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26578770

High-resolution structures of the M2 channel from influenza A virus reveal dynamic pathways for proton stabilization and transduction.

The matrix 2 (M2) protein from influenza A virus is a proton channel that uses His37 as a selectivity filter. Here we report high-resolution (1.10 Å) cryogenic crystallographic structures of the transmembrane domain of M2 at low and high pH. These structures reveal that waters within the pore form hydrogen-bonded networks or "water wires" spanning 17 Å from the channel entrance to His37. Pore-lining carbonyl groups are well situated to stabilize hydronium via second-shell interactions involving bridging water molecules. In addition, room temperature crystallographic structures indicate that water becomes increasingly fluid with increasing temperature and decreasing pH, despite the higher electrostatic field. Complementary molecular dynamics simulations reveal a collective switch of hydrogen bond orientations that can contribute to the directionality of proton flux as His37 is dynamically protonated and deprotonated in the conduction cycle.

['Thomaston|Jessica L|JL|', 'Alfonso-Prieto|Mercedes|M|', 'Woldeyes|Rahel A|RA|http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0737-8383', 'Fraser|James S|JS|', 'Klein|Michael L|ML|', 'Fiorin|Giacomo|G|', 'DeGrado|William F|WF|']

2015

27783366

Laparoscopic One-Anastomosis Gastric Bypass: Technique, Results, and Long-Term Follow-Up in 1200 Patients.

BACKGROUND Excellent results have been reported with mini-gastric bypass. We adopted and modified the one-anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB) concept. Herein is our approach, results, and long-term follow-up (FU). METHODS Initial 1200 patients submitted to laparoscopic OAGB between 2002 and 2008 were analyzed after a 6-12-year FU. Mean age was 43 years (12-74) and body mass index (BMI) 46 kg/m2 (33-86). There were 697 (58 %) without previous or simultaneous abdominal operations, 273 (23 %) with previous, 203 (17 %) with simultaneous, and 27 (2 %) performed as revisions. RESULTS Mean operating time (min) was as follows: (a) primary procedure, 86 (45-180); (b) with other operations, 112 (95-230); and (c) revisions, 180 (130-240). Intraoperative complications led to 4 (0.3 %) conversions. Complications prompted operations in 16 (1.3 %) and were solved conservatively in 12 (1 %). Long-term complications occurred in 12 (1 %). There were 2 (0.16 %) deaths. Thirty-day and late readmission rates were 0.8 and 1 %. Cumulative FU was 87 and 70 % at 6 and 12 years. The highest mean percent excess weight loss was 88 % (at 2 years), then 77 and 70 %, 6 and 12 years postoperatively. Mean BMI (kg/m2) decreased from 46 to 26.6 and was 28.5 and 29.9 at those time frames. Remission or improvement of comorbidities was achieved in most patients. The quality of life index was satisfactory in all parameters from 6 months onwards. CONCLUSIONS Laparoscopic OAGB is safe and effective. It reduces difficulty, operating time, and early and late complications of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Long-term weight loss, resolution of comorbidities, and degree of satisfaction are similar to results obtained with more aggressive and complex techniques. It is currently a robust and powerful alternative in bariatric surgery.

['Carbajo|Miguel A|MA|', 'Luque-de-León|Enrique|E|', 'Jiménez|José M|JM|', 'Ortiz-de-Solórzano|Javier|J|', 'Pérez-Miranda|Manuel|M|', 'Castro-Alija|María J|MJ|']

2017

34202793

The Neuropeptide Cortistatin Alleviates Neuropathic Pain in Experimental Models of Peripheral Nerve Injury.

Neuropathic pain is one of the most severe forms of chronic pain caused by the direct injury of the somatosensory system. The current drugs for treating neuropathies have limited efficacies or show important side effects, and the development of analgesics with novel modes of action is critical. The identification of endogenous anti-nociceptive factors has emerged as an attractive strategy for designing new pharmacological approaches to treat neuropathic pain. Cortistatin is a neuropeptide with potent anti-inflammatory activity, recently identified as a natural analgesic peptide in several models of pain evoked by inflammatory conditions. Here, we investigated the potential analgesic effect of cortistatin in neuropathic pain using a variety of experimental models of peripheral nerve injury caused by chronic constriction or partial transection of the sciatic nerve or by diabetic neuropathy. We found that the peripheral and central injection of cortistatin ameliorated hyperalgesia and allodynia, two of the dominant clinical manifestations of chronic neuropathic pain. Cortistatin-induced analgesia was multitargeted, as it regulated the nerve damage-induced hypersensitization of primary nociceptors, inhibited neuroinflammatory responses, and enhanced the production of neurotrophic factors both at the peripheral and central levels. We also demonstrated the neuroregenerative/protective capacity of cortistatin in a model of severe peripheral nerve transection. Interestingly, the nociceptive system responded to nerve injury by secreting cortistatin, and a deficiency in cortistatin exacerbated the neuropathic pain responses and peripheral nerve dysfunction. Therefore, cortistatin-based therapies emerge as attractive alternatives for treating chronic neuropathic pain of different etiologies.

['Falo|Clara P|CP|0000-0001-5038-8806', 'Benitez|Raquel|R|0000-0002-0773-108X', 'Caro|Marta|M|', 'Morell|Maria|M|0000-0002-3692-1333', 'Forte-Lago|Irene|I|', 'Hernandez-Cortes|Pedro|P|', 'Sanchez-Gonzalez|Clara|C|0000-0002-7387-1099', "O'Valle|Francisco|F|", 'Delgado|Mario|M|0000-0003-1893-5982', 'Gonzalez-Rey|Elena|E|0000-0003-3917-9020']

2021

29208561

Antibacterial prophylaxis with ciprofloxacin for patients with multiple myeloma and lymphoma undergoing autologous haematopoietic cell transplantation: a quasi-experimental single-centre before-after study.

OBJECTIVES We aimed to study whether ciprofloxacin prophylaxis reduces infectious complications in patients undergoing autologous haematopoietic cell transplantation (AHCT). METHODS This is a quasi-experimental, retrospective, before-after study. We compared the incidence of bacterial-related complications among 356 patients with multiple myeloma (MM) (n = 202) and lymphoma (n = 154) who underwent AHCT with (n = 177) or without (n = 179) ciprofloxacin prophylaxis between 03/2007 and 10/2012 and between 10/2012 and 07/2016, respectively, at a single centre. RESULTS Febrile neutropaenia, bacteraemia, and pneumonia were significantly more common among patients who underwent AHCT during the second study period and did not receive antibacterial prophylaxis compared with patients who underwent AHCT during the first study period and received antibacterial prophylaxis (89.9% (161/179) vs. 83.1% (147/177), difference 6.9%, 95% CI 0-14.1%, P = 0.002; 15.1% (27/179) vs. 4.5% (8/177), difference 10.6%, 95% CI 4.4-16.9%, p < 0.0001; 12.3% (22/179) vs. 6.2% (11/177), difference 6.1%, 95% CI 0-12.3%, p = 0.04, respectively). The number-needed-to-treat to prevent one episode of bacteraemia, pneumonia, and febrile neutropaenia was 8.6, 8.5, and 13.7, respectively. Patients with ciprofloxacin prophylaxis had higher rates of ciprofloxacin-resistant bacteraemia (62.5% (5/8) vs. 18.5% (5/27), difference 44%, 95% CI 7-70%, p = 0.01). In multivariate analysis, ciprofloxacin prophylaxis significantly decreased the odds of bacteraemia (OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.07-0.52; p < 0.0001) and pneumonia (OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.16-0.85, p = 0.02). CONCLUSION According to our single-centre experience, patients with MM and lymphoma undergoing AHCT may benefit from antibacterial prophylaxis with ciprofloxacin.

['Yeshurun|M|M|', 'Vaxman|I|I|', 'Shargian|L|L|', 'Yahav|D|D|', 'Bishara|J|J|', 'Pasvolsky|O|O|', 'Wolach|O|O|', 'Lahav|M|M|', 'Gurion|R|R|', 'Magen|H|H|', 'Vidal|L|L|', 'Herscovici|C|C|', 'Peck|A|A|', 'Moshe|M|M|', 'Sela-Navon|M|M|', 'Naparstek|E|E|', 'Raanani|P|P|', 'Rozovski|U|U|']

2018

24484505

Testing the validity of three submaximal ergometer tests for estimating maximal aerobic capacity in children.

AIM Aerobic capacity in children has been linked to health-related outcomes, but the validity of existing assessment methods is largely unknown. This study evaluated the validity of the Åstrand-Rhyming, Woynarowska and Olgun Binyildiz methods. METHODS Aerobic capacity was estimated from the heart rate response to submaximal ergometer cycling in 62 children aged 11-12 years. Direct measurement of peak oxygen consumption during a graded maximal treadmill test was used as the criterion method. RESULTS We found low mean bias for age-adjusted Åstrand-Rhyming data and Woynarowska data, (-14 and 23 mL/min, respectively), low correlation to criterion values (0.81 and 0.74, respectively) and high standard error of estimate (SEE) (340 and 395 mL/min). The Olgun Binyildiz method gave high correlation (0.87) and low SEE (298 mL/min), but large bias (-660 mL/min). All methods underestimated capacity in well-trained children. CONCLUSION The Olgun Binyildiz method is recommended for following an individual over time, due to its low random error. But for comparing individual data with those obtained using direct measurements, the Woynarowska or Åstrand-Rhyming method may be the first choice. However, they all underestimated aerobic capacity in well-trained children.

['Ekblom|Örjan|Ö|']

2014

31769873

A moral argument for frozen human embryo adoption.

Some people (e.g., Drs. Paul and Susan Lim) and, with them, organizations (e.g., the National Embryo Donation Center) believe that, morally speaking, the death of a frozen human embryo is a very bad thing. With such people and organizations in mind, the question to be addressed here is as follows: if one believes that the death of a frozen embryo is a very bad thing, ought, morally speaking, one prevent the death of at least one frozen embryo via embryo adoption? By way of a three-premise argument, one of which is a moral principle first introduced by Peter Singer, my answer to this question is: at least some of those who believe this ought to. (Just who the "some" are is identified in the paper.) If this is correct, then, for said people, preventing the death of a frozen embryo via embryo adoption is not a morally neutral matter; it is, instead, a morally laden one. Specifically, their intentional refusal to prevent the death of a frozen embryo via embryo adoption is, at a minimum, morally criticizable and, arguably, morally forbidden. Either way, it is, to one extent or another, a moral failing.

['Lovering|Rob|R|0000-0003-3696-2466']

2020

33426981

A Retrospective Comparison of the Effectiveness and Safety of Intravenous Olanzapine Versus Intravenous Haloperidol for Agitation in Adult Intensive Care Unit Patients.

OBJECTIVE Intravenous (IV) olanzapine could be an alternative to first-generation antipsychotics for the management of agitation in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. We compared the effectiveness and safety of IV olanzapine to IV haloperidol for agitation management in adult patients in the ICU at a tertiary academic medical center. METHODS A retrospective cohort study was conducted. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients who achieved a Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale (RASS) score of < +1 within 4 hours of IV olanzapine or IV haloperidol administration. Secondary outcomes included the proportion of patients who required rescue medications for agitation within 4 hours of initial IV olanzapine or IV haloperidol administration, incidence of adverse events and ICU length of stay. RESULTS In the 192 patient analytic cohort, there was no difference in the proportion of patients who achieved a RASS score of < +1 within 4 hours of receiving IV olanzapine or IV haloperidol (49% vs. 42%, p = 0.31). Patients in the IV haloperidol group were more likely to receive rescue medications (28% vs 55%, p < 0.01). There was no difference in the incidence of respiratory events or hypotension between IV olanzapine and IV haloperidol. Patients in the IV olanzapine group experienced more bradycardia (11% vs. 3%, p = 0.04) and somnolence (9% vs. 1%, p = 0.02) compared to the IV haloperidol group. Patients in the IV olanzapine group had a longer median ICU length of stay (7.5 days vs. 5 days, p = 0.04). CONCLUSION In this retrospective cohort study, there was no difference in the effectiveness of IV olanzapine compared to IV haloperidol for the management of agitation. IV olanzapine was associated with an increased incidence of bradycardia and somnolence.

['Wang|Michelle|M|', 'Yankama|Tuyen T|TT|', 'Abdallah|George T|GT|', 'Eche|Ijeoma Julie|IJ|', 'Knoph|Kristen N|KN|', 'Wong|Adrian|A|', 'Patel|Parth|P|', 'Hsu|Douglas|D|', 'Eche|Ifeoma Mary|IM|https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6809-1813']

2021

28818661

Variation in organochlorine and mercury levels in first and replacement eggs of a single-egg clutch breeder, the thick-billed murre, at a breeding colony in the Canadian Arctic.

Contaminant concentrations may vary among sequentially-laid eggs in multi-egg clutches, and this variation has implications for the interpretation of contaminant concentrations in monitoring programs. The thick-billed murre (Uria lomvia) is a key species for monitoring contaminants in the Canadian Arctic and lays only a single egg per year. Therefore, the potential issue of intra-clutch variation in contaminant concentrations is avoided. However, if the egg is removed or lost early in the incubation stage, the adult female murre will relay. In this study, we examined contaminant concentrations and patterns in first-laid and replacement eggs of thick-billed murres breeding in northern Hudson Bay in order to determine whether or not these eggs could be sampled interchangeably. Concentrations of the major legacy organochlorines (e.g. PCBs, DDT, chlordanes) were generally higher, and total mercury concentrations lower, in the replacement eggs compared with the first-laid eggs. The organochlorine profile was comprised primarily of ΣDDT and Σ70PCB, and Σ70PCB was comprised primarily of hexa-hepta PCBs in both first-laid and replacement eggs. As both concentrations and organochlorine patterns showed differences between first-laid and replacement eggs, we recommend that randomly selected first-laid eggs of thick-billed murres be consistently sampled for contaminant monitoring in the Canadian Arctic.

['Braune|Birgit M|BM|', 'Jacobs|Shoshanah R|SR|', 'Gaston|Anthony J|AJ|']

2018

33811468

Resourcing, annotating, and analysing synthetic peptides of SARS-CoV-2 for immunopeptidomics and other immunological studies.

SARS-CoV-2 has caused a significant ongoing pandemic worldwide. A number of studies have examined the T cell mediated immune responses against SARS-CoV-2, identifying potential T cell epitopes derived from the SARS-CoV-2 proteome. Such studies will aid in identifying targets for vaccination and immune monitoring. In this study, we applied tandem mass spectrometry and proteomic techniques to a library of ∼40,000 synthetic peptides, in order to generate a large dataset of SARS-CoV-2 derived peptide MS/MS spectra. On this basis, we built an online knowledgebase, termed virusMS (https://virusms.erc.monash.edu/), to document, annotate and analyse these synthetic peptides and their spectral information. VirusMS incorporates a user-friendly interface to facilitate searching, browsing and downloading the database content. Detailed annotations of the peptides, including experimental information, peptide modifications, predicted peptide-HLA (human leukocyte antigen) binding affinities, and peptide MS/MS spectral data, are provided in virusMS.

['Li|Chen|C|0000-0002-1847-754X', 'Revote|Jerico|J|', 'Ramarathinam|Sri H|SH|0000-0002-2787-1282', 'Chung|Shan Zou|SZ|', 'Croft|Nathan P|NP|0000-0002-2128-5127', 'Scull|Katherine E|KE|', 'Huang|Ziyi|Z|', 'Ayala|Rochelle|R|', 'Braun|Asolina|A|', 'Mifsud|Nicole A|NA|', 'Illing|Patricia T|PT|', 'Faridi|Pouya|P|0000-0002-2712-3356', 'Purcell|Anthony W|AW|0000-0003-0532-8331']

2021

33487134

Inter-rater Reliability of the McKenzie Method of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy for the Provisional Classification of Low Back Pain in Adolescents and Young Adults.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the inter-rater reliability of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT)-trained Diplomats in classifying adolescents and young adults with lumbar pain. METHODS Forty-three participants (mean age 15 ± 2 years) with lumbar pain, with or without lower extremity symptoms, were assessed simultaneously by three MDT Diploma holders and classified into one of three groups: 1) Derangement, 2) Dysfunction, 3) Postural/OTHER. Inter-rater reliability was calculated using the Fleiss kappa statistics with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Analyses were repeated with the younger (11 to 15 years old) and older (16 to 21 years old) age groups. RESULTS There was moderate reliability (Fleiss kappa = 0.50, 95% CI = 0.45 to 0.54) for the entire sample, which was statistically significant (p < 0.001). There was good reliability in older participants (Fleiss kappa = 0.63, 95% CI = 0.57 to 0.70), but poor reliability in younger participants (Fleiss kappa = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.27 to 0.39). There was 100% agreement in classifications among assessors for 70% of participants. DISCUSSION The MDT system has moderate reliability when classifying lumbar pain in adolescents and young adults. Future reliability studies may include a balanced group for classifications or a second session.

['Chan|Monica|M|', 'Dyck|Michael|M|', 'Thevasagayam|Gloria|G|', 'Yap|Rita|R|', 'Ouellet|Jean|J|', 'Robbins|Shawn M|SM|0000-0002-8108-0561']

2021

31631350

Isolation and characterization of Clostridium difficile from a small survey of wastewater, food and animals in New Zealand.

The objective of this study was to undertake a microbiological survey of foods, animal faeces and wastewater samples for Clostridium difficile, and determine the genotypes and antimicrobial susceptibilities of isolates. A total of 211 samples were tested for C. difficile using culture methods. Thirteen toxigenic C. difficile isolates were obtained; ten from wastewater samples, one each from pig and duck faeces and another from a raw meat product. Eight PCR-ribotypes (RTs) were identified, including two novel RTs (878 and 879). Single-nucleotide polymorphism analysis using WGS data for all isolates provided greater discrimination between C. difficile isolates within the same RT and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) profiles. All C. difficile isolates were found to be susceptible to the first-line human antimicrobials used to treat C. difficile infection. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This is the first study to report the isolation of Clostridium difficile from animals, food and wastewater in New Zealand (NZ) and provides important data with respect to ribotypes and multilocus sequence typing profiles, whole genome sequence and antimicrobial susceptibilities. The results highlight the need for further investigations into the epidemiology of C. difficile in NZ and to elucidate the role of the environmental and food sources as transmission routes of human infection.

['Rivas|L|L|https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9666-495X', 'Dupont|P-Y|PY|', 'Gilpin|B J|BJ|', 'Cornelius|A J|AJ|']

2020

33239878

Refractive Lens Exchange in Hyperopic Presbyopes with the Acrysof IQ Panoptix Intraocular Lens: One-Year Results and Analysis of the Literature.

Purpose To assess the functional and refractive outcomes in hyperopia and presbyopia correction by clear lens exchange with the intraocular trifocal artificial lens (IOL) Acrysof IQ Panoptix implant at 1 year. Materials and Methods A number of 128 eyes (64 patients) underwent clear lens exchange with placement of the trifocal IOL Acrysof IQ Panoptix implant for hyperopia and presbyopia. Prior to the surgery the patients had a complete ocular examination. In all cases the artificial lens was implanted in the bag without any intraoperative complications. Visual acuity (VA) at distance, intermediate and near and ocular refraction were evaluated at 4 weeks, 6 and 12 months postoperatively. Results The mean age was 53.49 ±7.377 years old (range 40-73 years). As high as 51.57% of the patients were males and 48.43% were females. The mean achieved refraction was 0.26 ± 0.73D. Almost 60.93% of patients were within ±0.25D of the target refraction, with 82.03% eyes within ±0.50D of the planned correction. At 1 year after surgery, 96.45% of eyes had a stable refraction (p >0.05). At 1 year, a total of 92.25%, 89.92% and 91.47% achieved a monocular uncorrected distance, intermediate and near visual acuity of 0.2 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution or better, respectively. At the same time point, a total of 95.35%, 91.47% and 93.80% achieved a binocular uncorrected distance, intermediate and near visual acuity of 0.2 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution or better, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference (p>0.05) between the postoperative uncorrected and best corrected VA (distance, intermediate, near) at 6 months and postoperative uncorrected and best corrected VA (distance, intermediate, near) at 12 months. None of our patients had any intraoperative complications. Two cases (1.56%) developed posterior capsule opacification. Twelve patients (18.75%) complained about photic phenomena such as glare and haloes, but this symptom disappeared after 6 months postoperatively. As high as93.56% of patients had a high satisfaction with the outcomes of the surgery. Spectacle independence was obtained in 97.65% eyes. Conclusion The Acrysof Panoptix trifocal artificial lens offers a good vision at distance, intermediate and near, with a good quality of vision and refraction.

['Nicula|Cristina Ariadna|CA|0000-0002-3222-6448', 'Popescu|Raluca|R|', 'Rednik|Anca Maria|AM|0000-0002-3237-6200', 'Nicula|Dorin|D|0000-0002-4180-7949', 'Bulboaca|Adriana Elena|AE|0000-0001-7748-382X', 'Stanescu|Ioana|I|0000-0003-0613-9575']

2020

29067633

Implementation of Continuous Video-Electroencephalography at a Community Hospital Enhances Care and Reduces Costs.

BACKGROUND Despite data indicating the importance of continuous video-electroencephalography (cvEEG) monitoring, adoption has been slow outside major academic centers. Barriers to adoption include the need for technologists, equipment, and cvEEG readers. Advancements in lower-cost lead placement templates and commercial systems with remote review may reduce barriers to allow community centers to implement cvEEG. Here, we report our experience, lessons learned, and financial impact of implementing a community hospital cvEEG-monitoring program. METHODS We implemented an adult cvEEG service at Duke Regional Hospital (DRH), a community hospital affiliate, in June of 2012. Lead placement templates were used in the implementation to reduce the impact on technologists by using other bedside providers for EEG initiation. Utilization of the service, study quality, and patient outcomes were tracked over a 3-year period following initiation of service. RESULTS Service was implemented at essentially no cost. Utilization varied from a number of factors: intensive care unit (ICU) attending awareness, limited willingness of bedside providers to perform lead placement, and variation in practice of the consulting neurologists. A total of 92 studies were performed on 88 patients in the first 3 years of the program, 24 in year one, 27 in year two, and 38 in year three, showing progressive adoption. Seizures were seen in 25 patients (27%), 19 were in status, of which 18 were successfully treated. Transfers to the main hospital, Duke University Medical Center, were prevented for 53 patients, producing an estimated cost savings of $145,750. The retained patients produced a direct contribution margin of about $75,000, and the margin was just over $100,000 for the entire monitored cohort. CONCLUSION ICU cvEEG service is feasible and practical to implement at the community hospital level. Service was initiated at little to no cost and clearly enhanced care, increased breadth of care, increased ICU census, and reduced transfers. The system allowed for successful management of ICU patients with underlying seizures and eliminated interfacility transfers, producing a savings of $145,750. The savings combined with the retained patient revenue produced a total revenue of over $250,000 with additional revenue in professional services as well. These results suggest expansion of cvEEG monitoring to community ICUs is practical, financially sustainable, improves the level and quality of care, and reduces costs.

['Kolls|Brad J|BJ|', 'Mace|Brian E|BE|', 'Dombrowski|Keith E|KE|']

2018

29518953

A Neutrophil Proteomic Signature in Surgical Trauma Wounds.

Non-healing wounds continue to be a clinical challenge for patients and medical staff. These wounds have a heterogeneous etiology, including diabetes and surgical trauma wounds. It is therefore important to decipher molecular signatures that reflect the macroscopic process of wound healing. To this end, we collected wound sponge dressings routinely used in vacuum assisted therapy after surgical trauma to generate wound-derived protein profiles via global mass spectrometry. We confidently identified 311 proteins in exudates. Among them were expected targets belonging to the immunoglobulin superfamily, complement, and skin-derived proteins, such as keratins. Next to several S100 proteins, chaperones, heat shock proteins, and immune modulators, the exudates presented a number of redox proteins as well as a discrete neutrophil proteomic signature, including for example cathepsin G, elastase, myeloperoxidase, CD66c, and lipocalin 2. We mapped over 200 post-translational modifications (PTMs; cysteine/methionine oxidation, tyrosine nitration, cysteine trioxidation) to the proteomic profile, for example, in peroxiredoxin 1. Investigating manually collected exudates, we confirmed presence of neutrophils and their products, such as microparticles and fragments containing myeloperoxidase and DNA. These data confirmed known and identified less known wound proteins and their PTMs, which may serve as resource for future studies on human wound healing.

['Bekeschus|Sander|S|0000-0002-8773-8862', 'Lackmann|Jan-Wilm|JW|0000-0001-8182-8034', 'Gümbel|Denis|D|0000-0003-1330-2676', 'Napp|Matthias|M|', 'Schmidt|Anke|A|', 'Wende|Kristian|K|0000-0001-5217-0683']

2018

33491793

Cadmium and antibiotic-resistant Acinetobacter calcoaceticus strain STP14 reported from sewage treatment plant.

A bacterium designated as strain STP14 was isolated from a sewage treatment plant and identified as Acinetobacter calcoaceticus based on 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing. Strain STP14 exhibited resistance to several metals such as mercury, cobalt, copper, nickel, lead, and cadmium. Among these metals, the bacterium showed maximum resistance to cadmium in concentration up to 1200 mg/L. The antimicrobial susceptibility test of A. calcoaceticus strain STP14 showed coresistance to all tested antibiotics except tigecycline and chloramphenicol for which 16 ± 1- and 15 ± 1-mm zone of inhibition was observed, respectively. The protein pattern of the crude cellular extract revealed substantial differences in protein bands of untreated control and cadmium treated A. calcoaceticus strain STP14 suggesting variable protein expression under cadmium stress. Metals and antibiotic resistance are increasing phenomenon and universal concern of public health. This study improves our understanding regarding the bacterial coresistance against metals and antibiotics and the possible emergence of multidrug resistance due to selective pressure and coselection in the metal polluted sewage sludge.

['Din|Ghufranud|G|', 'Farooqi|Asifa|A|', 'Sajjad|Wasim|W|http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1622-0484', 'Irfan|Muhammad|M|http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1060-4436', 'Gul|Sarah|S|', 'Ali Shah|Aamer|A|']

2021

24655425

GDNF fails to inhibit LPS-mediated activation of mouse microglia.

GDNF is a potent neuroprotective factor for midbrain dopaminergic (mDA) neurons. In LPS-mediated models for mDA degeneration GDNF increases neuron survival and further reduces microglia activation. To elucidate the effects of GDNF on LPS-induced activation, primary microglia from C57BL/6 and NMRI mice have been analysed. In this study we demonstrate that GDNF is not able to inhibit LPS-mediated upregulation and release of the proinflammatory factors IL6 and TNFα. Moreover, we provide evidence that mouse microglia, in contrast to rat microglia, lack expression of the GDNF signalling receptor c-Ret resulting in abrogated activation of downstream signalling kinases Akt and Erk1/2.

['Zlotnik|Anke|A|', 'Spittau|Björn|B|']

2014

25281587

Characterization of medical care at the 161-km Western States Endurance Run.

OBJECTIVE To examine the medical care at a highly competitive 161-km mountain ultramarathon. METHODS Encounter forms from the 2010 through 2013 Western States Endurance Run were analyzed for trends in consultation and use of intravenous fluids. RESULTS A total of 63 consultations (8.2% of starters) were documented in 2012 and 2013, of which 10% involved noncompetitors. Most (77%) of the consultations with competitors occurred on the course rather than at the finish line, and were generally during the middle third of the race. Of the on-course consultations, the runner was able to continue the race 55% of the time, and 75% of those who continued after consultation ultimately finished the race. Relative number of consultations did not differ among competitors within 10-year age groups (P = .7) or between men and women (P = .2). Overall, consultations for medical issues were predominant, and nausea and vomiting accounted for the single highest reason for consultation (24%). Although there was an overall decrease in finish line consultations and intravenous fluid use from 2010 through 2013 (P < .0001 for both) that was independent of maximum ambient temperature (P = .3 and P = .4), the proportion of those being treated with intravenous fluids relative to those receiving consultation at the finish line was directly related to maximum ambient temperature (r = .93, P = .037). Both 2012 and 2013 had a single medical emergency that required emergency evacuation. CONCLUSIONS This work demonstrates that the medical needs in a 161-km ultramarathon are mostly for minor issues. However, occasional serious issues arise that warrant a well-organized medical system.

['McGowan|Vanessa|V|', 'Hoffman|Martin D|MD|']

2015

32180735

Microstructural White Matter and Links With Subcortical Structures in Chronic Schizophrenia: A Free-Water Imaging Approach.

Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder with often a chronic course. Neuroimaging studies report brain abnormalities in both white and gray matter structures. However, the relationship between microstructural white matter differences and volumetric subcortical structures is not known. We investigated 30 long-term treated patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder (mean age 51.1 ± 7.9 years, mean illness duration 27.6 ± 8.0 years) and 42 healthy controls (mean age 54.1 ± 9.1 years) using 3 T diffusion and structural magnetic resonance imaging. The free-water imaging method was used to model the diffusion signal, and subcortical volumes were obtained from FreeSurfer. We applied multiple linear regression to investigate associations between (i) patient status and regional white matter microstructure, (ii) medication dose or clinical symptoms on white matter microstructure in patients, and (iii) for interactions between subcortical volumes and diagnosis on microstructural white matter regions showing significant patient-control differences. The patients had significantly decreased free-water corrected fractional anisotropy (FAt), explained by decreased axial diffusivity and increased radial diffusivity (RDt) bilaterally in the anterior corona radiata (ACR) and the left anterior limb of the internal capsule (ALIC) compared to controls. In the fornix, the patients had significantly increased RDt. In patients, positive symptoms were associated with localized increased free-water and negative symptoms with localized decreased FAt and increased RDt. There were significant interactions between patient status and several subcortical structures on white matter microstructure and the free-water compartment for left ACR and fornix, and limited to the free-water compartment for right ACR and left ALIC. The Cohen's d effect sizes were medium to large (0.61 to 1.20, absolute values). The results suggest a specific pattern of frontal white matter axonal degeneration and demyelination and fornix demyelination that is attenuated in the presence of larger structures of the limbic system in patients with chronic schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. Findings warrant replication in larger samples.

['Gurholt|Tiril P|TP|', 'Haukvik|Unn K|UK|', 'Lonning|Vera|V|', 'Jönsson|Erik G|EG|', 'Pasternak|Ofer|O|', 'Agartz|Ingrid|I|']

2020

29506007

Surface electromyography can quantify temporal and spatial patterns of activation of intrinsic human foot muscles.

Intrinsic foot muscles (IFM) are a crucial component within the human foot. Investigating their functioning can help understand healthy and pathological behaviour of foot and ankle, fundamental for everyday activities. Recording muscle activation from IFM has been attempted with invasive techniques, mainly investigating single muscles. Here we present a novel methodology, to investigate the feasibility of recording physiological surface EMG (sEMG) non-invasively and quantify patterns of activation across the whole plantar region of the foot. sEMG were recorded with a 13 × 5 array from the sole of the foot (n = 25) during two-foot stance, two-foot tiptoe and anterior/posterior sways. Physiological features of sEMG were analysed. During anterior/posterior epochs within the sway task, sEMG patterns were analysed in terms of signal amplitude (intensity) and structure (Sample Entropy) distribution, by evaluating the centre of gravity (CoG) of each topographical map. Results suggest signals are physiological and not affected by loading. Both amplitude and sample entropy CoG coordinates were grouped in one region and overlapped, suggesting that the region with highest amplitude corresponds with the most predictable signal. Therefore, both spatial and temporal features of IFM activation may be recorded non-invasively, providing opportunity for more detailed investigation of IFM function in healthy and patient populations.

['Ferrari|E|E|', 'Cooper|G|G|', 'Reeves|N D|ND|', 'Hodson-Tole|E F|EF|']

2018

33526244

Age-Period-Cohort Analysis of Toothbrushing Frequency in Finnish Adults: Results From Annual National Cross-Sectional Surveys From 1978 to 2014.

OBJECTIVES No previous study has analysed age-, period-, and cohort-related long-term trends in toothbrushing frequency among adults using a nationally representative data set. Our aim was to study age, period, and cohort effects on toothbrushing among 15- to 64-year-olds in Finland from 1978 to 2014. METHODS Data were gathered by nationally representative random cross-sectional samples of 15- to 64-year-old Finns annually from 1978 to 2014, during which response rates decreased from 84% to 53%. The final pooled sample size was 119,665. An age-period-cohort model was used to separate the effects of age, period, and cohort on trends in men's and women's toothbrushing frequency. RESULTS From 1978 to 2014, the proportion of respondents who brushed at least twice a day or once a day increased from 42% to 66% and from 83% to 95%, respectively. The proportion of respondents who brushed at least twice a day increased from 27% to 53% among men and from 60% to 75% among women. Increases in at least once-a-day toothbrushing were smaller in both sexes, and in women the increase was minimal over the study years. The increase in toothbrushing frequency occurred particularly among those older than 40 years of age. In men, toothbrushing frequency increased steadily cohort by cohort (cohort effect) and within a single cohort as men in the cohort got older (longitudinal age trend). Instead, in women the cohort effect and longitudinal age trend in toothbrushing were smaller at both frequency thresholds. CONCLUSIONS On the population level, favourable changes in toothbrushing habits occurred among adult Finns from 1978 to 2014, especially in men.

['Raittio|Eero|E|', 'Helakorpi|Satu|S|', 'Suominen|Anna Liisa|AL|']

2021

31392644

Identifying the incidence of respiratory complications following diaphragmatic cytoreduction and hyperthermic intraoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy.

INTRODUCTION In patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC), the incidence of respiratory complications following cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is not well established. We aimed to describe the center-specific incidence and patient characteristics associated with respiratory complications following CRS and HIPEC in patients receiving treatment for PC. MATERIALS AND METHODS We used the University Hospital of Arrixaca study database to identify patients who underwent CRS and HIPEC for PC. Patients who experienced a post-operative respiratory complication were categorized according to the National Cancer Institute-Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events. Multivariable regression methods were used to identify independent risk factors for developing a respiratory complication following CRS and HIPEC. RESULTS Between 2008 and 2017, we identified 247 patients who underwent CRS and HIPEC for PC. A total of eight patients (3.2%) were categorized as having a post-operative respiratory complication. A diaphragmatic peritonectomy and a PC index of > 14 were identified as independent risk factors for developing a respiratory complication. Radiographic evidence of a pleural effusion was identified in 72 patients who had CRS of the diaphragmatic peritoneum; however, only 6 (8.3%) of these patients required pleural drainage. CONCLUSIONS Only 3.2% of patients developed a symptomatic respiratory complication following CRS and HIPEC. A pleural effusion was identified in almost all patients requiring a diaphragmatic peritonectomy as part of their CRS; however, less than one in ten of these patients required pleural drainage. Prophylactic insertion of a pleural drainage tube is, therefore, not indicated following CRS and HIPEC.

['Cascales Campos|P|P|', 'Martinez Insfran|L A|LA|http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8849-8541', 'Wallace|D|D|', 'Gil|J|J|', 'Gil|E|E|', 'Gonzalez Gil|A|A|', 'Martínez|J|J|', 'Alonso Romero|J L|JL|', 'Gonzalez Sanchez|R|R|', 'Parrilla|P|P|']

2020

29903603

Comparative study of Silver Sulfadiazine with other materials for healing and infection prevention in burns: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The aim of this systematic review with meta-analysis was to compare the effect of Silver Sulfadiazine (SSD) with other new dressings, with or without silver, on healing and infection prevention in burns. The electronic search was carried out in the electronic databases of Pubmed, ScienceDirect, Lilacs and BVS. The articles included were randomized clinical trials about burn treatment with SSD, which evaluated the healing and infection of burn wounds in humans. The exclusion criteria included articles, editorials and letters published in the form of abstracts, unpublished reports and case series, cross-sectional, observational experimental studies, and the use of sulfadiazine for other types of wounds. The search identified 873 references, and 24 studies were included in accordance with the eligibility criteria. The results showed a statistically favorable difference related to the time of healing for silver dressings (p<0.0001; MD 3.83; 95% CI 2.03-5.62) and dressings without silver (p<0.007; MD 2.9; 95% CI 0.81-5.00) in comparison with SSD. The rate of infection showed no difference in the group treated with SSD compared with the group treated with dressings containing silver (p>0.05). The rate of infection was significantly higher in the SSD group compared with the group treated with dressings without silver (p<0.005; MD 25.29% and MD 12.97%). Considering the clinical trials conducted up to the present time, the authors concluded that new dressings with and without silver show better results than SSD for wound healing, and burns treated with dressings without silver are less likely to become infected than burns with SSD. No differences between SSD and new silver materials were observed in relation to infection prevention.

['Nímia|Heloisa Helena|HH|', 'Carvalho|Viviane Fernandes|VF|', 'Isaac|Cesar|C|', 'Souza|Francisley Ávila|FÁ|', 'Gemperli|Rolf|R|', 'Paggiaro|André Oliveira|AO|']

2019

32480124

Nanoparticle-Mediated Inhibition of Notch Signaling Promotes Mitochondrial Biogenesis and Reduces Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue Expansion in Pigs.

Inhibition of Notch signaling has been shown to induce white to beige transformation of adipocytes and reduce the risk of obesity in mice. However, it remains unknown whether the metabolic benefits of Notch inhibition are dependent on uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1)-mediated thermogenesis and evolutionarily relevant in other mammalian species. Here we report the effect of Notch inhibition in adipocytes of pigs, which lost the UCP1 gene during evolution. Notch inhibition using a γ-secretase inhibitor dibenzazepine (DBZ) promoted beige adipogenesis and mitochondrial biogenic gene expression in porcine adipocytes. Moreover, encapsulation of DBZ into poly(lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles enabled rapid cellular internalization and enhanced bioactivity to achieve sustained Notch inhibition, thereby inducing beige-specific gene expression and reducing subcutaneous adipose tissue expansion in pigs. These results demonstrate for the first time a role of Notch signaling in regulating adipose plasticity in large animals, highlighting the therapeutic potential of targeting Notch signaling in obesity treatment.

['Huang|Di|D|', 'Narayanan|Naagarajan|N|', 'Cano-Vega|Mario A|MA|', 'Jia|Zhihao|Z|', 'Ajuwon|Kolapo M|KM|', 'Kuang|Shihuan|S|', 'Deng|Meng|M|']

2020

31439234

Evaluation of parametrial infiltration in cervical cancer with voxel-based segmentation of integrated 18F-FDG PET/MRI images: A preliminary study.

PURPOSE To identify parametrial infiltration (PMI) in cervical cancer with voxel-based segmentation of integrated PET/MRI images. METHOD This retrospective study enrolled 79 cervical cancer patients confirmed by pathology (FIGO stage IB to IIB) who underwent 18F-FDG PET/MRI prior to surgery. Region of interest (ROI) at the largest tumor level was delineated on the T2W-MR image, and the ROI was applied to PET image of the corresponding layer. Then, these images were postprocessed with segmentation and gray level calculations in the parauterine area. RESULTS In total, 37 patients (46.8%) had postoperative pathology-confirmed PMI, and 42 patients (53.2%) showed no PMI. There was a moderate correlation between pathological results and the gray level values of each region (rs > 0.5, P < 0.001). According to FIGO stage, as the cervical lesions became more malignant, the gray level values gradually increased. The diagnostic results of MRI and PET/MRI were in good agreement (kappa = 0.693, P < 0.001); the accuracy (78.5%), sensitivity (64.9%) and NPV (74.5%) of PET/MRI were slightly higher than those of MRI (74.7%,59.5%,71.2%, respectively), with no statistically significant difference (P = 1.000). The diagnostic results of MRI and PET/MRI+gray level values were generally consistent (kappa = 0.475, P < 0.001); the accuracy (87.3%), sensitivity(83.8%) and NPV(86.4%) of PET/MRI+gray level values were higher than those of MRI, with statistically significant differences (all P values < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS It is feasible to evaluate PMI based on PET/T2W-MRI voxel segmentation and to obtain quantitative and visual indicators. PET/MRI and gray level values considered together can also improve the accuracy, sensitivity and NPV of PMI diagnosis.

['Wang|Tong|T|', 'Sun|Hongzan|H|', 'Han|Fangfang|F|', 'Sun|Weizhong|W|', 'Chen|Zhongwei|Z|']

2019

25400233

Physical activity preferences of older home care clients.

BACKGROUND Physical activity contributes to an older person's health and well-being by maintaining strength, balance and mobility, all of which are important for older people who wish to remain living in their home for as long as possible. It is therefore essential that community nurses and those working with home care clients promote being physically active. To do this effectively requires an understanding of the type of physical activity older home care clients prefer to engage in. AIM The aims of this study were to identify the physical activity preferences of older people who received a home care service and to determine whether being physically active is important to this population. METHODS Twenty older home care clients were interviewed using a semi-structured interview schedule. Data were analysed using a descriptive qualitative methodology. RESULTS Walking, housework and gardening were identified as the activities of choice. The majority of interviewees suggested that it was important to be physically active. CONCLUSION Structured exercise programmes are not the activity of choice for older home care clients. Therefore, when community nurses and allied health workers promote physical activity to their clients, they should suggest activities such as walking, housework and gardening and also endorse the benefits of physical activity for well-being and staying independent. IMPLICATION FOR PRACTICE Health and community nurses and organisations should routinely encourage home care clients to increase their activity levels, especially utilising those activities they most enjoy.

['Burton|Elissa|E|', 'Lewin|Gill|G|', 'Boldy|Duncan|D|']

2015

26791774

How Do World-Class Nordic Combined Athletes Differ From Specialized Cross-Country Skiers and Ski Jumpers in Sport-Specific Capacity and Training Characteristics?

PURPOSE To compare sport-specific laboratory capacities and the annual training of world-class Nordic combined (NC) athletes with specialized ski jumpers (SJ) and cross-country (XC) skiers. METHODS Five world-class athletes from each sports discipline were compared. Ski jump imitations were performed on a 3-dimensional force plate in NC athletes and SJ, whereas XC skiing characteristics were obtained from submaximal and maximal roller ski skating on a treadmill in NC athletes and XC skiers. In addition, anthropometrics and annual training characteristics were determined. RESULTS NC athletes demonstrated 9% higher body mass and showed 17% lower vertical speed in the ski jump imitation than SJ (all P < .05). NC athletes had 12% lower body mass and showed 10% lower peak treadmill speed and 12% lower body-mass-normalized peak oxygen uptake than XC skiers (all P < .05). NC athletes performed half the number of ski-jumping-specific sessions and outdoor ski jumps compared with SJ. NC athletes performed 31% less endurance training, mainly caused by lower amounts of low- and moderate-intensity training in the classical technique, whereas high-intensity strength and speed training and endurance training in the skating technique did not differ substantially from XC skiers. CONCLUSIONS To simultaneously optimize endurance, explosive, and technical capacities in 2 different disciplines, world-class NC athletes train approximately two-thirds of the XC skier's endurance training volume and perform one-half of the ski-jump-specific training compared with SJ. Still, the various laboratory capacities differed only 10-17% compared with SJ and XC skiers.

['Sandbakk|Øyvind|Ø|', 'Rasdal|Vegard|V|', 'Bråten|Steinar|S|', 'Moen|Frode|F|', 'Ettema|Gertjan|G|']

2016

33722884

Nebulized Micafungin Treatment for Scopulariopsis/Microascus Tracheobronchitis in Lung Transplant Recipients.

Scopulariopsis/Microascus isolates cause infections with high mortality in lung transplant recipients. Treatment is challenging due to antimicrobial resistance. We describe two cases of Scopulariopsis/Microascus tracheobronchitis in lung transplant recipients successfully treated with nebulized micafungin. This antifungal was well tolerated and achieved high concentrations in epithelial lining fluid up to 14 h after nebulization without significant plasma concentrations. Nebulized micafungin may be a safe and effective option for the treatment of fungal tracheobronchitis.

['Los-Arcos|Ibai|I|0000-0001-8835-2702', 'Berastegui|Cristina|C|', 'Martín-Gómez|María Teresa|MT|', 'Grau|Santiago|S|', 'Campany-Herrero|David|D|', 'Deu|María|M|', 'Sacanell|Judith|J|', 'Campillo|Nuria|N|', 'Bravo|Carles|C|', 'Len|Oscar|O|0000-0002-1819-3141']

2021

31004758

Increased Risk of Death in First Year After Liver Transplantation Among Patients With Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis vs Liver Disease of Other Etiologies.

BACKGROUND & AIMS An increasing number of patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) require liver transplantation. We compared outcomes of patients with liver diseases of different etiologies (NASH, hepatitis C virus [HCV]-associated liver disease, and alcohol-associated liver disease [ALD]). METHODS We analyzed data from the United Network for Organ Sharing registry on 6344 patients who underwent liver transplantation for NASH, 17,037 for cirrhosis from chronic HCV infection, and 9279 for ALD. We collected data from patients who underwent liver transplantation during the following time periods: 2008-2010, 2011-2013, 2014-2015, 2016-2017. We compared outcomes of different groups using Cox regression models, adjusting for donor and recipient characteristics. RESULTS For patients who underwent liver transplantation during 2016-2017, a significantly lower proportion of patients with NASH survived for 1 year after transplantation than patients with HCV (P = .004) or ALD (P < .001). During this time period, the adjusted risk of death within 1 year was significantly higher for patients with NASH than with ALD (hazard ratio, 1.37; P = .03), regardless of the presence of hepatocellular carcinoma. The effects of increasing age were greatest among patients with NASH: compared to patients younger than 50 years, hazard ratios for overall mortality were 1.31 for patients 50-59 years (P = .02), 1.66 for patients 60-64 years (P < .001), 2.08 for patients 65-69 years (P < .001), and 2.66 and for patients and ≥70 years (P < .001). Mortality from cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease(s) was highest among patients with NASH, accounting for 11.5% of deaths, compared to 7.0% of deaths in patients with HCV infection and 9.6% in patients with ALD (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS In an analysis of data from patients who underwent liver transplantation during 2016-2017, we found the risk of death within 1 year after transplant was higher among patients with NASH than HCV-associated liver disease or ALD. Risk of death increased with age, and patients with NASH have a higher risk of death from cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease.

['Nagai|Shunji|S|', 'Collins|Kelly|K|', 'Chau|Lucy C|LC|', 'Safwan|Mohamed|M|', 'Rizzari|Michael|M|', 'Yoshida|Atsushi|A|', 'Abouljoud|Marwan S|MS|', 'Moonka|Dilip|D|']

2019

26868531

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy of triplet regimens of docetaxel/cisplatin/5-FU (DCF NAC) may improve patient prognosis of cStage II/III esophageal squamous cell carcinoma-propensity score analysis.

BACKGROUND Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) with CF (cisplatin/5-FU) was demonstrated to improve survival of clinical stage II/III (cStage II/III) esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), however prognostic outcome remains unsatisfactory. We have recently reported preliminary potentiality of short-term survival benefit by NAC with DCF (docetaxel/cisplatin/5-FU). PATIENTS AND METHODS Thirty-eight ESCC patients who underwent DCF NAC between 2009 and 2012 were investigated for prognosis with a median follow-up period of 49 months as compared to those with CF NAC. RESULTS (1) ESCC patients with DCF NAC showed 66% of 3-year progression-free survival (PFS), which is significantly superior to that of CF NAC (38%) (p = 0.018). ESCC patients with DCF NAC showed 79% of 3-year overall survival (OS), which is marginally significantly superior to that of CF NAC (65%) (p = 0.093). (2) The multivariate Cox proportional hazards model revealed that DCF NAC was an independent prognostic factor for PFS (p = 0.0013) and OS (p = 0.047), respectively, when adjusted for patient sex, age, cT, cN, and preoperative borderline resectability. (3) Patients with more advanced stage were rather frequently included in DCF NAC than in CF NAC, however there was no significant difference. Nevertheless, propensity score (PS) to predict DCF NAC was significantly higher than CF NAC (p = 0.019). (4) Both NAC and PS were again applied to the multivariate Cox proportional hazards model, and DCF NAC was the only remnant prognostic indicator for PFS (p = 0.0044) and OS (p = 0.063). CONCLUSION Prognosis may be significantly improved in cStage II/III ESCC patients who underwent DCF NAC than those with CF NAC.

['Yamashita|Keishi|K|', 'Katada|Natsuya|N|', 'Moriya|Hiromitsu|H|', 'Hosoda|Kei|K|', 'Mieno|Hiroaki|H|', 'Katada|Chikatoshi|C|', 'Koizumi|Wasaburo|W|', 'Hoshi|Keika|K|', 'Watanabe|Masahiko|M|']

2016

34239268

Usefulness of artificial intelligence in gastric neoplasms.

Recently, studies in many medical fields have reported that image analysis based on artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to analyze structures or features that are difficult to identify with human eyes. To diagnose early gastric cancer, related efforts such as narrow-band imaging technology are on-going. However, diagnosis is often difficult. Therefore, a diagnostic method based on AI for endoscopic imaging was developed and its effectiveness was confirmed in many studies. The gastric cancer diagnostic program based on AI showed relatively high diagnostic accuracy and could differentially diagnose non-neoplastic lesions including benign gastric ulcers and dysplasia. An AI system has also been developed that helps to predict the invasion depth of gastric cancer through endoscopic images and observe the stomach during endoscopy without blind spots. Therefore, if AI is used in the field of endoscopy, it is expected to aid in the diagnosis of gastric neoplasms and determine the application of endoscopic therapy by predicting the invasion depth.

['Kim|Ji Hyun|JH|', 'Nam|Seung-Joo|SJ|', 'Park|Sung Chul|SC|']

2021

30379370

Reciprocal Reprogramming of Cancer Cells and Associated Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Gastric Cancer.

The interactions of cancer stem cells (CSCs) within the tumor microenvironment (TME), contribute to the overall phenomenon of intratumoral heterogeneity, which also involve CSC interactions with noncancer stromal cells. Comprehensive understanding of the tumorigenesis process requires elucidating the coordinated gene expression between cancer and tumor stromal cells for each tumor. We show that human gastric cancer cells (GSC1) subvert gene expression and cytokine production by mesenchymal stem cells (GSC-MSC), thus promoting tumor progression. Using mixed composition of human tumor xenografts, organotypic culture, and in vitro assays, we demonstrate GSC1-mediated specific reprogramming of "naïve" MSC into specialized tumor associated MSC equipped with a tumor-promoting phenotype. Although paracrine effect of GSC-MSC or primed-MSC is sufficient to enable 2D growth of GSC1, cell-cell interaction with GSC-MSC is necessary for 3D growth and in vivo tumor formation. At both the transcriptional and at the protein level, RNA-Seq and proteome analyses, respectively, revealed increased R-spondin expression in primed-MSC, and paracrine and juxtacrine mediated elevation of Lgr5 expression in GSC1, suggesting GSC-MSC-mediated support of cancer stemness in GSC1. CSC properties are sustained in vivo through the interplay between GSC1 and GSC-MSC, activating the R-spondin/Lgr5 axis and WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway. β-Catenin+ cell clusters show β-catenin nuclear localization, indicating the activation of the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway in these cells. The β-catenin+ cluster of cells overlap the Lgr5+ cells, however, not all Lgr5+ cells express β-catenin. A predominant means to sustain the CSC contribution to tumor progression appears to be subversion of MSC in the TME by cancer cells. Stem Cells 2018 Stem Cells 2019;37:176-189.

['Shamai|Yeela|Y|', 'Alperovich|Dalia Cohn|DC|', 'Yakhini|Zohar|Z|', 'Skorecki|Karl|K|', 'Tzukerman|Maty|M|']

2019

28654803

Photo-assisted electrochemical degradation of sulfamethoxazole using a Ti/Ru0.3Ti0.7O2 anode: Mechanistic and kinetic features of the process.

This study examined the photo-assisted electrochemical degradation and mineralization of the antibiotic contaminant sulfamethoxazole (SMX). All the experiments were perform using a flow electrolytic cell, in which the influence of the current density (10-60 mA cm-2) and sodium chloride (0.02-0.10 mol L-1) in the supporting electrolyte composition was analyzed. The results showed that the total SMX and 50% TOC removal was achieved in the current density range used. As expected, the degradation kinetics presented a pseudo first order behavior and the rate constant increased from 0.05 min-1 to 0.50 min-1 as the current density raised from 10 to 60 mA cm-1. In addition, the values of the electrical energy per order (EEO) increased from 0.67 to 1.06 kW/hm-3 order-1 as the current density increased from 10 to 60 mAcm-2 and drop from 8.82 to 0.57 kW/hm-3 order-1 at supporting electrolyte concentration of 0.02-0.1 mol L-1. The reaction intermediates identified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry allowed proposing a mechanism for the degradation. The use of photo assistance in the electrochemical process involved simultaneous reactions, for example, aromatic ring substitutions and hydroxylation. These reactions led to aromatic rings opening that generated simpler organic molecules, making possible the mineralization of the SMX molecule. Probable degradation pathways were proposed and discussed. Comparison of the efficiencies of the photocatalytic, electrochemical (EC) and photo-assisted electrochemical (PAEC) techniques revealed that the combined process showed a synergism for TOC removal.

['Hussain|Sajjad|S|', 'Steter|Juliana R|JR|', 'Gul|Saima|S|', 'Motheo|Artur J|AJ|']

2017

34353799

Characterising the outcomes, impacts and implementation challenges of advanced clinical practice roles in the UK: a scoping review.

OBJECTIVES In response to demographic and health system pressures, the development of non-medical advanced clinical practice (ACP) roles is a key component of National Health Service workforce transformation policy in the UK. This review was undertaken to establish a baseline of evidence on ACP roles and their outcomes, impacts and implementation challenges across the UK. DESIGN A scoping review was undertaken following JBI methodological guidance. METHODS 13 online databases (Medline, CINAHL, ASSIA, Embase, HMIC, AMED, Amber, OT seeker, PsycINFO, PEDro, SportDiscus, Osteopathic Research and PenNutrition) and grey literature sources were searched from 2005 to 2020. Data extraction, charting and summary was guided by the PEPPA-Plus framework. The review was undertaken by a multi-professional team that included an expert lay representative. RESULTS 191 papers met the inclusion criteria (any type of UK evidence, any sector/setting and any profession meeting the Health Education England definition of ACP). Most papers were small-scale descriptive studies, service evaluations or audits. The papers reported mainly on clinical aspects of the ACP role. Most papers related to nursing, pharmacy, physiotherapy and radiography roles and these were referred to by a plethora of different titles. ACP roles were reported to be achieving beneficial impacts across a range of clinical and health system outcomes. They were highly acceptable to patients and staff. No significant adverse events were reported. There was a lack of cost-effectiveness evidence. Implementation challenges included a lack of role clarity and an ambivalent role identity, lack of mentorship, lack of continuing professional development and an unclear career pathway. CONCLUSION This review suggests a need for educational and role standardisation and a supported career pathway for advanced clinical practitioners (ACPs) in the UK. Future research should: (i) adopt more robust study designs, (ii) investigate the full scope of the ACP role and (iii) include a wider range of professions and sectors.

['Evans|Catrin|C|0000-0002-5338-2191', 'Poku|Brenda|B|', 'Pearce|Ruth|R|', 'Eldridge|Jeanette|J|', 'Hendrick|Paul|P|', 'Knaggs|Roger|R|', 'Blake|Holly|H|', 'Yogeswaran|Gowsika|G|', 'McLuskey|John|J|', 'Tomczak|Philippa|P|', 'Thow|Ruaridh|R|', 'Harris|Peter|P|', 'Conway|Joy|J|0000-0001-6464-1526', 'Collier|Richard|R|']

2021

32086810

Non-carbon loss long-term continuous lactic acid production from mixed sugars using thermophilic Enterococcus faecium QU 50.

In this study, a non-sterile (open) continuous fermentation (OCF) process with no-carbon loss was developed to improve lactic acid (LA) productivity and operational stability from the co-utilization of lignocellulose-derived sugars by thermophilic Enterococcus faecium QU 50. The effects of different sugar mixtures on LA production were firstly investigated in conventional OCF at 50°C, pH 6.5 and a dilution rate of 0.20 hr-1 . The xylose consumption ratio was greatly lower than that of glucose in fermentations with glucose/xylose mixtures, indicating apparent carbon catabolite repression (CCR). However, CCR could be efficiently eliminated by feeding solutions containing the cellobiose/xylose mixture. In OCF at a dilution rate ca. 0.10 hr-1 , strain QU 50 produced 42.6 g L-1 of l-LA with a yield of 0.912 g g-1 -consumed sugars, LA yield of 0.655 g g-1 based on mixed sugar-loaded, and a productivity of 4.31 g L-1  hr-1 from simulated energy cane hydrolyzate. In OCF with high cell density by cell recycling, simultaneous and complete co-utilization of sugars was achieved with stable LA production at 60.1 ± 3.25 g L-1 with LA yield of 0.944 g g-1 -consumed sugar and LA productivity of 6.49 ± 0.357 g L-1  hr-1 . Besides this, a dramatic increase in LA yield of 0.927 g g-1 based on mixed sugar-loaded with prolonged operational stability for at least 500 hr (>20 days) was established. This robust system demonstrates an initial green step with a no-carbon loss under energy-saving toward the feasibility of sustainable LA production from lignocellulosic sugars.

['Abdel-Rahman|Mohamed Ali|MA|0000-0001-8610-5724', 'Tan|Jiaming|J|', 'Tashiro|Yukihiro|Y|', 'Zendo|Takeshi|T|', 'Sakai|Kenji|K|', 'Sonomoto|Kenji|K|0000-0002-7171-6343']

2020

33815821

Early clinical and metabolic response to tazemetostat in advanced relapsed INI1 negative epithelioid sarcoma.

Epithelioid sarcoma (ES) is a rare soft tissue sarcoma with an incidence of 0.05 per 100,000 population in the USA. It is characterized by multiple local recurrences and regional lymph nodes form the commonest site of metastases. The function of Integrase Inhibitor 1 (INI1) protein is lost in more than 90% of cases, which was the basis for the introduction of tazemetostat into the therapeutic armamentarium for management of advanced ES. The efficacy and manageable toxicity profile of tazemetostat have been demonstrated recently, leading to its accelerated approval for treatment of advanced ES. We report one of the first real-world cases of relapsed, metastatic ES treated with tazemetostat. The patient attained partial response with the therapy and is tolerating the drug well without serious toxicities.

['Tansir|Ghazal|G|', 'Rastogi|Sameer|S|https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4792-3083', 'Shamim|Shamim Ahmed|SA|', 'Barwad|Adarsh|A|']

2021

27834769

Isolated Subclavian Artery: A Rare Entity Revisited.

Isolation of the subclavian artery is a rare aortic arch anomaly with fewer than 100 cases reported in the literature. Left subclavian artery isolation is seen in 0.8% of right aortic arches, and right subclavian artery isolation is seen four times less frequently. Other intracardiac or arch malformations are usually associated, among which tetralogy of Fallot is commonly described. We describe the presentation, preoperative imaging, surgical strategies, and outcomes of four patients with this rare condition and review the published literature. The embryological basis and interesting pathophysiology are also discussed. Surgical division and reimplantation of the isolated subclavian artery onto the aortic arch or common carotid artery is the treatment of choice, with good immediate and midterm outcomes.

['Sen|Supratim|S|', 'Mohanty|Smrutiranjan|S|', 'Kulkarni|Snehal|S|', 'Rao|Suresh G|SG|']

2016

26321811

Early plasmapheresis in patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia induced acute pancreatitis.

Hypertriglyceridemia can cause severe diseases such as acute pancreatitis (AP) and coronary artery disease. The routine management of hypertriglyceridemia is dietary restriction of fat and lipid-lowering medications to manage the secondary or precipitating causes of hypertriglyceridemia. However, in cases of AP with severe hypertriglyceridemia (SHTG) (triglycerides [TG] >1000 mg/dl) rapid reduction of TG levels to well below 1000 mg/dl can improve outcome and prevent further episodes of pancreatitis. Plasmapheresis is a therapeutic option in such medical emergencies. We discussed 2 cases of severe AP with SHTG where we used early plsmapheresis along with other supportive management.

['Nasa|Prashant|P|', 'Alexander|George|G|', 'Kulkarni|Amitabh|A|', 'Juneja|Deven|D|', 'Sehra|Sudhish|S|', 'Agarwal|Rajesh|R|', 'Koul|Kandy|K|']

2015

29138653

The incidence of first-line antiretroviral treatment changes and related factors among HIV-infected sex workers in Nairobi, Kenya.

Introduction In many settings, several factors including adverse drug reactions and clinical failure can limit treatment choices for combined antiretroviral therapy (cART). The aim of the study was to describe the incidence of first-line cART changes and associated factors in a cohort of Kenyan sex workers. Methods This was a retrospective review of medical records collected from 2009 to 2013. The review included records of HIV-infected patients aged ≥ 18 years, who received either stavudine or zidovudine or tenofovir disoproxil fumarate-based regimens. Using systematic random sampling, the study selected 1 500 records and censoring targeted the first incident of a drug change from the first-line cART. Results The overall incidence rate of cART changes was 11.1 per 100 person-years within a total follow-up period of 3 427.9 person-years. Out of 380 patients who changed cART, 370 (97%) had a drug substitution and 10 (3%) switched regimens. The most commonly cited reasons for changing cART were adverse drug reactions (76%). Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate had a lower drug change rate (1.9 per 100 person years) compared to stavudine (27 per 100 person years). Using zidovudine as the reference group, stavudine-based regimens were significantly associated with an increased hazard of drug changes (adjusted hazards ratio 10.2; 95% CI: 6.02-17.2). Conclusion These findings suggest a moderate incidence of cART changes among sex workers in Nairobi, Kenya. Individuals using stavudine were at a higher risk of experiencing a change in their cART, mostly presenting within 20 months, and primarily due to adverse drug reactions.

['Ndakala|Frank Ndaks|FN|', 'Oyugi|Julius Otieno|JO|', "Oluka|Margaret Ng'wono|MN|", 'Kimani|Joshua|J|', 'Norbert Behrens|Georg Martin|GM|']

2017

32354664

After corona: there is life after the pandemic.

The current pandemic of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has focused the attention of medical-care providers away from non-life-threatening diseases, including infertility. Although infertility does not jeopardize the physical survival of infertile couples, it does jeopardize their future quality of life. Human infertility can be caused by a number of factors, some of which are age-dependent, and their effects may become irreversible if appropriate measures are not taken in time to prevent irreversible childlessness. Accordingly, each case of infertility should be evaluated comprehensively to establish its position of priority. Assisted reproductive technology (ART) makes it possible to separate fertilization and pregnancy in time. Whereas pregnant women infected with coronavirus may have an increased risk of adverse neonatal outcomes, gametes do not transmit COVID-19. Thus, performing ovarian stimulation and fertilization without delay, freezing the resulting embryos and delaying embryo transfer until the end of the pandemic appears to be the best strategy at present.

['Tesarik|Jan|J|']

2020

29951257

Current concepts in the primary management of irreparable posterosuperior rotator cuff tears without arthritis.

Various procedures exist for patients with irreparable posterosuperior rotator cuff tears (IRCT). At present, no single surgical option has demonstrated clinical superiority.There is no panacea for treatment and patients must be aware, in cases of palliative or non-prosthetic options, of an alarming rate of structural failure (around 50%) in the short term.The current review does not support the initial use of complex and expensive techniques in the management of posterosuperior IRCT.Further prospective and comparative studies with large cohort populations and long-term follow-up are necessary to establish effectiveness of expensive or complicated procedures such as superior capsular reconstruction (SCR), subacromial spacers or biological augmentation as reliable and useful alternative treatments for IRCT. Cite this article: EFORT Open Rev 2018;3 DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.3.180002.

['Lädermann|Alexandre|A|', 'Collin|Philippe|P|', 'Athwal|George S|GS|', 'Scheibel|Markus|M|', 'Zumstein|Matthias A|MA|', 'Nourissat|Geoffroy|G|']

2018

33530309

Understanding In Vivo Fate of Nucleic Acid and Gene Medicines for the Rational Design of Drugs.

Nucleic acid and genetic medicines are increasingly being developed, owing to their potential to treat a variety of intractable diseases. A comprehensive understanding of the in vivo fate of these agents is vital for the rational design, discovery, and fast and straightforward development of the drugs. In case of intravascular administration of nucleic acids and genetic medicines, interaction with blood components, especially plasma proteins, is unavoidable. However, on the flip side, such interaction can be utilized wisely to manipulate the pharmacokinetics of the agents. In other words, plasma protein binding can help in suppressing the elimination of nucleic acids from the blood stream and deliver naked oligonucleotides and gene carriers into target cells. To control the distribution of these agents in the body, the ligand conjugation method is widely applied. It is also important to understand intracellular localization. In this context, endocytosis pathway, endosomal escape, and nuclear transport should be considered and discussed. Encapsulated nucleic acids and genes must be dissociated from the carriers to exert their activity. In this review, we summarize the in vivo fate of nucleic acid and gene medicines and provide guidelines for the rational design of drugs.

['Fumoto|Shintaro|S|0000-0002-2218-4547', 'Yamamoto|Tsuyoshi|T|0000-0002-3206-2455', 'Okami|Kazuya|K|', 'Maemura|Yuina|Y|', 'Terada|Chisato|C|', 'Yamayoshi|Asako|A|0000-0002-7527-4255', 'Nishida|Koyo|K|']

2021

33666234

Process analytical technology for on-line monitoring of quality attributes during single-use ultrafiltration/diafiltration.

Process analytical technology (PAT) is a fast-growing field within bioprocessing that enables innovation in biological drug manufacturing. This study demonstrates novel PAT methods for monitoring multiple quality attributes simultaneously during the ultrafiltration and diafiltration (UF/DF) process operation, the final step of monoclonal antibody (mAb) purification. Size exclusion chromatography (SEC) methods were developed to measure excipients arginine, histidine, and high molecular weight (HMW) species using a liquid chromatography (LC) system with autosampler for both on-line and at-line PAT modes. The methods were applied in UF/DF studies for the comparison of single-use tangential flow filtration (TFF) cassettes to standard reusable cassettes to achieve very high concentration mAb drug substance (DS) in the order of 100-200 g/L. These case studies demonstrated that single-use TFF cassettes are a functionally equivalent, low-cost alternative to standard reusable cassettes, and that the on-line PAT measurement of purity and excipient concentration was comparable to orthogonal offline methods. These PAT applications using an on-line LC system equipped with onboard sample dilution can become a platform system for monitoring of multiple attributes over a wide dynamic range, a potentially valuable tool for biological drug development and manufacturing.

['West|Jay M|JM|0000-0002-7724-130X', 'Feroz|Hasin|H|', 'Xu|Xia|X|', 'Puri|Neha|N|', 'Holstein|Melissa|M|0000-0001-8370-123X', 'Ghose|Sanchayita|S|', 'Ding|Julia|J|', 'Li|Z J|ZJ|0000-0002-1941-4145']

2021

24102918

Triple-phase helical computed tomography in dogs with hepatic masses.

The purpose of this study was to determine the utility of triple-phase helical computed tomography (CT) for differentiating canine hepatic masses. Seventy dogs with hepatic masses underwent triple-phase CT followed by surgical removal of the hepatic masses. Triple-phase helical CT scans for each dog included precontrast, arterial phase, portal venous phase, and delayed phase studies. The removed hepatic masses were histopathologically classified as hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 47), nodular hyperplasia (n = 14), and hepatic metastatic tumors (n = 9) in dogs. Of the 47 hepatocellular carcinomas, the most common CT findings included a heterogeneous pattern with hyper-, iso-, and hypoenhancement in both the arterial and portal venous phases (40/47, 85.1%). Of the 14 nodular hyperplasias, the most common CT findings were a homogeneous pattern with hyper- and isoenhancement in both the portal venous and delayed phases (13/14, 92.9%). Of nine hepatic metastatic tumors, the most common CT findings included a homogeneous hypoenhancement pattern in both the arterial and portal venous phases (8/9, 88.9%). In addition, 5 (55.6%) showed homogeneous hypoenhancement patterns in the delayed phase. Findings from our study indicated that triple-phase CT is a useful tool for preoperative differentiation of hepatocellular carcinoma, nodular hyperplasia, and hepatic metastatic tumors in dogs.

['Kutara|Kenji|K|', 'Seki|Mamiko|M|', 'Ishikawa|Chieko|C|', 'Sakai|Manabu|M|', 'Kagawa|Yumiko|Y|', 'Iida|Gentoku|G|', 'Ishigaki|Kumiko|K|', 'Teshima|Kenji|K|', 'Edamura|Kazuya|K|', 'Nakayama|Tomohiro|T|', 'Asano|Kazushi|K|']

2014

30788251

3D multi-tissue printing for kidney transplantation.

The kidneys are among the most commonly transplanted organs in the world. Transplant patients, as a consequence of their kidney disease and other risk factors which make it difficult for the surgeon to perform vascular anastomosis during kidney transplantation, often have numerous arterial calcifications. The preoperative assessment for transplantation includes an abdominal and pelvic CT scan without contrast that allows for the mapping of atheromatous calcification. However, non-contrast enhanced CT is not optimal and the surgeon is obliged to palpate the arteries during the operation to choose the anatomical site of the vascular anastomosis. This technical note reports the development of a new technique of preoperative reproduction of atherosclerotic arteries, owing to advancements in 3D multi-tissue printing technology. We used scans of four patients with varying degrees of calcified atheroma to model and print their arteries for their pre-surgical planning.

['Denizet|Gaétan|G|', 'Calame|Paul|P|', 'Lihoreau|Thomas|T|', 'Kleinclauss|François|F|', 'Aubry|Sébastien|S|']

2019

25529021

Synthesis and Bio-Evaluation of New (18) F-Labeled Pyridaben Analogs with Improved Stability for Myocardial Perfusion Imaging in Mice.

To improve the stability of (18) F-labeled pyridaben analogs for myocardial perfusion imaging, three new analogs of pyridaben ([(18) F]FPTP2, [(18) F]FPTP-P2, and [(18) F]FPTP-P3) were synthesized with 'side chain' modifications. The radiolabeled tracers and corresponding non-radioactive compounds were obtained by substituting tosyl group with (18/19) F. The effect of structure modification on myocardial targeting and physicochemical properties of new tracers were evaluated in vitro and in vivo. The total radiosynthesis time of these tracers was approximately 70-90 min with high decay-corrected radiochemical yields (36-65%) and good radiochemical purity (> 98%). These lipophilic tracers exhibited obvious improved stability in water. Studies of their biodistribution in normal Kunming mice demonstrated that [(18) F]FPTP2 exhibited very high initial heart uptake (39.70 ± 2.81 %ID/g at 2 min after injection) and low background in the liver, blood, and soft tissues. The heart-to-liver, heart-to-lung, and heart-to-blood ratios were 3.59, 19.34, and 67.34 at 15 min postinjection, respectively. Favorable myocardial targeting property and remarkable improvement of stability of [(18) F]FPTP2 suggest that the substitution of the phenyl 'sidechain' with other non-phenyl rings has no effect on the myocardial targeting property of (18) F-labeled pyridaben analogs.

['Mou|Tiantian|T|', 'Zhao|Zuoquan|Z|', 'Zhang|Pu|P|', 'Fang|Wei|W|', 'Peng|Cheng|C|', 'Lu|Jie|J|', 'Wang|Qian|Q|', 'Ma|Yunchuan|Y|', 'Zhang|Xianzhong|X|']

2015

32910404

The nexus between economic growth, tourism development, energy consumption, and CO2 emissions in Mediterranean countries.

This study aims to analyze the relationship among international tourism, energy consumption, carbon dioxide emissions, and economic growth in Mediterranean countries for the 1995-2014 data period. According to the results of panel quantile regression model for 17 countries, the tourism-led growth hypothesis is valid in low growth levels, but deviations from this hypothesis are determined after the middle growth level. Also, the CO2 coefficient at low growth levels indicated that sustainable growth is achieved, but no significant results are obtained at subsequent growth levels. Finally, energy consumption supports economic growth at low and medium growth levels. Short-run causality test results illustrated that there is bidirectional causality between GDP and all explanatory variables.

['Aslan|Alper|A|http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1408-0921', 'Altinoz|Buket|B|', 'Özsolak|Baki|B|']

2021

28110471

Depletion of Mitofusin-2 Causes Mitochondrial Damage in Cisplatin-Induced Neuropathy.

Sensory neuropathy is a relevant side effect of the antineoplastic agent cisplatin. Mitochondrial damage is assumed to play a critical role in cisplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy, but the pathomechanisms underlying cisplatin-induced mitotoxicity and neurodegeneration are incompletely understood. In an animal model of cisplatin-induced neuropathy, we determined in detail the extent and spatial distribution of mitochondrial damage during cisplatin treatment. Changes in the total number of axonal mitochondria during cisplatin treatment were assessed in intercostal nerves from transgenic mice that express cyan fluorescent protein. Further, we explored the impact of cisplatin on the expression of nuclear encoded molecules of mitochondrial fusion and fission, including mitofusin-2 (MFN2), optic atrophy 1 (OPA1), and dynamin-related protein 1 (DRP1). Cisplatin treatment resulted in a loss of total mitochondrial mass in axons and in an abnormal mitochondrial morphology including atypical enlargement, increased vacuolization, and loss of cristae. These changes were observed in distal and proximal nerve segments and were more prominent in axons than in Schwann cells. Transcripts of fusion and fission proteins were reduced in distal nerve segments. Significant reduced expression levels of the fusion protein MFN2 was detected in nerves of cisplatin-exposed animals. In summary, we provide for the first time an evidence that cisplatin alters mitochondrial dynamics in peripheral nerves. Loss of MFN2, previously implicated in the pathogenesis of other neurodegenerative diseases, also contributes to the pathogenesis in cisplatin-induced neuropathy.

['Bobylev|Ilja|I|', 'Joshi|Abhijeet R|AR|', 'Barham|Mohammed|M|', 'Neiss|Wolfram F|WF|', 'Lehmann|Helmar C|HC|']

2018

33679642

Biodiversity of New Lytic Bacteriophages Infecting Shigella spp. in Freshwater Environment.

Bacteriophages, viruses that infect and replicate within prokaryotic cells are the most abundant life forms in the environment, yet the vast majority of them have not been properly reported or even discovered. Almost all reported bacteriophages infecting the Enterobacteriaceae family, with Escherichia coli being the major subject of studies, have been isolated from wastewater, sewage, and effluent resources. In the present study, we focused on the distribution and biodiversity of Shigella phages in an aquatic ecosystem. While no Shigella bacteria was recovered from the Yangtze River, three lytic phages were isolated from this ecosystem and were subjected to biological, morphological, and genomic characteristics. Comparative genomics and phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that vB _SflM_004 isolate belongs to Myoviridae family, Felixounavirus genus of Ounavirinae subfamily, vB_SdyM_006 was classified under the same family, however, it is suggested to be in a new genus under Tevenvirinae subfamily with some other related bacteriophages. vB_SsoS_008 phage belongs to the Siphoviridae family, Tunavirus genus, Tunavirinae subfamily. The phages did not harbor any genes involved in the lysogenic cycles and showed a high temperature and pH stability. The biodiversity of the isolated phages highly suggests that continued isolation on non-model members of Enterobacteriaceae family is necessary to fully understand bacteriophage diversity in aquatic environments.

['Shahin|Khashayar|K|', 'Barazandeh|Mohadeseh|M|', 'Zhang|Lili|L|', 'Hedayatkhah|Abolghasem|A|', 'He|Tao|T|', 'Bao|Hongduo|H|', 'Mansoorianfar|Mojtaba|M|', 'Pang|Maoda|M|', 'Wang|Heye|H|', 'Wei|Ruicheng|R|', 'Wang|Ran|R|']

2021

34522851

Emerging bioelectrochemical technologies for biogas production and upgrading in cascading circular bioenergy systems.

Biomethane is suggested as an advanced biofuel for the hard-to-abate sectors such as heavy transport. However, future systems that optimize the resource and production of biomethane have yet to be definitively defined. This paper assesses the opportunity of integrating anaerobic digestion (AD) with three emerging bioelectrochemical technologies in a circular cascading bioeconomy, including for power-to-gas AD (P2G-AD), microbial electrolysis cell AD (MEC-AD), and AD microbial electrosynthesis (AD-MES). The mass and energy flow of the three bioelectrochemical systems are compared with the conventional AD amine scrubber system depending on the availability of renewable electricity. An energy balance assessment indicates that P2G-AD, MEC-AD, and AD-MES circular cascading bioelectrochemical systems gain positive energy outputs by using electricity that would have been curtailed or constrained (equivalent to a primary energy factor of zero). This analysis of technological innovation, aids in the design of future cascading circular biosystems to produce sustainable advanced biofuels.

['Ning|Xue|X|', 'Lin|Richen|R|', "O'Shea|Richard|R|", 'Wall|David|D|', 'Deng|Chen|C|', 'Wu|Benteng|B|', 'Murphy|Jerry D|JD|']

2021

29035719

Recent advancements in the mitigation of obnoxious nitrogenous gases.

Nitrogenous gaseous emissions commonly have an obnoxious odor associated with it, which when discharged into the environment results in serious environmental problems and health hazards. Several strategies for mitigation of nitrogenous odorants have been reported which include physical, chemical and biological methods. Biological treatments are widely employed because of their efficiency even at low concentration, where physical and chemical methods are not effective. Most commonly used biological treatment methods are biofiltration, biotrickling filters and membrane bioreactors with innovative reactor design, mixing pattern, and air sparging, for example FEBR, ALR, etc. These treatment methods require a critical assessment for the mitigation of obnoxious nitrogen emissions, especially in the context of environmental protection. This review offers a critical evaluation of treatment methods for the mitigation of nitrogenous odorous compound with a key emphasis on biological treatment systems. Also, various mathematical modelling techniques required for optimized operation of biotreatment systems has been discussed.

['Raj|Ishan|I|', 'Vaidya|A N|AN|', 'Pandey|R A|RA|', 'Bansiwal|Amit|A|', 'Deshmukh|Sharvari|S|', 'Purohit|Hemant J|HJ|']

2018

31991263

Emotion-specific vocabulary and its contribution to emotion understanding in 4- to 9-year-old children.

Positive associations between children's general language skills and emotion understanding are well documented. Concurrently, research from other domains highlights the importance of domain-specific language skills for conceptual development. The current study examined the relative contributions of emotion-specific and general vocabulary to individual differences in multiple early-acquired components of emotion understanding (e.g., facial emotion recognition) and later-acquired components (e.g., knowledge of emotion regulation strategies) in 4- to 9-year-old children (N = 86). Emotion-specific vocabulary was measured by size (i.e., number of emotion words children use) and depth (i.e., adult-like use of emotion words). Findings emphasize the role of children's emotion-specific vocabulary rather than general vocabulary for early-acquired and later-acquired components of emotion understanding, especially when measured by expressive tasks. At preschool age, the size of emotion-specific vocabulary explains children's knowledge of emotion regulation strategies. In primary school, however, the depth of emotion-specific vocabulary becomes relevant for individual differences in emotion understanding.

['Streubel|Berit|B|', 'Gunzenhauser|Catherine|C|', 'Grosse|Gerlind|G|', 'Saalbach|Henrik|H|']

2020

34775130

Real-world clinical outcomes of meropenem/vaborbactam for treatment of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales infections.

OBJECTIVES Real-world data regarding the effectiveness of meropenem/vaborbactam (MVB) in the treatment of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) infections remain limited. In this retrospective case series, we describe the outcomes of patients who received MVB for serious CRE infections. METHODS This study included adult patients with MVB-susceptible CRE infection who received ≥48 h of MVB. Clinical and microbiological outcomes were ascertained via chart review. RESULTS Among 15 patients with CRE infection who were treated with MVB, 9 (60.0%) had a positive clinical response. Among five patients with CRE bone and joint infection, three (60.0%) experienced a positive clinical response. One patient developed a microbiologically confirmed recurrent CRE infection and one patient developed Clostridioides difficile infection. CONCLUSION MVB was well tolerated and effective for the majority of patients in this case series.

['Zhang|Helen L|HL|', 'Cressman|Leigh|L|', 'Lautenbach|Ebbing|E|']

2021

24521197

Components of traumatic brain injury severity indices.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there are underlying dimensions common among traditional traumatic brain injury (TBI) severity indices and, if so, the extent to which they are interchangeable when predicting short-term outcomes. This study had an observational design, and took place in United States trauma centers reporting to the National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB). The sample consisted of 77,470 unweighted adult cases reported to the NTDB from 2007 to 2010, with International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) TBI codes. There were no interventions. Severity indices used were the Emergency Department Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) Total score and each of the subscales for eye opening (four levels), verbal response (five levels), and motor response (six levels); the worst Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) severity score for the head (six levels); and the worst Barell index type (three categories). Prediction models were computed for acute care length of stay (days), intensive care unit length of stay (days), hospital discharge status (alive or dead), and, if alive, discharge disposition (home versus institutional). Multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) indicated a two dimensional relationship among items of severity indexes. The primary dimension reflected overall injury severity. The second dimension seemed to capture volitional behavior without the capability for cogent responding. Together, they defined two vectors around which most of the items clustered. A scale that took advantage of the order of items along these vectors proved to be the most consistent index for predicting short-term health outcomes. MCA provided useful insight into the relationships among components of traditional TBI severity indices. The two vector pattern may reflect the impact of injury on different cortical and subcortical networks. Results are discussed in terms of score substitution and the ability to impute missing values.

['Corrigan|John D|JD|', 'Kreider|Scott|S|', 'Cuthbert|Jeffrey|J|', 'Whyte|John|J|', "Dams-O'Connor|Kristen|K|", 'Faul|Mark|M|', 'Harrison-Felix|Cynthia|C|', 'Whiteneck|Gale|G|', 'Pretz|Christopher R|CR|']

2014

30416806

The utilization of resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta: preparation, technique, and the implementation of a novel approach to stabilizing hemorrhage.

Noncompressible torso hemorrhage (NCTH), if not controlled promptly, leads to death. In the acute setting, aortic occlusion can be performed as damage control surgery (DCS) for hemorrhage originating from the abdomen and pelvis. With the development of endovascular technology, an intra-aortic balloon can be used to achieve aortic occlusion and decrease hemorrhage. Recently, resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) has been accepted as a salvage technique for the temporary stabilization of patients with NCTH. However, balloon occlusion is not easily performed in trauma patients. In this article, we described preparation, technical description, and conceptual understanding of REBOA.

['Kim|Dong Hun|DH|', 'Chang|Sung Wook|SW|', 'Matsumoto|Junichi|J|']

2018

34590214

Pregnancy leads to changes in the brain functional network: a connectome analysis.

Pregnancy leads to long-lasting changes in human brain structure; however, little is known regarding alterations in the topological organization of functional networks. In this study, we investigated the effect of pregnancy on human brain function networks. Resting-state fMRI data was collected from eighteen primiparous mothers and twenty-four nulliparous control women of similar age, education level and body mass index (BMI). The functional brain network and topological properties were calculated by using GRETNA toolbox. The demographic data differences between two groups were computed by the independent two sample t-test. We tested group differences in network metrics' area under curve (AUC) using non-parametric permutation test of 1,000 permutations and corrected for false discovery rate (FDR). Differences in regional networks between groups were evaluated using non-parametric permutation tests by network-based statistical analysis (NBS). Compared with the nulliparous control women, a hub node changed from left inferior temporal gyrus to right precentral gyrus in primiparous mothers, while primiparous mothers showed enhanced network global efficiency (p = 0.247), enhanced local efficiency (p = 0.410), larger clustering coefficient (p = 0.410), but shorter characteristic path length (p = 0.247), smaller normalized clustering coefficient (p = 0.111), and shorter normalized characteristic path length (p = 0.705). Although both groups of functional networks have small-world property (σ > 1), the σ values of primiparous mothers were decreased significantly. NBS evaluation showed the majority of altered connected sub-network in the primiparous mothers occurred in the bilateral frontal lobe gyrus (p < 0.05). Altered functional network metrics and an abnormal sub-network were found in primiparous mothers, suggested that pregnancy may lead to changes in the brain functional network.

['Chu|Tongpeng|T|', 'Li|Yuna|Y|', 'Che|Kaili|K|', 'Dong|Fanghui|F|', 'Ma|Heng|H|', 'Shi|Yinghong|Y|', 'Gong|Peiyou|P|', 'Zhao|Feng|F|', 'Song|Xicheng|X|', 'Xie|Haizhu|H|', 'Mao|Ning|N|http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7097-5530']

2021

33871130

Cooperative Bond Activation and Facile Intramolecular Aryl Transfer of Nickel-Aluminum Pincer-type Complexes.

Pincer-type nickel-aluminum complexes were synthesized using two equivalents of the phosphinoamide, [PhNCH2 Pi Pr2 ]- . The Ni0 -AlIII complexes, {(Mes PAlP)Ni}2 (μ-N2 ) and {(Mes PAlP)Ni}2 (μ-COD), where Mes PAlP is (Mes)Al(NPhCH2 Pi Pr2 )2 , were structurally characterized. The (PAlP)Ni system exhibited cooperative bond cleavage mediated by the two-site Ni-Al unit, including oxidative addition of aryl halides, H2 activation, and ortho-directed C-H bond activation of pyridine N-oxide. One intriguing reaction is the reversible intramolecular transfer of the mesityl ring from the Al to the Ni site, which is evocative of the transmetalation step during cross-coupling catalysis. The aryl-transfer product,(THF)Al(NPhCH2 Pi Pr2 )2 Ni(Mes), is the first example of a first-row transition metal-aluminyl pincer complex. The addition of a judicious donor enables the Al metalloligand to convert reversibly between the alane and aluminyl forms via aryl group transfer to and from Ni, respectively. Theoretical calculations support a zwitterionic Niδ- -Alδ+ electronic structure in the nickel-aluminyl complex.

['Graziano|Brendan J|BJ|http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1449-9255', 'Vollmer|Matthew V|MV|http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5968-9979', 'Lu|Connie C|CC|http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5162-9250']

2021

33020419

The Mechanism of Creep during Crack Propagation of a Superalloy under Fatigue-Creep-Environment Interactions.

In this study, we examine the mechanism of fatigue-crack propagation in 718Plus superalloy at 704 °C under fatigue-creep-environment interactions, in this case, a new turbine disc material used in aero-engines at high temperatures. The effect of creep on the fatigue-crack propagation of the superalloy at high temperature was also researched. There was an unusual inhibitory effect on the propagation of fatigue cracks in 718Plus alloy, in which the propagation rate of fatigue cracks decreased with the increase of creep time through exploration of dwell-fatigue-crack growth (DFCG) test with different creep times. In particular, under lower stress intensity factor range (ΔK) conditions, the fatigue-crack growth rate with a 90 s hold-time was one order of magnitude lower than that with a 5 s hold-time. Conversely, the gap between the two DFCGs gradually decreased with the increase of ΔK and the creep effect became less apparent. The mechanism of crack propagation in 718Plus alloy under two creep conditions was investigated from a viewpoint of the microstructure, oxidation rate at high temperature and crack path morphology under different conditions.

['Wang|Minqing|M|', 'Du|Jinhui|J|', 'Deng|Qun|Q|']

2020

27588031

Dietary habits and gastroesophageal reflux disease in preschool children.

PURPOSE To identify the relationship between dietary habits and childhood gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in preschool children. METHODS We performed a questionnaire study to analyze the relationship between dietary habits and GERD in 85 preschool children with GERD and 117 healthy children of the same age. RESULTS Irregular and picky eating were more p-revalent in the GERD group than in the control group (odds ratio [OR], 4.14; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.37-12.54 and OR, 4.96; 95% CI, 1.88-13.14, respectively). The snack preferences and the late night eating habits were significantly more prevalent in the GERD group than in the control group (OR, 3.83; 95% CI, 1.23-11.87 and OR, 9.51; 95% CI, 2.55-35.49, respectively). A preference for liquid foods was significantly more prevalent in the GERD group (OR, 9.51; 95% CI, 2.548-35.485). The dinner-to-bedtime interval was significantly shorter in the GERD group than in the control group (157.06±48.47 vs. 174.62±55.10, P=0.020). In addition, the time between dinner and bedtime was shorter than 3 hours in 47 children (55.3%) of the GERD group and 44 (37.6%) of the control group. This difference was statistical significance (P=0.015). CONCLUSION Dietary habits such as picky and irregular eating, snack preference, a preference of liquid foods, late night eating, and a shorter dinner-to-bedtime interval had a significant correlation with GERD. Further large-scale studies are necessary to confirm our results.

['Choi|You Jin|YJ|', 'Ha|Eun Kyo|EK|', 'Jeong|Su Jin|SJ|']

2016

25427787

Development and effectiveness of an integrated inpatient and community service for challenging behaviour in late life: From Confused and Disturbed Elderly to Transitional Behavioural Assessment and Intervention Service.

A common method of managing challenging behaviour associated with dementia is long-stay special care units, though models are very diverse. In New South Wales, Australia, the five remaining state-run long-stay special care units for this population were funded to adopt a shorter-term model which had been trialled by one of the units. Transitional Behavioural Assessment and Intervention Service Units, incorporating an integrated outreach team, were to provide multi-disciplinary assessments, develop individualised bio-psychosocial management plans for, and appropriately discharge people with significant levels of Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms in Dementia. The current study assessed both the effects of the change and the clinical effectiveness of the model. METHOD A repeated measures design, supplemented by multiple one-time measures. A range of standard instruments were administered, patient data from other types of inpatient units were obtained, interviews conducted, and medical records examined. RESULTS Transitional Behaviour Assessment and Intervention Service units were admitting patients with dementia and a variety of significant challenging behaviours. Length of stay was shortened in all units, patients turnover greatly increased, and there was a low re-admission rate. The model was substantially cheaper than psychiatric care in two units where it was fully implemented; one unit cost the same as psychiatric care, and two units were not cost-effective because of low occupancy - related to not fully implementing the model. Referring facilities reported that in the absence of the units, their main strategy would have been to increase sedation. In the Transitional Behavioural Assessment and Intervention Service units, behavioural incidents were primarily managed through psychosocial means. It is not known whether behaviour is reduced over time, staff become better at managing the behaviour when it occurs, or both. CONCLUSION The evaluation showed that the model can be transferred to other units and is a cost-effective way of assessing, managing, and successfully discharging people with complex challenging behaviours, though only when fully implemented.

['Anderson|Katrina|K|', 'Bird|Michael|M|', 'Blair|Annaliese|A|', 'MacPherson|Sarah|S|']

2016

30870740

Continuous theta burst stimulation over right pars triangularis facilitates naming abilities in chronic post-stroke aphasia by enhancing phonological access.

BACKGROUND Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been used experimentally to facilitate naming abilities in individuals with chronic post-stroke aphasia. However, little is known about how rTMS confers clinical improvement, hampering its therapeutic value. The present study investigated the characteristics of naming failure that improve following administration of continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS)-an inhibitory form of rTMS-to the right pars triangularis (rPTr) in persons with chronic aphasia. METHODS Eleven participants with chronic aphasia following left hemisphere stroke named pictures prior to and immediately following cTBS of the rPTr and a control site (vertex) in separate sessions. Prior to stimulation, we obtained two baseline measurements of picture naming ability to determine the extent and type (i.e., phonological vs. semantic) of naming impairment. Items presented for naming during stimulation were those that were named incorrectly in one or both of the baseline sessions (i.e., inconsistent vs. wrong items, respectively). Analyses assessed whether cTBS effects differed depending on the severity and/or type of naming impairment. RESULTS Relative to vertex, cTBS of the rPTr improved naming of inconsistent, but not wrong, items for individuals with more severe baseline naming impairment. Critically, baseline phonological but not semantic naming impairment severity marginally correlated with improved accuracy overall, and significantly correlated with decreased phonological errors following rPTr stimulation. CONCLUSION CTBS of the rPTr enhances naming by facilitating phonological access during word retrieval, indicating that individuals whose naming impairment is localized to this stage of processing may be most likely to benefit from this rTMS approach.

['Harvey|Denise Y|DY|', 'Mass|Joely A|JA|', 'Shah-Basak|Priyanka P|PP|', 'Wurzman|Rachel|R|', 'Faseyitan|Olufunsho|O|', 'Sacchetti|Daniela L|DL|', 'DeLoretta|Laura|L|', 'Hamilton|Roy H|RH|']

2019

30664492

In-Home Cardiovascular Monitoring System for Heart Failure: Comparative Study.

BACKGROUND There is a pressing need to reduce the hospitalization rate of heart failure patients to limit rising health care costs and improve outcomes. Tracking physiologic changes to detect early deterioration in the home has the potential to reduce hospitalization rates through early intervention. However, classical approaches to in-home monitoring have had limited success, with patient adherence cited as a major barrier. This work presents a toilet seat-based cardiovascular monitoring system that has the potential to address low patient adherence as it does not require any change in habit or behavior. OBJECTIVE The objective of this work was to demonstrate that a toilet seat-based cardiovascular monitoring system with an integrated electrocardiogram, ballistocardiogram, and photoplethysmogram is capable of clinical-grade measurements of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, stroke volume, and peripheral blood oxygenation. METHODS The toilet seat-based estimates of blood pressure and peripheral blood oxygenation were compared to a hospital-grade vital signs monitor for 18 subjects over an 8-week period. The estimated stroke volume was validated on 38 normative subjects and 111 subjects undergoing a standard echocardiogram at a hospital clinic for any underlying condition, including heart failure. RESULTS Clinical grade accuracy was achieved for all of the seat measurements when compared to their respective gold standards. The accuracy of diastolic blood pressure and systolic blood pressure is 1.2 (SD 6.0) mm Hg (N=112) and -2.7 (SD 6.6) mm Hg (N=89), respectively. Stroke volume has an accuracy of -2.5 (SD 15.5) mL (N=149) compared to an echocardiogram gold standard. Peripheral blood oxygenation had an RMS error of 2.3% (N=91). CONCLUSIONS A toilet seat-based cardiovascular monitoring system has been successfully demonstrated with blood pressure, stroke volume, and blood oxygenation accuracy consistent with gold standard measures. This system will be uniquely positioned to capture trend data in the home that has been previously unattainable. Demonstration of the clinical benefit of the technology requires additional algorithm development and future clinical trials, including those targeting a reduction in heart failure hospitalizations.

['Conn|Nicholas J|NJ|0000-0003-1036-4230', 'Schwarz|Karl Q|KQ|0000-0001-6419-6741', 'Borkholder|David A|DA|0000-0002-0606-0536']

2019

30259622

Development of an Alkyne Analogue of the de Mayo Reaction: Synthesis of Medium-Sized Carbacycles and Cyclohepta[b]indoles.

Embedded medium-sized carbacycles and cyclohepta[b]indoles occur frequently as scaffold elements in natural products and bioactive compounds. Described herein is a conceptionally novel photochemically triggered cascade process to these scaffolds. Key to the cascading ring-expansion process is an unprecedented intramolecular alkyne analogue of the de Mayo reaction.

['Tymann|David|D|', 'Tymann|Dina Christina|DC|', 'Bednarzick|Ulf|U|', 'Iovkova-Berends|Ljuba|L|', 'Rehbein|Julia|J|', 'Hiersemann|Martin|M|0000-0003-4743-5733']

2018

31615401

High-throughput sequencing revealed differences of microbial community structure and diversity between healthy and diseased Caulerpa lentillifera.

BACKGROUND Caulerpa lentillifera is one of the most important economic green macroalgae in the world. Increasing demand for consumption has led to the commercial cultivation of C. lentillifera in Japan and Vietnam in recent decades. Concomitant with the increase of C. lentillifera cultivation is a rise in disease. We hypothesise that epiphytes or other microorganisms outbreak at the C. lentillifera farm may be an important factor contributing to disease in C. lentillifera. The main aims are obtaining differences in the microbial community structure and diversity between healthy and diseased C. lentillifera and key epiphytes and other microorganisms affecting the differences through the results of high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics analysis in the present study. RESULTS A total of 14,050, 2479, and 941 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were obtained from all samples using 16S rDNA, 18S rDNA, and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) high-throughput sequencing, respectively. 16S rDNA sequencing and 18S rDNA sequencing showed that microbial community diversity was higher in diseased C. lentillifera than in healthy C. lentillifera. Both PCoA results and UPGMA results indicated that the healthy and diseased algae samples have characteristically different microbial communities. The predominant prokaryotic phyla were Proteobacteria, Planctomycetes, Bacteroidetes, Cyanobacteria, Acidobacteria, Acidobacteria and Parcubacteria in all sequences. Chlorophyta was the most abundant eukaryotic phylum followed by Bacillariophyta based on 18S rDNA sequencing. Ascomycota was the dominant fungal phylum detected in healthy C. lentillifera based on ITS sequencing, whereas fungi was rare in diseased C. lentillifera, suggesting that Ascomycota was probably fungal endosymbiont in healthy C. lentillifera. There was a significantly higher abundance of Bacteroidetes, Cyanobacteria, Bacillariophyta, Ulvales and Tetraselmis in diseased C. lentillifera than in healthy C. lentillifera. Disease outbreaks significantly change carbohydrate metabolism, environmental information processing and genetic information processing of prokaryotic communities in C. lentillifera through predicted functional analyses using the Tax4Fun tool. CONCLUSIONS Bacteroidetes, Cyanobacteria, Bacillariophyta, Ulvales and Tetraselmis outbreak at the C. lentillifera farm sites was an important factor contributing to disease in C. lentillifera.

['Liang|Zhourui|Z|', 'Liu|Fuli|F|', 'Wang|Wenjun|W|', 'Zhang|Pengyan|P|', 'Sun|Xiutao|X|', 'Wang|Feijiu|F|', 'Kell|Heather|H|']

2019

34136149

Effects of germinating temperature and time on metabolite profiles of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) seed.

Sprouts with higher levels of nutrients and lower content of antinutritional substances have been gained a growing interest in the influence on the human's health. The study of the influence of germination temperature and time on the metabolite profiles of sunflower seed was studied by a metabolomics approach based on gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (GC-FID). Samples were extracted and fractionated covering a wide range of lipophilic and hydrophilic spectra. A total of 90 metabolites were identified by comparison with reference standards. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed distinct dynamic changes in metabolites with the germinating time. Heatmap and agglomerative hierarchical clustering analysis revealed the differences and similarities among the samples. The germinating sunflower seeds clustered into three major groups. For instance, group I with a high content of sterols, monosaccharide, and amino acids, indicating the germination process, resulted in an increase in amino acids and monosaccharide. Group II had a high content of FAME and FFA. Relative targeted quantification of metabolites visually depicted by heatmap showed decreases in fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) and free fatty acid (FFA), and increases in amino acids, α-tocopherol, sterols, and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) during germination. Sunflower seeds germinated at 25°C were better for the accumulation of α-tocopherol, stigmasterol, leucine, proline, methionine, glutamine, and GABA compared with those at 35°C. These results help to better understand how germination conditions change the nutritional quality of germinated sunflower seeds from a metabolite profile view, allowing for the rational screening and usage of germinated sunflower seeds in the food industry.

['Guo|Shuangshuang|S|', 'Klinkesorn|Utai|U|', 'Lorjaroenphon|Yaowapa|Y|', 'Ge|Yan|Y|', 'Na Jom|Kriskamol|K|']

2021

30880855

Characterization of the Interface Between Coating and Fibrous Layers of Paper.

Coated paper is an example of a multi-layer porous medium, involving a coating layer along the two surfaces of the paper and a fibrous layer in the interior of the paper. The interface between these two media needs to be characterized in order to develop relevant modeling tools. After careful cutting of the paper, a cross section was imaged using focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy. The resulting image was analyzed to characterize the coating layer and its transition to the fibrous layer. Such image analysis showed that the coating layer thickness is highly variable, with a significant fraction of it being thinner than a minimum thickness required to keep ink from invading into the fibrous layer. The overall structure of the coating and fibrous layers observed in this analysis provide insights into how the system should be modeled, with the resulting conclusion pointing to a specific kind of multi-scale modeling approach.

['Aslannejad|H|H|0000-0002-2832-3608', 'Hassanizadeh|S M|SM|', 'Celia|M A|MA|']

2019

30805930

Vitamin D levels reverberate in monocytes modulation in hemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have a severe vitamin D deficiency and increasing epidemiological data suggesting that this deficiency may play a role in overall morbidity and mortality associated with CKD. It is known that vitamin D regulates the immune system, however, in dialysis patients this deficiency and the modulation of proinflammatory cells is unclear. Among these, monocytes arouse interest considering they constitutively express vitamin D receptors. AIM This study aimed the evaluation of monocytic profile in CKD patients according to vitamin D levels. METHODS Patients in hemodialysis (HD) were divided into two groups, regarding vitamin D levels: Group 1, vitamin D <26 ng/ml (n = 15) and Group 2, vitamin D ≥26 ng/ml (n = 18). Whole blood was collected aiming evaluation of (a) monocytic populations through CD14 and CD16 expression, (b) reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and (c) apoptosis. RESULTS We observed that in Group 1, when compared to Group 2, there was a significant increase in intermediate monocytes (CD14++ CD16 + ; 34.7 ± 31.6 vs. 12.1 ± 6.3; p = 0.006, respectively) and decrease in classical ones (CD14 ++ CD16 - ; 45.3 ± 31.8 vs. 70.4 ± 25.1; p = 0.017, respectively). There was no difference between groups regarding nonclassical monocytes (CD14 + CD16 ++ ), as well as to apoptosis and to ROS generation. CONCLUSION This study suggests that HD patients with lower vitamin D levels might have an intensified inflammatory outline as intermediate monocytes with an inflammatory pattern are increased in this population, when compared with patients with higher levels of vitamin D.

['Almeida|A C S F|ACSF|', 'Siqueira|M C|MC|', 'Bonan|N B|NB|', 'Dambiski|A|A|', 'Bertuzzo|G|G|', 'Moreno-Amaral|A N|AN|', 'Barreto|F C|FC|']

2019

23720609

Accelerated habit formation following amphetamine exposure is reversed by D1, but enhanced by D2, receptor antagonists.

Repeated exposure to the psychostimulant amphetamine has been shown to disrupt goal-directed instrumental actions and promote the early and abnormal development of goal-insensitive habitual responding (Nelson and Killcross, 2006). To investigate the neuropharmacological specificity of this effect as well as restore goal-directed responding in animals with pre-training amphetamine exposure, animals were treated with the non-selective dopamine antagonist α-flupenthixol, the selective D1 antagonist SCH 23390 or the selective D2 antagonist eticlopride, prior to instrumental training (three sessions). Subsequently, the reinforcer was paired with LiCL-induced gastric-malaise and animals were given a test of goal-sensitivity both in extinction and reacquisition. The effect of these dopaminergic antagonists on the sensitivity of lever press performance to outcome devaluation was assessed in animals with pre-training exposure to amphetamine (Experiments 1A-C) or in non-sensitized animals (Experiment 2). Both α-flupenthixol and SCH23390 reversed accelerated habit formation following amphetamine sensitization. However, eticlopride appeared to enhance this effect and render instrumental performance compulsive as these animals were unable to inhibit responding both in extinction and reacquisition, even though a consumption test confirmed they had acquired an aversion to the reinforcer. These findings demonstrate that amphetamine induced-disruption of goal-directed behavior is mediated by activity at distinct dopamine receptor subtypes and may represent a putative model of the neurochemical processes involved in the loss of voluntary control over behavior.

['Nelson|Andrew J D|AJ|', 'Killcross|Simon|S|']

2013

30043392

Disposable income trajectories of working-aged individuals with diagnosed multiple sclerosis.

OBJECTIVES The economic situation of individuals diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) is under studied, with the levels and sources of incomes suggested to vary with socio-demographics. We aimed to describe the diversity of disposable income (DI) trajectories among working-aged individuals with incident MS, and investigate the associations of socio-demographic characteristics with identified trajectories. MATERIALS & METHODS A population-based cohort study of all 1528 individuals first diagnosed with MS in 2008-2009 when aged 25-59, with data linked from three nationwide Swedish registers. DI was defined as net earnings plus net income from benefits. Trajectories of mean annual DI from 7 years prior to 4 years after diagnosis were identified by group-based trajectory modelling. An individual's group membership was determined by individual model-fit estimates from a multinomial logit function. Chi-squared tests and multinomial logistic regressions estimated the associations between trajectory membership and socio-demographic (sex, age, education, birth country, type of living area and family situation) and work disability (sickness absence and disability pension) characteristics. RESULTS Seven distinct DI trajectories were identified: two consistently low (50.7% of individuals); four increasing (39.0%); and one decreasing (10.3%). Socio-demographic and work disability characteristics were associated with trajectories; the increasing trajectories had older age-profiles and higher proportions of men, while university education was less common in the consistently low trajectories. CONCLUSIONS We identified high diversity in DI development within the cohort around MS diagnosis. Socio-demographic and work disability characteristics differed between the trajectories. This broader information of the economic situation is important to convey to patients.

['Murley|Chantelle|C|http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4150-4275', 'Yang|Fei|F|', 'Gyllensten|Hanna|H|', 'Alexanderson|Kristina|K|', 'Friberg|Emilie|E|']

2018

33383937

Exploring Large Domain Motions in Proteins Using Atomistic Molecular Dynamics with Enhanced Conformational Sampling.

Conformational transitions in multidomain proteins are essential for biological functions. The Apo conformations are typically open and flexible, while the Holo states form more compact conformations stabilized by protein-ligand interactions. Unfortunately, the atomically detailed mechanisms for such open-closed conformational changes are difficult to be accessed experimentally as well as computationally. To simulate the transitions using atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, efficient conformational sampling algorithms are required. In this work, we propose a new approach based on generalized replica-exchange with solute tempering (gREST) for exploring the open-closed conformational changes in multidomain proteins. Wherein, selected surface charged residues in a target protein are defined as the solute region in gREST simulation and the solute temperatures are different in replicas and exchanged between them to enhance the domain motions. This approach is called gREST selected surface charged residues (gREST_SSCR) and is applied to the Apo and Holo states of ribose binding protein (RBP) in solution. The conformational spaces sampled with gREST_SSCR are much wider than those with the conventional MD, sampling open-closed conformational changes while maintaining RBP domains' stability. The free-energy landscapes of RBP in the Apo and Holo states are drawn along with twist and hinge angles of the two moving domains. The inter-domain salt-bridges that are not observed in the experimental structures are also important in the intermediate states during the conformational changes.

['Dokainish|Hisham M|HM|0000-0002-4387-4790', 'Sugita|Yuji|Y|0000-0001-9738-9216']

2020

31673952

Bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone in transplant-eligible newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients: a multicenter retrospective comparative analysis.

The combination of bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (VRD) is used as induction treatment in multiple myeloma; however, the optimum schedule for this regimen remains controversial. In this retrospective study, we compared the efficacy and tolerability of twice-weekly VRD (twVRD) and modified VRD-lite in transplant-eligible myeloma patients. Fifty-five patients (median age 61 years) were included; 22 received twVRD (bortezomib [1.3 mg/m2 on days 1, 4, 8, and 11] and lenalidomide [25 mg/body on days 1-14] over 21-day cycles) and 33 received modified VRD-lite (bortezomib [1.3 mg/m2 on days 1, 8, 15, and 22) and lenalidomide [15 mg/body on days 2-7, 9-14, 16-21] over 28-day cycles). Overall response, very good partial response, and complete response rates after VRD were 96.4%, 45.5%, and 20.0%, respectively (median follow-up period, 17.7 months). The 1-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival rates were 95.8% and 98.2%, respectively. The response rate and PFS were similar between the groups, regardless of cytogenetic risk and age. The incidence of peripheral neuropathy ≥ grade 2 and thrombocytopenia ≥ grade 3 was higher in the twVRD group (27.2% vs. 0.0%, P = 0.003 and 27.2% vs. 0.0%, P = 0.003). In conclusion, modified VRD-lite had similar efficacy with, but better tolerability than, twVRD in transplant-eligible patients.

['Suzuki|Kazuhito|K|', 'Tsukada|Nobuhiro|N|', 'Nishimura|Noriko|N|', 'Nagata|Yasuyuki|Y|', 'Okazuka|Kiyoshi|K|', 'Mishima|Yuko|Y|', 'Yokoyama|Masahiro|M|', 'Nishiwaki|Kaichi|K|', 'Ishida|Tadao|T|', 'Yano|Shingo|S|', 'Terui|Yasuhito|Y|', 'Suzuki|Kenshi|K|']

2020

32898663

Luteolin supplementation ameliorates cobalt-induced oxidative stress and inflammation by suppressing NF-кB/Kim-1 signaling in the heart and kidney of rats.

Cobalt-induced cardiomyopathy and renal toxicity have been reported in workers in processing plants, hard metal industries, diamond polishing and manufacture of ceramics. This study was designed to investigate the influence of Luteolin supplementation on cobalt-induced cardiac and renal toxicity in rats. Exposure of rats to cobalt chloride (CoCl2) alone caused significant (p < 0.05) increases in cardiac and renal H2O2, malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO), along with increased serum myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity. In addition, there were significant (p < 0.05) reductions in cardiac and renal glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and reduced glutathione (GSH). CoCl2 induced higher immuno-staining of nuclear factor kappa beta (NF-κB) in the heart and kidneys, and the kidney injury molecule (Kim-1) in the kidneys. Treatment with Luteolin or Gallic acid produced significant reversal of the oxidative stress parameters with reductions in NF-κB and Kim-1 expressions, leading to suppression of histopathological lesions observed in the tissues.

['Oyagbemi|Ademola Adetokunbo|AA|', 'Akinrinde|Akinleye Stephen|AS|', 'Adebiyi|Olamide Elizabeth|OE|', 'Jarikre|Theophilus Aghogho|TA|', 'Omobowale|Temidayo Olutayo|TO|', 'Ola-Davies|Olufunke Eunice|OE|', 'Saba|Adebowale Benard|AB|', 'Emikpe|Benjamin Obukowho|BO|', 'Adedapo|Adeolu Alex|AA|']

2020

28642200

Enhancement of solubility and dissolution rate of baicalein, wogonin and oroxylin A extracted from Radix scutellariae.

Baicalein, wogonin, and oroxylin A are three major hydrophobic components in the extract of Radix scutellariae with wide spectrum of pharmacological applications. The purpose of this study was to enhance the solubility, dissolution rate and stability of baicalein, wogonin and oroxylin A by solid dispersion (SD) technique. SD of the extract with various polymers was prepared to select the best carrier. Solubility study, chemical stability study and dissolution study were performed to characterize the SD. The solubility of all three components, after forming solid dispersion with povidone K-30 (PVP K-30) was significantly increased in pH 6.8 medium at room temperature. Stability study conducted for 80days elucidated that the SD in powder state was fairly stable without the aid of Vitamin C (VC). VC was required as antioxidant to impart stability to baicalein in aqueous medium. The dissolution test of the SD of three components, admixed with VC at the weight ratio of 1:6 (Radix scutellariae extract: VC, w/w) exhibited faster dissolution rate with 100% release of all components. Pharmacokinetic study of baicalein solid dispersion revealed that AUC and Cmax significantly increased by solid dispersion preparation. Thus, the current developed method, being simple, economical and effective, can be useful for the production of soluble dosage forms of the extract of Radix scutellariae in commercial scale.

['Yu|Hang|H|', 'Chang|Jae-Sang|JS|', 'Kim|Sun Young|SY|', 'Kim|Yoon G|YG|', 'Choi|Hoo-Kyun|HK|']

2017

32354358

Harnessing the PRECISE network as a platform to strengthen global capacity for maternal and child health research in sub-Saharan Africa.

It is widely acknowledged across the global health sector that research programmes need to be designed and implemented in a way that maximise opportunities for strengthening local capacity. This paper examines how the United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI) Grand Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) funded PRECISE (PREgnancy Care Integrating translational Science, Everywhere) Network has been established as a platform to strengthen global capacity for research focused on the improvement of maternal, fetal and newborn health in sub-Saharan Africa.Best practice principles outlined in an ESSENCE on Health Research report have been considered in relation to the PRECISE Network capacity-building activities described in this paper. These activities are described at the individual, programmatic and institutional levels, and successes, challenges and recommendations for future work are outlined.The paper concludes that the PRECISE leadership have an opportunity to review and refresh activity plans for capacity building at this stage in the project to build on achievements to date.

["Flint-O'Kane|Meriel|M|", 'von Dadelszen|Peter|P|', 'Makanga|Prestige Tatenda|PT|', 'Sevene|Esperança|E|', 'Roca|Anna|A|', 'Dukes|Peter|P|', 'Hinrichs-Krapels|Saba|S|', 'Craik|Rachel|R|', 'Magee|Laura A|LA|', 'Temmerman|Marleen|M|', '|||']

2020

30084395

Making glycoproteins a little bit sweeter with PDB-REDO.

Glycosylation is one of the most common forms of protein post-translational modification, but is also the most complex. Dealing with glycoproteins in structure model building, refinement, validation and PDB deposition is more error-prone than dealing with nonglycosylated proteins owing to limitations of the experimental data and available software tools. Also, experimentalists are typically less experienced in dealing with carbohydrate residues than with amino-acid residues. The results of the reannotation and re-refinement by PDB-REDO of 8114 glycoprotein structure models from the Protein Data Bank are analyzed. The positive aspects of 3620 reannotations and subsequent refinement, as well as the remaining challenges to obtaining consistently high-quality carbohydrate models, are discussed.

['van Beusekom|Bart|B|0000-0002-2183-2901', 'Lütteke|Thomas|T|0000-0002-7140-9933', 'Joosten|Robbie P|RP|0000-0002-2323-2686']

2018

33954828

Micro-droplet-based calibration for quantitative elemental bioimaging by LA-ICPMS.

In this work, a novel standardization strategy for quantitative elemental bioimaging is evaluated. More specifically, multi-element quantification by laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-TOFMS) is performed by multi-point calibration using gelatin-based micro-droplet standards and validated using in-house produced reference materials. Fully automated deposition of micro-droplets by micro-spotting ensured precise standard volumes of 400 ± 5 pL resulting in droplet sizes of around 200 μm in diameter. The small dimensions of the micro-droplet standards and the use of a low-dispersion laser ablation setup reduced the analysis time required for calibration by LA-ICPMS significantly. Therefore, as a key advance, high-throughput analysis (pixel acquisition rates of more than 200 Hz) enabled to establish imaging measurement sequences with quality control- and standardization samples comparable to solution-based quantification exercises by ICP-MS. Analytical figures of merit such as limit of detection, precision, and accuracy of the calibration approach were assessed for platinum and for elements with biological key functions from the lower mass range (phosphorus, copper, and zinc). As a proof-of-concept application, the tool-set was employed to investigate the accumulation of metal-based anticancer drugs in multicellular tumor spheroid models at clinically relevant concentrations. Graphical abstract.

['Schweikert|Andreas|A|', 'Theiner|Sarah|S|', 'Wernitznig|Debora|D|', 'Schoeberl|Anna|A|', 'Schaier|Martin|M|', 'Neumayer|Sophie|S|', 'Keppler|Bernhard K|BK|', 'Koellensperger|Gunda|G|']

2021

27199808

Landscape and Health: Connecting Psychology, Aesthetics, and Philosophy through the Concept of Affordance.

In this paper we address a frontier topic in the humanities, namely how the cultural and natural construction that we call landscape affects well-being and health. Following an updated review of evidence-based literature in the fields of medicine, psychology, and architecture, we propose a new theoretical framework called "processual landscape," which is able to explain both the health-landscape and the medical agency-structure binomial pairs. We provide a twofold analysis of landscape, from both the cultural and naturalist points of view: in order to take into account its relationship with health, the definition of landscape as a cultural product needs to be broadened through naturalization, grounding it in the scientific domain. Landscape cannot be distinguished from the ecological environment. For this reason, we naturalize the idea of landscape through the notion of affordance and Gibson's ecological psychology. In doing so, we stress the role of agency in the theory of perception and the health-landscape relationship. Since it is the result of continuous and co-creational interaction between the cultural agent, the biological agent and the affordances offered to the landscape perceiver, the processual landscape is, in our opinion, the most comprehensive framework for explaining the health-landscape relationship. The consequences of our framework are not only theoretical, but ethical also: insofar as health is greatly affected by landscape, this construction represents something more than just part of our heritage or a place to be preserved for the aesthetic pleasure it provides. Rather, we can talk about the right to landscape as something intrinsically linked to the well-being of present and future generations.

['Menatti|Laura|L|', 'Casado da Rocha|Antonio|A|']

2016

25708462

Malleable mitochondrion of Trypanosoma brucei.

The importance of mitochondria for a typical aerobic eukaryotic cell is undeniable, as the list of necessary mitochondrial processes is steadily growing. Here, we summarize the current knowledge of mitochondrial biology of an early-branching parasitic protist, Trypanosoma brucei, a causative agent of serious human and cattle diseases. We present a comprehensive survey of its mitochondrial pathways including kinetoplast DNA replication and maintenance, gene expression, protein and metabolite import, major metabolic pathways, Fe-S cluster synthesis, ion homeostasis, organellar dynamics, and other processes. As we describe in this chapter, the single mitochondrion of T. brucei is everything but simple and as such rivals mitochondria of multicellular organisms.

['Verner|Zdeněk|Z|', 'Basu|Somsuvro|S|', 'Benz|Corinna|C|', 'Dixit|Sameer|S|', 'Dobáková|Eva|E|', 'Faktorová|Drahomíra|D|', 'Hashimi|Hassan|H|', 'Horáková|Eva|E|', 'Huang|Zhenqiu|Z|', 'Paris|Zdeněk|Z|', 'Peña-Diaz|Priscila|P|', 'Ridlon|Lucie|L|', 'Týč|Jiří|J|', 'Wildridge|David|D|', 'Zíková|Alena|A|', 'Lukeš|Julius|J|']

2015

33959914

Feeder-Free Human Embryonic Stem Cell Culture Under Defined Culture Conditions.

Human embryonic stem (ES) cell culture has developed over the years allowing the subtle procedures that are easy to manipulate. Feeder-free ES cell culture is an important milestone for human pluripotent stem cell research which eliminates the feeder cells. Various matrices and medium formulations have been generated for feeder-independent culture. Here we described an mTeSR™1 based feeder-independent human ES cell culture on Matrigel® matrix. Culture, freeze/thaw, passaging and initiation of differentiation in suspension culture were described.

['Hayal|Taha Bartu|TB|', 'Doğan|Ayşegül|A|']

2021

28301224

Increased Risk of Revision After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction With Soft Tissue Allografts Compared With Autografts: Graft Processing and Time Make a Difference.

BACKGROUND The optimal graft for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) remains controversial. PURPOSE To compare the risk of aseptic revision between bone-patellar tendon-bone (BPTB) autografts, hamstring autografts, and soft tissue allografts. STUDY DESIGN Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. METHODS Prospectively collected ACLR cases reconstructed with BPTB autografts, hamstring autografts, and soft tissue allografts were identified using the Kaiser Permanente ACLR Registry. Aseptic revision was the endpoint. The type of graft and allograft processing method (nonprocessed, <1.8-Mrad irradiation with and without chemical processing [Allowash or AlloTrue], ≥1.8-Mrad irradiation with and without chemical processing, and chemical processing alone [BioCleanse]) were the exposures evaluated. Analyses were adjusted for age, sex, and race. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards models were employed. RESULTS The cohort included 14,015 cases: there were 8924 (63.7%) male patients, there were 6397 (45.6%) white patients, 4557 (32.5%) ACLRs used BPTB autografts, 3751 ACLRs (26.8%) used soft tissue allografts, and 5707 (40.7%) ACLRs used hamstring autografts. The median age was 34.6 years for soft tissue allografts, 24.3 years for hamstring autografts, and 22.0 years for BPTB autografts. The crude nonadjusted revision rates were 85 (1.9%) in BPTB autograft cases, 132 (2.3%) in hamstring autograft cases, and 83 (2.2%) in soft tissue allograft cases. After adjusting for age, sex, and race, compared with hamstring autografts, a higher risk of revision was found with allografts with ≥1.8 Mrad without chemical processing after 2.5 years (hazard ratio [HR], 3.88; 95% CI, 1.48-10.12) and ≥1.8 Mrad with chemical processing after 1 year (HR, 3.43; 95% CI, 1.58-7.47) and with BioCleanse processed grafts at any time point (HR, 3.02; 95% CI, 1.40-6.50). Nonprocessed allografts and those irradiated with <1.8 Mrad with or without chemical processing were not found to have a different risk of revision compared with hamstring autografts. Compared with BPTB autografts, a higher risk of revision was seen with hamstring autografts (HR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.15-1.99) and BioCleanse processed allografts (HR, 4.67; 95% CI, 2.15-10.16). Allografts irradiated with <1.8 Mrad with chemical processing (Allowash or AlloTrue) (HR, 2.19; 95% CI, 1.42-3.38) and without chemical processing (HR, 2.31; 95% CI, 1.40-3.82) had a higher risk of revision, as did allografts with ≥1.8 Mrad without chemical processing after 2 years (HR, 6.30; 95% CI, 3.18-12.48) and ≥1.8 Mrad with chemical processing (Allowash or AlloTrue) after 1 year (HR, 5.03; 95% CI, 2.30-11.00) compared with BPTB autografts. Nonprocessed allografts did not have a higher risk of revision compared with autografts. With the numbers available, direct comparisons between the specific allograft processing methods were not possible. CONCLUSION When soft tissue allografts are used for ACLR, processing and time from surgery affect the risk of revision. Tissue processing has a significant effect on the risk of revision surgery, which is most profound with more highly processed grafts and increases with increasing follow-up time. Surgeons and patients need to be aware of the increased risks of revision with the various soft tissue allografts used for ACLR.

['Maletis|Gregory B|GB|', 'Chen|Jason|J|', 'Inacio|Maria C S|MCS|', 'Love|Rebecca M|RM|', 'Funahashi|Tadashi T|TT|']

2017

33151640

Antimicrobial activity of amphiphilic nanomicelles loaded with curcumin against Pseudomonas aeruginosa alone and activated by blue laser light.

The aim of this work was to assess the antimicrobial efficacy on Pseudomonas aeruginosa of nanomicelles loaded with curcumin (CUR) alone and activated by blue laser light in an antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (APDT) approach. First, free CUR in liquid suspension and loaded in three amphiphilic nanomicelles (CUR-DAPMA, CUR-SPD and CUR-SPM) were tested both on bacteria and keratinocytes. While free CUR exerted limited efficacy showing moderate cytotoxicity, a strong inhibition of bacterial growth was obtained using all three nanosystems without toxicity on eukaryotic cells. CUR-SPM emerged as the most effective, and was therefore employed in APDT experiments. Among the three sublethal blue laser (λ 445 nm) protocols tested, the ones characterized by a fluence of 18 and 30 J/cm2 further decreased the antimicrobial concentration to 50 nM. The combination of blue laser APDT with CUR-SPM nanomicelles results in an effective synergistic activity that represents a promising novel therapeutic approach on resistant species.

['Rupel|Katia|K|0000-0002-6150-9439', 'Zupin|Luisa|L|0000-0001-5886-9129', 'Brich|Silvia|S|', 'Mardirossian|Mario|M|', 'Ottaviani|Giulia|G|', 'Gobbo|Margherita|M|', 'Di Lenarda|Roberto|R|', 'Pricl|Sabrina|S|', 'Crovella|Sergio|S|', 'Zacchigna|Serena|S|', 'Biasotto|Matteo|M|']

2021

33310195

Managing respiratory disease in finisher pigs: Combining quantitative assessments of clinical signs and the prevalence of lung lesions at slaughter.

This study aimed to assess the relationship between quantitative assessments of clinical signs of respiratory disease (recorded manually and automatically) and the prevalence of lung lesions at slaughter to validate the use of both in the management of respiratory disease on farm. This was an observational study where pigs (n = 1573) were monitored from 25 ± 5.3 kg (week 12) to slaughter at 114 ± 15.4 kg (week 24). Pigs were housed in eight rooms divided into six pens on a wean-to-finish farm. A manual pen-based coughing (CF) and sneezing (SF) frequency was recorded weekly, for ten consecutive weeks, and a SOMO box (SoundTalks®) was installed in each room, issuing a daily respiratory distress index (RDI) for 13 weeks. Lungs were individually scored for pneumonia, scarring and dorsocaudal (DC) and cranial (CP) pleurisy lesions at slaughter. Relationship between prevalence of lung lesions and weekly RDI and CF and SF was assessed using Spearman's rank correlations and multivariable linear and logit-normal models. Both coughing and lung lesions were largely pen-specific, which fit the disease presentation of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae. Results showed agreement between RDI and CF (rs = 0.5, P < 0.001), measuring higher levels of coughing at the beginning (weeks 13-14) and end (weeks 21-24, and weeks 21-22, respectively) of the finisher period. Positive associations were found between the prevalence of pneumonia and CF on week 21 and 22 (P < 0.001 and P = 0.011, respectively) and RDI on week 21-24 (rs > 0.70; P < 0.050); the prevalence of DC and CP, and CF on week 22 (P < 0.001); and prevalence of scar lesions and CF on week 17 and 21 (P = 0.013 and P = 0.004, respectively), and RDI on week 21-24 (rs > 0.70; P < 0.050). In the earlier weeks of the finisher stage, coughing was recorded but was not reflected in a higher prevalence of lung lesions at slaughter. These findings highlight the benefit of including measurements of coughing frequency to complement post mortem findings, to improve the management of respiratory disease on farm.

['Pessoa|Joana|J|', 'Rodrigues da Costa|Maria|M|', 'García Manzanilla|Edgar|E|', 'Norton|Tomas|T|', 'McAloon|Conor|C|', 'Boyle|Laura|L|']

2021

33202149

Using Network Pharmacology for Systematic Understanding of Geniposide in Ameliorating Inflammatory Responses in Colitis Through Suppression of NLRP3 Inflammasome in Macrophage by AMPK/Sirt1 Dependent Signaling.

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic and recurrent inflammatory bowel disease mediated by immune response. Geniposide is the main active ingredient extracted from Gardenia jasminoides, which has been suggested to exert excellent efficacy on inflammatory disease. Herein, in this study, we aimed to uncover the systematic understanding of the mechanism and effects of geniposide in ameliorating inflammatory responses in colitis. In brief, the TCMSP server and GEO DataSets were used to analyze the systematic understanding of the mechanism and effects of geniposide in ameliorating inflammatory responses in colitis. Dextran Sulfate Sodium (DSS)-induced acute colitis of mice were administered with 25-100[Formula: see text]mg/kg of geniposide for 7 days by gavage. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced Bone Marrow Derived Macrophage (BMDM) cell or RAW264.7 cell models were treated with 20, 50 and 100[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]M of geniposide for 4[Formula: see text]h. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and Interleukin-1[Formula: see text] (IL-1[Formula: see text] levels were measured using MPO activity kits and IL-1[Formula: see text] levels enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits, respectively. Additionally, Western blot was used to determine the relevant protein expression. As a result, Geniposide could ameliorate inflammatory responses and prevent colitis in DSS-induced acute colitis of mice by activating AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/Transcription 1 (Sirt1) dependent signaling via the suppression of nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome. Geniposide attenuated macrophage differentiation in DSS-induced acute colitis of mice. Geniposide suppressed NLRP3 inflammasome and induced AMPK/Sirt1 signaling in LPS-induced BMDM cell or RAW264.7 cell models. In mechanism studies, the inhibition of AMPK/Sirt1 attenuated the anti-inflammatory effects of geniposide in colitis. The activation of NLRP3 attenuated the anti-inflammatory effects of geniposide in colitis. Taken together, our results demonstrated that geniposide ameliorated inflammatory responses in colitis vai the suppression of NLRP3 inflammasome in macrophages by AMPK/Sirt1-dependent signaling.

['Pu|Zhichen|Z|', 'Liu|Yanhao|Y|', 'Li|Chao|C|', 'Xu|Moadi|M|', 'Xie|Haitang|H|', 'Zhao|Jun|J|']

2020

30761213

Aggressive fluid management in the critically ill: Pro.

Background This review is a "Pro-Con" discussion about the optimal fluid volume in critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). This article argues that fluids should be aggressively managed in critically ill patients. Main body In recent years, restrictive fluid management has been thought to be beneficial for critically ill patients. Thus, to investigate whether fluid volumes have actually been restricted in practice, fluid volumes were compared between those used in the early goal-directed therapy (EGDT) study by Rivers et al. performed in 2001 and those used in the Protocolized Care for Early Septic Shock (ProCESS), Australasian Resuscitation in Sepsis Evaluation (ARISE), and Protocolized Management in Sepsis (ProMISe) studies performed between 2014 and 2015. The later studies did not have lower total fluid volumes than those in the EGDT study. This finding shows that the importance of administering a sufficient fluid volume before admission to the ICU has become widely accepted.Fluid management strategies for critically ill patients can be divided into the following four phases: rescue (or salvage), optimization, stabilization, and de-escalation. Fluid therapy administered within 6 h of presentation covers the rescue and optimization phases. Because hemodynamic instability is observed in these phases, sufficient fluid should be administered for lifesaving and organ rescue purposes. As a strategy, water may be removed during the hemodynamically stable later phase after sufficient fluid volumes were given during the hemodynamically instable early phase. Conclusions Performing aggressive fluid management is important to infuse a sufficient fluid volume proactively during the hemodynamically instable early phase of a critical illness.

['Hayakawa|Katsura|K|']

2019

30617096

Investigation of Novel pmrB and eptA Mutations in Isogenic Acinetobacter baumannii Isolates Associated with Colistin Resistance and Increased Virulence In Vivo.

Colistin resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii is of great concern and is a threat to human health. In this study, we investigate the mechanisms of colistin resistance in four isogenic pairs of A. baumannii isolates displaying an increase in colistin MICs. A mutation in pmrB was detected in each colistin-resistant isolate, three of which were novel (A28V, I232T, and ΔL9-G12). Increased expression of pmrC was shown by semi-quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) for three colistin-resistant isolates, and the addition of phosphoethanolamine (PEtN) to lipid A by PmrC was revealed by mass spectrometry. Interestingly, PEtN addition was also observed in some colistin-susceptible isolates, indicating that this resistance mechanism might be strain specific and that other factors could contribute to colistin resistance. Furthermore, the introduction of pmrAB carrying the short amino acid deletion ΔL9-G12 into a pmrAB knockout strain resulted in increased pmrC expression and lipid A modification, but colistin MICs remained unchanged, further supporting the strain specificity of this colistin resistance mechanism. Of note, a mutation in the pmrC homologue eptA and a point mutation in ISAba1 upstream of eptA were associated with colistin resistance and increased eptA expression, which is a hitherto undescribed resistance mechanism. Moreover, no cost of fitness was observed for colistin-resistant isolates, while the virulence of these isolates was increased in a Galleria mellonella infection model. Although the mutations in pmrB were associated with colistin resistance, PEtN addition appears not to be the sole factor leading to colistin resistance, indicating that the mechanism of colistin resistance is far more complex than previously suspected and is potentially strain specific.

['Gerson|Stefanie|S|', 'Betts|Jonathan W|JW|0000-0002-0619-0648', 'Lucaßen|Kai|K|', 'Nodari|Carolina Silva|CS|', 'Wille|Julia|J|', 'Josten|Michaele|M|', 'Göttig|Stephan|S|', 'Nowak|Jennifer|J|', 'Stefanik|Danuta|D|', 'Roca|Ignasi|I|0000-0002-1800-1576', 'Vila|Jordi|J|0000-0002-8025-3926', 'Cisneros|José M|JM|', 'La Ragione|Roberto M|RM|', 'Seifert|Harald|H|', 'Higgins|Paul G|PG|0000-0001-8677-9454']

2019

32856433

Blood loss and transfusion rate in patients undergoing two-stage exchange in infected total knee arthroplasty.

Two-stage exchange in infected total knee arthroplasty is a reliable technique, but it has a high rate of blood loss. The study aims to compare the pre-operative and post-operative haemoglobin levels, the rate of transfusion, and the blood loss in two-stage exchange. From July 2018 to July 2019, eighteen patients underwent two-stage exchange of their infected total knee arthroplasty. Local and systemic tranexamic acid was administered in both surgical stages. Calculated blood loss was 2246 mL (range 1528 - 2850) in the first stage and 2388 mL (1873 - 2829) during reimplantation, respectively. The corresponding transfusion rate was 55 % and 67%, respectively. With the numbers available, these differences were not significant. In conclusion, this study shows that the blood loss and transfusion rate are similar during the two stages of exchange knee arthroplasty for infection.

['Balato|G|G|', 'Ascione|T|T|', 'De Franco|C|C|', 'De Matteo|V|V|', 'Verrazzo|R|R|', 'Smeraglia|F|F|', 'Rizzo|M|M|', 'Bernasconi|A|A|', 'Mariconda|M|M|']

2020

25131137

Characterisation of tissue transglutaminase-reactive T cells from patients with coeliac disease and healthy controls.

Previous studies have shown evidence for T lymphocytes specific for tissue transglutaminase (tTG) in the periphery of coeliac disease (CD) patients. These cells could play a role in disease pathogenesis and may be involved in providing help for the production of anti-tTG autoantibodies. The objective of this study was to further investigate the presence of tTG-specific T cells in patients with treated and untreated CD, and normal controls. Positive proliferative responses to three different commercial tTG antigens were detected in all groups tested, occurring more frequently and at higher levels in untreated CD patients. The addition of antibodies to HLA-DQ and HLA-DR caused a significant reduction in the proliferative response to tTG. T cell lines specific for tTG and composed predominantly of CD4-positive T cells were generated from responsive CD and control individuals, and were found to produce large amounts of interferon-γ, as well as interleukins 10, 17A, and 21.

['Comerford|Ross|R|', 'Coates|Christian|C|', 'Byrne|Greg|G|', 'Lynch|Sara|S|', 'Dunne|Padraic|P|', 'Dunne|Margaret|M|', 'Kelly|Jacinta|J|', 'Feighery|Conleth|C|']

2014

31151410

CCL20-CCR6 axis modulated traumatic brain injury-induced visual pathologies.

BACKGROUND Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of death and disability in the USA and the world; it constitutes 30% of injury-related deaths (Taylor et al., MMWR Surveill Summ 66:1-16, 2017). Contact sports athletes often experience repetitive TBI (rTBI), which exerts a cumulative effect later in life. Visual impairment is a common after-effect of TBI. Previously, we have shown that C-C chemokine 20 (CCL20) plays a critical role in neurodegeneration and inflammation following TBI (Das et al., J Neuroinflammation 8:148, 2011). C-C chemokine receptor 6 (CCR6) is the only receptor that CCL20 interacts with. The objective of the present study was to investigate the role of CCL20-CCR6 axis in mediating rTBI-induced visual dysfunction (TVD). METHODS Wild type (WT) or CCR6 knock out (CCR6-/-) mice were subjected to closed head rTBI. Pioglitazone (PG) is a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) agonist which downregulates CCL20 production. Subsets of WT mice were treated with PG following final rTBI. A subset of mice was also treated with anti-CCL20 antibody to neutralize the CCL20 produced after rTBI. Histopathological assessments were performed to show cerebral pathologies, retinal pathologies, and inflammatory changes induced by rTBI. RESULTS rTBI induced cerebral neurodegeneration, retinal degeneration, microgliosis, astrogliosis, and CCL20 expression. CCR6-/- mice showed reduced retinal degeneration, microgliosis, and inflammation. Treatment with CCL20 neutralization antibody or PG showed reduced CCL20 expression along with reduced retinal degeneration and inflammation. rTBI-induced GFAP-positive glial activation in the optic nerve was not affected by knocking out CCR6. CONCLUSION The present data indicate that rTBI-induced retinal pathology is mediated at least in part by CCL20 in a CCR6-dependent manner.

['Das|Mahasweta|M|', 'Tang|Xiaolan|X|', 'Han|Jung Yeon|JY|', 'Mayilsamy|Karthick|K|', 'Foran|Elspeth|E|', 'Biswal|Manas R|MR|', 'Tzekov|Radouil|R|', 'Mohapatra|Shyam S|SS|', 'Mohapatra|Subhra|S|']

2019

25944353

Involvement of metabolic resistance and F1534C kdr mutation in the pyrethroid resistance mechanisms of Aedes aegypti in India.

Pesticide resistance poses a serious problem for worldwide mosquito control programs. Resistance to insecticides can be caused by an increased metabolic detoxification of the insecticide and/or by target site insensitivity. In the present study, we estimated the tolerance of Indian Aedes aegypti populations using adult bioassays that revealed high resistance levels of the field populations to permethrin (RR-6, 5.8 and 5.1 folds) compared to our susceptible population. Enzymatic assays revealed increased activities of glutathione S-transferase and carboxylesterase enzymes in the field populations comparatively to the susceptible population. PBO synergist assays did not confirm that cytochrome P450 monooxygenase metabolic detoxification acted as a major cause of resistance. Hence the role of target site resistance was therefore investigated. A single substitution Phe1534Cys in the voltage gated sodium channel was found in domain III, segment 6 (III-S6) of the resistance populations (allele frequency=0.59, 0.51 and 0.47) suggesting its potential role in permethrin resistance in A. aegypti.

['Muthusamy|R|R|', 'Shivakumar|M S|MS|']

2015

25689355

High sequence variations in the region containing genes encoding a cellular morphogenesis protein and the repressor of sexual development help to reveal origins of Aspergillus oryzae.

Aspergillus oryzae and Aspergillus flavus are closely related fungal species. The A. flavus morphotype that produces numerous small sclerotia (S strain) and aflatoxin has a unique 1.5 kb deletion in the norB-cypA region of the aflatoxin gene cluster (i.e. the S genotype). Phylogenetic studies have indicated that an isolate of the nonaflatoxigenic A. flavus with the S genotype is the ancestor of A. oryzae. Genome sequence comparison between A. flavus NRRL3357, which produces large sclerotia (L strain), and S-strain A. flavus 70S identified a region (samA-rosA) that was highly variable in the two morphotypes. A third type of samA-rosA region was found in A. oryzae RIB40. The three samA-rosA types were later revealed to be commonly present in A. flavus L-strain populations. Of the 182 L-strain A. flavus field isolates examined, 46%, 15% and 39% had the samA-rosA type of NRRL3357, 70S and RIB40, respectively. The three types also were found in 18 S-strain A. flavus isolates with different proportions. For A. oryzae, however, the majority (80%) of the 16 strains examined had the RIB40 type and none had the NRRL3357 type. The results suggested that A. oryzae strains in the current culture collections were mostly derived from the samA-rosA/RIB40 lineage of the nonaflatoxigenic A. flavus with the S genotype.

['Chang|Perng-Kuang|PK|', 'Scharfenstein|Leslie L|LL|', 'Solorzano|Cesar D|CD|', 'Abbas|Hamed K|HK|', 'Hua|Sui-Sheng T|SS|', 'Jones|Walker A|WA|', 'Zablotowicz|Robert M|RM|']

2015

27444020

N-terminal domain of complexin independently activates calcium-triggered fusion.

Complexin activates Ca(2+)-triggered neurotransmitter release and regulates spontaneous release in the presynaptic terminal by cooperating with the neuronal soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNAREs) and the Ca(2+)-sensor synaptotagmin. The N-terminal domain of complexin is important for activation, but its molecular mechanism is still poorly understood. Here, we observed that a split pair of N-terminal and central domain fragments of complexin is sufficient to activate Ca(2+)-triggered release using a reconstituted single-vesicle fusion assay, suggesting that the N-terminal domain acts as an independent module within the synaptic fusion machinery. The N-terminal domain can also interact independently with membranes, which is enhanced by a cooperative interaction with the neuronal SNARE complex. We show by mutagenesis that membrane binding of the N-terminal domain is essential for activation of Ca(2+)-triggered fusion. Consistent with the membrane-binding property, the N-terminal domain can be substituted by the influenza virus hemagglutinin fusion peptide, and this chimera also activates Ca(2+)-triggered fusion. Membrane binding of the N-terminal domain of complexin therefore cooperates with the other fusogenic elements of the synaptic fusion machinery during Ca(2+)-triggered release.

['Lai|Ying|Y|', 'Choi|Ucheor B|UB|', 'Zhang|Yunxiang|Y|', 'Zhao|Minglei|M|', 'Pfuetzner|Richard A|RA|', 'Wang|Austin L|AL|', 'Diao|Jiajie|J|0000-0003-4288-3203', 'Brunger|Axel T|AT|']

2016

26693436

Improvement in subclinical cognitive dysfunction with thyroxine therapy in hypothyroidism: A study from tertiary care center.

AIM To evaluate the effect of hypothyroidism (both overt and subclinical) on cognitive function using latencies of P300 auditory evoked potentials (AEPs). P300 latency suggests that shorter latency times are related to better cognitive performance. P300 latencies were also done after thyroxine replacement to see the effect of treatment on cognitive function. MATERIALS AND METHODS Biochemically proven new onset cases with hypothyroidism (overt and subclinical) were enrolled into the study, AEPs of these two groups when compared with matched controls. After detailed history and physical examination, P300 potentials were recorded at two points Cz and Pz (Cz: On the midline of the head at the vertex, Pz: On the midline of the head between the vertex and occipital protuberance) using a Nicolet Viking Select neuro diagnostic system version 10.0. The study was done in electrophysiology lab in Osmania Medical College. RESULTS A patient characteristics of both cases and controls were comparable. The cases consisted of two groups, overt hypothyroid cases 24, mean thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) values in them was 94, subclinical cases 21 in whom mean TSH value was 12.3. Mean P300 latencies of all cases at Cz was 342.42 ± 29.5 ms, and at Pz was 345.4 ± 30 ms. Mean P300 latencies of controls at Cz was 296.4 ± 34 ms and at Pz was 297.9 ± 33 ms (difference in P < 0.001). Mean P300 values in overt cases were 362.6 ± 32.9 ms at Cz, and at Pz it was 362.5 ± 33.9 ms. Mean P300 values in subclinical cases were 319.3 ± 30.9 ms at Cz, and at Pz it was 316.4 ± 27.9 ms. P300 values in overt cases were highly significant as compared to controls, and P300 values in the subclinical cases versus controls were also significant (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION P300 latency prolongation in both clinical and subclinical hypothyroid cases shows that cognitive function is affected adversely in hypothyroidism including the subclinical hypothyroid cases. Larger studies evaluating the effect of subclinical hypothyroidism on cognitive function are needed with objective means such as the AEPs P300.

['Paladugu|Sridevi|S|', 'Hanmayyagari|Babul Reddy|BR|', 'Kudugunti|Neelaveni|N|', 'Reddy|Ram|R|', 'Sahay|Rakesh|R|', 'Ramesh|Jayanthy|J|']

2015

23898300

Immune response of the Caribbean sea fan, Gorgonia ventalina, exposed to an Aplanochytrium parasite as revealed by transcriptome sequencing.

Coral reef communities are undergoing marked declines due to a variety of stressors including disease. The sea fan coral, Gorgonia ventalina, is a tractable study system to investigate mechanisms of immunity to a naturally occurring pathogen. Functional studies in Gorgonia ventalina immunity indicate that several key pathways and cellular components are involved in response to natural microbial invaders, although to date the functional and regulatory pathways remain largely un-described. This study used short-read sequencing (Illumina GAIIx) to identify genes involved in the response of G. ventalina to a naturally occurring Aplanochytrium spp. parasite. De novo assembly of the G. ventalina transcriptome yielded 90,230 contigs of which 40,142 were annotated. RNA-Seq analysis revealed 210 differentially expressed genes in sea fans exposed to the Aplanochytrium parasite. Differentially expressed genes involved in immunity include pattern recognition molecules, anti-microbial peptides, and genes involved in wound repair and reactive oxygen species formation. Gene enrichment analysis indicated eight biological processes were enriched representing 36 genes, largely involved with protein translation and energy production. This is the first report using high-throughput sequencing to characterize the host response of a coral to a natural pathogen. Furthermore, we have generated the first transcriptome for a soft (octocoral or non-scleractinian) coral species. Expression analysis revealed genes important in invertebrate innate immune pathways, as well as those whose role is previously un-described in cnidarians. This resource will be valuable in characterizing G. ventalina immune response to infection and co-infection of pathogens in the context of environmental change.

['Burge|Colleen A|CA|', 'Mouchka|Morgan E|ME|', 'Harvell|C Drew|CD|', 'Roberts|Steven|S|']

2013

34208667

Emergence of a Novel Dengue Virus 3 (DENV-3) Genotype-I Coincident with Increased DENV-3 Cases in Yangon, Myanmar between 2017 and 2019.

Dengue fever, caused by the mosquito-borne dengue virus (DENV), has been endemic in Myanmar since 1970 and it has become a significant public health burden. It is crucial that circulating DENV strains are identified and monitored, and that their transmission efficiency and association with disease severity is understood. In this study, we analyzed DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3, and DENV-4 serotypes in 1235 serum samples collected in Myanmar between 2017 and 2019. Whole-genome sequencing of DENV-1-4 demonstrated that most DENV-1-4 strains had been circulating in Myanmar for several years. We also identified the emergence of DENV-3 genotype-I in 2017 samples, which persisted through 2018 and 2019. The emergence of the strain coincided with a period of increased DENV-3 cases and marked changes in the serotype dynamics. Nevertheless, we detected no significant differences between serum viral loads, disease severity, and infection status of individuals infected with different DENV serotypes during the 3-year study. Our results not only identify the spread of a new DENV-3 genotype into Yangon, Myanmar, but also support the importance of DENV evolution in changing the epidemic dynamics in endemic regions.

['Soe|Aung Min|AM|0000-0002-3924-8420', 'Ngwe Tun|Mya Myat|MM|', 'Nabeshima|Takeshi|T|', 'Myat|Theingi Win|TW|', 'Htun|Moh Moh|MM|', 'Lin|Htin|H|', 'Hom|Nang Sarm|NS|', 'Inoue|Shingo|S|', 'Nwe|Khine Mya|KM|', 'Aye|Lynn Pa Pa|LPP|', 'Fukuta|Mizuki|M|', 'Thant|Kyaw Zin|KZ|', 'Hasebe|Futoshi|F|', 'Morita|Kouichi|K|', 'Shresta|Sujan|S|0000-0003-2906-8474', 'Thu|Hlaing Myat|HM|', 'Moi|Meng Ling|ML|0000-0002-8103-6659']

2021

24995497

Aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index as a prospective predictor of hepatocellular carcinoma risk in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection.

BACKGROUND AND AIM APRI (aspartate aminotransferase [AST] to platelet ratio index) is widely used to assess fibrosis and cirrhosis risk, especially in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients. Few studies have evaluated APRI and hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk. Prospective evidence is needed to assess whether APRI predicts HCC risk in HBV patients. METHOD In a prospectively enrolled clinical cohort of 855 HBV patients with a 1-year exclusion window (followed for > 1 year and did not develop HCC within 1 year), the predictive value of APRI in HCC risk was evaluated by Cox proportional hazards model using univariate and multivariate analyses and longitudinal analysis. RESULTS Higher APRI prospectively conferred a significantly increased risk of HCC in univariate analysis (quartile analysis, P trend = 2.9 × 10(-7) ). This effect remained highly significant after adjusting for common host characteristics but not cirrhosis (P trend = 7.1 × 10(-5) ), and attenuated when cirrhosis is adjusted (P trend = 0.021). The effect remained prominent when the analysis was restricted to patients with a more stringent 2-year exclusion window (P trend = 0.008 in quartile analysis adjusting all characteristics including cirrhosis), indicating that the association was unlikely due to including undetected HCC patients in the cohort, thus minimizing the reverse-causation limitation in most retrospective studies. Longitudinal comparison demonstrated a persistently higher APRI value in HBV patients who developed HCC during follow-up than those remaining cancer free. CONCLUSION APRI might be a marker of HCC risk in HBV patients in cirrhosis-dependent and -independent manners. Further studies are warranted to validate this finding and test its clinical applicability in HCC prevention.

['Hann|Hie-Won|HW|', 'Wan|Shaogui|S|', 'Lai|Yinzhi|Y|', 'Hann|Richard S|RS|', 'Myers|Ronald E|RE|', 'Patel|Fenil|F|', 'Zhang|Kejin|K|', 'Ye|Zhong|Z|', 'Wang|Chun|C|', 'Yang|Hushan|H|']

2015

23927923

Possible transmission of Candida albicans on an intensive care unit: genotype and temporal cluster analyses.

BACKGROUND Nosocomial transmission of Candida spp. has not been fully explored and previous studies have shown conflicting results. AIM To evaluate the possible nosocomial transmission of Candida spp. on an intensive care unit (ICU). METHODS A prospective study was conducted for a period of 19 months, including all patients on our ICU with growth of Candida spp. from surveillance and directed cultures. Molecular typing with repetitive sequence-based polymerase chain reaction was used to define genotype relationships between the Candida albicans and Candida glabrata isolates. Candida isolates obtained from blood cultures taken from patients in our county outside the ICU were used as a reference. Temporal cluster analysis was performed to evaluate genotype distribution over time. FINDINGS Seventy-seven patients with 78 ICU stays, representing 12% of all ICU stays, were found to harbour 180 isolates of Candida spp. Molecular typing revealed 27 C. albicans genotypes and 10 of C. glabrata. Possible clustering, indicated by overlapping stays of patients with indistinguishable candida genotypes, was observed on seven occasions with C. albicans and on two occasions with C. glabrata. Two C. albicans genotypes were found significantly more often in the ICU group compared with the reference group. Moreover, C. albicans genotypes isolated from more than one patient were significantly more often found in the ICU group. Temporal cluster analysis revealed a significantly increased number of pairs with indistinguishable genotypes at a 21-day interval, indicating clustering. CONCLUSION This study indicates possible transmission of C. albicans between ICU patients based on genotyping and temporal cluster analysis.

['Hammarskjöld|F|F|', 'Mernelius|S|S|', 'Andersson|R E|RE|', 'Berg|S|S|', 'Hanberger|H|H|', 'Löfgren|S|S|', 'Malmvall|B-E|BE|', 'Petzold|M|M|', 'Matussek|A|A|']

2013

25470997

Limited integrative repair capacity of native cartilage autografts within cartilage defects in a sheep model.

The purpose of this study was to investigate integration and cellular outgrowth of native cartilage autografts transplanted into articular cartilage defects. Native cartilage autografts were applied into chondral defects in the femoral condyle of adult sheep. Within the defects, the calcified cartilage layer was either left intact or perforated to induce bone marrow stimulation. Empty defects served as controls. The joints were analyzed after 6 and 26 weeks by macroscopic and histological analysis using the ICRS II Score and Modified O'Driscoll Scores. Non-treated defects did not show any endogenous regenerative response and bone marrow stimulation induced fibrous repair tissue. Transplanted native cartilage grafts only insufficiently integrated with the defect borders. Cell death and loss of proteoglycans were present at the margins of the grafts at 6 weeks, which was only partially restored at 26 weeks. Significant cellular outgrowth from the grafts or defect borders could not be observed. Bonding of the grafts could be improved by additional bone marrow stimulation providing ingrowing cells that formed a fibrous interface predominantly composed of type I collagen. Transplanted native cartilage grafts remain as inert structures within cartilage defects and fail to induce integrative cartilage repair which rather demands additional cells provided by additional bone marrow stimulation.

['Gelse|Kolja|K|', 'Riedel|Dominic|D|', 'Pachowsky|Milena|M|', 'Hennig|Friedrich F|FF|', 'Trattnig|Siegfried|S|', 'Welsch|Götz H|GH|']

2015

28487899

ASIATIC ACID INFLUENCES GLUCOSE HOMEOSTASIS IN P. BERGHEI MURINE MALARIA INFECTED SPRAGUE-DAWLEY RATS.

BACKGROUND Glucose homeostasis derangement is a common pathophysiology of malaria whose aetiology is still controversial. The Plasmodium parasite, immunological and inflammatory responses, as well as chemotherapeutics currently used cause hypoglycaemia in malaria. Anti-parasitic and anti-disease drugs are required to combat malaria while ameliorating the pathophysiology of the infection. Asiatic acid has anti-hyperglycaemic, antioxidant, pro-oxidant properties useful in glucose homeostasis but its influence in malaria is yet to be reported. Here we present findings on the influence of asiatic acid on glucose metabolism in vivo using P. berghei-infected Sprague Dawley rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS Acute as well as sub-chronic studies were carried out in vivo where physicochemical properties and glucose homeostasis were monitored after administration of asiatic acid (10mg/kg) in both non-infected and infected animals. Glucose metabolism associated biochemical changes in malaria were also investigated. RESULTS In acute studies, asiatic acid improved oral glucose response while in the sub-chronic state it maintained food and water intake and suppressed parasitaemia. Normoglycaemic control was maintained in infected animals through insulin suppression and increasing glucagon secretion, in both acute and chronic studies. Asiatic acid administration curtailed lactate concentration towards normal. CONCLUSION Per oral post-infection asiatic acid administration preserved drinking and eating habits, inhibited sickness behaviour while suppressing parasitaemia. Reciprocal relationship between insulin and glucagon concentrations was maintained influencing glucose homeostasis positively and inhibition of hyperlactaemia in malaria. Abbreviations: ip -intraperitoneal, po -per oral, ig -intragastric, AA-Asciatic acid, OGTT-oral glucose tolerance test, OS-oxidative stress, ROS-reactive oxygen species, NO-nitric oxide, ONOO- - peroxynitrite, BRU-Biomedical Research Unit, SD-Sprague Dawley.

['Alfred|Mavondo Greanious|MG|', 'Nkazimulo|Mkhwananzi Blessing|MB|', 'Vuyisile|Mabandla Musa|MM|', 'Tagumirwa|Musabayane Cephas|MC|']

2016

29637312

Updates to Adherence to Hypertension Medications.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW The purpose of this review is to discuss recent studies that have described approaches or interventions to improve hypertension medication adherence and to suggest how providers can integrate evidenced-based approaches into routine clinical care to improve medication adherence and blood pressure control. RECENT FINDINGS Factors that can impact medication include patient-related factors, social- and economic-related factors, health system/health care team-related factors, and therapy-related factors. Overall, a multifaceted approach is needed to improve medication adherence. Important components include (1) patient education on hypertension, its treatment modalities and its long-term complications; and (2) patient engagement building on the foundation of education. The various interventions tested have engaged patients through interactive educational sessions, health coaching, motivational interviewing, stage of change behavioral counseling, and pharmacist hypertension management. Strategies utilizing patient education and engagement are needed to improve medication adherence and blood pressure control.

['Roldan|Paola C|PC|', 'Ho|Grant Y|GY|', 'Ho|P Michael|PM|']

2018

34574456

Evaluation of the HearWell Pilot Program: A Participatory Total Worker Health Approach to Hearing Conservation.

Our objective was to pilot test HearWell, an intervention created to preserve hearing among highway maintainers, by using a participatory Total Worker Health (TWH) approach to designing, implementing and evaluating interventions. Regional maintenance garages were randomized to control (n = 6); HearWell (n = 4) or HearWell Design Team (n = 2) arms. Maintainer representatives from the HearWell Design Team garages identified barriers to hearing health and collaborated to design interventions including a safety leadership training for managers, a noise hazard management scheme to identify noise levels and indicate the hearing protection device (HPD) needed, and a comprehensive HearWell training video and protocol. These worker-designed interventions, after manager input, were delivered to the HearWell Design Team and the HearWell garages. Control garages received standard industry hearing conservation training. Periodic surveys of workers in all 12 garages collected information on the frequency of HPD use and a new hearing climate measure to evaluate changes in behaviors and attitudes over the study period and following interventions. An intention-to-treat approach was utilized; differences and trends in group HPD use and hearing climate were analyzed using a mixed-effects model to account for repeated measures from individual participants. The HearWell Design Team maintainers reported the highest frequency of HPD use. Hearing climate improved in each group 6 months following intervention implementation, with the largest increase and highest value for the HearWell Design Team workers. The HearWell pilot intervention showed promising results in improving HPD use through a participatory TWH approach to hearing conservation. Furthermore, results suggest that employee participation in hearing conservation programs may be necessary for maximal effectiveness.

['Cavallari|Jennifer M|JM|0000-0001-8414-8704', 'Suleiman|Adekemi O|AO|0000-0003-3381-3270', 'Garza|Jennifer L|JL|0000-0002-9400-2730', 'Namazi|Sara|S|', 'Dugan|Alicia G|AG|', 'Henning|Robert A|RA|', 'Punnett|Laura|L|0000-0001-9270-9946']

2021

24019027

The behavioral and endocrinological development of stress response in dogs.

Endocrinological stress response has been shown to be absent in a specific period of the early life of rodents; this is named the stress-hyporesponsive period (SHRP). The SHRP is a significant period for the appropriate development of infants. In this study, the presence of SHRP in dogs was identified by conducting a 5-min separation test in 142 Labrador retriever puppies in their early socialization period and measuring the changes in urinary cortisol levels. An increase in cortisol after separation was found after 5 weeks of age, suggesting that the SHRP persists until 4 weeks of age in dogs. The distress vocalization during separation changed and the lactating behavior decreased rapidly around 5 weeks of age, suggesting that the endocrinological and emotional aspects of development change at approximately 5 weeks of age and maternal inhibition of cortisol might occur in dogs as well as rodents.

['Nagasawa|Miho|M|', 'Shibata|Yoh|Y|', 'Yonezawa|Akiko|A|', 'Morita|Tomoko|T|', 'Kanai|Masanori|M|', 'Mogi|Kazutaka|K|', 'Kikusui|Takefumi|T|']

2014