Τρίτη 2 Αυγούστου 2016

Role of physician perception of patient smile on pretest probability assessment for acute pulmonary embolism

Background

Many clinicians use a global visual interpretation of patient appearance to decide if a patient looks sick or not. For patients with suspected acute pulmonary embolism (PE), we tested the relationship between visual appearance of a happy patient facial affect and probability of PE+ on CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA).

Methods

Eligible patients were selected by usual care to undergo CTPA, the criterion standard for PE+ or PE–. Prior to CTPA result, trained study personnel obtained physician pretest probability using the gestalt method (visual analogue scale, 0%–100%), the Wells score (0–12) and physicians’ impression of whether the patient smiled during the initial examination (smile+). Patients' faces were also video recorded and analysed with an automated neural network-based algorithm (Noldus FaceReader) for happy affect.

Results

Of the 208 patients enrolled, 27 were PE+ and smile+ was more frequent in patients with PE+ than PE–, a finding confirmed by the Noldus. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of smile was low, and physicians overestimated presence of an alternative diagnosis more likely to PE with smile+ than smile– patients in patients with true PE. As a result, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) was lower for the Wells score in smile+ patients. However, the physicians’ mean gestalt estimate of PE did not differ with smile status, nor did smile status affect the AUROC for gestalt.

Conclusions

In patients with suspected PE, physician recollection of patients’ smile+ was more common in PE+ patients, and was associated with a less accurate Wells score, primarily because physicians overestimated probability of alternative diagnosis. However, the overall diagnostic accuracy of physicians’ gestalt did not differ with perceived smile status. These data suggest that the patients’ smile had less effect on the numeric gestalt pretest probability assessment than on the binary decision about an alternative diagnosis.



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Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest attended by ambulance services in Ireland: first 2 years results from a nationwide registry

Background

National data collection provides information on out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) incidence, management and outcomes that may not be generalisable from smaller studies. This retrospective cohort study describes the first 2 years' results from the Irish National Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Register (OHCAR).

Methods

Data on OHCAs attended by emergency medical services (EMS) where resuscitation was attempted (EMS-treated) were collected from ambulance services and entered onto OHCAR. Descriptive analysis of the study population was performed, and regression analysis was performed on the subgroup of adult patients with a bystander-witnessed event of presumed cardiac aetiology and an initial shockable rhythm (Utstein group).

Results

3701 EMS-treated OHCAs were recorded for the study period (1 January 2012–31 December 2013). Incidence was 39/100 000 population/year. In the Utstein group (n=577), compared with the overall group, there was a higher proportion of male patients, public event location, bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and early defibrillation. Median EMS call–response interval was similar in both groups. A higher proportion of patients in the Utstein group achieved return of spontaneous circulation (35% vs 17%) and survival to hospital discharge (22% vs 6%). After multivariate adjustment for the Utstein group, the following variables were found to be independent predictors of the outcome survival to hospital discharge: public event location (OR 3.1 (95% CI 1.9 to 5.0)); bystander CPR (2.4 (95% CI 1.2 to 4.9)); EMS response of 8 min or less (2.2 (95% CI 1.3 to 3.6)).

Conclusions

This study highlights the role of nationwide registries in quantifying, monitoring and benchmarking OHCA incidence and outcome, providing baseline data upon which service improvement effects can be measured.



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T-cells can be directed to treat a variety of ovarian cancershttps://t.co/VqYF45P05H @TheWistar https://t.co/fQWX5eYkkm

T-cells can be directed to treat a variety of ovarian cancers https://t.co/VqYF45P05H @TheWistar https://t.co/fQWX5eYkkm

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Clinicians & researchers: join internationally-recognised speakers on lung cancer at historic venue #lungcancer16 https://t.co/SXEXuW5WnW

Clinicians & researchers: join internationally-recognised speakers on lung cancer at historic venue #lungcancer16 https://t.co/SXEXuW5WnW

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Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Advanced Ovarian Cancer: A Single-Institution Experience and a Review of the Literature

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) in advanced ovarian carcinoma patients unable to undergo a complete resection during primary debulking surgery. Methods: From February 2005 to October 2015, all consecutive cases of advanced-stage epithelial ovarian carcinoma at the University of Bari were retrospectively recorded. Of them, patients treated with NACT were collected. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards analyses were used to determine the predictors of survival. Results: Seventy-eight women with advanced-stage epithelial ovarian carcinoma were treated with NACT. On univariate analysis, age (p = 0.003), CA-125 serum level (0.001), response to NACT (p Conclusions: NACT does not compromise survival in patients with stage IIIC and IV ovarian cancer compared to patients treated with primary surgery. Prospective randomized trials comparing NACT to conventional treatment are needed to determine the quality of life and cost/benefit outcomes for women presenting advanced epithelial ovarian cancer.
Oncology

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Metformin and Angiogenesis in Cancer - Revisited

Several clinical studies demonstrated that diabetic patients treated with metformin were less likely to develop vascular complications, independent of glycemic control. It was also demonstrated that the large variety of metformin's vascular actions can be seen in nondiabetic conditions. Metformin has an interesting potential to treat vascular dysfunction and tumor angiogenesis in conditions beyond diabetes. Since metformin's use in cancer as a single antiangiogenic agent appears to be a therapeutic disappointment, the use of the drug as part of combination anticancer modality represents a therapeutic challenge. The normalization of vascular dysfunction as a new therapeutic strategy may provide better delivery of conventional anticancer agents to the tumor and disrupted tumor environment. In this review, we will outline the available information from the literature regarding metformin and tumor angiogenesis and suggest eventual experimental and clinical approaches.
Oncology

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Errors and Nonadherence in Pediatric Oral Chemotherapy Use

Background: Nonadherence and medication error both limit the effectiveness of oral chemotherapy. The overlap between nonadherence and medication error is not well studied in children, and interventions strategies differ for each. Our objective was to describe nonadherence and errors in children with cancer to inform future interventions. Methods: Nonadherence was measured using two self-report tools. Medication error was measured using medication review and observation of administration at home. Two clinicians made judgments about whether each error also represented an episode of nonadherence. Results: Of 72 errors detected in 92 home visits, 27 were also instances of nonadherence. For example, parents gave a child 1 tablet of mercaptopurine every day rather than the prescribed 1 tablet 5 days a week and ½ tablet on weekends. Clinician reviewers judged that family interventions and health system interventions would be most effective in preventing the errors and nonadherence identified in this population of children with cancer. Discussion: The relationship between medication errors and nonadherence is not well described in the literature. Our data indicate that medication error and nonadherence coexist in the same population and in the same patient. Interventions should address both to most effectively support self-management.
Oncology

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Ramadan Fasting and its Influence on Serum Osmolality in Emergency Patients

The post Ramadan Fasting and its Influence on Serum Osmolality in Emergency Patients appeared first on Welcome to Avens.



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Defining "intermittent UVR exposure"

Photochem. Photobiol. Sci., 2016, Accepted Manuscript
DOI: 10.1039/C6PP00137H, Paper
Mette Bodekaer, Peter Alshede Philipsen, Bibi Petersen, Jakob Heydenreich, Hans Christian Wulf
Background. Cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) has been associated with "intermittent UVR exposure", which in previous studies has mainly been assessed by retrospective questionnaire data. Further, there is no uniform definition...
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African-American women more likely to undergo autologous reconstruction

African American women undergoing mastectomy for breast cancer are more likely than white women to undergo autologous breast reconstruction using their own tissue, rather than implant-based reconstruction, reports a study in the August issue of Plastic...

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Over 750 biomarkers identified as potentials for early cancer screening test

Researchers have identified 788 biomarkers in blood that could be used to develop an early stage cancer screening test for the general population. The study, led by the University of Sheffield, is the first to create a comprehensive list of relevant...

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No link found between erectile dysfunction drugs and risk of prostate cancer

While some previous studies have indicated that taking erectile dysfunction (ED) drugs may reduce the likelihood of developing prostate cancer, new research published in The Journal of Urology found that these drugs do not play a role in preventing...

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Eppstein Barr virus may promote breast cancer development

New research reveals that infection with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) may put some women at increased risk for developing breast cancer. The findings, published online in the July issue of the journal EBioMedicine, may have important implications for...

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Study examines different types of surgery for kidney cancer

For completely endophytic kidney tumours, which grow inward, both open partial nephrectomy (OPN) and robotic partial nephrectomy (RPN) led to excellent patient outcomes in a recent study. When investigators analysed information on 87 RPN and 56 OPN...

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Silencing "don't eat me" signal effective against skin cancer

Using new and innovative immune-therapeutic approaches to silence "don't eat me" signalling proteins recognised by specialised cells of the immune system, University of California, Irvine molecular biologists and their colleagues have identified an...

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Rise in head and neck cancer spurs innovations in care - Burlington Hawk Eye


Rise in head and neck cancer spurs innovations in care
Burlington Hawk Eye
... past decade, we've seen an epidemic rise in cancers in the back of the throat, specifically in the tonsils and the base of the tongue — most which are related to HPV,” said Geoffrey Young, a head and neck surgeon in the Department of ...

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MRI + BI-RADS: A winning combination

2014_06_02_10_08_02_211_Brazilian_flag_2Using BI-RADS to detect ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) with MRI results in...


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Wom insider

yes


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A HER2 selective theranostic agent for surgical resection guidance and photodynamic therapy.

Photochem. Photobiol. Sci., 2016, Accepted Manuscript
DOI: 10.1039/C6PP00139D, Paper
Hayley Pye, Mohammed Adil Butt, Halla W Reinert, Antoine Maruani, Joao P.M. Neves, Jared S Marklew, Maryam Qurashi, Laura Funnell, Abi May, Ioanna Stamati, Rifat Hamoudi, James Baker, Mark E. B. Smith, S Caddick, Mahendra Deonarain, Gokhan Yahioglu, Vijay Chudasama, Laurence Lovat
In many cancers early intervention involves surgical resection of small localised tumour masses. Inadequate resection leads to recurrence whereas overzealous treatment can lead to organ damage. This work describes production...
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When It’s Okay That I Don’t Play: Social Norms and the Situated Construal of Social Exclusion

Being excluded and ignored has been shown to threaten fundamental human needs and cause pain. Such reflexive reactions to social exclusion have been conceptualized as direct and unmoderated (temporal need threat model of ostracism). Here, we propose an extension and argue that reflexive reactions depend on how social exclusion situations are construed. If being excluded is understood as a violation of an inclusion norm, individuals will react with pain and threat. In contrast, if being excluded is consistent with the prevailing norm, the exclusion situation is interpreted as less threatening, and negative reflexive reactions to ostracism should be attenuated. Four studies empirically support this conceptual model. Studies 3 and 4 further show that to guide situated construal, the norm has to be endorsed by the individual. In both Studies 1 and 3, the effect of the norm is mediated by the objective situation’s subjective construal.

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IJMS, Vol. 17, Pages 1245: Impact of HIV Infection and Anti-Retroviral Therapy on the Immune Profile of and Microbial Translocation in HIV-Infected Children in Vietnam

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CD4+ T-lymphocyte destruction, microbial translocation, and systemic immune activation are the main mechanisms of the pathogenesis of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV) infection. To investigate the impact of HIV infection and antiretroviral therapy (ART) on the immune profile of and microbial translocation in HIV-infected children, 60 HIV vertically infected children (31 without ART: HIV(+) and 29 with ART: ART(+)) and 20 HIV-uninfected children (HIV(−)) aged 2–12 years were recruited in Vietnam, and their blood samples were immunologically and bacteriologically analyzed. Among the HIV(+) children, the total CD4+-cell and their subset (type 1 helper T-cell (Th1)/Th2/Th17) counts were inversely correlated with age (all p < 0.05), whereas regulatory T-cell (Treg) counts and CD4/CD8 ratios had become lower, and the CD38+HLA (human leukocyte antigen)-DR+CD8+- (activated CD8+) cell percentage and plasma soluble CD14 (sCD14, a monocyte activation marker) levels had become higher than those of HIV(−) children by the age of 2 years; the CD4/CD8 ratio was inversely correlated with the plasma HIV RNA load and CD8+-cell activation status. Among the ART(+) children, the total CD4+-cell and Th2/Th17/Treg-subset counts and the CD4/CD8 ratio gradually increased, with estimated ART periods of normalization being 4.8–8.3 years, whereas Th1 counts and the CD8+-cell activation status normalized within 1 year of ART initiation. sCD14 levels remained high even after ART initiation. The detection frequency of bacterial 16S/23S ribosomal DNA/RNA in blood did not differ between HIV-infected and -uninfected children. Thus, in children, HIV infection caused a rapid decrease in Treg counts and the early activation of CD8+ cells and monocytes, and ART induced rapid Th1 recovery and early CD8+-cell activation normalization but had little effect on monocyte activation. The CD4/CD8 ratio could therefore be an additional marker for ART monitoring.

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Interplay between Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in Cardiometabolic Syndrome



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PCM Heat Storage Charged with a Double-Reflector Solar System

A “Solar Salt” (NaNO3–KNO3 60 : 40 molar mixture) latent heat storage has been charged by direct solar illumination. Solar Salt as a Phase Change Material (PCM) can be an attractive small scale heat storage solution, as the melting temperature of about 220°C can be suitable for cooking purposes. The tests were made with a double-reflector setup. In this setup a secondary reflector positioned above the focal point of the primary reflector directs the rays onto a heat storage positioned below a hole in the primary reflector. The reflectors are tracking the sun, but the storage is stationary. The direct illumination of the absorber top plate during the tracking of the sun melted the salt in the storage through conducting fins. This is a system where portable heat batteries can be charged, during sunshine hours, and then provide heat for cooking during evening times.

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Multistage Multiattribute Group Decision-Making Method Based on Triangular Fuzzy MULTIMOORA

This paper proposed a new multiattribute group decision-making method, in which the period significance coefficients and the attribute significance coefficients are completely unknown, and the attribute values are triangular fuzzy numbers. At first, to obtain the period significance coefficients, the period significance coefficients optimization model is constructed according to the time degree and the differences of the decision information in different periods. Then, attribute significance coefficients are determined by the maximum deviation method. Based on this, alternatives are ranked by the triangular fuzzy ratio system method, the triangular fuzzy reference point method, and the triangular fuzzy full multiplicative form, respectively. The dominance theory is used for aggregating the subordinate rankings into the final ranking. Finally, a numerical example is presented to illustrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method.

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PPAR Ligands Function as Suppressors That Target Biological Actions of HMGB1

High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), which has become one of the most intriguing molecules in inflammatory disorders and cancers and with which ligand-activated peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are highly associated, is considered as a therapeutic target. Of particular interest is the fact that certain PPAR ligands have demonstrated their potent anti-inflammatory activities and potential anticancer effects. In this review article we summarize recent experimental evidence that PPAR ligands function as suppressors that target biological actions of HMGB1, including intracellular expression, receptor signaling cascades, and extracellular secretion of HMGB1 in cell lines and/or animal models. We also propose the possible mechanisms underlying PPAR involvement in inflammatory disorders and discuss the future therapeutic value of PPAR ligands targeting HMGB1 molecule for cancer prevention and treatment.

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Nonlinear Dynamic Behaviors of Rotated Blades with Small Breathing Cracks Based on Vibration Power Flow Analysis

Rotated blades are key mechanical components in turbomachinery and high cycle fatigues often induce blade cracks. Accurate detection of small cracks in rotated blades is very significant for safety, reliability, and availability. In nature, a breathing crack model is fit for a small crack in a rotated blade rather than other models. However, traditional vibration displacements-based methods are less sensitive to nonlinear characteristics due to small breathing cracks. In order to solve this problem, vibration power flow analysis (VPFA) is proposed to analyze nonlinear dynamic behaviors of rotated blades with small breathing cracks in this paper. Firstly, local flexibility due to a crack is derived and then time-varying dynamic model of the rotated blade with a small breathing crack is built. Based on it, the corresponding vibration power flow model is presented. Finally, VPFA-based numerical simulations are done to validate nonlinear behaviors of the cracked blade. The results demonstrate that nonlinear behaviors of a crack can be enhanced by power flow analysis and VPFA is more sensitive to a small breathing crack than displacements-based vibration analysis. Bifurcations will occur due to breathing cracks and subharmonic resonance factors can be defined to identify breathing cracks. Thus the proposed method can provide a promising way for detecting and predicting small breathing cracks in rotated blades.

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A BSDE with Delayed Generator Approach to Pricing under Counterparty Risk and Collateralization

We consider a nonlinear pricing problem that takes into account credit risk and funding issues. The aforementioned problem is formulated as a stochastic forward-backward system with delay, both in the forward and in the backward component, whose solution is characterized in terms of viscosity solution to a suitable type of path-dependent PDE.

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Elevated Plasma α-Defensins (HNP1–3) Levels Correlated with IgA1 Glycosylation and Susceptibility to IgA Nephropathy

Aim. IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is the most common form of glomerulonephritis. Recent genome-wide association study (GWAS) suggested that DEFA locus (which encodes α-defensins) may play a key role in IgAN. Methods. The levels of α-defensins in 169 IgAN patients and 83 healthy controls were tested by ELISA. Results. We observed that α-defensins human neutrophil peptides 1–3 (HNP1–3) in IgAN patients were elevated compared with healthy controls. The mean levels of α-defensins of 83 healthy controls and 169 IgAN patients were 50 ng/mL and 78.42 ng/mL. When the results were adjusted to the mean levels of α-defensins of IgAN patients, the percentage of individuals with high levels of α-defensins increased in IgAN patients (22.5%) compared to healthy controls (9.6%) (). The elevation of α-defensins in IgAN patients was independent of renal function or neutrophil count, which were major sources of α-defensins in circulation. More importantly, negative correlation was observed between galactose-deficient IgA1and α-defensins. Conclusion. As α-defensin is a lectin-like peptide, we speculated that it might be involved in IgA galactose deficiency. The data implied that patients with IgAN had higher plasma α-defensins levels and high α-defensins correlated with IgA galactose deficiency, further suggesting a pathogenic role of α-defensins in IgAN.

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Thickness Dependent Interlayer Magnetoresistance in Multilayer Graphene Stacks

Chemical Vapor Deposition grown multilayer graphene (MLG) exhibits large out-of-plane magnetoresistance due to interlayer magnetoresistance (ILMR) effect. It is essential to identify the factors that influence this effect in order to explore its potential in magnetic sensing and data storage applications. It has been demonstrated before that the ILMR effect is sensitive to the interlayer coupling and the orientation of the magnetic field with respect to the out-of-plane (-axis) direction. In this work, we investigate the role of MLG thickness on ILMR effect. Our results show that the magnitude of ILMR effect increases with the number of graphene layers in the MLG stack. Surprisingly, thicker devices exhibit field induced resistance switching by a factor of at least ~107. This effect persists even at room temperature and to our knowledge such large magnetoresistance values have not been reported before in the literature at comparable fields and temperatures. In addition, an oscillatory MR effect is observed at higher field values. A physical explanation of this effect is presented, which is consistent with our experimental scenario.

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Simple Motion Pursuit and Evasion Differential Games with Many Pursuers on Manifolds with Euclidean Metric

We consider pursuit and evasion differential games of a group of pursuers and one evader on manifolds with Euclidean metric. The motions of all players are simple, and maximal speeds of all players are equal. If the state of a pursuer coincides with that of the evader at some time, we say that pursuit is completed. We establish that each of the differential games (pursuit or evasion) is equivalent to a differential game of groups of countably many pursuers and one group of countably many evaders in Euclidean space. All the players in any of these groups are controlled by one controlled parameter. We find a condition under which pursuit can be completed, and if this condition is not satisfied, then evasion is possible. We construct strategies for the pursuers in pursuit game which ensure completion the game for a finite time and give a formula for this time. In the case of evasion game, we construct a strategy for the evader.

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Steroid Refractory Autoimmune Haemolytic Anaemia Secondary to Sarcoidosis Successfully Treated with Rituximab and Mycophenolate Mofetil

Autoimmune haemolytic anaemia is not a well-recognised complication of sarcoidosis. We describe the case of a 30-year-old female who presented with acute warm haemolytic anaemia and widespread lymphadenopathy. Sarcoidosis was diagnosed on lymph node biopsy and further investigation. The haemolytic anaemia responded only to a high dose of steroids. Evidence regarding treatment of steroid refractory autoimmune haemolysis secondary to sarcoidosis is lacking. Based on the emergent evidence that both disorders share common immunopathogenic mechanisms involving Th1 and Th17 lymphocytes, our patient was given rituximab and mycophenolate mofetil to successfully suppress the haemolysis and sarcoid activity.

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Eliciting Challenges on Social Connectedness among Filipino Nurse Returnees: A Cross-Sectional Mixed-Method Research

This cross-sectional study utilized a nested concurrent design to determine the association of Filipino nurse returnees’ length of stay since they returned and their social connectedness as well as the essence of communication from their perspective. The respondents, who are Filipino nurses () who worked abroad and returned to the Philippines for good, were employed from June to July of 2015 via referrals from colleges and institutions in Metro Manila and Bulacan areas in the Philippines. The quantitative results revealed, in one hand, significant but weak correlation between the respondent’s length of stay and social connectedness (, , ). On the other hand, three themes were generated from the qualitative analysis, namely, (1) Taking-In, (2) Taking-Hold, and (3) Letting-Go. The Social Connection System (SCS) provides a visual depiction of the social connectedness of a person. This research is geared towards the understanding of the interesting phenomenon of migration and social coherence of Filipino professionals.

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Rise in head and neck cancer spurs innovations in care - La Crosse Tribune


Rise in head and neck cancer spurs innovations in care
La Crosse Tribune
The most common is thyroid cancer, with more than 62,000 cases annually. Other head and neck cancers, including tumors of the mouth, tongue, throat, vocal cords, and salivary glands, account for about 3 percent of all new cancer diagnosis in the U.S ...

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See beautiful magnetic liquids bloom into stunning shapes

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A magnet entices ferrofluids – oil speckled with magnetic particles – to interact in strange yet spectacular formations of colour

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Recent Advances in Statistical Data and Signal Analysis: Application to Real World Diagnostics from Medical and Biological Signals



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Arterial Calcification in Chronic Kidney Disease: Whom? When? and How to Handle?

The post Arterial Calcification in Chronic Kidney Disease: Whom? When? and How to Handle? appeared first on Welcome to Avens.



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Biosensors, Vol. 6, Pages 39: Electrochemical, Electrochemiluminescence, and Photoelectrochemical Aptamer-Based Nanostructured Sensors for Biomarker Analysis

Aptamer-based sensors have been intensively investigated as potential analytical tools in clinical analysis providing the desired portability, fast response, sensitivity, and specificity, in addition to lower cost and simplicity versus conventional methods. The aim of this review, without pretending to be exhaustive, is to give the readers an overview of recent important achievements about electrochemical, electrochemiluminescence, and photoelectrochemical aptasensors for the protein biomarker determination, mainly cancer related biomarkers, by selected recent publications. Special emphasis is placed on nanostructured-based aptasensors, which show a substantial improvement of the analytical performances.

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Cancers, Vol. 8, Pages 73: Developmental Drift and the Role of Wnt Signaling in Aging

Population aging is a public health problem affecting the majority of the developed world. As populations age, the incidence of degenerative diseases increases exponentially, leading to large increases in public spending on healthcare. Here we summarize recent findings on the developmental drift theory of aging, and the links that have been established between aging and the Wnt signaling pathways. We focus on insights derived from model organisms connecting the evolutionary basis of aging and the link to developmental programming.

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Antioxidants, Vol. 5, Pages 26: Antioxidant Properties of Water-Soluble Gum from Flaxseed Hulls

Soluble flaxseed gum (SFG) was extracted from flax (Linum usitatissimum) hulls using hot water, and its functional groups and antioxidant properties were investigated using infrared spectroscopy and different antioxidant assays (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS), reducing power capacity, and β-carotene bleaching inhibition assay), respectively. The antioxidant capacity of SFG showed interesting DPPH radical-scavenging capacity (IC50 SFG = 2.5 mg·mL−1), strong ABTS radical scavenging activity (% inhibition ABTS = 75.6% ± 2.6% at 40 mg·mL−1), high reducing power capacity (RPSFG = 5 mg·mL−1), and potent β-carotene bleaching inhibition activity (IC50 SFG = 10 mg·mL−1). All of the obtained results demonstrate the promising potential use of SFG in numerous industrial applications, and a way to valorize flaxseed hulls.

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Subepidermal Calcified Nodules of the Eyelid Differ in Children and Adults.

Purpose: Subepidermal calcified nodule of the eyelid is considered as one of the types of calcinosis cutis. It generally occurs in children, and is not known to be associated with systemic disease. The authors report histopathological and clinical findings in 14 cases of subepidermal calcified nodule of the eyelid, including 3 older patients with unique microscopic features. Methods: Clinical records and pathological materials were critically reviewed in each case, including von kossa, CD3, CD20, and CD68 stains. Results: The 14 cases presented clinically as nodular eyelid lesions. All were treated with surgical excision. The authors found 2 distinct histopathological patterns which correlated with the patients' age. In young patients, the authors observed multiple, small calcified bodies within the dermis surrounded by chronic inflammation and granulomatous foreign body reaction. On the other hand, in elderly patients, lesions were characterized by a single, large, well-demarcated amorphous calcified deposit surrounded by fibrous tissue, without chronic inflammation or foreign body reaction. One of these patients, a 70-year-old man, also suffered from gout. The presence of subepidermal calcified nodule was not documented as a preoperative diagnostic possibility in any of the cases. Conclusions: Subepidermal calcified nodule of the eyelid is a rare condition, but should be considered in any patient presenting with a painless white to yellowish colored nodule of the ocular adnexa, particularly during the teenage years. Clinicians and pathologists should be aware that this entity has a distinct appearance and could be associated with systemic conditions in elderly patients. (C) 2016 by The American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Inc., All rights reserved.

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Canadian icons Tragically Hip shine at an emotional Saddledome show - Calgary Herald


Calgary Herald

Canadian icons Tragically Hip shine at an emotional Saddledome show
Calgary Herald
It was appropriate for a tour that, no matter what brave face the nation may be putting on, will likely be the last after it was announced earlier this year that Downie has brain cancer. But in those opening ... But there also seemed to be a sigh of ...

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Rise in head and neck cancer spurs innovations in care - La Crosse Tribune


Rise in head and neck cancer spurs innovations in care
La Crosse Tribune
Other head and neck cancers, including tumors of the mouth, tongue, throat, vocal cords, and salivary glands, account for about 3 percent of all new cancer diagnosis in the U.S. This year, more than 61,000 new cases will be diagnosed. According to the ...

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Metabolic disorders and the risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a case-control study in Italy.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the association between metabolic disorders and the risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, considering different histological subtypes. Between 1992 and 2008, we carried out a multicentre case-control study in Italy. One-hundred and ninety-seven White patients with histologically confirmed nasopharyngeal carcinoma were enrolled as cases. The control group included 592 cancer-free patients, frequency matched by study centre, area of residence, sex, age and period of interview. Odds ratios (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI), for nasopharyngeal carcinoma according to obesity and self-reported history of other metabolic disorders, were calculated through logistic regression models adjusted for matching variables and tobacco smoking and drinking habits. Obesity (OR=1.44; 95% CI: 0.88-2.36), diabetes mellitus (OR=0.91; 95% CI: 0.42-1.98), hypertension (OR=0.79; 95% CI: 0.48-1.32), hypercholesterolaemia (OR=1.41; 95% CI: 0.84-2.35) and metabolic syndrome (i.e. at least three among the four previously cited metabolic disorders; OR=1.11; 95% CI: 0.86-1.43) were not significantly associated with the overall risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. However, the associations observed for diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolaemia and metabolic syndrome were stronger among differentiated nasopharyngeal carcinomas than among undifferentiated ones. In particular, 21.7% of differentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma cases and 7.8% of controls reported a history of metabolic syndrome (OR=3.37; 95% CI: 1.05-10.81). The results of the study indicated no overall association between metabolic disorders and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Nonetheless, although the small sample size calls for caution in interpretation, metabolic disorders could increase the risk of differentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma. This finding further supports a different aetiology of the two histological subtypes. Copyright (C) 2016 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Rise in head and neck cancer spurs innovations in care - La Crosse Tribune


Rise in head and neck cancer spurs innovations in care
La Crosse Tribune
... rise in cancers in the back of the throat, specifically in the tonsils and the base of the tongue -- most which are related to HPV," says Dr. Geoffrey Young, a head and neck surgeon in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology on Mayo Clinic's Florida ...

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See beautiful magnetic liquids bloom into stunning shapes

A magnet entices ferrofluids – oil speckled with magnetic particles – to interact in strange yet spectacular formations of colour

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Molecular epidemiology of Junctional Epidermolysis bullosa: discovery of novel and frequent LAMB3 mutations in Chilean patients with diagnostic significance

Abstract

Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is an inherited disease encompassing a group of clinically and genetically heterogeneous disorders, characterized by mechanical fragility of epithelial tissue with blistering formation following minor trauma, most notably on the skin1. The junctional form of EB (JEB, OMIM #226650 and #226700) is a monogenic autosomal recessive disorder characterized by blistering within the lamina lucida. JEB, among all EB types, can have the most severe clinical manifestations and the highest risk of infant mortality 2. To date, hundreds of mutations in six different genes have been described to cause JEB, provoking a limitation for an assertive molecular diagnosis.

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A pilot study of unemployment in Hidradenitis Suppurativa Patients in Denmark

Abstract

Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, inflammatory and relapsing skin disease, characterized by repeated outbreaks of painful inflamed nodules in the apocrine gland-bearing regions (armpits, genital area, groin, breasts and perianal region). These nodules can progress to abscesses, sinus tracts (tunnels) and scarring. (1) The estimated prevalence is 1-4% worldwide and HS is approximately three times more common in women than in men. (1)

HS is associated with significant disability and handicap. The lesions are often painful and lead to loss of mobility.

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Impact of systemic alitretinoin treatment on skin barrier gene and protein expression in patients with chronic hand eczema

Abstract

Background

Chronic hand eczema (CHE) is a common inflammatory skin disease that affects approximately 10% of the population. Systemic alitretinoin has been shown to be effective in CHE patients who are refractory to topical corticosteroids.

Objective

To analyse the impact of alitretinoin on the skin barrier genes and proteins expression in skin lesions of CHE patients.

Methods

Fifteen patients with CHE were treated with 30 mg/day of alitretinoin for up to 27 weeks. Disease severity was assessed using a clinical score. Skin biopsies from all the patients were evaluated before and after therapy for the expression of Ki-67, various skin barrier genes and TSLP by qPCR and immunohistochemistry.

Results

After alitretinoin application, an improvement in the clinical severity of CHE was observed in the majority of patients. Analysis of skin biopsies before treatment showed a significant increase in Ki-67 positive cells in the suprabasal layer and a dysregulated expression of various skin barrier genes like claudin 1, loricrin, filaggrin and cytokeratin 10, which were normalized after treatment. Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) was significantly upregulated in CHE patient and also normalised after alitretinoin treatment and negatively correlated with filaggrin.

Conclusions

Our data indicate that the expression of barrier genes and proteins were normalised following treatment with alitretinoin in CHE. The change in expression levels of these genes correlated with the clinical efficacy, suggesting that alitretinoin exhibits a disease-modifying activity. TSLP is upregulated in CHE and seems to counteract filaggrin expression in the skin.

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