Ιατρικά Άρθρα Αλέξανδρος Γ. Σφακιανάκης: 05/30/16

Δευτέρα 30 Μαΐου 2016

"Industrie 4.0" - Rechtsrahmen für eine Datenwirtschaft im digitalen Binnenmarkt

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Chemical synthesis of Burkholderia Lipid A modified with glycosyl phosphodiester-linked 4-amino-4-deoxy-β-L-arabinose and its immunomodulatory potential

Modification of the Lipid A phosphates by positively charged appendages is a part of the survival strategy of numerous opportunistic Gram-negative bacteria. The phosphate groups of the cystic fibrosis adapted Burkholderia Lipid A are abundantly esterified by 4-amino-4-deoxy-β-L-arabinose (β-L-Ara4N), which imposes resistance to antibiotic treatment and contributes to bacterial virulence. To establish structural features accounting for the unique pro-inflammatory activity of Burkholderia LPS we have synthesised Lipid A substituted by β-L-Ara4N at the anomeric phosphate and its Ara4N-free counterpart. The double glycosyl phosphodiester was assembled by triazolyl-tris-(pyrrolidinyl)phosphonium-assisted coupling of the β-L-Ara4N H-phosphonate to α-lactol of β(1→6) diglucosamine, pentaacylated with (R)-(3)-acyloxyacyl- and Alloc-protected (R)-(3)-hydroxyacyl residues. The intermediate 1,1'-glycosyl-H-phosphonate diester was oxidised in anhydrous conditions to provide, after total deprotection, β-L-Ara4N-substituted Burkholderia Lipid A. The β-L-Ara4N modification significantly enhanced the pro-inflammatory innate immune signaling of otherwise non-endotoxic Burkholderia Lipid A.

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Improved TV Algorithm Based on Adaptive Multiplier for Interference Hyperspectral Image Decomposition

Interference Hyperspectral Images (IHI) data acquired by Interference Hyperspectral Imaging Spectrometer exhibit many vertical interference stripes. The above characteristics will affect the application of dictionary learning and compressed sensing theory used on IHI data. According to the special characteristics of IHI data, many algorithms are proposed to separate the interference stripes layers and the background layers of IHI data in 2015, but the interference stripes layers are still not clean enough and the ideal background layers without interference stripes are also difficult to be obtained. In this paper, an improved total variation (TV) algorithm based on adaptive multiplier is proposed for IHI data decomposition. The value of the Lagrange multiplier is adaptive according to the unidirectional characteristics of IHI data. The proposed algorithm is used on Large Spatially Modulated Interference Spectral (LSMIS) images and is proved to provide better experimental results than the current algorithms both visually and quantitatively.

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A Novel Printable Watermarking Method in Dithering Halftone Images

Halftone images are commonly printed on books, newspapers, and magazines. How to protect the copyright of these printed halftone images becomes an important issue. Digital watermarking provides a solution for copyright protection. In this paper, we will propose a novel printable watermarking method for dithering halftone images. Based on downsampling and the property of a dispersed dithering screen, the method can resist cropping, tampering, and print-and-scan process attacks. In addition, comparing to Guo et al.’s method, the experimental results show that the proposed method provides higher robustness for the above-mentioned attacks and better visual quality in the high-frequency regions of halftone images.

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Integral Sliding Mode Control for Trajectory Tracking of Wheeled Mobile Robot in Presence of Uncertainties

Wheeled mobile robots present a typical case of complex systems with nonholonomic constraints. In the past few years, the dominance of these systems has been a very active research field. In this paper, a new method based on an integral sliding mode control for the trajectory tracking of wheeled mobile robots is proposed. The controller is designed to solve the reaching phase problem with the elimination of matched disturbances and minimize the unmatched one. We distinguish two parts in the suggested controller: a high-level controller to stabilize the nominal system and a discontinuous controller to assess the trajectory tracking in the presence of disturbances. This controller is robust during the entire motion. The effectiveness of the proposed controller is demonstrated through simulation studies for the unicycle with matched and unmatched disturbances.

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Innovative Correlation Coefficient Measurement with Fuzzy Data

Correlation coefficients are commonly found with crisp data. In this paper, we use Pearson’s correlation coefficient and propose a method for evaluating correlation coefficients for fuzzy interval data. Our empirical studies involve the relationship between mathematics achievement and other projects.

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Variants in genes belonging to the Fibroblast Growth Factor family are associated with lower extremity amputation in non-Hispanic whites: Findings from the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort study

Abstract

Diabetes is the major risk factor for non-traumatic lower extremity amputation (LEA). The role of genetic polymorphisms in predisposing diabetics to impaired wound healing leading to LEA has not been sufficiently explored. We investigated the association between a set of genes belonging to the angiogenesis/wound repair pathway with LEA in the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort (CRIC), a study of adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD) that includes a subgroup with diabetes. This study was performed on 3772 CRIC participants who were genotyped on the ITMAT-Broad-CARe array (IBC) chip. A total of 1017 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 22 genes belonging to the angiogenesis/would repair pathway were investigated. LEA was determined from patient self-report. The association between genetic variants and LEA status was examined using logistic regression and additive genetic models after stratifying the cohort by race/ethnicity and diabetic status. Unadjusted analyses as well as analyses adjusted for age, sex, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), body mass index (BMI), peripheral vascular disease (PVD), hemoglobin A1c (HgbA1c) and population stratification were performed. In non-Hispanic white participants with diabetes, rs11938826 and rs1960669, both intronic SNPs in the gene basic fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2), were significantly associated with LEA in covariate-adjusted analysis (OR: 2.83 (95% CI: 1.73, 4.62); p-value: 0.000034; Bonferroni adjusted p-value: 0.0006) and (OR: 2.61 (95% CI: 1.48, 4.61); p-value: 0.00095; Bonferroni adjusted p-value: 0.02). In the same subgroup, rs10883688, an FGF8 SNP of unknown functional effect, was also associated with LEA (OR: 1.72 (95% Confidence Interval: 1.14, 2.6); p-value: 0.00999; Bonferroni adjusted p-value: 0.04). No statistically significant associations were identified in the other ethnic groups. In conclusion, variant/s in FGF2 and FGF8 may predispose diabetics with CKD to LEA. Dysregulation of the FGF2 gene represents an opportunity to understand further, and possibly intervene upon, mechanisms of wound healing in diabetics with CKD. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

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Examination of endothelial cell induced epidermal regeneration in a mice based chimney wound model

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ABSTRACT

As wound contraction in the cutaneous layer occurs rapidly in mice, mechanical means are typically used to deliberately expose the wound in order to properly investigate healing by secondary intention. Previously, silicon rings and splinting models were attempted to analyze histological recovery but prevention of surrounding epidermal cell migration and subsequent closure was minimal. Here, we developed an ideal chimney wound model to evaluate epidermal regeneration in murine under hESC-EC transplantation through histological analysis encompassing the three phases of regeneration; migration, proliferation, and remodeling. Human embryonic stem cell derived endothelial cells (hESC-EC) were transplanted due to possessing a well-known therapeutic effect in angiogenesis which also enhances epidermal repair in order to depict the process of regeneration. Following a standard 1mm biopsy punch, a chimney manufactured by modifying a 1.7ml micro tube was simply inserted into the excisional wound to complete the modeling process. Under this model, the excisional wound remained fully exposed for 14 days and even after 4 weeks, only a thin transparent layer of epidermal tissue covered the wound site. This approach is able to more accurately depict epidermal repair in relation to histology while also being a user-friendly and cost-effective way to mimic human recovery in rodents and evaluate epithelial repair induced by a form of therapy. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

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Ciprofloxacin-loaded keratin hydrogels reduce infection and support healing in a porcine partial-thickness thermal burn

Abstract

Infection is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in burn patients. Current therapies include silver-based creams and dressings, which display limited antimicrobial effectiveness and impair healing. The need exists for a topical, point-of-injury antibiotic treatment that provides sustained antimicrobial activity without impeding wound repair. Fitting this description are keratin-based hydrogels, which are fully biocompatible and support the slow-release of antibiotics. Here we develop a porcine model of an infected partial-thickness burn to test the effects of ciprofloxacin-loaded keratin hydrogels on infection and wound healing. Partial-thickness burns were inoculated with either Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, resulting in infections that persisted for greater than 2 weeks that exceeded 10⁵ and 10⁶ cfu per gram of tissue, respectively. Compared to silver sulfadiazine, ciprofloxacin-loaded keratin hydrogel treatment significantly reduced the amount of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus in the burn by greater than 99% on days 4, 7, 11 and 15 post-injury. Further, burns treated with ciprofloxacin-loaded keratin hydrogels exhibited similar healing patterns as uninfected burns with regards to reepithelialization, macrophage recruitment, and collagen deposition and remodeling. The ability of keratin hydrogels to deliver antibiotics to fight infection and support healing of partial-thickness burns make them a strong candidate as a first-line burn therapy. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

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Comparison of Frequency Domain and Time-Domain Methods for Aeromechanical Analysis

Unsteady flow around an oscillating plate cascade and that through a single compressor rotor subject to vibration have been computationally studied, aimed at examining the predictive ability of two low fidelity frequency methods compared with a high fidelity time-domain solution method for aeroelasticity. The computational solutions demonstrate the capabilities of the frequency domain methods compared with the nonlinear time-domain solution method in capturing small perturbations in the unsteady flow. They also show the great advantage of significant CPU time saving by the frequency methods over the nonlinear time method. Comparisons of two different frequency methods, nonlinear harmonic and phase solution method, show that these methods can produce different results due to the differences in numeric and physical conditioning. The results obtained using phase solutions method are in better agreement with the nonlinear time-domain solution. This is because the same numeric and physical conditioning are used in both the nonlinear time-domain method and phase solution frequency domain method.

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A Rare Complication of Herpes Zoster: Segmental Zoster Paresis

Herpes zoster is a common presentation in both the community and emergency department; however segmental zoster paresis is a rare complication that can lead to misdiagnosis. We present a case of a 74-year-old Indian gentleman with a background of well controlled diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and ischaemic heart disease who presented with sudden right lower limb weakness. This was preceded by a 5-day history of paraesthesia starting in the right foot and ascending up the right lower limb. On examination, there was a characteristic vesicular rash in the L2/3 region with MRC grading 3/5 in the right hip flexors. The rest of the neurological examination was unremarkable. MRI of the spine did not show any evidence of spinal disease. The patient was initiated on IV acyclovir with improvement of the lower limb weakness to MRC grading 5/5 as the vesicles improved. This is an interesting case as it highlights a rare presentation of zoster: segmental motor paresis that recovered fully with resolution of the rash. It shows the importance of recognizing motor neuropathy as a complication of shingles as it has a very good prognosis with most patients regaining full motor function of the affected limb with treatment.

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Uniform Attractors for Nonclassical Diffusion Equations with Memory

We introduce a new method (or technique), asymptotic contractive method, to verify uniform asymptotic compactness of a family of processes. After that, the existence and the structure of a compact uniform attractor for the nonautonomous nonclassical diffusion equation with fading memory are proved under the following conditions: the nonlinearity satisfies the polynomial growth of arbitrary order and the time-dependent forcing term is only translation-bounded in .

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Enhanced SDIoT Security Framework Models

Following the recent increase in the interest in IoT (Internet of Things) environment, devices that provide various services are being developed. As the diversity, research is required for efficient management of these devices and enhanced security. Previous network environments tend to be dependent on network devices and have difficulties in active processing of variable traffic. Moreover, it is expected that new or variant attacks will increase as packets of various patterns are generated from numerous devices, and hence immense research effort is required in solving this problem. In order to address such problems, this study aims to investigate strategies for establishing a security framework for the configuration of a software-defined IoT environment and efficient provision of security services. Moreover, the service to reduce the overhead involved in security service provision is configured, and a simple test is conducted to verify the feasibility of the proposed model.

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Pluripotency of Stem Cells from Human Exfoliated Deciduous Teeth for Tissue Engineering

Stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED) are highly proliferative pluripotent cells that can be retrieved from primary teeth. Although SHED are isolated from the dental pulp, their differentiation potential is not limited to odontoblasts only. In fact, SHED can differentiate into several cell types including neurons, osteoblasts, adipocytes, and endothelial cells. The high plasticity makes SHED an interesting stem cell model for research in several biomedical areas. This review will discuss key findings about the characterization and differentiation of SHED into odontoblasts, neurons, and hormone secreting cells (e.g., hepatocytes and islet-like cell aggregates). The outcomes of the studies presented here support the multipotency of SHED and their potential to be used for tissue engineering-based therapies.

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Cereal chaff used as temper in loom-weights: new evidence from a Slovenian Eneolithic pile-dwelling site (ca. 3100 cal bc)

We present newevidence of the intentional use of cereal by-products at Stare gmajne, an Eneolithic piledwelling site in Slovenia, dated approximately 3160–3100 cal BC . The chaff material, which had been used for tempering, was discovered inside one of the largest discovered loomweights and analysed. Clay, which was used by the dwellers to make the weight, was tempered with cereal chaff to reinforce it. The practice of tempering, not necessarily for loom weights, has already been proven for earlier settlements, mostly in arid areas where firewood, grazing and building material were scarce. However, tempering has rarely been found in European prehistoric sites. More than 1,800 carbonised and half-carbonised, excellently preserved and well identifiable cereal plant macroremains in less than 1 l of waterlogged clayeymaterial were sorted and counted.Among the recognized plant macroremains, barley rachis fragments and glume wheat (emmer and einkorn) by-products such as spikelet forks and glume bases prevailed. A few grains were also found. Cultivation of the main crops of emmer, einkorn and barley at Slovenian Eneolithic pile-dwelling sites was confirmed again. Among the chaff, a new ‘‘strange type’’ of Triticum dicoccum (emmer) spikelet forks was discovered. The size of the weight and the intentional local use of cereal by-products as temper suggest that late Neolithic (Eneolithic) pile-dwelling societies all around the Alps were highly organized and developed due to expansion of crop production and processing.

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Unraveling the complexity of protein backbone dynamics with combined (13)C and (15)N solid-state NMR relaxation measurements

Typically, protein dynamics involve a complex hierarchy of motions occurring on different time scales between conformations separated by a range of different energy barriers. NMR relaxation can in principle provide a site-specific picture of both the time scales and amplitudes of these motions, but independent relaxation rates sensitive to fluctuations in different time scale ranges are required to obtain a faithful representation of the underlying dynamic complexity. This is especially pertinent for relaxation measurements in the solid state, which report on dynamics in a broader window of time scales by more than 3 orders of magnitudes compared to solution NMR relaxation. To aid in unraveling the intricacies of biomolecular dynamics we introduce (13)C spin-lattice relaxation in the rotating frame (R1ρ) as a probe of backbone nanosecond-microsecond motions in proteins in the solid state. We present measurements of (13)C'R1ρ rates in fully protonated crystalline protein GB1 at 600 and 850 MHz (1)H Larmor frequencies and compare them to (13)C'R1, (15)N R1 and R1ρ measured under the same conditions. The addition of carbon relaxation data to the model free analysis of nitrogen relaxation data leads to greatly improved characterization of time scales of protein backbone motions, minimizing the occurrence of fitting artifacts that may be present when (15)N data is used alone. We also discuss how internal motions characterized by different time scales contribute to (15)N and (13)C relaxation rates in the solid state and solution state, leading to fundamental differences between them, as well as phenomena such as underestimation of picosecond-range motions in the solid state and nanosecond-range motions in solution.

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An economic approach to efficient isotope labeling in insect cells using homemade 15N-, 13C- and 2H-labeled yeast extracts

Heterologous expression of proteins in insect cells is frequently used for crystallographic structural studies due to the high yields even for challenging proteins requiring the eukaryotic protein processing capabilities of the host. However for NMR studies, the need for isotope labeling poses extreme challenges in eukaryotic hosts. Here, we describe a robust method to achieve uniform protein (15)N and (13)C labeling of up to 90 % in baculovirus-infected insect cells. The approach is based on the production of labeled yeast extract, which is subsequently supplemented to insect cell growth media. The method also allows deuteration at levels of >60 % without decrease in expression yield. The economic implementation of the labeling procedures into a standard structural biology laboratory environment is described in a step-by-step protocol. Applications are demonstrated for a variety of NMR experiments using the Abelson kinase domain, GFP, and the beta-1 adrenergic receptor as examples. Deuterated expression of the latter provides spectra of very high quality of a eukaryotic G-protein coupled receptor.

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Energiewende braucht Wärmewende – Chancen und Limitierungen der intensiven thermischen Nutzung des oberflächennahen Untergrundes in urbanen Gebieten vor dem Hintergrund der aktuellen Energiedebatte in Deutschland

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Determining Which Phenotypes Underlie a Pleiotropic Signal

ABSTRACT

Discovering pleiotropic loci is important to understand the biological basis of seemingly distinct phenotypes. Most methods for assessing pleiotropy only test for the overall association between genetic variants and multiple phenotypes. To determine which specific traits are pleiotropic, we evaluate via simulation and application three different strategies. The first is model selection techniques based on the inverse regression of genotype on phenotypes. The second is a subset-based meta analysis ASSET [Bhattacharjee et al., ], which provides an optimal subset of nonnull traits. And the third is a modified Benjamini–Hochberg (B-H) procedure of controlling the expected false discovery rate [Benjamini and Hochberg, ] in the framework of phenome-wide association study. From our simulations we see that an inverse regression-based approach MultiPhen [O'Reilly et al., ] is more powerful than ASSET for detecting overall pleiotropic association, except for when all the phenotypes are associated and have genetic effects in the same direction. For determining which specific traits are pleiotropic, the modified B–H procedure performs consistently better than the other two methods. The inverse regression-based selection methods perform competitively with the modified B–H procedure only when the phenotypes are weakly correlated. The efficiency of ASSET is observed to lie below and in between the efficiency of the other two methods when the traits are weakly and strongly correlated, respectively. In our application to a large GWAS, we find that the modified B–H procedure also performs well, indicating that this may be an optimal approach for determining the traits underlying a pleiotropic signal.

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Comparison of Parametric and Nonparametric Methods for Analyzing the Bias of a Numerical Model

Numerical models are presently applied in many fields for simulation and prediction, operation, or research. The output from these models normally has both systematic and random errors. The study compared January 2015 temperature data for Uganda as simulated using the Weather Research and Forecast model with actual observed station temperature data to analyze the bias using parametric (the root mean square error (RMSE), the mean absolute error (MAE), mean error (ME), skewness, and the bias easy estimate (BES)) and nonparametric (the sign test, STM) methods. The RMSE normally overestimates the error compared to MAE. The RMSE and MAE are not sensitive to direction of bias. The ME gives both direction and magnitude of bias but can be distorted by extreme values while the BES is insensitive to extreme values. The STM is robust for giving the direction of bias; it is not sensitive to extreme values but it does not give the magnitude of bias. The graphical tools (such as time series and cumulative curves) show the performance of the model with time. It is recommended to integrate parametric and nonparametric methods along with graphical methods for a comprehensive analysis of bias of a numerical model.

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Is Gastroparesis Found More Frequently in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis? A Systematic Review

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is associated with different gastrointestinal motility disturbances and syndromes. We aim to assess gastric emptying in patients with CF compared to healthy controls by a systematic review of existing literature. Medical databases and abstracts from major gastroenterology and CF meetings were reviewed. Emptying times in CF patients were compared with healthy controls using random effects models. Subgroup analysis stratified results by age and diagnostic modality. Nineteen studies from 7 countries included 574 subjects (359 CF patients and 215 controls). Using pooled analysis frequency of gastroparesis was high (38%, 95% CI 30–45%) but results were highly dependent on the diagnostic modality. Delayed gastric emptying is more common in CF compared to general population. Scintigraphy identified rapid gastric emptying in a subgroup of CF patients, but this finding disappeared with adequate pancreatic enzyme replacement and after other diagnostic modalities were included.

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Haploidentical Stem Cell Transplantation in Adult Haematological Malignancies

Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation is a well-established treatment option for both hematological malignancies and nonmalignant conditions such as aplastic anemia and haemoglobinopathies. For those patients lacking a suitable matched sibling or matched unrelated donor, haploidentical donors are an alternative expedient donor pool. Historically, haploidentical transplantation led to high rates of graft rejection and GVHD. Strategies to circumvent these issues include T cell depletion and management of complications thereof or T replete transplants with GVHD prophylaxis. This review is an overview of these strategies and contemporaneous outcomes for hematological malignancies in adult haploidentical stem cell transplant recipients.

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The Use of Glycomacropeptide in Dietary Management of Phenylketonuria

Dietary therapy is the most common therapy applied in treatment of Phenylketonuria (PKU) with restriction of intake of most natural proteins that are rich in Phenylalanine (Phe). Recently, it has been claimed that caseinoglycomacropeptide (GMP), derived of whey, may be used to replace the amino acid formulae (AAF). The Aim of Work. To study the feasibility of use of GMP for partial replacement of artificial formula in treatment of children with PKU. Methods. Ten patients with PKU were included in the study. They received the recommended daily allowances of protein in the form of AAF or a combination of AAF and GMP. The percent of intake of GMP in phases 1 and 2 was 50% and zero%, respectively. Results. The median and interquartiles of phenyl alanine Phe levels phase were not significantly different in phases I and II, 376 (167–551) μmol/L versus 490 (289–597) μmol/L, respectively. Phenylalanine/tyrosine ratio, amino acids, and other laboratory data showed no significant difference between the two phases. Conclusion. GMP may be used to replace 50% of the protein intake to improve the nutritive value and palatability of diet and to provide a more satisfactory diet. No toxicity or side effects were reported in patients on that regimen.

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Analysis and Numerical Simulation on the Reduction Effect of Stress Waves Caused by Water Jet Slotting Near Blasting Source

As one of the most serious “side effects” of blast excavation, blast-induced vibration must be controlled for existing buildings and human beings. This paper proposes a method for blast-induced vibration reduction with water jet assistance according to the cutting characters of low-noised, environment-friendly water jet. The mechanism of vibration-isolation with water jet assistance was analyzed, and the stress wave energy attenuation models were established based on blasting theory and stress wave theory. Influence law on shock wave attenuation by vibration-isolation slot was studied by numerical simulation. Simulation results agree with the theoretical analysis roughly. The results of this study put forward a method for blast-induced vibration near blasting source and provide a certain theoretical basis.

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Progressed Multivessel Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection That Naturally Healed in a Male Patient with Non-ST Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a rare condition that may have a serious outcome because of acute coronary syndrome. The condition especially affects young women. We evaluated a middle-aged male patient with a non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction caused by multivessel SCAD. The SCAD had occurred in the distal right coronary artery (RCA), the mid left anterior descending artery (LAD), and the distal LAD at the same time. His culprit lesion was in the distal RCA, but the SCAD had progressed more proximally within the RCA 12 days later with no clinical symptoms. We treated the mid LAD with implantation of a drug-eluting stent on admission and the SCAD had not progressed 12 days later. Moreover, the SCAD in the distal RCA and distal LAD healed spontaneously 12 days later. He had no recurrent attack, and all SCAD lesions of the RCA and LAD had completely healed 6 months later. Given that SCAD appears in various forms over the clinical course, a strategy of intervention needs careful consideration.

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Hypertrophic lupus erythematosus successfully treated with hydroxychloroquine

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Increased blood flow and vasculature in solar lentigo

Abstract

Solar lentigo (SL) is a hallmark of ultraviolet (UV)-induced photoaged skin and growing evidence implicates blood vessels in UV-associated pigmentation. In this study, we investigated whether the vasculatures are modified in SL. Twenty-five women with facial SL were enrolled and colorimetric and blood flow studies were performed. There was a significant increase in erythema which was associated with increased blood flow in the lesional skin compared with perilesional normal skin. Immunohistochemical studies with 24 facial SL biopsies consistently revealed a significant increase in vessel density accompanied by increased levels of vascular endothelial growth factor expression. CD68 immunoreactivity was significantly higher in lesional skin suggesting increased macrophage infiltration in SL. In conclusion, SL is characterized by increased blood flow and vasculature. These findings suggest the possible influence of the characteristics of vasculature on development of SL.

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Eccrine poroma with calcification and metaplastic ossification

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Case of severe ulceration induced by pazopanib

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Hypocomplementemia is a diagnostic clue for parvovirus B19 infection in adults

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Up-dosing non-sedating antihistamines in patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Background

There is a lack of large, randomized, double-blind studies that address antihistamine up-dosing for chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU).

Objectives

To explore and analyze available data to provide clinical evidence for antihistamine up-dosing.

Methods

We searched literature using the keywords “chronic, urticaria, antihistamines” in the Medline, Scopus, Google Scholar, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane databases between January 1990 and November 2014. We assessed quality with the Jadad score that evaluates quality of randomization, double blinding, and losses to follow-up. We identified 1,042 articles, including 15 in the final evaluation. We performed two meta-analyses, one including studies that analyzed treatment response among groups receiving different antihistamine doses versus placebo, and another that analyzed antihistamine up-dosing in those patients who did not respond to standard doses.

Results

Only five articles reached a high quality level. We did not find significant differences in rate's response or number of wheals between those patients who received a standard dose vs. a high dose. We found a significant improvement only in the pruritus variable of the urticaria activity score (UAS) scale. The estimated relative risk for improvement by increasing the antihistamine dose was 2.27 (95% CI 1.68-3.06); however, there was significant heterogeneity. The proportion of non-respondent CSU patients who responded to antihistamine up-dosing was 63.2% (95% CI 57-69.6%).

Conclusions

We found that up-dosing antihistamines significantly improved control of pruritus but not of wheal number. However, the relative weakness of the studies and the significant heterogeneity among them made it difficult to reach a final conclusion.

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A bacterial type III secretion-based protein delivery tool for broad applications in cell biology

Methods enabling the delivery of proteins into eukaryotic cells are essential to address protein functions. Here we propose broad applications to cell biology for a protein delivery tool based on bacterial type III secretion (T3S). We show that bacterial, viral, and human proteins, fused to the N-terminal fragment of the Yersinia enterocolitica T3S substrate YopE, are effectively delivered into target cells in a fast and controllable manner via the injectisome of extracellular bacteria. This method enables functional interaction studies by the simultaneous injection of multiple proteins and allows the targeting of proteins to different subcellular locations by use of nanobody-fusion proteins. After delivery, proteins can be freed from the YopE fragment by a T3S-translocated viral protease or fusion to ubiquitin and cleavage by endogenous ubiquitin proteases. Finally, we show that this delivery tool is suitable to inject proteins in living animals and combine it with phosphoproteomics to characterize the systems-level impact of proapoptotic human truncated BID on the cellular network.

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Identification of optimal parameter combinations for the emergence of bistability

Bistability underlies cellular memory and maintains alternative differentiation states. Bistability can emerge only if its parameter range is either physically realizable or can be enlarged to become realizable. We derived a general rule and showed that the bistable range of a reaction parameter is maximized by a pair of other parameters in any gene regulatory network provided they satisfy a general condition. The resulting analytical expressions revealed whether or not such reaction pairs are present in prototypical positive feedback loops. They are absent from the feedback loop enclosed by protein dimers but present in both the toggle-switch and the feedback circuit inhibited by sequestration. Sequestration can generate bistability even at narrow feedback expression range at which cooperative binding fails to do so, provided inhibition is set to an optimal value. These results help to design bistable circuits and cellular reprogramming and reveal whether bistability is possible in gene networks in the range of realistic parameter values.

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Development of a Lunar-Phase Observation System Based on Augmented Reality and Mobile Learning Technologies

Observing the lunar phase requires long-term involvement, and it is often obstructed by bad weather or tall buildings. In this study, a lunar-phase observation system is developed using the augmented reality (AR) technology and the sensor functions of GPS, electronic compass, and 3-axis accelerometer on mobile devices to help students observe and record lunar phases easily. By holding the mobile device towards the moon in the sky, the screen will show the virtual moon at the position of the real moon. The system allows the user to record the lunar phase, including its azimuth/elevation angles and the observation date and time. In addition, the system can shorten the learning process by setting different dates and times for observation, so it can solve the problem of being unable to observe and record lunar phases due to a bad weather or the moon appearing late in the night. Therefore, it is an effective tool for astronomy education in elementary and high schools. A teaching experiment has been conducted to analyze the learning effectiveness of the system and the results show that it is effective in learning the lunar concepts. The questionnaire results reveal that students considered the system easy to operate and it is useful in locating the moon and recording the lunar data.

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Compensatory Analysis and Optimization for MADM for Heterogeneous Wireless Network Selection

In the next-generation heterogeneous wireless networks, a mobile terminal with a multi-interface may have network access from different service providers using various technologies. In spite of this heterogeneity, seamless intersystem mobility is a mandatory requirement. One of the major challenges for seamless mobility is the creation of a network selection scheme, which is for users that select an optimal network with best comprehensive performance between different types of networks. However, the optimal network may be not the most reasonable one due to compensation of MADM (Multiple Attribute Decision Making), and the network is called pseudo-optimal network. This paper conducts a performance evaluation of a number of widely used MADM-based methods for network selection that aim to keep the mobile users always best connected anywhere and anytime, where subjective weight and objective weight are all considered. The performance analysis shows that the selection scheme based on MEW (weighted multiplicative method) and combination weight can better avoid accessing pseudo-optimal network for balancing network load and reducing ping-pong effect in comparison with three other MADM solutions.

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Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Escherichia coli Strains Isolated from Alouatta spp. Feces to Essential Oils

This study evaluated the in vitro antibacterial activity of essential oils from Lippia graveolens (Mexican oregano), Origanum vulgaris (oregano), Thymus vulgaris (thyme), Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary), Cymbopogon nardus (citronella), Cymbopogon citratus (lemongrass), and Eucalyptus citriodora (eucalyptus) against Escherichia coli () strains isolated from Alouatta spp. feces. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were determined for each isolate using the broth microdilution technique. Essential oils of Mexican oregano (MIC mean = 1818 μg mL−1; MBC mean = 2618 μg mL−1), thyme (MIC mean = 2618 μg mL−1; MBC mean = 2909 μg mL−1), and oregano (MIC mean = 3418 μg mL−1; MBC mean = 4800 μg mL−1) showed the best antibacterial activity, while essential oils of eucalyptus, rosemary, citronella, and lemongrass displayed no antibacterial activity at concentrations greater than or equal to 6400 μg mL−1. Our results confirm the antimicrobial potential of some essential oils, which deserve further research.

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Long-Term Chronic Intermittent Hypobaric Hypoxia in Rats Causes an Imbalance in the Asymmetric Dimethylarginine/Nitric Oxide Pathway and ROS Activity: A Possible Synergistic Mechanism for Altitude Pulmonary Hypertension?

Chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) and chronic hypoxia (CH) are associated with high-altitude pulmonary hypertension (HAPH). Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), a NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor, may contribute to HAPH. This study assessed changes in the ADMA/NO pathway and the underlying mechanisms in rat lungs following exposure to CIH or CH simulated in a hypobaric chamber at 428 Torr. Twenty-four adult Wistar rats were randomly assigned to three groups: CIH2x2 (2 days of hypoxia/2 days of normoxia), CH, and NX (permanent normoxia), for 30 days. All analyses were performed in whole lung tissue. L-Arginine and ADMA were analyzed using LC-MS/MS. Under both hypoxic conditions right ventricular hypertrophy was observed () and endothelial NOS mRNA increased (), but the phosphorylated/nonphosphorylated vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) ratio was unchanged. ADMA increased (), whereas dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH) activity decreased only under CH (). Although arginase activity increased () and L-arginine exhibited no changes, the L-arginine/ADMA ratio decreased significantly (). Moreover, NOX4 expression increased only under CH (), but malondialdehyde (MDA) increased (up to 2-fold) equally in CIH2x2 and CH (). Our results suggest that ADMA and oxidative stress likely reduce NO bioavailability under altitude hypoxia, which implies greater pulmonary vascular reactivity and tone, despite the more subdued effects observed under CIH.

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The Effect of Air Pollution on the Occurrence of Nonspecific Conjunctivitis

Purpose. To investigate the short-term effect of air pollution on occurrence of nonspecific conjunctivitis. Methods. Data were collected from outpatient visits from cases with conjunctivitis over a period of one year. Regression analysis was performed to evaluate the relationship between the number of outpatient visits and the air quality and the lag effect of air quality on conjunctivitis occurrence. Results. The air quality index on the day of presentation (), one day before presentation (), and two days before presentation day () had a positive relation with outpatient visits for conjunctivitis. The air quality index () and outpatient visits number per day () in autumn and winter (October to March) were significantly higher than those in spring (April) and summer (September). Conclusions. The air quality index within two days before presentation affected the probability of attending the outpatient clinic for nonspecific conjunctivitis. High number of cases can be expected in colder season.

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Drosophila Torsin Protein Regulates Motor Control and Stress Sensitivity and Forms a Complex with Fragile-X Mental Retardation Protein

We investigated unknown in vivo functions of Torsin by using Drosophila as a model. Downregulation of Drosophila Torsin (DTor) by DTor-specific inhibitory double-stranded RNA (RNAi) induced abnormal locomotor behavior and increased susceptibility to H2O2. In addition, altered expression of DTor significantly increased the numbers of synaptic boutons. One important biochemical consequence of DTor-RNAi expression in fly brains was upregulation of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH). Altered expression of ADH has also been reported in Drosophila Fragile-X mental retardation protein (DFMRP) mutant flies. Interestingly, expression of DFMRP was altered in DTor mutant flies, and DTor and DFMRP were present in the same protein complexes. In addition, DTor and DFMRP immunoreactivities were partially colocalized in several cellular organelles in larval muscles. Furthermore, there were no significant differences between synaptic morphologies of dfmrp null mutants and dfmrp mutants expressing DTor-RNAi. Taken together, our evidences suggested that DTor and DFMRP might be present in the same signaling pathway regulating synaptic plasticity. In addition, we also found that human Torsin1A and human FMRP were present in the same protein complexes, suggesting that this phenomenon is evolutionarily conserved.

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Three Hong Kong nurses guilty of professional misconduct after patient dies due to blocked airway - South China Morning Post

South China Morning Post

Three Hong Kong nurses guilty of professional misconduct after patient dies due to blocked airway
South China Morning Post
Three nurses were found guilty of professional misconduct on Monday following a serious medical blunder in which a 73-year-old cancer patient died after a breathing hole on his throat was blocked by gauze. This was a landmark case for the Nursing ...

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Anti-cancer vaccine for boys being considered - Radio New Zealand

Radio New Zealand

Anti-cancer vaccine for boys being considered
Radio New Zealand
Doctors have urged that the vaccine be also given to boys, amid warnings that cancers caused by the virus, such as in the throat and tongue, will surpass cervical cancer rates in five years time. Other changes being proposed to the National ...

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