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22099523

Plasma pro-endothelin-1 and respiratory distress in newborn infants.

Plasma concentrations of the stable endothelin-1 precursor, C-terminal portion of the endothelin-1 precursor, determined prospectively in 293 newborn infants (gestational age, 24-41 weeks) at birth and on day 3 of life were unrelated to gestational age at birth, but strongly associated with respiratory distress when measured on day 3 of life.

22099521

Drug susceptibility testing and pharmacokinetics question current treatment regimens in Mycobacterium simiae complex disease.

The Mycobacterium plex bacteria can cause opportunistic infections in humans. In the case of definite disease, there are no evidence-based treatment regimens and es are very disappointing. To increase the evidence base underpinning treatment regimens for M. plex disease, drug susceptibility patterns and rifampicin/ethambutol synergy were assessed retrospectively in 69 clinical M. plex isolates from 60 patients (22 patients with M. simiae, 24 with Mycobacterium lentiflavum, 8 with Mycobacterium triplex, 5 with Mycobacterium parascrofulaceum and 1 with Mycobacterium stomatepiae) submitted to the mycobacteriology laboratory at National Jewish Health (Denver, CO). Quantitative drug susceptibility testing (DST) was performed using the radiometric BacTec 460 macrodilution method. Results were related to pharmacokinetic (PK) measurements, where available. All M. plex species proved susceptible to clarithromycin and, to a lesser extent, rifabutin, clofazimine, streptomycin and moxifloxacin. Synergy or additive action between rifampicin and ethambutol was observed for all species except M. simiae. Mycobacterium simiae is poorly susceptible in vitro to rifampicin and ethambutol alone as well as bination; PK measurements support the limited efficacy of these drugs against M. simiae. The triple-drug regimen of a rifamycin, ethambutol and a macrolide may be advised to treat disease caused by M. lentiflavum, M. triplex, M. parascrofulaceum and M. stomatepiae; for M. simiae, this regimen appears less active. These findings may partly explain the limited treatment results in M. simiae disease. A treatment regimen including a macrolide, moxifloxacin and one or two additional drugs based on DST results may be advisable; clofazimine and amikacin or streptomycin are potential candidates.

22099522

Neurodevelopmental outcomes in infants requiring resuscitation in developing countries.

To determine whether resuscitation of infants who failed to develop effective breathing at birth increases survivors with neurodevelopmental impairment.

22099524

3 T MRI of hepatocellular carcinomas in patients with cirrhosis: does T2-weighted imaging provide added value?

To assess whether T2-weighted imaging (T2WI) provides any added value for the detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with cirrhosis, especially for lesions smaller than 2 cm.

22099525

A longitudinal study on the effects of maternal smoking and secondhand smoke exposure during pregnancy on neonatal neurobehavior.

Maternal smoking during pregnancy is one of the most modifiable causes of morbidity and mortality for both pregnant women and their fetuses. The long-term effects of prenatal exposure to smoke on child behavior and development have been the subject of more extensive research than have the short-term effects. Therefore, the aim of this work is to examine the effects of smoke exposure during pregnancy on neonatal behavior, including in our study a group of mothers exposed to secondhand smoke. The behavior of 282 healthy full-term newborns was assessed using the Neonatal Behavior Assessment Scale (NBAS) at 48-72 h of life. Sixty-two mothers smoked during pregnancy (no mother smoked more than 15 cig/day) and 17 were exposed to secondhand smoke. After adjusting for socio-demographic and obstetric factors, both newborns whose mothers smoked and those whose mothers were exposed to secondhand smoke showed significantly lower scores in the habituation cluster than non-smoking mothers. Exposure to secondhand smoke was also related to lower motor system cluster scores as well as some supplementary items and the newborns of smoking mothers showed significantly lower scores in the state regulation cluster and in some items of the state organization cluster than the newborns of non-smoking mothers. We conclude that active and passive smoking during pregnancy affects several aspects of neurobehavioral development, regardless of socio-demographic, obstetric and pediatric factors.

22099526

Cognitive and adaptive development of patients with tuberous sclerosis complex: a retrospective, longitudinal investigation.

The aim of the work described here was to systematically analyze the developmental trajectory of patients with tuberous plex (TSC).

22099527

Cortical thickness abnormalities associated with depressive symptoms in temporal lobe epilepsy.

Depression in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is highly prevalent and carries significant morbidity and mortality. Its neural basis is poorly understood. We used quantitative, surface-based MRI analysis to correlate brain morphometry with severity of depressive symptoms in 38 patients with TLE and 45 controls. Increasing severity of depressive symptoms was associated with orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) thinning in controls, but with OFC thickening in TLE patients. These results demonstrate distinct neuroanatomical substrates for depression with and without TLE, and suggest a unique role for OFC, a limbic region for emotional processing strongly interconnected with medial temporal structures, in TLE-related depressive symptoms.

22099528

Perceived benefits of sharing health data between people with epilepsy on an online platform.

An munity was developed on to share data between patients to improve their es by finding other patients like them. In a 14-day response period, 221 patients with epilepsy (mean age: 40 years, SD: 12, range: 17-72, 66% pleted a survey about benefits they perceived. Prior to using the site, a third of respondents (30%) did not know anyone else with epilepsy with whom they could talk; of these, 63% now had at least one other patient with whom they could connect. Perceived benefits included: finding another patient experiencing the same symptoms (59%), gaining a better understanding of seizures (58%), and learning more about symptoms or treatments (55%). Number of benefits was associated with number of relationships with other patients, F(4,216)=8.173, P<0.001). Patients with epilepsy reported an array of perceived benefits similar to those reported by populations with other diseases. Controlled sharing of health data may have the potential to improve disease self-management of people with epilepsy.

22099529

Unmet needs in patients with first-episode schizophrenia: a longitudinal perspective.

This study aimed to identify the course of unmet needs by patients with a first episode of schizophrenia and to determine associated variables.

22099530

Wound healing in pre-tibial injuries--an observation study.

Pre-tibial lacerations plex wounds affecting a primarily aged population, with poor healing and a potentially significant impact on social well-being. Management of these wounds has changed little in 20 years, despite significant advances in wound care. A retrospective observational study was undertaken to observe current wound care practice and to assess the effect of various medical factors on wound healing time on 24 elderly patients throughout their wound journey. Wound length was found to be substantively and significantly associated with wound healing time, with a reduction in instantaneous healing rate of about 30% for every increase of 1 cm in wound length. Hence, longer wounds are associated with longer wound healing times. Prescription of several categories of drugs, including those for ischaemic heart disease (IHD), hypertension, respiratory disease or asthma; and the age of the patient were not significantly associated with wound healing times, although substantive significance could be inferred in the case of prescription for IHD and asthma. Despite the small sample size, this study identified a clear association between healing and length of wound. Neither orbidities nor prescriptions explored showed any significant association although some seem to be more prevalent in this patient group. The study also highlighted other issues that require further exploration including the social and economic impact of these wounds.

22099531

Xanthine oxidase inhibition for the treatment of cardiovascular disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Xanthine oxidase inhibition (XOI) reduces oxidative stress in the vasculature. Moreover it reduces uric acid levels, a risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease. As such, XOI holds a potentially dual mechanism for the treatment of cardiovascular disease.

22099532

Fracture strength of incisor crowns after intracoronal bleaching with sodium percarbonate.

pare the fracture resistance of bovine teeth after intracoronal bleaching with sodium percarbonate (SPC) or sodium perborate (SP) mixed with water or 20% hydrogen peroxide (HP).

22099533

Mitochondrial complex I deficiency of nuclear origin II. Non-structural genes.

Complex I deficiency is the most frequent cause of respiratory chain diseases. This large plex posed in human of 45 structural subunits, of which 7 are mitochondrial-encoded and 38 are nuclear-encoded. Most of the pathological mutations responsible plex I deficiencies have been identified to date plex I structural subunits. Numerous studies from last decade gave some insight into the biogenesis of this huge multi plex of double genetic origin. A sequential incorporation of the structural subunits as well as plex I assembly factors has been described. Here, we present a short overview of the plex I biogenesis and we review the pathological mutations identified to date in eight of the ten plex I assembly factors.

22099536

Physiological responses of Egeriadensa to high ammonium concentration and nitrogen deficiency.

High ammonia (i.e. the total of NH(3) and NH(4)(+)) concentration or nitrogen deficiency in water can exert stress on growth and health of many aquatic plants. To investigate the physiological impacts of high ammonia-N (NH(4)Cl) concentration and nitrogen deficiency on plant physiology, apical shoots of submerged macrophyte Egeriadensa were first treated with five levels of nitrogen: 0, 1, 10, 30, 60 mg L(-1) ammonia-N (NH(4)Cl) for 5d. After having explored the stress range of ammonia-N, its effect on E. densa was further examined at three levels of ammonium (0, 1, 30 mg L(-1) ammonia-N) and at six exposure times (0, 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7d). In testing the concentration-dependent stress, the increase of ammonia-N reduced the amounts of total chlorophyll (chl a and b), soluble proteins and soluble carbohydrates, but increased the activity levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase and peroxidase in E. densa. In the N-free medium, total chlorophyll, soluble proteins, soluble carbohydrates and the activities of SOD and peroxidase in E. densa decreased pared with the control (1 mg L(-1) ammonia-N). paring the ammonia-N impacts over time, the plants showed a declining trend in total chlorophyll, soluble proteins and soluble carbohydrates, but an rising trend in MDA, SOD, peroxidase and catalase in 30 mg L(-1) ammonia-N over 7d. Compared with the control, the N-free medium significantly decreased the amounts of total chlorophyll, soluble proteins, soluble carbohydrates, SOD and peroxidase in E. densa over time. Our study indicates that high ammonium (ammonia-N ≥ 10 mg L(-1)) affects the growth of E. densa through inducing oxidative stress and inhibiting photosynthesis, and nitrogen deficiency can also induce an abiotic stress condition for the E. densa growth by reducing photosynthetic pigments, soluble proteins, soluble carbohydrates, and the activity of antioxidant enzymes.

22099535

The effect of the hormonal milieu of pregnancy on deep infiltrating endometriosis: serial ultrasound assessment of changes in size and pattern of deep endometriotic lesions.

Deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) is associated with severe painful symptoms and represents plex management challenge.

22099537

Levels of organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in the critically endangered Iberian lynx and other sympatric carnivores in Spain.

Accumulation of pounds is well studied in aquatic food chains whereas little information is available from terrestrial food chains. This study presents data of organochlorine levels in tissue and plasma samples of 15 critically endangered Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) and other 55 wild carnivores belonging to five species from three natural areas of Spain (Doñana National Park, Sierra Morena and Lozoya River) and explores their relationship with species diet. The Iberian lynx, with a diet based on the consumption of rabbit, had lower PCB levels (geometric means, plasma: <0.01 ng mL(-1), liver: 0.4ngg(-1) wet weight, fat: 87 ng g(-1)lipid weight) than other carnivores with more anthropic and opportunistic foraging behavior, such as the red fox (Vulpes vulpes; plasma: 1.11 ng mL(-1), liver: 459 ng g(-1), fat: 1984 ng g(-1)), or with diets including reptiles at higher proportion, such as the Egyptian mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon; plasma: 7.15 ng mL(-1), liver: 216 ng g(-1), fat: 540 ng g(-1)), or mon genet (Genetta genetta; liver: 466 ng g(-1), fat: 3854 ng g(-1)). Chlorinated pesticides showed interspecific variations similar to PCBs. Organochlorine levels have declined since the 80s in carnivores from Doñana National Park, but PCB levels are still of concern in Eurasian otters (Lutra lutra; liver: 3873-5426 ng g(-1)) from the industrialized region of Madrid.

22099538

Metal (Cu, Cd and Zn) removal and stabilization during multiple soil washing by saponin.

The influence of multiple saponin washing on copper, cadmium and zinc removal and stability in three types of soils (loamy sand, loam, silty clay) was investigated. Distribution of metals and their mobility measured as the ratio of exchangeable form to the sum of all fractions in soils was differential. After single washing the highest efficiency of metal removal was obtained in loamy sand (82-90%) and loam (67-88%), whereas the lowest in silty clay (39-62%). In loamy sand and loam metals had higher mobility factors (44-61% Cu, 60-76% Cd, and 68-84% pared to silty clay (9% Cu, 28% Cd and 36% Zn). Triplicate washing led to increase both efficiency of metal removal and percentage content of their stable forms. In consequence, fractional patterns for metals before and after treatment changed visibly as a result of their redistribution. Based on the redistribution index, the most stable metal (mainly in residual and organic fractions) after triplicate washing was Cu in loamy sand and loam. For silty clay contaminated with Cd, effective metal removal and its stabilization required a higher number of washings.

22099539

Zinc tolerance and accumulation in the salt-marsh shrub Halimione portulacoides.

The halophytic shrub Halimione portulacoides is known to be capable of growth in soils containing extremely high concentrations of Zn. This study evaluated in detail the tolerance and accumulation potential of H. portulacoides under moderate and high external Zn levels. A greenhouse experiment was conducted in order to investigate the effects of a range of Zn concentrations (0-130 mmol L(-1)) on growth and photosynthetic performance by measuring relative growth rate, total leaf area, specific leaf area, gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters and photosynthetic pigment concentrations. We also determined the total zinc, nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, iron and copper concentrations in the plant tissues. H. portulacoides demonstrated hypertolerance to Zn stress, since it survived with leaf concentrations of up to 2300 mg Zn kg(-1)dry mass, when treated with 130 mmol Zn L(-1). Zinc concentrations greater than 70 mmol L(-1) in the nutrient solution negatively affected plant growth, in all probability due to the recorded decline in net photosynthesis rate. Our results indicate that the Zn-induced decline in the photosynthetic function of H. portulacoides may be attributed to the adverse effect of the high concentration of the metal on photosynthetic electron transport. Growth parameters were virtually unaffected by leaf tissue concentrations as high as 1500 mg Zn kg(-1)dry mass, demonstrating the strong capability of H. portulacoides to protect itself against toxic Zn concentrations. The results of our study indicate that this salt-marsh shrub may represent a valuable tool in the restoration of Zn-polluted areas.

22099540

Lactate oxidation in pyrite suspension: a Fenton-like process in situ generating H2O2.

Pyrite is mon mineral at many mining sites. In this study, the mineral pyrite was studied as a Fenton-like reagent for environmental concerns. We selected lactate as a model target molecule to evaluate the Fenton-like catalytic efficiency of pyrite upon organic oxidation. plete set of control experiments in both aerobic and anaerobic atmospheres unequivocally established that the pyrite in aqueous solution could spontaneously in situ generate (·)OH and H(2)O(2), serving as a Fenton-like reagent to catalyze the oxidation of lactate to pyruvate with no need for additional H(2)O(2). We called it the pyrite-only Fenton-like (PF) reagent. Monitoring concentration changes of lactate and pyruvate with the time indicated that the pyrite mediated the favorable pyruvate formation at pH 4.5, 60 °C, under air atmosphere. The PF reaction could be stimulated by visible light illumination. Under the optimum conditions, up to 50% of lactate was degraded within 10d. The results suggest that pyrite and its Fenton-like processes may be potentially practical in wastewater treatment.

22099542

Inconvenience due to travelers' diarrhea: a prospective follow-up study.

Limited data exist documenting the degree to which travelers are inconvenienced by travelers' diarrhea (TD). We performed a prospective follow-up study at the travel clinic of Leiden University Medical Center in The Netherlands to determine the degree of inconvenience and to determine how experiencing TD affects travelers' perception.

22099543

A claw is like my hand: comparison supports goal analysis in infants.

Understanding the intentional relations in others' actions is critical to human social life. Origins of this knowledge exist in the first year and are a function of both acting as an intentional agent and observing movement cues in actions. We explore a new mechanism we believe plays an important role in infants' understanding of new parison. We examine how the opportunity pare a familiar action with a novel, tool use action helps 7- and 10-month-old infants extract and imitate the goal of a tool use action. Infants given the chance pare their own reach for a toy with an experimenter's reach using a claw later imitated the goal of an experimenter's tool use action. Infants who engaged with the claw, were familiarized with the claw's causal properties, or learned the associations between claw and toys (but did not align their reaches with the claw's) did not imitate. Further, active participation in the familiar action to pared was more beneficial than observing a familiar and novel action aligned for 10-month-olds. Infants' ability to extract the goal-relation of a novel action parison with a familiar action could have a broad impact on the development of action knowledge and social learning more generally.

22099544

Relatively certain! Comparative thinking reduces uncertainty.

Comparison is one of the most ubiquitous and versatile mechanisms in human information processing. Previous research demonstrates that one consequence parative thinking is increased judgmental parison allows for quicker judgments without a loss in accuracy. We hypothesised that a second potential consequence parative thinking is reduced judgmental uncertainty. We examined this possibility in three experiments using three different domains of judgment and three different measures of uncertainty. Results consistently demonstrate that procedurally priming participants to rely more heavily parative thinking during judgment induces them to feel more certain about their judgment.

22099546

Recurrent Ochrobactrum anthropi and Shewanella putrefaciens bloodstream infection complicating hemodialysis.

Bloodstream infections (BSIs) mon in hemodialysis, especially when the access is a catheter. These infections are monly gram-positive bacteria or gram-negative bacilli and on some occasions, fungi. Ochrobactrum anthropi and Shewanella putrefaciens are ubiquitous hydrophilic gram-negative bacilli. There have been three cases of O. anthropi BSI reported in hemodialysis patients (one from the United States and two from Vienna) and two cases of S. putrefaciens BSI in hemodialysis patients (one from the United States and the other from Japan). There have been few more cases reported of infections with these bacteria in peritoneal dialysis, especially outside the United States. We present a novel case of a patient with both recurrent O. anthropi and S. putrefaciens plicating hemodialysis. There have been no reports in the literature of such a case. We also discuss the microbiology, clinical features, and the challenging aspects of treatment of such infections.

22099547

Estimating the cost-effectiveness of lifestyle intervention programmes to prevent diabetes based on an example from Germany: Markov modelling.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) poses a large worldwide burden for health care systems. One possible tool to decrease this burden is primary prevention. As it is unethical to wait until perfect data are available to conclude whether T2D primary prevention intervention programmes are cost-effective, we need a model that simulates the effect of prevention initiatives. Thus, the aim of this study is to investigate the long-term cost-effectiveness of lifestyle intervention programmes for the prevention of T2D using a Markov model. As decision makers often face difficulties in applying health economic results, we visualise our results with health economic tools.

22099548

Imaging mass spectrometry evaluation of the effects of various irrigation fluids in a rat model of postoperative cerebral edema.

Using imaging mass spectrometry (IMS), we investigated the cerebral protective effect of an artificial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), ARTCEREB (Artcereb, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Factory, Inc., Tokushima, Japan), as an irrigation and perfusion solution for neurosurgical procedures in a rat craniotomy model.

22099559

Outpatient-based scalp surgery without shaving and allowing use of shampoo.

To assess the authors' experience of wound management following scalp mass surgery after introducing a policy of leaving hair unshaved and allowing patients to use shampoo.

22099560

Temporary occlusion test using a microcatheter.

The balloon occlusion test (BOT) is a well-accepted technique for the treatment of large plex aneurysms. However, this procedure may not be feasible for small arteries such as the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA). We report our experience with endovascular treatment of a fusiform PICA aneurysm employing a microcatheter occlusion test.

22099561

Direct percutaneous puncture approach versus surgical cutdown technique for intracranial neuroendovascular procedures: technical aspects.

To present the authors' experience with a direct transcervical or transbrachial puncture approach in neuroendovascular procedures in which cranial access via monly used percutaneous transfemoral route was impossible because of tortuous upstream angioarchitecture.

22099563

Use of multimedia messaging system (MMS) by junior doctors for scan image transmission in neurosurgery.

Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) is used by neurosurgical residents to transmit scan images to the attending neurosurgeon in conjunction with telephone consultation. This service has been well received by the attending neurosurgeons, who felt that after viewing scan images on their phones, they felt increased confidence in clinical decision making and that it reduced the need for recall to the hospital.

22099566

A systematic review of instruments to measure depressive symptoms in patients with schizophrenia.

Depressive symptoms require accurate recognition and monitoring in clinical practice of patients with schizophrenia. Depression instruments developed for use in depressed patients may not discriminate depressive symptoms from negative psychotic symptoms.

22099565

How large is the typical subarachnoid hemorrhage? A review of current neurosurgical knowledge.

Despite the morbidity and mortality of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), the average volume of a typical hemorrhage is not well defined. Animal models of SAH often do not accurately mimic the human disease process.

22099570

Use of real-time ultrasound guidance for the placement of hemodialysis catheters: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Insertion of percutaneous hemodialysis catheters is an invasive procedure with a small but definite risk of morbidity and mortality.

22099581

Neither bipolar nor obsessive-compulsive disorder: compulsive buyers are impulsive acquirers.

Compulsive buying (CB) is currently classified as an impulse control disorder (ICD) not otherwise classified. Compulsive buying prevalence is estimated at around 5% of the general population. There is controversy about whether CB should be classified as an ICD, a subsyndromal bipolar disorder (BD), or an pulsive disorder (OCD) akin to a hoarding syndrome. To further investigate the appropriate classification of CB, pared patients with CB, BD, and OCD for impulsivity, affective instability, hoarding, and other OCD symptoms.

22099582

Building capacity in mental health interventions in low resource countries: an apprenticeship model for training local providers.

Recent global mental health research suggests that mental health interventions can be adapted for use across cultures and in low resource environments. As evidence for the feasibility and effectiveness of certain specific interventions begins to accumulate, guidelines are needed for how to train, supervise, and ideally sustain mental health treatment delivery by local providers in low- and e countries (LMIC). MODEL AND CASE PRESENTATIONS: This paper presents an apprenticeship model for lay counselor training and supervision in mental health treatments in LMIC, developed and used by the authors in a range of mental health intervention studies conducted over the last decade in various low-resource settings. We describe the elements of this approach, the underlying logic, and provide examples drawn from our experiences working in 12 countries, with over 100 lay counselors.

22099583

A review of factors that affect mortality following colectomy.

The tightening focus on optimizing surgical es has pushed tracking perioperative mortality to the forefront of interest. The goal of this study is to analyze factors affecting mortality after colorectal resection at a single tertiary care center.

22099584

Multiple kinase pathways involved in the different de novo sensitivity of pancreatic cancer cell lines to 17-AAG.

17-Allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG) specifically targets heat shock protein (HSP)90 and inhibits its chaperoning functions for multiple kinases involved in cancer cell growth and survival. To select responsive patients, the molecular mechanisms underlying the sensitivity of cancer cells to 17-AAG must be elucidated.

22099585

Comparison of different thoracic trauma scoring systems in regards to prediction of post-traumatic complications and outcome in blunt chest trauma.

As accurate assessment of thoracic injury severity in the early phase after trauma is difficult, pared different thoracic trauma scores regarding their predictive ability for the development of plications and mortality.

22099586

Nonlinear mechanical behavior of the human common, external, and internal carotid arteries in vivo.

The mechanical environment and properties of the carotid artery play an important role in the formation and progression of atherosclerosis in the carotid bifurcation. The purpose of this work was to measure pare the range and variation of circumferential stress and tangent elastic moduli in the mon (CCA), external (ECA), and internal (ICA) carotid arteries over the cardiac cycle in vivo.

22099590

Comparative analysis of histopathologic effects of synthetic meshes based on material, weight, and pore size in mice.

While synthetic prosthetics have essentially e mandatory for hernia repair, mesh-induced chronic inflammation and scarring can lead to chronic pain and limited mobility. Mesh propensity to induce such adverse effects is likely related to the prosthetic's material, weight, and/or pore size. We aimed pare histopathologic responses to various synthetic meshes after short- and long-term implantations in mice.

22099592

Use of autologous chondrocytes and bioinert perforated chambers to tissue engineer cartilage in vivo.

To explore the potential applications of a chamber for in vivo tissue engineering, and to establish a novel model for in vivo tissue-engineered cartilage.

22099594

Excorporeal normothermic machine perfusion resuscitates pig DCD livers with extended warm ischemia.

The shortage in donor livers has led to increased use of allografts derived from donation after cardiac death (DCD). promised viability in these livers leads to inferior post-transplantation allograft function and pared with donation after brain death (DBD) donor grafts. In this study, we reconditioned DCD livers using an optimized normothermic machine perfusion system.

22099593

Dynamics of short-term gene expression profiling in liver following thermal injury.

Severe trauma, including burns, triggers a systemic response that significantly impacts on the liver, which plays a key role in the metabolic and immune responses aimed at restoring homeostasis. While many of these changes are likely regulated at the gene expression level, there is a need to better understand the dynamics and expression patterns of burn injury-induced genes in order to identify potential regulatory targets in the liver. Herein we characterized the response within the first 24 h in a standard animal model of burn injury using a time series of microarray gene expression data.

22099595

Use of decellularized porcine liver for engineering humanized liver organ.

New bioartificial liver devices are needed to supplement the limited supply of organ donors available for patients with end-stage liver disease. Here, we report the results of a pilot study aimed at developing a humanized porcine liver by transplanting second trimester human fetal hepatocytes (Hfh) co-cultured with fetal stellate cells (Hfsc) into the decellularized matrix of a porcine liver.

22099596

The use of cognitive task analysis to improve instructional descriptions of procedures.

Surgical training relies heavily on the ability of expert surgeons to plete and accurate descriptions of plex procedure. However, research from a variety of domains suggests that experts often omit critical information about the judgments, analysis, and decisions they make when solving a difficult problem or performing plex task. In this study, pared three methods for capturing surgeons' descriptions of how to perform the procedure for inserting a femoral artery shunt (unaided free-recall, unaided free-recall with simulation, and cognitive task analysis methods) to determine which method produced more accurate plete results. Cognitive task analysis was approximately 70% plete and accurate than free-recall and or free-recall during a simulation of the procedure.

22099598

Decreased expression of hepatic signaling phosphoproteins after laparoscopic and hand-assisted surgery in a porcine model.

Minimally-invasive surgery (MIS) is associated with a decreased activation of both systemic and peritoneal pared with the open technique. However, hepatic response to laparoscopic (LAP) and hand-assisted laparoscopic (HAL) surgery has not been defined well. We postulated that both LAP and HAL approaches are associated with a diminished activation of hepatic inflammatory signaling pared with the traditional open surgery.

22099597

Contribution of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and cancer stem cells to pancreatic cancer progression.

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma remains among the most lethal of human malignancies. Overall 5-y survival is less than 5%, and only 20% of patients presenting with localized disease amenable to surgical resection. Even in patients who undergo resection, long-term survival remains extremely poor. A major contributor to the aggressiveness of multiple cancers, and pancreatic cancer in particular, is the process of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). This review highlights the growing evidence of EMT in pancreatic cancer progression, focusing on the contribution of EMT to the development of cancer stem cells and on interaction of EMT with other pathways central to cancer progression, such as Hedgehog signaling, the K-ras oncogene, and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β). We will also discuss EMT-targeting agents currently in development and in clinical trials that may help to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with pancreatic cancer.

22099599

The effect of diabetes and poor left ventricular function on bone marrow cell-induced myocardial protection.

The myocardium of patients with diabetes and poor left ventricular (LV) function cannot be protected by interventions such as ischemic preconditioning (IP). We investigated whether these clinical conditions influence the protection elicited by the paracrine effect of bone marrow cells (BMCs) and whether the cause for loss in protection resides in the BMCs, the myocardium, or both.

22099600

The role of oxidative stress response revealed in preconditioning heat stimulation in skeletal muscle of rats.

Our previous study showed that preconditioned local somatothermal stimulation (LSTS) protected subsequent ischemia-reperfusion injury of the skeletal muscle. The exact mechanisms of LSTS preconditioning remain unknown. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis stating that heat stimulation induces free radical production, increases enzymatic scavenging activity, and subsequently enhances the expression of heat shock protein 70 (HSP-70) in skeletal muscles.

22099602

Up-regulated expression of MIF by interfacial membrane fibroblasts and macrophages around aseptically loosened implants.

Local chronic inflammatory reaction plays an important role in the process of aseptic loosening of implants after total joint replacement. In addition, macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a key upstream regulator of inflammation, and it is a significant regulator of inflammatory diseases. The purpose of this study is to investigate if the fibroblasts and macrophages in the interfacial membranes overexpress MIF.

22099603

Removal of 17 cytokines, HMGB1, and albumin by continuous hemofiltration using a cellulose triacetate membrane: an ex vivo study.

Hemofiltration is often used to treat critically ill patients with renal failure and septic shock. Although hemofiltration has been reported to remove humoral mediators such as cytokines, most studies have investigated the removal of only limited kinds of cytokines. Here, we assessed the removal of 17 cytokines, HMGB1, and albumin by continuous hemofiltration (CHF) with a cellulose triacetate membrane (2.1 m(2) or 1.1 m(2)).

22099601

The role of estrogen receptor α and β in regulating vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation is based on sex.

We previously demonstrated that vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) proliferation and development of neointimal hyperplasia as well as the ability of nitric oxide (NO) to inhibit these processes is dependent on sex and hormone status. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of estrogen receptor (ER) in mediating proliferation in male and female VSMC.

22099604

Changing epidemiology of acute appendicitis in the United States: study period 1993-2008.

Addis et al. [5] described the epidemiology of appendicitis in the United States from 1970 to 1984. He reported that while overall incidence decreased, the highest incidence of appendicitis occurred in 10- to 19-y-olds. This study examines if the incidence of appendicitis and mean age of diagnosis has changed, and whether demographics are related to the frequency of admissions and incidence rate of acute appendicitis (AA).

22099605

Pterostilbene and cancer: current review.

Pterostilbene (trans-3,5-dimethoxy-4-hydroxystilbene) is an antioxidant that is primarily found in blueberries. Studies suggest that pterostilbene exhibits the hallmark characteristics of an effective anticancer agent based on its antineoplastic properties in mon malignancies. In vitro models have shown that pterostilbene inhibits cancer growth through alteration of the cell cycle, induction of apoptosis, and inhibition of metastasis. In vivo, pterostilbene inhibits tumorigenesis and metastasis with negligible toxicity. Pterostilbene has also been shown to be effective as an inducer of antioxidant capacity in multiple cancer cell lines that may facilitate its function as an pound. Additionally, preliminary studies show that pterostilbene exhibits much greater pared with other pounds; however the exact pharmacologic mechanism of pterostilbene and its effects in humans are still under investigation. In this review, we present prehensive summary of the antineoplastic mechanisms of pterostilbene based on the results of preclinical studies and highlight recent advances in the study of this pound.

22099607

Severe and anxious depression: combining definitions of clinical sub-types to identify patients differentially responsive to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

Patients with severe major depressive disorder are more likely than those with mild/moderate depression to experience the relative benefits of antidepressant therapy versus placebo. Several studies have, unexpectedly, failed to show a similar antidepressant-placebo discrepancy between patients with versus without anxious depression, although patients with anxious depression are more likely to meet criteria for severe depression than those without. The aim of this study was to confirm the absence of treatment moderating effects for anxious depression in a general clinical trial population, and to examine for the presence of treatment moderating effects in severe depression. Patient-level e data from all randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials involving the use of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor escitalopram for adults with major depressive disorder sponsored by H. Lundbeck A/S or Forest Laboratories were pooled. Studies focusing on patients with a specific axis-I or -III co-morbidity were excluded. Data from five trials were pooled. Anxious depression was not found to serve as a treatment moderator for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor therapy versus placebo. However, when patients with severe depression were analyzed separately, anxious depression significantly influenced the relative degree of symptom reduction with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors versus placebo (p=0.0094). In fact, the numbers needed to treat for remission for these two sub-types were the largest and smallest reported to date from analyses of large datasets of antidepressants (22 for severe anxious versus 4 for severe non-anxious depression). Subdividing patients with severe major depressive disorder into those with versus without anxious depression results in the characterization of sub-types that are particularly "responsive" (severe non-anxious) and "unresponsive" (severe anxious) to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor therapy (relative to placebo). These findings are preliminary, of yet undetermined clinical relevance, and warrant replication and further exploration.

22099606

Abnormal anterior cingulate cortical activity during emotional n-back task performance distinguishes bipolar from unipolar depressed females.

Depression in the context of bipolar disorder (BDd) is often misdiagnosed as unipolar disorder depression (UDd) leading to poor clinical es for many bipolar sufferers. We examined neural circuitry supporting emotion regulation in females with either BDd or UDd as a first stage toward identifying biomarkers that may differentiate BDd from UDd.

22099608

Physical activity and function in adolescents with chronic pain: a controlled study using actigraphy.

Physical functioning is often impaired in adolescents with chronic pain, which has largely been demonstrated through subjective self-report measures. Actigraphy uses motion monitoring as an objective means for assessing one dimension of physical functioning; physical activity level. This study used subjective and objective measures to assess multiple dimensions of physical functioning in a clinical sample of adolescents with chronic pain (n = 78) and parison group of healthy adolescents (n = 59). Individual and pain characteristics were also examined as predictors of actigraphy variables within the chronic pain sample. Results indicated that adolescents with chronic pain demonstrate significant impairment in subjective measures of physical functioning and evidence lower levels of physical activity. Actigraphic measures of physical activity were moderately correlated with self-report measures of physical functioning. Individual characteristics, including adolescent age, sex, and Body Mass Index percentile, were associated with physical activity levels among adolescents with chronic pain. Physical activity represents a distinct dimension of physical functioning. Assessing physical activity may provide additional description of physical functioning among adolescents with chronic pain, and may help identify targets for intervention in this population.

22099609

Kyphectomy for congenital kyphosis due to meningomyelocele: a case treated with a modified approach to skin healing.

This study is a case report of a meningomyelocele patient with congenital kyphosis who was treated with kyphectomy and a special approach to soft tissue healing. The objective of this study is to show a step by step approach to surgical treatment and postoperative care of a meningomyelocele patient with congenital kyphosis. In meningomyelocele the incidence of kyphosis is around 12-20%. It may cause recurrent skin ulcerations, impaired sitting balance and promise. Kyphectomy has first been described by Sharrard. This surgery is prone plications including pseudoarthrosis, skin healing problems, recurrence of deformity and deep infections. A 15-year-old male presented with congenital kyphosis due to meningomyelocele. He had back pain, deformity and bedsores at the apex of the deformity. The wound cultures showed Staphylococcus epidermidis colonisation at the apex. He was given appropriate antibiotic prophylaxis. During surgery, the apex of the deformity was exposed through a spindle-shaped incision. After instrumentation and excision of the apex, correction was carried out by cantilever technique. Two screws were inserted to the bodies of L3 and T11. After the operation, the skin was closed in a reverse cross fashion. He was sent to hyperbaric oxygen treatment for prevention of a subsequent skin infection and for rapid healing of skin flaps post operation. The patient's deformity was corrected from a preoperative Cobb angle of 135°-15° postoperative. The skin healed without any problems. Preoperative culture and appropriate antibiotic prophylaxis, spindle-shaped incision, reverse cross-skin closure and postoperative hyperbaric oxygen treatment can be useful adjuncts to treatment in congenital kyphosis patients with myelomeningocele to prevent postoperative wound healing and infection problems. Reduction screws and pression screws help to reduce the amount of screws and aid in corection of the deformity.

22099610

Performance characteristics of computed tomography in detecting lymph node metastases in contemporary patients with prostate cancer treated with extended pelvic lymph node dissection.

Computed tomography (CT) is monly used noninvasive procedure for prostate cancer (PCa) staging. All previous studies addressing the ability of CT scan to predict lymph node invasion (LNI) were based on historical patients treated with limited pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND).

22099612

Chronic rhinosinusitis.

This article defines chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and shares contemporary principles for its diagnosis and management, focusing on practical considerations for rhinoplasty surgeons. Nasal obstruction, the mon symptom of CRS, is frequently the plaint of patients seeking functional rhinoplasty surgery. Because correcting sites of anatomic obstruction to nasal airflow alone is unlikely to adequately treat CRS, rhinoplasty surgeons must have a firm understanding of the origin, diagnosis, and management of this disease process. With no single cause identified, CRS is likely an umbrella diagnosis or syndrome passing numerous causative factors, with mon end point of chronic sinonasal inflammation.

22099613

Allergic rhinitis.

Familiarity with the diagnosis and management of allergic rhinitis is important for physicians concerned with the nasal airway. Allergic rhinitis is mon and manageable condition that may cause persistent or intermittent symptoms that vary as to duration and severity. Allergic rhinitis impairs quality of life, sleep, school performance, and productivity on a scale pares with other chronic diseases. Diagnosis is primarily clinical, but supported by allergy testing. Therapeutic options for allergic rhinitis include pharmacotherapy, environmental control, and immunotherapy. More recently, a role for sublingual immunotherapy and turbinate reduction has been reported.

22099616

Concurrent rhinoplasty and endoscopic sinus surgery: a review of the pros and cons and a template for success.

Historically concurrent FESS/rhinoplasty was avoided due to concerns of increased risk plication. Recent studies have shown that FESS/rhinoplasty can be performed simultaneously with good es and no significant increase plications. A thorough and effective approach to the patient with sinonasal obstruction requires attention to aesthetic, functional, and inflammatory issues. Medical treatment is an important adjuvant to surgery in order to optimize es by improving patient symptoms long-term. Surgery for these patients should be performed in a careful, stepwise approach to address the nasal septum, inferior turbinates, paranasal sinuses, and external nasal structures.

22099614

Nonallergic rhinitis.

This article reviews a uniform way to describe nonallergic rhinitis in its various forms. The insights into its pathophysiology are briefly reviewed. A classification scheme for the different forms is provided. This is followed by descriptions of the diagnosis, evaluation, and management of nonallergic rhinitis.

22099615

Allergic skin disease.

The two mon allergic skin diseases in the world are often the least familiar to practicing surgeons: atopic dermatitis and contact dermatitis. When unrecognized, these disorders can cause great fort and decreased quality of life. This is only made worse by a surgical procedure which can exacerbate the disease process. Through proper recognition, management, and peri-surgical prophylaxis flares of these diseases can be avoided, leading to decreased morbidity and improved patient satisfaction. This article summarizes the pathophysiology and management of both atopic and contact dermatitis, with attention to implications for the surgeon.

22099617

The unified airway.

The upper and lower respiratory tracts function as an interdependent physiologic mechanism, and stimuli that trigger pathophysiologic changes in one portion of the airway can provoke similar changes throughout the airway. The unified airway model acknowledges these shared airway features, suggesting the importance prehensive evaluation of patients with any respiratory symptoms. Two areas are of specific importance to the septoplasty/rhinoplasty surgeon: (1) preoperative evaluation of the patient with rhinitis undergoing nasal surgery, and (2) perioperative and postoperative management of the nose. Management of potential cardiopulmonary risks among susceptible individuals is vital in the perioperative management of these patients.

22099611

Biomarkers in the management and treatment of men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

We have recently witnessed a rapid increase in the number of effective systemic agents for men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), including novel hormonal therapies (abiraterone acetate and MDV3100), immunotherapies (sipuleucel-T), chemotherapies (cabazitaxel), and bone microenvironment targeting agents (denosumab, radium 223). Given the plexity of treatment decisions for this disease, major research and clinical priorities are (1) finding biomarkers that enable an understanding of the natural history plex biology of this heterogeneous malignancy, (2) defining predictive biomarkers that identify men most likely to benefit from a given therapy, and (3) identifying biomarkers of early response or progression to optimize es.

22099618

Pharmacotherapy of rhinitis and rhinosinusitis.

Concerns for the cosmetic surgeon regarding allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and rhinosinusitis include diagnosis, treatment, and assessment of the disease and whether or not the timing or e of cosmetic procedures will be affected. In this article, the pharmacotherapy of allergic and nonallergic rhinoconjunctivitis and rhinosinusitis is discussed with emphasis on intranasal steroids, antihistamines, and antibiotics.

22099619

The role of alternative medicine in rhinology.

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) includes treatments from traditional Chinese medicine, homeopathy, naturopathy, herbal medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, mind-body medicine, chiropractic or osteopathic manipulations, and massage. More than 40% of patients in the United States use CAM, with 17% of CAM use related to otolaryngology diagnoses, but nearly half of CAM users do municate their use of these medications to their physicians. Perioperative risk of bleeding is a particular concern in surgical specialties, and knowledge of these therapies and their potential adverse effects is critical.

22099620

Sinonasal problems and reflux.

Extraesophageal reflux has been implicated in many disorders affecting the upper airway. This article reviews the recent literature regarding the relationship of refractory chronic rhinosinusitis with extraesophageal reflux. Recent studies have shown that patients with refractory chronic rhinosinusitis have an increased prevalence of extraesophageal reflux. An association may exist between gastroesophageal reflux and rhinosinusitis, especially in individuals with medically and surgically refractory disease. These studies have a poor level of evidence and data supporting causation are lacking. However, evaluation and treatment should be considered in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis, especially in those with refractory disease.

22099622

Smell and taste disorders.

Olfaction and taste promote satisfaction and protection in daily life. The astute facial plastic surgeon recognizes the importance of a baseline smell test to document the patients' olfactory status before surgery. After surgery, the surgeon must be alert to the possible mechanisms of hyposmia and anosmia and the pertinent treatment strategies. The surgeon must also understand the importance of counseling the patient and family regarding the cause of the dysfunction and the proper treatments. This article updates the facial plastic surgeon on the importance of smell and taste and associated disorders with a current review of the literature.

22099621

Bacteriology and antibiotic resistance in chronic rhinosinusitis.

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a prevalent health care problem that may monly encountered in patients desiring aesthetic or reconstructive rhinoplasty. The purpose of this article is to review mon bacterial pathogens associated with CRS, as well as patterns of bacterial resistance in this patient subset. Close understanding of microbial pathogens involved in CRS and their associated resistance patterns will guide facial plastic surgeons in optimally managing this important orbidity, and in turn positively influence the e of rhinoplasty.

22099624

Root trauma and tooth loss through the application of pre-drilled transgingival fixation screws.

Transgingival fixation screws are used for intermaxillary fixation in different situations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of root trauma and tooth loss using pre-drilled transgingival fixation screws.

22099625

Acute effects of nicardipine and esmolol on the cardiac cycle, intracardiac hemodynamic and endothelial shear stress in patients with unstable angina pectoris and moderate coronary stenosis: results from single center, randomized study.

This study aimed pare the acute effects of nicardipine and esmolol on hemodynamic and endothelial shear stress (ESS) in patients with unstable angina (UA) and moderate coronary stenosis (MCS).

22099626

Comminuted mandibular fracture in child victim of dog bite.

Dog bites represent monly found in Hospital Emergency Clinic. This type of lesion may cause severe harm to patients, but it rarely affects the underlying bone structure causes facial fracture. This study aims to illustrate a rare clinical case in which a pediatric patient presented minuted fracture in the mandible which evolved into a unilateral avulsion of the mandibular condyle, body fractures as well as a mandibular ramus and hemiface that had been deformed, with multiple lacerations and loss of soft-tissue mass. Intermaxillary fixation was performed using the Ivy method, followed by internal rigid fixation using miniplates and screws in attempt to reconstruct the child's mandible. After 2 years of follow-up, a satisfactory esthetics and functional results could be observed.

22099627

Plasma BNP, a useful marker of fluid overload in hospitalized hemodialysis patients.

Hospitalization for intercurrent illness frequently disrupts the nutritional status of hemodialysis (HD) patients and jeopardizes the dry weight prescription. We report in this study the evolution of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), blood pressure and body weight in hospitalized patients and the relationship between BNP plasma level and nutritional and inflammation parameters. We have studied 42 patients requiring hospitalization (F/M: 18/24; 72.5 ± 12.5 years old; 19/42 with diabetes). The plasma BNP levels at baseline, during hospitalization (BNP-Hosp), and in the recovery phase pared. Predialysis and postdialysis blood pressure and postdialysis body weight were recorded pared. BNP-Hosp increased significantly pared with BNP levels at baseline, from 421 ± 647.2 pg/mL to 1584 ± 1584.4 pg/mL (P < 0.0001). Brain natriuretic peptide decreased from 1223 ± 1342.1 pg/mL during hospitalization to 616 ± 892.1 pg/mL after discharge (P = 0.005). The BNP-Hosp was positively correlated with C-reactive protein (P = 0.003) and negatively correlated with serum prealbumin (P = 0.0001) and albumin (P = 0.0001). The postdialysis body weight prescription decreased from 71.0 ± 15.7 kg at baseline to 70.5 ± 15.4 kg during hospitalization and to 67.8 ± 14.4 kg 4 months after discharge (P = 0.0032). Our study displays clearly the significant changes of plasma BNP levels occurring during intercurrent events. Fluid overload triggered by inflammation-associated catabolism and the lag time for dry weight adjustment is the cause of this finding. Hence, plasma BNP level may be used as a marker of fluid overload in patients with intercurrent events and may allow efficient dry weight adjustment. We cannot rule out an effect of inflammation on BNP synthesis.

22099629

Tracing the evolution of the mitochondrial protein import machinery.

Mitochondria are eukaryotic organelles originated from a single bacterial endosymbiosis about 2 billion years ago. One of the earliest events in the evolution of mitochondria was the acquisition of a mechanism that facilitated the import of proteins from cytosol. The mitochondrial protein import machinery consists of dozens of subunits, and they are of modular design. However, to date, it is not clear when ponent was added to the machinery. Using extensive homology searches, the evolutionary history of the mitochondrial protein import machinery was reconstructed. The results indicated that 6 of the 35 subunits have homologs in prokaryote, suggesting that they were prokaryotic origin; the major subunit gains were occurred in the earliest stage of eukaryotic evolution; subsequent to the gain of these conserved set of subunits, the mitochondrial protein import ponents diversified along the eukaryotic lineages and a number of lineage-specific subunits can be observed. Furthermore, protein import systems of mitochondria-like organelles (hydrogenosomes and mitosomes) have dramatically reduced their subunit contents, however, they share most of the prokaryotic ponents with mitochondrion.

22099628

Identification of virtual signal transducers and activators of transcription response elements in the human insulin receptor gene promoter.

In this study, we look for the existence of signal transducers and activators of transcription response elements (STATREs) in the human insulin receptor (hIR) gene promoter and their possible relation with the estradiol-provoked transcriptional repression of the hIR gene and cellular insulin resistance in U-937 human promonocytic cells. Potential STATREs in the region from -1819 to -271 bp of the hIR gene promoter were identified by their homology with the consensus STATRE (5'TTCnnnGAA3') using the SEQFIND programme developed in our laboratory. We located five virtual STATRE-like sites: [(I): -1472/-1464], [(II): -1548/-1540], [(III): -1552/-1544], [(IV): -1587/-1579] and [(V): -1678/-1670] showing a difference of only one base from this consensus. These STATREs-like sites were situated between 33 bp upstream the 5' half-element of the estrogen response element 1 (ERE1)-like (-1430/-1418) and 102 bp upstream the 5' half-element of the ERE2-like plexed with AP-1-like sites. A plex constituted by STATREs (II-IV) the ERE2 and AP-1 sites (IV and V) was located between -1587/-1540 bp of the hIR gene promoter. In conclusion, these results represent the first identification of virtual STATREs in the hIR gene promoter. These STATREs appear to be specifically located in the surroundings of the two EREs overlapped by various AP-1 sites. plexes could mediate crosstalk among STATs, estrogen receptor β (ERβ), and AP-1 regulating the ERβ-mediated transcriptional repression of the hIR gene and insulin resistance in U-937 cells.

22099630

New insights on gene regulation in archaea.

Archaea represent an important and vast domain of life. This cellular domain includes a large diversity of organisms characterized as prokaryotes with basal transcriptional machinery similar to eukarya. In this work we explore the most recent findings concerning the transcriptional regulatory organization in archaeal genomes since the perspective of the DNA-binding transcription factors (TFs), such as the high proportion of archaeal TFs homologous to bacteria, the apparent deficit of TFs, parable to the proportion of TFs in parasites or intracellular pathogenic bacteria, suggesting a deficit in this class of proteins. We discuss an appealing hypothesis to explain the apparent deficit of TFs in archaea, based on their characteristics, such as their small length sizes. The hypothesis suggests that a large fraction of these small-sized TFs could supply the deficit of TFs in archaea, by forming binations of monomers similar to that observed in eukaryotic transcriptional machinery, where a wide diversity of protein-protein interactions could act as mediators of regulatory feedback, indicating a chimera of bacterial and eukaryotic TFs' functionality. Finally, we discuss how global experiments can help to understand in a global context the role of TFs in these organisms.

22099631

A generalized graph-theoretical matrix of heterosystems and its application to the VMV procedure.

The extensions of generalized (molecular) graph-theoretical matrix and vector-matrix-vector procedure are considered. The elements of the generalized matrix are redefined in order to describe molecules containing heteroatoms and multiple bonds. The adjacency, distance, detour and reciprocal distance matrices of heterosystems, and corresponding vectors are derived from newly defined generalized graph matrix. The topological indices, which are most widely used in predicting physicochemical and biological properties/activities of pounds, can be calculated from the new generalized vector-matrix-vector invariant.

22099632

Kernel-based data fusion improves the drug-protein interaction prediction.

Proteins are involved in almost every action of every organism by interacting with other small molecules including drugs. Computationally predicting the drug-protein interactions is particularly important in speeding up the process of developing novel drugs. To borrow the information from existing drug-protein interactions, we need to define the similarity among proteins and the similarity among drugs. Usually these similarities are defined based on one single data source and many methods have been proposed. However, the availability of many genomic and chemogenomic data sources allows us to integrate these useful data sources to improve the predictions. Thus a great challenge is how to integrate these heterogeneous data sources. Here, we propose a kernel-based method to predict drug-protein interactions by integrating multiple types of data. Specially, we collect drug pharmacological and therapeutic effects, drug chemical structures, and protein genomic information to characterize the drug-target interactions, then integrate them by a kernel function within a support vector machine (SVM)-based predictor. With this data fusion technology, we establish the drug-protein interactions from a collections of data sources. Our new method is validated on four classes of drug target proteins, including enzymes, ion channels (ICs), G-protein couple receptors (GPCRs), and nuclear receptors (NRs). We find that every single data source is predictive and integration of different data sources allows the improvement of accuracy, i.e., data integration can uncover more experimentally observed drug-target interactions upon the same levels of false positive rate than single data source based methods. The functional annotation analysis indicates that our new predictions are worthy of future experimental validation. In conclusion, our new method can efficiently integrate diverse data sources, and will promote the further research in drug discovery.

22099633

Analysis and recognition of the GAGA transcription factor binding sites in Drosophila genes.

The transcription factor GAGA, encoded by the gene Trl, controls expression of many Drosophila melanogaster genes. We piled the presently largest sample (120 sites) of published nucleotide sequences with experimentally confirmed binding to GAGA protein. Analysis of the sample has demonstrated that despite an apparent structural diversity of the GAGA sites, they fall into four distinct groups, namely, (1) the sites containing two GAG trinucleotides with no more than one nucleotide substitution in each and separated by spacers with a length of 1 or 3 nucleotides (GAGnGAG and GAGnnnGAG); (2) the sites containing a single GAGAG motif; (3) (GA)(3-9) microsatellite repeats; and (4) the sites corresponding to three and more direct repeats of GAG trinucleotide homolog and its inverted repeats separated by spacers of various lengths. Using the software package SITECON, the methods were elaborated for recognizing the sites of GAGnGAG (method 1) and GAGnnnGAG (method 2) types in DNA sequences. Experimental verification confirmed the ability to interact with the GAGA factor for 72% of the sites predicted using method 1 and 94.5% of the sites predicted by method 2. Application of the experimentally verified methods to analyzing the localization of potential GAGA binding sites in the target genes of this transcription factor has demonstrated that the 5'-untranslated regions (5'UTRs) and first introns are enriched for these sites (two-threefold relative to the average occurrence frequency in the D. melanogaster genome) pared with a moderate enrichment (not exceeding 1.5-fold) of promoter regions (-4000/+200 bp or -1000/+100 bp).

22099634

Detecting breakdown points in metabolic networks.

plex network of biochemical reactions present in an organism generates various biological moieties necessary for its survival. It is seen that biological systems are robust to genetic and environmental changes at all levels of organization. Functions of various organisms are sustained against mutational changes by using alternative pathways. It is also seen that if any one of the paths for production of the same metabolite is hampered, an alternate path tries to e this defect and helps bating the damage.

22099636

Outcomes for depression and anxiety in primary care and details of treatment: a naturalistic longitudinal study.

There is little evidence as to whether or not guideline concordant care in general practice results in better clinical es for people with anxiety and depression. This study aims to determine possible associations between guideline concordant care and clinical es in general practice patients with depression and anxiety, and identify patient and treatment characteristics associated with clinical improvement.

22099638

Prevalence of neuroleptic-induced restless legs syndrome in patients taking neuroleptic drugs.

Dopamine deficiency or dopamine dysfunction has been implicated as one of the factors involved in the pathophysiology of restless legs syndrome (RLS). Our objective is to determine the prevalence of primary RLS in patients taking neuroleptic drugs. One hundred patients taking neuroleptic drugs and 100 healthy age- and sex-matched controls were interviewed with the Cambridge-Hopkins diagnostic questionnaire for RLS. Patients with malignancy, end-stage renal disease, neuropathy, history of spinal cord diseases, pregnancy and Parkinson's disease were excluded. Only one patient had symptoms consistent with RLS (1%), similar to one patient in the control group. She was a 40 years old female with a diagnosis of depression. She started having RLS symptoms approximately four years after starting perphenazine. The symptoms persisted after the medications were discontinued but decreased in severity and frequency. Her serum ferritin level was 90.3 ng/ml. The prevalence of primary RLS is low in patients attending the out-patient clinic who are taking neuroleptic drugs. Other factors apart from dopaminergic dysfunction are likely to be involved in the pathogenesis of RLS.

22099639

Influence of visual cues on gait in Parkinson's disease during treadmill walking at multiple velocities.

To evaluate the interaction of different treadmill-induced gait velocities and visual cues on the gait performance in Parkinson's disease (PD).

22099640

Polyethylene glycol-coated solid-phase microextraction fibres for the extraction of polar analytes--a review.

The article discusses the merits and limitations mercially available solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fibres pares them with the new type of extraction coatings, in particular those containing polyethylene glycol as sorbent, as well as the methods of the preparation of the latter. It also analyses their possible application for the extraction of a broad spectrum of analytes, with particular emphasis on the sampling of polar pounds from different media.

22099641

Neptunium(III) application in extraction chromatography.

This paper describes a novel strategy for actinide separation by extraction chromatography with Np(III) valence adjustment. Neptunium(IV) was reduced to Np(III) using Cr(II) and then selectively separated from uranium (IV) on a TEVA resin. After elution, Np(III) was retained on a DGA resin in order to remove any detrimental chromium impurities. Neptunium(III) formation was demonstrated by plete and selective elution of Np from TEVA resin (99 ± 7%) in less than 12 mL of 9M HCl from U(IV) (0.7 ± 0.7%). It was determined by UV-visible and kinetic studies that Cr(II) was the only species responsible for the elution of Np(IV) as Np(III) and that the Cr(II) solution could be prepared from 2 to 30 min before its use without the need plex degassing systems to prevent the oxidation of Np(III) by oxygen. The methodology proposed here with TEVA/DGA resins provides removal of Cr(III) impurities produced at high decontamination factors (2.8 × 10(3) and 7.3 × 10(4) respectively).

22099642

Preparation and characterization of bismuth oxide nanoparticles-multiwalled carbon nanotube composite for the development of horseradish peroxidase based H₂O₂ biosensor.

In this work, preparation and characterization of a novel posite containing bismuth oxide (Bi(2)O(3)) nanoparticles and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) was presented. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies revealed that as-synthesized Bi(2)O(3) nanoparticles are crystalline and belong to α-phase with monoclinic symmetry. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) study results showed that the size of Bi(2)O(3) nanoparticles is 50 nm. Energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectra of as-prepared Bi(2)O(3)-MWCNT posite displayed characteristic Bi and C peaks which confirmed the incorporation of Bi(2)O(3) with MWCNT. The prepared Bi(2)O(3)-MWCNT was also characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) studies. The direct electron transfer of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) has been revealed at Bi(2)O(3)-MWCNT modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE). In order to firmly anchor the HRP molecules onto Bi(2)O(3)-MWCNT matrix, a thin layer of 1% nafion (NF) solution was coated as a binder. The fabricated NF/HRP/Bi(2)O(3)-MWCNT/GCE exhibits well defined quasi-reversible redox peaks at a formal potential (E(0)') of -0.326V vs. Ag/AgCl reference electrode in 0.05M phosphate buffer solution (PBS), pH 7. NF/HRP/Bi(2)O(3)-MWCNT film remarkably lowers the over potential for H(2)O(2) reduction than MWCNT, Bi(2)O(3)-MWCNT and unmodified GCEs. The posite film exhibits quick amperometric i-t response (5s) towards H(2)O(2) in the linear range of 8.34-28.88mM with a sensitivity of 26.54 μA μM(-1)cm(-2). The developed NF/HRP/Bi(2)O(3)-MWCNT biosensor has a good operational stability and high selectivity towards H(2)O(2).

22099643

Multielement analysis of micro-volume biological samples by ICP-MS with highly efficient sample introduction system.

A method for multielement analysis of micro-volume biological sample by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) with a highly efficient sample introduction system was presented. The sample introduction system was bination of (1) an inert loop injection unit and (2) a high performance concentric nebulizer (HPCN) coupled with a temperature controllable cyclone chamber. The loop injection unit could introduce 20 μL samples into the carrier liquid flow of 10 μL min(-1) producing a stable signal for 100s without any dilution. The injection loop is continuously washed with 0.1M HNO(3) carrier solution during the measurement, thereby much improving sample throughput. The HPCN is a triple tube concentric nebulizer, which can generate fine aerosols and provide a stable and highly measurement sensitivity in ICP-MS at a liquid flow rate less than 10 μL min(-1). With bination of the chamber heating at 60°C, the sensitivity obtained with the proposed sample introduction system at the liquid flow rate of 10 μL min(-1) was almost the same as that with mon concentric nebulizer and cyclone chamber system at the liquid flow rate of 1 mL min(-1), though the sample consumption rate of the HPCN was two orders of the magnitude lower than that of mon nebulizer. The validation of the proposed system was performed by analyzing the NIST SRM 1577b Bovine Liver. The observed values for 12 elements such as Na, P, S, K, Ca, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, Mo, Cd were in good agreement with their certified values and information value. Satisfactory analytical results for 14 elements such as Na, Mg, P, S, K, Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Y, Ba in Escherichia coli sample were also obtained. The proposed sample introduction system was quite effective in the cases when only micro-volume of biological sample is available.

22099645

Determination of fullerenes (C60) in artificial sediments by liquid chromatography.

In this new century, nanotechnology has evolved from a novel concept to an integral aspect of product advancement. With an increasing presence of nanomaterials mercial products, more concern about the impact of nanomaterials on human health and also the environment has been considered and evaluated. Fullerenes (C60), have been studied in several different areas and applied widely. Wider application of fullerenes into different products in the recent decades has increased the potential of fullerene releases into the environment. Fullerene research involves physical and chemical characteristics, toxicity, environment fate, and interaction with other pollutions. However, few studies have addressed fullerene quantification in solid matrices. Standardized artificial sediment was prepared following OECD guideline 225, and extracted C60 was quantified by HPLC-UV. A normal shaking method was employed for extraction for two times. Extracts were concentrated and analyzed. Recovery results revealed up to 90.7 ± 4.5%, 90.0 ± 3.8%, 93.8 ± 5.4%, respectively for 1.62, 0.65, and 0.32 μg/g C60 in dry sediment, which shows no significant difference between different concentration levels. Furthermore, extraction efficiency did not show significant difference while using Telfon(TM) tubes (96.5 ± 6.0%) or silanized glass vessels (90.7 ± 4.5%). This indicated that relative low cost is required for the method to be initially started in any lab. This technique has also been applied in the determination of C60 in sediment samples collected after a 10 day benthic exposure study. Extraction precision has been increased from 4.5% (S.D.) as the validation value up to 15.4% (RSD%) or more. The increased inhomogeneity by bioturbation and plexity of the sediment after the toxicity test could both lower the extraction precision.

22099644

Determination of biodiesel content in biodiesel/diesel blends using NIR and visible spectroscopy with variable selection.

This work is concerned of evaluate the use of visible and near-infrared (NIR) range, separately bined, to determine the biodiesel content in biodiesel/diesel blends using Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) and variable selection by Successive Projections Algorithm (SPA). Full spectrum models employing Partial Least Squares (PLS) and variables selection by Stepwise (SW) regression coupled with Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) and PLS models also with variable selection by Jack-Knife (Jk) pared the proposed methodology. Several preprocessing were evaluated, being chosen derivative Savitzky-Golay with second-order polynomial and 17-point window for NIR and visible-NIR range, with offset correction. A total of 100 blends with biodiesel content between 5 and 50% (v/v) prepared starting from ten sample of biodiesel. In the NIR and visible region the best model was the SPA-MLR using only two and eight wavelengths with RMSEP of 0.6439% (v/v) and 0.5741 respectively, while in the visible-NIR region the best model was the SW-MLR using five wavelengths and RMSEP of 0.9533% (v/v). Results indicate that both spectral ranges evaluated showed potential for developing a rapid and nondestructive method to quantify biodiesel in blends with mineral diesel. Finally, one can still mention that the improvement in terms of prediction error obtained with the procedure for variables selection was significant.

22099646

Novel PVC-membrane electrode for flow injection potentiometric determination of Biperiden in pharmaceutical preparations.

The construction and performance characteristics of Biperiden (BP) polyvinyl chloride (PVC) electrodes are described. Different methods for electrode fabrication are tested including; incorporation of BP-ion pairs (BP-IPs), incorporation of ion pairing agents, or soaking the plain electrode in BP-ion pairs suspension solution. Electrode matrices were optimized referring to the effect of modifier content and nature, plasticizer and the method of modification. The proposed electrodes work satisfactorily in the BP concentration range from 10(-5) to 10(-2)mol L(-1), with fast response time (7s) and adequate operational lifetime (28 days). The electrode potential is pH independent within the range 2.0-7.0, with good selectivity towards BP in presence of various interfering species. The developed electrodes have been applied for potentiometric determination of BP in pharmaceutical formulation under batch and flow injection analysis (FIA) conditions. FIA offers the advantages of accuracy and automation feasibility with high sampling frequency. The dissolution profile for Akineton tablets (2mg BP/tablet) was studied using the proposed electrode parison with the official methods.

22099647

Wavelets and genetic algorithms applied to search prefilters for spectral library matching in forensics.

Currently, the identification of the make, model and year of a motor vehicle involved in a hit and run collision from only a clear coat paint smear left at a crime scene is not possible. Search prefilters for searching infrared (IR) spectral libraries of the paint data query (PDQ) automotive database to differentiate between similar but nonidentical Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) paint spectra are proposed. Applying wavelets, FTIR spectra of clear coat paint smears can be denoised and deconvolved by posing each spectrum into wavelet coefficients which represent the sample's constituent frequencies. A genetic algorithm for pattern recognition analysis is used to identify wavelet coefficients for underdetermined data that are characteristic of the model and manufacturer of the automobile from which the spectra of the clear coats were obtained. Even in challenging trials where the samples evaluated were all the same manufacturer (Chrysler) with a limited production year range, the respective models and manufacturing plants were correctly identified. Search prefilters for spectral library matching are necessary to extract investigative lead information from a clear coat paint smear; unlike the undercoat and color coat paint layers, which can be identified using the text based portion of the PDQ database.

22099648

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy-based investigation and classification of pharmaceutical tablets using multivariate chemometric analysis.

We report the effectiveness of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) in probing the content of pharmaceutical tablets and also investigate its feasibility for routine classification. This method is particularly beneficial in applications where its exquisite chemical specificity and suitability for remote and on site characterization significantly improves the speed and accuracy of quality control and assurance process. Our experiments reveal that in addition to the presence of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen, which can be primarily attributed to the active pharmaceutical ingredients, specific inorganic atoms were also present in all the tablets. Initial attempts at classification by a ratiometric approach using oxygen (∼777 nm) to nitrogen (742.36 nm, 744.23 nm and 746.83 positional values yielded an optimal value at 746.83 nm with the least relative standard deviation but nevertheless failed to provide an acceptable classification. To e this bottleneck in the detection process, two chemometric algorithms, i.e. ponent analysis (PCA) and soft independent modeling of class analogy (SIMCA), were implemented to exploit the multivariate nature of the LIBS data demonstrating that LIBS has the potential to differentiate and discriminate among pharmaceutical tablets. We report excellent prospective classification accuracy using supervised classification via the SIMCA algorithm, demonstrating its potential for future applications in process analytical technology, especially for fast on-line process control monitoring applications in the pharmaceutical industry.

22099649

Assessment uncertainty associated to the analysis of tar from gasification of sewage sludge.

The uncertainty evaluation associated with the quantification of tar from gasification of sewage sludge is present. Each of the sources of uncertainty associated with the wet type sampling method and GC-MS analysis was identified to determine the critical stages of the analytical methodology in order to reduce them. The study shows that major contributions to the overall uncertainty are related to extraction steps. High expanded uncertainties were found for pounds, due to the segregation of the tar in different samples because of the sampling method. However, the analytical method used was successfully applied for the evaluation of the tar cleaning filter in a real gasification plant.

22099650

Modified gold surfaces by poly(amidoamine) dendrimers and fructose dehydrogenase for mediated fructose sensing.

An electrochemical biosensor for detection of fructose in food samples was developed by immobilization of fructose dehydrogenase (FDH) on cysteamine and poly(amidoamine) dendrimers (PAMAM)-modified gold electrode surface. Electrochemical analysis was carried out by using hexacyanoferrate (HCF) as a mediator and the response time was 35s at +300 mV vs. Ag/AgCl. Moreover, some parameters such as pH, enzyme loading and type of PAMAM (Generations 2, 3 and 4) were investigated. Then, the FDH biosensor was calibrated for fructose in the concentration range of 0.25-5.0mM. To evaluate its utility, the FDH biosensor was applied for fructose analysis in real samples. Finally, obtained data pared with those measured with HPLC as a reference method.

22099651

Molecularly imprinted polymers for separation of various sugars from human urine.

Molecularly imprinted polymers were the new, simple and unexpensive materials that can be used in several clinical applications. Phenylboronic acid has been frequently used as functional monomer for the covalent imprinting of diols. In this study, the phenylboronic acid esters of fructose, galactose, glucose and raffinose were synthesized and then used as template analytes. The adsorption capacities of fructose, galactose and glucose-phenylboronic acid imprinted polymers were 75, 10 and 30%, respectively. The batch rebinding studies and Scatchard analysis were done for all sugar imprinted polymer. Glucose is one of the mostly found sugar in the urine. The glucose:phenylboronic acid imprinted polymer was used for the analysis of glucose, fructose, galactose, sucrose, maltose, lactose and raffinose in spiked urine. The selectivity of glucose:phenylboronic acid imprinted polymer to urine monosaccharides was found as nearly 45-55% and to di- and polysaccharides was found as 30-35%, respectively.

22099652

In vitro monitoring of natural thorium in urine using fluorimeter.

A relatively less expensive and less time consuming radio analytical technique for quantitative determination of Th(nat) in urine at mBq level is developed and reported in this paper. Th in urine is co-precipitated with Ca(3)(PO(4))(2) from wet oxidized urine matrix and the precipitate is dissolved in HNO(3) and evaporated to dryness. The residue is dissolved in 3M HCl and 200mg of Na-EDTA is added to mask Ca(2+), Mg(2+) and Fe(3+) ions. Th(4+) is extracted into 0.01M PC-88A (2-ethyl hexyl phosphonic acid mono-2-ethylhexyl ester), dissolved in toluene from the experimentally optimized pH 2.5 ± 0.3 in aqueous phase. Th(4+) is stripped into 8.0M HCl and evaporated to dryness. The content of the beaker is dissolved in pH 1.8 HCl plexed with 3-hydroxy flavone. The sample is excited at 397 nm and fluorescence intensity is measured at 462 nm. The detailed study of the method is presented in this paper. Interference study on elements that are normally present in urine and other actinides (if present) is also given.

22099653

An adaptable automatic trace metal monitoring system for on line measuring in natural waters.

An adaptable automatic trace metal monitoring system (ATMS) was assembled and embedded in a mobile monitoring station belonging to the French Water Agency Artois-Picardie (AEAP) and deployed in the field to measure the concentration of trace metals (electroactive and acid leachable fractions) in natural waters by anodic stripping voltammetry with a hanging mercury drop electrode. Cathodic stripping voltammetry procedures were included to estimate the concentration of dissolved oxygen and reduced sulphur species. The concept of the measuring system enables easy adaptation of methods and procedures to analytes of concern and gives the opportunity to undertake in real-time a routine analysis of the dynamic behaviour of trace metals in river, pond and seawater. The system was tested in two aquatic bodies: in a pond where eutrophication processes occur recurrently and in the Deûle River, where sediments are highly contaminated by several metals such as Pb and Zn and frequently resuspended because of the river traffic. Preliminary field studies demonstrated that trace metal concentrations can evolve quickly as a function of time, depending on the turbidity and luminescence, i.e. day-night cycles. The obtained results pared with an Environmental Quality Standard (EQS), the Criteria Maximum Concentration (CMC) and the Criterion Continuous Concentration (CCC). The whole system is also prepared for the task of "early warning".

22099654

Visual detection of organophosphorus pesticides represented by mathamidophos using Au nanoparticles as colorimetric probe.

With citrate-coated Au nanoparticles as colorimetric probe, a novel visual method for rapid assay of organophosphorus pesticides has been developed. The assay principle is based on catalytic hydrolysis of acetylthiocholine into thiocholine by acetylcholinesterase, which induces the aggregation of Au nanoparticles and the color change from claret-red to purple or even grey. The original plasmon absorption of Au nanoparticles at 522 nm decreases, and simultaneously, a new absorption band appears at 675 nm. The irreversible inhibition of organophosphorus pesticides on acetylcholinesterase prevents aggregation of Au nanoparticles. Under optimum conditions, the absorbance at 522 nm of Au nanoparticles is related linearly to the concentration of mathamidophos in the range of 0.02-1.42 μg/mL with a detection limit of 1.40 ng/mL. This colorimetric method has been successfully utilized to detect mathamidophos in vegetables with satisfactory results. The proposed colorimetric assay exhibits good reproducibility and accuracy, providing a simple and rapid method for the analysis of organophosphorus pesticides.

22099655

Label-free immunoassay for chloramphenicol based on hollow gold nanospheres/chitosan composite.

A novel label-free electrochemical immunosensor for rapid determination of chloramphenicol (CAP) was fabricated by entrapping monoclonal antibody to chloramphenicol (anti-CAP) in hollow gold nanospheres posite modified on a glassy carbon electrode. The hollow gold nanospheres (HGNs) were prepared by using Co nanoparticles as sacrificial templates and characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The changes of the electrode behavior after each fabrication step were investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique. Under optimal conditions, the proposed immunosensor has a sensitive response to CAP in a linear range of 0.1-1000 ng mL(-1) with the detection limit of 0.06 ng mL(-1). Accurate detection of CAP in real meat samples was demonstrated parison with conventional HPLC method. The proposed method was proven to be a feasible quantitative method for CAP analysis with the properties of simple preparation, stability, high sensitivity and selectivity.