 1.61 [1.10-1.52];
chi2 = 5.64, p-value = 0.02, especially during the rainy season (RR = 2.03 [1.25
3.28]; chi2 = 8.15, p-value = 0.004). Time since the first flooding of the year
was a significant risk factor in our GLM model (p-value = 0.042). These results
suggest that MNDWI may be useful as a risk indicator in an early warning remote
sensing tool for flood-driven diseases like leptospirosis in South East Asia.
PMID- 28704462
TI - A longitudinal MRI study on lymph nodes histiocytosis of a xenograft cancer
model.
AB - BACKGROUND: Efforts are continuously made to detect and investigate the pivotal
processes and interplay between the response of sentinel lymph node and malignant
cells from a primary tumor. Conversely, some frequently used tumor animal models,
such as human cancer xenografts, rarely feature metastasis. Therefore, lymph node
alterations are seldom assessed. We consider that studying lymph node response
could contribute to the understanding of host reaction to cancer. In the present
study, we explored the presence of regional lymph node alterations in parallel
with tumor growth using a pancreatic tumor xenograft model which does not develop
metastasis. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We established an animal cancer model by the
subcutaneous inoculation of PANC-1 (a metastatic human pancreatic cancer cell
line) in the left upper flank of athymic nude mice. Tumor animals, along with
controls (n = 7 / group) were subjected to Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in
order to follow tumor growth and brachial and axillary lymph nodes alterations
over several weeks. Further histological analyses were performed at the end of
the study. The individual average of the different lymph nodes sizes was 15-40%
larger in the tumor animals compared to control animals at week 8 to week 20. The
tumor size and lymph node size were not correlated. Histological analysis of the
lymph nodes showed paracortical histiocytosis. No metastasis to lymph nodes could
be detected by histology. In tumor bearing animals, histiocytosis was associated
with isolated apoptotic bodies and migration of human tumoral cells was confirmed
by specific immunostaining of human origin markers. CONCLUSIONS: The lack of
metastasis as well as the pathological manifestation of the lymph node alteration
in this pre-clinical model established here parallels findings in patients with
sinus histiocytosis that is correlated with improved survival.
PMID- 28704463
TI - A novel non-invasive diagnostic sampling technique for cutaneous leishmaniasis.
AB - Accurate diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is important for chemotherapy
and epidemiological studies. Common approaches for Leishmania detection involve
the invasive collection of specimens for direct identification of amastigotes by
microscopy and the culturing of promastigotes from infected tissues. Although
these techniques are highly specific, they require highly skilled health workers
and have the inherent risks of all invasive procedures, such as pain and risk of
bacterial and fungal super-infection. Therefore, it is essential to reduce
discomfort, potential infection and scarring caused by invasive diagnostic
approaches especially for children. In this report, we present a novel non
invasive method, that is painless, rapid and user-friendly, using sequential tape
strips for sampling and isolation of DNA from the surface of active and healed
skin lesions of CL patients. A total of 119 patients suspected of suffering from
cutaneous leishmaniasis with different clinical manifestations were recruited and
samples were collected both from their lesions and from uninfected areas. In
addition, 15 fungal-infected lesions and 54 areas of healthy skin were examined.
The duration of sampling is short (less than one minute) and species
identification by PCR is highly specific and sensitive. The sequential tape
stripping sampling method is a sensitive, non-invasive and cost-effective
alternative to traditional diagnostic assays and it is suitable for field studies
as well as for use in health care centers.
PMID- 28704464
TI - Simulated impacts of ankle foot orthoses on muscle demand and recruitment in
typically-developing children and children with cerebral palsy and crouch gait.
AB - Passive ankle foot orthoses (AFOs) are often prescribed for children with
cerebral palsy (CP) to assist locomotion, but predicting how specific device
designs will impact energetic demand during gait remains challenging. Powered
AFOs have been shown to reduce energy costs of walking in unimpaired adults more
than passive AFOs, but have not been tested in children with CP. The goal of this
study was to investigate the potential impact of powered and passive AFOs on
muscle demand and recruitment in children with CP and crouch gait. We simulated
gait for nine children with crouch gait and three typically-developing children
with powered and passive AFOs. For each AFO design, we computed reductions in
muscle demand compared to unassisted gait. Powered AFOs reduced muscle demand 15
44% compared to unassisted walking, 1-14% more than passive AFOs. A slower
walking speed was associated with smaller reductions in absolute muscle demand
for all AFOs (r2 = 0.60-0.70). However, reductions in muscle demand were only
moderately correlated with crouch severity (r2 = 0.40-0.43). The ankle
plantarflexor muscles were most heavily impacted by the AFOs, with gastrocnemius
recruitment decreasing 13-73% and correlating with increasing knee flexor moments
(r2 = 0.29-0.91). These findings support the potential use of powered AFOs for
children with crouch gait, and highlight how subject-specific kinematics and
kinetics may influence muscle demand and recruitment to inform AFO design.
PMID- 28704465
TI - Lipoprotein(a) in patients with aortic stenosis: Insights from cardiovascular
magnetic resonance.
AB - BACKGROUND: Aortic stenosis is the most common age-related valvular pathology.
Patients with aortic stenosis and myocardial fibrosis have worse outcome but the
underlying mechanism is unclear. Lipoprotein(a) is associated with adverse
cardiovascular risk and is elevated in patients with aortic stenosis. Although
mechanistic pathways could link Lipoprotein(a) with myocardial fibrosis, whether
the two are related has not been previously explored. In this study, we
investigated whether elevated Lipoprotein(a) was associated with the presence of
myocardial replacement fibrosis. METHODS: A total of 110 patients with mild,
moderate and severe aortic stenosis were assessed by late gadolinium enhancement
(LGE) cardiovascular magnetic resonance to identify fibrosis. Mann Whitney U
tests were used to assess for evidence of an association between Lp(a) and the
presence or absence of myocardial fibrosis and aortic stenosis severity and
compared to controls. Univariable and multivariable linear regression analysis
were undertaken to identify possible predictors of Lp(a). RESULTS: Thirty-six
patients (32.7%) had no LGE enhancement, 38 (34.6%) had midwall enhancement
suggestive of midwall fibrosis and 36 (32.7%) patients had subendocardial
myocardial fibrosis, typical of infarction. The aortic stenosis patients had
higher Lp(a) values than controls, however, there was no significant difference
between the Lp(a) level in mild, moderate or severe aortic stenosis. No
association was observed between midwall or infarction pattern fibrosis and
Lipoprotein(a), in the mild/moderate stenosis (p = 0.91) or severe stenosis
patients (p = 0.42). CONCLUSION: There is no evidence to suggest that higher
Lipoprotein(a) leads to increased myocardial midwall or infarction pattern
fibrosis in patients with aortic stenosis.
PMID- 28704466
TI - Hand-arm vibration and the risk of vascular and neurological diseases-A
systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB - BACKGROUND: Increased occurrence of Raynaud's phenomenon, neurosensory injury and
carpal tunnel syndrome has been reported for more than 100 years in association
with work with vibrating machines. The current risk prediction modelling (ISO
5349) for "Raynaud's phenomenon" is based on a few studies published 70 to 40
years ago. There are no corresponding risk prediction models for neurosensory
injury or carpal tunnel syndrome, nor any systematic reviews comprising a
statistical synthesis (meta-analysis) of the evidence. OBJECTIVES: Our aim was to
provide a systematic review of the literature on the association between
Raynaud's phenomenon, neurosensory injuries and carpal tunnel syndrome and hand
arm vibration (HAV) exposure. Moreover the aim was to estimate the magnitude of
such an association using meta-analysis. METHODS: This systematic review covers
the scientific literature up to January 2016. The databases used for the
literature search were PubMed and Science Direct. We found a total of 4,335
abstracts, which were read and whose validity was assessed according to pre
established criteria. 294 articles were examined in their entirety to determine
whether each article met the inclusion criteria. The possible risk of bias was
assessed for each article. 52 articles finally met the pre-established criteria
for inclusion in the systematic review. RESULTS: The results show that workers
who are exposed to HAV have an increased risk of vascular and neurological
diseases compared to non-vibration exposed groups. The crude estimate of the risk
increase is approximately 4-5 fold. The estimated effect size (odds ratio) is 6.9
for the studies of Raynaud's phenomenon when including only the studies judged to
have a low risk of bias. The corresponding risk of neurosensory injury is 7.4 and
the equivalent of carpal tunnel syndrome is 2.9. CONCLUSION: At equal exposures,
neurosensory injury occurs with a 3-time factor shorter latency than Raynaud's
phenomenon. Which is why preventive measures should address this vibration health
hazard with greater attention.
PMID- 28704467
TI - Locomotor adaptability in persons with unilateral transtibial amputation.
AB - BACKGROUND: Locomotor adaptation enables walkers to modify strategies when faced
with challenging walking conditions. While a variety of neurological injuries can
impair locomotor adaptability, the effect of a lower extremity amputation on
adaptability is poorly understood. OBJECTIVE: Determine if locomotor adaptability
is impaired in persons with unilateral transtibial amputation (TTA). METHODS: The
locomotor adaptability of 10 persons with a TTA and 8 persons without an
amputation was tested while walking on a split-belt treadmill with the parallel
belts running at the same (tied) or different (split) speeds. In the split
condition, participants walked for 15 minutes with the respective belts moving at
0.5 m/s and 1.5 m/s. Temporal spatial symmetry measures were used to evaluate
reactive accommodations to the perturbation, and the adaptive/de-adaptive
response. RESULTS: Persons with TTA and the reference group of persons without
amputation both demonstrated highly symmetric walking at baseline. During the
split adaptation and tied post-adaptation walking both groups responded with the
expected reactive accommodations. Likewise, adaptive and de-adaptive responses
were observed. The magnitude and rate of change in the adaptive and de-adaptive
responses were similar for persons with TTA and those without an amputation.
Furthermore, adaptability was no different based on belt assignment for the
prosthetic limb during split adaptation walking. CONCLUSIONS: Reactive changes
and locomotor adaptation in response to a challenging and novel walking condition
were similar in persons with TTA to those without an amputation. Results suggest
persons with TTA have the capacity to modify locomotor strategies to meet the
demands of most walking conditions despite challenges imposed by an amputation
and use of a prosthetic limb.
PMID- 28704468
TI - ThMYC4E, candidate Blue aleurone 1 gene controlling the associated trait in
Triticum aestivum.
AB - Blue aleurone is a useful and interesting trait in common wheat that was derived
from related species. Here, transcriptomes of blue and white aleurone were
compared for isolating Blue aleurone 1 (Ba1) transferred from Thinopyrum
ponticum. In the genes involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis, only a basic helix
loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor, ThMYC4E, had a higher transcript level in
blue aleurone phenotype, and was homologous to the genes on chromosome 4 of
Triticum aestivum. ThMYC4E carried the characteristic domains (bHLH-MYC_N, HLH
and ACT-like) of a bHLH transcription factor, and clustered with genes regulating
anthocyanin biosynthesis upon phylogenetic analysis. The over-expression of
ThMYC4E regulated anthocyanin biosynthesis with the coexpression of the MYB
transcription factor ZmC1 from maize. ThMYC4E existed in the genomes of the
addition, substitution and near isogenic lines with the blue aleurone trait
derived from Th. ponticum, and could not be detected in any germplasm of T.
urartu, T. monococcum, T. turgidum, Aegilops tauschii or T. aestivum, with white
aleurone. These results suggested that ThMYC4E was candidate Ba1 gene controlling
the blue aleurone trait in T. aestivum genotypes carrying Th. ponticum
introgression. The ThMYC4E isolation aids in better understanding the genetic
mechanisms of the blue aleurone trait and in its more effective use during wheat
breeding.
PMID- 28704469
TI - The relationship between a low grain intake dietary pattern and impulsive
behaviors in middle-aged Japanese people.
AB - Several studies indicate that dietary habits are associated with mental health.
We are interested in identifying not a specific single nutrient/food group but
the population preferring specific food combinations that can be related to
mental health. Very few studies have examined relationships between dietary
patterns and multifaceted mental states using cluster analysis. The purpose of
this study was to investigate population-level dietary patterns associated with
mental state using cluster analysis. We focused on depressive state, sleep
quality, subjective well-being, and impulsive behaviors using rating scales. Two
hundred and seventy-nine Japanese middle-aged people participated in the present
study. Dietary pattern was estimated using a brief self-administered diet-history
questionnaire (the BDHQ). We conducted K-means cluster analysis using thirteen
BDHQ food groups: milk, meat, fish, egg, pulses, potatoes, green and yellow
vegetables, other vegetables, mushrooms, seaweed, sweets, fruits, and grain. We
identified three clusters characterized as "vegetable and fruit dominant," "grain
dominant," and "low grain tendency" subgroups. The vegetable and fruit dominant
group showed increases in several aspects of subjective well-being demonstrated
by the SF-8. Differences in mean subject characteristics across clusters were
tested using ANOVA. The low frequency intake of grain group showed higher
impulsive behavior, demonstrated by BIS-11 deliberation and sum scores. The
present study demonstrated that traditional Japanese dietary patterns, such as
eating rice, can help with beneficial changes in mental health.
PMID- 28704470
TI - Mammary candidiasis: A medical condition without scientific evidence?
AB - Many physicians, midwives and lactation consultants still believe that yeasts
(particularly Candida spp.) play an important role as an agent of nipple and
breast pain despite the absolute absence of scientific proofs to establish such
association. In this context, the objective of this study was to investigate the
microorganisms involved in sore nipples and/or painful "shooting" breastfeeding
by using a variety of microscopy techniques, as well as culture-dependent and
independent identification methods. Initially, 60 women (30 diagnosed as
suffering "mammary candidiasis" and 30 with no painful breastfeeding) were
recruited to elucidate the role of their pumps on the milk microbial profiles.
After realizing the bias introduced by using such devices, manual expression was
selected as the collection method for the microbiological analysis of milk
samples provided by 529 women with symptoms compatible with "mammary
candidiasis". Nipple swabs and nipple biopsy samples were also collected from the
participating women. Results showed that the role played by yeasts in breast and
nipple pain is, if any, marginal. In contrast, our results strongly support that
coagulase-negative staphylococci and streptococci (mainly from the mitis and
salivarius groups) are the agents responsible for such cases. As a consequence,
and following the recommendations of the US Library of Medicine for the
nomenclature of infectious diseases, the term "mammary candidiasis" or "nipple
thrush" should be avoided when referring to such condition and replaced by
"subacute mastitis".
PMID- 28704471
TI - Linear systems with unstructured multiplicative uncertainty: Modeling and robust
stability analysis.
AB - This article deals with continuous-time Linear Time-Invariant (LTI) Single-Input
Single-Output (SISO) systems affected by unstructured multiplicative uncertainty.
More specifically, its aim is to present an approach to the construction of
uncertain models based on the appropriate selection of a nominal system and a
weight function and to apply the fundamentals of robust stability investigation
for considered sort of systems. The initial theoretical parts are followed by
three extensive illustrative examples in which the first order time-delay, second
order and third order plants with parametric uncertainty are modeled as systems
with unstructured multiplicative uncertainty and subsequently, the robust
stability of selected feedback loops containing constructed models and chosen
controllers is analyzed and obtained results are discussed.
PMID- 28704472
TI - Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV Option B+ cascade in rural
Tanzania: The One Stop Clinic model.
AB - BACKGROUND: Strategies to improve the uptake of Prevention of Mother-To-Child
Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) are needed. We integrated HIV and maternal, newborn
and child health services in a One Stop Clinic to improve the PMTCT cascade in a
rural Tanzanian setting. METHODS: The One Stop Clinic of Ifakara offers integral
care to HIV-infected pregnant women and their families at one single place and
time. All pregnant women and HIV-exposed infants attended during the first year
of Option B+ implementation (04/2014-03/2015) were included. PMTCT was assessed
at the antenatal clinic (ANC), HIV care and labour ward, and compared with the
pre-B+ period. We also characterised HIV-infected pregnant women and evaluated
the MTCT rate. RESULTS: 1,579 women attended the ANC. Seven (0.4%) were known to
be HIV-infected. Of the remainder, 98.5% (1,548/1,572) were offered an HIV test,
94% (1,456/1,548) accepted and 38 (2.6%) tested HIV-positive. 51 were re-screened
for HIV during late pregnancy and one had seroconverted. The HIV prevalence at
the ANC was 3.1% (46/1,463). Of the 39 newly diagnosed women, 35 (90%) were
linked to care. HIV test was offered to >98% of ANC clients during both the pre-
and post-B+ periods. During the post-B+ period, test acceptance (94% versus
90.5%, p<0.0001) and linkage to care (90% versus 26%, p<0.0001) increased. Ten
additional women diagnosed outside the ANC were linked to care. 82% (37/45) of
these newly-enrolled women started antiretroviral treatment (ART). After a median
time of 17 months, 27% (12/45) were lost to follow-up. 79 women under HIV care
became pregnant and all received ART. After a median follow-up time of 19 months,
6% (5/79) had been lost. 5,727 women delivered at the hospital, 20% (1,155/5,727)
had unknown HIV serostatus. Of these, 30% (345/1,155) were tested for HIV, and
18/345 (5.2%) were HIV-positive. Compared to the pre-B+ period more women were
tested during labour (30% versus 2.4%, p<0.0001). During the study, the MTCT rate
was 2.2%. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of Option B+ through an integrated
service delivery model resulted in universal HIV testing in the ANC, high rates
of linkage to care, and MTCT below the elimination threshold. However, HIV
testing in late pregnancy and labour, and retention during early ART need to be
improved.
PMID- 28704473
TI - Enriched environment and stress exposure influence splenic B lymphocyte
composition.
AB - Prolonged chronic stress has deleterious effects on immune function and is
associated with numerous negative health outcomes. The spleen harbors one-fourth
of the body's lymphocytes and mediates both innate and adaptive immune responses.
However, the subset of splenic lymphocytes that respond, either adaptively or
maladaptively, to various stressors remains largely unknown. Here we investigated
the effects of unpredictable chronic mild stress (CMS) exposure on spleen
composition in male mice housed in two different caging conditions: standard
caging (Cntl) and enriched environment (EE). EE-caged mice exhibited the greatest
absolute number of splenocytes and CMS exposure significantly lowered splenocyte
numbers in both caging conditions. Glucocorticoid production, measured by mean
fecal corticosterone metabolites (FCM), was significantly lower in EE-caged mice
vs. Cntl-caged mice. Surprisingly, CMS exposure resulted in an increase in mean
FCM in EE-caged mice, but no significant change in Cntl-caged mice. CMS altered
the splenic B:T lymphocyte ratio; it reduced the frequency of B cells, but
increased the frequency of T cells in EE-caged mice. Splenocyte number and B:T
lymphocyte ratio showed a negative relationship with mean FCM. EE-caged mice had
a lower frequency of immature and germinal B cells than Cntl-caged mice. CMS
markedly increased the frequency of immature and marginal zone B cells, but
decreased the frequency of follicular B cells in both caging conditions. Mean FCM
correlated positively with frequency of immature, marginal zone and germinal
center B cells, but negatively with frequency of follicular B cells. To conclude,
splenic immune cells, particularly B lymphocyte composition, are modulated by
caging environment and stress and may prime mice differently to respond to immune
challenges.
PMID- 28704474
TI - Dietary hemoglobin rescues young piglets from severe iron deficiency anemia:
Duodenal expression profile of genes involved in heme iron absorption.
AB - Heme is an efficient source of iron in the diet, and heme preparations are used
to prevent and cure iron deficiency anemia in humans and animals. However, the
molecular mechanisms responsible for heme absorption remain only partially
characterized. Here, we employed young iron-deficient piglets as a convenient
animal model to determine the efficacy of oral heme iron supplementation and
investigate the pathways of heme iron absorption. The use of bovine hemoglobin as
a dietary source of heme iron was found to efficiently counteract the development
of iron deficiency anemia in piglets, although it did not fully rebalance their
iron status. Our results revealed a concerted increase in the expression of genes
responsible for apical and basolateral heme transport in the duodenum of piglets
fed a heme-enriched diet. In these animals the catalytic activity of heme
oxygenase 1 contributed to the release of elemental iron from the protoporphyrin
ring of heme within enterocytes, which may then be transported by the strongly
expressed ferroportin across the basolateral membrane to the circulation. We
hypothesize that the well-recognized high bioavailability of heme iron may depend
on a split pathway mediating the transport of heme-derived elemental iron and
intact heme from the interior of duodenal enterocytes to the bloodstream.
PMID- 28704475
TI - Protective effect of Galectin-9 in murine model of lung emphysema: Involvement of
neutrophil migration and MMP-9 production.
AB - PURPOSE: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by
irreversible airflow obstruction and pulmonary emphysema. Persistent inflammation
and remodeling of the lungs and airways result in reduced lung function and a
lower quality of life. Galectin (Gal)-9 plays a crucial role as an immune
modulator in various diseases. However, its role in the pathogenesis of pulmonary
emphysema is unknown. This study investigates whether Gal-9 is involved in
pulmonary inflammation and changes in emphysema in a porcine pancreatic elastase
(PPE)-induced emphysema model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Gal-9 was administered to
mice subcutaneously once daily from 1 day before PPE instillation to day 5.
During the development of emphysema, lung tissue and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid
(BALF) were collected. Histological and cytological findings, concentrations of
chemokines and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in the BALF, and the influence of
Gal-9 treatment on neutrophils were analyzed. RESULTS: Gal-9 suppressed the
pathological changes of PPE-induced emphysema. The mean linear intercept (Lm) of
Gal-9-treated emphysema mice was significantly lower than that of PBS-treated
emphysema mice (66.1 +/- 3.3 MUm vs. 118.8 +/- 14.8 MUm, respectively; p < 0.01).
Gal-9 decreased the number of neutrophils and levels of MMP-9, MMP-2 and tissue
inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP)-1 in the BALF. The number of neutrophils
in the BALF correlated significantly with MMPs levels. Interestingly, Gal-9
pretreatment in vitro inhibited the chemotactic activity of neutrophils and MMP-9
production from neutrophils. Furthermore, in Gal-9-deficient mice, PPE-induced
emphysema progressed significantly compared with that in wild-type (WT) mice
(108.7 +/- 6.58 MUm vs. 77.19 +/- 6.97 MUm, respectively; p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS:
These results suggest that Gal-9 protects PPE-induced inflammation and emphysema
by inhibiting the infiltration of neutrophils and decreasing MMPs levels.
Exogenous Gal-9 could be a potential therapeutic agent for COPD.
PMID- 28704476
TI - Hierarchical trie packet classification algorithm based on expectation
maximization clustering.
AB - With the development of computer network bandwidth, packet classification
algorithms which are able to deal with large-scale rule sets are in urgent need.
Among the existing algorithms, researches on packet classification algorithms
based on hierarchical trie have become an important packet classification
research branch because of their widely practical use. Although hierarchical trie
is beneficial to save large storage space, it has several shortcomings such as
the existence of backtracking and empty nodes. This paper proposes a new packet
classification algorithm, Hierarchical Trie Algorithm Based on Expectation
Maximization Clustering (HTEMC). Firstly, this paper uses the formalization
method to deal with the packet classification problem by means of mapping the
rules and data packets into a two-dimensional space. Secondly, this paper uses
expectation-maximization algorithm to cluster the rules based on their aggregate
characteristics, and thereby diversified clusters are formed. Thirdly, this paper
proposes a hierarchical trie based on the results of expectation-maximization
clustering. Finally, this paper respectively conducts simulation experiments and
real-environment experiments to compare the performances of our algorithm with
other typical algorithms, and analyzes the results of the experiments. The
hierarchical trie structure in our algorithm not only adopts trie path
compression to eliminate backtracking, but also solves the problem of low
efficiency of trie updates, which greatly improves the performance of the
algorithm.
PMID- 28704477
TI - Comparative phenotypic and functional analysis of migratory dendritic cell
subsets from human oral mucosa and skin.
AB - Antigen exposure to oral mucosa is generally thought to lead to immune tolerance
induction. However, very little is known about the subset composition and
function of dendritic cells (DC) migrating from human oral mucosa. Here we show
that migratory DC from healthy human gingival explants consist of the same
phenotypic subsets in the same frequency distribution as DC migrating from human
skin. The gingival CD1a+ Langerhans cell and interstitial DC subsets lacked CXCR4
expression in contrast to their cutaneous counterparts, pointing to different
migration mechanisms, consistent with previous observations in constructed skin
and gingival equivalents. Remarkably, without any exogenous conditioning,
gingival explants released higher levels of inflammatory cytokines than human
skin explants, resulting in higher DC migration rates and a superior ability of
migrated DC to prime allogeneic T cells and to induce type-1 effector T cell
differentiation. From these observations we conclude that rather than an
intrinsic ability to induce T cell tolerance, DC migrating from oral mucosa may
have a propensity to induce effector T cell immunity and maintain a high state of
alert against possible pathogenic intruders in the steady state. These findings
may have implications for oral immunization strategies.
PMID- 28704478
TI - Involvement of community pharmacists in public health priorities: A multi-center
descriptive survey in Ethiopia.
AB - Located in the heart of the community and widely distributed geographically,
community pharmacies provide a platform for a more proactive involvement in
public health services. So far, little information has been gathered in Ethiopia
on community pharmacists' level of involvement in public health services. The aim
of the present study was, therefore, to document the level of involvement of
community pharmacy professionals in the provision of public health services and
the barriers to such involvement. This study employed a self-administered
questionnaire based survey, which asked participants to indicate their frequency
and level of involvement in providing public health services and their perceived
barriers in providing such services. Surveys were undertaken from May to July,
2016 with 472 community pharmacy professionals working in community pharmacies in
six cities of Amhara regional state of Ethiopia: Debre Markos, Gondar, Dessie,
Bahir Dar, Woldya and Debre Birhan. Among 472 community pharmacy professionals
approached, 412 (233 pharmacists and 179 pharmacy technicians) completed the
survey with a response rate of 87.3%. Most respondents reported as being either
"not at all involved" or "little involved" in counselling on smoking cessation
(79.3%), and screening for hypertension (86.9%), diabetes (89.5%), and
dyslipidemia (88.9%). On the other hand, they reported a higher level of
involvement in the management and screening of infectious diseases (72.8%) and
counseling with partners when initiating treatment for sexually transmitted
diseases (68.9%). Lack of knowledge or clinical skills and lack of personnel or
resources were the most commonly reported barrier for expanding such services.
This survey revealed a low level of involvement of community pharmacists in
public health services. In order to better integrate community pharmacies into
future public health programs and optimize the contribution of community pharmacy
professionals, interventions should focus on overcoming the identified barriers.
PMID- 28704479
TI - Dynamic changes in Bach1 expression in the kidney of rhabdomyolysis-associated
acute kidney injury.
AB - Free heme, a pro-oxidant released from myoglobin, is thought to contribute to the
pathogenesis of rhabdomyolysis-associated acute kidney injury (RM-AKI), because
renal overexpression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), the rate-limiting enzyme in heme
catabolism, confers protection against RM-AKI. BTB and CNC homology 1 (Bach1) is
a heme-responsive transcription factor that represses HO-1. Here, we examined the
changes with time in the gene expression of Bach1, HO-1, and delta
aminolevulinate synthase (ALAS1, a heme biosynthetic enzyme) in the rat kidney
using an RM-AKI model induced by the injection of 50% glycerol (10 mL/kg body
weight) into bilateral limbs. We also examined the protein expression of Bach1 in
the nucleus and cytosol, and HO-1 in the rat kidney. Glycerol treatment induced
significant elevation of serum creatinine kinase and aspartate aminotransferase
levels followed by the marked elevation of serum blood urea nitrogen and
creatinine levels, which caused serious damage to renal tubules. Following
glycerol treatment, HO-1 mRNA and protein levels were significantly up-regulated,
while ALAS1 mRNA expression was down-regulated, suggesting an increase in the
free renal heme concentration. The Bach1 mRNA level was drastically increased 3 h
after glycerol treatment, and the increased level was maintained for 12 h.
Nuclear Bach1 protein levels were significantly decreased 3 h after treatment.
Conversely, cytosolic Bach1 protein levels abruptly increased after 6 h. In
conclusion, we demonstrate the dynamic changes in Bach1 expression in a rat model
of RM-AKI. Our findings suggest that the increase in Bach1 mRNA and cytosolic
Bach1 protein expression may reflect de novo Bach1 protein synthesis to
compensate for the depletion of nuclear Bach1 protein caused by the induction of
HO-1 by free heme.
PMID- 28704480
TI - Host niche may determine disease-driven extinction risk.
AB - The fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) drives declines and
extinctions in amphibian communities. However, not all regions and species are
equally affected. Here, we show that association with amphibian aquatic habitat
types (bromeliad phytotelmata versus stream) across Central America results in
the odds of being threatened by Bd being five times higher in stream
microhabitats. This differential threat of Bd was supported in our study by a
significantly lower prevalence of Bd in bromeliad-associated amphibian species
compared to riparian species in Honduran cloud forests. Evidence that the
bromeliad environment is less favorable for Bd transmission is exemplified by
significantly less suitable physicochemical conditions and higher abundance of Bd
ingesting micro-eukaryotes present in bromeliad water. These factors may inhibit
aquatic Bd zoospore survival and the development of an environmental reservoir of
the pathogen. Bromeliad phytotelmata thus may act as environmental refuges from
Bd, which contribute to protecting associated amphibian communities against
chytridiomycosis-driven amphibian declines that threaten the nearby riparian
communities.
PMID- 28704481
TI - Renal auto-transplantation promotes cortical microvascular network remodeling in
a preclinical porcine model.
AB - The vascular network is a major target of ischemia-reperfusion, but has been
poorly investigated in renal transplantation. The aim of this study was to
characterize the remodeling of the renal vascular network that follows ischemia
reperfusion along with the most highly affected cortex section in a preclinical
renal transplantation model. There were two experimental groups. The first was a
grafted kidney group consisting of large white pigs for which the left kidney was
harvested, cold flushed, preserved for 24 h in the University of Wisconsin's
preservation solution, and then auto-transplanted (n = 5); the right kidney was
removed to mimic the situation of human kidney transplantation. The second group
(uni-nephrectomized kidney group) consisted of animals that underwent only right
nephrectomy, but not left renal transplantation (n = 5). Three months after
autotransplantation, the kidneys were studied by X-ray microcomputed tomography.
Vessel morphology and density and tortuosity of the network were analyzed using a
3D image analysis method. Cortical blood flow was determined by laser doppler
analysis and renal function and tissue injury assessed by plasma creatinine
levels and histological analysis. Renal ischemia-reperfusion led to decreased
vascular segment volume associated with fewer vessels of less than 30 MUm,
particularly in the inner cortex:0.79 +/- 0.54% in grafted kidneys vs. 7.06 +/-
1.44% in uni-nephrectomized kidneys, p < 0.05. Vessels showed higher connectivity
throughout the cortex (the arborescence factor of the whole cortex was less in
grafted than uni-nephrectomized kidneys 0.90 +/- 0.04 vs. 1.07 +/- 0.05, p <
0.05, with an increase in the number of bifurcations). Furthermore, cortical
blood flow decreased early in kidney grafts and remained low three months after
auto-transplantation. The decrease in microvasculature correlated with a
deterioration of renal function, proteinuria, and tubular dysfunction, and was
associated with the development of fibrous tissue. This work provides new
evidence concerning the impact of ischemia-reperfusion injuries on the spectrum
of renal vascular diseases and could potentially guide future therapy to preserve
microvessels in transplantation ischemia-reperfusion injury.
PMID- 28704482
TI - Proteomic identification of proteins differentially expressed following
overexpression of hTERT (human telomerase reverse transcriptase) in cancer cells.
AB - Reverse transcriptase activity of telomerase adds telomeric repeat sequences at
extreme ends of the newly replicated chromosome in actively dividing cells.
Telomerase expression is not detected in terminally differentiated cells but is
noticeable in 90% of the cancer cells. hTERT (human telomerase reverse
transcriptase) expression seems to promote invasiveness of cancer cells. We here
present proteomic profiles of cells overexpressing or knocked down for hTERT.
This study also attempts to find out the potential interacting partners of hTERT
in cancer cell lines. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) of two different
cell lines U2OS (a naturally hTERT negative cell line) and HeLa revealed
differential expression of proteins in hTERT over-expressing cells. In U2OS cell
line 28 spots were picked among which 23 spots represented upregulated and 5
represented down regulated proteins. In HeLa cells 21 were upregulated and 2 were
down regulated out of 23 selected spots under otherwise identical experimental
conditions. Some heat shock proteins viz. Hsp60 and Hsp70 and GAPDH, which is a
housekeeping gene, were found similarly upregulated in both the cell lines. The
upregulation of these proteins were further confirmed at RNA and protein level by
real-time PCR and western blotting respectively.
PMID- 28704483
TI - A anti-jamming method for satellite navigation system based on multi-objective
optimization technique.
AB - In this paper, an anti-jamming method, which turns the single objective
optimization problem into a multi-objective optimization problem by utilizing 2
norm, is proposed. The proposed jamming suppression method can reduce the wide
nulls and wrong nulls problems, which are generated by the common adaptive
nulling methods. Therefore a better signal-noise-ratio (SNR) can be achieved,
especially when the jammers are close to satellite signals. It can also improve
the robustness of the algorithm. The effectiveness of the proposed method is
evaluated by simulation and practical outdoor experiments with the GPS L1 band
C/A signals. The experimental results show that with the dedicated method, the
nulls targeting at the corresponding jammers become narrower and the wrong nulls
can be eliminated.
PMID- 28704484
TI - Apoptosis by [Pt(O,O'-acac)(gamma-acac)(DMS)] requires PKC-delta mediated p53
activation in malignant pleural mesothelioma.
AB - Mesothelioma cancer cells have epithelioid or sarcomatoid morphology. The worst
prognosis is associated with sarcomatoid phenotype and resistance to therapy is
affected by cells heterogeneity. We recently showed that in ZL55 mesothelioma
cell line of epithelioid origin [Pt(O,O'-acac)(gamma-acac)(DMS)] (Ptac2S) has an
antiproliferative effect in vitro and in vivo. Aim of this work was to extend the
study on the effects of Ptac2S on ZL34 cell line, representative of sarcomatoid
mesothelioma. ZL34 cells were used to assay the antitumor activity of Ptac2S in a
mouse xenograft model in vivo. Then, both ZL34 and ZL55 cells were used in order
to assess the involvement of p53 protein in (a) the processes underlying the
sensitivity to chemotherapy and (b) the activation of various transduction
proteins involved in apoptosis/survival processes. Ptac2S increases ZL34 cell
death in vivo compared with cisplatin and, in vitro, Ptac2S was more efficacious
than cisplatin in inducing apoptosis. In Ptac2S-treated ZL34 and ZL55 cells, p53
regulated gene products of apoptotic BAX and anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 proteins via
transcriptional activation. Ptac2S activated PKC-delta and PKC-epsilon; their
inhibition by PKC-siRNA decreased the apoptotic death of cells. PKC-delta was
responsible for JNK1/2 activation that has a role in p53 activation. In addition,
PKC-epsilon activation provoked phosphorylation of p38MAPK, concurring to
apoptosis. In ZL34 cells, Ptac2S also activated PKC-alpha thus provoking ERK1/2
activation; inhibition of PKC-alpha, or ERK1/2, increased Ptac2S cytotoxicity.
Results confirm that Ptac2S is a promising therapeutic agent for malignant
mesothelioma, giving a substantial starting point for its further validation.
PMID- 28704485
TI - The role of proximal body information on anticipatory judgment in tennis using
graphical information richness.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Recent studies have reported that skilled tennis players are likely to
use proximal body information for anticipating the direction of their opponent's
forehand shot. However, in these studies, the visual stimuli did not include
visual information about the ball. Skilled players may have used proximal
information owing to the lack of distal information. To address this issue, we
developed a novel methodological approach using computer graphics (CG) images in
which the entire body was presented by a combination of point-light display
(i.e., poor graphical information, PLD) and polygons (i.e., rich graphical
information). Using our novel methodological approach, we examined whether
skilled tennis players use proximal body information when anticipating shot
directions. METHODS AND RESULTS: Fifteen skilled tennis players and fifteen
novice players tried to anticipate shot directions by observing four CG forehand
strokes (ALPOL: all body parts were represented with polygon; RAPLD: racket and
arm were represented with PLD; BOPLD: body parts without racket and arm were
represented with PLD; and ALPLD: all body parts were represented with PLD). Our
intention in creating CG models with such combinations (i.e., RAPLD and BOPLD)
was that because of the richer graphical information provided by polygons
compared to PLD, the participant's anticipatory judgment would be influenced more
by body parts expressed with polygons. The results showed that for skilled
players, anticipatory judgment was more accurate when they observed RAPLD than
when they observed BOPLD and ALPLD. In contrast, for novice players, there were
no differences in the accuracy of anticipatory judgments with the four CG models.
CONCLUSIONS: Only skilled players made more accurate anticipatory judgments when
body regions were expressed with rich graphical information, and the racket and
arm were expressed with poor graphical information. These suggest that skilled
players used proximal information to effectively anticipate shot directions.
PMID- 28704486
TI - A common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) prey handling technique for
marine catfish (Ariidae) in the northern Gulf of Mexico.
AB - Few accounts describe predator-prey interactions between common bottlenose
dolphins (Tursiops truncatus Montagu 1821) and marine catfish (Ariopsis felis
Linnaeus 1766, Bagre marinus Mitchill 1815). Over the course of 50,167 sightings
of bottlenose dolphin groups in Mississippi Sound and along the Florida coast of
the Gulf of Mexico, severed catfish heads were found floating and exhibiting
movements at the surface in close proximity to 13 dolphin groups that
demonstrated feeding behavior. These observations prompted a multi-disciplinary
approach to study the predator-prey relationship between bottlenose dolphins and
marine catfish. A review was conducted of bottlenose dolphin visual survey data
and dorsal fin photographs from sightings where severed catfish heads were
observed. Recovered severed catfish heads were preserved and studied, whole
marine catfish were collected and examined, and stranding network pathology
reports were reviewed for references to injuries related to fish spines.
Photographic identification analysis confirms eight dolphins associated with
severed catfish heads were present in three such sightings across an
approximately 350 km expanse of coast between the Mississippi Sound and Saint
Joseph Bay, FL. An examination of the severed catfish heads indicated interaction
with dolphins, and fresh-caught whole hardhead catfish (A. felis) were examined
to estimate the presumed total length of the catfish before decapitation. Thirty
eight instances of significant trauma or death in dolphins attributed to
ingesting whole marine catfish were documented in stranding records collected
from the southeastern United States of America. Bottlenose dolphins typically
adhere to a ram-feeding strategy for prey capture followed by whole prey
ingestion; however, marine catfish skull morphology may pose a consumption hazard
due to rigid spines that can puncture and migrate through soft tissue, prompting
a prey handling technique for certain dolphins, facilitating consumption of the
posterior portion of the fish without the head.
PMID- 28704487
TI - Assessment of peak oxygen uptake during handcycling: Test-retest reliability and
comparison of a ramp-incremented and perceptually-regulated exercise test.
AB - PURPOSE: To examine the reliability of a perceptually-regulated maximal exercise
test (PRETmax) to measure peak oxygen uptake ([Formula: see text]) during
handcycle exercise and to compare peak responses to those derived from a ramp
incremented protocol (RAMP). METHODS: Twenty recreationally active individuals
(14 male, 6 female) completed four trials across a 2-week period, using a
randomised, counterbalanced design. Participants completed two RAMP protocols (20
W.min-1) in week 1, followed by two PRETmax in week 2, or vice versa. The PRETmax
comprised five, 2-min stages clamped at Ratings of Perceived Exertion (RPE) 11,
13, 15, 17 and 20. Participants changed power output (PO) as often as required to
maintain target RPE. Gas exchange variables (oxygen uptake, carbon dioxide
production, minute ventilation), heart rate (HR) and PO were collected
throughout. Differentiated RPE were collected at the end of each stage throughout
trials. RESULTS: For relative [Formula: see text], coefficient of variation (CV)
was equal to 4.1% and 4.8%, with ICC(3,1) of 0.92 and 0.85 for repeated measures
from PRETmax and RAMP, respectively. Measurement error was 0.15 L.min-1 and 2.11
ml.kg-1.min-1 in PRETmax and 0.16 L.min-1 and 2.29 ml.kg-1.min-1 during RAMP for
determining absolute and relative [Formula: see text], respectively. The
difference in [Formula: see text] between PRETmax and RAMP was tending towards
statistical significance (26.2 +/- 5.1 versus 24.3 +/- 4.0 ml.kg-1.min-1, P =
0.055). The 95% LoA were -1.9 +/- 4.1 (-9.9 to 6.2) ml.kg-1.min-1. CONCLUSION:
The PRETmax can be used as a reliable test to measure [Formula: see text] during
handcycle exercise in recreationally active participants. Whilst PRETmax tended
towards significantly greater [Formula: see text] values than RAMP, the
difference is smaller than measurement error of determining [Formula: see text]
from PRETmax and RAMP.
PMID- 28704488
TI - Soluble ST2 does not change cardiovascular risk prediction compared to cardiac
troponin T in kidney transplant candidates.
AB - BACKGROUND: Solubility of Tumorigenicity 2 (sST2) is a novel biomarker that
better stratifies risk of cardiovascular events (CVE) compared to cardiac
troponin T(cTnT) in heart failure. We assessed the association of sST2 with the
composite outcome of CVE and/or mortality compared to cTnT in kidney transplant
candidates. METHODS: 200 kidney transplant candidates between 2010 and 2013 were
included. Elevated sST2 was defined as >=30ng/ml, cTnT>=0.01 ng/ml. RESULTS:
Median age 53 (interquartile range (IQR) 42-61) years, 59.7% male and 82.0%
white. 33.5% had history of CVE, 42.5% left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and
15.6% positive cardiac stress test. Elevated sST2 correlated with male gender,
history of prior-transplants, CVE, positive stress test, LVH, elevated cTnT,
anemia, hyperphosphatemia, increased CRP and non-transplanted status. Male
gender, history of CVE and LVH were independent determinants of sST2. During 28
months (IQR 25.3-30), 7.5% died, 13.0% developed CVE and 19.0% developed the
composite outcome. Elevated sST2 was associated with the composite outcome
(hazard ratio = 1.76, CI 1.06-2.73, p = 0.029) on univariate analysis but not
after adjusting for age, diabetes and cTnT (p = 0.068). sST2 did not change the
risk prediction model for composite outcome after including age, diabetes, prior
history of CVE and elevated cTnT. CONCLUSIONS: Increased sST2 level is
significantly associated with variables associated with CVE in kidney transplant
candidates. sST2 was associated with increased risk of the composite outcome of
CVE and/or death but not independent of cTnT. Larger studies are needed to
confirm these findings and determine whether sST2 has added value in CV risk
stratification in this cohort of patients.
PMID- 28704489
TI - A two-stage approach to the depot shunting driver assignment problem with
workload balance considerations.
AB - Due to its environmentally sustainable and energy-saving characteristics, railway
transportation nowadays plays a fundamental role in delivering passengers and
goods. Emerged in the area of transportation planning, the crew (workforce)
sizing problem and the crew scheduling problem have been attached great
importance by the railway industry and the scientific community. In this paper,
we aim to solve the two problems by proposing a novel two-stage optimization
approach in the context of the electric multiple units (EMU) depot shunting
driver assignment problem. Given a predefined depot shunting schedule, the first
stage of the approach focuses on determining an optimal size of shunting drivers.
While the second stage is formulated as a bi-objective optimization model, in
which we comprehensively consider the objectives of minimizing the total walking
distance and maximizing the workload balance. Then we combine the normalized
normal constraint method with a modified Pareto filter algorithm to obtain Pareto
solutions for the bi-objective optimization problem. Furthermore, we conduct a
series of numerical experiments to demonstrate the proposed approach. Based on
the computational results, the regression analysis yield a driver size predictor
and the sensitivity analysis give some interesting insights that are useful for
decision makers.
PMID- 28704490
TI - The synthetic killer peptide KP impairs Candida albicans biofilm in vitro.
AB - Candida albicans is a commensal organism, commonly inhabiting mucosal surfaces of
healthy individuals, as a part of the resident microbiota. However, in
susceptible hosts, especially hospitalized and/or immunocompromised patients, it
may cause a wide range of infections. The presence of abiotic substrates, such as
central venous or urinary catheters, provides an additional niche for Candida
attachment and persistence, particularly via biofilm development. Furthermore,
Candida biofilm is poorly susceptible to most antifungals, including azoles. Here
we investigated the effects of a synthetic killer peptide (KP), known to be
active in vitro, ex vivo and/or in vivo against different pathogens, on C.
albicans biofilm. Together with a scrambled peptide used as a negative control,
KP was tested against Candida biofilm at different stages of development. A
reference strain, two fluconazole-resistant and two fluconazole-susceptible C.
albicans clinical isolates were used. KP-induced C. albicans oxidative stress
response and membrane permeability were also analysed. Moreover, the effect of KP
on transcriptional profiles of C. albicans genes involved in different stages of
biofilm development, such as cell adhesion, hyphal development and extracellular
matrix production, was evaluated. Our results clearly show that the treatment
with KP strongly affected the capacity of C. albicans to form biofilm and
significantly impairs preformed mature biofilm. KP treatment resulted in an
increase in C. albicans oxidative stress response and membrane permeability;
also, biofilm-related genes expression was significantly reduced. Comparable
inhibitory effects were observed in all the strains employed, irrespective of
their resistance or susceptibility to fluconazole. Finally, KP-mediated
inhibitory effects were observed also against a catheter-associated C. albicans
biofilm. This study provides the first evidence on the KP effectiveness against
C. albicans biofilm, suggesting that KP may be considered as a potential novel
tool for treatment and prevention of biofilm-related C. albicans infections.
PMID- 28704491
TI - Phyto-toponyms of Arbutus unedo L. and their distribution in Sardinia (Italy).
AB - The study shows the results of an inventory of place names connected to Arbutus
unedo L., a Mediterranean species, widespread throughout Sardinia. The main aim
was to compare the past distribution of place names, referring to the strawberry
tree, to the current distribution of the species on the island. In addition, we
investigated the meaning and the diversity of these local place names in the
various communities. The result was a collection of 432 phyto-toponyms. 248 of
them were used for an analysis of their distribution in the habitats, indicated
on the Map of the Nature System in Sardinia, defined on the basis of the current
vegetation typology. The persistence of the species in the various habitats was
either confirmed or negated with in site investigations and interviews. 47.5% of
municipalities have place names related to the strawberry tree. Of the 248 phyto
toponyms, 127 fall in the habitats where the species currently persists proving a
correspondence between their regional distribution and the current distribution
of the species. The remaining 121 phyto-toponyms fall in habitats where the
strawberry tree is currently absent. Most of them are found in man-made habitats
where man has transformed the forest cover which previously included the
strawberry tree. This study also contributes to promoting and conserving the
linguistic heritage of local communities.
PMID- 28704492
TI - Cerebrospinal fluid matrix metalloproteinase 9 levels, blood-brain barrier
permeability, and treatment outcome in tuberculous meningitis.
AB - OBJECTIVES: Tuberculous meningitis is characterized by elevated levels of matrix
metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). However, it is
unclear whether elevated MMP9 levels are associated with poor treatment outcome.
We tested the hypothesis that pretreatment MMP9 levels in the CSF would be higher
in tuberculous meningitis patients experiencing a poor treatment outcome.
METHODS: We prospectively assessed the treatment outcome in a consecutive sample
of human immunodeficiency virus-negative patients with tuberculous meningitis. We
defined good outcome as survival without severe neurological disability (modified
Rankin scale scores 0-2). We estimated levels of MMP9 and its tissue inhibitor
(TIMP1) on pretreatment CSF samples. We used albumin index to assess blood-brain
barrier permeability. RESULTS: We studied 40 patients (23 males [58%]) with
tuberculous meningitis. Sixteen patients (40%) had stage 3 disease. On follow-up,
18 (45%) patients had a poor treatment outcome-15 patients died and 3 had severe
neurological disability. Pretreatment MMP9 levels were not associated with
treatment outcome (median [interquartile range], 254 [115-389] vs. 192 [60-383]
ng/mL in good vs. poor outcome groups; P = 0.693). MMP9 levels did not correlate
with the albumin index (Spearman's rho = 0.142; P = 0.381). However, MMP9 levels
significantly correlated with CSF glucose levels (rho = -0.419; P = 0.007) and
admission Glasgow coma scale score (rho = 0.324; P = 0.032). Likewise, TIMP1
levels also did not differ by treatment outcome (1239 [889-1511] vs. 1522 [934
1949] ng/mL; P = 0.201). MMP9/TIMP1 ratio that reflects net proteolytic activity
was also not different between the two groups (0.191 [0.107-0.250] vs. 0.163
[0.067-0.34]; P = 0.625). CONCLUSION: Our findings do not support the hypothesis
that pretreatment levels of MMP9 would be higher in tuberculous meningitis
patients experiencing a poor treatment outcome. Further, MMP9 levels in the CSF
did not correlate with blood-brain barrier permeability in patients with
tuberculous meningitis.
PMID- 28704493
TI - Evaluating the effect of mutations and ligand binding on transthyretin
homotetramer dynamics.
AB - Native transthyretin (TTR) homotetramer dissociation is the first step of the
fibrils formation process in amyloid disease. A large number of specific point
mutations that destabilize TTR quaternary structure have shown pro-amyloidogenic
effects. Besides, several compounds have been proposed as drugs in the therapy of
TTR amyloidosis due to their TTR tetramer binding affinities, and therefore,
contribution to its integrity. In the present paper we have explored key
positions sustaining TTR tetramer dynamical stability. We have identified
positions whose mutations alter the most the TTR tetramer equilibrium dynamics
based on normal mode analysis and their response to local perturbations. We have
found that these positions are mostly localized at beta-strands E and F and EF
loop. The monomer-monomer interface is pointed out as one of the most vulnerable
regions to mutations that lead to significant changes in the TTR-tetramer
equilibrium dynamics and, therefore, induces TTR amyloidosis. Besides, we have
found that mutations on residues localized at the dimer-dimer interface and/or at
the T4 hormone binding site destabilize the tetramer more than the average.
Finally, we were able to compare several compounds according to their effect on
vibrations associated to the ligand binding. Our ligand comparison is discussed
and analyzed in terms of parameters and measurements associated to TTR-ligand
binding affinities and the stabilization of its native state.
PMID- 28704494
TI - Effects of a multidisciplinary weight loss intervention in overweight and obese
children and adolescents: 11 years of experience.
AB - AIMS: To evaluate the effects of an outpatient multidisciplinary weight loss
intervention in reducing body mass index (BMI) in children and adolescents
suffering overweight and obesity, changes in A Body Shape Index (ABSI, waist
circumference normalized to height and weight) and Hip Index (HI, normalized hip
circumference) during treatment and correlation between the ABSI and HI with
change in BMI z score. METHODS: We analyze anthropometric data from pediatric
patients affected by overweight and obesity aged 2 to 18 years old who entered
our multidisciplinary weight loss intervention, which included medical,
psychological and nutritional sessions, from January 1st 2006 to December 31st
2016. Lifestyle modification counselling was delivered. Follow-up visits were
planned every month for 3 months and subsequently every 2-4 months. BMI, ABSI,
and HI were converted to z scores using age and sex specific population normals.
RESULTS: 864 patients entered our intervention. 453 patients (208 males), mean
age 11.2 +/-3.1 years, 392 with obesity (86%, z-BMI 2.90 +/-0.80 SD) and 61
patients with overweight (z-BMI 1.73+/-0.21 SD) attended at least 1 follow-up
visit. The mean number of visits was 3.5 (+/- 1.8 SD) in overweight subjects and
3.9 (+/-2.2 SD) in ones with obesity. At the last attended follow-up visit (at 16
+/- 12 months SD) we observed a reduction in mean z-BMI in patients with obesity
(to 2.52 +/-0.71 SD) and patients with overweight (to 1.46 +/-0.5 SD). Most
patients (80.8%) reduced their BMI z scores. Mean ABSI and HI z scores showed no
significant change. 78/392 patients (19.8%) recovered from obese to overweight,
5/392 (1.2%) from obese to normal weight. The recovery rate from overweight to
normal weight was 13.1%. In a multivariate model, initial BMI z score and number
of follow-up visits were significant predictors of weight change, while age, sex,
ABSI, and HI were not significant predictors. CONCLUSIONS: Patients affected by
overweight and obesity involved in a multidisciplinary weight loss intervention
reduced their mean BMI z score, while ABSI and HI were stable. Weight loss was
not predicted by initial ABSI or HI. More visits predict more weight loss, but
dropout rates are high. The great majority of patients leave the weight
management program before having normalized their BMI.
PMID- 28704495
TI - Space-time analysis of pneumonia hospitalisations in the Netherlands.
AB - Community acquired pneumonia is a major global public health problem. In the
Netherlands there are 40,000-50,000 hospital admissions for pneumonia per year.
In the large majority of these hospital admissions the etiologic agent is not
determined and a real-time surveillance system is lacking. Localised and temporal
increases in hospital admissions for pneumonia are therefore only detected
retrospectively and the etiologic agents remain unknown. Here, we perform spatio
temporal analyses of pneumonia hospital admission data in the Netherlands. To
this end, we scanned for spatial clusters on yearly and seasonal basis, and
applied wavelet cluster analysis on the time series of five main regions. The
pneumonia hospital admissions show strong clustering in space and time
superimposed on a regular yearly cycle with high incidence in winter and low
incidence in summer. Cluster analysis reveals a heterogeneous pattern, with most
significant clusters occurring in the western, highly urbanised, and in the
eastern, intensively farmed, part of the Netherlands. Quantitatively, the
relative risk (RR) of the significant clusters for the age-standardised incidence
varies from a minimum of 1.2 to a maximum of 2.2. We discuss possible underlying
causes for the patterns observed, such as variations in air pollution.
PMID- 28704496
TI - Latitudinal cogradient variation of development time and growth rate and a
negative latitudinal body weight cline in a widely distributed cabbage beetle.
AB - The evolutionary and phenotypic responses to environmental gradients are often
assumed to be the same, a phenomenon known as "cogradient variation". However,
only a few insect species display cogradient variation in physiological traits
along a latitudinal gradient. We found evidence for such a response in the
examination of the life history traits of the cabbage beetle Colaphellus bowringi
from 6 different geographical populations at 16, 19, 22, 24, 26 and 28 degrees C.
Our results showed that larval and pupal development times significantly
decreased as rearing temperature increased, and that growth rates were positively
correlated with temperature. Body weight tended to decrease with increasing
temperature, consistent with the general pattern in ectothermic animals. Larval
development time was positively correlated with latitude, whereas the growth rate
decreased as latitude increased, showing an example of latitudinal cogradient
variation. Body weight significantly decreased with increasing latitude in a
stepwise manner, showing a negative latitudinal body weight cline. Females were
significantly larger than males, consistent with the female biased sex dimorphism
in insects. Body weight tended to decrease with increasing rearing temperature,
whereas the differences in sexual size dimorphism (SSD) tended to decrease with
increasing body weight, which biased our results toward acceptance of Rensch's
rule. We found that weight loss was an important regulator of SSD, and because
male pupae lost significantly more weight at metamorphosis than female pupae, SSD
was greater in adults than in pupae. Overall, our data provide a new example that
a latitudinal cogradient variation in physiological traits is associated with a
negative latitudinal body weight cline.
PMID- 28704497
TI - Genetic mapping of the LOBED LEAF 1 (ClLL1) gene to a 127.6-kb region in
watermelon (Citrullus lanatus L.).
AB - The lobed leaf character is a unique morphologic trait in crops, featuring many
potential advantages for agricultural productivity. Although the majority of
watermelon varieties feature lobed leaves, the genetic factors responsible for
lobed leaf formation remain elusive. The F2:3 leaf shape segregating population
offers the opportunity to study the underlying mechanism of lobed leaf formation
in watermelon. Genetic analysis revealed that a single dominant allele
(designated ClLL1) controlled the lobed leaf trait. A large-sized F3:4 population
derived from F2:3 individuals was used to map ClLL1. A total of 5,966 reliable
SNPs and indels were identified genome-wide via a combination of BSA and RNA-seq.
Using the validated SNP and indel markers, the location of ClLL1 was narrowed
down to a 127.6-kb region between markers W08314 and W07061, containing 23
putative ORFs. Expression analysis via qRT-PCR revealed differential expression
patterns (fold-changes above 2-fold or below 0.5-fold) of three ORFs (ORF3,
ORF11, and ORF18) between lobed and non-lobed leaf plants. Based on gene
annotation and expression analysis, ORF18 (encoding an uncharacterized protein)
and ORF22 (encoding a homeobox-leucine zipper-like protein) were considered as
most likely candidate genes. Furthermore, sequence analysis revealed no
polymorphisms in cDNA sequences of ORF18; however, two notable deletions were
identified in ORF22. This study is the first report to map a leaf shape gene in
watermelon and will facilitate cloning and functional characterization of ClLL1
in future studies.
PMID- 28704498
TI - Biological control of Heterodera glycines by spore-forming plant growth-promoting
rhizobacteria (PGPR) on soybean.
AB - Heterodera glycines, the soybean cyst nematode, is the most economically
important plant-parasitic nematode on soybean production in the U.S. The
objectives of this study were to evaluate the potential of plant growth-promoting
rhizobacteria (PGPR) strains for mortality of H. glycines J2 in vitro and for
reducing nematode population density on soybean in greenhouse, microplot, and
field trials. The major group causing mortality to H. glycines in vitro was the
genus Bacillus that consisted of 92.6% of the total 663 PGPR strains evaluated.
The subsequent greenhouse, microplot, and field trials indicated that B.
velezensis strain Bve2 consistently reduced H. glycines cyst population density
at 60 DAP. Bacillus mojavensis strain Bmo3 suppressed H. glycines cyst and total
H. glycines population density under greenhouse conditions. Bacillus safensis
strain Bsa27 and Mixture 1 (Bve2 + Bal13) reduced H. glycines cyst population
density at 60 DAP in the field trials. Bacillus subtilis subsp. subtilis strains
Bsssu2 and Bsssu3, and B. velezensis strain Bve12 increased early soybean growth
including plant height and plant biomass in the greenhouse trials. Bacillus
altitudinis strain Bal13 increased early plant growth on soybean in the
greenhouse and microplot trials. Mixture 2 (Abamectin + Bve2 + Bal13) increased
early plant growth in the microplot trials at 60 DAP, and also enhanced soybean
yield at harvest in the field trials. These results demonstrated that individual
PGPR strains and mixtures can reduce H. glycines population density in the
greenhouse, microplot, and field conditions, and increased yield of soybean.
PMID- 28704499
TI - The low expression of miR-451 predicts a worse prognosis in non-small cell lung
cancer cases.
AB - PURPOSE: miR-451 is a tumor suppressive microRNA with several target genes,
including Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF). As little is known about
the expression and clinicopathological significance of mir-451 in NSCLC, we
performed a clinicopathological study of 370 NSCLC cases to clarify them. Cell
biological experiments were also performed on NSCLC cell lines to confirm the
tumor-suppressive role of miR-451 and whether or not MIF is targeted by miR-451.
METHODS: We analyzed 370 NSCLC cases for the miR-451 expression by quantitative
real-time polymerase chain reaction and the MIF expression by
immunohistochemistry. Eighty-four background lung tissue samples were also
evaluated for the miR-451 expression. The clinicopathological and genetic factors
surveyed were the disease-free survival, smoking status, histological type,
disease stage, EGFR gene mutations and ALK rearrangements. In 286 adenocarcinoma
cases, the invasive status (adenocarcinoma in situ, minimally invasive
adenocarcinoma and invasive adenocarcinoma) was also evaluated. Five NSCLC cell
lines (H23, H441, H522, H1703, and H1975) were cultured and evaluated for their
miR-451 and MIF expression. The cell lines with lower miR-451 and higher MIF
expressions were then selected and transfected with miR-451-mimic to observe its
effects on MIF expression, Akt and Erk status, cell proliferation, and cell
migration. RESULTS: The miR-451 expression was down-regulated in cancer tissues
compared with background lung tissues (P<0.0001). Factors such as advanced
disease stage, positive pleural invasion and nodal status and being a smoker were
significantly correlated with a lower expression of miR-451 (P<0.05 each), while
EGFR gene mutations and ALK rearrangements were not. In adenocarcinoma, invasive
and minimally invasive adenocarcinoma showed lower expression of miR-451 than
adenocarcinoma in situ (P<0.0005, respectively). A survival analysis showed that
a lower expression of miR-451 was an independent predictor of a poor prognosis
for NSCLC (P<0.05). The MIF expression was inversely correlated with the miR-451
expression. Out of 5 NSCLC cell lines examined, H441 and H1975 showed higher MIF
and lower miR-451 expressions. After the transfection of miR-451-mimic, the MIF
expression and phosphorylated Akt expression of these cell lines was suppressed,
as were cell proliferation and cell migration. CONCLUSION: This
clinicopathological study of 370 NSCLC cases and the cell biological studies of
NSCLC cell lines clarified the tumor-suppressive role of miR-451 and its
prognostic value. We also validated MIF as a target of miR-451 in NSCLC.
PMID- 28704500
TI - Transcriptomic and metabolomic profiles of Chinese citrus fly, Bactrocera minax
(Diptera: Tephritidae), along with pupal development provide insight into
diapause program.
AB - The Chinese citrus fly, Bactrocera minax (Enderlein), is a devastating citrus
pest in Asia. This univoltine insect enters obligatory pupal diapause in each
generation, while little is known about the course and the molecular mechanisms
of diapause. In this study, the course of diapause was determined by measuring
the respiratory rate throughout the pupal stage. In addition, the variation of
transcriptomic and metabolomic profiles of pupae at five developmental stages
(pre-, early-, middle-, late-, and post-diapause) were evaluated by next
generation sequencing technology and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy
(NMR), respectively. A total of 4,808 genes were significantly altered in ten
pairwise comparisons, representing major shifts in metabolism and signal
transduction as well as endocrine system and digestive system. Gene expression
profiles were validated by qRT-PCR analysis. In addition, 48 metabolites were
identified and quantified by 1H NMR. Nine of which significantly contributed to
the variation in the metabolomic profiles, especially proline and trehalose.
Moreover, the samples collected within diapause maintenance (early-, middle-, and
late-diapause) only exhibited marginal transcriptomic and metabolomic variation
with each other. These findings greatly improve our understanding of B. minax
diapause and lay the foundation for further pertinent studies.
PMID- 28704501
TI - Reduced susceptibility of clinical strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to
reactive nitrogen species promotes survival in activated macrophages.
AB - BACKGROUND: Drugs such as isoniazid (INH) and pretomanid (PRT), used against
Mycobacterium tuberculosis are active partly through generation of reactive
nitrogen species (RNS). The aim of this study was to explore variability in
intracellular susceptibility to nitric oxide (NO) in clinical strains of M.
tuberculosis. METHOD: Luciferase-expressing clinical M. tuberculosis strains with
or without INH resistance were exposed to RNS donors (DETA/NO and SIN-1) in broth
cultures and bacterial survival was analysed by luminometry. NO-dependent
intracellular killing in a selection of strains was assessed in interferon
gamma/lipopolysaccharide-activated murine macrophages using the NO inhibitor L
NMMA. RESULTS: When M. tuberculosis H37Rv was compared to six clinical isolates
and CDC1551, three isolates with inhA mediated INH resistance showed
significantly reduced NO-susceptibility in broth culture. All strains showed a
variable but dose-dependent susceptibility to RNS donors. Two clinical isolates
with increased susceptibility to NO exposure in broth compared to H37Rv were
significantly inhibited by activated macrophages whereas there was no effect on
growth inhibition when activated macrophages were infected by clinical strains
with higher survival to NO exposure in broth. Furthermore, the most NO-tolerant
clinical isolate showed increased resistance to PRT both in broth culture and the
macrophage model compared to H37Rv in the absence of mutational resistance in
genes associated to reduced susceptibility against PRT or NO. CONCLUSION: In a
limited number of clinical M. tuberculosis isolates we found a significant
difference in susceptibility to NO between clinical isolates, both in broth
cultures and in macrophages. Our results indicate that mycobacterial
susceptibility to cellular host defence mechanisms such as NO need to be taken
into consideration when designing new therapeutic strategies.
PMID- 28704502
TI - Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) may play a major role in risk stratification
based on cerebral oxygen saturation by near-infrared spectroscopy in patients
undergoing major cardiovascular surgery.
AB - PURPOSE: A previous study reported that low baseline cerebral oxygen saturation
(ScO2) (<=50%) measured with near-infrared spectroscopy was predictive of poor
clinical outcomes after cardiac surgery. However, such findings have not been
reconfirmed by others. We conducted the current study to evaluate whether the
previous findings would be reproducible, and to explore mechanisms underlying the
ScO2-based outcome prediction. METHODS: We retrospectively investigated 573
consecutive patients, aged 20 to 91 (mean +/- standard deviation, 67.1 +/- 12.8)
years, who underwent major cardiovascular surgery. Preanesthetic baseline ScO2,
lowest intraoperative ScO2, various clinical variables, and hospital mortality
were examined. RESULTS: Bivariate regression analyses revealed that baseline ScO2
correlated significantly with plasma brain natriuretic peptide concentration
(BNP), hemoglobin concentration (Hgb), estimated glomerular filtration rate
(eGFR), and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (p < 0.0001 for each).
Baseline ScO2 correlated with BNP in an exponential manner, and BNP was the most
significant factor influencing ScO2. Logistic regression analyses revealed that
baseline and lowest intraoperative ScO2 values, but not relative ScO2 decrements,
were significantly associated with hospital mortality (p < 0.05), independent of
the EuroSCORE (p < 0.01). Receiver operating curve analysis of ScO2 values and
hospital mortality revealed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.715 (p < 0.01) and
a cutoff value of <=50.5% for the baseline and ScO2, and an AUC of 0.718 (p <
0.05) and a cutoff value of <=35% for the lowest intraoperative ScO2. Low
baseline ScO2 (<=50%) was associated with increases in intubation time, intensive
care unit stay, hospital stay, and hospital mortality. CONCLUSION: Baseline ScO2
was reflective of severity of systemic comorbidities and was predictive of
clinical outcomes after major cardiovascular surgery. ScO2 correlated most
significantly with BNP in an exponential manner, suggesting that BNP plays a
major role in the ScO2-based outcome prediction.
PMID- 28704503
TI - Role of biomarkers in early infectious complications after lung transplantation.
AB - BACKGROUND: Infections and primary graft dysfunction are devastating
complications in the immediate postoperative period following lung
transplantation. Nowadays, reliable diagnostic tools are not available.
Biomarkers could improve early infection diagnosis. METHODS: Multicentre
prospective observational study that included all centres authorized to perform
lung transplantation in Spain. Lung infection and/or primary graft dysfunction
presentation during study period (first postoperative week) was determined.
Biomarkers were measured on ICU admission and daily till ICU discharge or for the
following 6 consecutive postoperative days. RESULTS: We included 233 patients.
Median PCT levels were significantly lower in patients with no infection than in
patients with Infection on all follow up days. PCT levels were similar for PGD
grades 1 and 2 and increased significantly in grade 3. CRP levels were similar in
all groups, and no significant differences were observed at any study time point.
In the absence of PGD grade 3, PCT levels above median (0.50 ng/ml on admission
or 1.17 ng/ml on day 1) were significantly associated with more than two- and
three-fold increase in the risk of infection (adjusted Odds Ratio 2.37, 95%
confidence interval 1.06 to 5.30 and 3.44, 95% confidence interval 1.52 to 7.78,
respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In the absence of severe primary graft dysfunction,
procalcitonin can be useful in detecting infections during the first
postoperative week. PGD grade 3 significantly increases PCT levels and interferes
with the capacity of PCT as a marker of infection. PCT was superior to CRP in the
diagnosis of infection during the study period.
PMID- 28704504
TI - Sanitation practices and perceptions in Kakuma refugee camp, Kenya: Comparing the
status quo with a novel service-based approach.
AB - Globally, an estimated 2.5 billion people lack access to improved sanitation.
Unimproved sanitation increases the risk of morbidity and mortality, especially
in protracted refugee situations where sanitation is based on pit latrine use.
Once the pit is full, waste remains in the pit, necessitating the construction of
a new latrine, straining available land and funding resources. A viable,
sustainable solution is needed. This study used qualitative and quantitative
methods to design, implement, and pilot a novel sanitation system in Kakuma
refugee camp, Kenya. An initial round of 12 pre-implementation focus group
discussions (FGDs) were conducted with Dinka and Somali residents to understand
sanitation practices, perceptions, and needs. FGDs and a supplementary pre
implementation survey informed the development of an innovative sanitation
management system that incorporated the provision of urine and liquid-diverting
toilets, which separate urine and fecal waste, and a service-based sanitation
system that included weekly waste collection. The new system was implemented on a
pilot scale for 6 weeks. During the implementation, bi-weekly surveys were
administered in each study household to monitor user perceptions and challenges.
At the end of the pilot, the sanitation system was assessed using a second round
of four post-implementation FGDs. Those who piloted the new sanitation system
reported high levels of user satisfaction. Reported benefits included odor
reduction, insect/pest reduction, the sitting design, the appropriateness for
special populations, and waste collection. However, urine and liquid diversion
presented a challenge for users who perform anal washing and for women who had
experienced female genital mutilation. Refugee populations are often culturally
and ethnically diverse. Using residents' input to inform the development of
sanitation solutions can increase user acceptability and provide opportunities to
improve sanitation system designs based on specific needs.
PMID- 28704505
TI - CSmiRTar: Condition-Specific microRNA targets database.
AB - MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are functional RNA molecules which play important roles in the
post-transcriptional regulation. miRNAs regulate their target genes by repressing
translation or inducing degradation of the target genes' mRNAs. Many databases
have been constructed to provide computationally predicted miRNA targets.
However, they cannot provide the miRNA targets expressed in a specific tissue and
related to a specific disease at the same time. Moreover, they cannot provide the
common targets of multiple miRNAs and the common miRNAs of multiple genes at the
same time. To solve these two problems, we construct a database called CSmiRTar
(Condition-Specific miRNA Targets). CSmiRTar collects computationally predicted
targets of 2588 human miRNAs and 1945 mouse miRNAs from four most widely used
miRNA target prediction databases (miRDB, TargetScan, microRNA.org and DIANA
microT) and implements functional filters which allows users to search (i) a
miRNA's targets expressed in a specific tissue or/and related to a specific
disease, (ii) multiple miRNAs' common targets expressed in a specific tissue
or/and related to a specific disease, (iii) a gene's miRNAs related to a specific
disease, and (iv) multiple genes' common miRNAs related to a specific disease. We
believe that CSmiRTar will be a useful database for biologists to study the
molecular mechanisms of post-transcriptional regulation in human or mouse.
CSmiRTar is available at http://cosbi.ee.ncku.edu.tw/CSmiRTar/ or
http://cosbi4.ee.ncku.edu.tw/CSmiRTar/.
PMID- 28704506
TI - Microfluidic assay of circulating endothelial cells in coronary artery disease
patients with angina pectoris.
AB - BACKGROUND: Circulating endothelial cells (CECs) are widely reported as a
promising biomarker of endothelial damage/dysfunction in coronary artery disease
(CAD). The two popular methods of CEC quantification include the use of
immunomagnetic beads separation (IB) and flow cytometry analysis (FC); however,
they suffer from two main shortcomings that affect their diagnostic and
prognostic responses: non-specific bindings of magnetic beads to non-target cells
and a high degree of variability in rare cell identification, respectively. We
designed a microfluidic chip with spatially staggered micropillars for the
efficient harvesting of CECs with intact cellular morphology in an attempt to
revisit the diagnostic goal of CEC counts in CAD patients with angina pectoris.
METHODS: A label-free microfluidic assay that involved an in-situ enumeration and
immunofluorescent identification (DAPI+/CD146+/VEGFR1+/CD45-) of CECs was carried
out to assess the CEC count in human peripheral blood samples. A total of 55 CAD
patients with angina pectoris [16 with chronic stable angina (CSA) and 39 with
unstable angina (UA)], together with 15 heathy controls (HCs) were enrolled in
the study. RESULTS: CEC counts are significantly higher in both CSA and UA groups
compared to the HC group [respective medians of 6.9, 10.0 and 1.5 cells/ml (p <
0.01)]. Further, a significant elevation of CEC count was observed in the three
UA subgroups [low risk (5.3) vs. intermediate risk (10.8) vs. high risk (18.0)
cells/ml, p < 0.001) classified in accordance to the TIMI NSTEMI/UA risk score
system. From the receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis, the AUCs for
distinguishing CSA and UA from HC were 0.867 and 0.938, respectively. The
corresponding sensitivities were 87.5% and 84.6% and the specificities were 66.7%
and 86.7%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our microfluidic assay system is efficient
and stable for CEC capture and enumeration. The results showed that the CEC count
has the potential to be a promising clinical biomarker for the assessment of
endothelial damage/dysfunction in CAD patients with angina pectoris.
PMID- 28704507
TI - Regular moist snuff dipping does not affect endurance exercise performance.
AB - Physiological and medical effects of snuff have previously been obtained either
in cross-sectional studies or after snuff administration to non-tobacco users.
The effects of snuff cessation after several years of daily use are unknown. 24
participants with >2 years of daily snuff-use were tested before and after >6
weeks snuff cessation (SCG). A control group (CO) of 11 snuff users kept their
normal habits. Resting heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) were significantly
lower in SCG after snuff cessation, and body mass was increased by 1.4 +/- 1.7
kg. Total cholesterol increased from 4.12 +/- 0.54 (95% CI 3.89-4.35) to 4.46 +/-
0.70 (95% CI 4.16-4.75) mM L-1 in SCG, due to increased LDL, and this change was
significantly different from CO. Resting values of HDL, C-reactive protein, and
free fatty acids (FFA) remained unchanged in both groups. In SCG group, both HR
and BP were reduced during a four-stage incremental cycling test (from 50 to 80%
of VO2max) and a prolonged cycling test (60 min at 50% of VO2max). Oxygen uptake
(VO2), respiratory exchange ratio, blood lactate (bLa) and blood glucose (bGlu)
concentration, and rate of perceived exertion (RPE) were unchanged. In CO group,
all measurements were unchanged. During the prolonged cycling test, FFA was
reduced, but with no significant difference between groups. During the maximal
treadmill running test peak values of VO2, pulmonary ventilation (VE), time to
exhaustion and bLa were unchanged in both groups. In conclusion, endurance
exercise performance (VO2max and maximal endurance time) does not seem to be
affected by prolonged snuff use, while effects on cardiovascular risk factors are
contradictory. HR and BP during rest and submaximal exercise are reduced after
cessation of regular use of snuff. Evidently, the long-time adrenergic stress on
circulation is reversible.
PMID- 28704508
TI - Lifestyle behaviours of Lebanese-Australians: Cross-sectional findings from The
45 and Up Study.
AB - Little is known regarding the health and lifestyle behaviours of Australians of
Lebanese ethnicity. The available evidence suggests that Australians of Lebanese
ethnicity who were born in Lebanon reportedly have higher rates of cardiovascular
disease-related and type 2 diabetes-related complications when compared with the
wider Australian population. The aim of this study is to compare lifestyle
behaviours of middle-aged to older adults of Lebanese ethnicity born in Lebanon,
Australia, and elsewhere to those of Australian ethnicity. Participants were
37,419 Australians aged >=45 years, from the baseline dataset of The 45 and Up
Study which included 4 groups of interest: those of Australian ethnicity (n =
36,707) [Reference]; those of Lebanese ethnicity born in Lebanon (n = 346); 302
those of Lebanese ethnicity born in Australia (n = 302); and those of Lebanese
ethnicity born elsewhere (n = 64). Multilevel logistic regression was used to
examine the odds of those of Lebanese ethnicity reporting suboptimal lifestyle
behaviours (insufficient physical activity, prolonged sitting, smoking, sleep
duration, and various diet-related behaviours) relative to those of Australian
ethnicity. Multilevel linear regression was used to examine the clustering of
suboptimal lifestyle behaviours through a 'lifestyle index' score ranging from 0
9 (sum of all lifestyle behaviours for each subject). The lifestyle index score
was lower among Lebanese-born (-0.36, 95% CI -0.51, -0.22, p<0.001) and
Australian-born (-0.17, 95% CI -0.32, -0.02, p = 0.031) people of Lebanese
ethnicity in comparison to those of Australian ethnicity. Those of Lebanese
ethnicity born in Lebanon had higher odds of reporting suboptimal lifestyle
behaviours for physical activity, smoking, and sleep duration, and lower odds of
reporting optimal lifestyle behaviours for sitting time, fruit, processed meat,
and alcohol consumption, when compared with those of Australian ethnicity.
Differences in the individual lifestyle behaviours for those of Lebanese
ethnicity born in Australia and elsewhere compared with those of Australian
ethnicity were fewer. Lifestyle behaviours of those of Lebanese ethnicity vary by
country of birth and a lower level of suboptimal lifestyle behaviour clustering
was apparent among Lebanese-born and Australian-born middle-aged to older adults
of Lebanese ethnicity.
PMID- 28704509
TI - Effects of hemoperfusion and continuous renal replacement therapy on patient
survival following paraquat poisoning.
AB - Mortality in patients with paraquat (PQ) poisoning is related to plasma PQ
levels. Concentrations lower than 5,000 ng/mL are considered critical but
curable. This study assessed the effects of hemoperfusion (HP) and continuous
renal replacement therapy (CRRT) on the survival of PQ-poisoned patients with
plasma PQ levels below 5,000ng/mL. We analyzed the records of 164 patients with
PQ poisoning who were treated at the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical
University in China between January 2011 and May 2015. We divided these patients
into six sub-groups based on baseline plasma PQ levels and treatment, compared
their clinical characteristics, and analyzed their survival rates. Patient sub
groups did not differ in terms of age, sex, time between poisoning and hospital
admission, or time to first gavage. Biochemical indicators improved over time in
all sub-groups following treatment, and the combined HP and CRRT treatment
yielded better results than HP or CRRT alone. Fatality rates in the three
treatment sub-groups did not differ among patients with baseline plasma PQ levels
of 50-1,000 ng/mL, but in patients with 1,000-5,000 ng/mL levels, the mortality
rate was 59.2% (HP treatment group), 48% (CRRT treatment group), and 37.9%
(combined treatment group). Mortality rates were higher 10-30 days after
hospitalization than in the first 10 days after admission. In the early stages of
PQ poisoning, CRRT is effective in reducing patient fatality rates, particularly
when combined with HP. Our data could be useful in increasing survival in acute
PQ poisoning patients.
PMID- 28704510
TI - Combining global land cover datasets to quantify agricultural expansion into
forests in Latin America: Limitations and challenges.
AB - While we know that deforestation in the tropics is increasingly driven by
commercial agriculture, most tropical countries still lack recent and spatially
explicit assessments of the relative importance of pasture and cropland expansion
in causing forest loss. Here we present a spatially explicit quantification of
the extent to which cultivated land and grassland expanded at the expense of
forests across Latin America in 2001-2011, by combining two "state-of-the-art"
global datasets (Global Forest Change forest loss and GlobeLand30-2010 land
cover). We further evaluate some of the limitations and challenges in doing this.
We find that this approach does capture some of the major patterns of land cover
following deforestation, with GlobeLand30-2010's Grassland class (which we
interpret as pasture) being the most common land cover replacing forests across
Latin America. However, our analysis also reveals some major limitations to
combining these land cover datasets for quantifying pasture and cropland
expansion into forest. First, a simple one-to-one translation between GlobeLand30
2010's Cultivated land and Grassland classes into cropland and pasture
respectively, should not be made without caution, as GlobeLand30-2010 defines its
Cultivated land to include some pastures. Comparisons with the TerraClass dataset
over the Brazilian Amazon and with previous literature indicates that Cultivated
land in GlobeLand30-2010 includes notable amounts of pasture and other vegetation
(e.g. in Paraguay and the Brazilian Amazon). This further suggests that the
approach taken here generally leads to an underestimation (of up to ~60%) of the
role of pasture in replacing forest. Second, a large share (~33%) of the Global
Forest Change forest loss is found to still be forest according to GlobeLand30
2010 and our analysis suggests that the accuracy of the combined datasets,
especially for areas with heterogeneous land cover and/or small-scale forest
loss, is still too poor for deriving accurate quantifications of land cover
following forest loss.
PMID- 28704511
TI - Genetic variation analysis and relationships among environmental strains of
Scedosporium apiospermum sensu stricto in Bangkok, Thailand.
AB - The Scedosporium apiospermum species complex is an emerging filamentous fungi
that has been isolated from environment. It can cause a wide range of infections
in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals. We aimed to study the
genetic variation and relationships between 48 strains of S. apiospermum sensu
stricto isolated from soil in Bangkok, Thailand. For PCR, sequencing and
phylogenetic analysis, we used the following genes: actin; calmodulin exons 3 and
4; the second largest subunit of the RNA polymerase II; beta-tubulin exon 2-4;
manganese superoxide dismutase; internal transcribed spacer; transcription
elongation factor 1alpha; and beta-tubulin exons 5 and 6. The present study is
the first phylogenetic analysis of relationships among S. apiospermum sensu
stricto in Thailand and South-east Asia. This result provides useful information
for future epidemiological study and may be correlated to clinical manifestation.
PMID- 28704512
TI - A role for the Drosophila zinc transporter Zip88E in protecting against dietary
zinc toxicity.
AB - Zinc absorption in animals is thought to be regulated in a local, cell autonomous
manner with intestinal cells responding to dietary zinc content. The Drosophila
zinc transporter Zip88E shows strong sequence similarity to Zips 42C.1, 42C.2 and
89B as well as mammalian Zips 1, 2 and 3, suggesting that it may act in concert
with the apically-localised Drosophila zinc uptake transporters to facilitate
dietary zinc absorption by importing ions into the midgut enterocytes. However,
the functional characterisation of Zip88E presented here indicates that Zip88E
may instead play a role in detecting and responding to zinc toxicity. Larvae
homozygous for a null Zip88E allele are viable yet display heightened sensitivity
to elevated levels of dietary zinc. This decreased zinc tolerance is accompanied
by an overall decrease in Metallothionein B transcription throughout the larval
midgut. A Zip88E reporter gene is expressed only in the salivary glands, a
handful of enteroendocrine cells at the boundary between the anterior and middle
midgut regions, and in two parallel strips of sensory cell projections connecting
to the larval ventral ganglion. Zip88E expression solely in this restricted
subset of cells is sufficient to rescue the Zip88E mutant phenotype. Together,
our data suggest that Zip88E may be functioning in a small subset of cells to
detect excessive zinc levels and induce a systemic response to reduce dietary
zinc absorption and hence protect against toxicity.
PMID- 28704513
TI - Amplification of overlapping DNA amplicons in a single-tube multiplex PCR for
targeted next-generation sequencing of BRCA1 and BRCA2.
AB - Current PCR-based target enrichment methods for next generation sequencing (NGS)
of overlapping amplicons often requires separate PCR reactions and subsequent
pooling of amplicons from the different reactions. The study presents a novel
method, deemed stem-loop inhibition mediated amplification (SLIMamp), for
amplifying overlapping or tiled amplicons in a single multiplex PCR reaction.
During a SLIMamp PCR reaction, a stem loop structure formed by the overlapping
amplicon suppresses additional amplification of itself by preventing the
annealing of the primers. Using the SLIMamp strategy, we designed a next
generation sequencing (NGS) assay to enrich the exon regions of BRCA1 and BRCA2
for sequencing on an Illumina MiSeq system. We used 35 cell line DNAs and 6
patient blood DNAs in the study to evaluate the assay performance. For each
sample, all targeted regions were successfully amplified and sequenced with
excellent coverage uniformity and specificity. >99% of the total sequencing reads
were mapped to the human reference genome (hg19) and >99% of the mapped reads
were on the targeted exons. >98% of bases were covered at >0.20x of the mean
coverage and >99% are covered at >0.15x of the mean depth. Among 34 independently
sequenced samples, all variants were reliably detected with no false positives or
false negatives. SLIMamp provides a robust method for single-tube multiplex PCR
amplification of numerous, overlapping amplicons that tile for targeted next
generation sequencing.
PMID- 28704514
TI - Feedback activation of AMPK-mediated autophagy acceleration is a key resistance
mechanism against SCD1 inhibitor-induced cell growth inhibition.
AB - Elucidating the bioactive compound modes of action is crucial for increasing
success rates in drug development. For anticancer drugs, defining effective drug
combinations that overcome resistance improves therapeutic efficacy. Herein, by
using a biologically annotated compound library, we performed a large-scale
combination screening with Stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (SCD1) inhibitor, T-3764518,
which partially inhibits colorectal cancer cell proliferation. T-3764518 induced
phosphorylation and activation of AMPK in HCT-116 cells, which led to blockade of
downstream fatty acid synthesis and acceleration of autophagy. Attenuation of
fatty acid synthesis by small molecules suppressed the growth inhibitory effect
of T-3764518. In contrast, combination of T-3764518 with autophagy flux
inhibitors synergistically inhibited cellular proliferation. Experiments using
SCD1 knock-out cells validated the results obtained with T-3764518. The results
of our study indicated that activation of autophagy serves as a survival signal
when SCD1 is inhibited in HCT-116 cells. Furthermore, these findings suggest that
combining SCD1 inhibitor with autophagy inhibitors is a promising anticancer
therapy.
PMID- 28704515
TI - Structural characterization of chaos game fractals using small-angle scattering
analysis.
AB - Small-angle scattering (SAS) technique is applied to study the nano and
microstructural properties of spatial patterns generated from chaos game
representation (CGR). Using a simplified version of Debye formula, we calculate
and analyze in momentum space, the monodisperse scattering structure factor from
a system of randomly oriented and non-interacting 2D Sierpinski gaskets (SG). We
show that within CGR approach, the main geometrical and fractal properties, such
as the overall size, scaling factor, minimal distance between scattering units,
fractal dimension and the number of units composing the SG, can be recovered. We
confirm the numerical results, by developing a theoretical model which describes
analytically the structure factor of SG. We apply our findings to scattering from
single scale mass fractals, and respectively to a multiscale fractal representing
DNA sequences, and for which an analytic description of the structure factor is
not known a priori.
PMID- 28704516
TI - Ultrasound diagnosis of transverse sinus hypoplasia using flow profiles of the
internal jugular vein.
AB - Accurate diagnosis of subtypes of transverse sinus (TS) hypoplasia requires more
expensive methods like magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. We hypothesized
ultrasound findings of the internal jugular vein (IJV) can be surrogate
indicators for diagnosis of TS hypoplasia. MR images were reviewed in 131
subjects to evaluate TS diameter and the location and degree of venous flow
stenosis and obstruction. Ultrasound parameters including the cross-sectional
lumen area (CSA), time-average-mean velocity (TAMV), and flow volume (FV) at each
IJV segment were also evaluated. Sixty-nine subjects had TS hypoplasia based on
MRV criteria, of which 39 TS hypoplasia were considered a subtype of TS
hypoplasia, which is secondary to the downstream venous compression/stenosis or
left brachiocephalic vein. In the ultrasound study, the CSA of the IJV
ipsilateral to TS hypoplasia was significantly smaller. Further, a
contralateral/ipsilateral IJV CSA ratio >1.55 provided good sensitivity,
specificity, and positive predictive value for discriminating TS hypoplasia.
PMID- 28704517
TI - Zinc oxide nanoparticles as a substitute for zinc oxide or colistin sulfate:
Effects on growth, serum enzymes, zinc deposition, intestinal morphology and
epithelial barrier in weaned piglets.
AB - The objective of this study was to evaluate effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles
(nano-ZnOs) as a substitute for colistin sulfate (CS) and/or zinc oxide (ZnO) on
growth performance, serum enzymes, zinc deposition, intestinal morphology and
epithelial barrier in weaned piglets. A total of 216 crossbred
Duroc*(Landrace*Yorkshire) piglets weaned at 23 days were randomly assigned into
3 groups, which were fed with basal diets supplemented with 20 mg/kg CS (CS
group), 20mg/kg CS+3000 mg/kg ZnO (CS+ZnO group), and 1200 mg/kg nano-ZnOs (nano
ZnO group) for 14 days. Results indicated that compared to CS group,
supplementation of 1200 mg/kg nano-ZnOs (about 30 nm) significantly increased
final body weight and average daily gain, and 3000 mg/kg ZnO plus colistin
sulfate significantly increased average daily gain and decreased diarrhea rate in
weaned piglets. There was no significant difference in growth performance and
diarrhea rate between nano-ZnO and CS+ZnO groups. Supplementation of nano-ZnOs
did not affect serum enzymes (glutamic oxalacetic transaminase, glutamic-pyruvic
transaminase, and lactate dehydrogenase), but significantly increased plasma and
tissue zinc concentrations (liver, tibia), improved intestinal morphology
(increased duodenal and ileal villus length, crypt depth, and villus surface),
enhanced mRNA expression of ZO-1 in ileal mucosa, and significantly decreased
diamine oxidase activity in plasma, total aerobic bacterial population in MLN as
compared to CS group. Effects of nano-ZnOs on serum enzymes, intestinal
morphology, and mRNA expressions of tight junction were similar to those of high
dietary ZnO plus colistin sulfate, while nano-ZnOs significantly reduced zinc
concentrations of liver, tibia, and feces, and decreased total aerobic bacterial
population in MLN as compared to CS+ZnO group. These results suggested that nano
ZnOs (1200 mg/kg) might be used as a substitute for colistin sulfate and high
dietary ZnO in weaned piglets.
PMID- 28704518
TI - Photosynthetic, morphological, and reproductive variations in Cypripedium
tibeticum in relation to different light regimes in a subalpine forest.
AB - Cypripedium tibeticum, a subalpine orchid species, inhabits various habitats of
subalpine forests, mainly including the forest edge (FE), forest gap (FG), and
understory (UST), which have significantly different light intensities (FE > FG >
UST). However, the ecological and physiological influences caused by different
light regimes in this species are still poorly understood. In the present study,
photosynthetic, morphological, and reproductive characteristics were
comprehensively studied in plants of C. tibeticum grown in three types of
habitats. The photosynthetic capacities, such as the net photosynthetic rate,
light-saturated photosynthesis (Pmax), and dry mass per unit leaf area (LMA),
were higher in FE and FG than in UST according to light availability. Compared
with FG, the populations in FE and UST suffer from excessively strong and
inadequate radiation, respectively, which was further corroborated by the low
Fv/Fm in FE and high apparent quantum yield (AQY) in FG. The leaves of the
orchids had various proportions of constituents, such as the leaf area, thickness
and (or) epidermal hair, to reduce damage from high radiation (including
ultraviolet-b radiation) in FE and capture more light in FG and UST. Although the
flower rate (FR) was positively correlated to both Pmax and the daily mean PAR,
fruit-set only occurred in the populations in FG. The failures in FE and UST
might be ascribed to changes in the floral functional structure and low biomass
accumulation, respectively. Moreover, analysis of the demographic statistics
showed that FG was an advantageous habitat for the orchid. Thus, C. tibeticum
reacted to photosynthetic and morphological changes to adapt to different
subalpine forest habitats, and neither full (under FE) nor low (UST) illumination
was favorable for population expansion. These findings could serve as a guide for
the protection and reintroduction of C. tibeticum and emphasize the importance of
specific habitats for Cypripedium spp.
PMID- 28704519
TI - E2F1 somatic mutation within miRNA target site impairs gene regulation in
colorectal cancer.
AB - BACKGROUND: Genetic studies have largely concentrated on the impact of somatic
mutations found in coding regions, and have neglected mutations outside of these.
However, 3' untranslated regions (3' UTR) mutations can also disrupt or create
miRNA target sites, and trigger oncogene activation or tumor suppressor
inactivation. METHODS: We used next-generation sequencing to widely screen for
genetic alterations within predicted miRNA target sites of oncogenes associated
with colorectal cancer, and evaluated the functional impact of a new somatic
mutation. Target sequencing of 47 genes was performed for 29 primary colorectal
tumor samples. For 71 independent samples, Sanger methodology was used to screen
for E2F1 mutations in miRNA predicted target sites, and the functional impact of
these mutations was evaluated by luciferase reporter assays. RESULTS: We
identified germline and somatic alterations in E2F1. Of the 100 samples
evaluated, 3 had germline alterations at the MIR205-5p target site, while one had
a somatic mutation at MIR136-5p target site. E2F1 gene expression was similar
between normal and tumor tissues bearing the germline alteration; however,
expression was increased 4-fold in tumor tissue that harbored a somatic mutation
compared to that in normal tissue. Luciferase reporter assays revealed both
germline and somatic alterations increased E2F1 activity relative to wild-type
E2F1. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that somatic mutation within E2F1:MIR136-5p
target site impairs miRNA-mediated regulation and leads to increased gene
activity. We conclude that somatic mutations that disrupt miRNA target sites have
the potential to impact gene regulation, highlighting an important mechanism of
oncogene activation.
PMID- 28704520
TI - A self-affirmation exercise does not improve intentions to vaccinate among
parents with negative vaccine attitudes (and may decrease intentions to
vaccinate).
AB - Two studies investigated the effectiveness of a self-affirmation exercise on
vaccine safety beliefs and intent to vaccinate future children. In Study 1, a
sample of 585 parents with at least one child under the age of 18 in the home
participated through Amazon's MTurk. Participants were randomly assigned to one
of four conditions in a 2 x 2 design. Participants read either correcting
information refuting a link between the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine
and autism or a control passage about bird feeding. Additionally, participants
either completed a self-affirmation exercise where they reflected on their
personal values or in a control condition in which they reflected on least
personally-important values that might be important to others. Participants
exposed to the correcting information were less likely to believe that vaccines
cause serious side effects, but no less likely to believe that the MMR vaccine
causes autism. For parents with initially positive vaccine attitudes, there was
no effect of condition on intent to vaccinate a future child. For parents with
initially negative vaccine attitudes, self-affirmation was ineffective in the
presence of correcting information and resulted in less intention to vaccinate in
the absence of correcting information. This effect was partially replicated in
Study 2 (N = 576), which provided no correcting information but otherwise
followed the same procedure as Study 1.
PMID- 28704521
TI - Prognostic value of circulating plasma cells in patients with multiple myeloma: A
meta-analysis.
AB - PURPOSE: The clinical significance and prognostic role of circulating plasma
cells (CPCs) in multiple myeloma (MM) are still controversial. We conducted the
first meta-analysis to clarify the correlation between CPCs and the
clinicopathological features and prognosis of MM patients. METHODS: A
comprehensive literary search for relevant studies was performed on PubMed,
Embase, Medline, CNKI (Chinese) and Web of Science databases (January 1, 1950 to
December 20, 2016). The associations between CPCs and survival rate and
clinicopathological parameters, including International staging system (ISS) and
Durie-Salm staging system (DS) stage, were evaluated. Then pooled hazard ratios
(HRs) for survival with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), subgroup analysis,
sensitivity analysis, and publication bias were conducted. RESULTS: 11 studies
covering a total of 2943 patients were included. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs)
revealed that the presence of CPCs predicted aggressive disease progression (HR =
1.78, 95% CI = 1.57-2.03) and reduced overall survival (OS) (HR = 1.82, 95% CI =
1.59-2.08). Subgroup analyses demonstrated that CPCs positive patients also had
poor disease progression and OS in detection methods and sampling time subsets.
Moreover, the presence of CPCs was strikingly associated with increased ISS stage
(OR = 2.78% CI = 1.69-4.56), but not with DS stage(OR = 1.60; 95% CI = 0.74
3.47). CONCLUSIONS: CPCs status is associated with poorer survival outcome in
multiple myeloma. Additionally, increased ISS stage could be significant risk
factors for the presence of CPCs.
PMID- 28704522
TI - Assessment of gut microbiota populations in lean and obese Zucker rats.
AB - Obesity has been on the rise in the US and worldwide for the last several
decades. Obesity has been associated with chronic disease development, such as
certain types of cancer, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and liver
diseases. Previously, we reported that obesity promotes DMBA-induced mammary
tumor development using the obese Zucker rat model. The intestinal microbiota is
composed of a diverse population of obligate and facultative anaerobic
microorganisms, and these organisms carry out a broad range of metabolic
activities. Obesity has been linked to changes in the intestinal microbiota, but
the composition of the bacterial populations in lean and obese Zucker rats has
not been carefully studied. Therefore, the objective of this study was to
determine the effects of obesity on the gut microbiota in this model. Lean and
obese female Zucker rats (n = 16) were fed an AIN-93G-like diet for 8 weeks. Rats
were weighed twice weekly, and fecal samples were collected at the beginning and
end of the experiment. 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to evaluate the
composition of the fecal bacterial populations. At the outset of the study, the
lean rats exhibited much lower ratios of the Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes phyla
than the obese rats, but after 60 days, this ratio in the lean rats exceeded that
of the obese. This shift was associated with reductions in the Bacteroidaceae,
S24-7 and Paraprevotellaceae families in the lean rats. Obese rats also showed
increased levels of the genus Akkermansia at day 60. PCoA plots of beta diversity
showed clustering of the different test groups, indicating clear differences in
intestinal microbiota populations associated with both the time point of the
study and the lean or obese status in the Zucker rat model for obesity.
PMID- 28704523
TI - Leg length change after opening wedge and closing wedge high tibial osteotomy: A
meta-analysis.
AB - BACKGROUND: Theoretical considerations suggest that leg length increases after
opening wedge high tibial osteotomy (HTO) and decreases after closing wedge HTO;
however, in vivo studies have yielded conflicting results. This meta-analysis
therefore assessed changes in leg length after opening wedge and closing wedge
HTO. METHODS: All studies comparing pre- and postoperative leg length in patients
who underwent opening and/or closing wedge HTO were included. Two reviewers
independently recorded data from each study in terms of sample size as well as
preoperative and postoperative leg length of open wedge and/or closed wedge HTO
groups. RESULTS: Four studies were included in the meta-analysis. Although pooled
results showed leg length changes from before to after surgery were -6.93 mm (95%
confidence interval [CI]: -17.53 to 3.67 mm; P = 0.20) in opening wedge HTO and
1.97 mm (95% CI: -7.13 to 11.07 mm; P = 0.67) in closing wedge HTO, respectively,
these values were statistically not significant. However, the difference in the
pooled mean leg length change from before to after surgery between opening wedge
and closing wedge HTO was 8 mm, a difference that was significant (95% CI: 6.53
to 9.46 mm; P<0.001). CONCLUSION: The change in leg length was not statistically
significant for either opening or closing wedge HTO. However, leg length change
from before to after surgery was 8 mm greater for opening wedge HTO than for
closing wedge HTO.
PMID- 28704524
TI - Prevalence of enteroviruses in healthy populations and excretion of pathogens in
patients with hand, foot, and mouth disease in a highly endemic area of southwest
China.
AB - Etiological carriers and the excretion of the pathogens causing hand, foot, and
mouth disease (HFMD) in healthy persons, patients, and asymptomatic persons
infected with HFMD as ongoing infection sources may play an important role in
perpetuating and spreading epidemics of HFMD. The aims of this study were to
determine the carrier status of EV-A71 and CV-A16 in healthy populations, as well
as the duration of EV-A71 and CV-A16 shedding in the stools of HFMD patients in
an epidemic area of southwest China. A cross-sectional study and a follow-up
study were conducted in three HFMD endemic counties of Yunnan Province. Six
hundred sixty-seven healthy subjects were recruited to participate in the cross
sectional study, and two stool specimens were collected from each subject. Among
the healthy subjects, 90 (13.5%) tested positive for viral isolation, but neither
EV-A71 nor CV-A16 was detected in healthy individuals. Of the 150 patients with
probable HFMD, 55.3% (83/150) tested positive for viral isolation with presented
serotypes such as EV-A71 (51.81%, 43/83), CV-A16 (32.53%, 27/83), other EVs
(13.25%, 11/83), and mixed EV-A71 and CV-A16 (2.41%, 2/83). The longest duration
of EV-A71 and CV-A16 shedding in stool specimens from patients with HFMD was >46
days after onset. The positive rate of EV-A71 in the stool specimens of confirmed
patients dropped to 50% by the end of the third week, and the same occurred with
CV-A16 by the end of approximately the seventh week after onset. Although
carriers of major causative agents of HFMD in healthy populations are fewer in
number, the prolonged shedding of pathogens in patients with HFMD may serve as an
important factor in perpetuating and spreading HFMD epidemics.
PMID- 28704525
TI - Rapid identification of genes controlling virulence and immunity in malaria
parasites.
AB - Identifying the genetic determinants of phenotypes that impact disease severity
is of fundamental importance for the design of new interventions against malaria.
Here we present a rapid genome-wide approach capable of identifying multiple
genetic drivers of medically relevant phenotypes within malaria parasites via a
single experiment at single gene or allele resolution. In a proof of principle
study, we found that a previously undescribed single nucleotide polymorphism in
the binding domain of the erythrocyte binding like protein (EBL) conferred a
dramatic change in red blood cell invasion in mutant rodent malaria parasites
Plasmodium yoelii. In the same experiment, we implicated merozoite surface
protein 1 (MSP1) and other polymorphic proteins, as the major targets of strain
specific immunity. Using allelic replacement, we provide functional validation of
the substitution in the EBL gene controlling the growth rate in the blood stages
of the parasites.
PMID- 28704526
TI - Chi-miR-4110 promotes granulosa cell apoptosis by targeting Sma- and Mad-related
protein 2 (Smad2) in the caprine ovary.
AB - Follicular atresia mainly results from the apoptosis of granulosa cells (GCs).
Whilst our previous investigations examined the role of chi-miR-4110 in
regulating ovarian function, the present study detected the role of chi-miR-4110
in GC development. We transfected caprine GCs cultured in vitro with chi-miR-4110
mimics. Results revealed that chi-miR-4110 decreased mRNA and protein levels of
Smad2 by targeting its 3'-untranslated region (3'UTR). FoxC1 and Sp1 mRNA and
protein levels markedly increased, whereas those of bHLHe22 significantly
decreased (P<0.01 or 0.05) in GCs transfected with the chi-miR-4110 mimics.
Further studies revealed a significantly higher number of apoptotic cells in GCs
transfected with the chi-miR-4110 mimics (P< 0.05) than in GCs transfected with
mimics negative control. GCs transfected with the chi-miR-4110 mimics exhibited
significantly increased mRNA and protein levels of the pro-apoptotic gene Bax
(P<0.01) and significantly decreased expression levels of the anti-apoptotic gene
BCL-2 (P<0.01). Smad2 interference (Si-1282) results were consistent with those
of the chi-miR-4110 mimics. Previous reports and our results showed that chi-miR
4110 increases Sp1 expression by repressing Smad2. The increase in Sp1 induces
p53-upregulated modulator of apoptosis, which increases the relative abundance of
Bax and causes caprine GC apoptosis. Our findings may provide relevant data for
the investigation of miRNA-mediated regulation of ovarian functions.
PMID- 28704527
TI - Correction: Effects of local and regional climatic fluctuations on dengue
outbreaks in southern Taiwan.
AB - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0178698.].
PMID- 28704528
TI - Retraction: Association between Polymorphism of the Interleukin-13 Gene and
Susceptibility to Hepatocellular Carcinoma in the Chinese Population.
PMID- 28704529
TI - Correction: Rediscovery of the enigmatic fungus-farming ant "Mycetosoritis" asper
Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): Implications for taxonomy, phylogeny, and the
evolution of agriculture in ants.
AB - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0176498.].
PMID- 28704530
TI - A complex association between DNA methylation and gene expression in human
placenta at first and third trimesters.
AB - The human placenta is a maternal-fetal organ essential for normal fetal
development and maternal health. During pregnancy, the placenta undergoes many
structural and functional changes in response to fetal needs and environmental
exposures. Previous studies have demonstrated widespread epigenetic and gene
expression changes from early to late pregnancy. However, on the global level,
how DNA methylation changes impact on gene expression in human placenta is not
yet well understood. We performed DNA methylome analysis by reduced
representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS) and gene expression analysis by RNA
Seq for both first and third trimester human placenta tissues. From first to
third trimester, 199 promoters (corresponding to 189 genes) and 2,297 gene bodies
were differentially methylated, with a clear dominance of hypermethylation (96.8%
and 93.0% for promoters and gene bodies, respectively). A total of 2,447 genes
were differentially expressed, of which 77.2% were down-regulated. Gene ontology
analysis using differentially expressed genes were enriched for cell cycle and
immune response functions. The correlation between DNA methylation and gene
expression was non-linear and complex, depending on the genomic context (promoter
or gene body) and gene expression levels. A wide range of DNA methylation and
gene expression changes were observed at different gestational ages. The non
linear association between DNA methylation and gene expression indicates that
epigenetic regulation of placenta development is more complex than previously
envisioned.
PMID- 28704531
TI - Correction: Long-term trends in the honeybee 'whooping signal' revealed by
automated detection.
AB - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0171162.].
PMID- 28704532
TI - Correction: Functional analysis of the GmESR1 gene associated with soybean
regeneration.
AB - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0175656.].
PMID- 28704533
TI - Peripheral blood mitochondrial DNA content in relation to circulating metabolites
and inflammatory markers: A population study.
AB - Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content might undergo significant changes caused by
metabolic derangements, oxidative stress and inflammation that lead to
development and progression of cardiovascular diseases. We, therefore,
investigated in a general population the association of peripheral blood mtDNA
content with circulating metabolites and inflammatory markers. We examined 310
subjects (50.6% women; mean age, 53.3 years) randomly selected from a Flemish
population. Relative mtDNA content was measured by quantitative real-time PCR in
peripheral blood cells. Peak circulating metabolites were quantified using
nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The level of inflammation was assessed
via established inflammatory markers. Using Partial Least Squares analysis, we
constructed 3 latent factors from the 44 measured metabolites that explained
62.5% and 8.5% of the variance in the contributing metabolites and the mtDNA
content, respectively. With adjustments applied, mtDNA content was positively
associated with the first latent factor (P = 0.002). We identified 6 metabolites
with a major impact on the construction of this latent factor including HDL3
apolipoproteins, tyrosine, fatty acid with alphaCH2, creatinine, beta-glucose and
valine. We summarized them into a single composite metabolite score. We observed
a negative association between the composite metabolic score and mtDNA content (P
= 0.001). We also found that mtDNA content was inversely associated with
inflammatory markers including hs-CRP, hs-IL6, white blood cell and neutrophil
counts as well as neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (P<=0.0024). We demonstrated
that in a general population relative peripheral blood mtDNA content was
associated with circulating metabolites indicative of perturbed lipid metabolism
and with inflammatory biomarkers.
PMID- 28704534
TI - Short term variation in NTproBNP after lifestyle intervention in severe obesity.
AB - AIM: Natriuretic peptides are not only involved in cardiovascular adaption to
various conditions, but also in metabolic diseases. We performed this study to
assess the effect of a very short time of lifestyle inpatient intervention on
NTproBNP values in normotensive subjects with severe obesity and normal cardiac
function. METHODS: We recruited 14 consecutive obese normotensive subjects with
normal cardiac function who were aged 30 years and more and were referred to
inpatient rehabilitation in an academic clinic over a two months period. They
were examined at baseline and after a 3-weeks program including dietary
intervention with hypocaloric diet and assisted personalized physical aerobic and
anaerobic activities and compared to age, sex and BMI-matched control subjects
under usual care. RESULTS: BMI significantly decreased (40.8 +/-1.6 vs 42.3 +/-
1.6 kg/m2, p <0.0001). Median reduction in body weight was 4.9 kg (interquartile
range 2.4-5.2 kg). After diet and exercise-induced weight loss, plasma NTproBNP
levels showed an almost two-fold increase, which was statistically significant
(28.2 +/- 12.3 vs 17.2 +/- 13.2 ng/L, p = 0.01), and particularly relevant in the
subgroup with NT-proBNP values below median values compared to those with higher
values (p = 0.02). No significant variations were found in control subjects (18.0
+/- 13.0 vs 16.5 +/- 11.2 ng/L, p = 0.18). The lipid profile was significantly
ameliorated, and both HbA1c and insulin levels showed a marginally non
significant decrease after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: An almost two-fold increase in
NTproBNP levels was evident after a very short time period of lifestyle
intervention in normotensive severe obese patients without cardiac disease. This
finding might have clinical relevance, considering the role of NT-proBNP as risk
factor of impaired glucose tolerance.
PMID- 28704535
TI - Interferon-related genetic markers of necroinflammatory activity in chronic
hepatitis C.
AB - INTRODUCTION: Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is a major cause of liver disease
worldwide which often leads to progressive liver inflammation, fibrosis,
cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). CHC displays heterogeneous
progression depending on a broad set of factors, some of them intrinsic to each
individual such as the patient's genetic profile. This study aims to evaluate the
contribution of certain genetic variants of crucial interferon alpha and lambda
signaling pathways to the hepatic necroinflammatory activity (NIA) grade of CHC
patients. METHODS: NIA was evaluated in 119 CHC patients by METAVIR scale and
classified as low (NIA = 0-2, n = 80) or high grade (NIA = 3, n = 39). In a
candidate gene approach, 64 SNPs located in 30 different genes related to
interferon pathways (IL-28B, IFNAR1-2, JAK-STAT and OAS1-3, among others) were
genotyped using the Illumina GoldenGate(r) Genotyping Assay. Statistical
association was determined by logistic regression and expressed as OR and 95% CI.
Those SNPs significantly associated were further adjusted by other covariates.
RESULTS: Seven SNPs located in IL-28B (rs12979860), JAK1 (rs11576173 and
rs1497056), TYK2 (rs280519), OAS1 (rs2057778), SOCS1 (rs33932899) and RNASEL
(rs3738579) genes were significantly related to severe NIA grade (p<0.05).
Regarding to clinical variables, elevated NIA was notably associated with
aspartate aminotransferase (AST) serum levels >40 IU/L (p<0.05) but not with
other clinical factors. Multivariate logistic regression analysis of these
factors reflected that AST (>40 IU/L), TYK2 rs280519 (G allele) and RNASEL
rs3738579 (G allele) were factors independently associated with elevated NIA
(p<0.05). AST concentration showed a moderate AUC value (AUC = 0.63), similar to
TYK2 (rs280519) and RNASEL (rs3738579) SNPs (AUC = 0.61, both) in the ROC_AUC
analysis. Interestingly, the model including all significant variables reached a
considerable predictive value (AUC = 0.74). CONCLUSION: The identified genetic
variants in interferon signaling pathways may constitute useful prognostic
markers of CHC progression. Further validation in larger cohorts of patients is
needed.
PMID- 28704536
TI - Phylogeography in Nassarius mud snails: Complex patterns in congeneric species.
AB - One major goal for phylogeographical studies is to elucidate respective roles of
multiple evolutionary and ecological forces that shape the current distribution
patterns. In marine and coastal ecosystems, it has been generated a common
realization that species with enormous population size and pelagic larval stages
can disperse across broad geographical scales, leading to weak or even no
phylogeographical structure across large geographical scales. However, the
violation of such realization has been frequently reported, and it remains
largely unexplored on mechanisms responsible for various phylogeographical
patterns observed in different species at varied geographical scales. Here, we
used a species-rich genus Nassarius to assess and compare phylogeographical
patterns in congeneric species, and discuss causes and consequences underlying
varied phylogeographical patterns. Interestingly, we observed complex
phylogeographical patterns both within single species and across multiple
species, and multiple analyses showed varied levels of genetic heterogeneity
among sites within and across species. Available evidence suggests that related
species with similar biological characteristics may not be necessary to result in
consistent phylogeographical patterns. Multiple factors, including larval
ecology, interactions between dispersal and natural selection, and human activity
mediated dispersal, can partially explain the complex patterns observed in this
study. Deep investigations should be performed on these factors, particularly
their respective roles in determining evolutionary/ecological processes to form
phylogeographical patterns in species with high dispersal capacities in marine
and coastal ecosystems.
PMID- 28704537
TI - Non-invasive localization of atrial ectopic beats by using simulated body surface
P-wave integral maps.
AB - Non-invasive localization of continuous atrial ectopic beats remains a
cornerstone for the treatment of atrial arrhythmias. The lack of accurate tools
to guide electrophysiologists leads to an increase in the recurrence rate of
ablation procedures. Existing approaches are based on the analysis of the P-waves
main characteristics and the forward body surface potential maps (BSPMs) or on
the inverse estimation of the electric activity of the heart from those BSPMs.
These methods have not provided an efficient and systematic tool to localize
ectopic triggers. In this work, we propose the use of machine learning techniques
to spatially cluster and classify ectopic atrial foci into clearly differentiated
atrial regions by using the body surface P-wave integral map (BSPiM) as a
biomarker. Our simulated results show that ectopic foci with similar BSPiM
naturally cluster into differentiated non-intersected atrial regions and that new
patterns could be correctly classified with an accuracy of 97% when considering 2
clusters and 96% for 4 clusters. Our results also suggest that an increase in the
number of clusters is feasible at the cost of decreasing accuracy.
PMID- 28704538
TI - Intestinal calcium and bile salts facilitate germination of Clostridium difficile
spores.
AB - Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) is an anaerobic gram-positive pathogen that
is the leading cause of nosocomial bacterial infection globally. C. difficile
infection (CDI) typically occurs after ingestion of infectious spores by a
patient that has been treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics. While CDI is a
toxin-mediated disease, transmission and pathogenesis are dependent on the
ability to produce viable spores. These spores must become metabolically active
(germinate) in order to cause disease. C. difficile spore germination occurs when
spores encounter bile salts and other co-germinants within the small intestine,
however, the germination signaling cascade is unclear. Here we describe a
signaling role for Ca2+ during C. difficile spore germination and provide direct
evidence that intestinal Ca2+ coordinates with bile salts to stimulate
germination. Endogenous Ca2+ (released from within the spore) and a putative AAA+
ATPase, encoded by Cd630_32980, are both essential for taurocholate-glycine
induced germination in the absence of exogenous Ca2+. However, environmental Ca2+
replaces glycine as a co-germinant and circumvents the need for endogenous Ca2+
fluxes. Cd630_32980 is dispensable for colonization in a murine model of C.
difficile infection and ex vivo germination in mouse ileal contents. Calcium
depletion of the ileal contents prevented mutant spore germination and reduced WT
spore germination by 90%, indicating that Ca2+ present within the
gastrointestinal tract plays a critical role in C. difficile germination,
colonization, and pathogenesis. These data provide a biological mechanism that
may explain why individuals with inefficient intestinal calcium absorption (e.g.,
vitamin D deficiency, proton pump inhibitor use) are more prone to CDI and
suggest that modulating free intestinal calcium is a potential strategy to curb
the incidence of CDI.
PMID- 28704539
TI - Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. gallolyticus promotes colorectal tumor
development.
AB - Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. gallolyticus (Sg) has long been known to have a
strong association with colorectal cancer (CRC). This knowledge has important
clinical implications, and yet little is known about the role of Sg in the
development of CRC. Here we demonstrate that Sg promotes human colon cancer cell
proliferation in a manner that depends on cell context, bacterial growth phase
and direct contact between bacteria and colon cancer cells. In addition, we
observed increased level of beta-catenin, c-Myc and PCNA in colon cancer cells
following incubation with Sg. Knockdown or inhibition of beta-catenin abolished
the effect of Sg. Furthermore, mice administered with Sg had significantly more
tumors, higher tumor burden and dysplasia grade, and increased cell proliferation
and beta-catenin staining in colonic crypts compared to mice receiving control
bacteria. Finally, we showed that Sg is present in the majority of CRC patients
and is preferentially associated with tumor compared to normal tissues obtained
from CRC patients. These results taken together establish for the first time a
tumor-promoting role of Sg that involves specific bacterial and host factors and
have important clinical implications.
PMID- 28704540
TI - Meta-analyses of the association of G6PC2 allele variants with elevated fasting
glucose and type 2 diabetes.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To collectively evaluate the association of glucose-6-phosphatase
catalytic unit 2 (G6PC2) allele variants with elevated fasting glucose (FG) and
type 2 diabetes (T2D). DESIGN: Meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Web of
Knowledge and Embase databases. STUDY SELECTION: Full text articles of studies
that identified an association of G6PC2 with T2D and elevated FG. PATIENT
INVOLVEMENT: There was no T2D patient involvement in the analyses on the
association of FG with G6PC2, there were T2D patients and non-diabetes patient
involvement in the analyses on the association of T2D with G6PC2. STATISTICAL
ANALYSIS: Random-effects meta-analyses were used to calculate the pool effect
sizes. I2 metric and H2 tests were used to calculate the heterogeneity. Begg's
funnel plot and Egger's linear regression test were done to assess publication
bias. RESULTS: Of the 423 studies identified, 21 were eligible and included. Data
on three loci (rs560887, rs16856187 and rs573225) were available. The G allele at
rs560887 in three ethnicities, the C allele at rs16856187 and the A allele at
rs573225 all had a positive association with elevated FG. Per increment of G
allele at rs560887 and A allele at rs573225 resulted in a FG 0.070 mmol/l and
0.075 mmol/l higher (beta (95% CI) = 0.070 (0.060, 0.079), p = 4.635e-50 and
0.075 (0.065, 0.085), p = 5.856e-48, respectively). With regard to the
relationship of rs16856187 and FG, an increase of 0.152 (95% CI: 0.034-0.270; p =
0.011) and 0.317 (95% CI: 0.193-0.442, p = 6.046e-07) was found in the
standardized mean difference (SMD) of FG for the AC and CC genotypes,
respectively, when compared with the AA reference genotype. However, the G-allele
of rs560887 in Caucasians under the additive model and the C-allele of rs16856187
under the allele and dominant models were associated with a decreased risk of T2D
(OR (95% CI) = 0.964 (0.947, 0.981), p = 0.570e-4; OR (95% CI) = 0.892 (0.832,
0.956), p = 0.001; and OR (95% CI) = 0.923(0.892, 0.955), p = 5.301e-6,
respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Our meta-analyses demonstrate that all three allele
variants of G6PC2 (rs560887, rs16856187 and rs573225) are associated with
elevated FG, with two variants (rs560887 in the Caucasians subgroup and
rs16856187 under the allele and dominant model) being associated with T2D as
well. Further studies utilizing larger sample sizes and different ethnic
populations are needed to extend and confirm these findings.
PMID- 28704541
TI - Increased genetic diversity and prevalence of co-infection with Trypanosoma spp.
in koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) and their ticks identified using next
generation sequencing (NGS).
AB - Infections with Trypanosoma spp. have been associated with poor health and
decreased survival of koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus), particularly in the
presence of concurrent pathogens such as Chlamydia and koala retrovirus. The
present study describes the application of a next-generation sequencing (NGS)
based assay to characterise the prevalence and genetic diversity of trypanosome
communities in koalas and two native species of ticks (Ixodes holocyclus and I.
tasmani) removed from koala hosts. Among 168 koalas tested, 32.2% (95% CI: 25.2
39.8%) were positive for at least one Trypanosoma sp. Previously described
Trypanosoma spp. from koalas were identified, including T. irwini (32.1%, 95% CI:
25.2-39.8%), T. gilletti (25%, 95% CI: 18.7-32.3%), T. copemani (27.4%, 95% CI:
20.8-34.8%) and T. vegrandis (10.1%, 95% CI: 6.0-15.7%). Trypanosoma noyesi was
detected for the first time in koalas, although at a low prevalence (0.6% 95% CI:
0-3.3%), and a novel species (Trypanosoma sp. AB-2017) was identified at a
prevalence of 4.8% (95% CI: 2.1-9.2%). Mixed infections with up to five species
were present in 27.4% (95% CI: 21-35%) of the koalas, which was significantly
higher than the prevalence of single infections 4.8% (95% CI: 2-9%). Overall, a
considerably higher proportion (79.7%) of the Trypanosoma sequences isolated from
koala blood samples were identified as T. irwini, suggesting this is the dominant
species. Co-infections involving T. gilletti, T. irwini, T. copemani, T.
vegrandis and Trypanosoma sp. AB-2017 were also detected in ticks, with T.
gilletti and T. copemani being the dominant species within the invertebrate
hosts. Direct Sanger sequencing of Trypanosoma 18S rRNA gene amplicons was also
performed and results revealed that this method was only able to identify the
genotypes with greater amount of reads (according to NGS) within koala samples,
which highlights the advantages of NGS in detecting mixed infections. The present
study provides new insights on the natural genetic diversity of Trypanosoma
communities infecting koalas and constitutes a benchmark for future clinical and
epidemiological studies required to quantify the contribution of trypanosome
infections on koala survival rates.
PMID- 28704542
TI - Conventional alpha beta (alphabeta) T cells do not contribute to acute intestinal
ischemia-reperfusion injury in mice.
AB - PURPOSE: Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is associated with significant patient
mortality and morbidity. The complex cascade of IRI is incompletely understood,
but inflammation is known to be a key mediator. In addition to the predominant
innate immune responses, previous research has also indicated that alphabeta T
cells contribute to IRI in various organ models. The aim of this study was to
clarify the role alphabeta T cells play in IRI to the gut. METHODS: Adult wild
type (WT) and alphabeta T cell-deficient mice were subjected to acute intestinal
IRI with 30min ischemia followed by 4h reperfusion. The gene expression of pro
inflammatory cytokines was measured by qPCR, and the influx of leukocyte
subpopulations in the gut was assessed via flow cytometry and histology. Pro
inflammatory cytokines in the serum were measured, and transaminases were
assessed as an indicator of distant organ IRI. RESULTS: Intestinal IRI led to an
increased expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the gut tissue and an
influx of leukocytes that predominantly consisted of neutrophils and macrophages.
Furthermore, intestinal IRI increased serum IL-6, TNF-alpha, and ALT/AST levels.
The alphabeta T cell-deficient mice did not exhibit a more significant increase
in pro-inflammatory cytokines in the gut or serum following IR than the WT mice.
There was also no difference between WT- and alphabeta T cell-deficient mice in
terms of neutrophil infiltration or macrophage activation. Furthermore, the
increase in transaminases was equal in both groups indicating that the level of
distant organ injury was comparable. CONCLUSION: An increasing body of evidence
demonstrates that alphabeta T cells play a key role in IRI. In the gut, however,
alphabeta T cells are not pivotal in the first hours following acute IRI as
deficiency does not impact cytokine production, neutrophil recruitment,
macrophage activation, or distant organ injury. Thus, alphabeta T cells may be
considered innocent bystanders during the acute phase of intestinal IRI.
PMID- 28704543
TI - The transcriptional regulator SsrB is involved in a molecular switch controlling
virulence lifestyles of Salmonella.
AB - The evolution of bacterial pathogenicity, heavily influenced by horizontal gene
transfer, provides new virulence factors and regulatory connections that alter
bacterial phenotypes. Salmonella pathogenicity islands 1 and 2 (SPI-1 and SPI-2)
are chromosomal regions that were acquired at different evolutionary times and
are essential for Salmonella virulence. In the intestine of mammalian hosts,
Salmonella expresses the SPI-1 genes that mediate its invasion to the gut
epithelium. Once inside the cells, Salmonella down-regulates the SPI-1 genes and
induces the expression of the SPI-2 genes, which favor its intracellular
replication. The mechanism by which the invasion machinery is deactivated
following successful invasion of host cells is not known. Here, we show that the
SPI-2 encoded transcriptional regulator SsrB, which positively controls SPI-2,
acts as a dual regulator that represses expression of SPI-1 during intracellular
stages of infection. The mechanism of this SPI-1 repression by SsrB was direct
and acts upon the hilD and hilA regulatory genes. The phenotypic effect of this
molecular switch activity was a significant reduction in invasion ability of S.
enterica serovar Typhimurium while promoting the expression of genes required for
intracellular survival. During mouse infections, Salmonella mutants lacking SsrB
had high levels of hilA (SPI-1) transcriptional activity whereas introducing a
constitutively active SsrB led to significant hilA repression. Thus, our results
reveal a novel SsrB-mediated mechanism of transcriptional crosstalk between SPI-1
and SPI-2 that helps Salmonella transition to the intracellular lifestyle.
PMID- 28704544
TI - Effect of acute ozone exposure on the lung metabolomes of obese and lean mice.
AB - Pulmonary responses to the air pollutant, ozone, are increased in obesity. Both
obesity and ozone cause changes in systemic metabolism. Consequently, we examined
the impact of ozone on the lung metabolomes of obese and lean mice. Lean wildtype
and obese db/db mice were exposed to acute ozone (2 ppm for 3 h) or air. 24 hours
later, the lungs were excised, flushed with PBS to remove blood and analyzed via
liquid-chromatography or gas-chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry for
metabolites. Both obesity and ozone caused changes in the lung metabolome. Of 321
compounds identified, 101 were significantly impacted by obesity in air-exposed
mice. These included biochemicals related to carbohydrate and lipid metabolism,
which were each increased in lungs of obese versus lean mice. These metabolite
changes may be of functional importance given the signaling capacity of these
moieties. Ozone differentially affected the lung metabolome in obese versus lean
mice. For example, almost all phosphocholine-containing lysolipids were
significantly reduced in lean mice, but this effect was attenuated in obese mice.
Glutathione metabolism was also differentially affected by ozone in obese and
lean mice. Finally, the lung metabolome indicated a role for the microbiome in
the effects of both obesity and ozone: all measured bacterial/mammalian co
metabolites were significantly affected by obesity and/or ozone. Thus, metabolic
derangements in obesity appear to impact the response to ozone.
PMID- 28704545
TI - An overview of genetic rust resistance: From broad to specific mechanisms.
PMID- 28704546
TI - Epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus in a burn unit of a tertiary care center in
Ghana.
AB - BACKGROUND: In developing countries, hospitalized burn victims are at high risk
of nosocomial infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus. Risk factors include
poor infection control practices, prolonged hospitalisation and limited capacity
for laboratory microbiological analyses. These problems are compounded by
widespread use of antibiotics that drives the spread of multi-drug resistant
bacteria. METHODS: During the study period (November 2014-June 2015), nasal and
invasive S. aureus isolates were collected consecutively from patients and
healthcare workers (HCWs) within the burn unit of the Reconstructive Plastic
Surgery and Burn Center of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Ghana. Antibiotic
prescription, antibiotic susceptibility and bacterial typing were used to assess
antibiotic pressure, antibiotic resistance, and possible transmission events
among patients and HCWs. RESULTS: Eighty S. aureus isolates were obtained from 37
of the 62 included burn patients and 13 of the 29 HCWs. At admission, 50% of
patients carried or were infected with S. aureus including methicillin resistant
S. aureus (MRSA). Antibiotic use per 100 days of hospitalization was high (91.2
days), indicating high selective pressure for resistant pathogens. MRSA isolates
obtained from 11 patients and one HCW belonged to the same spa-type t928 and
multi-locus sequence type 250, implying possible transmission events. A mortality
rate of 24% was recorded over the time of admission in the burn unit. CONCLUSION:
This study revealed a high potential for MRSA outbreaks and emergence of
resistant pathogens amongst burn patients due to lack of patient screening and
extended empirical use of antibiotics. Our observations underscore the need to
implement a system of antibiotic stewardship and infection prevention where
microbiological diagnostics results are made available to physicians for timely
and appropriate patient treatment.
PMID- 28704547
TI - What viruses can teach us about the human immune system.
PMID- 28704548
TI - Socio-economic predictors of stillbirths in Nepal (2001-2011).
AB - INTRODUCTION: Stillbirth has a long-lasting impact on parents and families. This
study examined socio-economic predictors associated with stillbirth in Nepal for
the year 2001, 2006 and 2011. METHODS: The Nepalese Demographic and Health Survey
(NDHS) data for the period (2001-2011) were pooled to estimate socio-economic
predictors associated with stillbirths in Nepal using binomial logistic
regression while taking clustering and sampling weights into account. RESULTS: A
total of 18,386 pregnancies of at least 28 weeks gestation were identified. Of
these pregnancies, 335 stillbirths were reported. Stillbirth increased
significantly among women that lived in the hills ecological zones (aRR 1.38, 95%
CI 1.02, 1.87) or in the mountains ecological zones (aRR 1.71, 95% CI 1.10,
2.66). Women with no schooling (aRR 1.72, 95% CI 1.10, 2.69), women with primary
education (aRR 1.81, 95% CI 1.11, 2.97); open defecation (aRR 1.48, 95% CI 1.00,
2.18), and those whose major occupation was agriculture (aRR 1.80, 95% CI 1.16,
2.78) are more likely to report higher stillbirth. CONCLUSIONS: Low levels of
education, ecological zones and open defecation were found to be strong
predictors of stillbirth. Access to antenatal care services and skilled birth
attendants for women in the mountainous and hilly ecological zones of Nepal is
needed to further reduce stillbirth and improved services should also focus on
women with low levels of education.
PMID- 28704549
TI - Correction: Molecular exploration of hidden diversity in the Indo-West Pacific
sciaenid clade.
AB - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0176623.].
PMID- 28704550
TI - Is it appropriate for Korean women to adopt the 2009 Institute of Medicine
recommendations for gestational weight gain?
AB - BACKGROUND: The 2009 Institute of Medicine (IOM) guidelines for gestational
weight gain (GWG) are intended for use among women in the United States. Little
data are available on whether the 2009 IOM recommendations can be applied to
Asian women. This study aimed to evaluate whether the recommendations are related
to adverse pregnancy outcomes in Korean pregnant women. METHODS AND FINDINGS: A
retrospective cohort study was conducted for all singleton-pregnant women at a
university hospital in Korea. After classifying the enrolled women into four
Korean pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) categories, the risk of adverse
pregnancy outcomes were analyzed for women who gained inadequate or excessive GWG
based on 2009 IOM recommendations. Of 7,843 pregnancies, 64.0% of women had
normal pre-pregnancy BMI and 42.7% achieved optimal GWG. Across all BMI
categories, adverse pregnancies outcomes such as small for gestational age (SGA),
large for gestational age (LGA), preterm birth, preeclampsia, and cesarean due to
dystocia were significantly associated with GWG (all P <= 0.001).Women with
normal BMI who gained inadequate weight were more likely to develop SGA and
preterm birth and less likely to develop LGA (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.21,
1.33, and 0.54, respectively). Whereas, women with normal BMI who gained
excessive weight were more likely to develop LGA, preterm birth, preeclampsia,
and cesarean section due to dystocia (aOR 2.10, 1.33, 1.37, and 1.37,
respectively) and less likely to develop SGA (aOR 0.60). CONCLUSIONS: It is
tolerable for Korean women to follow recommended GWG from the 2009 IOM guidelines
to decrease adverse pregnancy outcomes. This will be helpful for antenatal care
on GWG not only for Korean pregnant women, but also other Asian women who have
lower BMI criteria than Caucasian women.
PMID- 28704551
TI - Opposing roles of Toll-like receptor and cytosolic DNA-STING signaling pathways
for Staphylococcus aureus cutaneous host defense.
AB - Successful host defense against pathogens requires innate immune recognition of
the correct pathogen associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) by pathogen
recognition receptors (PRRs) to trigger the appropriate gene program tailored to
the pathogen. While many PRR pathways contribute to the innate immune response to
specific pathogens, the relative importance of each pathway for the complete
transcriptional program elicited has not been examined in detail. Herein, we used
RNA-sequencing with wildtype and mutant macrophages to delineate the innate
immune pathways contributing to the early transcriptional response to
Staphylococcus aureus, a ubiquitous microorganism that can activate a wide
variety of PRRs. Unexpectedly, two PRR pathways-the Toll-like receptor (TLR) and
Stimulator of Interferon Gene (STING) pathways-were identified as dominant
regulators of approximately 95% of the genes that were potently induced within
the first four hours of macrophage infection with live S. aureus. TLR signaling
predominantly activated a pro-inflammatory program while STING signaling
activated an antiviral/type I interferon response with live but not killed S.
aureus. This STING response was largely dependent on the cytosolic DNA sensor
cyclic guanosine-adenosine synthase (cGAS). Using a cutaneous infection model, we
found that the TLR and STING pathways played opposite roles in host defense to S.
aureus. TLR signaling was required for host defense, with its absence reducing
interleukin (IL)-1beta production and neutrophil recruitment, resulting in
increased bacterial growth. In contrast, absence of STING signaling had the
opposite effect, enhancing the ability to restrict the infection. These results
provide novel insights into the complex interplay of innate immune signaling
pathways triggered by S. aureus and uncover opposing roles of TLR and STING in
cutaneous host defense to S. aureus.
PMID- 28704552
TI - PTCH1 is a reliable marker for predicting imatinib response in chronic myeloid
leukemia patients in chronic phase.
AB - Patched homolog 1 gene (PTCH1) expression and the ratio of PTCH1 to Smoothened
(SMO) expression have been proposed as prognostic markers of the response of
chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients to imatinib. We compared these
measurements in a realistic cohort of 101 patients with CML in chronic phase (CP)
using a simplified qPCR method, and confirmed the prognostic power of each in a
competing risk analysis. Gene expression levels were measured in peripheral blood
samples at diagnosis. The PTCH1/SMO ratio did not improve PTCH1 prognostic power
(area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0.71 vs. 0.72). In order
to reduce the number of genes to be analyzed, PTCH1 was the selected measurement.
High and low PTCH1 expression groups had significantly different cumulative
incidences of imatinib failure (IF), which was defined as discontinuation of
imatinib due to lack of efficacy (5% vs. 25% at 4 years, P = 0.013),
probabilities of achieving a major molecular response (81% vs. 53% at first year,
P = 0.02), and proportions of early molecular failure (14% vs. 43%, P = 0.015).
Every progression to an advanced phase (n = 3) and CML-related death (n = 2)
occurred in the low PTCH1 group (P<0.001 for both comparisons). PTCH1 was an
independent prognostic factor for the prediction of IF. We also validated
previously published thresholds for PTCH1 expression. Therefore, we confirmed
that PTCH1 expression can predict the imatinib response in CML patients in CP by
applying a more rigorous statistical analysis. Thus, PTCH1 expression is a
promising molecular marker for predicting the imatinib response in CML patients
in CP.
PMID- 28704553
TI - Screening and characterizing of xylanolytic and xylose-fermenting yeasts isolated
from the wood-feeding termite, Reticulitermes chinensis.
AB - The effective fermentation of xylose remains an intractable challenge in
bioethanol industry. The relevant xylanase enzyme is also in a high demand from
industry for several biotechnological applications that inevitably in recent
times led to many efforts for screening some novel microorganisms for better
xylanase production and fermentation performance. Recently, it seems that wood
feeding termites can truly be considered as highly efficient natural bioreactors.
The highly specialized gut systems of such insects are not yet fully realized,
particularly, in xylose fermentation and xylanase production to advance
industrial bioethanol technology as well as industrial applications of xylanases.
A total of 92 strains from 18 yeast species were successfully isolated and
identified from the gut of wood-feeding termite, Reticulitermes chinensis. Of
these yeasts and strains, seven were identified for new species: Candida gotoi,
Candida pseudorhagii, Hamamotoa lignophila, Meyerozyma guilliermondii,
Sugiyamaella sp.1, Sugiyamaella sp. 2, and Sugiyamaella sp.3. Based on the
phylogenetic and phenotypic characterization, the type strain of C. pseudorhagii
sp. nov., which was originally designated strain SSA-1542T, was the most
frequently occurred yeast from termite gut samples, showed the highly xylanolytic
activity as well as D-xylose fermentation. The highest xylanase activity was
recorded as 1.73 and 0.98 U/mL with xylan or D-xylose substrate, respectively,
from SSA-1542T. Among xylanase-producing yeasts, four novel species were
identified as D-xylose-fermenting yeasts, where the yeast, C. pseudorhagii SSA
1542T, showed the highest ethanol yield (0.31 g/g), ethanol productivity (0.31
g/L.h), and its fermentation efficiency (60.7%) in 48 h. Clearly, the symbiotic
yeasts isolated from termite guts have demonstrated a competitive capability to
produce xylanase and ferment xylose, suggesting that the wood-feeding termite gut
is a promising reservoir for novel xylanases-producing and xylose-fermenting
yeasts that are potentially valued for biorefinery industry.
PMID- 28704554
TI - Trends in the incidence and outcomes of bicycle-related injury in the emergency
department: A nationwide population-based study in South Korea, 2012-2014.
AB - OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine trends in the incidence and outcomes of
bicycle-related injuries in emergency departments (ED) in South Korea. METHODS:
We analysed data from the National Emergency Department Information System
database for adult patients (>=20 years) with bicycle-related injuries presenting
to EDs in South Korea between January 2012 and December 2014. Riders and bicycle
passengers whose injuries were associated with bicycle use were included. Serious
outcomes were defined as death at the ED, need for emergency operation, or
intensive care unit admission. RESULTS: The number of people who commute to work
by bicycle increased by 36% from 205,100 in 2005 to 279,544 in 2015. Of 529,278
traffic-related trauma cases, 58,352 (11.0%) were bicycle-related, which
increased from 7,894 (10.2%) in the first half of 2012 to 12,882 (12.2%) in the
second half of 2014 (p < 0.001). However, the proportion of serious outcomes
decreased from 5.0% to 4.2% during the study period (p < 0.001). Serious outcomes
were most frequent in the elderly (65-74 years) and older elderly (>=75 years)
groups and decreased for all but the elderly age group from 10.3% to 9.8% (p =
0.204). The helmet use rate increased from 14.2% to 20.3% (p < 0.001) but was the
lowest in the older elderly group (3.6%) without change during the study period
(from 4.7% to 3.7%, p = 0.656). A lack of helmet use was significantly associated
with serious outcomes (odds ratio, 1.811; 95% confidence interval, 1.576-2.082).
CONCLUSIONS: Although the incidence of bicycle-related injuries increased, the
proportion of serious outcomes decreased, possibly due to increased helmet use.
Public education on safety equipment use is required, especially in elderly
populations.
PMID- 28704555
TI - A system model of the effects of exercise on plasma Interleukin-6 dynamics in
healthy individuals: Role of skeletal muscle and adipose tissue.
AB - Interleukin-6 (IL-6) has been recently shown to play a central role in glucose
homeostasis, since it stimulates the production and secretion of Glucagon-like
Peptide-1 (GLP-1) from intestinal L-cells and pancreas, leading to an enhanced
insulin response. In resting conditions, IL-6 is mainly produced by the adipose
tissue whereas, during exercise, skeletal muscle contractions stimulate a marked
IL-6 secretion as well. Available mathematical models describing the effects of
exercise on glucose homeostasis, however, do not account for this IL-6
contribution. This study aimed at developing and validating a system model of
exercise's effects on plasma IL-6 dynamics in healthy humans, combining the
contributions of both adipose tissue and skeletal muscle. A two-compartment
description was adopted to model plasma IL-6 changes in response to oxygen
uptake's variation during an exercise bout. The free parameters of the model were
estimated by means of a cross-validation procedure performed on four different
datasets. A low coefficient of variation (<10%) was found for each parameter and
the physiologically meaningful parameters were all consistent with literature
data. Moreover, plasma IL-6 dynamics during exercise and post-exercise were
consistent with literature data from exercise protocols differing in intensity,
duration and modality. The model successfully emulated the physiological effects
of exercise on plasma IL-6 levels and provided a reliable description of the role
of skeletal muscle and adipose tissue on the dynamics of plasma IL-6. The system
model here proposed is suitable to simulate IL-6 response to different exercise
modalities. Its future integration with existing models of GLP-1-induced insulin
secretion might provide a more reliable description of exercise's effects on
glucose homeostasis and hence support the definition of more tailored
interventions for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
PMID- 28704556
TI - A comparative study revealed first insights into the diversity and metabolisms of
the microbial communities in the sediments of Pacmanus and Desmos hydrothermal
fields.
AB - Currently, little is known about the microbial diversity in the sediments of
Pacmanus and Desmos hydrothermal fields in Manus Basin. In this study, Illumina
based sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons and metagenomic analysis were
conducted to investigate the microbial populations and metabolic profiles in the
sediments from four different regions in Pacmanus and Desmos hydrothermal fields.
It was found that Gammaproteobacteria and Thaumarchaeota were the most abundant
bacterial and archaeal populations, respectively. The autotrophic prokaryotes in
the four communities probably fixed CO2 via four major pathways, i.e. Calvin
Benson-Bassham cycle, reductive acetyl-CoA cycle, rTCA cycle, and 3
hydroxypropionate/4-hydroxybutyrate cycle. Ammonia-oxidizing Thaumarchaeota,
nitrifiers, denitrifiers, and sulfur oxidizers belonging to the subgroups of
Proteobacteria (e.g., alpha, beta, gamma, and epsilon), Nitrospira, and
Nitrospina, and sulfate-reducing Desulfobacterales likely played critical roles
in nitrogen and sulfur cycling, in which ammonia, sulfur compounds, and hydrogen
could be utilized as potential energy sources. These findings revealed new
insights into the operational mechanism of the microbial communities associated
with Pacmanus and Desmos hydrothermal fields.
PMID- 28704557
TI - Monte Carlo studies on neutron interactions in radiobiological experiments.
AB - Monte Carlo method was used to study the characteristics of neutron interactions
with cells underneath a water medium layer with varying thickness. The following
results were obtained. (1) The fractions of neutron interaction with 1H, 12C, 14N
and 16O nuclei in the cell layer were studied. The fraction with 1H increased
with increasing medium thickness, while decreased for 12C, 14N and 16O nuclei.
The bulges in the interaction fractions with 12C, 14N and 16O nuclei were
explained by the resonance spikes in the interaction cross-section data. The
interaction fraction decreased in the order: 1H > 16O > 12C > 14N. (2) In
general, as the medium thickness increased, the number of "interacting neutrons"
which exited the medium and then further interacted with the cell layer
increased. (3) The area under the angular distributions for "interacting
neutrons" decreased with increasing incident neutron energy. Such results would
be useful for deciphering the reasons behind discrepancies among existing results
in the literature.
PMID- 28704558
TI - Correction: Cone-beam computed tomography with automated bone subtraction in
preoperative embolization for pelvic bone tumors.
AB - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0175907.].
PMID- 28704559
TI - Synthesis, cytotoxicity and antitumour mechanism investigations of
polyoxometalate doped silica nanospheres on breast cancer MCF-7 cells.
AB - Polyoxometalates (POMs) have shown the potential anti-bacterial, anti-viral and
anti-tumor activities. In order to improve their physiological stability and
antitumour activity for medical application, K2Na[AsIIIMo6O21(O2CCH2NH3)3].6H2O
doped silica nanospheres (POM@SiO2) with diameters of ~40 nm have been
synthesized by the water-in-oil microemulsion method in this study. The obtained
spheres were morphologically uniform nanosized and nearly monodispersed in
solution. The nanoparticles had high entrapment efficiency, which was upto 46.2%
by the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis and POMs
slowly released from the nanospheres both in the PH 7.4 and 5.5 phosphate buffer
saline (PBS) solutions in 60 h. The in vitro MTT assays of particles on MCF-7
cell line (a human breast adenocarcinoma cell line) exhibited enhanced antitumor
activity compared to that of plain polyoxometalate. The IC50 value of the
POM@SiO2 nanoparticles was 40.0 MUg/mL at 24 h calculated by the encapsulated POM
concentration, which was much lower comparing to that of 2.0 * 104 MUg/mL
according to the pure POM. And the SiO2 shells showed low inhibitory effect at
the corresponding concentration. Confocal images further indicated the cell
morphology changes and necrosis. Flow cytometric analysis showed nanoparticles
induced the apoptosis by arresting the cells in S phase and western blot analysis
indicated they promoted apoptosis by inhibiting the Bcl-2 protein. Moreover, the
study of interactions between human serum albumin (HSA) and the nanoparticles
indicated the fluorescence quenching was static, and the nanoparticles were
likely to bind to HSA and changed its conformation.
PMID- 28704560
TI - Performance characteristics of finger-stick dried blood spots (DBS) on the
determination of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatment failure in a
pediatric population in Mozambique.
AB - Quantitative plasma viral load (VL) at 1000 copies /mL was recommended as the
threshold to confirm antiretroviral therapy (ART) failure by the World Health
Organization (WHO). Because of ongoing challenges of using plasma for VL testing
in resource-limited settings (RLS), especially for children, this study collected
717 DBS and paired plasma samples from children receiving ART >=1 year in
Mozambique and compared the performance of DBS using Abbott's VL test with a
paired plasma sample using Roche's VL test. At a cut-off of 1000 copies/mL,
sensitivity of DBS using Abbott DBS VL test was 79.9%, better than 71.0% and
63.9% at 3000 and 5000 copies/mL, respectively. Specificities were 97.6%, 98.8%,
99.3% at 1000, 3000, and 5000 copies/mL, respectively. The Kappa value at 1000
copies/mL, 0.80 (95% CI: 0.73, 0.87), was higher than 0.73 (95% CI: 0.66, 0.80)
and 0.66 (95% CI: 0.59, 0.73) at 3000, 5000 copies/mL, respectively, also
indicating better agreement. The mean difference between the DBS and plasma VL
tests with 95% limits of agreement by Bland-Altman was 0.311 (-0.908, 1.530).
Among 73 children with plasma VL between 1000 to 5000 copies/mL, the DBS results
were undetectable in 53 at the 1000 copies/mL threshold. While one DBS sample in
the Abbott DBS VL test may be an alternative method to confirm ART failure at
1000 copies/mL threshold when a plasma sample is not an option for treatment
monitoring, because of sensitivity concerns between 1,000 and 5,000 copies/ml,
two DBS samples may be preferred accompanied by careful patient monitoring and
repeat testing.
PMID- 28704561
TI - Diet overlap and spatial segregation between two neotropical marsupials revealed
by multiple analytical approaches.
AB - Species co-existence depends on how organisms utilize their environment and
resources. When two sympatric species are similar in some ecological
requirements, their coexistence may arise from differences in resource use over
time and/or space. Interactions among coexisting marsupials remain poorly
understood, especially in the Neotropics. Here we combine spatial niche
measurements, individual-resource networks, and isotopic niche approaches, to
investigate the ecological strategies used by the Neotropical marsupials
Didelphis aurita and Metachirus nudicaudatus to co-occur in an area of Serra do
Mar State Park (southeast of Brazil). Both individual-resource networks and
isotopic niche approaches indicate similar patterns of omnivory for both species.
Isotopic analysis showed the species' trophic niche to be similar, with 52% of
overlap, and no differences between proportional contributions of each resource
to their diets. Moreover, individual-resource network analysis found no evidence
of diet nestedness or segregation. The trophic niche overlap observed was
associated with spatial segregation between species. Despite using the same area
over the year, D. aurita and M. nudicaudatus exhibited spatial segregation among
seasons. These results illustrate that the detection of spatial segregation is
scale-dependent and must be carefully considered. In conclusion, our findings
provide a new perspective on the ecology of these two Neotropical marsupials by
illustrating how the association of distinct but complementary methods can be
applied to reach a more complete understanding of resource partitioning and
species coexistence.
PMID- 28704562
TI - Cerebral 18F-FDG PET in macrophagic myofasciitis: An individual SVM-based
approach.
AB - INTRODUCTION: Macrophagic myofasciitis (MMF) is an emerging condition with highly
specific myopathological alterations. A peculiar spatial pattern of a cerebral
glucose hypometabolism involving occipito-temporal cortex and cerebellum have
been reported in patients with MMF; however, the full pattern is not
systematically present in routine interpretation of scans, and with varying
degrees of severity depending on the cognitive profile of patients. Aim was to
generate and evaluate a support vector machine (SVM) procedure to classify
patients between healthy or MMF 18F-FDG brain profiles. METHODS: 18F-FDG PET
brain images of 119 patients with MMF and 64 healthy subjects were
retrospectively analyzed. The whole-population was divided into two groups; a
training set (100 MMF, 44 healthy subjects) and a testing set (19 MMF, 20 healthy
subjects). Dimensionality reduction was performed using a t-map from statistical
parametric mapping (SPM) and a SVM with a linear kernel was trained on the
training set. To evaluate the performance of the SVM classifier, values of
sensitivity (Se), specificity (Sp), positive predictive value (PPV), negative
predictive value (NPV) and accuracy (Acc) were calculated. RESULTS: The SPM12
analysis on the training set exhibited the already reported hypometabolism
pattern involving occipito-temporal and fronto-parietal cortices, limbic system
and cerebellum. The SVM procedure, based on the t-test mask generated from the
training set, correctly classified MMF patients of the testing set with following
Se, Sp, PPV, NPV and Acc: 89%, 85%, 85%, 89%, and 87%. CONCLUSION: We developed
an original and individual approach including a SVM to classify patients between
healthy or MMF metabolic brain profiles using 18F-FDG-PET. Machine learning
algorithms are promising for computer-aided diagnosis but will need further
validation in prospective cohorts.
PMID- 28704563
TI - Self-propagating, protease-resistant, recombinant prion protein conformers with
or without in vivo pathogenicity.
AB - Prions, characterized by self-propagating protease-resistant prion protein (PrP)
conformations, are agents causing prion disease. Recent studies generated several
such self-propagating protease-resistant recombinant PrP (rPrP-res) conformers.
While some cause prion disease, others fail to induce any pathology. Here we
showed that although distinctly different, the pathogenic and non-pathogenic rPrP
res conformers were similarly recognized by a group of conformational antibodies
against prions and shared a similar guanidine hydrochloride denaturation profile,
suggesting a similar overall architecture. Interestingly, two independently
generated non-pathogenic rPrP-res were almost identical, indicating that the
particular rPrP-res resulted from cofactor-guided PrP misfolding, rather than
stochastic PrP aggregation. Consistent with the notion that cofactors influence
rPrP-res conformation, the propagation of all rPrP-res formed with
phosphatidylglycerol/RNA was cofactor-dependent, which is different from rPrP-res
generated with a single cofactor, phosphatidylethanolamine. Unexpectedly, despite
the dramatic difference in disease-causing capability, RT-QuIC assays detected
large increases in seeding activity in both pathogenic and non-pathogenic rPrP
res inoculated mice, indicating that the non-pathogenic rPrP-res is not
completely inert in vivo. Together, our study supported a role of cofactors in
guiding PrP misfolding, indicated that relatively small structural features
determine rPrP-res' pathogenicity, and revealed that the in vivo seeding ability
of rPrP-res does not necessarily result in pathogenicity.
PMID- 28704564
TI - Poor clinical response in rheumatoid arthritis is the main risk factor for
diabetes development in the short-term: A 1-year, single-centre, longitudinal
study.
AB - OBJECTIVES: Despite of the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) provided
different sets of recommendations for the management of cardiovascular risk in
inflammatory arthritis patients, it must be pointed out that cardiometabolic
comorbidity, such as type 2 diabetes (T2D), remains still underdiagnosed and
undertreated in patients affected by rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: In this
work, we designed a single centre, prospective study in order to better
investigate the occurrence of T2D during the course of 1 year of follow-up.
Furthermore, we evaluated the role of both traditional cardiovascular and RA
specific related risk factors to predict the occurrence of new T2D. RESULTS: In
this study, we evaluated 439 consecutive RA patients and we observed that 7.1% of
our patients (31/439) developed T2D, after 12 month of prospective follow-up. The
regression analysis showed that the presence of high blood pressure, the impaired
fasting glucose (IFG) at the first observation and the poor EULAR-DAS28 response,
after 12 months of follow-up, were significantly associated with an increased
likelihood of being classified as T2D. Similarly, we observed that 7.7% of our
patients (34/439) showed IFG after 12 months of prospective follow-up. The
regression analysis showed that the presence of high blood pressure and the poor
EULAR-DAS28 response after 12 months of follow-up, were significantly associated
with an increased likelihood of showing IFG. CONCLUSIONS: Our study supports the
hypothesis of a significant short-term risk of T2D in RA patients and of a close
associations between uncontrolled disease activity and glucose metabolism
derangement. Further multicentre, randomised-controlled studies are surely needed
in order to elucidate these findings and to better ascertain the possible
contribution of different therapeutic regimens to reduce this risk.
PMID- 28704565
TI - Contribution of seagrass plants to CO2 capture in a tropical seagrass meadow
under experimental disturbance.
AB - Coastal vegetative habitats are known to be highly productive environments with a
high ability to capture and store carbon. During disturbance this important
function could be compromised as plant photosynthetic capacity, biomass, and/or
growth are reduced. To evaluate effects of disturbance on CO2 capture in plants
we performed a five-month manipulative experiment in a tropical seagrass
(Thalassia hemprichii) meadow exposed to two intensity levels of shading and
simulated grazing. We assessed CO2 capture potential (as net CO2 fixation) using
areal productivity calculated from continuous measurements of diel photosynthetic
rates, and estimates of plant morphology, biomass and productivity/respiration
(P/R) ratios (from the literature). To better understand the plant capacity to
coping with level of disturbance we also measured plant growth and resource
allocation. We observed substantial reductions in seagrass areal productivity,
biomass, and leaf area that together resulted in a negative daily carbon balance
in the two shading treatments as well as in the high-intensity simulated grazing
treatment. Additionally, based on the concentrations of soluble carbohydrates and
starch in the rhizomes, we found that the main reserve sources for plant growth
were reduced in all treatments except for the low-intensity simulated grazing
treatment. If permanent, these combined adverse effects will reduce the plants'
resilience and capacity to recover after disturbance. This might in turn have
long-lasting and devastating effects on important ecosystem functions, including
the carbon sequestration capacity of the seagrass system.
PMID- 28704566
TI - Development and characterization of a human three-dimensional chondrosarcoma
culture for in vitro drug testing.
AB - It has been suggested that chemoresistance of chondrosarcoma (CHS), the cartilage
tumor, is caused by the phenotypic microenvironmental features of the tumor
tissue, mainly the chondrogenic extracellular matrix (ECM), and hypoxia. We
developed and characterized a multicellular tumor spheroid (MCTS) of human
chondrosarcoma HEMC-SS cells to gain insight into tumor cell biology and drug
response. At Day 7, HEMC-SS spheroids exhibited a homogeneous distribution of
proliferative Ki-67 positive cells, whereas in larger spheroids (Day 14 and Day
20), proliferation was mainly localized in the periphery. In the core of larger
spheroids, apoptotic cells were evidenced by TUNEL assay, and hypoxia by
pimonidazole staining. Interestingly, VEGF excretion, evidenced by ELISA on
culture media, was detectable from Day 14 spheroids, and increased as the
spheroids grew in size. HEMC-SS spheroids synthesized a chondrogenic
extracellular matrix rich in glycosaminoglycans and type-2 collagen. Finally, we
investigated the sensitivity of Day 7 and Day 14 chondrosarcoma MCTS to hypoxia
activated prodrug TH-302 and doxorubicin compared with their 2D counterparts. As
expected, TH-302 exhibited higher cytotoxic activity on larger hypoxic spheroids
(Day 14) than on non-hypoxic spheroids (Day 7), with multicellular resistance
index (MCRI) values of 7.7 and 9.1 respectively. For doxorubicin, the larger
sized spheroids exhibited higher drug resistance (MCRI of 5.0 for Day 7 and 18.3
for Day 14 spheroids), possibly due to impeded drug penetration into the deep
layer of spheroids, evidenced by its auto-fluorescence property. We have
developed a model of human chondrosarcoma MCTS that combines an ECM rich in
glycosaminoglycans with a high hypoxic core associated with VEGF excretion. This
model could offer a more predictive in vitro chondrosarcoma system for screening
drugs targeting tumor cells and their microenvironment.
PMID- 28704567
TI - Correction: In Vivo Persistence of Human Rhinoviruses in Immunosuppressed
Patients.
AB - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0170774.].
PMID- 28704568
TI - Correction: Tissue factor pathway inhibitor for prediction of placenta-mediated
adverse pregnancy outcomes in high-risk women: AngioPred study.
AB - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0173596.].
PMID- 28704569
TI - A virulence-associated filamentous bacteriophage of Neisseria meningitidis
increases host-cell colonisation.
AB - Neisseria meningitidis is a commensal of human nasopharynx. In some
circumstances, this bacteria can invade the bloodstream and, after crossing the
blood brain barrier, the meninges. A filamentous phage, designated MDAPhi for
Meningococcal Disease Associated, has been associated with invasive disease. In
this work we show that the prophage is not associated with a higher virulence
during the bloodstream phase of the disease. However, looking at the interaction
of N. meningitidis with epithelial cells, a step essential for colonization of
the nasopharynx, we demonstrate that the presence of the prophage, via the
production of viruses, increases colonization of encapsulated meningococci onto
monolayers of epithelial cells. The analysis of the biomass covering the
epithelial cells revealed that meningococci are bound to the apical surface of
host cells by few layers of heavily piliated bacteria, whereas, in the upper
layers, bacteria are non-piliated but surrounded by phage particles which (i)
form bundles of filaments, and/or (ii) are in some places associated with
bacteria. The latter are likely to correspond to growing bacteriophages during
their extrusion through the outer membrane. These data suggest that, as the
biomass increases, the loss of piliation in the upper layers of the biomass does
not allow type IV pilus bacterial aggregation, but is compensated by a large
production of phage particles that promote bacterial aggregation via the
formation of bundles of phage filaments linked to the bacterial cell walls. We
propose that MDAPhi by increasing bacterial colonization in the mucosa at the
site-of-entry, increase the occurrence of diseases.
PMID- 28704570
TI - Signs of eclampsia during singleton deliveries and early neonatal mortality in
low- and middle-income countries from three WHO regions.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of eclampsia symptoms and to explore
associations between eclampsia and early neonatal mortality. METHODS: The present
secondary analysis included Demographic and Health Surveys data from 2005 to
2012; details of signs related to severe obstetric adverse events of singleton
deliveries during interviewees' most recent delivery in the preceding 5 years
were included. Data and delivery history were merged for pooled analyses.
Convulsions-used as an indicator for having experienced eclampsia-and early
neonatal mortality rates were compared, and a generalized random effect model,
adjusted for heterogeneity between and within countries, was used to investigate
the impact of presumed eclampsia on early neonatal mortality. RESULTS: The merged
dataset included data from six surveys and 55 384 live deliveries that occurred
in Colombia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Mali, Niger, and Peru. Indications of
eclampsia were recorded for 1.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.0-1.3), 1.7%
(95% CI 1.5-2.1), and 1.7% (95% CI 1.5-2.1) of deliveries reported from the
American, South East Asian, and African regions, respectively. Pooled analyses
demonstrated that eclampsia was associated with increased risk of early neonatal
mortality (adjusted risk ratio 2.1 95% CI 1.4-3.2). CONCLUSION: Increased risk of
early neonatal mortality indicates a need for strategies targeting the early
detection of eclampsia and early interventions.
PMID- 28704571
TI - Silver ion coordination countercurrent chromatography: Separation of beta-elemene
from the volatile oil of Curcumae Rhizoma.
AB - In this work, the antitumor constituent beta-elemene was selectively separated
from the volatile oil of the Curcumae Rhizoma by countercurrent chromatography
with silver nitrate as selective reagent based on the formation of coordination
complexes. A biphasic solvent system composed of n-hexane/methanol/water
(2:1.5:0.5, v/v/v) was selected, in which 0.15 mol/L of silver nitrate was added
to the aqueous phase. The aqueous phase was used as the stationary phase for
separation of beta-elemene by countercurrent chromatography after it was
partially purified from the volatile oil by silica gel column chromatography. An
enriched beta-elemene fraction was obtained by silica gel column chromatography
to improve the percentage of beta-elemene from 16.5 to 46.1%. Subsequently, beta
elemene was further purified from 445 mg of the partially purified sample of
volatile oil by countercurrent chromatography with silver nitrate as a selective
reagent, yielding 145 mg of beta-elemene with greater than 99% purity, as
determined by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. The recovery of beta-elemene
from the crude volatile oil through two steps was around 63.6%.
PMID- 28704572
TI - Caryophyllane Thiols, Vinyl Thioethers, Di- and Bis-Sulfides: Antioxidant and
Membrane Protective Activities.
AB - Caryophyllane thioterpenoids were synthesized in 23 - 81% yields. The antioxidant
properties of the obtained compounds in various model systems were found. It was
revealed that 4,5-epoxycaryophyll-9-ylmethanethiol has the greatest antioxidant
activity. The isomerism of sesquiterpenic fragments was shown to have a
significant effect on the biological activity of the compounds.
PMID- 28704573
TI - Modulation of Mitochondriotropic Properties of Cyanine Dyes by in Organello
Copper-Free Click Reaction.
AB - Cyanine (Cy) dyes show a general propensity to localize in polarized
mitochondria. This mitochondriotropism was used to perform a copper-free click
reaction in the mitochondria of living cells. The in organello reaction of dyes
Cy3 and Cy5 led to a product that was easily traceable by Forster resonance
energy transfer (FRET). As determined by confocal laser scanning microscopy, the
Cy3-Cy5 conjugate showed enhanced retention in mitochondria, relative to that of
the starting compounds. This enhancement of a favorable property can be achieved
by synthesis in organello, but not outside mitochondria.
PMID- 28704574
TI - A Computational Method for Unveiling the Target Promiscuity of Pharmacologically
Active Compounds.
AB - Drug discovery is governed by the desire to find ligands with defined modes of
action. It has been realized that even designated selective drugs may have more
macromolecular targets than is commonly thought. Consequently, it will be
mandatory to consider multitarget activity for the design of future medicines.
Computational models assist medicinal chemists in this effort by helping to
eliminate unsuitable lead structures and spot undesired drug effects early in the
discovery process. Here, we present a straightforward computational method to
find previously unknown targets of pharmacologically active compounds. Validation
experiments revealed hitherto unknown targets of the natural product resveratrol
and the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug celecoxib. The obtained results
advocate machine learning for polypharmacology-based molecular design, drug re
purposing, and the "de-orphaning" of phenotypic drug effects.
PMID- 28704575
TI - 18 F-Labeling of Sensitive Biomolecules for Positron Emission Tomography.
AB - Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging study of fluorine-18 labeled
biomolecules is an emerging and rapidly growing area for preclinical and clinical
research. The present review focuses on recent advances in radiochemical methods
for incorporating fluorine-18 into biomolecules via "direct" or "indirect"
bioconjugation. Recently developed prosthetic groups and pre-targeting
strategies, as well as representative examples in 18 F-labeling of biomolecules
in PET imaging research studies are highlighted.
PMID- 28704577
TI - Parenting stress and development of late preterm infants at 4 months corrected
age.
AB - Parenting stress has been linked to child development issues in early preterm
infants, but less is known about its effects on development in infants born late
preterm. We examined relationships between parenting stress of 108 mothers and
108 fathers and development of late preterm infants born at 34 0/7 to 36 6/7
weeks gestation. At 4 months corrected age, mothers and fathers completed the
Parenting Stress Index (PSI-3); mothers were primary caregivers in almost all
families and completed the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-2) on child
development. Mothers reported significantly more stress than fathers on the PSI-3
Parent Domain. PSI-3 subscale scores from the Child Domain were significant
predictors of mother-reported infant development as measured by the ASQ-2 in
regression models: Reinforces Parent predicted Gross Motor, Mood predicted
Communication, and Acceptability predicted Communication, Fine Motor, Problem
Solving, and Personal -Social development scale scores. Experiences of parenting
stress differed for mothers and fathers. Further research is required on specific
dimensions of parenting stress related to development of late preterm infants.
PMID- 28704576
TI - Psychosis: an autoimmune disease?
AB - Psychotic disorders are common and disabling. Overlaps in clinical course in
addition to epidemiological and genetic associations raise the possibility that
autoimmune mechanisms may underlie some psychoses, potentially offering novel
therapeutic approaches. Several immune loci including the major
histocompatibility complex and B-cell markers CD19 and CD20 achieve genome-wide
significance in schizophrenia. Emerging evidence suggests a potential role via
neurodevelopment in addition to classical immune pathways. Additionally,
lymphocyte biology is increasingly investigated. Some reports note raised
peripheral CD19+ and reduced CD3+ lymphocyte counts, with altered CD4 : CD8
ratios in acute psychosis. Also, post-mortem studies have found CD3+ and CD20+
lymphocyte infiltration in brain regions that are of functional relevance to
psychosis. More specifically, the recent paradigm of neuronal surface antibody
mediated (NSAb) central nervous system disease provides an antigen-specific model
linking adaptive autoimmunity to psychopathology. NSAbs bind extracellular
epitopes of signalling molecules that are classically implicated in psychosis
such as NMDA and GABA receptors. This interaction may cause circuit dysfunction
leading to psychosis among other neurological features in patients with
autoimmune encephalitis. The detection of these cases is crucial as autoimmune
encephalitis is ameliorated by commonly available immunotherapies. Meanwhile, the
prevalence and relevance of these antibodies in people with isolated psychotic
disorders is an area of emerging scientific and clinical interest. Collaborative
efforts to achieve larger sample sizes, comparison of assay platforms, and
placebo-controlled randomized clinical trials are now needed to establish an
autoimmune contribution to psychosis.
PMID- 28704578
TI - Large-Diameter TiO2 Nanotubes Enable Wall Engineering with Conformal Hierarchical
Decoration and Blocking Layers for Enhanced Efficiency in Dye-Sensitized Solar
Cells (DSSC).
AB - Herein, we grew anodic TiO2 nanotube layer with a tube diameter >500 nm and an
open tube mouth. We use this morphology in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) and
show that these tubes allow the construction of hybrid hierarchical photoanode
structures of nanotubes with a defined and wall-conformal TiO2 nanoparticle
decoration. At the same time, the large diameter allows the successful
establishment of an additional (insulating) blocking layer of SiO2 or Al2 O3 on
the tube wall. We showed that this combination of hierarchical structure and
blocking layer significantly enhances the solar-cell efficiency by suppressing
recombination reactions. In such a DSSC structure, the solar-cell efficiency
under back side illumination with AM1.5 illumination was enhanced from 3 % for
the neat tube to 5 % for the hierarchical structure to 7 % when additionally a
blocking layer was attached.
PMID- 28704579
TI - Rhodium-Catalyzed Enantioselective Reductive Arylation: Convenient Access to 3,3
Disubstituted Oxindoles.
AB - A rhodium-Josiphos(L*) catalyzed enantioselective intramolecular hydroarylation
reaction is described. The reductive cyclization of o-bromoaniline-derived
acrylamides provides convenient access to 3,3-disubstituted oxindoles in good
yields and with excellent enantioselectivity across a range of substrates. We
propose that the key cyclization proceeds via a rhodium(III) intermediate.
Overall, this method represents an unusual mode of reactivity for rhodium
catalysis and is complementary to palladium(0)-catalyzed alpha-arylation methods.
PMID- 28704580
TI - Efficient discovery and capture of new neuronal nitric oxide synthase
postsynaptic density protein-95 uncouplers from herbal medicines using magnetic
molecularly imprinted polymers as artificial antibodies.
AB - In the scope of stroke treatment, new neuronal nitric oxide synthase-postsynaptic
density protein-95 uncouplers from herbal medicines were discovered and captured.
To do so, highly selective magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers with a core
shell structure were prepared as artificial antibodies. According to the results
of computational simulations, we designed and synthesized various polymers with
varying amounts and types of template, functional monomer, cross-linker, and
solvent. Characterization and performance tests revealed that the most
appropriate artificial antibodies showed uniform spherical morphologies, large
adsorption capacities, fast-binding kinetics, high selectivity, and quick
separation. These artificial antibodies were then used as sorbents for dispersive
magnetic solid-phase extraction coupled with high-performance liquid
chromatography and mass spectrometry to capture and identify structural analogs
to ZL006 from extracts of Scutellariae radix, Psoraleae fructus, and Trifolium
pratense. Furthermore, according to the neuroprotective effect and
coimmunoprecipitation test, Baicalein, Neobavaisoflavone, Corylifol A, and
Biochanin A can be the potential uncouplers of neuronal nitric oxide synthase
postsynaptic density protein-95. Therefore, this present study contributes
valuable information for the discovery of neuronal nitric oxide synthase
postsynaptic density protein-95 uncouplers from herbal medicines.
PMID- 28704581
TI - From Childhood to Adulthood: Disease Activity Trajectories in Childhood-Onset
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.
AB - OBJECTIVE: No previous study has studied the longitudinal disease course of
childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE). Our objectives are to assess
distinguishable differences in disease activity trajectories in cSLE patients,
determine baseline factors predictive of disease trajectory membership, and
assess if the different disease activity trajectories are associated with
different damage trajectories. METHODS: This is a retrospective, longitudinal
inception cohort of cSLE patients. Patients were followed from diagnosis as
children, until they were adults. SLE disease activity was modeled as a latent
characteristic, jointly using the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity
Index 2000 and prednisone in a Bayesian growth mixture model. Baseline factors
were tested for membership prediction of the latent classes of disease
trajectories. Differences in damage trajectories by disease activity classes were
tested using a mixed model. RESULTS: A total of 473 patients (82% females), with
median age at diagnosis of 14.1 years, were studied. We studied 11,992 visits
(2,666 patient-years). We identified 5 classes of disease activity trajectories.
Baseline major organ involvement, number of American College of Rheumatology
criteria, and age at diagnosis predicted memberships into different classes. A
higher proportion of Asians was in class 2 compared to class 5. Class 1 was
associated with the most accrual of damage, while class 5 was associated with no
significant damage accrual, even after 10 years. CONCLUSION: There are 5 distinct
latent classes of disease trajectory in patients with cSLE. Membership within
disease trajectories is predicted by baseline clinical and demographic factors.
Membership in different disease activity trajectory classes is associated with
different damage trajectories.
PMID- 28704582
TI - Autosomal dominant form of type IV collagen nephropathy exists among patients
with hereditary nephritis difficult to diagnose clinicopathologically.
AB - AIM: Type IV collagen nephropathies include Alport Syndrome and thin basement
membrane nephropathy (TBMN), which are caused by mutations in COL4A3/A4/A5 genes.
Recently, reports of patients with heterozygous mutations in COL4A3/A4 have been
increasing. The clinical course of these patients has a wide variety, and they
are diagnosed as TBMN, autosomal dominant Alport syndrome (ADAS), or familial
focal segmental glomerular sclerosis. However, diagnosis, frequency and
clinicopathological manifestation of them remains unclear. We tested COL4A3/A4/A5
genes in patients with hereditary nephritis that was difficult to diagnose
clinicopathologically, and investigated who should undergo such testing. METHODS:
We performed immunostaining for alpha5 chain of type IV collagen [alpha5 (IV)] in
27 patients from 21 families who fitted the following criteria: (i) haematuria
and proteinuria (+/- renal dysfunction); (ii) family history of haematuria,
proteinuria, and/or renal dysfunction (autosomal dominant inheritance); (iii) no
specific glomerulonephritis; and (iv) thinning, splitting, or lamellation of the
glomerular basement membrane (GBM) on electron microscopy. Then we performed
genetic testing in 19 patients from 16 families who showed normal alpha5 (IV)
patterns. We conducted a retrospective analysis of their clinicopathological
findings. RESULTS: Among 16 families, 69% were detected heterozygous mutations in
COL4A3/A4, suggesting the diagnosis of TBMN/ADAS. Twenty-one percent of patients
developed end stage renal disease. All patients showed thinning of GBM, which was
accompanied by splitting or lamellation in seven patients. CONCLUSION: A
considerable fraction of patients with hereditary nephritis that is difficult to
diagnose clinicopathologically have TBMN/ADAS. It is important to recognize
TBMN/ADAS and perform genetic testing in appropriate patients.
PMID- 28704583
TI - MnCl2 -Catalyzed C-H Alkylations with Alkyl Halides.
AB - C-H alkylations with challenging beta-hydrogen-containing alkyl halides were
accomplished with sustainable MnCl2 as the catalyst under phosphine-ligand-free
conditions. The proximity-induced benzamide C-H activation occurred with ample
substrate scope through rate-determining C-H metalation, also setting the stage
for manganese-catalyzed oxidative C-H methylations.
PMID- 28704584
TI - Patient-reported outcomes from SYNERGY, a randomized, double-blind, multicenter
study evaluating combinations of mirabegron and solifenacin compared with
monotherapy and placebo in OAB patients.
AB - AIMS: To evaluate patient-reported outcomes (PROs) of combinations of solifenacin
and mirabegron compared with solifenacin and mirabegron monotherapy and with
placebo in patients with overactive bladder (OAB) from the SYNERGY trial.
METHODS: Following a 4-week placebo run-in, period patients (>=18 years) with OAB
were randomized 2:2:1:1:1:1 to receive solifenacin 5 mg + mirabegron 25 mg
(combination 5 + 25 mg), solifenacin 5 mg + mirabegron 50 mg, (combination 5 + 50
mg), solifenacin 5 mg, mirabegron 25 mg, mirabegron 50 mg or placebo for 12
weeks, followed by a 2-week washout period. At each visit, PROs related to
quality of life, symptom bother, and treatment satisfaction were assessed,
including OAB-q Symptom Bother score, health-related quality of life (HRQOL)
Total score, treatment satisfaction-visual analogue scale (TS-VAS), and patient
perception of bladder condition (PPBC) questionnaires. RESULTS: Overall, 3527
patients were randomized into the study, with 3494 receiving double-blind
treatment. At end of treatment (EoT), both combination groups showed greater
improvements in OAB-q Symptom Bother score compared with the monotherapy groups
(nominal P < 0.001). Statistically significant improvements in HRQOL Total scores
were observed in the combination groups versus monotherapy groups (P <= 0.002).
For both combination groups, the OAB-q Symptom Bother score responder rates at
EoT were statistically significantly higher versus mirabegron monotherapy (P <
0.05). The mean adjusted changes from baseline to EoT for PPBC were greater in
the combination groups compared with monotherapy groups. CONCLUSIONS: PROs showed
that combination therapy provided clear improvements and an additive effect for
many HRQOL parameters, including OAB-q Symptom Bother score, HRQOL Total score,
and PPBC.
PMID- 28704586
TI - Assessment of Density Functionals for Computing Thermodynamic Properties of
Lanthanide Complexes.
AB - The equilibrium between the radical phenanthroline complex Cp*2 Sm(phen) and the
coupling product (Cp*2 Sm(phen))2 has been investigated based on quantum
chemistry calculations. Topological analyses pointed out that the C-C bond
created has a partial covalent character, explaining why both the monomeric and
the dimeric forms exist in equilibrium. A large variety of density functionals
have been tested to reproduce experimental thermodynamic data for this
equilibrium. Finally, the PBE0-D3 and M06-2X functionals lead to a good
evaluation of the energies and enable a correct description of the ligand to
metal charge transfer, both in the 4f and 5d metal orbitals.
PMID- 28704585
TI - Structure of the adenylation domain Thr1 involved in the biosynthesis of 4
chlorothreonine in Streptomyces sp. OH-5093-protein flexibility and molecular
bases of substrate specificity.
AB - : We determined the crystal structure of Thr1, the self-standing adenylation
domain involved in the nonribosomal-like biosynthesis of free 4-chlorothreonine
in Streptomyces sp. OH-5093. Thr1 shows two monomers in the crystallographic
asymmetric unit with different relative orientations of the C- and N-terminal
subdomains both in the presence of substrates and in the unliganded form.
Cocrystallization with substrates, adenosine 5'-triphosphate and l-threonine,
yielded one monomer containing the two substrates and the other in complex with l
threonine adenylate, locked in a postadenylation state. Steady-state kinetics
showed that Thr1 activates l-Thr and its stereoisomers, as well as d-Ala, l- and
d-Ser, albeit with lower efficiency. Modeling of these substrates in the active
site highlighted the molecular bases of substrate discrimination. This work
provides the first crystal structure of a threonine-activating adenylation
enzyme, a contribution to the studies on conformational rearrangement in
adenylation domains and on substrate recognition in nonribosomal biosynthesis.
DATABASE: Structural data are available in the Protein Data Bank under the
accession number 5N9W and 5N9X.
PMID- 28704587
TI - Effects of testosterone administration (and its 5-alpha-reduction) on parenchymal
organ volumes in healthy young men: findings from a dose-response trial.
AB - Animal data shows that testosterone administration increases the volume of some
parenchymal organs. However, the effects of exogenous testosterone on solid
abdominal organs in humans remain unknown. The present study evaluated the
effects of testosterone administration on the volume of liver, spleen and kidneys
in a dose-response trial. Young healthy men aged 18-50 years participating in the
5alpha-Reductase (5aR) Trial. All participants received monthly injections of 7.5
mg leuprolide acetate to suppress endogenous testosterone secretion and weekly
injections of 50, 125, 300 or 600 mg of testosterone enanthate, and were
randomized to receive either 2.5 mg dutasteride (5 alpha-reductase inhibitor) or
placebo daily for 20 weeks. Liver, spleen and kidney volumes were measured at
baseline and the end of treatment using 1.5-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging. The
dose-effect of testosterone on changes in the volume of parenchymal organs was
evaluated by linear regression model. The association between changes in total
testosterone (TT) levels and changes in organ volumes were assessed. Testosterone
administration increased liver volume dose-dependently (17.4 cm3 per 100 mg of
weekly testosterone enanthate; p = 0.031); the increase in liver volume was
positively associated with changes in TT levels (R2 = 0.08, p = 0.024). A dose
dependent, but non-significant, increase in kidney volumes was also seen.
Inclusion of dutasteride use into the models showed an independent association of
randomization to dutasteride group with liver volume increase. In conclusion,
Testosterone administration increased the liver volume in a dose-dependent
manner. The potential changes in parenchymal organs should be considered when
interpreting apparent changes in lean mass in response to anabolic interventions.
PMID- 28704588
TI - Here, there and everywhere: T follicular helper cells on the move.
AB - T follicular helper (Tfh) cells have the important function of providing B-cell
help for the induction of antigen-specific antibody production. As such, it is
important to determine the factors that regulate the development, differentiation
and function of Tfh cells. This review highlights some of the recent advances in
our understanding of Tfh cell migration, Tfh cell memory and the origins and fate
of circulating Tfh cells in the blood, that have been revealed from studies in
humans and mice.
PMID- 28704589
TI - Novel chemiluminescent Western blot blocking and antibody incubation solution for
enhanced antibody-antigen interaction and increased specificity.
AB - Western blotting is a ubiquitous tool used in protein and molecular biology
research, providing information about the presence, size, relative abundance, and
state of a protein in a mixture. First, the proteins in a sample are separated by
size using SDS-PAGE then transferred onto a membrane for detection with a set of
primary and secondary antibodies. High-quality Western data requires high signal
to-noise ratios, which depend upon reduction of nonspecific antibody
interactions. Blocking is a critical step in the Western blot method as it
prevents the antibodies from binding nonspecifically to the membrane and
irrelevant proteins. A solution of nonfat dry milk (NFDM) in physiological buffer
is commonly used for this purpose, but does not perform well with every type of
antibody and is not optimal for low-abundance proteins. We present a novel
blocking solution for chemiluminescent Western blots, AdvanBlockTM-chemi, which
outperforms NFDM in experiments with 20 unique antibodies by increasing signal-to
noise ratios and minimizing nonspecific binding. This solution enhances protein
detection by Western blot and provides consistent results for detection of low
abundant and modified proteins.
PMID- 28704590
TI - The influence of democratic racism in nursing inquiry.
AB - Neoliberal ideology and exclusionary policies based on racialized identities
characterize the current contexts in North America and Western Europe. Nursing
knowledge cannot be abstracted from social, political and historical contexts;
the task of examining the influence of race and racial ideologies on disciplinary
knowledge and inquiry therefore remains an important task. Contemporary analyses
of the role and responsibility of the discipline in addressing race-based health
and social inequities as a focus of nursing inquiry remain underdeveloped. In
this article, we examine nursing's engagement with ideas about race and racism
and explore the ways in which nursing knowledge and inquiry have been influenced
by race-based ideological discourses. Drawing on Henry and Tator's framework of
democratic racism, we consider how strategic discursive responses-the discourses
of individualism, multiculturalism, colour-blindness, political correctness and
denial-have been deployed within nursing knowledge and inquiry to reinforce the
belief in an essentially fair and just society while avoiding the need to
acknowledge the persistence of racist discourses and ideologies. Greater
theoretical, conceptual and methodological clarity regarding race, racialization
and related concepts in nursing inquiry is needed to address health and social
inequities.
PMID- 28704591
TI - Erratum: A Nanoscaffold Impregnated With Human Wharton's Jelly Stem Cells or Its
Secretions Improves Healing of Wounds.
PMID- 28704592
TI - Erratum: Human Wharton's Jelly Stem Cells and Its Conditioned Medium Enhance
Healing of Excisional and Diabetic Wounds.
PMID- 28704594
TI - Critical diagnoses in cytopathology: Experience at a large medical center.
AB - BACKGROUND: Critical values have been well established and accepted in laboratory
medicine, but to the authors' knowledge are less well accepted in anatomic
pathology. Herein, the authors used a reporting process whereby reports with
critical diagnoses were coded to ensure that the patient's clinical team was
promptly notified electronically of this finding. The aim of the current study
was to determine whether this coding mechanism was used appropriately for
critical cytopathology diagnoses in the study health care system. METHODS: A
retrospective review of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center anatomic
pathology laboratory information system was performed to identify cytopathology
reports in which a critical diagnosis code (MedTrak notification/CoPath Tissue
Code TC66; TC66) was used from 2011 through 2016. TC66-coded cytopathology
reports between 2015 and 2016 were reviewed further to determine whether this
code was used appropriately. RESULTS: A total of 1687 TC66-coded cytopathology
reports were identified. Between 2015 and 2016, a total of 30 of 46 reports (65%)
from academic hospitals and 46 of 441 reports (10%) from community hospitals met
the critical diagnoses criteria outlined by institutional policy. The remaining
TC66-coded cases were predominantly for new diagnoses of malignancy in patients
clinically suspected of having cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Use of a code for critical
cytopathology diagnoses was found to be occurring increasingly at the study
health care system. Pathologists at the academic and community hospitals in the
study institution used this code somewhat differently, reflecting the need to
satisfy communication with clinicians in different practice settings.
Nevertheless, the authors' experiences with using a code for critical diagnoses
not only ensured timely patient care but also proposed a model that could be used
by other medical specialties to enhance communication and improve quality of
care. Cancer Cytopathol 2017;125:726-30. (c) 2017 American Cancer Society.
PMID- 28704595
TI - Results of implementation of a hospital-based strategy to reduce cesarean
delivery among low-risk women in Canada.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To assess the cesarean delivery (CD) rate among low-risk pregnancies
before and after implementation of a hospital-based program in Canada. METHODS: A
prospective before-and-after study was conducted to assess the effects of the
CARE (CAesarean REduction) strategy, which was developed and implemented at
Markham Stouffville Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada, in 2010 to reduce CD among low
risk women. Hospital records were reviewed to identify changes in the proportions
of CD performed during 12 months (April 2009-March 2010) before implementation of
the CARE strategy versus 12 months after implementation (April 2012-March 2013)
at Markham Stouffville Hospital and 36 hospitals of the same level in the same
province. RESULTS: At the intervention hospital, 30.3% (964/3181) of women
underwent CD in 2009-2010, compared with 26.4% (803/3045) in 2012-2013
(difference -3.9%, P<0.001). By contrast, no significant difference was recorded
in control hospitals (28.1% [23 694/84 361] vs 28.2% [23 683/83 895]; difference
0.1%, P=0.5157). CONCLUSION: Implementation of the CARE strategy reduced rates of
CD among the target population.
PMID- 28704596
TI - Silver nanoparticles functionalized with ampicillin.
AB - The resistance of pathogenic bacteria to antibiotics has become a serious
problem. The emphasis is placed on the development of new, effective
antimicrobial strategies. One of them is the use of AgNPs in association with
antibiotic drugs. The aim of this study was to obtain silver nanoparticles
functionalized with ampicillin and to investigate the mechanism of binding
antibiotics to nanoparticle using high-performance liquid chromatography
approach. To confirm the occurrence of silver nanoparticles functionalization,
FTIR, MALDI-TOF MS, and DLS analysis and zeta potential measurements were
performed. Moreover we assessed the antibacterial activity of biologically
synthesized nanoparticles functionalized with ampicillin against a range of gram
(+) and gram (-) bacteria strains such as Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas
aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Escherichia
coli.
PMID- 28704597
TI - Are incident gallstones associated to sex-dependent changes with age? A cohort
study.
AB - Age and female sex have repeatedly been identified as gallstone determinants but
the underlying mechanisms are not clarified. The objectives of this study were to
determine if changes with age in physiology, lifestyle, or reproductive hormones
were associated with incident gallstones. A cohort study of a general population
random sample (N = 2366) aged 30-60 years was performed. Participants were
ultrasound screened for gallstones in 1982-84 and again in 1993-94. Lifestyle
data and blood samples were obtained and re-analyzed in 2004. Changes with age in
physiology (body mass index, blood pressure, blood lipids, self-rated health),
lifestyle (smoking, alcohol and coffee consumption, dietary habits, physical
activity level), and indices of reproductive function (number of births, oral
contraceptive use, hormone replacement therapy, male reproductive hormones) were
explored in females and males separately. Adjusted logistic regression analyses
were performed. Incident gallstones (gallstones and cholecystectomy) at
ultrasound examination in participants initially free of gallstones at baseline
occurred in 9.9% of the study population. In females, increasing alcohol
consumption (odds ratio (OR) 0.94, 95% confidence interval (CI) [0.90; 0.98]) and
the cessation of hormone replacement therapy (OR 0.29, 95% CI [0.10; 0.83])
inversely determined incident gallstones. In males, increasing levels of SHBG (OR
0.97, 95% CI [0.94; 0.998]) inversely determined incident gallstones. Other
changes with age in physiology, lifestyle, or reproductive hormones were not
associated. High baseline free testosterone determined incident gallstones in
males (OR 1.15, 95% CI [1.02; 1.30]). To conclude, changes with age in alcohol
consumption in females and in reproductive hormones determined incident
gallstones. Male reproductive hormones seem to have an impact on incident
gallstones. Sex differences should be explored further in future studies.
PMID- 28704598
TI - Restrictive Use of Oral Glucocorticoids in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and
Prevention of Damage Without Worsening Long-Term Disease Control: An
Observational Study.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To analyze the influence of 2 different treatment strategies on
general and specific damage accrual in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
(SLE). METHODS: Two cohorts were identified according to the responsible
physicians: patients treated at the autoimmune diseases unit (ADU), and patients
treated by other members of the internal medicine (IM) department. Members of the
ADU worked with a protocol including the universal prescription of
hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), the use of maximum oral prednisone dosages <=30 mg/day
and maintenance therapy with <=5 mg/day, by using methylprednisolone pulses
and/or early immunosuppressive (IS) drugs. We analyzed the influence of these 2
treatment strategies on damage accrual, both general and domain specific,
attributed to glucocorticoids, cardiovascular (CV) disease, SLE, and
unclassified, since the diagnosis of disease in patients with a followup >=5
years. RESULTS: A total of 74 patients were included in the ADU group and 213 in
the IM group. They were comparable for most demographic and lupus-related
variables. ADU patients received prednisone later and at lower doses, more
methylprednisolone pulses, earlier IS drugs and more HCQ (P < 0.05 for all
comparisons). The Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index score
decreased similarly in both cohorts (P = 0.4). Patients in the ADU group were
less likely to accrue any damage (P = 0.007). They accrued less glucocorticoid
related (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0.23 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.07
0.80]), CV disease (adjusted HR 0.28 [95% CI 0.08-0.95]), and unclassified damage
(adjusted HR 0.58 [95% CI 0.3-1.1]). Both groups accrued similar SLE-related
damage (adjusted HR 0.84 [95% CI 0.40-1.75]). CONCLUSION: The use of reduced oral
prednisone doses, which was possible by combining different therapies, reduced
glucocorticoid-related damage and improved CV prognosis without increasing damage
caused by SLE.
PMID- 28704599
TI - Association of Anti-Transcription Intermediary Factor 1gamma Antibodies With
Paraneoplastic Rheumatic Syndromes Other Than Dermatomyositis.
AB - OBJECTIVE: An association between cancer and dermatomyositis (DM) is well
recognized. The high frequency of malignancies detected close to DM diagnosis
suggest that DM can be a paraneoplastic syndrome. Recently, anti-transcription
intermediary factor 1gamma (anti-TIF1gamma) has been discovered to be associated
with cancer and with DM. A meta-analysis reported the pooled sensitivity of anti
p155 for diagnosing cancer-associated DM to be 78% and the specificity to be 89%.
Thus, anti-TIF1gamma has shown promising results as a marker for cancer
associated DM. However, none of the studies evaluated the association of anti
TIF1gamma with cancer with or without rheumatic diseases other than DM. To
clarify the specificity of anti-TIF1gamma antibodies as a biomarker for cancer
associated DM, we analyzed the frequency of anti-TIF1gamma antibodies in other
cancer-associated rheumatic syndromes, as well as in cancer patients and healthy
controls. METHODS: Sera from patients with paraneoplastic rheumatic syndrome (n =
91), patients with solid cancer (n = 95), and healthy controls (n = 80) were
analyzed for the frequency of anti-TIF1gamma IgG by enzyme-linked immunosorbent
assay using a commercially available recombinant TIF1gamma protein as coating
antigen. The cutoff value was calculated by adding 2 SD to the mean optical
density value of 80 healthy controls. RESULTS: The rate of anti-TIF1gamma IgG
positivity was 3.3% (n = 3) in patients with paraneoplastic rheumatic syndrome,
3.1% (n = 3) in cancer patients, and 1.3% (n = 1) in healthy controls. There were
no significant differences in positivity between the groups (P < 0.05).
CONCLUSION: Anti-TIF1gamma antibodies are rarely present in patients with solid
cancers or paraneoplastic rheumatic syndromes. This finding strengthens the
approach to using anti-TIF1gamma IgG as a marker for cancer-associated DM.
PMID- 28704600
TI - Comparable Rates of Glucocorticoid-Associated Adverse Events in Patients With
Polymyalgia Rheumatica and Comorbidities in the General Population.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the use of glucocorticoids (GCs) and related adverse
events (AEs) in a long-term, geographically defined cohort of patients with
polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR). METHODS: Using a population-based inception cohort,
details of GC therapy were abstracted from medical records of all patients
diagnosed with PMR in 2000-2014. Age- and sex-matched comparators without PMR
were identified from the same underlying population. Cumulative and daily dosage
of GC, rate of disease relapse, occurrence of GC-related AEs, and rate of GC
discontinuation were analyzed. RESULTS: The study included 359 patients with PMR
and 359 comparators. The median time to taper below 5 mg/day for 6 months was
1.44 years (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.36-1.62), while the median time to
permanent discontinuation was 5.95 years (95% CI 3.37-8.88). The mean +/- SD
cumulative dose of GC at 2 and 5 years was 4.0 +/- 3.5 grams and 6.3 +/- 9.8
grams, respectively. The mean +/- SD daily dose of GC at 2 and 5 years was 6.1 +/
7.6 mg/day and 7.2 +/- 9.5 mg/day, respectively. There were no differences in
rates of AEs between patients with PMR and comparators for diabetes mellitus,
hypertension, hyperlipidemia, or hip, vertebral, or Colles fractures (P > 0.2 for
all). Cataracts were more common in patients with PMR than comparators (hazard
ratio 1.72 [95% CI 1.23-2.41]). CONCLUSION: Relapse rates in PMR are highest in
the early stages of therapy. Despite often protracted therapy, with the exception
of cataracts, the rates of studied morbidities linked to GC are not more common
in PMR than comparators.
PMID- 28704601
TI - Reply.
PMID- 28704602
TI - Defective Early B Cell Tolerance Checkpoints in Sjogren's Syndrome Patients.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Central and peripheral B cell tolerance checkpoints are defective in
many patients with autoimmune diseases, but the functionality of each discrete
checkpoint has not been assessed in patients with Sjogren's syndrome (SS). We
undertook this study to assess this functionality in SS patients. METHODS: Using
a polymerase chain reaction-based approach that allows us to clone and express,
in vitro, recombinant antibodies produced by single B cells, we tested the
reactivity of recombinant antibodies cloned from single CD19+CD21low CD10+IgMhigh
CD27- newly emigrant/transitional B cells and CD19+CD21+CD10-IgM+CD27- mature
naive B cells from 5 SS patients. RESULTS: We found that the frequencies of newly
emigrant/transitional B cells expressing polyreactive antibodies were
significantly increased in SS patients compared to those in healthy donors,
revealing defective central B cell tolerance in SS patients. Frequencies of
mature naive B cells expressing autoreactive antibodies were also significantly
increased in SS patients, thereby illustrating an impaired peripheral B cell
tolerance checkpoint in these patients. CONCLUSION: Defective counterselection of
developing autoreactive B cells observed in SS patients is a feature common to
many other autoimmune diseases and may favor the development of autoimmunity by
allowing autoreactive B cells to present self antigens to T cells.
PMID- 28704603
TI - Relationship Between Knee Pain and Infrapatellar Fat Pad Morphology: A Within-
and Between-Person Analysis From the Osteoarthritis Initiative.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Inflammation is known to be strongly associated with knee pain in
osteoarthritis. The infrapatellar fat pad represents a potential source of
proinflammatory cytokines. Yet the relationship between infrapatellar fat pad
morphology and osteoarthritis symptoms is unclear. METHODS: Here we investigate
quantitative imaging parameters of infrapatellar fat pad morphology between
painful versus contralateral pain-free legs of subjects with unilateral knee pain
and patients with chronic knee pain versus those of matched pain-free control
subjects. A total of 46 subjects with strictly unilateral frequent knee pain and
bilateral radiographic osteoarthritis (Kellgren/Lawrence grade 2/3) were drawn
from the Osteoarthritis Initiative. Further, 43 subjects with chronic knee pain
over 4 years and 43 matched pain-free controls without pain over this period were
studied. Infrapatellar fat pad morphology (volume, surface area, and depth) was
determined by manual segmentation of sagittal magnetic resonance images. RESULTS:
No significant differences in infrapatellar fat pad morphology were observed
between painful versus painless knees of persons with strictly unilateral knee
pain (mean difference -0.7% (95% confidence interval [95% CI] -0.6, 0.9; P =
0.64) or between chronically painful knees versus matched painless controls (
2.1% [95% CI -2.2, 1.1]; P = 0.51). CONCLUSION: Independent of the ambiguous role
of the infrapatellar fat pad in knee osteoarthritis (a potential source of
proinflammatory cytokines or a mechanical shock absorber), the size of the
infrapatellar fat pad does not appear to be related to knee pain.
PMID- 28704604
TI - Methodologic Questions Regarding Study of the Efficacy of Chondroitin
Sulfate/Glucosamine Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis: Comment on the Article by
Roman-Blas et al.
PMID- 28704605
TI - Protein Adsorption to Charged Gold Nanospheres as a Function of Protein
Deformability.
AB - The corona that forms as protein adsorbs to gold nanospheres (AuNSs) is directly
influenced by the surface chemistry of the AuNS. Tools to predict adsorption
outcomes are needed for intelligent design of nanomaterials for biological
applications. We hypothesized that the denaturation behavior of a protein might
be a useful predictor of adsorption behavior to AuNSs, and used this idea to
study protein adsorption to anionic citrate-capped AuNSs and to cationic
poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) wrapped AuNSs. Three proteins (alpha-amylase
(A-Amy), beta-lactoglobulin (BLG), and bovine serum albumin (BSA)), representing
three different classes of acid denaturation behavior, were selected with BLG
being the least deformable and BSA being the most deformable. Protein adsorption
to AuNSs was monitored via UV-vis spectrophotometry and dynamic light scattering.
Changes to the protein structure upon AuNS interaction were monitored via
circular dichroism spectroscopy. Binding constants were determined using the
Langmuir adsorption isotherm, resulting in BSA > BLG ? A-Amy affinities for
citrate-capped gold nanospheres. PAH-coated AuNSs displayed little affinity for
these proteins at similar concentrations as citrate-coated AuNSs and became
agglomerated at high protein concentrations. The enzymatic activity of A
Amy/citrate AuNS conjugates was measured via colorimetric assay, and found to be
11% of free A-Amy, suggesting that binding restricts access to the active site.
Across both citrate AuNSs and PAH AuNSs, the changes in secondary structure were
greatest for BSA > A-Amy > BLG, which does follow the trends predicted by acid
denaturation characteristics.
PMID- 28704606
TI - Metallic Conductivity in a Two-Dimensional Cobalt Dithiolene Metal-Organic
Framework.
AB - Two-dimensional (2D) metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have received a great deal
of attention due to their relatively high charge carrier mobility and low
resistivity. Here we report on the temperature-dependent charge transport
properties of a 2D cobalt 2,3,6,7,10,11-triphenylenehexathiolate framework.
Variable temperature resistivity studies reveal a transition from a
semiconducting to a metallic phase with decreasing temperature, which is
unprecedented in MOFs. We find this transition to be highly dependent on the film
thickness and the amount of solvent trapped in the pores, with density functional
theory calculations of the electronic-structure supporting the complex metallic
conductivity of the material. These results identify the first experimentally
observed MOF that exhibits band-like metallic conductivity.
PMID- 28704607
TI - Highly Efficient Oxygen Reduction Reaction Electrocatalysts Synthesized under
Nanospace Confinement of Metal-Organic Framework.
AB - The output energy capacity of green electrochemical devices, e.g., fuel cells,
depends strongly on the sluggish oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), which requires
catalysts. One of the desired features for highly efficient ORR electrocatalytic
materials is the richness of well-defined activate sites. Herein, we developed a
facile approach to prepare highly efficient nonprecious metal and nitrogen-doped
carbon-based ORR catalysts based on covalent organic polymers (COPs) synthesized
in situ in the nanoconfined space of highly ordered metal organic frameworks
(MOFs). The MOF templet ensured the developed electrocatalysts possess a high
surface area with homogeneously distributed small metal/nitrogen active sites, as
confirmed by X-ray absorption fine structure measurements and first-principles
calculations, leading to highly efficient ORR electrocatalytic activity. Notably,
the developed COP-TPP(Fe)@MOF-900 exhibits a 16 mV positive half-wave potential
compared with the benchmarked Pt/C.
PMID- 28704608
TI - The Electron Bifurcating FixABCX Protein Complex from Azotobacter vinelandii:
Generation of Low-Potential Reducing Equivalents for Nitrogenase Catalysis.
AB - The biological reduction of dinitrogen (N2) to ammonia (NH3) by nitrogenase is an
energetically demanding reaction that requires low-potential electrons and ATP;
however, pathways used to deliver the electrons from central metabolism to the
reductants of nitrogenase, ferredoxin or flavodoxin, remain unknown for many
diazotrophic microbes. The FixABCX protein complex has been proposed to reduce
flavodoxin or ferredoxin using NADH as the electron donor in a process known as
electron bifurcation. Herein, the FixABCX complex from Azotobacter vinelandii was
purified and demonstrated to catalyze an electron bifurcation reaction: oxidation
of NADH (Em = -320 mV) coupled to reduction of flavodoxin semiquinone (Em = -460
mV) and reduction of coenzyme Q (Em = 10 mV). Knocking out fix genes rendered
Deltarnf A. vinelandii cells unable to fix dinitrogen, confirming that the
FixABCX system provides another route for delivery of electrons to nitrogenase.
Characterization of the purified FixABCX complex revealed the presence of flavin
and iron-sulfur cofactors confirmed by native mass spectrometry, electron
paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, and transient absorption spectroscopy.
Transient absorption spectroscopy further established the presence of a short
lived flavin semiquinone radical, suggesting that a thermodynamically unstable
flavin semiquinone may participate as an intermediate in the transfer of an
electron to flavodoxin. A structural model of FixABCX, generated using chemical
cross-linking in conjunction with homology modeling, revealed plausible electron
transfer pathways to both high- and low-potential acceptors. Overall, this study
informs a mechanism for electron bifurcation, offering insight into a unique
method for delivery of low-potential electrons required for energy-intensive
biochemical conversions.
PMID- 28704609
TI - Hydrophilic and Cell-Penetrable Pyrrolidinyl Peptide Nucleic Acid via Post
synthetic Modification with Hydrophilic Side Chains.
AB - Peptide nucleic acid (PNA) is a nucleic acid mimic in which the deoxyribose
phosphate was replaced by a peptide-like backbone. The absence of negative charge
in the PNA backbone leads to several unique behaviors including a stronger
binding and salt independency of the PNA-DNA duplex stability. However, PNA
possesses poor aqueous solubility and cannot directly penetrate cell membranes.
These are major obstacles that limit in vivo applications of PNA. In previous
strategies, the PNA can be conjugated to macromolecular carriers or modified with
positively charged side chains such as guanidinium groups to improve the aqueous
solubility and cell permeability. In general, a preformed modified PNA monomer
was required. In this study, a new approach for post-synthetic modification of
PNA backbone with one or more hydrophilic groups was proposed. The PNA used in
this study was the conformationally constrained pyrrolidinyl PNA with prolyl-2
aminocyclopentanecarboxylic acid dipeptide backbone (acpcPNA) that shows several
advantages over the conventional PNA. The aldehyde modifiers carrying different
linkers (alkylene and oligo(ethylene glycol)) and end groups (-OH, -NH2, and
guanidinium) were synthesized and attached to the backbone of modified acpcPNA by
reductive alkylation. The hybrids between the modified acpcPNAs and DNA exhibited
comparable or superior thermal stability with base-pairing specificity similar to
those of unmodified acpcPNA. Moreover, the modified apcPNAs also showed the
improvement of aqueous solubility (10-20 folds compared to unmodified PNA) and
readily penetrate cell membranes without requiring any special delivery agents.
This study not only demonstrates the practicality of the proposed post-synthetic
modification approach for PNA modification, which could be readily applied to
other systems, but also opens up opportunities for using pyrrolidinyl PNA in
various applications such as intracellular RNA sensing, specific gene detection,
and antisense and antigene therapy.
PMID- 28704610
TI - Effects of Medium- and Long-Chain Triacylglycerols on Lipid Metabolism and Gut
Microbiota Composition in C57BL/6J Mice.
AB - Obesity is related to an increasing risk of chronic diseases. Medium- and long
chain triacylglycerols (MLCT) have been recognized as a promising choice to
reduce body weight. In this study, three MLCT with different contents of medium
chain fatty acids (MCFA) (10-30%, w/w) were prepared, and their effects on lipid
metabolism and fecal gut microbiota composition of C57BL/6J mice were
systematically investigated. MLCT with 30% (w/w) MCFA showed the best performance
in decreasing body weight gain as well as optimizing serum lipid parameters and
liver triacylglycerol content. The expression levels of genes encoding enzymes
for fatty acid degradation increased markedly and expression levels of genes
encoding enzymes for de novo fatty acid biosynthesis decreased significantly in
the liver of mice treated with MLCT containing 30% (w/w) MCFA. Interestingly, the
dietary intake of a high fat diet containing MLCT did significantly decrease the
ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes and down-regulate the relative abundance of
Proteobacteria that may attribute to weight loss. Furthermore, we found a notable
increase in the total short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) content in feces of mice on a
MLCT containing diet. All these results may be concomitantly responsible for the
antiobesity effect of MLCT with relatively high contents of MCFA.
PMID- 28704611
TI - Grasslands: A Source of Secondary Metabolites for Livestock Health.
AB - The need for environmentally friendly practices in animal husbandry, in
conjunction with the reduction of the use of synthetic chemicals, leads us to
reconsider our agricultural production systems. In that context, grassland
secondary metabolites (GSMs) could offer an alternative way to support to
livestock health. In fact, grasslands, especially those with high dicotyledonous
plant species, present a large, pharmacologically active reservoir of secondary
metabolites (e.g., phenolic compounds, alkaloids, saponins, terpenoids,
carotenoids, and quinones). These molecules have activities that could improve or
deteriorate health and production. This Review presents the main families of GSMs
and uses examples to describe their known impact on animal health in husbandry.
Techniques involved for their study are also described. A particular focus is put
on anti-oxidant activities of GSMs. In fact, numerous husbandry pathologies, such
as inflammation, are linked to oxidative stress and can be managed by a diet rich
in anti-oxidants. The different approaches and techniques used to evaluate
grassland quality for livestock health highlight the lack of efficient and
reliable technics to study the activities of this complex phytococktail. Better
knowledge and management of this animal health resource constitute a new
multidisciplinary research field and a challenge to maintain and valorize
grasslands.
PMID- 28704612
TI - Blood flow in humans following low-load exercise with and without blood flow
restriction.
AB - Blood flow restriction (BFR) in combination with exercise has been used to
increase muscle size and strength using relatively low loads (20%-30% 1
repetition maximum (1RM)). In research, the range of applied pressures based on a
percentage of arterial occlusion pressure (AOP), is wide. The purpose of the
study is to measure the blood flow response before exercise, following each set
of exercise, and postexercise to low-load elbow flexion combined with no
restriction (NOBFR), 40% of AOP (40BFR), and 80% of AOP (80BFR). One hundred and
fifty-two participants volunteered; 140 completed the protocol (women = 75, men =
65). Participants were counter-balanced into 1 of 3 conditions. Following AOP and
1RM measurement, ultrasound was used to measure standing blood flow at rest in
the right brachial artery. Participants performed 4 sets of elbow flexion at 30%
1RM. Blood flow was measured between sets and at 1 and 5 min postexercise. Blood
flow decreased following inflation, with no difference between conditions (p <
0.001). Men had greater blood flow than women in all conditions at all time
points (p < 0.001). Resting hyperemia decreased with pressure (NOBFR > 40BFR >
80BFR, p < 0.001). Blood flow increased from rest to after set 1 regardless of
condition. Following cuff deflation, blood flow increased in both the 80BFR and
40BFR conditions. The reduction in hyperemia during BFR is pressure-dependent.
Contrary to previous investigations, blood flow was increased above baseline
following exercise.
PMID- 28704613
TI - Antioxidant compound (E)-2-benzylidene-4-phenyl-1,3-diselenole protects rats
against thioacetamide-induced acute hepatotoxicity.
AB - The aim of this study was to investigate whether (E)-2-benzylidene-4-phenyl-1,3
diselenole (BPD) protects against hepatotoxicity induced by thioacetamide (TAA).
On the first day of treatment, male adult Wistar rats received BPD (10 or 50
mg.kg-1). On the second day, the rats received a single intraperitoneal injection
of TAA (400 mg.kg-1). Twenty-four hours after TAA administration, biochemical
determinations and liver histological analysis were carried out. BPD (50 mg.kg-1)
reduced plasma aspartate and alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and
lactate dehydrogenase activities increased by TAA exposure. Treatment with BPD
was effective against increased lipid peroxidation levels and attenuated a
decrease in hepatic reduced glutathione and ascorbic acid levels as well as an
inhibition of glutathione peroxidase activity caused by TAA exposure. The higher
dose of BPD protected against the inhibition of hepatic delta-aminolevulinic
dehydratase activity induced by TAA. Finally, histopathological examination of
the liver showed that BPD markedly ameliorated TAA-induced hepatic injury. In
conclusion, BPD protected against hepatotoxicity and oxidative stress caused by
TAA exposure in rats.
PMID- 28704614
TI - Carbon dioxide water-bath treatment augments peripheral blood flow through the
development of angiogenesis.
AB - In this study, we investigated the effects of CO2 water-bath therapy on blood
flow and angiogenesis in the ischemic hind limb, as well as some plasma
angiogenic factors in peripheral ischemic model. The hind limb ischemia was
induced by occluding the femoral artery for 2 weeks in rats and treated with or
without CO2 water-bath therapy at 37 degrees C for 4 weeks (20 min treatment
every day for 5 days per week). The peak blood flow and minimal and mean blood
flow in the ischemic skeletal muscle were markedly increased by the CO2 water
bath therapy. This increase in blood flow was associated with development of
angiogenesis in the muscle, as well as reduction in the ischemia-induced increase
in plasma malondialdehyde levels. Although plasma vascular endothelial growth
factor and nitric oxide levels were increased in animals with peripheral
ischemia, the changes in these biomarkers were not affected by CO2 water-bath
therapy. These results suggest that augmentation of blood flow in the ischemic
hind limb by CO2 water-bath therapy may be due to the development of angiogenesis
and reduction in oxidative stress.
PMID- 28704615
TI - Solitary Benign Schwannoma of the Foot Presenting Clinically as a Ganglion Cyst A
Case Study.
AB - An unusual case of solitary benign schwannoma of the foot is presented. Clinical
examination, magnetic resonance imaging, and intraoperative findings all confirm
the suspicion of a ganglion cyst. After attempted aspiration failed to produce
any aspirate, excisional biopsy was performed. The pathology report confirms
schwannoma with hematoxylin and eosin stain and subsequently reaffirmed with
positive S100 protein stain. Even though schwannoma of the foot had been reported
in the literature, this was an unusual case, as the lesion was presented as a
superficial, ganglion cyst-like lesion on the bottom of the foot.
PMID- 28704616
TI - Inhibition of platelet aggregation ex vivo is repressed in apolipoprotein E
deficient mice.
AB - In the present study, we assessed whether the endogenous platelet inhibitory
mechanisms are altered in the early to moderate stages of the atherosclerotic
process. Apolipoprotein E deficient mice (ApoE-/-), a mouse model of
atherosclerosis, and their wild-type (WT) counterparts were used to assess
agonist-stimulated synthesis of prostacyclin (PGI2), inhibition of platelet
aggregation ex vivo, and intra-platelet cAMP levels. Basal U46619 and ADP
induced platelet aggregation in vitro were increased in ApoE-/- mice at 18-20
weeks in comparison with 8-10 weeks of age. Systemically administered endothelin
1 (ET-1) or bradykinin (BK) inhibited platelet aggregation in a similar fashion
in 8- to 10-week-old ApoE-/- and WT mice, but not in the ApoE-/- mice at 18-20
weeks of age, although both peptides maintained their capacity to increase plasma
levels of the PGI2. Intravenous infusion of PGI2 also failed to inhibit platelet
aggregation ex vivo in 18- to 20-week-old ApoE-/- mice. Interestingly, both BK
and PGI2 retained their ability to increase intraplatelet cAMP in WT and ApoE-/-
mice. Our results suggest that a loss of activity of endogenous
inhibitorymechanisms could contribute to the increased platelet reactivity in
ApoE-/- mice, and that this phenomenon occurs early in the intermediate stage of
the atherosclerotic process.
PMID- 28704617
TI - Resveratrol prevents angiotensin II-induced hypertrophy of vascular smooth muscle
cells through the transactivation of growth factor receptors.
AB - We previously showed that augmented levels of endogenous angiotensin II (AngII)
contribute to vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) hypertrophy through the
transactivation of growth factor receptors in spontaneously hypertensive rats.
Resveratrol (RV), a polyphenolic component of red wine, has also been shown to
attenuate AngII-evoked VSMC hypertrophy; however, the molecular mechanism
mediating this response is obscure. The present study was therefore undertaken to
examine whether RV could prevent AngII-induced VSMC hypertrophy through the
transactivation of growth factor receptor and associated signaling pathways.
AngII treatment of VSMC enhanced the protein synthesis that was attenuated
towards control levels by RV pretreatment as well as by the inhibitors of NADPH
oxidase, c-Src, and growth factor receptors. Furthermore, RV pretreatment also
inhibited enhanced levels of superoxide anion, NADPH oxidase activity, increased
expression of NADPH oxidase subunits, and phosphorylation of c-Src, EGF-R, PDGE
R, ERK1/2, and AKT1/2. In conclusion, these results indicate that RV attenuates
AngII-induced VSMC hypertrophy through the inhibition of enhanced oxidative
stress and activation of c-Src, growth factor receptors, and MAPK/AKT signaling.
We suggest that RV could be used as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of
vascular complications associated with hypertension and hypertrophy.
PMID- 28704618
TI - Paracoccidioides brasiliensis presents metabolic reprogramming and secretes a
serine proteinase during murine infection.
AB - Paracoccidoides brasiliensis and Paracoccidioides lutzii, the etiologic agents of
paracoccidioidomycosis, cause disease in healthy and immunocompromised persons in
Latin America. We developed a method for harvesting P. brasiliensis yeast cells
from infected murine lung to facilitate in vivo transcriptional and proteomic
profiling. P. brasiliensis harvested at 6 h post-infection were analyzed using
RNAseq and LC-MSE. In vivo yeast cells had 594 differentially expressed
transcripts and 350 differentially expressed proteins. Integration of
transcriptional and proteomic data indicated that early in infection (6 h), P.
brasiliensis yeast cells underwent a shift in metabolism from glycolysis to beta
oxidation, upregulated detoxifying enzymes to defend against oxidative stress,
and repressed cell wall biosynthesis. Bioinformatics and functional analyses also
demonstrated that a serine proteinase was upregulated and secreted in vivo. To
our knowledge this is the first study depicting transcriptional and proteomic
data of P. brasiliensis yeast cells upon 6 h post-infection of mouse lung.
PMID- 28704619
TI - Advanced glycation end products affect cholesterol homeostasis by impairing ABCA1
expression on macrophages.
AB - Reverse cholesterol transport (RCT), which is intimately linked to high-density
lipoproteins (HDLs), plays a key role in cholesterol homeostasis and the
prevention of atherosclerosis. The goal of the present study was to investigate
the effect of aging and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) on RCT as well as
on other factors that may affect the antiatherogenic property of HDLs. The
transfer of macrophage-derived cholesterol to the plasma and liver and then to
the feces for elimination was significantly lower in aged mice than in young
mice. Chronic injection of d -galactose (D-gal) or AGEs also significantly
reduced RCT (65.3% reduction in [3H]cholesterol levels in the plasma of D-gal
treated mice after 48 h compared with control mice, P < 0.01). The injection of
both D-gal and aminoguanidine hydrochloride increased [3H]cholesterol levels in
the plasma, although the levels were lower than those of control mice. The in
vitro incubation of HDLs with dicarbonyl compounds increased the carbonyl and
conjugated diene content of HDLs and significantly reduced PON1 paraoxonase
activity (87.4% lower than control HDLs, P < 0.0001). Treating J774A.1
macrophages with glycated fetal bovine serum increased carbonyl formation (39.5%
increase, P < 0.003) and reduced ABCA1 protein expression and the capacity of
macrophages to liberate cholesterol (69.1% decrease, P < 0.0001). Our results
showed, for the first time, that RCT is altered with aging and that AGEs
contribute significantly to this alteration.
PMID- 28704620
TI - Rasch Model Analysis Gives New Insights Into the Structural Validity of the
QuickDASH in Patients With Musculoskeletal Shoulder Pain.
AB - Study Design Cross-sectional secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study.
Background The shortened version of the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and
Hand questionnaire (QuickDASH) is a widely used outcome measure that has been
extensively evaluated using classical test theory. Rasch model analysis can
identify strengths and weaknesses of rating scales and goes beyond classical test
theory approaches. It uses a mathematical model to test the fit between the
observed data and expected responses and converts ordinal-level scores into
interval-level measurement. Objective To test the structural validity of the
QuickDASH using Rasch analysis. Methods A prospective cohort study of 1030
patients with shoulder pain provided baseline data. Rasch analysis was conducted
to (1) assess how the QuickDASH fits the Rasch model, (2) identify sources of
misfit, and (3) explore potential solutions to these. Results There was evidence
of multidimensionality and significant misfit to the Rasch model (chi2 = 331.09,
P<.001). Two items had disordered threshold responses with strong floor effects.
Response bias was detected in most items for age and sex. Rescoring resulted in
ordered thresholds; however, the 11-item scale still did not meet the
expectations of the Rasch model. Conclusion Rasch model analysis on the QuickDASH
has identified a number of problems that cannot be easily detected using
traditional analyses. While revisions to the QuickDASH resulted in better fit, a
"shoulder-specific" version is not advocated at present. Caution needs to be
exercised when interpreting results of the QuickDASH outcome measure, as it does
not meet the criteria for interval-level measurement and shows significant
response bias by age and sex. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2017;47(9):664-672. Epub
13 Jul 2017. doi:10.2519/jospt.2017.7288.
PMID- 28704621
TI - Making Sense of Low Back Pain and Pain-Related Fear.
AB - Synopsis Pain-related fear is implicated in the transition from acute to chronic
low back pain and the persistence of disabling low back pain, making it a key
target for physical therapy intervention. The current understanding of pain
related fear is that it is a psychopathological problem, whereby people who
catastrophize about the meaning of pain become trapped in a vicious cycle of
avoidance behavior, pain, and disability, as recognized in the fear-avoidance
model. However, there is evidence that pain-related fear can also be seen as a
common-sense response to deal with low back pain, for example, when one is told
that one's back is vulnerable, degenerating, or damaged. In this instance,
avoidance is a common-sense response to protect a "damaged" back. While the fear
avoidance model proposes that when someone first develops low back pain, the
confrontation of normal activity in the absence of catastrophizing leads to
recovery, the pathway to recovery for individuals trapped in the fear-avoidance
cycle is less clear. Understanding pain-related fear from a common-sense
perspective enables physical therapists to offer individuals with low back pain
and high fear a pathway to recovery by altering how they make sense of their
pain. Drawing on a body of published work exploring the lived experience of pain
related fear in people with low back pain, this clinical commentary illustrates
how Leventhal's common-sense model may assist physical therapists to understand
the broader sense-making processes involved in the fear-avoidance cycle, and how
they can be altered to facilitate fear reduction by applying strategies
established in the behavioral medicine literature. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther
2017;47(9):628-636. Epub 13 Jul 2017. doi:10.2519/jospt.2017.7434.
PMID- 28704622
TI - Assessment of Psychometric Properties of Various Balance Assessment Tools in
Persons With Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy.
AB - Study Design Clinical measurement, cross-sectional, repeated-measures design.
Background Persons with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) are known to have
balance impairments. The psychometric properties of various balance assessment
tools have not been evaluated in this population. Objective To examine the floor
and ceiling effects, item difficulty and item discrimination index, internal
consistency, reliability, and validity of the Balance Evaluation Systems Test
(BESTest), Mini-BESTest, Brief BESTest, and Berg Balance Scale (BBS) in persons
with CSM. Methods Seventy-two individuals with CSM were evaluated with the above
balance scales. Thirty-two were assessed by a second rater on the same day to
establish interrater reliability, and by the same rater 1 to 2 days later to
assess test-retest reliability. Results Of the 4 balance tools, only the BBS
showed a substantial ceiling effect (skewness, gamma1<-1.0). The BBS also had the
highest proportion (greater than 80%) of easy items. The item discrimination
index was greater than 0.4 for all items in the 4 balance scales. All balance
tests showed good internal consistency (Cronbach alpha>0.8), with excellent test
retest (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC]2,1>0.80) and interrater
reliability (ICC2,1>0.80). In addition, all balance tests were strongly
correlated with one another (ie, concurrent validity), and with the modified
Japanese Orthopaedic Association score (ie, convergent validity). Their
correlations with the Abbreviated Mental Test were low (ie, discriminant
validity). All 4 balance tests could adequately identify fallers and users of
mobility aids (area under the curve, >0.8) (ie, known-groups validity).
Conclusion The Brief BESTest is the most preferred tool for persons with CSM
because of its excellent reliability, validity, and short administration time,
whereas the BBS is the least preferred due to its substantial ceiling effect. J
Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2017;47(9):673-682. Epub 13 Jul 2017.
doi:10.2519/jospt.2017.7283.
PMID- 28704623
TI - Process of Change in Pain-Related Fear: Clinical Insights From a Single Case
Report of Persistent Back Pain Managed With Cognitive Functional Therapy.
AB - Study Design Single case report with repeated measures over 18 months. Background
Management of persistent low back pain (PLBP) associated with high pain-related
fear is complex. This case report aims to provide clinicians with insight into
the process of change in a person with PLBP and high bending-related fear, who
was managed with an individualized behavioral approach of cognitive functional
therapy. Case Description A retired manual worker with PLBP believed that his
spine was degenerating, that bending would hurt him, and that avoidance was the
only form of pain control. At baseline, he presented high levels of pain-related
fear on the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (score, 47/68) and a high-risk profile
on the Orebro Musculoskeletal Pain Questionnaire (score, 61/100). Unhelpful
beliefs and behaviors led to a vicious cycle of fear and disengagement from
valued life activities. Guided behavioral experiments were used to challenge his
thoughts and protective responses, indicating that his behavior was modifiable
and the pain controllable. Using a multidimensional clinical-reasoning framework,
cognitive functional therapy management was tailored to target key drivers of
PLBP and delivered over 6 sessions in a 3-month period. Outcomes Over an 18-month
clinical journey, he demonstrated improvements in bending-related fear, pain
expectancy, and pain experience, and substantial changes in pain-related fear
(Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia: 33/68; change, -14 points) and risk profile
(Orebro Musculoskeletal Pain Questionnaire: 36/100; change, -25 points). Clinical
interviews at 6 and 18 months revealed positive changes in mindset, understanding
of pain, perceived pain control, and behavioral responses to pain. Discussion
This case report provides clinicians with an insight to using a multidimensional
clinical-reasoning framework to identify and target the key drivers of the
disorder, and to using cognitive functional therapy to address unhelpful
psychological and behavioral responses to pain in a person with PLBP and high
pain-related fear. Level of Evidence Therapy, level 5. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther
2017;47(9):637-651. Epub 13 Jul 2017. doi:10.2519/jospt.2017.7371.
PMID- 28704624
TI - A Systematic Review of Electromyography Studies in Normal Shoulders to Inform
Postoperative Rehabilitation Following Rotator Cuff Repair.
AB - Study Design Systematic review. Background Electromyography (EMG) has previously
been used to guide postoperative rehabilitation progression following rotator
cuff repair to prevent deleterious loading of early surgical repair. Objective To
review the current literature investigating EMG during rehabilitation exercises
in normal shoulders, and to identify exercises that meet a cut point of 15%
maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) or less and are unlikely to result
in excessive loading in the early postoperative stages. Methods An electronic
search of MEDLINE via Ovid, Embase, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, PubMed, and the Cochrane
Library for all years up to June 2016 was performed. Studies were selected in
relation to predefined selection criteria. Pooled mean MVICs were reported and
classified as low (0%-15% MVIC), low to moderate (16%-20% MVIC), moderate (21%
40% MVIC), high (41%-60% MVIC), and very high (greater than 60% MVIC). Results A
search identified 2159 studies. After applying the selection criteria, 20 studies
were included for quality assessment, data extraction, and data synthesis. In
total, 43 exercises spanning passive range of motion, active-assisted range of
motion, and strengthening exercises were evaluated. Out of 13 active-assisted
exercises, 9 were identified as suitable (15% MVIC or less) to load the
supraspinatus and 10 as suitable to load the infraspinatus early after surgery.
All exercises were placed in a theoretical-continuum model, by which general
recommendations could be made for prescription in patients post rotator cuff
repair. Conclusion This review identified passive and active-assisted exercises
that may be appropriate in the early stages after rotator cuff repair. J Orthop
Sports Phys Ther 2017;47(12):931-944. Epub 13 Jul 2017.
doi:10.2519/jospt.2017.7271.
PMID- 28704625
TI - Neuroendocrine Response Following a Thoracic Spinal Manipulation in Healthy Men.
AB - Study Design Controlled laboratory study. Background Spinal manipulation (SM) can
trigger a cascade of responses involving multiple systems, including the
sympathetic nervous system and the endocrine system, specifically, the
hypothalamic-pituitary axis. However, no manual therapy study has investigated
the neuroendocrine response to SM (ie, sympathetic nervous system-hypothalamic
pituitary axis) in the same trial. Objective To determine short-term changes in
sympathetic nervous system activity, heart rate variability, and endocrine
activity (cortisol, testosterone, and testosterone-cortisol [T/C] ratio)
following a thoracic SM. Methods Twenty-four healthy men aged between 18 and 45
years were randomized into 2 groups: thoracic SM (n = 12) and sham (n = 12).
Outcome measures were salivary cortisol (micrograms per deciliter), salivary
testosterone (picograms per milliliter), T/C ratio, heart rate variability, and
changes in oxyhemoglobin concentration of the right calf muscle (micromoles per
liter). Measurements were done before and at 5 minutes, 30 minutes, and
approximately 6 hours after intervention. Results A statistically significant
group-by-time interaction was noted for T/C ratio (P<.05) and salivary cortisol
(P<.01) concentrations. Significant between-group differences were noted for
salivary cortisol concentration at 5 minutes (mean difference, 0.35; 95%
confidence interval: 0.12, 0.6; interaction: P<.01) and for T/C ratio at 6 hours
postintervention (mean difference, -0.09; 95% confidence interval: -0.16, -0.04;
P = .02). However, SM did not differentially alter oxyhemoglobin, testosterone,
or heart rate variability relative to responses in the sham group. Conclusion
Thoracic SM resulted in an immediate decrease in salivary cortisol concentration
and reduced T/C ratio 6 hours after intervention. A pattern of immediate
sympathetic excitation was also observed in the SM group. J Orthop Sports Phys
Ther 2017;47(9):617-627. Epub 13 Jul 2017. doi:10.2519/jospt.2017.7348.
PMID- 28704626
TI - The Effectiveness of Neural Mobilization for Neuromusculoskeletal Conditions: A
Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
AB - Study Design Systematic review with meta-analysis. Objectives To determine the
efficacy of neural mobilization (NM) for musculoskeletal conditions with a
neuropathic component. Background Neural mobilization, or neurodynamics, is a
movement-based intervention aimed at restoring the homeostasis in and around the
nervous system. The current level of evidence for NM is largely unknown. Methods
A database search for randomized trials investigating the effect of NM on
neuromusculoskeletal conditions was conducted, using standard methods for article
identification, selection, and quality appraisal. Where possible, studies were
pooled for meta-analysis, with pain, disability, and function as the primary
outcomes. Results Forty studies were included in this review, of which 17 had a
low risk of bias. Meta-analyses could only be performed on self-reported
outcomes. For chronic low back pain, disability (Oswestry Disability
Questionnaire [0-50]: mean difference, -9.26; 95% confidence interval [CI]:
14.50, -4.01; P<.001) and pain (intensity [0-10]: mean difference, -1.78; 95% CI:
-2.55, -1.01; P<.001) improved following NM. For chronic neck-arm pain, pain
improved (intensity: mean difference, -1.89; 95% CI: -3.14, -0.64; P<.001)
following NM. For most of the clinical outcomes in individuals with carpal tunnel
syndrome, NM was not effective (P>.11) but showed some positive
neurophysiological effects (eg, reduced intraneural edema). Due to a scarcity of
studies or conflicting results, the effect of NM remains uncertain for various
conditions, such as postoperative low back pain, cubital tunnel syndrome, and
lateral epicondylalgia. Conclusion This review reveals benefits of NM for back
and neck pain, but the effect of NM on other conditions remains unclear. Due to
the limited evidence and varying methodological quality, conclusions may change
over time. Level of Evidence Therapy, level 1a. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther
2017;47(9):593-615. Epub 13 Jul 2017. doi:10.2519/jospt.2017.7117.
PMID- 28704627
TI - Task-Specific Training for Adults With Chronic Knee Pain: A Case Series.
AB - Study Design Case series. Background Recent evidence suggests that traditional
impairment-based rehabilitation approaches for patients with knee pain may not
result in improved function or reduced disability. This case series describes a
novel task-specific training approach to exercise therapy for patients with
chronic knee pain and reports changes in measures of clinical outcome (pain and
physical function) following participation in the training program. Case
Description Seven patients with chronic knee pain aged 40 years or older were
included. Each reported at least "moderate" difficulty with sit-to-stand
transfers, floor transfers, and/or stair negotiation at baseline. Experienced
physical therapists provided between 8 and 16 treatment sessions focusing on
improving performance of difficult or painful tasks. Outcomes A majority of
patients demonstrated clinically important improvements in both patient-rated
outcomes (Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, numeric pain-rating
scale, modified Arthritis Self-Efficacy Scale) and performance-based outcomes (30
second chair-rise test, timed stair-climb test, floor transfer test, Performance
Assessment of Self-Care Skills). Discussion A task-specific training approach for
patients with chronic knee pain was described and yielded considerable
improvement in pain and function for most of the individuals in this case series.
Larger studies are needed to determine how task-specific training compares with
more traditional impairment-based exercise approaches for chronic knee pain.
Level of Evidence Therapy, level 5. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2017;47(8):548-556.
doi:10.2519/jospt.2017.7349.
PMID- 28704628
TI - Positive Affect Is Associated With Reduced Fixation in a Realistic Medical
Simulation.
AB - OBJECTIVE: This study extends previous research by exploring the association
between mood states (i.e., positive and negative affect) and fixation in
practicing anesthetists using a realistic medical simulation. BACKGROUND: The
impact of practitioner emotional states on fixation is a neglected area of
research. Emerging evidence is demonstrating the role of positive affect in
facilitating problem solving and innovation, with demonstrated implications for
practitioner fixation. METHOD: Twelve practicing anesthetists (4 females; Mage=
39 years; SD = 6.71) were involved in a medical simulation. Prior to the
simulation, practitioners rated the frequency they had experienced various
positive and negative emotions in the previous three days. During the simulation,
the patient deteriorated rapidly, and anesthetists were observed for their degree
of fixation. After the simulation, practitioners indicated the frequency of these
same emotions during the simulation. RESULTS: Nonparametric correlations were
used to explore the independent relationships between positive and negative
affect and the behavioral measures. Only positive affect impacted the likelihood
of fixation. Anesthetists who reported more frequent recent positive affect in
the three days prior to the simulation and during the simulation tended to be
less fixated as judged by independent raters, identified a decline in patient
oxygen saturation more quickly, and more rapidly implemented the necessary
intervention (surgical cricothyroidotomy). CONCLUSION: These findings have some
real-world implications for positive affect in patient safety. APPLICATION: This
research has broad implications for professions where fixation may impair
practice. This research suggests that professional training should teach
practitioners to identify their emotions and understand the role of these
emotions in fixation.
PMID- 28704629
TI - Enhanced Hazard Analysis and Risk Assessment for Human-in-the-Loop Systems.
AB - OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to enhance the existing system hazard
analysis (SHA) technique by introducing the concepts of human and automation
reliability quantification as well as fuzzy classification of system risks. These
enhancements led to formulation of a new overall system risk-reliability score.
BACKGROUND: Many system safety analysis methods focus on individual physical
component failure. Some human reliability analyses (HRA) consider human
automation interaction in determining system failure rates. There is no system
safety analysis technique that quantifies the impact of human and automation
reliability on the risk of hazard exposure. METHOD: Classification of the
probability and severity of hazard exposure is typically made in terms of
linguistic rather than numerical variables. Fuzzy sets are applicable for
transforming linguistic classifications to numerical quantities. We focused on
using fuzzy sets to define overlapping bands of system risk exposure with
reference to the hazard risk categories defined in MIL-STD 882B. Fuzzy sets were
also used for human-automated system reliability classification. RESULTS:
Introduction of human and automation reliability assessment in the SHA allows for
definition of a system risk-reliability modeling space. The enhanced SHA (E-SHA)
technique yields a mishap risk index, which is projected based on a composite
assessment of human-automated system reliability at the time of operation. The E
SHA was compared with one of the most advanced HRA techniques. CONCLUSION: The E
SHA technique supports broader safety control recommendations and provides
comparable, if not more detailed, results than prior systems safety and HRA
techniques.
PMID- 28704630
TI - Relationship Between BMI and Fatigability Is Task Dependent.
AB - OBJECTIVE: The objective of the current study was to determine the effect of body
mass index (BMI) on fatigability of three different muscle groups at four
different work intensities. METHODS: Forty-nine normal-weight, 50 overweight, and
43 obese adults (32.1 +/- 9.2 years; 50% males) performed fatiguing handgrip,
shoulder flexion, and trunk extension exertions at 20%, 40%, 60%, and 80% of the
associated maximum voluntary contractions. RESULTS: Obese adults demonstrated 22%
to 30% shorter endurance times than normal-weight adults, but this was only
observed at lower intensities and with larger and more postural muscles of the
shoulder and low back. Strength and fatigue-related strength loss remained
comparable across BMI groups in both males and females in these task-specific
conditions. Obesity was associated with faster progression in perception of
effort at low-intensity shoulder and trunk exertions. While males were stronger
than females across all muscle groups, females exhibited greater shoulder fatigue
resistance than males at lower intensity levels. CONCLUSION: Findings indicate
that the relationship between obesity and fatigability is task dependent.
APPLICATION: These findings provide initial evidence on the impact of obesity on
worker capacity. Future work that extends the current investigation to include
more occupationally relevant scenarios are needed to facilitate occupational task
(re)design and assessment practices, such that altered work capacities of two
thirds of the working population are accommodated.
PMID- 28704631
TI - Driver Movement Patterns Indicate Distraction and Engagement.
AB - Objective This research considers how driver movements in video clips of
naturalistic driving are related to observer subjective ratings of distraction
and engagement behaviors. Background Naturalistic driving video provides a unique
window into driver behavior unmatched by crash data, roadside observations, or
driving simulator experiments. However, manually coding many thousands of hours
of video is impractical. An objective method is needed to identify driver
behaviors suggestive of distracted or disengaged driving for automated computer
vision analysis to access this rich source of data. Method Visual analog scales
ranging from 0 to 10 were created, and observers rated their perception of driver
distraction and engagement behaviors from selected naturalistic driving videos.
Driver kinematics time series were extracted from frame-by-frame coding of driver
motions, including head rotation, head flexion/extension, and hands on/off the
steering wheel. Results The ratings were consistent among participants. A
statistical model predicting average ratings from the kinematic features
accounted for 54% of distraction rating variance and 50% of engagement rating
variance. Conclusion Rated distraction behavior was positively related to the
magnitude of head rotation and fraction of time the hands were off the wheel.
Rated engagement behavior was positively related to the variation of head
rotation and negatively related to the fraction of time the hands were off the
wheel. Application If automated computer vision can code simple kinematic
features, such as driver head and hand movements, then large-volume naturalistic
driving videos could be automatically analyzed to identify instances when drivers
were distracted or disengaged.
PMID- 28704632
TI - Measuring Memory and Attention to Preview in Motion.
AB - Objective Use perceptual-motor responses to perturbations to reveal the spatio
temporal detail of memory for the recent past and attention to preview when
participants track a winding roadway. Background Memory of the recently passed
roadway can be inferred from feedback control models of the participants' manual
movement patterns. Similarly, attention to preview of the upcoming roadway can be
inferred from feedforward control models of manual movement patterns. Method
Perturbation techniques were used to measure these memory and attention
functions. Results In a laboratory tracking task, the bandwidth of lateral
roadway deviations was found to primarily influence memory for the past roadway
rather than attention to preview. A secondary auditory/verbal/vocal memory task
resulted in higher velocity error and acceleration error in the tracking task but
did not affect attention to preview. Attention to preview was affected by the
frequency pattern of sinusoidal perturbations of the roadway. Conclusion
Perturbation techniques permit measurement of the spatio-temporal span of memory
and attention to preview that affect tracking a winding roadway. They also
provide new ways to explore goal-directed forgetting and spatially distributed
attention in the context of movement. More generally, these techniques provide
sensitive measures of individual differences in cognitive aspects of action.
Application Models of driving behavior and assessment of driving skill may
benefit from more detailed spatio-temporal measurement of attention to preview.
PMID- 28704633
TI - The Influence of Hand Immersion Duration on Manual Performance.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of hand immersion duration on manipulative
ability and tactile sensitivity. BACKGROUND: Individuals in maritime settings
often work with hands that have been immersed in water. Although research has
shown that hand immersion duration differentially impacts skin adhesion and
tactile sensitivity, the effect of hand immersion on manipulative ability has not
been directly tested. Given how critical manipulative ability is for the safety
and performance of those working at sea, the effect of hand immersion duration on
manual performance was investigated. METHOD: Tests of manipulative ability
(Purdue Pegboard, Grooved Pegboard, reef knot untying) and tactile sensitivity
(Touch-Test) were completed following no-exposure, short-exposure, and long
exposure hand immersions in thermoneutral water. RESULTS: Compared to the no
immersion condition, the Purdue Pegboard performance was reduced in both
immersion conditions (short exposure, -11%; long exposure, -8%). A performance
decrement was only observed in the short exposure condition (+15% in time to
complete task) for the reef knot untying task. There were no statistical
differences in the Grooved Pegboard or Touch-Test scores between exposure
conditions. CONCLUSION: Immersing the hands in water decreases manipulative
ability except for when object properties reduce the slipperiness between the
hand and object. APPLICATION: Manual performance in a wet environment may be
conserved by designing tools and objects with edges and textures that can offset
the slipperiness of wet hands. To maintain safety, the time requirements for
working with wet hands needs to be considered.
PMID- 28704634
TI - Comparison of Sedentary Behaviors in Office Workers Using Sit-Stand Tables With
and Without Semiautomated Position Changes.
AB - OBJECTIVE: We compared usage patterns of two different electronically controlled
sit-stand tables during a 2-month intervention period among office workers.
BACKGROUND: Office workers spend most of their working time sitting, which is
likely detrimental to health. Although the introduction of sit-stand tables has
been suggested as an effective intervention to decrease sitting time, limited
evidence is available on usage patterns of sit-stand tables and whether patterns
are influenced by table configuration. METHOD: Twelve workers were provided with
standard sit-stand tables (nonautomated table group) and 12 with semiautomated
sit-stand tables programmed to change table position according to a preset
pattern, if the user agreed to the system-generated prompt (semiautomated table
group). Table position was monitored continuously for 2 months after introducing
the tables, as a proxy for sit-stand behavior. RESULTS: On average, the table was
in a "sit" position for 85% of the workday in both groups; this percentage did
not change significantly during the 2-month period. Switches in table position
from sit to stand were, however, more frequent in the semiautomated table group
than in the nonautomated table group (0.65 vs. 0.29 hr-1; p = .001). CONCLUSION:
Introducing a semiautomated sit-stand table appeared to be an attractive
alternative to a standard sit-stand table, because it led to more posture
variation. APPLICATION: A semiautomated sit-stand table may effectively
contribute to making postures more variable among office workers and thus aid in
alleviating negative health effects of extensive sitting.
PMID- 28704635
TI - Rehabilitation and Improvement of Health-Related Quality-of-Life Detriments in
Individuals With Chronic Ankle Instability: A Meta-Analysis.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To conduct a systematic review with meta-analysis assessing the
effectiveness of conservative rehabilitation programs for improving health
related quality of life (HRQL) in individuals with chronic ankle instability
(CAI). DATA SOURCES: PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, and SPORTDiscus were searched
from inception to January 2016. STUDY SELECTION: Studies were included if the
researchers examined the effects of a conservative rehabilitation protocol in
individuals with CAI, used validated patient-reported outcomes (PROs) to quantify
participant-perceived HRQL, and provided adequate data to calculate the effect
sizes (ESs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Studies were excluded if the
authors evaluated surgical interventions, prophylactic taping, or bracing
applications or examined only the immediate effects of 1 treatment session. DATA
EXTRACTION: Two investigators independently assessed methodologic quality using
the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) Scale. Studies were considered low
quality if fewer than 60% of the criteria were met. Level of evidence was
assessed using the Strength of Recommendation Taxonomy. Preintervention and
postintervention sample sizes, means, and standard deviations of PROs were
extracted. DATA SYNTHESIS: A total of 15 studies provided 24 participant groups
that were included in the analysis. Seven high-quality studies with a median
PEDro score of 50% (range = 10%-80%) and a median level of evidence of 2 (range =
1-2) were identified. The magnitudes of preintervention to postintervention PRO
differences were examined using bias-corrected Hedges g ESs. Random-effects meta
analysis was performed to synthesize PRO changes across all participant groups.
Positive ES values indicated better PRO scores at postintervention than at
preintervention. The alpha level was set at .05. Meta-analysis revealed a strong
ES with a nonoverlapping 95% CI (ES = 1.20, CI = 0.80, 1.60; P < .001),
indicating HRQL improved after conservative rehabilitation. CONCLUSIONS: Based
on the quality of the evidence and the results of the meta-analysis, grade A
evidence showed that conservative rehabilitation produces large improvements in
HRQL for people with CAI.
PMID- 28704636
TI - Partial Superficial, Superficial, and Total Parotidectomy in the Management of
Benign Parotid Gland Tumors: A 10-Year Prospective Study of 205 Patients.
AB - PURPOSE: The aim of this report is to present an overview of the authors'
experience in treating parotid gland tumors for a period of 10 years. This report
describes patients' demographics, surgical outcomes, and complications and
discusses the management of benign disease with particular emphasis on the
importance of facial nerve dissection. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 205
consecutive patients with different parotid gland tumors underwent surgery at
Northampton General Hospital (Northampton, UK) from October 2000 to November
2010. Data were prospectively collected and entered into an electronic database.
Patients' demographics, clinical tumor size, type of operation, fine-needle
aspiration result, facial nerve status, final histopathologic report, and
intraoperative and postoperative complications were recorded and analyzed.
RESULTS: This study confirmed that good results in low recurrence rate and
minimal risk of facial nerve weakness can be achieved with operations less
aggressive than traditional superficial parotidectomy, such as partial
superficial parotidectomy. Transient facial nerve palsy was significantly more
frequent after total (40%; P < .001) and superficial (28%; P < .05)
parotidectomy, respectively, than after partial superficial parotidectomy (9.6%).
CONCLUSION: Because the risk or recurrence is higher when surgery is performed by
inexperienced surgeons, the authors advocate that parotid gland surgery should be
performed by adequately trained operators and the surgical specimen ideally
should be examined by a histopathologist experienced in the diagnosis of salivary
gland tumors. Recurrence rate for these tumors increases with time; therefore,
long-term follow-up is required for these patients.
PMID- 28704637
TI - Evaluation of the Mandibular Lingual Canal and Anterior Loop Length to Minimize
Complications Associated With Anterior Mandibular Surgeries: A Cone-Beam Computed
Tomography Study.
AB - PURPOSE: This retrospective study evaluated the localization, incidence, and
dimensions of the mandibular lingual canal and the anterior loop in the Taiwanese
population using the simulation and visual interpretation of cone-beam computed
tomography to minimize complications during symphysis block surgical procedures.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The sample population consisted of 215 patients (105 men
and 110 women; mean age, 57 yr). The median lingual canal, symphysis bone
thickness, and anterior loop length were defined and calculated using cone-beam
computed tomography and 3-dimensional reconstructed images. The correlation of
all data for men and women was assessed and analyzed statistically using unpaired
t tests. RESULTS: All patients exhibited at least 1 median lingual canal in the
symphysis, and the diameter of the main branch ranged from 0.21 to 1.48 mm (mean,
0.85 mm), with relevant differences between genders (longer in men than in
women). A harvesting depth of 4 mm for the distance from the buccal bone to the
terminal end of the median lingual canal resulted in a risk of neurovascular
injury (13.0%); this risk was notably higher in women (19.1%) than in men (6.7%).
The right and left anterior loop lengths ranged from 0 to 5.46 mm (mean, 2.60 mm)
and from 0 to 5.57 mm (mean, 2.61 mm), respectively, with no relevant differences
between genders or sides. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that routine cone-beam
computed tomographic examinations before surgical interventions in the symphysis
region are necessary because of the numerous complicated anatomic variations.
PMID- 28704638
TI - Regulator of Calcineurin 3 Ameliorates Autoimmune Arthritis by Suppressing Th17
Cell Differentiation.
AB - Regulator of calcineurin 3 (RCAN3), an endogenous regulator of the calcineurin
nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) signaling pathway, inhibits the
phosphatase activity of calcineurin, the nuclear translocation of NFAT, and the
NFAT downstream pathway. To investigate the effects of RCAN3 on T-cell regulatory
function and the development and progression of inflammatory arthritis, we
studied the effects of RCAN3 transfection on regulation of Th17 cell
differentiation in a murine T-lymphoma cell line and primary splenic CD4+ T
cells. Overexpression of RCAN3 suppressed Th17 cell differentiation through the
down-regulation of RAR receptor orphan receptor gammaT mRNA and up-regulation of
forkhead box P3 mRNA. In mice with collagen-induced arthritis, injection of an
RCAN3-overexpression vector controlled arthritis development in vivo. Injection
of RCAN3 reduced the formation of osteoclasts and expression of inflammatory
cytokines in vivo. Antioxidants stimulated the expression of RCAN3 in vitro, and
combination therapy with pcDNA-RCAN3 had a synergistic suppressive effect on the
development of arthritis. These data suggest that RCAN3 may be an effective
treatment for rheumatoid arthritis.
PMID- 28704639
TI - A sense of agency: An ethnographic exploration of being awake during mechanical
ventilation in the intensive care unit.
AB - BACKGROUND: There is a current trend towards lighter or no sedation of
mechanically ventilated patients in the intensive care unit. The advantages of
less sedation have been demonstrated as shorter duration of mechanical
ventilation and reduced length of stay in the intensive care unit and hospital.
Non-sedated patients are more awake during mechanical ventilation, but little is
known about how this affects the intensive care patient. AIM: To explore
patients' experiences of being awake during critical illness and mechanical
ventilation in the intensive care unit. DESIGN & METHODS: The study was based on
Interpretive Description, an applied inductive, qualitative approach with an
ethnographic exploration of the patient experience. A longitudinal perspective
was obtained through 13 months of fieldwork followed by two patient interviews
after intensive care and after hospital discharge. Data were analyzed using
thematic analysis. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: The fieldwork was conducted in two
intensive care units at a university hospital in Denmark, where the no sedation
strategy for mechanically ventilated patients was implemented. Twenty-eight
patients were observed in the intensive care unit. Twenty patients, who had been
awake for most of the time on mechanical ventilation, were interviewed during the
first week after discharge from intensive care. Thirteen of these patients were
interviewed again two to four months after discharge. FINDINGS: Three themes were
identified: "A sense of agency", "The familiar in the unfamiliar situation" and
"Awareness of surrounding activities". Patients had the ability to interact from
the first days of critical illness and a sense of agency was expressed through
initiating, directing and participating in communication and other activities.
Patients appreciated competent and compassionate nurses who were attentive and
involved them as individual persons. Initiatives to enhance familiar aspects such
as relatives, personal items and care, continuity and closeness of nurses
contributed to the patients' experience of feeling safe and secure in the
unfamiliar setting. Patients were aware of the surrounding activities and felt
powerless when ignored by the staff and were affected when witnessing fellow
patients' suffering. CONCLUSION: Being awake during mechanical ventilation
entailed new opportunities and challenges for critically ill patients. Patients
found themselves at the interface between agency and powerlessness as they were
able to interact, yet were bound by contextual factors such as bodily weakness,
technology, spatial position and relational aspects. This knowledge is important
to develop patient-centered nursing practice in the context of lighter sedation.
PMID- 28704640
TI - The pitfalls of biomarker-based classification schemes.
PMID- 28704641
TI - Giants in Obstetrics and Gynecology: A profile of Donald R. Coustan, MD.
PMID- 28704642
TI - Infections after shoulder arthroplasty are correlated with higher anesthetic risk
score: a case-control study in Brazil.
AB - PURPOSES: Shoulder arthroplasty (SA) has been performed by many years for the
treatment of several conditions, including osteoarthritis and proximal humeral
fractures following trauma. Surgical site infection (SSI) following Shoulder
arthroplasty remains a challenge, contributing to increased morbidity and costs.
Identification of risk factors may help implementing adequate strategies to
prevent infection. We aimed to identify pre- and intra-operative risk factors
associated with deep infections after Shoulder arthroplasty. METHODS: An
unmatched case-control study was conducted to describe the prevalence, clinical
and microbiological findings, and to evaluate patient and surgical risk factors
for prosthetic shoulder infection (PSI), among 158 patients who underwent SA due
to any reason, at a tertiary public university institution. Risk factors for PSI
was assessed by uni- and multivariate analyses using multiple logistic
regression. RESULTS: 168 SA from 158 patients were analyzed, with an overall
infection rate of 9.5% (16/168 cases). Subjects undergoing SA with American
Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade III or higher (odds ratio [OR]=5.30, 95%
confidence interval [CI]=1.58-17.79, p<0.013) and presenting local hematoma after
surgery (odds ratio [OR]=7.10, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.09-46.09, p=0.04)
had higher risk for PSI on univariate analysis. However, only ASA score grade III
or higher remained significant on multivariate analysis (OR=4.74, 95% CI=1.33
16.92, p=0.016). Gram-positive cocci and Gram-negative bacilli were equally
isolated in 50% of cases; however, the most commonly detected bacterium was
Pseudomonas aeruginosa (18.7%). CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence
suggesting that patient-related known factors such as higher ASA score
predisposes to shoulder arthroplasty-associated infection. Furthermore, unusual
pathogens associated with PSI were identified.
PMID- 28704643
TI - Multidisciplinary training of cancer specialists in Europe.
AB - The best care for patients with cancer is most likely to be achieved when
decisions about diagnosis, staging and treatment are made at multidisciplinary
and multiprofessional meetings, preferably when all the professional expertise
relevant to the patient's condition is gathered together. Questionnaires were
sent to National Societies of Radiation Oncology and Medical Oncology concerning
similarities and differences in training programs and multidisciplinary care in
member states in Europe. Results indicated wide variation in training systems and
practice. Data were lacking for Surgery because Surgical Oncology is not
recognised as a speciality in the EU and most specialist training in cancer
surgery is organ based. A period of time in cross-disciplinary training in each
of the other two disciplines for all trainees in Medical Oncology, Radiation
Oncology and Surgical Oncology (including all surgeons training in cancer
surgery) is recommended. This is likely to improve the value of multidisciplinary
meetings and may result in improved patient care. The Expert Group on Cancer
Control of the European Commission has endorsed this recommendation.
PMID- 28704644
TI - Amide proton transfer-weighted magnetic resonance image-guided stereotactic
biopsy in patients with newly diagnosed gliomas.
AB - PURPOSE: Pathological assessment using World Health Organization (WHO) criteria
is the gold standard for diagnosis of gliomas. However, the accuracy of diagnosis
is limited by tissue sampling, particularly for infiltrating, heterogeneous
tumours. We assessed the accuracy of amide proton transfer-weighted (APTw)
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided tissue sampling to identify regions of
high-grade glioma via radiographic-histopathologic correlation in patients with
newly suspected glioma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-four patients with
previously undiagnosed gliomas underwent a volumetric APTw MRI prior to their
first neurosurgical procedure. A total of 70 specimens were collected via APTw
image-directed stereotactic biopsy. Cellularity, necrosis, proliferation and
glioma WHO grade were analysed for all specimens and correlated with
corresponding APTw signal intensities. RESULTS: Thirty-three specimens displayed
grade-II pathology, 14 grade-III, 15 grade-IV, and eight specimens revealed only
peritumoural oedema. Multiple glioma grades were found within a single lesion in
six patients. APTw signal intensities of the biopsied sites and the maximum APTw
values across all biopsied sites in each patient were significantly higher for
high-grade versus low-grade specimens. APTw signal intensities were significantly
positively correlated with cellularity (R = 0.757) and proliferation (R = 0.538).
Multiple linear regression analysis showed that tumour cellularity and
proliferation index were the best predictors of APTw signal intensities.
CONCLUSION: APTw imaging identified tumour areas of higher cellularity and
proliferation, allowing identification of high-grade regions within heterogeneous
gliomas. APTw imaging can be readily translated for more widespread use and can
assist diagnostic neurosurgical procedures by increasing the accuracy of tumour
sampling in patients with infiltrating gliomas.
PMID- 28704645
TI - Meta-analysis and systematic review of studies on the effectiveness of HIV stigma
reduction programs.
AB - OBJECTIVE: The present study conducted a meta-analysis and systematic review on
studies evaluating the effectiveness of stigma reduction programs in improving
knowledge and reducing negative attitudes towards people living with HIV (PLHIV).
RESULTS: Meta-analysis (k = 42 studies) found significant and small effect sizes
in the improvement of the participants' knowledge of HIV/AIDS from interventions
with (Cohen's d = 0.48, 95% CI [0.30, 0.66]) and without control groups (Cohen's
d = 0.42, 95% CI [0.28, 0.57]). Significant and small effect sizes were found in
the improvement of the participants' attitudes toward PLHIV from interventions
with (Cohen's d = 0.39, 95% CI [0.23, 0.55]) and without control groups (Cohen's
d = 0.25, 95% CI [0.11, 0.39]). Significant and small effect sizes were sustained
at the follow-up assessments. Subgroup analysis showed that number of
intervention sessions, intervention settings, and sample type significantly
moderated the effect sizes in the meta-analysis. Findings from the systematic
review of 35 studies indicated that most of the included studies showed positive
results in reducing negative attitudes toward PLHIV and improving HIV-related
knowledge. Most of the included studies tended to have low methodological
quality. CONCLUSION: The present meta-analysis and systematic review indicated
that the studies generally found small improvement in HIV-related knowledge and
reduction in negative attitudes towards PLHIV among the stigma reduction programs
being evaluated. High-quality stigma reduction programs with multidimensional
stigma indicators and psychometrically sound outcome measures are highly
warranted.
PMID- 28704646
TI - Skin Dysbiosis Goes "Off-Leish".
AB - There is increasing interest in the contribution of microbes to skin disease. In
this issue of Cell Host & Microbe, Gimblet et al. (2017) demonstrate that
cutaneous leishmaniasis alters the human skin microbiota. In mice, this dysbiosis
is transferable to naive animals, where it augments skin inflammation and disease
severity.
PMID- 28704647
TI - HIV-1-Mediated Downmodulation of HLA-C Impacts Target Cell Recognition and
Antiviral Activity of NK Cells.
AB - It was widely accepted that HIV-1 downregulates HLA-A/B to avoid CTL recognition
while leaving HLA-C unaltered in order to prevent NK cell activation by engaging
inhibitory NK cell receptors, but it was recently observed that most primary
isolates of HIV-1 can mediate HLA-C downmodulation. Now we report that HIV-1
mediated downmodulation of HLA-C was associated with reduced binding to its
respective inhibitory receptors. Despite this, HLA-C-licensed NK cells displayed
reduced antiviral activity compared to their unlicensed counterparts, potentially
due to residual binding to the respective inhibitory receptors. Nevertheless, NK
cells were able to sense alterations of HLA-C expression demonstrated by
increased antiviral activity when exposed to viral strains with differential
abilities to downmodulate HLA-C. These results suggest that the capability of HLA
C-licensed NK cells to control HIV-1 replication is determined by the strength of
KIR/HLA-C interactions and is thus dependent on both host genetics and the extent
of virus-mediated HLA-C downregulation.
PMID- 28704648
TI - Diabetes Enhances IL-17 Expression and Alters the Oral Microbiome to Increase Its
Pathogenicity.
AB - Diabetes is a risk factor for periodontitis, an inflammatory bone disorder and
the greatest cause of tooth loss in adults. Diabetes has a significant impact on
the gut microbiota; however, studies in the oral cavity have been inconclusive.
By 16S rRNA sequencing, we show here that diabetes causes a shift in oral
bacterial composition and, by transfer to germ-free mice, that the oral
microbiota of diabetic mice is more pathogenic. Furthermore, treatment with IL-17
antibody decreases the pathogenicity of the oral microbiota in diabetic mice;
when transferred to recipient germ-free mice, oral microbiota from IL-17-treated
donors induced reduced neutrophil recruitment, reduced IL-6 and RANKL, and less
bone resorption. Thus, diabetes-enhanced IL-17 alters the oral microbiota and
renders it more pathogenic. Our findings provide a mechanistic basis to better
understand how diabetes can increase the risk and severity of tooth loss.
PMID- 28704650
TI - Bacteria Tell Us How to Protect Our Intestine.
AB - The inner colon mucus layer capacity to separate bacteria from the epithelium is
dependent on bacterial colonizers signaling to the host epithelium. In this issue
of Cell Host & Microbe, Wlodarska et al. (2017) demonstrate that the mucin
utilizing Peptostreptococcus russellii protects the host from inflammatory
disease via metabolite signals.
PMID- 28704649
TI - Indoleacrylic Acid Produced by Commensal Peptostreptococcus Species Suppresses
Inflammation.
AB - Host factors in the intestine help select for bacteria that promote health.
Certain commensals can utilize mucins as an energy source, thus promoting their
colonization. However, health conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
are associated with a reduced mucus layer, potentially leading to dysbiosis
associated with this disease. We characterize the capability of commensal species
to cleave and transport mucin-associated monosaccharides and identify several
Clostridiales members that utilize intestinal mucins. One such mucin utilizer,
Peptostreptococcus russellii, reduces susceptibility to epithelial injury in
mice. Several Peptostreptococcus species contain a gene cluster enabling
production of the tryptophan metabolite indoleacrylic acid (IA), which promotes
intestinal epithelial barrier function and mitigates inflammatory responses.
Furthermore, metagenomic analysis of human stool samples reveals that the genetic
capability of microbes to utilize mucins and metabolize tryptophan is diminished
in IBD patients. Our data suggest that stimulating IA production could promote
anti-inflammatory responses and have therapeutic benefits.
PMID- 28704651
TI - Synergy between the Host Immune System and Bacteriophage Is Essential for
Successful Phage Therapy against an Acute Respiratory Pathogen.
AB - The rise of multi-drug-resistant (MDR) bacteria has spurred renewed interest in
the use of bacteriophages in therapy. However, mechanisms contributing to phage
mediated bacterial clearance in an animal host remain unclear. We investigated
the effects of host immunity on the efficacy of phage therapy for acute pneumonia
caused by MDR Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a mouse model. Comparing efficacies of
phage-curative and prophylactic treatments in healthy immunocompetent, MyD88
deficient, lymphocyte-deficient, and neutrophil-depleted murine hosts revealed
that neutrophil-phage synergy is essential for the resolution of pneumonia.
Population modeling of in vivo results further showed that neutrophils are
required to control both phage-sensitive and emergent phage-resistant variants to
clear infection. This "immunophage synergy" contrasts with the paradigm that
phage therapy success is largely due to bacterial permissiveness to phage
killing. Lastly, therapeutic phages were not cleared by pulmonary immune effector
cells and were immunologically well tolerated by lung tissues.
PMID- 28704652
TI - Environmental Stress Causes Lethal Neuro-Trauma during Asymptomatic Viral
Infections.
AB - Asymptomatic infections often proceed undetected, yet can still prime the host to
be sensitive to secondary environmental stress. While the mechanisms underlying
disease caused by asymptomatic infections are unknown, it is believed that
productive pathogen replication is required. We report that the environmental
stress of carbon dioxide (CO2) anesthesia converts an asymptomatic rhabdovirus
infection in Drosophila to one that is lethal. This lethality results from a pool
of infectious virus in glial cells and is regulated by the antiviral RNAi pathway
of the host. CO2 sensitivity is caused by the fusogenic activity of the viral
glycoprotein, which results in fusion of neurons and glia. Expression of the
viral glycoprotein, but not a fusion defective mutant, is sufficient to cause CO2
sensitivity, which can occur even in the absence of productive viral replication.
These findings highlight how viral proteins, independent of pathogen replication,
may predispose hosts to life-threatening environmental stress.
PMID- 28704653
TI - Double the Trouble When Herpesviruses Join Hands.
AB - KSHV is the etiologic agent of PEL-an aggressive lymphoma. Interestingly, EBV
concurrently exists in nearly 70% of PEL cases. In this issue of Cell Host &
Microbe, McHugh et al. (2017) develop humanized mouse models for EBV/KSHV co
infection and identify their complementary effect on in vivo tumor formation.
PMID- 28704654
TI - Persistent KSHV Infection Increases EBV-Associated Tumor Formation In Vivo via
Enhanced EBV Lytic Gene Expression.
AB - The human tumor viruses Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Kaposi sarcoma-associated
herpesvirus (KSHV) establish persistent infections in B cells. KSHV is linked to
primary effusion lymphoma (PEL), and 90% of PELs also contain EBV. Studies on
persistent KSHV infection in vivo and the role of EBV co-infection in PEL
development have been hampered by the absence of small animal models. We
developed mice reconstituted with human immune system components as a model for
KSHV infection and find that EBV/KSHV dual infection enhanced KSHV persistence
and tumorigenesis. Dual-infected cells displayed a plasma cell-like gene
expression pattern similar to PELs. KSHV persisted in EBV-transformed B cells and
was associated with lytic EBV gene expression, resulting in increased tumor
formation. Evidence of elevated lytic EBV replication was also found in EBV/KSHV
dually infected lymphoproliferative disorders in humans. Our data suggest that
KSHV augments EBV-associated tumorigenesis via stimulation of lytic EBV
replication.
PMID- 28704655
TI - War on Viruses: LC3 Recruits GTPases.
AB - Interferon effector functions and autophagy are evolutionarily conserved arms of
cell-autonomous immunity that restrict replication of intracellular pathogens. In
this issue of Cell Host and Microbe, Biering et al., (2017) demonstrate how host
cells co-opt sequential action of autophagy proteins and IFN-inducible GTPases to
inhibit replication of positive-sense RNA viruses.
PMID- 28704656
TI - Induction of INKIT by Viral Infection Negatively Regulates Antiviral Responses
through Inhibiting Phosphorylation of p65 and IRF3.
AB - The transcription factors p65 and IRF3 play key roles in the induction of
cellular antiviral responses. Phosphorylation of p65 and IRF3 is required for
their activity and constitutes a key checkpoint. Here we report that viral
infection induced upregulation of INKIT, an inhibitor for NF-kappaB and IRF3 that
restricted innate antiviral responses by blocking phosphorylation of p65 and
IRF3. INKIT overexpression inhibited virus-induced phosphorylation of p65 and
IRF3 and expression of downstream genes. In contrast, knockdown or knockout of
INKIT had the opposite effect: Inkit-/- mice produced elevated levels of type I
interferons and proinflammatory cytokines and were more resistant to lethal viral
infection compared to wild-type. INKIT interacted with IKKalpha/beta and
TBK1/IKKE, impairing the recruitment and phosphorylation of p65 and IRF3. Viral
infection induced IKK-mediated phosphorylation of INKIT at Ser58, resulting in
its dissociation from the IKKs. Our findings thus uncover INKIT as a regulator of
innate antiviral responses.
PMID- 28704657
TI - Dual Blades: The Role of Musashi 1 in Zika Replication and Microcephaly.
AB - Infection with Zika virus (ZIKV) during pregnancy may cause severe developmental
defects in the human brain via unknown mechanisms. In a recent issue of Science,
Chavali et al. (2017) identified a neural progenitor cell (NPC)-specific RNA
binding protein that may underlie the high levels of ZIKV replication and
apoptosis observed in these cells during congenital infections.
PMID- 28704659
TI - Preheating mitigates cadmium toxicity in zebrafish livers: Evidence from promoter
demethylation, gene transcription to biochemical levels.
AB - The working hypothesis for this study was that moderate heat stress would
alleviate the deleterious effects of subsequent cadmium (Cd) exposure on fish.
Thus, zebrafish (Danio rerio) were subjected to water maintained at 26 degrees C
and 34 degrees C for 4days, and then exposed to 0 or 200MUg/L Cd for 1 week at 26
degrees C. Multiple indicators were measured from livers of zebrafish at
different levels, including DNA, RNA, protein and enzymatic activity associated
with oxidative stress, inflammation and metal transport. The ameliorative effect
of preheatinging on Cd toxicity was demonstrated. In the Cd-exposed groups,
preheating decreased mortality and lipid peroxidation, increased activity levels
of catalase (CAT) and copper/zinc-superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD), and up
regulated mRNA levels of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and heat shock factor 2
(HSF2). Preheating also mitigated Cd-induced increases in protein and mRNA levels
of metallothioneins (MTs), and mRNA levels of several inflammation-related genes.
Furthermore, preheating alone dramatically up-regulated mRNA levels of genes
related to antioxidant and immune defenses, zinc and copper transporters, protein
folding, and reduced methylation levels in the HSF binding motif of the HSP70
promoter. Overall, preheating-induced accumulation of transcripts via
demethylation might support the rapid defense responses at post-transcriptional
levels caused by subsequent Cd exposure, indicating an adaptive mechanism for
organisms exposed to one mild stressor followed by another.
PMID- 28704658
TI - Fusion Stage of HIV-1 Entry Depends on Virus-Induced Cell Surface Exposure of
Phosphatidylserine.
AB - HIV-1 entry into host cells starts with interactions between the viral envelope
glycoprotein (Env) and cellular CD4 receptors and coreceptors. Previous work has
suggested that efficient HIV entry also depends on intracellular signaling, but
this remains controversial. Here we report that formation of the pre-fusion Env
CD4-coreceptor complexes triggers non-apoptotic cell surface exposure of the
membrane lipid phosphatidylserine (PS). HIV-1-induced PS redistribution depends
on Ca2+ signaling triggered by Env-coreceptor interactions and involves the lipid
scramblase TMEM16F. Externalized PS strongly promotes Env-mediated membrane
fusion and HIV-1 infection. Blocking externalized PS or suppressing TMEM16F
inhibited Env-mediated fusion. Exogenously added PS promoted fusion, with fusion
dependence on PS being especially strong for cells with low surface density of
coreceptors. These findings suggest that cell-surface PS acts as an important
cofactor that promotes the fusogenic restructuring of pre-fusion complexes and
likely focuses the infection on cells conducive to PS signaling.
PMID- 28704660
TI - Pathway analysis of systemic transcriptome responses to injected polystyrene
particles in zebrafish larvae.
AB - Microplastics are a contaminant of emergent concern in the environment, however,
to date there is a limited understanding on their movement within organisms and
the response of organisms. In the current study zebrafish embryos at different
development stages were exposed to 700nm fluorescent polystyrene (PS) particles
and the response pathway after exposure was investigated using imaging and
transcriptomics. Our results show limited spreading of particles within the
larvae after injection during the blastula stage. This is in contrast to
injection of PS particles in the yolk of 2-day old embryos, which resulted in
redistribution of the PS particles throughout the bloodstream, and accumulation
in the heart region. Although injection was local, the transcriptome profiling
showed strong responses of zebrafish embryos exposed to PS particle, indicating a
systemic response. We found several biological pathways activated which are
related to an immune response in the PS exposed zebrafish larvae. Most notably
the complement system was enriched as indicated by upregulation of genes in the
alternative complement pathway (e.g. cfhl3, cfhl4, cfb and c9). The fact that
complement pathway is activated indicates that plastic microparticles are
integrated in immunological recognition processes. This was supported by
fluorescence microscopy results, in which we observed co-localisation of
neutrophils and macrophages around the PS particles. Identifying these key events
can be a first building block to the development of an adverse outcome pathway
(AOP). These data subsequently can be used within ecological and human risk
assessment.
PMID- 28704661
TI - Direct and indirect photolysis of seven micropollutants in secondary effluent
from a wastewater lagoon.
AB - The photodegradation of seven micropollutants commonly found in municipal
wastewater, namely caffeine, carbamazepine, diuron, simazine, sulfamethoxazole,
triclosan and 2,4-D, was investigated in pure water and secondary effluent to
understand the direct and indirect photolysis of these compounds under natural
sunlight irradiation. Sulfamethoxazole and triclosan were readily photodegraded
with half-lives of 5.8 and 1.8 h, respectively, whilst the others were relatively
resistant towards sunlight irradiation. Enhanced degradation was observed in
secondary effluent compared with in the pure water matrix for all compounds,
except for triclosan. It was confirmed that hydroxyl radicals played an important
role in the photodegradation of the micropollutants while singlet oxygen may also
play a role. The contribution of hydroxyl radical to the overall degradation of
the five compounds that were resistant to direct sunlight accounted for 32%-70%.
The impact of humic acid and nitrate, two known photosensitisers and wastewater
components, on the photodegradation of the seven micropollutants in pure water
was investigated under simulated solar radiation. The presence of nitrate
promoted the photochemical loss of all seven micropollutants, however, humic acid
caused promotion or inhibition, depending on the characteristics of the
micropollutant. Humic acid enhanced the photolytic degradation of caffeine,
sulfamethoxazole and diuron, while it hindered the photodegradation of the other
four compounds by absorbing the available irradiation energy and/or reforming the
parent compound. Furthermore, it was shown that there was only a small increase
(up to 15%) in photodegradation of the compounds at 25 degrees C compared with
that at 10 degrees C in the simulated system.
PMID- 28704662
TI - Assessment of heavy metal contamination in sediment at Sukinda ultramafic complex
using HAADF-STEM analysis.
AB - The Sukinda ultramafic complex in Odisha has the largest chromite reserve in
India. Sediment derived from ultramafic rocks has been enriched with various
metals. Further, mining activities enhance the influx of metals into sediment by
dumping mine overburden and tailings in the open area. Metal concentration in
sediment is found in order of CrTotal(Cr) > Mn > Ni > Co > Zn > Cu with average
concentration 26,778 mg/kg, 3098 mg/kg, 1813 mg/kg, 184 mg/kg, 116 mg/kg and 44
mg/kg respectively. Concentration of Cr(VI) varies from 5.25 to 26.47 mg/L with
an average of 12.27 mg/L. Based on various pollution indices, it is confirmed
that the area is severely contaminated. Nano-scale goethite, kaolinite,
clinochlore and chromite have been identified and have high concentration of Cr,
Co and Ni. Goethite has shown maximum metal retention potential as deciphered by
high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF
STEM). The HAADF-STEM mapping and principal component analysis indicate that Cr
and Co mostly derived from chromite whereas Ni and Zn are derived from
serpentine. Later, these metals co-precipitate and/or adsorbed onto the goethite
and clay minerals. Fractionation study of metals confirms that Cu is the most
mobile element followed by Zn. However, at low pH condition Ni is mobilized and
likely to be bioavailable. Though Cr mostly occurs in residual fraction but as
its concentration is very high, a small proportion of exchangeable fraction
contributes significantly in terms of its bioavailability. Thus bioavailable Cr
can pose severe threat to the environment in the Sukinda ultramafic complex.
PMID- 28704663
TI - Effect of sulfide on As(III) and As(V) sequestration by ferrihydrite.
AB - The sulfide-induced change in arsenic speciation is often coupled to iron
geochemical processes, including redox reaction, adsorption/desorption and
precipitation/dissolution. Knowledge about how sulfide influenced the coupled
geochemistry of iron and arsenic was not explored well up to now. In this work,
retention and mobilization of As(III) and As(V) on ferrihydrite in sulfide-rich
environment was studied. The initial oxidation states of arsenic and the contact
order of sulfide notably influenced arsenic sequestration on ferrihydrite. For
As(III) systems, pre-sulfidation of As(III) decreased arsenic sequestration
mostly. The arsenic adsorption capacity decreased about 50% in comparison with
the system without sulfide addition. For As(V) systems, pre-sulfidation of
ferrihydrite decreased 30% sequestration of arsenic on ferrihydrite. Reduction of
ferrihydrite by sulfide in As(V) system was higher than that in As(III) system.
Geochemical modeling calculations identified formation of thioarsenite in the pre
sulfidation of As(III) system. Formation of arsenic thioanions enhanced As
solubility in the pre-sulfidation of As(III) system. The high concentration of
sulfide and Fe(II) in pre-sulfidation of ferrihydrite system contributed to
saturation of FeS. This supplied new solid phase to immobilize soluble arsenic in
aqueous phase. X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES) of sulfur K-edge,
arsenic K-edge and iron L-edge analysis gave the consistent evidence for the
sulfidation reaction of arsenic and ferrihydrite under specific geochemical
settings.
PMID- 28704664
TI - A primary estimation of PCDD/Fs release reduction from non-wood pulp and paper
industry in China based on the investigation of pulp bleaching with chlorine
converting to chlorine dioxide.
AB - Chlorine bleaching technology (C process, CEH process, H process and theirs
combination), which was identified as a primary formation source of PCDD/Fs, is
still widely used by the vast majority of Chinese non-wood pulp and paper mills
(non-wood PMs). The purpose of this study was to provide information and data
support for further eliminating dioxin for non-wood PMs in China, and especially
to evaluate the PCDD/Fs release reduction for those mills converting their pulp
bleaching processes from CEH to ECF. The PCDD/Fs concentrations of the bleached
pulp and bleaching wastewater with ECF bleaching were in the ranges of 0.13-0.8
ng TEQ kg-1, and 0.15-1.9 pg TEQ L-1, respectively, which were far lower than
those with CEH process, indicating that the ECF process is an effective
alternative bleaching technology to replace CEH in Chinese non-wood PMs to reduce
dioxin release. The release factor via flue gas of the alkali recovery boiler in
Chinese non-wood PMs was first reported to be 0.092 MUg TEQ Ad t-1 in this study.
On the assumption that pulp bleaching processes of all Chinese non-wood PMs were
converted from CEH to ECF, the annual release of PCDD/Fs via the bleaching
wastewater and bleached pulp would be reduced by 79.1%, with a total of 1.60 g
TEQ.
PMID- 28704665
TI - Effect of temperature on N2O emissions from a highly enriched nitrifying granular
sludge performing partial nitritation of a low-strength wastewater.
AB - In the race to achieve a sustainable urban wastewater treatment plant, not only
the energy requirements have to be considered but also the environmental impact
of the facility. Thus, nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions are a key-factor to pay
attention to, since they can dominate the total greenhouse gases emissions from
biological wastewater treatment. In this study, N2O production factors were
calculated during the operation of a granular sludge airlift reactor performing
partial nitritation treating a low-strength synthetic influent, and furthermore,
the effect of temperature on N2O production was assessed. Average gas emission
relative to conversion of ammonium was 1.5 +/- 0.3% and 3.7 +/- 0.5% while the
effluent contained 0.5 +/- 0.1% and 0.7 +/- 0.1% (% N-oxidized) at 10 and 20
degrees C, respectively. Hence, temperature increase resulted in higher N2O
production. The reasons why high temperature favoured N2O production remained
unclear, but different theoretical hypotheses were suggested.
PMID- 28704666
TI - TiO2 supported on reed straw biochar as an adsorptive and photocatalytic
composite for the efficient degradation of sulfamethoxazole in aqueous matrices.
AB - Heterogeneous photocatalysis namely titanium dioxide supported on reed straw
biochar (acid pre-treated) (TiO2/pBC) was synthesized by sol-gel method. The
morphology, surface area and structure of TiO2/pBC were characterized by scanning
electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), and X-ray diffraction
(XRD). Low calcination condition maintained the structure of biochar completely
and prevented the agglomeration of TiO2 particles. Due to the combination of
adsorption and photocatalysis, TiO2/pBC performed higher removal efficiency of
sulfamethoxazole (SMX) than pure TiO2 powder under UV light irradiation. The
photocatalytic degradation (PCD) of SMX was also studied with the water collected
from the Yellow River. Three high concentration inorganic anions (Cl-, NO3-, SO42
) of the river exerted certain degree of detrimental effects on the contaminant
degradation. TiO2/pBC showed stable photocatalytic activity after five sequential
PCD cycles. The biochar was able to promote further PCD on TiO2 by adsorbing SMX
and intermediates thereby prolonging the separation lifetime of electrons (e-)
and valence band hole (h+). The transformation intermediates of SMX were
identified and three possible degradation reactions of hydroxylation, opening of
isoxazole ring and cleavage of SN bond might occur during the PCD of SMX.
PMID- 28704667
TI - Occurrence and temporal variation of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in shrimp
aquaculture: ARGs dissemination from farming source to reared organisms.
AB - Considerable attention has been paid to the occurrence and abundance of
antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in aquatic environments. However, the temporal
variation and dissemination of ARGs in aquaculture environments and reared
organisms need further study. This study investigated the abundance and diversity
of ARGs and bacterial community in water source, shrimp pond water, sediment, and
shrimps during the rearing period in Pearl River Delta region, South China. The
results showed that sul1, qnrD, cmlA, and floR were the predominant ARGs in the
aquaculture samples. A trend of decreasing abundance of ARGs was observed for
pond water samples during the rearing period, whereas an increasing trend was
observed in the sediment and shrimp samples. The total concentration of ARGs in
water source was significantly higher than that in shrimp pond water (p<0.05). A
significant negative correlation was found between the total concentrations of
ARGs in pond waters and sediments (p<0.01). The total abundances of ARGs in
intestinal tract of adult shrimps were 4.48-19.0 times higher than those in
juvenile shrimps. Similar to water source and pond water, cmlA and sul1 were the
predominant ARGs in shrimp intestinal tract. The bacterial community in the
shrimp intestinal tract changed greatly from juvenile to adult. The results of
the present study indicated that the abundances of ARGs in aquaculture varied
temporally during the rearing period. Water source was an important medium
disseminating ARGs to the aquaculture environments and reared organisms. Sul1
could be used as a potential indicator for ARGs in both water and sediment in
aquaculture in the estuary of the Pearl River Delta, South China. This study
represents a case study for the temporal variation of abundance and dissemination
of ARGs in aquaculture and is a reference for potential risks to food safety and
human health.
PMID- 28704668
TI - Performance and implementation of low impact development - A review.
AB - Climate change, urbanization, and ecological concerns are all driving the need
for new stormwater management strategies. The effects of urbanization are
exaggerated by climate change and thus the development of innovative stormwater
management techniques are necessary to mitigate these impacts. One emerging
stormwater management philosophy is low impact development (LID). LID utilizes
distributed stormwater controls (often green infrastructure) as well as green
spaces and natural hydrologic features in order to bring the hydrology of urban
catchments closer to pre-development conditions. The review provides a summary of
the knowledge of LID as a stormwater management technique and climate change
mitigation measure as well as the current state of research and implementation of
this topic. In order to provide a better understanding of the extensive scope
that should be considered for design of low impact developments, methods of
optimization, modelling, monitoring and the performance of LID alternatives is
covered. LID has been widely adopted and proven successful in many cases;
however, there remains uncertainty of its benefits. This review brings together
knowledge from many sources in order to provide an overview of LID and examine
its performance and implementation.
PMID- 28704669
TI - Coupling life-cycle assessment and the RothC model to estimate the carbon
footprint of green manure-based wheat production in China.
AB - Reducing the carbon footprint (CF) of crop production is an efficient way to
mitigate climate change. Growing legume green manure (LGM) instead of summer
fallow may achieve this goal by lowering synthetic nitrogen (N) fertilizer needs
and replenishing the depleted soil carbon (C) pool. The Rothamsted Carbon (RothC)
model was incorporated into the Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) to evaluate the
present and projected CFs of green manure-based wheat production systems in
dryland agriculture on the Loess Plateau of China. The field study included four
main treatments (Huai bean, soybean and mung bean grown as green manure in summer
and fallow as control) and four synthetic N rates (0, 108, 135 and 162kgNha-1)
applied at wheat sowing. Soybean as LGM increased averaged wheat yield over 4
synthetic N rates by 8% compared with fallow (P<0.05), and synthetic N
requirement was reduced by 33% without compromising the wheat yield for all the
main treatments. Although LGM treatments had higher greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions from agricultural inputs, the greater amount of C inputs elevated the
corresponding SOC stocks (SOCS) by 14-24% after 8years, thus significantly
reducing the CF by 25-51% compared with fallow. The modelled SOCS equilibrium
indicates that the CF for cropping systems with LGM will be 53-62% lower than
fallow and 23-37% lower compared with their current level. In conclusion,
introducing legume green manure instead of summer fallow is a highly efficient
measure for persistent CF reduction, and coupling the RothC model and LCA is an
alternative method to predict the long-term impact of different cropping systems
on GHG emissions.
PMID- 28704670
TI - Cryo-conditioned rocky coast systems: A case study from Wilczekodden, Svalbard.
AB - This paper presents the results of an investigation into the processes
controlling development of a cryo-conditioned rock coast system in Hornsund,
Svalbard. A suite of nested geomorphological and geophysical methods have been
applied to characterise the functioning of rock cliffs and shore platforms
influenced by lithological control and geomorphic processes driven by polar coast
environments. Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) surveys have been used to
investigate permafrost control on rock coast dynamics and reveal the strong
interaction with marine processes in High Arctic coastal settings. Schmidt hammer
rock tests, demonstrated strong spatial control on the degree of rock weathering
(rock strength) along High Arctic rock coasts. Elevation controlled geomorphic
zones are identified and linked to distinct processes and mechanisms,
transitioning from peak hardness values at the ice foot through the wave and
storm dominated scour zones to the lowest values on the cliff tops, where the
effects of periglacial weathering dominate. Observations of rock surface change
using a traversing micro-erosion meter (TMEM) indicate that significant changes
in erosion rates occur at the junction between the shore platform and the cliff
toe, where rock erosion is facilitated by frequent wetting and drying and
operation of nivation and sea ice processes (formation and melting of snow
patches and icefoot complexes). The results are synthesised to propose a new
conceptual model of High Arctic rock coast systems, with the aim of contributing
towards a unifying concept of cold region landscape evolution and providing
direction for future research regarding the state of polar rock coasts.
PMID- 28704671
TI - Long-term cultivation of Bt rice expressing the Cry1Ab/1Ac gene reduced
phytoparasitic nematode abundance but did not affect other nematode parameters in
paddy fields.
AB - The uncertainty of ecological risks and the effects of growing transgenic Bt rice
on the environment hamper its commercial production. Here, soil nematode
communities were used as an indicator of soil health and soil food web structure
to evaluate the potential effects of growing Bt rice without chemical
insecticides for 3years in the paddy field. The nematodes and soil
physicochemical properties of Bt rice fields were compared to the near-isogenic
control, non-Bt rice fields. A total of 108,363 specimens belonging to 28
different genera were enumerated. The Hirschmanniella, Tobrilus, Dorylaimus and
Filenchus were dominant genera. A three-year paddy rice cultivation of Bt rice
(Huahui 1) negatively affected the abundance of phytoparasitic nematodes but did
not affect the total number of nematodes, the abundance and relative abundance of
free-living nematodes, genera richness, diversity indices, soil food web
conditions, or community compositions. However, apparent seasonal and inter
annual changes in these variables were observed, indicating that the impact of
environmental factors was more stronger than that of the Bt toxin. In conclusion,
the potential ecological risks of Bt rice on soil health and sustainability
warrant further research to disentangle the impacts from various confounding
environmental factors.
PMID- 28704673
TI - Contributions of combined sewer overflows and treated effluents to the bacterial
load released into a coastal area.
AB - The impact of combined sewer overflow (CSO) on the receiving water body is an
issue of increasing concern, as it may lead to restrictions in the use and
destination of the receiving body, such as bathing or recreational area closures,
fish and shellfish consumption restrictions, and contamination of drinking water
resources. Recent investigations have mainly referred to the occurrence and loads
of suspended solids, organic compounds and, in some cases, micropollutants.
Attempts have been made to find correlations between the discharged load and the
size and characteristics of the catchment area, climate conditions, rainfall
duration and intensity. This study refers to a touristic coastal area in the
north-east of Italy, which is characterized by a combined sewer network including
5 CSO outfalls which, in the case of heavy rain events, directly discharge the
exceeding water flow rate into channels which, after a short distance, reach the
Adriatic Sea. The study analyzed: i) rainfall events during the summer period in
2014 which led to overflow in the different outfalls, ii) the inter- and intra
event variability with regard to E. coli, Enterococci and conductivity, and iii)
the hydraulic and pollutant (E. coli and Enterococci) loads discharged by the
local wastewater treatment plant and by all the CSO outfalls. Finally, it
estimated the contribution of each source to the released hydraulic and pollutant
loads into the receiving water body. Moreover, it was also found that the modest
water volume discharged by all CSO outfalls (only 8% of the total volume
discharged by the area) contains >90% of the microbial load.
PMID- 28704672
TI - Anthropometric measures at birth and early childhood are associated with
neurodevelopmental outcomes among Bangladeshi children aged 2-3years.
AB - Among a cohort of children located in rural areas of Bangladesh affected by high
levels of exposure to environmental metals, we investigated the associations
between anthropometric measures, growth trajectory, and neurodevelopment at age
20-40months. Our study population included mothers and their children who
participated in a longitudinal birth cohort study that took in place in the Pabna
and Sirajdikhan areas of Bangladesh. Anthropometric measures including weight,
length, and head circumference were measured at birth, age 12months, and age 20
40months. Neurodevelopment was assessed using Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler
Development Third Edition (BSID-III) multi-scale at age 20-40months. A total of
777 mother-child pairs were included. Higher anthropometric measures at 20
40months were associated with higher cognitive, language, and motor scores on
BSID-III. For example, a 1-kg increment in birthweight was associated with an
increase of 2.11 for cognitive score (p<0.0001), 1.63 for language score
(p=0.006), and 0.89 for motor scores (p=0.03). Greater positive changes in growth
parameters, or growth trajectory, between birth and 20-40months were also
associated with higher BSID-III scores. These associations remained significant
after adjusting for potential confounders and prenatal exposure to environmental
metals. These findings suggest that even when taking into account high
environmental metal exposures, prenatal and early childhood growth have strong
associations with neurodevelopmental test scores in early childhood.
PMID- 28704674
TI - Urban growth and water access in sub-Saharan Africa: Progress, challenges, and
emerging research directions.
AB - For the next decade, the global water crisis remains the risk of highest concern,
and ranks ahead of climate change, extreme weather events, food crises and social
instability. Across the globe, nearly one in ten people is without access to an
improved drinking water source. Least Developed Countries (LDCs) especially in
sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are the most affected, having disproportionately more of
the global population without access to clean water than other major regions.
Population growth, changing lifestyles, increasing pollution and accelerating
urbanization will continue to widen the gap between the demand for water and
available supply especially in urban areas, and disproportionately affect
informal settlements, where the majority of SSA's urban population resides.
Distribution and allocation of water will be affected by climate-induced water
stresses, poor institutions, ineffective governance, and weak political will to
address scarcity and mediate uncertainties in future supply. While attempts have
been made by many scientists to examine different dimensions of water scarcity
and urban population dynamics, there are few comprehensive reviews, especially
focused on the particular situation in Sub-Saharan Africa. This paper contributes
to interdisciplinary understanding of urban water supply by distilling and
integrating relevant empirical knowledge on urban dynamics and water issues in
SSA, focusing on progress made and associated challenges. It then points out
future research directions including the need to understand how alternatives to
centralized water policies may help deliver sustainable water supply to cities
and informal settlements in the region.
PMID- 28704675
TI - Effect of single-wall carbon nanotubes on bioconcentration and toxicity of
perfluorooctane sulfonate in zebrafish (Danio rerio).
AB - The wide application of nanoparticles will lead its release into the aquatic
environment, which may alter the bioavailability and toxicity of other
contaminants to aquatic organisms. This work aimed to study the effects of
perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNT), and their
mixture on PFOS accumulation, antioxidant defenses and acetylcholinesterase
(AChE) activity in zebrafish. The fish was dissected after being exposed (24, 48,
72 and 96h) separately to PFOS, SWCNT and PFOS+SWCNT co-exposure. The
bioaccumulation of PFOS in fish tissues (liver, intestines, gills and brain)
decreased with increasing dosage of SWCNT, however, the opposite trend was
observed in fish skin, which indicated that the bioavailability of PFOS changed
by adsorption on SWCNT. Meanwhile, co-exposure induced more reactive oxygen
species (ROS) than PFOS alone and enhanced the effect of PFOS on the superoxide
dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) and AChE activities. Furthermore, the
integrated biomarker response (IBR) showed that co-exposure was the most
stressful circumstance.
PMID- 28704676
TI - TREHS: An open-access software tool for investigating and evaluating temporary
river regimes as a first step for their ecological status assessment.
AB - When the regime of a river is not perennial, there are four main difficulties
with the use of hydrographs for assessing hydrological alteration: i) the main
hydrological features relevant for biological communities are not quantitative
(discharges) but qualitative (phases such as flowing water, stagnant pools or
lack of surface water), ii) stream flow records do not inform on the temporal
occurrence of stagnant pools, iii) as most of the temporary streams are ungauged,
their regime has to be evaluated by alternative methods such as remote sensing or
citizen science, and iv) the biological quality assessment of the ecological
status of a temporary stream must follow a sampling schedule and references
adapted to the flow- pool-dry regime. To overcome these challenges within an
operational approach, the freely available software tool TREHS has been developed
within the EU LIFE TRIVERS project. This software permits the input of
information from flow simulations obtained with any rainfall-runoff model (to set
an unimpacted reference stream regime) and compares this with the information
obtained from flow gauging records (if available) and interviews with local
people, as well as instantaneous observations by individuals and interpretation
of ground-level or aerial photographs. Up to six metrics defining the permanence
of water flow, the presence of stagnant pools and their temporal patterns of
occurrence are used to determine natural and observed river regimes and to assess
the degree of hydrological alteration. A new regime classification specifically
designed for temporary rivers was developed using the metrics that measure the
relative permanence of the three main phases: flow, disconnected pools and dry
stream bed. Finally, the software characterizes the differences between the
natural and actual regimes, diagnoses the hydrological status (degree of
hydrological alteration), assesses the significance and robustness of the
diagnosis and recommends the best periods for biological quality samplings.
PMID- 28704677
TI - Hydrated electron based decomposition of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in the
VUV/sulfite system.
AB - As one of the most reactive species, hydrated electron (eaq-) is promising for
reductive decomposition of recalcitrant organic pollutants, such as
perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). In this study, PFOS decomposition using a
vacuum ultraviolet (VUV)/sulfite system was systematically investigated in
comparison with sole VUV and ultraviolet (UV)/sulfite systems. A fast and nearly
complete (97.3%) PFOS decomposition was observed within 4h from its initial
concentration of 37.2MUM in the VUV/sulfite system. The observed rate constant
(kobs) for PFOS decomposition in the studied system was 0.87+/-0.0060h-1, which
was nearly 7.5 and 2 folds faster than that in sole VUV and UV/sulfite systems,
respectively. Compared to previously studied UV/sulfite system, VUV/sulfite
system enhanced PFOS decomposition in both weak acidic and alkaline pH
conditions. In weak acidic condition (pH6.0), PFOS predominantly decomposed via
direct VUV photolysis, whereas in alkaline condition (pH>9.0), PFOS decomposition
was mainly induced by eaq- generated from both sulfite and VUV photolytic
reactions. At a fixed initial solution pH (pH10.0), PFOS decomposition kinetics
showed a positive linear dependence with sulfite dosage. The co-presence of humic
acid (HA) and NO3- obviously suppressed PFOS decomposition, whereas HCO3- showed
marginal inhibition. A few amount of short chain perfluorocarboxylic acids
(PFCAs) were detected in PFOS decomposition process, and a high defluorination
efficiency (75.4%) was achieved. These results suggested most fluorine atoms in
PFOS molecule ultimately mineralized into fluoride ions, and the mechanisms for
PFOS decomposition in the VUV/sulfite system were proposed.
PMID- 28704678
TI - The role of microbial diversity and composition in minimizing sludge production
in the oxic-settling-anoxic process.
AB - The oxic-settling-anoxic (OSA) process, which involves an aerobic tank attached
to oxygen- and substrate-deficient external anoxic reactors, minimizes sludge
production in biological wastewater treatment. In this study, the microbial
community structure of OSA was determined. Principal coordinate analysis showed
that among the three operational factors, i.e., (i) redox condition, (ii)
external reactor sludge retention time (SRText), and (iii) sludge interchange
between aerobic and anoxic reactors, redox condition had the greatest impact on
microbial diversity. Generally, reactors with lower oxidation-reduction potential
had higher microbial diversity. The main aerobic sequencing batch reactor of OSA
(SBROSA) that interchanged sludge with an external anoxic reactor had greater
microbial diversity than SBRcontrol which did not have sludge interchange. SBROSA
sustained high abundance of the slow-growing nitrifying bacteria (e.g.,
Nitrospirales and Nitrosomondales) and consequently exhibited reduced sludge
yield. Specific groups of bacteria facilitated sludge autolysis in the external
reactors. Hydrolyzing (e.g., Bacteroidetes and Chloroflexi) and fermentative
(e.g., Firmicutes) bacteria, which can break down cellular matter, proliferated
in both the external aerobic/anoxic and anoxic reactors. Sludge autolysis in the
anoxic reactor was enhanced with the increase of predatory bacteria (e.g., order
Myxobacteriales and genus Bdellovibrio) that can contribute to biomass decay.
Furthermore, beta- and gamma-Proteobacteria were identified as the bacterial
phyla that primarily underwent decay in the external reactors.
PMID- 28704679
TI - pH-sensitive polymer-modified liposome-based immunity-inducing system: Effects of
inclusion of cationic lipid and CpG-DNA.
AB - Efficient vaccine carriers for cancer immunotherapy require two functions:
antigen delivery to dendritic cells (DCs) and the activation of DCs, a so-called
adjuvant effect. We previously reported antigen delivery system using liposomes
modified with pH-sensitive polymers, such as 3-methylglutarylated hyperbranched
poly(glycidol) (MGlu-HPG), for the induction of antigen-specific immune
responses. We reported that inclusion of cationic lipids to MGlu-HPG-modified
liposomes activates DCs and enhances antitumor effects. In this study, CpG-DNA, a
ligand to Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) expressing in endosomes of DCs, was
introduced to MGlu-HPG-modified liposomes containing cationic lipids using two
complexation methods (Pre-mix and Post-mix) for additional activation of antigen
specific immunity. For Pre-mix, thin membrane of lipids and polymers were
dispersed by a mixture of antigen/CpG-DNA. For Post-mix, CpG-DNA was added to pre
formed liposomes. Both Pre-mix and Post-mix delivered CpG-DNA to DC endosomes,
where TLR9 is expressing, more efficiently than free CpG-DNA solution did. These
liposomes promoted cytokine production from DCs and the expression of co
stimulatory molecules in vitro and induced antigen-specific immune responses in
vivo. Both Pre-mix and Post-mix exhibited strong antitumor effects compared with
conventional pH-sensitive polymer-modified liposomes. Results show that inclusion
of multiple adjuvant molecules into pH-sensitive polymer-modified liposomes and
suitable CpG-DNA complexation methods are important to design potent vaccine
carriers.
PMID- 28704680
TI - Differentiating parotid tumors by quantitative signal intensity evaluation on MR
imaging.
AB - BACKGROUND: There have been no reports about quantitative evaluations of
enhancing components of parotid tumors on conventional MR imaging. PURPOSE: To
evaluate the signal intensity of the enhancing components of tumors, including
pleomorphic adenomas (PAs), Warthin tumors (WTs) and malignant tumors (MTs), on
various MR sequences and to assess the usefulness of quantitative evaluations for
differentiation among the three groups of tumors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total
of 39 histologically proven tumors, including 15 PAs, 17 WTs and 7 MTs, were
enrolled in this study. The tumor-to-spinal cord contrast ratio (TSc-CR) was
calculated by dividing the signal intensity of the lesion by that of the spinal
cord on MR sequences, including T1-weighted imaging (T1WI), T2-weighted imaging
(T2WI) and postcontrast gadolinium-enhanced T1WI (CE-T1WI). The mean apparent
diffusion coefficient (ADC) value was selected in each tumor. Furthermore, the
differences in the TSc-CRs and the ADC values among the three groups of tumors
were statistically evaluated. Cutoff values were determined for the prediction of
tumor histology. RESULTS: The TSc-CRs of PAs were significantly higher than those
of WTs and MTs on T2WI and CE-T1WI. The sensitivities and specificities were 100%
and 87.5%, respectively, at a cutoff value of 1.31 for the TSc-CR of T2WI; and
83.3% and 100%, respectively, at a cutoff value of 2.00 for the TSc-CR of CE
T1WI. For the ADC values, sensitivity and specificity for discriminating PAs from
WTs or MTs were both 100% when the cutoff value of the ADC was set at 1.40*10
3mm2/s. CONCLUSION: ADC maps and the quantitative evaluations using the TSc-CRs
on T2WI and CE-T1WI were useful for discriminating WTs or MTs from PAs. However,
discrimination between WTs and MTs was difficult using any MR sequence.
PMID- 28704681
TI - Cytokine IL1alpha and lactate as markers for tissue damage in spineboard
immobilisation. A prospective, randomised open-label crossover trial.
AB - BACKGROUND: Spinal immobilisation using a rigid long spineboard is a well
established procedure in trauma care. During immobilisation, the body is exposed
to high tissue-interface pressures. This may lead to a localised inflammatory
response of the skin, which may be used to monitor the body's response to
different types of immobilisation device. AIM: In this study we compared the
standard rigid spineboard with a new soft-layered spineboard regarding tissue
interface pressures, skin redness as an indicator of reactive hyperaemia and
cutaneous IL1alpha and lactate release. METHODS: Twelve healthy male participants
were asked to lie supine on both a rigid and a soft-layered spineboard, loading
the sacrum for one hour, followed by one hour in unloaded position. Tissue
interface pressures on the buttocks during loading were measured continuously
using a pressure mapping mat. Cutaneous IL1alpha and lactate concentrations were
assessed using Sebutapes, during 20-min periods. After each 20-min period, a
photo of the buttocks was taken, which was later assessed for redness by two
observers. RESULTS: Significant differences in tissue-interface pressure and
reactive hyperaemia were found between the two types of spineboard. Release of
IL1alpha and lactate were found to increase with prolonged exposure to pressure,
and to decrease in the unloaded prone position. A significant relationship was
found between tissue-interface pressure and reactive hyperaemia, but not with
IL1alpha nor lactate release. Time course of IL1alpha and lactate release was
similar for both types of spineboard. CONCLUSIONS: IL1alpha and lactate both have
a strong relationship with pressure exposure time, but not with pressure
magnitude. Furthermore, IL1alpha was measured even in the absence of visible
redness of the skin. The study offers the potention of biomarkers, reflecting
inflammation and/or tissue metabolism, for use in assessing the effects of
prolonged spineboard support.
PMID- 28704682
TI - Mutagenic potential of hypoxanthine in live human cells.
AB - Hypoxanthine (Hx) is a major DNA lesion generated by deamination of adenine
during chronic inflammatory conditions, which is an underlying cause of various
diseases including cancer of colon, liver, pancreas, bladder and stomach. There
is evidence that deamination of DNA bases induces mutations, but no study has
directly linked Hx accumulation to mutagenesis and strand-specific mutations yet
in human cells. Using a site-specific mutagenesis approach, we report the first
direct evidence of mutation potential and pattern of Hx in live human cells. We
investigated Hx-induced mutations in human nonmalignant HEK293 and cancer HCT116
cell lines and found that Hx is mutagenic in both HEK293 and HCT116 cell lines.
There is a strand bias for Hx-mediated mutations in both the cell lines; the Hx
in lagging strand is more mutagenic than in leading strand. There is also some
difference in cell types regarding the strand bias for mutation types; HEK293
cells showed largely deletion (>80%) mutations in both leading and lagging strand
and the rest were insertions and A:T->G:C transition mutations in leading and
lagging strands, respectively, whereas in HCT116 cells we observed 60% A:T->G:C
transition mutations in the leading strand and 100% deletions in the lagging
strand. Overall, Hx is a highly mutagenic lesion capable of generating A:T->G:C
transitions and large deletions with a significant variation in leading and
lagging strands in human cells. In recent meta-analysis study A->G (T->C)
mutations were found to be a prominent signature in a variety of cancers,
including a majority types that are induced by inflammation. The deletions are
known to be a major cause of copy-number variations or CNVs, which is a major
underlying cause of many human diseases including mental illness, developmental
disorders and cancer. Thus, Hx, a major DNA lesion induced by different
deamination mechanisms, has potential to initiate inflammation-driven
carcinogenesis in addition to various human pathophysiological consequences.
PMID- 28704683
TI - Visual targeting one step before force plates has no effect on gait parameters in
orthopaedic patients during level walking.
AB - In clinical gait analysis, it is challenging to acquire usable force plate data
for a patient in a limited amount of time. The aim of this study was to compare
three measurement protocols, to investigate if any one of them was more time
efficient than the others at collecting kinetic data. Three conditions were
compared for 15 orthopaedic patients: 1) approaching the force plate with four
steps, 2) approaching the force plate with six steps, and 3) approaching the
force plate with four steps while stepping on a target one step before the first
force plate. Then, the following characteristics were analysed: the rate of
usable force plate steps, the spatio-temporal parameters, the full-body gait
kinematics, and the lower body kinetics. For the condition with four steps and
targeting, the rate of usable force plate steps was highest: 84% (6.8 usable
trials out of 8.1 trials on average per patient). Left hip adduction and
rotation, right shoulder flexion, and total left hip power were the gait
parameters with statistically significant differences between the four and six
step approach. Left cadence, right step time, left thorax lateroflexion, left
shoulder abduction, total right knee power, hip rotation, thorax tilt, and head
tilt on both sides were statistically different between the four step approach
with targeting and without targeting. None of the differences in gait parameters
(except for head tilt) were of clinical relevance. Therefore, approaching the
force plate with four steps and stepping on a foot-sized target one step prior to
stepping on the force plate increases the rate of usable kinetic data.
PMID- 28704684
TI - Root mean square of lower trunk acceleration during walking in patients with
unilateral total hip replacement.
AB - Although several studies have described abnormal trunk motion before and after
total hip arthroplasty (THA) surgery, few studies have examined trunk motion
using accelerometry. The aim of this study was to determine whether abnormal
trunk motion persisted after THA using accelerometry. A total of 24 female
patients (61.0+/-6.9years) and 20 healthy female subjects (59.9+/-6.8years)
participated in this study. Patients were assessed at 1 month prior to surgery
and 12 months after surgery. Trunk acceleration during gait was measured using a
triaxial accelerometer attached to the L3 spinous process. We calculated the root
mean square (RMS) and RMS ratio (RMSR) in the vertical (VT), medio-lateral (ML),
and anterior-posterior (AP) directions. Results revealed that the RMS in the VT
and AP directions postoperatively was greater than that preoperatively, whereas
there was no difference in the RMS in the ML direction. In addition, the
preoperative RMSR in the ML direction was significantly greater compared with
that of healthy individuals and the postoperative RMSR. There was no difference
in the RMSR in the ML direction between healthy individuals and postoperatively.
These findings suggested that the trunk motion in the frontal plane prior to
surgery had improved and was comparable to that of healthy individuals following
THA.
PMID- 28704685
TI - Dynamic balance changes within three weeks of fitting a new prosthetic foot
component.
AB - Balance during walking is of high importance to prosthesis users and may affect
walking during baseline observation and evaluation. The aim of this study was to
determine whether changes in walking balance occurred during an adaptation period
following the fitting of a new prosthetic component. Margin of stability in the
medial-lateral direction (MOSML) and an anterior instability margin (AIM) were
used to quantify the dynamic balance of 21 unilateral transtibial amputees during
overground walking. Participants trialled two prosthetic feet presenting
contrasting movement/balance constraints; a Higher Activity foot similar to that
of their own prosthesis, and a Lower Activity foot. Participants were assessed
before (Visit 1) and after (Visit 2) a 3-week adaptation period on each foot.
With the Higher Activity component, MOSML decreased on the prosthetic side, and
increased on the sound side from Visit 1 to Visit 2, eliminating a significant
inter-limb difference apparent at Visit 1 (Visit 1-sound=0.062m,
prosthetic=0.075m, p=0.018; Visit 2-sound=0.066m, prosthetic=0.074m, p=0.084). No
such change was seen with the Lower Activity foot (Visit 1-sound=0.064m,
prosthetic=0.077m, p=0.007; Visit 2-sound=0.063m, prosthetic=0.080m, p<0.001).
Significant changes in AIM were observed at Visit 2 (Visit 1: -0.16 (0.08) m,
Visit 2: -0.17 (0.08) m; F=23.396, p<0.01). These findings suggest that changes
in balance during walking can occur following the initial receipt of a device
regardless of whether the component is of the same functional category as the one
an individual is accustomed to using.
PMID- 28704686
TI - A three-act play: pentachlorophenol threats to the cork oak forest soils
mycobiome.
AB - Atmospheric release of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) constitutes a silent
threat through chronic contamination of soils at global scale; yet fundamental
understanding of their occurrence, sources and fate is still largely lacking.
Similar to a three act play, this review comprises Setup, Confrontation and
Resolution. The first emphasises the eighty years of the history of
pentachlorophenol (PCP) usage, only recently classified as POP. The second focus
on active sources of PCP pollution, including inside cork oak forests in N.W.
Tunisia; a threat partially neutralised by the soil microbial diversity,
especially fungi. As Resolution, the need for improved knowledge on the global
distribution and impacts of PCP in soil microbial diversity as means to preserve
the multi-functionality of terrestrial ecosystem is emphasised.
PMID- 28704687
TI - Antimicrobial polyketide furanoterpenoids from seaweed-associated heterotrophic
bacterium Bacillus subtilis MTCC 10403.
AB - Brown seaweed Anthophycus longifolius (Turner) Kutzing (family Sargassaceae)
associated heterotrophic bacterium Bacillus subtilis MTCC 10403 was found to be a
potent isolate with broad range of antibacterial activity against important
perceptive food pathogens Vibrio parahaemolyticus, V. vulnificus, and Aeromonas
hydrophila. This bacterium was positive for polyketide synthetase gene
(KC589397), and therefore, was selected to bioprospect specialized metabolites
bearing polyketide backbone. Bioactivity-guided chromatographic fractionation of
the ethyl acetate extract of the seaweed-associated bacterium segregated four
homologous polyketide furanoterpenoids with potential antibacterial activities
against clinically important pathogens. The minimum inhibitory concentration
(MIC) assay showed that the referral antibiotics tetracycline and ampicillin were
active at 25 MUg/mL against the test pathogens, whereas the previously
undescribed (4E)-methyl 13-((16-(furan-2-yl) ethyl)-octahydro-7-hydroxy-4-((E)-23
methylbut-21-enyl)-2H-chromen-6-yl)-4-methylpent-4-enoate (compound 1) and methyl
3-(hexahydro-9-((E)-3-methylpent-1-enyl)-4H-furo[3,2-g]isochromen-6-yl)
propanoate (compound 3) displayed antibacterial activities against the test
pathogens at a lesser concentration (MIC < 7 MUg/mL). The title compounds were
characterized by comprehensive nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectroscopic
experiments. Polyketide synthase catalyzed putative biosynthetic mechanism
additionally corroborated the structural ascriptions of the hitherto undescribed
furanoterpenoids from seaweed-associated bacterial symbiont. The electronic and
hydrophobic parameters appeared to hold a conspicuous part in directing the
antibacterial properties of the compounds. Seaweed-associated B. subtilis MTCC
10403 demonstrated to represent a potential source of antimicrobial polyketides
for pharmaceutical applications.
PMID- 28704688
TI - Occurrences, biosynthesis and properties of aurones as high-end evolutionary
products.
AB - Recent years have witnessed a considerable renewed interest for the uncommon
flavonoid class of aurones. The characterization of two major biosynthetic
machineries involved in their biosynthesis in flowers has encouraged the revival
of phytochemical studies and identification of original structures, a process
started almost seventy-five years ago. This review draws up an exhaustive map of
natural occurrences of aurones their biosynthetic pathways and roles, with the
aim to link their original structural properties among flavonoids to their place
in evolution and the selective advantages they bring to some of the most advanced
taxa in the plant kingdom.
PMID- 28704689
TI - Comprehension of synthetic speech and digitized natural speech by adults with
aphasia.
AB - Using text-to-speech technology to provide simultaneous written and auditory
content presentation may help compensate for chronic reading challenges if people
with aphasia can understand synthetic speech output; however, inherent auditory
comprehension challenges experienced by people with aphasia may make
understanding synthetic speech difficult. This study's purpose was to compare the
preferences and auditory comprehension accuracy of people with aphasia when
listening to sentences generated with digitized natural speech, Alex synthetic
speech (i.e., Macintosh platform), or David synthetic speech (i.e., Windows
platform). The methodology required each of 20 participants with aphasia to
select one of four images corresponding in meaning to each of 60 sentences
comprising three stimulus sets. Results revealed significantly better accuracy
given digitized natural speech than either synthetic speech option; however,
individual participant performance analyses revealed three patterns: (a)
comparable accuracy regardless of speech condition for 30% of participants, (b)
comparable accuracy between digitized natural speech and one, but not both,
synthetic speech option for 45% of participants, and (c) greater accuracy with
digitized natural speech than with either synthetic speech option for remaining
participants. Ranking and Likert-scale rating data revealed a preference for
digitized natural speech and David synthetic speech over Alex synthetic speech.
Results suggest many individuals with aphasia can comprehend synthetic speech
options available on popular operating systems. Further examination of synthetic
speech use to support reading comprehension through text-to-speech technology is
thus warranted.
PMID- 28704690
TI - Joint attention and oromotor abilities in young children with and without autism
spectrum disorder.
AB - PURPOSE: This study examined the relationship between joint attention ability and
oromotor imitation skill in three groups of young children with and without
Autism Spectrum Disorder using both nonverbal oral and verbal motor imitation
tasks. Research questions addressed a) differences among joint attention and
oromotor imitation abilities; b) the relationship between independently measured
joint attention and oromotor imitation, both nonverbal oral and verbal motor; c)
the relationships between joint attention and verbal motor imitation during
interpersonal interaction; and d) the relationship between the sensory input
demands (auditory, visual, and tactile) and oromotor imitation, both nonverbal
oral and verbal motor. METHOD: A descriptive, nonexperimental design was used to
compare joint attention and oromotor skills of 10 preschool-aged children with
ASD, with those of two control groups: 6 typically developing children (TD), and
6 children with suspected Childhood Apraxia of Speech (sCAS) or apraxic-like
symptoms. All children had at least a 3.0 mean length utterance. RESULTS:
Children with ASD had poorer joint attention skills overall than children with
sCAS or typically developing children. Typically developing children demonstrated
higher verbal motor imitation skills overall compared to children with sCAS.
Correlational analyses revealed that nonverbal oral imitation and verbal motor
imitation were positively related to joint attention abilities only in the
children with ASD. Strong positive relationships between joint attention in a
naturalistic context (e.g., shared story experience) and oromotor imitation
skills, both nonverbal oral and verbal motor, were found only for children with
ASD. These data suggest there is a strong positive relationship between joint
attention skills and the ability to sequence nonverbal oral and verbal motor
movements in children with ASD. The combined sensory input approach involving
auditory, visual, and tactile modalities contributed to significantly higher
nonverbal oral and verbal motor imitation performance for all groups of children.
CONCLUSIONS: Verbal children with ASD in this study had difficulties with both
the social and cognitive demands of oromotor imitation within a natural
environment that demanded cross-modal processing of incoming stimuli within an
interpersonal interaction. Further, joint attention and oral praxis may serve as
components of an important coupling mechanism in the development of spoken
communication and later developing socialcognitive skills.
PMID- 28704691
TI - Inhibition in fertilisation of coral gametes following exposure to nickel and
copper.
AB - The mining and production of nickel in tropical regions have the potential to
impact on ecologically valuable tropical marine ecosystems. Currently, few data
exist to assess the risks of nickel exposure to tropical ecosystems and to derive
ecologically relevant water quality guidelines. In particular, data are lacking
for keystone species such as scleractinian corals, which create the complex
structural reef habitats that support many other marine species. As part of a
larger study developing risk assessment tools for nickel in the tropical Asia
Pacific region, we investigated the toxicity of nickel on fertilisation success
in three species of scleractinian corals: Acropora aspera, Acropora digitifera
and Platygyra daedalea. In the literature, more data are available on the effects
of copper on coral fertilisation, so to allow for comparisons with past studies,
the toxicity of copper to A. aspera and P. daedalea was also determined. Overall,
copper was more toxic than nickel to the fertilisation success of the species
tested. Acropora aspera was the most sensitive species to nickel (NOEC < 280ug
Ni/L), followed by A. digitifera with an EC10 of 2000ug Ni/L and P. daedalea
(EC10 > 4610ug Ni/L). Acropora aspera was also the more sensitive species to
copper with an EC10 of 5.8ug Cu/L. The EC10 for P. daedalea was 16ug Cu/L,
similar to previous studies. This is the first time that the toxicity of nickel
on fertilisation success in Acropora species has been reported, and thus provides
valuable data that can contribute to the development of reliable water quality
guidelines for nickel in tropical marine waters.
PMID- 28704692
TI - Heavy metal pollution due to coal washery effluent and its decontamination using
a macrofungus, Pleurotus ostreatus.
AB - Release of the effluent generated during washing of coal became a major problem
for coal industries due to presence of many toxic metals and other pollutants.
These effluents are the main source of pollution in rivers and other water
bodies. Therefore in this study, we tried to analyse the toxicity of coal washery
effluent (CWE) collected from one of the washery plant situated in Dhanbad,
India. CWE was found to be very toxic containing large amount of suspended
particles and many heavy metals above than their permissible limits.
Mycoremediation of CWE was also performed to decontaminate heavy metals from the
CWE using a macrofungi Pleurotus ostreatus. Efficiency of Pleurotus for
remediation of heavy metals was found to be highest in the 50% diluted effluent
(57.2% Mn, 82.6% Zn, 98.0% Ni, 99.9% Cu, 99.3% Co, 99.1% Cr, 89.2% Fe and 35.6%
Pb) followed by 25% diluted effluent (33.0% Mn, 55.1% Zn, 97.8% Ni, 99.7% Cu, 97%
Co, 84.4% Cr, 87.1% Fe and 73.4% Pb) and raw effluent (23.3% Mn, 73.1% Zn, 78.7%
Ni, 87.5% Cu, 59.3% Co, 64.6% Cr, 34.6% Fe and 11.3% Pb) respectively. Increased
activity of antioxidant enzymes, lipid peroxidation, concentration of
metallothionein proteins and changes in peaks of FTIR spectra were also observed
in fungal mycelia grown on the CWE containing media due to accumulation of
different metals. Overall this study suggests that Pleurotus can be used as
promising option for removal of heavy metals from the effluent released from
washery plants and dilution of effluent could increase the efficiency of
remediation.
PMID- 28704693
TI - Investigation of arsenic accumulation and biochemical response of in vitro
developed Vetiveria zizanoides plants.
AB - Vetiver grass (Vetiveria zizanoides L. Nash) is found to be a suitable candidate
for the phytoremediation of heavy metals. An investigation of arsenic (As)
accumulation, translocation and tolerance was conducted in V. zizanoides
plantlets upon exposure to different concentrations of arsenic (10, 50, 100 and
200uM) for 7 and 14 d. V. zizanoides plants were found effective in remediation
of As, maximum being at 200uM after 14 d of exposure. The results of TBARS and
photosynthetic pigments demonstrated that plants did not experience significant
toxicity at all the concentrations of As after 7 days, however an increase in
their level was found after 14 d. The up-regulation of antioxidant enzyme
activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), guaiacol
peroxidase (GPX), catalase (CAT) and glutathione s-transferase (GST) in a
coordinated and complementary manner enhanced tolerance to plants against arsenic
induced oxidative stress. Taken together, the results indicated that in vitro
developed plants of V. zizanoides have the potential to remediate and tolerate
varying levels of As.
PMID- 28704694
TI - Harmony as a convergence attractor that minimizes the energy expenditure and
variability in physiological gait and the loss of harmony in cerebellar ataxia.
AB - BACKGROUND: The harmony of the human gait was recently found to be related to the
golden ratio value (phi). The ratio between the duration of the stance and that
of the swing phases of a gait cycle was in fact found to be close to phi, which
implies that, because of the fractal property of autosimilarity of that number,
the gait ratios stride/stance, stance/swing, swing/double support, were not
significantly different from one another. We studied a group of patients with
cerebellar ataxia to investigate how the differences between their gait ratios
and the golden ratio are related to efficiency and stability of their gait,
assessed by energy expenditure and stride-to-stride variability, respectively.
METHODS: The gait of 28 patients who were affected by degenerative cerebellar
ataxia and of 28 healthy controls was studied using a stereophotogrammetric
system. The above mentioned gait ratios, the energy expenditure estimated using
the pelvis reconstructed method and the gait variability in terms of the stride
length were computed, and their relationships were analyzed. Matching procedures
have also been used to avoid multicollinearity biases. FINDINGS: The gait ratio
values of the patients were farther from the controls (and hence from phi), even
in speed matched conditions (P=0.011, Cohen's D=0.76), but not when the
variability and energy expenditure were matched between the two groups (Cohen's
D=0.49). In patients with cerebellar ataxia, the farther the stance-swing ratio
was from phi, the larger the total mechanical work (R2adj=0.64). Further, a
significant positive correlation was observed between the difference of the gait
ratio from the golden ratio and the severity of the disease (R=0.421, P=0.026).
INTERPRETATION: Harmony of gait appears to be a benchmark of physiological gait
leading to physiological energy recovery and gait reliability.
Neurorehabilitation of patients with ataxia might benefit from the restoration of
harmony of their locomotor patterns.
PMID- 28704695
TI - Emergence of the Asian genotype of DENV-1 in South India.
AB - A large outbreak of dengue occurred in Tamil Nadu, South India in 2012 with
12,000 cases and CFR of 0.5%. Molecular characterization of virus present in the
sera of dengue patients was undertaken to determine if there were changes in the
virus population. All four serotypes were circulating but DENV-1 was dominant,
present in 52% of the serotyped samples. Furthermore, the genotype of only DENV-1
had changed; the Asian genotype had displaced the American/African. Phylogenetic
analysis revealed that the Asian genotype was introduced from Singapore and
shared 99% similarity with viruses, associated with large outbreaks in Singapore
and Sri Lanka. We report for the first time the emergence of the Asian genotype
of DENV-1 in southern India causing an extensive and severe outbreak. The study
proves how movement of DENV can affect dengue outbreaks and underscores the need
for close molecular monitoring of DENV.
PMID- 28704697
TI - The use of ultrasound in the clinical re-staging of the axilla after neoadjuvant
chemotherapy (NACT).
AB - INTRODUCTION: Ultrasound (US) is the imaging modality of choice for staging the
axilla prior to surgery in patients with breast cancer (BC). High pathological
complete response rates in the axilla after NACT mean a more conservative
approach to surgery can be considered. Radiological re-staging is important in
this decision making. After the presentation of results from ACOSOG Z1071 in
December 2012, formal ultrasound re-assessment of the axilla after primary
therapy was specifically requested in our institution. We report on the accuracy
of axillary US (aUS) for identifying residual axillary disease post-NACT.
METHODS: Data were collected on patients who had proven axillary disease prior to
NACT and underwent axillary lymph node dissection after NACT between January 2013
and December 2015. Post-chemotherapy aUS reports and axillary pathology reports
were classified as positive or negative for abnormal lymph nodes and for residual
disease (cCR and pCR respectively). RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity of
aUS was 71% and 88% respectively. The negative predictive value (NPV) was 83%.
The false negative rate was 29%. CONCLUSIONS: Axillary ultrasound provides
clinically useful information post-NACT, which will guide surgical decision
making. Patients with aUS-negative axillae are likely to have a lower false
negative rate of SLNB after NACT (Boughey et al.). However, aUS does not replace
the need to identify and biopsy the nodes which were proven to be positive prior
to NACT.
PMID- 28704696
TI - The function of DNA binding protein nucleophosmin in AAV replication.
AB - Adeno-associated viruses (AAV) contain minimal viral proteins necessary for their
replication. During virus assembly, AAV acquire, inherently and submissively,
various cellular proteins. Our previous studies identified the association of AAV
vectors with the DNA binding protein nucleophosmin (NPM1). Nucleophosmin has been
reported to enhance AAV infection by mobilizing AAV capsids into and out of the
nucleolus, indicating the importance of NPM1 in the AAV life cycle; however the
role of NPM1 in AAV production remains unknown. In this study, we systematically
investigated NPM1 function on AAV production using NPM1 knockdown cells and
revealing for the first time the presence of G-quadruplex DNA sequences (GQRS) in
the AAV genome, the synergistic NPM1-GQRS function in AAV production and the
significant enhancement of NPM1 gene knockdown on AAV vector production.
Understanding the role of cellular proteins in the AAV life cycle will greatly
facilitate high titre production of AAV vectors for clinical use.
PMID- 28704698
TI - Interventional radiology in breast cancer.
AB - Molecular profiling of metastatic disease may greatly influence the systemic
therapy recommended by oncologists and chosen by patients, allowing treatment to
be more targeted. Comprehensive care of patients with advanced breast cancer now
includes percutaneous image-guided biopsy if this has the potential to influence
systemic treatment [1]. Interventional radiologists can contribute significantly
to the care of patients affected by breast cancer, in diagnostic and supportive
procedures and importantly also in treatment. Interventional radiologists carry
out image guided percutaneous biopsies not only of the primary tumour but also of
metastases. They insert percutaneous ports and tunnelled central venous
catheters. They ablate painful bone metastases, and can treat or prevent
pathological fractures. Most importantly they can ablate liver metastases in
patients with limited or oligometastatic disease. The inhomogeneity and variety
of cell populations in metastatic tumours from breast cancer, which is an
important consideration in systemic therapy, is not an important consideration in
the treatment of metastatic tumours using percutaneous ablative techniques, which
are the major focus of this article. The treatment of primary tumours in the
breast is also being explored, but is considered in its infancy at this stage.
PMID- 28704699
TI - Comparison of the ability to identify arterial stiffness between two new
anthropometric indices and classical obesity indices in Chinese adults.
AB - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The association between anthropometric indices of body
composition and arterial stiffness is inconclusive. The objective of this study
was to examine the predictive ability of two new obesity indices: a body shape
index (ABSI), and a body roundness index (BRI), for the identification of
arterial stiffness among Chinese adults, as well as to compare the relative
strength of association between the anthropometric indices and arterial
stiffness. METHODS: A total of 10,197 subjects were recruited in this cross
sectional study. We tested the association between anthropometric indices (body
mass index [BMI], waist circumference [WC], waist-height-ratio [WHtR], ABSI and
BRI) and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (PWV). Receiver operating
characteristic curve and area under curve (AUC) were employed to evaluate the
predictive value of the anthropometric indices for identification of arterial
stiffness. RESULTS: After adjusting for confounding variables, BRI (linear
regression: 0.112; AUC: 0.726; OR: 1.228 for female and linear regression: 0.047;
AUC: 0.631; OR: 1.173 for male) exhibited a more powerful predictive ability of
arterial stiffness than ABSI (linear regression: 0.110; AUC: 0.674; OR: 1.315 for
female and linear regression: 0.058; AUC: 0.610; OR: 1.150 for male) and WC
(linear regression: 0.078; AUC: 0.699; logistic regression: negative for female
and linear regression: negative; AUC: 0.593; logistic regression: negative for
male) while having a similar predictive value to that of WHtR (linear regression:
0.113; AUC: 0.726; OR: 1.228 for female and linear regression: 0.047; AUC: 0.631;
OR: 1.185 for male) among both sexes. BMI (linear and logistic regression:
negative; AUC: 0.660 for female and 0.568 for male) had the lowest predictive
power in both sex categories. The optimal cut-off of WHtR for detecting arterial
stiffness was 0.49 in females and 0.53 in males, that of BRI was 3.19 in females
and 3.89 in males. CONCLUSIONS: WHtR, ABSI and BRI were significantly associated
with arterial stiffness. BRI and WHtR, rather than ABSI, showed superior
predictive abilities for arterial stiffness in both sexes.
PMID- 28704700
TI - Environmental exposure to pesticides and the risk of Parkinson's disease in the
Netherlands.
AB - BACKGROUND: Exposure to pesticides has been linked to Parkinson's disease (PD),
although associations between specific pesticides and PD have not been well
studied. Residents of rural areas can be exposed through environmental drift and
volatilization of agricultural pesticides. OBJECTIVES: Our aim was to investigate
the association between lifetime environmental exposure to individual pesticides
and the risk of PD, in a national case-control study. METHODS: Environmental
exposure to pesticides was estimated using a spatio-temporal model, based on
agricultural crops around the residential address. Distance up to 100m from the
residence was considered most relevant, considering pesticide drift potential of
application methods used in the Netherlands. Exposure estimates were generated
for 157 pesticides, used during the study period, of which four (i.e. paraquat,
maneb, lindane, benomyl) were considered a priori relevant for PD. RESULTS: A
total of 352 PD cases and 607 hospital-based controls were included. No
significant associations with PD were found for the a priori pesticides. In a
hypothesis generating analysis, including 153 pesticides, increased risk of PD
was found for 21 pesticides, mainly used on cereals and potatoes. Results were
suggestive for an association between bulb cultivation and PD. CONCLUSIONS: For
paraquat, risk estimates for the highest cumulative exposure tertile were in line
with previously reported elevated risks. Increased risk of PD was observed for
exposure to (a cluster of) pesticides used on rotating crops. High correlations
limited our ability to identify individual pesticides responsible for this
association. This study provides some evidence for an association between
environmental exposure to specific pesticides and the risk of PD, and generates
new leads for further epidemiological and mechanistic research.
PMID- 28704701
TI - "Developing culturally sensitive affect scales for global mental health research
and practice: Emotional balance, not named syndromes, in Indian Adivasi
subjective well-being".
AB - We present a perspective to analyze mental health without either a) imposing
Western illness categories or b) adopting local or "native" categories of mental
distress. Our approach takes as axiomatic only that locals within any culture
share a cognitive and verbal lexicon of salient positive and negative emotional
experiences, which an appropriate and repeatable set of ethnographic procedures
can elicit. Our approach is provisionally agnostic with respect to either Western
or native nosological categories, and instead focuses on persons' relative
frequency of experiencing emotions. Putting this perspective into practice in
India, our ethnographic fieldwork (2006-2014) and survey analysis (N = 219)
resulted in a 40-item Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS), which we used
to assess the mental well-being of Indigenous persons (the tribal Sahariya) in
the Indian states of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Generated via standard
cognitive anthropological procedures that can be replicated elsewhere, measures
such as this possess features of psychiatric scales favored by leaders in global
mental health initiatives. Though not capturing locally named distress syndromes,
our scale is nonetheless sensitive to local emotional experiences, frames of
meaning, and "idioms of distress." By sharing traits of both global and also
locally-derived diagnoses, approaches like ours can help identify synergies
between them. For example, employing data reduction techniques such as factor
analysis-where diagnostic and screening categories emerge inductively ex post
facto from emotional symptom clusters, rather than being deduced or assigned a
priori by either global mental health experts or locals themselves-reveals hidden
overlaps between local wellness idioms and global ones. Practically speaking, our
perspective, which assesses both emotional frailty and also potential sources of
emotional resilience and balance, while eschewing all named illness categories,
can be deployed in mental health initiatives in ways that minimize stigma and
increase both the acceptability and validity of assessment instruments.
PMID- 28704702
TI - Plant architecture, auxin homeostasis and phenol content in Arabidopsis thaliana
grown in cadmium- and zinc-enriched media.
AB - A screening strategy using micropropagation glass tubes with a gradient of
distances between germinating seeds and a metal-contaminated medium was used for
studying alterations in root architecture and morphology of Arabidopsis thaliana
treated with cadmium (Cd) and zinc (Zn) at the concentration of 10-20MUM and 100
200MUM, respectively. Metal concentrations in plant shoots and roots were
measured by quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. After 21days
from germination, all plants in the tubes were scanned at high resolution and the
root systems analyzed. The localization of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) in the
primary root and lateral root apices was monitored using DR5:GUS, LAX3:GUS and
AUX1:GUS Arabidopsis transgenic lines. Total phenol content in leaves was
measured spectrophotometrically. Shoot and root dry weight and leaf area did not
change in Zn-exposed plants and significantly decreased in Cd-exposed plants,
compared to control plants. Cadmium induced a reduction of root length, of mean
number of roots and of total root surface. Both Cd- and Zn-exposed plants showed
a reduced specific root length. This morphological behavior, together with an
observed increase in root diameter in metal-exposed plants could be interpreted
as compensatory growth, and the observed thicker roots could act as a barrier to
protect root from the metals. In comparison with the apical localization of the
IAA signal in the control plants, Zn generally reinforced the intensity of IAA
signal, without affecting its localization. In Cd-exposed plants, IAA
localization remained apical but weaker compared to control plants. Total phenols
decreased in plants exposed to Zn and Cd. Therefore, we propose that the
remodelling of the root architecture and the production of some secondary
metabolites, such as IAA and phenols could be two responses of plants subjected
to metal stress. This knowledge can open the way to future phytoremediation
strategies of contaminated sites.
PMID- 28704703
TI - Early axis growth during seed germination is gravitropic and mediated by ROS and
calcium.
AB - In plant establishment, seed germination is characterized by the emergence of a
radicle for secured anchorage to the soil and nutrient and water uptake. Early
growth of germinating axes appears to be gravisensitive, and the regulation of
this process is largely uncharacterized, particularly in case of epigeally
germinating species. Our previous work on the germination of Vigna radiata seeds
demonstrated the role of apoplastic reactive oxygen species (ROS) in germination
associated axis growth. This study attempts to explore a possibly similar role of
ROS in the gravitropic bending of germinating axes. Pharmacological and
histological studies correlated the curvature growth of the axis (due to cell
elongation in the cortical region of the upper side) with apoplastic superoxide
accumulation. The superoxide was produced by diphenylene iodonium chloride (DPI)
insensitive NADH oxidase, which was different from the DPI-sensitive NADPH
oxidase active in the apical elongation zone of the radicle. This NADH oxidase
was differentially controlled by IAA, and its activation required influx of
apoplastic Ca2+. This study shows that the early axis growth in germinating seeds
is gravisensitive, which is distinct spatially as well as temporally from the
elongation growth of the axis (radicle) and controlled by auxin and cytosolic
Ca2+ through NADH oxidase-dependent ROS production.
PMID- 28704704
TI - The role of monocytes in models of infection by protozoan parasites.
AB - The confirmation of developmental differences between tissue macrophages and
peripheral monocytes has changed our view of the functions and dynamics of these
two important components of the innate immune system. It has been demonstrated
conclusively that homeostasis of tissue resident macrophages is maintained by a
low proliferative turn over. During an inflammatory response, bone marrow derived
monocytes enter the tissue in large numbers and take part in the defense against
the pathogens. After the destruction of invading pathogens, these cells disappear
and tissue resident macrophages can be detected again. This new appreciation of
the innate immune response has not only answered many outstanding questions
regarding the role of the different myeloid cell types in inflammation, but also
opened up new areas of research relating to the tissue- and pathogen-specific
fate of the inflammatory macrophages or dendritic cells (DCs), and the transfer
of this knowledge from mouse models to the human immune system. Nevertheless,
there is still confusion in infection models, and especially in studies of human
infections, as to what extent these recent observations and findings influence
previous interpretations of data. This review will focus on insights from mouse
models, summarize the literature on the ontogeny of macrophages and monocytes,
explain the role of frequently used monocyte markers and effector molecules, and
finally, discuss the role of inflammatory monocytes/macrophages/DCs in two
experimental parasitic diseases.
PMID- 28704705
TI - A New Parasitic Chytrid, Staurastromyces oculus (Rhizophydiales,
Staurastromycetaceae fam. nov.), Infecting the Freshwater Desmid Staurastrum sp.
AB - Chytrids are a diverse group of ubiquitous true zoosporic fungi. The recent
molecular discovery of a large diversity of undescribed chytrids has raised
awareness on their important, but so far understudied ecological role in aquatic
ecosystems. In the pelagic zone, of both freshwater and marine ecosystems, many
chytrid species have been morphologically described as parasites on almost all
major groups of phytoplankton. However, the majority of these parasitic chytrids
has rarely been isolated and lack DNA sequence data, resulting in a large
proportion of "dark taxa" in databases. Here, we report on the isolation and in
depth morphological, molecular and host range characterization of a chytrid
infecting the common freshwater desmid Staurastrum sp. We provide first insights
on the metabolic activity of the different chytrid development stages by using
the vital dye FUN(r)-1 (2-chloro-4-[2,3-dihydro-3-methyl-[benzo-1,3-thiazol-2-yl]
methylidene]-1-phenylquinolinium iodide). Cross infection experiments suggest
that this chytrid is an obligate parasite and specific for the genus Staurastrum
sp. Phylogenetic analysis, based on ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 and 28S rDNA sequences, placed
it in the order Rhizophydiales. Based on the unique zoospore ultrastructure,
combined with thallus morphology, and molecular phylogenetic placement, we
describe this parasitic chytrid as a new genus and species Staurastromyces
oculus, within a new family Staurastromycetaceae.
PMID- 28704706
TI - IL-17B: A new area of study in the IL-17 family.
AB - The interleukin (IL)-17 superfamily, a relatively new family of cytokines,
consists of six ligands (from IL-17A to IL-17F), which bind to five receptor
subtypes (from IL-17RA to IL-17RE) and induce downstream signaling. IL-17A, a
prototype member of this family, has been reported to be involved in the
pathogenesis of allergies, autoimmune diseases, allograft transplantations, and
malignancies. Unlike IL-17A, which is mainly produced by T helper 17 cells, IL
17B is widely expressed in various tissues. Recently, the biological function of
IL-17B in diseases, particularly tumors, has attracted the attention of
researchers. We previously reported that the expression of IL-17RB increased in
gastric cancer tissues and demonstrated that IL-17B/IL-17RB signaling plays a
critical role in gastric tumor progression. However, studies on IL-17B are scant.
In this review, we detail the structural characteristics, expression patterns,
and biological activities of IL-17B and its potential role in the pathogenesis of
diseases.
PMID- 28704707
TI - A founder mutation underlies a severe form of phosphoglutamase 3 (PGM3)
deficiency in Tunisian patients.
AB - Phosphoglucomutase 3 (PGM3) protein catalyzes the conversion of N-acetyl-d
glucosamine-6-phosphate (GlcNAc-6-P) to N-acetyl-d-glucosamine-1-phosphate
(GlcNAc-1-P), which is required for the synthesis of uridine diphosphate N
acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc) an important precursor for protein glycosylation.
Mutations in PGM3 gene have been recently shown to underlie a new congenital
disorder of glycosylation often associated to elevated IgE. Herein, we report
twelve PGM3 deficient patients. They belong to three highly consanguineous
families, originating from a rural district in the west central Tunisia. The
patient's clinical phenotype is characterized by severe respiratory and cutaneous
infections as well as developmental delay and severe mental retardation. Fourteen
patients died in early infancy before diagnosis supporting the severity of the
clinical phenotype. Laboratory findings revealed elevated IgE, CD4 lymphopenia
and impaired T cell proliferation in most patients. Genetic analysis showed the
presence, of a unique homozygous mutation (p.Glu340del) in PGM3 gene leading to
reduced PGM3 abundance. Segregating analysis using fifteen polymorphic markers
overlapping PGM3 gene showed that all patients inherited a common homozygous
haplotype encompassing 10-Mb on chromosome 6. The founder mutational event was
estimated to have occurred approximately 100 years ago. To date, (p.Glu340del)
mutation represents the first founder mutation identified in PGM3 gene. These
findings will facilitate the development of preventive approaches through genetic
counselling and prenatal diagnosis in the affected families.
PMID- 28704708
TI - Innate immunity related pathogen recognition receptors and chronic hepatitis B
infection.
AB - Innate immunity consists of several kinds of pathogen recognition receptors
(PRRs), which participate in the recognition of pathogens and consequently
activation of innate immune system against pathogens. Recently, several
investigations reported that PRRs may also play key roles in the
induction/stimulation of immune system related complications in microbial
infections. Hepatitis B virus (HBV), as the main cause of viral hepatitis in
human, can induce several clinical forms of hepatitis B and also might be
associated with hepatic complications such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular
carcinoma (HCC). Based on the important roles of PRRs in the eradication of
microbial infections including viral infections and their related complications,
it appears that the molecules may be a main part of immune responses against
viral infections including HBV and participate in the HBV related complications.
Thus, this review article has brought together information regarding the roles of
PRRs in immunity against HBV and its complications.
PMID- 28704709
TI - Protective role of surface Toll-like receptor 9 expressing neutrophils in local
inflammation during systemic inflammatory response syndrome in mice.
AB - Clinically, systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) occurs after serious
trauma or sepsis. In sepsis, neutrophils are the major effector cells responsible
for eliminating pathogens. However, the role of neutrophils in development of
SIRS, especially in local inflammatory area, is controversial. In this study, we
established a SIRS mouse model characterized with cytokine-mediated lethal shock
by intraperitoneal injection of oligodexynucleotides containing CpG motifs (CpG
ODN) in D-galactosamine (D-GalN) sensitized mice based on our previous work and
found that abundant neutrophils were rapidly recruited into the peritoneal
cavity, where some neutrophils expressed surface TLR9 (sTLR9), defined as sTLR9+
neutrophils. Along with the progression of SIRS, the expression of sTLR9 in
sTLR9+ neutrophils isolated from peritoneal lavage cells (PLCs) was declined in
accompany with an increase in the level of the inflammatory cytokine TNFalpha and
a decrease in the level of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 in Ly6G+ PLCs.
When using CCT ODN, an oligodeoxynucleotide with CCT repeats, which we have
previously shown to be capable of rescuing mice from lethal shock, the expression
of sTLR9 on neutrophils was significantly elevated. Adoptive therapy using early
recruited neutrophil-rich PLCs containing sTLR9+ neutrophils that express high
levels of sTLR9, could rescue mice from SIRS. Overall, the data reveal that the
early recruited sTLR9+ neutrophils may, at least in the area of local
inflammation, play a protective role during SIRS development and provide a method
to rescue the patients with severe SIRS via the up-regulation of sTLR9 levels on
the surface of neutrophils or via adoptive therapy with protective sub
populations of neutrophils.
PMID- 28704710
TI - Dissecting the Biological Heterogeneity within Hormone Receptor Positive HER2
Negative Breast Cancer by Gene Expression Markers Identifies Indolent Tumors
within Late Stage Disease.
AB - Hormone receptor positive (HR+) breast cancers are a heterogeneous class with
differential prognosis. Although more than half of Indian women present with
advanced disease, many such patients do well. We have attempted identification of
biologically indolent tumors within HR+HER2- tumors based on gene expression
using histological grade as a guide to tumor aggression. 144 HR+HER2- tumors were
divided into subclasses based on scores derived by using transcript levels of
multiple genes representing survival, proliferation, and apoptotic pathways and
compared to classification by Ki-67 labeling index (LI). Clinical characters and
disease free survival were compared between the subclasses. The findings were
independently validated in the METABRIC data set. Using the previously
established estrogen receptor (ER) down stream activity equation, 20% of the
tumors with greater than 10% HR positivity by immunohistochemistry (IHC) were
still found to have inadequate ER function. A tumor aggression probability score
was used to segregate the remainder of tumors into indolent (22%) and aggressive
(58%) classes. Significant difference in disease specific survival was seen
between the groups (P = .02). Aggression probability based subclassification had
a higher hazard ratio and also independent prognostic value (P<.05). Independent
validation of the gene panel in the METABRIC data set showed all 3 classes;
indolent (24%), aggressive (68%), and insufficient ER signaling (7%) with
differential survival (P = .01). In agreement with other recent reports,
biologically indolent tumors can be identified with small sets of gene panels and
these tumors exist in a population with predominantly late stage disease.
PMID- 28704711
TI - Insomnia moderates the association between alcohol use and consequences among
young adult veterans.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Symptoms of insomnia and heavy alcohol use tend to co-occur among
military and veteran samples. The current study examined insomnia as a moderator
of the association between alcohol use and related consequences among young adult
veterans in an effort to extend and replicate findings observed in samples of
civilian young adults. METHOD: Young adult veterans (N=622; 83% male; age M=29.0,
SD=3.4) reporting alcohol use in the past year completed measures of insomnia
severity, alcohol use, and alcohol-related consequences as part of a larger
intervention trial. Participants were classified as screening 'positive' (n=383,
62%) or 'negative' (n=239, 38%) for insomnia using the Insomnia Severity Index.
Hierarchical regression was used to examine the interaction between drinking
quantity and insomnia on alcohol-related consequences. Predictor and outcome
variables were measured concurrently. RESULTS: Both a greater number of drinks
per week and a positive insomnia screen were associated with more alcohol-related
consequences. Drinks per week and insomnia screen interacted to predict alcohol
related consequences, such that the effect of drinking on alcohol-related
consequences was stronger in the context of a positive versus negative insomnia
screen. CONCLUSION: Drinking is associated with more alcohol-related consequences
in the presence of clinically significant insomnia symptoms. These findings
replicate those documented in civilian young adults and indicate that insomnia
may be an appropriate target for alcohol prevention and intervention efforts
among young adult veterans.
PMID- 28704712
TI - Multipurpose efficacy of ZnO nanoparticles coated by the crustacean immune
molecule beta-1, 3-glucan binding protein: Toxicity on HepG2 liver cancer cells
and bacterial pathogens.
AB - The effective treatment of cancer and bacterial pathogens are two key challenges
in modern nanomedicine. Here, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) were fabricated
using the crustacean immune molecule beta-1, 3- glucan binding protein (Phbeta
GBP, 100kDa) purified from the heamolymph of Paratelphusa hydrodromus. beta-GBP
coated zinc oxide nanoparticles (Phbeta-GBP-ZnO NPs) were characterized by UV-vis
spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy
(FTIR), and high resolution-transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) analyses.
Phbeta-GBP-ZnO NPs inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Proteus
vulgaris. Protein and nucleic acid leakage assays showed that Phbeta-GBP-ZnO NPs
facilitate membrane permeability leading to cell death. The antibacterial
activity of Phbeta-GBP-ZnO NPs was due to the high level of reactive oxygen
species (ROS) release from bacterial cells post-treatment with 75MUg/mL of Phbeta
GBP-ZnO NPs. Confocal laser scanning microscopy pointed out that biofilm
thickness was highly reduced post-treatment with nanoparticles. Cytotoxicity on
human liver carcinoma (HepG2) cells highlighted that 75MUg/mL of Phbeta-GBP-ZnO
NPs inhibited viability of HepG2 cells. Phase contrast microscopy showed key
morphological changes of HepG2 cells post-treatment with Phbeta-GBP-ZnO NPs.
Overall, Phbeta-GBP-ZnO NPs can be further considered for the development of
novel drugs against microbial pathogens and HepG2 cells.
PMID- 28704713
TI - Cation-chelation and pH induced controlled switching of the non-fouling
properties of bacterial crystalline films.
AB - We report the controlled loss of the anti-fouling activity of the S-layer protein
SbpA from Lysinibacillus sphaericus (CCM2177). This protein forms crystal-like
films with square lattice (p4) via self-assembly on almost any type of surfaces.
Such engineered bioinspired nanometric membranes are known by their excellent
preventive performance under biological conditions. However, their exposure to
certain treatments can lead to gradual degradation of the S-protein layer. In
this work, two distinctive approaches are studied for understanding either
specific or non-specific degradation of the film, by treatment with a chelating
agent (EDTA), which interacts with inner Ca2+ ions, or Citrate buffer (with
pH