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The aim of this study was to evaluate the neuromuscular structures at risk during modified anterior minimally invasive plating osteosynthesis technique (Belangero-Livani) for humeral shaft fractures.
Eight fresh-frozen human specimens ranging from 38 to 82years old were used. Specimens were positioned supine with the shoulder in 70° abduction and the forearm in full supination. Anterior minimally invasive plating osteosynthesis technique according to Belangero-Livani technique was performed in each specimen. Under radioscopic control, the plate was introduced in retrograde fashion through the subbrachialis path. Anatomical structures were inspected and different anatomical parameters were measured after dissection at the end of the surgical procedures. Measurements were performed using a high digital caliper. Statistical analysis was performed using the Pearson's correlation coefficient test. A p value of < 0.05 was used to define statistical significance.
There were no macroscopic lesions of myotendinous or neurovascular structures in any specimen. The mean distance between the radial nerve to the distal lateral end of the plate was 8.63mm (range 4.14-13.83mm). The mean total length of the humerus was 328.59mm. We found a significant direct correlation between the total length of the humerus and both specimen height and weight.
The modified Belangero-Livani anterior MIPO technique for humeral shaft fractures performed in retrograde fashion is safe and useful, without major risk to the soft tissue of the anterior compartment of the arm, including the radial nerve in the lateral intermuscular septum. Intraoperative dissection, avoiding deep lateral retraction on the distal approach, minimizes the risk of radial nerve damage. Strict surgical planning and appreciation for the anatomic landmarks can reduce the risk of damage to neuromuscular structures.
Level IV; Case series with no comparison group; Treatment study.
Level IV; Case series with no comparison group; Treatment study.
Iron overload, a state with excessive iron storage in the body, is a common complication in thalassemia patients which leads to multiple organ dysfunctions including the bone. Iron overload-induced bone disease is one of the most common and severe complications of thalassemia including osteoporosis. Currently, osteoporosis is still frequently found in thalassemia even with widely available iron chelation therapy.
Relevant publications published before December 2019 in PubMed database were reviewed. Both pre-clinical studies and clinical trials were obtained using iron overload, thalassemia, osteoporosis, osteoblast, and osteoclast as keywords.
Increased ROS production is a hallmark of iron overload-induced impaired bone remodeling. At the cellular level, oxidative stress affects bone remodeling by both osteoblast inhibition and osteoclast activation via many signaling pathways. In thalassemia patients, it has been shown that bone resorption was increased while bone formation was concurrently reduced.
In this review, reports on the cellular mechanisms of iron overload-associated bone remodeling are comprehensively summarized and presented to provide current understanding this pathological condition. Moreover, current treatments and potential interventions for attenuating bone remodeling in iron overload are also summarized to pave ways for the future discoveries of novel agents that alleviate this condition.
In this review, reports on the cellular mechanisms of iron overload-associated bone remodeling are comprehensively summarized and presented to provide current understanding this pathological condition. Moreover, current treatments and potential interventions for attenuating bone remodeling in iron overload are also summarized to pave ways for the future discoveries of novel agents that alleviate this condition.The vascular adhesion protein-1 (VAP-1) inhibitor ASP8232 reduces albuminuria in patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease. A mechanism-based model was developed to quantify the effects of ASP8232 on renal markers from a placebo-controlled Phase 2 study in diabetic kidney disease with 12 weeks of ASP8232 treatment. The model incorporated the available pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic (plasma VAP-1 concentration and activity), serum and urine creatinine, serum cystatin C, albumin excretion rate, urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio, and urine volume information in an integrated manner. Drug-independent time-varying changes and different drug effects could be quantified for these markers using the model. Through simulations, this model provided the opportunity to dissect the relationship and longitudinal association between the estimated glomerular filtration rate and albuminuria and to quantify the pharmacological effects of ASP8232. The developed drug-independent model may be useful as a starting point for other compounds affecting the same biomarkers in a similar time scale.
Temporal muscle thickness (TMT) has been suggested as a novel biomarker that can represent sarcopenia in head and neck malignancies. This study investigated the association of TMT with clinical outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma (GBM).
Using electronic medical records, all GBM patients between 2008 and 2018 at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital were reviewed. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/unc3866.html Total 177 patients met our eligibility criteria.
The thinner group who had TMT less than the median showed shorter overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) than the thicker group who had TMT more than median (OS; 11.0 versus 18.0months, p < 0.001, and PFS; 6.0 versus 11.0months, p < 0.001). In the multivariate analysis, the thinner group had negative associations with OS and PFS (OS; HR 2.63 (1.34-2.63), p < 0.001, and PFS; HR 2.21 (1.34-2.50), p = 0.002). We also performed propensity score matching between the thinner and thicker groups to minimize the potential bias. The thinner group showed shorter OS and PFS (OS; 13.5 versus 19.0months, p = 0.006, and PFS; 6.5 versus 9.0months, p = 0.028) and had negative associations with OS and PFS than the thicker group (OS; HR 1.90 (1.19-3.03), p = 0.008, and PFS; HR 1.70 (1.07-2.70), p = 0.026) in matched patients.
Our findings suggest that TMT can be a useful prognostic biomarker for clinical outcomes in GBM patients. Further preclinical and clinical studies could help elucidate this association of sarcopenia with clinical outcomes in GBM patients.
Our findings suggest that TMT can be a useful prognostic biomarker for clinical outcomes in GBM patients. Further preclinical and clinical studies could help elucidate this association of sarcopenia with clinical outcomes in GBM patients.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the neuromuscular structures at risk during modified anterior minimally invasive plating osteosynthesis technique (Belangero-Livani) for humeral shaft fractures. Eight fresh-frozen human specimens ranging from 38 to 82years old were used. Specimens were positioned supine with the shoulder in 70° abduction and the forearm in full supination. Anterior minimally invasive plating osteosynthesis technique according to Belangero-Livani technique was performed in each specimen. Under radioscopic control, the plate was introduced in retrograde fashion through the subbrachialis path. Anatomical structures were inspected and different anatomical parameters were measured after dissection at the end of the surgical procedures. Measurements were performed using a high digital caliper. Statistical analysis was performed using the Pearson's correlation coefficient test. A p value of < 0.05 was used to define statistical significance. There were no macroscopic lesions of myotendinous or neurovascular structures in any specimen. The mean distance between the radial nerve to the distal lateral end of the plate was 8.63mm (range 4.14-13.83mm). The mean total length of the humerus was 328.59mm. We found a significant direct correlation between the total length of the humerus and both specimen height and weight. The modified Belangero-Livani anterior MIPO technique for humeral shaft fractures performed in retrograde fashion is safe and useful, without major risk to the soft tissue of the anterior compartment of the arm, including the radial nerve in the lateral intermuscular septum. Intraoperative dissection, avoiding deep lateral retraction on the distal approach, minimizes the risk of radial nerve damage. Strict surgical planning and appreciation for the anatomic landmarks can reduce the risk of damage to neuromuscular structures. Level IV; Case series with no comparison group; Treatment study. Level IV; Case series with no comparison group; Treatment study. Iron overload, a state with excessive iron storage in the body, is a common complication in thalassemia patients which leads to multiple organ dysfunctions including the bone. Iron overload-induced bone disease is one of the most common and severe complications of thalassemia including osteoporosis. Currently, osteoporosis is still frequently found in thalassemia even with widely available iron chelation therapy. Relevant publications published before December 2019 in PubMed database were reviewed. Both pre-clinical studies and clinical trials were obtained using iron overload, thalassemia, osteoporosis, osteoblast, and osteoclast as keywords. Increased ROS production is a hallmark of iron overload-induced impaired bone remodeling. At the cellular level, oxidative stress affects bone remodeling by both osteoblast inhibition and osteoclast activation via many signaling pathways. In thalassemia patients, it has been shown that bone resorption was increased while bone formation was concurrently reduced. In this review, reports on the cellular mechanisms of iron overload-associated bone remodeling are comprehensively summarized and presented to provide current understanding this pathological condition. Moreover, current treatments and potential interventions for attenuating bone remodeling in iron overload are also summarized to pave ways for the future discoveries of novel agents that alleviate this condition. In this review, reports on the cellular mechanisms of iron overload-associated bone remodeling are comprehensively summarized and presented to provide current understanding this pathological condition. Moreover, current treatments and potential interventions for attenuating bone remodeling in iron overload are also summarized to pave ways for the future discoveries of novel agents that alleviate this condition.The vascular adhesion protein-1 (VAP-1) inhibitor ASP8232 reduces albuminuria in patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease. A mechanism-based model was developed to quantify the effects of ASP8232 on renal markers from a placebo-controlled Phase 2 study in diabetic kidney disease with 12 weeks of ASP8232 treatment. The model incorporated the available pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic (plasma VAP-1 concentration and activity), serum and urine creatinine, serum cystatin C, albumin excretion rate, urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio, and urine volume information in an integrated manner. Drug-independent time-varying changes and different drug effects could be quantified for these markers using the model. Through simulations, this model provided the opportunity to dissect the relationship and longitudinal association between the estimated glomerular filtration rate and albuminuria and to quantify the pharmacological effects of ASP8232. The developed drug-independent model may be useful as a starting point for other compounds affecting the same biomarkers in a similar time scale. Temporal muscle thickness (TMT) has been suggested as a novel biomarker that can represent sarcopenia in head and neck malignancies. This study investigated the association of TMT with clinical outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma (GBM). Using electronic medical records, all GBM patients between 2008 and 2018 at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital were reviewed. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/unc3866.html Total 177 patients met our eligibility criteria. The thinner group who had TMT less than the median showed shorter overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) than the thicker group who had TMT more than median (OS; 11.0 versus 18.0months, p < 0.001, and PFS; 6.0 versus 11.0months, p < 0.001). In the multivariate analysis, the thinner group had negative associations with OS and PFS (OS; HR 2.63 (1.34-2.63), p < 0.001, and PFS; HR 2.21 (1.34-2.50), p = 0.002). We also performed propensity score matching between the thinner and thicker groups to minimize the potential bias. The thinner group showed shorter OS and PFS (OS; 13.5 versus 19.0months, p = 0.006, and PFS; 6.5 versus 9.0months, p = 0.028) and had negative associations with OS and PFS than the thicker group (OS; HR 1.90 (1.19-3.03), p = 0.008, and PFS; HR 1.70 (1.07-2.70), p = 0.026) in matched patients. Our findings suggest that TMT can be a useful prognostic biomarker for clinical outcomes in GBM patients. Further preclinical and clinical studies could help elucidate this association of sarcopenia with clinical outcomes in GBM patients. Our findings suggest that TMT can be a useful prognostic biomarker for clinical outcomes in GBM patients. Further preclinical and clinical studies could help elucidate this association of sarcopenia with clinical outcomes in GBM patients.0 Comments 0 Shares 2 Views 0 ReviewsPlease log in to like, share and comment! -
They also found the webinar format favorable as it increased the accessibility of support and provided them with an interactive safe platform. Conclusions The study provides promising qualitative evidence for the use of TTP-Webinar in supporting the mental health needs of military partners.Background Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is an increasingly utilized treatment modality for renal replacement therapy that affords medical and lifestyle benefits to the patient and financial savings to the health care system. Successful long-term use of PD is reliant upon an optimally functioning catheter. Many potential catheter-related complications can be avoided through utilizing optimal placement technique. As widespread use of PD as a renal replacement modality continues to increase, the need for a safe, standardized, catheter placement technique has become more evident. Objectives To present a succinct synopsis of the rationale and elements of our current surgical management strategy for patients undergoing evaluation for PD and to provide a detailed stepwise description of our operative technique for PD catheter placement. This review describes potential pitfalls that may prevent optimal catheter function and describes each step taken to prevent potential complications. This description is combined with intraoperative photographs to highlight key steps. Conclusion Following a defined reproducible stepwise approach, laparoscopic placement of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis catheters can be performed safely and known potential complications hindering optimal catheter function can be addressed prophylactically.Objectives Contraception use reduces teen pregnancy, and long-acting reversible contraception is recommended as first-line treatment. Since many adolescents use the emergency department (ED) as a primary source of health care, it is a potential site of contraceptive counseling and provision. We surveyed female adolescents to assess desire for contraceptive counseling and initiation/change during an ED visit. Materials and Methods This was a cross sectional study of a convenience sample of female ED patients aged 16-21 years in an urban pediatric ED. Participants completed an anonymous questionnaire about sexual health, contraceptive use, and interest in contraceptive counseling. The primary outcome was adolescent interest in starting/changing contraception during an ED visit. Results Three hundred eighty-one patients (mean age 19.1 ± 1.6 years) completed the survey. Most (80.5%) had been sexually active with a male partner, and 110 (28.2%) had previously been pregnant. Two-thirds were interested in discussing contraception and 22.5% were likely to start or change contraception during the ED visit. Those who wanted to start or change contraception were more likely to be sexually active with a male partner (93% vs. 82%, p = 0.02) and to report that they were not satisfied with their current contraception (44% vs. 21%, p = 0.0003). Fifteen (17%) of the adolescents likely to start or change contraception were interested in progestin implant initiation in the ED. Conclusions Adolescents were interested in initiating or changing contraception during the ED visit, providing an important opportunity to discuss and initiate effective contraception.Background Patient-clinician communication between office visits may improve patient outcomes by increasing patients' information retention and offering opportunities for patient-centered communication. Secure electronic messaging offers one such communication modality, but evidence of associations between its use and patient outcomes is mixed. To date, no study has examined the relationship between message content and patient outcomes. Introduction Secure message content provides context around patients' requests and whether clinicians responded in ways that improve care and outcomes. This study evaluates the use of a theory-based taxonomy to classify patients' and clinicians' message content and describes characteristics associated with coded content. Methods We coded message threads initiated in 2017 by 73 randomly selected patients with hypertension and/or diabetes. Multiple codes could be applied to each message. Chi-square analyses identified differences by patients' demographics and health condition. Results We analyzed 658 message threads composed of 1,751 clinician- and patient-generated messages, to which 2,055 taxonomic codes were assigned. Eighteen percent of patients' threads were unanswered. Most codes assigned to patient-generated messages were task-oriented (46%) or information seeking (26%) requests; 30% of clinician responses left those requests unfulfilled or unaddressed. Clinicians were more likely to recommend a patient be seen in the office based on patients' sex, age, and health condition. Furthermore, white patients were more likely to send, and receive from their clinicians, messages with praise and appreciation content compared with black patients. Conclusion Further research is needed to better understand how and why these differences exist so that patient-clinician electronic messaging is optimized to improve patient outcomes.Dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) is one of the most prominent methods of sensitivity enhancement in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). https://www.selleckchem.com/products/mf-438.html Even though solid-state DNP under magic-angle spinning (MAS) has left the proof-of-concept phase and has become an important tool for structural investigations of biomolecules as well as materials, it is still far from mainstream applicability because of the potentially overwhelming combination of unique instrumentation, complex sample preparation, and a multitude of different mechanisms and methods available. In this review, I introduce the diverse field and history of DNP, combining aspects of NMR and electron paramagnetic resonance. I then explain the general concepts and detailed mechanisms relevant at high magnetic field, including solution-state methods based on Overhauser DNP but with a greater focus on the more established MAS DNP methods. Finally, I review practical considerations and fields of application and discuss future developments. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Physical Chemistry, Volume 71 is April 20, 2020.
They also found the webinar format favorable as it increased the accessibility of support and provided them with an interactive safe platform. Conclusions The study provides promising qualitative evidence for the use of TTP-Webinar in supporting the mental health needs of military partners.Background Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is an increasingly utilized treatment modality for renal replacement therapy that affords medical and lifestyle benefits to the patient and financial savings to the health care system. Successful long-term use of PD is reliant upon an optimally functioning catheter. Many potential catheter-related complications can be avoided through utilizing optimal placement technique. As widespread use of PD as a renal replacement modality continues to increase, the need for a safe, standardized, catheter placement technique has become more evident. Objectives To present a succinct synopsis of the rationale and elements of our current surgical management strategy for patients undergoing evaluation for PD and to provide a detailed stepwise description of our operative technique for PD catheter placement. This review describes potential pitfalls that may prevent optimal catheter function and describes each step taken to prevent potential complications. This description is combined with intraoperative photographs to highlight key steps. Conclusion Following a defined reproducible stepwise approach, laparoscopic placement of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis catheters can be performed safely and known potential complications hindering optimal catheter function can be addressed prophylactically.Objectives Contraception use reduces teen pregnancy, and long-acting reversible contraception is recommended as first-line treatment. Since many adolescents use the emergency department (ED) as a primary source of health care, it is a potential site of contraceptive counseling and provision. We surveyed female adolescents to assess desire for contraceptive counseling and initiation/change during an ED visit. Materials and Methods This was a cross sectional study of a convenience sample of female ED patients aged 16-21 years in an urban pediatric ED. Participants completed an anonymous questionnaire about sexual health, contraceptive use, and interest in contraceptive counseling. The primary outcome was adolescent interest in starting/changing contraception during an ED visit. Results Three hundred eighty-one patients (mean age 19.1 ± 1.6 years) completed the survey. Most (80.5%) had been sexually active with a male partner, and 110 (28.2%) had previously been pregnant. Two-thirds were interested in discussing contraception and 22.5% were likely to start or change contraception during the ED visit. Those who wanted to start or change contraception were more likely to be sexually active with a male partner (93% vs. 82%, p = 0.02) and to report that they were not satisfied with their current contraception (44% vs. 21%, p = 0.0003). Fifteen (17%) of the adolescents likely to start or change contraception were interested in progestin implant initiation in the ED. Conclusions Adolescents were interested in initiating or changing contraception during the ED visit, providing an important opportunity to discuss and initiate effective contraception.Background Patient-clinician communication between office visits may improve patient outcomes by increasing patients' information retention and offering opportunities for patient-centered communication. Secure electronic messaging offers one such communication modality, but evidence of associations between its use and patient outcomes is mixed. To date, no study has examined the relationship between message content and patient outcomes. Introduction Secure message content provides context around patients' requests and whether clinicians responded in ways that improve care and outcomes. This study evaluates the use of a theory-based taxonomy to classify patients' and clinicians' message content and describes characteristics associated with coded content. Methods We coded message threads initiated in 2017 by 73 randomly selected patients with hypertension and/or diabetes. Multiple codes could be applied to each message. Chi-square analyses identified differences by patients' demographics and health condition. Results We analyzed 658 message threads composed of 1,751 clinician- and patient-generated messages, to which 2,055 taxonomic codes were assigned. Eighteen percent of patients' threads were unanswered. Most codes assigned to patient-generated messages were task-oriented (46%) or information seeking (26%) requests; 30% of clinician responses left those requests unfulfilled or unaddressed. Clinicians were more likely to recommend a patient be seen in the office based on patients' sex, age, and health condition. Furthermore, white patients were more likely to send, and receive from their clinicians, messages with praise and appreciation content compared with black patients. Conclusion Further research is needed to better understand how and why these differences exist so that patient-clinician electronic messaging is optimized to improve patient outcomes.Dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) is one of the most prominent methods of sensitivity enhancement in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). https://www.selleckchem.com/products/mf-438.html Even though solid-state DNP under magic-angle spinning (MAS) has left the proof-of-concept phase and has become an important tool for structural investigations of biomolecules as well as materials, it is still far from mainstream applicability because of the potentially overwhelming combination of unique instrumentation, complex sample preparation, and a multitude of different mechanisms and methods available. In this review, I introduce the diverse field and history of DNP, combining aspects of NMR and electron paramagnetic resonance. I then explain the general concepts and detailed mechanisms relevant at high magnetic field, including solution-state methods based on Overhauser DNP but with a greater focus on the more established MAS DNP methods. Finally, I review practical considerations and fields of application and discuss future developments. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Physical Chemistry, Volume 71 is April 20, 2020.0 Comments 0 Shares 2 Views 0 Reviews -
Randomized Controlled Laboratory Study.
Posterior glide glenohumeral (GH) mobilizations are utilized to improve motion and decrease pain in patients with shoulder pathologies, thought to be due to capsular stretch and neurophysiologic effects. However, it remains unclear how different GH mobilizations influence mobility, rotator cuff (RC) activity, and pain processing, or if effects are different in stiff (≥15-degree loss of passive motion in any plane) rather than healthy shoulders.
To compare the effects of oscillatory and sustained posterior GH mobilizations on translation, RC activity, and pressure pain threshold (PPT) in stiff and healthy shoulders.
Eighty-eight participants, (44 control, 44 stiff shoulders) were randomly assigned to one of two mobilization conditions. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/cepharanthine.html Pre-post intervention measurements of PPT, GH translation via ultrasound imaging, and RC activity assessed via electromyography were performed. Sustained or oscillatory grade III posterior GH mobilizations were then provided to all participants. Data were analyzed using tests of difference and regression modeling.
Sustained glides (2.8±3.3mm) demonstrated significantly greater changes in translation compared to oscillatory glides (1.1±3.9mm), p=.028. Stiff shoulders demonstrated higher total RC activity than controls both pre (+24.51%, p=.004) and post-intervention (+23.10%, p=.01). Small changes in PPT occurred across all conditions, none reaching clinically meaningful levels.
Sustained mobilizations resulted in greater changes in GH translation. RC activity was higher in the stiff shoulder group, and remained higher post-intervention despite gains in GH translation, suggesting a mechanical rather than neurophysiologic effect. There was no meaningful difference in PPT between modes of mobilization.
Therapy, Randomized Controlled Laboratory Study, Level 1b.
Therapy, Randomized Controlled Laboratory Study, Level 1b.
The association between male partner alcohol use and increased risk and severity of their perpetration of intimate partner violence (IPV) is well-established in quantitative research. However, few studies have explored the nature and trajectory of relationships involving partner drinking and abuse, and how women find pathways to safety.
We conducted in-depth interviews with a community sample of 18 Australian women (aged 20-50 years) who reported feeling afraid when their male partner drank alcohol. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, we identified key processes underpinning women's experience of alcohol-related IPV and mapped these over four relationship phases.
Partner alcohol use played a key role in how women interpreted and dealt with IPV victimisation. In early relationships, women spoke of not seeing or dismissing early warning signs of problem drinking and aggression in settings that normalized men's heavy drinking. Later, women identified patterns of inter-connected drinking and agperienced partners' alcohol use intertwined with violence in their relationship, changing their partners' drinking plays a central role in their journey to safety, possibly obscuring recognition of abuse and complicating their ability to leave. Greater understanding of the stages of the alcohol-IPV relationship can help health providers support women as they navigate these complex relationships, and provide appropriate support depending on the needs of women in their relationship trajectory.
Smoking cessation after a cancer diagnosis is associated with improved overall survival. Few studies have reported oncologists' cessation practice patterns, but differences between the curative and palliative settings have not been described. We aimed to study the oncologist's perceptions on patients' tobacco use, current practices and barriers to providing smoking cessation support, while distinguishing between treatment with curative (C) and palliative (P) intent.
In 2019, an online 34-item survey was sent to approximately 6235 oncologists from 16 European countries. Responses were descriptively reported and compared by treatment setting.
Responses from 544 oncologists were included. Oncologists appeared to favour addressing tobacco in the curative setting more than in the palliative setting. Oncologists believe that continued smoking impacts treatment outcomes (C 94%, P 74%) and that cessation support should be standard cancer care (C 95%, P 63%). Most routinely assess tobacco use (C 93%, P 78%) and ients who report current smoking should have access to evidence-based smoking cessation support, also patients treated with palliative intent given their increasing survival.
Hepatic arterial infusion (HAI) combined with systemic chemotherapy has shown promising results in patients with unresectable colorectal liver metastases (CRLM), even after failure to systemic therapy. Addition of systemic targeted therapies has been investigated with controversial results regarding tolerance, especially with HAI-floruxidine when combined with systemic bevacizumab. Our study aimed to analyse feasibility, safety and efficacy of HAI-oxaliplatin plus systemic chemotherapy and targeted therapies.
Between 2005 and 2016, single-centre consecutive patients with unresectable CRLM who received at least one cycle of HAI-oxaliplatin plus systemic chemotherapy and targeted therapies (cetuximab/panitumumab or bevacizumab) were analysed.
A total of 89 patients (median age 55 years (range, 26-76 years) who previously received a median number of one systemic chemotherapy regimen (range, 0-5) including oxaliplatin in 78% of cases were included. Median number of HAI-oxaliplatin cycles was 9 (range, 1-28) combined with systemic chemotherapy and targeted therapies (LV5FU2 [63%], FOLFIRI [36%]) plus anti-EGFR (30%), or bevacizumab (70%). Grade 3/4 toxicities included neutropenia (40%), HAI-related abdominal pain (43%)and neurotoxicity (12%). The intent-to-treat objective response rate was 42%, and 45% had stable disease, allowing complete CRLM resection/ablation in 27% of patients. After a median follow-up of 72 months, median overall and progression-free survival was 20 and 9 months, respectively.
Addition of targeted therapy to systemic chemotherapy combined with HAI-oxaliplatin is feasible, safe and shows promising activity, even after systemic chemotherapy failure.
Addition of targeted therapy to systemic chemotherapy combined with HAI-oxaliplatin is feasible, safe and shows promising activity, even after systemic chemotherapy failure.
Randomized Controlled Laboratory Study. Posterior glide glenohumeral (GH) mobilizations are utilized to improve motion and decrease pain in patients with shoulder pathologies, thought to be due to capsular stretch and neurophysiologic effects. However, it remains unclear how different GH mobilizations influence mobility, rotator cuff (RC) activity, and pain processing, or if effects are different in stiff (≥15-degree loss of passive motion in any plane) rather than healthy shoulders. To compare the effects of oscillatory and sustained posterior GH mobilizations on translation, RC activity, and pressure pain threshold (PPT) in stiff and healthy shoulders. Eighty-eight participants, (44 control, 44 stiff shoulders) were randomly assigned to one of two mobilization conditions. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/cepharanthine.html Pre-post intervention measurements of PPT, GH translation via ultrasound imaging, and RC activity assessed via electromyography were performed. Sustained or oscillatory grade III posterior GH mobilizations were then provided to all participants. Data were analyzed using tests of difference and regression modeling. Sustained glides (2.8±3.3mm) demonstrated significantly greater changes in translation compared to oscillatory glides (1.1±3.9mm), p=.028. Stiff shoulders demonstrated higher total RC activity than controls both pre (+24.51%, p=.004) and post-intervention (+23.10%, p=.01). Small changes in PPT occurred across all conditions, none reaching clinically meaningful levels. Sustained mobilizations resulted in greater changes in GH translation. RC activity was higher in the stiff shoulder group, and remained higher post-intervention despite gains in GH translation, suggesting a mechanical rather than neurophysiologic effect. There was no meaningful difference in PPT between modes of mobilization. Therapy, Randomized Controlled Laboratory Study, Level 1b. Therapy, Randomized Controlled Laboratory Study, Level 1b. The association between male partner alcohol use and increased risk and severity of their perpetration of intimate partner violence (IPV) is well-established in quantitative research. However, few studies have explored the nature and trajectory of relationships involving partner drinking and abuse, and how women find pathways to safety. We conducted in-depth interviews with a community sample of 18 Australian women (aged 20-50 years) who reported feeling afraid when their male partner drank alcohol. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, we identified key processes underpinning women's experience of alcohol-related IPV and mapped these over four relationship phases. Partner alcohol use played a key role in how women interpreted and dealt with IPV victimisation. In early relationships, women spoke of not seeing or dismissing early warning signs of problem drinking and aggression in settings that normalized men's heavy drinking. Later, women identified patterns of inter-connected drinking and agperienced partners' alcohol use intertwined with violence in their relationship, changing their partners' drinking plays a central role in their journey to safety, possibly obscuring recognition of abuse and complicating their ability to leave. Greater understanding of the stages of the alcohol-IPV relationship can help health providers support women as they navigate these complex relationships, and provide appropriate support depending on the needs of women in their relationship trajectory. Smoking cessation after a cancer diagnosis is associated with improved overall survival. Few studies have reported oncologists' cessation practice patterns, but differences between the curative and palliative settings have not been described. We aimed to study the oncologist's perceptions on patients' tobacco use, current practices and barriers to providing smoking cessation support, while distinguishing between treatment with curative (C) and palliative (P) intent. In 2019, an online 34-item survey was sent to approximately 6235 oncologists from 16 European countries. Responses were descriptively reported and compared by treatment setting. Responses from 544 oncologists were included. Oncologists appeared to favour addressing tobacco in the curative setting more than in the palliative setting. Oncologists believe that continued smoking impacts treatment outcomes (C 94%, P 74%) and that cessation support should be standard cancer care (C 95%, P 63%). Most routinely assess tobacco use (C 93%, P 78%) and ients who report current smoking should have access to evidence-based smoking cessation support, also patients treated with palliative intent given their increasing survival. Hepatic arterial infusion (HAI) combined with systemic chemotherapy has shown promising results in patients with unresectable colorectal liver metastases (CRLM), even after failure to systemic therapy. Addition of systemic targeted therapies has been investigated with controversial results regarding tolerance, especially with HAI-floruxidine when combined with systemic bevacizumab. Our study aimed to analyse feasibility, safety and efficacy of HAI-oxaliplatin plus systemic chemotherapy and targeted therapies. Between 2005 and 2016, single-centre consecutive patients with unresectable CRLM who received at least one cycle of HAI-oxaliplatin plus systemic chemotherapy and targeted therapies (cetuximab/panitumumab or bevacizumab) were analysed. A total of 89 patients (median age 55 years (range, 26-76 years) who previously received a median number of one systemic chemotherapy regimen (range, 0-5) including oxaliplatin in 78% of cases were included. Median number of HAI-oxaliplatin cycles was 9 (range, 1-28) combined with systemic chemotherapy and targeted therapies (LV5FU2 [63%], FOLFIRI [36%]) plus anti-EGFR (30%), or bevacizumab (70%). Grade 3/4 toxicities included neutropenia (40%), HAI-related abdominal pain (43%)and neurotoxicity (12%). The intent-to-treat objective response rate was 42%, and 45% had stable disease, allowing complete CRLM resection/ablation in 27% of patients. After a median follow-up of 72 months, median overall and progression-free survival was 20 and 9 months, respectively. Addition of targeted therapy to systemic chemotherapy combined with HAI-oxaliplatin is feasible, safe and shows promising activity, even after systemic chemotherapy failure. Addition of targeted therapy to systemic chemotherapy combined with HAI-oxaliplatin is feasible, safe and shows promising activity, even after systemic chemotherapy failure.0 Comments 0 Shares 2 Views 0 Reviews -
medicinal products that in normal conditions would not cross the BBB.
Bacterial predation is an important selective force in microbial community structure and dynamics. However, only a limited number of predatory bacteria have been reported, and their predatory strategies and evolutionary adaptations remain elusive. We recently isolated a novel group of bacterial predators, Bradymonabacteria, representative of the novel order Bradymonadales in δ-Proteobacteria. Compared with those of other bacterial predators (e.g., Myxococcales and Bdellovibrionales), the predatory and living strategies of Bradymonadales are still largely unknown.
Based on individual coculture of Bradymonabacteria with 281 prey bacteria, Bradymonabacteria preyed on diverse bacteria but had a high preference for Bacteroidetes. Genomic analysis of 13 recently sequenced Bradymonabacteria indicated that these bacteria had conspicuous metabolic deficiencies, but they could synthesize many polymers, such as polyphosphate and polyhydroxyalkanoates. Dual transcriptome analysis of cocultures of Bradymonabacteria anheir potential ecological roles in saline environments. Video abstract.
Bradymonabacteria have unique living strategies that are transitional between the "obligate" and the so-called facultative predators. Thus, we propose a framework to categorize the current bacterial predators into 3 groups (i) obligate predators (completely prey-dependent), (ii) facultative predators (facultatively prey-dependent), and (iii) opportunistic predators (prey-independent). Our findings provide an ecological and evolutionary framework for Bradymonadales and highlight their potential ecological roles in saline environments. Video abstract.
Sepsis represents a major worldwide healthcare burden. However, how body-mass index (BMI) is related to the long-term risk of sepsis-related mortality in low- and middle-income countries remains uncertain.
We examined the associations of sepsis-related mortality with both baseline BMI and waist circumference (WC) using data from China Kadoorie Biobank, a prospective cohort recruited during 2004-2008 and followed up to December 2016. After excluding participants with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, tuberculosis, cancer, heart disease, and stroke, and omitting the first 3 years of follow-up, 440,763 participants remained for analysis.
During a median follow-up of 10.0 years, 1957 sepsis-related deaths (3,134,870 person-years) were included for analysis. Compared with reference BMI of 22.5 to < 25.0 kg/m
, the multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for sepsis-related mortality were 2.42 (95% CIs 2.07-2.84) for BMI of < 18.5, 1.59 (1.36-1.85) for 18.5 to < 20.0, 1.21 (1.06-1.38) for 20. indicates a heavy sepsis burden faced by low- and middle-income countries.
Combined medial tibiofemoral and symptomatic patellofemoral osteoarthritis is not amenable to unicompartmental knee replacement (UKR). Total knee replacement (TKR) is an invasive option in younger adults with high functional demands. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical outcome of patients who have undergone UKR, bicompartmental knee replacement (BKR) and TKR up to 2 years post-operatively.
This prospective study comprised 133 subjects including 30 patients in the medial UKR group, 53 patients in the BKR group (combined medial UKR with patellofemoral joint replacement) and 50 patients in the TKR group. All subjects were evaluated using the Oxford Knee Score (OKS) and the Western Ontario and MacMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC). Patients in each group were assessed using both scoring systems pre-operatively and 6 months, 1 year and 2 years post-operatively.
Significant improvement of OKS was found at 6 months compared to baseline for UKR (22.7 to 38.1, p = 0.046), BKR (22.6 to among UKR, BKR and TKR. BKR is a good alternative option for combined symptomatic medial and patellofemoral arthritis of the knee.
Leishmaniasis is a neglected disease caused by Leishmania spp. One of its characteristics is an imbalance of host immune responses to foster parasite survival. In this setting, mesenchymal stromal cells (****) may be a viable therapeutic alternative, given their well-established immunomodulatory potential. https://www.selleckchem.com/MEK.html In this study, we compared the effects of therapy with bone marrow (BM)- and adipose tissue (AD)-derived **** in leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania amazonensis in C57BL/6 ****. After determining the most effective ****source, we then combined these cells with meglumine antimoniate (a pentavalent antimonial commonly used for the treatment of leishmaniasis) to treat the infected ****.
In vitro, co-culture of AD-**** and BM-**** with Leishmania amazonensis-infected macrophages was performed to understand the influence of both ****sources in infected cells. In vivo, infected C57BL/6 **** were treated with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), AD-**** and BM-****, and then meglumine antimoniate was combined with infection without effect on the percentage of regulatory T cells.
Combination treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis with AD-**** and meglumine antimoniate may be a viable alternative.
Combination treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis with AD-**** and meglumine antimoniate may be a viable alternative.Francisella tularensis subsp. holarctica is a select agent causing life-threatening tularemia. It has been isolated from humans and animals, mainly lagomorphs and rodents, rarely other wild carnivore species. Increasing numbers of human tularemia cases have been reported during the last 5 years in Switzerland. Here we report the first isolation of Francisella tularensis subsp. holarctica from a domestic cat in Europe and compare its genome sequence with other Swiss isolates. The cat isolate shows a close phylogenetic relationship with a contemporary hare isolate from close geographic proximity, indicating a possible epidemiological link.During the COVID-19 outbreak, the European Reference Network on Rare Bone Diseases (ERN BOND) coordination team and Italian rare bone diseases healthcare professionals created the "COVID-19 Helpline for Rare Bone Diseases" in an attempt to provide high-quality information and expertise on rare bone diseases remotely to patients and healthcare professionals. The present position statement describes the key characteristics of the Helpline initiative, along with the main aspects and topics that recurrently emerged as central for rare bone diseases patients and professionals. The main topics highlighted are general recommendations, pulmonary complications, drug treatment, trauma, pregnancy, children and elderly people, and patient associations role. The successful experience of the "COVID-19 Helpline for Rare Bone Diseases" launched in Italy could serve as a primer of gold-standard remote care for rare bone diseases for the other European countries and globally. Furthermore, similar COVID-19 helplines could be considered and applied for other rare diseases in order to implement remote patients' care.
medicinal products that in normal conditions would not cross the BBB. Bacterial predation is an important selective force in microbial community structure and dynamics. However, only a limited number of predatory bacteria have been reported, and their predatory strategies and evolutionary adaptations remain elusive. We recently isolated a novel group of bacterial predators, Bradymonabacteria, representative of the novel order Bradymonadales in δ-Proteobacteria. Compared with those of other bacterial predators (e.g., Myxococcales and Bdellovibrionales), the predatory and living strategies of Bradymonadales are still largely unknown. Based on individual coculture of Bradymonabacteria with 281 prey bacteria, Bradymonabacteria preyed on diverse bacteria but had a high preference for Bacteroidetes. Genomic analysis of 13 recently sequenced Bradymonabacteria indicated that these bacteria had conspicuous metabolic deficiencies, but they could synthesize many polymers, such as polyphosphate and polyhydroxyalkanoates. Dual transcriptome analysis of cocultures of Bradymonabacteria anheir potential ecological roles in saline environments. Video abstract. Bradymonabacteria have unique living strategies that are transitional between the "obligate" and the so-called facultative predators. Thus, we propose a framework to categorize the current bacterial predators into 3 groups (i) obligate predators (completely prey-dependent), (ii) facultative predators (facultatively prey-dependent), and (iii) opportunistic predators (prey-independent). Our findings provide an ecological and evolutionary framework for Bradymonadales and highlight their potential ecological roles in saline environments. Video abstract. Sepsis represents a major worldwide healthcare burden. However, how body-mass index (BMI) is related to the long-term risk of sepsis-related mortality in low- and middle-income countries remains uncertain. We examined the associations of sepsis-related mortality with both baseline BMI and waist circumference (WC) using data from China Kadoorie Biobank, a prospective cohort recruited during 2004-2008 and followed up to December 2016. After excluding participants with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, tuberculosis, cancer, heart disease, and stroke, and omitting the first 3 years of follow-up, 440,763 participants remained for analysis. During a median follow-up of 10.0 years, 1957 sepsis-related deaths (3,134,870 person-years) were included for analysis. Compared with reference BMI of 22.5 to < 25.0 kg/m , the multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for sepsis-related mortality were 2.42 (95% CIs 2.07-2.84) for BMI of < 18.5, 1.59 (1.36-1.85) for 18.5 to < 20.0, 1.21 (1.06-1.38) for 20. indicates a heavy sepsis burden faced by low- and middle-income countries. Combined medial tibiofemoral and symptomatic patellofemoral osteoarthritis is not amenable to unicompartmental knee replacement (UKR). Total knee replacement (TKR) is an invasive option in younger adults with high functional demands. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical outcome of patients who have undergone UKR, bicompartmental knee replacement (BKR) and TKR up to 2 years post-operatively. This prospective study comprised 133 subjects including 30 patients in the medial UKR group, 53 patients in the BKR group (combined medial UKR with patellofemoral joint replacement) and 50 patients in the TKR group. All subjects were evaluated using the Oxford Knee Score (OKS) and the Western Ontario and MacMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC). Patients in each group were assessed using both scoring systems pre-operatively and 6 months, 1 year and 2 years post-operatively. Significant improvement of OKS was found at 6 months compared to baseline for UKR (22.7 to 38.1, p = 0.046), BKR (22.6 to among UKR, BKR and TKR. BKR is a good alternative option for combined symptomatic medial and patellofemoral arthritis of the knee. Leishmaniasis is a neglected disease caused by Leishmania spp. One of its characteristics is an imbalance of host immune responses to foster parasite survival. In this setting, mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) may be a viable therapeutic alternative, given their well-established immunomodulatory potential. https://www.selleckchem.com/MEK.html In this study, we compared the effects of therapy with bone marrow (BM)- and adipose tissue (AD)-derived MSCs in leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania amazonensis in C57BL/6 mice. After determining the most effective MSC source, we then combined these cells with meglumine antimoniate (a pentavalent antimonial commonly used for the treatment of leishmaniasis) to treat the infected mice. In vitro, co-culture of AD-MSCs and BM-MSCs with Leishmania amazonensis-infected macrophages was performed to understand the influence of both MSC sources in infected cells. In vivo, infected C57BL/6 mice were treated with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), AD-MSCs and BM-MSCs, and then meglumine antimoniate was combined with infection without effect on the percentage of regulatory T cells. Combination treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis with AD-MSCs and meglumine antimoniate may be a viable alternative. Combination treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis with AD-MSCs and meglumine antimoniate may be a viable alternative.Francisella tularensis subsp. holarctica is a select agent causing life-threatening tularemia. It has been isolated from humans and animals, mainly lagomorphs and rodents, rarely other wild carnivore species. Increasing numbers of human tularemia cases have been reported during the last 5 years in Switzerland. Here we report the first isolation of Francisella tularensis subsp. holarctica from a domestic cat in Europe and compare its genome sequence with other Swiss isolates. The cat isolate shows a close phylogenetic relationship with a contemporary hare isolate from close geographic proximity, indicating a possible epidemiological link.During the COVID-19 outbreak, the European Reference Network on Rare Bone Diseases (ERN BOND) coordination team and Italian rare bone diseases healthcare professionals created the "COVID-19 Helpline for Rare Bone Diseases" in an attempt to provide high-quality information and expertise on rare bone diseases remotely to patients and healthcare professionals. The present position statement describes the key characteristics of the Helpline initiative, along with the main aspects and topics that recurrently emerged as central for rare bone diseases patients and professionals. The main topics highlighted are general recommendations, pulmonary complications, drug treatment, trauma, pregnancy, children and elderly people, and patient associations role. The successful experience of the "COVID-19 Helpline for Rare Bone Diseases" launched in Italy could serve as a primer of gold-standard remote care for rare bone diseases for the other European countries and globally. Furthermore, similar COVID-19 helplines could be considered and applied for other rare diseases in order to implement remote patients' care.0 Comments 0 Shares 2 Views 0 Reviews -
p for PWUD in improving their practices. Finally, HaRePo represents a clear benefit for health authorities in France, who decided to expand the programme in 2016.
HaRePo is an innovative HR programme efficient for hard-to-reach PWUD. It shows evidence of a positive feedback loop for PWUD in improving their practices. Finally, HaRePo represents a clear benefit for health authorities in France, who decided to expand the programme in 2016.Plasmodium vivax has been largely neglected over the past century, despite a widespread recognition of its burden across region where it is endemic. The parasite invades reticulocytes, employing the interaction between Plasmodium vivax Duffy binding protein (PvDBP) and human Duffy antigen receptor for chemokines (DARC). However, P. vivax has now been observed in Duffy-negative individuals, presenting a potentially serious public health problem as the majority of African populations are Duffy-negative. Invasion of Duffy-negative reticulocytes is suggested to be through duplication of the PvDBP and a novel protein encoded by P. vivax erythrocyte binding protein (EBP) genes. The emergence and spread of specific P. vivax strains with ability to invade Duffy-negative reticulocytes has, therefore, drawn substantial attention and further complicated the epidemiology and public health implication of vivax malaria. Given the right environment and vectorial capacity for transmission coupled with the parasite's ability to invade Duffy-negative individuals, P. vivax could increase its epidemiological significance in Africa. In this review, authors present accruing knowledge on the paradigm shift in P. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/cq31.html vivax invasion of Duffy-negative reticulocytes against the established mechanism of invading only Duffy-positive individuals and offer a perspective on the epidemiological diagnostic and public health implication in Africa.
This study aimed to examine the relationship between working hours and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in men and to determine whether this relationship was mediated by sleep duration and self-rated health (SRH).
Our study population included 2141 working men aged 20 to 49 years old from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2016-2017. Working hours, SRH, and HRQOL were measured by a structured questionnaire survey. Sleep duration was calculated based on self-reported data. We investigated the association between working hours and HRQOL and performed a mediation analysis to evaluate the contributions of sleep duration and poor SRH to this relationship.
This study identified a significant association between working hours and HRQOL. Long working hours directly and indirectly affected HRQOL through poor SRH. Men who overworked were more likely to report poor HRQOL due to worsened SRH. Poor SRH was responsible for 26.3% of this relationship. But sleep duration did not explain the relationship between working hours and HRQOL.
Working hours were directly associated with HRQOL in men. Furthermore, there was an indirect effect of working hours on HRQOL mediated by poorer SRH. An improved work-life balance is necessary to promote men's health and quality of life.
Working hours were directly associated with HRQOL in men. Furthermore, there was an indirect effect of working hours on HRQOL mediated by poorer SRH. An improved work-life balance is necessary to promote men's health and quality of life.
Marek's disease (MD) is a chicken neoplastic disease, which brings huge economic losses to the global poultry industry. The wild type p53, a tumor suppressor gene, plays a key role in blocking cell cycle, promoting apoptosis, and maintaining the stability of the genome. However, the mutant p53 losses its tumor inhibitory role and become an oncogene when a mutation has happened.
The mutation rate of p53 was 60% in the experimentally and naturally infected chickens. The mutations included point-mutations and deletions, and mostly located in the DNA-binding domain. The mutated p53 was expressed in various tumor tissues in an infected chicken. The mutant P53 proteins were notably accumulated in the cytoplasm due to the loss in the function of nuclear localization. Unlike the study on human cancer, the concentrations of P53 in the serums of MD infected chicken were significantly lower than the control group.
The p53 mutations were apparent in the development of MD. P53 and P53 antibody level in serum could be a useful marker in the diagnosis and surveillance of MD.
The p53 mutations were apparent in the development of MD. P53 and P53 antibody level in serum could be a useful marker in the diagnosis and surveillance of MD.
Few studies have examined factors associated with willingness of people living with HIV (PLHIV) to participate in HIV treatment clinical trials in Sub-Saharan Africa. We assessed the factors associated with participation of PLHIV in HIV treatment clinical trials research at a large urban clinical and research facility in Uganda.
A mixed methods study was conducted at the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI), adult HIV clinic between July 2016 and January 2017. Data were collected using structured questionnaires, focused group discussions with respondents categorised as either participated or never participated in clinical trials and key informant interviews with IDI staff. A generalized linear model with a logit link function was used for multivariate analyses while the qualitative data were summarized using a thematic approach.
We enrolled a total of 202 and analysed 151 participants, 77 (51%) of whom were male with mean age of 41 years. The majority 127 (84%) expressed willingness to participate in treicipation included the perception that new drugs were being tested on them, fear of side effects like treatment failure and the uncertainty about privacy of their data.
We found overwhelming willingness to participate in HIV treatment clinical trials. This was largely extrinsically influenced by the perceived material and health-related benefits. Investigators should pay attention to participants' concerns for benefits which may override the need to understand study procedures and risks.
We found overwhelming willingness to participate in HIV treatment clinical trials. This was largely extrinsically influenced by the perceived material and health-related benefits. Investigators should pay attention to participants' concerns for benefits which may override the need to understand study procedures and risks.
p for PWUD in improving their practices. Finally, HaRePo represents a clear benefit for health authorities in France, who decided to expand the programme in 2016. HaRePo is an innovative HR programme efficient for hard-to-reach PWUD. It shows evidence of a positive feedback loop for PWUD in improving their practices. Finally, HaRePo represents a clear benefit for health authorities in France, who decided to expand the programme in 2016.Plasmodium vivax has been largely neglected over the past century, despite a widespread recognition of its burden across region where it is endemic. The parasite invades reticulocytes, employing the interaction between Plasmodium vivax Duffy binding protein (PvDBP) and human Duffy antigen receptor for chemokines (DARC). However, P. vivax has now been observed in Duffy-negative individuals, presenting a potentially serious public health problem as the majority of African populations are Duffy-negative. Invasion of Duffy-negative reticulocytes is suggested to be through duplication of the PvDBP and a novel protein encoded by P. vivax erythrocyte binding protein (EBP) genes. The emergence and spread of specific P. vivax strains with ability to invade Duffy-negative reticulocytes has, therefore, drawn substantial attention and further complicated the epidemiology and public health implication of vivax malaria. Given the right environment and vectorial capacity for transmission coupled with the parasite's ability to invade Duffy-negative individuals, P. vivax could increase its epidemiological significance in Africa. In this review, authors present accruing knowledge on the paradigm shift in P. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/cq31.html vivax invasion of Duffy-negative reticulocytes against the established mechanism of invading only Duffy-positive individuals and offer a perspective on the epidemiological diagnostic and public health implication in Africa. This study aimed to examine the relationship between working hours and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in men and to determine whether this relationship was mediated by sleep duration and self-rated health (SRH). Our study population included 2141 working men aged 20 to 49 years old from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2016-2017. Working hours, SRH, and HRQOL were measured by a structured questionnaire survey. Sleep duration was calculated based on self-reported data. We investigated the association between working hours and HRQOL and performed a mediation analysis to evaluate the contributions of sleep duration and poor SRH to this relationship. This study identified a significant association between working hours and HRQOL. Long working hours directly and indirectly affected HRQOL through poor SRH. Men who overworked were more likely to report poor HRQOL due to worsened SRH. Poor SRH was responsible for 26.3% of this relationship. But sleep duration did not explain the relationship between working hours and HRQOL. Working hours were directly associated with HRQOL in men. Furthermore, there was an indirect effect of working hours on HRQOL mediated by poorer SRH. An improved work-life balance is necessary to promote men's health and quality of life. Working hours were directly associated with HRQOL in men. Furthermore, there was an indirect effect of working hours on HRQOL mediated by poorer SRH. An improved work-life balance is necessary to promote men's health and quality of life. Marek's disease (MD) is a chicken neoplastic disease, which brings huge economic losses to the global poultry industry. The wild type p53, a tumor suppressor gene, plays a key role in blocking cell cycle, promoting apoptosis, and maintaining the stability of the genome. However, the mutant p53 losses its tumor inhibitory role and become an oncogene when a mutation has happened. The mutation rate of p53 was 60% in the experimentally and naturally infected chickens. The mutations included point-mutations and deletions, and mostly located in the DNA-binding domain. The mutated p53 was expressed in various tumor tissues in an infected chicken. The mutant P53 proteins were notably accumulated in the cytoplasm due to the loss in the function of nuclear localization. Unlike the study on human cancer, the concentrations of P53 in the serums of MD infected chicken were significantly lower than the control group. The p53 mutations were apparent in the development of MD. P53 and P53 antibody level in serum could be a useful marker in the diagnosis and surveillance of MD. The p53 mutations were apparent in the development of MD. P53 and P53 antibody level in serum could be a useful marker in the diagnosis and surveillance of MD. Few studies have examined factors associated with willingness of people living with HIV (PLHIV) to participate in HIV treatment clinical trials in Sub-Saharan Africa. We assessed the factors associated with participation of PLHIV in HIV treatment clinical trials research at a large urban clinical and research facility in Uganda. A mixed methods study was conducted at the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI), adult HIV clinic between July 2016 and January 2017. Data were collected using structured questionnaires, focused group discussions with respondents categorised as either participated or never participated in clinical trials and key informant interviews with IDI staff. A generalized linear model with a logit link function was used for multivariate analyses while the qualitative data were summarized using a thematic approach. We enrolled a total of 202 and analysed 151 participants, 77 (51%) of whom were male with mean age of 41 years. The majority 127 (84%) expressed willingness to participate in treicipation included the perception that new drugs were being tested on them, fear of side effects like treatment failure and the uncertainty about privacy of their data. We found overwhelming willingness to participate in HIV treatment clinical trials. This was largely extrinsically influenced by the perceived material and health-related benefits. Investigators should pay attention to participants' concerns for benefits which may override the need to understand study procedures and risks. We found overwhelming willingness to participate in HIV treatment clinical trials. This was largely extrinsically influenced by the perceived material and health-related benefits. Investigators should pay attention to participants' concerns for benefits which may override the need to understand study procedures and risks.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews -
OBJECTIVES We examined the longitudinal associations of social capital on self-rated health and differences by race/ethnicity in older adults. METHODS We used Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative sample of US adults aged ≥ 50 years evaluated every 2 years (2006-2014) (N = 18,859). We investigated the relationship between social capital indicators (neighborhood social cohesion/physical disorder, positive/negative social support) with self-rated health accounting for age, gender, education and stratified by race/ethnicity. We used structural equation multilevel modeling estimating the associations within-wave and between-persons. RESULTS We observed between-persons-level associations among social capital indicators and self-rated health. Individuals with overall levels of positive social support and neighborhood social cohesion tended to have overall better self-rated health [correlations 0.21 (p less then 0.01) and 0.29 (p less then 0.01), respectively]. For Hispanics, the correlations with self-rated health were lower for neighborhood social cohesion (0.19) and negative social support (- 0.09), compared to Whites (0.29 and - 0.20). African-Americans showed lower correlations of positive social support (0.14) compared to Whites (0.21) and Hispanics (0.28). CONCLUSIONS Interventions targeting social capital are in need, specifically those reinforcing positive social support and neighborhood social cohesion and diminishing neighborhood physical disorder and negative social support of older adults.Posterior reversible encephalopathy (PRES) is a clinical syndrome characterized by headaches, seizures, cortical blindness, and altered mental status up to coma and by a radiological syndrome defined by edematous alteration on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)-Scans of the white matter. In the following, we present the case of a 73 years old post-operative patient with PRES in the context of hypertension and endocarditis with E. coli. The initial presentation included a series of seizures, sopor, and cortical blindness. In MRI-Scans a marked cerebral edema could be identified. After successful treatment of underlying conditions, the patient has made a good recovery. However, homonymous hemianopsia towards right due to laminar necrosis in the left occipital lobe remained as a residuum.Salmonella is a significant food-borne pathogen that infects a large number of people worldwide. In this study, a lytic bacteriophage vB_SenS_SE1 capable of infecting Salmonella is isolated from municipal wastewater in Beijing, and its biological and genomic features are analyzed. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/sr4370.html Transmission electron micrograph shows that vB_SenS_SE1 is likely a Siphoviridae virus, with an icosahedral head and a long non-contracted tail. The stability test in vitro reveals that it is stable at 4-50 °C and pH 4-12. Based on the one-step growth curve, vB_SenS_SE1 has a 60-min exponential phase and a low burst size (19 PFU per cell). Bioinformatics analysis reveals that vB_SenS_SE1 consists of a circular, double-stranded DNA molecule of 40,987 bp with a GC content of 51.2%. Its genome carries 63 predicted open reading frames (orfs), with 22 orfs encoding known proteins. Phylogenetic analysis of the large terminase subunit shows that vB_SenS_SE1 exhibits strong homology to Salmonella phage St161, St162, VSiP, and FSL SP-031. The CoreGenes analysis shows that it is a member of the virus genus Cornellvirus. The features of phage vB_SenS_SE1 suggest that it has the potential to be an agent to control Salmonella.PURPOSE The purpose of this study is to investigate the origin of the vascular structures in ectopic kidneys with multidetector computed tomography (CT). METHODS The abdominal CT images of 96 cases with 106 ectopic kidneys were retrospectively reviewed. The ectopic kidney location, type of ectopia, and the origins of renal arteries and veins of the ectopic kidneys were evaluated. The origins of the renal arteries and veins were classified as suprarenal aorta/inferior vena cava (IVC), normal origin, infrarenal aorta/IVC, aortic/IVC bifurcation, common iliac artery/vein, iliac bifurcation, internal iliac artery/vein, and external iliac artery/vein. Finally, the ectopic kidneys were classified according to the most common combinations of artery and vein origins. RESULTS The renal artery originated from the suprarenal aorta in 1 case, normal origin in 13 cases, the infrarenal aorta in 36 cases, aortic bifurcation in 50 cases, the common iliac artery in 17 cases, and the iliac artery bifurcation in 2 cases. The renal vein was of normal origin in 19 cases, originated from the infrarenal IVC in 44 cases, IVC bifurcation in 36 cases, the common iliac vein in 23 cases, the internal iliac vein in 1 case, and the external iliac vein in 1 case. We classified the artery and vein origins of the ectopic kidneys into 7 most common types and other less common types. A significant correlation was found between the level of the ectopic kidneys and the origin of the arteries and veins (P less then 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Our study shows that the majority of ectopic kidneys have various origins of arterial and venous supply. We described the most common vascular origins of ectopic kidneys. Prior knowledge of these vascular variations may have important implications in preventing iatrogenic hemorrhage during surgery of patients with ectopic kidney.Approximately one of three people with diabetes is affected by distal symmetric sensorimotor polyneuropathy (DSPN) which is associated with marked impairment in quality of life due to partly excruciating neuropathic pain on the one hand and painless foot ulcers on the other hand. The prevalence of painful DSPN may reach up to one quarter of patients with diabetes, while DSPN may be asymptomatic in up to half of the patients affected. Regrettably, DSPN still remains underdiagnosed. Typical neuropathic symptoms include pain, paresthesias and numbness particularly in the feet and calves. The management of DSPN includes three cornerstones (1) lifestyle modification, causal treatment aimed at near-normoglycemia and multifactorial cardiovascular risk intervention, (2) pathogenesis-derived treatment and (3) symptomatic treatment of neuropathic pain. Multimodal pain treatment should not only aim at pain relief, but also allow for improvement in quality of sleep, mobility, and general quality of life.
OBJECTIVES We examined the longitudinal associations of social capital on self-rated health and differences by race/ethnicity in older adults. METHODS We used Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative sample of US adults aged ≥ 50 years evaluated every 2 years (2006-2014) (N = 18,859). We investigated the relationship between social capital indicators (neighborhood social cohesion/physical disorder, positive/negative social support) with self-rated health accounting for age, gender, education and stratified by race/ethnicity. We used structural equation multilevel modeling estimating the associations within-wave and between-persons. RESULTS We observed between-persons-level associations among social capital indicators and self-rated health. Individuals with overall levels of positive social support and neighborhood social cohesion tended to have overall better self-rated health [correlations 0.21 (p less then 0.01) and 0.29 (p less then 0.01), respectively]. For Hispanics, the correlations with self-rated health were lower for neighborhood social cohesion (0.19) and negative social support (- 0.09), compared to Whites (0.29 and - 0.20). African-Americans showed lower correlations of positive social support (0.14) compared to Whites (0.21) and Hispanics (0.28). CONCLUSIONS Interventions targeting social capital are in need, specifically those reinforcing positive social support and neighborhood social cohesion and diminishing neighborhood physical disorder and negative social support of older adults.Posterior reversible encephalopathy (PRES) is a clinical syndrome characterized by headaches, seizures, cortical blindness, and altered mental status up to coma and by a radiological syndrome defined by edematous alteration on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)-Scans of the white matter. In the following, we present the case of a 73 years old post-operative patient with PRES in the context of hypertension and endocarditis with E. coli. The initial presentation included a series of seizures, sopor, and cortical blindness. In MRI-Scans a marked cerebral edema could be identified. After successful treatment of underlying conditions, the patient has made a good recovery. However, homonymous hemianopsia towards right due to laminar necrosis in the left occipital lobe remained as a residuum.Salmonella is a significant food-borne pathogen that infects a large number of people worldwide. In this study, a lytic bacteriophage vB_SenS_SE1 capable of infecting Salmonella is isolated from municipal wastewater in Beijing, and its biological and genomic features are analyzed. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/sr4370.html Transmission electron micrograph shows that vB_SenS_SE1 is likely a Siphoviridae virus, with an icosahedral head and a long non-contracted tail. The stability test in vitro reveals that it is stable at 4-50 °C and pH 4-12. Based on the one-step growth curve, vB_SenS_SE1 has a 60-min exponential phase and a low burst size (19 PFU per cell). Bioinformatics analysis reveals that vB_SenS_SE1 consists of a circular, double-stranded DNA molecule of 40,987 bp with a GC content of 51.2%. Its genome carries 63 predicted open reading frames (orfs), with 22 orfs encoding known proteins. Phylogenetic analysis of the large terminase subunit shows that vB_SenS_SE1 exhibits strong homology to Salmonella phage St161, St162, VSiP, and FSL SP-031. The CoreGenes analysis shows that it is a member of the virus genus Cornellvirus. The features of phage vB_SenS_SE1 suggest that it has the potential to be an agent to control Salmonella.PURPOSE The purpose of this study is to investigate the origin of the vascular structures in ectopic kidneys with multidetector computed tomography (CT). METHODS The abdominal CT images of 96 cases with 106 ectopic kidneys were retrospectively reviewed. The ectopic kidney location, type of ectopia, and the origins of renal arteries and veins of the ectopic kidneys were evaluated. The origins of the renal arteries and veins were classified as suprarenal aorta/inferior vena cava (IVC), normal origin, infrarenal aorta/IVC, aortic/IVC bifurcation, common iliac artery/vein, iliac bifurcation, internal iliac artery/vein, and external iliac artery/vein. Finally, the ectopic kidneys were classified according to the most common combinations of artery and vein origins. RESULTS The renal artery originated from the suprarenal aorta in 1 case, normal origin in 13 cases, the infrarenal aorta in 36 cases, aortic bifurcation in 50 cases, the common iliac artery in 17 cases, and the iliac artery bifurcation in 2 cases. The renal vein was of normal origin in 19 cases, originated from the infrarenal IVC in 44 cases, IVC bifurcation in 36 cases, the common iliac vein in 23 cases, the internal iliac vein in 1 case, and the external iliac vein in 1 case. We classified the artery and vein origins of the ectopic kidneys into 7 most common types and other less common types. A significant correlation was found between the level of the ectopic kidneys and the origin of the arteries and veins (P less then 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Our study shows that the majority of ectopic kidneys have various origins of arterial and venous supply. We described the most common vascular origins of ectopic kidneys. Prior knowledge of these vascular variations may have important implications in preventing iatrogenic hemorrhage during surgery of patients with ectopic kidney.Approximately one of three people with diabetes is affected by distal symmetric sensorimotor polyneuropathy (DSPN) which is associated with marked impairment in quality of life due to partly excruciating neuropathic pain on the one hand and painless foot ulcers on the other hand. The prevalence of painful DSPN may reach up to one quarter of patients with diabetes, while DSPN may be asymptomatic in up to half of the patients affected. Regrettably, DSPN still remains underdiagnosed. Typical neuropathic symptoms include pain, paresthesias and numbness particularly in the feet and calves. The management of DSPN includes three cornerstones (1) lifestyle modification, causal treatment aimed at near-normoglycemia and multifactorial cardiovascular risk intervention, (2) pathogenesis-derived treatment and (3) symptomatic treatment of neuropathic pain. Multimodal pain treatment should not only aim at pain relief, but also allow for improvement in quality of sleep, mobility, and general quality of life.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews -
Background Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in women, which is usually treated by radiation therapy. However, resistance of cancer cells to radiation therapy has made treatment difficult. Therefore, finding effective ways to reduce the radiation resistance of cancer cells is an urgent problem to be solved. Materials and Methods MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells (on accepting radiation) were established to model radiation resistance, namely MCF-7/R and MDA-MB-231/R. The authors then examined the expression of miR-634 through quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. MCF-7/R and MDA-MB-231/R cells were transfected with overexpressed miR-634 mimics. In addition, TargetScan predicted which binding site was targeted by miR-634, and luciferase assay detected the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) 3'UTR luciferase activity after transfection of mimics expressing miR-634 into HEK-293 cells. 3-(4,5-Dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT), flow cytometry, and western blot assays were used for examination of different levels of biological function. Results miRNA-634 expression was significantly decreased in radiated MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. When miR-634 mimic was transfected into radiation-resistant MCF-7/R and MDA-MB-231/R cells, the survival rate of radiation-tolerant cells was significantly reduced. Moreover, STAT3 was found to directly interact with miR-634, and further studies demonstrated that miR-634 negatively regulated STAT3. Conclusion miR-634 was able to regulate STAT3 and enhance the sensitivity of breast cancer cells to radiation; these results might shed new light on radiation therapy for breast cancer.At normal interpersonal distances all features of a face cannot fall within one's fovea simultaneously. Given that certain facial features are differentially informative of different emotions, does the ability to identify facially expressed emotions vary according to the feature fixated and do saccades preferentially seek diagnostic features? Previous findings are equivocal. We presented faces for a brief time, insufficient for a saccade, at a spatial position that guaranteed that a given feature-an eye, cheek, the central brow, or mouth-fell at the fovea. Across 2 experiments, observers were more accurate and faster at discriminating angry expressions when the high spatial-frequency information of the brow was projected to their fovea than when 1 or other cheek or eye was. Performance in classifying fear and happiness (Experiment 1) was not influenced by whether the most informative features (eyes and mouth, respectively) were projected foveally or extrafoveally. Observers more accurately distinguished between fearful and surprised expressions (Experiment 2) when the mouth was projected to the fovea. Reflexive first saccades tended toward the left and center of the face rather than preferentially targeting emotion-distinguishing features. These results reflect the integration of task-relevant information across the face constrained by the differences between foveal and extrafoveal processing (Peterson & Eckstein, 2012). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).Research by Rajsic, Wilson, and Pratt (2015, 2017) suggests that people are biased to use a target-confirming strategy when performing simple visual search. In 3 experiments, we sought to determine whether another stubborn phenomenon in visual search, the low-prevalence effect (Wolfe, Horowitz, & Kenner, 2005), would modulate this confirmatory bias. We varied the reliability of the initial cue For some people, targets usually occurred in the cued color (high prevalence). For others, targets rarely matched the cues (low prevalence). High cue-target prevalence exacerbated the confirmation bias, indexed via search response times (RTs) and eye-tracking measures. Surprisingly, given low cue-target prevalence, people remained biased to examine cue-colored letters, even though cue-colored targets were exceedingly rare. At the same time, people were more fluent at detecting the more common, cue-mismatching targets. The findings suggest that attention is guided to "confirm" the more available cued target template, but prevalence learning over time determines how fluently objects are perceptually appreciated. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).Previous studies have shown that users spontaneously take the position of a virtual avatar and solve spatial tasks from the avatar's perspective. The common impression is that users develop a spatial representation that allows them to "see" the world through the eyes of the avatar-that is, from its virtual perspective. In the present paper, this perspective taking assumption is compared with a referential coding assumption that allows the user to act on the basis of changed reference points. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/ml324.html Using a spatial compatibility task, Experiment 1 demonstrated that visual perspective of the avatar was not the determining factor for taking the avatar's spatial position, but that its hand position (as the reference point) was decisive for the spatial coding of objects. Experiment 2 showed, however, that if the participant's hand position was not corresponding with the avatar's hand positions, the spatial referencing by the avatar's hands expired, thereby demonstrating the limits of referential coding. Still, the present findings indicated that referential coding may be at the base when taking the avatar's perspective. Accordingly, any study in perspective taking needs to consider and evaluate possible mechanisms of referential coding. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).In stimulus identification tasks, stimulus and response, and location and response information, is thought to become integrated into a common event representation following a response. Evidence for this feature integration comes from paradigms requiring keypress responses to pairs of sequentially presented stimuli. In such paradigms, there is a robust cost when a target event only partially matches the preceding event representation. This is known as the partial repetition cost. Notably, however, these experiments rely on discrimination responses. Recent evidence has suggested that changing the responses to localization or detection responses eliminates partial repetition costs. If changing the response type can eliminate partial repetition costs it becomes necessary to question whether partial repetition costs reflect feature integration or some other mechanism. In the current study, we look to answer this question by using a design that as closely as possible matched typical partial repetition cost experiments in overall stimulus processing and response requirements.
Background Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in women, which is usually treated by radiation therapy. However, resistance of cancer cells to radiation therapy has made treatment difficult. Therefore, finding effective ways to reduce the radiation resistance of cancer cells is an urgent problem to be solved. Materials and Methods MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells (on accepting radiation) were established to model radiation resistance, namely MCF-7/R and MDA-MB-231/R. The authors then examined the expression of miR-634 through quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. MCF-7/R and MDA-MB-231/R cells were transfected with overexpressed miR-634 mimics. In addition, TargetScan predicted which binding site was targeted by miR-634, and luciferase assay detected the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) 3'UTR luciferase activity after transfection of mimics expressing miR-634 into HEK-293 cells. 3-(4,5-Dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT), flow cytometry, and western blot assays were used for examination of different levels of biological function. Results miRNA-634 expression was significantly decreased in radiated MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. When miR-634 mimic was transfected into radiation-resistant MCF-7/R and MDA-MB-231/R cells, the survival rate of radiation-tolerant cells was significantly reduced. Moreover, STAT3 was found to directly interact with miR-634, and further studies demonstrated that miR-634 negatively regulated STAT3. Conclusion miR-634 was able to regulate STAT3 and enhance the sensitivity of breast cancer cells to radiation; these results might shed new light on radiation therapy for breast cancer.At normal interpersonal distances all features of a face cannot fall within one's fovea simultaneously. Given that certain facial features are differentially informative of different emotions, does the ability to identify facially expressed emotions vary according to the feature fixated and do saccades preferentially seek diagnostic features? Previous findings are equivocal. We presented faces for a brief time, insufficient for a saccade, at a spatial position that guaranteed that a given feature-an eye, cheek, the central brow, or mouth-fell at the fovea. Across 2 experiments, observers were more accurate and faster at discriminating angry expressions when the high spatial-frequency information of the brow was projected to their fovea than when 1 or other cheek or eye was. Performance in classifying fear and happiness (Experiment 1) was not influenced by whether the most informative features (eyes and mouth, respectively) were projected foveally or extrafoveally. Observers more accurately distinguished between fearful and surprised expressions (Experiment 2) when the mouth was projected to the fovea. Reflexive first saccades tended toward the left and center of the face rather than preferentially targeting emotion-distinguishing features. These results reflect the integration of task-relevant information across the face constrained by the differences between foveal and extrafoveal processing (Peterson & Eckstein, 2012). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).Research by Rajsic, Wilson, and Pratt (2015, 2017) suggests that people are biased to use a target-confirming strategy when performing simple visual search. In 3 experiments, we sought to determine whether another stubborn phenomenon in visual search, the low-prevalence effect (Wolfe, Horowitz, & Kenner, 2005), would modulate this confirmatory bias. We varied the reliability of the initial cue For some people, targets usually occurred in the cued color (high prevalence). For others, targets rarely matched the cues (low prevalence). High cue-target prevalence exacerbated the confirmation bias, indexed via search response times (RTs) and eye-tracking measures. Surprisingly, given low cue-target prevalence, people remained biased to examine cue-colored letters, even though cue-colored targets were exceedingly rare. At the same time, people were more fluent at detecting the more common, cue-mismatching targets. The findings suggest that attention is guided to "confirm" the more available cued target template, but prevalence learning over time determines how fluently objects are perceptually appreciated. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).Previous studies have shown that users spontaneously take the position of a virtual avatar and solve spatial tasks from the avatar's perspective. The common impression is that users develop a spatial representation that allows them to "see" the world through the eyes of the avatar-that is, from its virtual perspective. In the present paper, this perspective taking assumption is compared with a referential coding assumption that allows the user to act on the basis of changed reference points. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/ml324.html Using a spatial compatibility task, Experiment 1 demonstrated that visual perspective of the avatar was not the determining factor for taking the avatar's spatial position, but that its hand position (as the reference point) was decisive for the spatial coding of objects. Experiment 2 showed, however, that if the participant's hand position was not corresponding with the avatar's hand positions, the spatial referencing by the avatar's hands expired, thereby demonstrating the limits of referential coding. Still, the present findings indicated that referential coding may be at the base when taking the avatar's perspective. Accordingly, any study in perspective taking needs to consider and evaluate possible mechanisms of referential coding. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).In stimulus identification tasks, stimulus and response, and location and response information, is thought to become integrated into a common event representation following a response. Evidence for this feature integration comes from paradigms requiring keypress responses to pairs of sequentially presented stimuli. In such paradigms, there is a robust cost when a target event only partially matches the preceding event representation. This is known as the partial repetition cost. Notably, however, these experiments rely on discrimination responses. Recent evidence has suggested that changing the responses to localization or detection responses eliminates partial repetition costs. If changing the response type can eliminate partial repetition costs it becomes necessary to question whether partial repetition costs reflect feature integration or some other mechanism. In the current study, we look to answer this question by using a design that as closely as possible matched typical partial repetition cost experiments in overall stimulus processing and response requirements.0 Comments 0 Shares 2 Views 0 Reviews -
The present report describes a case of infective endocarditis complicated with aortic root abscess caused by Cardiobacterium hominis in a 56-year-old man. C. hominis is a microaerophilic, pleomorphic Gram-negative bacillus and member of the Haemophilus species, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans , C. hominis , Eikenella corrodens and Kingella kingae (HACEK) group, a group of bacteria known to be a rare cause of endocarditis. With prompt diagnosis and initiation of antimicrobial and surgical management, a successful outcome was achieved.The type II toxin-antitoxin (TA) modules, mazEF and relBE, in Streptococcus mutans have been implicated in stress response, antibiotic tolerance and persister cell formation. However, how S. mutans regulates these systems to prevent unwanted toxin activation and persister cell formation is unclear. In this study, we provide evidence that ClpP is required for the proteolytic regulation of these TA systems and persister cell formation in S. mutans following antibiotic challenge. A persister viability assay showed that S. mutans UA159 (WT) formed a larger quantity of persister cells than its isogenic mutant ΔclpP following antibiotic challenge. However, the lux reporter assay revealed that clpP deletion did not affect the transcriptional levels of mazEF and relBE, since no significant differences (P>0.05) in the reporter activities were detected between the wild-type and ΔclpP background. Instead, all antibiotics tested at a sub-minimum inhibitory concentration (sub-MIC) induced transcriptional levels of mazEF and relBE operons. We then examined the protein profiles of His-tagged MazE and RelB proteins in the UA159 and ΔclpP backgrounds by Western blotting analysis. The results showed that S. mutans strains grown under non-stress conditions expressed very low but detectable levels of MazE and RelB antitoxin proteins. Antibiotics at sub-**** induced the levels of the MazE and RelB proteins, but the protein levels decreased rapidly in the wild-type background. In contrast, a stable level of MazE and RelB proteins could be detected in the ΔclpP mutant background, suggesting that both proteins accumulated in the ΔclpP mutant. We conclude that ClpP is required for the proteolytic regulation of cellular levels of the MazE and RelB antitoxins in S. mutans , which may play a critical role in modulating the TA activities and persister cell formation of this organism following antibiotic challenge.We present a case of Ruminococcus gnavus sepsis in a woman suffering from multiple myeloma and myelodysplastic syndrome. R. gnavus , a Gram-positive coccus and a gut commensal, has been described in nine cases of infection in the literature, with most infections having occurred in patients with either gastrointestinal symptoms or prosthesis infections. In this case, R gnavus was identified by mass spectrometry, and showed susceptibility to penicillin, meropenem, tetracycline, metronidazole and clindamycin. The patient was successfully treated initially with intravenous piperacillin/tazobactam and metronidazole, and then switched to oral penicillin and metronidazole. The cause of infection is hypothesized to have been a shift in the gut microbiota towards an excess growth of R. gnavus caused by immunosuppression, and bacterial translocation across a vulnerable mucosal barrier due to prednisolone treatment and severe thrombocytopenia.Strains of Rotarix, a live attenuated monovalent oral rotavirus vaccine, replicate in the intestine and are shed for about one month in immunocompetent recipients. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/iwp-4.html The current study aimed to identify genetic changes of shed strains to reveal any significant mutations and their clinical impact on recipients. Stool samples of recipients of the first dose of Rotarix were sequentially collected for one month from the day of administration. Sequence analyses of the VP7 gene in eight recipients revealed five amino acid substitutions. Among them, two were observed in aa123, which is located in antigenic region 7-1a. Since there were no associated clinical symptoms, the genetic changes were unlikely to have caused reversion of pathogenicity of vaccine strain. Of interest, the virus in one case became closer to wild-type rotavirus via an amino acid change at aa123 occurring 14 days after administration, which might have resulted from multiple replications and long-term shedding of the vaccine strain.Automated, high-throughput technologies are becoming increasingly common in microbiome studies to decrease costs and increase efficiency. However, in microbiome studies, small differences in methodology - including storage conditions, wet lab methods, sequencing platforms and data analysis - can influence the reproducibility and comparability of data across studies. There has been limited testing of the effects of high-throughput methods, including microfluidic PCR technologies. In this paper, we compare two extraction methods (the QIAamp DNA Stool Mini Kit and the MoBio PowerSoil DNA Isolation kit), two taq polymerase enzymes (MyTaq HS Red Mix and Accustart II PCR ToughMix), two primer sets (V3-V4 and V4-V5) and two amplification methods (a common two-step PCR protocol and amplicon library preparation on the Fluidigm Access Array system that allows automated multiplexing of primers). Gut microbial community profiles were significantly affected by all variables. While there were no significant differences in alpha diversity measured between the two extraction methods, there was an effect of extraction method on community composition measured by unweighted UniFrac distances. Both amplification method and primers had a significant effect on both alpha diversity and community composition. The relative abundance of Actinobacteria was significantly lower when using the MoBio kit or Fluidigm amplification method, and the relative abundance of Firmicutes was lower when using the Qiagen kit. Microbial community profiles based on Fluidigm-generated amplicon libraries were not comparable to those generated with more commonly used methods. Researchers should carefully consider the limitations and biases that different extraction and amplification methods can introduce into their results. Additionally, more thorough benchmarking of automated and multiplexing methods is necessary to determine the magnitude of the potential trade-off between the quality and the quantity of data.
The present report describes a case of infective endocarditis complicated with aortic root abscess caused by Cardiobacterium hominis in a 56-year-old man. C. hominis is a microaerophilic, pleomorphic Gram-negative bacillus and member of the Haemophilus species, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans , C. hominis , Eikenella corrodens and Kingella kingae (HACEK) group, a group of bacteria known to be a rare cause of endocarditis. With prompt diagnosis and initiation of antimicrobial and surgical management, a successful outcome was achieved.The type II toxin-antitoxin (TA) modules, mazEF and relBE, in Streptococcus mutans have been implicated in stress response, antibiotic tolerance and persister cell formation. However, how S. mutans regulates these systems to prevent unwanted toxin activation and persister cell formation is unclear. In this study, we provide evidence that ClpP is required for the proteolytic regulation of these TA systems and persister cell formation in S. mutans following antibiotic challenge. A persister viability assay showed that S. mutans UA159 (WT) formed a larger quantity of persister cells than its isogenic mutant ΔclpP following antibiotic challenge. However, the lux reporter assay revealed that clpP deletion did not affect the transcriptional levels of mazEF and relBE, since no significant differences (P>0.05) in the reporter activities were detected between the wild-type and ΔclpP background. Instead, all antibiotics tested at a sub-minimum inhibitory concentration (sub-MIC) induced transcriptional levels of mazEF and relBE operons. We then examined the protein profiles of His-tagged MazE and RelB proteins in the UA159 and ΔclpP backgrounds by Western blotting analysis. The results showed that S. mutans strains grown under non-stress conditions expressed very low but detectable levels of MazE and RelB antitoxin proteins. Antibiotics at sub-MICs induced the levels of the MazE and RelB proteins, but the protein levels decreased rapidly in the wild-type background. In contrast, a stable level of MazE and RelB proteins could be detected in the ΔclpP mutant background, suggesting that both proteins accumulated in the ΔclpP mutant. We conclude that ClpP is required for the proteolytic regulation of cellular levels of the MazE and RelB antitoxins in S. mutans , which may play a critical role in modulating the TA activities and persister cell formation of this organism following antibiotic challenge.We present a case of Ruminococcus gnavus sepsis in a woman suffering from multiple myeloma and myelodysplastic syndrome. R. gnavus , a Gram-positive coccus and a gut commensal, has been described in nine cases of infection in the literature, with most infections having occurred in patients with either gastrointestinal symptoms or prosthesis infections. In this case, R gnavus was identified by mass spectrometry, and showed susceptibility to penicillin, meropenem, tetracycline, metronidazole and clindamycin. The patient was successfully treated initially with intravenous piperacillin/tazobactam and metronidazole, and then switched to oral penicillin and metronidazole. The cause of infection is hypothesized to have been a shift in the gut microbiota towards an excess growth of R. gnavus caused by immunosuppression, and bacterial translocation across a vulnerable mucosal barrier due to prednisolone treatment and severe thrombocytopenia.Strains of Rotarix, a live attenuated monovalent oral rotavirus vaccine, replicate in the intestine and are shed for about one month in immunocompetent recipients. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/iwp-4.html The current study aimed to identify genetic changes of shed strains to reveal any significant mutations and their clinical impact on recipients. Stool samples of recipients of the first dose of Rotarix were sequentially collected for one month from the day of administration. Sequence analyses of the VP7 gene in eight recipients revealed five amino acid substitutions. Among them, two were observed in aa123, which is located in antigenic region 7-1a. Since there were no associated clinical symptoms, the genetic changes were unlikely to have caused reversion of pathogenicity of vaccine strain. Of interest, the virus in one case became closer to wild-type rotavirus via an amino acid change at aa123 occurring 14 days after administration, which might have resulted from multiple replications and long-term shedding of the vaccine strain.Automated, high-throughput technologies are becoming increasingly common in microbiome studies to decrease costs and increase efficiency. However, in microbiome studies, small differences in methodology - including storage conditions, wet lab methods, sequencing platforms and data analysis - can influence the reproducibility and comparability of data across studies. There has been limited testing of the effects of high-throughput methods, including microfluidic PCR technologies. In this paper, we compare two extraction methods (the QIAamp DNA Stool Mini Kit and the MoBio PowerSoil DNA Isolation kit), two taq polymerase enzymes (MyTaq HS Red Mix and Accustart II PCR ToughMix), two primer sets (V3-V4 and V4-V5) and two amplification methods (a common two-step PCR protocol and amplicon library preparation on the Fluidigm Access Array system that allows automated multiplexing of primers). Gut microbial community profiles were significantly affected by all variables. While there were no significant differences in alpha diversity measured between the two extraction methods, there was an effect of extraction method on community composition measured by unweighted UniFrac distances. Both amplification method and primers had a significant effect on both alpha diversity and community composition. The relative abundance of Actinobacteria was significantly lower when using the MoBio kit or Fluidigm amplification method, and the relative abundance of Firmicutes was lower when using the Qiagen kit. Microbial community profiles based on Fluidigm-generated amplicon libraries were not comparable to those generated with more commonly used methods. Researchers should carefully consider the limitations and biases that different extraction and amplification methods can introduce into their results. Additionally, more thorough benchmarking of automated and multiplexing methods is necessary to determine the magnitude of the potential trade-off between the quality and the quantity of data.0 Comments 0 Shares 9 Views 0 Reviews -
Osteomyelitis carries a high risk of recurrence even after extended, aggressive antibiotic therapy. One of the key challenges is to eradicate the reservoirs of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) inside the host bone cells and their biofilms. Our goal is to develop rifampicin loaded lipid-polymer hybrid nanocarriers (Rf-LPN) and evaluate if they can achieve enhanced rifampicin delivery to eradicate these intracellular and biofilm-residing MRSA. After optimization of the composition, Rf-LPN demonstrated size around 110 nm in diameter that remained stable in serum-supplemented medium, drug payload up to 11.7% and sustained rifampicin release for 2 weeks. When comparing Rf-LPN with free rifampicin, moderate but significant (p less then 0.05) improvement of the activities against three osteomyelitis-causing bacteria (USA300-0114, CDC-587, RP-62A) in planktonic form were observed. In comparison, the enhancements in the activities against the biofilms and intracellular MRSA by Rf-LPN were even more substantial. The MBEC50 values against USA300-0114, CDC-587, and RP-62A were 42 vs 155, 70 vs 388, and 265 ng/ml vs over 400 ng/ml, respectively, and up to 18.5-fold reduction in the intracellular MRSA counts in osteoblasts was obtained. Confocal microscope images confirmed extensive accumulation of Rf-LPN inside the biofilm matrix and MRSA-infected osteoblasts. Overall, in this proof-of-concept study we have developed and validated the strategy to exploit the nanoparticle-cell and nanoparticle-biofilm interactions with a new rifampicin nanoformulation for prevention of osteomyelitis recurrence and chronicity caused by the elusive MRSA.Neurological disorders have been growing in recent years and are highly prevalent globally. Resveratrol (RES) is a natural product from plant sources such as grape skins. This compound has shown biological activity in many diseases, in particular, those that act on the central nervous system. The mechanism of action and the key points in neurological disorders were described and show the targeted mechanism of action. Due to the insolubility of this compound; the use of nanotechnology-based systems has been proposed for the incorporation of RES and RES-loaded nanocarriers have been designed for intranasal administration, oral or parenteral routes to deliver it to the brain. In general, these nanosystems have shown to be effective in many studies, pharmacological and pharmacokinetic assays, as well as some cell studies. The outcomes show that RES has been reported in human clinical trials for some neurological diseases, although no studies were performed in humans using nanocarriers, animal and/or cellular models have been reported to show good results regarding therapeutics on neurological diseases. Thus, the use of this nutraceutical has shown true for neurological diseases and its loading into nanocarriers displaying good results on the stability, delivery and targeting to the brain.Posterior segment eye diseases affect more than 300 million patients worldwide resulting in severe visual impairment. The treatments available are invasive, costly, present irregular effectiveness, and cause serious adverse effects. These drawbacks significantly reduce patient compliance. In the last decade, solid lipid nanoparticle (SLN) and nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) have shown potential as innovative carriers for lipophilic drug substances to overcome hurdles in treating the eye posterior segment. This review shows the advantages of these formulations, focusing on their compatibility with ocular tissues, which increases the internalization of the drug substances. Additionally, SLN and NLC can reduce the clearance by the eye's protective mechanisms due to adhesive properties related to nanometric size. Therefore, these preparations may allow the treating of several ophthalmic diseases by topical administration, increasing the interval between doses. This feature can decrease adverse effects and enhance efficacy, ultimately improving patient compliance. Thus, this critical review presents the performance of the in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo assays that support the potential of SLN and NLC to treat diseases of the posterior segment of the eye. These nanoparticles have shown to be promising alternative towards a major shift in developing ophthalmic products.The value of the clinical application of chemotherapeutic drugs is dependent on both systemic toxicity and treatment efficacy. Dose intensification and high tolerability suggest the potential for clinical cancer therapy. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/GSK1059615.html In this study, we developed a novel strategy for reconstructing a drug molecule into remote-loading liposomes. Two weak-base cabazitaxel derivatives were synthesized, and named CN and CN2. CN exhibited higher cytotoxic effects compared to CN2, and was selected for further study. CN was remotely loaded into nano-size liposomes (CN-LPs) via an ammonium sulfate gradient with high loading and encapsulation efficiency. When compared to the commercial formulation of cabazitaxel, JEVTANA®, CN-LPs showed less systemic toxicity and enhanced tolerability, with at least a 24-fold increase in the tolerated dose. Furthermore, CN-LPs significantly inhibited tumor growth in **** bearing 4T1 and RM-1 xenograft tumors. After intravenous injection, CN-LPs exhibited an extremely high drug concentration in blood, with a 757-fold increase in the area under the curve (AUC). Moreover, 48 h after a single intravenous injection, CN-LPs promoted higher drug accumulation in tumors compared to JEVTANA®. In summary, our liposome delivery system exhibits favorable pharmacologic efficacy and an improved safety profile.The purpose of this work is to develop an orally disintegrating tablet (ODT) of sildenafil (SIL) using a materials sparing and expedited development approach, enabled by the materials science tetrahedron principle and predictive technologies. To overcome the problem of bitter taste of SIL, an artificial sweetener, acesulfame (Acs), was used to form a sweet SIL salt (SIL-Acs) using an effective reaction crystallization process to prepare phase pure bulk SIL-Acs with a high yield. The SIL-Acs salt shows excellent thermal stability (Tm = 200.2 °C), low hygroscopicity, and acceptable dissolution rate. Formulation and process parameters were optimized based on powder flowability, tabletability, tablet disintegration time, and expedited friability. A particle engineering approach, i.e., nanocoating, was employed to attain adequate flowability of the SIL-Acs ODT formulation required for the direct compression process. The wide range of compression forces for making tablets exhibiting both fast disintegration time (≤30 s) and low friability (≤0.
Osteomyelitis carries a high risk of recurrence even after extended, aggressive antibiotic therapy. One of the key challenges is to eradicate the reservoirs of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) inside the host bone cells and their biofilms. Our goal is to develop rifampicin loaded lipid-polymer hybrid nanocarriers (Rf-LPN) and evaluate if they can achieve enhanced rifampicin delivery to eradicate these intracellular and biofilm-residing MRSA. After optimization of the composition, Rf-LPN demonstrated size around 110 nm in diameter that remained stable in serum-supplemented medium, drug payload up to 11.7% and sustained rifampicin release for 2 weeks. When comparing Rf-LPN with free rifampicin, moderate but significant (p less then 0.05) improvement of the activities against three osteomyelitis-causing bacteria (USA300-0114, CDC-587, RP-62A) in planktonic form were observed. In comparison, the enhancements in the activities against the biofilms and intracellular MRSA by Rf-LPN were even more substantial. The MBEC50 values against USA300-0114, CDC-587, and RP-62A were 42 vs 155, 70 vs 388, and 265 ng/ml vs over 400 ng/ml, respectively, and up to 18.5-fold reduction in the intracellular MRSA counts in osteoblasts was obtained. Confocal microscope images confirmed extensive accumulation of Rf-LPN inside the biofilm matrix and MRSA-infected osteoblasts. Overall, in this proof-of-concept study we have developed and validated the strategy to exploit the nanoparticle-cell and nanoparticle-biofilm interactions with a new rifampicin nanoformulation for prevention of osteomyelitis recurrence and chronicity caused by the elusive MRSA.Neurological disorders have been growing in recent years and are highly prevalent globally. Resveratrol (RES) is a natural product from plant sources such as grape skins. This compound has shown biological activity in many diseases, in particular, those that act on the central nervous system. The mechanism of action and the key points in neurological disorders were described and show the targeted mechanism of action. Due to the insolubility of this compound; the use of nanotechnology-based systems has been proposed for the incorporation of RES and RES-loaded nanocarriers have been designed for intranasal administration, oral or parenteral routes to deliver it to the brain. In general, these nanosystems have shown to be effective in many studies, pharmacological and pharmacokinetic assays, as well as some cell studies. The outcomes show that RES has been reported in human clinical trials for some neurological diseases, although no studies were performed in humans using nanocarriers, animal and/or cellular models have been reported to show good results regarding therapeutics on neurological diseases. Thus, the use of this nutraceutical has shown true for neurological diseases and its loading into nanocarriers displaying good results on the stability, delivery and targeting to the brain.Posterior segment eye diseases affect more than 300 million patients worldwide resulting in severe visual impairment. The treatments available are invasive, costly, present irregular effectiveness, and cause serious adverse effects. These drawbacks significantly reduce patient compliance. In the last decade, solid lipid nanoparticle (SLN) and nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) have shown potential as innovative carriers for lipophilic drug substances to overcome hurdles in treating the eye posterior segment. This review shows the advantages of these formulations, focusing on their compatibility with ocular tissues, which increases the internalization of the drug substances. Additionally, SLN and NLC can reduce the clearance by the eye's protective mechanisms due to adhesive properties related to nanometric size. Therefore, these preparations may allow the treating of several ophthalmic diseases by topical administration, increasing the interval between doses. This feature can decrease adverse effects and enhance efficacy, ultimately improving patient compliance. Thus, this critical review presents the performance of the in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo assays that support the potential of SLN and NLC to treat diseases of the posterior segment of the eye. These nanoparticles have shown to be promising alternative towards a major shift in developing ophthalmic products.The value of the clinical application of chemotherapeutic drugs is dependent on both systemic toxicity and treatment efficacy. Dose intensification and high tolerability suggest the potential for clinical cancer therapy. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/GSK1059615.html In this study, we developed a novel strategy for reconstructing a drug molecule into remote-loading liposomes. Two weak-base cabazitaxel derivatives were synthesized, and named CN and CN2. CN exhibited higher cytotoxic effects compared to CN2, and was selected for further study. CN was remotely loaded into nano-size liposomes (CN-LPs) via an ammonium sulfate gradient with high loading and encapsulation efficiency. When compared to the commercial formulation of cabazitaxel, JEVTANA®, CN-LPs showed less systemic toxicity and enhanced tolerability, with at least a 24-fold increase in the tolerated dose. Furthermore, CN-LPs significantly inhibited tumor growth in mice bearing 4T1 and RM-1 xenograft tumors. After intravenous injection, CN-LPs exhibited an extremely high drug concentration in blood, with a 757-fold increase in the area under the curve (AUC). Moreover, 48 h after a single intravenous injection, CN-LPs promoted higher drug accumulation in tumors compared to JEVTANA®. In summary, our liposome delivery system exhibits favorable pharmacologic efficacy and an improved safety profile.The purpose of this work is to develop an orally disintegrating tablet (ODT) of sildenafil (SIL) using a materials sparing and expedited development approach, enabled by the materials science tetrahedron principle and predictive technologies. To overcome the problem of bitter taste of SIL, an artificial sweetener, acesulfame (Acs), was used to form a sweet SIL salt (SIL-Acs) using an effective reaction crystallization process to prepare phase pure bulk SIL-Acs with a high yield. The SIL-Acs salt shows excellent thermal stability (Tm = 200.2 °C), low hygroscopicity, and acceptable dissolution rate. Formulation and process parameters were optimized based on powder flowability, tabletability, tablet disintegration time, and expedited friability. A particle engineering approach, i.e., nanocoating, was employed to attain adequate flowability of the SIL-Acs ODT formulation required for the direct compression process. The wide range of compression forces for making tablets exhibiting both fast disintegration time (≤30 s) and low friability (≤0.0 Comments 0 Shares 15 Views 0 Reviews
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