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26096812

Serum bacterial DNA detection in patients with cholangitis after Kasai procedure.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to investigate the detectability of bacterial DNA (bactDNA) and associated clinical factors in patients with cholangitis after the Kasai procedure through the identification of bactDNA in blood. METHODS A cross-sectional study of 110 patients who had undergone the Kasai procedure was carried out. A total of 77 patients had cholangitis and 33 did not. Blood samples were obtained on admission or on follow up at the outpatient visit. bactDNA was analyzed using a polymerase chain reaction-based method, DNA nucleotide sequencing, for identification of bacterial species. RESULTS Rate of bactDNA positivity was higher using the 16SrDNA method than the culture method (58.4% vs 14.3%, P < 0.0001), and more patients with cholangitis were positive for bactDNA compared with the patients without cholangitis (58.4% vs 39.4%, P = 0.095). Bacteria identified on blood 16SrDNA primarily consisted of opportunistic pathogens derived from the gut, including Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Shigella fexneri, and Enterobacteriaceae bacterium. Treatment with probiotics or antibiotics showed a trend toward reduced prevalence of bactDNA. Pediatric end-stage liver disease score, procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, and heart rate were all significantly associated with the presence of bactDNA. CONCLUSION bactDNA is frequently detected in patients with cholangitis after the Kasai procedure compared with those without cholangitis (and controls), and the bacteria are similar to those in the gut, suggesting that it is useful as an early diagnostic tool for cholangitis and other infections (registration number in Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR-ECC-13003759).

['Luo|Qianfu|Q|', 'Hao|Fabao|F|', 'Zhang|Mingman|M|', 'Guo|Chunbao|C|']

2015

31943145

The underappreciated role of rodent generalists in fungal spore dispersal networks.

Animals are often the primary dispersers of seeds and fungal spores. Specialist species that consume fruits or fungal fruiting bodies (sporocarps) as their main food source are thought to play a more important role in dispersal networks compared to generalist species. However, dispersal networks are often based on occurrence data, overlooking the influence of animal abundance and dispersal effectiveness on network interactions. Using rodent-mycorrhizal fungi networks, we determined how diet specialization and abundance influence the role of rodent species in dispersing fungal spores in temperate forests of northern New Hampshire, USA. We tracked the interactions of five rodent species and 34 fungal taxa over a 3-yr period across hardwood, mixed, and softwood forest stands. We accounted for fluctuations in rodent abundance and differences in the number of spores dispersed in rodent scat. Myodes gapperi, a fungal specialist, dispersed a more diverse spore community than rodent generalists and was consistently the most important disperser in forest types with high fungal availability. Nevertheless, during years when generalist species such as Tamias striatus and Peromyscus maniculatus reached high abundance, their relative importance (species strength) in networks approached or even surpassed that of M. gapperi, particularly in forest types where M. gapperi was less common and fungal availability was low. Increased numbers of generalists enhanced network interaction diversity and the number of fungal taxa dispersed, the timing of which was coincident with seedling establishment following masting, a stage when inoculation by mycorrhizal fungi is critical for growth and survival. Our findings suggest that although specialists play key roles in dispersing mycorrhizal fungal spores, generalists play a heretofore underappreciated role.

['Stephens|Ryan B|RB|0000-0001-8524-9873', 'Rowe|Rebecca J|RJ|0000-0002-0492-568X']

2020

24478300

Specific non-monotonous interactions increase persistence of ecological networks.

The relationship between stability and biodiversity has long been debated in ecology due to opposing empirical observations and theoretical predictions. Species interaction strength is often assumed to be monotonically related to population density, but the effects on stability of ecological networks of non-monotonous interactions that change signs have not been investigated previously. We demonstrate that for four kinds of non-monotonous interactions, shifting signs to negative or neutral interactions at high population density increases persistence (a measure of stability) of ecological networks, while for the other two kinds of non-monotonous interactions shifting signs to positive interactions at high population density decreases persistence of networks. Our results reveal a novel mechanism of network stabilization caused by specific non-monotonous interaction types through either increasing stable equilibrium points or reducing unstable equilibrium points (or both). These specific non-monotonous interactions may be important in maintaining stable and complex ecological networks, as well as other networks such as genes, neurons, the internet and human societies.

['Yan|Chuan|C|', 'Zhang|Zhibin|Z|']

2014

29305246

Incidence of anterior disc displacement without reduction of the temporomandibular joint in patients with dentofacial deformity.

The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of anterior disc displacement without reduction (ADDwoR) of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) in patients with dentofacial deformity. Eighty-eight female patients (176 joints) with skeletal class III malocclusion and 33 female patients (66 joints) with skeletal class II malocclusion, with or without anterior open bite and asymmetry, were evaluated. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the TMJ was used to diagnose ADDwoR. A statistical analysis was performed to examine the relationship between ADDwoR and skeletal structure. ADDwoR was present in 37 of the 66 joints (56.1%) in class II compared to 34 of the 176 joints (19.3%) in class III (P<0.05). In class III, ADDwoR was significantly more common in joints with mandibular asymmetry (24/74; 32.4%) than in joints with open bite (9/62; 14.5%) and joints with open bite and without mandibular asymmetry (1/38; 2.6%). In class II, ADDwoR was significantly less common in joints with mandibular asymmetry and without open bite (1/8; 12.5%). ADDwoR was only observed on the deviated side in both class III and class II with mandibular asymmetry. The prevalence of ADDwoR differed according to the dentofacial morphology.

['Ooi|K|K|', 'Inoue|N|N|', 'Matsushita|K|K|', 'Yamaguchi|H|H|', 'Mikoya|T|T|', 'Minowa|K|K|', 'Kawashiri|S|S|', 'Nishikata|S|S|', 'Tei|K|K|']

2018

34212312

Agreement Between Trend-Based and Qualitative Analysis of the Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness for Glaucoma Progression on Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography.

INTRODUCTION To evaluate the agreement between trend-based analysis and qualitative assessment of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness for glaucomatous progression on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SDOCT). METHODS Retrospective review of 190 eyes from 103 patients with glaucoma or suspected glaucoma that underwent SDOCT imaging during four consecutive clinic visits. Trend-based progression was characterized by a significantly negative slope. Progression by qualitative analysis was determined by review of raw SDOCT B-scans. RESULTS The slope was significantly greater in those with progression than without progression for both trend-based and qualitative analysis (p < 0.001). However, the qualitative grading classified a significantly greater proportion of eyes as progressing compared to trend-based analysis in both the superotemporal (ST) (23.2% vs. 10.5%, p = 0.001) and inferotemporal (IT) RNFL (27.4% vs 8.4%, p < 0.001). The trend-based and qualitative classifications of progression showed poor agreement in both the ST (kappa = 0.0135) and IT RNFL (kappa = 0.1222). The agreement between trend-based and qualitative analysis was lower for eyes with artifacts (ST = 58.11%; IT = 68.7%) than those without artifacts (ST = 80.2%; IT = 74.8%). Moreover, among eyes with artifacts, there was no significant difference in slope between those qualitatively categorized as progressing versus not progressing (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Poor agreement was found between a trend-based and qualitative analysis of change in RNFL on SDOCT. Careful qualitative review of SDOCT imaging may identify specific areas of glaucoma progression not captured by trend-based methods, especially in the presence of artifacts. Such an approach may also prove useful for detecting glaucoma progression in a clinical setting when there are few data points available.

['Thompson|Atalie C|AC|http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2817-6417', 'Li|Ang|A|', 'Asrani|Sanjay|S|']

2021

27163528

TMEPAI increases lysosome stability and promotes autophagy.

Autophagy is emerging as a critical response of normal and cancer cells to environmental changes and plays an important role in cell metabolism and maintenance of damaged organelles. Transmembrane prostate androgen-induced protein (TMEPAI) is a pro-tumorigenic factor with high expression in tumor cells. In this study, we showed that depletion of TMEPAI leads to lysosomal labilization and inhibits autophagy. Further study showed that the inhibition of autophagy induced by the depletion of TMEPAI is involved in regulation of Beclin-1. Depletion of TMEPAI increases the sensitivity of cancer cells to chemotherapeutic drugs. Our study reveals the role of TMEPAI in promoting lysosome stability and autophagy, which might be used as a target for cancer chemotherapeutic treatment.

['Luo|Shenheng|S|', 'Yang|Meng|M|', 'Lv|Dan|D|', 'Jing|Lei|L|', 'Li|Yuyin|Y|', 'Liu|Zhenxing|Z|', 'Diao|Aipo|A|']

2016

32854427

Molecular Evidence for Hybrid Origin and Phenotypic Variation of Rosa Section Chinenses.

Rosa sect. Chinenses (Rosaceae) is an important parent of modern rose that is widely distributed throughout China and plays an important role in breeding and molecular biological research. R. sect. Chinenses has variable morphological traits and mixed germplasm. However, the taxonomic status and genetic background of sect. Chinenses varieties remain unclear. In this study, we collected germplasm resources from sect. Chinenses varieties with different morphological traits. Simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers, chloroplast markers, and single copy nuclear markers were used to explore the genetic background of these germplasm resources. We described the origin of hybridization of rose germplasm resources by combining different molecular markers. The results showed that the flower and hip traits of different species in R. sect. Chinenses were significantly different. The SSR analysis showed that the two wild type varieties have different genetic backgrounds. The double petal varieties of R. sect. Chinenses could be hybrids of two wild type varieties. A phylogenetic analysis showed that the maternal inheritance of sect. Chinenses varieties had two different origins. To some extent, variation in the morphological traits of double petal species of R. sect. Chinenses reflects the influence of cultivation process. This study emphasizes that different genetic markers vary in their characteristics. Therefore, analyzing different genetic markers in could provide an insight into highly heterozygous species.

['Yang|Chenyang|C|', 'Ma|Yujie|Y|', 'Cheng|Bixuan|B|', 'Zhou|Lijun|L|', 'Yu|Chao|C|0000-0002-8096-5333', 'Luo|Le|L|', 'Pan|Huitang|H|', 'Zhang|Qixiang|Q|']

2020

34510376

Dose-Dependent Cardioprotective Effect of Hemin in Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity Via Nrf-2/HO-1 and TLR-5/NF-κB/TNF-α Signaling Pathways.

Doxorubicin (DOX) is one of the most widely used chemotherapeutic drugs, but its cardiotoxicity has been shown to be a dose-restricting factor during therapy. Finding new agents for reducing these complications is still in critical need. The current study aimed to evaluate the possible cardioprotective effect of hemin (HEM) in DOX-induced cardiotoxicity and exploring the role of toll like receptor-5/nuclear factor kappa-B/tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TLR-5/NF-κB/TNF-α) and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor-2/hemeoxygenase-1 (Nrf-2/HO-1) signaling pathways in mediating such effect. Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into five groups. They were administered DOX by interaperitoneal (i.p.) injection (15 mg/kg) on the 5th day of the experiment with or without HEM in different doses (2.5, 5, 10 mg/kg/day) i.p. for 7 days. Results showed that the DOX group had cardiotoxicity as manifested by a significant increase in cardiac enzymes, malondialdehyde (MDA), TLR-5, NF-κB, TNF-α, and cleaved caspase-3 levels with toxic histopathological changes. Based on these findings, HEM succeeded in reducing DOX-induced cardiotoxicity in a dose-dependent effect by stimulation of Nrf-2/HO-1 and inhibition of TLR-5/NF-κB/TNF-α pathways with subsequent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic effects.

['Refaie|Marwa M M|MMM|http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6211-9558', 'Shehata|Sayed|S|', 'Ibrahim|Randa Ahmed|RA|', 'Bayoumi|Asmaa M A|AMA|', 'Abdel-Gaber|Seham A|SA|']

2021

29770968

'If I can walk that far': space and embodiment in stories of illness and recovery.

Illness and recovery transform embodied experience, and transform the experience of space. Space, in turn, is a valuable resource in the telling of an illness narrative. Starting from a phenomenological perspective that takes the body to be the centre of experience, and hence of selfhood and storytelling, this article offers an argument for and an approach to analysing space as a narrative resource in stories about illness and recovery. Using a case study of one woman's stories about her amputation, it demonstrates how both narrated space and narrating space can be used as devices to structure the narrative and position its characters and interlocutors to construct the narrator's embodied experiences and identities. The article reveals intersections between embodied experience, space, and narrative identity construction, offering a new way of attending to illness narratives and a new way of engaging with narrative space.

['Heavey|Emily|E|']

2018

31531908

Backbone Structure Effect on the Thermoelectric Properties of IDT-Based p-Type Conjugated Polymers.

Four conjugated polymers are synthesized through indacenodithiohene (IDT) unit copolymerized with thiophene and thiophene derivatives. Indacenodithiohene-co-thieno[3,2-b]thiophene (IDT-TT) and indacenodithiohene-co-trans-1,2-di(2-thienyl)ethylene (IDT-TVT) exhibit better charge transport mobilities than indacenodithiohene-co-thiophene (IDT-T) and indacenodithiohene-co-3,4-ethoxylene dioxythiophene (IDT-EDOT), and also display superior thermoelectric properties after doping. Theoretical calculations suggest that IDT-EDOT and IDT-TVT have better coplanarities; the inferior performance for IDT-EDOT might be due to its low molecular weight. Meanwhile, it is worth mentioning that via the synergistic effect of two dopants (CN6CP, CuTFSI), the electrical conductivities of the polymers are further improved. The XPS data shows that the coordination interaction between copper ion and the cyano groups of CN6CP introduces cupric ions into the polymer films, which leads to the increase of the doping ratio.

['Wu|Sicheng|S|', 'Wu|Xiaoyu|X|', 'Xing|Weilong|W|', 'Sun|Yimeng|Y|', 'Zou|Ye|Y|', 'Xu|Wei|W|', 'Zhu|Daoben|D|https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6354-940X']

2020

29614779

Advances in HIV-1 Vaccine Development.

An efficacious HIV-1 vaccine is regarded as the best way to halt the ongoing HIV-1 epidemic. However, despite significant efforts to develop a safe and effective vaccine, the modestly protective RV144 trial remains the only efficacy trial to provide some level of protection against HIV-1 acquisition. This review will outline the history of HIV vaccine development, novel technologies being applied to HIV vaccinology and immunogen design, as well as the studies that are ongoing to advance our understanding of vaccine-induced immune correlates of protection.

['Gao|Yong|Y|', 'McKay|Paul F|PF|0000-0001-5195-6254', 'Mann|Jamie F S|JFS|0000-0001-7037-1286']

2018

27156361

Change in visual acuity and associated risk factors after trabeculectomy with adjunctive mitomycin C.

PURPOSE To report the 5-year incidence of visual impairment after mitomycin C-augmented trabeculectomy (MMC trabeculectomy) and the risk factors for visual impairment. METHODS This is a multicentre prospective observational cohort study. Among glaucoma patients registered in the Collaborative Bleb-related Infection Incidence and Treatment Study performed in Japan, the patients with eyes meeting the following qualifications were included: eyes with primary open-angle glaucoma; eyes with primary angle-closure glaucoma; eyes with exfoliative glaucoma; eyes with ≥3/60 in blindness analysis; and eyes with ≥20/60 in low-vision analysis and visual acuity loss analysis. The patients were followed at 6-month intervals for 5 years. The entry data and follow-up data were analysed to determine the incidence of blindness (<3/60), low vision (≥3/60 and <20/60) and visual acuity loss (≥0.2 logMAR) during the follow-up period. Risk factors for visual impairment were also analysed. RESULTS A total of 694 eyes of 694 or 559 eyes of 559 glaucoma patients were subjected to the blindness analysis or the low-vision and visual acuity loss analysis, respectively. Visual acuity significantly deteriorated (p < 0.0001): 12.2% (95%CI: 9.8-14.7%) of the patients became blind; 12.1% (95%CI: 9.4-14.9%) were judged to have low vision at the final examination; 28.3% (95%CI: 24.5-32.0%) were judged to have visual acuity loss. Glaucoma subtypes, poor preoperative visual function and postoperative complications are the main risk factors for visual impairment. CONCLUSIONS Visual acuity was significantly reduced after MMC trabeculectomy in 5 years, and we identified several risk factors associated with this complication.

['Kashiwagi|Kenji|K|', 'Kogure|Satoshi|S|', 'Mabuchi|Fumihiko|F|', 'Chiba|Tatsuya|T|', 'Yamamoto|Tetsuya|T|', 'Kuwayama|Yasuaki|Y|', 'Araie|Makoto|M|', '|||']

2016

29568727

Complex posttraumatic stress disorder: The need to consolidate a distinct clinical syndrome or to reevaluate features of psychiatric disorders following interpersonal trauma?

Complex posttraumatic stress disorder (Complex PTSD) has been recently proposed as a distinct clinical entity in the WHO International Classification of Diseases, 11th version, due to be published, two decades after its first initiation. It is described as an enhanced version of the current definition of PTSD, with clinical features of PTSD plus three additional clusters of symptoms namely emotional dysregulation, negative self-cognitions and interpersonal hardship, thus resembling the clinical features commonly encountered in borderline personality disorder (BPD). Complex PTSD is related to complex trauma which is defined by its threatening and entrapping context, generally interpersonal in nature. In this manuscript, we review the current findings related to traumatic events predisposing the above-mentioned disorders as well as the biological correlates surrounding them, along with their clinical features. Furthermore, we suggest that besides the present distinct clinical diagnoses (PTSD; Complex PTSD; BPD), there is a cluster of these comorbid disorders, that follow a continuum of trauma and biological severity on a spectrum of common or similar clinical features and should be treated as such. More studies are needed to confirm or reject this hypothesis, particularly in clinical terms and how they correlate to clinical entities' biological background, endorsing a shift from the phenomenologically only classification of psychiatric disorders towards a more biologically validated classification.

['Giourou|Evangelia|E|', 'Skokou|Maria|M|', 'Andrew|Stuart P|SP|', 'Alexopoulou|Konstantina|K|', 'Gourzis|Philippos|P|', 'Jelastopulu|Eleni|E|']

2018

31617661

Global Interactome Mapping of Mitochondrial Intermembrane Space Proteases Identifies a Novel Function for HTRA2.

A number of unique proteases localize to specific sub-compartments of the mitochondria, but the functions of these enzymes are poorly defined. Here, in vivo proximity-dependent biotinylation (BioID) is used to map the interactomes of seven proteases localized to the mitochondrial intermembrane space (IMS). In total, 802 high confidence proximity interactions with 342 unique proteins are identified. While all seven proteases co-localized with the IMS markers OPA1 and CLPB, 230 of the interacting partners are unique to just one or two protease bait proteins, highlighting the ability of BioID to differentiate unique interactomes within the confined space of the IMS. Notably, high-temperature requirement peptidase 2 (HTRA2) interacts with eight of 13 components of the mitochondrial intermembrane space bridging (MIB) complex, a multiprotein assembly essential for the maintenance of mitochondrial cristae structure. Knockdown of HTRA2 disrupts cristae in HEK 293 and OCI-AML2 cells, and leads to increased intracellular levels of the MIB subunit IMMT. Using a cell-free assay it is demonstrated that HTRA2 can degrade recombinant IMMT but not two other core MIB complex subunits, SAMM50 and CHCHD3. The IMS protease interactome thus represents a rich dataset that can be mined to uncover novel IMS protease biology.

['Botham|Aaron|A|', 'Coyaud|Etienne|E|', 'Nirmalanandhan|Victor Sanjit|VS|', 'Gronda|Marcela|M|', 'Hurren|Rose|R|', 'Maclean|Neil|N|', 'St-Germain|Jonathan|J|', 'Mirali|Sara|S|', 'Laurent|Estelle|E|', 'Raught|Brian|B|0000-0001-6145-4776', 'Schimmer|Aaron|A|']

2019

27108123

A resected case of symptomatic acinar cell cystadenoma of the pancreas displacing the main pancreatic duct.

Acinar cell cystadenoma (ACA) of the pancreas has been newly recognized as an entity by the World Health Organization (WHO) definition (2010), and its pathogenesis has not been known adequately because of the rarity. Here, we report a case of a 22-year-old female who had been followed up for a cystic lesion at the tail of the pancreas pointed out by a screening computed tomography (CT) scan 7 years ago. The tumor grew in size from 3.3 to 5.1 cm in diameter for 6 years (0.3 cm per year). Particularly, it rapidly grew up to 6.3 cm in the latest 3 months in concurrence with the emergence of epigastralgia. A contrasted CT scan revealed the irregularly formed, multilocular cystic tumor having thin septum and calcification. The intratumoral magnetic resonance imaging intensity in the T1 and T2 weighted images were low and high, respectively. No communications between the tumor and the main pancreatic duct (MPD) were found, but the tumor displaced the MPD. She underwent surgical resection because the tumor was growing, turned symptomatic, and it seemed difficult to be diagnosed correctly until totally biopsied. Spleen-preserved distal pancreatectomy was performed. It was pathologically diagnosed as ACA; the cyst was lined by cells with normal acinar differentiation; cuboidal cells with round, basally oriented nuclei and eosinophilic granules in its apical cytoplasm. The abdominal pain has disappeared, and no recurrences have been found during a 5-year follow-up. Clinicians are recommended to consider an ACA as one of differential diagnoses of cystic tumors of the pancreas to provide appropriate diagnostics and therapeutics.

['Tanaka|Haruyoshi|H|', 'Hatsuno|Tsuyoshi|T|', 'Kinoshita|Mitsuru|M|', 'Hasegawa|Kazuya|K|', 'Ishihara|Hiromasa|H|', 'Takano|Nao|N|', 'Shimoyama|Satofumi|S|', 'Nakayama|Hiroshi|H|', 'Kataoka|Masato|M|', 'Ichihara|Shu|S|', 'Kanda|Mitsuro|M|', 'Kodera|Yasuhiro|Y|', 'Kondo|Ken|K|']

2016

22125503

Breakdown of continuity in public mental healthcare in the Netherlands: a longitudinal case study.

INTRODUCTION Continuity of care for long-term service-dependent patients in the public mental health system requires intensive collaboration between all agencies involved. Understanding the ways in which various aspects of continuity of care interact may reveal help to find out more about how care delivered over time improves outcomes. CASE STUDY Based on medical records, an addicted couple was monitored for number and type of contacts with health and social services. Over the years, 81 social workers or nurses, spread over 25 health and social services, have been involved in the rehabilitation process. Breakdown of continuity of care is linked to lack of information, missing procedures and guidelines, fragile relationships with the patient, and a reluctant public health approach. CONCLUSION Prominent among relevant factors is the absence of protocols governing the transfer of patients between the various links in the continuum of mental healthcare services. High-quality follow-up after admission is partly a matter of professional principle in ensuring that problems in the chain of services are discussed. Case presentation in psychiatric journals should give systematic attention to sources of error in continuity of mental healthcare.

['Wierdsma|André I|AI|', 'van der Schee|Meta|M|', 'Mulder|Cornelis L|CL|']

2011

23703669

Exogenous 1,4-butyrolactone stimulates A-factor-like cascade and validamycin biosynthesis in Streptomyces hygroscopicus 5008.

γ-Butyrolactones (GBLs), such as A-factor, are one type of signaling molecules produced by Streptomyces species and have been reported to regulate secondary metabolism. However, they are usually produced in very small amount, which has hindered their structural elucidation and application for antibiotic overproduction. In this work, 1,4-butyrolactone (1,4-BL), as an easily accessible and cheap analogue of GBLs, was applied to the fermentation of validamycin A (VAL-A), an important antifungal antibiotic produced by Streptomyces hygroscopicus 5008. The addition of 1,4-BL enhanced VAL-A production by 30% in both shaking flasks and bioreactors. The transcriptional levels of the adpA homologue (adpA-H) and VAL-A biosynthetic genes were significantly increased. Among the three A-factor receptor homologous genes identified in the genome of S. hygroscopicus 5008, shbR3 was proved to be responsible for the inducing activity of 1,4-BL by gene disruption and circular dichroism analysis, and ShbR3 could bind to the promoter region of adpA-H as indicated by EMSA analysis. Furthermore, the mutation of adpA-H abolished the transcription of VAL-A biosynthetic genes and VAL-A productivity. In EMSA analysis, AdpA-H could directly bind to the promoter regions of VAL-A gene cluster. Moreover, addition of the 1,4-BL also improved the VAL-A production in a high-yielding strain TL01. The results showed that 1,4-BL could stimulate A-factor-like cascade and subsequently enhance VAL-A production in S. hygroscopicus 5008.

['Tan|Gao-Yi|GY|', 'Bai|Linquan|L|', 'Zhong|Jian-Jiang|JJ|']

2013

32106453

Estimating the Allele-Specific Expression of SNVs From 10× Genomics Single-Cell RNA-Sequencing Data.

With the recent advances in single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) technologies, the estimation of allele expression from single cells is becoming increasingly reliable. Allele expression is both quantitative and dynamic and is an essential component of the genomic interactome. Here, we systematically estimate the allele expression from heterozygous single nucleotide variant (SNV) loci using scRNA-seq data generated on the 10×Genomics Chromium platform. We analyzed 26,640 human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (from three healthy donors), sequenced to an average of 150K sequencing reads per cell (more than 4 billion scRNA-seq reads in total). High-quality SNV calls assessed in our study contained approximately 15% exonic and >50% intronic loci. To analyze the allele expression, we estimated the expressed variant allele fraction (VAFRNA) from SNV-aware alignments and analyzed its variance and distribution (mono- and bi-allelic) at different minimum sequencing read thresholds. Our analysis shows that when assessing positions covered by a minimum of three unique sequencing reads, over 50% of the heterozygous SNVs show bi-allelic expression, while at a threshold of 10 reads, nearly 90% of the SNVs are bi-allelic. In addition, our analysis demonstrates the feasibility of scVAFRNA estimation from current scRNA-seq datasets and shows that the 3'-based library generation protocol of 10×Genomics scRNA-seq data can be informative in SNV-based studies, including analyses of transcriptional kinetics.

['M|Prashant N|PN|', 'Liu|Hongyu|H|', 'Bousounis|Pavlos|P|', 'Spurr|Liam|L|', 'Alomran|Nawaf|N|', 'Ibeawuchi|Helen|H|', 'Sein|Justin|J|', 'Reece-Stremtan|Dacian|D|', 'Horvath|Anelia|A|']

2020

29865778

Diagnostic usefulness of the cytomegalovirus (CMV)-specific T cell-based assay for predicting CMV infection after kidney transplant.

BACKGROUND/AIMS We evaluated the usefulness in kidney transplant (KT) candidates of cytomegalovirus (CMV)-specific enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assays for predicting the development of post-transplant CMV infections. METHODS All adult recipients admitted for living-donor KT between March 2014 and March 2015 were prospectively enrolled except donor CMV-seropositive and recipient seronegative (D+/R-) recipients. All the enrolled patients underwent CMV-specific ELISPOT assays before transplant, and a researcher blinded to the results of these assays examined the patients for CMV infection at least 6 months post-transplant. RESULTS Of 133 KT recipients, 44 (33%) developed CMV infections. When we used the cut-off determined by receiver operator characteristic curve, 16 of the 34 patients (47%) with negative pp65-specific ELISPOT results (< 11 spots/200,000 cells) developed CMV infections, whereas 28 of the 99 patients (39%) with positive pp65-specific ELISPOT results at baseline (≥ 11 spots/200,000 cells) developed CMV infections after KT (p = 0.02). Based on the multivariable Cox regression model, negative pp65-specific ELISPOT assay results was an independent risk factor for CMV infection (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR], 1.87; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01 to 3.46; p = 0.047) as well as age (AHR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.08; p = 0.007). CONCLUSION Pre-transplant CMV-specific ELISPOT assay appears to predict the development of CMV infections after KT in recipients at moderate risk such as CMV-seropositive recipients (Clinical Trial Registration Number NCT02025335).

['Kim|Taeeun|T|', 'Lee|Hyun-Jeong|HJ|', 'Kim|Sun-Mi|SM|', 'Jung|Joo Hee|JH|', 'Shin|Sung|S|', 'Kim|Young-Hoon|YH|', 'Sung|Heungsup|H|', 'Chong|Yong Pil|YP|', 'Lee|Sang-Oh|SO|', 'Choi|Sang-Ho|SH|', 'Kim|Yang Soo|YS|', 'Woo|Jun Hee|JH|', 'Kim|Sung-Han|SH|', 'Han|Duck Jong|DJ|']

2020

30129512

Exploring the Association of Healthcare Worker Race and Occupation with Implicit and Explicit Racial Bias.

BACKGROUND Racial bias is associated with suboptimal healthcare treatment for minorities. Research focuses on bias among physicians rather than non-physician healthcare staff (e.g., receptionists). Patients spend considerable amounts of time with non-physician staff. Therefore, we investigate differences in implicit and explicit racial bias by healthcare staff race and occupation using the Implicit Association Test and Modern Racism Scale, respectively. METHODS Staff (n = 107) were recruited using the Alabama based Primary Care Research Coalition. Occupation was categorized into "medical doctors/registered nurses" (MD/RN) and "non-MD/RN" (e.g., receptionists). RESULTS Implicit bias scores were higher among whites compared with blacks (0.62, -0.04, respectively; p < 0.01). Among whites, non-MD/RNs demonstrated more pro-white implicit bias compared with MD/RNs (0.67, 0.44, respectively; p < 0.01). Whites had higher explicit bias scores than blacks (17.7, 12.3, respectively; p < 0.01). CONCLUSION Non-MD/RNs should not be overlooked for cultural competency training, and efforts are needed to reduce racial bias among healthcare workers identified as having higher levels of bias.

['Tajeu|Gabriel S|GS|', 'Halanych|Jewell|J|', 'Juarez|Lucia|L|', 'Stone|Jeff|J|', 'Stepanikova|Irena|I|', 'Green|Alexander|A|', 'Cherrington|Andrea L|AL|']

2018

32523347

Validation of a 10-Point Scoring System for Treatment of Cesarean Scar Pregnancy.

Purpose To validate a 10-point scoring system for the prediction of successful treatment modality in patients with cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP). Patients and Methods Data were collected from women seen between April 1, 2018, and June 30, 2019, at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University of China who were diagnosed with CSP and underwent evacuation, followed by uterine artery embolization (UAE) and successive laparoscopic local resection as salvage treatment if necessary. A score was computed based on clinical and ultrasonographic parameters included in a previously developed scoring system. Treatment indicated by the scoring system was compared with actual treatment received. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to identify cut-off scores for salvage treatment. Results Of 183 women, 108 were successfully treated by evacuation, 57 required UAE, and 18 eventually underwent laparoscopic surgery. Among 97 women scoring 0-4, 89 (91.8%) were treated by evacuation only. Of 69 women scoring between 5 and 7, 44 (63.8%) needed UAE following evacuation. Of 17 women scoring 8-10, 10 women (58.8%) underwent laparoscopic surgery. A cut-off of 4.145 was obtained by ROC curve for prediction of any salvage treatment; this was comparable to the scale's conventional cut-off of 4. The cut-off score for women requiring laparoscopic surgery was 6.580, which was lower than 8 obtained in the scale's initial validation. Conclusion The overall performance of the 10-point scoring system was moderate for predicting successful treatment modalities of women with CSP, but the scale showed good predictive ability in recognizing women needing only evacuation before recovery.

['Tan|Ting-Ting|TT|', 'Sun|Qiu-Lei|QL|', 'Luo|Li|L|0000-0001-5506-6793', 'Chen|Zhu|Z|', 'Xiong|Xi|X|', 'Xiang|Jin-Hong|JH|', 'Yan|Ping|P|', 'Gao|Chun-Yan|CY|', 'Chen|Zheng-Qiong|ZQ|0000-0003-0310-3964']

2020

31449588

Metastatic squamous cell carcinoma to the heart: an unusual cause of ST elevation-a case report.

BACKGROUND Cardiac tumours are typically secondary in nature, and the most common malignancies metastasizing to the heart are cancers of the lung, breast, oesophagus, melanoma, and lymphoma. We present a unique case of squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue, metastasizing to the heart and manifesting with ST elevation in the inferior-leads on electrocardiogram (ECG). CASE SUMMARY A 25-year-old woman was initially diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue at the age of 23 and treated with hemi-glossectomy with clear-margins. Sixteen months later, the tumour recurred in the oropharynx and the left upper lobe of the lung. She was treated with chemotherapy; however, the tumour progressed. Thus, she was initiated on immunotherapy and radiation therapy. One month later, she presented with chest pain. Electrocardiogram revealed ST elevation in the inferior-leads. Troponin-I was elevated. Transthoracic echocardiogram revealed focal areas of thickening within the left and right ventricular myocardium with associated hypokinesis. These findings suggested ECG changes were likely secondary to infiltrative metastases and not acute-coronary-syndrome. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging showed infiltrative masses with increased T2-signal and heterogeneous enhancement on perfusion and delayed enhancement sequences. Imaging also demonstrated numerous extra-cardiac metastases. She was treated with analgesics and discharged to home hospice. DISCUSSION Head and neck cancers are a rare cause of cardiac metastasis. ST elevation and troponin release are thought to be due to tumour extension into the myocardium. Cardiac metastases usually present in patients with advanced widespread malignancy. In a cancer patient with cardiac symptoms or ECG changes, it is important to consider a broad differential diagnosis and entertain the possibility of cardiac metastasis.

['Tandon|Varun|V|', 'Kethireddy|Nikhila|N|', 'Balakumaran|Kathir|K|', 'Kim|Agnes S|AS|']

2019

34834767

Unveiling Monoterpene Biosynthesis in Taiwania cryptomerioides via Functional Characterization.

Taiwania cryptomerioides is a monotypic species, and its terpenoid-rich property has been reported in recent years. To uncover monoterpene biosynthesis in T. cryptomerioides, this study used transcriptome mining to identify candidates with tentative monoterpene synthase activity. Along with the phylogenetic analysis and in vitro assay, two geraniol synthases (TcTPS13 and TcTPS14), a linalool synthase (TcTPS15), and a β-pinene synthase (TcTPS16), were functionally characterized. Via the comparison of catalytic residues, the Cys/Ser at region 1 might be crucial in determining the formation of α-pinene or β-pinene. In addition, the Cupressaceae monoterpene synthases were phylogenetically clustered together; they are unique and different from those of published conifer species. In summary, this study aimed to uncover the ambiguous monoterpenoid network in T. cryptomerioide, which would expand the landscape of monoterpene biosynthesis in Cupressaceae species.

['Ma|Li-Ting|LT|0000-0001-6028-0831', 'Liu|Pi-Ling|PL|0000-0002-3658-9027', 'Cheng|Yang-Tui|YT|', 'Shiu|Tz-Fan|TF|', 'Chu|Fang-Hua|FH|']

2021

34816522

Parents' friends and families in neonatal intensive care units: A cross-national qualitative study on staff perceptions and experiences.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES This study aimed to explore staff attitudes and experiences of parents' friends and families' social presence and involvement in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). BACKGROUND In NICUs, parents need emotional and practical support during infant hospitalisation. Friends and families of parents may constitute the most significant providers in this support, but few studies are available on when and how these 'important others' can be present and involved. DESIGN This qualitative descriptive study was based in the philosophical tenets of naturalistic inquiry. METHODS Seven focus groups were conducted where 67 staff from Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Sweden participated. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. The study was reported following the COREQ guidelines and checklist. RESULTS The overarching theme showed that 'important others' were an unaddressed group of potential supporters in the periphery. The five identified themes described how staff recognised 'important others' as the parents' territory, but that 'important others'' presence and involvement needed to be negotiated with staff. Although the staff regarded 'important others' as necessary for parents' emotional, practical and social support, they felt less obligated to support them as part of their work remit. The staff also felt that inclusion of 'important others' was an essential step forward in achieving family centred care. CONCLUSIONS The findings indicate that 'important others'' involvement was primarily guided by proactive parents and unit care culture rather than by staff's formal written guidelines or guidance. Single-family rooms seemed to enhance the presence and involvement of 'important others'. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE There is a need for more staff resources to enable and support the participation of 'important others'. Parents need to be included during the development of policies to provide their experiences. Finally, more research is needed on what parents wish from their 'important others'.

['Flacking|Renée|R|https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4013-1553', 'Haslund-Thomsen|Helle|H|', 'Jónsdóttir|Rakel|R|', 'Poropudas|Sini|S|', 'Axelin|Anna|A|']

2021

34601962

The Association of Age at Diagnosis of Hypertension With Brain Structure and Incident Dementia in the UK Biobank.

[Figure: see text].

['Shang|Xianwen|X|0000-0001-6143-9349', 'Hill|Edward|E|', 'Zhu|Zhuoting|Z|', 'Liu|Jiahao|J|', 'Ge|B Zongyuan|BZ|0000-0002-5880-8673', 'Wang|Wei|W|', 'He|Mingguang|M|0000-0002-6912-2810']

2021

33305528

Factors related to the discontinuation and mortality rates of a cardiac rehabilitation programme in patients with Chagas disease: a 6-year experience in a Brazilian tertiary centre.

OBJECTIVES To describe the clinical and sociodemographic characteristics of participants as well as discontinuation and mortality rates in a cardiac rehabilitation programme (CRP) tailored to Chagas disease (CD). METHODS Participants underwent functional capacity, anthropometry and cardiac function evaluations before beginning a CRP. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were performed to investigate the associations between clinical and sociodemographic characteristics at baseline with discontinuation rates and deaths. RESULTS Forty-two patients were enrolled in the CRP (61.9% men, mean age of 58.1 ± 11.8 years). During a median follow-up period of 10.8 months, 74% discontinued and 14% died while enrolled in CRP. 34% of the patients who discontinued CRP died during follow-up. White race (HR = 0.09; 95% CI 0.01-1.00), right ventricular systolic dysfunction (HR = 10.54; 95% CI 1.24-89.50) and oxygen pulse (HR = 0.69; 95% CI 0.48-0.99) were independently associated with death while enrolled in CRP. Married status (HR = 0.44; 95% CI 0.21-0.95) was independently associated with discontinuation rates from CRP. VO2 peak (HR = 0.85; 95% CI 0.74-0.98) and CRP discontinuation due to CD-related reasons (HR = 8.33; 95% CI 1.91-36.27) were the variables independently associated with death after discontinuation of CRP. CONCLUSION In this population, sociodemographic aspects and severity of CD were important determinants of CRP discontinuation and mortality.

['Vieira|Marcelo Carvalho|MC|', 'Mendes|Fernanda de Souza Nogueira Sardinha|FSNS|', 'Mazzoli-Rocha|Flavia|F|', 'Silva|Rudson Santos|RS|', 'Viana|Aline Maria Nunes|AMN|', 'Frota|Aline Xavier|AX|', 'da Silva|Gilberto Marcelo Sperandio|GMS|', 'da Silva|Paula Simplício|PS|', 'Hasslocher-Moreno|Alejandro Marcel|AM|', 'Saraiva|Roberto Magalhães|RM|', 'de Sousa|Andrea Silvestre|AS|', 'Mediano|Mauro Felippe Felix|MFF|']

2021

31216550

A Clinical Trial to Verify the Efficiency of the LC-1000 Exfoliative Cell Analyzer as a New Method of Cervical Cancer Screening.

OBJECTIVE The exfoliative cell analyzer, LC-1000 (Sysmex Corporation, Japan), is a medical device that presents the cell proliferation index and 23 research parameters as indicators of cellular proliferative potential. The objective was to evaluate the clinical usability of qualitative assessment by LC-1000 compared with cytology, the human papillomavirus (HPV) test, and histology as gold standard. STUDY DESIGN Women that visited 3 sites between July 2015 and March 2017 were registered. The primary endpoint in this study was the comparison between LC-1000 measurement and HPV test for sensitivity and specificity for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2+ (CIN2+). A tree model algorithm was newly constructed by a statistical method and its relationship with histological results was evaluated. RESULTS The sensitivity and specificity of LC-1000 were 78.3 and 74.1%, while those of the HPV test were 94.7 and 85.4%, respectively. A tree model comprising five categories was constructed. The proportion of advanced lesions was higher with the change in the rank classification results from 1 to 5. The positive predictive values of CIN2+ in the categories 4 and 5 were high. Despite the small number of subjects, cancer was undetected in categories 1 and 2. In addition, the comparison with follow-up results in 19 women assessed as CIN1 showed that the rate of progression in the categories 3-5 was 50% (7/14); progression in the categories 1 and 2 was 0% (0/5). CONCLUSIONS LC-1000 may be useful for cervical cancer screening as an index to qualitatively evaluate CIN and cancer based on the changes in characteristics of cells.

['Nakamura|Masaru|M|', 'Ueda|Masatugu|M|', 'Iwata|Takashi|T|', 'Kiguchi|Kazushige|K|', 'Mikami|Yoshiki|Y|', 'Kakuma|Tatsuyuki|T|', 'Aoki|Daisuke|D|']

2019

33465508

Photoresponsive materials for intensified modulation of Alzheimer's amyloid-β protein aggregation: A review.

The abnormal self-assembly of amyloid-β protein (Aβ) into toxic aggregates is a major pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Modulation of Aβ fibrillization with pharmacological modalities has become an active field of research, which aims to mitigate Aβ-induced neurotoxicity and ameliorate impaired recognition. Among the various strategies for AD treatment, phototherapy, including photothermal therapy (PTT), photodynamic therapy (PDT), and photoresponsive release systems have attracted increased attention because of the spatiotemporal controllability. Under the irradiation of light, the heat or reactive oxygen species generated by photothermal or photodynamic processes significantly enhances the efficacy of the inhibitor or modulator, and the "caged" drug can be accurately released at the intended site, thus avoiding adverse effects. This review, from a viewpoint of materials, focuses on the recent advances in modulating Aβ aggregation by light that irradiates on the materials that function on modulating Aβ aggregation. Representative examples of PTT, PDT, and photoresponsive drug release systems are discussed in terms of inhibitory mechanism, the unique properties of materials, and the design of modulators. The major challenges of phototherapy against AD are addressed and the promising prospects are proposed. It is concluded that the noninvasive light-assisted approaches will become a promising strategy for intensifying the modulation of Aβ aggregation and thus facilitating AD treatment. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Alzheimer's disease (AD) with the hallmark of amyloid-β protein (Aβ) deposition is affecting more than 50 million people globally. It is urgent to explore intelligent materials to modulate Aβ aggregation. This review summarizes the intensified modulation of Aβ aggregation by a variety of photoresponsive materials including photothermal, photosensitizing and photoresponsive release materials, focusing on their characteristics and functionalities. We believe this review would arouse more interest in the research field of stimuli-responsive materials and promote their clinical applications in AD therapy.

['Liu|Wei|W|', 'Dong|Xiaoyan|X|', 'Liu|Yang|Y|', 'Sun|Yan|Y|']

2021

24128527

Increased stability and protease resistance of the β-lactoglobulin/vitamin D3 complex.

The stability of the β-lactoglobulin (βlg)/vitamin D3 (D3) complex at 4°C and upon exposure to UV-C light, and in simulated intestinal fluid, were studied in vitro. Caco-2 cells were used to demonstrate the passage of the βlg/D3 complex across the monolayers. Furthermore, an in vivo experiment was conducted by force-feeding rats with the free D3 and βlg/D3 complex, with subsequent determination of the plasma concentration of 25-hydroxy-D3. The βlg/D3 complex significantly improved the stability of the vitamin at 4 °C and when exposed to UV-C light. The resistance of βlg to proteases was increased, indicating a mutual protective effect. The βlg/D3 complex crossed the monolayers, which was confirmed by the significant increase in the concentration of 25-hydroxy-D3 in rats fed the βlg/D3 complex compared to the ones fed the free D3. Therefore, the current study suggests that the βlg/D3 complex can effectively be used for the fortification of milk products and low-fat content foods to improve the intake and bioavailability of D3.

['Diarrassouba|Fatoumata|F|', 'Garrait|Ghislain|G|', 'Remondetto|Gabriel|G|', 'Alvarez|Pedro|P|', 'Beyssac|Eric|E|', 'Subirade|Muriel|M|']

2014

34483677

Clinical Significance of the HHLA2 Protein in Hepatocellular Carcinoma and the Tumor Microenvironment.

Background The protein "human endogenous retrovirus H long terminal repeat-associating 2" (HHLA2), a member of the B7 family, has been linked to cancer progression and immune responses. However, its functional role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unknown. Methods Bioinformatics was used to examine the potential roles of HHLA2 in HCC and the molecular pathways involved. Expression of HHLA2 and PD-L1 as well as the density of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in tumoral areas were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and hematoxylin-eosin staining of 202 resected human HCC samples. Potential correlations of HHLA2 expression with pathological characteristics or prognosis of HCC patients were explored. Different types of immune microenvironment in HCC were defined based on HHLA2 expression and TIL density. Results High HHLA2 levels in HCC correlated with more advanced clinical cancer stage (P = 0.040), multiple tumors (P = 0.044), poor tumor differentiation (P = 0.048), microvascular invasion (P = 0.011) and hepatic capsule invasion (P = 0.047). HHLA2 levels correlated significantly with density of TILs, but not with PD-L1 levels. High HHLA2 levels were associated with worse prognosis. Intermediate and high TIL densities were independent predictors of better prognosis. Tumor microenvironments with type I (HHLA2 - high TILs +) or type IV (HHLA2 - low TILs +) were associated with better prognosis. Conclusion HHLA2 level can independently predict worse prognosis and affect the tumor microenvironment in HCC, which may help guide immunotherapy against the cancer.

['Luo|Min|M|', 'Lin|Yan|Y|', 'Liang|Rong|R|', 'Li|Yongqiang|Y|', 'Ge|Lianying|L|']

2021

28613926

Cold atmospheric plasma manipulation of proteins in food systems.

Plasma processing has been getting a lot of attention in recent applications as a novel, eco-friendly, and highly efficient approach. Cold plasma has mostly been used to reduce microbial counts in foodstuff and biological materials, as well as in different levels of packaging, particularly in cases where there is thermal sensitivity. As it is a very recent application, the impact of cold plasma treatment has been studied on the protein structures of food and pharmaceutical systems, as well as in the packaging industry. Proteins, as a food constituent, play a remarkable role in the techno-functional characteristics of processed foods and/or the physico-chemical properties of protein-based films. At the same time, some proteins are responsible for reduction in quality and nutritional value, and/or causing allergic reactions in the human body. This study is a review of the influences of different types of plasma on the conformation and function of proteins with food origin, especially enzymes and allergens, as well as protein-made packaging films. In enzyme manipulation with plasma, deactivation has been reported to be either partial or complete. In addition, an activity increase has been observed in some cases. These variations are caused by the effect of different active species of plasma on the enzyme structure and its function. The level and type of variations in the functional properties of food proteins, purified proteins in food, and plasma-treated protein films are affected by a number of control factors, including treatment power, time, and gas type, as well as the nature of the substance and the treatment environment.

['Tolouie|Haniye|H|', 'Mohammadifar|Mohammad Amin|MA|', 'Ghomi|Hamid|H|', 'Hashemi|Maryam|M|http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6961-7402']

2018

28772492

Refining Mechanism of 7075 Al Alloy by In-Situ TiB₂ Particles.

The nucleation undercooling of TiB₂/7075 Al matrix composites, the microstructure observed after solidification at different cooling rate, and the size and distribution of TiB₂ particles were investigated. The experimental results have shown that the grain sizes of TiB₂/7075 Al matrix composites firstly decreased, then increased, and finally decreased again with the increase of TiB₂ content. The nucleation undercooling of TiB₂/7075 Al matrix composites first increased, then decreased, and finally increased again with the increase of TiB₂ content when the cooling rates was 5 and 10 °C/min respectively, but kept decreasing with the increase of TiB₂ content at a cooling rate of 20 °C/min. The melting and solidification process showed no significant change with the decrease of cooling rate in 9.0% TiB₂/7075 Al matrix composites. Most small particles can act as heterogeneous nucleus, which induced grain growth and were captured into the grain by the solid/liquid interface. At the same time, most of the larger particles and a minority of the small TiB₂ particles are pushed into the grain boundary; locating in the grain boundary can hinder the Al atoms from diffusing during the solidification process and restrain α-Al phase growth. The influence of particles shifted from dominating by locating to dominating by nucleation as the quantity of TiB₂ particles increased.

['Gan|Guisheng|G|', 'Yang|Bin|B|', 'Zhang|Bo|B|', 'Jiang|Xin|X|', 'Shi|Yunlong|Y|', 'Wu|Yiping|Y|']

2017

31770022

Comparison of International Ovarian Tumor Analysis Simple Rules to Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound Guidelines for Detection of Malignancy in Adnexal Cysts.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the International Ovarian Tumor Analysis (IOTA) simple rules and the Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound (SRU) guidelines for detecting ovarian malignancy in a general population of women presenting to radiology departments with adnexal cystic lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS. A retrospective multicenter study of ultrasound-detected adnexal cystic lesions with appropriate follow-up was conducted. Lesions were classified into benign, indeterminate, or malignant categories according to criteria based on the IOTA simple rules and the SRU guidelines. The prevalence of nonneoplastic cysts, neoplasms, and malignant tumors was calculated. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy were calculated, and ROC analysis for the diagnosis of malignancy was performed. RESULTS. A total of 697 women with 764 cystic lesions were included; 85.2% (651/764) of the lesions were nonneoplastic, 12.2% (93/764) were benign neoplasms, and 2.6% (20/764) were malignant neoplasms. Nearly all malignancies were classified into indeterminate and malignant categories. The prevalence of malignancy in the indeterminate category was 4.8% (7/145) (SRU) to 10.7% (7/65) (IOTA) and in the malignant category was 18.1% (13/72) (SRU) to 34.3% (12/35) (IOTA). Only one malignancy was misclassified as benign by the IOTA simple rules. The sensitivity of the IOTA simple rules for malignancy was 90.0%; specificity, 96.5%; PPV, 29.0%; NPV, 99.8%; and accuracy, 96.4%. The corresponding values for the SRU guidelines were 100%, 89.6%, 14.9%, 100%, and 89.8%. In ROC analysis, the IOTA simple rules were slightly more accurate than the SRU guidelines (AUC, 0.9805 versus 0.9713; p = 0.0003). CONCLUSION. Both imaging characterization methods were sensitive for identifying ovarian malignancies, but the PPV was low among women presenting to radiology departments, and the indeterminate classification harbored one-third of the total malignancies. Exploration of varied clinical settings and inclusion of secondary tests may help to refine these systems.

['Patel-Lippmann|Krupa K|KK|', 'Sadowski|Elizabeth A|EA|', 'Robbins|Jessica B|JB|', 'Paroder|Viktoriya|V|', 'Barroilhet|Lisa|L|', 'Maddox|Elizabeth|E|', 'McMahon|Timothy|T|', 'Sampene|Emmanuel|E|', 'Wasnik|Ashish P|AP|', 'Blaty|Alexander D|AD|', 'Maturen|Katherine E|KE|']

2020

32549710

Validation of the concavity-convexity quotient as a new method to measure the magnitude of scoliosis.

Objectives We propose a novel and simple method to determine the magnitude of the curve in scoliosis and its correlation with the Cobb angle. Methods Using multiple rounds of nominal group technique and an established consensus-building methodology, a multidisciplinary research group identified a simple method to value the curve deformity based on the vertebral pedicles. Measurements A mathematical study was performed to determine the relationship between the Cobb angle and the concavity-convexity quotient (CCQ). To evaluate the clinical correlation between the Cobb angle and CCQ, spine surgeons measured 48 curves (before and after follow-up) of congenital scoliosis. Results This quotient reflects the ratio between the distance from the upper end of the most inclined upper vertebra to the lower end of the most inclined lower vertebra on the concave side (A-distance) and the corresponding distance on the convex side of the curve (B-distance). The existing mathematical relationship is based on changing the explicit coordinates to polar coordinates. Finally, the clinical correlation between the Cobb angle and CCQ was statistically significant (r = -0.688; P < 0.001 in first measure and r = -0.789; P < 0.001 in the second measure). Conclusions Our study provides Level III evidence that CCQ represents a promising alternative or a complementary method to the traditional Cobb angle due to its simple and reliable ability to measure the magnitude of the curve.

['Mariscal|Gonzalo|G|', 'Nuñez|Jorge H|JH|', 'Figueira|Paulo|P|', 'Malo|Ana|A|', 'Montiel|Verónica|V|', 'López|Miguel A|MA|', 'Castro|Miguel|M|', 'Barrios|Carlos|C|', 'Fern|Pedro Domenech|PD|']

2020

30022471

Functional status of immune cells in patients with long-lasting type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Although patients with diabetes contract infectious diseases at higher frequencies, and in more severe forms, compared to non-diabetics, the underlying defects of the immune function have not been defined clearly. To address this, we designed an immune monitoring protocol and analysed the functional status of various immune cells. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were stimulated with the proper ligands and the functional reactivity of each lineage of cells was subsequently measured. Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) had PBMC composition ratios comparable to healthy controls, except for a higher frequency of B cell and effector T cell fractions. The capacity of myeloid cells to secrete proinflammatory cytokines was not diminished in terms of the sensitivity and magnitude of the response. Furthermore, cytolytic activity and interferon (IFN)-γ production of natural killer (NK) cells and CD8+ T cells were not decreased in T2DM patients. Phenotypical maturation of dendritic cells, indicated by the up-regulation of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) proteins and co-stimulatory molecules in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), was slightly enhanced in T2DM patients. Finally, the functional differentiation profiles of CD4+ T cells did not differ between T2DM patients and the control group. These data indicate that patients with long-lasting T2DM do not have any gross functional defects in immune cells, at least in circulating monocytes, dendritic cells, NK cells and T lymphocytes.

['Nam|H W|HW|', 'Cho|Y J|YJ|', 'Lim|J A|JA|', 'Kim|S J|SJ|', 'Kim|H|H|', 'Sim|S Y|SY|', 'Lim|D G|DG|']

2018

31151870

Management of seizures in patients with multiple sclerosis; an Iranian consensus.

PURPOSE Cooccurrence of a seizure in a patient with multiple sclerosis (MS) may complicate the management process. Questions, which may complicate the management process of a patient with MS and seizure, include "how should we approach to the patient", "how should we treat the patient", "how should we modify the patient's MS treatment strategy", etc. METHODS: We searched the electronic database PubMed on March 30, 2018 for articles in English that included the following search terms: "epilepsy" AND "multiple sclerosis" or "seizure" AND "multiple sclerosis" since 2013, to obtain the best recent relevant scientific evidence on the topic. A working group of 6 epilepsy and 5 MS experts took part in two consensus workshops in Tehran, Iran, in 2018. The final consensus manuscript was prepared and approved by all participants. RESULTS The search with words "seizure" and "multiple sclerosis" yielded 121 entries; 10 were relevant to the topic. The search with words "epilepsy" and "multiple sclerosis" yielded 400 entries; 7 were relevant to the topic. We reviewed these 17 articles and also some other references, derived from these articles or relevant to the topic, for the purpose of our review. CONCLUSION Cooccurrence of a seizure in a patient with MS may complicate the management process. In this review, we tried to provide answers to the frequently asked questions, considering the best available scientific evidence and expert opinion.

['Asadi-Pooya|Ali A|AA|', 'Sahraian|Mohamad Ali|MA|', 'Sina|Farzad|F|', 'Baghbanian|Seyed Mohammad|SM|', 'Habibabadi|Jafar Mehvari|JM|', 'Shaygannejad|Vahid|V|', 'Asadollahi|Marjan|M|', 'Karvigh|Sanaz Ahmadi|SA|', 'Moghadasi|Abdorreza Naser|AN|', 'Nikseresht|Alireza|A|', 'Motamedi|Mahmoud|M|']

2019

32674509

Phenol-Furfural Resin/Montmorillonite Based High-Pressure Green Composite from Renewable Feedstock (Saccharum munja) with Improved Thermo-Mechanical Properties.

This research endeavour aimed to explore the potential of a native, nonedible and low market value plant feedstock, i.e., Saccharum munja for green synthesis of woodware materials and improve its features by incorporating an economical blending material. A significant amount of furfural, i.e., 58%, was extracted from Saccharum munja through the modified acid digestion method. Extracted furfural was reacted with phenol to prepare phenol-furfural resin, an alternative to phenol-formaldehyde resin but with no harmful effects for humans. The synthesized resin was also blended with montmorillonite clay after modification via Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) treatment for improved thermo-mechanical properties. These resins and composites were characterized by XRD, SEM, and FTIR spectroscopy. Resultant resins and composites were further employed as a binding agent to make high-pressure composite from leftover plant residue by hot-press method. The resultant product was subjected to TGA analysis and furnished high value of degradation temperature (Tdeg), i.e., 607 °C. Prepared high-pressure composite samples were mechanically tested through compression tests by Tinius Olsen Testing Machine and hardness tests by Rockwell Hardness Tester. Its tensile strength value was 58.3 MPa while hardness value was found to be 64 RHB which was greater than mild copper with hardness value 48.9 RHB. Thus, green high-pressure composite material was successfully developed by employing Saccharum munja and montmorillonite clay while no toxic resin was used, nor was any residue left over.

['Asad|Muhammad Zeeshan|MZ|', 'Mahmood|Azhar|A|0000-0003-0881-2612', 'Hussain Shah|Syed Tasweer|ST|']

2020

34137673

The functional reach test in people with multiple sclerosis: a reliability and validity study.

Background: Limits of stability (LOS) is a major component of balance dysfunction in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The functional reach test (FRT) is a clinical LOS assessment; however, its psychometric properties have not been investigated in people with MS yet. Objectives: To investigate: (1) the intrarater, interrater, and test-retest reliability of the FRT in people with MS; (2) the minimum detectable change (MDC) in the FRT distances; (3) the concurrent and discriminant validity of the FRT; and (4) the cutoff distance that best discriminates people with MS from healthy people and fallers from non-fallers with MS.Methods: Forty-three people with MS and 36 healthy people participated in this study. The FRT was administered along with the instrumented LOS test, Berg Balance Scale, Four Square Step Test, Timed Up and Go Test, and Expanded Disability Status Scale. The FRT was repeated by the same rater after 2 min from the first test session to determine the intrarater reliability and was simultaneously conducted by two independent raters to determine the interrater reliability. The FRT was also repeated after 7-10 days to determine the test-retest reliability. The reliability was quantified using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), Bland-Altman plots, and the MDC. The validity was assessed by correlating the FRT distances with the scores of other measures and by comparing the FRT distances between the MS group and healthy people, and between the fallers and non-fallers in the MS group.Results: The FRT demonstrated good to excellent intrarater, interrater, and test-retest reliability with an ICC (3,1) of 0.80-0.88 (p < .001), an ICC (3,2) of 0.94-0.97 (p < .001), an ICC (2,3) of 0.84-0.86 (p < .001), respectively. Bland-Altman analyses showed no systematic bias between the assessments. The MDC was 8.28 centimeters. The FRT was correlated with the other outcome measures (correlation coefficients ranged from 0.31 to 0.79, p < .05 for all). Significant differences in the FRT distances were found between people with MS and healthy people; however, no significant difference was found between the fallers and non-fallers with MS (p < .001 and p = .09, respectively). The cutoff distance of 35.5 centimeters best discriminates healthy people from people with MS while of 28.5 centimeters did not discriminate between the fallers and non-fallers with MS.Conclusions: The FRT is a reliable, valid, and easy-to-administer tool for assessing LOS in people with MS.

['Soke|Fatih|F|https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8457-1198', 'Eldemir|Sefa|S|https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2122-5706', 'Ozkan|Taskin|T|https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9448-0516', 'Ozkul|Cagla|C|https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9367-9910', 'Ozcan Gulsen|Elvan|E|https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8100-318X', 'Gulsen|Cagri|C|https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5830-438X', 'Eldemir|Kader|K|https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1167-8971', 'Irkec|Ceyla|C|https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4713-8010', 'Gonenli Kocer|Bilge|B|https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5436-8618', 'Batur Caglayan|Hale Zeynep|HZ|https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3279-1842', 'Guclu-Gunduz|Arzu|A|https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8464-1929']

2021

30830239

Rab6 regulates cell migration and invasion by recruiting Cdc42 and modulating its activity.

Rab proteins are master regulators of intracellular membrane trafficking, but they also contribute to cell division, signaling, polarization, and migration. The majority of the works describing the mechanisms used by Rab proteins to regulate cell motility involve intracellular transport of key molecules important for migration. Interestingly, a few studies indicate that Rabs can modulate the activity of Rho GTPases, important regulators for the cytoskeleton rearrangements, but the mechanisms behind this crosstalk are still poorly understood. In this work, we identify Rab6 as a negative regulator of cell migration in vitro and in vivo. We show that the loss of Rab6 promotes formation of actin protrusions and influences actomyosin dynamics by upregulating Cdc42 activity and downregulating myosin II phosphorylation. We further provide the molecular mechanism behind this regulation demonstrating that Rab6 interacts with both Cdc42 and Trio, a GEF for Cdc42. In sum, our results uncover a mechanism used by Rab proteins to ensure spatial regulation of Rho GTPase activity for coordination of cytoskeleton rearrangements required in migrating cells.

['Vestre|Katharina|K|', 'Kjos|Ingrid|I|', 'Guadagno|Noemi Antonella|NA|', 'Borg Distefano|Marita|M|', 'Kohler|Felix|F|', 'Fenaroli|Federico|F|', 'Bakke|Oddmund|O|', 'Progida|Cinzia|C|http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9254-0690']

2019

30201160

Implementing Health Care Technology Research into Practice to Improve Adult Asthma Management.

BACKGROUND Use of health technology has shown potential to improve asthma adherence and outcomes. Few studies have looked at the implementation of such research within larger asthma populations. OBJECTIVE This report examines the process of translating results from a pragmatic trial using speech recognition (SR) in children with persistent asthma into the standard operating procedure within a large health maintenance organization. Medication adherence and outcomes in adults with asthma were examined. METHODS The SR protocol was implemented for the total Kaiser Permanente Colorado (KPCO) patient population of 480,142, of whom 36,356 had asthma. Patients had persistent asthma, filled 1 or more inhaled corticosteroid prescriptions in the prior 6 months, and remained continuously enrolled with KPCO for 2 years. Documented exacerbations included the presence of a hospitalization, emergency department visit, or course of oral corticosteroid where asthma was the principal diagnosis. Adherence and exacerbation events were compared 1 year before and 1 year after intervention for 4,510 adults aged 19 to 64. RESULTS Patient adherence demonstrated a small but significant improvement from 39.5% to 41.7% (P < .0001). Although not significant, data trends suggested greater improvement for patients with lower socioeconomic status. When an outlier month was removed from both the pre- and postintervention time periods, courses of oral corticosteroids decreased. Emergency department visits and hospitalizations were infrequent in both time periods and did not decrease over time. CONCLUSIONS A low-cost SR intervention reminding patients to fill and take their daily controller asthma medication can improve treatment adherence and decrease the need for oral corticosteroids due to asthma exacerbations, but not decrease emergency department visits or hospitalizations.

['Cvietusa|Peter J|PJ|', 'Goodrich|Glenn K|GK|', 'Shoup|Jo Ann|JA|', 'Steffen|David A|DA|', 'Tacinas|Cathy|C|', 'Wagner|Nicole M|NM|', 'Anderson|Courtney B|CB|', 'Ritzwoller|Debra P|DP|', 'Bender|Bruce G|BG|']

2019

29290366

Reduced calcification and osteogenic features in advanced atherosclerotic plaques of mice with macrophage-specific loss of TRPC3.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Recent in vitro studies have showed that in macrophages, deletion of the non-selective Ca2+-permeable channel TRPC3 impairs expression of the osteogenic protein BMP-2. The pathophysiological relevance of this effect in atherosclerotic plaque calcification remains to be determined. METHODS We used Ldlr-/- mice with macrophage-specific loss of TRPC3 (MacTrpc3-/-/Ldlr-/-) to examine the effect of macrophage Trpc3 on plaque calcification and osteogenic features in advanced atherosclerosis. RESULTS After 25 weeks on high fat diet, aortic root plaques in MacTrpc3-/-/Ldlr-/- mice showed reduced size, lipid and macrophage content compared to controls. Plaque calcification was decreased in MacTrpc3-/-/Ldlr-/- mice, and this was accompanied by marked reduction in BMP-2, Runx-2 and phospho-SMAD1/5 contents within macrophage-rich areas. Expression of Bmp-2 and Runx-2 was also reduced in bone marrow-derived macrophages from MacTrpc3-/-/Ldlr-/- mice. CONCLUSIONS These findings show that, in advanced atherosclerosis, selective deletion of TRPC3 in macrophages favors plaque regression and impairs the activity of a novel macrophage-associated, BMP-2-dependent mechanism of calcification.

['Dube|Prabhatchandra R|PR|', 'Chikkamenahalli|Lakshmikanth L|LL|', 'Birnbaumer|Lutz|L|', 'Vazquez|Guillermo|G|']

2018

34045844

Efficacy of personalized models in discriminating high cognitive demand conditions using text-based interactions.

Although high cognitive demand conditions can impair psychological, physical, and behavioral processes without appropriate management, current measurement methods are too cumbersome for continuous monitoring of cognitive demand, and do not account for individual differences. This research uses keystroke and linguistic markers of typed text to construct individualized models of cognitive demand response to discriminate high and low cognitive demand conditions, the results of which can have implications for design of cognitive demand monitoring systems for personalized health management. We constructed within-subject models of cognitive demand response for nine participants and one between-subjects model based on 20 participants. The AUCs for personalized models ranged from 0.679 to 0.953 (Mean=0.826, SD=0.085), significantly higher than chance (p < 0.0001) and the 0.714 AUC for the generic model (p=0.002). Although the features in each model were different, the most common features across models are rate of negative emotion, lexical diversity, rate of words over six letters, and word count. These results confirm significant individual differences in cognitive demand response and suggest that those developing measurement methods used in a monitoring system should consider adaptation to individual characteristics. Our research operationalizes the effects of cognitive demand on HCI and contributes a unique combination of text and keystroke features used to detect high cognitive demand situations.

['Vizer|Lisa M|LM|', 'Sears|Andrew|A|']

2017

31496971

Getting Developmental Science Back Into Schools: Can What We Know About Self-Regulation Help Change How We Think About "No Excuses"?

Research from education, psychology, and human development indicates that social and emotional skills are essential to success in school, work, and life, and that high-quality social and emotional learning (SEL) programs can benefit students' mental health, academic achievement, and behavioral outcomes. While many schools are adopting an SEL approach, there remains a concerning gap between SEL research and policies and practices related to discipline and behavior management. Following the No Child Left Behind Act and education reform driven by a culture of high-stakes standardized testing and accountability benchmarks, there has been an increase in elementary schools adopting a "no excuses" model of education. This model is characterized by extended time in school, highly structured in-service teacher training, frequent assessments, and "zero tolerance" policies to strictly manage and control children's behavior. These behavior policies are problematic as they run counter to what research tells us about children's social and emotional development. Reactive and exclusionary discipline policies inhibit children's abilities to build and practice self-regulation skills and jeopardize the relationships between students and teachers. The developmental science perspective on children's regulatory skills suggests that the early years of school are a central context for developing and practicing self-regulation with the support of educators and peers. Research also indicates that warm, caring, reciprocal relationships based on trust are critical to learning and development. Yet, this research base is often overshadowed by pressures to improve standardized achievement scores or misinterpreted in the form of hyper-vigilance about children's behavior in the classroom. Finally, the "no excuses" approach to behavior management is used disproportionally in schools serving low-income students of color and thus may contribute to unequal rates of suspensions and expulsions, both of which are linked to negative developmental outcomes later in life. This is particularly true for students who have experienced trauma, in part because the act of social exclusion is often re-traumatizing. This article summarizes research on self-regulation, trauma, and developmental relationships, highlights potential consequences of "no excuses" policies and practices in schools, and presents an alternative view of learning environments which promote effective self-regulation skills in young children.

['Bailey|Rebecca|R|', 'Meland|Emily A|EA|', 'Brion-Meisels|Gretchen|G|', 'Jones|Stephanie M|SM|']

2019

27100664

Examining Korean and Korean American older adults' perceived acceptability of home-based monitoring technologies in the context of culture.

OBJECTIVE Despite the increasing use of home-based monitoring technologies by older adults, few studies have examined older adults' acceptance of these technologies, especially among people from diverse cultural groups. The purpose of this study was to explore Korean and Korean American older adults' attitudes toward and perceptions of home-based monitoring technologies in a cultural context. METHODS A qualitative analysis of focus groups and individual interviews using inductive coding methods and a constant comparative approach for emerging themes was conducted. RESULTS Several cultural factors that determine the acceptability of home-based monitoring technologies were identified. Most notably, the necessity of living alone due to loosened filial tradition and immigration was a main motivator for adopting these technologies for both Korean and Korean Americans. The level of satisfaction with the health care system or therapeutic interaction affected participants' perceived need for technologies. Compared with the Korean American group, Korean older adults regarded the government's role as more important in increasing adoption and use of new technologies. CONCLUSIONS Contextual factors need to be considered when explaining perceptions of home-based monitoring technologies among older adults from various ethnic groups and developing diffusion strategies according to end users' attitudes, experiences, and cultural backgrounds.

['Chung|Jane|J|', 'Thompson|Hilaire J|HJ|', 'Joe|Jonathan|J|', 'Hall|Amanda|A|', 'Demiris|George|G|']

2017

34567253

Level of knowledge and practice of female healthcare providers about early detection methods of breast cancer at Debre Tabor Comprehensive Specialised Hospital: a cross-sectional study.

Background Despite the higher mortality rate of breast cancer in low and middle-income countries, the practice of early detection methods is low and the majority of the patients presenting at an advanced stage of the disease need palliative care with low survival rates. Although healthcare providers are the key for practicing early detection methods of breast cancer for themselves and their clients, little is known about their knowledge and practice of early detection methods of breast cancer in Northcentral Ethiopia. Methods An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among female healthcare providers at Debre Tabor Comprehensive Specialised Hospital. Data were collected using a structured self-administered questionnaire. The data were analysed using SPSS version 23. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the socio-demographic information of participants. Binary and multivariable logistic regression with adjusted odds ratio (AOR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to identify factors associated with the outcome variable. Statistical significance was declared at p < 0.05. Result The mean (±SD) age of the participants was 31.4 (±7.8) years. About 106 (79.7%) participants had good knowledge about breast cancer early detection methods and only 56 (42.1%) of them practiced breast self-examination regularly. Work experience of >2 years (AOR = 3.2; 95% CI: 1.72, 5.29), history of any breast problem (AOR = 1.4; 95% CI: 1.02, 2.37), family history of breast cancer (AOR = 4.0; 95% CI: 2.58, 15.84), having good knowledge (AOR = 2.9; 95% CI: 1.3, 6.52) and history of comorbidities (AOR = 1.09; 95% CI: 1.09, 3.59) were the factors associated with the practice of breast self-examination. Conclusion Our study found that the knowledge and practice of breast cancer early detection methods was low in the study setting. Only less than half of female healthcare providers practiced regular breast self-examination, which suggests the need to provide training for healthcare providers to fill the gap and to promote early detection of breast cancer cases.

['Tesfaw|Aragaw|A|', 'Berihun|Hanna|H|', 'Molla|Eshetie|E|', 'Mihret|Gashaw|G|', 'Feleke|Dejen Getaneh|DG|', 'Chanie|Ermias Sisay|ES|', 'Demissie|Biruk|B|', 'Yosef|Tewodros|T|', 'Shita|Abel|A|', 'Tadele|Fitalew|F|', 'Fenta|Efrem|E|']

2021

29645327

Exploring cancer survivors' views of health behaviour change: "Where do you start, where do you stop with everything?"

OBJECTIVE Physical activity (PA) and a healthy diet can improve the well-being of cancer survivors. However, cancer survivors often do not engage in these behaviours. This study aimed to explore barriers and facilitators to engaging in these behaviours following cancer treatment. METHODS During the development of a Web-based intervention to enhance health-related quality of life in cancer survivors, 32 people who had completed treatment for breast, colon, or prostate cancer were presented with an intervention for PA and healthy eating. In-depth think-aloud and semi-structured interviewing techniques were used to elicit perceptions of both behaviours. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. RESULTS Some individuals reported implementing positive health behaviour changes to maintain health and prevent recurrence, or to help them to move forward after cancer. However, others reported feeling abandoned, and many did not report an intention to engage in lifestyle changes. Individuals discussed contextual and health-related barriers that were specifically linked to their situation as post-treatment cancer survivors: individuals described uncertainty about how to implement adaptive changes and perceived a lack of support from health care providers. Others viewed behaviour change as unnecessary or undesirable, with some arguing that non-modifiable factors contributed more to their cancer diagnosis than lifestyle-related factors. CONCLUSIONS For many participants in this study, the period that follows treatment for cancer did not represent a "teachable moment." A variety of complex and heterogeneous factors appeared to impact motivation and may limit cancer survivors from engaging with diet and PA changes.

['Corbett|Teresa|T|0000-0002-5620-5377', 'Cheetham|Tara|T|', 'Müller|Andre Matthias|AM|0000-0001-5770-6723', 'Slodkowska-Barabasz|Joanna|J|', 'Wilde|Laura|L|0000-0002-1404-6304', 'Krusche|Adele|A|', 'Richardson|Alison|A|', 'Foster|Claire|C|', 'Watson|Eila|E|', 'Little|Paul|P|', 'Yardley|Lucy|L|', 'Bradbury|Katherine|K|']

2018

24583193

Improved PCR-RFLP method for the identification of Escherichia coli enterohemolysin (ehxA) subtypes.

Previously published PCR-RFLP methods failed to detect the six genetically different Escherichia coli ehxA subtypes reliably. Here we describe an improved PCR-RFLP method that detects all ehxA subtypes. Importantly, ehxA-subtyping may contribute to the detection of potentially pathogenic STECs and can expedite initial screenings of patient samples and food enrichments.

['Lorenz|Sandra C|SC|', 'Fischer|Markus|M|', 'Kase|Julie A|JA|']

2014

31081261

A Novel Surface Enhanced Raman Catheter for Rapid Detection, Classification, and Grading of Oral Cancer.

Fabrication and testing of a novel nanostructured surface-enhanced Raman catheter device is reported for rapid detection, classification, and grading of normal, premalignant, and malignant tissues with high sensitivity and accuracy. The sensor part of catheter is formed by a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate made up of leaf-like TiO2 nanostructures decorated with 30 nm sized Ag nanoparticles. The device is tested using a total of 37 patient samples wherein SERS signatures of oral tissues consisting of malignant oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), verrucous carcinoma, premalignant leukoplakia, and disease-free conditions are detected and classified with an accuracy of 97.24% within a short detection-cum-processing time of nearly 25-30 min per patient. Neoplastic grade changes detected using this device correlate strongly with conventional pathological data, enabling correct classification of tumors into three grades with an accuracy of 97.84% in OSCC. Thus, the potential of a SERS catheter device as a point-of-care pathological tool is shown for the rapid and accurate detection, classification, and grading of solid tumors.

['Chundayil Madathil|Girish|G|', 'Iyer|Subramania|S|', 'Thankappan|Krishnakumar|K|', 'Gowd|G Siddaramana|GS|', 'Nair|Shantikumar|S|', 'Koyakutty|Manzoor|M|0000-0002-7217-4777']

2019

30244491

Reproducibility of Liver-to-Thorax Area Ratio Ultrasound Measurements in Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia.

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to investigate the reproducibility of a standardized method to assess the ultrasound liver-to-thoracic area ratio in fetuses with congenital diaphragmatic hernia. METHODS We selected 24 images of 9 fetuses diagnosed with left-sided at our institution between January 2010 and December 2017. Eight operators (1 maternal-fetal medicine specialist and 7 sonographers) reviewed the selected images and assessed the ultrasound liver-to-thoracic area ratio according to a standardized protocol. We evaluated the correlation between operators using the intraclass correlation coefficient and compared agreement between the sonographers and a physician with experience in measuring the ultrasound liver-to-thoracic area ratio using a Bland-Altman analysis. RESULTS Good intraoperator reproducibility was observed for the standardized ultrasound liver-to-thoracic area ratio (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.78). Good agreement among sonographers and the physician was also observed for the standardized measurements (bias, 0.01; precision, 0.03; limits of agreement, -0.05 to + 0.07). CONCLUSIONS We demonstrated that good intraoperator and interoperator reproducibility of ultrasound liver-to-thoracic area ratio assessment is feasible after standardizing the method in our center.

['Novoa Y Novoa|Victoria Arruga|VA|', 'Sutton|Laura F|LF|', 'Neis|Allan E|AE|', 'Marroquin|Amber M|AM|', 'Coleman|Tracey M|TM|', 'Praska|Kathleen A|KA|', 'Freimund|Tamara A|TA|', 'Ruka|Krystal L|KL|', 'Warzala|Vicki L|VL|', 'Sangi-Haghpeykar|Haleh|H|', 'Ruano|Rodrigo|R|']

2019

23833196

Turned on by heat: differential expression of FT and LFY-like genes in Narcissus tazetta during floral transition.

In Narcissus tazetta, a monocotyledonous bulbous geophyte, floral initiation and differentiation occur within the bulb during the quiescent period in summer, when ambient temperatures are relatively high and the bulb is located underground with no foliage or roots. In many plant species, FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) and its homologues are considered powerful promoters of flowering. The Narcissus FT gene homologue (NtFT) was isolated, and organ-specific expression patterns of NtFT during the annual cycle and reproductive development under different temperature regimes were analysed using quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) and RNA in situ hybridization. During floral induction, NtFT was not expressed in bulb scales, roots, or foliage leaves, but it was detected inside the bulb in the apical meristem and leaf primordia. The expression of another key flowering gene, NLF, the LEAFY homologue in N. tazetta, was also observed only in meristem and leaf primordia within the bulbs; however, its expression did not coincide with that of NtFT during meristem transition to reproductive stage. Under high temperatures (25-30 °C) in the dark, NtFT expression occurred simultaneously with floral induction timing, indicating that floral induction is affected by high temperatures but not by photoperiod or vernalization. Monitoring the apical meristem of Narcissus in February-August of two growing seasons under ambient and controlled storage conditions showed that transition to flowering is temperature dependent and varies between years. Lack of NtFT and NLF expression in foliage leaves suggests that flower initiation control in Narcissus differs from that in common model plants.

['Noy-Porat|Tal|T|', 'Cohen|Doron|D|', 'Mathew|Deepu|D|', 'Eshel|Amram|A|', 'Kamenetsky|Rina|R|', 'Flaishman|Moshe A|MA|']

2013

29857865

Non-contrast compressed sensing whole-heart coronary magnetic resonance angiography at 3T: A comparison with conventional imaging.

OBJECTIVES Whole-heart coronary magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) is a promising non-contrast, radiation-free technique for assessing the coronary artery. Yet, a disadvantage of coronary MRA is the relatively long acquisition time. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the scan time and image quality of compressed sensing (CS) coronary MRA compared with conventional coronary MRA. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty healthy volunteers underwent navigator-gated coronary MRA with a CS prototype sequence and conventional navigator-gated coronary MRA on a clinical 3T MRI scanner without contrast medium. The spatial resolutions were 1.33 × 1.33 × 1.20 mm3 for CS and 1.33 × 1.33 × 1.48 mm3 interpolated to 0.70 × 0.70 × 1.20 mm3 for conventional, respectively. We compared acquisition times, rated image quality on a 4-point scale (RCA; proximal, middle, and distal, LAD; main, proximal, middle, and distal, LCX; proximal and distal), and measured the visualized vessel lengths of three vessels. RESULTS The mean acceptance rates were 44.9% for CS coronary MRA and 48.7% for conventional coronary MRA (p = .39). The mean effective scan time was 3 min 45 s for CS coronary MRA and 15 min 6 s for conventional coronary MRA (p < 0.001). Image quality scores were significantly lower for CS coronary MRA than for conventional coronary MRA (3.4 ± 0.7 for CS vs. 3.8 ± 0.4 for conventional; p < 0.0001). Conventional coronary MRA images were scored >3.4 in all segments on average, while CS coronary MRA images were scored >3.2 (good quality for diagnosis) in almost all segments, with only the distal RCA segment graded 2.9 on average. The average visible vessel lengths for CS and conventional coronary MRA were as follows: 11.5 ± 4.4 cm and 12.5 ± 4.8 cm for the RCA, respectively (p < 0.05, 95% limits of agreement [LOA]; -3.6 to 1.6 cm); 10.6 ± 3.0 cm and 11.1 ± 2.9 cm for the LAD, respectively (p = .15, 95% LOA -4.0 to 2.8 cm); and 7.1 ± 2.2 cm and 8.2 ± 2.5 cm for the LCX, respectively (p < 0.05, 95% LOA -4.0 to 1.7 cm). CONCLUSIONS Non-contrast coronary MRA using CS could largely shorten acquisition time, compared with conventional navigator-gated coronary MRA, while maintaining acceptable visualization at 3T.

['Nakamura|Masashi|M|', 'Kido|Tomoyuki|T|', 'Kido|Teruhito|T|', 'Watanabe|Kouki|K|', 'Schmidt|Michaela|M|', 'Forman|Christoph|C|', 'Mochizuki|Teruhito|T|']

2018

28693602

House ownership, frequency of illness, fathers' education: the most significant socio-demographic determinants of poor nutritional status in adolescent girls from low income households of Lahore, Pakistan.

BACKGROUND Socio demographic factors besides dietary factors play important role in determining the health status of an individual. Health and nutritional Intervention programs stand a greater chance of success if planned, keeping the socio demographic characteristics of a certain population in focus. The present study was conducted to identify those socio demographic determinants which have a significant association with poor nutritional status in adolescent girls belonging to economically deprived households of Lahore. METHODS A cross-sectional analytical study of 140 adolescent girls living in the peri urban communities of Lahore was conducted. Socioeconomic and demographic data of the participants was recorded through a pretested questionnaire. Body mass index (BMI), a commonly used anthropometric measurement was taken as an indicator of nutritional status. Below normal (<18.5 m2) BMI was considered a benchmark of malnutrition in adolescent girls. Frequencies and percentages for socio demographic variables were calculated and Fisher Exact test was used to find out the association of nutritional status with socio-demographic predictors. Stepwise backward logistic regression analysis was then run to identify the most significant determinants associated with poor nutritional status in the adolescents. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS Chronic energy deficiency was highly prevalent among adolescent girls, 58% had BMI < 18.5 m2. Binary regression analysis result showed that the participants who lived in rented houses (AOR = 3.513; 95% CI = 1.366 to 9.031) who fell ill frequently (AOR = 2.996; 95% CI = 1.198 to 7.491) whose fathers were illiterate (AOR = 2.941; 95% CI = 1.187 to 7.287) were at greater odds of having poor nutritional status. Interestingly, the participants who lived in joint families (AOR = 0.411; 95% CI = 0.145 to 1.168) and were more frequently food insecure (AOR = 0.431; 95% CI = 0.164 to 1.133) had lesser odds of having poor nutritional status than those who lived in nuclear families and were food secure. CONCLUSION Frequency of illness, house ownership and fathers' education are the determinants positively associated with poor nutritional status of adolescent girls. Food insecurity and joint family structure were negatively associated with poor nutritional status. The study will help in planning interventions for improving nutritional status of adolescent girls by targeting the significant socio demographic determinants of poor nutritional status among this group.

['Hassan|Fatima|F|0000-0001-5633-0568', 'Asim|Muhammad|M|', 'Salim|Shafya|S|', 'Humayun|Ayesha|A|']

2017

29397290

Complex care of individuals with multiple sulfatase deficiency: Clinical cases and consensus statement.

Multiple sulfatase deficiency (MSD) is an ultra-rare neurodegenerative disorder that results in defective sulfatase post-translational modification. Sulfatases in the body are activated by a unique protein, formylglycine-generating enzyme (FGE) that is encoded by SUMF1. When FGE is absent or insufficient, all 17 known human sulfatases are affected, including the enzymes associated with metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD), several mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS II, IIIA, IIID, IVA, VI), chondrodysplasia punctata, and X-linked ichthyosis. As such, individuals demonstrate a complex and severe clinical phenotype that has not been fully characterized to date. In this report, we describe two individuals with distinct clinical presentations of MSD. Also, we detail a comprehensive systems-based approach to the management of individuals with MSD, from the initial diagnostic evaluation to unique multisystem issues and potential management options. As there have been no natural history studies to date, the recommendations within this report are based on published studies and consensus opinion and underscore the need for future research on evidence-based outcomes to improve management of children with MSD.

['Ahrens-Nicklas|Rebecca|R|', 'Schlotawa|Lars|L|', 'Ballabio|Andrea|A|', 'Brunetti-Pierri|Nicola|N|', 'De Castro|Mauricio|M|', 'Dierks|Thomas|T|', 'Eichler|Florian|F|', 'Ficicioglu|Can|C|', 'Finglas|Alan|A|', 'Gaertner|Jutta|J|', 'Kirmse|Brian|B|', 'Klepper|Joerg|J|', 'Lee|Marcus|M|', 'Olsen|Amber|A|', 'Parenti|Giancarlo|G|', 'Vossough|Arastoo|A|', 'Vanderver|Adeline|A|', 'Adang|Laura A|LA|']

2018

30430961

Prediction of remission in pharmacotherapy of untreated major depression: development and validation of multivariable prediction models.

BACKGROUND Depression is increasingly recognized as a chronic and relapsing disorder. However, an important minority of patients who start treatment for their major depressive episode recover to euthymia. It is clinically important to be able to predict such individuals. METHODS The study is a secondary analysis of a recently completed pragmatic megatrial examining first- and second-line treatments for hitherto untreated episodes of non-psychotic unipolar major depression (n = 2011). Using the first half of the cohort as the derivation set, we applied multiply-imputed stepwise logistic regression with backward selection to build a prediction model to predict remission, defined as scoring 4 or less on the Patient Health Quetionnaire-9 at week 9. We used three successively richer sets of predictors at baseline only, up to week 1, and up to week 3. We examined the external validity of the derived prediction models with the second half of the cohort. RESULTS In total, 37.0% (95% confidence interval 34.8-39.1%) were in remission at week 9. Only the models using data up to week 1 or 3 showed reasonable performance. Age, education, length of episode and depression severity remained in the multivariable prediction models. In the validation set, the discrimination of the prediction model was satisfactory with the area under the curve of 0.73 (0.70-0.77) and 0.82 (0.79-0.85), while the calibration was excellent with non-significant goodness-of-fit χ2 values (p = 0.41 and p = 0.29), respectively. CONCLUSIONS Patients and clinicians can use these prediction models to estimate their predicted probability of achieving remission after acute antidepressant therapy.

['Furukawa|Toshi A|TA|0000-0003-2159-3776', 'Kato|Tadashi|T|', 'Shinagawa|Yoshihiro|Y|', 'Miki|Kazuhira|K|', 'Fujita|Hirokazu|H|', 'Tsujino|Naohisa|N|', 'Kondo|Masaki|M|', 'Inagaki|Masatoshi|M|', 'Yamada|Mitsuhiko|M|']

2019

24973555

Lost in translation? Theory, policy and practice in systems-based environmental approaches to obesity prevention in the Healthy Towns programme in England.

This paper explores how system-wide approaches to obesity prevention were 'theorised' and translated into practice in the 'Healthy Towns' programme implemented in nine areas in England. Semi-structured interviews with 20 informants, purposively selected to represent national and local programme development, management and delivery were undertaken. Results suggest that informants articulated a theoretical understanding of a system-wide approach to obesity prevention, but simplifying this complex task in the context of uncertainty over programme aims and objectives, and absence of a clear direction from the central government, resulted in local programmes relying on traditional multi-component approaches to programme delivery. The development of clear, practical guidance on implementation should form a central part of future system-wide approaches to obesity prevention.

['Sautkina|Elena|E|', 'Goodwin|Denise|D|', 'Jones|Andy|A|', 'Ogilvie|David|D|', 'Petticrew|Mark|M|', 'White|Martin|M|', 'Cummins|Steven|S|']

2014

23390562

Genetic modeling of ovarian phenotypes in mice for the study of human polycystic ovary syndrome.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) presents with a range of clinical complications including hyperandrogenism, polycystic ovaries, chronic oligo/anovulation, infertility, and metabolic alterations related to insulin resistance. Because the mechanism by which this disorder develops is poorly understood, information from experimental models of human disease phenotypes may help to define the mechanisms for the initiation and development of PCOS-related pathological events. The establishment of animal models compatible with human PCOS is challenging, and applying the lessons learned from these models to human PCOS is often complicated. In this mini-review we provide examples of currently available genetic mouse models, their ovarian phenotypes, and their possible relationship to different aspects of human PCOS. Because of the practical and ethical limitations of studying PCOS-related events in humans, our understanding of the mechanisms that contribute to the etiology of human PCOS may be enhanced through further study of these transgenic and knockout mouse models.

['Feng|Yi|Y|', 'Li|Xin|X|', 'Shao|Ruijin|R|']

2013

28233355

N-Doped Mesoporous In2 O3 for Photocatalytic Oxygen Evolution from the In-based Metal-Organic Frameworks.

As an excellent n-type semiconductor, indium oxide (In2 O3 ) is also a good candidate for photocatalysis such as light-induced water splitting. However, the efficiency of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) underperforms in view of the wide band gap (BG) and fast charge recombination in In2 O3 . N-doping provides a sound method to narrow the BG and to prohibit the charge recombination by forming new energy levels between the valence band (VB) and the conduction band (CB). In this work, an In-based organic framework sod-ZMOF was used as a precursor to prepare the N-doped In2 O3 . After calcination, sod-ZMOF is transformed into N-doped In2 O3 nanocrystalline, in which the ligand within sod-ZMOF serves as the nitrogen source. In addition, sod-ZMOF acts as self-template during calcination to generate abundant nanopores within the In2 O3 frameworks, providing large specific surface area and active sites for OER. The BG is narrowed to 2.9 from 3.7 eV of the pure In2 O3 on account of the N-doping. N species are doped in both the substitutional and interstitial fashion, and the interstitial doping is believed to improve the photo-induced carrier separation by the formation of oxygen vacancies. As a consequence, the overpotential for OER is effectively decreased from the pure In2 O3 , and the electrocatalytic experiment proves superior catalytic activity with a high current density and long-term durability compared to the In2 O3 nanoparticles obtained from In(OH)3 .

['Gan|Xiaoyu|X|', 'Zheng|Ruijin|R|', 'Liu|Tianlin|T|', 'Meng|Jiao|J|', 'Chen|Ruiping|R|', 'Sun|Xuan|X|', 'Sun|Xun|X|']

2017

32983189

Polyamine Metabolism, Photorespiration, and Excitation Energy Allocation in Photosystem II Are Potentially Regulatory Hubs in Poplar Adaptation to Soil Nitrogen Availability.

Nitrogen fertilization is common for poplar trees to improve growth and productivity. The utilization of N by poplar largely depends on fertilizer application patterns; however, the underlying regulatory hubs are not fully understood. In this study, N utilization and potentially physiological regulations of two poplar clones (XQH and BC5) were assessed through two related experiments (i: five levels of N supply and ii: conventional and exponential N additions). Poplar growth (leaf area) and N utilization significantly increased under fertilized compared to unfertilized conditions, whereas photosynthetic N utilization efficiency significantly decreased under low N supplies. Growth characteristics were better in the XQH than in the BC5 clone under the same N supplies, indicating higher N utilization efficiency. Leaf absorbed light energy, and thermal dissipation fraction was significantly different for XQH clone between conventional and exponential N additions. Leaf concentrations of putrescine (Put) and acetylated Put were significantly higher in exponential than in conventional N addition. Photorespiration significantly increased in leaves of XQH clone under exponential compared to conventional N addition. Our results indicate that an interaction of the clone and N supply pattern significantly occurs in poplar growth; leaf expansion and the storage N allocations are the central hubs in the regulation of poplar N utilization.

['Hu|Yanbo|Y|', 'Siddiqui|Manzer H|MH|', 'Li|Chunming|C|', 'Jiang|Luping|L|', 'Zhang|Heng|H|', 'Zhao|Xiyang|X|']

2020

31809833

Alterations in circadian rhythms following alcohol use: A systematic review.

Increasing evidence suggest a bidirectional link between disrupted circadian rhythms and alcohol use disorders (AUD). A better understanding of these alcohol-induced changes in circadian rhythms will likely provide important therapeutic solutions. We conducted a systematic review based on the PubMed database examining biological rhythms in all stages of alcohol use: acute alcohol consumption, AUD, alcohol withdrawal, and abstinence. Different changes in circadian rhythms have been observed after a single acute alcohol intake, but also during AUD and alcohol withdrawal. Following a single acute alcohol intake, changes in biological rhythms are dose-dependent, reflected in the melatonin and cortisol secretions, and the core body temperature (CBT) rhythms. These alterations normalize the next morning and appear mostly for acute alcohol intake higher than 0.5 g/kg. These alterations are more severe during AUD and persist over time. In addition, interestingly, opposite patterns of the melatonin physiological ratio between diurnal and nocturnal secretion (N/D ratio < 1) have been observed during AUD and appear to be a marker of chronic daily use. During alcohol withdrawal, circadian rhythms desynchronization correlates with the severity of alcohol withdrawal symptoms and withdrawal complications such as delirium tremens. During abstinence a resynchronization of circadian rhythms of cortisol and CBT appears in most patients about 1 month after alcohol withdrawal. Disruption of melatonin circadian rhythms can persist after 3-12 weeks of abstinence. The circadian genetic vulnerability associated with biological rhythms alterations in alcohol use disorders increases the risk of relapses. Circadian-based interventions could play a critical role in preventing and treating AUD.

['Meyrel|Manon|M|', 'Rolland|Benjamin|B|', 'Geoffroy|Pierre A|PA|']

2020

32613114

Removal of a temporal lobe cavernous angioma to control epileptic seizures in a patient with tuberous sclerosis complex.

Purpose A patient with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) and a left temporal cavernous angioma (CA) presented with treatment-resistant epilepsy. We evaluated the patient to determine the best treatment option. Patient and methods A 7-year-old boy with TSC exhibited weekly impaired awareness seizures and was diagnosed with TSC based on the modified Gomez's criteria. The presence of cortical tubers had been noted by his physicians. However, left temporal CA had not been diagnosed. He was referred to our facility for further treatment at the age of 33. Presurgical evaluation in our facility revealed the brain tubers and left temporal CA. Based on his seizure semiology, magnetic resonance imaging, scalp electroencephalogram, and long-term video monitoring, we determined his seizures were from the CA and not the TSC network. We then performed intraoperative-electrocorticography (ECoG). Results Because the ECoG showed epileptiform discharges from the surrounding area of the CA but not from other areas, we removed the CA. He has been seizure-free for more than 10 years. Conclusion The higher likelihood of TSC as well as greater familiarity with this disorder might lead physicians to overlook the possibility of CA.

['Sakakura|Kazuki|K|', 'Fujimoto|Ayataka|A|', 'Ichikawa|Naoki|N|', 'Baba|Shimpei|S|', 'Enoki|Hideo|H|', 'Okanishi|Tohru|T|']

2020

27310313

Mutations in the N-terminal kinase-like domain of the repressor of photomorphogenesis SPA1 severely impair SPA1 function but not light responsiveness in Arabidopsis.

The COP1/SPA complex is an E3 ubiquitin ligase that acts as a key repressor of photomorphogenesis in dark-grown plants. While both COP1 and the four SPA proteins contain coiled-coil and WD-repeat domains, SPA proteins differ from COP1 in carrying an N-terminal kinase-like domain that is not present in COP1. Here, we have analyzed the effects of deletions and missense mutations in the N-terminus of SPA1 when expressed in a spa quadruple mutant background devoid of any other SPA proteins. Deletion of the large N-terminus of SPA1 severely impaired SPA1 activity in transgenic plants with respect to seedling etiolation, leaf expansion and flowering time. This ΔN SPA1 protein showed a strongly reduced affinity for COP1 in vitro and in vivo, indicating that the N-terminus contributes to COP1/SPA complex formation. Deletion of only the highly conserved 95 amino acids of the kinase-like domain did not severely affect SPA1 function nor interactions with COP1 or cryptochromes. In contrast, missense mutations in this part of the kinase-like domain severely abrogated SPA1 function, suggesting an overriding negative effect of these mutations on SPA1 activity. We therefore hypothesize that the sequence of the kinase-like domain has been conserved during evolution because it carries structural information important for the activity of SPA1 in darkness. The N-terminus of SPA1 was not essential for light responsiveness of seedlings, suggesting that photoreceptors can inhibit the COP1/SPA complex in the absence of the SPA1 N-terminal domain. Together, these results uncover an important, but complex role of the SPA1 N-terminus in the suppression of photomorphogenesis.

['Holtkotte|Xu|X|', 'Dieterle|Stefan|S|', 'Kokkelink|Leonie|L|', 'Artz|Oliver|O|', 'Leson|Lisa|L|', 'Fittinghoff|Kirsten|K|', 'Hayama|Ryosuke|R|', 'Ahmad|Margaret|M|', 'Hoecker|Ute|U|']

2016

33719550

Effects of Eight Weeks Altitude Training on the Aerobic Capacity and Microcirculation Function in Trained Rowers.

Meng, Zhijun, Huan Gao, Tao Li, Peng Ge, Yixiao Xu, and Binghong Gao. Effects of eight weeks altitude training on the aerobic capacity and microcirculation function in trained rowers. High Alt Med Biol. 22:24-31, 2021. The mechanism of aerobic improvement after altitude training (AT) has not been resolved yet. Few studies have looked at microcirculation changes after AT in athletes. Thirty-three male rowers were recruited and divided into either the AT (n = 18, altitude 2,280 m) or the sea level training (ST group, n = 15, altitude 50 m) for 8 weeks training. Microcirculation function was monitored using a laser Doppler flowmeter. VO2peak and ergometer 5 km time trial (Er5k) were conducted. Within the AT group there was an 8.8% increment in VO2peak from pre- to post-training (4,708.9 ± 455.2 vs. 5,123.3 ± 391.2 ml/min, p < 0.01), whereas in ST group there was a 3.1% increase of VO2peak from pre- to post-training (4,975.4 ± 501.1 vs. 5,128.0 ± 499.3 m/min, p = 0.125). Er5k performance in AT group was significantly improved (1,040.3 ± 26.3 vs. 1,033.2 ± 27.5 seconds, p = 0.038), whereas in ST group Er5k performance was not improved (1,059.6 ± 30.9 vs. 1,060.4 ± 33.2 seconds, p = 0.819). Postocclusive reactive hyperemia reserve and heat reserve in the forearm of AT subjects increased significantly after 8 weeks. Meanwhile, the AT group's resting blood flow and cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC) of the thigh were higher after AT. For the ST group, resting blood flow and CVC in the thigh decreased significantly at third week post-training. There was a low correlation between the change of VO2peak and blood flow of the thigh (r = 0.45, p = 0.01). Trained rowers benefit more from 8 weeks of AT than from 8 weeks ST in terms of aerobic capacity. We have found that 8 weeks of AT increases thigh blood flow and improves endothelial function.

['Meng|Zhijun|Z|', 'Gao|Huan|H|', 'Li|Tao|T|', 'Ge|Peng|P|', 'Xu|Yixiao|Y|', 'Gao|Binghong|B|']

2021

25279273

Comparison of end-diastolic versus end-systolic cardiac-computed tomography reconstruction interval in patient's prior to pulmonary vein isolation.

PURPOSE Aim of the study was to investigate diagnostic accuracy of cardiac computed tomography angiography (CCTA) between left ventricular end-systolic (LVES) and left ventricular end-diastolic (LVED) cardiac phase for thrombus detection in patient's prior to pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). MATERIALS AND METHODS 182 consecutive Patients with drug refractory AF scheduled for PVI (62.6% male, mean age 64.1 ± 10.2 years) underwent routine pre-procedural evaluation including transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and CCTA for evaluation of left atrial (LA)/left atrial appendage (LAA) anatomy and thrombus formation. Qualitative and quantitative analysis (using aorta ascendens (AA)/LAA ratio) was performed. Measurements of the LA/LAA in LVES and LVED cardiac phase were obtained. RESULTS End-systolic volumes (LA/LAA) measured in 30 patients without filling defects as control group and all 14 with filling defects of 182 patients were significantly larger (p < 0.01) than in end-diastolic phase. Qualitative analysis was inferior to quantitative analysis using LA/LAA ratio (<0.5; accuracy: 100%, 88%,100%, 99% vs 100%). 5 out of 182 patients (2.7%) showed thrombus formation of the LAA in CCTA confirmed by TEE and quantitative analysis. Intra/-interobserver variability was lower in end-systolic vs end-diastolic reconstruction interval. CONCLUSION For evaluating CCTA datasets in patients prior PVI, the LVES reconstruction interval is recommended due to significantly larger LA/LAA volumes and lower intra/- interobserver variability's.

['Staab|Wieland|W|', 'Goth|Sabrina|S|', 'Sohns|Christian|C|', 'Sohns|Jan Martin|JM|', 'Steinmetz|Michael|M|', 'Buchwald|Christina Unterberg|CU|', 'Schuster|Andreas|A|', 'Kowallick|Johannes Tammo|JT|', 'Fasshauer|Martin|M|', 'Lotz|Joachim|J|']

2014

31784125

Chlorination and bromination of 1,3-diphenylguanidine and 1,3-di-o-tolylguanidine: Kinetics, transformation products and toxicity assessment.

This works investigates the chlorination and bromination of two rubber and polymer related chemicals, which have emerged as relevant water contaminants, i.e. 1,3-di-o-tolylguanidine (DTG) and 1,3-diphenylguanidine (DPG). Kinetic constants at different pH values were obtained and modelled, taking into account the pKa values of DTG/DPG and HClO, showing that the maximum reaction rate (kapp > 104 M-1 s-1) is obtained at pH values 8.8 for DPG and 9.1 for DTG. Bromination is also very fast, although unlike chlorination, deviation from the model was observed at neutral pH, which was attributed to formation of metastable transformation product (TP). A total of 35 TPs, corresponding to halogenation, hydroxylation, formation of monophenylguanidine derivatives and cyclization reactions, were tentatively identified. Furthermore it was found that chloroform can be formed up to a 25% molar yield, while dichloroacetonitrile was formed into less than a 3% yield. Several ecotoxicological endpoints were predicted by quantitative structure-activity relationship models (QSAR) for the TPs, some of which were predicted to be more toxic than DPG/DTG. Also a chlorinated solution investigated by a Vibrio Fisheri acute toxicity test, confirmed that toxicity increases with chlorination.

['Sieira|Benigno J|BJ|', 'Montes|Rosa|R|', 'Touffet|Arnaud|A|', 'Rodil|Rosario|R|', 'Cela|Rafael|R|', 'Gallard|Hervé|H|', 'Quintana|José Benito|JB|']

2020

28370647

Adaptive sequence evolution is driven by biotic stress in a pair of orchid species (Dactylorhiza) with distinct ecological optima.

The orchid family is the largest in the angiosperms, but little is known about the molecular basis of the significant variation they exhibit. We investigate here the transcriptomic divergence between two European terrestrial orchids, Dactylorhiza incarnata and Dactylorhiza fuchsii, and integrate these results in the context of their distinct ecologies that we also document. Clear signals of lineage-specific adaptive evolution of protein-coding sequences are identified, notably targeting elements of biotic defence, including both physical and chemical adaptations in the context of divergent pools of pathogens and herbivores. In turn, a substantial regulatory divergence between the two species appears linked to adaptation/acclimation to abiotic conditions. Several of the pathways affected by differential expression are also targeted by deviating post-transcriptional regulation via sRNAs. Finally, D. incarnata appears to suffer from insufficient sRNA control over the activity of RNA-dependent DNA polymerase, resulting in increased activity of class I transposable elements and, over time, in larger genome size than that of D. fuchsii. The extensive molecular divergence between the two species suggests significant genomic and transcriptomic shock in their hybrids and offers insights into the difficulty of coexistence at the homoploid level. Altogether, biological response to selection, accumulated during the history of these orchids, appears governed by their microenvironmental context, in which biotic and abiotic pressures act synergistically to shape transcriptome structure, expression and regulation.

['Balao|Francisco|F|http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2104-3846', 'Trucchi|Emiliano|E|', 'Wolfe|Thomas M|TM|', 'Hao|Bao-Hai|BH|', 'Lorenzo|Maria Teresa|MT|', 'Baar|Juliane|J|', 'Sedman|Laura|L|', 'Kosiol|Carolin|C|', 'Amman|Fabian|F|', 'Chase|Mark W|MW|', 'Hedrén|Mikael|M|', 'Paun|Ovidiu|O|http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8295-4937']

2017

31638586

Difficult Gram staining: a case of endocarditis due to Cardiobacterium hominis and review of the literature.

Cardiobacterium hominis est un bacille à Gram négatif responsable d'endocardites infectieuses, principalement chez les patients atteints de pathologies cardiaques ou porteurs de valves. L'identification de cette bactérie est souvent complexe et peut être la cause d'un diagnostic et d'une prise en charge tardifs, source de complications cardiaques. Cet article présente la prise en charge d'une endocardite infectieuse associée à un sepsis à Cardiobacterium hominis, les difficultés d'identification de cette bactérie, ainsi qu'une revue de la littérature sur les infections dues à cette bactérie.

['Blanchot|Thomas|T|', 'Muggeo|Anaëlle|A|', 'Limelette|Anne|A|', 'Abdelaziz|Albina|A|', 'Brasme|Lucien|L|', 'Quinquenel|Anne|A|', 'Vernet-Garnier|Véronique|V|', 'Delmer|Alain|A|', 'de Champs|Christophe|C|', 'Guillard|Thomas|T|']

2019

27366954

Power seat function usage and wheelchair discomfort for power wheelchair users.

OBJECTIVES To investigate correlations between power seat functions (PSFs) usage and wheelchair discomfort. DESIGN Quasi-experimental design: Time series design. SETTING In-home trial in participants' home/community. PARTICIPANTS Thirteen power wheelchair users who independently used power wheelchairs equipped with PSFs as their primary means of mobility. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES PSF usage variables include the frequency of performing repositioning and using PSFs (tilt, recline, legrests and seat elevation), wheelchair occupancy, and driving distance. The Tool for Assessing Wheelchair disComfort (TAWC) were used to evaluate general discomfort and discomfort intensity. RESULTS Spearman correlation coefficient showed that the frequency of using tilt, recline, and legrest is significantly correlated with discomfort intensity. Multiple regression analysis with backward stepwise indicated that these functions can explain 43.8% of the variance (R2 = .438, F(3,33) = 8.588, P < 0.01) in the discomfort intensity score. The best-first decision tree shows that the frequency of using the legrest function was the top node, followed by recline and tilt functions. The overall accuracy of prediction with ten-fold cross validation for discomfort intensity was 79.4%. CONCLUSIONS For people who used power wheelchairs equipped with PSFs, correlation analysis and regression modeling provided evidence from the quantitative data that increasing the frequency of using PSFs may decrease wheelchair discomfort. Future studies should include interventions to encourage people to use their PSFs appropriately.

['Wu|Yu-Kuang|YK|', 'Liu|Hsin-Yi|HY|', 'Kelleher|Annmarie|A|', 'Pearlman|Jonathan|J|', 'Ding|Dan|D|', 'Cooper|Rory A|RA|']

2017

33783923

Geriatric Activation Program Pellenberg, a novel physiotherapy program for hospitalized patients on a geriatric rehabilitation ward.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Regaining functional independence and independent living is challenging in hospitalized geriatric patients. Different from community dwelling and institutionalized older people, geriatric patients on rehabilitation wards generally receive more frequent and structured physiotherapy with the primary aim to discharge them to their home or place of residence. There is a paucity of evidence concerning the structure and components of physiotherapy programs to improve functional performance in this particular group. In this paper, we describe how we developed the Geriatric Activation Program Pellenberg (GAPP) based on patients' needs and available literature. METHODS We searched the literature on physiotherapy interventions focusing on the core components for improvement of functional performance: strength, balance, function, (gait)speed, coordination, and endurance training. Based on physiotherapist staffing and physiotherapy time allocated to each patient, we organized the practical, daily delivery of the program. RESULTS GAPP is a 5-day program, repeated weekly, delivered by physiotherapists and physiotherapy students. Each day, one or a combination of two to three different core components of functional performance is trained intensively in 45-min sessions. A set of standard exercises is constantly adjusted to each patients' capacity. On day 5, there is a mix of these core elements in a group session (e.g., chair-dance, table tennis, karate) and the Berg Balance Scale is completed to evaluate progress. CONCLUSION GAPP is a multicomponent physiotherapy program for hospitalized patients on a geriatric rehabilitation ward, aimed at improving functional performance.

['van Dijk|Margaretha|M|https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6688-2152', 'Allegaert|Patsy|P|', 'Locus|Marlies|M|', 'Deschodt|Mieke|M|', 'Verheyden|Geert|G|', 'Tournoy|Jos|J|', 'Flamaing|Johan|J|']

2021

28794958

Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii fungemia following probiotic treatment.

Probiotics are commonly prescribed as an adjuvant in the treatment of antibiotic-associated diarrhea caused by Clostridium difficile. We report the case of an immunocompromised 73-year-old patient on chemotherapy who developed Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii fungemia in a central venous catheter during treatment of antibiotic-associated pseudomembranous colitis with the probiotic Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii. Fungemia was resolved after interruption of probiotic administration without the need to replace the central venous line.

['Appel-da-Silva|Marcelo C|MC|', 'Narvaez|Gabriel A|GA|', 'Perez|Leandro R R|LRR|', 'Drehmer|Laura|L|', 'Lewgoy|Jairo|J|']

2017

34153356

Neural Mechanism of Blindsight in a Macaque Model.

Some patients with damage to the primary visual cortex (V1) exhibit visuomotor ability, despite loss of visual awareness, a phenomenon termed "blindsight". We review a series of studies conducted mainly in our laboratory on macaque monkeys with unilateral V1 lesioning to reveal the neural pathways underlying visuomotor transformation and the cognitive capabilities retained in blindsight. After lesioning, it takes several weeks for the recovery of visually guided saccades toward the lesion-affected visual field. In addition to the lateral geniculate nucleus, the pathway from the superior colliculus to the pulvinar participates in visuomotor processing in blindsight. At the cortical level, bilateral lateral intraparietal regions become critically involved in the saccade control. These results suggest that the visual circuits experience drastic changes while the monkey acquires blindsight. In these animals, analysis based on signal detection theory adapted to behavior in the "Yes-No" task indicates reduced sensitivity to visual targets, suggesting that visual awareness is impaired. Saccades become less accurate, decisions become less deliberate, and some forms of bottom-up attention are impaired. However, a variety of cognitive functions are retained such as saliency detection during free viewing, top-down attention, short-term spatial memory, and associative learning. These observations indicate that blindsight is not a low-level sensory-motor response, but the residual visual inputs can access these cognitive capabilities. Based on these results we suggest that the macaque model of blindsight replicates type II blindsight patients who experience some "feeling" of objects, which guides cognitive capabilities that we naïvely think are not possible without phenomenal consciousness.

['Isa|Tadashi|T|', 'Yoshida|Masatoshi|M|']

2021

31518655

High Fat Diet Attenuates Cholecystokinin-Induced cFos Activation of Prolactin-Releasing Peptide-Expressing A2 Noradrenergic Neurons in the Caudal Nucleus of the Solitary Tract.

Cholecystokinin (CCK) released from the small intestine increases the activity of vagal afferents that relay satiety signals to the caudal nucleus of the solitary tract (cNTS). A caudal subset of A2 noradrenergic neurons within the cNTS that express prolactin-releasing peptide (PrRP) have been proposed to mediate CCK-induced satiety. However, the ability of exogenous CCK to activate cFos expression by PrRP neurons has only been reported in rats and mice after a very high dose (i.e., 50 μg/kg BW) that also activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal stress axis. The present study examined the ability of a much lower CCK dose (1.0 µg/kg BW, i.p) to activate PrRP-positive neurons in the rat cNTS. We further examined whether maintenance of rats on high fat diet (HFD; 45% kcal from fat) alters CCK-induced activation of PrRP neurons, since HFD blunts the ability of CCK to suppress food intake. Rats maintained on HFD for 7 weeks consumed more kcal and gained more BW compared to rats maintained on Purina chow (13.5% kcal from fat). CCK-treated rats displayed increased numbers of cFos-positive cNTS neurons compared to non-injected and saline-injected controls, with no effect of diet. In chow-fed rats, a significantly larger proportion of PrRP neurons were activated after CCK treatment compared to controls; conversely, CCK did not increase PrRP neuronal activation in HFD-fed rats. Collectively, these results indicate that a relatively low dose of exogenous CCK is sufficient to activate PrRP neurons in chow-fed rats, and that this effect is blunted in rats maintained for several weeks on HFD.

['Wall|Kaylee D|KD|', 'Olivos|Diana R|DR|', 'Rinaman|Linda|L|']

2020

23786165

Empathy is a beautiful thing: empathy predicts imitation only for attractive others.

Research shows that we spontaneously imitate people. Moreover, empathy predicts the degree of this non-conscious imitation. Little is known, however, if or how this expression of empathy is influenced by stable physical characteristics of our interaction-partners. In two studies, we tested whether attractiveness of others moderated the relation between empathy and imitation. While seeing a woman performing joystick movements, participants either imitated, or non-imitated these movements. Results showed that the higher participants empathy score, the faster they imitated an attractive person. The level of empathy did not predict the degree of imitation of unattractive targets. The findings demonstrate that the expression of empathy through imitation can be moderated by attractiveness, thereby introducing a new dimension to the conditionality of empathy.

['Müller|Barbara C N|BC|', 'Van Leeuwen|Matthijs L|ML|', 'Van Baaren|Rick B|RB|', 'Bekkering|Harold|H|', 'Dijksterhuis|Ap|A|']

2013

32775055

Trichosporon Species and Fusarium Species as a Cause of Empyema Thoracis in a Diabetic Patient.

Of late, fungal infections are increasingly being recognized in diabetic patients. Here we present a case of polymicrobial fungal empyema due to Trichosporon species and Fusarium species developed after community-acquired pneumonia in a diabetic patient. Trichosporon species are basidiomycetous yeast and Fusarium species are soil saprophytes with a worldwide distribution. Fungal empyema cases are rare and are mostly caused by Aspergillus and Candida species. Polymicrobial fungal empyema with Trichosporon species and Fusarium species has not been reported previously. Our patient was successfully treated with antifungal therapy. This case highlights that fungal empyema should be considered in diabetic patients especially if they are not responding to antibiotics.

['Iqbal|Nousheen|N|', 'Ammar|Muhammad|M|', 'Irfan|Muhammad|M|', 'Jabeen|Kauser|K|']

2020

23497958

Medical methods for cervical ripening before the removal of intrauterine devices in postmenopausal women: a systematic review.

In China, most women with intrauterine devices (IUDs) ask to have them removed following the menopause. As the cervix is stenotic after the menopause and most IUDs do not have a thread attached, various medical methods are used for cervical ripening prior to IUD removal. A systematic review of the relevant literature was conducted to compare different medical methods for cervical priming with no treatment, or with other methods, prior to IUD removal in postmenopausal women. Multiple electronic databases including the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, MEDLINE, the WHO Reproductive Health Library (2011) and the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database were searched systematically. Reference lists of articles published in English or Chinese between 1980 and 2011 were searched. All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on IUD removal following the menopause using medical agents compared with no treatment, or with other treatments, were included. Outcomes were the ease of IUD removal, need for forced cervical dilatation, cervical width, procedure time, severe pain and any side-effects. Data were processed using RevMan 5 software. Thirty original RCTs were eligible for inclusion. Most medical agents such as oestrogens, mifepristone, misoprostol and methyl carboprost were highly effective for facilitating IUD removal, and reduced the need for further dilatation during the procedure. In particular, treatment with mifepristone or misoprostol prior to IUD removal was found to increase the width of the cervical canal and reduce the procedure time. Mifepristone was more effective than vaginal misoprostol for cervical dilatation, but it showed similar effectiveness to misoprostol and nilestriol in terms of the ease of IUD removal. Sublingual misoprostol was superior to oral misoprostol for facilitating IUD removal. A dose of misoprostol as low as 200μg was effective for cervical priming. For vaginal and oral misoprostol, the optimum times of application were 2-3h and 1 day prior to the procedure, respectively. All the prophylactic medical methods were able to alleviate pain during IUD removal, and vaginal misoprostol was more effective than nilestriol. Uterine injury was more common with no treatment and with nilestriol. Gastrointestinal side-effects such as nausea and diarrhoea were common with oral misoprostol and vaginal misoprostol, respectively. Therefore, mifepristone or sublingual misoprostol should be the medical treatments of choice. Oestrogen regimens might be alternatives when mifepristone or misoprostol are contraindicated, and there is a need for further study on combined regimens for cervical priming.

['Hou|S-P|SP|', 'Chen|O-J|OJ|', 'Huang|L-H|LH|', 'Cheng|L-N|LN|', 'Teng|Y-C|YC|']

2013

31388261

Assessment of Normative Range and Deriving Cut-Off Values for Lupus Anticoagulant Testing: An Experience from a Tertiary Care Center in Southern India.

Lupus anticoagulant (LA) testing is a demanding laboratory test. The most common among recommended tests for LA are dilute Russell viper venom time (dRVVT) and LA sensitive activated partial thromboplastin time (LA-aPTT). Although integrated test systems come with manufacturer assigned cut-off, but according to guidelines cut-off should be locally-derived. This study was carried out to find normative range of LA using LA-aPTT and dRV VT tests in south Indian population (n = 100) and using locally derived cut-off values to interpret patient samples (n = 152) in a one-year study period. Cut-off (mean+2.3 SD) for aPTT, LA-aPTT, dRVVT screen and dRVVT confirm assays were 37.5, 45.7, 45.5 and 41.3 s and for normalized ratio and percentage correction of ratio were 1.16 and 15.8% respectively. Among patients, 25 (16.4%) were positive of whom 14 were positive by normalized ratio, seven by LA-aPTT and four were positive by both. Four additional patients could be identified using local cut-off. While the specificity of all screening tests was high, sensitivity of only dRVVT screen was high. All testing laboratories should attempt to derive normative range and locally-derived cut-off. While dRVVT is a good screening test with high sensitivity, however combining LA-aPTT offers advantage of picking up cases negative by dRVVT.

['Ramaraj|Arikrishnan|A|', 'Negi|Vir Singh|VS|', 'Kar|Rakhee|R|']

2019

33736758

Prospective Multicenter Assessment of a New Intraprocedural Automated System for Localizing Idiopathic Ventricular Arrhythmia Origins.

OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to present a new system, the Automatic Arrhythmia Origin Localization (AAOL) system, which used incomplete electroanatomic mapping (EAM) for localization of idiopathic ventricular arrhythmia (IVA) origin on the patient-specific geometry of left ventricular, right ventricular, and neighboring vessels. The study assessed the accuracy of the system in localizing IVA source sites on cardiac structures where pace mapping is challenging. BACKGROUND An intraprocedural automated site of origin localization system was previously developed to identify the origin of early left ventricular activation by using 12-lead electrocardiograms (ECGs). However, it has limitations, as it could not identify the site of origin in the right ventricle and relied on acquiring a complete EAM. METHODS Twenty patients undergoing IVA catheter ablation had a 12-lead ECG recorded during clinical arrhythmia and during pacing at various locations identified on EAM geometries. The new system combined 3-lead (III, V2, and V6) 120-ms QRS integrals and patient-specific EAM geometry with pace mapping to predict the site of earliest ventricular activation. The predicted site was projected onto EAM geometry. RESULTS Twenty-three IVA origin sites were clinically identified by activation mapping and/or pace mapping (8, right ventricle; 15, left ventricle, including 8 from the posteromedial papillary muscle, 2 from the aortic root, and 1 from the distal coronary sinus). The new system achieved a mean localization accuracy of 3.6 mm for the 23 mapped IVAs. CONCLUSIONS The new intraprocedural AAOL system achieved accurate localization of IVA origin in ventricles and neighboring vessels, which could facilitate ablation procedures for patients with IVAs.

['Zhou|Shijie|S|', 'AbdelWahab|Amir|A|', 'Sapp|John L|JL|', 'Sung|Eric|E|', 'Aronis|Konstantinos N|KN|', 'Warren|James W|JW|', 'MacInnis|Paul J|PJ|', 'Shah|Rushil|R|', 'Horáček|B Milan|BM|', 'Berger|Ronald|R|', 'Tandri|Harikrishna|H|', 'Trayanova|Natalia A|NA|', 'Chrispin|Jonathan|J|']

2021

24060174

Late radiologic changes after stereotactic ablative radiotherapy for early stage lung cancer: a comparison of fixed-beam versus arc delivery techniques.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE To characterize the radiologic changes occurring following arc stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer relative to those following fixed-beam SABR. METHODS Twenty-nine patients treated with arc SABR without local recurrence and more than two years follow-up were retrospectively evaluated using a published scoring system. The late morphologic patterns, timing and severity of radiologic change were assessed and compared to 54 patients treated with fixed-beam SABR that we previously assessed using the same system. RESULTS The baseline characteristics and follow-up of both cohorts were well matched and SABR technique was not associated with morphologic differences before 6 months (p=0.23). Thereafter the predicted probabilities of a modified-conventional pattern following arc and fixed-beam SABR were 96.3% vs. 68.9%, respectively (OR 11.7, 95% CI 3.38-40.8, p<0.001). In addition, at 1 year follow-up the predicted probabilities of arc and fixed-beam SABR patients having expected or pronounced radiologic changes were 64.9% and 22.1%, respectively (OR=6.56, 95% CI: 3.13-13,7, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Post-SABR radiologic changes differ with delivery technique, which has important implications during follow-up. Confirmation in larger studies is required and etiologic factors remain to be determined.

['Senthi|Sashendra|S|', 'Dahele|Max|M|', 'van de Ven|Peter M|PM|', 'Slotman|Ben J|BJ|', 'Senan|Suresh|S|']

2013

30200360

Network-Based Approaches to Explore Complex Biological Systems towards Network Medicine.

Network medicine relies on different types of networks: from the molecular level of protein⁻protein interactions to gene regulatory network and correlation studies of gene expression. Among network approaches based on the analysis of the topological properties of protein⁻protein interaction (PPI) networks, we discuss the widespread DIAMOnD (disease module detection) algorithm. Starting from the assumption that PPI networks can be viewed as maps where diseases can be identified with localized perturbation within a specific neighborhood (i.e., disease modules), DIAMOnD performs a systematic analysis of the human PPI network to uncover new disease-associated genes by exploiting the connectivity significance instead of connection density. The past few years have witnessed the increasing interest in understanding the molecular mechanism of post-transcriptional regulation with a special emphasis on non-coding RNAs since they are emerging as key regulators of many cellular processes in both physiological and pathological states. Recent findings show that coding genes are not the only targets that microRNAs interact with. In fact, there is a pool of different RNAs-including long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) -competing with each other to attract microRNAs for interactions, thus acting as competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs). The framework of regulatory networks provides a powerful tool to gather new insights into ceRNA regulatory mechanisms. Here, we describe a data-driven model recently developed to explore the lncRNA-associated ceRNA activity in breast invasive carcinoma. On the other hand, a very promising example of the co-expression network is the one implemented by the software SWIM (switch miner), which combines topological properties of correlation networks with gene expression data in order to identify a small pool of genes-called switch genes-critically associated with drastic changes in cell phenotype. Here, we describe SWIM tool along with its applications to cancer research and compare its predictions with DIAMOnD disease genes.

['Fiscon|Giulia|G|0000-0002-3354-8203', 'Conte|Federica|F|', 'Farina|Lorenzo|L|', 'Paci|Paola|P|0000-0002-9393-2047']

2018

30901886

Ayres Theories of Autism and Sensory Integration Revisited: What Contemporary Neuroscience Has to Say.

Abnormal sensory-based behaviors are a defining feature of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Dr. A. Jean Ayres was the first occupational therapist to conceptualize Sensory Integration (SI) theories and therapies to address these deficits. Her work was based on neurological knowledge of the 1970's. Since then, advancements in neuroimaging techniques make it possible to better understand the brain areas that may underlie sensory processing deficits in ASD. In this article, we explore the postulates proposed by Ayres (i.e., registration, modulation, motivation) through current neuroimaging literature. To this end, we review the neural underpinnings of sensory processing and integration in ASD by examining the literature on neurophysiological responses to sensory stimuli in individuals with ASD as well as structural and network organization using a variety of neuroimaging techniques. Many aspects of Ayres' hypotheses about the nature of the disorder were found to be highly consistent with current literature on sensory processing in children with ASD but there are some discrepancies across various methodological techniques and ASD development. With additional characterization, neurophysiological profiles of sensory processing in ASD may serve as valuable biomarkers for diagnosis and monitoring of therapeutic interventions, such as SI therapy.

['Kilroy|Emily|E|', 'Aziz-Zadeh|Lisa|L|', 'Cermak|Sharon|S|0000-0002-8300-5450']

2019

28380428

Penfluridol suppresses glioblastoma tumor growth by Akt-mediated inhibition of GLI1.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common brain tumor with poor survival rate. Our results show that penfluridol, an antipsychotic drug significantly reduced the survival of ten adult and pediatric glioblastoma cell lines with IC50 ranging 2-5 μM after 72 hours of treatment and induced apoptosis. Penfluridol treatment suppressed the phosphorylation of Akt at Ser473 and reduced the expression of GLI1, OCT4, Nanog and Sox2 in several glioblastoma cell lines in a concentration-dependent manner. Inhibiting Akt with LY294002 and siRNA, or inhibiting GLI1 using GANT61, cyclopamine, siRNA and CRISPR/Cas9 resulted in enhanced cell growth suppressive effects of penfluridol. On the other hand, overexpression of GLI1 significantly attenuated the effects of penfluridol. Our results further demonstrated that penfluridol treatment inhibited the growth of U87MG tumors by 65% and 72% in subcutaneous and intracranial in vivo glioblastoma tumor models respectively. Immunohistochemical and western blot analysis of tumors revealed reduced pAkt (Ser 473), GLI1, OCT4 and increase in caspase-3 cleavage and TUNEL staining, confirming in vitro findings. Taken together, our results indicate that overall glioblastoma tumor growth suppression by penfluridol was associated with Akt-mediated inhibition of GLI1.

['Ranjan|Alok|A|', 'Srivastava|Sanjay K|SK|']

2017

31211852

Caudal cervical vertebral morphological variation is not associated with clinical signs in Warmblood horses.

BACKGROUND Variation in equine caudal cervical spine morphology at C6 and C7 has high prevalence in Warmblood horses and is suspected to be associated with pain in a large mixed-breed group of horses. At present no data exist on the relationship between radiographic phenotype and clinical presentation in Warmblood horses in a case-control study. OBJECTIVES To establish the frequency of radiographically visible morphologic variation in a large group of Warmblood horses with clinical signs and compare this with a group without clinical signs. We hypothesised that occurrence of morphologic variation in the case group would not differ from the control group, indicating there is no association between clinical signs and morphologic variation. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective case-control. METHODS Radiographic presence or absence of morphologic variation of cervical vertebrae C6 and C7 was recorded in case (n = 245) and control horses (n = 132). Case and control groups were compared by univariable Pearson's Chi-square and multivariable logistic regression for measurement variables age, sex, breed, degenerative joint disease and morphologic variation at C6 and C7. Odds ratio and confidence intervals were obtained. A P≤0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS Morphologic variation at C6 and C7 (n = 108/377 = 28.6%; Cases 58/245 = 23.7%; Control 50/132 = 38%) was less frequent in horses with clinical signs in univariable testing (OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.3-0.8, P = 0.001). Age, sex, breed and degenerative joint disease were not retained in the final multivariable logistic regression step whereas morphologic variation remained significantly less present in horses with clinical signs. MAIN LIMITATIONS Possible demographic differences between equine clinics. CONCLUSIONS Morphologic variation in the caudal cervical spine was detected more frequently in horses without clinical signs. Therefore, radiographic presence of such variation does not necessarily implicate the presence of clinical signs.

['Veraa|S|S|https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1067-3976', 'de Graaf|K|K|https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3056-4950', 'Wijnberg|I D|ID|', 'Back|W|W|', 'Vernooij|H|H|https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2646-9216', 'Nielen|M|M|', 'Belt|A J M|AJM|']

2020

28412925

Support and Social Contact as a Decisive Meta-Variable in Morbidity and Social Welfare of the Older Person.

Bacground: This article tackles social support as a meta-variable that is reinforced by a set of social variables, which correlate and act as predictors of social welfare and life quality of the older person. OBJECTIVE The objective of the study is to know how social support, networks and social contacts can influence the health of the elderly person, especially if these are interrelated factors. METHOD The population studied are individuals from both sexes living in Toledo (Spanish people) and who were 65 years of age or over. Several scales were applied to assess the frequency of and the degree of satisfaction with perceived social support received from different sources in relation to social support. The co relational analysis showed significant positive associations between scores and measures of and social support, social relations, contact and social networks. RESULTS We conclude that the support in general is very good, over 90% of people from the sample have someone who would help if needed. Social and health factors are interrelated with social support. Social contact can also be considered as a life quality estimate. He progressive loss of contact over the years is a social factor that affects the quality of life. CONCLUSION The meta-analysis we find that social support and the emotional factor, along with social interactions, have powerful effects on preventing morbidity and mortality, which are important social indicators. We conclude that social support based on positive social interactions provides an optimal state of health in the older person.

['Rondon Garcia|Luis Miguel|LM|', 'Aguirre Arizala|Blanca Aranzazu|BA|', 'Garcia Garcia|Francisco Jose|FJ|', 'Gallego|Carmen Castillo|CC|']

2017

31916975

Therapeutic patient education in Alzheimer's disease and related disorders: Clinical experience and perspectives.

Therapeutic patient education (TPE) is the process by which health professionals impart information to help patients self-manage their chronic disease: it is an essential part of treatment of long-term diseases and conditions. Memory loss and other cognitive disorders are usually considered as obstacles to TPE for patients with Alzheimer's disease or related disorders (ADRD). Over 100 patients with different forms of ADRD and caregivers have benefited from TPE programs since 2011 at the Limoges University Clinical and Research Memory Center. Participants report better understanding of the disease and improved relationships. TPE may prevent anxiety and depression in patient and in caregivers, and reduce burden of caregivers. General guidelines and perspectives for TPE in ADRD are outlined.

['Cartz-Piver|L|L|', 'Polin|C|C|', 'Diebolt|C|C|', 'Chouly|M|M|', 'Garçonnot|L A|LA|', 'Clément|J P|JP|', 'Calvet|B|B|', 'Couratier|P|P|']

2020

28716804

Type I interferon is required for T helper (Th) 2 induction by dendritic cells.

Type 2 inflammation is a defining feature of infection with parasitic worms (helminths), as well as being responsible for widespread suffering in allergies. However, the precise mechanisms involved in T helper (Th) 2 polarization by dendritic cells (DCs) are currently unclear. We have identified a previously unrecognized role for type I IFN (IFN-I) in enabling this process. An IFN-I signature was evident in DCs responding to the helminth Schistosoma mansoni or the allergen house dust mite (HDM). Further, IFN-I signaling was required for optimal DC phenotypic activation in response to helminth antigen (Ag), and efficient migration to, and localization with, T cells in the draining lymph node (dLN). Importantly, DCs generated from Ifnar1-/- mice were incapable of initiating Th2 responses in vivo These data demonstrate for the first time that the influence of IFN-I is not limited to antiviral or bacterial settings but also has a central role to play in DC initiation of Th2 responses.

['Webb|Lauren M|LM|0000-0002-1903-7570', 'Lundie|Rachel J|RJ|', 'Borger|Jessica G|JG|', 'Brown|Sheila L|SL|', 'Connor|Lisa M|LM|', 'Cartwright|Adam Nr|AN|', 'Dougall|Annette M|AM|', 'Wilbers|Ruud Hp|RH|', 'Cook|Peter C|PC|', 'Jackson-Jones|Lucy H|LH|', 'Phythian-Adams|Alexander T|AT|0000-0003-0426-6562', 'Johansson|Cecilia|C|', 'Davis|Daniel M|DM|', 'Dewals|Benjamin G|BG|', 'Ronchese|Franca|F|0000-0001-5835-8230', 'MacDonald|Andrew S|AS|']

2017

30286850

Finger Replantation Optimization Study (FRONT): Update on National Trends.

PURPOSE Traumatic digit amputations have an adverse impact on patients' daily living. Despite experts advocating for digit replantation, studies have shown a continued decrease in rate of replantation. We performed a national-level investigation to examine the recent trend of practice for digital replantation. METHODS We used the National Inpatient Sample database under the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project to select adult patients with traumatic digit amputation from 2001 to 2014. We calculated the rate of attempted and rate of successful digit replantation per year, subcategorizing for digit type (thumb or finger) and for hospital type (rural, urban nonteaching, or urban teaching). We also analyzed the pattern of distribution of case volume to each hospital type per year. We used 2 multivariable logistic regression models to investigate patient demographic and hospital characteristics associated with the odds of replantation attempt and success. RESULTS Among the 14,872 adult patients with a single digit amputation from 2001 to 2014, only 1,670 (11.2%) underwent replantation. The rate of replantation attempt trended down over the years for both thumb and finger injuries at all hospital types, despite increasing proportions of cases being sent to urban teaching hospitals where they were more than twice as likely to undergo replantation. The rate of successful replantation stayed stable for the thumb at 82.9% and increased for fingers from 76.1% to 82.4% over the years. Patients were more likely to undergo replantation if they had private insurance or a higher level of income. Neither hospital case volume nor hospital type was predictive of successful replantation. CONCLUSIONS Although more single-digit amputations were treated by urban teaching hospitals with higher likelihood to replant, the downward trend in rate of attempt regardless of hospital type demonstrates that concentration of case volume is not the solution to reverse the declining trend. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Financial aspects of digit replantation need to be considered from both the patients' and the surgeons' perspectives to improve delivery of care for digit replantation.

['Cho|Hoyune E|HE|', 'Zhong|Lin|L|', 'Kotsis|Sandra V|SV|', 'Chung|Kevin C|KC|']

2018

24904727

In vitro osteoinductive potential of porous monetite for bone tissue engineering.

Tissue engineering-based bone grafts are emerging as a viable alternative treatment modality to repair and regenerate tissues damaged as a result of disease or injury. The choice of the biomaterial component is a critical determinant of the success of the graft or scaffold; essentially, it must induce and allow native tissue integration, and most importantly mimic the hierarchical structure of the native bone. Calcium phosphate bioceramics are widely used in orthopaedics and dentistry applications due to their similarity to bone mineral and their ability to induce a favourable biological response. One such material is monetite, which is biocompatible, osteoconductive and has the ability to be resorbed under physiological conditions. The osteoinductive properties of monetite in vivo are known; however, little is known of the direct effect on osteoinduction of human mesenchymal stem cells in vitro. In this study, we evaluated the potential of monetite to induce and sustain human mesenchymal stem cells towards osteogenic differentiation. Human mesenchymal stem cells were seeded on the monetite scaffold in the absence of differentiating factors for up to 28 days. The gene expression profile of bone-specific markers in cells on monetite scaffold was compared to the control material hydroxyapatite. At day 14, we observed a marked increase in alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin and osteonectin expressions. This study provides evidence of a suitable material that has potential properties to be used as a tissue engineering scaffold.

['Idowu|Bernadine|B|', 'Cama|Giuseppe|G|', 'Deb|Sanjukta|S|', 'Di Silvio|Lucy|L|']

2014

25067837

A true theranostic approach to medicine: towards tandem sensor detection and removal of endotoxin in blood.

Sepsis is one of the leading causes of death around the world. The condition occurs when a local infection overcomes the host natural defense mechanism and suddenly spreads into the circulatory system, triggering a vigorous, self-injurious inflammatory host response. The pathogenesis of sepsis is relatively well known, one of the most potent immuno-activator being bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) - also known as 'endotoxin'. Tests exist to detect endotoxin in bodily fluids, but are expensive, not necessarily user-friendly and require reporter molecules. In addition, the situation for safe and effective anti-endotoxin therapy is problematical. At the present time, endotoxin removal through cartridge hemoperfusion is one of the better alternatives to combat sepsis. The capability to both measure endotoxemia levels and offer an adapted response treatment in a timely manner is crucial for better management and improved prognosis, but is currently unavailable. In this context, we describe herein preliminary research towards the development of an alternative LPS biosensor and an innovative LPS neutralization cartridge to be eventually combined in an all-integrated configuration for the theranostic, personalized treatment of blood endotoxemia/sepsis. LPS detection is performed in a real-time and label-free manner in full human blood plasma, using ultra-high frequency acoustic wave sensing in combination with ultrathin, oligoethylene glycol-based mixed surface chemistry imposed on piezoelectric quartz discs. Biosensing platforms are functionalized with polymyxin B (PMB), a cyclic peptide antibiotic with high affinity for LPS. Analogous surface modification is used on glass beads for the therapeutic cartridge component of the combined strategy. Incubation of LPS-spiked whole blood with PMB-bead chemistry resulted in a significant decrease in the production of pro-inflammatory TNF-α cytokine. LPS neutralization is discussed in relation to the perturbation of its supramolecular chemistry in solution.

['Thompson|Michael|M|', 'Blaszykowski|Christophe|C|', 'Sheikh|Sonia|S|', 'Romaschin|Alexander|A|']

2015

25425422

Effects of voluntary and automatic control of center of pressure sway during quiet standing.

The authors investigated the effects of voluntary and automatic control on the spatial variables (envelope area, maximal amplitude, and root mean square [RMS]) of center of pressure (COP) displacement during quiet standing and identified differences in their postural control strategies (mean velocity [MV], mean power frequency [MPF], and power density). COP data were recorded under relaxed (experimental control), still (voluntary control), and dual (automatic control) conditions. RMS was significantly lower in the still and dual conditions than in the relaxed condition. MV, MPF, and power density were significantly higher in the still condition than in the dual condition. These results indicate that both voluntary and automatic control decrease the spatial variables of COP displacement; however, their postural control strategies are different.

['Ueta|Kozo|K|', 'Okada|Yohei|Y|', 'Nakano|Hideki|H|', 'Osumi|Michihiro|M|', 'Morioka|Shu|S|']

2015

27025924

Efficacy of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae vaccination before and at weaning against experimental challenge infection in pigs.

BACKGROUND Commercial bacterins are widely used at weaning to control Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae infections in pigs. However, it is not known whether the efficacy of vaccinating against M. hyopneumoniae can be influenced by the weaning process when vaccination is applied at the day of weaning. The present study assessed the efficacy of a single M. hyopneumoniae vaccination (Ingelvac MycoFLEX®) three days before weaning (V1) or at weaning (V2) against experimental challenge infection. Four weeks after vaccination, groups V1 and V2 (n = 20 pigs each) and a non-vaccinated, positive control group (PCG) (n = 20) were endotracheally inoculated with a virulent M. hyopneumoniae field strain. Five pigs were used as a negative control group. All pigs were euthanized 5 weeks after challenge. The main parameters investigated included macroscopic and histopathological lung lesions at necropsy, immunofluorescence (IF) staining and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) on broncho-alveolar lavage (BAL) fluid for quantifying M. hyopneumoniae. RESULTS The average macroscopic lung lesion scores in groups V1, V2 and PCG were 0.54, 0.88 and 1.04, respectively (P > 0.05). The average lymphohistiocytic infiltration scores in groups V1, V2 and PCG were 2.95, 3.16 and 3.61, respectively (P < 0.05). The average IF scores were: V1 = 1.13, V2 = 1.19 and PCG = 1.25 (P > 0.05), the qPCR values were: V1 = 10(2.94), V2 = 10(2.76) and PCG = 10(3.23) (P > 0.05). All pigs of the negative control group remained negative throughout the study. CONCLUSIONS Both vaccinated groups had lower numbers of macroscopic and histopathological lung lesions, and lower numbers of M. hyopneumoniae organisms in the BAL fluid compared to the PCG. However, no firm conclusions could be made on whether weaning negatively influences the efficacy of M. hyopneumoniae vaccination, since significant differences between the treatment groups were only obtained for the histopathological lung lesions. This could be attributed to the fact that milder macroscopic lung lesions were produced in the inoculated pigs, when compared to previous trials conducted by the same group. Further research under field conditions is warranted to assess possible differences between the two vaccination strategies.

['Arsenakis|Ioannis|I|', 'Panzavolta|Luca|L|', 'Michiels|Annelies|A|', 'Del Pozo Sacristán|Rubén|R|', 'Boyen|Filip|F|', 'Haesebrouck|Freddy|F|', 'Maes|Dominiek|D|']

2016

33131224

The Role of Regulator-Imposed Post-Approval Studies in Health Technology Assessments for Conditionally Approved Drugs.

BACKGROUND The European Medicines Agency (EMA) aims to resolve uncertainties associated with conditionally approved drugs by imposing post-approval studies. Results from these studies may be relevant for health technology assessment (HTA) organizations. This study investigated the role of regulator-imposed post-approval studies within HTA. METHODS For all conditionally approved drugs up to December 2018, regulator-imposed post-approval studies were identified from EMA's public assessment reports. The availability for and inclusion of study results in relative effectiveness (re)assessments were analyzed for 4 European HTA organizations: NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, England/Wales), HAS (Haute Autorité de Santé, France), ZIN (Zorginstituut Nederland, the Netherlands) and the European Network for Health Technology Assessment (EUnetHTA, Europe). When study results became available between an HTA organization's initial assessment and reassessment, it was evaluated whether and how they affected the assessment and its outcome. RESULTS For 36 conditionally approved drugs, 98 post-approval studies were imposed. In total, 81 initial relative effectiveness assessments (REAs) and 13 reassessments were available, with numbers of drugs (re)assessed varying greatly between jurisdictions. Study results were available for 16 initial REAs (20%) and included in 14 (88%), and available for 10 reassessments (77%) and included in all (100%). Five reassessments had an outcome different from the initial REA, with 4 (2 positive and 2 negative changes) relating directly to the new study results. Reassessments often cited the inability of post-approval studies to resolve the concerns reported in the initial REA. CONCLUSION Results from regulator-imposed post-approval studies for conditionally approved drugs were not often used in REAs by HTA organizations, because they were often not yet available at the time of initial assessment and because reassessments were scarce. When available, results from post-approval studies were almost always used within HTA, and they have led to changes in conclusions about drugs' relative effectiveness. Post-approval studies can be relevant within HTA but the current lack of alignment between regulators and HTA organizations limits their potential.

['Vreman|Rick A|RA|0000-0002-2076-322X', 'Bloem|Lourens T|LT|0000-0002-0014-8625', 'van Oirschot|Stijn|S|', 'Hoekman|Jarno|J|', 'van der Elst|Menno E|ME|', 'Leufkens|Hubert Gm|HG|', 'Klungel|Olaf H|OH|', 'Goettsch|Wim G|WG|', 'Mantel-Teeuwisse|Aukje K|AK|0000-0002-8782-0698']

2020

25257291

Efficacy and safety of the glycine transporter-1 inhibitor org 25935 for the prevention of relapse in alcohol-dependent patients: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND Org 25935 is a glycine transporter inhibitor that increases extracellular glycine levels and attenuates alcohol-induced dopaminergic activity in the nucleus accumbens. In animal models, Org 25935 has dose-dependent effects on ethanol intake, preference, and relapse-like behavior without tolerance. The current study aimed to translate these animal findings to humans by examining whether Org 25935 prevents relapse in detoxified alcohol-dependent patients. METHODS This was a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Adult patients diagnosed with alcohol dependence were randomly assigned to receive Org 25935 12 mg twice a day or placebo for 84 days. The primary end point was percentage heavy drinking days (defined as ≥ 5 standard drinks per day for men and ≥ 4 for women). Secondary end points included other measures of relapse-related drinking behavior (e.g., drinks per day, time to relapse), as well as measures of global functioning, alcohol-related thoughts and cravings, and motivation. RESULTS A total of 140 subjects were included in the intent-to-treat analysis. The trial was stopped approximately midway after a futility analysis showing that the likelihood of detecting a signal at study term was <40%. There was no significant difference between Org 25935 and placebo on percentage heavy drinking days or any other measure of relapse-related drinking behavior. Org 25935 showed no safety issues and was fairly well tolerated, with fatigue, dizziness, and transient visual events as the most commonly occurring side effects. CONCLUSIONS Org 25935 demonstrated no benefit over placebo in preventing alcohol relapse. Study limitations and implications are discussed.

['de Bejczy|Andrea|A|', 'Nations|Kari R|KR|', 'Szegedi|Armin|A|', 'Schoemaker|Joep|J|', 'Ruwe|Frank|F|', 'Söderpalm|Bo|B|']

2014

25551048

Electrical contacts to individual SWCNTs: A review.

Owing to their superior electrical characteristics, nanometer dimensions and definable lengths, single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are considered as one of the most promising materials for various types of nanodevices. Additionally, they can be used as either passive or active elements. To be integrated into circuitry or devices, they are typically connected with metal leads to provide electrical contacts. The properties and quality of these electrical contacts are important for the function and performance of SWCNT-based devices. Since carbon nanotubes are quasi-one-dimensional structures, contacts to them are different from those for bulk semiconductors. Additionally, some techniques used in Si-based technology are not compatible with SWCNT-based device fabrication, such as the contact area cleaning technique. In this review, an overview of the investigations of metal-SWCNT contacts is presented, including the principle of charge carrier injection through the metal-SWCNT contacts and experimental achievements. The methods for characterizing the electrical contacts are discussed as well. The parameters which influence the contact properties are summarized, mainly focusing on the contact geometry, metal type and the cleanliness of the SWCNT surface affected by the fabrication processes. Moreover, the challenges for widespread application of CNFETs are additionally discussed.

['Liu|Wei|W|', 'Hierold|Christofer|C|', 'Haluska|Miroslav|M|']

2014

26231980

High prevalence of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia among Mozambican children <5 years of age admitted to hospital with clinical severe pneumonia.

We aimed to describe Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) prevalence and features in children from sub-Saharan Africa and to investigate PCP-associated risk factors. During 2006-2007 we used molecular methods to test children younger than 5 years old admitted with severe pneumonia to a hospital in southern Mozambique for Pneumocystis infection. We recruited 834 children. PCP prevalence was 6.8% and HIV prevalence was 25.7%. The in-hospital and delayed mortality were significantly higher among children with PCP (20.8% vs. 10.2%, p 0.021, and 11.5% vs. 3.6%, p 0.044, respectively). Clinical features were mostly overlapping between the two groups. Independent risk factors for PCP were age less than a year (odds ratio (OR) 6.34, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.86-21.65), HIV infection (OR 2.99, 95% CI 1.16-7.70), grunting (OR 2.64, 95% CI 1.04-6.73) and digital clubbing (OR 10.75, 95% CI 1.21-95.56). PCP is a common and life-threatening cause of severe pneumonia in Mozambican children. Mother-to-child HIV transmission prevention should be strengthened. Better diagnostic tools are needed.

['Lanaspa|M|M|', "O'Callaghan-Gordo|C|C|", 'Machevo|S|S|', 'Madrid|L|L|', 'Nhampossa|T|T|', 'Acácio|S|S|', 'de la Horra|C|C|', 'Friaza|V|V|', 'Campano|E|E|', 'Alonso|P L|PL|', 'Calderón|E J|EJ|', 'Roca|A|A|', 'Bassat|Q|Q|']

2015

29233099

Pronounced strain-specific chemosensory receptor gene expression in the mouse vomeronasal organ.

BACKGROUND The chemosensory system plays an important role in orchestrating sexual behaviors in mammals. Pheromones trigger sexually dimorphic behaviors and different mouse strains exhibit differential responses to pheromone stimuli. It has been speculated that differential gene expression in the sensory organs that detect pheromones may underlie sexually-dimorphic and strain-specific responses to pheromone cues. RESULTS We have performed transcriptome analyses of the mouse vomeronasal organ, a sensory organ recognizing pheromones and interspecies cues. We find little evidence of sexual dimorphism in gene expression except for Xist, an essential gene for X-linked gene inactivation. Variations in gene expression are found mainly among strains, with genes from immune response and chemosensory receptor classes dominating the list. Differentially expressed genes are concentrated in genomic hotspots enriched in these families of genes. Some chemosensory receptors show exclusive patterns of expression in different strains. We find high levels of single nucleotide polymorphism in chemosensory receptor pseudogenes, some of which lead to functionalized receptors. Moreover, we identify a number of differentially expressed long noncoding RNA species showing strong correlation or anti-correlation with chemoreceptor genes. CONCLUSIONS Our analyses provide little evidence supporting sexually dimorphic gene expression in the vomeronasal organ that may underlie dimorphic pheromone responses. In contrast, we find pronounced variations in the expression of immune response related genes, vomeronasal and G-protein coupled receptor genes among different mouse strains. These findings raised the possibility that diverse strains of mouse perceive pheromone cues differently and behavioral difference among strains in response to pheromone may first arise from differential detection of pheromones. On the other hand, sexually dimorphic responses to pheromones more likely originate from dimorphic neural circuits in the brain than from differential detection. Moreover, noncoding RNA may offer a potential regulatory mechanism controlling the differential expression patterns.

['Duyck|Kyle|K|', 'DuTell|Vasha|V|', 'Ma|Limei|L|', 'Paulson|Ariel|A|', 'Yu|C Ron|CR|']

2017

31277868

Auditory brainstem response.

The auditory brainstem response (ABR), consisting of five to six vertex-positive peaks with separation of about 0.8ms, is very sensitive to factors that affect conduction velocity and hence ABR wave latencies in the brainstem auditory pathways. In addition, disorders causing dissynchronization of neural activity result in an amplitude decrease or disappearance of ABR peaks. The opposite effects occur in the maturation process, which takes about 2 years postterm; here conduction velocity increases quickly to its adult value, but synaptic delays being sensitive to synchronous release of transmitter substance take considerably longer. In neurological disorders, those that cause dissynchrony, such as auditory neuropathy and vestibular schwannoma, Gaucher disease, and Krabbe disease, the (longer latency) ABR peaks are reduced or absent. Effects on neural conduction, resulting in increased ABR interwave latencies, are found in vestibular schwannomas, Bell's palsy, Duane retraction syndrome, Marcus Gunn ptosis, and various encephalomyopathies. These measures allow an assessment of the parts of the brainstem that are involved.

['Eggermont|Jos J|JJ|']

2019

24314905

Fat embolism syndrome following percutaneous vertebroplasty: a case report.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT Vertebroplasty is commonly performed for management of pain associated with vertebral compression fractures. There have been two previous reports of fatal fat embolism following vertebroplasty. Here we describe a case of fat embolism syndrome following this procedure, and also provide fluoroscopic video evidence consistent with this occurrence. PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to review the literature and report a case of fat embolism syndrome in a patient who underwent percutaneous vertebroplasty for compression fracture. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING The study design for this manuscript was of a clinical case report. METHODS A 68-year-old woman who developed sudden back pain with minimal trauma was found to have a T6 vertebral compression fracture on radiographs and bone scans. Percutaneous vertebroplasty of T5 and T6 was performed. RESULTS Fluoroscopic imaging during the procedure demonstrated compression and rarefaction of the fractured vertebra associated with changes in intrathoracic pressure. Immediately after the procedure, the patient's back pain resolved and she was discharged home. Two days later, she developed increasing respiratory distress, confusion, and chest pain. A petechial rash on her upper arms also appeared. No evidence of bone cement leakage or pulmonary filling defects were seen on computed tomography-pulmonary angiography. Brain magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated hyperintensities in the periventricular and subcortical white matter on T2/fluid-attenuated inversion recovery sequences. A diagnosis of fat embolism syndrome was made, and the patient recovered with conservative management. CONCLUSIONS Percutaneous vertebroplasty is a relatively safe and simple procedure, reducing pain and improving functional limitations in patients with vertebral fractures. This case demonstrates an uncommon yet serious complication of fat embolism syndrome. Clinicians must be aware of this complication when explaining the procedure to patients and provide prompt supportive care when it does occur.

['Ahmadzai|Hasib|H|', 'Campbell|Scott|S|', 'Archis|Constantine|C|', 'Clark|William A|WA|']

2014

33362608

Psychometric Properties of the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Self-Report (QIDS-SR) in Depressed Adolescents.

Background: Accurate and reliable self-report measurement tools examining depressive symptoms are scant in child psychiatry. This study assessed the psychometric properties of the Chinese Version of the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Self-Report (C-QIDS-SR) in depressed adolescents in China. Methods: Adolescents with major depressive episodes or bipolar depressive episodes were assessed using the C-QIDS-SR. The structure validity of the C-QIDS-SR was estimated using principal component analysis with varimax rotation. Results: A total of 246 depressed adolescents were included in the study. Cronbach's alpha was 0.77. The correlation coefficient between the baseline and endpoint assessments was 0.49 (p < 0.001), whereas, the correlation coefficient between the C-QIDS-SR and the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression-17 items (HAMD-17) was 0.63 (p < 0.001). Principal component analysis with varimax rotation demonstrated the unidimensional structure of the C-QIDS-SR. Conclusion: The C-QIDS-SR is a reliable and valid instrument with acceptable psychometric properties to measure depressive symptoms in adolescents.

['Zhang|Wu-Yang|WY|', 'Zhao|Yan-Jie|YJ|', 'Zhang|Yao|Y|', 'He|Fan|F|', 'Pan|Hong-Qing|HQ|', 'Cheung|Teris|T|', 'Ungvari|Gabor S|GS|', 'Li|Shu-Ying|SY|', 'Xiang|Yu-Tao|YT|']

2020

27942371

An Exploratory Study Identifying a Possible Response Shift Phenomena of the Glasgow Hearing Aid Benefit Profile.

A then-test technique was used to investigate the possibility of a response shift in the Glasgow hearing aid benefit profile (GHABP). Following completion of part 1 of the GHABP, 16 adults were invited for hearing-aid follow up appointments. In accordance with then-test technique, participants were asked to think back to before they had their hearing-aids fitted and the GHABP part 1 was completed again to re-establish the disability and handicap scores. These scores were then compared with the initial GHABP part I scores. Paired T testing and Wilcoxon Rank tests were carried out to investigate the statistical significance of the response shift effect. Statistically significant differences were seen between initial and retrospective GHABP (disability) scores using t test. No significant differences could be seen between the initial and retrospective handicap scores. Results suggest participants may have demonstrated a possible response shift phenomenon with the disability construct of the GHABP questionnaire, related to a possible re-calibration effect or a denial of disability effect. This exploratory study suggests that the GHABP questionnaire may be subject to a response shift phenomena. We suggest that further more robust studies are completed to verify this and recommend that this could have psychological impact on participants when explaining the results of the outcome measure and may affect hearing aid use. There is also potential for this phenomenon to affect global GHABP scores specifically when demonstrating to stakeholders the overall success of an audiology service.

['Arthur|Jonathan|J|', 'Watts|Tessa|T|', 'Davies|Ruth|R|', 'Manchaiah|Vinaya|V|', 'Slater|Julie|J|']

2016

33085810

The effect of dual-frequency ultrasound waves on B16F10 melanoma cells: Sonodynamic therapy using nanoliposomes containing methylene blue.

BACKGROUND We investigated the effect of dual-frequency sonication on the viability of B16F10 melanoma cells in the presence of methylene blue (MB) encapsulated in nanoliposomes. METHODS Treatment protocols were studied: sonication groups (40 kHz, 1 MHz and dual-frequency), the same sonication groups with nanoliposomes containing MB, MB free and nanoliposomes containing MB groups, and so sham and control groups. The nanoliposomes were prepared by the lipid film hydration method. The cell viability of the different treatment groups was evaluated by the MTT assay. RESULTS The dual-frequency protocols caused higher viability losses compared to the kHz and MHz sonications (P < .05). In presence of the nanoliposomes containing MB, dual frequency led to 6% and 3% viability for 600 and 1200 seconds, respectively, while the corresponding values were 10% and 4% for the 40 kHz protocols and 22% and 9% for the 1 MHz, as compared to the control group (100%). The result of KI dosimetry showed that the cavitation activity of the dual-frequency protocol was about 1.23, as compared to sonication at 40 kHz and 1 MHz. CONCLUSION Enhancement of inertial cavitation induction by dual-frequency sonication may be the primary effective mechanism, which causes increased sonochemical processes and drug release from nanocarriers.

['Adelnia|Akbar|A|', 'Mokhtari-Dizaji|Manijhe|M|https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1598-2038', 'Hoseinkhani|Saman|S|', 'Bakhshandeh|Mohsen|M|']

2021

32596797

The prognostic relevance of primary tumor sidedness to surgical treatment for recurrent colon cancer.

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to investigate the predictive relevance of tumor sidedness on surgical resection after recurrence by evaluating the treatment outcomes after primary resection and recurrence in patients with localized colon cancer (CC). METHODS A total of 735 consecutive patients who underwent curative resection for Stage I-III CC from 1997 to 2013 were categorized as having either right- or left-sided CC, and survival after primary surgery and after recurrence were analyzed. RESULTS A total of 104 patients (14.1%) developed recurrence, 94 of which were in a single organ, and 59 patients underwent curative resection. For recurrence from both sides of the colon, a significantly better 5-year overall survival (OS) was experienced by patients who underwent curative resection compared to those who received palliative treatment (right: 42.2% vs not reached, respectively; P < 0.001; left: 71 vs 15.9%, respectively; P < 0.001). Meanwhile, a still worse OS was observed in patients with curative resection for recurrent right-sided CC compared to those with resection for recurrent left-sided CC (5-year: 42.2 vs 71%; P = 0.03). CONCLUSION Surgical resection undoubtedly improved survival after recurrence, however, patients with surgical resection for recurrent right-sided CC tended to have a worse prognosis.

['Uchino|Tairin|T|http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8397-573X', 'Ouchi|Akira|A|', 'Komori|Koji|K|', 'Kinoshita|Takashi|T|', 'Oshiro|Taihei|T|', 'Sano|Tsuyoshi|T|', 'Shimizu|Yasuhiro|Y|']

2021