Datasets:

taln-ls2n

/

kpbiomed

like 5

26661147

A general model to calculate the spin-lattice (T1) relaxation time of blood, accounting for haematocrit, oxygen saturation and magnetic field strength.

Many MRI techniques require prior knowledge of the T1-relaxation time of blood (T1bl). An assumed/fixed value is often used; however, T1bl is sensitive to magnetic field (B0), haematocrit (Hct), and oxygen saturation (Y). We aimed to combine data from previous in vitro measurements into a mathematical model, to estimate T1bl as a function of B0, Hct, and Y. The model was shown to predict T1bl from in vivo studies with a good accuracy (± 87 ms). This model allows for improved estimation of T1bl between 1.5-7.0 T while accounting for variations in Hct and Y, leading to improved accuracy of MRI-derived perfusion measurements.

['Hales|Patrick W|PW|', 'Kirkham|Fenella J|FJ|', 'Clark|Christopher A|CA|']

2016

32594922

Association of gestational weight gain rate with infant anaemia in China: a birth cohort study.

Excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) increases the risk of maternal anaemia during pregnancy, but whether it is associated with offspring anaemia has not been investigated. We aimed to prospectively investigate the association of GWG rate in the second/third trimester with infant Hb concentration and anaemia risk. The present study comprised 13 765 infants born during 2006-2009 to mothers who participated in a trial on prenatal micronutrient supplementation. The GWG was calculated by subtracting the maternal weight at enrolment from that at end-pregnancy. The GWG rate was calculated as dividing the GWG by number of weeks between the two measurements and classified into quintiles within each category of maternal BMI. Infant Hb concentrations were measured at 6 and 12 months of age, and anaemia was defined as an Hb concentration <110 g/l. Of the 13 765 infants, 949 (6·9 %) were anaemic at 6 months and 728 (5·3 %) at 12 months. The GWG rate was inversely and linearly associated with the infant Hb concentrations at both 6 and 12 months (P < 0·001 for linearity). Compared with the middle quintile of GWG rate, the highest quintile was associated with an increased risk of anaemia at 6 months (adjusted OR 1·30, 95 % CI 1·07, 1·59) and 12 months (adjusted OR 1·74, 95 % CI 1·40, 2·17). The associations were consistently mediated by maternal anaemia during pregnancy (P < 0·001). In conclusion, excessive GWG rate appears to be associated with an increased risk of infant anaemia, partly independent of maternal anaemia during pregnancy that mediates the association.

['Yin|Shaohua|S|', 'Zhou|Yubo|Y|', 'Li|Hongtian|H|', 'Cheng|Zhihao|Z|', 'Zhang|Yali|Y|', 'Zhang|Le|L|', 'Liu|Jufen|J|0000-0002-3220-6084', 'Liu|Jianmeng|J|']

2020

34682871

Impact of Post-Procedural Change in Left Ventricle Systolic Function on Survival after Percutaneous Edge-to-Edge Mitral Valve Repair.

OBJECTIVES To investigate how the changes of left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) between admission and discharge affected the long-term outcome in patients who underwent percutaneous edge-to-edge mitral valve repair for secondary mitral regurgitation. BACKGROUND An acute impairment of LVEF after surgical repair of mitral regurgitation, known as afterload mismatch, has been associated with increased all-cause mortality. Afterload mismatch after percutaneous edge-to-edge mitral valve repair has been postulated to be a transient phenomenon. METHODS This study is based on a single-center, retrospective, observational registry of patients who underwent percutaneous edge-to-edge mitral valve repair with the MitraClip (Abbot Vascular) system for the treatment of symptomatic, moderate-to-severe mitral regurgitation. We included data on 399 patients who underwent percutaneous edge-to-edge mitral valve repair for secondary mitral regurgitation. Expert echocardiographers assessed LVEF before the procedure and at discharge. The patients were divided into three groups according to the difference of periprocedural LVEF measurements: unchanged (n = 318), improved (n = 40), and decreased (n = 41) LVEF. RESULTS The median follow-up time was 2.0 years. When adjusted for gender, NYHA class and estimated glomerular filtration rate, decreased postprocedural LVEF was associated with an increased risk of death (adjusted HR 2.05, 95% CI 1.26-3.34) and increased postprocedural LVEF with a reduced risk of death (adjusted HR 0.47, 95% CI 0.24-0.91) compared to unchanged LVEF. Conclusion: Among patients who underwent percutaneous edge-to-edge mitral valve repair, decreased postprocedural LVEF was associated with increased mortality, while improved LVEF was associated with lower mortality compared to unchanged LVEF.

['Hagnäs|Magnus J|MJ|', 'Grasso|Carmelo|C|', 'Di Salvo|Maria Elena|ME|', 'Caggegi|Anna|A|', 'Barbanti|Marco|M|0000-0002-4903-5437', 'Scandura|Salvatore|S|', 'Milici|Annalisa|A|', 'Motta|Gessica|G|', 'Bentivegna|Agnese|A|', 'Sardone|Andrea|A|', 'Capodicasa|Luigi|L|', 'Giuffrida|Angelo|A|', 'Biancari|Fausto|F|0000-0001-5028-8186', 'Mäkikallio|Timo|T|', 'Capodanno|Davide|D|', 'Tamburino|Corrado|C|0000-0002-4940-9742']

2021

33552075

Nocardia Rubra Cell Wall Skeleton Up-Regulates T Cell Subsets and Inhibits PD-1/PD-L1 Pathway to Promote Local Immune Status of Patients With High-Risk Human Papillomavirus Infection and Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia.

The Nocardia rubra cell wall skeleton (Nr-CWS) for external use is an immune enhancer, which has been widely used in human cervix diseases such as cervical erosion, but the mechanism of Nr-CWS enhancing immunity is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to explore the effect and mechanism of Nr-CWS on the local immune status of cervical tissue in patients with high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) infection and cervical precancerous lesion, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). The recruited patients with HR-HPV infection and CIN were treated with Nr-CWS. The specimens were taken from these patients before and after local application of Nr-CWS respectively. The normal control specimens were tested simultaneously. Serial section analysis of immunohistochemistry and co-expression analysis were performed to characterize populations of T cells and the expressions of programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) and programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1). The levels of cytokines in local cervical tissue were also detected. Nr-CWS significantly increased T cells including CD4+, CD8+ T cells, and reduced the expression of PD-L1 in the patients' local cervical tissues. Co-expression analyses showed that the proportions of PD-1+CD4+ cells in CD4+ T cells and PD-1+CD8+ cells in CD8+ T cells decreased after Nr-CWS application. Furthermore, the increase in the number of immune cells was accompanied by increased pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-12 (IL-12), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and decreased suppressive cytokine IL-10. The results indicate that Nr-CWS, as an immunotherapeutic agent for HR-HPV infection and CIN, plays an immune promoting role related to the upregulation of T cell subsets and the inhibition of PD-1/PD-L1 pathway.

['Chen|Wei|W|', 'Zhang|Yi|Y|', 'Zhao|Chunfang|C|', 'Shao|Suxia|S|', 'Zhang|Yanan|Y|', 'Li|Xuehui|X|', 'Bai|Xue|X|', 'Guo|Qianyu|Q|', 'Liu|Qianwen|Q|', 'Tang|Junmin|J|', 'Zhang|Lei|L|']

2020

32949366

Toxic trace element resistance genes and systems identified using the shotgun metagenomics approach in an Iranian mine soil.

This study aimed to identify the microbial communities, resistance genes, and resistance systems in an Iranian mine soil polluted with toxic trace elements (TTE). The polluted soil samples were collected from a mining area and compared against non-polluted (control) collected soils from the vicinity of the mine. The soil total DNA was extracted and sequenced, and bioinformatic analysis of the assembled metagenomes was conducted to identify soil microbial biodiversity, TTE resistance genes, and resistance systems. The results of the employed shotgun approach indicated that the relative abundance of Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Deinococcus-Thermus was significantly higher in the TTE-polluted soils compared with those in the control soils, while the relative abundance of Actinobacteria and Acidobacteria was significantly lower in the polluted soils. The high concentration of TTE increased the ratio of archaea to bacteria and decreased the alpha diversity in the polluted soils compared with the control soils. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) demonstrated that heavy metal pollution was the major driving factor in shaping microbial communities compared with any other soil characteristics. In the identified heavy metal resistome (HV-resistome) of TTE-polluted soils, major functional pathways were carbohydrates metabolism, stress response, amino acid and derivative metabolism, clustering-based subsystems, iron acquisition and metabolism, cell wall synthesis and capsulation, and membrane transportation. Ten TTE resistance systems were identified in the HV-resistome of TTE-polluted soils, dominated by "P-type ATPases," "cation diffusion facilitators," and "heavy metal efflux-resistance nodulation cell division (HME-RND)." Most of the resistance genes (69%) involved in resistance systems are affiliated to cell wall, outer membrane, periplasm, and cytoplasmic membrane. The finding of this study provides insight into the microbial community in Iranian TTE-polluted soils and their resistance genes and systems.

['Hemmat-Jou|Mohammad Hossein|MH|http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1317-829X', 'Safari-Sinegani|Ali Akbar|AA|', 'Che|Rongxiao|R|', 'Mirzaie-Asl|Asghar|A|', 'Tahmourespour|Arezoo|A|', 'Tahmasbian|Iman|I|']

2021

32395164

Relative Afferent Pupillary Defect with Normal Vision: Unique Localisation to the Contralateral Brachium of the Superior Colliculus.

A relative afferent pupillary defect (RAPD) is a very important clinical finding in neuro-ophthalmology, and is almost always accompanied by other signs of afferent visual pathway dysfunction including visual field defect, decreased acuity and abnormal colour vision. We present a case of isolated RAPD and describe the anatomic localisation of the lesion with a review of the literature for similar cases.

['Donaldson|Laura|L|', 'Rebello|Ryan|R|', 'Rodriguez|Amadeo R|AR|']

2020

32297370

Control of Absolute Stereochemistry in Transition-Metal-Catalysed Hydrogen-Borrowing Reactions.

Hydrogen-borrowing catalysis represents a powerful method for the alkylation of amine or enolate nucleophiles with non-activated alcohols. This approach relies upon a catalyst that can mediate a strategic series of redox events, enabling the formation of C-C and C-N bonds and producing water as the sole by-product. In the majority of cases these reactions have been employed to target achiral or racemic products. In contrast, the focus of this Minireview is upon hydrogen-borrowing-catalysed reactions in which the absolute stereochemical outcome of the process can be controlled. Asymmetric hydrogen-borrowing catalysis is rapidly emerging as a powerful approach for the synthesis of enantioenriched amine and carbonyl containing products and examples involving both C-N and C-C bond formation are presented. A variety of different approaches are discussed including use of chiral auxiliaries, asymmetric catalysis and enantiospecific processes.

['Kwok|Timothy|T|', 'Hoff|Oskar|O|', 'Armstrong|Roly J|RJ|http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3759-061X', 'Donohoe|Timothy J|TJ|http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7088-6626']

2020

25232403

Assessment of ventricular repolarization inhomogeneity in patients with mitral valve prolapse: value of T wave peak to end interval.

Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) has been long known for causing susceptibility for ventricular arrhythmogenesis, and this risk was evaluated by various methods, mostly by using QT interval related measurements on surface electrocardiogram. T wave peak to end (Tp-e) interval is a relatively new marker for ventricular arrhythmogenesis and repolarization heterogeneity. Prolongation of this interval represents a period of potential vulnerability to re-entrant ventricular arrhythmias. However, there is no information available assessing the Tp-e interval and related calculations in patients with MVP. The aim of this study was to assess ventricular repolarization in patients with MVP by using QT, corrected QT (QTc) and Tp-e interval, Tp-e/QT ratio, and Tp-e/QTc ratio. Electrocardiogram of consecutive 72 patients, who were followed by outpatient clinic because of mitral valve prolapse, were obtained and scanned. Electrocardiograms of age and sex matched 60 healthy control individuals were also gained for comparison. QT, QTc, Tp-e/QT and Tp-e/QTc were calculated. Baseline characteristics were similar in both groups. QT (405.1±64.3 vs. 362.1±39.1; p<0.001), QTc (457.6±44.4 vs. 428.3±44.7; p<0.001), Tp-e (100.2±22.1 vs. 74.6±10.2; p<0.001) and Tp-e/QT (0.24 vs. 0.20; p<0.001) and Tp-e/QTc (0.21 vs. 0.17; p<0.001) were significantly worse in MVP group. Our study revealed that Tp-e interval and Tp-e/QT ratio were increased in MVP patients. Tp-e interval and Tp-e/QT ratio might be a useful marker of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality due to ventricular arrhythmias in patients with MVP.

['Yontar|Osman Can|OC|', 'Karaagac|Kemal|K|', 'Tenekecioglu|Erhan|E|', 'Tutuncu|Ahmet|A|', 'Demir|Mehmet|M|', 'Melek|Mehmet|M|']

2014

28625413

Invisible people with invisible pain: A commentary on "Even my sister says I'm acting like a crazy to get a check": Race, gender, and moral boundary-work in women's claims of disabling chronic pain.

This commentary to Pryma's (2017) article on women with fibromyalgia argues that intersectional approaches to health research can reveal not only how racialized institutions shape illness experience and medical care, but also how these institutions make some individuals visible, while rendering others invisible. Perhaps by adopting an intersectional approach to understanding health, we can start to unpack the multiple jeopardies faced by people of color in pain.

['Kempner|Joanna|J|']

2017

30818846

The Persistence of Oral Health Disparities for African American Children: A Scoping Review.

Oral health is an important yet often neglected component of overall health, linked to heart disease, stroke, and diabetic complications. Disparities exist for many groups, including racial and ethnic minorities such as African Americans. The purpose of this study was to examine the potential factors that perpetuate oral health care disparities in African American children in the United States. A systematic search of three literature databases produced 795 articles; 23 articles were included in the final review. Articles were analyzed using a template coding approach based on the social ecological model. The review identified structural, sociocultural, and familial factors that impact the ability of African Americans to utilize oral care services, highlighting the importance of the parent/caregiver role and the patient⁻provider relationship; policy-level processes that impact access to quality care; the value of autonomy in treatment and prevention options; and the impact of sociocultural factors on food choices (e.g., food deserts, gestures of affection). In conclusion, oral health care remains an underutilized service by African American children, despite increasing access to oral care secondary to improvements in insurance coverage and community-based programs.

['Como|Dominique H|DH|', 'Stein Duker|Leah I|LI|0000-0001-7208-9401', 'Polido|José C|JC|', 'Cermak|Sharon A|SA|']

2019

34282993

Hypotension develops one to two hours before other symptoms in peptic ulcer rebleeding; a matched cohort study.

BACKGROUND Rebleeding is a frequent complication of peptic ulcer bleeding (PUB) and is associated with increased mortality. Blood pressure and heart rate are two easy non-invasive measurements to evaluate the hemodynamics and therefore a standard observation during hospitalization. OBJECTIVE We aimed to investigate the dynamics of systolic blood pressure and heart rate up to time of peptic ulcer rebleeding. DESIGN Retrospective matched cohort study. Hemodynamics in patients with peptic ulcer rebleeding was compared to hemodynamics in a matched control group consisting of patients with PUB without rebleeding. Blood pressure and heart rate in the six hours up to diagnosis of rebleeding was compared with baseline in the case cohort as well as with the matched control group. RESULTS Thirty-eight patients with peptic ulcer rebleeding and 66 controls were included. Mean age was 75 years, 62% were males and 30-day mortality was 23%. Baseline systolic blood pressure in cases was 114 mmHg. Compared to baseline, we found significant decrease in systolic blood pressure two hours before rebleeding (4 mmHg; p = 0.041) and one hour before rebleeding (14 mmHg; p = 0.0002). Mean systolic blood pressure 30 min before rebleeding was 89 mmHg. No significant change was found in heart rate (p = 0.99). In the control group no change was found in systolic blood pressure or heart rate. CONCLUSION In patients with peptic ulcer rebleeding, hypotension develops 1-2 h before other symptoms of rebleeding. Thus, close monitoring of blood pressure is needed in order to ensure early identification of rebleeding in high-risk patients.

['Carlsen|Nikolaj Vestergaard|NV|', 'Laursen|Stig Borbjerg|SB|0000-0002-5268-6599', 'Schaffalitzky de Muckadell|Ove B|OB|0000-0003-1969-2329']

2021

26056245

3D tracking of animals in the field using rotational stereo videography.

We describe a method for tracking the path of animals in the field, based on stereo videography and aiming-angle measurements, combined in a single, rotational device. In open environments, this technique has the potential to extract multiple 3D positions per second, with a spatial uncertainty of <1 m (rms) within 300 m of the observer, and <0.1 m (rms) within 100 m of the observer, in all directions. The tracking device is transportable and operated by a single observer, and does not involve any animal tagging. As a video of the moving animal is recorded, track data can easily be completed with behavioural data. We present a prototype device based on accessible components that achieves about 70% of the theoretical maximal range. We show examples of bird ground and flight tracks, and discuss the strengths and limits of the method, compared with existing fine-scale (e.g. fixed-camera stereo videography) and large-scale tracking methods (e.g. GPS tracking).

['de Margerie|Emmanuel|E|', 'Simonneau|Manon|M|', 'Caudal|Jean-Pierre|JP|', 'Houdelier|Cecilia|C|', 'Lumineau|Sophie|S|']

2015

32620272

Do nurse practitioner-led medical homes differ from physician-led medical homes?

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) is an enhanced model of primary care. This study examined to what extent nurse practitioner (NP)-led PCMHs differed from traditional physician-led PCMHs. METHODS We tested for differences between 391 NP-led PCMHs and 11,479 physician-led PCMHs, as well as across two distinct clusters identified by the Two-Step cluster analysis procedure using a sample of 136 practices. FINDINGS NP-led PCMHs were more likely to serve vulnerable populations in rural and underserved areas than physician-led PCMHs. NP-led PCMHs tended to be more responsive to population health needs in the areas during the recognition process, while physician-led PCMHs emphasized practice improvements through enhanced access to care and management of patient information data. DISCUSSION The findings suggest possible differences in capabilities, priorities and needs of the population served across practices. This is an important guide as policymakers track the adoption of PCMHs.

['Park|Jeongyoung|J|', 'Dowling|N Maritza|NM|']

2020

31130715

Involvement of Extracellular Vesicles in Vascular-Related Functions in Cancer Progression and Metastasis.

The primary cause of mortality among patients with cancer is the progression of the tumor, better known as cancer invasion and metastasis. Cancer progression involves a series of biologically important steps in which the cross-talk between cancer cells and the cells in the surrounding environment is positioned as an important issue. Notably, angiogenesis is a key tumorigenic phenomenon for cancer progression. Cancer-related extracellular vesicles (EVs) commonly contribute to the modulation of a microenvironment favorable to cancer cells through their function of cell-to-cell communication. Vascular-related cells such as endothelial cells (ECs) and platelets activated by cancer cells and cancer-derived EVs develop procoagulant and proinflammatory statuses, which help excite the tumor environment, and play major roles in tumor progression, including in tumor extravasation, tumor cell microthrombi formation, platelet aggregation, and metastasis. In particular, cancer-derived EVs influence ECs, which then play multiple roles such as contributing to tumor angiogenesis, loss of endothelial vascular barrier by binding to ECs, and the subsequent endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition, i.e., extracellular matrix remodeling. Thus, cell-to-cell communication between cancer cells and ECs via EVs may be an important target for controlling cancer progression. This review describes the current knowledge regarding the involvement of EVs, especially exosomes derived from cancer cells, in EC-related cancer progression.

['Kikuchi|Shinsuke|S|0000-0002-5314-1603', 'Yoshioka|Yusuke|Y|', 'Prieto-Vila|Marta|M|', 'Ochiya|Takahiro|T|']

2019

27979065

Development and validation of a simple and fast method for simultaneous determination of aflatoxin B1 and sterigmatocystin in grains.

In this study, a simple, fast, sensitive and reliable method was developed for the simultaneous determination of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and sterigmatocystin (STC) in rice, wheat, maize, oat, rye and barley grains based on a modified QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe) method and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). AFB1 and STC were extracted using 95% acetonitrile in water and cleaned up using N-Propylethane-1,2-diamine (PSA). The method was validated according to the SANCO/12571/2013 regulation of the European Union (EU). Recoveries at three spiked levels of 0.5, 2.5 and 5.0μg/kg ranged from 77.7% to 119.7% and the relative standard deviations (RSDs) were between 1.3% and 12.8%. Limits of detection (LOD) were 0.03 and 0.02μg/kg for AFB1 and STC, respectively. The limit of quantification (LOQ) was 0.5μg/kg for both AFB1 and STC. The proposed method was successfully applied to determine AFB1 and STC levels in ten non-processed rice samples from Guangdong province in China.

['Zhao|Yarong|Y|', 'Huang|Jianxiang|J|', 'Ma|Liyan|L|', 'Wang|Fuhua|F|']

2017

32893953

VIVA (vinorelbine, ifosfamide, vincristine, actinomycin-D): A new regimen in the armamentarium of systemic therapy for high-risk rhabdomyosarcoma.

The study reports the treatment feasibility, and secondly efficacy, of a novel chemotherapy regimen, which adds vinorelbine to the ifosfamide-vincristine-actinomycin-D combination (VIVA regimen), used in four patients with high-risk rhabdomyosarcoma. All patients received nine cycles of the VIVA regimen followed by maintenance chemotherapy with vinorelbine and cyclophosphamide. All patients experienced significant hematological toxicity, but no other major complications (in particular neurotoxicity) or required treatment dose modifications. We observed a major response after three cycles in all patients, and they remained alive after a median follow up of 11 months from diagnosis.

['Ferrari|Andrea|A|0000-0003-2233-3810', 'Chiaravalli|Stefano|S|', 'Zecca|Marco|M|0000-0002-8818-1744', 'Recupero|Santina|S|', 'Pascale|Silvia|S|', 'Bergamaschi|Luca|L|0000-0003-2149-329X', 'Casanova|Michela|M|']

2020

28744856

Age has a role in driving host immunopathological response to alphavirus infection.

Alphaviruses are a group of arthropod-borne pathogens capable of causing a wide spectrum of clinical symptoms, ranging from milder symptoms like rashes, fever and polyarthralgia, to life-threatening encephalitis. This genus of viruses is prevalent globally, and can infect patients across a wide age range. Interestingly, disease severity of virus-infected patients is wide-ranging. Definitions of the pathogenesis of alphaviruses, as well as the host factors influencing disease severity, remain limited. The innate and adaptive immune systems are important host defences against alphavirus infections. Several reports have highlighted the roles of specific immune subsets in contributing to the immune pathogenesis of these viruses. However, immunosenescence, a gradual deterioration of the immune system brought about by the natural advancement of age, affects the functional roles of these immune subsets. This phenomenon compromises the host's ability to defend against alphavirus infection and pathogenesis. In addition, the lack of maturity in the immune system in newborns and infants also results in more severe disease outcomes. In this review, we will summarize the subtle yet diverse physiological changes in the immune system during aging, and how these changes underlie the differences in disease severity for common alphaviruses.

['Chan|Yi-Hao|YH|', 'Ng|Lisa F P|LFP|0000-0003-4071-5222']

2017

30385513

Point-of-care measurements of blood ketones in newborns.

OBJECTIVE Babies may use alternative cerebral fuels including ketones when blood glucose concentrations are low, but laboratory ketone measurements are slow and expensive. Point-of-care measurement of ketone concentrations, if sufficiently accurate, may provide useful information for clinical care. PATIENTS AND DESIGN Eligible babies were 35-42 weeks' gestation, ≤10 days old and admitted to the newborn intensive care unit. At the time of clinically indicated blood tests, additional samples were taken to measure beta-hydroxybutyrate using a point-of-care analyser and the laboratory method. RESULTS One-hundred and fifty babies had 142 paired samples. Overall point-of-care accuracy was excellent (mean difference 0.00 mmol/L) and precision was moderate (SD 0.18 mmol/L). A point-of-care measurement ≥0.4 mmol/L was highly predictive of a laboratory measurement ≥0.4 mmol/L (area under the curve 0.98). CONCLUSION Point-of-care measurement of blood beta-hydroxybutyrate concentrations is sufficiently accurate in newborns to be potentially useful in clinical care. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER Registered with the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN: 12616000784415. The study was registered before recruitment commenced.

['Harris|Deborah L|DL|http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2498-9223', 'Weston|Philip J|PJ|', 'Harding|Jane E|JE|']

2019

33866879

Novel Combined Approach for Digital Necrosis Secondary to Raynaud's Phenomenon.

The presence of severe Raynaud's Phenomenon (RP), with permanent pain or digital necrosis is a rare condition. Cervical sympathectomy or distal sympathectomy or A botulinum toxin have demonstrated efficacy after medical treatment failure. We report the case of a 38-year-old female patient with an acute onset of severe RP in both hands secondary to systemic sclerosis. Medical treatment failed, so a novel approach by a combination of a modified distal sympathectomy and injection of A botulinum toxin on digital neuromuscular bundles was performed. Remission of the pain occurred immediately after the procedure and 45 days later she had complete healing of the digital wounds and recovered full mobilization of both hands. The patient remained asymptomatic 6 month after the procedure, and a Doppler ultrasound showed tri-phasic flows distal to the surgical site. This novel technique is described, and a brief review of the literature is performed.

['Vegas|Diego Herrera|DH|https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7669-2988', 'Fabiani|Mario Alejandro|MA|https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8548-6833', 'Gonzalez-Urquijo|Mauricio|M|https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5101-1541', 'Bignotti|Agustín|A|', 'Seré|Ignacio|I|', 'Salvadores|Pablo|P|']

2021

25450906

Acute cold stress improved the transcription of pro-inflammatory cytokines of Chinese soft-shelled turtle against Aeromonas hydrophila.

Chinese soft-shelled turtle, Pelodiscus sinensis, is widely cultured in East and Southeast Asian countries. It frequently encounters the stress of abrupt temperature changes, which leads to mass death in most cases. However, the mechanism underlying the stress-elicited death remains unknown. We have suspected that the stress impaired the immune function of Chinese soft-shelled turtle, which could result in the mass death, as we noticed that there was a clinical syndrome of infection in dead turtles. To test our hypothesis, we first performed bioinformatic annotation of several pro-inflammatory molecules (IL-1β, TNFα, IL-6, IL-12β) of Chinese soft-shelled turtle. Then, we treated the turtles in six groups, injected with Aeromonas hydrophila before acute cold stress (25 °C) and controls, after acute cold stress (15 °C) and controls as well as after the temperature was restored to 25 °C and controls, respectively. Subsequently, real-time PCR for several pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, TNFα, IL-6, IL-12β, IL-8 and IFNγ) was performed to assess the turtle immune function in spleen and intestine, 24 hours after the injection. We found that the mRNA expression levels of the immune molecules were all enhanced after acute cold stress. This change disappeared when the temperature was restored back to 25 °C. Our results suggest that abrupt temperature drop did not suppress the immune function of Chinese soft-shelled turtle in response to germ challenge after abrupt temperature drop. In contrast, it may even increase the expression of various cytokines at least, within a short time after acute cold stress.

['Zhang|Zuobing|Z|', 'Chen|Bojian|B|', 'Yuan|Lin|L|', 'Niu|Cuijuan|C|']

2015

33320545

Modeling Human Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) with an Organoids-on-a-Chip System.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common metabolic and progressive disease, which has emerged as a major cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. It is characterized by the process ranging from simple steatosis to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. However, a deep understanding of NAFLD progression remains challenging due to the lack of proper in vitro human disease models. In this work, we proposed a new strategy to establish a human NAFLD model based on a human-induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived liver organoids-on-a-chip system. This system allows us to characterize the pathological features of NAFLD in liver organoids by exposure to free fatty acids (FFAs) in perfused three-dimensional (3D) cultures during a prolonged period. Upon FFA induction, liver organoids exhibited lipid droplet formation and triglyceride accumulation. Moreover, they showed upregulated expressions of lipid metabolism-associated genes, indicating the abnormal lipid metabolic process in NAFLD. The FFA-exposed organoids also showed reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and elevated expression of various inflammatory cytokine genes and fibrogenic markers. These alterations represented the typical biochemical characteristics of NAFLD progression, which may provide insight into the potential mechanisms underlying steatosis. The proposed human NAFLD-on-a-chip model combines stem cell organoids with organs-on-chips, which may provide a promising platform for extending their applications for disease studies and effective therapies.

['Wang|Yaqing|Y|', 'Wang|Hui|H|', 'Deng|Pengwei|P|', 'Tao|Tingting|T|', 'Liu|Haitao|H|', 'Wu|Shuo|S|0000-0003-1610-3875', 'Chen|Wenwen|W|', 'Qin|Jianhua|J|0000-0001-5735-6436']

2020

23597512

BDNF deregulation in Rett syndrome.

BDNF is the best-characterized neurotrophin in terms of its gene structure and modulation, secretion processing, and signaling cascades following its release. In addition to diverse features at the genetic and molecular levels, the abundant expression in several regions of the central nervous system has implicated BDNF as a potent modulator in many aspects of neuronal development, as well as synaptic transmission and plasticity. Impairments in any of these critical functions likely contribute to a wide array of neurodevelopmental, neurodegenerative, and neuropsychiatric diseases. In this review, we focus on a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder, Rett syndrome (RTT), which afflicts 1:15,000 women world-wide. We describe the consequences of loss-of-function mutations in the gene encoding the transcription factor methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) in RTT, and then elaborate on the current understanding of how MeCP2 controls BDNF expression. Finally, we discuss the literature regarding alterations in BDNF levels in RTT individuals and MeCP2-based mouse models, as well as recent progress in searching for rational therapeutic interventions. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'BDNF Regulation of Synaptic Structure, Function, and Plasticity'.

['Li|Wei|W|', 'Pozzo-Miller|Lucas|L|']

2014

29946333

An Integration of Genome-Wide Association Study and Gene Co-expression Network Analysis Identifies Candidate Genes of Stem Lodging-Related Traits in Brassica napus.

Lodging is a persistent problem which severely reduce yield and impair seed quality in rapeseed (Brassica napus L.). Enhancing stem strength (SS) has proven to be an effective approach to decrease lodging risk. In the present study, four interrelated stem lodging-related traits, including stem breaking resistance (SBR), stem diameter (SD), SS, and lodging coefficient (LC), were investigated among 472 rapeseed accessions. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) using Brassica 60K SNP array for stem lodging-related traits identified 67 significantly associated quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and 71 candidate genes. In parallel, a gene co-expression network based on transcriptome sequencing was constructed. The module associated with cellulose biosynthesis was highlighted. By integrating GWAS and gene co-expression network analysis, some promising candidate genes, such as ESKIMO1 (ESK1, BnaC08g26920D), CELLULOSE SYNTHASE 6 (CESA6, BnaA09g06990D), and FRAGILE FIBER 8 (FRA8, BnaC04g39510D), were prioritized for further research. These findings revealed the genetic basis underlying stem lodging and provided worthwhile QTLs and genes information for genetic improvement of stem lodging resistance in B. napus.

['Li|Hongge|H|', 'Cheng|Xi|X|', 'Zhang|Liping|L|', 'Hu|Jihong|J|', 'Zhang|Fugui|F|', 'Chen|Biyun|B|', 'Xu|Kun|K|', 'Gao|Guizhen|G|', 'Li|Hao|H|', 'Li|Lixia|L|', 'Huang|Qian|Q|', 'Li|Zaiyun|Z|', 'Yan|Guixin|G|', 'Wu|Xiaoming|X|']

2018

33152563

Cognitive and neuroimaging profiles of older adults with dual decline in memory and gait speed.

We previously showed that dual decline in memory and gait speed was associated with an increased risk of dementia compared to memory or gait decline only or no decline. We now characterized cognitive and neuroimaging profiles of dual decliners by comparing longitudinal rates of change in various cognitive domains (n = 664) and brain volumes (n = 391; selected frontal, temporal, parietal, subcortical, and cerebellar areas) in Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging participants who experienced age-related dual decline to others. Compared to others, dual decliners had steeper declines in verbal fluency, attention, and sensorimotor function by Pegboard nondominant hand performance. Dual decliners had greater brain volume loss in superior frontal gyrus, superior parietal gyrus, precuneus, thalamus, and cerebellum (all p ≤ 0.01). Participants with age-related dual decline experienced steeper declines in multiple cognitive domains and greater brain volume loss in cognitive, sensorimotor, and locomotion areas. Impaired sensorimotor integration and locomotion are underlying features of dual decline. Whether these features contribute to the increased risk of dementia should be investigated.

['Tian|Qu|Q|', 'Studenski|Stephanie A|SA|', 'Montero-Odasso|Manuel|M|', 'Davatzikos|Christos|C|', 'Resnick|Susan M|SM|', 'Ferrucci|Luigi|L|']

2021

30821632

Efficacy of Smartphone-based Exercises in Conjunction with Modified Glasses Prescription in the Treatment of Convergence Insufficiency and Fusion Weakness.

PURPOSE To determine the efficacy of Smartphone-based exercises in conjunction with modified glasses prescription in the treatment of convergence insufficiency and fusion weakness. METHODS A total of 150 patients using glasses and having asthenopia between 15 and 30 years of age were subjected to thorough eye examination including binocular vision testing and refraction. Of them 26 individuals were found to have convergence insufficiency with fusion weakness and exophoria >6 pd. Subjects with amblyopia, manifest strabismus and other ocular diseases were excluded from the study. Modified glasses (overcorrection of myopia by -0.5 D Sph & under correction of hypermetropia by +0.5 D Sph) were given along with newly designed Smartphone-based fusion exercises. RESULTS Near point of convergence improved by 2.89 ± 1.08 cm, positive fusion vergence by -10.2 ± 3.25 pd and near phoria by 3.13 ± 0.32 pd (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION The current study demonstrates the efficacy of Smartphone-based fusion exercises, in conjunction with modified glasses prescriptions, in the management of symptomatic convergence and fusion insufficiency. Indeed, this novel, newly designed approach for convergence insufficiency improves symptoms by reducing near point of convergence and degree of exophoria and increasing fusional vergence.

['Mohan|Amit|A|http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7061-3270', 'Kaur|Navjot|N|', 'Sen|Pradhnya|P|', 'Jain|Elesh|E|', 'Gajraj|Manju|M|']

2019

26279905

Crystal structure of 2-cyano-N-(furan-2-ylmeth-yl)acetamide.

In the title compound, C8H8N2O2, the acetamide unit is inclined to the furan ring by 76.7 (1)°. In the crystal, mol-ecules are linked by N-H⋯O and C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds, generating C(4) chains along [100]. The carbonyl O atom is a bifurcated acceptor and an R (1) 2(6) ring is formed.

['Subhadramma|Shivanna|S|', 'Siddaraju|Budanur Papaiah|BP|', 'Naveen|Chandra|C|', 'Saravanan|Janardhanan|J|', 'Gayathri|Dasararaju|D|']

2015

32431893

A new member of fossil balaenid (Mysticeti, Cetacea) from the early Pliocene of Hokkaido, Japan.

The family Balaenidae includes two genus and four extant species. Extinct balaenids are known for at least four genus and 10 species. The oldest known record of members of the Balaenidae is known from the early Miocene, but still need more early members of the family to provide better phylogenetic hypotheses. FCCP 1049 from the lower part of the Chippubetsu Formation, Fukagawa Group (3.5-5.2 Ma, Zanclean, early Pliocene) was preliminary described and identified as Balaenula sp. by Furusawa and Kimura in 1982. Later works discussed that FCCP 1049 is different from the genus, and is placed in different clade from Balaenula astensis. The result of our phylogenetic analysis places FCCP 1049 basal to Balaenella brachyrhynus, and is again separated from B. astensis. In this study, FCCP 1049 is re-described and named as Archaeobalaena dosanko gen. et sp. nov. Archaeobalaena dosanko is distinguishable from other balaenids by having a deep promontorial groove of the pars cochlearis of the periotic. Archaeobalaena dosanko can be differentiated from other balaenids, except Morenocetus parvus by having a slender zygomatic process, and posteriorly oriented postorbital process in dorsal view. Archaeobalaena dosanko adds detailed skull, periotic and bulla morphologies for the earlier balaenids.

['Tanaka|Yoshihiro|Y|0000-0001-9598-5583', 'Furusawa|Hitoshi|H|', 'Kimura|Masaichi|M|']

2020

27709693

The prevalence and factors associated with ever perpetrating intimate partner violence by men receiving substance use treatment in Brazil and England: A cross-cultural comparison.

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS Intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration is common among men who use substances. Substance use is a contributing factor for IPV perpetration. This cross-sectional study determined lifetime prevalence and factors associated with ever perpetrating IPV by men receiving substance use treatment in Brazil (n = 281) and England (n = 223). DESIGN AND METHODS IPV, adverse childhood experiences, attitudes towards gender relations and roles, current health state, substance use, depressive symptoms and anger expression were assessed. Logistic regression determined factors associated with ever perpetrating any (emotional, physical and/or sexual) IPV. Multinomial logistic regression determined factors associated with ever perpetrating different types of IPV. RESULTS 74.6% (373/500) reported ever perpetrating IPV: 16.5% (82/498) emotional IPV only, 46.4% (231/498) physical IPV (with/without emotional IPV) and 11.6% (58/498) sexual IPV (with/without emotional and/or physical IPV). Higher anger expression, higher depressive symptoms, fighting physically with another man in the past year (Brazil only), experiencing a greater number of adverse childhood experiences and a higher hazardous drinking score (England only) predicted ever perpetrating IPV. Compared to never perpetrating any IPV, anger expression was associated with emotional and physical IPV perpetration; fighting physically with another man in the past year was associated with physical IPV perpetration and experiencing a greater number of adverse childhood experiences and a higher hazardous drinking score were associated with both physical and sexual IPV perpetration. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS Integrated interventions that address IPV and substance use delivered in substance use treatment could improve outcomes for perpetrators and victims.[Gilchrist G, Radcliffe P, Noto AR, d'Oliveira AFPL. The prevalence and factors associated with ever perpetrating intimate partner violence by men receiving substance use treatment in Brazil and England: A cross-cultural comparison. Drug Alcohol Rev 2017;36:34-51].

['Gilchrist|Gail|G|', 'Radcliffe|Polly|P|', 'Noto|Ana Regina|AR|', "d'Oliveira|Ana Flávia Pires Lucas|AF|"]

2017

31088744

Patient report of herpes zoster pain: Incremental benefits of zoster vaccine live.

INTRODUCTION Pain following herpes zoster (HZ) can persist for months and negatively impact quality of life. To evaluate the effect of zoster vaccine live (ZVL) on progression of pain following HZ, we conducted a prospective cohort study of HZ cases at Kaiser Permanente Southern California. METHODS ZVL vaccinated and unvaccinated members aged ≥60 years with laboratory-confirmed HZ from January 18, 2012 to February 26, 2015 were followed up within 5 days of HZ diagnosis, and at 30, 60, and 90 days after diagnosis. Pain was assessed with the Zoster Brief Pain Inventory (ZBPI) on a 0-10 scale, using cut-points of ≥3, ≥5, and ≥7, with postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) defined as pain ≥3 at 90 days. Log binomial regression was used to estimate adjusted risk ratios (aRRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) associated with pain, comparing vaccinated versus unvaccinated HZ patients. RESULTS We interviewed 509 vaccinated and 509 unvaccinated HZ patients. ZVL was associated with significantly lower risks of HZ-related pain at all time-points. The risk of PHN in vaccinated and unvaccinated patients, respectively, was 9.2% and 15.4% (aRR = 0.594, 95% CI: 0.413, 0.854); 2.0% and 4.8% of these patients reported pain ≥7 (aRR = 0.332, 95% CI: 0.153, 0.721). Irrespective of vaccination, the risk of PHN was lower in adults aged <70 years versus those ≥70 years and was similar or lower in females versus males. CONCLUSION We used laboratory confirmation of HZ cases and patient survey to show that aside from preventing HZ, ZVL reduced HZ-related pain and prevented PHN among vaccine recipients who experienced HZ. Observational studies will be needed to evaluate long-term effectiveness of the new recombinant zoster vaccine and its benefits in protecting patients against PHN.

['Bruxvoort|Katia J|KJ|', 'Liang|Anna S|AS|', 'Harpaz|Rafael|R|', 'Qian|Lei|L|', 'Sy|Lina S|LS|', 'LaRussa|Philip|P|', 'Schmid|D Scott|DS|', 'Luo|Yi|Y|', 'Takhar|Harpreet|H|', 'Tseng|Hung Fu|HF|']

2019

27461458

Assessment of outer membrane vesicles of periodontopathic bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis as possible mucosal immunogen.

Periodontitis is the most prevalent infectious disease and related to oral and systemic health, therefore novel prophylaxis to prevent the disease is highly desirable. Here, we assessed the outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) of a keystone periodontal pathogen, Porphyromonas gingivalis, as a candidate mucosal immunogen and adjuvant for a periodontitis vaccine. The structural and functional stability of OMVs, demonstrated by proteinase K resistance and ability to withstand long-term storage, are considered advantageous for carrying the OMV components into the host immune system. Intranasal vaccination of OMVs in mice elicited production of P. gingivalis-specific antibodies in blood and saliva by OMVs in a dose-dependent manner, which was dramatically enhanced by addition of a TLR3 agonist, Poly(I:C). Serum samples from mice immunized with OMVs plus Poly(I:C) adjuvant [OMV+Poly(I:C)] showed significant inhibition of gingipain proteolytic activity of not only the vaccine strain, but also heterologous strains. The viability of P. gingivalis was also decreased by preincubation with OMV+Poly(I:C)-immunized sera, while the killing effect was partially blocked by heat-inactivation of the sera. Saliva samples from mice immunized with OMV+Poly(I:C) enhanced bacterial agglutination of both the vaccine and heterologous strains. In an oral infection mouse model, the numbers of P. gingivalis in the oral cavity were significantly decreased in mice intranasally immunized with OMV+Poly(I:C) as compared to mock (only Poly[I:C])-immunized mice. The high levels of serum IgG (including IgG1 and IgG2a) and salivary S-IgA were elicited in mice intranasally immunized with OMV+Poly(I:C), which were maintained for at least 28 and 18weeks, respectively, after immunization. An experiment examining the accumulation of OMVs after intranasal immunization in proximal organs and an intracerebral injection experiment confirmed the safety of OMVs. Based on our results, we propose that intranasal immunization with OMV+Poly(I:C) is a feasible vaccine strategy in the context of bacterial clearance and safety.

['Nakao|Ryoma|R|', 'Hasegawa|Hideki|H|', 'Dongying|Bai|B|', 'Ohnishi|Makoto|M|', 'Senpuku|Hidenobu|H|']

2016

26833882

Not going with the flow: a comprehensive time-calibrated phylogeny of dragonflies (Anisoptera: Odonata: Insecta) provides evidence for the role of lentic habitats on diversification.

Ecological diversification of aquatic insects has long been suspected to have been driven by differences in freshwater habitats, which can be classified into flowing (lotic) waters and standing (lentic) waters. The contrasting characteristics of lotic and lentic freshwater systems imply different ecological constraints on their inhabitants. The ephemeral and discontinuous character of most lentic water bodies may encourage dispersal by lentic species in turn reducing geographical isolation among populations. Hence, speciation probability would be lower in lentic species. Here, we assess the impact of habitat use on diversification patterns in dragonflies (Anisoptera: Odonata). Based on the eight nuclear and mitochondrial genes, we inferred species diversification with a model-based evolutionary framework, to account for rate variation through time and among lineages and to estimate the impact of larval habitat on the potentially nonrandom diversification among anisopteran groups. Ancestral state reconstruction revealed lotic fresh water systems as their original primary habitat, while lentic waters have been colonized independently in Aeshnidae, Corduliidae and Libellulidae. Furthermore, our results indicate a positive correlation of speciation and lentic habitat colonization by dragonflies: speciation rates increased in lentic Aeshnidae and Libellulidae, whereas they remain mostly uniform among lotic groups. This contradicts the hypothesis of inherently lower speciation in lentic groups and suggests species with larger ranges are more likely to diversify, perhaps due to higher probability of larger areas being dissected by geographical barriers. Furthermore, larger range sizes may comprise more habitat types, which could also promote speciation by providing additional niches, allowing the coexistence of emerging species.

['Letsch|Harald|H|', 'Gottsberger|Brigitte|B|', 'Ware|Jessica L|JL|']

2016

26733583

Comparison of outcomes of patients with inpatient or outpatient onset ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND Reperfusion times for ischemic stroke occurring in the outpatient setting have improved significantly in recent years. However, quality improvement efforts have largely ignored ischemic stroke occurring in patients hospitalized for unrelated indications. METHODS We performed a cohort study involving patients with ischemic stroke (with inpatient or outpatient onset) from 2009 to 2013 who were registered in the Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System (SPARCS) database. A propensity score-adjusted regression analysis was used to assess the association of location of onset and outcomes. Mixed effects methods were employed to control for clustering at the hospital level. RESULTS Of the 176 571 ischemic strokes, 160 157 (90.7%) occurred outside of a hospital and 16 414 (9.3%) occurred in patients hospitalized for unrelated indications. Using a logistic regression model with propensity score adjustment, we demonstrated that inpatient stroke onset was associated with increased inpatient mortality (OR 3.09; 95% CI 2.81 to 3.38), rate of discharge to rehabilitation (OR 2.57; 95% CI 2.37 to 2.79), and length of stay (LOS) (β=11.58; 95% CI 10.73 to 12.42). In addition, it was associated with lower odds (OR 0.69; 95% CI 0.62 to 0.77) of undergoing stroke-related interventions (mechanical thrombectomy and intravenous tissue plasminogen activator) compared with outpatient stroke onset. CONCLUSIONS Using a comprehensive all-payer cohort of patients with ischemic stroke in New York State, we identified an association of inpatient stroke onset with fewer stroke-related interventions and increased mortality, rate of discharge to rehabilitation, and LOS.

['Bekelis|Kimon|K|', 'Missios|Symeon|S|', 'Coy|Shannon|S|', 'MacKenzie|Todd A|TA|']

2016

33467013

Passive Immunization with Recombinant Antibody VLRB-PirAvp/PirBvp-Enriched Feeds against Vibrio parahaemolyticus Infection in Litopenaeus vannamei Shrimp.

The causative agent of acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) is the bacterium, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, which secretes toxins into the gastrointestinal tract of its host. Vibrio parahaemolyticus toxins A and B (PirAvp/PirBvp) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of this disease, and are, therefore, the focus of studies developing treatments for AHPND. We previously produced recombinant antibodies based on the hagfish variable lymphocyte receptor B (VLRB) capable of neutralizing some viruses, suggesting that this type of antibody may have a potential application for treatment of AHPND. Here, recombinant PirAvp/PirBvp, produced using a bacterial expression system, were used as antigens to screen a hagfish VLRB cDNA library to obtain PirAvp/PirBvp-specific antibodies. A cell line secreting these antibodies was established by screening and cloning the DNA extracted from hagfish B cells. Supernatants collected from cells secreting the PirAvp/PirBvp antibodies were collected and concentrated, and used to passively immunize shrimp to neutralize the toxins PirAvp or PirBvp associated with AHPND. Briefly, 10 μg of PirAvp and PirBvp antibodies, 7C12 and 9G10, respectively, were mixed with the shrimp feed, and fed to shrimp for three days consecutive days prior to experimentally infecting the shrimp with V. parahaemolyticus (containing toxins A and B), and resulting mortalities recorded for six days. Results showed significantly higher level of survival in shrimp fed with the PirBvp-9G10 antibody (60%) compared to the group fed the PirAvp-7C12 antibody (3%) and the control group (0%). This suggests that VLRB antibodies may be a suitable alternative to immunoglobulin-based antibodies, as passive immunization treatments for effective management of AHPND outbreaks within shrimp farms.

['Lazarte|Jassy Mary S|JMS|', 'Kim|Young Rim|YR|', 'Lee|Jung Seok|JS|', 'Chun|Jin Hong|JH|', 'Kim|Si Won|SW|', 'Jung|Jae Wook|JW|', 'Kim|Jaesung|J|', 'Kayansamruaj|Pattanapon|P|0000-0002-6187-2772', 'Thompson|Kim D|KD|0000-0003-3550-4842', 'Kim|Hyeongsu|H|', 'Jung|Tae Sung|TS|']

2021

25156087

Prevalence, Spectrum, and Outcome of Right Ventricular Outflow Tract Abnormalities in Twin-twin Transfusion Syndrome: A Large, Single-center Experience.

OBJECTIVES Twin-twin transfusion syndrome is a serious complication in 10-20% of monochorionic diamniotic (or higher) twin gestations. Cardiac changes in the "recipient" twin in twin-twin transfusion can include anatomic and functional abnormalities of the right ventricular outflow tract, which have only been described in several small series. It was the aim of this study to evaluate the incidence and outcome of right ventricular outflow tract abnormalities in a large cohort of twin-twin transfusion cases seen at a single referral center. METHODS A retrospective review of all cases of twin-twin transfusion syndrome seen in our center between 2004 and 2010 was performed. Fetal echocardiographic findings were reviewed, and the presence of right ventricular outflow tract abnormalities--including functional/anatomic pulmonary atresia, pulmonary stenosis, or isolated pulmonary insufficiency--was noted. Impact of selective fetoscopic laser therapy on right ventricular outflow tract abnormality and postnatal outcomes with regard to survival and residual right ventricular outflow tract abnormality were ascertained by review of medical records and telephone interview. RESULTS Right ventricular outflow tract abnormalities were observed in 53/610 (8.7%) of recipient twins but in no donor twins. Pulmonary atresia (24/53, 45%) was most common, followed by pulmonary stenosis (16/53, 30%) and isolated pulmonary insufficiency (13/53, 25%). Fetal therapy resulted in acute improvements in 10/42 recipient twins following selective fetoscopic laser therapy, but persistent right ventricular outflow tract abnormality was noted in 33% of recipient twins surviving to birth. CONCLUSIONS Right ventricular outflow tract abnormalities impact ∼ 9% of recipient twins in twin-twin transfusion syndrome, many of whom will have persistent abnormalities despite otherwise successful therapy. These data justify efforts to increase awareness and monitoring of the cardiac sequelae of twin-twin transfusion syndrome in these high-risk pregnancies.

['Michelfelder|Erik|E|', 'Tan|Xiao|X|', 'Cnota|James|J|', 'Divanovic|Allison|A|', 'Statile|Christopher|C|', 'Lim|Foong-Yen|FY|', 'Crombleholme|Timothy|T|']

2015

24041498

Microfabrication of stacks of acoustic matching layers for 15 MHz ultrasonic transducers.

This paper presents a novel method used to manufacture stacks of multiple matching layers for 15 MHz piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers, using fabrication technology derived from the MEMS industry. The acoustic matching layers were made on a silicon wafer substrate using micromachining techniques, i.e., lithography and etch, to design silicon and polymer layers with the desired acoustic properties. Two matching layer configurations were tested: a double layer structure consisting of a silicon-polymer composite and polymer and a triple layer structure consisting of silicon, composite, and polymer. The composite is a biphase material of silicon and polymer in 2-2 connectivity. The matching layers were manufactured by anisotropic wet etch of a (110)-oriented Silicon-on-Insulator wafer. The wafer was etched by KOH 40 wt%, to form 83 μm deep and 4.5mm long trenches that were subsequently filled with Spurr's epoxy, which has acoustic impedance 2.4 MRayl. This resulted in a stack of three layers: The silicon substrate, a silicon-polymer composite intermediate layer, and a polymer layer on the top. The stacks were bonded to PZT disks to form acoustic transducers and the acoustic performance of the fabricated transducers was tested in a pulse-echo setup, where center frequency, -6 dB relative bandwidth and insertion loss were measured. The transducer with two matching layers was measured to have a relative bandwidth of 70%, two-way insertion loss 18.4 dB and pulse length 196 ns. The transducers with three matching layers had fractional bandwidths from 90% to 93%, two-way insertion loss ranging from 18.3 to 25.4 dB, and pulse lengths 326 and 446 ns. The long pulse lengths of the transducers with three matching layers were attributed to ripple in the passband.

['Manh|Tung|T|', 'Nguyen|Anh-Tuan Thai|AT|', 'Johansen|Tonni F|TF|', 'Hoff|Lars|L|']

2014

26700179

Dietary and Lifestyle Risk Factors for Colorectal Cancer in Apparently Healthy Adults in Jordanian Hospitals.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a frequently occurring cancer in Jordan. CRC risk is expected to continue rising due to dietary patterns, sedentary lifestyle, and other practices. The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of dietary and lifestyle risk factors for CRC among patients attending outpatient gastroenterology clinics in Jordan. A descriptive, cross-sectional design was used to collect data from 713 asymptomatic participants. Data was collected using a self-report questionnaire measuring sociodemographic characteristics, dietary habits, physical activity, and lifestyle risk factors of CRC. The mean age of participants was 57.0 ± 8.56 years. The majority of participants were male (71.8 %) and with less than secondary school formal education (60.7 %). The commonest risk factors for CRC among the participants were overweight or obesity (76.1 %), lack of exercise (71.6 %), limited consumption of vegetables (70.8 %), smoking (60.6 %), over consumption of red meat (56.3 %), and diabetes mellitus (24.1 %). Dietary and lifestyle risk factors for CRC are prevalent in Jordan and likely to fuel an upsurge CRC if population-wide educational interventions are not implemented. There is need for greater attention and emphasis on strategies to educate the general population about healthy dietary and lifestyle habits as means of preventing CRC in Jordan.

['Omran|Suha|S|', 'Barakat|Husam|H|', 'Muliira|Joshua Kanaabi|JK|', 'McMillan|Susan|S|']

2017

29945688

Fire Disaster Readiness: Preparation for the Evacuation of Medical Facilities During Fires in Haifa, Israel, 2016.

When a fire occurs, there is little time to escape. In less than 30 seconds, a fire can rage out of control, filling the area with heat and toxic thick smoke (Purdue University Fire Department, 2017; http://www.purdue.edu/ehps/fire/fire-101.html.) In 2010, following the successful evacuation of Maale Ha'Carmel Mental Health Center during a raging forest fire in the area, a comprehensive investigation was performed to evaluate the management of the evacuation process and to systematically elicit lessons learned from the incident. In 2016, a forest fire erupted in the same geographic area that required the evacuation of Fliman Geriatric Rehabilitation Hospital, and methodical debriefing identified the strengths and weaknesses of the evacuation process in that hospital. The lessons learned from the evacuation of these two health care facilities, which were at the focus of major fires in Israel in 2010 and in 2016, are presented. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2019;13:375-379).

['Kreinin|Anatoly|A|', 'Lyansberg|Alexey|A|', 'Yusupov|Miriam|M|', 'Moran|Daniel S|DS|']

2019

33177208

Novel Oncolytic Herpes Simplex Virus 1 VC2 Promotes Long-Lasting, Systemic Anti-melanoma Tumor Immune Responses and Increased Survival in an Immunocompetent B16F10-Derived Mouse Melanoma Model.

Oncolytic virotherapy (OVT) is now understood to be an immunotherapy that uses viral infection to liberate tumor antigens in an immunogenic context to promote the development of antitumor immune responses. The only currently FDA-approved oncolytic virotherapy, T-Vec, is a modified type 1 herpes simplex virus (HSV-1). While T-Vec is associated with limited response rates, its modest efficacy supports the continued development of novel OVT viruses. Herein, we test the efficacy of a recombinant HSV-1, VC2, as an OVT in a syngeneic B16F10-derived mouse model of melanoma. VC2 possesses mutations that block its ability to enter neurons via axonal termini. This greatly enhances its safety profile by precluding the ability of the virus to establish latent infection. VC2 has been shown to be a safe, effective vaccine against both HSV-1 and HSV-2 infection in mice, guinea pigs, and nonhuman primates. We found that VC2 slows tumor growth rates and that VC2 treatment significantly enhances survival of tumor-engrafted, VC2-treated mice over control treatments. VC2-treated mice that survived initial tumor engraftment were resistant to a second engraftment as well as colonization of lungs by intravenous introduction of tumor cells. We found that VC2 treatment induced substantial increases in intratumoral T cells and a decrease in immunosuppressive regulatory T cells. This immunity was critically dependent on CD8+ T cells and less dependent on CD4+ T cells. Our data provide significant support for the continued development of VC2 as an OVT for the treatment of human and animal cancers.IMPORTANCE Current oncolytic virotherapies possess limited response rates. However, when certain patient selection criteria are used, oncolytic virotherapy response rates have been shown to increase. This, in addition to the increased response rates of oncolytic virotherapy in combination with other immunotherapies, suggests that oncolytic viruses possess significant therapeutic potential for the treatment of cancer. As such, it is important to continue to develop novel oncolytic viruses as well as support basic research into their mechanisms of efficacy. Our data demonstrate significant clinical potential for VC2, a novel type 1 oncolytic herpes simplex virus. Additionally, due to the high rates of survival and the dependence on CD8+ T cells for efficacy, our model will enable study of the immunological correlates of protection for VC2 oncolytic virotherapy and oncolytic virotherapy in general. Understanding the mechanisms of efficacious oncolytic virotherapy will inform the rational design of improved oncolytic virotherapies.

['Uche|Ifeanyi Kingsley|IK|', 'Fowlkes|Natalie|N|', 'Vu|Luan|L|', 'Watanabe|Tatiane|T|', 'Carossino|Mariano|M|', 'Nabi|Rafiq|R|', 'Del Piero|Fabio|F|', 'Rudd|Jared S|JS|', 'Kousoulas|Konstantin G|KG|', 'Rider|Paul J F|PJF|0000-0002-5702-0809']

2021

32763133

The Life of a Black Medical Trainee in the United States: Past, Present, Future.

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE HISTORY OF BLACK MEDICAL TRAINEES In these unprecedented times, Black medical professionals must deliver excellent medical care and uphold the highest standards of their profession while living through a devastating pandemic. They must do so in a time when the country tries to reconcile with generations of racism and injustice. The current social environment in America is particularly challenging for medical trainees such as medical students and resident physicians who must focus on their educational requirements and careers in settings that are often averse to addressing topics such as racism. This plight is not new for Black medical trainees, as they have been fighting for centuries to obtain an equitable seat at the table of medical education. Throughout the 19th century and early 20th century, Black physicians were repeatedly disenfranchised from the predominantly white medical societies, most notably the American Medical Association (AMA), which was established in 1847. Racially integrated medical organizations such as the National Medical Society of Washington D.C. (NMS), which was founded in 1870, were developed to challenge discriminatory practices of the American Medical Association against Black practitioners. The inception of the National Medical Association (NMA) in 1895 allowed Black doctors to advocate for disadvantaged patient populations and focus efforts on health issues pertinent to the underserved. THE STRUGGLES OF THE BLACK TRAINEE However, Black and underrepresented minorities continue to face challenges with medical school matriculation and retention. A 2015 AAMC report showed that Black male medical school matriculants failed to increase significantly between 1978 and 2014. From 2006 to 2018, the number of Black medical school matriculants increased from 6.7% to 7.1%. SOLUTIONS FOR IMPROVING MEDICAL EDUCATION FOR THE BLACK TRAINEE To improve these matriculation statistics, it is critical that institutions integrate innovative measures such as robust recruitment pipelines to expose underrepresented high school and college students to the medical field, as well as seek diversity actively in administration to dismantle the ingrained ideologies of systemic racism rooted in healthcare and medical education. To combat the institutionalized racism that has plagued medical education throughout its existence, collaboration as a unified front is essential to achieving the equity and social justice in healthcare that patients deserve.

['Stowers|Jared Alexander|JA|', 'Desrosiers|Sophia|S|', 'Zeleke|Kirubel|K|', 'Bakare|Oluwadunsin|O|', 'Seifi|Ali|A|']

2021

27282030

Human Phenotypic Diversity: An Evolutionary Perspective.

As humans migrated across the world, they encountered new environments requiring them to adapt to new challenges that presented themselves. The distribution of human phenotypes observed today is the result of this continuous adaptation, via biological/physiological and cultural means, and also by the modification of cultural practices, which leads to biological changes. In this chapter, we examine a number of adaptive traits and the roles played by their genetic and environmental determinants. We have selected a few traits used for human identification purposes (externally visible characteristics), associated with human metabolism and linked to a shift in subsistence method and food consumption. We discuss the evolutionary processes that have affected the temporal and spatial distribution of these traits, including natural, sexual, and cultural selection.

['Balaresque|P|P|', 'King|T E|TE|']

2016

26003492

Assessment of the impact of manufacturing changes on the physicochemical properties and biological activity of Her1-ECD vaccine during product development.

Vaccine preparations based on the extracellular domain of Her1 (Her1-ECD) have demonstrated, in vitro and in vivo, a potent antimetastatic effect on EGFR(+) Lewis lung carcinoma model, while associated side effects were absent. The Her1-ECD is a glycoprotein with a molecular weight of 105 kDa and has 11 potential sites for N-glycosylation. Currently Her1-ECD based vaccine has been evaluated in patients with hormone refractory prostate cancer. Her1-ECD molecule used for in clinical trials was obtained from culture supernatant of HEK 293 transfectomes used the protein free culture media and is purified by immunoaffinity chromatography. In order to increase the cell growth and productivity, new defined culture media have been developed (alternative culture media) in Her1-ECD vaccine production process. In this work, a comparability study was performed to evaluate the impact of process changes in the characteristics physic-chemical and biologicals of the Her1-ECD protein and the degree of similitude between both variants. Techniques such as: SDS-PAGE, SEC-HPLC, isoelectric point, peptide mapping, mass spectrometric, SCX-HPLC, oligosaccharide map, ELISA and flow cytometric were used with this aim. Results indicated that this process change decreases the degree of sialylation of the protein but does not affect its biological activity (measured as titers of Abs and recognition for A431 cell line).

['Garcia Duardo|Katia|K|', 'Prieto Curbelo|Yadira|Y|', 'Raymond Pous|Judith|J|', 'Rabasa Legón|Estela Yamilet|EY|', 'Ramírez|Belinda Sánchez|BS|', 'Hernández|Kathya Rashida de la Luz|KR|', 'Castillo Vitoch|Adolfo|A|']

2015

33971156

Peroxide stimulated transition between the ferryl intermediates of bovine cytochrome c oxidase.

During catalysis of cytochrome c oxidases (CcO) several ferryl intermediates of the catalytic heme a3-CuB center are observed. In the PM ferryl state, produced by the reaction of two-electron reduced CcO with O2, the ferryl iron of heme a3 and a free radical are present at the catalytic center. The radical reduction stimulates the transition of the PM into another ferryl F state. Similar ferryl states can be also generated from the oxidized CcO (O) in the reaction with H2O2. The PM, the product of the reaction of the O with one molecule of peroxide, is transformed into the F state by the second molecule of H2O2. However, the chemical nature of this transition has not been unambiguously elucidated yet. Here, we examined the redox state of the peroxide-produced PM and F states by the one-electron reduction. The F form and interestingly also the major fraction of the PM sample, likely another P-type ferryl form (PR), were found to be the one oxidizing equivalent above the O state. However, the both P-type forms are transformed into the F state by additional molecule of H2O2. It is suggested that the PR-to-F transition is due to the binding of H2O2 to CuB triggering a structural change together with the uptake of H+ at the catalytic center. In the PM-to-F conversion, these two events are complemented with the annihilation of radical by the intrinsic oxidation of the enzyme.

['Sztachova|T|T|', 'Pechova|I|I|', 'Mikulova|L|L|', 'Stupak|M|M|', 'Jancura|D|D|', 'Fabian|M|M|']

2021

30828568

Time to Treatment Prediction in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Based on New Transcriptional Patterns.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most frequent lymphoproliferative syndrome in western countries. CLL evolution is frequently indolent, and treatment is mostly reserved for those patients with signs or symptoms of disease progression. In this work, we used RNA sequencing data from the International Cancer Genome Consortium CLL cohort to determine new gene expression patterns that correlate with clinical evolution.We determined that a 290-gene expression signature, in addition to immunoglobulin heavy chain variable region (IGHV) mutation status, stratifies patients into four groups with notably different time to first treatment. This finding was confirmed in an independent cohort. Similarly, we present a machine learning algorithm that predicts the need for treatment within the first 5 years following diagnosis using expression data from 2,198 genes. This predictor achieved 90% precision and 89% accuracy when classifying independent CLL cases. Our findings indicate that CLL progression risk largely correlates with particular transcriptomic patterns and paves the way for the identification of high-risk patients who might benefit from prompt therapy following diagnosis.

['Mosquera Orgueira|Adrián|A|', 'Antelo Rodríguez|Beatriz|B|', 'Alonso Vence|Natalia|N|', 'Bendaña López|Ángeles|Á|', 'Díaz Arias|José Ángel|JÁ|', 'Díaz Varela|Nicolás|N|', 'González Pérez|Marta Sonia|MS|', 'Pérez Encinas|Manuel Mateo|MM|', 'Bello López|José Luis|JL|']

2019

34388726

Where the central canal begins: endoscopic in vivo description.

OBJECTIVE Although evidence and descriptions of the central canal (CC) along the medulla oblongata and the spinal cord have been provided by several anatomical and radiological studies, a clear picture and assessment of the opening of the CC, or apertura canalis centralis (ACC), into the fourth ventricle is lacking, due to its submillimetric size and hidden position in the calamus scriptorius. METHODS The authors reviewed all of their cases in which patients underwent ventricular transaqueductal flexible endoscopic procedures and selected 44 cases in which an inspection of the region of the calamus scriptorius had been performed and was suitable for study inclusion. Patients were divided into different groups, based on the presence or absence of a chronic pathological process involving the fourth ventricle. In each case, the visual appearance of the opening of the CC of the ACC was classified as no evidence (A0), indirect evidence (A1), or clear evidence (A2). Morphometric measurements were inferred from surrounding structures and the size of surgical tools visible in the field. RESULTS The opening of the CC could be clearly observed in all cases (A1 4.5%, A2 95.5%). In normal cases, a lanceolate shape along the median sulcus was most frequently found, with an average size of 600 × 250 µm that became rounded and smaller in size in cases of hydrocephalus. The distance between the caudal margin of the ACC and the obex was about 1.8 mm in normal cases, 2.1 mm in cases of obstructive hydrocephalus, and 1 mm in cases of normal pressure hydrocephalus. The two wings of the area postrema, variable in size and shape, were sited just caudal to the opening. CONCLUSIONS A flexible scope inserted through the cerebral aqueduct can approach the hidden calamus scriptorius like a pen fits into an inkpot. With this privileged viewpoint, the authors provide for the first time, to their knowledge, a clear and novel vision of the opening of the CC in the fourth ventricle, along with the precise location of this tiny structure compared to other anatomical landmarks in the inferior triangle.

['Longatti|Pierluigi|P|', 'Fiorindi|Alessandro|A|', 'Marton|Elisabetta|E|', 'Sala|Francesco|F|', 'Feletti|Alberto|A|']

2021

33588693

Saliva cell type DNA methylation reference panel for epidemiological studies in children.

Saliva is a widely used biological sample, especially in pediatric research, containing a heterogenous mixture of immune and epithelial cells. Associations of exposure or disease with saliva DNA methylation can be influenced by cell-type proportions. Here, we developed a saliva cell-type DNA methylation reference panel to estimate interindividual cell-type heterogeneity in whole saliva studies. Saliva was collected from 22 children (7-16 years) and sorted into immune and epithelial cells, using size exclusion filtration and magnetic bead sorting. DNA methylation was measured using the Illumina MethylationEPIC BeadChip. We assessed cell-type differences in DNA methylation profiles and tested for enriched biological pathways. Immune and epithelial cells differed at 181,577 (22.8%) DNA methylation sites (t-test p < 6.28 × 10-8). Immune cell hypomethylated sites are mapped to genes enriched for immune pathways (p < 3.2 × 10-5). Epithelial cell hypomethylated sites were enriched for cornification (p = 5.2 × 10-4), a key process for hard palette formation. Saliva immune and epithelial cells have distinct DNA methylation profiles which can drive whole-saliva DNA methylation measures. A primary saliva DNA methylation reference panel, easily implemented with an R package, will allow estimates of cell proportions from whole saliva samples and improve epigenetic epidemiology studies by accounting for measurement heterogeneity by cell-type proportions.

['Middleton|Lauren Y M|LYM|https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9422-2912', 'Dou|John|J|', 'Fisher|Jonah|J|https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8733-9175', 'Heiss|Jonathan A|JA|https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1448-2509', 'Nguyen|Vy K|VK|https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6128-0523', 'Just|Allan C|AC|https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4312-5957', 'Faul|Jessica|J|', 'Ware|Erin B|EB|https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4731-8158', 'Mitchell|Colter|C|', 'Colacino|Justin A|JA|https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5882-4569', 'M Bakulski|Kelly|K|https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9605-6337']

2021

27705066

Home Exercises Versus On-Site Rehabilitation in the Management of Lateral Elbow Tendinopathy: A Critically Appraised Topic.

Clinical Scenario: Lateral elbow tendinopathy (LE) is a common musculoskeletal condition that often results in pain and disability. An array of conservative interventions have been shown to improve patient outcomes in outpatient rehabilitation clinics. However, with the rise in health care costs, patients and rehabilitation specialists have opted to reduce the number of in-house visits and focus on home exercise programs (HEPs). As a result, many rehabilitation specialists and patients now depend on HEPs as the primary intervention to treat LE. Focused Clinical Question: For individuals with LE, is there evidence to suggest that HEPs are as effective as traditional on-site rehabilitation for reducing pain and disability? Summary of Search, Best Evidence Appraised, and Key Findings: The literature was searched for studies comparing HEP to on-site rehabilitation in the management of LE. Two clinical controlled trials (CCTs) were included. No studies suggested that HEPs demonstrated equal or improved outcomes in pain or disability. Both studies concluded that on-site rehabilitation services were more effective at reducing pain and disability in the short term. More research is needed to compare the cost effectiveness of both HEP and on-site rehabilitation. Clinical Bottom Line: Based on 2 CCTs, it can be concluded that there is moderate evidence to suggest that patients with LE experience decreased pain and disability scores with on-site rehabilitation compared to a guided HEP in the short term. The authors could not draw a conclusion regarding long-term effects of treatments or cost effectiveness of the 2 approaches. Strength of Recommendation: Based on the Centre for Evidence Based Medicine, there is level B evidence that a HEP only was not as effective as on-site rehabilitation services in patients with LE.

['Day|Joseph M|JM|', 'Dale|Robert Barry|RB|', 'Kennedy|Elizabeth|E|']

2018

29735529

Global loss of leucine carboxyl methyltransferase-1 causes severe defects in fetal liver hematopoiesis.

Leucine carboxyl methyltransferase-1 (LCMT-1) methylates the C-terminal leucine α-carboxyl group of the catalytic subunits of the protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) subfamily of protein phosphatases, PP2Ac, PP4c, and PP6c. LCMT-1 differentially regulates the formation and function of a subset of the heterotrimeric complexes that PP2A and PP4 form with their regulatory subunits. Global LCMT-1 knockout causes embryonic lethality in mice, but LCMT-1 function in development is unknown. In this study, we analyzed the effects of global LCMT-1 loss on embryonic development. LCMT-1 knockout causes loss of PP2Ac methylation, indicating that LCMT-1 is the sole PP2Ac methyltransferase. PP2A heterotrimers containing the Bα and Bδ B-type subunits are dramatically reduced in whole embryos, and the steady-state levels of PP2Ac and the PP2A structural A subunit are also down ∼30%. Strikingly, global loss of LCMT-1 causes severe defects in fetal hematopoiesis and usually death by embryonic day 16.5. Fetal livers of homozygous lcmt-1 knockout embryos display hypocellularity, elevated apoptosis, and greatly reduced numbers of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell-enriched Kit+Lin-Sca1+ cells. The percent cycling cells and mitotic indices of WT and lcmt-1 knockout fetal liver cells are similar, suggesting that hypocellularity may be due to a combination of apoptosis and/or defects in specification, self-renewal, or survival of stem cells. Indicative of a possible intrinsic defect in stem cells, noncompetitive and competitive transplantation experiments reveal that lcmt-1 loss causes a severe multilineage hematopoietic repopulating defect. Therefore, this study reveals a novel role for LCMT-1 as a key player in fetal liver hematopoiesis.

['Lee|Jocelyn A|JA|', 'Wang|Zhengqi|Z|', 'Sambo|Danielle|D|', 'Bunting|Kevin D|KD|', 'Pallas|David C|DC|']

2018

33332001

Neuromolecular Mechanisms of Cannabis Action.

Most of our current understanding of the neuromolecular mechanisms of Cannabis action focusses on two plant cannabinoids, THC and CBD. THC acts primarily through presynaptic CB cannabinoid receptors to regulate neurotransmitter release in the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves. CBD action, on the other hand, is probably mediated through multiple molecular targets.

['Adel|Yousra|Y|', 'Alexander|Stephen P H|SPH|']

2021

27716436

Are ethical norms and current policies still relevant in face of the recent mass terror events?

The widespread utilization of social media in recent terror attacks in major European cities should raise a "red flag" for the emergency medical response teams. The question arises as to the impact of social media during terror events on the healthcare system. Information was published well before any emergency authority received a distress call or was requested to respond. Photos published at early stages of the attacks, through social media were uncensored, presenting identifiable pictures of victims. Technological advancements of recent years decrease and remove barriers that enable the public to use them as they see fit. These attacks raise ethical considerations for the patients and their rights as they were outsourced from the medical community, into the hands of the public. The healthcare system should leverage social media and its advantages in designing response to terror, but this requires a re-evaluation and introspection into the current emergency response models.

['Simon|Tomer|T|http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3736-9157', 'Goldberg|Avishay|A|', 'Adini|Bruria|B|']

2016

28748731

Long-term management of distinct facial flushing and persistent erythema of rosacea by treatment with carvedilol.

BACKGROUND The treatment of persistent erythema and flushing episodes in patients with rosacea remains a clinical challenge. A possible therapeutic option could be the use of antihypertensive drugs. OBJECTIVES We therefore evaluated the effect of the non-selective β-blocker carvedilol in five Caucasian patients. METHODS In a monocentric retrospective case study, the patients were treated with carvedilol titrated up to 12.5 mg twice a day over at least six months. Patients self assessment (PSA), clinicians erythema assessment (CEA), and the patients levels of embarrassment and satisfaction were performed by questionaires. RESULTS The CEA grade description as well as the PSA grade description decreased remarkably in all five patients. Furthermore, all patients reported to have a major improvement of their level of satisfaction and no feelings of embarrassment anymore. CONCLUSIONS These findings demonstrate that facial flushing and persistent erythema can be effectively treated by carvedilol long-term with a fast onset of improvement in a dose well tolerated.

['Pietschke|Katharina|K|', 'Schaller|Martin|M|']

2018

28984180

CNN-based ranking for biomedical entity normalization.

BACKGROUND Most state-of-the-art biomedical entity normalization systems, such as rule-based systems, merely rely on morphological information of entity mentions, but rarely consider their semantic information. In this paper, we introduce a novel convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture that regards biomedical entity normalization as a ranking problem and benefits from semantic information of biomedical entities. RESULTS The CNN-based ranking method first generates candidates using handcrafted rules, and then ranks the candidates according to their semantic information modeled by CNN as well as their morphological information. Experiments on two benchmark datasets for biomedical entity normalization show that our proposed CNN-based ranking method outperforms traditional rule-based method with state-of-the-art performance. CONCLUSIONS We propose a CNN architecture that regards biomedical entity normalization as a ranking problem. Comparison results show that semantic information is beneficial to biomedical entity normalization and can be well combined with morphological information in our CNN architecture for further improvement.

['Li|Haodi|H|', 'Chen|Qingcai|Q|', 'Tang|Buzhou|B|', 'Wang|Xiaolong|X|', 'Xu|Hua|H|', 'Wang|Baohua|B|', 'Huang|Dong|D|']

2017

26121947

LivestockPlus: Forages, sustainable intensification, and food security in the tropics.

The increased use of grain-based feed for livestock during the last two decades has contributed, along with other factors, to a rise in grain prices that has reduced human food security. This circumstance argues for feeding more forages to livestock, particularly in the tropics where many livestock are reared on small farms. Efforts to accomplish this end, referred to as the 'LivestockPlus' approach, intensify in sustainable ways the management of grasses, shrubs, trees, and animals. By decoupling the human food and livestock feed systems, these efforts would increase the resilience of the global food system. Effective LivestockPlus approaches take one of two forms: (1) simple improvements such as new forage varieties and animal management practices that spread from farmer to farmer by word of mouth, or (2) complex sets of new practices that integrate forage production more closely into farms' other agricultural activities and agro-ecologies.

['Rudel|Thomas K|TK|', 'Paul|Birthe|B|', 'White|Douglas|D|', 'Rao|I M|IM|', 'Van Der Hoek|Rein|R|', 'Castro|Aracely|A|', 'Boval|Maryline|M|', 'Lerner|Amy|A|', 'Schneider|Laura|L|', 'Peters|Michael|M|']

2015

30065731

Large-Scale Structural Variation Detection in Subterranean Clover Subtypes Using Optical Mapping.

We selected two genetically diverse subspecies of the Trifolium model species, subterranean clover cvs. Daliak and Yarloop. The structural variations (SVs) discovered by Bionano optical mapping (BOM) were validated using Illumina short reads. In the analysis, BOM identified 12 large-scale regions containing deletions and 19 regions containing insertions in Yarloop. The 12 large-scale regions contained 71 small deletions when validated by Illumina short reads. The results suggest that BOM could detect the total size of deletions and insertions, but it could not precisely report the location and actual quantity of SVs in the genome. Nucleotide-level validation is crucial to confirm and characterize SVs reported by optical mapping. The accuracy of SV detection by BOM is highly dependent on the quality of reference genomes and the density of selected nickases.

['Yuan|Yuxuan|Y|', 'Milec|Zbyněk|Z|', 'Bayer|Philipp E|PE|', 'Vrána|Jan|J|', 'Doležel|Jaroslav|J|', 'Edwards|David|D|', 'Erskine|William|W|', 'Kaur|Parwinder|P|']

2018

28793634

Translucency of Dental Ceramic, Post and Bracket.

Translucency of dental ceramics, esthetic posts and orthodontic brackets was reviewed. Translucency parameter (TP) and contrast ratio (CR) are generally used for translucency evaluation. For the evaluation of translucency, two criteria such as the translucency of human teeth (TP = 15-19, 1 mm thick) and the visual perceptibility threshold for the translucency difference (∆CR > 0.07 or ∆TP > 2) were used. In ceramics, translucency differences were in the perceptible range depending on the type of material and the thickness. However, variations caused by the difference in the required thickness for each layer by the material and also by the measurement protocols should be considered. As to the translucency of esthetic posts, a significant difference was found among the post systems. Translucency was influenced by the bracket composition and brand, and the differences by the brand were visually perceptible.

['Lee|Yong-Keun|YK|']

2015

26456293

Measuring the sticking of mefenamic acid powders on stainless steel surface.

This study proposes an approach for quantifying the amount of pharmaceutical powder adhering (quality attribute) to the metals surfaces. The effect of surface roughness (detrimental attribute) on the amount of powder sticking to a stainless steel surface for a model pharmaceutical material is also qualitatively determined. Methodology to quantify powder adhesion to surfaces utilises a texture analyser and HPLC. The approach was validated to qualitatively investigate effect of metal surface roughness on adhesion of mefenamic acid. An increase in metal surface roughness resulted in an increase in cohesion. By increasing the average roughness from 289nm to 407nm, a 2.5 fold increase in amount adhering to metal was observed, highlighting the role of surface roughness on adhesion. The simplicity in experimental design with no requirement of specialised equipment and operational ease makes the approach very easy to adopt. Further, ease in interpreting results makes this methodology very attractive.

['Wang|Zihua|Z|', 'Shah|Umang V|UV|', 'Olusanmi|Dolapo|D|', 'Narang|Ajit S|AS|', 'Hussain|Munir A|MA|', 'Gamble|John F|JF|', 'Tobyn|Michael J|MJ|', 'Heng|Jerry Y Y|JY|']

2015

28285108

Fabrication of ternary reduced graphene oxide/SnS2/ZnFe2O4 composite for high visible-light photocatalytic activity and stability.

Metal sulfides are promising photocatalysts for efficient removal of organic pollutants in wastewater. However, the practical application of these catalysts is limited due to the fast recombination of charge carriers and poor catalyst stability. In this study, ternary reduced graphene oxide/SnS2/ZnFe2O4 (rGO/SnS2/ZnFe2O4) composites were synthesized by a hydrothermal process, and rGO content was optimized. The surface morphology, crystal structure, optical and electrochemical properties of rGO/SnS2/ZnFe2O4 composites were characterized. The adsorption capacity and visible-light photocatalytic activity of rGO/SnS2/ZnFe2O4 were influenced by rGO content with results revealing an optimal rGO content of 7wt.%. The 7% rGO/SnS2/ZnFe2O4 composite demonstrated the highest visible-light photocatalytic activity with almost 100% 2-nitrophenol removal, which could be attributed to the efficient charge separation, and the formation of O2-, h+ and a few OH radicals. The possible photocatalytic mechanism of rGO/SnS2/ZnFe2O4 composites was also provided based on the role of rGO and the energy bands of SnS2 and ZnFe2O4. Moreover, rGO/SnS2/ZnFe2O4 composites exhibit excellent reusability without an obvious decline in the photocatalytic activity after four degradation-regeneration cycles. The results indicate that ternary rGO/SnS2/ZnFe2O4 composites have good prospect in practical removal of organic pollutants in wastewater due to high efficiency and excellent stability.

['Deng|Fang|F|', 'Lu|Xiaoying|X|', 'Pei|Xule|X|', 'Luo|Xubiao|X|', 'Luo|Shenglian|S|', 'Dionysiou|Dionysios D|DD|']

2017

31249960

Activity Pattern Analysis Indicates Increased but Balanced Systemic Coagulation Activity in Response to Surgical Trauma.

In the nonbleeding patient, constant low-level activation of coagulation enables a quick procoagulant response upon an injury. Conversely, local activation of coagulation might influence the systemic activity level of coagulation. To characterize this interaction in more detail, activity pattern analysis was performed in patients undergoing elective surgeries. Blood samples were taken before, during, and 24 hours after surgery from 35 patients undergoing elective minor ( n  = 18) and major ( n  = 17) orthopaedic surgeries. Plasma levels of thrombin and activated protein C (APC) were measured using oligonucleotide-based enzyme capture assays, while those of prothrombin fragment 1.2, thrombin-antithrombin-complexes, and D-dimer were measured using commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. In vitro thrombin generation kinetics were recorded using calibrated automated thrombography. Results showed that median plasma levels of up to 20 pM thrombin and of up to 12 pM APC were reached during surgery. D-dimer levels started to increase at the end of surgery and remained increased 24 hours after surgery, while all other parameters returned to baseline. Peak levels showed no significant differences between minor and major surgeries and were not influenced by the activity state at baseline. In vitro thrombin generation kinetics remained unchanged during surgery. In summary, simultaneous monitoring of the procoagulant and anticoagulant pathways of coagulation demonstrates that surgical trauma is associated with increased systemic activities of both pathways. Activity pattern analysis might be helpful to identify patients at an increased risk for thrombosis due to an imbalance between surgery-related thrombin formation and the subsequent anticoagulant response.

['Friedrich|Max Julian|MJ|', 'Schmolders|Jan|J|', 'Rommelspacher|Yorck|Y|', 'Strauss|Andreas|A|', 'Rühl|Heiko|H|', 'Mayer|Günter|G|', 'Oldenburg|Johannes|J|', 'Wirtz|Dieter Christian|DC|', 'Müller|Jens|J|', 'Pötzsch|Bernd|B|']

2018

32307538

An Atypical Sulcal Pattern in Children with Disorders of the Corpus Callosum and Its Relation to Behavioral Outcomes.

Hypogenesis (hCC) and dysgenesis (dCC) of the corpus callosum (CC) are characterized by its smaller size or absence. The outcomes of these patients vary considerably and are unrelated to the size of the CC abnormality. The aim of the current study was to characterize the sulcal pattern in children with hCC and dCC and to explore its relation to clinical outcome. We used quantitative sulcal pattern analysis that measures deviation (similarity index, SI) of the composite or individual sulcal features (position, depth, area, and graph topology) compared to the control group. We calculated SI for each hemisphere and lobe in 11 children with CC disorder (hCC = 4, dCC = 7) and 15 controls. hCC and dCC had smaller hemispheric SI compared to controls. dCC subjects had smaller regional SI in the frontal and occipital lobes, which were driven by a smaller SI in a position or a graph topology. The significantly decreased SI gradient was found across groups only in the sulcal graph topology of the temporal lobes (controls > hCC > dCC) and was related to clinical outcome. Our results suggest that careful examination of sulcal pattern in hCC and dCC patients could be a useful biomarker of outcome.

['Vasung|Lana|L|', 'Yun|Hyuk Jin|HJ|', 'Feldman|Henry A|HA|', 'Grant|Patricia Ellen|PE|', 'Im|Kiho|K|']

2020

23723364

Social integration, social support and mortality in the US National Health Interview Survey.

BACKGROUND Social relationship quantity and quality are associated with mortality, but it is unclear whether each relationship dimension is equally important for longevity and whether these associations are sensitive to baseline health status. METHODS This study examined the individual and joint associations of relationship quantity (measured using a social integration score) and quality (measured by perceived social support) with mortality in a representative US sample (n = 30,574). The study also evaluated whether these associations were consistent across individuals with and without diagnosed chronic illness and whether they were independent of socioeconomic status (SES; education, income, employment, and wealth). Baseline data were collected in 2001 and were linked to vital status records 5 years later (1836 deaths). RESULTS Both social integration and social support were individually related to mortality (hazard ratios [HRs] = 0.83 [95% confidence interval {CI} = 0.80-0.85] and HR = 0.94 [95% CI = 0.89-0.98], respectively). However, in multivariate models including demographic and SES variables, social integration (HR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.83-0.89) but not social support (HR = 1.03, 95% CI = 0.98-1.08) was associated with mortality. The social integration association was linear and consistent across baseline health status and men and women. CONCLUSIONS Social integration but not social support was independently associated with mortality in the US sample. This association was consistent across baseline health status and not accounted for by SES.

['Barger|Steven D|SD|']

2013

25540608

Using auditory pre-information to solve the cocktail-party problem: electrophysiological evidence for age-specific differences.

Speech understanding in complex and dynamic listening environments requires (a) auditory scene analysis, namely auditory object formation and segregation, and (b) allocation of the attentional focus to the talker of interest. There is evidence that pre-information is actively used to facilitate these two aspects of the so-called "cocktail-party" problem. Here, a simulated multi-talker scenario was combined with electroencephalography to study scene analysis and allocation of attention in young and middle-aged adults. Sequences of short words (combinations of brief company names and stock-price values) from four talkers at different locations were simultaneously presented, and the detection of target names and the discrimination between critical target values were assessed. Immediately prior to speech sequences, auditory pre-information was provided via cues that either prepared auditory scene analysis or attentional focusing, or non-specific pre-information was given. While performance was generally better in younger than older participants, both age groups benefited from auditory pre-information. The analysis of the cue-related event-related potentials revealed age-specific differences in the use of pre-cues: Younger adults showed a pronounced N2 component, suggesting early inhibition of concurrent speech stimuli; older adults exhibited a stronger late P3 component, suggesting increased resource allocation to process the pre-information. In sum, the results argue for an age-specific utilization of auditory pre-information to improve listening in complex dynamic auditory environments.

['Getzmann|Stephan|S|', 'Lewald|Jörg|J|', 'Falkenstein|Michael|M|']

2014

29671676

Effects of gabapentin, pregabalin and gastroretentive gabapentin on simulated driving, daytime sedation and cognition.

AIM Randomized Phase I study examining the effects of gabapentinoids gabapentin, pregabalin and gastroretentive gabapentin on simulated driving performance, sedation and cognitive function in healthy volunteers (n = 32). METHODS Driving attentiveness, sleepiness and cognition were evaluated prior to subjects receiving study doses. Blood samples were collected during each treatment. RESULTS Subjects receiving gastroretentive gabapentin showed less change in variation in lateral lane position (p = 0.0275), less tremor (p = 0.0304) and fewer vision disturbances compared with gabapentin (p = 0.0177). Statistically significant decrease in One Card Learning Test performance was observed after treatment with gastroretentive gabapentin. CONCLUSION Gastroretentive gabapentin demonstrated reduced driving impairment and lower scores on key neurotoxicity measures. Further studies in patients with postherpetic neuralgia are needed. Clinical trial number: NCT03179345.

['Schmidt|Peter|P|', 'Rao|Srinivas|S|']

2018

32340621

Open versus endoscopic carpal tunnel release: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND Endoscopic carpal tunnel release (ECTR) and open carpal tunnel release (OCTR) both have advantages and disadvantages for the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). We compared the effectiveness and safety of ECTR and OCTR based on evidence from a high-level randomized controlled trial. METHODS We comprehensively searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Medline to identify relevant articles published until August 2019. Data regarding operative time, grip strength, Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire scores, digital sensation, patient satisfaction, key pinch strength, return to work time, and complications were extracted and compared. All mean differences (MD) and odds ratios (OR) were expressed as ECTR relative to OCTR. RESULTS Our meta-analysis contained twenty-eight studies. ECTR was associated with significantly higher satisfaction rates (MD, 3.13; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.43 to 4.82; P = 0.0003), greater key pinch strengths (MD, 0.79 kg; 95% CI, 0.27 to 1.32; P = 0.003), earlier return to work times (MD, - 7.25 days; 95% CI, - 14.31 to - 0.19; P = 0.04), higher transient nerve injury rates (OR, 4.87; 95% CI, 1.37 to 17.25; P = 0.01), and a lower incidence of scar-related complications (OR, 0.20; 95% CI, 0.07 to 0.59; P = 0.004). The permanent nerve injury showed no significant differences between the two methods (OR, 1.93; 95% CI, 0.58 to 6.40; P = 0.28). CONCLUSIONS Overall, evidence from randomized controlled trials indicates that ECTR results in better recovery of daily life functions compared to OCTR, as revealed by higher satisfaction rates, greater key pinch strengths, earlier return to work times, and fewer scar-related complications. Our findings suggest that patients with CTS can be effectively managed with ECTR.

['Li|Yueying|Y|', 'Luo|Wenqi|W|', 'Wu|Guangzhi|G|', 'Cui|Shusen|S|', 'Zhang|Zhan|Z|', 'Gu|Xiaosong|X|http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8973-9201']

2020

28212910

"To See With My Own Eyes": Experiences of Family Visits During Phase 1 Recovery.

PURPOSE Long separations are a characteristic of the day of surgery, keeping patients and their family members waiting and apart. At a time of high vulnerability, these separations can cause anxiety and worry. The purpose of this study was to identify the outcomes and experiences of patients and family members who engaged in a 5- to 10-minute supervised family visit during phase I postanesthesia recovery. DESIGN This was a descriptive, single-group, mixed-methods study. METHODS Quantitative data, gathered on the day of surgery, was obtained from patients (vital signs, state anxiety scores) and their designated family members (state anxiety scores); satisfaction with the visit was also measured. An optional second, qualitative phase included a semi-structured interview examining the remembered experiences of patients and family members. FINDING A statistically significant drop in state anxiety was discovered after the visit, and satisfaction with the visit was exceedingly high. Qualitatively, patients and family members described their overwhelming relief to be able "to see with my own eyes" how well each was doing. CONCLUSIONS This study supports that family visits in the postanesthesia care unit are safe and profoundly important as an independent nursing intervention. Recommendations include implementation of family visits during postanesthesia care unit recovery for all patients and family members who desire them.

['Wendler|M Cecilia|MC|', 'Smith|Katherine|K|', 'Ellenburg|Wanda|W|', 'Gill|Rita|R|', 'Anderson|Lea|L|', 'Spiegel-Thayer|Kim|K|']

2017

28687858

A genomic perspective on HLA evolution.

Several decades of research have convincingly shown that classical human leukocyte antigen (HLA) loci bear signatures of natural selection. Despite this conclusion, many questions remain regarding the type of selective regime acting on these loci, the time frame at which selection acts, and the functional connections between genetic variability and natural selection. In this review, we argue that genomic datasets, in particular those generated by next-generation sequencing (NGS) at the population scale, are transforming our understanding of HLA evolution. We show that genomewide data can be used to perform robust and powerful tests for selection, capable of identifying both positive and balancing selection at HLA genes. Importantly, these tests have shown that natural selection can be identified at both recent and ancient timescales. We discuss how findings from genomewide association studies impact the evolutionary study of HLA genes, and how genomic data can be used to survey adaptive change involving interaction at multiple loci. We discuss the methodological developments which are necessary to correctly interpret genomic analyses involving the HLA region. These developments include adapting the NGS analysis framework so as to deal with the highly polymorphic HLA data, as well as developing tools and theory to search for signatures of selection, quantify differentiation, and measure admixture within the HLA region. Finally, we show that high throughput analysis of molecular phenotypes for HLA genes-namely transcription levels-is now a feasible approach and can add another dimension to the study of genetic variation.

['Meyer|Diogo|D|', 'C Aguiar|Vitor R|VR|', 'Bitarello|Bárbara D|BD|', 'C Brandt|Débora Y|DY|', 'Nunes|Kelly|K|']

2018

32183401

Transverse Circular Holes in Cylindrical Tubes Loaded in Traction and in Flexion: A New Analytical Approximation of the Stress Concentration Factor.

This paper presents an analytic formula for the theoretical stress concentration factor kt for cylindrical tubes with transverse circular holes, loaded in traction or in flexion. The study is based on modern finite element (FEM) techniques, which allow for appreciating with great accuracy the phenomenon of stress concentration. A comparison between the FEM results of this paper and those that were obtained by the existing analytic formulas shows the need of an update, as some discrepancies may be noticed. Our results are the fruit of a wide campaign of numerical FEM simulations that have been conducted analyzing numerous geometric configurations of the tube. Moreover, these configurations are defined in a wider two-dimensional (2-D) domain than the one valid for previous analytic formulas published in literature. Finally, these FEM results have been approximated with great accuracy by means of a fourth degree double polynomial regression that led to the new analytic formula that is proposed in this paper.

['Rebora|Alessandro U|AU|', 'Vernassa|Gianluca|G|']

2020

32216055

Relationship between spirometry results and colonisation of Aspergillus species in allergic asthma.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES Exposure to fungi in patients with asthma leads to the release of various fungal antigens, which can increase the severity of asthma. Regarding this, the present study was conducted to evaluate the relationship between the colonisation of Aspergillus species and spirometry results in allergic asthma. MATERIALS AND METHODS Two hundred sixteen patients with mild to severe asthma and 30 healthy controls were included. All participants underwent pulmonary function tests. Furthermore, sputum samples were collected from each subject. Each sputum sample was subjected to direct microscopic examination and fungal culture. All cultured Aspergillus colonies were identified at species level by molecular methods. Finally, all available data from sputum culture and spirometry test were analysed. RESULTS Out of 216 sputum samples, 145 (67.1%) were positive for fungal growth. Furthermore, out of 264 grown fungal colonies, 137 (51.9%) were Aspergillus species. Among the Aspergillus isolates, A. flavus (29.2%) was the most prevalent species, followed by A. fumigatus (27.7%). The mean forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) in the mild, moderate and severe asthmatic patients with a positive sputum culture for fungi were obtained as 90.0 ± 11.1, 71.1 ± 15.9 and 54.9 ± 16.4, respectively. In general, Aspergillus species colonisation had no statistically significant effect on spirometry results of study patients. CONCLUSION Our results showed that there is no difference in the FEV1 and forced vital capacity between Aspergillus positive and negative patients in any asthma severity group.

['Vakili|Mahshid|M|', 'Aliyali|Masoud|M|', 'Mortezaee|Vida|V|', 'Mahdaviani|Seyed Alireza|SA|', 'Poorabdollah|Mihan|M|', 'Mirenayat|Maryam Sadat|MS|', 'Fakharian|Atefeh|A|', 'Hassanzad|Maryam|M|', 'Abastabar|Mahdi|M|', 'Yazdani Charati|Jamshid|J|', 'Haghani|Iman|I|', 'Tavakoli|Mahin|M|', 'Maleki|Maedeh|M|', 'Armstrong-James|Darius|D|', 'Hedayati|Mohammad T|MT|https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6415-4648']

2020

34414201

Clinical Value of Fecal Calprotectin in Predicting Mucosal Healing in Patients With Ulcerative Colitis.

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical significance of fecal calprotectin (FC) in assessment of ulcerative colitis (UC) patients' endoscopic patterns and clinical manifestation. Methods: A total of 143 UC patients who received colonoscopy and 108 controls were included. After providing stool samples, patients underwent total colonoscopy. FC was measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Clinical activity was based on the Mayo score. Endoscopic findings was scored by the Ulcerative Colitis Endoscopic Index of Severity (UCEIS). Correlation analysis and receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) analysis were carried out to determine the significance of measurements. Results: The median (interquartile range, IQR) of FC levels was 211 (43-990) μg/g in UC and 87.5 (40.50~181) μg/g in the control group. Fecal calprotectin correlated significantly with both Mayo and UCEIS scores (Spearman's r 0.670 and 0.592, P < 0.01). With a cut-off value of 164 μg/g for fecal calprotectin concentration, the area under the curve (AUC) in receiver operator characteristic analysis was 0.830, sensitivity was 85.42%, specificity was 73.68%, positive predictive value (PPV) was 62.12%, and negative predictive value (NPV) was 9.10% in predicting clinical active disease. Similarly, the power of FC to predict mucosal healing (MH) was modest. With a cut-off value of 154.5 μg/g, the AUC was 0.839, sensitivity was 72.34%, and specificity was 85.71%. Conclusion: For evaluating the disease activity of UC, FC is a clinically relevant biomarker for both clinically active disease and MH in patients with UC. But the cut-off value still needs large and multicenter studies for confirmation.

['Chen|Fang|F|', 'Hu|Yue|Y|', 'Fan|Yi-Hong|YH|', 'Lv|Bin|B|']

2021

31549503

Free-Energy-Based Gene Mutation Detection Using LNA Probes.

We have developed a label-free approach for direct detection of gene mutations using free-energy values that are derived from single-molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS)-based nucleic acid unbinding experiments. From the duplex unbinding force values acquired by SMFS, the force-loading-rate-independent Gibbs free-energy values were derived using Jarzinsky's equality treatment. Because it provides molecule-by-molecule information, this approach is a major shift compared to the earlier reports on label-free detection of DNA sequences, which are mostly based on ensemble level data. We tested our approach in the disease model framework of multiple drug-resistant tuberculosis using the nuclease-resistant and conformationally rigid locked nucleic acid probes that are a robust and efficient alternative to the DNA probes. All of the major mutations in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), as relevant to MTB's resistance to the first-line anti-TB drugs rifampicin and isoniazid, could be identified, and the wild type could be discriminated from the most prevalent mutation and the most prevalent mutation from the less occurring ones. Our approach could also identify DNA sequences (45 mer), having overhang stretches at different positions with respect to the complementary stretch. Probably for the first time, the findings show that free-energy-based detection of gene mutations is possible at molecular resolution.

['Lahiri|Hiya|H|', 'Banerjee|Siddhartha|S|', 'Mukhopadhyay|Rupa|R|0000-0002-6753-079X']

2019

30488815

"Doing CRISPR".

Salmon farming is a key industry in Norway, with firsthand value of more than 60 billion Norwegian crowns in 2017. The salmon industry is a driving force for biotechnological applications in the marine sector. The recent release of the Atlantic salmon reference genome offers new opportunities to solve major aquaculture bottlenecks that currently limit expansion of the industry. One major bottleneck is the genetic impact of escaped farmed salmon on wild populations. To solve this problem, the industry can use sterile salmon in production. As shown by Wargelius et al., sterile salmon can be made by preventing the formation of germ cells through genome editing using the CRISPR-Cas9 method. This approach solves problems of genetic introgression and precocious maturation. However, genome editing of animals, especially for human consumption, raises ethical as well as safety and legal questions. These social and ethical aspects can have tremendous impact in analyzing the final result of salmon farming (e.g., consumer acceptability of a fresh or frozen filet or similar salmon product) but also can be examined "upstream" by describing and assessing the research communities that promote and carry out the science that underpins the salmon industry. Who produces the scientific "facts" that govern the Norwegian aquaculture industry? How do these scientific communities work together? What are the societal impacts of this science? This article uses ethnographical observation and interviews to describe the state-of-the-art of CRISPR gene-editing procedures currently employed in the science and industry collaboration in Norway.

['Dankel|Dorothy Jane|DJ|0000-0002-8839-3333']

2018

28364186

Effect of Nerve Growth Factor on Neural Differentiation of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells.

The cholinergic, GABAergic, and catecholaminergic neurons derived from mouse embryonic stem cells in a culture medium supplemented with recombinant NGF were phenotyped and scored. NGF stimulated generation of neurons, but not neuronal progenitors from embryonic stem cells and affected the proportion of specific types of neurons in cultures of differentiating embryonic stem cells. These findings open vista to employ NGF for generation of specific neuron types from embryonic stem cells for fundamental and toxicological studies.

['Antonov|S A|SA|', 'Manuilova|E S|ES|', 'Dolotov|O V|OV|', 'Kobylyansky|A G|AG|', 'Safina|D R|DR|', 'Grivennikov|I A|IA|']

2017

27217633

Evaluation of the dentinal wall adaptation ability of MTA Fillapex using stereo electron microscope.

BACKGROUND An ideal root canal obturation requires a complete dentinal wall adaptation of sealer and Gutta-percha combinations without any gap formations. AIMS The aim of the study was to evaluate the dentinal wall adaptation ability of MTA Fillapex root canal sealer using stereo electron microscope (SEM). METHODS Twenty-four, single-rooted, human maxillary incisor teeth were used. All canals were prepared with a rotary nickel-titanium (Ni-Ti) instrument to a size F3 file. Teeth divided into two equal groups and one of the experimental groups was filled with AH Plus, and the other group was filled with MTA Fillapex using Gutta-percha single cone as a core material. The roots were prepared for SEM evaluation, and serial scanning electron photomicrographs were taken at ×50, ×100, ×500, and ×1000 magnifications. The gaps between the root canal sealer and canal walls were detected and measured in coronal, middle, and apical thirds. For each section, the highest value among the detected gap formations was recorded. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS Mann-Whitney U-test, Freidman, and Wilcoxon tests were used. RESULTS The statistical analysis showed no significant difference between two sealers in terms of gap formation (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS MTA Fillapex has a similar dentinal wall adaptation ability as AH Plus does.

['Demiriz|Levent|L|', 'Koçak|Mustafa Murat|MM|', 'Koçak|Sibel|S|', 'Sağlam|Baran Can|BC|', 'Türker|Sevinç Aktemur|SA|']

2016

27609063

Confirmatory analysis of etanercept in equine plasma by LC-MS for doping control.

Etanercept is a protein-based medication for the treatment of human patients with rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune-based diseases; its pharmacological action is to inhibit and antagonize tumour necrosis factor alpha. Etanercept was rumoured to be used in horse racing in North America. To detect such use, the aim of this study was to develop a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) method for confirmation of etanercept in equine plasma. Etanercept was extracted from plasma by anti-human IgG antibody linked to magnetic beads. The analyte was reduced and alkylated, and then digested by trypsin. Tryptic peptides (T1 from human tumour necrosis factor receptor 2 of etanercept, T15 and T27 from human IgG1 of the protein) were employed for detection and confirmation of the analyte. The limit of detection was 5 ng/mL, and the limit of confirmation 10 ng/mL. This method is specific for confirmation of etanercept, as assessed using the results from BLAST and SEQUEST searches. The results from SEQUEST searches also revealed an unexpected unique specificity of product ion spectrum of IgG1 T27 with only a single product ion for identification of etanercept. It is the first report for such a finding, to the authors' knowledge. The method was successful in analyses of the plasma samples collected post administration of etanercept to horses. Etanercept was detected up to 11 days post administration. This method will be helpful for confirmation of etanercept or other protein-based drugs consisting of human IgG1, in equine drug testing. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

['Guan|Fuyu|F|', 'Robinson|Mary A|MA|', 'Soma|Lawrence R|LR|']

2017

30488839

Single-fraction radiation: A promising adjuvant therapy to prevent keloid recurrence.

Introduction Keloids are characterized by collection of atypical fibroblasts with excessive deposition of extracellular matrix components. Keloids are prone to high recurrence (50%-80%) with unimodality treatment. Radiation is a promising approach among the adjuvant modalities in vogue though consensus is lacking on dose-fractionation schedule. Aim The present study aimed to analyze the efficacy of single-fraction high-dose adjuvant radiotherapy to prevent keloid recurrence. Materials and Methods Details of patients treated for keloids using external beam radiation therapy from January 2011 to December 2016 were retrieved from electronic medical records and radiation therapy charts and analyzed. Results Thirty-seven keloid lesions in thirty patients were analyzed. Keloids received radiation within 24-72 h postsurgery using 6 MeV electron beam. 45.9% of keloids were in the chest wall. Dose ranged between 5 Gy and 12 Gy in 1-3 fractions. Eight Gy was used in 78.4%. The single fraction was preferred in 91.9%. Good cosmesis was achieved in all except three who had wound dehiscence. Median follow-up was 32.67 months. 16.2% had recurrence. Median time to recur was 13.6 months, and median recurrence-free interval 21.23 months. Among those who received 8 Gy single fraction, 73.4% remained recurrence-free at 5 years. Conclusion Albeit a retrospective analysis, ours is the only study in literature offering 8 Gy single dose, using electrons, as a postoperative adjuvant treatment to prevent recurrence in keloids. Our recurrence rates were similar to that quoted in published series. This hence can be validated in further studies as it is cosmetically acceptable, safe, painless, and cost-effective with good patient compliance.

['Sruthi|K|K|', 'Chelakkot|Prameela G|PG|', 'Madhavan|Ram|R|', 'Nair|Rajesh R|RR|', 'Dinesh|Makuny|M|']

2018

34380221

Optimized approach for developing soil fugitive dust emission inventory in "2+26" Chinese cities.

Based on the wind erosion equation and the use of moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite remote sensing data combined with parameter normalization processing, an optimized high spatial-temporal resolution soil fugitive dust (SFD) emission inventory compiling method was proposed in this study. The "2 + 26" cities in northern China, where heavy pollution frequently occurs, were used as a case study. Using the optimized method, we estimated that the PM50, PM10, and PM2.5 emissions from SFD of "2 + 26" cities in 2018 were 2,014,927, 1,007,463, and 151,120 tons, respectively. The dust emissions and emission factors of each city presented significant differences and were generally of a greater level in high-latitude areas (such as cities in Hebei Province) than in low-latitude areas (such as cities in Henan and Shandong Province). Moreover, with an increase in latitude, vegetation cover factors generally exhibit an upward trend, while temperature and rainfall exhibit a downward trend. The dust emissions in the different months showed significant differences. The total dust emission reached the highest level in "late winter-early spring" season (February to April), and the monthly emission accounted for 15-17% of the annual emissions. While in the "summer-autumn" season (July to November), it is the lowest level of the whole year, monthly emissions accounted for 3-5% of the annual emissions. The emission inventory method proposed in this study can provide a reference for dust emission assessment and further pollution prevention and control work.

['Li|Tingkun|T|', 'Bi|Xiaohui|X|', 'Dai|Qili|Q|', 'Wu|Jianhui|J|', 'Zhang|Yufen|Y|', 'Feng|Yinchang|Y|']

2021

31473548

Variety-dependent responses of rice plants with differential cadmium accumulating capacity to cadmium telluride quantum dots (CdTe QDs): Cadmium uptake, antioxidative enzyme activity, and gene expression.

The excess release of engineered nanomaterials into farmland poses a serious threat to food security. Although rice varieties exhibit substantial variation in cadmium accumulation, their responses to Cd-based nanoparticles are largely unknown. In this work, we investigated the accumulation of cadmium telluride quantum dots (CdTe QDs at 0.5, 1.0, 2.5, 5.0mg-Cd/L) in two rice varieties with different Cd accumulation capacity. It was found that 5.0mg-Cd/L of CdTe QDs had minor growth inhibition to the high-Cd-accumulating variety (T705) relative to the low-Cd-accumulating variety (X24) after 7-day exposure. The two rice varieties had comparable Cd content in roots; however, T705 exhibited higher Cd content in shoots than X24. Transmission electron and confocal laser scanning microscopic observations demonstrated that more CdTe QDs can be transported and accumulated from roots to shoots in T705. The activities and gene expression of antioxidative enzymes in leaves of T705 increased more significantly than those of X24. Our findings for the first time validated that Cd accumulation divergence exists in different rice varieties when they are exposed to Cd-based QDs, the genetic basis for which needs to be further examined.

['Lian|Fei|F|', 'Wang|Changrong|C|', 'Wang|Chuanxi|C|', 'Gu|Shiguo|S|', 'Cao|Xuesong|X|']

2019

32477084

Importance of the Habenula for Avoidance Learning Including Contextual Cues in the Human Brain: A Preliminary fMRI Study.

Human habenula studies are gradually advancing, primarily through the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) analysis of passive (Pavlovian) conditioning tasks as well as probabilistic reinforcement learning tasks. However, no studies have particularly targeted aversive prediction errors, despite the essential importance for the habenula in the field. Complicated learned strategies including contextual contents are involved in making aversive prediction errors during the learning process. Therefore, we examined habenula activation during a contextual learning task. We performed fMRI on a group of 19 healthy controls. We assessed the manually traced habenula during negative outcomes during the contextual learning task. The Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition (BDI-II), the State-Trait-Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) were also administered. The left and right habenula were activated during aversive outcomes and the activation was associated with aversive prediction errors. There was also a positive correlation between TCI reward dependence scores and habenula activation. Furthermore, dynamic causal modeling (DCM) analyses demonstrated the left and right habenula to the left and right hippocampus connections during the presentation of contextual stimuli. These findings serve to highlight the neural mechanisms that may be relevant to understanding the broader relationship between the habenula and learning processes.

['Yoshino|Atsuo|A|', 'Okamoto|Yasumasa|Y|', 'Sumiya|Yuki|Y|', 'Okada|Go|G|', 'Takamura|Masahiro|M|', 'Ichikawa|Naho|N|', 'Nakano|Takashi|T|', 'Shibasaki|Chiyo|C|', 'Aizawa|Hidenori|H|', 'Yamawaki|Yosuke|Y|', 'Kawakami|Kyoko|K|', 'Yokoyama|Satoshi|S|', 'Yoshimoto|Junichiro|J|', 'Yamawaki|Shigeto|S|']

2020

34167332

Excimer Laser Coronary Angioplasty in Coronary Lesions: Use and Safety From the NCDR/CATH PCI Registry.

[Figure: see text].

['Sintek|Marc|M|', 'Coverstone|Edward|E|', 'Bach|Richard|R|', 'Zajarias|Alan|A|', 'Lasala|John|J|', 'Kurz|Howard|H|', 'Kennedy|Kevin|K|', 'Singh|Jasvindar|J|']

2021

32163860

Nurses perspectives on healthcare errors in oncology care: A cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE Recognition and responses of the health system to healthcare errors are key areas for improvement in oncology. Despite their role in direct patient care, nurses' perceptions of errors have rarely been explored. The aim of this study was to determine oncology nurses' direct experience of healthcare errors in the previous six months; the circumstances surrounding the error; and ensuing actions by the healthcare system. METHODS Cross-sectional survey of nurses who were members of an oncology nursing society and/or registered or enrolled nurses employed in an oncology setting. Participants indicated whether they had direct experience (i.e. direct involvement or witnessing) of error(s) in the previous six months. Those who experienced an error indicated their perceptions of the: cause; location and phase of care; how the error was identified, who was responsible, level of harm and action(s) taken. RESULTS 67% (n = 65/97) of nurses who completed the survey had direct experience with at least one error in the previous six months. According to these nurses, most occurred during treatment (n = 48, 74%), happened in outpatient clinics (n = 28, 43%) and were related to chemotherapy (n = 15, 23%). Nurses perceived errors were primarily caused by nurses (n = 36, 55%) and doctors (n = 27, 42%); and 54% (n = 35) were deemed 'near-miss'. Nurses perceived errors were recorded (n = 40, 62%), explained to patients (n = 33, 51%) and an apology provided (n = 32, 49%). CONCLUSION Two-thirds of oncology nurses in this study had direct experience with an error in the previous six months. Nurses perceived response to errors as inconsistent with open disclosure standards. Strategies to improve accuracy of measures of error and response of the health system, including adherence to open disclosure processes, are required.

['Waller|Amy|A|', 'Turon|Heidi|H|', 'Bryant|Jamie|J|', 'Shepherd|Jan|J|', 'Hobden|Bree|B|', 'Sanson-Fisher|Rob|R|']

2020

31548353

The impact of a named GP scheme on continuity of care and emergency hospital admission: a cohort study among older patients in England, 2012-2016.

OBJECTIVE To investigate whether the introduction of a named general practitioner (GP, family physician) improved patients' healthcare for patients aged 75 and over in England. SETTING Random sample of 27 500 patients aged 65 to 84 in 2012 within 139 English practices from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink linked with Hospital Episode Statistics. DESIGN Prospective cohort approach, measuring patients' GP consultations and emergency hospital admissions 2 years before/after the intervention. Patients were grouped in (i) aged over 74 and (ii) younger than 75 in both periods in order to compare who were or were not subject to the intervention. Adjusted associations between the named GP scheme, continuity of care and emergency hospital admission were examined using multilevel modelling. INTERVENTION National Health Service policy to introduce a named accountable GP for patients aged over 74 in April 2014. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES (A) Continuity of care index-score, (B) risk of emergency hospital admissions, (C) number of emergency hospital admissions. RESULTS The intervention was associated with a decrease in continuity index-scores of -0.024 (95% CI -0.030 to -0.018, p<0.001); there were no differences in the decrease between the two age groups (-0.005, 95% CI -0.014 to 0.005). In the pre-intervention and post-intervention periods, respectively, 15.4% and 19.4% patients had an emergency admission. The probability of an emergency hospital admission increased after the intervention (OR 1.156, 95% CI 1.064 to 1.257, p=0.001); this increase was bigger for patients over 74 (relative OR 1.191, 95% CI 1.066 to 1.330, p=0.002). The average number of emergency hospital admissions increased after the intervention (rate ratio (RR) 1.178, 95% CI 1.103 to 1.259, p<0.001); this increase was greater for patients over 74 (relative RR 1.143, 95% CI 1.052 to 1.242, p=0.001). CONCLUSION The introduction of the named GP scheme was not associated with improvements in either continuity of care or rates of unplanned hospitalisation.

['Tammes|Peter|P|0000-0001-7959-745X', 'Payne|Rupert A|RA|', 'Salisbury|Chris|C|0000-0002-4378-3960', 'Chalder|Melanie|M|', 'Purdy|Sarah|S|', 'Morris|Richard W|RW|']

2019

27404578

Serum uric acid as a predictor of future hypertension: Stratified analysis based on body mass index and age.

BACKGROUND Serum uric acid level is a predictor of future hypertension. However, its dependence on body mass index or age is unclear. METHODS We examined 26,442 Japanese males aged 18-60years free from hypertension or diagnosed cardiovascular disease at baseline followed up between 2000 and 2010. Participants were categorized into three groups according to the tertile of serum uric acid levels [mg/dL; 1st (reference): 0.1-5.3; 2nd: 5.4-6.2; 3rd: 6.3-11.6]. Incident hypertension was defined as newly detected blood pressure≥140/90mmHg and/or antihypertensive drugs initiation. Body mass index (<25kg/m(2) vs. ≥25kg/m(2)) and age (<40years vs. ≥40years) were stratified into two groups. RESULTS During a mean follow-up of 7.2years, there were 11,361 (43%) hypertension cases. Mean serum uric acid levels (mg/dL) at baseline in each group were 1st tertile, 4.6; 2nd tertile, 5.8; and 3rd tertile, 7.0. The cumulative incident hypertension rate was significantly higher in the 3rd tertile (50.8%) than in the 1st (37.4%). Multiple-adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) for incident hypertension compared with 1st tertile were 1.01 (0.96-1.05) and 1.15 (1.10-1.21) in the 2nd and 3rd tertile, respectively. There was a significant interaction between age and serum uric acid level (p for interaction=0.035). In subjects aged ≥40years, the 3rd serum uric acid group showed higher hazard ratios [1.48 (1.38-1.59)]. CONCLUSION High serum uric acid level was associated with future hypertension in young and middle-aged Japanese males. This association was stronger among subjects ≥40years old.

['Yokoi|Yuki|Y|', 'Kondo|Takahisa|T|', 'Okumura|Naoki|N|', 'Shimokata|Keiko|K|', 'Osugi|Shigeki|S|', 'Maeda|Kengo|K|', 'Murohara|Toyoaki|T|']

2016

25551092

Analysis and evaluation of relative positions of mandibular third molar and mandibular canal impacts.

OBJECTIVES This study used cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images to categorize the relationships between the mandibular canal and the roots and investigated the prevalence of nerve damage. MATERIALS AND METHODS Through CBCT images, contact and three-dimensional positional relationships between the roots of the mandibular third molar and the mandibular canal were investigated. With this data, prevalence of nerve damage according to the presence of contact and three-dimensional positional relationships was studied. Other factors that affected the prevalence of nerve damage were also investigated. RESULTS When the mandibular third molar and the mandibular canal were shown to have direct contact in CBCT images, the prevalence of nerve damage was higher than in other cases. Also, in cases where the mandibular canal was horizontally lingual to the mandibular third molar and the mandibular canal was vertically at the cervical level of the mandibular third molar, the prevalence of nerve damage was higher than in opposite cases. The percentage of mandibular canal contact with the roots of the mandibular third molar was higher when the mandibular canal was horizontally lingual to the mandibular third molar. Finally, the prevalence of nerve damage was higher when the diameter of the mandibular canal lumen suddenly decreased at the contact area between the mandibular canal and the roots, as shown in CBCT images. CONCLUSION The three-dimensional relationship of the mandibular third molar and the mandibular canal can help predict nerve damage and can guide patient expectations of the possibility and extent of nerve damage.

['Kim|Hang-Gul|HG|', 'Lee|Jae-Hoon|JH|']

2014

28237205

Value Assessment Frameworks for HTA Agencies: The Organization of Evidence-Informed Deliberative Processes.

Priority setting in health care has been long recognized as an intrinsically complex and value-laden process. Yet, health technology assessment agencies (HTAs) presently employ value assessment frameworks that are ill fitted to capture the range and diversity of stakeholder values and thereby risk compromising the legitimacy of their recommendations. We propose "evidence-informed deliberative processes" as an alternative framework with the aim to enhance this legitimacy. This framework integrates two increasingly popular and complementary frameworks for priority setting: multicriteria decision analysis and accountability for reasonableness. Evidence-informed deliberative processes are, on one hand, based on early, continued stakeholder deliberation to learn about the importance of relevant social values. On the other hand, they are based on rational decision-making through evidence-informed evaluation of the identified values. The framework has important implications for how HTA agencies should ideally organize their processes. First, HTA agencies should take the responsibility of organizing stakeholder involvement. Second, agencies are advised to integrate their assessment and appraisal phases, allowing for the timely collection of evidence on values that are considered relevant. Third, HTA agencies should subject their decision-making criteria to public scrutiny. Fourth, agencies are advised to use a checklist of potentially relevant criteria and to provide argumentation for how each criterion affected the recommendation. Fifth, HTA agencies must publish their argumentation and install options for appeal. The framework should not be considered a blueprint for HTA agencies but rather an aspirational goal-agencies can take incremental steps toward achieving this goal.

['Baltussen|Rob|R|', 'Jansen|Maarten Paul Maria|MPM|', 'Bijlmakers|Leon|L|', 'Grutters|Janneke|J|', 'Kluytmans|Anouck|A|', 'Reuzel|Rob P|RP|', 'Tummers|Marcia|M|', 'der Wilt|Gert Jan van|GJV|']

2017

22837770

Evaluation of a parent-based behavioral intervention program for children with autism in a low-resource setting.

BACKGROUND Intensive behavioral intervention programs are recommended for children with autism. However, in resource-constraint settings, such programs are largely inaccessible, and there is an urgent need for development of low-cost interventions. AIM To evaluate the efficacy of a parent-based behavioral intervention program in Indian autistic children. MATERIALS AND METHODS Sixteen children with autistic disorder undergoing the intervention for at least six months were enrolled. The mean development, social, expressive, and receptive language quotients, and the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) and Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC) scores were compared before and after the intervention. RESULTS The average duration of therapy was 19.5±11.78 months. There was a significant improvement in the development quotient (P=0.015), social quotient (P=0.004), expressive language quotient (P=0.03), CARS (P=0.001), and ABC (P=0.014) scores. CONCLUSION Parent-based behavioral intervention programs have a promising role in management of children with autism in resource-constraint settings.

['Juneja|Monica|M|', 'Mukherjee|Sharmila Banerjee|SB|', 'Sharma|Suvasini|S|', 'Jain|Rahul|R|', 'Das|Biswajit|B|', 'Sabu|Philomina|P|']

2012

34189249

An international, randomized, placebo-controlled, phase 2b clinical trial of intepirdine for dementia with Lewy bodies (HEADWAY-DLB).

Introduction A phase 2b clinical trial, HEADWAY-DLB, was performed to assess treatment with intepirdine, a serotonin receptor antagonist, in patients with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Methods HEADWAY-DLB was a multinational, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. Two hundred sixty-nine DLB patients were randomized to receive placebo, 70 mg/day intepirdine, or 35 mg/day intepirdine over 24 weeks. The primary endpoint was change from baseline to week 24 on the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale-Part III (UPDRS-III). Results Both intepirdine groups did not demonstrate significant benefits over placebo at 24 weeks on the UPDRS-III (35 mg/day: P = .1580, 70 mg/day: P = .6069). All other endpoints were not significant. Intepirdine was well tolerated, with a slightly higher incidence of gastrointestinal adverse events observed in the intepirdine groups versus placebo. Discussion Intepirdine treatment did not lead to improvements over placebo in patients with DLB. As one of the largest DLB studies to date, HEADWAY-DLB demonstrates that international trials for DLB are feasible within a reasonable timeframe.

['Lang|Frederick M|FM|', 'Kwon|Daniel Y|DY|', 'Aarsland|Dag|D|', 'Boeve|Brad|B|', 'Tousi|Babak|B|', 'Harnett|Mark|M|', 'Mo|Yi|Y|', 'Noel Sabbagh|Marwan|M|']

2021

26503395

Protocol for the Care-IS Trial: a randomised controlled trial of a supportive educational intervention for carers of patients with high-grade glioma (HGG).

INTRODUCTION High-grade glioma (HGG) is a rapidly progressive and debilitating disease. Primary carers experience significant levels of distress which impacts on their experience of caregiving, the quality of care received and the community in terms of the increased reliance on healthcare due to the potential development of complicated grief. This paper describes the protocol for testing the efficacy and feasibility of an intervention for primary carers of patients with HGG in order to improve preparedness to care and reduce carer distress. METHODS Randomised controlled trial. The target population is carers of patients with HGG who are undergoing combined chemoradiotherapy. The intervention consists of 4 components: (1) initial telephone assessment of unmet needs of the carer, (2) tailoring of a personalised resource folder, (3) home visit, (4) ongoing monthly telephone contact and support for 12 months. The control arm will receive usual care. PRIMARY HYPOTHESIS This intervention will improve preparedness for caring and reduce carer psychological distress. SECONDARY HYPOTHESIS This intervention will reduce carer unmet needs. The longer term aim of the intervention is to reduce patient healthcare resource utilisation and, by doing so, reduce costs. Assessments will be obtained at baseline, 8 weeks post intervention, then 4, 6 and 12 months. Participants will also complete a healthcare utilisation checklist and proxy performance status which will be assessed at baseline and monthly. 240 carers will be recruited. The sample size is 180. Multilevel mixed effects regression models will be applied to test the effect of the intervention. ETHICS Ethics approval has been gained from Curtin University and the participating sites. DISSEMINATION Results will be reported in international peer-reviewed journals. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registration (ACTRN)12612001147875.

['Halkett|Georgia K B|GK|', 'Lobb|Elizabeth A|EA|', 'Miller|Lisa|L|', 'Phillips|Jane L|JL|', 'Shaw|Thérése|T|', 'Moorin|Rachael|R|', 'Long|Anne|A|', 'King|Anne|A|', 'Clarke|Jenny|J|', 'Fewster|Stephanie|S|', 'Hudson|Peter|P|', 'Agar|Meera|M|', 'Nowak|Anna K|AK|']

2015

28928591

Accidental Perforation of Submental Flexometallic Tube.

Oral and maxillofacial surgeries associated with complications due to endotracheal tube (ETT) damage are being reported in literature increasingly. In this case, we report a rare case of accidental perforation of a flexometallic ETT intraoperatively during an orthognathic corrective surgery, in a 19-year-old female patient in whom submental intubation had been performed. The complication was managed conservatively as the tissue debris created during the osteotomy drilling occluded the damage and caused a good seal of the damage, with minimal leak, and no airway compromise. The purpose of this article is to highlight these hazards and discuss alternative airway management approaches so that anesthesiologists can recognize these complications and be prepared to deal with them in a proper manner.

['Sundaram|Subbulakshmi|S|', 'Ramdas|Gowthaman|G|', 'Paul|Anisha Pauline|AP|', 'Krishnasamy|Sekaran Natesan|SN|']

2017

30196000

Characterization of microbial communities of soils from gold mine tailings and identification of mercury-resistant strain.

To enrich the understanding of the complex environmental system of soil and microorganisms in gold tailings, we studied the effects of environmental factors on the microbial community diversity in gold mine tailing soil in Beijing, and the strains screened from the soil with serious mercury (Hg) pollution. The results showed that microbial diversity and community composition varied among sites, and at varying depths, soil microbes were significantly affected by soil environmental factors such as lead (Pb), Hg, pH, and total organic carbon (TOC). Pb and Hg negatively affected soil microbial diversity, and less-polluted soil showed increased microbial diversities and complex community structure. Community composition analysis showed that Firmicutes, Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria were the dominant microorganisms. Moreover, Hg-resistant bacterial species isolated from soil samples were identified as Pseudomonas plecoglossicida with a high Hg tolerance efficiency. This study is important in understanding the microbial diversity and function in gold mine tailing soils and can widen the application for bioremediation process.

['Ji|Hongbing|H|', 'Zhang|Yan|Y|', 'Bararunyeretse|Prudence|P|', 'Li|Hongxia|H|']

2018

27549685

Neonatal clavicle fracture in cesarean delivery: incidence and risk factors.

BACKGROUND Neonatal clavicle fracture in cesarean delivery is rare and has not been extensively studied. METHODS We performed a retrospective review of cesarean deliveries with neonatal clavicle fracture during a 12-year period. Maternal and neonatal factors as well as surgical factors related to cesarean delivery for the fracture were determined and compared to the control group to analyze their significance. RESULTS Among a total 89 367 deliveries during the study period, 36 286 babies were born via cesarean section. Nineteen cases of clavicle fractures in cesarean section were identified (0.05% of total live births via cesarean section). In the analysis of maternal and neonatal risk factors, birthweight, birthweight ≥ 4000  g and maternal age were significantly associated with clavicle fracture in cesarean section. However, clavicle fractures were not correlated with the selected surgical factors such as indication for cesarean section, skin incision to delivery time and incision type of skin and uterus. Logistic regression analysis showed that birthweight was the major risk factor for clavicle fracture. CONCLUSION Clavicle fractures complicated 0.05% of cesarean deliveries. The main risk factor related to a clavicle fracture in cesarean section was the birthweight of an infant. As reported in previous studies associated with vaginal delivery, clavicle fracture is considered to be an unavoidable event and may not be eliminated, even in cesarean delivery.

['Choi|Hyun Ah|HA|', 'Lee|Yeon Kyung|YK|', 'Ko|Sun Young|SY|', 'Shin|Son Moon|SM|']

2017

28052622

Novel targets for hepatitis B virus therapy.

Treatment with either pegylated interferon-alpha (pegIFN-α) or last generation nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs) successfully leads to serum viral load suppression in most chronically infected hepatitis B (CHB) patients, but HBsAg loss is only achieved in 10% of the cases after a 5-year follow-up. Thus, therapy must be administered long-term and it will not completely eliminate infection because of the persistent hepatitis B virus (HBV) minichromosome in infected cells, and cannot completely abolish the risk of developing severe sequelae such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Recent progress in the development of in vitro and in vivo models of HBV infection have helped renew interest in the investigation of the viral life cycle, as well as specific virus-host cell interactions to identify new targets for the development of new antiviral drugs. This includes either direct inhibition of viral replication by targeting fundamental steps such as entry, cccDNA formation/stability, viral transcripts, capsid assembly and secretion or the manipulation of the host immune system for better defence against infection. Multiple strategies are currently under investigation, including boosting endogenous innate responses and/or restoring adaptive immunity via engineering of HBV-specific T cells or via the use of inhibitors of negative regulators, as well as therapeutic vaccines. It is increasingly clear that multiple therapeutic strategies must be combined to reach a cure of HBV and that the definition of clinical, virological and immunological correlates for the management of treatment are urgently needed.

['Testoni|Barbara|B|', 'Durantel|David|D|', 'Zoulim|Fabien|F|']

2017

34129202

Carbamylated Erythropoietin Alleviates Kidney Damage in Diabetic Rats by Suppressing Oxidative Stress.

The oxidative stress response plays an important role in the occurrence and development of diabetic kidney disease (DKD). It has become a new treatment target for DKD. In the current study, the effects of carbamylated erythropoietin (CEPO) on renal oxidative stress and damage in diabetic rats were examined. Thirty Sprague Dawley rats were intraperitoneally administered with 60 mg/kg streptozotocin to establish the diabetes model. The diabetic rats were randomly allocated into 4 groups (n=6 each): diabetes model group (DM group), DM + CEPO treatment group (DC group), DM + CEPO + EPO receptor (EPOR) blocking peptide treatment group (DCEB group), and DM + CEPO + CD131 blocking peptide treatment group (DCCB group). Meanwhile, a normal control group (NC group, n=6) was set up. Kidney tissues and blood samples were obtained for evaluation of oxidative stress and renal function. The results showed that diabetic rats exhibited increased oxidative stress in the kidney and early pathological changes associated with DKD. Treatment with CEPO reduced oxidative stress and attenuated renal dysfunction. However, diabetic rats treated with the combination of CEPO and EPOR blocking peptide or CD131 blocking peptide showed increased oxidative stress and reduced renal function when compared with CEPO treatment alone group. These results suggested that CEPO can protect against kidney damage in DKD by inhibiting oxidative stress injury via EPOR-CD131 heterodimers.

['Dang|Jian-Zhong|JZ|', 'Tu|Ya-Fang|YF|', 'Wang|Juan|J|', 'Yang|Ying-Jie|YJ|']

2021

26604485

Immuno-reactivity of excised lymph nodes in neck dissections of squamous cell carcinomas of oral cavity.

BACKGROUND Regional lymph nodes play an important role in acting as anatomic barriers to systemic dissemination of tumor cells. This reflects in the host immunologic response. Oral squamous cell carcinoma, is known to be associated with early deficiencies of cell-mediated immunity, the pathology of which is reflected in the histology of the regional lymph nodes. AIM The goal of this study was to study the different immunity reactions in the lymph nodes and to correlate it with the histopathology of tumor proper. MATERIALS AND METHODS Out of 40 head and neck dissections, 30 were male and 10 females within the age range of 21-72 years. According to Tumor Node Metastasis classification, there were 12 cases of stage II and stage III, respectively while 16 were of stage IV. A total of 372 nodes were histologically evaluated. The harvested lymph nodes were categorized into metastatic and non-metastatic nodes exhibiting four patterns as: Lymphocyte predominance pattern, germinal center predominance pattern, lymphocyte depleted pattern and unstimulated pattern. RESULTS The predominant pattern of lymph node reactivity was of lymphocyte predominance (199 nodes) followed by germinal center predominance (117 nodes); lymphocyte depleted (17 nodes) and unstimulated node pattern (39 nodes). Twenty-seven nodes were positive for metastasis. A statistically significant relationship (P = 0.0019 and P = 0.0290, chi square, respectively) was observed between the number of nodes harvested and stage and level of lymph nodes. A brief follow-up period of 3 years was carried out. CONCLUSION Further studies relating the immuno-morphologic assessment of the lymph nodes in conjunction with other factors may be helpful in assessing the metastases risk of the individual.

['Suchitra|G|G|', 'Puranik|R S|RS|', 'Vanaki|S S|SS|', 'Prasad|B Ganesh|BG|', 'Malgaonkar|Nikhil I|NI|']

2015

29299233

Mating status correlates with dorsal brightness in some but not all poison frog populations.

Sexual signals are important for intraspecific communication and mate selection, but their evolution may be driven by both natural and sexual selection, and stochastic processes. Strawberry poison frogs (Oophaga pumilio) show strong color divergence among populations, but coloration also varies among individuals of the same population. The importance of coloration for female mate choice has been studied intensely, and sexual selection seems to affect color divergence in strawberry poison frogs. However, the effect of coloration on mating success under field conditions has received very little attention. Furthermore, few studies examined how phenotypic variation among individuals of the same color morph affects mate selection under natural conditions. We measured the spectral reflectance of courting and noncourting individuals and their background substrates in three geographically separated populations. In one population (Sarapiquí, Costa Rica), we found that naturally occurring courting pairs of males and females had significantly brighter dorsal coloration than individual males and females not engaged in courtship interactions. Our field observations suggest that, in the wild, females prefer brighter males while the reason for the higher courtship activity of brighter females remains unclear. Overall our results imply that brightness differences among individuals of the same color morph may actually affect reproductive success in some populations of strawberry poison frogs.

['Dreher|Corinna E|CE|0000-0003-4144-2932', 'Rodríguez|Ariel|A|0000-0003-1936-793X', 'Cummings|Molly E|ME|', 'Pröhl|Heike|H|']

2017

27286454

Heterogeneity of metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma: Lung metastasis show better prognosis than liver metastasis-a case control study.

The prognosis of metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is grim, with a median overall survival of under 1 year. In our clinical practice, we observed a few cases of isolated lung metastases from PDAC with unusually long outcomes. We compared these cases in a case-control study of lung-only vs. liver-only metastases from PDAC.From our database, we found 37 cases of lung-only metastases and paired them with 37 cases of liver-only metastases by age, tumor location and treatment.The lung-only group differed significantly from the liver-only group with respect to the following parameters: female predominance, more metachronous cases, fewer nodules per patient, and smaller increases in tumor markers. Local invasion parameters (i.e., arterial or venous involvement) were not significantly different. The outcomes were significantly different, with a median overall survival from the occurrence of metastases of 20.8 vs. 9.1 months and a median progression-free survival of 11 vs. 3.5 months.In conclusion, this case-control study seemed to confirm that lung-only PDAC metastases have prognoses different from those of liver-only metastases. A better understanding of the mechanisms underlying these differences will help identify abnormalities associated with tumor aggressiveness.

['Decoster|Claire|C|', 'Gilabert|Marine|M|', 'Autret|Aurélie|A|', 'Turrini|Olivier|O|', 'Oziel-Taieb|Sandrine|S|', 'Poizat|Flora|F|', 'Giovannini|Marc|M|', 'Viens|Patrice|P|', 'Iovanna|Juan|J|', 'Raoul|Jean-Luc|JL|']

2016

32390116

Development of Acellular Respiratory Mucosal Matrix Using Porcine Tracheal Mucosa.

BACKGROUND Respiratory mucosa defects result in airway obstruction and infection, requiring subsequent functional recovery of the respiratory epithelium. Because site-specific extracellular matrix (ECM) facilitates restoration of organ function by promoting cellular migration and engraftment, previous studies considered decellularized trachea an ideal ECM; however, incomplete cell removal from cartilage and mucosal-architecture destruction are frequently reported. Here, we developed a decellularization protocol and applied it to the respiratory mucosa of separated porcine tracheas. METHODS The trachea was divided into groups according to decellularization protocol: native mucosa, freezing-thawing (FT), FT followed by the use of Perasafe-based chemical agents before mucosal separation (wFTP), after mucosal separation (mFTP), and followed by DNase decellularization (mFTD). Decellularization efficacy was evaluated by DNA quantification and hematoxylin and eosin staining, and ECM content of the scaffold was evaluated by histologic analysis and glycosaminoglycan and collagen assays. Biocompatibility was assessed by cell-viability assay and in vivo transplantation. RESULTS The mFTP mucosa showed low antigenicity and maintained the ECM to form a proper microstructure. Additionally, tonsil-derived stem cells remained viable when cultured with or seeded onto mFTP mucosa, and the in vivo host response showed a constructive pattern following implantation of the mFTP scaffolds. CONCLUSION These results demonstrated that xenogenic acellular respiratory mucosa matrix displayed suitable biocompatibility as a scaffold material for respiratory mucosa engineering.

['Jung|Soo Yeon|SY|', 'Tran|An Nguyen-Thuy|AN|', 'Kim|Ha Yeong|HY|', 'Choi|Euno|E|', 'Lee|So Jeong|SJ|', 'Kim|Han Su|HS|']

2020

25826077

FLT3-ITD confers resistance to the PI3K/Akt pathway inhibitors by protecting the mTOR/4EBP1/Mcl-1 pathway through STAT5 activation in acute myeloid leukemia.

FLT3-ITD and FLT3-TKD are the most frequent tyrosine kinase mutations in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), with the former associated with poor prognosis. Here, we show that the PI3K inhibitor GDC-0941 or the Akt inhibitor MK-2206 induced apoptosis through the mitochondria-mediated intrinsic pathway more efficiently in hematopoietic 32D cells driven by FLT3-TKD (32D/TKD) than FLT3-ITD (32D/ITD), which robustly activated STAT5. The resistance to GDC-0941 and MK-2206 was gained by expression of the constitutively activated STAT5 mutant STAT5A1*6 in 32D/TKD cells, while it was abrogated by the STAT5 inhibitor pimozide in 32D/ITD cells or FLT3-ITD-expressing human leukemic MV4-11 cells. GDC-0941 or MK-2206 induced dephosphorylation of 4EBP1 more conspicuously in 32D/TKD than in 32D/ITD, which was prevented or augmented by STAT5A1*6 or pimozide, respectively, and correlated with downregulation of the eIF4E/eIF4G complex formation and Mcl-1 expression. Furthermore, exogenous expression of Mcl-1 endowed resistance to GDC-0941 and MK-2206 on 32D/TKD cells. Finally, it was confirmed in primary AML cells with FLT3-ITD that pimozide enhanced 4EBP1 dephosphorylation and Mcl-1 downregulation to augment cytotoxicity of GDC-0941. These data suggest that the robust STAT5 activation by FLT3-ITD protects cells treated with the PI3K/Akt pathway inhibitors from apoptosis by maintaining Mcl-1 expression through the mTORC1/4EBP1/eIF4E pathway.

['Nogami|Ayako|A|', 'Oshikawa|Gaku|G|', 'Okada|Keigo|K|', 'Fukutake|Shusaku|S|', 'Umezawa|Yoshihiro|Y|', 'Nagao|Toshikage|T|', 'Kurosu|Tetsuya|T|', 'Miura|Osamu|O|']

2015

26079958

Biomarkers for kidney involvement in pediatric lupus.

Lupus nephritis (LN), the renal involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus, is currently diagnosed by histopathology obtained by percutaneous renal biopsy and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in both adults and children. LN is more prevalent and severe in children, requiring aggressive and prolonged immunosuppression. The consequences of the diagnosis and its treatment have devastating long-term effects on the growth, well-being and quality of life of affected children. The paucity of reliable clinical indicators of the presence and severity of renal involvement have contributed to a halt in the reduction of progression to end-stage renal disease in recent years. Here, we discuss the recent development of biomarkers in the management of LN and their role as therapeutic targets.

['Goilav|Beatrice|B|', 'Putterman|Chaim|C|', 'Rubinstein|Tamar B|TB|']

2015

33147519

Cellular uptake and toxicity of gold nanoparticles on two distinct hepatic cell models.

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have huge potential for various biomedical applications, but their successful use depends on their uptake and possible toxicity in the liver, their main site for accumulation. Therefore, in this work we compared the cytotoxic effects induced by AuNPs with different size (~ 15 nm and 60 nm), shape (nanospheres and nanostars) and capping [citrate- or 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUA)], in human HepaRG cells or primary rat hepatocytes (PRH) cultivated with serum-free or Foetal Bovine Serum (FBS)-supplemented media. The safety assessment of the AuNPs demonstrated that overall they present low toxicity towards hepatic cells. Among all the tested AuNPs, the smaller 15 nm spheres displayed the highest toxicity. The toxicological effect was capping, size and cell-type dependent with citrate-capping more toxic than MUA (PRH with FBS), the 15 nm AuNPs more toxic than 60 nm counterparts and PRH more sensitive, as compared to the HepaRG cells. The incubation with FBS-free media produced aggregation of AuNPs while its presence greatly influenced the toxicity outcomes. The cellular uptake of AuNPs was shape, size and capping dependent in PRH cultivated in FBS-supplemented media, and significantly different between the two types of cells with extensively higher internalization of AuNPs in PRH, as compared to the HepaRG cells. These data show that the physical-chemical properties of AuNPs, including size and shape, as well as the type of cellular model, greatly influence the interaction of the AuNPs with the biological environment and consequently, their toxicological effects.

['Enea|Maria|M|', 'Pereira|Eulália|E|', 'Costa|Joana|J|', 'Soares|Maria Elisa|ME|', 'Dias da Silva|Diana|D|', 'Bastos|Maria de Lourdes|ML|', 'Carmo|Helena Ferreira|HF|']

2021

26906023

Reporting of Adherence in the VOICE Trial: Did Disclosure of Product Nonuse Increase at the Termination Visit?

VOICE-a phase 2B, placebo-controlled, randomized trial testing daily use of an antiretroviral tablet (tenofovir or Truvada) or daily use of tenofovir gel in 5029 women from South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe-found none of the drug regimens effective in reducing HIV-1 acquisition in the intent-to-treat analysis. More than half of women assigned to active products in a case cohort sample had no drug detected in any plasma specimens tested during the trial. Yet, in response to questions asked of participants during the trial, ≥90 % of doses were reportedly taken. To explore factors associated with low adherence, a behavioral termination visit questionnaire was developed after early closure of the oral tenofovir and vaginal gel arms. We hypothesized that participants would be more forthcoming about nonuse after they exited the trial than during monthly/quarterly follow-up visits. Comparison of adherence reporting at routine follow-up visits with reporting at trial termination, however, indicates that disclosure of product nonadherence did not increase at the termination visit as anticipated. In resource-limited settings where women value the ancillary benefits provided by trial participation and are concerned that disclosure of nonuse may jeopardize trial participation, objective measures of adherence may yield more meaningful data regarding the inability or reluctance to use than measures of product use derived from self-report.

['Mensch|Barbara S|BS|', 'Brown|Elizabeth R|ER|', 'Liu|Karen|K|', 'Marrazzo|Jeanne|J|', 'Chirenje|Zvavahera Mike|ZM|', 'Gomez|Kailazarid|K|', 'Piper|Jeanna|J|', 'Patterson|Karen|K|', 'van der Straten|Ariane|A|']

2016

32498320

A Scoping Review of Interactions between Omega-3 Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Genetic Variation in Relation to Cancer Risk.

This scoping review examines the interaction of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and genetic variants of various types of cancers. A comprehensive search was performed to identify controlled and observational studies conducted through August 2017. Eighteen unique studies were included: breast cancer (n = 2), gastric cancer (n = 1), exocrine pancreatic cancer (n = 1), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (n = 1), prostate cancer (n = 7) and colorectal cancer (n = 6). An additional 13 studies that focused on fish intake or at-risk populations were summarized to increase readers' understanding of the topic based on this review, DHA and EPA interact with certain genetic variants to decrease breast, colorectal and prostate cancer risk, although data was limited and identified polymorphisms were heterogeneous. The evidence to date demonstrates that omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFA) may decrease cancer risk by affecting genetic variants of inflammatory pathways, oxidative stress and tumor apoptosis. Collectively, data supports the notion that once a genetic variant is identified, the benefits of a targeted, personalized therapeutic regimen that includes DHA and/or EPA should be considered.

['Yurko-Mauro|Karin|K|', 'Van Elswyk|Mary|M|', 'Teo|Lynn|L|']

2020

31284034

Community-acquired pneumonia in the emergency department: an algorithm to facilitate diagnosis and guide chest CT scan indication.

OBJECTIVE The aim was to create and validate a community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) diagnostic algorithm to facilitate diagnosis and guide chest computed tomography (CT) scan indication in patients with CAP suspicion in Emergency Departments (ED). METHODS We performed an analysis of CAP suspected patients enrolled in the ESCAPED study who had undergone chest CT scan and detection of respiratory pathogens through nasopharyngeal PCRs. An adjudication committee assigned the final CAP probability (reference standard). Variables associated with confirmed CAP were used to create weighted CAP diagnostic scores. We estimated the score values for which CT scans helped correctly identify CAP, therefore creating a CAP diagnosis algorithm. Algorithms were externally validated in an independent cohort of 200 patients consecutively admitted in a Swiss hospital for CAP suspicion. RESULTS Among the 319 patients included, 51% (163/319) were classified as confirmed CAP and 49% (156/319) as excluded CAP. Cough (weight = 1), chest pain (1), fever (1), positive PCR (except for rhinovirus) (1), C-reactive protein ≥50 mg/L (2) and chest X-ray parenchymal infiltrate (2) were associated with CAP. Patients with a score below 3 had a low probability of CAP (17%, 14/84), whereas those above 5 had a high probability (88%, 51/58). The algorithm (score calculation + CT scan in patients with score between 3 and 5) showed sensitivity 73% (95% CI 66-80), specificity 89% (95% CI 83-94), positive predictive value (PPV) 88% (95% CI 81-93), negative predictive value (NPV) 76% (95% CI 69-82) and area under the curve (AUC) 0.81 (95% CI 0.77-0.85). The algorithm displayed similar performance in the validation cohort (sensitivity 88% (95% CI 81-92), specificity 72% (95% CI 60-81), PPV 86% (95% CI 79-91), NPV 75% (95% CI 63-84) and AUC 0.80 (95% CI 0.73-0.87). CONCLUSION Our CAP diagnostic algorithm may help reduce CAP misdiagnosis and optimize the use of chest CT scan.

['Loubet|P|P|', 'Tubiana|S|S|', 'Claessens|Y E|YE|', 'Epelboin|L|L|', 'Ficko|C|C|', 'Le Bel|J|J|', 'Rammaert|B|B|', 'Garin|N|N|', 'Prendki|V|V|', 'Stirnemann|J|J|', 'Leport|C|C|', 'Yazdanpanah|Y|Y|', 'Varon|E|E|', 'Duval|X|X|', '|||', '|||', '|||', '|||', '|||', '|||']

2020